The fifth floor of the labyrinth, the Great Demon Realm, was monumental for any adventurer. It was the time when adventurers began to work in groups such as clans.
And the way they treat you changes.
Humans honestly didn't need to worry about the tax from that point on. It was also the reason why the citizens of Rafdonia treated adventurers who could reach the fifth floor as the best potential spouses.
It's kind of like joining a big corporation, I guess.
The adventurers on the fifth floor went to the maze as if they were going to work nine to five. After reaching the plant, they would go to their usual hunting ground and cultivate mana stones tirelessly until the maze closed. They would then be rewarded based on their performance.
Well, there were many others who didn't like that routine and were without a clan with their own teams.
And I suppose those people would be successful entrepreneurs.
In any case, that did not change the fact that they were considered the ideal partner.
Although it's quite ironic.
The «ideality» of a partner was maximum on the fifth floor and actually decreased from the sixth.
Oh, also, my reference for this was a book in the library. It was a book that compiled the results of the survey of more than ten thousand citizens, and the reason why its favorability decreased was quite interesting.
First, it was too dangerous.
Second, it would be difficult to know them, realistically.
Third, because they could be moody.
The third reason may have seemed strange, but it was not an unfounded stereotype. An adventurer's time flowed differently than a normal person's. Their mental health was worn out in a way that a normal person would not understand, and the amount of stress they experienced in the maze from the sixth floor onwards increased exponentially. Therefore, among famous adventurers, many were known to be quite...
«Mr. Baron, what are you thinking so much about?»
I came out of my thoughts at the village chief's question. «Ah... I was just observing the surroundings».
I didn't say that as a plausible excuse either. I was really inspecting the area, and that's what led me down that hole of thought.
The fifth floor of the labyrinth, the Great Demon Realm. Unlike its fearsome name, the apartment was relatively safe. However...
«This is a little different from the apartment I know».
We had opened our eyes to find ourselves in a different place than the familiar fifth floor we had passed through multiple times. Although the terrain and atmosphere in general were similar, there was one thing that separated it from the apartment we knew.
«There shouldn't be any rank three monsters like that lurking around the Great Demon Realm».
On one of the paths leading down, a rank three monster was there, blocking it as it stared at us.
«Sir, that's a Vamdemon, right?»
The Vamdemon was a so-called rare monster, since for it to appear some conditions had to be met. I hadn't been able to get my experience with him yet either.
Since it is not something we need the essence of, there is no need for us to try to defeat it here...
Although he had raised his guard as soon as I saw him, for some reason, he just looked us up and down and didn't approach us.
«Gahuin, do you have any idea where we have to go?».
He took a moment to consider my question. «No, I don't feel anything. It's like that ability disappeared as soon as we got here...»
Hmm, ¿es asi...?
«However», he added, "I have the feeling that this is the last test we must overcome".
«Hey... Isn't that just what you expect?».
«Lord Baron, your way of speaking... Isn't it going too far? Well, I can't deny what you said...» Gahuin let out a deep sigh before letting out his inner thoughts. «But it's time for this to end. We've been here for half a year now».
Considering that I had woken up in Chapter Eleven right after finishing Chapter Two, there was nothing I could do to comfort him. After all, I hadn't even been playing here for twenty-four hours.
«Let's leave it at that and agree. In short, it seems that here we have to find the evil god». Jerome cut the uncomfortable tension and redirected the situation, asking: «What direction do you gentlemen think we should take?».
«Eso es obvio».
«We don't need to think about it».
Gahuin and I responded at the same time.
How did that happen?
«Gahuin, you can speak first-»
«Speak first, Lord Baron-»
I wanted to offer him a chance to talk, but we overlapped again, immediately plunging the atmosphere back into awkward territory. Although internally, I was thinking something like: «Can I talk now? What if I speak again at the same time as him?». I waited a little longer, giving him a chance to talk.
Very good now.
I seized the moment and pointed out the route the Vamdemon was blocking.
«I-»
«I-»
Was this old man going to do this again? So annoying.
«Gahuin, are you doing this on purpose?» I accused him, glaring at him.
«Why would I?!» Gahuin looked at me as if I had falsely accused him.
The village chief intervened with a neutral expression to settle this unfunny situation. «Don't waste your time like this. It seems that you have both pointed in the same direction. Aren't you thinking the same?».
«Well... that seems to be the case...»
«I agree.»
This time again, Gahuin and I spoke at the same time.
«Naturally…»
«Naturally-»
This was pissing me off. He was saying the same words as me at this point...
Oh, it doesn't matter.
I decided to ignore him and continue talking, and unfortunately, Gahuin thought the same.
«We have to go that way.»
«We just have to avoid going down that path, right?»
After a moment of silence passed, Gahuin and I looked at each other and fell into awkward silence again. I really didn't get along with this old man.
***
«There is something dangerous in that direction, so wouldn't it be wise to avoid it and go another way?».
