🎉🎉🎉Labyrinth: Chapter 26/31

Chapter 26: Level 2 Store Unlock

The next morning.

Chishiya opened his account.

[Chishiya Shuntaro]

[Account Balance: 100 million Eris (Convertible to Reputation Points at 100:1)]
[Remaining Reputation Points: 1.45 million]

Last night, he had made a decision—to head to the world of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.

Mainly for staff recruitment.

With his own magic power, he might even be able to build a new faction by naming monsters.

In the anime, that adorable slime king expanded his influence by giving monsters names, turning them into loyal subordinates across multiple races.

If he copied that method, it might actually work.

Not only could he gather enough personnel, he might even establish a brand-new monster kingdom over there.

Chishiya rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

He still had 1.45 million reputation points left, which was just enough to unlock the Level 2 store.

[System Store upgrade requires 100,000 Reputation Points]
[Proceed with the upgrade?]

"Yes," Chishiya nodded.

Might as well upgrade the Labyrinth Store before heading out.

[Level 2 Store is now unlocked]

[Deluxe Architectural Blueprint Pack: 100,000 Reputation Points]
[Land Deed: 500,000 Reputation Points]
[Central Voice Transmission Pearl: 200,000 Reputation Points]
[Small Voice Transmission Bead: 1,000 Reputation Points]

Most of the deluxe blueprints were a hybrid of magical and modern architecture.

Like elevators powered by teleportation magic.
Magic street lamps. Stuff like that.

Definitely a major upgrade over the basic starter pack.

"What's this land deed?" Chishiya asked.

[Land Deed: Grants control over a 1-kilometer radius territory]
[Buildings within this territory are immune to destruction by external forces]

So by establishing a new territory, the buildings there become indestructible.

Wait…

If he had enough reputation points,
couldn't he technically claim an entire world?

Chishiya blinked.

Then glanced at the voice transmission beads.

[Central Voice Transmission Pearl: Collects data from small beads and broadcasts it outward]
[Small Voice Transmission Bead: Sends data to the central bead]

Communication tools, huh?

Perfect for setting up a communication network inside the Labyrinth.

Everything in the Level 2 Store was useful.

Not a single thing disappointed him.

And with a bit of spare reputation, it was time to make use of it.

"System, redeem everything."

"And add 50 more small voice transmission beads."

[Confirmed]
[Processing exchange…]
[Exchange complete. Items have been placed into the system inventory]

[Remaining Reputation Points: 500,000]

Looking at the land deed now resting in his system inventory, Chishiya wasn't in a rush to use it.

"When I reach the next world, I'll use this to establish a branch over there."

But that was later.

For now, his focus was recruiting more people.

And finding a way for the company to plant its roots in the Konosuba world.

Chishiya opened the door.

Just in time to see Megumin stepping out of the bathroom, drying her damp hair.

Steam still clung to her skin.

"Huh?!"

Wrapped in a bath towel, Megumin yelped and instinctively covered her chest.

She ducked behind the door with a tomato-red face, peeking out with just her head showing.

"Sensei… Sensei, when did you get back?!"

"Last night."

Chishiya massaged his temple.

Flat as a board, huh…?

"No, seriously—do you always walk around like this at home?"

Megumin stammered.

"How was I supposed to know you'd come back out of nowhere?!"

Chishiya looked around.

"Where's Rim?"

At that moment—

A barefoot pink-haired girl darted out of the bathroom and threw herself into his waist.

"Chishiya! You're back~!"

He looked down.

Then closed his eyes in silent resignation.

She wasn't even wearing a towel.

Being the Gluttonous Demon apparently came with zero awareness.

You're gonna get the wrong idea doing stuff like this…

Sure enough.

Megumin's face turned the color of a firework about to go off.

"Ah…!"

"Sensei, Sensei! You really are a pervert, huh?!"

"You brought two beautiful girls here and now the beast inside you can't be tamed anymore?!"

Chishiya silently took off his coat and draped it over Rim.

Then grabbed Megumin by the collar and hoisted her up.

"Ahhh! That hurts!"

He bonked her on the head with his fist.

"Quit saying nonsense, you brat!"

"Ow ow ow! Sensei! Mercy!"

He finally let go.

"It still hurts…"

Megumin crouched down, hugging her head and whimpering.

Chishiya sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"Come on, we're going somewhere."

"Where are we going?" Megumin asked.

"Crimson Demon Village. Time to visit your parents."

"Ehh?! Sensei, you're not… sending me back home, are you?"

"You're saying I cost too much in food expenses, so now you're kicking me out?!"

"Don't look at me like that. I can cry too, you know!"

"At worst, I'll just stop eating!"

Chishiya lightly flicked her on the forehead.

