episode_0074

“You bought this separately?”

“Yes.”

Deviating from the plan was fraught with risk.

That’s why I thought it would be better to stick with the original plan unless there was any further benefit.

Princess Rasiel first asked the guide why he had purchased the labyrinth map.

“Why?”

“Yes?”

“Why did you buy something like that? Why did you have to stop and go where everyone else went?”

“I got information that this way is better… .”

“No, that doesn’t convince me. If you have a reason to go that route, explain it more clearly.”

“The guide’s job is to find a safe and comfortable path for the team to travel. Isn’t it strange that I brought a separate map and showed them a different path?”

I also think that the guide’s position is unfair.

The guide simply did what he had to do diligently.

But what if there are traps where the guide leads?

Rather, the current situation of our punitive force is such that it is much more dangerous for the plan to go astray.

“There’s a reason why you can’t go the way you want to go. There’s no guarantee that going another way will make it safer.”

Still, it was fortunate that Princess Rasiel did not openly say that she suspected you.

There’s a chance that the guide will go over to Prince Loras and say something like that to lead us into a trap, right?

“… Okay. Then we will proceed as originally planned.”

What can a guide do when the princess, the most precious person in the punitive force, is ordered to go her own way?

“I know full well that this happened because you did your best at what you did. I appreciate your hard work.”

The guide’s gloomy expression lifted thanks to Princess Rasiel’s comfort.

Although all the hard work he had put into preparing ended up in vain, he felt comforted by the fact that Princess Rasiel recognized his efforts.

“Our princess has grown up so much. She knows how to handle people so skillfully.”

I nodded along with someone’s muttering.

In fact, I also felt that the way he wielded the carrot and the stick resembled someone else.

If you think about the relationship between the princess and that person, it’s not strange that they started to resemble each other.

“You look like Princess Cannabi.”

“Ah~?”

There were exclamations from people around me as if that was exactly what I was saying.

“It’s really similar, just as the priest said. I felt like I’d seen something like this before.”

“You’d be right to resemble Princess Canabi. Princess Rasiel respects and follows her.”

“Where are you now and what are you doing… . I hope you are doing well.”

Perhaps because they were Princess Rasiel’s friends, they had a very high level of affection for Princess Kanabi.

“It seems to be moving again. Let’s go.”

The Labyrinth Expeditionary Force moved back along the path they had originally intended to take.

I caught up with the old path at a much faster pace than when I first came down.

“From now on, everyone should concentrate and be alert to your surroundings.”

At the leader’s words, everyone checks the weapons in their hands.

Up until this point we had already explored the area, but we had no idea what dangers lay ahead.

“There are no traces around. It seems like everyone moved in the direction the guide told them to.”

According to the guide, the shortcut is already widely known among the people there.

If you are a greedy person, there is no reason to refuse the shortcut, and as a result, other roads become relatively less traveled.

“That’s a good thing. The fact that no one came means that the probability of finding something is higher.”

As we went deeper, the cold was getting stronger.

It was so cold that icicles formed on his beard.

“Hoo… . Hoo… .”

Before we knew it, everyone in the group was quiet, as if we were climbing the Himalayas.

Everyone is losing strength just by walking.

“It’s snowing! Everyone, be careful not to slip!”

“Ugh, it’s getting colder!”

“Your feet are sinking in! Everyone be careful!”

With the bad weather adding to the problem, we couldn’t help but despair.

It was difficult to just walk, but the snow was falling with strong winds.

It was difficult to see ahead.

My body swayed with every step I took.

“This won’t do! Leader!”

Someone’s desperate cry eventually caused the leader of the group to stop walking.

“Take a 30 minute break here!”

It seemed like we had to take a 30-minute break and pray for the bad weather to clear up a little.

The group, without exception, sat on the floor at the leader’s decision.

“Ah… I can’t feel my feet.”

“I never thought there would come a day when my eyes would be scarier than monsters.”

There were even some who cried, saying they would rather fight monsters.

There is snow everywhere you look, so you can’t see anything.

“Priest, I can’t feel my feet. Could you please take a look?”

“Yes, of course.”

