episode_0188

“…”

The inn was filled with awkward silence because of Brin’s strange joke.

Even without that, it was an awkward meal as Brin and Karin didn’t know each other.

Jeong Yushin opened his mouth to say something but closed it again.

Sow.

How does a pig cry?

Whether intentional or not, he held two women in his arms.

He heard a panting that seemed to rise from his belly, not a feeble moan that would come out in a pornographic video.

Heu-ooo-heut.

Ee-geu-geu-geut.

He inadvertently glanced at Karin.

Karin, noticing Jeong Yushin’s gaze, stood her red tail straight.

“Wh-wh-what?!”

“S-s-sorry!”

Still having at least some sense, Brin hurriedly bowed her head and apologized.

“It’s okay.”

Jeong Yushin smiled casually and replied.

‘Brin is perceptive. Isn’t it true? Virgin sow corruption, and incubus imprint. Stop making innocent women cry and live with some conscience, Yushin.’

‘Fate calls you. Sow Master.’

A devil has possessed me.

Is my heart also stained with the darkness of the labyrinth?

The angel and devil in his head were making similar noises.

Jeong Yushin shook his head to clear his mind and changed the subject.

“Brin, but what brings you to the Labyrinth City?”

I heard you graduated from the Academy safely.

Is there a reason to stay in such a dangerous place?

“Well… I’m short on living expenses.”

Brin scratched her head, smiling shyly.

I see.

“Sca, have you been to the library by any chance?”

Lena asked.

“Yeah. I’ve been going there for the past week.”

“I see. The receptionist there is a friend of mine. She said a handsome Barbaroi man was looking for a decent book. I wondered if it was Sca. I wish I could have gone with you.”

Lena looked regretful.

“That’s right. Let’s go together next time.”

That aside, Lena also seemed to have quite a wide network. Does she know a lot of people in the city?

She seems quiet, but she has considerable sociability.

“Ah!”

A thought flashed through his mind.

Lena is a mage.

Maybe she knows about the outer gods?

“Lena.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know about the Outer Gods?”

Lena closed her mouth and stared at Jeong Yushin for a long time.

“…Why are you asking that?”

“Because I’m curious. I also encountered a strange monster in the interdimensional passage the other day. It can’t hurt to know.”

“…I see. Generally, the gods of other dimensions are not interested in people. They treat them as less than dust. But some gods are different. They ‘obsess’ over human emotions.”

“Understood.”

“Then let me ask you. In this continent, where is the region where human joys and sorrows are the strongest, and have been swirling for decades?”

Lena’s question made his heart chill.

“Could it be…?”

“Yes. It’s the Labyrinth City. The joy of obtaining a good imprint, the sense of accomplishment from breaking through blocked layers, the death of comrades, the betrayal of comrades, those who despair after obtaining negative imprints, those killed by monsters, and those who take revenge. Even amidst all that, those who end up loving someone.”

Lena paused for a moment and then opened her mouth again.

“This is the place where countless emotions overflow like waves.”

“I see. Then, what is the Interdimensional Passage?”

Lena picked up a wooden cup.

“Let’s assume this water cup is the Labyrinth.”

Lena tapped the middle of the wooden cup with her finger.

“The gods of other dimensions are constantly knocking on the boundaries of dimensions to project their influence into the Labyrinth. Because they want to feel human emotions from closer.”

“Does the Interdimensional Passage mean a ‘hole’?”

“Yes. You can think of it as a ‘hole’ in the Labyrinth.”

Damn it.

Only now is the mystery being solved.

He felt relieved.

“Ah! By the way, the Western Empire also worships a god from another dimension. Lux Aeterna, the eternal light of mankind, shall we say? I heard the Emperor is the agent.”

Lux Aeterna.

Eternal light.

Karin pricked up her ears and growled.

“How can only humans be people? Don’t talk nonsense!”

Jeong Yushin flinched and shut his mouth. Because Karin’s reaction was extreme.

