01x05 - Equals

[bunniefuu]

"Equals"

He won't be up for two more hours.

The breakfast here is good, too.

Good morning.

Would you like a flier?

An auction?

Yes, at the event hall nearby.

That sounds interesting.

You're welcome to simply watch.

If you have time, please stop by.

Look, Gil.

They have books.

You've read most books, haven't you?

They could be valuable books.

If they're labyrinth

goods, they're unique.

So books can be labyrinth goods.

Do you have any, Gil?

I already sold it.

A Collection of Rare

Plays by Adventurers.

Rare plays?

So, do you want to go?

I was actually thinking of

visiting bookstores today.

So you'd be poring over books either way.

It starts at three, huh?

If I rush through the bookstores,

I should be able to make it.

You'll probably get stuck somewhere.

I'll do my best not to.

Gil, let's go to the auction together.

Then I'll meet you there when it starts.

Very good.

Are you going to buy that, mister?

I read a study by this author before.

I remember it because it

was so difficult to read.

You can say that again.

What else?

Also, do you have any recommendations?

Huh? Sure.

You've got two of this author's books.

Do you like them?

Ah, yes. The studies on magic items.

I like the diagrams.

In that case

Here.

Read this.

This looks similar to the other ones.

Interesting, right?

It directly challenges

those books you like.

I see.

Hey, no reading until you buy it.

Oh, I'm sorry.

This is a good book.

It's both fascinating to

compare or read on its own.

You need a bit of knowledge to read it,

but I'm sure you'll be fine.

Then I'll take this as well, please.

Sure, but can you carry all that?

I have spatial magic.

Yeah? You sound like an adventurer.

Because I am an adventurer.

That's a funny joke.

I'll throw this one in for free.

Also, I hate to ask, but are there

any bookstores you recommend?

Why would you even ask that?

Well, I can see that

you really like books.

Take the next left.

Now, where is Gil?

Do you have any plans after this?

I'm not surprised.

Hurry Up

My companion's here.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

Oh, that's a shame.

It doesn't look like we can join you.

If we see each other tonight,

let's spend some time together.

You were watching for

a while, weren't you?

You noticed?

Hey.

It's a good thing they

were so considerate.

Because I'm on the clock

escorting a noble?

Did I interrupt something?

Idiot. Let's go inside.

Thank you for coming.

Take this number 37 paddle.

Thank you.

Enjoy.

Ladies and gentlemen,

thank you for waiting.

The 23rd Great Marcade

Auction will now begin.

Here's our first item.

A low-level healing potion from the

labyrinth, starting at two silver coins.

Four silver coins.

I have four silver coins from 44.

Five silvers, ten coppers.

I have five silvers and

ten coppers from seven.

How does being from a labyrinth

make it different?

It doesn't hurt when you use it.

I see. The standard ones

are incredibly painful.

Enough to make a grown man roll

around in pain from just a scratch.

Nine silvers, nine silvers.

If there are no other bids, 44 has

won the bid with nine silvers.

Next, we have a painting collected by

everyone from nobles to common folk.

Let the bidding start at one gold coin.

I have one gold coin from four.

Why are you laughing?

That's Ein and his friends.

Oh, right.

They're going the wrong way.

Did they not decipher the code?

They really did check everything.

It's probably faster for them that way.

63 wins the bid.

They're doing their best.

Next, we have a unique item.

A genuine strategy guide from

a labyrinth treasure chest.

A strategy guide?

A guide to defeating the labyrinth

where the book was found.

It's exactly what it sounds like.

It has maps of every floor,

describes the monsters on each,

and the ecology and

harvestable materials.

That's incredible.

Let the bidding start at one gold coin.

I have one gold from sixteen.

One gold coin, one gold coin.

Two gold coins.

I have two gold from 48.

But the people who want it

don't seem like adventurers.

You get it, don't you?

They're collectors.

Besides, adventurers don't need them.

They only appear on deeper floors.

Getting beaten up reaching

the deepest floors

and finding that in a treasure

chest just before the finish line

is way too late.

They describe the monsters that appear,

but just reading a book

won't make you beat them.

So only the maps are useful.

But they sell maps at

the guild, don't they?

Then what are the books good for?

They can be sold for a lot.

I have six gold from 51.

Eight gold.

I have eight gold from sixteen.

Ten gold, then.

I have ten gold from 37.

Why would you buy that?

Aren't you curious to

read a strategy guide?

Ten gold coins, ten gold coins.

Twelve.

I have twelve gold from sixteen.

Fifteen.

I have fifteen gold from 37.

Sixteen.

Twenty.

Twenty gold coins, twenty gold coins.

If there are no other bids, 37

has won the bid with twenty gold.

Gil, do you want anything?

A powerful opponent I'd struggle to beat.

I'm not sure we can buy

that at an auction.

That's all I have to report.

What am I supposed to learn from that

report except that he likes books?

I-I don't know.

Surely you don't believe he's

actually here to sightsee.

Your lordship, should I continue

watching him tomorrow?

No. Return to your normal duties.

Yes, sir.

They stick out.

If anything happens, I'll

hear about it right away.

Nicely done.

If they're going to pick fights,

they should get stronger first.

