She really was useful.
"Oh, that was fast. It’s surprisingly easy to find these things."
If it could be found this quickly, the Duke could have just prepared the information for me. Then again, I suppose there was a world of difference between merely knowing where a place was and actually providing a guide to get there. It probably left a better impression to give me free rein than to order me to go to a specific place and then make me find it myself anyway. He probably couldn't have gone that far, even if he wanted to.
"It is the Zabil West Forest Labyrinth," Sherry said.
"Zabil... wait..."
"It’s a town just before Pelmask."
"Ah, right."
The name sounded familiar, and it turned out there was a reason for that. So it was there. It was a labyrinth in a transit town I often stopped at while traveling to and from Pelmask. Once we actually looked for it, it turned out to be in an unexpectedly convenient location. Right under our noses—well, not exactly close, but familiar.
"Since it is specifically listed as the 'West Forest Labyrinth,' I believe it is different from the labyrinth you usually stop at," Sherry added, correcting my misunderstanding.
Was she a mind reader? Well, I suppose my thoughts weren't exactly hard to decipher. So it was a different one.
"Is that so?"
"Didn't you mention that the other one was a labyrinth without any supervising Explorers?"
"That’s true. There weren’t any."
"The labyrinths listed in the Explorer Guild records are those managed by the Guild itself, so there should always be a supervising Explorer stationed at the entrance. Since this is the 'West Forest Labyrinth,' there are likely several labyrinths around Zabil. That is only natural, as it is in the furthest frontier. Labyrinths outside the frontier fall outside the Explorer Guild's jurisdiction."
I felt like I had heard something to that effect before. So the Zabil West Forest Labyrinth was officially under the jurisdiction of the Explorer Guild, which was why information on it was available here.
"I see. Then we should head to the Zabil Adventurer Guild first."
"Yes, Master."
I warped from the Quratar Explorer Guild to the Zabil Adventurer Guild. We materialized right inside the building. It seemed I had remembered the location correctly and managed the jump without a hitch.
"Excuse me, can I have a moment?" I asked, immediately approaching an Adventurer who was standing nearby.
"Yes?"
"Is the West Forest Labyrinth different from the one located just outside the town?"
"It’s different. It's a bit of a trek to get there on foot. If you want a Field Walk transport, it's two silver coins per person."
It was indeed a different location. And, of course, a source of business for the locals. They really had the system worked out.
"Just me is fine. I'll add you to the party, so I'm counting on you."
I handed over two silver coins and added the Zabil Adventurer to our party. Since our party currently had five members, there was still a slot open for one more. The Adventurer chanted Field Walk, and we moved.
When we emerged, we were in the middle of a forest. A labyrinth entrance stood directly before us. So this was the Zabil West Forest Labyrinth. I removed the Adventurer from the party, and we made our way back to the Zabil Adventurer Guild separately. He returned shortly after us. Since our destination hadn't been another Adventurer Guild, he probably hadn't been able to find any customers for a return trip. Considering that, two silver coins seemed like a fair price.
"Welcome back," Sherry greeted.
"Sherry, let me give you the money. It's twenty-two silver coins. Do you have room in your Item Box?"
"Yes. Ah, I'll put it in my bag."
I led Sherry to a quiet corner and handed her the coins. The Zabil West Forest Labyrinth had an Explorer stationed at the entrance who could provide guidance. The fee was one hundred nahl per floor, meaning we needed twenty-two silver coins to reach the twenty-second floor.
Of course, taking her to the corner wasn't just about the money. It was to ensure my phony incantations wouldn't be overheard. I mumbled something that sounded like a Field Walk spell under my breath and used Warp to move the party. We arrived back at the West Forest Labyrinth.
"Are the monsters on the twenty-second floor Marbrims? Is that correct?" I asked the Explorer at the entrance.
"Yes, they are."
"Then I'd like to go to the twenty-second floor."
I confirmed the details just in case, then made the formal request. I added the man to the party.
"Eh? The twenty-second floor?" he asked, sounding surprised.
"Yes. I'm adding you to the party, so please lead the way."
"Understood. In that case, please have one of you stay behind for a moment."
The Explorer entered the labyrinth. I followed immediately after. Once I was inside, the Explorer exited as if swapping places. When having an Explorer guide you through specific floors, it was necessary to confirm the destination. After the two of us stepped outside, I entered the labyrinth by myself. As I crossed the threshold, the choice between the first floor and the twenty-second floor appeared. He had correctly opened the path.
"It's fine," I called out.
"Then I will hand over the payment," Sherry said.
When I stepped outside once more and gave the signal, Sherry began handing over the coins. I realized then why she had insisted on putting the money in her rucksack. If she had pulled it directly from an Item Box, it would have been obvious she was a Master Smith. While it wasn't a hundred percent guarantee, it would definitely arouse suspicion. Since she was a Dwarf and had an Item Box, and I was the one who entered the labyrinth, Sherry didn't necessarily have to be an Explorer or an Adventurer in the eyes of an observer.
Since Master Smith was a job that could attract unwanted attention, it wasn't something we should advertise. It was definitely the right call to avoid using the Item Box in public.
"Much obliged," the man said.
"Shall we go, then?"
"Yes, Master."
After the payment was settled, we all entered the labyrinth.
"That Explorer... didn't he seem a bit taken aback when I asked for the twenty-second floor?"
"Indeed," Sherry replied. "The twenty-second floor here is quite difficult. There are likely very few people who go out of their way to challenge it."
Since the Explorer's reaction had bothered me, I had asked for her take, and it seemed my suspicion was correct.
