"Some woman named Cassandra or something like that wants to meet me and Rutina. We're heading out tomorrow morning, so keep that in mind."
Back at home, I explained the situation to Rutina.
"Grandmother Cassandra?" she asked.
"That's the one."
Rutina recognized the name immediately. She must be quite famous within the clan. Well, she was the head, after all.
"I am... not very comfortable with her," Rutina admitted, though she didn't look particularly distressed.
"Really?"
"Yes. A little."
"Cassia said she was kind to members of the clan."
"That may be, but my family was making no progress in clearing the labyrinths."
I see. Rutina’s father had been stripped of his title specifically because he had failed to conquer the labyrinth. As the clan head, Cassandra probably had plenty of sharp things to say about that. The kinder she was, and the more she worried, the more overbearing her "advice" likely became. From the receiving end, it must have felt like a never-ending lecture.
"I see."
"No... thinking back on it now, her warnings must have been sincere. If only I had possessed more power back then."
I could understand why she’d be wary of meeting her again. Hard truths are always a bitter pill to swallow.
"In that case, do you not want to go, Rutina?"
"No, I will go. There is no telling what would be said of me if I stayed behind."
It was a classic dilemma. If you go, you get lectured; if you don't go, you get lectured for being disrespectful. It was like a woman being summoned to the house of her in-laws. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. No wonder she was hesitant.
"The Duke and Cassia are going via a different route, but will you be alright seeing them?"
"Duke Harz is my parents' enemy. If he were to appear before me defenseless..."
"Please, save that for when I’m not around."
I had worried she might hate even looking at the Duke’s face, but if she viewed it as an opportunity for a vendetta, she might actually be motivated to go. Vengeance is mine, and all that. Of course, I doubted the Duke would show up defenseless. Still, having Rutina say something like, "Master, step aside, I need to kill this man," was definitely in the top five things I never wanted to hear from her.
Wait, was it? No, I definitely wouldn't be happy to hear that.
I wondered if this would really be okay. Even if formal vendettas weren't as common as they were in old Japan, this world was still fairly savage. If she did take her revenge, Rutina would probably be the one people sympathized with. Roxanne and Sherry, who were listening while they finished the cleaning and chores, didn't seem concerned.
"It will be fine. Revenge is a right officially recognized by Imperial Law," Sherry added.
Well, that changed things. I had received a perfectly accurate piece of legal advice from Sherry. If it was legally protected, then maybe it wasn't so "not fine" after all?
"Well, we'll see tomorrow."
"Yes."
I still had my doubts. Despite my unease, there was no point in obsessing over it now, so we headed into the labyrinth. I spent the rest of the day grinding through the work.
The next morning, we hit the labyrinth again before breakfast. Perhaps because I wasn't wearing a Substitution Misanga, Roxanne wasn't suggesting anything too reckless. Or so I thought, until I realized she was leading us to enemies on the 45th floor even more frequently than yesterday.
Was it just my imagination? Did she really intend to push the envelope bit by bit? Goku, get here already. I wasn't even sure who or what I was waiting for at this point.
Somehow, we finished our early morning exploration. I say "somehow," but I never actually felt like my life was in danger. Part of me was even starting to think the 45th floor was perfectly manageable now. Was this what it felt like to be manipulated by Roxanne?
This was bad. Very bad. I had to stay firm. I couldn't let myself be swept away. I couldn't let myself be deceived. This was a trap. But holding out seemed impossible.
"Well then, Rutina, shall we head out?"
"Yes."
"Please have a safe journey, Master," Roxanne said.
After breakfast, I took Rutina and warped to the head's residence. We arrived in the same grand lobby I had seen yesterday—a place that looked like it belonged in a palace. It felt like the kind of place that should have massive chandeliers and sweeping spiral staircases. It didn't, but the atmosphere was there. Either way, it was impressive. I suppose it was only natural for the head of a major elven clan to live in a castle.
