146. Prisoner, Hero of Mercy, Ethan

Ethan, the hero known as the Hero of Mercy. This was back when I hadn't yet gained my unique trait. In other words, my weak days. He was just a fleeting bad connection from that time.

Of course, it was a bad connection, but I didn't harbor much resentment. If I had, I would've tracked him down and punished him the moment I gained power. After acquiring my trait and growing strong, I never bothered searching for Ethan. I just wrote him off as some immature punk and didn't give him a second thought.

He was trash with a shattered personality, sure. But he hadn't done anything that bad to warrant revenge. At least, not by my standards.

"Looks like Ethan to me. No way there's another guy with a face that wild."

This wasn't sarcasm. Nor a personal attack. And definitely not mocking his looks.

It was just that Ethan's face was so distinctive—you'd think no one else could possibly look like that. Put nicely, he had a unique look. Bluntly put, his face was so smashed-up and overflowing with character that even a self-portrait by a drunk Picasso would look more put-together.

His name "Ethan" supposedly means "strong and enduring." Probably because the mental trauma he inflicted with that face lingered forever.

Ellis started spilling the details of our past with Ethan in the chat, as if recalling my old words. The jo-ryeokja watching her messages grew furious.

Anyway, something told me this guy had probably become a fallen hero too. His personality was wrecked in a way that didn't match the "Hero of Mercy" title at all.

[Do you know that prisoner?]

As I stood there staring at Ethan, Infernos asked curiously.

I nodded at the question.

"Yeah, acquaintances at least."

[That's surprising... Were you close? If you want, I could free him for you.]

"Free a prisoner? You got the authority for that?"

[No authority, but if I sweet-talk the guards right, letting one prisoner go is no big deal.]

That was unexpected. Guess Infernos wasn't just hell's doorman. I'd been lowkey dismissing him due to his delusions and amnesia...

[So, what'll it be? Should I tell the guard torturing him to stop?]

"Nah, we're good. Acquaintances, yeah—but not friends."

If anything, more like enemies. I was about to add that when—

My eyes met Ethan's, who was strung up on the pillar getting tortured.

"Y-You're...!"

In that instant, Ethan's eyes widened. He'd recognized me too.

"Gauntlet! It's Gauntlet, right?!"

Like he'd spotted a lifeline, Ethan shouted. His voice dripped with joy.

Ethan's shout drew eyes from the other prisoners and a few guards toward us.

[Hm? Is that the explorer?]

[Dullard. You only just noticed?]

[No wonder the power dipped suddenly. Explorer's nearby.]

[Too immersed in torture to notice till now.]

[Huh? Infernos is with the explorer too?]

The humanoid monster torturing Ethan paused his whipping, knocked Ethan out cold, and eyed me while twitching his brow.

Infernos rushed over and introduced me, heavily emphasizing my Helper Trait.

Once he finished explaining, the whip monster and other guards' wariness melted away.

[Hmmm. An explorer with the Helper Trait? Most welcome.]

Clack-clack.

With crisp heel clicks, the whip monster strode toward me haughtily. She flashed a smile and offered her hand.

[Name's Gauntlet? Nice to meet you. I'm Whipra.]

High-handed when torturing prisoners, but now extending a handshake, she radiated a warm vibe.

I shook Whipra's hand. Out of habit, I checked for her red taming spot.

But no spot anywhere.

After the handshake, I shifted slightly to peek at her back—still nothing.

Couldn't be hidden under clothes. I can sense them even through fabric if I focus.

As I puzzled over it—

[Hm? Interested in my body?]

Whipra groped her own chest with a lewd grin.

[Wanna touch? Go ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ahead.]

A few of my monsters stepped in front of me at Whipra's bold move, speaking coldly.

[Hey now. Our boy's only touched mommy's boobs.]

[Warning. Gauntlet prefers eyeballs.]

[Step aside with those nonexistent mosquito bites. Father only cares for my chest.]

Niara Nephensis, Iris/Vision, and Kinogine Arachne.

I waved the monsters back and asked Whipra directly: Had she ever been tamed by a Helper explorer?

She smiled knowingly and confirmed it.

[Oh? You saw right through me?]

"Ancient Labyrinth natives who can't be tamed are usually cases like that."

And she probably wasn't tamed by Art Pega Unicorn's mother. They seemed strangers, and her mother never tamed female monsters anyway.

Did Whipra have a soft spot for Helpers? She kept beaming at me.

[This explorer's crazy strong. If our Geodani had been as strong as you, he wouldn't have died.]

Geodani must've been the explorer who tamed her.

"Oh yeah, that explorer was Geodani. Totally slipped my mind."

[Huh? You know our Geodani?]

Whipra looked shocked at my reaction and asked.

I gave her a quick summary of how I knew Geodani, even mentioning planet Kendorra.

Whipra's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠face darkened at Kendorra's update. Had to weigh heavy— the world they protected was on the path to ruin.

I wanted to tell her more details, but time was short. No telling when the vending machine I was tracking with the Vending Machine Tracking Ticket might vanish.

Finding it came first.

So I promised to fill her in on the details later—including my history with the passed-out Ethan.

I told Whipra I'd be back soon and headed off in the direction of the voice guide.

P.S. Art Pega Unicorn had already handled Whipra's codex entry.