Chapter 47: Preparing for the 6th floor (3)

Chapter 47: Preparing for
the 6th floor (3)

‘Ellie
Ordia⋯?’

Ordia.
Diana’s last name. At the same time, I remembered the foster
daughter of Diana who had gone to the Academy that Idelbert had
mentioned.

‘I
heard the other day that the students of the academy have gone
outside.’

-Boom!

As
if sensing my gaze, the girl hastily closed the cover of the book.

Under
the full name, Ellie Ordia, I could see the name Ellie as she covered
Ordia with her hand.

“Ah!
If you think it’s me, I’m Ellie, third year senior at the Royal
Academy, genius mage!”

Ellie
introduced herself, but didn’t give her last name.

By
the way, isn’t this a bit like introducing yourself to someone you
don’t know as a genius scientist from Seoul National University?

‘I’m
the head of Seoul National University.’

That’s
the greatest achievement of your life. You’d be proud enough to say
it before your own name.

If
I was the chief scientist at Seoul National University, I would have
been so proud that I would have written it in the corner of my
business card.

“Yeah.
You’re amazing.”

“You
know, I always think I’m amazing, too. Keep an eye out for the name
Ellie, who will one day write the history of the Labyrinth City!”

“I
am Balkan.”

“Yes,
Mr. Balkan. You’re an explorer, right?”

“Yes,
I’m an explorer, but aren’t you an elf? How old are you and you’re
calling me Uncle?”

Elves
are the symbol of the long-lived species.

She
looks more like a teenage girl, but I can’t guess her age just by
looking at her.

Do
you know what it’s like for a man to be called uncle by an elf like
that?

‘No
matter how much I wore a helmet and she couldn’t see my face…’

Does
my body look that bad? I don’t think so. I feel a profound sense of
regret. Maybe I should walk around without a helmet to see things
differently.

Of
course, I was just thinking.

“I’m
nineteen! I’m a half-elf, so I’m not a long-lived species like normal
elves, but I can live with this appearance until I die and not age a
bit.”

“That’s
pretty bullshit. But there’s only a three year age difference, so
don’t call me mister.”

“Oh?
Three years older? Huh. The atmosphere feels totally different
there… Mister, you don’t need to feel so young. Inner qualities
matter more than outward appearance!”

Sigh.
It’s quite embarrassing when such a good-looking elf says something
like that.

“I
called you because I wanted to hear firsthand accounts of explorers
who have crossed the Labyrinth Portal.”

“Experiences?”

“Yes.
I’m researching the phenomenon of the Labyrinth for an assignment,
and I chose the portal as my topic!”

Ellie
was talking to me because she wanted to hear first-hand accounts of
explorers who had crossed the portal in order to complete her
assignment.

Sure
enough, the book she’s carrying says it’s a journal of research on
portals and dimensional magic.

My
curiosity is piqued. On what basis did the Academy’s genius mage
study the connection between portals and dimensional magic?

‘If
I delve deeper into this, I might be able to uncover the secrets of
[that being] or the portal?’

It
was an intriguing hypothesis.

“I’m
sorry, but I don’t have time right now.”

“That’s
okay, I’ll be here for the next three days or so anyway, so just drop
by whenever you feel like it. I’ll even pay you depending on the
quality of the story, though it’s not much.”

“Okay,
then I’ll come by tomorrow around this time.”

“Okay!”

Nodding
vigorously, Ellie returned to her seat with the book of mysterious
and amazing labyrinth tales.

I
decided to head back to the inn as well. Time is running out.

***

The
next morning, after finishing my usual work at the inn, I finished my
fighting and running training, followed by subjugation training.

“Kehek,
Kehek⋯”

Ssup.
Ssshhh.

Idelbert,
who had been demonstrating by choking me with her thigh, leaned down
to sniff my body and asked.

“Have
you met Serif Adeline?”

What
the hell, sister. How do they recognize each other by smell alone?

“Uh,
yes. We met on the way to the temple library.”

“Hmph.”

Idelbert
stared at me without saying a word.

The
black cat’s tail swished like a whip, making a popping sound in the
air.

Somehow,
my training has gotten ridiculously intense since then.

***

“Balkan,
are you dead?”

“Uh,
ah, no. I’m alive.”

I
swallowed hard and came to my senses. I opened my eyes to see the
priest and Ellie standing in front of me.

“I’m
glad I called the priest auntie first, since you collapsed while
talking.”

I
gestured that I was okay, and the priest nodded and walked away.

The
priest’s expression was quite grim, and it was easy to see why.

Even
in this world, the word “auntie” can be quite destructive.

Despite
lacking in sensitivity towards appearance and age, Ellie, the genius
wizard, has enough humanity to call for a priestess when someone
collapses.

“So.
What happened to you since you fell into the transition trap?!”

