Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Sophomore Jinx (6)
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"Somehow, I've ended up decked out with all sorts of stuff."
"I never imagined Rias would actually give me something like that."
"Is it something important?"
"Not quite... but it's still pretty valuable. Even though it's consumable, if you lost it somewhere, you couldn't just brush it off easily."
"Oof."
Karin grabbed the necklace hanging around her neck with a slightly burdened expression. She seemed to harbor some suspicions since it came from Rias, but as long as it wasn't some shady trick, it was a solid protective charm.
I had no idea what Rias was thinking, but with this extra layer of insurance on top of what I'd prepared, I decided to count it as a good thing.
On the other hand, she seemed miffed that I'd only given a magic tool to her, puffing out her cheeks as she shot me a look.
You don't need something like this anyway; you're fine without it.
Anyway, once we'd wrapped up the discussion, we used the temporary passes Cosetica had prepared and headed inside.
This wasn't my first time, but it was the first for both of them, so they glanced around curiously at the labyrinth.
"Wow. The scenery just completely changes every time we go down a level."
"That's the mysterious part about it."
"How can there even be a sky?"
"They say if you actually climb up, there's no height limit."
"Oh."
Her expression full of wonder as she shaded her eyes with her hand and scanned the horizon of the plains and the sun in the sky—it was the perfect picture of brazen curiosity.
Ermina, meanwhile, seemed a bit overwhelmed by all the novel sights.
This might be the difference between Ermina, who hadn't had much chance to grow since I left, and Karin, who'd been caught up in one natural-disaster-level event after another.
I didn't know what kind of power Mina's connection to the World Tree would grant her, so if I planned to collaborate with Ermina long-term, this might be something I needed to nurture carefully.
The problem was that even traveling together, her progress was stuck with some error embedded in it, refusing to budge.
"Cafe Manager. What are you thinking about?"
"Huh? Oh, just wondering how we should proceed from here."
"Then let's talk it over, the three of us."
"You're in a good mood today."
"Honestly, my aptitude for magic is pretty unique, so there aren't even professors who specialize in it, and this is my first time out in the field."
"Ah, yeah. Noble kids usually get private tutors if their aptitudes are rare or unusual."
"I spent all my time at home learning accounting and business."
No wonder she was in high spirits. Watching her scout the surroundings with her spatial magic that she was confident in, it was clear she was eager to use it in real combat.
Not being nobility but a commoner, she probably saw magic less as a family asset or a means to protect her lands and more as a personal talent bestowed upon her.
From that perspective, this outing was probably a breath of fresh air from her monotonous routine.
She cast detection spells repeatedly, calling me and Ermina over every time she found something, investigating it together and reveling in the satisfaction of discovery.
In the process, I learned about things I hadn't known before, so it wasn't a total waste. Common items in places like this could turn out to be key solutions later on, so it wasn't time wasted.
"She looks like she's having a blast. I never saw her like this at the academy."
"You have to watch out for others' eyes there, right?"
"Yeah. All that talk about the Saintess of Light this and Prince Christoph that... Honestly, it's a bit..."
"I think I heard some 'Ermina this' and that."
"...Playing dirty like that?"
Ermina shot me a sharp glance for a moment but couldn't hold back the laugh that bubbled up as her lips tried to pout.
"If I'd known you were the type to make jokes like this, you should've told me sooner."
"Had to watch my position."
"...Yeah. At this point, I'd almost rather quit everything and come here. At least freedom is guaranteed, if nothing else."
Ermina turned her gaze to the horizon for a moment, then suddenly stiffened, whipping her head around as if she'd sensed something.
"Karin. Could you scan that direction for a sec... about 60 degrees right from now?"
"Uh, sure. Hold on."
"Something there?"
"Just a bad feeling."
Karin scanned with spatial magic, found something but looked ambiguous about it, and moved forward with a puzzled expression. I took the lead in her place, staying alert, while she peeked out from behind me.
For two minutes, she pointed out directions by peeking around, and I adjusted accordingly.
We found our target.
"This isn't just clever camouflage—it's near perfect."
"I didn't even know there was anything there. I just sensed it was hollow inside with magic."
"Eh, this is grunt work anyway."
I brushed the surface of the designated rock, feeling a faint seam under my fingertips. Channeling aura into my hand, I forced it open.
It didn't open fully, but it revealed enough of the door's shape. We switched, and Karin grabbed the stone.
"This is a lock set to open with spatial magic."
She touched her finger to the keyhole and manipulated the mana inside the space. The lock had a puzzle-like mechanism—after some metallic clicks and a final clunk, it sprang open with a clink.
"A spot that requires Ermina-level detection and Karin's spatial magic talent to even access."
"Karin, step back a bit."
I drew a bit of the goddess's power, and Ermina wrapped herself in light as we peered into the stone-disguised box—or vault.
What emerged was a bracelet, half white and half black.
Seeing it, I understood what Ermina meant by that ominous feeling—it was coming from the black half.
This was an artifact fusing a fragment of the Demon God and a fragment of the Goddess.
I picked it up carefully, aura of light in my hand, but got no reaction. As I brought it in front of Ermina and Karin to examine together, it teleported and wrapped around Karin's right arm.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Everyone froze at the sight of the officially ominous item latching onto Karin's arm. The person herself finally spoke after some deliberation.
"This might sound weird."
"Yeah."
"I think this thing helps with spatial magic."
She explained it felt like it assisted with spatial awareness and precise coordinate calculation, which made sense to me.
The lock itself required considerable spatial magic expertise to open, after all.
It was only natural the item inside was a magic tool related to spatial magic.
"Can you take it off?"
"...No."
"Lemme see your right hand for a sec."
"Sure."
I infused a bit of my aura into the white side of the bracelet. It flashed intensely, then displayed a message before calming down.
"'Opening Stage: 0, insufficient demonic energy...?'"
"...Looks like when I put in the goddess's power, it's asking for the opposing energy."
"So, do we need a demon? That's scary."
"Not all demons go berserk, though the one you met was pretty extreme. Anyway, let's figure out how to remove it if possible. Wearing it constantly seems risky."
"Yeah. A bracelet that needs demonic energy isn't exactly reassuring."
We all agreed, so we decided to rest nearby for now and examine the bracelet.
It'd be nice if we found more stuff.
Man, this really feels like a game. A growth-type item in a treasure chest on a low level, one that only special talents can unlock.
And that growth item plays a role in unraveling the labyrinth's secrets...
Totally protagonist gear.
Wait. Seriously?
I pondered if Karin might actually be the sequel's protagonist.
Even without me, she'd probably end up in Astraea. If not Rias, some other distasteful incident would've driven her here.
And without my cafe, she'd go somewhere else.
In a city where labyrinth exploration is central, high chance she'd dive in...
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ New Story Unlocked Protagonist, Karin Udette, has obtained the key item. Proceed with the story.
Ha.
Haha.
Really? This damn world.
And now Karin gets tangled up with the Demon God's power too.
What a fate—not a single likable thing about it.