Chapter 16: Return (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 16: Return (3)
Light flooded my surroundings, and an even whiter light shone beyond that before my sight returned.
I stared blankly up at the sky. It had been a long time since I had been somewhere so bright. Well, it was still just a gloomy gray sky, though.
"Derek, are you going home?"
"No way, after a month of that? I'm going straight to the tavern after washing up."
"I'm back!"
"All adventurers below rank seven, please come this way!"
To say my surroundings were noisy would be an understatement. It was only natural that all the adventurers from the labyrinth would gather in one place... but still. I had no idea there were so many adventurers in this city. It was like Gwanghwamun Gate during the World Cup.
Click, click.
I set my watch to twelve o'clock.
When you entered a labyrinth, only a day passed in the city outside. No matter how many days you spent inside, it was noon the next day when you exited.
When I was playing the game, I thought that was just something the game designer did to help out the player. But it's in the world of the game as well...?
This meant that even after you exited a labyrinth, you could immediately continue on a quest in the city. So, I had thought it was just a convenience thing for players.
"Bjorn, son of Yandel!"
Who was that? The voice was familiar... As I turned my head in the direction of the sound, I met the eyes of a barbarian. I vividly remembered him being the first leader of our group.
"Karak, second son of Fanun."
"It's the third son."
Eh? So, is Ainar second?
Anyway, it was easy for tall barbarians to find each other in this crowd.
"Kenick's fourth son, Serum! You came back alive as well!"
"I'm glad you look all right too, Karak, third son of Fanun!"
I was just standing there, but the barbarians started flocking toward me.
"Ha ha ha ha ha! The Blade Wolf was no big deal! Nothing can hold out against my axe for more than one strike!"
"Of course, you wield your axe valiantly, Parman, son of Nerun!"
Was this a school reunion? It was instant chaos.
The barbarians greeted each other by calling out their long names and titles nonstop and praising each other's valor. They were fascinating. How did they memorize those long names with thick skulls like that?
"Bjorn! What are you doing?! We're going to exchange mana stones now, aren't you coming?"
I cleared my throat once and answered as loudly as I could.
"Oh, I will go!"
"You seem pretty tired! There is no strength in your voice!"
"That's right!"
I had thought my barbarian act was pretty good, but now my confidence was waning. Natural-born barbarians were different.
"There it is!"
"The place for warriors to prove their bravery!"
As I moved along with the group of barbarians, I was consequently able to go through the process that all adventurers completed. It was nothing special—it was just the process of exchanging mana stones for money at the checkpoint.
"That's 24,476 stones."
"That's 28,420 stones."
"That's 41,498 stones."
It was like a checkout line at a grocery store. Especially when it came to speed.
The officials sitting at the table doing their work were super quick. They placed the pouch of mana stones on top of something like they were scanning a barcode, and when a number appeared, they took out the corresponding amount of money like a well-oiled machine. As I watched this curiously, the barbarians around me shouted and chatted at the top of their lungs without an ounce of shame.
"Oh! To earn more than forty thousand stones, amazing!"
"Karak, the third son of Fanun, is a warrior among warriors!"
Ha... I wasn't sure if it was because I had lived with an elf for the past few days, but I just couldn't get used to this.
I still needed to find Erwen as well... Why did these punks have to show up instead? I had just been standing there.
"Bjorn, son of Yandel! It's your turn now!"
As I was sighing to myself, my turn arrived. I walked over to the table and placed my pouches in front of the seemingly soulless civil servant.
"Are all three pouches mana stones?"
The other two pouches had belonged to Skinny and the samurai. But now they were all mine... as of about forty minutes ago.
"That's right."
As I nodded, the official placed the pouches on the scale-like contraption. Soon after, it relayed the exact amount.
"That's 182,413 stones."
A loaf of bread was about twenty stones, so that was over nine thousand servings of bread in seven days.
It was just yesterday that I had been upset about beating a goblin and earning a single slice of bread.
...I was starting to get a bit emotional.
"He's earned 180,000 stones! Bjorn, son of Yandel, has earned 180,000 stones!"
"That is the highest amount ever! Bjorn, son of Yandel, is the greatest warrior of all time!"
But these bastards didn't even give me the time to be emotional.
I quickly retrieved the money from the official and left the checkpoint. But as soon as I came out of the crowd, the barbarians noticed my appearance and started making a fuss.
"Not just the stones! He's even holding a hammer!"
