Reborn After A Death March

"So this is the floating island?"

Arisa and the others wanted to see it. So, while Satou was in the Royal capital to help Eluterina and the other girls currently dispatched to the royal capital research popular goods and a possible base for trading, I took them to the buried island.

The island has improved a lot since I was last here, with most of the sand brushed away, and the main building looks like it has been repaired, too. The place is busier, too, with multiple manikin-like golems still hard at work restoring the place. Those things still give me the creeps.

"Welcome back, O king,"

Central must have detected our presence because she suddenly appeared right in front of us. Maybe I should ask her to materialise further away next time because…

"An enemy!"

"Danger, danger, sir!"

"Calm down, you two,"

If it wasn't for Liza stopping them Pochi and Tama would have attacked. It could have been bad, considering a combat golem was floating towards them. Out of Pochi, Tama and Liza, only Liza stands a chance against those golems. She most likely wouldn't be walking away from that fight unharmed even if she did win.

I'm not exaggerating those guys really are strong. I have had a sparing match against them and examined the parts and magic circuits in the one I destroyed. If I had to compare those golems' strengths to something, the closest thing would be an area master. I do not know how the Flue Empire made them, but they are that strong. According to Central, they were made by one of the empire's greatest minds, a man called Takeru.

"This is Central, she's… she's a part of the island and maintains it," I tell them after I think about it.

It took me a moment to figure out how to explain it in a way that everyone could understand. At least Satou and Arisa knew about AI, so it was easy to explain to those two. As for the others, I did my best, although Pochi and Tama looked like they didn't understand a thing.

"Restoration of Twilight has been proceeding on schedule, and the city core will have absorbed enough mana to operate within a week," Central reported once things have settled down. "However, the scouting golems have detected increased monster activity on the surface. Analysis shows signs of miasma levels decreasing in the desert as if it is being absorbed into the ground."

I have a bad feeling about that.

"Do you know where it is going?" I ask.

"Yes," Central nodded. "The miasma is all being absorbed by the labyrinth."

<0>

"I wasn't expecting you to return so soon, lass,"

I have become a frequent visitor at Lord Ban's castle, so much so that I no longer find the numerous undead creatures serving Ban and his wives creepy any more. I even set up a teleport point there.

"Sorry for dropping in, but I need to ask you something,"

If there was anyone that could help me Lord Ban comes to mind. Since Central told me about the miasma being absorbed by the labyrinth, I haven't been able to shake the sense of danger that crept over me. Satou couldn't notice anything. The guildmaster's response when I asked her should have reassured me, but it doesn't. According to the guild, the monster population has dropped over the last few days.

Something seems wrong. I can feel it in my bones, but no one else seems to be able to sense it. They tell me everything is fine, but I can't shake the sense of impending doom. At least my friends seem to take me seriously. Led by Arisa, they are double-checking the plunder hideouts just in case we missed something when we were there.

As for me, I turned to Lord Ban, hoping someone who has lived as long as he has might have seen something like this before.

"I'll be more than happy to answer," Lord Ban said, gesturing for us to move inside. "After all your sparing matches with my wives, they have been in a great mood lately."

I didn't expect all of them to love fighting so much. But they seemed to have fun when we spared and Lord Ban would give me gifts of rare materials every time we had a match. Shirahime, the young-looking white-haired vampiress, must have thought I came for a rematch. She started to cutely pout when Lord Ban said we had business to discuss.

We sat in an elegant, even if it was a slightly creepy office, and I told Lord Ban about the miasma while drinking tea served by a human maid. I was worried she and the other humans here were food sources initially, but I quickly found out they were all well-treated. Sure, they give some blood once a month but are paid well, given meals on par with the dishes a noble would eat and allowed to leave if they so desire.

"I see that is strange, but whatever is happening doesn't appear to have reached us down here," Lord Ban replies after taking a moment to take in all that I told him. "I'm afraid I don't have the answers you seek, lass. But maybe Yoroi or Mukuro might know. They are far more knowledgeable than I am. Semery is here waiting for me to finish making her a new sword. If you like, I could have her take you to meet them. Those two have been curious about you since I mentioned your first visit to my castle."

"But Lord Ban, I want to watch you work at the forge!"

It turned out that we didn't need to send for Semery to ask her to be my guide as she came crashing through the door the moment the suggestion came up along with Lord Ban's other wives.

