“Are we good, sir?” The farmer asked as he peered at my hands excitedly. Two oxen and the cart were right next to him.

I counted the last batch of silver coins and nodded before placing them back in a pouch.

“Great! I can’t help but feel I made a great deal,” the stout farmer rubbed his palms together and grinned, his eyes on the oxen. “Two bags of silver was a steal for these sturdy fellows. Usually only one would go for that amount.”

My long journey from Scarlet to Blue had come to an end when I reached the outskirts of the city. Many houses were set up even outside the city walls lined by farms that led to Blue.

“It’s alright,” I shook my head at the farmer’s words. “You will take care of them.”

The oxen had done no wrong. Since they had brought me all the way here, I decided to sell them to this farmer. He looked in need and had promised to care for them even if they fell sick or got injured.

“You got it, sir, I will treat them well.”

I nodded at the farmer as I adjusted the cloth on my wrist. It was tied to the ax on my waist with its blade covered by the white fabric. Without another word, I turned away from the farmer and started to walk off.

“Wait, sir, take this!”

“Hm?”

The farmer handed me a map of the city of Blue. Even though it was a city, that didn’t mean it wasn’t confusing. Even more so when the city was next to a labyrinth. Magical phenomena were common.

“Why?”

“Ah, I should do this much after such a good deal. I hope you remember me next time.”

I nodded again. It was a good gift. I was about to leave when the farmer spoke up again. He was annoying, but maybe that meant the animals would be in good hands.

“Sir. Be careful inside the city, it has been a dangerous place these days.” The farmer pointed at the map. “If you are ever in trouble, the map might help. We drew it ourselves.”

I gripped the map a little tighter and nodded.

“Thanks.”

***

Stone walls swept past overhead as I stepped through the city gates. The Liones guild had quite the reputation for screening its members, so I was let through by the lord’s knights without any trouble. To be honest, I did not need a map or anything of the sort. That was because of the unique way that Blue was made.

The expansive city stretched as far as one's gaze went. I turned straight to the horizon. In between the gaps of the orderly buildings, shades of blue reflecting the sunlight waved back from the horizon, only for more buildings to be past it.

‘It’s even more grand than Rimi told me…’

People passed me by, I got off the road and went to the side, following a straight line. Though the blocks got confusing at times, it was almost impossible to lose your way in Blue. Past the alleys, my eyes fell on a long canal going all the way to the end of the city, stopping at the walls.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

I ran my hands on the marble walls of the canals, the water was within reach as it flowed to the walls and then went back.

image [https://i.imgur.com/txCKrEl.png]

Blue was a city centered around a giant lake, and seven canals stretched out of it all the way to the expanse of Blue as a tribute to the gods and a sign of its glory, with the water continuously circulating from magic.

“Not bad…”

I followed the canal toward the lake. That lake itself was the dungeon. A gate to a different spot in space, and the way to enter it was to fall into the lake. It was still strange to think that a star fell here, it seemed like a simple crater lake to me, but there was no denying that this place was an entrance to a completely different space.

It was magic.

A few people looked my way, but I steadily walked ahead. Maybe I smelled a little? It would go away when I die. Supplies, potions, weapons, none of them had any use, it was all for people who planned to survive. For me, I only wished to gain strength here.

I stopped in my tracks when I glanced to my side and noticed a temple of the Goddess of Dawn and a member of the Septet, Eos. The sculpture of a goddess stood tall as some people moved in and out. It probably wasn’t a busy hour…

My mood was a little sour, but I remembered something else. The thing that clearly stated my curse. I didn’t have one since being dragged away by the Lich, but a Divine Window was the best way to check growth.

Unfortunately, at the adventurer guild, I could only see my stats, that too in a rather haphazard fashion. Most people relied on the Divine Window anyway for such matters.

Skills, potential, a rating, everything was easier with that. Since I was pursuing growth…

“I want one.”

I gripped the cloth-clad ax and moved toward the church. All this time, I had been terrified of going inside, thinking that I might get caught again. Now I prayed they would try and capture me so I have some of my revenge too.

‘What does it matter?’

The stairs leading up to the church used to feel daunting before, but now they went below my feet as naturally as the roads I had crossed so far. There was no reason to be scared, none at all.

I passed by a boy and went inside. Some people were offering prayers to the statue of the goddess, while some were near the confessionals. A corridor led me to where the priests and nuns gathered for miscellaneous tasks.

“A divine window,” I said, placing a gold coin from my previous loot on the table.

“Ah… sure, brother. Please wait for a bit,” said the nun at the counter as she slipped the coin in. I kept glancing around, but there didn’t seem to be any paladins or knights here.

“That boy outside seemed so troubled. It’s a shame about his younger brother.”

“You’re right. Those two lost their parents, and now he even lost his younger brother…”

I overheard the conversation of two nuns while waiting. The boy, was he the same one I had crossed?

“He must have fallen into the Deep Blue Dive, right? Poor kid.”

“Not the labyrinth! Didn’t you hear? There are too many such incidents these days! Listen, don’t tell anyone…”

The nuns closed up before one of them gasped and reeled back.

“Demons!?” she exclaimed. "Oh my! If that is true then this is big news"

"Shush, don't tell anyone. If people hear that those evil demons are here..."

Demons... When I was first summoned here we were told that the goddesses brought us to stop demons too.

I thought they were malicious initially, but I couldn't be sure anymore.

What if the demons were just people too, persecuted only because the septet wanted them gone? They would be in the same situation as me.

It was possible.

Very possible.

There was no trusting these gods.

"—Here you go."

The priestess returned and broke my thoughts. I nodded in thanks and took the divine window with me.

Nothing happened even in the heart of the enemy territory. I was scared for no reason.

I quickly made my way out of the church, when my eyes fell on the boy sitting outside with his eyes closed in prayer.

A sigh left me. There was no end to this suffering, for anyone.

I held back from more thoughts and started going along the canal again. Soon, I found myself standing in front of the enormous lake—the location of the Starfall and the gateway to the labyrinth—the Deep Blue Dive.

The canal to the east was being used as the entry for adventurers, while across me and on the other side were restaurants and luxury spots. This side of the lake near the canal was left as a place to sit for the public.

I looked around, there was no one out here. Everyone was busy with their tasks in the midday.

There was no reason to wait anymore.

I took a step ahead.

And fell into the lake.