Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Chilling.
That was the first impression I felt the moment I saw her.
If I only looked at her smiling brightly while stroking Yeriel’s hair… I should’ve thought, “She must really adore her little sister,” or “What a close pair of sisters!”
But my instincts warned me. This person was extremely dangerous. Be careful.
[Chaos says you’re facing a force you cannot oppose at this moment.]
Frozen in the eerie feeling, I heard the murmuring around me.
“Hey, hey, look over there. Isn’t that Bloodjoy of the Silver Cross Knights?”
“What’s Bloodjoy? Some celebrity or something?”
“Crazy. She’s a famous deep-level raider. There were rumors she once raided a human hunters’ meeting and tore everyone apart, but you never heard of it?”
“Ah! I heard something about that massacre before. I heard there were several mid-level adventurers in the slums of District 8, but she just shredded dozens of them?”
“Exactly! The place was completely soaked in blood… ugh.”
Bloodjoy glanced at the crowd murmuring around her.
“Strangers, you’d better mind your own business and go about what you’re doing. Don’t you think?”
“Yes, yes! Sorry for chattering! Let’s go!”
At her cold words, completely opposite to the gentle look she gave Yeriel, the murmuring people slowly turned away and went about their business.
She shook her head slightly and spoke to me.
“So, who are you? Who is holding my sister’s hand like that?”
Narrowing her eyes slightly, she continued.
“Hm, there was no black-haired, golden-eyed handsome man listed among Yeriel’s first party members. I didn’t see you on departure day either.”
‘Of course I wasn’t listed. Still, golden eyes… I was really shocked when I saw them turn gold from reflecting the water, probably because of Chaosvision.’
Sigh… Do I have to explain again that I lost my memory and fell naked on the third floor?
As I struggled to think of how to introduce myself, Yeriel’s surprised voice interrupted.
“Uh, sister! Why did you just say ‘list’? And what do you mean you didn’t see me on departure day?!”
Yeriel’s cheeks puffed up again.
“Sister, did you investigate all my party members just because it’s my first time in the labyrinth? And you say something about departure day… did you even tail me? I told you not to treat me like a kid!”
Seeing Yeriel sulking, her sister looked flustered.
“I… I’m sorry, Yeriel. But you’ve never fought before, and now as an adult, you’re going into the labyrinth. How could I not worry?”
She said this while stroking Yeriel’s hair gently.
“Maybe investigating and tailing you was too much. You know I was just worried. Will you forgive me?”
Yeriel let out a small sigh, released my hand, and hugged her.
“I knew you’d worry about me again anyway. Just don’t get caught. If I see you doing that, even as an adult, it feels overprotected and it’s weird.”
They really were close. It felt like watching a mother and daughter.
After the hug, she turned to me.
“So, answer me. Who are you?”
I spoke cautiously.
“I’m Aren. I first met Yeriel in the forest on the third floor of the labyrinth. At that time, I had lost my memory and wandered naked through the forest without knowing why.”
I had no choice but to pretend memory loss here too.
“While walking and punching goblins with my bare hands, I met the party. Luckily, Yeriel confirmed that she wasn’t evil, so I temporarily joined them.”
I shrugged and continued.
“Then… luckily, I was given equipment, so I contributed in battle as a single party member, helping out.”
“Hmm.”
“After that, over the next few days, we somehow escaped via the central goblin village portal. That’s it.”
I summarized roughly, but she stared at me with an intense gaze.
“…There’s a lie in what you just said, isn’t there?”
“Huh?”
Crap. Did my memory-loss excuse fail?
It was convenient to use before, but now I had no answer.
If I told her I was a Transferred who took a portal, she’d probably not like that I ended up on the third floor. What should I do?
[Chaos says to stay calm and not panic.]
Yeriel quickly caught the weird tension and spoke.
“Sis! Hey! Don’t use your traits silently!”
