Chapter 2 The Request
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
My heartbeat thudded so loudly I could hear it in my own ears.
We sat in one of the Adventurers’ Guild’s negotiation rooms, the kind reserved only for trusted explorers handling delicate, high-paying requests. Which meant: I, a man supposedly worthy of that trust, had spent half of our meeting trapped in a lurid daydream about my client. The shame gnawed at me like a hidden blade in the dark, threatening to cut through my composure at any moment.
I’d never looked at a requester that way before. If I did this often, the Guild would have long since thrown me out. No—this wasn’t desire born from habit. It felt as if someone else had pressed the scene into my mind, vivid and wrong, like a vision forced upon me.
And the worst part? I knew someone—some malicious creature—quite capable of doing exactly that.
But now wasn’t the time to unravel the truth. Right now I had to appear calm. Breathe. Act as though nothing strange had happened.
”Yuuri-san, are you all right? Did I push you too soon? You only just returned from the labyrinth.”
Unlike the girl in my daydream, Ashley’s face was full of genuine worry. Thankfully, she’d mistaken my distraction for simple exhaustion, the kind that strikes when tension unwinds after surviving a labyrinth crawl. She was wrong, but her misunderstanding saved me. Even so, danger hovered like a blade suspended over my head.
Because the girl from that dream was kneeling right in front of me now.
Ten years ago, when she visited my village for a short retreat, she’d been noisy and boyish. But time had worked its miracles brutally well—Ashley had grown into a breathtaking young woman.
Her face bore noble elegance, framed by emerald eyes that gleamed with intelligence. As a count’s daughter serving the princess, she tied her long, platinum-blonde hair at the back of her head. Even her apron dress—formal wear for attendants—felt reinforced somehow, a subtle strength in the weave that suggested spellwork or hidden armor.
Having someone like that lean close, soft concern warming her features, was more than my composure could stand. I jerked my gaze aside, only to have it collide with the curve of her chest. The apron dress pressed upward, forming lines that could make a monk falter. It was smaller than in the hallucination—but enough to lure any weary mind astray.
Was the dream pure fantasy… or a glimpse of truth from a spiteful, otherworldly prankster?
I dragged my attention back to her eyes, clinging to those swallowing-green irises as though they were safe ground. Beneath the table, I folded my hands in a poor attempt to hide the problem tightening against my pants. Please, I begged silently, don’t notice.
”Haha… it seems I was more worn out than I thought,” I murmured, forcing a smile.
”Anyway, I accept the request. Are there any other details?” I turned toward Roeni, the guild receptionist overseeing the contract.
She skimmed her papers and nodded. “No. Both sides have agreed. I’ll formalize the paperwork and deliver it later.”
”That’s a relief,” Ashley sighed, gracefully returning to her seat. She sipped her drink, voice dropping into a whisper. “With how classified this is, I’m glad everything proceeded smoothly.”
Why would a noble attendant personally carry a contract here, instead of leaving it to messengers? The answer lay wrapped inside the secrecy choking this request.
The Kingdom of Restea—my homeland—flourished thanks to steady internal policy and one crucial asset: the labyrinth.
The labyrinth was an impossible realm: ancient corridors and twisting caves filled with monsters, shifting terrain, and treasures powered by raw mana. Shallow layers even produced food. It was the perfect mine—endless, dangerous, and rich.
And conveniently, its entrance sat right here in the royal capital.
The Guild regulated all resources flowing from its depths, preventing smugglers and black markets from threatening the kingdom. Meanwhile, adventurers like me could gear up and descend at a moment’s notice. It was no exaggeration to say the kingdom’s prosperity was built atop this churning abyss.
So why send a count’s daughter in secret?
Because the origin of the royal family lay at the heart of that very maze.
”Those who would inherit the throne must conquer the labyrinth.”
To claim succession, one had to descend into the shallows and prove strength—not by slaughtering beasts, but by navigating the same threat the first king endured. Skilled knights could guard a princess from battle, but many dangers were invisible: sudden storms, collapsing stone, shifting tunnels, regions where the very map changed each journey.
Which meant she needed more than warriors.
She needed an escort—a guide who had mastered the labyrinth’s cruelty, who could plan routes, ration supplies, anticipate collapse, and keep everyone sharp and alive.
Me.
Ten years of training under veterans had earned me the reputation. I’d managed a quiet living without relying on the “reincarnation bonus” some wicked entity had thrust upon me when I was reborn.
”You can rest easy,” Roeni said. “The Guild does not leak information. Especially not regarding a princess’s exploration. This room has anti-espionage wards.”
”And the Guild’s confidentiality is highly regarded,” Ashley agreed softly. “Besides… you’ve assigned a very skilled guide.”
Her composure melted the moment she spoke my name, warmth spilling into her cheeks. Roeni caught it—and smiled like a cat that had spotted prey.
”Of course,” she chimed. “We would never risk harm to the princess. And besides, she specifically requested the most capable escort.”
Ashley flushed deeper.
That was when I finally understood the shape of things.
The work of a labyrinth guide demands constant tension. Days underground—sometimes more than ten—drain body and mind. Most guides, once they return, perform only the minimum paperwork before collapsing into rest. The fact that I’d been summoned immediately afterward for a negotiation of this scale… it had to mean a personal request.
