I turned my head to look at the hand on my shoulder. He was wearing a ring with an unusual pattern on his index finger.
«Subspace ring».
My heart was pounding. What could be inside that ring? It was like looking at any box that had not yet been opened.
Slip.
Without realizing it, my hand went to the ring. My treasure...
«...What the hell, you bastard?!» As soon as my hand touched his, the man jumped and removed his hand from my shoulder. «Barbarian, son of a bitch! Are you...?!»
Judging by those startled eyes, I think he knew what he had misunderstood. His comrades each added a word.
«No wonder a barbarian was a rookie».
«Any normal person wouldn't have come to this city».
«So they kicked him out of the tribe because of his tendency...»
What were these crazy bastards talking about? I had to hurry up and clear up the misunderstanding so I quickly extended my fist forward.
Hit!
The first punch landed on Buck's Tooth's face, who dared to put his hand on my shoulder and act friendly. Something white came out of his open mouth. His dollar tooth was completely healed in a single punch.
«Behell-ahhhhh!» Just as I let out the war cry, the scouts crowding the surrounding area took a step back and made room for themselves.
«¡Es you have a pelea!»
«Woahhhh!»
«The rookie and Rex's gang are fighting!»
Was this a school classroom? The workers sitting in the windows only sighed with faces that seemed to say, Again?
So no one's going to stop me, huh? Even better.
I was starting to like Noark more and more. Maybe he wanted a masculine society like this even if he pretended not to.
«Bastard!» A comrade of the ex-Buck Tooth, Beardy, unsheathed his gun resentfully.
Okay, let's get into team battle mode.
I had been refraining from using a gun just in case, but now I took out my mace and brandished it as if I had been waiting.
¡Whoom!
Beardy bent down to avoid him. Just then, a ball of electricity flew from the man behind him.
Pzzzzzt.
It doesn't look like magic... He must have a special ability. But my shield is adamantium.
Adamantium was a grade 5 material that reduced attribute damage by 50%.
Buzz!
The electric current flowed through the shield towards my body, but I could withstand that with the resistance of the mana. Maybe they've never encountered anything like this before.
If they're going to catch a tank, they should have cursed me first, you bastards.
When I brandished my mace without it affecting me, bewilderment flashed in Beardy's eyes. I understood.
I expected him to stiffen me, and that's why I had shortened the distance even further, at just the right angle to be hit.
Hit!
Well, it was two less.
Burn.
Beardy's body crashed into the ceiling and then landed on the ground. If this were baseball, it would have been a foul. I tapped my shoulder with the mace and stared straight ahead. «What are you doing? Come».
The trio that lost two members trying to sneak into line acted surprisingly rationally. «Rex, let's go».
«They say Kalte's gang was found dead after following a rookie who came yesterday».
Oh, you haven't heard the rumors yet.
It seemed like they realized that I was not an easy enemy from what the curious people said.
«But if we go back like this...»
«We will be the laughing stock. But it will be better than dying. I don't know if it's true, but they say there is a woman with him who uses an aura».
«Aura...?» The man named Rex frowned.
Deslick.
Just then, Amelia, who was queuing somewhere else, came and stood next to me.
«Ah, you are here».
«It seems like you're the talk of the town wherever you go».
«...I am aware. I've seen it happen». Saying that, Amelia put her hand to the dagger she was carrying on her thigh. I assumed this was the decisive action.
«...Why don't we put an end to this here?» rex suggested.
Geez, that's not how negotiations are done.
«Your apology?»
«I will. I apologize for belittling you and making an unreasonable request».
I figured it was the culture on this side to lie flat once you'd decided to go unnoticed. Surprisingly, this guy adopted a totally submissive attitude.
Now then. What should I do?
Contemplating this, I looked to the side and saw Amelia nod slightly. That meant letting them go. «Well, I accept your apology».
«Thank you, then...» Once I received your apology, Rex began tending to his fallen companions.
