Chapter 116 : To the Labyrinth (2)

Alicia quietly opened her closed eyes, rose from her seat, and sat on the edge of the bed.

At the end of her gaze, Vell Blackwood’s empty bed could be seen.

Vell Blackwood had left.

She had somewhat expected it to come to this, but seeing Vell Blackwood really leave so suddenly, it felt like her heart sank heavily.

“…….”

The reason Alicia didn’t follow despite knowing Vell Blackwood would leave was none other than this.

To harbor such excessive greed, she was far too weak.

Alicia remembers.

The moment she was exposed to the aura emitted by the woman of unknown identity, the state where she couldn’t do anything, like a frog in front of a snake.

For someone like that to follow on a journey?

It was laughable.

Even if Vell Blackwood allowed it, it was clear she would only be a hindrance on the journey.

Because she was weak right now.

Because she was so powerless, she would only become a burden.

“…….”

Alicia quietly hugged her knees.

“Whoa! You scared me.”

At that moment, Conlan, who woke up from his sleep, shouted in surprise upon seeing the shadow in the dark.

Soon confirming that the unidentified shadow was Alicia, Conlan only then let out a sigh of relief.

“I thought a ghost appeared or something. Why are you like that in the middle of the night?”

“…….”

Amidst the silence, Conlan’s gaze naturally headed toward Vell Blackwood’s bed.

“Hmm, he left as expected.”

Only then did a faint light enter Alicia’s eyes, which had been empty.

“……Did you know?”

“Anyone could see he was someone who would leave soon, right? He didn’t even participate in training and was packing his bags.”

Conlan spoke as if he understood.

“Surely you’re not moping around because that guy Vell left without saying a word, right?”

At Conlan’s words that pierced the core, Alicia’s shoulders flinched.

“N, No I’m not!”

“What do you mean no, it’s obvious you’re sullen because that guy Vell didn’t take you along.”

“Th, That is…….”

Looking at that appearance, Conlan smiled bitterly and said.

“It is true that we are lacking to stand by Vell’s side.”

“……I know that too.”

“But that doesn’t mean it has to be like that forever.”

Alicia’s eyes widened slightly.

“I will survive here. And I know that the best thing for that is to remain by Vell’s side.”

“But……!”

“If you don’t have the qualification to remain by his side, shouldn’t you just win that trivial qualification yourself?”

At Conlan’s overly confident words, Alicia tried to say something but closed her lips.

It was the right thing to say.

Alicia had also decided early on to become strong enough to stand by Vell Blackwood’s side, but the moment she saw the unidentified woman, her heart crumbled.

Because standing by Vell Blackwood’s side breaking through among such people felt far too distant.

“……Thank you.”

“Hmph, I didn’t say it particularly for you to hear. Just saying it is so.”

“Still.”

At that moment, a familiar voice abruptly intervened.

“Stop bullshitting and just go to sleep, please. I’m dying of noise.”

Albino, who had been sleeping on one side and opened his eyes hollowly as if he couldn’t stand it anymore, was glaring at Conlan and Alicia.

“Yes.”

“Sorry.”

The 4th Special Task Force was peaceful today as well.

***

Luna spoke in a voice that couldn’t hide her reluctance.

“……What is this?”

“Manual.”

“Ha? Manual? But why is the content like this? It looks like a collection of cheap ghost stories.”

This rascal?

“If you don’t like it, then don’t read it.”

“Wh, Who said I won’t read it? Just saying the content is a bit eerie.”

Saying so, Luna hugged the parchment tightly in her arms as if it were something precious.

Just what is she trying to do…….

“Anyway, memorize it while we go, since there might not be time to look at it inside Akiro’s Labyrinth.”

“But having only heard talk of Labyrinth this, Labyrinth that, seeing it like this, it certainly is not an easy place.”

“It is not an easy place. Besides what’s written in the manual, unexpected situations can arise anytime.”

