Saving a Simple and Kind Baroness Whose Engagement Was Broken and Sentenced to the Labyrinth Prison – Chapter 17

Chapter 17: I Can’t Help but Love You│Read translated stories and daily updates at: Awebstories.com

“Nadia…”

With her cheek against my chest, I hold her gently.

But I need to act quickly.

Keeping that in mind

“Fufu… I can’t keep interrupting Ivan, can I?”

Nadia said, sadly smiling as she quietly walked away.

However, her concern for me causes me to feel guilty, but…

“Ah…”

“Allow me to feel your warmth once more—after all, we can still talk.”

“Yes…”

I hugged her again, enjoying her warmth and opening my mouth.

“So, about what we’re going to talk about… To survive this labyrinth, we must obtain the “Tithona,” which is located at the bottom level.”

I began to explain, whispering to Nadia in my chest.

The only way to be released from the Labyrinth Prison is to return “Tithona,” the legendary sword used by the first Emperor, which is said to be in the Eterna Labyrinth.

For the past ten years, I have conducted extensive research on this “Tithona.”

But, in the end, all I learned was that it was used by the first emperor, and that legend has it that he sewed the legendary dragon “Elensge” into the labyrinth with the sword to seal it.

“…And we have to go through twelve levels to get to the bottom of the labyrinth. Furthermore, there are numerous demons in this labyrinth, and their guardians await us at each level.”

“That’s…”

After hearing my explanation, Nadia was completely speechless.

“Ivan, how do you know so much about the labyrinth? I’ve heard of the Labyrinth Prison as a member of a noble family, but I’m not as familiar with it as you are… Of course, neither does Oto-sama, the Jest Family’s head.”

Nadia, you really hit a mark…

But I know from past experience that Nadia will ask me that question. I’m prepared with an explanation.

“Yes. In fact, I enjoy studying history and archaeological sites. This labyrinth, in particular, piqued my interest. So I’ve been looking into it since I was a kid.”

I’m not lying, of course, because I have thoroughly researched the labyrinth.

“So that’s why you’re so knowledgeable! That is incredible!”

“Ha-haha…”

Nadia’s indigo eyes sparkle as she looks at me.

I can’t help but smile bitterly at her because I’m sorry for deceiving her.

“A-All right, then, let’s get down to the floor—we were given enough food to last a week—we have to finish it before it’s all gone…”

“R-Right…”

We’ll starve if we don’t finish before we run out of food.

We must finish it within a month.

I clenched my fists in determination.

—○█○—

“I-I don’t see any other people around here…”

As we walked through the labyrinth, Nadia muttered.

“I suppose so—perhaps they’ve slipped to a lower level…”

I tell Nadia this, but the truth is that I’m simply avoiding them as we make our way through the labyrinth.

I’m sure ten of them are having a heated argument right now.

And then

“That’s…!”

A herd of hellhounds appears in front of us.

When I first arrived in this labyrinth in my dream, Nadia, who had protected me, and I were cruelly chewed to death by these monsters.

But I am not the same person I was back then.

I casually extended my right hand in front of me.

【Freshett】

A black iron cylinder appeared above the heads of the Hellhounds.

“Gawd?!”

“Gee…?!”

As the cylinder exploded, a bunch of small arrows made by magic fell on the Hellhounds and pierced them one by one.

“It’s all over.”

I respectfully bowed to Nadia, who stood in front of Hellhound’s lifeless body.

“T-This is incredible… Is this real magic? “

Nadia asked, a little excitedly, with a surprised expression on her face.

“Yes. This is my own magic, a hybrid of fire and earth.”

Yes, I, who can only use mediocre magic, created this one-of-a-kind magic with the skills I’ve honed through ingenuity and experience.

Normally, if you used more than one type of magic at the same time, you would quickly run out of magical power.

But my magic power, which I’ve been training to increase for ten years, and my unique magic recovery power, which lets me get it back quickly, have made this possible.

In my dreams, we had reached the lowest level of this labyrinth using this technology and Nadia’s summoning technique.

“As expected, you are an amazing person… a wonderful person with kindness and real strength.”

“That’s not true—It is Nadia who is really strong—It is you whom I have been aiming for, and it is you who have given me this strength.”

Yes, the way you attempted to save me that day, when I was helpless and trembling and couldn’t do anything, inspired me to be strong.

…I can’t help but love you.

“Ivan… I…”

Nadia’s eyes welled up with tears, and she was about to say something, when…

—BOOOOM!

We heard a strong wind noise.

It was

“At long last, I found you!”

Donato appeared, holding an oversized longsword in his hand. His face twisted into a hideous grin as he looked at us.