Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: Eve of the Storm
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A low shout drew the eyes of the rowdy group harassing the inn's entrance toward me.
In my mind, I reclassified them from customers to enemies.
There were three of them in total.
A drunken female dwarf and human.
And a dark elf trying to hold them back.
They weren't wearing armor, but each carried personal weapons.
The dwarf had gauntlets on her fists, the human had daggers strapped to both thighs, and the dark elf held a wooden staff.
'An elf mage.'
She was the one I needed to watch most closely.
I recalled the devastating magic Ellie had unleashed against the minotaur boss.
Not every elf was as powerful as her, but it never hurt to be cautious.
👤 Name:Nuer Erensia LV45
◆ 298th Marionette's Curse
'Higher potential than Kakchi.'
Instinctively opening my status window brought up a curse I hadn't seen in a while.
The dwarf and human had the Marionette's Curse too, but they were only in the low 30s level-wise, with curses in the 3,000s.
By contrast, this dark elf named Nuer had a staggering 298—the highest I'd ever seen.
And according to my big data, nine out of ten with that curse were outlaws or reformed explorers.
In other words, plenty of scum with rotten personalities who caused scenes right in front of a tavern that hadn't even opened yet.
"What the fuck? You calling me a filthy hag, you bastard?"
"Hey, hey. Hold up."
The dwarf bristled at my blunt facts and stepped forward, only for the human woman to stop her.
Her lust-glazed eyes locked onto me in my suit.
"Wouldn't it be a waste to just beat the shit out of him? We could have some real fun."
"Fun my ass. There's more fun in mocking your pathetic lives—big heads sloshing with booze, throwing tantrums in front of someone else's shop. So fuck off nicely while I'm still polite, you troublemaking bitches."
"...What?"
The human woman's face twisted at my fact-packed words.
A 6:4 mix of lust and rage.
"If you're drunk, go home quietly and sleep it off. Why make a scene in front of someone else's place? No home to go back to?"
"Watch your mouth. What business is it of yours if we cause trouble here?"
"Because I'm staff here."
The dwarf exploded at that.
"Staff? You dare mouth off in front of customers?!"
"When did you become customers? We serve women who spill milk on the tables and drunks who pass out on them, but not blatant assholes like you. Get lost."
Diana agreed on this point. There were plenty of customers without scum like them.
"What's going on?"
"Some bitches from Cozy Winter Night have been causing a racket out front for a while. Looks like the staff spotted them."
"Who's the staff?"
"That guy in the helmet. Fuck, that suit is hot... Yeah, he's the one for today."
Their rough voices drew stares from passersby and onlookers.
The matchup—an armed trio of women versus an unarmed man in a suit—really pulled eyes.
"The staff guy's a dude. Isn't that dangerous?"
"Who knows. I heard he's an explorer too. Junior Explorer, I think...?"
"Those drunk bitches are armed. Kinda ominous... Should we call the guards?"
"Someone already went. But the guard post is a bit far, so they might not get here quick."
Someone had already noticed the commotion and run off to fetch the guards.
Perfect. Working at Diana's place had made me a familiar face to folks passing by.
"Junior Explorer? What the hell does that punk have to be so cocky? He'd piss himself against a monster...!"
The shitfaced dwarf sneered at "Junior Explorer" and stomped forward.
"Enough."
Thud.
The dark elf Nuer blocked her path with her staff.
"Cut it out. You're drawing too much attention. Let's go."
The dwarf glared at Nuer.
"Pointy-ears. Think you're hot shit 'cause you're a mage?"
"Just because the boss treats you special doesn't mean we have to kiss your ass. Know your place."
The dwarf and human growled at Nuer.
'What? Aren't they on the same side?'
I stared blankly at the sudden infighting.
From their talk, the dwarf and human answered to some higher-up who gave Nuer special treatment.
"Do whatever. But causing a scene here won't end well for you. If you hadn't bragged about pounding more booze, none of this would've happened."
"...Tch."
"...Fine. Got it."
The dwarf and human clicked their tongues at Nuer's words.
"Fucking buzzkill. Ptooey!"
The dwarf spat a thick glob right on the inn door and opened her mouth.
"Count yourself lucky, stud. You almost ended up as pussy rug slave but slipped away."
"Wanna go later? Big sis'll be gentle. Pfft."
They cackled as they brushed past me.
Their brazen attitude left me dumbfounded, and I let out a scoff.
"What makes you think you can just walk away like nothing happened?"
"Huh?"
My words echoed through the suddenly deathly quiet street. The dwarf and human turned back with blank looks.
I saw the dark elf Nuer sigh and pinch her brow.
I ignored her and kept talking.
"I didn't even expect compensation. But at least an apology? That's basic human decency, no?"
The dwarf and human exchanged glances at my words.
"...Compensation? Apology? Bwahahaha!"
"Ahahaha! Apology! He wants us to apologize! To us! AHAHAHAHA!!"
At my perfectly reasonable statement, the dwarf and human doubled over laughing like I'd hit a seizure switch.
The sight was oddly endearing, so I laughed too.
"Right? Even you think it's ridiculous, huh? Doing shit like this without even apologizing—ain't human. Bwahahahaha!!"
Hahaha!!
The three of us filled the quiet street with laughter.
Hahahahaha!!
Hahahahahaha!!!
"You son of a—"
A brief silence followed, then time slowed to a crawl.
