'Hmmm ... does it still hurt?　Lilith.

Well, uh ... not quite there yet.

'I see. My magic won't be able to fully heal you, right? Sorry about that.

No, I'm fine. I'm just grateful to be treated. Thank you.
Stop it. I haven't done anything to warrant a thank you.

　After the healing spell for the umpteenth time, Lilith and I were having such a conversation.

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. Leaving a wounded man unattended is not acceptable.

　The wound on Lilith's arm seems to be closing up pretty well.

　Fortunately, it seems that the slime wasn't created with a strong magic formula. If Cephiro was serious, he could have created a slime that could invade the earth, wither its roots, and create a barren land in an instant after being summoned. Of course, even for demons, fatal injuries were inevitable if they touched their bodies.

　It's only a matter of time before they didn't set such a devilish difficulty level.

''Um.........Ike-sama, because I'm a troop leader class, you're treating me this well?''

I haven't been particularly nice to you. I don't care if you're a captain or a grunt. What did I tell you?　I'm not going to leave my people behind.

........I see.......

"?　What does it matter?

No, no. Nothing.

'That's fine, but...'

　With the treatment finished, I sent out a message to the back of the line and resumed my march.
　As soon as we started walking, Lilith held my left arm tightly.
　Maybe it's because she's wearing clothes that show off her body line, but the feel is not much different from that of a raw one. It's a good idea to have your arms between your ample breasts, even if you're losing to Cephiro.
　It's warm and bouncy.

"...............

..........

　Looking at the humming Lilith, I can't help but feel a shiver down my spine.
　After all, I feel a chill like this, like I've taken on a lot of trouble....

"Lilith's sister, you're sticking it to Ike's husband. Is that the letter E for what happened earlier?

I'm sorry, you idiot, Giron!　It's not like that!

There's no need to be embarrassed. When I first met my wife, I thought she wasn't very pretty, but now I find it hard to leave her side.

'What?　You were a wife-beater?

'Yes, sir. And I have six kids.

　The number of fingers indicated that I was surprised.

　 When I said, "Take good care of your wife," Jiron threw out his chest, "Of course, of course," he said.

　For that matter, though, she's been clinging to my robe and trembling since a while ago.
　To be honest, I'd like you to get out of my way.
　Aside from that...we will continue on our way through the labyrinth.

　As for the traps, I was tired of seeing them. I'm not sure if Cephiro is having trouble setting them or not, but they are all fireball magic types that can easily be blocked with the "barrier" or half-digged pitfalls, and the traps are becoming more and more careless.

　They saw through the cumbersome traps with 《Perspective》 and proceeded with great enthusiasm.

I had to use 《Luminosity》 to see the front of the labyrinth, but I suddenly saw a light.

''Oh, it's kind of bright over there, sir!　Perhaps this is Mr. Cephiro's workshop.

Very likely. .........Jiron, don't step forward too far. Three steps ahead of you, there's a magic circle of the Fireball that activates when you step on it.

　As I said it, Giron hurriedly backed away and grabbed my robe with both hands.
　Well, that's a lie.
　Without paying attention, I stepped three steps ahead of Giron with ease and went deeper and deeper.

''..........''

　I was stunned.
　It was indeed a place that seemed to be Cephiro's workshop.

　Unlike the labyrinths of the past, there is a high ceiling that seems to vault close to the ground, and an open space that extends to the ground. Along the walls, there are a number of shelves and what looks like a desk. A few papers are left behind, perhaps unnecessary. The reason it's so bright is because there's a stone with the magic formula of "Hikarimei" hanging from the ceiling far above. I drowned out the magic of the Luminosity on my fingertips and then looked around.

　Is this the workshop of that Black Peril Witch Sephiro?
　I couldn't help but twist my head.

'So this is the workshop, huh? It's less messy than I thought. No, this isn't so much a mess as it is...''

Yeah, it's a mess.

　Lilith was right, it was unexpected.

　The workshop, where documents are scattered, desk-like wreckage sits, and the walls and floor are carved with large scratches, looks exactly like a 'deserted' place.

