Wait, shouldn't four of them have cost 240 Nahl? Was it simply a custom to pay for Nourishing Pills and Tonic Pills in copper coins?
"Sorry about that," I muttered.
I had no choice but to dig into my drawstring pouch and fish out the copper. The clerk, a woman in her late twenties, counted out sixty copper coins and handed me a single pill in exchange. She set the coins aside one by one to verify the count. The total was, without a doubt, 240 Nahl.
"Thank you very much. I have received the payment in full."
Perhaps she couldn't do the math—sixty times four equals two hundred and forty. Or maybe she assumed I couldn't. But if she knew the total was 240 Nahl, she should have just taken it when I offered the two silver coins earlier.
I didn't know the exact education standards of this world, but since professional readers were a common trade, literacy rates probably weren't very high. Merchants possessed a skill called Calc to handle their arithmetic; it was entirely possible that an average villager who wasn't a merchant simply couldn't do math at all.
And if she couldn't calculate, there was no way my thirty-percent discount could take effect. How would she even figure out what thirty percent of the price was?
However, my thirty-percent price increase skill worked when the guild bought items from me. Why was it effective during a sale but not a purchase?
"Who calculates the purchase prices for the items brought in?" I asked.
"That is handled at the guild's temple," she replied. "I believe you saw it when you were changing jobs."
"..."
I wasn't sure how to respond to that. It seemed she had pegged me for a professional adventurer. I suppose it made sense, given that I’d been using Warp—my knock-off version of Field Walk—to pop up near the guild walls so often.
"Items that are broken are rejected during the process," she continued, taking my silence as a cue to keep explaining. "If you don't keep things in an Item Box, they can be damaged quite easily. We won't be able to buy them if that happens, so please be careful."
"Understood."
Fortunately, she didn't seem to find my lack of a response suspicious. She had even volunteered extra information. It meant I couldn't just snap a branch in half and try to sell it as two items.
I took my pills and left the Adventurer Guild.
If the receptionist wasn't the one doing the math for the buyback prices, then my hypothesis held water. If she had to do it herself, my bonus wouldn't trigger. It was a logical conclusion: my Price Increase and Discount skills were useless against her because she couldn't perform the calculations required to apply them.
So why did they work on everyone else?
The answer had to be the Calc skill. It wasn't just merchants; weapon dealers, armorers, and slave traders likely all had it. You couldn't run a business like that if you couldn't do math. I wasn't sure about the Vale Pavilion, but an innkeeper was a businessman in his own right.
My passive skills must act directly upon the Calc skill.
Calc was likely a skill that functioned subconsciously, making the correct answer simply pop into the user's mind. When a merchant calculated a price, my skills must influence that automatic process, causing the Calc skill to spit out the discounted or increased price as the "correct" one.
This would explain why the effect only triggered when buying or selling multiple items. If you were only trading a single item, there was no math to do. A one-Nahl item was one Nahl; a hundred-Nahl item was a hundred Nahl. There was no "calculation" for the skill to influence. Once you had a quantity of items, Calc engaged, and my skills hijacked the result.
It was just a theory, of course, but I felt like I was on the right track.
With my preparations complete, I returned to the second floor of the Labyrinth.
"This way, Master. There are some very close by," Roxanne said, leading the way.
Now that I had recovery medicine on hand, I felt much more secure.
Needle Wood Lv 2.
The first monster we found was the same type we’d faced on the first floor. I had wondered if the second floor would feature something entirely different, or if the "boss room" had been a fluke and we were still on the first floor somehow. But this one was Level 2. I assumed the level corresponded to the floor.
That confirmed it: we were definitely on the second floor.
I drew Durandal and cut it down with a single Kesa slash. Even if it was Level 2, Durandal still made it a one-shot kill. I had leveled up considerably since I first entered the Labyrinth, so that likely played a part as well. At least, I wanted to believe it did.
"Aren't there any other types of monsters on this floor?" I asked.
"There are also Green Caterpillars," Roxanne explained. "Strictly speaking, any monster from the floors below has a chance of appearing here as well."
