Chapter 232 First Love
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 232
Chapter Title: First Love
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Armin, who had been half-lying on the soft counter chair, shot his eyes open.
It felt like he just had a nightmare.
As the old-fashioned ceiling came into view, he immediately realized it. This was the inn of that terrifying half-barbarian.
'I-It wasn't a dream.'
The barbarian walked out of the kitchen while holding a large tray.
"You're awake?"
"Uuuuh."
Armin was speechless at the sight of the barbarian. Because he was so scared.
But the black-haired man didn't care and just placed the tray on a table a little away from the counter.
The tray was filled with warm potato soup, black bread with plenty of rye and mixed grains, and a large, freshly grilled sausage.
"Let's eat."
"Pardon?"
"I said, let's eat."
"Y-Yes."
Armin got up from the soft counter chair, approached the table, and sat down.
"Mathias went back to the Mage Tower's branch in the central area."
The barbarian said as he lifted his spoon.
Armin froze like ice.
"I-Is that so?"
Now he was alone.
Somehow, he felt even more scared.
Armin sat at the table and started eating, but he didn't know if the soup was going into his mouth or his nose.
Perhaps it was because the inn was so quiet.
He heard that the leaders had gathered at this inn a few days ago.
An uncommon event.
It was an honor that might only happen once in a lifetime.
A normal person would have been excitedly and proudly talking about it for months.
But the barbarian was chewing and swallowing his food with an indifferent expression.
Armin ate his soup while stealing glances at Jeong Yoo-shin.
At that moment.
*Creeeeak.*
Two people opened the main door of the inn and came in.
A fierce-looking boar beast-person.
A young man with a calm impression.
""Skar-nim!""
The two rushed over while calling the barbarian's name.
"Snout, Granny. What is it?"
"You must have had a hard time at the summit!"
"Congratulations!"
Praises came out of both their mouths at the same time.
That was also brief.
Snout and Granny made eye contact.
"..."
A strange silence passed for a moment.
"Who are you?"
Granny's question.
Snout snorted as if in disbelief.
"Me? Well! I’m Skar-nim's first subordinate, Snout."
"The first subordinate."
Granny's expression crumpled as he muttered to himself.
"Granny, Snout belongs to the monster dismantler shop."
At Jeong Yoo-shin's words, Snout's face became startled.
"Pardon?! Skar-nim? If you say that, I'll be very disappointed!"
Jeong Yoo-shin stared blankly at Snout's face and then shook his head.
"It's true, isn't it? Director Aldein would be pissed if he knew about this. And is it that important whether you're the first subordinate or the second?"
""Yes!""
Snout and Granny shouted at the same time.
Jeong Yoo-shin scratched his head.
'What's with these friends?'
Why in the world were they burning with a sense of rivalry?
"Whatever. What did you come here for?"
Snout cautiously opened his mouth.
"I heard a rumor."
"A rumor?"
"That... during the summit, you pulled down the Imperial Crown Prince's pants, slapped his butt, and said 'How firm!'"
Jeong Yoo-shin grabbed his head.
He felt dizzy.
"N-Not at all. What kind of bastard…"
The gazes of the royal guards flashed through Jeong Yoo-shin's mind.
Back then, they had expressions that looked like they had a lot to say.
No, but still…
"There are people who said that they heard the royal guards talking."
"That's all a groundless rumor. A misunderstanding."
"Ah! Is that so?"
Armin, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, was half in doubt.
Was that so?
It must be.
A person would still act with common sense.
Although there were rumors in the Mage Tower that this barbarian was half-mad, there was nothing about him having committed an unforgivable evil act.
"It was just a misunderstanding."
A misunderstanding?
Snout, Granny, and Armin all looked at Jeong Yoo-shin.
"The high-ranking people gave me the floor, so I just said a few words to the crown prince. Let's get along. Let's go together. Things like that."
"T-Then, the coffin you shoved in his face?"
Granny asked while stuttering.
"Me? I never did that. I don't remember well, so don't ask for details."
Jeong Yoo-shin lied without batting an eye.
Granny gave a stiff smile and nodded.
"I-I see. It was just a wild rumor after all. To think that it was all a 'misunderstanding.'"
"T-That's right! Who do you think Skar-nim is!? You bastards! I'll just shut your mouths!"
Snout swung his fist at the empty air.
Jeong Yoo-shin put down his fork and leaned back in his chair.
His appetite had completely disappeared.
