Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Beginner Training (5)
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"Ian, trainee... did you do something to me last night by any chance?"
Just as I was starting to relax and let out a sigh of relief, Alensia hit me with a sudden question.
Why would she ask something like that? Did she sense something off? Should I play dumb? But what if she has some basis for asking? Even if I lie, won't she see right through me?
Sure, I put her back to sleep with a massage, but was she actually awake at that point?
A barrage of thoughts raced through my mind in response to her brief question, flashing into existence and vanishing just as quickly.
"A massage..."
"A massage?"
"Yes. I gave you a massage last night! Of course, I didn't touch anywhere strange! I only... massaged your face."
In the end, I went with the direct approach. It felt better than fumbling around with a clumsy lie—mixing in just enough truth while holding back a little.
To be precise, I did touch her ears too, but massaging her face was true enough. And I did admire her body.
"I have the [Massage] skill. When I perform a massage, it relieves fatigue and applies a kind of buff that reduces muscle strain buildup for a certain period. I figured if I could make a good impression on you, Instructor, maybe you'd teach me more swordsmanship, so I took the liberty without asking."
I fleshed out the half-truth. What I actually have is [Heavenly Touch], but claiming I have [Massage] isn't wrong. It's listed as an effect: [Massage Lv. M].
The massage effects aren't a lie either. Though I did forcibly put her back to sleep with the tension-relief option on top.
And trying to make a good impression? Not a lie. It wasn't the main reason, but the thought did cross my mind.
"...The [Massage] skill, huh..."
Did it work? Her face was expressionless, so I couldn't tell if she'd noticed anything suspicious. Even putting that aside, she could still get mad just about me touching her face.
No, honestly, I only told the truth, right? Sure, I got aroused looking at her body, but who could've predicted she'd wake up over that? If that were the case, she wouldn't get any sleep normally.
"You should be more careful, Ian trainee."
"...!"
She's mad after all?
"No matter what, even with a skill like [Massage], you don't go blabbing about your skills to just anyone. Skills like [Swordsmanship] are martial techniques that others might naturally figure out, but anything not so obvious—you shouldn't reveal your skills to others so carelessly."
"...So you're not mad about me touching your face?"
"There was no impure intent, was there? If you'd massaged me with bad intentions, I would've woken up midway. I stayed asleep because it was purely a kind gesture."
Not quite. It started with curiosity, but the moment I thought about touching her breasts, she nearly woke up.
Did the effects of [Heavenly Touch] keep her from noticing she almost woke up last night? I figured she'd have some lingering unpleasant sensation from nearly waking in the middle of the night. Especially since she's an elf—maybe some racial trait amplifies that.
Anyway... the conclusion is, she didn't notice?
"If anything, I owe you thanks. I've actually gotten better at controlling it myself, so I can wake up at the set time now. But when I wake up like that, my body feels heavy. Right now, though, I feel refreshed, like I slept deeply. That's why I asked if you did something."
"Well, I'm glad you liked it."
I really am relieved. I was worried she'd grill me over mere thoughts, accusing me of malice or whatever, but it seems she's letting it slide.
"Once we're back at my place... could you give me another massage? I'd make it worth your while."
Oh, now that's a pleasant miscalculation.
We didn't head straight back to the city after breaking camp. The training was still ongoing, after all.
Two straight days of intense practice followed, but with [Heavenly Touch] easing the fatigue at night and reducing muscle strain buildup, it was more manageable than I'd expected.
No—even better. My muscles felt a bit more flexible, and subtle misalignments in my body were correcting themselves. I could visibly see improvement over yesterday.
"You're progressing faster than I thought... It's less about swordsmanship and more like your body itself is getting refined a little."
And she noticed it with her keen eye amid all that.
"How do you even spot something like that?"
"Any skilled artisan or high-level adventurer has basics like [Insight] or [Observation]. You'll pick them up too as you explore the Labyrinth."
[Insight] and [Observation]... skills for sizing people up? Pretty straightforward names. Do they reveal skills too? Back when I first arrived in this world, the temple checked my skills for me.
"Uh, does the temple use skills like that to check skills?"
"Hm? The temple? ...Ah, you mean how otherworlders get checked after transferring here? That's thanks to relics placed in the temples. Otherworlders transfer with skills of their own, and most have powerful or unique ones that exceed standard skill norms. Some used them for crime, though. So the temples check skills in advance to assess risks."
"What if it's a dangerous skill?"
"Something like an oath, I think... Not sure on the details."