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

"You're with me now. That means I should visit your family properly with some gifts. It's called basic courtesy."

"…Oh."

Megumin clutched the edge of his sleeve tightly… then slowly let go.

So I was just overthinking it…

I thought I was getting abandoned again.

Rim came over and gently patted her head, like an older sister comforting a younger one.

"Don't worry, Megumin. Chishiya promised he'll stay with you all."

"Right, Chishiya?"

Rim looked up with that usual, blissfully clueless smile.

Chishiya blinked.

Even though her brain was basically made of food cravings, sometimes she said surprisingly sweet things.

He gave a small nod.

"Yeah. I'm not abandoning you. Relax."

Megumin lowered her head, discreetly wiping away a tear from the corner of her eye.

"…Really."

"Geez, you're making this sound way too emotional…"

She looked up suddenly, acting all tough.

"I wasn't even that worried! I'm a level 20 Arch Wizard now!"

She proudly showed him her adventurer card.

Sure enough, she had hit level 20.

With all the monsters roaming the Labyrinth and Rim helping to herd them,
Megumin had leveled up fast.

She'd completed Chishiya's goal for her in just a week.

"Not bad. Fast progress."

"In that case, I'll bring you with me next time."

"Really?!"

Her eyes sparkled like stars.

Chishiya nodded.

"Yup."

"Oh, and the mana ore I gave you last time. You still have it, right?"

"Bring it when we visit Crimson Demon Village. I'll have someone make you a new staff."

Megumin's face lit up like it was Christmas morning.

"A new staff?!"

"Sensei! You really are the best Sensei in the entire world!"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 27: My Name is Yunyun

—A clothing store in Axel—

Megumin stood in front of the shop assistant, pointing decisively.

"I'll take that mask. And those mittens."

"Oh, and that cloak too. Thanks!"

Chishiya rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Hey. What are you even doing…"

At the moment, Chishiya was wearing a slim-fitting black robe.

It had a gold-trimmed belt, a swallowtail cape, and a stiff high collar.

Basically, the very definition of that chuunibyou fashion Megumin adored.

Her eyes sparkled like she'd found a limited-edition Explosion plushie.

"Sensei! You look amazing! So cool!"

"Isn't this, like, way more stylish than what you usually wear?"

Up until now, Chishiya had always been dressed in plain cloth robes.

But since they were about to visit someone's family, he figured it was time to upgrade his appearance a bit.

Megumin had insisted on picking out his new look herself.

Which led them to this.

After paying, the two of them left the store.

Megumin waved excitedly at passersby.

"Sensei! You're so handsome! Look! Everyone's staring at you!"

Chishiya glanced around at the whispering crowd.

"…Why do I get the feeling it's not for the right reasons?"

Megumin replied seriously.

"It's fine. You're gonna be a huge hit in the Crimson Demon Village!"

Chishiya: "...Let's just keep walking."

———

—Adventurer's Guild—

Walking past the murmuring crowd, Chishiya made a beeline for the reception desk.

Luna blinked when she saw him.

"Chishiya-san, what… what's with the outfit?"

Chishiya deadpanned.

"Don't ask."

"…Okay…"

He cut straight to the point.

"Miss Luna, I'm heading to Crimson Demon Village. I'll be out of town for a while."

"I'd like the Guild to post a notice while I'm away."

Luna tilted her head. "What kind of notice?"

Chishiya answered seriously.

"My prop shop will be holding a new product launch early next month."

"The first 100 customers will receive a mysterious bonus item."

Luna was momentarily stunned.

Was this… a store promotion?

Was this guy seriously using the Guild notice board for an ad?

He really was different from the other hero candidates…

It kind of screamed, "I'm broke."

"I mean… I guess it's doable…"

"Thanks!"

Without waiting for approval, Chishiya slapped the written ad on the board and walked out.

Well, technically he was a "hero candidate." That should come with a few perks, right?

At least now, he wouldn't need to worry about business while visiting the next world.

His plan was simple: visit Megumin's family, then travel to the Slime world.

Stay about a month, recruit subordinates, set up a branch office, then return.

By then, the Labyrinth's facilities should be complete and ready for a grand opening.

———

About an hour later—

The Guild door swung open.

Darkness stepped inside.

Heads turned.

"It's the Crusader from that battle!"

"Thanks for your hard work!"

Caught off guard by the crowd, Darkness looked flustered.

She'd recovered from her injuries and had come today to ask about Chishiya.

Waving her hands in a panic, she tried to explain.

"No, no, it wasn't really anything."

"You all saw what a mess I was at the end, right?"

The onlookers responded enthusiastically.

"Don't be modest. We all admire your bravery!"

Even her former teammates came over to apologize.

"Sorry. We thought you'd lost your mind when you charged in like that."

