Crackle, crackle! Lilah controlled the fire in the middle exceptionally with only a few unstable bursts.

  Verna narrowed her eyes, "...Is he sleeping?"

  Handon and Millie then looked the same direction Verna did, Millie tilting her head, "Is he really? How can he be sleeping while eating?"

  Meanwhile, I heard those two loud and clear.

  "I just like eating. Why?", without a warning, I opened my eyes and stared at Millie.

  "Oh! Oh.", Mille jumped slightly, "No, we were just wondering. You seemed to be sleeping so calmly... Usually when someone tries to sleep, they're frowning a little bit because it's so uncomfortable."

  I felt around my forehead and eyebrows. Hm, was it like that? Did I seem comfortable?

  Verna smiled, "You must be doing really well in here. You're more comfortable than most of the people here."

  ...Oh. Looking at all of them, I didn't say anything and simply smiled back.

  I finished up the piece of cooked meat in my hand and looked at the condition of my leg and empty wrist. They still looked pitifully bad. As expected, I'd likely be limited to just walking for the next entirety of this maze.

  A small twinge of regret formed in me. The hand I had sacrificed to the ant queen to get better positioning was my right hand, and I was right-handed. My spells might also suffer from a slight degree of inaccuracy from this.

  However, I also knew that I couldn't help it. I'm able to better exert control and strength over my right hand, so it was the safer choice if I didn't want to risk getting in a less desirable position. I mentally noted to gain the [Ambidextrous] trait once I was in the academy.

  That said, I wonder what kind of species my half demon bloodline belongs to? I don't think I ever specified it in the novel...

  Just then, I felt someone nudge from beside me. I turned my head.

  It was Handon.

  He offered to shake my left hand, smiling slightly, "My name is Handon. Handon Bruin."

  "..?", I shook his hand, "Do you need to say something?"

  Why was he suddenly talking to me? Both of the volumes of our voices were very low, so it would be difficult for anyone to eavesdrop on either of us.

  It was then that Handon's smile dropped, and he hesitated to open his mouth.

  I narrowed my eyes. He always seemed quite cool, not saying much for the past while. But could that calmness instead be extreme awkwardness or nervousness?

  I smiled, "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone."

  What secrets do you have for me?

  "...", gradually, his expression relaxed somewhat, but he still stuttered, "That, is.."

  "Is he nice..?"

  My eyes widened, "Nice..?"

  "Nice who-"

  At that moment, Verna finished her meal.

  "Alright, we've been here for too long. Lilah, cut the fire.", she stood up along with a few others, "If everyone's done resting, let's move."

  "..Tsk.", Handon clicked his tongue, and he stood up.

  "Yes, ma'am!", Lilah dispersed the fire.

  However, next to her, Millie whispered something quietly in her ear, "S...so....ou..I said...rig..t?"

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  But Lilah only dismissed it, "Ah, Millie-Lilie. You're really... let's just talk about it later."

  It was immediately brought to my attention. My head subconsciously tilted. How strange. Perhaps, Millie's not as tight-lipped as Verna thinks she is? Haiz, there's so much happening that isn't getting resolved.

  Lully was just in the corner not knowing what to do. Verna meanwhile discussed a few things with Handon. He seemed a little awkward...but was able to keep up.

  After everyone was done settling where next to go, Verna decided to move forward, the opposite direction from where Lully burned tens of monsters to the ground. She looked back at the rest of us, and gestured for us to move and stay as quiet as possible, and turned back around to walk.

  Lully whispered to me, "Cael, I still need to go to the bathroom... what should I do?"

  Again? I told him to wait. It's best to move somewhere safe first.

  At that moment, a wolf howl resounded throughout the maze, causing everyone to tense up.

  Awooooo-KRKASRAA- However, oddly enough, it got cut off in the middle, turning into a mix of mouth gargling, loud growls, and unintelligible screams of pain, before stopping entirely.

  In just a few seconds, everything returned to silence once more, like nothing had ever happened.

  Verna paused, but remained calm, "Don't falter. Quick, let's go."

