After returning to the inn, I was organizing my backpack when I ran into a problem.
It was about nothing other than the metal helmet in my hand.
'Should I just sell this?'
This helmet had been officially called the 'Golden Mask' in the game.
An item obtained by defeating the boss of the 'Blood Citadel' and satisfying certain special conditions.
The effect was simple.
It customized the appearance of the wearer's face.
Although the effect was only limited to thirty in-game days.
'Plus, it's a limited-use consumable.'
From what I remembered; it could perhaps be used up to five times?
I recalled that it'd naturally disappeared from my inventory after I'd used it all up.
Of course, I wasn't completely sure about the number.
Because except for the first playthrough when I'd gotten my hands on it, I'd never used this item.
Instead, I'd sold it off on the exchange every time.
For about 500,000 stones.
'Still, I'm worried… '
It wasn't a worry one would have if they were playing the game.
What use is a cosmetic item in a game?
Why would you go and apply a skin on a game character with 2D pixel graphics, and one with a limited thirty-day duration at that?
It was better to sell it off, even if it were as cheap as 10,000 stones.
But I was in a 'reality' right now.
After a short deliberation, I made my decision.
'Since I can't be sure, let's keep it for now. I'm not hurting for cash right now, anyway.'
My situation was different from the game, in many ways.
Hadn't I even been framed and imprisoned, just recently?
If I ever needed to become a public enemy of this city, this item would surely play a huge role.
And perhaps I could find some other place to use it, too.
'In the end, it's money that makes the world go round.'
I could once again feel how precious money was.
If I hadn't made a lot of money this time, I'd have definitely chosen to sell.
And as could be seen from this –
The more money you have, the more options you have.
Whether it's in the game, or in reality.
Or even in this distant world.
"Hey! Did you hear? The Crystal Union's disbanded!"
A silver-haired fairy was quietly eating in a corner of the restaurant.
Daria Wittember di Tersia, perked up her pointed ears.
Because this was a topic she was interested in.
"What? The Crystal Union, disbanded?"
The Crystal Union.
It was the name of an adventurer clan that'd achieved explosive growth in the past decade. It specialized in providing various conveniences to first-floor adventurers, using an extensive network of contacts and an overabundance of of message stones.
"Surprising, right? A whole adventurer clan in tip-top shape just going 'puff!' overnight?"
"Hah! Tip-top shape? Can you even call them adventurers?"
From what she'd heard, the members of the Crystal Union were mostly ordinary people who, under the pressure of taxes, set foot in the realm of adventurers.
Many of them held a separate job in the city and spent only one day a month to visit the labyrinth.
Of course, there was nothing wrong with just that.
Rather, such a purpose could be even called noble.
In fact, she'd heard that many ordinary citizens who'd been facing a crisis of defaulting on their taxes, wh would've seen them executed, had been saved through this in the past.
But…
"Anyway, this is good news! They always kept bragging everywhere about being adventurers."
The current Crystal Union had become corrupted.
As its power grew, it began to reject outsiders, and there were frequent cases of abuse of power[1] and even violent deeds against rookie adventurers.
What'd happened to her sister was a perfect example.
It wasn't enough that they'd tried to harm her in such an unsightly way, they'd even tried to eliminate her to keep her mouth shut.
'I hate to admit it, but if not for that barbarian, something unimaginable could've happened.'
Ever since hearing about the incident, she'd been hoping to take care of those guys one day.
But from this conversation, it looked like she didn't need to anymore.
Coincidentally, this time too, it was thanks to a barbarian.
"By the way, I haven't asked yet. Why did they suddenly disband?"
"Oh, didn't you hear the story?"
"What news?"
"The Barbarian of Liberty!"
As she secretly overheard the story that followed, Daria frowned involuntarily.
The more she listened, the more interesting the story became.
After being framed, not only did this guy escape from prison, did he even take the daughter of the regional chief hostage?
"The story keeps getting bigger and bigger. At this rate, the new loot investigation law for ninth-ranked adventurers may end up getting scrapped."
It was a story worth listening to.
The person who'd allegedly done the frame-up had already been sentenced to death and summarily hanged. Even the Crystal Union, which had been proud of its staggering size, was now apparently being held accountable for its past actions, and was being savagely beaten.
Just, there was one thing…
"But you know what's even more surprising? That barbarian's only a level nine adventurer! A rookie barely past his coming-of-age ceremony!"
A level nine adventurer who'd just finished his coming-of-age ceremony.
Somehow, when she heard this story, one person came to mind.
A barbarian who'd faced her with dignity, and was different from the masses in many ways.
'No way, such a coincidence…'
She shook her head as if to untangle her jumbled thoughts.
Getting up and leaving the premises, Daria headed towards home.
But with every step, the thought came back again and again.
'Is that barbarian really dead?'
So far, there'd been no reason to doubt it.
But if he was actually the protagonist of the story she'd just heard…
'Then it explains why he didn't come back to the inn for two days…'
Could she really tell her little sister about this?
Creak.
The thought still hadn't left her head when she opened the door, and saw her younger sister, who looked noticeably emaciated.
She was sitting on the bed, eyes closed, manipulating three wisps of flame that were on the verge of winking out any moment.
Last time in the labyrinth, two had been her limit…
"Oh, Big Sis, are you back?"
"… Have you been summoning spirits nonstop since then?"
"Yeah, if I can expand my ability even the slightest bit…"
Daria's mouth hardened into a line at those words.
The training method itself wasn't surprising.
Because she'd been the one to instruct Erwen to train like this in the first place.
But her younger sister had never pushed herself to the limit like this before.
"You know, Big Sis, I think I heard the voice of fire."
"What…?"
"Now I know. I know how to become strong. Why did I stay so weak all this time? Why did I always have to ask someone else for help… "
Her younger sister, who'd always been a bit shy, who'd always avoided her gaze when speaking, kept talking while staring straight into her eyes.
"I just wasn't desperate enough."
There was no vitality in that dry, cracked voice, merely a sense of desperation.
Spite. Thirst for victory.
Finally, the one thing that her younger sister had lacked the most, had been filled.
It was clear what was causing this change.
So Daria kept her mouth shut.
'Even if the story is true… I'd better not tell her now.'
Just like how it'd been, ten years ago.
All this, was for the sake of her precious little sister.
Sometime past noon.
I visited the Adventurers' Guild branch near the tower.
To be honest, my last experience there had been so traumatic I never even wanted to come near it ever again…
But I had no choice but to proceed with the daily quest I'd received the day before.
"What are you here for?"
"I'm looking for colleagues, of the right level."
"Any requirements?"
The guild administrator quickly came to the point without wasting time on useless words.
I, too, answered without hesitation.
"A team of at least four, working on the third floor or higher."
After all, I wasn't here just to fill in a substitute for Ainar.
Rather, I planned to use my promotion to the seventh rank to join a team with the best skills, as that was the most effective path to attacking the labyrinth.
'Well, assuming I get a good team.'
As I showed my identity card along with the personal statement I'd prepared in advance according to the procedure, the sleepy-looking administrator looked startled for some reason.
He looked it over several times, with strange eyes.
"… Five stars?"
"Is there something wrong?"
"Oh, ah, no!"
The administrative officer seemed to have gotten a sudden infusion of energy.
I didn't know what the 'stars' meant, but his tone had become noticeably kinder.
"This is a list of teams that meet your criteria, Adventurer Bjorn Yandel. Would you like to check it out?"
He was finished in less than five minutes.
"That's quite a few."
"I swear, that among the recruitment announcements received by the guild, these ones definitely meet all your conditions!"
What did I say?
It was just a comment, I didn't know why he suddenly had the urge to swear an oath.
"Hmm."
The documents briefly described the fifteen teams in total.
When I started with the first one…
[Third Floor Adventurer – Ellen Bornev]
Preferred exploration areas: Twilight Slope, Steel Rock Hill, Jet Black Estuary.
