Ahead of scheduled release thanks to ZoN donation
Chapter 3: Night Dragonfly
The following day, I stood in front of the party house of “Yotomodori.”
“Yotomodori” is the largest A-rank adventurer party with over a hundred members. They boast a record of defeating approximately thirty percent of the layer bosses.
But seriously, it’s enormous. It resembles more of a mansion than a house.
“Can I help you with something?”
As I hesitated to knock on the gate, a young man who appeared to be a guard called out to me. He seemed suspicious, indeed.
“Um… Yes, I came here on the recommendation of a friend, and, um, here’s my business card.”
As I reached into my bag, the guard tensed up. Damn, I must have appeared even more suspicious. Taking a few steps back, I put on a harmless smile and said,
“Hehehe.”
Oh no, I nervously chuckled. That made him even more cautious.
“No, I’m not a suspicious person. Um, you know, like this, here! Please accept it!”
I hurriedly handed him the business card I received from Heidemarie. The guard took it with a puzzled expression.
“…A friend of Heidemarie?”
Not a friend of Heidemarie, but a friend to Heidemarie. That’s how it is. That guy doesn’t have any friends, huh.
“Indeed, it bears the permission mark.”
Seems like they’re comparing something.
“Experience? Something like that. Heidemarie told me… um, well, I don’t really understand it myself.”
As I said that, the guard seemed to recall something.
“In that case, you must be Vim Strauss, right?”
“Um, yes? I’m Vim Strauss.”
Upon hearing that, the guard became very apologetic.
“I apologize! I’ve heard about you! I’m sorry! It seems I came a little early, so I apologize once again! I’ll call for Heidemarie!”
“Welcome, Vim, to ‘Yotomodori’.”
Led by Heidemarie, I walked through the entrance of the mansion.
It was truly magnificent. When I looked up at the excessively high ceiling, chandeliers were shining brightly, and there was even an indoor fountain.
“But what’s this? Abel, didn’t I tell you that Vim would be coming?”
“I’m sorry, but, well, I couldn’t see ‘that’ Vim, so I’m really sorry.”
“Can’t believe you made a mistake.”
“No, it’s just that Heidemarie seemed like a gallant man…”
“I never said that! I never said that, Vim!”
The person from earlier wasn’t a guard but someone named Abel. Well, it’s good that we can exchange banter. That’s a relief.
“Hey, Heidemarie.”
I whispered.
“Hyaa… What is it, Vim? All of a sudden. You surprised me.”
“‘That’ what?”
“Oh, well, you know, it’s nothing.”
“Ah, come on, don’t leave me hanging.”
The room we were led to was large and spacious.
It had a similar atmosphere to the first-floor tables of “Dragon’s Wing.” Maybe it’s a discussion room or a meeting room. The members of “Yotomodori” were gathered there, preparing for something. They seemed to be arranging their equipment.
It felt as if we were about to embark on a journey into the labyrinth.
Every single one of them exuded a sense of dignity. Just by looking at their swords, you could tell they were custom-made by renowned blacksmiths. There was a certain indescribable calmness that came from the accumulated focus and attention to detail, typical of seasoned veterans.
If I hadn’t been accompanied by Heidemarie, I would have felt overwhelmed and run away.
Among them, one person stood out. She had a strong physique, but she was a woman. Clad in lightweight silver armor for mobility, she had an oddly long handle attached to her waist—a peculiar weapon.
But what caught my attention the most was her stunning silver hair, shimmering like a halo and emanating a divine aura.
I instantly recognized her. She was famous.
“Camilla, he’s here.”
“Oh, him. I thought he would be taller, no offense.”
“…Hahaha.”
Seeing her up close, I realized she was even taller than I expected. In fact, she might be the tallest person in the entire group, including the men. And she was incredibly breathtaking. It was like gazing at a sculpture unearthed from an ancient ruin, exuding an artistic aura that transcended mere physical attractiveness. Impressive.
“Welcome to ‘Yotomodori.’ I’m Camilla, the leader of this party.”
“Um, um, hello. I used to be with ‘Dragon’s Wing,’ um, well, I got fired… I’m Vim Strauss. Nice to meet you.”
As I shook her hand, she gripped it tightly. Her grip was strong.
“I’ve heard about you from Heidemarie. We welcome talented individuals in ‘Yotomodori.’ Please immerse yourself in our atmosphere and prove your worth.”
“Huh?”
“Hey, Heidemarie.”
“What’s up?”
“What were you talking about?”
“I told you, an experience. We’re going to explore the labyrinth together.”
“Huh?”
“Show me what you’re capable of.”
