51. Calamity Star
51. Calamity Star
"...Eliarnes. You were right. That place where we took the exam last time doesn't seem to have been a real Labyrinth."
Evening, after regular lectures had ended.
Stella, who had been diligently spooning up her beef stew, suddenly whispered a topic into my ear.
"What's this all of a sudden?"
"No, I had a class about Labyrinths today, and I suddenly thought of that time...?"
"See, I told you. The real thing is on a whole different level. In the first place, the Demonic Energy in a Labyrinth is so thick it's hard to even breathe normally."
"...You talk like you've experienced it yourself?"
"That's what I heard."
"Last time you said you saw it in a book."
"I saw it in a book too."
"Hmm..."
"What, why, what about it. Why are you looking at me like that."
Stella, who had been staring at me while letting out an annoying hum, let out a little snicker.
"No, it's just a little funny how you talk about things you've only heard and seen as if they're obvious."
"What? Are you bragging that you've experienced it?"
"I'm not bragging, but I have experienced it. And it wasn't as hard to breathe as you said. Just a little uncomfortable?"
"Guess you got trapped in some shitty excuse for a Labyrinth."
"Wh-what?! No way! When we got out, the adventurers said it was a Grade 5 Labyrinth?!"
"Wow. Impressive."
"...You're so annoying."
In the past, I never would have believed Stella's words, but now I just took them in stride.
I, too, had just attended a class about Labyrinths.
And in that lecture, I heard something truly shocking that I had never once read about at home.
Apparently, Labyrinth had created subordinates of her own.
Starting with a Black Wizard, then Demonized Humans and Apostles.
That bitch's subordinate, the Black Wizard, had only appeared in public for at most about fifteen years.
But judging by the Black Wizard's Realm, it seemed the Black Wizard had received Labyrinth's Authority long before those fifteen years.
Even so, the creation of subordinates had been recent.
After staying shut up for nearly 300 years, why start doing that now?
What on earth got into her to make subordinates?
Trying to understand the thoughts of a Demon, let alone a Legion Commander, is insane, but still, I should be able to infer at least a little.
Labyrinth's eccentric behavior was utterly incomprehensible.
She was a bitch who was insanely proud of her abilities, always saying a Labyrinth must be perfect.
Even when she caught us off guard and suddenly unfolded a Labyrinth, she was a crazy bitch who would dismantle it on a whim if even one part displeased her.
So why on earth would Labyrinth—
When subordinates who had received the Authority of Sloth unfolded Labyrinths, it was obvious only shitty Labyrinths would result.
Moreover, the Empire apparently went so far as to assign "grades" to the Labyrinths that were popping up recklessly.
From Special-class down to Grade 7.
Special-class was the highest, Grade 7 the lowest.
From the professor's explanation, a Special-class Labyrinth required at least three Tier 6 individuals to break through.
The trouble was, they were all just shitty Labyrinths.
Compared with the Labyrinths created by Labyrinth herself, they were nothing but children's make-believe.
Has that bitch Labyrinth actually gone senile?
"What were you talking about?"
Eurasia, who had just received her dinner, sat down across from me and Stella.
And Pina, who had followed Eurasia, also sat down beside her with sandwiches in both hands.
"Labyrinths."
"Hmm? Labyrinths?"
"Yeah. That thing from our entrance exam. Inside, this chick Stella got all scared and was bawling about how it was a real Labyrinth—"
"Aaaah! Ah! Ah!!"
"Whoa, shit. You scared me. Why are you screaming and making a scene?"
"No! No!! Stop talking nonsense!"
"It's not nonsense. If you'd gone a little further in there, you looked ready to piss yourself."
"Ah! Aah! Aaaaaah!! Shut up shut up shut up!!!"
Gwaaaaah! I shoved a big chunk of eggplant into Stella's mouth as she screamed.
"Mmph?! Ugh..."
She went quiet in an instant.
As expected, eggplant tastes bad.
Eurasia smiled wryly at Stella, who was retching repeatedly, then tied up her long hair prettily and tilted her head.
"So, Stella has actually been trapped in a real Labyrinth before?"
"Uek, uuek... kkh... Mm. A while ago."
