Chapter 165 The Women Who Greeted the Morning
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The following morning, we awoke within the embrace of plush, downy beds.
Having cleansed our bodies with an abundance of hot water, partaken in a nourishing meal, and rested atop high-quality linens, our physical condition had improved significantly compared to the previous day.
Since yesterday, it has been one astonishment after another. The toilet, in particular, was the most startling revelation. Every trace of waste vanishes completely. Even Guru Esrain¹ admitted that the underlying mechanism was beyond her comprehension.
Before long, the chamber door creaked open, and we congregated in the grand hall. The maid with closed eyes stood waiting; following her lead, we were permitted a morning bath. After finishing another sumptuous breakfast—just as grand as the night before—we were once again gathered in the hall.
”The King of the Magic Labyrinth² will arrive momentarily. Everyone, remain on standby as you are,” the maid said.
Finally, the moment arrives…. Given the lavish hospitality we’ve received, they likely intend to negotiate, perhaps asking us to overlook Princess Liliarette’s abduction. I have no intention of entertaining such a request, of course.
I shifted closer to Guru Esrain and addressed her in a low whisper.
”Guru Esrain. Is it feasible for your sorcery to take that maid hostage?”
”…It would be difficult. You must be aware of her prowess as well,” Guru Esrain replied.
”That is true…” the knight leader said.
That maid, despite her closed eyes, possesses the strength to suppress every one of us single-handedly. It seems even Guru’s sorcery would struggle to find an opening.
(Yet, to think there is a man who commands such a powerful individual, a master of levitation sorcery, and even tames a massive spider demon monster… just who is this King of the Magic Labyrinth?)
He represents a undeniable threat to the Kingdom. However, if that power were wielded for the sake of Lord Viorga… perhaps I could personally intercede to lighten the charges for kidnapping the Princess.
Just as those thoughts crossed my mind—
”…Eh?”
Without a sound, a man and a fairy had manifested directly beside the maid with closed eyes.
What is the meaning of this…!? When did this man appear!?
A wave of shock rippled through the others, and a stir began to rise among them. The maid raised her voice to cut through the commotion.
”Silence. You stand before the King of the Magic Labyrinth.”
”Wh…!?”
This… this man is the King of the Magic Labyrinth…!? No matter how I look at him, he appears to be nothing more than a grimy commoner!
I had assumed that someone who amassed such wealth and commanded so many powerful subordinates would be a man of high nobility—perhaps not equal to Lord Viorga, but certainly close.
”Greetings. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I trust everyone had a restful night?” the man asked.
His voice lacks any sense of authority or drive. By all appearances, he does not possess the qualities of a ruler.
Does that maid truly serve this man…?
”Now then… regarding your situation. You have trespassed into my Dominion³ without an invitation. I shall give you a choice: you may live out the rest of your days within this space… or you may leave here as my maids.”
”What…?”
”Excuse me…?”
What is this man saying?
To take us, the proud knights of the White Lily Knight⁴, and demand we choose between death or servitude as maids…?
”Mind you, the standards for maids here are exceptionally high. In your current state, you are far from qualified to serve me. I intend to have you undergo a period of training; should you pass, I may consider letting you go,” the man said.
Not a single word of apology for the kidnapping or for setting that beast upon us—instead, he demands our service as maids!? Cur…!
I gauged the position of the maid with closed eyes. She had moved to the corner of the room. From here, I am closer to the man than she is.
(If I can take the King of the Magic Labyrinth hostage, we can all escape. We could even seize the riches of this land and transport them back to the Kingdom…!)
He clearly hasn’t a lick of physical training. Even without my weapon, I am stronger. Even if he is a talented sorcerer, he is finished once I restrain his body.
I cast a fleeting glance toward Guru Esrain. She seemed to grasp my intent instantly. I began to close the distance to the man, inch by agonizing inch. Then, I lunged.
(I have him…!)
The moment I made contact with the King of the Magic Labyrinth, I executed a swift inner-thigh sweep to take him to the floor. I pinned both his arms behind his back and straddled him as he lay prone.
”Don’t move! At the first sign of a suspicious move, I’ll kill him!” the knight leader shouted.
Guru Esrain rushed to my side, leveling her finger at the man who claimed to be the King. Her fingertip emitted a faint, ominous glow.
With this, even that maid won’t dare move an inch…!
”I suppose I should ask. King of the Magic Labyrinth, do you require assistance?” the maid asked.
”Oh dear, oh dear, King of the Magic Labyrinth~! You really are too kind, offering to take in such a wild filly as a maid~!” the fairy chimed in.
Despite the situation, there wasn’t a hint of tension in their voices. On the contrary, they sounded almost entertained.
What are they thinking…? Their master is in a dire predicament. Or perhaps… this man truly is incompetent, and they don’t actually respect him as their lord?
If that’s the case, this is an opportunity. Those maids are undeniably powerful; I could introduce them to someone far more deserving of their loyalty.
That was the thought in my head the moment it happened.
”Eh…”
Without warning, a myriad of light spheres materialized around me. There were so many… too many to count.
Because I was busy pinning the King to the floor, I couldn’t move from my spot. One of the spheres brushed against me.
”Ugh!?”
The heat was intense! Even one was scorching, and dozens more were drifting toward me… or so I thought, before they suddenly accelerated with terrifying speed.
