Slave Harem in the Labyrinth of the Other World

HOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO~ *Coughs some more* (9/12)

Translated by airsblue Edited by mranon

Damage Reduction

“Becoming a dragon knight is a dream of every dragonkin. I, too, would like to become a dragon knight to support Master and the party.” “Well, Vesta is already a dragon knight.”

I try my best to say it casually.

“Do you want to go on as dragon knight?” “Umm, but in order to become a dragon knight, you need years of training, and you must get recognized by the guild temple. As for me, I didn’t even fight that much.” “It’s okay. Stretch your left hand out.”

Vesta shows me her left hand. However, since my fifth job is Alchemy, and I am currently using Plating; I switch my fourth job, Monk, with Knight. I invoke Intelligence Card Operation. Intelligence Card comes out of Vesta’s left hand.

“Check it.”

Seeing is believing. Vesta has checked my Intelligence Card before, so she should be able to read Brahim language. Vesta looks at her own Intelligence Card.

“It is true… I have become a dragon knight!” “Do you believe me now?” “Umm, Dragon Knight… Err, Intelligence Card… Eh? My Master’s job was able to operate the Intelligence Cards?…” “It is alright, Vesta. Because it’s Master.”

Roxanne tries to calm Vesta down. Since we are in the labyrinth, we will be in trouble if she behaved like this.

“Because Vesta is a genius, she managed to acquire Dragon Knight, I think.” She may be confused for now, but she will get used to it eventually. “Eh? No way!” “Anyways, let us move to 10th floor.” “We are going to try poison now?” “Yeah.”

We move to 10th floor. Apparently, Roxanne knows well as to why we are going to the 10th floor.

“We need NT Ant, then. This way.”

Under Roxanne’s guidance, we hunt NT Ants, and collect poison stingers. Vesta devoted herself to learning by observation. After collecting ten stingers, we return to 18th floor.

“Since I am a Dragon Knight now, somehow; I can fight, too.” “Good girl. You will get to fight soon, but for now, wait.” “Understood.”

Vesta is a Dragon Knight Lv1. It is not good to send her to battle this early. That said, I can’t have her keep observing forever. It is so difficult to make a decision.

Before finishing the early morning hunt, Vesta reaches Dragon Knight Lv5. When the level is low, the leveling speed is faster. Is this much good enough? Before having breakfast, I move to Quratar’s 7th floor.

By the way, while preparing breakfast, Vesta asked Sherry, “What kind of Job does Master have?” I heard it clearly, even though she whispered it to her. Sherry seemed troubled on how to reply. She seems to have neither confirmed it nor denied.

“From now on, while observing, Vesta will be fighting as well. Don’t push yourself too hard, though. If you find yourself in trouble, just say so.” “Okay.” “I am sure it will be scary at first, but try to receive an attack from a monster on purpose. Since we fight in the labyrinth, it is impossible to avoid getting damaged. Depending on the damage you receive from the monsters, I am planning on moving to higher floors.” “Yes. I believe I’ll be fine.”

Since the Dragon Knight job has Damage Reduction Skill, it will be safe to start from the 7th floor. Cheep Sheep’s attack from Haruba’s 1st floor did not seem to inflict any damage. Haruba’s 10th floor would do, I’m fairly sure. However, because NT Ants possess poison, it will be a hurdle for the first timers. Quratar’s 7th floor’s Slow Rabbit seems more appropriate.

“Let’s go, then.” “Umm, is it okay to keep using this weapon?”

Ah, that’s right. Since she has become a dragon knight, she can dual wield now. If she were to hold two Durandals, she would be a force beyond logic. But it is impossible since I can’t produce two of them.

Sherry may have some suggestion regarding this matter, but when I look at her, she says nothing. There doesn’t seem to be any case where a master lets their slave equip stronger weapon than theirs. If I select Durandal, there is no alluring experience buff.

“We will continue like this for a while. I will reconsider it depending on the circumstances.” “I understand.”

Is it thanks to Dual Wielding skill that a dragon knight can equip a two-handed sword and a large shield? I was of the idea that the large shield would not be required any time soon, but it may unexpectedly be needed sooner. I will wait and see. If there’s no need for the shield, then she can go with two swords. I will search for a large shield if I feel there is a need for one.

