Chapter Fifty-One: “Labyrinth Paradise”
Safe Zone Floor 18**.
An underground world brimming with crystals and the essence of nature.
Alternative name — “Labyrinth Paradise.”
Counting from the first floor, or rather the Dungeon’s First Layer, Floor 18 is the first Safe Floor within the labyrinth.
After traversing the narrow Cave linking Floors 17 and 18, Izay and Ryu arrived at this Safe Floor.
Emerging from the cave entrance, the first sight that greeted their eyes was a grand and expansive Great Prairie bathed in warm, bright light.
A vast expanse of verdant green dominated the view, with small shadows flitting through the air and across the ground—these were Monsters.
Though it was a Safe Floor, no Monsters naturally spawned on Floor 18 itself. However, creatures from deeper layers like Floors 19 and 20 occasionally crossed over to reach this level.
For the Adventurers, Floor 18 seemed more like a “Paradise” for Monsters.
Scattered throughout the landscape were numerous crystals.
To the left lay what could be called a swamp but was so large it might as well be a Lake—a vast pool of water.
The surface shimmered with a vivid deep blue, and at its center floated a massive rock—or rather, an “Island.”
To the right stretched an endless forest, clearly vast and expansive. In the distance, near the center of the Great Prairie ahead, stood a towering tree whose hollows were clearly visible.
Izay, seeing this colossal tree for the first time, tilted his head upward until his gaze reached the high ceiling.
What illuminated the entire floor were the crystals.
The ceiling of Floor 18 was adorned with countless radiant crystals.
There were innumerable crystals covering every corner, their colors divided into two kinds: a white reminiscent of the sun at the center, surrounded by a cerulean hue evoking the sky.
These crystals replaced the role of the sun in the underworld, distinguishing day from night.
Although the exact mechanism was unknown, each night these glowing crystals dimmed, creating “night.”
“So this is what the scenery of a Safe Floor looks like? Truly, hearing about it is not the same as seeing it…”
Perhaps due to coming from the upper levels, Izay found himself naturally positioned higher up.
Walking a short distance toward the prairie before the entrance allowed him to take in most of the floor.
It looked much like the natural wonders of the outside world.
It was hard to imagine such a place existed beneath the earth.
Speaking of which, they’d been lucky this time.
When passing through Floor 17, the mighty being known as “Labyrinth Lone King,” Goliath, the floor boss, had yet to manifest.
As the floor boss, Goliath required a relatively long resurrection time after being defeated—about half a month.
Half a month ago, the Loki Familia (Familial Group) embarked on a deep expedition into the dungeon and killed him. Calculating carefully, it was nearly time for Goliath’s rebirth, either today or tomorrow.
Izay and Ryu managed to pass just in time, narrowly avoiding an encounter with Goliath.
Otherwise, reaching Floor 18 would have undoubtedly involved a grueling battle with Goliath.
“Indeed, it’s a beautiful place, and I feel the same way every time I come here… But surely, Izay-san, you’ll soon be able to move freely in and out of here?”
Listening to the rustling sound akin to leaves brushing against one another, Ryu softly replied.
Currently, Izay was still Level 1, so Ryu refrained from making overly bold statements.
However, once he returned from this trip and leveled up, the Middle Layers would become a regular visiting spot for him.
“That’s true～”
Izay nodded nonchalantly, then shifted his gaze to the right, toward the depths of the Forest.
Within the forest, there was a wide path clearly set aside for travelers, along with several open areas suitable for adventurers to rest and camp.
And now, deep within the forest, a large Campsite was clearly visible, marked by flags bearing a jester emblem.
“Huh…this…”
Izay stared at the large campsite in silence.
It made sense; calculating the timeline, the Loki Familia conducting their deep expedition should be returning around now. Their appearance on Floor 18 wasn’t surprising.
They’d likely rest here for a day or two before heading back to the upper floors.
“It’s the Loki Familia～”
Ryu also spotted the campsite with the clown-flag and spoke calmly, her azure eyes fixed on Izay, seemingly waiting for his response.
“Hmm, I see it.”
“Shall we go check it out?”
“Nah, let’s skip that. Isn’t my time currently occupied by you, Miss Ryu? It wouldn’t be right to think about other things now.”
“…”
Ryu opened her mouth but was momentarily at a loss for words upon hearing Izay’s reply.
