Flour dusted the workbench on the second floor of the dessert shop like a thin layer of frost.
A doll stood before the cutting board, its hands deftly kneading the dough, its movements so fluid that one could hardly tell it was an inanimate object.
Yet, what it was creating was absurdly beyond imagination.
"Add sugar."
Labrynth's voice carried a tone of enthusiastic excitement. (^▽^)
The doll obediently grabbed the sugar jar and unhesitatingly poured three full spoonfuls into the dough.
"Add some salt too. Sweetness needs contrast to truly shine."
Labrynth commanded with full confidence.
Another two generous spoonfuls of salt.
"Hmm, the color looks a bit bland. Pour in that jar of purple jam too." (✧◡✧)
The doll followed the instructions, dumping the entire jar of blackberry jam into the dough and continuing to knead. The purplish-black jam blended with the pure white dough, creating an indescribable grayish-purple hue–a color so bizarre it seemed like something that should only appear in an alchemy lab.
Labrynth, however, was extremely satisfied with this color (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧.
"Perfect. Into the oven."
The doll shaped the dough into a lopsided ball and shoved it into the oven.
Fifteen minutes later, the oven door opened.
The sweetness of caramel, the saltiness of sea salt, and the tartness of blackberry jam, intensified by the high heat, intertwined into a peculiar fragrance sharp enough to pierce the nostrils.
The doll retrieved the finished product and placed it on a pristine white porcelain plate.
Judging solely by appearance, this "little dessert" was surprisingly beautiful.
The grayish-purple exterior shimmered with an enticing caramel gloss, its surface naturally cracked, giving it the texture of something from a high-end artisanal bakery.
Labrynth admired it through the mental link for a moment, growing increasingly convinced of her innate talent ╮(￣▽￣)╭.
Not bad, not bad. The presentation is top-notch. I really am a dessert master held back by my Labyrinth career.
However, a problem arose.
The doll had no sense of taste, and Labrynth was deep within the Labyrinth, unable to taste it herself.
"Allen." Labrynth called directly into Allen's mind.
Hurried footsteps sounded from downstairs as Allen jogged up to the second floor.
He was wearing a clean white apron today, his hair neatly combed, looking every bit the part of a dessert shop owner.
"What's wrong?"
The doll pushed the porcelain plate toward him. "Taste it."
Allen lowered his gaze, stared at the grayish-purple spherical object on the plate, and remained silent for two seconds.
Resigned, he picked it up, took a big bite, and chewed mechanically three times. His expression shifted from nervousness to confusion, then from confusion to restraint, finally settling into a subtle calm.
"How is it?"
Labrynth's voice echoed in Allen's mind, filled with barely concealed anticipation (☆▽☆).
Allen struggled to swallow the mouthful, his Adam's apple bobbing violently once.
"The flavor... is unique."
"Is that a compliment?"
"...The kind of unique most people probably couldn't handle."
The doll tilted its head. Clearly, Labrynth was not satisfied with this answer.
"Be direct."
Allen took a deep breath, as if expelling the last trace of hesitation from his lungs. "It's salty and sweet, with a sour note. The three flavors wage a fierce battle in your mouth, ending with an indescribable bitterness."
The doll fell into a prolonged silence.
"...Then we won't sell this variety for now." Labrynth's voice sounded somewhat sullen.
Allen, as if granted a reprieve, hurriedly grabbed the plate and fled downstairs as if escaping.
The dessert shop had already opened for business.
This was the first official day of operation for the "Silver Dessert Shop."
The shop was small but quite exquisitely decorated.
Pure white walls, light wooden tables and chairs, and a few elegant dried flowers of unknown origin placed on the windowsill.
If one ignored the doll on the second floor, this place looked no different from any other newly opened ordinary dessert shop in Blackedge Town.
Today, the shop welcomed its first customers.
Three young girls pushed the door open, the bell above chiming with a crisp ding-a-ling.
"Welcome." Allen forced a gentle smile and guided them to a seat by the window.
