Chapter 64 – The Girl in the Labyrinth

“…Someone’s fighting. They seem to be having quite a hard time.”

Currently, our party was moving through Dusk Forest with the aim of leveling up, essentially doing circuit play. As usual, we had descended into the labyrinth and were exploring Dusk Forest when Sheila put her hand to her ear, closed her eyes, and said that.

“Which direction?”

“That way. Shall I lead?”

“Please do.”

Following Sheila, we ran through the forest paths at a speed that wouldn’t cause our party to split up. While we had no objection to helping other parties in the labyrinth, if we both got into trouble, we’d lose everything.

—The place where the fighting was happening wasn’t particularly far.

However, those present weren’t an adventurer group but rather a knight exploration team.

“Damn it! What is this? This disgusting voice!”

“Ugh,… right! My head’s getting fuzzy…”

“Pull yourselves together! Wake up!”

While calling out to their fallen comrades, the one fighting alone against numerous Killer Plants was—that female knight Mercedes we met the other day.

Some were entangled in tree roots and unable to move. At their feet lay broken lanterns.

Though Mercedes herself was outnumbered, she was doing relatively well at holding off the numerous Killer Plants. While exchanging blows with the Killer Plants before her, she was sending blades of fighting spirit toward those trying to approach her fallen comrades.

The fallen soldiers—had they been put to sleep by Whisper Mushroom magic? The Red Transfer Stone had been activated and a return Gate had opened… but having been put to sleep, it seemed they couldn’t even evacuate.

…Hmm. They’ve been perfectly set up by Dusk Forest. Good thing it hasn’t become a serious situation yet. But we can’t afford to take our time. The bushes deep in the forest were shaking… and there was a sense that new Killer Plants were gathering.

“I’m going.”

Without any hesitation, Grace charged toward the Killer Plants coming from deep within the bushes toward Mercedes.

“Ashley, handle the sleeping ones. Sheila, assist Mercedes. Irmhild, cover both of them.”

“Understood!”

“Got it.”

“Leave your backs to me.”

After giving quick instructions, they each set about their tasks.

As for me—I guess I’ll scatter those mushrooms casting sleep magic in the bushes. If they just get put back to sleep right after waking up, we’d lose everything.

When I randomly fired Fireballs into the deeper parts of the bushes to smoke them out, a group of Whisper Mushrooms panicked and came scrambling out.

One of them, still on fire, headed toward Ashley who had gone to help the soldiers… but was batted back in the direction it came from by her Long Mace.

As if telling it not to come this way, it was bounced around midair by tree roots, creating the rather unusual sight of a burning mushroom being volleyed around the forest.

“—You saved us.”

“Indeed. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn’t come.”

Mercedes let out a deep breath.

With our assistance and the soldiers now awakened from sleep, we were no longer outnumbered.

After dealing with the Killer Plants and catching our breath, Mercedes and the soldiers thanked us in that manner.

Listening to their story, it seemed the Fairy Lights they were using for illumination had been knocked down during the fight with the Killer Plants, and one soldier panicked and lit a lantern.

That led to commotions like being pinned down by tree roots, and during that time, Killer Plants gathered… or so it went.

Then while struggling against the group of Killer Plants, Whisper Mushrooms cast sleep magic on them, and as one failed to resist and fell, then two, they were overwhelmed by numbers, and so on.

Well, it seems they fell into quite a typical trap for first-timers.

“You should each carry extra Fairy Lights.”

It’s reassuring to keep spares in your bag and such.

“My apologies again. I’ll gratefully take that advice.”

Mercedes took off her helmet and nodded with a serious expression.

It seemed her helmet’s visor had broken, and leaving it on would obstruct her vision.

“Mercedes-san, are you in charge of Dusk Forest?”

“Yes. Our assignment is training in this forest, but…”

“…Captain Mercedes.”

“What is it?”

One of the soldiers timidly made a suggestion.

“Wasn’t it decided that we could hire adventurers? Couldn’t we ask these people for cooperation?”

“That—would be difficult.”

“Why?”

“We had a dispute with adventurers the other day, didn’t we? I can’t say ‘you were a nuisance then, but now I need you so please help.’ I think we should withdraw and all of us retrain on the upper floors. During that time, I’ll restudy this forest.”

…I’d like to let that Fernando guy hear those words.

“…Understood.”

The soldiers also seemed convinced by Mercedes’ words.

“But will we gather Transference Stones in this forest?”

“…That’s right. We used the red one earlier.”

Mercedes closed her eyes for a moment, then turned toward me and bowed her head.

