After breaking through the seventh layer, we moved to the eighth layer of the Kularal Labyrinth.
"Do you know what kind of monsters are in this eighth layer?"
I asked Seri.
"Um, I don't know. I don't even know where we are."
"No, it's the Kularal Labyrinth."
"So, this is the Kularal Labyrinth, then?"
"I guess I didn't mention it."
Was that right?
"I might have heard. The layout was indeed the same as the Kularal Labyrinth. But I didn't pay any money. Oh, right, you can use special time-space magic, so you don't need to pay."
Seri muttered.
To enter the Kularal Labyrinth, you need to pay, but we didn't pay.
So, you didn't think it was the Kularal Labyrinth.
Realizing that, you must be a genius.
"Is it bad that we didn't pay?"
"No, the entrance fee for the Kularal Labyrinth is supposed to be paid when you enter the entrance. If you don't use the entrance, it's wiser not to pay. You can be called wise."
Seri didn't start saying things like being cheap or not being fit for an adventurer.
That's good.
"You are indeed my master."
Roxane also praised me, but it was Roxane who suggested it at first.
"So, about the monsters in the eighth layer of the Kularal Labyrinth."
"Ah, yes. The monsters in the eighth layer of the Kularal Labyrinth are Needlewoods. Since we fought them in the Baire Labyrinth, it should be fine. Occasionally, they use water magic. You have resistance to water magic, so it's better not to use it."
Seri explained.
It seems that water magic can't be used against Needlewoods.
"I've never seen them cast magic."
"It was a low layer in the Baire Labyrinth. They are rarely used in the second or third layers."
"Is that so?"
"Basically, the higher the layer, the more troublesome magic and skills the monsters use. Needlewoods don't often cast magic, but in the eighth layer, they might use it occasionally."
The level changes according to the layer, so that makes sense.
It's understandable that the higher the level, the more they use magic and skills.
"Got it. Seri is indeed useful."
"Thank you."
"Please help me from now on. Roxane, let's start with a small group."
"Understood."
If they use magic, it might be better to equip Durandal.
However, I don't know how often they use it and how powerful it is.
It might be better to observe at first.
I kept Seri's job as Explorer Level 10.
There's a possibility that a Level 1 Blacksmith would be knocked out by a single magic attack.
We hunted in the eighth layer.
However, the Needlewoods didn't use magic much.
It's true that they use it occasionally.
Getting impatient, I changed Seri's job to Blacksmith Level 1.
The Explorer job had already reached Level 11.
It could easily reach Level 12 if left alone.
The first time they used magic was when four Needlewoods appeared.
I waited, casting Firestorm three times.
When the frontliners faced them, I cast the fourth.
"They're coming."
Roxane's warning came.
I saw a blue ball above the monster's head.
It looked like a Waterball.
The Needlewood cast water magic.
It was fast.
The water ball flew straight and fast.
Roxane was in its path.
Roxane slightly twisted her upper body.
Just by twisting, she dodged the magic.
The water ball passed by Roxane's side.
The magic hit the wall and burst.
Oh, she dodged that.
It seemed impossible to avoid at that speed.
I cast the fifth Firestorm.
Embers flew and attacked the monsters.
All four Needlewoods were defeated.
"You are indeed Roxane. To dodge magic like that."
"From the second row. With that much distance, I had time to dodge after seeing the magic."
No, that's impossible.
There's no way you could have that much time.
The distance wasn't that great.
"Is that so?"
"The monsters probably used it to intimidate and didn't expect it to hit."
I don't think that's true at all.
When Seri picked up the items and handed them to me, I asked with my eyes, and she silently shook her head.
"Of course, that's right."
"What is of course?"
Roxane asked.
"No, I thought we might need to keep some branches for forging, so I didn't sell them."
"Yes, we definitely need them."
I managed to change the subject.
The remaining items were three branches and one leaf.
"By the way, how do you use branches?"
I heard at the inn in Baire that blacksmiths use branches.
They said we don't need them because blacksmiths use them.
"Branches are used with materials when making metal equipment like swords and armor."
It seems they are needed when processing metal.
That makes sense.
"Do you need a forge or something?"
"Basically, everything is done with skills. No special equipment is needed."
It seems that if you prepare the items, the skills will do the rest.
After that, the Needlewoods didn't use magic much.
While thinking about keeping Seri's job as Blacksmith Level 1, it reached Level 2.
I decided to keep it as is.
However, it's not always the case that Needlewoods use magic only when they move to the back row.
They also cast it when two Needlewoods and one Slow Rabbit faced us in a row.
"They're coming."
A blue magic circle appeared at the Needlewood's feet, and Roxane warned.
A water ball formed above the monster's head and flew.
Toward me.
"Ugh."
I couldn't avoid it.
It was impossible to avoid.
Absolutely impossible.
I knew I had to avoid it, but before I could decide to move right or left, it hit my thigh.
To say I had time to dodge.
That's impossible.
Thanks to the plating, it wasn't a one-hit kill, but it was quite strong.
