The Fat Aristocrat Waltz in the Labyrinth - Chapter 104
Chapter 104: The fat aristocrat takes up the challenge
It was already late at night when Mitrof finished creating the lightning protection tools with the help of Gran Workshop and Meln Workshop.
As he walked quietly along the labyrinth’s corridors, Mitrof calculated the cost of the tools he held in his hand in his head. The expenses for the processing at Meln Workshop were more significant than those from Gran Workshop, where he had ordered the main body.
The technical fees were, of course, part of it, but most of the silver coins were used for the materials. The materials that had been gathering dust in Meln Workshop’s warehouse were rarely used but valuable, and coincidentally, they had precisely the elements that Mitrof was looking for.
Meln agreed that there was no other material possible besides this one and exceeded the budget to guarantee its quality.
Mitrof was not confident that the tools described in the “Alchemist” book would truly work.
There was even a possibility that they would be entirely useless. Still, he felt like there was no other way out. This was like holding on to the edge of a cliff. If it doesn’t work, he will fall without a choice.
Carefully avoiding the monsters walking the corridors and sometimes taking a detour, he proceeded to his destination, the room of the “Guardian.”
Even Mitrof wouldn’t say he could win alone.
That goat-skullhead-oldwoman that Blanc Manje called a “demon” was clearly a formidable enemy.
Of course, Mitrof had daydreamed. He had imagined himself brilliantly and gracefully defeating that formidable enemy numerous times over the past few days, even in bed, in the bath, and during meals.
He wants to believe that he has the strength. He has defeated strong enemies before. He has survived. Therefore, he can do it again.
‘Perhaps I will awaken to newfound strength at the brink of death?’
“Sublimation.”
That word grasps Mitrof’s heart and doesn’t let go.
Once, when Mitrof first visited this labyrinth, he defeated a formidable kobold and gained “sublimation.” Since then, he has not had an experience where the depths of his power were suddenly raised.
Miracles can happen in the labyrinth. If only “sublimation” happens, he can become even stronger. Even if he hopes for it this time, he has not seen even a glimpse of it until now.
‘I think that perhaps it is the instinct awakened by being exposed to a life-threatening crisis, and if that’s the case, then this may be the opportunity to become a stronger version of myself through “sublimation”.’
Mitrof knows that this is only a desire. Holding the fortune-telling stick, he believes without evidence that it must come true.
He tells himself not to fight with the expectation of “sublimation”. He won’t let his desires control him. He just wants to get his sword back.
Leaving behind what is important, Mitrof “runs away”.
Lattier’s words stay in Mitrof’s mind.
——How can you be sure he won’t run away…
He’ll avoid lightning with his tool in hand, retrieve his sword, and return.
He can do that much now. He has been through many battles. He has experience. He has grown, with or without “sublimation”.
passing through the stairs.
Using a short sword, tools, and gauntlets, he made his way down to the fifth floor, fighting monsters along the way. As he walked through the square of the Guardian’s Room, an unexpected person ran up to him.
“Apélie Tiff? What are you doing here?”
She was a petite girl with animal ears on her head, and a member of the “people of the labyrinth” who secretly lived within the labyrinth. It was Apélie Tiff who introduced Mitrof and Blanc Manje to each other.
Apélie Tiff looked back and forth between Mitrof’s face and the Guardian’s Room. ”
“Mitrof, I need your help.”
“Help? What happened?”
Apélie Tiff’s eyebrows lowered, and she crossed her hands in front of her chest. Her expression showed that something serious was going on.
“The “chief” is inside, but the “chief” isn’t well.”
“Wait, is Blanc Manje already inside?”
Apélie Tiff nodded.
Last time, Blanc Manje saved Mitrof from a crisis here. However, the reason why she was fighting that “demon” was still unknown.
Following Apélie Tiff, a man approached. He looked familiar—he was a merchant who was buying a precious lump of syrup called “amber” from Blanc Manje.
“…Poisson right?”
“Hey, we’ve met before—I don’t know your business, but the chief is busy right now.”
Poisson shrugged his shoulders. Compared to Apélie Tiff’s desperate expression, he seemed frivolous.
“Why are you here?”
