What Can Be Gained from the Labyrinth (1)
The Holy Empire’s expedition party had a few familiar faces, so my gaze naturally kept drifting toward them. Sir Raphael, Bishop Haman, and Priest Cardon. Along with several priests I had never seen before, they were gathered together, speaking with grave expressions.
“Priest Arthur.”
“Yes?”
“Shouldn’t we head back now? The fact that so many people have come out means….”
“Ah!”
The Labyrinth had spat everyone out in order to rewrite its map. It meant that all the people who had been stubbornly holding on inside, enduring their injuries, had now been ejected to the surface.
This is no time for me to be taking it easy.
It was nothing short of a disaster for the priests. For everyone else too, of course, but especially for us.
“Let’s go. There’s no time to stand around like this.”
“Yes!”
We needed to hurry back and prepare before those people regained their senses and swarmed the temple.
The day passed in a blur. Still, the one piece of good fortune was that Bishop Haman had sent additional priests to support the clinic. Their skill level far exceeded my expectations. Even the priests already working at the clinic were visibly shocked by how capable they were.
“They really are on another level. I guess that’s what you get from priests dispatched from the Holy Empire’s capital.”
Perhaps feeling a sense of deprivation at the gap in ability, the junior priests looked noticeably downcast. Even I had to admit that the priests Bishop Haman sent were overwhelmingly superior, so there was little I could say to comfort the fledglings.
“If our priests work hard, they’ll be able to reach that level too.”
“Yeees…”
The lack of energy in their reply told me my encouragement hadn’t landed particularly well.
Bishop Haman visited the clinic once things had settled down somewhat.
“Your Grace!”
“Haha, have you been well?”
“Yes. Were you all right inside the Labyrinth?”
“With the knights protecting us, how could there be any problems? We finished everything safely and returned.”
He still looked somewhat fatigued, but he didn’t appear to have suffered any serious injuries.
“I never expected the Labyrinth to spit everyone out like that.”
“It may be the only mercy the Labyrinth shows to humans.”
“Will it keep ejecting people every three months whenever the paths change?”
“Yes, that seems to be the case.”
“Then to conquer the Labyrinth, we have no choice but to do it within three months.”
Clearing a Labyrinth whose layout was never certain, and doing it in only three months…
“It might seem like an obstacle to conquering the Labyrinth, but on the contrary, it’s also an excellent way to minimize the number of missing persons. And if one truly wishes to avoid it, it’s entirely possible to do so. However, I wouldn’t recommend that method. There’s no telling how deep into the Labyrinth you might be transported when the paths shift.”
If one stopped following the path the Labyrinth presented and simply stayed in place, one could witness the moment the paths changed. If this fact became widely known later, I suspected expedition parties would begin forming on three-month, six-month schedules, and so on.
“There may even be parties that take advantage of the Labyrinth’s movements.”
“Indeed. You’re quite sharp.”
“If it’s all right, may I ask for more details about what happened inside the Labyrinth?”
“By all means. Though I seem to recall that last time you showed no interest in the Labyrinth. What made you change your mind so suddenly?”
At Bishop Haman’s perceptive observation, I honestly explained the current situation.
“Oh dear. Since the paths have already changed, finding that monster will be much more difficult now.”
“Yes. So I may have no choice but to enter the Labyrinth myself.”
“It seems you’ve grown quite attached to that patient.”
His gaze seemed to pierce straight through my thoughts. I immediately confessed.
“I can’t exactly deny it.”
“I see. Our priests are all kind-hearted and sincere when it comes to treating patients. I was the same once. Quite passionate, in fact.”
It looked like my current state had reminded him of his own past.
“When I think back on those days, the patient I remember most clearly is one whose illness was incredibly difficult to cure. The flesh had rotted severely, yet I managed to save him and send him home alive. The sense of fulfillment I felt was indescribable.”
When he empathized with me by saying that Princess Canaby seemed to be that kind of patient for me as well, I felt much more at ease.
“I think I’ll feel the same once I discharge her.”
“Moreover, since she was born of a very special bloodline, successfully treating her would be a great boon for our empire as well. I see no reason to oppose it.”
Fortunately, Bishop Haman did not consider the time I was spending trying to save Princess Canaby to be a waste.
“And honestly, even if it weren’t for the patient, I was planning to suggest that you enter the Labyrinth, Priest Arthur.”
“Me? Inside the Labyrinth?”
Everyone else was so skilled that I didn’t think I was particularly needed, but it seemed Bishop Haman believed the Labyrinth would be of great help to my growth.
“You saw the skill of the priests I sent to support you, yes?”
“Yes. They were all truly impressive.”
“None of them were at that level before they entered the Labyrinth. Their growth came from the varied experiences they gained inside. It’s not widely known yet, but growth is accelerated within the Labyrinth. The difference is roughly three to four times faster than training here on the surface.”