Forget it, if she didn’t know how to respond, she wouldn’t say anything.
Otherwise, if she said something and gave Izay an opening, she’d end up enduring another round of teasing.
Having already figured out Izay’s behavioral patterns, Ryu wisely chose not to engage with him at this moment.
“Eh? Where are you going, Miss Ryu?”
“To do what needs to be done.”
“Why are you rushing off like that? Consider my status as an injured person!”
“Hmph, someone without a single scratch calling themselves injured?”
“Shouldn’t internal injuries count? An injury is still an injury!”
Following the silent Elf girl’s footsteps, Izay categorized his mental trauma as an “internal injury.”
Hmm…this didn’t seem entirely wrong either…
With occasional exchanges, the duo gradually ventured deeper into the forest.
Floor 18 lacked both labyrinths and partitioning walls, consisting of a circular, spacious area.
Sheer cliffs encircled the entire floor, extending all the way to the crystal-laden ceiling.
To the south was a Cave leading to Floor 17, where Izay had seen the Loki Familia’s campsite nearby.
However, since Ryu didn’t want others to recognize her, especially not the Loki Familia who frequented “The Bountiful Mistress” Tavern, they delved straight into the forest, circumventing the campsite.
The forest extended from the southern region to the eastern side, with glimpses of emerald streams and springs.
To the north lay sparsely wooded wetlands, possibly devoid of any barriers like the Great Prairie, where the dark silhouettes of roaming monsters were particularly prominent.
Bathed in the white light from above, bird-like monsters took flight en masse from the water’s edge.
Monsters from the lower layers came here seeking abundant fruits and clear water.
In the west stood a massive rocky island dominating the lake, with a tree boasting an exceptionally thick trunk at its center.
These natural landscapes encompassed the entirety of Floor 18.
On the island in the west, there was a town established by adventurers—”Rivira Town.”
It was said the town was named to honor the first great female adventurer, “Rivira Santilini,” who founded it.
Here, resources could be purchased from the adventurers stationed in the town, though prices were quite steep.
Chapter Fifty-Two: Matters Regarding Bathing and Peeping
Walking through a strange, tranquil forest, surrounded by almost identical trees and crystal fields.
The trees were spaced widely apart, allowing shafts of light to silently filter through the gaps in the branches, illuminating the surroundings.
“Izay-san, do you wish to rest now?”
Passing yet another location that felt eerily familiar, Ryu asked Izay again.
“…Miss Ryu, why do you keep fixating on this question?”
Izay was puzzled.
Since entering the forest, how many times had he been asked this now?
Three? Five? Or even more?
Hard to say… Izay, who had been contemplating which area they were approaching, hadn’t paid attention to the frequency.
But judging by his memory, it was certainly more than just a couple of times.
But…why?
Why was she so focused on whether he wanted to rest?
Did he give off the impression of being that fragile?
Izay couldn’t figure it out.
Walking ahead, Ryu slightly lowered her gaze, adopting a deadpan expression, looking utterly exasperated.
Do you think I want to keep asking this?!
I need to bathe!
Bath! Bath!!!
Soon, she would pay respects to her fallen comrades, and it was impossible to do so while reeking of sweat, right?
Some people might not care, but for Ryu, an Elf, it mattered greatly!
Every time she came to Floor 18 to mourn her companions and offer flowers, she always washed herself beforehand in a nearby pristine spring.
Now, with Izay trailing behind her, she wanted to go but had no opportunity.
Thus, she pondered ways to temporarily separate from him.
The only excuse or reason Ryu could think of was “resting.”
So, she led Izay around in circles within this forest, but it seemed to have little effect…
Her mood was indescribable.
“That… Miss Ryu?”
“Hmm.”
“Are we not walking in circles?”
“Oh, that’s just your illusion, Izay-san～”
Ryu paused mid-step when her inner calculations were detected, then responded with a casual tone.
However, Izay approached a tree with a peculiar expression and touched the trunk.
“It’s probably not an illusion… Look, there’s a mark I made earlier～”
He pressed his hand against the distinctive mark on the tree trunk, confirming it was carved by his Spear earlier.
The mark was unmistakable.
“Miss Ryu… Could we possibly be lost?”
Frankly speaking, Izay himself didn’t fully believe this.
