Chapter 51: The Thousand-Year-Old Elf's Whining
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 51: The Thousand-Year-Old Elf's Whining
"Hmm. An Easterner as a warrior? It doesn't suit you."
Master Gon looked me up and down, stroking his chin.
To think he was already unimpressed before we even started training.
As I was debating how to respond to this blatantly discriminatory remark, the female knight beside me shouted in a huff.
"Wait. Are you looking down on him just because he's an Easterner?"
"Huh? No. It's just that Easterners aren't suited to be warriors. That's not looking down on them. Easterners are a race better suited to be mages, swordsmen, or hunters."
"Why are you trying to judge him as you please? It's not like Easterner warriors don't exist at all."
"Hmm. You don't understand. The Labyrinth isn't a place where you go to do what you want to do. It's a place where you can barely survive only by pushing what you're good at to the absolute limit. Class distinctions based on race are only natural."
"What?"
"Hey, woman. You look like a novice who hasn't fully adapted to mana yet, so let me explain. A warrior's job is to stand on the frontline and take all the hits meant for their teammates while simultaneously dishing out attacks. Basically, you need a large frame. To tank with your body, you need stubborn vitality, and the mental strength to endure pain is essential."
"Are you saying Easterners lack those things?"
"I'm not looking down on Easterners. Look at it objectively. The man who wants to be my student is small and slight."
"....That's true."
"Hey, Rika. If you're going to take my side, stick to it. Why are you agreeing with him?"
"Ah, sorry. But... you are a bit small for a man."
"...."
Well, she wasn't wrong.
I was slightly taller than the Young Lady and about the same height as Yuria. Rika was actually a bit taller than me.
It couldn't be helped. People in this world were generally tall. At least Olivia felt significantly smaller than me.
Regardless, I fell short of the height required for a warrior by a man like Gon.
"And don't misunderstand. I'm not saying Easterners are weak. Easterners are generally small and slight, which makes them fast. They're agile and sharp. That's why there are so many assassins among them. And since many have keen senses, they're particularly suited to be hunters or guides."
"In short, you're saying I'm just not suited to be a warrior, right?"
"Correct. You're not suited for a warrior. Same goes for being a knight."
He meant the tanker role didn't fit my race. Instead, he thought I was suited for dealer roles like swordsman, assassin, or hunter. He said being small and slight made it easier to strike vital points nimbly.
To my ears, it sounded like he was saying, 'Easterners have a high critical hit rate.'
"I'll still try to learn. If it doesn't work out, I can just change paths."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. It's better to try and fail than to give up from the start."
"Your mindset is suited for a warrior. Fine. Do you want to start today?"
"I have somewhere to go today. I'll come starting tomorrow."
"Good. Come whenever you want. Except during lunch. Food is important."
"Yes, sir."
With those words, the warrior Gon turned back.
Rather than feeling rude, he felt more blunt. Being a Barbarian, he probably didn't believe in empty pleasantries.
"He was a very... heavy man."
"I'll say. His voice was incredibly deep, too."
"To be honest, I want to try fighting him once."
"That man just now?"
"Yeah. I think it would be a good match once I adapt to mana more and get stronger."
"Hoh."
Rika was stoking her competitive spirit. What she lacked wasn't technique, but stats. If she successfully navigated the Labyrinth a few more times, she would surely grow at a rapid pace.
I really should take the Young Lady's party into the Labyrinth soon. I could hone my skills against monsters on the upper floors, while the Young Lady's party gained experience, adapted to mana, and obtained abilities.
'It might be a bit much to bring Yuria along, though.'
The chances of them just "riding the bus" were too high. Humans tend to get complacent when they have insurance. Just having someone like Yuria there might make them think, 'It'll work out somehow,' or 'Yuria will help if things get dangerous.'
Even if they tried not to think that way, they would subconsciously rely on her. If they intended to keep tackling the Labyrinth in the future, they had to stand on their own two feet.
For an outsider whose only goals were mana adaptation and abilities, riding the bus to level up quickly would be fine, but that wasn't Leah's goal. We had to do this the right way.
