SWNOVELXO Chapter 57
Forbidden Six Labyrinths – Haise and Sasha’s Journey 4
“Is this…?”
Sasha and the others ventured further beyond where they fought Noches.
The area led to a staircase and then opened into a spacious room surrounded by metal.
In the center of the room was a massive circular door, its surface frozen solid.
“It’s frozen, isn’t it…”
“Y-yeah… Is this the place with the treasure?”
“…Amazing.”
“Hey, Tycoon… Are you crying?”
Tycoon dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief.
Apparently, he was moved. Sasha and the others knew that speaking to Tycoon in moments like this would lead to endless chatter, so they ignored him.
Instead, they found a small adjacent room and went inside.
“This is… a rest area?”
“It’s pretty spacious. We should’ve rested here instead of the storage room.”
“Wh-what’s this… Look at this box! There’s writing on this glass box!! Or is the writing being reflected onto the glass? Or—wait—is there an ability sealed inside this box!? This is… incredible…”
“Sasha, should we knock Tycoon out? He’s being too noisy.”
“W-wait a moment. Tycoon… Is this the end of the dungeon?”
Tycoon wiped away his tears and cleared his throat with a cough.
“Based on what that demon, Noches, said, this must be where the main body of Shoggoth Noireuse is sealed. If we open that door, the main body will emerge, threatening not just us but the entire Forbidden Six Labyrinths and the frigid land of Frizd.”
“Whaaat!? T-that’s so dangerous!”
“Only if the seal is broken. Look… It’s completely frozen in there.”
“So, where’s the treasure? Are we really leaving empty-handed after coming this far?”
Piasora frowned.
Tycoon adjusted his glasses with a sharp motion.
“I suspect… there isn’t any. The Forbidden Six Labyrinths really is nothing more than a cage to seal the Seven Great Calamities.”
“N-no way…”
“However, the dungeon beast materials we’ve collected along the way should sell for a high price. That alone should sustain our clan for a few years.”
“Ugh… I wish we had something more tangible to show for it.”
“Hey, you guys!! Look over here!”
Reynold beckoned them over.
When they opened a small door in the room, a thick metal door was revealed.
Behind it… was an enormous stash of radiant, rainbow-colored gemstones.
“Look at these! Never seen gems like this before. Could this be the treasure?”
“Reynold!! For the first time, I’m impressed by you!”
“Whoa!?”
Piasora clung to Reynold’s arm and grabbed one of the gemstones.
She stared at it, utterly captivated.
“Beautiful… This is the perfect brilliance for Sasha and my engagement ring.”
“Let go of me! You’re overdoing it.”
“Hmph, it’s just a token of appreciation. Don’t misunderstand.”
Piasora let go of Reynold without hesitation.
They collected all the gemstones and stored them in Piasora’s item box.
Then Reynold turned to Tycoon with a question.
“Hey, Tycoon… How do we close this dungeon? If we don’t destroy the dungeon core, the Forbidden Six Labyrinths will remain. A dungeon is only considered conquered if the core is destroyed or taken.”
“I know, but… This place is full of unknowns. Honestly, I have no idea. Sasha, what do you think?”
“Hmm…”
Sasha pondered.
While she was deep in thought, Robin was staring at a glowing metal box.
“What a pretty box… And this board with all these square things on it—what’s this? There’s writing too. Ancient people really made weird stuff.”
She pressed “Enter.”
Immediately, an alarm blared.
“What the—!?”
“Robin, what did you do!?”
“I-I just touched it, and—”
[Final Safety Mechanism Activated. Final Safety Mechanism Activated.]
“Final… safety… mechanism… No way!!”
Tycoon rushed outside. Cold air was pouring from the door.
“Could it be… refreezing? Is it freezing Shoggoth again!?”
[Freezing in Progress. Freezing in Progress.]
Suddenly, a “transparent cylinder” emerged from the floor.
“Ahh… The room… Someone is speaking!!”
[All personnel, please evacuate immediately. All personnel, please evacuate immediately.]
“Evacuate… I see!! Sasha, everyone!! This place is going to be destroyed!!”
“W-what do you mean!?”
“Most likely… no, definitely!! This is the final procedure to seal Shoggoth! After that, this facility will be abandoned. This place is both a cage and a failsafe to ensure no one can ever touch the Seven Calamities. Whatever triggered this… Everyone, jump into that transparent cylinder!!”
“I-is it safe!?”
“I don’t know!! But it takes days to return to the surface on foot. If this facility is being abandoned, the ancients must have prepared an escape route!!”
“That’s just speculation!!”
“There’s no other choice!!”
“Everyone, move!!”
Sasha began to run.
Robin followed, Reynold scratched his head and ran, and a resigned Piasora joined.
Finally, Tycoon looked at the freezing door and murmured.
“The ancients… They managed to seal it, but never completed the final activation…”
With that, he jumped into the transparent cylinder.
◇◇◇◇◇
“Ugh…”
[Hngh…]
When Haise and Choco Latte opened their eyes, they were in a forest.
