Labyrinth City Labyrinth (2)
The city inside was so lively it was hard to believe we were underground at all.
Then again, the whole reason people lived down here was to escape the heat, so there was no need for it to feel gloomy.
When I thought of underground cities, the ones I knew usually involved people driven below after losing their land, or disasters that made the surface unlivable… or vampires!
Every fairy tale I’d read in this world had people living underground because they had no other choice.
"How does it feel, being in Labyrinth for the first time?"
"Well…… it’s incredibly cool!!"
Aside from the promise of delicious food, that was what I liked best. No blazing sun, and air-conditioning magic tools installed everywhere—it was wonderfully refreshing. If there was one supreme advantage unique to Labyrinth City that completely erased the West Continent’s biggest flaw, this had to be it.
"Such an Esilly-like impression. How adorable."
"Ahem… I’d appreciate it if you focused your petting right there."
"Yes, yes~ ♬ Of course~ ♬"
By now Enge stroked my head without the slightest hesitation. Having an older woman ruffle my hair felt really nice.
Anyway, now that we were inside, we needed to find Enge’s husband—Erna’s father. Surely this time it wouldn’t turn out that he was the lord of Labyrinth City or something, right?
"Are you and Erna high-ranking nobles, Enge?"
Lumine’s pupils trembled; she was clearly worried she might have been rude without realizing it. I’d heard the West Continent’s class system wasn’t nearly as rigid as the Central Continent’s or the others, but still.
Enge gave a gentle smile and shook her head.
"Not at all. You’re simply mistaken, Esilly."
"If we were high nobles, Lumine-unnie would already know who we are, wouldn’t she?"
"That’s true. Forgive me for asking."
She had a point. Lumine had been the chief mage of the ruling house of the Lord Alliance. She’d often escorted the Alliance leader on outings and attended meetings and parties with the various city lords, so she would have recognized the wives of any truly high-ranking lords.
Hella and Helena’s situation had left such a strong impression that I was starting to connect everything to that pattern.
"So? Where is your husband, Enge? I’ll take you to him."
"He’s probably headed in the same direction as you and Lumine."
"We’re going to the Adventurer Guild…?"
So the two of them were heading there as well? Ah—right. Enge was a famous adventurer on the West Continent. I’d completely forgotten.
The Adventurer Guild of Labyrinth City was said to be one of the highest-earning guilds in the entire world. That probably explained why the building itself was not merely grand but downright lavish. The royal capital’s guild back in the kingdom had looked almost shabby by comparison. Seeing two guilds at such extreme opposite ends of the spectrum left my mouth hanging open.
"Is this… really an Adventurer Guild?"
"Impressive, right? They make so much money they have more budget than they know what to do with, so it ended up like this."
"I guess West Continent administration isn’t all that different…"
The kingdom’s had been exactly the same. Toward year’s end they would tear up perfectly good paved roads and fences just to rebuild them. Even in our knight order we used to scrap serviceable swords and armor so we could buy new ones. If you returned leftover funds, next year’s budget got cut. Better to blow the surplus on something pointless than let it be reduced—or, in some cases, submit padded contracts and quietly embezzle the rest.
Ah. Don’t get the wrong idea. I never embezzled a single coin.
"All right, let’s head inside."
"Uh, yeah. But is Erna’s father in there?"
"Yes. You’ll understand once we go in."
Erna beamed, took both my hand and Lumine’s, and led us into the guild hall. The interior was beautiful—gleaming marble floors and walls—yet portraits of every past Grand Guildmaster hung in golden frames. The farther left we looked, the more the colors faded until the oldest ones were pure black-and-white. The first Grand Guildmaster had lived a thousand years ago, so that made sense.
Still… from the moment we stepped inside, people kept staring. It had been the same in Free Port City. Was it because of my ears?
"Is that… Lady Esilly…?"
"She looks younger than I expected…"
No—that wasn’t it. We hadn’t even been in the city twenty minutes and people already recognized me? How…?
Ah… maybe that clerk at the entry checkpoint. Our arrival on the West Continent had been pretty spectacular. After all, we had taken down a Serpent Dragon.
"She’s an elf, so of course she looks like that!"
"Shh! She can hear you!"
"S-sorry!"
The man and woman who’d been chatting off to the side gave us sheepish grins, scratched their heads, and fled. Everyone else who’d been staring with sparkling eyes suddenly whipped their heads away as well. So it really was the elf thing. I should ask Lumine later to teach me a spell that hid my ears.
