episode_0234

A quiet inn.

Jeong Yushin glared at the Elf sitting across from him.

The back of his head is tingling.

Is this a dream or reality?

I think I misheard.

“Child hunting?”

“Child loving.”

The Elf quickly corrected.

Jeong Yushin crossed his arms and leaned back deeply in his chair.

“…”

A strange silence flowed.

Jeong Yushin and the Elf had a brief staring contest.

Armin swallowed hard as the atmosphere became strange.

Jeong Yushin slowly opened his mouth.

“Case.”

“It’s Kenneth.”

“Okay. Kenneth, I’m very confused. Speak deliberately from now on.”

It was a threat, but the Elf Kenneth didn’t change his expression.

“I will.”

“Do you have a Child Loving engraving?”

Kenneth nodded.

“Of course.”

This won’t be easy.

He’s starting to seem like a dangerous guy.

“What is the effect of the Child Loving engraving?”

“It makes me want to protect children so they can grow up well.”

“Is that all?”

“Isn’t it?”

Kenneth’s nonchalant answer.

Isn’t he a dangerous guy?

Jeong Yushin scratched his head.

“From an Elf’s perspective, aren’t I also a child? Do you want to protect and cherish me too? Am I lovable?”

“…”

A quiet silence passed once again.

Not only the Elf Kenneth, but also Armin, Karin, and Eru stared blankly at Jeong Yushin.

Kenneth barely opened his mouth.

“There’s no clear standard, but mostly…”

“Mostly?”

“It was children before puberty. The activation standard for the engraving is based on physical growth.”

“What if it’s a precocious child?”

“I judge and take action on that. The engraving doesn’t decide everything.”

So he’s someone who isn’t completely swept away by the engraving?

“But what do you mean by ‘take action’? Tell me more.”

“I run a small orphanage in the southern district. I gather orphans abandoned in the city and provide them with a place to lie down and something to eat.”

“The temple does that too, though?”

Kenneth sighed deeply and shook his head.

“It’s a complicated issue. The orphans here are mostly children of Explorers. The temple withholds judgment because they don’t know if the Explorers have simply gone missing or are completely dead. Financial issues also play a part. You could say it’s a period when the children are in limbo.”

Indeed.

Kenneth’s words made sense.

It is the fate of an Explorer to be difficult to find even a corpse if they die in the labyrinth.

If the entire party is wiped out, there may be no news at all.

I could guess what fate awaited the children left behind.

“Were there that many orphans?”

“There are many. They just aren’t noticeable.”

The Elf straightened his back and continued.

“Master Sca, I came because I need funds to run the orphanage. I can’t do the role of a priest, but I can use simple healing and detoxification magic. So I want my pay to be twice that of the others.”

Kenneth’s confident request.

Jeong Yushin liked this Elf more and more.

I can have Granny find out the details.

Jeong Yushin smiled and reached out his hand.

“Okay. I look forward to working with you. Case.”

“It’s Kenneth.”

* * *

Jeong Yushin chatted with the party members for a while before getting up from his seat.

“I’ll be back after visiting the Monster Dismantling Site. Kenneth, make yourself comfortable.”

“Okay.”

Leaving the inn, he walked slowly through the night streets with Beatrice by his side.

He felt good about getting a pretty good party member, but there was still something to be resolved.

Now I have to go into the labyrinth.

Which means.

Beatrice must go to Aldaine.

There was one thing that bothered me.

Recently, conversations with Beatrice have been decreasing.

Was it because the time spent in silence had increased?

‘Sca.’

When he entered the park in the southern district.

Beatrice spoke after a long time.

Jeong Yushin stopped walking and sat on a bench.

‘I’ve been thinking about it.’

“What were you thinking about?”

‘Do you perhaps want to return to your original world?’

Beatrice hit the nail on the head.

“…”

Jeong Yushin closed and opened his mouth for a moment.

“Yes.”

‘You didn’t tell Mion and Karin either, did you?’