"But it turns out we were the ones with scrambled brains."

"Huh?"

"N-no, it's fine…"

Darkness's cheeks turned red.

She hadn't expected it to end up like this.

She was feeling flustered and embarrassed… but not in the fun way.

This wasn't the kind of humiliation she liked at all.

Trying not to let it show, she made her way through the crowd to the counter.

Just then—

A girl was quietly speaking to Miss Luna at reception.

"Um, excuse me… I wanted to ask…"

"Is there a Crimson Demon girl here who can use Explosion Magic?"

"Someone around the same age as me…"

The girl seemed super anxious, barely lifting her head.

"Explosion Magic, Crimson Demon girl…"

The image of Megumin immediately popped into Luna's mind.

After all, plenty of parties had filed complaints about her 'accidental' explosions.

"Yes, but she just left."

"She left?!"

The girl looked up in surprise.

Luna then noticed something.

She was a Crimson Demon too.

"Wait, aren't you that girl from before?"

"Yunyun, right?"

Luna remembered her coming with Megumin the first time.

Then disappearing to the corner to quietly play chess with herself.

"Weren't you two always together? Did you get separated?"

Yunyun nodded. "Something happened… we split up temporarily…"

"But we made a really important promise."

"So now I want to find her again."

"I see…" Luna nodded.

"She left with Chishiya-san."

Chishiya?!

Behind them, Darkness's eyes lit up the moment she heard his name.

Yunyun quickly followed up, "Do you know where I can find Chishiya-san?!"

"Please tell me too!"

Darkness leaned in next to her.

Miss Luna jumped slightly at the sudden double interrogation.

"Um… I think they went to Crimson Demon Village…"

Crimson Demon Village…

—Outside the Guild—

Darkness turned to Yunyun.

"You're looking for Chishiya too? Want to travel together?"

"Huh?"

Yunyun froze.

This was the first time someone had proactively spoken to her in… forever.

"Y-yes! Of course!" Yunyun nodded rapidly.

Darkness smiled and offered her hand.

"I'm Darkness. Crusader."

Yunyun blinked, flustered for a second.

"This is so embarrassing… so awkward…"

"No! It's rare for someone to talk to me, I need to do this right!"

She cleared her throat and placed her hand dramatically over her chest.

"My name is Yunyun! Daughter of the Crimson Demon Clan Chief! A first-class mage, wielder of high-level magic!"

Darkness: "…"

The air went completely silent for a moment.

Yunyun's face immediately flushed bright red.

She caught the odd look on Darkness's face and panicked.

"Ahahaha! Please don't get the wrong idea! I'm not weird!"

"Just… just call me Yunyun…"

Darkness blinked, then nodded slowly.

Right. She'd heard that the Crimson Demons were all a bit… eccentric.

Now she'd finally met one in person.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 28: It's Over

With a flash of light, Darkness and Yunyun appeared just outside the village via teleportation magic.

Yunyun pulled out a bottle of mana potion from inside her cloak and took a swig.

"We made it. Is this your first time in Crimson Demon Village, Darkness?"

Darkness nodded.

She'd heard the people here were fearsome enough to terrify even the Demon King's army.

They were frequently engaged in battles against his forces, and that only piqued her interest further.

Her lips twitched into a subtle smile, eyes full of anticipation.

"If I got kidnapped during a battle with the Demon King's army… something truly awful might happen to me…"

"Hehehe…"

A confused question mark might as well have floated above Yunyun's head.

Why was Darkness suddenly so… excited?

Something about this felt deeply off.

"W-well, let's go to Megumin's house first."

"Maybe they've already returned."

———

A short while later, they stopped in front of a small wooden cottage.

The house looked even shabbier than a typical peasant's home.

Yunyun knocked politely on the front door.

Footsteps came running from inside.

Soon, the door creaked open, revealing a girl who looked strikingly like Megumin.

She was probably still in elementary school.

"Who are you?"

Yunyun winced, feeling like she'd just taken ten thousand points of emotional damage.

"Komekko! It's me, Yunyun! I was in the same class as your sister!"

The little girl squinted for a moment, then suddenly lit up.

"Dad! That weird lady you mentioned is here!!!"

Yunyun: "Please don't call me that!"

—Living Room—

Yunyun knelt stiffly on the carpet. Across from her sat Megumin's father, Hyoizaburoo, wearing a solemn expression.

At a glance, he looked like an average middle-aged man, but there was an intensity in his gaze that made him hard to ignore.

For reasons she didn't entirely understand, Darkness also ended up kneeling beside her.

Hyoizaburoo said flatly, "You're telling me… my daughter was kidnapped?"

Yunyun flailed. "No no! She wasn't kidnapped! She just… left with an adventurer, I think?"

