Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: A Bit of Rest (2)
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Let's tally up the gains we made this time.
First off, we snagged a blessing. Unfortunately, it wasn't for me.
"Aaah~ I didn't want to use it in a place like this!"
The cow beastkin warrior Jubel drew her sword with one arm, striking a bizarre pose.
"Sword auuuuraaa!"
Tzzzzzt—
A mystical haze began to rise from the blade as it smoothly slid free of its sheath.
"Ooh! Is that aura?!"
"Yeah. Picked it up right on the edge of death. Damn. Getting a single blessing is no joke."
"Kuhahaha! Look at that murky color! Her heart's rotten!"
"Why does a cow who just sprays milk all day get such a precious blessing..."
"Ahh. Now they'll tell me to go mid-level explorer~ What am I supposed to do with this? Uhahaha!"
The explorers around the inn's center gawked in admiration or snickered at the sudden spectacle.
In this labyrinth run, Jubel had acquired a blessing called sword aura—or aura blade—by those around her.
The official name shown in the status window was Blessing of the One Who Has Realized the Sword, but who cares about splitting hairs.
Clap clap clap. I gave her a round of applause.
Her actions were cringeworthy, but it was worth celebrating. They say there's no greater blessing for a warrior or swordsman.
The truly talented can awaken it on their own, or so they say.
That's exceedingly rare, though. Usually, you rely on sheer luck.
Like buying lottery tickets every day in the hopes of hitting the jackpot—diving into labyrinths and praying for a blessing.
Jubel had hit the miracle jackpot.
"Kuhk! Balkan! You're the only one for me. The sweaty girls just jealous-snicker! As thanks, I'll give you my milk! Drink it sparingly."
"I seriously don't need it."
"Really...?"
Jubel slumped her shoulders and headed back to her seat.
Even blessings with the same name can vary wildly in performance for explorers, and judging by how murky Jubel's sword aura looked, it probably wasn't top-tier.
"Kiyaaak! No, my sheath!!!"
Still, sword aura was a Tier 1 blessing.
Jubel botched controlling it while sheathing her sword and sliced right through the scabbard.
For it to be that sharp from a mere bump—insane performance.
I averted my gaze to shake off the envy.
No point obsessing over someone else's rice cake. Time to focus on what I'll get from now on.
"First, let's settle up the silver from monster hunts."
25 silver per head for the monsters we killed while escorting the students.
This time, even as main combatants, the payout matched the last settlement. We hadn't gone into the labyrinth for hunting in the first place.
Besides, the real draw here wasn't pocket change like that.
"And the academy's success fee... two gold coins!"
"Wheek! Wheeek!"
"Aaaah...!!!"
Jubel and Lamel whistled wildly, Hitollis sought her earth goddess again, and Gregor just let out a grrrk.
Two gold coins. After nearly four grueling weeks, it felt worth every second.
The money I'd saved from Diana's tavern gigs in the first month of my trip was about twenty silver—and now I'd earned nearly ten times that in one go.
Sure, it was ten times tougher than tavern work, but now I could finally breathe easy.
With this much, even a junior explorer could splurge on top-grade gear and live comfortably.
"And now, the real issue..."
But even that wasn't the main event of this settlement.
The party members—who'd been whistling and carrying on moments ago—swallowed hard, faces tense.
A treasure with razor-thin drop odds, essential material for crafting artifacts.
Its value went without saying.
The soulstone from the 7th-floor monster Minotaur.
Not just any regular Minotaur, but two from unique specimens.
"I've been an explorer for three years, and this is my first Minotaur soulstone."
"Unique specimens to boot... that says it all."
Yeah. Says it all.
Splaaash—
So quit looking at me like that, already.
"...Balkan. You decide. What do we do with these?"
Joey Hogg and the rest drooled as they asked.
Last time with the hobgoblin soulstones, they'd generously declared them mine to win favor—but these? They were drooling.
Monster bounties get split by party ratios, but relics or soulstones go to whoever contributed most by unspoken rule.
If contributions are even, fights break out—but here, it's crystal clear who did what.
Who dueled the boss Minotaur and won? Who smashed the most? Whose kill dropped the soulstones?
"Hmm. Shall we start the settlement, then?"
