GILF Hunter

After walking through the passage for a bit, they arrived at the next room.

As they went further inside, the vegetation gradually increased, and by the time they entered the room, the floor was completely covered in grass, like a meadow.

’What is… this place?’

’Is this actual grass?’

Everyone looked down at the floor with bewildered expressions.

Thick grass and flowers were growing over the stone floor of the labyrinth.

A mysterious, unknown light hung in the air, illuminating the entire room brightly even without the light of a lantern.

’How can flowers grow like this in an underground place?’

’Anything can appear in a labyrinth.’

The space they had been exploring so far was an underground tomb.

Everywhere they went was filled with cold stone floors, graves, corpses, and skeletons.

This place, appearing suddenly in such an environment, was so alien it felt as if a piece of another world had been cut out and pasted here.

Everyone looked around the room with curious eyes before reaching a conclusion.

…Suspicious!

Everyone gripped their weapons and kept a close watch on their surroundings with tense expressions.

’I don’t see any monsters for now.’

’There might be traps like before.’

No one trusted the peaceful atmosphere, preparing themselves for hidden traps or monster ambushes.

It was proof that everyone had adapted to the labyrinth remarkably well.

’There’s something over there….’

As they surveyed the room, everyone’s gaze naturally converged toward the center.

In the middle of the room was a small spring of unknown depth.

’A spring?’

’…Why is something like that in a labyrinth?’

It was strange enough for grass and flowers to grow in a labyrinth, but for a spring to well up was even more bizarre.

Because they had encountered so many strange things in the labyrinth, they approached the spot with wary eyes.

’Won’t it be dangerous….’

’There might be poison.’

’Could a monster jump out of the water?’

’Wait, you guys. Don’t get that close.’

Lia, holding her shield, took the lead and slowly approached the spring in the center of the room.

Ian also stepped closer to observe the spring.

He checked just in case, but as expected, it was the spring he knew.

This was a friendly space.

It was a place where no monsters appeared and no harm was done.

’It’s okay. This is safe.’

Ian, having confirmed the safety, spoke to the party members.

Since they had seen him collecting and researching all materials related to the labyrinth from his side, no one thought it strange even if he knew about such labyrinth facilities in advance.

Only after hearing that it was a place he already knew did everyone feel at ease and lower their weapons.

’Let’s rest here before we move on.’

’Is it really a safe place?’

’To think there’s a place like this inside the labyrinth….’

Looking at it after lowering their guard, it was certainly a great place to rest.

It was much better than resting on a cold stone floor or next to a tomb.

Everyone carefully set their luggage down on the grassy floor and looked around.

Naturally, the members who were taking their break gathered around the spring in the center of the room.

They gathered around the mysterious spring and shared a conversation.

’I wonder why there’s a spring in a place like this.’

’Do you think there are fish too?’

’Oh…. If it’s a fish living in a labyrinth, wouldn’t it be really expensive?’

’…If there were such a thing, it would probably be a monster.’

While they talked, they peered into the spring, but it didn’t seem like anything was living inside.

The water was very clear, but beneath the surface, something like clusters of light swirled like waves, making it impossible to see deep into the bottom.

For now, it looked like clean water…. but since no one felt like drinking water that welled up from a labyrinth, no one touched it.

Thinking Ian might know more, Rin turned her head and asked him.

’Captain. Do you know what kind of spring this is?’

’Hold on. I’ll show you now.’

Ian took out a small magic crystal, an item obtained during this expedition, and carefully dropped it into the spring.

The crystal floated for a moment, creating ripples, before sinking beneath the water as if something had snatched it.

’Ah!’

’It disappeared!’

Ripples momentarily disturbed the calm surface.

And a moment later, something floated up to the top of the water.

Ian reached out and carefully fished it out.

’This is….’

What rose from the spring was an item Rin recognized.

A beverage container with a store’s name engraved on it.

It was a famous fruit drink sold in Labyrinth City.

’….’

’…?’

’??’

Everyone had been watching to see what kind of amazing thing would come out.

They all stared at Ian with bewildered eyes.

’Is this real?’

’It probably is.’

Rin, taking the container, carefully opened it and sniffed.

It didn’t smell like it had gone bad from being old.

Far from being spoiled, a fresh fruit scent wafted out as if it had just been brought from the store.

Since he said it was okay… Rin took a cautious sip.

One cautious sip….

Two sips.

Thr—.

’Wait! Are you going to drink it all by yourself?’

’Pwah.’

Rin, who had emptied about half of it in an instant, shouted with sparkling eyes.

’This is the real deal!’

’Wait, me too!’

Seeing the drink that suddenly appeared in the middle of the labyrinth, everyone rushed toward Rin.

’No, we can just trade more! Captain! We can do this again, right?’

’Not immediately, but when that thing glows, if you put an item in, it changes into something else.’

Ian said, pointing to a small stone monument on one side of the spring.

It wasn’t there now because they had just used it, but when it was available, the monument emitted a faint light.

The Fairy’s Spring, which appears randomly in the labyrinth.

It was an object that, if you put in any item, would exchange it for another random item of the same grade.

However, since the ratio of useless items was much larger than important ones among items.

