episode_0316

“A battle broke out due to a small misunderstanding, but we’re okay now. We resolved it through conversation. Ah! There was no sexual exchange.”

Despite being in his underwear, Dietrich remained unperturbed and calmed the people down.

However, the elf captain remained suspicious.

“Dietrich, what was the conversation about that you went inside the barrier?”

“That’s…”

The moment Dietrich hesitated.

Drip. Drip.

The sky darkened, and raindrops began to fall one by one.

People looked up simultaneously.

Dark clouds had gathered unnoticed, obscuring the moon.

“Ahem. I’ll hear it later. The mercenary group is dismissed, and the onlookers should go inside.”

The elf captain spoke, looking around, and turned away.

The people dispersed, murmuring amongst themselves.

Adjutant Dina rushed over.

“Captain!”

“Dina.”

“A-Are you alright?! No. Please return to the lodgings quickly!”

Dina glared at Jung Yushin and his group before shouting at Dietrich.

“I’m fine. I will speak with these people for a moment and then return.”

“Ah, that won’t do!”

Dina shouted, her face slightly flushed.

“Dina, this is an order as your captain.”

At the solemn tone, Dina immediately lowered her head.

“…Understood. At least tell me where you’re going.”

The third one interjected.

“Darmong’s Inn.”

“Where is that?”

“The most dazzling inn in the southern district.”

Dina immediately nodded.

“Ah…that place.”

She knew where it was. She had seen it while marching down the main street.

She didn’t know the interior. But just looking at the exterior, it didn’t seem inferior to any of the high-end inns in the central district.

Considering that most of the high-end inns were owned by large merchant guilds, she soon realized that these Barbarois’ wealth was unusual.

“Dina, don’t worry too much. They don’t seem like bad people. Besides, I was the one who drew my sword first.”

“B-But.”

Dina examined the half-blood Barbarois’ faces.

Each of them was extraordinary.

Especially the black-haired woman’s chest caught her eye.

Contrary to her sharp impression, she boasted a feminine and voluptuous figure.

Yet, the woman didn’t seem to realize her own charm.

When the black-haired woman noticed Dina’s gaze and crossed her arms, her large breasts squished and rose up like pudding.

“What? You got something to say?”

“Ah, no.”

At the black-haired woman’s question, Dina felt a strange sense of defeat and turned her head.

The Mysticist guy turned around first.

“For some reason, the wind has been blowing unusually hard these days. Let’s go to the inn quickly.”

The other Ska also began to move.

Dina couldn’t hide her worried expression as she returned to her lodgings.

Jung Yushin walked slowly, feeling the raindrops.

‘I gained a lot.’

He gained quite a bit of inspiration from watching this battle.

Dietrich’s Aura Blade Imprint.

Of course, he had an Aura Blade-type Imprint called Sacred Weapon, but he hadn’t thought about imbuing it into a sword.

If he did well, could he also imbue Aura into his sword?

And the Wolf Ska’s martial arts.

In particular, the True Awakening that shook the ground was to his liking.

“Didn’t the third one’s technique just now look like the Heavenly Demon Overlord Steps?”

At Jung Yushin’s muttering, the expressions of the TS Ska and the Mysticist guy walking next to him turned blank.

““What…?””

“Isn’t it? A step that subdues ten thousand demons. The Myriad Demon Overlord Steps.”

The TS Ska glanced at the wolf beastman and Dietrich following behind.

They seemed not to have heard Jung Yushin’s words as they were quietly talking.

“The Myriad Demon Overlord Steps. It has a nice ring to it.”

The TS Ska said with a smile.

On the other hand.

“The Myriad Demon Overlord Steps. The Myriad Demon Overlord Steps. Momma Demon Overlord Steps? Hehehe.”

The Mysticist guy uttered the embarrassing word and snickered.

Whack!!!

The TS Ska hit the Mysticist’s back.

“Boobs, why?”

“Don’t twist the words strangely.”

The Mysticist guy had a slightly frightened expression at the TS Ska’s nagging, but soon grumbled.

“I get it, so just hit me once. Why hit me with your hand and then with your chest?”

The two bickered again.