Lena nodded.

“I see. That’s right. Light must shine on everyone.”

“There must have been a lot of conflict with the Spirit Order.”

“Yes. An empire with this kind of ideology naturally had many conflicts with other races as well. To put it simply, the Western Empire is hell for other races.”

“…”

Such an empire is currently massing on the eastern allied territories’ border?

‘Isn’t that dangerous?’

Until now, he had been indifferent to outside news.

Because he wasn’t very curious about how the outside world was doing.

But listening to Lena’s explanation and seeing Karin’s reaction, he realized that the situation was not normal.

“Ah… maybe it’ll be okay.”

Brin’s words popped out.

“What will?”

“The war, I mean.”

“Is there a basis?”

“Ah… no. I just have a feeling. Ehehe.”

Brin scratched the back of her head and smiled.

“…”

People were speechless and stared blankly at Brin.

At that moment.

Squeak.

The inn door opened and Ingrid entered.

“Lady Ingrid?!”

Lena and Brin quickly got up from their seats and bowed.

Ingrid looked at Lena and Brin and crossed her arms.

“Who are you?”

Jeong Yushin stepped in instead.

“They are my friends.”

“Is that so? Make yourselves comfortable.”

Ingrid gave Lena and Brin a glance and went up the stairs, disappearing to the second floor.

Lena, having gotten up, bowed to Jeong Yushin and Karin.

“It’s getting late. Then we’ll be going now.”

“It was nice seeing you after a long time.”

At Jeong Yushin’s reply, Lena poked Brin in the side.

“That’s right. Brin, did you hear that? It’s important to get some fresh air too.”

“Y-yeah, that’s right.”

Brin smiled awkwardly and replied.

Jeong Yushin and Karin got up from their seats and saw Lena and Brin off.

After standing by the door for a moment, watching the two leave, he returned to the inn and saw Ingrid sitting at the table.

Eru was not there. The sound of dishes clattering could be heard from the kitchen, indicating she was washing dishes.

Ingrid was sitting at the table in comfortable clothes, tilting a glass of alcohol.

The same dolphin pants and baggy tunic as last time.

But there was a difference. The tunic was white, so her black lace bra was slightly visible.

Karin frowned slightly as she sat down.

Even if she wanted to be comfortable, how could she be dressed so scantily in front of her prospective boyfriend (?)?

There was a limit to being defenseless.

She remembered her mother’s face when she went to the Arachne Sewing Cooperative’s direct store with her in the past, choosing clothes with a strangely excited expression.

Surely not?

“Karin, do you want to go into the Labyrinth?”

Her mother’s sudden question. Karin immediately nodded.

“Yes, of course.”

“There is one way.”

“What is it?”

“A baby.”

“A baby?”

“It would be me having a baby.”

Karin’s lips trembled.

“M-mom! What are you talking about? Dad already passed away a long time ago…!”

She stopped speaking.

Her mother crossed her legs and traced the edge of the glass with her finger.

‘Strange.’

She had always shown a confident side until now, but suddenly she was acting feminine.

Karin spoke again.

“Wouldn’t remarriage be difficult? Mom is the representative of the Beastmen Alliance. How many people would be aiming for you just for your position!”

“Hoo. Position… Karin, you’re right. I wonder if there’s anyone who would see me as a ‘woman’ apart from my position?”

A languid sigh escaped from her mother’s small lips.

Her mother turned her head and looked at Sca.

“Sca.”

“Yes.”

“Am I that unattractive? Apart from my position, purely as a ‘woman’?”

Karin quickly winked at Sca.

‘Tell the truth!’

But Sca smiled innocently and shook his head.

“As I mentioned before, Lady Ingrid is still attractive. When you’re with Karin, you look like sisters.”

“Is that so?”

A curve formed on her mother’s lips, making her heart pound.

As if she had heard a great compliment, she wagged her red tail like a ‘bitch.’