“Four times?!”
It wasn’t even double—it was three to four times. My mind snapped to attention.
I had expected some kind of effect, but I didn’t realize the gap would be this extreme.
After listening to Bishop Haman, I immediately understood the situation. It was just like how, in games, hunting in a dungeon granted faster level-ups than hunting in regular fields. The Labyrinth operated under the same principle.
I had been rather proud of becoming the youngest Chief Healer, but the thought that I might fall behind if I didn’t enter the Labyrinth sent a wave of urgency crashing over me.
High risk, high return is one thing, but four times? Isn’t that a bit much?
Bishop Haman had mentioned that results varied by individual and that four times was rare, but the mere existence of such a multiplier meant that someone, somewhere, would be able to enjoy that fourfold growth event.
I was planning to just dip my toes in the Labyrinth and never go back in if it felt too dangerous…
Could I really ignore the temptation of a fourfold growth rate? I had wanted to live my second life in comfort, yet the further I went, the more difficult things kept piling up.
“Once this fact becomes known, everyone will want to enter the Labyrinth.”
“If there are many brave priests, then yes, that will happen.”
I had known that the appearance of the Labyrinth would change many things, but I hadn’t realized it would change this much.
If you don’t adapt to change, you’ll be left behind.
I was still in my twenties. I couldn’t afford to be pushed aside already.
“Thank you for the advice. I’ll think carefully about joining an expedition party before making my decision.”
“Good. I’m scheduled to lead the next expedition as well, so adapting shouldn’t be too difficult.”
“By the way, what is Your Grace’s opinion on individual priests forming their own teams and entering the Labyrinth? Would the Church disapprove?”
“Since belonging to an official expedition is overwhelmingly safer, I recommend entering through one. However, if a priest is determined to enter the Labyrinth at personal risk, I don’t believe the Church would forcibly stop them.”
Since Bishop Haman’s opinion likely reflected the official stance of the Holy Empire, his positive answer came as a relief. It gave me confidence that obtaining the Church’s permission wouldn’t be too difficult.
The Labyrinth’s paths had changed!
Everyone who had worked so hard to create maps was left in utter despair. Not only had the paths changed, but the monsters that appeared had changed as well. What surprised them most was that even the surrounding environment had been completely altered.
“We’re seeing a lot of frostbite patients lately.”
“I heard a snowfield appeared inside the Labyrinth. It must be even harsher than we imagined.”
Since I hadn’t entered the Labyrinth myself, the news that its environment had flipped 180 degrees hadn’t really hit me. But seeing the sudden increase in patients coming to the clinic with frostbite made me realize just how much the Labyrinth’s changes affected us as well.
“My sister has been rather shaken lately. In the past she would have told me not to speak of such things, but this time she actually listened carefully to what I’ve been preparing. It was good advice you gave me.”
Princess Reciel seemed delighted that Princess Canaby was now willing to listen to her. She munched on a skewer of grilled chicken while swinging her legs back and forth. It was maddening to have someone eating something delicious right next to me while I was working. Anyone else might have blushed and called her cute, but as the one on the receiving end, I kept feeling irritation rise in my throat.
Still, I wasn’t angry enough to take it out on a princess. Besides, there was no reason for her to empathize with a worker’s hardships.
“It seems the change in the Labyrinth’s condition has flustered my sister quite a bit.”
“Then it sounds like you’ll be able to obtain permission soon. Are your preparations going well?”
“Of course! I’ve already gathered all the team members. All that’s left is for you, the priest, to join us!”
Princess Reciel was acting as if everything was already settled, but she needed to remember that the most important part still hadn’t been resolved. Even though Princess Canaby was wavering, her permission had not yet been granted, and we still hadn’t secured the Holy Empire’s cooperation.
“I’m not lying. I really will be able to get permission from my sister soon. It doesn’t seem far off now. But what about you? Are you preparing as well?”
“Naturally. Though it would be difficult if you asked me to leave immediately.”
“You can’t leave right away? Why not?”
“The bishop who will be in charge of the Labyrinth Temple is arriving soon. Until then, I must remain here to guard the temple.”
The bishop for the Labyrinth Temple had finally been decided. The fact that no bishop had been assigned until the expedition returned was truly an example of shockingly hasty administration.
Though I suppose that’s how it goes everywhere.
Still, thanks to that very hasty administration, I had been able to reap quite a few benefits. After all, I had been able to run the temple however I pleased.
Moreover, perhaps because Bishop Haman had led the recent expedition so successfully, the person chosen as the new bishop of the Labyrinth Temple was someone on friendly terms with him. Since Bishop Haman already viewed me as valuable talent, having a bishop aligned with him was a tremendous gain for me.
“Once the bishop arrives, will you be completely free?”
“Completely free would be an exaggeration, but yes, I should gain a fair amount of free time.”