Chapter 119
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 119
Chapter Title: Traveling Together
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In a remote corner of a labyrinth.
There was a colossal bear with flesh as thick as armor.
Its identity was none other than the divine beast pulling the carriage carrying Dion and his party: an Armor Bear.
And behind that Armor Bear.
The goblin driver, Gachu, who was steering the house-sized carriage, thought.
‘My, it's so peaceful.’
Of course, this was a labyrinth.
A demonic realm where a moment of carelessness could cost you your life, the furthest place in the world from the word 'peace'.
Just looking at the battered carriage made it clear how absurd Gachu's thoughts were.
Nevertheless, there were two reasons why Gachu couldn't help but have such an outlandish thought.
*Bzzzzzzz.*
‘From scouting to dealing with monsters and even standing guard, the familiars take care of everything, so there's nothing for me to do.’
One was the blood-red bees flying around the carriage.
They were the familiars controlled by Pandora.
While weak individually, the ability to command a large number of familiars at once was a summoner's strength.
Moreover, the Blood Bees were 2-star monsters.
Even without the buff from their queen, Heda, they had no equal in this 1-star labyrinth, save for the boss-level monsters.
All Gachu had to do was blankly guide the divine beast in the right direction.
‘Back when we were being chased from the pirate's territory, I thought for sure we were done for.’
Gachu shuddered.
Dodging the various spells and projectiles flying from the pirate's territory, and avoiding being trampled by the divine beast's giant feet.
The escape, where the entire carriage was nearly blown away by the aftermath of the battle between the pursuing high-ranking Awakened Ones and Dion's party, had been truly terrifying.
In truth, the reason the present felt so peaceful was partly due to the stark contrast with the hardship they had endured.
And Gachu wasn't the only one feeling this sense of peace.
If anything, Dion's party felt it even more.
*Thump, thump, thump, thump.*
Though it was called a carriage.
Gachu's carriage was a luxury model.
Not only was it large enough to accommodate up to ten people.
It also had a small, separate living space in the back, making it convenient for long-term activities within the labyrinth.
The fact that one could cook, sleep, and even bathe while on the move made it less like a carriage and more like a small ship or a mobile camp.
This was especially true since it was lavishly equipped, thanks to Urk's sponsorship.
*Bubble, bubble.*
“...For monster stew to smell this good... no matter how I look at it, I can't believe it.”
“Monster or not, meat is meat. As long as you use the right amount of purifying water.”
“Don't you think the fact that you can turn into a demon if you eat it without proper purification is a problem in itself...?”
That was why the Vault Keeper muttered hesitantly as she watched Parsha cook in the kitchen area.
Even though it was a common practice in this era.
For her, who was from the Old Kingdom, the very act of treating monsters as food was something she couldn't get used to.
But Parsha was indifferent.
“Stop with the useless chatter and do what you need to do.”
“But I have nothing to do.”
“If you really have nothing to do, then go and get some sleep. You're disturbing my cooking.”
“Are you treating me like a piece of luggage?!”
In the end, even after being chased out of the kitchen, the Vault Keeper couldn't find anything to do.
As befitting her role as a maid, Parsha was in charge of all household chores like cleaning and cooking.
Pandora alone was sufficient for scouting and dealing with monsters.
No matter how luxurious it was, there was nothing she could do in the limited space of the carriage.
She was in charge of supplies, after all.
Her job was done once she took out various items, including water and food, from her shadow.
That was why the Vault Keeper reluctantly headed to the front compartment.
She was, after all, a vassal.
Following her master was her primary duty.
But...
“Who among the Five Heroes was the most outstanding—that's a question many still argue about.”
“Isn't it obviously the Ghost Spirit Princess? Who could possibly compare to the great deeds of one who summoned a thousand ghosts and slaughtered ten thousand demons?”
“If you put it that way, the Dull Sage, who was the greatest mage in history, and the Heretic Saintess, who was said to have seen the future and even outer space, were also legendary.”
“Hmm, if you asked the automatons, they'd definitely pick the Ruined Divine Smith as the best.”
As soon as she stealthily returned.
Her ears were filled with boisterous noise.
Centered around the excited masked man, it had already been hours...
No, days. The Vault Keeper wore a fed-up expression at the debate that wasn't quite a debate, which had been going on for days.
‘A Five Heroes fanatic... what an awful hobby.’
The Vault Keeper glared at the masked man who had started this debate.
That was right.
This was the very reason the Vault Keeper had been deliberately looking for something to do and loitering in the back compartment.
Hearing the same story once or twice was one thing.
The secret history of the Five Heroes.
The debate over who was the strongest among the Five Heroes.
Conspiracy theories about the Five Heroes, and so on.
Hearing nothing but that kind of talk all day was enough to make her ears bleed.
In fact, Naru, who had initially played along, was now clutching his rabbit ears with a dying look on his face.
“Anyway, in a head-on fight, it's definitely the Ghost Spirit Princess.”
“Come on, what fool would fight head-on in a disadvantageous situation? Of course, you'd try to steer it to your advantage.”
“I can't just let that slide. There's no way the Five Heroes would have cowardly avoided a confrontation.”
“Is that really so?”
That was why.
As if to prove he was the perfect conversational partner.
The giant lizardman, Raja, had been humoring the masked man for days.
More than anything, the reason Dion, who was still smiling cheerfully, seemed even more like a monster was...
‘Honestly, you have a strong stomach.’
