Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 104: Your Intentions Don't Matter

Following the direction Fainel pointed out, we came across a long, winding spiral staircase.

"Where does this lead if we go up?"

"It should still be the Lake Section."

"We only have six water-walking accessories, though."

"Ah..."

At Raphael's words, I looked back and forth between Roy, the swordsman, and Helena, who was currently inhabiting the Apostle's body.

We didn't have enough accessories for those two.

"It can't be helped. Those without accessories will just have to be carried or held by someone else."

"You there. Roy, was it?"

"That is correct."

"You carry the porter."

"Understood."

Roy nodded immediately at the Saintess's command.

It was certainly better for me to be carried than to carry someone else. Besides, I had the smallest build among everyone gathered here, so being the one carried made the most sense.

"Next is you."

"Is there anyone who wants to be carried by me? Or anyone who wants to carry me?"

"Hmm."

The interrogators looked hesitant about being carried by Helena. No matter whose soul was inside, she was still in the body of an Apostle.

"Everyone seems uncomfortable. Fine, I'll just use water-walking magic."

"You were a mage?"

"Yes. A fairly famous one, at that."

Helena ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gave a bitter smile at the Saintess's question. If her true identity were ever revealed, it would cause an absolute uproar.

"Then let's head up."

The interrogators and the Saintess put on the accessories enchanted with water-walking magic. I handed my water-walking bracelet to Roy and climbed onto his back. Helena decided to cast water-walking magic on her own legs.

"This staircase is damn long."

"Tell me about it. It feels endless..."

Raphael, who was leading the way, grumbled that he couldn't see the end of the spiral. Paramel wiped away sweat, his face twisted in a grimace.

The stairs were truly, incredibly long. It was a relief that we had wiped out the heretics in the vicinity earlier, meaning we only had to walk. If we had to fight while climbing, it would have been much harder.

"The torch is about to go out."

"Should we just use Holy Light? This place is empty now anyway."

"Yes, Saintess."

Since the heretics were all dead, we openly illuminated our surroundings with Holy Light as we ascended. Even the monsters that usually emerged from the submerged land had been cleared out by the heretics beforehand, so our movement was unhindered.

But why has our luck been so good lately?

Things were going strangely well, which made me feel uneasy. This was the Labyrinth, a place where 24/7 mindless, unfair hurdles were the norm. Why was it so quiet? Was it saving up for one big disaster?

"I can see the end of the stairs."

After two hours of non-stop climbing, we finally managed to ascend back above the layer division.

"I never thought I'd be so happy to see this place."

"Sigh. This is much better than being down there."

The humidity was still high, but because the area was wide open, it felt far less suffocating than the lower level.

"Let's head to the Central Section and rest."

"That sounds like a good idea."

After casting the Bug Repelling Blessing, we headed toward the Central Section.

"Monsters!"

"A large group of mermen!"

The effects of the Exir had already worn off, and the mermen were starting to become active again. Those who had recovered from their stunned state were in a state of extreme rage, and as soon as they spotted us, they began hurling bone harpoons like madmen.

"Roy! Shield!"

"Yes!"

Thud!

I quickly handed Roy a shield, and he skillfully deflected the harpoons.

"Those damn fish-heads...!"

"They're swarming. Let's move!"

The Saintess charged forward, unleashing her Touch Sword Technique against the mermen attacking from the water. Helena quietly froze the lower part of the lake, killing the mermen instantly.

However, even their efforts weren't enough to stop them all. More mermen were flocking to the area. They seemed incredibly hungry and, perhaps due to the lingering aftereffects of the Exir, they had lost all sense of fear.

"Run!"

We ran for our lives. We hadn't come here to hunt monsters in the first place, and there was no reason to exhaust ourselves fighting mermen here.

I could just release the Exir again, but...

The Exir was no longer mine. I had handed it over to the Church in exchange for the Spirit Beast's Heart. Using it required the Saintess's permission, and right now, she didn't seem inclined to use it.

More importantly, I didn't want to pollute the Lake Section any further.

Because it's a water resource.

When I was planning the Underground City development project, this was the most important section. Being able to secure a stable water supply within the Labyrinth provided a massive advantage. Although the water was currently dirty and full of parasites, it could be used for drinking if properly purified.

And for farming, it doesn't even need to be purified.

Magic herbs grow well in the Labyrinth, where mana is abundant. If I sent Lafnel to the Garden Section to set up an alchemy atelier and supplied water from the Lake Section to accelerate plant growth...

I could set up a potion factory inside the Labyrinth.

Potions from the Alchemist Guild are expensive. But potions made by Lafnel would be cheap. Furthermore, if I provided him with research facilities and an atelier within the Labyrinth, there was a high probability he would provide me with medicine for free.

