Chapter 95 Is It Love
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: Is It Love?
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Bryn.
One of Ret’s harem members suddenly appearing and asking for help? After the battle on the 5th floor, he had thought that they had gone their separate ways, but apparently not.
It was a confusing situation, let alone a happy labyrinth exploration.
“…Suddenly appearing and asking for help… what in the…?”
Jeong Yoo-shin trailed off as he shook his head.
He didn't have time to talk to this woman right now.
“Hold on. I need to check on my party members first. Wait.”
Jeong Yoo-shin stood up and went to his backpack.
He opened it and took out a white cloth and a small leather pouch.
He opened the leather pouch and took out some black powder.
“W-What is that?”
Bryn, who had approached him, asked.
“Charcoal powder. I heard it’s useful for neutralizing poison. Not sure if it’s true, though.”
He had prepared it as he vaguely remembered about it from his old CBR training.
Would it work?
He didn’t know. He had to try though.
He sprinkled a generous amount of the fine charcoal powder onto a cloth and wiped his body.
He meticulously wiped away the viscous fluid while paying close attention to every gap in his armor.
The white cloth quickly became dirty, showing how much poison he had been exposed to during the recent battle.
He wiped himself thoroughly from head to toe. He was worried that his party members, who were in close contact with him, might get poisoned, even if he was fine.
After the decontamination, he took out an antidote and a potion before approaching Mars.
Mars’ face was a mess.
His face, swollen from the punches, was covered in monster fluids and the black liquid he had vomited out during the possession.
He took out a new cloth, sprinkled charcoal powder on it, wiped the filth off Mars’s face, and slightly opened his mouth to administer the antidote.
Mars let out a strange groan as he swallowed the antidote Jeong Yoo-shin had given him.
Jeong Yoo-shin then took off his gloves, poured the potion onto his hand, and smeared it on Mars’s face.
“Ugh.”
Mars groaned and twisted his body.
“It’s a healing potion. Drink it.”
Finally, he poured the remaining potion into Mars’ mouth.
Only then did Mars stop gasping for air and began to breathe comfortably.
Jeong Yoo-shin stood up and approached the dwarf priest.
Iron Mask was examining the dwarf’s condition. Since Kubo was naked except for his underwear, it seemed easier to do so than with Mars.
“Is Kubo alright?”
“I’m alright.”
He had asked Iron Mask, but it was Kubo who answered.
Jeong Yoo-shin looked at the dwarf priest from head to toe.
He didn’t have a hobby of admiring dwarves in their underwear, but this was a matter of life and death, so he had to focus.
‘Strange.’
Those were clearly human-sized spiders with sharp fangs, yet how could he be completely unharmed?
Was this the ability of the Naturalist imprint?
There was a reason he walked around naked. His defense was tougher than most armor.
“Kubo, how do you not have a single injury on your body?”
“There is one.”
Kubo turned around and showed his back.
“There it is.”
There was a small wound near the nape of Kubo’s neck.
Two small puncture wounds were visible, as if he had been bitten by sharp fangs.
It was small, but there was a possibility of poisoning.
“Just in case, you should drink an antidote. I have some potions left. Do you need any?”
“I’m fine. I have both, so I’ll take care of it myself.”
“Alright.”
Jeong Yoo-shin straightened up and faced Iron Mask.
“Skar, I’m sorry. You were fighting a difficult battle alone.”
Jeong Yoo-shin shook his head. He didn't want to hear any more apologies from the leader.
“It was my duty as the vanguard. I’m the one who should be sorry. It’s shameful that I let our party’s priest get injured, even if it wasn’t serious.”
“Skar, aren’t you being too modest? I think you’ve done something to be proud of.”
Iron Mask said, looking around.
The forest path was a complete mess.
Dismembered and torn Mushroom Human corpses were everywhere, and the earth was churned-up.
Poisonous fluids and fungus-ridden flesh were scattered on the trees and the path.
“It was nothing. It’s not like it’s my first time experiencing something like this. By the way, did you really destroy that leather board?”
Iron Mask shook his head at Jeong Yoo-shin’s question.
