Day 103 since entering the labyrinth.
At last, the number of days inside had surpassed three digits.
It was about ti to take a break from grinding in the library.
From now on, we had to head to Rock Island to welco the newbies.
‘I hope so decent ones co in so we can aim for the higher-tier books.’
Even now, when opening summoning books, four or five grade 3 monsters would appear, and occasionally a grade 2 would be mixed in.
Well, if the combination was good, we might manage to kill one or two...
But smoothly grinding like a factory was now impossible.
I played the tank role in prolonged battles and needed long rests afterward to recover consud resources.
‘Last ti, we almost had casualties...’
Anyway, increasing manpower was not an option but a necessity...
As we packed up the camp and prepared to leave, I felt eyes watching from a distance.
Turning my head toward that direction, I saw Hamshik staring intently at from afar.
[You’re leaving...?]
As I approached, Hamshik spoke while looking sternly at my feet.
The first eting was awkward, but eventually we beca friends, and he kept company during all the hunting in the library, so it seed we’d grown attached.
“Ah, don’t worry. I’ll be back soon. Besides, I’m not leaving the golden book behind, am I?”
[But you’re taking my fountain pen...!]
“Co on, friends overlook small things like that, understand?”
[...]
“No, I’m telling you, I’ll be back soon.”
[Who’s waiting? Don’t co back ever! It’s much better without people like you! Quiet!]
Haha, there he goes again.
I ignored Hamshik’s harsh words as a true barbarian would—just letting them pass in one ear and out the other.
“Baron, the whole squad is ready!”
“Good. Got it.”
Though we finished preparations to leave the library, for so reason I couldn’t easily take the first step.
[...]
“Hey, Hamshik.”
[...]
“Make sure to organize the books while I’m gone. Even if you’re not hungry, eat the jerky I gave you on ti. And if any weird guys show up, never show your face. Hide behind the bookshelf and wait until I co back—”
[I’m not a kid! Stop the nonsense and leave if you’re going to!]
Still, even saying that—
Sigh... why do I feel so worried?
Maybe the attachnt grew more on my side.
“Well... I’m going, Hamshik...”
[Yeah...]
“I’ll be back soon.”
[...Yeah.]
Forcing my reluctant feet to move, I turned my back and passed between the squad who had been watching from afar.
Smoothly, the squad opened the way for to lead.
Ascending the stairs first, the others followed behind in formation as we began moving.
Once outside the island, we boarded the summoned ship and arrived at Rock Island within a few hours.
“No signs that anyone’s been here before us.”
I had co early just in case, but indeed, no explorer had descended to the underground first floor before us.
Well, it was only the third day since the labyrinth opened.
Physically impossible to finish farming on the third floor and return down to the first floor in that ti.
“What are you thinking?”
“Just worried if Hamshik’s doing well.”
“I wonder exactly how you look to him... I can’t seem to approach him well given how I appear...”
“How do you look?”
“...Like a wizard. Holding a skull staff, looking even more evil than a lich, making horrible noises.”
Ah, that’s right.
Back then, I just listened and let it pass, but now with more samples collected, I think about it differently.
‘An evil wizard holding a skull staff...’
Isn’t that an imaginary image made by combining a corpse collector and a ruin scholar?
Of course, I didn’t say that aloud.
“Baron, may I take the team to the beach?”
“The beach?”
“Well... there’s always stuff floating in the sea, right? I thought maybe we could collect so during the downti...”
“Do as you please. There’s nothing else to do but wait for a while anyway.”
So explorers tired of waiting took the lead, and one by one others joined to pick up scrap by the beach.
It seed the armor of grade 3 material we found during sailing had a big influence. Since then, talk had been spreading among us.
If luck follows, we might hit the jackpot.
Maybe even pick up equipnt used by ancient heroes.
‘Well, if luck is really good, that kind of jackpot might happen...’
Honestly, I was skeptical.
We’d been everywhere but the most valuable thing found was the grade 3 armor picked up recently.
‘When the underground first floor fully opens later, there might be people who specialize in picking up scrap.’
Hmm, I thought that was inefficient, but that kind of group would probably appear.
Rock Island itself had no monsters.
If we can just avoid the rainy season on ti, grinding here could be a source of inco.
‘Ti really doesn’t pass...’
After chatting idly at the start point all day, boredom finally got the better of and I went to the beach to pick up scrap with the team.
And how much ti passed?
A day, two days, three days...
By the end of day 107, only a few hours remained before the first floor closed again.
‘...They can’t not co by now. Did the royal bastards do sothing? Blocking entry?’
Unease slowly began to rise.
After all the bait thrown, we were expecting skilled newbies this ti.
‘If they haven’t co yet... sothing must be wrong up there.’
Tsk, does that an we have to continue the conquest alone without newbies this ti?
While thinking that, I kept staring at the useless clock.
Whoooosh-!
“Portal! The portal has opened!”
Dozens of portals opened, and newbies stepped in.
How to handle the newly arrived newbies.
I wasn’t particularly worried.
First, I planned to show them around the underground first floor, letting them realize it was no easy place.
Then, once they were fully aware, just sign them to slave contracts and that would be it.
But...
‘Huh, no wonder no one ca until the last day.’
When I saw the newbies who ca this round, I had to admit it imdiately.
They were opponents for whom that thod would never work.
“Reform formation!”
“Reform!”
The mont they landed on the underground first floor, the group solemnly and neatly ford a formation.
I sighed.
‘Worst case scenario.’
