Chapter 13: Exploration of the Labyrinth
Now then. I don't think that a map of the Boundary Labyrinth is particularly useful, but that's compared to the usual labyrinth, which can be used semi-permanently once the map is made, be it for the preemptive exploration of unknown areas or for subsequent attacks.
The usefulness of the map depends on the situation or the person. It's not that there's no demand for it, and it's not that there's no way to make use of it even with an expiration date. In fact, it's because there is an expiration date that there is a way to use the map.
In other words, the advance team starts attacking as soon as the day after the new moon and continues until the full moon, aiming to clear the labyrinth and create a map as quickly as possible. The latecomers can then purchase the maps created by the advance team and proceed to the next section through the shortest route.
It's a way to avoid hunting grounds that are incompatible with oneself and advance to hunting grounds that are compatible.
For example, it may be because there are necessary materials that one wants to pass through the intermediate section quickly. It is due to such reasons that demand and supply are established.
However, outside the volume zones, demand and supply often do not match, and many times the maps become expired even when they are put up for sale. Therefore, at the timing of the new moon, requests for map creation are made among adventurers, and it was a scene that could be seen in BFO. It's what you call made-to-order production.
In the current reality, due to the expiration date of the maps, there is a livelihood of continuously creating and selling maps of levels that one can consistently clear.
At the entrance of the guild, there was an adventurer who was trying to sell maps of the shallow levels. If they could sell maps to newcomers, they might make a decent living.
"I want to buy a map, is that okay?"
"Every time! What floor map do you need?"
He answered cheerfully.
"For now, the first underground floor."
The structure of the underground first floor doesn't change. By looking at that map, I could see how useful his own map would be as a reference.
"In that case, it's free."
"Is that okay?"
"The first floor doesn't change. It's a service. I would appreciate it if you could buy the lower floors if you like it. It will be unusable in three days."
In other words, if he showed them the map of the first underground floor, he was confident that they would also buy the ones below.
When he showed it to me, it was a map with quite detailed information.
It seemed like he was considering the person who would use it, or rather, it had a beginner-friendly feel to it.
Well, I liked it, so I bought four maps up to the fifth underground floor. The total price was 16 kiligs.
I went outside while looking at the maps I had bought.
"Oh, so you bought maps."
"Rosetta-san said she would accompany us."
When I met up with Rosetta, who was waiting outside the guild, she said that to me.
It wouldn't have been a problem if it was just the two of us, me and Grace, to exert complete power play in the lower levels. But I didn't want to give the impression that I was being careless and arrogant, so I decided to be polite this time.
"Well, being faithful to the basics does leave a good impression."
I don't know if it's the basics... Well, I'm just doing ordinary things in an ordinary way.
"I know I don't look the part in this attire."
I'm still wearing the same clothes as usual, and Grace is in a maid outfit.
"How about buying a robe or leather armor?"
"I don't want to go back and forth. I want to choose carefully without compromising."
"What about you, Grace?"
When Rosetta asked Grace about her attire, she tilted her head in curiosity.
"Is there something wrong with this outfit? I think it's easy to move in and functional."
"It may be functional, but..."
...Actually, if she were to wear armor, it would only hinder her movements. It would impede her body's motion, and she might end up destroying the armor while moving under her own power.
Perhaps remembering Grace's race, Rosetta seemed to give up on persuading her.
"Besides, Theodore-sama looks great in his attire."
"Well, it's not a matter of whether it suits me or not."
Rosetta looked at me with a perplexed expression.
Well... I suppose so. Grace is indeed capable of her work, and she has that kind of aura, but she can also be quite airheaded at times.
My mother, who taught Grace reading, writing, and calculations, was a relatively laid-back person, and the Gardner Earl's family is also somewhat detached from society. So Grace has been somewhat isolated from the outside world and has come this far.
At least, let's take actions that are faithful to the basics regarding the labyrinth, so that I, Rosetta, as a lecturer at the academy, can get a favorable score.
With that in mind, today I don't plan to delve too deep, but I decided to make some preparations just in case. I head towards the market adjacent to the plaza.
The market in front of the temple handles not only supplies directly delivered from the guild, but also items for adventurers who are about to enter the labyrinth. I gather the minimum equipment such as water bottles, backpacks, portable food, and emergency rations. I take out a staff and an axe from the carriage that was entrusted to the stable, and lay a cloth with a teleportation magic circle inside the carriage. Finally, it's time to depart to the labyrinth. The entrance to the labyrinth is located next to the guild, near the temple.
"What deity is enshrined in this temple?"
"It's the Moon Goddess, Shuasu."
The labyrinth is said to be influenced by the phases of the moon, and it became a Moon Temple because Shuasu is believed to govern the safety of travels and voyages.
Shuasu is popular among adventurers due to her nature. She is known as a gentle goddess with no particularly incompatible opponents even when compared to other deities. It may be a suitable place for various races to come and go.
