Normalizing the Labyrinth City in the Game

Donnalo Mergers, the captain of the East Coast Guard, patrolled the streets today as usual.
Although it’s called patrol, it’s essentially no different from a stroll.

“Hmmhmm hmm”

He even hummed, seeming to be in a good mood.

‘I was lucky a few days ago.’

All together, it amounted to a thousand gold.

He extorted that enormous amount of loot from a single maggot.

-Warden, perhaps these people are….

-I killed them all.

-I-Is that so?

Thanks to the warden’s madness, there wasn’t even any evidence left.

-Warden, where are the belongings these worms had?

-W-Well… They should all be classified as evidence.

-…Is that so?

The only things left as evidence were all worthless.

Even if you gathered all the loot there, it wouldn’t even reach 3 gold.

Out of the 997 gold, 200 gold was given as hush money to the guards who arrested the maggot with him that day.

The remaining 797 gold stayed in Mergers’ possession.

‘Where should I spend this… hmm hmm~’

Since I earned it through actions worse than a dog’s, now it’s time to spend it like a prime minister.

Mergers had already made a reservation at the brothel in South Ferry.

Now he could call for high-class prostitutes worth 1 gold without hesitation.

Imagining a night with that beautiful and voluptuous prostitute, Mergers walked with light steps.

“Huk, huk… Ca-Captain!”

“Hmm?”

An uninvited guest interrupted Mergers’ happy imagination.

From far away, a jailer was running urgently towards Mergers.

“What’s wrong with you? What happened that…”

“Th-The Warden wants to see you!”

“…That woman?”

For a moment, he had an ominous feeling, but.

‘No, it’s probably nothing.’

Mergers had already eliminated all evidence.

Unless that woman used an unauthorized magic item, there’s no way his actions could be discovered.

“Yes, she says to come right now!”

“…I understand. I’ll go for now.”

“A-Alright!”

The jailer bowed his head and immediately retreated.

As the jailer’s figure disappeared, one of the guards who was walking with Mergers asked him.

“What should we do, Captain? Should we stop the patrol and…”

Mergers shook his head.

“No, no. Don’t we still have areas left to patrol? We should do what needs to be done.”

“That may be true, but the Warden said to come right away…”

“The Warden? Do I look lower in rank than that woman to you?”

At Mergers’ sharp remark about not using honorifics, the guard’s body stiffened.

“N-No, sir!”

“Think carefully, Hansen. The Warden and I are of equal rank. And your direct superior is me, Donnalo Mergers. So whose orders should you follow?”

“O-Of course, I should follow the Captain’s orders!”

“Right, right. You understand well. Then let’s get going.”

“Ye-Yes!”

In fact, Mergers had no intention of visiting the Warden even after finishing his patrol.

‘Who does she think she is to tell me to come or go….’

In the past, she even earned the title of stagnant water and led the vanguard, but now she’s just a Warden of equal rank to himself.

She claims to have lost interest in the labyrinth, but rumors say she lost her power due to an indelible powerful curse from the labyrinth.

‘I might even win if we fought now? Haha!’

With such complacent thoughts, Mergers continued his stroll.

A few hours later.

Mergers and the guards following him arrived at the detention center.

“Captain, good work!”

Nothing happened during the patrol.

“Right, you all can go now too.”

Mergers immediately returned to his room.

“You’re quite late.”

“?!”

Warden Hail Rebehi was sitting on the sofa, sipping tea.

“…What’s the matter?”

“That’s what I should be asking. I told you to come right away, why are you so late? Did you meet a pretty prostitute during your patrol?”

Mergers’ expression hardened at Rebehi’s heavy curse.

“That’s harsh. Besides, you and I are…”

“Equal rank. Right? That’s why I’ve been respecting you all this time.”

Clank!

Rebehi put down her teacup hard enough to make a sound and stood up.

“Mergers, do you perhaps have something you’re hiding from me?”

Mergers’ expression hardened upon hearing his name.

“…No?”

“Your mouth is short, Mergers.”

“If you want respect, shouldn’t you speak nicely first? Don’t you think?”

“Hmm, right. If that’s your answer then…”

At that very moment.

“Ugh!”

A dagger bloomed in Mergers’ stomach.

There was no need to check who threw it.

Mergers’ body lost strength and immediately collapsed on the spot.

“Gu-Guards….”

He tried to call for the guards, but no voice came out.

‘Poison? No, more than that….’

Why would the Warden attack him?

“If you had spoken nicely, I would have at least let you face the judgment of the law.”

“…Kek, kuuk.”

Mergers kept gasping for breath as if trying to say something.

Seeing this, Rebehi snorted and squatted down.

Rebehi’s gaze met Mergers’ hazy pupils as he lay fallen.

“Mergers. You’ve been quite greedy, haven’t you?”

“…”

“Where’s the money? No, no… It’s meaningless to ask now.”

Mergers’ consciousness began to fade gradually.

‘No, I need to, stay conscious…’

He couldn’t stop his eyes from closing.

“Just sleep for now. When you wake up… You might want to say something.”

“…”

In the end, Mergers lost consciousness without being able to move a finger.

Hidden Floor Portal.

This portal, which appears with a very rare probability, is a portal that leads to another hidden floor in the labyrinth.

The reason most players want hidden floors.

It’s because when you clear a hidden floor, a portal appears that moves you to the safe zone of that section.

For example, if you took a hidden portal between floors 1 and 5, you’d go straight to the safe zone of floor 5.

If you took a hidden portal between floors 6 and 10, you’d come out directly in the safe zone of floor 10.

It would differ depending on which floor you entered the hidden floor from.

In cases like floor 1 or 6 where you’d have to go down four more floors to reach the safe zone, there’s nothing better than this.