"Goodness... weren't you scared?"
"Hmm? O-of course not. I wasn't scared. How could I be! I'm a Silver Plaque One-Star adventurer! There's no way someone like me would be scared of a mere Labyrinth. Hmph."
"She was scared shitless. Just mentioning it makes her tremble."
"Hey! You! I said stop! Why do you keep doing thiiis!!"
"Hmph mrmph mph. Mph mph mph mph."
"Y-you... y... y-you...!!"
I snorted at Stella, whose fists were trembling with the urge to hit me, and chewed on the cherry tomato Eurasia handed me.
"Still, you made it out in one piece? What was it like? Was it completely different from the Labyrinth in the entrance exam?"
Meanwhile, Eurasia's eyes sparkled as she asked, apparently curious about Labyrinths.
"Mm... it was definitely different? The Labyrinth I was trapped in had Demonic Energy dissolved in the air. So it was a bit... how should I put it. A sticky and suffocating feeling?"
At Stella's explanation, Pina's cheeks puffed up and her eyes began to sparkle too.
"And maybe because of that Demonic Energy, my Mana Control slowed down a bit. Hmph, w-well, first of all? I'm a Wizard who can use Silent Casting, right? Hehe. So when it comes to manifesting magic, heehee, I'm confident I'm faster than anyone, you know? But even I found it a little hard to use magic, I guess? Still, it wasn't a problem!"
Clap clap clap—Pina clapped her hands.
Eurasia also let out a "Wow..." of admiration.
The more they reacted, the more Stella puffed up, launching into an increasingly grandiose account of her exploits.
She looked so adorable that I kept my mouth shut.
Stella, who had been glancing at me suspiciously, seemed to realize I had no intention of interrupting, and chattered away even more excitedly.
"—And so! I escaped, is what I'm saying. Hehe. How about that? If you remember what I've told you, you'll be able to get out of most Labyrinths even if you're trapped."
"Listening to you, it really does seem like a party needs a Wizard..."
"Right. Since there's so much you can do with magic, it's essential for utility! Hehe."
I agree with that too.
In Ge Vihenum, a Wizard was essential.
Starting with lighting fires, there was "Silence," essential for infiltration, and even night watch could be handled with magic. When heavy rain came, you could raise the earth to make a roof. When a hurricane blew, you could raise walls. When the ground split, you could stitch it back together. When the sky collapsed, you could flee with Teleportation Magic.
Like that.
Combat aside, in Ge Vihenum specifically, the quality of life was completely different.
"Then... why was there no Wizard in the Hero Party?"
Then, Eurasia brought up a very sensitive topic.
I had been saving this question, planning to ask once we got closer, because I didn't know how Stella would react if I brought it up.
Eurasia stabbed right in with a dagger...!
"I don't know about the ordinary continent, but Ge Vihenum is an incredibly barren land. I'm curious how they managed to live there without even a Wizard..."
Keeping my expression as natural as possible, I shifted my eyes and stole a glance at Stella's face.
Stella.
"...Right. Actually, I've been curious about that too."
Apparently, she didn't know.
Does she have no information about her ancestors at all?
"So I did come up with one guess."
She didn't suspect a thing.
She said it with her usual know-it-all expression—sharp-tongued but stupid.
"I think the Saintess might have taken on the Wizard's role."
"...Hm. Could that be?"
"Honestly... I'm not sure. The concept of Holy Power itself isn't properly known in this world. Still, if you look through various records, there's information that they purified grass that had grown by feeding on Demonic Energy and used it as food. Seeing that... she might have accomplished even more than magic could."
We hadn't purified Demonic Energy. We'd simply reached a Realm where eating that kind of stuff didn't affect us at all.
"I've even heard that she turned water with Demonic Energy dissolved in it into wine."
We didn't turn water into wine. It was actual alcohol.
"And they say she lit campfires in the Demon World, where not a single tree grows for firewood... so the miracles the Saintess performed might truly have been miracles in the literal sense."
We'd used Demon corpses as firewood and lit Holy Flame.
And that wasn't for survival. It was fire we lit for fun whenever we threw a drinking party and called it a campfire.
In the first place, we were an ordinary Hero Party. Hmm...
