Chapter 263: Going to the Labyrinth (6)
Chapter 263: Going to the Labyrinth (6)
After a brief rest and some Mana Milk, I took a quick shower and returned to the command headquarters to check the situation.
"Any casualties?"
"None, sir. No serious injuries either. Everyone sustained only minor scrapes. If anything, they’re worried about something else."
Amy, who had brought the reports from the command headquarters, scratched her cheek and gave a faint smile.
"Something else? Like what?"
"Some of the knights under Sir Bernhard’s command had their armor damaged quite badly, and..."
"They’re worried I’ll make them pay for it? Talk about worrying over nothing."
The knights themselves probably wouldn't care that much. Even if a medieval knight's armor was considered personal property, the armor worn by the Fermaton knights was provided by me.
I knew that damaging a gift bestowed by a lord to whom they’d sworn loyalty wasn't a major issue. Armor was made to protect the body, after all.
But for the poor adventurers, it felt different. To them, it likely felt more like they were renting equipment. They probably perceived my support not as a pure gift, but as a loan.
"As long as they aren't dead, it's fine. Tell them clearly: if they get hurt worse just to save the armor, I’ll sack them on the spot."
"Understood, sir."
"Any other issues?"
"No, sir. Everything is proceeding smoothly. The volume of magic stones being collected is far exceeding the daily average for the Infinite Labyrinth."
"Of course it is. Look at how systematically and efficiently we’re scraping them up."
It was just past noon, the time when everyone would usually be eating lunch and resting. Yet, we had already far surpassed the average statistics of adventurers hunting monsters and reporting their magic stone hauls.
"Even if efficiency drops a bit in the afternoon, securing at least half of what we have now will be plenty. Tsk."
"...Is something bothering you, sir?"
"I’m just wondering what the previous Counts of Fermaton were doing all this time, while I’m out here setting the stage and vacuuming up magic stones like this."
It was a real reality check.
With just a bit of organization and effort, you could suck up magic stones like a vacuum cleaner. What on earth had the previous generations of Counts been doing?
"They probably just sat in the back eating bread and having sex all day, which is why the territory never developed. Tsk."
"But Count, you..."
"I don't just have sex. I mean, I do it every day... but I get my work done first. I only have sex when it's time to rest."
I was showing results. I was proving it with the outcome.
"I’ll keep scraping up magic stones like this. Unless the Infinite Labyrinth suddenly vanishes one day."
It would disappear eventually. But not today.
"Count, Sir Lambert has broken through to just before the 30th-floor boss room."
While I was assessing the war situation, the path to the 30th floor had finally opened.
"That took longer than I expected. Why?"
"They encountered some Succubi along the way and..."
"Ah. I see. Say no more."
There are many things in this world that are better left unknown.
While Lambert was struggling(?) against the Succubi, I had taken my own rest. Now, I just had to follow the path they cleared and head straight down to the 30th floor.
The composition isn't bad.
I pulled up the game screen of P.A.O. in my mind.
Light Warrior. Spearman.
Archer. Puppeteer.
Fire Mage. Earth Mage.
From the front line to the rear, the composition was solid. I would take the lead as the tank-dealer, with Nero supporting me as a dealer-tank. Behind us, the dealers would unleash a simultaneous barrage on the enemies.
If things got hairy, Charlotte, the puppeteer, could use her Vorpal Rabbit doll to handle enemies attacking from the rear. The balance of the party was quite good.
The lack of a healer was a flaw, but I just had to create an environment where a healer wasn't necessary.
I’ll just crush them with DPS.
Pushing through with overwhelming firepower and attack power would be enough. No matter what enemy or boss appeared, I would kill them before they could even trigger a gimmick.
I just need to kill the boss before Phase 2 starts.
I already knew what the 30th-floor boss was. That boss was known as the 'Wall of Lamentation' for newbies, but with our current team composition, it was an opponent we could easily handle.
I wasn't a newbie, and neither was anyone else on my team.
"Count, everyone is gathered."
Laura arrived with the rest of the group. Seeing the typical party of adventurers following behind the battle-coated bunny girl gave me a sense of psychological stability.
"Mm. Everyone looks... good."
Looking at their condition, everyone was definitely prioritizing safety. That went for Princess Charlotte of the Empire, Zenith, the former Countess of Fermaton, and Evelyn Barbas, the Magic Tower Master.