Average rank: 7th.
Current personnel: 2 human melee warriors (7th rank), 1 beastkin melee warrior (7th rank), 1 dwarf melee warrior (7th rank).
Recruitment: 1 melee warrior.
Equal distribution.
No fairies.
Participation in post-battle meal together is mandatory.
Drinking is allowed during exploration if desired.
What the hell was this team?
The smell of sweaty muscles could almost be felt within the lines.
Frustrated, I read the recruitment letters of the other teams, but couldn't find one that I really liked.
If the members were good, the loot distribution was too lopsided; and if the distribution ratio was good, there was some problem with the team composition.
'… If I can see it even from the recruiting announcement, it'd be even worse in reality.'
Perhaps if I'd had a slightly longer career, finding a team would've been easier.
The highest I'd reached was the second floor.
If I weren't such a purported newbie, I would've had a much wider range of choices.
There wouldn't have been any teams trying to openly rip me off with such a low distribution ratio.
'It's annoying.'
I thought I'd rather organize a team myself by posting a recruitment notice, but…
Well, no one would join, right?
Rather, the unlucky bastards who'd join such a team wouldn't be normal people.
'Forget it, I didn't think I'd be able to find a team on my first day, anyway.'
"Do you have a team you prefer?"
"I'm not really seeing anything I like today."
When I shook my head and returned the documents, the administrator started parroting lines like those brainwashed game NPC.
"Oh, is that so? Thank you for your valuable time, but I'm so sorry that I couldn't help you. Bjorn Yandel, we can let your information be disseminated to other teams if you wish –"
"It's fine, I'll be back."
"Oh, would you please? Then see you next time. I am Terbes, a guild member who's always friendly towards adventurers!"
Really, this man was kind – in his tone, in his words, and in his actions.
He wasn't bad at his job, either.
"Then goodbye, adventurer!"
But… why was I feeling so weird?
Leaving that hint of unease behind, I left the guild and headed back to my hotel.
But my feet stopped at an alley corner.
It was because of one barbarian.
Step.
A bushy beard.
Trousers that were frayed and stained with dirt.
It was true that many barbarians comported themselves no better than beggars, but even keeping that in mind, the barbarian resting against the alley wall looked particularly wretched.
'What?'
As soon as I saw him, a sense of incongruity struck my mind.
Although I lived in a separate inn, I often hung out with other barbarians, so I could pinpoint the source.
Even if it was like this, a barbarian who'd just sat down to rest somewhere –
'Why… are there no weapons?'
He had no weapon.
This was a very serious contradiction.
No matter how poor, hungry, and cold they might get, the barbarians carry their weapon as if it were their own life.
Although I wasn't one to indulge in idle curiosity, I approached him instinctively and tried to start a conversation.
But what was this, again?
"Hey."
"… H-, hey!"
The barbarian, who'd fallen asleep leaning against the wall, was startled and greatly dismayed when he woke up and found me looking down at him.
Well, fear of strangers may be a natural reaction for a living creature…
But that's by the standards of other creatures, not for us brave barbarians.
'Motherfucker, this bastard… '
That nebulous sense of incongruity began to gradually take shape.
My heart was pounding, but I quickly suppressed my raging emotions and thought through what I had to do next.
First, I'd have to lower his vigilance.
"Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you."
As proof that I wasn't an enemy, I pulled out a piece of jerky from my backpack and forced it into his hand.
It was the greatest kindness a barbarian could do.
Of course, he only took it, and he didn't actually eat the jerky in front of me.
Still, I could at least clearly feel that the caution engraved in his eyes had subsided a little.
'Well, this should be enough to start a conversation.'
I asked as if curious.
"Why're you doing this here?"
"T-, that, that's… I, I don't have any money… "
I nodded quietly.
Rookie barbarians were indeed penniless.
This could indeed be the reason.
No, it made more sense the more I thought about it.
But…
"What happened to your weapon?"
"I, I sold it, sir…"
He didn't just sell his weapon, he was also polite…
"You've got a name? I am Bjorn, son of Yandel."
"I, I'm Ta-, Tarikan, son of Li-, Lien!"
He raised his voice as if he'd realized his mistake, but it was already too late.
I was already certain.
"Nice to meet you! Tarikan, son of Lien!"
This bastard, was an 'evil spirit'. And it hadn't been long since he'd entered this world.
Editor's Notes:
[1] 등에 업고 (lit. carrying on the back), to use your position or background to your advantage.
-x-X-x-
Tarikan Lien.
Of course, it wasn't his real name, but I decided to ignore that.
'It'd better to have this conversation over a meal.'
Since my hotel wasn't too far away, I took him to my room, and got him some food from downstairs.
It was just the set meal of the week, priced at only 300 stones.
Chicken stew, a few slices of bread, and a few grilled vegetables were all it had, but that was enough to make him feel overjoyed.
Still, if there was one thing that bothered me, that was…
"I will never forget this grace!"
Ugh, what the hell was this clumsy barbarian-style speech?
Although he'd thankfully come to his senses, if he was going to do it, he should've done it properly.
His voice was much too faint, and he lacked any kind of confidence.
We barbarians rejoiced a lot more enthusiastically when someone bought us something to eat.
'… Although, I've been eating well from the start. Is he so starved he simply lacks the energy?'
Seeing him wolf down the food, I hid my bitter smile.
And I learned what I needed to from a short conversation after dinner.
'I really thought he was a newbie… '
Surprisingly, this man was older than me in this world.
Although only by a month.
He was called into this world a month before I'd opened my eyes in Bjorn's body.
And there was one more surprising fact.
"C-, coming-of-age ceremony? Ah, I was really surprised back then. Who could've known that there were e-evil spirits hiding among us?"
'So an evil spirit had appeared… '
Coincidentally, this man and I had very similar beginnings.
A demon had appeared at his coming-of-age ceremony as well.
In other words, there was an incident where a player got executed by the chieftain.
And another question arose at this point.
'How did he survive that?'
At the ceremony, your get called by name.
But when you, the evil spirit, wake up, you have no information about who your body previously belonged to. That was why I'd had to count the time in my heart, taut with tension, every time the chieftain had called a name.
'… Even if he hadn't been as jittery as he is now, how did he keep people from suspecting?'
Well, perhaps he'd been in better condition back then.
Or, he could've used a strategy similar to mine to avoid suspicion.
I was mildly curious, so I asked in a roundabout manner, but the answer that came back was a little frustrating.
"When was I called at the coming-of-age ceremony? I don't know why you're asking but… I was the last!"
I see. He'd been the last one to be called.
That's why he hadn't needed to know what his name was.
Because there were no more warriors left to be called up.
All I could think was that he was lucky, but the man himself didn't seem to even realize that.
What an idiot.
"So what happened afterwards?"
"W-, what happened? That… why do you want to know?"
Why?
Because I was an evil spirit, too.
This was market research. Data collection. Whatever you'd like to call it.
"Tell me, and if the situation calls for it, I might be able to help."
I deliberately answered as vaguely as possible.
But had this guy already decided in his mind that I was going to help him out?
"I, I see! Then let's talk about it!"
He didn't hide his anticipation, and slowly began to tell his story.
From the day he'd woken up in the body of Tarikan Lien, to today.
As I listened, all I could think was that some punishments were well-deserved.
"… You mean you couldn't enter the labyrinth after the coming-of-age ceremony?"
"Th-, that couldn't be helped! I got lost along the way… "
First of all, he didn't even enter the labyrinth.
He made some excuses about losing his way, but…
'It's best to filter out the obvious lies.'
Quite possibly, the real reason was that he'd felt that fighting monsters was a crazy thing to do.
And it wouldn't have been hard to break away from the horde of over-excited barbarians.
The problem was the next bit.
Left in the city, he'd eaten the rock-bread he had with him for a week, and wandered to and fro looking for a job. He hadn't gotten accepted anywhere because he was a barbarian.