It’s a shame that even though we walked with others, we couldn’t fully rest during break time.

As I took off his shoes and socks, the man’s feet came into view.

Judging from the color change, the man wasn’t joking.

“You need to get treatment.”

“Ugh… I wore the thickest socks possible, but why is this happening?”

“You have flat feet.”

“Flat feet?”

“Yes. There is a disadvantage in that you get tired easily and cannot run for a long time.”

Unless he changed his mind, it was inevitable that this man would come to see me often.

“I just thought I was being sarcastic, but that wasn’t the case.”

“Haha, I actually think you’re a very patient person. Because you’ve endured it like everyone else.”

“Look! The priest said I’m not a joker! Wow~ I feel so relieved.”

“We didn’t know. Ugh, sorry. We won’t tease you anymore.”

It seems that the man was often teased by his colleagues for complaining about his sore feet.

“Thank you! Thanks to you, my grievance has been resolved.”

“Next time you are sick, don’t endure it and come to me.”

“Yes!”

After receiving treatment for my feet and treating a few more patients, I finally had some time to rest.

I was munching on some beef jerky to get a quick stamina boost when a man came up to me and handed me something.

“Please have some of this.”

“Thank you. Would you like some jerky?”

“Okay.”

We shared snacks with each other and chatted quietly.

While I was taking a break, I looked around and saw that everyone was getting along better than I thought and was taking a break.

Just not being able to see the extreme divisions that I had seen when I first entered the labyrinth was a great achievement.

“Wait! I feel something!”

“Any sign?”

Srrrrung-!

How long has it been since I took a break?

Because everyone was on their toes, someone noticed the noise that wasn’t noticed earlier and relayed it to everyone in the group.

“Which side?!”

“It’s too close. Is this the sky? No, it’s a rap!”

With those words, the floor began to shake.

“Huh huh?!”

“Father Arthur!”

As I was staggering, Sister Melody grabbed my waist.

Thanks to her, I managed to regain my balance, but soon something grabbed my ankle and pulled me down.

“Ugh! What the…?”

Choaaaak-!

“It seems like they’re approaching you from under your eyes. Be careful not to get dragged to the ground!”

Sister Melody checked my ankle and cut something holding my foot down with her sword.

“Mo, is that a monster arm?”

“Yes, don’t worry. I cut it out.”

Just like when you carried me to my room while I was drunk.

This time, she lifted my body up in a flash, threw me on her back in an instant, and started running.

It seemed like he was trying to move me to a safe place.

“Ugh.”

I was completely out of my mind because of the rapidly changing surroundings, so I ended up tightly closing my eyes and waiting for my vision to return.

“Stay here.”

I heard Sister Melody’s voice and my legs touched the ground.

When I opened my closed eyes, I saw my surroundings… .

“When here… .”

I was startled to find myself standing far away from where I had been before.

“Don’t move.”

“!!”

My sister’s hair was fluttering in the air.

In a place I hadn’t seen before, she was fighting a monster.

As if the words ‘don’t move’ had been ingrained in his head, his body froze and he couldn’t move.

The good news is that since I did as she said, no monsters attacked me.

I could tell what kind of monsters were hiding in the snow and grabbing my ankles.

It has plump brown fur reminiscent of a mole, and long claws swing menacingly as it attacks Sister Melody.

but.

Sigh!!!

Their fingernails are brutally cut off by the sword wielded by Sister Melody.

When its nails were cut off, the panicked monster tried to hide by digging into the snow again, but Sister Melody did not just sit by and watch.

He kicked the ground and jumped, then showed off his incredible jumping ability and pounced on the bastard’s body.

It hit the black monster’s crown squarely.

Kwajik-!

Once again she thrust her sword with force, and with a terrible sound the sword plunged deep into the monster’s body.

Sister Melody stomped on the bastard’s shoulder and pulled out the sword embedded in his skull.

He shook off the sticky blood of the monster from his sword and swung it around, spinning his body as if he had eyes on his back.

-Kkieek!

The guy with the sword stuck in his neck let out a single scream and fell to the ground.

Chomp!

This time, she pulled the sword out of her body cleanly, checked if I was okay, and came closer.