So that's how it was?
The day I first transferred, still in my Earth clothes and totally bewildered, some priests showed up, dragged me to the temple, handed me settlement funds, checked my skills, gave me a basic guide with common knowledge, and kicked me out. No oath or anything.
At first, I thought everyone got their skills checked at the temple. Later I learned anyone can just open their skill window.
"What kinds of skills did the otherworlders who transferred so far have?"
"Hm... From what I know, things like [Status Window], [Shop], [Predation], [Hypnosis], [Super Regeneration], [Time Stop]."
...What the hell? Someone transferred with [Status Window]? And time stop? All I got was [Sensory Block] to endure needle pricks!
"[Time Stop]? Isn't that insanely overpowered?"
"At level 1, it only stops time for 0.1 seconds."
.....Yeah, level 1 skill or not, that's too short... [Sensory Block], huh? Looks like you're family after all. Level 1 is pretty lame.
No, wait—even blocking injection pain, 0.1-second time stop feels cheat-y. Sorry, [Sensory Block]. You're 0-for-1.
"The otherworlders with [Hypnosis] and [Time Stop] got caught committing crimes and were executed by the temple."
".....Executed? Not imprisoned or something? Wait, more importantly, how'd they even catch people with skills like that?"
The latter's curious too, but the former's the real question. Can't help but worry since they might be from Earth.
"The [Hypnosis] guy hypnotized countless men indiscriminately for rape, but one victim undid the hypnosis for fun and gouged out his eyes. Turns out the skill activates through the eyes, so it got blocked. With so many crimes, they executed him before he could regenerate them."
Regenerate eyes? Are there skills or Labyrinth mysteries in the city that restore lost body parts?
"But hypnotizing men? Was the otherworlder a woman?"
"A man. Summoned wearing an octagonal red hat, and started crimes right after realizing his skill."
Fuck. Shouldn't have asked.
"The [Time Stop] guy couldn't chain activations. So they just arrested him normally during cooldown."
"Arrested... What was the charge?"
"Child rape."
"Good riddance."
No need to worry. Probably not Earthlings who died. Even if so, not Korean. If I reveal I'm an otherworlder later, I don't want to get discriminated against for sharing origins with scum like that.
"Not all were like that. The otherworlder with [Shop] could buy items from his world and collaborated with the Magic Tower to recreate them as magic tools. Lots of everyday magic tools the Tower sells now came from that."
Ah, that explains the weird medieval-modern mashup vibe. Some previous otherworlder spread culture. Whoever it was, thanks!
I thought some great mage invented air conditioning here, but it was an Earthling!
"Got sidetracked... Anyway, back to the point—[Insight] or [Observation] can't reveal skills."
"So aside from the temple, no way to check others' skills?"
"Some Labyrinth relics can. But special skills don't show up well."
"Special skills?"
"Divine blessings, self-concealing skills, or ridiculously powerful ones."
Hm... Tricky, but ways exist to check others' skills?
Right after transferring, I had no choice but to reveal [Sensory Block] at the temple. But as Alensia said, don't blab skills carelessly.
Especially mine—[Lust Absorption] looks super suspicious on sight.
Oh, right—maybe Alensia knows something about [Lust Absorption]? Should I probe?
"By the way... among otherworlders or adventurers, any skills that give extra 'experience points'?"
This question shouldn't seem off. Everyone craves more EXP.
At my question, Alensia stopped walking and stared straight at me.
"Not that I know of. A skill for gaining EXP...? Doesn't ring a bell. If it existed, everyone would want it."
Hm. Even an advanced adventurer like Alensia doesn't know? Could be hiding it, but her answer came quick—no lie vibe.
I wondered if I got an EXP-related skill because I'm an otherworlder... Hm...
"Still, there are ways to get more EXP, right?"
"Huh?"
"The Labyrinth."
The Labyrinth. Right. Why people keep challenging it—for more EXP.
Labyrinth and EXP...
"So don't get impatient about EXP. You just got [Swordsmanship], so you want to level it, but rushing is poison. Take it easy, explore the Labyrinth. Surviving longer there nets more EXP than risking crises short-term. Always prioritize your life."
She must've thought my EXP question came from impatience—uncharacteristically warm advice, laced with worry for my safety.
It should've been touching, but my mind was elsewhere.
'Labyrinth... [Lust Absorption]... Labyrinth and [Lust Absorption]... and EXP...'
My head was a mess over the [Lust Absorption] skill.