"What a cute shop!"
One of the girls, with a ponytail, looked around curiously, her gaze eventually settling on the doll on the second floor. "What's that? An Alchemical Puppet?"
"Yes, it helps with simple tasks." Allen handed them the handwritten menu.
The menu didn't have many items, just basic baked goods and jam bread, all made by Allen himself.
As for the so-called "innovative desserts" from Labrynth's side, he hadn't dared to write a single word about them.
After discussing briefly, the three girls ordered one dessert to try.
However, the other doll in the back kitchen had not received this "self-censorship" directive.
It was strictly executing the baking recipe remotely issued by Labrynth, mixing various colored jams in an "aesthetic ratio" only Labrynth understood, then squeezing them into molds for baking.
When the finished product was brought out, all three girls gasped in admiration.
"Oh my, it's so pretty!"
A row of small, thumb-sized tart-shaped desserts. Each had a semi-transparent amber sugar shell, layered with purple and white cream inside, topped with a crystal-clear sugar pearl.
Light filtering through the window refracted into specks on the sugar shells, making them look as exquisite as a jeweler's masterpiece.
"This is too beautiful. I almost don't want to eat it," the ponytailed girl said, picking one up and admiring it from all angles.
Then, she took a bite, chewed twice, and her expression froze at once.
"What's wrong?" her companion beside her asked with concern.
The ponytailed girl slowly swallowed the mouthful, forcing a smile uglier than crying. "It's delish... you try it too..."
The second girl, unsuspecting, picked one up and put it in her mouth.
Three seconds later, she suddenly covered her mouth with her hand. "It really is delish... an indescribable kind of delish! There's even a herbal note inside!"
The third girl hesitated but ultimately couldn't resist curiosity and also took a bite.
The next second, her eyebrows furrowed into a knot, and she glared at her two "joy-sharing" friends.
"You two!"
"Ehehe, so weird. It looks so delicious..." one of the girls scratched her head, her eyes darting around.
Allen stood behind the counter, his smile stiff as if plastered on.
Truthfully, Labrynth's aesthetic sense was flawless. Her control over color and form could even be called genius.
Regardless, her understanding of taste was in complete chaos because she had never personally tasted any of her own creations.
"This... this is an experimental item from our shop."
Allen quickly stepped forward and picked up the plate. "We're still adjusting the recipe. These are on the house for tasting. I'll bring you the regular menu items right away."
The three girls weren't angry. Instead, they were amused by the stark contrast between the "stunning appearance and soul-shocking taste," chattering excitedly about it.
"Maybe it'll become a specialty later. Call it blind box desserts."
"I'd respect you as a brave soul if you dared to eat it."
"Actually, the sugar shell alone is quite tasty. It's just the filling inside..."
Allen hurried into the back kitchen, hid that plate of "experimental items" firmly in a corner, and began personally making a few normal baked goods.
Just then, the shop door opened again.
Ding-a-ling.
"Allen?" a clear female voice called.
Allen peeked out from the back kitchen to see a young woman with chestnut-colored long hair standing at the door. She wore a light blue cotton dress, carried a bag on her shoulder, and wore a pleasantly surprised smile.
"Sis?"
Margaret quickly walked in and hugged her brother. "You rascal, saying you opened a shop. I thought you were lying."
She let go and looked Allen up and down. "You seem in good spirits."
"Sis, why are you here? You didn't say anything in advance."
"If I told you in advance, wouldn't you make special preparations?"
Margaret released her brother and began surveying the shop's interior: the clean walls, tidy tables and chairs, the dried flowers on the windowsill, and the three girls sitting by the window eating baked goods.
Not bad. At least it looks like a legitimate business.
Her gaze inadvertently swept past the half-open back kitchen door, where she saw another doll busily working at the counter.
"Well, business seems good. Let your sister try your skills too," she said with a smile, patting her brother's shoulder.
Allen smiled and pulled her to a seat, but his heart felt gripped by an invisible hand, a fine layer of cold sweat breaking out on his back.
