Zach, Nora, and Yanael finally caught up to Lexi outside the city. But rather than them catching up, it was more because she waited for them. She did not wait for them to catch their breaths, however.
"Have you been slacking on your training, O' great king of the world?" Lexi teased Zach as she walked through the city gates. The guards knew her appearance, and their hair color made it unnecessary to confirm their identities.
"I haven't trained a day in my life, sis." Zach still breathed heavily, but he was gradually getting it under control.
"If that was true, you wouldn't have made it to the city."
"That's just my raw, powerful, natural talent. As long as I try, I can do anything."
"Hmph." Lexi snorted like Zach had said something funny. "You're talking about something like talent in front of me?"
"Just because you're better than everyone at everything you do doesn't mean you're talented. Check your ego and stay humble before someone does it for you. That's my advice."
Lexi grabbed Zach by the head after giving him a blank stare.
"Did you forget who raised you, you brat? What kind of way is that to talk to your sister? If your Academy is only teaching you things like this, I think I've gotta persuade our parents to pull you out of it."
"See? You're so full of hubris you can't even tell that I'm right." Zach's voice was forced and high-pitched due to the arm around his neck. But no amount of force was going to stop him from speaking the truth!
"Cocky brat." Lexi ruffled his hair before letting him go.
"Have you read the Labyrinth Guide?"
"Pssh. Who do you think I am? I wrote the Guide."
"That's a no."
"I was born and raised next door to the Labyrinth. I think I know what I need to know. Besides, it's not like I'm planning on setting a record or going deep. I'm just looking for something."
"You're looking for something you can't have someone buy for you?"
"You can't buy opportunity, sis!" Zach had a driven and lofty expression.
"Uh…yes, you can. That's one of the many uses of money. Paying to go to school is literally buying an opportunity."
"...I hadn't thought of that."
"So? What's the opportunity you're looking for?"
"The principal told me to bring a second familiar with me to the second year or not return at all."
"Ah." Lexi's quick acknowledgment showed she understood. She didn't know much about summoning, but she knew enough to know that it was impossible to buy a familiar. Other than that, she only knew they had a Chamber of Ceremonies in the Academy for testing first years.
From that, she could deduce that to summon a familiar, something special was needed, maybe something like a magical chamber, room, altar, or other construct.
Those kinds of things wouldn't just be lying around.
The Duke and Duchess probably knew more. If they didn't, they could easily find out how Zach could summon his second familiar. But they wouldn't tell Zach. If he tried asking for help, they would ask why. He would answer that it's homework from the principal. They would let him figure it out on his own.
In other words, Zach was looking for something, unique, special, extraordinary, possibly something like a room, that could help him summon his second familiar.
His best bet was, without a doubt, the Labyrinth.
The Labyrinth's existence itself was a mystery. The only thing people could say for certain was its location, which had remained the same for at least centuries. It could also be said that the Labyrinth was a treasure trove of endless riches.
But on the flip side, it was filled with strange and hostile monsters. The treasures didn't come for free. It took many sacrifices to explore and delve into the Labyrinth. Many had died in its depths.
Another thing that was as close to confirmed was the fact that the Labyrinth wasn't of this world. It was a hard concept to understand and even harder to believe.
But while the Labyrinth appeared to go deep into the ground, the only way to find it or enter it was the entrance on the surface. It was like the entrance was the only part of it in their world.
The monsters inside the labyrinth were also almost like no other one could find in the wild.
Most of the monsters in the wild looked like powerful variations of ordinary animals.
The monsters in the Labyrinth were nothing like animals most of the time.
That was why Lexi had wanted Zach to have read the Labyrinth Guide. It would make things easier, especially since it looked like they would be exploring a lot, and not necessarily rushing downward. If he had read it, he would be more prepared for the unexpected.
"Whatever. I'm sure it won't be a useless trip, even if you don't find what you're looking for, Zach."
"Even now, just spending time with you makes it a great trip, Lexi."
"Oh, you charmer, you."
"So…?"
"Still not doing everything."
"Drat."
Zach chatted aimlessly with his sister until they arrived at one of the large buildings close ot the center of the city, the Labyrinth Hall, a gathering place for the knights of Evandiel, who trained in the Labyrinth, the Labyrinth explorers, who made a living of the treasures they brought back from the Labyrinth, the healers and physicians, who tended to those who entered the Labyrinth, the merchants who peddled the goods brought back from the Labyrinth and the supplies those who entered would need, and the middlemen and administrators who kept everything running.
It was a busy place.
But, at the arrival of two of the Duke Evandiel's descendants, it quieted down, and Zach and Lexi could walk through the place unobstructed until they arrived at the dull grey archway with a sloped back like a staircase in the center of the Labyrinth Hall.
"There's no need to dally, is there?" Lexi asked.
Zach gestured at the murky, dark red and blue film in the archway.
"Ladies first."
"Wuss." Lexi entered the Labyrinth. Zach, Yanael, and Nora were right behind her.