Chapter 61 Part 1

"Those soldiers back there seemed tense,"

"Maybe some big shot went missing or something?"

Arisa and Satou were talking about a group of soldiers resembling a mountain climbing team gathered in the area close to the labyrinth's entrance when we passed through. According to Satou, some important-looking figures are inside the labyrinth, like royalty from a neighbouring nation and a young count.

"Huh. That's too bad,"

"Hmm. Maybe next time, we should put in for twice as much time in the labyrinth as before,"

We returned as planned this time, although something unexpected might have made us late. On another note, I was surprised Arisa could converse with Satou as we went up the stairs, bearing in mind she had become breathless on her way in. It seemed she had really benefited from upping her levels.

"We're here?"

"The scary door face is smiling, sir,"

Tama and Pochi opened the door out of the labyrinth, engraved with a slightly creepy smiling sun. But before we stepped through, I had to double-check one thing.

"You left them all behind, right, Nana?"

"Yes, Hero Kura," Nana blankly nods, but I know she is depressed about it. "I left them all in their home in the labyrinth base, I confirm."

We encountered a group of tiny plant monsters that looked similar to fairy's during our time in the labyrinth. Nana instantly insisted we keep them as pets. I didn't mind as long as they stayed in the labyrinth, but this morning, I caught Nana trying to hide one in her chest to take it back with us. Those plant fairies may be weak, but they are still monsters, and one with the power to poison people, so they had to stay behind.

I don't think Nana was lying to me, but I quickly looked her over to ensure nothing was wiggling around inside her clothing. It is a crime to bring those kinds of creatures out of the labyrinth, and I don't want to give that acting viceroy anything to use against me.

"We're counting on you, Captain Zeorun,"

"Yes, sir. I promise to rescue your friend at any cost,"

As we stepped out of the maze and into the bright light coming from the windows, I heard a strikingly familiar, teacher-like voice. Upon entering the room, I noticed a familiar face.

"Pe...?!"

His eyes widened when he saw Satou. He started to say Satou's name but stopped himself short.

"It's good to see you again, Viscount Siemmen," He was an esteemed nobleman who owned and managed a scroll production workshop in the old capital city, and he was the older brother of Tolma. In contrast to the somewhat bumbling Tolma, this man conducted himself with the demeanour of a particularly stern professor. "Forgive me, but I couldn't help but overhear. If a friend of yours is missing, please allow me to assist you as well."

"No, erm... That won't be necessary," Viscount Siemmen sighed and shook his head. "We've already found him."

Surprised by the ordinarily calm Viscount, Siemmen suddenly hugged Satou. I could hear Arisa muttering about the possibility of 'Boy Love' between them beside me as the embrace continued. But Satou finally realises what is happening.

"...Then this must be Sir Pendragon?"

Startled, Officer Zeorun looked at me appraisingly. My "Keen Hearing" skill picked up on a quiet mur- mur of "looking good." He probably meant Satou looked awfully clean and healthy for someone wandering in the labyrinth for days.

"Yes, that's right. This is Sir Pendragon, an irreplaceable friend of mine and a highly beneficial client,"

Viscount Siemmen finally released Satou, only to put an arm around his shoulder and introduce him to Captain Zeorun. I didn't take him for the touchy-feely type, but he must be relieved that Satou was all right.

Once We'd exchanged greetings with Captain Zeorun, the two explained why they had been about to launch a search for us. It seemed the entire incident had been sparked the day prior; Viscount Siemmen had gone to Labyrinth City to purchase a few cores and rare materials and was attempting to source some ant nectar from a different noble when news spread that several adventurers had incited a chain rampage.

Hearing that the explorers had been rescued by a nobleman with black hair with a mithril sword, someone matching my description accompanied by some children, and a scalefolk young lady with a monster spear made him think of Satou. When he enquired at the explorers' guild, he discovered that Satou had become an explorer on the day of the chain rampage event and had never returned from the labyrinth since.

Viscount Siemmen first asked the guild to send in a search party; however, as Satou's return date had not come yet, they could not. Therefore, he asked the labyrinth army general to provide a group of elite soldiers specialising in labyrinth exploration to form a rescue mission. Just as they were getting ready, we showed up. They had just been waiting for their explorer guides when we arrived. Of course, the viscount himself wouldn't enter the labyrinth, but he'd come to speak with Captain Zeorun.

"I am terribly sorry to have worried you,"

"Not at all, it appears that I was jumping to conclusions from the looks of you. In fact, I apologise for causing such a commotion."

Satou bowed his head to Viscount Siemmen, who responded in kind.

"I told you, if he's strong enough to defeat a lesser hell demon, even a big bunch of area-4 monsters wouldn't be able to put a scratch on him,"

The newcomer to the conversation was a level 27 knight and one of Zeorun's men.

"Yes, you were right. You win the bet, sir. I'll have a cask of wine and five sheep sent to the barracks later,"

"Make it ale, please. We don't drink that stuff," The knight grinned crookedly. "By the way, is this girl the hero you mentioned?"

"Yes, she is," Viscount Siemmen nodded, turning to me.

"Are you sure she could defeat so many demons and monsters?"

"Yes. Not only did she save my brother, but I personally saw Hero Kura fight a greater hell demon and even saw her slay countless flying fish monsters from the stories of the Ansteral King as I fled from the arena in the old capital."

"I'll take your word for it," The knight shrugs.

I know I don't look strong, but is it really that hard to believe. Besides, I used magic to defeat those flying whales, so it didn't require any strength.

"Captain, shall I dismiss the men down below?"

"Right. Let me think..." Captain Zeorun stroked his goatee, contemplating momentarily before relaying his orders. "Tell the general that our mission is complete, and we will fulfil our formal duties."

"Mission complete," The messenger repeated. "Fulfilling our formal duties."

"Perfect. Go!"

The messenger dashed away.

"Formal duties?" Viscount Siemmen inquired.

"Yes, the pretence for this mission on paper was that we were taking down plunderers," He explained frankly. "Since the paperwork went through and we're all loaded up with equipment, we'll just go in and wipe out some of the plunderers who have overrun area 2."

Then, the captain turned to the knight and grinned.

"You lot must be sick of training anyway, eh? Gotta let loose on some scumbags once in a while,"

"Heh, it's nice having a superior officer who gets it,"

Following this discussion, Captain Zeorun and his knight bade the viscount farewell before entering the labyrinth.

"Viscount Siemmen, I would like to thank the general for his concern as well. How should I go about doing so?"

"You needn't worry about it. I'll go thank him tomorrow,"

"If it would be best for me not to accompany you, then I understand, but..."

"You're an upright fellow, aren't you? Very well, I'll send someone to collect you tomorrow afternoon. General Erthal prefers sweet wine. I'll ready some casks, so perhaps you can prepare some appropriate snacks to accompany them,"

"I'd be happy to if such a modest thanks is acceptable,"

"There's nothing modest about it," Viscount Siemmen looked almost annoyed. "Your legendary 'miracle' cooking is worth its weight in gold. You proved that in the old capital, as I'm sure Marquis Lloyd and Count Hohen would agree."

"Very well. I will be careful to avoid debasing myself with regard to my food,"

"Hmm. Good," Viscount Siemmen cleared his throat and changed the subject. "I shall hold a banquet tomorrow evening to celebrate your safe return. Given the short notice, I may not be able to gather all my noble friends, but I am sure that at least half of them will make it. Of course, that invertation also extends you both, Hero Kura and Lady Sara."

It sounded as though he was planning to introduce us to some well-connected local nobles. With Sokell on my back, it would be good to have some reliable connections. He announced that the banquet would typically take place in a few days. Still, due to his impending departure for the royal capital by flying ship the day after tomorrow, he would not be able to delay it. He regretted being unable to wait until more of his friends could attend.

"...Young noble!"

"Hey, lady!"

I heard young women call out from the Celivera City side of the passageway.

"Thank goodness!"

"You're all right!"

As we stood there, the pair of explorers from Lovely Wings, whom we had rescued during the chaos of the chain rampage, rushed towards us with open arms for an embrace. But Mia and Arisa swiftly stopped them. They both seemed to have assumed that we'd gotten lost amid the rampage.

"I'm glad you two are all right, too,"

"Thanks to you, two,"

"Yes, you guys really saved us,"

After our brief reunion, Viscount Siemmen announced that their services as explorers were no longer required. He then compensated them for their time and efforts. He clarified that he had intended to enlist the services of the two women as labyrinth guides for the team searching for us. Once the women had thanked the viscount, they said they had to get to work for now and went into the labyrinth.

Due to their involvement in the chain rampage that caused chaos for the labyrinth army, they were forced to work off a fine. This was because they were deemed partially at fault, along with a man named Besso and his group, for their attempt to explore the ant nest within the labyrinth. The penalty was exorbitant, so the cash from the ant nectar fell short of covering it. Despite evading the issue, they likely used borrowed money to make up the difference.

Once the two women were gone, Viscount Siemmen said he was returning to the city. After we saw him off along with his retainers, we headed to the guild's trade counter.

