It has been 10 days since my visit to the Karlštejn family's home. On the very first day, I was worried that Misha could tell my father everything.

"What? Are you crazy, stupid barbarian?! How can you say that!?"

"Then what were you doing there?"

"This...! It's not your business!"

It was an unnecessary worry. I didn't know why she was keeping it a secret, but I could be sure that nothing had happened. I decided to focus on the problems that needed to be solved right now. Didn't the team already have two ticking time bombs?

"Dvalki, let's talk."

The day after returning from the Karlštejns, I immediately had an appointment with Dvalki. After drinking, I spoke bluntly.

"What? It's true? Does Ms. Karlstein like fat guys?"

"Yes, she definitely said it somehow."

"I see. Thank you for telling me. I almost made a mistake in my haste."

After this conversation, Dvalki ordered a bunch of dishes and stuffed himself to the brim until his stomach became bulging. This was one of the solutions.

He won't admit until he gains some weight.

It was safe to say that I had earned at least a month or two.

With Dvalka's temperament, he wouldn't be able to muster up courage until he gained considerable weight. And by the time he does, Misha and I will be out of the team.

It makes me feel like a complete garbage...

But I had no other choice. Maybe if this guy was mentally strong. But what would have happened if he had confessed to Misha and been rejected? He would not be able to recover even in the labyrinth. Such a situation could endanger the team.

But why am I so sure that he will be rejected?

Suddenly I had this question, but I didn't think deeply about it. The data accumulated in the unconscious sometimes gave more accurate predictions than anything else.

In any case, Rothmiller was next.

"Be careful. My father could have done something with that Rothmiller."

If, as the county governor's daughter, Julianne Urbahns, said, Rothmiller made contact with the governor, then there is a good chance that there was a disturbing conversation. We had a rather bad relationship with the head of the district. Although it was doubtful why he took a step only now, a few months later.

In any case, I can't show my suspicion.

In the case of Rothmiller, unlike Dvalka, I approached the matter carefully and in a timely manner. This guy was intimidating. I had never seen him in anger before, but that made him even more terrifying. Usually, if such a person once got out of the rut, then he simply brings the matter to the end.

"Then, for the 1st floor, I'll make the destination closest to the starting point..."

"Haha, marriage? You're asking a strange question. I'm not going to start a family until I can truly take care of one person."

"You sit still. Because you're big, you're going to run into people in the hallway all the time."

I continued to observe Rothmiller at regular meetings as well as at friendly gatherings. He was still the same. As usual, he was quiet and serious, and, in most situations, he was attentive to others.

Ha, what a headache.

Even after hearing Julianna's warning, it was hard for me to imagine that Rothmiller would stab me in the back. No, on the contrary, doubts about him made me feel even more guilty. For several months, we shared joys and sorrows together.

And I was swayed by the words of a stranger?

There can be no greater contradiction.

The more I thought about it, the more ironic the situation seemed. However, I decided that it would be right to clarify it.

What did Rothmiller talk about with the county governor that day?

If he had been the first to talk to me about it, I would have dispelled my doubts without any regret.

Rothmiller had no comment on this, so I called him in and scheduled a conversation. I really didn't have much time. The labyrinth was supposed to open the next day. So I immediately poured the contents of my glass into my mouth and got straight to the point.

"Rothmiller." What is your reason for joining the Explorers Guild?

Rothmiller was a little taken aback by my direct question, but apparently something came to his mind.

"No wonder you come to see me more often than usual. How did you find out what happened in the Guild?

It means that something really happened there.

"I know someone in the Guild.

After a short answer, I asked to answer my first question.

With a sigh, Rothmiller answered.

— ... When I accepted the invitation, the head of the 7th district was waiting for me. He offered me a reward for betraying you.

"So what?"

"I told him I would pretend I hadn't heard the offer and left. Is this answer enough for you?

Although he tried not to show it, Rothmiller seemed very uncomfortable with my question.

I endured all this and asked again:

"Then why haven't you told me about it yet?"

"I'm telling you. I said I'd pretend I'd never heard it. Besides, I thought that if I told you, it would only make the atmosphere weird.

- I see. Thank you for your answer.

At this point, the conversation came to an end. If I had insisted further, I would only have made it clear that I did not believe him. Whatever Rothmiller's intentions, I decided that this was not a very wise move.

Nothing will change anyway.

It was impossible to enter the labyrinth without a scout. Find someone new? It was still risky. Finding an experienced scout will not be easy, unless you contact the Guild. In short, it was a great opportunity for the head of the district to introduce an eccentric into the team. It was doubtful that Hikurod or Dvalki would even agree to this.

Also, I don't think Rothmiller lied when he said he turned down the offer.

Soon I made a final decision.

"I'm sorry to bother you so late. Rest, and I'll see you tomorrow at the meeting point.

It didn't change anything. Rothmiller joined the expedition.

***

The next day, 7 hours before the opening of the labyrinth.

"Uncle, I'll find you as soon as I get back!" You must come back healthy!

"Yes, you try too.

Ervena, who had been hanging around my inn since she had cast binding magic with her sister in the morning, was gone.

Misha appeared just in time.

"What the hell, why is she coming from here?"

"She came in to say hello. Apparently, she had nothing to do after receiving the binding magic.

