Chapter 598 Return of the Frieda Team
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Frieda’s POV)
The Frieda Team finally returned to Raetia, and it was already past 8 in the evening.
We’d spent about an hour at the hall of the Floor Boss on the 18th floor, guarding the miners investigating the ‘Mithril Vein.’ After the miners were teleported back to the Fourth Floor using teleportation scrolls, we stayed put until morning, just in case. We wanted to make sure the Floor Boss wouldn’t reappear, of course.
Monsters in the labyrinth usually respawn in halls and rooms within 6 to 8 hours.
Floor bosses, on the other hand, take about an hour.
But the Floor Boss didn’t come back.
The next morning, the miners came back and started their proper investigation and excavation.
* * *
”I never thought it would last until evening.”
Mona said, looking completely wiped. Then, she slid off her horse.
”Well, it *was* the mithril vein they’d been waiting for. The miners were probably super pumped.”
I dismounted as well, taking the bags off my saddle and letting out a sigh.
Mona took the reins from me, leading the two horses towards the stables behind the Clan house.
(It’s so quiet…)
I looked up at our Clan house, ‘Rose Hip.’
The lights were on, but it felt deserted.
”Maybe they’re all at the celebration over at Famière?”
”I heard the garrison was wild the day Ms. Liz’s team got back.”
Warda and Berta arrived late and dismounted.
Warda took Zack, and Berta took the hammer from their saddles, then Warda led the two horses to the stables.
The horse following Warda was practically skipping along, it was so cute.
Warda *is* a catfolk, after all.
She seems to have a good connection with horses.
Soon enough, a carriage rattled into view, pulling up with a *clatter*.
Manuela was at the reins, and Clay, Maddy, Amette, and Bernadette were all riding along. They immediately started unloading gear and the spoils of their exploration.
”Looks like things are lively over there,”
Manuela said, glancing up at the Famière Clan house from the driver’s seat.
”They conquered the Great Labyrinth Raetia, after all. Of course it’s lively.”
”Laura’s crew is probably crashing the party too. …Seriously… I hope they don’t get too wild…”
Berta sighed, sounding exasperated as she hefted her hammer onto her shoulder beside me.
”Hey, hey! Are we crashing too?”
”I dunno. Wouldn’t it be rude to barge in uninvited?”
Amette asked with a grin, while her sister, Bernadette, gave her a look.
”We’re back from exploring, so we’re going to use their bath, right?”
”That’s right. Might as well join the party while we’re at it!”
Clay and Maddy, who had just finished carrying our luggage into the Clan house, returned to the carriage, both beaming.
Ah, right… that’s a good idea.
”Well, we *did* promise to clean their bathhouse…”
”Alright! That settles it. Come on, Vice-Captain, lend a hand!” Berta urged me.
I quickly started helping to pack up.
* * *
We finished packing up in a hurry and went to the Clan house across the way, bringing our bath supplies and changes of clothes.
We thought we were being quick, but we all, including myself, took forever picking out our clothes.
”Is it okay to show up at a celebration in our uniform?” Manuela had asked.
That one comment sent everyone scrambling back to get their best outfits.
We’re a bunch of tomboys, but we’re still women.
It took a while for us to get ready.
When we opened the front door, the Snow Wolf’s maid──Suu, I think her name was──welcomed us inside.
It seemed like a celebration was in full swing, and I was about to head straight for the rooftop, but when I told them I was tired from exploring and wanted to use the hot springs, they guided me to the bathhouse instead.
”Laura’s team and the younger members are here too,”
Suu told me as she walked ahead.
I fought against the urge to squish her adorable, twitching tail right there in front of me, and managed to squeak out a response.
”Sorry about the trouble my crew might be causing…”
”No worries at all. Everyone helped with the shopping and preparations for tonight’s celebration,”
Suu replied with a cheerful smile as she turned back to me.
Seriously, these wolf maids here are unbelievably cute.
(Please tell me…no one’s been ‘taken’ by someone’s affections…)
Lord Hiroya, or Lord Gorge.
…Wait, did Master Toldo also have a weakness for women?
”Suu and the others belong to Sir Hiroya,”
Suu, who had been smiling, suddenly raised an eyebrow.
Oops…did my inner thoughts slip out?
”While chieftain Haken, my father, desires to have Sir Hiroya’s offspring… regardless of that, Suu and the others love Sir Hiroya very much,♡”
Suu’s expression immediately returned to a bright smile.
”That…I’m sorry,”
”That’s why…Suu envies Lady Frieda.”
Suu said that and then turned forward again, so I couldn’t see her expression.
* * *
”Everyone…are you all a little too hyped up…?”
”No, that’s what I expect from our Vice-Captain,”
”Yeah, your undergarments were perfect, weren’t they?”
After using Raetia’s hot springs and recovering from our exhaustion, we changed into the prepared clothes…but we stared at each other in surprise, each of us in a completely unfamiliar dress.
Manuela and Warda chuckled at my dumbfounded muttering.
”Well…undergarments are…”
I was embarrassed to realize they had even checked my undergarments, and I lowered my head.
My dignity as Vice-Captain…
”My… uh… underthings? Well, since I’m Lord Hiroya’s… you know… mistress, I need to be ready at any moment…”
”Yeah, yeah. Whatever.”
”Seriously, it’s only the Vice-Captain who gets to have all the fun.”
Amette teased me as I stammered my excuses, while Nele, who knew Lord Hiroya’s “charms,” glared at me with a mix of envy and… something else.
”R-right, let’s go. We gotta hurry, or we’ll miss out on the good food and booze!”
I hurried everyone out of the bathhouse.
* * *
”U-umm, congratulations on conquering the Great Labyrinth Raetia.”
On the rooftop celebration, we offered our most refined greetings.
”Oh! Looks like we’ve got even more pretty ladies here!”
Already tipsy, Master Toldo raised his mug and laughed.
He’s the kingdom’s most respected artisan.
He’s someone we in ‘Rose Hip’ can truly let our guard down around.
Though he’s a bit of a womanizer, he understands our situation and treats us without any… lecherous intentions.
He’s a true gentleman who knows how to treat women.
The same goes for Lord Gorge and Noriss, who are also part of Famière. They’re rare men who treat us without even thinking about our gender.
(Well, Lord Gorge used to be a famous playboy in the Royal Capital, so I guess he knows how to treat women. …And maybe he’s terrified of his wife, Lady Asuka.)
Noriss is completely devoted to his wife, Ms. Lotta.
Feeling a renewed sense of comfort in our interactions with the ‘Famière’ clan, we joined the boisterous celebration.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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