The third day of Daikokuya’s opening was different from the previous two days. A little after opening, the number of customers visiting to purchase had clearly increased. The products were mainly shampoos, conditioners, and other bathroom products. The customer base varied from adventurers, merchants, and craftsmen; though, they were mostly female.
On the second day, many females had noticed Amy and Presera’s hair, kindling their interest in the supplies. What stopped them was the steep price. Perhaps they earned extra coins to purchase them in the interim? There were several groups of female adventurers and craftsmen that left the store while enthusiastically saying “Let’s go!”
Where were they going? Was there some sort of public bath house here in the royal capital?
Amy and Presera, who was busy until now, responded to the customers’ questions in detail about usage and effects. Meanwhile, I saw a certain figure among the crowd. Well then —?
“Here is the map leading to the destination. The other party has also reached the destination, but are retreating to resupply.”
“Understood. I shall report to Lord Bird immediately.”
It seems that he couldn’t afford to leave the office today. After the liaison received the letter and heard the report, he left immediately to report to Chancellor Bergman.
Then, three new female customers entered the shop.
“This should be the shop, Young Miss.”
“Thank you, Sierra. A decent looking shop. Now, which one is this ‘shampoo’?”
“I shall ask the store employee.”
“Please do, Miss Vi.”
Oi oi, that was actually Duke Barga’s third daughter, Lapitirica. And that was Miss Vi, a female escort always by the Duke’s side. And that red-haired girl dressed as a maid… Was the granddaughter of Viscount Simon, the deputy leader of the Knights of West Barga.
“Do you happen to be the owner of this shop?”
Leaving Laptirica and her maid to inspect the shop’s interior, Vi approached wearing the same veil she wore when I met her as Shaft. I couldn’t tell at first because she hid her body from the neck down in an expensive cloak, but she may be wearing leather armor underneath. But why was this woman here? I thought she was supposed to stay beside the Duke?\
“Welcome. My name is Schwartz. I am indeed the owner of this shop. What can I do for you?”
“I came to buy magical soapy water so that I can captivate Frank-sama.”
There was no such thing, you idiot! Uh, hopefully I didn’t say that outloud—-.
“Pardon me, but we do not sell something like that.”
“Ha, what did you say!?”
All the women in the store turned around to us after Vi raised her voice despite my reply.
“Schwartz-san, it’s been a while. Is this store really yours?”
“It’s been a while, Lapitilica-sama.”
She approached with her maid.
“This is the store I just opened the other day in cooperation with the Marida Trading Company. Maybe Lapitilica-sama came here after hearing about me?”
Sierra wore the same white outfit she wore at the Barga residence, but Lapitilica wore a knightly-style coat of the Barga Knights, a short skirt, and a light blue beret.
“I came to the royal capital for the upcoming banquet, but when I met an acquaintance who lived here, I noticed her hair was very beautiful. So when I inquired about it, I was introduced to this shop.”
Lapitirica’s ‘acquaintance’ who lived here and knew about Daikokuya…? Must be Ashley. Perhaps she visited Ashley and learned about it there? The upcoming banquet should be Prince Ark’s birthday party… Could she still doubt herself, despite being the first candidate to become his bride? I guess she wants it to get ahead of the other candidates.’
There were a few nobles who were using the shampoo and conditioner. Of those few were the girls of the Zephanel family… But…
“Are you looking for Shampoo and conditioner?”
A, yes… Indeed. It seems to be a popular item. Do you have one?”
Lapitilica asked anxiously while looking around. It was hard to say to say it was popular, but today a lot of people did buy them. Seen from the side, it looked like a popular product with a flood of buyers.
“Of course, we have some in stock. However… Is it really ‘needed’?”
“… You are aware? I cannot be too optimistic. There are still many unconquered labyrinths in this kingdom. There is still a possibility that someone else may rival my achievement. Besides – I want Prince Ark to recognize me as a woman. We women of magic do not consider ourselves as just tools for leaving offspring.”
