Chapter 241 I Want to Become a Master of Labyrinth City
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 241
Chapter Title: I Want to Become a Master of Labyrinth City
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"..."
Silence fell upon the inn.
The Spirit Teacher, Luke, stared blankly at Jeong Yoo-shin.
'He's different.'
The half-barbarian who had set foot in Labyrinth City with his disciple.
Their first meeting hadn't been so bad, but he had warned the man once for selling the name of his first disciple, whom he cherished like a son.
He had said that he would kill the barbarian if he caught the man selling the name of his disciple, Simus, one more time.
At that time, the barbarian's face had hardened.
But…
At this moment, the barbarian was looking him straight in the eye and asking for a reason.
The man didn't look intimidated at all. Although he hadn't said it directly, he was asking back with his gaze.
'Can you still kill me now?'
Luke's expression sank.
The barbarian sitting next to Luke opened his mouth.
"Skar."
Jeong Yoo-shin turned his head and looked at the barbarian.
"What was your name?"
"Torgel. And I'm adding this just in case, but it's a pseudonym."
"Whatever. Is there a reason why I suddenly have to form a party with a hero?"
"The crown prince has singled you out."
Luke answered instead.
Jeong Yoo-shin observed Luke's expression and opened his mouth.
"The crown prince singled me out?"
"He must have been impressed by the spirited appearance you showed during the summit. Please coordinate well so that the hero doesn't go astray in Labyrinth City."
Jeong Yoo-shin didn't know the hero's name, let alone their gender. He had heard of how strong they were, but that was it. He hadn't even seen them in person.
He rubbed his forehead, thought, and then turned his head to the side.
Eru and Armin were hiding behind the counter, peeking their heads out and looking this way.
"You two, go up to the second floor."
""Yes.""
Eru held Armin and scurried up to the second floor.
Creeeeak.
Thud.
As soon as he heard the sound of the door closing, Jeong Yoo-shin looked straight at Luke.
"Old man, isn't there something you should say before asking me for a favor like this?"
"..."
Luke kept his mouth shut.
Torgel, who couldn't bear to watch, opened his mouth.
"Skar, for my sake..."
Jeong Yoo-shin took off his ring and threw it on the table.
Ting.
"I don't need to be the barbarian chieftain or whatever, so you take it."
"..."
Torgel also closed his mouth.
Jeong Yoo-shin pushed his face toward Luke.
"Old man Luke, didn't you say you'd kill me just a few months ago if I was caught mentioning your disciple's name? And now you're asking me for a favor with a straight face? Do you have no conscience? Did you think I'd just let it slide because I was quiet at the summit?"
At Jeong Yoo-shin's outburst, Luke's face turned pale.
"I'm not interested in a hero or whatever, so get out."
Jeong Yoo-shin finished speaking and leaned back in his chair.
Luke's body trembled as he stood up.
"I-I'm sorry. Skar, I've hurt you deeply. I won't ask anymore. I'll be on my way."
Torgel stood up with a grave expression.
"I'll leave the ring. I'm sorry for the unreasonable request."
"I told you to take it."
"Old man Ragna left it with you. I can't take it."
The two were about to walk away with their shoulders slumped.
"Wait."
Jeong Yoo-shin raised his hand to stop the two and slapped his own cheeks several times.
Slap!!! Slap!!!
Jeong Yoo-shin, his cheeks red, glared at the two and then closed his eyes.
"Hoo."
He let out a long sigh and steeled his heart.
"..."
A moment later.
Jeong Yoo-shin, who had opened his eyes, stood up and bowed his waist.
"I'm sorry. My mind is so all over the place that I ended up spouting profanity."
Torgel had a worried expression.
"Skar, are you really alright?"
Jeong Yoo-shin rubbed the back of his neck.
"...I don't know how to say this, but it seems the top of my head feels a little open today. Should I say that my brain is sparking like it's being zapped by electricity?"
Luke let out a long, deep sigh. His face had aged even more from hearing the outburst.
"Hoo. Skar, did you really get the Telekinesis imprint?"
"That's right."
Jeong Yoo-shin had returned to using a polite tone. Luke felt like he was going to lose his mind.
Still, he had to tell him what he had to tell him.
"Telekinesis is the ability to instantly realize the imagination in your head into reality using mental power. It's faster because there's no mage's chant or formula, but there's one problem. Your mind is wide open to the world without any restrictions."
Jeong Yoo-shin tilted his head.
His mind was open?
Luke looked at Jeong Yoo-shin. A face that didn't understand at all. It seemed he had to say more.
"Have you ever felt the boundary between your mind and the world blurring as you use telekinesis? Or have your five senses ever become sharper? If so, you should consider your mind to be wide open right now."