Jung Yushin turned his head and looked at the wolf guy and Dietrich following a little behind.

Had Dietrich’s fate really changed?

He didn’t know.

‘I’ll know if I talk to him.’

* * *

A little later.

Jung Yushin and his group returned to the inn with Dietrich and took a seat at a table.

Swish.

The light rain gradually intensified.

Karin and Cyan, who had returned to the inn to rest after finishing their request, brought warm tea and placed it on the table.

Dietrich changed into Jung Yushin’s clothes and sat down at the table.

The Mysticist opened his mouth first.

“Now, shall we talk? Why are you interested in that red orb, the Warpstone?”

Warpstone?

Jung Yushin tilted his head.

A name that rat beastmen who repeat the same words twice would like.

“What’s with the Warpstone all of a sudden?”

At Jung Yushin’s question, the Mysticist guy shrugged.

“It’s not the official name. It’s a name that the old men at the Magic Tower made up in private. Isn’t it a stone that twists space and opens up another world?”

“The name’s a bit much.”

The Wolf Ska waved his hand, and Jung Yushin and the Mysticist guy closed their mouths.

Only then did Dietrich slowly begin to tell his story.

“During the last request, I patrolled the border adjacent to the Empire. Since it was near the border, I heard some rumors about the Empire. That the Empire’s villages and cities were burning. At first, I didn’t believe it, but after hearing the news that the vassals had moved and harmed the Dwarf Kingdom, I went to see the tragedy.”

Dietrich paused for a moment, took a breath, and continued his story.

“How should I explain it? It was terrible. Conversely, I might have been fascinated by that overwhelming power. If I could obtain that level of power, I thought that entering another world wouldn’t be such a bad choice.”

“…”

Silence lingered for a moment, and Cyan’s eyes sharpened.

“Why do you desire that level of power? Aren’t you the famous White Night Mercenary of the Eastern Union?”

“The Saint Ezdrass gathered mana and sealed it, but the world is still full of war, conflict, and the rampancy of monsters. A world where evil has not disappeared. Seeing that, I…”

Dietrich hesitated for a long time before opening his mouth with a heavy expression.

“I felt powerless. Overwhelming power. If I become a god, or at least gain power close to a god, I thought I might be able to end all the tragedies.”

“…”

Once again, silence fell.

Dietrich smiled bitterly and took out a fragment of the red orb from his pocket and placed it on the table.

The Mysticist frowned.

“This bastard. He was quite a dangerous friend.”

“So, I want to ask. Ska, I heard you entered another world, what was it like?”

Dietrich asked, his eyes gleaming sharply.

Jung Yushin looked around. The other Ska were also looking at him with curious faces.

‘Should I tell them this?’

Jung Yushin glanced at Cyan. Cyan was glaring at Dietrich with her back straight.

The resolute and dignified spirit of the knight was sharply emanating after a long time.

Jung Yushin hesitated for a moment and then opened his mouth.

“That’s right. I have experience entering another world because of the Warpstone.”

“…!”

“H-How was it?”

The Mysticist frowned.

“How would it be? It would have been fucked up. There aren’t any sane guys among the Outer Gods.”

Jung Yushin nodded.

“Second one is right. I went into a sex-or-die room.”

Jung Yushin dropped the bomb casually. The Mysticist’s eyes widened like saucers.

“What?! Sex…or-die room?”

“S-Sorry. I don’t have enough knowledge about other worlds yet, so I don’t understand. What…does sex-or-die room mean?”

Dietrich stammered and asked back.

Jung Yushin closed his eyes and made a solemn expression.

“Ah. Sex-or-die room. I was trapped in a room where you can’t leave unless you have sex.”

“…”

A different, awkward silence descended.

Dietrich’s lips twitched.

The other Ska also opened their mouths wide.

“This is crazy. Who did you go in with?”

“I can’t tell you.”

Cyan’s face turned as red as a tomato. The dignified spirit in her expression disappeared in an instant, and shyness bloomed.

Cyan gently bit her red lips.

It was embarrassing, but it was true.

‘How can I forget?’

Wearing a cow-print bikini.

Leaning her back against Ska’s chest, spreading her thighs wide, exposing a part that was too embarrassing to even mention and introducing herself.

