Chapter 25: Maybe I Should Use a Pseudonym
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 25: Maybe I Should Use a Pseudonym
“Oh, Yoo Eon! You’re back?”
“Yeah. Good morning.”
“It’s one in the afternoon, you know. What do you want for lunch?”
“Ah, well.”
There was almost no bleeding, and I was in much better shape than the last time I’d come out of the Labyrinth.
There had been a minor hiccup where the bone in my left forearm snapped, but I could feel my condition steadily improving ever since I drank the Ursus blood around 2:00 AM.
It seemed to be the power of the Ursus’s mana. The incredible natural healing properties of its mana were showing remarkable effects on a human body. It made sense, considering the Ursus possessed a natural regenerative ability that allowed it to shrug off a few stabs like they were nothing.
“Something delicious, please.”
“Sure, I can do that. But you look much cleaner today than last time. Did you come out early? It’s only been a day.”
“I made it to the 6th floor. I rescued a few goblin victims there, and after taking down a crazy bear, I lost the motivation to head to the 8th.”
“A bear… an Ursus? You mean an Ursus?”
“Sera, you seem to know your monsters.”
“Hmph! I am a resident of the Labyrinth City, you know.”
Well, they do say even a shop dog picks up the trade after three years. Working at an inn in the Labyrinth City, she probably had plenty of contact with explorers and would at least know the names of monsters that appeared below the 10th floor.
“Your party must have been strong. You said it was a four-person Iron-grade party, right? It couldn't have been easy.”
“Well, they were strong. Though I took down the Ursus by myself.”
“Excuse me?”
Sera just gave a little giggle, clearly thinking I was joking.
She tied her apron, which had been hanging over the back of a chair by the desk, around her waist and headed into the kitchen. I took off my robe and gambeson, unbuckled my pouch belt, and went up to the second floor to pack my things away in my room.
It was lunchtime, but as is typical for an inn tavern catering to explorers, it was a bit quiet. It was a period when many explorers were busy diving into the Labyrinth, so there were no customers.
When Sera wasn't around and I was spending time in the Labyrinth, Auntie would usually sit on the bench in front of the inn, smoking out of boredom.
Now that Sera was here, it seemed Auntie spent her free time taking walks or chatting with the neighbors.
“Yoo Eon, you smell strangely of blood. Even though you look clean on the outside.”
“It’s because I’m a dangerous man.”
“Stop joking and go wash up already.”
“Will do.”
When I finished tidying up and entered the kitchen, Sera promptly issued an eviction order. I suppose my hands and mouth did smell a bit like blood.
It couldn't be helped, considering I’d been elbow-deep in the stuff for nearly seven hours. I’d washed off the visible bloodstains in the river, but still.
Even so, smelling a little like blood after coming out of the Labyrinth was considered very clean and respectable.
“So? How was the party?”
“This trip was a bit strange. The Direwolves wouldn't even come near us, and the Goblins just kept running away. Then I ran into an Ursus in the middle of the night and fought like crazy.”
“Mhm.”
Sera stared intently at me as I sat across from her, eating. I think I know how Ravi feels now. It’s not easy to maintain eye contact with a beautiful person. Not that I’m saying I’m handsome or anything…
“Yoo Eon. Those eyes… are they the eyes of a Direwolf?”
“Did I tell you about that?”
“Last time, you said you’d tell me a funny story, but then you didn't say anything. My feelings are a little hurt, you know?”
“Oh boy, we can't have that. Wow, this food? I’ll give it a 0.7 Auntie rating.”
At those words, Sera tilted her head and asked.
“0.7 Auntie..? What does that mean?”
“If 1.0 Auntie means you’re on par with your mother…”
“So you’re saying I’m not as good as Mom.”
Pouting, Sera suddenly reached out, grabbed my right hand—which was holding a piece of meat on a fork—and stuffed it into her own mouth. Hey, my meat! Do you know how precious cooked meat is? To think she’d take revenge like this.
“You’re still young, Sera. There’s a certain flavor that only comes from years of experience.”
“Hmph. From now on, you can just ask Mom to cook for you.”
“I’m kidding. It’s a 1.7 Auntie rating.”
“Hmph, whatever. When are you going to tell me that funny story you mentioned?”
“Well… thinking back, it’s not actually that funny. Here’s what happened…”
I laid out the events of my sixth Labyrinth dive for Sera. The fight against the Direwolf pack, and how I was pushed to the brink of death.
How I ate the corpse and became a semi-werewolf. I gave her a brief explanation of the skill as well.
“So that’s what happened… It must have been hard. You did well to overcome it.”
Sera looked at me with a pitying expression. I wasn't exactly looking for this kind of reaction, but comfort and empathy are still empowering. Sera reached out with her fair, slender arm and placed her hand on my head, gently stroking my hair.
I wondered how long it had been since someone patted my head; it was a very strange sensation.
That aside, isn't Sera younger than me? Patting an elder’s head… the Dragon of Propriety cannot forgive this.
Hmm.
Because she leaned forward and lowered her upper body to reach my head, the center of my vision was filled with the sight of Sera’s pale, clear skin. I suppose I can forgive this.
“Then… is your body currently changed into that of a Direwolf?”
“Only a very small part of it is changed right now.”