“That’s right.”

‘Actually, I thought about it for a long time after hearing Armin’s question. What kind of engraving do you want? Since I know where you came from, I could understand your purpose.’

“So that’s why you were quiet for a while?”

‘You want to get the Transfer engraving, right?’

“That’s right.”

I need the ability to cross worlds and return to my original world.

‘Are you leaving behind the people who like you?’

Beatrice’s voice was somehow lonely.

A cool breeze passed, ruffling Jeong Yushin’s hair.

Jeong Yushin smiled and stroked Beatrice.

“I can come back again. Why are you so worried?”

‘Sca, you don’t have any intention of coming back, do you? How long do you think I’ve been watching you?’

Beatrice’s tone changed in an instant.

Her lowered voice rang sharply in his head.

Jeong Yushin felt a creeping unease rising up.

What’s wrong?

Why is she suddenly bringing this up?

Did she become too attached?

Come to think of it.

I don’t know what engraving Beatrice has besides the Death Blade engraving.

Could it be.

It’s not a Yandere engraving, is it?

Jeong Yushin gave a stiff smile and slowly stroked Beatrice.

“Beatrice, that’s a distant story. I don’t even know if I can get such an engraving?”

‘…’

Beatrice didn’t answer.

“Beatrice?”

‘Take me to my brother.’

“Okay.”

Jeong Yushin got up from the bench and headed to the Monster Dismantling Site.

Dark night.

A bonfire was burning in the Monster Dismantling Site’s yard.

A place where they used to sit and grill meat after dismantling work.

Aldaine and a man with a pale face were sitting there.

Vlad.

The man Ingrid said was a Vampire.

Jeong Yushin inwardly clicked his tongue.

He came prepared to fight Aldaine if necessary.

Because he couldn’t trust Beatrice after the conversation earlier.

He thought he had built up enough affection.

But he couldn’t help but feel apprehensive.

However.

Two powerful individuals whose strength he couldn’t fathom were sitting in one place.

Shit.

Jeong Yushin swallowed hard and slowly approached Aldaine.

“Boss.”

“You’ve come?”

Aldaine turned his gaze from the bonfire and looked at Jeong Yushin.

“Give me my sister.”

“Yes.”

Jeong Yushin untied Beatrice from his waist and handed her to Aldaine.

Aldaine received the single-edged sword and stroked it.

“…”

A tense silence settled around the bonfire.

Aldaine slowly raised his head.

“Sca.”

“Yes.”

“Why do you look so stiff?”

“…”

Just as Jeong Yushin was about to open his mouth.

Aldaine’s expression hardened.

Jeong Yushin stared quietly into Aldaine’s eyes.

Should I fight?

Can I kill Aldaine?

As he quietly calmed his mind and stood there.

Suddenly, Aldaine grabbed his head.

“Oh, my head.”

“…What is Beatrice saying?”

“She says she likes you too much. She says she wants to be with you forever?”

“…Is that so?”

“But you’re going into the labyrinth?”

“Yes.”

“She says that Beatrice wants to come and pick you up when you come back, what will you do?”

“That would be nice.”

“How many floors are you planning to go to?”

“I’m planning to go to the 20th floor this time. Because I have to get promoted to Intermediate Middle Rank.”

Aldaine stroked his forehead.

“Really? You’re fast.”

Vlad interjected.

“He’s a skilled friend, so it’s right for him to go up quickly. I saw him fighting the Outer God’s minion in the sewers last time, and I expect him to easily rise to Intermediate Upper Rank.”

Aldaine clicked his tongue.

“Tsk. Intermediate or whatever, you die if you slip up in the labyrinth. If you stumble once while fighting and your neck flies off, that’s the end of it.”

Aldaine turned his head and looked at Jeong Yushin.

“Sca, don’t be careless. How strong you become is a secondary issue. In the end, the one who survives is the strong one.”

“Yes.”

