Chapter 104
Chapter 104
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: Knowledge in Conflict
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After eating dinner with Lesim and Baekryeogang and parting ways, Hwan-in returned to Olts Hotel. He checked out of his single room, moved into a double, and spent the night thoroughly inspecting his Black Spear and stone axe.
Yesterday, he'd visited Ssa's estate to let them know he was heading into the labyrinth and stopped by the second communal graveyard to leave a letter for Ielcata, who still hadn't emerged from the castle.
He planned to be away for at least ten days, and if their communications crossed, it would leave regrets.
'Regrets.'
Even as he continued meditating and focusing his mind, negative emotions like irritation, anger, obsession, and annoyance showed no signs of fading.
On the contrary, the more he trained, the more unexpected feelings would pop up out of nowhere.
'Am I becoming a normal person?'
He didn't know what normalcy was, but if things continued like this, perhaps he'd get close to it someday.
Clack.
"Master?"
As he finished wiping down the Black Spear with a dry towel, the bathroom door creaked open. Isilite peeked out, her hair still slightly damp.
"May I come out?"
"……?"
He couldn't grasp her intent for a moment. The thought that he was still far from normalcy crossed his mind just as she took his silence for permission and flung the door wide open.
"Coming out~."
What emerged was an intensely seductive figure, her front barely covered by a single white towel.
Even with a standard-sized towel, her sideboob peeked out slightly on both sides, along with her hips. The damp fabric clung to her body, subtly revealing the faint lines of her 11-shaped abs and single-line navel.
And thanks to her ample chest devouring much of the towel's length, her pale brown pubic hair teased visibility with every step from below.
Hwan-in closed his eyes.
Hearing small footsteps pass in front of him, he spoke in a detached tone.
"What about your clothes?"
He'd clearly seen her take her clothes and underwear into the bathroom.
"I took all my underwear, but Emergency Rations flapped its wings and knocked them off, then stepped on them as it passed by, so they got dirty."
"……."
Since it was an accident, he sensed no urge to blame her.
Isilite crouched by her trunk beside her bed to gather fresh underwear, sneaking glances at Hwan-in, who sat in a chair with her eyes closed, slowly wiping the black spear shaft with a dry towel.
'That's completely different from what Neneu told me.'
Neneu, the 17-year-old apprentice maid she'd grown especially close to during their 40 days sharing a four-person room, had said men's reactions in situations like this split into two types.
They either leered lecherously or panicked and averted their eyes.
But her master neither panicked nor leered; he tended to his weapon with the reverence of an ascetic monk.
She'd planned to seduce him according to Neneu's advice if he leered or panicked...
'There are still plenty of chances! I'll be with Master from now on!'
Isilite knew her figure ranked in the top one or two among the 200 trainees at the public bathhouse, which opened every three days.
Her master wasn't conservative about such things in the castle, so if she gradually exposed herself, someday...!
She wasn't doing this with ulterior motives.
A typical woman might seek a closer relationship through sex to gain benefits, but Isilite simply wanted to grow closer to Hwan-in.
She just hoped to deepen their current distant camaraderie.
Resolving herself inwardly, she gathered her underwear, passed in front of Hwan-in, and headed back to the bathroom.
"Sorry, Master. I'll be more careful from now on."
"......Alright."
Hwan-in gave a curt reply, thinking idly that her passing fragrance was unnecessarily pleasant.
Hwan-in rose at dawn and set out through the dimly lit streets of the city as daybreak approached, Emergency Rations and Isilite in tow.
Was it because he'd equipped his full gear after so long? The tight black-gray monster leather armor felt like it was cinching not just his body but his slightly loosened mind as well.
Isilite seemed pleased with her new weapon and armor too; her steps were light despite carrying over 90kg of luggage.
"Emergency Rations. Do you have to stick right by my side?"
Kueht.
"The place we're heading to from now on is scary, but don't worry. I'll protect you."
Kueh~.
Upon reaching the west gate, he spotted two figures wrapped in the auras of a warrior and a spellcaster.
Lesim wore matte white plate armor with a longsword at his side, while Baekryeogang donned a blue hooded cloak and held a staff embedded with a green gem.
Even among the crowds heading into the labyrinth like themselves, the pair stood out strikingly.
The reason was Lesim.
Baekryeogang, conscious of the stares, wore a plain blue hooded robe with a front slit.
The brown leather armor peeking through the swaying hem was unremarkable, drawing no attention.
But Lesim wore what was clearly expensive white leather armor overlaid with white plate breastplate, pauldrons, gauntlets, and greaves, plus stylish shoulder capes.
His scabbard, hilt, and crossguard were all white too, and as a gray-furred Inrang tribesman, he was impossible to miss.
"Ah, Hwan-in! Over here!"
"……."
Spotting them, Lesim waved enthusiastically, drawing the gazes of passersby.
