Where did things go wrong, and how should I correct them?
My first decision to tell Yernil to be quiet wasn't wrong. In fact, I should have silenced her from the beginning. If she has the energy to chatter, she should use it to check the ground, the walls, and the path ahead again. Don't waste even a moment of focus. We're not on a picnic, and the labyrinth is unforgiving. I should have said that.
"Think."
I have to find a way to overcome this critical situation. Let's start by analyzing our circumstances. We're standing side by side in a passageway about 5 meters wide.
The order is as follows:
Wall, me, Yernil, wall.
The walls are important. Many traps on the first floor of the labyrinth have weapons that shoot out from the walls. Given the walking speed of a human, the primary hit range is approximately 1 meter in front and behind the trigger point.
Fortunately, rolling one's eyes doesn't consume Action Points.
I focused intently on the wall on Yernil's side. There were no "holes" there. No outlets for spears or arrows to shoot out of.
What about my side?
Could something come out from the wall to my left? It could. This all happened at the precise moment I, foolishly, thought it was safe enough to allow Yernil to talk in a low voice. Turning my head toward her, with the hourglass effect active, I couldn't see my left side.
[48]
More than 10 seconds have already passed.
"Let's use some Action Points."
It's a waste of Action Points, but time is even more precious. I turned my head to the left, rolling my eyes as far as they would go.
[Action Points: ■■■□]
Human peripheral vision is about 200 degrees horizontally. Although the ability to distinguish objects at the edges is weaker than the center, I should still be able to spot the small, 2-centimeter-diameter holes I'm looking for on the wall, even if only roughly.
[Action Points: ■■□□]
Turning my head about 30 degrees cost me 2 points of Action Points, but I assessed the wall on my left.
"No holes."
This isn't a wall-triggered trap.
"What if it's a falling trap?"
A log or something might swing down from above like a pendulum. I rolled my eyes upward to examine the ceiling.
"It looks okay."
I can't be 100% certain, but based on my in-game experience, if there were a ceiling trap, there should be a slight difference in the ceiling's appearance.
Is the Only Remaining Possibility a 'Floor Trap'?
I mentally list the types of floor traps I've encountered on the first floor of the labyrinth.
1. Rising Spike Trap
Spikes will shoot up from below Yernil's feet, piercing through her foot and wrecking it. I won't be hurt, but she'll struggle to walk properly.
2. Explosive Nail Trap
Not only will her left foot get shredded, but likely her entire lower body and my right leg, which is beside her, will be torn to pieces. It would be a severe injury for me and a fatal one for her.
3. Gas Trap
Poison or sleeping gas will erupt from beneath her foot, incapacitating us both. Either way, we end up as monster food.
4. Fall Trap
The floor will drop, plunging us to the second floor of the labyrinth. In that case, our chances of survival are slim to none.
"What to do?"
For types 1 and 4, there's nothing I can do; we'd be at the mercy of luck since the trap is already triggered. But types 2 and 3 are different. Those only activate when she lifts her foot from the spot.
When the hourglass effect ends, Yernil will likely lift her foot by reflex, continuing her step. How do I know? Her heel is already off the ground.
[20]
[19]
[18]
Then, I realize something. This isn't trap type 1. The clue is the timing of the hourglass's activation. The hourglass didn't activate until the fat one and the fanatic died impaled by the spear. If the button beneath Yernil's foot activated a spike trap, she would be the only one affected. This selfish hourglass wouldn't activate if only she were in danger.
Therefore, it must be one of traps 2, 3, or 4. All would threaten me the moment they activate.
[6]
[5]
[4]
"Argh!"
Frustration surged, and I shouted.
"I'll step on it."
It's the only option. This way, I can prevent traps 2 and 3 from triggering. Though if it's trap 4, we're doomed either way. I hope it's anything but that.
With my remaining Action Points, I pushed my right foot toward Yernil's side.
[All Action Points has been exhausted.]
[End Turn]
Tap!
My toe barely touched the edge of the button.
"Ahh!"
At the same time, Yernil stumbled over my foot. From her perspective, it must have seemed like I tripped her out of nowhere.
"W-why did you…?"
She caught herself from falling and asked, confused.
"…You stepped on a trap, Yernil."
"A trap?"
