Chapter 64

 < Incident Report >

Usually, when writing this kind of report, it’s handled by junior administrative officers or clerks.

But when I entered the meeting room, there was an administrative officer.

In company terms, that’s department head level.

Moreover…

‘There’s even a Security Officer here?’

She was a fierce-eyed feline beastman woman. A Security Officer badge was attached to the chest pocket of her uniform.

“Nice to meet you. Caleb. I’m Neko, a Security Officer from Security Headquarters.”

I shook hands with her and sat down.

“But what brings a Security Officer here?”

Originally, Security Headquarters investigates various crimes that occur inside and outside the labyrinth, interrogates suspects, and makes arrests.

For example, if a 3rd floor adventurer Caleb killed a 4th floor adventurer Antonelli, it would be normal to interrogate him.

Things Like this.

“I wanted to hear about the Antonelli murder case.”

But the situation is a bit different now.

“I understand that priest Emma from the Virtanen party has testified about everything regarding that incident.”

In the labyrinth city Soren, Nataniel’s priests have tremendous credibility.

That’s why even when we wiped out Sally’s party, we weren’t summoned or investigated by Security Headquarters.

Because Paladin Bernard testified that Sally’s party were raiders.

Security Headquarters has no interest in dead raiders. Similarly, if a wizard who was conducting dangerous illegal experiments that could cause fatal problems to the entire corresponding floor of the labyrinth is dead, they have no interest either.

Such people are outside Soren’s legal protection.

Just like otherworld possessors.

“That’s right. So this hearing isn’t like an interrogation.”

Neko deliberately smiled. As if trying to ease the tension a bit.

“It’s just that it’s interesting how a person with a murder record went into the labyrinth exactly three times and committed murder three times in a row.”

What’s the first one?

Ah.

The bald slave party?

Probably the testimony given under lie prevention magic at the Magic University’s slave department remained as data at Security Headquarters.

Come to think of it, I really did kill someone every time I went in.

“They were all unavoidable situations.”

“Of course. Caleb. I’m just listening.”

The beastman Neko snickered as she pulled her chair closer and sat down.

“Shall we hear everything from the start of the adventure?”

***

Yernil testifies timidly.

“…So I hid on the stairs and used the message transmission wand to contact both sides and bring the separated people together.”

“Wow, you really did something big.”

“Gasp, no! It wasn’t a big deal.”

She, who had felt burdened during the contribution evaluation, tends to feel somewhat embarrassed when talking about what she did.

Backstab is the complete opposite.

“No, but right in front of the trap, this rag zombie bastard dares to show me his back? Showing his back to Backstab the thug? I’m even a senior in undead experience!”

“……”

“So I said this. ‘Your mother’. Keu. I asked if the reason for species quotas was because of your mother’s fortress walls.”

“Gasp……”

“After I fed him one shot of back-alley rhetoric like that, his eyes rolled back and he came charging.”

The administrative officer was somewhat flustered by his heroic tale told with excitement.

And Aimus.

“The Hijikata party fought really well with Gildal.”

“The Hijikata party?”

“Yes. When Caleb and Yernil activated the Monument, their role was crucial in holding out on the snowy mountain. Especially thanks to Gildal holding the front well……”

The monk who trained at Mount Dalai took care of the achievements of the Hijikata team who weren’t present.

‘Really, all three have such distinct personalities.’

While letting them chatter away, I recalled my meeting with the Spider Doctor this time.

He said this to me.

‘If you find my body, I’ll tell you secrets about otherworld possessors.’

I was very curious about what that could be, but I was sparing with my answer.

It looked far too suspicious.

Usually, most people who enter the labyrinth are motivated by money. Like Aimus, Backstab, and Yernil.

Otherwise, power or fame becomes the goal. Getting powerful skills from the well, growing stronger, and making a name in this labyrinth city.

But what the Spider Doctor suddenly proposed wasn’t money, fame, magic, or items, which was really unsettling.

‘Why do you think I’d be interested in such things?’

When I asked back instead, the Spider Doctor giggled.

‘I was the eyes of the 3rd floor. All conversations that took place here reached my ears. Caleb. For example, the conversation you had with the fox on the stairs. You killed a possessor in Windham, didn’t you?’

