Volume 1 Chapter 50 The True Nature Of The Labyrinth
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Even though the battle was over, Kian knew there was no time to rest.
”Ms. Aliona!”
Kian hurried toward the fallen elf sister, Serena, in the distance.
Serena was badly injured, but Aliona had taken a fatal blow—her back and stomach had been gutted.
Her insides must’ve been nearly ripped out.
But…
”Ugh…”
Aliona, drenched in blood, slowly began to rise, her shoulders trembling.
(What…?)
Before Kian, Aliona pushed herself up with her legs, standing on her own.
Her Western Church robes were torn, but beneath them, her white skin was unscathed.
It was as if time had turned back, revealing skin as smooth as pearls.
”You’ve defeated it.”
Aliona, holding her torn clothes together, said simply.
”Y-yes.”
”What about Ms. Serena? We need to tend to her immediately.”
Without a second thought, Aliona rushed toward Serena, who was still lying unconscious.
Kian could only stand there, stunned, as he watched Aliona use her healing magic on Serena.
”Gh… guh, cough, cough…”
Soon, Serena stirred, her breathing coming back to life.
Her clothes were torn as well, but her wounds had healed, and fresh, pink skin was visible where the injury had been.
”What about… it?”
Serena whispered faintly, her eyes barely open, in evident pain.
”It’s gone. You helped by taking out its right wing. Then Ms. Aliona’s silver weapon pierced it through.”
”Good… that’s good… guh.”
”Don’t talk anymore. You need to get to the Guild’s healing clinic. Your internal organs were only patched up roughly.”
”Oi, Kian!”
A loud voice called out, and when Kian turned, he saw the Pigfoot father and daughter approaching through the barrier.
Robert jumped over the broken wall of roses with ease, landing smoothly and gently placing Esther on the ground.
Esther covered her mouth in shock as she saw Serena, who was now in Aliona’s arms, motionless and covered in blood.
”Are you okay, Kian?”
”I’m fine, thanks. I’ll teleport to the healing clinic since this is an emergency. …This is on me. And they might send observers from various sides.”
Aliona sighed as if resigned to the idea.
She looked around at the group.
”I’ll use my spell. Kian, please take care of the young lady who is lying n*ked over there… Everyone, gather around me!”
”Ms. Aliona, I’ll stay here.”
”What is it, Kian?”
”Hey, are you seriously going on a treasure hunt at a time like this?”
Kian nodded earnestly, while Robert looked at him with a dumbfounded expression.
”The quest isn’t over yet. If we don’t find what we were asked to look for here, it will be a failure, and that’s not good… Serena, as a party member, wouldn’t want that, would she?”
”Shouldn’t you, as a party member, stay by her side at the healing clinic?”
Aliona said, slightly annoyed, but Serena shook her head.
”Money and party points are needed. If this quest fails, it’ll be troublesome…”
”So you’re letting him act alone?”
”I’m fine.”
Kian said as he picked up Sophia, who had collapsed in the mud.
It was ice cold.
He thought she might be dead.
(But… What’s happening to my strength? Serena’s body feels lighter in my arms)
’It must be because you devoured that vampire… Even though you’re human, you seem to have partially inherited their power.’
”──Mr. Robert, please.”
”Yeah… Here we go. Wow, this little lady is heavier than expected…”
”Father, that’s rude.”
Esther said, wrapping her upper garment around Serena’s body.
”So, Kian will stay here alone?”
Aliona asked with concern.
Kian nodded.
”Yes. It’s almost dawn. I’ll find the specified item by the time it’s daylight and return to the East End. The barrier of the ‘Labyrinth of Roses’ had been dispelled too. There was no sign of the ghost appearing, and there was no problem.
”But…”
Aliona hesitated for a moment, lowering her eyelashes, but eventually she began to cast the spell of teleportation.
Kian watched from a distance, keeping an eye on her surroundings.
At that moment, the Labyrinth’s Wall of Roses glowed purple.
”…?”
Kian looked around cautiously.
Aliona stopped her teleportation spell and looked around, dazed.
After a while,
the black Wall of Roses surrounding them had turned completely black for some reason.
The petals were originally black, but even the green leaves and stems had turned black.
Robert approached the Wall of Roses, holding Sophia.
He touched the black leaves and exclaimed in surprise.
”No way, this is all obsidian!”
”…”
As he said, the entire rose garden had turned into obsidian.
The obsidian was crafted artistically to resemble roses, and even a one-meter section of the wall would fetch a high price from collectors.
”Obsidian in the form of roses…”
Aliona frowned in thought.
The group was frozen in place for a moment, but soon they naturally returned to Aliona’s side.
”Anyway, we’re teleporting to the healing clinic now. Kian, are you sure about this? You’ll have to spend the night in this labyrinth.”
”It’ll be dawn in a couple more hours. It’ll be fine.”
