Chapter 15
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: The Magic Tower Genius Descends into the Labyrinth
-----------------------------------------------------------------
At that moment, a meeting was underway in the upper floors of the adventurer's guild in Soren.
"We should raise the commission fee and bounty. Even high-rank adventurers seem reluctant to take this job."
"Since it's gremlins—those notoriously tricky cursed beasts—we'll need to be extra careful in selecting adventurers too."
"Haksen's party suffered near-total annihilation, so nasty rumors are circulating about the guild. We need proper preliminary investigations on the risks..."
Those in high positions within the guild each voiced their opinions.
Their discussions revolved around why such a massive danger hadn't been detected beforehand.
Who should bear responsibility for this incident.
Things like that.
As voices grew louder without any clear answers,
the man seated at the head of the table let out a heavy sigh, looking troubled.
"So, who was in charge of the scouting team? It's impossible for just a few gremlins to cause that much damage."
His voice was deep and low.
Yet everyone immediately fell silent, turning their attention to him.
"Guild Master, the one handling the preliminary scout was Gold-rank adventurer Ruan Parten."
"Ruan. Him again?"
"...Well, he does bear some responsibility. But given his contributions to the recent special-grade commission, it's a complicated situation to pin full blame."
When someone responded, Guild Master Bardun clicked his tongue outright.
He knew it too.
Human affairs were prone to mistakes no matter what, and not every accident could be prevented entirely.
But this commission felt different.
'Ruan. There's definitely something off about that guy.'
It was hard to dismiss it as mere scouting error when every incident he'd bungled had resulted in dozens of deaths.
No matter how many achievements he'd piled up, it was now enough to cast suspicion even on his background.
"Proceed with the commission as discussed, and have Ruan come to my office."
Thud!
Bardun shoved back his chair and stormed out to his private room, suppressing a deep sigh welling up in his chest.
He'd only learned of the horrific news upon returning to Soren today.
And he'd been able to see Sera.
A completely terrified Sera.
Word that she'd clung to the receptionist for hours, begging.
Just hearing that made his heart sink heavily.
It would likely take her considerable time just to recover her composure.
"Damn it all..."
Bardun felt anger boiling up unbidden.
It wasn't mere personal pity for Sera.
This was something more—a promise.
If anything major had befallen Sera during this commission,
it would have shattered the promise he'd made with that guy in the capital.
That's why he'd instructed them to assign her only low-risk jobs.
Yet they'd nearly had an irreversible disaster on their hands.
Clank!
Entering his office, Bardun sat down and forced himself to calm his mind.
He tried to think rationally.
"First, with Ruan, if there's anything to hold against him..."
Whatever it was, he'd reprimand him harshly—demote his adventurer rank if need be.
This incident wasn't something to gloss over lightly.
Step...
Sylbian could feel it continually.
Just as Cherentia had said, the woman was persistently tailing them.
Even though he'd just sold the cursed beast corpses from the alchemy workshop for 80 gold coins—a huge windfall—he couldn't fully enjoy it because of her.
"If it's really bothering you, I can shake her off."
"Nah, no need to go that far."
Sylbian shook his head without thinking.
It was such a natural reaction he wasn't even aware of it himself.
"But isn't it distracting? Even if she has her own pitiful circumstances, it's not our responsibility to bear."
Cherentia's words were undoubtedly right.
He himself would have said the same not long ago, no doubt.
'But if she lost her comrades...'
How deep would that sense of loss run?
Lately, spending time with Cherentia had made him rethink what "comrades" really meant.
Comrades weren't just people walking beside you.
They were bound by far more complex ties—vast mutual interests that couldn't be simply explained.
That's why he might be trying, even a little, to understand the sorrow that woman chasing him carried.
"Sylbian?"
At her repeated call, Sylbian snapped out of his thoughts with a wry smile.
But that was his own thinking; Cherentia clearly found someone shadowing them like this quite irritating.
"Cherentia, go ahead to the Blue Forest Inn and unpack. You must be tired—rest first."
"Planning to talk with that human woman alone?"
"Yeah, I just want to hear what she wants from us."
Cherentia stared straight at Sylbian for a moment.
He was the one who needed rest more than her right now.
Yet here he was, willing to spend time on some stranger.
It was the opposite of his attitude back then.
Cherentia pondered briefly, then shook her head lightly.
"In that case, I'll come along too. I'll unpack first."
"Cherentia?"
"The tribal elders warned that humans who approach rashly are thoroughly devious. So I'll accompany you."
Sylbian paused, looking at her anew despite himself. Then he cleared his throat awkwardly.
"...Y-yeah, could be."
It clearly wasn't directed at him.
Yet he could tell exactly how she'd viewed him in the past.
"Ahem, ahem!"
He coughed unnecessarily and came to a stop.
Then he took a good look at the red bob-haired woman keeping her distance behind them.
Tap.
Sera's hollow gaze was fixed on Sylbian and Cherentia walking ahead.
Whenever they pulled ahead, she'd hurry her steps to catch up.
'What do I even want?'
She asked herself absently.
