The reason Adelio didn’t head straight for the [Dwelling of Spirits] and instead spent a whole week at Free Academy was, of course, largely because of the influence of Chronoa’s [Thought Body], which was surely steeped in rage. But that wasn’t the only reason.
He also felt sorry for making the children wait so long when he should have returned quickly after dealing with the rampaging [Orc]s and taught them himself. And there were people in [Ingrassia] he needed to meet in person as well.
And among all those reasons, the one he did not consider the most important, yet the most necessary, was this—
"Teacher Rimuru!"
"Hurry up, Teacher!"
"Please, the next volume already...!"
"You promised you'd give it to us after class was over!"
"...I want to read it already!"
—he wanted Rimuru and the children to grow close to each other.
"All right, all right. I’m giving it to you now, so wait just a little longer."
Maybe it was because she had experience caring for young patients in her previous life, or maybe it was because she resembled Shizue, the original owner of this body.
In just a single week, Rimuru had successfully settled in as the new teacher for the otherworlder children, and today as well, she was continuing class by dangling manga as bait.
'She teaches even better than I expected.'
She might still be lacking in areas limited to combat, like swordsmanship and magic, but when it came to teaching the basic common knowledge children needed to know, she seemed remarkably good at it.
'...Did she work in education in her previous life or something?'
Ever since learning that Rimuru’s previous life had not been Mikami Satoru, Adelio had constantly felt the urge to ask about who she used to be.
But he had never brought himself to ask, wondering whether, like him, the memories of her previous life might have become shackles for her. In the end, he brushed the thought from his mind once again.
'I am curious what kind of person she was back on Earth... but there’s no need to ask while we’re out in the open like this.'
Remembering that they would soon have to head to the [Dwelling of Spirits], he called Rimuru and the children together a little later.
In the process, their departure was delayed a bit because the children insisted on finishing all the manga they had managed to wring out of Rimuru before leaving...
...but that had become a familiar scene over the past week.
*
"...This is... the [Dwelling of Spirits]?"
The Republic of [Urgresia], a small nation wedged between the Sorcerous Dynasty [Sarion] and the Southern Sea.
Even smaller in territory than [Blumund], which was already known as one of the minor nations of the West, [Urgresia] was one of the ancient countries said to have once been ruled by [Elf]s, just like [Sarion].
That made it a fitting place for those who had lived since ancient times to hide something away, and in her prime, when her reason had been far sharper, the [Spirit Queen] had created here a door connected to the [Dwelling of Spirits].
So that one day, she could invite the spirits who followed her and the great heroes she had befriended into the [Dwelling of Spirits].
"Everything beyond this door is part of a [Labyrinth], so try not to stray too far from me."
With a familiar gaze fixed on the entrance to the [Dwelling of Spirits], Adelio warned Rimuru and the children, who were staring at it in wonder, then took the lead with Ria and stepped into the [Labyrinth].
Rumble...
The interior of the [Dwelling of Spirits], known as the oldest [Labyrinth] still in existence, was a vertical trap-type [Labyrinth] that many people mistakenly believed to be nothing more than a straight corridor with only one path. A peculiar barrier had been set up inside that disrupted all the senses of any living being that crossed the entrance.
'Rimuru has [Great Sage], and Shiz already has a contract with Ifrit, so they’ll be fine. But if the children make one wrong move, they could get lost in an instant.'
Rimuru, Shizue, Adelio, and Ria could all move freely through this [Labyrinth], since they had no need to rely on the ordinary five senses. But the children, who had yet to step beyond the bounds of humanity, would be finished the moment they took a wrong turn.
Of course, that was only assuming the owner of this place, that mischievous little troublemaker, decided to play a nasty prank.
"......"
'Here.'
Had they walked straight ahead for about ten minutes?
Following the mana of a peculiar [Pixie], faintly tinged with the magic born of corruption, Adelio suddenly felt a swelling surge of power and came to an abrupt halt.
And then—
Fwaaaash...!
"Ugh...?"
"W-what is this?!"
"Where did all this light suddenly come from?!"
A brilliant light enveloped the entire [Labyrinth] and instantly swallowed Adelio and the others. Then, in the blink of an eye, the [Labyrinth], which had contained only a single path, transformed into a vast open space.
"......"
"...W-we’re..."
"...In the deep part of the [Labyrinth]...?"
As Rimuru and the children, startled by the sudden change, hid behind Adelio and Shizue, Adelio kept his calm expression and stared straight ahead, then spoke to the enormous figure that had appeared before them along with the shifting space.
"Did you bring us here because you wanted to show this off?"
Unusual pink armor, a mechanical body, and mana identical to that of a spirit.
As Ermesia’s fiancé, Adelio had once learned at least a little of the finest magitech [Sarion] had to offer, and he recognized at once what the massive figure before him was.
'[Elemental Colossus].'
Several years ago, [Sarion] and [Dwargo] had tried to combine their technologies to create the ultimate golem weapon, only to fail completely due to a lack of technical ability.
That was the true identity of the giant standing before them now.
Hummm—
And the moment Adelio’s question was spoken, a tiny fairy leaped into the space with excited wingbeats, thrilled at the chance to show off—
"Hmph! Well?! Doesn’t it look absolutely amazing at a glance?!"
—Ramiris, one of the Ten Great Demon Lords and the queen of spirits and fairies, also known as [Labyrinth], greeted her old friend with a smug grin on her lips.
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