Chapter 150 . Former Hero – Accepts Grat.i.tude
And the next morning .
Last night I had to practice restraint…because we’ll be leaving to the labyrinth today .
[Is this it… . Somehow, this place doesn’t feel like a labyrinth . ]
We climbed the mountain according to the map the guild reception uncle gave us . I was half expecting that there will be a sign saying [Warning: Labyrinth ahead!] at the entrance .
But it actually looks like a regular office building .
[This is where we can mine the magic stone . Regular adventurers can’t normally enter this place without permits . ]
Celes who was walking next to me, explained in a whisper .
Ehー
If she said so, then it’s most likely true .
What will happen to those who entered the labyrinth without permit?
Now now, we have no need to worry about that .
Entering the building, we were greeted by yet another uncle .
What’s with this town?
The number of uncles is really high here .
After we showed him our permits, he guided us to the back room .
The back room was where many tools were stashed and also where the real entrance to the labyrinth is .
[This is the map . ]
[Thanks . ]
Checking the map the uncle had given us, it has a detailed depiction of the structure up to the 10th level .
[This is quite complicated . ]
[It’s because the lower levels have been expanded continuously for mining purposes . ]
[I see . ]
Looking at the map, it’s quite obvious to me that it’ll be hard to get around from place to place quickly without one .
[Well, shall we go now?]
I handed the map to Celes and finally stepped into the labyrinth .
Advertis.e.m.e.nt[Wow, this is quite amazing . ]
As soon as I entered the labyrinth, I could sense that the magic power density in the air has changed .
This place is clearly full of magic power .
This is also the same as Iris town’s underground labyrinth, Search does not work well in this kind of environment .
It won’t be easy to mine those magic stones then .
Still better than nothing . Let’s try maintaining search all the time now .
…it’s possible to grasp the surroundings, albeit only as far as 10 meters or so, I guess?
[My power… Rising up]
Behind me, Elcure muttered something with a very chuuni vibe .
Don’t act weird now, please .
Beside me, with the map on one hand, Celes navigated the shortest route to the 11th level .
People seemed to visit this place regularly up to the 10th level so there were very few monsters lurking around .
By the way, we encountered a bat-like monster along the way .
But Tanya, now a similar size as me, finished it off with a very swift move .
[Fuh . Not enough!]
Tanya somehow acted more spirited .
Perhaps because of the labyrinth’s dense amount of magic power in the air .
We went through the labyrinth under the dim light of the artificial light fixtures that ran on the surrounding magic power .
Tanya and Leon would finish off every monster coming from ahead swiftly .
By the way, I’m responsible for carrying our luggage .
I guess it’s better than having to do nothing .
[Hummhumm〜♪]
[Oi, Tanya . Don’t go too far forward alone . ]
I called out to Tanya who eagerly walked at the front while humming .
[It’s fine, it’s fine . I know!]
Tanya looked back and showed a large grin in response to my call, before taking a right turn at a two-way junction .
Oi oi, what’s with that att.i.tude . I don’t know anymore .
Also turning right without hesitation like that as if you already know the path .
[O-oi…]
[No, it’s true that we’ll take the path to the right . ]
Eh? For real?
Celes told me while looking at the map .
Why did she know the path?
Is it her intuition or wild instinct?
[Perhaps because Tanychan has a demon bloodline, she seems to be able to sense a location with higher density of magic power . ]
Heh .
So I suppose with this much magic power around, she could sense her surroundings even better?
Nothing less from the demonkin .
[Well, if it as you say so…then it’s okay, I guess?]
…is it really good though?
It’s still a problem if she were to go ahead on her own .
However, my worries were proven pointless as it only took 3 hours for us to reach the 10th level .
I asked Celes to guide us to an open area so that we could take a short rest .
[Well then, it’s time for lunch . ]
I unloaded the luggage, taking out the food stashed inside .
[Food! Food!]
Attracted by the smell of food, Tanya clung at me from behind .
And since she’s currently in her adult form, her sizable b.r.e.a.s.t.s are now pressing around my neck .
She’s no longer the usual pettanko .
Not that I mind with this version .
And therefore, a bulge also formed in my trousers .
Haha . .
If Leon and Elcure are not here with us, I would’ve eaten Tanya for lunch .
But we shouldn’t do that inside the labyrinth . Right?
I invoke my gentleman’s willpower and distributed the food to everyone evenly .
It’s proven to be more of a ch.o.r.e than it’s supposed to be .
But since I don’t have to do anything else, I’m not complaining .
Anyways, we had lunch while observing our surroundings .
[If you ran out of water, just tell me . I’ll take some out . ]
I said as I gnawed on a piece of salted meat .
This is actually quite fun . I can’t stop, I don’t want to stop .
I had never heard of this before .
So I guess there are still things I have no knowledge of .
It’s like it’s not normal meat .
I only brought food for a few days, I suppose that’s the real reason why I want to savor the food as much as I could .
Or perhaps I should just exit the labyrinth and buy more food at the town .
[…… . . ]
While having lunch, we listened to Celes on how we will operate once we reach the 11th level, when suddenly I sense something odd happening to Elcure who was sitting next to me .
By the way, I wonder why she always seem to sit near me?
Is it a coincidence? Is it fate?
It’s making my heart beat faster .
No, leaving that aside…
I can’t say that I see it clearly in this dimly lit labyrinth, but Elcure’s face was blus.h.i.+ng red .
No way, don’t tell me her erotic delusion flared up just from sitting next to me like this?
Maybe .
Moreover, she seems to be high at the moment .
Eh?
Is it really erotic delusion?
What is this familiar feeling!?
That・is・why
[Are you okay?]
[Ee?… . What is it…?]
I tried to speak to Elcure, but her tone was somewhat…amiss?
I didn’t have much confidence, because it’s always been a ‘make or break’ situation with her .
[No, it’s just that your face is red . Are you okay?]
[It’s okay…I’m fine…thank you . ]
Nn?
I was actually expecting Elcure to reply me with her usual [Doesn’t matter… . Go die], but she actually did something different this time .
And a [Thank you] at that?
I, at the moment, may have finally sunk through .
Easy peasy as usual, me .
No . But a girl, face blus.h.i.+ng red, while glancing intermittently, shyly said [thank you] to a guy she rarely talked to before?
There is no need for reasoning . I’m digging in .
Dangerous .
She’s definitely playing around with my mind .
Even if it has come to this, don’t believe it so easily .
Ehh .
[Ah…umm… I see . Well, don’t overdo yourself . ]
Up until now, I have to admit that everything I did have been ridiculous .
[… . uwa . ]
My facial expression, att.i.tude, and words .
But what’s with that [uwa] just now? Is that all you have to say?
…I don’t want to believe anything anymore .
