Chapter 46: Are You Out of Your Mind?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 46: Are You Out of Your Mind?
“That’s strange.”
Having finished my preparations to head to the magic item shop, I retrieved the paper airplane from the backyard. I had tossed it on a whim while heading toward the Northeast district, and through some magical influence, it had begun flying straight toward the shop.
It was around 8:00 PM. When the white paper airplane tapped lightly against the door of the magic item shop, the door swung open on its own, revealing the interior.
Just like last time, the lights weren't properly dimmed; the place was shrouded in darkness. Albresto was sprawled out, half-reclining in her chair.
“Albresto.”
“Iris.”
“We aren’t exactly on a first-name basis.”
“Then be friends with me.”
“Hey, friend. How about writing off some of my debt?”
“Let’s keep financial matters strictly professional.”
“A shame...”
Exchanging pointless banter, I closed the door and stepped inside. Iris rotated her chair halfway, resting her chin on the backrest as she looked at me. Her chest armor, possessing a violently massive volume, was being crushed with a supple elasticity, asserting its presence quite strongly.
“No, I told you to clear that out.”
“Sorry.”
Looking behind her, the shelf I’d warned her would break had indeed collapsed and merged with the floor below. She’d cleaned it up somewhat, but wooden splinters and debris were still scattered about messily.
“Go grab something for me.”
“An errand?”
“Yeah.”
“Where is it?”
“Come over here. Behind the desk.”
What is this woman talking about? She wants me to come behind the desk?
“You mean this? You want me to climb over the desk to get to your side?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Because the item is in the back.”
Iris shifted her gaze slightly toward a curtained area behind the desk. It was the inner sanctum of the building, the side opposite the counter that separated the customers from the shopkeeper. It seemed the item was back there.
Wait, is she calling me all the way back there just because she doesn't want to get out of her chair? I’d thought so before, but Iris really is a top-tier eccentric. I have no idea what’s going on inside her head, but since she’s giving me an errand, I suppose I should do it.
“How do I get over?”
“Jump.”
“Wait, isn't there a latch or a gate on this desk?”
“Nope. To get back here normally, you have to use the back door.”
Unlike a convenience store counter, there was no opening; it was just a plain desk blocking off half the shop. It was too much hassle to go back out and find the rear entrance, but was it really okay to just hop over?
For that matter, is it okay for her to let a customer get that close? Even if Iris herself is a powerful mage, she’s still a woman and I’m a man.
And considering she’s dressed so provocatively, she’s being far too casual.
‘Well, she is a strange one.’
Didn't she say something bizarre last time about me seeing her weakness?
“I’m coming over.”
“Okay.”
I vaulted over the desk and landed lightly on the other side. Iris sat in her swivel chair, staring blankly at me as I crossed over, showing absolutely no intention of standing up. Maybe her legs hurt or something?
I thought she’d ask me to do something difficult since she called it an errand, but to make me do chores like this... Especially when she could have just stood up and walked a few steps herself. I, on the other hand, had traveled across the entire city.
“So. What’s the item?”
“A glass bottle filled with red liquid.”
“Fine, I’ll look for it.”
I pulled the curtain aside and ducked into the back room, only to be met with a sight that made me freeze.
‘She is definitely a crazy bitch.’
To the right and straight ahead were piles of magical-looking items and various ingredients. The problem was the bookshelf on the left...
It was packed to the brim with female sex toys, covering the entire wall. Does she really just show this to people without a second thought?
“Iris. Which side is the glass bottle on?”
“The right. Don't look at the left.”
“You should have said that before I came in.”
“I forgot.”
I really wonder what goes on in her brain. Scanning the right wall, I saw quite a few glass bottles containing mysterious liquids, and there wasn't just one or two with red contents.
“There are too many.”
“Bring them out one by one.”
“Good grief.”
Left with no choice, I took a bottle in each hand. I had to make about fifteen trips back and forth to show her nearly thirty different bottles.
“That’s the one.”
“This?”
It was a glass bottle shaped like a peculiar hourglass, filled with red liquid. If it had such a unique shape, she could have just described it. I truly don't understand this woman, but I’ve learned to just accept it. That’s just how this world is.
“Is this all?”
I placed the bottle of red liquid on the desk and hopped back over to the other side. Only then did Iris finally lift herself off the backrest, picking up the bottle and shaking it.
The red liquid was slightly viscous. After inspecting it closely from several angles, Iris set the bottle back on the desk and spoke.
“Drink it.”
“Do you even know what this is?”
“Blood.”
Still seated, Iris reached out, uncapped the bottle, and slowly pushed it toward me.
Rattle—
“Blood?”
“Yeah.”
“I thought this was an errand. Is it a human experiment?”
“Both.”
Blood. Of course, I knew that the blood of various monsters was used as alchemical ingredients. Since Iris is a mage, it makes sense for her to have some.
“And what kind of creature’s blood is this?”
“Snowfield Troll.”
“Is it strong?”
“Very. 57th floor.”
“Damn, that must be expensive.”
