GILF Hunter

Chapter 512: 512 The sus shop

’Huuu.... I survived....’

Airi flopped down in front of Ian.

It had been about a day since she was left behind alone at the Frey Mercenary Group’s base. Airi had barely managed to return alive from that place.

’...Didn’t you just have a good time playing there?’

’They told me to sleep one more day before leaving, but I barely managed to escape!’

...So, wasn’t that just playing?

Tanya, who was watching from the side, thought so internally, but she didn’t say it out loud as she figured it would only lead to a repetitive conversation.

Airi looked up at Ian with eyes like a stray puppy and said.

’You’re too much... leaving only me there.’

’...Didn’t you say you wanted to sleep more?’

’Th-that, shall we say, wasn’t my true intention....’

...She had said those words because she misunderstood and thought that place was their lodging, so she had nothing more to say.

While Airi eventually sighed and awkwardly looked away, Ian checked the item she had just handed to him.

A small statue made of an unidentified material. It was a Labyrinth key.

It had a peculiar appearance, different from the typical Labyrinth keys he had seen several times before.

Usually, most keys were made in some symbolic shape related to the connected location, but this object had a bizarre form where it was impossible to tell what it was supposed to represent.

’You received this from Ms. Frey?’

’Yes. She said she didn’t know its identity... by any chance, do you know, Captain?’

’Hmm.’

Ian, recognizing the key, nodded.

While there was a wide variety of these keys, from Ian’s perspective, most were items not really worth entering.

This was because the rewards for most of them were no different from a standard Labyrinth, only the location was unique.

Exceptions would be special dungeons like the [Treasure Warehouse] or the [Witch’s Forest] they had visited before.

For such items, one could recognize them at a glance just by their outward appearance without even opening the detailed information to read the name of the connected dungeon.

The key Ian recognized immediately was one of those exceptions. Among the many unique key dungeons, this was a particularly distinctive type, so Ian could identify it right away.

It was a type of dungeon that could be called almost unique among keys.

Since it seemed Ian already knew the identity of the object, Airi nodded with an ’as expected’ expression.

And... she asked with a quite nervous face.

’By any chance... are you going to enter?’

’I should, shouldn’t I? Since I received it, it’s a bit much to ignore it. There’s no reason not to go.’

Hearing that answer, Airi became even more nervous.

Even Frey, who frequented the Labyrinth so much.

Even Frey, who had probably visited several times more than Ian if counted by frequency, couldn’t figure out its identity at all and couldn’t open the door.

It must be an incredible dungeon....

Perhaps, even more so than the place called the Deep Layer they went to before...?

However, Ian’s reaction was very relaxed. This was not the dangerous place Airi was imagining.

Ian shook his head and explained.

’This is a Labyrinth key, but... it’s not a Labyrinth.’

’There is a place... inside the Labyrinth that isn’t a Labyrinth?’

’Should I say it isn’t...??’

The characteristics of a Labyrinth would be complex paths, dangerous traps, monsters, and erosion.

Since this place had none of those, even though its location was in the Labyrinth, it was a place that was ambiguous to call a Labyrinth in reality.

’The place this leads to is a shop.’

’A shop...? Inside the Labyrinth?’

’A shop in the Labyrinth would be....’

A place simultaneously came to the minds of Airi and Tanya.

The place they experienced when they entered the Witch’s Forest before. The Witch’s Shop.

...Then isn’t it a dangerous place?

The expressions of the two, who thought it might be an item more grand than expected, became subtle.

Because no matter how they thought about it, they didn’t think a shop inside the Labyrinth would be a proper place.

’This one probably... could 8 people enter?’

’Is there even an occupant limit?’

’It’s a shop. It’s up to the owner’s heart.’

Even after all the mercenary group members entered, there was still room. Ian briefly thought about who to accompany them.

’First, I should call Ms. Frey....’

It’s not a place Frey would likely enjoy, but since she was the one who provided the key anyway.

If one slot was filled by Frey, the remaining slot would be empty. Then, a face naturally came to Ian’s mind.

It was Frenda.

It was a natural thought since she had been following along on expeditions as if she were practically a fixed member.

However, recently, there seemed to be a bit of talk at the Temple and in the surroundings.... Is it really okay to keep taking a Priestess belonging to the Temple along like this at will? Ian couldn’t help but seriously have such worries.