"Is it really that hard?"
"The monsters on the twenty-second floor are Marbrims, the twenty-first floor has Pig Hoggs, and the twentieth floor has Flytraps. Up to this point, the layout is identical to the Northselm Labyrinth."
I was about to protest why she had deliberately chosen such a difficult location, but then I realized it was identical to the Northselm Labyrinth. To maintain the story that we were training in Northselm, this was actually perfect. It might not have mattered much in the long run, but I figured Sherry was the only one who would bother to memorize the monster list for every single floor. I had to hand it to her; she was thorough.
"I see. My mistake. As expected of you, Sherry."
"Not at all."
Still, it was impressive that she had been so thoughtful even though I hadn't explained the situation in full detail. Even if the difficulty was a bit of a hurdle.
"Difficult, huh? Marbrims are weak to Earth but resist Water. Pig Hoggs are weak to Water but resist Earth. And Flytraps also have Water resistance. That certainly sounds like a hassle."
"Yes. With the lower floors being configured this way, the twenty-first and twenty-second floors of this labyrinth are quite unpopular."
The twentieth floor was also a place where monsters appeared that were weak to Water, but since the monsters on the floor below were resistant to it, the floor wouldn't see much traffic. If a party was climbing the floors in sequence, encountering two such difficult floors in a row would probably make them consider moving to a different labyrinth entirely. If it were just one floor, they might push through, but for a party without an Adventurer, moving between labyrinths was a major undertaking.
"Well, the fact that there aren't many people isn't entirely bad for us. We'll head home once and then come back here to stay."
"Understood."
For now, we returned home. Before that, I warped to the Zabil Labyrinth I used to frequent to recover my MP. Since we had come all the way from Quratar to Zabil and would be making another round trip, I needed to be at full capacity. My remaining MP was a bit low for comfort.
Even though I would be using Durandal, I had some lingering anxiety about fighting on the twenty-second floor, so I farmed for a bit on the first floor of the Zabil Labyrinth. Since I wasn't with Roxanne, I couldn't be guided to a spot with fewer monsters, which was annoying. And since I had only unlocked the twenty-second floor of the West Forest Labyrinth, I couldn't just jump to its first floor. I could have stepped outside and walked back in, but I didn't want to give the Explorer at the entrance any reason to wonder what I was doing.
Despite the minor hassle, I replenished my MP on the first floor of the regular Zabil Labyrinth and finally headed home.
"Welcome back, Master," Roxanne greeted.
"I'm back, Roxanne."
"Welcome back, desu!" Milia added.
Everyone was waiting in the living room. Milia's eyes were practically glowing; it was clear she was tired of waiting.
"Alright. Let's head to the labyrinth with the Marbrims right away."
"Yes. You mentioned Northselm, didn't you?" Roxanne asked.
It seemed she had seen right through my little deception.
"We go, desu!"
"Roxanne, a moment."
"Yes?"
While Milia was buzzing with excitement, I leaned in to whisper into Roxanne's ear.
"Due to various circumstances, for the sake of appearances, we are going to tell people the place we're visiting is the Northselm Labyrinth."
"I understand."
Even though I had explained almost nothing, Roxanne seemed to get it immediately. She really was dependable.
I warped the party to the Zabil West Forest Labyrinth. One by one, they stepped through the gate onto the twenty-second floor. Finally, the tall, imposing Vesta arrived. How reassuring.
"For now, find us some Marbrims. I hear the twenty-second floor here is a bit of a challenge," I said, drawing Durandal and giving Roxanne her instructions.
Zabil was a long way off. Since we had made several jumps, my first priority was to top off my MP. Unlike the Quratar Labyrinth, which was so close it was practically our backyard, the Zabil West Forest Labyrinth came with these logistical headaches. Still, it couldn't be helped. I could manage well enough with Durandal.
"I see. I can smell the Pig Hoggs," Roxanne noted.
As expected, she immediately pinpointed why the floor was considered difficult.
"So it seems."
"However, since there are so few people around, we should be able to manage. There is a group of only Marbrims further ahead. If you aren't planning to use magic this time, shall we deal with a mixed group of Marbrims and Pig Hoggs first to warm up? This way."
I see. Even on this floor, as long as Roxanne was leading, we could hand-pick our battles and make it work. She was a godsend.
"Since it’s a floor with such a high difficulty rating, it seems quite deserted," Sherry observed.
"Is this level of combination really that bad?" Roxanne asked.
"The time spent in combat inevitably grows longer."
"The attacks of monsters on the twenty-second floor are nothing to worry about."
The fact that Roxanne and Sherry were having such a casually ominous conversation as we walked was also strangely reassuring. Probably.
I proceeded to annihilate a group of Marbrims and Pig Hoggs with Durandal. Since it didn't care about elemental resistances, my MP was quickly restored.
"Then, let's begin our exploration in earnest."
"Yes. There is a group of Marbrims and Pig Hoggs just ahead. The number of Pig Hoggs seems small, so it shouldn't be a problem. Let's go."
She really was reliable. Well, on a floor like this, I suppose a little bit of difficulty was to be expected. Following Roxanne's lead, we pushed further into the labyrinth. If there was only one Pig Hogg, Roxanne could handle it alone. Even with two, between her and Vesta, it wasn't an issue.
It was fine. When facing the Marbrims, even Milia’s expression changed, becoming focused and sharp. Vesta, walking just ahead of me, was a wall of muscle and steel, making it seem as if the monsters couldn't even get close to us.
We would be just fine on the twenty-second floor of the Zabil West Forest Labyrinth.