Chapter 249 It's Just a Massage
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 249
Chapter Title: It's Just a Massage
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Jeong Yoo-shin and Cian's party entered the labyrinth through the magic circle.
The party advanced straight from the 1st floor to the 5th floor.
An exploration with no tension. They were also lucky, and whenever they took a portal to the next floor, they landed near a transfer stone.
A few days passed, and they arrived at Ingrave on the 5th floor.
Jeong Yoo-shin smacked his lips.
'This is easy.'
Thanks to Sebastian and Luther's powerful magic, it felt like they were just out for a walk.
Had he ever broken through the labyrinth so refreshingly before?
Even Armin's summons had taken them some time to fight the monsters.
Moreover, the four-eyed mage who had always been picking on him was keeping his mouth shut this time.
'The ride is good.'
He felt anew how amazing the hero's party bus was.
Gibson, who was walking ahead, turned around and looked at Jeong Yoo-shin.
"Skar."
"What?"
"This city’s divided into 3 areas. Which area do you recommend?"
"A man goes straight!"
"...?"
People stared blankly at the barbarian.
"W-What does that mean?"
"The Forest area has a lot of poisonous insects! The Sewer is too complicated! The Corridor is comfortable because there are only skeletons!"
"Is that so?"
Although it was a simple explanation, Gibson immediately understood it.
Sebastian's lips twitched and then closed.
Although it was simple, the barbarian's explanation was correct.
Gibson glanced at Sebastian.
'Is he right?'
'Yes.'
Sebastian nodded in agreement with the barbarian's opinion.
In fact, it didn't matter which area they went to, but it was human nature to want to take the easy path.
Gibson nodded and then opened his mouth again.
"And Hero-nim, we'll have to camp on the 5th floor today."
"I understand."
Gibson left the city's main street and found a small house in an alley.
The shelter felt lived-in, as if explorers had used it many times.
The party members didn’t order the barbarian around like last time, but instead, each took on a task and tidied up the shelter.
They took out firewood from their backpacks, put it in the fireplace, and lit a fire.
They took out their sleeping bags and placed them on the flat floor.
The party members who had finished their tasks sat in a circle and chewed on their jerky and biscuits.
Luther looked at the barbarian sitting in front of him. He was diligently chewing on his jerky, as if it was delicious.
It was no different from the image of a barbarian he had in his mind so far.
But what if…
What if even that appearance was a highly calculated 'disguise'?
Luther trembled slightly.
A chill ran down his spine, and his hair stood on end.
'T-That can't be…'
If he was a human, it couldn't be true.
Come to think of it, Luther wondered if he had thought too much.
He thought it wasn't to that extent.
The barbarian must have just wanted to hide a negative imprint. The Spirit Teacher Luke must have said what he did with that meaning in mind.
So…
'How do I find this out?'
He wondered if His Highness the Crown Prince had given him a very difficult task.
Crackle. Crackle.
The fire blazed in the fireplace.
Luther, who had been racking his brain, made up his mind and faced the barbarian.
"Skar-nim."
"Hmm?"
"...What kind of imprint do you have?"
"Is that all? Hahaha!!!"
The barbarian threw his head back and burst out laughing.
Cian, Sebastian, and even Gibson looked at the barbarian with curious eyes.
Luther's eyes remained cold. He didn’t let his guard down.
It could be a trick to cover it up with an empty laugh.
This was a matter of uncovering an imprint that could have a negative effect on the Hero-nim. He couldn’t let it slide.
"Please tell me what kind of negative imprint you have."
Luther's calm voice echoed in the shelter.
The others also hardened their expressions, as if they had grasped the meaning of Luther's question.
The barbarian scratched his head and then let out a deep sigh.
"Hoo. In fact, I have a negative imprint that I can't tell others about."
Luther's eyes glinted.
'As expected.'
There was something.
"Please tell me. We're not strangers, we're 'comrades,' aren't we?"
"..."
The barbarian squeezed his eyes shut and tore at his hair.
Cian, as if she didn't like the sight, turned her head toward Luther.
"Priest-nim, please stop. Doesn't everyone have a secret or two they don't want to reveal to others?"
"Hero-nim, I’ll be honest. The imprint that barbarian has may harm you."
