I wondered if Roxanne had been the one to teach her to add "-desu" to the end of every sentence.
Once we finished changing, I opened a Warp portal on the pitch-black wall and stepped through into the Labyrinth.
"All right. Miria followed us in without any trouble."
She had mentioned she was fine with the dark, and it seemed she hadn’t been exaggerating.
"Hai, desu," Miria replied, though her shoulders suddenly slumped. She looked visibly depressed.
"Is something wrong?"
"She says it isn't fish," Roxanne translated, looking a bit puzzled herself.
"Some of the monsters that appear on the twelfth floor are fish-types," Sherry explained after glancing our way. "She must be reacting to the fact that they aren't here."
I see. So that was why she was complaining about the lack of fish.
Just as the monsters on the first through eleventh floors were the same in both the Vale and Quratar Labyrinths—even if their order differed—the species found from the twelfth to the twenty-second floors were fixed. There was likely a fish monster among them.
On the twelfth floor of Quratar, however, the primary monster was Sarracenia, which was definitely not a fish. It was the same for the twelfth floor of Halver and the twelfth and thirteenth floors of Tale.
So that was what she meant when she spoke of the one that "wasn't a Grass Bee."
"But how did she know? Was it the smell?"
"I can smell the Sarracenia," Roxanne noted.
Sherry and I, the two members of the party with no particularly keen sense of smell, exchanged a glance. I couldn't distinguish the scents of monsters at all.
"She says she should be able to sense the presence of fish, but she doesn't feel any here."
So it wasn't a scent, but a "presence"? And specifically limited to fish, at that. I wasn't sure if that was an incredible talent or just a very niche one.
"Well, if Miria works hard, we'll reach the floors with fish in no time."
"Hai, desu."
"I'm counting on you."
If a few words were enough to motivate her, it was a small price to pay—though I did worry she might lose all desire to climb higher once we actually found a floor with fish.
We followed Roxanne’s lead deeper into the Labyrinth. We eventually confronted a mixed group of Sarracenia and Green Caterpillars. Roxanne didn't necessarily have to lead us into a large group right from the start, but I suppose it was good to show Miria our usual combat style.
Since I had Miria waiting in the rear, the Green Caterpillar's thread wasn't a threat to her. There was a chance the Sarracenia would spit digestive fluids, but once you reached the twelfth floor, long-range attacks were to be expected. Unlike the Grass Bee's needles, Sarracenia fluid wasn't poisonous, so it was slightly more manageable.
Sarracenia were weak to the fire element, so I incinerated them with Fire Magic. We made quick work of the monsters. None of the complications I’d worried about occurred. As Roxanne had said, it was only the twelfth floor.
"Hai, desu."
"Oh. Thanks."
Miria participated in gathering the drop items, picking up the Aconite left behind by the Sarracenia. When I checked the Party Job Settings, I saw she had successfully acquired the Herbalist Lv 1 job.
It seemed Aconite counted as a medicinal herb, just like Leaves. I took the Aconite from Miria and immediately turned it into a Nourishing Pill using Crude Drug Synthesis.
Miria’s eyes widened as she watched me work. She said something while looking at me with a face that clearly said, "Whoa, this guy is incredible." Her domestication seemed to be progressing smoothly.
We faced monsters a few more times on the twelfth floor of Quratar.
"Sherry, would you classify Collagen Corals as aquatic monsters?"
After a few battles, I decided Miria had seen enough of a demonstration. I asked Sherry the question to determine our next destination. Miria’s Diver job had the Anti-Aquatic Strengthening skill, which apparently made her effective against monsters that naturally lived in water. It was likely a passive skill.
"I believe so," Sherry replied.
"What’s the highest floor Miria has entered before?"
"Excluding her time with us, she says only the first floor."
"In that case, the eighth floor might be too much for her. The fifth floor should be fine. The monster on the fifth floor here in Quratar is the Collagen Coral. Since it’s likely an aquatic monster, she should be able to manage with her Diver job."
Since Sherry agreed with my assessment, we moved to the fifth floor. With Roxanne guiding us, I put Miria on the Front Line for a trial battle.
On the fifth floor, battles were over in an instant. In fact, if I didn't consciously take it slow, there was no time for training at all. Even so, Miria took a counterattack when she struck the Collagen Coral. It was clear her movements weren't quite on Roxanne’s level.
Thank goodness for that. If Roxanne’s level of skill was the standard, I’d be in tears of frustration trying to keep up.
"Hai, desu."