  I pursed my lips as we all walked. Huh, did it come from behind, or in front of us?

  Unable to come to a logical conclusion, I only quietly moved with the group, the rest of us walking nervously, with only Lully looking like he was going to have a panic attack.

  No, is he already having one..?

  Slash! Rip! Verna beheaded a giant saber-toothed lion before landing on the ground in one graceful move.

  Millie sighed, putting her hands on her back, "That's the 5th one we've come across now. Ugh.."

  Lilah sighed with her, "Yeah, I'm just staying at the back but for some reason Verna seems to be less tired than me..."

  Shing! Verna sheathed her makeshift bone sword in a worn wooden scabbard, "Is everyone okay?"

  I gave a thumbs up. But really, our journey has been so smooth so far, completely unlike before we came across Millie... I wonder if things are going to stay like this.

  I tracked my path and where we were going so far as well, and if I were to divide the sections of the maze into 9... We would be in between section 3 and 4, and I would have started in section 1, with the least amount of intersections.

  Handon looked around, and slowly came up to Verna, "I think this area looks safe. Most monsters probably wouldn't come here once they smell the lion's blood."

  Looks like he did his homework., I glanced at Handon. Smelling a predator's blood signals to most other monsters that something that could take down even a saber-toothed lion is lurking here. Aside from the occasional monster attacks, this would be a safe place to rest...

  But, safe for me? If everything is going smoothly...then I have to make sure it stays like this. I can't wait for things to happen to me.

  Verna nodded, "Very well. Everyone, get ready to set up camp."

  I interjected, "Ah, if that's the case, I can go scouting. Millie went last time, so I think it's only fair."

  Verna raised her eyebrows, "Scouting? Hmm.. Indeed, you were a great pathfinder for us along the way. Go ahead."

  Millie looked concerned, "Awhh, really? Are you going to be fine? Hope you get back safe."

  I nodded, but internally, I squirmed. Everyone seems nice, but for some reason, I can't get this odd feeling out of my stomach...

  But unexpectedly, Lully opened his mouth, "Actually, could I also-"

  "The rest of us should stay here.", Verna interrupted, "Lully, you don't need to follow your 'friend' all the time. You can be rest assured that you'll be safer with us."

  "So assertive.", Lilah tilted her head, "I agree with her though."

  As for Lully, he looked like he was about to speak again, but shrunk in uncertainty.

  "Okay..."

  Oh, and what is this? For the past hour, I couldn't get the feeling that this was a cohesive group of people, but that instability justifies why I need to scout the surrounding area even more.

  "Alright then, see you guys in a few minutes.", I moved around a few people to head forward into another dark area.

  No one fretted about it any longer and began setting up camp.

  Some time later, I approached an intersection, with one end having a bright lantern at the end of the hallway, and the other remaining nearly completely dark.

  Without batting an eye, I chose the darker hallway.

  Still, there was that odd feeling in my stomach, moving around like an annoying worm. Perhaps it was my intuition telling me something, or just a result of this maze's insanity, but I couldn't tell what it was, even after ruminating over it for this time.

  I walked near the wall. So far, I've come across a few monsters. Though, I could squeeze and sneak by them most of the time.

  There was really only one monster that noticed me, and even then, it wasn't too difficult for me to defeat.

  The really strange thing though...

  "Sss....th...a..."

  "...Ye...l...y-"

  Who's whispering?

  I couldn't clearly discern what they were saying, how far it was, but I could tell it was more than one demon.

  That's...

  At that moment, I saw, at the end of the hallway, was a corner turning right. I made my way to it, and looked over it discreetly first. There was nothing clear up ahead, though, only the area becoming bright. However, the whispering came closer.

  I don't think I'm even that far from the camp. Should I approach the sounds? I thought cautiously. But in the end, I decided to wait in the dark first.

  For the next few moments, nothing showed up. No monsters, people, sounds, but I still waited patiently, looking over the corner of the wall, to make sure I wouldn't miss anything through bad timing.

  And just as expected, when the whispering stopped, I heard a few voices talk loudly.

  Just the next second, 4 demons walked into the light.