We've come into a vacant lot about as wide as a school yard when we come out of the labyrinth.
Surrounding the edge of the lot, are two-meter high fences. It look to be hastily made.
Since the outer wall can be seen from there, it seems that this is the square where the commotion was.
Looking back at the labyrinth's entrance, it's a 3 meter high of sharp jet black rock with a hole. I wonder if it's made of obsidian?
There are 3 turrets 50 meters away surrounding the entrance. Wooden barricades with sharp pointed tips lined up on the places where they don't obstruct the turrets' line of fire.
"Satou-san, come here please."
Zena-san is calling from a tent across the fences.
When we reunited, Zena-san hugged me without letting go, but her co-worker, Lilio, who was late, teased her so she jumped out in panic. ...She was definitely very worried. Did she favor me that much~?
While Pochi and Tama hanging on both of my hand, we go toward the tent. Liza follows 3 steps back from me. Are we a master and his pupil.
I give our luggages to the woman official on the entrance and go inside the tent. Liza didn't want to leave her spear, but once I urged her, she reluctantly let it go.
The inside of the tent is unexpectedly wide. It's about as wide as a school classroom.
The handsome middle-aged priest who got out earlier is inside, being questioned by officials while getting medical treatment.
The viscount and his daughter aren't here. Are they on another tent?
Since Zena-san beckons me, I head to her.
The handsome middle-aged Garleon priest, Nebinen-shi and the slave trader, Nidoren are also over there.
. The last person is a gray haired knight with bulging muscles and metal armor. The knight looks over here, and laughs. His expression looks like a mischievous boy even though he's already middle-aged.
"Hoo, so you're magician Zena's dearest."
"N, no."
Zena-san attempts to cover and deny the knight's word, but the knight ignores it and continues.
"She was haggard until your safety was confirmed you know. If her squad didn't watch over her, she was sure to jump into the labyrinth alone, it was that dangerous."
"That, for all the trouble I've caused, I'm very sorry."
I think it's a bit strange for me to apologize, but it's better than being awkwardly silent.
"Hahaha. You don't need to apologize. I just want to look at the person who got the straight laced having-no-interest-beside-magic-training to fall."
"L, like I said I don't..."
Zena-san tries to intercept again, but in the middle of the way, she begins to murmur her words and hangs her head while looking really embarrassed. Experiencing romcom in this age is painful ...No wait, my body is that of 15 years old.
The knight looks at Zena-san amusingly, places his hand on his chin, and turns his head to me with appraising gaze.
"However, even though he does look nimble, to be able to break through a labyrinth with such small number of people, even a great man can't dot that."
"If the girls weren't there, far from escaping, I'd have been in the belly of a monster by now."
And so I said that to make a good impression of Liza and co. Pochi and Tama who are quietly crouching beside my feet look up curiously, I pat their heads to deceive them. Liza quietly bows but wisely chooses not to say anything.
"They sure looks strong. I would like to make them my subordinates if they weren't demi-human."
This knight, even though he looks like a nice-guy who doesn't care with racial difference, the discrimination against demi-human is really deep-rooted~
I respond while smiling wryly.
"They're good comrades who've been together with me though."
"Fumu, if they weren't, it'd be impossible to break through the labyrinth. I'm sorry, this territory's people are always at odd with demi-human tribes, so they're incompatible no matter what."
So it wasn't just simple prejudices but disputes between race huh... no wonder it's deep-rooted.
"Commander! The preparation is complete."
A woman who wears magician-like robe call out.
What preparation?
There's a lithograph put on the pedestal. Yamato stones again after 3 days huh? It's bigger than the one I've seen back then.
Commander-san calls out people who has escaped from labyrinth with loud voices.
"I know that this might be rude, but everyone who has escaped from labyrinth need to be checked with this Yamato stone. This is the original Yamato stone specially loaned from the earl. Even abnormal status will be displayed. This is for the sake of proving that no one is possessed by the demon."
Everyone initially looks displeased, but they become quiet after being told that it's to find out whether they're possessed by demon or not. Since everyone here saw the moment when the demon arm came out of Uusu in the square back then.
Still, leaving my level to 1 and no skill even though I've broken through a labyrinth is bad.
It's been a while since I operate the menu with thought, I open the exchange tab. Since the beastkin girls are level 13, let's make me a bit lower at 10. Make the skills merchant-like with [Arithmetic] and [Estimation]. Would it be strange to have no battle-related skill? Let's put [Avoid] then.
◇
When my turn come, I put my hand on the Yamato stone. Yep, the stats has been updated with the previously set information.
"Indeed, the [Nimble Merchant] huh."
"...You heard that from Zena-san right?"
"That's right, you know well. Still, even though you're not a soldier or an explorer, to have that level at that age, you must've been through a lot."
"It's not that amazing."
Humility? It is.
In fact, this person is level 30 at 29 years old. Being level 10 at 15 years old is nothing to brag about. Is it because that it's hard to level up beside for combat-related professionals?