Chapter 36

As she waved her fingertips, a fluffy mass of magic appeared. It wasn't just any magic. It didn't disappear, and it had a physical form. "Somehow, I can now taste things from my memories using reproduction magic," she said, offering one to me. I took it with both hands. It smelled sweet... like cake. "Shortcake?" "Yes, try it," she said. I took a bite. The sweet and sour taste of strawberries, the sweetness of whipped cream, and the flavor of sponge cake all blended together, filling my mouth. The simplicity made the level of taste clear. "Delicious," I said. I didn't want to swallow it; I didn't even want to open my mouth, but my comment slipped out. "Hehe, I'm glad. This will cure your growth disorder," she said, gently patting my head with a smile, but her eyes... weren't smiling. "Since I was born in this world, I wanted to taste the flavors of this world... so, I wanted to die properly, just...," she said, her white fingertips tickling my chin. "Please tell me? Even under the protection of the spirits, with a growth disorder and memories of a past life, and an abnormally high sewing skill at 15 years old. I have an appraisal skill, so please don't hide anything from me... tell me about the lolicon guy and his friends who are trying to marry you as an eternal girl, or why the palace is so tainted that it can create monsters," she whispered. Since it was almost like a dream, I only knew fragments... I stiffened, my spine straightening.

Lord Arjitt, you had a serious misunderstanding!

Ugly monsters were cut down and turned into black dust and disappeared. Each one wasn't particularly strong, but their coordination was troublesome. "Why are there monsters...?" "Perhaps because the Founder's partner was a labyrinth spider," the old butler said, and everyone gasped. "Can they create monsters?" "Is Wells, Yui, okay?" "Yui is fine for now, Lord Arjitt," Mimachi said, cutting down a monster with a knife, answering Arjitt's question in place of the old butler. "There is no wavering in the vow. I don't sense fear or a call for help in her heart." "That's good." "But why only Yui?" Amunart tilted his head, and Hania placed a finger on her lips. "Was that a name...?" "It was probably something only those qualified could read," the old butler Wells said, and Mimachi nodded. "That makes sense, especially for something imbued with magic." Mimachi found the entrance by circling the newly formed wall and took the lead. She soon returned. "I had a bad feeling when I heard 'labyrinth'." "So, it has expanded?" "Lord Wells, did you expect this? From what I saw, it's a maze... and there are quite a few monsters... I don't have enough firepower, and some are very sensitive to my presence, so I couldn't slip through," she said. "Let's check our combat capabilities. It's good that the civil servants weren't involved, but we have no weapons or medicine." "Is Hania the only one completely unarmed?" "No, Am." Hania lifted her skirt and removed a bag from the belt on her thigh. It contained gloves and knuckles. "My brother said there might be a risk of attack after the announcement of the princess. He gave me this as an engagement gift to avoid causing Am stress!" "Ian..." She slammed her fists together, and gauntlets wrapped in flames appeared. "Hmm? The power is reduced? ...Ah, you don't want to oppose the Founder's partner..." Hania mused, and Amunart sighed. "A magic item that gains the curse power of the spirits... indeed, it's more expensive than a poor engagement gift... and if the power is reduced, it's even more so." "Ah, the spirits' help can't be expected... but, Lady Hania, your guardian spirit can lend you the power to protect yourself," Mimachi said. "Yes, the armor spirit is not very proactive," Storl said, stroking his armor as if checking his arms and waist. Reflecting on his own inadequacies, he would have been overwhelmed by anxiety if there was no system to transmit the danger of the person he was protecting. "The labyrinth master seems to have the ability to create monsters and expand space, but it's my first time experiencing it," the knight muttered, cutting down a monster that attacked as they turned a corner, and picked up the magic stone that fell to the ground. "It was in a fairy tale... before the castle... the palace was built, there was a labyrinth here," Hania said, tapping the wall, and Amunart nodded. "Fairy tales are likely to be true. The story of the Founder and the spider or the first king's meeting is suspicious, but now that this has happened, it's even better that Toluamia quickly isolated it. Otherwise, the entire palace might have become a labyrinth?" "There would be a mountain of liabilities," Mimachi said. The labyrinth, in essence, spawns infinite monsters. Even if you clear the area, it won't remain safe forever. Mimachi sighed deeply. It's not that she was belittling the civil servants. Rather, she was relieved that capable civil servants were not at risk. The head butler, who can do anything. The knight captain, specialized in protection. The battle maid, skilled in reconnaissance and assassination. The knight girl, balanced in defense and offense, and upgraded in every aspect. The master of the ice-shattering magic sword, freed from poor equipment and now with top-tier gear, who had somehow registered as an adventurer (When did you get that magic sword? It's a labyrinth item, right?). The princess-to-be, a noble lady, with top-tier sword and martial arts skills but not meant to be on the front lines. The current king, with top-tier sword and martial arts skills, specialized in enemy restraint using plants, but not meant to fight. "We lack long-range firepower, but with the width of this corridor, having more people would only make the battle harder," the old butler Wells said, nodding after confirming the members. "So, what does the Founder's partner want?" Arjitt said, slightly worried about Yui, and Storl hesitated, ultimately deciding not to speak. ...Somehow, the Founder's partner... feels similar to Mimachi, but there's no evidence, and it might cause other worries... "Lady Yui, you have quite high skills in dealing with perverts...," he said.