"Congratulations on your safe return,"

"Thank you," Satou said to the friendly guild employee with a smile.

"How did your exploration go?"

"We've got cores, maze ant materials, and maze frog meat,"

As Satou laid a rectangular shoulder bag onto the table, the guild employee smiled, presumably assuming we hadn't acquired many items. Arisa's mischievous grin widened as she shifted her gaze between the clerk's expression and her master's.

"First, a hundred and thirty-seven cores,"

"...What?"

Satou unzipped the Bag, revealing its true identity as a magical Bag. Inside were five bulging sacks brimming with cores. The clerk's expression immediately stiffened as Satou reached into one of the sacks to unveil its contents.

"Most of them are low-grade, but the large ones like these are grades three and above,"

"Incredible! These are maze beetle and soldier mantis cores, aren't they?"

This time, her expression moved from one of shock to gleeful surprise. We'd actually collected over a thousand cores in total. Still, we brought only enough to earn us our bronze badges this time.

"These ones are around grade one or two, too… there's not a single dust or white one to be found,"

Information I received from her later revealed that 'dust' was a moniker used for a tiny core that weighed less than one ounce. The same kind that we found in the walking beans and hopping potatoes.

"Is this enough to advance to bronze badges?"

"Yes, more than enough. Rick, can you calculate the payment for these, please? But first, bring the paperwork for the bronze badges,"

"Of course, Chief Vena. Eight forms, correct?"

"Yes, please. Goodness, it's been a long time since we saw so many cores from anyone but a garnet-badge party. You're quite a promising group of new explorers, young master,"

Arisa's elation was evident as she struck a triumphant pose in response to her remark about the 'promising new explorers.' Tama and Pochi, being held by Liza, could only participate by lifting their fists along with her. However, Mia and Nana showed a lack of understanding as they tilted their heads in bewilderment. Sara, Pearl, Lulu, and Liza smiled warmly as they observed the group.

"Now then, what materials might we have to look forward to?"

The guild clerk looked excited as Satou began to produce our materials from the Garage Bag.

"Here are seven maze ant carapaces. Also, ten guardian ant blade arms,"

"...Eh?"

Surprise began to register on her face.

"Oh, and three sets of elite ant wings for making Antwing Swords,"

"Ant...wings?"

Her expression was now a mask of shock as if she had just witnessed something unimaginable. After separating from the Lovely Wings group, we encountered the guardian and elite ants when we ventured into the ant nest. They were stronger than the maze ants, but we defeated them without a problem. We had more pieces than I could count in 'Storage', but we decided not to turn everything in at once.

"You didn't go into the nest, did you?!" The clerk's exclamation had a note of reproach to it.

"No, they were roaming around outside the nest. It may have been because of the chain rampage. And here's the meat of three maze frogs,"

With Liza's assistance, I took out the maze frog meat cut into segments of one hundred pounds each.

"That's quite a lot. Huey, measure the weight, please,"

"Yes, Chief Vena,"

An elderly man in an apron weighed the frog meat on a scale.

"This must be the last of it, correct? None of these is prohibited from Labyrinth City, and they're all on the list of requested materials," With that, the clerk paused in thought. "However, we can only pay up to a certain amount for some of these, so I would recommend that you bring them to the workshops and distributors listed on that board."

I was taken aback by the fact that the woman did not seem to place a high importance on the guild's profit.

"Is it really all right to recommend something like that?"

"Yes, while we may be called the explorers' guild, we are actually a public organisation under the management of the Shiga Kingdom Department of Labyrinth Resources,"

It was logical. Labyrinths held precious treasures akin to mines. Naturally, the ruler of the Shiga Kingdom would have a role in overseeing them.

"Any profits are put toward operating expenses, but most of that comes from fixed monster core collection," Oh, right. It was compulsory to sell cores to the government. "The guild's exchange program is primarily to ensure that explorers who aren't knowledgeable about trade don't get taken advantage of by crafty merchants. Once explorers reach a certain level of wealth, they can buy better equipment, which means they're more likely to survive."

"Still, I'd like to sell most of the frog meat here, if that's all right," Satou said after a moment of thought.

"Are you certain? With this high quality, you could sell it for anywhere from two to even three times higher a price than what we can offer you here,"

"That's all right. I don't have a business relationship with any particular merchants,"

"Very well. Please fill out these forms while we complete our calculations,"

The only required fields on the forms were our names and wood badge numbers. Other than that, they just contained the words.

"This is a fairly simple form,"

"Well, in many cases, people who wish to be explorers can't understand anything too complicated," The clerk explained. Given the low literacy rate in this world and the scarcity of educational institutions, it was to be expected. "Once you have chosen your party name, please write it above your names."

Oh right. We hadn't chosen a party name yet.

"What should our party name be?"

When nothing came to my mind, Satou asked the rest of the group. I was ba a naming, so I kept quiet, and Arisa was the first to make a suggestion.

"Sir Pendragon and His Lovers,"

"No,"

"Pochi and Master,"

"Aw, you don't want the rest of us around, Pochi?" Lulu teased gently.

"O… of course I do. Let's call it 'Pochi and Master and Tama and Liza and Lulu and Mia and Nana and Sara and Pearl and Kura and Arisa'!"

"So looong?" Even Tama thought the revision was a little ridiculous.

"Perhaps we should choose something shorter. How about 'Demon Lord Slayers'?"

"Doesn't that sound too much like a title?"

"Larvae Protection Squad,' I suggest,"

"Whaaat? Then we'd be stuck protecting all those kids outside the labyrinth,"

"Although I would at least like to make sure they don't starve..."

"I like 'Sir Pendragon and His Darling Friends,'"

"Lulu, you really are Arisa's sister,"

"What do you mean by that, Miss Liza?!"

"Fairy Friends,"

"Well, we are friends, but...that doesn't really sound like a party name, does it?"

"Mm? 'Meat-Eater Squad'?"

"Fried-Chicken-Eater Squad,"

"Chocolate-Parfait-Eater Squad,"

Tama's proposal sparked a cascade of related concepts from the other group members. Were they simply expressing their desired meal options masquerading as party name suggestions? I'm surprised it took this long before the food lovers set something like this in motion. Under these circumstances, devising a party name seemed unlikely. Thus, Satou settled on using his last name as a temporary solution.

After verifying the accuracy of all the forms, we submitted them to the guild employee for approval. Using the words 'receipt of cores confirmed-Labyrinth Gate Supervisor Vena,' the employee signed each form before organising them into a folder.

"The application is complete. Your bronze badges should be ready within three days or so. Until then, please keep carrying your wood badges," She added that we could pick them up at the east guild when they were complete.

As we waited for the calculations to complete, Satou inquired the clerk about taxes, handling charges, and other related fees. She appeared surprised momentarily, but she seemed content upon noticing his aristocratic attire. Evidently, she found it peculiar for an explorer to be concerned about such mundane matters as taxes.

"The taxes on the cores sold here are deducted in advance," she said, then glanced at me to make sure I understood before she continued. "Aside from the cores, anything explorers bring back from the labyrinth is tax-exempt,"

"Tax-exempt?"

"Yes, since our main priority is the safe and consistent retrieval of cores," She then added with a wink. "We do take taxes wherever we can."

"I've finished the calculations, Chief,"

"These ones, too," After receiving the results of the calculations from her lackeys, the head clerk informed us of the results. "Cores differ in value based on size, grade, and any damage on the surface."

As I examined the paper, I discovered that the maze ant cores held a value of one copper coin apiece, whereas the maze frog cores were worth two silver coins each. Additionally, amongst the batch of cores, there was a solitary one from a powerful 30s-level monster we had triumphed over daily, which proved to be worth a hefty sum of five gold coins.

"The prices vary quite a bit, don't they?"

"Yes, grades three and higher are in great demand for potions and magic tools, and there are many tools that can only be made with cores of a certain size or larger," The clerk answered before handing us another piece of paper. "This is the amount we can pay for the other materials. Please have a look."

Upon receiving the paper from the guild clerk, I carefully read its contents. According to the guild's pricing standards, the seven carapaces were valued at fourteen silver coins. At the same time, the ten-blade arms held a worth of forty silver coins. The three ant wings were deemed to be worth six silver coins. However, should we take them to a workshop, the value of the carapaces and blades would increase significantly, potentially reaching multiples of their current worth. On the other hand, the intact wings could fetch a price of two or even three gold coins each. Based on these rates, it is understandable that most beginner adventurers opted for lightweight, protective gear.

"This is the total for the cores and materials,"

In total, we'd earned twenty gold coins and thirty-one silver coins. Selling ant parts at a workshop would bring in an additional twenty gold coins. This would equate to an average person's earnings over forty days, earning approximately one gold coin daily. In actuality, it took significantly less time, and we hunted a much larger quantity of monsters than what is presented here.

"Is that acceptable?"

"Yes, thank you,"

Satou nodded, taking back the materials the guild couldn't buy and putting the profits in the small pouch he used as a wallet.

"Finally, I have to confirm: You haven't hidden any additional cores, have you?"

