Chapter 130
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 130
Chapter Title: Recovery (3)
After the battle ended, I slept like the dead for a straight 16 hours, so the 8 hours of mana stone recovery work today didn't feel all that tough.
In fact, I had so much stamina left over that I sent both Sia and Loren off thoroughly satisfied before crashing, and my body still felt fine.
Exploration Day 9.
Just like always, we got to work dismantling today.
A bit more skilled than yesterday, things progressed quickly.
But when we reached the spot where corpses had been piled up like a barricade amid the chaos, our pace slowed a little.
"Cain~ Think this one's no good?"
"Nah, claws and nails get ground down anyway, so even if they're broken, it's no big deal, sis."
"Got it~ You too, Claude, keep it up!"
"Yeah, sis."
Tanya, who'd asked me, turned away, exchanging a glance with Claude.
This time, Claude snuck a look toward Roy and grinned.
Roy...
"Huuuh..."
...had the look of a guy who'd just seen a naked woman right in front of him, all excited.
His eyes had been a little glazed over at breakfast too—must've used the drug.
Claude had been moaning pretty openly. Tanya must've tipped him off.
By the time we were nearly done for the day, we'd sorted most of the lizard corpses, excluding the area around where I'd fought the champion.
"Good work, everyone. Should wrap up by morning tomorrow."
""""Woo!!""""
With the end in sight, everyone looked pumped.
Mana stone sales should net about 60 silver, and selling the byproducts would cover gear repairs, consumables, food expenses, and leave a little extra.
"Loren, great job!!!"
"You too, Tanya. Impressive for someone not going solo."
"Aww~ Told you to talk casual."
"R... right, g... good work."
"Heehee. So cute."
"Urk!"
Tanya was getting chummy even with Loren, who looked like she had something going on with me.
"Me too, sis!!"
Drawn in by Tanya's natural charm—beyond her fox-like seductiveness—Sia hurried over, wanting some praise too.
"Aww, Sia did great too. Come wash your hands here."
Pat pat—
"Hehe, lemme carry that, sis!"
"No, it's fine, Sia."
"You're a mom, sis. Don't do the heavy stuff."
Sia was showing a lot of interest in Tanya.
Maybe because of the pregnancy news, but Sia, Loren, and Tanya were growing closer by the day.
I watched the three women chattering like high school girls when Claude sidled up beside me, wiping sweat.
"Good work, Claude."
"Yeah. Hey, Cain."
"What?"
"......Sigh... Never mind."
He looked like he wanted to say something but hesitated, fiddling with his lips.
Probably debating whether to spill about Tanya.
"Why start and stop like an idiot."
"Kuh... Yeah, something like that."
Had he awakened to the thrill of bedding a taken woman? He shot me a smug look, whistling as he wiped his hands.
Brat. I loaned her out, and he's acting all high and mighty.
"Punk. Lame."
"Huu... Party after we get back?"
"Obviously. Sis and bro's place would be perfect."
"Eh? They got a house?"
"Guess they packed light coming to the city and snagged one to settle down."
"Ooh..."
Anticipation lit up Claude's eyes. Already scheming post-exploration hookups with Tanya—but good luck with that.
I figured we'd wrap up mana stones and materials smoothly by morning tomorrow.
Exploration Day 10.
Third day harvesting mana stones and materials from the lizard corpses.
We approached the champion's body.
During the fight, we'd relied only on the faint glow of the luminous stones, but now with lanterns, we lit up its corpse.
Unlike the khaki—or olive drab—skin of the other lizards, this one had silvery skin and scales... and ornate patterns etched into the skin around its neck, like a necklace.
Necklace patterns?
"Th... this!!!"
"What's up, old man?"
"J... just a sec.!"
"Old man?"
Hawk froze like a statue, as if he'd forgotten to breathe.
His pupils dilated in shock, hands trembling, face full of disbelief.
He rushed to the corpse.
"Cain."
"Yeah."
"Anything unusual you noticed fighting this thing?"
His voice was low and grave, not his usual chipper tone, so I slowly recalled the fight.
"No, nothing... Wait, it laughed like a person when I got tail-whacked into the muck."
".....!!"
His eyes widened again.
And then.
"Cain... sorry, but grab my gear for me."
"Huh...? Why?"
"Don't touch this one for now. Handle the rest first."