"And he's even wearing shoes! I'm jealous!"
"He has three bags!"
"He's looking at a clock! Does he know how to read time?"
"How is that possible? Is Bjorn, son of Yandel, a wizard?"
Well, it was not like I couldn't understand why they were reacting the way they were. It probably would seem like magic to them. I was the first barbarian to go into the labyrinth naked and come out an evolved, civilized man!
Shit, all this hype was getting me excited too.
Whoa, calm down, Bjorn. I'm...
"I am the greatest warrior!"
"Ahh!"
As I cried out, the barbarians went wild. Then, they picked me up and started tossing me in the air. Surprisingly, it felt better than I expected.
"That's 24,476 stones."
"That's 28,420 stones."
"That's 41,498 stones."
It was like a checkout line at a grocery store. Especially when it came to speed.
The officials sitting at the table doing their work were super quick. They placed the pouch of mana stones on top of something like they were scanning a barcode, and when a number appeared, they took out the corresponding amount of money like a well-oiled machine. As I watched this curiously, the barbarians around me shouted and chatted at the top of their lungs without an ounce of shame.
"Oh! To earn more than forty thousand stones, amazing!"
"Karak, the third son of Fanun, is a warrior among warriors!"
Ha... I wasn't sure if it was because I had lived with an elf for the past few days, but I just couldn't get used to this.
I still needed to find Erwen as well... Why did these punks have to show up instead? I had just been standing there.
"Bjorn, son of Yandel! It's your turn now!"
As I was sighing to myself, my turn arrived. I walked over to the table and placed my pouches in front of the seemingly soulless civil servant.
"Are all three pouches mana stones?"
The other two pouches had belonged to Skinny and the samurai. But now they were all mine... as of about forty minutes ago.
"That's right."
As I nodded, the official placed the pouches on the scale-like contraption. Soon after, it relayed the exact amount.
"That's 182,413 stones."
A loaf of bread was about twenty stones, so that was over nine thousand servings of bread in seven days.
It was just yesterday that I had been upset about beating a goblin and earning a single slice of bread.
...I was starting to get a bit emotional.
"He's earned 180,000 stones! Bjorn, son of Yandel, has earned 180,000 stones!"
"That is the highest amount ever! Bjorn, son of Yandel, is the greatest warrior of all time!"
But these bastards didn't even give me the time to be emotional.
I quickly retrieved the money from the official and left the checkpoint. But as soon as I came out of the crowd, the barbarians noticed my appearance and started making a fuss.
"Not just the stones! He's even holding a hammer!"
"And he's even wearing shoes! I'm jealous!"
"He has three bags!"
"He's looking at a clock! Does he know how to read time?"
"How is that possible? Is Bjorn, son of Yandel, a wizard?"
Well, it was not like I couldn't understand why they were reacting the way they were. It probably would seem like magic to them. I was the first barbarian to go into the labyrinth naked and come out an evolved, civilized man!
Shit, all this hype was getting me excited too.
Whoa, calm down, Bjorn. I'm...
"I am the greatest warrior!"
"Ahh!"
As I cried out, the barbarians went wild. Then, they picked me up and started tossing me in the air. Surprisingly, it felt better than I expected.
Well, I would roll with it.
"You can't make too much noise here."
"I'm sorry! I apologize!"
"I mean, please lower your voice...."
"Okay!"
Finally, the madness subsided only after a checkpoint worker came to tell us off. Then I regained my composure and sat on the floor like the barbarians around me, waiting for the remaining barbarians to finish at the checkpoint.
It was then that I sensed eyes on me and turned my head to see an elf staring at me through the crowd of adventurers. It was Erwen.
How long has she been watching? I hope it was after I was done crowd-surfing...
Unbothered, Erwen smiled when our eyes met like she was pleased to see me. However, when the elegant elves next to her started talking to her, she quickly took her eyes off of me. Curious, I listened to their conversation, which turned out to be quite refreshing. Seeing Erwen talking quietly with elves who were older than her was almost surreal.
"Sis! I think I know how to handle elementals now! I understand why Grandma Grinderin insisted that you have to be friends with them first."
"Oh, really? Fire elementals have a rather short temper, so you will be able to hear their voices soon."
Mm, so you're part of that world, huh? I only have savage beasts next to me. I'm jealous...
Watching Erwen with a longing for what I was missing, our eyes met again. I took this opportunity to mouth something.
Tonight.
Erwen cocked her head, then smiled and answered:
Okay!
