Chapter 38: Side Effects of That Nature
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 38: Side Effects of That Nature
“This is driving me crazy.”
I was lost in thought as I walked down the street.
As if playing a game of push-and-pull, the Young Lady had sent me away, telling me to go home for the day. I had completely fallen for her pace.
Six months.
Within that time, I had to achieve one of two goals. Either make her fall in love with someone else, or reach Gold Badge rank or higher.
Between the two, the lower difficulty level was making her fall in love with someone else. The method wasn't even that hard. I just had to act subhuman or do things that would make her lose interest, lowering her affection for me.
But...
“I don't have the heart for it.”
Yeah, that was the biggest problem. I didn't want to act like that in front of her. As long as she didn't leave the Labyrinth City, our paths would keep crossing. To be more precise, I lacked the 'courage to be hated' by her.
I was going to keep entering the Labyrinth as her instructor. It would be much better for our expeditions if she could rely on me rather than hate me.
Ultimately, if I didn't have the courage to be hated, I had no choice but to get stronger.
I only had two options, yet I didn't want to do one, and I likely couldn't do the other even if I wanted to. It was the worst kind of dilemma—a bizarre "pick your poison" scenario.
How am I supposed to reach Gold Badge in six months?
I hadn't even reached Silver Badge yet. And she wanted me to become an adventurer prestigious enough for the House of Lionel to acknowledge within six months?
Of course, it wasn't entirely impossible.
I could register at the Martial Arts Hall, train repeatedly, and roll around the Labyrinth like a dog.
I just had to grind my life away. I had inherited the talent of Shaka, who was likely at the Platinum Badge level during his lifetime. If I could utilize this talent well, I believed there was a sufficient chance of growing close to Gold Badge level within six months.
“Sigh... Haaaah.”
The sighs kept coming. My chest felt tight, as if I were trapped in a corner. It felt like I’d fallen into a trap. The Young Lady’s love was just too heavy.
“Aaaaagh!”
When I screamed in front of the Red Light District, people looked at me strangely. Some even scurried away, probably wondering if I’d caught some kind of venereal disease.
“Phew. What’s the point of worrying?”
I’ll just have to wing it. What else can I do?
Besides, I had no idea what Yuria would do next. If I was going to keep frequenting the Labyrinth, I felt like I needed to buy a slave just to help with daily life.
For now, let’s head to the hole-in-the-wall shop. I had things to ask Lafnel and things to tell her.
*
“Hello.”
“Hm? Sion? You’re back sooner than I expected. Did the Labyrinth run go well?”
“Yes. I almost died, but I made it back with all my limbs intact.”
“I’m glad your limbs are fine. It would be troublesome if a regular of my shop died somewhere.”
Lafnel grinned.
“But for someone who made it back alive, you don't look so good. Did something happen?”
“Ah, well. How should I put it... It’s a woman problem.”
“A woman problem? Did you find someone you like?”
“Well, I’m not sure how much I should tell you. It’s a bit complicated.”
“Complicated? You have a complicated woman problem?”
“Hey, what’s with that reaction?”
Lafnel asked back as if she couldn't believe I even had a woman in my life. I’m a man; of course I could have a woman. No, seriously, what was with that condescending look? Does Lafnel even have a man?
Suddenly, I felt annoyed.
“Oh, nothing. It’s just... interesting to hear you mention a woman. Pfft.”
“Why, you old hag...!”
“What?! Hey! How dare you call an unmarried maiden an old hag!”
“Huh? Wait, Miss Lafnel. You’re not married?”
She wasn't married? She had to be over a thousand years old. Does that mean she’s been living in solitude for over a millennium? I know people like the idea of a maiden, but a thousand-year-old maiden is a bit much. I was getting major "landmine" vibes.
“...”
“No, I mean, at your age, Miss Lafnel, it wouldn't be strange if you had great-great-grandchildren—”
Thwack!
“Gack?!”
In an instant, Lafnel moved faster than the eye could see, flicked my forehead, and returned to her spot. I couldn't even react. Seeing her already back in her original position gave me goosebumps.
“W-what was that? How did you...”
“Hmph. 'Old hag.' How annoying.”
“Excuse me?”
“Never mind. It’s my loss if I get angry at a child. Anyway, a woman problem. Is it a love triangle?”
“I don't know if I’d call it a love triangle. If I don't reach Gold Badge in six months, the woman’s family might kill me.”
“Did you mess with a noble?”
“It’s less that I messed with one and more like a noble messed with me.”
“You’re hooked, then. Phew. Tsk, tsk. Good luck with that. Nobles have always been a bit... obsessive, both now and in the past.”
When I said I was caught by a noble, Lafnel shook her head and looked at me with pity.
“But I’ve been wondering... did you eat something strange in the Labyrinth?”
“Huh? Something strange?”
“Something is clouding your eyes.”
“Ah. I was actually going to mention that. My Spiritual Eye was activated this time.”
“Oh? Really? How interesting. What did you see with your Spiritual Eye? I’m curious. Very curious.”
“Well...”
I gave Lafnel a summarized explanation of the process leading up to the activation of the Spiritual Eye, what I saw after opening it, and the events that followed.
As I spoke, Lafnel’s expression grew increasingly serious.
“Hoh. Shaka, you say.”
“Do you know about Shaka?”
“I do. Of course I do. He’s a figure from the quite distant past. Back when there was only one entrance to the Upper Levels.”
“A time when there was only one entrance?”
“Yes. I can’t even fathom how many years ago that was. Shaka was one of the explorers of that era. A nostalgic name. To think he wandered the Labyrinth for so long even after death... How pitiful.”
