Chapter 49

The third day in the labyrinth involved exploring underwater. I was initially worried about how to breathe underwater, but by creating a circular membrane around us with water magic, we were able to move around without any issues.

I named it the "Aqua Curtain."

I also conveyed the image to the others, and they managed to learn it in about 15 minutes, which is really impressive.

The sea monsters were quite strong, and the battles were exhausting.

Moreover, due to the underwater environment, lower-tier fire, wind, and earth magic either didn't activate properly or had almost zero effect when they did.

Water magic worked well, but the monsters seemed to have resistance, so it wasn't very effective.

Using powerful magic attracted more monsters, and using too much magic power would quickly deplete our reserves, making exploration impossible.

The most troublesome thing was that the monsters themselves were incredibly large. Due to their size, they were tough, and we had to use powerful magic multiple times to defeat them.

Yomi expanded the Aqua Curtain over a wide area, Luna attacked the enemies with lightning magic, and I attacked physically with my sword. This teamwork allowed us to defeat the enemies, but the two of them had limits to their magic power.

However, we did make a good discovery. We obtained a jelly-like material from a jellyfish-like monster.

The jellyfish itself was a type not listed in the monster encyclopedia, so we fought cautiously in case of any unexpected situations. It might have been poisonous like regular jellyfish.

Still, from a jellyfish about 5 meters long, we obtained the most wobbly jelly.

I had an idea.

"Let's make a water bed."

"A water bed?"

"I've never heard of it."

A water bed is a structure that supports the body using the buoyancy of water, unlike a traditional mattress.

In simple terms, it uses "buoyancy" to support the body more softly and firmly, creating a comfortable sleep environment.

The material we obtained from the jellyfish has the potential to make this possible.

Jellyfish are reportedly about 95% water, which is almost like water itself.

If we could wrap this material in waterproof leather without any gaps, we could create the most comfortable bed! ...I think.

"Luna, Yomi. Today we'll level up in the sea! If we find any monsters with good materials, let's secure them!"

"Understood."

For convenience, we named the jellyfish "Water Jellyfish."

After that, we worked together to defeat the sea monsters, one by one.

The biggest challenge was the Sea Serpent. It was probably over 20 meters long, but it was so large that we couldn't tell exactly.

The Sea Serpent, also known as a sub-dragon, was indeed very strong, and it took us over 30 minutes to defeat it.

Thanks to our efforts, we obtained materials from the Sea Serpent, including scales and fangs in decent quantities.

However, because the monsters in the labyrinth are different from those in the outside world, we couldn't fully secure the materials, which made us feel a bit cheated.

After three days of leveling up and securing materials in the sea, we decided to end this exploration.

The reasons were that we were tired of the sea and wanted to return to the village.

We caught many regular fish in the sea, so we plan to distribute them to the villagers, even if it's just a little.

We were particularly excited to find fish similar to tuna and bonito.

When monsters are defeated, they turn into magic stones, but regular fish can be caught normally, which is very convenient. It would be nice if the monsters also left behind materials.

Interestingly, there were no kelp or wakame, which was a bit mysterious. Perhaps they might be found in deeper waters.

By the way, we stayed in a log cabin at night, and I tried to study golems.

I continued to charge the orb with magic power and created intricate magic arrays using divine silver.

The magic array was based on the design I found in the ancient city and the array from the golem's core, which I had secured.

The core's magic array used mithril, but I decided to use divine silver.

The core is probably an orb, but due to the ancient technology, I couldn't fully understand what it was made of.

However, I felt that the orb I prepared would work, so I proceeded with the construction.

I assembled the golem's body by piecing together various parts from the golem I secured. The design was a knight, though it was a simple idea.

Among the various types of golems I secured, I focused on the knight type and assembled the parts accordingly.

To be honest, I don't know what the golem's material is made of. It's a metal I've never seen before, and it's extremely hard and durable.

Thanks to the weakening of the joints over time, I could easily remove the core from the head, but in perfect condition, it would have been a formidable enemy.

Thinking about it, the mechanical dragon was in much better condition, so it would have been a tough opponent in battle.

In any case, the golem's body was complete. All that was left was to insert the core and infuse it with magic power to complete it.

The design also mentioned this.

"Shall I infuse it with magic power?"

"No problem."

"I hope it works."

As I infused it with magic power, a mechanical voice sounded.

"Startup sequence confirmed. Registering magic power. Please provide the master's name."

"Aowl"

"Registering master 'Aowl'. Please provide the individual name."

The golem's name. What should I call it?

"It seems we need to give it a name. Do you have any good ideas?"

"Maybe 'Goo-chan'?"

"Hehe, how about 'Din' in honor of a holy knight?"

It seems Luna has no sense of naming.

Yomi's suggestion isn't bad, considering the golem looks like a knight.

Next time, I'll buy a lance for it.

"Your name is 'Din'."

"Registering individual name 'Din'. ...Startup sequence complete. Nice to meet you, master."

By the way, Din's voice is very feminine, which is strange considering its tough knight appearance. It's a huge contrast.

I decided to store it in my inventory. Being able to store it is one of the golem's advantages since it's not a living being.

