Survive the labyrinth with EX-grade traits

The Remnant of the Flat Land, which refers to Zones 5 to 7.

As usual, I arrived at the nearest station to take a carriage directly to Zone 6 from the complex district of Olarrium.

Or rather, I had woken up early and skipped breakfast to make sure I was on time.

But there were no carriages⋯?

Not only were the 2-3 person carriages commonly known as personal carriages already in operation, but even the 5-person small carriages seemed to have started their routes, leaving only the 10-person carriages for cross-zone travel and a few larger carriages that could accommodate more passengers.

‘Damn, everyone’s up and about early.’

It seemed that many people started their day early in the morning, full of energy.

After all, even excluding Arcadia, the first zone, which was inaccessible to all but the most privileged, the labyrinth city had seven vast zones.

Among them, Zone 4 was essentially a collection of all conveniences, so it was natural that most people would be traveling to and from there.

Sigh, I had been lucky so far, always managing to catch a carriage without having to squeeze in with strangers⋯ This was a bit of a problem.

I had two choices: take a 10-person carriage or walk to another station.

I pondered for a moment before making a decision.

‘I’ll just take the carriage. It’s faster.’

If I prioritized comfort, I might end up being late for my appointment.

There was no guarantee that I would find a satisfactory carriage at another station.

‘I guess I’ll have to bear it. Just because there are more passengers doesn’t mean it will be uncomfortable.’

“Your destination is Zone 6⋯ You can see that 10-person carriage over there, right? There are two empty seats, and it’s about to depart. If you’re going to take it, you need to pay the fare now!”

The carriages in this world were not as shabby as the common fantasy image of a country carriage.

With the development of magic and the presence of dwarves, the technology level seemed to be quite advanced. Even the carriages available at the stations were well-designed, comfortable, and spacious.

If even the regular carriages were like this, how luxurious must the dedicated transportation of high-ranking nobles, royalty, and imperial families be?

Considering the high cost of using the warp gate, the answer was clear.

Money was indeed the best.

In any case, it seemed I wouldn’t have to worry about being crammed in like sardines, like in a crowded subway during rush hour.

I paid the coachman and boarded the carriage.

“Oh no, this month’s settlement is going to be a disaster!”

“Why did the clan leader call us so early in the morning, huff.”

“Hey, don’t sigh like that, it’s bad luck! We have to follow orders, right?”

“⋯It’s too noisy to read.”

A rowdy party of three and a middle-aged gentleman holding a book, grumbling.

A tired-looking magician dozing off, and two suspicious men in robes sitting silently.

A man with his eyes closed, possibly sleeping, wearing a hood and crossing his arms while leaning forward.

“⋯Huh?”

Wait, isn’t that⋯?

His face, partially revealed under the hood, seemed familiar.

A longbow leaning against the seat next to him.

A mysterious bottle and an iron dagger on his belt.

His green hood and worn leather armor immediately brought to mind a hunter, and he seemed to have some experience under his belt.

“Hmm.”

Since he was sitting in the corner and the seat next to him was empty, I quietly walked over and cleared my throat before taking a seat.

Well, if I was mistaken, I would just have to endure the embarrassment for a couple of hours until we reached our destination.

I turned my head slightly and spoke in a low voice.

“⋯Bernard?”

“Hmm? Who’s calling my name─”

He must have been pretending to sleep to avoid the noisy atmosphere.

He probably hadn’t imagined that someone would call out his name in this randomly chosen 10-person carriage.

He raised his head, and as the hood he had casually thrown on was pushed back, a middle-aged man with a surprised expression and sharp eyes like a bird of prey revealed himself.

I had my doubts, but it was indeed Bernard!

He seemed to have endured quite a bit as an adventurer over the past few months, as a couple of new scars adorned his cheeks.

────

[Bernard]

[Strength: E+] [Agility: E+] [Endurance: E-] [Stamina: E+] [Magic: E] [Luck: E+]

[Possessed Traits]

Basic Archery
Hunter’s Basics
Precision
Curved Shot

────

Compared to when I first met him in the third layer, with Endurance and Magic at F+ and only two traits, it was clear that he had worked hard as an adventurer, even if not as much as me.

‘Damn, I should have checked his status window before asking his name.’

