Chapter 10: I Only Move for Money
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 10: I Only Move for Money
The moment the effects of the tonic wore off, my erection subsided.
And as it did, the strength in my legs vanished along with it.
“I can’t get up.”
“Then get on my back.”
“Yes, sir.”
And so, I ended up being carried on the broad back of a barbarian warrior who had descended for the rescue operation.
Man, his body odor is no joke. Does this guy ever wash?
The barbarian warrior had the Young Lady on his back and me tucked under his arm.
They were foreigners from the North, much like the Easterners who came from the Orient.
Commonly known as ‘Barbarians.’
Their speech was clumsy, their personalities were incredibly fierce, and their body odor was overwhelming.
But their loyalty was second to none.
Unlike the Easterners, who were perceived as particularly stingy within the Labyrinth City, the Northern Barbarians were often called ‘easy marks’ because of their generosity.
Thanks to this reliable barbarian carrying us out, we were able to leave the Labyrinth without any further discomfort.
My god.
The scene outside the Labyrinth was impossibly chaotic.
Rescue teams rushing in and survivors being brought out were all tangled together, making it more crowded than a market on a festival day.
And everywhere I looked, corpses were lined up.
They were likely those who had made it back only to succumb to their wounds.
The sound of wailing echoed from all directions.
It was the crying of those who had survived.
Today’s events would likely be recorded as a Great Labyrinth Catastrophe.
“We are here. Get down.”
“Thank you. You saved our lives.”
“Don’t mention it. I’m off. I have more people to save.”
“Yes, please stay safe.”
The barbarian who had carried the Young Lady and me out didn’t even ask for payment.
He simply dropped us off near the Labyrinth entrance and immediately headed back inside.
He was giving his all to the rescue efforts.
Judging by the gold badge hanging from his neck, he seemed to be a veteran adventurer.
It was truly moving to see him working so hard for a task that didn't pay a cent.
“We lived... we actually lived.”
“Yes. We finally made it out of that godforsaken labyrinth.”
After being trapped for nearly two days in a place I had expected to visit for only a day trip, the outside air felt wonderful.
It felt a bit awkward to express joy with so many people crying around us, but I was just glad to be alive.
If Rien hadn’t obtained an Ability and come down to find us, we would have been trapped for much longer.
“Thank you for coming to find us right away, Rien.”
“Hmph... I only went in to find Leah...”
Rien glared at me slightly while tending to the Young Lady.
It seemed she had taken a bit of a dislike to me, perhaps because she caught me doing something scandalous with the Young Lady back in the Labyrinth.
It felt unfair, but what could I do?
Well, it’s not like we’ll see each other again after today.
It didn't matter what she thought of me.
The Young Lady had already made sure I’d keep my mouth shut, so there wouldn't be any problems.
Our connection ended here anyway.
Once I received my payment from the Young Lady, we probably wouldn't cross paths again.
Thinking that way made everything that had just happened feel like a dream.
Showing my genitals to a noble lady and having her touch them...
The Labyrinth is truly a strange and cruel place where you experience things you never could have imagined.
What happened earlier was just one of those Labyrinth mishaps.
Driven to a mental breaking point, we had simply crossed the boundaries of social status and done something lewd.
Now that both the Young Lady and I were out of the Labyrinth, such a thing would never happen again.
By the way, the weather is great.
Looking up at the blue sky made me feel refreshed.
I must have been under an immense amount of stress while trapped in the Labyrinth without even realizing it.
Well, considering I had cheated death several times, it was only natural.
It wasn't just the Young Lady; my own mind might have been starting to crack as well.
I needed rest.
I needed to get paid and buy a slave as soon as possible.
“Ugh. Ahh.”
While I was debating how much to ask for as a reward, the Young Lady, who had been looking up at the sky beside me, clutched her chest and gasped.
“Leah, Leah! What’s wrong?!”
“My whole body... feels like it’s going to explode... Porter, what is this?!”
As she suddenly cried out in pain, Rien panicked, not knowing what to do. The Young Lady also grabbed my arm with a startled expression, as if she didn't understand what was happening to her.
Here it comes.