“Is it possible to equip two large shields?” “Yes. A few dragonkin do that. But not many since attack power will decrease consequently.”

So equipping two large shields is possible, huh? It would be super defensive style. It’s better for situations where you receive too much damage and there’s no time/opportunity for recovery.

“Roxanne, can you please guide us to place with fewer Slow Rabbits?” “Yes.”

We advance under Roxanne’s guidance. A Monster comes out. A splendid, lone Slow Rabbit. I cast a [Fireball] and wait. Vesta goes to the front.

The Slow Rabbit approaches, and hurls its body at Vesta. Vesta lays her shield down, and receives the attack to her stomach from the side. After confirming that she received the attack, I finish the monster off with another [Fireball].

“How do you feel?” “Err… Yes, I think I am alright.”

Vesta shakes her head in puzzlement.

“Did it hurt?” “Nope. I am shocked because It didn’t hurt. It did about same damage as the Cheep Sheep I fought earlier. I am sorry, I think I blocked some of the damage with the shield, somehow.” “I didn’t see it hitting the shield, at all.” “Yes, it did not touch the shield, at all.”

Roxanne confirms that it wasn’t blocked with the shield. If Roxanne says that, then it is definitely true. Even though we advanced from 1st floor to 7th floor, her job changed from Villager to Dragon Knight, and she has Damage Reduction skill, too. I guess such a thing is not impossible.

“In any case, It is good that the damage was small.” “Yes.”

Because she had Plating, I expected the damage to be minimal to begin with.

“Should I assume there is no problem with 7th floor? or do you want to try once more?” “I think there is no problem.”

Since I have received Vesta’s confirmation, I move to Haruba’s labyrinth.

“Although I said that, your next task is simply to throw these stingers.”

I hand Vesta the stingers. I have her use poison on Haruba’s 1st floor. To have only one monster come out on 1st floor is a problem, but there is nothing that can be done about it.

In order to finish it off with poison, I will need to beat it up until it is about to die, but there is a chance it may not work. Considering it has 50% chance of success; on 10th floor, with three or four monsters coming out, at least one of them would survive if I used magic. So 10th floor is actually more convenient, but I can’t say it is easy. Also, on 10th floor, if we meet NT Ant, it will be a game of tag.

“Are these stingers?” “Use it on the monster that survives my magic attack. Roxanne, please?” “Yes.”

Against Cheep Sheep on Haruba’s 1st floor, I used a magic attack that should be able to barely kill it. The monster managed to endure the magic attack, so I wait. Roxanne keeps it distracted at the front. Vesta throws a stinger from the side.

“Poison, desu.”

Miria tries to inform. Even I know this time around. The color of the monster changes when it gets poison. However, with the NT Ant being black and the labyrinth being dark, it is difficult to confirm whether the poison has been inflicted or not. But I can if it is a white sheep. Its color seems to have turned pale.

Is that how it looks when poisoned? It looks more like sick than poisoned. Is it not inflicting poison because it received posion?

The Cheep Sheep immediately drops down. The trials to obtain jobs end with this. Thereafter, while checking our status, I move up the floors one by one.

“Next is the 11th floor. Try receiving an attack from a Mino. Don’t force yourself, though. If it is bad, say so.” “I think I will be fine.”

We move to the 11th floor. Because I want to avoid the NT Ant’s poison attack on 10th floor. Escape Goats from the 10th floor will be fine. However, since there was no issue with the 7th floor, the 11th floor would probably be possible, too.

Roxanne guides us to a place with only one Mino. Vesta receives the monster’s attack. I demolish the Mino with the second spell right after.

“How was it?” “Yes, I am completely fine. This time, I received the attack for sure. I fought Mino outside the labyrinth before, but the attack this time didn’t feel any different.”

I had her try it without Plating this time, but there doesn’t seem to be any problem.

“Well, I think there is a difference between the Mino you fought outside and the one inside the labyrinth, but are you really fine?”

Sherry butts in. There is indeed a difference between the attack of a Lv1 monster outside and a Lv11 monster inside. Her level has increased, and there is the effect of Damage Reduction, too. I shouldn’t have been worried.