In a surprisingly seamless manner, I ended up joining “Yotomodori” on their labyrinth dive. Furthermore, we headed to the 98th floor, just one level below the current frontline, which was recently breached by “Dragon’s Wing.”
The method of navigating between the floors in the labyrinth was quite unique.
The spaces between each floor were not continuous, nor were there any stairs. By stepping on what they called a transfer array, located in multiple spots on each floor, one could instantly move to another floor as if teleporting.
The transfer arrays were generated by defeating the layer boss, with only one array existing per floor. Within the newly generated transfer arrays, there was always one that led to the next floor.
A slightly complex aspect was that some transfer arrays allowed skipping multiple floors. The only definite rule was that it was impossible to skip the frontline floor. However, when a layer boss was defeated, new transfer arrays connecting floors that were discovered much earlier could also appear.
To undertake a labyrinth dive, one had to keep track of the placement of these numerous transfer arrays.
By efficiently utilizing the transfer arrays spanning multiple floors, one could significantly shorten the time required to reach the desired floor.
“Vim, sorry, but could you put this on for a moment?”
While everyone was still on a familiar path, Heidemarie called out to me.
She handed me a blindfold.
It seemed that “Yotomodori” used hidden transfer arrays. As an outsider, I felt apologetic for not being aware of this.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
“Oh, so they actually exist?”
I obediently put on the blindfold. Major parties like theirs discovered and kept the transfer arrays secret through their own information network, allowing them to navigate the labyrinth more advantageously than other parties. I had only heard rumors, but now I knew they were true.
My vision turned pitch black, and my sense of balance faltered. I longed for something to hold onto.
“Here, hold on.”
Heidemarie said, and I had no choice. I reached out and searched, and my hand touched hers.
“Oh, it’s quite bold to hold hands in public.”
“…I just can’t see.”
“Bending down is difficult, right? Lean on my shoulder.”
“Understood.”
Quietly following her guidance, I placed my hand on her shoulder.
We arrived at the 97th floor.
During this period, with the presence of the layer boss, it became a time to thoroughly explore unknown areas that hadn’t been surveyed before. Intense competition ensued between parties.
Oh no. This is not good. I’ll surely be dead weight.
“…My role is reconnaissance… But my equipment is inadequate… With Camilla in the front row and Heidemarie in the back row, I should focus on providing oval-shaped reconnaissance, considering potential collapse and burial traps… No, maybe I should follow the same strategy as before… No, wait, this is my first time participating in a labyrinth dive with over fifty people, so I’ll leave everything to them and not overthink… No, if I’m going to be a total burden, then I should compensate for that…”
“Heidemarie, what is he muttering about?”
“He’s probably nervous because everything is new to him. He has a cautious personality.”
“Being cautious is a good thing, I’m sure.”
Camilla looked down at me with a sincere gaze. I became anxious, fearing judgment.
“But playing it safe won’t keep you safe, young man!”
“Wha-!?”
She slapped me on the back.
“You were with ‘Dragon’s Wing’ in the B-rank, right? And you guys defeated the layer boss before us. So, don’t hold back.”
“…Yes.”
“Our main objective today is to explore and map the area. Just do what you can.”
Camilla was kind. I felt like shedding tears.
“I’ll do my best.”
“Good, good. Give it your all, young man!”
The confidence of a seasoned adventurer was reassuring. When someone like her told me to relax, I instinctively felt encouraged, despite my doubts.
“Young man.” I couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy being addressed that way… I should have outgrown the label of “young man” by now. Well, I am short, and I admit that I lack the composure expected of a young man.
To someone like Camilla, it was probably a minor oversight. After all, she had fought on the frontline for a long time, seeing things from a broad perspective that I couldn’t fully grasp.
Suddenly, I became curious about Camilla’s age, but I decided to put that thought aside for now. It was certain that I could consider myself part of a formidable team.
“Phew.”
I let out a breath.
Forcing my shoulders to relax, I lifted my gaze slightly. It felt like my field of view expanded.
It was a floor I had been to before. The composition of materials was the same as the usual labyrinth. The air teemed with life, and the walls were faintly illuminated in blue, emitting a gentle glow. These walls could resemble a smooth surface, rugged cave walls, or even take the form of plants or animals. This floor fell into the category of cave-like structures.
“…Huh!?”
I heard something. It was right by my ear.
Translator note: Looks like I make a big mistake about the title of this novel,
The Chore word should be : Gofer/Scrub/Peon/Grunt/Menial Men/Lackey/Shoelace Tier or other similar word.
While Granting should be translated as : Buffer/Supporter/Enhancer/ etc
Again my mistake not reading the novel ahead and trusting existing mangaupdates entry instead.
Please post comments if you have suggestion of how the title should be translated
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