He must've wanted to test his skill

against the strongest adventurer.

It's a pain in my neck.

Gil, who do you actually

struggle against?

Recently, no one.

By the way, about this

What?

The Crystal Ruins are

near here, aren't they?

Yeah. There are sightseeing

carriages that run there.

Sightseeing?

Yeah. It's an attractive structure.

The guild makes money selling sightseeing

tours of just the first floor.

The guests are probably delighted

when monsters show up.

Because they get to watch

adventurers fight up close?

Plus the possible reward on top of that.

The merchant nation's guild has

a nose for profit, don't they?

You love double-checking everything, huh?

Aren't you curious?

I'd expect a strategy

guide to be accurate.

The guild's map is

accurate, too, isn't it?

Well, yeah. That labyrinth's been

explored by hundreds of people.

This room isn't on the guild's map.

What?

This room right here.

It overlaps with this room

near the bottom floor.

Do you suppose it's a pit trap?

Or there's a teleportation circle there.

Do hidden rooms often contain goodies?

Most have valuable labyrinth goods

or powerful enemies.

I'd like to see this hidden room.

May I go with you?

Sure. Why not?

If it's a powerful enemy,

I fear I might get in your way.

I've never thought that.

Besides, we've already

found a hidden room.

I'm not confident I can find it myself.

This is the first time you've

depended on me for anything.

Idiot.

This is a nice sightseeing spot.

It's well-lit and pretty.

It's hard to relax when

you're fighting, though.

I bet this would sell for a lot.

Labyrinths can't be damaged.

Come to think of it, I've never

seen one damaged before.

What floor is the hidden passageway on?

The 19th.

Then we'll go to the

20th and walk back up.

Very well.

I really wish they'd stop doing this.

If you're surprised, act like it.

Which way?

This way.

This is easy with you here.

Is that a compliment?

Judging by the distance,

it should be around here.

The hidden passageway

It's not here.

Not even a gap.

Most have some kind of

trick to them, don't they?

Yeah, like pressing or moving something.

I don't see anything.

What should we do?

Let's try doing something

an adventurer wouldn't do.

Gil, it's probably here.

Stand back.

Do you detect any traps?

No. Let's go.

Very well.

Shall we open the treasure chest?

It's just a forest.

I can't tell what this is a map of.

Perhaps Judge would know.

Maybe. Either way, it's probably valuable.

Hold onto that.

I suppose it wouldn't let us leave

after raiding its treasure chest.

No labyrinth is that agreeable.

Then down there

is a powerful enemy.

A dragon, huh?

What?

You know what dragons are?

Yes. I doubt we stand a chance against—

It has a breath weapon.

Gil, what—

Just endure it.

What?

Your equipment will keep you from

burning. It'll just be hot.

Surely something will burn.

May I try something?

What?

I'd like to make a hole in the middle.

You can do that?

For a moment, if I spend a lot of mana.

I'll give the signal.

Now.

That was hot.

That definitely burned my hair.

It's not burnt.

We can see it now.

What should we do?

You should rest.

What?

You're low on mana, aren't you?

Gil.

Did you think I wouldn't notice?

Stay there.

I will. Have fun.

Gil.

What?

I don't like anyone seeing me

tremble from lack of mana.

What?

As far as I can remember,

I've never let anyone see it.

I've never raised my voice in pain,

and recently, I haven't even

voiced a genuine complaint.

I know it'd be easier not to suppress

it, but that's become normal for me.

Shame on me. When I'm alone

with you, I act spoiled.

I'm not used to interacting

with an equal.

Good night.

Can't you depend on me

in a less confusing way?

I am a secretary.

I serve Lord Lizel directly.

Your Majesty!

It's an emergency! Let me through!

Lord Lizel has vanished!

From where?

His office.

What?

That was teleportation magic,

usable only by royals.

What happened?

Lord Lizel was sitting there speaking

with me when he suddenly vanished.

He vanished?

I was organizing documents here, and

he vanished in the blink of an eye.

I didn't notice anything else unusual.

Liz!

What about his earrings?

I'm certain he was wearing both.

Yet I can't detect him?

His Majesty poured all the mana

he could into those earrings he made

for Lord Lizel.

If he can't detect those,

then could it be?

Your Majesty, may I come in?

Yes.

I heard Chancellor Lizel disappeared.

Apparently, he suddenly vanished.

I can't even detect his earrings.

Well?

Consider these the

ramblings of an old man.

I don't have time for ramblings.

Then I shan't tell you.

It's related to Liz

somehow, isn't it? Speak.

They say the world has a reverse side.

A second world mirroring ours.

I've never heard about that from Liz.

I heard it from someone else.

Supposedly, the great-great-great

grandfather of the friend of the person

who told me came from that other world.

Sounds like a load of bull.

But if it's a possibility,

I'll look into it.

If his earrings are merely broken

but he's still in this world,

Liz will return on his own.

But if he really has gone

to another world

I'll bring him back.

Your Majesty, where are you going?

I'm going to search every

place I can reach.

I won't be back for a while.

What?!

Your Majesty, where are you going?!

Wait! Wait!

Please wait!

Next Time

"Judge's Grandfather"

Next time: "Judge's Grandfather."