Chapter 16: Are You Feeling Unwell?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 16: Are You Feeling Unwell?
Around 3 PM, having woken up late, I grabbed a quick lunch and headed to the guild to prepare for my next dive into the Labyrinth.
Since I no longer needed light in the dark, I removed the whale oil, lanterns, and other lighting equipment from my pack. In their place, I packed flint for starting fires. It was much lighter than a lantern, providing a noticeable reduction in weight.
To properly enter the mountainous terrain, I needed climbing gear like ropes and grappling hooks. I wondered if I even needed them now that my physical abilities had improved, but since my goal was to reach below the 5th Floor, I packed them just in case.
I also packed food, water, a map, writing materials, and enough herbs and bandages to last a long stay inside. Having a healer would be ideal, but as is the case everywhere, healers were treated like royalty.
Of course, I wouldn't know until I tried to form a party. I hadn't come to the guild to dive immediately; I was here to receive instructions regarding my promotion and to find a party.
"You've arrived."
"Yes, I'm here."
As always, Dahlia greeted me with a bright smile. She reached under the counter and placed something on the desk.
"This is..."
"Congratulations. You are now an Iron-grade explorer."
"Really?"
The promotion I had been longing for. I had jumped two ranks at once. I handed over my "poop-colored" Brass-grade Explorer’s Plate and received a new one forged from solid iron.
To be honest, I had been worried about the Lead Grade plate since lead is a heavy metal, but I had skipped right over it to Iron.
"It’s an incredible achievement. Even Iron-grade explorers find it difficult to subjugate an Alpha entity alone."
I didn't remember it being that difficult, but perhaps I really had become that strong. Regardless, it was a happy occasion. Being Iron Grade meant I would finally be treated as a capable explorer who could pull his own weight.
I could now accept requests from the quest board, and more importantly, it would be much easier to find a party. Unlike the Lead Grade, which anyone could reach just by dragging themselves to the 5th Floor, the Iron Grade required points accumulated through subjugation.
Considering how many Lead-grade explorers were desperate to party with an Iron Grade, I could already feel my status shifting.
"I'd like to find a party. Set the target depth for between the 5th and 10th Floors."
"Understood. What should I set as the deadline?"
"I'll be back this evening. Around 8 PM."
"Understood."
Now, my information would be passed on to explorers looking for members, or I could look for party information myself.
The latter was usually reserved for those higher than Iron Grade—at least Gold Grade or above—when they were looking for a party that matched their skill level. People with plenty of time often just loitered in the guild lobby to find a party in person.
"It seems you've acquired a good skill."
"At first, I thought it was a piece of trash. I just happened to figure out how to use it."
"That happens sometimes. It suits you, that left eye."
"Are you saying I look like a dog?"
"Please don't twist my words into something strange."
"I'm joking."
Dahlia asked me to wait a moment, then stood up from the desk and returned with a leather pouch.
"This is..."
"The reward for subjugating the Direwolf Alpha. Normally, an auctioneer would buy the carcass to sell it, but..."
"Ah, right."
"I heard you devoured the Direwolf right then and there? The sale price didn't amount to much."
I took the leather pouch and opened the tied neck to check the contents.
"There's the 50 silver subjugation reward and 70 silver from the sale."
"The sale price was only 70 silver? How much would it have been if it were intact?"
"At least 2 gold."
Unbelievable. I had literally eaten 1.3 gold. Just thinking about it made my stomach churn with regret. Still, it all went toward my own flesh and blood... literally.
If it was for the sake of increasing my specs, I shouldn't be stingy about eating such things.
But damn it, 1.3 gold...
"I understand. I'll be back this evening."
"Yes, see you then."
I had received much more money than I expected. Time to ease some of my burdens.
I ran straight back to the inn and called out to the Auntie sitting in the kitchen.
"You're back."
"Yes, Auntie. They told me I'm Iron Grade now."
"Is that so?"
"Give me a bit more praise. I'm feeling a little hurt here."
"You brat, you're always walking around dripping blood. Why would I be happy just because you hit Iron Grade?"
"Haha, well, that's true."
I pulled five 10-silver coins from my pouch and handed them to her. To be honest, this only covered about two weeks of room and board, but I was still very grateful to her.
"Hmph. Are you planning to abandon this run-down inn now? Good for you. The air will finally be clear."
"Oh, come on, why say that? I'm here because I like it."