“That’s right. I also want Frank-sama’s approval.”
Would you please shut your trap, Vi?
When I first met Lapitilica in the Emerald Demon Labyrinth conquest, she was just a pretty adventurer. I later found out that she was a duke’s daughter while I worked as her escort as Shaft a month later. And now, meeting her again as the owner of Daikokuya, she wanted to improve her womanly charm.
“Very well, I will prepare the necessary supplies right away, including Shampoo.”
“Thank you very much!”
“Don’t mention it – and thank you for making the purchase.”
“Owner, please prepare three sets. One for the Young Miss, one for myself, and one for the Duchess.”
You don’t need one… Actually, Vi, I thought you wanted to woo Duke Barga so much, so why would you ask for another set for the Duchess?
“One for… The Duchess?”
“Yes… the sight of Frank-sama loving his wife was what captivated my heart!”
O,okay…
Lapitilica smiled without any disgust. Does she believe that her father wouldn’t fall for this homewrecker, or was it that the Duke himself has acknowledged this? Well… It has nothing to do with me… After that, Lapitilica and her entourage ended up buying more than three sets of supplies before leaving. Her escort knight waited in a carriage parked on the mainstreet.
That same day I returned to the labyrinth, accessed TSS, and confirmed the location of Miche and company. Still in the city of Dragrange…? The location signified that she was in the middle of the lake – the Lord’s residence, which I hadn’t mapped yet. The GPS transmitter was attached to her light armor. Was it possible she took it off and changed into a different piece of equipment? As long as the dot was up, it meant that it hadn’t been discovered and removed.
Even if they noticed it, they wouldn’t be able to answer what it was, its effect, and how it got there. Zero knowledge of my world’s technology… There was no way they’d know, let alone figure it out themselves.
There was a five-day grace period until the shop’s next opening. In these five days, my plan was to aim for the gatekeeper on the 10th floor. But it was already dead, so that must be the base for Nekoyanagi. Other than that, I couldn’t think of a place where they could hide in the labyrinth. Although the clean spring was safe from monsters, it was too narrow to be a home base. That left the gatekeeper’s room. As long as the gatekeeper was defeated, nothing else would respawn there. And one could easily come and go via the circle.
If they closely managed the gate leading to the gatekeeper’s room, it would be possible to drive monsters and other people off. My current location was a small room on the 4th floor, and I had already mapped it. I changed my avatar to Jonah along with my loadout. With that, I continued my exploration.
After passing through to the 6th floor, the scenery didn’t change, but the atmosphere clearly did. Compared to the tunnel outside the labyrinth, the width and height doubled. But when I dug into the wall with a skeleton finger, I could actually dig. An open field floor, huh… It was the kind of floor that mimicked the outside world and used it as a sort of obstacle. As I proceeded, I noticed that the inner wall was filled with a substance that looked like ore.
Although it varied in size, I could see swaying lights such as red and blue in a shiny dark color similar to obsidian. Of course, there should be a vein of magic ore in this mountain range and I had never actually seem it before, but this mysterious ore was probably it. Since it appeared inside the labyrinth – a former mine, did that mean it was possible to mine on this level?
The ore was crystalized magic and it attracted monsters. As long as it continuously pooled in a certain area, it’d produce more ore. With proper management, it was possible to mine it for long periods of time. The same was true for this labyrinth. It’s power solidified, and produced this. If someone managed the labyrinth and the veins after subjugation, it would certainly be a massive profit.
But considering this place was close to the Drak Kingdom, it’d be difficult.
A few days passed since then and I mapped up to the 7th floor – moving on to the 8th floor. There was a clean spring on this level and the monsters were the higher-ranked versions. However, they were still kobolds, so they weren’t that strong individually.