She was likely either a noble herself or the daughter of one who had married into a powerful family. Unless they had fallen into ruin, she would certainly have a mansion. Given her position as clan head, she might have even rebuilt a declining family with her own sharp business sense, turning them into the top merchant house in the region.
If she was a powerful merchant, she would have a keen eye for people. She probably wanted to see exactly what kind of man had taken Rutina as his slave. The thought was terrifying.
No, it would be fine. It had to be fine. If it ended with a simple greeting, there wouldn't be a problem. Whether it would actually be simple was another matter entirely. Rutina was with me, so the head wouldn't try to do anything to me personally. Unless, of course, Rutina testified that I was a hopeless master.
I wondered again if this was a good idea. No, it was fine. I hadn't treated her poorly. The reason for the summons was likely just to see what kind of man had "conquered" Rutina. I supposed there was a chance she'd decide to take my head if she found me wanting, but...
Well, Cassia and the Duke were coming too. It would be alright. They hadn't arrived yet, though.
We were the only ones in the lobby. The guard stationed by the inner doors was staring at me like I was some kind of intruder, which was making things awkward. I had been here yesterday, and he surely knew who Rutina was. Or perhaps he knew exactly who I was and was judging me for it.
The silence was becoming unbearable.
"I am Michio. I have an appointment for an audience today."
I spoke to the man. I couldn't just stand there doing nothing while he glared at me.
"Yes. I see. This way, please."
Ah. So he did know. He knew exactly who we were and was just staring at me to pile on the pressure. If he hadn't known, he never would have let me through so easily. Sloppy security was a luxury only Duke Harz could afford. Should I have waited in the lobby for Cassia?
I didn't care about the Duke, but running into him while I was with Rutina might have been messy. Moving ahead was probably the right choice.
"Let's go."
"Yes."
We followed the soldier through a series of corridors until we reached a pair of massive doors.
"The party for the audience with Lady Cassandra has arrived," the soldier announced.
"Let them in."
"Sir. Please, enter."
The soldier knocked, spoke to someone on the other side, and pushed the doors open. We entered, but it was just a small, cramped antechamber.
"They are here for Lady Cassandra."
"Understood."
Yet another person passed the message further in. Another layer of bureaucracy? This felt more like a proper noble's house. The Duke's castle was the outlier.
"This way."
The person in the back called us forward. It seemed we were clear to proceed. I glanced at Rutina before moving. Her expression was calm and unchanged. This was likely standard procedure for her. Noble life seemed to involve a lot of waiting.
"Lady Cassandra is being summoned. Please wait here."
We moved to another room, but Cassandra wasn't there either. Another waiting room? Seriously?
"Looks like we're waiting again."
Rutina and I were left alone in the room.
"Please, have a seat."
"Is it alright to sit?"
"Yes, it is fine."
"You sit too, Rutina."
"Yes. Thank you, Master."
Since Rutina said it was okay, I took a chair. It was a nice waiting room, though they didn't seem to be offering tea.
"Pardon me."
I spoke too soon; the tea arrived. Well, it was herbal tea, but still. A maid-like woman set the cups down and left. She had brought a cup for Rutina as well. I supposed that made sense since she was family.
"Shall we?"
"Yes."
We sipped the tea. It was a refreshing, high-quality blend. Everything in this place was top-tier. Even the way Rutina drank her tea was a sight to behold. Her back was perfectly straight, and she lifted the cup with a grace that was almost mesmerizing.
She looked elegant, refined, and incredibly beautiful. She was the definition of "picture-perfect." Watching her drink tea was like looking at a masterpiece in a gallery.
"Pardon the wait. Please, come this way."
The summons came just as I was getting lost in the view. It had been quicker than I expected. I wondered if I had lost track of time because of Rutina, or if her presence had fast-tracked our entry.
Back in high school, a teacher had told me that some companies would leave job candidates in waiting rooms for hours as a form of "stress interview." He told us not to panic if it happened. Making someone wait was a way for a superior to remind a subordinate of their place. It was a classic power move.
