"Oh, this looks magnificent. Just what I expected from you, Sherry."
"Thank you very much."
Sherry had successfully completed the fusion.
Since she was working with a surplus of empty Skill Slots, failure hadn't even been an option. I doubted it would ever be an issue moving forward.
"Alright. It's properly become a Substitution Body Clip. Rutina, come here."
The Skill Crystal: Caterpillar had been successfully fused, granting the equipment the Substitution skill. Since the Body Clip was classified as an accessory, it couldn't be equipped at the same time as a Substitution Misanga, which occupied the same slot.
That was the whole reason for the fusion.
You never knew what might happen inside a labyrinth. For the sake of the absolute worst-case scenario, the Substitution skill was a non-negotiable necessity. Since she couldn't wear the Misanga, putting the skill on the Body Clip was the only solution.
"Um... you really fused the Substitution skill onto this?" Rutina asked as she approached, wanting to confirm.
It was her own gear, after all. It was only natural she'd be curious.
"I did. Sherry is truly gifted."
"That is... yes, she is, but..."
"Is something the matter?"
There was no problem. There couldn't be. I was about to personally fasten the equipment onto her. A Body Clip was a delicate thing; it had to be attached gently, meticulously, with love and the utmost attention to detail. It was far too sensitive an item to leave to anyone else. I would handle the task myself.
"Um... are you sure about this? I believe this is an incredibly valuable piece of equipment... Mmgh."
It was more than alright. Especially if it meant hearing her make sounds like that.
"It's fine."
"But if the Substitution skill activates, the item itself will break... Nnh."
"Your life is more important than the equipment."
Only if she were alive could I continue to hear that voice. I could enjoy her presence, find happiness in her company. I had already confirmed that when a wearer received a blow that would otherwise be fatal, the equipment carrying the Substitution skill would shatter instead. I had also confirmed that, as a result, the life was spared.
Of course, if the same attack landed a second time, there would be nothing left to defend her. But as Gosler had told me, as long as the first strike was blocked, that was usually enough. Preventing a sudden, unexpected lethal blow was the priority. For that alone, the Substitution equipment was essential.
"Yes. Thank you very much. Nn... mmgh."
The pleasure was mine.
Once her gear was secured, it was time to move out. Our destination: the 48th floor of the Akishima Labyrinth.
The 48th floor offered a moderate level of difficulty. It wasn't so punishing that I feared for our lives, yet it wasn't so trivial that it felt like a walk in the park. It allowed us to fight with a healthy sense of tension, which was perfect for getting acclimated to the higher levels. While there weren't any enemies formidable enough to truly satisfy Roxanne, there weren't so few that she had cause to complain.
The fact that the Akishima Labyrinth lacked maps or public information was another plus. It meant we could sustain ourselves on the 48th floor for quite some time. We would hit a ceiling eventually, but it wouldn't be here.
"I've been summoned, so I'll be heading out for a while today."
The next day, I responded to the Duke of Harz's request to see me. Between the Duke's summons, sales to Luke, and occasional visits to the Empire Liberation Society's lodge, I had plenty of errands to keep me busy. The fact that I wasn't just grinding in the labyrinth all day was probably why our party dynamic was working so well. I didn't feel stressed or cornered—except for that nagging concern about our eventual limits.
But we hadn't reached those limits yet. I could worry about tomorrow when it arrived. Objectively, I thought we spent a fair amount of time in the labyrinth, but this world lacked television, games, or any real entertainment. This was just how life was here.
Sleep well, eat well, fight well. It was a fulfilling existence.
And at the end of every day, I would wash away the grime in a hot bath. I didn't bathe alone, of course. Once the bath was over, an even more fulfilling time awaited me. Hehehe. With a lifestyle like that, how could anyone claim things weren't going well?
Furthermore, our labyrinth work wasn't strictly limited to Akishima. We occasionally stopped by the 44th floor of Quratar to take down a boss. We hopped between other floors as needed, sometimes even dropping down to the 1st floor of Quratar for Kobold Salt. Salt was a necessity, after all.
One might argue I could just buy something like Kobold Salt, but the price gap between buying and selling made me hesitate. I had a frugal streak. It felt foolish to pay for something I could obtain myself with just a little effort. I felt like I'd lost the game the moment I reached for my wallet.
