Chapter 438 – Sion and the Others' Labyrinth Exploration

The reconciliation date between Grand Duke Debonnis and Duke Driscoll, which Prince Josiah had arranged, is set for the day after tomorrow. An envoy from the Royal Castle came to our house with the invitation, so now we just have to wait for the day to arrive.

As for the greenhouse construction… we’re currently in the process of preparing materials and magic tools. The Demon-Slaying Knight Order has also resumed their daily training, so everyone is moving forward with their respective tasks.

And as we discussed the other day, we’ve come to the old mine with Princess Stephania, Princess Adriana, and Corulis, along with Forset and his group.

“It’s been a while since we’ve been in a labyrinth,” Princess Adriana remarked as she looked around, to which Princess Stephania nodded.

“Indeed. Father seems worried unless we’re with everyone.”

“So you’ve been restraining yourselves from descending into labyrinths?”

“Essentially, yes. Though we wish we could be more useful in battle.”

Princess Stephania serves as King Melvin’s diplomatic representative to foreign nations. That’s also why she’s near Princess Adriana, and Princess Adriana herself holds a similar position as King Eberhart’s representative from Silvatoria here in Verdgar. Both of them can’t afford to push themselves on the front lines.

However, on the other hand, King Melvin seems to somewhat encourage delving into labyrinths and fighting monsters since it clearly helps grow Vitality and Magical Power—especially given the impending battle with the Demon. With this group in the old mine, the safety margin should be sufficient.

“If you’d like, shall we assist with summoning a Familiar?”

“Oh, really?”

Princess Adriana’s face lit up with joy. Yes—when we peeked into the magic tool shop, they finally had new Blue Transference Stones for summoning rituals in stock.

Blue Transference Stones always take time to produce. While the quantity is still limited, using them to both increase Marlene’s summoned beasts and summon Princess Adriana’s Familiar seems like an effective use. It would also serve as protection for Princess Adriana herself.

“Yes. Then, shall we perform the summoning ritual on the next full moon night?”

“That sounds delightful.”

“I wonder what will come.”

And so… I made the promise with Princess Adriana. I believe her specialty lies in Fire Magic spells. So, a monster with high affinity for fire. I wonder what will appear.

“—So, if you strike it, you can exit. But using this will cause anything you obtained in the labyrinth to disappear.”

“I see…”

Sheila was explaining how to use the Red Transference Stone for escape. Once the confirmation was complete, Forset nodded.

“Shall we proceed, then? Let’s advance carefully.”

“Yes, Lord Forset. Take care of us, Corulis.”

Sion smiled and reached out her hand to Corulis, who gently extended its large claw to meet hers in a handshake—well, more like Sion holding the tip of Corulis’s claw.

“Me too! Take care of us, Corulis!”

“…Take care.”

Marceska and Sigritta similarly exchanged handshakes. After these interactions, the labyrinth exploration finally began.

We’re following along, but basically Sion and the others will be doing the fighting. Princess Stephania, Princess Adriana, and Corulis will join in as support.

Sion and Marceska take the Vanguard, followed by Forset and Sigritta. Princess Stephania and Princess Adriana provide magical support from the Rearguard, while Corulis serves as the rearguard.

The mice Sigritta summoned from her book act as Scouts, going ahead as Sion and Marceska advance along the passage behind them. Since Sion and the others used to live in an underground city, they look serious but don’t seem overly tense.

Monsters inhabited the Forest of Bewilderment, and they’re accustomed to combat. As long as they pay attention to aspects unique to labyrinths, there shouldn’t be many problems.

As we walk through the passage, Sigritta’s Ink Beasts gather Transference Stones from various places.

Then, just as we approach a crossroads, the mice leading the way let out small cries.

“Something’s… coming. Monsters with dog heads… Green, strange ones… lots of them. They all have Weapons.”

Approaching from deeper in the passage appears to be a group of Kobolds and Hobgoblins.

“Sigritta, what about from the sides?”

“…They’re coming… An ambush from three directions. Right and left have fewer numbers than the front.”

…Sigritta’s Techniques are quite useful in labyrinth Exploration, between scouting and stone collection. They prevent Surprise Attacks and enable efficient exploration.

“Marceska and I will hold the front enemies.”

“Mm-hm, let’s go, Sion!”

“Then, Sigritta and I will take the right.”

“Then we’ll take the left.”

