Chapter of Slavery, Final Episode

It seemed that those sunny periods amid the rainy season happened in Arilai, too.

After the rain had passed, sparse signs of budding greenery could be seen throughout the desert.

It might not have been a lot when taking the bigger picture into consideration, but it was enough to bring forth a cool air that wasn’t present before. I watched the scenery out of the small window, then turned my attention back in front of me. There, the others were laying out multi-tiered food boxes onto a table and getting excited about their colorful appearance.

“Look, we made these together. We put some sugar in these rolled omelets, so they’re sweet and tasty,” Marie proudly explained to Mewi. Eggs weren’t often used as a food ingredient around here, but drool ran down the Neko tribesman’s mouth as he looked at the food hungrily.

Our guest, Shirley, laid out the forks and plates. Mewi was frightened by her incorporeal form at first, but he was gradually getting used to her gentle demeanor. I offered to help set the table as well, but she politely refused.

“Sorry to visit you so suddenly. I know you’re busy with your Magic Stone work.”

“Not at all, I am grateful for your visit. I have been hearing of your great accomplishments as of late.”

Were they really all that great? I just ended up getting saved by Shirley’s kindness in the end, so it was more like we came to an understanding than anything on my part.

The thought made me feel a bit awkward, but then a cup was placed before me and shortly filled with tea. I looked up to see Shirley in her headdress, smiling kindly at me. There was a classiness to her smile that reminded me of lilies growing in clusters.

Her eyes softened in a smile when I thanked her, and I found myself captivated by her long eyelashes.

Shirley wasn’t our servant—in fact, she was a guest today, but maybe she just liked taking care of others like I did. She took a tray and passed out tea for everyone, smiling happily as they each thanked her.

Wait, how is a ghost holding those cups? Looking closely, there seemed to be a space between her hand and the cups. The word poltergeist came to mind, but I decided not to think about it.

“Now, let’s celebrate our safe return, leveling up, and the gift from Shirley. By the way, Marie and I each made half of the meal we’re having today.”

“At long last! Ah, this will be worth all the time I have endured waiting for good food!” Wridra licked her lips, hardly able to wait for the meal to begin.

The food containers were full of vivid colors fit for the celebratory event. Laid out before us were the highly requested inari-zushi, simmered carrots shaped like flowers, rolled omelets, ohitashi, kamaboko, chicken karaage, and rice balls.

“And now, let’s begin our humble little banquet... Cheers!”

“Yaaaaaay!”

The girls sure were lively. We clinked our cups together, and everyone dug their forks and chopsticks into the food. So much joy and excitement. Though, the party Marie and I attended a little while ago was a bit much, and I wasn’t too big on such events on a large scale. Well, with the floor master being one of the attendees here, this wasn’t exactly your ordinary get-together.

“Mm, this is delicious! It is deep-fried, but it has such a satisfying texture...”

“That’s fried lotus root with meat in between. Tasty, isn’t it?” An elf girl bragging about deep-fried lotus root... That wasn’t something you saw every day. Mewi was fully focused on his meal, and I was glad the food seemed to be a hit.

The sour-sweet inari-zushi, crispy lotus root, and ohitashi quickly disappeared from the food containers. Watching them eat with such vigor reminded me of something.

“That’s right, Commander Hakam sent us a gift. He said it’s wine from his secret collection. Does anyone want some?”

“Wine, you say? Yes, yes! There are not many grape fields around here, so that is a rare item, indeed!” Marie also raised her hand excitedly, so we decided to enjoy the quality drink together... or so I thought. Why did Shirley hand out glasses to everyone but me?

“Wait, is this an age restriction thing? But... I’m actually an adult, and I’ve been drinking for some time now.” Shirley shook her head, her mouth curling into a frown. Marie filled her glass to the brim, then came over to tease me.

“Oh my, maybe it’s a bit too early for you to drink this, little Kazuhiho. You’ll have to wait until you’re older to enjoy a glass.”

“Ah, this drink is excellent! It would be wasted on you—ahem. I mean, we adults will dispose of this. Don’t you worry, Kazuhiho.” The black-haired beauty ruffled my hair, and I almost felt like crying. How odd. I usually treated them to drinks, so why did they look so happy drinking fancy alcohol right now?

