Chapter 27: Short Preparation (1)

Chapter 27: Short
Preparation (1)

“Second
floor. Can we break through?”

We
discussed our next goal. The topic was the second floor of the
labyrinth.

“Second
floor⋯!”

“I
think that’s enough.”

Even
on the same topic, the reactions were split.

Jeremy
is a beginner who has only been in and out of the labyrinth once but
Grumpy had been in the labyrinth many times as a slave.

‘No
more than the third floor.’

In
other words, she had enough sense to get to the second floor.

“When
I was rolling like a dog under Deluna, we made it to the third floor
with that party, and while we couldn’t do the fourth, I think the
second floor is doable for the three of us.”

Grumpy
continued.

“Of
course, Deluna’s party had a lot of meatshields⋯and
the bitch herself was a mage⋯but
we’re not a bad combination.”

An
avant-garde warrior, a spearman, an archer, and a guide.

You
don’t get much more stable than that with three people.

If
there’s one thing I’d like, it’s a cleric, but it’s not always easy
to find one.

‘Priests
and mages are few and far between compared to other classes.’

Demand
is high, supply is low.

Unless
they have a specific purpose, such as hunting slaves like Deluna,
priests and wizards don’t bother with the first or second level.

A
‘proper’ priest or wizard, in particular, can only be found in
parties on at least the fifth floors.

I
suddenly miss Adolph, but I quickly put her out of my mind.

“Do
you think I’ll be a burden on the second floor⋯?”

Jeremy
seemed worried that she would be a burden after struggling on the
first floor, but it’s not easy for someone with experience buffs to
fall behind.

Perhaps
with a few more rolls in the labyrinth, her level would be the
highest among us.

“There
are plenty of goblins on the second floor, too.”

“Guess
we’ll have to go then, bastards⋯”

Jeremy
gritted his teeth and patted her backpack as I pressed the seizure
button to motivate her.

“⋯If
you don’t mind me asking, what’s in that backpack-“

“Are
you curious?”

“Oh,
no. Nothing.”

For
some reason, I was reluctant to ask because I thought it might
contain Anya’s head.

Anyway,
it was decided that our next labyrinthine trek would be to the second
floor.

It
wasn’t an arrogant decision but a well-thought-out one based on a
clear understanding of the topic.

“The
second floor is like the first floor but with a few more traps.”

We’re
more than capable of dealing with goblins.

“And
the second floor trap field is my home.”

She’s
been to the second floor dozens of times.

***

After
a quick briefing, we agreed to meet up at the Labyrinth this week,
and we parted ways.

“But
why are you following me?”

I
asked, but for some reason, she followed closely behind me.

“What?
A slave has to follow her master?”

Grumpy
asked with a puzzled look on her face.

The
main reason for keeping her as a slave was to protect her from
capture and the convenience of giving orders, but apparently in this
world, slaves were treated more like property or possessions.

“I
paid you, you can get a room at the inn.”

“As
a slave, I can’t even get a decent room on my own⋯”

Grumpy
said with a sour face. The look on her face brought back memories.

I
was sleeping on the streets until Diana took me in.

“So.
Can’t we just move in together?”

“Uh.
No.”

Just
as I’m about to feel sympathy for her, she makes a
stereotype-shattering comment.

Grumpy
was a woman who had strange hair and was a bit slow, but her
appearance was fine, or rather, she could be said to be great.

It’s
one thing to be in a stressful labyrinth, but sleeping outside,
alone, in the same room?

I
don’t have the confidence to make it through the night safely⋯

“⋯Then
let’s take a hundred steps and sleep in the room next to yours.
Wouldn’t it be more comfortable than going back and forth?”

“What’s
the point of going back and forth?”

“Well,
you don’t know people’s business, so it’s bound to happen, huh?”

It
didn’t seem like she was going to give up her opinion easily.

I
could have just ordered her to go away, but I didn’t want to waste my
emotional energy on this.

“⋯Huh.
I’ll ask the
owner of the inn I’m staying at but it might not work.”