"Eavesdropping isn't a good habit to get into dear's,"

"We're sorry, Lord Ban,"

Everyone but Semery swiftly bowed. As for Semer, she quickly jumped to her feet, throwing off the ladies on top of her and…

"But I want to watch you work at the forge!" Semery declared as the people she threw grumbled and picked themselves up. "You always look so cool when you work, and it's not fair that I always miss it!"

"I shall wait until you come back if you really want to watch,"

"You mean it," Semery instantly perks up. "Then don't start until I come back okay." She then grabs my arm, nearly tearing it from my body as she pulls me up. "Come on, let's get going."

I can barely say my goodbyes before Semery drags me from the room and towards the courtyard. Lord Ban and his wives may have found it amusing to watch, but Semery's strength left me fearing she would dislocate my should, at the very least, by the time we reached the courtyard. Lucky for me, that never ended up happening.

"Is it a long trip?" I asked once Semery released my arm from her death grip.

"Not with Roper, it's not!" Semery looked proud as she led me towards her vampiric pet.

I was a little nervous about riding on the creature but got used to it after a while. Roper is a surprisingly comfortable ride as it swings through the underground cave. Leaving the main passage, we went down a branch path and took one turn after the other. This place is more of a maze than I thought. If I didn't have Semery as my guide it would have probably taken me several days before we reached our destination.

"We'll be there soon!" Semery said as we entered another large cavern.

"LWOOOPWWWERRRR!"

The Roper suddenly stopped in the middle of the path. Up ahead, I can sense the presence of a barrier similar to the one I crashed through during my first trip to this part of the labyrinth.

"You wait here, Roper. Let's go, Kura," As we got down from the monster, Semery reached out her hand toward me. "We're about to enter Yoroi's territory, so you'll have to hold on to my hand to enter."

I took her somewhat chilly hand, and we stepped through the barrier together. I likely could have made it in by myself. Still, I preferred not to trigger any alarms by entering without authorisation. We got lucky at the giant's village since I met the dryad, who came to check on what was happening. Still, Satou got attacked by the Witch of the Forest of Illusions apprentice Inenimaana when he did something similar back in Kuhanou County.

We were standing on a battlefield as soon as we entered the cavern past the barrier.

"Awesome! Looks like they're just getting started!"

With a grin reminiscent of a child who had just discovered a beloved toy, Semery pulled me to a spot that offered a great view. In front of us, steel vehicles advanced, each equipped with two caterpillar tracks that carved deep furrows into the earth. The four tanks stopped on a hilltop and rotated their turrets. After a brief pause, black smoke billowed from the muzzle and muzzle brake. Are they not using smokeless powder?

But despite more smoke than I expected, the attack was effective. The four shells soared across the battlefield, hitting the steel golem that had just crossed the first trench in a seemingly endless expanse of defences. The shells punctured the golem's sturdy armour and struck the dirt wall behind it, creating a billowing cloud of dust. With a single blow, the golem was obliterated, its body shattering into fragments.

"Ooh, here comes Mukuro's catchphrase,"

"Catchphrase?"

In response to my inquiry, a booming voice resonated through the underground cavern, sounding as if it were amplified by a megaphone.

"Drop dead! Fantasyyyyy!"

"That line again?! Use your own words to celebrate for once, you damn moron!"

From an unseen location, the opponent taunted with a voice that sounded synthesised. It had to be Yoroi. Looking more closely, I saw thin lattice towers painted either red or white dotting the battlefield, with something resembling speakers on the top. That must be where the voices were coming from.

In addition to the four tanks, the defending force boasted four armoured vehicles and fifty-six skeletal soldiers. The attackers fielded seven steel golems alongside fifty-six mud soldiers. Rather than traditional swords and shields, both factions were equipped with bayonet rifles. With the recent destruction of one golem, the total stood at a balanced sixty-four on each side. This was less a battle and more akin to a strategic war game.

"Looks like Mukuro's gonna win this time,"

Semery and I observed the battle from an observation tower. The tank faction ultimately claimed victory, consistently employing ambush tactics to maintain dominance. At one point, a golem managed to get close enough to take out two tanks, but it was swiftly countered by an ambush from a berserker, who crippled the golem's leg. The golem was then eliminated with a barrage of concentrated fire from afar.

Watching this battle unfold, one might assume that modern weaponry had triumphed, yet the golems appeared to move with notable sluggishness. Although they resembled the golems that safeguarded the progenitor vampire's domain, their actions lacked the vigour expected, as if they were not exerting their full potential. I couldn't help but think that if one of those gatekeeper golems were present, it could easily overpower all the tanks. Perhaps there was some sort of regulation at play.

