Chapter 37
Mion stood up.
“See you in class, Ska.”
“Yes.”
Jeong Yushin watched Mion’s back as she walked away.
The wind blew. Her loose, white priestly robes billowed upward.
A tight black priestly uniform was revealed, along with buttocks swaying gently beneath a pronounced panty line.
A butt built for easy childbirth, enough to captivate anyone.
Chomp!
“Ow!”
Ahiman bit Jeong Yushin’s ear.
“What is it?”
“Chirup.”
The lizard raised a tiny hand and pointed toward the fountain.
Roynel was approaching two ducks that had flown to the fountain.
The two ducks looked like a married couple.
Roynel crept toward the female duck.
‘What is he doing?’
Jeong Yushin sensed something was wrong and stood up.
Poke.
Roynel poked the female duck’s rump with his beak.
The female duck cried out in alarm. Seeing this, the male duck glared and flapped his wings.
“You lunatic!”
Jeong Yushin shouted and rushed over to grab Roynel.
The duck couple spread their wings, took flight, and left the fountain.
“Quack quack!”
“Why did you bury your face in someone else’s wife’s butt?! Are you insane?”
He grabbed the struggling duck and returned to the inn. He was afraid of what else this crazy duck might do.
“I’m back.”
Darmong welcomed him from behind the counter.
“You’re back?”
A female elf and a small girl wearing a robe were standing in front of the counter.
“Dear.”
The elegantly dressed female elf approached the duck.
Roynel’s body stiffened completely. He looked like prey caught helplessly by a wild beast.
“Roynel Acreine, if you’ve obtained such a bizarre imprint, you should stay quietly in your room. Where do you think you’re going, wandering around like that?”
The duck’s head drooped.
The female elf crossed her arms and glared at the duck.
Under her domineering attitude, Roynel seemed to shrink.
The female elf opened her mouth.
“We’ve been married for over a hundred years, and I simply cannot understand how you can behave with so little sense. Our family took in a wandering elf who had nothing and even bestowed our family name upon you. And that wasn’t all, was it? You received financial support and even gained a beautiful, virtuous wife like me. I thought that after such a long time and proper education, you had grown into a suitable member of the Acreine family, but I was mistaken. You truly possess not even a speck of manners or dignity.”
As his wife’s words poured out like rapid-fire gunshots, Roynel bowed his head until it nearly touched the floor.
‘Who would have thought Roynel was a live-in son-in-law?’
Watching Roynel get chewed out like that made Jeong Yushin feel a little sorry for him.
Still, it felt wrong to interfere in someone else’s marriage and say something, so he merely watched.
The elf woman spoke.
“You’re a disgrace. Come with me. I’ll educate you again.”
The elf woman gave Jeong Yushin and Darmong a slight bow before leaving the inn.
The duck drooped his head and waddled after the elf.
“Master.”
This time, the small girl in the robe approached.
The girl extended a hand toward the lizard sitting on Jeong Yushin’s shoulder.
The lizard obediently climbed onto the girl’s hand.
The girl gently stroked the lizard and bowed toward Jeong Yushin.
“Barbaroi, thank you for looking after my master.”
“Don’t mention it. I merely stayed by his side as a fellow party member.”
The girl briefly closed and opened her eyes.
“My master asked me to pass on his thanks.”
Jeong Yushin’s eyes widened.
“How?”
“I have an imprint that lets me communicate with animals. My name is Maya. I’m still just a novice explorer.”
“When did you obtain that imprint?”
Maya tilted her head.
“...When I first entered.”
‘As expected of this luck-based, utterly fucked-up labyrinth.’
Maya bowed her head.
“The streets are still chaotic, so I should head back.”
“Yes. Take care.”
Jeong Yushin bowed in return.
After Maya left, only Jeong Yushin and Darmong remained in the inn.
He felt relieved, yet somehow disappointed as well.
“Pfft.”
Jeong Yushin suddenly laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“When I went out for a walk earlier. You see, Roynel...”
Jeong Yushin began telling the story. Darmong listened with a smile.
The streets buzzed with tension and anxiety after sunset, but Jeong Yushin laughed.
He sipped liquor and spent the evening chatting about this and that with Darmong.
Late at night, Jeong Yushin parted ways with Darmong and returned to his room on the inn’s second floor.
He lay down on the bed, propped his head on one arm, and stared at the ceiling.
The investigation had failed, but he had survived.
Strictly speaking, it had not been a failure.
The countless human-faced centipedes.
The missing explorers.
And the black portal.
He had obtained every clue available to him.
The clues were tangled together so chaotically that it was difficult to draw a conclusion.
