Jacob's Resolve
The carriage carrying Jacob rolled toward the outskirts of the 4th District, where Rotten's inn stood. In the quiet atmosphere, I mulled over what I would say once we arrived. 'Once we get there, I should invite Jacob to join the party. The other two and I already discussed it a few days ago, so there shouldn't be any issues.'
A swordsman, a thief, a priestess, a mage, plus a reliable vanguard. Someday, we could operate as a textbook five-member party. Six members wouldn't be bad either if the situation called for it. For now, we were managing labyrinth exploration with Lumia's senses and my own clumsy map-reading skills, but we couldn't keep stumbling forward by guesswork forever.
'Even if Jacob turns down the offer, we'll still need to recruit a scout-type adventurer or have either Lumia or me learn the necessary skills and knowledge.'
Thud!
"Passengers, we've arrived at your destination. Please disembark!"
I had been resting my chin on my hand, lost in thought, when the carriage came to a stop. It felt like hardly any time had passed, yet we were already in front of the inn.
"Ugh. That was a good nap. I must've dozed off for a bit. Looks like those two are still completely out cold."
Jacob, seated beside me, yawned loudly as he spoke.
"Kids, time to wake up. At this rate, we might as well skip the meal and just carry them straight to bed."
Lumia sat with her eyes closed, motionless in sleep. Yeriel had also dozed off, leaning against her shoulder. I gently shook their shoulders to wake them. At my touch, Lumia snapped her eyes open.
"Let's go. Whether it's to eat or sleep, we need to get off first."
"Eep. Mm-hmm. You two go ahead. I'll wake Yeriel and bring her in."
After confirming with a nod, Jacob and I stepped down first and opened the inn door.
"Hm? Oh! Aren, you're back. And who's this unfamiliar face beside you?"
The moment we stepped inside, Rotten, who had been seated at the counter, sensed our presence and turned around with uncanny timing.
"Rotten, we're back. Nothing happened while we were gone, I hope?"
I greeted him warmly as he smiled kindly at Jacob and me.
"Of course not! Everything's been quiet. You don't look injured, but it seems this trip was quite the ordeal. Your gear's in rough shape."
"Whew. We fought battles where our lives were on the line, so it was no joke. Haha, though I suppose it might not seem like much to you, Rotten."
"Hohoho… I was a low-floor adventurer in my youth too, so why wouldn't I understand? Anyway, good work out there. Where are the other two?"
"They'll be here shortly. By the way, could we get some food right away? Drinks included."
Rotten assured us it was no problem and mentioned that the adventurers who had been staying here while we were away had all left a few days prior. Claiming his body was stiff and he wanted to show off his skills, he laughed heartily and headed into the kitchen.
Thud.
"We're here."
"Heh, I can't believe I fell asleep again in such a short time."
The moment the door opened, Yeriel spotted me and smiled sheepishly.
"I figured you'd all be hungry, so I went ahead and ordered food. How are you feeling? Any stomach pain from the trait?"
"All I had this morning was a bit of jerky, so I'm pretty famished. Still, it's manageable for now."
"That's a relief."
We took seats at a nearby table and waited. Soon, Rotten brought out the meal.
"Here, dig in. If it's not enough, just say the word!"
"Thank you."
Once Rotten left, we exchanged glances and raised our tankards.
"Self-proclaimed mercenaries, high-ranking monsters, even a mad goblin. All sorts of things tried to block our path, but we made it back safely without a single injury, just like we said we would."
As I'd said during our last return, anything that failed to kill us would only serve as a stepping stone to make us stronger.
"Here's to surviving the labyrinth safely from here on out as well! Cheers!"
Clink!
After clinking our tankards, a lively meal followed.
Chomp, chomp.
"You're going to choke at that rate. Slow down."
"But I'm so hungry, what am I supposed to dooo… Eek! Tomorrow, I'm definitely getting rid of this trait!"
Yeriel made a tearful face at Lumia's concerned words.
Well, it's no wonder she's annoyed. Yeriel, who usually eats so little, is now forced to eat this much.
I shook my head and continued eating.
***
"Jacob, I've been thinking. Would you like to officially join our party?"
"Huh? Join the party?"
Jacob's eyes widened in surprise.
"Yeah. I've been watching you on the way here. Your personality meshes well with everyone, and you've got a good character. At least, that's how I see it after spending the past few weeks together."
"Ahem, getting praised out of the blue is kind of embarrassing."
"And it's not just that. Your skills as a scout are solid too. What we need right now isn't someone overwhelmingly strong, but a reliable person who can handle their share and watch our backs."