Haha... I’ll remember this, Wridra. There will be fun attractions waiting for you at Grimland. My lips curled into a dark smile.

“So, how many levels did you gain, Marie?”

“Hmm... Oh, so close! I would have been level 50 if I gained one more!” Whoa, that means she gained seven levels.

Being a Spirit Sorceress, Marie leveled up rather slowly in exchange for her power. Even with her skill that increased her experience gain, her leveling pace was far slower than that of a regular class.

“You didn’t fight all that often, but rounding up a bunch of mobs and wiping them out at once seemed to have been effective. I saw a Reaper get blown away, too.”

“As for you... Oh, you’re 77 now, so you gained three levels. I think that’s a lucky number, too.” She was right. Somehow, I had gained three whole levels. Normally, I shouldn’t have leveled quite this much. Although I did defeat many enemies, the main reason seemed to be related to Shirley.

I looked at the semi-transparent girl, and she smiled at me gently. Seeing her expression, I came up with a theory.

I figured that making an enemy admit defeat was enough to gain experience. She had accepted my suggestion back then and undid all of her defenses. She released her massive amount of power, allowing her to return to this form of a normal woman. That must be it.

“Well, I’ll gladly take those levels. Oh, and we got that loot, too. I haven’t had a chance to take a good look yet, so we should look at it together.” Wridra, who was stuffing her face with chicken karaage, pointed at me with her chopsticks with no regard for manners.

“Nn, yes, I still have that. I have finished inspecting it, so I will return it to you.” With that, she placed something wrapped in cloth onto the table.

Marie quickly undid the cloth to find a teardrop-shaped precious stone, and Mewi’s eyes widened at the sight.

There was some green mixed in with the crystal-clear sky blue, and its complex cut refracted light across its surroundings.

People of ancient times believed precious stones had effects akin to magic.

As for this one, in fact, it was true. It did contain magic.

The Tear of Thanatos.

The beautiful stone named after the god of death was said to have the ability to temporarily store magic, available to be released at will later on. We weren’t sure if there was a limit to the power of the magic that could be contained, but considering Shirley herself was once over level 100, this was likely a priceless item.

“Wooow... The color is as pretty as the sky!”

“We still haven’t used our reward, huh? Maybe Zera can introduce us to a craftsman who can turn this into an accessory for you.”

“What?!” Marie asked in surprise, her purple eyes widening. Having studied magic so diligently, she was well aware of the value of such stones. That certainly explained her surprise, but still, an item like this would be wasted on a guy like me. Besides, I couldn’t even use magic.

“Well, we should be thanking Shirley. What do you think, Shirley? I think the stone would be happier to be worn by a woman like Marie.” Shirley had lost most of her power as the floor master, dropping this item as a result. A part of her very being was likely sealed within this precious stone. That was why I’d asked for her opinion, and she nodded with a faint smile.

“B-But... what if I lose it or something?”

“We can get it crafted so you wouldn’t. Maybe into a ring or a necklace. Considering its size, it might be better to put it around your neck.”

The reality of the situation seemed to have set in, and Marie’s ears turned pink as she stared dreamily at the Tear of Thanatos. The light glimmered off of her amethyst eyes, and I found her to be even more beautiful than the stone. Of course, I didn’t dare say something like that out loud.

“Th-Thank you. I’ll take good care of it.” I’d spent a long time in this world, but it was uncommon to see both the person who’d dropped the loot and the recipient looking so happy like this. This was the way it should have always been, if you asked me. I thought as such as I took a sip of my tea... which I desperately wished was wine.

“In any case, we’ve successfully cleared the second floor. And tomorrow, we depart for Grimland!”

“Yaaay!”

“Ahhh, the day has finally come!” Marie and Wridra joyfully raised their hands and high-fived each other. Recently, it seemed like they’d been enjoying the events in Japan more than the labyrinth. Unfortunately, events in the real world required money to attend, so we couldn’t just go out every week. If I could have been granted one wish, I would have wished for my money in this world to be converted into currency in the other world. Though, to be honest, I did enjoy living in the lower middle class together with Marie.

The sky was turning to a shade of madder red. I looked up as we prepared to leave Mewi’s workshop, and I remembered something. I dug through my bag, then produced an oversized Magic Stone. I removed the cloth to reveal a turquoise color reminiscent of the southern sea, a powerful glow hidden beneath the surface.

