Inside a dark room with closed curtains, Elena carefully moved her tweezers.

The work that had been going on for a long while finally came to an end, and Elena cautiously set down her tools.

’Phew...’

As Elena let out a long sigh, Louise, who had been lying down and resting behind her, slightly opened her eyes and raised her head.

’Is it finished?’

’Don’t rush me. Not yet.’

Answering Louise, Elena carefully picked up the accessory she had just finished crafting and inspected it in every nook and cranny.

After a good while longer, Elena, having finished the inspection, finally wrapped up the work.

While it wasn’t a masterpiece on the level of the previous piece using that incredible gem, a reasonably decent item had been produced.

Though she couldn’t use the materials to her full satisfaction, the result was enough to make her nod contentedly.

Seeing Elena finally clear the table, Louise buried her face back into her pillow.

It had already been a week since Elena dragged Louise along, forcing her to collaborate under the claim of needing to make new accessories.

Because what Elena requested were chemicals that couldn’t even be prepared in advance, Louise had been repeating the cycle of returning after work and being held captive until dawn, leaving her utterly exhausted.

’Wait, what are you doing? Get up.’

’Why... It’s over.’

’The most important part remains.’

’There’s still more to do?’

After putting it in a case and even packaging it, there was still something left. Louise raised her head with a look of horror.

’We have to deliver it to the Captain.’

’Ah... I thought it was something else.’

Louise’s head dropped again.

’I’m not going... You made it, so you give it to him as a gift...’

’It’s the most important step. What are you talking about?’

When Louise fell asleep before she could even finish her sentence, Elena shook her head with an ’it can’t be helped’ expression.

Good grief.

It seemed she couldn’t expect that kind of sensibility from alchemists who just display finished products on a shelf and wait for them to sell themselves.

Elena grabbed the finished item and headed down the stairs.

It was the middle of a night shrouded in darkness.

Would everyone be at the dormitory at this hour? 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

As Elena headed toward the adjacent building with that thought, as expected, the lights were brightly lit.

The mercenary dormitory was a place that was always noisy until late, but today it was noisy in a slightly different sense.

Perhaps because it was just before a Labyrinth expedition, everyone was moving busily.

’Is anyone here?’

’Miss Elena. What brings you here at this hour?’

’I have something to give you before departure.’

Knocking on the dormitory door and entering, Elena quickly spotted Ian among the members and handed him the newly finished accessory.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[Moonlight Stone Seal Ring]

- Accessory Item

- [Luck +10] [Max Mental Strength +20]

- Certain probability to nullify mental status abnormalities

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

’Is this what you’ve been making all this time?’

’Yes. I thought it would be helpful for Labyrinth exploration. I’m glad it was finished in time.’

’Thank you. It will be a huge help.’

Ian accepted the box while thanking Elena.

’I’ll wear this later...’

’I need to check if the size is right, so please put it on now.’

’...Me?’

’...Then who else would use it?’

Elena asked Ian back with a puzzled expression.

...I was planning to give it to Lia or Mika.

High-performance accessories, especially these types of options, were best for Lia or Mika, who had to respond in crisis situations.

However, since he couldn’t say such a thing in front of the person who gave the gift, Ian ultimately put on the ring while Elena watched.

Though Elena had estimated the size by eye, it fit perfectly without needing any further adjustment.

’It suits you well!’

’...Thank you.’

Elena nodded with a smile.

Having finished the delivery, Elena looked around the dormitory, which was in full swing with expedition preparations, with curious eyes.

Numerous supplies were organized and laid out in the empty space where furniture had been cleared.

They were all items prepared for the Labyrinth expedition.

’There are more items needed for an expedition than I thought.’

’We might have to be in there for quite a long time. It’s also difficult to predict what the environment will be like.’

Elena had also traveled or gone on long-term schedules often, but the equipment being packed now was on a scale beyond what Elena had imagined.

Of course, Elena’s travels mostly consisted of carriage trips solved with money, so it was natural they couldn’t be compared, but seeing them laid out like this, it was more than she had imagined.

The purpose of several pieces of equipment was completely unrecognizable.

Among them, one item in particular caught Elena’s eye. Elena pointed at it and asked Ian.

’Is something like this needed for exploration?’

’Ah, that.’

What Elena asked about was a piece of magical equipment shaped like a stake, designed to drill deep into solid stone walls.

While it was equipment made as small as possible, it still took up quite a bit of space.

