Chapter 48: This Is Only the First Step
Chapter 48: This Is Only the First Step
—Hoo!
Having finished its task, Maku gently patted each of our heads with its long trunk and then tore open space and returned to wherever it had come from.
Only then did Pendrick collapse onto the ground and smile faintly.
“…Is it over?”
“Yes.”
“I feel like I’m dying.”
The mental pressure from the King of the Dead and the backlash from using the second star, Merak.
After suffering such severe shocks both physically and mentally, exhaustion was inevitable.
“You worked hard. You too, noona.”
“……”
Rosalia, who had been supporting herself against me, stood on her own feet and tapped my arm three times.
I sat down beside Pendrick, but it didn’t take long before I gave up and flopped down next to him.
For a moment we simply stared at the pure white sky.
Then I casually asked,
“Pendrick, how was your first expedition as a member of the Moon Exploration Party?”
“It was incredibly fun….”
Pendrick answered immediately, then spoke again after a short silence.
“But it was also incredibly difficult. Do you plan to keep doing explorations this intense?”
Did that even need an answer?
It was obvious.
—Thank you very much, Kar.
Astrimia, resting on Pendrick’s chest, turned the tip of her blade toward me.
—Thanks to you, I was freed from my curse. This is a debt I could never repay with words….
“A debt? Between companions? Let’s just say we helped each other. You don’t have to repay me. I’m a half-elf who gets unbelievably happy just hearing a single thank-you.”
—Alright.
Astrimia laughed lightly, then spoke together with Pendrick.
—Thank you sincerely for helping us.
“Thank you, Captain!”
Still lying down, I simply nodded.
Then I spoke again.
“See? You did well to trust me first. I didn’t betray you after all.”
—Honestly, the fact that you didn’t betray us almost feels like a betrayal!
“Judging by that reaction, maybe I should have betrayed you once.”
While Astrimia and I joked around, Rosalia brought me the treasure chest that had appeared beside the gate.
The reward for clearing Nightmare World.
Inside were items worthy of the hardship we had endured.
“Rosalia, could you open it for me?”
The red-haired elf nodded and opened the lid immediately.
Inside were three rewards.
A plant nutrient solution glowing with a mysterious color.
A rather stylish sword sheath.
And a white universal Mystery Tome usable by any class.
—Oh?
Quick-witted as always, Astrimia was the first to notice something.
—These all seem like items each expedition member would want.
“That’s right. Dreams allow anything to happen.”
When Nightmare World was cleared successfully, each explorer received a tailored reward that matched what they needed.
However, the item still had to be one of the rewards normally available in C-rank labyrinths or lower, meaning it wasn’t always exactly what the explorer wanted.
Fortunately, judging by everyone’s expressions, there was no disappointment.
“Astrimia, your wisdom is just as beautiful as your blade.”
—You’re stating the obvious!
“Captain, your looks are quite impressive too.”
“Isn’t that obvious as well?”
We exchanged warm compliments while collecting our rewards.
“……”
Rosalia’s item was Mercy of Meterd, which looked like plant fertilizer.
It was a potion that could raise the rank of the growth-type innate mystery Fresh Companion, possessed by plant elves.
“Asmi, how is it?”
—It feels quite cozy!
The reward for the two lovers was Hall of Swords, an artifact sheath capable of storing multiple swords at once.
And mine—
Mine was a Mystery Tome that appeared in Zone 1 labyrinths, which cultists rarely entered, making it difficult to obtain at this point.
《Tier-3 Mystery Tome — Fragment of the Colossus》
《Physical status abnormalities can no longer affect your vitality. However, their mental impact is doubled. It has drawbacks, but it suits your grotesquely primitive and crude combat style.》
The pain remained, and the mental burden increased.
But at least my stamina would no longer be affected.
With this, I could fight even more violently and learn mystical abilities more boldly.
“Does everyone like their rewards?”
Just like in the Blood Bird labyrinth before, I activated my usual “please carry me” move on Rosalia.
“Then let’s return and rest.”
Rosalia shook her head but still lifted me easily.
Watching this, Pendrick grinned.
“You two seem very close.”
“……”
“Haha, Assassin. Don’t glare at me like that. Anyone can see you’re close. Right, Asmi?”
—Aren’t they best friends?
“That’s correct. Rosalia and I share an unbreakable friendship and camaraderie. We could even drink each other’s blood. Noona, do you like me more than the young master now?”
“…Die.”
“Hmm, please don’t pinch my side. I think some flesh came off.”
—Honestly, you deserved that.
Thus the three-member Moon Exploration Party completed its expedition in a relaxed mood.
C-Rank Labyrinth.
Nightmare World.
After several days of hardship, it was finally cleared.
Eastern Lively Promenade, District 3.
Among the many entertaining establishments lining the street, the largest tavern—Wise Drinking—was packed with people once again.
The place buzzed with chatter and noise.
Without leaning close, it was hard to even hear the person sitting beside you.
Yet despite the chaos, it was a tavern worth visiting at least once.
“Ahh… this is really good!”
Pendrick had already emptied three beer mugs the size of an orc’s fist and was smiling brightly.
“The drinks at my old workplace, Silence of the Lambs, weren’t bad either. But they still can’t compare to beer managed directly by dwarves from the Eastern Continent.”
“The craftsmanship of dwarves is famous, after all. And the wheat used here is grown by elves, so the depth of flavor is unmatched.”
I bit into a perfectly grilled sausage.
The beer was delicious, and so were the other dishes.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything like whole raw onions loaded with wasabi—one of my personal favorites.
“Assassin, how is it? Does it suit your taste?”
Pendrick asked with a cheerful smile.
