Chapter 64: Focusing on safety too much is also a problem

After defeating the ogre hag I return to the signpost.

If only that thing didn’t show up I would have safely passed through the passage… Or so I naively thought.

「It’s closed again.」

The wall that already opened once a short while ago now was closed without leaving even the slightest gap, again turning it into a dead end.

The signboard was still there, so I guess I will have to press the correct button.

『Look above. Choose the correct answer and the path shall open to you. However, choose the wrong one and distress shall befall you. Let us shred the light upon it.【Pear, Lime, Cod】.』

Fruits and fish have nothing in common. They had similarity in their green color but that was already confirmed to be wrong.

In that case, where should I look?

Then I turn my attention to the words themselves. In such puzzles, capital letters can be the key.

(P)ear, (L)ime, (C)od.

PLM… Yup, it makes no sense.

「…Wait, this is.」

If first letters were no good then what about the opposite, and when I tried, it turned out there really was the name of the color.

Pea(R), lim(E), co(D).

In other words, making one associate them by their colors was a trick. Words themselves were the hint.

Of course, this also might be wrong, so I was full of nervousness when I pressed the red button with【Stone Bullet】.

With a rattling sound, the wall parted to the left and to the right once again… Hooray, nothing appeared this time!

I cautiously passed through the wall, it seems there are no traps.

Advancing through the singular path while being on guard for monsters I arrive at the part where passageway splits in three.

But what caught my attention much more was the fact that there were three young people arguing near it. Listening carefully, it seems that they were arguing over which way they should take.

How should I put it, that was way too unnatural.

When in doubt use appraisal. I quietly approached them and tried to read their information.

…I see… Nothing.

It was like with Toramaru as well so there might be people whom I cannot appraise.

First time in a long while I ask Great Sage a question. Why there are people I cannot read with【Appraisal Eye】.

【Those possessing Skill・Concealment are capable of nullifying effects of Skill・Appraisal Eye or appraisal type magical tools.】

I suspected as much. Should I acquire it as well in the future?

Anyway, I will try to strike a conversation from the distance at which I will be able to cope with the situation even if the other party moved to attack.

「Hey.」

「Oh, a labyrinth explorer!」

「You, over there, please listen to our story.」

「Hey you, hear me out.」

「Please wait, do not come any closer to me.」

When I strongly warned them, they showed perplexed expressions but stopped approaching anyway.

Looks like conversation is possible. But it’s still too early to relax. I can’t rule out the possibility that they just want to throw me off guard and then stab.

「What are you doing here?」

「We are a party of adventurers. However, we are hesitating which route among these three we should take.」

As a handsome man gave me the answer I continued with my questions.

「This is the hidden dungeon, isn’t it? The password for the entrance, you do know it, right?」

For a moment they suddenly stopped all movements. However, the person with a thick beard and the woman started laughing right away.

「Such a thing, we forgot it already ahahahahaha.」

「That’s right, we have a poor memory.」

「Is that so…」

「More importantly, lad, we decided to go separate ways from here.」

「Yes?」

「The way to take. We can’t come to an agreement.」

Looks like each of them will take the path they believe in. No matter how you think about that, it’s strange, even though they came as a party they go out of their way and split.

Forgetting the password was also a lie, they never knew it in the first place. Then, it’s safe to think that they are monsters inhabiting this floor… Or something similar to that.

As if reading my mind the bearded man says.

「We aren’t monster. Don’t worry about that. …Well, at any rate, I want to go together with you. I’m Hack, regarding leading a safe, risk-free life I’m first-rate. However, because of that, a considerable fortitude might be needed to reach the goal.」

「I am Ack, a man in love with danger. You will face hardships that might even kill you if you are unlucky, but you will be heading towards the goal through the shortest path.」

「I’m Uck, a woman crazy for riches. First of all, I don’t have any interest in the goal. The main thing is treasures.」

Hack, Ack, Uck, their names are waay toooo lazy. But let’s not scream that aloud.

After making those forced self-introductions, each of them moved to a different entrance and was beckoning me.

「Hey you, come here. Let’s go the safe way with me.」

「Heey, how about taking the exciting path with me?」「Come on, let’s search for treasures with me.」

Aah, this is probably the same as those buttons. Aren’t they themselves the buttons?

But this time there is no signpost with a hint.

Then it might be hidden in their words.

Hack is safety oriented but perseverance is necessary to reach the goal.

Ack walks a dangerous road but distance is the shortest.

Uck values treasure above everything and are not even interested in the goal.

I guess it’s okay to think that the goal here is the stairs leading to the 9th floor.

「Who is the right one?」

「It’s me! Me!」「It’s obviously I!」「I’m the best partner!」

Yes, yes, I’m was an idiot to ask. Since it came to this, all that is left is to choose by intuition.

I want to have maximum priority on survival, so that excludes Ack. Steady Hack or treasure’s Uck.

If I follow Uck I might find a treasure, but not looking for the stairs might be a problem.

After badly hesitating I finally decided to follow Hack.

I liked his preference for safety.

「Please treat me well, Hack-san.」

「Wahaha, thanks for choosing me.」

「I’d like to confirm just in case, but we are looking for stairs, right?」

「Yup, let’s go, partner.」

「I shall go along with you.」

While pretending that I trust him, I walk one step behind him. Because version that he might be a dangerous monster is still hard to discard.

We carefully advance through the passage. Structure stays the same and no monsters appear.

That was very welcome, but as expected, after walking for one hour I was tired.

It was more of mental fatigue than physical. No matter how much time passes the view still stays the same with absolutely no change at all.

「Hack-san, don’t you think it takes too long after all?」

「That’s not true.」

「Yes it is. Two hours passed already but it looks like it’s still going to take a while.」

「You start squeaking after only two hours? You have no patience.」

Looking at him going wahaha laughing I quietly think to myself. …Did I pick the wrong person to follow?

However, it’s definitely a safe path so I shall persist and follow.

…Three more hours have passed.

「Hack-san! It’s way too long! There is no telling when will we find the stairs like this!」

「Look, can you stop whining? This is the safe route. What is a mere five or six hours? You should be ready for five or six days.」

「Eeeeeeh…」

Simply advancing through the unchanging route that doesn’t stir any emotions is a terrible agony. On top of it, Hack-san cannot serve as a talk partner.

Even if I try to speak to him he only replies with yea or so.

「If you really don’t like it I won’t stop you. You can choose a different route. But it won’t be easy to go back the way we came. Since we have been walking for several hours.」

I stare at Hack-san who had a mean smile on his face.

If I follow this person, eventually I will get to the stairs. But it might take five or maybe even fifty days.

Even if there is no risk, there are limits.

「Come on, just give up and follow me.」

「I don’t think I can go with a person that mocks other people.」

「Are you going baaaack then? Such a looong way? This guuy is an iiiidiot.」

Giving a sidelong glance to Hack-san who was sticking out his jaw, I use a skill. Time has already passed since the last use so I create a hole in the floor with【Dungeon Floor Movement】.

「…What’s that?」

To Hack-san, who was staring blankly I reply sticking forth my jaw.

「You mean thiiis?　 Thiis is a magic skiiiiill that allows me to return iiiiiiinstantly~, gooodbyyye~.」

After also making a smug face I jump into the hole.

The view completely changed, and I breathe in the fresh air of the forest.

I didn’t come to the 1st floor but to the 7th floor.

One of the reasons was that it was closer to the 8th floor from here.

And another one was that I wanted to get healed by Dori-chan.