It was clear that this secret conversation was quite exciting to Erwen. But I didn't know if she actually understood what I had said. Did she even reply "Okay," or was I just imagining things?
Ha... I'd have to try to talk to her once I left the checkpoint.
As I was lost in thought—
"Why are you looking over there like that? Is there someone you know?"
"N-No! Sis! Of course not!"
Erwen waved her hands dismissively in response to the other elf's question. Then, waiting for an opening, she glanced at me and mouthed, "I'm sorry!"
I thought I was reading her lips right this time. I could also understand the gesture of secretly pointing at the other elf and shaking her head that followed. It must have meant that she didn't have a choice. Well, it was the same over here.
"Bjorn, son of Yandel! What are you looking at?! Do you know that elf?"
"I do not!"
"Well, of course! There is no way that the greatest warrior of all time would ever know a vile fern-face!"
I wanted to shut the bastard's mouth, but I couldn't. At the sound of the loud, booming voice, the elves around me turned to us and glared.
Among them was Erwen. But while her eyes were pained, she nodded her head as if in understanding.
"Ha..."
Looking at those sad eyes, I had a realization.
What are we doing right now? Is this Romeo and Juliet?
"Let's go!"
Soon after, the barbarians finished their exchanges and headed out. Talking to Erwen when she was with the elves seemed like an impossible task no matter how long I waited, so I followed them out. Annoyingly, there were more people gathered out front.
Well, I would roll with it.
"You can't make too much noise here."
"I'm sorry! I apologize!"
"I mean, please lower your voice...."
"Okay!"
Finally, the madness subsided only after a checkpoint worker came to tell us off. Then I regained my composure and sat on the floor like the barbarians around me, waiting for the remaining barbarians to finish at the checkpoint.
It was then that I sensed eyes on me and turned my head to see an elf staring at me through the crowd of adventurers. It was Erwen.
How long has she been watching? I hope it was after I was done crowd-surfing...
Unbothered, Erwen smiled when our eyes met like she was pleased to see me. However, when the elegant elves next to her started talking to her, she quickly took her eyes off of me. Curious, I listened to their conversation, which turned out to be quite refreshing. Seeing Erwen talking quietly with elves who were older than her was almost surreal.
"Sis! I think I know how to handle elementals now! I understand why Grandma Grinderin insisted that you have to be friends with them first."
"Oh, really? Fire elementals have a rather short temper, so you will be able to hear their voices soon."
Mm, so you're part of that world, huh? I only have savage beasts next to me. I'm jealous...
Watching Erwen with a longing for what I was missing, our eyes met again. I took this opportunity to mouth something.
Tonight.
Erwen cocked her head, then smiled and answered:
Okay!
It was clear that this secret conversation was quite exciting to Erwen. But I didn't know if she actually understood what I had said. Did she even reply "Okay," or was I just imagining things?
Ha... I'd have to try to talk to her once I left the checkpoint.
As I was lost in thought—
"Why are you looking over there like that? Is there someone you know?"
"N-No! Sis! Of course not!"
Erwen waved her hands dismissively in response to the other elf's question. Then, waiting for an opening, she glanced at me and mouthed, "I'm sorry!"
I thought I was reading her lips right this time. I could also understand the gesture of secretly pointing at the other elf and shaking her head that followed. It must have meant that she didn't have a choice. Well, it was the same over here.
"Bjorn, son of Yandel! What are you looking at?! Do you know that elf?"
"I do not!"
"Well, of course! There is no way that the greatest warrior of all time would ever know a vile fern-face!"
I wanted to shut the bastard's mouth, but I couldn't. At the sound of the loud, booming voice, the elves around me turned to us and glared.
Among them was Erwen. But while her eyes were pained, she nodded her head as if in understanding.
"Ha..."
Looking at those sad eyes, I had a realization.
What are we doing right now? Is this Romeo and Juliet?
"Let's go!"
Soon after, the barbarians finished their exchanges and headed out. Talking to Erwen when she was with the elves seemed like an impossible task no matter how long I waited, so I followed them out. Annoyingly, there were more people gathered out front.
"Dad! Are you hurt? I missed you!"
"Bro! I'm here!"
Hmm, yes, there was something similar in the game as well. Put simply, the people gathered here were family members or acquaintances of the adventurers.
"Let's go! I will clear the way!"
"Ohhh!"
I followed the barbarians through the crowd, every person in it overcome with joy, despair, sorrow, or affection.