“Yay!”

Grumpy
threw her arms wide in joy and I tugged once on the leash as she
bounced around.

The
handle of the leash wrapped itself naturally around my hand.

I’d
done it so many times that it was second nature. It felt like walking
a dog.

We
walked through the modest streets and soon came upon a cozy inn on a
winter night.

I
walked right up to the door and saw Diana clearing tables for the
evening’s business.

“I’m
back, Ms. Diana.”

“Ah.
Balkan’s home.”

Tsk-tsk.

The
dishcloth slipped from her hand and fell to the floor.

Diana’s
eyes creaked like unoiled pedals and turned to Grumpy standing next
to me.

Then
her gaze traveled to the leash, then to my hand clutching its handle.

Diana’s
eyes snapped back to me.

“⋯Balkan?”

It
was only then that I realized from an objective point of view how
this would look to others.

First
of all, it’s not a normal situation.

“Ah.
She’s a future party member and slave, her name is Grumpy⋯no,
Denshi.”

I
quickly let go of the leash and excused myself.

Slavery
is legal in this world. Just go out in the marketplace right now and
you’ll see them everywhere.

I’m
sure I’ve done nothing wrong, but when Diana looks at me like that, I
feel like I’ve done something that should really prick my conscience.

[⋯just
now, a term of endearment⋯?]

Diana
muttered something but it was muffled by something strange.

“I
hope you’re well, ma’am!”

Grumpy
dipped her head in greeting, and Diana’s normally wide-eyed smile
instantly crumbled.

Her
eyes widened slightly, revealing brilliant amber pupils.

“⋯What
did you just say?”

Grumpy
looked up and smirked.

“⋯Ahhhh,
what do you want me to call you, ma’am?”

“⋯⋯”

The
smile vanished from Diana’s face. The corners of her mouth, which
were always up, stiffened and her squinted eyes were too cold.

“Ugh-“

I
tugged urgently on Grumpy’s leash.

No,
what’s wrong with her, is she crazy?

“I’m
sorry, Ms. Diana. She’s just not learning, and I’ll apologize for
her.”

I
pressed her head and we bowed our heads together.

“She
has nowhere else to go, and I happen to be her master, so I was
wondering if you had a spare room at the inn, and I’d pay for it, of
course.”

“Double
room, do you have a double room, ma’am? Big fluffy bed. If not, I’ll
take a twin room.”

“Will
you please just shut up⋯”

Every
time you open your mouth, Diana’s expression changes dramatically.

I
hadn’t seen her like that in the past month.

‘No,
it’s not just her expression.’

A
cold chill emanated from her surroundings, and her normally neatly
organized hair stood on end.

“⋯⋯You’re
funny, kid.”

Diana
glared at the brat as she said it, though her expression was anything
but amused. When she opened her eyes, her mood had completely
changed. Honestly, I’m a little nervous.

“It’s
a shame that we don’t have any rooms left.”

“⋯Yes,
Master. Come to think of it, slaves are considered property anyway,
so we can share a room. Why don’t we just share a bed?”

“Our
inn is single occupancy. Of course, slaves are not allowed.”

Nope.
There were quite a few rooms with three or four people in them on a
cozy winter’s night but it looked like it would be single occupancy
from now on because Diana said so.

“⋯⋯”

“⋯⋯”

Diana
and Grumpy crossed their arms and glared at each other. If this were
a cartoon, sparks would be flying from their gazes.

The
atmosphere sucked and I could barely breathe.

If
there were customers around the table, I would have been sniffling
and sniffling.

Eventually,
I couldn’t take it anymore and left the inn, dragging the dog by her
leash.

She
was dragged along, arms still crossed, glaring at Diana the whole
way.

Only
after dragging her down the alleyway of the inn did I catch my
breath.

“Hey.
What the fuck are doing?”

‘You
don’t have a status window, you’re stupid, yes. I understand. But
there’s no next.’

“Did
you just say she’s the innkeeper?”

“Uh.
She’s like a benefactor to me. So be sure to apologize to her later.”