The cylinder enveloped them in light and a floating sensation, and within seconds, they found themselves in the woods.
Still disoriented, Haise looked around and spotted the forest’s exit.
Together, they left the forest.
What they found beyond was—…
“What… What is this…?”
[Ohhh…]
The Infinite Labyrinth of Delmadrome.
The ruins above ground had collapsed into an endless abyss.
The labyrinth had vanished.
In other words—… the dungeon had been cleared.
“…Is it over?”
[…]
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
[It’s just…]
Choco Latte closed its eyes, looking at the ruins of the Infinite Labyrinth of Delmadrome.
She was born and raised there; it was her home.
And now, it was gone.
“…I’ll never be able to enter it again. And Yamata no Orochi… It’s frozen and buried below.”
[Yeah.]
“…..”
Haise took a deep breath of the surface air, then asked Choco Latte.
“What will you do now?”
[…]
[I’ve made up my mind.]
“Following me is out of the question.”
[No. I want to go on a journey. I want to leave the dungeon and see the outside world. After spending time with you, that’s how I feel.]
Choco Latte removed her helmet.
Revealing her face, she knelt before Haise.
[Haise. Meeting you allowed me to learn about the world. Thank you.]
“Idiot. There’s still so much more to learn… Here.”
Haise handed Choco Latte a pouch of gold coins.
[Gold, right?]
“You know how to use it, don’t you?”
[Yeah.]
Helmet back on, sword at her side, shield and spear on her back.
No one would think she was a goblin.
An adventurer. Or perhaps a mercenary.
[Farewell, Haise. Until we meet again.]
“Yeah. See you.”
Choco Latte began her journey.
Haise watched her go, then turned and headed toward town.
Whatever adventures Choco Latte might have and whoever she might meet, that was her story, no longer Haise’s concern.
Without looking back, Haise walked toward the town.
◇◇◇◇◇
On his way back, Haise passed a large number of adventurers.
Naturally so. The collapse of the Infinite Labyrinth of Delmadrome—the clearing of the dungeon—was a historic feat.
Who had done it? That question was answered when Haise returned to the adventurer’s guild in Dizara.
“Ha… Haise!? No way… was it you!?”
Guildmaster Chante looked at Haise as if seeing something unbelievable.
Haise nodded and said:
“S-rank adventurer Dark Stalker, Haise. I’ve cleared the Infinite Labyrinth of Delmadrome.”
“…!”
Chante staggered backward, bracing herself against the counter.
Pushing her aside, Balgarn, the clan master of The Count of Monte Cristo, stepped forward.
“You did it.”
“Yeah. Oh, here’s the proof.”
Haise pulled a rainbow-colored gem from his pocket.
Then, from his item box, he placed the massive head of Yamata no Orochi Jr. on the ground.
It was so large it filled the guild’s reception space. The adventurers looked on in shock, fear, and awe.
“That’s…!”
“The dungeon boss. When I defeated it, the dungeon vanished.”
“Earlier, the Infinite Labyrinth of Delmadrome collapsed. That was your doing, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah. It’s cleared.”
“…Sorry. This is hard to process. Chante.”
“Y-yeah… And, uh, this? Are you selling it?”
“Yeah. I’ve got four more, so I’ll donate one to the guild.”
“D-donate!?”
“Yeah. Consider it compensation for the inconvenience of the Delmadrome collapse. It was a tourist spot, after all.”
“…Oh, I see.”
The responses were stiff.
They still hadn’t fully processed the Forbidden Six Labyrinths’s conquest.
Haise stretched and said to Chante:
“Well, I’m heading out. I’m exhausted.”
“…O-okay.”
The shock was overwhelming.
As Haise left the guild, he made his way to the inn he used before entering the dungeon.
There, he saw someone standing outside.
“…Hey, you’re…”
“…..”
It was an elf girl.
With her bow on her back, she stood out with her white skin—a rare sight in this desert country.
A striking beauty, without question.
Presea.
Her hair had grown since Haise last saw her.
The moment she saw him, she walked briskly toward him.
“You… why are you in this country—smack!”
She slapped him hard.
Caught off guard, Haise couldn’t react.
“This is payback for the weird request you made Sasha do that knocked me out.”
“You… What the hell was that fo—”
Before Haise could complain, Presea started crying and hugged him tightly.
“I thought you were dead…”
“…..”
“You idiot, idiot… You’re such an idiot.”
“Let go. People are staring.”
“…Want to go to a room?”
“Yeah. I’m tired.”
Haise shrugged off her hug and went inside.
He rented a room and locked the door before Presea could enter.
“…Hey!”
“Sorry, but I’m sleeping. It’s been ages since I’ve had a real bed.”
“I’ll stay with you.”
“No. If you come in, I’ll knock you out. Goodnight.”
“……Idiot.”
It seemed Presea entered the neighboring room.
Haise lay on the bed and whispered softly:
“Thanks for worrying about me… Goodnight.”
That night, for the first time in six months, Haise slept soundly.