episode_0147

A quiet evening at an inn.

Jeong Yushin sat with his arms crossed, watching the woman eat.

Her appearance suggested her early twenties, but the way she ate made her seem like a starving beggar uncle who hadn’t eaten for a month.

Several loaves of bread were placed around the woman’s table. From dark rye bread mixed with grains to white bread with a lot of wheat. It was enough to open a bakery.

But it seemed like it wasn’t enough for the woman.

At first, she cautiously cut the bread with a bread knife, but now she was just tearing the bread with her hands and swallowing it quickly.

She used bread instead of a spoon to eat the chili con carne, made with tomatoes, chili, beans, and various vegetables and beef, scraping up every last bit of sauce from the bottom.

It didn’t end there.

She showed off the bizarre act of swallowing a long sausage without chewing it, and grabbed a tomahawk-cut steak by the bone and tore off the meat.

It was as if the food was her parents’ enemy, meticulously destroying each piece.

‘Is she filming some kind of mukbang?’

His head started to ache because of the woman’s enormous appetite.

He clearly only intended to treat her to a simple meal, but she was just sitting there, trying to clean out the store.

Even the customers around them stopped eating and were watching the plate armor woman inhale the food.

Tarman was sweating profusely, busily going back and forth to the kitchen, placing food on the table.

While he was watching blankly, the woman was already surrounded by a pile of empty dishes.

‘Ah.’

This is a loss.

“Hey, eat moderately.”

“Mmmm!!!”

The woman tried to say something with her cheeks puffed out like a hamster. Judging by her sparkling eyes, it seemed like a positive reaction, but he wasn’t exactly happy.

He could smell freeloading in the air.

Jeong Yushin gestured to Tarman.

‘Block the entrance.’

‘Yes.’

Tarman immediately understood and stood at the inn entrance.

The blonde woman emptied all the food on the table, regardless.

‘Does she have a Food Fighter engraving or something?’

He was amazed that so much food could fit in her stomach. She’d definitely take a huge dump.

The woman emptied the last dish and leaned back in her chair. Judging by her satisfied smile, she seemed to have filled her stomach well.

The woman patted her stomach and opened her mouth.

“Don’t you have any dessert here?”

Is she serious?

“Hey. Let’s have some conscience.”

At Jeong Yushin’s words, the woman smiled sheepishly.

“M…my bad.”

Of course.

Of course, you should be sorry.

Eating like a pig and still wanting dessert.

‘Do these maze explorers have a no-conscience engraving these days?’

Judging by the woman’s eyes, she didn’t seem to be planning to run away. Was that a relief? Even if she did run, he was planning to chase her to the ends of the earth to get the money.

Jeong Yushin sighed deeply.

“Hoo. Tarman, bring the liquor. Two glasses.”

“Yes!”

Tarman quickly ran behind the counter and brought a bottle of dwarven fire wine and two glasses.

Jeong Yushin looked at Tarman and gestured.

‘Why are you bringing such expensive liquor?’

‘Thank you.’

Tarman winked.

Was his thought that he understood Tarman wrong?

Clueless subordinate. As expected, people’s hearts were a maze.

Jeong Yushin picked up the dwarven fire wine and filled his glass first.

“Name?”

The golden-haired woman hesitated for a moment before opening her mouth.

“Delia. Last name…I don’t have one.”

“You had one, but you don’t?”

“I originally had the last name Evergard, but I threw it away.”

“Were you nobility?”

At Jeong Yushin’s question, Delia nodded.

“I once had roots in the Lionell Kingdom. It’s already fallen. It’s hard to tell you more than that.”

“Is that so? I understand.”

A fallen noble.

What does it matter?

It’s enough if she fights well.

“You said you’d join my party, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Why do you want to join?”

He was curious as to why she would want to join Barbaroi’s party, who was called the free-willed thug of the maze city and looked down upon.

Besides, wasn’t she a walking bomb who spat in the face of the maze committee?

It was only natural for a normal explorer to avoid it.

‘She has a good sense of self-awareness.’

‘Are you slowly coming to your senses?’

These bastards.

The angel and demon in his heart were simultaneously craving his ego.

“…That’s the thing.”

Delia scratched her head embarrassedly before opening her mouth again.

