Two hours after I rescued the slaves, the battle between Franryure and the Legion Bat concluded with surprising ease.
We already knew the Legion Bat’s core Magic Stone was inside its body, so my role was simply to act as bait to draw it out. As long as the four of them didn’t fall into a negative synergy, there was no way they could lose.
Thus, without taking much time, we cleared the challenge on the 9th floor and proceeded towards the 10th floor.
—Yes, towards the 10th floor.
I couldn’t help but recall yesterday’s events.
Teeda, who claimed to be the boss of the 20th floor, had a “display” of Twenty Guardians. If that’s the case, then Arti, who had a “display” of Ten Guardians, could be predicted to be the boss of the 10th floor.
However, after being attacked by the boss of the 20th floor on the 5th floor, that prediction hardly mattered.
Franryure and the others had already told me that the boss of the 10th floor wasn’t on the 10th floor, so my assumption likely wasn’t wrong.
Ultimately, danger exists on every floor of the labyrinth. That’s all there is to it.
Along the way, Franryure’s incessant questions about my hobbies and special skills drained me, but we reached the 10th floor without any significant issues.
The 10th floor was a peculiar one. Beyond the stairs, an astonishing brightness filled the area, unlike anything found in a labyrinth.
A boundless room, with flames as far as the eye could see. Nothing else. That was the entirety of the 10th floor.
The flames weren’t strong enough to scorch our bodies. Still, the scattered flames everywhere made us hesitate to enter the room.
We walked along a path where the “Seidō” barrier extinguished the flames.
At an appropriate spot, Snow took out a bottle and attempted to collect the flames. It was an bizarre sight. The fire was seemingly cut off and sucked into the bottle, and despite the lack of anything combustible inside, it continued to burn.
This was the end of the task. Finally, I could part ways with this Party.
“Congratulations, everyone. My role here is over, isn’t it?”
I approached them to initiate our farewell.
“Oh, my, thank you for your help, Brother. It was truly lucky to have cooperated with an Explorer like you. I honestly thought one of us would get seriously injured and have to return. Ah, here’s the promised gold coins.”
Erna handed over the gold coins while expressing her gratitude. Franryure then interjected.
“Christ! Since we have this chance, would it be alright to ask you to escort us to the ground? Yes, since we have this chance! We’d love to treat you to dinner at the Helvirshine family residence! We’ve always longed for companions who are as young, strong, sincere, and kind as you, Christ! Please, we implore you!”
Even someone like me, who isn’t particularly adept at reading people’s emotions, could tell Franryure was quite taken with me.
It’s flattering to be liked by such a beautiful girl. However, I felt that getting closer to her would only lead to more troubles. It’s not just about our differing positions, but also our fundamental differences in how we see things.
“I’m sorry, Miss Franryure. My original objective lies beyond the 10th floor. Unfortunately, I cannot escort you to the ground.”
I politely declined. I didn’t forget to feign disappointment.
“O-oh, is that so… I can’t possibly impose on you further after you’ve already helped us. However, we, the Helvirshine siblings, are prepared to invite you to our home. Please feel free to call on us anytime.”
“Eh, me too? Well, I wouldn’t mind if Christ-san came to visit.”
Franryure, seemingly making a unilateral decision, included Rainer. And Rainer didn’t seem opposed to it either.
“Thank you. I will if the opportunity arises.”
“Yes, if the opportunity arises! Please do come to Eltralyu Academy! Ah, the Helvirshine residence is at number three in Fuziaze! You can see it as soon as you enter the district! Either place is fine, so please do reach out if anything comes up!”
Franryure continued to appeal to me with a sense of reluctance until the very end. If I had met her in my previous life, I would have found her earnestness admirable.
However, in my current situation, I coolly determined that she was unnecessary.
Finally, I exchanged greetings with the remaining two.
“Brother, you look like you’d be easily fooled, so be careful not to get tricked. See ya.”
“…You are not suited for labyrinths. I recommend a career change. Farewell.”
For some reason, I was bid farewell with harsh words. Though we only cooperated for a short time, I wanted to believe they were words of concern from my companions.
And so, I parted ways with the Academy Party. Franryure’s repeated waves and glances back were rather endearing.