The guild clerk's eyes glittered. She had the 'Eye of Judgment', a gift of the Urion faith. If Satou were to lie or try to mislead her, the clerk would know in an instant. Good thing he could answer in a way that technically wasn't a lie.

"Those are all the cores we brought back from the labyrinth,"

The rest of them were still in the labyrinth vacation home.

"Perfect. Thank you very much," The woman smiled.

"No, not at all," Satou replied before stepping away and looking around the room. "Now, before we go back..." He was looking at the bag-carrier children sitting by the wall outside the labyrinth entrance. "I'd like to share the other half of this frog meat..."

"You'd like to borrow the grill and some coal, correct?" The clerk was ready to help before Satou even finished his sentence.

"Lulu, Liza, would you mind cooking the meat for them?"

"Yes, master,"

"You can count on us, sir,"

"We'll heeelp?"

"Pochi's a pro at putting meat on skewers, sir,"

Liza set up the grill while Lulu cut the meat into small chunks. At the same time, Tama and Pochi started skewering the chunks of meat as Lulu cut them.

"It isn't catching fire very well,"

"Here. …Fire Hi,"

Mia used 'Spirit Magic' to assist Liza, who had difficulty starting the fire. Unlike inside the labyrinth, there were plenty of spirits here, so she could use 'Spirit Magic' without a problem.

"Oh, wow!"

"What a big fire,"

"It's magic!"

"Gosh, you're a mage, miss? But you're around our age!"

The young children were amazed by Mia's magical abilities, while the oldest girl looked upon her with admiration. Mia maintained a composed demeanour, but her nostrils flared, and her mouth twitched, suggesting she was not bothered by the attention.

"Rejoice! Our great master, Sir Pendragon, is going to treat all of you to maze-frog-meat skewers!"

At Arisa's declaration, the kids turned towards Satou and gave a round of thank-yous.

"You must not gather all at once, I inform. It is safest to line up in a single-file line, I direct,"

"Mm. Line,"

Nana and Mia took charge of keeping the kids in an orderly line. We spent a solid half hour cooking because there was abundant food. Once the kids were satisfied, we happily offered the rest to the guild employees and other explorers passing by. After successfully returning through the labyrinth, we planned to indulge in some of our inn's renowned lamb dishes to commemorate our journey. Therefore, we only had a small snack for the time being.

<0>

"Wooow, they have a regular service route and everything?"

Every two hours, the explorers' guild carriage departed from the west guild at the labyrinth's entrance. It took us to the north guild, where we had applied for our explorer badges. It was more like a cart than a proper enclosed carriage, though.

"It's a half hour until the next carriage leaves, but...you've got plenty of people, passed the maximum capacity, so I can just take you now,"

"Thank you. That would be wonderful,"

We were several people over the maximum capacity, but we managed to fit in. With Mia on my lap, Arisa on Satou's drawing a rare look of jealousy from Lulu, Pochi on Liza's lap and Nana holding Tama, there was just enough room for us on the carriage. But even then, it was still a tight fit. Once we all climbed aboard, the carriage headed out.

"Hero Kura, I have located a group in fiery red, I report,"

"Them there's the Red Dragon's Roar, a party of all garnet-badge explorers. The fella with the red scabbard is their leader, Baronet Jelil. His nickname's the Scarlet Nobleman. Looks wimpy, but he's so good. Rumour has it he's the next member of the Eight Swordsmen of Shiga," The driver explained.

Satou meanwhile relayed information he learned. Baronet Jelil was level 45, wielding a one-handed sword and shield and excelling in Fire Magic. His party members were all within the level 30 to 40 range.

"Are they the strongest party around?"

"Most likely. The top explorer, Master Yasaku, is away right now, so I'd say they're the best in the game at the moment,"

"Then, for now, this Jelil character and company will be our rivals!"

"Rogerrr?"

"Let's work hard to be the strongest, sir!"

Arisa and her cohorts proclaimed a one-sided rivalry. However, Baronet Jelil remained unaware of this amidst the bustling crowd while the driver chuckled.

"Good luck, future top explorers,"

Arisa was probably being serious, though.

<0>

"There are lots of shops for explorers around here. The artisan district is by the south gate,"

The carriage rumbled past the west guild and onto a congested street lined with an array of shops. I tuned in to the driver's chatter, my eyes drifting towards the bustling crowds and vibrant storefronts.

"The aqueducts in this city are awfully dirty,"

"They probably don't use this water for cooking, right?"

Arisa gazed down into the water containing garbage and bits of food.

"Sure we do. We just get it from one of the parts that isn't dirty, that's all,"

"Seriously?!" Arisa exclaimed.

I was pretty shocked, too. I had spells like the 'Everyday Magic Pure Water' and magic tools to help clean the water we would be using. Still, I can barely believe that people would use such filthy water.

"Rich people and nobles have wells of their own, and that's all upstream, so it's probably clean, eh?" Possibly noticing Arisa's and my shock, the driver reassured us.

It was evident that the river was contaminated for a reason. As I scanned the street, I noticed litter scattered everywhere, and even the explorers were carelessly discarding their waste and leftovers.

"Hero Kura, the larvae hiding in the alleyways do not look well, I report,"

Nana pointed out a few children slumped in the shadows of the alleys.

"Yeah, them's kids who can't find work. They're probably passed out from hunger, see,"

"Huh. Don't they have a secret thieving circle or something?"

"No, not really. Lots of the shops in Labyrinth City are run by former explorers, so stealing from 'em means you're putting your life on the line. Besides, even first-time offenders get sent away to the mines here. Thieving's a last resort,"

The driver swiftly shattered Arisa's romantic illusions. It was clear that this city was not for the faint of heart.

"It can be a little sketchy round these parts, so don't go into any of them side-alley shops unless you know what's what. Lots of dangerous folks and kidnappers about,"

As the carriage crossed through a small archway, it entered a street belonging to the pleasure district. The atmosphere exuded a sense of tantalising impropriety. However, no alluring women were beckoning from the doorways, much to Satou's disappointment. After departing from the district, we found ourselves on the main road that connected the north and south gates. We didn't take long to arrive at the bustling section outside the north gate.

"Hero Kura, we are passing through the inner wall, I report,"

As we made our way beneath the barrier separating the nobles' living quarters, the bustling atmosphere gave way to a serene street with only a handful of people passing through.

"Them big buildings over there belong to counts and viscounts, and most of 'em near the wall are barons, baronets, and suchlike. There are some residences a little farther along for multigenerational hereditary knight families, too. Honorary knights and other new nobles like that tend to live near the walls. Some of 'em who don't like all the noble formalities even live outside the walls instead,"

The driver continued to give us helpful information until we arrived in front of the east guild.

<0>

"Hi, I'd like to extend my stay at the inn. Is that all right?"

We arrived back at the inn we had booked a room at but had not yet stayed in. It's crazy we hadn't used the place yet, considering our price.

"S… Sir Pendragon? Y… you're alive? I thought you were dead..." But the innkeeper's response wasn't what we expected. "W… well, I'm quite glad you're all right. E… erm, yes, you can extend your stay. I'm terribly sorry, but your room is currently being cleaned. For now, please wait in the lobby. W… we shan't charge any additional fees or anything like that, of course."

The innkeeper's behaviour was incredibly suspicious as his eyes rapidly searched in all directions. As my suspensions began to build, Tama and Pochi returned after inspecting the horses.

"They're gooone?"

"The runosaurs and carriage aren't there, either, sir,"

The innkeeper suddenly became the centre of attention, as all eyes were fixated on him. Arisa and Liza, in particular, were giving him intense looks that seemed to pierce through his very being.

"Y… your horses are out for their regular exercise in the pasture. The carriage was dirty, so we are currently polishing it at a workshop specialising in luxury carriages. This is a free service from the inn, of course,"

Oh, I see. He must have assumed we were no longer alive and attempted to sell them.

"Is that right? That carriage was specially made by a master in the old capital. It's worth well over two hundred gold coins. It won't be scratched or soiled in any way at this workshop, I hope?"

"O… of course not, sir,"

"Liza, Nana, I'm concerned. Could you go and check on the carriage?"

"N… no, no, that will not be necessary. Surely, you must be exhausted since you've just returned from the labyrinth. We've received some particularly good cuts of lamb today, so how would you like a meal? I'll send someone to fetch your horses and carriage at once. If you wouldn't mind having a meal in the meantime, erm..."

"Everyone, this kind innkeeper says he'll treat us all to a lamb feast free of charge. Let's thank him, shall we?"

As a reparation for his deceit, it was only fair that he treat us to a satisfying meal. The younger children expressed their gratitude to the man with great joy. I was uncertain if he knew we had uncovered his scheme. However, the innkeeper still agreed to provide us with a complimentary meal. After indulging in our delectable feast, our horses and carriage were promptly returned to the inn with care. The meal was scrumptious, and the horses had not been swapped out for replacements. We agreed to overlook the situation.

"What's going on here, Hesson? Where's my carriage?! I didn't pony up three hundred gold coins just so you could bail on our deal at the last minute!"

