Chapter 114
Chapter 114
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: Nymph Cultist and Pluto's Underground Labyrinth
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After slaying the bull-headed monster, our labyrinth exploration proceeded without any major hitches.
We traversed a straight corridor that led to a dead-end chamber. Surprisingly, the small pedestal inside held nothing at all.
Ransacking Pluto's labyrinth didn't guarantee treasure every time. I just shrugged it off. Guess this dungeon was a bust.
The ice mage, however, seemed to have secretly hoped for some relic. She clicked her tongue in disappointment at the empty pedestal.
"It's so anticlimactic. Still, all that strange mana and karma we accumulated feels substantial. Not a total loss, I suppose."
"Then let's head back."
That wrapped up my first labyrinth delve as an adventurer. All that was left was retracing our steps.
"Plu-Pluto, sir, sorry for rummaging through your labyrinth. Farewell."
As we neared the exit, the convert Paranoya bowed her head toward the dungeon entrance.
"And sorry for calling you a bastard Pluto... From now on, I'm serving another god. Please understand...."
Damn, even I've never seen someone apologize to a freaking dungeon before.
"Hey, doesn't that defeat the purpose of converting?"
"W-Well, yeah. Now that you mention it... But switching faiths I've held since childhood isn't easy to adjust to...."
Hmm.
She had a point. I had no religion myself, so faith and conversion felt like someone else's problem.
But could a devout Christian suddenly convert to Islam one day? I doubted it.
Religion and faith were domains powerful enough to spark wars even in the 21st century, after superstitions had been largely debunked.
"More importantly, Hassan, isn't that... heavy...?"
Lost in thought, I noticed the nymph convert eyeing me nervously. Her crimson eyes fixed on the massive axe slung over my shoulder.
The halberd the bull monster had swung around so freely earlier.
No one else could even lift it, so I'd shouldered it myself.
It was heavy, sure. But with both hands, I could manage. Was my strength, now at 9, actually doing something?
Of course, I doubted I could swing it to cleave enemies. One or two swings, and I'd be spent.
I wonder how much coin this thing would fetch.
As I entertained such pleasant thoughts, Didier the dwarf, leading the way through the reed fields, chimed in.
"You're one strong party leader, mister. You should've seen how you arm-wrestled that bull monster earlier. It grabbed your shoulder, but you gripped its wrist, and the beast howled in agony before collapsing!"
I'd gripped its wrist, and it hurt? Recalling the fight, I realized Didier, who'd been on the ground, hadn't seen me boot the thing square in the groin. From his angle, it must've looked like I'd overpowered it with raw strength.
"Toppling a house-sized bull! You fight like a true hero!"
Maybe because he saw me as his benefactor, Didier praised me effusively, not knowing what expression to expect from me.
"Hassan, that was amazing! It was a seriously tough monster. Honestly, I didn't think you'd hold out that well!"
Beside him, Luna—wearing that massive bull skull on her head—added her own praise.
"Samaritans must be born warriors!"
"It wasn't that impressive, really... Uh...."
How do people used to compliments react? I could handle glares or insults, but this hero-worship left me clueless.
"Impressive enough to outrank me as party leader, it seems. I dismissed the rumors as exaggeration at first, but grabbing a lion barehanded? That must be true too."
"There were circumstances...."
"Hassan caught a swamp gator with his bare hands! Hassan's been twisting venomous snakes to death since birth!"
"Interesting."
I just mumbled awkwardly, watching the sunset dye the ripening reeds yellow.
My sister or mom would've fired back proudly. But I took after Dad—zero backbone.
"Whew, thought I was done for. Fists like rocks. Feels like a few bones cracked."
"I didn't expect it to shatter my ice barrier so easily either. Same rank, my ass—this Pluto labyrinth is way more dangerous than I thought."
Back at Ceres's temple, we boarded the carriage.
Only as the horses trotted over the bumpy road did we finally relax, sharing our thoughts.
"You've got plenty of labyrinth-looting experience, from what I hear, party leader. How tough was this one?"
Didier's question beside me brought back the mimics and that final bull-headed horror.
"Just average...?"
Elfriede wouldn't have struggled much against it. Hippolytë could've cleared the place easily too.
The gap between her and me hit hard. Damn, still a long way to go.
But the slave Hassan, who'd rolled in the dirt scrimping 5 coppers to save 30 silvers for freedom, had stood against a giant monster and won.
This was bullshit—even I thought it was a miracle! Hell, I could brag door-to-door with rice cakes!
Didier seemed shocked by my honest take, letting out a small sigh. "Hmph."
"I've decided. Time to quit the sword-for-hire life."
"Quitting adventuring?"
"Yeah. Can't keep it up on one leg forever. Better to start as a street vendor than flop dead somewhere, even if I can't open a shop."
Guild promising star or not, he'd racked up achievements. But this delve soured him on it.
Deep ruins like that were a huge burden unless you were mad for gold and glory.
"Turns out what I really want is swinging a kitchen knife at ingredients, not an axe. This proved it."
We said nothing to Didier's retirement announcement.