That night, after the dessert shop closed, Allen sat in the small room on the second floor, staring blankly at the oil lamp on the table.
Before leaving, Margaret hadn't asked any further questions, just smiled and said she'd come again tomorrow.
But Allen knew very well that some things couldn't be hidden from a sister who had lived with him day and night, nor from the experienced Adventurers in town; the secret of the dolls was like a bomb waiting to explode at any moment.
Suddenly, Labrynth's voice sounded in his mind.
"Oh, Allen, there's one more thing." (・∀・)
Allen abruptly sat up straight, his fingers instinctively gripping the edge of the table.
Labrynth's voice continued. "The dolls in your shop are identical to the ones in the Labyrinth."
Allen's heart gave a heavy thud.
The story about inheriting from a deceased Alchemist was quite untenable.
Sooner or later, everyone would ask: How could a Silver Rank mage like you possess dolls made of the exact same material as that bizarre Labyrinth on the Dungeon's sixth floor?
"Don't panic."
Labrynth's voice suddenly turned lighthearted, as if talking about an interesting game.
"I have a way." (￣▽￣)／
"What way?"
"Partial confession."
Allen was stunned.
"I've prepared a script. Just follow it."
Labrynth began transmitting the complete script prepared by Arias, word by word, through the mental link.
After listening, Allen remained silent for a long time.
"...Will this work?"
"Hoho~ Of course it will! The lies humans are most likely to believe are the ones that look like secrets forced out."
Labrynth's words carried a confidence born of understanding human nature.
"The more reluctant and pained you appear, the more they'll believe what you're saying is the truth."
Allen rehearsed that script three times in his mind.
The next evening, after the dessert shop closed, Allen changed into casual clothes and was about to head out when the shop door was knocked.
The visitor was a clerk from the Adventurers' Guild named Harold, a man in his forties with a fierce old scar over his left eye; a seasoned veteran who had spent twenty years navigating the Dungeon.
Though retired from active duty, he now handled intelligence verification for the guild and had a sharp eye.
"Mr. Allen," Harold got straight to the point. "Regarding those two dolls you brought back, the guild requires a detailed report."
Allen's heart sank, but he feigned exhaustion and impatience on his face. "I've already said everything during the guild filing. They're part of the Alchemist legacy I obtained."
Harold walked into the shop, scanning the surroundings with eyes as sharp as an eagle's. "Allen, we all know now that your Alchemical Puppets are made of the same material as the Silver Labyrinth on the sixth floor. That lie won't fool anyone."
He pulled over a chair and sat down, leaning forward slightly, exuding an intimidating presence. "The guild needs the truth. This isn't a request; it's a regulation."
Allen's face turned pale. He took a step back, leaning against the counter, his hands gripping the edge until his knuckles turned white. He remained silent for a long time, as if engaged in a fierce internal struggle.
"...I can't say." His voice was hoarse and dry.
"Allen!" Harold's tone hardened. "You know the consequences of withholding information better than I do."
Allen closed his eyes in pain, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, they were filled with humiliation and struggle. As if finally crushed, he whispered, "Fine... I'll talk... I'll talk..."
He raised his head, his eyes dim, his voice lowered so much it seemed each word drained his strength.
"I lied. The Silver Blade Squad... I was... a deserter."
Harold showed an expression of having expected this. He uncrossed his arms and leaned forward completely.
"Go on."
"The captain ordered us to focus our attacks while he took the pressure... I ran out of Mana. Fear overwhelmed me. I... I ran alone deep into the ruins."
Allen's voice trembled, filled with self-loathing. "I ran for two days, exhausted and out of supplies. Just when I thought I'd die in a dead-end, I found something.
"A tiny doll, about palm-sized, just squatting in a corner.
"It gave me a task.
"What task?"
"To take it to a specific location on the sixth floor. I can't say exactly where. That's part of the task's confidentiality clause."
