World Strongest Rearguard – Labyrinth Country and Dungeon Seekers

The library in Ward 5 was located near the median guild. Unlike the library I know, it's a stone academic building.

At the entrance, he passes in front of an armed man who seems to be guarding him. And a woman walked in here like a scribe.

"We look at licenses on admission...... Oh, are you a special selection seeker?

"Yes, I was just certified yesterday"

"So it took a convocation at Stampede. Thank you for your hard work… No, in this case, it would be more accurate to say 'request'"

"No, either is fine. We are honored to participate in the repression, with a slight force."

The term mandate has an obligatory connotation. She must have cared, too, because being only an explorer would not force us to participate in the stampede suppression.

"If you are an explorer who voluntarily participates in the crackdown, as I'm sure you've seen, it will be a small part of it. This library has become one of the places of refuge, so we too were allowed to turn yesterday on the defensive side. I did my best just to make sure they didn't break in."

"That's... first and foremost, I'm glad you're safe"

"Thank you. I'll show you to the central bookshelf."

The secretary's lady led us when she repositioned a hat like a schoolhat with a string (tassel) on it.

"What happens if I say," Join, "the most meritorious man?

"Don't spread that kind of thing from yourself too much is the stance of the posterior."

"Lord Alicht's humble attitude is where I always want to apprentice"

"Yes... it's itchy, but when you have to... Alicht is like that"

"Well... I think Alicht is a gentleman enough not to see much"

Everyone walking in front praises me if I do it, but if I hear it properly, I'm not very, but I'm restless.

"Wow... one side of the wall is a bookshelf, and you're blowing it out. It's like a movie library."

Madoka speaks up and I switch consciousness too. This is the central bookshelf - the book is securely housed in enough bookshelves to look up, and the stairs are built to follow the bookshelves. Does that mean taking the book directly from the stairs?

"This is amazing... how many books do you have?

"Here's 300,000 copies in the central bookshelf, and there are other small bookshelves for storing special books"

"I wonder if the book we're looking for is somewhere in this bookshelf..."

"With my skill, I can quickly find what I want from all my books. It is also possible to specify a keyword and look for it from the relevant phrase"

"Thank you. So can you find books about" Monkey Horse "and" Red Tower of Fire, "and" Curse Mark "?

"Oh, about your brother getting too direct... Huh!

"It's not like I'm turning away, so I can't put tea in it."

I know what Misaki is trying to say, but all this time, Mr. Fifty Storms was right, and he made me listen straight.

The clerk seemed a little surprised, but eventually closed his eyes as he prayed - when

"There is one book about 'Monkey Horse'. Two books about" The Red Tower of Fire ". There are about ten books on this central bookshelf about the curse. Here's your name."

Looking at the list you wrote down, there's a line of books like "Preliminary Curse Marks," "Special Attack Curse Edition of Demons," and "The Profession of Dealing with Curses". They all seem to have something to do with what they want to look into, and not so many books, so I decide to look into them all.

"Does this central bookshelf mean that some books are housed in a small bookshelf?

When Mr. Serafina asks the question, the secretary's woman nods back.

"Yes, it will be an individually donated book, but a book about the 'Curse Mark' is housed in Subbookshelf 66"

"When you didn't know what you wanted to look up in a central bookshelf book, is it possible to browse it?

"Small bookshelf books were conditional on lending and cannot be taken outside. Are you sure?

"I'd love to. Because I just need a little clue."

◆ ◇ ◆

Books involving the curse were as inside the bookcase. It's pretty high, even if it's about inside - measures seem to have been taken to prevent it from falling, but when you look down, you don't panic.

"If you're Mr. Arakune, can you stick it against the wall and get a book or something?

"Sounds like you could, but you don't seem to be able to use a summons pendant in the library."

"What are you doing pretty amazing, this library?"

I couldn't even climb the stairs with all of them, so I decided in a junket on the members to pick up the book. Masaki does not complain unexpectedly when he loses, but is up the stairs in a light foothold.

The "Monkey Hou" book is for Mr. Fifty Storms, and the "Red Tower of Fire" book is each picked up by Elitia. We have so many books that we both let them go.

Then I find the desired book and scrutinize the contents in a reading seat.

"The book about the demons in Ward Five says" Monkey Hou "... but it doesn't seem to provide any crusade information so far, so there's no new information."

Go all the way to the elite tier seat and ask me to show you the book. The figure of "Monkey Horse" is depicted, but it was also something lacking in accuracy.

"You've already written the skill you've used... there's no description of 'curse erosion'. Does that mean I started using it from this individual?"

"Whenever 'named' appears, resistance, etc., varies. It is well thought that there is something specific about skill."

"Brother, there is a map of The Red Tower of Fire in this book. Would it be of any help?

Madoka brought a book called Basic Survey of the Fifth Ward Labyrinth. As for the flaming Red Tower, it details the first layer where there were no demons - but from the second floor there is extremely little information.

It said 'there was a serious obstacle to the investigation' about the reason. Something happened on the way to the second level of exploration.

"The investigation team that gave the information to this book was able to get close to where the entrance to the third tier was. Monkey Hou built the fort to keep you from moving on here...?

"Some demons have the habit of interfering with seekers trying to dive deep. Is that habit particularly strong or is it protecting something? But even for a reason, hostility toward the Seeker of the 'Monkey Horse' does not change that it is extremely dangerous."

