After defeating the Gast Dragoon, we arrived at a Safe Area about thirty minutes further on and decided to take a short rest.
There was a temple standing next door, and it seemed this was indeed the Guardian’s Chamber.
It looked like the Parthenon of Greece, so I was confused at first, but it appears that the term “Guardian’s Chamber” in a labyrinth refers to this kind of temple.
Wouldn’t it be better to rename it “Guardian Temple”?
“So this is the Guardian’s Chamber.”
“I’d only heard about it, and this is my first time seeing it.”
The last time anyone cleared a labyrinth was about ten years ago, it seems.
However, it’s rare for the guardian of a low-difficulty labyrinth to be defeated. I’ve heard that Trial Hearts and Holy Grave have defeated the guardian of a low-difficulty labyrinth called Accordal Labyrinth in Amister.
Accordal is the name of a city in the Earldom of Ideallight, northeast of Float.
Defeating the guardian of Accordal Labyrinth is apparently recognized as a top-tier Raid in Amister, and the materials from that guardian sell for a high price, so high-ranked Hunters often come there.
By the way, the guardian of Accordal Labyrinth is a P-rank monster called Lava Crocodile, which manipulates lava. Its hide is said to be of the highest quality for leather goods, both in appearance and texture, and is traded at a high price.
I’m not interested, and since it’s already cleared, I probably won’t go there.
“Can’t we see the inside of the Guardian’s Chamber?”
“You can. That’s why the Hunters who confirmed it also confirmed the guardian.”
Mana answers Ed’s question, but apparently, the guardian won’t attack unless you enter the chamber, and it won’t pursue you if you leave.
This is apparently common knowledge for labyrinths, but since we are all labyrinth beginners, many of us didn’t know such things.
You’d think we’d have researched that much before entering a labyrinth, but we did at least check what the guardian here was.
“As far as I heard at the Hunter’s Guild in Dragunia, the guardian should be a Gold Dragoon.”
A Gold Dragoon is an A-rank monster that uses magic of all attributes.
I’ve heard that gold is apparently the color representing all attributes, which is why the Hunters who confirmed it immediately chose to retreat.
Even a normal A-rank Dragoon is troublesome, let alone a golden dragon that uses all attributes. It’s beyond troublesome.
“A Dragoon of all attributes, huh? The materials must be delicious, but if you can’t get them without defeating the guardian, they’ll be incredibly rare.”
“Rare is an understatement. I’ve never heard of anyone defeating a Gold Dragoon, so I doubt anyone has ever used them?”
That’s true.
The Gold Dragoon is the guardian of the Solpreza Labyrinth. In the first place, it’s said that 90% of Dragoons inhabit labyrinths.
Therefore, almost all Dragoon materials are from labyrinths, and over 90% of those materials are from Lesser Dragoons, so even Dragoon materials are rarely seen.
Furthermore, there’s the issue of Monster Rank, being M-rank, so even if they appear, it’s in the depths, making it extremely difficult just to reach them.
The Solpreza Labyrinth is shallow, with only seven floors, so perhaps this is the easiest place to obtain them.
That being said, the monsters along the way are also high-ranked.
“So Dragoon materials are that rare…”
“To think we’ll be able to use such rare materials ourselves…”
Carol and Viola look apologetic, but we’ve already hunted quite a lot, and since it’s standard Union equipment, it’s only natural.
Ah, since I have the chance, I should tell Yuri about her situation now.
I’ve already asked Prim, Mana, Ed, and Marisa for their opinions on Yuri, so there’s no need to tell them again after returning to Feel. Besides, we’re stopping by Float on the way back, so it could be misunderstood.
“Raus, Carol. Regarding Yuri, we’ve all agreed to formally contract with her. All that’s left is your opinion.”
“Eh!?”
Yuri, who didn’t expect to hear this here, widens her eyes in surprise.
Yuri was just promoted to C-rank Butler, and this was her first contract with Raus and Carol.
Apparently, she was Carol’s playmate when she was little, but even putting that aside, I knew she was trying her best. She seemed to have good compatibility not only with Carol but also with Raus and Rebecca, so telling her about the formal contract early wasn’t a bad idea.
“A-are you sure it’s okay?”
“Of course. She’s still inexperienced and a bit clumsy as a butler, but it’s her first contract, so that’s natural.”
“She worked hard even after we entered the labyrinth. We’ve been eating the meals that Yuri made.”
“She also proactively cleaned the Beast Carriage, which helped us a lot. We tend to neglect cleaning when we get absorbed in our work.”
The meals in the labyrinth were basically made by Yuri.
It seems she was taught by her grandmother, Mikana, an M-rank Butler, and her skills were second only to Eos.
Marisa is not good at cooking, Viola is mediocre, but Eos has the skills of a top chef.
Yuri isn’t quite at Eos’s level, but since Eos also taught her, her cooking skills are already superior to Marisa and Viola.
