The Unwanted Undead Adventurer: Volume 2 Read online

  Come to think of it, quite a few candidates had gotten lost, and had to eventually be retrieved by guild staff. Unfortunately, it goes without saying that those poor saps failed their practical assessments.

  Compared to that, the goal for this assessment seemed easy enough. Monsters would definitely be present in the labyrinth, and one could easily reach the designated spot quickly if one just purchased a map and took the shortest path...

  At least, that would be what an Iron-class adventurer taking the test for the first time would think. Judging from my past experiences with the guild’s tests and trials, it was plain to see that they were up to no good—behind the cover of a simple request surely lay traps and other insidious devices.

  “I... See. Are there... Any. Restrictions?”

  Perhaps it would be the prohibition of maps, or other little details of a similar nature. But Sheila just smiled, somewhat faintly.

  “Mm... Not really, no. Everything is permitted.”

  Something was off about the way Sheila delivered her answer. The guild had definitely planned something. Of this, I was certain. If I were to go out of my way to avoid this, it would be used against me, or worse still, disqualify me outright.

  “I... Understand. So... Where is the... Adventurer I am cooperating... With?”

  “Hmm... Right, it would be these candidates here. Candidates Raiz, Laura!”

  At Sheila’s call, two silhouettes separated themselves from the throngs of adventurers on the first floor of the guild. Slowly, they made their way toward us: a young boy and girl. They were strangely familiar; familiar faces indeed...

  It did not take me long to remember that they were the pair who were locked in combat with Goblins and Slimes in the Labyrinth of the New Moon.

  That very same swordsman-cleric pair.

  I had assumed they were Iron- or Bronze-class when I first laid eyes on them, and I suppose I was not too far off the mark. The fact that they were here, however, meant that they were Iron-class adventurers, much like myself.

  “If I may introduce you to Raiz Dunner and Laura Satii. And this here...is Mister Rentt Vivie,” Sheila said, introducing us to one another.

  Raiz and Laura. Hmm...

  Raiz was a short youth, with a head of short-cropped red hair and an energetic gaze. Laura, on the other hand, was a seemingly quiet girl with tresses of soft, faded brown.

  The two adventurers lowered their heads at me as their names were called, and I did the same. It would seem like they had come to the table with the most basic of manners. That gesture brought me some degree of relief. There were, after all, many ruffians and the like who ended up as adventurers. Among them were a few who had strange notions about never so much as bowing to their fellows, all in a misguided show of strength. In fact, a cursory look around the room revealed more than enough of those fools. Yes, they were everywhere.

  Each team had a member of the guild’s staff assigned to them, presumably to explain the relevant procedures, but also to monitor each group for unsuitable behaviors.

  ...It did not take much to see that those certain individuals would fail the test since they were, after all, fools who could not even be half-decent at greeting their peers. I, however, kept my observations and opinions to myself.

  More importantly, I had to find out more about my teammates; this much was necessary, given that we would soon be headed off into a labyrinth together. Failure to share adequate information would lead to deaths, and wherever possible, I would like to avoid dying a second time.

  “I am... A swordsman. I can only use... Enhancing magic... And the Shield... Spell. Nothing... Else.”

  Raiz and Laura were quick to respond to my simple introduction.

  “I’m a swordsman, too. I reinforce my body and stamina with spirit in battle. And Laura here...”

  “I’m a mage... But I can use healing magic, too. I will work hard from the back lines. I hope we get along and work well together, Mister Vivie.”

  Hence concluded our simple exchange of pleasantries, if one could call it that.

  Sheila continued her explanation:

  “Well, then. I suppose you are all acquainted, so I will now proceed to explain the details of the test.”

  Her words were enough to draw our undivided attention, for if one ignored something as crucial as the guild’s instructions, one’s life would easily be forfeit. I strained my ears, listening closely.

  “As I have mentioned previously, the objective of this assessment is to reach a designated point in the labyrinth. To be precise, it will be this point, right here on the map. Is this understood?”

