Chapter 74

"For today's volunteer work, we're cleaning up the aqueducts!"

"""Yes, ma'am!"""

The children brandished their cleaning tools in unison and cheered at Arisa's stirring declaration. With permission secured for the aqueduct cleaning, the group eagerly commenced their task. We had enlisted the assistance of the girls from the tenements downtown. Earlier this morning, I had informed Neru of my plans, but the turnout far exceeded my expectations. Despite the meagre compensation of a single copper coin per person, the attendees demonstrated an extraordinary enthusiasm to lend their support.

"This is a strange tool, Hero Lady."

The redheaded Neru gazed curiously at one of Satou's hastily constructed trash-picker tools.

"Will the stalls be all right without you, Miss Neru?"

"Just 'Neru' is fine, Miss Hero. The other gals are there, too. It'll be okay! Figured I'd come to help out here since I can use Everyday Magic and all!"

"How convenient, eh?"

"I wanna pick stuff up, too."

"Wait your turn!"

The sight of the trash pickers hard at work captivated both the young and the old. Laughter and chatter filled the air as they tackled the task of cleaning the aqueducts, transforming a chore into a lively and enjoyable activity.

"Mister, I mean, young master! This tool is from a foreign land, isn't it?"

"Is it?"

"Yeah, I ain't... Erm, I've never seen one."

"If you pull this string, the thingies on the end close! That's so cool!"

The girls from the tenement houses approached Satou, struggling to keep their language polite as they spoke.

"Erm, excuse me, Lady Hero. Could you get the young masters' permission for us to make something similar to these trash pickers and sell them?"

Neru, still captivated by the trash picker, was oblivious as a serious-faced girl approached me with a request.

"It shouldn't be a problem," I reply. "If you can find some hollow branches like this, it should be pretty easy to make."

However, because the handle of this trash picker was made thin but sturdy with Treespirit Pearls, they would have to use different components.

"That should be fine! I know a lumber dealer who sells thin bamboo."

A new product would be beneficial for the girls. They might even level up in developing the product and gain some creation-related skills. More good news was that with only a few minor incidents, the aqueduct cleaning was proceeding smoothly.

"This is quite a lot of garbage."

"What are we going to do with it? Burn it?"

"There's a dump site outside the city, so we've been told to throw it away there."

A government official had told Satou when he went to get permission the day before to take everything there. We used a human-wave tactic to carry the garbage out of the city.

"What an enormous pit."

About a hundred and fifty feet away from the south gate, the hole was nearly thirty feet around and ten feet deep.

"The viceroy hires Earth Magic users to remake this hole once a year."

"Wow, that's interesting."

This piece of knowledge came from one of the old folks who had helped transport the garbage.

"No one tries to go through the garbage?"

"No, sir. There are slimes at the bottom."

At the base of the gaping pit, I discerned faint movement. To my astonishment, I noticed greyish slimes squirming fervently. The elderly gentleman explained that these creatures served a crucial purpose: they were deployed to break down and consume organic waste, such as food scraps, to prevent the pit from becoming an overflowing cesspool. I'd been under the impression that everyone just threw their waste in the aqueducts, but apparently, that wasn't the case.

"Wow! These fish oil drops are delicious!"

"Yeah, but I dunno. I'm so hungry, I could eat a horse."

"We have biscuits, too."

Once we finished throwing out the garbage, we distributed rewards some distance away from the garbage dump site. We handed the treats to the tenement girls as well as the volunteers. The girl's rumbling stomach spoke for itself, echoing a familiar complaint. I offered the ladies biscuits and dried meat to appease their hunger pangs.

"Neru, the aqueduct cleanup is going to be a several-week project. Can I hire all of you to keep helping us?"

"Sure, but...you gonna be all right, mister?"

Neru's expression betrayed her uncertainty. She appeared preoccupied with Satou's financial capabilities, as the proposed payments would accumulate to approximately one gold coin every three days.

"Sure. Don't worry about the expense." Satou smiled at Neru to show his gratitude for her concern.

Investing approximately ten gold coins monthly was not a significant financial burden. While the daily impact of our cleaning efforts might seem limited, a month's worth of sustained work would have a substantial effect on the city's water quality. Projects such as these require patience and perseverance.

<0>

"Here, I thought there were fewer morons bringing gabo fruit into the labyrinth, but now the bastards are using Monster Incense. I guess we've got no shortage of idiots."