“Oh, is that the one you received from Zera?” Marie asked.

“Yeah, the one they found in the treasure room of the first floor. I completely forgot about it, being cooped up underground all this time.” Mewi stared at the rare stone with great interest. I had seen many Magic Stones before, but never one that was this big.

“Would you mind taking a look at this when you have time?”

“Not at all. I have been getting busier as of late, but I will make any request from you a top priority, sir.” I insisted that it wasn’t urgent as I handed the Magic Stone to Mewi. He took it reverently and bowed his head.

We waved at each other and finally parted ways.

I wanted to ask to stay for the night, but I couldn’t help but think of that Zarish guy. If he came by while we were away, it could be trouble.

That man seemed dangerous. My first impression hadn’t changed, and I’d always been cautious of him. That was why I planned on staying at Zera’s mansion again for the night. And I would find out my impression was correct soon after.

“What’s wrong, Wridra?” I asked as she looked around in silence.

I followed suit and scanned the area, but all I saw was the secluded lot down the river we stood in. The workshop dirtied the water, so it was located apart from the residential areas. Of course, there was no one around.

“...Hm. Do not worry about it. It will be better that way.”

“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?”

Wridra didn’t answer, but called Shirley over instead. Her semi-transparent appearance seemed out of place while it was bright out, but being an entity that presided over life, she was different in nature from a ghost.

“I will see Shirley off to the second floor. You two head to Zera’s house in the meantime.” With that, Wridra stepped into a black rift and disappeared.

I wondered what she meant by that, but now that I was left alone with Marie, I decided to ask about it later.

We just had to walk up the gentle slope from our location downriver to get to the residential area. Marie and I began walking slowly.

“We may need to stay at Zera’s place for a while.”

“Oh, but now that we cleared the second floor, Zera and Doula’s marriage should be approved. I’m sure they’ll welcome us with open arms,” Marie replied as she stroked the stone in her pocket. She seemed pretty happy about the gift.

Though, thinking about it, I did have my reservations about staying at someone’s place and eating their food and offering them nothing in return. As I thought about it, Marie peered at me with the sun at her back. Her silky hair was dyed orange by the sun, and I found myself staring at her beauty.

“They captured a few of those people they call rebels, so they must be questioning them right now. We won’t be able to go to the labyrinth while they work that out, but that works for us, since we’re going to Grimland soon.” She showed me a pretty smile and began walking forward again. I wished I had a camera to take a picture of that smile, I foolishly thought to myself, then walked after her.

While we had been fighting Shirley, Zera and the others were busy with their own battle. They had taken nearly half of the rebel group out of commission, but the rest managed to escape. Zera’s group couldn’t catch up to the rebels who knew the labyrinth like the back of their hand, and they’d gone back into hiding.

And so, until we could figure out what their plans were, the labyrinth was to be temporarily closed off. We were in such a rush to raid it not too long ago, but as of now, we walked along the river at a leisurely pace. The usually noisy Wridra wasn’t with us now. The Arkdragon could use advanced movement magic without any effort at all, and I was honestly jealous that she could travel wherever she wanted in a short time span.

“It’s way more convenient than my long-range movement skill, considering she can go wherever she wants.”

“Yours is a skill, while Wridra’s is magic. Yours has the advantage of being able to activate instantly without any advanced spellcasting. I wouldn’t say it’s inferior at all,” Marie said comfortingly as we climbed the slope.

The sky was starting to get darker, and night would soon be upon us. Though, it was pretty uncommon for us to be alone together in this world. We both realized this at the same time, and our eyes met.

Is this bad? I think so.

Ever since I’d kissed her in Aomori, she had gotten me back several times. I’d been holding back ever since Wridra blew up at us, but our hearts beat with the realization that this would be a prime opportunity.

“No one’s... here, right...?” Marie looked around, then mumbled, “Umm,” as she stepped a little closer. Her cheeks were pink in the sunset, and she held on to my top as she looked up at me.

She then held my arm, her body pressing against mine in her thin robe.

“Ah, I feel a bit anxious with you being so small. It’s like I’m doing something I’m not supposed to...”