Other races can hold side jobs.
For example, beastkin may wait at a tavern, or dwarves may work at a smithy.
On the day the labyrinth opens, they go harvest mana stones inside, and for the rest of the month, they earn a living wage in the city.
Unlike barbarians, whose only option is combat.
"But didn't you know that? You must've learned that in the sanctuary, right?"
"Th-, that… I g-guess I forgot! And, oh, didn't I tell you already! I got lost, and there was nothing I could do… "
He was bullshitting[1] again, so it looked like he didn't know.
I'd asked him if he hadn't learned about this while living in the sanctuary, but what I meant was he should've known about this setting if he'd played the game.
'But if the answer's like this… '
I was slowly starting to get suspicious.
Was it actually true that 'evil spirits' were the beings who opened the 'Gates of the Abyss' on the last floor?
Because if this guy had been that experienced, he definitely should've known the settings about the barbarians.
"… So, should I keep talking?"
"Oh, sorry. Yeah, go on."
Anyway, we went back to the main point of the story.
After starving for several days, he finally sold his starter weapon for 50,000 stones.
I didn't know who the buyer was, but he was one sharp bargainer.
Barbarian starter weapons go for 150,000 stones on average.
'Well, the most important part comes afterwards.'
With that little bit of money in his pocket, he made it to the next month somehow by skimping on everything.
And then came the next chance to enter the labyrinth.
In other words, the day I woke up in this body and decided to enter the labyrinth.
"Hah! You didn't go into the labyrinth that time either? Are you crazy?"
"But how am I supposed to fight monsters without any weapons!"
No, that's why you should've just walked in the first time.
He had to be a player who'd reached the 'Gates of the Abyss', same as me, right?
Couldn't he even judge something so simple?
"B-, besides, I'd had a stomachache that day because of something I'd eaten!"
'Really, I don't know what to say anymore.'
My thoughts were getting complicated.
'I can't ask him directly if he's ever played that game…'
Now that I thought about it, I didn't even know if all demons, including this one, were from the same Earth as me.
Wasn't this a world of magic and monsters? Then why not have some evil spirits be summoned from some alien dimension?
"Anyway, keep talking."
It didn't seem like there was anything special left to learn, but I still listened to the rest of the story.
Of course, the content didn't differ much from what I'd expected.
The money ran out, he got kicked out of the inn, and he had to fight hunger, sickness and cold every day.
One day, when he found out about the inn where barbarians gathered, he went to see if he could get some help, but was rejected for some reason…
"You really are special! Everybody else just gave me weird looks."
To be honest, I was now even more curious about him.
How could he survive three months in such a state?
'No, shouldn't he have realized how to pretend to fit in with the other barbarians, by now?'
Even though I didn't understand the reasons behind any of his choices, there was a sense of relief blooming in my heart.
If I, too, had made a different choice back then –
'Perhaps I wouldn't have ended up any different.'
On that day, if I'd chosen to run away because I was afraid of fighting.
"… By the way, how much does this place cost per day?"
By now I might've been sleeping on the streets instead of renting a room in an inn, with a window and a private bath.
I wouldn't even be able to afford rock-bread without soup, and would have to rummage through the trash for something to eat–
"Ah, hm! So, how was my story? Good, huh?"
Just like this, I might've had to pour out my own imperfections to scrounge for the sympathy of others.
I pondered one last time before answering.
And made my decision.
"It was definitely a sad story."
"Then, can you help me?"
His face regained some animation in an instant.
"Of, of course I will repay the favour. You might not believe it, but I actually know the labyrinth really well! If you go there with me in the future, it'll be of great help to you too!"
Help, me?
'I see, so you do have some knowledge about this world… '
I could even sense what kind of a future he was imagining in his head.
Like teaming up with me to go into the labyrinth.
He might've said he'd repay me, thinking of that.
Because he didn't know who I really was.
But if I had to cut off this dream of his, and draw a line in the sand in advance –
"I'll never go into the labyrinth with you."
There was no such possible future, upon my oath.
I had so many bigger fish to fry[2], why would I take a burden alongside me into the labyrinth, just because he was somebody in a similar situation?
How crazy would I have to be to even consider something like that?
"Didn't you say that you'd definitely help?"
Hearing his voice filled with a trace of anger, I again forcefully suppressed my bitter smile.
"I'll help you, but in a different way."
"A different way?"
"Here, 150,000 stones. Buy a weapon with this and enter the labyrinth."
When I took out three 50,000-stone coins and held them out, his face brightened again.
"Are you really just giving this to me? Thank you! I will definitely repay this favour!"
I didn't even expect it to be repaid.
Even if he had the money, with his mindset, long-term survival seemed like a fool's dream.
The labyrinth that I'd personally experienced was not a place one could easily navigate with just game knowledge.
But I still gave him 150,000 stones.
I handed him the money, knowing that the act wouldn't do me any good.
"Now, I'm a bit tired, so shall we wrap this up?"
"Ah, that's right! I get it! I'll be back next time –"
"Don't."
I lowered my voice and repeated my words so he could clearly understand me.
"Tarikan son of Lien. Whether you're defeated in the labyrinth or survive and make a fortune, or even if things go well and you can afford to repay the favour –"
I closed in and grabbed him by the shoulder, and he flinched.
An awkward feeling passed through my fingertips, but I didn't let that stop me.
"– Or for any other reason. Leave this room today, and never return to see me. If you understand what I'm telling you, then answer me. Do you understand?"
"… I understand."
After his confirmation, I semi-forcibly kicked him out of the room. Then I stretched out on the bed, pondering what I'd just done.
My lips twisted into a smirk.
'Huh, did he remind me of the past?'
A past when I, too, had desperately needed someone's help.
But even considering that…
'What a disgusting thing I've done.'
From a pragmatic point of view, it'd been a foolish act that had no value.
From an emotional point of view, I could've done much, much more if I'd actually intended to help, instead of this anaemic level of support.
Neither were wrong.
I had neither the ruthlessness to completely step back from the line, nor the recklessness to cross over it.
So I'd stopped right on the line I'd drawn.
'In the end, I'm just being a hypocrite.'
I closed my eyes.
And thought.
No matter how hypocritical my actions were today –
"Tarikan, live as long as you can."
This was the best that I could do.
And without money, I could've never made the choice I'd made today.
The next morning.
I visited the same Adventurers' Guild branch I'd visited yesterday.
Unfortunately, it was a different staff member who responded…
"Five stars…?"
The face of the female employee who checked my identification card underwent an instantaneous transformation, same as what'd happened yesterday, and she also responded very kindly.
What the hell?
Maybe the regional chief had done something to my identity card?
I was curious, so I asked, but couldn't get a definitive answer.
"Star? Oh my, did I say something like that?"
Well, rather they just plainly pretended not to know.
I didn't choose to dig deeper, either.
It had to be something like a password used only by the guild.
Something like being marked as a VIP, or to be temporarily given special treatment.
I was curious how exactly it'd been marked, but…
'Either way, I'm the one who benefits.'
It didn't matter if I was considered a VIP, or if it was a limited-edition special treatment.
The end result was the same, to receive a kinder response from the guild staff.
"This is a list of teams that meet the criteria you mentioned. Would you like to check them out? Sir adventurer?"
Same as yesterday, I again went through the recruiting announcements.
They were almost unchanged compared to yesterday, except for a few new teams being added.
'Am I going to find a decent team today?'
While looking through the documents focusing on the newly added teams, I stopped my gaze at a specific part.
It was because I saw a familiar name.
[Third Floor Exploration – Hikurod Murad]
Preferred Exploration Area: None, to be decided at a later meeting.
Average rating: To be decided.
Current personnel: 1 dwarf melee warrior/defender (7th rank)
Recruitment: 4 (regardless of role, may vary depending on team composition)
Equal distribution
'Is the team leader called Hikurod Murad?'
