Inheriting the Novel

Chapter 149 : Giant Labyrinth Vinshad (2)

Giant Labyrinth Vinshad (2)

"As always, things are happening just as the Demon King predicted."

A demonkin with ash-gray hair muttered in admiration as he looked at the labyrinth entrance.

'Does he really possess precognitive abilities like the rumors say?'

There was a rumor currently spreading wildly throughout the demon realm.

It was that the Demon King Zard possessed the ability of foresight.

Since his words kept coming true again and again, it was no wonder that such rumors had taken hold.

"Decline-nim, shouldn't we get going as well?"

"How long has it been since those who went in before us entered?"

"It's been half a day now."

"That's odd."

Decline gazed at the entrance to the labyrinth with a puzzled look.

'If things went as expected, they should have already conquered and come back out.'

There were three titled demonkin, including Decline himself, deployed in this assault.

Even if he, a marquis, stayed behind, two count-rank demonkin had entered already—by now, the conquest should have been over.

'Compared to other dungeons, it's certainly more dangerous, but...'

The Calamity of Labytrinth, vinshad, was clearly in a different class from other dungeons.

Not only was it gigantic, but among the monsters pouring out from inside, there were some tough enough to trouble even intermediate-rank demonkin. It was on a level I'd never heard of.

But even so, with two count-rank demonkin present, I had judged there'd be no problem...

Was there some other variable at work?

"Hmph. There's no need to waste more time. We're going in, too."

"Understood!"

Over thirty demonkin responded to Decline's words.

Pleased by their reaction, decline nodded with a satisfied expression.

But he didn't know.

That what made the Calamity of Labytrinth truly terrifying wasn't the monsters coming out of it.

It wouldn't take long for him to discover that.

* * *

"Y-young master, can I really just keep walking like this?"

"Just go in whatever direction you want. Don't worry about the monsters popping up around us."

"Y-yes, sir!"

Monet trembled and inched forward.

She was an ordinary person with no special training, so her walking speed wasn't very fast, but that didn't matter much.

Because the monsters really did pop out nonstop.

Of course, taking care of them was no problem for Riya and me, so it wasn't much of a hassle.

It was just annoying, that's all.

By the way, the ones who had entered Vinshad's interior were Monet, Riya, Maria, and me.

Mersaya was waiting outside in case something unexpected happened. Since she could use Polymorph, she'd hide herself well.

"But, doesn't it seem like there are more and more monsters? Or is it just my imagination?"

Riya asked cautiously, maybe feeling uneasy.

"Even if so, they're not really a threat, right?"

"Yes, that's true, but still..."

"Still, as I expected, this labyrinth is huge."

We'd been walking for what felt like two hours, but the end was nowhere in sight.

Actually, since we were surrounded by walls on all sides, there was little to see anyway.

"Shatter."

At that moment, Riya used Dragon Tongue at the wall, and the space trembled slightly.

The 'law' formed by the Dragon Tongue struck the wall, but there wasn't even a scratch.

[Looks like that wall is under some special law as well, just like Dragon Tongue.]

'That's what it seems. The space itself is much bigger than it looked from outside, so it can't be a normal place.'

[Isn't that what they call Calamityfication? Perhaps this is an offshoot of that same power?]

That was a plausible theory.

Calamityfication causes things that should normally be impossible to happen.

If both the space and the walls of the labyrinth were results of calamityfication, it'd make sense.

"Can't you split the wall with Clay's sword?"

Riya asked again, maybe because passively following the path didn't suit her temperament.

Of course, I hadn't completely dismissed that possibility, either.

"My sword has special requirements for use."

Sword of Man Genova unlocks its true strength when the wishes and origins of humanity gather together.

The problem... is that in this place, only Monet and I can be considered pure humans.

Riya is half-dragon, and Maria is half-demonkin.

Even if the sword responded to both of them, with just the four of us, it'd be difficult to draw out its true power.

"So, in the end, it's a matter of time. I'm glad I prepared to spend the night inside the labyrinth."

Maria said, pointing to the large backpack she was carrying.

"Exactly. That's why I brought Maria with us. I'll need your help once it's nighttime."

"... Hmm."

At my words, Riya looked quite displeased.

'Oops.'

I answered thoughtlessly and only realized my mistake too late.

"Oh my, you're right. Since it's a narrow labyrinth, we'll have to sleep together. I'd love to experience Maria's ability too—is that really okay?"

"Yes, I don't mind."

"Hehe, thank you."

She said thank you, but her expression wasn't thankful at all.

Riya stared at Maria as if probing her intentions, but Maria, a merchant, maintained a perfect poker face, not revealing a trace of emotion.

[Good for you. You get to sleep with four girls tonight.]

'Four?'

[Including me.]

At Grancesia's brazen claim, I was left speechless.

'Honestly, you don't count. Think about your age.'

[I don't fuss over numbers. One's spirit decides these things, you know.]

While the mood turned oddly noisy, Monet, tense and walking alone, finally couldn't take it anymore and shouted out.

"Um, is it okay if I just keep going this way?! Please pay a little attention to me, young master!"

"I told you, just go."

"Ugh!"

But really, there was nothing special to do.