Currently, there are four entrances to the Upper Levels: the Underground Graveyard, the Sewer, the Breeding Grounds, and the Botanical Garden. If there was a time when there was only one entrance, it must have been long before the numbers increased. If a Labyrinth Eruption is like a Labyrinth update, just how many years ago did Shaka live?
“Anyway, it’s quite interesting that his remnant remains. And as per your hypothesis... if you can bring out the souls wandering the Labyrinth and obtain their remnants, you might truly become an all-purpose adventurer.”
“Right?”
“However.”
Lafnel paused and peered into my eyes, as if trying to read something else hidden within them.
“You’d better be careful. There will be those who target your eyes.”
“Target... my eyes?”
“That’s right. Since you’ve opened them, some have likely noticed... Above all, the Spiritual Eye you possess doesn't stop at simply seeing.”
Lafnel was right. My Spiritual Eye didn't just let me see things. It allowed me to communicate with what I saw, let me house them within my body, and furthermore, helped them 'escape the Labyrinth.'
“Ah.”
Only then did I realize. My Spiritual Eye wasn't just for seeing spirits. It was a sort of exit—a means for souls trapped in the Labyrinth to get out.
“Do you understand now?”
“Yes. This... this is dangerous.”
“Indeed. Those who seek 'Regression' will surely target your eyes.”
“Regression?”
“Yes, Regression. Occasionally, there are such creatures. Oddballs who want to get out.”
We delve deeper into the Labyrinth to conquer it. However, some things belonging to the Labyrinth try to come out through Regression. Moving between layers independently is practically impossible, but if they borrow a human body, the impossible becomes possible.
“There have been several instances where Labyrinth monsters escaped to the surface through various means.”
Lafnel told me about the things she had seen in the Labyrinth City over the years.
“Possession, parasitism... or even disguising themselves as items. Every single one that made it to the surface brought about horrific consequences.”
“They’re literal disasters.”
“Exactly. Most things that try to regress bring calamity. Though they did bring corresponding blessings as well.”
Blessings?
According to her, most things seeking Regression crawled up from the Deep Layers below the Underground City. They supposedly killed countless people upon reaching the surface before being subjugated. I wondered what kind of "blessings" they could have possibly left behind.
Lafnel didn't tell me. I guess it was a secret.
“Anyway, there are those seeking Regression in various ways. To them, your eyes are like a ticket to freedom.”
It was a terrifying thought. The idea that things trying to get out of the Labyrinth might target me...
“Be careful.”
“Yes. Thank you for the advice.”
If it weren't for Lafnel’s warning, I wouldn't have realized it. My Spiritual Eye held power far beyond just sight.
Regression, huh.
For some reason, I felt a chill. It felt like the Malice of the Labyrinth had stepped one pace closer to me. To reach Gold Badge in six months, I’d have to enter the Underground City regularly. My anxiety and worries were growing. I really needed to get stronger.
“Oh, by the way, about that potion that turns you into a mouse.”
“Hm? Ah! Yes. How was it? A masterpiece, wasn't it? Isn't it amazing? How did it feel to be a mouse? How did it taste?”
“The taste was fine, and turning into a mouse was great, but the side effect was a bit...”
“Side effect... Right, there was a side effect. So, what kind of side effect was it?”
“I mean, becoming a furry lover is a bit much, don't you think?”
The mouse transformation potion. It certainly played a huge role in this Labyrinth run. But because of the side effect, I had briefly felt lust toward Horaru. Of course, now that the effect had worn off, my sexual preferences had returned to normal.
“I knew it. So that was the side effect.”
“I don't think becoming a furry every time I drink the potion is the way to go.”
“Since the effect is so potent, the side effects are unavoidable. Hmm. What should I do?”
“Let’s lower the price.”
“Eh? Lower the price? That’s a bit...”
“If you don't lower the price, literally no one will buy this.”
“...That’s a problem. I prepared this with such ambition. I’ve already made ten bottles.”
“I might consider buying it for 5 gold.”
“You crazy thief!”
Maybe slashing a 20-gold item down to 5 gold was a bit much.
“Hey, don't get mad. Fine. How about we settle on 7 gold?”
“No, no... 7 gold?”
“Yes. You don't have any customers anyway. And since I’m the only one who visits you all day, at least you get to talk to someone. You enjoyed talking to me, didn't you? Hearing about the world and all.”
“...7 gold is a bit of a loss...”
“Gosh. Is there any other customer who boosts this shop’s sales as much as I do?”
“...7 gold. Hmm.”
Lafnel agonized over it for a long time before finally nodding.
“Fine. Let’s do that. 7 gold. Sure.”
“Yes!”
“In exchange, I’d like you to test the performance of this item.”
“Huh? This is...”
“It’s a Ring of Intangibility.”
“What?! Wait, can you just give something like this away?”
A Ring of Intangibility. An absurdly broken item that turns the wearer into a semi-transparent spirit for a short time.
“The thing is... it definitely makes you intangible, but I don't know what the side effect is.”
“Uh... that’s a bit sketchy.”
She didn't know the side effect? I wasn't sure if I should take it. Intangibility was definitely good. It could be considered a top-tier "cheat" item. But the drawback of not knowing the side effect was huge.
“It’s not something fatal or anything, right?”
“Oh, please. When have I ever made something with a fatal side effect? It’ll probably be 'that certain kind of side effect,' just like all the others so far.”
Side effects of that nature?
Let’s see. The side effect of the Tonic was a forced erection. The side effect of the mouse potion was becoming a furry lover.
“The side effect of intangibility is...”
“Who knows? I wonder what it’ll be.”
What kind of side effect could it possibly be?
I decided to try using the ring.