The race was dwarf, too.
Could it really be the same guy…
'Is his original team disbanded?'
Whatever the reason, it wasn't a bad deal for me.
It was a bit odd that there weren't any members yet, but at least the team leader was fairly reliable.
I wondered what numbered item he'd gotten at the 'Blood Citadel'.
'I'll have to meet him once.'
I filled out a short application form and submitted it to the administrative officer, then left the building and headed along the road towards the business district.
Maybe tomorrow, or perhaps the day after tomorrow at the latest, a meeting would be arranged.
'Then let's do some in-game purchases before then.'
I was certain.
This was definitely going to rank up there in terms of having fun, given my recent history.
'Huh… But have I ever had fun before?'
I decided not to worry about such trivialities.
Editor's Notes:
[1] 구라 (gura) comes from Japanese and used in Korean as a slang, meaning to lie or to exaggerate. Something you'd use in a conversation between friends, or a close translation might be 'spinning a yarn'.
[2] 내 코가 석자 (lit. my nose is three lengths), indicating when your nose is running you don't have the time to worry about others.
-x-X-x-
230,000 stones just from the mana stone exchange.
The equipment from the four-man party led by that blond, sold at 800,000 stones.
Five million stones of settlement money from the guild, and one million more via blackmail.
In addition, 30,000 stones worth of compensation from the innkeeper.
'The Golden Mask is worth about 500,000 stones, but… since I decided to keep it, it doesn't count.'
From the earnings, subtract the 300,000 stones paid to Ainar, and the 150,000 stones I'd thrown away carelessly (?) yesterday, and you can calculate my current wealth.
'About 6,610,000 stones…'
In fact, even if I factored in my current standard of living, it' was a huge enough amount that I won't have to enter the labyrinth for the next three years.
Of course, that was only because the tax rate was relatively low for rookies, but even so.
'If I leave out 70,000 stones for this month's living expenses… my total budget comes around to 6.54 million stones.'
I quickened my steps, recalling the items on the shopping list I'd prepared in advance last night.
Although, that didn't mean I was really going to walk all the way.
"Is this the carriage for to Zone 2?"
"Right."
Once I arrived at the shared platform, I paid the 500 stones fee and got on the ten-person carriage.
The original price was 250 stones per head, but…
Barbarians were so big that they had to pay for two.
'Damn it.'
It was kind of upsetting, to be honest.
Especially because I had to way to refute it.
"We're here."
After a period of dozing on the seat, we arrived at the northern part of the city, to Zone 2 of the Commelby commercial area.
It took about 4 hours.
If I could've passed through Karnon, the first sector under the royal family, the journey could've been cut in half…
'But there's no way for me do that, with what little fame I have.'
First, I had a quick bite at a nearby restaurant, and then headed to my destination following the city map I'd bought in advance.
It was easier to find than I'd expected.
It wasn't long before I started to see a majestic building in the distance.
[Arminus Central Exchange].
One of the facilities I'd used the most while playing the game.
The central exchange.
There was no need to wander around the city directly selling my wares, and it was also a convenient place for finding specific items.
In return, you had to pay a fee.
"Are you registering as a seller?"
"No. I'm here to search for some stuff."
After taking a numbered ticket and waiting a while, I submitted my pre-written documents to the exchange staff.
"There are a total of twelve items that meet the criteria. Would you like to check the information?"
"Of course."
For reference, the search fee for each item was 3,000 stones.
After paying and waiting a while, the staff pulled out some papers and brought them to me.
"After checking the contents, please tell the staff over there what you want, and someone will guide you to the storage area."
In the game, you just had to press the buy button, but this was how it actually worked, huh. It was reasonable that they were charging a fee.
Somebody had to pay the labour costs of the system, after all.
'Anyway, let's check things out, first.'
Like the other users crowded nearby, I also sat down and started reading the documents.
There were only twelve items that met the criteria, so it didn't take long to finish.
"I want to see this item, here."
Having selected the item with the most reasonable price from the list, I followed the staff to the storage area.
And after a few inspections to confirm that there were no defects, I bought it with cash without hesitation.
[Expandable Backpack]
Storage space: Tier 8
Form: Standard medium backpack
Enchantments: Automatic organization, individual item withdrawal/deposit, lightweight (low)
Selling price: 2.5 million stones
An expandable backpack.
It was a little far from the standard subspace, but at my current level of wealth, it was a good item.
Even if the storage area was only tier 8, that was still more than thrice the size of the extra-large backpack I used…
'And it's got the set of all three of enchantments.'
All in all, it was definitely worth it.
Even assuming you can do without[1] 'automatic organization', which keeps the items inside in an optimal shape –
'Lightweight' is close to essential.
Think about it. No matter how wide the space might be, if the weight of the items remains the same, it's meaningless.
'… In that sense, individual deposit and withdrawal is the same.'
This was an expandable backpack that I bought for convenience.
If it had no 'individual withdrawal' function, only last-in, first-out withdrawal would be possible, meaning I could only take out the items in reverse order of how I'd put them in.
'It was all so inconvenient in the game, but in reality, it's no joke.'
Well, it was a bit disappointing that it still looked like a backpack, but…
Expecting anything more would've been delusional.
I decided to be satisfied and returned to my original place with the backpack I'd just purchased.
Then I searched for the rest of the items ,as well.
Now my remaining budget was about 4 million stones.
「The character is wearing an expandable backpack.」
「Inventory expands significantly.」
Now that I'd taken care of the conveniences, it was time to increase my actual strength.
Four million stones.
It was enough to fit myself a full set of steel plate armour, or to raise my immortal imprint by about three levels at once.
Neither was a bad choice, per se…
But I didn't pick any of them.
Because things had changed at my end.
(P) Dark Origin — Resists death if your heart is intact.
Somehow, I ended up eating the essence of a vampire.
Thanks to that, I was now in a state where my body would not perish as long as my heart was unharmed.
In other words, the choice of strengthening the immortal imprint, or getting matching armour parts such as gaiters, was no longer the best value for money.
After much deliberation, I made a final decision.
'I'd rather get higher-tier equipment.'
What was commonly called higher-tier equipment was –
In other words, I decided to purchase equipment made from a second-tier metal, instead of first-tier metal like steel.
「The character is wearing a lythinium breastplate.」
「Total item level rises +270.」
Lythinium.
A second-tier metal, twice as light and hard as normal steel.
But maybe because it was so brilliantly white, it was outrageously expensive.
'1.91 million stones for a single breastplate… '
The breastplate I purchased through the exchange had the same shape as the steel half-armour I sold as scrap metal, but the price was more than five times higher.
'Well, it's natural. Usually you'd have to be an adventurer on the 4th floor to use tier 2 material, right?'
Among the various armour pieces, why I chose the breastplate as my top priority was simple.
The safer and more protected my heart, the greater the benefit of my passive skill, [dark origin], would be.
Safety was my paramount concern, so there was no doubt about what my first pick would be.
The second, however, took some time before I could finalize the purchase.
「The character has equipped a large titanium combat shield.」
「Total item level rises by +315.」
After puzzling over whether I should change my weapon or buy a new shield to replace the old one that was sold for scrap metal –
After a long deliberation, I finally spent 2.1 million stones to purchase a shield.
There were many reasons, but the main one was…
'Now I don't have to focus on DPS[2] anymore.'
So far, I'd only ever ventured into the labyrinth solo or as prt of a duo.
But to go any higher, I'd need a party – of at least four people.
In other words, it was more efficient to hold a shield and become a living tank to protect my allies.
'Vampiric essence isn't suited for the DPS role, anyway.'
And above all, unlike a weapon, the shield was something I could continue to use even after I got my hands on 'that essence'…
And without my trusty shield, I was feeling kind of bereaved.
Well, now my pockets had become bereaved instead.
'Yeah, now this is some respectable equipment.'
For some reason, when I looked into the mirror, a sense of satisfaction welled up inside my heart.