Maybe because of Monet's fortune, the monsters appearing were weaker than expected, so there was nothing but to keep walking.

[Hmm?]

"Huh?"

At that moment, Grancesia and Maria both reacted as if they'd sensed something.

"What's wrong?"

"There seem to be demonkin nearby."

[Yeah, there's a group of demonkin not far from here.]

Since Maria was a half-demonkin, she was probably sensitive to demonic energy.

'But if even Grancesia sensed it at the same time, that's pretty sharp.'

Given Maria's abilities as a demonkin, her talents far outstripped ordinary demonkin.

Even more than Lutia, who had the talent of prophetic dreaming.

'So—there were demonkin who went in ahead after all?'

Since so many demonkin were waiting outside, I assumed none had entered yet, but apparently some had gone in before us.

"Yeah, it's not like they'd just sit around outside the entrance."

"What should we do?"

"What else?"

Riya's question made me chuckle.

"We just keep going. Maria, if we get any closer, you'll let us know?"

"Of course."

And even if Maria missed it, there was always Grancesia.

"If things are this easy, even with Monet's fortune boosting us... it must be pandemonium over there."

"Fortune, huh? Honestly, I don't really feel it myself."

Riya and Maria seemed unable to grasp Monet's "fortune" ability.

Well, it's not a power you can recognize just by being nearby.

But I know.

How much we were benefiting because of Monet's ability.

By now, the demonkin were probably going through hell.

* * *

While Clay and his group were chatting away, the demonkin who'd entered earlier were going through hell.

"Damn it! What kind of dungeon is this?!"

Count-level demonkin, vendela, was utterly miserable.

He'd figured, being called a calamity, that this wouldn't be just an ordinary dungeon, but this was too much.

"Vendela-nim! Giltyon-nim! Advanced-rank monsters are—aargh!"

There wasn't a moment's rest.

As if their bodies were giving off the sweetest scent, monsters attacked relentlessly.

And not mere low-ranked monsters, but all intermediate or advanced monsters.

There were even some classified as top-rank, so neither Vendela nor Giltyon, both count-rank demonkin, could let down their guard.

It had only been half a day since they entered, and the casualties were already significant.

"Damn! It's a dead end again!"

"I'll break through the front. Stick close and follow me!"

The biggest problem was the path.

Monsters poured in relentlessly, and the maze was winding to the point of feeling malicious.

Vendela and Giltyon still had some leeway, but there was no guarantee how long it would last.

"Vendela-nim! There's a corridor to the left! It's so narrow, monsters can't easily get in, it seems!"

"Well done! We're going that way!"

They weren't entirely unlucky, though.

If they fought fiercely with the monsters, occasionally they'd find a spot where they could rest.

Of course, since this labyrinth kept changing and shifting, they had to get moving soon, but even that brief respite was like rain in a drought.

"Alright, everyone get into this corridor and take a short—"

Vendela abruptly stopped mid-sentence.

"Wait! That corridor is a trap!"

But it was already too late.

Every safe space so far had been bait, as if they led up to this moment. The moment the demonkin entered the corridor, a trap was triggered.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Several demonkin in front were instantly caught in an explosion and erased without a trace.

"Grr! Damn it...!"

Gnashing his teeth over yet another painful loss, vendela gathered the remaining demonkin and pressed forward.

Hoping to reach the end of the labyrinth as soon as possible.

* * *

"It's too much, young master..."

By late evening, Monet finally came to a stop, exhausted from walking through the labyrinth.

And, as if by good luck, there was a perfect little alcove nearby where we could spend the night.

[Looks like this surplus space was formed as the dungeon keeps shifting.]

The corridors of the labyrinth constantly moved to confuse travelers, but surplus spaces like this always cropped up somewhere.

"The shifting seems to have stopped for now. And, judging by the amount of magic power building up in the dungeon... looks like, as Clay predicted, the dungeon paused while it's growing."

"We're lucky. Looks like we can sleep here tonight."

Sensitive to magic, Riya surveyed the labyrinth as she muttered.

Maria was already settling down, too tired to care.

"Yeah, we really are lucky."

It was just so easy.

So easy, it made me wonder if this was really okay.

'Maybe I should start taking Monet on future journeys, too.'

Now I could see how Fabian managed to stumble into so many fortuitous encounters.

If I'd known this before, I'd have brought Monet along more often.

[Haaa, in the end, fortune is just something that helps you prepare for whatever the future brings—good or bad. But once a calamity actually appears, there's not much Monet can do.]

'True enough.'

In a direct showdown with a calamity, Monet wasn't much help.

At best, circumstances turned out a little more favorably.

"Clay."

While I was talking with Grancesia, Riya suddenly leaned toward me.

"What is it?"

"It's just... it feels like you're talking to someone right now."

True to her sensitive nature, Riya had noticed right away that I was communicating with Grancesia.

She glanced at the Eye of Shimosha on my finger and smiled sweetly.

"You brought Maria here to use our spare time at night for training, right?"

"... Uh, yeah."

"Oh my, then... might I also meet her?"

She smiled gently, but her voice was chilling, as if she'd been waiting for this day.

"I'd really... love to meet the great Saintess Grancesia in person. Truly, I would..."

At those words, I couldn't help but swallow dryly.