"My Lady, now! Stab it!"
"Ugh—hup!"
A rabbit charged.
It was a Horn Rabbit, named for the single, wicked spike protruding from its forehead. They were the most common beast-type monsters found in the Breeding Ground.
And that's exactly where we were.
The Young Lady and I had been in the Botanical Garden when we were forcibly teleported here.
Thwack!
"Ugh. I… I got it."
"Well done."
Six Horn Rabbits already lay limp before us. I gathered them up and stuffed them into my Aether Pocket. Since they were rabbit-type monsters, their hides were soft and fetched a decent price on the market.
"Haa… haa…"
"Are you alright?" I asked.
"Huh? Oh. Yeah. I'm fine."
"That's a relief. Let's keep moving."
"Okay."
Thump.
Thump. Thump.
We had just started walking when I heard it—a dull thud against the earth. A sound I knew all too well. I'd seen adventurers lose their heads seconds after hearing that noise.
It was a Vorpal Rabbit.
"Kuk!"
CRASH!
I barely managed to raise my shield in time to block the dog-sized rabbit lunging for my throat. The impact split my wooden shield clean in half. The jet-black blur that had been aiming for my jugular bounced off and skidded across the ground.
A Vorpal Rabbit.
They were crazed predators that ambushed adventurers, using the bone spurs on their legs to slice throats in a single pass. While Horn Rabbits relied on simple, telegraphed rams, Vorpal Rabbits were silent stalkers that went straight for the kill.
"Squeak!"
It charged again.
With my shield shattered and useless, I parried its kick with my sword.
Clang!
I couldn't let it get past me. The Young Lady had neither the strength to block it nor the agility to dodge.
"Hmph!"
"Screech!"
I twisted my blade with a burst of force, sending the creature tumbling. Before it could recover, I lunged and drove my knife deep into its belly.
I couldn't give it a second chance. They were too nimble and far too cunning; if it got away, it would just circle us in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike again. When you find a Vorpal Rabbit, you kill it immediately. Otherwise, you spend the rest of the trip looking over your shoulder, waiting for a blade to find your neck.
The thought of protecting the Young Lady while being stalked by one of those things was a nightmare I didn't want to live.
"Wh-what was that just now?" she stammered.
"The most dangerous thing in the Breeding Ground. A Vorpal Rabbit. They're famous for taking heads."
"I… I've never seen anything like that before."
It made sense. Such alien creatures were rarely found in nature. They usually only appeared in demon realms thick with mana or the deepest, darkest forests. Unless you were in the Labyrinth, you'd likely never encounter one.
"Are there more?"
"Unlike Horn Rabbits, these ones are solitary hunters. Their numbers are low."
"Really? Phew. That's a relief."
The Young Lady let out a long, shaky sigh as the tension left her shoulders.
A Vorpal Rabbit, huh?
'That means we're likely on the third or fourth floor of the Breeding Ground.'
Horn Rabbits were everywhere here, but Vorpal Rabbits only started appearing from the third floor down.
'If we're on the fourth floor… encountering a Bunnyman would be the end of us.'
The Bunnyman was the undisputed boss of the Breeding Ground. A grotesque, man-sized hybrid of rabbit and human. If we ran into one now, our chances of survival were slim to none. It was too fast and too strong. Without a proper frontline or a dedicated damage dealer, an encounter with a Bunnyman was a death sentence.
"For now, let's keep moving."
"Okay. Got it."
I tossed the Vorpal Rabbit's carcass into my Aether Pocket and led the way, sticking to the routes least likely to crawl with monsters.
"Huuuuuh."
"Tired?"
"No. I can keep going."
Her stamina was mediocre at best, but the silver lining was her mental fortitude. It was better than I expected. Even as we trekked through the oppressive darkness of the Labyrinth, she didn't cower or complain. She just followed silently behind me.
"It's a fork. Which way?"
"Right. The left path is a dead end."
"You know that without even checking?"
"I can just tell."
It wasn't magic. After months of mapping and studying the Labyrinth's architecture, I could practically predict the layout. Call it 'big data' for dungeoneering. I could tell at a glance whether a corridor led to a new zone or a brick wall.
