The Village’s New Laws.

“Not again…”

As soon as I stepped out of the labyrinth, I found myself surrounded by a crowd once more. I gave a weary shrug—though this time, they didn’t seem to be carrying anything that looked like a weapon.

Spotting us, the shadows began calling out one after another.

“Oh, he’s out!”

“Thank goodness. Are you all safe!?”

“See, I told ya! No need to worry at all.”

“Liar! You were the one panicking the most!”

“W-w-was not! You got proof? Huh?”

It seemed the worried villagers had been waiting near the hole. However, thanks to Mee-san the Giant Worm standing guard at the entrance, they hadn’t been able to get too close and had surrounded the area from a distance. This in itself was a bit too conspicuous for my liking. Also, it’s a bit much for my heart.

“Thank you all for coming out to meet us.”

“Hey, Chief, look! This beautiful water!”

“The well’s already usable too. Here, want a sip?”

It was dark and hard to see, but it looked like Sue and Rah the slimes had finished their jobs perfectly as well.

“We’re truly grateful… having the Teacher here is a godsend.”

“In just one day, he digs a well and purifies the river water. Alchemy is incredible…”

Actually, that was mostly Paula the Monster Tamer’s achievement, but okay.

As the joy-filled villagers crowded around, the Chief nodded repeatedly while casting a fleeting glance my way. Then, as if he’d reached a decision, his tone shifted slightly as he gave instructions to the villagers.

“This isn’t the place for a long talk. Let’s head back to the village first. Also, I have something important to discuss with everyone, so could someone—”

“Right, that’s my cue! I’ll go for a run and spread the word!”

“I’m going too. Can’t trust you to do it right alone!”

The duo that had been bickering earlier dashed off energetically. The rest of us, exhausted, walked leisurely behind them toward the village. Yoru and Kuu had already fallen asleep as if their batteries had run out. Honestly, I’m starting to yawn quite a bit myself, but the climax of the day is still ahead of me, so I have to push through.

Upon entering the village, we were immediately surrounded by a new group of people. Most of them were women.

“Teacher, we’ve been waiting! Look at how this turned out!”

“This one’s quite something too. We worked our tails off today!”

It seemed the bat-leather sewing I’d requested was finished. They proudly handed the items over for me to inspect.

“Thank you. Yes, these are very well made. What would you like as payment?”

“Meat! Is there any of that meat left?”

“M-me too!”

“No fair! My house is short on meat too!”

As for the payment for the sewing work, since I didn’t have much cash on hand, we had agreed on payment in kind. To the ladies clamoring for meat, I offered a new trade item.

“I also have oil, found during today’s exploration.”

“Oil?”

“Yes. Would you like a small taste?”

I handed over a bottle of Jade Oil (olive oil), and the matrons dripped a bit onto their palms and licked it to check the flavor. Their eyes went wide in surprise.

“What is this!? You’re calling this oil?”

“You’re teasing us just ‘cause we’re country folk, Teacher.”

“But it’s delicious. It really is delicious.”

Somehow, the oil bottle was passed around even to women I hadn’t commissioned for sewing. Surprised voices rose one after another.

“Wait, oil? This is something else entirely!”

“It has such a nice fragrance. It feels like it’d be good for the skin too.”

“Yes, I love this taste. It’d be delicious just on bread.”

“Well then, wouldn’t it be even better if we roasted that meat with this?”

Suddenly, the eyes of every woman in the vicinity were fixed on me.

“Teacher, is there any work for us!?”

“W-we can do anything!”

“Do you need help with chores or anything?”

“W-wait, hold on a second!”

I hurriedly fended off the rain of questions. There was plenty of work to be done, but this wasn’t the time or place for hasty promises. Plus, honestly, I’m too tired for my brain to function properly.

“First, I’ll hand out the rewards for today. As for future work, I’ll post a notice at the tavern from tomorrow onward, so please, head home for today.”

“Ah, sorry about that.”

“We just got blinded by the oil and meat.”

“So, for me… do I get one bottle of this oil?”

“Hmm, it’ll be a problem without a standard. Hans-san, what should the market rate be?”

“That is a difficult thing to decide right this second. For now, shall we stick to bat meat and Jade Oil as rewards?”

“Ah, come to think of it, I have salt too.”

As I pulled out a small pouch of freshly made salt, Hans-san’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. And it wasn’t just him; a murmur of shock rose from the crowd.

“W-where… did you get t-this?”

To Hans-san’s question—after he’d licked it and his face had turned the same color as the salt—I simply revealed the source.

“From the subterranean lake on the sixth floor. It’s that water.”

On the way back, I had a sudden thought and collected some of the lake water. Since the rarity was unknown, I’d given it a lick and found it salty. After ‘Analysis’, its name was revealed as Subterranean Salt-Lake Water. When I tried Sublimation along with my other transmutations, salt was the result. Though, one slime-pouch only yields about a palmful, so making it in bulk might be a bit of a chore.

“I see… Well… um, this is a bit of a problem.”

“Yes, it is a shame.”

Salt is a state monopoly; one can’t just go around making it. I could apply for permission, but there would be an audit to see if I could actually produce it, so it likely wouldn’t pass.