"She seems to be all right," Roxanne noted, showing concern for Miria even while she herself was in the middle of combat.
I reapplied Plating to Miria's gear and performed First Aid on her minor injuries. Miria looked surprised and exchanged a few words with Roxanne. They were both remarkably relaxed despite being in a fight—though that was to be expected for Roxanne, who didn't get hit even on the twelfth floor.
Miria looked my way, appearing startled by the First Aid. I was glad to see she was warming up to the party's routine.
"How were the monster's attacks?" I asked once we cleared the area.
"She says she's fine."
"If we're facing Collagen Corals, do you think you can handle the eighth floor?"
"Hai, desu!" Miria replied energetically.
We moved from Quratar's fifth floor to Vale's eighth floor. I had intended to start here anyway, so this was perfect. While it wasn't too crowded since it was early morning, the Quratar Labyrinth always required a certain level of vigilance because of other adventurers. In the Vale Labyrinth, we could do whatever we wanted.
I allocated my Bonus Points to Intelligence and adjusted my output so I could defeat half the Collagen Corals with just two spells. Then, I let Miria finish off the survivors. I had her use the steel spear, the scimitar, and eventually her bare hands.
Miria didn't have the Swordsman or Monk jobs yet. When fighting with the spear, her reach kept her safe from the monsters' counterattacks. However, during the bare-handed fight, she took several hits. I simply reapplied Plating and used First Aid to keep her going.
When I checked the Party Job Settings afterward, she had acquired Swordsman Lv 1 and Monk Lv 1. That should be enough for a start.
"Do you think you can handle monsters that aren't aquatic?"
"Hai, desu."
She was surprisingly motivated. I appreciated that.
"Roxanne, find a place with Naive Olives."
"Understood."
The monster on the seventh floor of Vale was the Escape Goat, which also appeared on the eighth floor, but they were annoying to fight because they frequently fled. It was better to look for Naive Olives on the sixth floor, even if there were fewer of them.
Roxanne led us to a spot with one Collagen Coral and one Naive Olive. Roxanne and Miria lunged forward, with Sherry following a moment later. She seemed to understand the plan without me saying a word. Roxanne squared off against the Collagen Coral, while Miria took the Naive Olive.
I reset the points I’d put into Intelligence and slowly fired off my magic. I waited until Miria had taken a hit before finishing them off. I made sure to patch her up with First Aid and Plating immediately.
"How was it?"
"She says it's harder than the Collagen Coral, but she can handle it."
"Good. What should we do next? We could go up floor by floor through the ninth, tenth, and eleventh, taking one hit from a monster on each just to confirm she can survive a blow. Or we could go straight to the twelfth floor and have her watch from the rear until she's ready. Which do you think is better?"
I was torn, so I consulted the girls. Getting hit on each floor was the safest way to gauge her durability, but the downside was that she’d have to experience the pain of being attacked. Even then, it wasn't a hundred percent safe—it would be a disaster if she died from a single "test" hit.
If we had her observe on the twelfth floor, she wouldn't have to take unnecessary hits, but her safety would be a gamble. Even in the rear, there was no such thing as absolute safety in the Labyrinth. I couldn't rule out the risk of a stray attack.
"I think it is better to test each floor," Roxanne answered. "Taking an attack is no big deal. As long as you face a monster, that possibility always exists."
Coming from Roxanne, the idea that being attacked was just a "possibility" was slightly terrifying.
"Considering safety, it’s much better to ascend in order," Sherry judged. "Taking a deliberate hit is a necessary part of the process."
I just hoped Miria would be okay with that logic.
"Miria says she agrees with Big Sister," Roxanne translated.
I wondered if Roxanne had pressured her into that, but if Miria was willing, I wasn't going to argue. We moved to the ninth floor of Vale and continued up one floor at a time. I’d annihilate all but one monster and let Miria engage the last one. As soon as she took a hit, I’d deliver the finishing blow. Since she already had the Swordsman and Monk jobs, there was no need for her to fight to the death.
"Are you okay?" I asked, using First Aid on her.
"Daijoubu, desu."
She had even memorized the word for "I'm okay." In that manner, Miria endured the attacks all the way up to a Level 11 Spice Spider.
"The monsters get even stronger on the twelfth floor. Can you do it?"
"Daijoubu, desu," she replied with spirit.
Miria had a lot of grit. Since she was going to be a regular in the Labyrinth, that was certainly for the best. I wondered if this was just the standard for people in this world. Or perhaps it was because I’d made fighting a condition when I bought her. If I’d chosen a beautiful girl who lacked motivation, things wouldn't have gone nearly this well. Miria was definitely a win for the party.
