[Sir, I have a question.]
[What is it all of a sudden? If it’s some nonsense again, I won’t let it slide.]
[What do you take me for, saying things like that? If someone heard, they’d think I only ever say silly things.]
[Didn’t you only ever say silly things since you came here…?]
[Th-that was just… um… It’s just… it’s been a while since I saw you all, so I was, um, happy to see you… Hmm… Ah, anyway!]
Blushing, Yumin finally managed to blurt out her question.
[Our current goal is to conquer the Labyrinth and completely shut down its functions, right?]
At the deepest part of the Labyrinth, there’s likely to be a ‘core of operations from a magitechnical perspective’ that manages both resource production and the birth of Monsters.
This was the conclusion reached after wizards had studied the structure of the Labyrinth for years following the construction of the Tower.
Theoretically, if you could take control of the core, you could control the entire Labyrinth.
Of course, that’s only in theory—no wizard had ever actually attempted it.
The only exception was the Four Elders who tried to conquer the Labyrinth decades ago.
Even that ended in failure, and the seats of the Elder Council remained vacant for a long time.
In the meantime, the Order of Elders was established by the direct disciples of the four elders, to manage the Tower in their stead.
[The Jewel Tower’s economy is absolutely dependent on the resources from the Labyrinth. If we suddenly get rid of the Labyrinth, wouldn’t it hurt not just the Jewel Tower, but also the people living in the villages around the Tower?]
It was quite a sharp question.
As Arcs, who was sprawled out on the wide bed checking her backpack, subtly looked up, Crooks, training his lower body in the corner of the room, barely moved his lips in a small murmur of admiration.
“That’s not going to be a problem.” Zion, who had just wiped the blood and dust from his face after wiping out a horde of Monsters and was enjoying a rare moment of peace, answered instead.
“I found out as I passed through and scouted the villages on my way into the Jewel Tower’s territory. It’s true the residents depend economically on the Tower, but it’s not like they’re enjoying great wealth because of it.”
[That’s… true, isn’t it?]
Yumin had also seen the lives of the residents in the Jewel Tower’s territory alongside Zion.
They lived peaceful lives free of external threats, but their lifestyle itself was not much different from the peasants of the medieval or early modern periods she had imagined.
From Zion’s perspective as well, apart from not being bound to the land, they were almost identical to commoners in other countries.
“Besides, the residents here can actually be self-sufficient even if the Tower disappears. The land here is incredibly fertile.”
[Zion’s right. It’s all thanks to the environmental adjustment barrier spread throughout the entire domain around the Jewel Tower. Even if the Labyrinth is eliminated and the Tower is completely destroyed, the barrier itself will remain stable for about a hundred years. That’s how sturdy it was made.]
“Most of all, the Empire is right to the south.”
Even though lust was defeated and sovereignty was regained, the Empire was still covered in wounds.
Many things were lacking to restore its former glory, and, thanks to Lust and Naia’s amusements where human lives were treated as toys, there was a severe shortage of manpower.
If the Jewel Tower were to collapse and the residents flocked to the Empire?
The Emperor Klavis would welcome them with open arms.
“When the time comes, I’ll tell His Highness… no, His Majesty a word myself. Not that he needs my advice—he’ll make the wise choice on his own.”
[Zion, you can talk up your Prince all you want, but the bottom line is there’s not much to worry about. People are tougher than you think. When they’re desperate to live, they’ll find a way to survive.]
Yumin, nodding in confusion at the logical explanations from the two, murmured absentmindedly.
[This is kind of nice, isn’t it.]
[…What’s that supposed to mean, suddenly?]
[It reminds me of the old days. Hehe.]
Yumin laughed brightly like a little girl.
Frey, on the other hand, simply shrugged with an indifferent look.
When she spoke of the old days, she was probably referring to when the four of them gathered together, with Naia included as well.
Those were memories that would never return, but now, the empty place at their side was filled by Zion and his companions.
“My, just taking a break in one spot and the Monsters…”
Zion’s keen sense of smell quickly picked up the scent of Monsters approaching.
After briefly checking the state of the Spectrum, he immediately entered combat readiness.
Just as Frey had said before, conquering the Labyrinth had greatly helped Zion’s growth.
In a place saturated with MP on all sides, his senses grew sharper each day to detect Monsters’ approach, and his tactics—melding the modern martial arts, Black Magic, and White Magic he’d learned only in theory and practice—were becoming more and more refined with actual combat.
Absorbing the Monsters’ MP unceasingly made his fundamental abilities stronger as well.
-Genius is genius, after all.
Crooks, who was now working on his back muscles after finishing his lower body workout, sent his admiration through the telepathy used only among the Awakened.
When they first entered the Labyrinth, Zion’s Black Magic, White Magic, and martial arts didn’t blend well or mesh together.
It was all clunky, forced, relying on brute strength.
But now, after just over a week, barely into the second week, he was making precise judgments and using techniques at exactly the right moment, as naturally as breathing.
-I always felt it during training, but… he’s the type who’s really strong in actual combat.
