《Gacha Addict in a Matriarchal World》


 Chapter 1: Anyway, A Salvation Story

    Chapter 1: Anyway, A Salvation Story


    After dying in an unexined explosion, I found myself in a world where gender roles were reversed.


    And then, I was captured by thieves and now awaited my fate to be sold into very.


    Im screwed.


    I sighed deeply, tapping the iron bars that confined me.


    Actually, I knew best why this happened. It was because I had been too arrogant and, at the same time, careless.


    Thats because this ce is not just an ordinary matriarchal world. Its a world that I had brainstormed, though its just the setting.


    The Great Labyrinth, where all the treasures and miracles of the worldy in slumber. An adventurer who explores this and uncovers ancient mysteries, elevating their status. And the reversed sexual morals of men and women.


    Although I possessed the body of a mere orphan, I had knowledge that an ordinary orphan wouldnt have.


    For example, during the thrice-weekly food distribution at the temple, I would recitemon lore about the clergy and, pretending to be devout, manage to get an extra piece of bread.


    Or, exploiting the fact that Im a young boy in a world where gender roles are reversed, I would charm tipsydies and earn tips by acting cute with them.


    Honestly, it does make me feel a bit ashamed, but when youre hungry, how important can pride be? After all, it wasnt too difficult to do when I thought about what I would have liked in my previous life.


    I also remembered most of the useful lore But the problem was that it was all rted to the Great Labyrinth.


    Weaknesses of certain monsters. Gimmicks revealed under specific conditions. Beings that exist in the deepest parts of thebyrinth, and so on.


    If I were an adventurer, this information would, of course, be very useful, but as it stands, Im just a powerless orphan.


    Exploring the Great Labyrinth myself is dangerous, and selling information is even more so.


    Not having the power to protect oneself was more sorrowful than one might think.


    Well, with such feelings, I was barely scraping by, day by day, when suddenly, a translucent screen appeared before my eyes.


    Ding!


    [Special 1 Year of Survival Reward! 10 Free Gacha Tickets!]


    That really surprised me back then.


    I tried shouting for the status window out of hope but gave up when nothing appeared But who knew it would turn out to be a gacha system instead of a training system?


    Most of the items I got from the gacha, while crying rivers, were of dubious value.


    An elixir that was more like a health tonic at best. The lowest grade potion that could only be used as a regr medicine. A bundle of daggers or arrows that youd normally get as an add-on for buying in bulk from a cksmith, and so on


    I just sold everything and spent the money to buy winter clothes and a weapon for self-defense. If you dont have a home, at least your clothes should be warm, and if youre powerless, at least your weapon should be sharp, right?


    If I knew it woulde down to this, I should have used the elixir instead of selling it.


    Had I done so, perhaps I wouldnt have felt the cold seeping up from the prison floor, chilling me to the bone.


    Those despicable people. Its one thing to take my weapon, but shouldnt they at least give me something to wear if theyre going to strip me of my clothes?


    Just tossing a rag to me and leaving me like this. What are they nning to do if I freeze to death before they can sell me to a ve trader?


    I clicked my tongue inwardly for a moment. After all, I had ended up in this situation because of my actions, so I wasnt in a position toin.


    Right. Because of the odds that I suspected to be rigged against me, I received 1-star items in 9 out of the 10 rolls, but I received a 3-star skill for thest roll.


    Skills were not a convenient single-button action as it would be in a game. How should I put it? It was as if the user manual and the minimum resources needed for actual use were shoved into my head.


    At least, that was what I deduced from my tests, since there was no system in the setting I created.


    If the skill I had drawn was Fireball, then I would have gained the minimal amount of magical power necessary to be considered a mage.


    Simrly, if I had acquired a swordsmanship skill, my body would have be as strong as an adults, and if I had acquired divine magic, I would have gained divine power.


    But the skill I drew was


    Pickpocketing.


    More precisely, it was named Pickpocketing Faster Than the Eye.


    I wondered how the seemingly trivial skill of snatching wallets could be considered 3-stars, but it turned out to be an incredible sleight of hand. Ive never been caught, not even once.


    But that was the problem.


    Having knowledge butcking the ability to utilize it effectively, I was given a mediocre power, which I couldnt quite control.


    Yes. Why hide it? Over the past few months, I have be a legend in the pickpocketing world.


    Stealing from people struggling day by day made me feel guilty, and the profits were surprisingly meager, so I started targeting thugs and crime ns. Before I knew it, I had be infamous.


    Well, eventually, my notoriety caught up with me, and so here I was, caught. Of course, there was no concrete evidence. My technique was too covert and swift to be considered mere pickpocketing.


    But those guys didnt need evidence.


    This was abyrinth city, swarming with adventurers, which was considered to be a tough profession. Criminal organizations residing in such an area were bound to be that much more dangerous.


    Evidence or not, they just kidnapped me based on mere suspicion.


    It doesnt matter if you really are the pickpocket whos been targeting our guystely. If we catch all the suspicious ones, one of them is bound to be the right one. Well, even if they arent, there are plenty of uses for them, so dont worry.


    The middle-aged woman smirked as she toyed with my face. Adorned with an array of jewelry that screamed nouveau riche, she proudly shared her scheme.


    It would undoubtedly benefit her if I were indeed the pickpocket she suspected. And even if I werent, she could easily pin her organizations crimes on me, enve me, and sell me off.


    She had remarked that despite my youth, my appearance was striking, and that I would fetch a high price, enough to recoup the losses from their recent heist. And if I didnt sell, she nned to use me to her hearts content.


    Indeed, this ce wasnt just a world of reversed gender roles but also bore a striking resemnce to the medieval era.


    It was a realm where framing the innocent was all too easy. However, in my case, I truly am a pickpocket, so iming innocence isnt an option for me.


    Sigh.


    I hadnt anticipated getting caught, and even if I did, I didnt expect to be used without any evidence.


    My hands and feet were securely bound, and the gacha system, which was myst hope, proved useless due to myck of currency.


    Obviously, my obsession with pickpocketing was driven entirely by the gacha. I could exchange either cash or magic stones from monsters for gacha tickets.


    The money I had pilfered was entirely squandered on the gacha, leading to a spectacr failure. The funds I had reserved for living expenses and emergencies were seized upon my capture.


    In essence, my only remaining option was to resign myself to being sold into very.


    If theres a choice, I hope at least Im sold to a pretty woman


    Yet, the likelihood of that was minimal.


    Given everything, they probably didnt want me to die of starvation, as I found myself quietly contemting the bowl of water served in a dog bowl.


    The reflection of myself on the calm waters surface was indeed handsome, just as the thug bossdy had mentioned.


    Despite wandering outside all day without a home, I had fair skin. My features were round and cute, appropriate for my age, but it was clear I would grow up to be handsome.


    The only problem, perhaps, might be my unnecessarily bright pink hair and eyes.


    Pink hair on a man. What a bizarrebination, but I couldntin since I was the one who decided to include a setting with diverse hair colors.


    Besides, if you think about the inverted gender roles, it sort of made sense. A pink-haired heroine never failed, after all.


    I guessed I could be considered a simr case Or not.


    Anyway, one thing was for sure: a ve with this kind of appearance would never be cheap.


    It was obvious that a wealthy woman would buy me, and unless they were born with a silver spoon in their mouth or were a genius merchant, it would have taken a considerable amount of time to umte such wealth.


    So there was a high probability that she would be middle-aged or older. Realistically, the most I could hope for was that she had aged gracefully and didnt have any peculiar fetishes.


    Sigh.


    Another sigh escaped me. It felt odd, being trapped like this and waiting to be disposed of.


    Lying sprawled on the cold stone floor, I stared nkly at the ceiling. Thats how I had been killing time, counting the stains without thinking.


    Thud!


    ?


    A sound of something breaking came from afar. Then, loud shouts burst out sporadically.


    Curious, I quickly sat up and listened carefully, finally making out what was being said.


    What the hell is this bh!


    Did she even know this was the Twin Daggers n before barging in huh?


    Boss! Where did you go, boss? This crazy bh is unbelievably strong!


    Eh?


    Could this be that? The asional criminal subjugation by an adventurers guild.


    Those who enter thebyrinth and manage to return alive gain power, big or small. If such individualsmit crimes by killing not monsters but people, ordinary guards would hardly be able to handle them.


    Thus, thebyrinth cities regrly coborated with adventurers guilds to eradicate criminal organizations.


    Just like today.


    As soon as I grasped the situation, I banged on the bars and shouted.


    Over here! Theres someone here! Please save me!!


    I was trapped in an underground dungeon. If the subjugation team identally passed by without noticing, I would be facing a slow death from starvation.


    This was both an opportunity to escape and a desperate struggle to survive.


    Maybe my desperation had reached the heavens, as soon after, I heard the sound of someone approaching. The firmly shut door opened with such force that I thought it would break.


    Thud!


    Damn! Where did a monster like thate from


    However, the person who came in through the door was not the one I had been hoping for.


    The head of the Twin Daggers n, which was in reality closer to a den of thieves. She had also been the boss who had been boasting about the high price I could be sold for.


    I didnt know her name, but that rich-looking woman had run away in the middle of a fight like a coward and came here.


    Hmm. This is bad.

 Chapter 2: Anyway, A Salvation Story (2)

    Chapter 2: Anyway, A Salvation Story (2)


    Hmm. This is bad.


    As I calmly nodded, my eyes met with those of the boss woman, who was biting her nails anxiously. At the same time, the corners of her mouth twisted cruelly.


    You. You pink sl*t. What did you say earlier? Save you?


    Oh dear. You must be close to yourst moments, seeing that youre hearing things. Its okay, I understand. My grandmother also often became delusional right before she passed away.


    What?


    A mocking remark reflexively shot out of me, but I immediately lowered my eyes due to her low voice and the killing intent that prickled against my skin.


    Ahthat, whats it. Im saying I didnt say anything.


    I could be free if I just held on a little longer, so it wouldnt do any good to unnecessarily rile her up and cause trouble.


    I, Jonah Kim. A man who, even when facing death, says what he needs to say.


    But if bowing for a moment could save my life, I was also a man ready to bow his head as much as needed.


    Seemingly pleased with my meek change in attitude, only then did the boss loosen her murderous intent and speak.


    It doesnt matter if it was a hallucination. Just keep begging for your life. Unless you want a nice big hole in your side.


    On each of her fingers were rings embedded with various colors of gems. Among them, the green ring shone brightly, and then a guardless throwing dagger sprang out from the bosss fingertips.


    I knew what that was. Of course, I did. Its an artifact that I thought up, so its only natural.


    A steady seller of the Mage Tower, a weapon storage artifact. Originally intended to store a spare weapon


    It seems they had been actively using it to store throwing weapons. Seeing a few rings that lost their shine confirmed my assumptions.


    For a moment, I marveled at their usage which had exceeded my intentions. Then, suddenly, she thrust the dagger through the bars.


    Swoosh.


    A cold sensation grazed my cheek, followed by a dyed, burning sensation. The boss, who left a thin scar on my handsome face, then growled.


    Who told you to shut up? If you dont want your neck slit, keep begging!


    Pl-Please save me!!


    A scream that sprang from sincerity. Anyone would beg for their life if they saw a madwoman swinging a knife in front of them, even without being asked.


    Only then did the boss woman let out a satisfied sigh. It was clear she had gone mad after feeling her life in mortal danger.


    While chewing her out internally, I continued to earnestly beg for my life as instructed. As I did so, she opened the barred door and strode in.


    She lifted my firmly bound body from the back like a shield and whispered into my ear as she aimed the dagger at my throat. Her breath smelled slightly rotten, as if she hadnt brushed her teeth.


    Thats right. Youre doing well. Just keep it up, and Ill spare your lifeter. I promise.


    Ah. So they intended to use me as a hostage. But would that really be effective? And I couldnt trust their promise to spare me. Wasnt this the same person who was about to kill me in cold blood?


    But for now, I nodded my head vigorously with a terrified expression. If I endure just a little longer, an opportunity will surelye.


    Thanks to the excessive amount of perfume, presumably used to mask some sort of odor, it wasnt too difficult to grimace. After all, too much fragrance also bes a stench.


    Please spare me!


    Perhaps she liked the way I didnt ask her if she was telling the truth and instead begged her for mercy with even more desperation. The boss had just been about to open the door to the underground prison, visibly rxed.


    Booooooom!


    A strange woman, transcending the mere realm of being violent or not,pletely broke down the door to make her entrance. The moment I saw her face, my breath involuntarily halted.


    Her hair and eyes were as red as a zing fire. Her tightly shut lips made her seem expressionless, and although she was a bit short, her full body armor made it less noticeable.


    She radiated the essence of a knight.


    I surely wasnt the only one who felt that way, as she was known by a simr name in reality.


    The Noble Lydia.


    Even I, who had little connection to adventurers, knew her well.


    Originating from a fallen knight family, she was a high-ranking adventurer who received her name from her guild. And indeed, she was renowned for her noble character, living up to her name.


