episode_0027

A week had passed since the Marquis made the promise.

After lunch and through dinner, a visitor arrived as the night grew darker.

Outside, standing guard was Chief Marco.

“Adventurer Raswood.”

It seemed he hadn’t come for personal matters.

“We are going to the Lord’s castle right now.”

Marco’s face was stern.

Despite his poker face, I could tell he was worried.

Was he just ordered to bring me without hearing anything else?

“It’s nothing serious, so don’t worry.”

I casually shrugged my shoulders and tapped Marco’s chest with my finger.

His expression visibly softened.

“But am I the only one going? What about the others?”

I turned my head slightly in the corridor, pointing towards Linda and Krisha.

“The Lord has singled out only Raswood.”

“Really? Hey, did you hear? I’ll be back soon.”

I waved to the two behind me.

“G-Good luck.”

“Hurry back.”

They waved back in the same manner.

Spending a few days together seemed to have brought us closer.

No, it had been almost a month already, hadn’t it?

“Got it. Did you hear? Let’s return quickly.”

I put on my hat by the entrance, still wearing the clothes I had at home.

This much should suffice to hide the color of my hair and eyes late at night.

Following Marco out of the mansion into the city, the scenery looked slightly different from usual.

The bustling sounds of the night market, minstrels’ songs, torches, the smell of cooking welcoming returning workers…

Such things were always the same.

Even the adventurers crowding the streets after work remained as lively as ever.

There were many new recruits heading back home with weary expressions.

In quieter alleys and corners, some young ones could be seen resting wearily.

Most were unfamiliar faces, yet strangely resembled each other.

Brigal.

People who had migrated from Brigal were indeed becoming adventurers.

Initially, I had my doubts about whether it would work out, but it was progressing better than expected.

Of course, I knew the square below the mansion would gradually brighten and become noisier, but since the day I defeated the boss in the labyrinth, I hadn’t left the mansion.

“…It’s livelier than usual.”

The city sparkled.

Although I had grown accustomed to it recently and felt somewhat indifferent, seeing it again today made it seem fresh and delightful.

Marco didn’t reply, looking somewhat ambiguous.

As the chief of security, he was probably preoccupied with security or other issues.

Passing through the square of the night streets, we arrived at the Lord’s castle entrance where Buarno was already waiting.

“Please come in. He is waiting for you.”

He undoubtedly referred to the Marquis, but he didn’t explicitly mention it, perhaps for secrecy.

After leaving me there, Marco turned back and returned with the guards.

“Hey.”

I called out to the retreating Marco.

He stopped his steps without a response.

“If you ever need help, call me.”

“…”

Marco subtly nodded his head.

When he was young, he used to pester me all day to teach him swordsmanship, unlike the other adventurers who stayed at the mansion.

Starting with some casual lessons from me, other adventurers began teaching him various skills too.

That lad, who used to be like that, eventually volunteered for the battlefield and returned as a noble.

And he never asked for anything again.

…So when Marco asked for help the last time we met, I felt a bit nostalgic.

“Let’s go.”

I turned back to Buarno and spoke.

Following him, I entered the Lord’s castle and ascended to the top floor of the central building through a long corridor.

From there, we headed towards the innermost room in silence.

In the corridor hung numerous portraits.

They were the heads of the Maze family who ruled this labyrinthine city.

The one at the forefront was the progenitor of the Maze family, but I had never met them.

However, as I ventured further in, familiar faces began to appear, and memories became clearer.

When I first settled in this city, the Marquis of Ebony would occasionally summon me out of curiosity about Eboni.

But by the time of his grandson, no one sought me out.

It didn’t particularly bother me.

I knew that the city’s inhabitants had finally accepted my presence as a natural part of this place.

Like the old trees, hills, or wells.

And before I knew it, I had reached the final frame.

The portrait of the current Marquis of Maze.

Usually, noble portraits are painted anew each year.

Previous paintings are stored away, or the current appearance is painted over them.

But the portrait of the current Marquis, Dmitri, remained unchanged from the past.

Not repainted, still keeping the old image.

An unchanging curse… perhaps.

Similar to me.

“The Marquis is waiting for you. Please be careful not to be disrespectful.”

As we reached the door, Buarno stepped back slightly and spoke.

“Hmm? Am I going in alone?”

“…Yes.”

Buarno seemed uneasy.

It was the Marquis’ decision, so there was nothing to be done…

But why?

“It’s fine. I won’t do anything. Do I look like someone who would?”

“It’s not that… Anyway, please go in.”

He knocked on the door.

“Please come in.”

