Chapter 245 Zzzzz!
-------------------------------------
Translator: JayM
Chapter: 245
Chapter Title: Zzzzz!
-------------------------------------
Contrary to Jeong Yoo-shin's worries, Cian's words and actions remained unchanged.
She consistently came to the Swordsman’s Guild and sparred with him.
'Even after hearing that I wanted to lick her armpit?'
It was a statement that would have made a normal woman freak out and cut off all ties.
"Skar, what is it?"
Cian asked, stopping the spar.
"N-Nothing!!!"
Jeong Yoo-shin, who rarely stuttered, lowered his axe.
This wasn't easy.
For several days, Cian hadn’t shown any particular emotion. Except for the armpit incident.
"Really? We're entering the labyrinth in three days."
"You're going so soon!?"
"It's a job. So, are you coming with us?"
"Of course!"
"Let's meet at the central plaza in three days."
"Alright! By the way, do you need any help?!"
At Jeong Yoo-shin's question, Cian shook her head.
"I've familiarized myself with the laws of the surface floors. We'll prepare our own supplies."
"Alright!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Jeong Yoo-shin left the Swordsman’s Guild and returned to the inn. In the evening, Luke came to visit.
The Spirit Teacher Luke let out a deep sigh.
"Hoo. The priest of the hero's party came to the temple that serves the Wind Spirit God today. He asked a few things, looked around, and then left."
"How was he?"
"He was a difficult man to grasp. He just asked a few simple questions about imprints and left."
"He acted more normally than I expected."
"I was also a bit nervous because you said he was a piece of shit."
"People tend to show their true selves when they're comfortable. Let's wait and watch for a bit."
"Let's do that."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Sebastian walked the streets.
'This is suffocating.'
Everywhere he went, there were too many ignorant and dirty Eastern District mongrels.
The thought that he, the second son of the high noble Terbine family of the Empire and the youngest high-ranking mage of the Imperial Mage Tower, had to stay among such people made him angry.
Sebastian pushed up his glasses and twisted his lips.
Still, it was bearable.
If he finished this job well, he wouldn’t only solidify his position in the Empire, but he’d also be able to take the hero as his wife.
'Cian.'
A woman with a beauty that was befitting of his partner.
Her beautiful blond hair and face were hard to compare with anyone in the Empire.
Especially her calm, sparkling, starlit eyes that had a charm that captivated people.
He didn't know what her figure was like because she was always wearing plate armor. He hadn't asked or tried to find out because she seemed to be pathologically hiding her body.
But that was fine. He could leave it as a pleasure for their first night.
As he was imagining Cian's body hidden under the plate armor, his cock became stiff.
"Hehe."
Sebastian made a gloomy smile and then shook his head.
This wasn't the time for that. He would be entering the labyrinth soon. Information gathering was essential.
'Come to think of it, they said that there was a library in the central area, right?'
Sebastian walked busily while looking for the library.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Three days later.
Around evening.
Jeong Yoo-shin packed his things.
He packed only simple equipment. Because he had only packed a single-bladed axe, basic camping supplies, and food, his backpack was light.
Jeong Yoo-shin looked down at Armin and Eru, who had come to see him off.
"I'll be back."
"Do you think you'll be away for long?"
He shook his head at Eru's question.
"No. Not that long. We've decided to explore only up to the 5th floor of the labyrinth this time."
"I understand."
"If you have any trouble, you can ask Snout or Granny."
"I'm here too!"
"You should hurry up and remove your imprint. Mathias hasn't stopped sighing since he saw you."
"..."
"Armin, aren't you going to enter the labyrinth?"
"Aren't you in the hero's party now, Skar-nim?"
"That's temporary. I can't stick by their side forever. Armin, this time, prepare properly so you can go past the 20th floor. Karin’s also training hard right now."
"I understand!"
"I'm going."
Jeong Yoo-shin left the inn and ran in one breath.
When he arrived at the central area, it was teeming with explorers.
Among them was the hero's party.
"Skar."
"Hero!!!"
He was about to hug her, but Cian pulled her body back.
"Barbarian, what in the world are you doing?!"
Sebastian, who had been frowning, finally raised his voice.
The barbarian tilted his head.
"What's the problem?!"
At the hateful expression, Sebastian's face crumpled even more.
"Why were you trying to hug the Hero-nim?!"
"It's a greeting!!!"
"Watch your words and actions! I let it slide last time, but this time..."
Cian shook her head and interjected.
"Sebastian, it's fine. It's not something to be this angry about."
"Hero-nim!"
Cian made a bitter smile.
