38. That Kind of Side Effect

“I’m going crazy.”

I walked down the street, lost in thought.

The lady, as if playing hard to get, sent me home today with a “That’s enough for now.”

I’ve completely fallen into her pace.

‘Six months.’

Within that time, I absolutely had to achieve one of two goals.

Either make the lady fall in love with someone else.

Or reach Gold Badge rank or higher within six months.

Of the two, the one with the lower difficulty is making the lady fall in love with someone else.

The method isn’t that hard either.

Just act in a way that’s beneath human decency, or do something that would make her lose affection for me to lower her favorability.

But.

“I don’t feel like it.”

Yeah. That’s the biggest problem, isn’t it?

I didn’t want to act like that in front of the lady.

As long as she doesn’t leave the labyrinth city, we’ll keep getting entangled from now on.

To be more precise, I guess you could say I don’t have the courage to be hated by her.

Since I’ll be going into the labyrinth with her as her guide from now on.

Being relied upon would definitely be more helpful for labyrinth expeditions than being hated.

In the end, if I don’t have the courage to be hated, I have no choice but to get stronger.

Out of only two options, one is something I don’t want to do, and the other is something I might not be able to do even if I wanted to.

The worst kind of multiple-choice question.

A grotesque dilemma.

‘How do I reach Gold Badge in six months?’

I haven’t even reached Silver Badge yet.

To become an adventurer recognized by the Lionell family by reaching Gold Badge in six months.

Of course, it’s not impossible.

‘Register at the Martial Hall, train repeatedly, and grind like a dog in the labyrinth.’

I just have to pour my life into it.

Right now, I’ve inherited the talent of Shaka, who was once Platinum Badge level in his lifetime.

If I can utilize this talent well, I think there’s a good chance I can grow enough to approach Gold Badge within six months.

“Haa. Huuaaaah.”

Sighs kept escaping me.

I felt so stifled, like I was trapped on all sides.

It’s like I’ve fallen into a trap.

The lady’s love is too heavy.

“Kyaaah!”

When I screamed in front of the red-light district, people looked at me strangely.

They subtly avoided me, as if I had some kind of STD.

“Ugh. What’s the point of worrying?”

I’ll just roll with it, whatever.

What else can I do?

I don’t even know how Yuria will turn out.

If I’m going to keep going in and out of the labyrinth, I’ll probably need a slave for life support.

For now, let’s head to the Hole-in-the-Wall Shop.

I have things to ask Rafnel and stories to share.

“Hello.”

“Hmm? Shion? You came back sooner than I expected. Did the labyrinth expedition go well?”

“Yes. I almost died, but I came back in one piece.”

“Glad you’re in one piece. It’d be a problem if a regular customer like you died somewhere.”

Rafnel-nim grinned.

“But for someone who came back alive, your expression isn’t great. Did something happen?”

“Ah, well. How should I put it? It’s girl trouble.”

“Girl trouble? Did you fall for someone?”

“Well, it’s… I’m not sure how much to tell you. It’s a bit complicated.”

“Complicated? You have complicated girl trouble?”

“No, what’s with that reaction?”

Rafnel asked back as if questioning whether I even had a girl.

I’m a guy too, so of course I could have a girl.

No, what’s with that mocking reaction?

Does Rafnel have a guy or something?

Why am I suddenly angry?

“No, well. Since you’re a girl, I was just curious. Pfft.”

“Hey, you rotten old hag!”

“What?! You! Calling an unmarried maiden an old hag?!”

“Huh? Wait, Rafnel-nim. You’ve never been married?”

Never married?

She’s over a thousand years old, right?

So she’s been single for over a millennium?

No matter how much you like virgins, a thousand-year-old virgin is a bit weird, isn’t it?

It gives off serious red flag vibes.

“…”

“I mean, at Rafnel-nim’s age, you should’ve seen your grandchildren’s grandchildren by now-”

Whack!

“Gahk?!”

In an instant, Rafnel moved so fast I couldn’t even see, bonked me on the head, and returned to her spot.

I couldn’t even react.

Seeing Rafnel back in her original position sent chills down my spine.

“Wh-what was that? How did you-”

“Hmph. Calling me an old hag. Annoying.”

“Huh?”

“Never mind. Getting mad at a kid only hurts me. Anyway, girl trouble, huh? Is it a love triangle?”

“I’m not sure if you’d call it a love triangle. If I don’t reach Gold Badge in six months, the girl’s family might kill me.”

“Did you mess with a noble?”

“It’s less that I messed with them and more like they messed with me.”

“Got bitten, huh? Tsk tsk. Tough luck. Nobles have always had a bit of a nasty side, then and now.”

When I mentioned being bitten by a noble, Rafnel shook her head sympathetically.

“But there’s something I’ve been curious about since earlier. Did you eat something weird in the labyrinth?”

“Huh? Something weird?”

“Something’s attached to your eyes.”

“Ah. I was actually going to tell you about that. My Spirit Eye activated this time.”

“Oho. Really? How interesting. What did you see with your Spirit Eye? I’m curious. Very curious.”

“Well…”

I summarized for Rafnel the process of my Spirit Eye activating, what I saw after opening it, and the events that followed.

As I spoke, Rafnel’s expression grew increasingly serious.

“Huh. Shaka, you say.”

“Do you know Shaka?”

“Of course. Of course I do. He’s a figure from quite a distant past. Back when there was only one entrance to the upper layers.”

“Only one entrance to the upper layers?”

“Yes. It’s hard to even guess how many years ago that was. Shaka was one of the explorers of that time. A nostalgic name. To think he wandered the labyrinth even after death. How pitiful.”