“Theodore-dono. I’m fully aware this is shameless. Could I possibly ask you to accompany us until our return? Of course, as a formal Request, we’ll pay the request fee.”

Not for investigation, but until return, huh.

Not asking to sell us a Red Transfer Stone in the labyrinth is probably the right call.

Going back on her word—is likely because, with morale at its lowest right now rather than pride, getting everyone back safely from this situation takes priority, and that’s her responsibility as captain.

When I looked around to ask for opinions, the girls nodded. Well, if you think of it as helping people.

“Understood. We’ll accept.”

Based on their fighting style after waking up… the soldiers were fighting quite solidly, so I think they have the capability to handle Dusk Forest as long as they don’t fall into unexpected situations.

In other words, what they need is experience in various situations and knowledge of the labyrinth, I suppose.

So I decided to proceed while showing them how to navigate Dusk Forest through practical demonstration.

Even if you call it navigation, just being careful about two things—regularly reapplying magic to prevent Whisper Mushroom sleep magic, and properly utilizing Fairy Lights—can significantly reduce the danger level of Dusk Forest.

Picking Fairy Lights to use as illumination or carrying spares is good, but occasionally casting recovery magic on them makes them last longer or increases their brightness. It’s also not good to use magical illumination just because it’s not fire. Unlike Fairy Light, it easily awakens sleeping Killer Plants.

Beyond that, stick to the basics. Carefully search for enemies and avoid monsters. Spot Killer Plants that are motionless and camouflaged, then take them out individually with preemptive attacks.

We were proceeding like this, doing an unusually thorough labyrinth conquest while gathering Transference Stones… when suddenly Sheila, who was ahead, stopped and stared intently into the bushes beside the path.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

If it were an enemy, Sheila would clearly say so.

“Something… I’m not sure.”

An uncharacteristically vague answer came back. Following Sheila’s gaze, I could only see the scattered lights of Fairy Lights dotting the dark forest.

“Around there?”

Irmhild pointed to a corner of the bushes, and Sheila nodded.

When I used Life Detection to check, there was indeed—something there.

A small reaction. The glow of a warm-blooded animal. And its silhouette—a human, a girl?

With a rustling sound of leaves, a face appeared from above the bushes. When I canceled the magic and returned to normal vision… my eyes met with golden glowing ones.

Hair as black as if melting into the darkness, and a white face that seemed to float up.

“A girl?”

“Why, in a place like this?”

The soldiers voiced their questions. Those questions were reasonable. There are quite a few child adventurers, including me… but solo in Dusk Forest… would be quite abnormal. Or did she get separated from her companions?

The girl stared at us for a while, then suddenly turned and proceeded deeper into the forest, rustling the bushes.

“Hey, wait!”

“It’s dangerous! Come back!”

The soldiers called out one after another and chased after the girl, plunging into the bushes. Well, certainly. If she’s a child adventurer separated from her companions, she should be protected.

“That girl just now. Somewhere—”

It was Irmhild who muttered with a dazed expression.

It seems… we don’t have the option of not pursuing.

“Protection.”

A sixth-tier defensive Light Magic. Though it’s a thin veil of light, it possesses defense power comparable to metal armor. Deploying that magical defensive membrane, we pushed through the bushes chasing the girl.

Immediately—I noticed something abnormal. Our speed through the bushes was abnormally fast. We couldn’t close the distance.

I thought about going ahead alone, but if it was a strategy to split us up, the consequences would be unthinkable, so I couldn’t rush forward either.

Eventually, we reached the outer edge of Dusk Forest.

In other words, the labyrinth’s outer wall section surrounding the forest. Hidden between the trees, it was there.

A closed door carved with layered elliptical reliefs…

Before that sealed door stood the girl in her out-of-place dress—and.

“What the?”

“Hey, you’re kidding, right?”

The moment the girl touched the door, she disappeared to the other side as if water soaking in.

I looked at Irmhild. Though she usually smiles cheerfully, this time her eyes were wide.

“Irm. Do you know that girl?”

When I asked in a low voice, she furrowed her brows.

“I don’t… know. It’s like I’ve seen her somewhere, but also like I haven’t.”

Irmhild’s vague memories—could only be from the labyrinth era.

Between her disappearing as if melting into the current labyrinth walls… it’s highly likely she’s not an intruder from the labyrinth’s perspective.

And—this door.

“The Sealed Door, huh.”

Should I say we found it, or should I say we were guided by that girl?

But the design of the relief is quite different from the one I know.

According to Kagehisa’s empirical rules, this relief should have meaning. I should probably memorize it accurately.

If we need to memorize the pattern perfectly, it would be best to leave it to Caduceus.