“⋯She?”

I
wonder what kind of person Diana looks like in her eyes.

“My
lord. I’m not usually the one to say this, but⋯”

Grumpy
crossed her arms and considered for a moment, then finally spoke up.

“She’s
really dangerous. She’s a crazed female with a head full of ideas,
from contemplation to stature.”

It
was insane bullshit.

***

Grumpy
entered another inn a block away and I returned to Diana’s inn.

“⋯I’m
fine. I don’t know how you ended up with such a shitty⋯
No, I don’t know how you ended
up with such a slave, but to each his own.”

“Well,
it’s nice of you to think so⋯”

“Yeah.
Of course. By the way, I’m really fine, so don’t worry too much.”

I
soothed her as I stood next to Diana, who seemed to be quite shocked,
and didn’t look the least bit okay.

I
didn’t know what to do or say to comfort her, so I just stayed with
her.

“⋯”

Diana
didn’t say anything, but that alone seemed to make her feel better.

Her
face was slowly regaining its original smile.

Apart
from that, I was a little curious. How old could she be?

I
heard rumors that the stronger one became in the Labyrinth, the more
one would defy aging, but I swallowed hard, knowing that asking now
would be like crossing an irreversible river.

After
killing time, it was time for dinner.

It
was time to go from being Balkan the Explorer to Balkan the part-time
innkeeper on a cozy winter’s night.

As
the sun set and the ground creaked beneath his feet, the tavern was
flooded with customers.

“Tables
six and eight are served!”

“Yes!”

I
scrambled around, passing out menus and clearing the hall in a hurry.
I couldn’t afford to neglect my work when she paid me so much.

By
now, the sun was setting and the stars were appearing in the sky.

The
moonlight was so bright in a world without streetlights, but I didn’t
have time to take in the scenery and relax, instead, I had to deal
with the raucous laughter of the drinking crowd.

I
suddenly realized that Diana’s cooking skills were impressive.

With
a steady stream of customers coming in this late at night, it’s no
wonder this tavern is one of the best in Valerus.

No
wonder there are so many unusual people who come here.

[G■■■
■■
Lv.6■]

A
woman wearing a mask with a strange design and covered by a cloak.

Other
than that, the woman has waist-length blonde hair and lightly tanned
skin.

She
was one of a mysterious duo that occasionally visited Diana’s tavern.

Normally,
when one of them came, Diana would appear like a ghost, taking menus,
serving, and doing it all herself, but today, perhaps due to the
effects of her mental damage, she still showed no sign of coming out
of the kitchen.

There
were several stoves burning in the kitchen. The food was still a long
way off.

Eventually
I made my way to the masked woman.

“What
would you like to order?”

“The
usual.”

What’s
the usual, bitch?

I
was stunned for a second, and then the masked woman, who had been
talking without looking at me, turned her head slightly to the side.

She
still had her head down, so the angle probably only allowed her to
see my abdomen and lower half.

“What?
It’s not Diana? Ah, that makes sense.”

The
woman chuckled to herself and slowly looked up at me.

“You’re
that guy that Diana said she saved.”

She
paused.

“⋯⋯”

I
could feel a strange gaze beneath the mask with no eye holes and no
breathing holes thanks to my perception and I could faintly sense the
direction of the gaze.

Other
people’s eyes would have slowly moved down to the body or crotch, but
hers were only fixed on the head.

I
touched my face without realizing it.

‘Ah,
I was still wearing the helmet.‘

The
Great Helm I saved before the Labyrinth.

It
was the woman’s icy voice that ended the strange confrontation
between the masked woman and the helmeted man.

“The
helm, did you buy it?”

It
was a surprising question but I had no choice but to answer. It was
one of the wisest purchases I made in the Labyrinth City.

Not
only is it effective, but the design is exactly to my taste, so I’m
quite happy with it.

“Yeah.
Pretty stylish, right?” I said confidently, making the woman
chuckle.

“Kid,
you actually know a thing or two, huh?”