"All right, let's go see Mukuro,"

Semery quickly leapt down from the tower, and I followed suit. After witnessing a fairly modern battle, I found jumping from a sixty-foot-high tower without any safety gear strange, even though I often did this.

Opposite the battlefield stood a plain white structure that resembled a laboratory. It was enclosed by a seven-foot-tall wire fence topped with barbed wire. From afar, I thought the building might be made of marble, but it clearly appeared to be concrete up close. Semery seemed to be known to the gatekeeper; after exchanging greetings with the mummy guarding the entrance, we were granted easy access to the building.

A mummy led us deeper into the building, clad in a maid outfit that I decided to ignore. It brought us to a vast room bathed in the glow of fluorescent lights. A large table in the centre showcased a diorama that recreated the battlefield we had just seen, complete with tiny tanks, golems, and more. Flanking the table were a mummy and a suit of metal armour, engaged in a heated argument over something.

I nearly drew my swords on instinct but stopped myself at the last minute. King Mummy Tetsuo, a level seventy-two monster with some skills that would be a pain to deal with. the Iron Stalker Takeru, he must be Yoroi. A level fifty-three monster who may not be as deadly as Tetsuo, but he must be strong if he lives in this place. It's a good thing I didn't come to fight.

"Hrmph. Semery, huh? Did you come to demand a tank so you can beat Ban?"

"If ye lemme squeeze those useless sacks on your chest, I'll come up with an extra-strong elite design for ya,"

"Y-you pervy old man! And what if Lord Ban despises me for bringing such a boorish weapon to his castle, hmm?!"

Semery blushed furiously at the provocative comment and began to chase the duo, flailing her arms in frustration. Meanwhile, the pair darted away, clearly relishing the moment.

"So I take it this is the hero Lord Ban has been talking about,"

At last, the two paused their playful teasing of Semery long enough to acknowledge my presence. But the way they look at me is… I should be used to it, but I don't enjoy having people look so closely at me. But their eyes are locked on…

"I'm kura. It's nice to meet you, but could you please stop staring at my chest like that,"

I cross my arms over my chest as I realise what they are looking at. I should have been on guard for something like this after seeing how they teased Semery. Speaking of Semery, with the duo focused on me, she punched Yoroi's helmet off his body, revealing an empty suit of armour. His helmet struck Tetsuo's head. It serves those pervs right if you ask me.

"If you came here looking for an immortal body, I won't help you," Yoroi said, handing Yoroi his helmet back. "Go enjoy life for thirty more years or so first."

"Yeah, you don't want a metal body like mine, pal. Even touching Semery's chest wouldn't be any fun with these steel jobbies, y'know?"

"My chest belongs only to Lord Ban!"

What a ruckus erupted when I introduced myself! Nonetheless, the two of them fit perfectly as a video game's mid-boss and final boss. They are both certainly strong enough to make my first instinct to be drawing my swords. Particularly Mukuro—had I not encountered the Undead King Zen beforehand, I might have mistaken him for a monster and eliminated him.

"So, whaddaya want? Are you really here to get an immortal body?"

"No. Lord Ban said you two might be able to help me,"

I explained everything I told Ban about the miasma in the maze and the decreasing rate at which monsters spawn. After listening and asking me to clarify some things, Mukuro and Yoroi went silent. I was worried they might have given me bad news, and part of me hoped that everything that was happening was normal for a labyrinth. But instead…

"Really? None of that has been happening down here,"

"Mukuro, your wife didn't say anything about it?"

"Psh, she wouldn't tell me. It's been, what, two hundred years since we last met?"

"Is your wife knowledgeable about labyrinths, Mukuro?" I asked.

"You could say that," Mukuro replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"She's the DM," Yoroi added.

"DM? You mean the dungeon master?"

"Yeah, that's right. A hero like you must've beaten a floormaster or two by now, yeah? You know the part in the summoning speech that goes, 'Soon I shall come to thee with three proofs in hand!'? Well, that 'thee' refers to the dungeon master. S'why we always hunt the Lower Stratum's floormaster, so no one can collect all three proofs and put the DM in danger."

"R-really?" I stuttered out.

I really wasn't expecting that. I thought Mukuro would have been a mummy queen. I was definitely a little curious about their relationship, but that can wait.

