"...... What the hell is this place, ......? What a dark place.
The soldiers brought me to a place that seemed to be somewhere underground.
I went back and forth, and even got on that blue glowing floor many times, so I lost track of where I was. ...... In the end, I was brought into a very large cavernous space.
The area is dimly lit, and you can barely see the far wall in the faint sunlight streaming in from the upper floors.
──── This was once the entrance to a labyrinth known as the Labyrinth of Sorrows.
As I look around, one of the soldiers in armor tells me.
"...... Labyrinth? There was a labyrinth in Mithra?
You don't even know that, ──── snob.
The capital of our Mithraic nation is the city that Pope Astira built on top of the Labyrinth of Sorrows, which she had treaded alone in the past. This is a place of venerable history,────, and you should be honored just to set foot in it.
It certainly sounds like that.
I've never been in a labyrinth before, so I didn't know what to expect.
The whole place was old and made in a way that I hadn't seen up there.
"...... you. You seem to be taking it very easy. ...... Do you realize the position you're in?
"...... position ......?
I'm pretty sure I came here because I was told that I would be treated well.
I came here because I was told that I would be treated well. ...... Am I wrong?
──── Stop. You can't take a serious question or answer to someone who is so disrespectful.
I'm not sure what the dogs in the kingdom of Crais were thinking when they sent this to me.
I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out.
Yes, ────, that was a bit much. It's inexcusable that you allowed him to enter our sacred country.
Yes, ...... let's get this over with right away. The longer we associate with the pagans, the more we dull our faith.
Yes, I can't wait to get away from this barbaric man. ............ Sister, don't you think it would be best if you were to disappear immediately?
...... No. Your eminence has instructed me to capture (・・・・) you and offer you up.
────, then we'll get right on it.
They are whispering something to each other in a whisper.
They were whispering something to each other. I couldn't see their faces because of their strange helmets or masks, but apparently there were some women in the mix.
One of the soldiers held out one hand to me and said something.
──── I'm sorry, but this is what we do.
Suddenly, the soldier's fingertips flashed and ──── a pale light like a bolt of lightning.
The blue-white light flew at my body and clung to me like a living thing.
The moment your body is hit by the light, your body is no longer free.
"It's ────... my body is ────?
For some reason, I felt as if my whole body was losing strength.
──── What the hell is this?
"Hmm, stuck?
This is a ward that has captured the Minotaur, a demon from the abyss.
Even though you seem to have played an active role in the war against the empire, you can only point ──── one finger.
No, it's not so bad that you can't move.
I put some effort into it, and the blue light flashed away.
"──────?
I can't see their faces, but the soldiers who brought me here seem to be surprised.
"...... What the hell was that?
I check my body, but it's fine.
"............ What the hell was that guy doing? Why aren't the binding wards working?
No, it could be a malfunctioning sacrament. I'll do it.
They sent the same pale light at me again.
The light is a little brighter than before and covers my body ────, but it still doesn't hurt or itch.
I just feel a little tight and weak.
...... I don't understand.
I wonder if this is what they call hospitality.
............ I'm sorry, but what does this mean?
To be honest, I'm confused.
...... It's good that they brought me here, but what am I supposed to do here?
It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing.
They also seem to be surprised by it. ...... Perhaps it would have been better to leave it like that?
You can find a lot of things about the culture of King's Landing that are difficult for me to understand, but the culture of Mithra is even more difficult to understand.
............ What's wrong? Why aren't the binding wards working?
"Could it be that the people of the kingdom have also developed a ward-resisting sacrament?
............ is possible. There's a [Demon Saint] Oken over there.
──── It can't be helped. We'll have to take him down directly.
That's what you should have done from the start.
Then ──── take your place.
They surrounded me again, talking quietly, weapons in hand.
For some reason, I got the impression that their mood had become a little sharper.
──── moment.
In the dimly lit space, I saw a few small arrows flying at me.
I could see that they were aimed precisely at my eyebrows, eyes, throat, and other vital points of my body.
"Parry!
I quickly flicked the arrows with my sword.
It wasn't a very fast arrow, so I was able to drop it easily, but at the same time, two armored soldiers jumped in front of me, each wielding a long sword and a double sword in their hands.
I'm not sure if you've seen this before, but I'm sure you've.
──── It was an amazing combination.
You can't even see when someone shoots a spell behind you.
While I was admiring the sophisticated movements, two soldiers in strange armor, who had been behind me before I knew it, simultaneously launched spears at me.
