The last one for this week

Even I were are closing my eyes I have woken up from sleep due to the dazzling sun rays. The morning sun came in through the gap of the curtain when I opened half eyes and I can hear the twittering sound of a bird from the outside.

「……is it already in the morning?」(Iori)

I wake up and raise my body immediately and take a deep breath to awaken my consciousness.

I was bad at waking up, but while travelling as a brave I got a technique to stabilise my consciousness as soon as I got up because I have been ambushed many times when I was asleep.

There is no drowsiness and the fatigue is completely gone, too. Apparently, it seems I was able to get a deep sleep without seeing a dream for the first time in a while. After being betrayed, I had only shallow sleep that enough to wake me up with a single sound.

「It been quite a while……」(Iori)

I scatter the futon and turn my eyes on Elfi who is sleeping in the next bed. I slept next to her many times after we went out of the Labyrinth Hades, but at that time I was lacking sleep due to vigilance. But even though this fellow is next to me, I was able to fall asleep as usual.

Rather――.

「I…….」(Iori)

「Nn~……Iori」(Elfi)

While not aware of it, Elfi reacts in response to my muttering. She *Gorori* tosses about in bed while talking half awake. That ends up with exposing her idiotic drooling face.

「Call……the chef……..……no……it’s not bad. Rather it’s good and

「…………」(Iori)

What kind of talking in sleep is it?

Well……it is difficult to keep vigilant against such a defenceless fellow.

「Good grief……」(Iori)

I rearranged the futon which slipped off because of her sleeping posture and turned off the lights in the room. The sunrise from outside is totally bright. With this, she wouldn’t be frightened by darkness.

I leave the room and walk in the mansion and the servant had already got up and was asking me what I want for the breakfast.

「I’ll eat together with my companion after she wakes up」(Iori)

「Say, how was Karen-san doing, since then?」(Iori)

「I see……」(Iori)

Certainly, for Karen, there is still something that she should do yet is left. There would be also a lot of something urgent. However, keeping it without sleeping in that state of mind will affect her health. It’s better for her to take a good rest once.

After parting from the servant, I heading to her room to check the state of Karen directly. It is at the time when I saw the room door of Karen that I entered yesterday.

「Good morning, Iori-san」(Jean)

I happened to meet it with Jean who suddenly came out from another room. I heard that Jean took a rest, but right now he is wearing the valet clothes.

「Are you feeling okay now?」(Iori)

「Yes, originally some of my memory was only vague. There is no serious matter. Besides, I can not afford to take a break at this difficult time」(Jean)

After sleeping overnight, Jean seems to be working as usual.

While the other servants seem to be absent for several days, unlike Jean.

「I have heard the story, Iori-san……I’m sorry to have caused you trouble. Although I was brainwashed, what I did was serious……」(Jean)

「Everything was that woman doing and there is no need for Jean-san to apologize」(Iori)

I stop Jean who is going to lower his head.

This matter is over with that.

Because Karen understands that, too, Jean’s behaviour is unquestioned.

「Olivia……I heard that she died from an “accident”. Thank you very much. With this……Gouaches-sama would……」(Jean)

「……Jean-san」(Iori)

Is he resenting Olivia because of he unable to protect Gouaches from her?

Jean uttered the word of grat.i.tude while clenching his fist.

「……Is Iori-san going to Karen-sama place?」(Jean)

「I see…….I also spoke to her a short while, too, and I was told that she wants to be left alone because she was busy. “I also want you to inform to the other”, is what she said」(Jean)

「I’m very sorry, regarding the reward of Iori-san, please wait for just a little more」(Jean)

I bow to the apologetic Jean before leaving the place.

“She does not want to talk to anyone right now”, probably that what he mean.

Right now, Karen is doing her best just by herself. Moreover, she is providing compensation and information of the labyrinth. I do not say it must be right now and by all means.

He said that she will go to check the state of the barrier when it is noon, and I will call out for her again at that time.

Then I returned to my room and waking up Elfi who still sleeping.

I eat breakfast with Elfi of the absentminded look before we gather information in the library. Because right now, I am investigating about the “Labyrinth of Death Swamp” that we will challenge from now on.

「By the way, Iori has once broken through the Labyrinth of Death Swamp, wasn’t it?」(Elfi)

Elfi who sitting next to me suddenly muttered.

「Yeah, I come with my party member while having some backed up from the empire」(Iori)

As the name suggests, there is a swamp in the Labyrinth of Death Swamp.

That is not just an ordinary swamp, too.

It is a heinous poisonous swamp that could result in a death just basking in miasma that swamp gives off and just by touching it your body could melt, too.

The Labyrinth of Death Swamp is tunnel like a cave system with a poisonous swamp.