Surprisingly, Gahuin's logical starting point was the same as mine, but his conclusion was completely different. It was a fundamental difference in our way of thinking.
«No», I refuted. «We have to go in that direction because there is something dangerous there».
The objective of this Chapter was to find the evil god Karui. And from what he could see, there was a good chance that Karui was lurking in one of the four cannons. Treasures used to be hidden in places like this.
«There's a nice waypoint waiting for us there, so why would we waste time going somewhere else first?». I argued.
«It's too early to say it will be a waste of time. The route to success might require us to search the other three cannons for an item before encountering the evil god».
«What if it is a system in which the resulting battle becomes more difficult the longer we take? A wrong decision here could lead to an insurmountable result».
«H-that's too much jumping!»
«Gahuin, in a crack you have to be open to all possibilities while remaining cautious. Even more so now that it is the first time we are here. And hearing you say those amateur things...». He gave me a questioning look, and I responded with a resolute: «You really are a magician. Not an adventurer».
"¡¿What?!"
Seeing his face reddened with anger reminded me of the meeting on Library Island about which of the rank 1 monsters to summon. So we also had a pretty heated debate.
«Even if we talk like that here, the count is the one who makes the decision, right? Count Saintred, you make the decision». There was no point in wasting time here, so I let the count make the decision, and naturally, the outcome was already decided.
The village chief acted as if he was thinking for a moment. «Hmm... It seems we should follow the baron's decision», he said, taking my side, and the conversation ended with that.
«¡E-eso es...!»
Gahuin didn't seem to like that decision, but he couldn't say anything since the village chief had the last word here.
Alright, then the route is decided.
Gahuin let out a bitter laugh before walking away, and although my relationship with that old man got a little worse, this was still better. No, rather, this was even a refreshing result.
Then I approached the archbishop, whom I had been observing for a while. «Archbishop, why have you been standing there alone?»
«Ah... Oh! I was thinking for a moment. About that... evil god. It could be the case that we met that evil god in this place».
«Because? Don't you want?»
«Well... I don't know». The archbishop's expression became quite serious as he said it.
I figured it was the kind of worry you'd see in any devoutly religious person. As an atheist, I couldn't relate, but it wasn't something I had to worry about either. «I don't care what you're thinking, but don't get distracted and drag us down. Understood?»
«...i'll take care of myself.»
Sure, however you want.
In any case, after checking on the archbishop, we had a brief briefing on the Vamdemon. The one who gave the lesson was not me, but Gahuin. Although he did not have the mind of an adventurer, it is not that he lacked knowledge.
He missed some small details... But up to this point it's fine. It would be weird if I brought up those details too... I can't bother doing it either.
***
[You have defeated a Vamdemon. EXP +7]
Our battle against the rank three monster Vamdemon was not that difficult. We were all already under the effects of quite powerful abilities. The priest's unlimited divine power, double the knight's stats, and the sorcerer's powerful ancient magic... Even considering that I couldn't take on the tank role like before, the bonuses were enough to easily defeat a rank monster. three.
Maybe we should have tried it with just three people...
The Vamdemon's loot was just a mana stone, it didn't disappoint me too much. I mean, maybe I should be glad I got it. Even if it was such a small thing? However, he was more focused on something else.
«It wasn't too difficult. I don't know why an old man got so scared», I observed.
«...Mr. Baron, what did you just say?»
«¿Nada?»
«How come nothing?! You were talking about me».
«But I can't really call you young, can I?»
It may seem a little childish, but I wouldn't miss a single word with Gahuin.
He's been acting bad lately. Although he is from a noble family, he does not have a noble title.
I needed to make him realize his position at least once-
«Sir...»
Erwen called me when I went to kill Gahuin some more.
I paused. «What's happening?»
«It is that...»
«Don't make me wait. Just say it».
«Well... today you are not acting like yourself...»
Hearing his careful words, I couldn't help but smile mockingly. «What do you mean I'm not myself?» Thinking about it now, she also expected everything from me for no reason. Just like Amelia and Missha...
«Oh, you ask why I don't act the way you like?». I demanded, taking a step towards her. Erwen backed away, fear in her eyes.
"¿Pero qué...?" whispered.
After seeing his expression, my mind instantly cleared, dispelling the rapid whirlwind of emotions that I hadn't even noticed until then. It was such a natural change that I didn't even realize it.
«Maldite sea».
I dropped the hammer I had been holding to the ground, squatted down, and with a bang hit the hammer with my head.
«Hah...» I sighed in relief. «Now I can finally think».
A problem had arisen in my head as soon as we entered the Great Demon Realm.
No, maybe...
«So barbaric... Why are you looking at me like that?»
Maybe I wasn't the only one with a problem.
[You have entered a special area.]
[Field Effect-Great Demonic Realm is in effect. Control will continually decrease.]