After the aqueduct cleaning session, I went to the guildmaster. Her letter claimed she had information for me, but it turned out that she learned I could travel freely to the elf clans and wanted me to buy her booze from them. Still, the trip wasn't a waste of time, as I wanted to ask the guildmaster about the rumours I'd heard about Monster Incense, war, etc.

She already knew about the latter. The guildmaster possessed an astonishingly deep understanding of war's ramifications. Her insights surpassed mine, leading her to caution me against pursuing any dubious, get-rich-quick endeavours associated with the conflict.

When we talked about Monster Incense, she also had much to say. The labyrinth's fragile ecosystem was often exploited by reckless explorers. Driven by greed or ignorance, they smuggled in gabo fruit. This practice backfired spectacularly, leading to uncontrolled breeding among the creatures and the resulting horde's swift annihilation of the explorers.

"Is that all you needed to talk about?"

It became evident that the guildmaster discerned my intent to present a request to acquire goods or services.

"Actually, I want to put out a request for ogredrink-potion ingredients. Would it be possible to share it as a request from the guild?"

"For the viceroy's daughter? ... No, this is because of that Dyukeli bastard, isn't it? You should choose your friends more carefully."

The guildmaster seemed to dislike Baronet Dyukeli as well.

"It's mainly for the viceroy's daughter."

I made this excuse with the help of my "Fabrication" skill, causing the guildmaster to sigh.

"You're too damn nice," she grumbled. "You'll be providing the money, I take it?"

"Of course. I'll submit the fee in advance." I gave her a bag containing the requested payment and the retaining fee. "Actually, I'd like to make another request as well..."

"You want to buy up any Magic Scrolls from the labyrinth?" With Satou and I able to learn magic from scrolls, it is a worthwhile investment. "And you're offering ten gold coins for each, no matter what kind of magic it is?"

The guildmaster's eyes widened as she read my request. The price was certainly steep, exceeding the usual market rate for scrolls. But intermediate Magic Scrolls could fetch five gold coins or more, so I didn't deem my offer unreasonable. After all, ten coins was a small price to pay for the expansion of my magical repertoire. The ephemeral nature of Magic Scrolls, usable only once by most people, likely made the pursuit seem frivolous and impractical to the average observer.

"I'm paying one silver coin for used scrolls, however. And I won't be buying duplicates or market goods."

"Boy, you're a strange one, all right."

Satou wanted the used scrolls for his research.

"When are you going back into the labyrinth?"

"Tomorrow."

"Tch, guess I can't invite you to go out drinking tonight, then. Let's get drinks as soon as you come back, y'hear?"

The guildmaster looked grumpy, so I responded, "Yes, of course", with a smile and excused myself from her office.

"Please! Just give us three more days!"

"We'll pay the interest, I swear!"

"Sorry, but I just work here. I have to follow the rules."

Upon traversing the reception area on the ground floor, I overheard the frantic voices of two women. The individuals in question were the Lovely Wings duo, engaged in a desperate plea with a guild representative. Their discourse suggested a desperate attempt to secure an extension for a pending payment.

"I can cover for them for now if that's all right,"

"Miss Hero,"

"We can't cause trouble for you like that..."

"The interest for one trimoon is two silver coins total for the pair."

The guild employee, a familiar face from my frequent drinking parties with the guildmaster, told me a price with a nonchalant air. He was a familiar face at our guild's gatherings, where the drinks flowed freely and the snacks were lavish. His presence at these events, where I was known to indulge in extravagance, likely led him to believe I could easily afford a small sum. As soon as I paid the money...

"Th-thank you, lady."

"Oh, Miss Hero, we really owe you big-time..."

With ungovernable emotion, they enveloped me in a collective embrace, uttering heartfelt expressions of appreciation. Their intense display of gratitude was getting me weird looks, and I could see the guild employee struggling not to laugh. He saw how clingy Sara could get with me when she drank first-hand. The relentless attention was starting to feel suffocating, so I suggested we move to a nearby bar where I could lend a sympathetic ear to their woes.

"Really, we can't thank you enough, Miss Hero."

"You saved us from becoming slaves, you know. We're so grateful, we'd happily give you Jena's purity if you want."

"Why me? What about yours, Iruna?"

"Yeah, right. Why would she want mine? Have you seen that woman that's always on her arm?"

So they must have also seen Sara when she was drunk. After the last drinking party, so many people saw her refusing to let go of me as I tried to take her home. Rumours about Sara and me have spread like wildfire since that night.

Anyway, the two women finally calmed down and started joking around. The charming Iruna and the beautiful Jena. They make quite the pair.

