Chapter 6

Looking at the outcome, they had simply been a group of good-natured people.

Perhaps because I’d once had my leg slashed and been used as bait, that feeling hit me even harder. However, it was also true that an indescribable sense of unease remained—mostly thanks to that girl, Lastiara.

Taking what the do-gooders had said into account, I decided to walk boldly down the “Main Path.”

I soon passed a pair of women. Nothing happened. I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should ask if this was the right way to the exit, but since people were clearly flowing from this direction, I held my tongue.

Along the way, I passed various groups. Some eyed me as if appraising my worth, but no real trouble arose. After walking the Main Path for several dozen minutes, I finally reached the exit.

“I made it… I actually made it…!”

Sunlight that burned my eyes. A breeze carrying a gentle warmth. A scent so clear it couldn’t even be compared to the inside of the Labyrinth.

I had returned to the surface.

As I expressed my joy with my entire body, a man who looked like a well-dressed security guard called out to me.

“Whoa there, bit overdramatic, aren’t you?”

The man was laughing in a friendly manner. But the moment I saw the weapon—a sword—hanging from his waist, I tensed up.

From what I could see, I felt no hostility. Given that he was standing in front of this “Exit” and wearing a formal outfit, he was likely a guard. I immediately cast “ice” over my thoughts, chilling my excitement and suppressing my emotions.

“Yeah… well, it was quite the struggle…”

I replied with a harmless comment, observing his reaction.

“Hmm, you definitely look like you’ve been through the wringer. If you hurry, you can still make use of the water supply at this hour.”

With that, the man pointed into the distance with his thumb.

“…Thank you. I’ll head there now.”

Hearing the word “water supply,” I bowed my head while rejoicing inwardly.

“Don’t mention it. It’s my job.”

I walked in the direction the man had pointed. As I walked, I considered that it might be wise to strike up a bit more conversation with him. He had referred to his interaction as “his job.” I wasn’t sure if it was official public service, but there was a high probability he could be of help.

After walking a certain distance, I found a well. Having heard “water supply,” I had imagined something modern and was momentarily let down. Still, there was no denying it was a lifesaver.

The mechanism was the same as the wells in my world, so I had no trouble drawing water. First, I refilled the empty leather skins in my “Inventory.” I used a wet cloth to wipe away the mud clinging to my clothes, managing to get them reasonably clean. I wasn’t sure if washing the blade with water was the right move, but the smell bothered me, so I rinsed it off.

While washing, I thought about the conversation I should have with the man. There weren’t many people around, so there was little risk of being overheard. I judged him to be a person of good character and appearance—an ideal candidate if I wanted to gather information quickly.

After simulating a few conversations, I approached the man, acting as natural as possible.

“…Phew. I feel a lot better now. That water supply is a real help.”

“Yeah, well, among the Labyrinth entrances, ‘Huzya’s’ here in the north is the only one that has a water supply.”

“Heh. Is that so? Do the other places not have them?”

“Nope. We’ve got the Knight Nation to thank for that. Out of the five nations clinging to the Labyrinth, they’ve got the most coin.”

Words I’d never heard before were being tossed around quite casually. To be honest, I wanted to talk about modern times—about my world. But this was a world where things like “magic” existed. The chances were slim, and I’d likely just be viewed with suspicion. I wasn’t at a stage where I could gamble everything just yet.

I pretended to know what he was talking about to draw out more information.

“Is ‘Huzya’s’ spending money on other things too?”

“Sure is. The place is packed with facilities built specifically for the Labyrinth. What’s the matter, kid? Is this your first time in this country?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“Well, travel between the five nations has been easy lately.”

“In that case, could you tell me if there’s a place where I can learn more about this country?”

“Hmm, let’s see. If that’s the case, you should head straight from here to the central plaza. There’s a map on a signboard. From there, you can go to the National Library or an agency to look into things. Once you’re settled, try the Guild or the Church. Highly recommended.”

“I see. Thank you very much.”

When I bowed deeply in thanks, the man scratched his cheek awkwardly and told me no thanks were necessary.

“It’s fine. Like I said, it’s my job.”

I realized I couldn’t drag the conversation out any longer. I might have another chance to talk to this man who, despite saying it was his job, was quite helpful. I decided to part ways before I became suspicious.

“Well then, until next time…”

“Yeah, see ya.”

I gave a light wave and headed straight for the “Central Plaza” as advised. Along the way, I turned back just once.

Now that I was a certain distance away, I could grasp the full scale of the Labyrinth behind me. The Labyrinth I had emerged from was an incredibly massive “ruin.”

At the center of the ruins towered a giant tree that pierced the heavens. Its branches were adorned with dull, jewel-like decorations. Those decorations were also massive; perhaps there was space inside them, making them part of the Labyrinth as well.

I turned forward again, distancing myself from those bizarre ruins. I savored the reality of having escaped that place…

—And then, I reached the city.

The cityscape looked like nothing less than a classic RPG. The culture leaned toward the West, and the era felt like the Middle Ages. What stood out most was how unnervingly well-maintained the roads were.

The edges of the streets were decorated with beautiful minerals that appeared to be gemstones. Just like the “Main Path” in the Labyrinth, lines of gems stretched out without interruption. Perhaps in this other world, gemstones weren’t considered precious.

As I continued down the main road, I found many houses. They ranged from wooden structures to brick ones, lined up in an irregular, diverse fashion.