I studied their faces one by one. It felt strange.
"Limarion! My husband, where is my husband? Is he...?"
"I am sorry. He asked me to give this to you."
"No... no. No... Ahh!"
I'd played Dungeon and Stone countless times, but I could now see faces and expressions that I had never seen through the 2D graphics on the screen.
***
One of the reasons why I had to go with the barbarians was that, just like with the checkpoint, there were still more procedures that newcomers to the city had to complete. However, my expectations of where we were headed were surprisingly inaccurate.
"Drink! Let's drink!"
"Ohhh!"
As soon as they got out of the labyrinth, the barbarians headed straight to the tavern.
You're all underage, you idiots. Oh, wait. You already finished your coming-of-age ceremony.
"I will be going."
"Why! Bjorn, son of Yandel, the Greatest Warrior!"
A modifier had been attached to my already long name. I made an excuse that I had somewhere to go and left the group, all the while repeating to myself that patience was a virtue.
"I pray that fortune in battle be with you, Bjorn, son of Yandel, the Greatest Warrior!"
The realization had already hit me multiple times, but at that moment, it hit me again: I really could never use common sense to predict what these guys were going to do next.
"Finally, some quiet."
After being with the savages for a short while, I felt like I was going insane. Had Erwen felt the same way when she had stayed with me?
Next time, I'd have to tone down the barbarian act.
Trudge, trudge.
After splitting off from the group, I wandered around the city without stopping. I had a destination in mind, but right now, I just wanted to walk wherever my footsteps led me. It was peaceful.
It had been midnight when I first saw this city, but now that it was daytime, the streets were full of people. Surprisingly, it gave me a sense of security.
There were no monsters here. No one could hurt me. Even if I fell asleep on the side of the road, I would wake up in one piece. Someone might even give me a helping hand.
There were laws, rules, and leisure here. Of course, it was still a distant world in another universe, and I knew that, despite its appearance, almost everything from their ideas, culture, and social system would be uncivilized compared to the 21st century.
But it was still peaceful. At least compared to the labyrinth I had spent seven days in.
I wanted to experience that sense of security a little more, so I kept walking. Because adventurers had just poured out of the labyrinth, being covered in blood didn't really make me stand out. No one even looked at me strangely. But as I kept walking down the street, I felt the urge to wash myself off. So, I went to the first inn I saw, got a room, and bathed.
It was interesting. I had never seen bathwater with more blood in it than dirt. When I headed outside after bathing for about an hour, I felt that the clothes I was wearing were too dirty.
Damn, I should've bought some clothes before I took a bath.
All I wanted to do was go to sleep, but I went out into the street again and looked for a clothing store.
But why was I doing that? No one was looking at me strangely, but I was still embarrassed for some reason. My bare upper body and my pants, stained with blood and dirt, were the same as they had been earlier in the labyrinth. Well, no, my body was at least a lot cleaner, but still...
I felt like a savage again.
Why?
"Welcome!"
As soon as I entered a store that I presumed to be a clothing store, a kind worker approached me and smiled, even at a seemingly homeless barbarian. I'd never seen such a professional employee, even in Seoul...
"A shirt? If you would like to make a custom order, please visit the building next door... Oh, you're looking for something to wear right now? I'm not sure if there's anything in your size, but I'll take a look."
With the help of the worker, I was able to buy a tight-fitting shirt and black cloth pants. The total was 2,500 stones.
I couldn't tell if I had been ripped off or not. I'd never tried on or bought clothes that didn't have any function when I was playing the game.
"See you next time!"
Now that I looked more like a person, I returned to the inn. After watching that civil servant exchange my mana stones and also speaking to that clothing store employee just now, I felt that the city exuded a strangely modern vibe.
Rafdonia.
Most of the buildings were made of stone and had many floors. It was hard to even find a building with less than three stories on this street, and my bath water had even come out of a faucet. Perhaps living in this city was going to be more viable than I thought.
Soon after arriving at the inn, I lay down on the bed. As I recalled the events of the past seven days one by one, it hit me that I was also a human, not much different from Hans.
When I had first fallen into this world, my only goal had been to survive. But now?
I finally let out the words I had been swallowing back for days.
"I want to go home."
I wanted to go back. Even if no one was there to welcome me.
"Dad! Are you hurt? I missed you!"
"Bro! I'm here!"
Hmm, yes, there was something similar in the game as well. Put simply, the people gathered here were family members or acquaintances of the adventurers.