Besides that, the quality of blessings obtained upon clearing a section increases.

The monsters of that hidden floor drop rare items.

There are also rumors that they occur more frequently when a stirring happens.

But that’s not important right now.

‘No, how could it be Alraune of all things….’

There are two hidden floors that appear between floors 1 and 5.

The Garden of Alraune and the Forest of Incubi.

One is a floor where incubi who bewitch women live.

That one is still okay.

You just have to kill the incubi directly and it’s over.

But this place, the Garden of Alraune….

“Si-Sion… What on earth is that?”

Alraune and Incubi.

They have one thing in common: they enchant humans.

In the case of Alraune, it’s men.

In the case of Incubi, it’s women.

The difference is that Alraune is much stronger than Incubi.

The equipment Siwon currently had was no match at all.

“Welcome to my garden, explorers.”

Alraune’s voice keeps coming from behind.

If possible, I don’t want to see that appearance, but.

“You there, sir. I’m just trying to have a conversation… Do you perhaps want to fight me?”

Given that crazy seductress’s personality, we might end up fighting if we don’t face her.

“…”

Siwon made a big decision and finally turned his head.

“!”

Siwon’s mouth closed.

He naturally swallowed the saliva that had filled his mouth.

“My, you’re very handsome, aren’t you?”

Although her true identity is just a mere flower, her appearance is more beautiful than any woman in the world.

Long yellow hair that reaches down to her waist.

Skin that shines pure white as if never exposed to sunlight.

Features that strongly flaunt their presence, and a voluptuous chest that naturally draws one’s gaze.

…And even the sensual fragrance emanating from that body.

“Won’t you rest at my house for a moment?”

Alraune seduced Siwon with an alluring voice.

“…”

“Rest? What on earth does that…”

Hassan opened his mouth.

“Oh my, are you curious about how to rest at my house?”

“…”

Hassan nodded.

At the same time, Alraune gave a sensual smile.

She lightly grasped that delicate and snow-white hand, and began to move it up and down suggestively.

“Actually, I… really like the seeds of human men♡”

“…”

Hassan’s expression hardened.

Soon, as if he had made some decision, Hassan moved his feet towards Alraune.

“Oh my, you’re coming too? That’s nice. Any human male…”

‘Th-That crazy bastard…!’

In fact, Siwon also wanted to embrace that sensual body inside, but.

Because Siwon knew well how those foolish ones end up, he didn’t move even a single step.

“Stop, Hassan.”

Siwon ordered Hassan.

“Sion-nim, it’s just resting for a moment… Wouldn’t it be okay? Actually, I feel like I’m going crazy since I haven’t done it for days…”

“…”

It’s not just for a moment.

The moment you embrace that seductress’s bosom, you can never escape the labyrinth.

“Think carefully, Hassan. This is the labyrinth. Every reward comes with a price.”

“…”

“If you go to that se… no, woman, I’ll stop you even if I have to use force.”

As Siwon drew his sword, Alraune extended her vines and separated Siwon and Hassan.

“Oh my, violence is forbidden in my garden. You should let them choose freely, right?”

“…”

‘Violence is forbidden, my ass.’

He thought so inside but didn’t say it out loud.

“Si-Sion… If I ask the holy sword for strength again…”

As Seo Isu whispered softly, Siwon immediately snapped at her.

“Shut up and don’t do anything.”

Considering Seo Isu’s current strength, even if she made a lifelong virgin declaration, she couldn’t defeat that seductress.

“…”

“My, what are you two whispering about?”

“He, huhe…”

By now, Hassan was embraced in Alraune’s bosom, grinning with his mouth wide open as if pleased.

‘Damn bastard, I’m so jealous….’

No, this isn’t right.

Siwon immediately gathered his thoughts and spoke to Alraune.

“…We have no intention of resting. How do we get out of here?”

“Oh, it seems you’re not interested in me… Perhaps you like men?”

“…”

He felt Seo Isu behind him looking at him with a subtle gaze, but Siwon immediately ignored it.

“It’s not like that.”

“Hmm, then are you someone who refuses to mate with monsters… Well, it can’t be helped. You and the woman over there can go that way.”

Alraune’s fingertip pointed to the thorny vines beside the garden.

“…Let’s do that.”

Siwon gathered the luggage Hassan had left behind and immediately headed towards the area overgrown with thorny vines, together with Seo Isu.

“Well then, now that all the uninvited guests have left… Shall we rest together?”

“He, huhe…”

Alraune’s voice was heard from behind, but Siwon and Seo Isu never looked back.

A moment later, after walking for who knows how long.

“Si-Siwon…”

“What.”

“What’s going to happen to that Hassan person?”

“…”

How exactly should he explain this?

If he tells her the fate of those enchanted by seductresses, she’ll surely be shocked.

“…You, do you know the story of the goose that laid golden eggs?”

“Yes, I do. The one where they wanted golden eggs, so they cut open the goose’s stomach, but in the end nothing came out…”

“Hassan has become that goose.”

“…Pardon?”

“And Alraune will invite geese to her garden over and over again every time a goose dies.”

“…”

Every reward in the labyrinth comes with a price.

If the body experiences an intense pleasure it has never known before, eventually a fitting pain will follow.

“If, if that’s the case… Wouldn’t it have been better to tell Hassan too?”

“If we did that, we all would have died. By that crazy seductress.”

“…”

Alraune never lets explorers who know her secret live.

“More importantly, be careful.”

“…?”

“It’s not like our path is completely comfortable either.”

Siwon’s gaze turned towards the carnivorous plants looking at their prey from afar.

The flowers of the garden don’t let those trying to escape from their master leave easily.