Published: September 9, 2025
Satou here. In games, because of the limit on the number of items you can carry, I often had to reluctantly discard items obtained during quests. Struggling with what to keep and what to let go was a nostalgic memory.
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“Geez! It’s a rare chance to change clothes in front of you, so why are you peeking?”
Not peeking while someone’s changing is just common sense, yet I’m getting scolded like this.
Arisa and the others finished changing and came down to the lobby on the first floor of the inn. There’s no tavern on this floor. This lobby is part of a high-class inn that charges a separate seating fee. They brew tea that rivals the quality of what Lulu makes.
This inn is located behind the Explorer’s Guild.
Originally, I was thinking of going to the mansion Giril mentioned, but since I’m not sure if I can live there right away, I booked an inn for now to at least leave my horse.
By the way, the magic-powered carriage was swapped out for an ordinary carriage that looks identical while the stable hand left the spot. The dirt on it is slightly different, but since I’ve used my evidence erasure skill, it should be fine.
“Well then, shall we go?”
“Master, pardon my boldness, but you should put on armor.”
“Equipment is important, I must insist.”
“We’re just scouting today. Nana and Liza will protect me.”
This robe is made from Yuriha Fiber, and the cape and boots are sewn with whale leather, so it should block most attacks.
Wearing thin gloves just in case, I grabbed the Fairy Sword leaning against the sofa and stood up.
There seems to be a carriage departing every two hours from the main gate to the west gate, so we’ll take that carriage to the west gate. Originally, it was supposed to leave in an hour, but since they already have eight passengers, they decided to depart immediately. Pretty flexible.
“Hehe~ This is my first time in a real labyrinth. Is it really different from the spriggan trial grounds?”
“Totally different~”
“That place isn’t a playground! The labyrinth is a real battlefield!”
“You two, if you keep that up, you’ll get hurt in the labyrinth. Stay sharp.”
Liza scolded Pochi and Tama, who were acting like seniors to Arisa. Mia seemed nervous and was quiet. Nana was her usual self, so she should be fine.
“Sir Noble, I’m sorry, but could we take one more passenger?”
“Sure, go ahead.”
The carriage has no roof, only seats arranged in four pairs. Mia could easily fit three in a row. When boarding, the female staff requested this. Since Tama can sit on my lap, having one more passenger isn’t a problem, so I agreed.
“I’m sorry to trouble you. I am Gina, the daughter of Sir Daryl.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m the honorary knight Pendragon.”
She’s about sixteen, wearing dark brown hard leather armor, carrying a round shield and a flail. She’s about my height. It’s hard to tell her exact size because of the armor, but she seems to be about Nana’s size. She has shoulder-length red hair, tawny eyes, and a slight tan. She’s from a knight family and has a level 6 despite her age, with skills in shields and one-handed staff.
The flail is about one meter long with two metal weights connected by chains. The centrifugal force probably boosts the power of the weights. I’ve seen this often in games, but it’s my first time seeing one in this world.
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Lady Gina seems to dislike or fear demi-humans and didn’t want to sit near Liza and the others, so she sat between Lulu and Arisa. Isn’t it a bit cramped?
“Lady Gina, are you an explorer?”
“Yes, just became one recently. Since someone from my hometown is also an explorer, I intend to search near the west gate and then take on the labyrinth together.”
Arisa spoke politely. Gina’s tone is masculine, typical of knights, whether naturally or by choice, I can’t tell.
I felt a slight oddity in Arisa’s tone, but she was also acting differently when she was a hero, so I’ll just leave it as is.
Leaving the affluent district, we came out onto a lively street that seemed to be an entertainment district. It was a stark contrast from the calm townscape earlier, exuding a seedy atmosphere. Even though no beautiful women were waving from balconies, there was an exciting vibe. Somehow, I felt I understood Arisa’s excitement about the labyrinth. Of course, I wouldn’t say that out loud.