Chapter 88: A Safe Labyrinth Where Absolutely Nothing Dangerous Happens
Chapter 88: A Safe Labyrinth Where Absolutely Nothing Dangerous Happens
“Greetings, explorers.”
As we approached the entrance of the labyrinth we planned to enter, a sheep beastman employee began speaking gently.
“My name is Skip, a labyrinth guide affiliated with the Inter-Species Association. Please listen carefully, and I wish you a safe exploration.”
The Inter-Species Association was the most thoughtful organization among Pletika’s six Milky Ways when it came to explorer safety.
If an expedition’s progress inside a labyrinth was too slow, they would even dispatch rescue teams.
“The labyrinth you wish to enter, Cherry Cherry Orchard, is classified as D-rank. Although it is D-rank, its practical perceived difficulty is essentially considered E-rank. That is because there is a being that guides you.”
“A guide?”
“Yes. Once you enter the labyrinth, a paper fairy will fly toward you from somewhere. The condition for clearing the labyrinth is to complete seven tasks following that paper’s guidance.”
For a D-rank labyrinth, the conditions were not particularly difficult.
The employee examined each member of our expedition with faintly glowing eyes before continuing.
“With your Soul Ranks and presence, you should clear it easily. However, you must not become careless. The natural environment of Cherry Cherry Orchard is quite unusual.”
“In what way? Is it a labyrinth from a future where the world has changed strangely?”
At Abel’s sharp question, the employee’s eyes widened slightly before she smiled kindly.
“Explorer, this may seem like a sudden question, but have you ever encountered a race called fairies?”
“…No. That may be because I’ve only lived in the slums of District Six.”
“Even as a member of the Inter-Species Association, I have almost never met a fairy. They do not interact with other races.”
Very rarely explorers encountered them inside labyrinths.
On such days, one should avoid gambling or buying lottery tickets.
One had already consumed all their luck.
“In fact, even in Pletika, where countless races gather, they are rarely seen. They do not even associate much among their own kind. Instead, they live in small ‘communities’ centered around a leader.”
Their nature was extremely closed.
They created isolated spaces using magical-type Mysteries and lived inside them their entire lives.
Abel perked his ears, seemingly understanding why fairies had suddenly been mentioned.
“So Cherry Cherry Orchard is a labyrinth recreating the isolated space of a fairy community.”
“That is correct.”
The guide smiled with satisfaction.
I stroked Abel’s head in place of the employee.
“Fairies generally possess childlike personalities. That is why Cherry Cherry Orchard is adorable and charming.”
“Then it shouldn’t be very dangerous, right?”
This time it was Marlin asking.
Not because she was my ward, but the siblings’ questions were always sharp as spears.
“It is quite dangerous.”
“Why?”
“Because of the childlike nature of fairies that I mentioned earlier.”
A child’s innocence possessed two opposing sides.
Brightness and cruelty.
Fairies possessed both abundantly.
“In conclusion, Cherry Cherry Orchard is cute and lively, yet dangers are scattered everywhere. However, if you follow the guidance of the paper fairy I mentioned earlier, your exploration should remain comfortable and simple.”
The sheep beastman employee smiled gently and even handed us a guide sheet explaining what to do in emergencies.
After receiving the paper, Marlin whispered to me.
“Are Inter-Species Association employees always this kind?”
“Of course. They generously show warm goodwill and kindness to non-human races.”
“They hate humans?”
“They despise and loathe them.”
“……”
Marlin, who had asked the question, and Abel, who had been listening closely beside her, both frowned and looked toward Lucius, the only “human” present since Pendrick was absent.
The upright priest smiled warmly, signaling that it was fine.
“I am a priest of the Harmony Church, so there is no issue. If an ordinary human like Pendrick were here, things might become awkward. Did you send him away for that reason?”
“That is correct. Training to acquire a martial-type Mystery had been planned for some time, and the timing was perfect.”
District Five was excellent in many ways, but it was somewhat inconvenient for humans to move around freely.
Pretending to be a half-elf made things easier, though it only worked for people with handsome appearances like Pendrick.
In this world, excessively beautiful humans were often assumed to be half-elves.
“Do you have any other questions?”
The sheep beastman employee asked warmly.
“No. The Inter-Species Association really is the best.”
“Thank you, half-elf explorer. You may now enter.”
Just as I was about to touch the melted chocolate stuck to the grass that served as the entrance, Rosalia tapped my shoulder.
“…We’re being followed.”
Her voice was faint despite standing beside me, but her meaning was clear.
A suspicious group had followed our expedition.
I was not particularly surprised.
“Thank you for informing me. I expected something like this sooner or later.”
Outlaws.
The biggest nuisance of labyrinth cities—people who treated labyrinths as places of plunder and insulted sacred exploration.
An outlaw expedition had apparently followed us in to rob us.
It was a result of the fame I had gained after discovering the hidden piece in Sanctuary of Restful Purification.
I moved my lips as little as possible and whispered.
“Please trust this clever half-elf Kar. There’s no need to worry. In fact, I chose this labyrinth while considering the possibility of an outlaw attack.”
“……”
Rosalia stared at me.
The same skeptical look I had grown accustomed to.
“Please act naturally and pretend you didn’t notice.”
The assassin, who usually listened well, nodded quietly.
