Accept Your Fate

Let's do that. That thing.

I squatted down beside Serena, who lay sprawled in utter despair. Her golden hair was a tangled mess, trembling violently. I pushed my fingers into it and stroked her gently, almost tenderly.

"Oh, my poor little Serena."

The comfort was sincere—directed at the girl who had now become my perfect toy.

"You've fallen into a truly vicious twist of fate."

"......"

"But what can you do? This world is just like that. Me, dumped into this fucked-up place without a clue why! And you, who tried to rob a castaway wandering the labyrinth!"

Every time my hand touched her, Serena's body seized up as if in a spasm. I gave a light shrug.

"We both just got swept up in a fate we couldn't defy."

It was fellow feeling, of a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sort. My precious first toy, Serena. I intended to treasure her carefully until I grew tired of her.

Serena's eyes flew wide open. The look she gave me was the one reserved for a grotesque, horrifying monster. Her face twisted into a vicious scowl as she spat out her venom.

"Just kill me! Kill me already, you piece of trash!"

"......"

"Crush my skull with those filthy hands of yours! Please! Just kill me!"

A scream driven by pure spite. Tears poured down her face as she begged for death instead.

I answered with a crooked smile.

"That's not happening."

"......Hic."

"If I ever find a way out of this world, then I'll give you real freedom. That's the final promise I can make you."

I flicked her forehead with a finger.

"Accept it. Your fate."

The curses ringing in my ears were sweet. A satisfying impact. All I hoped was that this toy wouldn't break too quickly.

I pulled Serena back to her feet. She stood there vacant, like a doll whose soul had fled. I picked up the large backpack she had discarded and slung it over my own shoulders. Accepting this sudden reality had to be hard for her. I could at least manage this much consideration. Where else would she find a bus driver as generous as me?

"Let's go."

We set off toward the labyrinth city visible in the distance. Across the plain leading to the city, weeds of some murky, unidentifiable light grew thick and wild. They seemed to thrive on the glow of the Star Trees hanging from the ceiling. Scattered across the fields were bizarre creatures—goats with faces so hideous they made the skin crawl. The things were placidly grazing.

"Serena. What are those scary-looking goats?"

I pointed with my chin. Serena stared at them with a blank expression and said nothing.

Hah... look at this.

"Brand of Subjugation condition se—"

Apparently talking wouldn't cut it. The moment I began to intone the words—

"...They're labyrinth goats."

Serena cut me off in a rush.

"They've lived on the third floor from the beginning. They don't attack first. People around here treat them as a delicacy..."

She clearly had no desire to taste that horrific pain again. The silent protest crumbled the instant she understood my threat; knowledge poured out of her in a flood. I turned and stroked her head once more.

"Good girl, Serena. Do I really have to set conditions for something this basic? Let's play nice, yeah?"

Serena twisted her head away, slipping free of my hand. That much was just cute. Before we entered the labyrinth city, I decided to lock down the conditions of the Brand of Subjugation properly.

I deliberately spoke loud enough for Serena to hear every word. Her pupils shook violently. Had she been nursing the cute little idea of asking strangers for help once we reached the city?

I wasn't finished.

I had no interest in controlling her thoughts. That would be boring.

"You heard all that, right?"

I asked with a bright smile. Serena glared at me with pure loathing, the kind of look that said she wanted to shoot me dead on the spot. Then she hung her head and accepted reality. With heavy steps, she started walking again.

I don't know how long we walked. At last we reached the massive, imposing outermost wall of the labyrinth city. The gate was thronged with explorers who had just arrived on the third floor via other transfer magic circles. A long line stretched before the gate, but it moved faster than expected. We took our place at the end.

What, are they running some grand inspection?

Our turn came soon enough. Up close the gate was absurdly huge. Sturdy-looking guards in quality armor stood watch in front of it. A glance upward showed archers with bows and mages with staves waiting along the battlements.

Brutal setup.

I glanced sideways at Serena and quietly stepped through the gate. Surprisingly, the guards didn't stop us. They didn't demand a toll either. No annoying event of someone picking a fight. They simply scrutinized us carefully—more precisely, they kept comparing my face against the dozens of wanted posters plastered beside the gate.

