Chapter 131: An Invitation from the Current Party
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 131: An Invitation from the Current Party
The Spider Doctor had been sealed on the 3rd floor all this time. He said that the swirling snow itself was his very being.
Why did the Spider Doctor end up in such a state?
Considering the White Lion and the Dagger Raptor rampaging outside the Labyrinth, their positions were clearly different.
Let’s think about what the Spider Doctor proposed to me.
He asked me to help him reclaim his original body. In return, he would give me important information about Possessors.
Could it be that he challenged the Labyrinth Master to get his body back? And after being taught a harsh lesson, was he turned into the 3rd floor’s snow, like a scholar sent into exile?
There’s no real evidence, but it’s a scenario that more or less explains the situation.
If so, even if we couldn’t call him an ally, might there be room for some cooperation?
“To all the adventurers visiting the 3rd floor, welcome. I am the true ruler of the 3rd floor, the Spider Doctor.”
The monster removed its fedora, held it to its chest, and bowed politely.
—all while pulling me close and holding me with two of its eight legs.
“I-It can talk?”
“Seems like he’s similar to the White Lion.”
Back Attack and Aimus were incredibly tense.
It was the same for Hyedam’s party.
They knew a fair amount about the Inter-floor Lords.
Mugol and Bisan exchanged glances.
“Don’t tell me this is the one…?”
“He looks just like the picture on the coin.”
As expected of those who had moved Possessors to an inter-floor village and even met the Labyrinth Master.
The Spider Doctor spoke.
“First, let’s clear up the small misunderstanding that just occurred. Yernil.”
“Huh?!”
Yernil jumped in surprise, clearly not expecting the monster to know her name.
“I was not summoned by Hyedam, Bisan, or Mugol here. Nor were they trying to offer Caleb to me.”
“...!”
“I don’t care about such misunderstandings.”
Hyedam had no interest in Yernil’s party whatsoever.
“More importantly, just say why you’ve appeared. What business do you have with Caleb?”
Hyedam had already taken out her fox marble.
“If you so much as touch a single hair on his head, I’ll roast you to a crisp with foxfire.”
“…”
The Spider Doctor smiled faintly and released my shoulder.
“It seems this isn’t the right time for us to talk, Caleb.”
As he spoke, he discreetly slipped something into my pocket.
“I will contact you again. For now, please return to your friends.”
“Caleb!”
Before I could even move, Hyedam rushed over and grabbed my hand.
“I’m sorry! I was wrong. Let’s go back together. We still have so much to talk about.”
“No!” Yernil shouted, aiming her arrow.
“If you want to talk, do it back in Sohen! Why are you hiding in the Labyrinth so suspiciously? You people attacked Caleb in the dormitory! Are you plotting some cowardly scheme again?!”
So that’s why she came looking for me.
Honestly, it’s touching, but…
“What do you know to be spouting such nonsense? This man was my fiancé, and we were companions who traveled the Labyrinth together. Do you really think I would harm him?”
Hyedam aimed her fox marble toward Yernil with an annoyed look.
“This is no place for you to interfere. We still have things to discuss, so stop bothering us and get lost!”
Yernil seemed a little frightened, but she still met my gaze.
“…Ca-Caleb.”
She said, mustering her courage.
“Let’s go back together.”
“…”
“If you want to talk with your old friends, you can do it in Sohen. Why did you come all the way in here? Let’s go back now.”
Then Aimus chimed in to support her.
“To Caleb’s old companions over there. Caleb was resurrected not long ago. He still needs to rest. If you care for him, please let him go now.”
“What…”
Hyedam exclaimed, flustered.
“We can take care of him too! Bisan here is a Taoist who’s practically on the level of a cardinal in a temple. A Taoist who has reached the state of ascension is second to none in healing the body and restoring vitality!”
She squeezed my hand tightly.
“So… come with us, Caleb.”
Her voice was filled with desperation.
“I was wrong earlier…”
I slowly let go of her hand.
Honestly, staying here any longer is a bit scary.
This is enough for now.
I might get involved with Hyedam’s party again if the opportunity arises, but for now, it’s best to retreat.
“See you later.”
For Hyedam, the scene was so shocking it made her mind go blank.
“Caleb…”
He turned his back on his old party and walked toward his current one. The sight of his retreating back reminded her of a scene from Fox Ridge long ago.
A broken tobacco pipe, the Gumiho ritual two weeks away.
It was the same back that had left her, calling her a pitiful person.
“Ah…”
A tear trickled down Hyedam’s cheek as she stood frozen for a few seconds, her expression utterly lost.
“No…”
She chased after Caleb, trembling uncontrollably.
“Don’t go!”
She cried, grabbing onto him and clinging.
“I’m sorry! Don’t go. I… I’m all alone in the village now. I have no friends, no family. It’s just like when I left Fox Ridge. I… I only have you. Don’t go!”
Hyedam screamed as if in agony.
“You said you’d stay with me! You said you didn’t want to be apart. That’s why we went into the Labyrinth together!”
She looked at Mugol and Bisan as if pleading for help.
Mugol, who wasn’t much of a talker, just shrugged. Bisan thought for a moment, looking troubled, then stepped in to provide backup.
“While we were hiding in Sohen, I did some research on Caleb. On how he’s been living here.”
“…”
“He has quite the notorious reputation as a king of destruction who brings disaster wherever he goes.”
Thanks to that, Bisan finally understood what kind of hell Caleb had been through.
It was no wonder his personality had changed.