How could he calmly discuss such things for days on end?
Looking at the boy, whose shamelessness made her question his sanity, with weary eyes.
Thinking that being too peaceful was also a problem.
Just as the Vault Keeper was thinking this to herself.
Dion suddenly turned his head.
“Foxy, what do you think?”
“...Are you speaking to this young one?”
“Yep. I'm curious who you think was the greatest among the Five Heroes.”
Without joining the conversation.
Nor looking bored by it.
Despite having the youngest appearance among them.
The fox-eared girl had been watching them with eyes that seemed to say, 'Ah, to be young,' sipping her teacup like a retired old man in the back room.
The little fox blinked at Dion's sudden question before opening her mouth.
“Frankly, I don't see the need for such a debate.”
“Hmm, you mean it's all just armchair theorizing for outsiders?”
“That's not what I mean. I mean that the Five Heroes were heroes because all five of them were together.”
They were undoubtedly geniuses, prodigies who would each leave their name in the history of Odobaekryeong.
But if they had been alone.
No, if even one of them had been missing.
They would not have been able to conquer countless impregnable labyrinths to expand the territory of the intelligent races.
Nor would they have defeated the seven calamities that nearly destroyed Odobaekryeong and saved the world.
That is why they are the Five Heroes.
Beyond who was stronger or weaker, they were great because the five of them were together, she said.
The fox girl finished her words with a serene smile.
“I'm sure the Five Heroes themselves didn't care one bit about who was stronger.”
“...Hmm, you seem to know a thing or two about the Five Heroes.”
Whether it was because he was impressed by her wise-beyond-her-years words, or because he was embarrassed for not having thought of it himself despite being a fanatic.
As the masked man nodded his head awkwardly.
Dion tilted his head.
“Well, that's a little different from what I think.”
“...What do you mean?”
“If I were one of the Five Heroes, I'm sure I would have fought day in and day out, insisting I was the stronger one.”
“Nonsense! There's no way geniuses like the Five Heroes would have done something so childish.”
“It makes more sense precisely because they were geniuses.”
The Mado Territory.
The Mudo Territory.
The Yodo Territory.
The Gido Territory.
The Oedo Territory.
With five of the most brilliant geniuses gathered from each city-state, home to numerous races.
Who was more brilliant.
They wouldn't have been able to resist proving it.
Dion, who had stated this flatly, added another word with a faint smile.
“And it's even more likely when you consider the pasts of the Five Heroes, who were treated as nuisances, ruffians, or weirdos before their talents were revealed.”
“...”
“Kids who are ostracized tend to do anything to prove themselves.”
“Th-The Five Heroes weren't ostracized children! They were just persecuted by those who were jealous of their talent!”
“No, the young master is right.”
Perhaps because he didn't like his admired Five Heroes being treated like children.
As the masked man flared up.
The little fox shook her head.
And continued, a bit bitterly.
“Every hero has a childhood, and in their youth, the Five Heroes were indeed looked down upon, no less than the current Three Incompetents.”
“You...! Take that back! How dare you compare the Five Heroes to the Three Incompetents, the worst trash in the Mado Territory!”
“Mm, my apologies if I offended you. I seem to have overstepped my bounds. It seems this young one has spoken out of turn.”
“...”
The masked man was now glaring openly at the little fox, his expression beyond mere displeasure.
Even as the fox girl apologized with a troubled face, his gaze only grew fiercer instead of softening, and the air in the carriage grew heavy from his stare alone.
Raja, who had been watching the masked man, cleared his throat lightly and opened his mouth.
Or rather, he tried to.
“Ahem, well...”
“Shuttle, is dinner almost ready?”
“...It's almost done.”
“Then it's about time we stop the carriage and prepare for dinner.”
*Isn't it a bit early?*
The Vault Keeper didn't bother to ask.
Even she, who was often teased by Dion for being an airhead, wasn't foolish enough to miss her master's intention as he naturally shielded the little fox with his body.
Of course, the others noticed as well, but...
The masked man didn't glare at the small girl, who was less than half his size, any further.
He simply left a single remark and was the first to exit the carriage as soon as Gachu stopped the divine beast on command.
“You'd do well to teach your niece to watch her mouth, fortune-teller.”
“Mm, mm. I'll be sure to warn her.”
After breathing a sigh of relief, Raja gave a grateful look and left with the little fox, who bowed her head slightly in thanks.
And after Naru also slipped to the back, saying he would help with dinner.
After a period of silence with a strange expression on her face.
The Vault Keeper whispered cautiously.
“Master, I'm not certain, but...”
But as she was whispering.
The Vault Keeper froze.
Without a sound.
Stealthily.
*Shhh.*
A finger raised to his lips.
Winking playfully by closing and opening one eye.
But as she looked into Dion's blood-red eyes, which were sunken and incomparably deep and dark.
The Vault Keeper understood.
No, she realized.
That this boy had known all along what she had only vaguely sensed and couldn't be sure of.
The fact that he had carried on that conversation without a single change in his expression was not just frightening, but utterly chilling.
‘...Then again, there's someone else they should be worried about.’
The peace was only on the surface.
Forget the time they were chased by the pirate lord.
This situation was overwhelmingly more perilous and precarious than even the expedition to the [Tower of Shadows].
Even in this den of monsters.
The most terrifying monster of all.
Looking at the boy she had no choice but to acknowledge as the successor to the King of the Dark Grotto, the Vault Keeper could only let out a soft sigh.