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https://kakuyomu.jp/works/822139844414118669/episodes/2912051595474289264
As I stepped out of the workshop, a cool breeze brushed against my skin.
The street outside was as bustling as ever. I could see students visiting various workshops to prepare for their dungeon exploration, along with the artisans overseeing them.
Amidst the commotion, Liene looked up at me with a worried expression.
“Lord Rai… Where do you think Rio went?”
“Probably to a dungeon… And a pretty high-difficulty one at that.”
The “escape teleportation device” Rio is trying to create is designed to ensure that as many of us students as possible survive our attempt to conquer the Primordial Dungeon.
A field test for that device.
They’ll likely conduct the test in an environment as close to the Primordial Labyrinth as possible. —In other words,
“…We’ll probably be heading to an A-rank labyrinth.”
When I said that, Liene’s expression stiffened slightly.
“…To a place like that?”
“I don’t know if she’ll dive into an A-rank labyrinth right from the start, but… most likely—”
Labyrinths are classified by danger levels established by the Adventurers’ Guild.
They range from “D-Rank,” which denotes unstable labyrinths immediately after their formation, to “A-Rank,” which refers to dangerous zones where monsters become more active and the labyrinth’s structure itself changes—naturally, the difficulty of clearing them increases with each rank.
In particular, labyrinths with a difficulty of “B-Rank” or higher are troublesome.
They have reached the stage where the dungeon’s expansion and massive monster outbreaks are confirmed, and damage begins to appear in the surrounding areas. Once they grow to that extent, they become subject to state management, so seasoned adventurers and knight orders are likely to be dispatched.
Incidentally, the Primordial Dungeon is a special case that falls into none of these categories.
A world-scale disaster that wreaks havoc every hundred years—it must be a dungeon so dangerous that there’s no need for a ranking system.
“The Primordial Labyrinth is currently dormant and inaccessible. Given that—she’ll likely conduct the test in a labyrinth with a similar environment that can be entered immediately.”
“I see. So that’s why it’s Class A…”
I nodded at Liene’s words.
In fact, the labyrinth that Rio, who appeared in CHOICE//MAZE, had entered was designated as “Class A” in difficulty.
Despite having appeared only recently, it was a place where numerous adventurers and knights had attempted to conquer it, yet it was considered nearly impossible to clear. She ventured into such a place alone… and never returned.
“……”
A slight heaviness settled in the pit of my chest.
But I quickly shifted my thoughts.
—It’s okay. Rio is still alive in this world.
“Anyway, first things first: the Adventurers’ Guild.”
When I said that, Liene blinked for just a moment.
Then, as if something had just occurred to her, she looked up.
“Oh… right. To gather information on the labyrinth, isn’t it?”
I nodded in response to her answer.
Information on the surrounding labyrinths is gathered daily at the Adventurers’ Guild. If we want to find out which labyrinths are dangerous and to what extent, that’s the quickest place to go.
“…I hope I didn’t give the receptionist a hard time by saying, ‘I’ll be fine!’”
Smiling wryly at Liene’s worry, we set off at a brisk pace.
■
Once we reached the lower levels of the fortress city, the building we were looking for came into view immediately.
It was a massive stone structure, though not quite as large as the academy. The entrance was bustling with adventurers, and above it was a design resembling crossed swords and shields.
—The Adventurers’ Guild.
It served as a base for dungeon explorers and, at the same time, a hub for information within the fortress city.
As we pushed open the door, a lively atmosphere and the clatter of voices immediately welcomed us.
Filled with the pungent smell of alcohol, the place felt more like a tavern than a guild. The spacious hall was lined with numerous tables, where many adventurers were chatting and laughing with drinks in hand.
Among them, we could spot a few people scrutinizing quest notices in front of the bulletin board… but they were a tiny minority.
“W-wow… it smells…”
Liene instinctively covered her nose.
It was an indescribable mix of alcohol, sweat, and the scent of leather and steel. It was a world apart from the orderly environments of the duke’s mansion or the academy.
“Well, I suppose this is just what you’d expect from an adventurers’ guild.”
I shrugged with a wry smile.
True enough, this kind of environment—the sort of place where a rough-and-tumble bunch would gather—wasn’t exactly the sort of place a duke’s son like me or my personal maid would normally visit.