    But would this flimsy n even work? After all, Lydia was a veteran adventurer who had seen it all, the good and the bad.


    If it were me, I would have just ignored me and swung the sword. It would be good if the hostage could be saved, but if not, it wouldnt be anything beyond just regrettable.


    It wasnt as if it could penalize her in any way.


    While I was regretting not just swearing at her earlier, the boss pushed me forward as expected and began negotiating with Lydia.


    Stop! Otherwise, I cant guarantee this kid will stay alive!


    A hostage?


    Seeing my terrified, trembling figure and the wounds on my face, Lydia frowned deeply. She lowered the sword she had aimed forward.


    State your intentions.


    My safety, obviously. Dont chase me until I get out of this city. Then, Ill leave the kid near the city walls.


    Thats nonsense.


    Lydia gripped her lowered sword firmly. Yes. Thats right. That is the correct choice.


    When she took a strong stance, the bosss face turned pale.


    Then, Ill just kill the hostage here and die myself!


    .


    Seeing no other way out, the boss acted defiantly, readying herself for thest struggle.


    Fine. But ensure the safety of the hostage. If you break your promise, Ill chase you to the ends of the earth and cut you down.


    What?


    The boss, seemingly not expecting her to actuallyply, responded with a dumbfounded voice. I felt the same way.


    She was giving up her task, and possibly even facing consequences, just to save aplete stranger?


    Suddenly, I saw a halo shining behind Lydia, who had just made a seemingly impossible decision.


    Youve made a wise decision! As expected from the Noble Lydia! I, too, will keep my promise!


    The bosss face, which had turned pale, began to regain color, and she vigorously nodded her head.


    An excited tone, as if she had just escaped death. At the same time, a sinister intent to kill focused on my side. I see. Is that what it is?


    It seems Lydia intends to keep her promise, but not the boss.


    She must be nning to stab me in the side and run away. Given Lydias nature, she would be slow in pursuit to treat my injury.


    Well, Id expected this.


    Even from the perspective of someone from the much safer modern Earth, Lydias method was too soft.


    Thats why, while everyone praises her for being noble, they try to take advantage of her in secret. Just like this boss woman.


    So, I decided to lend her a hand to wrap things up neatly. After all, she is the savior of my life.


    Hoohoo.


    Breathing heavily, the boss focused on every move of her opponent as she slowly made her way out of the underground dungeon. As she reached Lydias side, the tension also reached its peak.


    As someone who thought of backstabbing as second nature, she was probably worried about being backstabbed by Lydia. Though in my opinion, that was an unnecessary worry.


    I, for my part, had my teeth clenched in anticipation of the pain that was toe.


    If a 3-star magic skill provides magical power, a swordsmanship skill provides physical strength, and a divine magic skill provides divine power, what additional effect would something like pickpocketing have?


    The answer was simple. Agility and flexibility.


    Crack.


    In an instant, I dislocated one wrist to escape the restraint. Then, with my still-functional hand, I executed a pickpocketing maneuver.


    The target, of course, was the dagger the boss had aimed at my throat.


    Huh?


    Focused on Lydia, she was unable to respond in time and had her weapon taken away, now wearing a dumbfounded expression.


    She must not have realized that I could easily escape from something as simple as rope bindings because I couldnt escape from the iron bars.


    Pleased with the turn of events, I smirked broadly.


    Peekaboo, you fatherfer.


    The dagger plunged swiftly towards the bosss neck.


    Pshhhk-!


    A considerable amount of blood sttered around, butcking strength in just one hand, I couldnt deliver a fatal blow. So, I didnt stop at just one and stabbed her repeatedly.


    Die! Die! Die!


    Stab! Stab! Stab!


    Perhaps because it was a throwing dagger, not meant for sustained use. After a few stabs, my hand began to slip from the shock, and it started to get cut by the de.


    Huh, so this was why sword guards were so important. Grumbling inwardly, I continued to drive the dagger in.


    Until my palm became tattered, and until the bosss breath waspletely cut off.


    Thud.


    The boss, with her throat half torn out, fell to the ground with empty eyes. The bleeding, however, continued, and the spouting fountain of blood dyed its surroundings red.


    Haah Haah


    The pain followed btedly, and I heaved as if I had sprinted with all my might.


    Being the first to be sshed with blood, my whole body was soaked red. Hmm. Its a relief I was stripped of my clothes. I would have been really sad if it had been new clothes that got ruined.


    But the sigh of relief was short-lived.


    What


    I turned around hesitantly at the bewildered voiceing from behind.


    There stood Lydia, frozen as if she had witnessed something that should not have been seen.


    Her trembling eyes traveled between the gruesomely dead bandit leader and me, covered in blood, then to the dagger in my hand.


    Okay. Situation assessed.


    I immediately flung the dagger away to hide the weapon and copsed on the spot, conjuring up a pitiful voice.


    Oh, brave adventurer! Youvee to save me!


    .


    For some reason, Lydia took a step back, as if she was facing something dangerous.


    Wow, thats cold.

 Chapter 3: Lets Be Kind

    Chapter 3: Let''s Be Kind


    And thats what happened! Dont you think thats ridiculous?! I just helped out, and now I was the one being treated like a dangerous person!


    No, if I had been there, I would have freaked out. Jonah, I didnt know you were such a dangerous kid.


    Thats mean, Ellie! Im thankful for you saving my life and treating my injured hand, but I want to cry if you react like that!


    When I pretended to cry, Ellie sighed and handed me arge ss of milk.


    Stop crying in someone elses shop and drink this.


    Is it on the house?


    Well, you came as a customer today, so I can offer this at the very least.


    Yay!


    Free stuff is always wee. I smiled broadly and gulped down the milk. The rich, nutty vor filled my mouth before sliding down my throat.


    Maybe it was because my body has returned to its growing stage, or because the cows in this world are a different breed from those on Earth. I dont know about other things, but the dairy products of this ce are superb.


    Without even wiping off the white mustache under my nose, I slowly looked around.


    Adventurers clinking their sses noisily, savagely gulping down food. This scene wasnt particrly unusual in a tavern of abyrinth city.


    But there was one peculiar thing. That was, every waiter was dressed in a bunny girl outfit.


    Not waitresses. Waiters. Men serving in tight-fitting bunny girl outfits!


    Big muscr hunks, small and delicate boys, smart-looking guys with sses, and so on.


    Bunny girls (but not girls) of different types that seemed purposeful subtly flirted with customers they took a liking to, either through physical touch or by shooting them inviting nces.


    Perhaps that was why. Although the profession of an adventurer is said to have far more women, those gathered here were all, without exception, women.


    This ce, Fairy and Silver Coin, was a tavern that also dabbled slightly in risqu business, making this quite the expected scenario.


    For them, this must be a paradise where the days fatigue could be washed away Though for me, its a scene akin to hell descended upon this world.


    Thus, to purify my eyes, I fixed my gaze on Ellie, the owner of this ce, who had earlier provided milk as aplimentary drink.


    Her ash-colored hair was tied back casually, with wolf ears and a tail giving off a rough impression. Her yellow eyes stared nkly at her staff, and a cigarette made from magical herbs dangled from her mouth.


    Although she was dressed in a neat outfit reminiscent of a bartender, her actual figure was not so neat, making it even more shameful to behold.


    Unfortunately, I couldnt fully concentrate on that.


    It was her absent right arm that inadvertently drew my gaze towards the pping sleeve starting at her shoulder.


    She tantly gave off the vibe of a woman with a story to tell.


    Knowing her past as a once sessful adventurer who retired after losing an arm to a monster made it all the more poignant.


    But wellI was well aware of the true nature of this seemingly distant Ellie.


    She grasped the swaying empty sleeve tightly and opened her mouth.


    Ellie. Ellie.


    Hmm?


    What are you thinking about right now?


    Ah, I really want to eat up our kids. How did you evene up with that outfit? Are you a genius, Jonah?


    Wow. Blunt as always! At that rate, why dont you just woman up and try asking them? They wouldnt refuse.


    Yes, they wouldnt. But thats the problem.


    Ellie sighed deeply and continued speaking while rubbing the shortened magic herb to extinguish it.


    They think of me as some kind of benefactor! Did you know? Jason said hes met a good person who doesnt care about his past and is marrying soon. He reported to me crying, saying its all thanks to me. How can I tell him, Heh, if youre grateful, repay me not with words but with your body!? I just cant do it!


    I still cant tell if youre good or bad, Ellie.


    That was indeed the case. Ellie had harbored the desire to open a somewhat erotic establishment, a reverse harem business where she could engage intimately with her employees at her whim.


    Hadnt she mentioned that she had been so preupied with honing her skills and amassing wealth during her days as an adventurer that she had never even held a mans hand?


    Driven by her primal instincts, she yearned for a rtionship where she could indulge her desires whenever she wished, rather thanmitting to a serious rtionship.


    It was eptable to her that she selected men of her preference from the plethora of male prostitutes abundant in thebyrinth city for this very reason


    However, the issue was that Ellie wasrgely unaware of the nuances of this industry.


    Ellie didnt burden them with debts, and due to her unusuallypassionate nature, she refrained from cursing or striking them, avoiding domination through violence.


    Furthermore, since her establishment was primarily a tavern rather than a brothel, she didnt coerce them into prostitution. If they did choose to sell their bodies, she would only take about a 30%mission.


    All of this was feasible because Ellie had amassed a considerable fortune from her days as an adventurer.


    For context, the standardmission in this industry started at least at 50%. More exploitative ces demanded over 80%.


    I was intimately familiar with this, having once seriously contemted bing a male prostitute myself.


    Back then, unlike other men, I found the erotic business appealing and assumed it would be easy work but the reality of the industry was more daunting than I had anticipated.


    A single misstep could condemn you to a lifetime as a male prostitute; and even if you managed to escape your past, you would have to start over with absolutely nothing.


    Then, after realizing that the profits flowed to the pimps and not to me, I never gave the red-light district another nce.


    In any case, up to this point, Ellie might have been seen as just a naive employer. But it didnt stop there, which is why things unfolded as they did.


    These are people who have fallen into situations where they must sell their bodies, each inevitably harboring a tragic story.


    Perhaps it was due to her innate nature, or because, like a true virgin, she believed her first time should be filled with love.


    Parental abuse, cruel loan sharks, tuition for their talented younger siblings, and so on.


    Surprisingly, Ellie had resolved each of their circumstances to the best of her ability.


    And by that point, it was impossible to call Ellie gullible anymore.


    To the employees of the Fairy and Silver Coin, Ellie was nothing short of a goddess who had solved their problems, opened up their futures, and even generously provided money!


    Seeing them genuinely grateful, showing respect, and being loyal, Ellie couldnt bring herself to take them to bed And thats how it hade to this point.


    She was a kind-hearted virgin who, although thirsty for men, was a coward unable to do anything when it came down to the actual moment.


    That would be a brief summary of who Ellie was.


    And the reason I knew all this is simple. Ellie was a character I created.


    I didnt add much of a story to her, but one thing was certain: she is fundamentally a good person.


    She was also one of the few people I could trust in this world, where too much had turned upside down. Thats why I decided to be close to her. It wasnt hard to do since I acted as if I knew everything.


    Ellie gazed at the muscr giant Jason, the one who said he was getting married, with a gloomy expression.


    I smirked again, pulling at her empty sleeve.


    Ellie. Dont you think you should marry me after all?


    A little kid with a milk mustache isnt my type.


    But you like pretty boy types like Kyle.


    Kyle is a half-elf. Despite his looks, hes older than me.


    Wiping the milk from my lips, I proposed to her again.


    Then, will you marry me when I be an adult?


    A man who might stab me in the neck with a smile Ill pass.


    I told you, thats a misunderstanding! Im not that crazy! Dont worry, as long as Ellie doesnt try to sell me as a ve, that wont happen!


    Normally, a kid wouldnt even be able to dislocate their own wrist, let alone kill the boss of a crime n because they see an opening. Even if they do somehow seed, they wouldnte to eat with a big smile the very next day.


    With those words, Ellie slipped her sleeve out of my grip.


    T, thats so mean But I like Ellie this much!


    Alright, alright. Since it came up, let me ask. You propose to me almost every time we meet, what exactly is your purpose in wanting to marry me?


    Well, obviously its for Ellies body and wealth!


    I shouldnt be one to say this, but thats a really trashy purpose!


    Ellie genuinely looked terrified and took a step back.


    It was the same reaction as Lydia showed yesterday. But today, I wont back down so easily. I took two steps closer and leaned in.


    Look at this, Ellie. I have pink hair? A pretty boy? Youll definitely regret it if you miss out now. Think of it as a long-term investment of about 5 years!


    Next pinkette, thank you.


    Uuuuugh! Im a virgin, you know?! Drop your prejudice that pinkettes are slutty! And youre inexperienced too, Ellie!


    Mmm!


    Its natural for me to be inexperienced since Im young but how old are you now, Ellie? Arent you almost 30?


    Not yet! I still have 2 years left!