Mr. Serafina speaks in a calm tone, but when touching 'Monkey Marquis', his voice was powerful.

The information obtained is small. I also looked into the book about The Curse, but didn't see any description of the curse marks used by the monkey marquis.

"Do you want to look for the back shelf? Because we're going through this book a little bit more."

"Yes, I will try that"

When I took my seat, Teresia, who was watching the neighborhood, came here with a pepper. Take her and ask the secretary's woman to guide her to the transfer door for transfer to the small bookshelf.

"There are also things in the book that demons are simulating. Some demons have been simulating for decades, and in that case the library side is completely indistinguishable. Just in case, be careful when opening a book page. If there are changes such as letters moving, it is likely to be a demon."

"Yes... I'll be careful"

Knock on the transfer door while praying not to pull the 'hit' in a bad way. Then he went out into a room that was considerably smaller and dimmer than the central bookshelf.

Every book on the bookcase is spaced apart. One of them was a book with a black leather cover.

"This will be a book called The Occupation Involving the Curse, and the Demon."

"Thank you. Well, excuse me..."

Let me take it carefully. The center of the cover is decorated with something like a green gem.

(Is this... jade? It has to do with Mr. Ceres' clan, the jade people...?

Turning the page, there was a page depicting something like a human figure - there, something similar to the mark floating behind Theresia's neck.

- There is a "curse mark" as part of the "curse," which is engraved on a part of the body.

- Some of the demons use a 'curse'. A curse left in death is more effective than a curse when you are alive, and sometimes lasting if you are unluckily subjected to it.

- For that reason, to break the 'curse', you have to follow the process of de-cursing before crusading the demons.

…………

Theresia pulls my hand, so I show her what's in it, too.

Turn the page further, but it doesn't say anything about the key 'curse breaking process'. The page is blank from the middle of nowhere.

Who the hell is the person who wrote this book? Are you somewhere in the Fifth District, or is it another district?

Give Teresia the book, and I'll look back and ask the secretary's lady a question.

- It was then.

A dim room suddenly brightens up. Where this light comes from, from behind.

"Eh... both of you, get away from that book... eh"

The secretary's woman speaks up. But the dazzling luminescence gradually subsides.

A book by Theresia bears a pale green light.

…………

"This is..."

Stand next to Theresia and have her show you the book. Then, on a page that was white, the letters were floating.

Is it an old letter from the labyrinth country, something with a combination of things like wedges -.

"... of the Labyrinth kingdom, the letters of the ancient people. It's written as the shore of a lake walking in the evening. '

I can hear Ariadne. I guess the letters I'm looking at, she saw them too, translated them for me.

The letters that were glowing quickly become invisible. One end of the reason for why this happened was shown.

- The curse behind Theresia's neck shines demonically.

"Both of you, the light now… if it emanates from that book, we have to do the investigation again"

"Probably something that reacts depending on who has it. Don't worry too much, I don't think it's dangerous"

"Oh, no..."

"The condition for the book to emit light is… perhaps a 'cursed' person holding this book in their hands. We're here to break this kid's 'curse'. Thank you so much for sharing this book"

I didn't expect to find a clue in this way. But more than what has surprised me, I should explain the circumstances whenever possible.

"'Curse'... I wasn't even trying to figure out why you were looking for such a book by receiving your words as they were. As a secretary, I'm not worthy."

"Yes, no, that's... here, too, I didn't want to be alarmed, and if I could, I didn't want to tell you what was going on. It's only for my convenience."

"Thank you for your concern. But as a member of the library, I also hope to be of help to the Seekers. We will improve so that you can earn more trust."

"... even this one helped us tremendously. Let me say that again."

The secretary's woman receives the book from Theresia. She regained her mind and when she repositioned her hat, she encouraged us to knock on the transfer door first.

◆ ◇ ◆

The Lakeside of the Dark Walk is a labyrinth with entrance to southeast Fifth Ward.

From the dark rock cave, the damp air flows - as we descend here, they transfer to the labyrinth.

"... there's some kind of an atmosphere at the entrance... it's so funny..."

"Mr. Kyoka, are you okay? I hope you don't have to..."

"It's okay, I have the skills to cure 'fear'... oh, it's not like I'm scared, there's no haunting in the daytime."

"It can be wonder time in the labyrinth. Isn't this labyrinth a much darker evening?

"Mi, Misaki, to be so clear..."

"So should I get the lights... isn't it that dark?"

"The labyrinth so close to zero vision, because there are warnings in the guild. This labyrinth doesn't seem to be a necessity."

It's very helpful since Mr. Serafina joined the party, because he gives advice at the stronghold - and he realizes it again.

"Sister Kyoka, if you're alarmed, you can't win just because you've been with your brother for a long time, can you?

"Oh, no... even I rely on Mr. Serafina..."

"We've all cut through this before, so it's okay to have a little scary demon out there"

Elitia energizes Mr. Fifty Storms - it was Misaki and Suzuna who are thrilled to see it.

"Hey, what...?

"No, Ellie's back to her usual Ellie, and it can be very damaging to the tear glands of joy"

"Really...... good. Let's keep 'em all up'. Then I'm sure you'll be fine."

"... you don't have to spoil me too much, either. But thanks."

Time is limited, but just admonishing yourself will surely not yield the best results.

Proceed with your people. Elitia would never forget that she was never alone again - seeing her smile made me believe that.