　It's not that Cephiro is a neat freak. It is natural for a magician's workshop to be neat and tidy. For a top-notch sorcerer, even a single letter can be a magic formula. Even documents and scribbles are valuable magic books. I'm not going to leave it behind just because it's no longer in use.

　That's what Cephiro taught me, and that's what my grandfather was practicing.

　That's why I couldn't help but be surprised. A workshop with so much clutter and things scattered around.

'Dude!　It's a tough job, Ike's master ministry.

　As I was twisting my head, Giron, who was beside me, was shouting loudly and pretending to look around the workshop.

　Good grief, I told you not to step forward too much. I guess he's already forgotten that he was fooled by my lie earlier, and Jiron is holding his head in the middle of the workshop.

'What the hell, Giron. What's the big deal?

Why is your husband so calm? A funny thing, sir.　I don't know what to think!

So what?

The dragon!　There are no dragons in the ministry!

　Spreading his hands wide, Giron raises his voice as if in mourning.
　The dragon, gone.

　That's certainly true. Looking around, I don't see a dragon's do. Not only are there no live dragons, but even their corpses.

　I was surprised at the state of the ruined workshop, but the fact that there were no dragons was more important. For once, Jiron was right.

''What do you do, sir!　If we don't do this, we'll be looking at a mission failure!

'Calm down Giron, it's disgusting. ........But it's definitely strange. Sephiro-sama, were you telling a lie? There were no dragons in the beginning--

No, I don't think so.

How can you be so sure?

　I don't need to wait for Lilith's words to deny that possibility.

''If it's just me alone, it's because he doesn't have a reason to trick this many demon clans. Even the legion leader doesn't have time for this. If he moved a demon race of this size for mere fun, he couldn't face the same legion leader or the Demon King.

'Hmmm ... that's true. But then why?

Well there are three things I can think of.


(1) The dragon's corpse was rotten and gone.
(2) The dragon broke through the underground labyrinth and escaped.
(3) This is a fake workshop and the real one is in a separate location.


　The first and most improbable one is (2). There is no way a dragon figure can enter that cramped underground labyrinth. A wyvern may be a good choice, but not a dragon.

　The next most improbable is (1). A dragon's scales, epidermis and bones are extremely robust. Even if they decayed and disappeared, they would at least have some bones left. Even dinosaurs in a previous life had bones left as fossils. There are even human beings whose skeletons remained even after being buried by volcanic ash. Bones do not disappear so easily.

　So the possibility of the third option is strong...?

'No, it's hard to think of that either...'

　Even this is understandable because I had a "clairvoyant" view to the end of the path I didn't take on the way. There was no other open space like this except here.

　It wasn't like he was working on his magic research in the corner of a cramped cave. They would have needed a space to conduct rituals, and I can't imagine a workshop anywhere else.
　Then why aren't there any dragons here?

　What are the possibilities?

　I couldn't stop thinking about it and looked up into the air as if I were looking up at the heavens. Even if I did, I couldn't see the sky in the dark depths of the earth.

　-- I suddenly saw it.
　Beyond the dark, invisible ceiling, I saw a glint of light.
　A glint, and something reflected the light.
　........no way, is there something there?　The ceiling.

Well let's see if we can't...

　I held out my circular snake staff and cast the magic of the fireball.
　The fireball scattered and flew towards the ceiling at a tremendous speed.
　The fireball illuminated the darkened ceiling.
　The one who was there--

What the hell was that?

Stay back, Giron!　It's not safe there!

　Quickly, he gave instructions to Giron.

　As he looked up at the ceiling, what he saw in his eyes was a --- a deformed demon.
　No, I'm not even sure if it's a demon or not.
　What the hell is that thing...
　Shaking its tattered, cavernous wings.
　Holding a huge hollow, dragging its guts around.
　It stared at me with its vacant eyes, gazing at me.
　It was - - although it had changed, it was indeed a dragon.

　It was a dragon that had completely turned into a zombie as it lowered its decayed body to the corner of the workshop.