Chapter 3

Today, with two new potential members, we gathered in front of the "Dawn Sheath" office, bypassed the Guide Guild, and planned to head directly to the Labyrinth Fortress.

"Hello, my name is Nord. I decided to become an adventurer following the guidance of the goddess. My level is three, but this is actually my first time entering the labyrinth. But I'm eager to do my best. Nice to meet you all."

Nord greeted with a slightly flushed face. He had a kind-looking face with freckles on his nose, and he was at that awkward age between a boy and a young man.

There was a sparse round of applause.

Everyone's gaze shifted to the next person, but the small girl there shuddered like a mouse caught by a fox and quickly hid behind her mother.

"Hey, say hello properly!"

Saffron scolded, looking more embarrassed than the girl herself.

"...It's Toa. Nice to meet you."

The girl who peeked out had a unique appearance. Her slightly upturned eyes were unusually large, with a hint of gold in her pupils. Her short hair was gray and fluffy like cotton.

"...Hmm. You seemed to be having fun until yesterday."

Rou smiled at the apologetic Saffron.

"It looks like you've made up."

It seemed that Saffran had managed to bring out her daughter, who had locked herself in her room after a big fight.

Saffran sighed and introduced her.

"This is my daughter, Toa. Her adventurer level is two. Her Gifts are 'Exploration' and 'Premonition'—so she says."

The information about the Gifts was apparently forced out in exchange for a set of adventurer equipment.

'Exploration' is a Gift that senses the magical aura emitted by monsters, and it is said that having even one person with this Gift in a party significantly increases the survival rate in the labyrinth.

Rou tilted his head.

"However, 'Premonition' isn't listed in the Beneficence Dictionary. What's its effect?"

"Well, I'm not sure. This girl is terrible at explaining. Apparently, she feels a tingling sensation when something bad is about to happen."

Toa, who was glaring at Rou from behind her mother, bared her fangs.

"Already. I feel a tingling from this guy."

"Then, let me introduce myself as well."

"Hey, ignoring me?"

Starting with Shiz, the representative of the Strategy Group, the combat members Mariette and Cattleya, the support members Rou, Tae, and Prié, and the coachman and gardener Harrisman.

And finally,

"My name is Miyuri. I can only serve tea for now, but I hope to become an adventurer like all of you someday."

Thanks to Yuka's past achievements and the church's missionary activities, Miyuri's name and features were quite well-known. Her black hair and black eyes were rare in this country.

"Miyuri, could it be—could you be the Shrine Maiden?"

Nord, a devout follower of the Earth Mother Goddess, shifted uncomfortably.

Seemingly used to such reactions, Miyuri smiled back without any offense.

At the sight of her angelic smile, Nord turned red and averted his gaze, then suddenly looked at Mariette.

"Then, could it be that you are the—Sister Shrine Maiden? From 'The Encounter of the Sister Shrine Maiden' in the Jilwan Central Square, where you told stories?"

"Tch."

Mariette clicked her tongue, as if to say, "You finally showed up."

Recently, Mariette, who has been active in the capital collecting donations for the church, has more influence than Miyuri, whose existence is often doubted due to rumors.

"It's an honor to meet you. If it's not too much trouble, could I have the Sister Shrine Maiden's blessing—"

Mariette smoothly extended her hand.

"Ten gold coins."

"…What?"

On the other hand, Toa, like a kitten interested in a toy, suddenly lunged at Miyuri.

"Whoa, what—this impossible shape!"

After circling Miyuri once and letting out a strange cry, Toa opened her large eyes wide and pleaded.

"Can I touch?"

"Huh? Oh, sure."

Toa pinched Miyuri's cheeks and pulled them.

"Ow, ow, ow."

"Can I smell too?"

"—Hey, you!"

Cattleya couldn't stand it anymore and intervened.

"That's disrespectful."

"Hmm. This curly blonde hair is also quite nice. Can I touch it?"

"I refuse!"

The sound of clapping hands cut through the tense atmosphere.

"Labyrinth exploration is not a game."

Shiz narrowed her eyes behind her glasses.

"For at least one day, you will be party members. Treat each other with respect and strive for orderly group actions."

"..."

"Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Four people—Mariette, Cattleya, Nord, and Toa—boarded the elaborately decorated carriage.

Rou sat next to Harrisman in the driver's seat.

"Everyone, have a safe trip."

"I hope for a successful adventure."

Miyuri spoke with a hint of envy, while Shiz spoke earnestly.

"Take it easy. Just come back safely, everyone."

"I'll make sure the bath is ready. Don't give up, okay?"

Tae and Prié's subtle remarks were likely because they knew Mariette and Cattleya often returned in a sorry state.

"Oh, and finally, that girl has made a friend. Going out together and all."

Meanwhile, Saffran was alone, moved to tears, but the carriage window suddenly opened, and Toa's face appeared.

"Not friends!"

The window slammed shut.

"Toa. In the labyrinth, listen to what Rou says. Don't act on your own. And be considerate of your friends—"

The window opened again,

"Mom, be quiet!"

It slammed shut again.

"Then, let's get going."

Since it was early in the morning, there were few people around. The carriage, driven with skill that belied Harrisman's former role as a butler, moved smoothly toward its destination.

"Indeed, it's nostalgic."

In the driver's seat, Harrisman and Rou were having a heartwarming conversation.

"Bringing in new members is a time of mutual tension and excitement."

"If only we could have a drink, it would be easier."

"What? The qualities of an adventurer and the essence of a person can be revealed by going into the labyrinth together. Since you are all young, you will get along soon."

"I hope so."

Rou opened the driver's window, and the atmosphere inside the carriage was tense and silent.