They did not have a magical means of attack and instead, relied on their biological weapons. At this level, it shouldn’t be too difficult to reach the 10th floor if there were a few explorers with some combat experience… It would be easier with a larger number.. There. The map showed that there was a small room ahead. In addition, the sound of trickling water.
When I entered the room, there was obvious camp equipment – not as good as it sounded ,but it had mining tools, a cloth that seemed to be bedding, and a structure that looked like a bonfire… It’s clear some group had settled this labyrinth.
However, it was trampled and destroyed.
When I checked my feet, in addition to human footprints, there were many three-fingered hoofs. All of them were still new – there seemed to be a group moving ahead of me apart from the group using these tools. Did this mean these three-fingered hoofprints belonged to a pack animal or something?
Organizing the information I had so far, I made a guess that the phantom thieves made their camp here. There were also pickaxes and shovel-like tools for moving, so they were likely digging the ores here.
Then, whose prints did these belong to?
When I checked on Miche-san, I noticed they had left the city, but moved along the mountain. If it was not Sansaqua, it might be another adventuring group… Perhaps one that originated from the Drak kingdom.
What to do… the purpose of this request was to subdue the labyrinth without alerting the Drak kingdom and to prevent the monsters from moving south. The other was to catch up to Sasanqua and Ophelia to support their subjugation. There was also the search for Nekoyanagi. And to report it all to Chancellor Bergman.
These were my two rolls.
However, if the powers and parties other than us were involved, the story was different.
It was still good if it was an explorer on the Kurtmerga side, but if the existence of the labyrinth was known on the Drak side and these were their people; it could become a battlefield. Aiming for the space between the gatekeepers while crossing the spring, and mapping the 9th and 10th floor, there were several more hoof marks.
Considering how the steps sank into the ground, it seemed to be bipedal and heavy. The stride was long and quite fast.
And then, before the gatekeeper’s room appeared on the map, I heard it. A high-pitched cry, a fierce swashbuckling, and screams – the sound of combat. It was not a battle. It was a one sided slaughter.
I increased my speed.
The third day of Daikokuya’s opening was different from the previous two days. A little after opening, the number of customers visiting to purchase had clearly increased. The products were mainly shampoos, conditioners, and other bathroom products. The customer base varied from adventurers, merchants, and craftsmen; though, they were mostly female.
On the second day, many females had noticed Amy and Presera’s hair, kindling their interest in the supplies. What stopped them was the steep price. Perhaps they earned extra coins to purchase them in the interim? There were several groups of female adventurers and craftsmen that left the store while enthusiastically saying “Let’s go!”
Where were they going? Was there some sort of public bath house here in the royal capital?
Amy and Presera, who was busy until now, responded to the customers’ questions in detail about usage and effects. Meanwhile, I saw a certain figure among the crowd. Well then —?
“Here is the map leading to the destination. The other party has also reached the destination, but are retreating to resupply.”
“Understood. I shall report to Lord Bird immediately.”
It seems that he couldn’t afford to leave the office today. After the liaison received the letter and heard the report, he left immediately to report to Chancellor Bergman.
Then, three new female customers entered the shop.
“This should be the shop, Young Miss.”
“Thank you, Sierra. A decent looking shop. Now, which one is this ‘shampoo’?”
“I shall ask the store employee.”
“Please do, Miss Vi.”
Oi oi, that was actually Duke Barga’s third daughter, Lapitirica. And that was Miss Vi, a female escort always by the Duke’s side. And that red-haired girl dressed as a maid… Was the granddaughter of Viscount Simon, the deputy leader of the Knights of West Barga.
“Do you happen to be the owner of this shop?”
Leaving Laptirica and her maid to inspect the shop’s interior, Vi approached wearing the same veil she wore when I met her as Shaft. I couldn’t tell at first because she hid her body from the neck down in an expensive cloak, but she may be wearing leather armor underneath. But why was this woman here? I thought she was supposed to stay beside the Duke?\
“Welcome. My name is Schwartz. I am indeed the owner of this shop. What can I do for you?”