The Marquis’s voice.

Seemed a bit tense.

Could it be that investigating that monster led to some unfavorable outcome?

I prepared myself a little.

In the worst case, I might have to leave this city for a while.

Buarno opened the door, and I entered alone.

“Welcome.”

In the middle of the room, the Marquis of Maze stood alone, displaying the etiquette of a noble by holding the edges of his coat tails as he did last time.

There was no one else around… No one seemed to be watching.

For the Lord of the Labyrinth City, having a couple of secret guards wouldn’t be unusual.

“Hello.”

I also took off my hat and performed the noble greeting by placing it against my chest.

“Haha, feel free to relax. Please, have a seat here.”

The Marquis gestured towards the sofa with a table.

I hung my hat on the hat stand and sat down there.

There was already a small box on the table.

Some sort of evidence?

“I apologize for making you wait so long.”

“Oh? Ah, no. It’s fine.”

I hadn’t expected the noble to apologize all of a sudden.

Even when facing another noble, they don’t easily apologize.

Their apologies carry not just words but also sincerity based on their dignity.

“To start, as a token of apology for the delay, I have prepared this.”

As expected, she extended the box on the table.

“What is all this…”

I was taken aback but accepted it nonetheless.

Refusing a noble’s gesture could be problematic.

As part of an American pioneering venture, after defeating the boss monster, I couldn’t enter the maze until today, a week later.

Our goal is for those coming from Brigal to settle here as adventurers, and to minimize friction, it’s best for Krisha and me not to reveal ourselves in the maze.

Of course, during this time of not entering the maze, there was no income at all.

However, considering these factors, I received the commission fee for defeating the boss monster very generously.

“Let’s see…”

It is considered polite to check a noble’s gift immediately, so I opened the box.

I had expected at most a rare feather quill pen or a fragrant candle, but the contents exceeded my imagination.

Yet, I understood.

“A splendid gift. Thank you.”

In a slender glass bottle lies the finest-grade healing potion.

Indeed.

None other than the Lord of this labyrinthine city.

The top-tier healing potion practically works miracles akin to sacred magic.

Though some disabilities may linger, even a severed arm can be reattached.

“I will make good use of this in defeating monsters. However, that fellow is not easily defeated…”

“Hoho, no. While I did provide this to assist you in navigating the maze, it wasn’t meant for use in battling ‘her.’”

“Not for that?”

Then why give me this precious item?

This is an item not easily obtained, even by a ruler.

Or does the Lord of the Labyrinthine City receive top-tier healing potions regularly?

“Yes. Now, shall we begin our discussion? As I mentioned before, we formed an investigation team to locate the monsters. However, even after descending to the 25th underground floor, no monsters were found.”

“That’s…”

“Yes, it seems you are the only one interested. So, to get to the point, would you consider going back into the maze to meet her in person?”

“What? Oh, um… What did you say?”

Has this woman gone mad?

“I don’t mean to defeat that monster. I simply wish for a deep conversation with her.”

“A conversation…”

“Based on Spect’s testimony and her behavioral patterns, she seems to possess sufficient intelligence. Originally, if she was a monster, it implies she was once human. In that case, could communication be possible… That’s the idea.”

“But…!”

“Of course, I’m not ordering you to do it. I’m just reminding you that such a method is also an option.”

“Communication is impossible. He sees humans as prey, or rather, as toys.”

“Is that so? Rashwood, you were part of the Retributors, the adventurer team that conquered the 50th floor of the labyrinth 20 years ago.”

The Retributors, the adventuring team that appeared like a comet 20 years ago.

While their individual skills might fall slightly short of Nana and Spect, their teamwork was truly divine.

Originally a knightly order, they disbanded for political reasons, yet the six who remained united out of lingering attachment had such deep camaraderie and dignity that at the time, they were considered the stars of the Labyrinthine City.

Thanks to their popularity and prowess, the former Maze Countess requested my presence, the most experienced in the city, to accompany them to delve into the deepest parts of the maze.

And we reached the 50th floor, far beyond the previous record of 37 floors.

I was quite excited then.

Nearly 300 years spent in the Labyrinthine City, and no one had reached beyond the 40th floor, let alone the 50th.

The thrill of being part of history…

But everything crumbled like a mirage in an instant.

“Yes… that’s right. And I saw it clearly.”

Just 20 years ago.

As vivid as yesterday.

Candlelight flickering in the darkness.

Comrades sitting around, heads bowed.

And there, among them… it.

“The creature playing with the corpses of the Retributors, the highest-ranking adventurer team…”