Forset and Sigritta handle the right; Princess Stephania and Princess Adriana secure the left passage. Since Corulis is guarding our rear, if enemies come from behind, it can just create a crystal wall to seal it off.

Sion and Marceska drew their swords and took their Stances. The next moment, the two stepped in with superhuman explosive force. Kicking off the floor, using the passage walls as footholds—they bounced around like pinballs, repeatedly reflecting before plunging into the group of monsters approaching from the front.

Marceska made first contact. Spinning her sword like a windmill with her whole body, she delivered Slash Attacks to any she hit. A moment later, Sion charged in. As Sion’s sword swung, leaving a trail of Magical Power’s glow, Kobolds and Hobgoblins fell one after another in her wake.

“They’re coming.”

Forset spoke briefly and raised his Khakkhara. A Hobgoblins’s forceful overhead swing of its pickaxe—he deflected it downward, redirecting its force toward the ground. As the Khakkhara, wrapped in a faint Magical Power glow, spun, the Hobgoblin’s large body spun as well, flying through the air. It didn’t seem like a Spell Formula or anything like that.

He must be directly manipulating the Magical Power imbued in his Khakkhara, giving it an adhesive-like quality. As the Hobgoblin lost its balance and became defenseless, he delivered a Lightning Strike Palm Strike at point-blank range, sending the Shocked Hobgoblin flying.

…Somehow, Forset seems to fight by combining special Magical Power manipulation and Martial Arts that utilize the opponent’s force, then hammering in Magic.

It certainly resembles the fighting style of Gardinis, whom we fought before.

“Annoying—”

The pages of Sigritta’s book flipped rapidly on their own, and a giant Fist slammed into the group of Kobolds charging in. Is that… an Ogre’s fist?

Just as the Kobold group, caught off guard by this unexpected Counter, was mowed down—in the next instant, Sigritta kicked off the ground with speed not inferior to Sion and the others, sticking to the ceiling.

From directly above the fallen Kobolds—Beryl Mall’s upper body appeared and delivered a crushing blow with both Claws from left and right, then immediately withdrew back into the book. Watching this, Corulis blinked its round eyes.

I see… So she even has a hidden trump card for close combat, like an Ogre’s fist. She also possesses superhuman physical abilities similar to Sion and the others.

In pure Martial Arts, she seems a step behind Sion and Marceska, but that doesn’t mean she can’t serve in the Vanguard. Considering the numerous unique Techniques she possesses, it’s hard to simply rank them. It seems her book holds various secret weapons.

“Steph, they’re trying to break through from the right.”

“Yes. Leave it to me.”

And as for Princess Stephania and Princess Adriana’s fighting style—as expected, it primarily revolves around Shooting with Magic. Princess Stephania uses Earth Magic to create walls, restricting the enemies’ movements, while Princess Adriana reads their movements from there and mercilessly hammers them with crimson heat rays.

Fire Magic 5th Tier Burning Ray. A Magic that releases a heat ray in a straight trajectory; a direct hit would make short work of Kobolds or Hobgoblins.

The way they continuously unleash intermediate-level Magic while maintaining ample reserves truly showcases the dignity of the Magic Kingdom’s royalty.

Moreover, the two are perfectly in sync, accurately reading the enemy’s movements and using Magic without waste. As Kobolds desperately try to hide behind the earthen walls to escape Princess Adriana’s fixed artillery-like Magic Attacks, those very barriers were created by Princess Stephania. When Princess Adriana fires a heat ray toward the cover, just before impact, the earthen wall splits left and right, allowing a direct hit on the hidden monster.

When the monsters try to charge en masse, rock walls surround them from all sides, and exploding Fireballs are thrown in from above.

A battle style reminiscent of reading moves in shogi or solving checkmate puzzles. The fact that they seem to assume group combat tactics might be because they’re royalty. Perhaps it’s something they cultivated as part of their upbringing.

Well, in any case, it’s certain that neither Princess Stephania’s group nor Forset’s group shows any sign of danger.

“With things going like this, Lady Sion and the others should be fine,” Ashley remarked happily, watching them.

“…And so should our elder sisters. That movement looks like they’re conducting group combat training against Golems or something. They’ve probably been doing it since long ago. They’re too perfectly in sync.”

Rosemary murmured while hiding her mouth with her feather fan and closing her eyes. Marlene was beaming, but Grace and Claudia wore slight wry smiles at Rosemary’s reaction.

After repelling the monsters, Princess Stephania happily waved toward Corulis, who was beside us, and Corulis responded with a thumbs-up.