episode_0248

Evening.

Darmong Inn.

Jeong Yushin sat on a bar stool, sipping his liquor.

Eru stood inside the counter, wiping glasses with a cotton cloth, and Armin sat next to Jeong Yushin.

“Does that taste good?”

“I don’t know.”

“Can I have a sip?”

Jeong Yushin looked at Armin and flicked his forehead.

Thwack.

“Guek!”

“Not yet. When you grow up a little more.”

“Ugh. Couldn’t you just say it?

At that moment.

Creak.

The inn door opened.

Spirit instructor Luke, Magic Tower elder Matthias, and Granny from the Grandma Love Clan entered.

Matthias watched Armin hopping over and wore a complicated expression. Human head but a dog’s body. Strangely cute, but not the form he had hoped for.

“Armin.”

“Elder!”

“Are you having any problems?”

“Yes! I’m doing well!”

“Hoo. That’s good.”

Jeong Yushin picked up the bottle and glasses and sat at the table.

“You shouldn’t do that.”

A question mark appeared on Matthias’ face.

“Ska, what do you mean?”

“Let’s sit down first.”

People sat at the table.

“Armin, go over there.”

“Okay!”

Armin ran towards Eru.

Jeong Yushin tilted the bottle to fill the glasses, then handed them to Luke, Matthias, and Granny.

“Let’s stop gathering like this. I revealed my residence to the Hero.”

“Why did you reveal it to the Hero?”

“Because it’s information that they can easily find out if they wanted to.”

“That’s… true.”

“The Hero or other party members can come at any time. If we need to meet, a more secluded place would be better.”

“Okay, I understand. I’ll look into it.”

Granny scratched her head.

“But why did you bring the Hero to the inn?”

“The Hero received a muscle stiffness engraving. I called them to the inn to relieve the knots with a massage.”

“…”

People stared blankly at Jeong Yushin.

“Why are you all looking at me like that?”

“Are you already working on the Hero…?”

“Heo.”

“Isn’t it too fast?”

Jeong Yushin wore a dumbfounded expression.

“I just gave them a massage. I didn’t do anything else.”

Luke cleared his throat and opened his mouth.

“Ahem! A priest came to ask about your engraving.”

“Did you tell them?”

“No.”

Jeong Yushin crossed his arms and pondered.

They asked about him?

It was safe to say that the priest Luther felt a sense of unease.

The Hero’s engraving must have caused a change in perception.

Granny scratched her head.

“That priest Luther apparently went around the shops and streets from lunchtime to dinner today, asking about Ska’s engraving or rumors.”

“Did they find out anything?”

Granny shook her head.

“Aren’t they ultimately an imperial citizen? They are also a priest serving the Outer God Lux Aeterna. No one told them anything.”

“What about the other party members?”

“The mage mainly spends time in the library, and a middle-aged man named Gibson is currently wandering around gambling houses and bars in the eastern district.”

Jeong Yushin ran a hand over his forehead.

Matthias hardened his expression.

“Right now, only the priest suspects you, but it may not be long before the Hero’s party members realize your true nature.”

Jeong Yushin tilted his head.

“What is my true nature?”

“…”

Luke, Matthias, and Granny simultaneously shut their mouths.

“Speak comfortably. What is my true nature, I’m asking?”

“···I’m sorry.”

“Elder, don’t apologize. Explain.”

“I, I misspoke. Please accept my apology.”

Luke quickly interjected.

“Anyway, let’s get back to the story. Ska, are you thinking of bringing the Hero over to our side?”

Jeong Yushin scratched his head.

“What can I possibly do to persuade the Hero?”

Luke tilted his head.

“Wasn’t it a honey trap?”

“…?”

“I thought you were going to seduce the Hero with your handsome face? By melting the Hero’s hard body and mind with a massage… Ahem. I’ll stop here.”

Jeong Yushin wore a dumbfounded expression.