Was this another transformation from my becoming a barbarian?
「Bjorn Yandel」
Level: 3
Body: 155 / Mind: 90 / Ability: 115
Item Level: 683 (New +585)
Combat Index: 527.75 (New +146.25)
Acquired Essences: Corpse Golem – Rank 7, Vampire (Guardian) – Rank 5
By the time I was done with my moderate spending spree, it was already evening.
After eating one more meal at the same restaurant where I'd had lunch, I got into a carriage and returned to my place at Zone 13.
The day was over.
'It takes so much time to travel… '
Later, once I made some actual money, I'd have to look at moving to the central district.
Living at the outskirts brought many inconveniences along with it.
Even though I'd gotten a bit closer to the city centre this time, it was still too far from the Dimensional Plaza.
'At the end of the day, is it all about money? …'
As I'd spent a lot of money today, I went to sleep with a promise to myself to make even more money.
And the next morning –
'I've finished what I can deal with right now, so let's go back there soon.'
Like a sincere barbarian, I got up really early in the morning and headed to the library.
Korean gamers are famous for their habit of grinding[3] whenever they have spare time. Well, this wasn't a game anymore, it was reality, so now it was just normal hard work.
I still lacked common sense and knowledge of this world.
'In that sense, if I get my own house in the future, it'd better if it were close to the library.'
Books are nourishment for the soul.
The reason why I'd been able to spend my money so rationally on the exchange was probably because I'd read a book in the library.
'What was the title of that book again?'
I couldn't remember the title, but it was a book that recorded the average trading prices of items on the exchange for the past decade.
It was hard to read because there were so many numbers, but there was no better textbook to learn the market price levels.
As I kept walking while immersed in my own thoughts, I soon found myself at my destination.
Nothing had changed compared to the last time.
The smell of books wafting throughout the building, the countless glass-wearing nerds[4] who'd arrived earlier than me, and the librarian sitting at the counter with a sleepy face.
"Long time no see."
As I greeted her, same as last time, the librarian gave me a strange look.
Then she mumbled a short word.
"… How?"
Oh, did you notice?
"Fufu, this is titanium armour and shield. I had to spend about 4 million stones in total. Oh, and here's an expandable backpack on my back –"
"Parstyev."
Ah, she was as cold as always.
I left the chronically fatigued librarian, who'd started to doze off again after casting the spell on me, and headed deeper into the library.
But was it because of my new, shiny equipment?
I could feel people's gazes everywhere, even more so than usual.
Most of them had a look of… awe?
I wasn't completely sure about that, but delving deeper into that train of thought was just a recipe for embarrassment, so I decided to think of them that way.
'… Is it because I came to the library with my equipment on?'
Maybe so.
But even if it looked strange, so what?
I was a barbarian!
I just stopped paying attention and decided to do my own thing, and while concentrating on the keywords, I managed to pull out a bunch of books.
[Establishment and Development of the Adventurers' Guild].
[Judgments on Pillaging: A Case Study III].
[Comprehension of Legal Terminology].
[The Birth of Mozlan].
[…] […]
[… …]
Was it because how I'd almost gotten framed this time?
My interest in the guild, as well as the various institutions directly controlled by the royal family, and the law – was growing.
Wasn't there a famous saying back on my world?
Ignorance is a sin[5].
So, I had to start learning.
Creak–!
As I kept reading, with a break every four hours to go out and have a meal, the sun again began to set.
I decided to finish the rest when I came back the next day, and returned to my inn.
A letter had arrived for me during the day, which was a very unusual state of affairs.
It was from the Adventurers' Guild.
Hikurod Murad wanted to meet with me.
'I can't go to the library tomorrow, looks like.'
After wiping my new shield and breastplate with a dry cloth for about an hour, I lay on the bed and promptly fell asleep.
There was nothing to do in the morning, so I decided to sleep in.
It was a little past noon when I got up.
After a quick and plain wash, I headed to the meeting place.
Rattle–!
A shop that was an inn, a restaurant and a tavern, all in one.
As I entered the hall on the ground floor, I could see quite a few people eating and chatting.
After looking around the room for a while, I finally found the person I'd been looking for. After all, dwarves were too short to see easily among a crowd.
He would've done better to stand while he ate, honestly.
But anyway –
"It's been a while, Hikurod."
"Hah! It was really you! It's marked as a rank 7, so I wasn't sure if –"
The dwarf who greeted me with a smile suddenly startled as he got a better look at me.
"No, what the hell is with that equipment?"
Oh, so you noticed?
I replied like it was no big deal.
"Ah, this? As you can see from this white brilliance, it's titanium armour, and the shield's the same. And this one on my back is an expandable backpack, I finally bought one this time."
Really, it was nothing much. No need to stare!
Editor's Notes:
[1] 백번 양보해서 (lit. conceding a hundred times), used to debunk someone's argument by revealing their error after making some assumptions.
[2] 딜 (dil), is a homophone of the English word 'deal'. In game context, this is used to refer to 'dealing (inflicting) damage', so here the protagonist is saying he no longer needs to the primary damage dealer and can focus on being the tank of the team. Using DPS (damage per second) as the translation since it conveys the same meaning.
[3] 노가다를 (nogada) means hard, repetitive work. In RPG terms, this is what you'd call 'grinding' and that's how it's translated here.
[4] 멸치 (lit. anchovy), slang for thin people. Nerd really isn't the right translation here, but it fits the context.
[5] This is really not what the raw says. What the raw actually says is 모르면 맞는 수밖에 없다 (lit. if you don't know, there's nothing you can do). It's a meme from Tekken, about how you can get beaten by an ultimate move if you don't have any idea how it works, but on the other hand, if you do know then it's easy to block. See this wiki link.
-x-X-x-
After a brief spell of silence –
The dwarf, who was looking hesitant about what to say, finally spoke after a period of contemplation.
"Is that so…?"
His reaction was in equal terms bewildering and surprising.
"What're you so surprised about? You must have at least one of these, too, right?"
"No, just… was your personality always like this?"
Well, I had no idea what misconception he'd had about me.
But this would have to be enough. I wasn't going to suffer any more embarrassment.
As long as I gave him a little time, even with just this little bit of information I'd craftily leaked out, he should be able to make an estimate of my overall equipment level.
'With this, no matter how short my career's been, I don't think he'll try and mess around.'
Of course, the recruitment notice had clearly stated 'equal distribution'.
But I still remembered very clearly –
The expression on his face when he'd lamented that he only got rift stone and had to give up all the rest of the loot in the Bloody Citadel.
'After all, no matter how nice somebody might be on the outside, adventurers are adventurers in the end.'
If you started off by giving an inch, they'd take a mile and still keep coming, forever.
Therefore, I plopped down on the seat opposite him, without even asking if I could sit.
And didn't hesitate to ask –
"Not going to buy me a drink, Hikurod? You got that numbered item thanks to me, after all."
A statement that harkened back to my abilities and reminded him of his debt at the same time.
"Eh? Ha ha ha ha! Is that so?"
Although the dwarf laughed out loud, he didn't deny it.
Because I'd indeed been the biggest contributor in the 'Blood Citadel'.
"Well, that's not wrong! It's a bit late, but I'll buy you a round in thanks. Let's talk while drinking!"
"Good."
It seemed that the food would take a while, so we grabbed the alcohol that got served first.
And our conversation started in earnest as we drank.
The dwarf started with a string of rapid-fire questions.
"I was really surprised when I found out you were the one who applied, you know? What the hell happened? Did you find there some sort of treasure hidden in the rift? Surely that wizard girl must've looked around, too, but she never found it?"
It wasn't surprising that he had so many questions.
After all, I'd changed too much.
Although, we weren't familiar enough that I had to give him an honest answer.
"Yeah, that's pretty much it."
"What do you mean? Please tell me more!"
"Like you said, there was a treasure there. That's it. Don't ask any more."