“Let’s go.”
We touched the chocolate entrance and entered Cherry Cherry Orchard.
Whoosh.
A refreshing wind scented with cherries blew the moment we stepped inside.
A terribly beautiful hill welcomed explorers with its bright pink sky and colorful grass.
《D-Rank Labyrinth — Cherry Cherry Orchard》
《As the name suggests, the labyrinth contains nothing but childish scenery. Detailed information omitted since the guide already explained it. Besides, you probably already know everything about it.》
Pyorong!
With a cheerful sound effect, a sheet of pink paper suddenly appeared in the air and began folding itself.
Abel spoke cautiously.
“That must be the paper fairy the guide mentioned.”
“That’s right.”
Flutter flutter!
The paper soon folded itself into the shape of a tiny fairy and flapped its wings while examining us.
Then it spoke dramatically.
“Friends! Please help! Bad children have come to Cherry Cherry Orchard!”
The condition for clearing Cherry Cherry Orchard was defeating the “bad children” across seven stages.
Before beginning the exploration, I encouraged my companions.
“Please remember that this labyrinth emphasizes vacation rather than exploration. As long as we follow the paper fairy’s guidance, absolutely nothing dangerous will happen.”
“What happens if we act on our own?”
“We die to the ferocious snack animals.”
“That sounds fine.”
“…What do you mean ‘fine’?”
Marlin looked at Bartimir in disbelief before nodding to herself.
“Oh right. You’re similar to Kar.”
“Wasn’t that acceptance a bit too quick?”
I patted Marlin’s shoulder and spoke.
“Let’s move. I will lead. Bartimir will take the rear, and Rosalia will stay in the middle.”
After forming a rough formation, I addressed the paper fairy.
“Oh my! We’ll help you! Where should we go?”
“Follow me, friends!”
Flutter flutter.
The paper fairy flew ahead.
We walked across vividly colored grass and soon heard cheerful singing from somewhere.
As I walked along unconsciously swaying my shoulders to the rhythm, a jelly-bodied cat approached gracefully.
— Meow.
“Come here.”
I liked cats.
Their aloofness—approaching only when they felt like it—was charming.
Soon another cat approached, its body made of chocolate.
— Hiss!
“Get lost.”
I disliked cats.
Humanity’s eternal partner was clearly dogs.
— Hiss!
Suddenly the chocolate cat grew to the size of a rhinoceros and swung its claws.
Slice.
Rosalia calmly severed its foreleg and then kicked upward, smashing its jaw.
The enormous chocolate beast’s head exploded instantly.
“…That startled me.”
“Marlin, how can a tiger fear a cat?”
After that, all sorts of cute creatures greeted us.
Even the sun in the sky smiled brightly.
Marlin, walking quietly behind me, tapped my back.
“Kar, this labyrinth isn’t very dangerous.”
“Right. The employee said the perceived difficulty was basically E-rank.”
At the Moon Expedition’s current level, Cherry Cherry Orchard was not a difficult labyrinth at all.
Even novice explorers like Marlin and Abel could explore safely.
“Friends, please keep following me!”
Of course, that was only true as long as we followed the paper fairy’s guidance.
Tap.
Rosalia suddenly stepped forward and glanced behind us.
“…They’ve arrived.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
I immediately released my right eye from its socket.
— Caw.
A blind crow flew away.
Soon afterward, shocked screams echoed from beyond the hill.
“What the hell is that crazy crow?!”
“Kar, what did you do…?”
“Some outlaws followed us into the labyrinth, so I prepared a small event for them.”
The blind crow quickly returned and dropped the motionless paper fairy into my hand.
Only then did Marlin widen her eyes.
“…Wait. Didn’t they say it would become extremely dangerous without that?”
“That’s right. Good memory.”
I nodded while listening to the distant shouting filled with curses.
“Without guidance, Cherry Cherry Orchard’s actual difficulty becomes C-rank.”
Rising rookie explorers were frequent targets of outlaws.
Inexperienced, easy to rob, and carrying valuable items.
Explorers backed by Milky Ways or large guilds could grow safely, but independent explorers with nothing were simply walking treasure chests.
‘Even if he has the Harmony Church’s favor, he’s still a rookie.’
Half-elf Kar.
The weakest class—cultist.
And an elf-blooded explorer cursed if he served any deity other than Meterd.
Despite such heavy disadvantages, the cultist explorer had rapidly built numerous exploration achievements and become famous even in the slums.
“Kar! Remember that name. One day he will surely become one of the Twelve Heroes!”
Valentin’s booming voice constantly shouted praise like that.
How could anyone fail to hear it?
His friendship with the “Heretic Crusher” made even veteran outlaws cautious.
Still, half-elf Kar was prey worth the risk.
After discovering several hidden pieces, he surely possessed valuable items.
“You may enter now.”
The temporary outlaw expedition—united only by greed—entered Cherry Cherry Orchard immediately after the guide finished speaking.
Marsent, a demon outlaw from the slums, believed this robbery would be easy.
— Caw!
“Eh?”
That was before a crow suddenly appeared and snatched away the flying paper fairy.
“……”
Outlaws tended to judge situations quickly.
The foolish and slow did not survive long.
Thus Marsent reached a conclusion instantly.
“…We’re screwed.”