"Hmm...

"Anyway, you came on time. Let's go and get some sleep."

I set a timer on the alarm clock I bought a while ago and fell asleep with Misha to bring our condition to the optimum.

How much time has passed since then?

"Bjorn, wake up."

We ate a simple dinner and left with the luggage that we had checked out in advance. Since we arrived a little earlier, there was no one at the meeting point yet.

As always, Rothmiller arrived on time.

"Hmph, and these two haven't come yet?"

"Yes, Dvalki and Hikurod are a little late," Mike answered.

— ... Nothing new.

These two always came either early or late, so we waited.

"Oh, Bjorn!" Look there!

When I looked where Misha was pointing, I saw a group of young warriors who had just finished their coming-of-age ceremony and were moving in groups. I quickly approached. Now I would be very sad if I did not meet these guys before we left.

"Are you lost?" Then you can follow those who look like explorers over there," I suggested.

"Who are you to say such obvious things?"

And? What was this reaction?

— ... I am Bjorn, son of Yandel.

"What?!" Little Balkan?! It is an honor for me to meet you!

As soon as I said my name, I asked:

"But why is it obvious?" What do you mean by that? Could it be that you didn't get lost?

— Of course! We just have to follow the explorers, as we have learned in the Holy Land. Why would we get lost?

"Did you say that this was taught in the Holy Land?" Didn't they show you a strange map and tell you to memorize it?

"A map?" We can't read cards!

The young warrior's answer left me in a daze.

What was that?

Has the teaching method changed? Well, it didn't hurt me. It was a much more sensible method than memorizing a map.

"There's still time, so listen to me," I said.

"What is it?"

"That will be good for you."

I retold the same stories that I told previous leaders.

"To be afraid of people?" Well, that's obvious. Shouldn't we protect our own hearts?

This group of young barbarians was clearly different from the others. Every time I said something, the reaction was as if I had said something obvious.

Misha commented:

"Wow... Barbarians evolved.

It seems that I was not the only one who felt that this was strange.

Then why did this change happen?

"Who told you about this in the Holy Land?" I asked, just in case, and was stunned.

"Charon, son of Tarson!"

Unbeknownst to me, the wind of change blew from below.

"Then we'll go now!" Bjorn, son of Yandel, it was an honor to meet you!

I wanted to ask something else, but the young barbarians left, saying that they wanted to enter the labyrinth. As soon as they disappeared, the two we were waiting for came to the meeting place.

"Oh, I'm sorry to be late!" Have you waited a long time?

"Hahaha!" Forgive us. Dvalka's stomach has grabbed!

"Wh-why are you telling them that?!"

"Oh, damn. Why be embarrassed? It's between us.

"Okay, let's go too."

Since the duo was 20 minutes late, we hurried to the Dimension Square. The portal was already open.

"Well, let's go!"

After casting binding magic through Dvalki, we entered the labyrinth.

***

[You entered the Crystal Cavern on the 1st floor].

***

The Crystal Cave was filled with bright light. Last month we slipped through it due to a bug, so we haven't seen this sight for a long time, but we didn't have time to slowly look around — at Rothmiller's request, we decided to try to go through the cave at speed.

"If you guys will let me, I want to try to pass it properly. It may be difficult to get the achievement, but I'm excited to see how much I can achieve."

Since he was not a man who spoke loudly about the expedition's plans, everyone unanimously agreed on this.

"We'll leave right now.

As soon as he opened his eyes, Rothmiller felt the wall, caught our current location and immediately began to look for the way. He began to run like a galloping horse.

It's actually quite a fun activity.

Rothmiller led ahead and looked for the way. Right behind him, Misha was clearing the garbage monsters. Hikurod and I were supposed to take turns carrying the Dvalki and follow the two.

Not only was the formation new, aimed at fast movement, but since we started running seriously from the very start, we saw something that we hadn't seen before.

"Wow, they're running too!"

Explorers ran through the cave in search of portals, just like us. It was a sight that was hard to see as we moved slowly.

Now I understand why it is difficult to reduce the time spent on the 1st floor.

I also drew new conclusions. There were many sharp turns in the cave on the 1st floor, so it was difficult to run as hard as possible. In other words, all explorers above a certain level had the same movement speed.

The ability of a scout became more and more important.

Well, and the endurance of the team members, of course.

- Haf, paf...

Even though our physical strength was far superior to that of ordinary people, sweat poured down like rain as we trotted for hours at a time. Conversations between team members naturally disappeared.

"Hikurod, are you okay?"

"I'm fine.

The dwarf, who lacked agility and stamina, seemed to be almost at his limit, but he did not issue a single complaint. And how could he, in such a state, in front of Rothmiller?

"This way."

Perhaps he really wanted to test his strength, because Rothmiller did not get distracted and led us for several hours. To put it a good way, it was passion. To put it badly, it was crazy.

Had this man always been so ardent?

I admired this new side of him and kept running forward.

[06:12]

It took 6 hours to reach the portal. Unfortunately, it had already been discovered by someone else.

"Wow, so you can get here so quickly!" Mike exclaimed, but Hikuroda and I first noticed Rothmiller's face.

"Damn it!" Why me...

This was the first time he had made such a face.