While Ian was briefly lost in thought, Tanya nodded and stood up from her seat after hearing Ian’s words.

’Then I’ll send word to Ms. Frey and Ms. Frenda!’

’Huh? Oh... uh-huh.’

Before Ian could even say anything, Tanya left first, saying she would send the letters.

...Not only Ian but the other members were also, somehow, naturally including Frenda in the membership.

* * *

’Yo.’

Two days later, Frey visited the Ian Mercenary Group.

It was because Ian had checked the schedules of the two and immediately set the expedition schedule.

Since it was a place with no combat and no need to stay inside for long, there was no need for a long preparation period; it was a place they could just visit briefly when they had spare time.

Frey spoke with a face that said she didn’t expect to be contacted this soon.

’I didn’t think you’d call right away within a week. I did give it to you to find out what it’s used for... did you already know about it?’

’Yes. It’s a place where someone you already know is located.’

’Someone I know?’

’I’m not sure if I can call them... a person, though.’

Frey made an expression that seemed to show she sort of understood.

...Come to think of it, what you told me to bring was a bit peculiar.

Thinking that, Frey recalled the items inside her bag. Inside Frey’s bag were the items Ian had told her to bring in advance.

Instead of food or equipment needed for Labyrinth exploration, what she had filled her pouch with was... gold coins.

Frey asked with a face that showed she had a hunch about something.

’Is this by any chance that fellow?’

’That’s right.’

’No wonder it was a bit strange. I picked it up at the spot where that fellow was.’

Hearing that and realizing the identity of the key, Frey let out a small sigh. She had expected it to be some grand dungeon, but it was a trivial conclusion.

While the two were talking in front, the remaining one person arrived shortly.

’I’m sorry, am I late!’

’No, everyone just gathered.’

Though he had worried, it was Frenda, whom Ian eventually decided to include in this group.

He had heard that people around were looking with slightly suspicious gazes... but it seemed even more strange to take her along on dangerous expeditions and then leave her behind for easy ones.

Compared to Frey, Frenda’s luggage was quite light.

...That’s because he couldn’t exactly tell a Priestess to bring some gold coins.

Ian planned to pay for Frenda’s portion to spend at the shop.

’Shall we rest for a bit before starting?’

’Ah, no! I’m fine with starting right away!’

Frenda spoke confidently with an enthusiastic face.

Well, since the place they were going this time wasn’t a particularly dangerous area. According to the opinion of Frenda, who arrived last, Ian decided to depart for the Labyrinth immediately.

After departing with the expedition members gathered like that. At the entrance of the Labyrinth, Ian pulled out the key.

A typical key should react with the entrance of the Labyrinth in this state, but this key had no reaction.

Frey had also tried using it directly when she obtained this mysterious key, but no matter how much she walked around the vicinity and waited, the door would not open. It was the same even when she took the key and entered the Labyrinth directly just in case.

This was because one condition was needed to activate this key.

Ian took the key and pushed a gold coin into a small crack in it. The gold coin disappeared as if sucked inside.

The small statue continued to swallow the gold coins. Even though he put in an amount that exceeded the size of the statue, the gold coins continued to go in as if there were another space inside.

Like that, 10 for each. When it was repeated for the number of people, the key soon emitted light, trembled slightly, and then melted and disappeared like mist.

The key had been activated.

The entrance of the Labyrinth was tinted not with the usual deep darkness, but with a faint golden light.

’Let’s enter now.’

’...Good grief. I walked around all day to find out how to use that, and it was to pay money.’

Following Ian’s words, everyone moved their steps inside.

...Just what is it that it even charges an entrance fee?

While descending the stairs with such thoughts for a moment.

The place they arrived at was a space brightly lit.

Not inside a dark and damp Labyrinth draped in thick darkness.

Wooden floors and walls. An interior of a building with a warm and cozy atmosphere where torches flickered and lanterns shed light.

Erosion, which should naturally be draped if it were a Labyrinth, was hardly felt inside here. It seemed it was blocked by some method to prevent erosion from entering.

’...A shop?’

Mika raised her head and muttered.

She had been told in advance that it was a shop...

The place they arrived at was a real shop.