Chapter 57: To the Labyrinth! (3)
Chapter 57: To the Labyrinth! (3)
Three days ago.
I was deep in thought after entering the labyrinth.
"Relying solely on magic signals for communication makes me uneasy."
Exchanging signals through magic alone had significant drawbacks, and I was worried about sending the knight order down into the depths of the labyrinth under those conditions.
"Young Lord, the Barbas Mage Tower Master has arrived."
"Hmm? The Tower Master?"
"Yes. She came with Astarotte."
It was about time for Astarotte to show up, but I hadn't heard anything about Barbas coming along.
I felt a prickle of anxiety.
Did she come to complain about me rubbing my cock against her ass last time? Or maybe she's here to protest the sexual harassment I dished out under the guise of learning Sex Magic?
No matter how powerful the Scion of Fermaton was, a Mage Tower Master was someone who could actually push back.
I braced myself and went to greet them.
"It has been a while, hohoho. I am Barbas, the Mage Tower Master."
"It has been a while, Tower Master."
Barbas appeared before me in the form of an old witch. Fortunately, Laura was currently 'sparring' with Serica; otherwise, I might have ended up exposing my cock to the elderly Barbas.
"The reason for my visit today is that I have a research result that may be of use to you, Lord Ruji."
She didn't call me Fermaton.
She called me Ruji.
That meant this was assistance related to Astarotte.
"What is it?"
"It is this."
Creak, clack.
Barbas moved her fingers, and an object was brought before me.
"Living Armor. A suit of armor brought to life. It is a spell that allows one to plant a portion of their consciousness into the armor via a magic circle drawn inside it to control it. It is a 'mercenary' of the Mage Tower often used by many adventurer parties."
"Armor without a will of its own? But I heard last time that this was impossible?"
"Astarotte and I conducted the research together. And we succeeded. We created a very special Living Armor that can be controlled even at a great distance from the Young Lord."
"I shall explain," Astarotte added.
The three-sentence summary:
One: I can operate the Living Armor from the Lord's Castle Office using a Golem Controller.
Two: The signals reaching the Living Armor will pass through several relays to reach the depths of the labyrinth, just as I previously suggested.
Three: We have found the most effective substance to act as a relay.
"Ho. And what is that?"
"Lord Ruji's semen."
"……"
I was so stunned I couldn't speak.
"You're going to do what with my semen?"
"We intend to utilize Astarotte's Sex Magic. By linking the magic signals you send with Sex Magic, we can ensure they reach deep into the labyrinth."
"Oh…."
"According to our analysis, Lord Ruji's semen loses its function as soon as it is exposed to the air."
"What… did you say…?"
"It is due to the Curse of Fermaton's Blood. The moment the semen is exposed to the air, the things inside called 'sperm' are destroyed."
This was shocking.
"Does that mean… I'm impotent?"
"No, no. Normal pregnancy is quite possible. However."
"However?"
"You simply need to ejaculate inside the vagina after creating a seal so tight between the cock and the pussy that no air can pass through. After scouring and investigating the history of the Fermaton family, we have reached the following conclusion."
Semen ejaculated directly into the vagina retains active sperm.
However, any semen that leaks out or is exposed to the air sees its sperm destroyed at an incredibly rapid rate.
All because of the curse flowing through the Fermaton bloodline.
"In other words, the curse doesn't work inside a woman's vagina…?"
"A woman's genitals protect against the Fermaton curse. This is just a hypothesis, but if the dimensions of the cock and pussy don't match and air gets in, the sperm could be destroyed even then."
"Ah, I see."
So Ruji's massive cock was like a biological instinct—the Fermaton genes trying to overcome the curse by completely filling the pussy, creating a vacuum-like state to preserve the sperm for reproduction.
"No wonder. I always wondered why it was useless for anyone to try and steal my semen throughout history. That was the reason."
There had been many who tried to steal the Fermaton seed.
But it was impossible to get pregnant by taking semen that wasn't directly ejaculated into a vagina—like from a wet dream or from being spilled on the body—and putting it into a glass bottle to be inserted later.
Anyway.
"So, you're saying you can control the Living Armor using my semen?"
"Yes. You can relay your will and control it. However."
"Another 'however'?"
"Until you become accustomed to it, you will need Astarotte's support. Therefore…."
Barbas's eyes sparkled as she grabbed Astarotte's shoulders.
"I leave Astarotte in your care, Lord Ruji."
"Please… take care of me."
"……"
And so.
I acquired the 'Living Armor Control Method via Sex Magic'—a principle I still didn't quite understand—while in a sumata position, with my cock wedged into the triangular valley between Astarotte’s thighs and pussy.