Couldn't cheer him on awkwardly, and we weren't close enough to dissuade him.
Still, knowing I'd never see this red-bearded dwarf around the guild anymore felt oddly regrettable.
Hadn't realized I'd grown fond in that short time.
That's life in this world, though. Meet easy, part easy. No room for attachments.
Which makes peeling them off once they've stuck that much harder.
"Skull, you'll make a fine luck charm."
My eyes drifted to Luna fiddling with the massive skull. Come to think of it, hadn't the owner of the skull said something about Nox's child?
I'd brushed it off before.
But now, I grew intensely curious about this pink-haired girl—who she was, what her deal was.
* * *
We reached Sodomora the next day.
Cramped in the carriage all day, we spilled out into the city's stench, stretching like mad.
"Swear, no matter the cost, I can't ride carriages forever. Finally here."
At first, it was just squalid and vile. But after a few trips, it started feeling like home.
"Gotta hit the clinic. I'll post the loot manifest at the guild."
Didier, disembarking, headed off first to treat wounds from bandits and the bull-thing.
He'd groaned the whole ride back. Looked fine superficially, but better early than late. No sense risking infection.
"Well then, party leader, I'll take my leave too. Need to meditate and sort these new karmas."
Ice mage Belmina vanished into the crowd after a curt goodbye, citing her own needs.
Left were just me, Luna, and the nymph convert Paranoya, who'd been off since the forge.
"What the hell? Just us three? Eating and drinking's more fun with a crowd. New folks these days skip the afterparty."
Luna smacked her lips regretfully at the emptying alleys. But they weren't coming back.
So me, Luna, and the ailing Paranoya trudged to the Nymph Wings Inn for meat and booze.
"Y-You're covering my share too? Thank you, Hassan...."
Paranoya, silent the whole ride, finally spoke hesitantly as she took her cup. Time to voice what I'd been mumbling to myself.
"Can you drop the formal speech? It's creepy all of a sudden."
"Th-The honorifics? But Vesta's followers..."
"Hassan, Vesta devotees are supposed to use polite speech. It's proof her conversion's taking."
"That so?"
A religion mandating politeness.
Worshipping a hearth fire and guardian goddess already felt cozy. Guess even this twisted world had some wholesome faiths.
But it didn't seem strong. Hearth fire protector?
Gods here should wield swords, battle prowess, thunderbolts—something fierce for real power.
"Here's your food. Heard you got picked as labyrinth party's leader. Back quicker than expected! What's with the beast skull?"
The innkeeper plunked trays down, chatting as usual. Word of the delve had spread?
"This is—"
Luna boasted about the bandits and labyrinth monster. The innkeeper roared with laughter.
"No kidding? You look unscathed. Getting better every day. All thanks to my grub!"
His satisfied grin, as if he'd cleared it himself, swept the table—then locked on the crimson bob-haired nymph Paranoya.
"Th-Thank you, Lady Vesta, for this daily bread.... And thanks to Hassan for buying it...."
Paranoya muttered a weird prayer over her food. Devout, if nothing else.
"A rare nymph miss in these times. My wife'd love her."
"Your wife's a nymph?"
Paranoya, mid-bite, gaped wider at his words. He jerked his chin.
"Right there."
"An... other nymph...."
Her gaze drifted, then her face twisted in shock.
"N-Ny...mph...?"
"Honey, Echo! Come here! Your sister's visiting!"
"Oh my, another nymph besides me—."
The mature nymph housewife Echo appeared at our table. A ripeness no other woman I'd met had hit me dizzy.
Guess the "regulars for the missus" line wasn't hype.
"Hee hee, what a cute little nymph."
So lethal. And she seemed to ripen more each meeting.
Did that maturity resonate with fellow nymph Paranoya?
"N-Nymph for real? How in the...?"
"Oh— that's a secret—. I'm Echo, nymph of the deep well. And you are...?"
"I'm Par, Paranoya, nymph of the ditch water...."
Echo leaned in, pressing her forehead to Paranoya's.
I legit jumped, thinking they were about to kiss.
"Hey, Luna. What the hell are they doing?"
"Word is, nymphs greet by exchanging mana like that. First time seeing it. Cool...!"
"Even I haven't seen this, and my wife's a nymph. Echo, learn anything?"
Echo pulled back from Paranoya's forehead, smiling thinly at her beaming husband's question.
"A true ditch nymph. Small as she looks. Barely twenty years manifested. But she's got strange karma. Proof of hardship. Poor dear."
"M-Madam, how long have you...?"
"Hush. Hohoho. Nymphs are eternally youthful sprites. Remember that."
"Y-Yes, ma'am."
"Anyway, seeing kin feels like home. Visit often."
"Y-Yes...."
Even answering, Paranoya's eyes glued to Echo's ample bosom. Hers were just budding.
Wondering why another nymph had such huge tits, probably.
"Enjoy your meal."
Innkeeper and Echo withdrew to handle orders.
But he slipped me a tiny note, subtle enough only I'd notice.
I unfolded it under the table, away from Luna and Paranoya's eyes. One line:
The baron awaits you.