"R-really?"
"What do you say? You don't have to answer right away. If it feels like too much pressure, you can take your time and think it over after we disband. The three of us are staying at this inn for the time being."
"Uh… well, I…"
Bringing a new member into a party already bound by deep trust and camaraderie was something that required careful consideration. That's why I'd thought it over extensively during our journey back after dealing with the Grillops. Though our first meeting with Jacob had been the worst possible, surviving that crisis together had changed my mind enough to make me forget about it.
Back then, even after watching Jacob bleed out and nearly die, I'd only moved to save him after hearing his desperate story about the treasure chest. Despite that, and despite having several chances to betray us out of resentment, Jacob had simply guided us where we needed to go, stayed in the background afterward, and quietly done what was required of him.
'Especially at the very end—if Jacob hadn't shown that flash of brilliance, I don't know how much longer we would've been dragged into that brutal fight.'
Jacob throwing the orb to lure the golem into fighting the Grillops had been the best move he could have made in that situation.
'In the worst-case scenario, the Grillops might've gone berserk in some unpredictable way and seriously injured someone. It was already spouting nonsense about insights from chaos and whatnot.'
What surprised me most was that Jacob could've escaped without anyone noticing, yet he'd deliberately grabbed the orb to awaken the golem. When the golem spilled its contents, I'd noticed his backpack still had supplies. If he'd wanted to slip away during the chaos of battle, he could've escaped the cave on his own, even if it took time… Whether it was because he lacked confidence in surviving encounters with goblin packs or other adventurer parties afterward, or simply because he wanted to repay us for saving his life and help take down the Grillops, only he would know.
"Hyung-nim, I was joking around when I said to treat me as a temporary party member until we returned, but… this is so sudden that I think I need some time."
Jacob rolled his eyes in thought before scratching his cheek and answering in a slightly flustered voice.
"Of course. Take your time and think it over."
…The meal was nearly finished when Jacob spoke up again.
"Hyung-nim… Could we talk alone for a moment?"
"Sure. Let's step outside. We can talk while getting some fresh air."
At Jacob's words, I stood up, steadying my slightly tipsy head.
"Yeriel, Lumia. I'm going to get some air. You two just relax."
"Mm-hmm. Come back soon. Don't go wandering off, okay?"
"Take care. There aren't any other guests at the inn anyway, so don't worry."
I nodded and stepped outside, where a cool breeze greeted me. Night already. It's pitch black. I stood silently, waiting for Jacob to speak. He opened his mouth in a more serious tone than usual.
"After hearing what you said earlier, I thought it over calmly. My head got all jumbled up."
Jacob let out a soft sigh.
"To be direct, I think I have to decline the invitation to join the party."
…A refusal. I'd already sensed it coming from his demeanor, so I wasn't particularly shocked.
"Can I ask why? Ah, and just to be clear, I'm not asking to argue or get angry about it."
Jacob nodded and began speaking slowly.
"Honestly, I think joining this party would be beyond my station."
"Why do you think that?"
"Forget everything else… I'm just too weak. I can say I've got the basics down as a thief, but that doesn't mean I'm skilled enough to stay here."
Jacob looked up at the sky with a distant gaze, as if recalling the past.
"…I grew up under a father who was a poor tenant farmer, bad-tempered, and violent. My mother ran away from home in tears a long time ago, and my younger sibling… I guess the old man got annoyed by their constant begging for food and beat them to death one day."
"…"
"So I endured until I could stand on my own, then took the few coins I'd saved and what little belongings I had and ran off to the nearest port city while that bastard was asleep."
Everyone had their own story, but this guy had it rough too.
"Haha. Still, I couldn't bring myself to do anything to my parents."
Jacob lowered his head briefly and gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"Anyway, I struggled in the port city, joined the thieves' guild, and luckily, I had some talent. I went from doing grunt work at the bottom to becoming a proper thief."
"And then you ended up drifting to Labyrinth City?"
"Yes. Even someone like me could live comfortably if I got past the lower floors of the Great Labyrinth. Without a criminal record, switching to being an adventurer wasn't hard either."
It made sense. The Great Labyrinth and Labyrinth City were called lands of opportunity, after all. It wasn't strange that he'd come straight here after gaining independence.
"After that… I just lived diligently. I got a room at an inn in the 6th District, solved my housing issue, and joined various parties through the party-matching board to explore the labyrinth."
Jacob smirked and crossed his arms.
"Well, I did almost die after joining the wrong party once."
…Right.