That made sense. The first floor only had Needle Woods. On the second floor, you'd find the floor-specific Green Caterpillars along with the Needle Woods from below. By the time we hit the third floor, we'd be facing a mix of all three.
"Got it."
The next creature we encountered was a Green Caterpillar Lv 2. It was a massive, green larva, and honestly, it was pretty revolting. It was roughly the size of a medium dog and looked bloated and squishy, though it might have been packed with muscle under that skin.
I didn't waste time observing it. I rushed forward and swung Durandal down from overhead. It, too, died in a single hit. When the green smoke cleared, a bundle of thread remained. That was apparently their drop item.
So, the second floor consisted of these two monster types, both at Level 2.
"There's a group further in with both a Needle Wood and a Green Caterpillar," Roxanne reported. "Should we engage?"
I was continually impressed by her nose. She could identify the specific types of monsters before we even saw them. That was an incredibly powerful tactical advantage.
"As expected of you, Roxanne. Lead the way."
"Yes! Thank you, Master."
She led me to the pair. I noticed they were actually standing together—this wasn't just a chance meeting. Aside from the "monster houses" tucked away in side rooms, everything on the first floor had been a solo encounter. It seemed the second floor introduced groups.
Two on the second floor, three on the third, four on the fourth... If that was the progression, things were going to get nightmareish very quickly.
"Are there two because we're on the second floor?" I asked.
"That's right."
"So when we hit the third floor, we'll see groups of three?"
"No. I've heard that groups of three start appearing on the fourth floor."
That was a relief. My math was off.
"So we won't see groups of four on the fourth floor?"
"I was told that groups of four appear from the eighth floor onward."
"Then five monsters start at the sixteenth floor?"
Roxanne looked at me with genuine surprise. "You're very quick to understand! That's exactly right."
I didn't mean to impress her with basic pattern recognition. If two monsters appeared on floor two, three on floor four, and four on floor eight, the progression followed powers of two. That meant five would appear on floor sixteen, and six on floor thirty-two. I could handle that. Six would be a struggle, but it wasn't impossible.
Besides, there was no use worrying about the thirty-second floor yet. I'd be much stronger by then.
We reached the monsters: a Needle Wood Lv 2 and a Green Caterpillar Lv 2, just as Roxanne had predicted.
"Roxanne, take the caterpillar."
I gave the order and we charged. Since the Green Caterpillar was a larva, it had a clear front and back. It was much easier to fight from behind than a Needle Wood, which could lash out with its branches in any direction. I dealt the first blow to the Needle Wood with Durandal while Roxanne slashed at the larva with her scimitar.
The caterpillar tried to retaliate with a body slam, but Roxanne shifted her weight by half a step as if she were doing nothing at all, letting the creature sail past her. She really was incredible. As it came to a stop, I swung Durandal down onto its back.
Both monsters dissolved into smoke. With Roxanne at my side, even groups of two were no problem at all.
The next morning, I woke up with Roxanne in my arms.
She was the ultimate body pillow—soft, smooth, and warm. I could feel the rich elasticity of her chest pressing against me. She was wonderful, and I felt a surge of genuine affection for her.
While I was still drifting in that half-asleep haze, Roxanne leaned in for a kiss. Her lips were soft and sweet, enough to make me melt. I savored the taste, moving my tongue forward to find hers. She welcomed me gently, tracing the surface of my tongue as if she were soothing me.
I could tell by the way she moved that she was truly starting to accept me. The stiffness she’d shown in the beginning was gone; she was initiating the movements now. I didn't want to be outdone, so I caressed her tongue with mine until we were completely entwined.
After enjoying the moment to the fullest, I finally pulled away.
"Good morning, Master," she whispered.
"Morning, Roxanne. I'm counting on you again today."
"Yes!"
We dressed and left the inn for the Labyrinth. Our exploration of the second floor was going perfectly. Whether it was a Needle Wood or a Green Caterpillar, even at Level 2, Durandal ended the fight in one swing. It was almost too easy.