But just as we finished the meal, an old gentleman stormed into the lobby.

"Baronet Dyukeli! Erm, I'm afraid there's been a mistake..."

The skinny old man caused the innkeeper to recoil in fear. It seemed that the man was attempting to purchase our carriage for a steep price of three hundred coins.

"Why, if it isn't the baronet! Please do come into the parlour. We've just received some fine red wine from the royal capital,"

The lady of the inn successfully persuaded the furious baronet to leave the room. Undoubtedly, the innkeeper would face severe consequences for attempting to cheat a high-class baronet.

We were unwilling to continue our stay at an untrustworthy inn. Thus, we made the decision to seek out alternative accommodations. We could see about the potential liveability of Ivy Manor and if it proves unsuitable, surely Viscount Siemmen or one of his acquaintances could recommend an alternative location.

<0>

"Shall we get going, then?"

"So where exactly is this Ivy Manor?" Arisa asked once we were in the carriage.

After departing from the inn, our group visited the Ivy Manor, previously inhabited by Trazayuyaà, the elf sage. We considered it as a possible new home. It was on the city's southeast side, close to where the nobles lived.

"See that forest over there? I think that's where it probably is,"

"Ooh, that? I figured it was a nature park or something,"

"Mm. Lots of spirits,"

As soon as I activated my 'Spirit Vision', it became apparent that the forest was teeming with spirits. They were present in larger numbers here than in any other surrounding area. A particular spot among the trees stood out as a focal point for these spirits.

As our carriage journeyed towards the forest, we found ourselves venturing deeper and deeper. After passing beneath an arch located in a low stone wall, which encircled the perimeter of the forest, we were transported to an entirely new realm. Beyond the arch, a grand natural landscape stretched out before us. Distinguished individuals leisurely roamed the winding paths that threaded through the lush trees. At the same time, children could be seen capturing small creatures in the reservoirs and streams along the way.

The Ivy Manor appeared to be situated upstream, overlooking this crystalline body of water. Veering off the main road, we navigated the carriage down a secluded path overgrown with weeds. As we journeyed on, the direction of the carriage unexpectedly shifted.

"What's the matter, Lulu?"

"I'm sorry. I suddenly got the sense that I had to change directions for some reason,"

It was probably a security measure to keep people away.

"Mrrr?"

Mia appeared completely unscathed, leading one to believe that perhaps the enchantment did not have an effect on elves like herself. However, it seemed that everyone else, including Lulu, had succumbed to its effects. Satou and I weren't affected either, but that shouldn't count because, as Arisa likes to point out, we had cheating abilities.

"Mia and I will go ahead for now," I say, jumping out of the carriage. "Wait here for a little while. There seems to be some kind of spell here driving people away."

Mia and I began our journey towards the Ivy Manor. Worried about the potential dangers of the teleportation spell, 'Wandering Forest', I grasped Mia's small hand to ensure we wouldn't get separated along the way.

"Date,"

I didn't say anything. Mia looked so cute and happy as she looked up at me with a slight blush on her cheeks that I couldn't bring myself to tell her that this wasn't a date. Instead, a smile graced my lips as we leisurely walked through the serene forest, enjoying the tranquillity surrounding us. After about five minutes, a single mansion appeared deep in the forest. True to its name, the front of the house was half-covered in ivy.

"Ivy Manor?"

"Yes, that's probably it,"

It looked similar to Trazayuya's house back in Bolenan Forest. It was only about half the size of the houses in the noble quarters, but the area of land was about the same. Just outside the hedge was a moat around six feet across, full of clear blue water. There were more hedges on the other side, too, so it must be part of the Ivy Manor.

This area was a little higher in elevation than the rest of Labyrinth City; the water that flowed through the moat passed into a thin waterway, which connected to the reservoir that provided Labyrinth City with water.

"There,"

Mia gestured towards a row of trees framing an arched pathway leading to a waist-high white wooden gate. But beyond the gate was yet another obstacle, a moat without a bridge for passage. Utilising my 'Magic Perception,' I detected a defensive 'Space Magic' barrier spell surrounding the low moat. It seemed that Trazayuya was either worried about attacks or Labyrinth City was such a hazardous place that such extreme measures were necessary for protection.

"Notes," Mia produced a cute little memo pad from her Fairy Pack. Mia then read the written password out loud in Elvish. "Open, o gate. I am Misanaria of Bolenan Forest. Greet us swiftly, o gatekeeper."

Despite her usual silence, Mia had surprisingly clear and articulate speech. A young girl's face timidly appeared from behind the gate across the moat as she finished speaking. Our gaze briefly connected before the girl hastily retreated back into hiding. I don't think I did anything to scare her, so maybe she is just shy.

"I… it's a human whelp! How'd he get past the Return Home barrier?"

Maybe she's not shy… I overheard that last comment thanks to my 'Keen Hearing' skill. Did something happen to make this girl hate humans? The girl who peaked at us again had dark-black hair in a short ponytail and was the brownie of the house.

"Greet us swiftly, o gatekeeper,"

As Mia repeated the last part of the password, she lowered her hood so that her elf ears would be visible.

"An elf!"

The girl gasped in surprise as a bridge suddenly appeared between the two gates. To my amazement, the bridge was transparent, resembling delicate glass.

"Mm,"

Mia extended her hand again, which I gratefully accepted as we strolled across the bridge.

"Lady Misanaria, I am Lelillil, guardian of the Ivy Manor, granddaughter of Gillil," It looked like Lelillil already knew Mia.

"Just Mia,"

"I could never be so discourteous as to call an honoured elf by a nickname!" Lelillil had initially been conversing in Elvish, while Mia stuck to her usual short and direct Shigan phrases. However, Lelillil smoothly shifted to speaking Shigan. "...But by all means, madam, you may call me Lelill for short."

"Mm. Lelill,"

Lelillil was level 20 and had sonar-related skills, stealth-based race-specific skills, etc. She would probably make a great scout. Despite her youthful appearance, she was actually in her sixties. If I let slip her actual age, I got the feeling she would be angry.

"Incidentally, Lady Misanaria, who might this human whelp be? It is quite unacceptable for a mere human to hold hands with the likes of an elf. Shall I teach her a lesson in manners?"

Our initial encounter made it apparent that she held a negative view of me. Despite Bolenan Forest's welcoming attitude towards humans, Lelillil seemed to view them as inferior. I couldn't help but wonder if her disdain towards my kind had developed during her time living among us. I admit there are bad people out there, but most humans I met are good, well-natured people. Even Satou is a good person despite his constant visits to brothels and tendency to accidentally cause trouble.

"Mrrr, rude," Mia wasn't enjoying Lelillil's rude attitude toward me. "Kura. My fiancé."

"What? Erm...surely you jest," Lelillil flailed, entirely shocked by Mia's declaration.

"Mrrr. Parents agreed,"

"Wh… wh… what?! That that can't beeee..."

This was apparently too much to bear: Lelillil collapsed to the ground. I have a feeling she will give me a lot of trouble. I couldn't abandon her in that state. Gently lifting Lelillil, I carefully positioned her on a soft sheet under the protection of a tree's shadow. The combination of the crystal-clear water and the lush green surroundings provided a pleasantly cool and rejuvenating breeze every so often. Amidst the dusty and grimy streets of Labyrinth City, this park stood out as a separate realm altogether.

"...Ah, I just had a terrible nightmare,"

"Mm, nightmare?"

"Yes, that an honoured elf was beguiled by a human whelp..."

Lelillil struggled to sit up, her movements unsteady. She let out a gasp before finally turning her attention to Mia. Only after a moment she noticed me, her actions slow and jerky as she faced me. She really did give me a lot of trouble, but after a while, we managed to explain the situation.

"Now, Lady Misanaria, Satou, please come this way,"

After reluctantly accepting my presence, Lelillil guided us towards the manor. I instructed her to cancel the 'Return Home' spell on Satou and the others, then used 'Telephone' to notify them of our location. They shouldn't be too far behind, I thought.

Lelillil wielded significant power with her proxy medal, allowing her to manipulate the bridge, security enchantments, and other mechanisms. On the other hand, Mia's medallion, gifted to her by Gillil, was referred to as a 'warden medal,' indicating that it held even greater influence than Lelillil's.

"So am I correct that you are the new master of the Ivy Manor, Lady Misanaria?"

"No," Mia shook her head and pointed at me. "Kura."

"What? That wh... Erm, Kura?"

She was going to be mean to me again, wasn't she? But I don't blame her for being surprised but I am only the half master of the Ivy Manor. Satou and I were both given permission to do as we pleased with the place during our time in Labyrinth City.

"Gillil and Mia's mother told me that we could use this manor if we were staying in Labyrinth City. Gillil gave us that medal, too,"

"Tch, that senile old geez... Errr, I mean, my grandfather? I don't believe it,"

"Mrrr. True,"

"Perhaps he is simply losing his mi... That is, in less than perfect health?"

