31-Episode 29: Makoto Takatsuki Can Stop the Departure



Hey, Makoto. You'll catch a cold if you sleep here.

 I opened my eyelids and saw Lucy's face in front of me.
 It was already dark.

'Oh sorry. 'Huh? You've been asleep for quite a while, haven't you?
'What are you doing? You didn't come to dinner at all.... I was worried about you.
 Lucy has an angry, sad look on her face.

'Hey, I was just meeting the goddess.
'What? Oh, really? What did he say to me?

 What should I say?
 I'm a bit confused.
 We can talk about the Book of Souls in private later.

"Go in the Great Maze.
"The Great Maze Labyrinth? Great! My arms are ringing.
Is Lucy coming too?
'What? No, you can't.
 I don't want you to look like you're about to cry like that.

'Lucy isn't a follower of the Goddess, so you don't have to obey her, okay?
It's okay! The demons around here haven't been enough for me lately!
 Well, I was blowing everything up.
 It was so pathetic for the demon.

''Well, let's go file a trip report to the guild.
'Yes! I think you're feeling a little bit better.
'What? Is that right?
It's been a little down in the dumps lately.
 You were worried about me.
 You scratched your cheek.
 We're back to square one, aren't we?


 


'Yes! Why is it suddenly a big labyrinth!
 You're very loud, Marie.

There are other dungeons. The Valley of Salamander in the Land of Fire, the Lost Forest with Doriade in the Land of Trees, or the Ice Tiger's Cave in the Land of Water, right?
''Well, usually an intermediate dungeon in that area is just fine.
Yes!
But I've made up my mind.
 Marie gives me a puzzled look.

'Hey, Lucy. Say something to Makoto-kun.
'My party's leader is the truth. I'll follow.
 I was their leader.
 I didn't know that.
 At any rate, Lucy seems to agree with me.

"Marie, you'll take care of the arrangements, won't you?

 Mumbling, they told me, but they did the procedure.
 What is it, does he not want to recommend the Great Maze?

 ◇

Oh, really. I hear you're going to the Great Maze?
I'll miss you.
 I was approached by Lucas and Jean, who were drinking at the guild's stall.
 Information is going around so fast.

'Jean, what's going on with Emily?
 They're always together.
You said you were going out to dinner with Lucy earlier.
Which reminds me, I don't see Lucy.
 Those two are getting along great, aren't they?

So, when do we leave? Lucas said.
'We haven't decided yet. One shout-out to you, old man.
 And while we're at it, let's have a meal together.
 This restaurant uses a lot of oil to bake and fry their food.
 It's like Chinese food.
 A well-chilled ale goes well with the food.

You have been to the Great Maze, haven't you, Lucas?
''Of course. There isn't a single gold-ranked adventurer who hasn't tried the Great Labyrinth before.
How far did you get? And Jean.
 I'm curious too.

'Hmmm, the Great Labyrinth is no ordinary dungeon, there's no such thing as 10 or 20 levels. There are only 5 levels: upper level, middle level, lower level, deep level and deepest level. I've only been able to get to the deepest level but seriously, don't go yet, okay?
'I know, the lower and deeper levels are a 'dragon's nest', aren't they?
 It's a famous story.
 I learned it in the temple.

"Oh, there are dragons, water dragons and fire dragons...
...this is not good.
But the demons in the upper levels are all small fry. The only one to watch out for is the Minotaur.
The keeper of the upper echelons of Lavulinthos.
Well, with Makoto and Lucy now, as long as they don't get surrounded by more than one, they can handle it.
 Mr. Lucas bit into the fried chicken and sipped his ale.

'What about the middle layer?'
'There are too many different kinds of mid-tier to mention. Goblins, orcs, man-eating giants, zombies, skeletons, vampires and other immortals, lamia, arachnids, harpies ... you name it.
But no demon is that strong.
 Jean seems to think that I could handle this.
 Do you want to go with me?

'Don't be so naive. All the demons in the middle tier are 'herds'.
Mmm, the flock?
There's a boss in the herd, and he'll give the order to attack and retreat. The average adventurer will be surrounded and devoured in an instant.
"...and...
 Scary!
 It's indeed the largest dungeon on the continent.
 That's a high degree of difficulty.
 I've never met a demon that would launch a coordinated attack in a group like that.

That's not the only thing to be aware of.
'There are more...'
It's important. In the Great Maze, there's a hunt for new adventurers.
'Well, I suppose you mean the cocky rookie with the scary senior adventurer is a shimel.
 That's about as good as it gets in any city.

'Not at all. The Great Maze is an adventurer's dream. You know the dungeons in the provincial dungeons, where guys who have gained confidence try their best and try to challenge them with a little bit of inspired equipment? That's what we hunt for.
"...and...
The easy target is the son of a nobleman trying to make a name for himself by becoming an adventurer. A new adventurer with expensive armor is a sitting duck. They'll be stripped down and fed to the demons in the dungeon.
'True! We're not going to the Great Maze!
 I guess I'm completely freaked out and Jean stops me.
 No, to be honest, I'm just a bit nervous myself.

"Ha-ha, if you're scared, don't be. I'm going to take on the Great Maze, I tell all adventurers the same thing.
Well, that won't stop me from going.
 The goddess gave me a rare and specific instruction.
 I can't miss this event.
 But I wonder what the encounter is.

'Then I won't stop you, but you better be ready.
 Lucas, with serious eyes, said.
'I understand,'
 This old man has a lot to live up to.
 He's the father of everyone in the McAllen Adventurer's Guild.