'In that sense, it might be better if I stepped back too, but...'
From the perspective of the Young Lady's party, I was also someone to rely on. Wouldn't I also be an obstacle to the growth of the Young Lady and her party members? Blindly relying on someone could become a fatal weakness.
I'd seen many cases where people became shells of themselves after the death of a lover they relied on, or the passing of a comrade or leader. Individualistic or selfish people often had stronger mental fortitude. Those who craved communication or bonds with others weren't well-suited for the Labyrinth.
"You look serious. Are you worried about something?"
"Huh? Oh. I was just wondering if my presence might be a hindrance to your or the Young Lady's growth, Rika."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. In case you rely on me too much..."
"Pfft."
"What? Why are you laughing?"
"No, it's just funny. Porter, you're weak."
"Excuse me? Weak?!"
"Aren't you? Your physical abilities are good, but your techniques are poor."
Wait, was that true? Well, she had a point.
"Your strengths are your composure, your resourcefulness, and your Subspace Pocket. Isn't your actual combat ability about the same as the Young Lady's?"
"No, I'm definitely stronger than the Young Lady."
"I'm glad you're at least stronger than her."
Rika laughed and patted my shoulder.
Thinking about it, Rika was right. I was in a position where I needed to get stronger too, but I had been looking down on the Young Lady's party too much.
Right, in terms of pure combat ability, I was on a similar level to the members of Leah's party. My physical strength might have increased through mana adaptation, but that didn't mean I was good at fighting.
Since our levels were similar, there was no risk of them unilaterally relying on me, so it seemed fine to go in together. What I wanted to avoid was the presence of a Deus Ex Machina. We just needed to make sure there wasn't a "fixer" who could solve every crisis alone.
Currently, Yuria was the Deus Ex Machina for the Young Lady's party. An adventurer who was about to reach Gold Badge status wouldn't struggle on the upper floors. She could sweep away upper-floor monsters with a casual wave of her hand. Her presence would be a fatal obstacle to the party's growth.
"Let's take a break this week and try the upper floors next week."
"Starting next week? Sounds good. But I don't think the Labyrinth restrictions have been lifted yet."
"I heard they'll be lifted around next week. The atmosphere is to avoid the Underground City, but the upper floors should be fine to enter."
We could clear out the upper floors before the subjugation campaign began. Besides, blindly blocking access to the Labyrinth wouldn't make the situation any better. There was no telling what kind of trouble adventurers might cause if their income dropped.
"I have somewhere to stop by for a moment. Rika, do you want to head home first?"
"Then I'll just lightly warm up here before heading back."
"Got it. See you later."
It looked like Rika was going to start exercising right away.
I planned to stop by Lafnel's Atelier. I hadn't told her about the side effects of the Ring of Intangibility yet. I had to let her know about the issue of clothes falling off and the lustful spirits that popped out as a side effect.
"Oh? It's Sion. I've been waiting for you. You weren't... planning to run off with the ring, were you?"
"Run off? No, I ended up in jail because of this ring."
"Huh? What do you mean? Don't tell me... you tried to rob a bank? You didn't go into a women's bathhouse, did you? Or just barge in anywhere..."
"I didn't! No, this thing has too many problems."
"Problems?"
"Yes. I knew it didn't provide invisibility, but when I use this ring, all my clothes fall off."
"What? Your clothes fell off?"
"Yes. It only turns the body intangible, so the clothes just slip right through. Thanks to that, while I was testing it, people suddenly swarmed in and I was arrested for public obscenity. They were throwing stones and making a fuss about a 'naked ghost'."
In truth, it was my fault for testing it in an open area where people could show up at any time, but I decided to blame the ring and confront Lafnel. This was all a ploy to buy the Ring of Intangibility for cheaper. If I insisted it was defective, Lafnel would stammer that her work couldn't possibly be like that, and eventually, she'd give it to me for a low price.
If I could just fix a few of its flaws, the Ring of Intangibility would be an insanely broken item, so I absolutely had to buy it. But if I tried to buy it at full price, she'd surely charge more than the price of a slave.