She was likely undergoing Mana Adaptation.
Everyone usually finds it painful the first time they experience it.
“You’re just going through Mana Adaptation, so don’t worry too much. It happens to everyone.”
“What? Oh. Ah... so everyone goes through this. Ugh... it hurts...”
“Leah, are you okay...?”
“No... my whole body is aching.”
Rien rubbed the Young Lady’s back, and she soon returned to normal.
Since she had absorbed a lot of experience, it seemed her growing pains were quite intense.
She might have even gained an Ability.
“Did you happen to gain an Ability as well?”
“Huh? No. I’m not sure about an Ability. I think it was just Mana Adaptation.”
A dud, then.
That was a shame. Going through Mana Adaptation didn't guarantee gaining an Ability.
I had entered the Labyrinth countless times and had only gone through Mana Adaptation five times, and even then, I had only gained two Abilities.
“Hmm...?”
Suddenly, my own body began to ache.
It seemed my Mana Adaptation was starting as well.
Well, it would have been disappointing if I didn't get an adaptation after taking down a Vorpal Rabbit.
It stings a bit.
The first time had been deathly painful, but now I was used to it.
This was already my sixth Mana Adaptation.
I could essentially consider myself to have reached Level 6.
With this, I should be able to withstand the Underground City without suffering from Mana Poisoning.
Am I finally able to enter the Underground City?
It had been six months since I started venturing into the Labyrinth.
I had finally earned the right to be called a veteran.
I could now enter the Underground City, a place I couldn't go before because my level was too low.
“Ugh...!”
Then, a sharp, late-arriving pain throbbed through my brain.
This was...
A new Ability!
During my previous five Mana Adaptations, I had only gained two Abilities.
Of course, both were incredibly broken for an adventurer, but I had been thinking it was about time I gained a new one.
I hoped it would be a good one this time too.
The Ability I gained this time is...
[Spiritual Eye Opening]
Spiritual Eye Opening?
What is this?
It was an Ability I had never heard of.
Was there anyone else around me with such an Ability?
As far as I could remember, there was no one.
I’ll be able to see things others can’t?
No other information was inscribed into my brain.
It seemed to be a type of Demon Eye.
I would need more information to use it properly.
“Porter, are you okay?”
“Yes. I think I just went through Mana Adaptation as well.”
The Young Lady looked at me with a worried expression.
Had she grown fond of me during this Labyrinth run?
Even though we were outside, she was still looking after me.
“Now that we’ve caught our breath, let’s head to the relief station. My wounds are starting to sting. You should go too, Young Lady. It’s better to treat those minor wounds before they turn into scars.”
“Yeah. I understand.”
My arm had been badly torn while fighting the Vorpal Rabbit.
I had stopped the bleeding with the supplies I had, but it was better to get it treated properly at the relief station.
If the wound got infected, I might have to have my arm amputated.
A physical disability leads to a serious decrease in combat power.
For someone living as an adventurer, it was something to be avoided at all costs.
Some high-ranking adventurers would even commit suicide and undergo resurrection, claiming it was better to die and come back than to live with a missing limb.
Of course, that was only possible for adventurers wealthy enough to afford the resurrection costs.
“This is the relief station. If you get hurt or need treatment in the future, you can come here.”
“Yeah. There are so many healers...”
The relief station was filled with patients caught in the Labyrinth Eruption and the healers treating them.
Those who had already died were left in front of the Labyrinth for the time being, while the living were all transported here for treatment.
It was chaos everywhere. I had no idea how many people had died because of this eruption.
The entire city had been turned upside down, and once this chaos subsided, a heavy silence and a period of depression would surely follow.
The number of people quitting as adventurers would skyrocket, and if the number of adventurers decreased, the economy of the Labyrinth City, which relied on them, might stagnate.
It was a bit scary to think that a gloomy atmosphere would hang over the city until a large number of new adventurers arrived.
When the people's livelihoods become unstable, thieves and bandits increase, and when those types increase, the underworld naturally becomes more active.
Well, it’s not my problem to worry about.
The high and mighty of the city would take care of it. If the number of adventurers decreased, it might even be an opportunity to raise my own rates.
