It seems that the labyrinth is considered to be a living creature.
What's that?
The reason there are labyrinths in various places is that there are labyrinths everywhere.
"Hmm. It's like the larvae of the Mayfly are everywhere."
"Mayfly?"
"Never mind."
The labyrinth attracts humans, not ants.
It uses monsters to digest and absorb humans, and lives on.
And it continues to grow.
The labyrinth is a space created by a living creature called a labyrinth through magic.
Even if you dig underground where the labyrinth is located, nothing will come out.
So, it seems to spread upwards rather than downwards.
The only way to kill a labyrinth is to go to the top floor and defeat the boss.
The extermination of a labyrinth that has appeared in a place where people live is the responsibility of the lord.
"On the contrary, if you defeat a labyrinth that has made a region uninhabitable, you will be appointed as the lord of that region."
Roxanne explained with unusual enthusiasm.
"I see. I understand. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Let's stop the lesson here for now.
I'll return to the purpose of coming back to the room.
I took out the leaf from the item box.
"Roxanne, prepare a backpack."
"Huh?"
"Is the leaf only for making antidote pills?"
I asked just in case.
"Huh? Yes, that's what I've heard. If you sell it to the guild, it will be distributed to alchemists and herbalists to make antidote pills."
"Sure enough."
I placed the leaf on my palm and held it up in front of Roxanne.
I chanted "Herb Creation."
The leaf turned into ten antidote pills and fell from my palm.
"Huh? T-this... That's... Wow, that's amazing."
Roxanne looked at me with sincere admiration.
It's natural to want to do it, after all.
Especially since she's always so surprised.
"Keep it secret."
"Yes. ...Master, you're amazing."
It's not a big deal if I explain it.
If I change my job, Roxanne can do it too.
Roxanne's gaze is a bit embarrassing.
I made antidote pills and put fifty-nine of them in Roxanne's backpack.
I put one in the item box.
I already have twenty-six in stock, but I have one more space now.
"Are there a lot of monsters that use poison?"
"Yes, I've heard there are quite a few."
"So, antidote pills are essential, huh?"
"If you don't get hit by a monster's attack, it's not a big deal."
That's only true for Roxanne.
She might start saying she can see the future soon.
After making the antidote pills, I went to the Adventurer's Guild.
I completed the sale and bought the magic crystals Roxanne mentioned.
"Give me two magic crystals."
"Would black magic crystals be okay?"
Hey, Roxanne. You didn't tell me that.
"Um, it's the leftover magic power."
"Then, black magic crystals. Please wait a moment."
After taking out the antidote pills from her backpack, Roxanne went to the board with the notices.
She was reading something intently.
Being able to read is convenient.
I bought two black magic crystals for twenty nars.
It seems that the thirty percent discount doesn't apply to the Adventurer's Guild staff.
I exchanged one magic crystal and ten copper coins carefully so it would be clear.
A magic crystal is a small, round stone about the size of a chicken egg.
As the name suggests, it's black.
I don't think I've seen one in the labyrinth.
There's a possibility I've missed it due to its size.
However, I can identify it.
The name is not "black magic crystal" but "magic crystal."
"What's the next level of healing medicine after the nourishing pill?"
"It's a nourishing agent."
"How much is it?"
"One costs six hundred nars."
That's suddenly expensive.
"What's the next level of healing medicine after the nourishing agent?"
"It's a nourishing tablet."
"How much is it?"
"One costs six thousand nars."
Another ten times.
It's a price that makes me think, but I bought two nourishing agents and one nourishing tablet.
I hope I don't get seriously injured.
"They're black magic crystals."
I went to Roxanne and showed her the black magic crystals.
"Magic crystals change color based on the stored magic power. They turn red after defeating about ten monsters, purple after about a hundred, blue after a thousand, green after ten thousand, yellow after a hundred thousand, and white after a million."
So, they change color.
"Since there's no magic power now, it's black, hence the name black magic crystal."
"The price of magic crystals changes with the color. The best time to sell is when the color changes. Few people store them until they turn white; usually, they sell when they turn yellow or green."
Even if you store enough magic power for a hundred or nine hundred monsters, the price remains the same as a purple magic crystal.
However, to turn it yellow, you need to defeat a hundred thousand monsters, and to turn it white, you need to defeat a million.
It's a daunting task.
At a rate of a hundred monsters a day, it would take three years to turn yellow and thirty years to turn white.
As Roxanne said, there might only be a few opportunities in a lifetime to sell them.
"I understand. Let's go to the labyrinth then."
We went outside the guild.
Even though we talked a lot at the inn, the sun hasn't reached its peak yet. It's still early in the day.
In the bright sunlight, I kept glancing back as I walked.
No, it's Roxanne's chest.
It seems to me that Roxanne's chest bounces with each step she takes as she follows behind me.
It's hard to tell with her loose tunic and leather jacket, but it seems to bounce with her body movements.
It's not just a feeling. It's probably bouncing.
I couldn't tell in the dim labyrinth, but it's definitely true.
It's not an illusion or a misconception.
Probably the effect of the backpack straps pushing up from both sides.
The already large and sweet fruits are bouncing around.
This is a feast for the eyes.
When our eyes met, Roxanne smiled brightly.
I'm completely caught.
The respect I gained from making antidote pills is all for nothing.
Bathed in the uncomfortable gaze from behind, I hurried to the labyrinth.