Izay knew Ryu had come to Floor 18 to pay respects to her departed Familial Group companions.
While he wasn’t aware of the specific location, there was no doubt that Ryu should be extremely familiar with Floor 18’s environment.
The possibility of being lost… Perhaps it existed?
“…”
Upon hearing this, Ryu fell silent, then glanced aside as if resigning herself to fate.
After a few seconds, she spoke softly.
“No, we’re not lost—it was intentional on my part…”
“Ah, this…”
Unaware of the elf girl’s thoughts, Izay blinked, surprised and confused.
“Izay-san.”
“Hmm?”
“Didn’t you already learn about me from the Deity Loki?”
“Uh, a little bit?”
“Another ‘little bit,’ huh…”
Seeing Izay answer this way again, Ryu helplessly shook her head.
“Since we’ve come this far, there’s no need to pretend ignorance anymore, right?”
Ryu spoke with utmost certainty, having already accepted the facts in her heart.
At this point, Izay sighed slightly.
“Alright, as you suspected, I do know many things—but only what I personally know.”
Finally, you admitted it!
Rolling her eyes, Ryu somehow felt a sense of relief.
“So, you should understand why I’ve come to Floor 18, right?”
“To offer flowers to the departed companions?”
“Yes, and do you know what Elves typically do before mourning their fallen comrades?”
“What?”
This abrupt line of questioning left Izay stunned.
What did Elven customs have to do with leading him in circles through the forest?
In Izay’s view, these two matters were completely unrelated, touching upon his knowledge blind spots.
“Bathing…”
Ryu turned her head away, softly uttering a single word.
Instantly, Izay understood.
“Cough cough cough… Ah, I see, I get it now…”
That was why Ryu had kept asking if he wanted to rest and had been leading him in circles through the forest.
The entire reason was because Ryu wanted some alone time but didn’t feel comfortable voicing it directly.
“If that’s the case, would you mind waiting here for a while, Izay-san?”
“Hmm.”
In response, Izay nodded with an awkward yet polite smile.
After explaining herself, Ryu wasted no time, swiftly disappearing into the woods with a few agile leaps.
“This is truly…”
A laughable misunderstanding.
Izay scratched his head, feeling it was such a waste to have walked so much unnecessarily.
Meanwhile, Ryu easily located a clean spring within the forest.
The forest grew darker as sunlight faded, taking on a bluish glow.
Around the spring, crystals grew evenly spaced on the ground, emitting a dreamlike soft light.
“Sigh… Let’s hurry up…”
The elf girl sighed, quickly shedding her clothes.
This time was different from before; someone was waiting for her, so there was no time for leisurely soaking.
But speaking of which…
Ryu hesitated, her hand pausing as she prepared to place her clothes on the ground.
She recalled a conversation during one of Loki’s drunken outings with Izay at “The Bountiful Mistress.”
—Peeping is romantic～
That topic had sparked an enthusiastic discussion between the two, who were slightly tipsy at the time.
“Izay-san… He hasn’t followed to peek, has he?”
Suddenly, the girl spun around, scanning her surroundings.
“He shouldn’t have, right?”
She glanced back at the path she’d taken.
“There shouldn’t be, right?”
Even checking all the bushes thoroughly.
“It seems not…”
After fussing a bit, Ryu finally submerged herself completely in the spring.
At the same time, Izay, who had placed his gear on a large tree branch fork and climbed to its highest point, shook his head regretfully.
“Ah, what a pity, can’t see anything…”
This was the tallest tree in the area, and Izay had practically climbed to its peak, gazing regretfully in the direction Ryu had gone.
As the saying goes, peeping is a man’s romance.
But following someone outright was too deliberate and carried a high chance of being caught—something Izay wouldn’t be foolish enough to attempt.
He sought finesse.
Standing at a vantage point and overlooking from above—wasn’t that equally effective?
With his divine-enhanced vision, surveying the entire forest wasn’t an issue, and he’d be less likely to be noticed.
Unfortunately, the area where Ryu was located was too densely wooded, obscuring the spring entirely—a genuine disappointment.
Accepting the failure of his peeping plan, Izay plopped down at the intersection of branches atop the tall tree, causing the foliage to sway precariously.
With nothing else to do, he decided to enjoy the breeze atop the tree～
“Hmm? Is this!!!”