Let’s not think too negatively.
“Next person, please come in!”
“I think it’s our turn. Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
After a long wait, the Young Lady and I were finally able to have our wounds treated at the relief station.
I heard that Rien had also had a gash on her arm treated before she came down to rescue us.
“That will be 40 silver.”
Of course, the treatment wasn't free.
We had to pay for the consultation and the medicine.
“Young Lady, the bill.”
“What! I have to pay for this too?”
“Pardon? Well, of course. I got hurt in the Labyrinth. I fought hard because you said you’d cover all the costs.”
“...You really are something. It’s true what they say about Easterners being stingy.”
“Excuse me? What was that? You’re saying it’s a relief we survived thanks to the survival items I bought with my hard-earned savings?”
“Ugh. Fine. I’ll pay. Stop nagging.”
The Young Lady paid for my share as well.
It really was nice having a benefactor.
“By the way, Rien.”
“Yeah...?”
“You still haven't found Erika and Rika, have you?”
“No. I have to go back and look for them... but I need something they gave me... and I don't have anything.”
At my question, Rien and the Young Lady’s expressions darkened again.
Rien’s ‘Clue Tracking’ required an item or a part of the body left behind by the target.
She said she was able to find the Young Lady and me because she broke the hairpin the Young Lady had entrusted to her.
Therefore, to find Erika and Rika, they needed an item the two had entrusted to them or something they had left behind.
“Oh, right! I have something Erika gave me.”
The Young Lady reached into her clothes and pulled out a rosary with a cross.
It seemed to be a gift from the priestess.
“Erika gave this to me. A rosary of the Goddess Church. I think we can find her with this.”
“W-wait... it might work... let’s see... it works!”
Rien took the rosary from the Young Lady and activated her ability.
“Over there... that direction!”
“South. Looks like the Sewer Zone.”
The direction Rien pointed was the southern part of the Labyrinth City.
It was the direction of the entrance to the Sewer Zone.
It would be best to go look for them right now, but...
Rien looked exhausted.
She had barely slept and had gone back into the Labyrinth to save the Young Lady and me.
Her face was so pale she looked like she might collapse at any moment.
“Rien, are you able to go back into the Labyrinth?”
“Uh... well.”
Rien’s hands trembled slightly.
As expected, it would be too much.
Without Rien to track down the Female Knight and the Priestess, they were as good as dead.
Especially in the Sewer Zone, where the corpse recovery rate was incredibly low...
Resurrection would be impossible too.
It was unfortunate, but they might have to give up.
“Wait.... I... I can still go... I have to save them...”
Though she looked incredibly strained, Rien expressed her desire to enter the Labyrinth once more.
Looking at her condition, the right thing to do would be to tell her to give up.
But if she did, the Female Knight and the Priestess would die.
The moment Rien resolved to go in, the option to give up vanished.
Normally, I should report what happened in the Labyrinth to the guild first, but every second was precious right now.
We had to go on a rescue mission immediately.
“Let’s gather a rescue team and head down. Young Lady, you should go rest at the inn.”
“Wait, I want to go too.”
“If you come too, that’s two pieces of baggage I have to carry.”
“What?”
“Your legs are shaking right now. I’ll go down with Rien and bring them back, so just wait quietly at the lodging.”
“...Alright. If you bring them back, I’ll pay you the full reward I promised. Please...”
“Yes. It’s a promise. Let’s go, Rien.”
“Okay...!”
If I brought back the Female Knight and the Priestess, it was 20 gold coins per head.
Even if they’re dead...
She said she’d give me 10 gold coins just for recovering the bodies properly.
So, this... wasn't volunteer work.
I wasn't being a sucker.
I was an adventurer moving for a reward.
I definitely wasn't going back down into the Labyrinth because of the Young Lady’s tearful expression.
I wasn't going down because Rien grabbed my sleeve as if pleading for help.
......Dammit.
My legs were killing me.
But for the sake of money, I had no choice.
I had to earn a lot of money to build my slave harem.
Alright, let’s head down.
I just came out, but...
The members of this bottom-tier party weren't all gathered yet.