I had never been made to wait for the Duke, but that just reinforced the idea that he was the weird one. He was too impatient. Usually, a noble would make a commoner wait for hours. The fact that the head didn't make us wait suggested that she truly did care for Rutina.
Was that good? Or was it bad because her fondness for Rutina would make her even harsher toward me? Suddenly, my feet felt like lead.
"Please, enter."
Before I could change my mind, we were at the final door. It opened, and someone stepped out to usher us in. Rutina was clearly the main attraction here. I half-wondered if I should just let her go in alone.
"Grandmother Cassandra," Rutina said as we entered.
I followed her in and saw an old woman. She looked both incredibly robust and strangely wizened at the same time. It was a bizarre contradiction.
Wait... 107 years old?
My Appraisal confirmed it. Lady Cassandra was 107. No wonder she gave off such an aura. She was remarkably sharp for someone her age, yet she was also clearly frail, her body having shrunk with the decades. If she sat perfectly still, she’d look as harmless as a kitten. Robust and wizened—that was the only way to describe her.
At 107, it was a miracle she was even breathing. She was a living legend. It made perfect sense that she was the head of the clan.
"Is that you, Rutina? It seems that snot-nosed brat, little Brocken, has been causing you trouble."
Forty or fifty years old, and he was still a snot-nosed brat to her. I wondered how much longer she planned to keep the Grim Reaper waiting.
"Well..." Rutina started.
"I’ll have some very stern words for that perverted brat myself."
"Yes, Grandmother."
A perverted brat?
"Hmph. He hadn't even stopped wetting the bed when he was caught trying to peek at the younger girls in the bath. What a filthy little thing."
She explained it to me as if she had sensed my confusion. She had been watching me closely from the moment I walked in. Truly a living legend.
"I see," I managed to say.
"I thought it was just a childish mistake and let him off with a merciful spanking, but perhaps I was too soft on him."
"Oh?"
"He was crying his eyes out with his bottom turned bright red, and yet he hasn't changed a bit."
"I... see."
Duke Harz really had no standing here. No wonder he was terrified of meeting her. She had probably changed his diapers. He’d never be able to look her in the eye.
They say a hero is never a hero in his own hometown. No matter how important a person becomes, they never look impressive to the people who saw them as children. Even Tokugawa Iemitsu, who claimed he was a Shogun by birth, couldn't stand up to his nurse, Lady Kasuga. The relationship between the Duke and this old woman was clearly the same. I certainly wouldn't want to be here if I were him. And considering her age, Gosler was likely in the same boat.
"But then again, your father was just as bad. No good at all. I knew it would end like this eventually. Don't go blaming little Brocken too much for what happened."
"I understand."
"Clearing labyrinths is a noble's duty. He neglected that duty."
"I know, Grandmother."
I was impressed. She was giving Rutina sound, grounded advice. She was a sensible woman. A true legend. At this rate, maybe I was in the clear.
"So, is this the one?"
Suddenly, her sharp gaze snapped toward me. Just a moment ago, her eyes had seemed cloudy and unfocused, yet she had seen right through me. I wasn't in the clear at all. She glared at me through her wrinkled lids, her eyes full of life. It felt like she was peeling back my skin to see exactly what was inside.
"Y-yes."
Yes to what? I didn't even know what she was asking.
"..."
"..."
The tension was thick. It stretched on for what felt like an eternity. She just stared at me—no, she scrutinized me. It was long. Way too long.
"Hmph. I suppose you can manage well enough."
I breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed I had passed. Or at least, I hadn't failed.
"Sir."
"Rutina, won't you introduce us?"
"Yes, Grandmother. This is Michio Kaga, my master. Michio-sama, this is Cassandra, the youngest sister of my great-great-great-great-grandmother. To the women of the clan, she is as a mother to us all."
