Chapter 69 The Night That Never Ends
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: The Night That Never Ends
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The fox beast-person ran over and clung to Jeong Yoo-shin's leg.
Jeong Yoo-shin looked down at the little fox beast-person clinging to him like glue.
Aside from the child's crazy lack of personal space.
The inn's common area was packed with people.
"..."
A chilling silence descended.
The customers' gazes pierced Jeong Yoo-shin.
This was dangerous. Perhaps even more so than the situation with Oswald.
He instinctively sensed danger.
He had to choose his words carefully.
Cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
Jeong Yoo-shin calmly spoke.
"Why am I your dad?"
"Daddy is daddy!"
The fox beast-person rubbed her face against Jeong Yoo-shin's thigh.
"..."
A nonsensical declaration of fatherhood.
A nonsensical assassination attempt.
The effects were immediate.
The people gathered in the inn's common area were shocked.
"Gasp...!"
"What in the world...?"
"I heard he was a virgin, was I wrong?"
"Could it be that he's a virgin because...? A forbidden love between father and daughter...?"
People murmured.
Jeong Yoo-shin stumbled.
He barely managed to collect his dizzying thoughts and grabbed the fox beast-person's shoulders.
"Little friend, why are you suddenly calling me daddy?"
"Because... Mister Boar told me to!"
Mister Boar?
The only boar beast-person he knew was Snout.
'That crazy bastard.'
He had thought Snout was a good-natured subordinate, but to pull a stunt like this?
He felt like he'd been stabbed in the back.
Jeong Yoo-shin's forehead creased.
Seeing Jeong Yoo-shin's fearsome expression, the fox beast-person started to whimper. Tears welled up in her round eyes.
"Waaah. Daddy is daddy."
'Ha.'
His mind spun again.
He hadn't even had sex, let alone gotten married, and now a little fox beast-person was calling him daddy.
To make matters worse, the expressions of the people around him were growing increasingly disapproving.
Just then.
"Skar!"
The inn door opened, and Snout entered.
Snout saw Jeong Yoo-shin and the fox beast-person, instantly grasped the situation, and closed his mouth.
"Snout, did you stab me in the back?"
Jeong Yoo-shin growled.
Hearing Jeong Yoo-shin's voice, the fox beast-person clung to his leg even tighter.
'Ha.'
Jeong Yoo-shin swallowed a groan.
The fox beast-person's small body was trembling.
Was she scared?
His sudden surge of anger subsided.
Jeong Yoo-shin raised his hand and gently stroked the fox beast-person's head.
"Don't be scared. I'm not angry at you."
The fox beast-person cautiously raised her head. Tear stains and snot were visible on her face.
"...Really?"
"Yes."
Jeong Yoo-shin turned his head and looked at Snout.
"Snout, go get a handkerchief and some fruit juice."
"Yes."
Snout ran to the kitchen.
Jeong Yoo-shin stroked the fox beast-person's head again and looked around at the onlookers.
He wasn't sure if they would believe him, but he made eye contact with each of them and spoke.
"I see many regular customers here. Those of you who know me will understand what kind of person I am. Please put aside your assumptions and go back to what you were doing."
After Jeong Yoo-shin finished speaking, some people nodded, and others tilted their heads.
Perhaps sensing something from Jeong Yoo-shin's calm tone and gaze, people silently returned to their seats.
Snout emerged from the kitchen with a handkerchief and some fruit juice.
Jeong Yoo-shin took the handkerchief and gently wiped the fox beast-person's face, then he handed her the fruit juice.
"Go and play with your slimes. Don't worry. And I'm sorry for startling you."
"Okay!"
The fox beast-person smiled brightly, as if she had never cried, and walked away.
Jeong Yoo-shin looked at Snout and gestured towards the counter with his chin.
"Follow me. Let's have a talk."
"Yes."
Jeong Yoo-shin and Snout sat down at the counter.
"Explain yourself."
"Yes."
Snout cautiously began to speak.
After about ten minutes, Snout finished his explanation.
Jeong Yoo-shin rubbed his eyes.
He summarized the situation in his head.
The fox beast-person's name was Luna.
While Jeong Yoo-shin was in the labyrinth, Luna often came to the inn to perform.
With her cheerful personality and cute appearance, everyone at the inn, including Snout, Tarman, and Anne, welcomed Luna.
One evening, Snout had walked Luna home and met her mother.
Snout had a brief conversation with Luna's mother.
And he learned something.
The little fox beast-person's situation was more serious than he had thought.
Jeong Yoo-shin spoke.
"...So, the fox beast-person's father went missing in the labyrinth, and her mother fell ill a few months ago?"
"Yes."
"Her father was an intermediate-rank explorer and has been missing for eight years… Is that common?"
"It happens often."
He felt a bitter taste in his mouth.
There was a reason she had come looking for a job during the chef recruitment.