Ignoring my confusion, Hawk bolted toward the passage.
"Sigh..."
While Hawk fetched his gear, I stared at the tattoo-like pattern on the champion's neck frill.
"Looks just like it."
Info I'd gotten from banging a whore at the pleasure house before.
Exact same design as the necklace Hawk had been hunting for at brothels.
"So distinctive, no way it's a mistake. What the hell..."
After observing the champion's corpse for a while, Hawk returned.
"M... move aside a sec."
"Sure."
He was panting, holding something in his hand—a hammer? What for?
Not all dwarves are blacksmiths; that's a stereotype.
Sure, most who flow into the city and set up smithies are, but you see dwarf explorers now and then.
I'd figured Hawk wasn't into smithing, but seeing him with this ancient-looking, battered hammer made me unconsciously activate Hitomi.
'Hitomi.'
[Hawk Ironhand]
"Ha..."
"What's up?"
"N-nothing."
Respecting his privacy, I didn't dig deeper, but hey, the old man has a family name.
Why are all these highborn types around me? Poor us commoners.
Shion, Mion, Loren, Hawk...
Hawk approached the champion's corpse again, hammer in hand, eyes reverent as he smashed the necklace-like pattern.
Clang~!
Not a crude metallic ring, but a clear, resonant chime echoed out.
Shrrrrrk!!!
"What the—?"
"Hoo..."
Like Iron Man's nanotech suit shedding, the champion's silver steel scales peeled away rapidly, revealing skin and scales matching the other lizards.
And where Hawk had struck lay a necklace.
"Old man, no way?"
"Yeah. Finally...."
Hawk, a bitter look on his face, lifted the necklace and hung it around his neck.
Vmmm—
It vibrated faintly, as if welcoming its owner.
"Got questions, but... let's finish up first."
"Right."
The mana stone from the lizard champion was a low-grade one.
Amazed it dropped something from layer 3+, but since Hawk seemed ready to explain, we hurried through the rest.
Around noon, we finished harvesting mana stones and byproducts and returned to base camp.
We changed clothes, scarfed down lunch, and gathered around the campfire.
Hawk, who'd been watching us quietly, began his tale.
"Dwarves, see, don't have kings or emperors like you humans."
He gave a brief rundown on dwarves: instead of royalty, prominent families test heirs for leadership qualities and elect the best to rule.
Like presidents, but with a republican vibe.
"Me and my fiancée were rivals... but also lovers."
Hawk was heir to a clan that produced many rulers; his fiancée was second daughter of another house.
"Dwarves coming to the city? Mostly common folk. What you'd call nobles are the ones tasked with feats to become next leader."
Doesn't matter if it's crafting epic gear or artifacts, personal prowess, diplomacy with other ranges or races.
Stack up achievements recognized by 70% of council, and you're elected.
"We came to the city together—for friendly rivalry and to protect each other."
For prowess: Hawk's range is near the labyrinth city, so minimal stat loss.
That's why they came, but...
"When I snapped out of it, five years had passed."
"Huh?"
"We came to build strength worthy of ruling... but..."
Clink—
With a wry smile, he dangled the necklace and continued flatly.
"...we were settling down here. Both me and my fiancée."
"No way..."
As everyone tilted heads, Hawk turned to me.
"Cain. Any blessings of Sia's that remove curses?"
"Uh... Soothing...? Right, Sia?"
"Yeah! But I've never used it."
"Sia, try Soothing on Cain."
"Okaay... Soothing!"
Whooo—
A pure light enveloped me, shimmering.
Seeing that, Hawk asked again.
"Cain. Any reason you have to keep diving the labyrinth in this city?"
"Well....."
Hold up.
I was about to say "Duh, obviously!" when doubt crept in.
Come to think of it... Sia followed Claude here, and I tagged along with them.
After Awakening, I could've just leeched off city women like in my past life, flitting like a sparrow.
I did rack up women that way.
But... this nagging wrongness about always planning maze runs.
Like an impurity lodged in my thoughts.
"You don't have a real reason either."
"Wh... what is this, old man..?"
To my question, Hawk glanced at the others.
"Everyone. What you hear now? Don't breathe a word outside. If you value your lives."
"Gulp...."
The mood turned deadly serious; everyone swallowed hard, eyes on Hawk.
"This labyrinth city itself... bewitches people."