Chapter 164 - Exploration (3)

My sleep-addled mind turns cold and clear. Much like a cooling fan kicking in before a task that generates a lot of heat.

'So we have a rat...'

My heart beats low and steady as my thoughts accelerate.

Sky Tower is an isolated layer. Once the portal changes color, no one can follow us inside. None of the items or hidden pieces I know of can get around that.

Which means...

'They came in before the portal changed color.'

They entered with us from the very beginning.

Of course, we accounted for that possibility. We waited a while to make sure no one followed us in, and cast detection magic before setting off to check for stealth abilities...

'A rank-two stealth skill or higher could evade detection. Most spells can't pick those up.'

Of course, that's only the worst-case scenario. It's unlikely this intruder is actually a big shot with a rank-two Essence. Detection magic caught them in the end, didn't it? It makes more sense that they used an item or technique to evade detection only when we first entered.

'Following us all this time without committing is proof they aren't confident in their fighting ability.'

Good. Suddenly, I'm feeling braver. Raven doesn't seem too frightened either, judging by how calmly she's briefing me.

Now, how should we handle this?

["I don't think they'll hurt me right away. So please think carefully about how you're going to resolve this before acting. My life is in your hands, Mr. Jandel—"]

The answer comes quickly.

"VEHELLLAAAAAA!!"

Shouting the ancestral god's name, I spring to my feet and charge straight toward Raven.

["You lunatic!!"]

Raven screams directly into my head in horror...

But this is the best option. If I get clever and she ends up taken hostage, we'll really have a problem.

Besides, they don't know we've noticed them, do they? People struggle to make rational decisions when they're startled badly enough.

"Raven! Are you all right?! You were in my dream!!"

I throw in a suitable line as I run, hoping to make the intruder think, 'Huh? They haven't spotted me?' Even for a moment.

I'm giving them something to cling to.

Of course, even I can't be sure what decision they'll make in that split second...

"Eek!"

But they remain hidden until I reach Raven.

How considerate.

"What's happening?! An enemy?!"

"... What? I was sleeping so well."

The other three jolt awake at the late-night commotion. That was the second effect I hoped to achieve by shouting the ancestral god's name. Now they'll be ready even if the rat tries to ambush or take another teammate hostage.

But did Misha hear exactly what I shouted, even in her sleep? Our eyes meet, and she hangs her head as though an arrow has pierced her heart.

"In your dream... S-so that's what you two are to each other, nyah...? I-I had no idea. Right... And all this time, without knowing... Nyaha, haha, ha..."

What is she going on about now?

I skip the explanations and simply shout.

"Prepare for combat! There's a rat in here!"

As explorers, they respond without question to the words "prepare for combat." Almost by reflex, the three draw their weapons, close ranks, and watch their surroundings. I quickly move over to join them.

"Bjorn, a rat? There are rats on the fourth floor too?"

"... I mean there's another explorer hiding here."

"O-oh? I thought you meant an actual rat! You startled me!"

... Shouldn't the fact that it isn't a rat be more alarming?

I have plenty to say, but hold my tongue. That's not what I need to be doing right now.

"Raven, where are they?"

"Th-they're gone. My detection magic isn't picking them up."

Right. Back in detection-immunity mode. I don't know whether it's an item or a technique, but if it's an activated ability rather than a passive one, it must have a duration.

"Keep casting it until they show up."

I move Raven out of my arms and behind my back, issuing another order.

"They have a stealth ability, so stay focused. They'll have to reveal themselves when they attack."

My teammates seem to have grasped the situation now, watching our surroundings with serious expressions.

Several minutes pass in silence.

"..."

The intruder still hasn't shown themselves. But they can't be planning to hold out forever. They probably just need time to think things through.

Not that they'll find an answer.

"Mr. Jandel..."

"Don't get anxious. Time is on our side."

All four doors of the stone chamber are firmly shut. There's no way to escape. If there were a Stairs of Fate here, they might try to turn the situation around, but there isn't.

"Just come out. I'll make your death painless."

As I murmur into empty air, Raven speaks.

"I've detected them!"

"Where?"

"Over there, by the door!"

So that's where they've been.

