Chapter 17
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Mentoring Program (3)
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"1 gold."
Flitch!
"This is all that's left of our party funds."
"..."
The next day, after Claude, Sia, and I had breakfast together, Claude and I gathered in the room we shared. That's when I brought it up with the two of them.
"Just until dawn yesterday, we had 3 gold and 50 silver."
"...I'm sorry."
Thud!
"Claude."
"Yeah?"
I called his name in a calm voice. Claude, who had been face-down on the floor, cautiously lifted his head to meet my eyes.
"How about we just head back home?"
"N-no... that's not...!!"
"Once Uncle Hawk pays us back, we'll have 1 more gold—for a total of 2. Sell your gear... pay off the installments from that, won't be much left over. But if you do that, we can split 70 silver each, exchange it, go home, and farm. Sound good?"
"Whoa! Are we going home?"
Sia, unaware of the full situation, was the only one thrilled at the idea of going home.
The Labyrinth city's exchange rates were utterly fucked.
The local currency—bronze, silver, gold—wasn't even continental standard. It was only used in the city.
The city monopolized mana stones and strong-armed outsiders, refusing any foreign currency. They'd only exchange gems or gold.
At a 10% rate.
And if you wanted to take the Labyrinth city's money back to your kingdom or empire? Another 10% exchange into gems or gold.
For example, if you came to the city, exchanged a gold bar worth 100 million won from your past life, then changed your mind a few days later and exchanged back to a gold bar? You'd walk away with one worth about a million won.
The city pulled this insane shit like it was nothing, but it stayed intact thanks to some complicated circumstances... Anyway.
Claude, who had never once heard me suggest going home in our two years here, finally grasped the gravity of the situation. His face drained of color as he begged for forgiveness.
"S-sorry... please!!"
"Why? As an explorer, you could join a decent knight order with good treatment. Our hometown's not far from the Labyrinth, so less stat penalty, and the blessings are strong."
Thud!! Thud!! Thuuud!!!
"Eek! Claude, what's wrong?!"
"Sorry, Cain! Please forgive me!!!"
"Sia, I need to talk to Claude alone for a bit. Could you head to your room?"
"Wh-why?"
"Uh... it's guy talk."
"Okay... Call me soon?"
"Yeah."
Sia hesitated, watching Claude smash his head into the floor despite my lack of anger, then shuffled off to her room.
"Hey."
"Y-yeah...?"
"Don't you think you've gone too far?"
"..."
"Kleptomania aside—fine, that happens. Brothels? Like you said before, pay for pleasure, no emotional drain. But at this point, what do we gain from more exploring?"
I got where Claude was coming from.
Back in my past life, some coworkers avoided relationships and just chased hookers.
After my breakup, I'd tagged along sometimes. Normal-looking guys with decent cash—why no girlfriend, just blow it on hookers? They'd say dating women got exhausting.
No more being an emotional dumpster. Clean: go when you want, drain, pay so they play along with affection to your mood. Pick different young girls each time. Better than dating.
And cheaper than a real relationship.
When we first hit the Labyrinth city, Claude struck out hitting on every girl. Decent looks, so he'd string them along pretending to date, then get dumped and cry.
Sia watched it all live and suffered hard.
Then, after the mentoring program, Uncle Hawk—still hanging around—felt bad for him and took him to a brothel once. After that, Claude got hooked, spouting the same crap as my old coworker, and dove in headfirst.
Both ended up addicted, spending more and more.
Before my awakening, I'd figured it was better for Sia's mental health if Claude snuck off to brothels out of sight rather than chase girls openly. So I hadn't cracked down hard.
Now that I was awakened? Different story.
To even scrape enough for a cushy life back home, accounting for this bullshit exchange rate? Higher chance we'd die in the Labyrinth first.
Better to settle in the city. And with Claude this far gone, time for shock therapy—yank the leash.
If I wanted to use him as XP buffer and NTR launcher, he needed his head straight.
To make him think, 'Oh shit, we're fucked,' I floated going home first.
Then, to really rattle him, I dropped facts I'd held back.
"Claude, I never mentioned it before, but you know people mock our party?"
"...What?"
"The guys laughing next to us on my level-up day—not the only ones, right?"
"Huh...? You heard that?"
"Party Leader Claude—the super rookie who hit level 4 in two years!!"
I puffed up exaggeratedly, raising my voice. Claude's eyes wavered.
"That Party Leader Claude? Pussy-whipped maniac—bolts to brothels first chance, slurping whore cunts!"
Flinch!
"And everyone knows how you got dragged around by girls before, acting like an idiot."
Flinch!
"Cain, who sticks with a leader like that? Calls himself a thief, but really just the patsy servant cleaning Claude's shit!"
Flinch!!!
"That big-titted airhead? Claude must've pounded her till her pussy's worn loose—and he still hits brothels? Must be some slack-ass gash!!!"
Grrrrrind!!!
Talking about Sia, I glared at Claude, grinding my teeth till veins bulged on my forehead. No acting needed—pure rage made the expression easy.
"...What?"
After hearing the Sia trash talk, Claude went pale.
That bit? Ugly bitches jealous of Sia's looks and tits, yapping it now and then.
