Chapter 32: Townsperson A Suspects Amy

“A type of moss known as Akarigoke grows within these ruins, providing a moderate amount of light. Consequently, you will have no need for torches or lanterns here. However, please keep in mind that this is not the case in other labyrinths.”

Upon arriving at the ruins, I recited the exact same lines used by the adventurer who guided the Crown Prince’s party in the original game. I figured that sticking to the script as much as possible was the best way to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.

After hearing my little speech, Amy stared at me while muttering something under her breath. Catching her gaze, I reflexively asked her what was wrong.

“Amy-sama? Is something the matter?”

“Eh? Oh, umm… I was just thinking about how knowledgeable adventurers are.”

“Is that so? Thank you very much. If anything concerns you, please don’t hesitate to speak up.”

I felt a faint prickle of unease at her response, delivered in a strangely saccharine voice. Without knowing exactly what was bothering me, I led the group deeper into the ruins.

“Wow, it’s amazing! I can’t believe the walls glow like this. It’s so pretty…”

“It is. But not nearly as beautiful as you, Amy.”

Amy played up her wonder with exaggerated gestures, and the Crown Prince rewarded her with a compliment. It was a beat-for-beat recreation of the dialogue from the game.

Meanwhile, Anastasia watched the two of them with cold, distant eyes.

Eventually, we reached a dead end. When Amy started to drift toward the left, I called out to stop her.

“Amy-sama, there is nothing that way but a small side-chamber.”

“Oh? Is that ri-ight?” she asked, her voice dripping with that same cloying sweetness.

“Amy says she wants to see it,” the Crown Prince interjected, shielding her. “What’s the harm in a quick look?”

“As you wish.”

Since the Prince was intent on coddling her, I stepped into the small room on the left. Amy followed close behind, but the moment she entered, she walked straight toward the back-right corner as if she were being pulled by a magnet.

I see. So that’s how it is.

“It’s exactly as Allen said. There’s nothing here,” Anastasia remarked flatly.

Having a strong hunch about Amy’s behavior, I decided to piggyback on Anastasia’s observation and throw a jab.

“Indeed. About seven years ago, a pack of Goblins made a nest in these ruins. I was just a child then, so I couldn't join the subjugation force. However, according to my seniors at the Adventurer’s Guild, this room was where the Goblins kept their hoarded treasure. Of course, the adventurers cleared everything out during the raid, so there is nothing left now.”

Naturally, I omitted the fact that I had already made off with the Scroll of Appraisal and a few silver coins myself.

“I see. So that’s the history of this place,” Anastasia said, nodding with genuine interest. Her expression wasn't frozen like it had been earlier; for a brief moment, she looked like a normal girl her age.

Amy, who had been eavesdropping on our conversation, scurried over to the opposite corner to inspect the ground. She whispered something to herself.

“Hm? Amy, what’s wrong?” the Crown Prince asked, his voice laced with concern at her suspicious movements.

“Eh? Oh, um, it’s nothing!” she chirped, hurriedly trying to smooth things over.

Despite her denial, she clearly had something on her mind. I didn’t have concrete proof yet, but I was beginning to suspect that Amy knew about this world—specifically, the world of that otome game—just like I did.

Her insistence on entering this specific room, her beeline for the back-right corner, and her subsequent check of the opposite corner… it all suggested she was looking for the Scroll of Appraisal and trying to verify which ‘game mode’ the world was set to.

However, the Scroll of Appraisal was supposed to drop in Easy, Normal, and Hard modes. There shouldn't be any other modes. I wondered what she made of the empty room.

“Hey. We’re moving on. Keep guiding us.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The Prince’s command broke my train of thought, and I resumed the tour.

I guided them through the standard route, allowing them to gather medicinal herbs and observe Blue Slimes. Finally, we reached the deepest chamber—the place where the Labyrinth Core was said to have been located back when the ruins were still a functioning labyrinth.

“This area is rumored to be where the Labyrinth Core once sat. However, it’s unknown exactly when or why this place ceased to be a labyrinth. In fact, there is no concrete evidence that it ever truly was one.”

While I explained the lore, Anastasia walked around, inspecting the walls with curiosity. Amy, on the other hand, seemed to have lost all interest; she stood to the side, fiddling with her hair and looking bored.

“Tch. Just as I thought. No monsters worth mentioning in a dump like this.”

“Claude-denka, we have Amy with us,” Marcus countered. “Shouldn't we be grateful that the danger was minimal?”

“No, Marcus,” Leo cut in. “With me here, it’s impossible for Amy to ever be in danger.”

“Leo, the best way to protect a lady is to keep her away from danger entirely, don't you think?”

“Oh? Is Marcus admitting he doesn't have the confidence to keep Amy safe? I could certainly protect her with much more style.”

What are these guys even doing here? I wondered. They were the future pillars of the nation, yet here they were, completely under Amy’s thumb. If this was the state of the kingdom’s elite, the future was looking grim.

And so, my time spent babysitting a "reverse harem ruins date" disguised as a research project finally came to an end, leaving me with a significant amount of mental exhaustion.

Wait a minute… In the game, wasn't Anastasia supposed to spend the whole trip sniping at Amy for clinging to the Crown Prince? Looking back, she hadn't said a single word to her.