"Oh~ do we really have to evacuate and leave this place?"
Daedalus Street—Orario's slum—is notorious for being the most convoluted and bizarre neighborhood in the city, rivaling even the deepest mysteries of the world in its chaotic layout.
The district has undergone centuries of haphazard expansion and illegal construction with zero regard for urban planning, resulting in a dense, labyrinthine structure. Locals often whisper that the land is cursed; once you lose your way in those alleys, you never come out.
In truth, this "Labyrinth of the Surface" disorients even veteran adventurers. In this lawless space teeming with unauthorized buildings, no maps exist, making it the perfect hideout for anything dark or suspicious.
Deep within a narrow alley hidden in the heart of this surface maze, a thick door forged from "Orichalcum"—the hardest of refined metals—stands guard. Behind that door lies a massive structure sprawling beneath Orario: Knossos, the artificial labyrinth built by the brilliant architect Daedalus and expanded by his descendants to this very day.
Daedalus, the genius dubbed the Master Architect, was once captivated by the chaotic beauty of the Dungeon. He designed this man-made maze in an attempt to surpass the original.
Now, in a stone chamber in the lower levels of this artificial labyrinth, green tissues clung to the walls and floors, pulsing with a rhythm that marked the territory of a Corrupted Spirit. Evilus soldiers—messengers of death clad in white robes—scurried about in a panic under the supervision of a man in black.
Among them stood a man with the appearance of a researcher, wearing a white coat and glasses, his hair a pale pink. The man in the black robe treated him with high authority.
"Y-yes, Master Muller. I thought it best to move the equipment further inside temporarily, as a precaution against any emergencies."
In contrast to the biological atmosphere of the pulsing green tissue, the room was packed with metal pipes, wires, and massive water tanks. Monsters floated inside chemical solutions, hooked to electrodes, giving the space a chilling, scientific aura.
"Your job is to prevent those 'emergencies' from happening in the first place... Ah, well, never mind. If the opponent is the Loki Familia, we have little choice."
The man named Muller narrowed his cold, inhuman eyes behind his spectacles and let out a weary sigh. According to the report from the man in black, the Loki Familia—mortal enemies of the Evilus remnants—was currently conducting a massive sweep and inspection of Daedalus Street.
Upon hearing this, Muller scratched his head in boredom and issued his orders. The white-robed men behind him immediately began hauling equipment from the corners of the room to the far reaches of the labyrinth.
As Muller watched the scene, the man in black continued his report.
"Lady Valletta said that finding the 'Door' is only a matter of time."
"Correct. No matter how deep or confusing the location, the other side has high-level demi-humans with an acute sense of smell, don't they?"
Since the incidents involving the "Man-Eating Flowers" being smuggled to the surface—an impossible feat without an entrance other than the Tower of Babel—the Loki Familia had deduced a second entrance was hidden somewhere in Orario. Consequently, the Familia and its allies had begun a search of surgical precision.
Muller, knowing they had already inspected nearly every corner of the city except Daedalus Street, realized that further concealment was impossible. Still, he couldn't help but grumble.
"We were right in the middle of our research... why now? Besides, as long as that 'Door' stands, there isn't much to worry about, is there?"
"── It won't be that simple."
A heavy metal door, resembling a massive vault, forged from the finest Orichalcum. Muller knew exactly how sturdy this special metal was; used to create unbreakable weapons for first-class adventurers, it could not even be scratched without extraordinary means.
Furthermore, the door featured a unique mechanism requiring a specific tool to serve as a "Key." This tool was the only way in, and their numbers were strictly limited. To their knowledge, the only one currently outside their grasp belonged to Ishtar.
In other words, even if the location was discovered, breaching the "Door" and storming the interior should have been impossible. For this reason, Muller saw no need to abandon the site. However, a strange female voice echoed in the stone chamber, refuting his logic.
"L-Lady Valletta...!!"
"Hmph. I'll follow the employer's orders, but why must we retreat despite having the 'Door'? Do you actually think it will break?"
