Return of the Former Hero

Chapter 150 . Former Hero – Accepts Grat.i.tude

And the next morning .
Last night I had to practice restraint…because we’ll be leaving to the labyrinth today .

[Is this it… . Somehow, this place doesn’t feel like a labyrinth . ]

We climbed the mountain according to the map the guild reception uncle gave us . I was half expecting that there will be a sign saying [Warning: Labyrinth ahead!] at the entrance .

But it actually looks like a regular office building .

[This is where we can mine the magic stone . Regular adventurers can’t normally enter this place without permits . ]

Celes who was walking next to me, explained in a whisper .

Ehー

If she said so, then it’s most likely true .

What will happen to those who entered the labyrinth without permit?
Now now, we have no need to worry about that .

Entering the building, we were greeted by yet another uncle .

What’s with this town?
The number of uncles is really high here .

After we showed him our permits, he guided us to the back room .
The back room was where many tools were stashed and also where the real entrance to the labyrinth is .

[This is the map . ]

[Thanks . ]

Checking the map the uncle had given us, it has a detailed depiction of the structure up to the 10th level .

[This is quite complicated . ]

[It’s because the lower levels have been expanded continuously for mining purposes . ]

[I see . ]

Looking at the map, it’s quite obvious to me that it’ll be hard to get around from place to place quickly without one .

[Well, shall we go now?]

I handed the map to Celes and finally stepped into the labyrinth .

[Wow, this is quite amazing . ]

As soon as I entered the labyrinth, I could sense that the magic power density in the air has changed .

This place is clearly full of magic power .

This is also the same as Iris town’s underground labyrinth, Search does not work well in this kind of environment .

It won’t be easy to mine those magic stones then .

Still better than nothing . Let’s try maintaining search all the time now .
…it’s possible to grasp the surroundings, albeit only as far as 10 meters or so, I guess?

[My power… Rising up]

Behind me, Elcure muttered something with a very chuuni vibe .
Don’t act weird now, please .

Beside me, with the map on one hand, Celes navigated the shortest route to the 11th level .

People seemed to visit this place regularly up to the 10th level so there were very few monsters lurking around .

By the way, we encountered a bat-like monster along the way .
But Tanya, now a similar size as me, finished it off with a very swift move .

[Fuh . Not enough!]

Tanya somehow acted more spirited .
Perhaps because of the labyrinth’s dense amount of magic power in the air .

We went through the labyrinth under the dim light of the artificial light fixtures that ran on the surrounding magic power .

Tanya and Leon would finish off every monster coming from ahead swiftly .

By the way, I’m responsible for carrying our luggage .
I guess it’s better than having to do nothing .

[Hummhumm〜♪]

[Oi, Tanya . Don’t go too far forward alone . ]

I called out to Tanya who eagerly walked at the front while humming .

[It’s fine, it’s fine . I know!]

Tanya looked back and showed a large grin in response to my call, before taking a right turn at a two-way junction .

Oi oi, what’s with that att.i.tude . I don’t know anymore .

Also turning right without hesitation like that as if you already know the path .

[O-oi…]

[No, it’s true that we’ll take the path to the right . ]

Eh? For real?

Celes told me while looking at the map .

Why did she know the path?
Is it her intuition or wild instinct?

[Perhaps because Tanychan has a demon bloodline, she seems to be able to sense a location with higher density of magic power . ]

Heh .
So I suppose with this much magic power around, she could sense her surroundings even better?
Nothing less from the demonkin .

[Well, if it as you say so…then it’s okay, I guess?]

…is it really good though?
It’s still a problem if she were to go ahead on her own .

However, my worries were proven pointless as it only took 3 hours for us to reach the 10th level .

I asked Celes to guide us to an open area so that we could take a short rest .

[Well then, it’s time for lunch . ]

I unloaded the luggage, taking out the food stashed inside .

[Food! Food!]

Attracted by the smell of food, Tanya clung at me from behind .
And since she’s currently in her adult form, her sizable b.r.e.a.s.t.s are now pressing around my neck .

She’s no longer the usual pettanko .
Not that I mind with this version .

And therefore, a bulge also formed in my trousers .

Haha . .

If Leon and Elcure are not here with us, I would’ve eaten Tanya for lunch .
But we shouldn’t do that inside the labyrinth . Right?

I invoke my gentleman’s willpower and distributed the food to everyone evenly .
It’s proven to be more of a ch.o.r.e than it’s supposed to be .
But since I don’t have to do anything else, I’m not complaining .

Anyways, we had lunch while observing our surroundings .

[If you ran out of water, just tell me . I’ll take some out . ]

I said as I gnawed on a piece of salted meat .

This is actually quite fun . I can’t stop, I don’t want to stop .
I had never heard of this before .
So I guess there are still things I have no knowledge of .
It’s like it’s not normal meat .

I only brought food for a few days, I suppose that’s the real reason why I want to savor the food as much as I could .
Or perhaps I should just exit the labyrinth and buy more food at the town .

[…… . . ]

While having lunch, we listened to Celes on how we will operate once we reach the 11th level, when suddenly I sense something odd happening to Elcure who was sitting next to me .

By the way, I wonder why she always seem to sit near me?
Is it a coincidence? Is it fate?
It’s making my heart beat faster .

No, leaving that aside…

I can’t say that I see it clearly in this dimly lit labyrinth, but Elcure’s face was blushing red .
No way, don’t tell me her erotic delusion flared up just from sitting next to me like this?

Maybe .

Moreover, she seems to be high at the moment .

Eh?
Is it really erotic delusion?

What is this familiar feeling!?

That・is・why

[Are you okay?]

[Ee?… . What is it…?]

I tried to speak to Elcure, but her tone was somewhat…amiss?
I didn’t have much confidence, because it’s always been a ‘make or break’ situation with her .

[No, it’s just that your face is red . Are you okay?]

[It’s okay…I’m fine…thank you . ]

Nn?

I was actually expecting Elcure to reply me with her usual [Doesn’t matter… . Go die], but she actually did something different this time .
And a [Thank you] at that?

I, at the moment, may have finally sunk through .

Easy peasy as usual, me .

No . But a girl, face blushing red, while glancing intermittently, shyly said [thank you] to a guy she rarely talked to before?
There is no need for reasoning . I’m digging in .

Dangerous .
She’s definitely playing around with my mind .
Even if it has come to this, don’t believe it so easily .

Ehh .

[Ah…umm… I see . Well, don’t overdo yourself . ]

Up until now, I have to admit that everything I did have been ridiculous .

[… . uwa . ]

My facial expression, att.i.tude, and words .

But what’s with that [uwa] just now? Is that all you have to say?

…I don’t want to believe anything anymore .