Whenever I overheard crossing the guild or city, I'd spike their parties' drinks at bars—unwanted pregnancies, forcing them to quit exploring. Fixed a few.
What I told Claude? All real.
"You're the leader, but you send me instead 'cause it's a hassle. How many times you think I've heard shit like that in two years?"
"..."
"Fine, I handle your messes. But Sia doesn't deserve that. And if this spreads? What happens to her? You bastard?"
"Grrruuuhh!!! Sorry.... Guh...!"
My pissed-off words broke him—he burst into tears. Dick crying like a baby was ugly.
"Enough. Brothels? Go if you want. Won't stop you anymore. But if this happens again, even if Sia blames and hates me forever, I'll drag her home by force and split you two. Whatever it takes."
My golden boy Claude hung his head silently for a long beat after the harsh wake-up.
Then he looked up—eyes shining. That special stat Indomitable at work? He'd normally shatter mentally, but he looked composed.
"I'll quit."
"Don't ask me to trust you."
"...Fine. I'll do my best so you two don't get shit."
"Deal. Next settlement, you take 10% of your share—rest goes to party funds."
"...Ugh... okay."
"Was gonna rest two days then hit the Labyrinth. Now rest a full extra week."
"...Yeah."
"Tell Sia no meeting needed, just rest. She likes hearing it from you."
"...Okay..."
Even while I raged for Sia, Claude looked guilty seeing me send him to fetch her. He crept toward her room cautiously.
Sia's giggling echoed from next door for a while. Then Claude returned, grabbed his gear, headed to the inn's backyard, and started training.
Normally he'd slack an hour or two—but he went till just before dinner. Sia and I watched from downstairs, sipping sweet drinks.
"Cain."
"Yeah?"
"Claude's suddenly training hard? Been ages."
"What... isn't that good?"
"Right? Oh yeah! When we going home?"
"Talked it over—not yet."
"Oh... The Labyrinth?"
"Around next week."
"Super long break. Never happened."
"Worked hard—needs rest."
"Tha-that..."
Sia, bombarding questions, suddenly flushed red and stammered.
"What? Spit it out."
"Y'know, Cain..."
"Yeah."
"Ma... massage..."
She scooted close, whispering in my ear.
"Yeah."
"Gotta do it... even in the Labyrinth?"
"Mm... daily, except your period."
"R-really...?"
Face beet-red at my answer, she chugged her drink, fanning her heated cheeks.
"Period's next week, right?"
"Eep!"
"Lemme check... Yeah. Starts in 4-5 days..."
"N-nooo!!"
I handled Labyrinth schedules, so I'd tracked her cycle forever—not new. Pulled my little notebook, checked her projected dates—she freaked.
"Today's massage—you can do it solo?"
"U-uh, I'll try!"
"Good. Questions, ask. If not, I'll sneak in and do it. Got it?"
"Yeah! Thanks!!"
Thanks? I should thank you, Sia.
Originally planned prepping for layer 3, long dive. But now? Time to grind cash awhile.
"Cain, ever thought about mentoring?"
"Mentoring?"
Next day, swung by the guild checking money-making quests. Mion pitched it slyly.
"Why's that...?"
"Usually offer to level 3+ party leaders."
"Then Claude—"
"Pfft, you know his rep~"
"Ah."
"Y'know, his track record... But I'll specially recommend you and file the app. One per party anyway. Sia's a bit young... Accept, do one Labyrinth run—guild subsidy kicks in?"
"Subsidy?"
"Yup~ 50 silver from guild, plus we match you with boosted mana stone shares for mentors."
"O?"
"Normal splits equal or leader's call, right? Mentoring: solo 40% for mentor. Tempting?"
"Well..."
When Uncle Hawk led our party, he dropped tons of pro tips while we tagged along.
Mapping tricks, consumable use, safe camps—full explorer rundown.
Three-man parties rare, so formations too.
Honestly, minus dragging Claude to brothels, what Hawk taught kept us alive here.
No need for those 1-silver scam books—his tips were pure gold.
"But conditions."
"Huh? Conditions too?"
What? Hawk slacked with us 3-4 days then bounced—no conditions.
"3+ days in Labyrinth, 1+ survivor besides mentor. Easy?"
"That's it?"
"Yup! You didn't know? Wanna see?"
Flip—
Hook set, she handed over pamphlet-looking paper.
"See? First-timers survival under 20%."
"Ah...?"
"We compile apps yearly—hovers 15-20%."
"Ah..."
"Set 100% party as baseline. 20%+ survivors? Success!"
"Got it..."
"Free training or whatever—we know what happens in Labyrinth."
"Yeah."
"So, parties return with 20%+ survivors? Bonus pay."
"For real?"
"20% min: 5 silver! +10% each: +3 silver!"
"Ooo!!! Full survivors: 79 silver?"
"Yup, plus Labyrinth mana stone payout!!"
"I'm in!! Do it now!!"
"Hehe! Sign here..."
Scribble scribble scribble!!!
"Today's day 7... Matched next week-ish."
"Thanks, Mion."
"No prob."
Mion took my signed paper, her smile sharpening like a cat spotting prey.