Chapter 59: Help Me

“Are you awake?”

“Ugh. Where is this..?”

“This is the aid station. People brought Porter-ssi who had collapsed.”

“Ah, I see.”

When I opened my eyes, Erika, the Pingchaeng Goddess Church priestess, was looking down at me.

This seemed to be a private room in the aid station.

Usually, 12-person rooms are standard, but for some reason, I seem to have been placed alone in a private room.

“For now, basic treatment for your shoulder and side is finished, but because the internal organ rupture was so severe, it looks like you’ll need to recover for a while. Please be careful not to move too much.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“It’s nothing. Fortunately, Porter-ssi’s recovery ability is remarkably good.”

Erika says my recovery ability is remarkably good.

Is that so? Objectively, my recovery ability wasn’t that good.

Perhaps this too is an additional effect left by Shaka’s remnant.

Improved muscle growth and increased recovery ability.

The great warrior Shaka truly bestowed upon me generously.

“Um, I’m sorry, but how long has it been since I was brought here?”

“About 3 days have passed. During that time, Lady Lea, Rica, and Rien or Olivia-yang also came and went. Ah, the Guild Master visited too.”

“What, three days have passed? Huh.”

“Yes. It seems Rien and Rica took care of talking about the Magic Tower and Martial Arts Hall matters, so you don’t need to worry too much. And about Olivia-yang.”

“What happened to Olivia? Has Yuria returned?”

“No, since Yuria-ssi hasn’t returned yet, we’re protecting Olivia-yang. Lady Lea is taking care of her.”

“Ah. Well. Thank you. How should I repay this..”

“It’s what Lady Lea decided. Thank her when she comes later.”

“Yes, I’ll make sure to thank her. And thank you too, Erika-ssi.”

“No. Hehehe. It’s alright. Well, there are other patients too, so I’ll come back later. Here, the Guild Master left this Monster Dismantling Appreciation Book. Rest while reading this at least.”

“Okay.”

After delivering all the information she needed to convey, Erika went outside.

It seems most of the things I was worried about were taken care of by Lady Lea and my colleagues.

It looks like Rica told Gon, and Rien spoke to the Magic Tower.

I felt relieved that Lady Lea herself was taking care of the most important Olivia.

‘By the way, to think 3 days have passed.’

Originally, today was supposed to be the day I visited the Magic Tower to conduct some experiments on abilities, but with my condition like this, I had to skip this week.

I was supposed to enter the labyrinth with the Young Lady’s party.

It looks like I won’t be able to enter this time either.

Feeling unnecessarily restless, I looked out the window.

The moon was hanging in the night sky.

I really almost died.

I nearly got killed outright by the sudden attack of the heretics.

What would have happened if I hadn’t heard that voice then, and thus hadn’t turned around?

I probably would have been killed with a knife in my back without being able to resist at all.

‘It’s chilling.’

I got goosebumps thinking about crazy heretics wandering the night streets.

How on earth did those guys escape from the labyrinth?

After the appearance of heretics, the entrance to the labyrinth would have been guarded more meticulously than usual by the guards.

Anyone with unknown identity or suspicious individuals were all subject to inspection.

But the fact that heretics still managed to sneak out means their methods must be quite ingenious.

Suddenly, I thought that the city itself seems to have become extremely dangerous since the Great Shift.

It seems I learned techniques well from Gon to be able to respond to the increased difficulty.

If I hadn’t received mental training from Gon, I probably would have died at the hands of those heretic bastards.

Getting stronger is a good thing.

And the help from the villainesses was significant too.

If the villainesses hadn’t warned me then, I would have died without being able to respond.

It seems they can’t be seen as entirely bad beings.

It might not be bad to try talking with them if it’s helpful.

“Yawn. I’m sleepy.”

Let’s stop the random thoughts here and go to sleep soon.

My body feels heavy. It would be good to just sleep for today.

Thud.

“What the..!”

Just before falling asleep, something fell on my head.

For a moment, thinking it was a bug, I was so startled that I jumped out of bed.

No matter that I’m entering my 7th month of life in another world, I’m still scared of cockroaches.

“Damn…”

After barely calming myself down, I checked what had fallen on my head to catch the bug… and I was dumbfounded.

“This is the substitute doll. Why is it here?”

The substitute doll I had bought for 1 gold coin from the voodoo practitioner had somehow fallen on my head, torn to shreds.

The doll that should have been inside the wooden box was not only torn, but it flew to me lying in the aid station room.

The meaning of this was clear.

“Ah.”

