Chapter 174
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 174
Chapter Title: Kingdom - Lv. 116 Warrior's Nation (4)
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I'm not one to hold prejudices.
But everything has its tendencies.
In the Labyrinth, the class you main is more than anything a direct indicator of your personality.
Mages fundamentally can't do it if they're not smart.
Their previous jobs outside are often scholars, professors, programmers, con artists—people treated as brain workers, whatever the case.
Priests share some of that trait to a certain extent.
Then there are the agility types: archers, gunners, and assassins.
They're often lumped together, but surprisingly, even they diverge among themselves.
Gunners tend to be blue-collar specialists and soldiers.
Archers, having to dip a foot into magic, fall somewhere in between.
Assassins... they're often special forces soldiers or criminals.
If it's the soldier type, they're someone you could get along with up close. But if it's the criminal, they're likely the worst of the worst.
Warriors, meanwhile, are mostly folks who work with their bodies.
Athletes, field workers, and... yakuza or triads, that sort of criminal.
It's a tendency, not enough to generalize completely.
But when those guilds form massive groups in a kingdom, they show stark characteristics based on those leanings.
In a nation heavy on warriors, slums tend to sprawl on a massive scale.
Such countries also sprout an unusual number of minor guilds operating more in the shadows than the light.
The culprits are those who ran crime syndicates outside—they're good at banding together, which makes it even worse.
Like the saying goes, a dog's habits die hard. They pull the same crap in the Labyrinth.
This place lets individuals wield real power, so in a way, it's their home turf.
"Even so, I didn't expect the lack of control to be this bad."
"The other kingdoms are much the same, just varying degrees."
"Slums are everywhere you go. No way a kingdom like this has welfare systems."
Kingdoms on this scale are rare to begin with.
Even when nations exist, they're usually one or two at most.
The rare cases like the Four Kingdoms, neatly divided by class, are exceptional.
Normally, classes with differing tendencies mix to some degree, settling into positions within guild alliances. Not perfect balance or harmony, but they growl at each other without things boiling over.
I have no idea what history led to this level of total schism.
Warriors and mages in particular are like sworn enemies.
And those with outside managerial experience are mostly mages.
Which leaves the true fighters in this warrior nation.
Over half this country's territory was slums.
Not the 'poor folk' kind of slums, but the rough, brutal kind.
"No matter how you slice it, this is a dystopia. Step out of the capital, and it's a mess of haphazard alleys and warring factions everywhere. Even the early pioneering days of kingdoms weren't this bad."
Even the central guild of the alliance that named the nation, [Hardrock], couldn't properly exercise authority over even half the area.
That's how the angel managed to live in a mansion like this without getting caught.
"High-end housing in the slums—talk about absurd."
"I worked hard to snag it!"
It might sound a bit funny, but apparently, following the goddess's orders, she took on a few commissions and earned the favor of the gang controlling this area.
So our angel's job in the kingdom is hitman.
"No qualms about killing, huh? Didn't peg you for that."
"I'm a berserker, so I just activate [Berserk] and it's fine. Only gets bloody after. Hehe."
Don't say that with such an innocent smile.
"But if you wanna earn big with minimal work, that's the only game in town."
Even at a low level, an angel is an angel. Unless you're ranker-tier, few can stand against her.
Truth be told, level 200 isn't that low for an angel.
Average tutorial survivors barely hit 100, and most squat outside kingdoms without pushing further.
The vast majority of exiles hover around level 100.
In a stable kingdom like this, it's even higher. Level 200 probably puts her in the top 10%.
Let's ask the goddess. She'd been handling the angel's oversight.
She was thrilled about it, after all.
"How'd this happen? Why's she making a living like this?"
The goddess made excuses.
「Well, but this one. Nothing but brute force to offer. Won't go to dangerous spots—how can I force her?」
"Aw, embarrassing."
Fair enough—hiding away limits your options.
This kingdom's so stable, the [Rifts] are properly controlled by the four kingdoms.
So it started as temp work but carried on out of inertia even after getting a cover identity.
"I'm not complaining!"
"Alright, fine. Just one question: what'd you do outside?"
She's stunning now as an angel, but backtracking to her human days without the angel buff, she wasn't exceptionally pretty.
Popular village girl level, maybe.
A pure, sweet girl with honey blonde hair and a bright smile as her charm.
Certain parts are impressively huge—enough to make Hiu or the little mage pout—but that's it. Not model material.
White-collar brain jobs are out too. Doesn't fit.
Her willingness to take rough work suggests something physical.
Hint's usually in the hands.
Faint burn scars on fingers, minor blade cuts.
And the mansion's kitchen is fully pro-grade, so...
"I was a chef! Had my own place."
"No way."
"Everyone's shocked when I say it."
"You don't advertise it?"
The angel smiled a touch bitterly.
"Nah. Only after we became friends do I share outside stories."
Come to think of it, for all her airheaded vibe, she's the next most veteran after me.
"Got it. You know what to do, right? Get along with your partner."