    Two years will fly by like that! How about snatching a nice, young man before you get any older? Specifically, someone like me!


    Who would want a damn brat like you!


    Truthfully speaking, because I retained the memories of my previous life, 30 years didnt feel that old to me.


    However, in this world, the ideal age for marriage is 24. Being 30 means youve already missed the marriageable age, and to make matters worse, being a virgin at that age?


    From the perspective of a woman over here, what Im saying would tear a big gash in her pride.


    Having been a virgin myself on Earth, I understand their state of mind all too well. Thanks to that, I knew exactly where it hurt.


    I, Jonah Kim, am a man who, if for the sake of teasing someone, can dig into his own wounds and use them as a weapon.


    Of course, its not that I couldnt meet women; I simply chose not to.


    I was busy with work. Really. There had been no other reason. There shouldnt be.


    Anyway, while I had been bickering with Ellie and continuing my meal,


    Bang!


    The door of the tavern was suddenly flung open, and a powerful presence filled the interior of the Fairy and Silver Coin.


    Silence heavily settled in the noisy pub.


    As a ce targeting mediocre adventurers with reasonable prices, no one could stand against this intruder.


    Except for one person. Ellie, who had once been a sessful adventurer.


    Whos the bh, barging into someone elses store like


    Growling, Ellie rose from her seat. Her ears perked up, and her tail puffed up stiffly.


    The movements of her ears and tail were cute, but her sharply narrowed eyes and the fighting spirit glimmering above them were something not to take lightly.


    Her threatening appearance made it difficult to believe she was the same person who had been chatting yfully with me.


    Despite losing an arm, Ellie leaped over the counter with movements more wless than most, without a hint of awkwardness. She stood in front of me as if to protect me.


    As always, her sturdy figure conveyed a strong will to suppress any trouble with force.


    At that moment, everyone present, including me, swallowed anxiously, anticipating what was about to unfold.


    Senior Ellie. Its been a while.


    Who are you?


    A familiar woman bowed slightly towards Ellie.


    With hair and eyes as intense as a zing fire. Though her stature was somewhat small, the full armor she wore ensured she left no impression of frailty.


    Her expressionless face and disciplined movements in every action reminded one of a knight. I knew her name.


    Lydia? What brings you here? I wont overlook any misdoing in my shop, even from you.


    Sorry. That was a mistake.


    With those words, Lydia withdrew her aggressive stance. Ellie, too, calmed down, showing she had no intention of fighting.


    With that, peace should have been restored to the shop once more. That was what everyone thought. Until Lydia looked straight towards us and added,


    I got worked up after finding the one who stole my wallet.


    Ah.


    Did I get caught?

 Chapter 4: Lets Be Kind (2)

    Chapter 4: Let''s Be Kind (2)


    Lydia red at us, her voice cold.


    I got worked up after finding the one who stole my wallet.


    Ah.


    Did I get caught?


    I attempted to sneak away but failed.


    Jonah! Dont tell me!


    Ellie, her mouth agape, grabbed me by the nape of my neck, halting my escape.


    I shook my head, my limbs dangling helplessly.


    No, Ellie! Why would I, of all people, steal Miss Lydias wallet?! Id be dead if I got caught!


    No. Youre exactly the type to do something like that. Be honest. You stole it on impulse because you were hurt by Lydias reaction, didnt you?


    It really isnt me! I might be a bit reckless, but Im not foolish! Moreover, do I really look like someone who repays kindness with animosity?


    Umm. Well.


    After a moment of contemtion, Ellie turned to face Lydia, still holding me aloft.


    Thats what hes saying. For starters, Im friends with this kiddo. So, Im sorry, but I cant hand Jonah over to you without any evidence, Lydia.


    Evidence? I have it.


    Lydia, her expression unchanging, produced a small amulet.


    A simple silver disc with a red gem embedded in it. Something about it made Ellies eyes narrow.


    Its an anti-theft amulet. Seeing that its red, it was definitely stolen, not lost.


    Yeah. I realized it after reporting the subjugation to the guild.


    But this isnt enough to be considered evidence.


    I ced a tracking spell on my wallet. I asked Beni to check the location, and it led me here. Its not a coincidence.


    Thats undeniable proof.


    Indeed it is.


    Ellie and Lydias gazes intensified.


    When I tried to look away, Ellie hoisted me higher, forcing me to meet her gaze.


    Jonah. Its been nice knowing you. Take care.


    E, Ellie?!


    With a broad smile, Ellie tossed me. Before my feet could touch the ground, Lydia caught me.


    Lydias expressionless face suddenly appeared right in front of me. A scream escaped my throat at the sight of her strict, solemn, serious demeanor.


    Kyaaaak! Ellie! How could you hand me over like that!


    It was your fault for pickpocketing Lydia. I did my best!


    Well, that may That may be true! But, I didnt know shed put a tracking spell on her wallet! Does anyone even normally do that?!


    It wasnt Ellie who responded to my protests, but Lydia herself.


    People usually dont. But adventurers are an exception. They often carry around all their valuables High-ranking adventurers like me take security seriously.


    Kuh.


    I never put that in the setting!


    I contemted exchanging all of Lydias money in my possession for gacha tickets right then


    But I sensed that if I told her Id already used it all, then Id be in serious trouble, so I decided to return it as is.


    Here I hardly used any of it, so could you perhaps spare my life?


    ?


    Lydia tilted her head, as if wondering what I was talking about. My goodness


    Of course, its true that in this world, if youre caught pickpocketing, youre beaten severely, and in extreme cases, even your wrists might be cut off. However.


    Do you really intend to kill me?! You were able to catch the boss thanks to me! Eh, Ellie! Please, save me! Your potential husband is in danger!


    What are you talking about, Jonny Boy? Were not in that kind of rtionship yet, are we?


    Ellie cut me off coldly. That isnt good. It really doesnt seem like shes going to help at all.


    Could it be that I trusted Ellie too much? She is fundamentally good-natured, but perhaps she isnt covering for me because she judged it was clearly my fault.


    In the end, there was only one method left. Ill have to beg and cry to Lydia.


    Forced tears blurred my vision as they welled up in my eyes. And it was just as I opened my mouth with a trembling voice, designed to evoke sympathy.


    Miss Lydia!


    Youre mistaken.


    Lydia sighed softly and gently ced me on the ground.


    As she tidied my disheveled clothes, she began to speak.


    You said your name was Jonah, right? It was wrong of you to steal my wallet. But its also true that Ipleted my request thanks to Jonah.


    So?


    Weve helped each other out once, so lets consider ourselves even. Forget the emotional part and just weigh the gains and losses.


    Lydia extended one finger, continuing her exnation.


    First, the life of the Twin Daggers n boss is worth 1 gold. If you convert the guilds achievements and credibility into money, thats about 30 silver.


    The difference in rewards depending on whether the n boss is captured or not is bigger than I thought.


    It has to be, to set an example.


    Thats true. Since most ns follow the directives of their n leader, its more effective to take down one major figure rather than just the underlings.


    Anyway, 1 gold and 30 silver, huh? Thats a significant sum. The potion used on me seemed expensive, but if things go well, even considering that, I might still end up with a profit.


    The middle-rank potion used to treat your hand costs 50 silver. My daily wage as a high-ranking adventurer is at least 30 silver. The fee for the tracking magic is 60 silver. Although I got it back, the amount Jonah spent in the meantime.


    Lydia spoke calmly, unfolding one finger after another. With each count, the costs mounted significantly, and my face grew increasingly pale to match.


    Needless to say, the sum of 1 gold and 30 silver had long been exceeded.


    When I sneaked a nce at Ellie, just in case, she was nodding, as if to confirm everything was urate.


    It seems this is indeed the correct calction. Why on earth are they going to such lengths to capture me?!


    While I was flustered, Lydia had finished the calctions and summarized the conclusion.


    Roughly calcted, Im at a loss of 80 silver.


    Wha, what do you mean roughly? Does that mean its different if calcted precisely?


    Precisely, its 83 silver and 27 copper.


    Lets just make it easy and say 80 silver! Yep!


    The cry burst out reflexively. So, she had generously rounded it down for me


    As I stood there, trembling, Lydia ced her hand on my shoulder and asked in a low voice.


    80 silver. If you pay it back, I wont make it a problem.


    Ah, um. Well


    How could I have that kind of money? Even if I did, I would have already spent it all on gacha.


    Seeing me dither, Lydia shook her head in disapproval.


    Dont have it? Then theres no other option. Youll have to pay with your body.


    Ar, are you nning to cut open my stomach and sell my organs to the mage tower?!


    Illegal organ trafficking is a crime.


    Then Gasp! Youre nning to do something lewd with me?! Like the red book hidden in the third drawer of Ellies desk!


    No.


    Ellie, who was behind us, jumped up and down with her face flushed red, demanding how I knew about that, but thats not whats important right now.


    Lydia denied my ims with a rigid expression. I took a good look at her face. Herck of expression was a bit scary, but fundamentally, she had a very neat appearance.


    Oh


    I sprawled myself on the ground and shouted.


    Okay. If my body is your goal, then take it!


    I said thats not it.


    But remember! You might be able to do as you please with my body, but you cant control my heart!


    Stop talking nonsense. Ill make you get up if you dont stop there.


    Yes maam.


    Seeing her clench her fist as if preparing to hit me, I quickly stood up.


    Lydia, seemingly fed up with that bold change of stance, grasped her forehead. She continued with a slightly tired voice.


    Im going to thebyrinth. Jonah will be my porter.


    Youre using me as a porter?


    Yes. Illpensate you with that. If you need equipment, I can arrange it for you. However, youll continue to be my porter until everything is paid back.


    Thats


    Its a good deal. So good, in fact, that its making me suspicious.


    Its not that I havent looked into the job of a porter. Most of the settings I remember involvebyrinths, after all. To make use of this, one must eventually be an adventurer and enter thebyrinth.


    However, thebyrinth was a ce where, if one could return alive, one could gain power, big or small. This was no exception for porters.


    That meant there were more people than expected who wanted to enter thebyrinth, even if it meant bing a porter, and younger children like me inevitably got pushed down the priority list.


    Well, if I look around, parties are willing to take even me but those parties had been a bit shady.


    They probably wanted to use me as a porter sh portable dildo. Then, if the situation got dire, theyd likely abandon me in front of the monsters.


    There were quite a few cases where that happened, so one had to be careful when choosing their party. You couldnt predict what could happen in abyrinth, after all.


    In that sense, Lydia was a trustworthy person.


    Shes not someone Ive painstakingly set up like Ellie, but her noble character is well-known enough to earn her the title of The Noble.


    Hadnt I seen it myself? How she was willing to give up her task and risk facing consequences just to save me.


    Huh? Then, was I the trash for pickpocketing such a persons wallet?


    I shook my head vigorously to dispel the suspicion. Im not bad. Its the world thats bad.


    Understood. Ill be Lydias porter and repay you. But how high are you nning to go? As you know, Im quite frail, so I might not be able to handle the ces you usually go.


    Beni, a party member, is currently on a break. I wont go to dangerous ces alone. Dont worry, Jonah.


    Thats a relief.


    Lydia nodded in satisfaction as I let out a sigh of relief. She spoke with a faint smile.


    Okay. Then Ille here tomorrow morning. Do you need anything?


    I need a utility dagger for the porter work.


    I have one. Anything else?


    Would you buy me armor or a weapon if I asked?


    As long as its for supporting low-ranking adventurers in the guild, sure. But this too is included in the debt.


    Miss Lydia!


    Looking up with eyes brimming with gratefulness, Lydia turned her gaze away, sheepishly.


    Misunderstanding, trouble. Normally, I would have handed you over to the guild for trial. But


    But?


    Jonah, youre still young. And talented. If theres a chance for rehabilitation, guiding one down that path is a knights duty.


    Proudly saying so, Lydia huffed and left the shop. Staring nkly at her retreating figure, I turned to Ellie.


    Ellie. Did you know it would turn out like this?


    Somewhat. Lydia isnt emotional or cunning, like someone else I know.


    Ughbut wait, you knew Lydia? Ellie, you must have been more of a respectable adventurer than I thought.


    Its nothing special. I just helped Lydia a few times when she first became an adventurer. But, is it okay to be here like this? Thebyrinth isnt an easy ce. It would be better to start preparing now.


    Ah, I dont have anything to prepare right now. I dont have anything.


    Didnt you say you rented a ce after saving up some moneyst time?


    When I was locked up for a few days, they thought I was dead, so they sold all my stuff and rented my room to someone else. I almost got beaten up when Iined. Well, I expected as much.


    Thanks to that, my entire fortune now was just the new clothes I had on that Lydia collected after subjugating the Twin Dagger n and the 32 coppers that had been inside the pocket.


    In my defense, I stole it to survive.


    So you didnt steal Lydias wallet just out of spite after all.


    *Ahem*.


    Thats not apliment.


    Tsk tsk, clicking her tongue, Ellie pulled out another magic herb cigar. I gently tugged at her pping sleeve.


