First Labyrinth Exploration (2)
"We won't see you for a whole month, right? That's why we came to see you off."
"You were planning to leave without even saying goodbye to us? I'm hurt~"
"That's right! Priest, have a safe journey."
"Stay healthy out there!"
I had no idea when these fledgling priests had grown up so much. They were chirping away, determined to send me off, and the sight filled me with both pride and warmth. I shook hands and shared hugs with each of them.
"I'll be back before you know it. Everyone, take care of yourselves."
"Wait just a moment!"
"We pooled our money together and bought you a gift. We wanted to help you on your long journey, Priest."
"A gift?"
I was startled by what they had prepared—something I never would have imagined.
"It's nothing fancy. We just thought it might help you while traveling."
"Thank you. I'll make good use of it."
I didn't know what it was, but the gift carried the sincere feelings of these young healers, and a wave of emotion washed over me.
With the healers' farewells ringing behind me, I left the temple and made my way to the meeting place.
"I'm sorry for being late."
By the time I arrived, the entire party had already gathered. It looked like Reciel had rented out the whole establishment—there wasn't a single customer besides our group.
Considering the usual size of a subjugation force, our numbers seemed woefully small. But entering the labyrinth wasn't something only large military units did. When you factored in mercenaries and ordinary people forming teams, our group actually leaned toward the larger side. Fewer than a proper expeditionary force, but more than your average party.
Some might call it half-baked, but gathering this many capable people was no small feat.
I said I'd only form a team with people who wouldn't betray me—people I could truly trust. The fact that we managed to gather this many is impressive.
They say finding even one person you can fully trust in a lifetime is remarkable. With this, I could say I'd lived a pretty decent life.
"It's nice to meet you. I'm Priest Arthur."
"We finally meet."
I'd worried that since they were all Reciel's friends, they might be quite young, but their ages varied more than I'd expected. Their expressions as they greeted me were just as diverse. Some looked at me warmly, others with clear wariness, and a few with obvious reluctance.
"Nice to meet you."
Although Reciel was the leader, it didn't seem right to leave the actual command of the party entirely to her. I first greeted the woman who appeared to be in charge.
Reciel spoke up on my behalf, seeing that I was still adjusting.
"This is the precious priest I barely managed to recruit, so everyone please treat him well."
But the response didn't come from the leader. It came from one of the party members—the same person who had been eyeing me with displeasure from the start.
"Of course. Her Highness made us wait days just to bring a priest, so we should treat him with the utmost care."
If words could have hidden barbs, those were the ones. She said "treat him with care," but her tone was so sharp it could draw blood.
"I'm sorry for making you all wait so long."
"...It's fine. I wasn't saying it to get an apology."
My apology seemed to have some effect; the sharpness in her gaze softened slightly. With Reciel watching wide-eyed, she probably couldn't openly insult me. After all, it was true that Reciel had gone to considerable effort to recruit me.
"Please, don't stand there. Have a seat, Priest."
"Thank you."
The leader indicated what was clearly my designated spot, so I sat down.
"I thought we were heading straight into the labyrinth. Was I mistaken?"
"Shouldn't we at least introduce ourselves to one another?"
"We've already met before, exchanged greetings, and gotten acquainted. The priest simply hasn't had the chance to see our faces until now."
"Since fate has brought us together like this, I'm sure we'll grow close quickly."
Being a priest wasn't a profession that got turned away at doors, but that didn't mean everyone welcomed us with open arms. Thanks to the colorful achievements of our senior priests, there were people who had suffered because of them and thus disliked or distrusted anyone in our order.
If I raised my voice and scolded them for daring to be rude to a priest like me in front of such people, what would happen? The relationship with the locals would be ruined.
In times like these, the best approach was simple: No one spits on a smiling face.
I would smile. I'm a pushover. I'm Buddha. I'm the Sun God's saint! With that mindset, I would respond to every attack with a gentle laugh. If the other party didn't engage, even someone bristling with hostility would eventually run out of steam. What fun was there in shadowboxing alone? Applause required two hands meeting.
After that, we went around introducing ourselves to the party. Since Reciel had spoken so confidently about them, I could only hope they all possessed solid skills. Their competence would directly impact my own safety, after all.
A mage from the Magic Tower, a warrior from the Caiman Empire, a knight from Deltrack's Count family...
Reciel's acquaintances had far from ordinary backgrounds. While there were some regular people among them, quite a few had unique origins. What surprised me most was that the ratio of Deltrack natives to foreigners was nearly half and half.
Perhaps they're more trustworthy precisely because they're from other countries?
With no conflicting interests in the Deltrack Empire, the likelihood of any of them being spies would naturally be low.