"Would I be able to meet her and ask your wife about what is happening, Mukuro?"

"Not a chance," Mukuro shot down my hopes of a meeting in a flash.

"Oh, for sure. She hates the gods," Yoroi adds. "She'll want nothing to do with you since they gave you the hero title."

"I could ask, but like I said, it has been over two hundred years since we last met," Mukuro says, shaking his head. "I wouldn't get my hopes up that I will get an answer in your lifetime."

So, still no leads even here. I hope this is nothing, but something is telling me something bad will happen. That nagging feeling has been right before on plenty of occasions. I guess all I can do now is prepare for what is to come as best I can.

"Hey, don't let it get you down!" Yoroi said, giving me a friendly pat on the back. Unfortunately, his metal hands made it more painful than encouraging.

"What about Yuika?" Semery suddenly speaks up.

"Yuika… she might know about it. She's lived in this labyrinth longer than the rest of us combined, but…" Mukuro said, casting me a glance.

"You're the ones who drilled it into the new Yuika's head that Heroes are dangerous," Yoroi shot Mukuro a look.

"They normally are," Mukuro muttered under his breath before standing up. "Kura. Do you promise you won't bring any harm to Yuika if I arrange a meeting with her?"

"Yes, I promise," I reply. "I didn't come here looking for a fight."

"Very well," Mukuro said after giving me another look. "I'll explain things to Yuika and bring her here, so please wait."

<0>

"So you are the hero who visited the land of darkness on a quest,"

Mukuro was gone for over an hour. I was about to suggest we look for him when the door swung open, and a soft voice rang out. I turned and saw a goblin girl in the doorway. Her skin was exceptionally pale, and her long, silky hair, cascading all the way to the floor, shimmered with a light violet hue reminiscent of orchids. I never imagined a goblin could be so beautiful. Aside from her slightly pointed ears and the two small horns adorning her forehead, she could easily be mistaken for a human. Her slender, straight figure also echoed the elegance of elves. The kimono she wore was stylishly short, ending in a miniskirt paired with knee-high socks.

But I still nearly drew my swords on instinct. This young lady wasn't just a pretty face. She was a demon lord. Goblin Demon Lord, to be exact. But I don't make a move. She hadn't attacked me, and I promised I wouldn't start a fight. Besides, she has the 'True Hero' title, so she can't be that bad.

"Long time no see, Yuika… no, Judging by those eyes, you must be Foilunis," Yoroi smiled and waved at the girl.

So was Mukuro late because he couldn't find Yuika and decided to bring her sister back instead.

"Indeed. I am pleased to see you well, my brethren of the darkness, Iron Stalker," The girl waved back. "But tell me why you are spending time with a hero?"

"Because she didn't attack us, and Ban seemed to get along with her when she accidentally fell down to this level,"

Foilunis looked to Yoroi, then to me, and finally down at the table in front of between us where I laid out some snacks Yoroi and I were enjoying as we killed time with a game of shogji. Semery seemed to like the snacks. Yoroi sent her to go and fetch Lord Ban, saying something about finding a lost treasure.

"Hey, is that really one of the Three Lost Treasures?" Suddenly, Foilunis dove onto the table, getting close enough to the pizza that her face was nearly buried in it. "It really is pizza. How I missed you."

Mukuro stared at the pizza, too, and Yoroi looked as happy as his metal body would allow at the sight of the pizza when I brought it out. These guys must really love the stuff. I only offered it as a snack because Satou made too much the night before he left for the capital. For once, even a group with an appetite like ours couldn't eat everything.

"Kura, what is the meaning of this?" Lord Ban arrived even quicker than I thought, flying into the room as a black mist and transforming back into his human… vampiric form. "D-does this mean that you found tomatoes?!"

"Yeah… there called redfruits, and they grow in a village near the town of Puta to the east of the Shiga Kingdom," I politely distanced myself from Lord Ban. Not only because he was getting a little too close but mainly because I sensed some intense murderous vibes coming from Semery. "But I started a farm on the surface, so they should become available in the city at some point next year."

It was part of our plan to create jobs and cut back on the number of hungry people in the city… but to be honest, both Satou and I wanted to grow tomatoes so we could more easily acquire them.

"Then please, allow me to assist you in protecting your field from pests. I shall dispatch my rouge bats and blaze wolves as guardians…"

"Don't go too overboard, please,"

He was starting to act like Arisa right before she did something dumb. Hopefully, Lord Ban has enough sense to not let himself get carried away like her.