"Eeeh? No, that shouldn't be possible. Let me see it for a second."
When I handed over the Ring of Intangibility, Lafnel pried the gem off, put on a magnifying glass, and checked the runes engraved on it.
"Oh dear. There was a mistake."
"It is weird, right?"
"I see.... It was set to only turn the body intangible."
"I almost ended up in prison for public obscenity and indecency while testing your ring. Miss Lafnel, how are you going to take responsibility for my suffering?"
"Ugh... that is..."
"This all happened because you asked me to test the Ring of Intangibility."
"Aah..."
"Give me compensation."
"Urgh..."
Lafnel squeezed her eyes shut.
"I'll give you... compensation, so please stop glaring at me."
"Ooh. What kind of compensation?"
I was hoping she'd give me a few potions for free.
"It's not much, but... if you'll have... me..."
"Excuse me?"
What was she talking about all of a sudden? Why was she subtly pushing her chest forward? What the hell was she doing! Was she trying to build up to marrying me under the guise of compensation?
"Wait, Miss Lafnel."
"Yes...?"
"What do you mean, 'if you'll have me'? Who would take a thousand-year-old spinster elf! How is that a reward?!"
"Gah...!!!"
I lightly slapped the chest she was thrusting forward. Lafnel recoiled in shock, nearly falling over.
"Urgh. I gathered my courage in my own way."
"Put that courage back where it came from. I'm already tired because there have been an unusually high number of people wooing me lately."
"Darn it... why can't I be happy?"
"Isn't that just the sorrow of being a long-lived species?"
"Dammit. I want to get married too."
"Wait, why haven't you gotten married yet in the first place?"
To be honest, she was incredibly beautiful, intellectual, and had an amazing body for an elf. Why was she still single? How could a beautiful, thousand-year-old spinster elf even exist in this world?
"That's... because there hasn't been a suitable partner. When I was young, I poured all my youth into research... and now that I want to get married, there are no suitable elves."
True, elves themselves were a rare sight. You could almost call them an endangered species. They rarely left their own territories. But surely she could find one if she looked?
"Aren't there still plenty of elves in the Great Forest under the World Tree?"
"They... are uncivilized."
"Pardon?"
"How are Wood Elves any different from Barbarians?"
"Uh... is that so? I don't know much about elves."
"I... I don't have the courage to go back to being a vegetarian. Give up the conveniences of the city to live in the forest? That's... impossible."
"Ah."
Forced veganism would be pretty tough.
"But when I try to find civilized elves, they're all already taken. Or they have personality flaws. Sion, do you know?"
"Know what?"
"Most elves over three hundred years old are total old farts."
"...."
"They have these fixed ideas. A certain 'vibe,' you could say. That... peculiar, disgusting stubbornness and prejudice... they have it. So I'm not actually attracted to other elves. They're just narrow-minded old geezers. But if I try to date a young elf... they all treat me like a grandmother!!! An elf who's only a hundred years old... they're practically a baby."
"Hoh... then what about a hundred-year-old human? Do you treat a hundred-year-old human like a baby too?"
"Humans are different! If a human is a hundred, they're an elder. You can't calculate it the same just because the time is the same. An elf's age has to be calculated in elf terms."
"This is complicated."
Since I wouldn't even live to be a hundred, I just looked at Lafnel and thought she was old, but from the perspective of another elf who could live as long as she could, she was apparently seen as a grandmother.
How should I put it? Right, saying she's a thousand years old is so much that it's hard to grasp, but if you say she's sixty-seven, she suddenly feels like a grandmother. From an elf's perspective, Lafnel was indeed a grandmother.
"Marry me... I don't want to die a spinster..."
"No! Why are you doing this to me!"
"Waaaaah. Do it! You don't see me as a grandmother!"
"You're crazy!!!"
Lafnel wailed about wanting to get married. I had to listen to her lamentations for quite a while.
Looking at her, it seemed Lafnel was on her period. It was the "marry me" event that occurred periodically.