I didn't have any waterproof monster leather to make the water bed, so it wasn't completed.

It would be nice to have waterproof material.

I also didn't find any material suitable for a greenhouse. I might need to ask Lebrant for advice.

"Let's call it a day for now. We need to think about how to tackle it next time."

"Next time, we'll definitely conquer it."

"I'll work harder too."

By the way, our stats are as follows:

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Human/Male/Aowl/10 years old/Lv.148

HP: 9800

MP: 41300

Strength: 410

Agility: 370

Spirit: 670

Luck: 88

Blessing: Dexterity and Poverty

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Human/Female/Luna/15 years old/Lv.88

HP: 4800

MP: 7300

Strength: 190

Agility: 210

Spirit: 280

Luck: 20

Blessing: Diligence

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Human/Female/Yomi/16 years old/Lv.91

HP: 5100

MP: 6800

Strength: 190

Agility: 280

Spirit: 290

Luck: 45

Blessing: Charm

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

It's reassuring to see how strong we've become.

However, even with this strength, we are probably far from matching Tendo. He is a different kind of monster.

We need to get even stronger...

In the end, we couldn't break through the 37th floor after several days, but we did level up, so we'll carry it over to the next time.

It seems the 36th floor was originally a resting area because the difficulty increases sharply from the 37th floor.

On the way back, we stopped at the 16th floor to release Quinn.

While Quinn was checking on the other bees, we collected feathers and meat from a Thunder Eagle on the 20th floor.

We circled this area five times and received honey from the hives under Quinn's control before heading back.

"We're home~"

"Home is always nice."

"Hehe, the log cabin wasn't bad, but this is more relaxing."

"Since I'm going to visit Lebrant, can you do a thorough cleaning of the house?"

"Of course, Master."

I plan to sell recipes to Lebrant and buy waterproof monster leather if available.

"Is Lebrant around?"

"Oh, Aowl. Good timing. I just got back from a business trip. What's up?"

It seems he just returned from a business trip.

"I plan to attend the Luina Magic Academy next year, which will make me busier. I thought about selling recipes for pastries and smoked goods to Lebrant."

"I see. In that case, I'd be happy to help!"

We discussed the details, and I agreed to a contract where I would receive 5% of the net profit as a continuous reward, similar to the Pita Pan deal.

"Thanks, this is a great deal. I owe you one, Aowl! Hahaha."

"Actually, I was wondering if you have any waterproof monster leather?"

"Perfect timing! I have some from an Aqua Panther, a monster from the Seven Swamps within the kingdom."

The Aqua Panther's leather is highly waterproof and very stretchy and soft. It can be used for boots and raincoats.

Since it's a fairly large monster, four pieces should be enough, but I'll take five, including spares.

"Then I'll take five pieces."

"Sure. By the way, what do you plan to use this leather for?"

He probably sensed a business opportunity.

"Hehe, you can't fool me, Lebrant."

When I told him I was planning to make a water bed, his eyes started to gleam.

"Aowl, you are a genius. The nobles will buy this in droves. Yes, it's a go, Aowl! How about letting us sell it on a trial basis?"

Since he has helped me, I sold him enough material for two double beds.

When I mentioned the materials were from the 37th floor, Lebrant's expression stiffened, but he bought them for three platinum coins each.

It seems the materials from the 37th floor are quite rare.

Lebrant said he would experiment with them, so he might complete the water bed before I do.

There's still more to do, but for now, it's done.

I plan to finish the preparations today and leave tomorrow. I could use a carriage, but running will be faster, so I'll run back.

I have the log cabin with me, so camping won't be a problem.

Since it's my last night before returning home, I decided to have a lavish dinner.

We caught a lot of seafood in the labyrinth's sea, so it's a seafood feast.

Seafood pasta, bonito sashimi, white fish acquapazza, and seaweed soup. There's not much vegetables, but it's a treat.

"~~~!! It's delicious!"

"This is so good, I could get addicted."

The fresh seafood from the labyrinth was a hit with both of them.

It was indeed delicious. I'm not sure if it's because it's from the labyrinth, but there's almost no fishy taste.

The natural flavor of the fish, combined with the fresh fat, spreads throughout the mouth.

"This is delicious."

"Let's definitely go again!"

Luna particularly liked the acquapazza.

I think the bonito sashimi is great. I burned it with straw, making it very authentic.

...Can I make katsuobushi?

If I do the drying process manually and use magic to remove the moisture instead of the final mold, I might be able to make something similar.

My family has a smoking shed, so with a little modification, I could make it quickly.

I have more things to do, but now is the time. It will be busy at the academy.

If I travel seriously, I can reach home in two days, but I plan to take four days.

When I woke up, it was a clear, cloudless day, perfect for traveling.

However, the temperature is low, so a coat is necessary.

By the way, I had Gal make a travel coat from the fur of a four-armed bear. It's a high-quality coat, as befits a rank B monster.

The two of them had bought stylish coats, but this time, I'll prioritize performance and use these.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes! No problems! The house is secured!"

"Hehe, I'm a bit nervous about meeting your parents."

Yomi is saying something, but let's get going!

I'll update this gradually.

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