    Ellie, Ellie.


    Hmm?


    I have nowhere to sleep.


    Oh dear. How pitiful.


    Not just homeless, but I also dont have family, friends, power, or money. All I have is this cute face.


    Could you let me stay for the night? In return, Ill give you the right to do whatever you want with my face for today!


    I dont need it! Ill leave a room upstairs empty for you to sleep in, but know that it wont be free starting tomorrow!


    I love you, Ellie! I really think we should be married!


    I dont know about debtors


    At least I tried.

 Chapter 5: Lets Be Kind (3)

    Chapter 5: Let''s Be Kind (3)


    I ced my hands on my waist and red sharply.


    Really Ellie. Why didnt you sneak into my roomst night? I even left the door open on purpose!


    Jonah, what exactly do you think of me as?


    A cowardly wolf who cant even seize whats handed to them?


    Ellie sighed deeply as I pouted and responded.


    Today is the first day youre entering thebyrinth, and youre joking around like this? Dont exhaust yourself and put yourself in danger. You should really be more alert.


    Tsk tsk. Its the opposite, Ellie.


    I clicked my tongue and flicked my extended index finger back and forth. Then, I confidently pointed my index finger at Ellie and eximed.


    Its because I dont know what will happen in thebyrinth that I must live each day without regrets!


    You have the mindset of a great adventurer, considering you havent killed a single monster yet.


    After a momentarily dazed expression, Ellie chuckled and lightly tapped my head.


    Afterughing for a while, she carefully straightened my clothes with gentle movements.


    Since Lydia is going with you, you probably wont get seriously hurt But still, abyrinth is abyrinth. Come back in one piece, alright?


    Ellie didnt look up at me, instead focusing on my clothes. Perhaps its because she only has one hand, but her movements were slow and awkward.


    Her voice was full of affection and concern. Even considering that hybrids have a soft spot for children, Ellies attitude was far from ordinary.


    And it wasnt as if I didnt understand why she was doing this.


    After looking at Ellies empty sleeve for a moment, I abruptly grabbed her hand.


    Ellie


    Hmm?


    The hand of a warrior, which must have once been covered in calluses, had be as soft as the time she had put down her spear.


    Fiddling with Ellies palm for no reason, I continued speaking.


    Im going to charge you if you keep groping me while pretending to smooth out my clothes.


    No, thats not- I cant help it! I only have one hand!


    Haah. If you just want to touch me, you should just say so.


    I grabbed Ellies hand and pulled it towards my stomach. For some reason, in this gender-reversed world, a mans stomach was considered a private area.


    Slight exposure was okay but considered provocative, and fully showing or touching waspletely off-limits.


    Right. If I had to say, its simr to how womens breasts are perceived on Earth.


    Gulp.


    Ellie swallowed audibly enough for me to notice. As her hand got closer to my stomach, the tension also heightened.


    Just as Ellies fingertips were about to touch my stomach, I stopped guiding her hand and stood slightly on my tiptoes.


    My face drew close enough for our breaths to mingle. Directed at Ellie, who was stiff with tension, I whispered, in quite a ticklish voice if I say so myself.


    Touching over the clothes is 1 silver, under is 10 silver. Which one?


    .


    Ellies eyes wavered.


    That day, I received 10 silver coins.<hr>


    The ce I was supposed to meet Lydia was none other than this ce, the Fairy and Silver Coin.


    But there was still some time before Lydia arrived. So, I nned to use the money I just earned to do some gacha in the meantime.


    Just like Ellie, who was still staring dazedly at her hand, even if Lydia was there, one never knows what may happen in the dungeon.


    Ellie. I left something in my room, so Ill go back for a bit.


    Okay.


    Donte peek this time, alright?


    Okay.


    I walked past the dazed Ellie and headed towards the corner of the upper floor. Of course, I hadnt actually left something behind, and just nned to spin the gacha without anyone knowing.


    Because theres no temporary storage, the results of the gacha all fell on the floor.


    Click.


    Sigh.


    I locked the door and took a deep breath.


    The cost for a single gacha spin is 1 silver. Opting for a 10-spin gachaa consecutive gachagrants you an additional spin as a bonus.


    Naturally, spinning the consecutive gacha is more advantageouspared to the single spin since you receive an extra spin as a bonus but honestly, I wasnt fond of it.


    I would have preferred a bonus that guaranteed a minimum number of stars rather than merely increasing the number of spins.


    Im not exactly sure about the rates of this cursed gacha system, but after the initial free one, I had done three consecutive gachas and only received 1-star items.


    1-star items are the lowest grade, where selling off all 11 items would barely you 3 silver.


    Thinking of it as mileage, the exchange rate seemed pretty sweet, but whats the point if theres no cap and you cant make a guaranteed purchase with mileage? The only option left is to use it for another gacha roll.


    However, considering the usefulness of the pickpocketing skill obtained from the first free consecutive roll, I assumed 2-stars would at least break even, and 3-stars would definitely yield a profit.


    Viewing it from this perspective, I could somewhat understand the despairingly low odds.


    You shouldnt expect to profit from gacha in the first ce, right? You just roll because there are items you can only obtain through gacha


    For instance, if this is what 3-stars are like, imagine the power of 4 and 5-stars.


    Perhaps the Meteor skill, a hallmark of the Red Magic Tower? The hidden secret technique of the Sword Emperor family? Maybe even a national treasure-level artifact or an elixir capable of reviving the dead could emerge.


    Regardless, these were items I would never be able to acquire through normal means, no matter how much money I amassed or how great a person I became.


    Hehehe.


    Just the thought of it spiked my dopamine, and my entire body began to tremble with excitement.


    Clutching the 10 silver I had just earned, I activated the gacha system.


    Ding!


    [Normal Draw]


    Use cash or an equivalent amount of magic stones to randomly obtain items and skills between 1~5 stars.


    [1 Draw] [10+1 Draws]


    A very simple screen. The system didnt exin anything, not disying what items coulde out or the odds.


    But to me, it was my window to a golden future!


    Lets get a 5-star!!


    Without hesitation, I pressed the Draw button. At the same time, I felt the weight of the silver coins disappear from my hand.


    There was no special drawing animation. This wasnt a game, so thats to be expected. However, that doesnt mean there werent any signs of change.


    tter


    There was the sound of dice rolling that only I could hear. After tumbling around noisily for a while, the dice gradually came to a stop, and soon everything wentpletely silent.


    Then, not long after, a small hole opened up in the air.


    Vwoom-


    An unidentifiable rift in space. Something poured out from beyond it.


    Lets see.


    As I reflexively caught the falling objects, a list of the items simultaneously appeared before my eyes.


    Ding!


    [1-star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-star: Processed Healing Herb]


    [1-star: Thick Socks]


    [1-star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-star: Processed Healing Herb]


    [1-star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [2-star: Wrist Crossbow]


    [1-star: Lowest-Grade Healing Potion]


    [1-star: Wooden Arrow]


    [1-star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    No! My 5-star!!!


    Once again, the excitement that had enveloped my whole body drained away after witnessing yet another 1-star list. Recing that space was anger.


    I have no idea who gave me this ability, but if I could meet them, Id seriously want to ask how their parents are faring. That was the level of anger that submerged my thoughts.


    Just how much do you think Ive invested here!!!


    Because of that, I waste to notice.


    Grrrrrhuh?


    Just now. Wasnt there a 2-star mixed in among them?


    When I carelessly threw the handful of weeds onto the desk, the small crossbow finally revealed itself.


    Oh?


    I carefully ced the crossbow on the bed and started to organize the rest of the items first.


    In the first drawer, I put the overly abundant mana herbs, and in the second drawer, the healing herbs.


    Having learned my lesson after being kidnapped, I n to consume those myself rather than sell thembut eating them as is wont have any effect. They need to be refined properly.


    So, for now, Ive set aside the mana herbs and the healing herbs and looked at the rest of the items.


    A lowest-grade potion, huh? This will go in my pocket for thebyrinth. The wooden arrow I ced on the desk, and the thick socksI wore them. Theyre warm.


    After sorting through the various items, I carefully picked up the crossbow.


    It was sturdy, made of solid wood reinforced with iron here and there. Except for its size, it was identical in shape to the crossbows I was familiar with.


    However, there was one peculiar feature: the crossbow had a built-in leather bracer on the bottom.


    Just like its name suggests, a wrist crossbow, it seems Im supposed to wear this on my arm.


    I firmly fixed the bracer on my left arm. Surprisingly, the significant weight felt reassuring. Its a size that even my child-sized body can use without any problem.


    Hmm.


    I first examined it from various angles while wearing it. It does look cool. But how do I use this?


    I looked at the wooden arrows ced on the desk. They were too longpared to my crossbow.


    I guess I could just break them.


    After breaking the arrow to a length that fits the crossbow, I tried hooking it onto the string. It seems to fit.


    I broke some more arrows to a simr length, put them in my pouch, then went down to the first floor. There, an expressionless female knight was waiting for me.


    Youve finallye down.


    Miss Lydia? When did you arrive?


    Just a moment ago. Whats that on your arm?


    Cool, isnt it? Its called a wrist crossbow!


    I know. I also know its quite expensive for Jonahs budget. Where did you get it? It definitely wasnt there yesterday. Dont tell me?


    Its not what you think! This is simply


    I cant say that I just pulled it from a gacha. After all, it wouldnt do me any good for others to know about this ability.


    So, there was only one excuse I could use.


    I had my eye on it and took it while leaving the Twin Daggers n!


    So its loot that should have been mine?


    What?


    About 20 silver, Id guess. Lets ask for details at the guilds cksmith.


    Excuse me? Miss Lydia?


    Lets go. Even if its a standard model, itll take some time to fit it to Jonahs body.


    Youre really going to get some?! Actually?!


    I would have just left it in the room if I knew this would happen! I didnt think I would fall into more debt after experiencing the joy of pulling a 2-star


    Despite my writhing in frustration, Lydia paid no attention and nodded towards Ellie, who was still out of it.


    Dont worry, Senior Ellie. Well be back before nightfall.


    Yeah.


    I extended my hand out towards the dazed Ellie as if reaching out to her.


    Ellie!


    But Lydia caught me.


    Grasp!


    Lets go.


    I inferred from her aura that I would be dragged away even if I resisted, so I nodded reluctantly with teary eyes.


    Ill be back, Ellie.


    Yeah.


    Ellie had been out of it until the end. Just how much did she like it?


    Maybe I should charge her double next time.

 Chapter 6: Lets Be Kind (4)

    Chapter 6: Let''s Be Kind (4)


    The guilds beginner adventurer leather armor set cost 10 silver. The appraisal price for the wrist crossbow was 22 silver.


    Even after Vanessas generous 2 silver discount, my debt still increased by 30 silver


    I could have spun the gacha 30 times with that money!


    Isnt that too expensive? You can do so much with 30 silver, yet thats the cost for just the cheapest armor and one auxiliary weapon.


    Hearing my grumbling that started from the guild all the way to the entrance of thebyrinth, Lydia shook her head.


    No. The equipment sold in thebyrinth city is


    Special? Yes, I know that.


    In the distant past, this continent of Pan had enjoyed a peaceful life under the rule of the gods.


    The gods cherished their followers, and the followers revered their gods, living for each other in a world close to an ideal paradise.


    However, regrettably, this came to an end 1,000 years ago.


    The War of the Fallen Gods. Its furious mes had engulfed the entirety of the Pan continent.


    What had started as only a minor dispute among the followers gradually grew, eventually reaching a level where the gods themselves had to intervene.


    Naturally, the ones who suffered the most were in the war between mythological beings.


    It was also during this time that the first deniers of gods emerged, and when the gods, who were believed to be eternal rulers, died the most.


    However, the real problem was neither the massacres that were too horrific to be captured in writing nor the chaos resulting from the absence of gods.


    The world had copsed. Not as an exaggeration or a metaphor, but literally.


    A battlefield where entire mountains disappeared from a single strike, oceans evaporated from meteors, and the concept of death, which was supposed to be an absolutew, lost its meaning.


    The world had not been able to withstand the powers of transcendents who each held the ability to turn the heavens and earth upside down.


    Through the struggle of the god of light, the time of nightless days continued. The oceans waves swallowed an entire country, and deception donned the guise of justice, preventing anyone from trusting anything.


    Only after the world was both physically and conceptually half-destroyed did the gods realize that soon, everything on thisnd would disappear.


    Despite what had happened, these were gods who had exerted their power for the sake of the Pan continent and its mortals. No one opposed the idea of stopping the war.


    Though the problem was that it was already toote.


    One too many gods had died, and those who survived had barely maintained their divinity.


    The only godpletely unharmed was the Goddess of Love, who, because she loved everyone and was loved by everyone, could not bear to join the war, nor was she attacked by anyone.


    The world, already in ruins, could not be restored with the power of the remaining gods. Thus, they made a decision.


    The Goddess of Love, who had not participated in the war until the end, would be the only one not to sacrifice her existence.