Too many priests for a typical clan.
A mage battalion uniford all in the sa clothes.
And a group of knights in polished plate armor.
Though the classes could be divided into three major groups, they shared one thing in common.
“Nia Lapdonia...!”
They bore the royal crest on their chests.
Once formation was complete, a man who appeared to be their commander approached and saluted briskly.
“It is my sincere honor to et you, Baron Yandel! I never expected to et you so soon. I’m truly relieved you’re still alive!”
“Who are you...?”
“Ah, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Jillen Evost of the First Royal Knights.”
“Your relation to Baron Evost?”
“He’s my older brother.”
Sigh, at least the commander wasn’t very high-ranking.
Not the baron himself, but his younger brother.
If things went well, I might be able to crush him with my baron’s rank...
“Oh, and I’m temporarily serving as deputy commander of this expedition.”
That hope shattered with that one sentence.
“Deputy commander...?”
“Yes. Could you please step aside? The second expedition will enter soon.”
Stunned, I stepped back.
Whoooosh-!
Once again dozens of portals opened in the sky, and dozens more explorers entered the underground first floor.
Twice, at intervals.
‘Sixty people entered three tis...’
One hundred eighty people.
A force worthy of the na ‘expedition army’ rather than just ‘expedition team.’
However, the real problem was different.
“Nia Lapdonia! Reporting that all 180 explorers sent by royal order have safely entered the destination, Commander!”
The commander heard the report imdiately upon entry.
“No threats detected nearby. The primary target of this mission, Baron Bjorn Yandel, has been found. Of the total 38, seven are from Clan Anabada, and the rest are presud to be mbers of the Hext Clan and Armin expedition who entered during the first and second waves!”
“I see.”
The commander with ghostly pale skin and silver hair walked toward .
A very familiar face.
Though about twenty years older than when I last saw him full of youth.
“I rember seeing you from afar at the baron’s investiture but never greeting you properly.”
Head of the First Royal Knights.
The royal executioner known as the Knight of Light...
“Nice to et you, Baron Yandel. I am Jero Saintred.”
The sa guy I had various incidents with twenty years ago, when he operated in Noirark wearing an iron mask.
“Y-yeah... nice to et you! Glad to see you! Hey, Baron Yandel’s son, Bjorn!”
...He probably didn’t recognize ?
As the saying goes, a thief fears a bleeding nose.
Thump thump thump thump—
Though I thought I was unrecognizable, my heart started pounding wildly.
“Baron Yandel’s son? That’s an unusual introduction.”
Okay, it seed he hadn’t suspected anything yet...
Ha, I stumbled over my words in surprise earlier.
“That kind of remark is sothing I hear often.”
I answered calmly in a barbarian fashion and diligently summarized the situation.
Jero Saintred.
More than twenty years ago, he ca down to Noirark hunting for fragnts of the record stone and fought .
Apart from the anxiety about whether he recognized , the situation was nearly the worst.
Because he held the title of baron.
In short, it ant the title blocked any attempt to crush ...
‘I never imagined they’d send such a heavyweight to a place with no known escape thod.’
This was behavior unbecoming of the royal family.
So naturally, I expected him to stand aside and watch the situation unfold, but...
“Haha, anyway, it’s so good to et soone from ho in a place like this! Is everything fine in the city?”
“The city? It’s naturally well protected under the royal family’s patronage...”
“Glad to hear it! Well then, we’ll be off. Good luck with the exploration! Take care! What’s everyone doing? Aren’t you preparing to leave?”
After naturally saying goodbye and turning his back, he suddenly appeared in front of as if by teleportation, blocking my path.
That ti I saw him use the grade 3 teleportation skill [Gate of Light].
“Baron, where are you heading?”
“Ah... I’m hungry...”
“You were inconsiderate. Your food might have run out, but don’t worry now. We have enough supplies.”
So, they weren’t going to let run away?
I dropped the playful tone and lowered my voice.
“Baron Saintred, step aside.”
A cold attitude clearly distinguishing business from personal matters.
But he calmly continued speaking despite my mood.
“That’s impossible. You are the first explorer to enter the unknown floor, and one of our expedition goals is to rescue you.”
“Sounds like soone asked for a rescue.”
“You are a precious ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) treasure of our kingdom. Losing you would be a huge loss.”
“So? What do you plan to do now?”
I asked bluntly.
“Are you planning to forcibly conscript , a clan leader, into the expedition? By what authority?”
I said mockingly, but he showed no offense and just smiled.
“To be clear, I have no right to forcibly enlist you. Though there is a law to conscript explorers in disasters, it doesn’t apply to nobles like you. However...”
He seed to expect my resistance and pulled a scroll from his coat.
I knew imdiately what it was.
“This is a royal decree.”
In other words, disobeying whatever is written on this paper would be considered treason...
“Baron Bjorn Yandel of Lapdonia, hear this.”
He unfurled the scroll and solemnly read the contents.
“Chaos reigns with evil rebels roaming free. Though we trust the royal light to protect this beautiful city and its people forever, those who blindly believe false rumors and vanish in greed cause great harm to the city.”
The introduction was long, befitting a royal docunt.
“To summarize, as ruler I cannot stand by, so I have ford this expedition army and sent it forth...”
In short, the core ssage was:
“Baron Bjorn Yandel is to join the first expedition army, thoroughly explore the unexplored regions under the command of Commander Jero Saintred, and find a way to return to the city.”
Damn, they really ssed up this ti.
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