“Urgh, now you’re making me nervous...” I stroked her smooth cheek, then touched her ears that had also turned pink. I could feel her warmth through her fingertips, along with her beating heart through her chest pressed against me.

As our faces grew closer, Marie narrowed her eyes, her lips slightly parted in anticipation. Marie didn’t close her eyes all the way, even while kissing. She tended to watch me through partially open eyes even when our lips met.

Once we were a finger’s distance away, her exhalation tickled my face. I felt her breathing in shallow breaths, her scent growing a little closer.

Bam!

Someone had collided right between us, making Marie fall backward onto her butt. I pulled her up, dumbfounded, and stared at the violent newcomer’s back. The stranger continued to run off without so much as an apology...

Why did that person run into us on such a wide road?

“Ah! The stone!” Marie cried out, feeling around her chest with both hands. It was the stone that was dropped by Shirley and gifted to Marie not too long ago.

“...Go back to Mewi’s workshop. I’ll get it back.”

“Ah, wait, Kazuhiro!”

I couldn’t wait. If we lost the thief now, Marie would never let it go. Just picturing her saddened face was unbearable, so I decided to teleport after the culprit.

Vwoom, vwoom. The culprit had been a distant speck moments ago, but I closed in on the target with each teleportation. Whoever it was, the thief had powerful legs that allowed them to move with beastly speed.

This may not be an ordinary thief. I shouldn’t let my guard down.

We passed through the rear gate and onto the main street. Just as we entered a dark footpath, I tackled the target’s back without holding back.

They let out a yelp, and my eyes widened as golden, wavy hair spilled out of their hood. The woman breathed heavily as she turned around, revealing her face...

“You’re... the one from that party?!”

“Ahaha, well done! Now you’re just as screwed as I am!” She cackled as if she had lost her mind, and I found myself at a loss for words. I caught the jewelry bag as she tossed it at me, then turned my head slowly...

“Marie...?” I whispered, then began running at full speed. That woman had called herself Eve. She was a subordinate of the hero candidate Zarish, and I remembered her trying to get in my way back at that party, too.

My heart thumped with unease as I repeatedly teleported toward where I had left Marie.

＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋

“This is about to be a wonderful night. Why do you stand out here all alone, Mariabelle?” Marie’s shoulder trembled at the voice coming from behind.

She hadn’t sensed anyone around, but when she turned around, the man stood directly in front of her. Despite his pleasant smile, there was no emotion behind his blue eyes.

The dry sand crunched under Zarish’s feet as he stepped toward Marie.

Last time, she had headbutted him and defiantly refused him. But tonight, Mariabelle could hardly keep her composure. Neither Kazuhiro nor the black cat were around, and she felt an unfamiliar loneliness this night now that she was completely alone.

She tried to take a step back, but she couldn’t move a muscle.

Marie then realized the man was reaching toward her with his pinky slightly extended. A chill went down her spine as she realized he was using some sort of skill on her.

“Have you heard of the story about a man who blew a whistle, taking away people who would walk alone at night? Now, how did that story end...?” He continued stepping closer, but Mariabelle couldn’t move a finger. She slowly raised her eyes, her breathing quick and shallow. Before she knew it, several people had surrounded her. She figured they were the man’s subordinates.

“The man was betrayed. He was supposed to drown rats in the river to get a reward in return. But the cheap townspeople decided to kick him out instead. So if he decided to snatch some children instead of his reward... Well, there’s nothing wrong with that.” He smiled, as if he had just thought of a brilliant idea.

The incoherent conversation was just a method to overwhelm her. Marie realized this, but all she could do was think. She was completely under his spell.

“So, about that ending. Did he lead the children into the river where he drowned the rats? Or maybe...” Zarish yanked Marie by the shoulder, but she couldn’t even scream. Her heart beat violently, sweat running down her back as she grew more anxious.

Just then, the pressure on her shoulder was released. Mariabelle could still move her eyes, so she witnessed a woman clutch the man’s arm with a dragon’s grip and met Wridra’s eyes, which were as calm as the night.

Zarish swallowed his breath, but then his expression turned to that of foolish joy.

“Ah, Lady Wridra! I did not expect to have the pleasure of seeing you tonight.”