Thankfully, it wasn't trap type 4. The floor hadn't collapsed, and we were still on the first floor of the labyrinth. And it wasn't type 1 either. This was either the explosive nail or gas trap.
"It's a trap that activates the moment you lift your foot. To stop it from going off, I had no choice but to press down on it myself."
"…"
Yernil looked extremely flustered.
"R-really? I'm so sorry… what should we do?"
There's one way to disarm this type of trap: placing a heavy object on it instead.
"Yernil, do you remember the two barrels we passed on our way here?"
"Yes."
"Could you bring one here?"
***
I was confident Yernil wouldn't betray me. Given her terror of the labyrinth, losing her last party member and being left alone would be her worst nightmare. Plus, since the barrels were on the path we'd already cleared, it was highly unlikely she'd encounter any monsters on her way.
So, I believed she'd succeed with this mission. Still, with her gone, my mind couldn't help but feel unsettled.
It's been 30 minutes since she left.
'Why isn't she back yet?'
One by one, ominous thoughts began surfacing. What if something unexpected happened to her? There were no monsters on our path, but could one have wandered in from another passage? What if Yernil encountered it and was killed?
'Or… what if there's another trap?'
What if there was a trap we were lucky enough to avoid, but Yernil stepped on it and was blown up? Was it a mistake to take her place on this trap? If it's the gas trap, we'd both die. But if it's the explosive nail trap, I'd have survived. Yernil would bleed out and die, but I could still limp forward.
Should I have clung to that hope instead?
Or, what if I had held Yernil in place after stepping on the button myself? I could have ordered her to keep her foot on it while I went to get the barrel. Maybe that would have been better. If she was too scared to keep her foot down, I could have threatened her, even with my wand or fist. Frightened as she is, she would have followed my orders. I should've left her here and fetched the barrel myself. Regret washes over me, thinking I was too gentle.
'I should have been more selfish.'
It wasn't that I had any particular regard for her, but this was a matter of life and death. Frustration and regret boiled within me at my lack of cunning.
Just then…
"Caleb! I brought it!"
Yernil appeared, struggling with the weight of a barrel.
"Sorry it took so long. It was too heavy…"
My grim thoughts finally faded, and I returned, somewhat, to a civilized leader who valued honor and empathy. Humans are cunning and quick to adapt.
"Please place it next to my foot, right on this stone tile."
"Yes!"
Once we had the barrel in position and secured a safe distance, I took out a magic wand—the 'Telekinesis' wand we took from the fat man. It had the longest range of any magic I currently had.
"I'll knock over the barrel now."
I needed to check the trap. Was it truly the explosive nail trap or the gas trap, as I'd calculated? Or could it be something else entirely? If it's the latter, future challenges will be much more complicated.
"Move, invisible hand."
At my incantation, telekinetic energy nudged the barrel's edge, tipping it over.
Thud.
The barrel toppled, rolling off the button, and the moment it did—
BOOM!
A fierce explosion sent nails flying.
"Eek!"
Yernil shrieked, while I breathed a sigh of relief. My calculations were correct.
***
After the trap incident, Yernil's gaze toward me had shifted slightly. If it were a matter of affection, I'd feel more comfortable, but this was almost reverential, like worship.
Please, don't look at me that way. I acted purely for my own sake. I even regretted not leaving you to hold down the button while I fetched the barrel.
Let's imagine the cruelest possibility: what if that trap had been the spike trap, only hurting Yernil? Would I have still taken the risk and stepped on it to disarm the explosion? I'm not so sure. I only stepped in to avoid injury myself, gambling on the three possible outcomes: I die alone, we both die together, or we both survive. Seeing her look at me with such admiration makes me feel, honestly, a bit embarrassed.
However, there was a positive effect to her feelings toward me.
"Somehow… I feel like we might make it out of here alive."
She'd grown optimistic about our survival. Watching me swiftly eliminate two goblins and handle the trap boosted her confidence in me. For my part, her trust is also beneficial. Yernil will now follow my instructions without hesitation, which is essential. In the game, I controlled all four party members, but here, I can barely manage on my own.
Having party members who respond precisely to my commands is crucial for victory. I need party members who trust me that deeply. Yernil may lack combat prowess for now, but I see potential in her if she can grow effectively. She may need a different role than a mage, though.