They were fast, too. If I'm careless, I might get stabbed.
I managed to hold off the attack, and now four of them came at me at the same time.
It's really amazing coordination.
And then their movements get sharper and faster.
They're fast, but not as fast as ────
But not as fast as ──── Gilbert.
"Parry.
I cleave my sword and block all of their attacks.
I'm not sure if this is a good idea, but it's a good idea.
...... You're lying, I can't believe you survived that.
So it's not just a rumor that the dumb guy is a hero?
They didn't seem to be intimidated.
Once again, the two in the back of the pack attack with magic.
In the same time, the remaining four timed their attack to close the distance at once.
──── A continuous barrage from six different directions, with no time to rest.
It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
I have no idea.
But it's fun to see them show off their amazing skills like this, and it never gets old. And when they attack you relentlessly all at once like this, your body starts to warm up ────
──── I'm starting to enjoy it a little more.
"So that's what ──── you're saying.
At that moment, I understood.
This is what they meant by "hospitality".
When the place changes, the culture changes.
This is the way the people of Mithra treat their guests.
And so, ──── finally made sense to me.
When Lean told me that there were dangers in the coming-of-age ceremony, I had no idea what he meant. ──── So this is what he meant.
It's true that if you take a wrong step, you can get seriously injured.
But this is the way ──── I like it.
............ Sorry, I didn't notice your taste until later.
I'm not familiar with the culture here.
Is this the hospitality you were talking about?
"──── Oh, that's right.
You don't think I'm going to treat people like you to a cup of tea or something?
No, I'm much more comfortable with this. This is good.
"Your eminence, the Pope, has taken care of you. ──── You can thank him for that.
The Pope.
Lean said that all conversations in this country are overheard.
I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's a little nervous about going to the ball.
──── So that's what I think.
I'm sure the Pope is a very honorable man.
He cares about the people who came along with him as an add-on to Lean, and he has shown us such elaborate hospitality. No wonder he is respected by all the people.
I was not very aware of such a person, and I called her an old woman, and the picture that she cherished was a creepy clown, and I'm sure she heard those things, but ............ I'm sure you heard that too, but you may have forgiven me long ago.
Oh, thank you. I was surprised at first, but ──── this kind of thing is also quite interesting.
The strange pale light was probably a signal for this to start or something.
I immediately faced the six and readied my sword.
Don't let their concern go to waste.
Let's continue with ────.
I'll do my best to deal with them from here on out.
You're coming with six more people?
I don't mind if you do.
I don't feel that I'm in danger, and they know that they're entertaining a guest.
There's nothing to worry about if they come with you.
──── You think you're ready for a duel with us, snob?
"Hmm, interesting. There's an event going on up there. Let's have some fun too. It's been a long time since I've had anything like this.
Sigil, that's a bad habit.
But we're doing this together.
Yes, we are. But he wants to. It'll be fun to play along.
...... I'll tell you my name, it'll be fun.
──── "Sigil of the Moment, come in.
"Rai of ──── [Heavenly Sword].
Miranda of ────.
"────[Pseudepigrapha] ...... Petra.
"Ryuk of ──── [Deadly Thrust]
"...... [Great Spear], Gelgnain.
The man with the twin swords in his hand muttered his name, and the others also gave their names.
But there are too many ──── names for me to remember.
It's a good thing that you're not the only one who has a problem with this.
Are you ready for ────?
The air among them was even more tense than before.
Even though they had just introduced themselves, it was still very powerful.
Well, maybe it's polite to say your name like that here.
I wonder if there is something like that in me.
Do you have any kind of two-name system that you can use when you tell someone your name? ────
──── Oh, yeah.
I have one.
There's one name I've always wanted to use.
Yeah. I'll use that one now.
And I'm going to imitate them, to make it a little more powerful. ────
I swung the black sword in my hand with all my might and introduced myself.
I'm Noor, a citizen of the Kingdom of Crais ──── [Staking].
I'm a civilian from the Kingdom of Crace.
"────, please.
It's a good thing I'm not the only one.
──── I see.
There is such a thing as hospitality.
This is certainly fun.
There's still a lot of things in the world I don't know.
Yes, this is a celebration of adulthood, a festival to begin with.
It would be wrong not to enjoy it.
...... Now, who's coming?
It's a good thing that you're not the only one.
It's going to be a lot more fun that way.
I grabbed my black sword with all my might and held it up ──── to the six people who were going to entertain me.