Chapter 67

Chapter 67

Otherworld Cheat Harem.

Episode 67: Trial (3)

As soon as he returned to the mansion, Deokgu called Seoyoon and Aram and had a serious conversation with them in his room.

“…So, Dojin is trapped in the dungeon?”

“Yes.”

“Trapped in the dungeon, what does that mean…?”

“I don’t know the details either. There’s a being in the dungeon that can change its shape, and we’re just guessing that Dojin met that being.”

“Did you inform the guild?”

“No, they wouldn’t believe us anyway… Is there anyone else but us who would risk their lives to save Dojin?”

The 30th floor was the boundary between levels 2 and 3. A demonic realm where even those who had experienced leveling up died in droves.

No matter how much money they’d pay, they couldn’t recruit people willing to risk their lives to save Dojin.

Even if there were altruistic saints willing to save others without any reward, it would be the same. If such people existed, they would have died saving others long ago.

“What’s the plan?”

Seoyoon asked Deokgu. He wasn’t someone who would recklessly take action without any thought.

He must have had a way to save Dojin to bring this up. She firmly believed so.

Indeed, Deokgu had already devised a plan to save Dojin.

“Seoyoon, you can reach the 30th floor alone, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then you, me, and Aram. The three of us will go save Dojin.”

“…Why you?”

Seoyoon, knowing Deokgu’s abilities well, asked him back. He had no abilities helpful in battle and no talent, so he couldn’t fight…

“A friend is in danger, so should I just sit here twiddling my thumbs?”

At least his determination would be of help.

“…So you’re saying Dojin is trapped.”

Aram’s eyes welled up with tears. A whole day had already passed. To minimize the load when entering the dungeon, they likely didn’t bring much food either, so by now, they must be starving…

Ah, thinking about Dojin suffering in the dungeon made her heart ache naturally.

Sizzle, the werewolf meat, skinned and de-furred, was roasting nicely. Orion, who was staring blankly at the flickering fire, realized the meat was done and pulled out the skewer.

Receiving the skewer, Dojin swallowed his saliva as he looked at the meat dripping with juice. The sizzling oil made it obvious that eating it immediately would burn him, but…

Unable to resist the aroma, he bit into the meat with his teeth. Contrary to his expectations that the muscular hunk would taste bad, the werewolf meat was quite delicious.

“…Why does this taste good?”

Raize, who had vomited after eating raw meat, was puzzled by the taste and tilted her head. The meat, once in her mouth, melted away instantly.

“Wow, this is truly a delicacy, a delicacy.”

After swallowing the remaining meat in one gulp, Dojin drooled at the sight of the meat still being roasted. Thanks to Raize developing a separate, more practical solution on how to prevent monster corpses from disappearing, they could comfortably tear into the meat without worrying about the monster dying.

“It’s all thanks to Raize.”

“…It’s something any mage could do.”

Raize, seemingly embarrassed by the praise, lowered her head and buried her face in the meat. Watching her, Dojin smiled warmly and then checked the clock.

“It’s about time.”

At that moment, woooong, the dungeon began to shift. It was already the fifth transformation. After witnessing the maze change five times, the group had begun to understand some of its characteristics.

“The path changes are completely random. There’s no pattern.”

Additionally, each time the path changed, the position where they stood also changed. So, even if they were on the left side of the maze, when the maze transformed, that place could become the center of the maze.

This wasn’t designed to let them pass through the maze. It seemed like it was created with the intention to trap them in the maze forever.

By whom? For what reason?

Dojin had some guesses about the answer.

‘The ruler of the 30th floor…’

Just as Dojin, as the ruler of the 10th floor, could exert influence on the floors below, the ruler of the 30th floor could do the same.

The strange part was why the ruler of the 30th floor, whom they hadn’t even seen, had awakened.

‘Did someone else wake the ruler on the 30th floor? And why now, of all times?’

Though what was bound to happen would happen, statistically, it was an improbable event. Dojin dismissed that possibility.

The only one left was himself. He had provoked the ruler of the 30th floor, causing it to awaken. But how?

‘It wouldn’t be because of hunting… Was it because I set foot on the 30th floor?’

There was a ruler for the 10th floor. Thus, there would also be a ruler for the 30th floor.

The act of a lower floor’s ruler stepping into the territory of an upper floor’s ruler could be seen as an invasion.

And there was no way a ruler would quietly watch their territory being invaded.

‘So, now I’ve become a challenger.’

The ruler himself did not show his face. Why? Realizing that was very easy.

─Thank you.

He recalled the giant orc warrior who had already perished—the ruler of the 10th floor, who had awakened and expressed his gratitude.

Dojin, an excellent swordsman, could even read emotions from his opponent’s sword. He did not refuse to clash swords with them, hoping that the situation would continue for a long time.

Thinking back to how the others had collapsed like fallen leaves the moment he revealed his true skills, it was clear that he hadn’t been stalling for an advantage.

Delaying time itself was the purpose.

Rulers value time very highly. Thus, they wish to enjoy more time.