The Spider Doctor had also heard the conversation I had with Soyul, learning about my past through her.

‘I thought you’d be interested. Aren’t you?’

The Spider Doctor approached me and tilted his head.

‘The process of reclaiming my real body is quite arduous. Caleb. But you can do it. Of course, I understand it’s difficult to answer right away. Shall we do a small deal first to build trust?’

The Spider Doctor pointed to the urn in my hand.

‘If you give me that, I’ll give you one small piece of information about otherworld possessors.’

It’s like in gambling where they let the sucker win a few rounds first.

Actually, this proposal was essentially offering me information for free. Because the Spider Doctor could have easily taken the urn by force.

‘Take it.’

When I handed over the jar, the Spider Doctor whispered a few short words in my ear.

It was definitely intriguing and shocking information.

‘Some otherworld possessors have come to live in the inter-floor villages.’

***

“……Caleb.”

The administrative officer called me.

“So Soyul didn’t have the Labyrinth Master’s seal on her forehead?”

“That’s right.”

“Then how was Gildal’s soul recovered?”

“I don’t know.”

Let me keep my words to myself for now.

This is a neighborhood where Goblins are treated as monsters and the Yoho tribe has fallen to prey, with their tails and orbs being trafficked.

If the Spider Doctor’s existence is exposed, it will immediately draw aggro from high-level adventurers.

In the worst case, the Labyrinth Guild might recruit abyss-level adventurers to subjugate him. Such institutions would probably try to manage the labyrinth conservatively.

If that happens, it’s not necessarily bad for me, but it would be a bit disappointing. The Spider Doctor seems to know a lot about the labyrinth and otherworld possessors, and since I can’t tell if he’s friend or foe yet, I’d like to observe him more.

So let’s not babble about it anywhere.

Fortunately, no one except me saw the Spider Doctor. Not even Soyul, who was kidnapped.

“What happened to the urn?”

“When Backstab was being dragged away, it fell to the floor and we couldn’t find it.”

It’s fine to brush it off somewhat roughly.

Why?

Because at that time on the 3rd floor, all sorts of strange phenomena occurred in succession: a monster wave erupted, two aberrant bosses appeared, 10th-tier magic burst forth, and so on.

“I got it!”

The administrative officer clapped her hands.

“Caleb. Gildal’s soul recovery was probably due to the Monument.”

“Due to the Monument?”

“Yes. As Caleb saw, the Monument is not on the labyrinth’s side. The large-scale evil extermination swept away the labyrinth monsters too. And Gildal, the Goblin who beat up Antonelli. From the Monument’s perspective, that Goblin was classified not as a monster but as an adventurer!”

The administrative officer began showing off his amazing deductive skills.

“When the soul vessel broke, among the mixed souls, only the evil part – Antonelli’s soul – was washed away by the evil extermination magic.”

“Wow, that must really be it.”

When I played along, the administrative officer’s nose went up.

“I may look like this, but I’m a valedictorian graduate of Magic University. Caleb is my junior.”

“As expected, you’re amazing, senior.”

The administrative officer’s shoulders rose proudly.

He said that the reason Soyul wasn’t caught by madness was probably also due to the Monument, and that the soul in the urn was probably someone else who was sacrificed on the 3rd floor, which he would look into. He also said he would investigate what chased our party from the exit room, saying that’s what the Labyrinth Guild does.

“Don’t worry! When the labyrinth Monument operates, such strange phenomena can definitely occur!”

“As expected of an expert. You’re cool.”

“Haha! Our genius junior saying that makes me not know what to do with myself!”

I finished the incident report while appropriately playing along.

Security Officer Neko also passed through smoothly without any particular doubts.

At least on the surface.

***

Among the things I gained from this labyrinth adventure, the most valuable are information.

Besides the premium information the Spider Doctor provided, there’s more.

It’s the information about my past that Soyul taught me.

‘Hyedam.’

That’s the name of the Yoho tribe member I supposedly killed.

When I asked if she had heard any stories about me from Windham since I came to Sohen, shocking information poured out.

‘It was quite a commotion for a while.’

The most impressive part among them was adventurer Hyedam’s skill level.