"Kura saved Bolenan Forest. Friends with Aaze,"

But despite being her friend, I can't help but feel like a third wheel between her and Satou whenever we meet.

"Aaze... Surely you don't mean Lady Aialize the high elf?" Lelillil jumped back in shock. "...Preposterous! A high elf showing herself in front of a mere human? And they're friends? But high elves are celestial beings, demi-gods even!" I couldn't help but giggle. It is hard to believe an airhead clumsy person like Aialize is anything close to a 'celestial being' and 'demi-god'. "...T-truly?"

"Yes, I got to know Aialize during my time in Bolenan Forest," I answer when she turns to me. "She taught me Spirit Vision and was even kind enough to bring me to the observation deck of the World Tree."

"I... I'm so terribly sorryyyyyyy!"

Lelillil's eyes widened in the realisation of her rudeness. Without hesitation, she prostrated herself on the floor in an apologetic gesture. Furthermore, she began referring to me as Lady Kura. She declared, 'I must not address someone by their name alone if they are a friend of a prestigious elf!'

The rest of our group eventually arrived, and I informed Lelillil that they were also acquaintances of Miss Aialize. In response, she promptly fainted yet again. She is proving to be more of a handful than I thought.

<0>

"Lady Misanaria and company, please come this way,"

Lelillil ushered us inside the manor, which bore the typical appearance of a Shiga Kingdom home. However, among the mundane decor, a subtle hallway caught our attention. Tucked away in one corner of the entrance hall, it led to a single mirror radiating potent magic. Lelillil brandished her medal, causing the mirror to shimmer with light.

"Follow me, please,"

Without hesitation, Lelillil took a bold leap into the reflective surface.

"Looks like this is some kind of teleport gate,"

Satou informed us, then jumped into the mirror as well. I stepped through right behind him, and after a sensation that was more like the warping of Space Magic teleportation than being teleported by an Elvish fairy ring, I arrived in a different area.

It seemed like a grassy courtyard and was incredibly bright despite being underground. The ceiling was over ten feet high, which felt more like natural light than magic. Everyone else came through the mirror as I looked around the courtyard.

"This is the main area of the Ivy Manor. The building up above is a mere construction, only used for guests,"

"Quite a cautious fellow, wasn't he?"

"Lord Trazayuya was known as the sage of the elves. He developed many magic tools and techniques. When the sage was in the labyrinth, many thieves and even whole nations sometimes targeted his property. My grandfather said," He was not being paranoid, but rather safeguarding himself. "Even now, each time a new viceroy takes power, they send armed forces to attempt to take the manor by force."

"Couldn't a group of high-level explorers break in here?"

"No one who lives in this city would ever attack the Ivy Manor," Lelillil answered Arisa's question with extreme confidence. "After all, the False Core in this mansion pre- serves the water source of the city."

"Whoa, taking hold of the lifelines, huh? Nice one, Trazayuya. Guess they didn't call him a sage for nothing," Arisa looked impressed.

"But if politicians target this place, it might not be the best location for our base,"

"That's true. We'd be fine inside the manor, but if anyone was seen wandering around outside, they might get held hostage or caught up in all kinds of trouble," Arisa agreed with Satou's concerns.

"Yeah, I would rather not give Sokell a good reason to come after me," I added.

"But I do want to use the equipment here..." Satou mused.

"Why don't we buy a dummy house in the city and teleport in and out of here from that? You or I can just use our teleport magic," Arisa suggested.

"Good idea. Let's do that," Satou nodded.

We could inquire at the Explorers' Guild about potential homes for sale that would suit our needs. But for now, we requested a tour from Lelillil of Trazayuya's workshops.

"A mere human won't be able to use the equipment down here,"

"It's all right. I used the underground laboratory in Bolenan Forest, too,"

"Th… the sage's main headquarters...? I can't believe that senile old geezer allowed you in there,"

"Well, I was doing research to help save the World Tree from imminent danger,"

Although Lelillil still appeared uncertain, she guided us to the control panel without any more hesitation. Perhaps she wanted to see if we were capable enough to handle it. That proved to be no issue for us as it was the exact same configuration as the one in the underground research lab located in Bolenan Forest.

"Let's see what kind of equipment we've got loaded in here first..."

"Hmph. So you can operate the panel at least, insolent whelp,"

Despite Lelillil's grumbling, Satou's attention was solely fixed on indulging his own inquisitiveness. Though not as abundant as the machinery found in the underground laboratory at Bolenan Forest, there were still massive Transmutation Tablets in the style of elves, cauldrons, and even cultivation tanks for enhancing homunculi, which Nana was gazing at intently.

"Hero Kura, are there any upgrades for me here? I inquire,"

Nana was quickly at my side, grabbing my arm and pressing her chest against me. It's so unfair that she can swallow my arm like that.

"Nana, you mustn't bother people like that,"

"Mm. Bad,"

Mia and Sara quickly pulled us apart, but Nana still looked at me and awaited my answer.

"I will look into it once we find a place to live," I tell her.

There probably is nothing here that we didn't find in Bolenan Forest, but you never know what you will find if you don't look. Nana seemed happy with that answer, but for some reason, Arisa and Mia were glaring at me.

"You aren't going to make her grow again, are you?"

"Too big,"

"That was an unintended side effect,"

I still have no idea how or why Nana's chest grew like that last time she was put in a cultivation tank. Satou and the elves could come up with an answer, but I feel Satou may have caused it. If not him, then that perverted god that keeps giving him his blessings certainly did.

Dropping the subject as Arisa starts complaining about Nana's luck, I look around the rest of the room. There was a device for formatting and engraving cores and Holytree Stones that was said to possess magical abilities, although it was an older version. From my recollection, even the elves steered clear of using it due to its difficulty in operation.

"...Excellent. I can make all kinds of magic tools with these," Satou said, finishing up his inspection. "Thank you, Lelillil. I'll be back to use this machinery often, if that's all right."

"Just make sure you don't destroy the sage's precious equipment, all right, whelp?"

"Yes, of course,"

After completing our underground tour, we decided to have a tea party on the terrace in the garden above. It was a lovely way to commemorate our newfound friendship. Satou's delicious castellas and freshly brewed tea were a big hit with our new friend, Lelillil. Before heading back, Satou and I placed a 'Return' seal slate before we departed from Ivy Manor.

<0>

"Are we going to buy a house next?"

"Yeah, I'm planning to see if the West Explorers' Guild has a place we can stay,"

While the Eastern Explorers' Guild may have had more vacancies, we preferred a convenient location near the labyrinth. As a result, we opted for the nearby Western Guild.

As we departed from the forest, we chose an alternative route instead of the original one we had entered through. To our surprise, we stumbled upon soldiers guarding the wall. Interestingly, there were no guards present at the entrance we had come through near the noble quarters. Wanting to inquire about this discrepancy, Satou leaned out of the carriage window to speak with them.

"Did we need permission to come through this way?"

"Not at all, good sir! There are no restrictions on nobles' passage here,"

Satou had not presented any form of identification to them. However, it was clear to them that he was a member of the noble class, as he had arrived in a luxurious, guarded carriage from the direction of the nobles' quarters. There were no apparent issues, and Satou apologised for diverting their attention from their jobs as we passed them by.

We came upon the bustling south gate as we continued along the path. It appeared to be the main entrance for everyday people and traders. Due to the city's labyrinthine layout, there was a constant flow of carriages passing through. Most of them were accompanied by guards, likely due to the city's unpredictable nature. Along with the typical runosaurs and horses, there were also peculiar ostrich-like creatures and dulldeer carrying passengers and luggage.

"Livelyyy?"

"Lots of shops, sir,"

Tama and Pochi eagerly scanned their surroundings, their eyes tracing the movements of the bustling crowd. Along the main road from the south gate were numerous merchant shops intermingled with wholesale stores near the entrance. As we continued down the street, we noticed the upscale stores catering to the affluent located closer to the middle of the road, leading towards the nobles' quarters.

"Mm, diverse,"

"That's true. There are lots of beastfolk and a lot of nomads and Westerners, too,"

Unlike the old capital, the city was a diverse mix of races and cultures.

"...Thank you very much,"

I heard Lulu's voice ringing out. Curiosity getting the better of me, I gazed outside the window. To my surprise, a group of weaselfolk merchants had recognised our carriage as belonging to a noble and promptly made way for us. I waved to them in a show of appreciation, causing quite a stir among the merchants. It was clear that most nobles did not bother to acknowledge the presence of lowly merchants.

As we journeyed along the fortified castle wall, we ventured into an expanse of quaint farms and fields. Eventually, we arrived at a bustling livestock ranch. There seemed to be three different farms adjacent to one another here.

"Meeeat?"

"They look tasty, sir,"

Tama and Pochi pressed their faces to the window, staring at the livestock.

"Horses, sheep, and...is that Ohmi cattle?"

"It seems they're a breed called 'Celivera dullcattle,"

Lulu pointed at some round, short-legged cows.

"Once we've found a place to live, let's buy some milk and sausages here,"

"Yaaaay!"

"Hooray, sir!"