“It’s not that…”
“And Aren, why’d you downplay your contribution to just one person’s share? That makes it seem like a lie.”
Damn. I nearly lost ten years off my life. In isekai stories, if a transfer is discovered, getting killed is a common cliché.
‘Nice assist, Yeriel!’
[Chaos admits this time.]
I pretended nothing happened and said casually.
“Sorry. Actually, as Yeriel said, I didn’t just do a single person’s share. I was the main dealer, cutting through goblins.”
I covered my eyes slightly as I continued, dispelling suspicion.
“My vision is quite good, so I could see their attacks clearly. Like Bloodjoy mentioned using her trait to detect lies, I seem to have an eye trait too.”
She tilted her head slightly.
“Good. I have just one more question. If I’m wrong, I’ll apologize properly.”
Fine.
“Go ahead. I’m ready to answer.”
She suddenly stepped closer.
Whoa.
She got so close that our noses almost touched and grabbed my chin to hold it.
‘Damn, she’s disgustingly beautiful.’
[Chaos laments that he can’t show his own strength.]
She whispered.
“Look me in the eyes and listen carefully. Labyrinth of Deirty.”
What?
“Labyrinth of Deirty.”
What’s that, nerd? Labyrinth is obvious, but Deirty…?
Anyway, can you move your face? Too close, kind of overwhelming.
“Could you step back a little? It’s… a bit overwhelming.”
“Sure. I observed your reaction carefully; you’re not it. But what’s overwhelming?”
She’s telling me my face is overwhelming… but I guess I dodged whatever that meant.
“Of course it’s overwhelming when someone’s face suddenly comes in your space. Especially one this stunning.”
I blurted it out and felt embarrassed, but she seemed even more flustered.
“W-what…”
Red cheeks, just like her sister.
I resisted looking at my status window. Maybe she has a lie-detecting trait, and I might have a trait that notices information being stolen.
‘She’s strong enough to have rumors spread, but exactly how strong… the gap is huge.’
She hesitated, pouted her lips, and finally lowered her head to apologize.
“Anyway, I’m sorry. For using my trait silently, and for testing you.”
If someone capable of shredding dozens of mid-level adventurers bowed, that was sufficiently polite.
“It’s fine. Anyone would have interrogated the person holding hands with their cute little sister. You can lift your head now.”
She did, and I thought it was resolved. I turned to Yeriel.
“Yeriel, seems like it’s over. Shall we go find Derek? Maybe Bernard is waiting with him.”
Yeriel nodded.
As we headed off, Bloodjoy spoke.
“There they are. I spotted you earlier, but couldn’t come because of me. Let’s go.”
Following her direction, Derek cowered while Bernard froze.
“I’ll go to the headquarters with Yeriel after she’s done, so don’t worry about me. Do your thing.”
Hearing her, Derek and Bernard finally moved.
Derek leaned in and whispered.
“I’m just a priest, so I brought him along as a party member, but I never imagined he’d have a deep-level raider in his family. Be careful, Aren.”
Then he announced to everyone.
“Let’s settle the loot first, then hand Hans over to the guild. Let’s go to the reception.”
We left the labyrinth, passed the checkpoint, and arrived at the Adventurer Guild.
The guild building was a huge wooden structure, almost like a mansion.
Clang.
I pushed open the iron-reinforced wooden revolving door.
Inside, it was vast and multi-leveled. The first floor had dozens of tables filled with adventurers chatting among themselves.
The reception counters matched the building’s scale. Long lines stretched before each counter.
For settlements, Derek went to a counter with the shortest line.
The rest of us took empty tables to talk.
Bloodjoy spoke to me.
“Why are you handing Hans over to the guild as a slave? He seemed like a useless porter in the list. Did he do something serious?”
“Well…”
“Usually we don’t bother enchanting someone into a slave when conflicts happen. Either we spare him because of money, or he was really nasty. One of the two.”
Since Derek hadn’t arrived yet, I gave a brief explanation.