The youngest sister of a great-great-great-great-grandmother? That was staggering. They were practically strangers at that point. I probably had distant relatives in Japan who shared a great-great-great-great-grandmother, but I’d never met them. Then again, if she was the youngest sister of that ancestor, the split happened even further back. Just thinking about the family tree gave me a headache.
But then, she was 107. People in this world became adults at fifteen and often had children by sixteen or seventeen. At 107, she probably had dozens of descendants.
"Hmm. So this is how it's turned out."
"Hello."
She glared at me again, but I just let it roll off me.
"Even that snot-nosed little Brocken is a descendant of my grandmother. Elves are mostly like that. I’m sure Grandmother is lamenting such a disappointing descendant from her grave."
"I see."
I suspected that was more a noble thing than an elven thing. The upper class always seemed to be one big, tangled web of relatives. But for Rutina, it meant her family's enemy and her distant ancestor were essentially one and the same. It was a dizzying thought. Truly a living legend.
"Are you an adventurer?"
"Yes."
"You’re doing well for someone so young."
I wasn't a secretive thief anymore; I was a full-fledged adventurer. I didn't have to hide it from anyone. I could even show her my Intelligence Card if I had to.
"I am not an elf, however."
I thought that might be more of an issue. A human had taken a daughter of the clan as a slave; surely that would ruffle some feathers?
"Hmph. My husband was a human, too. I was the youngest, you see. My older sisters took all the good suitors, and by the time it was my turn, there was nothing but scraps left. Only the first three daughters could marry into nobility. The fourth ran off with a man who was supposed to be the Knight Order's rising star, but he turned out to be a dud. The fifth married into a merchant family—everyone said they were the biggest shop around, but her husband was a spendthrift, and now the shop is gone. You never know how things will go."
I'll say this much: old people sure can talk. This was going on forever.
"Grandmother Cassandra's late husband was actually knighted in his own right," Rutina added, stepping in to move the conversation along.
So her human husband was dead. Well, considering she was 107, that wasn't exactly surprising.
"That's right. He was a human, but a fine man. He came from a noble house originally, but they lost their title after failing in the labyrinth—a common story. My husband saw it coming and tried to warn them, but they pushed him out. He ended up drifting to my family’s lands. Even after he regained his own title, his relatives tried to crawl back to him, but he was a man of character and turned them all away. He only took in one decent relative to succeed him. It was my sharp eye that caught such a man. He had courage in the labyrinth, his skills were undeniable, and his manners were perfect. A real catch. Rutina, if this man turns out to be worthless, you should leave him immediately. I’ll make sure you're taken care of."
So losing a title due to labyrinth failure was common. But the rest of the story wasn't very helpful—just long. And I really wished she wouldn't give Rutina ideas about leaving me. What would she do if Rutina actually took her up on it? The fact that she actually had the power to make it happen was the scary part.
"No. There is no doubt that Michio-sama will be knighted before long," Rutina defended me.
"Is that so?"
The old woman glared at me again. What was I supposed to do here?
"Yes. I am certain of it," Rutina insisted.
"Hoh."
"We are already within reach of conquering a labyrinth's 50th floor. Even I didn't expect us to progress this quickly."
Wait, that was a massive exaggeration. Even for a defense, that was going too far. We weren't "within reach" at all. We still had six floors to go. I wanted her to understand just how heavy a single floor could be. False advertising is bad, Rutina.
"Ho-hoh. Is that true?"
The old woman’s eyes grew even sharper. Was there another level to her gaze? It felt like she had two more transformations left.
"While we are progressing, the weight of each individual floor is..."
"Ho-hoh. So you do understand."
"Sir."
She had been glaring, but my explanation seemed to satisfy her. She was a woman who had climbed to the top by her own strength, so she understood the difficulty of the ascent. Going from the 1st floor to the 2nd was easy, but each subsequent step was harder than the last. The gap between the 49th and 50th floors must be astronomical.
I really wished Roxanne would understand that too. Then again, for Roxanne, the difference between the 1st and 2nd floors was probably just a rounding error. It was entirely possible the jump to the 45th floor was below her detection threshold. It was terrifying to think she might only think it was hard because I said it was.
