Chapter 70 Jeong Yoo shin, Lover of Children
--------------------------------------
Translator: JayM
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Jeong Yoo-shin, Lover of Children
------------------------------------
In the darkened common area of the inn.
Jeong Yoo-shin and Snout locked eyes.
The former crossed his arms.
"Do we really have to go at this hour?"
"Yes. She insisted on seeing you."
"Tsk. Fine. Wait here while I drop this bag off in my room."
Jeong Yoo-shin started to sling the bag over his shoulder, then hesitated.
"Wait. Let me ask you something. I got this from those assassins. Is it safe to use?"
Jeong Yoo-shin held up the bag.
Snout's expression hardened.
"There's a chance that the assassins will recognize it. It's dangerous, so I recommend that you don't use it for a while."
"Alright. I heard that this is an enchanted bag. Is it expensive?"
Snout tilted his head.
"I have an acquaintance who knows about magic tools. Should I have it appraised?"
"Yes. And can this magic stone be appraised too?"
Snout's eyes widened at the sight of the magic stone Jeong Yoo-shin held out.
"I-Is that a high-grade magic stone?!"
"Is it expensive?"
"Yes! It's worth dozens of gold coins! Where did you get this?"
"Didn't I tell you? I got it from Oswald."
"Didn't you tell Aldein everything when you were with him?"
"I didn't know it was so expensive. Anyway, let's go."
Jeong Yoo-shin tossed the bag to Snout.
The latter was startled but managed to catch the bag.
Creak.
The two men left the inn.
A hot summer breeze brushed past their foreheads.
They walked slowly through the streets in the quiet night, when people were few and far between.
Snout glanced at Jeong Yoo-shin.
His gaze deepened.
Jeong Yoo-shin had been a man with an unusual aura from the moment they met.
Like an onion slowly shedding its layers, he was becoming more and more accustomed to Labyrinth City with each passing day.
Snout suddenly recalled his conversation with Aldein.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After the discussion about Oswald.
Right after Jeong Yoo-shin left Aldein's office.
Snout scratched his head.
He couldn't contain his curiosity.
"But Aldein, why were you so surprised? Skar's struggle was certainly remarkable, but aren't there countless strong individuals in Labyrinth City? Besides, there must be cases where strong people from outside start as novice explorers, right?"
Aldein tilted his head.
"Are you asking if that guy Skar was strong from the beginning?"
"Yes, that's right."
Aldein chuckled.
"Didn't I tell you? When he first came to work here through Dalmong's introduction, he injured his hand."
"..."
Snout waited silently for his next words.
Aldein leaned back in his chair and stared into space.
"Let me be more specific. That guy, while dismantling a monster, mishandled his knife and almost cut off his finger. I healed him with recovery magic. That's when I saw it."
Aldein grinned.
"His hand. It was a hand that was just starting to develop calluses. A hand that had never held a sword before. Not just a sword, but he seemed to barely know how to hold a weapon at all."
"...!"
Snout was speechless. A chill ran down his spine.
A man who had never held a sword before went into the labyrinth a few times, and without any cheat imprints, raided the eastern district, slaughtered the slave hunters, and turned a tavern into a bloodbath?
Even if Aldein had lent him his single-edged sword and leather coat, it was an unbelievable story.
"You know the rest of the story, right? He might not admit it, but in my opinion, that guy is a natural-born killing machine. A tough nut to crack. He's one of us."
Aldein smiled while stroking his single-edged sword.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"What are you thinking so hard about?"
Jeong Yoo-shin's question snapped Snout back to reality.
"N-Nothing."
"You're being evasive."
Jeong Yoo-shin was walking with his eyes closed, as if he was enjoying the hot summer breeze.
His leisurely gait exuded an air of a big shot.
Snout swallowed hard.
That relaxed demeanor was both frightening and reassuring.
'Could Aldein really be right? I'm curious about his true nature.'
Snout composed his confused thoughts.
Unaware of Snout's inner turmoil, Jeong Yoo-shin's mind was heavy.
'Oh man... What should I do? What if Luna's mother faints when she sees me? I heard she's not feeling well. What if she dies of a heart attack?'
The thought was terrifying.
To become the sworn enemy of the adorable fox beast-person...
It was unthinkable.
"We're almost there."