    They each took upon themselves the remnants of war scattered across the world. And then, they quietly perished.


    With each gods slumber, one disaster vanished. Then another gods corpse wouldy above, and another disaster would hide its form.


    How many times was this repeated? Once all but the Goddess of Love vanished, peace returned to the continent of Pan.


    Of course, it wasnt entirely as it was before.


    For starters, the powers that were once transmitted only to the followers of the God of Magic and the God of Knights, magic and aura, spread widely across the world.


    It had be a world where anyone with talent could be a wizard or a knight


    Additionally, because the remains of the god of life were torn and scattered to the extent that they couldnt even be collected, couples of different races were able to have children.


    Races that sumbed to the final curse unleashed by the God of Madness transformed into monsters. In areas deeply influenced by the elemental gods, such as the God of Earth or the God of Fire, spirits came into existence.


    This world also became a gender-reversed realm for the same reason.


    Its because the god of lust and the god of chastity annihted each other, warping the concept of chastity and the sexual desires of men and women.


    Nheless, although the continent of Pan had regained peace with minor alterations, the most significant change urred elsewhere.


    At the continents hearty the tomb of the gods who had repented for their deeds, and a gravestone where countless disasters and past triumphs were intertwined.


    This was the Great Labyrinth, Pangrave.


    The war had concluded, but those cast into a deste wastnd thought to themselves, Lets first find something useful in thebyrinth.


    The Goddess of Love, the sole remaining deity, decided to aid these courageous souls.


    The order of the Goddess of Love established a guild, and those who identified themselves as adventurers emerged. With their assistance, civilization, which had been reset to a nk te, began to quickly rejuvenate.


    It could be said that thebyrinth was instrumental in enabling civilization to evolve back to the medieval era within just 1,000 years.


    However, thebyrinth was far from a benevolent ce. After all, the firstbyrinth had been the epitome of chaos.


    From distortions in space and time to powerful enemies appearing at the entrance while lower-level monsters surfaced in the depths, the difficulty was unpredictable.


    Eventually, unable to merely observe any longer, the Goddess of Love started to invest her power into modifying thebyrinths structure over an extended period.


    Thanks to her, a bnce patch was implemented where weaker monsters appeared on the lower levels and stronger monsters on the deeper levels, making the system more intuitive.


    However, there was one thing she could only partially correct: the distortion in space and time.


    Situations where one would enter the dungeon for a short while only to find out that decades had passed outside, or would be an elder after just a few days inside, disappeared after the early days of thebyrinth.


    However, this was only true for living beings. Inanimate objects like equipment or food still often became unusable in an instant.


    There were two solutions to this problem. One was to cast a permanent magic spell to resist the distortion of thebyrinth, and the other was to reuse what originally belonged to thebyrinth.


    Therefore, the equipment sold in abyrinth city was bound to be expensive.


    Because its either made from materials found in thebyrinth orpleted with the help of high-ss personnel like magicians.


    Right?


    Yes. You know well. Jonah, do you happen to be from a temple?


    Im not from a temple. I just studied for the bread that the temples asionally shared.


    Ah.


    As if only then recalling my background, Lydia nodded awkwardly, her movements stiff.


    Theres no need for her to be like that, really. After all, I hadnt actually struggled to learn that information for survival. I was just reciting the settings that I hade up with on a particrly good night.


    I smiled brightly at Lydia, who had be downcast, and brought up a topic she might like.


    By the way, Miss Lydia. Isnt the rtionship between an adventurer and a porter simr to that of a knight and a squire?


    A squire is not a simple errand runner.


    Hey, Ive seen enough to know. They seem roughly simr in that they both serve is it not?


    They are simr, yet different. Squires do not take money. They follow the knight solely out of respect and faith. The knight, in turn, takes responsibility for the squire


    Lydias face remained expressionless, yet her eyes twinkled. She then continued with a lengthy speech about what knights were and how a squire should serve the knight.


    At this rate, she isnt going to stop talking. I dont think I have any choice but to interrupt her.


    Aah~ I cant hear it, I cant hear anything!


    Seeing me cover my ears and shake my head, Lydia looked incredulous.


    Jonah. Why are you acting childish?


    Because I am one?


    Then listen to what the adults have to say.


    Im prepared to listen to Miss Lydia more than any other adult I know, but what you just said was a bit too much.


    Sigh.


    Once I lowered my hands and resumed walking beside her, Lydia let out a deep sigh.


    Anyway, were now heading to thebyrinth. Arent you nervous, Jonah?


    Do I need to be nervous? Im just the porter, and Lydia is the one who will be fighting, right?


    ?


    Lydia blinked nkly, then soon opened her mouth with a realization.


    Ah, I was nning to see how far Jonah could get fighting alone. I wont step in.


    I wasnt informed of this until now?


    I just told you.


    So, youre saying you wont step in, which means I have to fight alone?


    Ill help if youre in danger.


    Im asking just in case, but which floor are we nning to go to? The first floor, right? It has to be the first floor, doesnt it?! Please tell me it is!


    Calm down. Well start at the first floor and slowly make our way down. And all the magic stones from the monsters we hunt are yours, Jonah.


    Thanks for that! But, can we start the test tomorrow?! I thought I was just a porter and didnt bring any weapons!


    Too bad. You should have chosen one at the guilds cksmith we passed by earlier.


    I didnt know I would be fighting then!


    Going into abyrinth without a weapon? Are you dumb, Jonah?


    A crossbow is a good weapon too, you know?


    Requires reloading after each shot. Its excellent as a secondary weapon due to its portability and element of surprise but it has many issues as a primary weapon.


    Sob


    Its not fair to use logic there!


    No, but thinking about it, isnt this a bit strange? I know Lydia isnt taking me to thebyrinth just to mooch money off me. Shes engaging in a losing business from the start.


    If money was her only goal, I could have easily repaid her by taking a stroll through the back alleys or selling something like a daily pass for unlimited stomach kisses to Ellie.


    But Lydia wanted to give me a chance.


    She seems to want to allow me to gain experience in thebyrinth, to build strength by entering and exiting thebyrinth even as a porter, and to show me that there is also the option of bing an adventurer in my future, not a criminal.


    Even considering this, the kindness Lydia was showing right now seemed too excessive.


    Shes basically saying that shell watch my back, so go ahead and fight with ease. Isnt this simr to how mid-level or higher ns train new adventurers?


    Even if she is the Noble Lydia, she wouldnt just give away her time and effort like this.


    Is it my body youre after all, Miss Lydia?


    No. Senior Ellie will cry if she hears that, so stop assuming.


    Lydia sighs for what seems like the umpteenth time, her face expressionless.


    Sighare you really curious about the reason?


    Yes!


    Its a secret from Senior Ellie. Can you promise me?


    Im not sure what shocking truth youre about to confess to me, but the condition is to keep it a secret from Ellie, right? Thats fine. You can trust me; Im a man of few words!


    Only after I made a zipping motion across my lips did Lydia finally nod and whisper to me softly.


    Senior Ellie submitted an official request to teach you, Jonah. So, taking you as a porteres after the teaching.


    E, Ellieeeeeeeee!!!


    Im going to let her touch my stomach for free when I get back.

 Chapter 7: My First Labyrinth

    Chapter 7: My First Labyrinth


    Ellie submitted a request to Lydia to teach me.


    Lydia was a veteran adventurer with a reputation to match. Naturally, she wouldnt have epted the request for free.


    Though I dont know the exact amount, it must have been quite arge sum.


    To receive such a favor, in a time that is barbaric in both good and bad ways, was a favor Id never experienced even in my previous life.


    My heart felt ticklish, and a silly giggle slipped from my lips.


    Heh, heheheh.


    Eugh.


    For some reason, Lydia frowned as if she saw something she shouldnt have, but thats not whats important right now.


    I had to do something about this rising eagerness.


    Miss Lydia! Lets go, quickly! I feel like I could ughter everyst monster on the first floor right now!


    Calm down. Its impossible to do such a thing without a weapon.


    I can do it! If its me!


    Its because its you, Jonah, that its impossible.


    Lydia, who had sighed deeply, pressed her hands down on my bouncing shoulders.


    Delicate fingers. Yet, the intense strength that pinned my body to the ground made me snap to attention.


    Jonah, youre weak. Bold and quick, but otherwise, hopeless.


    Kuh


    To directly mention a problem I was already aware of hurt because it was true.


    In the continent of Pan, thanks to the existence ofbyrinths, anyone, man or woman, can be strong.


    But children are an exception. That was no different from Earth.


    Their bodies arent fully grown, and their magical power or aura, even if it has blossomed, is weak in both quantity and quality.


    It wasnt much different for the clergy field either. Unless its a special case like a saint or a saintess, for most believers, long-devoted faith was what became divine power.


    This field values experience far more than something like gender.


    Thus, a child was weak. Weak, but I had a 3-star skill I got from the gacha.


    The skill of pickpocketing might not directly aid inbat, but its undeniable that it has granted me a level of flexibility and agility that cannot be overlooked.


    However, it seems that wasnt sufficient. Lydia patted my shoulder and said,


    Its okay. You canpensate for what youck with something else.


    Like an elixir?


    Thats expensive. While effective, its not cost-efficient. Im talking about a weapon.


    With that, Lydia pulled a small dagger from her belt.


    Ill lend this to you.


    This is?


    My spare weapon.


    I examined the dagger Lydia handed me. It was heavier than I anticipated. The size, about the length of my arm, seemed just right for me to wield.


    The center of the shining silver de was engraved with unidentifiable characters, and the sharpness of its edges on both sides was enough to make me shiver.


    It looks expensive.


    I said I was lending it to you.


    Slightly averting my gaze from Lydias piercing eyes, sharper than any dagger, I inquired.


    Is it really okay to lend something like this? It looks valuable.


    Yeah. Its nothing special.


    Youre saying this weapon is nothing special?


    Lydia gave me a smug smile as I stammered.


    Im a sessful adventurer.


    Yes, well.


    I have a lot of money too.


    !


    Indeed. To me, its an expensive item, but to Lydia, its probably just something moderately useful.


    Huh? Thest time I saw Miss Lydias wallet, it wasnt that full.


    I bought new equipment.


    Indeed. Being a high-rank warrior must mean earning a lot of money, but also spending just as much.


    It wouldnt matter if one was satisfied with their current status, but to ascend to a higher realm, superior equipment is essential. Of course, skill is fundamental as well.


    As I nodded, Lydia took the sheath from her belt and fastened it to my waist.


    Her movements were unusually cautious, as if she was trying to avoid touching me as much as possible.


    As if she were trying to demonstrate that she harbors no hidden agendas. That shes not a threat.


    Theres no need to be so cautious


    Jonah. You and Senior Ellie are in a rtionship.


    Ha If only that were the case.


    ?


    Even as she tilted her head in confusion, Lydia skillfully attached the sheath. Once I slid the dagger back into its sheath, the weight around my waist became noticeably heavier. That weight morphed into a sense of security and confidence.


    Now that Im armed, lets go!


    Okay.


    I quickened my pace alongside Lydia, who gave a brief nod.<hr>


    Before long, we reached the heart of thebyrinth city. This wasnt the guild cksmith we had visited earlier, but rather the location of the adventurers guild headquarters.


    Its always bustling here, isnt it, Miss Lydia?


    There are many people, after all.


    Various races, armed to the teeth, paraded around, unting their adventurer status, while street vendors loudly hawked their wares to those adventurers.


    Some appeared to frown, seemingly put off by the chaotic atmosphere, but


    Given how much they stood out, they likely werent from thebyrinth city. Perhaps they were here to submit a request?


    With that thought, I stealthily grasped Lydias fingertips.


    Startled, Lydia turned to look at me. Despite having done nothing wrong, her intense reaction made me stumble over my words.


    Its, its crowded here! I just didnt want us to get separated Should I hold somewhere else?


    This will also be a secret from Senior Ellie.


    With that, Lydia offered me her pinky finger. Holding it, I timidly followed her, aware of the gazes of those around us.


    Shock. Mockery. Envy. And eyes filled with lust.


    Well, thest one, lust, is something Ive frequently encountered since incarnating into this body in a female-dominated world But what about the rest?


    As I looked around, puzzled, I noticed a duo not far from me that seemed simr to us.


    A man, dressed like a novice archer and clearly new to thebyrinth, walked alongside a veteran female adventurer who was massaging his buttocks as they strolled.


    The man had his head bowed, trembling slightly, evidently quite embarrassed.


    Ah?


    Upon closer inspection, I noticed there were a few parties that, while not as tantly handsy, clearly had an unbnced dynamic.


    Most of these parties involved women eyeing male newbies with sly interest, or conversely, men clinging to seeminglypetent adventurers.


    Indeed, there were parties of veteran adventurers genuinely mentoring newbies but, surprisingly, these were the rarest cases. And even then, they were only seen where all the members belonged to the same n.


    I was the one who introduced the setting where requests weremonly exchanged among adventurers, but I never anticipated it would apply in this manner as well.