We went ahead through the inside by using magic items to prevent the poisoning. The miasma of the swamp has the effect of reducing one’s magical power and I remember when I fought against Water Demon Lord, I really had a hard time fighting that fellow with magical power shortage.

「Fumu……but as far as I can see in the recent books, the structure of the labyrinth seems to have changed a lot」(Elfi)

「……you’re right」(Iori)

As Elfi says, according to the information we gained so far, the structure of the labyrinth is different from before. The number of demonic beings coming out from it has increased, moreover, the traps are set everywhere, too. And inside the labyrinth seems to be a cave that leading to a building that looks like some sort of castles.

「Probably Ortegia, I wonder if this generation’s of Water Demon Lord who remodelled it」(Elfi)

「Although it’s not easy, but ordinarily, it was possible to be done」(Elfi)

As Elfi says, the labyrinth is in charge of Mazoku who had the “Maou’s crest”――In other words, it seems to be a kind of demonic being that created by the Maou. If its creator’s the Maou it seems possible to twiddle with the structure of the labyrinth by consuming a lot of magical power.

Also, it seems that the demons in the labyrinth are obedient to those who are admitted by the Maou. Just by utilising that right, it seems that it is possible to change the structure and the trap on the labyrinth even if it is not the Maou itself.

I haven’t thought many questions, but the reason why the Earth Demon Lord and the Flame Demon Lord are not attacked by demonic beings would be such a reason.

「If it was really the Water Demon Lord who remodelled, it would be a troublesome one’s with high intelligence」(Iori)

「……Is it a demonic being or a Mazoku who got it intelligence evolved like Bargildo?」(Elfi) *TN The Earth Demon Lord in the first volume 1

Such a thing is written in a note concerned to the labyrinth which I left by Gouache. Occasionally a wounded monster comes out from the entrance of the labyrinth. They seem to run wild in order to break the barrier as if trying to escape from something.

Either there’s a fighting between the demonic being in the labyrinth or is it harmed by the Water Demon Lord itself.

In the former case, it means that the demonic being inside the labyrinth is ferocious. If it is the latter, the Water Demon Lord is probably a violent tempered fellow.

Or are the fellow enjoying tormenting the demonic being?

Either way, this labyrinth seems to be very difficult to deal with, too.

Suddenly my shoulder was with a *Pon* while I had a grim face.

「Be relieved because I will knock down that Water Demon Lord in a short time while Iori should just earn time as usual」(Elfi)

Elfi said such a thing while having such well-defined expression.

「……Ah right, because my magical power returned to a certain extent, I should be able to earn us a certain amount of time」(Iori)

I can use some magic even without a magic stone. Thanks to Jade’s longsword and the crimson armour, my physical ability and defence power are perfect. Although there’s an only scarce amount of it, by adding the power of a magic stone, I should be able to fight against the opponent such a the Demon Lord, too.

「If there should be any chance that something might happen, then Iori should hide behind me. Thanks to the return of my arms, now I can perform the close combat, too. Even if my Demon eyes can not make it in time, I still can fight if I use my arm」(Elfi)

「If I hold down a bit my power, I will able to use it several times」(Elfi)

As far as it is reliable.

In this way, while studying about the Labyrinth of Death Swamp, we discussed our battle method. Regarding poison, I have prepared equipment for two while I was in the hot spring town. Even in the Empire, I have bought a detoxification potion, so there will be no problem with our preparation.

While I’m doing that, the sun has to approach the Midheaven.

It will be midday soon.

It will be around the time for Karen goes to see the state of the barrier.

It was when I tried to put books in order and tried to brush the dust off and go out of the room.

*KanKanKan* I heard the sound of ringing the bell from the outside.

「That’s noisy」(Iori)

The inside of the mansion became a bit noisy after hearing the bell.

I can hear the sound of *DotaDotaDota* running around.

Also, I heard people were screaming from outside the window.

It seems that someone is shouting something. Because of the sound of the bell, it is impossible to hear what s(he) is saying from inside the mansion.

「……I do not think it just something insignificant had occurs」(Iori)

「Elfi, let’s go check it out」(Iori)

「Yeah」(Elfi)

When I left the room, I immediately saw Karen appearance. I see she is talking with the man who seems to be the population of the fief who isn’t an employee. The facial expression of the man changed and he looked quite panicked.

「What happened?」(Iori)

I rush up and call out to her.

「Iori-san and Elf-san……….A serious thing has happened」(Karen)

Karen’s complexion is also bad.

It seems that something bad is happening.

「On earth, what has……」(Iori)

Karen made a serious look and said.

「――The barrier of the labyrinth was broken by the Water Demon Lord」(Karen)