Snout's words broke Jeong Yoo-shin's train of thought.
They passed the familiar park and walked a bit further down an alley.
To a shabby house.
Knock, knock.
"We're coming in."
Snout said, and opened the door.
Creak.
They entered through the wooden door to find a living room and two small rooms.
Jeong Yoo-shin looked around.
Old, broken furniture. A cracked windowpane.
The hearth, unused for a long time, contained only ashes.
It was a dreary house.
"Cough. Cough."
He heard a coughing sound from beyond the wooden door on the left.
"Ma'am, may we come in?"
"Yes. Please, come in. Cough."
A weak voice came from inside the room.
Creak.
He opened the wooden door and saw a female fox beast-person lying in bed.
Jeong Yoo-shin and Snout cautiously approached her.
Jeong Yoo-shin could now see the fox beast-person clearly.
A haggard complexion, hollow cheeks, dark circles under her eyes, and a cloudy gaze.
She looked like she would die if she closed her eyes.
"...It would be proper to get up and greet you, but I'm not feeling well right now. Please understand."
Her voice, though quiet, was refined, and though weak, it was formal.
Jeong Yoo-shin nodded.
"Don't worry about it and rest comfortably."
"...I'm Edel. You're not as barbaric as I've heard. Cough."
At the fox beast-person Edel's words, Jeong Yoo-shin made a wry smile.
"I hear that often. While I was away, your daughter came to our inn to perform. Thank you for trusting us with her."
Jeong Yoo-shin bowed deeply.
"...You're truly different. Cough."
"It's often troublesome when people don't recognize that."
Jeong Yoo-shin said with a gentle smile.
"...I see."
The fox beast-person, Edel, stared at Jeong Yoo-shin for a long time. Jeong Yoo-shin met her gaze.
Edel spoke.
"I've also heard that my daughter is indebted to you, Skar. I wanted to visit you personally to express my gratitude, but I'm not well, so I asked for you to come here instead. I apologize."
"Not at all. In fact, our inn's profits have increased significantly since Luna started coming. I'm the one who should be grateful."
"...I see. Skar, I know this is shameless of me, but could you grant me one request?"
"Yes, is there anything you need?"
"I entrust my daughter to you."
"..."
"Cough. I don't have much time left. I'm fine with dying like this, but I'm worried about leaving my daughter behind. I raised her well. Could you please look after her until she can stand on her own two feet?"
"..."
Jeong Yoo-shin couldn't speak.
He was only 23 years old.
The heart of a mother who calmly faced her impending death and was worried only about the future of her daughter whom she had raised with love...
It was too heavy.
Too much to bear.
"Is there no one else who can take care of her?"
"The only time she truly smiled was when she came back from the inn."
"...I'll think about it."
Jeong Yoo-shin managed to say.
"Cough. Alright."
Edel replied with a weak smile.
Jeong Yoo-shin and Snout stood up.
"Then, we'll be going now."
Jeong Yoo-shin bowed his head and left.
Creak.
As he closed the door behind him, he saw the door of the other room quickly close.
Had Luna been listening?
Jeong Yoo-shin paused and looked around the dreary house once more.
Luna.
What should he do?
"Let's go."
"Yes."
Jeong Yoo-shin and Snout left the shabby house and walked through the dark streets of the Labyrinth City.
Jeong Yoo-shin glanced at Snout.
Even in the darkness, he could clearly see that Snout's eyes were red.
"Snout, why are you so sentimental?"
Jeong Yoo-shin asked.
"Sniff. I don't know."
Snout, the boar beast-person, sniffled.
'Me too.'
He didn't say it out loud, but he felt the same way.
A hot summer breeze ruffled Jeong Yoo-shin's hair.
"What exactly is wrong with Luna's mother? Tell me more."
"Alright."
Jeong Yoo-shin and Snout returned to Dalmong's inn and sat at the counter.
Snout explained the situation in detail.
Thirty minutes passed.
He listened to the story while sipping his drink at the counter.
The fox beast-person, Edel.
A widow who ran a pharmacy in the southern district.
Her husband went missing in the labyrinth eight years ago.
She had lived with her young daughter, Luna, while running a small pharmacy since then, but a few months ago, she contracted a terminal illness.
The name of the disease was Mana Sclerosis.