"You could have waited for me to return, Yoroi," Mukuro said, giving his friend a light, playful shove. Though one that was strong enough to have sent a normal person flying across the room.

"Come on, it's pizza! I could barely spare a moment to tell Semery to go and grab Ban before I took a bite," Yoroi said in return before another slice of pizza disappeared into his armour.

I was a little curious about where the food goes, but maybe he has more of a body under that metal than I thought. I'm sure Yoroi could taste things, at least by the limited expressions his armoured face would allow.

Since it seemed like they would eat as much as Pochi and Tama, I brought out even more leftovers. Chicken slices that Liza liked, mixed meat, which was a creation of Pochi and Tama, mushroom topped that Mia loves, and the mini pizzas the size of my hand that Nana prefers. I only made them to use up all the dough that was left over but Nana, being Nana, said the small pizzas were cute and now requests them whenever we make pizza.

"Mamma miaaaaa!"

"I keep telling you to use your own words for once, dammit,"

When Mukuro sank his teeth into the pizza, he let out a loud bellow that mimicked a famous gaming plumber. Yoroi, busy with his own slice, gave Mukuro a smack. I could somewhat grasp how a mummy like Mukuro would manage to eat. Still, it is particularly strange to see an empty suit of armour somehow devouring pizza while gleefully pulling at the cheese.

"What troubles you, my brother in darkness, progenitor Ban?! Does the taste of pizza not please your darkly discerning tongue?"

"Do not bother me. I wish to savour the emotion of being reunited with pizza at long last,"

"Oh, sorry,"

Lord Ban kept his eyes closed. He had ceased moving after only taking a single bite, and I couldn't shake the fear that I had somehow made a mistake, but it looked like he was just enjoying the moment. Meanwhile, with a slice of pizza in one hand and a fizzy drink in the other, Foilunis flashed me a grin.

"Kura! I never once imagined I could eat pizza in this world. Can you make cola, too, next time?"

"I have no idea what ingredients are used to make cola, let alone the recipe,"

"Ingredients? Wouldn't it just be cola fruit?"

Cola fruit? That's something I've never come across before.

"I'll check it out," I replied noncommittally since cola fruit probably doesn't exist.

"More carbonated water. And next, I'll try the pizza with the chicken teriyaki flavour. I would prefer to have the dough supple and thick. I like the kind with cheese in the crust! But this will do for now,"

Reaching for her next slice, Foilunis stated her preference. I preferred having cheese in the crust, too, but the men at the table preferred the satisfying crunch of thin-crust pizza. Perhaps it was because the thinner crust paired better with drinks.

Mukuro and I were enjoying fairy wine while Yoroi sipped on Shiga sake. Ban savoured a glass of Lessau's Lifeblood wine with a single drop of maiden's blood. Meanwhile, Foilunis's choice of beverage was sweetened, carbonated water infused with fruit juice and sugar. It was one of Satou's creations. So far, he had concocted flavours like melon, peach, orange, and veria.

<0>

"While that has happened before," Foilunis finally answered my question about the miasma. I had to wait until all the pizza was gone since she kept filling her face, but I got an answer an hour after she arrived. "Mukuro's wife is probably storing it to summon a floormaster. It's rare, but she occasionally summons a powerful one that requires a lot of miasma. The times when demon lords spawned her, the miasma has always been concentrated at a certain point, so you shouldn't worry about it."

It may sound strange to say I felt relieved by the words of a demon lord, but I was. I may not have met Yuika as planned, but at least I have answered now. But as life goes as soon as one question gets answered, another one presents itself.

"Now Mukuro, my newer self wishes to take over and speak with you,"

I didn't understand what Foilunis was saying, but suddenly, she closed her eyes, and her face changed.

"Em… Mukuro was what you told me about…" It wasn't just her face Foilunis voice and personality changed. She even looked fearfully at me for a moment as she spoke. "…heroes a lie?"

It's like Foilunis was a whole different person.

"No, it wasn't a lie this…" Mukuro paused, casting me a look. "Is unique." I'm not sure to be happy or offended by that comment. "The other heroes all attacked us. She is the first one since that crybaby paid us a visit who didn't pick a fight with us."

"Every damn Hero of Parion who's come down to the Lower Stratum has always tried to wipe out both of us," Yoroi explained.