Mariette was generally quiet. Toa was sulking after her earlier behavior, and Nord was stiff with tension, aware of the Sister Shrine Maiden. Cattleya, though sociable and unafraid, seemed a bit overwhelmed by the task of managing a fifteen-year-old girl.

"Nord, if you don't mind, could you tell us why you decided to become an adventurer?"

"Ah, sure."

Rou had a general idea but asked to ease Nord's tension.

"My family runs a clinic in the Hill District."

Even without a recovery magic Gift, there are many excellent doctors. Nord's parents were among them.

However, as doctors who had worked hard to achieve their success, they understood the power and the unfairness of recovery magic.

The forced leveling they paid for to boost their son's abilities ultimately backfired, at least for them.

"When I obtained the Earth magic Gift, I received a message from the Earth Mother Goddess. She told me to use it to protect my allies and defeat monsters."

The Earth Mother Goddess generally gives similar messages to adventurers with Gifts, but Nord seemed to have interpreted it as a divine revelation.

With a slightly troubled expression, Nord said,

"I know I'm disappointing my parents. But I want to test myself in the labyrinth!"

He was likely raised to be a good person by his kind parents. Without the magic Gift, he would have become an excellent doctor.

Rou analyzed that his desire to follow his own path and his guilt toward his parents were probably in a ratio of seven to three.

"Thank you, Nord. That's a wonderful motivation."

Glancing over, he saw Toa glaring at him with bared fangs.

It was clear she didn't want him to ask.

Rou smiled.

"Toa, how about you?"

"..."

"Your mother was worried because you were always locked in your room and didn't go to school. From what I've seen, you two seem to get along well. Did you become an adventurer to reassure your mother?"

"N-no!"

Toa vehemently denied it, then, seeing the stunned looks of her companions, clamped her mouth shut and grunted.

"...Monsters."

She muttered.

"What about monsters?"

Cattleya asked, and Toa turned away.

"I like monsters. That's why I became an adventurer."

"Really... for that reason?"

Nord was surprised. As a devout follower of the Earth Mother Goddess, he likely saw the monsters in the underground labyrinth as beings to be destroyed.

"Well, isn't that fine?"

Cattleya said with a composed face.

"Everyone has their own reasons for entering the labyrinth. Even if they are selfish or childish."

"That's true, but—"

Unusually, Mariette asked a question.

"Toa, are you interested in the monsters on the 80th underground floor?"

"...Yes."

"Do you want to see them?"

"I want to see them, touch them, and smell them."

"Would you die for that?"

"Yes."

"Understood. You're welcome."

Toa looked around, clearly confused by what was said.

Rou chuckled, thinking, "Another one who's gone too far."

"We've arrived at the Labyrinth Fortress."

He had a general idea of their personalities. Now, he just needed to see if they were the right fit for the "Dawn Sheath."

"Let me make it clear. This isn't a test to become an adventurer. Especially for Nord, this is your first dive. Let's take it easy and explore the labyrinth carefully."

---

When they stepped into the first underground floor, they couldn't help but exclaim at the ethereal beauty of the bioluminescent moss. As they walked through the corridors and chambers, they felt a sense of vigilance and a realization of their new roles as adventurers. Descending the spiral snake path, they felt a mix of anticlimax and unease at the lack of combat.

Now, Nord was on the third underground floor.

"What, is this?"

The northern area—commonly known as the "Cynocephalus Den."

"O-ho-ho-ho!"

A sharp, curved blade pierced the abdomen of a "Cynocephalus," which was lying on its back, pleading for its life with a desperate look.

*Gyueaaaaa!*

A painful scream, almost unbearable to hear, echoed through the small chamber.

"Oh, what a lovely sound from a doggy."

Cattleya switched to a dagger, laughed shrilly, and pounced on the Cynocephalus, stabbing its head repeatedly.

"Here, I found it."

She reached into the body and pulled out a stone crystal called a magic core. Surrounded by the black mist emitted by the dying monster, Cattleya held the core high and sighed in ecstasy.

"Absolutely—nothing. Oh, what a wonderful thing. O-ho-ho-ho!"

She seemed like a refined young lady, but now she looked like an evil witch.

Meanwhile, Mariette was dispatching the Cynocephali one by one, as if cutting down weeds in a garden.

"...Broken again. Fragile. Noisy. For a doll, you're quite cheeky."

Muttering to herself, the expressionless girl continued to swing her dagger, far from the holy Sister Shrine Maiden seen in the Jilwan Central Square. She seemed like a cruel child squashing ants out of annoyance.

Next to her, Toa looked shocked.

"Unbelievable. What kind of—"

"Toa."

Toa, walking unsteadily, approached the scene of the slaughter.

"Can I do that too?"

"Of course. Miss Marin."

"Got it."

Mariette seemed to channel some energy, and the last Cynocephalus, trying to escape the chamber, collapsed.

According to Rou, an adventurer level three was needed to emit a divine aura that would sap the Cynocephalus' will to fight. Toa, at level two, couldn't do the same.

"Be careful—"

"Ugh, haah."

Toa pounced on the Cynocephalus lying on its back and placed her hand on its fluffy, white chest.

"Ah, bad move."

Suddenly, the Cynocephalus opened its mouth to bite Toa's hand, but she pulled it away just in time.

"Hmm."

Rou, impressed, commented.

"Listen to people until they finish speaking. Miss Karin."

"Really, you're a handful."

Mariette and Cattleya stepped on the Cynocephalus' right and left arms, respectively, immobilizing the poor creature.

"O-ho-ho!"

Toa, excited, rubbed her cheek against the monster's chest.

"Can I see inside too?"

Nord turned away, unable to watch the subsequent brutal show.