Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: What the Labyrinth Hides
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Haien Jod wasn't dressed in the training garb Hwan-in had seen her in at the dojo. Instead, she wore a leather top and pants with boots, all reinforced with iron plates at the elbows and knees. Even the boots protected her shins, ankles, insteps, and toes with hardened leather.
In other words, she was dressed for a fight at a moment's notice.
But her expression and posture showed no sign of aggression.
"Hello. It's been a month."
=Precisely 26 days, but... I apologize for the rude visit without prior notice.=
A hint that she was about to make an impolite request? Or...
Hwan-in gazed at Haien Jod's innocent face, wrapped in an aura that undulated like waves. Then he shifted his eyes to the woman standing quietly behind her.
The red bear-eared woman, dressed in a custom-tailored black suit top and bottom, stepped forward at Hwan-in's gaze and bowed just enough to be polite.
=Pleased to meet you. I'm Ifribel, the chief deputy of the Lianarin Merchant Guild.=
"The Lianarin Merchant Guild."
=I'm also the sub-leader of the Bloodhide Clan.=
Haien Jod cut in, and Ifribel, who had introduced herself, shot her a steady glare.
The tiger-eared Haien Jod met it with an equally impassive look, and the two locked eyes in a staring contest.
'A bold woman.'
A woman unfazed by the pressure from Haien Jod, a Rank 5 warrior. That must be why she was the sub-leader of the Bloodhide Clan despite being jobless.
Lukrang species were formed from the genes of dozens of animal types.
From Earth-human-friendly ones like dogs, cats, horses, pigs, cows, and chickens, to birds like eagles, pigeons, egrets, owls, and penguins. There were also top predators like lions, tigers, bears, hippos, and elephants.
The differences between species weren't that drastic.
Inser tribe—rat people—weren't half or a quarter as weak as others. Inho tribe—tiger people—weren't twice or three times stronger than the rest.
But large beast-types did have slight physical and mental edges over small herbivores. It was the predator genes, perhaps.
More importantly...
'The merchant guild is the Bloodhide Clan's front business.'
After enjoying the illusion of a bear and tiger glaring at each other for a moment, Hwan-in cleared his throat with a soft cough to snap them out of it.
"Shall we move somewhere more comfortable?"
"So, what brings you two here?"
Once they relocated to the hotel's reception lounge, Hwan-in spoke first, and the two women seated across from him opened their mouths simultaneously.
=Our Lianarin Merchant Guild...=
=Our Haiyern Advanced Dojo...=
Their words overlapped, and they glared at each other again. Ifribel quickly turned her head and got to the point.
=The reason the Lianarin Merchant Guild seeks you out is to propose a deal that might pique your interest.=
Hwan-in glanced at Haien Jod, whose face was slightly furrowed.
From what he'd gauged, Haien Jod had a prickly personality.
He'd expected her to snap or show clear irritation in a situation like this, but perhaps that day's thorough lesson had worked. Haien Jod just furrowed her brow faintly and leaned back into the sofa.
She looked like she wanted to say something but was holding back out of courtesy.
Hwan-in chuckled inwardly and asked Ifribel in a calm voice.
"I can guess what the proposal is... but let's hear it anyway."
=...We've heard that you've tamed a precious green Kue larva. Our offer is one adult gray Kue for military supply and 200 gold coins.=
"......"
Ifribel felt a twinge of bewilderment at Hwan-in's gaze, as if asking if that was all.
Two hundred gold coins was no small sum. Enough to buy a nice three-story mansion with a garden here in Wayford. Yet he didn't even twitch an eyebrow.
If anything, the annoying tiger girl next to him looked more surprised.
=If you enter it in the rare creature auction at the capital, you might get 250 to 300 gold coins. But factoring in auction fees, shady auction house fixers driving down the price, and the risk of accidents during transport, I believe our offer is far from bad.=
"I understand. Green rare Kues fetch high prices, but it's still a young specimen. Unless you're dealing directly with high society, selling to the Lianarin Merchant Guild saves time all around."
=......=
Ifribel was slightly surprised by the man's insight but instinctively knew: he had no intention of selling the Kue.
'What's his deal? Not intimidated by me or the blue cat girl at all. A minority species maybe, with some trump card?'
Come to think of it, this blue cat and the man seemed to know each other. What was their relationship?
'26 days...' Could it be?'
Around that time, she'd heard a rumor that the advanced dojo master's daughter got thoroughly beaten by some jobless guy. It died down quick like baseless gossip, so she'd ignored it.
Ifribel's mind raced.
"But that child is also my lifesaver and like family to me. I can't sell family for money, so I appreciate your understanding."
