episode_0026

The square, which could be considered the heart of the labyrinthine city’s economy, was always bustling.

But recently, the place had become so crowded that it was almost overheated, far beyond its usual lively state.

“Here we go! It’s on sale! A club made of Bilakto wood that anyone can easily wield for just three silver coins!”

“Here, this Bilakto wood club is not only two silver coins but also 80 copper coins!”

“What!? Then here, it’s two silver coins and 70 copper coins!!”

“You scoundrel!!”

Two merchants selling the same weapon shouted themselves hoarse at each other.

Normally, both would have stood up from their seats to grab each other by the collar, but now there was no room even to face each other, let alone walk out from behind their stalls.

Onlookers and customers cheered as they watched the two merchants quarrel.

It was a well-known fact that when merchants fought, customers benefited.

Of course, not everyone knew that the two merchants had agreed on the prices beforehand and were putting on a show.

“Behold this excellent armor said to be worn by the barbarians of the Toria Great Forest! Worried it’s leather? Not at all! This leather is made from the scales of the ferocious Torian Raptors famous in the Great Forest! This is a limited edition item with only 20 available in our store!”

“It’s expensive…”

“We’re clearing out our stock of recovery potions nearing expiration date! Normally priced at two silver coins, now available for an unbelievable one silver coin! No mistake! One potion for one silver coin!”

“Give me five bottles!”

“Here are 20 bottles!”

“Hey, these aren’t fake, right?”

“Come, come, customers! Line up here to pay… Oh! These are not fake! Look at the emblem of the Alchemy Guild stamped on them! Come closer and take a look!”

From the balcony of the Lord’s Castle overlooking the square, Viscount Buarno and Count Maze were smiling contentedly.

“The atmosphere is heating up.”

Buarno remarked.

“It’s only been a week since we defeated the boss on the 10th floor, and the change is remarkable.”

“Above all else,”

the Count added,

“It’s fortunate that the people from Brigal are responding well.”

As long-term agitators for the Champions of the Spearhead Warrior Corps who had immigrated to this city, a significant portion of Brigal citizens had either been jobless or poor.

The agitators were a small number of specialized personnel who moved people.

Most ordinary folks had decent jobs back in their homelands and lived well; why would they abandon their homes to come to this distant city?

Ultimately, those mobilized were generally those without such social foundations—beggars, wanderers, and the destitute.

The royal family didn’t provide proper support to these individuals.

“I’m just a little concerned about security…”

Buarno said.

“It’s fine. The adventurers will take care of it.”

There was no city overflowing with skilled warriors like the Labyrinth City.

And for the lower classes of society, fists were closer than the law.

While the crime rate had increased due to a surge in people aspiring to become adventurers and settling in the city, the experienced adventurers didn’t leave the ‘rookies’ alone to disrupt the city’s peace.

***

In the bustling street, a man skillfully navigated through the crowd, discreetly scanning for his next target.

All he saw were tempting prey everywhere.

Back home, his face was already known, making it difficult to even set foot outside, but here in the city, hardly anyone recognized him.

“Let’s see…”

He searched among the passersby for someone carelessly exposing their pockets.

After a while, he escaped the crowd and turned into an alley before pulling out a small pouch from his pocket.

“Heh, too easy, right? I’ll be rich in no time.”

The pouch shimmered with silver coins.

Unfortunately, there didn’t seem to be any gold coins mixed in, but it was still a considerable haul.

“Hey.”

At that moment, someone placed a hand on his shoulder.

“W-What!?”

Startled, he turned around.

It was an ordinary adventurer wearing a helmet that covered his face.

“That pouch doesn’t seem like it belongs to you.”

“W-What are you talking about?! I rightfully ear…”

“Stealing isn’t righteous. I saw what you did.”

“Wha-Really!!”

He pushed away the adventurer’s hand and ran.

But before he could take a few steps, he was caught and slammed to the ground.

The pouch in his hand fell, spilling silver coins everywhere.

The adventurer picked up the coins and put them back in the pouch.

“You’re in trouble being an adventurer. What will you do being so clumsy?”

“Ugh… damn it…!”

“Then I’ll return this money to its rightful owner later.”

“W-Wait! It’s just you and me here! You take the money! I’ll just go back…”

“That won’t do.”

“What? Why do you care about the money?!”

“You still haven’t come to your senses.”

The adventurer grabbed the thief by the collar and lifted him up.

“Don’t muddy the waters in this town!”

With a metal gauntlet-clad hand, he smacked the thief’s cheek.

The thief, with a swollen cheek from the powerful slap, was handed over to the guards.

Such incidents were happening all over the city.

