episode_0081

I returned to the adventurer’s guild.

The guild was rather quiet. It was a break period—time to rest and prepare before entering or exiting the labyrinth.

Most of the people in the guild were moving about busily.

“Oh, you’re back?”

The one who greeted me was Hilda.

“Long time no see, Hilda.” “Yes, have you been well, Yuseong?” “No, was I some kind of one-and-done man?”

Leaving behind a flustered Diago, I nodded to indicate that things had ended well.

‘Wait, did they really end well?’

Sure, a strange rumor had spread among the beastfolk, but… Well, the Beast King was there, so he’d handle it. I decided not to worry about it.

“Finally, you’re back.”

One unexpected thing was… The moment Vulkan saw me, his expression brightened as he welcomed me.

‘What’s this about?’

Had something happened? When I looked at Vulkan with that question in my eyes, he let out a deep sigh.

“Now that you’re here, that guy should finally calm down. What a relief.” “……?” “Why are you making that clueless face? I’m talking about the one causing havoc in your clan.” “Causing havoc…?”

Who could it be? I thought about it, but the only ones that came to mind were Angen and Rosenta. Or maybe Lissiel, who hadn’t fully adjusted to her new body…

‘Wait, could it be Veronika?’

She was definitely the type to go wild. Wasn’t she already acting like the local madwoman, claiming me as hers?

Viola should also be considered. She had seemed unstable after losing her family, the Nation.

But all my speculations were proven meaningless. The answer Vulkan gave was shocking.

“Erme. The Golden Witch—go and rein her in a bit.” “……………………………………………?”

I stared at Vulkan with a look of utter incomprehension. Because I genuinely didn’t understand. Rein in Erme?

‘Why would I need to rein in Erme?’

What a bizarre thing to say. And an incomprehensible one at that. She was one of the most rational and kind-hearted women I knew.

“……You really don’t know anything, do you?”

Vulkan wore an expression of sheer disbelief. His reaction made me even more puzzled. Just what had Erme done to make everyone act like this?

‘If it were just one or two people, I could dismiss it as slander, but…’

When everyone—even Vulkan—reacted this way…

‘This doesn’t seem normal.’

I already knew Erme’s personality wasn’t ordinary, but… It felt like I’d stumbled upon some abyss I wasn’t meant to see.

As I was lost in thought, Vulkan’s eyes gleamed strangely.

“Now that I look at you, your skills have improved quite a bit, haven’t they?” “You can see that?” “Some things are known precisely because they can’t be seen. Your mana and fighting energy are properly controlled, and… Oh-ho? Your swordsmanship has improved dramatically?” “You can tell that too?” “At my level, of course I can.”

Vulkan grinned, amused. In response, the Holy Sword muttered to me in shock.

-What the hell is that guy? ‘He’s Vulkan, the Sword King.’ -Sword King? That guy’s just a Sword King? He’s at least on par with the third-generation Holy Swords, if not the first!

The Holy Sword sounded baffled. As I answered, I suddenly noticed Vulkan staring intently at my waist.

‘Why is he looking at the Holy Sword?’

I currently had the Holy Sword sheathed at my waist. But very few could recognize it—it had been disguised as an ordinary sword for a while now.

“You’ve got quite an interesting companion there.” “……You noticed?” “I thought there was no way someone like you wouldn’t qualify as a hero—but I never expected it to be a sword.”

Vulkan made a somewhat troubled expression, then chuckled in amusement.

“Well, this should be quite the stimulus for that guy.” “That guy?” “You might see him soon. Maybe it’s for the best.”

Vulkan looked at me with eyes full of anticipation.

“Though I’m not sure if you can handle him.” “Who is this ‘him’?” “Shouldn’t you be figuring that out by now?” “…….”

The Genius Slayer. The Empire’s hidden sword.

“Still, you’ll need to grow stronger before then.” “……Isn’t my current strength decent enough?” “You are strong. But the reason I’m paying attention to you is your potential.”

Vulkan’s expression turned serious. His pitch-black eyes fixed on me.

“But that potential hasn’t fully bloomed yet. You’re strong, but…” “More importantly, I’m hungry. Can I go eat first?” “…….” “…….”

Diago suddenly cut in. Vulkan looked at him, bewildered.

