My life was a bad joke. The 10-coin debt to Elowen, because of the haunted house, weighed heavily on my pocket, and Melina's song about "the Strippers of the Tournament" now included verses about ghosts, echoing through every corner of Vaelor. Worse yet, my head was a mess. Elara, Vespera, and Liriel messed with me in ways I couldn't explain. Elara with her shy glances, Vespera with her teasing, Liriel with her disguised jealousy – every moment of closeness turned into a disaster before I could even understand it. I wanted to pay the debt, clear our reputation, and maybe have a normal moment with someone. But with this group, that was as likely as finding the Demon King at a picnic. The amulet, the scepter, and now the mirror's markings, all glowing inside my backpack, pointed toward the Demon King's general. I didn't know what to do, but it felt like things were getting serious.
At the guild, I found a mission that seemed connected to the clues: "Explore the Eldergrove Labyrinth and retrieve an artifact. Reward: 90 silver coins." Elowen said the labyrinth might hold answers about the Demon King's general, so it was a chance to pay off the debt and understand the items. Dragging Liriel out of the inn was the same old story. "A labyrinth? Full of dirt? Unworthy of a goddess!" she complained, holding her wine glass. Elara looked nervous. "I'll use light magic, nothing over the top," she said, clutching her staff. Vespera, with her bow, smiled. "Labyrinths are exciting! I can't wait!" I tried to sound firm: "No crazy magic, no crooked arrows, no succubus charm. Just get the artifact." They all nodded, but I knew it was just talk.
The Eldergrove Labyrinth was a tangle of stone tunnels, with moss on the walls and a smell of damp earth. At the entrance, we found Sylva, the elf huntress, and Thorne, a thief with sharp eyes and a crooked smile. "The Strippers? Great, more chaos," said Sylva, her bow ready. Thorne laughed. "I've heard about you guys. Try not to strip the labyrinth." My face burned. Sylva said the labyrinth had traps and rumors of an artifact connected to the Demon King's general. Thorne, who had been "exploring" the place, joined us but warned, "Don't blame me if something gets stolen." I noticed Elara walking closer, Vespera giving me teasing looks, and Liriel posing with her glass, as if competing for my attention. It was confusing, and I just wanted to focus on the mission.
Inside the tunnels, chaos came quickly. Elara tried a light spell. "Just to see the way!" she said. The glow lit the path for a few seconds before she collapsed, panting. "Mana... gone," she groaned, falling into my arms. Her face was so close that my heart started racing, but a trap triggered, dropping a sticky net over us. Vespera, laughing, used her succubus charm. "Come on, little monsters of the labyrinth!" She attracted goblins, but her arrows flew crooked, setting off another trap that poured glowing mud all over us. "What a lovely mess!" she shouted as a goblin hit her — and she seemed to enjoy it.
"Liriel, do something!" I yelled. She raised her glass. "Divine Purification Magic!" The mud turned into a glowing slime that stuck to everyone, making our clothes semi-transparent – again. I tried cutting the slime with the borrowed sword, but got stuck to Elara and Vespera. Elara, still weak, murmured, "You always help me, don't you?" blushing. Vespera, laughing, leaned closer. "I like seeing you trapped like this, Takumi." My face burned, but Liriel, irritated, tried another spell, which only made things worse — the slime spread, sticking the four of us together. "Mortals and their stupid crushes!" she huffed, but I caught a hint of jealousy in her eyes when she ended up pressed against me. Sylva, slaying a goblin, said, "You people are a disaster." Thorne, laughing, snatched an item from the wall and vanished down a tunnel.
At the center of the labyrinth, we found the artifact – a glowing sphere with the same markings as the amulet, scepter, and mirror. When I touched it, a trap activated, and the ground shook. Liriel's slime glued the sphere to us, and Elara, trying to help, fainted again, falling on top of me. Vespera, laughing, got stuck on the other side. "This is fun!" she said, with a look that made me blush. Liriel, groaning, tried to pull me free but got stuck too. "It's not what it looks like!" she shouted. Sylva saved the sphere, but the labyrinth was damaged. Thorne reappeared, handing over a stolen scroll. "This explains the artifact. It's from the Demon King's general — part of a larger ritual," he said before disappearing again.
At the guild, we received 60 coins, reduced because of the damages. We paid off the debt with Elowen, but Sylva charged us 10 coins for the labyrinth. At the inn, I sat, exhausted, while Elara and Vespera argued over who "found" the artifact. "I lit the way!" said Elara. "And I attracted the goblins!" retorted Vespera. Liriel, sipping her wine, huffed. "You're both pathetic. I did everything."
When they went out to get food, I pulled Liriel aside. "If you're a goddess, who's sitting on your throne right now?" She shrugged. "Celine, my assistant. She's annoying, but she keeps things running." She took a sip. "Why? Planning to get rid of me?" She smiled, giving me a look that left me confused. Sylva stopped by the inn, saying Thorne's scroll mentioned a ritual of the Demon King's general, possibly in Vaelor. "Be careful, Strippers," she said before leaving. I looked at the glowing items – amulet, scepter, sphere. Those moments with Elara, Vespera, and Liriel stirred something in me, but always ended in humiliation. And now, a Demon King's ritual? My life was a disaster, and I just wanted one day without being called a pervert.