Kurataru's labyrinth to Baile's labyrinth, I moved.
In Baile's eleventh floor, Green Caterpillars hardly appear.
There is a possibility of being poisoned by Spicy Spiders and Neet Ants, but some risk is inevitable.
Even if the number of magic spells needed to defeat them increases and the risk of being poisoned rises, it's part of the game.
Once you enter the labyrinth, you can't avoid the risks.
You can't make the risks zero.
Even with Green Caterpillars, there's no guarantee they won't appear on Baile's eleventh floor.
They could have appeared on the ninth or tenth floors before, and if I got caught in their threads then, I'm not sure if I could have survived the three magic spells.
I think they appeared once on the ninth floor.
Or was it the eighth floor?
Anyway, it's that rare.
On Baile's eleventh floor, I could almost steadily hunt.
Still, since there are risks, I need to think of countermeasures.
It would be too late if a Green Caterpillar appears and spits out threads.
The simplest solution is to increase my magic attack power or strengthen Seri's defense.
Especially, Seri's leather jacket is almost like initial equipment.
I should improve this first.
I also have funds from trading with Kohaku and the mirror.
If I increase the defense, the damage taken will decrease, and I can endure longer even if caught in the threads.
The wand I use is a drop from a low-level boss.
It would be good to enhance the staff.
If the number of magic spells needed to defeat monsters decreases, the time spent facing them will also decrease.
If I can reduce one, the time will be cut to three-quarters.
Three-quarters is still tough.
To fight safely, I need to reduce it by two.
That's quite a challenge.
Maybe I can put off enhancing the wand.
Another option is to have Seri wear a substitute bracelet.
However, it only works once.
I can't rely on it too much.
If I get immobilized by threads and get beaten up, it won't help much even if it blocks one attack.
The substitute bracelet is basically for covering unexpected attacks, not for the risks I anticipate.
After leaving the labyrinth, I don't go to the armor shop but fly to Bode.
I deliver one mirror a day.
It's my recent routine.
I haven't made breakfast for a while.
I was guided to the Duke's room, placed the mirror, and received a gold coin from Gosler.
"You should be familiar with the castle by now. From now on, you can come directly to my room without a guide."
The Duke, seated, said.
"Is that okay?"
"It's fine. Besides, there are reasons on our side."
"The knights will be busy. A third labyrinth has appeared in the territory. The second labyrinth was only discovered recently, so we need to explore it quickly."
Gosler continued the explanation.
A new labyrinth has appeared.
It's the lord's responsibility to clear labyrinths.
It must be tough.
"I see."
"The number of knights stationed in the castle will inevitably decrease. We don't want to add unnecessary tasks."
With the number decreasing, can a weird adventurer like me still wander around?
But since they say it's fine, it should be fine.
"That's the situation."
"Understood."
"I'll inform the castle staff."
"Furthermore, I have a request for you, Michio. It would be helpful if you could assist in exploring the labyrinth."
The Duke requested.
What do they want me to do?
I hope it's not too strange.
Like fighting together.
"Ah, if it's just entering the labyrinth in the territory—"
"Will you accept?"
"If Michio's party enters the labyrinth, that's fine."
Just entering is enough.
I remember Gosler saw Roxane and Seri at the merchant guild.
It's not too troublesome, but entering the labyrinth is fine.
"Are you not contracted to a knight order or your hometown?"
The Duke probed.
I see.
Even adventurers aren't completely free.
Many are bound by ties of land or blood.
Maybe that's why the knight recruitment was so easy.
"Well, entering this labyrinth for a while shouldn't be a problem."
So, I won't deny my connection to my hometown.
If they find out I have no connection, they might be more aggressive.
"It's reassuring to have a capable adventurer enter the labyrinth."
"I can only enter the lower floors, so I don't think I'll be much help in exploration."
I need to deny that.
"It's fine. Even just entering has its effects, as you know."
I don't know that at all.
Is that true?
I should align my story with Gosler's.
"I see. Is there a specific labyrinth to enter?"
"If you're willing to enter, you can choose any. However, showing the emblem we gave you, you can get free guidance to the highest explored floor. The newly discovered labyrinth is more advantageous. The reward for clearing floors is also available for those related to the knights. The first labyrinth is in Halber, the second in Tare, and the third is south of Bode."
"Understood."
I nodded, though I didn't understand everything.
It's troublesome if a "capable adventurer" doesn't know the basics.
"Tare is the village we helped with flood relief. After this, I'll have an adventurer guide you to the labyrinth in Halber."