Darkness chimed in quickly.

"Yes! We heard he might've come to the village, so we came to check."

There was a brief silence.

Then the elegant woman sitting beside him, clearly Megumin's mother, with long, lustrous black hair and a strong resemblance to her daughter—spoke gently.

"Dear, don't scare the guests."

Ms. Yuiyui smiled. "Actually, Megumin sent us a letter. We've already heard about all this."

"A letter?"

Both Yunyun and Darkness blinked in sync.

Ms. Yuiyui pulled out the letter and handed it over.

They both leaned in to read.

[I met a magician who is super skilled in Explosion Magic! He agreed to take me as his apprentice!
Even though his clothes are in rags, his magic is super strong, and he can even talk to ants!
His other apprentice can eat any monster alive!
Recently, he took me mining and then to a forest for training.
I might not have time to write for a while.

—Megumin]

"…Huh?"

Yunyun and Darkness stared at each other in horror.

The mood flipped on a dime. Two people who hadn't been remotely worried were now on the verge of panic.

Yunyun yelled, "This is kidnapping, right?! This is totally kidnapping!"

Darkness shouted back, "She's eating monsters alive?! And he talks to ants?!"

"He took her mining and dragged her into a forest?! This is human trafficking! This is what trafficking looks like!"

Like she'd been sold off to some black market mining ring…

Ms. Yuiyui just laughed lightly.

"Relax. Isn't this just a normal family letter?"

"No need to get worked up, dear."

Hyoizaburoo nodded calmly.

"Yeah. I was a bit upset when I saw the Explosion Magic thing, though."

"If he turns out to be some comedy magician, I won't let my daughter learn anything from him."

"…???"

Darkness had always known Crimson Demons had… eccentric personalities.

But this was beyond what she'd imagined.

Still, Chishiya had saved her from one of the Demon King's top generals. He couldn't be as insane as the letter made him sound…

Could he?

And anyway, wasn't he supposed to be Her Highness Iris's fiancé?

Yunyun jumped to her feet, flustered.

"W-when was this letter sent?"

Ms. Yuiyui tilted her head. "It arrived four days ago."

It's over…

Yunyun clutched her head in despair.

Four days…

Everything that could happen probably already did happen…

Megumin…

What kind of twisted journey are you on right now?!

———

—Outside Crimson Demon Village—

"I didn't think the Labyrinth would be this close to the Crimson Demon Village," Megumin said, surprised.

She'd never left the Labyrinth before.

And the first time she did, she ended up practically in her backyard.

Chishiya nodded.

After the world merge, the Labyrinth's location had shifted.

It now sat just ten kilometers south of Crimson Demon Village.

At a brisk pace, you could reach it in two hours.

Soon enough, a peaceful little village came into view.

"Megumin, your hometown actually looks kinda nice."

"It's… fine," she said with a flat tone.

She had just left, and now she was already back…

As they walked down the village road, a few Crimson Demons greeted her enthusiastically.

"Megumin, you're back!"

"We haven't seen you in months! You must be way stronger now!"

"I heard Yunyun's become a pretty famous mage!"

Several Crimson Demon girls gathered around the pair.

They looked like Megumin's childhood friends.

"Heh…"

Megumin lowered the brim of her hat coolly.

"No matter how famous Yunyun becomes, my Explosion Magic will never lose in firepower."

"Besides, I'm already level 20."

"For real?!"

The girls gasped in amazement.

"You were only gone for a few months! How'd you level up so fast?!"

"That's amazing! What's your secret?"

Megumin grinned. "Hehe. Maybe the power sealed within me has finally awakened."

"Whoa! That's so cool!"

Chishiya sighed.

Yup. The Crimson Demons were just as weird as advertised.

"I hate to interrupt…"

Chishiya cut in flatly.

"But Megumin, we do have some important stuff to take care of."

"?!!"

The girls turned toward Chishiya and went silent for a moment… then locked on to his outfit.

"Whoa! He's so cool!"

"Megumin, is this guy your companion?"

Two of the girls, Funifura and Dodonko, slipped right past Megumin and sidled up to Chishiya.

"Megumin, your taste is on point."

"He's way different from the other outsiders we've seen."

Megumin put her hands on her hips, puffed up with pride like a smug lion cub.

"Of course. I personally—"

She stopped mid-sentence.

Funifura and Dodonko's eyes were starting to glow red.

Megumin knew that look all too well.

Danger.

Bad intentions.

Emergency.

She immediately grabbed Chishiya's arm.

"Sensei, let's go. We've got important work to do. No time to waste!"

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Ay Si Niño for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 29: Treating Parents

Two people stepped out of the crowd.

Megumin puffed up proudly.