I reached out without hesitation and pocketed the boss Minotaur's soulstone.
This one's mine, for starters.
"Woo... milk comiiing..."
"Gather the sources of wind and fire into one..."
"Booze! More booze nooow!"
"Earth goddess... not there... aaah..."
"Grrrk!"
I sorted out the five plastered drunks.
Isolated the milky cow in the corner, muffled the harpy chanting loudly, knocked out the dwarf, and tucked the cat priestess—with her lewd dream-face—next to the lizardgirl.
All of them grinning in blissed-out satisfaction.
Good. After the huge sacrifices I made.
I remembered their faces when I told them to divvy up the rest themselves—beaming like they'd struck unexpected gold.
Nothing's more headache-inducing than money souring relationships.
If this investment buys trust from top junior explorers and prevents future headaches, it's a bargain.
"Those your new party members?"
Diana laughed from the kitchen as she watched me shuffle them around.
Yesterday, she'd come down drenched in sticky goo from the 2nd floor, too mortified for eye contact—but a day later, she seemed mostly recovered.
"Yeah. Pretty solid folks."
"Hee hee. Glad to hear it. Bonds build over time. Good people around you always pay off later."
Diana asked casually.
"So that rude... no, hopeless kid from before? She's out?"
Rude, hopeless kid. Dropped out. I could guess who.
Bit rough wording for Diana, though.
Maybe 'cause Kakchi called her 'auntie' from the jump.
The ageless milf Diana had been bugged by Kakchi after all.
"Things just worked out that way."
Wonder where Kakchi is now.
No doubt her level had skyrocketed since I last checked during the third labyrinth run.
Jaw-dropping growth rate. She'd need mentoring on at least the 8th floor or deeper for that.
To rack up that much XP, you dive deep—but who's backing Kakchi?
She's blood enemies with her old lawless Blaz clan, and even with a new party, that pace...
It hit me: that curse of hers.
◆ Curse of the 1389th Marionette
• Densi has become the 1389th marionette.
Blessings and curses defy common sense by nature, but this one's a mystery wrapped in enigmas.
Every lawless thug or reformed explorer I'd met had this curse at high odds—though oblivious to it.
But Jermi's letter said Kakchi left for somewhere, needing power to protect me.
She moved with clear intent.
I figured that's when she realized her marionette curse. High chance she headed to the lawless zone.
If she's getting mentored by a fellow—or higher-up—marionette there, the rapid growth makes sense.
What the hell is that curse, anyway.
I'd felt disgust toward the lawless' curse at first, but now? Pure curiosity.
Still, prodding now could backfire hard.
Lately, I'd been hit with a harsh truth.
I'm weak.
I leveled up 4 times in this labyrinth run.
Slaughtering the Minotaur pack dumped 3 levels' worth of XP at once, so I held off on free points.
Even so, I'm solid for a junior explorer now—more than one person's share.
Still weak.
Diana, Ethelbert, Zirnier, Serip, Royal Knight Captain, etc.
Too many strong folks lately—shook my confidence a bit.
Explorer ranks aren't just juniors.
Mid, high, and the three ultra-elites in Labyrinth City.
Add rogue lawless or branded ones, and powerhouses multiply.
There's always someone stronger—overwhelmingly so.
My gut says marionette curse folks are seriously strong.
Not hackjobs like Deluna or Derucio who don't even notice their curses—but those in the know? Even more.
Boils down to one answer.
Labyrinth dives, mysteries, whatever.
Get strong first.
And I've always flailed to grow stronger.
Steady training and labyrinth runs, same as always.
After inn duties, I hit the fluffy bed, mulling tomorrow.
Brain fried from overthinking—sleep crashed in fast.
A craftsman blames no gear.
But that's 'cause their tools are top-of-the-top-tier.
A noob with master gear won't skyrocket—but at least no gear excuses.
Gear up first, then hone pure skill.
That's why I'm here for gear.
Before me loomed a luxury weapon shop that puffed the chest with pride.
Labyrinth City's finest, showcasing Zirnier's gear in elegant, shimmering displays.
Place I wouldn't have dared enter without Zirnier promising custom work.
Rumor has it her workshop's out back.
I fiddled with my helmet, battered from recent fights.
Wonder if they can fix this too.