Chapter 43 (2/2)

She didn’t tell a lie.

“Aah, can I see it for a moment?”

When s.h.i.+zuna said that, Serge’s and Lulu’s faces stiffened.

They knew just how much Ria was attached to katanas.

Even if that wasn’t the case, warriors didn’t let others touch their weapons that often.

“Don’t touch the blade directly. Also, try to not breath on it as much as possible too!”

That’s why Ria’s actions were unexpected.

When she unwrapped the cloth covering the blade, she handed the hilt part to s.h.i.+zuna.

“It’s unexpectedly solid, and delicate.”

“There’s no magic in it after all. Since it can rust, maintenance is needed.”

“Heeeh… pretty…”

“It’s beautiful right? Though since it’s this beautiful, it can also be decorated not as a weapon, but for appreciation as well. It’s a shame.”

In that area, this world had the same circ.u.mstances. Although since this world had actual combat, most things were made for practicality.

“Hmm, I wonder if I could use it a bit too?”

Though s.h.i.+zuna’s weapon was a long sword, her curiosity gushes forth when it comes to cutting things.

“In that case, I’ll teach you. Already, you should pay attention to your waist.”

“Ah— stop it!”

s.h.i.+zuna retreated.

It was quiet.

There was just the sound of the fire crackling, though it filled the cave.

You couldn’t hear the sound of everyone’s breathing after having fallen asleep.

There were three people on lookout, Ria, Cell, and Lulu.

Added on to that was Rudolph’s beastly senses. It was likely impossible for any kind of demon to launch a surprise attack on them.

At that time, even though Ria felt it, there was no presence.

A gaze.

Even if it concealed its hostility, murderous intent, and presence, that wouldn’t erase the feeling of being watched.

Katana in hand, she stood up.

Using light magic at the tip of her finger, she drifted it towards the pa.s.sage.

“What’s wrong? An enemy?”

Cell asked her, but Ria didn’t even know.

Since Rudolph was sound asleep, there shouldn’t be any danger. However, something felt off.

“It feels like… there’s a person.”

Ria went towards the pa.s.sage as though she was gliding. Further ahead, though the ball of light continued to s.h.i.+ne, there wasn’t the shape of a person.

“Other explorers?”

Ria didn’t answer Lulu’s inquiry.

When explorers met in the Dark Labyrinth, they would keep away from each other as much as possible. That was standard protocol in the Dark Labyrinth.

“… It disappeared.”

Returning to where she was, Ria sat down.

She didn’t know if it was her imagination. She didn’t know exactly what it was.

However, there was an uncomfortable feeling of death in the labyrinth.

“There might have been something there, but I don’t feel it now.”

“The spirits aren’t warning me of anything in particular.”

In a sense, Cell’s detection capability was higher than Rudolph’s. Detection through spirit magic. Even that hadn’t reported anything.

However, there was a fatal hole in Cell’s detection.

In the case where the enemy far exceeded him in using spirits, detection through magic would be ineffectual.

(Annoying.)

She had erased her figure, her smell, her sound, and her heat.

Even so, somehow, that girl sensed her.

Her skin was too white from the aesthetic sense of a dark elf, and she perceived her with an ability that went beyond the five senses.

(In the end, there’s nothing that can be done but to meekly follow her then?)

That was her original purpose in the first place.

Boasting the highest degree of difficulty on the continent, the Dark Labyrinth.

It’s said that only a single person had ever conquered it. In a certain meaning, she was even more unreasonable than Ria.

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