The villainesses have discovered my existence.

What’s more serious is that it’s late at night, and this is a private room so I’m alone.

Yes, the torn doll escaped from the wooden box while I wasn’t sleeping with someone.

All protective measures against the villainesses have failed.

-Hehehehehe!

-You tried to stop us with such a trifling thing?

-Rookie. You seemed to have used your head a bit. But it’s useless.

I hear voices. The temperature in the room dropped sharply.

“Aaah! Erika! Erika help me! Is nobody there!? Help!!!”

I shouted, hoping someone outside would hear me.

I grabbed the doorknob and shook it frantically to escape.

It won’t open. The door didn’t budge at all, as if it were a concrete wall.

“Help me!”

No matter how much I shouted, there was no response.

It felt like I was shouting alone inside a soundproof booth.

-Shout all day long. See if anyone comes.

-Hey shorty. Stop resisting and come here.

-The little one crying is cute, isn’t it? Should sister show you something nice?

The voluptuous villainesses are lying on the bed, beckoning to me.

If I respond to their call, I’ll be tormented until my soul is sucked out.

‘What should I do? It seems they came fully prepared.’

The voodoo practitioner told me.

Even if I encounter them again, I should never answer them.

-Hehehe. Little one. You thought it was fine as long as you didn’t answer?

-You believe the words of that bald doll pervert? What is unverified information? It’s pseudo-religion. Do you understand now?

-Superstition, shamanic beliefs. Just nonsense spouted by idiots who don’t know anything properly.

The villainesses completely denied the voodoo practitioner’s words.

They said it’s fine as long as I don’t answer, so why are they able to interfere with me even though I didn’t answer?

The door won’t open.

No matter how much I shout, no one comes to help.

“Hey. Little one.”

“Huk.”

Thinking I might as well break the door, I took out a club from my spatial pocket, when the substitute doll lying on the bed opened its mouth.

The torn doll sat on the bed on its own and grinned, curling up the corners of its mouth.

“This is still a doll with quite good internal materials, you know. Sew it up and carry it around. Let’s talk through this when the sun is up.”

“….”

“If you don’t answer, we’ll torment you. Whether you answer or not, you’re already entangled with us.”

I didn’t answer until the end.

Whether the voodoo practitioner was a pseudo-religion or not, it seemed better not to answer them for now.

“Stubborn guy.”

The doll collapsed again with a thud.

-Fine. Don’t answer. We clearly said we’d torment you if you don’t answer. So you wanted to be tormented.

-Oh~ That type? Hehehehehe. Good, good. I’m good at tormenting too!

-The shorty is completely frightened. Look at that expression. He looks like he’ll cry if we just touch him.

The villainesses approached me.

They came as if flying through the air, grabbed my arms, and dragged me to the bed.

“No! Nooo!”

I twisted my body and tried to resist, but it was useless.

Their strength was ridiculously strong, and I was thrown onto the bed.

“Huk..!”

Two villainesses grabbed my arms, and the remaining one mounted me and grabbed my face.

-Rookie. Don’t cry. We won’t eat you. We’ll just have a taste.

The gray-haired villainess with bandages over her eyes stuck out her snake-like long tongue and licked my face.

Sticky liquid covered my entire face, and the villainess licked my face carefully several times before stealing my lips.

“Mmph..!! Mmph..!!”

The villainess’s long tongue entered my mouth.

It touched my tongue and then sucked and bit it for a long time inside my mouth.

I feel like I’m going mad.

Some unknown liquid that wasn’t saliva kept coming from the villainess’s tongue, and I had to swallow it.

-Hehehe. We can really touch him. So soft.

-I told you. This rookie owes us his life. We can interfere as much as we want.

-Kehehe. I’m next. This time I want to suck.

-Me too! Me too!

The villainesses lightly ignored my resistance and took turns sucking my mouth.

It feels like my energy is being sucked out.

With the villainesses mounting me like large dogs and licking my face, I can’t even open my eyes.

-Whew. Satisfying. So this is what a kiss tastes like.

-It’s on a different level from when we do it among ourselves!

-Gulp. Haah… I think I’m getting addicted.

The villainesses who had been playing with me for a while each gave their impressions.

They looked extremely satisfied.

But I’m more fine than I expected?

I thought my energy would be stolen. Rather, I feel strength in my body.

Could there have been some effect in the saliva they forced me to swallow?

I’m not sure, but I could feel that the pain in my side had almost disappeared.

-Hey. Rookie.

“Yes?”

-You owe us your life. You know that?

“Well, that. That’s right.”