“Facing an adventurer driven mad as an Exit Boss, encountering the ossuary caretaker in an inter-floor village, monster waves, a Golden Golem, a blacksmith…”
“…”
“The Labyrinth is a place where countless strange phenomena occur, but it seems he’s faced a series of challenges beyond imagination. Am I wrong?”
His logic was rather cruel to Yernil’s party.
“I may not have Hyedam’s emotional attachment, but I too value Caleb as a party member. I believe it’s right for us to take him with us, everyone.”
He said, “Can you handle someone who has met the Labyrinth Master and survived?”
“…”
“Do you know about the theory of the Labyrinth’s intestines? Caleb is already being ‘digested.’ If you continue to travel with him, someday…”
“I don’t care!”
Yernil shouted.
“I don’t care! If Caleb dies, I’ll die there with him!”
Tap.
Bisan tapped his lips with the tip of his fan.
“What about Caleb dying?”
He cleverly twisted the point.
“What did you say?”
“Honestly, place a hand on your heart and tell me. Can you protect Caleb?”
“…”
“In any party, a wizard possesses the greatest destructive power, but is also the most fragile. In the end, a wizard is protected by their party members. Have you all performed that role well until now?”
“That’s…”
Aimus was so flustered he was at a loss for words.
“He’s even died once already, hasn’t he? During the recent Labyrinth Eruption in Sohen,” Bisan pointed out.
“Realize that letting go of a superior party member is also a virtue for an adventurer.”
Yernil’s party fell silent, like a sunken ship.
Bisan’s point was similar to when Back Attack had left Aimus’s party to be recruited by a 2nd-floor party.
It was a common story in the Labyrinth.
Though it was rare for a 4th-floor wizard to suddenly be recruited into a Deep Layer adventurer’s party.
“No. Wait a minute,” Back Attack interjected.
“You guys attacked Caleb in the dormitory, right? If we’re talking about who can protect him, you’re more of a risk factor.”
“Yes. It was my mistake to have attacked Caleb at that time due to a misunderstanding. I admit it. But back then, I thought Caleb was a Possessor. That’s why I did it.”
“A Possessor…”
Yernil bit her lip.
In truth, ever since she first met Caleb and escaped the Labyrinth, she’d heard that story so often she was sick of it.
Starting with Professor Meldini, everyone she met made a fuss, asking if Caleb was a Possessor.
“I’m so sick of it…!”
What was the big deal anyway?
Of course, Yernil didn’t know much about Possessors.
From what she’d picked up, they were some kind of ghost-like beings from beyond the Ethereal Galaxy that took over people’s bodies.
She had never seen one herself.
Even if Caleb were a Possessor, it wouldn’t matter.
“I don’t care about any of that!”
“…”
“Whether Caleb is a Possessor or not, it doesn’t matter! If he were a Possessor, I would have hidden him, not attacked him!”
Yernil pulled on Caleb’s wrist.
“Most importantly, isn’t Caleb himself saying he’ll go with us for now?” Aimus said.
“Let’s go back, Caleb.”
Despite their words, all three of them were extremely tense.
It was only natural. The difference in their combat power was overwhelming.
“Well…”
At last, the Tiger-folk warrior who had been silent unfolded his arms.
“Should we use rougher methods?”
He glanced over at Bisan and Hyedam.
“Wh-what are you planning to do?!” Even Bisan was flustered.
“I won’t kill them. Can’t I just slice them up a bit and chase them off?”
A longsword slid from Mugol’s scabbard with a chilling screech of metal.
That beast could kill Aimus, Back Attack, and Yernil all within thirty seconds.
“Kuhk…”
Aimus aimed his dented iron staff, moving his party members behind him. Cold sweat trickled down his tense cheeks and the nape of his neck.
And just then.
“Now, this won’t do.”
The Spider Doctor interjected with a low chuckle.
“If we were deciding the order based on strength, I would be first, yet I am being patient, am I not? Mugol. Act like a warrior.”
“…”
Mugol tapped his scabbard with a finger.
“You say you’re first.”
“…”
“Are you confident?”
“Shall I show you?”
“Enough!”
Bisan cut in, mediating.
“We don’t want bloodshed. Mugol, sheathe your sword.”
“So we should just let Caleb go? When Hyedam’s like that?” Mugol gestured toward Hyedam with a jerk of his chin.
She was sitting on the ground, a blank look on her face.
“Tsk.”
Bisan helped Hyedam to her feet. Then he asked Yernil.
“You there, elf lady.”
“…Yes?”
“You seem to take possession lightly, but what if Caleb is possessed tomorrow morning, loses all his memories, and becomes a different person? What will you do then?”
“...!”
Yernil thought for a moment before answering.
“I-I’ll go to the Ethereal Galaxy to find him.”
“The Ethereal Galaxy?”
“When you die, your soul goes there, right? Even if he’s possessed, wouldn’t his soul be there….”
Beside them, Mugol snorted.
“And how will you get there? By dying?”
“…”
Yernil lowered her head at the taunt, but Bisan didn’t dismiss it.
“It seems you’re prepared to die to get there,” he said.
“You already resolved to die the moment you jumped in front of an Inter-floor Lord, didn’t you?”
“…Tch.”
Mugol sheathed his sword.
“I’m out of this.”
“Take Caleb and go. He’s your party.”
I slowly backed away from the scene.
The Spider Doctor gave me a subtle wave, pointing at my pocket.
And the entire time I descended the snowy mountain with Yernil, Aimus, and Back Attack,
Hyedam didn’t move from that spot.