The people walking through the city were full of life. They were diverse, too. Some wore simple, smock-like cloth, while others clanked as they walked in heavy steel equipment. The streets overflowed with people of various skin tones, and occasionally, I saw those with beast-like features. They were likely the races referred to as half-beasts. Those with bared sharp fangs, those with long ears, those with fluffy tails or beautiful wings—fantastical races were living their lives here.

The gap between this and my original world was staggering.

Naturally, common sense and the nonsensical were being tossed into a mixer, grinding together with a loud roar. At the same time, I could hear the sound of something precious being slowly worn away.

Despite how many people were here, I felt a sense of loneliness, as if there was no one else in the world. Despite how wide the sky was, there was an overwhelming sense of confinement.

It was the same feeling I’d had as a child, getting lost in a massive department store.

Ah, this isn’t the world I was in…

Right now, I am… I am…

“Ah…”

The notification was “Displayed.”

I watched it go by with a quiet heart. Symptoms appeared exactly as the text described. Clear thought was gained at the cost of my impatience and anxiety. While I felt uneasy about the skill being labeled “???,” I had no choice but to conclude that it was helping me for now. Without it, I might have been inside that giant wolf’s stomach by now.

Using my newly regained clarity, I began to reassess.

Right now, there wasn’t a single person I knew nearby. No familiar buildings. It was too vivid, too real, and on too grand a scale—hopeful theories like a prank show, a foreign attraction, or some uncharted land on Earth all peeled away.

Well, it couldn’t be helped.

I had braced myself for this. What mattered more was the question: “What now?” I would gain nothing by simply standing here in a daze. I calmly began to construct my next move in my head.

“First, a signboard.”

Steeling myself, I walked through the city with a dignified expression. Fortunately, my attire didn’t make me stand out. There were well-dressed people, but there were also plenty of adventurers like me, carrying swords and wearing cloaks.

After walking for a few minutes, I found a plaza. It was about the size of a baseball dome, furnished with fountains and stone benches. In the center stood a particularly large fountain, and next to it, a massive signboard.

No one was looking at the board. Or rather, very few people even stopped in this plaza. It seemed to be land reserved for official events that served as a mere thoroughfare on normal days.

The board displayed several maps along with the history of the nation. Next to the fountain stood a statue of a middle-aged man; it was likely a monument of some kind. Intending to commit it all to memory, I began to read the board.

According to the information on the sign, this country was a “Nation for the Labyrinth.”

To be precise, it was a confederacy. Five nations sharing the same religion followed its teachings to surround and attempt to conquer the massive “Labyrinth.” According to the lore of that religion, clearing the “100th Trial” of the Labyrinth would “grant any wish.”

It felt like a tailor-made clear condition. If I wanted to go home, did it mean I had to dive to the 100th floor?

Frowning slightly, I read on.

I was currently in the nation of “Fuhsyarz,” located to the north of the Labyrinth. It was an aristocratic society centered on chivalry, founded by a great knight. The map detailed exactly where I was within Fuhsyarz.

Fuhsyarz was divided into one hundred districts; apparently, there was a custom where the lower the number, the more noble the residents. For the record, I was in District 21. From here, District 22 housed a shopping district, while District 20 contained public facilities like the agency.

“Alright…”

Relying on that information, I decided to head toward a place in District 20 that looked like a library. The library stood in a prominent spot, acting as a symbol for the city. Thus, I reached it in a short time without getting lost.

Hiding my nerves, I stepped into the building. A staff member checked me briefly but didn’t stop me. It was a spacious, Western-style wooden building. It was very quiet and looked no different from the libraries I knew.

I picked up a few volumes that seemed like they might help my current situation and sat at one of the provided tables. I opened a book and began to read—and it was then that I questioned the act of “reading” itself. More accurately, a fact I had been ignoring until now forced its way to the forefront.

“How… can I read this…?” I muttered.

In response, the people who had been quietly reading looked up and turned toward me.

“Sorry.”

I gave a small bow. The people who had looked my way immediately lost interest and returned to their own books.

It was strange that my apology had even been understood. Among those who had looked at me, there were fair-skinned people with blonde hair, and others with fluffy beast ears. People who shouldn’t have known a lick of Japanese were responding to it.

The book I had open was the strangest of all. If I looked closely, it was a string of bizarre characters that belonged to neither English nor Japanese. Yet, I had picked it up thinking it was the perfect choice for learning about this world.

Japanese was being translated into a strange language, and the strange language into Japanese, all on its own.

If I called it “Magic,” that might be the end of it. But if I tried to do this in my world, it would be a massive undertaking. First, you’d need to modify the brain—tampering with it to add or subtract memories and personality. My mind jumped to scientific dissections. It was terrifying. Truly terrifying—

Again…

The fear that had been bubbling up like sludge was wiped away. I wasn’t even allowed to regret my repeated failures before my head became clear once more. It was certainly helping me in many ways, but the “Display” gave me a distinct sense of foreboding.

I suspected the activation trigger was psychological. I had to limit my thinking and ensure I wasn’t dominated by intense emotions…

“Phew…”

I took a deep breath to calm myself. Though, this wasn’t exactly “calm”—it might have been something else entirely. In the “Status Ailments” column of the “Display,” “Confusion” was being added to more and more. Yet, contrary to the word “Confusion,” my mind felt crystal clear. It was a surreal sensation.

The skill “???” itself might have an effect that negated confusion, but even so, seeing “Condition: Confusion 2.99” on the “Display” stirred my anxiety.

I was incredibly uneasy, but there was no use thinking about it any further. I focused on this quiet, wave-less spirit of mine.

And so, I continued to read the books I had gathered. Learning about this world, the nation, the culture, and the Labyrinth.

Endlessly, for as long as time would allow—