"Can you dispel it too?"

"Yes, now that I've pinpointed the target."

"How long will it take?"

Raven doesn't answer. She merely points the wand in her hand forward.

「Allua Raven has cast the rank-eight support spell [Track].」

The gem at the tip of her wand glows.

And then...

WHOOOOSH!

Blue motes cling to something transparent, tracing a human outline. When the light fades, the hidden intruder is finally revealed.

"Dressed just like a rat."

A masked figure wearing a skintight stealth outfit.

"VEHELLLAAAAAA!"

"...!"

The instant our eyes meet, I kick off the ground and charge.

CLUNK.

As though having made a decision, the intruder throws the door wide open and runs up the stairs.

"Bjorn! They're getting away, nyah!"

"Don't panic. Gather our things first."

Rather than give chase immediately, I collect the belongings scattered across the floor. The door will close once no one remains in here, and then we won't be able to come back down for our things.

Well, we could leave someone behind...

'But why bother?'

There's no reason to hurry.

The door the intruder went through leads to none other than the Stairs of Courage. The monsters won't even appear until all of us reach the top.

In short, this rat is already trapped.

"I've got everything."

"Then let's go."

We stuff everything, sleeping bags included, into our backpacks and pursue the intruder. The stone door slams shut once everyone is inside. Shield raised in front of me, I lead the way up the stairs.

'From that look in their eyes, I don't think they just ran upstairs without a plan... '

I'm a little tense. What exactly are they after? Nothing comes to mind, so I proceed upward with even greater caution.

Before long, the stairs end, and I see the empty next stage through the open doorway.

No, perhaps "empty" isn't quite the word.

'Tsk. I wasn't expecting this... '

In the center of the stone chamber, roughly 130 square meters in size, a corpse is melting.

* * *

BANG!

The door closes once everyone enters the stone chamber. Then a group of monsters is summoned.

"Still nothing on your detection magic?"

"No."

"Fight on the assumption that they could be hiding nearby."

We maintain a defensive formation as we clear out the monsters. It takes about six minutes.

Once the battle ends, everyone's gaze naturally settles on the same spot.

"Bjorn, that body..."

Misha trails off. But that's all right; I think I know what she's trying to ask.

Is it real?

I call in the expert.

"Raven."

"It's not a fake. I can feel residual mana."

"Plain language."

"It means this person just died."

"Could it—"

"It can't be someone else's body either. It's faint, but the wavelength of the mana is a perfect match."

... Right. So that's what happened.

'Fucking hell.'

The intruder killed themselves before we could properly exchange a single word. That fact leaves me uneasy.

You see this sort of thing in novels, don't you? Members of secret organizations swallowing poison before they're taken prisoner.

'It's never happened before, so it didn't even occur to me.'

I've met plenty of fuckers, but every one of them wanted to live until the very end. This is the first time someone has run off and immediately killed themselves.

We hadn't even had a proper fight.

"... We'd better check first."

I approach slowly and remove the mask. But I can't even determine their sex or race. All the facial muscles have melted and are sloughing off.

What is this, some kind of faceless ghost?

"Mr. Jandel, could you try removing the clothes too?"

I strip the corpse as the mage requests. An even worse sight is revealed.

"As I thought, the whole body has melted. It isn't acid or anything like that. The clothes are intact..."

Raven approaches without hesitation and examines the corpse, prodding it here and there with something like a metal rod.

"The bones are still properly attached. There's nothing wrong with the hair either. It seems to be a substance that only breaks down proteins..."

Watching her handle the corpse without batting an eye, I can't help asking,

"Are you all right?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Back then, you threw up at the sight of the Corpse Golem—"

"Aagh! That was because a blast of rotten stench hit me while I was chanting! I see much more disgusting things during experiments. This doesn't bother me at all, you know?"

"... I see."

Her personality really doesn't match her looks. Even Mister Bear, an explorer with ten years of experience, is turning away.

"... Jandel, are you sure they're dead?"

"It seems so, for now."

"Then I'll go rest over there. Cheese is my favorite food."

"Cheese?"

"If I keep looking at this, I don't think I'll be able to eat cheese anymore."

