A Shared Shelter in the Labyrinth

After quickly sweeping through the first floor and descending to the second, I was searching for a certain statue. It was a statue of the Hero, from which I could obtain a hidden piece.

'I can't seem to find it...' I thought it would be easy to spot, but such good luck wasn't in the cards today. Because of that, I ended up wandering around the second floor for quite a while.

On my way, I ran into a few other cadets whose names I didn't know. However, since attacking other cadets who held an 'entry pass' inside the Labyrinth was pointless, there was no reason for us to fight. The cadets' competition was solely measured by who could descend faster and deeper. Thus, we barely exchanged words, too busy rushing along our respective paths.

Having wiped out every monster in my path, I leveled up once, reaching level 19. Even with a 500% increase in experience gain, it seemed the monsters' levels were still far too low compared to mine.

On the second floor, packs of goblins appeared alongside the kobolds I had encountered on the first. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠They were common monsters that one could easily find even outside of this game.

Goblins were capable of speech. Just like in the game, they spat out lines like, "No women!" and "Kill the men!"

"Yawn... This lady is terribly bored. We found the stairs, yet you refuse to descend." Sierra yawned as she floated horizontally in midair. She was suffering from sheer boredom. It might have been different if she were ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠watching a tense, nail-biting battle, but since I was slicing through everything in a single blow, there wasn't much of a show to watch.

Since we were on the second floor, I only conversed with Sierra in short bursts when I sensed no other presences nearby.

"The Labyrinth is ultimately a 'dungeon,' after all. I figured there might be something here. Gold, silver, treasures... or perhaps some special items..." I whispered to Sierra as I stepped around a pressure plate trap.

"That aside, you are dodging these traps quite skillfully. Do you possess some sort of trick?" Sierra asked, likely because she could also see the traps laid out in the Labyrinth.

"Pressure plates stick out slightly, making them relatively easy to detect. They look unnatural. As for arrow traps, I can feel the draft of air flowing through the holes where the arrows would shoot out."

In the game, stepping on even a single trap dealt a non-trivial amount of damage and left a sour taste in one's mouth, so I had practically mastered dealing with the simpler ones.

After dodging a few more traps and carving through the goblin packs I encountered, what I had been searching for finally came into view.

'The Hero's statue.'

I walked straight toward it. Up close, it was a statue of the Hero standing in a solemn pose, thrusting his holy sword into the ground.

"Oh? A statue? Let us see... It says it is a statue of the Hero." Sierra read the inscription carved at the base of the statue and relayed the information to me.

Normally, if a player offered a prayer in front of the statue, they would receive a buff called 'the Hero's Blessing.' This blessing would apply to other cadets in the same way. Well, not that many of them would actually pray to the Hero... Even though the Labyrinth's layout shifted, the statue seemed to appear consistently, as this was already widely known information among the upperclassmen.

However, I had no intention of praying normally.

"A crevice..." Feeling around the floor directly in front of the statue, I found a tiny gap. It was just wide enough for a single blade to fit. I drew the Demon Blade and thrust it into the crevice. At that moment, I ended up striking the exact same pose as the Hero's statue before me.

Click.

The moment the Demon Blade slid into the gap, the sound of machinery operating echoed from nearby.

"Hmm...?" Sierra, who had been watching my bizarre behavior, tilted her head at the sound.

Soon after, a small object fell from the ceiling right in front of me. I caught it without missing a beat.

"A necklace... It seems this place truly is a dungeon, just as you said. To think such a thing was hidden here." I nodded in agreement with Sierra.

'The Necklace of the Hero's Protection.' This Epic-grade necklace had the effect of temporarily converting all of the wearer's attacks into the Light attribute for three minutes, usable once a day. Often referred to by players as the 'Hero's Neck,' it allowed the user to unleash Light-attribute attacks, which were extremely effective against demons and the undead. Since there were quite a few demons and undead to face in this game, it was bound to be highly useful. In fact, the boss I would encounter right after the Lycanthrope was an undead.

I unfastened the 'Vibrant Silver Necklace' I had been wearing and immediately put the 'Necklace of the Hero's Protection' around my neck.

"It suits you well." Watching me, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Sierra wore a pleased smile.

'To activate the necklace's effect, I suppose I just need to channel mana into it...' It would be a good idea to test it out beforehand.

That aside, it was about time for the other cadets to pitch their magic tents and rest. Around this time, those lucky enough to run into other cadets would usually take turns standing guard while they rested.

Even if time flowed slower inside the Labyrinth, stamina drained just as quickly. Since one couldn't fight monsters with an empty stamina bar, taking proper rest was essential. It felt like a setting the game developers had shoehorned in just because they wanted to include a camping mechanic.