The frequency with which I used Direwolf muscles in my daily life had gradually decreased. The reason was that my original human muscles had recovered. Although the injured parts had been replaced by Direwolf parts through my will.
As the damaged skin and muscles healed, the need to use Direwolf muscles vanished. Thanks to the Ursus’s mana, the recovery rate of my human parts had also significantly increased.
Now, everything is human except for a tiny portion of my right arm, my left eye, and a bit of my blood. Even the blood I’m using is from the Ursus, not the Direwolf.
I could change all the blood back to human, but circulating even a small amount of Ursus blood through my body seemed to boost my natural regeneration.
“Then you must have used that Alpha’s muscles in the Labyrinth too, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Hmm, then wouldn't the Direwolves naturally be scared and run away?”
“Ah.”
Come to think of it, she was right. A human reeking of the mana and scent of a Direwolf Alpha. If I was exuding the intimidating aura of a leader they were instinctively bound to obey and fear…
It was obvious the Direwolves wouldn't come near me. Even when they did occasionally approach, they would just growl a few times before running away.
“You’re smart, Sera.”
“Hehe, you’re just realizing that now?”
“You’re going to be hated, Sera. Being pretty and smart.”
“W-what are you talking about?!”
Sera suddenly bolted from her seat and fled into the kitchen. Maybe I shouldn't have complimented her. Well, I suppose these days, calling someone pretty is considered harassment.
“Goodness! Do you want more meat?!”
“Yes, please.”
She’s even kind-hearted. Not a single flaw to be found.
Sera returned with a hot frying pan and used tongs to place a large slab of meat onto my plate. After returning to the kitchen to tidy up the utensils, she sat back down in front of me.
“Sera. About my name.”
“Yes? Ah, your name… Yoo Eon, right?”
“Do you think it sounds strange to other people?”
“Well… probably?”
Almost everyone I’d met so far assumed my name was a pseudonym. Those I hadn't bothered to correct probably still thought so.
I didn't have any particular grievance with my name, but I didn't want to create misunderstandings with others.
First impressions are incredibly important, and a name is the very first piece of information I can offer someone.
If my real name is mistaken for a pseudonym anyway? It might be better to just use an actual pseudonym. Isolde had told me to ask someone close to me to come up with one.
“Then, Sera, could you make a pseudonym for me?”
“A pseudonym? Hmm~ a pseudonym… Is it really okay for me to pick it?”
“A party member told me to ask someone close to me.”
“Ugh… I-I see….”
Sera kneaded her cheeks, seemingly lost in deep thought, letting out a long “Hmmmm.”
“Aven. Or maybe something else—”
“Aven… I like it. Does it have a meaning?”
“…There is one, but I’m not telling.”
“You’re being mischievous.”
“I’ll tell you later.”
* * *
“You’ll be back by evening, right?”
“Yeah. If you’re going to be sad because I’m gone, just say the word.”
“Ugh… just go already! We’re busy these days because there are so many customers! Make sure you come back and help this evening!”
“Of course. Get some rest, Sera.”
I gave her a bright smile, and just as I was about to turn away—
“Have a safe trip, Aven.”
“…Yeah. I’m off.”
Sera gave me a playful push on the back, her light footsteps pitter-pattering. I stepped out of the inn as if being chased, took a deep breath of air, and headed toward the Appraisal Office.
“I want to just rip this building out and put it next to the inn.”
It was beyond the uncanny valley—at this point, the location was so bad it was actually impressive. It was awkwardly close to the southeastern slums, so people heading to the red-light district or gambling dens had no business here.
And people looking for inns or shops in the southwest had no reason to come this way either. I suspected Ravi and I were the only ones who even knew the Sateria Appraisal Office existed.
—Knock, knock.
“Ravi? Are you in?”
I knocked twice and pushed the door open to find someone inside.
“Oh, there’s a customer.”
This was truly surprising. I guess even with a terrible location, a cheap appraisal office still had demand. It was a female explorer with typical front-line gear—a small shield and a short gladius. Her face looked familiar, though.
Ah, it’s that party of kids from before.
She was the female vanguard from the one-male, two-female party I’d met inside the Labyrinth. I wondered where the other party members were and why she was here alone.
“Ah…! Y-you’re…!”
“It’s been a while. I see you’ve acquired a skill.”
“T-that’s….”
“Is the appraisal finished?”
“Huh? Oh! Yoo Eon! You’re here!”
Ravi emerged from the room behind the desk curtain, clutching something to her chest, her eyes widening when she saw me.
“Yeah, I’m here. You actually have a customer for once.”
“Ehehe. Hey, what’s that supposed to mean!”
Realizing a beat late that I was teasing her, Ravi shook her small fists up and down in a chirping protest.
“Are you in the middle of an appraisal?”
“I just finished! Here, Miss Tresha? This is the potion you asked for!”
“Ah, thank you….”
“Ahem, ahem! Next customer, please! I’m busy, busy!”
Ravi crossed her arms, puffed out a breath through her nose, and tilted her chin up high, grandly calling for the next customer. She seemed quite proud of having customers back-to-back.
“Boy, you sure look busy. I guess I should come back later.”
Of course, I was the only other person there.
“W-wait?! Come back here—!!!”