"Fine. Are you going to eat?"
"Just something light. I need to go out and buy some gear."
Auntie glanced at me, then stood up and looked over her ingredients.
"Go take care of your business first. This is going to take a while to prepare."
"Okay. Where's Sera?"
"Out grocery shopping. She should be at the market, but why do you ask?"
"Wait, Sera goes shopping alone?"
At that, Auntie let out a snort and looked me up and down as if she couldn't believe her ears.
"Why not? If a shrimp like you can go into the Labyrinth, Sera can handle the front yard just fine. She's a smart girl; I don't worry about her."
"What do you mean 'shrimp'? I'm twenty-one. You're treating me like a kid again."
"You're twenty? That's the funniest thing I've heard all day. With that face?"
"Auntie, seriously. How old do you think I am?"
Auntie stared intently at my face with a skeptical expression before finally speaking.
"I figured you were seventeen at most."
"Hey now, I don't look that young."
"Yes, you do."
"Is that why you gave me food? Because I looked young?"
"You've got that pale, slender look, and your clothes were decent. I thought you were some noble. I gave you food thinking maybe a few coins would drop if I kept you around. So what?"
"Well, I certainly disappointed you then. Maybe I should go earn some more."
"Forget it, you brat. Go take care of your business. If you see Sera at the market, tell her to buy some more meat."
"Will do."
So Auntie had taken me for a noble. Whatever the reason, the fact remained that she had taken me in and fed me when I was on the verge of death. It seemed she was just saying things she didn't mean.
Do I really look that young?
The people of the Labyrinth City had somewhat Western features. They tended to look like they aged quickly. Not everyone, of course.
After saying goodbye, I headed toward the market district. For reference, the Southwest district of Calax, where the Mounted Goat Inn was located, was home to blacksmiths, drapers, weavers, tanners, and grain warehouses that milled and sold wheat and rice.
With inns, appraisal offices, and shops necessary for explorers clustered together, this was where lower-ranked explorers primarily lived.
The Southeast district was more of a slum, but the amount of money circulating there rivaled the Northwest where the wealthy lived. This was because it was a hub for illegal activities like brothels, gambling dens, and slave traders.
The Northwest was the wealthy neighborhood, featuring incredibly expensive restaurants, the private residences of famous explorers, artifact shops selling prestigious items, master blacksmiths, and high-end lodging.
While not illegal, it was a place where massive amounts of money changed hands. Walking through Northwest Calax, one could see high-ranking explorers and wealthy individuals from other cities.
The smaller Northeast district housed the Academy, where Scholars who worked as appraisers were trained and where mages researched and managed the Labyrinth. It was also filled with large buildings belonging to organizations commonly known as "Clans."
Of course, Clan buildings weren't exclusive to the Northeast.
"There's Sera."
I spotted Sera's radiant figure in the distance. She was staring intently at some carrots in front of a vegetable stall, and the basket on her arm looked heavy.
"Sera. Out shopping, I see."
"Y-Yoo Eon?! What are you doing here?!"
Sera's eyes darted between my face and the carrots in her hand. Her face flushed a deep crimson, and she quickly looked down. Is she sick? Maybe she caught a cold.
"Those carrots look delicious."
"D-Delicious?!"
"Oh, do you hate carrots, Sera? You don't look like a picky eater, so that's surprising."
"I-I'm not a picky eater!"
She chirped like a startled chick, paid for the carrots, and shoved them into her basket.
After relaying Auntie's message about buying more meat, I took the basket from her. She stood there for a long moment, her lips trembling as if she had something to say.
"Is something wrong, Sera? You've been acting strange since this morning. Your face is all red. Do you have a fever?"
"N-No, it's not that. It's just..."
"Just?"
"It's nothing! Let's just go buy the meat!"
* * *
Shopping took longer than expected, so I didn't get to buy my gear. Sera was incredibly meticulous when shopping and seemed to have a tendency to rely heavily on others' opinions.
Every time she bought something, she would check my expression. She was certainly kind-hearted, but I wondered if she wasn't making life too exhausting for herself.
"Auntie, we're back."
"Well, look at that. I thought you two had gone off to rent a room together. What took you so long?"
"M-Mom?!"
"Dinner's ready, so sit down."
I'd eat first. Then I'd head to the guild, and I'd have to wait until tomorrow morning to buy my gear.