Chapter 18
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Mentoring Program (4)
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"Is that for real, Cain?"
"Yeah!!"
"Whoa! As expected of Cain. I'll just keep training."
"Sure."
"Wow, Cain's a mentor?"
"Ahem."
I rushed back to the lodging to tell Claude and Sia the news about applying to be a mentor, and everyone was thrilled.
Claude said he'd keep training hard while I was off mentoring in the Labyrinth and headed back down for more practice, while Sia clapped her hands and congratulated me.
"Minimum 55 silver guaranteed... Isn't that too generous?"
Once the excitement died down, I sat at the desk and opened the ledger, suddenly feeling a twinge of suspicion.
The purpose of the mentoring program: Since survival rates on first Labyrinth runs are low, they match mentors with newbies to pass on know-how for exploring the Labyrinth.
The intent is good, sure.
But something felt off...
"Am I just being too paranoid...?"
I had no idea. Maybe it was because of that shady scene I glimpsed when I used Hitomi's Blessing at the guild last time?
Shrrrk—
"Ha... Fuck, I hate looking at the ledger."
If the three of us run the Labyrinth, we make about 15 silver from mana stones and monster byproducts over five days.
Subtracting the lodging for two rooms over ten days, plus two meals a day for those ten days, our monthly living expenses in the city come to 10 silver.
Factoring in rest days for a full week's schedule, we set aside a generous 3 silver per week, then another 4 silver for consumables and gear repairs, Claude's equipment installments, and miscellaneous—that leaves about 6 silver.
Half goes into party funds, the rest split three ways.
So party funds build to 12 silver a month. After two years, that's just shy of 3 gold. But we had 3 gold 50 silver because we started out farming over 20 silver a run before dialing it back.
Claude's early growth was explosive, and our synergy was solid, so we overfarmed at first, and he ended up eating up more and more gear.
After a few times when Sia's periods hit hard and her recovery lagged, we slowed the pace. Now we take it easy.
Anyway, I couldn't stand looking at the ledger with only 1 gold left from our hard-earned 3 gold 50 silver.
"Lodging and food for the month... I prepaid yesterday..."
This inn only charges lodging for actual nights stayed.
Spend 20 days a month in the Labyrinth, 10 in the inn—you pay for 10 nights, and they hold your stuff the other 20 like a storage service?
Most places keep lodging cheap since explorers are always coming and going, jacking up food prices instead. Nail the food game, and you're golden.
Plus, if you don't return by layer reassignment day, you're declared dead, and the owner gets to rightfully swallow any leftover gear. So they keep rates low.
Anyway, glaring at the ledger, mentoring paying a full month's party earnings for one Labyrinth run felt cheap—but if it saves even one newbie, it's worth over 50 silver to the city? Who knows.
"Wait, then Uncle Hawk must've made nearly 70 silver keeping all three of us alive. So why was he bitching about being broke back then?"
Hawk, the temp party frontline vet—hit level 3 after five years, now ten years subbing on layer 1. No clue what's really up with that guy.
Sia and I have over 50 silver each in personal savings, so time to let the party rest, head out mentoring, and play teacher.
After applying for mentoring, Claude trained late every night for the week, while Sia and I gathered herbs till afternoon.
Today was Claude's equipment installment day, so we headed to the guild.
I hated dipping into personal funds, and with party gold at exactly 1 gold, watching it drop to 90-some silver after payment? No way in hell. So I hustled on gathering.
Parties cap at 1 silver 10 bronze daily max, but still.
Sia hadn't seen the dim Labyrinth in two weeks, just flower-gazing "gathering" with me outdoors—she loved it, and her affection spiked.
"Cain-sii~."
"Yes, Mion."
"Out on a picnic today?"
"Huh? Oh, this?"
"Sis! I made it! Pretty, right!!"
"Khup...!"
Last week, Sia whined her massages weren't cutting it, so I snuck into her room twice at night to drain the bad stuff.
Ever since, she crafts me a flower crown daily as thanks on gathering trips.
