Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Settlement
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He yanked Kakchi along roughly by her collar and arm.
"Ugh! Why, why are you doing this?!"
"Shut up and follow me."
The moment he learned Kakchi was afflicted with the Puppet Curse, he headed straight for the temple.
– Would it be alright if I checked Mr. Balkan's blessings periodically from now on? Free of charge, of course.
It reminded him of one of the minor "compensations" Serif had suggested back at the temple after hearing her "request."
At least Serif didn't seem the type to mess around with the details of blessings or curses, so he figured she might take a look at Kakchi's curse too.
"The temple is closed this week!"
The news hit like a bolt from the blue. The temple had shut its doors.
By the time he rushed over, explorers were swarming out of the temple grounds, grumbling and complaining.
"What do you mean we can't go in?!"
"We're sorry, but it's due to internal circumstances. Explorers here for blessing or curse appraisals, and those seeking healing—please come back next week!"
Some argued, but the temple priests and paladins guarding it were firm.
"Those loudmouths up front. What floor are they on?"
"No idea. Judging by their gear, probably 1st or 2nd floor explorers."
"Tch tch. Don't they know the temple holds a purification rite once a year around New Year's? Can last up to a month, and they don't even know that."
"We forgot too and came to get our blessings checked."
"Ah."
More seasoned explorers smirked at the novice ones milling about in front of the temple doors.
Kakchi, who had been quietly listening to their chatter, glanced slyly up at him.
"See? I told you the temple wouldn't be open this week. Didn't you know?"
"...No clue. I haven't been in Labyrinth City long myself."
"Wait, really? I figured you were at least a 2nd or 3rd floor explorer after seeing you cut through those goblins like butter."
"Cut through? Please."
How many times had he nearly gotten his skull cracked by those goblin bastards? Just thinking about them still made his teeth chatter. But that was beside the point.
"Kakchi. You didn't eat something weird, did you?"
Her expression turned peculiar at the sudden question.
"Pardon...? Well, I can't exactly afford three square meals a day, but I'm not digging through food trash bins or anything..."
"You didn't roll around in some sketchy spot?"
"My bed's always fresh hay in the stables... which might count as sketchy. It does stink."
"Anywhere hurt or anything?"
"...Are you actually worried about me?"
Huh.
Kakchi's mouth fell open a little as she looked up at him, then she grinned ear to ear.
"Heh heh. I'm touched. But don't worry too much. I'm Densi—never had so much as a cold since the day I was born. Healthy as they come."
She puffed out her chest, hands on her hips, boasting like it was some grand achievement.
Maybe it was the pose, but her outfit caught his eye.
By Earth standards—or this world's—it was straight-up hooker attire.
No bra, just a scrap of cloth barely holding on to her breasts.
Micro shorts exposing her lower belly fat, black straps slipping off her hips and doing zero work as underwear.
Honestly, never catching a cold dressed like that was impressive in itself.
The curse isn't contagious... probably.
He asked a few more questions after that, but had no idea where or how she'd picked up the curse.
One thing was certain now that even Kakchi had it.
Outlaw Zone. There's definitely something there.
"Heh heh. No idea what's gotten into you, but you dragged me to the temple out of worry? Some kinda owner complex?"
Kakchi suddenly perked up, chuckling smugly.
"Too bad, though—in the process, I got even more hurt. Take a look. You yanked so hard my neck's all red."
She stepped right up to him and tugged her collar aside.
A wave of her scent hit him, drawing his eyes involuntarily.
Her neck, red and raw from the rough friction of the collar.
Beneath it, stark white skin contrasting the flush, sharp collarbone, and breasts just the right size—more exposed than covered by that single strip of cloth.
"Whoa."
"It's like a scrape, but a whole different sensation. Hngh, such a fresh thrill. This one's not bad either..."
Ever since entering the Labyrinth, exhaustion and worries had killed his libido. But this sudden stimulus jolted him awake.
So he slapped his cheek—hard. His hand didn't connect, of course. The helmet just rang like a bell, head throbbing.
Get it together, Nam Sujin. What the hell? Fantasizing over tits right now?
This was prime time for growth and focus. If he couldn't control one little urge, what then? Slack off now, and it'd bite him later. Front-load the discipline for an easier life—that's the truth. You know it. Even in this world, women aren't the priority. So avert your damn eyes.
But it wasn't easy.
A month of abstinence already. He had scruples—couldn't just relieve himself at Diana's inn on her goodwill. But damn, it was tough. Any man who could hold back with Diana in front of him could cast the first stone.
"Don't shove that filth in Big Brother's face."
