Chapter 46: The Labyrinth’s Call

“No need to overthink it. Most of the ones crawling out of the forest are just the leftover monsters anyway.”

Anne, who was walking beside me while dragging her ridiculously large greatsword, spoke up.

As Emma had suggested yesterday, we were on our way to hunt down the monsters that had come out of the Forbidden Forest and were heading toward the city.

“Then why do we need to go ourselves? Can’t we just leave it to the adventurers? I heard there’s a reward and all.”

I asked, not because I was lazy to go, but purely out of curiosity.

The head of the family, Emma, and the direct line descendants, Anne and Ian, were participating in the hunt.

Since the head of the family was moving, it was only natural for knights to accompany her for protection.

Of course, not all of the knights were here, but with a few soldiers added along with them, the scale of the expedition naturally grew larger. It almost felt like it was overdone.

I suddenly noticed Emma, despite being the actual leader of the hunt, walking at the very front without even riding a horse.

Unlike Anne, she had left her large sword with Dylan and was strolling leisurely.

“Well, that’s true, but these kinds of monster extermination requests are usually unpopular. The pay isn’t great, and there’s no opportunity to find artifacts like when exploring ruins or labyrinths.”

“You’re aiming for a big payoff.”

Anne nodded and responded to my comment.

“Exactly. Of course, adventurers who aren’t capable of entering a labyrinth have no choice but to take on these extermination jobs.”

As Anne said, the adventurers participating in the hunt didn’t seem particularly skilled.

Of course, my standards had become higher after seeing so many capable individuals, but even considering that, they still didn’t seem impressive.

“And, sometimes you need to show your face like this to avoid causing trouble. After all, the Kleinf family is responsible for defending the city.”

I wondered how long we had been walking when the group halted just before reaching the entrance of the forest, with Emma and the knights leading the way.

“Alright. Let’s set up camp here.”

At Emma’s command, the adventurers and soldiers began to move busily.

It was basically an advance base, but there was no need for anything elaborate.

They just lit a few campfires and set up some tents.

Some of the adventurers didn’t even bother with tents and sat around the campfires, resting.

Since the request probably wouldn’t take long, they must have decided it was better to sit uncomfortably by the fire than to deal with the hassle of setting up a tent.

“Ah, thank you.”

A tent was also set up for Anne and me. We didn’t set it up ourselves; two soldiers came and did it for us.

It was a small tent, and they seemed quite experienced, completing it quickly with smooth motions.

I peeked inside the tent, and it was spacious enough for the two of us.

“Attention!”

Ian, who had stepped forward in place of the knights standing beside Emma, raised his voice, drawing everyone’s attention.

Those who were a bit farther away approached to hear what he had to say.

After confirming that the group’s attention was gathered, Ian didn’t speak but took a step back.

Then, Emma climbed onto the makeshift platform in front of her. Let’s ignore the fact that her eye level was about the same as Ian’s.

“Today, we are going to wipe out the Orc tribe located at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, specifically at the entrance of the Border Forest. According to the reports, the number of Orcs is roughly 50. It’s not a three-digit number.”

That number meant the tribe had probably just started settling in.

In fact, calling it a tribe might be too much; it could be considered more of a village.

There wouldn’t be an Orc King commanding tens of thousands of Orcs, which only appeared once in several decades.

Most likely, an Orc shaman would be acting as the leader.

Considering that they were already pushed out of the Forbidden Forest and into the Border Forest, they might not even have that.

“Remember, you are all members of Valant. Don’t act recklessly. It’s better for all of us if you stay alive and gain experience to rise up, killing even one more monster. If you feel it’s too dangerous, don’t hesitate to fall back. Honestly, a few soldiers dropping out won’t cause any problems, as our forces are more than enough for a few dozen Orcs.”

Emma, unexpectedly frequenting such hunts, had adventurers casually shouting back in response.

“Don’t worry! There’s no one here who hasn’t stabbed an Orc with a sword!”

“Haha! Didn’t you get hit in the backside by a blind arrow shot by an Orc last time? I remember you had to waddle around with a sore butt for a while, right?”

