episode_0232

Armin, who was half-lying on a plush counter chair, opened his eyes wide.

It felt like he had just had a nightmare.

As soon as the old-fashioned ceiling came into view, he immediately realized. It’s the inn of that terrifying mixed-blood barbarian.

‘It wasn’t a dream.’

The barbarian walked out of the kitchen carrying a large tray.

“Are you awake?”

“Ugh.”

Armin couldn’t continue speaking as he looked at the barbarian. Because he was so scared.

However, the black-haired man didn’t care and placed the tray on a table a little away from the counter.

The tray was full of warm potato soup, black bread filled with rye and mixed grains, and freshly baked large sausages.

“Let’s eat.”

“Pardon?”

“I said let’s eat.”

“Yes, yes.”

Armin got up from the plush counter chair and approached the table to sit down.

“Matthias went back to the Magic Tower branch in the central district.”

The barbarian said, lifting a spoon.

Armin froze like ice.

“Is, is that so?”

Now I’m alone.

Somehow, it became even scarier.

Armin sat at the table and started eating, but he didn’t know if the soup was going into his mouth or his nose.

Maybe it’s because the inn is so quiet.

I heard that normal people gathered at this inn a few days ago.

It’s a rare occurrence.

Maybe it was a once-in-a-lifetime honor.

If it were a normal person, they would have been excitedly bragging about it for months.

The barbarian was chewing and swallowing food with an indifferent expression.

Armin glanced at Jeong Yu-shin and sipped his soup.

At that moment.

Creak.

Two people opened the front door of the inn and came in.

A boar beastman with a fierce look.

A calm-looking young man.

“”Sca!””

The two called out the barbarian’s name at the same time and ran over.

“Snout, Granny. What’s going on?”

“You worked hard at the summit!”

“Congratulations!”

Compliments poured out of the two people’s mouths at the same time.

Only for a moment.

Snout and Granny made eye contact with each other.

“…”

A strange silence flowed for a moment.

“Who are you?”

Granny’s question.

Snout snorted as if he was dumbfounded.

“Me? Ha! I’m Sca’s number one subordinate, Snout.”

“Number one subordinate.”

Granny’s expression crumpled as she muttered quietly.

“Granny, Snout belongs to the monster dismantling center.”

Jeong Yu-shin’s words made Snout’s face turn pale with surprise.

“Pardon?! Sca? I’ll be very disappointed if you do this!”

Jeong Yu-shin stared blankly at Snout’s face and shook his head.

“Isn’t that right? Director Aldaine would be upset if he knew. And does it matter so much whether you’re the first or second subordinate?”

“”Yes!””

Snout and Granny shouted at the same time.

Jeong Yu-shin scratched his head.

‘What’s wrong with these guys?’

What on earth are they burning with rivalry for?

“Okay. What did you come for?”

Snout carefully opened his mouth.

“I heard a rumor.”

“Rumor?”

“That…during the summit, you took off the crown prince’s pants, spanked his butt, and said, ‘Firm!’”

Jeong Yu-shin grabbed his head.

I’m dizzy.

“I…that’s not true at all. What the hell.”

The eyes of the guards flashed through Jeong Yu-shin’s mind.

They had a lot to say.

No way, but still.

“There are people who heard the stories the guards were telling.”

“That’s all nonsense. It’s a misunderstanding.”

“Ah! Is that so?”

Armin, who was quietly listening to the conversation, felt doubtful.

Is that so?

That must be it.

If they were human, they would act rationally.

Rumor had it that he was half-crazy at the Magic Tower, but there was no story that he had committed unforgivable evil deeds.

“It was just a misunderstanding.”

Misunderstanding?

Snout, Granny, and Armin all looked at Jeong Yu-shin.

“Since the higher-ups entrusted me with the right to speak, I just said a few words to the crown prince. Let’s get along well. Let’s go together. Things like that.”

“Th-then, what about presenting the coffin?”

Granny asked, stammering.

“Me? I didn’t do that. I don’t remember well, so don’t ask for details.”

Jeong Yu-shin lied without even wetting his lips.

Granny nodded with a stiff smile.

“I, I see. So it was just a rumor. It was all a ‘misunderstanding’.”

“That’s right! What kind of person is Sca! You guys! I’ll just rip your mouths off!”