"Rutina, do you still dream of being active in the Council of Lords?" Cassandra asked.
The Council of Lords. She had a dream like that?
"No... that was just a childhood fantasy," Rutina whispered.
A naive childhood dream, then. Like wanting to be a professional athlete or a princess.
"There is nothing wrong with it. It is a noble dream."
"Yes..."
I could see why even the Duke and Gosler couldn't stand up to her. I had heard the Council of Lords was a massive gathering of nobility in the Imperial Capital during the winter. It was probably like a parliament. It made sense for a noble daughter to dream of such a stage.
"Being with a human isn't all bad. Part of the reason I am allowed to manage the clan's women is because I have no descendants of my own—it makes me a fair judge."
Since humans and elves are different species, they don't have children together. So because she had no children, she could look at the clan's affairs objectively. Even with her husband’s title, since they brought in a human relative to succeed him, she had no blood ties to that legacy either. Though I doubted her adopted heir could stand up to her any more than the Duke could.
"Yes, Grandmother."
"My predecessor was notorious for favoring her own daughters and granddaughters. A head should be free of such ties. Who knows? Perhaps the position of clan head will fall to Rutina one day."
"No, I could never... I am not worthy."
"Hmph. Even if it did, it wouldn't be soon. Not as long as I’m still breathing."
"Yes."
I wondered just how long this 107-year-old woman planned to keep living.
"Tell me, boy. How about leaving Rutina with me for a while? If she is to become the head one day, it would benefit you as well. I’ll train her."
She threw the question at me without warning. I couldn't let my guard down for a second. Was she actually trying to take her away?
"No. She is necessary for our combat in the labyrinth."
"Hmph. I suppose she would be."
"Michio-sama..."
Rutina looked touched by my answer, so I figured I had made the right choice.
"Well, as long as you're living properly, I won't complain. But if you do anything to make her cry, I have... plans."
I could have sworn her eyes flashed. I had no idea what those "plans" were, and I was too afraid to ask for specifics. I was really, truly afraid. It was important, so I thought it twice.
"I would never dream of making her cry."
"Rebellion, running away, elopement, ruin, slavery—none of these are rare. If a clan head panicked over every little thing, they wouldn't last a day."
"Is that so?"
I felt like it was okay to panic a little. Especially about the elopement part. But I suppose she had a point about the rest. People went missing in the labyrinth all the time.
"My biggest headache right now is a girl whose father is unknown. She's a noble daughter, yet her mother won't say a word. Without a father, she has no good suitors, but I can't just marry her off to anyone. Still, she’s a daughter of the clan, and it’s my job to ensure her happiness. She’s almost an adult, and it’s a nightmare. You wouldn't happen to know anyone looking for a wife, would you?"
I had heard that in modern Europe, out-of-wedlock births were common, but this world clearly hadn't "progressed" that far. It seemed becoming a noble's wife was a complicated business.
"No, I don't."
"I wouldn't mind a human. As long as they have the means to keep her happy. Even being a mistress wouldn't be so bad."
Was she trying to push this girl onto me? I wouldn't have minded another beautiful elf, but I couldn't exactly say that. I already had Rutina, and I had to consider Roxanne and the others. Besides, it could be a trap. A honey trap.
"No, really. I don't know anyone."
"Well, then. Rutina's situation isn't anything to get worked up over. The clan has grown, and these things happen."
"I see."
So she wasn't actually here to interrogate me. It really was just a formal introduction.
"Fine. I’ll give you a hand. There is a labyrinth a little ways past a town called Nesco. The Nesco Labyrinth—you'll find it. Train there for a while."
"Nesco?"
It sounded like a place that might have a sea monster. Well, dragons existed, so why not?
"Our clan is currently putting all its strength into clearing it. You should be able to reach it from here or Bode. Even if you clear it, I can't give you a title. But if you prove your strength there, opportunities will come your way sooner or later."