"Let's go! I will clear the way!"
"Ohhh!"
I followed the barbarians through the crowd, every person in it overcome with joy, despair, sorrow, or affection.
I studied their faces one by one. It felt strange.
"Limarion! My husband, where is my husband? Is he...?"
"I am sorry. He asked me to give this to you."
"No... no. No... Ahh!"
I'd played Dungeon and Stone countless times, but I could now see faces and expressions that I had never seen through the 2D graphics on the screen.
***
One of the reasons why I had to go with the barbarians was that, just like with the checkpoint, there were still more procedures that newcomers to the city had to complete. However, my expectations of where we were headed were surprisingly inaccurate.
"Drink! Let's drink!"
"Ohhh!"
As soon as they got out of the labyrinth, the barbarians headed straight to the tavern.
You're all underage, you idiots. Oh, wait. You already finished your coming-of-age ceremony.
"I will be going."
"Why! Bjorn, son of Yandel, the Greatest Warrior!"
A modifier had been attached to my already long name. I made an excuse that I had somewhere to go and left the group, all the while repeating to myself that patience was a virtue.
"I pray that fortune in battle be with you, Bjorn, son of Yandel, the Greatest Warrior!"
The realization had already hit me multiple times, but at that moment, it hit me again: I really could never use common sense to predict what these guys were going to do next.
"Finally, some quiet."
After being with the savages for a short while, I felt like I was going insane. Had Erwen felt the same way when she had stayed with me?
Next time, I'd have to tone down the barbarian act.
Trudge, trudge.
After splitting off from the group, I wandered around the city without stopping. I had a destination in mind, but right now, I just wanted to walk wherever my footsteps led me. It was peaceful.
It had been midnight when I first saw this city, but now that it was daytime, the streets were full of people. Surprisingly, it gave me a sense of security.
There were no monsters here. No one could hurt me. Even if I fell asleep on the side of the road, I would wake up in one piece. Someone might even give me a helping hand.
There were laws, rules, and leisure here. Of course, it was still a distant world in another universe, and I knew that, despite its appearance, almost everything from their ideas, culture, and social system would be uncivilized compared to the 21st century.
But it was still peaceful. At least compared to the labyrinth I had spent seven days in.
I wanted to experience that sense of security a little more, so I kept walking. Because adventurers had just poured out of the labyrinth, being covered in blood didn't really make me stand out. No one even looked at me strangely. But as I kept walking down the street, I felt the urge to wash myself off. So, I went to the first inn I saw, got a room, and bathed.
It was interesting. I had never seen bathwater with more blood in it than dirt. When I headed outside after bathing for about an hour, I felt that the clothes I was wearing were too dirty.
Damn, I should've bought some clothes before I took a bath.
All I wanted to do was go to sleep, but I went out into the street again and looked for a clothing store.
But why was I doing that? No one was looking at me strangely, but I was still embarrassed for some reason. My bare upper body and my pants, stained with blood and dirt, were the same as they had been earlier in the labyrinth. Well, no, my body was at least a lot cleaner, but still...
I felt like a savage again.
Why?
"Welcome!"
As soon as I entered a store that I presumed to be a clothing store, a kind worker approached me and smiled, even at a seemingly homeless barbarian. I'd never seen such a professional employee, even in Seoul...
"A shirt? If you would like to make a custom order, please visit the building next door... Oh, you're looking for something to wear right now? I'm not sure if there's anything in your size, but I'll take a look."
With the help of the worker, I was able to buy a tight-fitting shirt and black cloth pants. The total was 2,500 stones.
I couldn't tell if I had been ripped off or not. I'd never tried on or bought clothes that didn't have any function when I was playing the game.
"See you next time!"
Now that I looked more like a person, I returned to the inn. After watching that civil servant exchange my mana stones and also speaking to that clothing store employee just now, I felt that the city exuded a strangely modern vibe.
Rafdonia.
Most of the buildings were made of stone and had many floors. It was hard to even find a building with less than three stories on this street, and my bath water had even come out of a faucet. Perhaps living in this city was going to be more viable than I thought.
Soon after arriving at the inn, I lay down on the bed. As I recalled the events of the past seven days one by one, it hit me that I was also a human, not much different from Hans.
When I had first fallen into this world, my only goal had been to survive. But now?
I finally let out the words I had been swallowing back for days.
"I want to go home."
I wanted to go back. Even if no one was there to welcome me.