Listening to Luke, he sometimes wondered if this old man was a high priest serving the spirit god.

“I am handsome. But if I were going to seduce them with my face, I wouldn’t have grown my hair long like this to cover it. Let’s think a little before we speak.”

Luke scratched his white hair, embarrassed by Jeong Yushin’s reproach.

“I, is that so?”

Matthias cleared his throat and brought up the main topic.

“Ahem! Shouldn’t we be clear now? What are we going to do with the Hero party? Are we really going to kill them?”

“It’s certain that they aren’t very nice, but that’s not a reason to kill them.”

“Then?”

Jeong Yushin rested his chin on his hand and tapped the glass.

“I think I said it last time. Since they could become potential enemies, we need to grab them by the leash.”

He didn’t like standing by and watching.

And he especially didn’t want to get hit in the back of the head.

Jeong Yushin waved his hand.

“Let’s stop here. It doesn’t seem like there’s any new information.”

The people left, and only Jeong Yushin and Eru remained.

Eru came over and cleared the table.

“Where’s Armin?”

“He went to bed. But Ska.”

“Why?”

“Are you really going to seduce the Hero?”

“Can I do it?”

“If you keep training your yin energy, it might be possible.”

“Is there even a technique for ultimately seducing women?”

“There is a secret technique of the incubus. It’s such a legendary story that no one believes it.”

“What is it?”

“It is said that they can use yin energy to transform into the ideal type of the opposite woman.”

Jeong Yushin looked at Eru, smiled, and stroked her head.

“Aren’t you tired? Go to sleep.”

“I, I’m serious!”

“Who said you weren’t?”

Jeong Yushin sent Eru away and stared blankly at the ceiling.

Seducing the Hero.

‘That’s ridiculous.’

* * *

Same time.

Gambling house in the pleasure district of the eastern district.

Gibson frowned and threw the cards in his hand.

“Damn it!!!”

The men sitting around the table smiled slyly.

“Hehe. You’re out of luck, mister.”

Gibson staggered to his feet.

“Tsk. I know, right? It doesn’t seem like my day today. I’ll come again next time.”

“Take care.”

Gibson waved his hand roughly and left the gambling house.

He walked slowly through the eastern district and returned to the inn in the central district.

The mage and the priest were standing in the hallway.

Gibson’s expression turned sullen.

“Priest? And the mage too. What’s going on?”

Gibson shrugged at Luther’s question.

“I was walking around the city and had a drink.”

Sebastian crossed his arms and gave him an annoyed look.

“All day long?”

Gibson clicked his tongue inwardly.

‘What an annoying friend.’

If you just do a proper search, it’s over. He resented the way they were trying to control his personal life. He was also annoyed at the way they were giving him wary looks just because he gambled a few times on the way here.

What he hated even more was.

The fact that that mage friend was in charge of the party funds.

Gibson licked his lips.

He heard that he received a considerable reward for helping the dwarves. He didn’t know the amount. Because they didn’t tell him.

“Hehe. I’ll be careful. I’m tired today, so I’ll rest first.”

Gibson answered roughly and went into the room.

Sebastian and Luther were left alone in the hallway.

“That guy doesn’t seem to be in a situation to listen. Priest, what exactly do you want to say that you’re trying to gather people in the middle of the night?”

“There’s a Barbaroi Ska, right?”

Sebastian’s face turned sullen at Luther’s words.

That barbarian?

“Yes.”

“I think he’s hiding something.”

Sebastian snorted.

“Huh. What could that idiot possibly be hiding?”

“It’s just my guess, but I think he’s hiding some kind of evil engraving.”

“…”

“Isn’t it strange? That such a confident guy didn’t brag about his engraving?”

Sebastian tilted his head.

The priest’s words made sense.

However.

According to the information he got from the library, engravings weren’t something you could get so easily.

“Ska might be much stronger than we think. Shouldn’t we be careful about what we say and do?”

Sebastian was silent for a moment, then turned his body.

