Survive the labyrinth with EX-grade traits

“Then I’ll assume you’ve understood well, and I’ll take my leave first. I have work piled up due to the regular conference,” Leonhardt said, reminding us once again.

“Keep my words in mind. Leesia will know where you need to be, so don’t worry about that.”

“Yes, I will keep it in mind. And… thank you.”

“Haha! Think nothing of it. Don’t consider it a debt or an investment. It’s merely a favor given in goodwill. My lady, let’s go.”

The countess, who was elegantly following behind the exuberant Leonhardt, turned to look at me.

Smile.

‘Why? Why does she keep smiling at me like that?’

The way she smiled, as if she were looking at a treasure that had rolled in on its own, made me feel oddly self-conscious.

“Ahren, let’s move to the lounge and continue our conversation there.”

“I’m fine with that.”

“I’d honestly prefer to talk comfortably in my room, but… if we did that, those two might start some weird rumors, and that would be troublesome.”

Leesia added, clearing her throat.

“The next time you visit the mansion, I’ll give you a tour of the whole place, including my room. But for today, let’s discuss the banquet and then head to the atelier.”

Following her lead, I walked toward a small, private lounge.

.

.

.

During this time, I had been reading through some of the countless books in the Grand Library—

Gaining knowledge about the labyrinth city, the behaviors and unique traits of various monsters, environmental conditions, precautions for each floor, and so on.

I crammed in as much information as I could whenever I had time, but there was still so much I didn’t know.

Swimming in this vast sea of knowledge never got any easier.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t even known half of what was going on in my original world either.

What was certain, however, was that the importance of information had increased tenfold, or even twentyfold, compared to my past life as an orphaned, low-ranking corporate worker on Earth.

Here, most information was directly tied to survival.

In that regard, my conversation with Leesia was extremely beneficial.

“Ahren, how much do you know about the continent?”

“Hmm… Give me a second.”

“Oh! Also, you can start speaking casually with me now. I think it’s about time we narrowed the distance a little, don’t you?”

Dropping the formalities would definitely be more comfortable.

“Mm. Should I?”

“Yes. My way of speaking is already ingrained in me, so I’ll continue using honorifics. Please don’t feel uncomfortable about it.”

“Not at all. I don’t mind, so do whatever feels natural to you. Thanks for suggesting it first.”

Now, about the continent…

The north consists of the frozen lands ruled by the Grand Duke of the North and the united tribes of the barbarians.

The west includes the Great Forest of the Elves, the five major beastkin tribes, the Dwarf Kingdom, and the Halfling Kingdom.

The center is occupied by the Empire and the Holy Kingdom.

The east is made up of the Great Desert, dense jungles, and a collection of minor nations.

Beyond the eastern seas lies the Eastern Continent.

The south, on the other hand, is mostly barren and dangerous, featuring the Land of the Dead and the Great Demon Realm.

Though it’s called the “central” region, the Empire actually occupies nearly half the continent, making it incomparable to any other single nation or group.

“And aside from that, I’ve read that somewhere up in the sky, floating islands exist where dragonkin and celestials live. But only a handful of people know whether it’s actually true. I only read about it in books, so I’m not sure.”

Leesia’s eyes widened as she praised me.

“You’re almost entirely correct! Now, shall we talk about why people from all over the continent come to challenge the labyrinth city?”

“That’s even easier.”

There are several reasons why the Great Labyrinth is considered both a massive danger and a land of opportunity for all.

First, there’s the possibility of obtaining a random trait after completing an exploration each month.

Second, the entire labyrinth exists as a massive dimensional distortion, meaning that if left unattended, it could potentially collapse and cause a disaster at any time.

Third, the deeper one goes, the stronger they can become, and there’s a chance to acquire rare and extraordinary treasures.

Most adventurers who challenge the labyrinth are likely motivated by the first and third reasons.

…As for the battleground of the gods, the apostles, and whatever lies at the deepest levels, I chose not to mention those.

“You’re on a completely different level from the average adventurer in terms of knowledge! It’s not just your appearance and growth rate that stand out.”

Leesia sighed, saying that most lower-tier adventurers only absorbed brief bits of knowledge from required education before diving into the labyrinth.

“Well, I studied hard at the Grand Library in the 4th District.”

Knowledge is power, after all.

“Alright. Since you’ve given satisfactory answers to all my questions, explaining the next part will be much easier. The people you must absolutely be wary of at the banquet are—”

High-ranking figures from the Empire.

The Grand Duke of the North’s relatives and powerful barbarian clans.

High Elves from the Great Forest and noble families from the Five Major Beastkin Tribes.

Renowned Dwarf craftsmen and Halfling leaders.

Prominent individuals from the Great Desert and the Eastern Continent.

Notable nobles from minor nations.

Leesia drilled all this information into my head in a crash course.

“Memorizing all of this in just a few hours would be impossible, right?”

“Honestly, I think I’ve already forgotten about half the names I just heard.”

