To the Wind Labyrinth

I'd passed out cold and woke up with a hangover and a splitting headache.

The slaves had gone back to their rooms, it seemed.

I'd let my guard down completely this time.

Being on a roll lately was no excuse.

But saved by my own slaves. Who would've guessed?

I hadn't expected it, but slaves or not, they were still people.

They had wills of their own.

That much, I'd confirmed.

Losing the earnings stung a little.

No, I should count myself lucky to get off this cheap.

In the end, a tax collector came by and levied triple what I'd originally owed.

It was a painful amount, but I couldn't afford to attract any more attention.

Paying in full bought me a fragile peace.

Even I could learn my lesson after taking a hit like that.

And with the fundraising apparently complete, construction of the Sun God statue finally began in the town's central square.

The material appeared to be that black stone mined from the Ore Labyrinth.

Utterly infuriating.

The Sun God statue… honestly, it looked less divine and more unsettling.

Still, the construction drew in craftsmen, and that gave the economy a small boost.

Daily necessities and packed lunches sold briskly, keeping the shop busy enough.

I'd dipped into credit backed by the shop, so as always, I'd be relying on the three of them to earn it back.

While running them through a string of quests, I'd been monitoring material prices. Wind-type materials had spiked sharply.

Wind magic stones and related materials were trading at a premium.

The cause… ah, the Earth Labyrinth had expanded internally. Adventurers were in a frenzy. New monsters, new treasures, new bosses.

The Earth Labyrinth yielded earth-element materials, as the name implied, but every monster inside carried the earth attribute.

And the element that countered earth was wind.

Demand for weapons and armor with wind properties to tackle the Earth Labyrinth was sky-high.

Wind magic stones and Wind Elementals could be processed into arms and equipment.

The Earth Labyrinth was tempting, but right now I wanted safe, steady income.

Wind Labyrinth materials were a guaranteed sell.

Fire was effective against wind. Alexia's main element was fire too, so it was a perfect match.

I called the three of them in.

The four of us sat on the carpet in my room.

It had been a while since we'd done this.

Mm, mm. What a view.

"All right. I've decided where you're going next."

"Yes. Where?"

"The Wind Labyrinth."

Elza considered this for a moment.

"An elemental labyrinth, at last."

"I think you're ready. The goal this time is gathering wind materials, not a full clear. But depending on how far you get, I may have you push through."

"Hmm, fair enough. Elemental labyrinths are on the harder side for mid-tier, but the tradeoff is that having the right elemental matchup makes things a lot easier."

"Exactly. Budget was tight, so this is what I managed to put together."

I showed them their new outfits.

Three sets of gear imbued with fire properties.

All in shades of red.

"You always come prepared, I'll give you that… I can enchant my own weapons, but what about Azu's?"

"A decent elemental weapon would cost more than it's worth. She's better off with what she has."

"Understood. This sword should be fine."

Azu's spirited reply was refreshing. I gave her a pat on the head.

Then I had them change into the new gear on the spot.

"I'm a slave, so I won't complain, but… watching us change? Isn't that a dirty-old-man hobby, Master?"

"Shut up. Perks of the job."

The outfits looked great on them.

Alexia in particular cut a striking figure in the red battle dress. Impeccable as always.

Azu had grown a bit since I'd first taken her in.

Better development, taller.

Was that the improved diet?

Elza was in a red habit.

Habits were supposed to symbolize abstinence, but her body's curves were on full display. Pretty sexy, if you asked me.

Elza caught me staring and made a point of emphasizing her chest.

Best proportions of the three, no contest.

Now then, this time it was all about grinding the labyrinth.

I'd have them start with reconnaissance, then see how far they could push.

Time to make some money.

The trio was sent off and now stood before what was called a portal.

A magical device that connected one location to another.

It drastically cut travel time, but the risks involved meant placement was strictly regulated.

You could only bring what you could carry on your person.

The portal itself was barely wide enough for one person to pass through.

On top of that, each person had a limited number of daily uses. Great for travel, but limited in application. Without verified identification, you couldn't use one at all.

On the other hand, slaves with verified identity were also permitted to use them.

The Wind Labyrinth was far too distant from their home town.

It was near a satellite city of the royal capital, so the three had used a portal to travel to the capital.

"This is my first time in the capital. There are so many people."

Azu's eyes sparkled.

Their home town had already seemed like a big city to Azu, so the royal capital was truly uncharted territory.

Elza took Azu's right hand before the girl could bolt.

"My, my. Bustling as ever."

"The Empire's capital is even more impressive. I'd love to show Azu someday."

Azu perked up at Alexia's words.

"Really? Do you think Master would let us?"

"He'd say yes in a heartbeat if there was a quest involved. That money-grubbing master of ours."

"Ahaha, no kidding."

The three checked into an inn and set off for the Wind Labyrinth.