Chapter 114
The Labyrinth of Nine Emotions was created by La-Fieza, a great mage known as a Warlock, who had made his home in this land in ancient times. Its existence remained unseen by anyone for so long because the land was barren and nearly unexplored, so hardly anyone had taken notice of it.
The Lef people entered this land around five hundred years ago. They initially lived modestly, but once they discovered the labyrinth and learned that magic items could be obtained there, they began tackling it in earnest.
Apparently, their leader was exceptionally capable. He used magic items and began trading with other countries after raising the standard of living for the entire group to a certain level—not by selling items from the labyrinth, but by manufacturing their own.
The items produced in the labyrinth were such advanced magic items that he must have decided it would be disastrous if other countries attacked before their national power had been established.
As a result—the isolationist system they have today came into being.
(There wasn't much information about La-Fieza.)
Thanks to 【All Creation】, I never forget anything once I've seen it, so I prepared for the adventure while recalling the documents I'd received from the Adventurers Guild.
My weapons were the dagger I'd received from the border count, along with knuckle gloves and boots reinforced with iron plates. Two types of beings appeared in the labyrinth: monsters and Automatons created by La-Fieza. Monsters apparently arose naturally in caves that had gone untouched for many years, and defeating them yielded magic stones. Since magic stones were like batteries for magic items, there was always a market for them.
The problem was the Automatons. Since advanced magic items had been installed throughout them, I wanted to incapacitate them while damaging them as little as possible. So I thought I might try fighting bare-handed.
The leather knuckle gloves had steel plates built into the backs of the hands, and they could also protect as far as the elbows.
Besides that, I bought several magic items that had been put on clearance at the magic-item shop we'd visited yesterday. One of them was a square piece of metal that spun around and around like a hand spinner before eventually heating up—a mysterious magic item. Apparently, Mimino-san had bought one before too.
Last night, I ended up amusing myself alone by tinkering with magic items while using 【All Creation】. I might be able to keep myself entertained forever with this...
"Reiji-kun, it's finished."
"Oh, it's finally finished?"
What Mimino-san brought me was a two-piece outfit, like a jinbei. However, the sleeves and hems were tied with cords to make it easier to move around in.
The base color was beige, combined with several stripes of brighter colors, such as burgundy and yellow-green. Apparently, Mimino-san had put her own touches on traditional Druid garb. I'd thought the clothes were part of halfling culture, but it seemed the Druid influence was stronger.
"Oh... It's nice and cool."
"Good. Does anything make it hard to move?"
"Yes!"
When I returned to the Silver Balance, Mimino-san had been delighted that I still had the clothes she'd given me four years ago. This time, too, she insisted on making my clothes herself.
"I've woven several spells into it. Any minor fraying will mend itself through the natural regenerative power of plants. I've also increased its durability, added temperature regulation and magic resistance, and..."
"Huh... Hasn't this become something pretty incredible?"
"Equipment is an adventurer's life!"
That was certainly true, but still.
I'm sorry for thinking it was just a slightly flashy outfit.
"Mimino-san, you put a considerable amount of the money you'd saved over the past four years into this, didn't you?"
"W-wait, Non?!"
"Really?! No, you can't—I can't accept this! Ah, could we use this instead? It's the dagger that the barbarian gave me..."
"No, no, it's fine! It's for a party member, and since it's equipment, spending money on it is only natural. Besides, it's something I wanted to do... Wait—what do you mean, 'barbarian'?"
"Well... that's a long story..."
The conversation had somehow gone off track.
"My, you're loved, young master."
"Things get complicated whenever Zelly-san shows up, so why don't you quietly drink some milk?"
"You've really been treating me roughly lately, haven't you?! The day before yesterday, you said 'Good job'!"
Before we knew it, it was time to leave.
After breakfast, everyone was ready. Since we were already traveling, we didn't have much luggage, so we attached a small cart to Cat-chan and loaded it up.
"You'll have to carry the luggage if our spoils increase, though."
Muge-san said jokingly, so I replied,
"Of course. We'll bring back more than Cat-chan can carry."
Dantes-san replied firmly.
The entrance to the Labyrinth of Fear was about an hour's walk along the cliffside from Muge-san's trading company.
Rails ran vertically, and a platform suspended by thick wires could be pulled upward along them—in other words, it was an elevator.
Muge-san spoke to a Lef guard who was stifling a yawn, and we climbed aboard as well. It was an elevator, but it was enormous. Even with all of us and Cat-chan aboard, there was still plenty of room.
"Whoa, it's moving!"
The ground beneath Dantes-san's feet began to move, and he was delighted—but Mimino-san clung to my arm.
"...Mimino-san?"
"I-I'd like to stay like this until we reach the top, if that's okay."
"Of course."
Was this acrophobia?
The elevator rose with a satisfying whir as pulleys ran along the rails in the wall. Eventually, it stopped about fifteen meters above the ground.
We all stepped onto the walkway extending from there, and Muge-san waved down at the people below. The elevator descended.
"From here... we'll head toward the entrance to the labyrinth."
Muge-san's voice was somewhat tense.
Despite having run a caravan in the outside world until now, and despite knowing this was a business opportunity, perhaps he felt that the danger to his life was on an entirely different scale.
The cavern gaped wide and dark; since it faced away from the sunlight, not a ray reached inside. We hung a magic lamp from the front of Cat-chan, while Non-san carried another, and proceeded onward.
The cave was wide enough for us to pass anyone coming from the opposite direction without difficulty—though there was no sign of anyone at the moment.
"That's the labyrinth."
After walking for a few dozen seconds, a blue-white light appeared ahead.
The entrance was enormous enough to make us crane our necks—and was in spectacularly bad taste.
Hemispheres embedded on either side emitted light, illuminating the entrance.
The smooth walls had no seams whatsoever.
The entrance was... an absurdly enormous "human face."
An intricately carved face had its mouth gaping wide. Presumably, we were meant to enter through it.
The face was, how should I put it... pained, terrified—something like that.
Most unpleasantly, water trickled from the corners of its mouth. According to 【All Creation】, it was groundwater. Had they gone to the trouble of piping water here just to make it look like drool?
Muge-san spoke to us as we stood there, speechless and staring at it.
"Every labyrinth's entrance is a face... This one seems to be modeled after the Human race, but if you look closely at those eyes, you'll see the word 'Fear' written there, won't you? That's the name of this labyrinth."
The word "Fear" was indeed written in the pupils. So this was the face of a human experiencing fear.
"...Everyone, what do you think? If we turn back—"
"Of course. Let's go."
Dantes-san made quick decisions at times like this.
"There must already be a strategy team inside, right? If so, we have even less reason to be afraid."
I agreed.
Dantes-san led the way. I took Non-san's magic lamp and followed.
Cat-chan came slowly behind us, whirring away—whirr-whirr-whirr-whirr. As if being swallowed by the human face, we stepped into the dungeon.