It was also the moment when Ska shattered her sexual preferences.

“C-Certainly power…? A mighty power close to godhood…!”

Dietrich, flustered by Jung Yushin’s testimony, wandered his gaze and muttered to himself.

Jung Yushin looked at Dietrich with a smiling expression.

“You want to become a god and create a sex-or-die room here now? It would help with the birth rate.”

“J-Just give me some time to think.”

As Dietrich fell silent, the Mysticist guy opened his mouth with a wry face.

“The youngest got lucky. If you’re unlucky, you could be trapped in the depths of another world, unable to die for the rest of your life while being horribly tortured.”

At that moment.

The silent wolf beastman opened his mouth.

“Dietrich.”

“What is it?”

“Don’t you need someone to share your feelings with?”

“…”

“I understand your heart. There’s nothing wrong with pursuing ideals. But if that path is paved with the blood and sacrifice of the people by your side, you need to think again.”

Dietrich’s face darkened grimly.

“Most people look at my back.”

A blood vessel popped out on the Mysticist guy’s forehead.

“Bullshit. They’ll all be looking at your face! You well-fed friend, I hope you get trapped in a sex-or-die room with a man.”

Dietrich’s face changed subtly at the Mysticist’s curse.

“Ah…yes.”

“Or you get a hairy dwarf ass-hair lover Imprint.”

“…”

Dietrich rose from his seat with a pale face.

“I-I’ll be going now.”

The Mysticist pointed to the table with his finger.

“Where are you running off to? Sit down.”

“…”

Dietrich hesitated in an awkward posture.

Then the middle-aged Ska stepped forward.

“Second one, let him go.”

The Mysticist immediately lowered his head.

“Yes.”

The middle-aged Ska raised his hand and pointed to Jung Yushin.

“If you need someone to open up to, find the youngest. He’s a trustworthy guy. And if there’s a valid reason, he’s also someone who will stand shoulder to shoulder with you and fight together.”

“Ska…?”

Doubt swirled in Dietrich’s eyes as he looked at Jung Yushin.

“The youngest has already won half the world. It might not take long for him to reach the strongest.”

The middle-aged Ska replied in a rarely smiling voice.

Dietrich lowered his head.

“…I will keep that in mind.”

The Mysticist guy immediately changed his face and snickered.

“That’s right. Now that I think about it, if the youngest does well, he might bring love and peace to the world. The saying ‘Don’t fight, have sex’ might actually come true?”

The TS Ska sternly slapped the Mysticist’s back.

Whack!!!

“Stop it already. You’re possessed by a lewd demon.”

“It’s not a lie, though.”

The two bickered again.

Dietrich bowed.

“I’ll be going now.”

The middle-aged Ska casually waved his hand.

“Go comfortably.”

At that moment.

Dietrich’s expression hardened.

“…!”

A chilly chill swept past the back of his neck.

Dietrich quickly raised his head.

But the middle-aged Ska’s expression remained unchanged.

Dietrich immediately realized.

‘A silent warning!’

Meaning he would just cut off his head if he crossed the line or got caught doing something stupid.

He could tell from long experience.

The middle-aged man in front of him would really do it.

“I will be careful.”

Dietrich politely greeted the ‘Ska’ and left the inn.

The TS Ska stretched.

“Ugh. But I wonder if that guy changed his mind?”

The middle-aged Ska stroked his chin.

“I don’t think people change that easily. We have to watch.”

The ‘Ska’s’ gazes landed on the wolf beastman.

The Wolf Beastman Ska scratched his head.

“I also agree with the first brother. We need to watch a little more.”

The Mysticist guy waved his hand wearily.

“My body feels stiff because of the rain. Let’s go to sleep. By the way, when are you two planning to enter the labyrinth?”

“I’m thinking of staying for about 3 days and then going in.”

The Wolf Beastman replied.

“Really? Who’s in your party?”

“Now that I think about it, I don’t think I need one.”

“Do as you please.”

Soon the lights of the dawn inn, which had been filled with the sound of murmuring conversations, went out and it became quiet.

And.

3 days passed, and the day to go to the labyrinth was approaching.