Because of variety like that, I didn't feel trapped by the 48th floor of Akishima. We were managing just fine. Labyrinths from the 45th to the 55th floor were generally grouped together in terms of scale; if we kept this up, I expected we could reach the 55th without much trouble—provided we didn't do something reckless like trying to clear a floor every single day.
The real danger was Roxanne going on one of her rampages and forcing that kind of pace. I had to keep a firm hand on the reins.
Labyrinths only opened to the public once they matured to the 50th floor, but apparently, the monsters didn't experience a sudden power spike at that specific number. Sherry had confirmed this. The real jump in difficulty happened at the 56th floor. In fact, most labyrinths that capped out at the 55th floor or lower were usually conquered by the local Lord's Knight Order shortly after they opened.
The way Rutina's family had neglected their duties was a rare exception, which was why it had led to such dire consequences for them.
"His Excellency is in the back."
When I arrived in the lobby of Bode Castle, the guards told me to head in on my own as they usually did.
"Ah, wait a moment."
Just as I thought that was a bit casual, someone else stopped me. Right. Walking in unannounced was a bit strange for a place like this.
"What is it?"
"It is Cassia-sama who has business with you today."
Ho-ho. Is that so? If she wanted to consult me about exiling the Duke, she was welcome to do so at any time. I wouldn't even mind a coup against Obaba-sama. The world was practically in an era of warring states, after all.
"I see."
"I will go inform her. Please wait in the office for now."
Despite stopping me, they still ended up letting me walk in alone. I had no choice but to head for the office.
"Who is it?"
Damn. Gosler wasn't there.
When I knocked, the Duke's voice called out from within, asking who it was. If Gosler had been there, it would have been his job to announce me. The Duke shouldn't have been answering his own door. He was a Duke, after all. Sort of. In name, at least.
The fact that the Duke's voice had responded meant Gosler was definitely absent.
"It's Michio."
"Oh! Michio-dono? Come in, come in."
"Thank you."
I wondered if I should have pretended I hadn't heard anything. Well, whatever. I didn't want to deal with the "you must have heard in the lobby" conversation later.
"Is the Selmer girl doing well?" the Duke asked, referring to Rutina.
"Yes. She's working quite hard."
Partially to exact her revenge on someone for her father's sake, though I decided to leave that part out. Don't expect me to be the one to stop her.
"She was born an Earl's Daughter, after all. I expect she'll be able to change jobs soon enough if she visits the Wizard Guild."
"...I suppose."
She wouldn't be able to change jobs at the guild. She was already a Wizard.
"That look on your face... you've taken her there already, haven't you?"
"...No."
My expression didn't mean that at all. Not that I felt like explaining. I hadn't even told Obaba-sama that Rutina had become a Wizard yet.
"Well, she'll get there eventually. Please be patient with her."
She's already a Wizard, I'm telling you.
"Pardon me."
There was a knock, and before the Duke could even answer, Cassia swept into the room. She was as stunning as ever.
"Hello."
"Michio-sama, thank you for coming."
"Of course."
Being welcomed so warmly by a woman like her almost made me prone to delusions. However, I had Rutina at home. Hearing her lovely voice multiple times every day was enough to keep me grounded. I was more than satisfied with Rutina. Honestly, I'd rather hurry home and dote on her than sit here in a room with a Duke and no Gosler to keep things moving.
"Is Rutina performing well?" Cassia asked.
"Yes."
"It seems she still hasn't been able to become a Wizard," the Duke added helpfully.
The Duke really needed to learn when to keep his mouth shut. She was doing plenty, and she already had the job anyway.
"Is that so? I suppose that family neglected her elite education," Cassia murmured.
See? Now Cassia was depressed. By "elite education," she meant power-leveling. Noble children were usually placed in parties from a young age to be carried through the labyrinth. Rutina hadn't done that because of her father's wishes. If she had, she might have become a Wizard long ago.
Well, she was one now, so it didn't really matter.
"She is a vital member of our household's strength," I said, trying to lift the mood.
"Is she?"
"She's a very valuable asset."