"Here's the chef's special today and some ale..."

The friendly waitress said, dropping off our food. I gave her a big tip and ordered another round of food.

"Wow, boiled rock cray! I've never had this before!"

"Y-you sure you wanna treat us to such a classy meal?"

"It's no problem."

The ale, a refreshing respite from the heat, slid down my throat, leaving me ready to tackle the impressive dish before me. The boiled rock cray, a colossal creature resembling a spiny lobster on steroids, was seasoned with a touch of salt that enhanced its deliciousness. The chef clearly possessed a deft hand in the kitchen.

"It's so delicious, I can't believe it..."

"Yeah, this is a far cry from the hard biscuits and dried meat we always eat in the labyrinth."

They were overwhelmed with emotion and couldn't contain their tears as they devoured the succulent rock cray meat.

"You're not supposed to drink ale so daintily, missy!" Jena of the Lovely Wings scolded me as I took a small sip of the ale. "You gotta chug it all at once and feel that tingly sensation as it travels down your throat!"

"Mister, you can ignore Jena's so-called wisdom."

"Oh, come on, Iruna. You're the one who never shuts up about the right way to grill meat!"

Amid their jovial banter, our attention turned to the remaining dishes on the table. Noticing their depleted ale glasses and a hint of longing in their eyes, I generously offered unlimited refills of their desired libations. Little did I know this act of kindness would soon become a regretful error...

"You won't believe it, missy! Those Silverlight jerks are sooo mean!"

My drinking companions, one a tipsy beauty and the other a blurry-eyed charmer, both found fault with the Silverlight party.

"We finally went on an expedition, but we got stuck with breaking down monster parts, throwing out garbage, and odd jobs like that. They didn't let us hunt a single maze locust!"

"Yeah, they just treated us like lowly carriers."

"I mean, technically, we were invited along as carriers, but still! We were told that even carriers got to hunt straggler prey sometimes."

"Nothing we can do, though. They told us they wanted to train their newbies instead, y'know?"

As memories of the encounter between the Silverlight party and the Lovely Wings surfaced, a wave of empathy washed over me. The labyrinth had clearly taken its toll on them, their complaints echoing through the bar like a persistent waterfall, a constant reminder of their frustration. It takes me back to my time in college and high school. I was always the one people would vent their problems to back then.

"This is all because that greedy moron Besso had to try and steal the royal-jelly ball, y'know?"

"Yeah, if it weren't for that idiot, we wouldn't be stuck paying off a fine for the stupid chain rampage!"

The focus of their grievances had moved from Silverlight to Besso, who, if memory served, was the same individual responsible for the recent chaos that Mr. Koshin's party endured. It seemed some individuals were incapable of learning from their mistakes.

"He'll get what's coming to him sooner or later, I'm sure."

"Yeah, you said it!"

"Let the bastard screw up and get eaten by monsters!"

As the night wore on, I found myself drawn into their circle, sharing in their convivial drinking and commiserating with them as they aired their grievances. Gradually, the alcohol's embrace enveloped them, lulling them into a peaceful slumber. Meanwhile, the curious gazes of passing revellers hinted at an unspoken question. This speculation hung in the air: 'Which one of these ladies will she choose to take home with her?' I did my best to ignore everyone as I picked both the women up.

"Both of them? Really?"

"Good going, kid."

"But isn't she already surrounded by beauties?"

"It's not fair,"

I had no choice but to endure the stares and grumbling until I went home. But even that wasn't the end of the trouble.

"Guilty."

Mia narrowed her eyes at the drunken Lovely Wings pair in my arms.

"It's not like that, Mia," I tell her.

I really didn't have a choice. I didn't know where they lived and didn't think leaving them in that bar in their current state was a good idea. We had open guest rooms; they could sleep there.

<0>

"Seems like we caused you some trouble yesterday..."

"We're so sorry."

The Lovely Wings duo, reeling from the aftermath of their alcohol-induced stupor, expressed their remorse for their reckless behaviour the night before. They confessed that indulging in excessive drinking was uncharacteristic for them, attributing their lapse in judgment to a combination of my generous drinks patronage and the pent-up frustrations they had been harbouring over Silverlight and Besso. In response, I provided them with hangover remedies and invited them to breakfast.

"L-look, Iruna, white bread!"

"Jena, this is a noble's breakfast. Of course, they have white bread."

Today, we had bread with breakfast instead of the usual rice, which impressed the pair.