Today, wiped from a week of just gathering, I spaced out over breakfast, ignoring Sia fidgeting beside me—and she crowned me.
Mion burst out laughing at my look; Sia tilted her head, but Mion held back for her sake, trembling as she continued.
"Khuh! Ha... Here for the installment?"
"Yes. Here."
I handed Mion the 3 silver for Claude's greatsword and armor.
"All paid up... Oh right! Cain, your mentoring party match is set!"
"Really?"
"Yep~ Come to matching table 20 tomorrow morning~"
"Got it. Then..."
Snap!
"Huh?"
"Um... Cain, got anything to say to me?"
"Hmm..."
As I turned to leave after business, Mion grabbed my hand, asking slyly.
Since checking receptionists' statuses with Hitomi's Blessing, Mion's outfits and makeup got bolder bit by bit.
Thinner shirts, sheerer; flashier bras; sleeker makeup.
Yesterday finishing a gathering quest, she even floated grabbing a meal.
Seeing her usual sly grin replaced by anxious tension cracked me up.
I knew why Mion was acting up, but the guild felt shady overall—no jumping in yet. Dinner first.
"Mion, when for that meal?"
"Heh! Huh!! R... Real?"
"All four of us—you, me, Sia, Claude."
"Kugh!"
Her face twisted openly.
Sia sat fiddling with her candy stick wrapper, ignoring our chat.
"Kidding. Just us two sometime. After mentoring—you recommended it, so I'll return the favor."
"For real? For real?"
"Yeah. See you. Sia, let's go."
"Ah! Have a good day, sis!!"
Leaving Mion behind with Sia, I ignored the pterodactyl screech from rear, holding back laughs—till Sia saw my face and asked why it looked uglier, forcing me to bullsh*t harder.
Scribble scribble—
"Hey, Claude, anything extra to prep for mentoring?"
"What? Mentoring? Just run the Labyrinth a few days and bail, right?"
"Remember your first time with Uncle Hawk? He taught us tons."
"Did he? I don't really..."
"Yeah, what was I expecting from you."
"So what's with the parchment all afternoon... Holy shit."
Guild was sus, but mentoring was sweet deal.
Wanting to actually help newbies, I crammed two A4 parchments with tiny tips for Labyrinth runs—Claude freaked.
"You're insane... Memorize all this?"
"You just charge trusting Sia's buffs; I handle the rest. No memory, we'd be dead already."
"Tch... Impressive as always, Cain! Party needs you—no one else!!"
"Quit the cringe."
"But you rank? Still smell herby? Pfft!"
"You little shit?"
Thwack!
"Gack!!! Ca... Can't breathe!!"
Days of herb stink stressing me; I elbowed Claude's guts (presumed) deep and stood.
Straighten—
"Ugh— Fancy dinner tonight?"
"For real?"
Nearly a week of cheapest menu and basic breakfast—Claude's eyes lit, clinging.
"Post-meeting and Labyrinth, we cash a month's haul. Need days like this."
"Me!! Giant steak!!"
"You got it. Desserts on me!"
"Boss!! Big boss Cain!!"
Mentoring would ease money woes, so spoil the kids today.
Sia's period ended yesterday; she'll want massage help tonight—load her with drinks.
Big dinner, force-fed Sia four peach drinks; snuck to her pre-bed massage call, saw her special lemonade after ages. Next morning.
Refreshed, early guild—Mion greets smiling.
"Mion, I'm here."
"Ah! Cain, perfect timing. Mentees all gathered."
"Already?"
"You know newbies—first Labyrinth run, too pumped to sleep."
"Fair. Claude was too."
Following Mion to matching table 20—three mixed sitting: numbers 20 marked.
Clap clap—
"Everyone~ Explorer Cain, your mentor, is here~"
"Hi. I'm Cain."
My sharp face doesn't look pushover, so calm greet, scanning faces...
"Oh my!!!"
"...Ahem!!"
"O... Nice to meet you!"
At the table: slutty Tanya from the park last time, her boyfriend Ro... whatever, and a guy looking just like her boyfriend, Ro... something, flanking her, staring at me.