‘It’s hard to believe that an eight-tailed deep-layer adventurer was killed.’

I can’t believe it either.

Hyedam was famous for bringing beginners into parties. Even those on their first labyrinth attempt.

She apparently traveled as a capable trio, recruiting one supplementary member randomly each time to use as a porter.

I was one of them, but I supposedly killed her.

‘There are still people who don’t believe it. Caleb was a novice adventurer without much labyrinth experience.’

I still don’t believe it either.

Why would they use a weakling like me as a porter? And how could I kill a deep-layer adventurer?

‘But Hyedam actually disappeared, and Caleb came forward with Hyedam’s fox orb to confess. Plus there was even a motive for murder – that Hyedam was a possessor – so the investigation was closed.’

Hyedam’s body, supposedly killed in the labyrinth, wasn’t found despite extensive searches. But since fox orbs are treated as part of a Yoho tribe member’s body, the murder was acknowledged.

This is really dizzying.

Maybe that fox is still alive.

What could she possibly want from me?

Or maybe she just used some third-rate adventurer to cover her tracks?

Processing herself as dead and then hiding somewhere.

‘For example, in an inter-floor village like the Spider Doctor mentioned.’

When I first heard that story, I thought what crazy people exist, but thinking about it again, maybe that would be better.

If they’re deep-layer level adventurers, they’d manage fine even in lower inter-floor villages, and if they went into hiding after coating themselves with concealment magic like Silent Night?

Since they’re living entirely within the labyrinth, the labyrinth never erupts. And even if it erupts, the surface gets devastated, but inter-floor villages wouldn’t be harmed.

Considering wizards like Meldini on the surface are working hard to root out possessors with lie prevention magic, living in inter-floor villages might actually be safer?

Windham’s labyrinth and Soren’s labyrinth are connected. Actually, not just those two, but all labyrinths are connected.

If you pass through something called ‘wall space’.

Maybe the eight-tailed Yoho tribe Hyedam, the Spider Doctor, and even the inter-floor villages.

I’m starting to think there might be a huge possessor organization hiding in the labyrinth underground, connecting all of this.

Then how connected are they to Black Dog or Enver Club?

Are they completely separate organizations?

Or are Black Dog and Enver Club actually just the tip of the iceberg visible above water, with the main body connected?

It’s time to start digging into those two.

Enver Club is supposed to approach me first anyway, so I can wait, and for Black Dog……

“Backstab.”

“Yes, brother.”

“You remember we agreed to go to the back alleys together?”

We had that conversation in the labyrinth.

“Of course. Let’s go and sweep the casino clean.”

No. We’re going because of Black Dog.

“Caleb.”

Just as I was about to leave for the Labyrinth Guild lobby, someone chased after me in the corridor and spoke to me.

The feline beastman, Security Officer Neko.

I knew she’d have separate business.

“Would you consider taking on a job for Security Headquarters?”

“What kind of job?”

Neko glanced at Aimus, Backstab, and Yernil beside me.

She wanted to commission a mission to me alone, not our party.

“Come this way for a moment.”

She led me to a corner of the Labyrinth Guild.

***

“Security Headquarters is currently planning an operation against Black Dog.”

My suspicion was right on target.

Black Dog is an organization that commits various crimes underwater, making them a thorn in the side of Soren’s Security Headquarters.

They clash with each other almost 24 hours a day.

“We need an undercover agent to go inside and gather information. But skilled adventurers get too much scrutiny, and newcomers operating in lower floors usually lack the necessary skills.”

Neko’s participation in today’s interview wasn’t for incident hearing purposes but was a kind of job interview.

“Someone like Caleb is smart and skilled. You’re rising in popularity right now, so Black Dog might consider recruiting you. Moreover.”

“Moreover?”

“You seem righteous.”

Security Headquarters was apparently nervous that I might become a double agent who would confuse them with wrong information after entering Black Dog.

‘He’s got a murder record though. And he kills people every time he enters the labyrinth. Can we trust him?’

……Such talk probably came from the higher-ups, right?

The job interview apparently included a character assessment too.

“How about it?”

Now, what should I do?

I’ve got quite a few cards now.

I need to masterfully walk a tightrope between Enver Club, Black Dog, and Security Headquarters.