Labyrinth (2)
People are complicated creatures. They crave the love of others, the affection of different beings, with such desperate intensity—yet the moment doubt takes root, they begin to second-guess not only intentions but instincts as well. I was no different. Even though the human body modifications had greatly dulled my sense of pain and guilt, even though I felt no remorse when slaughtering enemies, I still found the aftertaste of killing deeply unpleasant. In the same way, it wasn’t strange that I harbored suspicions about others.
I understood the pain of being left alone all too well, so when Vertea spoke of being left alone as a member of the moderate faction, I empathized. I had believed I could trust her. I had hoped it would be possible to trust her. That feeling hadn’t changed. Not at all.
Still, a sudden doubt crept in. Could I really trust an entity that called something like that a blessing?
As I struggled to smooth over my uncomfortable expression, the sound of approaching footsteps reached me.
“Apostle, this unit has brought something for you to drink.”
It was once a movie theater. A cinema located inside a department store connected to an underground shopping center. The other sections of the department store were being put to practical use. Some sold equipment for adventurers, while others served as office space for the adventurer guild. The theater itself had been converted into a cheap inn and tavern.
The scene before me was exactly what one would expect. Armed men and women gathered to drink. Faces and appearances that clearly belonged to different races. Traces of modern technology occasionally visible among classically medieval weapons. When I thought about how all of them were adventuring in order to one day look like the thing I had seen earlier, my mood soured even further. It reminded me too much of the war.
It had been an era that encouraged people to casually discard their human forms and become monsters solely for the purpose of slaughter.
“Apostle?”
“…Ah. Thank you. Just set it down there.”
“Understood.”
She seemed to have noticed something but chose not to press the matter. Vertea quietly placed a glass in front of me and sat down across the table. The chair was tall. It was admittedly cute watching her hop up into it, but my unease outweighed any amusement.
The darkness really was an evil god, wasn’t it? A deity that didn’t discriminate when choosing who to bless, one that could create ideal bodies but also turn people into monsters. And sitting before me was a girl who had objectified herself out of blind devotion to that god and her apostle, even referring to herself as ‘this unit.’
Even when I had nearly charged at her earlier, she hadn’t flinched. I understood now. It meant she wouldn’t have minded dying. It was a fact that made me sigh, but she was still young. Even I had been fiercely loyal to my country when I was young, so I couldn’t exactly condemn her for it. Still, the discomfort and anxiety remained.
I had thought adventuring would be a simple enough matter, but now it seemed the act of adventuring itself could pose a danger to me. As I sat there brooding with my chin in my hand, Vertea glanced at me and spoke.
“Apostle.”
“Yeah.”
“You appear to be in a poor mood.”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Would it be acceptable for this unit to inquire as to the reason?”
Vertea gazed at me while taking small sips from a large glass filled to the brim with mead. I met her eyes and answered.
“While adventuring, there’s a chance you could turn into a monster, right?”
It didn’t matter much if someone else became one. I wasn’t the kind of person who indiscriminately scattered goodwill around, especially not at my age. My own safety came first. Just the thought of possibly turning into a monster during an adventure was enough to kill my motivation.
When I voiced that concern, her reply came immediately.
“Are you referring to the blessing?”
“How is that a blessing in any—”
“You are an exception, Apostle.”
When I stiffened, Vertea took another sip of her mead.
“You are the one and only individual cherished by the darkness. This unit was taught as such. The blessing is exclusively your birthright.”
This girl really must love mead. She was clutching the glass with both hands and sipping away enthusiastically. I didn’t want to interrupt her, but…
“…Explain in detail.”
She tilted her head, then set the glass down.
“According to this unit’s knowledge, a blessing manifests the ideal form the recipient desires. It is a transformation granted to those who have overcome adversity.”
Was that grotesque monster from earlier supposed to be someone’s ideal form? There was no way. Even as my expression grew sour, she continued.
“However, there are times when a blessing grants power too overwhelming for a single individual to bear. Some lose their reason after being consumed by that power, while others fail to control it and end up taking on grotesque forms.”