Hmm, what the hell is this now?
«Stop. Leave behind everything those two have.»
«But the apology...»
That's that and this is this, man. What good is a mere word apology?
«Now we are from the same faction. We should help each other.»
Mhm, that's the warmth of a community, right?
Rex thought for a long time before sighing and taking the equipment from his unconscious comrades. «That's it, is it enough?»
«The ring?»
«...Here.»
Ugh, how much was this now? Money was being copied at this rate. Why did these bastards from Noark live in poverty?
Anyway, I'll find out what's in the ring later.
After dispatching Rex and his henchmen, I stored all the stripped equipment in the subspace ring. The extendable backpack was uncomfortable in many ways, so I was actually expecting a subspace too.
«They may not look their best, but their hearts are warm».
Amelia didn't answer.
«What are you looking at? Let's get in line again».
Afterwards, we headed back to the window. Other explorers had taken our place since we got out of line, but that wasn't a problem. I had already adapted to this city.
«Oh, human.»
«...W-what's wrong?»
«As you have seen before, we have had a special circumstance. Can you give up your place?»
«...Of course.»
With that, thanks to the consideration of a kind explorer, we were able to place ourselves in the front row. Since we were in the middle of the line before the fight, we essentially saved thirty minutes.
«The people here are very warm».
«...Others would think you're from Noark, not me.»
Haha, don't embarrass me with your compliments.
«I'm just quick to adapt. Not a genius.»
«I never said anything like that.»
«I never said anything like that.»
«Haha, you don't know how to be honest.»
Anyway, since we were in front of the queue, it was soon our turn and we were able to check in ahead of schedule. That was because we skipped the range adjustment request.
«Didn't you say you were going to raise your rank to 5?».
«Does not matter. Our news will have already reached the lord of the castle».
Since we achieved our goal quickly thanks to me, there was no reason to adjust our rank to make the essences in our possession known to the entire city. «Thank goodness I acted as I pleased».
«...Things may have ended well now, but act more carefully from now on. It's not just those little fish that are in this city».
«Okay. So, is our work finished for today?»
«Yes, let's go back and rest for now».
Returning to the accommodation we found yesterday, we switched to a long-term stay and waited, refraining from leaving. I don't know how much time passed like this. Contrary to what Amelia expected, the lord of the castle showed no interest in us for several days. Wow, and our plan was to go under the castle lord to start.
«Amelia, what's going on?»
«...It seems that he is taking his time to find out our disposition since he has no information about us.»
«Let's keep waiting for now. Someday he will get in touch. With his personality, the castle lord will not leave high-ranking independent explorers alone».
Time passed like this and it was the day of entry to the labyrinth.
***
«Woahhh!»
«How long has it been?»
«Let's make some money!!!»
The square was packed with many people, as if a festival had been held. It was the same scene as always on the day of entering the labyrinth, but the people gathered in the square today seemed especially excited. It wasn't that I couldn't understand it. After the small number of people who entered the maze last month returned alive, public opinion was that the maze was safe again. For those who had been struggling, it couldn't be better news.
Swish.
Arua Raven passed through the square in a cart and drew back the curtain bitterly. Now he realized.
«So it's been a month now...»
A month had passed since Bjorn Yandel's death. Although it was the death of a man considered a hero among explorers, the world had not changed. Only his surroundings had changed.
Sigh ...
Raven briefly recalled the days gone by.
***
«So, Bjorn is dead.» Surprisingly, it was the warrior who acted most rightly within the group. «What are you doing? Let's all rest. We're all tired, so let's talk about what we'll do tomorrow. As for the guild, I'll go alone», Ainar said.
Accepting reality, he tried to do what had to be done immediately: sustain this team created by Bjorn Yandel. Of course, that wasn't going to work.
«What do you mean by... from now on? What do you mean by that?», the elf asked.
«Since Bjorn has died, the five of us will have to enter the maze from now on».