As for cleaning, I heard she cleaned Ed and the others’ rooms, which often get messy from Arms and Armor production, while being careful not to get in the way of their work.
Marisa, Viola, and Eos are better at cleaning, but the fact that she’s trying her best is commendable.
As Carol’s attendant, she still needs support from Marisa and the others, but this is something she’ll just have to get used to.
However, she gets along well with Carol and interacts with Raus and Rebecca without any issues. I believe she’ll become a good butler with more experience.
“Thank you, Lord Yamato.”
Carol looks happy too.
The decision on whether to formally hire Yuri was to be made after returning to Feel.
However, with the addition of Athena and Eos, our plans have had to be slightly altered.
The original plan was to take a ship to Memoria and then travel by land to Feel. But with Eos, a Hydragonian, forming a Dragon Resonance Contract with Mana, and me getting engaged to Athena, we also have to stop by Float.
Therefore, Eos will transform into her dragon form and fly us to Float.
Fortunately, Yuri has received high praise from everyone, so I had intended to complete the formal hiring procedures at Float. However, it’s better to inform her beforehand, so I decided to do it now.
“Th-thank you very much!”
Yuri bows deeply, tears welling up in her eyes.
I don’t think she needs to be *that* moved, but if she hadn’t been formally hired, she would have had to do short-term assignments at Float repeatedly. She must have been anxious not knowing what the future held.
“So, Ed. Please prepare Yuri’s set of things as well.”
“Understood. Raus, Carol, I’ll be “borrowing” Yuri later.”
“Certainly.”
“Thank you.”
When we return to Float, I’ll have to complete the paperwork for joining the Wing Crest.
Also, I need to order weapons and armor made with Lapis Laz. Yuri excels with rapiers, so a rapier would be fine for her weapon, but we need to decide on the design for that rapier and her coat’s armor.
Even Marisa, Viola, and Eos took quite a while, so Yuri will probably take a long time too.
Well, we’re not making coats right now, so Marina should have plenty of free time. There shouldn’t be any particular problems.
Speaking of weapons, what happened to Athena and Eos’s weapons?
“Ed, what about Athena’s and Eos’s weapons?”
“Eos’s axe was completed just now. All that’s left is some fine-tuning after testing it. Athena’s spear, unfortunately, is not ready yet. So, please let her borrow Prim’s prototype.”
I had Eos’s Hydragonian weapon prioritized, so it’s understandable that Athena’s spear isn’t finished.
However, since Athena was also able to evolve into a Hydragonian, I’d prefer it to be expedited.
“I understand. Eos, could you give that spear to Athena?”
“Understood. Lady Athena, please.”
“Thank you, Eos. I’ll borrow it, Prim.”
“Yes.”
Eos hands Athena the prototype Jade Alloy Axe-Spear that he had borrowed from Prim.
Athena’s spear is a spear-type weapon, so I think the halberd-type prototype Jade Alloy Axe-Spear might be difficult to use, but if she doesn’t use the axe blade, it should be fine.
“Ed, about how long will Athena’s spear take?”
“The earliest is tomorrow night. I intend to have it ready before we fight the guardian, but I can’t guarantee it.”
The earliest is tomorrow night, but he’s not even sure if it will be ready before fighting the guardian.
However, if he rushes the finishing, it’ll just be a dull weapon. It’s better to have it properly finished, even if it takes a bit longer.
I have Prim’s prototype Jade Alloy Axe-Spear, and the guardian is a Gold Dragoon, so Athena won’t be engaging in close combat, so it should be fine.
“Understood. It’s okay if it’s not ready while we’re in the labyrinth. Please make a good one.”
“You got it.”
It’s a shame I can’t test-cut it in the labyrinth, but there’s nothing to be done about it.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. Here’s Eos’s hand axe.”
While I was talking to Ed about Athena’s weapon, Marina brought Eos’s axe.
She must have left it in the room because she was working on it.
“So this is my axe…”
Eos’s axes are a pair of single-edged axes, and their designs are identical.
However, the design looks like dragon wings, and their color is deep azure.
“Yeah. All that’s left is some fine-tuning, but that’s something that can only be done after using it.”
It’s true that adjustments tailored to the user can only be made after use.
However, Ed’s weapons are made with the user in mind, so the fine-tuning will be completed quickly.
Besides, Eos has the longest Hunter experience among us, so he’ll probably master it right away.
“Then there’s the inscription.”
“The inscription… May I decide it?”
“Of course. If the user doesn’t decide, who else would?”
It’s a custom-made weapon, and Eos’s personal weapon at that, so only Eos should name it.
Marisa and Viola were also hesitant at first, but since it’s their weapon and partner, they should definitely give it a name.
“Understood. Then I shall name these hand axes Lapis Light Baldish.”
She went with that, huh?
Baldish, I think, was an axe used in Russia.
It looked more like a naginata than an axe, but in Helios Orb, it’s the name for a one-handed axe, so there’s no particular issue.
The test subject will be an M-rank monster, but I’ll have to forgive her for that.