“I got the Glutton engraving in the maze a while ago. I gain strength from what I eat, but the downside is that it consumes a lot of stamina.”

“So?”

“Unfortunately, I got a negative engraving in the previous maze exploration. I was working hard to save money to erase it, but I couldn’t stand the hunger. Since I’m not an explorer belonging to a clan, I can’t receive other support, and I couldn’t find any acquaintances to borrow money from, so I heard about you.”

Is that so?

She’s a very brave friend. Does she have no fear?

“Is that so? Can’t you sell your equipment?”

“Absolutely not.”

Delia’s face hardened.

“The equipment I’m wearing now are family heirlooms. They’re things I’ve been with for a long time. I can’t dispose of them recklessly.”

She abandoned her last name, but she couldn’t abandon her memories?

“Getting back to the story. Scar, I heard that your party is looking for a vanguard. Since most explorers are reluctant to apply, I thought you’d accept me if I applied.”

Honest?

He liked it. There was one thing that bothered him.

“What is that negative engraving?”

“I’m…I’m embarrassed to say it. But I can assure you that it’s an engraving that doesn’t harm maze exploration.”

Jeong Yushin suddenly thought of Soline.

She was a paladin who served the Spirit God of Light, but she also had a negative engraving. She left without ever saying what it was.

‘I wonder how she’s doing?’

Jeong Yushin closed his mouth and recalled his memories for a moment.

Delia seemed to have taken the silence to mean something else and made a serious face.

“I can swear on my family’s name.”

“Didn’t you say your family was ruined? What meaning does the name of the family you mentioned have?”

Delia’s expression darkened for a moment, and she closed her mouth.

“…”

Oops.

He poked a sore spot.

Kuh. The darkness of the maze again.

“I’m sorry. Have a drink.”

Jeong Yushin picked up the glass that Tarman had brought and placed it in front of Delia, pouring her some liquor.

Pour, pour.

“Thank you.”

Delia quickly brightened up and downed the liquor.

“Kheuheueu. Good.”

She’s a tomboy.

Jeong Yushin nodded inwardly.

He understands. He also has a negative engraving that’s hard to talk about. It was the kind that was hard to bring up unless it was someone he trusted.

“Delia, tell me what weapons you mainly use and what floor you’ve cleared.”

“I mainly use a shield and a mace. A one-handed sword is my secondary weapon. I stand at the vanguard and mainly take on attacks. I’ve been to the 8th floor of the corridor area.”

Corridor area, huh.

Good.

If Delia stood at the vanguard, he would have more leeway in choosing his weapon.

If a strong tank blocked the front and Karin and he stepped forward as dealers, it would be a load off his mind.

Or he could place Karin as a ranged dealer and Delia and he could step forward as the vanguard.

Jeong Yushin refilled Delia’s glass.

“Are there any conditions? Aside from the ratio of dividing the spoils.”

“There is.”

He knew it. There’s no such thing as a free lunch.

“What is it?”

“Provide meals. At least until we enter the maze.”

Jeong Yushin’s hand, which was holding the bottle, trembled slightly.

“…”

This is a loss, right?

If she eats like this every day, there’ll be nothing left.

He had started making a small profit these days and sent a certain amount of money to Darmong with a letter.

It might be difficult to send it for a while.

He swallowed the rising sigh and nodded.

“Okay.”

He’s not in a position to be picky.

“A…and a bit of an advance too.”

Jeong Yushin’s eyes widened.

There’s another condition?

“Huh…?”

She hasn’t even obtained any spoils yet, and she’s asking for an advance.

“Ah! And sorry, but do you happen to have any empty rooms?”

Jeong Yushin stared blankly at Delia’s face.

“…”

Jeong Yushin grabbed his forehead.

‘If only I hadn’t done such crazy things back then.’

“Take it all.”

“Thank you. As expected of you. Scar, you’re a kind Barbaroi who doesn’t rape.”

“It’s best not to blindly trust rumors.”

Jeong Yushin snarled with a fierce expression.

The very moment Delia’s grimy face turned white.

Thud!!!

The inn door opened.

Clang. Clang.

A giant in plate armor walked into the inn. He was wearing a helmet, so his gender and age were unknown.

He stood still and looked around, found Jeong Yushin, and slowly walked over.

“…”

The giant was looking down at him without saying anything.

