Mushoku Tensei (LN) - Volume 12 - Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Confirming the Situation 

R OXY WAS in trouble. 

The moment I heard that, I felt the immediate need to go rushing off to find her. She was lost in a teleportation labyrinth, but fortunately, I had An Exploratory Account of the Teleportation Labyrinth at my side. A strategic guide. I had also researched teleportation circles myself, and as long as we had time to observe one of the circles, we could surely use this book to guide us through. 

But first, I had to be clear on where things currently stood. That was important. 

It might be a race against time for both Roxy and Zenith. If we were even five minutes late, it could be the difference between life or death for them. Even so—or rather, precisely for that reason—we couldn’t be hasty. We had to confirm the situation, carefully prepare, and then save them without fail. 

If we were too hasty, we might overlook something important and make a mistake, rendering all our efforts in vain. That would cost us not only five minutes, but maybe even a day, perhaps two or three. We had to be cautious. There was no room for mistakes here. 

A mistake, I was sure, would leave me with regrets. Whatever the circumstances, if my errors led to us being unable to save Roxy or Zenith, I would be left with overwhelming regrets. 

“Father, I have a notebook with me by an adventurer who went deep into the Teleportation Labyrinth.” I started by revealing the book’s existence. 

An Exploratory Account of the Teleportation Labyrinth was once shown to me by Master Fitz. It had detailed information about the shape of teleportation circles, which were considered taboo. The only reason it had avoided censorship at the university was either because it had simply been lucky enough to go unnoticed, or because it was an adventurer’s tale. The fact that it hadn’t been taken off the shelves meant it was possible the book was pure fiction. 

The Teleportation Labyrinth was one into which no one had ventured. The author might just have used the concept to spin this fictional tale, but that seemed unlikely to me. After all, the teleportation circles described in this book bore a striking resemblance to the real thing. I’d researched the circles myself, and this book had the most accurate and precise information about them that I’d found when cross-referencing it with other such books. I was certain of it. 

Still, it could be referencing a different teleportation labyrinth. I couldn’t rule out the possibility of there being another labyrinth in this world that was littered with teleportation traps. A guidebook of the same name had no value unless its contents matched the situation. 

“If the labyrinth written about in here matches the one we’re about to enter, then this could really help us navigate our way.” 

When I said that, Paul’s eyes widened. “Hold on, Rudy…why do you even have a book like that?” 

“I thought it might be useful, so I took it from the university library and brought it along.” 

“I see…” 

For now, I’d decided to leave out the part about the teleportation circles by which we’d traveled. At the moment, we needed to confirm whether the labyrinth in the book matched the one we were about to head into. 

“I’d like to go over the contents of the book. If it seems like it might be helpful, let’s make use of it.” Paul took it in his hands and, after a long, hard look at the front cover, immediately passed it over to Geese. 

The latter held it and turned to me. “I’ll go ahead and read it then, ’kay?” 

“Please do.” 

Why Geese? I wondered. Everyone acted like this was natural, though, so I chose not to ask. This must just be Geese’s role in Paul’s party. He was capable of doing anything, so that was just what he did. I felt like I’d heard him say as much before. He was probably also in charge of mapping their labyrinth diving and organizing the information at their disposal. 

“Father, while Geese is reading that, I’d like you to tell me about the labyrinth.” I stood directly in front of Paul, prepared to direct questions his way for the purpose of confirming what was written in the book. 

“Sure, go ahead.” 

My questions pertained to the types and names of monsters, the number of floors to the deepest level, the status of the interior, and the shape of the circles. Paul readily answered. 

Let’s start with the monsters. There were five types in the labyrinth, but Paul had only made it to the third floor, so there were some beasts he hadn’t seen yet. 

Death Road Tarantula: An enormous, venomous spider. Even though it was a tarantula, it still shot out thread. Its poison could be treated with Beginner-tier Detoxification magic. A B-rank monster. 

Iron Crawler: A tank-like caterpillar. Heavy and tough. B-rank. 

Mud Skull: A human-shaped monster covered in mud. It had a skull buried within its center that was its weak spot. A-rank. It looked pretty ridiculous, but it was intelligent and could use magic to sling mud at you. 

Armored Warrior: A rusty suit of armor with four arms, each carrying a razor-sharp blade in hand. A-rank. 

Devouring Devil: A beast with long arms and legs, as well as knife-like claws and fangs. A-rank. 

How many floors to the bottom level? Unknown. Rumor had it that it was either six or seven floors, but no one had actually delved those depths far enough to look upon its guardian yet. As for the state of each of those floors, that was difficult to describe, too, but the book had some accounts. 