Because it was so effortless, I asked Roxanne to look for larger groups. Even so, we only found pairs about half the time. Solo monsters were still the norm for the second floor. If there was only one, I could end the fight with a preemptive strike before it could even react. The risk was virtually zero.
When we fought pairs, Roxanne would tie one down while I finished the other. Her movements were a joy to watch—she never let a monster touch her, dodging with fluid grace or parrying with her shield and scimitar. Second-floor monsters couldn't even keep up with her.
Since it only took me one swing to kill a monster, the fights were over in seconds. By the time Roxanne had dodged once or twice, I’d be there to slash the creature from behind. The caterpillars were particularly easy to handle as long as you didn't stand directly in front of them.
The only real threat I could foresee was stumbling into another one of those "monster houses" filled with dozens of enemies. I wasn't worried about my own health thanks to Durandal's HP absorption, but Roxanne was another matter. She was fast, but even she might take a hit if she were swarmed.
I had the Monk job equipped so I could use First Aid, but if the damage came too fast, I might not be able to keep up. It was a risk I couldn't quantify without seeing it, and "trying it out to see what happens" wasn't an option when lives were on the line.
Despite my anxiety, our hunt continued without a hitch. Perhaps I was overthinking it.
Roxanne led the way through the tunnels. She approached a dead-end wall without hesitation. The door groaned and slid down, revealing a small room. I tightened my grip on Durandal, but the room was empty.
"B-Be careful," I warned.
"It's alright, Master. I can only smell a faint scent of monsters."
"I see."
Even if she could smell them, it wasn't a perfect science. Maybe I was just being a coward. The heavy sound of those sliding doors always made me jump. I think I was genuinely traumatized by that first monster house.
But rationally, the only thing that could actually hurt us on the second floor was a massive swarm. Being on guard was only smart.
"Actually, I think it’s quite rare to find a room full of monsters," Roxanne said. "We wouldn't be so lucky as to find another one so soon."
"Luck? Is that what you call it?"
"Usually, it would be bad luck," she admitted. "But with Master here, the monsters are defeated instantly. Even if we're surrounded, Master can use recovery magic. Fighting many monsters means many items. To me, that sounds like good luck."
"Hmm."
I felt like her perspective was a little skewed. At the very least, she was overestimating my reliability. I kept that to myself, though.
Past the small room, we found a Needle Wood and a Green Caterpillar. I rushed the wood and cut it down. Since caterpillars were easier to flank, I always left them for last. When I turned my head after finishing the wood, I saw Roxanne dodging a body slam with a mere tilt of her body. She moved just enough to let the attack miss by a hair. With that kind of confidence, it was no wonder she wasn't worried.
The caterpillar stalled after missing its attack, and I drove Durandal into its side.
The next group Roxanne found was a pair of Green Caterpillars. I rushed the first one and killed it instantly.
"Master, it’s coming!" Roxanne called out.
I looked over and saw an orange magic circle forming beneath the second caterpillar’s chest. The circle vanished, and the creature spat.
Thread.
A massive web of silk sprayed from its mouth, spreading out in all directions to block our path. It looked like something out of a Kabuki play. Roxanne leaped backward to clear the area, while I tried to slash through the web with Durandal. I managed to clear some of it, but not all.
The sticky silk tangled around my limbs and head. It was disgusting, but more importantly, it made it hard to move. It felt like being wrapped in high-strength adhesive tape. While I was struggling to free my arms, the caterpillar turned toward me and charged. Roxanne tried to draw its attention with her scimitar, but she couldn't get there in time.
I braced myself and took the hit. Its attack power seemed about the same as the other monsters, even at Level 2. But the fact that it had closed the distance was actually my chance. I swung Durandal, letting the sheer weight of the blade do the work. It bit deep into the larva’s body, knocking it to the floor.
It was still a one-hit kill. Either the thread didn't lower my attack power, or I was just so overpowered that it didn't matter. The caterpillar dissolved into smoke, leaving behind its usual drop item, and the silk binding me vanished along with it.