He didn’t know the reason, but with his lack of gaming experience and knowledge, this was as far as he could deduce.

What was certain now was that a considerable amount of time was given to them.

‘If only Deokgu were here, I wouldn’t have to think about such things.’

If Deokgu, who had experienced many subcultures, were here, he might have realized the meaning of the maze and the ruler’s purpose long ago.

He might have even thought of a way to pass through the maze and escape the dungeon.

Dojin was not Deokgu. It was impossible for him to use his head to break through the dungeon like that.

Therefore, he chose what he could do. He broke through with his body. If his body was weak, his head would inevitably suffer.

“Finished eating?”

Tssup. Raize wiped the grease from her lips and nodded, while Orion and Eunha had already finished preparing to leave.

“Then… let’s go.”

Dojin and his party walked through the maze.

Do you know the labyrinth of the island of Crete?

Labyrinth.

The absolute labyrinth, said to have been created by the genius Greek inventor Daedalus, from which it was said no one could ever escape once they entered…

Dojin also knew of its existence from a comic book he read as a child. He recalled that memory now because his current situation felt like being trapped in that labyrinth.

‘Until when…’

Swoosh!

He slashed at a monster that suddenly appeared. It was an orc warrior that appeared around the 20th floor. Orc meat had a strong stench and was inedible.

‘Just how long…’

Thud!

He stabbed the neck of a shadow monster pretending to be a shadow lying on the ground. Shadows were not something you could eat in the first place. Naturally, he left no corpse behind.

‘Until when…’

The maze had changed over ten times by now. Dojin was beginning to get tired. It was inevitable. He couldn’t afford to lower his guard, as monsters could attack at any moment, so they took turns keeping watch and sleeping lightly, even lying on peeled monster skins on the muddy ground.

The environment only added to his fatigue, and fighting for three days straight without relaxing his vigilance pushed his mental and physical limits.

Raize had already realized her physical limits and collapsed, and although Eunha didn’t show it, she was visibly getting tired.

The only one still in good condition among the group was Orion. Dojin admired her as he looked at her unruffled demeanor.

“…How are you still so fine?”

“Huh? Oh, it’s because I have a lot of experience…”

Orion said this as she scratched her cheek. She recalled the seven-day, sleepless training she underwent during Ranger training.

‘I used to complain about when I’d ever use this…’

Anything you learn is useful. Orion realized this fact. However, even that had its limits.

‘Everyone is getting exhausted…’

She glanced around at her party members. She could see the fatigue etched on everyone’s faces. They looked as if they could collapse from exhaustion at any moment.

If this continued for a few more days, or if they encountered monsters a few more times, they’d eventually break.

‘…I have to do something.’

What if it were Dojin who had a clear mind in this situation? If he could recover from fatigue to some extent, there would be nothing to worry about…

Having made up her mind, she looked at Dojin.

“Uh, Leader.”

“…Huh, what?”

His response was slow. He reacted to the sound, then his optic nerves moved, and only then did his mouth open.

“…Just for a moment, over here.”

“Uh, why?”

Orion pulled Dojin a few meters away from Eunha and Raize. She didn’t really want to show this side of herself in front of them… but being far from the dungeon, anything could happen.

Standing within arm’s reach, with her back to the group, Orion faced Dojin and forced her pounding heart to calm down as she asked.

“…Leader, are you very tired?”

“…Ah, no. I’m okay. Just… just need a little rest.”

“Well, can I relieve that fatigue for you?”

“…How?”

Dojin, thinking she was worried about him, questioned her. Relieve his fatigue? If that were possible, he would like it.

He needed to relieve even a bit of his fatigue right now.

As he nodded slightly, Orion pulled Dojin towards her. The deep forest scent unique to elves wafted over.

As she embraced Dojin to her chest, she turned her head and blushed, seemingly embarrassed.

“The scent and fluids of an elf have the effect of relieving fatigue… Y-you can lick a little if you want.”

“…What on earth?”

“Ah, just accept it.”

Dojin looked up at Orion in confusion. However, Orion hugged him even tighter. A rich, natural fragrance was felt.

Having sweated all day and without washing, the accumulated scent of the elf began to rejuvenate Dojin’s vitality.

Fairies, after all, possessed such special powers.

“…Sniff, haa. Sniff, haa.”

Dojin buried his head in Orion’s chest, inhaling the fragrance. Occasionally, he stuck out his tongue to lick her salty yet sweet skin.

Indeed, as Orion said, his fatigue vanished, and strength surged through his body.

‘…If I handle this well.’

A thought flashed through Dojin’s mind.

“…?”

On the 10th floor of the dungeon, Seoyoon, who had just started climbing the dungeon, stopped in her tracks and looked up.

“Seoyoon, what’s wrong?”

“No, it’s just… I suddenly have a strange feeling.”

A woman’s intuition is sharp, and Seoyoon felt as if Dojin might be cheating.

Even though she knew it couldn’t be true, it was a feeling she couldn’t easily shake off.