Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Beginner Training (2)
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Making allowances for the crazy elf trying to feed me torture poison, the training itself went smoothly enough.
We covered the types of monsters that appear in the labyrinth's lower levels and how to deal with them, ways to distinguish certain medicinal herbs, and even party compositions and roles.
"If you get injured in the labyrinth and let it heal naturally without relying on potions or holy magic, you'll develop physical resistance..."
"If you endure sustained exposure to moderate flames without fire resistance magic..."
Aside from her constant pushing of these bizarre 'resistance training' theories, it was fine. Unlike the poison she'd fed me earlier, these had no verified success stories, so she said we couldn't just try them willy-nilly. She spiced up her explanations with grim anecdotes about experimenting on captured criminals in the labyrinth—stories I had zero interest in hearing. She never asked me to try it, so I tuned it out.
...What if there had been success stories? Would she have beaten trainees or roasted them over a fire? She insisted on the poison because there was an antidote, so who knows—she might've.
"But... Instructor? Is it really okay to feed poison to a trainee like that?"
"I've been disciplined a few times, but it's fine."
"?"
That's not fine, you lunatic.
"They hand down the discipline, but they also acknowledge that skill acquisition is real, so if the trainee consents, it's allowed."
...Was she talking about that "follow my training regimen" suggestion? When she fed me the poison earlier, she said something like, "Didn't you agree to follow all the training?" She's counting that as consent?
Whatever. I could just use [Sensory Block] whenever needed, so it didn't bother me.
In fact, the skill's duration had run out a few times, but I'd grit my teeth through a few seconds of itching and recast it on myself. Casting on myself barely used any mana anyway. The duration had improved since last time, making it manageable.
Alensia even seemed worried when she saw me twitching from the brief itches between casts.
"Your endurance is impressive, trainee... Even seasoned agents are famous for breaking under torture with that toxic plant."
"Could you endure it, Instructor?"
"By the time I learned about that poison, I'd already reached intermediate adventurer. It wouldn't have worked on me anymore. I've never experienced it."
...So she hasn't even tried it herself? The more she talks, the more legendary she gets.
"But what's that got to do with reaching intermediate adventurer?"
"...You're asking something that basic? Naturally, the more you train your body and mana, the more your natural resistance improves."
If I had to compare it to something, it felt like those AOS games back on Earth—your defense and magic resistance grow as you level up, even without gear or skills.
"So if you train enough, you wouldn't even need skills like [Poison Resistance], right?"
"Mana can only hold out so long. Want a simple example? Imagine you acquire [Poison Resistance] at level 1. What level do you think that would be?"
"Uh... Level 1 would be weak, obviously? Could it resist the poison you just fed me? You said its toxicity was mild compared to its effects."
"Even level 1 [Poison Resistance] would match my own resistance to that poison."
...On the level of an advanced adventurer? I might not know much about adventurers, but I'd heard the rumors.
They could punch down buildings barehanded, block a beginner's sword swing with their body, cast city-scale magic, that sort of thing.
That was part of why I'd chosen Alensia from the instructor list despite the sketchy reviews. I'd heard advanced adventurers were that impressive.
"That's just for resistance to that specific poison, of course. Even training mana and body doesn't build poison resistance easily. Plenty of advanced adventurers still die from it. That's why acquiring [Poison Resistance] as a beginner is so valuable."
Hm? When she mentioned advanced adventurers being at risk, her expression darkened for a split second.
"That's why I wanted to feed you poison to get you that [Poison Resistance] skill."
"Instructor..."
I'd pegged her as just a resistance-training nutjob, but she had deeper reasons. Considering how dangerous poison could be, plenty of people would want the skill—even if it meant enduring itch poison.
I knew that, which was why I'd gone along with swallowing it without argument.
"With that in mind, how about testing some other resistance skills? With your endurance, you might endure burning pain and gain [Fire Resistance]..."
"No thanks."
[Sensory Block] can't handle that.
By the time we left the labyrinth, the sun was already setting.
Not surprising. The poison incident had been intense, but we'd covered a lot of other training too.
"Um... Instructor? I think I've followed your teachings fully. About that housing you promised...?"
Seeing the sun dip low brought my lodging worries bubbling up. Alensia didn't seem like a liar, but she was a bit off from normal. What if that was just something she blurted out to test the poison feeding?
"Hm. Follow me."
Turned out my worries were unfounded. Alensia took the lead and started walking.
Still, even after leaving the labyrinth, the blisters hadn't faded. She said the body would detox naturally if left alone, but when?
As I checked my skin and trailed quietly behind her, Alensia stopped in front of a building. But this place...
"Instructor? No matter how I look at it, this doesn't scream 'lodging'."
