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“…Well, well. Didn’t expect guests.”
Sparks rose in Goldie’s place, her expression tight.
“We also didn’t expect anyone to come in while we were resting.”
“Hehh. Such young ones. Handsome lads, pretty girls. Quite the sight.”
“…Thanks for the compliment.”
“Since fate brought us together, how about sharing a seat and getting acquainted?”
Sparks’s face twisted, her disgust plain.
“Sorry, but no. Let’s keep it simple. You don’t bother us, we don’t bother you. We’re about to leave anyway. Once we’re gone, you can rest here all you want. No need to complicate things.”
“Ohh, so wary. This old man might look like a bandit, but deep down, I’m a good person, you know.”
Realizing talk was pointless, Sparks cut straight to the point.
“I’ll ask plainly. You planning to fight us?”
“Oh…”
“If you think we’re easy prey, you’re mistaken. Our party hunts between the 8th and 10th floors. If it comes to a fight, you won’t walk away unscathed. So let’s both avoid bloodshed and just part ways quietly.”
For a moment, the bearded man stayed silent. Then—pfft! He burst out laughing. The rest of his party followed suit, roaring with laughter.
“Puhahaha!”
“Wha—hahaha! She said we won’t walk away unscathed!”
“Scary, scary~! I’m so scared I might piss myself!”
Their mocking laughter flushed Sparks’s cheeks red.
“What’s so funny!?”
The bearded man grinned, laughter still in his voice.
“You said your hunting ground’s the 8th to 10th floors?”
“Y-yeah. What about it?”
“Where’s your mana-stone lantern, then?”
“…What?”
“The upper floors are full of trash mobs, so the guild keeps lanterns and torches lit. But lower down, it’s different. They leave it to adventurers. If you don’t even have a mana-stone lantern, how the hell are you hunting there, huh? Tell me, redhead.”
“…!!”
“You know what spawns on the 9th and 10th floors? Got your canaries for gas traps? Got your noisy skulls for pulling skeleton aggro?”
“…”
Sparks opened her mouth, then closed it again, unable to answer. The bearded man’s grin turned greasy.
“Well, sure. You could replace lanterns with some light magic. For gas, just shove some poor sap in first instead of a bird. And as for skeletons, maybe that pretty priestess of yours could work herself to the bone. Believe. Believe real hard, eh?”
“…”
He gave one more mocking chuckle, then looked over the whole party instead of Sparks alone.
“Anyway, like I said, I’m actually a kind soul. Got no reason to hurt rookies like you. Just like the redhead said, we’ll rest quietly and move on. You can relax.”
“…”
“What’s this? No reply? Hey, sweetie. You trust me, don’t you?”
“…”
“No answer? If you ignore me, I might get mad, you know.”
“…I-I trust you.”
“Good girl.”
And with that, he waved his crew over. True to his words, they set up camp at one side of the spring, breaking out dried meat and alcohol, laughing and chattering amongst themselves.
So far, so good. But—
The problem was where they set up camp.
—Right at the entrance.
They’d blocked the only exit.
The party’s faces clouded with unease.
If they’d just picked a fight outright, they could’ve braced themselves and battled. But this—acting like they had no hostile intent while casually blocking the way out—left them stuck.
Goldie, after hearing Oxhead’s naive suggestion that maybe they’d step aside if asked, approached the entrance with the others.
Shrrk—shrrk!
Steel hissed from scabbards the moment they drew close.
“Whoa there. Earlier, you turned us down when we wanted to play. We don’t share tables with people who reject us. Get lost.”
“We’re not here to share a table. We’re leaving. Step aside.”
“Listen to this punk. No manners at all. Get lost, bastard.”
“…You dare… Do you even know who I am—”
Shhk!
Kang!!
The moment Goldie tried to pull his “I’m noble blood, you peasants!” routine, a bolt whistled past. He barely managed to block it with his buckler—but if his reaction had been a second slower, his skull would’ve been ventilated.
“Dumbass. You think titles mean shit down here? Marquis, emperor, whatever—inside the labyrinth, you’re all the same meat. Keep that head on your shoulders and crawl away while you still can, you puny little brat.”
Goldie stared at the bolt half-buried in his buckler and the thugs radiating killing intent, his lips pressed tight in fear and humiliation.
Mockery rained down on him.
“Puhahaha! Look at that pathetic face!”
“Strutting around with nothing to back it up… pfft!”
“Hey kid, you’re kinda cute. Why don’t you ditch them and join us instead? We’ll take good care of you.”