”I understand. Then…”
Aliona’s teleportation spell activated.
A gust of wind rose in front of Kian’s eyes, and a black gate opened on the ground, swallowing Aliona and the others.
After a while, silence returned to the ‘Labyrinth of Roses’.
Kian was left alone in the labyrinth, except for the ‘glasses’.
”Glasses.”
Kian spoke in a voice devoid of all emotion.
’What?’
”Who are you?”
’Who are you?’
”Are you, by any chance, a vampire?”
’That”s old news.’
”Are you admitting it?”
’Whether this one is a vampire or not, it does not matter to you.’
”That’s important. I need to figure out whether you’re an ally or not. —Answer me, are you a vampire?”
’This one is ‘glasses.’ Nothing more, nothing less. I do not intend to be your enemy. You can judge that based on my past actions.’
”Even if you were a vampire, I wouldn’t crush you right away. I’ll listen to what you have to say and decide if you’ll be my enemy or not.”
’———’
Kian furrowed his brows, his expression filled with suspicion.
”You’re going to keep silent again? Unless you tell me about yourself, I can’t fully trust you. Pouring magic power into you is out of the question.”
’That is fine with me. I am just a tool. If you need me, you will trust me eventually and pour magic power into me.’
”…”
Kian considered taking off the ‘glasses’ and crushing them with his boots.
But──unfortunately, these ‘glasses’ were useful.
’If I become unnecessary to you, then you can sell me to someone else. I probably do not have the hobby of stalking men anymore.’
”…Tell me the location of the ancient equipment that sleeps in this ‘Labyrinth of Roses’.”
’Sure. I will gladly tell you.’
”Is the equipment buried in this labyrinth the last of the weapons and armor you know?”
As Kian asked, the ‘glasses’ chuckled.
’That is not possible. I am introducing you to equipment that does not seem too weak so you will not throw it away.’
”You…”
’Do Not be so angry. Wasn’t that ‘Nightshade’ gear weak? It was quite useful, wasn’t it? I think you will like this one too. It is specialized for dealing with magicians.’
”———. The balance of power changes in an instant.”
Kian muttered under his breath, his expression twisted in a mixture of intrigue and caution.
”If you think you’re safe, you’ll end up being discarded like trash someday. I’ll never trust you completely.”
’Hmph, as you said──there is one equipment in Izerland’s castle that is been sleeping. This time, you will get your hands on the long-awaited weapon.”
”────.”
’I want it. That is what you were thinking, right? That’s good. You are greedier than anyone.’
”I can’t accept that you’re running on the rails he laid out.”
Kian said this and looked up at the moon.
”Well then, how about a little competition? Before I get my hands on that weapon, I’ll get a weapon that’s even more high-performance than that one. If I can’t do it, I promise I won’t ever stomp on you impact-dynamically. But if the weapon I find is more high-performance, you have to answer one of my questions honestly, no matter what.”
’That is fine with me. It will be good entertainment.’
”It’s a deal.”
Kian said this and started walking.
He began his exploration of the ‘Labyrinth of Roses’ that had become the Obsidian Wall.
’It’s a good night tonight.’
He walked, listening to the voice of the ‘glasses’, and Kian was lost in thought.
(Obsidian to Roses… This phrase, the merchant who sold me the ‘glasses’ had it on his lips. Is there some kind of connection? Or am I just overthinking things…)
After exploring the labyrinth for 2 hours, pondering, Kian successfully found the treasure specified in the request, and with the guidance of the ‘glasses’, he also obtained ancient equipment.
When he noticed, the dazzling sun was rising from beyond the eastern plains, illuminating the beautiful blue and white mansion standing tall in the obsidian labyrinth.
”Thank you────.”
As he gazed at the mansion from afar, he heard a whispering voice in his ear.
He thought he saw brown hair swaying and slender arms and legs.
”You said that next time we met, you’d kill me, didn’t you?”
’But I’ve been released from the contract. That’s good.’
Looking up at the sky, Kian saw red rose petals fluttering in the wind.
They were likely remnants of the creature that had once been Leanan sídhe.
The petals stood out starkly against the obsidian roses, their presence almost unnatural.
After quickly gathering his spoils, Kian turned his back on the “Labyrinth of Roses,” leaving it behind.
(Now…)
If he received an S-rank evaluation from the client, he would accumulate enough points to also earn special party points and get promoted.
Even without an S-rank, as long as he completed the remaining quest, he would definitely accumulate enough points.
Next was the promotion exam.
If he passed, he would become a lower-ranked adventurer.
The gold he would receive from the Guild and the taxes he would pay to the country would increase, the quests he could accept and the places he could go on quests would expand at once.
”…”
Kian turned around from the old farm path.
The gentle morning sun shone in the blue sky, blessing the victor.
Volume 1 Completed
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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