She was looking for work at an age when she should be playing happily.
It was unfortunate, but...
"So why is she calling me daddy? She said you told her to."
"There's a system called 'godparent' in the Spirit Church."
Godparent?
Godfather.
Simply put, it was a system where someone became a child's guardian.
He didn't know the details, but he was familiar with the concept, having overheard children talking about adoption and guardians during his classes at the orphanage.
Snout continued.
"It was a topic that came up briefly during my conversation with Luna's mother. Since you're the innkeeper, Skar, your name was mentioned briefly. Luna must have overheard it from outside the door. I didn't force her to do it."
Jeong Yoo-shin sighed.
He now understood, at least partially, why the little fox beast-person was calling him daddy.
Rather than actually thinking of him as her father, she probably needed someone to rely on.
Just then, the fox beast-person approached.
"Mister, Daddy! Luna is going home!"
The little fox beast-person bowed deeply.
Judging by her jingling coin purse, she seemed to have earned a good amount.
Jeong Yoo-shin glanced outside. It was late, and the streets were dark. Even though her home was in the southern district, he didn't think it was safe for a small child to be wandering around alone at night.
Jeong Yoo-shin then said.
"Snout, it's dark out. Walk Luna home."
"Yes."
Jeong Yoo-shin watched Snout and Luna leave the inn, hand in hand, and crossed his arms.
Was it right for him to interfere in someone else's family affairs?
'I have enough problems of my own.'
Jeong Yoo-shin sighed deeply.
"Skar!"
The inn door opened, and a group of people entered.
It was his party.
Soline the paladin, Gallerheim the long-nosed gnome, and Pyrion the granny lover.
Jeong Yoo-shin waved at them.
His party approached him.
"Are you alright?"
Soline asked.
"I'm much better now thanks to you guys. Thank you. Let's sit at a table. It's on me, so let's drink to our hearts' content tonight."
Gallerheim's face lit up.
"The innkeeper knows what's up."
Jeong Yoo-shin smiled wryly.
"I'm not the innkeeper."
"By the way, business seems to be booming."
Pyrion said while looking around.
"We're managing somehow. Come, sit."
Jeong Yoo-shin stood up from the counter and led his party to a table.
Since Tarman was running around frantically, Jeong Yoo-shin went into the kitchen himself.
"Anne! Prepare some simple food."
"Yes!"
Jeong Yoo-shin left the kitchen, took out some bottles and glasses from the liquor cabinet behind the counter, and returned to his party.
"Oh! Dwarven fire liquor? You're being generous."
Gallerheim's jaw dropped.
"Is it alright for a man of the cloth to drink?"
"It's fine as long as we don't make a fool of ourselves."
Pyrion said, also speaking for Soline.
He opened the bottles and filled his party members' glasses.
They each took a sip and started talking. Mostly about what had happened in the labyrinth.
"...I thought I was going to die."
"Soline carried you on her back and swung her sword with one hand. It was an amazing display of fighting spirit."
Soline complained while Gallerheim praised her.
"Ahem. So, about the Fifth Prince's nanny..."
"I don't think it's appropriate to talk about that now. There are too many people listening."
Jeong Yoo-shin cut Pyrion off.
"S… Sorry. I was being careless."
Pyrion apologized.
"No, it's fine."
Jeong Yoo-shin magnanimously forgave Pyrion's mistake.
What else could he expect from a granny lover?
He felt sorry for Pyrion, who was blinded by wrinkles and unable to distinguish right from wrong.
"Let's talk about the reward distribution."
Gallerheim interrupted.
"Let's."
Soline took out four pouches of silver coins and placed them on the table.
Goblin extermination: 40 goblins in total. 30 silver coins. The reward was higher because of the goblin warriors, but it wasn't as good as the reward he had received with the Trash Party.
He assumed the reward they had received back then was largely due to the information they had provided.
Magic stone collection: 15 stones. 15 silver coins.
In total, they had earned 45 silver coins.
Since there were four members in the party, each person would receive 11 silver coins. The remaining amount would go to Pyrion.
"I heard you guys brought me to the infirmary when I collapsed. How much was the treatment fee?"
"Priest Pyrion helped the infirmary staff treat you. Of course, I helped a bit too. We managed to get a discount because of that. It was about 2 silver coins, but we paid for it."
Soline answered Jeong Yoo-shin's question.
"I should repay you for the treatment fee."
At Jeong Yoo-shin's words, Soline's expression turned serious.
"Don't. Skar, you saved our lives. If it weren't for you, we would have all died at their hands. Consider it a token of our gratitude. Don't worry about it."
Soline then smiled afterwards. Pyrion nodded in agreement.
Gallerheim seemed to have a different opinion, but he eventually nodded as well.
"Well. Ten silver coins is still a decent amount. This is enough to enjoy ourselves for a bit, right?"