“Ah.
Did I mention that?”

“Yes.
A trap in the form of a portal⋯
interesting!”

She
seemed more curious about the story of the labyrinth she heard from
me than reflecting on her own actions.

“The
Fountain Transition Scroll⋯5
can only be used on the drainage floor, and the fact that humans can
open the portals is certainly curious.”

“The
Fountain Transfer Scroll… It’s fascinating that it can only be used
on floors divisible by 5, and humans being able to open portals is
also intriguing.”

Ellie
listened with sparkling eyes as I told her a story, nodding her head,
then muttered to herself and began scribbling something in her
journal.

‘What
are you talking about⋯’

Somewhere
between the magic and the formula, I felt like my brain refused to
understand.

“I’ve
never heard of a transition trap or a fountain before, even from
other explorer aunts, but this is definitely new! A good story
deserves a good price⋯
Ugh.”

Ellie’s
face turned to stone as she opened the coin purse in her arms.

It
looked like someone who had picked out a bunch of things to buy at a
convenience store but forgot to pay for them.

“Why
do you suddenly look like a good story is about to turn into a cheap
one?”

“⋯Ehehehe.”

Ellie
pushed her wizard hat down tightly, as if to cover up the situation
but I couldn’t let this opportunity pass her by.

‘A
chance.’

A
chance to step up from being a mere storyteller.

“Surely,
you don’t have any money to pay me?”

“Oh,
I’m still a student!”

“Enough
excuses. Just answer yes or no.”

For
explorers, getting paid has a special meaning. It’s about getting
paid for the work they do.

But
to say you’re going to pay them and then not pay them? That’s
riotous, no matter how small the payoff.

I
put my hands on my waist. Ellie’s eyes, which had begun to flutter
uneasily, traveled to the battle axe at my waist.

Gulp.

Swallowing
hard, Ellie stammered, avoiding my gaze.

“Uh,
nothing⋯”

“Well,
that’s good, then.”

“Huh?”

Ellie
looked at me again, blankly.

After
being so intimidating just a moment ago, she looked very
uncomfortable.

“Why
do you look at me like that? Students might not have money. Do you
think I would forcibly take money from you?”

But
I wasn’t looking for a penny for a few copper coins in the first
place.

“I’ll
come back to tell you stories of the labyrinth and portals from time
to time, so do your research. And when you’re done, I want you to
organize them in a way that makes sense and tell them to me once.
That’ll be my payment.”

I
know my limits.

Even
with a string of lucky breaks or a miracle, I’m not going to be able
to unlock the secrets of the portal with my own mind.

‘But
what about Ellie, the Academy’s third-year senior genius mage?’

I
don’t know, but it would be a lot easier than trying to figure it out
on my own.

“You’re
a young genius of the academy, can you do that much?”

“⋯Genius⋯”

Ellie
muttered softly as she looked at me, and then smiled sheepishly.

“Of
course, I’m a genius, even the Labyrinth Portal is no big deal if I
can dig my way through it!”

Ellie
laughed, crossing her arms with a confident look on her face.

The
tips of her ears twitched red, as if she was embarrassed to be
praised so openly.

“I
see. Please do well.”

In
any case, I had succeeded in getting her to behave.

But
even if Ellie was a genius, the research wouldn’t be done in a day or
two.

The
labyrinth is a constant challenge.

‘But
somehow, I feel better about it.’

Maybe
it’s because I invested in Grumpy and Jeremy and got burned.

After
all, a stable and reliable savings account is the answer rather than
a stock that aims for the big time.

As
long as the country doesn’t collapse, your savings won’t go bust.

***

Over
the past three days, Ellie Ordia had been discussing labyrinths and
portals with someone who visited at the same time every day.

“Have
a good day, Mister, and thanks for another great talk!”

“Uh-huh.
Ellie. Keep up your research, too.”

“Yes!”

Ellie
Ordia casually ruffled her hair and watched him leave, analyzing the
emotions swirling in her chest.

Joy.
Exultation. Delight.

Whenever
someone praised and stroked her shining talent, Ellie Ordia felt a
strange sense of pleasure.

But
the pleasure she felt now was far more exhilarating than the praise
she’d heard from her professors at the Academy.

–
It’s Miss Ordia. She’s talented.

–
I want to know who that dazzling talent was nurtured by, no, I want
it even more.

“If
Ellie Ordia were to be employed as an assistant, would Diana
also…?”

–
Haha. No matter how long she’s been retired, people our age don’t
forget her.

It’s
Ordia. She’s Diana’s daughter. She’s different.

No
one looks at Ellie. All anyone cares about is the last name Ordia.

It
wasn’t just the professors but also the people who came up to her
claiming to be her friends.

They
were all the same, however the man she met in the library was
different.