"I'm Priest Arthur. I serve as chief healer. I was stationed in Palmore before being temporarily dispatched to the Labyrinth Temple, and somehow I've ended up working here ever since."
I would have to return to Palmore eventually, but I had no idea when that might be. It left me feeling rather flustered.
I should write a letter to the bishop.
Since my return seemed likely to take longer than expected, I needed to let him know not to wait too long. That way, when I finally did go back, I might receive less scolding.
"If the introductions are finished, shall we begin moving?" the leader suggested to Reciel.
"Excellent! The timing is perfect."
Reciel sprang to her feet as if she'd been waiting for exactly those words. Since this was everyone's first time entering the labyrinth, the air was thick with anticipation.
Time to get properly dressed.
Before stepping into the labyrinth, I decided to equip all the items I'd prepared.
I began layering them on, one after another.
"Wait, Priest—what exactly are you piling onto yourself? You're going to turn into a bear at this rate."
The labyrinth's current temperature had plummeted below freezing—it was essentially winter. The shifting paths had moved the ice zone right up to the entrance. We predicted it would take well over a month just to break through that region alone.
And I had prepared an extensive array of items specifically for traversing the ice zone.
"How much did all that cost? That looks like incredibly expensive fur. It's practically glistening."
"I heard it had excellent insulating properties, so I splurged. I hope the effects are as good as they say."
My appearance, wrapped head to toe in white fur, must have looked ridiculous. Since I'd chosen everything purely for performance, I hadn't given much thought to the design.
"Well, you're a priest, so I suppose it's fine. How's the defense?"
"Quite good, apparently. They said even swords have trouble piercing it."
It was fortunate I wasn't someone who needed to fight monsters directly. If a combatant had wrapped themselves in so much fur that it hindered their movements, they would have received quite an earful.
After attaching cleats to my boots to prevent slipping, my preparations were finally complete.
"You didn't get scammed when you bought that, did you?"
Her voice was rather curt, but the words clearly came from a place of concern. It was surprising that the same person who had given me the evil eye for being late was now worrying about me—especially while everyone else was busy with their own preparations.
"You really have no eye for quality, do you? Do you have any idea how expensive that fur is?"
"Is it really that valuable?"
"Most attacks would be completely blocked by it. The priest prepared well in advance."
Someone in the party recognized the true nature of the fur I was wearing. Honestly, the fact that this fur coat required something equivalent to a massive gold nugget to purchase was absurd. Still, the price wasn't artificially inflated like some luxury item with an original cost of eighty thousand won. Its value came purely from its capabilities.
"I guess I was worried for nothing."
"Thank you for your concern. But isn't your own clothing a bit too thin? Won't you be cold...?"
I'd wondered why she was so interested in my coat, but it seemed she hadn't properly prepared an outer layer for herself. I found myself debating whether I should lend her one of the coats I'd prepared for changing inside the labyrinth's bitter cold.
"Hey, my body temperature runs high. I don't need to wear anything like that."
"......"
"I'm serious. I won't even ask you to cure me if I catch a cold, so stop worrying."
"It's no trouble at all. If you catch a cold, please tell me so I can treat you. I can't ignore it if a teammate is ill. I've decided to take responsibility for everyone's health from now on, so even the smallest discomfort—please don't hesitate to tell me."
"...You're more responsible than I expected."
Just what kind of image did these people have of me? It was unfair—they didn't know the reasons behind my late arrival. Still, I had no desire to explain everything in detail. The misunderstandings would naturally clear up as we spent time together.
When the labyrinth entrance opened, the fact that the sun was obscured had led me to expect a profoundly unholy place.
Hooooooong—
Uuuuuuuung—
But what I saw with my own eyes was far more shocking than I'd anticipated. It was ominous. Menacing. The special treasures that emerged from the labyrinth were said to drive people inside with greed in their eyes, but...
"Are the others really unable to feel this malice?"
"I'm sorry? Priest, what did you say?"
Goosebumps erupted across my skin. Inside the labyrinth, where freezing winds howled, gusts from unknown directions created eerie, wailing cries. The cold seeped into my very bones, along with a thick, oppressive malice. The realization that I had to walk into this place of my own free will left me utterly bewildered.
"It's saturated with malice. The killing intent is embedded everywhere, designed to slaughter intruders."
Even a common pebble, if it could move on its own, would have stirred to kill. It was astonishing that people could enter the belly of a beast holding a knife and still rejoice.
The problem wasn't simply the cold. It was absurd that people could wander through such a space without the slightest sense of danger.
"You don't feel it? Am I the only one?"
Just to be sure, I glanced at the people around me. Every single one of them looked completely clueless about what I was talking about.