The first floor was where spiders created their numerous webs. The second floor was occupied by a vast number of spiders and caterpillars. On the third floor, Mud Skulls took command over the aforementioned monsters. Once you got to the fourth floor, the spiders and caterpillars were virtually absent, leaving Mud Skulls and Armored Warriors. On the fifth floor, the Mud Skulls vanished and it was only Armored Warriors and Devouring Devils. After the sixth floor, there were only Devouring Devils. 

There was nothing in the book about floors after the sixth. 

The first three floors were part of an ant nest: complex, winding pathways with rooms connected at the end. Apparently, the teleportation circles were always located in the back of these rooms. According to the book, the labyrinth transformed into a stone ruin around the fourth floor, but Paul and his group hadn’t made it that far yet. But there was information about the beasts and first three floors to be found, courtesy of the trial and error of numerous adventurers. 

Finally, the shape of the teleportation circles. Carved into the ground were complex, bizarre shapes emitting a pale light. Hearing them described in detail, they sounded just like the ones I’d seen several times for myself. 

Most of what Paul said fell in line with what I’d read in the book and seen for myself. 

“This is amazin’, haha! Leave it to you, Boss. You brought us somethin’ incredible!” About the time Paul concluded his explanation, Geese clapped the book closed and raised his voice in excitement. Apparently, he was done flipping through it. He sure was a quick reader. Or perhaps he’d just skimmed the highlights. 

“Hey, Geese. Is it really that amazing?” Paul asked in surprise, seeing how elated his party member was. 

“Yeah, it’s unbelievable, Paul. If everything written in here is true, we basically have a map of the place down to the sixth floor.” Still gripped with enthusiasm, Geese passed the book over to Talhand. He left the dwarf to read over it and, unable to hide his excitement, began explaining the contents of the tome to Paul. “All the things we didn’t understand are written in that book. Which circles to hop on, which circles to stay away from, which ones will lead us where, and what we’ll be faced with when we use them!” 

Clearly, he was convinced this book was the real deal. 

Paul’s face turned grim as he fixed Geese with a glare. “I see. Then can you tell what’s happening to Roxy and Zenith based on what’s written in that book?” 

“Well…no,” Geese replied, looking as if he just had cold water dumped on him. 

“Don’t get too carried away. We can’t make any more mistakes,” Paul warned in a low voice. 

Right. We had to be careful. It would be heartbreaking if we blindly believed in that book, only for it to lead us to our doom. 

“I get what you’re tryin’ to say, Paul. But with this book and a dependable vanguard and rear guard, we’ll be fine. Let’s rejoice a little in the moment, yeah?” Geese said, peering around at those present. 

Paul followed his gaze, and eventually his eyes landed on me. “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry about that.” A small, calm smile appeared on his face. 

No matter how cornered you might feel, it was important to maintain your composure. Paul had to understand that. 

“All right, then. If you’re done reading, let’s decide on our formation.” Paul’s voice sounded more energetic, as if he’d gathered his spirits. The atmosphere in the room relaxed. 

Only five members would be diving into the labyrinth: Paul, Elinalise, Geese, Talhand, and me. That meant Vierra and Shierra were being swapped out for Elinalise and myself. The labyrinth was narrow, so even if we went in in large numbers, we’d just get in each other’s way. Elinalise was an upgrade on Vierra and I was an upgrade on Shierra. We’d only be stealing their roles from them if they joined. 

Elinalise was the tank, Paul was a secondary attacker, I was offense and healing, and Talhand could be either off-tank or secondary attacker. The four of us were in charge of battle. Talhand’s role was a bit vague, but he was a magician capable of Intermediate-tier earth magic as well as an all-purpose fighter. Thus, he was placed in a position where he could do either. Unwieldy as he looked, he was quite dexterous. Then again, all dwarves were. 

“We’ll be lookin’ after one another.” Talhand’s position would be either in front or behind me, so he gave me a friendly pat on the shoulder. For some reason, it made a chill run down my spine. 

“Rudy will generally be in charge of all magic,” Paul announced. “We’ll also be looking to you to heal us after each battle. Can you do that?” 

“No problem.” 

Offense and healing. It was my first time in a labyrinth and I still had my work cut out for me. That said, it was pretty much the same as when I worked as an adventurer. Surely I could handle it. 

And then there was Geese. Though not very useful in battle, he could skillfully pull off a bunch of other intricate tasks, like checking the map, confirming the direction we were headed, managing food supplies, selecting what materials to take from enemies and how to extract them, as well as deciding when to fall back. He was both in command and also the errand boy. Our manager, you might say. Labyrinth diving wasn’t just about battle, so a role like his was essential, too. 