Hwan-in sighed soundlessly as Isilite pulled a gray hooded robe from her luggage bag and handed it to Lesim. She'd bought it as a spare for herself, just in case.
"Miss Isilite, what's this for?"
"You're in a position where you need to move quietly right now, aren't you, Lesim? You're drawing a lot of attention, so wear this at least until we enter the labyrinth. It's brand new; I bought it yesterday and haven't worn it once."
"Ah...... okay......"
Lesim, who'd briefly hoped she might be interested in him, drooped his ears like a dejected puppy and donned the robe over his armor.
Hwan-in watched and said,
"Lesim, you be the party leader."
"Hm. Wouldn't it be better for the leader to be from the front or back line for better situational judgment?"
As their opinions diverged, Baekryeogang stepped in smoothly.
"If you have no objections to Hwan-in taking the lead, I'd like to ask him. You're superior in both experience and skill."
It was the client's designation. Hwan-in nodded with a curt "Understood," and Lesim bowed his head without objection to Baekryeogang's decision.
"Then let's go."
"Yes. Your main weapon is a spear, I see. It has a unique appearance. And that leather armor doesn't look like ordinary monster hide either."
"It's made from byproducts of a heteromorph I hunted myself."
"Impressive. Especially the Black Spear—it really draws the eye. Could you tell me what materials you used?"
"The blade is ground from a sacred beast's fang. The shaft is a full piece of Hillan's Black Wood."
"Oh! I see......"
Lesim examined the Black Spear closely, exclaiming in admiration like a warrior who'd discovered a rare weapon.
'For some reason, Lesim seems more excited than the client. But......'
He didn't see their luggage. They surely hadn't forgotten it.
'Subspace pouch, then.'
A pouch that could hold the volume Isilite carried on her back cost around 7 gold depending on the enchantments, give or take.
These were people carrying potion sets worth over 200 gold and staying in rooms costing 10 silver a night. Of course they'd have subspace pouches.
Sure enough, Baekryeogang spoke up.
"Miss Isilite, your luggage looks quite heavy. If it's alright, I can store it for you."
"Wow, you have a subspace pouch too? But it's fine. I'll gratefully accept the thought."
"But......"
"There's a saying in the labyrinth: don't gather all the luggage in one place. And I'm a strength-focused sword warrior, so this is nothing."
"Is that so? My thinking was shortsighted."
"I'm happy you offered."
"Hehe. Miss Isilite, your heart is as pretty as your face."
"Ah, th-thank you......"
The group's atmosphere warmed quickly. Baekryeogang spoke, Isilite replied, and Lesim chimed in here and there as they chatted.
"Y-You're a former bandit......?"
Lesim's face stiffened at Isilite's confession, while Baekryeogang's eyes widened slightly in surprise.
"Yes. If I hadn't met Master, I never would have reformed. I'd still be living like a beast. I'm nothing but grateful to him."
"Guh, Hwan-in is impressive in every way. Come to think of it, you even received a marriage proposal from the daughter of the Haiyern Advanced Dojo Master, right? Guess great men attract great women. Hahaha."
Isilite's brow twitched briefly at the shocking story, but Lesim didn't notice and laughed heartily.
Hwan-in had nothing to say and stayed silent. Isilite was stunned that something so unexpected had happened while she was away and fell quiet too.
'No, is it really that shocking? Master is amazing, so of course women would flock to him......'
At least he seemed utterly indifferent to the proposal, which was some small comfort to her.
'......Still, it'd be nice if I could at least claim a concubine spot......'
Baekryeogang, catching her subtle shift, sighed softly and prodded Lesim's ankle with the tip of his staff. Lesim flinched immediately and glanced at Baekryeogang's expression.
Silence fell over the party, but the labyrinth garrison fortress loomed ahead, preventing awkwardness.
Dozens bustled before the labyrinth entrance.
Though it was still dim and torches supplemented the light, the area teemed with people entering the labyrinth, exiting it, and merchants buying byproducts.
"Miss. It's crowded and dangerous—come to my front."
"Thank you, Miss Isilite."
"Ah, Emergency Rations, where'd you go? Stay with the miss up front!"
Kueht!
Why! I wanna check that out!
Emergency Rations squawked in protest, but Isilite didn't understand and it kept complaining.
Finally, Hwan-in stepped in, leashed its neck, and handed the lead to Isilite, quieting it down.
"Emergency Rations. We'll be entering the labyrinth together often from now on. You'll see things like that frequently, so behave."
Compared to Emergency Rations, Lesim and Baekryeogang were well-behaved.
Their heads swiveled curiously, but they followed Hwan-in obediently.
The labyrinth entrance resembled an enlarged bear cave. Hwan-in stood before the access control guard at the mouth of the dark passage leading underground and submitted his labyrinth entry permit along with four heat orbs.
"Leader: Hwan-in. Party: 3 members and 1 creature. Correct?"
"Yes."
