25. Reunion and Unrest
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Reunion and Unrest
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Two weeks passed.
Jeong Yoo-shin’s daily life was a cycle of relentless training.
He woke up before dawn, stretched, and wracked his brain while pushing his magic to its limits, trying to master his imprint ability.
From morning ‘til lunchtime, he learned how to read and write at the temple.
From lunchtime ‘til evening, he was mercilessly trained at the Swordsman’s Guild.
His physique, which was enhanced by his level up, was quickly adapting to the harsh training.
It was as if his baseline physical abilities had been drastically increased.
It was more accurate to say that he was like someone on a massive dose of anabolic steroids and growth hormones.
He had already shed his excess fat while working at the monster dismantling shop.
He was now building muscle at the Swordsman’s Guild.
He marveled at his explosive growth in strength and stamina.
And he enjoyed it.
‘Now I understand why people get addicted to working out.’
He finished his morning training and sat at a table in the inn, admiring his arms.
His muscles were toned, and thick veins bulged beneath his skin.
“Are these really my arms?”
They resembled the arms of a handsome, well-built gigolo from an NTR genre story.
With these arms, he could grab Mion from behind, wrap them around her neck, and… fondle her breasts…
He slapped himself, interrupting his inappropriate fantasy.
Slap!
“Get a grip. This isn’t the time for that.”
He muttered to himself, rubbing his stinging cheek.
Creak.
The inn door opened, and a beast-person entered. All eyes in the inn turned towards her.
The chatter stopped, and a strange silence fell over the inn.
Jeong Yoo-shin snapped out of his reverie and looked at the beast-person.
Karin.
The daughter of the Beast-person Alliance representative and his savior.
Their eyes met.
“Hello.”
He gave a slight bow. He had begged for his life and groveled at her feet before, but she had saved him nonetheless.
Karin’s red tail swayed gently.
She wore a white shirt that clearly revealed her black lace bra, and tight-fitting brown leather pants that showcased her toned thighs and plump buttocks.
Two daggers were crossed at her lower back, their hilts protruding.
Karin approached and sat down heavily across from him.
“Dalmong, food.”
“Yes, miss.”
Dalmong addressed her respectfully, acknowledging her high status within the Beast-person Alliance.
Dalmong bowed politely, went into the kitchen, returned with a plate of food, and placed it on the table.
It was a dish of large, sliced sausages stir-fried with potatoes and cabbages.
Toasted rye bread and a cream similar to kaymak were served alongside it.
“Let’s eat first and then talk.”
“Alright.”
They ate in silence for a while. Karin, seemingly hungry, devoured her food with gusto. Jeong Yoo-shin, not to be outdone, moved his fork and spoon with equal speed.
“Phew. That was good. It’s hot though. Is it summer already?”
Karin said, fanning herself with her hand.
The front of her shirt was damp with sweat, revealing the embroidery of her black lace bra.
“I heard the slave hunters sent an assassin after you.”
A sudden, pointed question.
“Yes. But is it okay to talk about this in a public place?”
“I want people to hear this.”
Karin looked around.
Those who met her gaze quickly lowered their heads or stood up and hurriedly left the inn.
“I’m sorry. It’s my fault the slave hunters attacked you.”
Karin apologized.
“How is this your fault?”
“I’ve been killing a lot of them lately. They must have gotten angry. Attacking you was a message.”
“What kind of message?”
“A message that they’re watching me. They can’t touch me, so they targeted you, the person that I saved.”
“Why target me specifically? There were other people there.”
“You’re a barbarian with no connections or backing.”
Jeong Yoo-shin frowned. It was true; he couldn’t deny it. He couldn’t use Simus’ name either, as Luke would kill him.
“I understand. I accept your apology, and I appreciate the explanation. Then I’ll be going.”
“We’re not done yet.”
Jeong Yoo-shin sat back down.
“What is it?”
“Work for me.”
Their eyes met.
Karin straightened her back, pushing her ample breasts forward. Jeong Yoo-shin’s mouth opened slightly.
“Serve me.”
“…Serve you how?”
“In various ways. I’ll pay you. Fifty silver coins a month.”
Gasps of surprise rippled through the inn. It was a generous offer.
It was a tempting offer, especially since he was almost broke.
“There are two conditions. You can’t enter the labyrinth. And you have to stay by my side.”
Jeong Yoo-shin remained silent, staring at the empty plate on the table.
A moment later…
He looked up.
Karin froze.
This wasn’t the same man who had groveled before her while begging for his life.
She was taken aback by the change in him.