I mean, we were different from those who called themselves Hero Parties.
The self-proclaimed Hero Parties hired a porter and carried around all sorts of Artifacts.
And even that wasn't enough—they had at least ten members.
And the self-proclaimed Hero Parties stopped by the Empire at least once every fifteen days. To buy supplies, to buy preserved food, and to purify the Demonic Energy in their bodies.
The self-proclaimed Hero Parties that were a little stronger than them would stop at the outpost at the entrance to the Demon World for at least some basic maintenance.
We, on the other hand, never stopped for maintenance.
For necessary supplies, we just looted—no, used what the Demons had been using, chewed on Monster meat, and Luna purified the Demonic Energy.
The reason?
Mostly because it was a pain in the ass.
We were the type who thought we should kill at least one more Demon in the time it would take to go back and forth.
"So, Eliarnes. What do you think?"
I gulped down the meat I had been chewing and looked at Stella.
"Why are you asking me?"
"Because it's you. You're the one here most interested in the Hero Party."
"No, I'm not?"
"What are you talking about? You're always reading books about the Hero Party every night."
"...When did you spy on me?"
"I-I wasn't spying?! It just, it just caught my eye! Hah, honestly! How absurd. Anyway, what do you think? Was there really no Wizard in the Hero Party? Or..."
Stella looked around and lowered her voice, murmuring quietly.
"Did the Wizard die, and they erased the records?"
Seeing her seriously wonder about this, she really seemed to know nothing about her own ancestors.
"I mean, you know. They might have hidden it so their reputation wouldn't drop for nothing. How about it? Doesn't that sound plausible?"
Beyond simply not knowing, she seemed not to think about it at all.
...Have I been keeping my guard up alone all this time?
Against such a stupid kid?
I'm suddenly feeling a wave of self-loathing.
As I stared at her with cold, bitter eyes, Stella frowned and snapped at me.
"...What? Why are you staring at me like that?"
"Like what."
"You're staring at me with a really rude look."
"Rude, my ass. Still, I guess there probably was a Wizard. Even without one, the Hero Party would've been strong."
I shook my head side to side, threw out a half-hearted answer, and nommed down the remaining cherry tomatoes.
Soon.
Deng. Deng. The bell announcing 7 p.m. rang.
"Ugh... it's already 7."
Eurasia, looking gloomy, rose from her seat.
"You said you're going to the Arant Museum?"
"Yesss..."
Eurasia had to go to the museum because of an assignment from the professor of the next day's polearm lecture.
We hadn't even properly started yet, and there was already an assignment.
How dreadful.
"Want me to come with you if you're bored?"
"Hehe. No, it's okay. I'll be back before 9 at the latest!"
"Yeah? Then bring tanghulu on your way back."
"Ugh... eating sweets before bed gives you cavities."
"I brush my teeth well."
"Mm... then I'll buy you just one."
[Please travel safely, Eurasia!]
"Hehehe. Yeah. Pina, work hard too!"
"Have a safe trip, Eurasia."
"Yeah. Thanks."
Eurasia's face brightened at the offer to go with her, and she waved her hand gently as she walked away.
And then.
"Pina. Let's get up too."
[Yes!]
Stella, who had agreed to help Pina study starting today, also rose from her seat.
"Pina and I are going to the Mana training room. What about you?"
"I'm going to a private training hall."
"...A private training hall? Can first-years use those?"
"Normally no, but the Vice Dean gave me permission, so I can."
"...Really?"
"Why. Jealous? You want to use it too?"
"...No? I'm not jealous? I don't want to use it?"
You were just staring like you were jealous.
I giggled, gathered my plate, and stood up.
"Yeah? I was going to ask you to come with me if you wanted to use it too, but I guess you'd rather use the Mana training room."
"...Huh?"
"Anyway, work hard. See you tomorrow morning."
Leaving behind Stella with her dumbfounded expression and Pina, who was overjoyed at the thought of studying with a friend, I walked away.
*****
Three hours later.
A Labyrinth appeared at the Arant Weapons Museum, where Eurasia had headed.
The Labyrinth's sacrifice was a Tier 6 swordsman.
Its assigned grade was.
Special-class (特級).