’Cliffs might appear if we go deep. Besides that, if there’s truly no safe place, we might have to hang a tent on the wall with something like this to sleep.’

’Wow... really? Everyone must have had a hard time.’

She had heard stories that the Labyrinth was a dangerous place, but she hadn’t expected them to have to do such things.

Elena had only heard exaggerated rumors of the Labyrinth circulating among the public, but hearing it from someone who had actually been inside, it was a much more dangerous and difficult place.

Elena looked at Ian and the members with an admiring face.

And the members also looked at Ian with horrified faces.

They all exchanged glances with expressions that said, ’We have to do that?’

Just then, a small knocking sound was heard from the door.

’I’m back...’

The dormitory door opened and Airi, who had gone out, quietly greeted them and came inside.

Airi, who had gone out separately to the streets for bow maintenance and arrow purchases, had only just returned.

’Airi. Why did it take you so long?’

’That’s...’

’Were there that many people at the shop?’

’Ye-yeah.’

Airi hesitated for a moment before just nodding.

She secretly swallowed the answer in her heart: ’Because at every shop I strangely stopped at, the merchants kept starting conversations...’

Normally, she carefully avoided notice so people wouldn’t talk to her, but today there were strangely many merchants who started conversations. Even one grandmother served her tea.

Airi, who had consumed a month’s worth of conversation tokens in a single outing, walked over with a staggering, exhausted look.

In the meantime, Rin and Mika, who had finished packing their personal belongings, approached Airi.

’Since we’ve packed almost everything, let’s pack Airi’s things now.’

’Eh? I’ve already packed everything...?’

’I’m telling you, it’s completely different once you properly enter the Labyrinth!’

Airi pointed to the bag she had packed in the morning, but Rin and Mika shook their heads as if that wouldn’t do.

Although they had all gone to the Labyrinth together once before, that was strictly a temporary expedition for Airi’s adjustment.

Since they had gone with the intention of focusing on combat without plans to stay long in the Labyrinth, they had packed their belongings accordingly.

Airi was likely thinking based on the experience from that time, so the experienced ones had to give her advice here.

Rin and Mika approached Airi’s backpack with that thought.

’Okay, let’s check it!’

With Airi’s permission, the two opened the backpack Airi had packed.

’....’

’....’

’Wh-what is it? Is it that strange?’

Rin and Mika looked into the equipment Airi had packed without a word.

Equipment organized neatly without any empty space. It was full armament with nothing to criticize.

In fact, it looked more like the backpack of a veteran mercenary than those of Rin or Mika.

’H-how?’

’Airi has lived as a mercenary for much more than twice as long as you two.’

’Heh...! That’s right!’

Ian, who was watching from the side, solved their mystery. Although she was just a newcomer to the mercenary group, Airi was a senior mercenary who had been living as one alone for a long time.

Rin and Mika continued to inspect Airi’s backpack while glancing at her with slightly intimidated expressions.

Since everyone was silent, Airi, thinking she had packed something wrong, asked cautiously.

’I packed it the way I did when I traveled alone... Do I need anything else?’

’No... I think this will be enough.’

Come to think of it, did she say she went on expeditions alone until she became C-rank because traveling with people was uncomfortable?

It was full of equipment prepared for every situation so that she could handle it alone no matter what happened. In some ways, she was a talent optimized for Labyrinth exploration.

Mika pointed at one piece of equipment in Airi’s luggage that stood out in particular and asked.

’What is this used for?’

’I might have to sleep on top of a tree or a cliff, so it’s a piece of equipment to hang a tent on the wall then...’

’....’

’....’

’Could she have a constitution that fits the Labyrinth exceptionally well? Her way of thinking is a bit similar to the Captain’s.’

Rin and Mika slightly distanced themselves from Airi.

Elena, who was watching the scene, was about to leave soon. She thought she shouldn’t interfere anymore since everyone would be busy ahead of the expedition.

But at 그 moment, a certain light caught Elena’s eye.

Elena’s gaze turned toward the belongings Airi had spread out.

Because Airi was checking her belongings after taking off her backpack, belt, and pouches, the items contained inside were also pulled out.

Thanks to that, an item Airi had kept deep in her bag had come out.

A stone sparkling as it caught the light. It was the [Stone of Charm] she had always carried, as per Ian’s words, after happening to obtain it in the Labyrinth last time.

’...Hm?’

Elena, who was about to return now so as not to be a nuisance, stopped in her tracks and stared at it intently.

Elena’s eyes sparkled as if she had discovered prey.