If the rumor had reached these friends' ears.
Then everyone living in the city would already know.
A rumor full of misunderstandings, prejudices, and lies was once again tarnishing his true character.
He had been thinking of going to the Explorer's Guild to find some decent party members, but it seemed like he would have to give up on that early.
He let out a sigh inwardly.
'I'll just have to get a few requests and come back.'
He felt that it was about time that he made a permanent party.
Iron Mask had already formed a permanent party and was entering the labyrinth with them.
Jeong Yoo-shin organized his thoughts and then opened his mouth.
"Granny, if there are any explorers who want to join my party, tell them to apply. One professional ranged attacker and one priest. Don't force them too much."
"Yes! I understand."
"Snout, tell Director Aldein. That I'll be stopping by soon."
"I’ll be sure to deliver the message!"
"That's all. Everyone, go about your business."
""We'll be on our way! Take care!""
The two gave a loud goodbye and left the inn.
The gaze of Armin, who was sitting at the table, changed.
This barbarian…
He had calmly organized his thoughts and given clear instructions.
He didn't seem like a mad person at all.
At that moment.
Someone came down from the second floor.
A languid-looking beast-person woman.
Her red wolf ears and tail swayed gently.
"Skar? What's going on?"
"Snout and Granny stopped by. And the elder of the Mage Tower sent us a talent."
"Hmph?"
The wolf beast-person approached them and sat down next to Armin.
Armin's mind went blank.
He didn't know where to look.
He could ignore the large breasts, but…
Because of the low-slung leather pants, her panty strap and a part of her butt crack were visible. And they were leopard print.
Strangely, one side of her butt was a little red.
"What's your name?"
"Armin."
Karin asked, and Jeong Yoo-shin answered for him.
Armin stood up with a flushed face and bowed his head.
"N-Nice to meet you!"
"Yeah? Nice to meet you too. My name is Karin. I'm the party's guide. By the way, you look similar to Eru."
Karin said with a smile.
Jeong Yoo-shin nodded.
"Right?"
"If you're from the Mage Tower, you must be a mage, right? What's your specialty?"
"S-Summoning magic!"
"That's amazing. Show me sometime."
"Yes!"
Jeong Yoo-shin leaned back in his chair and looked at Karin.
"Karin, we need to start preparing to go to the 20th floor."
"Right. I'll go to the guide's guild and gather information about the 20th floor."
"Thanks. You know where I put the money, right? If you need it, take it out and use it."
"Got it."
Armin was shocked again.
Because it was such a normal conversation.
There was no trace of the vicious behavior of toying with women at all.
Jeong Yoo-shin turned his head and looked at Armin.
"Armin, are you going to stay here?"
"N-No. I'll come in the morning."
"Do as you please."
Jeong Yoo-shin replied as he stood up.
Armin's head shot up.
"W-Where are you going?"
"I have to prepare a few things too. Armin, you should also get ready. What's the highest floor you've reached?"
"Up to the 15th floor, the Swamp area."
"Yeah? Alright."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Another week passed.
During that time, Armin watched the half-barbarian and gradually corrected his thoughts.
Was there anyone else who lived so thoroughly and diligently?
He could say with certainty that there wasn’t any.
The barbarian would wake up early in the morning and train with Karin.
He ate meals full of meat at every meal and didn’t touch alcohol at all.
After breakfast, he would go straight to the Swordsman’s Guild and continue his training.
Armin was curious and asked if he could follow.
The barbarian readily nodded.
"Watch if you want."
Armin squatted in a corner of the Swordsman’s Guild's training ground and watched the barbarian roll around.
He would run in heavy armor until he collapsed from exhaustion.
And then he would continue to spar with the guild members.
His main weapon was a longsword, but he sometimes used other weapons as well.
In the evening, he would stop by the central library, borrow books, and read them, piling them up on the inn counter.
Most of them were books related to the 20th floor.
The various types and ecosystems of monsters.
The 'mysteries' that appeared on the 20th floor and the traps to avoid.
Sometimes, when his eyes became hollow, he would mutter strange things.
"If I had studied for the Suneung* like this... Sigh."
If there was a part he didn't understand, he would read it over and over again, and if it was still difficult, he would write it down in a memo and go outside before coming back.
Overall…
It was different from the lives of other explorers Armin had seen so far.
It was a life that was all about training and studying.
An excessive schedule, no matter how much the barbarian leveled up.