"Not exactly, but caution is necessary against any possibility."
The owner of the voice entered the room—a savage-looking woman wearing a fur coat. She carried a massive, terrifying sword that looked like a natural weapon harvested from the Dungeon. Her revealing clothes radiated a fierce, predatory vitality, for better or worse.
When Muller saw her, he couldn't help but scowl. The heavy scent of blood clung to her entire body, and madness danced clearly in her eyes. What annoyed Muller most was that this woman was one of the leaders of Evilus, making her his superior.
Her name was Valletta Grede. She was a high-ranking commander and a brutal fighter who had slaughtered countless adventurers. This woman, nicknamed the "Empress of Murder," would not hesitate to kill him—the group's specialized researcher—if the whim took her.
While Muller cursed her under his breath, he forced a fake smile and addressed her.
"Well, it's true that 'Door' cannot be destroyed even by Finn's spear or that Elf's bombardment."
Valletta smirked at Muller's words, but her eyes gleamed with the sharp intensity of a beast watching its prey.
"Beyond that, they have that 'Sword Saint' boy. The door's endurance is not a hundred percent guaranteed."
Destroying an Orichalcum door was a feat of extreme difficulty even for first-class adventurers. But if the opponent was that boy—the man famous for being one of the city's two strongest pillars—it might just be possible. And if the door was breached even once, Evilus would lose its strategic advantage and their ranks would collapse.
Hearing the underlying concern in her voice, Muller let out a small sigh. It seemed this woman, and the members of Evilus in general, were obsessed with crushing any source of anxiety.
"In that case, rather than closing ourselves off like turtles, wouldn't it be better to open it intentionally and set a trap like a spider's web?"
They were unlikely to think of destroying something that was already open. So, invite them in and snap the trap shut. To Valletta, the only ones in the Loki Familia worth caution were a few first-class adventurers, primarily the "Sword Saint" and the "Braver." The rest of the members were of little consequence.
However, this thinking stemmed from the fact that first-class adventurers were truly exceptional; it didn't mean she underestimated the others. Valletta might mock them, but she didn't overlook her enemies. Her goal was to drain the Loki Familia's strength as much as possible before the final battle.
Once lured into Knossos, they could be dealt with in any number of ways thanks to the endless colored monsters and the labyrinth's lethal mechanisms. If they managed to kill one or two first-class adventurers, it would be a massive gain. But the real objective was to crush the "Second-tier" adventurers who handled supply and support, causing the first-class leaders' morale to crumble along with their lost comrades.
"I don't know if the current traps in Knossos can kill the 'Sword Saint,' but I want to prepare as many trump cards as possible to ensure his death in the upcoming 'Decisive Battle.' I can't risk losing your equipment or this facility."
The failure of the "Spirit Incarnation"—a threat surpassing deep-floor bosses and Evilus's trump card to destroy Orario—against the "Sword Saint" had been a major miscalculation.
Therefore, alternative cards to destroy the surface and kill the "Sword Saint" had to be plentiful. The existence of the "Demon Dragon" and the "Priestess" alone wasn't enough to reach full readiness. Muller's research was part of the process of increasing those winning cards, and this facility was the fruit of that labor.
"Fine, though the fusion with the samples is still unstable..."
Muller was currently researching the "Negative Legacy" left behind by a Familia that was nearly wiped out in the Great Conflict seven years ago. Though incomplete, once finished, it would provide enough power to kill the "Sword Saint." Since they couldn't afford to lose this research, the decision was made to move the equipment and staff to the depths of the artificial labyrinth.
"That's the situation. If you understand, start preparing quickly. It would be a nuisance if those bastards from the Loki Familia arrived now."
"Understood."
Valletta said that and turned to leave. She intended to welcome the Loki Familia, who were on the verge of discovering the entrance. After she left, Muller turned his gaze back to the devices under research. Six empty flasks remained with nothing but green liquid, alongside "twelve" massive jars stuffed with monsters resembling grotesque, twitching fetuses.