* * *
Back to the present.
Infinite Labyrinth, 1st Floor.
[We're approaching the 'Mining Area.' Captain, Yurdias. Put on your coats.]
"Yes. I'll put it on."
Laura and Yurdias immediately donned their coats to minimize exposure.
The lack of clothing beneath the coats and the lines of their bodies through their bodysuits were still clearly visible, but at least they weren't as blatantly exposed as they were back in my room.
[Serica, you….]
"…I am not taking it off. Not for a threat of this level."
[Heh.]
Serica had been wearing her coat from the start.
It was a coat similar to Laura's.
However, the surface area of the clothes hidden beneath it was far smaller than Laura's.
A swimsuit.
I had finally succeeded in making Serica wear a swimsuit into the labyrinth!
[By the way, Serica. Don't you feel like you've become stronger than before?]
"Pardon?"
[I'm asking if you don't feel much stronger than you used to be.]
"…If wearing a swimsuit under a coat could make one stronger, every knight order's uniform on this continent would be a swimsuit!"
A fair point.
[I see. Then I'll consider making swimsuits the official knight order uniform. What do you think, Captain?]
"It's a good idea. But if we can't get into the water even while wearing swimsuits…."
"There is a place. A place to swim."
Yurdias pointed downward.
"Between the 21st and 30th floors. Unlike this area, which is a typical cave, that section features natural landscapes. There are forests, meadows, and spring water."
"Oh, really?"
Laura's reaction was mechanical.
[The Infinite Labyrinth is no ordinary maze. Every time you descend through a portal, a different world unfolds.]
A completely new world opened up every ten floors.
Floors 1 through 10 were ordinary caves.
Floors 11 through 20 were labyrinths like dungeons from a fantasy novel.
And from floors 21 to 30, natural landscapes unfolded.
What Yurdias was referring to was likely those natural landscapes—the places where forests and meadows stretched out.
Of course, it would take a while to get there, and I had no intention of rushing down immediately.
'I need to inspect it floor by floor.'
This was my first time descending into the Infinite Labyrinth.
'Because I don't know what secrets might be hidden here.'
When you look at the playstyles of gamers, there are many types.
There are those who run in a straight line toward the main story.
There are those who hunt for sub-quests or achievements with a fire in their eyes the moment they see them.
And there are those who challenge a boss for hours with nothing but a basic weapon, even when they're supposed to grind for better gear.
'But that's for gamers.'
Not me.
While I was moving in a straight line toward conquering the Infinite Labyrinth, I didn't have much interest in hidden gimmicks or secrets.
However, I was dead serious about spec-ing up to face the 'Bosses' that appeared on each floor.
'You never know where a Mythstone might appear.'
Mythstones can show up in the most unexpected places.
The first Mythstone I obtained this time was from Serica killing a magical creature on the 50th floor, but it was an item that could suddenly pop up even in these initial levels.
If I knew exactly where they came from, I would have run there long ago.
So.
For now, I would check the places that could be considered the economic foundation of Fermaton.
[I can see it now. The people working since dawn are certainly diligent.]
Clang, clang, clang.
The sound of steel carving into something.
If you listened closely, it sounded like pickaxes or hammers.
"It's the Magic Stone Mine."
[Captain Laura aside, have the other two ever worked here?]
"I have."
Surprisingly, Yurdias raised her hand.
"You can earn a daily wage just by swinging a pickaxe. I wouldn't call it a lifelong career, but I used it often when I needed quick cash."
[Really?]
"Well, it felt a bit like a side job."
Clang, clang, clang.
People were working hard with their pickaxes.
Among those living in the Count's Castle of Fermaton, these people made up the largest professional demographic.
Miners.
The miners who excavated the infinitely regenerating Magic Stones from the Fermaton Labyrinth provided a solid floor for the Fermaton economy.
The Magic Stones obtained from the magical creatures deeper underground by adventurers were one thing, but the Magic Stones regularly harvested from mines like this were a source of income that couldn't be ignored.
[If the Infinite Labyrinth were to disappear, these people would lose their jobs in an instant. They'd lose their livelihoods, their income would be cut off, and they might starve to death. It's not like they could just start farming immediately.]
"……"
Laura closed her eyes.
[But.]
I walked up behind her and gave her a light pat on the back.
[That's their problem.]
Is it any of my—our—business?
[Let's go. To the floor below. We have a long way to—]
"Hey, you there."
Some strange-looking guys were approaching from a distance.
"Hey, beauties. Why don't you party up with us? There's three of us, too."
[Tha—]
"No."
Laura rejected them ruthlessly before I could even say a word.
"We don't party with men."