Chapter 452: 【Small Mouse Flying In The Sky】Into the Depths of the Labyrinth<ol><li><strong>【</strong><strong>Small Mouse Flying In The Sky</strong><strong>】</strong><strong>Into the Depths of the Labyrinth</strong></li></ol>
* * *
<em>Chuinn, chuinn…</em>
<em>Bashun, bashun, bashun…</em>
Listening to the mysterious sounds of battleing from somewhere in the distance, Takataka and the others, leaving Gishi on the ship, were hurriedly moving through a back alley that cuts through the lower district of Neverfall’s East District, following Ijokis’s lead.
This narrow back alley is dimly lit, with little pedestrian traffic.
The sides of the road are cluttered with luggage and garbage from nearby residents, making the already narrow path even narrower.
Looking up, clotheslines are strung from roof to roof, withundry hanging…
In other words, it’s a perfect path to move through while hiding, with poor visibility.
Moreover, this road is outside the patrol route of the security soldiers who patrol the city to maintain order.
For those reasons, Ijokis, the maid who knows the geography of Neverfall like the back of her hand, chose this path as their route.
Now, fortunately, Takataka and hisrades’ journey had been very smooth so far.
To be honest, they haven’t encountered any obstacles.
‘We might be blocked by the security airships under themand of the Air Force, and have to deal with some trouble.’
Takataka and the others anticipated that kind of situation when infiltrating Neverfall.
The currentmander of the Sky Kingdom Air Force, Kokiatsu, has a history with Takataka… and he’s the kind of person who would even oppress civilians, a concentrated form of the negative aspects of the Prime Minister faction.
If that man found them, they wouldn’t have been able to infiltrate Neverfall so smoothly.
But that kind of ident didn’t happen.
Instead, the security airshipspletely ignored the small Small Mouse and hurriedly flew away somewhere.
Perhaps the sound of battle, still faintly audible, has something to do with it, but…
Takataka and the others don’t know the truth of the situation.
(No, I have to put that sound of battle aside for now. I have to focus on rescuing Air…!)
Putting aside things that he can’t do anything about…
Takataka renewed his focus, and desperately tried to keep up with Ijokis, who is so well hidden that he might lose sight of her.
* * *
“…This is it.”
After walking through the back alley for a few dozen minutes…
Ijokis brought Takataka and the others to the very back of the narrow path… the deepest part of a dead end, cluttered with stones and lumber, with no sign of people.
“Huh? It’s a dead end. Have you gone senile, old hag?”
“Shut up.”
Ignoring Yuuhi, who was scratching his horn and spouting insults, Ijokis (who’s a beautiful woman in herte thirties, at least in appearance, and doesn’t look like an old hag) easily lifted and moved a stonerger than her body.
And then…
“Ah! A door!”
That’s right, hidden on the wall at the dead end, revealed by moving the stone was a small door!
Takataka, surprised, his ears sticking out from his hat twitching, involuntarily eximed.
That door, hidden in the shade, is made of metal, with super ancient magical writing densely inscribed in its center.
“I’m the princess’s personal maid. It’s only natural for me to know the ‘secret escape route’, just in case.”
“Experiencees with age, huh?”
Silently punching Yuuhi in the stomach after his continuous insults, this time making him vomit gastric juice, Ijokis inserted the key she took out and opened the door.
“Now, it’ll be troublesome if we’re spotted. Everyone, quickly inside.”
And so, with a serious expression, Ijokis led Takataka and the others into the room.
* * *
This hidden room they arrived at.
There’s only one thing in it.
A staircase leading underground.
Takataka, following Ijokis, the maid, who was descending the stairs without hesitation, heading into the dimly lit basement, looked around restlessly.
A narrow corridor awaits them at the end of the long stairs, with walls, floor, and ceiling made of dark metal.
A hard ‘katsu-katsu’ sound echoed with each step.
The path ahead is illuminated by blue, cold magicmps, but the light is minimal.
It’s dimly lit, with a musty smell and an eerie, oppressive atmosphere… Takataka shuddered.
“Ijokis-san, where is this…?”
Ijokis, the maid who was guiding them, finally stopped at a fork in the road, turned around, and answered Takataka’s question.
“This… is abyrinth. The ‘Great Neverfall Sky Underground Labyrinth’.”
“Eh!?”
“Whoa, seriously!?”
“It really exists!?”
“I thought it was an urban legend!”
The ones surprised by that answer were Takataka, and Nui, Lusa, and Litto.
‘There’s a greatbyrinth spreading out beneath Neverfall’.
It’s a rumor that everyone living in Neverfall and the residential teaus has heard.
“It’s not an urban legend. As you can see… there’s abyrinth spreading out beneath Neverfall, and entrances like the one we just entered are cleverly hidden all over Neverfall.”
“Um…”
Takataka, slouching, his shoulders drooping, raised his hand slightly, asking Ijokis, who was calmly exining, an additional question.
