The conversation about the surprise gift came to an end, and we shifted our focus to the topic of the labyrinth.

Firstly, I shared with everyone all the information I knew about the labyrinth. The labyrinth was ranked at C-, and it had at least five levels.

There were places in the labyrinth where minerals could be mined (a piece of information I learned from a guild staff).

Apart from minerals, various other materials could potentially be collected.

“First of all, it seems to have been decided that E-rank adventurers alone cannot enter this labyrinth. In our party, Asura and Leticia are E-rank… However, since Rin and I are D-rank, we can enter the labyrinth as a party. So, does everyone want to go to the labyrinth?”

Asura only recently registered as an adventurer, and Leticia, who has been helping out in my shop, has been accepting few requests, so neither of them have been promoted to D-rank yet. However, both of their abilities clearly surpass the level of E-rank, so entering the labyrinth shouldn’t be a problem.

Upon hearing my question, Leticia, Rin, and Asura each respond.

“Hmm… I want to try going there at least once.”

“I also want to see it…”

“I’m worried whether my magic will work in the labyrinth…”

To the somewhat uncertain Asura, I reassured him, “If we consider your ability score we saw earlier, I think you’ll be fine. Rather, you’re more than capable as a combat force. With that in mind, do you want to go to the labyrinth, Asura?”

“Well, if you put it that way, I want to go. After all, labyrinths are dreamy,” Asura said, a little shyly.

Alright, let’s make exploring the labyrinth our next goal.

Next, we decide each person’s role within the labyrinth. Up until now, Leticia and Rin were the vanguards of our party, while Asura and I were the rearguards.

However, should we encounter a formidable monster, Leticia and Rin would be the first ones to face danger. For us, the labyrinth is an unknown territory. If we let our guard down, we could die at any moment.

“In the labyrinth, I think Leticia and I should be the vanguards, with Asura as the sole rearguard. I’d like Rin to take the support role. Are we okay with that formation?”

Upon hearing my words, Rin grimaced, “Ugh, so it really is dangerous if I’m the support?”

“No, that’s not it. It’s just a precaution. Rin, you have superior sensory skills than us, so I want you to watch out so we don’t get ambushed by monsters. Plus, you can handle both magic and swordsmanship, so you can adapt to the situation, right? That’s why I want to ask you to support us.”

“…Alright, I understand. I’ll do my best.”

Good, she seems to have accepted it.

Next, we discussed how long we should delve into the labyrinth.

First, Leticia spoke up, “If we’re going to explore the labyrinth for an extended period, we’re going to need food and such, right?”

“Yes, that’s true. But we don’t need to worry about transportation because of my storage skill. I can even carry enough supplies for a year.”

Hearing my words, Asura looks surprised. “That much? Even with your storage skill, Lark, can you really carry that much?”

Leticia and Rin both nodded in agreement.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t properly explained the capabilities of my “Useful Box” to everyone. Maybe this is a good time to explain it again.

“My storage skill is called ‘Useful Box’, which allows me to store tools and materials by category.”

“By category…? How is that different from a regular storage skill?” Leticia tilted her head and asked.

“Well, for instance, if you store three stones, with a normal storage skill, it would count as storing three stones. But if you put them in the ‘Useful Box’, it counts as one type of item being stored. And there’s no limit to the number of items you can store in the ‘Useful Box’. Even if you put tens of thousands of stones in it, it will still only count as one type.”

“Amazing! So you can store as much as you want as long as it’s the same type!” Asura exclaimed in admiration.

Nodding at his words, I continue my explanation. “Exactly. So, if the food is of the same type, I can store as much as I want. Also, I can store things that are far away, and I can disassemble stored monster corpses as needed. Well, I suppose you could just think of it as a handy skill.”

“Amazing, Lark! And you can do various things with your synthesis magic too,” Rin said cheerfully. 

She must have been remembering the time in Nihori Village when I used magic to create a shower.

“That’s right. I can make hot water for showers, and I can use warm wind to dry clothes after washing them. I might also be able to create buildings using earth attribute magic, which could serve as bases or refuges.”

“With Lark around, we could explore the labyrinth indefinitely,” Rin concluded.

“Well, I did say ‘for a year’ earlier, but I don’t think I want to stay that long. I think a week is the limit… my Father…”

Considering how worry-prone my fatheris, if I don’t return from the labyrinth for a whole week, he might abandon his work to come looking for me.

Even if I tell him in advance that I’ll be staying for a while, it probably wouldn’t make a difference.

As I was pondering, Leticia timidly raised her hand. “…Lark. Since it’s our first time in the labyrinth, shouldn’t we consider going in for a day and then coming back, instead of staying for a long time from the get-go?”

“That sounds reasonable. Let’s do that.”

I immediately agreed with Leticia’s opinion.

To be honest, I also thought it would be fine just to go that far.

There’s a risk of injury or death if we explore for too long.

If we encounter a strong monster, I feel like we could manage by summoning Shafal at worst, but it’s always better to be cautious in an unknown labyrinth. There might be dangerous traps, not just monsters.

So, I definitely don’t want to push ourselves too hard.

In the end, we decided on when to dive into the labyrinth.

We’re not prepared at all right now, but it’s worth considering taking a longer preparation period. My school is on spring break now, but it’s gradually coming to an end.

Eventually, we decided to set a three-day preparation period and head for the labyrinth in the morning four days later.

For our first labyrinth exploration, we decided on a policy to be cautious and not to overdo it, and we disbanded for the day.

◇

Three days had passed since our discussion, and it was the day before we were to go to the labyrinth.

I’ve gotten permission for labyrinth exploration from my father. Or rather, I started persuading him the day we decided to go to the labyrinth, and I just got his permission. Man, how much of a worrier is my father…

As I was lying exhausted in the living room, Rin peered into my face with a worried look. “Lark, you look tired even before going to the labyrinth, are you okay?”

“Just a bit… I’ve exhausted myself persuading my father, but I’ve already put the things we need in the “Useful Box”, so don’t worry.”

“Oh, okay. But if you’re really tired, we can call it off tomorrow and go the next day, okay?”

“Thanks, but I’m really okay. Well then, I’m going to bed early since we’re starting early tomorrow. Good night.” Saying that, I left the living room and headed for my room.

As I entered my room, I said my usual prayers and lay down on the bed.

Let’s stay focused for tomorrow…

With that determination, I fell asleep.