Episode 38 The Calling, the Voice of Birth
The rain was pouring down.
In her strangely blurred vision, Sophie thought such a thing from the sound that reached her ears, and in the next moment, she suddenly awakened her consciousness.
「Eh ......?」
The droplets of water that had collected on her eyelashes fell in a trickle and ran down her cheeks.
The rainwater that had soaked into her hair dripped from the ends of her hair onto her shoulders and back.
「It's so cold!」
She let out a scream and hugged herself.
The thin dress she had been using as pajamas stuck to her body.
It was freezing.
And her clothes were heavy from absorbing the rainwater.
「T-this place ......?」
It's cold.
She feels like she's going to freeze.
The light was dim.
She's anxious and nervous.
She doesn't know what to do.
All around her were short weeds and the ubiquitous pine trees.
But when she turned around, she saw a beautiful rose wall with black roses blooming all the way to the left and right.
It was an intimidating wall of roses.
Sophie hugged her cold, shivering body and staggered back.
「Where am I? A dream?」
(As I recall, yesterday my father contacted me and told me to come back to my country if he could get me to quit my job as a receptionist at the guild. ......)
Because of Kian, the lowest class adventurer, everything had fallen apart and Sophie was going to be called back to her homeland where her father was.
Last night, she should have been packing her suitcase, cursing Kian and the guild leader, Friedrich.
The reason she was wearing her nightgown was because it was night.
Sophie had planned to visit the guild early in the morning, get officially fired, and then leave for her homeland on her own.
*Zaa Zaa*――
*Zaa Zaa*――
*Drip*, *Drip*.....
「――――」
(It's.....not a dream)
In the whiteness of her breath, Sophie felt fear emerge from her confused mind.
I am - for some reason - outdoors in the pouring rain.
Not in the city.
It's not a place she knows.
She doesn't even know how to get home.
Sophie looked down at the soft grass under her feet.
One of her feet got stuck in a puddle of water.
(Yesterday, I packed my bags and went to bed. ...... I don't remember anything after that. If I wasn't dreaming, I'd be wandering around outside like I was sleepwalking.)
「It's cold ....... I don't care what it is, I have to find somewhere to take shelter from the rain first.」
Scurrying around, she looks around.
There's only a wall of black roses in front of her and an abandoned farm road behind her.
Beyond that was a wilderness of shrubs and tall grasses.
There was no one around, and she couldn't find a place where she could take shelter from the rain at a glance.
「Um, ...... anyone? Is anyone there?」
She started walking, calling for help in a faint voice.
She decided to walk along the wall of roses for now.
She thought that if there were so many magnificent roses blooming in such an orderly fashion, there was a good chance that someone lived behind this thick wall.
「Someone ......」
*splash*; *splash* .......
She walked along the wall, splashing water from the puddles.
「Anyone there ......? Is anyone there ......?」
As Sophie repeatedly called out to her surroundings, she suddenly realized that she had an idea about this place.
(Roses ....... It always rains ....... ...... Isn't this place supposed to be the Rose's Labyrint?)
To work as a receptionist at an adventurer's guild, you need a certain amount of knowledge.
She has memorized a landscape drawing of all the surrounding dungeons, from the most famous to the least popular, depicting their features and appearance.
She had never actually been there, but of all the dungeon properties in Sophie's memory, this one was the closest in appearance to what she called the Rose's Labyrinth.
(The place where the Countess was imprisoned in ancient times. The house of a demoness who tried to preserve her youth and beauty by sipping other people's blood and taking a blood bath. It is a strange place where the surrounding plants such as roses do not wither for some reason, even though it always rains.)
The monsters that come out are said to be mostly ghostly.
It's always raining, so it's a good place for those who don't like the sun to live.
The Wall of Roses is a maze, and the Countess's western-style house is said to be located at the back, but it is said that no one has ever reached the western-style house at the back until now.
Or rather, no one has ever thought of entering the maze itself, since there are no quests set here in the first place.
Every once in a while, a group of eccentric scholars researching vampires that died out long ago come up with a quest, but no one takes it because adventurers would rather take a lucrative quest elsewhere than work in this rainy place.