“Well, it’s business—they keep pressuring me to get more ‘amber.’ I thought I’d ask the chief to do something about it. But when I got here and was told to wait until the job was done, things felt a bit suspicious—it might be getting out of hand.”
Poisson scratched his head, looking like he had completely understood the situation.
“So, being a ‘chief’ means fighting against ‘demons’ as part of Blanc Manje’s job?”
“Huh? You know about ‘demons,’ but you don’t know about ‘Blanc Manje’? You didn’t even know about Amber, despite sneaking into the back roads—you’re a strange guy.”
“Tell me, then, what kind of job does she have?”
“Whoa, whoa—don’t come any closer with that serious face.”
Poisson raised both hands.
“The ‘People of the Labyrinth’ are the nuisances of society, but the guild tolerates them living in the labyrinth—In exchange, they entrust them with dangerous jobs like maintaining the back roads and gathering valuable resources like Amber. When the guild realized that there were very powerful monsters—’demons,’ they entrusted the task of subjugating them to the labyrinth residents. To the guild, adventurers are resources—If you’re going to face dangerous guys, well, you get it, right?”
Poisson noticed Apélie Tiff standing next to Mitrof in the middle of the conversation and spoke more carefully.
“The name ‘Blanc Manje’ was the name of the chief for generations. Their job was to take care of things like ‘demons’ and ‘red eyes.’ The previous one was competent, but the current one’s reputation is not so great.”
“The chief is not bad! Don’t insult her if you don’t know anything!”
Apélie Tiff bared her teeth and spoke sharply.
Poisson took a step back and apologized, saying, “Sorry about that.”
“The chief always fights alone—the men were taken away, and the chief fought alone, exhausted and injured! She is still fighting for adventurers!”
Apélie Tiff raised her voice and grabbed Mitrof’s sleeve.
“Mitrof, please help the chief—I’m useless…”
In front of Apélie Tiff, who was bowing her head, Mitrof held his breath. As a nobleman, he could not refuse a woman’s request for help.
Mitrof nodded and put his hand on Apélie Tiff’s shoulder.
“I understand—leave it to me—I’ll bring Blanc Manje back.”
“Really?”
“I promise.”
Apélie Tiff’s face when she looked back at Mitrof was like that of a lost child. Her fear was that Blanc Manje would not return. Mitrof understood the feeling of losing someone who accepted, loved, and protected everything about oneself, just as Lattier feared losing Grace.
“I’ll go now—Apélie Tiff, wait here—don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.”
Mitrof walks towards the “guardian” room.
“It’s tough to keep up an appearance, isn’t it?”
Poisson was there, giving Mitrof a sidelong glance.
“No one will blame you if you refuse.”
Mitrof turned his gaze to respond, noticing that Poisson’s expression was not mocking him.
“Adventurers risk their lives—you have to choose carefully the people and time they wager on. Isn’t that right? It’s a good story to challenge a “demon” at the request of a poor girl. But are you willing to prepare to die? In labyrinths, the bravest die first.”
Mitrof stopped walking. He looked up at the door in front of him. ‘If I go through this door, will I die?’
‘What is to die? ‘
He had no sense of it. Mitrof had never died before. When he has a sense of it, he’ll surely be dead. Well, then, it’s impossible to make sense of it.
“Is it okay to run away?”
“You can run away.”
“Should I run away?”
“If you want to survive.”
“I see.”
Mitrof nodded and searched through his bag at his waist.
He took out what he had and presented it to Poisson.
“This is for you—it’s the last ‘amber’ I’ve been keeping safe—take it. In exchange, please listen to my request.”
“…If you’re asking me to go in with you, I refuse.”
“It would be a nuisance if you came with me—what I want you to do is…”
Mitrof made his request.
Poisson shrugged and nodded. He turned and left without taking the offered ‘amber.’
“You’re not taking the amber with you?”
“I still have some pride in my business—I’ll take it as proof of contract completion.”
Mitrof opened his eyes wide, then smiled.
“You’re a good merchant, aren’t you?”
“That’s right.”
Making eye contact, Mitrof and Poisson turned their backs simultaneously. Poisson headed towards the outside, while Mitrof rushed towards the room.