088. Drifters #3
I currently had 16 Transferable Return Tickets. More than enough to send back all the drifters I'd brought to the shelter to their original worlds.
I pondered for a moment.
For now, I couldn't turn them into jo-ryeokja. I didn't have any mid-level invitations. Offering Return Tickets in exchange for help with my labyrinth life, like with Merino, was also out. They didn't seem like they'd be useful to me. No, they definitely wouldn't be helpful. They'd just get in the way.
So, if I was going to give them Return Tickets, I'd have to demand something useful in return...
...Excluding Iara, they all look like they have nothing.
I scanned the drifters' appearances briefly and let out a sigh. They looked so ragged it felt wrong even asking for anything.
The clothes they're wearing aren't useful either.
I didn't wear clothes much to begin with. I was wearing something now only because I had to stand in front of people, but normally I just went around shirtless.
Should I just send them back for free? Not giving them tickets and kicking them out would be as good as telling them to die.
To be honest, I didn't need to demand repayment for handing over Return Tickets like I did with Rise. I had coin sponsors now, and my jo-ryeokja handled most of what I needed.
Still, sending them off for free didn't sit right. I wasn't some volunteer.
Tough call. What to do?
A good person would just let them go. But I didn't know if these people were good or bad. Weaklings weren't always good. There were ways to check, but testing them would be a hassle.
No big deal needed—just ask for a small token of sincerity?
With that in mind, I slowly looked them over again. No one seemed bothered by my gaze. I'd already explained the Transferable Return Tickets, so they probably guessed what I was after.
The drifters flinched nervously at first, then started edging forward one by one, offering what they had.
"Um, excuse me... I don't have anything right now, so please take this at least..."
A young man handed over cigarettes and a lighter.
"Oppa, take this... It's my favorite bunny doll. Please take good care of it."
A little girl offered the doll she'd been clutching tightly.
"Please accept this. It's a fairly expensive ring."
"I know jewelry like this might not be useful in a place like this, but it's all I have to give. Sorry."
The little girl's parents handed over what looked like wedding bands.
"It's my soul—my wig. It might smell a bit, but wash it and it'll be fine. Of course, you have a full head of hair, so you probably don't need it now, but you never know with life... Better to have one on hand."
The bald guy offered his wig while subtly cursing me under his breath.
Hm. Should I exclude just that guy and send the rest back?
Anyway, the others were rummaging through their clothes, desperately searching for offerings.
"It's money from our world."
"Shoes from a world-famous brand."
"Th-this is my prosthetic leg. It's super sturdy—could work as a weapon."
"A diamond ring I bought to propose to my girlfriend. No use for it anymore, so please take it without burden."
...This was getting pathetic.
I'd wanted something in return, but now it felt like extortion.
I let out a deep sigh and told the Normaria drifters I wouldn't take any of their items. Some felt too guilty to accept, and most were useless to me anyway.
They looked dejected at the rejection, but when I added,
"It's fine. I'll give you the Return Tickets for free, as a favor."
their faces lit up with instant joy. I didn't like playing the sucker, but hey, just this once.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
"I'll never forget this kindness! I'll remember it forever!"
"Hyung, I love you!"
"Mom, is that oppa a god?"
"Shh! He seems like he wants to hide it, so whisper."
"Got it. I'll whisper. But why is he a god?"
"Because he's a god who can perform the miracle of sending us back home."
"Aha!"
The Normaria drifters thanked me sincerely. I materialized the Transferable Return Tickets and handed them over. They tore them and returned to their homeworlds.
Not very calculating—total sucker move.
I sighed softly watching them vanish. That's when it happened.
10 drifters returned.
Total drifters returned so far: 13.
Vending Machine Tracker awarded as 10-drift return achievement reward.
"Huh? What's this?"
I'd suddenly received something called a Vending Machine Tracker. For hitting 10 drifter returns.
"Centaurides. I just got a reward for hitting 10 returns on those drifters. Did your mother ever get rewards like that?"
[Achievement rewards? I've never heard of such a thing. Mother never returned even 10 drifters, to my knowledge.]
I was pleased by the unexpected reward, but it didn't make sense. Why reward me for returning drifters? What did the Ancient Labyrinth gain from it? This place was full of mysteries.
Whatever—good is good.
As I checked if the Vending Machine Tracker had come through properly,
"They're all gone now."
Iara approached quietly. She'd deliberately held off on returning, waiting for the Normaria people to leave.
The reason was simple. She'd insisted on repaying me for the unconditional return. But doing so alone might embarrass the others, so she'd whispered earlier that she'd give it after they left—considering their feelings.
"This is a magic sword. It wields greater power the more adept the user is with magic, and it can change form to suit the wielder perfectly."
Iara offered the sword she'd been holding.
"I meant to give it right away, but I held off because I worried it might make the Normaria folks' gifts seem inadequate to you. Honestly, this magic sword is on a whole other level compared to theirs."
She kept explaining how amazing the sword was.
It seemed like an ordinary sword to non-mages, but that wasn't an issue. I wouldn't use it myself anyway. I could give it to a magic-using monster—like Jellyfish Princess.
"And I know it's rude, but... I have one shameless request."
Iara hesitated, then met my eyes cautiously.
"Could you help me find my companions?"
"Your companions?"
"...Yes. Actually, six more came here with me. If it's a burden, feel free to refuse. I was just asking on the off chance."
Did she think I'd refuse? Iara bowed her head, fidgeting with her fingers.
I would've rejected Normaria folks outright. But she was different. I'd received Sageworld's one-of-a-kind magic sword—a heirloom of the Un clan, symbol of the hero. Helping with that much was easy.
I could use Necro Puppeteer's powers or a drifter tracker to find them.
"I'll help."
"R-really? Thank you!"
"But first, one question."
"Yes! Ask anything!"
"Didn't you say your comrades betrayed you?"
"Eh? How did you...?"
"Heard it from the other drifters earlier."
"...Ah. Someone saw that scene."
Iara gave a wry smile.
"I was disappointed, even a bit resentful—not very heroic. But I don't dwell on it now. They didn't stab me in the back."
Didn't seem like she wanted revenge.
"They might've run if scared. I don't want to hate people who fled just to survive—that's petty. Even if they hadn't run, I'd have told them to first. Probably."
She'd already forgiven them in her heart. Well, that level of betrayal was nothing.
Not like selling organs to pay gambling debts after stabbing a comrade in the back, or selling one into slavery for brothel money. Fuck. That was my Elemen시아 past, by the way.
Anyway, I promised to help Iara and checked the current drifter count in the labyrinth.
Drifter Count: 11
Before meeting Iara: 30 drifters.
After rescue: 21 (minus 9 Pigking fodder).
Minus 10 Normaria returns: 11. Perfect match.
Her companions were all alive when she got caught by Pigking.
Summary: 2 with me. 9 scattered. 6 were Iara's comrades.
"Alright, let's go find them now—"
Drifter Count: 5
"...Huh?"
Just as I was about to head out, six vanished at once—like they'd died.