"I thought you’d hate wearing armor."
Everyone was wearing armor designed to protect their vitals. It wasn't bikini armor; they had taken the chest plates from the Grainger units to cover their fronts. Zenith couldn't fit into one, so she came out in adventurer's clothes that didn't expose skin, topped with a robe enchanted with protection magic.
Of course, there was more cloth than armor, but it was a much more wholesome and modest outfit than the bunny girl-bikini-nurse uniform lineup we used to conquer the 25th floor.
"Is everyone comfortable?"
"It’s better than getting hurt for no reason, dear."
"Mother, is that... the outfit you wore back when you were an adventurer?"
"Does it look strange?"
"No. It’s a new look, so it’s quite refreshing. You look younger than me."
"There isn't even that much of an age gap... Hmph."
Everyone had made sure to gear up with defensive equipment.
"With everyone dressed so modestly, Laura is the only one who looks out of place."
"Are you planning to make me wear normal clothes? You said earlier you wanted to put me in a maid uniform."
"That was for when we’re in bed. During battle... well..."
What to do? Laura’s outfit was so jarring that it was almost a concern. It didn't really matter, though. It was just a matter of party cohesion. Like trying to match the color scheme of the outfits, or their region of origin, or even making a party of only "big sister" types.
"We can't change now, so let's just head down. It’s not like I can put Laura in a Grainger unit either."
We were still a long way off from unifying our outfits. I had plans, but not for right now.
It’s a bit much unless all five people can protect themselves with Mythstones.
Like the party that conquered the 25th floor, we either needed overwhelming physical ability to dodge every attack or a way to ensure that getting hit wouldn't be a problem. The solution was Mythstones, but unfortunately, we only had two at the moment.
"Since everyone is ready, I’ll get ready as well."
I walked to the side of the situation room, sat in the chair, and gripped the controls again.
Whirrr.
The White Grainger moved forward, and I picked up a new weapon.
A crowbar.
"Let's go."
The thing some call a poker.
"To go crack the 30th-floor boss's skull."
*
30th floor, entrance to the boss room.
"Aaaaagh!!"
The screams of a Succubus echoed throughout the cavern. The torture was so severe it almost made one feel sorry for the creature.
"Ugh..."
"Why? Do you want to join them over there?"
"What? Me? N-no. Of course not."
The handsome young man with short blond hair waved his hands frantically and shook his head. His frame was smaller and more slender than the others, making him look better suited for the light-armored Grainger than the heavy-armored Tuscany.
"U-um, Guild Leader."
"I am the Knight Captain now. Commander of one of the three great knight orders of Fermaton."
"...Yes, Captain. I have a question."
The youth pointed toward the boss room.
"If we keep conquering the 30th floor and heading deeper, will we eventually reach the 50th floor?"
"I suppose so. We might even reach below the 50th floor."
"Below the 50th floor..."
"It’ll be in the very distant future, though. Why? Are you afraid?"
"It’s not that I’m afraid. It’s just... a bit much."
The youth scratched his cheek with a faint smile.
"To think the Infinite Labyrinth is being systematically conquered like this."
"It’s all thanks to the Count. Truly... he is an indispensable existence here."
"......Captain."
The youth lowered his voice, his expression turning serious.
"Do you really think the Count is someone this place absolutely needs?"
"Hm? Ah. Right now, yes."
"Right now?"
"Yes. Right now. Before, it wouldn't have mattered if it was him or someone else. But now it’s different. Without the person who created this entire situation, this system won't function anymore."
Bernhard pointed his axe toward the boss room.
"Whether you conform to the system the Count created or defy him and get ousted. That is what this land will become."
"......."
"Is there something about the Count you don't like?"
"The Count is..."
The youth smacked his lips and looked up at the ceiling.
"...It’s not that. It’s just... isn't he a bit too sex-crazed?"
"And yet, that’s exactly why we’ve come this far."
"...Isn't it a bit too lewd?"
"That’s because you... ahem."
Bernhard approached the youth and whispered quietly.
"There is a very good reason why the Count is surrounded by so many women, Ermond."
"......."
"Ah, here he comes."
Thump.
Along with the heavy armor, five women appeared following behind.
[Good work. Don't come inside; just watch from the back.]
The knight in white armor left the others behind and walked boldly toward the boss room at the front of the group.
"......."
Grit.
Watching that dependable and confident back, Ermond could only bite his lower lip.