"This is troublesome. To be raising your voice like this already."
Luther also interjected and sided with Sebastian's opinion.
"Sebastian-nim's words are correct. Barbarian, please be polite. I hope there’ll be no more public proposals to the Hero-nim like last time."
"I like babies!!! A strong woman gives birth to a strong child!!!"
"Kuhuhu."
Gibson, reeking of a hangover, smiled slyly.
When the barbarian and the hero's party looked at him, Gibson stopped laughing and gave a slight nod.
"Ah, aigo, I drank too much and got lost in thought. I apologize."
At Gibson's apology, Sebastian clicked his tongue.
"You should have drunk in moderation. Tsk."
Jeong Yoo-shin and the hero's party pushed through the crowd and stood in front of the labyrinth's magic circle.
Cian looked up at the black rock.
"This is the labyrinth."
"You can line up here! There's a magic circle in front!"
As the barbarian had said, a magic circle to enter the labyrinth was visible in front of the rock.
After waiting for a bit, the long line grew shorter, and soon it was the hero's party's turn.
The barbarian took the lead and stood in the magic circle. The hero's party also followed him.
Flash!!!
The magic circle glowed. Jeong Yoo-shin’s vision turned black, and he felt a sense of floating.
Thud!!!
He landed on the ground.
As he felt the damp humidity and darkness, Sebastian immediately chanted a spell.
[Light Ball]
Dozens of light balls were created, went to every corner of the cave, and spread their light.
The cave was now as bright as day.
He could see the barbarian holding an unlit torch with wide eyes. His dumbfounded expression made him laugh.
"A-Amazing!!!"
At the barbarian's compliment, Sebastian twisted his lips.
"This level of magic is nothing. So the 'law' of this floor is darkness?"
"That's right! It can't be dark! You'll go mad!"
"It’s a worthless law."
Gibson took a map from his bag, looked at it for a moment, and then nodded.
"The outskirts."
"You figured that out already?! Amazing!"
At Gibson's muttering, the barbarian burst out in admiration once again.
Gibson scratched his messy hair and laughed.
"Because I was in the ranger corps. It was my duty to walk through maze-like mountain ranges and forests."
"Is that so?!"
"That's right. Then let's go."
The party members advanced through the cave under Gibson's guidance.
Gibson walked through the cave skillfully, as if he had been to the labyrinth before.
'This is boring.'
Gibson barely managed to hold back a sigh.
It was too easy.
Of course, it was the first time he had seen the 'law' and geography of the labyrinth, but as the mage had said, it didn't seem that great.
With his overwhelming talent, he had been commissioned into the ranger corps at the young age of 10. From then on, he had been searching through forests and mountains for 30 years.
To get lost on the 1st floor of the labyrinth? He'd have to bite his tongue and die first.
Moreover…
He hadn't just wandered through forests and mountain ranges.
He hadn't told the barbarian, but he had honed his skills by hunting the demi-humans and heretics who lived in hiding in the forests and mountain ranges.
Just killing them was no fun.
The real fun was raping a demi-human, getting her pregnant, and then hunting her.
The sight of her holding her swollen belly and crying as she stumbled through the forest was truly a ridiculous sight.
It was an enjoyable pastime, but he thought that there was no need to open his mouth and brag about it in the Eastern District unless he was crazy.
And even that kind of amusement was nothing compared to the pleasures of Labyrinth City.
For the past few days, something had caught Gibson's eye.
Alcohol and gambling.
There were various alcohols and new types of gambling in Labyrinth City that he had never seen in the Empire.
Because they spent a lot of time in the forest, most rangers lived a boring life.
Naturally, drinking, hunting, and gambling became the companions of those who wandered the forests and mountains.
Gibson was no exception.
'So there's a day to see the light after all.'
He had thought that he would die wandering the mountain ranges and forests for the rest of his life.
Thanks to the crown prince and the hero, he was now able to enjoy his freedom to the fullest.
Gibson, who had been walking with various thoughts, came to a sudden stop.
"Enemies. The opponents are 10 goblins."
"Kikikiki!!!"
From the distance, the voices of the goblins echoed.
A moment later.
The goblins, who had been grimacing because of the bright light, appeared with puzzled expressions.
The barbarian raised his axe, but Sebastian raised his hand first.
[Explosion]
A spell that was deployed at the speed of light.
It briefly blazed under the goblins' feet, and then a huge explosion occurred.
Booooooooom!!!!!
The shockwave, accompanied by heat, shook the cave passage.
"Uaaaaak!!!"
The barbarian freaked out and fell to the ground.