“Then what does it mean that I’m an exception?”
“It is not excessive for you, Apostle. You are the sole being born from the darkness, the one who will dye the world in shadow. The blessing will manifest exactly in the form you desire.”
It was a little difficult to grasp. I hadn’t experienced it myself, and I still wasn’t entirely convinced that I was truly an apostle.
“You will not become a monster, Apostle. This unit guarantees it.”
“…I see.”
It was something I could take as consolation, at least, but my mind remained tangled. Because if that was true, it meant the evil god truly did cherish me. And if I wasn’t the apostle? Then I would become a monster. After all, I hadn’t been born from the darkness.
I let out a sigh and leaned back in my chair. Vertea continued sipping her mead. The first day in the labyrinth was drawing to a close.
I slept in a room inside the screening hall that had been converted into a group dormitory, packed wall-to-wall with beds. After washing up in a bathroom that had only a sink and a large wooden tub filled with water—its ambiguous mix of medieval and modern features making it impossible to tell whether it was primitive or advanced—I stepped out to find Vertea already dressed and waiting for me.
“Have you made your decision?”
“Yeah. I’m going to become an adventurer after all.”
I had complained weakly, but there was no need to fear becoming a monster. Even setting aside the fact that I was already somewhat monstrous, there were things I needed to find and truths I needed to uncover. Exactly how Seoul had ended up adrift in this fantasy world. Why I was here. And I had to recover my smartphone and shotgun.
Hiding away out of fear of something that might or might not happen went against my nature. Especially when there were enemies actively targeting me. Wanting power in that situation wasn’t strange at all.
“Besides, not every adventurer turns into one of those monsters, right?”
“Affirmative.”
If the ultimate fate of every adventurer was to become a twisted monster, it would have been obvious. But the opposite seemed to be true. Many adventurers appeared eager to explore the labyrinth. Sure, some of them were sleeping in hibernation pods or getting high, but still.
In any case, Vertea had said it was possible to become one’s ideal self. Even if one had lost an eye, was missing an arm, had a short lifespan, or possessed weak strength—it meant those things could be changed into the form one desired. That made the popularity of adventurers easier to understand. Even human modification carried risks. In comparison, a blessing seemed to impose less of a burden.
I couldn’t shake the decision to become an adventurer.
“So, how does one actually become an adventurer? Can I just call myself one?”
“There exists an adventurer guild. As far as this unit is aware, the vast majority of adventurers belong to the guild.”
“What’s the benefit of joining the guild?”
Vertea walked ahead. Her bare feet showed no sign of injury despite the rough stone fragments on the floor. Was that because she was a halfling? Did she have calluses on her feet, then? As I pondered that, Vertea spoke.
“The guild mediates and provides requests, receives compensation and delivers it, guarantees identity in most situations, and grants points usable at affiliated shops within guild territory based on performance. This unit understands it functions in this manner.”
“…That’s actually pretty…”
Modern. Rational. Whoever had established this guild clearly possessed considerable business acumen. I wasn’t sure whether they had learned it from Earth’s culture and records or if it had developed while I was asleep, but both anticipation and worry rose within me.
As it happened, the entire department store building where I had stayed—the one containing the movie theater—was property of the adventurer guild. I headed straight there with Vertea.
We used the long-defunct escalator as stairs and soon reached the first floor. The first floor was far more crowded than the theater that served as an inn. Even though it was still early, the gathered people were all armed, chatting among themselves or gathering supplies before heading off somewhere. So this was the labyrinth adventurer guild.
Seeing a former department store lobby being used this way felt strangely surreal. It had barely been used during the war, and since I had mostly been on the front lines, I had never visited it myself. As I stood lost in thought, Vertea tugged at the hem of my coat.
“Apostle, this way.”
“…You know, I think we need to settle on a proper title beforehand.”
She turned to look at me as she led the way. Her pitch-black eyes rarely showed emotion, but this time I sensed a faint trace of displeasure.
“If you keep calling me that, I’ll get discovered and killed before I can even build up any strength.”