“No. I turned back on my way there. Even if Priest Kubo was right, I decided it was too dangerous to leave the party and go alone.”
Jeong Yoo-shin nodded.
After calming down and thinking about it, it didn’t make sense.
Even though they had walked slowly, Jeong Yoo-shin’s party had been traveling for hours.
The idea that Iron Mask could have reached the watchtower in just a few minutes was delusional.
Wait.
“…”
A chill ran down his spine.
He immediately turned, grabbed Kubo’s shoulder, and shook him.
“Kubo, you said the possession was lifted?! Iron Mask said he didn’t destroy the leather board? Why are you just standing there listening?”
“What?! B-But the possession was lifted.”
Kubo, the dwarf priest, looked momentarily bewildered before his expression hardened while speaking firmly.
What?
Jeong Yoo-shin looked at his fists.
‘Do I really have a talent for exorcism?’
Beating the possession out of someone.
Was it his pure life force that was running through his fists?
His heart pounded.
“Kubo, did I really drive out the evil spirit?”
“Yes… It’s hard to believe, but it’s true. How can a barbarian…?”
Kubo looked as if he had been slapped awake.
“I am a bit holy.”
“…”
As Jeong Yoo-shin shrugged and spoke, the party members fell silent and stared blankly at his face.
Kubo then spoke.
“…But it’s strange. The ritual to exorcise evil spirits is something only priests can do. You’re not a priest, are you?”
“Kubo, why couldn’t you exorcise it?”
“Because it’s difficult. I haven’t been serving the Fire Elemental God for long. And exorcism is a dangerous ritual that could cost the possessed person their life. It requires an experienced priest.”
Jeong Yoo-shin crossed his arms.
“Did the evil spirit leave because of my Sacred Weapon?”
“That’s not enough.”
Kubo stated firmly.
Jeong Yoo-shin slumped to the ground and took off his helmet.
“Then what was it?”
He asked while pouring water from his canteen into his eyes.
The lukewarm water washed away the poison residue around his eyes.
“Skar, have you consistently touched something sacred?”
“Like what?”
“Like a holy relic filled with divine power?”
Jeong Yoo-shin wiped his eyes clean with a white towel.
After finishing, he thought for a moment.
‘Divine power… Divine power...’
He had attended Mion’s classes at the Earth Mother Goddess’ temple. He had even received private tutoring from her.
But that was all. Nothing special had happened. Mion had never told him to believe in the Earth Mother Goddess.
‘A holy relic filled with divine power?’
He couldn’t grasp it at all.
Had Mion secretly cast some kind of holy magic on him?
It was possible, considering how kind Priestess Mion was.
But it was all just speculation.
There was no clear answer. Judging by the expression on the naked dwarf priest’s face, it didn’t seem like something he could figure out right now.
Jeong Yoo-shin ran his hand through his sweat-drenched hair.
“Kubo, are you sure the evil spirit that possessed Mars is gone?”
“I’m certain. I’d bet my life on it.”
Kubo’s expression was full of conviction. He would have been more believable if he wasn't standing there in nothing but his underwear.
“Alright.”
He decided to trust the priest’s words.
Jeong Yoo-shin stood up and looked down at Bryn.
One of Ret’s harem party members.
A timid-looking, young woman with brown hair.
“Was your name Bryn? Be honest. Suddenly appearing and asking for our help out of the blue, do we look like such good Samaritans? If you think we’ll listen to unreasonable demands just because we have a priest with us, you’re mistaken.”
“W-Well…”
Bryn stammered, unable to continue. Jeong Yoo-shin’s eyebrows furrowed.
“What? Are you asking us to save your party? As you can see, we just finished a battle…”
Bryn interrupted him.
“Th-That’s not it. I’m asking you to help just ‘me.’ Just take me and help me get out of here.”
What?
Jeong Yoo-shin’s mouth opened slightly.
A twist like this?
His head spun as if he had been hit on the back of the head with a blunt weapon.
“Uh… uh. You’re asking us to help just ‘you’? You’re asking to join our party?”
“Y-Yes. I won’t be a bother. Just let me follow you quietly.”
“Uh… Aren’t you Ret’s girlfriend?”