“Well, I thought it would be fine if we just used it within the village.”

“So from now on, we get salt too, not just oil and meat!?”

“The labyrinth really is something else…”

The women started clamoring again, but the Chief stepped in to stop them.

“I have something to say about that. Rather than standing around talking here, shall we head to the square?”

At the calm words of the large Chief, the commotion died down instantly. I decided to let them think over the rewards until tomorrow.

When we finally reached the center of the village, a crowd had already gathered. Even small children were there, swarming around Sue the slime like puppies looking for milk. In front of the new well, Old Man Eugen, Heimo the blacksmith, and Ute-san from the tavern were waiting for us.

“Hoh, finally back. I was tired of waiting and about to start drinking without you.”

“You made it back safe. I was worried. Welcome home.”

“You took your sweet time. Where were you dawdling? Look, it’s already done.”

As he spoke, Heimo handed me a White-Glow Stone lamp. The base was simple but clean and well-made, and the stone was firmly secured. By not adding excessive decoration, it had a functional charm. The base had a spot to insert a wire, and a shade could be placed over it for when we wanted to dim the light. The shade was made of tanned bat wings sewn onto a wire frame with silk thread, giving it a bit of a horror-themed look. Combined with the base, it was quite an eye-catching design.

“Oh, this is nice.”

“Whoa, that’s stylish! Doesn’t it look kind of city-like?”

“My, I can’t help but stare.”

It seemed popular with the two women as well. Placing it on a well-frame and channeling some mana to light it up, it fit the atmosphere perfectly.

“Well? Do you like it?”

“Yeah, it’s wonderful. I’m glad I left it to you. So, can you do five more?”

“Hmph, piece of cake. In exchange, you better take me to the labyrinth when it’s done!”

The bear-like man firmly shook the hand I offered. Once everyone’s attention was focused on the brilliant light of the stone, the Chief stepped forward in front of the well.

“Thank you all for gathering today. It looks like everyone who is able to move is here.”

Apparently, he’d accounted for every single participant with just a quick glance. Terrifying observation skills.

“Now, since I’m sure many of you are eager, let’s get straight to the point. Regarding the subterranean labyrinth—I accompanied Sir Nino today to see for myself. To be frank… it was an extremely dangerous place.”

At those heavy words, several people pulled their shoulders in. I saw mothers instinctively grab their children’s arms. Nodding at their reactions, the Chief continued.

“However, at the same time, it was an incredibly fascinating place. It has been a long time since I’ve had an experience that so surprised and moved my heart. …Yes, to put it plainly, I would say it was fun.”

At his surprisingly honest words, a mix of surprise and laughter rose from the villagers.

“Of course, I felt that way only because of the assistance from Sir Nino and his companions. Had I stepped inside alone, I believe I would have felt nothing but terror and misery.”

The Chief paused, looked over the crowd once more, and then lowered his tone to continue.

“It has been five years since this frontier village was founded. Having overcome the initial hardships, our daily lives have become quite stable. However… are you all satisfied?”

“No, not at all.”

“I’d like to drink even better ale.”

“Food for me. The city’s gotta have way better stuff, right?”

“I’d have no complaints if my children could just grow up properly.”

To the villagers who spoke up, the Chief replied with a smile.

“Yes, I am not satisfied either. We need more than just food; we need daily necessities, and lots of them. And especially medicine…”

The Oni man clenched his fist tightly for a moment, then looked up and stared straight at the villagers. Taking in the gazes of the crowd, he stated his conclusion powerfully.

“That subterranean labyrinth can be the answer. Today, I am firmly convinced of it. For this village to become better, we need that place.”

After a heartbeat of silence, a massive round of applause broke out. The Chief glanced at me again, lowered his hands to quiet the scene, and spoke.

“Today, I propose three new laws for this village. First: absolute secrecy. If the existence of the labyrinth becomes known, it will lead to a situation that threatens the village’s survival. Therefore, the existence of the labyrinth must never be leaked outside this village. Even to relatives or close acquaintances, this is the one point you must uphold no matter what.”

Currently, there is no channel for communication with the outside world except for Hans-san. However, ties to hometowns and relatives can be surprisingly strong; they are factors that can’t be ignored.

“Second: unauthorized entry is forbidden. While the labyrinth contains wonderful items, it is also a place where dangerous monsters roam. Therefore, no one may enter without Sir Nino’s permission. There are no guarantees for your life, so be prepared.”

This was also very welcome. If people went in out of greed and died, it would leave a terrible aftertaste.

“Third: if Sir Nino makes a request regarding the labyrinth, you must cooperate. I believe that is the best path for the development of this village.”

He made it sound a bit forced, but the villagers broke into massive applause again. To celebrate, I lit up all the White-Glow Stones I’d brought back at once, and the excitement reached another level. Someone suddenly started singing, someone else clapped along, and someone started dancing. Even without Happiness Water, everyone looked happy enough.

As I watched the laughing villagers, Paula, standing beside me, leaned in with a mysterious smile and whispered.

“As expected of you, my Lord. To bring this village under your wing in just two days…”

Yeah, way to ruin a perfectly good moment.