「*pant*, *pant* ......!」
(It's hard to breathe. It's cold and the footing is bad. ...... It was such a challenge to move in the pouring rain. I can see why adventurers hate the rain.)
――Come here.
「Ouch!」
Suddenly, one of her eyes hurt and she pressed it with her hand.
It was a sharp pain as if a thorn had pierced it.
――Welcome. Come. Let's be one with me. ......?
「Ughh, Aahh......」
The pain was so intense that she fell to her knees.
A puddle of water splashed on the floor, staining the knees of her white dress with mud.
「Ugh ......ugghh」
She let go of her right hand.
Her hands were stained with bright red blood.
「――――!?」
A horrible groan went up behind Sophie, who was shocked.
When she turned around to hear a hoarse voice echoing from the depths of the earth, she saw green phosphorescence flickering and a figure clad in white rags seeping out of the darkness.
(Rain Wraith!)
It's a ghostly monster from the rainy land.
Rags and a skeletal face.
A rusty sword in one hand.
On the other hand, it holds a lantern that emits green phosphorescence.
The rusty sword had the physical power to attack.
If the ghost's body is allowed to come into contact with her, her life force will be sucked out and she will die.
In addition, since it has no substance, it can only be defeated by magic or armaments engraved with a special magic language. Throwing stones at it will only cause it to pass through its body.
Its weaknesses are fire, silver, and mercury.
But there's no way she can get any of those in a place like this.
「I have to run. ......!」
Enduring the intense pain in her eyes, Sophie stood up.
Receptionists are, in the eyes of the public, the elite who studied magic in Royal Capital, but few of them can fight.
Sophie could use magic, but she had never actually unleashed it against a monster.
In the safe confines of the gymnasium or on the field, under the supervision of the teacher, she had tried a little earth and wind magic against wooden targets and her friends.
There was no way she could handle this kind of situation out of the blue.
In addition, there were multiple Rain Wraiths.
If she fights, she surely get killed.
「*pant*, *pant*, *pant*!」
*splash*, *splash*, *splash*, *splash*――
(Someone, someone helps me ......! Please ......!)
As if to cut off the path of retreat, several ghosts appeared from the surrounding grass.
It was as if they were saying that they would not let Sophie go out.
I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared.
Please help me.
Anyone, please, ......!
The nails on her feet, which had been groomed like a girl's at her age, were tattered, and her kneecaps were bloody from the fall she had taken.
Several ghostly fires wavered behind her, tracing Sophie's blood.
The only way out was the wall of roses in front of her.
Just a part of the wall was completely empty.
It was the entrance to the Rose's Labyrinth.
Sophie turned around, cried out, and jumped into the labyrinth.
「*pant*, *pant*, *pan――」
『Heh-heh-heh-heh......You were a lovely girl. Young, fresh, and sweet with the scent of blood.』
(W-Who's there ......?!)
She ask the mysterious voice as she run around the maze made of roses.
『Meltingly sweet blood.』
『Kufufu, that sounds delicious.』
『 She's lived a life full of love.』
『No bitterness of toil.』
『Superb blood.』
「――――、Aahhhhh!?」
Suddenly, something tangled in her right leg and a sharp pain shot through her shin.
Sophie scrambled to plunge face first into the mud.
「Oww ......」
She looked down and saw that her ankle was entangled in several layers of thorny rose stems.
A string of thorns jutted out from the rose wall right next to her.
「......! Uuhhh」
She cried out in fear and pain and reached out with a trembling hand to her leg.
That's when――
In the direction she was going, she saw something stirring from behind a narrow path of roses.
「......?」
She looked and saw a black shadow slowly crawling out of the rose wall.
It had long, messy brown hair and thin limbs like dead branches sticking out of its hair.
「Eekk!」
*splash*――"She" stretched out her right hand on the ground in front of her.
She dragged her body awkwardly and closed the distance towards Sophie.
She's trying to come over here!
Her long hair, wet with mud and rainwater, was raised and her bloodshot eyes caught Sophie's.