"So it spits thread," I noted.
"It seems to be a skill," Roxanne said apologetically. "I'm sorry. I let it get into a position where it could target both of us."
"It's fine. At least the thread disappears when the monster dies."
"It would be dangerous if it used that while we were distracted by other monsters. I can dodge it if I'm watching for it, though."
You can dodge it, I thought. I was the one who got stuck.
"From now on, we prioritize the Green Caterpillars."
"Understood."
The thread attack was a nuisance, but we’d been on this floor for a while and this was the first time we'd seen it. It probably wasn't a frequent move. As long as we focused them down, one or two wouldn't be a problem.
The problem, again, was the swarms. If we were surrounded by a dozen caterpillars and they all spat thread at once...
If I got stuck, I couldn't kill them. If I couldn't kill them, I couldn't heal myself with Durandal's absorption. That was a recipe for a quick death. I wondered if Roxanne would be able to dodge in a crowded room. I could easily imagine her jumping over the monsters like she was in an action movie, but I wasn't nearly that agile.
"For now, we need to be extremely careful about those small rooms," I said.
"Understood. Though I'm sure we can handle whatever comes."
I didn't know where she got her optimism. Was she really planning to do a triple-flip over a horde of giant larvae? She probably could. The weak link was me. If only I could use an area-of-effect spell... But Meteor Crash was still locked. I didn't know how high my level needed to be to use it, and leveling was starting to feel like a grind.
I could always move to a safer Labyrinth, but I didn't want to do that. I didn't want to get into the habit of running away whenever things got slightly dangerous.
After our hunt, we walked through the streets of Vale. It was market day, which meant it had been five days since Roxanne joined me. We passed the market and headed toward the Explorer Guild. I wanted to check the bulletin boards for any exploration completion notices. If the second floor's monster house had been cleared by someone else, I could stop worrying about it.
"Roxanne, don't look around too much," I whispered.
I stood in front of her as we approached the guild, positioned so I was facing the building with my back to the street while she looked the other way.
"Eh? Ah, yes."
"Do you see the man standing in the shadows by the building at the end of the road?"
Roxanne kept her face toward me but shifted her eyes. To anyone else, we just looked like a couple talking. "Yes. I see him."
"Does it look like he's watching the merchant house?"
"It does. He's staring right at it."
I thought so. Ever since I’d started hunting thieves to buy Roxanne, I’d made it a habit to Appraise everyone I saw. But seeing a Thief in broad daylight in this part of town was rare. They usually stuck to the slums.
"Is he a customer? He doesn't look the part," Roxanne noted.
"He's a Thief. I doubt he's there for a legitimate transaction."
"Do you think they're targeting the mansion where I used to live?"
Just past the turn by the Explorer Guild was Alan's slave merchant house.
"I can't be sure. There might be a wealthy client inside they're waiting for. Let's head into the guild for now."
We went inside and sold our loot. While Roxanne emptied her rucksack at the counter, I checked the board.
"Anything?" I asked when she joined me.
"No, Master. There has been no completion declaration yet."
"I think we should at least warn the merchant house," I whispered.
"Please do. There were people there who were very kind to me, like the manager."
It seemed her time as a slave there hadn't been entirely miserable. It would leave a bitter taste in my mouth if I knew a raid was coming and did nothing.
"Let's go, then. Try not to look at the man."
We left the guild and walked straight toward Alan's mansion, making sure not to glance at the lookout. As we reached the front, a young man stepped out to greet us.
"Welcome. How may I help you?"
"Is Lord Alan in?"
"Yes, he is. Please, follow me."
I took a quick look back as we went inside, but the Thief had vanished into the shadows. We were led to a back room. The young man left us there, telling us to wait a moment.
"Why don't you sit, Roxanne?"
"I think it’s better if I stand, Master."
I sat on the sofa, but she remained by my side. I wasn't sure what the etiquette was for a former slave returning to her old master's house, but I trusted Roxanne's judgment.