The Explorer Guild and the Mage Tower were expected to make an announcement soon, so he had no choice but to wait.
He had intended to check his imprint today, but he had missed the opportunity while looking after his party members.
But he had no regrets.
He had wandered through the park with his party members and spent the day, if only briefly, forgetting what had happened in the labyrinth.
Putting it off for a day should be fine.
Jeong Yushin closed his eyes. A duck and a lizard spun around in his vision. Then darkness came.
* * *
Jeong Yushin opened his eyes.
“Where am I?”
He stood up and looked around.
A familiar place.
The place with the convenience store and sewer. It was where he had been before he was transferred.
“A wolf?”
A red-furred wolf approached from who knew where.
It walked cautiously, seeming highly wary.
“What?! Don’t come over.”
Jeong Yushin backed away.
Could it be going to bite him?
He wanted no part of leveling up that way.
The red wolf stopped as it approached and lowered its body.
Its tail was swaying gently.
“Whine. Whiiine.”
The wolf whimpered mournfully and slowly nudged its head toward him.
“You want me to pet you?”
The wolf nodded.
He slowly approached and held out his hand.
The wolf pushed its head against him and sniffed, so he gently pushed it away.
It was clinging to him far too eagerly, which made him uncomfortable.
The wolf whined again. Feeling sorry for it, he stroked its head and scratched its chin. Perhaps it was excited, because it wagged its tail and frantically licked his cheek.
And then.
Jeong Yushin opened his eyes.
Darmong’s inn.
His own room.
“A random dog dream?”
Jeong Yushin muttered blankly.
His mouth and cheek were sticky and damp, as though he had drooled in his sleep.
Just then, vitality surged through his body.
A hot energy spread throughout him and melted into his bones and flesh.
‘Level up.’
His body realized it first.
‘I leveled up this easily?’
Jeong Yushin looked down at his body and grinned.
Whatever the case, it was a gain.
He stood up, got dressed, and went down to the first floor.
Karin was sitting at a table with her arms crossed.
“You’re up early.”
“Karin? How are you feeling? I was worried when you suddenly ran off somewhere.”
“I obtained a strange imprint, so I went to the temple and had it erased. It was nothing serious, so don’t worry about it.”
“I see.”
Jeong Yushin nodded.
If Karin told him not to worry, it would be strange to pry any further.
Karin looked at Jeong Yushin’s face.
“What is it?”
“Th-there’s drool on your face.”
“Ah.”
“Wipe it with this. You’re so sloppy.”
Karin handed him a handkerchief from her pocket.
“Thank you.”
Jeong Yushin wiped his mouth and cheek with the handkerchief. Karin watched him as if entranced.
‘Is it expensive?’
Jeong Yushin handed the handkerchief back.
“That did the trick.”
“Y-yeah.”
Silence lingered between them for a moment.
“Do you have plans today?”
“Yes. I have something to do today.”
“What?”
“I’m going to the temple to have my imprint confirmed.”
“Okay.”
Jeong Yushin suddenly remembered something he was curious about.
“Lady Karin.”
“What?”
“Did you perhaps level up?”
“Mana Adaptation, you mean? Yeah. Did you?”
“Yes. Isn’t it strange? It seems like we leveled up too quickly.”
At Jeong Yushin’s words, Karin folded her arms and stared into empty space. After a moment, she opened her mouth.
“It seems the new monsters that appeared this time were carrying a lot of mana. We’ll need to wait for the Mage Tower and the Explorer Guild to make an announcement before we know the details, but I heard that most of the parties that participated in this labyrinth investigation leveled up.”
Is that so.
It had been a life-or-death leveling event.
Survive, and you leveled up. Die, and your body and facial skin were stolen. What a terrifying event.
“By the way, where did Darmong go?”
“He went out to buy breakfast.”
“When did you arrive, Lady Karin?”
“Why do you have so many questions? Stop asking!”
Karin suddenly burst into anger.
‘What a personality. Who would take someone that hot-tempered?’
Jeong Yushin clicked his tongue inwardly and shut his mouth.
Thud!
Karin placed a leather pouch on the table.
A clinking sound came from the pouch.
Jeong Yushin’s eyes flashed.
“This is a gift. I mixed in some gold and silver coins.”
“Thank you. I’ll serve you faithfully forever.”
Jeong Yushin grabbed the leather pouch with a broad grin. It was heavy. A sense of peace settled in his heart.
“Shall I give you a belly kiss?”
“No.”
Karin blushed slightly but rejected him firmly.
Clatter!
The inn door opened.
Darmong entered the inn with a bag slung over his shoulder.
“Hm? Ska, you’re awake?”