“I see. I’ll prepare a document with all the names for you. You’ll need to have it memorized before the banquet starts, alright?”

She added that leaking the information was absolutely forbidden.

I followed her lead and stood up.

“The banquet is on the 25th. If you have time before then, I’d like you to visit the mansion at least once or twice.”

“Got it. I wouldn’t feel comfortable preparing for it alone anyway.”

“Now, shall we go get your formal attire fitted?”

.

.

.

My expectations were wrong.

I thought I’d just visit a high-end tailor or a clothing shop in the noble district, but instead, I ended up visiting an atelier that only those with high noble status, or equivalent rank, could enter.

“Oh my, Lady Leesia, you’ve come with such a handsome man?”

It was the Amaranth Atelier.

A middle-aged lady greeted us.

“Luize, please show them in.”

“Yes, this way.”

Following the employee named Luize, we entered the luxurious interior.

Leesia, who seemed to have visited here several times before, casually stated her purpose.

“A custom-made frock coat with a full set of formalwear, and accessories to add elegance? Sounds good. Let’s start by taking measurements.”

Thanks to Leesia being the daughter of a count, there was no hesitation, and the process proceeded quickly and smoothly under the madam’s skilled hands.

“Sir, among all the people I’ve seen in my life, you have one of the top three best physiques. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt so inspired… truly magnificent.”

“Too much praise.”

“No, it’s the absolute truth. Lady Leesia, you’ve never had a man before, I presume?”

“W-wait! Why does everyone keep teasing me like this?”

Leesia flailed her arms and responded violently, while the madam smiled in return.

“Your measurements are complete, and I don’t anticipate any issues with the design or fabric for you, sir.”

Then the madam revealed the shocking price.

“The initial estimate will be two platinum coins, and we will adjust it accordingly.”

“…?”

Wait, what? Two platinum coins?

The platinum coin that’s worth a hundred gold coins each?

I barely held back my astonished reaction and kept a poker face.

But when I glanced over, I saw that Leesia, unfazed by the shocking cost of two platinum coins, had already pulled out a card from the Count and was holding it.

‘…Well, whatever. It’ll work out. I’ll just do my best with what I’ve received.’

Even though Leonhardt had told me not to feel burdened by his kindness, I never imagined I’d be dealing with such an exorbitant amount. How could I just let it go easily?

The madam, noticing my drooping shoulders, made a suggestion.

“Sir, would you like to try on a few suits to better visualize the design?”

“I’d be happy to. Just tell me what you need.”

“I appreciate your straightforwardness. To get the true effect, could you please remove your earrings for a moment? Luize?”

The madam told Luize to bring several suits, and I changed in the fitting room.

“Leesia, what do you think? Does it look good?”

“P-please don’t smile like that… What is this feeling…?”

“Don’t look away, really look at it. I’m your partner for the day.”

I locked eyes with Leesia.

“At least right now, I think the most important thing is for you to like it more than anyone else.”

“You’re absolutely right… but…”

I know that the favor Leonhardt showed me is something most people could never even imagine.

“I’m someone who knows duty and propriety, so I want to give my best in return for what I’ve received.”

Even though it wasn’t my own money, it was hard to think lightly about the amount involved.

‘Two platinum coins as a base. Thinking about it again, it’s absurd.’

Paying that much for a special set of suits, something I would wear only on rare occasions, seemed like something I might do once I became a high-level adventurer—if even then.

“I just don’t want you to feel inferior at the banquet because of me, Leesia. What do you think? Should I try on something else?”

There was no answer.

As I shrugged and made a gesture to return to the fitting room, Leesia suddenly stopped me by holding out her palm.

“Alright! But this time, please don’t act so ostentatious. Just keep a neutral expression—or better yet, try looking angry with a furrowed brow.”

“Haha, when have I ever acted ostentatiously?”

“Don’t smile like that, like a fox wagging its tail! Don’t tempt me!”

[Chaos nods emphatically in agreement.]

I followed their requests and changed outfits all day long.

“This one works well too… ah!”

Leesia, who had been muttering while holding her cheeks, suddenly exclaimed.

“D-try on the next one! Quickly!”

After repeating this process all day according to Leesia and the madam’s requests, I finally left the atelier when the sun had set.

“I’ll visit again soon. See you next time.”

“I’ll tell my father! Please make sure to return safely!”

.

.

.

After wrapping up the business in the noble district, I returned to the inn. The next morning arrived.

Today, should I head to the swordsmanship guild and train hard?

Ever since the duel with Kaizan, I felt like a fire had been ignited in my chest, a feeling I couldn’t ignore.

With that thought, I left the inn and, planning to check the notice board for contributions, headed to the nearby adventurer’s guild.

“We’ve arrived! Please get off!”

When I stepped off the carriage and into the guild building, I was surprised by what I saw.

‘Why is it so noisy in front of the notice board?’

I witnessed an unexpected scene and quickly moved closer.