Jeong Yoo-shin frowned.
"Sounds complicated. In the end, are you saying my head is open?"
Luke stared blankly at Jeong Yoo-shin's face and then nodded.
"...Right?"
"Let's explain it a little more simply. What's with all this talk about the mind... I heard that people who know things well can explain it easily enough for a child to understand. Tsk."
At Jeong Yoo-shin's reply, Luke's face turned red and blue again.
"So what's the solution?"
"M-Meditate. You have to imagine a window of your mind and consistently practice closing that window."
Just as Jeong Yoo-shin was about to nod…
The inn door opened, and another old man came in.
The Mage Tower's elder, Mathias.
Mathias stroked his beard, looked around the inn, and then approached Jeong Yoo-shin.
"Hello? The barbarian and Luke-nim are also here. By the way, Skar? Why is your cheek red?"
"Nothing to worry about."
Mathias shrugged and asked again.
"Where is Armin? Did you succeed in reaching the 20th floor?"
"We couldn't go to the 20th floor. Armin got the Human-faced Dog imprint and is currently on the second floor."
"By the way, why the casual speech?"
"It's because my condition isn’t good."
Mathias looked at Jeong Yoo-shin with a reluctant face and then stepped back. The latter was always an erratic person, but today he was even more so.
"Um... What was it… I forgot something, so I'll come back next time."
"Do as you please."
"T-Then…"
"No, wait a minute."
A single phrase from Jeong Yoo-shin's mouth. Mathias immediately stopped in his tracks.
"W-What is it this time?"
"Do you know someone named Dean?"
"You mean the young man with the madness? I know him."
"He must have friends, how are they doing?"
"They're preparing to leave the Mage Tower soon. I heard that they're coming back to Labyrinth City."
"Please let them stay in the Mage Tower city for a while. And please provide them with good food and a place to sleep."
"A-Alright. Is there anything else you want?"
Jeong Yoo-shin opened his mouth and then closed it again.
He needed a psychiatric consultation, but it was difficult for him to trust Mathias. He didn't even know what Luke was talking about.
"No."
'Casual speech again.'
Mathias was about to point it out, but he saw Jeong Yoo-shin's eyes and quickly turned his body around. That gaze was so menacing that a chill ran down his spine.
"Then I'll come back next time."
"Wait."
At Jeong Yoo-shin's one word, Mathias' footsteps halted once again.
"W-What is it this time?"
"Since you're here, let's all have a drink before you go. You're not my subordinates, and you came all this way with your heavy asses. I can't just send you away."
"..."
The barbarian Torgel.
The Spirit Teacher Luke.
The Mage Tower elder Mathias.
They sat around a table.
Jeong Yoo-shin took a bottle of alcohol and some glasses from the cupboard, brought them to the table, and poured.
Torgel smacked his lips.
"Aren't there any snacks?"
[Eternal Ark]
He summoned the golden coffin, took out some camping jerky, and threw it on the table.
Mathias looked at the jerky with a dazed expression, then picked up a small piece and chewed on it.
Luke, with a pale face, didn't say a word and repeatedly poured alcohol into a small cup and drank it down.
Torgel, with a relatively normal face, chewed on the jerky and drank his alcohol.
Several cups of alcohol were exchanged in an awkward silence, and the faces of the men sitting at the table turned red.
Jeong Yoo-shin opened his mouth.
"So is that hero a woman or a man?"
Luke, with a red face, glared at Jeong Yoo-shin.
"Hey, didn't you say it with your own mouth just a moment ago? That you weren't interested?"
Jeong Yoo-shin shrugged.
"I can be curious. You're getting mad and shouting just because I asked one thing? If you're a priest, you should be a little more kind-hearted."
Luke shot up from his seat.
"When did I shout?!"
The flustered Mathias grabbed Luke's arm.
"Whoa, whoa. Luke-nim, please calm down. You've had a lot to drink, so you must be a little drunk."
"Let go of my arm, Mathias! I'm not drunk!"
Torgel answered instead.
"We don't know if the hero is a woman or a man. But I heard that they have 3 companions. As for their strength, as you heard, it's to the extent of subjugating a kin of an Outer God."
Was there nothing known about the hero in detail yet?
"What's their purpose for coming to Labyrinth City?"
"They say that they’ll block the kin of Outer Gods who invade through the labyrinth and cooperate for the peace of the city."
"What's the reason why I have to join the party?"
Torgel stroked his chin and then opened his mouth.
"Even if they’re strong, they cannot be free from the 'law' of the labyrinth and the culture of the city. Since they’re narrow-minded people of the Empire, shouldn't we prevent them from going astray and causing trouble? Someone will have to accompany them and give them advice."
"The reason why it has to be me?"