"..."
Cian frowned, as if she didn't like it, but she closed her mouth in the end.
Luther urged the barbarian on.
"So what kind of imprint is it?"
"Do you really have to hear it? Can't you just trust me?"
"It's difficult."
The barbarian mumbled and then let out a deep sigh once more.
"The negative imprint I have is…"
The party members' attention was focused on the barbarian.
He slowly opened his mouth.
"A Horse Cock imprint."
"...!"
The party members' jaws dropped. Cian's eyes especially widened. She was so surprised that her neat teeth were revealed from the shock.
Luther's cheeks trembled.
"W-What is that...? A horse cock? Are you...?!"
"Kahahahaha!!!"
Gibson's laughter grew louder.
Even Sebastian's lips twisted.
Luther's face contorted.
"A-Are you joking with me right now?!"
The barbarian shot up from his seat and grabbed his waist.
"I'll show you!"
The party members' expressions immediately hardened.
Sebastian, flustered, waved his hand.
"Y-You crazy bastard! D-Don't!"
The barbarian pulled down his pants.
The outline of a heavy cock was stretched down to his thigh over his underwear.
"Kyaaaaaak!!!"
Sebastian screamed and covered his eyes.
Gibson also turned his head away.
The flustered Luther quickly looked at Cian.
"Hero-nim!"
Fortunately, the Hero-nim was covering her face with both hands.
"Skar! What in the world are you doing?!"
Luther raised his voice.
"Didn't you ask me to show you?!"
"..."
"Put it away quickly! Put your pants back on!"
Sebastian shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Alright."
Rustle.
The barbarian put his pants back on and collapsed into his seat.
Luther knelt before Cian.
"H-Hero-nim, I apologize for showing you something you shouldn't have seen."
"Is it over?"
"Yes."
Only then did Cian lower her hands. Her face was calm, but her cheeks were faintly red.
'Eek.'
She had quickly raised her arms to cover her face, but she had seen it through the gap in her gauntlet.
A material similar to the panties she had purchased. Because it was a type that clung softly for ease of movement, the outline of 'that' was revealed in detail.
'D-Down to the thigh.'
She had tried to forget it, but when she closed her eyes, it came back to her mind vividly.
"Don't ask anymore!"
When the barbarian warned them, no one opened their mouths.
"..."
After a brief silence.
Gibson scratched his greasy hair.
"Why is a Horse Cock imprint a negative imprint?"
"You don't know? This hardship!"
Not only Gibson, but also Sebastian and Luther closed their mouths again. No matter if they had only seen the outline, it was the first time they had seen such a monstrous thing.
Since they had never had one, it was difficult to imagine how inconvenient it could be.
Cian opened her mouth with a faint smile.
"Skar, you have a good imprint too, don't you? I saw your eyes glowing blue when we first fought."
"Ah."
Only then did the party members nod.
"Is it alright to ask what kind of imprint it is?"
"It's the Revenger imprint!"
"Revenger?"
"It's an imprint that lets me recover when I beat up the guy who hit me!"
"If your eyes glow blue, that's proof that the imprint has been activated?"
"That's right! Cian’s smart!"
Cian smiled faintly and nodded, then she frowned.
Luther came to his senses and looked at Cian.
"What is it?"
"Ah. My muscles…"
"Oh dear, someone needs to loosen them up."
Sebastian's hand shot up.
"I-I'll do it!"
Cian shook her head.
"No. It's fine."
"Hero-nim, even if the labyrinth’s easy for now, you can't be careless."
"...I understand."
Luther didn't like the look in Sebastian's eyes, but he was the only one who had volunteered.
Gibson seemed to have no interest at all.
He had been about to step up himself, but he was one of the weakest of their party, and he gave up because he knew nothing about massage.
Sebastian rolled up the sleeves of his robe and approached Cian.
The Hero had no choice but to take off her gauntlet.
"The arm muscle."
Sebastian came over and held Cian's arm.
His hand, emaciated from sitting in a chair and holding only books for a long time, touched Cian's arm.
Cian's gaze turned cold for a moment.
'It's thin.'
She found herself comparing it to the barbarian's firm and thick arm.