“I came to buy magical soapy water so that I can captivate Frank-sama.”
There was no such thing, you idiot! Uh, hopefully I didn’t say that outloud—-.
“Pardon me, but we do not sell something like that.”
“Ha, what did you say!?”
All the women in the store turned around to us after Vi raised her voice despite my reply.
“Schwartz-san, it’s been a while. Is this store really yours?”
“It’s been a while, Lapitilica-sama.”
She approached with her maid.
“This is the store I just opened the other day in cooperation with the Marida Trading Company. Maybe Lapitilica-sama came here after hearing about me?”
Sierra wore the same white outfit she wore at the Barga residence, but Lapitilica wore a knightly-style coat of the Barga Knights, a short skirt, and a light blue beret.
“I came to the royal capital for the upcoming banquet, but when I met an acquaintance who lived here, I noticed her hair was very beautiful. So when I inquired about it, I was introduced to this shop.”
Lapitirica’s ‘acquaintance’ who lived here and knew about Daikokuya…? Must be Ashley. Perhaps she visited Ashley and learned about it there? The upcoming banquet should be Prince Ark’s birthday party… Could she still doubt herself, despite being the first candidate to become his bride? I guess she wants it to get ahead of the other candidates.’
There were a few nobles who were using the shampoo and conditioner. Of those few were the girls of the Zephanel family… But…
“Are you looking for Shampoo and conditioner?”
A, yes… Indeed. It seems to be a popular item. Do you have one?”
Lapitilica asked anxiously while looking around. It was hard to say to say it was popular, but today a lot of people did buy them. Seen from the side, it looked like a popular product with a flood of buyers.
“Of course, we have some in stock. However… Is it really ‘needed’?”
“… You are aware? I cannot be too optimistic. There are still many unconquered labyrinths in this kingdom. There is still a possibility that someone else may rival my achievement. Besides – I want Prince Ark to recognize me as a woman. We women of magic do not consider ourselves as just tools for leaving offspring.”
“That’s right. I also want Frank-sama’s approval.”
Would you please shut your trap, Vi?
When I first met Lapitilica in the Emerald Demon Labyrinth conquest, she was just a pretty adventurer. I later found out that she was a duke’s daughter while I worked as her escort as Shaft a month later. And now, meeting her again as the owner of Daikokuya, she wanted to improve her womanly charm.
“Very well, I will prepare the necessary supplies right away, including Shampoo.”
“Thank you very much!”
“Don’t mention it – and thank you for making the purchase.”
“Owner, please prepare three sets. One for the Young Miss, one for myself, and one for the Duchess.”
You don’t need one… Actually, Vi, I thought you wanted to woo Duke Barga so much, so why would you ask for another set for the Duchess?
“One for… The Duchess?”
“Yes… the sight of Frank-sama loving his wife was what captivated my heart!”
O,okay…
Lapitilica smiled without any disgust. Does she believe that her father wouldn’t fall for this homewrecker, or was it that the Duke himself has acknowledged this? Well… It has nothing to do with me… After that, Lapitilica and her entourage ended up buying more than three sets of supplies before leaving. Her escort knight waited in a carriage parked on the mainstreet.
That same day I returned to the labyrinth, accessed TSS, and confirmed the location of Miche and company. Still in the city of Dragrange…? The location signified that she was in the middle of the lake – the Lord’s residence, which I hadn’t mapped yet. The GPS transmitter was attached to her light armor. Was it possible she took it off and changed into a different piece of equipment? As long as the dot was up, it meant that it hadn’t been discovered and removed.
Even if they noticed it, they wouldn’t be able to answer what it was, its effect, and how it got there. Zero knowledge of my world’s technology… There was no way they’d know, let alone figure it out themselves.