The probability of a spectacular item appearing was practically non-existent.

Rather than challenging it for a huge profit, it was a place where one would throw in the most worthless materials, just like he did now.

If even a single consumable or potion came out, it was a gain.

’Yeah. Just don’t put anything too strange in.’

Ian said, handing out a few more magic crystals, which were the lowest value materials.

’Rin, don’t eat the next one!’

’Why!’

Watching them bicker around the spring made Ian feel like he was watching kids playing in the water, so he spoke up.

’Be careful not to fall in while playing around.’

’…What happens if we fall in?’

’…Huh?’

A place that takes an item if you put it in and gives another reward.

In the game, an option to put in a mercenary didn’t exist in the first place.

If a person were to fall in….

’…Just be careful not to fall in.’

’….’

Everyone took a step back from the spring.

＊ ＊ ＊

Everyone gathered in front of the spring for a while and exchanged items, but since the results were random, more often than not, useless junk they couldn’t eat came out.

Eventually, they grew bored of playing around with item exchanges, and each person found a spot they liked to lie down and rest.

Ian had a long rest period in the room with the Fairy’s Spring.

Beyond this room lay another room for which information was unknown.

According to Ian’s deduction, that place was the boss room.

Hearing that, everyone was recuperating their strength by resting as much as possible for the final time.

Except for Tanya.

’Here… ah, I think I’ve seen this one too.’

Tanya moved here and there around the room, checking the flowers and plants growing on the floor one by one.

In truth, she didn’t know much about these ingredients in detail.

So, she just picked and gathered everything that looked similar to descriptions she’d read in a dictionary or just seemed plausible.

Just growing in a labyrinth made them worth silver coins at minimum, and gold coins for the expensive ones.

Materials collected in the labyrinth were used as very precious ingredients for alchemy or magic research. Thanks to that, every single one of them sold for a high price.

Not only carrying supplies when departing, but also bringing back spoils when returning was an important role for a porter.

Collecting and gathering these things was Tanya’s job, and she received a portion of the profit from the spoils she brought back as a performance bonus.

’Whew….’

Tanya, who had tucked a bouquet of flowers that was practically a bundle of gold coins into her pouch, looked up and frowned slightly.

’What did you say?’

She thought she had heard someone’s voice just now….

Tanya surveyed her surroundings with a puzzled expression, but everyone was scattered here and there, resting quietly.

There was no one who had called Tanya.

’…?’

Thinking she had misheard, she turned her head, but then it happened again.

She definitely heard some kind of sound.

To be precise, it wasn’t a voice, but a strange, unidentifiable sound.

Something like a song, or perhaps a mutter.

Tanya realized that it was calling her.

’Is… is someone there?’

Tanya walked toward the source of the sound.

The spring in the center of the room.

The voice was coming from there.

It wasn’t a language with clear meaning, but a signal like a mass of emotion and will.

Tanya felt that it was calling her.

’No way…. Did you call me?’

Because it was too suspicious, she didn’t get too close and stayed a bit away.

Tanya looked at the spring and asked quietly.

…Does it want something?

Feeling that way, Tanya picked up a magic crystal that had been left on the floor.

However, a feeling of negation reached her, as if that wasn’t it.

And then, something inside Tanya’s clothing trembled.

’This is….’

Tanya pulled out the pouch she was carrying.

The charm Ian had given her as a gift before.

It was a gemstone he had called the Fairy Stone.

’Do you want this by any chance?’

…Perhaps, affirmation.

Hearing the strange voice from the spring, Tanya shook her head vigorously.

’No, this is a gift from the Captain….’

The spring seemed to want it.

Tanya recalled what Ian had explained about this spring.

…He said nothing bad was inside.

It was the first friendly entity she had met in this labyrinth.

Tanya thought back to earlier when putting something into the spring returned another item.

If she gave this, the item the spring wanted…. what would it give then?

Tanya, who had been pondering for a moment while fiddling with the Fairy Stone in her hand, carefully asked toward the spring.

’If I give this…. can you protect us?’

It was a precious item given by Ian, the Captain, but it wasn’t more important than that.

’Help everyone return safely from the labyrinth. Then I’ll give this to you.’

…Affirmation.

Tanya felt a certain will to help her flowing in.

Tanya lifted the Fairy Stone and carefully dropped it into the spring.

The stone floated on the water, creating ripples like other items, before sinking beneath the water a moment later.

Tanya waited quietly in front of it for a while.

’….’

Nothing floated up.

It was a scam…?!

Tanya slumped down in front of the spring.

＊ ＊ ＊

After finishing the long rest.

Once everyone completed their final preparations, they set out for the labyrinth’s boss room.

Ahead of the time that would be the final battle of this expedition, everyone moved their steps with tense faces.

’Tanya? What’s wrong?’

’Ah, no… it’s nothing.’

When Mika, seeing Tanya’s gloomy face from the side, asked, Tanya shook her head in a fluster.

…She shouldn’t have trusted things in the labyrinth.

Everyone must be nervous, and even if she said what happened, it would only make the atmosphere worse for nothing.

Tanya let out a quiet sigh so that no one else could hear.

Behind her, several small clusters of light rising from the spring flew quietly and followed Tanya.