As I drew my line in the sand, the dwarf smacked his lips.
He understood that getting any more information would be difficult even if he pressed.
"I don't know what kind of treasure you got, but you got lucky too, huh."
Me, lucky?
This guy had been the one to benefit the most from the 'Blood Citadel'.
While I got hurt to the very edge of death –
Wasn't he the only one going in solo, who got out with a numbered item?
'I wonder what exactly dropped… I'll ask about it later.'
The meal I'd ordered soon came out, so the conversation went on while I was filling my stomach.
Starting with the obvious –
"So, have you got a full team?"
"I don't really like any of the applicants, so you're the first one I'm meeting face-to-face."
"I see."
Nodding, I went straight to the point like a barbarian should.
The real purpose behind the meeting –
"So? What do you think?"
Would Hikurod Murad accept me as a team member?
"Um, that's… actually, I invited you just to check if it was really you. More than getting a teammate, I just wanted to talk to you. Um, although I wrote in the notice that we were going to explore the 3rd floor, I was considering going up to the 4th if the team seemed solid enough…"
He was just needlessly chattering on.
It would've been enough to say he never intended to accept me in his team.
"So, have you changed your mind now?"
At my piercing stare, the dwarf answered, stroking his well-kept beard.
"Heh heh, you could say that. After all, nobody would call you a rookie anymore if they just got one look at you. Really, if it weren't for the fact that gathering the rest of the team would be problematic if they saw a rookie had joined, I wouldn't even have worried about it!"
Instead making such cheap excuses, I wished he hadn't said anything in the first place.
But the fact that the dwarves lacked the artifice to take such a tack was also a part of their charm.
"Then, is this it?"
"Hahaha! Let's seal the deal."
I picked up my drink, and the dwarf followed suit.
"Here's to the future!"
A team, was formed.
Although it had two people in it…
But I could just pretend in the future to have an intense discussion before I made the choices according to my own thoughts.
***
"Hikurod, didn't you say earlier that a lot of people had applied?"
"Yeah?"
"Who were they?"
"Hm? Who cares? They were just 8th ranked kids with less than a year in the trade."
Oh? Didn't that apply to me too?
After a moment of serious thought, the dwarf suddenly spoke up as if he'd remembered something.
"Ah! Come to think of it, I never asked! How did you get promoted so quickly? It'd be difficult to get rank 7 with just one corpse golem essence, right?"
"One corpse golem essence?"
My muttering trailed off.
Right, he'd passed out, hadn't he? So he still didn't know, that I'd eaten the vampire's essence.
Should I tell him the story?
While I was locked in an internal struggle –
"Oho! That's right!"
Suddenly, the dwarf shouted that he'd got it.
"Hah! I didn't think it through! Seriously, your equipment now is more than enough for the promotion!"
Ah, uh, um…
It was a plausible enough guess, but…
"… Yeah, that's true."
Now that this had happened, I decided to keep the information to myself.
After all, the team hadn't even been officially formed yet, and others might join in the future.
It was better to be careful.
Maybe someday this could be my trump card.
'It's enough to say that I have regeneration from my undying imprint.'
The most important part was over, so we continued small talk over a glass of wine.
I also had a question, as to why the dwarf had left his original team and formed a new one.
"You know, I just left my team for a while this time, right?"
"Right."
I heard that he'd applied for a leave of absence from the team, hoping to get a crack at the rift.
"But now that I'm back, they seem more interested in the warrior who temporary substituted for me!"
The dwarf belched out his anger towards his former colleagues in a voice filed with fury, but to be honest, I couldn't particularly empathize.
'Isn't it because you left the team for personal reasons, in the first place?'
The biggest victim had been the leader of his old team.
They'd been slated for a labyrinth tour, but a teammate suddenly said he'd take a break? He must've gotten swamped by a sudden deluge of overwork.
What if more such problems cropped up in the future?
Rather, didn't he have a better choice?
'I, too, if I'd been the team leader, wouldn't have accepted such a selfish guy back. After all, what happens once can happen again.'
Of course, I kept the thought bottled up inside my head.
"Oh my god, what idiots! Right?"
"Yeah. They really have no concept of loyalty!"
It was always better to agree unconditionally, in such a scenario.
But I could take this opportunity to satisfy my curiosity.
"I don't know how good they are, but they'll definitely be crushed with regret if they get to know what you got this time!"
"What I got this time?"
"The numbered item!"
"Aah! I totally forgot! Next time we meet, I'll tell them all about it! Make them understand how big idiots they are!"
Was he already fantasizing about the scene?
The dwarf took a large sip of alcohol and burst into laughter.
Anyway, this was a natural segue to what I wanted to know, right?
"Yeah, exactly! That's why, I was asking…"
I probed carefully.
"What did you get this time?"
"Um, didn't I tell you yet?"
"You didn't!"
It was something I'd been curious about ever since we met up here.
I knew all the possible numbered items that could've dropped, of course, but this was an unprecedented variant rift that we'd cleared this time.
He might've come across a unique item.
Like the mysterious box that Raven had left open in the boss room.
'Come to think of it, I never asked what was in it.'
I decided to enquire when we met up next week, and while I was waiting for him to answer, the dwarf grinned and put his thick arms on the table.
"These vambraces are from there."
Well, I couldn't get a feel of them just from the view.
"What're they called?"
"The guild's appraiser called them something like the 'Guardian's Bracers'[1] –"
"What the hell?"
How did something like that drop?
"… Yes? You're familiar?"
"Oh, no, no. I was just surprised by how cool the name was."
"Heh heh heh! We really have something in common! I thought so too!"
No. 3112, the Guardian's Vambraces.
A numbered item belonging to the 3,000 sequences, which can drop only from rifts on the 4th floor or higher.
With unsurpassed effectiveness, how much would this cost on the market?
"I checked the price through the central exchange. Apparently, it's around 50 million stones."
Fuck.
What was this, a joke?
How much had this dwarf bastard even contributed in the rift?
"Ha ha ha! They said that that was the old price, and these are almost never put up for sale, so they might actually be even more expensive now! Of course, I'm not selling either, but still!"
"…"
"Oh, hey, why're you so silent?"
"It's nothing. Just… I… I was a bit surprised, that's all."
To be honest, I was so surprised that my stomach, filled with alcohol and meat, was now feeling unbearably sore with jealousy.
"I understand. 50 million stones? I thought I was going to faint when I first heard it! It must be the same for you too, huh?"
Was this retaliation for how I'd teased him about my new equipment?
Didn't this bastard understand the concept of disproportionate response?
"Don't be so down. Keep on adventuring, and you too could get a numbered item someday, right? Of course, it won't be as good as what I got! Hahaha."
Looing away from his grinning face, I slowly lowered one of my hands under the table.
It –
– Was the hand that wore the Ring of the Frost Spirit, No. 9425.
***
Guardian's Bracers? 50 million stones? So what?
I decided to think as positively as possible.
Although I was so green with envy that I felt like hurling, it was a minor annoyance. Having a strong teammate was an unquestionable net positive.
'… Let's just focus on building a team.'
The first task should be to raise the dwarf's adventurer rank to the next level.
If you want to find a good team member, you first need to look like an attractive team.
There's a huge gap between the team leader being seventh ranked and being sixth ranked, which can't be bridged by mere words.
"Hikurod, go to the guild today and raise your adventurer rank, first."
"… What's this all of a sudden?"
"Don't you have 50 million stones worth of equipment? If you apply for review, the guild will definitely take it seriously!"
"But, it's too sudden –"
"So you don't want to?"
"No, it's not that…"
"Then go, now!"
I even followed him to the guild and watched him submit the application, in case he got sidetracked.
For reference, the evaluation results took six days, a little later than expected, but fortunately the promotion request was successful.
And then the quality of our applicants rose dramatically.
More than ten came in every day.
