“From when we’ve started our dive into Tyros Labyrinth, it’s been 5 days. Regarding how all of you fight, I’ve been able to get a good look.”
Just before they set out, Yuika gathered all the members from each party in the expedition and said.
Close to 30 Adventurers were listening wiith bitter faces.
“I think I have no complaints about the fighting capabilities of each party. As expected of Adventurers who’ve been forged in this labyrinth. Especially your strategies for taking advantage of monsters’ weaknesses to turn the tables on them, that’s definitely something we’re currently not capable of.”
Perhaps this was not what they’d anticipated, the Adventurers started exchanging glances with each other.
“But surely this isn’t all? I’ve yet to see how you cooperate with your fellow parties. Are you holding back?”
‘–Heh.”
The monkey-faced man, the leader of the “Profound Association”, snorted.
“‘Course.”
“‘Profound excels at disorienting monsters. With many Gifts that can inflict abnormal conditions, you dull their movements and confuse them, ensuring you can finish them off reliably. At first glance, it doesn’t look like much, but it requires prior research on monsters and a high level of party coordination.”
“O, oh.
Next, Yuika smiled at the members of “Spiral Formation” team.
“As the name ‘Spiral’ suggests, you are outstanding in being able to surround monsters and eliminate them through concentrated attack. Having 5 people form up as a Clutch is normally unthinkable as the standard way is strong. However, you don’t just attack blindly, you’ve acted with a comprehensive division of roles, with some specialising in defence, some in interfering with the enemy’s magic and more.”
The members of “Spiral Formation” grinned broadly in return.
“Meteor engages in magnificent hit-and-run tactics. After stopping monsters in their tracks, you use quick attack magic–”
Yuika also praised the party strategy of “Meteor Slaying Demons,” “Mud Lizard,” and “Achievers”, mentioning their special characteristics and giving high praise to their fighting styles.
The Adventurers who were at first puzzled started looking pleased, some of them started to fold their arms and nod, some flared their nostrils, and some even turned their heads away in embarrassment.
“With your strength, combined with us, ‘Twilight’s Sword’, if we are able to successfully cooperate, then we should be able to hunt monsters more efficiently and safely.”
Yuika’s speech continued.
This was done on the advice of Rowe.
The 5 parties in the expedition who were bound by the Adventurer Guild’s mandatory request to secretly protect “Twilight’s Sword” did not have a good first impression of “Twilight’s Sword”.
These people known as advanced Adventurers had especially high self-esteem.
Having been implicitly told that “Twilight’s Sword” was different from them, even from their first meeting, they rebelled.
So on the first day of the dive and so on, they schemed to leave the fighting to “Twilight’s Sword” alone and to spectate from afar. This made Yuika furious on the inside and she decided if this was going to be the case, she would just push them away, but her actions made them bewildered.
Astonished at the speed at which “Twilight’s Sword” was progressing, they called for Rowe and confirmed “if it was like this everytime?”. To which Rowe replied, “yes”.
After the first day’s exploration, when they made made camp at the Dungeon Oasis, they called for Rowe again and asked “what exactly is that woman up to?”.
With a troubled smile on his face, Rowe had replied.
『The Black Princess from “Twilight’s Sword” has a misunderstanding that everyone here is completely unreliable. To put it bluntly, you’re being mocked.』
『What?』
『Stop joking!』
『But you haven’t fought a single time and you’ve just been given all the drop items and magic cores, that’s no different from begging, isn’t it? Even I can’t say anything in return.』
『……』
『After she returns to the Royal Capital, she’ll definitely tell her acquaintances this. The Adventurers from Tyros are a bunch of good-for-nothings. Cowards who don’t even have any guts to fight monsters.』
Rowe said that as someone who born in Tyros, fought as an adventurer and now worked as a Sherpa, this was painful for him to hear.