“Shut up!”

The knights, as well as Emma, seemed accustomed to the adventurers’ behavior and didn’t try to stop them. Whether it was Emma’s personality or the geographical location of Valant, she was showing a rather friendly attitude toward the adventurers.

“Then, since you’ve been walking for a while, let’s eat for an hour and head out right after. We might as well return before nightfall and have a beer, instead of staying out here all night, right?”

Hearing the mention of beer, the adventurers started shouting and chatting lightly.

“Alright, disperse!”

At Emma’s command, the adventurers and soldiers began to gather in small groups and started preparing their meals. Anne and I moved toward Emma.

“Wait a moment. The meal will be ready soon.”

I noticed one of the soldiers preparing food for us nearby. Indeed, this must be the taste of power.

“Anne. Go with Ian. I’ll borrow Elysia for a bit.”

“Eh! Umm… Ow!”

“How many times have I told you to call me ‘Mother’ in formal situations, not ‘Mom’? I wonder who you take after…”

“Of course… Ow! I didn’t say anything!”

Anne, who had been about to say something, was smacked on the head by Emma before she could finish her sentence.

“…Oops.”

Unable to withstand Emma’s glare, Anne quietly corrected herself, albeit a little late.

“Anyway, it’s no surprise. Who else would be such a fool?”

“Shut up! I’m not a fool! There’s nothing I can’t say to my older sister.”

While Anne was bickering with Ian, several soldiers brought food that looked quite impressive in front of us. The food appeared to be preserved with magic.

Looking at the plain rations or stews that the other adventurers and soldiers were eating in the distance, I was once again reminded of what it truly meant to experience the taste of power.

Swoosh!

I effortlessly sliced through an Orc approaching with a club, not even a stone axe in hand. As I briefly caught my breath and looked around, I didn’t see anyone struggling to take down the Orcs.

Anne effortlessly cleaved an Orc in half with her giant greatsword, and Ian was casually swinging his bastard sword, wrapped in a grayish aura, cutting down Orcs.

Even the soldiers, who were among the weakest, had formed groups and were strategically hunting the Orcs.

And right beside me was Emma, who hadn’t lifted a finger and was simply watching me swing my sword. The greatsword I had entrusted to Dylan was now in Emma’s hands.

“Seems like you move better than I thought. This is what a sword should be like. Those old men who call themselves Sword Masters just end up with swords that are all stiff and boring…”

Emma was speaking ill of the Sword Masters in such a nonchalant manner. Rather than joining in with Emma’s gossip, I decided to take down another Orc.

“Definitely a sword that Anne would like.”

Come to think of it, I remember Anne only started talking to me after seeing me practicing swordplay. Of course, with her high social skills, she would have started a conversation regardless, but we might not have gotten this close if it weren’t for that.

“Ah. It’s a shaman. I don’t see any higher-ranking Orcs nearby, so it must be the leader.”

After telling Emma what I had seen, I immediately rushed toward the Orc shaman. Even though the Orc shaman’s magic wouldn’t pose a threat to me, it was still better to be cautious and not give it any chance to cast its spells.

As expected, the Orc shaman must have noticed me charging toward it, as it hurriedly moved its hands, attempting to cast a spell.

Just as I was about to swing my sword, the Orc shaman finally reached out its hand, having completed the spell incantation.

However, my sword was already in motion.

“Wait…!”

At the same time my sword struck the Orc shaman, Emma, who had approached from behind, grabbed the back of my neck and shouted.

But by then, my sword, which had begun at the shaman’s shoulder, had already sliced through its body, taking with it the necklace around its neck.

And in that moment, the light that emanated from the broken necklace engulfed me and Emma.

Flash!

A bright light appeared in the field of vision of Anne, who had just taken down an Orc, in Ian’s sight, and in everyone’s sight.

Anne kicked the Orc she had just felled aside and surveyed the area.

The battle seemed to be nearing its end, as the group of adventurers was finishing off the few remaining Orcs.

But they were nowhere to be seen.

The figures of Elysia, who had been leading the charge and taking down Orcs, and Emma, who had been standing by her side, were missing.

