Chapter 83 Thump thump
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: Thump-thump
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A bustling morning at the inn.
Jeong Yoo-shin sat at the counter with his eyes closed while organizing his thoughts.
He felt as though his turbulent mind had cleared, returning to its starting point.
It was thanks to Dalmong's encouraging letter.
He had almost completed the requests for his promotion. But his party had disbanded.
Since things had turned out this way, he decided to relax and focus on training. It was something he had to do to reach the deeper floors anyway.
Therefore, the most important thing right now was information.
Information about the labyrinth.
He knew about the first to fifth floors from the novice explorer classes.
And the knowledge he gained from those classes had saved his life.
He couldn't underestimate its importance.
To advance to the next stage, he needed to research the next levels of the labyrinth.
The problem was that the best way to gather information was through the library in the central district.
And to obtain high-quality information from there, he needed to be able to read fluently.
'Alright.'
He made up his mind. He believed in the saying, "Strike while the iron is hot."
Jeong Yoo-shin opened his eyes and jumped up from his seat.
'I need to go to the orphanage academy.'
Jeong Yoo-shin approached Tarman, who was carrying food.
"Tarman, I'll be attending classes at the orphanage for a while. You don't need to prepare lunch for me. And when the cat beast-person wakes up, give him this letter."
Jeong Yoo-shin handed Tarman a small letter and some silver coins.
The letter was his reply to Dalmong.
He had struggled to write it as he had so much to say, but he had to keep it short due to his limited vocabulary and the lack of space on the paper.
"Understood. I'll make sure to have it delivered."
Tarman replied politely as he took the letter.
Jeong Yoo-shin went upstairs, grabbed his bag, and ran to the Earth Mother Goddess’ Temple.
He went to the receptionist, marked his attendance, and entered the orphanage.
"Hello, everyone."
Jeong Yoo-shin entered the room with a smile and greeted the children, who scattered in surprise.
"Whoa! It's the black-haired mister!"
"...Scary."
"Mister, weren't you missing in the labyrinth?"
'Sigh. I really need to learn how to read quickly.'
He had greeted them cheerfully after a long time, but the children were quite wary of him.
Jeong Yoo-shin sat down and took his writing materials out of his teddy bear bag.
Click.
After waiting for a bit, Mion entered the classroom, her golden hair swaying.
"Yay! Teacher Mion is here!"
"Ehehe, it's Teacher Mion."
Mion smiled brightly and stood at the podium.
"Everyone, please take your seats and be quiet. Let's begin class."
"Yes!"
The children replied in unison and sat down.
As the class began, Jeong Yoo-shin focused intently.
He put all his effort into building a strong foundation, knowing it was essential for his progress.
"...And then the Water Spirit God said to the greedy fisherman, 'Why are you even taking children? Your greed has reached the bottom of the sea, so I shall turn you into a child.'"
Mion read the story in a gentle voice.
The children listened, captivated, but Jeong Yoo-shin diligently took notes.
He wrote down every unfamiliar word. Fortunately, thanks to his continuous studying, he recognized more words than before.
He used his break time to memorize the meanings of the words.
Time passed, and lunchtime arrived, marking the end of the class.
Mion smiled and spoke.
"Good work, everyone. Class is dismissed. Please write a review and submit it by tomorrow."
"Thank you, Teacher Mion!"
The children bowed their heads, thanked her, and rushed out of the classroom.
And in the quiet classroom.
Only Jeong Yoo-shin and Mion remained.
"Skar."
"Priestess Mion."
Mion left the podium and approached him.
"Skar, how have you been?"
"There have been some things, but I've been doing alright. How have you been, Priestess Mion?"
"I've been well."
That was good. He was relieved to hear that she was doing well.
Seeing Jeong Yoo-shin's serious gaze, Mion swallowed hard.
"Priestess Mion."
"Yes?"
"I have a question."
"Please ask."
"I heard you were an explorer before. I know that the floors after the sixth are called the lower floors, but I don't know the details. May I ask you about them?"
"Y-Yes."
Mion's voice was strangely low. Subdued, almost.