“I don’t think it’s that much. I understand for now.”

“Thank you. Have a good night.”

Sebastian twisted his lips as he grabbed the doorknob.

‘That priest is acting up again.’

Luther’s paranoid personality had resurfaced. How much did he suffer on the way to the Labyrinth City because of that personality?

He thought he was getting better in the city, but he wasn’t.

“Hoo.”

Sebastian sighed deeply.

One was a gambling addict.

The other was a paranoid personality disorder.

The only normal people were himself and Cyan.

* * *

A few days later.

Cyan looked down at the underwear spread out on the bed.

Plain gray sports bra and panties.

‘Arachne Sewing Cooperative.’

She heard that they were underwear made by half-human, half-spider monsters.

Perhaps that was why they were on a different level from ordinary clothes in terms of elasticity and durability.

Cyan swallowed hard.

She was surprised when she went to the Arachne Sewing Cooperative branch in the central district.

‘There were so many embarrassing underwear.’

She thought she was going to faint when she saw the panties with the bottom split open.

Fortunately, there was plain and ordinary underwear, so she chose that.

Tingle.

Cyan frowned slightly.

“Umm.”

Her calf and thigh muscles let out a small scream. It seemed the muscle stiffness engraving had activated again.

“…”

Without realizing it, she imagined Ska’s dignified palms gently pressing down on her calves and thighs.

“Eep.”

Cyan quickly shook her head.

No matter how good Ska was at massage, she didn’t want him to touch her calves and thighs.

Because it was embarrassing and lewd.

‘I have to do this myself.’

* * *

A few days later.

Cyan came to the inn in person.

Jeong Yushin jumped up from his seat.

“Cyan? What’s wrong?!”

“I’m thinking of going back into the labyrinth in two days. Are you going with us?”

“Of course! How many floors are you thinking of going to?”

“Up to the 10th floor.”

“Is that so?! Do you have any stiffness anywhere?”

Cyan smiled gently and shook her head at Jeong Yushin’s question.

“There are no stiff muscles. You don’t have to worry.”

“I understand! Tell me anytime if you need a massage!”

“I will.”

Two days after the Hero returned, in the evening.

Jeong Yushin packed his bags again and ran to the central district.

“Cyan!!!”

He saw the Hero party.

Cyan waved her hand.

The rest of the party members silently looked at Jeong Yushin.

Sebastian would have said something about being noisy, but he just nodded silently.

Luther was smiling, but his eyes were the same.

The only one who was grinning was Gibson.

“Oh! Our Ska is here! Welcome!”

“Hahaha!!! It’s good to see you too, Gibson!”

Jeong Yushin laughed loudly, hugged Gibson, and patted his back.

Bam!!! Bam!!!

Gibson’s face turned white, and he looked like he was about to vomit.

“Cough!!! You, too strong.”

Seeing that, Cyan smiled, turned around, and walked away.

Jeong Yushin followed Cyan, inwardly tilting his head.

‘Something’s strange.’

It was too quiet. Especially Sebastian and Luther.

Even if it was Luther, Sebastian still had a look of contempt.

But he didn’t say a word.

Jeong Yushin struck Sebastian on the back.

Bam!!!

“Cough!!!”

Sebastian screamed and staggered forward as if he were about to fall.

“Hey!!! Why do you look so depressed?! Did you get dumped by a girl?!”

“B-Barbaroi! What are you doing?!”

“Cheer up! The world is wide!”

Gibson nodded, grinning.

“Ska is right. Mage, why don’t you cheer up a bit?”

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. Especially Barbaroi, don’t hit people recklessly.”

“I understand!”

Sebastian’s insides were boiling.

‘What the hell are they hiding?!’

He followed Luther’s words for now, but from his point of view, he was just a barbarian.

On the way to the labyrinth.

Luther’s eyes gleamed slightly.

‘Ska, I don’t know what kind of secret you’re hiding, but I’ll definitely find out.’