"Sensei, did you see the look in their eyes just now?"

"Told you I wasn't lying when I said I'm the number one genius girl in the Crimson Demon Clan."

Chishiya nodded flatly. "Yeah. So impressive."

"...Tch."

Megumin pouted.

Chishiya walked ahead, already thinking through what he was going to say when they arrived.

Honestly, this was his first time visiting someone else's parents. He was a little tense.

If they didn't approve of Megumin staying in the Labyrinth, it could get messy.

He needed to find a way to put them at ease.

Bribe them?

No, Chishiya shook his head.

"Even if they're poor, I doubt they'd take a payoff."

He needed them to feel like he was someone reliable—just by the way he acted.

Ten minutes later, they arrived in front of a small wooden house.

Chishiya knew Megumin's family wasn't well-off.

But seeing it in person… he realized he had still overestimated.

The place looked patched together from leftover firewood.

Knock knock knock.

Megumin took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

Footsteps ran from inside.

The door creaked open, and a little girl peeked her head out.

Megumin knelt down and gently patted her head.

"Komekko, have you been a good girl while I was gone?"

Komekko stared blankly at Megumin.

"…Komekko?"

Megumin tilted her head.

Komekko suddenly locked eyes with Chishiya, who was standing behind her.

Her eyes widened, and she sucked in a deep breath.

"DAD! SIS BROUGHT A GUY HOME!"

Megumin: "EEEEHHHH?!"

Chishiya: "...???"

—Living Room—

The tiny room felt cramped as everyone gathered around the low table.

A quiet, awkward atmosphere settled in.

Komekko sat between Hyoizaburoo and Yuiyui, watching the scene with wide, curious eyes.

Yunyun looked up. "Why is Megumin here?"

"That's my line!"

Megumin jumped up and flicked Yunyun's forehead hard.

"What are you doing in my house?!"

Yunyun didn't back down. "Obviously, I'm here to challenge you to a duel!"

"I've fulfilled our promise!"

"I've mastered advanced magic, Megumin!"

"Time for a rematch!"

Megumin: "Huh?! Who said I'd compete with you?! You never win anyway!"

Yunyun turned red like an angry squirrel.

"N-not true! I've won a few times!"

Ahem.

Hyoizaburoo cleared his throat, interrupting the chaos.

Yunyun immediately remembered where she was and slumped back into her seat.

"R-right… sorry for shouting…"

"…"

Hyoizaburoo shifted his gaze to Chishiya, looking him up and down.

"So, you're Chishiya?"

"You look pretty young. From the way she wrote it in her letter, I thought you'd be some old geezer."

Wait, what?!

Yunyun blinked and finally looked properly at the boy next to Megumin.

This was Chishiya?

She'd assumed he'd be some middle-aged uncle.

After all, anyone using Explosion Magic had to be ancient, right?

Hyoizaburoo continued, arms folded.

"I heard you're teaching my daughter magic."

Chishiya nodded.

"That's right."

Hyoizaburoo's expression turned sharp.

"You can use Explosion Magic at your age… That makes you a genius by normal standards."

"But let me tell you something harsh."

"Even the lowest-tier Crimson Demon can outperform most human mages."

"Yet, none of them study Explosion Magic. Know why?"

Chishiya didn't answer.

He already knew. Too many downsides. One-use. Huge mana drain. Terrible efficiency.

Megumin kept her head down.

Hyoizaburoo went on.

"This ridiculous magic that can only be used once a day isn't suitable for anyone."

"However…"

He looked directly at Chishiya.

"She's poured in far more effort than others for the sake of this useless spell."

"Maybe only she understands what that kind of loneliness feels like."

"So if you're just treating Explosion Magic like some kind of joke…"

"Then don't waste her time."

"I don't want my daughter's dedication turned into someone else's comedy skit."

"…"

Chishiya didn't respond immediately. He glanced over at Megumin.

She was still looking down, fists clenched, shoulders trembling.

Of course.

No one likes seeing something they love treated like it's worthless.

That's probably what she's dealt with all her life.

And if even the people she respects think her passion is a joke…

No one could endure that.

Hyoizaburoo understood his daughter well.

He truly cared.

Chishiya took a deep breath and looked him in the eye.

"I don't think her dedication is a joke."

"In fact, I think it's incredible—choosing to dedicate yourself to what you love."

"She's already doing something I've never managed."

He turned to Megumin and met her gaze.

Her eyes were full of tears.

Then she suddenly threw herself into his arms, sobbing.

"Sensei!!! Uuuuwahhhh—!!!"

Chishiya: "Hey! You're getting snot on my new robe!"

Hyoizaburoo's brow relaxed slightly. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Darkness also looked visibly impressed.