I ended up piling on the praise. Was this a strategy? Had she acted depressed just to make me talk up Rutina? If so, it was a total success.
"I see. Please, continue to take good care of her."
"I will."
Praising Rutina wasn't exactly a chore, anyway.
"Now, regarding the reason I asked you here today..."
"Yes?"
I see. The small talk was over. This was the real reason I'd been summoned. She'd softened me up with the talk about Rutina so she could press for a concession.
"It seems you were plotting with the Duke to keep me in the dark."
"Excuse me?"
"Don't you think that's a bit cruel?"
Cassia was angry. She was accusing me of something, but I had no idea what. This was the kind of trap where she'd ask, "Do you even know why I'm mad?" and I'd be finished. I was completely lost.
"Now, now. It's not like I was hiding it from Cassia on purpose."
The Duke offered a lifeline. Good, keep it up. I'll give you a pass on bothering Gosler later for this.
"You were keeping it a secret, weren't you?" Cassia countered.
"Well... that was..."
The Duke was silenced instantly. Never mind; I should stop relying on him. Gosler must be weeping somewhere.
"Um... exactly what are we talking about?"
"The mirrors."
"Mirrors?"
"I heard that you were the one who brought them in, Michio-sama."
Ah. She meant the mirrors I'd brought from Pelmask and sold to the Duke.
"Oh. Well, I didn't know it was supposed to be a secret."
"The Duke kept it from me entirely."
"I see."
So it was the Duke's fault. Not mine.
"I-I just didn't know if they would be worth anything yet!" the Duke stammered.
"To keep such magnificent things from me..."
"Indeed. The Duke was the one keeping the secret."
"Exactly!"
I decided to jump on Cassia's side.
"Wait, it was just... the timing..."
"So you admit to keeping it a secret."
"It wasn't intentional!"
"So you were concealing them unintentionally."
The Duke was guilty. As the heat on him increased, the suspicion toward me faded. I decided to keep the pressure on.
"The Duke is quite terrible, isn't he? To keep such a masterpiece hidden. They're excellent as interior decor, and they're mirrors, of all things."
"But I didn't know if it was a passing fad yet!"
"Nonsense. If it's a mirror, there will always be demand. They're mirrors!"
Cassia seemed to have completely fallen in love with the mirror-based decor. Well, they were mirrors. The demand from women was probably astronomical. There was a massive gap between her perception and the Duke's, who had viewed them as mere gift items.
"I see your point."
"If it becomes known that the Duke can provide such items, the demand will be endless. And if we can't prioritize certain people, the resentment we'll face... I tremble just thinking about it. The Duke simply doesn't understand."
"I-I see."
I felt the gap in perception too, though for different reasons.
"They are too precious. We cannot allow their supply to be jeopardized. We must ensure we can obtain them through our own means."
"Ah. Right."
I was the one selling mirrors to the Duke. Was she telling me to sell more? Or was she trying to force me into the Duke's service? I really hoped it wasn't the latter. I had no desire to join the Knight Order of Harz.
"I hope you understand our position, Michio-sama."
"U-Um, sure."
I couldn't help but feel a bit wary.
"Therefore, I hope you will permit us to obtain mirrors independently in Pelmask."
"Oh."
So she didn't want more from me; she wanted to get them herself. That meant she wasn't trying to draft me into her service. I felt like I'd dodged a bullet.
"To meet the intense demand from various quarters, we need to be able to get mirrors immediately at any time. We must have that capability. Do you understand? They are just that wonderful."
"Y-You're probably right."
If I said "They're just mirrors" now, I'd probably get beaten to death. Even though they really were just mirrors.
"I'm glad you agree. Thank you."
It felt like I'd just been backed into a corner and forced to agree to a verbal contract, but as long as I didn't have to join the Knight Order, I didn't care.
"Sure, no problem."
"Excellent. I intend to have the adventurers under my direct command begin sourcing them immediately."
Well, it was inevitable. There would be times they needed them in a hurry. This world didn't have phones or email. To summon me, they had to contact Luke, who then had to wait until he saw me to pass on the message, then I'd show up a day later... the delay was measured in days. Then I'd have to take the order, go buy the mirrors, and bring them back.