"Partner's that mage girl? Can I call her little mage too?"
The little mage herself, listening nearby, nods. The chef reveal clearly shocked her.
"Sure, I don't mind. Sis."
"Yup, got it. Our little mage. Though you're taller than me—'little' feels off."
The angel keeps beaming.
Still, her spilling all this without hesitation means she sees us—absent for 8 years post-floor 7—as friends.
A positive friend, different from Hiu.
Are all angels like this?
Nah. I've tried it myself—not always.
And so, next morning and lunch were all angel-cooked.
Impressively, even critiquing seriously, they'd earn high marks.
This is huge.
Cooking's my one non-combat skill I seriously honed.
"I loved cooking. Knew nothing else. Got called dumb a lot, but as long as I ran my shop well, I was happy."
I eyed the angel seriously as she spoke.
She takes cooking this seriously. Too well. Like fine dining caliber.
No offense, but it doesn't match her vibe.
Among exiles who'd trained cooking, some deserved 'chef' title...
Even compared to them, this is...
"Your Earth have something called Michelin Guide?"
"Ah! Yeah. My place had three stars! Good times."
Damn, I lose. Time to concede.
Amateur me can't beat a pro.
Why doesn't it feel bad, though?
"This time, wanna open a shop in the kingdom too. Feels possible in a peaceful spot like this."
She said it smiling, like a dreamy country girl.
Her brightness made me chuckle despite myself.
Exiles are warped one way or another by default.
A slum hitwoman dreaming of a restaurant someday? That's just 'normal' in the Labyrinth.
"Right, first secure the compliant ones—avoid ranker spots."
This is for the little mage.
She spent the day scouting the area with maknae and angel.
Maknae's got the org dynamics down, angel's got the local experience.
Our little mage can make solid calls.
The kingdom's guilds aren't a social system exiles cooked up.
It's part of the Labyrinth's provided system.
Even in kingdoms, the Labyrinth prods exiles to form packs and compete.
Just like tutorial floors.
Humans in groups naturally form hierarchies and rivalries.
Part of the Labyrinth's natural order—Hardrock's slums were a hellish warring states era of factions.
No clue why these idiots are replaying Spring and Autumn here.
Kept the angel busy, letting her pick jobs and rise as a premium hitman.
Step out the mansion, walk around, and eyes lock on.
Gauging if you're worth targeting, if they can win.
Sprawled like homeless, but eyes sharp as knives.
Not all exiles reaching kingdoms are competent.
Standard tutorial difficulty? Even 30-year vets might carry them.
For those, kingdoms aren't paradise.
Not my problem, though.
Got Mayer's permission—do whatever here.
It's their turf they yielded.
My ask of Mayer—Hardrock Tri-Council rep, conqueror of Dreamwood Forest—was simple.
"We got no designs on your kingdom. Just challengers aiming to clear."
He nodded along.
High rankers are all like that.
"But we need a minimal base."
"We'll sponsor you!"
No good. I want a guild transcending existing ties.
No need to link with entangled Hardrock.
"We're good. Made our own guild. Won't encroach on your turf. Just conquer these outer slums, use the locals—that's it."
"Form an alliance? We'll treat you as a nation-state ally."
Ready to give the shirt off his back.
Mayer's eyes were desperate.
Surprisingly conciliatory senior. Pull him to our side, somehow.
That's his vibe.
"Nah, just tolerate us. Fake some IDs too. Need [Rifts]."
"That we can do. But high rankers are beyond guild control. We can't..."
"No need to control. Just quash rumors as best you can."
"They'll find out eventually."
"We'll handle it then."
TL;DR: play neutral bystander.
Don't meddle nation-scale, don't pick sides with authority.
Dear Mayer tallied pros/cons quick.
Concluded staying out of high-ranker war was wiser.
Fake IDs need prep time. We do our thing meanwhile.
Saw off the little mage, angel, maknae heading out.
Then to Hiu:
"Time for inspection?"
"What kind?"
"Gotta get more used to angels. Same old training."
"Sparring?"
"Nah... matchup's too bad. Can't beat you anymore."
"Heehee."
Hiu grins, happy-shy mix.
Undead beating angels is tough.
"And study."
"Ugh... but I'll do my best!"
Basic magic users win, hands down.
Tweak her to max angel race and Time Faith potential.
Master it, and she can face rankers solo.
And soon, she'll have to.
"You too—advance to advanced combat magic."
"Yes! Daddy!"
Little one's eyes sparkle.
Misc chores go to those not coming to [Main Dungeon].
Right now, only these two have endgame talent.
"Gotta locate Blanche too."
Best agility class to recruit now.
High-spec fixed named NPC with archer-assassin talent.
Vanished long ago.
Won't be in mage or priest kingdoms. Zero magic talent—hard to dodge detection.
So archer kingdom or here.
Else, surviving wilds somewhere...
In a place where even our angel does hits, pro Blanche won't lack work.
She's definitely in the warrior nation.