Chapter 109 City Under Attack
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 109
Chapter Title: City Under Attack
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The elderly barbarian was crying.
Jeong Yoo-shin stared at him blankly.
Because the robe covered the barbarian’s face, only Jeong Yoo-shin, who was standing right in front of him, could see his tears. However, the awkward atmosphere created by his previous outburst made a few people in the crowd start glancing their way. Some even started to approach them.
“Um…”
Jeong Yoo-shin didn’t know what to say. He had just reprimanded the barbarian for demanding tributes, and the man had burst into tears.
‘Did he gain a Sentimental imprint or something?’
Seeing the elderly barbarian sobbing made him regret being so blunt.
“I-I went too far. I’m sorry.”
Jeong Yoo-shin apologized sincerely.
Now that he looked closely, this barbarian was different from the others he had seen. His eyes weren’t gleaming with lust.
Of course, he hadn’t seen many barbarians, so he couldn’t be sure.
Even so, the aura he exuded was different. He hadn’t demanded sex right off the bat. He seemed more rational.
Perhaps he had mellowed with age? But he couldn’t let his guard down.
“Please wait a moment. I’ll see if I have anything left.”
“Ahem. Alright.”
Jeong Yoo-shin went back inside the inn and returned with a single piece of bread. He had taken it from his share of the food prepared for the inn staff.
“Here you go.”
Jeong Yoo-shin handed the elderly barbarian a slightly larger Cream Slime Bread, and the man smiled brightly.
“Thank you. How much is it?”
“It’s free. I apologize for my harsh words earlier.”
“Thank you. I don’t have any money.”
“…”
Jeong Yoo-shin shook his head and reached a conclusion.
Suddenly crying and then saying he had no money?
‘He must be a bit senile.’
He hoped that someone would take the old man home soon.
“Young man, may I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“Please answer honestly.”
“Yes. I’m always honest.”
“Have you seen any of your other kinsmen? To be more specific, are there any other pure-blooded barbarians living like you?”
Jeong Yoo-shin frowned.
A pure-blooded barbarian living a life of honest labor?
There were no such people among the black-haired barbarians he had met.
There were plenty in his original world. In fact, too many to the point of hardship.
Weren't they ranked 5th in the world for longest working hours? It was fair to say that they dedicated their lives to labor.
Jeong Yoo-shin spoke calmly.
“To answer your first question, I’ve seen about two. And I haven’t been here long, so I don’t know for sure, but I haven’t seen anyone living like me.”
The elderly barbarian’s expression hardened.
“Is that so? I heard that our kinsmen are staying in the red-light district. Is that true?”
“Yes. I haven’t been there myself, but I’ve heard about it. There’s a red-light district somewhere in the eastern district.”
“I understand. One last question. What’s your father’s name?”
“…”
Jeong Yoo-shin closed his mouth.
This old man was strange.
He didn’t understand why he wanted to know his father’s name. He was just like that crazy barbarian he had met at the Explorer’s Guild.
“I can’t tell you that.”
“I see. I apologize for asking a sensitive question.”
Jeong Yoo-shin tilted his head. It wasn’t a particularly sensitive question. He just felt uncomfortable with telling people of this world about his true origins.
“Well…”
Jeong Yoo-shin mumbled vaguely.
A question arose as he conversed with this surprisingly rational barbarian.
Why was this elderly barbarian so insistent on distinguishing between pure-bloods and half-bloods?
It was true that there was a difference.
There was a vast difference between the savages of this world and himself.
You could tell just by looking.
It was like the difference between a muscular, bald, tattooed black man and an intellectual black man dressed as a judge and wearing horn-rimmed glasses.
The elderly barbarian reached out and patted Jeong Yoo-shin on the shoulder.
“You must have had a hard time. You must have been discriminated against by other tribes for being a half-blood.”
Jeong Yoo-shin tilted his head at the unexpected remark.
“What do you mean? That never happened to me.”
“Is that so? Well, there are plenty of good people too.”