"Putting aside the crown prince's nomination, let me be honest. In fact, there are many people who can do it besides you. We just came forward, believing in your tenacious survival instincts and adaptability, and your overwhelming growth potential."
At Torgel's compliment, Jeong Yoo-shin scratched his head.
"It's a bit embarrassing, but it's true, so I have nothing to say. First of all, thank you for your kind words, and I’ll give careful consideration to the proposal you've made."
"..."
The three men looked at Jeong Yoo-shin's face and then shook their heads.
Seeing his erratic behavior, they were already worried sick.
'What in the world was the crown prince thinking, putting this barbarian bastard in the hero's party?'
The three men left the drinking session with similar questions in their hearts.
Jeong Yoo-shin tidied up the table, sat in the counter chair, and closed his eyes.
'I have to solve the problem of my mind first.'
He decided to spend some time meditating without going anywhere for the time being.
Peace of mind.
Time to close the wide-open window of his mind.
It was time to go back from being Gung Ye to an ordinary citizen.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A few days passed in a flash.
The younger Karin spent more time with Priestess Mion.
It seemed that they were whispering about something among themselves, but they didn't let him in on it.
Jeong Yoo-shin also desperately wanted to join in, but he closed his eyes and quietly meditated to close his open mind.
He had to close his wide-open mind. At least he had to make it so that he could control it.
A day or two passed, and around the time when the wind became sharp…
Luna came to visit the inn for the first time in a long time.
"Skar-ahjussi! Hello!"
Jeong Yoo-shin opened his eyes and waved his hand.
"Luna, you're here?"
Luna was wearing a colorful scarf and a pair of mittens.
"Yep! Hue?"
Luna's eyes widened as she looked around.
Because everyone was around her age.
A girl with white short hair and red eyes.
And…
"Is that... a dog?"
There was also an unidentified boy with the face of a person and the body of a small puppy.
"I'm not a dog. I'm Armin."
Armin, who was lying down around Eru, replied.
Just as Jeong Yoo-shin was about to fall into meditation again.
A thought flashed through his mind.
Armin was a summoner.
Luna could also use summoning magic. Although it was limited to soft and cute slimes.
Jeong Yoo-shin looked down at Luna.
"Luna, have you been practicing your summoning magic diligently these days?"
Luna nodded her head vigorously up and down.
"Of course!"
Jeong Yoo-shin turned his head and looked at Armin.
"Armin, try teaching Luna."
"Pardon?!"
"What? I said, try teaching her. In my opinion, Luna seems to be a talented child."
"I-I understand."
Armin stood up and approached Luna.
"Is your name Luna? I'm Armin. A summoner from the Mage Tower."
"Hee?"
Luna looked at Armin with sparkling eyes.
Regardless, Armin crawled onto the table and put his two feet up.
"Please cast a summoning spell. We'll talk after that."
"Alright."
Luna closed her eyes and muttered, then extended her hand toward the table.
Flash!
A flash of light passed, and three plump slimes were summoned on the table.
Armin's eyes widened as he looked at the slimes, then he opened his mouth and bit one of them.
Luna was surprised and her eyes widened.
"Aaat?! What are you doing?! You can't eat my Mongmongi!"
"Mumu-mung."
Armin spat the small slime back onto the table.
"Excellent. The density of the magic and the reaction speed of the summon are both good."
Eru looked at Armin with a dazed face.
"Y-You discovered that with your mouth?"
"That's right. I may not know about other things, but I'm an excellent summoner. Luna has been practicing her summoning magic diligently. That's amazing."
"Ah! Thank you."
Armin got down from the chair and stood on his two feet.
"Luna, do you want to become the summoner master of Labyrinth City?"
"Yes!"
"I understand! Then I’ll teach you with all of my heart and soul, Luna!"
"Waiii! Thank you!"
Jeong Yoo-shin, who was sitting at the counter and meditating, opened his eyes.
"Kids."
"...?"
Luna, Armin, and Eru looked at Jeong Yoo-shin.
"It's cold, so just play inside. And take some snacks with you."
"I understand!"
"Yes."
"Alright!"
Jeong Yoo-shin closed his eyes and fell back into meditation.
"I want to become a master of Labyrinth City too."
An inn in early winter.
Jeong Yoo-shin's low whisper scattered into the wind.
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T/N - So the reason the MC was so affected by the ‘hideous thing’ was due to his Telekinesis imprint? It probably also helped him when he was fighting the ogre with his eyes closed. It isn’t really just telekinesis anymore, but more like turning the MC into a full-blown psychic.
Also, I’m more curious about the hero now. Is it really Zeke from the earlier chapters or is it someone else? It doesn’t sound like it’s Zeke, but the ‘3 other party members’ thing fit the Golden Dawn perfectly.