Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody

※2/11 Typo corrections have been made.

This is Satou. When I was in elementary school, I remember once when I was visiting my grandfather’s house, there was a mountain hunt because a middle school student in the neighborhood had mysteriously disappeared. I still recall the serious expressions on the adults' faces. It turned out the middle schooler had just gone to the city for some fun, and later got scolded harshly.

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“After we return to the inn and complete the update procedures, shall we charge in again right away?”

“No way!”

“Oh? Didn’t you say, ‘The battlefield is my true home’?”

“A horse walk~” “That’s right!”

“Eh, why don’t you just ask someone at the inn to take the horse for a walk?”

“No, no~?”

“Arisa doesn’t get it.”

“Hm.”

While letting the young girls’ chatter drift by, my mind was occupied with the first hall we passed through earlier.

Nearly two hundred armored knights, fully equipped for marching, had been added. Maybe there was a mission to rescue important people? Since the prince and count’s children from a neighboring country were also inside the labyrinth, they were probably the targets.

Arisa, who had been gasping even on the descent earlier, now calmly climbed the stairs while chatting. Indeed, leveling up is quite something.

Pochi and Tama opened the labyrinth gate for us, and we stepped outside.

There, unexpectedly, was a familiar face.

“Viscount Seemen! Long time no see.”

“Oh! Baron Pendragon, you're safe!”

Startled by the sudden embrace from the calm Tolma brother, I could already guess the situation. The story he told confirmed my suspicions.

It started two days ago when Tolma brother came to the Labyrinth City to buy demon cores and rare materials. He heard rumors at a noble salon about explorers being half-destroyed while trying to obtain ant honey.

As he listened, he heard about a young black-haired noble wielding a famous mithril sword, accompanied by a small beastman child and a Scale Tribe woman carrying a demonic spear, who had helped the explorers. That made him think of me.

Then, to be sure, he sent someone to the Explorer's Guild to check, and they confirmed we had become explorers on the day of the incident and entered the labyrinth, but had not returned.

Initially, they requested the Explorer's Guild to dispatch a rescue team, but the guild insisted they could not leave until the scheduled return date, so nothing came of it. Well done, Explorer's Guild. If they had deployed a day earlier, things might have gotten complicated.

So, Tolma brother negotiated directly with a general of the Labyrinth Front Army, borrowed elite troops, formed a rescue team, and waited for the guide explorers. Of course, the viscount himself wouldn’t enter the labyrinth, but since he knew the captain of the operational unit, he came in person.

“I apologize for causing you worry.”

“No, from what I saw, it was my hasty assumption. Sorry for making a fuss.”

“I told you, a magic swordsman strong enough to repel Low-Rank Demon Race can’t be hurt even if the monsters from the fourth district attack en masse.”

Joining the conversation was the armored Knight Captain, who holds the honorary viscount rank. Tolma brother promised to deliver barrels of wine and five sheep to the barracks later, sealing the deal. Tomorrow, Tolma brother and I will go bow before the general. I was told I didn’t have to come, but as a working adult, I couldn’t just say, ‘Okay, sure.’

Since the knights had prepared all this, they intended to hunt down the remaining bandits. Those guys we had made writhe earlier should still be around, so it’s perfect timing.

Tolma brother seemed busy; after agreeing on tomorrow’s appointment, he left, leaving one subordinate behind.

The subordinate was a portly man in his forties. I was hoping for a beautiful secretary.

◇

After parting with Tolma brother, we moved from the labyrinth gate to the purchase counter where guild staff worked.

“Congratulations on your safe return.”