“Why is this guy like this now?” “I’m not sure.” “He was supposed to be sharp and on an elite path—his mind’s gone stiff, but he wasn’t like this before.”

The word “supposed” was used a lot, but… I nodded inwardly. Diago deserved to be looked at with warm eyes.

“After constantly being called incompetent in life, I think he’s just… reached enlightenment.” “…….” “By the way, I know a pretty good place around here. Wanna go?”

Diago slung an arm over my shoulder, trying to lure me somewhere. A food tour? That was tempting.

“Actually, I’d rather eat your cooking.”

Vulkan suddenly interjected. To be honest…

‘What a hassle.’

I made a disinterested face. If I looked reluctant enough, maybe he’d give up.

But Vulkan and Diago only looked more intrigued.

“Come to think of it, the Saintess wanted to join your clan just for your cooking.” “Exactly. I’m curious too. Everyone’s been raving about your skills.” “It’s nothing special.”

-Nothing special? It’s a technique only true High Elves possess among elves. Your tea-making ability is probably unmatched in the entire world. ‘……’

The Holy Sword’s backhanded compliment only annoyed me more. But no matter what…

‘After running away and getting caught up in all this mess…’

I just wanted to go home. Still, since they were close friends, I had to at least give them a proper excuse.

“It’s a hassle.” ‘I’ll cook for you next time you visit the clan.’ -Your words and thoughts are completely opposite.

Oops.

—

Our clan’s building was quite extravagant. Thanks to Erme, who had somehow procured funds to expand it.

And that wasn’t all. Erme had used unknown treasures and connections to fully equip our party members with luxurious gear for the labyrinth.

‘But the security’s tight as hell.’

Not that it was a problem for me. I slipped into the clan building unnoticed.

With the pinnacle of a thief’s stealth, my concealment was hard for most to detect. I sneaked in, planning to surprise everyone.

-Seeing this, you really are a thief.

The Holy Sword sounded exasperated. Ignoring it, I moved deeper inside.

-By the way, what kind of place is this? ‘It’s the clan building.’ -For a clan building, the security’s ridiculously tight.

I agreed. Even with my extreme stealth, multiple anti-intrusion measures were trying to pin me down.

‘Honestly, at some point, I started wondering what the hell this place was.’

But now I was determined. And it was kind of fun.

Trusting my thief’s instincts, I pressed further inside.

When I reached the inner chambers, I witnessed a bizarre scene.

“P-please… s-spare me…”

A trembling man was there. And in front of him—

A woman with a cold smile, her eyes narrowed. Eyes and hair reminiscent of twilight. A faint, mocking grin.

Her index finger raised in a poised gesture.

‘What the hell is this?’

It was Erme. But not the Erme I knew.

The Erme I knew—as I’d told Vulkan—was slightly annoying, shrewdly getting close to me, helping out with things, and giving me money when I needed it.

“My, my. It almost sounds like you’re accusing me of threatening you.” “I-it’s all my fault! I… I…”

The man was shaking uncontrollably. Erme watched him with an endlessly frigid smile.

“What a strange thing to say. It is your fault, isn’t it? You were the one who tried to steal talent information from our clan.” “…….” “So, naturally, I had to step in. I hate doing this, you know.”

She said she hated it, but her lips curled into a wicked grin.

-That… that woman is the clan leader? ‘Well, technically, I’m the clan leader.’ -Even if it’s you, handling someone like her is impossible. She’s dangerous!

The Holy Sword sounded horrified. If I hadn’t known Erme well, I might’ve thought she was some sadistic monster.

“Then, as per the laws of our Starlight Spiral Clan…” “P-please, at least spare my family…” “You showed no mercy to others, yet you beg me for compassion? But we are merciful—I’ll grant you a sliver of it.” “T-then…”

Hope flickered in the man’s eyes. At the same time, Erme’s smile deepened.

“You sold out your family and even your cousins, so I’ll just quietly sell off your family.” “…….” “Don’t worry. Unlike you, I won’t send your wife and daughter to a brothel. I’ll put them to proper use. Ah, and as for you… let’s say 50 years of hard labor in the mines should suffice.” “…….”

The man’s face turned deathly pale. Erme smiled in satisfaction and lightly tapped his shoulder.

But perhaps the sight was too shocking— I accidentally let my presence slip.

“…….” “O-oh, long time no see.”

I never wanted to see this side of a woman I’d known for so long.