“Then, as the rumors say, are there man-eating monsters in thisbyrinth…?”
‘Man-eating monsters live in Neverfall’s greatbyrinth, and eat any humans who get lost there’.
That’s the rumor about man-eating monsters that always apanies the rumors of the Great Neverfall Sky Underground Labyrinth.
The man-eating monsters eat the humans who get lost, so thebyrinth’s existence remains hidden.
It’s amon logic used when talking about urban legends.
“There’s no such thing.”
Yuuhi, the red-skinned giant, answered the question with a snort, looking bored.
He’s usually eager to go monster hunting in these situations, but his reaction was strangely subdued.
Takataka felt something was off, but before he could ask, Ijokis continued exining, following Yuuhi’s words.
“That’s right, there are no monsters living in thisbyrinth. However, like this… we can’t let our guard down.”
Saying that, Ijokis took out a small, w-sized iron ball from her pocket, and casually threw it towards one of the paths branching out in front of her, the right side.
And then… the next moment!
<em>GUSHAA!!!</em>
The ceiling of the path on the right suddenly fell!
Crushing the iron ball Ijokis threw!
Takataka and the others gasped at the sight.
“There are no monsters… but thisbyrinth is full of traps. If you don’t take the correct path, you’ll die. Always follow my instructions. Understood?”
Takataka and the others repeatedly nodded, their faces pale.
“Gahahahaha! There’s no time to be scared, brat! We’re going to save the princess, right!?”
Yuuhiughed heartily, roughly patting Takataka’s head through his hat.N?v(el)B\\jnn
“O-Of course!”
After confirming that fighting spirit was rekindled in Takataka’s eyes, Yuuhi stoppedughing and made a serious face.
“…Well, I’m not worried about getting through thebyrinth. We just have to follow this old hag. And the ‘Ritual Room’, where the princess is being held captive, is at the deepest part of thisbyrinth… right?”
“Yes… However, the problem is…”
“The Three Knights of the Royal Guard, right?”
The Three Knights of the Royal Guard.
Hearing those words, Takataka’s expression clouded again.
The strongest three people in this country, the Sky King’s personal elite force… they are the Three Knights of the Royal Guard.
They’re already strong on their own, but they’re also granted powerful weapons from the royal family’s secret collection, and it’s said that each of them is strong enough to match an entire army.
“If I remember correctly… ‘Byun of the Wind Bow’, ‘Shito-Shitorin of the Rain Staff’, and ‘Nikkor of the Sun Sword’…”
“Oh, you know a lot, brat.”
“Of course I do, the Three Knights of the Royal Guard, are heroes of this country. Everyone knows them.”
Takataka brushed off Yuuhi’srge hand, which was continuously rubbing his head and distanced himself from him.
And then, he looked at Ijokis.
“So… those Three Knights of the Royal Guard… will be our enemies?”
Ijokis nodded silently, answering his question.
“Yes. His Majesty… King Sekiran, is trying to force the ‘Princess Sacrifice Ritual’, sacrificing Princess Air’s life for the prosperity of this country. In that case, ording to ancient custom, the Three Knights of the Royal Guard, will be stationed in the three ‘Trial Rooms’ leading to the ‘Ritual Room’. We can’t avoid a fight.”
“…………”
Hearing that, Takataka gulped.
But the fighting spirit in his eyes was still burning.
The ‘Princess Sacrifice Ritual’, a ritual where a woman from the royal family is sacrificed to pray for the prosperity of this country.
He can’t let such a horrible ritual happen.
Air is Takataka’s important…
His precious friend.
“…Heh! If you can make that kind of face, then there’s no problem!”
Yuuhi nodded in satisfaction, seeing Takataka’s renewed determination, and then pped him on the back.
“Whoa!? Ow!”
“Well, this great me is your bodyguard! I won’t lose to those fledgling Three Knights! Takataka, you just focus on running away, okay? GAHAHAHAHA!”
Takataka, rubbing his back with teary eyes, sighed, dumbfounded by Yuuhi’s confidence, calling the Three Knights of the Royal Guard, ‘fledglings’.
But it’s also a fact that this Yuuhi is incredibly strong.
He never talks about his past, but… he must be a renowned warrior, without a doubt.
…Although when Takataka met him, he had already fallen to being a mere drunkard…
“Now, break time is over.”
Ijokis pped her hands.
“We’re now going to go deeper into this Great Neverfall Sky Underground Labyrinth, defeat the Three Knights, and rescue Princess Air. We don’t have time to rest from now on… are you ready?”
“…Yes!”
“Yeah!”
“Of course!”
“I’m ready to fight!”
Ijokis nodded, hearing their enthusiastic replies, turned on her heel, and started walking forward.
“Then, follow me.”
<em>Katsun, katsun, katsun…</em>
Making hard footsteps, Takataka and the others cautiously began to advance through the dark, musty corridors of thebyrinth.