"Hey, listen."
"Yes?"
"Um, I'm sorry, but…"
"Legs hurting?"
"Yeah. My feet are really starting to ache."
It was about time. We'd been wandering for hours.
"Bear with it a little longer. There's a room up ahead where we can hide. We'll block the entrance and rest there."
"Okay. Sorry."
"Don't apologize. From now on, tell me the moment something is wrong. I need to know your exact condition to make the right calls."
If someone hides their pain and messes up at a crucial moment, the whole party dies. I'd seen it happen to a rookie adventurer back when I first started. Enduring in silence isn't bravery; it's a liability.
"Here, sit on this."
"Thanks, Porter."
"Don't mention it."
The floor was filthy, so I handed her a blanket. I'd picked it up for cheap at a used clothing stall, so I didn't mind if it got beat up.
'I'll be sure to bill her a hefty service fee for this later.'
First, I had to secure the room. I used a large cloth to cover the entrance. Since there was no door, the fabric would have to serve as a visual barrier. It seemed simple, but it worked—monsters were cunning, but they were also surprisingly literal. If you cut off the sound, smell, and light, they'd usually walk right past a draped doorway.
"We can't risk a fire, so we'll have to make do with this."
"Anything is fine."
I pulled bread, jerky, and a head of fresh cabbage from my Aether Pocket and handed them to her.
"You carry cabbage too?"
"Yes. It won't spoil inside the pocket. You need a balanced diet to keep your strength up."
"I'm starting to get really jealous of that pocket."
I'd prepared for every contingency. My Aether Pocket was a literal life-saver. I'd spent almost all my earnings stocking it with supplies. I even had a pot of stew tucked away in there. My claim of having thirty days' worth of food wasn't a boast—it was a fact.
"The bread is still warm."
"I put it in right after it was baked."
"You're a much better porter than I imagined."
"Compliments won't get you extra service."
"Hmph."
The Young Lady began to nibble on the food. The flighty, pampered girl who had first entered the Labyrinth was gone. She was quiet, serious, and strangely serene. She was accepting the nightmare of the Great Upheaval with remarkable calm. I'd expected her to panic or break down, so this was a massive relief.
"You're adapting faster than I expected, My Lady."
"Really? Did you think I'd be crying and throwing a tantrum?"
"Well, the thought crossed my mind."
"Hehe. At least you're honest."
She tore off a piece of jerky, chewed it thoughtfully, and looked at me.
"Porter, how long have you lived in the Labyrinth City?"
"Me? About six months."
"What? Less than a year?"
"Yes. And I've been exploring the Labyrinth for even less than that."
"No way. You're this much of a veteran after only six months?"
"I wouldn't call myself a veteran. I've only just reached the threshold of the fifth floor."
In this city, you weren't a veteran until you could navigate the fifth-floor Underground City. The Botanical Garden and the Breeding Ground were just the shallow end for beginners.
"I see. But how did you end up here? You don't look like you're from these parts."
"Ah, well…"
There were people of East Asian descent in the Labyrinth City, mostly those who had crossed the eastern seas by ship. They were treated similarly to the northern barbarians—as oddities. There was a lot of prejudice; people thought Easterners were petty or untrustworthy. To be fair, the Easterners in this world had cultures and temperaments remarkably similar to those on Earth.
"I came by ship. Life was tough back home," I said, using my standard vague excuse. Most adventurers didn't know enough about the East to question it.
But this Young Lady seemed surprisingly well-informed. Or maybe she just wanted to show off.
"Where exactly? There are many countries in the East."
"Oh, uh… Ryuguk."
"Aha. The land of swordsmen."
"That's the one."
"If you make enough money, will you go back?"
"No. I plan to stay here. I have no desire to leave the Labyrinth City."
A wealthy outsider was a prime target for a knife in the back. My plan was to build a reputation, rank up, and then settle down permanently where I was safe.
"That sounds nice. Living exactly how you want."
She gazed into the dark corridor, a hint of frustration in her eyes.
