episode_0057

Knock knock.

Someone knocked on the door.

Jeong Yu-shin opened his eyes.

He got up from the bed and grabbed the sword placed by his head.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Ann. There’s a guest downstairs.”

“How long have I been sleeping?”

“You’ve been sleeping from yesterday morning until tonight.”

So, he slept for a day and a half.

He must have been really tired.

“I’ll be right there.”

He changed his clothes and strapped the single-edged sword to his waist.

A guest late at night.

Could it be Aldaine? Maybe he came to get back the single-edged sword he lent.

Jeong Yu-shin checked his attire and went down to the first floor of the inn.

Ingrid was sitting at a table.

There was a cage on the table, and inside it was a white rat.

“Lady Ingrid?”

“Sca.”

Jeong Yu-shin sat across from Ingrid and asked.

“What brings you here?”

“I came to ask for a favor.”

“A favor?”

Curiosity appeared on Jeong Yu-shin’s face as he asked.

“I’ll bring some food.”

Ann, anticipating a long conversation, went into the kitchen.

After Ann disappeared, silence fell between the two.

Jeong Yu-shin, with his arms crossed, looked at the white rat.

Because the white rat was sitting with its back turned, he couldn’t see its face.

Still, its plump rear looked familiar.

He felt like he’d seen it somewhere before.

Jeong Yu-shin turned his head and looked at Ingrid.

“I don’t know what the favor is, but I’m afraid it will be difficult to grant.”

Ingrid’s eyebrows arched.

“Why?”

Why indeed.

Because you publicly executed me as a virgin.

Still, he couldn’t pettily use this reason to bicker with such a high-ranking person.

He decided to give a more realistic reason.

“I don’t have the leeway. Managing the inn is already overwhelming, and I’m barely making ends meet. Besides, I lost all my equipment in this fight, and all I salvaged was a dented helmet.”

Clang!!!

Ingrid placed a pouch on the table.

The sound of coins. The happiest sound in the world. A soul-stirring sound.

Jeong Yu-shin’s eyes widened.

“Ten gold coins. I combined the reward for the Hans subjugation with my sincerity. It’s an excessive amount for a novice explorer. In addition to this, I will exempt you from the night guard duty. Of course, the guard request will be considered completed.”

“Ten gold coins?”

Jeong Yu-shin asked back. His voice trembled slightly.

“The guard request exemption is also included. However.”

Ingrid tapped the table with her finger and continued.

“On the condition that you grant my favor.”

Jeong Yu-shin swallowed hard.

“W-What is the favor?”

Could it be some unreasonable request?

Still, with ten gold coins in times like these, he would jump into a burning fire even carrying firewood.

With about ten gold coins, he could cover both the inn’s deficit and the equipment costs.

Ingrid pointed to the white rat in the cage.

“This white rat. It’s my familiar.”

The rat perked up its ears and turned its body.

“I see.”

As soon as he saw the white rat’s face, he recognized it immediately.

It was that rat that came under the bed.

No wonder it looked vaguely familiar.

Jeong Yu-shin nodded, then his eyes widened.

Wait a minute.

A chill ran down his spine.

“Don’t tell me you sent it to spy on me?”

Ingrid gave him a look as if he were pathetic.

“Excessive self-consciousness. Barbaroi. Are you unaware of your place?”

The sudden, harsh fact assault left him dazed.

‘That’s right. I’m not high-ranking enough to be spied on.’

His face flushed.

Jeong Yu-shin stammered and opened his mouth.

“I, I see. So, what is the reason you showed me this familiar?”

Ingrid opened the cage.

Squeak.

The white rat came out of the cage and looked up at Jeong Yu-shin.

“This child’s name is Rin. Take care of it.”

It had a name.

That aside.

“In what way do you mean take care of it? You need to clarify this part.”

“I don’t mean keep it locked in a cage. When Rin wanders around the city and gets tired and stops by the inn, just occasionally provide it with food and a place to sleep. And…”

Ingrid hesitated for a moment and couldn’t continue.

“Please speak comfortably.”

“I ask for massages sometimes.”

“Yes?”

Jeong Yu-shin’s eyes widened.

Isn’t that too comfortable?