I had learned that much from yesterday’s fight. I didn’t know whether it was magic or some other means, but I had been completely unable to resist it. That orange-haired woman had seemed perfectly relaxed, and when she failed to subdue me, she had even mentioned calling in a ‘Holy Knight’ as if it were another method.
I didn’t know how the blessing would affect me, but I needed to become stronger. Strong enough to stand against that ‘Holy Knight,’ at least. It would do me no good to be discovered before then.
“Understood. However, Apostle requires a title befitting your station.”
Her gaze as she looked at me was cold, making it clear she would not yield. A title, huh. I recalled the one I had always secretly wanted to be called.
“How about Captain?”
“I dislike it.”
“Huh?”
Wasn’t that a bit too firm? And I hadn’t expected her to outright say she disliked it. She always acted as if she would do anything I asked, so I had assumed she would simply agree.
“Instead, this unit will call you Master. Master, this way.”
She must have already decided on the title in advance. She cut the conversation short with a single decisive statement and walked ahead. What was that about? Still feeling confused, I followed her. Vertea led me to the reception desk that occupied half the lobby.
There were a few people in line, but with so many receptionists, we didn’t have to wait long. When our turn came, Vertea spoke firmly.
“This unit wishes to register Master as a new adventurer.”
“…New adventurer registration, I assume? Yes, please wait just a moment.”
It was quite the peculiar way of speaking. Even the receptionist, who looked accustomed to all sorts of oddities, seemed momentarily flustered. But perhaps in a labyrinth where people could turn into monsters at any time, something like this was hardly worth noting. The receptionist quickly regained her composure and began asking various questions to proceed with the registration. I gave suitably plausible answers. The process ended quickly.
Ha Jinwoo, age 37 (I had subtracted roughly a hundred years), vanguard, novice adventurer.
That was how I was classified. I received a nameplate written in an unfamiliar language that I could somehow still read, then returned to where Vertea was waiting.
“Have the procedures been completed?”
“Yeah. It was more complicated than I expected.”
“It also serves as identification, and the guild provides assistance in many areas.”
It certainly seemed that way. I could understand them asking about age and race, but I hadn’t expected them to inquire about the purpose of my adventuring or my preferred position. I had assumed it would be handled somehow, but the system was surprisingly well-organized.
The same went for positions. They were divided into vanguard, rear guard, and support roles, and the guild would even help form parties based on matching goals and positions. It probably helped prevent discord or conflicting opinions. I didn’t know how long it had been since Seoul became a labyrinth, but I liked that a clear system existed.
Though the fact that the Church of Light was suggesting to adventurers that they kill people sleeping in hibernation pods still lingered in my mind. Perhaps they were a special case. For now, I would move carefully and build up my strength.
“Master.”
“Yeah?”
“What do you plan to do now?”
Vertea added lightly, “This unit holds Master’s abilities in high regard, but believes more systematic preparation will be necessary.”
“I think so too.”
Right now, aside from the coat and the comfortable tactical suit I wore underneath, I had nothing. I had a mace, but that was it. A single weapon felt woefully insufficient. No matter how I looked at it, I fell short of the average adventurer who had just entered this guild. Even though I was a super soldier, I couldn’t head into battle in this state.
The problem was—
“The fact that I don’t have a single coin to my name.”
After hearing me, Vertea rummaged around and pulled something out.
“This unit has saved money in anticipation of the day it would serve Master.”
It looked similar to the adventurer nameplate I had just received. The unfamiliar characters clearly read [Adventurer Guild Bank]. I didn’t need an explanation to understand what it was. It was probably something like an ID card used to withdraw deposits. Vertea covered her mouth with the plaque, looking somewhat proud.
“This unit will make Master into a Cinderella.”
“…How do you even know about Cinderella?”
I—Ha Jinwoo, the last super soldier of South Korea, the apostle of darkness, and a proud man who had never once clung to a woman in his entire life—had just realized that, only one day after waking up in my old homeland, my status had fallen to that of a kept man.