Alan arrived a few minutes later.
"Welcome. It is good to see you again," he said, though his expression tightened when he saw Roxanne. He probably thought I was there to complain about her or ask for a refund. I realized then that having her stand might have been the wrong move—it made me look like an unhappy customer.
"I'll be blunt," I said, cutting to the chase. "This mansion is being watched."
"Watched?"
"Roxanne was worried about the people here. She’s been an incredible partner, and I couldn't ignore her concerns."
I made it clear right away that I wasn't there to return her. Alan’s rugged face relaxed slightly.
"I see. We are honored that she thinks so highly of us."
"There's a man outside monitoring the entrance," I continued.
"I see. Well, given the nature of my business, I cannot say we've never made enemies. I appreciate the warning."
He sounded polite, but he didn't seem to be taking it seriously. I suppose a random guy showing up to tell a veteran slave trader he was being watched wasn't exactly a high-level intelligence report. To him, I was probably just a naive kid.
"For what it's worth, I thought you should know."
"Thank you. But people take an interest in this business for many reasons. Sometimes it's just curious onlookers who are too nervous to come in. I’ve even had wives hire people to watch the shop because they suspected their husbands were up to no good."
"The man outside is a Thief," Roxanne interjected, her voice serious.
Alan’s eyes sharpened. "A Thief, you say? How can you be sure?"
"I've had a few run-ins with them while I was raising the money for Roxanne," I said, providing a plausible lie. If I was a bounty hunter, it made sense that I’d recognize a known criminal.
Alan sank back into his sofa and let out a long sigh. "I see."
"We just couldn't ignore it," Roxanne added. "The manager was very good to me. I don't want anything to happen to her."
"I understand. And to be honest, I have a suspicion as to why this might be happening."
"You do?" I asked. If he knew, why was he so dismissive a moment ago?
"In this business, you’re always a target. If I worried about every shadow, I’d never get anything done. But this likely involves the man you sold me—the one who stole from your village."
"That guy?" The one who tried to steal the Thief's Bandana.
"He was sold yesterday. However, the buyer paid the fee and said they would return for him in two days because they needed to prepare a place for him. At the time, I didn't think much of it, but looking back, it was strange. The man doesn't even speak Brahim yet, but they were adamant about taking him specifically."
"So they came for him?"
"He tried to steal a Thief's Bandana, didn't he? Those are highly prized on the black market. It seems that man had connections. The 'buyers' came in a pair; while I was talking to one, the other was whispering to the prisoner. I couldn't hear what was said, but the pieces are starting to fit together."
It sounded like a textbook jailbreak.
"They're coming for him tonight, then?" I asked.
"Most likely. The 'owner' is supposed to collect him tomorrow, but the man isn't in a locked cell anymore. Since he’s technically sold, he's in a standard guest room on this floor. It would be trivial for him to sneak out and open the front door for his friends."
Alan sounded remarkably calm for a man whose house was about to be raided.
"Are you going to be okay?" Roxanne asked, her eyes wide with worry.
"This is the middle of town. They won't bring an army," Alan replied.
I stood up to leave, but Roxanne hesitated. She was clearly terrified for the people inside.
"Are you that worried?" I asked her.
"Yes, Master."
I looked at Alan. "What if you hired me as a bodyguard for the night? Roxanne is worried, and I’d hate to see that thief get away with something after I went through the trouble of catching him."
I’d killed plenty of thieves by now. I wasn't afraid of them, and with Durandal, I was confident I could handle whatever they threw at us. Plus, if I stayed, I could test out some of my new skills in a real fight.
"You would do that?" Alan asked.
"Thank you, Master!" Roxanne cried.
"I'll do it. But if things get too dangerous, I'm pulling her out," I added. I could always Warp us to safety if the situation turned sour.
"Very well. I accept," Alan said. "I don't expect a major battle, but I don't know their numbers. I won't ask you to be on the front lines, however. Stay in the rear and guard the upper floors. For your help, I’ll pay one thousand Nahl. If you happen to kill any of the intruders, their gear and Intelligence Cards are yours to keep, and I’ll provide an additional bonus."