Just screening for criminals, then.

We passed through without incident and headed straight for the city center. My destination was the highest-class lodging in the entertainment district. Inside the bag was a whole haul of Magic Stones stripped from the first and second floors. Money wouldn't be a problem.

Following the main avenue, we entered a stretch of shops so dazzling it made the eyes spin. Weapon shops selling glittering gear, alchemy shops packed with colorful potions, and even a massive tavern already roaring with a drinking party in broad daylight. It felt like an entire surface metropolis had been transplanted underground.

Then one building caught my eye. A luxurious stone structure that stood apart from the surrounding shops. Five stories of refined exterior, quiet, with almost no one coming or going. A male attendant in a crisp uniform stood at attention by the entrance. The letters on the sign came into view.

I liked the name immediately. Perfect. Tonight we sleep here.

We walked toward the main doors of the Galaxy Hotel. As we approached, the waiting attendant bowed and smoothly opened the heavy glass door for us.

Like a five-star hotel, huh.

I hoped we had enough Magic Stones. I strode confidently into the lobby, crossed the luxurious space, and headed straight for the front desk. A beautiful female clerk greeted me with a bright smile.

"I'd like a room."

"Welcome to the Galaxy Hotel, sir. What kind of room are you looking for?"

"One bed is enough. A bathtub would be nice."

At the words "one bed," I felt Serena flinch beside me. The tremor in her shoulders transmitted clearly, but I paid it no mind.

"Every room at the Galaxy Hotel comes equipped with full water systems and a bathtub. Even our standard rooms are quite luxurious."

"That so? Then a standard room for one night."

I immediately pulled a large pouch stuffed with Magic Stones from the bag. The heavy leather sack landed on the desk with a solid thud.

"Will this do?"

The clerk's smile froze solid. Her eyes darted about in clear panic before she carefully spoke.

"...Um, sir. Is this your first time in the labyrinth ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠city of Entrum?"

Huh. So this place is called Entrum?

But what was the problem? Couldn't you pay with Magic Stones?

"It is."

I narrowed my eyes. The clerk summoned her professional composure and explained kindly.

"Inside the labyrinth city of Entrum, direct payment with Magic Stones is not possible. You must first visit the official Magic Stone Exchange and convert them into the local currency, Truna."

"Tch."

I clicked my tongue without meaning to. I'd just made myself look like the worst kind of difficult customer trying to force Magic Stones like cash. I shot a sideways glance at Serena. The silent look said, Did you know about this? She frantically shook ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her head. Apparently even she hadn't known the city's finer details. Fair enough—she'd been a total rookie barely scraping by on the first floor.

"Where is this exchange?"

I asked the clerk. I'd wanted to wash up ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and rest, but another chore had just been added.

We went straight to the exchange and sold off every Magic Stone we had. When I dumped the pile onto the counter, the middle-aged clerk's eyes went round and he whistled.

"Did you hunt people in the labyrinth or what? That's no small amount."

A sharp and uncomfortably accurate question, but I ignored it lightly. The clerk smacked his lips and handed over stacks of rectangular bronze coins. After liquidating every last Magic Stone, we walked away with a total of 3.6 million Truna. I had no real sense of the number, but since a standard room at the Galaxy Hotel was 400,000 Truna a night, the math roughly worked out.

I pocketed the now-bulging wallet, returned to the hotel, and finished check-in in short order. Then I led Serena into the assigned room.

Thud—!

The heavy wooden door closed behind us, and a pleasant silence settled over everything. The room was compact, yet every piece of furniture was high-end. And right in the center, exactly as promised, sat one very large, very soft-looking double bed.

"Haaah. Finally, rest."

I tossed the heavy backpack onto the floor and stretched. Then I looked at Serena, who stood frozen by the door, trembling from head to toe. She glanced back and forth between the bed and me; the second our eyes met she let out a tiny "Hic...!" and stumbled backward. Her face was deathly pale, packed tight with terror.

Yeah. That's right, Serena. Exactly what you're thinking right now.

Shall we get started?