After confirming his appearance with excitement, the obvious thought occurred to me.

“Could it be⋯ Ahren?”

As soon as he looked up and saw my face, he immediately recognized me as his old party member.

I couldn’t hide my smile as I heard the familiar voice, my lips curling up in delight.

“Wow, Bernard! It’s been so long!”

“Well, well, it’s not like we met in a large building or at the guild⋯ It’s amazing to run into an old party member in a carriage I just boarded. The heavens must be smiling upon us!”

“Haha! I wasn’t sure at first because I couldn’t see your face properly, but I’m glad I asked. Otherwise, I might have regretted it later.”

“Hmm, I was wondering if you would recognize me even with my face half-covered by the hood.”

“Of course. Yeriel and I consider you and Derek to be our first party members and fellow adventurers who shared life and death.”

Yeriel, Derek, Bernard, and I were all part of the first party, a fond memory.

As for Scarlet⋯ I’ll leave her out for now, as thinking about her face, voice, and gestures makes me feel complicated.

Hans? I have no idea if he’s alive or dead, as he was detained by the Knights and tortured.

I don’t need to know what happened to that lowlife who became a slave after his pathetic attempts at rebellion, and I don’t want to ask Evelyn about it.

Bernard scratched his cheek and asked,

“Speaking of Yeriel, is she doing well? I can’t say we parted on good terms, even in jest.”

I understood what he meant.

Hans had caused trouble by harassing Yeriel, which led to Evelyn unintentionally filling the first floor of the guild with her anger.

“Don’t worry. Yeriel has been in the same party as me since then, and we’ve been entering the labyrinth together. Oh, and…”

“And?”

“… Do you remember Blood Witch? Yeriel’s sister, who took Hans from us and brought him to the Knights, is now my master.”

“What! You’ve formed a master-disciple relationship with Blood Witch? Is that true?”

Bernard shook his shoulders and said in a still-surprised voice,

“I still get chills when I close my eyes and think about that chilling killing intent. Although it was a short time, it was enough to understand what it means to be an overwhelming powerhouse. Isn’t that right?”

“Of course. In fact, even after becoming Evelyn’s disciple, I couldn’t easily forget the feeling of helplessness I felt then.”

At the time, I was more than just uncomfortable; I was frozen in fear and unable to do anything.

“In a way, that moment in the guild became one of the stepping stones for my growth.”

“Well, I don’t know how you ended up as a disciple of a mid-level adventurer, but⋯ I want to say this first. Congratulations, sincerely!”

Bernard patted my shoulder and congratulated me with a joyful heart.

I felt happy about his congratulations and kind words, but on the other hand, I also felt guilty.

“Bernard, I should have visited Zone 6 and looked for the Ash Tree Inn sooner. I’m sorry I forgot because I was busy.”

When we parted ways at the guild, Derek had said something about having a meal together and even mentioned the name of the inn, but I had forgotten about it in the hustle and bustle of my daily life.

I felt embarrassed as I realized that I had forgotten about them while facing Bernard.

Maybe it was because this wasn’t my first visit to Zone 6. Even if the invitation to have a meal was just a polite gesture, I shouldn’t have completely forgotten about it.

“Nonsense! I can tell how hard you’ve been working just by looking at your equipment and the aura you give off.”

Bernard waved his hand dismissively and said,

“Let’s have a heart-to-heart conversation about how we’ve been doing. Look over there. It looks like we’re about to depart.”

I turned my head at his gesture and saw the coachman approaching to announce the departure.

“It seems it will take too long to wait for the last seat to be filled, so we’ll be departing now! Please take your seats, passengers!”

“Finally! I thought my jaw would drop waiting for the departure.”

“Tsk. I was trying to keep quiet, but it’s clear that you’re a low-level adventurer with no manners. Sit down.”

“What? Are you disrespecting my party member?”

“We’ll be on time if we leave now. Coachman, let’s go!”

“Ugh, I guess I won’t be able to sleep on the way.”

Sigh, what a ruckus.

Even with two of the seven people keeping quiet, the noise didn’t subside.

“I’ll go first. Hmm, the day after we parted, Derek and I returned to the inn⋯”

I shook my head and listened to Bernard’s story.

.

.

.

“We’ve arrived! Please disembark!”

We arrived at the Zone 6 station.