Snout swung his fist into the air.

Jeong Yu-shin put down his fork and leaned back in his chair.

I’ve completely lost my appetite.

If the rumor has reached even these guys’ ears.

Everyone in the city probably knows.

Rumors full of misunderstanding, prejudice, and lies were once again tarnishing his true character.

I was thinking of going to the Explorer’s Guild to find some good party members, but I’ll have to give up early.

He sighed inwardly.

‘I should just get a few requests and come back.’

He thought it was time to have a fixed party.

The Iron Mask has already formed a fixed party and is entering the labyrinth.

Jeong Yu-shin organized his thoughts and then opened his mouth.

“Granny, if there are any explorers who want to join my party, tell them to apply. One professional ranged attacker and one priest. Don’t force them too much.”

“Yes! I understand.”

“Snout, tell Director Aldaine that I’ll be visiting soon.”

“I will definitely deliver it!”

“End. Everyone, go take care of your business.”

“”We’ll be going now! Good luck!””

The two people greeted loudly and left the inn.

The look in Armin’s eyes changed as he sat at the table.

This barbarian.

He calmly organized his thoughts and gave clear instructions.

He didn’t seem crazy at all.

At that time.

Someone came down from the second floor.

A languid-looking beastwoman.

Her red wolf ears and tail were swaying softly.

“Sca? What’s going on?”

“Snout and Granny stopped by. And the elder of the Magic Tower sent a talent.”

“Hmm?”

The wolf beastwoman came closer and sat next to Armin.

Armin’s mind turned blank.

He didn’t know where to look.

I can understand the big breasts.

Because of the low-rise leather pants, the panty string and part of the butt crack were visible. It was also leopard print.

Strangely, one side of her butt was a little red.

“What’s your name?”

“Armin.”

Karin asked, and Jeong Yu-shin answered instead.

Armin got up with a flushed face and bowed his head.

“Please, please take care of me!”

“Really? I look forward to working with you too. My name is Karin. I’m in charge of guiding the party. But when I look closely, you look similar to Eru.”

Karin said with a smile.

Jeong Yu-shin nodded his head.

“Isn’t that right?”

“If you came from the Magic Tower, you must be a mage? What’s your specialty?”

“Su, summoning magic!”

“That’s amazing. Show me later.”

“Yes!”

Jeong Yu-shin leaned back in his chair and looked at Karin.

“Karin, we should start preparing to go to the 20th floor soon.”

“That’s right. I’ll go to the guide guild and collect information about the 20th floor.”

“Thank you. You know where the money is, right? Take it out and use it if you need it.”

“Okay.”

Armin was shocked again.

Because the conversation was so normal.

There was no sign of malicious behavior that harassed women.

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

“Armin, are you going to stay here?”

“Ah, no. I’ll come in the morning.”

“Do as you please.”

Jeong Yu-shin got up from his seat and replied.

Armin raised his head abruptly.

“Wh-where are you going?”

“I have to prepare this and that too. Armin, you should prepare too. What’s your highest reached floor?”

“Up to the 15th floor swamp area.”

“Really? I understand.”

* * *

Another week passed.

During that time, Armin watched the mixed-blood barbarian and gradually changed his mind.

Is there anyone who lives this thoroughly and diligently?

I can say with certainty that there wasn’t.

The barbarian woke up early in the morning and trained with Karin.

He ate a meal full of meat every meal and never drank alcohol.

After breakfast, he went straight to the swordsmanship guild and continued his training.

Armin was curious and asked if he could follow.

The barbarian nodded readily.

“Watch if you want to see.”

Armin squatted in the corner of the swordsmanship guild training ground and watched the barbarian rolling around.

Running until he was exhausted and collapsed while wearing heavy armor.

Gathering with the swordsmanship guild members and continuing to spar.

The main weapon he used was a long sword, but he sometimes used other weapons as well.

In the evening, he would stop by the central library, borrow books, pile them up on the inn counter, and read them.

Most of them were books related to the 20th floor.

Various types of monsters and ecosystems.

The ‘mysteries’ that appear on the 20th floor and the traps to avoid.

Sometimes, when his eyes were hollow, he would mutter strange words.

“If I had studied for the college entrance exam like this…sigh.”