‘His
compliments were directed at me.’

He
didn’t care about her last name, Ordia, he saw her for who she was,
and he encouraged her to pursue her talent.

For
some reason, thinking of him brings to mind the faces of her real
parents, whose memories are now a blur.

‘If
my dad were alive, I wonder if this is how he would have felt.’

“⋯⋯”

It
was pointless to think about it. Ellie snapped back to reality as if
from a brief dream.

No
money.

Deanna
Ordia had sent her a generous allowance, but she hadn’t spent it
since she’d arrived at the Academy. Ellie’s pride wouldn’t allow her
to spend it.

The
Temple’s library was open twenty-four hours a day, and she’d spent
the last few days there almost like an overnight stay, but even that
had its limits. The librarian’s glare was stinging.

‘I
don’t smell anything.’

Ellie
sniffed her ragged robes unnecessarily.

The
half-elf’s clean, fragrant body, kept clean around the clock by clean
magic, didn’t allow for the slightest trace of dirt or odor.

The
nights in the Labyrinth City were dangerous, and with nowhere else to
go, Ellie had only one place to turn.

[Cozy
Winter Inn]

“I
can’t believe I came back here again.”

Late
at night, Ellie stared at the unlit inn.

Memories
of growing up here came flooding back.

–
Wow. So Ellie has a talent for magic?

She
recognized the face of the woman who had raised her, her foster
mother, Diana Ordia.

Come
to think of it, they had a better relationship when she was a child
than they do now.

“⋯It’s
unconscionable, but just for one night⋯”

Tomorrow,
she’ll be joining the rest of the Academy and entering the Labyrinth.

What
Ellie needed now was a place to rest her weary head.

‘Looks
like they’re closed for the day.’

She
opened the door and was immediately greeted by a familiar sight. Not
much had changed from her childhood memories.

Ellie
headed straight for Diana’s room.

As
much as she hated it, she had to see her since she was staying the
night.

It
had been a long time since she visited, but every time she walked
into the inn, memories came flooding back.

“Hmph,
hmph, hmph.”

With
her elven lightness of step, Ellie reached Diana’s doorstep and
caught a lustful moan coming from somewhere.

It
was coming from inside Diana’s room.

‘⋯I
shouldn’t have come now.’

Ellie
blushed and regretted it for a moment. She should have waited a
little longer. It was quite embarrassing to hear her stepmother moan
in embarrassment.

She
quickly turned to leave.

“Balkan?”

The
name sounded familiar to the sensitive elf’s ears.

The
man who had been with her for the past three days was also named
Balkan.

“Please
be quiet, Diana. The other guests might hear you.”

“⋯Hang
in there a little longer. I’ll calm down in a minute.”

As
if to drive a wedge into that, Balkan’s voice came from inside
Diana’s room.

“⋯⋯?”

‘What?
Did I hear wrong? No, elf ears don’t lie. I heard right.’

Tapping.
Pounding.

For
some reason, her heart fluttered uneasily.

Ellie’s
footsteps led her toward Diana’s room.

She
cracked open the door and from there, a dazzlingly beautiful light
streamed in.

Ellie
held her breath and peered through the crack in the door.

When
the light finally cleared, a sweaty Diana appeared⋯

“How’s
it going, Diana? Has the curse calmed down a bit?”

“Haa⋯
haa⋯
yes⋯
thank you. Balkan⋯
it was so good⋯
ah, no⋯
more, thanks⋯
I’ve calmed down⋯”

“I’m
going into the Labyrinth tomorrow, too, so just be patient while I’m
gone. Okay?”

“Mmm⋯”

Balkan
lay on the ground beneath her, stroking Diana’s bare belly with his
bare hands.

“⋯?”

Ellie’s
arms went limp as she realized what was happening. Her heart was
beating too fast and her head suddenly felt dizzy.

-thud.

She
dropped the thick research journal she always carried in her arms.

“⋯!”

“Who
is it?”

Balkan
reacted to the sound faster than Diana, who was exhausted from the
rush of pleasure.

Ellie
ran out of the inn.

She
ran through the dark labyrinthine city with her heart
beating
too fast.

She
slumped against a wall in an obscure alleyway and leaned back.

She
covered herself with her robe and pulled her hat down tight.

Ellie
felt like she was going to cry.

***

“We’ll
be escorting academy students on this labyrinth expedition. Let’s
pass the time by chatting until the rest of the party arrives.”

I
stared at the five Academy students I’d be escorting on this trip to
the Labyrinth as I listened to Joy Hog’s words.

No,
actually, I only recognized one of them.

“⋯Heng.”

That
one person, however, quickly averted her gaze as soon as he saw me.

“Haha.”

I
scratched my forehead as I looked at the red-faced elf girl, Ellie
Ordia.

How
the hell did this happen?