His words carried the vocabulary of the educated elite. His bearing exuded the leisure of the well-off.
Ifribel had risen to this position through grit and cunning, alongside leader Asha Rudan, turning the ragtag Bloodhide Clan into one of the five major forces in the central district's back alleys.
Her eye told her this man was either on track to be a giant... or already was one.
But her investigations showed no connections nearby. No notable backing. At best, a famous traveling merchant named Ssa.
Normally, antagonizing such a figure would be unwise, but...
'Securing a green Kue gives us a solid line to the military. Can't pass up a chance to grow the guild!'
The moment Ifribel steeled herself to get more aggressive...
Her eyes met Hwan-in's narrowed gaze, and a chill ran through her, every hair standing on end.
It felt like standing defenseless before a dragon with jaws agape.
"You'll understand, right?"
Her heart pounded in her ears. Her fingertips went cold, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead, trickling down her cheek.
=Y-yes...=
Feeling like she'd shoved her head into a monster's maw, Ifribel stammered out a response.
Her pride, forged through malice and grit to reach this seat—second to none in Wayford—didn't even register the embarrassment of her stutter.
Hwan-in was satisfied inwardly at Ifribel's reaction.
The moment he'd sensed her scheming from her expression shift, he'd revealed his 'true intent' after so long. He'd worried the soul emotions had dulled it, but her response showed it still worked.
Of course, this was purely from Hwan-in's perspective.
He didn't realize that crossing to this world, surviving two near-deaths, and voluntarily taking hundreds of lives had honed his nature even sharper.
Thankfully, the emergency rations and the four Yukam girls taking turns warming him had kept it in check. Otherwise, he'd have been treated as a monster and never set foot in Yukam.
=!?=
Ifribel, trembling inwardly from the inexplicable dread, flinched back as Hwan-in suddenly thrust his hand toward her face.
Rude as it was, Hwan-in ignored it, grabbed her retreating wrist, forced a handshake, and said,
"Too bad I have to decline this time, but I hope we can do business with smiles next time."
If she harbored grudges and sought revenge, there'd be no smiling reunions.
Interpreting it that way, Ifribel nodded like a wooden puppet and fled the lounge.
Hwan-in watched her disheveled exit until the door clicked shut.
'Lianarin Merchant Guild...'
There were about a dozen guilds in the central district. Three large, five medium, four small.
Famous ones: Ssa Guild for high-quality personal transport between villages; Alpensys Guild for daily goods distribution; Lianarin Guild spreading capital and citadel fashions.
And Lianarin was one of Wayford's three large guilds.
'Troublesome.'
Hwan-in turned to Haien Jod, stiff as a scared kitten.
"You..."
=Marry me.=
"...Pardon?"
=Huh?=
Haien Jod realized what she'd blurted at Hwan-in's baffled echo, flushed beet red, shot up, and flailed her hands wildly.
=Ah, ahh! No, that's not it! I misspoke! No, not that I hate the idea, I just...!=
As Hwan-in stared silently at her babbling, red-faced frenzy, her voice trailed off until she clamped her mouth shut.
Fussing with her hem, she caught her breath, then spoke in a steadier tone.
=What's your name? Last time, I only introduced myself. Never got yours.=
"Hwan-in. Surname Hwan, given name In."
=In... It rings nice. Feels good.=
"Thank you."
=I'll be honest. I couldn't forget you since that day, so I tracked you down. Thought it was just wanting recognition at first, but I just realized it's not. I'm smitten. Love at first sight. Your martial arts—spear and defense at artistic heights, despite being jobless. The boldness to crush a Rank 7 prideful bear in one go, yet humble enough not to brag after victory... You're my ideal type. So marry me.=
"I decline. If that's all, I'll be going."
Rejected without a second's hesitation despite the long confession, Haien Jod's mind went blank.
'A sudden proposal.'
Stunned by Haien Jod's out-of-nowhere proposal, Hwan-in returned to his room.
It was the old 'You're the first to hit me. I'm in love' trope, long gone even from dramas. What was that girl thinking?
"At least she has the purity to accept old-man nagging."
Kue?
"Nothing."
Kuu.
Petting his emergency rations rubbing against his leg, Hwan-in recalled Ifribel fleeing in terror.
The warning had landed. Now to watch the aftermath...
'Lianarin Merchant Guild.'
Fronting with the guild name meant no illegal plans, probably. But Haien Jod seeing through Ifribel bugged him.
If she was that well-known, clan and guild might team up. Very annoying.
He calculated countermeasures if a resentful Ifribel activated as Bloodhide Clan.