There was a five-day grace period until the shop’s next opening. In these five days, my plan was to aim for the gatekeeper on the 10th floor. But it was already dead, so that must be the base for Nekoyanagi. Other than that, I couldn’t think of a place where they could hide in the labyrinth. Although the clean spring was safe from monsters, it was too narrow to be a home base. That left the gatekeeper’s room. As long as the gatekeeper was defeated, nothing else would respawn there. And one could easily come and go via the circle.
If they closely managed the gate leading to the gatekeeper’s room, it would be possible to drive monsters and other people off. My current location was a small room on the 4th floor, and I had already mapped it. I changed my avatar to Jonah along with my loadout. With that, I continued my exploration.
After passing through to the 6th floor, the scenery didn’t change, but the atmosphere clearly did. Compared to the tunnel outside the labyrinth, the width and height doubled. But when I dug into the wall with a skeleton finger, I could actually dig. An open field floor, huh… It was the kind of floor that mimicked the outside world and used it as a sort of obstacle. As I proceeded, I noticed that the inner wall was filled with a substance that looked like ore.
Although it varied in size, I could see swaying lights such as red and blue in a shiny dark color similar to obsidian. Of course, there should be a vein of magic ore in this mountain range and I had never actually seem it before, but this mysterious ore was probably it. Since it appeared inside the labyrinth – a former mine, did that mean it was possible to mine on this level?
The ore was crystalized magic and it attracted monsters. As long as it continuously pooled in a certain area, it’d produce more ore. With proper management, it was possible to mine it for long periods of time. The same was true for this labyrinth. It’s power solidified, and produced this. If someone managed the labyrinth and the veins after subjugation, it would certainly be a massive profit.
But considering this place was close to the Drak Kingdom, it’d be difficult.
A few days passed since then and I mapped up to the 7th floor – moving on to the 8th floor. There was a clean spring on this level and the monsters were the higher-ranked versions. However, they were still kobolds, so they weren’t that strong individually.
They did not have a magical means of attack and instead, relied on their biological weapons. At this level, it shouldn’t be too difficult to reach the 10th floor if there were a few explorers with some combat experience… It would be easier with a larger number.. There. The map showed that there was a small room ahead. In addition, the sound of trickling water.
When I entered the room, there was obvious camp equipment – not as good as it sounded ,but it had mining tools, a cloth that seemed to be bedding, and a structure that looked like a bonfire… It’s clear some group had settled this labyrinth.
However, it was trampled and destroyed.
When I checked my feet, in addition to human footprints, there were many three-fingered hoofs. All of them were still new – there seemed to be a group moving ahead of me apart from the group using these tools. Did this mean these three-fingered hoofprints belonged to a pack animal or something?
Organizing the information I had so far, I made a guess that the phantom thieves made their camp here. There were also pickaxes and shovel-like tools for moving, so they were likely digging the ores here.
Then, whose prints did these belong to?
When I checked on Miche-san, I noticed they had left the city, but moved along the mountain. If it was not Sansaqua, it might be another adventuring group… Perhaps one that originated from the Drak kingdom.
What to do… the purpose of this request was to subdue the labyrinth without alerting the Drak kingdom and to prevent the monsters from moving south. The other was to catch up to Sasanqua and Ophelia to support their subjugation. There was also the search for Nekoyanagi. And to report it all to Chancellor Bergman.
These were my two rolls.
However, if the powers and parties other than us were involved, the story was different.
It was still good if it was an explorer on the Kurtmerga side, but if the existence of the labyrinth was known on the Drak side and these were their people; it could become a battlefield. Aiming for the space between the gatekeepers while crossing the spring, and mapping the 9th and 10th floor, there were several more hoof marks.
Considering how the steps sank into the ground, it seemed to be bipedal and heavy. The stride was long and quite fast.
And then, before the gatekeeper’s room appeared on the map, I heard it. A high-pitched cry, a fierce swashbuckling, and screams – the sound of combat. It was not a battle. It was a one sided slaughter.
I increased my speed.