  Saying so, Sheila pointed to a single point on the map detailing the Labyrinth of the New Moon.

  “The guild will be providing you with this map, so please use it as you see fit. This concludes the explanation. But one note: you may engage in conflict with other adventurers. Otherwise, the first group that reaches this point wins. That is all.”

  Raiz and Laura both nodded. I had my suspicions—something had to be afoot. Even so, I remained silent.

  “There is a time limit for this assignment, namely until sunset today. Do keep that in mind as you progress.

  “Well, then, I hope the three of you give it your all. I’ll be cheering for you!” Sheila said, smiling innocently.

  ◆◇◆◇◆

  “Well... Should we head off to the New Moon? Maybe by carriage, as usual? Oh...have you been there before, Rentt?”

  I nodded at Raiz’s query.

  It would seem like Raiz had seen fit to act in a leader’s capacity for our motley crew. This worked out in my favor, mainly due to the fact that I did not have much of a grasp on team mechanics. I had, after all, been adventuring on my own this whole time, so I suppose it was fine to leave things to Raiz. If there was a problem, I would raise it; otherwise, I fully intended on staying as silent as possible.

  With regards to Raiz’s preferred mode of transport... Well, I suppose there was no problem with it.

  Probably.

  As it turned out, our horse carriage made it safely to the entrance of the New Moon. There was always the possibility of the carriage veering off-course and heading somewhere else. For my part, I stared at the coachman, and was rewarded with what seemed to be a bitter smile. There was no telling what could happen on occasions like this, and I certainly would not be smiling if I really did end up somewhere else instead of my intended location.

  The coachman’s bitter smile itself was a good indicator of this—one of the guild’s traps, perhaps. Raiz and Laura, on the other hand, did not seem to suspect a thing. After all, who would suspect a trap in such a simple, everyday activity?

  This, however, was exactly the sort of tactic that the guild was fond of using, and I, for one, knew this very well.

  Upon reaching the entrance of the labyrinth, Raiz and Laura immediately began their preparations, eager to set off. I supposed they weren’t doing anything wrong, but I should probably say something, and so I did.

  “...Hey. The two... Of you.”

  “What’s up, Rentt?”

  “What is it, Mister Vivie?”

  I didn’t have too much trouble attracting their attention, at least.

  “...We should... Buy new maps.”

  The two looked surprised at my words, before eventually pulling out the supplied map from their packs.

  “Well, we have a map right here, Rentt.”

  “That’s right... Can’t we simply use this one?”

  I shook my head. “...This... Map. Was drawn... Almost 15 years... Ago. There is no... Guarantee. That this map is... Still accurate, now.”

  “Eh...? Ah! You’re right! Why’d they write something this important in such tiny letters? It’s even in this tiny corner, too!” Raiz said as he finally made out the fine print on the corner of the map.

  Labyrinths weren’t static structures. It was all too common for the chambers and interior structures of a labyrinth to collapse and reshape themselves, event
ually forming new roads into the unknown.

  With that being said, however, labyrinths typically changed their interior structure once every ten to twenty years. Given that this map was 15 years old, I could not help but have my doubts about its accuracy. It would be best for us to purchase the newest edition of the New Moon’s map.

  I, of course, had the Map of Akasha, so other maps mattered little to me. The problem in this case, however, was the fact that the designated location was only on the guild-provided map. Unfortunately for me, a route to the designated location was not charted on the Map of Akasha—a road yet to be traveled, perhaps. Hence my suggestion, for all the reasons above, that we were better off purchasing a new map altogether.

  “Who should we buy it from, though...?” Raiz questioned, craning his head as he took a good look around.

  Map merchants were a common sight in the streets of Maalt, and they were, of course, present in large numbers near the entrance of the New Moon. The problem, in this case, was not one of quantity, but of trust: who should one believe? Anyone could scribble some lines on a canvas and call it a map.

