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(Walson)

"Sorry, my dear, I was wrong..."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"Well, it's just that..."

"Hmm? I'm not angry because of Walson."

"And it's not entirely my fault either! After all, it's... it's that Grace! That elegant and beautiful Black Mage! Aren't you curious, my dear?"

"Oh? Elegant and beautiful? Now there's another elegant and beautiful person?"

"It's not like that! No matter how beautiful she is, she can't compare to you, my dear! Your beauty is like spring flowers, the warmth of winter, and it's so beautiful that it's the salvation of all things..."

As I walked through the streets, silently following Dean and Mitty, I watched the two of them bickering and bantering.

Chesaatla, also known as the Labyrinth City, was a city built on top of a labyrinth, which meant that the area I was in until yesterday was the zeroth floor of this labyrinth, and the "training grounds" we were heading to now was the first floor of the labyrinth.

It seemed that Grace and Melon had already gone to the training grounds ahead of me... Is this the kind of test they mentioned for becoming adventurers? There would usually be one or more clueless adventurers who would go up to challenge it, and then... and then...

...

...

...I felt like I could see a few piles of mess on the road, maybe it's better not to think about it any further.

Suddenly, a strange smell wafted over, and I felt an unusual sensation... The surrounding air seemed to momentarily congeal...

'Come...'

"Hmm?" I frowned and stopped in my tracks.

"What's wrong? Are you afraid of entering the labyrinth?" Dean noticed my unusual behavior and turned to look at me.

"...Did you just–"

"Could it be that you're scared? This is only the first floor you know?" Mitty turned around with a contemptuous expression, looking at me.

When did these two reconcile? Weren't they just arguing a moment ago!?

"Huh? What's with this attitude? You're getting all smug so quickly?" Just as that kind of thought emerged in my mind, it got shot down as Dean began to glare at Mitty again.

"Don't be angry, my dear! Oh my, oh my, I'm the kind of person who forgets things easily..." Mitty quickly switched to an apologetic mode, bowing and apologizing to his fiancée Dean, using sweet words and gestures that I couldn't have imagined before.

Although it seemed like he was under strict supervision— They seemed quite happy together.

On the other hand, I hadn't used any particularly romantic words to make Grace and the others happy.

I always felt like I was being outdone.

Shaking my head, I pushed those thoughts out of my mind. This wasn't the time to be thinking about such things.

Returning to the topic of the labyrinth, you might wonder why I was heading into the labyrinth when I was supposed to go to the training grounds.

To explain this, I'll start by describing the structure of this labyrinth city.

Apart from the surface area, which is the zeroth floor where I was active yesterday, the first three floors of this labyrinth are the living areas for adventurers. There are even many shops and inns located within these floors.

The reason for this setup is probably because the average level of monsters on these three floors does not exceed level ten. Anyone who has received a bit of training can easily live here.

It's like a bustling city that has developed around a labyrinth...

The "Genesis of Civilization: Labyrinth of Flame."

How should I put it? Unlike the water and wood I knew before, this labyrinth seems to allow adventurers to live to some extent. I couldn't help but become curious about the Elemental Guardian of Fire– That said, I haven't forgotten the purpose of this journey.

As I continued on my journey, I collected clues about the labyrinth along the way.

In Josephton, I heard a strong girl who resembled Derisha talk about some things regarding this city. Later, I also heard some descriptions from Belle. It seems that some changes are occurring inside the labyrinth, and there was even a recent outbreak of rampaging monsters.

Even on the first floor where I currently roam, if you carefully observe the shopping street, you can find signs of recent battles, like broken debris.

...The situation beyond the third floor is very unstable. There are occasional appearances of monsters from the deeper layers, and many shops on the third floor have already evacuated, with B-rank or higher adventurers stationed to guard it.

Monsters from the deeper layers... based on this information alone, it seems that something unusual has happened in the deeper layers. The question is, what exactly is this "unusual" and, moreover, there is another abnormality in this labyrinth that can't be called a good omen.

A sudden surge in the production of [Inferno Aurum].

Yes, since the outbreak of the monster rampage, the quantity of [Inferno Aurum] produced in the labyrinth recently has far exceeded the monthly limit from before. This once led to chaos and attracted even more adventurers to gather here.

To deal with this, the Adventurer's Guild issued a [Investigation Call].

For safety reasons, they formed groups of several hundred adventurers and sent them into the labyrinth all at once. While clearing the labyrinth, they also investigate the cause of the anomaly and, if necessary, eliminate the source of the disaster.

The reward for this task is the [Inferno Aurum] obtained during the adventure. When you think about it carefully, it might be quite a lucrative deal.

After all, from what I've heard, the monster turmoil has been going on for several months, and during this time, the guild has probably spent a considerable amount of funds dealing with it.

But if you consider that the reward is based on the uncertain factor of whether you'll obtain [Inferno Aurum] or not– it might turn out to be a volatile situation.

Among adventurers, there could be infighting over [Inferno Aurum], potentially leading to a bloody battle in a place filled with monsters like the labyrinth. It's easy to imagine a situation where they are surrounded by enemies on all sides.

As I arrived at the entrance of the training ground, my thoughts were in disarray, and the missing crucial information deepened my unease.

I had a foreboding feeling... Perhaps this incident would be more challenging than any before.