I was left alone on the 10th floor. The flames filling the room dripped sweat onto me. As I quickly intended to proceed to the 11th floor, I began walking along the “Seidō.”
Now that I was finally alone, I felt a strange sense of loneliness. It’s true that having any person by your side as a Party member brings a sense of security.
However, I had decided to proceed alone today, so from here on—
“—Huh. Am I going alone from here?”
Alone.
Yes, I should be alone. In a space where I should be alone, I heard a voice that was not mine.
Instinctively, I reinforced my magic.
“—Magic《Dimension – Decisive Calculation》!!”
I retreated sharply, searching for the owner of the voice.
A vast space, with only two entrances. An unexpected voice, and roaring flames. It was just like that time.
I used magic to meticulously scan the surroundings for information. The ceiling, corners, behind the flames—I checked everywhere for enemies. But there was no sign of any.
“I apologize for startling you. I have no ill will, so please calm down.”
The voice still came from somewhere. However, my heightened magic detected the source of the sound. I received information that the vibrations of the voice originated from within the raging flames.
Then, I noticed that the flames were forming a mouth.
“—From the flames?”
“Ah, I was hidden within the flames. But if it’s just you, there’s no problem in revealing myself. Wait a moment.”
The flames spoke. I recognized the tone of this voice.
The flames began to take on a human shape, and bandages inscribed with writing gathered from somewhere in the room. The bandages wrapped around the flame-formed figure, serving as clothing.
Finally, the head changed into that of a human, and it became the red-haired girl I had met before.
It was Arti, one of the Ten Guardians.
“…!”
I hesitated. From a game perspective, I could infer that she would be inferior to Teeda, who bore the title of Twenty. However, I wasn’t sure if I could readily believe that.
Unlike with Teeda, Dia was not here now. My firepower was reduced, but in return, my freedom to retreat was enhanced. If it was just me, with my high Physical Ability, the tactical options would be wide-ranging. More importantly, with my speed, which had increased after reaching Level 10, simple escape was also a viable option.
After deliberation, I decided to continue conversing with Arti, who claimed to have no ill will.
If necessary, I could always flee. I could catch up to the Academy Party quickly enough. It would be a shame to them, but if a chaotic battle ensued, my options would increase. In that case, I would prioritize my own life over a good night’s sleep.
“Arti… is it? Did you come here to fight me?”
I spoke warily to Arti, who had taken on a human form.
Arti floated gently and shook her head immediately. Her demeanor was surprisingly humanlike, which unsettled me.
If a battle were to occur, Arti’s appearance would be a disadvantage for me. At first glance, she looks like a human child, which is almost unfair.
“No, no. Didn’t I just say I have no ill will?
Arti, with her small frame, spoke with an arrogant tone. The dissonance was jarring. However, it was this dissonance that prevented me from forgetting that she was a Monster, a girl.
“I can’t believe you. I was just attacked by a rather amusing Monster named Teeda the other day. Do you think I’ve forgotten how you blocked my escape route then?”
“I merely intended to set the stage, but if you are angry, I apologize. I am sorry.”
“Even if you apologize, how can I possibly trust you…?”
“Hmm… It seems the impression you have of me isn’t very good. I’m a little shocked. I didn’t attack you or anything.”
Arti pouted, as if sulking. Ah, her too. She was just like Teeda.
“Naturally. Why would I have a good impression of a Monster? When humans and Monsters meet, they kill each other. That’s the unwritten rule of this world. That’s what Teeda said.”
“Hehehe. You don’t need to take that seriously. Teeda probably just made that up on the spot.”
Arti rebuked me with a warm gaze, as if looking at a child who still believed in Santa Claus. Being looked at that way by a girl more than twice my junior was rather irritating.
“So, what you’re saying is, you have no intention of fighting me. And I should believe that?”
“Yes. I’m not like that battle-crazed guy, so I have no intention of being a proper Monster. That’s why this room is always empty. Explorers can safely gather flames and proceed to the 11th floor.”
“Oh… But it seems I won’t be able to proceed to the 11th floor with peace of mind?”
“Ah, you can be at ease. Now that I’m joining you, any ordinary boss will be no match. —Though, the ‘Seidō’ barrier is quite far away.”
“—Wait. Wait, wait, wait.”
“Hm? What is it?”
