Published: September 10, 2025
The Boy from Labyrinth City is taking a little break.
Please enjoy a short story focusing on Tia, who plays a major role in the new volume of death march.
"Hello, Mr. Satou. I'll have the usual, please."
While minding the hero shop in the Fortress City Arcadia, Tia, who is supposed to be the witch's apprentice wearing a wide-brimmed witch hat, came into the shop.
"Hello, Tia. Nutritional supplement, right?"
"Thanks. Without this, I just can't shake off my fatigue."
I had noticed her arrival on the radar as a bright spot, so I quickly handed over the nutritional supplement I had prepared in advance.
"Hey, Tia-tan."
Arisa, who was chatting with me, called out to Tia while resting her cheek on the counter.
Tia downed the nutritional supplement in one gulp and gestured with her eyes for Arisa to continue.
"Why don’t you age?"
Arisa asked, looking at Tia’s youthful face.
"—Age? I do age, you know?"
Tia replied with a tilted head, looking puzzled.
"But your actual age—"
Tia quickly covered Arisa’s mouth.
"Revealing a lady’s age is bad manners, you know?"
"Yes, ma’am."
Arisa nodded in a tone reminiscent of Nana.
"But why do you look so youthful? Did you overharvest the youth elixir?"
"I didn't. —And where would I even overharvest the youth elixir? It hardly appears even in the Bloodsucking Labyrinth, and it's even rarer in other labyrinths. At least, I have never heard of it coming from the Sea of Trees Labyrinth."
There should be a recipe for the youth elixir in the forbidden books at the Elf Village, but to avoid complicating things, I won’t mention it.
"Then why is that?"
"Because I have an immense source of magic power."
Tia made a bold statement.
If that’s the case, then since I control the continent’s greatest “source of Dragon Valley,” does that mean I stay young too?
"Magic power? Now that you mention it, I feel like I’m also slow to mature…"
"Same here."
Mia, who had been quietly listening, surprised with a face similar to mine, lightly patted Arisa’s shoulder.
"That can’t be! Arisa-chan’s selfish body!"
Arisa shouted, striking a pose reminiscent of Munch’s The Scream.
"Are you okay?"
"What's wrong?"
Tama and Pochi, having heard Arisa’s voice, appeared from the back.
"Ah, it’s nothing."
Arisa replied nervously, staring closely at the two younger forms of Tama and Pochi.
"Now that you mention it... these two haven’t grown either."
Come to think of it, despite providing them with plenty of food and sleep during their growth phases, they still look the same as when we first met.
Though not as much as Arisa or Mia, these two also possess an enormous amount of magic power (MP) due to their sudden level-ups, far beyond that of normal people.
"Could their rapid level-ups have hindered their physical growth?"
"It’s okay, it’s okay."
Tia, overhearing my mumbled concern, waved her hands reassuringly.
"You don’t have to worry so much. After some years, their bodies will adapt, and they’ll start aging."
"R-Really?"
Arisa eagerly grabbed onto Tia’s words.
Good, I was worried that what I did for their safety might have actually stunted their growth.
However, that relief was premature.
"Yeah, I think it will be at about half the normal rate."
Upon hearing Tia’s clarification, Arisa’s expression stiffened as if petrified.
Perhaps feeling awkward, Tia placed the empty cup on the counter, said, "That was delicious," and hurriedly left.
"Aw, nooo~"
"What's wrong, Arisa?"
Perhaps because of Arisa’s fuss, all our friends, starting with Lulu, gathered around. The hero shop’s manager, Roro, seemed to be napping alongside the Hamsters during their afternoon rest.
"Lulu onee-sama~"
Arisa hugged Lulu and poured out what she had just heard.
"Arisa, it’s okay."
"Okay?"
Lulu comforted Arisa by gently running her fingers through her hair.
"The condition Master mentioned about marrying you was ‘five years later,’ right? Not just five years older."
"That’s it! That’s right! Lulu, you’re a genius! Just as expected of my big sister!"
Arisa’s face brightened instantly as she grabbed Lulu’s hand and started dancing.