  With that in mind, I took a good look around myself, and almost immediately settled on a single peddler in the distance.

  “...We will buy... Our map. From that... Person.”

  Looking at the individual I had pointed out, my teammates both raised their eyebrows.

  “...He looks super suspicious, you know?” “Yes, he does... Looks a little out of the ordinary...” was what they had to say.

  I could not fault them, however. The person I had pointed to was a man dressed in black robes, seemingly emanating a strange, unreadable aura. Upon closer inspection, the corner of the man’s lips curled up in a sort of twisted half-smile; it almost seemed like he would attempt to sell us dangerous herbs.

  ...Perhaps I should not be commenting on the appearances of robed individuals. What made me so different from that other robed man? My teammates did not seem to distrust me as much...

  In any case, I made a beeline for the robed man. The two of them, still relatively unconvinced, quickly followed after me, having apparently set their doubts aside for the time being.

  ◆◇◆◇◆

  “...Oh? What is this? Do you have business with me?” a small, hunched man in black robes said, his beady eyes immediately coming to rest upon me as I approached. He seemed amused; genuinely amused, if I may say so.

  Around me were other Iron-class adventurers, all purchasing maps from one merchant or another, having noticed the discrepancy within their guild-provided maps. With that being said, the very fact that the only person who had approached this robed man was none other than myself was a reasonable indicator of his suspicious appearance.

  Map merchants were a breed of their own. Yes, they were mainly present in droves on the streets of Maalt, but at labyrinth entrances, as well. Many of them hawked their wares, some claiming to have maps with intricate notes and otherwise hard-to-obtain information. The robed man before me, however, was nothing like the rest. In fact, he simply stood there, occasionally swaying like a stick in the wind. Needless to say, he stood out, as one would expect him to. Anyone who took so much as a glance at him wouldn’t think he sold maps.

  “...Sell me. A map.”

  The man seemed somewhat impressed at my sudden declaration.

  “Hmm...? How very perceptive of you, to know that I sell maps. Look at your peers! No other adventurer has approached me.”

  “I do not... Care about your... Observations. Please sell... Me a map.”

  But of course I had to be curt, for I knew the quirks of this man far too well. If he were to speak to someone he did not know, he would branch off in various pointless segues, before finally disappearing like smoke, not leaving a single trace.

  Perhaps this behavior would come across as strange from a supposed map merchant. While many theories had been proposed, I suppose the man simply was not in the business of selling maps to people he did not know. There were, after all, adventurers who would not hesitate to use violence to achieve their means. With that in mind, the man’s behavior was perhaps not too difficult to understand.

  “...Heh heh... So, you want a map? Here you go... And that will be two silver coins.”

  Saying so, the man withdrew what appeared to be a scroll made of roughly-hewn paper from the depths of his robes. I, however, was having none of that.

  “...I only want a map... Of the first floor. Also... That is far... Too expensive for a map. Let us... Be fair. I will pay... five bronze coins. A fair... Price, no?”

  He seemed surprised at my interjection, but immediately withdrew another scroll from his robes, offering it to me.

  “...Ho. So, you’ll probably make the cut after all... You two little ones there. You’ll listen to this man if you know what’s good for you...

  “Heh. Five bronze coins it is, then.”

  And so it came to be that I handed the man my coins with one hand, taking the map with my other. Almost immediately, the robed man disappeared before our very eyes, almost as if he was never there in the first place.

  Raiz and Laura, who had been standing wide-eyed behind me all this time, finally decided to give their opinions on the matter.

  “Hey, Rentt... Is this map really gonna be okay?”

  “I’ve never seen someone as strange as that before...”

  I could hardly blame them for having their doubts, but in any case, I held out our newly-purchased map, displaying its details to my companions.

  “...We should... Compare this map... With the one the guild... Gave us.”