And while the dwarf and I were busy carefully vetting the applications, very happily –
"Oh, a wizard?"
Suddenly, a wizard's application arrived.
Of course, he wasn't somebody from the Magic Tower, and was only 8th rank, working in a guild or a public institution somewhere –
Still, a wizard was a wizard.
"Hey, Bjorn, isn't something wrong? How can a wizard be attracted to a team like ours?"
"Yeah, it's really weird. He could've picked a much better team than ours."
"Well, what should we do?"
There were some questionable parts, but we still decided to meet him, and informed the guild.
And, this morning –
Finally, a place and time were set for the appointment.
"He won't ask for half the share, right? They say all wizards are snotty…"
I didn't know what made Hikurod so nervous.
He hadn't given a single inch against Raven, who belonged to the tower, while haggling for his share.
"What're you so worried about? If he makes a request like that, you just say it's unfortunate and leave."
"That, ah, right?"
Was it because it was the first wizard he was meeting as a team leader?
While I was teasing the dwarf who was so nervous that his chubby legs kept occasionally knocking together, a man in a robe entered the tavern.
He looked at us and waved his hand.
"Yo, barbarian! Dwarf!"
Fuck, was this another landmine?
How could somebody sound so offensive with just a short greeting?
I was already expecting a catastrophe, but just in case, I decided to wait a little longer.
"Hahaha! Nice to meet you! Are you the wizard we're here to meet today?"
"What're the odds of you coming across a second wizard at the same time and place, d'ya think?"
At the young wizard's question, the dwarf looked at me in bewilderment.
Haah, really, why was he like this?
"… He means, you're right."
"Oh, is that so! Hahaha! Anyway, nice to meet you! My name is Hikurod Murad!"
"That's one weird name. I am Reol Webb Dwalky, an 8th rank wizard officially acknowledged by the royal family of Rafdonia."
"… R-, royal family of Rafdonia?"
Again, what was this guy so surprised about?
"It means he isn't from a guild, he does administrative work in a public institution."
"Ah, is that so?"
The young wizard's roundabout way of speech was also contributing, sure, but it was the dwarf, dazzled at every turn, who was really driving me up the wall.
"Haha! Even though you're a barbarian, you're very knowledgeable. What's your name?"
"I'm Bjorn, son of Yandel. Please sit down."
I'd just been planning to watch for a while, but it was so frustrating that I decided to take the lead in the conversation.
Because that'd save all our time.
"Dwalky, I've pored over your application. But I still have a few questions that I'd like to ask. Is that alright?"
"Of course."
"Do you have a labyrinth pass?"
"Would I have come here if I hadn't?"
Well, assuming that was true –
"One more thing. Why do you want to be an adventurer, when you can make enough money in the city?"
It was rare for eighth ranked wizards to go on labyrinth expeditions.
For a simple reason.
They didn't have the skills to explore the middle or higher areas. But there was hardly any money to make on the lower floors.
Working in a public institution would net them much better income.
Considering the difficulty of obtaining a pass, and the risks involved, it wasn't worth the cost.
"Hmm, that's an unexpected question."
Dwalky, who'd tilted his head for a moment, continued.
"It's simple. I want to become a great adventurer, to honour my liege, Baron Martoine."
His face was shing with pride as he declared his aspiration.
The dwarf, who'd had been sitting by the side listening quietly, apparently felt a chill down his spine.
"B-, baron? You, a-are a noble? No, why would a noble…?"
Nobles.
The most powerful group inside Rafdonia. The masses usually lived out their lives without ever meeting a single one.
As if he felt quite content with the dwarf's reaction, Dwalky burst out laughing and proudly declared.
"Fufufu, Aunt Enka, my mother's sister, happens to be the wife of Baron Martione's third younger brother."
"…!!!"
The dwarf was hyperventilating as if he was about to faint, and Dwalky patted his shoulder as if he understood.
There was a kind smile on his lips.
Seeing that smile, I thought –
"Don't be too nervous. I won't abuse my status to mistreat others."
– This punk, did he really have a few screws loose?
Editor's Notes:
[1] 팔목 보호대 (lit. wrist guard). This literally translates to 'bracers' which are used by archers. As this is supposed to be a melee warrior's equipment, perhaps the author means 'vambraces' instead.
-x-X-x-
A polished appearance and curly blonde hair.
Height in the mid-160s, with a tall and lanky body.
A rank 8 wizard who was capable of daily life and administration magics, a few curses, and cold magic.
Reol Webb Dwalky.
The more he talked, the more his words stank, practically oozing.
'Fuck, is he actually a wizard or not?'
I suddenly had such doubts, so I tried to verify, but surprisingly, he was legit.
And looking back, he'd never truly lied.
He'd only said that his aunt's husband was the third brother of the baron, not that he himself was an aristocrat.
Well, he probably knew where to draw the line.
Impersonating a noble was an unpardonable crime, the sentence being summary execution.
"So how about it? Am I in?"
After much deliberation, it was decided to add him to the team.
"… We will be colleagues from now on."
"Ha ha! That's good! Because it's my first time, I wanted to join a team with as many warriors as possible."
His personality was full of bravado and bluff.
And he'd never delved into the labyrinth before.
Although these two were demerits, but…
He was still a wizard.
He didn't request a higher share, and even said he'd follow orders properly inside the labyrinth, so on balance, he was a decent enough pick.
'Because nothing comes cheap without reason.'
Moreover, we'd get better applicants if it became known that we had a wizard on the team.
It wasn't like our recruitment notice would describe our wizard's personality, right?
"Once we recruit the rest of the team, we'll contact you again."
"I see. Then I'll see you later."
After Dwalky left, the dwarf, who'd been frozen throughout the conversation, let out a long breath.
"Isn't he great? A wizard, even a nobleman, is so humble… "
I answered with sincerity.
"Hikurod, it's you who really is the greatest."
I was being a hundred percent sincere.
My life in the city settled into a plain routine after that.
Aside from visiting Raven's lab once a week, I got up every day at 7 am, grabbed a bite to eat, and went straight to the library.
"Parstyev."
"I'm off then. Have a nice day."
"…"
Including last time, I'd been here almost every day for two months, but I'd never had a proper conversation with this lady librarian.
Cough–!
Usually, I simply kept reading till the closing time, going out for a meal break every four hours.
But today, the routine would have to be broken because I had an appointment.
I was about to leave a little earlier than the closing time, when the librarian suddenly started talking to me.
"I have a question."
"… What is it?"
"Why do you always wear armour when you come to the library?"
Oh, that was what she was curious about.
I answered honestly.
"What if I leave it at the inn and someone steals it?"
"… I see, so that's why."
As soon as she got her answer, the librarian closed her eyes as if she was done.
"I thought you were completely indifferent to others, but you don't seem to be, huh?"
I felt like I was losing for some reason, so I added a comment, but the librarian showed a slight displeasure on her face.
"I keep getting complaints from the other users. They feel so worried at the sight of you that they can't read the books calmly."
"… I-, is that so?"
"Yes. If your business here is done, could you please not disturb me anymore and leave?
Disturb?
Yeah, I should just leave so you can get back to your nap, eh?
I wanted to retort, but if she really got annoyed and had me banned, it'd be a headache.
I left the library at a fast, almost running pace, and headed for the meeting place.
It was a little past 9 in the evening when I got there.
"There you are! Bjorn! Why are you so late today!"
"Sorry, it was too small to find."
"Hahaha! More jokes! Come sit down!"
In the evening, I met the dwarf and had a drink together.
Not just today, about three or four times a week.
Of course, it wasn't to foster our friendship, it was to discuss the team.
"So, how was the guy you met this time?"
"He was a serious and reliable friend."
No, not that.
How were his skills?
"Ah! It wasn't as bad as I'd been worrying it'd be. He's had a long career as an adventurer, and is an all-rounder with skills for all sorts of situations."
"Right."
"… So, what do you think?"