At Gallerheim's words, the party members smiled brightly.
Their faces seemed to be filled with thoughts of what they wanted to do.
"Now! Let's drink!"
Gallerheim shouted.
Clink!
Jeong Yoo-shin and his party clinked their glasses together and laughed.
They chatted and joked in the cheerful atmosphere.
Jeong Yoo-shin went to the kitchen and brought back food.
It was a barbecue dish of boiled pork ribs coated in sauce.
The so-called pork ribs.
Gallerheim's eyes widened at the sight of the pile of pork ribs on the platter.
"You're giving us this much?"
"Don't be silly. Let's eat."
Soline tore off a rib, put it in her mouth, and her eyes widened.
"Delicious."
"Eat up."
As soon as Jeong Yoo-shin finished speaking, his party members devoured the food and emptied their glasses.
'Are they possessed by gluttony?'
Jeong Yoo-shin chuckled as he watched his party members silently gobble down the food.
As the pile of pork ribs dwindled.
He suddenly felt curious.
"Did anyone receive a new imprint? Or level up?"
Jeong Yoo-shin asked.
"Nope. We even checked at the temple. And we didn't hunt enough monsters to level up anyway."
Pyrion replied while sucking on a sauce-covered finger.
Jeong Yoo-shin nodded inwardly.
Leveling up wasn't as easy as one might think.
He had only leveled up twice despite all the hardships he had faced.
And as for imprints...
'I need to go get myself checked.'
He hadn't felt any signs due to being unconscious.
Since there was nothing wrong with his body, he didn't know what imprint he had received.
Could it be another negative imprint?
No.
Jeong Yoo-shin shook his head, dispelling the negative thoughts.
His limbs were intact, his mind was sound, and his party hadn't disbanded due to a terrible negative imprint, so he had nothing to complain about.
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Time passed, and the customers left.
After sending Tarman and Anne home after their shift.
Only Jeong Yoo-shin's party remained in the dimly lit, quiet common area.
Jeong Yoo-shin cleared his throat and explained what had happened with Oswald.
After his brief explanation, his party members' expressions turned serious.
"...So, what should we do?"
Gallerheim asked.
"..."
No one answered.
What should they do?
A heavy silence fell.
"There are assassins in Labyrinth City right now. We don't know how many there are, and judging by the attack on the Fifth Prince's nanny, her identity has already been revealed."
"...Shouldn't we go rescue her?"
Pyrion asked.
As expected of a granny lover.
"The nanny is a burning sun right now. We don't know what will happen if we get too close. It's dangerous, so we should observe the situation for now. Honestly, I don't even know what Oswald is thinking."
The worst-case scenario was Oswald sending the Fifth Prince's nanny to them.
It could be made even worse if Oswald told the remaining assassins about Jeong Yoo-shin's party.
He had no idea what that madman might do.
In any case.
Assuming the worst-case scenario.
If the assassins all came after them, he didn't want to see innocent people getting caught in the crossfire.
He couldn't act rashly, but he also couldn't just sit idly by either.
His mind was a mess.
Lack of information fueled his imagination.
'Calm down.'
Jeong Yoo-shin shook his head and spoke.
"Let's stop here for now and rest. How about we meet again in about three days?"
"That's too soon."
Gallerheim said.
"How long do you usually rest?"
"We should rest for at least a week to recover from the labyrinth."
His party members nodded in agreement.
'Rest for that long?'
Suddenly, his party members seemed like lazy grasshoppers in his eyes.
'Am I the strange one?'
"Alright. Then I'll see you in a week. Take care, and let's refrain from wandering around outside during that time."
His party members nodded and started to get up.
"Ah! I almost forgot. Here."
Soline handed him a bag.
It was the bag the one-eyed man had been carrying.
"I put the magic stone Oswald gave you in the bag."
"I see. We'll sell it and split the profits."
"There's no need. You earned it. We didn't do anything. Really."
Soline said seriously.
"Then I'll gratefully accept it."
His party members nodded in agreement.
After seeing his party members off, he returned to the counter and sat down.
He spent some time alone.
After waiting a little longer.
Snout returned.
"Did you walk her home safely?"
"Yes. And I have something to tell you."
"What is it?"
Snout scratched his head and spoke.
"Luna's mother wants to see you."
Jeong Yoo-shin put his hand on his forehead.
Not only did he have a fictional daughter, but now his fictional wife wanted to see him.
Jeong Yoo-shin made a disgruntled face.
"When?"
"She wants to see you right away, tonight."
"Ha..."
Jeong Yoo-shin finally let out a long sigh.
The night was not over yet.
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T/N - So that was it. Really, just call him Uncle then. Now his reputation once again nosedives. I can’t really blame the kid though.
I also feel Luna and her mother will be more trouble than they’re worth. Coupled with the Fifth Prince fiasco, and I can see them getting caught in the crossfire in all this mess.