 After that, he told me all kinds of saga stories about Lucas-san and the horror stories of the Great Maze.
 Lucas and Jean went to the second restaurant, but I was about to go outside to do some training, when Marie caught me.

"Hey, come with me.

 ◇

 Marie brought me to a bar called 'ASAKUSA' in the basement on the outskirts of town.
 The name ... well, never mind.

Cheers.

 It's a quiet shop.
 Different from the Guild's stall and the 'Cat's Ear Pavilion', it was a mature shop.
 I didn't know the etiquette of such a restaurant, so I asked for a cocktail, which was recommended.
 The alcohol is a bit harsh.
 The color of the cocktail is a beautiful blue, though.

Hey, you were just asking Lucas-san about the Great Maze, right?
Yes, there's a lot of danger in that.
Do you have to go?
Do you disagree?
 Marie didn't answer the question.
 She downed her alcoholic-looking cocktail and said, "I have a brother.

I have a younger brother.
 I've never heard of it before.
'Really? Are you an adventurer, by any chance?
Yes, I went to the Great Maze three years ago.
....
 This is if.

"As soon as I got to the Iron Ranks. He was so excited to make a name for himself as soon as possible.
What are you doing now?
 It's kind of predictable, but I hear it.

'I don't know. I haven't heard from you in a long time.
....
 Marie empties half of her second cocktail.
 No word..........

'We agreed to go back to McAllen once a year and show up. The leaders of the party were silver-ranked, and I was told they were the most promising rookies of the time.
Well.....
'Four Iron Ranks, taking down a gryphon or something. Isn't that awesome?
Ha, ha.
''Hmm, there's a party of four bronze ranks that recently beat the gryphon. My brother's record has been surpassed...
 Ugh, what can I say?
 It's hard to be a commie.

'Do you really want to go?'
 He asked me the same question.
 You can fake it.

'I'll go. But I'm not going to do anything rash.
But you want fame, don't you?
It's not like that.
 I'm not interested.

You're kidding! They don't need the fame to go to the Great Maze. They don't come back recklessly anyway!
Well, Miss Marie?
I don't like it! Waiting for the one that didn't come back! You're not going anywhere!
 The customers in the store snorted at Marie's loud voice.

'What is this, a lover's quarrel?' You're a pretty girl, you know that?

Well, Master.
 Anyway, I paid and left the store.

''Ugh...''
 Marie is crying.
 Is it your brother's name that you are mumbling someone's name?
 I sit down on a bench by the river to calm myself down.
 After a few moments, I talk to him.

I'm a coward, Marie, so I'm going to take a quick adventure through the upper levels of the Great Maze and come right back.
....
The reason I go to the Great Maze is because I actually know someone there.
 To be exact, I'm about to get to know you.
 According to the Goddess.

You're going to meet... girl?
'What? No, no, no, no, no.
 Isn't that right?
 What do you think? Goddess.

.....
 He ignored me.

'Hmm, then you should have said so in the first place.'
 I think she's getting better.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to rush you.
'No, I can't blame you for worrying when you hear your brother's story.
Hmm, she's out of the shop. What shall I do now?
It's late. We should go home.
We were alone together.
 Marie, as usual.
 Oh, good.

"Hey! Well, let's go back to my place for a drink to make up for all the mess we made! I'll cook for you.
What?
 A woman's room at this hour?
 I mean, it's the first time in my life that I've ever been in a woman's room.

''Uh, yeah.''
It's settled. Come on! Let's go.
 I'm going to get yanked.
 It's forceful.

 Partly because I'm drunk, and partly because I've heard what he just said, I can't strongly refuse.
 If I refuse to go, will Marie be drinking alone, thinking of her brother who won't return?
 That's a bit lonely, isn't it?
 I'll go with you for a little while.
 I can't do it until morning, though.

Okay, we're here!
 Just a short walk from the bar I just left, I found Marie's house.
 It's a brick house.
 It's a stylish, if a little old-fashioned, building.

"We're in, we're in.
You don't have to push so hard, I can walk...
 I'm just going to let it flow through me.


"Hey, wait!

 He called out.

'Lucy?'
 What are you doing here?
Geez, Lucy.
Hey! Where are you trying to take my truth? !

'Well, well, Lucy. Marie misses her brother when he doesn't come home. Just cut me some slack.
'Marie's brother? You mean Kyle, who made a name for himself in the Great Maze and is now playing fancy in King's Landing?
 Hmm?
 Isn't that what I've heard?

Marie, did your brother die?
'What are you talking about, Makoto? Marie's brother, Kyle, is part of a famous party called The Golden Claw, and he's famous as the Night King of King's Landing.

'Ugh my sweet little brother is nowhere to be found.
Hey! Your brother must be doing well!
 I was pretty worried about you!

You're an easy target for my son, aren't you?
'I'm not trying to trick you! I just didn't tell you!
 You sound like a goddess.

'I mean, what's Lucy doing here? Right here.
Wow, I'm staying at a place around here! Then I heard Makoto and Marie's voices, so...
Lucy, stalker....
It's a little gutter! Don't be weird!
Well, I'm gonna go home and get some sleep.
Wait.
 Two people grabbed me on both sides of my arm.
 I wanted to go home now.

 In the end, Lucy and I ended up at Marie's house that day, drinking until morning.

 To be exact, I got drunk after about an hour or so.
 My head hurts.