Dungeon Attack (4)

What does it take to conquer a labyrinth? A map and a lantern to light the way? Or food in preparation for isolation? Hmm. All true, but without basic skills, you’re pretty much screwed.

Labyrinths have so many variables.

Like the God of Fate rolling dice playfully, a labyrinth can screw you over in one shot, no matter how prepared you are. All sorts of traps, set by who-knows-who, and labyrinth monsters attack adventurers on the premise of ambush. The clueless and weak get slaughtered before they even reach the center.

Among these, the most cautious variable is humans-

I’ve been screwed over so many times, it might be a bit late to say this now, but the most dangerous enemy in a labyrinth is humans.

Especially those who seek ‘opportunity.’ They’re the ones who would sell out a stranger’s life, even their comrades, for a chance at something. Only they know what form that opportunity takes-it could be something trivial, or something too big for an individual to handle.

Isn’t that how human life is? A common story that applies not only to labyrinths but also to everyday life.

So.

I was going to do a little preparation.

“That’ll be 70 coppers in total.”

“Just a moment… Ah.”

Empty pockets, only dust flying around. The money pouch at my waist was nowhere to be seen.

‘Shibal… those thug bastards.’

They took it when I was getting cigarette-burned and gleefully raped. Miraculously, the adventurer’s token was still there, but I couldn’t buy anything with that. I gave the shopkeeper an apologetic look and said I’d buy it next time.

“Oh dear. Looks like you got pickpocketed?”

“…Looks like it.”

“Be careful, miss. This is a tourist town, so there are pickpockets everywhere.”

“Thank you for the advice.”

If it were just a pickpocket, I could catch them and beat the shit out of them.

Enjoying it was good, but this was the problem. When I was taken by Hooded Man, in the mountains, and even now. It was as good as not having money even if I had it, giving me a headache. Well, I guess it would be weird to leave the money untouched when they’re going to fuck me and kill me.

In the end, I came out onto the street empty-handed. My magic is so OP that I could clear the labyrinth, even destroy it, with my bare hands, but that’s not what I’m aiming for.

A mage loaded with gear entering the labyrinth. And an F-rank, no less. Anyone can tell I’m a newbie, so they won’t just leave me alone. Again, the most dangerous beings in a labyrinth are humans. They’re balls of desire, no less than demons.

Maximum masochistic desire. Just imagining it makes my legs wet. Even if they break my limbs and rape me, there’s no one to see, and even if they pluck out my eyes and teeth and use me as a toy, the monsters will clean up the mess, so it’s truly a criminal’s paradise.

‘I need to make money first….’

The thought of not experiencing that happiness made me momentarily anxious. On the other hand, I wasn’t too worried about money, because you can make a lot by taking down a big monster. Maybe 20 silver coins for the head of an upper-A-rank monster? It’s just annoying to go to where the monsters are, and other than the trouble of selling the harvested materials, it’s not that difficult.

‘I can sell them under the Red Magic Tower’s name…’

I sat on the fountain and planned my next steps. The occasional splash of water cooled me down, making it good for thinking. As an aside, people passing by the fountain kept looking at me, making me feel like a zoo monkey, which was slightly pleasing. I watched the people passing by and thought.

‘It’s pretty.’

As a tourist city, the buildings were designed harmoniously without being chaotic, creating artificial beauty. And that’s not all. If you were to pick the biggest feature of Kahalia, most would say the large lake proudly situated in the middle of the city. A large blue lake that was reminiscent of the sea. It was a size that didn’t shame the name of a tourist city.

But where do I catch monsters? This is a tourist city. At most, there’s only a pack of wolves outside…. More than that, is there even an adventurer’s guild? As various random thoughts crossed my mind and heated up my head.

“…?”

I turned my head towards the gaze that was staring at me.

“Calvert?”

Shuriel wasn’t there, just the old knight Calvert standing alone on the street. He saw me sitting at the fountain, worrying with a gloomy face, and slowly approached. As soon as I saw him, I turned my face expressionless, but he had already caught it. Calvert didn’t miss my gloomy face.

“What are you doing here?”

The old man’s eyes were always so burdensome. Their eyes look into depths that the immature cannot see, so I had to calm my insides so that my dark desires wouldn’t accidentally leak out. Otherwise, I’d be caught immediately.

“…I was just thinking.”

“Looks like it’s a money problem.”

“It’s nothing you need to worry about, -gyeong.”

He smiled kindly and chuckled.

“How about we have a meal together?”

“I’m fine.”

“I haven’t seen you put food in your mouth yesterday or today, so you don’t have to refuse.”

“…What about the acting master-nim?”

Why is the old man being so meddlesome? He’s a guard knight, right? Is he allowed to do this here? I changed the subject. I was just asking about Shuriel’s whereabouts, but he must know that I’m pointing out his dereliction of duty. Calvert answered as if he expected it.

“The master is running around trying to form an attack party. Me, the master, and two soldiers. Four in total. But we can’t enter because we haven’t filled the recommended number of five.”

Can’t enter? What’s that supposed to mean? Calvert kindly explained as I tilted my head.

“They won’t give permission for safety reasons. We could ignore the recommendation, but I had a good idea. We needed a mage…”

“…I’m not interested.”

“I haven’t said anything yet.”

I reflexively refused, but I was slightly tempted.

An attack party…. Thinking calmly, it didn’t seem like the worst thing. I don’t have any money right now, so I can’t do anything anyway. I don’t have a party either. It’s a bit of a demerit to accompany a noble, but I can just drop out in the middle.