Just before being ambushed by the heretics, the villainesses had alerted me to the enemy’s presence.

If it weren’t for them, there’s a high chance I would have died without even leaving a corpse.

They are indeed benefactors. The problem is that they’re demanding repayment of the favor.

-We’re not being so nice to you, saving your life and giving you kisses, without any purpose.

-We, you see. We got involved.

-There’s someone deep in that labyrinth who tied us to this stinking city.

-Either deal with that guy. Or make him release the binding on us. Do something about either of those…

-Otherwise, little one, you’ll die from lack of energy after being sucked and bitten by us for life. Understand?

“No, what are you…”

-Either catch that guy deep down in the labyrinth. Or somehow figure out a way to release us.

-You survived once thanks to us. If you don’t want to die, repay the debt.

-That warrior’s remnants left in your body didn’t just activate on their own.

-Little one. Who do you think sang the warrior’s song for you?

“No way… It was you..”

-If you understand, go down to the labyrinth to repay the favor. Free us from this city.

-Answer, little one.

-Answer.

Could it be that when I was dying at the hands of the heretics, it was these women who sang the warrior’s song and drew out my potential?

I see, they gave me much more help than simply revealing the identity of the heretics.

But the request to go down to the deep part of the labyrinth is really difficult.

I’m not sure how deep they want me to go.

“Why me of all people?”

-Because you’re the only one who can see us properly.

-If you really don’t want to, find another Spirit Eye owner.

-Hehehehehe. But you know what? For the past 300 years, you were the only Spirit Eye owner who could see us, feel us, and communicate with us.

“Ah.”

I understand why the villainesses are obsessed with me.

They’ve already waited for 300 years.

During that long time, these three have been looking for someone who could see them and talk to them.

“Wait a moment. Okay, I understand. I get that you want to be freed. I understand everything. But how deep is this deep place? How far down do you want me to go?”

-Well…

-The end. Probably to the end of the labyrinth?

“No, what do I need to kill that requires going to the end of the labyrinth!”

The villainesses stopped laughing at my question and answered.

-The one who created a crack in this land.

-The collector of mysteries.

-The endangered species protection agency.

“No, what on earth is that?”

-Hmm. Ah! Right. You can call it the Master of the Labyrinth.

The Master of the Labyrinth.

The villainesses are telling me to catch the Master of the Labyrinth right now.

“That’s impossible.”

I answered immediately.

If I mistakenly accepted the villainesses’ request, I felt like my life would really be screwed.

-There’s no rejection.

-Please! Do it!

-I’ll help you, little one. We’re not just asking you to do it.

“No, how can I catch the Labyrinth Master? Are all three of you crazy? Look at my state. I barely survived against those heretic bastards.”

-That’s because you’re still weak.

-Hey shorty. If you try, you can do it.

-For a warrior to be scared before even fighting. Tsk tsk.

I’m so dumbfounded I can’t speak.

They’re cursing at me for not going down themselves.

-You think we don’t go down because we don’t want to?

-We tried too. But we can’t. We can’t go down.

-Why do you think we’re earth-bound spirits? We can’t enter the labyrinth at all.

“This is driving me crazy.”

There seemed to be no way out.

The villainesses had no hope other than me, and if I ignored their request, it felt like my life would fall into a pit of despair.

A fierce scene of tantrums where no one was willing to yield.

I made a decision.

“For now. For now, I’ll try. Let’s set the deadline until before I die.”

-If you can’t do it before you die, we’ll take your soul? Is that okay?

-If you don’t free us before you die, you’ll experience something more terrible than wandering the nine hells.

-If you say you’ll do it before you die but then slack off and play tricks, our relationship is over that day.

“Ah, yes. I get it!”

It’s so brutal I can’t even try to play tricks.

The villainesses immediately saw through my intention to just grow old and die.

Unintentionally, a new mission has been added to my life.

If there was a mission window, it would probably look something like this:

-Explore the 7th floor with Yuria

-Help Lady Lea grow

-Become a Gold Badge adventurer within 6 months

-(NEW!!!) Help the villainesses catch the Labyrinth Master

Somehow, each one has a high difficulty level.

I thought life was truly bizarre.

-We’ll withdraw for today.

-Remember. You have to catch the Labyrinth Master.

-The longer you delay, the more intense our urging will become.

Soon the villainesses disappeared into the darkness.

I picked up the doll lying there as if nothing had happened and sat down on the bed.

I suffered because my ability was too good.

So this is the penalty of having an ability.

It was a sleepless night.