The barbarian's life was quite similar to that of an ascetic.
Armin's perspective gradually changed. Along with it, his curiosity grew.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A week later, late at night.
A quiet inn.
Armin, who was sitting at a table checking scrolls and reading a grimoire, looked at Jeong Yoo-shin.
"Skar-nim."
"What?"
His voice was naturally sharp, as if the content of the book was difficult.
Still.
Armin was so curious.
Why in the world was he so diligent?
He was putting in several times the effort of a normal explorer.
And he did it as if it was a very natural daily routine.
Armin had only been watching for about a week, but he had this thought.
Could this be the true form of a barbarian?
Armin opened his mouth with a cautious expression.
"Is there a reason why you're going down the labyrinth floors so quickly?"
"To get a 'stronger' imprint."
"You can get good imprints even if you go in and out of the shallower floors."
"The imprint I want isn’t on the shallow floors."
The barbarian asserted.
Armin was so curious.
"What kind of imprint do you want?"
The half-barbarian closed his mouth for a moment and looked into his eyes.
As he met those black pupils…
A chill ran down his spine, and his hair stood on end.
He felt as if the man was reading his thoughts.
The barbarian slowly opened his mouth.
"I can't tell you that."
The strength drained from Armin's body.
He didn't know what the barbarian's full purpose was.
But he knew one thing.
The man was determined to enter the depths of the labyrinth.
And…
Somehow, he felt reassured.
Jeong Yoo-shin raised his head and looked at Armin.
"It's late today, so sleep over. It must be tiring to come every morning, right?"
"N-No. I'm more comfortable at home."
"Yeah? Alright."
Jeong Yoo-shin lowered his head again and continued reading the book.
Just as Armin was packing his grimoire into his bag and was about to stand up.
Creeeeak.
The inn door opened, and a small girl came in.
An incredible beauty.
Pure white short hair and red eyes.
A fluttering skirt.
"Uh...?"
Armin stopped in his tracks.
It was as if the world and time had stopped.
Should he say that it felt like his calmly sunken heart was beating again?
No.
His heart was pounding as if it would explode.
'This feeling is...?'
The girl glanced at the confused Armin and then went straight to Jeong Yoo-shin.
"Skar-nim, I'm back from my vacation."
"Eru, did you rest well? Are your parents doing well?"
"Yes."
When the girl smiled, it was as if the inn had brightened.
"I left the room you were using empty. I'll be in your care for the time being."
"Yes. By the way, this person is...?"
"He's a party member dispatched from the Mage Tower."
"Is he a trustworthy person?"
"I don't know yet."
"I understand."
Eru just gave a slight nod to the blankly standing Armin and went up to the second floor.
"What are you doing, not going?"
At Jeong Yoo-shin's question, Armin's mind finally snapped back.
"W-Who in the world is that person?"
"It's a secret."
A secret!
Armin was restless for a moment, then opened his mouth again.
"Skar-nim, may I also stay at the inn?"
"So suddenly?"
"Yes. Come to think of it, it seems tiring for me to go back and forth to the central area!"
"Sure. Pick any room and use it."
"Yes!"
Armin looked up at the second floor and pressed his pounding heart.
"W-Was that person's name Eru?"
"Yeah."
"I-It's a beautiful name."
"..."
Jeong Yoo-shin looked at Armin's flushed face and then tilted his head.
A strange friend.
Eru was an incubus.
Armin quickly packed his things and scurried up to the second floor.
'Skar, are you just going to watch?'
Beatrice asked.
Jeong Yoo-shin shrugged.
"Who, me? Isn't Eru in his rebellious phase? If I watch him with warm eyes, he'll get through it on his own."
An indifferent reply.
Beatrice was at a loss for words for a moment.
'That's not it. Skar, you can tell just by looking. That summoner boy fell in love with Eru at first sight!'
Jeong Yoo-shin shrugged.
"The darkness of the labyrinth is deep. Let's hope that Armin gets through it well."
'You really...'
On a chilly autumn night, close to winter.
Only the sound of pages turning quietly echoed in the inn.
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T/N - Holy shit! Armin fell for a shota. Don’t do it bro, it ain’t a girl!
Also, lol at the MC just watching. Honestly, I would also just watch the fun myself. Maybe with some popcorn to go with it. 😂
*Suneung (수능) is the abbreviated name for the College Scholastic Ability Test (대학수학능력시험) in South Korea.