"This yellow stuff must be eggs, right? ...Holy smokes, it's so good!"

"I guess you just drink this amber soup from the bowl... W-wow, it's way too good!"

The cheese omelette and consommé soup were met with enthusiastic approval. Iruna and Jena, savouring each bite, smacked each other on the shoulders in delight. Their praises for the food continued as they sampled the rest of the breakfast spread. Lulu and her breakfast-making companions wore rueful expressions tempered with a quiet sense of accomplishment. Once the meal concluded...

"We swear we'll repay you once we're back on our feet, Miss Hero."

"Yeah, we're good for it, I promise."

"I trust you. Just don't push yourselves too hard, please. I don't want you getting hurt."

With that, the pair headed off to the labyrinth. Not long later, our group headed for the labyrinth gate as well.

"Huh? Is that Zakorin? He's with a pretty big group. I wonder if they're going after the floor- master."

A bustling throng of nearly seventy explorers filled the clearing, surrounded by an equally impressive mountain of supplies. Leading them was Zarigon and his party, the Hellfire Fangs. I strained my ears, using my 'Keen Hearing' skill to catch snippets of their conversation.

"Sounds like they're taking on an areamaster first."

Satou must have been listening in, too. Still, Satou left out that they had already failed once, so this was their second attempt.

"Wow. I didn't realise that normally took so many people."

"That's quite a lot of baggage, too."

Arisa and Lulu seemed impressed.

"Master, over there..."

Amidst the crowd, Liza drew our attention to Besso, the individual we had met prior to our successful rescue of Mr Koshin's crew. Positioned beside the baggage belonging to Zarigon's group, Besso's presence suggested that he, too, was engaged in the ongoing area-master challenge.

"I hope he's not planning to cause another chain rampage..."

Arisa seemed to remember him, too.

"Don't worry. Rumours about him have spread among explorers. I'm sure Mr. Zarigon knows to be on the lookout."

This information came from little Luram, who was holding a plate of takoyaki in one hand.

"I'm impressed you know all that."

"Well, you hear a lot of things when you're doing market research."

His hobby of wandering around, buying and eating food had its benefits.

"Take this as thanks for the information."

"Oh-ho, I like the way you think."

Satou handed Luram a little bag of handmade konpeito, a star-shaped candy. With Zarigon and his entourage seemingly delaying their entry into the labyrinth, we decided to seize the opportunity. We bid farewell to the smug Luram and made our way towards the entrance, hoping to explore the maze before their massive group clogged the passage.

<0>

"Wow. That's the labyrinth village?"

"Looks that way."

During a casual excursion, we stumbled upon a labyrinthine village, a place explorers used as a stopping point during expeditions. We didn't really have any business there; we were just curious to see it.

"In the aaaair?"

"Rope bridges, sir."

Tama and Pochi gazed at the eerie village, its structures resembling the remnants of colossal spider webs. Towering stone pillars stretched from floor to ceiling, acting as supports for a network of suspension bridges. These bridges varied in width, some accommodating carriages while others were so narrow that a single individual could barely traverse them. The interconnected bridges formed a circular path, encircling the enigmatic village.

"There are lights up there, too."

"Looks like spiderfolk live in the area."

As Lulu pointed up at the top of the village, which looked like a fragmented spiderweb, Satou relayed some information from his map. Since their eyes saw well in the dark, spiderfolk soldiers patrolled above the rope bridges.

"Did those people make the village, then?"

"Apparently not. From what I've been told..."

Relaying the information shared by Polina and Sumina, I informed Arisa and our companions about the village's origins. It was established during the demi-human conflict incited by King Gartapht. The village's founders sought refuge from the persecution that plagued them aboveground. Notably, these pioneers comprised fairy races like rockfolk and mudfolk, alongside a peculiar group of human monster tamers known as 'bee tamers.'

"Dark."

"I cannot see the bottom, I report."

Mia and Nana gazed down into the moat-like pit that surrounded the village.

"There don't appear to be any monsters."

Liza's observation was right. Similar to the area where our vacation home sits within the labyrinth, this region lacked any spawnholes. This suggests that the passages leading to potential monster entrances were likely sealed off, making it a safe zone.

"It seems very close to the entrance to the labyrinth, though."

"That's only because we took a shortcut."

Our journey here was no walk in the park. We scaled a daunting cliff, battled a horde of monstrous creatures with unusual powers, and finally squeezed through a treacherous spawn-hole. The entire ordeal took us three hours. In contrast, explorers with garnet badges, forced to take the dangerous route, would spend half a day reaching this point. As for those travelling the safe route with baggage, their journey would stretch to a gruelling three days.