"Cheese too,"

As we continued our journey, we travelled alongside a winding river. Eventually, we came upon the labyrinth army's stronghold, situated on the left and safeguarded by a towering wall. While not quite a full-fledged fortress, the base boasted multiple watchtowers armed with powerful Magic Cannons. In front of the garrison lay a vast open field, comparable in size to a typical school's grounds, possibly designated as a potential battleground. A moat encircled the ramparts as the river flowed into it, making the stream appear to have reached its conclusion.

As we made our way past the garrison and onto a bridge, our surroundings shifted into a residential district filled with what looked like cheap homes. The stench of butcher shops and leatherworking establishments near the river suggested that this was not the most desirable living location.

The path to the explorers' guild was congested and limited, prompting us to take a longer, less busy detour.

"...Geh!"

A noise escaped Satou's lips, and it didn't take long to find the sight that had captured his attention. A group of youthful female explorers were bathing in the river. Though they had erected a straw mat for privacy, it was clear that there were numerous gaps, allowing any observer a clear view of the exposed women.

"What's the matter?"

"Oh, it's no big deal,"

Despite potentially appearing intrusive, I instructed Sara and Nana to distribute a sizable waterproof blanket to the group for proper concealment after crossing the bridge. Concurrently, Arisa fervently reprimanded Satou for blatantly gazing at anyone but her. Poor Lulu looked like she was about to cry once Satou's wondering eye became exposed.

<0>

"Watch the cart while we're gone, please,"

"Yes, master,"

Leaving the cart in the parking area of the west guild, Satou and I took Arisa, Sara and Nana with us into the building. Due to the potential for a busy atmosphere and our desire to not leave the cart unattended, we decided to limit our numbers. We brought Arisa and Sara to help with negotiations and Nana as protection in case an incident broke out.

"It's not quite as crowded as last time,"

Arisa's observation was correct; the West Guild had resembled a hectic train station during rush hour on the previous occasion, but now it was only moderately filled with people. While navigating through the bustling crowd, my eyes landed on Acting Viceroy Sokell, whom we had previously come across at the government building. He appeared to be strutting around with his entourage, including an attractive office assistant with an equally arrogant expression. He forcefully made his way through the crowded hallway as if he owned the place, disrupting the flow of the surrounding explorers. To avoid any potential trouble, I discreetly joined the crowd to not draw attention to myself.

"Master, I have located wanted posters, I report,"

"Looks like they've got bounties and everything,"

"Oh my, some of those people look terrifying,"

Just inside the entrance stood a board adorned with papers, each displaying mugshots, names, and rewards for wanted criminals.

"Plunderers, huh? A hundred gold coins, dead or alive, that's pretty hefty,"

Arisa gestured towards a pillager, Plunderer King Ludaman, his face concealed by a mask. The name seemed vaguely familiar, but I dismissed it as my imagination. Various other posters caught my eye: a depiction of a beautiful woman named Derrin the Dagger Princess and an imposing figure labelled Gumu the Human Bullet.

"We'll simply catch them if we see them,"

Arisa sounded like she had some big plans, but Sara and Nana had already moved on to other matters.

"I wish they'd hang some big signs from the ceiling to show where things are,"

"The deployment of resources here has room for reassessment, I concur,"

Numerous small signs were affixed to the pillars, signalling various locations. However, they would be indiscernible amidst the throngs of people if one was not of sufficient height.

The west guild resembled its counterpart to the east, with one notable difference: there was no designated area for negotiations on the main floor. However, a serene green courtyard could be glimpsed further within. In contrast to the bustling lobby, the courtyard was almost deserted. Featuring an elegant open terrace, it seemed reserved for the elite nobles and esteemed adventurers.

"Hmm? Isn't that Princess Meetia chatting with those hotties on the terrace?"

"Looks that way,"

Today, her dutiful guardian knight was not in attendance. I continued on the path to avoid interfering with any potential romantic developments. I passed by the terrace without disrupting her. However, Princess Meetia noticed us and gleefully jumped up and down, waving in excitement.

"Sir Satou! Lady Kura! And Lady Sara and Arisa, too!"

She didn't include Nana's name, though. They hadn't really interacted since Nana was on a runosaur then.

"How is thy explorer life going? It must be exciting, no?"

"Yes, very much so,"

With a plethora of delectable dishes to try and the hidden maze of our base, it was safe to assert that the adventures of exploration were proving to be quite favourable for us.

"It appears that my companions have returned, so I shall take my,"

"Wait a moment, Sir Jelil! I ought to introduce thee to mine friends, no?"

Princess Meetia was conversing with none other than Mr. Jelil, the leader of the Red Dragon's Roar party we had encountered earlier in our journey from the labyrinth. While unfamiliar to me, the other person in their company was Zarigon, the explorer party leader known as the Hellfire Fangs. He was a ruggedly handsome fellow and considerably strong at level 39.

With my "Keen Hearing" skill, I heard Arisa mutter "" in Japanese next to me, mixing up his name with the Japanese word for small fry. It would be her fault if I called him by the wrong name.

"And this is Sir Satou Pendragon, a knight of the Muno Barony,"

"So you're Sir Pendragon? I've heard about you from Sir Masaki, the Hero of the Saga Empire,"

Mr. Jelil's handsome features displayed a clear sign of surprise. Hayato the Hero's family name was Masaki.

"Hmm, so this is Pendragon... Looks like a cheeky twerp to me,"

Zarigon, however, cast a disdainful glance at Satou. It was clear that their friendship would not blossom any time in the near future.

"Was Sir Hero in Labyrinth City?" Arisa inquired.

"Yes, he investigated the labyrinth a little, then took his follower with him and left. I believe he said they were going to Parion Province next,"

Jelil's soothing voice had a calming effect on me. As I stood in close proximity to him, I couldn't help but notice his strong chest and muscular arms.

"By the way, why are you here?" Zarigon asked, looking at me. "I thought I heard the Hero of the Saga Empire state a Demon Lord won't appear here."

"I am under the same appreciation as well," I replied. "However, the king has requested my presence at the kingdom meeting, so I am merely here to train until it is time to leave for said meeting."

"Oh? That sword... Was it made by the dwarves of Bolehart, by any chance?"

With a genuine smile, Mr. Jelil admired the scabbard of Satou's fairy sword, drawing attention away from me. The Bolehart red scabbard resting at his waist was crafted by Zajuul, the top apprentice of Elder Dohal, who had made Satou's sword.

"Yes, that's right,"

"I thought as much! I've never seen that seal before, but judging by that workmanship, it must have been made by one of Elder Dohal's best pupils,"

Satou and Elder Dohal collaborated on creating this sword. Still, in seeing his enthusiastic state, Satou chose not to mention it and steered the conversation differently.

"Is your sword of Bolehart make as well, Sir Jelil? It looks as if it was made by one of the best,"

"That's right!" Jelil took the bait with a bright grin. "This sword was specially made for me by Master Zajuul, Elder Dohal's best apprentice! Most Bolehart swords use a mithril alloy, but this one is particularly special. It's made with a touch of bronze, blue steel, and scarlet ore, and..."

This is excessive. The amount of information Mr. Jelil is providing is too much. It seemed that Satou's words had triggered a nerdy topic, much to his surprise. Feeling defeated, I respectfully took in his lengthy tirade. Surprisingly, the subject matter was engaging, so enduring it wouldn't be too excruciating. But friends came over to get him before he went on talking for too long.

"Jelil! We're ready,"

"All right, I'm coming! Pardon me, Lady Meetia, but I must take my leave,"

"Very well. I wish thee luck in your conquest of the areamaster, no?"

Mr Jelil quickly excused himself and made his way over to his fellow comrades. The tension in our surroundings appeared to ease slightly.

"Are they hoping for treasure?"

"You must know this, Arisa, no? The core of an areamaster is required to attain qualification to battle a floormaster, no?"

"Hmph! We Hellfire Fangs will defeat the area- master long before they do,"

"Yes, I wish thee luck, too, Sir Zarigon,"

Princess Meetia's bright smile of support sparked a flush in Zarigon's cheeks as he strutted away, his sword held high in triumph. Maybe he has something in common with Hayato.

"Lady Meetia, how is your work going?" Arisa inquired politely.

"Well enough, no? Sir Sokell stopped us from healing the viceroy's daughter, but now that the viceroy and his wife have returned, we can finally begin,"

My initial encounter with Sokell left me with a negative vibe, causing me to question his intentions. However, I brushed him off as a mere nuisance. I never would have imagined he would stoop so low as to thwart the viceroy's daughter from receiving treatment. In hindsight, I should have been more cautious.

"Lady Meetia, have you had any troubles with life in Labyrinth City thus far?"

"Life in the guesthouse is more than satisfactory, no? That pompous Sir Sokell is a trifle difficult to get along with, but worse..." Princess Meetia paused, her tone revealing more trepidation than displeasure in my interpretation. "...there is simply something about Sir Poputema, no? I cannot help but feel a shiver when he dost look my way. I am told that it is his history in teaching that makes him seem to look down on others in his words and actions, and yet..." I could understand that. It was hard when you had a gut negative reaction to someone. "No, I mustn't. I am simply still too inexperienced, that is all, no? By the by, Arisa..."