That left three people—Vierra, Shierra and Lilia—who would act as support by waiting in the city or at the entrance to the labyrinth. You could say they were just house-sitting (or inn-sitting), but apparently that was an important job, too. From what I was told, large clans also assigned someone to house-sit when they went off labyrinth diving. 

I would leave the majority of the preparations to the pros: Talhand and Elinalise. I was still an amateur when it came to this. I could make use of knowledge from my former life to think up various strategies, but I’d leave that aside from the moment. First, I’d follow what the pros did. Then, if I thought up something we needed, I could suggest it. Anything I said would ultimately just be a suggestion. I had no idea if the knowledge I’d gained from playing roguelike RPGs in my previous life could be applied here. 

“Our first objective will be to get to the third floor,” Paul said, now that we’d decided on our formation. “Once there, we’ll track down Roxy.” 

We had no idea if she was still alive. If she was, then we had to recover her and withdraw. Depending on her condition, we could also just have her join our group as we headed deeper into the labyrinth. The six of us could explore the yet-untrodden fourth floor and beyond, plumbing the entirety of the labyrinth down to its deepest depths as we searched for wherever Zenith might be. 

I had no idea how many days this would take. It was going to be a long and complicated search. 

*** 

Paul, Lilia, and I slept in the same room that night. Geese had arranged it out of consideration for us, saying family should have time to be alone together. That said, most of the time I’d spent with Lilia was not as family. Until Aisha was born, she’d just been the maid, and that was really all I could still see her as. Paul regarded her as his wife, but ultimately only as the second wife. Zenith still came first on Paul’s list of priorities, with Lilia coming second, and Norn after that. That meant Aisha was fourth, and I guessed I was last. 

“This is our first time sharing sleeping quarters, isn’t it, Lord Rudeus?” 

“Yes, it is.” The way Lilia so respectfully conducted herself suggested she only saw Paul as her employer. Thanks to her influence, I found myself also speaking a bit stiffly. 

“If the master’s snoring disturbs you, please feel free to shove him,” she joked, keeping things surprisingly light-hearted. 

“Yes, all right…” I was unable to offer her the same. I had no idea what I should say. How had I talked to Lilia in the past? I seemed to recall our interactions back in Buena Village being rather businesslike. 

Paul had been watching me for a while now without saying a word. I wondered why. He sure had an odd expression on his face. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a cheesy grin, but he certainly looked relaxed. 

“If I might ask a question, Lord Rudeus,” Lilia spoke up. 

“Yes, what is it?” 

“Is Aisha performing acceptably?” 

It was thanks to her question that I finally realized the answer to my own. That’s right, family. We are a family, after all. So we can just talk about that . 

“Yes. She’s working really hard.” 

“She hasn’t caused you any trouble, has she?” 

“Not at all,” I assured her. “She’s a big help. She’s been doing all the household chores for us.” 

“Truly? I just hope she’s not making any selfish demands.” 

“Personally, it’d be easier for me if she were a little more demanding.” 

Lilia smiled quietly when I said that, looking relieved. “What of Mistress Norn and Aisha? They aren’t fighting, are they?” 

“Well…things are a bit strained between the two of them, but there’ve been no major confrontations as of yet. In fact, their little tiffs are quite endearing.” 

“I’ve always told her to show deference for Mistress Norn. I have no idea why their relationship has devolved so,” she said, sighing. 

“It’s not something you can control,” I assured. “Besides, Aisha is still a child. Don’t you think the most important thing as a parent is to love them both equally?” 

“Perhaps you’re right. Aisha is my child, but she’s the master’s daughter as well, so…” 

“Blood doesn’t have anything to do with it. We’re family,” I insisted. 

“Thank you.” 

Paul didn’t insert himself into the conversation. He just watched our interaction with the same deeply emotional expression he’d been wearing since before we started. 

“What’s with that look?” I asked, glancing at him. “You’ve been grinning this whole time.” 

“Ahh, y’know, it’s just nice to watch.” Paul scratched at the back of his head, cheeks colored red with embarrassment. 

“What is?” 

“Seeing the little boy I remember all grown up, talking to Lilia like this.” In other words, seeing his adult son interact with his wife. Lilia wasn’t my mother, but to Paul, we were both family. Maybe it was deeply moving for him. Perhaps I’d understand how he felt when my own child grew up. “Oh yeah, Rudy, you said you got married.” 

“Yes, about six months ago.” 

“My little boy… Hard to believe. You were still only this big when I last saw you.” Paul motioned with his hand. 