“Go. You must be tired. Thanks for indulging my sister. I look forward to working with you in the future.”

“I understand. Rest in peace. I’ll go first.”

“Alright.”

Aldaine waved his hand.

Jeong Yushin greeted Vlad and left the scene.

Vlad looked at Jeong Yushin’s receding back and smiled gently.

“He’s a truly amazing friend.”

“…”

Aldaine wordlessly picked up a branch and poked the bonfire.

Vlad took out a small booklet from his pocket.

“I’ve done some research on that friend.”

“Why?”

“This is…troublesome.”

Vlad opened the booklet and read it one by one.

“His actions in the labyrinth city are clearly visible. I know that he first met Ingrid’s daughter around the Pilgrim’s Road, but his previous actions are not visible at all. There’s no one who knows him.”

“I heard he was captured by the slave hunters?”

“Didn’t they all die? No one knows.”

“You, Vlad, who has the Vampire Lord engraving, are only that interested in a single Barbarian?”

Vlad smirked at Aldaine’s words.

“Doesn’t he have a strange charm? I think he’s hiding something, but I don’t know what it is. I barely managed to resist the urge to capture him and interrogate him.”

Aldaine tilted his head.

“Why did you resist?”

“I thought he wasn’t a friend who would open his mouth easily. And isn’t he the next patriarch that Elder Ragna designated?”

“…”

Vlad threw the booklet into the bonfire.

“It looks like he’s not a friend who will live a long and healthy life. So I decided to wait patiently. I was thinking of making that Barbarian into my minion this time, what do you think about Aldaine?”

“Sca becoming your minion? Stop talking nonsense. Ragna will come to kill you.”

“I think he would be a good vampire?”

“Crazy bastard.”

“Hehehe.”

Cold night.

Vlad’s laughter spread through the bonfire.

* * *

Evening two days later.

Jeong Yushin and his party members had finished all preparations.

He visited the Explorer Headquarters with Karin and Armin to receive several mountain area requests and purchased a Bracelet of Unity.

Most of the supplies were put in the Golden Coffin.

Potions, ointments, antidotes, and bandages for emergency use were put in a backpack and carried on his back.

Jeong Yushin carried a Bastard Sword and a Longsword on his back.

After securing the repeating crossbow filled with bolts to his thigh, he moved his body from side to side, drawing and sheathing his sword to strike a pose.

Not uncomfortable.

This is enough preparation.

He put on a Barbute helmet with a visor and came down from the inn.

The party members and Hooknose were waiting in the inn’s hall.

Armin stared blankly at Jeong Yushin.

Should I call it pressure?

The appearance of a heavily armed Barbarian gave off the atmosphere of a very veteran Explorer.

Jeong Yushin checked the party members’ attire.

Kenneth was lightly armed, with an iron bow slung across his back.

Armin wore a robe over his chainmail and carried a short staff.

Karin was wearing slim leather armor. She carried two daggers and a crossbow on her back.

“Hooknose, please take care of Eru and the inn while I’m gone.”

Hooknose bowed deeply.

“Yes! Just leave it to me!”

Jeong Yushin walked through the night streets with his party members and arrived in front of the labyrinth.

He could see Explorers swarming through the cold air.

And magic circles too.

How long has it been since I’ve been here?

Looking back, I haven’t been in the labyrinth for a long time.

There was no big worry.

According to the Pathfinder Guild’s information, no abnormalities had been found in the mountain area.

Besides, he had filled it with supplies.

If I can break through the floors as safely as possible, I can get promoted.

If I’m lucky, I might even get a Cheat engraving.

The line of Explorers shortened.

Jeong Yushin and his party members stood on the magic circle.

“Are you ready?”

The party members nodded at Jeong Yushin’s question.

“No problem.”

“Yes!”

“I’m ready.”

Jeong Yushin cracked his neck once.

“Let’s go.”

Flash!!!

A flash of light burst from the magic circle.

Jeong Yushin and his party members disappeared.