"Why did you come to the Labyrinth City, My Lady?"
I wasn't usually one for small talk, but the mood felt right.
"Me? Well… I suppose it was my dream to be an adventurer."
"An adventurer?" I repeated, incredulous. This dirty, miserable job where you could die in a gutter at any moment was a noblewoman's dream?
"Well, someone like me would never get to do it for real, would they?"
"I suppose not."
So, she yearned for it precisely because it was forbidden.
"I envied the freedom," she said, taking a long swig from her waterskin as if it were ale. "Wandering where you want. Marrying who you want. Living for yourself."
"Should I pour you a drink to go with that?"
"Really?"
"No. It's a joke. Who drinks alcohol in a place like this?"
"Hey!"
I chuckled. The atmosphere was just heavy enough that a joke felt necessary. Speaking of marriage, though—marrying for love sounded nice, but I had simpler goals. I just wanted to save up enough to buy a slave wife and spend my days messing around with her.
"It's late. Get some sleep."
"What about you?"
"I'm not tired yet. I'll take the first watch and wake you for the second."
"Okay. I'll sleep first then."
It had been noon when we entered. After hours of wandering, it had to be night in the world above. Rest was non-negotiable.
"Hey, Porter."
"Yes?"
"Um. Well… the thing is…"
"Do you need the toilet?"
"…"
"Let's move away from the room."
"Okay. Um. I'm sorry…"
"It's a natural function. Is it… a long trip or a short one?"
"A short one!" she hissed, her face turning red.
The Labyrinth didn't care about your dignity. Excretion was as vital as eating. Holding it in was a recipe for disaster.
'If she goes near the room, the scent will attract monsters. Better to do it further down the hall.'
The creatures in the Breeding Ground had keen senses. If she relieved herself right where we were sleeping, we'd have company by midnight. But I couldn't let her go alone.
"I'm so humiliated I could die," she whispered.
"Better than actually dying."
"Damn it… Ugh. Porter, cover your ears."
"And if I can't hear a monster sneaking up on us?"
"Hear a monster? What does that have to do with—?"
"It'd be a problem if I missed the sound of a predator because I was busy being polite, wouldn't it?"
"Ugh… so you're just going to… listen to me?"
"I'm not listening because I want to. Look, we're both exhausted. Let's just get this over with. This happens all the time in the Labyrinth. If you get embarrassed by every little thing, you'll never make it as an adventurer."
"I think I'm starting to hate the Labyrinth."
"You still liked it until now? That's an obsession, My Lady."
"I hate you. You're so annoying."
The daughter of the prestigious Marquis Lionel of the North squatted down, her face flushed crimson, and began to go.
Trickle.
She must have been holding it for a long time. It was a steady sound. I wasn't listening because I was a pervert, though.
'Vorpal Rabbits love to hit adventurers when they're mid-piss.'
They looked for that moment of total vulnerability. They always made a specific thumping sound before they lunged, and I had to be ready. There was no death more pathetic than getting decapitated while emptying your bladder.
"Are you done? Here, use this to wipe."
"Ugh… you… damn it."
She took the cloth I offered. In a world without toilet paper, old rags were the standard. She finished up and tossed the cloth aside.
"Here's some water. Wash your hands."
"Haaah…"
She let out a massive sigh as I poured water over her hands. She looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her whole. I couldn't blame her.
"See? Having an Aether Pocket means you can even wash up in a dungeon. Not so bad, right?"
"It's good. But it's annoying."
"Haha, well, it is what it is."
"You," she said, pointing a finger at me. "Don't you dare tell a soul about this. Never mention it. If I hear even a whisper of a rumor that the Marquis's daughter was seen… doing this… I will make you pay. It's an insult to the nobility!"
"My lips are sealed."
"Hmph. You'd better mean it. Annoying porter."
I led her back to our makeshift camp. A noble lady, utterly mortified after peeing in front of a strange man.
'I'm actually starting to feel… something.'
A slight heat stirred in my groin, but in the pitch-black darkness of the Labyrinth, there was no way she'd notice.