No matter how fast a pickpocket may be, they are not faster than trained warriors or archers.

Back at the square…

“Hahaha, oh, I can’t contain my joy.”

The Count spoke.

“This wouldn’t have been possible without Mr. Lashwood.”

“Lashwood… you mean?”

“300 years.”

“What?”

“He settled in this city 300 years ago. According to the ancestors’ records, he moved here around that time when this place… was just a simple village back then.”

“That’s… quite a long life. Perhaps calling the Ebony Tribe ‘humans’ is fitting after all…”

Buarno made a slightly disgusted expression.

“He is human. More than anyone else in this city.”

But the reason for his expression wasn’t due to his feelings towards Lashwood personally.

On the contrary.

It was because of the Count whom he had been serving for a long time.

“A human who has lived for 300 years. The seeds he sowed have grown into trees and borne fruit. The sight we see now is evidence of that harvest, isn’t it?”

One could say that the origin of the Maze City adventurers lies with Misty, a former adventurer who now works as a receptionist.

She dramatically lowered the barrier to entering the maze by defeating the boss monster on the 5th floor.

However, it was Lashwood who shaped the Maze City adventurers into what they are today.

“When the Ebony Tribe of this city began exploring the maze, the ancestors asked this question. Why venture into the maze? At that time, exploring the maze was perceived as a risky endeavor undertaken by archaeologists or wizards leading mercenaries. It wasn’t given proper professional recognition.”

“I see…”

“Even when the first boss monster was defeated, people didn’t rush into the maze. They didn’t know the internal situation well, and it wasn’t worth abandoning their livelihoods until now. But…”

The Count, unable to contain himself, looked down at the bustling square with eyes full of fervor.

“He personally took the boys and young men from the village to the labyrinth. There, they caught weak monsters, mined for magic stones, and made money… It may seem like a simple and insignificant story now, but that was truly a revolution!”

An immature child is simply an underdeveloped adult.

When they become young men, it is only natural for them to help with household chores.

Tilling the land, gathering herbs from the mountains, hunting animals to make a living—the tradition runs deep in history.

While Misty changed the environment of the labyrinth, no one dared to step outside of the old traditions.

However, when the boys and young men who had thought their only purpose was to assist with household tasks brought back shining gold coins by selling magic stones, everything began to change.

“When the Mage Guild first entered this place, when the Alchemy Guild came, when the Merchant Guild arrived, there was always, always that person.”

“…”

Baronno closed his mouth in response to the strange passion emanating from the Count.

He had always found it somewhat worrisome.

“Oh, splendid indeed. As expected… as expected of Lord Lashwood…”

“My lord… You seem overly excited.”

Baronno belonged to the Mayes family, a steward family that had served the Dimitri family for a long time.

When Dimitri was cursed and could no longer grow, he was confined to the house, so she worked hard to bring him books to alleviate his boredom and tell him interesting stories happening outside.

Among those books and stories were, of course, ones about Lashwood, but now she regretted it.

The girl trapped in a cage due to a curse that prevented her from aging became excessively absorbed in the tales of the adventurer who never grew old.

She idolized humans she had never met before in her own world.

At first, Baronno thought it fortunate that she had something she enjoyed, but…

“While it’s true that the adventurers in this city have been influenced by Mr. Lashwood, isn’t it a bit exaggerated?”

“…Baronno.”

“…”

Just calling her name sent a chill down her spine.

“You say interesting things… But those weren’t my words; they were yours, right?”

“T-That’s…”

She said.

But.

It was just an exaggeration for the sake of storytelling.

The poor girl, who had been blankly staring all day without any emotions, would perk up at the mention of the adventurer’s tale with sparkling eyes.

Simply because she liked that sight.

That was all there was to it…

One might dare to say that the twisted state of the child she had raised like a daughter was her own fault.

The story of that day was just an exaggeration, and can one really say that such an idealized adventurer you think of doesn’t exist?

No, absolutely not.

Her guilt-ridden lips remained sealed.

And it was abundantly clear that nothing would change even if she spoke now.

“Now, look. Look here.”

She spread her arms wide, facing Baronno in the square.

Various loud noises reached them, assaulting their ears.

“This lively scene. Isn’t this also because of Mr. Lashwood defeating the monsters in the labyrinth?”

“E-Even if that’s true…”

It’s frightening.

The girl who once felt sympathy now feels fear.

“The powerful demon targeting Mr. Lashwood…”

“Hahaha… Don’t worry about that.”

“But how on earth… You mentioned negotiating, but I’m not sure…”

“It’s natural for you not to know. But I can. I’m sure we’ll have a good conversation.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Well… Because I smell kinship.”