To confirm the bouncing, I could have her walk beside me, but in this world, it's rare to see men and women walking side by side.
If she follows behind, it also hides her bouncing chest from the eyes of other men.
"It seems the first floor is crowded."
As soon as we entered the labyrinth, Roxanne, who had checked the surroundings, announced.
She seems to be ignoring the gaze issue.
"Crowded?"
"Yes. There was an announcement of the completion of exploration of the first floor of the labyrinth on the outskirts of Vale."
I'm not sure what that means, but it must be written in the Adventurer's Guild.
If there are people, it might be better not to ask too many questions here.
"Should we go up?"
"Yes. I've been to the third floor. I think we can fight up to the third floor."
"Then let's start from the second floor."
We returned to the black wall behind us and moved to the second floor.
"The second floor doesn't seem to be that crowded. The monsters are to the right."
"Is it enough to just carry the magic crystals?"
I took out the equipment and magic crystals from the item box and handed them to Roxanne.
"Yes, it's fine to keep them in your backpack. Magic power doesn't accumulate in the item box."
Roxanne put down her backpack and placed the black magic crystals inside.
We adjusted our equipment and entered the cave on the right.
"Try to defeat the monsters with magic. Don't rush out without my command."
"Understood."
"By the way, what's the 'exploration completion announcement'?"
After giving Roxanne a warning, I asked.
"It's an announcement that all exploration of the first floor has been completed."
"Do more people come when the exploration is completed?"
"If the exploration is not completed, there might be a room with a large number of monsters."
Come to think of it, there was such a room.
There was a small room on the first floor with more than ten Needlewoods, and I had a tough time.
"Does that room disappear when the exploration is completed?"
"If the exploration is completed, it means that the room with monsters has also been explored."
"Hmm."
"Um, when monsters spawn and come out into a cave like this, they eventually move somewhere else. There are also small rooms where monsters spawn, but if monsters spawn in a small room, they can't move anywhere. Over time, a large number of monsters will remain in the small room."
Roxanne explained to me, who was tilting my head.
I see. So that's how the room with a lot of monsters was created.
"So, the room with a lot of monsters disappeared because the exploration was completed?"
"Yes. If no one has come for a few days, a large number of monsters won't accumulate. A room with a large number of monsters is an extremely dangerous trap. Even with the exploration completion announcement, it's not something to be complacent about, but the most dangerous time is when the labyrinth is just discovered and no one has entered yet."
Now that I can use area-of-effect magic, a room with a lot of monsters is profitable, but it seems unlikely in the future.
There might still be some on higher floors.
When I encountered one without magic, was it good luck or bad luck?
"I understand. So, more people came."
"Monsters."
Roxanne interrupted the conversation to warn me.
A monster appeared in front of us.
It was a Needlewood Lv2.
I cast a Fireball with 99 points in Intelligence.
However, it didn't defeat it in one shot.
I cast a second one to defeat it.
Monsters seem to get stronger as their level increases.
I took a branch from Roxanne and checked inside the backpack.
The color of the magic crystal was still black.
The next test is with this magic crystal.
There was a bonus skill called "Crystalization Promotion" in the bonus skills.
I didn't understand it before, but "crystalization" must refer to the crystallization of magic power. This skill promotes it.
I chanted "Character Reset" and checked the "Crystalization Promotion" skill.
The skill became "Crystalization Promotion x4."
I removed the bonus points from Intelligence and poured them into Crystalization Promotion.
It progressed to x8, x16, x32, and finally stopped at x64.
I defeated the next Needlewood Lv2 with two magic attacks without any points in Intelligence.
Whether I put points in it or not, it still took two magic attacks.
I couldn't feel the benefit.
I checked the magic crystal.
It had turned reddish.
Is this a red magic crystal?
I defeated another one and checked again.
The color was purplish.
"Does it turn purple after a hundred?"
"Yes."
Since it's x64, defeating two monsters is equivalent to defeating 128.
The skill is definitely effective.
"Roxanne, do you want to see?"
Without waiting for an answer, I took out the purple magic crystal from the backpack.
I might as well show it eventually.
I want to regain the respect I lost.
"Huh? What is that? Why?"
"Um, keep it secret."
"Yes. ...Master, you're amazing."
I showed Roxanne a little and put it back in the backpack.
She was surprised again.
It might be getting a bit tiring to keep everything secret, but as long as Roxanne is satisfied, this is fine for now.
"Do you know how much magic crystals sell for?"
"Green ones are ten thousand nars, and yellow ones are a hundred thousand nars."
If it takes ten thousand monsters to turn green, that's one nar per monster.
With x64, it's sixty-four nars. More efficient than drop items.
If you want to make money, use Crystalization Promotion; if you want to get stronger, use the experience value skill; if you want to fight strong enemies now, put bonus points into Durandal.
It's well-designed.
"Then, I will conduct the final experiment. Well, I will continue to conduct experiments as needed, but this will probably be the last one for now."
I declared to Roxanne.
"Um, by the way, what experiments were you conducting?"
"Various things. This time, I need your cooperation, Roxanne."
"Yes."
I set Roxanne's job to Priest in the party job settings.
Then, I added the Priest job to myself.
Kagatofu Kaga, Male, 17 years old
Explorer Lv27, Hero Lv24, Mage Lv26, Merchant Lv22, Priest Lv1
Equipment: Wand, Leather Hat, Leather Armor, Leather Gloves, Leather Boots