Witch Taming System-Chapter 19: Labyrinth Dive [1]

As Lancel continued browsing through the requests, trying to find something worth his time, an announcement suddenly echoed throughout the guild hall.

——Labyrinth expedition! Recruiting members!

A few adventurers turned their heads. One man had climbed onto a table near the center of the hall so people could see him clearly.

——Recently discovered labyrinth just outside the outskirts of Riviere! Ownership’s already been claimed by a witch. She requested the guild to investigate and clear out the monsters inside!

The moment the word labyrinth was mentioned, people began paying attention.

——The deal’s simple! She plans to terraform the labyrinth into some kind of production farm for magical materials!

A few adventurers chuckled.

——So she’s letting the guild handle the monster clearing first. Anything we find inside the labyrinth, we keep!

That immediately drew a larger crowd.

Labyrinths were dangerous.

But they were also treasure troves.

Monster cores, rare materials, lost relics, sometimes even ancient artifacts. Such artifacts were what empowered humans. There had even been notable adventurers in the past to have overpowered a witch.

——Listen up, though! This isn’t for rookies! Minimum requirement is Class A adventurers. The labyrinth hasn’t been mapped yet, so we need people who can actually survive down there!

Someone from the crowd raised their voice.

"How big is the team?"

"As many as we can get," the man replied. "The faster we clear it, the faster we get paid. More people means faster clearing."

"And if the witch changes her mind and decides to kill us all?"

"If witches wanted us dead, they wouldn’t bother asking the guild!"

A few people laughed at that.

Around the hall, adventurers were already starting to talk among themselves, some forming small groups while others walked over to hear more details.

Lancel watched the scene quietly from the side of the request board.

A newly discovered labyrinth. The minimum requirement was Class A.

He glanced at the other requests pinned on the board.

Slimes.

Herbs.

Escort work.

Then he looked back at the crowd gathering around the recruiter.

"Well... that sounds a lot more interesting."

More importantly, he met the requirement.

He might have been out of the field for nearly a year, but his guild ranking had never been revoked. On record, Lancel was still a Class A adventurer.

That alone was enough to qualify.

Without hesitating any longer, Lancel pushed himself away from the request board and walked toward the forming crowd.

The recruiter was still standing on the table, shouting over the noise.

——Minimum requirement is Class A! If you’re below that, don’t bother!

Several adventurers approached regardless.

"What about B-rank if we’ve got experience?"

"No. This labyrinth hasn’t been mapped yet. We’re not dragging dead weight."

That immediately caused a few grumbles. Lancel stepped closer, slipping through the crowd until he reached the front.

"I’m interested."

The recruiter glanced down at him. "Rank?"

"Class A."

"License."

Lancel pulled out the temporary identification plate the receptionist had given him and tossed it upward.

The man caught it, glanced at the engraving, then nodded once before tossing it back.

"Alright. You’re in."

He jerked a thumb toward a group forming near one of the guild pillars.

"Team assignments are over there. We’re organizing parties before heading out."

Lancel caught the plate and slid it back into his pocket.

Around him, the noise of the guild hall continued to rise as more adventurers gathered for the expedition. In any case, Lancel made his way toward the forming parties.

One group seemed to be nearly complete. A broad-shouldered man wearing heavy armor was speaking to the others.

"I’ll take the front. With my shield and blade, I can hold a choke point if we run into a swarm."

A woman wearing thick gauntlets nodded.

"I’ll support the front line. If something gets close, I’ll break it."

The introductions continued from there. One by one, the adventurers explained their roles and the equipment they intended to bring for the expedition.

"I carry a shield artifact," the armored man said, tapping the circular plate strapped to his arm. "It can reinforce itself once every few minutes. Good for holding a choke point." 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"I’ve brought detection charms and signal flares. I can also deploy shock plates if we need to secure a corridor."

Compared to witches, humans relied more on preparation than raw power. Equipment, artifacts, and divine blessings often made the difference between life and death.

Eventually, their eyes turned toward the approaching Lancel.

The armored man looked him over.

"You’re joining the expedition too?"

Lancel nodded. "Yeah."

"Alright then. What role are you taking?"

Instead of answering immediately, Lancel pulled a dagger from his coat. It wasn’t the one he used to carry. His old partner had been broken a year ago during a certain mission.

Nevertheless, a blade was a blade.

This one was newly purchased, bought with the allowance Faust had given him. It lacked the familiarity of his old weapon, but the edge was sharp and the balance decent enough.

Lancel flipped the dagger once in his hand before sliding it back into its sheath.

"Close work. I can move ahead if necessary."

"So like a scout?"

"Something like that."

Another adventurer crossed his arms. "Labyrinth scouting isn’t exactly safe work."

Lancel shrugged. "Eh. I’ve done worse."

There was a short pause before the armored man extended his hand.

"Good enough for me. Every party needs someone who can move quietly ahead of the group."

Lancel took the offered hand and shook it once.

"Welcome aboard."

Later that evening, the expedition finally began.

Four teams were formed, each consisting of six members. In total, twenty-four A-rank adventurers set out together toward the newly discovered labyrinth.

The dungeon itself was located beyond Riviere, past the Avalon Forest.

The Avalon Forest was not exactly a friendly place. Magical beasts roamed freely within its depths, and monsters of all kinds had made the forest their hunting ground.

Even experienced adventurers avoided wandering too far into it without preparation.

But compared to what waited inside an unexplored labyrinth, the forest was only the beginning.

According to the expedition’s leader, the client was a Count Witch who had recently claimed ownership of the labyrinth.

The request she submitted to the guild was straightforward. Clear the monsters inhabiting the labyrinth so the structure can later be converted into a production site for magical resources.

The payment conditions were unusually generous.

Any materials, relics, or valuables recovered inside the labyrinth would belong entirely to the adventurers who found them. On top of that, the witch had promised a direct payout upon completion of the operation.

If the labyrinth was cleared within two weeks, everyone involved would receive their payment.

If they finished earlier than that, the reward would be doubled. It was the kind of contract adventurers rarely turned down.

In other words, the job was a complete no-brainer.