That seems a fair enough reason, so I give him permission. Aynar and Misha also excuse themselves for similar reasons.

"Ch-cheese? I don't know what that is, but it sounds delicious."

"Bjorn? I don't think I'd be much help staying here, nyah..."

... Right. There's no need for all of us to suffer.

"Go rest, both of you."

I focus on my conversation with Raven.

"Did they swallow poison?"

"Yes. I don't know which alchemist made it, but it's very unusual. As soon as it's swallowed, its components are expelled through the sweat glands, melting the skin."

"The perfect poison for suicide."

"Exactly. Especially if you need to hide your identity."

My unease deepens. Who the hell was this fucker? Whatever the case, they don't seem like an ordinary plunderer.

CLINK.

I remove the intruder's equipment. It's loot, for one thing... but I also figure there might be a clue to their identity.

"No identity tag."

"... That's strange."

It's more than strange. Without an identity tag, you can't pass through the checkpoint when you return to the city.

'Could this fucker really have been sent by the Dragonslayer?'

If they're from the underground city, that would explain the missing identity tag. Entertaining even that possibility, I search every inch of the intruder's expanded bag.

There aren't many things inside. A few exploration supplies and some food.

And...

"Wow, this person must be a professional. Sleep-inducing herbs, Basilisk Paralytic Venom... They've got all sorts of things."

Everything else is a consumable intended for use against people, including some rare enough to tempt Raven.

'This fucker really had nothing but killing on their mind.'

I never exchanged a word with the masked man, but I get chills nonetheless. A devious method of plundering that exploits the fourth floor's peculiarities. Without Raven, we could have been in serious trouble.

"By the way, what were you doing at that hour?"

"... Just washing up."

Oh, right. She did say that.

"Why not do it while everyone was awake?"

"... Excuse me, this is only my second time in the Labyrinth, you know? And I haven't even known Mr. Urigfried for a month."

Right. She's still adjusting. She's so capable that it hadn't even occurred to me.

Anyway, has she finally noticed what she's wearing? Raven, dressed in something like a thin one-piece dress, frowns, opens her subspace, and takes out clothes to put on.

"Tell me next time. I'll put up a screen or something."

"No need. I'm an explorer now, aren't I? I'm not going to make a fuss over something like that."

"If you say so."

Raven and I exchange a few more words while examining the corpse, but find nothing of note. So we cover the masked man, now reduced to pudding, with a cloth and gather in one corner to finish sleeping.

Oh, of course, we decide to keep watch just in case.

I'm first.

"..."

As I review the day's events in the silence, I hear a distressed groan. It comes from Raven's sleeping bag.

Is she having a nightmare?

Just as I'm wondering whether to wake her, Raven slowly opens her eyes.

"... Mr. Jandel."

"You're awake? Don't worry. Go back to sleep. I'm keeping watch."

"It's not that. There's something I want to ask."

I tell her to go ahead. After a brief pause, she finally manages to speak.

"What would have happened if I hadn't cast detection magic back then?"

She sounds nothing like her usual confident self.

Then I realize. However calmly she acted, however well she seemed to compose herself afterward, there was no way she could have escaped this without a shock.

"Do you want an honest answer?"

"Yes."

"With bad luck, we'd all have died. With good luck, we'd have gotten away with only one or two dead."

Silence hangs between us for a moment.

"Is exploration... always like this?"

I nod with a bitter smile.

"Yes."

Never knowing when or where you'll run into some fucking bastard. Knowing your life might end one day.

That's exploration.

But...

"Still, don't worry. It's not all hardship and horror."

I don't know whether it'll comfort her, but I tell her about my time with the Outcast Team. About Dwalki, dejected after his first encounter with plunderers. About the beautiful scenery Rotmiller showed us on the third floor for his sake.

"My seniors said it was just a meaningless mana-supersaturation phenomenon."

Raven gives a faint chuckle as she murmurs. I wonder if that's how a classically trained mage sees things...

"Still, I'd really like to see it next time."

"All right. Next time, I'll wake you before midnight."

Before long, I hear slightly easier breathing from Raven's sleeping bag.

And so the eighth day draws to a close.