He hadn’t met many barbarians in the first place. He had only spoken to one recently. He had received a crazy proposal, but he had just dismissed it as typical barbarian behavior.
If he had experienced any discrimination, it was from the people living in Labyrinth City.
And they had treated him like a barbarian from the start. He had been called a half-blood, but not very often.
‘I don’t understand.’
Jeong Yoo-shin pondered, but then, he stopped thinking about it.
No.
He wasn’t really curious. He was getting by just fine as he was. There was no need to wade into a cesspool.
“I’ll be going now. Good luck with your business. Oh, and take this.”
The elderly barbarian took something out of his pocket and pressed it into Jeong Yoo-shin’s hand.
“What’s this?”
Suddenly giving him a ring?
“It’s a gift.”
He was suspicious of this sudden gift from a stranger.
Was it some kind of virility charm?
“I can’t accept this.”
“Take it. I’m giving it to you out of gratitude, so don’t refuse.”
“Then I’ll sell it and use the money to help the inn.”
The elderly barbarian chuckled.
“You’ll regret selling it.”
“You’ll be the one regretting it. They say that if you cry and laugh at the same time, you’ll grow hair out of your ass*.”
“…I’m curious about your father, in a different sense now. Let’s see each other again sometime.”
The elderly barbarian made a bewildered expression, muttered something, and walked away.
Jeong Yoo-shin watched the old man’s retreating figure for a moment, then closed up the stall. He was done for the day.
The boisterous night, brightly lit like a city that never sleeps, finally quieted down as dawn approached. The crowd that had filled the inn hall had dispersed, leaving only Jeong Yoo-shin and Karin.
They sat at the counter while sharing a drink, when Karin spoke.
“Do you want to look around the city tomorrow?”
“So suddenly?”
“What do you mean, suddenly? Are we just going to work throughout the festival?”
That was true. It wouldn’t be good to just work through the festival like everyone else.
“Sure. Is there anywhere you want to go in particular?”
“Hmm… hmm.”
Karin’s face flushed slightly.
“Let’s just look around the southern and central districts. I heard that there are a lot of things to see there.”
“Really? Alright. I’ll have to adjust our schedule.”
“I’ve already taken care of it. Snout said he’ll bring his friends to help out tomorrow.”
Karin.
She was incredibly thorough.
Jeong Yoo-shin grinned.
“What’s with the meticulous planning? Are you plotting something?”
Karin’s face turned crimson.
“Wh-What?! Absolutely not!”
Karin’s red tail spun like a fan.
“Why are you so flustered?”
Karin downed her drink and stood up at Jeong Yoo-shin’s question.
“Because you’re saying strange things. A-Anyway, it’s a date, right? See you tomorrow.”
“Yeah. See you.”
Jeong Yoo-shin watched Karin’s swaying hips as she left, then turned his gaze to his drink.
“What was that?”
Karin’s incomprehensible behavior confused him, but he decided to let it go.
He didn’t understand Lionel’s feelings after he turned into a duck.
He didn't understand the barbarians’ obsession with holes.
And beast-people were even harder to understand.
They said that the human heart was a labyrinth.
‘Right.’
Jeong Yoo-shin downed his drink and stood up.
There was no harm in getting to know Karin better. They had known each other for quite a while already, and he was certain that she was trustworthy.
‘She wouldn’t do anything bad, would she?’
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Knock, knock!
The next morning, someone knocked on his door early.
“Who is it?”
Jeong Yoo-shin, waking up, rubbed his eyes and looked up.
Burst!
Karin, who was wearing hot pants and a white tank top, burst into the room.
“We have a date today, don’t we? Why are you waking up so late?!”
Since when was it a date?
“Wait a minute. I’ll get changed.”
Jeong Yoo-shin sent Karin out and changed into casual clothes.
He went downstairs, where Anne greeted him with a smile.
“Have a good date, Skar.”
“Yeah. Watch the shop. I’ll be back early.”
“No. It’s alright if you come back late.”
???