「......!」
Sophie hurriedly grabbed the stem of the rose that was tangled in her leg.
The pain was intense, but the fear was more than that.
Selflessly, Sophie tore off the stems of the roses, which were tangled in layers.
「No, nooo! Let me go!」
*Splash*!
Another step and "her" hand is brought forward.
Slowly, she crawled away.
Sophie could faintly hear the woman's voice gasping in pain.
Ah, ah, ah, ah.
It was a scratchy voice that rattled the back of her throat.
(Why?)
The rose stalks wrapped around her again as if to turn back time.
Sophie felt her mind go blank.
I'm scared.
I can't escape.
I'm going to be killed by something I don't understand.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
The next moment, the sound of the deformed woman splashing the muddy water became faster and faster.
Splash.
Splash, splash, splash, splash, splash!
Splash!
「......!」
The faint sound of breathing could be heard from just ahead.
Sophie closed her eyes harder.
Now the monster was right in front of her――!
「No, please, please ......」
She pleaded as she slowly backed away.
The sound of "her" breath, huffing and puffing, followed along with her.
(...... Are you trying to figure out who I am?)
Is it possible that she's going to let me go――?
Just as she thought this, a roar that reminded her of a large beast of prey went up, and Sophie was grabbed by both shoulders and held against the wall of roses behind her.
Her eyes widened in surprise at this.
In front of her, the woman with the dead tree-like limbs from earlier was in full view.
Her bloodshot eyes were staring at Sophie from the front.
「Eekk, Eeekkkkkkk!」
Sophie twisted around to escape the woman's claws digging into her shoulder.
The woman.
She opened her mouth with a smirk.
She bared her fangs at Sophie's white throat and bit down.
× x x x
「A wooden stick for a torch and a cloth well soaked in oil. This is the pine resin that is applied to the blade of a wooden sword in case of emergency. ...... Good. I'm only going to be doing reconnaissance today, so this should be enough to prepare for the ghosts.」
In the rented room of the tavern "Pig's Foot Pavilion".
Kian was looking at the contents of his backpack spread out on the bed, checking to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. When he was done, he put them back in the backpack.
Now he can leave at any time.
Kian pushed up the bridge of his glasses.
(There's still a bit of time before the meeting with Serena, but I should leave early.)
『............』
「What's up, glasses? You're awfully quiet this morning.」
『You don't remember what you did to me the day before yesterday?』
「Violence?」
Kian asked back quizzically.
『You did the same thing to me last night, didn't you? Why do you sleep with the glasses wrapped around you? At least take it off when you sleep! Every time you and your pillow crush me, I must squishy its shape to prevent my body from distorting.』
「Oh, you can change your own shape? You're surprisingly skilled at this. Is it possible that the lack of marks on the sides of my nose after wearing it for the past few days is because you fit me so tightly?」
『Yes. But it doesn't make me feel any better, at least when you sleep.』
「Yes, I know. I'll do my best to remember, so you can shut up now.」
『This man is too selfish. ......』
As the glasses made a pitiful sound, there was a discreet knock on the door of the room.
「Who is it?」
「Good morning, it's Esther. Is it okay if I come in?」
「It's fine. The door is unlocked.」
「Excuse me.」
The door opens and in walks Esther with a tray of bread and wine.
She is dressed as neatly as ever, with her collar and hair in perfect order. As she walked up to him, He could smell the scent of water and herbs on her body.
「Did you bathe in the morning?」
「Yes, I did. I was sweating last night.」
Esther looked at her mini-skirt and feet as if she was a little concerned about her outfit.
She seemed to be fine and looked up at Kian and smiled softly.
「Here, this is your breakfast. You can eat it if you like.」
「I'm sorry. I'll accept it gratefully.」
「Fufu, I feel like you're not Kian-san when you're being polite like that. I thought you will be saying, "If you're my slave, you should at least bring me food".」
「If you want me to be rough with you like that, I can be rough with you.」
「No, no, I prefer you as you are now, Kian-san. I'll just leave it here.」
Esther put the tray on the table and turned her back to Kian.