Jeong Yoo-shin asked cautiously.
“F-Fuck. D-Do you think I’m blind?”
Bryn suddenly cursed and lashed out.
“…”
Just like Jeong Yoo-shin, all the party members stared at Bryn with their mouths agape.
They had thought she was introverted because she seemed timid and stuttered.
They were completely wrong.
She was realistic and spoke her mind.
“…If you didn’t like Ret, you could have refused to join his party.”
“I… I was tricked.”
“By whom?”
“By the receptionist at the Explorer’s Guild. It was the Explorer’s Guild in the Southern District. She looked annoyed and pushed me into this party.”
“You could have said no. Did you have to join them?”
“I-I’m timid and have trouble speaking my mind.”
“…”
But she was speaking her mind just fine now though? She seemed like the type to speak frankly. This woman had a strange sense of self.
Jeong Yoo-shin scratched his head.
‘I can’t think of anything to say.’
He had thought that he would never be outmatched in a verbal sparring match during his time in Labyrinth City. But he was wrong. This was the first time he had encountered someone who left him speechless from the very beginning.
Where did this kind of person even come from?
He was extremely curious about her.
“So you want to travel with us? How can we trust you?”
“I-I’m Bryn Calione. I’m a student at the Labyrinth Academy.”
Jeong Yoo-shin’s eyes widened.
Labyrinth Academy?
The school Dalmong had briefly mentioned when he had first tried to learn to read.
He had heard it cost an exorbitant amount of money to attend, even for just one semester.
Several questions came to mind, but he suppressed them.
“Do you have any way to prove your identity?”
“H-Here.”
Bryn fumbled inside her robe and handed him a gold pendant.
Jeong Yoo-shin took the pendant and showed it to his party members.
“Is this legitimate?”
“It is. She’s a student. A 4th year, so she’ll be graduating soon.”
Iron Mask nodded and said.
So that was it.
Next question.
“Why are you here alone? Did something happen to Ret’s party members?”
Bryn opened her mouth to speak, but Iron Mask interrupted.
“We’ve confirmed her identity, so let’s move to a safe place first before we hear the rest of her story.”
Jeong Yoo-shin looked at Iron Mask.
He seemed to be defending Bryn, treating her as if he already knew her.
“…Alright.”
Jeong Yoo-shin put his helmet back on and approached Mars.
Mars, who had regained his consciousness, rolled his eyes and looked at Jeong Yoo-shin.
“Can you get up?”
Jeong Yoo-shin asked.
“It’s a bit difficult. I don’t have any strength in my body.”
Mars’ voice was hoarse.
“I’ll carry you.”
“What happened, anyway? Where are we?”
“We’re still in the Forest area. You were possessed after looking at that leather board.”
Mars’s face turned pale.
“H-How am I alright?”
“I drove it out.”
“H-How?”
“I reasoned with it.”
Mars stared blankly at Jeong Yoo-shin before speaking again.
“…But my face really hurts. It feels like I was beaten with a sledgehammer.”
Looking closely, the swelling on Mars’ face hadn’t fully subsided.
“You fell on the ground.”
“And something’s strange.”
He was so full of questions. Seeing Mars lying there and chattering irritated Jeong Yoo-shin. They had a long way to go.
“What is it? Tell me.”
“When I look at you…”
Mars wore a confused expression as he paused for a long moment before continuing.
“...my body trembles, and my heart races. What is this feeling?”
“…”
Silence fell over the quiet forest path.
Everyone stared at Jeong Yoo-shin, their mouths closed.
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T/N - Holy shit! That ending… Oh, that’s funny. The title now makes sense.
Also, the MC is getting weirder. The guy literally punched the evil spirit out of Mars. Am I the only one who thought about Mion’s breast when Kubo asked if the MC touched a ‘Divine Relic’ before all this? Certainly seems ‘divine’ enough for me.
Lastly, so the girl ran away from her party… I wonder what happened to Ret and her other party members. Also, I get the feeling that the moody receptionist that fucked her over is the same one who was bitchy to the MC in the earlier chapters. Seems like she’s a repeat offender.