“Yeah, I did grow a lot taller in these last couple of years.” Seemingly out of nowhere, my height had sprung up to be about the same as Paul’s. He was still a bit taller, but I probably still had some growing to do. I figured I’d catch up to him eventually. 

“When we get home, we’ll have to do a big celebration,” said Paul. 

“Indeed. And don’t forget, this will be your first grandchild,” I reminded him. “You’ll be a grandpa.” 

“Oh, knock it off. I’m not that old yet,” he said, not looking half as displeased as his words might suggest. Then, suddenly, he smirked. “That’s right, you’re having a kid. Which means you’ve done ‘it,’ haven’t you?” 

“My lord, I’m not sure such crude questions are really appropriate,” Lilia objected as Paul wore his cheesy old man grin. 

“Aw, come on. I always wanted to have these kinda talks with him before.” 

“Even so—” she began. 

“What, aren’t you curious too?” Paul challenged. 

Lilia frowned. “That’s an unfair question to ask.” 

“Well, so who was your first partner? I guess it was Sylphie after all? Or was it Eris? I seem to remember you saying the two of you split up, but was there really nothing between you when it happened?” 

Apparently, he wanted to engage in some locker room talk. Part of me wondered if that was really appropriate, given the circumstances, but I could also understand where he was coming from. He was probably in high spirits himself, since it was the first time we’d seen each other in a while. It was just that he hadn’t wanted to reveal that side of himself in front of everyone else. I was pretty happy to be reunited with him, too. 

Starting tomorrow, we’d be entering the labyrinth. We’d no longer have the opportunity for these kinds of things. At least for tonight, we could cut loose and swap sex stories. 

“I feel pretty confident when it comes to sex,” said Paul. “You can ask me anything. I might not look it now, but I played around quite a bit when I was younger.” 

It looked like I had no other choice. Guess I’d just have to go along with him. I had always kind of wanted someone I could have open conversations with on the subject. “All right then, there’s a few questions I’d like to ask,” I began. 

“Honestly, Lord Rudeus,” Lilia cut in, exasperated, “I can’t believe you’re going along with this.” 

Paul said, “She talks like that, but she’s pretty aggressive in bed.” 

“My lord!” Lilia protested. 

“Oh yeah, you did mention she’d been the one to approach you before,” I said, recalling. “Why don’t you explain that in a little more detail?” 

“Lord Rudeus! Would the both of you please stop? My goodness.” Lilia glanced between the two of us before she spoke, sighing as she did so. Still, she did have a smile on her face. 

We continued talking after that, well into the night. 

By midnight, we’d turned off the lights and settled into our beds. I wondered if Paul and Lilia were already asleep. I could hear their rhythmic sounds of their breathing as they lay nearby. Apparently, they weren’t waiting for me to fall asleep so they could get it on. Paul did say he was going to restrict himself until Zenith was found, so maybe he really was keeping to his word. 

I couldn’t sleep, perhaps because I was a bit turned on from our talk. I’d never dreamed a day would come when I could actually experience swapping sex stories. Life sure was unpredictable. 

Anyway, enough of that. Time to focus on what was currently happening. Perhaps I really was dancing in the palm of the Man-God’s hand. It sure felt like I was. Now that I stopped to think about it, the whole reason I’d gotten a hold of that book was because I went to the university. If he hadn’t told me to go there and research the Displacement Incident, I’d have never found that book, and we would have to face the Teleportation Labyrinth without its assistance. 

The Man-God’s words always seemed to belie a deeper meaning, and this was no exception. He said I’d regret going to Rapan, and that I should hook up with Linia or Pursena. It felt like he’d purposefully said things he knew would stir me up. If he hadn’t said that to me, or if he’d told me to go to the Begaritt Continent instead, there was a good chance I would have chosen to stay. I was rebellious with the Man-God, and if I put things in perspective, Sylphie was just as important to me. Of course, I wouldn’t have just blown off my responsibilities. I would have sent Ruijerd, Badigadi, or even Soldat in my stead. 

Perhaps the Man-God had taken all that into account before he acted. He had, after all, sent me to that school to gather all the things necessary for rescuing Zenith. Just who was he, anyway? And what was it that he wanted me to do? Could it really be that he really did just enjoy watching me? 

As usual, I had no clue what was going through his head. But it was no mistake that he was an ally. 

I wondered if he would reappear in my dreams again tonight. His timing was always far too impeccable. If things went well this time, I’d have to give him some kind of offering. I had no idea about his preferences though, so I couldn’t be sure if he’d like it. 

As I mulled over all those things, I finally fell asleep. 

The Man-God did not appear in my dreams that night.