    Only now do I begin to understand the woman who had groped me earlier, offering to hire me as a porter.


    It wasnt that she was strange; it was just that this kind of trade was openly happening.


    Thanks to that, I could understand how my actions a moment ago might have appeared.


    It would have looked like a young brat was already trying to sweet-talk the women, trying to get something in return. And they would have been shocked that the target had been Lydia.


    Ignoring the nces thrown my way, I tightened my grip on Lydias pinky.


    Miss Lydia, Miss Lydia.


    What.


    Do you intend to do something to me that you cant tell Ellie?


    Absolutely not.


    Then walk more confidently. Dont make a face as if youre hiding something.


    Eum


    After a moment of contemtion, Lydia nodded. Good. This should have eased the difort somewhat.


    I shrugged my shoulders, believing that the issue was resolved easily.


    Well! I still think theres no need to worry so much since Ellie and I arent a thing yet!


    Lydia frowned at those words as if she were witnessing the worst viiness of the century.


    Why is she looking at me like that? Nothing has happened yet, so its true that we arent a thing! Its Ellies fault for not taking me to bed!


    Feeling wronged, I huffed and puffed as we turned a few more corners. Then, therge gray b beyond the building of the adventurers guild came into view.


    At first nce, the b, resembling a tombstone, was densely engraved with indecipherable characters.


    Anguage only those with divine status can read and use. Its the Words of Divine.


    Of course, even I couldnt read the Words of Divine But I knew what its contents were.


    I was the one who created that setting, so I had the entire thing memorized.


    Here is


    Yes. The entrance to thebyrinth.


    Its not my first time seeing it, but every time I do, it feels strange. Its as if someone had recreated exactly what was in my head.


    For reference, this wide-open space where the entrance is located is called the Pangrave Square.


    Originally, thebyrinth had been pure chaos. However, by entering through that door, said to be made by the Goddess of Love, you can enter abyrinth where a bnce patch had been applied.


    Unless someone wanted to be thrown into an unknown ce, fighting monsters far beyond their caliber, they must enter through the main entrance, which was also why it was always packed with so many people.


    Although the line was long with many adventurers looking to enter thebyrinth, it quickly shortened, and soon it was our turn.


    Standing in front of the b, Lydia ced her hand on its rough surface and spoke.


    Its simple to use.


    Just ce your hand on the b and think about entering, right? You can also teleport instantly to the deepest level youve been to.


    You know?


    I was originally aspiring to be an adventurer, after all. I just researched these things in advance.


    While Iid out the basic settings, how those settings were developed and utilized was up to the people here.


    So, I had just been checking to see if any changes had been made But, perhaps it was difficult to utilize such an object in any other way. There was nothing in particr to note.


    However, I had heard rumors that they were researching something called a teleport gate, attempting to replicate a simr phenomenon with magic.


    Though they have failed so far Well, maybe theyll seed someday. Its fitting for this fantasy setting.


    I chuckled and ced one hand on the stone b.


    Shall we go?


    Sure.


    The setting of thebyrinth, which I had pondered so hard to create in my previous life.


    My opportunity to experience it firsthand had finally arrived.

 Chapter 8: My First Labyrinth (2)

    Chapter 8: My First Labyrinth (2)


    The entrance of thebyrinth loomed before us. I ced one hand on the giant stone b.


    Shall we go?


    Sure.


    Holding Lydias hand, I inwardly resolved to enter thebyrinth.


    Vwoom-


    As soon as the thought formed, a ce deep within me, indescribable and elusive, began to resonate, and soon my entire body was engulfed in the sensation of being pulled elsewhere.


    It felt as though I had traversed a lengthy tunnel in the mere blink of an eye.


    The sensation, foreign and brief, soon faded. Lydias voice gently reached my ears.


    Jonah. Weve arrived. Open your eyes.


    Okay.


    Had I unwittingly closed my eyes? Upon opening them, I found myself in andscape vastly different from the Pangrave Square we had just left.


    A meadow unfolded around Lydia and me, its expanse soon halted by a dense forest.


    A clear boundary line, signaling to adventurers that this was the sole haven.


    This circr meadow was indeed a safe zone. Except under extraordinary conditions, monsters were barred from this area.


    Each level of thebyrinth contained a few of these safe zones, and entering through the entrance would randomly ce one in one of these havens.


    However, maintaining physical contact while wishing to move to the same floor would transport both to the same safe zone. This was why Lydia and I were holding hands during the teleportation.


    This is also a rule of thebyrinth, believed to be imbued with the power of the goddess of love herself or so the lore suggests.


    Wow I knew about this, but experiencing it firsthand is something else.


    I felt the same way initially.


    Lydia smiled, nodding her head. Looking past her, I noticed a grey tombstone.


    It resembled the b from the Pangrave Square but was reduced to about 2 meters in size. To exit thebyrinth, one simply needed to touch this b again to teleport.


    After all, the safe zone wasnt just created for resting but also for facilitating smooth travel between thebyrinth and the overworld.


    After releasing Lydias tightly held fingers, I circled the b.


    Lets see It should be around here somewhere.


    Found it!


    Somewhere on the corner of the b, arge number 23 was written amidst divine script that would normally be unreadable.


    It means this was the 23rd safe zone on the first floor. Originally, it was just a setting I threw in for my convenience, but


    In this world, it is widely believed that the goddess showed consideration for the adventurers by writing the numerical parts in the worldnguage.


    I also thought that was a reasonable interpretation, so I decided to go with that setting from now on.


    Knock knock.


    As I verbally hit the gavel, Lydia peeked out from the side of the b and opened her mouth.


    Jonah. Have you found which section it is?


    Ah, yes! I think this is Section 23, Miss Lydia!


    Section 23


    Muttering softly, Lydia reached for the multi-purpose belt at her waist. The belt had several simrly looking pouches attached, from one of which she pulled out a neatly folded stack of papers.


    Lydia pushed that stack of papers in front of me. The first thing that caught my eye was the word Floor 1 written at the top Was this that?


    As if to resolve my question, Lydia immediately opened her mouth without any dy.


    Its the map of the first floor. Do you know how to read it?


    I dont. But I should be able to learn quickly if Miss Lydia teaches me.


    As I said that with a chuckle, Lydia studied my face for a moment and then opened the map she was holding.


    There was a roughly squished oval that seemed to im it wasnd. However, the giant tree symbol drawn in the center and circles and numbers marked here and there were organized in an easy-to-understand manner.


    The location of the safe zone and the center does not change. But everything else in thebyrinth changes in real-time.


    Lydia stretched out her white finger and pointed to a circle marked with the number 23.


    This is where we are. Section 23. Its in the left corner. Most of the monsters around here are goblins, so youre lucky.


    Thats true, the closer you get to the World Tree in the center, the stronger the monsters that appear, so itll be best to start by fighting goblins.


    Right. Since Jonah is weaker than a goblin.


    ?


    Weaker than a goblin. It sounded harsh, but upon further thought, it was true.


    In my settings, thebat power of a well-armed goblin was simr to that of an unarmed adult male.


    If we fought head-on, I would obviously lose. Although, the story would change if I struck first with a sword.


    Though I had first entered thebyrinth with the enthusiasm that I would slice down weak monsters like goblins.


    Her cruel yet urate analysis drained all of my motivation away.


    Kui kui


    As I imitated the cry of a creature even weaker than a goblin, Lydia tilted her head in confusion and then continued to exin.


    To not get lost in thebyrinth, you need to n a clear route.


    Just repeat moving from one safe zone to the next, right?


    Did you study this too?


    Yes, something like that!


    Lydias eyes were wide in surprise. I stood with my chest puffed up in front of her, clearing my throat proudly.


    Well Information regarding the safe zones in thebyrinth, and the exploration methods using them, etc., were all stuff I already knew, but still.


    Shrugging my shoulders, I stuck myself right next to Lydia. Close enough that my cheek touched her stiff armor.


    Hm?


    Perhaps it was because the distance between us suddenly closed. Lydia tried to back away in confusion, but ignoring her, I took another step closer and reached out to the map.


    Then, Lydia fidgeted ufortably, looking like someone who had just been caught doing something bad. I smiled slyly towards her and spoke.


    I wont say anything to Ellie, so please just stay still. Its hard to look at the map.


    I pity Senior Ellie. To be with such a man


    Could you please stop talking like Im some sort of gold digger? Im only interested in Ellies body and wealth!


    Thats exactly what a gold digger is.


    Ah, Im a gold panner at most. I have no intention of leaving Ellie even if she bes poor.


    Is it because its a world where gender roles are reversed? Whether its Ellie or Lydia, everyone thinks Im only interested in wealth when I say these things. But I clearly said body and wealth.


    Initially, Ellie was a character I had meticulously created. Now shes a person, but anyway, its certain that Im that much more attached to her.


    And for me to pretend not to know Ellie just because shes a bit poor? Thats impossible for me.


    Ignoring Lydias odd gaze, I carefully examined the map and pointed with my finger.


    Starting from Section 23, then to 17, 6, 92, and finally reaching Section 40, I traced a winding line and asked.


    How about this? I nned this route targeting the Wandering Goblins among the goblins.


    The first floor is home to not only goblins but also Horned Rabbits, Iron Wolves, Giant Mantises, Hop Goblins, etc. Various monsters appear on this floor.


    However, the only ones I could handle were goblins specifically, the weakest ones, called Wandering Goblins.


    Not only were these creatures so weak that they were abandoned by their group, but they also mostly moved alone.


    Lydia briefly looked at the trajectory my finger had traced over the map. Then, not long after, she nodded her head.


    Well done. Thats the first half of how to read a map.


    What about the other half?


    Not getting lost. Striking before being ambushed. Avoiding traps. Being wary of other adventurers.


    Could that really be considered part of map reading?


    While I blinked in confusion, Lydia took a palm-sizedpass from her belt and showed it to me.


    Thispass can be used in thebyrinth.


    It doesnt point north, but towards the center of the floor, right?


    Yes. In the case of the first floor, it always points towards the World Tree.


    Each floor of thebyrinth contained a divine relic. Its only natural when you think about how thebyrinth was formed in the first ce.


    And thispass was attracted to such relics. Thanks to that, it was possible not to get confused about the direction towards the next safe zone.


    Of course, such a strategy was only possible on the upper floors where the mapping had beenpleted.


    Even just going down to the middleyers, most of the floors had an iplete map, and by the time you reached the deepyers, just finding a new safe zone in the uncharted territory wouldnd you a huge reward from the guild.


    But was there really a need to go all the way down to the deepyers? Just going to the middleyers would be enough to livefortably


    No, it was too early to worry about that now. I shook my head vigorously to discard any unnecessary thoughts and checked my equipment.


    I checked the knots on my armor, prepared the wooden arrows on the wrist crossbow on my left hand, and held the dagger Lydia had lent me in my right hand.


    Lydia nodded, looking satisfied with my preparations, apass and map in hand.


    This is Jonahs first time in thebyrinth. So, Ill handle the small stuff like finding directions, spotting traps, dealing with adventurers


    If Miss Lydia does everything, then what should I do?


    Kill the monsters.


    Saying so, Lydia continued in a serious tone.


    Monsters are also living beings. Many hesitate before swinging their weapon.


    Ah?


    Though, I dont think Jonah would.


    Aw, Im embarrassed.


    .


    Lydia looked at me with the same wary eyes as before but soon sighed and pointed to one side of the forest.


    Over there. Move ording to your judgment, but stop if I say so.


    Yes maam.


    Picking up the weapon, my confidence, which had plummeted, surged back.


    I had been disheartened earlier by thement that I was weaker than a goblin But, although I am a kid, Im no ordinary kid.


    Im the actual person who wrote about the habits and weaknesses of goblins. Theres no way I cant catch at least the weakest Wandering Goblin.


    With a smirk, I headed in the direction Lydia had indicated.


    Young cock! Stop right there, gob!


    Kyaaaaaaak!!!


    Give me your seed, gob!


    Donte at me with your breasts out!!


    Its my first time too, so Ill be gentle, gob!


    I dont need a goblins virginity!!


    This is insane.


    Why is this damn goblin in heat

 Chapter 9: My First Labyrinth (3)

    Chapter 9: My First Labyrinth (3)


    The reversed sexual norms of the Pan continent were remnants of the War of the Fallen Gods.


    This change applied not just to humans, but to monsters as well.


    Thats why I knew it wasmon for monsters, especially females, to have stronger sexual desires but I never expected them to go berserk just by making eye contact.


    Young cock! Stop right there, gob!


    Kyaaaaaaak!!!


    Give me your seed, gob!


    Donte at me with your breasts out!!


    Its my first time too, so Ill be gentle, gob!


    I dont need a goblins virginity!!


    It was fortunate that I spotted the goblin first. It was also fortunate that I secretly shot it in the back of the head with a crossbow.


    But the problem was the crudely made arrow flew off in a strange trajectory and missed. An even bigger problem was the goblin went into heat the moment it saw my face.