Jeong Yoo-shin felt uneasy.
He had assumed she would have some information about the labyrinth, given her extensive knowledge of imprints and her frequent interactions with explorers.
Was he wrong?
Mion spoke.
"As you know, Skar, the paths diverge from the fifth floor. There are three teleportation stones at the end of it."
He knew that.
"At the edge of the fifth floor, the ruined city of Ingrave, there's a teleportation stone leading to the 'Forest' floor. In the central area, there's one leading to the 'Corridor' floor. And lastly, there's one underground, leading to the 'Sewers' floor."
Jeong Yoo-shin stroked his chin and pondered.
Forest. Corridor. Sewers.
Which floor would be the most beneficial for him to visit in his current situation?
"Do you have any recommendations, Priestess Mion?"
Mion crossed her arms and remained silent, seemingly lost in thought.
'Huh?'
Jeong Yoo-shin's body stiffened as he looked at Mion.
Her ample breasts, usually hidden beneath her white priestess robes, were pressed against her arms like pudding.
Perhaps because it was summer, the enticing scent of milk wafted into his nostrils.
"Goo goo."
"Huh?"
Mion snapped out of her thoughts and tilted her head.
"N-Nothing."
Jeong Yoo-shin shook his head and looked out the window.
'To be shaken by something like this... Yoo-shin, you're disqualified as a man.'
'But the rich scent of milk wafting from the summer cleavage was nice, wasn't it?'
'...'
The angel and the devil within him were in agreement for once.
'Ah, the darkness of the labyrinth is calling again.'
He collected his thoughts and straightened his posture.
Mion also lowered her arms and straightened her back.
"First, let me say that my advice is just that: an advice. You should take it with a grain of salt. The labyrinth is a place where you risk your life. You shouldn't leave your choices to others."
"I trust you, Priestess Mion."
"..."
Mion's face flushed slightly.
"J-Just a moment. Um. What was I saying?"
Mion was flustered for a moment before continuing.
"Ahem! I would recommend the Forest area for you, Skar."
"Is there a reason for that?"
"As far as I know, you use a sword. And your armor is relatively light."
"That's correct."
"The monsters there are generally physically weak. Of course, there are exceptions, but it's not a bad floor for explorers who primarily use swords."
"There's another reason. You have a chance of obtaining valuable herbs and leather there. They're in high demand and easy to sell."
"Lastly, it's because of your imprint. The monsters in the Forest area mainly use poison and disease-based attacks. With your Venom Protection, you should be able to explore relatively safely. Of course, you shouldn't let your guard down."
Mion finished speaking.
Jeong Yoo-shin nodded. Natural and reasonable grounds. Her explanation showed her experience.
To summarize…
There were two main reasons to go to the 'Forest' floor.
He had a type advantage.
And he could earn more money.
There was no reason not to go since he could explore it with relative ease. It was worth a try. Of course, he would have to prepare thoroughly.
"If I want to find more information about the Forest area, where should I go?"
"You can go to the library in the central district. But you'll need to improve your reading skills first."
At Mion's reply, Jeong Yoo-shin fell into thought.
What should he do?
He wanted to run to the library right away.
'No, I can't be impatient. Get a hold of yourself, Yoo-shin.'
"I'll learn slowly."
At Jeong Yoo-shin's words, Mion fidgeted with her fingers.
"Skar, if you'd like, I can tutor you. Just the two of us."
Jeong Yoo-shin's eyes widened.
Such good fortune coming his way?
"Really? Thank you!"
"How about we have the tutoring sessions after lunch? Would that work for you?"
"Yes! Please!"
'Could Priestess Mion actually be an angel?'
He suddenly felt guilty. Wasn't he receiving too much from Mion?
"Priestess Mion, I'm sorry for only receiving from you."
"No. You've given me a lot."
Mion's smile faltered slightly.
"What's wrong?"
"N-Nothing. I just lost something precious."
Something precious.
Something precious.
"Should I help you find it?"
"N-No!"
Mion waved her hands frantically. Her breasts jiggled energetically, and Jeong Yoo-shin's mind went blank.