Ingrid averted her gaze and said.

“You know, during the last night guard request…”

“Ah.”

He remembered grabbing the white rat that barged in while he was eating roasted chicken and kneading it as he pleased.

“Ahem. Rin said it liked it and asked for it again.”

“Squeak?”

The white rat tilted its head.

“Does this thing even talk?”

“Not in words, but in ‘feelings’ and ’emotions’. To be precise.”

“You seem to care a lot about Rin. Even asking for massages.”

“…”

Ingrid’s face turned faintly red.

He pondered it carefully.

Leaving aside the fact that the familiar’s fate was the best,

with ten gold coins and the completion of the guard request as compensation, these conditions weren’t bad.

Jeong Yu-shin nodded and continued.

“I understand. But isn’t it dangerous? The security doesn’t seem very good for such a small rat to roam around the labyrinth city.”

“Rin is smart. It will figure out how to get through any crisis on its own. Besides, I’ve also put a magic spell on it as insurance.”

“This thing, I caught it once.”

“That’s because it was ‘careless’. It won’t happen again in the future.”

“Ah, yes.”

Jeong Yu-shin came closer and poked the belly of the rat, which was standing on two legs.

“Squeak!”

The white rat, Rin, wriggled its body and covered its belly with both hands.

Thump!!!

Suddenly, Ingrid jumped up from her chair.

“Wh, what!!!”

Ingrid’s expressionless face was slightly flushed.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing. Never mind.”

Ingrid slowly sat back down.

Her ears were red, as if she were quite flustered.

“Don’t touch it at any time. Touch it ‘gently’ and ‘softly’ at the appointed ‘time’.”

‘She sure wants a lot.’

“Yes. I understand.”

Jeong Yu-shin scratched his head and nodded.

Ingrid’s behavior was strange, but it wasn’t that surprising. He thought it was just one of the strange hobbies that high-ranking people have.

Anyway.

With the huge sum of ten gold coins at stake, he was willing to give the rat a massage or a nuzzle any number of times.

“I accept those conditions. But the reward seems more than I expected.”

“It’s given because you deserve it. Unholy Flash is quite a strong monster.”

Unholy Flash.

The name of the monster that Hans had mutated into.

“Is it really that strong of a monster?”

“To be more specific, it was more difficult because of the engraving that Hans had. Besides, if the summoned creatures had spread to the west street, there could have been civilian casualties. Your help was significant.”

“I don’t think I was that much of a help. I think Lady Ingrid could have broken the barrier on your own.”

“That’s true, but it would have taken time.”

A moment of silence passed between the two.

Ingrid said it wasn’t, but when he thought about it, the subjugation reward was a bit excessive.

Looking back on the last battle calmly, there were quite a few precarious moments.

If it hadn’t been for the Half-Ogre’s Stone Fist’s strength and the Frog-kin Priest’s divine magic, he wouldn’t have been able to reach Hans.

Besides, if it hadn’t been for Aldaine’s single-edged sword and Iron Mask’s gauntlets, he wouldn’t have been able to damage Hans’s virginity barrier.

He was certain that if Ingrid hadn’t damaged the virginity barrier enough, his sword strike wouldn’t have been able to land the final blow.

In summary.

This time, it was only possible because the party’s help, good equipment, and external assistance were all perfectly aligned.

Suddenly, a question came to mind.

“I’m asking because I don’t know well. Aren’t engravings all-powerful?”

Ingrid looked at Jeong Yu-shin and opened her mouth.

It was a vague question, but Ingrid accurately grasped the point of the question.

“You saw that Hans’s virginity barrier cracked when I wielded the sword, right? That’s right. Engravings are not all-powerful. Think differently. It would be easier to consider that engravings grow along with their owners.”

“So you’re saying that the power of the same engraving can vary depending on the person?”

“That’s right.”

Ingrid’s explanation was naturally understood.

It was because of the experience of feeling that the Sacred Weapon’s deployment speed was faster and a little sharper as he leveled up, that is, adapted to Mana.

“I have one more question.”

“Ask away.”

“Why do people enter the labyrinth? They might get a bad engraving, but I don’t think it’s attractive enough to bear that.”