"Then, we'll move to the twelfth floor of Halver. That’s our current hunting ground. On the twelfth floor, you don't take hits on purpose. There's no need to overdo it. Just get used to the pace. For now, fight by thrusting your spear from the rear. Sherry will take the front, and Miria will stay behind her."
During our ascent, Miria had reached Diver Lv 3. If she could survive a hit, she’d be fine on the twelfth floor. I gave Sherry a club and equipped Miria with Sherry’s steel spear.
We moved to Halver and resumed our normal hunting routine. With Miria in the Rear Guard, there were no issues at all. Midway through the session, she even began participating in the attacks with her spear. Her level-ups would be fast since she started so low. It wouldn't be long before she could join the front line.
After finishing the hunt, we emerged at the Quratar Adventurer Guild and did some shopping for breakfast. I kept an eye on Miria as we passed the fish shop, but she simply walked past it. She wasn't going to throw a tantrum, at least.
"She says that fish doesn't look very fresh," Roxanne whispered to me.
So that was it. They likely hadn't stocked fresh fish before sunrise, so whatever was on display was from yesterday. She was a harsh critic when it came to seafood.
"Should we have Miria make something too?"
"She says she'll grill some meat. I'll be helping her, so it will be fine," Roxanne said.
"In that case, I will make the soup," Sherry added.
"Can you put eggs in the soup?"
"Eggs? Yes, of course."
We bought eggs, bread, and other ingredients before heading home. I set out to make something special. First, I separated the egg yolks and mixed them with vinegar. I used a whisk I’d made myself by bending some wire. Once the yolks and vinegar were blended, I slowly added olive oil, whisking constantly.
I stirred wholeheartedly until it reached a thick, creamy consistency. The mayonnaise was complete.
"Here, use this," I said, handing the leftover egg whites to Sherry.
"I understand the whites, but what is that?"
"It's a condiment. Miria, we're having fish for dinner tomorrow. Fish, put this on, delicious. Okay?"
"O-O-O-O!" Miria’s eyes went wide. She understood the word for fish even without a translation.
"It’s a reward for working hard in the Labyrinth. A gohoubi."
"Oishii, desu," she said.
"You haven't even tasted it yet. It’s a reward. A gohoubi."
"Gohoubi, desu," Miria repeated.
I’d teach her the true meaning of that word tonight—thoroughly.
I put a lid on the mayonnaise and set it aside. "Don't touch it yet; you might get a stomach ache if you eat it right away," I warned. Raw eggs were a risk for Salmonella, something I’d been careful about since arriving here. Apparently, the acidity of the vinegar and oil would kill off the bacteria if left for a day.
Miria proved to be a capable cook even without fish on the menu. Breakfast was delicious. We continued hunting afterward, and by evening, we headed to the Imperial Capital.
I took her to the clothing shop to pick out a negligee. The ones here were the thin, sheer type, which I’d felt was too forward to buy on her first day. But since we’d already spent a night together, it was fine now.
Miria joined Roxanne and Sherry in browsing the racks. The three of them chatted away, taking their sweet time. I’d made a tactical error—I should have done this on a day we were having fish. She would have picked something in seconds.
"Do you sell outfits like the ones worn by the ladies-in-waiting at the Palace?" I asked a male clerk while waiting.
"Of course. We can custom-make them for you. You select the fabric, and it takes about ten days to complete."
"I see." So they were a common request.
"Please, come this way. Standard fabric is three thousand Nahl. A silk blend is six thousand. And this pure silk is ten thousand Nahl. I can promise you the finest texture and feel against the skin."
The clerk led me to the fabrics and let me touch the silk. It was incredibly soft and smooth. If I had the girls wear outfits made from this...
Dammit. This clerk knew exactly what I was thinking. Asking a man had been a mistake.
"I’m only ordering one for now. Let's go with the standard fabric."
I couldn't very well buy a better outfit for Miria than I had for the others. Three thousand Nahl was reasonable. The maid outfit I’d bought in Vale was four thousand, but that included the trader's markup.
Miria finally finished choosing her negligee—a blue one that complemented her hair.
"Now then, I will take her measurements," the clerk said.
"It's for her. Go ahead."
I handed Miria over to the clerk and turned to Roxanne. "Remember the outfits we bought in Vale? Miria doesn't have one, so I'm having one made to match."