As I step into the temple with its thick columns, I see a giant statue of the goddess, an altar, and the figures of priests and priestesses in front of me.
In the center of the temple, there is a large vertical hole, and a spiral staircase-like passage continues along the inner diameter of the hole, leading to the lower levels.
The three of us descend the long spiral staircase... and eventually reach the bottom of the vertical hole, a circular plaza.
There, I see the entrance to the labyrinth with its wide-open mouth... and a stone monument emitting a green phosphorescent light.
The stone monument is an object that can teleport you to the previously visited floor or section, but it doesn't respond at all when approached.
No luck. Well, I suppose that's expected. I thought maybe we could go to the floor we had reached during the BFO, but it seems impossible. Since I can't open my inventory, that kind of thing is probably out of the question too.
From the corner of my vision, I see the familiar group of adventurers approaching.
They must have descended to the plaza below the stairs first. The group consists of six people in their early to late twenties. To put it frankly... they don't look trustworthy. They have that kind of appearance.
They pass by me and disappear into the Great Labyrinth through the teleportation from the stone monument.
How should I put it? For now, it's not like they did anything to us.
They just made eye contact. They only teleported from the stone monument at the moment we descended.
Individually, it's just that. It's the accumulation of those incidents that bothers me.
... I should warn Rosetta to be cautious. I don't know her true abilities.
Considering her relationship with her mother and her current position, I can't imagine Rosetta being weak, but I still don't want her to get injured by a surprise attack.
"I'll give you a heads-up about those guys earlier, just in case. It's fine if it's just unnecessary worry."
As I informed them, the expressions of the two individuals tightened.
Waiting for us to descend and then entering the labyrinth through the stone monument is a typical tactic for targeting newcomers.
There are many stories of novice adventurers being attacked by raiders in the shallow layers. Similarly, these shallow layers are also a point of player killing (PK) in the game.
"Shouldn't we reschedule?"
"If we're being targeted, rescheduling would be pointless."
In reality, it's quite difficult to target a specific opponent in the Grand Labyrinth. Since you can teleport to any location from the stone monument, it's impossible to chase someone without information.
On the other hand, newcomers must pass through these layers. Conversely... once you progress to a certain depth in the labyrinth, the worry of being targeted by those types of people decreases.
If there is a reason why they have set their sights on them, where does it lie? Is it because of their attire, because they are children, or perhaps because they are newly registered newcomers?
In any case, I don't feel the need to consider whether strangers will go astray or not. It's a separate issue from security awareness.
If they only possess such a limited conscience, it's not a problem for us anymore. It's just a matter of happenstance that we were present.
"Rosetta, would you give up on traveling the highway just because there might be goblins?"
"You're quite extreme... I wonder who you take after."
"My mother is my mother, and I am myself. If someone gets in the way, I'll eliminate them."
After kissing Grace's ring and putting her in a released state, we proceeded further into the labyrinth from the entrance.
However, there's no need to be on guard against the attack from those guys around this area. It's the first floor we entered, so it's easily noticeable, and we can run and escape to the outside.
Although the entrance area was very spacious, the passageway quickly became narrow and low, branching off in various directions. The white stone walls were made of the same material used in the central buildings of Termuils.
However, I have memorized the layout of this area even without a map. Since there is nothing particularly valuable to gain, I intend to take the shortest route and proceed to the fifth basement floor.
"Light Ball"
Using a second-class light magic called Light Ball as a lantern substitute. Just as the name suggests, it is a magic that creates a sphere of light.
"...Can't you use dark vision magic?"
"You can, you know?"
When I answered, Rosetta tilted her head.
I understand what she's trying to say, but it depends on the situation.
"Then why? Wouldn't it attract attention?"
"The monsters around here are just goblins, kobolds, and killer ants, right?"
I let the Light Ball advance ahead through the corridor.
After advancing through the labyrinth for a while, the light ball flew into the corner and projected the shadow of a goblin on the floor. There were two in total.
"I see..."
Rosetta exclaimed with some admiration.
The moment the shadow appeared, Grace stepped in and swung her axe, beheading the goblin. The sound of moisture could be heard from beyond the corner.
When one of them froze in surprise, I unleashed a fireball without an incantation and burned it down. The monsters around here are not a threat at all, even face-to-face. I have no worries about fighting them head-on.
It's more troublesome to wait around a corner or have an unexpected encounter. If I'm cautious and don't use light, my movement speed won't be slow either.
The problem is... that adventurer group. I hope they have proper judgment and a conscience.
"If anything happens, I'll be the shield. They had bows."
For Grace, who is unburdened... it's not like she'll be hit in a bad spot, but it still hurts.
Ah... I don't like that. Just imagining it makes me feel agitated. It would be a situation where I wouldn't want them to act recklessly. I squinted my eyes and gazed into the depths of the darkness in the unlit dungeon.