episode_0042

I returned to the Golden Shield Inn.

“Welcome back, Lord Lashwood. What brings you here again?” greeted the old man behind the counter.

“I came to meet the young master of the Capasella family I met yesterday. We didn’t have a chance to talk properly due to the late hour.”

“I see.”

The old man rang the bell next to the counter.

“Did you call for me?”

A well-dressed attendant approached and asked.

“Tell Room 210’s guests that Lord Lashwood has arrived.”

“Yes.”

The attendant nodded to the old man and ascended the stairs.

“Your grandson seems to have learned manners quite well.”

“I still have a long way to go.”

Marone, the old man who used to teach etiquette to nobles, said.

As a wealthy merchant’s son, he too had rigorously learned noble etiquette in his youth.

“You seem proud despite saying that with your mouth.”

“Haha… You truly can’t be fooled, Lord Lashwood. But it’s true that I have shortcomings. I need to put in more effort.”

“Well, aren’t you pushing yourself too hard? You have a son, after all.”

“I appreciate your concern, but he’s busier than I am right now.”

Marone, the owner of the Golden Shield Inn, welcomed guests in front of him.

His son, too, had been taught etiquette strictly by his father but now focused on running the inn, managing finances, and socializing for business connections.

“You’re being serious. Even getting up must be difficult now. You need rest.”

“I’ve lived this way my whole life. Going into the inner room now would just bore me, and I’d come out again.”

“I see… Well, you’ve always been diligent. Your father had a good eye for people.”

Marone’s father and I were acquaintances.

He had planned to venture into the inn business in the Labyrinth City and entrusted his son Marone with it.

At that time, due to heavy guild influence, opening and running an inn was challenging, so Marone’s father asked me to help solve the problem.

Of course, the issue was easily resolved with a bit of money and a recommendation letter.

And now, he runs such a large upscale inn.

“Haha… There’s probably only one person in this world who can say such things to me, Lord Lashwood. And if I may add, yes, that’s true. My father had a keen eye for good people, just like befriending someone like you.”

“You still have a silver tongue.”

“It’s part of my job.”

I waited leisurely with Marone, exchanging casual conversation.

Just talking to this fellow makes me feel refined.

Perhaps naturally embodying noble etiquette is the key to the success of the Golden Shield Inn.

“Excuse me. Room 210’s guests wish to meet you immediately.”

After a while, Marone’s grandson returned.

“Thank you.”

I shook Marone’s hand lightly and followed his grandson to Room 210.

…

Leanne was waiting at the door.

No sign of Pesto.

Well, I did tell her not to show up.

“Have a pleasant conversation.”

Marone’s grandson left, leaving only Leanne and me in the corridor.

“What’s the matter? I distinctly told you not to come yesterday.”

“Oh, I just had something to say. You can pass it on instead if you prefer.”

“Depending on the topic, I might not be able to help.”

“Don’t be so rigid. After all, I saved Pesto’s life and limbs, even using top-grade potions.”

…

Leanne’s expression softened slightly.

“Anyway, Pesto promised me something. He vowed to repay me for this matter.”

“Of course. In fact, right now, the young master is writing a letter to send to your lady.”

“Is that so? Then hurry and deliver this quickly. The reward is best in the form of money, as much as possible.”

“…Understood.”

There was a slight sense of disappointment and disdain.

“And do it as quickly as possible.”

“The Kapasella family will not forget Lord Raswood’s efforts and sacrifices. So…”

“Oh, it’s not about that. I have an urgent matter to attend to and need to spend money quickly.”

“That’s…”

“I know. When it comes to doing good deeds, I don’t usually think deeply, I just act. Like when I didn’t even realize that Pasteau was a noble and used the highest-grade potion. It’s the same urgency with spending money now.”

“…”

“I don’t want to burden you, but it’s really urgent.”

“If it’s that urgent, you could borrow money from Lord Raswood here in the city…”

“Borrowing money from a close friend is the worst thing to do.”

That’s depleting friendship.

“…Understood. If it’s truly for a good cause.”

“I have a favor to ask.”

“Sure. Is there anything else you need?”

“No. Tell Pasteau that I urgently had to return to the Labyrinth.”

Perhaps Pasteau will question why he wasn’t called by me when he hears that I’ve come back to the city.

“…Yes.”

Lianne seemed slightly relieved, as if she knew.

With this, I can offer a plausible explanation.

“Well then, I’ll be going. Please take care.”

“…?”

“…Oh, by the way. You won’t tell Styria what happened, will you?”

“…”

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell her before I find out myself.”

“I must reiterate, that is a matter for our Loreldia.”

“Okay… understood.”

I turned away.

Once these immediate matters are settled, I’ll have to find out right away.

Of course, I have no intention of going straight to Loreldia.

But maybe I can ask Specter for help.

“Are you leaving?”