“I’ll have to receive a healthy and strong baby seed. Even for Karin’s sake.”

Her mother, who always maintained a blank expression, put a large breast on the table as if showing off, with a slight smile.

Karin was speechless with shock.

Was it because she drank strong alcohol?

Or was it because she had been lonely for a long time?

In any case, her mother’s appearance was very different from what she had known.

She had always been a strong woman who showed a confident and cool-headed side, earning the loyalty and respect of many people.

She was acting coquettishly in front of Sca.

‘Why?’

Sca, unaware of her feelings, only glanced at her mother’s chest on the table with a flushed face.

“I-I see.”

Karin, unable to watch any longer, was about to say something to maintain decorum.

“Dishes finished, finished.”

Eru came out of the kitchen and cautiously approached.

Sca quickly got up from his seat.

“I…I’ll go up first.”

“Do as you wish.”

Ingrid sent him off coolly.

Eru also followed Sca up in a hurry.

Only Karin and Ingrid were left in the inn’s hall.

“Mom.”

“What is it?”

“Why did you suddenly mention a b-baby? And in front of Sca!”

“It’s for you. Didn’t you say you wanted to go into the Labyrinth?”

“What does that have to do with a baby…?”

“Succession issues are important.”

“…”

Ingrid reached out and stroked Karin’s hair.

Karin’s tension eased a little at her mother’s touch, which she felt after a long time.

“I raised you strictly because I love you. All the more so because you have high goals. But tragedy can happen at any time. You might suffer something terrible in the Labyrinth, or you might change your mind. I’m telling you in advance, I don’t want you to die. I just want to give you options for your future.”

“Ugh!”

Karin was speechless. She had always been strict and didn’t show her true feelings well.

“Karin, my jewel. I want to be a mother who respects whatever choice you make.”

“Mom!”

Karin hugged Ingrid.

Her heart was at peace with the smell of her flesh, which she had felt after a long time.

After swimming in a wave of emotion for a long time, Karin suddenly came to her senses.

Karin took her face off Ingrid’s chest and raised her head.

“Mom.”

“What is it?”

“…It’s not Sca, is it?”

After a moment of silence, Ingrid opened her mouth.

“…Who knows?”

Karin’s face hardened frighteningly.

Ingrid gently stroked Karin’s hair once more.

“I’m just kidding.”

“Ahaha.”

Karin could only smile awkwardly in the arms of the potential ‘female.’

However, she did not see Ingrid’s tongue licking her lips like a snake.

* * *

Jeong Yushin lay in bed, cradling his arm.

The conversation with Lena and Brin.

The conversation with the one-eyed Barbaroi.

Information scattered in his head gathered.

The outline was somewhat clear with this meeting.

The most important information is.

Outer God.

He received light in front of death in the Interdimensional Passage.

In the intense light, the ‘Death Delay’ imprint and the ‘Revenger’ imprint were connected.

That moment still remained in his memory, wandering in a corner of his head.

It was a dazzling radiance that could blind him.

And when he returned from the Labyrinth, Mion asserted. It was the holiness of an Outer God.

What kind of Outer God would give him blessings?

He didn’t remember doing anything pretty.

Lux Aeterna.

‘Surely not?’

You should drink your grape juice moderately. This was delusion.

Jeong Yushin slapped his cheek and sighed deeply.

Several truths had been revealed, but it was not enough.

If he goes in and out of the Labyrinth and makes various connections, he will find out again.

He calmed his anxious mind and closed his eyes.

Thump!!!

Jeong Yushin opened his eyes wide and looked at the door.

“Who is it?”

“…”

There was no answer.

What is it?

Thump!!!

The sound of glass hitting was heard.

It’s the window side.

Jeong Yushin quickly turned his head and looked at the window.

‘Who is it?!’

He gathered magical power in his hand and focused his gaze on the window.

In the darkness.

Outside the window.

Something with red eyes was fluttering its wings.