Especially, if it’s a time like now, there would be not a few players flocked inside Akiro’s Labyrinth.

Rather than the elements inside the labyrinth, the possibility of other players being more of a threat was high.

No…… though the place called the labyrinth was such a place in the first place.

‘Even in the past, it was virtually a legal PK zone.’

Inside the labyrinth, even if one commits murder or various illegal acts, they do not receive sanctions from the Empire or various other nations.

The external reason is that the place called the labyrinth itself is treated as extraterritoriality, but the real reason was that it was impossible to know from the outside what happens inside the labyrinth.

‘It would be good if troublesome things don’t happen.’

Of course, there would be no such thing though.

***

Arriving at the South Gate, the Guard Team Leader welcomed me as if he had been waiting.

“Ooh! Mage of Thunder, you came now. I was waiting anyway, pass through quickly.”

The Guard Team Leader glanced at the leave permit I held out as if indifferent and passed us through quickly.

On top of that, I don’t know if Edric had spoken in advance, but even with two horses prepared.

“Is it okay?”

“Of course it’s okay! Don’t worry about such things and depart quickly. I’m sorry as I feel I’m just taking up your time.”

“No, it’s fine. Then I will get going now.”

Passing through the castle gate quickly like that, not long after, Luna burst into laughter as if she couldn’t hold it anymore.

“What’s with Mage of Thunder? Kyahahat.”

“……Don’t laugh.”

It’s not even a nickname I wanted, but seeing her laugh like this, I felt like feeding a punch to the sly face of Edric, the culprit of the nickname.

“Still, well, it is cool though. But why Mage of Thunder? Lord Cain doesn’t use Lightning Magic well or anything.”

“There are circumstances.”

“Those circumstances are always there. So, why Mage of Thunder?”

Since we are heading to Akiro’s Labyrinth together anyway, I could just tell her, but somehow I felt stubborn.

“You will know later.”

“Are you going to be cheap like that?”

“I am.”

“Ah really, so childish!”

Luna pouted her lips out, but whether she did or not, I didn’t care.

“But where is Akiro’s Labyrinth? How long do we have to go?”

“Akiro’s Labyrinth is in the southern desert zone.”

Luna blinked her eyes.

“Deeseert─? We have to go for a long time! It will take a whole month!”

“That’s why I hurried. Since the way to go is far.”

“Ah…… I feel dizzy already. Just when will we get there?”

“There’s nothing to worry about, since the way there won’t be boring.”

As I stopped the horse and got off, Luna’s eyes blinked.

“What does that…… Ah, oh no.”

Luna also got off the horse as if she understood what I meant.

How long has it been since we departed from Winter Castle, the demonic beasts wandering near Winter Castle revealed their presence.

If it were demonic beasts of that level, normally they wouldn’t have even dared to approach just from the presence Luna emits, but currently, Luna was in a considerably weakened state after extracting a part of the Destruction Dragon’s Demonic energy.

As if proving the fact about that, even the Imaginary Number-ification that made Luna look like a being from another world was not activating currently.

However, even if Luna was in a weakened state, there was no need to be scared of merely those kinds of demonic beasts.

“This neighborhood, I really like it. Even cute guys like these rush in fearlessly.”

A faint smile was drawn on Luna’s lips, and at the same time, demonic beasts rushed in from all directions.

[Kaaaaaaak───!]

[Kreung! Kreureung!]

【Lv.3】

【Dire Wolf】

【Lv.3】

【Dire Wolf】

With a light hand gesture, invisible blades shot out and tore the whole bodies of the demonic beasts in an instant.

There was no way I wouldn’t know what that was.

‘Space Magic.’

I recognized it from when she used Imaginary Number-ification, but it seemed Luna possessed considerable understanding of Space Magic and its price.

If not, she wouldn’t be able to use Imaginary Number-ification or magic like that spatial slash nonchalantly like usual.

[Kreureureung……!]

“Oh my, look at these mutts? Still not running away?”