What meaning did chasing after them hold?
But no answer came.
Instinct alone drove her to follow the mage who had avenged her and her comrades.
Glance.
There he was now, the aloof mage walking ahead.
Rare silver hair.
An elegant robe marking him as a mage.
Above all, he carried a refinement no adventurer or mercenary could possess.
'He said no survivors at all.'
Considering a mage's lofty pride, those words rang with unvarnished truth.
That should have been the end of it.
No reason for her to keep trailing him like this.
But.
"......"
Sera's eyes kept drifting back to the mage.
Only he had slain those horrific, repulsive beasts she could never defeat.
To steady her agonizing heart, she needed to know at least something about how he'd done it.
Step.
Step...
Sera continued shadowing Sylbian when
Tap!
Sylbian suddenly stopped, as if waiting for someone.
The moment he resumed walking, Sera froze in place.
"Ah..."
The mage was approaching her directly.
Had she offended him somehow?
Trembling with fear, Sera couldn't bring herself to flee.
She could only stare blankly as he drew near.
Tap.
Standing before Sera, Sylbian clicked his tongue unwittingly.
Up close, her disheveled state looked even more wretched.
"You seem to be following us because you have something to say. Or am I wrong?"
"That's..."
Sera couldn't affirm or deny it right away.
Her sunset-hued eyes shook violently between strands of red bobbed hair, lost for direction.
"If you treat us to a satisfying meal, I wouldn't mind chatting. Since it's our first time in Soren, after all."
Sylbian continued lightly.
His violet eyes gazed steadily at her.
"Ah! Y-yes, then let me guide you. I'll treat you to a meal at one of the nicest spots in Soren."
Flustered but eager, she nodded vigorously.
She could hardly believe this sudden turn.
The aloof mage had approached her first.
And proposed a meal, no less.
Unthinkable by normal standards, but she couldn't pass up such a chance.
"Lead the way."
"Yes!"
Her loud reply drew her eyes to the beastkin beside Sylbian.
'What on earth is this pairing?'
Too chaotic to notice before,
but the mage seemed to be traveling with a beastkin woman.
And comfortably at that—no hint of distance or reluctance in her demeanor.
It struck her as utterly bizarre, but she lacked the courage to ask Sylbian directly.
An utterly mismatched trio entered one of Soren's priciest renowned restaurants.
A mage and a beastkin.
And one adventurer in pitiful shape.
By the time they reached a table on the upper floor, surrounding patrons were staring.
And soon came an outrageous order.
"Just to confirm—are you sure you want all this food?"
"Yep, bring every single dish. The adventurer here will cover the bill."
Sylbian pointed casually at Sera, who flinched but nodded.
"Yes, I'll pay for everything."
"Understood."
As the server nodded curiously and left, Sera fidgeted with her hands under the table.
The situation felt wondrous yet bewildering.
She'd trailed the mage blindly, but never dreamed it'd lead to a meal like this.
Mages were infamous for not sparing time easily, after all.
"Better late than never—I'm Sylbian Blanc."
"Ah, I'm Sera... Sera Grisia."
"Cherentia, daughter of the Fern Tribe's second elder."
Amid the belated introductions, Sylbian eyed Sera with mild surprise.
'Gracia Family.'
Her introduction clashed completely with her current wretched appearance.
No one would peg her as nobility with a family name.
But such thoughts were fleeting.
"Before we eat, I do need to hear why you've been following us."
Sylbian asked nonchalantly.
Sera stiffened.
"I thought I needed to hear at least something about how you subjugated those beasts."
Her face screamed here it comes, but she steadied her breath and spoke.
"Because of those monsters, I lost... all my comrades I'd journeyed with for years."
Her voice was lower than ever.
Yet she met Sylbian's gaze directly.
'I have to hear his side.'
The fear of the mage before her paled against
the indescribable pain of losing comrades she'd bonded with so deeply, all at once.
She had to know how those beasts met their end.
"Figured as much. Not an incomprehensible reason."
Sylbian replied as if he'd anticipated it.
Cherentia, listening intently, flicked her ears slightly and swallowed an inner sigh.
'Lost all her comrades.'
This human woman had even greater circumstances than she'd thought.
It must have been an excruciating pain to overcome.
Glance.
Cherentia suddenly looked at Sylbian again.
'Is he being considerate for her sake?'
Back when they first left Helsen, Sylbian hadn't been like this.
He'd prioritized pushing forward over helping strangers.
Not that his choice was wrong.
He had no obligation to aid unknowns.
But now, Sylbian appeared different.
Trying to understand someone's grief,
extending a helping hand without showing it outwardly.
Swish swish!
Just then, Cherentia's long tail twitched oddly as she watched Sylbian.
"Stigma...?"
Sera's eyes trembled fiercely.
She couldn't even think straight for a moment.
Why had she only now noticed the stigma etched on Sylbian's nape?
But no matter the reason,
a stigma was something that should never exist.
"Yeah, I'm an exile cast out from the Magic Tower."
Even amid her shock,
Sylbian continued calmly.