“Yes.”
Darmong opened a bag embroidered with a teddy bear and took out some food.
It was bread, cheese, and sausages he had bought at the market.
As the danger of earthquakes remained, they had to avoid using fire to cook food.
Jeong Yushin stood up, went to the kitchen, and brought back tableware.
They transferred the food into wooden bowls, placed them on the table, and sat down together.
The meal ended in silence. Jeong Yushin stood up.
“I’ll visit the Earth Mother Goddess’s temple for a moment.”
“All right. Take care. There are still guards around, so be careful not to get arrested.”
“Ah.”
Jeong Yushin clutched his head.
‘I was Barbaroi, wasn’t I?’
“Would you like me to come with you?”
Karin asked.
“Really?”
“Yes. I don’t have anything else to do anyway.”
“Thank you.”
Jeong Yushin and Karin left the inn and walked through the streets.
The guards eyed Jeong Yushin suspiciously, but Karin was beside him, so they let him pass.
They arrived at the Earth Mother Goddess’s temple.
He went to the priest in charge of reception and said he wanted to have his imprint confirmed.
“One silver coin.”
Jeong Yushin took a silver coin from his pocket and handed it to the priest.
The priest accepted the coin, wrote something on a piece of paper, then looked at Jeong Yushin and spoke.
“Ska, Priestess Mion will be confirming your imprint. Please wait here for a moment. Someone will come and escort you separately.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Jeong Yushin nodded in reply.
“Ska, do you know Mion?”
Karin asked.
“Yes. We happened to get acquainted. She also teaches writing at the orphanage.”
“Hmm.”
Karin hummed through her nose and crossed her arms.
Her face stiffened slightly, as though something bothered her.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.”
After they waited a while, a male priest approached.
“Please follow me.”
“Yes.”
Jeong Yushin followed the priest. Karin followed close behind.
“Why are you following us?”
“Why can’t I come?”
The priest turned and looked at Karin.
“Lady Karin, are you in the same party as him?”
“Yeah.”
“Understood. You may come with us.”
The priest nodded, then turned and continued walking.
They walked down a corridor and arrived at a room. It was the same room he had seen last time.
The male priest knocked on the door three times.
“Priestess Mion, I’ve brought Ska.”
“Come in.”
They followed the priest into the room.
“Ska, you’re here. Then... hm?”
Mion stopped speaking and looked at Karin.
“Lady Karin?”
“Mion.”
The two stared at each other in silence.
A strange tension filled the room.
‘What is this? Do they know each other?’
Jeong Yushin crossed his arms and watched the two of them.
Karin spoke first.
“Mion, are you allowed to wear such a tight outfit? It doesn’t seem to comply with the temple’s regulations.”
Mion had taken off her loose robes and was wearing the tight black priestly uniform Jeong Yushin had seen at first.
“And are you allowed to wear clothes that reveal your underwear so clearly, Lady Karin? The daughter of the Beastkin Alliance representative wearing such scandalous underwear. I’m embarrassed on your behalf.”
“You’re one to talk.”
“That’s exactly what I was going to say.”
Silence settled between them once again.
“Do you two know each other?”
Jeong Yushin asked.
“I don’t.”
Karin turned her head away.
“We only ran into each other once or twice long ago.”
Mion looked at Jeong Yushin and continued.
“Ska, shall we confirm your imprint?”
“Yes.”
Jeong Yushin approached Mion, knelt on one knee, and clasped his hands.
‘Thong inspection.’
A plump mound was crammed to its limit into a tiny scrap of fabric, bulging through the tight black priestly uniform.
Jeong Yushin bowed his head deeply and repeated to himself,
‘Thank you. Thank you.’
He closed his eyes and offered a prayer of thanks to the Earth Mother Goddess.
Karin’s fierce glare prickled his back, but Jeong Yushin’s heart was at peace.
Mion murmured something, but Jeong Yushin could not hear her.
About three minutes passed.
Jeong Yushin’s heart thudded with anticipation of his new imprint.
What could it be?
What kind of imprint would it be?
He had worked hard. He had fought against otherworldly monsters and overcome crises with wisdom. On top of that, he had saved his comrades.
He had earned the right to receive a good reward.
“Eek!”
Mion suddenly made a strange sound and took a step backward.
Jeong Yushin raised his head.
“What is it?”
‘Please, let it be a cheat imprint.’
“Th-that is...”
Mion’s face flushed red, and she fumbled for words.
“What is it? Please tell me quickly, Teacher Mion.”
At Jeong Yushin’s urging, Mion’s face turned as red as a tomato.
“S-Ska’s imprint is...”