"What are you doing?"
Sebastian looked down at the barbarian as if he were pathetic.
The other party members were also looking at the barbarian with dazed expressions.
"T-The explosion just now...?!"
"Barbarian, I blocked the aftermath of the explosion."
Priest Luther said with a smile.
The barbarian raised his head. A huge, crystal-clear barrier was blocking the front at some point.
"Ah..."
The barbarian had a dazed look and then shot up from the ground.
"A-Amazing!!!"
At the barbarian's compliment, Luther made a benevolent smile.
"It is the grace of Lux Aeterna-nim."
Contrary to his outward appearance, Luther cursed inwardly.
'You fucking barbarian.'
He should have been kneeling and praising him for witnessing the power of a god. But he received a cheap compliment instead.
How much better would it have been if he had been a more human-like helper?
'No. His Highness the Crown Prince must have had a plan.'
The barbarian ran to where the explosion had just occurred.
The sight of him squatting down and picking something up…
Sebastian's eyes sharpened.
"Barbarian, what are you doing now?"
"Uh... If you take a goblin's ear, you get money!"
"Sigh."
Sebastian rubbed his forehead and let out a sigh.
"Who do you think came all this way to earn such a pittance?!"
"..."
The barbarian was silent with his back to them.
Just as Sebastian was about to say something again…
The barbarian shot up, went over to him, and spread his hand.
"Look! There's one left!"
There was a goblin's ear, burnt black and emitting a rancid smell.
Sebastian, horrified, slapped the barbarian's hand away.
Thwack!!!
"Are you crazy?! A dirty goblin's ear!"
Sebastian hurriedly took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his hand. Even though it must have been clean already, he obsessively rubbed the handkerchief over it several times.
"Barbarian, that's enough!"
"A-Alright."
The barbarian replied with a discouraged expression.
Cian, who couldn't bear to watch, stepped forward.
"Sebastian, don't be so harsh."
Sebastian's eyes widened as he looked at Cian, then he immediately bowed his head.
"...I understand, Hero-nim."
After that, the party broke through the floors without any hindrance.
Since the goblins were swept away with a single wave of the mage Sebastian's hand…
There was nothing for Cian and the barbarian to do.
The party, which had advanced to the 3rd floor as if on a walk, settled in a shelter.
Sebastian gestured to the barbarian.
"Barbarian, make a bonfire and tidy up the area."
"A-Alright!!!"
He had been about to give a sharp word if the man resisted, but the barbarian obediently followed his words.
The barbarian moved diligently, lighting a bonfire, hanging a blanket at the shelter entrance to prevent the light from leaking out, and then sweeping the floor to clear the stones.
They each sat in front of the bonfire and finished their meal of dry rations and biscuits they had brought.
"We need to set a watch!!!"
At the barbarian's words, Priest Luther shook his head.
"There's no need for that. If I cast an alarm spell, we can prevent a night attack."
"I-Is that so?!"
"Yes."
[Holy Ground]
A crystal-like light flashed and filled the shelter.
"Oh!!! Amazing!!!"
"Then you can sleep comfortably."
They each spread out in the shelter and laid down.
The barbarian, faster than anyone else, laid down, spread his body wide, and snored.
Zzzzzzz!!!
A barbaric act that was hard to watch.
The party members' brows furrowed.
Sebastian watched the barbarian with a look of disdain in his eyes.
"He seems pretty useless."
"Sebastian-nim, please don't say that. His Highness the Crown Prince must have a plan."
"I understand."
The two whispered to each other and then went to sleep.
Zzzzz!!!
Jeong Yoo-shin continued to snore.
'This won't be easy.'
Sebastian's magic was fast and powerful.
Luther also deployed his holy magic in an instant.
Gibson had a natural talent for finding his way. Since he was from a special forces unit that wandered the mountain ranges and forests, his skill with the bow and the sword must also be not ordinary.
The hero hadn't even revealed a fraction of her power yet.
Even so…
'It's still manageable.'
He could let this level of insult slide. After confirming their skills, he had hardened his heart even more. The important thing was to find the opponent's reverse scale.
Zzzzz!!! Kurrararak!!!
3rd floor shelter of the labyrinth.
Contrary to his busy mind…
Jeong Yoo-shin's snores echoed loudly in the shelter.
-------------------------------------
T/N - I have to say, it’s impressive how the MC is keeping up the act while analyzing the hero party like this. Also, so Gibson was also a piece of shit after all, huh? Seems like the hero is the only decent one among them. And big shocker that the mage is a noble and aiming for the hero. Not cliche at all.