At those words, the elf aggressively replied: «Exploration? Is that really the problem now?»
«So what's the problem?»
«Of course we have to get revenge!»
«What's your ancestry?»
«From Noark! It is because of those people that the event occurred on the island! And that red-haired woman is also suspicious. If that bitch is alive and has anything to do with Mister...» A murderous energy shone in the elf's eyes. «No, even if she has nothing to do with it, it doesn't matter. I'm going to find them and kill them all».
His loss of reason due to anger was understandable. The recent loss of his sister was also caused by Noark.
Raven said: «Erwen, we understand how you feel, but calm down. Those people are already out. How are you going to get revenge on them? Let's go home for today and come back tom-«
«Yes, that's all it was for you.»
«Excuse me?»
«I feel bad for the man. For staying behind on your own to protect people like you, supposed comrades.»
«... What did you say? Say it again.»
«R-Raven, stop! Don't act like that too!» The warrior stopped her. Normally the beast warrior would have stepped forward, but she didn't seem to have the mind to do so.
But did it catch your attention? The elf approached the beast woman. «And you? You will, right? Revenge?»
«I...» The beast woman interrupted herself.
After some time, the elf who had been silently waiting for an answer left with just the words: «Beastly Bitch».
«I'll meet Erwen tomorrow. So... let's all go home too».
Thus, the group dispersed and went home. The warrior chose to stop by the guild and report Bjorn Yandel's death, but the wizard stopped her.
«Miss Ainar, please take care of Miss Karlstein. I... will do this».
«But...»
«You don't even know how to read, Miss Ainar.»
«Okay. I'll leave it to you.»
The archer beastman who had a family did not say a single word until the moment they separated. As someone who had been through this many times, he only watched the separation of his team with bitter eyes.
«Let's see, the deceased... Baronet Bjorn Yandel?!» When the death report was presented to the guild, the surrounding area became agitated. Nearby scouts included, the staff seemed to have many questions, but did not approach after seeing the expression on Raven's face.
That's how one day passed.
«Have you heard? Baronet Bjorn Yandel is dead».
«To think that giant would leave like this...»
«What an unfortunate person to leave.»
Bjorn Yandel's death spread through the city as quickly as his fame during his lifetime. Those who knew him visited his house.
«Ainar! Missha! Open the door! Is Yandel really dead? W-why... Open the door!» shouted his former companion and dwarf warrior, Hikurod Murad.
«...Murad, enough. I just came from the guild to confirm the death report. We shouldn't make it even more difficult for them. Let's go and come back another time», Brown Rotmiller said.
Many other explorers who were indebted to the hero named Bjorn Yandel visited his house.
«Thank you for saving us that day».
«Not now... you will come to the library».
Flowers piled up in front of the door. Countless people mourned his death, and the barbarian tribe who considered him their next leader even closed the gates of the sacred land and held a funeral for several days, praying that his spirit asleep in the labyrinth would return to the forest. But still, the world remained unchanged. Only his surroundings had done it.
«...Let's not think about exploring for a while and rest».
All future exploration plans were suspended. What could the four of them do if they weren't even in their right mind? Everyone needed a break. The same thing happened to Arua Raven herself.
But a break doesn't change anything.
The day that elf left like that, Raven sensed that the saying that time was medicine was a lie. As the days passed, everything became more of a mess that was never fixed.
«I need to find it».
Raven couldn't sleep well for several days and spent her time buried in books. Even today, she was on the way back to the palace library. That was because this death was questionable. In the city the cause of this death was known as a Gush Storm.
«I can't accept it.»
As for the situation, he had been successful in hunting. He even had the energy to fix his body to the ground with nails so as not to be swept away by the ocean. But where had he disappeared in such a short time? If he really was swept away by the sea, why did they take his equipment?
«There's something else... Some big secret...». Raven clutched her chest like a person struggling to breathe. Although it might not have been a reasonable deduction for a magician, he needed something to hold on to. «There has to be something else».