"Give up your weapons and show us your explorer badges!"

A throng of men, their spears interlocked, stood guard at the first rope bridge, their voices a guttural chorus directed at us. Their attire was a strange blend of scale armour and tasselled garments, while their skin, unnaturally pale, hinted at a life spent far from the sun's embrace.

"Will this do?"

"Never seen you around before... A garnet badge? What are you, some noble's brat?"

"Bought this with gold, I bet."

The men checked our garnet-explorer badges, then tossed them back at us. One of them looked us up and down in great detail; he had the Urion faith gift called the 'Eye of Judgment'.

"Go on in. Just don't cause any trouble up there."

"The village chief's word is law around here. He'll tear you apart, noble or not."

Puzzled expressions washed over their faces as Satou expressed his gratitude for their warning.

"Weird smellll?" As we crossed the bridge, Tama pinched her nose.

"Yeah, really. What is that?" I asked.

"It smells like monster-repellent powder, sir," Pochi said, pleased with herself for knowing the answer.

"Good job. You two have sharp noses."

"Hee-hee..."

"Aw shucks, sir."

Sara patted Pochi's head as a reward for identifying the smell and patted Tama's head for noticing it first.

We emerged from the treacherous bridge upon reaching the labyrinth village's entrance. An unassuming window swung open at a side entrance, revealing a man adorned in a tasselled robe. His attire echoed that of the bridge guards, suggesting it was the native garb of this place.

"If you wanna come into the village, you gotta pay the fee."

The thuggish declaration made Liza and Pearl narrow their eyes sharply. Still, it was only the village tax collector, not someone trying to rob us. But even mentioning that to them had little effect as Satou went ahead and asked…

"How much is the fee?"

"One silver coin for nobles, one copper coin for explorers. If you've got outside food, we can take that instead."

You don't usually see nobles getting treated like this.

"Would liquor do?"

"That'd be more than welcome, for sure. One cask of ale or a bottle of red wine would do nicely." Satou produced a bottle of cheap wine from his Garage Bag. "Ooh, this is Lessau's Lifeblood, ain't it?!" The collector exclaimed in delight. "If you got any more, sell it to the drink vendor outside the pillar, will ya? It's in high demand. They'll buy it for a good price."

Thanking the suddenly kindly tax collector, we entered the labyrinth village.

"Monsterrrs?"

"It's Mr. Meat, sir."

Tama and Pochi's eyes lit up as they saw the barn beyond the gate. It was a 'monster mount shop,' a place that could only exist within the labyrinth's confines.

"No, those are mounts, so you can't eat them."

The stable housed a diverse array of mounts, catering to both combat and utility. Battle-ready beasts, their muscular forms hinting at their ferocity, were tended to by skilled monster tamers. Alongside them, smaller, go-cart-sized bug monsters and four-legged creatures with gecko-like suction pads on their feet were offered for sale. Their purpose was less about fighting and more about carrying burdens. My 'Estimation' skill revealed the battle monsters to be valuable, their prices hovering around ten gold coins. Even the pack mounts started at a hefty three gold coins.

"You there, youngsters! How would you like to try some monster meat skewers? They're a labyrinth village speciality!"

"We've got mystery meat stew over here, too!"

"Goblin liquor, two penny coins a cup!"

Amidst the bustling food stalls near the barn, bearded vendors bellowed their wares. Uninterested in the goblin liquor or enigmatic stew, the allure of flavorful skewers beckoned me to purchase enough for my companions. As we savoured the savoury skewers, we navigated the winding alleys of the labyrinthine village, our group forming an orderly line. Before we had traversed even a short distance, the tranquillity was shattered by the eruption of two violent conflicts.

"Blocking the waaay?"

"He's sitting in the middle of the path, sir."

Tama and Pochi tilted their heads at a man who was sitting right in the centre of a narrow passageway.

"Only villagers are allowed beyond this point," he informed us gruffly when he noticed our expressions, and he shooed us away like someone warding off stray cats.

I couldn't blame the man for sending us away, then. Giving him a cordial wave, we ushered my group off.

"There are all kinds of stores here."

"Yeah, no kidding."

A flash of movement caught Satou's eye - a group of women leaning out from the doorway of a dimly lit building down a narrow alleyway. They waved, their gestures bold and uninhibited, and Satou returned the gesture with a wry smile. These women seemed grittier, more seasoned than the ones I'd seen above ground.