『At first, when talk of the expedition came up, the Black Princess asked me about everyone. I replied like this. ‘Their strengths are certain’. But even though I said that, now that the situation has turned out like this, I’ve ended up as a liar. Anyhow, even if you don’t care about me — are you really fine with just letting them do as they like?』
The 5 Adventurer parties stared at “Twilight’s Sword”.
And from the next day on, enraged, they rushed at the monsters.
『Don’t get in the way, Profound!』
『It’s you guys! Go back, shitty lizards!』
『What’d you say!』
Needless to say, this was all a ploy by Rowe.
Yuika’s participation in the expedition was intended to prevent Yuika from being exhuasted, but because the expedition parties were unmotivated, it became meaningless. So he stirred them up and got them to compete with each other.
For Adventurers, the only means by which they could measure each other’s worth were their abilities and accomplishments. Though on the surface they appeared repulsed by “Twilight’s Sword”, deep down inside, they harboured feelings akin to admiration for this party that had risen to the rank of Hero of the East and played an active role in the Royal Capital. Rowe was able to accurately grasp these mixed feelings.
Whenever they broke camp at a Dungeon Oasis, the Adventurers would summon Rowe to check what “Twilight’s Sword” thought about their battles.
Rowe would tell them, “not yet” or “they seem a little interested” to keep these Adventurers motivated.
Then the 5th day of the dive. They’d reached the 48th Floor, having judged that it would be difficult without the parties cooperating, Rowe made a request to Yuika.
“It’s about time, please give them some praise.”
“While searching for a second ‘Sherpa Sword’ that you weren’t even sure existed, Darling had been doing all that?”
Her admiration was surpassed and turned into amazement, but since she did have some suspicions about the expedition parties engaging in fierce fighting form the second day on, she was able to quickly accept what she was told.
“For us too, this is our last chance.”
At the end of her speech, Yuika concluded with a rather melancholic face.
“If the labyrinth exploration goes as planned, we will be separating at the next Dungeon Oasis. Even for the short period until then, I — want to join you as a comrade. So I wonder if I could ask for your cooperation.”
“W, well. If you’re going that far, why not?”
“Hmph. It ain’t like we were fighting with you or anything.”
“Yeah yeah. What ‘to protect you guys’, there’s no need at all.”
“Idiot, that’s a secret.”
“Ah, shit.”
Perhaps because of their pride, the Adventurers weren’t able to honestly show their joy, so they gave their approval in various ways.
Then Yuika looked as though she’d realised something and smiled wryly.
“Ah. I forgot to mention one thing.”
After taking a breath, the beautiful, black-haired female Hero continued.
“It’s true that I may be a stranger from Royal Capital, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a connection to this town.”
“……?”
The Adventurers looked at her while puzzled.
Yuika rested her elbow on the shoulder of Rowe, who had been standing next to her and revealed with a proud look on her face.
“After all, I’ve just gotten engaged to this guy. After this labyrinth exploration ends, we have plans to get married. Rowe was born and raised in Tyros. In other words, he’s a genuine local. And since I’m going to be his wife, I’m also halfway part of the town, right?”
The room fell silent.
The members of “Twilight’s Sword” hadn’t yet been told this information.
The unexpected confession made even the calm and collected Nuuk’s jaw drop as though it’d been dislocated.
With a complex smile, Rowe asked.
“……Um, Ms. Yuika?”
“Hmm, what is it, Darling?”
“Do you know about the jinx of the labyrinth?”
You’re not supposed to mention any promises before entering or in the labyrinth.
The worst is promises for marriage — engagement.
It is said that anyone who boastfully and carelessly lets their mouth run will not be allowed to return to the surface.
“I know, but it doesn’t work on me.”
Even these Adventurers, whose boldness was second to none, seemed in some sense, impressed.
tl: it’s a new month. for those who’d like to get the most value, want to support me and also want to read ahead, this is the best time to check out my patreon at https://www.patreon.com/hakuci, i would sincerely appreciate all your support.
i also threw together a low-tech mailing list sort of thing where you can subscribe if you want to receive email for when i make updates, check it out here
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