Allen raised his head and met Harold's gaze, his eyes flashing with humiliation and resentment. "After completing the task, as a reward, I received something: the control authority over these two dolls."
He proactively showed the other the silver crack on his cheek. The crack was irregularly distributed, shimmering faintly under the dim light like silver threads branded into his skin.
Harold's single eye widened abruptly. He instinctively reached out to touch it, but stopped his hand mid-air.
"What is this?"
"A Puppet Mark."
Allen let his hair fall, covering the mark. "It's... a Hidden Reward."
Harold's expression underwent a drastic transformation in just a few seconds; doubt, shock, eventually settling into a knowing look mixed with greed and excitement.
"A Hidden Reward, huh..." he murmured, repeating the term, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table.
The existence of hidden elements in Dungeons was no secret in adventurer circles, but the concept of a "Puppet Mark" was unheard of.
Precisely because of that, it seemed incredibly real. A true secret should be something no one knows.
"Why did you fabricate the story about an Alchemist's legacy?" Harold pressed.
Allen gave a self-deprecating smile. "Mr. Harold, what do you think? I'm a deserter who abandoned my comrades. These two Dolls are my only means of survival. If everyone knew there was such a Hidden Reward on the sixth floor, what would happen?"
Harold fell silent.
He knew exactly what would happen. Countless adventurers would swarm in, and Allen, the "sole successful claimant," would become a living target coveted by all.
"So I had to lie."
Allen's voice carried a hint of pleading. "Mr. Harold, I beg you, help me... at least... help me keep this core secret."
Harold stared at him for a long time, then let out a long sigh.
"Kid," he stood up, patting Allen's shoulder, "I understand how you feel. I'll handle the Guild's report. The Alchemist legacy story can continue. But the matter of the Hidden Reward, I must report it truthfully to the Guild Master. That's my duty."
Allen nodded, a weight lifted from his shoulders.
"That said," Harold raised a finger, "you have to tell me roughly where in the sixth floor the little Doll is. Doesn't need to be too specific, just a general direction."
Allen hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded. "Northeast direction, near a cluster of abandoned buildings."
Harold's single eye gave him a deep look. "The higher-ups will keep your secret. As for the others... it depends on their luck."
Allen slumped to the floor, slowly burying his face in his hands.
Don't laugh...
Don't laugh...
Harold looked at the bowed Allen, a mocking smile appearing on his face. For a guy who abandoned his comrades, revealing this information could be considered atonement.
Still can't laugh...
Allen felt the patting sensation on his shoulder, saw Harold's feet heading towards the shop entrance, finally leaving the store.
He believed it! He believed it!
Hahaha... Hahahahaha...
Allen's body trembled uncontrollably, his expression nearly contorted.
But this feeling of relief lasted only a few seconds before he forcibly pulled himself together.
One lie requires countless lies to cover it, and each new lie pushes him further into an endless abyss.
His perception was changing, but he himself couldn't sense it.
The speed at which the news spread was faster than Allen had anticipated.
Harold indeed kept his promise and didn't spread it everywhere.
However, after the Guild higher-ups learned of the "Hidden Reward," the news circulated through various informal channels within Blackedge Town's high-level adventurer circles.
No one knew the specific details, but everyone heard a vague version: someone completed a hidden quest on the sixth floor and obtained a reward called a "Puppet Mark," capable of controlling powerful Constructs.
This news was like a massive rock thrown into a calm lake, stirring up huge waves.
Adventurers, already restless because of the Labyrinth Reward, now had another reason to charge into the sixth floor.
The allure of the words "Hidden Reward" for them far surpassed any bounty.
Meanwhile, in the bedroom on the Dungeon's sixth floor, Labrynth was lying face down on the soft sofa, hugging a cushion and laughing so hard she was rolling around.
"Ahahahahahahaha…!!So excited!
She laughed until she curled into a ball, her snow-white long hair spilling over the sofa cushions, her pure white eyes curved into two adorable crescents (¯◡¯).
"He really believed it! He accepted it all without even proper questioning!"