Princess Meetia, feeling remorseful for her unkind words about others, shifted gears and initiated a conversation with Arisa about the intriguing destinations within Labyrinth City.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Your Highness!"

At that moment, the squire girl hurried towards them with bandages adorning her head and arms. It looked like she was taking charge of Princess Meetia's protection today rather than the stern knight.

"Were they able to heal thee?"

"Yes, madam! Sir Sokell was there, too, so I informed him that we were attacked by ruffians in the street,"

Attacked?!

"Were you hurt, Your Highness?"

"Nay, I am unharmed. Ryula protected me,"

Princess Meetia reported that they were ambushed by a group of well-dressed young delinquents wearing masks. These assailants didn't seem interested in stealing anything, leaving me questioning their motives. It seemed unlikely they were driven by perverse desires, either. Before long, the princess's nursemaid and a strict knight appeared to collect the princess.

"Princess! I thought I might find you in a place like this yet again,"

"Ryula, are you hurt?"

The two didn't appear to know about the attack.

"Now that thou are here, perhaps we had best return to the guesthouse. Lady, Kura, Sir Satou, Lady Sara, Arisa, until we meet again, no?"

Once Princess Meetia left with her guardians, we went to the service window to secure our own dwelling.

<0>

"These areas should meet your requirements, Sir Knight,"

The clerk in the guild's real estate division gestured towards several Labyrinth City locations. He presented three possibilities: a former merchant building located on the main street near the entrance of the noble quarter, a studio available in the artisan district, and a residence rumoured to have been used by a noble's lover.

"The house in the nobles' quarters will be the most secure, but that place is under the jurisdiction of the viceroy's office, so you would have to go through them,"

I perused the document detailing the three available locations. Upon examination, I learned that the ex-mercantile was located quite a distance from the western guild. The workshop was in close proximity to the malodorous slaughterhouses and leather workshops. That left us with the former lover's residence as our only option. Though it was a bit on the smaller side, we only needed it as a temporary stop on our journey to the Ivy Manor, so its size wasn't a major concern.

"Hey, what about this place?"

As Arisa sifted through a stack of files set aside by the clerk, her eyes landed on one in particular. The document detailed a noble's previous vacation home, conveniently situated near farmlands and open fields. Noticing its reasonable price, Arisa couldn't help but consider it as a potential option. However, given that it had been vacant for over a decade, she knew that securing the rental might involve some additional hurdles.

"I… I'm afraid there are certain circumstances regarding that particular location..."

The clerk disclosed that the noble who constructed the house was afflicted by a curse, which even the most esteemed priests in the vicinity were unable to break. It sounds familiar.

"That's quite a curse,"

"Yes, it's said it was left by the Undead King who brought down the Muno Marquisate,"

Zen. So that's why it sounded so familiar.

"Then was the former owner of that house...?"

"Yes, he was the nephew of Marquis Muno... I have heard that all the residents of the home were found dead in a frightful mummified state,"

The people who next lived in the house were discovered on the verge of death, as well. Tragically, the curse extended beyond the confines of the house and plagued the entire neighbourhood, leaving a trail of ill health in its wake. As time passed, the once bustling community became desolate, with abandoned homes and barren land surrounding the cursed house.

"There were no problems with the farm behind it, but since it was next to a cursed house, they had difficulty selling any dairy or meat,"

"All right. I'll take it,"

"You cannot be serious!"

"Yes, I am. As a vassal of Baron Muno, I cannot simply stand by and let a house with a connection to the Muno family fall to a curse,"

Despite the clerk's attempts to discourage Satou, he was eventually pressured by one of his managers, who fiercely demanded that he sign the contract.

"Sir Pendragon, would you like to buy the surrounding empty land and houses as well? This would be the total price for the lot of them. Might you consider it?"

"Let me think..."

The manager appeared eager to eliminate troublesome areas, prompting Arisa and Sara to negotiate until we secured a price lower than the cheapest of the first three locations we saw. They must have really wanted to be rid of this place...

"All right, we have a deal,"

Satou produced the money from his Garage Bag and received the house deeds and keys in exchange. Thanks to the clerk's 'Contract' skill, we could promptly complete the registration proceedings. Satou shook hands with the satisfied-looking manager, and we left the guild behind us.

The amount of real estate tax varied based on the specific location and size of the property. Fortunately, we would not have to pay it for the initial three years. After that, the cost would remain relatively affordable. Although there may be gradual increases down the line, it would still be significantly lower than the cost of a noble's mansion. Therefore, there was no need to be concerned about expenses.

<0>

"Are you sure you're okay with a cursed house?"

"We'll be fine," Satou assured her.

"Satou's right," I add. "I broke the curse in the Muno Castle, and I doubt Zen would have put as much effort into cruising this place as he did back in the castle."

"I think I can handle this curse," Sara confidently says.

"Me too!"

"Pochi will beat this curse, too, sir!"

As a result of Pochi's shadowboxing and everyone's confidence, Arisa's worried look transformed into a smile. We retraced our steps along the same road and made our way to our new home.

"Geh, it's totally overgrown!"

The mansion was thick with weeds, much to Arisa's dismay.

"We've got thiiis?"

"We're fully equipped for weeding, sir!"

"This is my new death-to-weeds scythe, I report,"

Pochi and Tama produced weed-cutting sickles from their pouches and struck a pose. Even Nana pulled out a long-handled sickle. Satou opened the large padlock across the gate with the key he'd been given.

"Looks like it's gotten a little rusty,"

Someone needs to put some lubricating oil on it later.

"Lulu, we're blocking the road. Could you bring the carriage onto the premises, please?"

"Yes, master,"

I took in the mansion's condition as Lulu expertly guided the carriage onto the estate. The abundance of noxious miasma permeating the garden posed a danger to our well-being, prompting me to activate my spirit light at maximum power to cleanse it. The miasma's primary source emanated from the residence's main wing.

"There are five children in the barn," Satou muttered. He must be using his map to look around. "Nana, please take Tama and Pochi and investigate the barn."

"Yes, master,"

"Roger!"

"Sir!"

The trio forged a trail through the overgrown weeds as they made their way to the barn.

"Liza and Mia, could you please look at the well?"

"Understood, sir,"

"Mm,"

Liza had a long-handled scythe to match Nana's, so they both cut through the weeds as they went.

"Pearl, Lulu, could you take care of the horses and runosaurs, please,"

"Yes, master,"

"Right away, Master Satou,"

As I surveyed the vast expanse of land, I was taken aback. Based on the measurements noted in the paperwork, it was much bigger than I had anticipated. The garden was reminiscent of those found in the grand estates of nobles. However, tending to it alone was daunting as it would require extensive weeding. It looks like Satou had the same thought.

"I'm going to take Arisa and hire some help for the weeding," Satou said, turning to me. "Can you and Sara handle the curse?"

"If it is like the last one, it shouldn't be a problem," I answer.

"I believe the two of us will be able to rid the place of this curse,"

"Some kids who didn't have jobs were sitting in front of the west guild, so we'll be gone for a bit,"

Once we said farewell to Satou and Arisa, Sara and I ventured into the main wing of the mansion by ourselves. I noticed a noxious miasma seeping out when I opened the door. Still, I quickly eliminated it with the power of my Spirit Light.

Dust covered everything inside the mansion, from the floor to the ceiling. Even the air was dust-filled, forcing Sara and I to cover our mouths to stop ourselves from choking on it.

"Looks like it's coming out of the basement," I said as we walked deeper into the mansion.

As we entered what seemed to be the previous owner's study, I noticed a door that had been carelessly blocked. I pried it open with some effort, and we descended the stairs. The lower level was filled with a thick, unpleasant miasma that even my spiritual light could not entirely dispel. I resorted to a Holy Stone from my storage to cleanse the area. A mysterious, translucent figure appeared from under the ground as we reached the bottom.

"Intruders. I am a shadow of the Undead King Zen,"

The figure was even more blurry than the faint silhouette lurking in the depths of Muno Castle's basement. It was known as a Curse Soul, the very manifestation of the curse itself. I pulled out a Holy Sword from Storage. Gjallarhorn, the Holy Sword I received from Zen, used to send him and his shadow in the castle on to the next life.

"Zen has already passed on, as has your colleague in Muno Castle. It's time for your role to end, too,"

As a young girl, I never believed in ghosts or spirits. I always thought they were just made-up stories to scare people. But in this world, I learn they do exist. Some could be friendly, while others are pure evil. I hope this one will be willing to move on, just like Zen and the other ghost in Muno Castle.

But something felt different this time around. I could feel a sense of unease wash over me. The atmosphere was tense, and the air seemed to thicken with every passing second. But surprisingly, Sara remained calm and collected. Sara began to recite a prayer, and I saw her eyes widen in shock as she suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

In front of us, the ghost stood there. Their visage was full of anger and resentment, and I could feel his negative energy surrounding us. This was going to be more of a challenging task than I thought, but I knew that wouldn't stop us. As I stepped forward to speak to him, Sara stood behind me, ready to help in any way possible.