    What was with this intense reaction? Even if monsters are supposed to live and die by instinct, this was excessive!


    Please help me, Miss Lydia! At this rate, Ill be unable to marry!


    No. Jonah, you can do it. Go for it!


    Lydia cheered me on with an expressionless face. The fact that she was only cheering me on without actually helping was incredibly frustrating.


    Just a little bit! You can help me out just a bit!


    Got it, gob! Ill just put in the tip, gob!


    I wasnt talking to you!!


    I turned around in irritation. And immediately regretted it.


    A hooked nose that took up half of its face, and green skin filled with ckheads and e. Its expression, full of sexual desire, was grotesquely distorted.


    As if the face wasnt bad enough, the body that continued below was even worse.


    Wearing nothing but a loincloth around its waist, its attire was quite revealing. Thanks to that, the view of her sagging breasts and unusually swollen stomachpared to her limbs was in full view.


    Lastly, information I truly did not want to know nor see, but every time it chased after me, the liquid flowing down its legs was


    Aaaaaaah!!


    A scream erupted involuntarily, a testament to the immense mental anguish I was experiencing.


    Indeed, since my arrival in this world, my sense of personal safety, particrly regarding my chastity, had never been threatened.


    This was partly because the women of the Pan continent were, on the whole, quite beautiful, and my perceptions and desires had remained consistent with those from my previous life.


    But more importantly, I had never truly found myself in a perilous situation.


    The closest I hade to danger was when I was abducted by the Twin Daggers n but Lydia rescued me, rendering the situation ultimately harmless.


    But now? An unsightly creature that perfectly fits the description of a little demon is charging at me with a club, intent on eating me. And it appeared to be quite formidable.


    A shiver of fear ran through me, causing me to tense up involuntarily.


    This vivid fear quickly transformed into another emotion.


    I should be the master of my fate. My body might be young, but my soul belongs to a grown man. Though it seemed less significant now, I still had special advantages from inhabiting this body.


    And yet, here I was, quaking in fear at the sight of a goblin, not even a dragon?


    That, fatherfer.


    Rage ignited within me, setting my chest ame. I had to kill that goblin!


    Its appearance was even more repulsive than I had imagined, but upon closer inspection, I noticed its running speed was slightly slower than mine.


    However, the disparity in strength was ring. The mere sound of its club slicing through the air, even without a proper swing, was menacing.


    Gobubut! Insult me more, gob! I like men who resist, gob!


    Eww!


    Luckily, the goblin had let its guard down. Naturally. Even though it had been cursed with madness and transformed into a monster, it had gained strength on par with that of an adult human.


    To such a goblin, I must have seemed like easy prey. And indeed, I was fleeing in absolute terror.


    Well, it was not a threat to my life, but to my chastity.


    If I had to describe it, it felt simr to when a cockroach you were cautiously trying to catch suddenly flew towards you.


    Ah.


    Only then did I realize. The reason I was trembling wasnt because of fear, but disgust.


    After oveing the physiological revulsion, my mind surprisingly calmed down. Conversely, my entire body felt like it was bursting with vitality.


    No. My body must have always been like this. It was just that the current situation demanded the utmost agility, and I knew, if nothing else, I wouldnt be outdone by a mere goblin in agility.


    I forcefully pressed my legs into the ground and leapt. A brief moment of being airborne. During that time, I curled my body and twisted backward.


    Maintaining the direction I was running, just reversing the orientation of my body.


    Gob?!


    The goblin halted, startled by the sudden face-to-face. At that moment, I sprung up like a spring, pushing off the ground with my curled body.


    Screech-


    The foot that first touched the ground stretched out, stopping my flying body in its tracks.


    Thud!


    The second step quickened my speed again towards the direction of the goblin.


    Although yelping in surprise, the goblin still swung the club in its hand.


    Go, Gobb!


    For a reflexive action, it was quite an urate judgment. A proper hit would not only break my momentum but likely break my bones and send me tumbling to the ground. But I just needed to dodge.


    Taking a deep breath, I tilted my body to the point where it looked like I would fall.


    I was almost touching the ground, and thanks to that, the club lost its target and flew over my head, crashing to the ground.


    Thud!


    The club had be stuck in the ground. Dirt clods flying in all directions. Taking this as a signal, I lunged forward with the dagger gripped tightly in my right hand.


    The target was the arm of the creature, which was frozen in motion after just having swung its weapon.


    Huap!


    Psshk.


    Gobuuuuk!!


    Despite not exerting much force, the dagger prated the green skin without resistance, staining the goblins upper arm with blood.


    Indeed. This must be what they meant when they said topensate forcking specs with equipment. The weapon was sharp, making pration easy.


    Its face was distorted by fear and pain. Conversely, my face must be smiling from the excitement of battle. A contrast to just a moment ago. I chuckled inwardly as I stretched out my leg.


    Goblins have many weaknesses, but there was only one that would help me now: theirck of lower field of vision.


    Goblins had short necks, and though their arms and legs were thin, their bellies were unusually swollen. Naturally, it was hard for them to check what was below them.


    Perhaps its because the pain from the stab wound to the forearm has narrowed its field of vision. The creature doesnt notice me sneakily tripping it.


    While striking the back of its heel with the heel of my shoe, I simultaneously exerted force on the arm holding the dagger.


    Though my strength was nothing to boast of, it wasnt to the point that I couldnt push away a goblin with one leg hanging in the air.


    Thud!


    Gah!


    The goblin, having hit the back of its head, copsed to the ground. Even in this situation, the monster, being a monster, instinctively tried to switch its club to its good hand.


    This is mine now.


    But my left hand was quicker to steal the club from it. Theres no moment more vulnerable than when transferring an object from one hand to another, so it wasnt that difficult.


    So the goblin had both missed the timing to get up and failed to swing its weapon again. Surprisingly, instead of resisting until the end, it started to beg for its life.


    Sa, save me, please gob! Its all my fault gob. Ill do anything gobjust spare my lifeI dont want to die like this gob


    A pitiful voice. However, that wasnt a reason for me to stop. I pulled out the dagger that was stuck in its upper arm and struck down towards its chest.


    Shphk!


    Thanks to the sharp de, the dagger easily sliced through the skin and muscle. However, it got stuck halfway by the ribs.


    No matter how good the weapon is, it must be difficult to cut through bone with just a dagger and one hand.


    The goblin writhed in pain but also showed relief at having survived. And as if to show the creature, I raised the club in my other hand high above its head.


    Just the tip! Ill only put in the tip, so dont worry!


    Gob-euk?!


    I returned its words exactly as it had said them and swung the club down towards the handle of the dagger.


    Thud!


    With a heavy sound, the dagger that was stuck in the ribs sank all the way to the end of the de. The goblin, possibly having its lung pierced as well, could only make a deting sound and was no longer able to babble.


    Convulsing faintly, it tried to pull out the sword that was stuck in its chest.


    Press.


    Stay still.


    !


    My foot stepped on its hand, effectively stopping it. Considering the original difference in strength, this should have been impossible. However, what strength could a dying creature possibly muster?


    Now, the only thing it could do was re with eyes filled with resentment.


    I dont quite understand why it looked so wronged when it brought this upon itself.


    Thus, I too red at the dying goblin until the veryst moment, with my eyes wide open.


    Its trembling and breathing grew weaker until, with eyes wide open, it died. Just in case, I pulled out the dagger stuck in its heart and shoved it into the goblins neck. You need to double-check, after all.


    Slice.


    With a light slice, the head fell off cleanly. Grabbing the creatures hair in one hand, I hurried towards where Lydia was.


    Then, with a broad smile, I presented the head, its final expression frozen on it.


    Miss Lydia! Miss Lydia! I won! Goblins werent anything special after all!


    Wow. If I had known the dagger you lent me was this sharp, I would have used it to sh rather than stab. What a pity!


    But well I won, so thats all that matters, right?! Miss Lydia, you knew this would happen, so thats why you chose to cheer me on instead of helping, right? Thank you! I feel like Ive learned something!


    For some reason, Lydia looked at me with a pale expression. She swallowed once and then asked cautiously.


    Jonah. Goblins are monsters that retain a certain level of intelligence. Wasnt it hard when it begged for its life? Didnt you feel any sympathy?


    Me?


    Yes.


    Against goblins?


    Yes.


    Why would I?


    .


    Lydia closed her eyes tightly. She grabbed my shoulder and said in a serious voice.


    Jonah, you must be an adventurer.


    ???


    I didnt understand why she was acting like that.

 Chapter 10: A World Where No One’s Hurt

    Chapter 10: A World Where No One¡¯s Hurt


    My grand entrance!


    As I swung the door open to the Fairy and Silver Coin, all eyes turned toward me.


    Regrs offered smiles and waved, while neers downed their drinks with a hint of annoyance.


    Todays theme seemed to be butlers, judging by the employees who nodded at me, all dressed in butler uniforms.


    Though, these were no ordinary butler uniforms. The shirts were short-sleeved, and the trousers ended at the knee, exposing the employees forearms and calves. Not to mention, their shirts were boldly unbuttoned, revealing up to just above their abdomens.


    Hmm Just another day at the office, it seems!


    Despite their appearance, these guys were always kind to me. They mentioned how their ies had tripled thanks to the outfits I designed.


    I waved back enthusiastically. Venturing further in, I spotted a familiar figure.


    Her ash-colored hair was wildly unkempt. She had perky wolf ears and captivating yellow eyes that seemed to be pondering mischievous thoughts. The woman snuffed out her nearly finished magical herb cigarette with one hand.


    I sprinted toward Ellie with all the energy I could muster, wearing the biggest smile possible.


    Ellie!


    Huh? Ah, Jonah. How was thebyrinth


    Ellie! Ellie! Ellie!


    Maintaining my momentum, I vaulted over the counter and circled Ellie, chanting her name.


    Perhaps taken aback by the odd spectacle, reminiscent of a cult ritual, Ellie quickly grabbed the back of my neck and lifted me into the air.


    Dangling there, I looked at Ellie, who frowned slightly. Yet, I could tell she was amused by the way the corners of her mouth twitched.


    Of course, she was. Every move was a calcted act by the former macho man, Jonah Kim!


    Ellie would surely appreciate it. I would have, too.


    I smirked inwardly, but Ellie couldnt help but let a simr smile spread across her face, shouting as if to mask her amusement.


    Calm down, you shrimp! Didnt I tell you not toe behind the counter while Im working!


    I cant calm down! How can I calm down when Ellies right in front of me!


    Did something happen in thebyrinth?


    No? Even if something did happen, that would be a secret between me and Miss Lydia that I cant tell!


    .


    Ellie, who seemed to be in a good mood just a moment ago, suddenly frowned and red at Lydia, who was following behind. This time, it wasnt out of embarrassment but from genuinely feeling upset.


    Lydia, suddenly treated like a thief, hurriedly shook her headbut that wasnt really important.


    Taking advantage of the moment Ellie was distracted, I twisted my body. It was an acrobatic move I wouldnt have even thought to attempt if Icked flexibility.


    This too was something I learned while fighting in thebyrinth. I myself hadnt known that I could move like this.


    Despite her loose grip on me, Ellie was surprised that I managed to escape on my own. I then spread my twisted body wide open towards her, like a flying squirrel gliding through the air.


    Hug me!


    Huh? Uh?


    While she stood there, stuttering, she ended up holding me in an embrace. I sneakily buried my face into her chest.


    I could feel the cushiony sensation even through the clothes. The warmth heated my chilled body. And only after savoring the strong scent of magical herbs tickling my nose did I lift my head.


    There was barely a span of space between me and Ellie. A short distance that could be closed with just a slight movement of the neck.


    Ellie, blushing furiously, stammered. I pretended to be innocent as I spoke to her.


    Listen, Ellie. Today, I caught 11 goblins in thebyrinth


    Uhwow, thats amazing?


    Ellie, as if enchanted, fixed her gaze on me, giving me a soulless response.


    I could clearly see what was going on in her head, likely nning how many children we should have and then our retirement n But that was exactly what I wanted her to do, so I let her be.


    Thanks to Ellie, I was able to learn the basics of being an adventurer from Lydia. Considering how much that helped, its only natural that I provided her with this much service.


    So, I continued to cling to her and chattered away about every single little thing that happened today, then finally detached myself from Ellie.


    Huap.


    Ah.


    Ellie nced at me with a sense of longing. I gave her a sly smile in return.


    Can I borrow the second floor of Ellies shop again? Ive brought enough money.


    Well, if thats the case.


    Ellie, having managed to regain herposure, reached out her hand. I contemted just giving her the money I earned today But was slightly annoyed that she still hadnt revealed her true intentions, and a yful mischief rose within me.


    Here!


    I ced my chin on Ellies hand. Then, I vigorously rubbed my cheek against her hand, still rough with calluses from her past.


    Now, Ellie trembled like a drug addict experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms. I gave her a sly smile as she desperately seemed to be fighting something within her.


    Can I pay with this instead?


    As if!