“...Was that intended to be courtship? Or attempted kidnapping?” Wridra asked with an intensity behind her faint smile, but Zarish smiled back without fear. He no longer feared anyone. He was just that confident of his powers.

“Haha, courtship? Such an odd way to phrase it. In my case, I am merely looking for partners to fight alongside me. You and Mariabelle, that is.”

“Hmph, you are as greedy as you appear. To think you would even presume to invite me.” Wridra’s calm voice from nearby filled Mariabelle with relief. But the words that came after increased her anxiety once more.

“So, is that what the ring is for? I would not mind accepting it, but that would be a discussion for after you defeat our leader.”

“Me? Defeat that boy? Haha, so you are that discontent with him as your leader. I suspected as much.”

Zarish was internally taken aback by the fact that she knew about the ring. But he hid his unsettled state well and turned his blue eyes to the side. There stood a young boy, slightly out of breath. Realizing the conversation was about him, he placed his hand on the pommel of his sword and looked at the two with a dubious expression.

“...What are you planning, Wridra?”

“Oh, do not be like that. I wish to see you save me from the clutches of evil.” The draconian grinned, and the sound of swords being drawn rang out simultaneously. Zarish wielded an ornate sword in his hand.

“Clutches of evil? You wound me. But if that’s all it takes to have you, I will gladly dirty my hands.” He returned his sword from the sheath with a clink, and countless slashes came flying toward the boy from all directions. But sparks flew all around him as he displayed inhuman defenses. Although his clothes were tattered, the boy managed to avoid taking any fatal damage.

Zarish’s eyes widened at the sight.

“Impressive! I won’t call you a weakling anymore now that you’ve survived that one. I was quite impressed by the way you fought the floor master, too... Oh, but it seems you haven’t even noticed the hole in your heart.”

Kitase looked down with a confused expression, and a long sword sank into his chest. His health points dropped at a rapid rate as the boy could only watch on in disbelief. Zarish spread both hands in a self-satisfied gesture as he turned around, the boy falling to both knees behind him. His expression showed he was overjoyed that the moment had finally come.

“Now, for the ring... Eve.” Eve, who had come rushing back, twitched as her name was called.

She knew what he was about to say. He would take the ring and obtain a new precious stone. But this would mean the relationship between Eve and her master would be severed.

She instinctively gripped her ring, but this only incurred the wrath of her master, Zarish.

A flash of light appeared in the air, and Eve’s eyes bulged as something sank into her heart. Wridra quickly covered Mariabelle’s eyes, but the women around them witnessed the shocking sight. Fear filled their faces as they were faced with a clear message: this will happen to you once you’ve exhausted your usefulness.

“Goodbye, Eve. I thank you for your long service. Here, you brat. You can have this in return!” Zarish pulled off the golden ring from Eve’s finger and kicked her back, making her roll onto the ground next to the dying boy. The women around them stifled their screams. Zarish smiled with satisfaction and walked back to the two women with confidence.

“Now, I have come to receive you as promised.” He extended his hand like a gentleman but was met with an unexpected response.

The draconian chuckled mockingly, and even the elf girl let out a sigh of relief.

Normally, he had no need to kill Eve here. He had deliberately shown how cruel he could be, since he would be training them into subservience. But seeing their expressions without an ounce of fear in them, Zarish found himself faltering.

The draconian continued to laugh condescendingly.

“Hah, hah, you think this is over? No, not by a long shot. You should have simply watched admiringly from afar. But now you have meddled with the Phantom.”

“...What?”

The black-haired beauty, Wridra, gestured behind Zarish with her chin. He quickly turned around and found himself disbelieving his own eyes. The boy’s corpse was gone. Even all the blood that should have been on the ground had disappeared without a trace.

“Eve?”

Only sand was left there, as if this was all a dream or perhaps a nightmare. The hero candidate found himself at a loss for words, and he didn’t even stop the two women as they walked away.

Wridra and Marie sank into the pool of darkness that appeared out of nowhere. As they left, Wridra said with a rather amused tone, “Well, enjoy, Zarish.”

“What the hell...?”

But they vanished before he could complete his sentence, and only the silent night remained.

And from this day on, the Phantom’s name would be carved into Zarish’s mind forever.

-- Chapter of Slavery to be continued in the next volume --