Especially his eyes.
His gaze, filled with a strong will, burned into her like a brand.
“No.”
His low voice sent shivers down her spine.
“Why? Isn’t it a good offer? You don’t have to risk your life in the labyrinth.”
“I need an imprint.”
“What kind of imprint?”
With each question and answer, Karin felt like she was being pulled into quicksand.
“I can’t tell you.”
A firm refusal.
A vein throbbed on Karin’s forehead.
“Really? Fine, don’t tell me. It’s probably nothing special anyway. And why are you speaking informally?”
“I apologize.”
Jeong Yoo-shin was immediately cowed.
The sight irritated Karin even more.
“Get out.”
“Sure.”
He stood up and quickly left the inn.
Karin bit her lip. Feeling the stares of the other patrons, she growled,
“What are you looking at? Get out!”
The other patrons scrambled out of the inn like scattering flies.
“Randolph!”
Karin yelled. A large wolf beast-person entered the inn and bowed before her.
“Yes?”
“Send some men to watch him.”
“Who?”
“The black-haired barbarian who just left.”
Randolph recalled the events of a few months ago.
The man he had shoved face-first into the dirt.
He seemed weak and insignificant back then, but his master was clearly interested in him now.
‘She’s not used to being rejected, my master.’
Randolph bowed his head lower, a bitter taste in his mouth.
“Do we really need to watch him?”
“I saved him. He’s my accomplishment. I won’t let those slave hunter bastards tarnish my reputation. I don’t care how he dies, as long as it’s not at their hands. Just keep an eye on him.”
“Yes.”
Randolph left the inn, leaving Karin alone.
“Dalmong.”
“Yes, Karin-nim.”
“Where did that barbarian go?”
“He went to the Earth Mother Goddess’ temple.”
“Why?”
“To learn how to read and write.”
Karin scoffed.
“Is he really trustworthy?”
“He hasn’t caused any trouble.”
“Haven’t you heard anything? What kind of imprint he’s looking for?”
“I don’t know. He hasn’t said anything.”
“What does that barbarian want?”
“He seems to be short on money.”
“Is that so? Alright. I’ll be back later. Tell that barbarian I’ll be back.”
Karin placed a pouch of silver coins on the counter and left.
Dalmong sighed.
As a member of the Beast-person Alliance, he couldn’t refuse Karin’s requests. But he tried to be as helpful as possible to Skar.
“This is giving me a headache.”
His sigh echoed through the empty inn.
Later that night, Dalmong sat at the counter with his arms crossed.
“He should be back by now.”
Clatter!
“I’m back.”
The inn door opened, and Jeong Yoo-shin entered.
He was covered in dust and sweat, showing the effects of his harsh training at the Swordsman’s Guild.
“Welcome back. There’s a letter for you.”
“For me?”
“Yes.”
Jeong Yoo-shin strode over, tore open the seal, and examined the contents.
“Hmm.”
His expression turned serious.
“Is something wrong?”
“No.”
He replied to Dalmong’s question with a sigh.
“Then?”
“I can’t read it. It’s too difficult. Can you read it for me?”
Jeong Yoo-shin handed him the letter.
Dalmong took the letter and read it aloud.
“They’re disbanding the party. Del is retiring. Einhorfer got a job at a blacksmith shop, and Kelton was recruited as a scribe for the magic department at the Second Academy of the Lionel Kingdom. Ditto’s betrayal is the main reason they can’t maintain the party.”
Jeong Yoo-shin slumped in defeat.
‘So they’ve given up and are moving on with their lives.’
He remembered the sight of Kelton looking up at the stars that night.
He swallowed his bitter feelings. Unlike them, he couldn’t give up. He had nowhere else to go.
He straightened his back and sat up straight.
He couldn’t afford to wallow in despair. He had more pressing matters to attend to.
‘I need to earn money.’
Two weeks had passed. He had to pay rent soon, and he needed new equipment. He had to find a new party and buy exploration supplies.
‘That damn money.’
He sighed, his posture slumping again.
Even in this fantasy world with talking bears and bipedal wolves, the burden of money was as real as it was in his original world.
‘I guess life is the same everywhere.’
Dalmong, seeing his dejected expression, stroked his chin.
“Skar, I have a job for you. Are you interested?”
“What is it?”
Dalmong chuckled wryly at the sudden spark in Jeong Yoo-shin’s eyes.
‘I’m sorry.’
He couldn’t bring himself to say that out loud.
“Karin-nim wants to hire you.”