Jeong Yoo-shin scratched his head. He thought he had just seen a meaningful exchange of glances between Karin and Anne. Was it his imagination?
Karin wrapped her arm around Jeong Yoo-shin’s like a snake.
“Anne, we’ll be going now.”
“Yes. Good luck, Karin.”
Jeong Yoo-shin was dragged around the southern district by Karin. The streets were overflowing with people.
A play was being performed in the park, and the alleys were filled with people playing musical instruments and performing magic tricks.
“Cheap! Cheap! Chicken skewers, 20 copper coins each!”
“Numek Meat Sandwiches! Buy one, get one free!!!”
Street vendors sold a variety of food.
Jeong Yoo-shin and Karin lost track of time while wandering around the city.
How much time had passed?
The city was bathed in the warm glow of sunset.
Jeong Yoo-shin looked up at the sky. The sun was setting.
Even though the days were long in summer, they had already spent this much time together.
He had enjoyed himself unexpectedly.
The time he spent with Karin was one of the most comfortable and enjoyable moments he had experienced in recent months.
Most importantly…
He had learned about a different side of Karin today.
‘She surprisingly likes girly things.’
She liked cute stuffed animals, accessories, and sweet desserts.
Especially…
“How about this?”
His heart pounded when he saw Karin tilting her head while trying on silver earrings.
She acted tough while working at the inn, but she was hesitant at times like this.
“It’s pretty.”
“Hehe.”
And that innocent laugh.
Come to think of it, how had their fates become intertwined like this?
Their first impression of each other hadn’t been very good. He was sure that Karin had felt the same way. He still vividly remembered being captured by slave hunters and having his head shoved into the mud.
And when he had entered Labyrinth City with Simus, he had also been humiliated by her.
Thinking back, a lot had happened.
“Why are you spacing out?”
Karin’s question brought him back to reality.
“Thank you. Today was the most relaxing day I’ve had in Labyrinth City.”
“Really? Then… should we take walks together more often?”
“Sure.”
As they walked back to the Southern Park shoulder to shoulder, the sun set and the night sky unfolded.
Stars and a blue moon hung above Jeong Yoo-shin and Karin.
A little girl pointed at the sky.
“Daddy! Look!”
The man, presumably her father, also looked up.
“The elemental gods have appeared.”
Multicolored lights were slowly drifting across the city sky.
Like jellyfish swimming in the sea or fireflies flitting through a reed field.
Red. Gold. Green. Blue.
Brilliant lights of various colors adorned the sky, far surpassing the city lights. A divine light.
‘This is another world, after all.’
People closed their eyes and prayed silently.
Jeong Yoo-shin also closed his eyes.
And he wished.
For the peace and happiness of those around him.
And for his safe return to his original world.
Just then…
The ground shook. It wasn’t a strong tremor, but Karin and Jeong Yoo-shin felt it.
Rumble!!!
And then, with a loud explosion, a red inferno erupted in the distance. It was too far away to see clearly.
The people who had been watching the elemental lights turned their heads towards the rising flames.
‘That’s the east.’
Jeong Yoo-shin thought to himself.
“That’s definitely the red-light district…”
A middle-aged man, who seemed familiar with the area, muttered. Jeong Yoo-shin frowned.
That meant the barbarians were there.
‘What’s going on?’
He was curious, but he dismissed it. It wasn’t unusual for that troublesome race to cause a ruckus.
Besides, he didn’t want his peaceful time to be interrupted.
At that moment…
“Kyaaagh!!! Monster-people! Monster-people have appeared!!!”
A bloodcurdling scream filled the park.
Jeong Yoo-shin and Karin’s eyes widened.
“What…?!”
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T/N - Damn, their date got interrupted. Though it seems like Karin is winning against Mion. I’m surprisingly okay with this despite my initial hate for Karin’s bratty personality. She’s mellowed down after getting cursed by the MC’s negative imprint, ironically enough.
*An old korean saying. As for the meaning, hell if I know. Google won’t give me a straight answer.