“He often tried to harass party members and steal loot.”
“Harassment is a serious crime, but… harassment?”
“Both attempts failed, but the former caused too much suffering for the party member, and the latter attempted to steal important loot and escape via portal.”
I briefly whispered to Yeriel.
“Should I tell your sister? She won’t throw a fit, right?”
Before Yeriel answered, Bloodjoy lowered her voice.
“I heard everything. If it’s about Yeriel, tell me. I won’t run amok here or cause any harm.”
With that assurance, it was right to tell her. She would find out anyway.
“Hans kept harassing a party member, offering meals, asking personal questions, and bothering them… that party member was Yeriel.”
Chill ran down my spine.
The moment I finished, it felt like a knife was at my neck. Hallucinations of red filled my vision.
A sense of helplessness that even moving slightly could mean death overtook me.
Damn.
I feared her, but more upsetting was that I couldn’t do anything.
“Ugh!”
“Kup!”
It wasn’t just me—no one in the guild moved.
But the pause was brief. She restrained herself from harming Yeriel, keeping her word.
“Ha, ha.”
[Chaos admires the strong human killing intent.]
I could hear gasps everywhere, including my own. Yeriel remained unharmed.
“Sis…”
Yeriel whispered to her sister.
By the time Derek returned and asked me what had just happened, their conversation was over.
Bloodjoy spoke to me.
“Aren, instead of handing him over to the guild after enchanting him into a slave, why don’t you transfer him to me? It’ll still be legal once notarized and documented.”
Transfer?
“I’ll pay far more than what the guild offers. How much did Derek say?”
Quickly, Derek answered.
“30 silver coins!”
“I’ll give you 3 gold coins… actually, let’s make it 5 gold. Will you hand him over?”
Crazy. I didn’t know the currency well yet, but usually 100 silver coins equal 1 gold coin. Offering 5 gold? That’s bold.
I agreed immediately.
“Good! That guy will taste hell. He’ll regret not being able to end his own life. Who dares touch a vermin like that?”
After that, things moved fast.
I received 25 silver coins from Derek as payment, went to the slave counter, completed the procedures, received gold, and signed the transfer certificate.
Goodbye, Hans. You don’t deserve any blessings.
Standing there thinking about that annoying guy, Bloodjoy approached.
“By the way, we never introduced ourselves. I’m Evelyn, Yeriel’s sister and commander of the Silver Cross Knights.”
I had nothing to add, so I gave a plausible reply.
“My name is Aren. I aim to become a deep-level adventurer and conquer the great labyrinth.”
Evelyn laughed heartily, probably amused by my ambition.
“Hahaha! Big ambitions are good. From what I’ve heard about Yeriel, it’s not impossible. Work hard and grow.”
Then she pulled on Hans’s chains and continued.
“Aren. Follow me. Just saving my sister from that guy is enough reason to reward you. Got it?”
She gestured for me to follow.
“You have no base here, right? I’ll handle your status. You can stay in the knight’s dorm for now. Just come with me.”
Too generous… but I wasn’t in a position to refuse.
I had 5 gold coins and 25 silver coins—my lifeline—so I had to save as much as possible before the next labyrinth trip.
If I had more freedom, I’d share all 5 gold coins with everyone.
“Thank you. I’ll be in your care for the time being.”
Evelyn nodded, pleased.
Before heading to the holy district where the knights were, Derek said,
“Aren, come by the Ash Tree Inn in District 6 sometime. I’ll treat you to a meal. Promise!”
“Yes. I’ll take you up on that meal sometime. Thanks sincerely, Derek.”
“Yeah. Bernard’s resting for now, so I’ll head out too. Stay alive, Aren!”
Watching Derek and Bernard leave, I followed Evelyn to the Silver Cross Knights headquarters.
“Grab your sword, Aren. Let’s see what you can do.”
Why am I standing in the middle of a training ground hearing this?