"No sneaking peeks!"

"Ah-ha-ha. Sorry, sorry."

With Satou's apology behind us, we ventured down the path, our eyes darting between the various shops that lined it. Predominantly street stalls, they offered a medley of wares. Food was abundant, but the primary focus seemed to be on weaponry and armour. Establishments offering repair services were also scattered throughout the thoroughfare.

The occasional general stores offered a curious mix of goods. Flash bombs, smoke bombs, and monster-repellent powder lined the shelves, catering to adventurers' needs. Instead of dispensing magical potions, an apothecary stocked bandages, veria salves, and other first aid necessities. Surprisingly, a significant portion of the marketplace was devoted to clothing stalls, offering everything from everyday wear to undergarments. All these goods came at a premium, with prices ranging from two to five times higher than those found in Labyrinth City.

"Golemmm?"

"It's a kind of mount, apparently."

Unlike the magic tool-like golems the elves made, an Earth Magic user made this golem on the spot. The name of the golem creator and the person using it were different, which was why I concluded that it was a kind of mount.

"Everyone's sorta dirty."

"Well, there probably aren't any baths or showers in the labyrinth."

The pit surrounding the village contained a few bogs, which seemed to be where the village drew its water from.

"You got some kinda problem with us?!"

Amid the crowd, a familiar voice caught my attention. It emanated from the vicinity of the pillar. Craning my neck over the crowd, I spotted Mr Dozon engaged in a heated altercation with a woman whose attire exposed a generous amount of skin. Both of them seemed to be drunk.

"It's Sir Dozon and Mahiruna from the Owlbeard party."

"Those two again..."

As Dozon's face contorted into a livid mask of fury, Miss Mahiruna's lips curled into an enigmatic smirk. The members of her all-female explorer guild, Owlbeard, watched with amusement glinting in their eyes.

"Of course not. The prey we were hunting just happened to line up with yours a few times, that's all." Her clearly insincere tone only enraged Dozon further.

"Just happened'? But it happens practically every other time!"

"Look, Dozon. You seem to think we go around snatching requests from you, but you've stolen more than a few requests from us, too, you know." Miss Mahiruna revelled in teasing Dozon, seemingly finding an irresistible pleasure in his reactions.

"Mahiruna! We've got all the supplies we need, plus a few hard newts from the monster mount shop."

"Excellent! Well done. See you next time, then, Dozon. The golden scarab is ours!"

"Tch, so you're after it, too..."

Miss Mahiruna walked away with the female explorer who'd come to get her.

"Don't screw up and get eaten by a wanderin' elder lance beetle!" Dozon yelled after her.

"As if! Thanks, though, Dozon! Let's settle this in bed another time, eh?" Mahiruna smirked over her shoulder as she fired a parting shot.

"Guess you can't beat your ex-wife, either, huh, Lord Dozon?"

"Shut it!" The friend who teased Mr Dozon was rewarded with a fist. "...Hmm? Hey, it's my old pal Pendragon!"

Mr. Dozon's voice boomed across the room, drawing our attention. He waved us over, his eyes landing on Satou. My gaze shifted to him, remembering our shared battle against Ludaman, the Plunderer King, near the west guild.

"If you're here, are you beetle huntin', too?"

"No, we just wanted to see the labyrinth village."

"What a strange lad!" Dozon chuckled.

Over a refreshing glass of spring water (priced at a single copper coin), he told us more about the labyrinth village. Apparently, seasoned adventurers used it as their base for extended beetle monster hunts. Secret necromancers also found refuge here, offering skeletal remains for curse-breaking rituals or monstrous mounts. Lastly, the village chief's dwelling housed branches of various religions, such as the Zaicuon and Karion faiths, providing spiritual guidance within the labyrinth.

"Dozon! We finally got ahold of a guide who knows the beetle area inside and out."

"Great! Then let's get goin'!"

Accompanied by a young spriggan guide, Mr. Dozon's companion approached. As his departure neared, Dozon offered us one last piece of advice.

"One more thing, friend. The plunderers might not have been completely wiped out after all. Be careful, y'hear?"

"I thought the guildmaster, and you purged all of them."

"We only hit the major groups, so it's either a small one or a new band,"

"Maybe some new baddies came outta the woodwork."

Mr Dozon's suspicion stemmed from a recent encounter. A few days prior, his group had been attacked at the first area boundary by an exceptionally large swarm of monsters. This attack, he claimed, deviated from the typical pattern of chain rampages, raising his concerns.

