15. Whores Live in the Temple

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A few days later, Ian stood once again at the entrance to the Labyrinth.

"Sorry, Ian. Sis has to... I'll be back soon."

Today was the day Arcia set off for the deep layers. In truth, she had wanted to take ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Ian with her into the depths. But due to strong opposition from her party members, she had no choice but to give up.

"It's fine. I don't want to head to the deep layers right this second anyway."

Ian said with a light laugh. He'd nearly died just on the second floor. He had no confidence to challenge the depths right now.

Arcia gazed at him for a moment before quietly straightening his robe.

"You really need to be careful."

Her hands retied the knot on his robe firmly.

"Make sure you keep this on at all times. And don't go off with strangers who talk to you, no matter what."

"Got it."

"Run away ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠if it's dangerous. Don't push yourself."

"Got it."

Arcia's words quickened slightly.

"...Don't get hurt."

Ian stopped her there, sensing that if he let her continue, that long thing would start.

"I-It's... fine. You should get going."

He could see her party member waiting in the distance.

"Uuu..."

Arcia replied in a whimpering voice. For some reason, she looked adorable like that.

"Arcia."

Ian gently stroked her cheek.

"Huh?"

As Arcia turned her head—

Mwah.

Ian leaned in slightly and planted a light kiss on her cheek.

"When you get back... we'll do lots of naughty stuff again."

To ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cheer up her dejected mood, Ian mustered his courage and said it.

"I-Ian!!"

Arcia's face turned bright red in an instant. And just as she moved to pull him into an embrace—

Grab.

"Time to go now."

A calm voice interjected. Ian looked up.

A height well over 180 cm. Silver hair cascading down to her waist. A woman with one eye covered by a black eyepatch stood there. She had the air of a classic knight.

"W-Wait a sec, Sion."

Arcia said with dissatisfaction.

"No."

Sion replied curtly.

Arcia tried to resist, but she couldn't win against Sion's strength.

"Take care of the boy, then."

Sion said to Ian.

"Yeah."

Ian nodded briefly. Sion dragged Arcia straight into the Labyrinth.

"Ian—!!"

Arcia's voice faded into the distance.

Once Arcia had fully entered the Labyrinth, Ian felt the gazes of those around him turn his way. Whispers rose from here and there.

"Hey, isn't this our chance?"

"A guy's so damn tempting."

"You nuts? What if that red witch comes back?"

He could hear the voices of beasts eyeing him. He finally understood a bit why Arcia had been so worried.

"Ha..."

Ian let out a short sigh and pulled his robe hood down low. Then he left the area.

The Labyrinth was fine, but right now, there was something he needed to check.

Leaving the streets near the Labyrinth behind, Ian headed straight for the Temple.

Originally, the boon the protagonist was supposed to obtain first was Hero's Heart.

But the boon Ian had gotten was different.

Queen's Toy

"...No way."

Ian's expression hardened.

"Does that mean I'm not the protagonist...?"

If so, there was only one way to confirm it. He needed to check if someone had already obtained Hero's Heart.

The only place to find out was the Temple.

The adventurers gathered at the Temple weren't much different in their reactions.

"Hey... is that guy alone...?"

"Don't even. That's that red crazy bitch's."

For some reason, Ian suddenly missed Arcia.

As he lingered at the Temple entrance, a familiar face emerged from inside.

A nun with long, bright blonde hair cascading down. Sunlight filtering through the stained glass bathed her hair, shimmering like a faint halo. Clear blue eyes and a gentle smile. Standing there in her nun's habit, she looked as saintly as the statue of the holy maiden in the Temple.

"Um..."

Ian called out to stop her.

"Yes? Ah! You're the one who came with Lady Arcia last time."

She was the nun who had checked Ian's boon before.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Riel Riant. Feel free to call me Riel."

Riel beamed and extended her hand to Ian.

"I'm Ian."

Ian lightly grasped her hand in return. Riel's hand was surprisingly warm. A serene aura unique to clerics seemed to flow from her fingertips.

"I see, Ian... such a pretty name."

Riel smiled softly. Ian figured she'd let go around then.

But she didn't release his hand.

"Such slender hands... so pretty."

Her gaze slowly drifted downward. Not to his face, but his hand. His fingers. The back of his hand. It was as if she were admiring it.

Her eyes were clearly pure and saintly.

Yet something felt off. She was staring too long.

"I can see a little why Lady Arcia treasures you so much."

Riel murmured as her finger slowly stroked the back of Ian's hand. Once. Then again. This time, her thumb gently rubbed along the knuckles. It was a brief motion, but obsessively lingering.

"...Hey."

Ian tugged his hand slightly, feeling uncomfortable as he called to her.

"Ah."

Riel finally blinked. But she didn't let go right away.

"Sorry."

Even as she said it, she gave the back of his hand one last soft stroke before releasing it.

As she let go, Riel murmured softly.

"Better than I thought..."

Her voice sank very low.

"Even nicer."

Ian felt a twinge of unease. He'd sensed it last time too—this nun wasn't normal either.

"So, what brings you to the Temple?"

Riel tilted her head slightly, acting as if nothing had happened.

"I want to check the Boon Ledger."

"Of course. Follow me."

"Okay."

Ian followed her into the Temple. Even as they walked, Riel glanced at his hand.

"In here."

She led him to a room deep in the Temple.

The room was quiet. Sunlight through a small window in the wall scattered colorful rays across the floor.

In the center stood a low wooden altar, topped with a single small book. Its cover bore golden glyphs.

Riel lightly pointed to it.

"Feel free to look."

Ian stepped toward the altar. With reverence, he slowly placed his hand on the Boon Ledger.

Whirr—

A ring like an angel's halo appeared above Ian's head. For some reason, he thought he heard a faint "Hehe," but he ignored it and focused on the Boon Ledger.

The next moment, the scene before his eyes warped.

The Temple room vanished, replaced by a vast library. Endless shelves of books stretched out.

"So that's how it manifests..."

Ian had entered the world created by the Boon Ledger. He slowly looked around.

Shelves upon shelves, endless. Countless books neatly lined up.

Ian walked slowly between them. It wasn't long before he found the book he sought.

"...It's here."

Ian's eyes narrowed. A record in the Boon Ledger meant someone had already obtained this boon.

In other words—

"The protagonist... is already in this world."

In the end, Ian wasn't the protagonist.

"What a cheat boon..."

As expected of the protagonist's boon, its performance was on another level. Normally, you only grew stronger upon escaping the Labyrinth. But with this, you could keep growing even during combat. And even after clearing the Labyrinth, you'd get that extra growth spurt like everyone else, on top of it.

And furthermore—

The Abyss layers. Deeper than even the deep layers of the Labyrinth. The longer you stayed, the more your mind crumbled. The air there slowly ate away at you. First came hallucinations, then visions of things that weren't there. Allies' faces twisted into monsters, intact passages writhed like living things. Eventually, you couldn't tell anymore. What was real, what was false.

Once you snapped, it was over. Even survivors emerged broken. That's why most adventurers feared what lay below.

And Hero's Heart was one of the rare boons that let you withstand the Abyss's corruption. Essential, practically mandatory, for clearing the Labyrinth.

"Ha..."

A small sigh escaped Ian's lips. While examining the book, he'd spotted something odd.

"...Why two?"

A chill ran down his spine.

The protagonists of this world... numbered more than one.