He should be able to see his eyes through the helmet holes, but nothing was visible. And he couldn’t even hear him breathing.

‘What is it?’

A question slowly arose.

The giant in plate armor took out paper and a pen from between his armor and scribbled.

Jeong Yushin blankly looked up at the giant.

‘Is he mute?’

The giant showed the paper to Jeong Yushin.

-Are you Scar?

Jeong Yushin nodded.

“That’s me.”

The giant scribbled on the paper again.

-I heard you’re recruiting a party.

Jeong Yushin looked up at the giant for a while before shaking his head.

“I’ve already found a vanguard.”

-I am not a vanguard.

What?

He’s wearing full plate armor, but he’s not a vanguard.

It was something he couldn’t understand logically.

“Then what are you?”

-I am a priest.

“You need to say something that makes sense.”

The plate armor giant sat down at the table. He was about to introduce himself in earnest.

-I am Barion, a mid-level priest of the Earth Mother Order.

Earth Mother?

“Are you acquainted with Mion?”

Barion nodded.

-I’ve met her a few times. She’s a kind person.

“Is that so? But isn’t that plate armor heavy? Usually, priests wear clothes made of cloth.”

“…”

Barion sat silently for a moment before opening the helmet cover.

And a surreal scene was revealed.

Jeong Yushin’s eyes widened like lanterns.

‘The helmet…is empty?’

He should be able to see the face inside the helmet, but there was nothing.

How could this be possible?

-It’s an engraving called Spirit of Steel. It’s an engraving that allows the body to leave the soul and stay in steel.

“W…Wait a minute!”

Jeong Yushin raised his hand.

He couldn’t keep up at all.

It was a short maze life, but he prided himself on having seen many unsightly things. But he had never seen an engraving as ridiculous as this.

Beyond imagination.

Jeong Yushin stared blankly at the empty helmet.

“Wh…What about your original body?”

-It disappeared.

“Can you come back?”

-I think I can come back if I erase the engraving.

“This is crazy.”

Jeong Yushin leaned back in his chair and rubbed his forehead.

‘Dizzy.’

What exactly is this other world?

Every time he prided himself on having adapted, some strange engraving popped up in front of him.

“By any chance.”

-Feel free to ask.

Barion lowered his helmet cover and looked down at Jeong Yushin.

“Do you have a brother? Blonde and one-armed. A little short? Uses some unique magic?”

-You must be mistaking me for someone else, I’m an only child. I don’t have a brother or anything.

“Ah…I see.”

Jeong Yushin sighed deeply.

‘That was close.’

“What’s the reason you applied to my party?”

-Priest Mion spoke highly of you. She said you’re a Barbaroi who doesn’t judge people by their appearance. So, I applied to see if I could form a party with you this time.

Teacher Mion praised him that much?

His shoulders went up and down.

Besides, if he’s a priest, he’ll be able to use various divine magic.

He was a necessary existence in his party, which didn’t have a proper means of recovery.

The fallen noble, Delia, also seemed to like it.

“Good. Do you have any other negative engravings?”

-I don’t.

“What area have you cleared?”

-9th floor of the corridor area.

There are a lot of corridor areas.

Jeong Yushin extended his hand.

“You’re hired. Please take care of me.”

Barion clasped Jeong Yushin’s hand.

-Likewise.

An empty plate armor friend and a fallen noble.

Life was truly full of unknowns.

Jeong Yushin stopped as he was about to pour liquor for Barion.

“You can’t drink, right?”

-That’s right. There’s no need to consume food.

“This body will drink up to Priest Barion’s share!”

Delia stepped forward with shining eyes.

Jeong Yushin was flustered and poured Delia a glass of liquor.

“Y-Yeah, do that.”

Should he call her a fearless warrior who doesn’t know how to refuse? But seeing her happy face, it wasn’t a bad feeling.

Jeong Yushin put down the bottle and opened his mouth.

“Then, shall we start by deciding which area to aim for?”

“Good.”

-I agree.

Late summer, a quiet evening at an inn.

The empty plate armor priest, Barion.

The fallen noble glutton, Delia.

The black-haired Barbaroi, Jeong Yushin, gathered and started talking, putting their heads together.

In the lengthening conversation.

A small smile bloomed on Jeong Yushin’s face.