If she was truly obsessed with mirror-work, I could understand her wanting to cut out the middleman. Even if she just wanted the extra profit for herself—well, she wasn't the Duke, so maybe not. Then again, nobles were basically built on intermediate exploitation.
"I understand. It can't be helped if you need them urgently."
I decided to concede gracefully. They were only being polite enough to ask because I'd been the one to bring the mirrors first. I didn't have an exclusive contract or anything. Complaining wouldn't change the outcome. I might have been able to squeeze out some compensation, but in their eyes, that would just be a bridge-burning fee.
"Thank you very much."
"If you need, I can take your adventurers to Pelmask myself to show them the way."
I figured I might as well earn some brownie points.
"Oh, we couldn't possibly ask that of you."
"It's no trouble at all."
"In that case, I'll have them ready tomorrow morning. Would that work?"
"Understood."
They were elves, after all. They were adventurers, not knights, but if they worked for Cassia and the Duke, they were bound to be elves. There might even be women in the group. In fact, if they were mirror-obsessed, the odds of them being women were high. Mirror-crazed Cassia's trusted female subordinates, sent to secure the supply of beauty-enhancing glass. It was hard to imagine they'd be grizzly old men.
Beautiful elven women with an unquenchable thirst for beauty. A journey full of frolicking and laughter. What happens on the road stays on the road. This was a total win.
I would probably need to teach them every step of the way. I, personally, would need to give them meticulous, tender, mouth-to-mouth instruction. Otherwise, the road to Pelmask would be far too long.
The Road to Pelmask. A path to victory. A journey of love and desire. Since I was teaching elves, I'd have to be thorough, from one to ten. I'd show them everything. The road to Pelmask. The road to love. The road to ecstasy.
A moving journey of romance with beautiful elves. A playful, giggling commute. Viva, the Adventurer's Festival! The Beautiful Elf Carnival! A banquet of carnal desire and chaos!
...Or so I thought at the time.
While it was true I had massive ulterior motives and a few wild ambitions, nothing happened. Nothing at all. Not a single thing. It was an absolute zero. The peak of nothingness. I simply went there and came back. I was nothing more than a glorified driver.
It wasn't that there were no female adventurers. There were. All of them. And they were all stunning. A diverse selection of beautiful elven women. But nothing happened.
I had been worried about them hearing me fake the Field Walk spell while I actually used my warp, but the elven women never came close enough to hear even a whisper. We never brushed shoulders; I couldn't even catch the scent of their perfume. We were at such a distance that it was hard to even feel their presence.
It ended with that despairing sense of professional distance. Just an empty waste of time.
"Welcome home!"
"I'm back."
Roxanne, on the other hand, came right up to me to welcome me home.
Going to Bode, party-matching with the elven adventurers, and hopping through the guilds all the way to Pelmask had taken less than thirty minutes. I'd been gone from the house for maybe twenty minutes tops. And yet, I received this kind of welcome.
I honestly wanted to rest for a while. Specifically, for about two hours.
"Well then, shall we head to the Akishima Labyrinth?"
"Yes! Of course. I'll leave the navigation to you."
Was Roxanne being so welcoming because she had her own ulterior motives about leveling? Well, if anyone should have had motives, it was those elven adventurers. They should have been pressing close to learn the secrets of the Pelmask route. They should have been receiving my warp incantations via mouth-to-mouth transfer. They should have been leaning in to catch my scent.
I gave up on the fantasy and entered the labyrinth.
The elven adventurers were apparently going to run a test to see if they could make the round trip to Pelmask on their own now. I'd been told to check back tomorrow. If they succeeded, I would finally be relieved of my duty.
Sherry had negotiated a lower price for the mirrors in Pelmask, but I hadn't handed over those trade secrets yet. There wasn't much point. It might even raise questions about why I wasn't entering the city itself. Why was that again? Oh, right. I hadn't been an adventurer yet back then.
I'd definitely made the right call staying quiet. There was no way I could explain that.
For today, I would focus on the Akishima Labyrinth. The lack of maps and information was truly a blessing. No matter how much Roxanne pushed, we couldn't just breeze through the floors. We had to explore steadily, bit by bit.
This was good. It meant I had plenty of time to grow stronger.