"I wonder..."

"What, ya know somethin'?"

With the disclaimer that I couldn't say for sure, I told him the rumour that someone had been getting unlicensed alchemists to make Monster Incense.

"Tch. There's always some damn idiots up to no good, huh?"

Dozon's grumbled remark reminded me of the guildmaster's similar complaint.

"I'll get the village guards and gossip to spread the word about this Monster Incense stuff. Be careful out there, you guys. Don't question your gut if you sense a chain rampage. Just get outta there." With that, Mr. Dozon left the bar.

"Let's continue our sightseeing, shall we?"

The village's centrepiece is an imposing pillar in the heart of the village. Enveloping this pillar was the village chief's residence.

"Bonesss?"

"So big, sir."

The village chief's roof was adorned with an unsettling display of giant monster bones, their gnarled shapes casting eerie shadows. The sight, however, seemed to fascinate Tama and Pochi.

"Are they giving out rations over there?"

"Drinking water, it looks like."

A line of villagers snaked to the spring in the village chief's garden. Each person, in turn, presented a wooden tag, receiving a large jug brimming with fresh water in exchange.

"Hero Kura, I have located the drink vendor, I report."

Nana gestured towards a bell-shaped shop nestled beside the village chief's residence. Its interior was a jumbled collection of barrels and bottles. I hadn't been searching for anything in particular. Still, with the shop practically beckoning us, curiosity got the better of me, and I suggested we take a look. Satou was ahead of me, though and already heading that way.

"Buying some water, Sir Noble?"

"No, we have enough. The tax collector told me that if I had extra wine, I could sell it at the drink vendor..."

"Selling, are we? We don't want just any wine, you know. It's gotta be red wine from Lessau County-Lessau's Lifeblood, to be precise."

As far as I knew, that was the only kind of red wine we had from Lessau County, so Satou nodded, produced five bottles from his Garage Bag, and handed them to the shopkeeper.

"Ah, that's it-Lessau's Lifeblood, the genuine article! Now, we'll be fine anytime the Blue People come through."

"...Blue People?" I muttered without thinking.

The phrase was familiar, a whispered legend among those who ventured into the heart of monster-infested lands. They spoke of a mysterious race, said to appear to those lost in the wilds. I had used this tale to shield the identities of those I rescued from the plunderers, explaining their absence by claiming they had been taken in by these mythical beings.

"Do they come often?"

"Heavens, no. A few times a year at most."

"So, do they come to sell things or what?"

"Yeah. Unusual produce, rare monster parts, that kinda thing."

After receiving an evasive reply from the shopkeeper regarding the specific produce sold, we thanked him and departed. We explored the labyrinth village and exited through a different route from our entrance. Upon leaving the village, we located an unoccupied spot. We utilised the 'Return' spell to transport ourselves back to the hunting grounds.

<0>

Amidst the shadowy depths of the cavern designated for rodent hunting, I eagerly scanned my surroundings. The air was thick with the stench of prey, and the walls teemed with a grotesque tapestry of plump, writhing monsters, their repugnant forms writhing in anticipation of our arrival.

"Squishyyy?"

"Lots of meat, sir."

"These will certainly be worth hunting."

The landscape teemed with creatures of fire and fury—maze rabbits and flame rabbits, poison mice and their blazing counterparts—though curiously, no electric mice graced the scene. But even the flora reflected the fiery theme, with fire grass, flame flowers, and sulfur seeds, valuable alchemy ingredients dotting the terrain.

Nestled within a compact ice-filled chamber resided an abundance of frigid flora. Radiating an icy glow, freezing flowers and snow grass flourished here, renowned for their potent healing properties in treating burns. After a successful hunt within this icy sanctum, we would venture outside to gather these botanical remedies, ensuring our collective well-being.

"We wish to challenge the areamaster, I report."

To Nana's proposal, there were no dissenting voices. The area master, known as the 'King Burning Bunny,' was joined by its young, referred to as 'Prince Flame Bunnies.' Despite their fiery appearance and shared fire resistance, Arisa's Fire Magic and Lulu's Fireburst Gun were deemed ineffective due to their flame-covered exteriors. Remarkably, the ability to wield Fire Magic was exclusive to the King Burning Bunny. The opponents hovered near the girl's average level despite the mismatched matchup.

"We can try it once we clear out this big cavern and make a place to fight, then."

Everyone nodded, so Satou used his 'Earth Magic' to create trenches and a simple encampment while I watched over the battle.