"Problems arising in the labyrinth are the party's responsibility. The leader bears fault for mismanaging members. Causing disaster to the labyrinth itself will bring Wayford's full military after you. Understood?"
"Yes."
"May the Beast God's fortune be with you. Next!"
Receiving back his permit and ID from the mechanical guard, Hwan-in entered the gaping maw of the labyrinth with his party.
As they descended the downhill path, darkness rapidly closed in. He spoke upon spotting the torchlight of an earlier party far below.
"Isilite. Torch."
"Yes."
Fssht—fwoosh.
Yellow light from behind illuminated the smooth walls and ceiling.
With Soul Vision active, visibility wasn't an issue for him, but he lit the torch for the others and followed the leading party at a measured distance.
The deeper they went down the slope, the more the cave's pressure bore on their ears. Heavy, dry air unlike the dawn chill filled the surroundings, stimulating their senses.
Even Emergency Rations clamped its beak shut and plodded along amid the tension-inducing atmosphere.
Moments later, the leading party's light vanished into the center of five branching caves, plunging ahead into darkness.
The torch illuminated only about 10m around them. Beyond lay pitch black, but Hwan-in's eyes traced the gray contours of the cave perfectly.
'Soul Vision's utility in an underground maze-type labyrinth is more apparent than ever.'
"A labyrinth where light doesn't reach—aptly named."
Her voice echoed off the smooth walls like in a lava cave. Startled by how loudly it reverberated, Lesim clamped his mouth shut.
Hwan-in spoke softly.
"As discussed, no conversation until we reach the third floor. It's practically a one-way path to there, so we'll move quickly."
To follow the iron rule inside: Avoid people. If you can't avoid them, still avoid them.
Preliminary research indicated the first and second floors were passed quickly by all. They held only small, unprofitable heteromorphs, and the tight spaces led to frequent encounters with others.
Crimes rarely happened near the entrance, but one never knew. So they'd head straight to the third floor, nearly seven times larger.
Soon, Hwan-in reached the five-way branch and took the rightmost path.
No matter which of the five, they all led one-way to the next floor.
Step... step... step...
The narrow, smooth tunnel stretched on—2.5m high, 2m wide. Claustrophobic enough to trigger panic in anyone with a phobia.
Hwan-in pondered the labyrinth entrance's unexpected form.
'The rank-6 forest-type labyrinth was shrouded in blue energy, but not here.'
Because it was an underground cave-type? Or due to the lower rank?
Then, from beyond a bend ahead, a Chihuahua-sized rat-like creature appeared.
They'd said the odds of encountering heteromorphs on the first floor were near zero. Was this a good start or an ominous one?
With a brief thought, Hwan-in unhesitatingly hurled the Celtic stone axe from his belt.
Whirr—crunch.
Kik.
Baekryeogang gasped softly in surprise at the short death cry.
"Wh-what was that?"
"Giant rat."
The soul emerging from the giant rat's corpse was the lowest grade.
Did that mean this giant rat was as strong as the small green or brown monsters?
'No. Even same low-rank had strength differences.'
Moments later, as the corpse entered torchlight, Lesim and Baekryeogang let out small exclamations.
How had he hit it so precisely without seeing or hearing anything?
Unlike Lesim and Baekryeogang's wide-eyed stares at Hwan-in retrieving his axe, Isilite casually urged on the curious Emergency Rations sniffing the corpse and kept walking.
Navigating the winding path, Hwan-in encountered the earlier party at the passage to the second floor.
"......"
"……."
Three professionals and five porters—a laborer party.
As they eyed each other silently, the laborer leader spoke first.
"Go down first?"
Hwan-in nodded slightly, and they backed off five or six steps. He immediately stepped onto the stairs descending to the second underground floor.
From the second floor on, stairs to the next level numbered at least two, up to seven, drastically reducing encounters with other parties.
Descending about 40 steps briskly, Hwan-in quickly scanned the suddenly expansive cave.
A passage led forward to a larger room with a small pillar, and another branched left to different rooms.
'Room 7, as expected.'
Recalling the second-floor map Lesim had procured, he followed the left wall.
"As planned beforehand, we'll head to the nearest third-floor passage."
Counting strides at 0.5m each, Hwan-in confirmed the third-floor passage appeared precisely at 108 steps.
'54m. Grid squares are 3m each—spot on. The map's reliable.'
Lesim peered at the next-floor stairs emerging in the torchlight and asked for confirmation.
"Third-floor passage?"
"Yes. Calculated by stride, the map's scale seems trustworthy. We'll head down immediately."
Strides? Calculating the map's scale too?
Lesim, who hadn't thought that far, reflected inwardly and resolved to learn much from Hwan-in's actions this time.
Halfway down the stairs to the third floor, Hwan-in spotted something almost nostalgic.
The bluish mist that had blanketed the rank-6 forest-type labyrinth billowed up to the middle of the stairs.
[2nd Floor Map]