Chapter 1

Today, as usual, I start hunting monsters.

Oh, I just jumped right into it, didn't I?

Let me introduce myself. My name is Lily Orland. I just turned 18 recently. I'm an ordinary girl, naive and inexperienced in love.

Well, "ordinary" might not be entirely accurate.

To be honest, I've been living in the deepest level of a certain labyrinth for about three years now.

Why is that?

Well, let me explain. While I go about my daily routine of hunting monsters and testing a new spell I've constructed, I'll tell you why I'm living in the deepest level.

It was about three years ago, the same time I first came here.

I was an adventurer and part of a party.

The party consisted entirely of my childhood friends.

- 'Swordsman' Adol Rozzo... male, 15 years old, the nominal leader

- 'Black Mage' Quoria Cornell... female, 15 years old, strong-willed

- 'Heavy Knight' Caria Taurus... female, 15 years old, a bit silly

- 'Archer' Zepetto Lulran... male, 15 years old, quiet

Back then, the five of us, including me, formed a party and completed many quests.

By the way, the titles like 'Swordsman' and 'Black Mage' are jobs granted by the gods when one turns 12.

There are various types of jobs. Besides combat roles like 'Swordsman,' there are also production roles like 'Farmer' and 'Merchant.'

Among them, I was chosen to be a 'White Mage.'

In simple terms, it's a job suitable for healing oneself or others.

Actually, being a 'White Mage' is a valuable job.

After all, it's a job that can heal injuries without potions, though it does consume my magic power.

Despite this, why am I in this abyss?

In this world, there is something called 'status.'

Status represents a person's physical abilities in numerical values.

These values increase as you level up by defeating monsters and gaining experience points.

The key point is "defeating monsters with your own hands."

To gain experience points, you must inevitably deal damage to monsters.

However, as a 'White Mage,' I have few offensive options.

I can use 'Light Magic,' an offensive spell, but it's far less powerful compared to the spells used by 'Black Mages.' Since my job is specialized in healing, it's clear that healing is my main role.

The only effective offensive option is probably hitting with my staff.

But even then, against strong monsters, my attacks are like dust.

That's why in the adventurer community, 'White Mages' are sometimes called "unfortunate jobs unsuitable for adventurers." However, there are many 'White Mages' who have become strong through hard work.

Even so, I became an adventurer to fulfill my dream.

I wanted to go on adventures with everyone, travel the world, gain various experiences, and eventually become the strongest adventurer party. It was a childish dream, I think.

──But that dream ended three years ago.

It all started one morning before we received a quest, when we gathered at the guild.

Adol, the leader, told me:

"Lily, your healing magic is no longer useful to us. It was helpful in the past, but now potions provide more recovery. So, after the next quest, you'll have to leave the party. It doesn't matter that we're childhood friends; we're risking our lives as adventurers."

I was aware that I was a burden.

I was shocked by his harsh words.

In that state, it was impossible to accept a quest.

But I suppressed my feelings and went on what would be the party's last quest.

Looking back, I was foolish.

I didn't need to follow Adol and the others just because it was the last time. I wanted to go with them, thinking it would be the last time.

Really, why did I want to go with them back then? I still wonder.

Adol and the others allowed me to come along this time, but I didn't know what their intentions were.

We visited the "Orphenoch Underground Great Labyrinth," a dungeon where I've spent the past three years.

Among all the dungeons, the "Orphenoch Underground Great Labyrinth" is known for its strong monsters.

I knew it was a reckless challenge, but my opinion wouldn't have been heard.

Then, a two-headed wolf monster called Orthros appeared and nearly wiped out our party.

In a dire situation, Adol said he had a plan to turn things around.

──A decoy. And since I was the least useful in the party, it was perfect.

Adol and the others used me as a decoy and fled.

I tried to chase after them, but the difference in our statuses made it impossible to catch up. They just kept getting farther away.

Naturally, Orthros targeted me.

From then on, I just ran and ran, only thinking about surviving.

Fortunately, I managed to escape from Orthros. It felt like I used up all my luck in one go.

However, exhausted and inattentive, I fell into a hole leading to the depths of darkness.

At that moment, I was sure I would die.

Falling into a hole of unknown depth, there was no hope of survival.

But, once again, I was lucky.

I was alive.

I don't remember much about it.

Despite falling from the upper levels with great force, I didn't crash into the ground. Instead, I found myself lying on an unfamiliar bed. Normally, I would have died from the impact.

I searched the room, but there was no one. I couldn't sense anyone's presence.

Outside, the only notable thing was a large lake.

Monsters didn't come near this place.

Later, I learned that this was the deepest level of the "Orphenoch Underground Great Labyrinth."

Since then, I've been living here. Or rather, I had no choice but to live here because there was no way to return to the surface.

Three years have passed since I started living in the deepest level, and I still haven't met the person who saved me. But if I can't meet them, there's nothing I can do.

Instead, I've made a decision.

It's time to try to return to the surface.

I can now defeat the monsters in the deepest level, so I should be able to manage.

What? How did I, a 'White Mage,' become able to defeat monsters?

That's a valid question.

Since I've finished my daily routine of hunting monsters, I'll show you my status, which reveals the growth I've achieved over these three years.