"As expected. Now I really can recommend him to Her Highness Iris without worry."

Yunyun sniffled, wiping her eyes discreetly.

Yuiyui giggled behind her hand.

"Dear, I think our daughter found someone she can rely on."

"Hmph?!" Hyoizaburoo frowned. "It's way too soon to say that!"

"What if this guy's just some third-rate magician?"

Darkness calmly answered.

"Mr. Hyoizaburoo, you can rest easy."

"Chishiya-san is not a third-rate anything."

"He single-handedly defeated a Demon King Army general. He's a very capable man."

"That's actually why I came to meet him."

…

As Darkness finished speaking, silence fell over the room.

The only ones who knew about that battle were her and Chishiya.

Everyone else had been far away in Axel when it happened.

"Wait, what?!"

Megumin instantly stopped crying.

She grabbed Chishiya by the collar and shook him violently.

"Sensei! You went and fought a Demon King general without me?!"

"That's unforgivable!"

Chishiya sighed. "Weren't you grinding levels at the time?"

"Didn't I promise I'd bring you next time?"

Megumin ground her teeth. "Tch…"

"Still not fast enough… How many generals are left?!"

Watching her sulk, Chishiya reached out and gently patted her head.

Relax, little girl.

Very soon, I'll take you to other worlds where you can finally cut loose.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Kds89 for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 30: Approval?

Yunyun's eyes sparkled like twin mana crystals.

"Megumin's Sensei defeated a Demon King Army general?! That's incredible!"

I can't fall behind!

"No! Please let me become your disciple too!"

Just then, Megumin froze, as if remembering something.

She swallowed hard.

"Sensei… If you beat a Demon King general, there should've been a reward…"

Chishiya replied casually, "Yeah, there was a little something."

"…How much?"

Megumin's voice trembled slightly.

"About 300 million."

Megumin: "HOW MUCH?!"

Pffft—!!

Hyoizaburoo spit out his tea.

"Th-three hundred million?!"

He turned with wild urgency.

"Wife! Bring out the best tea we have!"

Yuiyui calmly stood up. "Dear, we only have one kind of tea."

Chishiya waved his hands. "Really, it's fine. No need."

"Actually, I brought some small gifts."

He reached into his inventory and placed down some high-end snacks and rare ingredients.

"Just a small gesture. Nothing fancy."

Komekko peeked over from the side.

"Whoa! Real food!"

"This isn't our usual watery porridge! This looks like food that actually fills your stomach!"

At that moment.

Hyoizaburoo's eyes gleamed as he turned to Chishiya and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Chishiya-san, you must stay here tonight."

"Adventurers probably don't have a fixed place to stay, right?"

"If you don't mind, you can live here permanently."

Chishiya: "…Uh…"

Megumin pulled him aside quickly.

"Dad, what are you saying?! Sensei has his own mansion!"

"We've been living there!"

Hyoizaburoo froze. "A… mansion?!"

Yuiyui smiled. "Oh my. Well, either way, please stay for dinner tonight."

"We're very grateful for everything."

She turned toward Yunyun and Darkness.

"I'm sorry. We have a bit of family business today."

"So we won't be able to host you both tonight."

Yunyun, Darkness: "...???"

Getting kicked out… what is this??

Chishiya, watching Megumin's family shower him with warmth and sudden hospitality, just kept waving his hands.

"Really, don't worry about it. I've got work to do anyway."

"I understand…"

Yuiyui gave a slightly disappointed smile.

"Well, at least stay for dinner."

———

Night fell.

Smoke drifted from the chimney of the wooden bungalow.

Dinner had ended.

Chishiya found himself stuck in the living room, trapped by both parents for after-dinner conversation.

Megumin sat alone outside in the yard, gazing up at the stars.

Ever since she met Chishiya, everything had gotten better.

She couldn't help but smile.

"Megumin…"

A voice called out behind her.

It was Yunyun and Darkness.

The two had been waiting outside for Chishiya to come out.

One wanted to become his disciple.

The other wanted to thank him in person.

Yunyun stepped forward.

"Megumin, I'm ready. Let's duel!"

Megumin turned around with a smug little smirk.

"Hehehe~ Yunyun, I'm already level 20 now. You can't beat me."

Yunyun froze.

"When we parted, you were still level 6! How did you level up so fast?!"

Megumin grinned wider.

"Heh. If you're that curious, I'll show you later."

"My training ground… is like hell."

"...H-Hell?"

Yunyun shrank back and gulped.

She'd been intimidated by Megumin's usual chuunibyou phrasing.

Megumin looked satisfied.

Then she admitted, "I'm kidding. It's actually a Labyrinth."

"Sensei took me there to level up."

Yunyun let out a long sigh. "So it was a Labyrinth…"

Darkness, who'd been listening to their exchange, suddenly froze.