On top of that, if I can use Spirit Chains to dominate the leaders of the indigenous species in each section...

I could domesticate the dogs in the Plaza Section and enslave the hobgoblin tribes in the Ruins Section to use them as laborers.

The Underground City will fall into the hands of humanity.

Of course, it would require a lot of trial and error. But if it succeeded, we would no longer have to fear the 5th Floor.

"Everyone, let's take a short break."

Upon arriving at the Central Section, we all collapsed or slumped to the ground. Everyone was drenched in sweat and gasping for breath from the intense sprint.

"Drink some water and have some jerky."

I provided the group with water and light snacks. Everyone looked like they desperately needed the rest.

*

While the others were resting, I was checking on the Labyrinth vine beans I had planted in front of the gate of the Central Section. That was when Rosier quietly approached me.

"The vine beans have grown quite a bit."

"They have."

As Rosier said, the vine beans had grown significantly. I had planted one at the entrance of each gate, and they were already stretching their vines to cover the gates.

"Lafnel really made something extraordinary."

"Indeed."

Helena, who had approached us unnoticed, also marveled at the growing vine beans. No one had expected them to grow this much so quickly. It was a miracle that they had grown enough to cover half the gate in just twelve hours.

It means the mana concentration has become that much denser.

The vine beans planted at the gate connected to the Garden Section had grown the fastest. It seemed they were growing quicker and stronger because of the mana emitted by the giant. I wondered if I should have Fainel possess that one, or if I should wait for the vine beans to connect to each other before having him possess them.

"I've set up a makeshift shower over here. Let's take turns washing up."

"Me first!"

Paramel and Sasaro had used a tent, a basin, and a bucket with holes in the bottom to create a makeshift shower. Drenched in sweat and blood, we all needed to wash, and since I had a massive amount of clean water, everyone could take a shower.

"Porter, do you have soap?"

"I brought some. Here."

"Hehe. You're very well-prepared."

The Saintess took the soap with a pleased expression and entered the makeshift shower. Since I had brought plenty of towels and spare clothes, it didn't matter if we threw away our blood-stained garments.

Holy crap. The Saintess... wears a thong?

While clearing away the Saintess's clothes she had left in a basket, I unintentionally saw her underwear. Surprisingly, it seemed the Saintess wore pure white thongs. Was it for comfort?

Even her panties are soaked in blood.

After piling up a mountain of corpses, even her underwear was stained red. This wouldn't come out even if I washed it. I should just throw it away.

"Um, Mr. Porter."

As I was putting the group's laundry into my inventory to discard, Rosier approached me. I believe Rosier was next after Paramel. I was going to wash last since I had to take care of everyone's towels and clothes.

"What is it, Rosier?"

"Well... could you perhaps wash my back?"

"Pardon? Me? You want me to?"

"Yes. You're the only one I feel comfortable asking."

"N-no, I mean, if you ask the Saintess..."

"I don't feel right asking the Saintess. And everyone else is a man."

"I'm also a man, though."

"Still, you have a fiancée waiting outside... You're the only one I can ask."

"Uh..."

How was I supposed to take this? Why was Rosier suddenly acting like this toward me?

"For now, uh, alright."

"Thank you."

My mind was a jumbled mess. Just then, Helena, who had finished her shower in the Apostle's body and was now drinking a bottle of milk, casually approached me.

"I wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but I couldn't help but overhear."

"Hey, what do you mean you 'couldn't help ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but overhear'!"

"I said it wasn't intentional. Ahem. Anyway, that young lady just asked you to scrub her back. You, what did you do to her?"

"What? I didn't do anything."

"You didn't do anything, yet a child of the Deer Horn Tribe makes a request like that?"

"Deer Horn Tribe? What kind of nonsense is that?"

"Hm? You didn't know? That girl is a Barbarian."

"....What?"

"Whether she hid her origin intentionally or she's a half-blood, she couldn't hide those incredibly compressed muscles."

"Compressed muscles? No, a Barbarian? What are you talking about..."

"Being a Barbarian doesn't mean everyone is a massive brute like that young man Raphael. 'Barbarian' is just a general term for all the northern ethnic minorities. If you look closer, there are many different tribes. Raphael is just the most common type of Barbarian."

So, that savage physique was the standard for Barbarians, but there were also types like Rosier who didn't show it as much. No wonder she was strangely strong. A common trait among Barbarians was their unbelievable physical strength, and Rosier had always displayed strength that seemed impossible for her build. That must have been the power of the compressed muscles unique to the Deer Horn Tribe.

