14. The Truth and the Female Hunter
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: The Truth and the "Female Hunter"
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“Ugh! I’m dying of thirst.”
Jeong Yoo-shin woke up while spitting out bear fur from his parched mouth.
He looked out the window. It was dawn.
He was utterly exhausted, yet he had woken up at the crack of dawn.
He was impressed by his own absurd diligence.
The delicious aroma of food wafted up from downstairs.
He quickly threw on a shirt and some pants, went downstairs, and sat down.
“Dalmong! Water, please.”
“You’re awake?”
“Yes. I feel a bit rough after drinking last night.”
“Last night?”
“Huh?”
“Skar, you’ve been sleeping like a corpse for a day and a half.”
No wonder he felt so stiff.
Embarrassed, he scratched his head.
Dalmong brought him food and water.
Thud!
“Eat slowly.”
“Thank you.”
Dark rye bread, sweet pumpkin porridge, and well-cooked sausages were on the breakfast menu.
“Dalmong, I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“Why is this inn so empty?”
“…”
Dalmong was silent for a moment.
“It’s the off-season.”
“So suddenly?”
“Not suddenly. I’m almost done shedding.”
When did bears shed their fur?
He didn’t know. Was it in spring?
“So people will start coming soon?”
“A reasonable amount. Enough to make a living.”
“People might not come because of me.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m a barbarian?”
“…I forgot. You’re a barbarian.”
Barbarians, the penis-wielding outlaws who disrupted the city’s virtues and order.
When they walked down the street, married men eyed them with suspicion and virtuous maidens shielded their faces.
They were the embodiment of lust, turning even the enraged husbands who confronted them about their stolen wives into “females.”
‘Honestly, that sounds like an exaggeration.’
But he couldn’t be sure if the rumors were true. He had never met a real barbarian before.
Dalmong crossed his arms and sighed deeply.
“I’ll think about it later.”
“Oh, and I have another question.”
“What is it?”
“What’s a Spirit Teacher?”
“It’s the highest position in the Spirit Church. There are very few of them.”
The old man at the relief center.
His disrespectful words and actions.
The memory flashed through his mind, and he broke out in a cold sweat.
“A Spirit Teacher must be very powerful, right?”
“At least in the Eastern Alliance, they’re in a position where no one would question them even if they snapped a newbie barbarian’s neck. Why do you ask?”
Damn it.
He should have been more respectful.
Jeong Yoo-shin explained his encounter with the old man at the relief center.
After he finished his short explanation, Dalmong scratched his chin.
“Well, you’re still alive, so it’s probably fine. Was he an old man? A white-haired human male?”
“Yes.”
“It must have been Sir Luke. Apologize for your rudeness the next time you see him. He’ll forgive you.”
Luke Wiseman.
The head of the priests who served the Wind Spirit God and a member of the Labyrinth City’s highest council.
Jeong Yoo-shin felt dizzy after hearing Dalmong’s explanation.
‘Why was someone like that at the relief center?’
He vowed to never go near the Wind Spirit God’s temple.
“So what are you going to do now?”
At Dalmong’s question, Jeong Yoo-shin stroked his chin.
“I want to learn more.”
“Be more specific.”
“Like… swordsmanship? I want to strengthen my body. I realized that perception alone isn’t enough. And also…”
Jeong Yoo-shin trailed off, lost in thought.
There were many areas he needed to improve.
Things he regretted.
Things he could have done better.
He wouldn’t be meeting Karl and his party again.
Looking back to the events objectively, without resentment or grief…
He could see where he could have done better.
He organized his thoughts.
Then he spoke again.
“Where can I learn swordsmanship?”
“There’s a Swordsman’s Guild officially recognized by the Labyrinth City. The fee is thirty silver coins a month.”
“Hahaha…”
‘I only have five silver coins left.’
"So, where can I go to learn how to read and write, and gain general knowledge as well?”
“Are you talking about the Labyrinth City Academy? That’s ten gold coins a year.”
One gold coin was equal to 100 silver coins.
The Academy cost a whopping 1,000 silver coins a year, not including textbooks.
“Where can I just learn to read and write?”
“I heard the Earth Mother Goddess’ temple runs an orphanage.”
“Do they teach literacy skills there? Is there anywhere else?”
“Do you have a lot of money?”
“…”
Oops.
He had forgotten. The mention of the temple reminded him.
“Did I ever tell you what imprint was?”
“No.”
“He he he.”
Jeong Yoo-shin made a cryptic laugh.
“I’ll show you. Here!”
“You don’t have to.”
Dalmong muttered indifferently.
“Here!”
Jeong Yoo-shin raised his arm.
Warm, golden magic particles gathered on his palm.
A moment later…
A golden dagger materialized above his hand.
“Oh.”
Poof!
Then the dagger that he created with all his might immediately vanished.
“Ugh.”
Jeong Yoo-shin slumped forward, his face landing on his plate.
“Sacred Weapon. A basic cleric spell that combines physical force and light attribute. How ordinary.”
Dalmong patted him on the shoulder. It was a rare gesture of comfort from him, which made it sting even more.
“Uh… well, cheer up. Things will get better.”
“Is it that bad of an imprint?”
“It’s not bad, just… ordinary. Any cleric can use it. Just be grateful you didn’t get a negative imprint.”
“Do you remember any negative imprints?”
“Hm, give me a minute.”
Dalmong held his chin and stared blankly into space. Then he suddenly started chuckling.
“One of my friends got one once.”
“What was it?”
“An imprint that prevented him from having erections in front of women but made him ‘stand up’ in front of men.”
“…”
“And there’s also an imprint that makes you want to buy gifts for children. Be careful.”
That sounded dangerous.
“What do you do if you get an imprint like that?”