"Hmm..." I had obtained the necklace, but I had yet to encounter the Lycanthrope. 'Judging by the feel of things, it must be on a lower floor...' The next hidden piece was located on the 12th floor. The Lycanthrope would be somewhere within the first 10 floors. Unlike the other cadets, I wasn't particularly exhausted, thanks to Reina's bracelet. 'Should I head down to the third floor?' With that thought, I was planning to head toward the stairs I had spotted earlier.

Just then, I sensed a presence approaching from a distance. Judging by the sound of the footsteps, it was a cadet, not a monster.

"Ugh... Why is this path so ridiculously complicated? Seriously." The grumbling voice echoing from the distance sounded familiar. If it were Eisel or Kaen, it might have been deliberate, but with her, it was undoubtedly a chance encounter.

"Miss Yuri?" I called out to her first as she walked with her head slumped.

"Zeto?" Yuri quickly lifted her head and called my name. Spotting me, she ran straight in my direction. 'What if there's a trap on the way...?' I worried, but she arrived safely in front of me in an instant, her eyes shining brightly.

"Are you still on the second floor too, Zeto?"

"Yes. Were you also looking for hidden treasure, Miss Yuri?"

"Uh, yeah, something like that...? I haven't found anything yet, though." Yuri twirled her hair awkwardly, looking a bit sheepish.

I already knew she wasn't looking for any treasure. She was notoriously bad with complex, maze-like structures. When the player first entered the Labyrinth, there was a cutscene showing the other characters' reactions to it. In that scene, Yuri was shown casting fire magic at a wall. With the line: 'Can't we just burn the walls down?' ...Of course, the walls remained perfectly intact.

"...Still, I didn't expect to run into you like this. Why don't we form a party? I saw other cadets moving together... I'd like to rest in a tent soon, and we'll need someone to keep watch anyway." Yuri stepped a bit closer and proposed a party.

In the Labyrinth, there was no rule against like-minded cadets joining forces. In fact, it was highly encouraged. The upperclassmen formed parties from the very beginning. The first-years were only now starting to get the hang of it.

I didn't particularly need to rest in a tent. My stamina was perfectly fine. However, with Yuri looking at me like that while asking to party up, I couldn't think of a single reason to reject her to her face.

"Let's do that. Are you very exhausted right now?" I checked Yuri's condition first. Judging by how worn out she looked, she must have struggled all the way from the first floor to barely make it to the second.

"Yeah. Can we rest right now? I've been wandering all over, and I'm so tired. They weren't kidding when they said stamina drains easily here... How about you, Zeto?" Yuri sent a pleading look my way.

"I'm fine. In that case, I'll take the first watch."

"Thank you, Zeto. I'll take the next watch," Yuri said.

'I don't really want to linger on the second floor long enough to need a second watch, though.' I figured I would just brush it off when the time came. And so, we decided to pitch the tent in a suitable spot.

"So this is the Hero... I wonder if this is exactly what he looked like?" Yuri muttered, staring at the Hero's statue. We decided to set up camp in front of it. The area was quite spacious, making it a decent spot. It was time to pitch the magic tent. Yuri pulled the tent out of her backpack. Placing the miniature magic tent—which was under a shrinking spell—on the ground, it automatically expanded in an instant, revealing a large, spacious tent.

"I saw it in our last class, but it really is amazing." Yuri smiled warmly, looking back and forth between the tent and me.

Peeking inside with Yuri, the interior of the tent was remarkably cozy. There were no beds, but a few warm, comfortable-looking blankets were laid out. The magic tent was an item owned by the academy and merely loaned to the cadets, so it couldn't be sold, but if one were to put a price tag on it, it would be incredibly expensive.

"Well, I'll go keep watch now," I told Yuri as she examined the tent. I had already cleared the surrounding area, but since the monsters in the Labyrinth respawned over time, someone still had to stand guard.

"...Thank you. Thanks to you, Zeto, I can rest easy."

"Get some rest." Yuri looked thoroughly exhausted. It wasn't just physical stamina; she seemed mentally drained as well.

'Even with the bracelet, would my stamina eventually run low if I don't rest at all?' I left my backpack inside the tent, stepped out, and squatted down nearby to wait.

"Now that I see it, I understand why women flock to my disciple. You are needlessly kind..." Sierra approached and spoke to me as I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sat. Judging by her expression, she seemed miffed for some unknown reason. Since I was now with Yuri, I couldn't reply to her. Still, as long as Sierra kept chattering away, I wouldn't be bored.