The elf lowered part of her mask, drank some alcohol, then slightly raised her chin.
“Hmm. Does that mean it’s good?”
The genius swordsman still hadn’t learned to interpret the overly quiet assassin’s signals.
But I understood immediately.
“It’s decent, but a little disappointing. She’s used to higher-quality alcohol.”
—…That tiny movement contained all that?
Astrimia, leaning against the chair beside Pendrick, sounded bewildered.
—It might be impossible for me to get close to her.
“……”
Rosalia showed no interest in becoming close to an Ego Sword either.
She calmly placed fresh salad on her plate.
Then she pulled a purple vial from her shadow.
It was the poison Bleak Future, a prize she had won at the casino earlier.
Drip.
Smiling faintly, Rosalia poured the poison—whose effect was to slowly melt one’s organs over the course of a year—onto the vegetables.
A dressing so extreme that even influencers obsessed with short-form trends wouldn’t dare imitate it.
“…That’s a unique sauce.”
—…Please stop her, Kar!
“Noona, give me some too. Last time I tried it, the feeling of my digestive system collapsing wasn’t bad.”
—Ah! You’re even crazier!
Pendrick forced a polite interest.
Astrimia trembled in horror.
Meanwhile, Rosalia quietly chewed her purple salad.
Watching my expedition members enjoying food and drinks after clearing Nightmare World made me strangely happy.
Is this what it feels like to be a party leader?
“Everyone. Let’s enjoy ourselves today.”
We had suffered for days clearing the labyrinth.
Today we could relax.
Honestly, I planned to rest for two, three, maybe even four days.
Nod.
Rosalia tilted her head in agreement.
“Captain, may I order one more drink?”
“You can order ten more. If you want, get the most expensive food as well.”
“Whoa! Captain, you’re generous!”
“I have plenty of money. People might misunderstand because I’m a cultist, but I didn’t steal it. I earned it honestly clearing labyrinths.”
“Ah, then I won’t hold back. Today’s a good day!”
Just as Pendrick called a server to order the chef’s special dish—
“Good evening.”
A dog beastman resembling a border collie walked up confidently and folded his arms.
《Hugestis — dog beastman, 34 years old. A strong martial artist. His mouth is a bit loose, but he has a good personality and gets along with many races. An executive member of the Inter-Species Association. It’s worth befriending him. However, he’s combative and might provoke a fight.》
Hugestis.
A fairly famous Level-6 warrior martial artist.
Beside him stood a smaller companion.
A familiar goblin.
“…Hey, brother.”
The goblin Mek—an honest goblin who valued honor over money—shook his head with a grimace.
“I came here for a drink and happened to spot you guys. I told this mutt what happened in the labyrinth earlier, and suddenly he insisted on talking to you.”
The goblin tried dragging his companion away.
“You’ve seen them now. Let’s go.”
“Wait a moment.”
Hugestis stubbornly remained standing and looked down at me.
“You. Are you a half-elf?”
“That’s right. You could tell just by looking at my charming face.”
“You look weak. Feels like your head would burst if I flicked it.”
“That’s probably true.”
If someone poked my forehead with a finger, a neat hole would probably appear.
Then the beastman martial artist turned his gaze to the elf eating the purple salad.
“And you’re a plant elf. No matter how stealthy you are, you won’t avoid my fists.”
“……”
Perhaps because her meal had been interrupted, Rosalia’s gaze turned icy.
Hugestis met it without backing down.
A Level-6 assassin and a martial artist.
The sudden staring contest ended thanks to the friendly genius swordsman.
“I’m not sure why you came, but since you’re here, why not join us? Beer tastes better when shared.”
Pendrick pulled out a chair and gestured invitingly.
Hugestis stared blankly.
Then he sat down as if hypnotized.
“I just ordered the chef’s special. Apparently it’s packed with seafood and has a deep broth.”
“…Really? That sounds delicious.”
“Right? And it only uses ingredients that all races can eat. I wonder what it tastes like.”
“What? A dish like that exists?”
Moments earlier he looked ready to throw a punch.
Now Hugestis was acting like a cheerful fool.
“……”
Rosalia kept glaring at him.
Only when she resumed eating her poison salad did Mek sigh with relief.
“I thought a fight was about to break out….”
“Mek, since we met like this, you should sit down too. I’ll buy a drink to celebrate the clear.”
“I won’t refuse.”
Although it was an unexpected gathering, Pendrick’s friendliness quickly created a pleasant atmosphere.
“Hehe….”
Mek drank the beer I offered and spoke while tipsy.
“Do you know how surprised I was earlier? I was hanging around near the exit when suddenly another door appeared beside the main entrance of the illusionary inn that leads to Pleasure Metropolis.”
“That must have surprised you.”
“You have no idea. Everyone nearby realized instantly—those guys discovered a hidden piece!”
Not only Mek.
Many explorers waiting nearby to challenge other labyrinths had witnessed us proudly exiting Nightmare World.
By tomorrow, the entire District 3 would know.
Our expedition had discovered a hidden piece.
It was an achievement too big to hide.
But it was still too early to celebrate.
Our name has finally started spreading.
Just the first step.
The journey of the Moon Exploration Party had only just begun.
Footnotes — New Glossary Entries
Artifacts / Items
Mercy of Meterd — A plant-type growth potion that increases the rank of the plant-elf innate mystery Fresh Companion.
Hall of Swords — Artifact scabbard capable of storing multiple swords simultaneously.
Fragment of the Colossus — Tier-3 Mystery Tome that prevents physical status effects from affecting vitality but doubles their mental burden.
Bleak Future — A slow-acting poison that dissolves internal organs over the course of one year.