Jeong Yoo-shin frowned.
“I already told her no.”
“This is different. She said she’ll be here tomorrow evening, so why don’t you talk to her then?”
“But…”
Thump!
Dalmong placed a leather pouch on the counter. The clinking sound was unmistakably that of coins.
Jeong Yoo-shin’s eyes wavered.
“Fifty silver coins. She said it's an advance payment.”
“Ugh! Fine. I’ll hear her out.”
Jeong Yoo-shin gritted his teeth, but his eyes were glued to the pouch of silver coins.
Dalmong took one silver coin from the pouch and tossed it to Jeong Yoo-shin.
“She’s coming tomorrow evening, so go take a bath.”
“Alright. See you tomorrow.”
“Sure.”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The next day after finishing his daily routine, he went to the public bathhouse in the southern district.
He was covered in dust and grime after his training at the Swordsman’s Guild.
The bathhouse owner frowned at him and said,
“Don’t stab anyone just because you see a hole.”
“I’m not that kind of person.”
“Don’t just stick it in someone who’s bending over and then say, ‘They were tempting me by showing me their hole.’ Someone bending over is just someone bending over.”
Those crazy barbarians.
He was sick of them.
“I’m not that kind of person. I prefer women.”
“I hope that doesn’t change. I’m only letting you in because business is slow today. Behave yourself.”
The bathhouse owner clearly didn’t believe him.
‘What the hell are those barbarians doing out there?’
His animosity towards the barbarians he had never even met before grew.
He passed the counter, undressed in the changing room, and entered the bathhouse. The air inside was thick with steam.
Naked people were milling about.
A man covered in tattoos swaggered past, bumping into Jeong Yoo-shin.
“Hey, watch it!”
The man looked Jeong Yoo-shin up and down, then his eyes were attracted to a particular spot.
“I apologize.”
“Holy shit. A kid with a monster…”
The man looked up at Jeong Yoo-shin’s face in disbelief, then his gaze returned to his lower body.
“What kind of imprint is that? The horse penis imprint?”
The man asked.
‘This bastard…’
Jeong Yoo-shin frowned.
“It’s not an imprint. This is embarrassing, so please stop staring.”
“Oh. Uh… Sorry.”
The man scratched his head awkwardly and quickly walked away.
Judging by his behavior, he seemed like a newbie who hadn’t heard the rumors about barbarians yet.
He observed the other patrons. Their routines were similar.
They scooped water from large wooden tubs, washed themselves, and then entered the bath.
They relaxed in the hot water, chatted with each other, and then left.
He also noticed there were scrubbing services and a sauna.
‘No furry beast-people.’
He was relieved about that as he approached one of the large wooden tubs.
People were scooping water from the tub and pouring it over their heads and bodies.
Jeong Yoo-shin did the same.
He poured the warm water over himself.
He shivered as the water cascaded down his body.
He felt a deep sense of satisfaction, having only used wet towels to clean himself until now.
“Ah… That’s the stuff.”
The people around him gasped and stepped back.
Some covered their buttocks and eyed him warily.
He ignored them. This was the life.
He washed off the sweat and grime and entered the bath.
As he soaked himself in the hot water with his eyes closed, he heard some snippets of the surrounding conversation.
“Have you heard?”
“Heard what?”
“About what’s happening in the labyrinth.”
“You mean the missing newbie explorers? I know about that.”
“That’s not all. The intermediate-rank explorers who went in also haven’t returned yet.”
“That happens sometimes. It’s not that unusual.”
“A few days ago, all the branch managers of the Explorers Guild were summoned. It must be serious.”
“…”
“The Labyrinth City Knights are also acting strangely. Listen to me, it’s not a good time to enter the labyrinth right now.”
“Damn it. I still need to earn a living. Should I go outside the city?”
“It’s not a bad idea to leave for a while and then come back.”
“Easy for you to say. My family is here…”
The men continued talking, but Jeong Yoo-shin had already tuned them out.
‘Something’s happening.’
Something was going on in the labyrinth.
He crossed his arms and stared up at the ceiling.
Information that a rookie explorer like him couldn’t access was being exchanged among those in higher positions.
He felt a pang of hunger. A hunger for information.
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T/N - Of course, the MC is packing heat down there. This is a harem novel, after all. Also, dang, those barbarians are wild. They seem to have the ‘drop soap’ prison mentality. Lastly, Karin’s giving me that bratty rich kid kind of vibe. Based on the cover though, it seems like she’s going to be one of the heroines along with Mion, so I’ll reserve my judgment for now.