Chapter 20
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: First Party (1)
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After browsing the shopping district and purchasing a throwing knife and a helmet that only covers the head, I returned to the mansion.
"You're back. I've been waiting."
Thankfully, the errand I'd sent her on seemed to be finished, and Alensia greeted me.
Good thing. I was worried she'd tell me to go sleep out tonight. Well, the training period would end soon anyway, so I'd have to find lodging. Maybe I should start looking now?
"I have something important to discuss. Come in."
Before my worries could continue, Alensia called me over in a serious tone. What was this? Did I really have to leave?
"Damage to your mana circuit?"
I'd expected something like being kicked out of the mansion or training-related news, but what I heard was far more serious.
Alensia's mana circuit near her shoulder had been damaged, and no method had worked to heal it so far. But last night, there had been a slight improvement.
"The only thing that comes to mind from last night is the massage from trainee Ian. So, trainee Ian... do you have any skills related to healing?"
...It wasn't like I had no clue.
The healing effect attached to the Heavenly Touch skill, or the correction of misalignments from the Massage skill itself. It had to be one of those. Or maybe both working together.
But explaining those skill effects was a whole other issue. I'd only planned to reveal the Massage skill. I figured that much wouldn't cause problems.
But mana circuit healing out of nowhere?
"I know what you're worried about. Skills with healing effects are incredibly rare outside of priests. Especially the possibility of healing mana circuits, which no one's ever done... If that skill gets out, the fallout would be massive. There are plenty who want their mana circuits healed besides me, including outright villains."
...I hadn't thought that far. I'd only just learned about mana circuits, and I had no idea they couldn't be healed.
"That's why I brought a contract scroll from the Magic Tower. I've already filled in the details. Would you read it over?"
In this atmosphere, saying I didn't know what a contract scroll was would be bad, right? Well, the name was straightforward enough. Probably some magically enforced contract.
The contents were... just a simple nondisclosure agreement. '(Party B) Sia shall not disclose the contents without permission from (Party A).......' Huh? Sia?
"Um, Instructor Alensia? The name 'Sia' is written in the contract..."
"........That's my real name."
She had a separate real name? Well, I guess when I registered as an adventurer with the Labyrinth Guild, I wrote just 'Ian' instead of 'Kim Ian' too.
I didn't know why Alensia looked embarrassed, but people using aliases were common in the labyrinth.
Anyway, it would be foolish not to sign the contract. Alensia had already experienced my skill's effects firsthand and confirmed I was the cause. This contract was her way of ensuring the secret stayed safe.
No red flags jumped out, so I picked up the pen and wrote my name in the blank. Out of habit, I just wrote 'Ian', but luckily it worked without a family name—the scroll began to glow.
"Now that we've sworn to secrecy... will you tell me?"
After I explained Heavenly Touch to Alensia, she nodded in understanding. The massage technique from that night had been at a master level, she said, which made sense.
Additionally, she permitted me to reveal this to exactly one priest she named.
Apparently, for proper rehabilitation, my skill alone wouldn't suffice; she'd need a priest's help too. If the secret leaked from that priest, Alensia would bear all responsibility and contract penalties.
"He's someone I trust enough to stake my life on. I'll introduce him to you soon, trainee Ian."
With her saying that much, I decided to trust her for now.
As the agreement to reveal it to the priest implied, I agreed to help with Alensia's treatment. For a price, of course.
"To sum up: in exchange for helping with your treatment, I get to live here in the mansion, one gold coin per massage separate from treatment, ongoing swordsmanship training, and you'll vouch for my identity with the Labyrinth Guild, right?"
The rewards were honestly underwhelming compared to the rarity of mana circuit healing. But flashy compensation might draw suspicion, so I opted for practical, low-key benefits.
One big one: her vouching for my identity. If anything unfortunate happened in the labyrinth, having a trusted advanced adventurer like Alensia back me up was huge.
With her authority, I could also use Labyrinth Guild facilities beyond the library she'd mentioned before.
"Once you have the strength to protect yourself, trainee Ian, you can reveal the skill's effects and treat others. When that time comes, I'll pay the rest of what's owed."
We sealed the contract, and I offered to start massaging right away, but she refused. Better to work out a rehab schedule with the priest and progress step by step, she said.
I hadn't even known Heavenly Touch had this potential, so this was unexpected windfall for me. Thanks to it, I could stay in the mansion without lodging costs and keep learning swordsmanship from Alensia.
"Then grab your sword and come out. Today's lesson ended sooner than expected, so I'll train you until bedtime."
...This was a good thing, right?
Even after the contract, Alensia continued the training she was assigned to oversee.
"Trainee Ian, take a look at this. It's a poison herb—if you eat it, blood spurts from every orifice. Rare on the lower floors, but lucky us."