They'll guide me.
That's a relief.
"Thank you."
"Then, I'll leave now. Come with me when I do. Michio, wait in the lobby."
The Duke stood up and left the room immediately.
He's impatient.
Was the lobby the right place to wait after all?
"Then, I'll take my leave."
I greeted Gosler and returned to the lobby.
While waiting in the lobby, the Duke arrived.
He was accompanied by three beautiful women and two handsome men.
Those elves.
And one of them is incredibly beautiful.
Her beauty is so striking that you might mistake it for sunlight.
Bright golden hair, translucent white skin, large pale eyes, and slightly pink cherry lips.
She's like a large rose blooming among a bouquet of flowers.
She stands out even among the beautiful elves.
Maybe she's two levels higher.
There's always someone better.
"Let me introduce you. This is my wife, Kasia."
The Duke introduced the beautiful woman.
Wife...?
"Kasia."
Kasia bowed.
Even her greeting is elegant.
She's a different kind of beauty from Roxane, with a perfect, almost flawless appearance.
I used the party job settings to check the Duke's job.
No one has ever pointed it out, so he shouldn't know.
From what I can tell, the flow is probably Warrior Level 30 → Knight Level 50 → Paladin.
Forest Ranger seems to be an elf-specific job.
Other elves also have it.
The Herbalist job suggests he picked up some leaves.
That sounds like the Duke.
I can imagine him picking up items.
The adventurer entered the portal in the wall.
Next, Kasia.
I went in last.
By the way, since I can use party job settings, I can also change the Duke's job.
To something like Herbalist Level 1.
Hehehe.
The Duke will enter the labyrinth next.
Not from the first floor, of course.
If his job is changed to Herbalist Level 1 on a higher floor, what will happen?
Hehehe.
Kasia will become a widow.
No, I won't do it.
I won't.
I won't, really.
When we arrived at Halber, the adventurer disbanded the party and returned.
Halber is in a forest.
The labyrinth entrance is nearby.
"Has anyone cleared the forty-first floor?"
"No, not yet."
The Duke and the explorer at the entrance talked.
The exploration of this labyrinth has only reached the forty-first floor.
Since the entrance appeared, this labyrinth must have more than fifty floors.
How long will it take to clear it from the top?
It must be tough to handle two more labyrinths in the current state.
If I show the emblem, I can be taken to the forty-first floor for free.
But it's fine for now.
By the time I reach the forty-first floor, this labyrinth will probably be cleared.
"Then, I'll go ahead."
"Thank you for your cooperation."
"Thank you."
I greeted the Duke and Kasia and entered the labyrinth.
I can't stay with them forever.
I returned home from the first floor entrance room.
While having breakfast, I told Roxane and Seri about the labyrinth.
"I'll be entering the three labyrinths in the Halz Duchy. From now on, I'll enter these instead of Baile and Kurataru."
"Understood."
"Do you know where they are? I'll check at the explorer guild."
"Bode, Halber, Tare."
I told Seri.
"Bode, Halber, Tare. Understood."
"I have a few questions. What is the reward for clearing floors?"
"Managed labyrinths have explorers at the entrance. If you bring the first person to clear a boss room to the new floor, you get paid."
I see.
That's the reward.
The explorers at the entrance must have been to that floor before to guide others.
The explorers at the entrance pay the reward to the first person to clear a new floor.
Others pay to be taken to the new floor.
It's well-organized.
By the way, Zavir's labyrinth was unmanaged.
Are there unmanaged labyrinths?
"Labyrinths within the empire's territory are generally managed. Labyrinths outside the designated territory are unmanaged. Zavir is on the border, so there might be unmanaged labyrinths nearby."
So, Zavir's labyrinth is outside the empire's territory.
Maybe it's in Permask's territory.
Does Permask manage labyrinths?
Whatever.
"I see. Thank you. One last thing, I was told that entering the labyrinth has an effect even if I don't explore the latest floor. Is that true?"
"Huh? Ah, yes."
Seri gave me a strange look again.
Is it something everyone knows?
"I see."
"Labyrinths see people as prey. So, labyrinths that people don't enter become more active, while labyrinths that people enter frequently become less active. The more people enter, the less dangerous the labyrinth becomes."
"Is that so?"
"For example, labyrinths near cities or villages don't send out many monsters. If they do, they're weak and don't actively attack people. Labyrinths in remote areas send out stronger monsters that actively attack people."
So, labyrinths have such differences in activity.
In other words, the Duke is using me as bait to enter the labyrinth.