‘Not bad?’

It seems like a decent plan. If I get separated from the party due to traps or isolation, I can travel alone. I’ll disappear into a deep place so they can’t come to rescue me. There’s no scenario where they’re strong enough to return safely. I can create the traps myself.

And if I meet a party of adventurers with bad personalities…

“Haa….”

“What’s wrong?”

Oops. I pressed down on my lower abdomen, desperately suppressing my lewd emotions.

Calvert suddenly turned red and twitched his eyes at my strange appearance of pressing his lower abdomen, but he didn’t bother to say it out loud. He didn’t have to be so considerate…. I felt embarrassed for no reason.

“It’s not a bad offer, so think about it. Your ambiguous identity has already been confirmed.”

“Confirmed?”

“An temporary adventurer’s guild has been set up in the square. I investigated separately while confirming… you really were an innocent adventurer.”

He said with feigned surprise.

“This is also my apology for the rudeness last time. Adventurer Yujin. Can you please accept my apology?”

I had to focus all my energy on calming my twitching lower abdomen, so I just nodded vaguely. My delusions seemed to have become pathologically severe. Once I start, I can’t stop…. Calvert, unaware of how ugly my true feelings are, just smiled brightly at my acceptance.

* * *

“Welcome~! This is the Rupinar Tavern~!”

A store named after the water dragon Rupinar of the Great Ocean. It was a popular store, crowded with people.

“Sit here.”

I sat down, escorted by Calvert. I vaguely expressed my gratitude and scanned the menu.

As expected, there were many liquid-related dishes named after the water dragon.

From common dishes such as stew made with monster meat, vegetable stew, and cream soup, to porridge, noodles, and even cold soup. They used a local specialty called ‘Kanapa’ instead of seaweed or cucumber, but anyway.

“I’ll have a simple meat soup. Order as much as you want. I’m not here to fill my stomach.”

I ordered vegetable stew, and soon two bowls of stew with fragrant smells were set up. I lightly bowed and picked up my spoon, but he just chuckled and watched me eat. He looked like a grandfather watching his grandson, so I responded with a courtesy smile. It was clearly a forced smile, but Calvert didn’t seem to care.

That’s when laughter and smiles were exchanged at the dining table.

-Kung!

“Calvert-euuuuuu!!!!”

The door was roughly opened, and a shrill voice filled the tavern. For a moment, there was a brief silence in the tavern that was barely noticeable, and then it disappeared. At the same time, attention was focused.

“You were giving me the stink eye, but you’re secretly spending time with this bitch behind my back? Huh? You look happy, huh? Some of us are exhausted from putting together an attack party and organizing the item list.”

Ruchellini… eyes so clear that you can’t forget them once you see them. Although they were now bubbling like lava, they were still beautiful colors. He glared at Calvert while keeping his eyes on me. Perhaps that’s why it felt like he was blaming me.

“Doryeon-nim.”

“Master.”

Our voices rang out at the same time. We exchanged glances like a couple caught in an affair and swallowed hard. Shuriel gnashed his teeth at the sight and slowly approached. It didn’t matter how or why he came. Getting out of the current situation was the top priority, so I calmly analyzed the situation. Calvert acted before me.

“I’m sorry.”

Calvert apologized, kneeling in front of him after a few seconds of silence. Judging by his expression, it seemed that getting out of the situation was also his priority. Shuriel was slightly taken aback, not expecting him to kneel, and took a step back.

He seemed reluctant to get angry at the kneeling knight, so he changed the target of his resentment.

“Adventurer Yujin.”

“…Yes.”

“What were you doing with my knight?”

“We were having a meal. He said he wanted to apologize for the rudeness he committed against me-“

“That’s not what I’m asking. Why?”

I could feel the surging emotions in the single word ‘why.’ I was anxious. Because I could guess the next line. A line that was so common, so ordinary, that I couldn’t bring myself to tell him to shut up, a line that I really didn’t want to hear-

“I’m not good enough, but that old man is?”

That kind of line.

“Doryeon-nim.”

“Don’t call me Doryeon-nim.”

How long has it been since we met, and he’s already raising his voice like that? I hate to admit it, but that noble bastard likes me right now. Because Shuriel’s current appearance was that of a teenager who had his first love stolen.

The confrontation between me and Shuriel continued, and Calvert’s knees showed no signs of leaving the ground. I thought it looked a bit ugly for an old man with graying hair to be kneeling, so I opened my mouth to end the situation.

“I’ll join the attack party.”

“I’m-… what?”

His eyes rippled when I said I would join the attack party. Shuriel closed his mouth tightly and licked his lips quickly. I made the first move before he could say anything.

“I’m proficient in fire and water attribute magic and can draw maps, so I’ll be helpful. Also, I can create spheres of light, so you don’t have to use oil lamps.”

Shuriel spat out curses and looked back and forth between me and Calvert. This. Is. A misunderstanding. He didn’t say it, but the meaning must have been conveyed. I didn’t go on a date with that old knight or anything. Only then did he grasp the situation, and he said in a calmer voice than before.

“Did Calvert say something?”

“He said there was one spot missing.”

“…….”

Deliberation.

And approval.

“…Follow me.”

As soon as his permission was given, Calvert’s knees said goodbye to the ground with a vengeance. I smiled at Calvert from an angle that Shuriel couldn’t see. He brushed the dust off his knees and expressed his silent gratitude to me. It’s nothing. Just think of it as payment for buying me a meal.