She flipped over, burying her face in the cushion, muffling her laughter for a while. Then she sprawled out flat on her back, her feet happily swinging on the sofa armrests.
Arias, standing before the holographic projection, adjusted her monocle. Her silver-gray short hair shimmered with a cool luster under the glow of the light screen.
"As long as you're happy, My Lord."
Labrynth waved a hand dismissively ( ¯▽¯ )/, "Anyway, they took the bait. Now more 'fat sheep' will run to the sixth floor. My Emotion Points income is about to surge again."
Arias didn't respond. She was silent for a few seconds, then turned to face Labrynth.
"My Lord, I need to remind you of something."
Labrynth peeked half her face from behind the cushion. "Hmm?" (・_・?)
"The shelf life of this lie is, at most, two to three months."
Labrynth blinked (O_O).
Arias walked to the side of the sofa, her voice steady and clear. "Those who currently believe this story are ordinary adventurers and retired veterans.
"Their magical literacy is limited. A Mental Brand-forged mark can fool them. But if this matter reaches higher levels, like the core leadership of more central city Adventurers' Guilds, or a high-level mage passing through Blackedge Town..."
She paused. "They would only need to cast a High-Level Perception Magic on that mark to easily see through its true nature."
Labrynth's smile faded slightly.
(ー–ー)
She sat up, hugging the cushion, tilting her head in thought for a moment.
"Two to three months?"
"That's an optimistic estimate. If luck is bad, it could be shorter."
Labrynth was silent for a few seconds.
Afterward, she tossed the cushion into the air, caught it steadily, her expression becoming light and confident again.
"Two or three months? That's enough." (￣▽￣)╭
Arias watched her without saying a word.
"In two or three months, my Level, my territory, my Dolls–all will be several times what they are now."
Labrynth sat cross-legged on the sofa, her eyes sparkling (✧◡✧). "By then, the Soul Brand Level will also be high enough that they won't be able to see through it!"
Arias gazed at her, silent for a while, then gave a slight nod.
"Understood. In that case, during this window period, I will gradually distribute Soul Brands to reduce suspicion towards Allen and use this to strengthen monitoring of Blackedge Town's information flow, delaying exposure as much as possible."
"I leave it to you." Labrynth leaned back against the sofa with her cushion, about to continue enjoying the joy of victory, when the bedroom door was gently pushed open.
Arianna entered carrying a silver tea tray with a pot of hot tea and two bone china cups. She wore a black-and-white maid uniform, her skirt swaying lightly as she walked.
"My Lord, the tea is ready."
She placed the tray on the small table beside the sofa, straightened up, and glanced at Labrynth, who was still grinning foolishly.
"What is Master laughing about?"
Labrynth tilted her head, revealing a sly smile. "Laughing at how easy adventurers are to fool." (๑¯∀¯๑)
Arianna tilted her head, seeming to understand but not quite. She didn't press further, just obediently poured a full cup of tea for her Master.
Labrynth took the teacup, sipping it in small mouthfuls, her gaze falling on the holographic projection.
Arias had already returned to the projection. The various secondary Mind Nodes on the projection kept flashing, pulling up scout reports and resource statistics.
"My Lord, there is one final item for today's report."
"Go ahead."
Arias tapped the projection a few times, switching the view to the vast eastern region of the sixth floor.
The skeletal plains, previously marked as a caution zone, now appeared as a dead, pitch-black area on the projection. No red dots representing undead activity were moving.
"The activity frequency of skeletons in the eastern skeletons plain has dropped to zero in the past twenty-four hours."
Labrynth set down her teacup, looking sideways.
Arias pulled up several sets of images transmitted by Scout Puppets, projecting them onto the light screen. "It's... a complete stop."
The images showed a gloomy wasteland, scattered bones littering the ground.
The ceaseless Skeleton Patrols and Undead Sentinels of the past were gone. Even the scattered bones that would normally tremble and slowly reassemble now lay motionless on the ground.
...
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