“Oi, Kutok! First time I’ve heard your voice in a week. You like him?”
“Yeah. He’s pretty. Be nice to have him warming the bed down here.”
“Wuahahaha! Rookie, marry Kutok! Wahahahah!”
“Damn it…”
Goldie’s face burned crimson, his whole body trembling.
I couldn’t help grinning.
“Man, these guys’ trash talk is chef’s kiss. I’m tempted to just defect to their party.”
“Denied. Too ugly. Too smelly,” Shia sniffed.
“Well, if our ex-Demon King says no, guess I can’t.”
Back at the spring, the party huddled, pale and shaken.
Sparks gripped her staff tightly.
“Young Master Hank—no, Hank. Be honest.”
“…About what?”
“If we fight them head-on, what are the odds?”
Goldie bit his lip hard before spitting the answer.
“…Certain defeat.”
“…”
“At least two of them are stronger than me. Aura Users, I think. Four are about my level, maybe a little weaker… the rest, unknown.”
Sparks darted a glance at me.
“That’s without counting the newbie, right?”
“…”
“And if you count him?”
“…Even if the newbie can handle one Aura User, and I deal with two Mana Users, the gap stays. We still lose.”
She looked at me again, searching for denial. I let my gaze slide away. She took that as grim confirmation and began chewing her nails.
“I don’t get it. What the hell do these bastards even want from us?”
Oxhead finally spoke up.
“…Maybe they’re waiting for reinforcements?”
“Reinforcements? They already outnumber us plenty. Why call for more?”
“…Hmm. Maybe not then.”
Then Timid raised a trembling hand.
“M-maybe… maybe they’re just messing with us?”
“Hah. If only. You think twelve Steel Body users and mages would sit here posturing just for fun? Does that sound right to you?”
Chastised, she wilted, head down.
And so, the tense standoff dragged on for half an hour. No one moved—until Oxhead twitched strangely.
“H-huh…?”
Thud.
Still polishing his shield, he suddenly collapsed, froth bubbling at his lips.
Then Timid followed, then Sparks, all clutching their chests and dropping one by one.
Thud. Thud-thud…
Sensible sprang up, shrieking.
“No way—poison!?”
She spun, panicked, before bolting to the spring. Diving in, she surfaced with a brown pouch pulled from the depths.
“This can’t be…”
“Wahahaha!”
“Smart girl, figuring it out!”
“Kuhuhu! This is the best part—look at their faces!”
The thugs laughed uproariously.
One by one, even Goldie toppled. I let myself sink down too, feigning the same.
Sensible screamed at them.
“You… you poisoned the spring!?”
The bearded leader chuckled and nodded.
“Damn right we did.”
“The spring—how could you—”
“Because we knew you’d come. We seeded it first, then left. Our little scout told us when you showed.”
“…Scout? Wait—the rat!?”
“Yeah. Familiar. Runs around the spring, warns our mage when prey shows up. Then we lace the water, and when the idiots drink—snap!”
“So this was your base all along…”
“Yup. Been holding it about a month. Can’t stay too long or word spreads, so we were about to move. Bad luck for you.”
Sparks, half-conscious, groaned.
“Wh-why go to such trouble…? You could’ve just… attacked…”
“Wow. Still thinking like a mage, huh?”
“Ghkk…”
“Simple. Even with a gap in strength, a brawl costs us. Someone dies, someone gets crippled. Why bother, when this way we win clean? Besides, it’s hard enough finding reliable partners for this line of work.”
“You monsters…”
Sensible’s face twisted with fury. She opened her mouth to shout—but then gasped, clutching her chest.
“No… not me too… If I fall, then… O Mother, scatter this taint… Cure poison…!”
White light flared from her staff. But—
“…It’s not working? Why?”
“Because it’s not poison.”
“Not… poison?”
“That’s Portrom leaf powder.”
“…Portrom? The potion ingredient?”
“Yeah. Every mage knows it. Overdose on it and—”
“Mana intoxication…”
“Exactly. Can’t cure that with your holy tricks. That’s why we use it—even if it costs.”
Sensible’s voice shook as she begged.
“W-we don’t… have much. But if you take it all… please, spare our lives…!”
The bearded man grinned and wagged a finger.
“No can do. If even one of you crawls out and squeals to the guild, we’re finished. Sorry, sweetheart. Hey, priestess. You listening?”
“…”
“Out cold, huh? Well then, that’s that. Boys, collect the goods.”
“Yeah, boss~.”
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