”Agaah!?” the knight leader screamed.
Unable to dodge, I was pummeled by several spheres. The force was substantial. I was thrown from the man’s back and went rolling across the floor.
The instant I was clear, Guru Esrain launched a chain woven from magic power toward the man on the ground.
Securing the target’s person was paramount—it was the right call. However…
”……!?”
The chains were deflected just before reaching him. Then, with the glowing spheres still hovering in the air around him, the man slowly rose to his feet.
* * *
Honestly… I saw this coming. Ami-chan told me that in this situation, they would almost certainly try to take me hostage.
But I didn’t expect to get slammed into the floor as their very first move. I even cut the inside of my mouth. Haaa….
(…………And after you barged in here on your own! Even though I gave you such a warm welcome yesterday…!)
I went out of my way to build a public bath large enough for everyone, prepared meals, and even made sure every single person had their own bed!
And this is the thanks I get!? Suddenly lunging at me and violently throwing me onto the ground…!
Normally, there’s a bit of back-and-forth first, right!? And where’s the gratitude? How about a ‘Thank you for the wonderful meal and the bath’!?
I’m sure this woman judged me based on my looks. She probably thought she could easily suppress a guy like me, didn’t she?
Idiot! As long as I’m within my Dominion, I can perform teleportation to the Chamber of the Great Phantasmal Soulstone⁵ from anywhere! Physical restraint was never an option to begin with!
Attacking me because you thought you could win, despite knowing absolutely nothing…!
I bet your life has been a breeze up until now, looking down on everyone else! Ah, just thinking about it makes me envious!
But this is my kingdom…! I’ll make you realize exactly who it is you’ve laid your hands on…!
With that thought, I took control of the light bullets from my Slave of Love⁶ skill, Seikou⁷. Removing their piercing power, I slammed them mercilessly into the women before me.
”Kyaaaaa!?”
”Aguu!?”
Dozens of light bullets per second battered the women. Without the ability to penetrate, the bullets instead inflicted heavy blunt-force trauma across their entire bodies.
I was particularly thorough with the woman who tackled me and the one who tried to use sorcery. Both were now collapsed on the floor, unable to move.
Once I had sufficiently beaten them all, I dismissed the light bullets. Not a single woman remained standing.
”Ah… and here I was, hoping we could get along. I even prepared that lavish meal yesterday…. I really didn’t think you’d suddenly attack me.”
”Uugh…”
”It hurts…”
Well, that was a lie. I actually intended to provoke them until they attacked me.
It’s the ‘carrot and the stick’ approach I came up with after getting some pointers from Ami-chan.
”I understand your feelings perfectly now. In that case, I suppose I should treat you accordingly… right?”
As I raised my right arm, a section of the ceiling slid open. Ten combat maids descended with stylish, rhythmic thump thump thump sounds.
”It seems a bit of basic education is required before we even get to the maid training. Strip them of their clothes. Then, restrain their arms behind their backs.”
—
Summary:
The captured female knights enjoy a night of luxury before meeting the ‘King’ of the labyrinth. Disappointed by his common appearance, the knight leader attempts to take him hostage. The King easily retaliates using magical light spheres, revealing his absolute control over the territory. He decides to strip and restrain them, beginning a harsh ‘education’ process.
—
Character Insight:
The Knight Leader’s hubris is her downfall; she interprets the King’s hospitality as weakness and his appearance as insignificance. Conversely, the King reveals a vengeful streak, feeling personally insulted that his ‘hospitality’ wasn’t appreciated with gratitude. His shift from a ‘generous’ host to a cold warden shows his willingness to use his absolute power to break the spirit of those who defy him.
—
Behind the Scene:
The concept of ‘Ame to Muchi’ (Carrot and Stick) is central here, showing the King’s attempts at psychological manipulation. The introduction of the ‘Combat Maids’ suggests a highly organized hierarchy within the labyrinth that the knights completely underestimated.
—
T/L:
Notes:
• Esrain – One of the four Great Gurus of the Emmeld Kingdom. She is the youngest among them and is considered to be at the peak of her magical power. She has beautiful white hair in a short cut and sleepy-looking eyes. Her height is 150cm with a D-cup bust size. She has a youthful, petite facial appearance.
• Liliarette – The other Princess, who sacrificed her ability to walk and her sorcery talent to save her sister, Cleonora. She is imprisoned in the East Tower and is being used as a political and monetary pawn by Viorga. C-cup, true golden hair, waist-length hair, the fringe was a slightly blunt, hair on her left side was braided to the chest.
• Viorga – The First Princess of the Emmeld Kingdom. She is a beautiful, young woman with long golden hair and sharp blue eyes, always dressed in an elaborate crimson and gold royal gown. She is utterly ruthless, viewing all people—including the summoned Heroes and her own family—as disposable assets in her political games. Looks like Aileen Lauren from certain series.
• Ami – A palm-sized fairy-like being from a world separate from both Earth and the isekai realm. She has light blue hair tied in a ponytail, mischievous blue eyes, and tiny wings that flutter behind her. Her outfit consists of a provocative high-cut leotard and a short jacket that looks like a miniskirt from the back, leaving her legs bare. Despite her playful appearance, she is actively searching for a contractor who can protect her from dangerous pursuers in exchange for the powers she offers.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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