...She was still foraging for poison herbs.
She said her trauma from poison had improved a bit, but she still believed resistance training was invaluable. Somehow, her voice sounded brighter during lessons now.
Encounters with monsters in the labyrinth still had me taking the front while she pointed out flaws, and mornings were for sword practice.
We hadn't done any additional massages yet. Lately, after dinner, Alensia headed to the temple to see the priest she'd mentioned. She kept repeating she'd introduce us soon.
As training neared its end, Alensia handed me a single sheet of paper.
[Collection Request: 10 Brutal Scorpion Poison Glands]
"This is the request you'll handle."
"Me?"
"Yes. Normally, beginner training ends with clearing a request assigned by the instructor alone. Plus, this one counts toward the request quota that covers half your training fee."
When I signed up for beginner training, we'd agreed half the fee could be paid via requests. I had money now thanks to Alensia's advance, but we couldn't void the contract.
I took the request sheet and scanned it. Brutal Scorpions... They mainly appeared on the labyrinth's 3rd floor. Big scorpion-like monsters whose poison glands had many uses, so even beginners got plenty of requests for them. I'd encountered them while training on floors 1 through 3.
But since they used poison, novice adventurers tended to avoid them. With my Poison Resistance skill, Alensia must have picked this one on purpose.
"Whether you form a party or go solo, the instructor won't interfere. As long as you complete the request safely, I'll certify your beginner adventurer training graduation."
"Couldn't we just finish training? Does 'graduation' mean something special?"
"You can skip the final request. But graduating beginner training gives a slight bonus for future promotions to intermediate adventurer. Naturally, I won't enter the labyrinth with you this time. If you feel unprepared, decline."
I had no intention of declining. I'd planned to try requests anyway.
I geared up, packed food, torches, and flint, stuffed the crumpled request sheet in my pouch, and headed to the Labyrinth Guild. I'd try recruiting a party first; if not, go solo.
Entering the guild, I ran into the receptionist who'd introduced me to Alensia last time.
"Oh? Aren't you the one who applied for beginner adventurer training before?"
"You remember well. You must deal with tons of people daily."
"Well, someone who volunteered for Alensia's training... you know."
She almost said 'suicide' or something there.
"Like I said last time, no refunds on training. Complaints aren't my department~"
"Who said anything about refunds? I'm here for the final training request."
"?"
I handed over the sheet, and she alternated between it and my face with growing doubt before blurting out,
"Wow, you're the first trainee to finish Alensia's course! I thought you'd just run off midway and come grab a request."
"You're saying that after recommending her as instructor?"
"I followed protocol. Besides, do you know what usually happens when people she trains show up at the counter?"
"...I can guess, but what?"
"That bitch fed me poison!"
Somehow, I could picture it. I shrugged it off with Sensory Block, but complaints about torture-grade poison were inevitable.
"Oh, you didn't get poisoned this time? After that reprimand last time, she said no poison without consent."
"I did."
"Huh? You survived that? Are you insane?"
I'd thought she was bubbly from the start, but calling someone insane to their face?
"...Can receptionists say that?"
"The branch chief said if anyone survives that poison, call 'em insane!"
Now I was curious about this chief. And normally, you'd take that as hyperbole, right?
"Anyway, you insane guy—"
"It's Ian."
"Right, Ian. Impressive is impressive, but work's work. Looks like you're recruiting a party for this request?"
"Yes."
"Target's Brutal Scorpions, so probably aiming for floor 3. Want to form your own party or join an existing one?"
"I'd like to see if there's a party to join first."
"Then jot down your main weapon, position, and skills you have. Not all skills, just the main ones you'll use in parties."
Hmm... Position: frontliner. Main weapon: sword. Skills: Swordsmanship, Poison Resistance. Sensory Amplification... just call it a sensory enhancement buff. And... keen-eyed folks notice anyway, so maybe mention Dexterity too. Everyone who spots it asks if I have it. Skip the rest.
"Let's see... Oh! With these specs, joining a party should be easy."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Few skills listed, but everyone only puts mains. Poison Resistance and Dexterity are rare, especially resistance on a frontliner—they get priority."
Her explanation made surviving that poison feel worthwhile, even if it wasn't too bad for me.
"There's one party targeting floor 3 looking for a frontliner. Want to see?"
Perfect match—she slid a paper with brief party member info across the counter. Let's check...
[Rud. Wolfkin. Priest - Holy Magic, Enhanced Sense of Smell, Hunting...]
[Brams. Dwarf. Mage - Freezing Magic, Mana Control, Metallurgy...]
[Kaitel. Orc. Rogue - Scouting, Unarmed Combat, Stealth...]
"Wow."
What a wildly distinctive party. I was totally into it.