Marone at the entrance asked.

“Yeah. Take care.”

“If you need any help, feel free to ask anytime.”

“Okay.”

Hmm.

Did something show on my face?

…Wait a moment, I’m wearing a helmet right now.

I momentarily got confused because they recognized me so naturally.

I waited near the Golden Shield Inn, where I could spend time until lunch.

This place attracts high-end adventurers, so it’s relatively quiet with fewer rookie adventurers bustling about the city.

However, on the flip side, you occasionally see the appearances of higher-ranked adventurers.

I raised my hand and greeted them lightly.

The standard for high-ranking adventurers is Mithril rank.

Occasionally, you might also see Platinum-ranked adventurers, but that’s usually when there’s a need for top-tier manpower.

An Orichalcum-ranked adventurer like the Crimson Lake I met this morning is practically at the pinnacle as an active adventurer.

Moving up to Adamantite rank means becoming a living legend, etching your name into history.

It’s not a metaphor; the Adventurer Guild actually inscribes the names of all past Adamantite-ranked adventurers on a monument.

Of course, Misty’s name is at the very top.

And… right below that is my name.

Below my name are the names of other Adamantite-ranked adventurers.

However, none of them are currently active.

Due to the requirement of accumulating a certain level of achievements as an Orichalcum-ranked adventurer and staying active for 30 years.

Consequently, it’s common for adventurers to retire soon after reaching Adamantite rank.

No matter how accomplished or experienced, age eventually catches up with them.

Both the first and second Adamantites were long-lived individuals, which seems to have created this peculiar tradition.

The only exception to this tradition was the Retributors.

They built up tremendous achievements and fame before retiring, quickly rising to the top in Adamantite.

Of course, they were all former knights.

“Sigh…”

At least I’ve never advocated for such traditional things.

Misty probably feels the same way.

“Honor…”

It is said that once people have money and power, they aim for honor next.

That doesn’t seem like a wrong statement.

The Red Lake Adventurer Team, already at the peak at a young age, is said to be heading to the 40th floor today for honor.

And it’s not just them.

I’ve spent a hundred years as an adventurer.

Whether long or short, it’s been some time.

During that time, I’ve seen exceptional adventurers like Misty and myself throw themselves into Adamantite to gain honor multiple times.

Honor and glory.

I think I understand somewhat what that means.

Because I felt it when I fought demons as part of the heroes summoned by the goddess in another world.

But did we have wealth and power back then?

Absolutely not.

We were slaves.

We had nothing but our kin and honor.

The honor we enjoyed back then and the honor people pursue now seem the same yet different.

In other words, it’s hard to grasp.

Having lived longer than any human, I still can’t understand these aspects of humans.

“…”

Before I knew it, it was lunchtime.

I bought a piece of bread, took a bite, swallowed it, and headed straight to the labyrinth.

Passing the entrance, I descended to the 10th and then the 20th floor.

There is no fear in going below the 10th floor now.

And the deeper you go, the higher the chance of earning valuable mana stones.

All I can do now is earn as much money as possible.

As I passed the 20th floor and descended to the deserted 30th floor, a strange intuition struck me.

Something… something’s off.

It’s different from the 30th floor I know.

As you go deeper into the maze, the scenery becomes increasingly eerie.

By the time you reach the 40th floor, there are eyes, mouths, hands on the walls or ceiling, and the monsters that appear are more grotesque.

The 30th floor is still a place where such extreme changes haven’t occurred.

Of course, I don’t see those things even now.

But the atmosphere.

The atmosphere is similar to the 40th floor.

The smell in the air…

Maybe it’s better to just turn back today…

Wait.

The Red Lake team?

They said they were going to the 40th floor today…!

“Darn it.”

I’m starting to worry.

And this bad feeling I sense on-site usually turns out to be true.

I hurriedly broke through the 30th floor range towards the 40th floor.

Of course, I was concerned about Lindberg on the 51st floor, but I was more eager to confirm the safety of the Red Lake.

Those guys are one of the pillars of this labyrinth city.

The value of a single Orihalcon team is equivalent to a formally organized knight order within the labyrinth.

After dodging almost all monster battles and running, I arrived at the stairs leading down from the 39th floor.

And… bloodstains.

These bloodstains… are coming up from the 40th floor.

I felt a bit relieved.

At least it means someone escaped from the 40th floor.

I followed those bloodstains towards a corner of the 39th floor.

And what awaited me at the end was…

“!”

An adventurer.

One of the members of the Red Lake.

But… but where are the others?

Why, why alone…

No, now’s not the time to worry about that!

I rushed towards him urgently.

“Hey, are you alive? Damn it, take this potion…”

It was Gelly, the team leader.

I pulled out the top-grade potion left over from last night.

There’s no time to ask questions.

I opened the lid and immediately poured it into his mouth.