It was a disease where the mana that circulated through the body like water hardened like stone.
It was a fatal illness where the entire body gradually stiffened, eventually leading to cardiac arrest.
The cause was unknown.
There was only one cure.
Extracting the high-quality mana from an expensive, high-grade magic stone to break through the hardened mana.
Though there was another obstacle: the treatment required the assistance of a high-ranking priest.
She had sold her shop and even her original house to pay for the treatment, yet her condition hadn't improved. She should have moved to the slums after that, but with the help of an acquaintance, she managed to secure a shabby house.
No. Saying she was "living" there wasn't quite right.
Edel was waiting for death.
Jeong Yoo-shin rubbed his forehead.
A high-grade magic stone.
He had one.
"Snout, are you thinking the same thing as me right now?"
"N-No."
"Don't lie. I can see it in your eyes."
"..."
"Tsk. Let's go to sleep. It's late. We'll talk again tomorrow."
"Yes."
Jeong Yoo-shin patted Snout's shoulder and went upstairs.
He changed his clothes and laid down in bed. Lin was nowhere to be seen.
Jeong Yoo-shin rested his head on his arm and stared at the ceiling.
Luna.
How could she smile like that while facing her mother's impending death?
Surely, behind that smile, there was a desperate will to prevent her mother's death.
If Jeong Yoo-shin had his battles.
Luna had hers too.
"Alright. I earned it like a dog, so I might as well spend it like a king."
Jeong Yoo-shin made up his mind and closed his eyes.
Then he opened them again.
An uneasy feeling had sprouted in his heart.
"...It couldn't be something like a Child Lover imprint, could it?"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After a night filled with worries.
The next morning.
Jeong Yoo-shin went downstairs to the inn's common area.
He saw Snout. His eyes were bloodshot, as if he hadn't slept well.
"Let's do it."
It was an abrupt statement, but Snout understood immediately.
"R-Really?"
"Yes."
"But the treatment requires a high-ranking priest. How are you going to manage that?"
"I know someone."
Jeong Yoo-shin thought of someone and smiled wryly.
Mion.
Mion hadn't come this morning.
He didn't know if she had classes or other business, but he considered it fortunate.
'Cheek sucking...'
The thought of Mion's incomprehensible act weighed on his mind.
Still, he believed she was a kind person at heart.
If she heard the story of the poor fox beast-person, she would surely lend a hand.
'I need to check my imprint anyway.'
Jeong Yoo-shin steeled his resolve and left the inn.
He walked down the street to the Earth Mother Goddess' Temple.
He went to the reception desk and stated his business.
The temple receptionist made a troubled face.
"Skar, it's difficult right now. Priestess Mion is currently in class. You'll have to wait."
"Alright."
He couldn't just barge into her class and make a scene.
He decided to wait in the garden for a while.
Jeong Yoo-shin walked down the temple corridor and arrived at the garden.
The temple's garden was well-maintained.
He strolled among the colorful flowers and lush trees.
He suddenly recalled an old memory.
He had given Anne some silver coins here.
Honestly, he had felt a bit bitter back then. But they had reconnected, so he didn't feel bad about it anymore.
A faint smile appeared on Jeong Yoo-shin's lips.
"Sentimental fool."
Someone muttered behind him.
Jeong Yoo-shin snapped out of his reverie.
'Who's that?'
Jeong Yoo-shin's head whipped around.
A man was slumped on a chair like a dried squid.
Cain Landisher.
Mion's older brother.
The notorious little sister panty hunter.
Jeong Yoo-shin's eyes widened.
--------------------------------------
T/N - First, let’s address the elephant in the room. That title alone would get the MC in trouble with the fantasy FBI. 😂
Next, is this whole debacle. Such a coincidence that the MC would have everything he needs to cure Edel right before he meets her. Really suspicious…
I’ve also been spoiled a bit by one of the reviews for this novel in NU. I wonder if Edel was the fox beast-person mentioned in that review? Or maybe he meets some other fox beast-person woman because of this? Please don’t say it’s Luna… 😰
Lastly, the talk with Aldein really shows how fast the MC has grown from the time he first came to this world. And he achieved all this without any visible cheats too. (You CAN argue that his luck is quite the cheat, but it could be just as detrimental to him as beneficial. An example would be the recent debacle with the assassins.)