But personally, I didn’t mind this kind of atmosphere.
Their laughter was rough and completely lacking in refinement. Even when they clinked their wooden cups together, causing the contents to splash and land on their clothes, they didn’t seem to care. Most of the equipment they wore looked like it hadn’t been maintained in ages.
But they’re happily chatting about their adventures.
Rather than a gathering of roughnecks—they seem like a bunch of people who genuinely enjoy the adventure itself.
…And for some reason, I found myself feeling a little envious.
“…!”
This isn’t the time to get sentimental.
I shook my head lightly and scanned the room—
“I’m begging you! I can handle it on my own!”
I found the person I was looking for right away.
“Lord Rai…”
“Ah. There you are.”
We both gave a wry smile and headed toward her.
The reception counter at the back of the guild. At one of the many counters there, a familiar dark brown ponytail was shaking violently as she looked thoroughly annoyed.
That girl—Rio Clauser—was practically leaning over the reception counter, pressing in on the receptionist.
“I told you, it’s not allowed! Solo exploration of the labyrinth is strictly prohibited!”
The receptionist shook her head, looking utterly exasperated.
“I may look like this, but I’m actually pretty strong! I should be fine on my own!”
“That doesn’t change the fact that it’s dangerous!”
The receptionist’s voice, sounding almost like a scream, rang out.
The surrounding adventurers watched the scene with amusement.
“What’s with that girl?”
“Exploring alone, huh…”
“Is she that confident in her skills…?”
Whispers could be heard coming from all around.
Rio didn’t seem to care about those stares at all; she leaned forward and raised her voice again.
“I told you I’m properly prepared! And the device is safe—”
“Even so!?”
The receptionist looked like she was about to cry.
…It was exactly the scene I’d imagined.
I couldn’t help but let out a small sigh.
“You’re really causing trouble, aren’t you…”
Liene gave a wry smile beside me.
“Yeah.”
Saying that, I walked over to the counter.
And then—
“Rio.”
I called her name briefly.
At that moment, her shoulders twitched slightly.
Then she slowly turned around, and her large, emerald-green eyes locked onto mine.
“……Oh.”
A moment of silence passed, but she immediately scowled at me.
“…Why are you here, Rai?”
A voice brimming with irritation escaped Rio’s lips.
Shrugging at her uncharacteristically bad mood, I turned my gaze toward the receptionist. She seemed to notice my look and instantly adopted a pleading expression.
“Please help me! This girl insists on venturing into the labyrinth all by herself!”
The receptionist pleaded with me, her face looking as if she were about to cry.
Then, she pointed to a document lying on the counter. It was likely some kind of application form. It listed the labyrinth’s rank, location, and the number of explorers.
Then, the receptionist’s finger pointed to the name section.
“Rio Clauser”—it was the only name listed there.
“Exploring the labyrinth alone is far too dangerous! I’ve explained to her time and again that the guild cannot grant permission…!”
The receptionist said, her voice bordering on a scream.
“I told you I’ll be fine on my own!”
Rio snapped back, clearly unconvinced.
As I listened to their heated argument flare up again, I lowered my gaze to the application form.
“…So it’s fine as long as you are not alone, right?”
I muttered quietly and picked up the quill pen sitting on the counter.
“Huh?”
Ignoring the receptionist’s bewildered expression, I let the pen glide smoothly across the paper.
“W-wait a minute…!?”
Rio called out, but I didn’t stop.
I continued writing in silence, adding my name to the appropriate section. Once I was done, I handed the quill to Liene, indicating it was her turn.
“Got it!”
Liene replied cheerfully, took the quill without hesitation, and wrote her name on the application form. After a moment, the pen tip, which had been making a satisfying scratching sound, came to a stop. She nodded contentedly and returned the quill to the counter.
“Done!”
At that very moment, the receptionist stared down at the application form with a stunned expression.
There, clearly written, were the names of the three of us: ‘Rio Clauser,’ ‘Rai Arkberg,’ and ‘Liene.’
“The three of us are going on the dungeon exploration—this should be fine, right?”
Saying that, I tapped the application form lightly.
The receptionist compared the form with us for a moment—but eventually, she nodded slightly, still looking a bit confused, and said, “I’ll go check.”
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