However, she immediately turned on her heel once more.
「Umm, Kian-san. You are going to work today, aren't you?」
「Yes, I spent the whole day yesterday recovering my strength and gathering the necessary items, but today I'm finally going to the Rose's Labyrinth」
「I heard from my father that there is a powerful evil spirit living in the depths of the Rose's Labyrinth. Please don't push yourself too hard, promise me. Kian-san's life is tens of thousands of times more important than money or guild points.」
「I know. ...... Hold on, does Robert-san know anything about the evil spirits in Rose's Labyrinth? If he does, I'd like to ask him a few questions to gather some information.」
「I dunno ....... It's been over a decade since my father stopped being an adventurer, and he probably doesn't know any more than you know, Kian-san. If you're curious, I can wake up my father.」
「...... No, as expected, if you wake him up now and listen to what he has to say, I won't be able to make it in time to meet up with my friends. I'm going to come back today just for reconnaissance, so if he knows anything, I'll ask him later.」
「I got it. I'll tell my father about it. ...... Oh, come to think of it...」
「What is it?」
When Kian asked back, Esther raised an eyebrow and continued.
「Actually, last night I received a call from a neighboring business association, ......, they are saying that two women had gone missing yesterday and the day before. One is Matilda, who worked as a waitress at a tavern on East Street, and the other is Sophie Schwarzer, who worked as a receptionist at the guild.」
「What!?」
「It seems that Sophie-san was a noblewoman. ......I heard that a knight from her country was there to pick her up, but Sophie-san was nowhere to be seen, and there was only a trunk in her room, ready for her journey. All her wallets and stuff were still intact, and there was no suicide note, so everyone said it was either kidnapping or the work of a monster.」
「...... I see.」
「The Griffins have appeared on the outskirts of town, and there has been a massive outbreak of Spoon Wings in the eastern forest. So, please be very careful, Kian-san.」
「Yeah, I will.」
Kian nodded and tightened his mouth.
The glasses chuckled in his brain.
『Are you curious? She's your former handler, after all.』
(No.)
Kian put on his backpack.
（That woman is no longer my concern. I don't care where or how she was killed.)
『Kufufufu ......』
The meaningful laugh of the glasses made Kian feel slightly uncomfortable.
He was just about to ask the glasses why the glasses were laughing when he heard someone coming down the stairs from the hallway.
Not long after, a large bear-like man, Robert, appeared at the entrance of the room.
He is no longer holding his cane and is somehow wearing a thick inner garment that looks like something you would wear under armor.
「D-Dad!?」
Esther raises her voice absurdly.
「You can't do that! You have to sleep!」
「Kian!」
Ignoring Esther, the bear man comes stumbling up to him.
His hair was tousled as if he had been asleep earlier.
His face was covered with sweat, and he had a very agitated look on his face.
Robert grabbed Kian by the shoulders.
「Kian, I need you to do a quest for me! Not with those bastards! You're the only one who I can ask for this request!」
「Calm down, Robert-san. What is this all about?」
When Kian replied calmly, Robert huffed and turned his attention to Esther.
He stiffened and did not move for a few seconds.
「...... Dad?」
「Oh, no. ......」
Robert scratched his head and dropped his gaze.
He continued.
「I had a dream, a very important dream. The details, Esther, I can't tell you.」
「Huh, ......?」
「What the hell is going on?」
「No, I could be mistaken, yeah. No, no way. That guy....... I'm pretty sure I did it. ......」
「What's the matter with you ......」
「Sorry. ...... I was just in a hurry...... I think I have a fever from the wound. I'm going to go back to bed.」
Robert said absently, turning away.
Esther seemed to be taken aback, but she quickly came to her senses and bowed to Kian.
「I'm sorry to bother you in the morning. I'm going to take care of my father for a while.」
「Yeah.」
「I'm really sorry. Good luck with your work! ...... Hey Dad! You can't go down the stairs by yourself! Geez, it's dangerous!」
Esther's clear voice faded into the distance.
The remaining, Kian only ate breakfast and hurriedly left the pig's foot pavilion.
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