It was as if he had been hit on the head. All his thoughts vanished.
She had said something about a precious item, but he suddenly couldn't remember it.
"Uh... uh. Yes. I understand."
"Yes."
A warm summer breeze entered the classroom, brushing past their hair.
"Then I'll be going now."
"I'll prepare plenty of materials. You just have to come."
"Yes. Thank you always."
"My pleasure."
Jeong Yoo-shin smiled awkwardly and left the classroom.
He felt full even though he hadn't eaten.
His steps were strangely light.
He returned to the inn.
"I'm back."
Tarman, who was wiping the tables, looked up.
"Skar, did something good happen?"
"I'm happy because I gained knowledge. How can I not be happy when I learn and learn?"
Tarman tilted his head at Jeong Yoo-shin's strange reply.
"...Yes. But Skar, we have a visitor."
"Who is it?"
"He says he's from the Swordsman’s Guild."
Tarman pointed to a table in the corner.
A boy with messy hair was sitting there. Jeong Yoo-shin remembered him. He was the trainee he had seen before.
"Skar, hello."
The boy stood up and greeted him politely.
"What is it?"
"The Guildmaster wants to see you."
"Tell him I'm busy enriching my mind."
"...He asked if words can feed you."
"Tell him I'm busy now, but I'll visit him soon."
"He said to get an exact date."
"Tell him I'll be there in three days."
"Yes. Please come."
"Alright."
The boy stood up, bowed his head again, and left the inn.
As Jeong Yoo-shin watched the boy leave, a thought suddenly occurred to him.
'Could it be...?'
Had the Guildmaster found out about his fight outside Labyrinth City?
A chill ran down his spine.
Honestly, it had been a messy fight. It was more of a guerrilla battle using psychological warfare and poison than a display of swordsmanship and Sacred Weapon techniques.
If Ashur found out, he would be furious.
'Ah, I should have fought with more grace.'
But he had won fair and square with his swordsmanship in the end, so it should be fine, right?
He felt even more reluctant to visit the Swordsman’s Guild now.
He sighed and walked towards the counter.
Just then…
Creak.
"Mister! Hello!"
The inn door opened, and Luna, the fox beast-person, entered and greeted him.
"Are you here to perform today?"
"That's right!"
"Alright."
Jeong Yoo-shin sat down on a chair at the counter and opened a book.
It was the book Mion had given him before he left the classroom. It was a children's storybook. The story of the Water Spirit God and the fisherman.
Jeong Yoo-shin focused on reading.
The sun set, and Luna's performance began. People gathered around the tables and cheered.
"Ta-da!!! Slime transformation!"
"Whoa!!! Cute!"
"Gasp! Look at those squishy slimes. If only I were a little younger..."
"Squeak! Squeak!"
Lin, appearing from somewhere, joined the slimes and danced.
"Look at that white rat with the hat!"
"That's crazy. Whoever their master is, they must have a good eye for cuteness!"
Jeong Yoo-shin, who was reading, chuckled.
To think that the ice-cold Ingrid had a sense of cuteness.
It was enough to make a dog beast-person laugh.
He closed his book and approached where Luna was performing.
Luna, sweating, diligently directed the slimes.
Lin also danced enthusiastically, matching the slimes' movements.
Suddenly…
"Oops!"
Luna's legs gave way, and she slipped from her chair.
"Luna!"
Jeong Yoo-shin darted through the crowd like the wind and caught Luna.
"Huh?"
Luna let out a weak sound.
"Are you alright?"
"I-I'm okay."
"Alright. Be careful."
"Okay. But, mister?"
"What?"
"When I'm being held by you..."
Luna pointed at her belly button.
"...my tummy goes thump-thump."
A sudden bombshell.
Jeong Yoo-shin's eyes widened.
"What?!"
A silence colder than a winter wind descended upon the inn's common area.
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T/N - Jesus, Luna, give the man a break. Why does she keep saying such loaded stuff in a crowd? 😅
Also, yeah the MC won fair and square alright. He won through swordsmanship, as well as a generous amount of poison and a surprise boot knife.