I see. It was a trade. If I wanted her help, I had to cooperate. Work in the labyrinth they designated. It was a fair enough request. They had no reason to help me for free. But there was a risk of being exploited. Surely she wouldn't do that to Rutina, but me?
The only issue was that there was no way to measure my contribution to a labyrinth's conquest. Or was there? If they had explorers at the entrance who worked for the clan, they could track our entries. Except for me, who could warp directly inside.
An adventurer’s only real income came from drops. Nobody would bother entering a labyrinth just to slack off on the 1st floor against weak monsters. So if they knew how much time we spent inside, they could estimate our contribution. There would be some variance depending on whether someone fought safe or pushed their limits, but it was close enough. If you fought above your level and died, it was over anyway.
"Hmm..."
"..."
I was inclined to accept, but I wanted to hear Rutina's take. I looked at her, but she didn't say anything. Read the room, Rutina!
"Rutina, what do you think of this?"
"I think you should not accept it," she said flatly.
Wait, really?
"I see."
I nodded solemnly, though I had no idea why she said that. It was as mysterious as the Sierra Nevada.
"Hmph. I thought I’d offer some training, but she’s sharper than she looks. I’ve always hated kids with good intuition."
Cassandra was praising her. Or was she? I wasn't sure if there was any market for a tsundere grandmother.
"I appreciate the compliment," Rutina shot back.
Don't provoke her, Rutina!
"Well, we haven't made any promises, and if you agree to this, you’re basically asking to be used until there’s nothing left. They’ll just use you for their own convenience."
"I see."
So exploitation was a real risk. Though as an adventurer, I could always just disappear.
"You’re probably thinking you can just run away, but it's not that simple."
"O-oh."
She read me like a book. But seriously, couldn't I just run? I was a wanderer with a warp skill.
"Don't worry. I wouldn't do anything cruel to a daughter of the clan."
"Well, that’s..."
"You, on the other hand, are not a daughter of the clan."
"Guh."
She really loved the "good news, bad news" routine. No wonder the Duke and Gosler were terrified of her.
"Well, I can't make any promises, but I'll help you out if you prove to be truly useful."
"There is no doubt that Michio-sama and his party are capable of fighting in any labyrinth," Rutina insisted.
"In that case, all the more reason. Lending us your strength won't be a loss for you."
Rutina was defending me again, but she was the only one who had actually seen us fight. Cassandra didn't know, and I didn't want Rutina to accidentally mention that I could use magic. I decided to take a middle-ground approach. If things really got dangerous, I could always warp away. She was a powerful clan head, but even her reach had limits. If we stayed further away than the place Kassim had mentioned, we’d surely be fine.
"I have to enter a labyrinth either way. I suppose I wouldn't mind trying this Nesco Labyrinth."
"Hmph. Then take this."
She pulled something out. It was a patch with an emblem, very similar to the one the Duke had given me.
"This is..."
"You recognize it? We have explorers stationed at the Nesco Labyrinth. Show that to them and give your name. They’ll take you straight to the latest floors."
It was exactly like the Duke’s emblem. I hadn't needed to give my name in the Harz Duchy, but if they recorded it, they could track exactly who was on which floor and for how long. It was a clever system. Taking us to the latest floors sounded like a perk, but it was also a way to verify our strength. It was like a loyalty card that traded personal data for rewards. I could technically warp to a lower floor once I was inside, but my earnings would suffer. It was a self-correcting system.
"I’ve received something similar from Duke Harz."
"Does he trust you that much? Well, I suppose he would, after entrusting Rutina to you."
Was it a mark of trust? I figured he’d give one to any adventurer willing to clear his labyrinths. And he hadn't "entrusted" Rutina to me—I had bought her.
"I don't plan on giving her back, though."
I could return the Duke’s patch if I had to; I didn't think I’d be needing it much longer. But I’d take the old woman’s patch for now.
"Well..."
I glanced at Rutina. She looked... happy. That was a good sign.