Currently, there are four entrances to the upper layers.

The underground tomb, the sewer, the breeding ground, and the botanical garden.

If there was only one entrance back then, it must’ve been long before the number increased.

If the Great Cataclysm was a kind of labyrinth update, just how many years ago was Shaka active?

“Anyway, the fact that his remnants remain is quite an interesting story. And as you hypothesized, if you can help the wandering souls escape the labyrinth and obtain their remnants, you might truly become an all-around adventurer.”

“Right?”

“However.”

Rafnel paused and stared into my eyes.

As if trying to read something else hidden within them.

“Be careful. There will be those who covet your eyes.”

“Covet my eyes…?”

“Indeed. Since you’ve opened them. There are probably those who’ve noticed… More importantly, the Spirit Eye you possess doesn’t just end at seeing, does it?”

Rafnel was absolutely right.

My Spirit Eye didn’t just allow me to see something.

It let me communicate with what I could now see, contain it within my body,

and even help that something ‘escape outside the labyrinth.’

“Ah.”

Only now did I realize.

The Spirit Eye I possessed wasn’t just about seeing spirits.

It was a means-an escape route-for spirits trapped in the labyrinth to get out.

“Do you understand now?”

“Yes. This… this is dangerous.”

“Indeed. Those who seek ‘regression’ will surely target your eyes.”

“Regression?”

“Yes, regression. There are occasionally such beings. Odd ones who want to get out.”

We explore the labyrinth, descending deeper.

However, some of those bound to the labyrinth seek to escape through regression.

Independent layer transfer is virtually impossible,

but borrowing a human body makes the impossible possible.

“There have been instances in the past where labyrinth monsters escaped to the surface through various means.”

Rafnel told me about things she’d seen in the labyrinth city over the years.

“Possession, parasitism, or disguising as items. Those that came to the surface all brought terrible consequences.”

“That’s a disaster in itself.”

“Indeed. Most who seek regression bring calamity. Though they also bring corresponding blessings.”

Blessings?

Listening to her, most beings seeking regression crawled up from the depths beneath the underground city.

And they came to the surface, killed many, and were eventually subjugated.

What kind of blessings could they have left behind?

Rafnel didn’t tell me.

Must be a secret.

“Anyway, there are various beings seeking regression. To them, your eyes are like a ticket for escape.”

It was a terrifying thought.

That beings trying to escape the labyrinth might target me.

“Be careful.”

“Yes. Thanks for the advice.”

Without Rafnel’s warning, I wouldn’t have realized it.

My Spirit Eye holds power beyond just seeing.

‘Regression.’

For some reason, it sent shivers down my spine.

It feels like the labyrinth’s malice has taken one step closer to me.

To reach Gold Badge in six months, I’ll need to keep entering the underground city.

I’m filled with anxiety and worry. I really need to get stronger.

“Ah, by the way, about that potion that turns you into a rat.”

“Hmm? Ah! Right. How was it? A masterpiece, right? Amazing, isn’t it? How did it feel turning into a rat? How was the taste?”

“The taste was fine. Turning into a rat was good, but the side effects were a bit…”

“Side effects… Right, there were side effects. So, what were they?”

“Well, becoming a furry is a bit much, don’t you think?”

The potion that turns you into a rat.

It definitely played a huge role in this labyrinth expedition.

But the side effect made me feel lustful toward Horaru for a brief moment.

Of course, now that the effect has worn off, my sexual preferences are back to normal.

“Ah. That kind of side effect.”

“Becoming a furry every time I drink it is a bit much.”

“The effect is good, but the side effects can’t be avoided. Hmm. What to do?”

“Lower the price a bit.”

“Ehh? Lower the price? That’s a bit…”

“If you don’t lower the price, no one’s going to buy it.”

“…That’d be a problem. I worked hard on this one. Already made ten bottles.”

“I might consider buying it for 5 gold.”

“You thieving brat!”

Maybe haggling a 20-gold item down to 5 was a bit much.

“Ah, don’t get mad. Fine. How about we settle on 7 gold?”

“No, no… 7 gold?”

“Yes. It’s not like you have any other customers. And you’ve been alone all day, so you’re just happy to have someone to talk to. You enjoyed chatting with me, right? Hearing about the world.”

“…7 gold is a bit of a loss…”

“Ugh. Do you have any other customers who boost your sales like I do?”

“…7 gold. Hmm.”

After a long deliberation, Rafnel finally nodded.

“Fine. Let’s do that. 7 gold. Okay.”

“Yesss!”

“But. I’d like you to test this item for me.”

“Huh? This is…”

“The Ring of Etherealization.”

“What?! Wait, you can just give me something like this?”

The Ring of Etherealization.

An absurdly overpowered item that temporarily turns the wearer into a semi-transparent spirit.

“Well, it definitely etherealizes you. But I don’t know what the side effects are.”

“Uh… that’s a bit…”

Not knowing the side effects?

Should I take this or not?

Etherealization is definitely good.

It’s practically a cheat-tier item.

But not knowing the side effects is a huge downside.

“It’s not something fatal or anything, right?”

“Tch, come on. When have I ever made something with side effects like that? It’s probably just ‘that kind of side effect,’ like always.”

That kind of side effect?

Let’s see.

The stamina tonic’s side effect was forced erections.

The rat potion’s side effect was becoming a furry.

“The Ring of Etherealization’s side effect is…”

“Who knows. What could it be?”

What kind of side effect could it be?

I decided to try the ring.