“In any case, it is alright.” “Both of them didn’t hurt that much, so there really is no difference.”

It didn’t hurt that much? I can easily afford to move further up the floors.

“She didn’t get hurt, at all?” “Hmm… as for me, the attacks I received from the monsters inside the labyrinth were quite stronger than the attacks from the monsters outside.”

Sherry looks at Roxanne as if calling for help, but Roxanne shakes her head in puzzlement. She chose the wrong one to ask for help. In Roxanne’s case, it is more surprising that she even received a monster’s attack outside the labyrinth.

“Then, let’s try Pig Hog from the 13th floor next.”

Because 12th floor’s Grass Bee has poison attack, I will pass. We tried the attack of the 13th floor’s Pig Hog instead.

“Err…. like the Mino from before, there is hardly any damage. I can still afford more.”

This time, I casted Plating, so that must be the reason for there being no difference. I ignore Sherry who’s muttering ‘even though it was a Pig Hog’. Although the monsters appearing on 12th floor or above are a lot stronger than those appearing on 11th or lower floors, the difference was offset by Plating. Plating can be used to reduce damage. I have already tested it by casting it on a monster.

“How about Sarracenia from 14th floor next? or do you think Clamshell from 16th floor would be better?” “I think 16th floor would be better.”

She does seem to have more in reserve. I move to the 16th floor. Because the 15th floor’s Bitch Butterfly has paralysis attack, I decide to avoid it.

“Roxanne, do you know the location of the boss room on the 16th floor?” “Yes. If I am not mistaken, it’s this way.” “Then, let’s head to the boss room. If there is a Clamshell nearby, please guide us to it.”

I ask of Roxanne to guide us. There is no identifiable difference inside the cave for me to be able to memorize the way. She can find it using the smell, perhaps.

“Along the way, there is a group of Clamshell and Bitch Butterfly. There are several Clamshells.” “It is dangerous since there is a large number.” “There is just Clamshell in the opposite direction. Possibly more than one. If we take a right, there is a group of Clamshell and Bitch Butterfly. There is only one Clamshell, perhaps.” “That way should be fine, then.”

One monster would be better to receive an attack on purpose. However, although I intend to receive just one attack, if I receive successive attacks, we will be in a pinch. It is troublesome to kill them one by one by using single target magic attacks. It is also not a good idea to let the battle drag on for it is the 16th floor.

We advance under Roxanne’s guidance. We come across a group of one Clamshell and two Bitch Butterflies. I cast [Breeze Storm]. If I attack Bitch Butterflies, whose weakness is wind magic, with wind magic, only the lone Clamshell will remain. As expected, Roxanne knows what’s going through my mind.

“Can’t I just go forward ahead of time?” “No, wait until I take out the Bitch Butterflies.” “Understood.”

I hold Vesta back, and cast more wind spells. It is great that she’s motivated, I think. Roxanne, Sherry, Miria; confront the monster.

When the butterflies collapse, everyone surrounds the remaining Clamshell. I switch to [Sand Ball] and attack it.

Vesta exchanges places with Roxanne, and challenges it head on. Vesta provokes the monster by hitting its shell with her steel sword. The shell of the Clamshell moves slightly. It is not coming out of its shell.

“Be prepared to receive either Water or Bite.”

I wish there was a way for me to know beforehand. When the Clamshell opens its shell, it either spits water or bites. Both are more troublesome than normal body blow. It’s probably not a good idea to receive it on purpose.

“Here comes the bite.”

Can Roxanne really see through it? I can’t tell the two apart from its initial movement. The Clamshell opens its shell wide. Just as Roxanne said, it tries to bite. It jumps to attack Vesta.

Vesta repels it with her shield. Woah. She literally sent it flying.

The flying shell approaches her to attack again. It is trying to return the favour by slamming her with a body blow. Vesta puts the shield down and receives the attack on purpose. I attack it with another [Sand Ball] and finish it off. Next, I apply Plating on Vesta again, and cast Heal.

“Even though we moved up two floors, it was alright. Ah, this much recovery is sufficient.”

I stop casting Heal on Vesta. Just once was good enough?

“Don’t you need more?”

The effect of Damage Reduction skill is considerably huge, surely. As it is going, even the 18th floor won’t be a problem.

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