Volume 22 - CH 29

We've completed the Daedalus's Labyrinth.

The quest was to deliver a sacrifice to the altar room of the labyrinth, but we defeated the source of the need for the sacrifice, so we deserved a reward.

However――

The reason I took part in this quest was to challenge the ordeal set forth in the grimoire "The Poetry of Welgilius". Normally, I would not challenge a problematic quest with a problematic party.

Camilla, the spearman, and Damien, the warrior, put together a party that, as I suspected, didn't work well together, and Hage, the Thief, lost his life.

Well, against a monster like the Minotaur, even our bonded party would have been wiped out. We were lucky that it didn't come that time.

However, there was still one biggest problem left.

「Now, the royal castle. I guess that completes the mission.」

「Hehe, I can't wait to see how many gold coins I get!」

Camilla and Damien were smiling, though.

When the soldiers at the gate saw us, they looked at us as if they had seen a creepy ghost, and allowed us to go through the gate.

「――So, what you have to do is very simple. All you have to do is follow the map and take the sinner deep into the labyrinth and come back. Isn't it easy?」

In front of a few warriors, a poor-looking man ―― Taros the carpenter, I think ―― was giving a briefing for a new quest.

「Taros! I'm back!」

Camilla called out to Taros with a satisfied look on her face.

「Yes? Whaaat!? Y-you guys is! You didn't just abandon your quest and run away, did you? We can't give you a reward then.」

「Huh, this 『Camilla of a Thousand Hands』 has been made a fool of. I went to the Altar Room and tied the sacrifice there.」

Up to this point, Camilla wasn't lying. After that, I cut the rope and let the sinners go.

「I see. ...... I don't know how you made it back from that place alive. I was told that no one came back, not even a single survivor. ......」

Taros is impressed, but how could he take on this job? What a way to explain smiling to people who are going to their deaths.

「I guess so. There was one hell of a cow monster. Hagu was killed by that monster.」

「Well, well, what can I say? ...... I'd like to express my condolences.」

Tarros bowed politely on the surface.

「It's okay, you don't have to be so ridiculously polite. Hage knew the risks, and we're the ones who teamed up with him for the first time, so we're not that susceptible.」

Camilla shrugged her shoulders and said.

「Oh, I'm glad to hear that.」

Camilla's brow wrinkles as she looks at Taros, who immediately changes his expression and smiles. No matter how much you say you don't feel sorry for him, he's a friend who dove into the dungeon with you. There's no way she can laugh at him when he's dead.

I think back to the conversation I had with Taros on the boat when I first arrived on this island.

He was complaining that he didn't get along with his boss, which was understandable given his current attitude. It seems that the problem is not with his boss, but with this guy. Well, it doesn't matter either way. There's a pattern of both of them having problems.

「So there you have it. Now that Alec has defeated the cow monster, no more sacrifices are needed. You guys lost a lot of money, didn't you?」

Camilla told the adventurers who were there, and they fell silent with a look of disapproval.

「Okay! That's fine. Now, you adventurers, please wait here for a while. I'll go talk to Camilla-san. We'll talk inside.」

「I'm sorry, but that's the way it is.」

As the three of us followed Taros, we were ushered into a small room. Well, if we were suddenly taken to the throne room, the king would not be ready and we would have to wait.

But then Taros said something we didn't expect.

「Let's pretend this never happened.」

「Huh?」

「No, I was told by my boss, the employer of this castle, that there is no reward to begin with.」

It shouldn't have been something to laugh about, but Taros laughed hilariously and told us what happened.

「Hey! You think it's okay for a king to lie?」

「That's a terrible thing to say. What do you mean?」

Camilla and Damien were naturally very uncomfortable and questioned him.

「Well, well, please don't be angry. I've made a good product for just such an occasion. Well, it was a lot of work. Now, look at this, this is "Kneeling Emon-kun"! Ta-da!」 (TLN: I don't know where this is reference come from. Dogeza emon-kun)

Taros ripped off the cloth and a wooden Yajirobe came out. It's a life-sized doll. (TLN: Yajirobe = Balancing toy)

「Moushiwake, gozaimasen! ( I'm really, really sorry!)」

The puppet, which emitted a high-pitched voice in a poorly made artificial voice, bowed its head.

「Whoo-hoo! Masterpiece! Look at this work! Isn't it the best?」

「「「......」」」

「Huh? That's weird. Look, Kneeling Emon-kun, the final form of apology!」

「Moushiwake, gozaimasen! ( I'm really, really sorry!)」

This time, it gets down on his knees. Well, if you can make it this far with a wooden carving device, it's a big deal. ......

「You seem to be joking, right?」

「Hmph!」

Damien smashed the doll with his axe. Well, that's what happens.

「Aaahhhh! My masterpiece! You're terrible! What have you done!」

「OI, you're the one doing something terrible. I risked my life to accept this quest. You should at least keep your promise. If you can't keep your word, there must be a way to apologize for it.」

Camilla is trying to be reasonable.

「So, I can make an automaton that will apologize to you as many times as you want.」

It might have been different if it had been made a little more human. But if it is designed by someone who doesn't understand the human mind well, it doesn't matter how much it looks like him.

「OI, if you keep talking nonsense, I'm gonna use this axe on you, you know?

Damien grabbed the battle axe with a scary look on his face.

「Eeekkk, Alec-san, please say something!」

「Shut your mouth. Stop crying to me. Go get your employer, whoever's in charge.」

「Sigh, I've been told in no uncertain terms that I'm fired for doing so.」

What about it?

「Be careful, Taros. If you really piss off Damien, he'll do it right away, you know?」

I say. What's more important, your life or your job?

「Right.」

Damien was already raising his axe.

「I-I understand! I'll get him right away! Aahh, why did this happen to me, I thought I had found a job, but ......」

If he was having trouble making a living, I don't blame him, but from the looks of it, he didn't seem to be having much trouble making money. I have no sympathy for Taros.

After a while, a mature knight came in with an unamused look on his face.

「Fuh, it can't be helped. Ten gold coins, take it or leave. We don't have a thousand gold pieces in this castle.」

「Is that true?」

「It's true. We have to buy our meat from other places at high prices. This island is not built for profit.」

「Even if that's true, you can't lie.」

I tell the knight.

「That's right, that's right.」

「I understand. I apologize for that, too. Oh, yeah, the guy I just fired, Taros, he's been working on something really good. I'm going to give it to you guys as a reward. Wait a moment.」

What the knight brought was a silvery spool of thread.

「What is it, a thread?」

「I don't want that.」

「Then I'll take it in exchange for the gold.」

「What? Are you sure, Alec? It's only worth a hundred or so, no matter how you look at it.」

Camilla says, fufu, my 【Premonition】 is that this is the right one.

It's the treasure of the second trial.

I'll appraise it.

〈Name〉 Ariadne's winding thread.

〈Type〉 Tool

〈Material〉Yarn, wood

〈Weight〉 1

【Description】

A thread created by the master craftsman Taros.

With the blessing of the goddess, it will never break.

Taros made a great product, but it's strange that he can't get a job with it. I'm sure he'll be able to find another job soon.

Now, the next one. The third trial. ...... But first.

「Camilla, do you have a minute?」

I called out to Camilla to get another reward.