Ten years ago, Ashley had visited my village for convalescence, and because our ages were close, we interacted. Perhaps, at that time, when I’d suddenly recovered memories from a previous life, something about my slightly older aura left an impression on her.
And yes—her beauty drew my eyes. But she was a count’s daughter, and I was a commoner. Our stations formed a wall higher than any labyrinth floor.
Nobles sometimes absorbed outsiders into their bloodlines if they possessed exceptional skills. My “reincarnation bonus” might have qualified. But the thought of derailing her bright future made my stomach twist with revulsion.
So I sealed my skill completely. Publicly, I lived as someone with no ability at all. And since nearly ninety percent of the population lacked skills anyway, no one questioned it.
Even so, to others we were simply a skill-less commoner and a talented noble girl. No matter how deep her affection, no matter how independent my life had become, a union like that was impossible.
”One of the best is an exaggeration, Roeni-san,” I said lightly. “Still, I’ll do everything I can not to betray the Guild’s trust.”
Neutral words. Polite distance. Enough to act as if I hadn’t noticed the true meaning beneath the praise.
Roeni’s brows pinched in disappointment. Ashley’s eyes dropped, shadows pooling there.
Good. That was how it should be.
To end the conversation, I stood and offered a handshake. Ashley hesitated, then gently placed her palm against mine. Once the papers changed hands, her reason to linger vanished.
”Thank you for accepting,” she said, bowing with elegant, doll-like precision. “On behalf of Lady Marina, First Princess, I offer gratitude. We look forward to your guidance.”
She turned away as she retreated, hiding her face.
…Silence settled over the room as she left, leaving only Roeni and me—until:
”You idiot. Let yourself be swayed a little by her feelings. You’re boring.”
”What are you talking about? I’m being realistic.”
Roeni snorted. She knew our stations were worlds apart. But she’d been the one who looked after me when I first entered the Guild ten years ago. Five years later, she’d retired from the field and married into a baron’s house. Of course she rooted for such stories.
But that had been made possible because she was a combatant of rare skill—valuable enough to be welcomed into noble blood.
A commoner without a skill? He wouldn’t even be considered.
”Hah! You were staring at her chest and getting a hard-on,” she smirked.
”…I have no defense.”
Yes, her tone hardly suited a baroness. Yes, she’d noticed. And yes, I wished she hadn’t said it. But all of it was true.
”Well, it can’t be helped. Those are spectacular. If I were a man, I’d claim them for myself. You were down there ten days, right? Of course you’re pent-up. But don’t make a fool of yourself in front of the princess. Go to a brothel and… relieve things before the day.”
”…Fine.”
I could never talk back to her—mentor, senior, and the most flexible receptionist the Guild had. In public, she was composed and noble, but behind closed doors she slipped back into her old voice, relaxed and familiar.
”Go home for today. And skip the brothel. You’d fall asleep before doing anything, and that’d embarrass the girl.”
”…Understood.”
Truthfully, I had no intention of going anyway. Last time, as “social education,” someone dragged me along. Even sealed, my skill warped the professional’s movements. If repetition risked a burst of uncontrolled power… then I would handle these urges alone, at home, in sorrowful privacy.
”Come pick up the completed paperwork tomorrow afternoon. You’ll be escorting royalty—you’ll want every moment to prepare.”
”Thank you, Roeni. I’ll head out.”
She waved me away, and I trudged out into the night.
The capital was safe, but falling asleep on the street would still end poorly. Dragging heavy legs, I reached my apartment. I slid the key into the lock—and froze.
It was… already open.
Quietly, I eased the door wide.
A savory aroma hooked itself into my nose, rich like meat simmering in sauce. My stomach growled.
”What… what is this?”
A thief? But why would a burglar cook something elaborate on the spot? Confused, my caution loosened. I pushed the door fully open.
And there, in the entryway, someone cooked with practiced focus.
”Oh! Welcome home, Yuuri-kun. Took you long enough.”
”…Huh? Who are you? What?”
A blonde girl stood there.
For a heartbeat, I wondered if she was related to Ashley. But her face, aura—completely different.
”I got bored waiting. Thought I’d pass time cooking, but I may have gone overboard.”
”…???…”
An unfamiliar beauty chatted brightly, apron tied neatly, preparing a homemade meal in my home. My mind couldn’t catch up.
But then—a single possibility surfaced. The only one reckless enough to do this.
It hit me. Hard.
”No way… you’re… the Wicked Goddess!?”
”Uuuh, rude! I reincarnated you, remember? Show some respect…”
Her appearance differed entirely from the barely-covered goddess who’d greeted me in that strange, white void. New clothes, new stature, new face.
But that playful grin—the one that savored my confusion—was unmistakable.
It was the deity who had reincarnated me into this world.
Notes:
• Ashley – Count’s daughter, royal attendant, has a crush on Yuuri.
• Roeni – Guild receptionist, former adventurer, now a baroness—mentor to Yuuri.
• Restea – Yuuri’s homeland.
• Marina – First Princess of Restea—needs labyrinth escort.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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