We'd arrived at some mansion. I'd expected a cheap inn where she'd cover the fee or something. A mansion?
"Are we... staying here?"
"Yes."
Whoa! I'd imagined some dingy roadside inn, but this was a grand two-story mansion at first glance. It even had a yard, and the windows were glazed—definitely rich-people territory.
"This is my home. You'll live here during the training period."
"Got it. Wait—what? Your home?"
"Any issues?"
Issues...? None, really. Who'd complain about sharing a roof with a beauty in a luxury mansion? If there was a problem...
"Instructor. Is it okay to bring a guy like me into your home?"
"If we fight, I win."
Hm! No problem!
"Argh! I can't sleep for shit!"
I'd overlooked one thing.
Alensia showed me to a guest room on the first floor. I washed up, took off my armor, and sank into the plush-looking bed. No issues up to that point. I was impressed by the mansion's facilities and drifted off savoring the soft mattress—the first real comfort since coming to this world.
Until the insane itching jolted me awake.
"Fuck... Isn't there any way to make this skill last longer?"
When awake, I'd kept refreshing the skill myself. But once I fell asleep, the duration ended, and the itch hit. I'd jolt awake, cast it again, and the itch vanished—but thirty minutes wasn't enough for real rest. No way I'd feel refreshed after "sleeping" that short.
After repeating the wake-sleep cycle endlessly, I gave up on sleep and left the room. I'd nodded off from exhaustion a few times at first, but after enough thirty-minute naps, I was wide awake.
It was dark outside already, but the moon was especially bright tonight, filtering moonlight through the windows to dimly light the mansion's interior. Still too dark, so I used a skill.
[Sensory Amplification]. Amplify 'vision'.
I already had [Sensory Block] suppressing the itch, fulfilling the prerequisite for [Sensory Amplification]. While blocking one sense, it amplified unblocked ones.
Vision is the eye's ability to detect light—electromagnetic waves, technically. Amplifying it let me see clearly even in dim light.
A trick I'd discovered testing skills alone. I couldn't block vision yet, but amplification worked. Why not? Probably because vision processes the most sensory input of human senses or something.
Anyway, once I cast it, the mansion's hazy interior sharpened. Not daylight clear, but like twilight? Level 2 [Sensory Amplification] had its limits.
Keeping the skill active, I explored the mansion parts I'd skimmed during the day. The hall had no paintings but displayed some fine-looking armor sets. The kitchen area had a magic fridge-like device keeping ingredients fresh.
...Why's this poison weed in the fridge? Anyway, the bathroom had high-end magic tools too, all spotlessly clean.
No servants in sight. Did she clean herself? Or maybe cleaning magic tools?
To kill time, I wandered with idle thoughts. The storeroom door was locked, so I skipped it. Not like I planned to steal anything.
After circling the first floor, curiosity about the second floor hit. I'd seen Alensia head upstairs after showing me my room, so hers was probably up there...
Hm... She'd pointed out the bathroom and toilet but never said not to go upstairs. Should be fine!
The second floor was much like the first. Armors lined the halls occasionally, and potted plants dotted the way, but I wasn't big on plants.
There was a study, but even with the skill, it wasn't bright enough to read. I just skimmed titles.
[Labyrinth History], Elves Who Shone in the Labyrinth>, Continental Hero Tales>, 33 Vegetable Recipes>... All genres. What's this? What is 'Resistance Training'? Fuck. There it is.
I spotted a familiar term and pulled out the book to check the author.
What is 'Resistance Training'? — By Lee Ho-jae
"A Korean?"
I'd wondered which crazy Earthling spread resistance training to this world. The name screamed Korean.
No guarantee every otherworlder was from Earth, but all the ones I'd heard of were, so high chance this author was too—Korean, even.
I was curious about the contents, but it was still too dark. I slotted it back and left the study. Finding a probable compatriot's book stirred homesick feelings anyway.
Were there libraries in the city? Probably more books by Earthlings like this...
Feeling oddly wistful, I opened the next door over.
'...S...Sss...'
'Whoops.'
It was Alensia's room. Proving her elven heritage, it brimmed with even more plants than the hall. Her daytime armor hung on a stand by the bed.
And on the spacious bed, Alensia slept soundly under a thin blanket.
'.........Better head down.'
Tempted to peek inside, but an advanced adventurer's senses would be sharp. No point risking waking her. I closed the door as quietly as possible and descended to the first floor.
Seeing her asleep reminded me of teasing a sleeping Hiss Gray at the clinic.
...Maybe I should back off.
To avoid more pointless thoughts, I returned to my room, recalled Hiss's state from back then, jerked off once, and spent the rest of the night staring at the ceiling.