Ingrid smiled bitterly.

Jeong Yu-shin’s eyebrows rose.

His heart pounded when the person who had been maintaining a poker face since he first saw her suddenly gave a bitter smile.

“The reason for entering the labyrinth… I’m curious too. The reason is different for each person. Those who aim for a bonanza. Those who want to change their fate. Those who want to gain great power. Those who want to test their luck. Those who want to save a dead lover. There are so many. It can be said that they have stepped out of the realm of reason. Sca, why do you go in?”

Jeong Yu-shin’s body stiffened at Ingrid’s question.

If you want to know about a person, you need to know their desires.

These aren’t words learned from the teachings of a sage. Even more so, they aren’t words learned from a book.

It was his own realization, gained from living in an ordinary society before the transmigration.

In fact, it’s not grand enough to be called a realization. It was just a thin thread salvaged from a short life.

Ingrid’s question was soon a question to understand Jeong Yu-shin.

The problem is, how will Ingrid react to his answer?

He couldn’t know.

Besides.

Unlike her calm tone, there was a faint light of wariness in Ingrid’s eyes.

He sensed danger in the realm of intuition.

It could be paranoia. But he decided to trust his intuition.

“It’s hard to say.”

“Why is it hard to say? Speak comfortably. Surely you’re not looking for an engraving that can rule the world?”

Ingrid’s eyes, carelessly probing, shone coldly like ice.

A world domination engraving?

Could there even be such an absurd engraving?

He calmed his agitated mind. Such an engraving had nothing to do with him.

“It’s nothing like that. I’ll tell you later when the time comes.”

“Is that so. Do as you please.”

Ingrid, with her arms crossed and her head turned, looked more tired than ever.

Ann brought snacks from the kitchen.

It was a dish made by wrapping chicken and vegetables in thin wheat crepes, adding sauce, and grilling them.

“Bring a bottle of Dwarf Fire Wine.”

“Yes.”

Ann brought a bottle of wine and glasses from the counter cupboard.

Food and wine were placed on the table.

“Would you like a drink?”

“Dwarf Fire Wine. You’re a Barbaroi who knows his liquor.”

“Yes. It’s okay to drink.”

‘I’m just drinking it because it’s similar to soju.’

Jeong Yu-shin tilted the wine bottle and poured wine into Ingrid’s glass.

Pour, pour.

He filled Ingrid’s glass.

Pour, pour, pour.

He filled his glass.

Jeong Yu-shin asked.

“Shall we toast?”

“No.”

“Yes.”

Jeong Yu-shin and Ingrid emptied their glasses at the same time.

Jeong Yu-shin picked up a wheat crepe with his hand, put it in his mouth, and chewed it.

Ingrid gracefully picked up a fork, brought the wheat crepe to her mouth, and carefully bit into it.

It was quite different from the way she swung a greatsword as tall as herself like a storm.

Should he call her a dignified and cultured noble milf?

“By the way, how is Karin doing?”

At Jeong Yu-shin’s question, Ingrid covered her mouth and swallowed the food.

“That girl is temporarily under house arrest.”

“Yes?”

“I heard that she caused several disturbances in the labyrinth city by flaunting her identity. It’s an action that deserves punishment. To be honest, I’m ashamed and can’t lift my head.”

“Karin had that side to her. Does she like to throw her weight around? Yes, yes.”

Jeong Yu-shin revealed his heart.

Ingrid glared at Jeong Yu-shin.

Jeong Yu-shin also didn’t back down and met Ingrid’s eyes.

“I’m thinking of sending her back to the labyrinth city when she comes to her senses. I’m thinking of sending her as a pauper this time. The rules to be followed must be followed.”

Rules?

Was it the rule that the children of wealthy families couldn’t receive support from their families?

It was hazy and he didn’t remember well, but that must be right.

“It’s late at night, so let’s wrap up the conversation here.”

Ingrid said, getting up from her seat.

“Yes. Let’s do that.”

He escorted Ingrid out of the inn and returned to his seat.

Jeong Yu-shin looked at the white rat munching on the wheat crepe and sighed deeply.

“Hoo, it’s like a son-in-law interview. It’s terrifying.”