I was surprised he agreed so easily, but then again, he’d already have his own guards. Having one more capable sword on the stairs was just good insurance. He probably didn't think I was in on the plot—if I were, I wouldn't have warned him.
"I was seen coming in," I said. "I'll leave now and come back after dark. That way they won't expect an extra guard."
"Come back toward dawn," Alan suggested. "That’s when they'll strike."
"How do you know?"
"I have my own combat slaves. I usually send five of them into the Labyrinth under a trusted leader while I stay here. To be a successful slave trader, you have to be a strong merchant, after all."
He explained that he was a Level 44 Slave Merchant. He had retired from active adventuring and given his spot in the party to his son, but he still knew the tactical side of things.
"My guards leave before dawn to hit a nearby Labyrinth and beat the midday rush. The thieves will know this. They'll wait for the combat team to leave and then strike before the sun comes up. Tomorrow, I’ll send a group of non-combatants out as decoys while my real fighters stay behind to set the trap."
The man was a pro. He wasn't just waiting to be raided; he was setting an ambush.
"That's a solid plan," I admitted.
"I may be retired, but I’m not about to lose to a pack of thieves," Alan said with a confident grin.
He showed me the back entrance—a small door leading into a narrow alleyway between buildings. It was perfect. I memorized the location so I could Warp directly inside later.
Alan escorted us to the front door, and I made sure to speak loudly for the benefit of any watching scouts. "Thank you for your time, Lord Alan! We'll be back another day."
We walked away normally. Roxanne whispered that she could still smell the lookout in the shadows, but we didn't look back.
"I'm sorry for being so selfish, Master," she said once we were safe.
"I'm the one who offered to guard the place," I reminded her.
"But I shouldn't have said he was a Thief out loud like that."
"It worked out. Just be more careful next time."
We spent the evening at the inn. Roxanne handled the equipment maintenance and laundry while I cleaned myself up. There was no bath, but a hot sponge-bath was enough to make me feel human again. Roxanne never complained when I helped her wash, either. Polishing that beautiful, athletic body of hers was a job I took very seriously.
Eventually, our nightly "tensions" reached their limit, and we found our usual way to discharge them.
I slept soundly until Roxanne woke me with a kiss. I’d asked her to wake me early, and she had certainly chosen a pleasant method. I pulled her close, savoring the warmth and the sweetness of her tongue for a long moment before we finally had to get ready.
"I'm heading out," I said.
"I'm coming too," she insisted.
"Roxanne..."
"I'm coming, Master." Her voice was firm. She wanted to protect her former home.
"Fine. But stay behind me."
We dropped the key at the front and stepped outside. I took her hand, focused on the memory of that back alley, and used Warp. We bypassed the inn’s wall and appeared instantly in the dark alley behind Alan’s shop. I knocked softly on the back door.
It opened almost immediately. Alan stood there, holding a shielded lantern. "I’ve been waiting. Come in."
We slipped inside, and Roxanne closed the door silently.
"You arrived without a light?" Alan whispered, impressed. "You have a talent for stealth."
I just nodded. We followed him up the stairs.
"The decoys just left," he whispered. "The bandits should move any moment now. Wait here for the signal. My men will meet them downstairs; your job is to hold this landing. Don't let a single one get past you to the upper floors. There are non-combatants and slaves up there who can't defend themselves."
He blew out his lantern. The hallway wasn't pitch black—faint lamps provided enough light to see the top of the stairs. We stood in the shadows, breathing softly.
Besides Roxanne and Alan, I could see several other figures in the gloom. These were the combat slaves—Adventurers, Warriors, and Monks with high levels. It was a formidable defense.
Suddenly, Roxanne stood up. A second later, the other guards followed suit.
"They're moving," Roxanne whispered.
I hadn't heard a thing, but I didn't doubt her. The combat slaves began to descend the stairs, silent as ghosts.
"I'm counting on you," Alan whispered, following them down to take command.