It felt like my leg was about to be torn off.
And it was wet because of the water.
It might be better than fire, though.
Even after killing the monsters with the fifth Firestorm, the water didn't disappear.
The green caterpillar's thread disappeared, but this didn't.
It felt like I had wet my pants.
The labyrinth isn't very bright, so it's a relief that it's not noticeable.
The water dried by the time we left the labyrinth.
We entered a small room at the end and received the equipment and magic crystals.
Magic crystals have high cash value, so they are not left in the backpack.
"Finally dried."
"Things that are made to appear by magic disappear when the magic is gone. Things that are created in reality by magic remain even when the magic is gone. The bodies of monsters are imagined by magic, but some parts are actually constructed, so they remain as drop items."
Seri explained.
I don't really understand, but...
"Hmm."
"Ah!"
When putting the magic crystal in the item box, Seri exclaimed.
"What?"
"No, nothing. Did the purple magic crystal turn into a blue one?"
I see. It's because the crystallization has progressed.
My magic crystal had accumulated the magic power of over a thousand monsters and turned into a blue one.
"The purple one is with me."
Roxane handed me the purple magic crystal.
This magic crystal was the one I tested to make it purple.
Seri's magic crystal had also turned red after various tests.
"Didn't we have one purple and two black magic crystals yesterday?"
"Was that so?"
"For my master, it's no problem."
Roxane, nice save.
Seri looked at me with a slightly suspicious look, but not with her usual cold eyes.
After breakfast, we headed to the capital.
"Wow. It's indeed big."
When we came out of the capital's adventurer guild, Seri looked up at the surrounding buildings.
She's never said I'm big.
"Is this your first time in the capital, Seri?"
"Yes."
A newcomer.
"Well, Roxane and I were also first-timers not long ago."
"That's right."
Roxane nodded when I turned to her.
"Normally, people don't come here unless they have a specific reason."
"Is that so?"
It seems there's no concept of tourism in this world.
Ordinary people probably don't come to the capital much, as Seri said.
Adventurers with field walking can probably move around freely, but ordinary people don't have that kind of adventurous spirit.
"I wanted to come in the past."
Seri whispered softly.
"Huh?"
"Ah, no, nothing."
"Can't you come now?"
I asked, curious.
"Well, there's a library in the capital. I used to dream of going there."
"A library?"
Wanting to go to a library. Indeed, she's a brainy type.
"We had about ten books at home. They were all about forging because we are dwarves."
I don't know if ten books are many or few.
Paper is valuable in this world.
Houses with books are probably rare.
Seri was a lady, then.
I don't know why she became a slave.
She said she used to have them.
It must mean she fell from grace.
It's better not to delve into that.
"A house with books is amazing."
Roxane is clueless.
She's so natural.
"It's an old story. When my grandfather was alive, we were well-off."
"I see. So you became knowledgeable by reading those books."
I changed the subject.
It's better not to continue this topic.
"I used to stay at home all the time."
"You must have wanted to become a blacksmith."
"After becoming an adventurer, I tried hard to enter the labyrinth."
After the lady suspicion, now there's a suspicion that Seri was a shut-in.
That's why the villagers' level was low.
"I used to like books, so I wanted to go to the library."
"Yes."
"What about now?"
I don't have any books.
If the booklet with the Kularal Labyrinth's strategy map can be called a book, I have one.
"Well, now I'm a slave."
"That's different from wanting to go."
"But I can't actually go."
Is that how it is?
It might be wise to not even think about going if you can't go in the first place.
"Can't slaves use the library?"
"No, anyone can enter if they pay. But it's very expensive."
"Expensive?"
"Besides the entrance fee, there's a deposit. If you don't damage the books, you get it back when you leave, but you need one gold coin."
It's a guarantee to prevent damage to valuable books.
That's reasonable.
If there's a deposit, weird people won't enter.
If something happens, the money can cover it.
"I see. Well, I might let Seri enter the library."
"Eh?"
"No, Seri is the one who tells me about monsters. If there's something I don't know, I can have her look it up. Since there's a place like a library."
If there's something I don't know, I can have Seri look it up.
It's a good idea.
After all, I'm even slacking off learning to read from Roxane.
I wasn't good at English either.
In addition to Japanese, I had to learn English in middle and high school, and now Brim language.
I envy Schliemann.
"Oh, thank you."
"By the way, can Seri read Brim language?"
"Yes. I learned it at the trade guild, and the script is the same."
I see.
If you know the alphabet, you can read English, German, or French.
It's the same kind of thing.
"Weren't the books at home in Brim language?"
"They were about forging, so they were written in the dwarven language."
"Seri is impressive. I learned to read at the trade guild."
"Roxane, is there any place you want to go?"
I asked, walking beside her.
"No, not really."
"I see."
"Ah, if there is, can you take me there?"
Roxane looked at me.
"Sure, if it's a place we can go."
"Well, the place you want to go is where I want to go. Please take me with you."