Sebastian, who didn't know Cian's thoughts, kneaded her arm with all of his might. Sweat had already started to form on his forehead.
Seeing that, Cian made a bitter smile.
She couldn’t feel Sebastian's arm massage at all, and it just looked unpleasant.
'No.'
Unpleasant. It wasn’t right to see a comrade who was doing his best for her in that way.
While she was blaming herself…
She felt a gaze.
When she turned her head, the barbarian was looking at her with a wide smile. Cian, feeling embarrassed for no reason, pulled her arm away.
"Huh?!"
"It feels better. Thanks, Sebastian."
"I-Is that so? It's an honor to be of help."
Sebastian, who had been hesitating for a moment, smiled from ear to ear and returned to his original spot.
Cian took a cloth from her backpack, wiped her arm, and then put her gauntlet back on.
Sebastian's massage had no effect at all. In fact, it felt even tighter now.
He had done his best with his thin arms and hands, but the result was just pathetic.
In fact, not only her arm, but also her shoulder, leg, and thigh muscles were tightly knotted right now.
She had tried to solve it herself, but it hadn't gone as she had thought. So it bothered her.
Cian glanced at the barbarian.
'Should I really get a massage?'
Cian was in a dilemma, her muscles aching.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A few more days passed.
The hero's party broke through the Corridor area and reached the 10th floor.
Ash Village.
The party members' eyes widened.
Sebastian walked into the village and looked around.
"I-Is there really a village in the labyrinth?"
Houses made of gray bricks were lined up, and explorers were walking down the road.
The barbarian stood next to Sebastian.
"We resupply here and then go to the next floor!"
"Are you sure no monsters will come out on this floor?"
"That's right! I heard one came out once, but it was subjugated. There's nothing to worry about! This is the... place where the saint's seal is!"
"How strange."
The party members walked and looked around the village. It wasn't a very large place, so it didn't take long.
The party gathered again in the central plaza of Ash Village.
"Are we going to rest here and then go back to the city?!"
At the barbarian's question, Cian shook her head.
"It seems better to go back and rest comfortably. What do the others think?"
"That's a good idea."
"We'll follow the Hero-nim's words."
Cian nodded and walked away.
"Then let's go."
The party members took the portal and returned to Labyrinth City.
The cold air and the evening glow greeted the party members.
Cian took a deep breath.
'I didn't get any imprint.'
She looked around and saw that her other party members seemed to be in a similar situation.
At that moment.
Sebastian's eyes widened.
"Huh?!"
Numbers?
Red numbers began to appear above people's heads.
Cian was 0.
Luther was also 0.
Gibson was 298.
The barbarian was 10.
"W-What is this?"
Sebastian muttered blankly.
Luther approached.
"Sebastian-nim, what is it?"
"I-I think I got an imprint."
"Oh dear. Let's go to the temple quickly. I’ll go with you. Hero-nim?"
"You go first. I'll slowly return to the inn."
"Thank you. Gibson-nim, please go to the inn quickly and bring the money for the imprint check."
Gibson grinned and quickly ran off.
"I understand!"
As the three of them disappeared in an instant, only Cian and the barbarian were left.
The barbarian shrugged and walked away.
"Cian, see you next time!"
"W-Wait."
Cian, who had been hesitating, took off her helmet.
"U-Um, that is…"
"What?"
At the barbarian's question, Cian swept her blond hair behind her ear and looked away.
"W-Would it be alright to ask for a massage again?"
"Didn't that four-eyed mage loosen you up?!"
"I-It's not enough. Please."
"..."
The barbarian, who had been silent with his mouth shut, smiled faintly.
"Alright! If you ask, I have to help! Come on!"
On a cold winter day.
Cian, who was going to the inn with the barbarian, felt embarrassed for no reason and put her helmet back on.
'Right. It's just a massage. Let's not be too nervous.'
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T/N - Hook, line, and sinker! Also, lol at the horse cock imprint. The running joke actually became part of the MC’s disguise.
It seems like Sebastian got the same imprint as the Ditto, the gnome that tried to kill the MC in the earlier chapters. I think it was called the “visible sex count” imprint. But has the MC already done it 10 times? I feel like it should be fewer than that… Also, damn, 298?!