"We are not here to harm you, only to help you make peace and move on,"

I could sense the spirit's anger, but I reassured him that we were there to help and not to harm.

"Why?" The ghost growled. "Why stop now? Why should I move on when that bastard name is still passed down?!"

"You don't need to live in suffering like this," Sara said, stepping passed me. "Let us help you find peace."

The spirit let out a sinister laugh in response.

"Peace? That is something I will never find. Not after what he did to me and my family,"

Our hearts sank as the spirit revealed his tragic story to us. He was once a wealthy merchant, living in Muno City with his wife and daughter. But one fateful night, Marquis Muno, the powerful and cruel lord, stormed into their home and kidnapped the ghost's wife and daughter.

"He raped them, tortured them, and then murdered them in cold blood," The ghost said, his voice trembling with anger. "And then he threw their bodies into the nearby river where they were eaten by monsters."

As the ghost recalled these painful memories, we could see the tears in his eyes. It was clear that he still loved his family deeply, and the thought of their suffering broke his heart over and over again.

"I know that Marquis Muno was a lowlife who abused his power and brought harm to the people he was meant to protect, but he is dead now," I try not to cry. I can feel the spirits suffering as if it were my own. "He has been dead for a long time. If you continue attacking people like this, you will only become a man like him. Please let us help you move on. Your family is waiting for you."

"Kura is right," Sara nods and softly smiles at the ghost. "I know you must be missing your family. If you let us help you, then you can see them again. Don't you want to hold your wife again? To hear your daughter's laughter? We could help you experience those wonderful things again."

"My… my wife… she would hate me… she would never love me… not after what I did…" The ghost started to cry, causing the miasma to grow even thicker. "She told me to forget about her… to move on and not do anything rash but…, but I didn't listen… instead I attacked the knights, taking her away… my daughter came out of hiding seeing me being cut down… she was taken too… because of me…"

"That's not true!" Sara suddenly called out before regaining her composure. "My sister… she left me… Sometimes, I hated her for chasing after a hero. I even told myself I never wanted to see her again. But I never stopped loving her. I know it must be the same for your wife. She may yell at you, but she will still love you. Do you think your wife and daughter would want you to suffer like this? I know I wouldn't want my sister to, no matter how much I was hurt by her abandonment."

"No…" The ghost drops to their knees. "My wife and daughter were kind souls… they would not want me to carry this burden of hatred and pain." In an instant, the mood lightened. Even the miasma became thinner. "I… I want to see them again… I want to be with them… please send me to them."

"I will send you to them right away," Sara chanted a spell, and once she cast it, a golden light filled the room, causing the ghost to slowly fade away. "I pray you find peace and happiness in the next life."

"Thank you…"

With one final word, the ghost moves on. I was unsure if he found peace and happiness, but I hope he does. But what I could be sure of is that the incredibly thick miasma had faded to a point where even my Spirit Vision could disperse it. Before too long, all the miasma in the house should be gone.

"Problemooo!"

"There's a big problem, sir!"

When Sara and I exited the mansion, Tama and Pochi came running over from the barn.

"Emergency, I report! A life is in extremely terrible danger. Immediate relief needed, I request," Nana poked her head out from the barn and shouted to me.

"Hurryyyy!"

"This way, sir!"

Tama and Pochi led us into the barn, where some grade school-aged kids were slumped in the shadows.

"They seem awfully feeble,"

The children appeared severely weakened as I observed them. Evidently, they had not eaten much food in quite some time. Additionally, they seemed to be weren't drinking either. Their minds seemed hazy, with only one reacting to our presence. Even then, there was no indication of movement from that child.

I diluted some nutritional supplements to make them easier to drink and gave them to the children. They were so weak that they couldn't drink by themselves, but Sara, Nana and I helped them drink the nutritional supplements.

"Hurt?"

"Looks painful, sir,"

Tama and Pochi's worried gazes fixed on the children before them. The sight was disheartening; several of the young ones suffered from broken bones, their wounds edging towards the ominous signs of gangrene and festering with pus. Evidently, the curse and the harmful effects of the miasma were not the sole reasons for their condition.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of their injuries,"

Sara began using healing magic as Nana and I finished giving the kids their nutritional supplements. Some of the kids had broken bones that had healed wrong, causing contusions. Potions and Healing Magic couldn't heal such old wounds. It pained me, and Nana tried to stop me, but I unfortunately had to rebreak those bones so Sara could heal them. I apologised each time, and despite knowing it was only to treat their wounds, I still felt like scum afterwards. I knocked the kids out first with magic, so they shouldn't have felt that much pain, but yeah… I still felt terrible.

"They should be fine now,"

Sara said, wiping the sweat from her brow. She had been working hard lately and cast multiple spells, so I had her drink an MP recovery potion and asked her to rest while we took care of the rest.

"But they have not regained consciousness, I report,"

"That's just because they're tired from the healing. Let's let them rest for a little while, then give them water and another nutritional supplement potion. Tomorrow morning, we can feed them some thin rice porridge,"

"Incredible, Hero Kura. You are truly the greatest, I praise!"

"Hooray!"

"Thank you, sir!"

"You should praise Sara; she was the one who healed the kids,"

"Thank you for healing the injured larva, I say,"

"Thank you,"

"You stopped their owies, sir,"

I entrusted Nana with the task of caring for the children and nursing them back to health. I retrieved a soft, felt-lined sheet from our camping supplies to ensure their comfort and placed it underneath them. Just then, Liza and Mia burst into the room.

"Master Kura, we heard Tama and Pochi shouting. Is everything all right?"

"Kura,"

"Everything is okay now," I assure them. "Some children taking shelter here were weakened by the curse, but they should fully recover. So what condition is the well in?"

"The well required some repairs,"

"Mm. Pulley decayed,"

While conversing, I followed them to the well, with Tama and Pochi joining us. The ground was littered with a broken pulley. A bucket attached to a rope was placed next to the cover, preventing debris from entering the well. The bucket appeared damp, indicating that the kids had recently used it.

I used 'Magic Hand' to put the bucket into the well to collect a sample, but the water was filled with rubbish and dirt. I then proceeded to remove all the rubbish from the well with the same spell and then purified the water. I wanted to check if the water source itself was dirty. I took another sample a few minutes later, only to find the water still clean. I am planning on checking a few more times before I feel safe letting anyone drink from it. After explaining what I had done to the others, we moved on.

I unlocked the back door to the kitchen and let everyone inside.

"This is going to be difficult to clean,"

The dust was even worse than the main wing. It was clear that no one had been here for ten years.

"Explore,"

"Want me to go in first?"

"I'll do it,"

Mia eagerly bounded into the kitchen, accompanied by Tama and Pochi. But their enthusiasm was short-lived.

"Kura,"

"Spiderweeebs?"

"So sticky, sir,"

Mia returned to us in a distressed state, her eyes streaming with tears and her hair tangled with spiderwebs. Pochi, equally distressed, had her ears pressed flat against her head. Fortunately, Tama had not been caught yet. Still, I knew I had to soothe the three of them before we attempted another investigation. And this time, I would take the lead.

I used Magic Hand to move the spiderwebs out of the way. We still had to contend with mountains of dust, though.

"The stove still looks usable,"

"Is this black stuff coal?"

The stove was cluttered with dark heaps of what seemed to be coal and ash. It would probably be better to replace the other equipment with magic tools.

"Lots of rooooms?"

"Lots of chairs and bureaus, too, sir,"

The primary structure consisted of three levels, with additional space in the attic and basement. The attic and basement were filled with trash, particularly broken chairs and tables.

"There's quite a bit of usable furniture here,"

"Mm, sturdy,"

Upon thoroughly examining the various rooms, we discovered minimal repairs were needed aside from the floor in one section, which was rotting. The task at hand mainly involved clearing away the accumulated dust and cobwebs. Surprisingly, we also came across a plethora of luxurious furnishings that remained undamaged. It seemed that our attention should only be focused on replacing items in the kitchen and primary bedrooms.

"Basemeeent?"

"I smell cheese and dried meat, sir,"

The hallway's adjoining cellar appeared to double as an emergency shelter and a provision store. It consisted of individual spaces for storing casks and even had shelves designated for storing wine. To my surprise, the basement where I had successfully cleansed the cursed soul appeared to be separate from this one. This basement would be a good place to set the seal slate for the 'Return' spell.

"Looks like the cellar is connected to the main hallway and the kitchen," There were two sets of stairs, the second of which led to the kitchen. "I think that's it. There doesn't seem to be a bathroom."

"Yes. What a shame,"

Liza had a fondness for baths, but it was evident that she was now feeling let down. In order to cater to both her and my own needs, I made the decision to repurpose one of the ground-floor rooms into a bathroom. I was confident that Satou would be willing to help us in creating this new addition.

"We'll have to ask Satou to make a new one, then,"

"Yes, Master will make us a great bath!"