'Meeting the Lycanthrope today is probably out of the question.' Still, I had found the hidden piece, so everything was going according to plan.

'To think I'd run into Zeto.'

The Labyrinth was incredibly complex. I had tried using fire magic to see if I could blast through the walls, but of course, they wouldn't budge. Just descending from the first floor to the second had been an ordeal. Dealing with traps and monsters was relatively easy, but finding the way down took forever. I had even taken out my frustration on them after a long time. The goblins I met on the second floor had rushed at me with their tongues sticking out, shouting, "It's a woman!"—there was no way I could hold back my anger.

I wanted to get some proper rest. Both my physical and mental strength were completely drained. Instructor Edward was truly wicked. He hadn't even told the cadets that they could form parties. 'No wonder the upperclassmen passing by were all moving in groups.' Thinking about it after entering the Labyrinth, if I had pitched a tent alone and tried to rest, only to be ambushed by goblins, something terrible would have definitely happened. I had never been to a dungeon-like place before, so I lacked the knowledge. Either way, I had to find another cadet. But because I had been delayed, it seemed the others had already descended to the lower floors, making it difficult to run into anyone. And then, I met Zeto.

Zeto didn't seem to be stuck like me. He looked remarkably relaxed. Treasure. Edward had mentioned there would be such things in the Labyrinth, but I hadn't expected him to be searching for them starting from the second floor. I had assumed they would only be on much lower floors. It was a clear display of Zeto's meticulous personality. He would be protecting me from the outside. A friend I could comfortably rely on. I felt truly glad that I had become close friends with him.

'I'm thirsty...' I rummaged through my backpack to find the water bottle I had packed.

"Ah..." I shook the water bottle I pulled out, but it was already empty. I had run out of water. I poked my head out of the tent. I could see Zeto sitting outside. I asked him hesitantly, "Zeto, do you happen to have any water left? I'm completely out..." Knowing how shameless it was to ask for his water when he was already standing guard for me, I shrank back. But Zeto simply smiled warmly at me.

"It should be in my backpack. There should be plenty left."

"Thank you. I feel like I'm always imposing on you..."

"It's fine." Hearing Zeto's reply, I quickly pulled my head back inside. Friends. We were definitely friends, so why did I feel so strangely embarrassed whenever I saw his smile?

"Phew..." With Zeto's permission, I rummaged through his backpack. It was filled with all sorts of miscellaneous items. He was thoroughly prepared. I saw the needles he used for the acupuncture he said he was learning, as well as things that looked like medicinal herbs.

'What's this...?' While searching for the water bottle, my hand brushed against a flask. 'Potion of Attraction...?' That was what was written on the flask's label.

'Why does Zeto have this?' A Potion of Attraction. It was a potion I had never heard of before. Judging by the name alone, it seemed like a potion meant to charm whoever drank it. 'Who is he trying to charm...?' A deep doubt crept into my mind. I couldn't picture Zeto buying something like this at all. Yet, here it was, coming out of his backpack. 'Does that mean there's a girl Zeto wants to charm... Who could it be?' Who did he buy it for? Did it even work? A flurry of thoughts rushed through my head.

'No way.' Edward's first class came to mind. He had said that I was the one with the highest affinity with Zeto. 'The person he wants to use this Potion of Attraction on... it couldn't be me, right...?' We had been eating meals together quite often lately. Thanks to that, we had grown closer. I didn't know. It was a silly thought. Zeto and I were just 'friends.' ...In any case, it was Zeto's possession. I carefully placed the potion back into the backpack and finally found the water bottle.

'Let's not overthink it. It might not even be me.' But if it wasn't me, then who on earth could it be? I opened the bottle and drank just enough to quench my thirst.

"Ah..." My body froze with the water bottle still in my hand. Because I was so distracted by the Potion of Attraction, I had put my lips directly to 'Zeto's water bottle' and drank. Since it was Zeto's bottle, he must have put his lips to it too. And now, I had just done the same.

"Th-this is... an indirect..." My face flushed red. I couldn't bring myself to utter the final word. Zeto had sharp hearing, so he might hear me. For some reason, the rim of the bottle in my hand looked incredibly damp. I hurriedly put the bottle back into Zeto's bag, rushed to the blankets, and pulled them over my head.

'Even if we're just friends, he's still a guy, so I keep finding myself overly conscious of him...' Zeto hadn't even entered the tent, yet I desperately wanted to hide my current state. 'I need to rest well while Zeto is keeping watch...' Was it because I had used so much fire magic? Even though it probably had absolutely nothing to do with that, my body kept burning up.