Experiencing walking on a water bridge was a first for me.
As an adventurer, I’ve gone through many experiences, but this was a reminder that there are countless sights I’ve yet to see.
The scenery of walking across a water bridge suspended above the sea wasn’t bad at all.
“—The sea is beautiful, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
Beside me was Arnella.
The sun hat she wore suited her long silver hair perfectly.
The sea breeze played with her hair, making it shimmer in the light.
She looked even more beautiful than when she first came to my place.
The same went for Noel.
She was transitioning from a girl to a young woman.
Both of them gazed at the view outside the bridge with an emotional expression as they walked.
Meanwhile, Mastema, apparently bored with walking normally, climbed onto the bridge’s railing and began walking there.
Even if she fell, she’s a demon. She wouldn’t get hurt.
Besides, she can fly, so there was no need to worry.
The distance to the island wasn’t far.
After a short walk while enjoying the scenery, we arrived.
“This is it, huh? The island with the rumored labyrinth.”
“Island? It’s more like something much smaller,” Sepia interjected with mild exasperation.
Indeed, it was tiny. The labyrinth’s entrance took up most of its surface.
“There’s no sense of danger. A labyrinth abandoned for so long without monsters emerging can’t be much of a threat.”
“Is that how it works?”
“Yeah. Labyrinths have their own ranks. Some are like this, while others are so extreme that if they aren’t properly culled, monsters overflow quickly. That’s how adventurers make their living, though.”
It’s a life on the edge, but done well, it offers rewards worth the risk.
And it contributes to the nation’s peace.
Adventurers are convenient beings, and as long as they are, they won’t disappear.
I’ve delved into dangerous labyrinths many times, so I could judge to some extent just by looking.
This labyrinth posed no threat at all.
Even Noel or Arnella could clear it alone without a scratch.
For this group, it would just be sightseeing, but that’s part of creating memories.
While the spoils wouldn’t amount to much, it wasn’t a bad place for a first labyrinth.
“Hmm?”
“What is it?”
Mastema was peering into the labyrinth with a puzzled expression.
“Something feels off. This sensation… it’s like I recognize it, but I don’t.”
It was rare for Mastema to sound so uncertain.
She seemed on the verge of remembering something but couldn’t quite place it.
“What about you, Victor?”
“I don’t sense anything. Could just be your imagination?”
“No, it’s not that. Ugh, I can’t remember.”
While Mastema pondered, Sepia pointed her staff toward the labyrinth.
“So, are we going in?”
“That’s the plan. It doesn’t seem dangerous.”
“This is my first labyrinth outside of Nolraze, so I’m a bit excited.”
“It doesn’t seem like much, but sure. This is an experience, too.”
We stepped into the labyrinth.
The entrance descended underground, with faintly glowing, magic-infused stones providing the only light.
But since all of us were mages, there was no trouble creating illumination.
The labyrinth, lit as brightly as daytime, had many water features, likely due to its proximity to the sea.
Wearing swimsuits had been a good idea.
Otherwise, we would’ve struggled with wet clothes.
Sensing the presence of a monster, I turned around to see an ordinary slime hopping slowly toward us.
There was no need to draw a sword.
Sepia formed a small water sphere at her fingertip and shot through the slime’s core.
It was such a low-grade monster that it didn’t even drop a magic stone.
The other monsters that appeared weren’t noteworthy either.
Fist-sized crustaceans, leech-like creatures, and insect monsters all fell easily to Sepia’s spells.
“Weaklings.”
“Just as expected. If there’s nothing at the end, we’ll turn back.”
“Sounds good.”
Mastema seemed a little bored, and Arnella, noticing, started offering her some sweets.
When Noel stepped on a rock and wobbled, I placed my hand on her shoulder to steady her.
The uneven ground could be a bit dangerous.
“Thank you.”
“Yeah, be careful.”
Noel nodded.
When I withdrew my hand, she clung to it.
“Can we stay like this for a bit?”
“It makes walking harder, but… fine.”
She worked tirelessly day in and day out.
I could indulge her a little.
The labyrinth was said to be small.
After defeating occasional monsters, we reached the end.
“A treasure chest!”
Sepia, leading the way, turned with an excited shout.
“A real treasure chest in a labyrinth. Fascinating.”
“Sometimes treasure chests are monsters in disguise. Don’t touch it recklessly.”
“Eh!?”
Sepia, about to touch the chest, jumped back.
Some adventurers have lost arms to mimic monsters disguised as treasure chests.
Even without that, traps were common, so caution was vital.
“Don’t you know a spell to unlock it?”
“Oh, right.”
Sepia’s face turned sheepish.
She could, in fact, use an unlocking spell but had forgotten.
That was just like her—talented but prone to slip-ups.
Clearing her throat, Sepia cast the spell.
The lock clicked open, and the chest revealed its contents.
Normally, one would need lockpicking skills, but spells made things easier.
Kasugal, who couldn’t use such spells, would often resort to brute force to break open chests.
Inside was a single item.
“What’s this?”
Noel peered into the chest.
“A… sandglass?”
Arnella ventured. It did look like one.
Seeing no traps, I reached in and picked it up.
The sand inside began to flow.
“Hm? Hmm?”
Mastema reacted immediately.
“What’s wrong?”
“The presence I felt earlier is stronger now. This is… Agares’s aura.”
“Agares? Mastema, who’s Agares?”
“One of the demons. A neighbor of ours. But why do I feel her presence here?”
“If a demon shows up here, it’s a serious problem.”
“It’s not like that. If a new demon arrived, I’d know. This is just a lingering presence.”
Mastema approached, staring at the sandglass.
“Maybe it’s this.”
The sandglass appeared to be connected to demons in some way.
Items tied to demons often circulated as cursed objects.
Most were fakes, but occasionally they caused significant trouble.
I examined the sandglass.
To me, it seemed ordinary.
If it was truly demon-related, it felt anticlimactic to find it in a place like this.
“…Don’t move that,” Sepia said, her voice trembling.
The sand was steadily flowing down.
“Time’s sand… is this real?”
A chill ran down my spine.
A terrible premonition settled over me.
