“Young Master, how did you know where the Young Lady went?”
Elise’s small head was filled with immense curiosity.
“I guessed,” Ian said calmly.
“How did you guess?”
Elise was still puzzled.
“Didn’t Father argue with Aetherinra this morning?”
“Father wouldn’t allow her to join the crusade against the labyrinth, but is Aetherinra the type of person to give up halfway?”
“I suspect Aetherinra chose to hide it from Father and set out to conquer the labyrinth alone to avenge Veronica.”
“Then isn’t the Young Lady in great danger?”
Hearing Ian’s speculation, Elise couldn’t help but grow anxious for Aetherinra.
After all, Aetherinra didn’t know any offensive Magic; her only means of attack was the swordsmanship she had learned from Deere.
However, trying to successfully conquer a labyrinth with just that bit of swordsmanship was a complete fantasy.
It would be difficult for her to even protect herself inside.
“Don’t panic. Aetherinra probably hasn’t entered the labyrinth yet. If I go now, I might still catch up to her.”
“Go and tell Deere my theory first. I’ll go after Aetherinra and see if I can reach her.”
Hearing Ian’s words, Elise hesitated.
“If you don’t catch her, Young Master, please do not enter the labyrinth. At the very least, you must wait until I arrive.”
After the previous incident where she almost lost Ian, Elise was extremely concerned for his safety.
“Don’t worry, don’t worry. I’ll protect myself.”
“Do you not trust me anymore?”
After receiving Ian’s reassuring answer, Elise shook her head.
“Of course I don’t distrust you, Young Master.”
“I understand. I will explain your theory to the Duke immediately.”
“Mm.”
Ian nodded with relief.
“Then go quickly. I’m afraid if I’m too late, there really won’t be enough time.”
“Yes.”
Elise nodded and immediately ran toward the room where Deere was located.
Meanwhile, Ian used speed-enhancing Magic and galloped toward the Magic Beast Forest outside the city.
—
About one hour later, at the Junior Labyrinth in the Magic Beast Forest.
“This must be the source of the beast tide.”
The newcomer was Aetherinra.
She was currently dressed in white armor with a sword at her waist, holding a torch to feel her way through the darkness.
Ian’s guess was correct; the real reason Aetherinra had disappeared from the Duke’s Mansion was to conquer the labyrinth by herself.
After the big argument with Deere this morning, Aetherinra knew that he would definitely not allow her to participate in the labyrinth crusade two days later.
But she had to personally avenge Veronica.
According to her speculation, this Junior Labyrinth was very likely activated by the mysterious person in black who had ambushed Veronica.
This suggested that the labyrinth held significant meaning for that person.
If she could destroy it, it would count as a form of retaliation against them.
Moreover, even if the labyrinth hadn’t been activated by that person, the beast tide was undeniably triggered by the Junior Labyrinth.
If there hadn’t been a beast tide, Veronica wouldn’t have been ambushed, so she had to conquer this labyrinth herself.
With that thought, Aetherinra raised her foot to enter the labyrinth.
“Wait!”
A loud voice called out from behind her.
“Ian? Why are you here?”
Aetherinra turned around, looking shocked.
“Come back with me first. I will ask Father to include you in the labyrinth crusade squad.”
Ian got straight to the point as soon as he arrived.
He knew the reason Aetherinra wanted to conquer the labyrinth alone and proposed that he could solve the issue for her.
Hearing Ian’s words, Aetherinra shook her head.
“I cannot go back today.”
“You can’t conquer this labyrinth with your strength alone.”
Ian was starting to get anxious.
‘I can’t let Aetherinra die. She’s the Heroine; there are still more scenes for her later.’
“How will I know if I don’t try?”
Aetherinra said to Ian nonchalantly.
Memories of her youth resurfaced in Aetherinra’s mind.
After witnessing the deaths of her father and mother, she had secretly sworn never to let those she cared about fall into danger again.
Even though she could only practice Support Magic, she had never abandoned that oath.
Now, her friend Veronica was in a coma; how could she not seek revenge?
And in the future, she would have to get revenge on the Demon Race that had killed her father!
Choosing not to listen to Ian anymore, Aetherinra resolutely stepped into the labyrinth.
Seeing her retreating back, Ian’s heart tightened, and he followed her inside.
“Actually, you didn’t have to come in,” Aetherinra said, glancing back at Ian.
“I won’t let you throw your life away.”
Hearing Ian’s words, Aetherinra was stunned for a moment before turning back.
“I won’t die. If things look bad, I’ll retreat.”
Leaving it at that, she walked further and further in.
Ian followed closely behind her.
Along the way, the two walked one after another in tacit understanding.
Many weak First-tier Magic Beasts attacked them on the way, but they were all fended off one by one.
Watching Aetherinra walking ahead, Ian calculated in his mind.
‘If we keep going like this, we will definitely encounter the labyrinth boss — the Water Demon.’
In Ian’s memory, that Water Demon was extremely powerful.
Although it was only a Third-rank Magic Beast, it had a special method of absorbing attacks.
This meant that in the game, players had to awaken the Hero’s Sword before this part of the story and use the power of a Deity to eliminate it.
Now that Veronica was unconscious, there was no power of a Deity available to use.
That left only one method: “overfeeding” the Water Demon to death.
Although the Water Demon had the special ability to absorb attacks, it wasn’t invincible.
As long as the attacks exceeded its absorption limit, it would explode and die.
Thinking of this, Ian formulated a detailed battle plan in his mind.
—
On the other side, after Elise told Deere about Ian’s theory, Deere immediately organized a temporary team composed entirely of Third-rank Mages.
He prepared to crusade against the labyrinth overnight; even though it wasn’t the time when the labyrinth was at its weakest, he had no other choice.
He couldn’t stand by and watch Aetherinra die.
If that happened, how could he face his old friend after death?
Meanwhile, Elise, who had delivered the news, had already set out and arrived at the entrance of the labyrinth.
She hadn’t seen Ian or Aetherinra on the road or at the entrance.
‘Did the Young Master and Young Lady not arrive at the labyrinth?’
Elise asked herself.
However, she soon dismissed the thought.
If the Young Lady hadn’t entered the labyrinth, the Young Master would have returned to the mansion to report.
There was only one possibility: both the Young Master and the Young Lady had already entered the labyrinth.
Thinking of this, Elise also hurriedly entered the labyrinth.
‘Young Master, Young Lady, please don’t let anything happen to you!’