After thinking for a while, I nodded, and the dwarf's complexion brightened.
"Haah, that's good. I was wondering what to do if you didn't like him. There isn't much time left."
In his sigh, I could hear his pain, as a team leader who was actually only a figurehead[1].
In fact, he was the one who was suffering the most.
Let's praise him more, praise him more.
Praises didn't cost money, anyway.
"You did a great job, Hikurod. Also, you are a great leader. I'm glad I chose you."
"Ha ha ha! Is that so?"
"Of course. Is there another team leader in this world who respects the team members' opinions like you do? Don't lose your focus and just keep on doing things the way you are. Then, unlike that idiot who kicked you out, you'll be a great team leader."
"Ha ha! You've been a real help, too, mate! This was my first time in a role like this, so I'd been a bit worried, but I'm glad that I have you with me!"
My heart was overwhelmed at those words.
This dwarf always complained about my frequent interferences. How come he turned into such a great team leader overnight?
"Then, you buy the alcohol today!"
"… Again? Didn't I buy it last time too!"
"Hey, a good team leader shouldn't be so stingy!"
"Hey, who says I'm stingy…!"
Exactly one week was left before the labyrinth opened.
"Ah, fine, I'll buy it today! Finally, we've got all the team members, is the price of alcohol an issue?"
Finally, the team was complete.
The reality is different from the game.
You can't enter the labyrinth just with a full team, there're other preparations you need to make separately.
First, everyone in the team has to gather and discuss.
How far to go, where would the main hunting ground be, and – as adventurers who're all crazy for money – whether the loot distribution ratio is fair.
If no problem arises, you have to go to the guild office to register as an official team, and then work together every day to organize the exploration plan, etc.
'It passed quickly.'
This has been my busiest week since waking up in Bjorn Yandel's body.
And the long-awaited moment has come.
「You have entered the Crystal Cave on the first floor. 」
The Crystal Cave on the first floor of the labyrinth is covered in brightly coloured spots of light.
"Oh! This is a labyrinth!"
Unlike the days when I'd been solo or at best part of a duo, now there're five men and women around me.
These are the new team members who'll be joining us on this journey.
Let's introduce them one by one—
"Lieite!"
"Ouch! Fuck! My eyes!"
The skinny blond, who cast optical magic before my eyes could adapt, is named Riol Webb Dwalky.
Dwalky the Dunce[2], for short.
"This crazy basta–"
The dwarf cuts my grumbling off.
"Dwalky, save your magic as much as possible."
"Oh, but isn't it too dark?"
"In the labyrinth, this is already very bright. If it gets really dark, you can light a torch."
"Okay then, I see."
This is a change that's occurred over time.
The dwarf finally realized that Dwalky isn't a noble, and began to be more relaxed around him.
And, somehow, they've become pretty friendly.
The dwarf pretends to be indifferent, but whenever Dwalky the Dunce does something stupid, he's there to take care of it.
"Why did you pack so much for the labyrinth? Rookie mistake. Come on, give it to me, I'll put it in my bag."
"Your meticulous consideration, I will not decline."
While the dwarf is watching over the idiot and taking care of him as usual –
A high-pitched, cheerful voice breaks in.
"Captain, shouldn't we start moving?"
Misha Karlstein.
As can be seen from the triangular ears growing on her head, she's a beastkin adventurer.
Twenty-five years old, and on her fifth year as an adventurer.
Her height in his early 170s, and her tall and slender body along with her proud expression creates the impression of an icy beauty, but…
"Stop playing and come on. I want to get to cracking some monster skulls."
She has a strange habit of slightly slurring her words at the end of her speech.
She claims that it's an unavoidable problem due to the beastkin body structure, but I've never seen one with such poor pronunciation before.
Oh, and she has one more trait.
"Ha ha! If Princess says so, we have to march!"
"He! Didn't I tell you not to call me Princess!"
"Still, you're the daughter of the chieftain of the Red Cat tribe, how could a mere dwarf like me –"
"Shut your trap! You bastard dwarf!"
Misha Karlstein is the princess of one of the five great tribes, the Red Cat tribe.
The thirteenth, or the fifteenth?
I can't remember her actual number in the sequence.
In any case, there's no need for special treatment or anything like that.
In the first place, she's only a princess by the norm of human society, not a real princess of the beastkin.
Rather, there's somebody else in the team to be more careful of.
"Murad, stop it. Even if it's just a joke, you shouldn't annoy her like that."
Brown Rotmiller.
A human, thirty-four years old.
Although he's only seventh rank, he has eight years of experience.
No matter how meritocratic the adventurer industry may be, he's the most experienced among us.
That's why even the dwarf takes a step back every time he says something.
"Hey, was I a little too harsh? I'll be more careful in the future."
"Serves you right –"
"Same goes for you, Karlstein. I understand you're angry, but does that justify calling your team leader a bastard?"
"… I was wrong."
Personally, in this team, I like him the best.
In a way, he's the only normal member in this team.
Well, that's what, unlike the other team members, also makes him difficult to deal with.
"Murad, can we stop delaying any farther and depart?"
"Ah, yes, please."
"From now on, everyone, please follow me."
Dwalky speaks up just as we're about to start.
"Wait, wouldn't it be better for Bjorn or Hikurod to take the lead? They're the warriors… "
"I'll need help from the third floor onwards, but I'll be enough by myself till then."
Frankly, I don't know what he's so worried about.
Rotmiller is a professional adventurer.
Who's survived the labyrinth for eight years.
'His adventurer rating is low compared to his experience, but… '
I rather appreciate that part.
In eight years, he must've gone through all sorts of situations, but isn't he still alive and kicking?
Not by virtue of brute force, but by taking advantage of his other diverse talents.
'That's probably why he's so serious and inflexible about everything.'
Under Rotmiller's guidance, we finally reach our destination, occasionally smashing the monsters appear in our way.
To the outermost part of the first floor, often called the Dark Zone.
Despite running all the way via the shortest route without losing our way even once, the portal had already been opened by some other adventurers by the time we reach it.
"I got outpaced this time too."
"Don't be so hard on yourself. You've done your job without any mistakes."
"Murad, that's no reason to give up. If you can't resent your own shortcomings, that means your life as an adventurer is over."
"I-, is that so?"
It took us about ten hours to get here, for reference.
After Rotmiller's passionate speech, I can't say it out loud, but for a generalist adventurer team like ours, this is already a very good record. We aren't a speedrunning team specialized in grabbing the portal opening experience, after all.
To be honest, I hadn't expected him to find the portal so easily.
'He isn't even a specialist guide, but to think he still found the way so fast…'
I'm anticipating all the other talents he hasn't had the chance to show off yet.
But in a corner of my heart, a strand of regret blooms.
'If it were Ainar or Erwen, I would've been able to grab the opening experience.'
Dimensional instability.
By using the method that can only be called a 'bug', it's possible to grab the portal opening experience without any fuss.
But this is a method that can only be used when the secrecy can be maintained through a 'promise' or an 'oath'.
'Later… Let's save it for later when I have a really reliable team. After all, experience isn't the limiting factor right now.'
I take a deep breath and shake off the last traces of my regrets.
And the dwarf shouts loudly at the same time.
"C'mon then, let's go in!"
The dwarf steps into the portal first, and I immediately follow after.
'Please, I hope nothing big happens this time… '
Hm? Isn't this a bit too windy?
「You have entered the Beasts' Lair on the second floor. 」
The true journey has just begun.
Editor's Notes:
[1] 바지 팀장 (lit. pants team leader), a nominal leader with no real power. The common usage is 바지사장 (lit. pants boss/CEO). Although it uses similar words as the English phrase 'wearing the pants (in a relationship)' the meaning is the opposite. The etymology behind 'pants' can found at Namu Wiki.
[2] 드왈키 새키 (Dwalky Saeki), where 새키 (saeki) is short for 새끼 (saekki), bastard.
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