"She's likely a half-blood. Her speech isn't clumsy like Raphael's. One of her parents was probably from that tribe. But seeing as she knows their culture, I suspect her mother was the tribeswoman."

Helena stroked her chin as she shared her thoughts. This woman had become strangely talkative since gaining a living body.

"I get that she's a Barbarian. But what does asking me to wash her back actually mean?"

"It means she's interested in you. More precisely, it means she wants to entrust her back to you, and she also wants to see if you're truly a man."

"It has such a deep meaning?"

"Yes. I believe that tribe is a matriarchal society. The women choose the men. You've been chosen. You've been given the chance to scrub her back."

"Oh, for fuck's sake. This is ridiculous. I have a fiancée. I have someone I'm seeing. I have a partner."

"...Really?"

"Yes."

"....I didn't take you for that type. You look so innocent, yet you've been swinging your dick around everywhere."

"No, it's not like I wanted to. It just happened. In a way, I'm a victim too."

"Hah. Rosier... of all people, she chose a guy like this."

"Exactly. I haven't even done much for her..."

"Didn't you show her unconscious kindness? From what I've heard, you've taken quite good care of her."

"Well, Rosier is the youngest in the group, and she's my guard, so I just looked out for her a bit more. That's all."

"You brat! You shouldn't just be that nice to a woman!"

"What?"

"I'm talking about you. Do you act like that outside too? Being strangely kind?"

"No, I'm just showing basic manners and courtesy."

Isn't that common sense?

"Perhaps it's because you're an Easterner, but your perspective is a bit different."

"That's..."

It wasn't because I was an Easterner; it was just modern Earth-style behavior.

"If you show kindness recklessly, the other person will misunderstand. That single slice of apple jam pie you gave her so casually set that innocent girl's heart on fire."

"Ugh, damn it. It was just a slice of pie!"

"That's how the human heart works. Understand? People get touched by small things like that. Especially in this insane Labyrinth where there's nothing to eat but monster corpses. A man who talks to you with a cute, protective face 24/7 and gives you sweet snacks every chance he gets? That's basically a proposal. Think about it from her perspective. If the person you were guarding was a beautiful girl... you'd have your answer, wouldn't you?"

No, I just gave it to her so her blood sugar wouldn't drop. She interpreted it that much? Wait, this is like that trope—the middle-aged office worker who thinks the female employee who's nice to everyone likes him...

"Anyway, why does everyone keep saying my face is cute?! I don't get that part at all!"

"Do you not own a mirror?"

Why did every woman who looked at me call me cute? I didn't get it. I thought I looked fairly masculine. It wasn't like this was a world with reversed gender roles. It was just that the women here were exceptionally large and strong. Did Earthlings look cute to them?

"Anyway, by asking you to wash her back, she's indirectly saying she wants to entrust everything to you. Of course, Rosier knew you wouldn't understand. Since she knows it won't lead anywhere, she confessed knowing she wouldn't get an answer. She ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠probably said it for her own personal satisfaction."

Only after saying all this did Helena burst into the laughter she had been holding back.

"But since I've pointed out the true meaning behind her words, you've essentially received a public confession from Rosier."

"You crazy old lady...! Why are you making my love life even more complicated?!"

"It's fun. It's youth. Ah, I'm jealous. I wasted my youth in the Labyrinth. Seeing these young kids enjoying their youth right in front of me... as an old woman, if I didn't meddle, I'd be so restless I wouldn't be able to sleep."

Helena was absolutely loving this. She was practically trembling with joy. It was as if she were watching a teen romance while reminiscing about her own school days.

"I think... I'm starting to understand why you were the Saintess's enemy."

"Yeah, that girl was so ill-mannered that I had to give her some 'true education' and meddle in everything she did. So what?"

"...."

Helena, grinning in the Apostle's body, was incredibly annoying. This woman was far more mischievous than she let on. Her serious demeanor ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was just a mask; this playful side was her true self.

I knew she wasn't normal.

Her true colors were gradually coming out. You can't judge a person by their appearance. Similarly, you can't grasp everything about someone from a first impression.

Just as the tomboyish Yuria was actually a devoted lover.

Just as the fragile-looking Lady Leah was actually a noble with a strong will.

Just as the always-stoic Guild Master was actually an Easterner-fetishist.

Furthermore, just as the dignified High Elf Lafnel was actually a quirky researcher starved for male attention.

And just as the Tower Lord Mabel, with her peerless magic skills, was actually a bundle of inferiority complexes.

Helena, too, had a hidden side.

"This is driving me crazy."

I checked the shower area where Rosier had entered. Rosier, who asked me to wash her back.

Well, I had to do what I had to do. I'd just wash her back. That's all.