-That’s not just because he’s a genius…
-I know, brother. His unhappy childhood must have had a big influence. There was Naia noona and his High Elf master’s teachings, too.
-Even so, it feels like his White Magic is still pretty lacking. At the very least, he should be able to instantly heal lost limbs or something…
Yumin, on the other hand, seemed somewhat dissatisfied.
At her outlandish demand, Crooks burst into sincere laughter.
-Hahahaha. Yumin, if your standards are the bar, who could possibly measure up? Even Naia noona couldn’t heal lost limbs back in her prime.
-Ughhh….But at the very least, it’d be more reassuring if he could do at least that much…
-His core is that of a swordsman. If he loses a limb, that means he’s already in serious trouble. The important thing is not to get injured that badly in the first place, and that’s exactly why we keep watch 24/7, isn’t it?
-Oh? I see!
Having just realized this, Yumin clapped her hands in admiration.
Meanwhile, Zion, while paying attention to the seemingly silent conversation of the Awakened, was still dashing through the Labyrinth without hesitation.
His speed crossing the Labyrinth had always been remarkable, but now it was truly phenomenal—beyond comparison to before.
“Zion, over here. If you go straight in and break through the ceiling, there’s a hidden passage. I’ll tell you exactly where to break!”
It was all thanks to K, who guided them without hesitation, as if he could see right through the entire structure of the Labyrinth.
There were several reasons K, not Yuria, was accompanying Zion, but the most important was their mutual intentions.
When Zion asked to travel together, Yuria, unusually, hesitated, saying there was still something she needed to do.
“I found out there are several Labs in the Tower similar to the one where K was kept—not just in the basement but even on some upper floors. At first I thought the Monsters in the test tubes were just Monsters, but after learning that they were originally people…”
Yuria revealed her bold plan.
She intended to infiltrate those Labs where human experiments were being conducted, ruin their research, and save as many victims as possible.
“It’s definitely going to be dangerous.”
“I know. But that’s not a good enough reason to abandon the victims, is it?”
Zion tried to dissuade her, but Yuria’s resolve was firm.
In the end, Zion could only respect her decision.
He figured he’d act the same way in her place.
[How many Artifacts do you have left? If you need anything, just say the word—I’ll whip it up for you.]
“Sister Arcs, the goal this time is to make as much noise as possible and get as many people out as we can…”
“Then, friend. Should I go with you instead?”
K’s offer was unexpected.
More than anything, Zion thought there was no real reason for K to go into the Labyrinth.
“No. I need to get all the way to the deepest part of the Labyrinth.”
But it seemed K had her own reasons.
“Why?”
“Um? Uh… Not sure? I don’t really know myself.”
He couldn’t even give a clear reason, but like Yuria, K’s will was unwavering.
At first, there were concerns for her safety, but then again, the first place they met K was deep inside the Labyrinth.
And back then, K hadn’t had a single scratch.
Maybe, being a fusion of a Monster’s heart and a Fetus, the other Monsters recognized K as one of their own.
[It’s better to take him along.] The Awakened agreed with K.
[Think about it, Zion. Yesterday you took K to the Order of Elders and revealed in front of everyone that he’s Experimental Subject K, right? Now, the Order of Elders—especially the wizards directly involved in the experiments—are desperate to secure K by any means necessary.]
“Ah…”
The rash decision made in the heat of the moment had come back to bite him.
Zion buried his face in his hands, regretting it, but there was nothing to be done about spilled water.
He let out a long sigh, poured out his regrets, and focused again on the Awakened’s reasoning.
“Understood. It seems best to take K into the Labyrinth with me.”
With K’s childlike nature and complete lack of wariness—she had endured all the wizards’ experiments without protest—Zion felt uneasy about leaving her alone in the Tower, no matter how well prepared she was.
Thus, Yuria began her solo mission, and Zion entered the Labyrinth with K.
By coincidence, the wizards in charge of the entrance were the same as yesterday.
They were dying to ask about the identity of the child accompanying Zion, but, afraid he might get angry like before, they quietly let them pass.
And now.
Zion, who had been on the 20th floor just a moment ago, skipped the 21st entirely and set foot right in the middle of the 22nd floor.
“How do you know about this passage?”
“Um? Uh? I don’t really know myself!”
At K’s innocent face, Zion could only sigh quietly.
It was the answer he’d expected.
Whether it was an aftereffect of the experiments or his original state, K’s memories were full of holes, like a chunk of cheese eaten by rats.
It was harder to find a normal patch.
But he could still hazard a guess.
Before, when K explained his situation, he’d referred to the Monster’s heart implanted in the Fetus as ‘my heart.’
In other words, his consciousness was fundamentally that of a Monster.
And that Monster—the owner of that heart—had probably lived deep in the Labyrinth.
Not just any Monster, but one deeply linked to the core, who knew every shortcut and secret passage in the Labyrinth as if it were its own garden.
‘If something triggers K to regain his Monster instincts and he turns on us… Could I really… kill this “friend?”‘
“This is a place where monsters don’t come. It was made that way. So it’s best to rest here on the 22nd floor!”
Suppressing his anxiety, Zion put down his pack and began preparing to rest.