"Ack—"
Her chest was yanked back. Snapping to, he saw Jermi had grabbed Kakchi's hair and pulled her away.
Thanks to that, he could finally look away.
They'd come to check the curse, only for the temple to be closed.
For some reason, her 'curse' feels more like a blessing... Is it the difference between ten thousand hits and a thousand?
No special means at hand, no way to dig deeper into the curse right now.
They headed back to the Explorer's Union. They chatted about recent events on the way.
"Anya can be revived."
Jermi had shelled out a fortune for a preservation spell on Anya's head.
It must've hurt his wallet—his face was grim.
But his eyes shone with packed hope.
"I heard rumors of the Miracle of Resurrection slumbering at the mid-layers' end. 19th floor."
Jermi had finally scored the info after relentless digging. No wonder his eyes looked a bit hollow.
True or not, her goal from here was the 19th floor.
"Master. Sign here!"
They arrived at the Union and sat at a table. Kakchi immediately slid a paper over.
A quick glance: slave contract. The owner's seal spot was blank.
"Deluna's seal was here originally. It vanished when she died."
Slave contracts used special paper—signatures or seals vanished if the owner died or the contract broke.
Kakchi's seal remained in the slave slot below.
"As long as my name's in the slave slot, I'm still legally a slave. Better your slave than falling to some shithead scum again."
Staring at the paper, he felt an odd twinge.
Was this right? Him, once a modern man, owning a person like property? Immoral. Inhumane.
Fuck that.
He'd sorted that mindset when he wiped out Deluna's party. Gotta survive somehow.
Despite the past betrayal, the weird curse she'd brought unknowingly, she seemed reliable now. He felt confident she wouldn't pull that again.
"Kakchi... you're my slave now..."
He pressed his thumbprint using the ink Kakchi had prepared. A strange glow flowed from the paper, duplicating it into two sheets that slipped neatly into their hands.
"Hng..."
Kakchi clutched her copy with an enigmatic expression.
That wrapped up the loose ends.
"Now, let's settle up."
At the word "money," both perked up their ears. Money— the one topic no human could ignore.
Especially low-rank explorers like them.
Goblin extermination reward: 1 silver, 6 coppers.
Deluna, a rehabilitated explorer turned outlaw again—recognized as such, worth 4 silvers bounty.
Total haul: 5 silvers, 6 coppers.
"I admit I don't deserve much! I didn't even fight Deluna's party directly—just helped a bit on the way out. I'm fine with nothing!"
Kakchi backed away from the table, eyes glued to the silver, face full of greed.
"As for me..."
Jermi fell silent. He already seemed strapped for cash.
"I can't claim equal contribution to Big Brother. I was a liability from the start. Even the bare minimum share would be a blessing..."
He bowed his head and proposed an 8:2 split. Him getting 2, obviously.
He eyed the coins on the table quietly.
Honestly, this Labyrinth run—he'd carried from start to finish.
He deserved to take it all solo.
But the next run? The one after?
Why did mid-to-high explorers mostly run in parties? Simple.
Solo hits a wall eventually.
Traps you can't disarm alone, massive beasts.
Without a party, tough times were inevitable.
A little investment for that day... not a bad idea.
Yeah. This was an investment.
In a spearman with EXP gain buffs, and an archer/guide with unknown potential packing +25 all-stats.
He wasn't flush, but he had the money squeezed from Zelbin and inn earnings.
And wise investments buy the dip.
Buy low. This stock was at rock bottom now.
Help after success fades; aid in desperation sticks forever.
Looking to the future...
"You two. Don't fuck up later, got it?"
He grumbled while redistributing generously.
"Uhhuuh...?"
"Heh. My master's got an eye for talent, that's for sure."
Jermi's dazed voice and Kakchi's smug one echoed across the table.
Eastern explorer district.
A masked woman who had walked from the flashy weapon shops lined like a department store stepped into a dingy, fly-buzzing storefront.
"Hey, owner."
"Yes? What can I do for you?"
The woman, rummaging through a box of unpolished cheap weapons, sensed something off and called the shopkeeper.
"You haven't seen that crude-looking Great Helm that was here, have you?"
"Pardon? Oh! That junky Great Helm?"
"...What? I said crude, not junky—"
Her voice sharpened instantly, but...
"Sold it. Some sucker—er, nice guy bought it for a fortune. Heh!"
Her mouth snapped shut at the owner's words.
"...Really? It's gone? Who bought it? Know anything?"
"Hm. Tall guy, ripped body. Wearing a helmet, so no face, but looked like a newbie explorer... Why the sudden interest?"
The woman shot the owner a crooked glance, then smirked.
"Just... whoever it was, sounds like they got it dirt cheap."