"You see, I plan to survive as an adventurer for a long time without dying. Then, somewhere between middle age and old age, I'll head back to my village and stand before that bastard's grave—if he's already dead by then."
He grinned as if the thought alone was delightful.
"And right there, I'll scatter gold coins and mock him thoroughly. Tell him that someone born and raised under trash like him managed to succeed this much. That I'm living far better than he ever could."
What an ambitious and grand goal.
"But if I join your party and enter the labyrinth, someone as mediocre as me will eventually die a pointless death. I was half-convinced of that while watching you fight that insane monster."
Jacob stretched his arm toward the sky, pretending to grasp a star.
"Hyung-nim—no, Aren. You'll grow stronger and go far beyond. Yeah, just like those stars up there… so far that someone like me could never reach."
"…"
"I'll survive tenaciously in a place that suits my station and achieve modest success as an adventurer. That's my goal in life, and the reason I'm turning down your offer."
Faced with his straightforward gaze, I could only nod.
Jacob gave an embarrassed smile, saying he'd gotten sentimental because the sun had already set.
"Your party doesn't need a run-of-the-mill thief like me. You need a solid vanguard to hold the front, or a versatile adventurer who can handle both scouting and rear support."
"I've been feeling the lack of manpower during this labyrinth run too. I'll keep that in mind."
"Good. Haha! The conversation ended up running long. Shall we head back inside? I need to pack my things and get going soon."
After his sincere advice, Jacob said he had to go update his registration for a month and couldn't just let him leave like that.
"Jacob, don't leave right away. Pack your things and wait inside for a bit. I've got something to give you."
"Huh? Something to give me?"
"Yeah. It won't take long, so don't worry."
"W-well, I guess the carriages won't stop running, so it's fine… but now I'm curious. Let's go!"
I opened the door and stepped back into the inn. The conversation had taken quite a while, and I spotted Yeriel asleep with her soft cheek squished flat against the table like a pancake.
'Aigoo. Now that we're back in the city, all the fatigue must've hit her at once. I'll send Jacob off first, then carry her to the room.'
"Aren, did the talk go well?"
Lumia, still awake, looked at me with drowsy eyes.
"Haha… The recruitment didn't work out, but it feels like a waste to just let him go. I want to give him something before he leaves."
Lumia glanced at Jacob without a word and nodded.
Click.
I went up to the second floor and opened the door to our room.
"Let's see…"
I reached into the spatial bag sitting in the corner of the room. What I needed to take out was… the dagger and a mid-grade potion. I looked down at the blood-red blade in my hand. A crimson edge radiating an eerie aura. It had been the weapon wielded by Gaspel, the human hunter who possessed C-rank stats and had shown monstrous tenacity back then.
'Good thing I didn't rush to sell it and kept it instead. In the end, it's found its rightful owner.'
Carrying the dagger and potion bottle in both hands, I went back downstairs.
"Jacob, take this. It's a gift from me. If it feels like too much, you can think of it as repayment for helping take down that guy on the 4th floor."
I handed him the items and explained the origins and capabilities of the Bloodied Edge.
"H-Hyung-nim, this is way too much. Compared to what I did, this is… The potion's one thing, but a D-rank weapon out of nowhere?!"
"It's just so you don't go somewhere and die. I hope the weapon in your hands becomes even a small help in achieving that big dream of yours someday."
"…"
Whether Jacob was flustered or slightly moved, he pressed his lips together for a moment and covered his face with both hands as if washing it.
"Thank you. From saving me on the 4th floor to what you just said and this weapon… I won't forget any of it."
"Yeah. We'll be staying at this inn, so if adventuring ever gets tough, drop by anytime. We can share a drink and catch up."
"Yes, sir! Even if it's not tough, I'll stop by when I have time. And you better not pretend you don't know me once you're all famous, got it?"
He grinned and held out his fist.
"Take care. Hang in there."
Thud.
After lightly bumping fists, Jacob turned and walked a few steps before spinning back around with an "Ah!"
"Miss Lumia! If you let go of someone as good as Hyung-nim, you'll regret it for the rest of your life, so hold on tight with everything you've got! Hehe, well then, I'm really off!"
That cheeky brat. With that, Jacob left, laughter trailing behind him.
Chaos comforts you so you won't be disheartened.
'Come on. Disheartened? The first recruitment attempt failed, so it's a bit bittersweet, but parting on good terms is actually a relief.'
Chaos says that if that's the case, then it's fortunate.
Yeah. Jacob would do just fine on his own, and if we kept looking, we'd eventually find a good party member. In the end, time would tell. Shaking off the ambiguous feeling, I walked over to the table.