  The two were quick to cooperate, at the very least. Swiftly retrieving their maps from their bags, we began comparing the two scrolls in detail. The differences were remarkable, to say the least.

  “...So, this passageway is caved in? And...this path here has just...changed? Labyrinths can do that?”

  “Umm... The cloaked man seems to have written down the locations of many traps and the like... Oh. It would be bad if we took the shortest path to our marked location; it’s a dead end now.”

  Such was the continued stream of muttering and relief from the two. Eventually, they both looked up from the scrolls, staring at me instead.

  “You’re pretty good, Rentt! If we didn’t have you with us, we’d have surely run in with that old map and gotten lost!”

  “Yes! With this map, the test will certainly go smoothly!”

  They seemed convinced of my capabilities, if nothing else.

  While I did not say it out loud for fear of dampening Laura’s spirits, obtaining a map was only the first step; this alone was not enough to pass the guild’s trials. We had safely sidestepped the first of many gates that barred us from our goal. Perhaps that would be a more accurate image of our situation.

  “...The guild is... Known for pulling... Tricks like this. There is no knowing... What is in the labyrinth, as well. Let us advance... Carefully.”

  The two nodded eagerly at my words. It seemed that I had been blessed with relatively honest and straightforward teammates.

  I could not help worrying about their future, however; a little bit of doubt was a healthy thing to have. While I meant them no ill will, the same could not be said about their future encounters.

  ◆◇◆◇◆

  “HAAAAA!!”

  With a loud shout and a quick swing of his blade, Raiz made short work of the Skeleton before him. While it was by no means a forceful swing, it was accurate, cleanly cleaving into and shattering the Skeleton’s skull. The Skeleton, for its part, did not seem very satisfied at this, and instead continued to amble on, headless.

  Jumping out from behind Raiz, I gave my own sword a good swing, bringing its edge through the Skeleton’s remaining bones, making it rain bone fragments.

  “...Huff... Puff...”

  Raiz seemed somewhat out of breath after our engagement. This was, of course, not the first Skeleton to bar our advance, as we had felled countless of its brethren
on our way here.

  Our formation was a simple one: Raiz was the vanguard, and Laura was the rear. I stood between them, protecting Laura while assisting Raiz with what attacks I could.

  The two of them, however, seemed close to their limits. While I could have progressed myself without as much difficulty, that was not the point here: the goal of this test was to clear the guild’s trials as a team.

  “...Raiz. Are you... All right?”

  “Don’t...worry. I mean...I probably shouldn’t say that. It’s getting to me, yeah... For starters, did this part of the New Moon always have this many monsters?!”

  Raiz’s observations had merit, as there were indeed more monsters in this area than usual. Although the Labyrinth was inhabited by a fair number of monsters, the concentration of said monsters in this area was quite unnatural.

  If I had to guess, this was more of the guild’s efforts—guild staff must have gone through the trouble of leading monsters to this location. Demonstrating one’s combat prowess and stamina was, after all, part of the requirements for becoming a Bronze-class adventurer.

  “While the guild... Cannot control... The monsters of the labyrinth, they can... Use fragrances or... People. To lead, concentrate monsters... Into a certain location. That is probably... The reason.”

  Laura was the first to respond.

  “Fragrance...? Ah, yes. Fragrances... Incenses and such, to lead monsters to a specific location...”

  “The guild doing it... Is part of the test... Perhaps. But there are... Also people. Who use these methods... To entrap their fellow candidates. We should... Be careful.”

  Laura’s previously innocent and cheerful expression turned dark upon hearing my words of caution.

  “There are people who do that sort of thing...?” Surprise and sadness tinted her voice.

  I suppose she had not wanted to believe that such individuals existed—oh, but they did indeed exist. Death was a force of nature in the labyrinths, after all. Even if an individual had lured or entrapped another to his or her death, the discussion would end then and there as long as they were not caught. There was also the option of letting the labyrinth’s monsters do the job. That way, one did not have to dirty their own hands.