I stood in the back, a silent observer, eager to test the scrolls I'd procured the previous day. The first, 'Stone Object,' was a revelation. My previous attempts at manipulating stone had been clumsy and crude. Still, with the magic menu at my disposal, I could now easily conjure magnificent statues and intricate temples. The girls, locked amid battle, couldn't help but turn their heads in awe at the grandeur I was creating. I quickly stopped what I was doing before someone got hurt.

Still, at least I learned quite a lot about that spell. The spell's demands seemed directly proportional to the size and intricacy of the object I wished to create. While a bit tedious, the added detail from carvings undeniably enhanced their aesthetic appeal. Its potential applications were vast: crafting shooting targets, deceptive decoys, concealed shelters for outdoor Return seal slates, and countless others. I could even employ it on stones from my inventory, transforming glass and crystals into cut glass and similar creations. Even jewels, despite requiring a substantial amount of magic, fell within the spell's scope, including diamonds.

The spell's versatility extended to weaponry, allowing me to experiment with crafting glass swords, sapphire daggers, and other fantastical implements. Testing the various possibilities was an absolute delight. I owe Baronet Dyukeli a debt of gratitude for gifting me this scroll. My appreciation runs so deep that I would gladly offer him bloodpearls or elixirs the next time I come across them.

The second scroll was for the spell Create Earth Servant. My spellbook classified it as an intermediate Earth Magic spell, the weakest of its kind when it came to creating golems. It promised creatures capable of only rudimentary commands, akin to Ghost Magic skeletons, devoid of independent thought. Worse yet, they were described as flimsy, barely suitable for defence, let alone combat. With such modest expectations, I activated the scroll and added the spell to my repertoire.

My petite golem, crafted from the magical scroll, stood roughly at the height of Pochi and Tama. Its form was uncomplicated, featuring a rounded body devoid of intricate details. Its facial features were equally minimalist, consisting solely of two dots for eyes and a single line for a mouth. It seemed apparent that this was the most rudimentary type of golem that could be created with the scroll's power. It was only level 1. Even making this weak golem still took a relatively high amount of magic. An ordinary mage must probably be at least level 20 to have enough MP.

I transitioned to the magic menu and cast Create Earth Servant. As the spell took hold, the earth beneath my feet surged upwards with astonishing speed, coalescing into a towering human form. Its stature dwarfed my own, standing at an intimidating height of nearly twenty feet. At the same time, the features mirrored those of a human. It was level 30 this time.

"MVA."

The golem's mouth produced a strange sound somewhere between "MA" and "VA." I had made only one this time, but it looked like I could make several at once if I wanted, just like my Magic Arrows.

"What is that?"

"A golem I made with magic."

"Golemmm?"

"It's very big, sir."

"And it looks quite strong, too."

The girls, their battle complete, clustered together, curiosity sparking in their eyes.

"Hero Kura, this small one is cute, I report."

"It really is cute,"

"Mm. Simple."

Nana, Sara and Mia seemed to prefer the golem I'd made with the scroll.

"I want to see how it fights a little, so I'll take one of these monsters."

Without further ado, I chose a level-30 flame rabbit.

"Golem! Attack that flame rabbit!"

"MVA."

"A."

As the two golems pivoted towards the rabbit, the realisation dawned that they required distinct identities. Without proper names, every golem created would become subject to the same commands.

"I will protect the golem larvae, I report."

Nana scooped up the tiny golem as it wobbled towards the monster, its stubby arms flailing in protest. The charming scene played out before me, but I couldn't look away for long. The massive golem had already engaged the flame rabbit in a fierce battle.

"Fire doesn't seem to work on it much."

"Well, it is an earth golem, after all."

"It appears to attack rather slowly, though."

"Yesss..."

"Yeah, you're supposed to move simplicity-lick when you fight, sir."

Pochi probably meant to say lickety-split. The beastfolk girls couldn't help but chuckle at the giant golem's awkward fighting style. After all, it was designed for domestic duties, not for battle. Its spell had never intended it to be a warrior.

"Can't you synchronise your vision and movements with the golem, like in a manga?"

"Hmm, Maybe." The golems made in the elf village didn't have features like that, but... "Oh, hey, I did it."

"For real?!"

"For real."

Driven by curiosity, I experimented with channelling magic and mana. To my surprise, I discovered that by using them as an intermediary, I could view the world through the golem's eyes. This ability manifested as a window in the corner of my eyes, displaying its real-time vision.