“Not really. 10 gold coins per 100ml.”
“That’s just straight-up expensive.”
It wasn't just moderately pricey; it was blatantly expensive, so I didn't even have the energy to argue. If I ate this, my debt would only pile up. She said it was 10 gold coins per 100ml, and this bottle looked to be at least 300ml.
“What is it this time? Are you going to ask me to drain my blood again?”
“Are you an idiot? Of course not.”
“You asked for my eyeballs before.”
“Blood mixes. That’s useless.”
“Let me hear the reason first. Why are you making me drink this?”
“I’m curious. I want to see if it works.”
What does a Snowfield Troll even look like? To be honest, I knew nothing about monsters beyond the 11th floor, so I had no idea what would happen if I just drank it blindly.
When people say 'troll,' they usually mean large, muscular humanoid monsters. Like Trundle. Come to think of it, isn't Trundle a Snowfield Troll? He lives in the cold and he's a troll.
“You aren't going to charge me anything for this blood, right?”
“Yeah. I won't.”
“Hmm...”
“I mean it.”
For now, I had Iris’s word that she wouldn't demand payment. Honestly, I’m more than happy to consume the bodies of high-ranking monsters. But still, it felt a bit off.
I picked up the uncapped bottle and gave it a slight shake; the way it clung thickly to the glass walls made it obvious it was biological blood. The smell was fishy and a bit foul, as blood usually is—not exactly a pleasant aroma.
Gulp—
Surprisingly, there wasn't much of a taste. It was just that the lingering sensation in my mouth was more unpleasant than the other types of blood I’d consumed so far.
“Should I circulate the blood?”
“Yeah. Do you have any injuries?”
“No.”
“Then that won't do. Make it hurt.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
According to Iris, Snowfield Troll blood is used as an ingredient for health-restoring potions. Using blood to make potions?
“Trolls have incredible natural healing. Snowfield Trolls are the best among them.”
“Just how incredible?”
“You can actually see the wounds knitting back together.”
“That’s insane.”
She explained that these massive creatures, nearly five meters tall, slaughtered explorers with their immense strength, protected by tough hides and sturdy bones. Simply slashing through their skin and muscle would only cause minor bleeding; they wouldn't be truly wounded.
Apparently, you have to keep cutting until they run out of blood, or pierce their heart precisely. Even then, they can heal if the heart isn't destroyed completely.
“Now that I think about it, I do have some sore spots.”
“Really?”
“Is there somewhere I can lie down?”
“My bed.”
“Never mind. I’ll just sit in the chair.”
I sat down, leaning my back comfortably against the chair, and reverted my entire body's musculature to my original muscles.
“Whew...”
“What?”
“I changed my whole body back to my own muscles. I’ve been running around the Labyrinth quite a bit, so my muscle pain was severe. I was using other muscles to compensate.”
“You can do that too?”
“Yes.”
“Hurry up and do it.”
“Understood.”
Iris watched me intently with an intrigued expression. My entire body was racked with muscle pain. After leaning back comfortably, I circulated the Snowfield Troll blood I had just consumed throughout my body.
“Ugh.”
“Does it hurt?”
I nodded slowly. I could feel the muscles across my entire body rapidly healing, consuming calories at a frantic rate. My sense of fullness vanished instantly, and what little fat I had was burned away in a flash.
Even that wasn't enough; it felt like my muscles were about to start wasting away, so I quickly stored the Snowfield Troll blood and replenished my body with my original blood.
“Huff... huff... What... what was that...?”
“How was it?”
“The calorie consumption is extreme. And it hurts a lot. It’s a different kind of pain from muscle soreness... Healing pain? Anyway, it felt like my body was burning through every bit of energy I had while it recovered.”
“I see.”
Gurgle—
My stomach was screaming for food. I slipped my hand under my shirt to feel my midsection; the skin that used to have a bit of a pinch was now pulled tight over rock-hard abs. There wasn't a single thing to grab anymore; it felt like my body fat percentage had plummeted in an instant as it burned everything off.
“Show me.”
“What?”
“Your body.”
“Why?”
“...It’s part of the experiment.”
If she puts it that way, what can I do? I pulled off my shirt, set it aside, and stood up from the chair. My body definitely felt recovered. The pain I’d felt during the healing process had subsided quickly, and the intense muscle pain that had made it hard to even stand was completely gone.
“Can you even tell anything by looking?”
“...Impressive.”
“Is it?”
“Now get out. I need to masturbate.”
“Pardon?”
“Get out.”
Iris pointed her index finger, and using something like telekinesis, she snagged my discarded clothes and tossed them at me. Then she reset her chair and opened the door.
“Goodbye.”
“Uh... yeah. I’m leaving.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Creeeeak—
I threw my clothes on and stepped outside, and the door closed on its own just like before.
‘What did I just hear?’
Today, I had come face-to-face with the true madness of the Labyrinth City. I felt a chill down my spine; I was so spooked I felt like I should ask Auntie to let me sleep in her room.
“Is she out of her mind...?”
Night had fallen over the Labyrinth City.