I had heard Sebelkeya speak of demon lords known as the Bone Lord, the Abyss Blood Lord, and the Steel Lord. Still, Secretary Ushana dismissed them as mere fiction. Surely, there must have been some Heroes who believed in those tales and tried to defeat them.

"Not that I blame 'em when we look like this, I guess."

"Well, that seems inevitable they will attack you since Parion's Heroes can see your title, Yuika," Ban gently reminded Foilunis.

Wait is Foilunis really Yuika? Can she change her name like Satou can?

"Oh, I didn't mention Yuika's abilities," Mukuro must have noticed my confusion. "Yuika has a sort of rest unique skill. When Yuika's personality changed, all her skills except for her unique skills changed, too, along with her level and even titles."

"When a new version of myself is born, my level goes down by about a third," Yuika added.

To summarise the long explanation Yuika gave me, I shortened it to this. When a new personality emerged, she forfeited her skills and titles. Still, the new identity could regain previous abilities at a lower cost of skill points than initially required. Additionally, the new personality had the option to arrange this process independently. If one of the former personalities regained control from the main one, her skills and titles would be restored; however, the longer a personality had been inactive, the more challenging it became to recover her original level of proficiency.

"This version of me is called Yuika," Yuika said after pausing to catch her breath. "The one who calls herself Foilunis la Bellefille, the Dark La Princess, was the first version of me and the original. It was nice meeting you, Miss Hero, but the first generation wants to be put back in charge, so I'm going to give control back to her now." Yuika closed her eyes, turning back into Foilunis. "Hey, Kura, do you have any more pizza?"

"Sorry, I didn't have much on me since I was expected to serve people,"

"Aw, too bad," Foilunis sulked momentarily, then suddenly perked up. "Hey, progenitor Ban, you have a chief and a brick oven. Can't they make it if Kura tells him how?"

"They could," Lord Ban nodded, turning to me. "Would you be willing to part with the recipe, Kura?"

"Sure, it's not really a secret,"

I ended up spending a few hours with Lord Ban's chief and traded tomatoes for potions. Considering I was getting high-grade potions for a basket of tomatoes and some seeds, it seemed unfair. However, Lord Ban insisted that the payment was worth it for him. I made a note to bring him some gifts the next time I visited. But all that happened that on.

"If the gods ever start chasing you aboveground, we'll help ya out. But otherwise, don't come down here too often."

"C'mon, really? You rotten jerk,"

As Yoroi grumbled, Mukuro smacked his helmet.

"I'm not trying to be mean. But miasma collects underground. It's not good for folks with living flesh."

I can understand where he comes from. I came alone mainly because of how thick the miasma is down here. When the miasma had been thick in Labyrinth City, many people got miasma poisoning.

"There's a lot of it in my territory. Unless you have a Unique Skill like Yuika's that can change miasma into magic power, it's just too dangerous."

"Good point. New handmaidens at our castle are evacuated to a purified room until they develop skills to resist miasma."

"Oh-ho-ho, we need miasma to live, so we can't just go purifying it,"

I make a note to keep my spirit light under control when I am down here.

"Kuro, despite what Mukuro says, the Eternal Night Castle shall never turn away a friend. You are welcome to visit at any time,"

"The miasma's thick at my place, too. But if you have some tasty food, call me anytime. Semery and I will come on over,"

"I guess I might show up, too, if there's sushi. Wouldn't mind playing shogi with someone be- sides these morons, either,"

"Oh-ho-ho-ho, nobody likes a tsundere old geezer, pal,"

"Shaddup!"

Mukuro and Yoroi started bickering, but I ignored them as Yuika grabbed hold of my arm. I wonder what perfume she is wearing. It really is a nice smell.

"At present, I shall be imposing on my brethren Ban's castle for a while. When next we meet, you shall likely see my quieter self, but please be friendly to her."

"Of course! I'll bring along some gifts and other things,"

<0>

It was well past midnight when I returned to the labyrinth base. We agreed to meet up here but everyone must already be asleep. Since I didn't receive any messages, I take it they didn't run into any problems at the plunders old bases.

So I entered the house as quietly as I could. I didn't want to wake anyone up, so I skipped bathing and just used magic to clean myself up. But when I entered the bedroom, I stopped. It was a cute sight. As they slept, Nana cradled Mia in her arms, and Pearl and Sara looked so peaceful. I couldn't bring myself to risk waking them up by climbing into bed, so I retreated out of the room and settled on the couch. Satou did a great job making it. It really is so soft and comfortable.