My headache wouldn’t stop. This one-sided way of speaking, just like Teeda. Making decisions on their own.
“What do you mean, joining me uninvited? That’s impossible.”
“It appears you don’t trust me, so I intend to show you I have no ill will, not just through words but through actions. Thus, I’ve decided to help you with your labyrinth exploration.”
“Stop it. With you behind me, there’s no way I can fight.”
“I can also be in the front. I’m skilled with swords too.”
Saying that, Arti created a Fire Sword and repeatedly made stabbing motions towards the sky. If one only looked at her appearance, it was a heartwarming scene of a child playing with a sword.
But, no.
Too much flame was leaking. From her hands and feet. She couldn’t be treated the same as a human.
“That’s not the issue. Just by you being near me, I’m already on high alert. There’s no way I can explore the labyrinth.”
“Hmm. However, this is a pressing issue for me as well. Until you trust me, I intend to stay close to you. First, building a trusting relationship is important. I will serve you by your side for years to come.”
Arti smiled innocently. Her earnest and straightforward way of speaking made me feel that she wasn’t lying. It was certain that I didn’t feel any malice from her.
However, it might just be that I’m too inexperienced to sense it. The unease remained.
It would have been so much easier if she had just attacked me. The plan I devised last night for dealing with a Guardian was completely useless.
“So, that means… you’ll be hovering around me? Until I trust you?”
“Yes.”
“…Um, is it okay if I defeat you now? You’re a boss, after all.”
“That’s cruel to someone showing friendly intentions. A cute girl wants to be your companion. You should welcome her warmly… You’re so cold. I truly just want to be trusted. I have a small desire, and I want to fulfill it. For that, human cooperation is indispensable.”
As she spoke, Arti raised both her hands and struck a surrender pose.
She then waved her hands, asserting her harmlessness. I considered striking the defenseless Arti, but I stopped because of a word that piqued my interest.
“—Desire? You do have a desire?”
I remembered. Teeda’s dying words flashed in my mind.
“O-oh, you’ll listen?”
“………”
Would listening to this be beneficial for me?
Information is certainly necessary to conquer this mysterious labyrinth. But was it truly the right decision to try and extract information from Arti here and now?
“Setting aside the matter of trust, just listening is enough for me. You also mentioned something concerning before. That you wouldn’t fight due to doubts. Tell me about that too.”
Arti’s words, coming from the labyrinth itself, were essentially spoilers.
I hated that I still thought in terms of a game even in this situation. And that thinking encouraged me to listen to her talk as much as possible right now.
“Hehehe. …Alright, I’ll talk.”
“………..”
Arti smiled bewitchingly and slowly began to speak.
“Let’s see. Since we have this opportunity, let’s start with the matter of doubt… I think this will be an interesting story for you. After all, it’s about how to kill a Guardian without fighting.”
Arti’s smile never wavered. The content of her story, even if it was about how to kill me, didn’t change it.
“Actually, we Guardians are forced to guard the labyrinth as Monsters because we have ‘Lingering Desires.’ I’ve long been curious about what would happen to a Guardian if those ‘Lingering Desires’ were resolved… Teeda cleared up that doubt for me. It seems we weaken when our ‘Lingering Desires’ are gone, and we disappear once our wishes are fulfilled. That’s why the seemingly immortal Teeda died so easily.”
From Arti’s tone, it seemed she had witnessed Teeda’s death. And she was implying that his death was impossible for the true Teeda.
Teeda died because his wish was granted. She seemed convinced of this.
—This was news to me.
I had never heard such a thing from anyone. It felt like information unknown to any of the Allied Nations trying to conquer the labyrinth.
“Hehehe. And as for my wish… My wish is only one…”
Then, as if the previous story was merely a preface, Arti lowered her voice, making it heavier.
She spoke of Arti’s wish. In other words, her impending death.
“—I want to see my love fulfilled.”
Arti said, looking up at the sky with a bashful expression. However, she quickly mocked her own words, saying, “Well, isn’t that romantic?”
“………”
My head began to ache. It wasn’t a simple pain. It was a confused mixture of worry, desperation, enjoyment, and emotions that should not normally coexist.
Arti was looking directly at me.
Enduring the pain in my head, I uttered a single word: “Troublesome.”