Nearly frozen, I watched the dwarf swing her fist at me.
Her gauntlet-wrapped fist pulsed with mana, transforming—an artifact weapon.
But irrelevant. Attacks had to land to matter.
My reach was far longer than the stubby dwarf's.
Furious, I went all in.
The world snapped back to normal speed.
"Guh... Wha?"
The dwarf's face was in my grip.
Her expression shifted to horror in slow motion as she realized what was happening.
I slammed her face-first into the dirt.
BOOM!!
"Gahaaak!"
Her skull hit first, and she spewed blood with a scream.
"Ugh! What the—!"
"Cough, ugh, dust!"
Onlookers fled in panic from the sudden fight.
Thick dust clouds rose from their footsteps, obscuring vision.
I activated Insight immediately.
My helmet-filtered view pierced the haze, revealing everything around me like it was in my palm.
A slash incoming from behind.
The dagger-wielder had leaped, weighting her strike downward.
Thud.
I reached back, grabbing her dagger hand.
"H-How'd you spot—"
CRUNCH!!
"Aaaaagh...!"
I twisted her arm in a full spin, pinning her, then snatched her exposed throat midair.
"L-Let... go...!"
She pounded my arm with fists and kicks, but I held her dangling.
"...Gurk... Guh..."
Eventually, foam bubbled from her mouth as she went limp.
I tossed her onto the prone dwarf's gut.
Then I turned to the dark elf who'd done nothing so far.
"Keh...!"
Despite her comrades getting wrecked, Nuer was clapping in admiration.
"Whew, that felt good. Turns out hanging with deadweights is this exhausting. Retarded fuckwits. Outlaws gonna outlaw—brains as rotten as the rest. Told 'em not to a million times, and they still chug ahead."
"...?"
Her sudden shift in tone left my head spinning.
Level 45. My body, braced for a Nate Ellin-tier fight, relaxed.
"Weren't you gonna jump in too?"
"Nah? What mage dives into close quarters with a warrior like you unprepared? And why should I fight? I was trying to stop these idiots."
True. But... hmm.
Nuer smacked her lips at the pair sprawled amicably on the ground and said to me,
"Tsk. Hate to just hand over the contribution points... but oh well. They're wanted outlaws on Explorer's Union posters. Turn 'em over to the guards, and I'll get the points."
"...Hold up. What are you, anyway? Not an outlaw?"
Outlaws didn't ditch allies this easily.
Paradoxically, captured comrades might spill everything on you.
Yet Nuer spoke with outright contempt for outlaws.
"Me? Hmm..."
She pondered, then lifted her waistband.
She flashed her explorer ID badge tucked in her pants—not wooden Junior Explorer, but silver Intermediate Explorer.
Stamped with the mark of a reformed explorer.
"Filthy hag troublemaker... maybe?"
"Oh, and drink this. Healing potion. Meager, but covers repairs."
The self-proclaimed filthy hag tossed me a water bottle and coin pouch before vanishing into the crowd.
My injuries were minor, and it felt oddly suspicious for a healing potion, so I didn't drink.
The pouch held eight silver coins.
More than enough for a door and ingredients.
I brushed dirt from my clothes, mulling over the dark elf Nuer.
Too much from what the knocked-out pair said for a simple reformed explorer. Too many odd actions to peg as pure outlaw.
'Spy maybe?'
Like a dark hero infiltrating a villain group to dismantle it from within?
"Pfft. Bullshit overload."
The adrenaline crash brought random thoughts.
I shook my head, focusing on the moment.
Things calmed once the guards arrived.
"You've had a rough time. This was our job—our oversight."
The squad leader who'd brought the guard platoon apologized gravely, face stern.
The suit? Felt like better treatment than usual.
"No big deal. Heard you give contribution points for catching wanted outlaws."
"Yes. We award 2 points per outlaw caught by explorers. Here's your 2-point voucher. Redeem at the Explorer's Union."
I took the contribution slip. Not Gurumimi or Reihem-tier outlaws.
2 plus 2 is 4.
With 10 from the last Labyrinth run, 16 to Intermediate Explorer.
"And that helmet... You're Balkan, aren't you?"
I blinked at the guard squad leader suddenly naming me.
"How'd you know my name?"
"Anyone who drinks around here knows you. Word's spreading about a notable new explorer. But more importantly, a question."
She eyed me cautiously.
From tavern gossip, guard squad leaders were elite.
No reason for this deference unless begging a favor. Yet she proceeded carefully.
"Remember Talian from the last outlaw capture request?"
Impossible to forget.
Real name Reihem. Blaz guild's illusion mage and outlaw.
Professor Arpo's 10-year TA who'd finally snapped into madness.
Captured her with rampaging Gurumimi in the Labyrinth.
"Yes. Something up?"
"We're interrogating for intel, but she won't talk—just keeps demanding a 'tall, muscular explorer guy in a helmet.' Checked, and you're the only match."
"She's asking for me?"
I tilted my head.
'Why would that psycho grad student want me?'
"Yes. Please visit the guard post ASAP. We'll compensate—"
Thud.
A distant sound hit unusually loud.
My head turned naturally toward it.
Diana stood there, shopping bags dropped, staring blankly at me.
"...Balkan?"
Her gaze swept the wrecked inn, crushed ingredients, bound outlaws, and me sitting in the dirt chatting with the squad leader.
Through her faintly dazed eyes, her amber irises trembled with unease.