She touched her chin.

"Labyrinth… That sounds familiar…"

"A Labyrinth… Wait. A Labyrinth?!"

"D-Darkness? Are you okay?"

Yunyun jumped at her sudden outburst.

But Darkness didn't respond.

She bit her thumbnail, eyes narrowed.

"It can't be… The name matches that strange projection shop that's been appearing all over the place…"

"Don't tell me Chishiya-san works for that company…"

"I mean, the goods from that company are amazing… but it always gave off this shady, underground vibe…"

"If Chishiya-san is really employed by that boss… that's not good."

Yunyun looked worried. "Darkness, are you okay? You look pale…"

Darkness shook her head. "No… it's nothing…"

"We can't jump to conclusions. We need to confirm it with him directly."

———

Ten minutes later, Chishiya stepped out of the house, looking thoroughly drained.

What was that interrogation…

"Do you have a girlfriend?" "Anyone you like?" "Do you want us to introduce Megumin to you properly?"

She's still a kid. At the very least, give her a few more years.

His type had always been the cool, quiet type anyway.

As soon as he stepped outside, the three girls looked over.

Megumin was the first to speak.

"Sensei! Let's go back!"

"I didn't get to do anything exciting today!"

Chishiya pinched the bridge of his nose.

Please… stop phrasing it like that…

"Okay…"

Darkness: "Eh?!"

Something wasn't right.

But… she didn't say anything like that inside the house!

Yunyun didn't even flinch.

She was used to Megumin phrasing her spellcasting in ways that were... frequently misunderstood.

Chishiya looked at both of them calmly.

Two status windows popped up in his mind.


---

[Crusader: Lalatina]
[Recruitable Employee]
Recruitment Perks:

1. Knight's Body: Greatly enhances host's physical defense.

2. Kingdom Nobility: Increases profit margin by 25% when dealing with noble clients.

---

[Crimson Demon: Yunyun]
[Recruitable Employee]
Recruitment Perks:

1. Crimson Demon Bond – Labyrinth's magic concentration +10% (stacks +10% with two bonded members)

2. Lone Wolf – Magic power +25% when fighting solo

---

Chishiya had noticed it earlier while he was still inside.

Both of them were recruitable.

And Yunyun's perks stacked perfectly with Megumin's.

If both joined, he could boost the Labyrinth's magic concentration by 30% immediately.

The only question was whether they'd actually agree.

Chishiya asked simply, "Would you two like to join me?"

"Eh?!"

Yunyun froze.

She'd been trying to find the courage to ask him about becoming his disciple…

She never expected him to offer first.

"Yes! Yes, please! Thank you so much!"

She bowed deeply.

Darkness also nodded seriously.

She still had her doubts about whether Chishiya worked for that shady-looking boss behind the Underground Labyrinth Enterprise.

She needed to get to the bottom of it.

This was someone Princess Iris was bound to meet, after all. It had to be verified properly.

In her mind, the image of a greasy, sinister-looking middle-aged man formed.

It was now her personal belief that the boss of the Underground Labyrinth Enterprise looked exactly like that.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Kds89 for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 31: Shame Meter

A portal opened, and everyone appeared outside the Labyrinth.

Chishiya led the way and opened the account interface.

"What unique teleportation magic," Yunyun said in awe.

"I've never seen a portal-based spell like that before."

She looked at Chishiya with shining admiration.

"Hey, hey, hey—!"

Megumin frowned and jabbed Yunyun in the cheek with her staff.

"What's with that look on your face?!"

"I'm warning you, don't start getting any weird ideas!"

Yunyun panicked. "W-what?! I wasn't thinking anything weird!"

She was still internally struggling over the apprentice issue.

"Normally, if you want to become someone's disciple, you should bring a gift…"

"If I suddenly ask without anything, won't that make me look thoughtless?"

Megumin clicked her tongue.

"Really…"

"What exactly are you going on about?"

As the two bickered, a small town came into view.

Laborers passed by carrying timber on their shoulders.

Some transported materials to their designated construction areas.

Many buildings had already been erected. Some were still under scaffolding.

Running water was fully connected.

An underground drainage system had already been installed.

Magic-powered streetlights lined the cobblestone roads, keeping the area brightly lit even at night.

In the middle of the square stood a statue of a goddess holding a kettle.

Darkness blinked in disbelief.

This is the Labyrinth?

Shouldn't a Labyrinth be some dark cave or creepy forest?

This was the first time she had ever seen a settlement constructed around a Labyrinth.

Yunyun looked at the people hauling stones across the road and lit up.

"Megumin, your training ground is amazing!"

Megumin glanced around.