I endured the hot yet oddly gentle gazes as best I could and headed for the reception desk. Since we planned to settle here for a while, I wanted recommendations for a decent inn.
But Erna, who had been clinging to my sleeve the whole time, suddenly started tugging. When I glanced over, she was clearly telling me to look behind us. So I turned—
—and found a man well over two meters tall standing there with his arms crossed, looking down at me. Scars that looked like sword cuts marked his face, yet there was nothing frightening or malicious about his expression. If anything, he seemed almost gentle.
What was this? Did he have something to say?
"Um…"
"Coming straight to the Adventurer Guild the moment you enter the city. Just what I’d expect from someone called a hero!"
"Pardon?"
What on earth did being a hero have to do with the Adventurer Guild? I had plenty of questions, but right now protecting Erna from any possible trouble came first. I gently guided her behind me. Erna, suddenly pulled along, sparkled with excitement and plastered herself against my back.
"You know who I am?"
"Of course. Is there anyone in Labyrinth City who doesn’t know the hero Esilly?"
"Well, I don’t know you."
"True enough. I forgot about that."
He grinned, stepped closer—and grabbed Erna’s arm, pulling her away!!
Erna was dragged off without the slightest resistance. My hand shot toward the sword at my hip; I nearly drew it on pure instinct.
"Lady Esilly! It’s all right!"
"All right?! Erna is—!"
I shouted back at Enge, who had called out that everything was fine. Yet she only smiled with the gentlest eyes as she watched her daughter and the man—eyes full of tender affection, the way one looks at someone deeply loved.
At first I thought that gaze was meant only for Erna. If I hadn’t seen what came next, I never would have understood Enge’s expression for the rest of my life.
"Daddy!"
Erna flung her arms around the man—no, around him—and hugged him tight. The man… rather, the person who was clearly Erna’s father, held her just as gently so she wouldn’t fall.
"It’s been too long, Erna! Did you listen well to your mother?"
"Yes! I did!"
"Thank goodness. When I heard the ship you and your mother were on had been attacked by a Serpent Dragon, this father of yours nearly had a heart attack!"
"Hehe. Esilly-unnie saved us."
To think that reserved, easily embarrassed Erna could smile like that. Her father’s face was blooming with pure joy as well. The bond between parent and child really was something precious. Just watching them made a motherly smile tug at my own lips.
Once the family reunion was finished, the burly man who was Erna’s father approached me. He placed one hand over his heart and bowed deeply in greeting. For someone radiating the aura of a battle-hardened warrior, the sight of him cradling Erna in one arm was wonderfully unbalanced—like a man walking a tightrope between warrior and father.
"Our hero. It is an honor to meet you. I am Derk, Erna’s father and Guildmaster of the Labyrinth City Labyrinth Adventurer Guild."
He introduced himself as the guildmaster and extended his hand. Of course—someone of that rank would easily have the means to buy A-class tickets for his wife and daughter.
I smiled naturally and took his hand in return.
"Esilly von Yggdrasil. I never imagined Erna’s father would be the Adventurer Guild’s guildmaster."
"My wife and daughter prefer not to advertise it! Please don’t take offense—I hope you can understand."
"Oh, I don’t feel deceived or anything, so don’t worry."
More striking was the extreme formality of his greeting. It was even more ceremonious than the ones offered to royalty or high nobles.
"Hahaha! My thanks!"
And yet the booming laugh that followed… he felt more like a mountain bandit than a guildmaster. The leader of some remote mountain stronghold, maybe.
"On top of that, I am truly grateful that you brought the Lord Alliance’s ship safely to the West Continent. Had it not been for the hero, I am told the vessel would have been smashed to pieces and everyone either drowned or eaten."
"The Serpent Dragon was pretty huge, after all."
"Indeed! There are a few additional matters I’d like to discuss regarding that, and if you have the time, I would be honored to entertain you in the reception room. Would that be acceptable?"
"I’m fine with it… but where did my companion go…? Ah, there she is. Lumine!"
I waved at Lumine, who was diligently washing her hands outside the restroom. Naturally she tilted her head, completely lost as to what was going on.
"Lumine. It seems that gentleman is Erna’s fath—"
"The guildmaster of Labyrinth City’s Adventurer Guild? Why is Erna being held by him?"
"Huh?"
Wait—she already knew?