●○●○●
The Astraea Familia—the Familia of Order—formed in the period after the Zeus and Hera familias left Orario. It was a time when security plummeted due to the rise of Evilus, later known as the "Dark Ages."
Followers of Justice gathered under Lady Astraea and her impartial sword.
Kaguya, Lyra, Noin, Asta, Néze, Ryana, Celty, Iska... and Alise.
The girl with hair glowing like fire was as bright as the sun, loved by everyone. People always gathered around her, and her smile enchanted many. She was my best friend and my idol. All members of the Astraea Familia were women, and despite possessing a fighting spirit that surpassed men, they had kind and compassionate hearts. Because they were a small elite group, their bonds were unbreakable, and their laughter never stopped. I loved those days I spent with them; I was proud of them.
...Looking back, I have lived a quiet life for a very long time. It has been five years since Alise and the others were killed in their battle against the "Juggernaut"—the monster that appeared in the lower floors of the Dungeon due to a plot by the Rudra Familia, a remnant of Evilus.
I, the sole survivor, was consumed by the fires of revenge. I hunted Evilus members mercilessly by any means necessary. In the process, I was charged and became a wanted "criminal," but I never stopped.
However, after I killed them all and burned down to ash, nothing remained inside me but a sense of emptiness. After that, many things happened. Syr saved me, and I found a new place to belong. I trained the "Hero's Egg"—that boy whom talent loved more than anyone else and who neglected himself more than anyone else—and I found a new purpose.
Alongside Al, I managed to defeat that "Juggernaut," ending my score with the past and Evilus long ago.
I boarded the carriage I had struggled to have a contact prepare. My destination now is where the person I want to see most in the world resides. Through the fight against that "Black Minotaur," I learned my current limits. Although I retired from the front lines five years ago and almost decided never to fight as an adventurer again, the heat dormant in my chest has not yet gone out.
The current me is not enough.
"── I, too, must step forward soon."
And so, I arrived at a small village. The voices of children echoed everywhere, and adults watched them with warm smiles. This village is not my birthplace, yet I felt an intense nostalgia for it. It was undoubtedly the atmosphere of the place. As I walked, feeling as though I were in a dream of returning to those days, I arrived at a single house.
A young human girl greeted me, carrying an aura that reminded me of my past self in some way. She gave me a dissatisfied look but guided me inside nonetheless.
When I opened the inner door, I found there ─────
"It has been a long time... Lady Astraea."
●○●○●
Aaaaaah, I want to become a woman.
No, I'm not joking. I believe being a woman gives one a massive advantage in evoking "suffering and sympathy."
First of all, quite simply, gaining the affection of others is much easier for a woman than for a man. In a man's case, if he is excessively handsome or powerful and doesn't manage others' feelings well, he faces envy from his own kind and reserve from the other.
A woman, however, is often viewed with affection. Of course, envy and jealousy may exist, but since "suffering" and envy are closely linked, that isn't a problem. Also, regardless of my exceptional case, men have a natural instinct to protect women, so I feel an advantage there too.
Above all, it is easy to portray a "frail and weak" atmosphere. If I became a sickly beauty like Alfia, it would be perfect.
Based on that, I would crush someone like Allen, Allen, Allen, Allen, and Allen—then die of illness or become so weak that even Allen could easily defeat me.
My god, how "painful and heartbreaking" that would be for those around me... I can almost imagine him saying, "If you must die, let your death be at my hands."
Oh, that would definitely be wonderful. Just imagining it makes my level rise.
It's a shame my three magic slots are already full. If there were an empty slot, perhaps I would have learned "Transformation" magic... No, then the meaning would be different.
I don't know if there will be another chance, so let it be in the next life.
Aaaaaah, in my next life, I want to be reborn as a beautiful, frail, and sickly girl!
──────────────────────────────────────────────
Note:
I don't know what to say... this man's only concern is provoking the suffering of others and crushing their feelings. Most likely, even if Al were born as a girl, or even as a "monster," his inner essence wouldn't change a single bit.
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