“You can have it removed. For a fee. The more times you have imprints removed, the more expensive it gets.”
“Hahaha.”
It wasn’t the Great Labyrinth; it was the Great Gacha Labyrinth of Doom.
The legend about all the monsters being sealed within wasn’t false.
“The Sacred Weapon imprint is ordinary. Ordinary isn’t bad though.”
Dalmong would never admit that an imprint was outright bad, even on his deathbed.
He remembered Mion’s face as she told him, with a strained smile, that it was a good imprint.
‘Was that a white lie?’
Jeong Yoo-shin stood up unsteadily.
“I’m going to the blacksmith.”
“Okay. Good luck.”
“Thanks.”
He went back to his room, strapped his long sword to his waist, and left the inn. It was morning, and the streets were bustling with activity.
He walked briskly and arrived at the blacksmith shop.
“Boron, I’m back.”
The sound of hammering stopped, and the dwarf appeared, frowning.
“I told you not to come back.”
“I’d like to exchange this long sword for a shorter one.”
“I told you not to come back.”
“This long sword is too long to wield with one hand, especially when using a shield. To be more specific, when I get close enough to use my shield, my swinging and thrusting motions become too wide, and the sword doesn’t reach the goblins properly.”
Boron clutched his hair.
“Listen to me! I told you not to come back! I’m busy! You crazy human!”
“Please exchange it for a shorter one.”
“No, I’m telling you…”
“Exchange it.”
“Aaaaagh!!”
“Ex…”
“Here! Take it and get out! I’m busy!”
Boron rushed off and threw a sword and scabbard at him.
It was an arming sword, a double-edged straight sword primarily used by knights and was sometimes called a knightly sword.
‘I wonder if they call it that here.’
“Here’s the long sword.”
“Just take it! And don’t come back!”
‘Nice! I saved some money.’
He slung the long sword on his back and strapped the arming sword to his waist.
“Thank you. I’ll be back.”
“Hey.”
Boron glared at him.
Just then, the dwarves watching from across the street burst into laughter.
“Hahaha! Serves you right, Boron!”
“Yeah, you hogged all the orders, and now you’re stuck with a difficult customer. It’s karma.”
Boron’s face turned red.
Jeong Yoo-shin felt a bit wronged. He turned around and protested.
“I’m not a difficult customer, am I?”
One of the dwarves in the back frowned.
“You are.”
‘What the…?’
“Why am I a difficult customer?”
“You ignored all the other weapon shops and came all the way here to haggle with a blacksmith. That’s what a difficult customer does.”
He had a point.
But he still felt wronged.
‘In the fantasy stories I know, you buy directly from the blacksmith!’
“I came here the first time because of a referral. I haven’t been in this city for long. And I apologize for my mistake.”
Silence fell over the group.
The dwarves stroked their beards, looking abashed.
“Hmm. So you’re a complete newbie.”
“If you came here through a referral…”
“Boron, you pig.”
Boron slumped down in defeat.
“I didn’t really mean it when I said don’t come back. But I’m really busy. I haven’t slept properly in a week, just hammering away at metal. Understand?”
“I understand. I’ll bring you a bottle of liquor later.”
“Something strong and expensive, please.”
“Alright.”
The dwarves in the back muttered in disappointment.
“It ended just like that? How anticlimactic.”
“Boron, you pig. Hogging all the orders for yourself.”
Boron yelled,
“Fine! I’ll share some orders with you guys! Sheesh!”
Jeong Yoo-shin bowed to Boron.
“See you later.”
“Yeah.”
The dwarves waved.
“Farewell! Difficult barbarian!”
Jeong Yoo-shin frowned and turned away.
‘I’ll remember you, dwarf who called me a difficult barbarian.’
He walked briskly to his next destination: the Earth Mother Goddess’ temple.
Where Mion, with her form-fitting habit, resided.
“I heard you teach literacy at the orphanage here.”
A human woman in a neat cleric’s habit replied to Jeong Yoo-shin’s question,
“Do you have a child you wish to enroll?”
“No.”
Jeong Yoo-shin replied.
A look of confusion appeared in the priestess’ eyes.
“Are you here to teach literacy? Volunteers are always welcome.”
“No.”
The priestess’ confusion deepened.
“Then are you here to adopt a child who can read and write?”
“No.”
A brief silence.
The priestess’ face turned pale.
“D-Do you intend to ‘hunt a bride’?”
“No. I’m here to learn how to read and write.”
“And ‘hunt a female’ while you’re at it?”
Did she just say “hunt a female”?
“I’m really just here to learn how to read and write. Barbarians are people too. Don’t be fooled by baseless rumors.”
“I-If you say so… The fee is one silver coin a month. Classes start in the morning. We’ll provide the textbooks, and lunch is the only meal provided.”
He immediately paid the silver coin.
“Lastly, just in case, let me remind you that any inappropriate behavior during class will result in immediate expulsion.”
“Understood. Don’t worry. I’m a good barbarian who doesn’t rape.”
The color drained from the priestess’s face. He had meant it as a joke, but it didn’t land well.
Jeong Yoo-shin stammered, trying to recover.
“I-I’m a barbarian who’s very interested in… women’s rights. You see. Yes.”
“O-Oh. I see.”
The encounter ended on a cold, awkward note.
He watched the priestess hurry away, a bitter taste in his mouth.
‘Me, a virgin, being treated like a female hunter in another world. This is outrageous.’
Jeong Yoo-shin swallowed his frustration and trudged back to the inn.
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T/N - The nun part in the last chapter was so… *ehem* stimulating that I forgot to comment about the old cleric. Him telling the MC that they’ll see each other again soon has the same vibes as Nurse Joy in Pokemon telling you to come again after healing your beaten up/fainted pokemon.
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