"......"
Simplest plan: reveal himself as a Soul Shaman.
Asking Ssa for help would resolve it easily, but he didn't want more dependency...
'Need intel on underworld groups.'
Hwan-in gripped the pearl-like stone and began soul orb handling, devising a plan to crush the Bloodhide Clan without revealing his job.
When he first trained, the orb only moved 10cm from his left arm as intended. Now, up to 50cm away.
「Kyahaha.」
「Heeheehee.」
「Oaaa~.」
One reason for this training was the faint voices that drifted in.
Handling trained soul orb control, but the spirits—who spoke only when they wanted—only voiced during sessions. That weighed heavily.
Mostly giggles or amused reactions, not full sentences.
Lost in training, lunchtime arrived, but suspecting Haien Jod in the lobby, Hwan-in rang for room service.
Wenna, the maid he considered closest, arrived amid his troubles. He sat her on his lap, gently caressed her lower belly, and whispered in her ear.
"Was there a blue-haired Inho tribe girl in the lobby?"
=Yes... I saw her on the way up, sitting on the sofa.=
As expected. Not one to give up easily.
That aside, through shy, squirming Wenna, he learned of Lianarin. Ifribel's capabilities were impressive.
Wenna knew of Bloodhide Clan but thought Lianarin just a normal guild.
'Even civilians don't connect Bloodhide Clan and Lianarin.'
Haien Jod knew because of her dojo master father connections?
The idea that the guild wouldn't break laws grew stronger, but people were unpredictable. Better prepare.
Hearing lobby updates via Wenna, Hwan-in scrapped outdoor plans and dove into superpower training.
But fate didn't cooperate. That afternoon, Resim visited.
=The lady asks that you escort her.=
"...Did you firmly convey that I want to confirm who she is first?"
=I... persuaded her that meeting once before the labyrinth would be best...=
Resim gauged Hwan-in's expression, sensed trouble, and bowed deeply.
=Sorry. As her servant, I couldn't relay that bluntly. But she's truly wonderful. Nothing like those spoiled young ladies, please!=
"For such a wonderful lady to throw a tantrum, hiding her status to explore a labyrinth..."
Called out, Resim made a strange half-crying, half-laughing face, stroked his throat mane, and murmured softly.
=The reason the lady wants this... is partly my fault.=
"...?"
The story that followed was alien to Hwan-in, far from ordinary.
As the youngest of a fox tribe family, Resim was freer than heirs or their supporters, bound less by family laws.
No duties, no rights.
Thus, from childhood, Resim dreamed of being an adventurer or explorer wandering the world.
Simple reason: a family elder had become famous that way.
Resim trained hard and studied diligently, aiming for that elder.
Luck favored him; he awakened as a professional young. Elders supported his promise, and his dream neared.
Stepping toward it, he reached debut age for high society.
With support came duties. He attended a party hosted by a superior faction's family, meeting Baekryeo River—the lady—for the first time.
Shared interests drew them close quickly.
Status gap prevented romance. Both drew clear lines there.
Thus, they became good friends.
They shared curiosity over new labyrinth news, excitement over adventurers conquering high labyrinths, and visits to workshops for new magic devices.
But such time was short.
=The lady... is like a bird in a cage. No freedom, just learning ladyly arts in the mansion with fine clothes and food, until marriage age to another house. For her, the labyrinth was freedom. A taste of the outside from her stuffy cage.=
"......"
=But reaching marriage age stripped even that. Political marriage talks began, restricting her more. Once matchmakers swarm, it's prison.=
"So, before formal betrothal, before marriage chains, she wants one last labyrinth dive."
=Yes... Picking a suitable one was easy, so we got here fine. But just us two entering is too risky, no matter how I think. The rest you know.=
Couldn't take just anyone due to her status. She looked noble; trouble inevitable.
Labyrinth happenings known only to participants. No guarantee against crimes if sanity slips.
Even verified pros via admin referrals were tricky.
They'd sneaked from the citadel.
=The family must be searching. Exposure means instant capture and return. Then oblivion. I'd face severe punishment for sneaking her out.=
"Yet you want to let her experience the labyrinth."
=That one time will support her whole life.=
Hwan-in saw no lie in Resim's eyes.
Resim confessed he'd drop everything and return if the escort deal soured. Better no labyrinth than risk to her safety.
Even so, Hwan-in wouldn't agree on words alone.
He stood and said,
"Thanks for the story. Shall we go meet the lady then?"
=Urgh...=
After all that, still no? Resim looked distraught.
Hwan-in patted his shoulder reassuringly and left the lounge.