Instead, where Elysia had stood, there was an entrance to a labyrinth that had not been there before.

Running to the spot where she had last seen Elysia, Anne quickly scanned the area.

She soon found a peculiar necklace on the ground, split in half.

It wasn’t widely known across the continent, but any adventurer operating in the area would be familiar with it.

Whether the labyrinth created it or it was made by a monster living within it, the necklace was an artifact that, when broken, would transport the wearer to the deeper levels of the labyrinth.

Intelligent monsters sometimes used it as an escape mechanism.

But even if it was a rare artifact that could save a monster’s life, in human hands, it was nothing more than a cursed item, as it could lead to being abducted into the labyrinth, as had just happened.

The sudden appearance of the labyrinth entrance, the broken necklace on the ground, and the disappearance of Elysia and Emma.

At the very least, Anne was not foolish enough to not understand what had happened.

And she knew exactly what she needed to do.

“Gather!”

Once Anne confirmed all the Orcs were down, she shouted in a loud voice, ensuring everyone around could hear.

At her command, the knights, soldiers who had not yet grasped the situation, and adventurers who had been goofing off all gathered around her.

“As the acting head of the house, I command you, Ian.”

“Yes!”

Without any explanation, Ian immediately lowered his head at the mention of her title as the acting head of the house, waiting for Anne’s next words.

It was a side of them that Anne and Ian had never shown to each other during their usual bickering.

“Take the adventurers and go back immediately. Instead of the knights, gather a support team of adventurers familiar with the labyrinth. The request’s difficulty and reward are top-tier—no matter the cost. The time is urgent, so return immediately. You must be back by tomorrow morning at the latest.”

“Yes, understood.”

After receiving Anne’s order, Ian began rounding up the adventurers and left the area.

Even the adventurers, who had been acting casually, now realized the seriousness of the situation and followed Ian silently without a word.

This time, Anne pointed to one of the knights standing in the line and began speaking to him.

“Immediately establish this place as a forward base. At the very least, make preparations to accommodate the current number of people.”

Upon receiving her orders, the knights began commanding the soldiers. Some went to retrieve the camp they had set up earlier, while others started clearing the Orc corpses and leveling the ground.

“You and a few soldiers stay on guard, keeping an eye out for any monsters that may approach.”

After sending all the other knights away, only Dillon remained by Anne’s side. Originally, Dillon should have been guarding Emma, the head of the house, but Emma had already gone missing. Even though Anne was only the acting head, she was the one in charge now.

“I will enter the labyrinth right away. You stay here and wait for Ian. Once he returns, we will begin the assault on the labyrinth together.”

Without even waiting for Dillon’s response, Anne immediately turned to enter the labyrinth. However, just as she was about to step through the entrance, Dillon stepped in front of her, blocking her way.

“You can’t go alone! No matter who you are, entering the labyrinth by yourself is dangerous.”

“Do you really think some mere monster could harm a Klain?”

The great sword Anne held was radiating an aura that seemed to burn with flames. The fiery aura surged, as though it was about to burn everything around it in search of prey.

The Klain family wasn’t called the defenders of the Forbidden Forest for nothing. Monsters, even lower-tier demons, are nothing but weak in the face of true Klain blood. This was neither the Forbidden Forest nor the Demon Realm, so there was no way a monster in the labyrinth could harm Anne Klain.

“You must not underestimate the labyrinth. Right now, you must trust in Emma.”

But the labyrinth was different. Its true nature, something no one understood, made it more like a living entity.

Of course, Anne knew this. She was simply denying the reality that she had to wait quietly.

“…Until noon tomorrow. If Ian has not returned by then, I will cut you down and enter on my own.”

That was the best compromise Anne could offer. She planted her great sword into the ground in front of the entrance and leaned against it, sitting down.

Despite Anne’s threat to cut him down, Dillon showed no sign of anger and simply stood by her side.

So, in front of the labyrinth, Anne calmed the raging aura that was about to explode, suppressing it once again.

It was frustrating, but for now, she simply had to wait in silence.