If there were parts he didn’t understand, he would look at them again several times, and if it was still difficult, he would write them down in a memo and go out and come back.

Overall.

It was different from the lives of the explorers that Armin had seen so far.

A life that was all about training and studying.

An excessive schedule no matter how much you level up.

The barbarian’s life was quite similar to that of an ascetic.

Armin’s gaze gradually changed. In addition, curiosity also arose.

* * *

Late night, a week later.

A quiet inn.

Armin, who was sitting at the table, checking the scrolls and reading the magic book, looked at Jeong Yu-shin.

“Sca.”

“Why?”

His voice had naturally become sharp because the content of the book was difficult.

Still.

I was so curious.

Why are you so diligent?

He was putting in several times more effort than the average explorer.

And it was just like a natural routine.

It had only been about a week since I had been watching, but I had this thought.

Maybe this is the true appearance of the barbarian?

Armin opened his mouth with a cautious expression.

“Is there a reason why you are going down the labyrinth floors so quickly?”

“To have a ‘stronger’ engraving.”

“You can get good engravings even if you go in and out of shallow floors?”

“The engraving I want isn’t on the shallow floors.”

The barbarian asserted.

Armin was so curious.

“What kind of engraving do you want?”

The mixed-blood barbarian closed his mouth for a moment and looked into his eyes.

As soon as he met his black eyes.

His spine tingled and his hair stood on end.

He felt as if he was reading his thoughts.

The barbarian slowly opened his mouth.

“I can’t tell you that.”

Armin’s body lost strength.

I don’t know what the barbarian’s complete purpose is.

I knew one thing.

To enter the depths of the labyrinth.

And.

For some reason, I felt reassured.

Jeong Yu-shin raised his head and looked at Armin.

“It’s late today, so go to sleep. You must be tired of coming every morning?”

“Ah, no. I’m comfortable at home.”

“Really? I understand.”

Jeong Yu-shin lowered his head again and continued reading the book.

As Armin was putting the magic book into his bag and trying to get up from his seat.

Creak.

The inn door opened and a little girl came in.

Tremendous beauty.

Snow-white bob and red eyes.

Fluttering skirt.

“Uh…?”

Armin stopped in his tracks.

It was as if the world and time had stopped.

Should I say that my calmly sinking heart was beating again?

No.

My heart was beating as if it was about to explode.

‘What is this feeling…?’

The girl glanced at Armin, who was confused, and immediately approached Jeong Yu-shin.

“Sca, I’m back from vacation.”

“Did you rest comfortably? Are your parents doing well?”

“Yes.”

When the girl smiled, it was as if the inn had brightened up.

“The room you used to use is empty. Please take care of me for a while.”

“Yes. But who is that person…?”

“He’s a party member dispatched from the Magic Tower.”

“Is he trustworthy?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“I understand.”

Eru only slightly bowed her head towards Armin, who was standing blankly, and went up to the second floor.

“What are you doing without leaving?”

Armin’s mind woke up at Jeong Yu-shin’s question.

“Who, who is that person?”

“It’s a secret.”

A secret!

Armin was restless for a moment and then opened his mouth again.

“Sca, can I stay at the inn too?”

“Suddenly?”

“Yes. When I think about it, it seems tiring to go back and forth to the central district!”

“Go ahead. Take any room and use it.”

“Yes!”

Armin looked up at the second floor and pressed down on his pounding heart.

“W-was that person’s name Eru?”

“Uh.”

“Ah, it’s a beautiful name.”

“…”

Jeong Yu-shin tilted his head as he looked at Armin’s reddened face.

What a strange friend.

Eru is an incubus.

Armin quickly packed his things and ran up to the second floor.

‘Sca, are you just going to leave it like that?’

Beatrice asked.

Jeong Yu-shin shrugged his shoulders.

“Who? Isn’t Eru going through a turbulent period? If we watch with warm eyes, she’ll figure it out on her own.”

A nonchalant reply.

Beatrice was speechless for a moment.

‘That’s not it. Sca, you know it when you see it. That summoner boy fell in love with Eru at first sight!’

Jeong Yu-shin shrugged his shoulders.

“The darkness of the labyrinth is deep. Let’s hope that Armin can overcome it well.”

‘You really…’

A chilly autumn night close to winter.

Only the sound of turning pages echoed quietly through the inn.