Luna lightly waved her hand as if it was fun, as if dealing with broken toys.

Every time she did, the Dire Wolves collapsed powerlessly without even putting up a plausible resistance.

[Keheheng…….]

[Kreureuk.]

Without the need for me to do anything particularly, it didn’t take that long for the situation to end entirely.

Carcasses, carcasses, and carcasses.

The carcasses of the demonic beasts sliced arbitrarily were dyeing the snow of the snowfield bright red before we knew it.

No matter that Dire Wolves are demonic beasts whose level isn’t that high, it was truly an overwhelming spectacle.

“Ah, I loosened up my body after a long time. Things that aren’t even much blocking the way.”

Luna dusted off her hands lightly and got on the horse again.

I also got on the horse together, and the journey continued again.

“How did you come to obtain Space Magic? As far as I know, originally you had no connection with the Demon of Space.”

“Huh? Ah, just somehow.”

“Is that so.”

Seeing her slur her speech slightly, it seemed to be a topic she didn’t want to talk about much.

“Forget that, do you have some money?”

“……Money? What money?”

“Imperial Gold Coins. Gold. Don’t you know?”

“Who asks because they don’t know that? Why suddenly?”

“We can’t just enter Akiro’s Labyrinth as is. We should prepare something to cover our faces.”

“Is there a need to do that?”

“There is.”

Luna aside, for me, there was nothing good about my identity or true nature being known in many ways.

Of course, even so, there wouldn’t be an event where the fact that I am Cain is exposed, but if possible, I needed to keep Vell Blackwood’s identity a secret as much as possible too.

“Mmm, let’s say that’s so for now, what does that have to do with money?”

“Even if we make something clumsily, it won’t be that efficient in terms of durability or various aspects, so I plan to just pick and buy a usable item.”

“Ah, at the Auction House?”

“Yeah.”

“Mmm…… Okay. How much do you need?”

“Just give me everything you have for now.”

“……Isn’t this completely a robber in broad daylight.”

“I’ll return what’s left so don’t worry.”

“Hmph.”

Having received money from Luna, I entered the Auction House immediately and bid on the mask I had marked in advance.

“What did you buy?”

“You will know when you see it later.”

When that time comes, you will be very surprised.

Yes, very much so.

***

It is no exaggeration to say that the southern desert and the northern region where Winter Castle is located are far apart enough to be on the opposite sides of the continent.

Because of that, our journey could never be seen as smooth, but perhaps thanks to the reliable bodyguard, events where we felt a threat to our lives hardly occurred.

Even by my standards, there weren’t many strong people exceeding Luna in the Lagna Continent, so there was no need to say more.

Of course, we had to change horses three times because the horses that couldn’t endure the arduous journey collapsed on the way, but anyway, we were able to reach the southern desert zone.

“Ho, hot…….”

Until a while ago, we were in the bone-chilling cold, but now we were exposed to a heat wave where a person would seem to cook if staying still.

It was truly a change of extremes, but even so, we couldn’t complain.

“Endure it.”

“……But Lord Cain looks very fine? Aren’t you hot?”

“Bearable.”

Actually, the cold energy dwelling in the Orb of Water was automatically regulating my body temperature though.

“Huh? What, Lord Cain, are you using something? Only around Lord Cain is cool?”

“Don’t cling to me.”

“You were using this good thing alone? No. I’m definitely going to stick close.”

“Sigh…….”

How many days did we walk through the desert like that?

The appearance of an overwhelming crowd starting to reveal itself beyond the desert.

It felt like seeing a mirage due to the strangely unrealistic spectacle, but what we were seeing now was clear reality.

“Lord Cain, over there…… seems to be right, right?”

“Seems so.”

How many places would there be where a crowd would gather in the middle of a desert like this?

Especially, even more so if it’s a crowd entirely made up of players.

“We arrived.”

Akiro’s Labyrinth.

Finally, we arrived there.

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