"You mean them? Oh, they're all, uh…"

She was about to say they're mimicked Army Ants when Chishiya covered her mouth.

He turned back toward the group calmly.

"It's getting late."

"There's an inn just ahead, and a hot spring hall where you can soak and relax."

"You two should get some rest tonight."

"I'll have someone show you around tomorrow."

Yunyun nodded excitedly.

"Okay, okay! Thank you, Chishiya-san!"

Just as Chishiya turned to leave.

"Please wait!"

Darkness stepped forward.

"Chishiya-san, I've been meaning to ask from the beginning…"

"What exactly is your connection to this place?"

Chishiya paused.

Since he planned to recruit Darkness, there was no need to hide it.

"I'm actually—"

"The item you requested has been completed!"

Vanir suddenly appeared, holding a box in his arms.

Chishiya's eyes lit up.

"That fast?"

After returning, Chishiya had handed the sound transmission beads to Vanir, asking him to upgrade them for the Moe King world product line.

He didn't expect it back so soon.

"These cost us quite a bit of effort."

Just then, Vanir noticed the others.

"Oh?"

He smiled. Something had clearly caught his eye.

"Interesting."

Vanir gave a theatrical bow.

"Welcome, dear adventurers."

"I am the Duke of Hell who commands all demons, the all-seeing Vanir."

Darkness's pupils shrank.

"What?!"

She immediately drew her sword.

"You're a demon?! Everyone, get behind me!"

Megumin and Yunyun also entered combat stance.

"Sensei! Hurry up and get over here!" Megumin called out.

Chishiya rubbed his temple.

This guy absolutely did this on purpose…

Vanir chuckled.

"Girls, calm yourselves."

"We're cooperating with Chishiya now."

"There's no need for alarm."

The girls all stared at Chishiya in disbelief.

Megumin was the first to speak.

"Sensei! You're working with a demon?!"

Yunyun looked panicked.

"Chishiya-san, that's really dangerous!"

Chishiya rubbed his forehead.

"If I said he's a demon who doesn't hurt people, would you believe me?"

Darkness clenched her sword tightly.

"There's no such thing!"

"As a devout follower of Eris, I must destroy him!"

Vanir laughed gleefully.

"Relax. You're a perverted knight who's afraid of being outed for your… questionable purchases."

"W-what?!"

Darkness's face turned beet red.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about. Ha… haha…"

"Just the usual nonsense demons say, right?"

Yunyun stepped forward. "You dare insult my friend? I won't forgive you!"

"Sword of Light!"

A bolt of energy shot toward Vanir.

He effortlessly sidestepped it.

"Your magic won't work on me."

Yunyun: "Ehhh?!"

Yunyun collapsed onto the ground in embarrassment.

Megumin yanked her up by the collar and shook her.

"Hey! You really are trying to become his disciple, aren't you?!"

Vanir turned toward Megumin.

"And you."

"Because you're insecure about your chest, you're worried your beloved Sensei will get stolen by a cute, slightly more developed girl."

Megumin: "W-w-w-what are you saying?!"

"EXPLOS—Ow!"

Before she could raise her staff, Chishiya smacked her on the head with a swift and precise chop.

"Oww! My head!"

Chishiya glared. "Calm down. The Labyrinth cannot handle an Explosion spell!"

Vanir stood there contentedly, covering his mask with one hand.

"Mmm… such delicious shame."

"Please don't be stingy. Let me savor more in the future."

Everyone's battle posture crumbled under the overwhelming embarrassment.

Darkness's face was glowing red.

Megumin clutched her head.

"Sensei, what the heck is going on?!"

Vanir interjected again.

"Just as Chishiya said, I am a great demon… but one who does not harm others."

Darkness clenched her teeth.

"As if anyone would believe that nonsense."

Vanir responded smoothly.

"My kind feeds on human shame."

"We don't harm people. The sound of newborn babies is a greater delight to us than screams."

Chishiya let out a small sigh.

"He's telling the truth… He's that kind of demon."

Vanir continued.

"We signed a contract with Chishiya and are temporarily working under him."

"So you can rest easy. We won't do anything that hurts people."

"Demons take contracts very seriously."

Darkness paused, stunned.

"Working for him…?"

"You mean…"

Vanir nodded proudly.

"Yes. My boss is currently this man… surrounded by many women."

Chishiya sighed, rubbing his temple.

"The unnecessary commentary can be omitted."

Darkness asked, "So… what is this Labyrinth, really…?"

Chishiya looked up.

"I was just about to explain."

"I'm in charge of this Labyrinth."

"And… haven't you bought products from our company before?"

"You bought quite a few of those debuff herbs."

"Eh—"

Darkness's shame meter shattered.

Her eyes rolled back…

And she fainted on the spot.

(To be continued.)