    A split second toote, Ellie quickly withdrew her hand and hid it behind her back. However, she couldnt stop the corners of her mouth from drooping from the disappointment.


    Ah. Thats too bad. How much is it for one night?


    30 copper.


    Here you go.


    I took out three sizable coins from my thickened wallet and handed them over.


    Ellie, staring intently at the coins, sighed deeply and took the room payment.


    Ha Alright. Since youve paid properly, you can use the same room you did yesterday.


    Could I possibly rent a different room?


    Huh? Thats the best room, though. Youll be the one moving your stuff, so if theres an empty room, do as you please.


    Okay! Then Ill start by moving my stuff to Ellies room!


    Stop! Thats not for sale! If youre a guest, behave like one and use a guest room.


    Cant I?


    Stop acting ridiculous.


    Hmph.


    Pouting my lips and grumbling, I took a step back. It clearly disyed an Im upset vibe to anyone looking.


    Just when Ellie was taken aback yet slightly concerned I casually lifted my top to show her my stomach, only high enough that it wouldnt be seen over the counter from outside.


    Jonah, you!


    Ellies voice suddenly rose. Then I brought my finger up to my lips, as if telling her to keep quiet, and spoke to her.


    Shh.


    Ellie, about to say something, then swallowed her words and remained quiet. I then continued to speak, now in a whisper so that only the person standing in front of me could hear.


    I wont lock the door tonight either.


    !


    Ellies eyes widened as if she had been struck by lightning, and she froze.


    Giggling softly, I turned around and went upstairs to the second floor.


    As if without any lingering attachment, I strode into the room. The moment the door closed, I hopped around silently.


    Kyah!


    Just now. I had been so damn hot.<hr>


    Ellie was unable toe to her senses.


    Jonah had just shaken up her heart through and through, then disappeared without a hint of hesitation. She was too busy staring dazedly at his retreating figure.


    It must be true that pinkettes are their own breed.


    Ellies left hand still felt the texture of his abdomen, which she exchanged for 10 silver, and his smooth abdomen was burned into her retina like an afterimage.


    And what was it with him, chattering about todays events from such a close distance, close enough that she could feel his breath


    Ellie had been so tense at the thought that they might actually kiss, she even broke into a cold sweat but for Jonah, this was a first; he had never been so forward before.


    This sense of incongruity mmed the brakes on Ellies rationality.


    Is it rted to the secret he couldnt tell me? If thats the case, I feel a bit left out


    Ellies imagination, untainted by experience, began to conjure dark fantasies.


    Jonah, who had be more assertive than usual. Despite iming to be a virgin, the allure he exuded today seemed far from inexperienced.


    What if Jonah had already ventured into adulthood before her? And what if his partner had been none other than Lydia?


    -Ahaha! How can you still be a virgin at your age, Ellie? I guess I have no choice. As the one with experience, Ill have to take Ellies virginity.


    -Eh? Thats it? Lydia did it a bit better.


    -Uh-uh. No. You can do better in the future. In that sense, would you like to observe how Lydia and I do it?


    Imagining what came next, Ellie couldnt contain herself and screamed.


    Aaaaaaah!!


    Senior Ellie?


    Lydia!! How could you do this to me!


    Sorry. Maybe it wasnt a good idea to eat food from another store.


    Thats okay! Youve worked hard today, so Ill give you a cold beer on the house!


    ?


    Lydia, puzzled by Ellies erratic behavior, shrugged it off, ustomed to her oddities.


    Ellie continued to oscite between blushing and screaming for a while, but by the time Lydia finished her beer, she had somewhat regained herposure.


    Seizing the moment, Lydia addressed Ellie with a serious tone.


    Senior Ellie. I have something important to tell you.


    Whatno! Dont do it! Dont take Jonah away from me!!


    Nonsense. Troublesome.


    Apparently, that wasnt enough time.


    With a sigh, Lydia went behind the counter to refill her beer herself. Only after finishing another ss did she speak again.


    Calmed down?


    Yeah. You said it was important? What is it?


    Its about Jonah.


    Growl! Ah, no. Please, continue.


    Ellies exhale was much more heated than usual, making Lydia tilt her head in curiosity. But since she urged her to go on, she continued.


    What had Jonah done in the past?


    Huh? Well When he was young, he lived off begging, and as he grew up, he did all sorts of odd jobs. Andtely, it seems hes picked up a bad habit of pickpocketing thugs. I think that recent incident was the first time he almost got caught.


    Jonah had been lucky to escape without any trouble, but it was a close call with a criminal n, which could have ended badly.


    Ellie growled involuntarily, perhaps still angry about that incident.


    Ellie had been acting a bit unstable for a while now; this was not an unfamiliar scene to Lydia. She casually dismissed the fierce aggression and shook her head.


    So, a petty criminal at best. But hes too skilled for that.


    In what?


    Killing things.


    Lydia, having said that, drained thest sip of her beer and continued.


    He didnt hesitate when killing someone. Nopassion. Not even shaken. He even knew the goblins weaknesses, which I never taught him. And he has a considerable understanding of history and theology, more than what could be just picked up on the streets. Hes definitely not your average orphan.


    Couldnt it be a coincidence? People born with that kind of talent are rare, but they can be found if you look hard enough. Maybe he just studied hard.


    Ive sensed hisck ofmon human sense on several asions as well. And his instantaneous speed was on par with a Floor 2 adventurer.


    Hes on that level?


    Yes. Like Senior Ellie said, each instance could be coincidental. But when you put them all together, could you still consider it so?


    What are you trying to say?


    You know. Youre more deeply involved with him than I am.


    Ellie silently clenched her empty right sleeve, her eyes growing cold.


    One Who Devours the Twilight.


    A heretic willing to do anything to obtain the remains and powers of the gods, eternally slumbering within thebyrinth. This very person was responsible for Ellie losing her arm.


    Hearing Ellies murmur, Lydia nodded, her face expressionless.


    Yes. Jonah might be a child who escaped from there.


    Is that so.


    Ellies hand, previously clutching her empty sleeve, loosened its grip. She vividly remembered the horrors she witnessed in thebyrinth three years ago.


    The bodies of adventurers, dissected and used in all sorts of inhumane experiments.


    A madman, wielding the power of a dead god, controlling monsters at will.


    Children, their thinking twisted from being brainwashed while raised by the heretic.


    And the incident where she was stabbed in the back by one of those children while trying to protect them from a rampaging floor guardian.


    Because of that moment of vulnerability, Ellie lost one of her arms to the floor guardian. The children were caught in the aftermath and vanished.


    The phantom pain throbbing in her right shoulder. As long as those detestable remnants of the past remain, Ellie will never forget that day.


    So Jonah


    As the throbbing intensified, Ellie took out a magic herb cigarette from her pocket and lit it.


    Upon closer thought, did the Jonah Lydia spoke of resemble the brainwashed children?


    A deep sigh, apanied by a puff of smoke, filled Ellies vision, momentarily shielding her from the memories of the past.


    Of course, all of this could merely be Lydias spection. Nothing was certain.


    But. The One Who Devours the Twilight had a particr obsession with pink-haired individuals, having collected quite a few among the children.


    If by any chance. If Jonah really was one of those children


    Jonah must immediately be handed over to the temple of the Goddess of Love for reformation.


    But she didnt want to do that.


    Perhaps Jonahs expressions of affection were feigned, a ploy to stab Ellie in the back once more, just as it had happened three years ago.


    But she didnt want to doubt him.


    What should I do.


    Ellies gloomy voice settled to the floor along with the ash.


    Knowing full well that nothing would reach the boy upstairs, Ellie still hung her head low, like someone who had grown weary of life.


    All Lydia could do was quietly refill her seniors ss with alcohol.<hr>


    While the two adults downstairs were entangled in an absurd misunderstanding,


    Jonah was dancing around in the center of the empty room.


    His arms, spread wide, wriggled like seaweed, and his hips swayed rhythmically from side to side in a strange movement.


    A dance to increase gacha luck!


    It was the sacred gacha prayer dance, originating from a certain Holy Grail War.

 Chapter 11: A World Where No One’s Hurt (2)

    Chapter 11: A World Where No One¡¯s Hurt (2)


    Thebyrinth was a ce where you could gain strength simply by returning alive. No one knew what kind of power or how much power they would gain, though.


    However, the tendency of growth has been somewhat studied Was what I had written in the settings.


    First, the growth was likely to happen in the area that was most needed by that person. For example, someone who is weak or does a lot of physical work might see an increase in muscle strength.


    There were unique cases, such as people in those cases obtaining heightened senses, a magician gaining aura, or someone obtaining a longer lifespan. But these were extremely rare exceptions and could be disregarded.


    Next was how much one grew. This too was simple.


    Their amount of activity in thebyrinth, and their level of achievement determined the amount of growth.


    For instance, a person who stayed put in a corner the whole time would grow less than someone who annihted the monsters.


    Even if they hadnt killed a single monster, causing a meaningful change on that floor was also reflected in the growth rate.


    In simple terms, it could be thought of as login bonuses,bat experience, and achievement experience. That had been what I had thought of when creating the setting after all.


    Up to here, it was the power of thebyrinth directly seeping into ones body.


    To put it a bit more grandly, it could be said that fragments of the slumbering deities from thebyrinth were elevating the adventurers rank. This was the mostmon method of growth.


    However, thebyrinth also held a chance for a dramatic turnaround besides this steady method.


    That was the divine power and authority remaining in the remains of gods, and objects that belonged to the time of the War of the Fallen Gods.


    Divine power and authority, which used that power as fuel. All of it was bestowed to one by a god, but that didnt mean it was a power one could obtain without effort.


    After all, priests were a type who could only wield power by paying the ambiguous concept of faith as a price.


    But what if that god had died long ago? There would be no need to pay any price anymore.


    In other words, the power of a dead god obtained from thebyrinth is a fragment of a miracle that can be exerted without any cost, a pleasure that could be enjoyed without responsibility.


    However, since it was the power of a dead god, there was no room for further growth.


    Next were items from the time of the War of the Fallen Gods but there really wasnt any point in talking about this.


    To a humanity that has once been destroyed and rebuilt, ancient technology was lost technology, over-technology.


    Its only natural that the performance of weapons was unbelievably high. Ordinary furniture was sold at high prices to nobles, and books to historians and when research materials were found, it wasmon for entire countries to be directly involved.


    They said that even the most heinous of criminals, as long as they were not traitors, would be pardoned and that amoner would be given a title, and nobles would be offered promotions along with various benefits had they found these items.


    To be honest, I hadnt written this with this much detail. I had just written that the rare remnants of the ancient civilizations would be traded at high value when discovered asionally.


    But the people living here had added some sensible lore on their own.


    Anyway, as such, thebyrinth was no different from and of opportunity. Then, what did I gain from thisbyrinth exploration?


    It has to be my luck thats improved!


    Theres no basis for the assumption. After all, how much can one grow from just killing a few goblins on the first floor?


    However, I wanted to believe that. Because from now on, Im going to spin the gacha!


    Smiling goofily, I took out my wallet and the magic stones. The money I made from selling the goblin by-products to the guild was just over 60 copper.


    It was a monster from the 1st floor, and the weakest one at that, so I understood why it was cheap. I should probably be thankful theyre even buying it.


    After adding the money I already had to the room fee I paid to Ellie, Im left with a whopping 72 copper in hand!


    Considering that each goblins magic stone was valued at 3 copper, selling all 11 would haveted me 1 silver and 4 coppers but I chose not to sell these magic stones and brought them with me instead.


    Theres no special reason. I had just read that the magic stones could be used like money for the corresponding amount in the gacha system, so I wanted to give it a try.


    Gacha gacha.


    When I muttered the rted word while thinking of the system, a bell chimed in my ear.


    Ding!


    [Normal Draw]


    Use cash or an equivalent amount of magic stones to randomly obtain items and skills between 1~5 stars.


    [1 Draw] [10+1 Draws]


    With a fluttering heart, I held up 7rge copper coins each worth 10 copper, and 10 magic stones in my hand, focusing my mind on the single draw. Soon after, a question popped up.


    [Would you like to proceed with [1 Draw]?]


    Ooh.


    So it was true that I could spin the gacha by mixing currency and magic stones. Next, it was time to check the exchange rate.


    I knew that the guild was buying goblin magic stones for 3 copper each, but I needed to find out if the system calcted it at the same price.


    If it pays more than what I can sell to the guild Well, I might as well use it for the draw, though the other loot is likely another story.


    I tried removing one magic stone.


    [Insufficient funds.]


    Tch. So it doesnt work.


    This time, I added one small copper coin worth 1 copper.


    [Insufficient funds.]


    B, But if this works!


    Finally, adding one more small copper coin, I looked at the system again.


    [Insufficient funds.]


    Damn it, this thing.


    It didnt work this time either. It seems the equivalent amount of magic stones mentioned in the gacha system was based on the guilds purchase price.


    Of course, that purchase price wasnt absolute. The market price of magic stones could fluctuate depending on various circumstances.


    Well The price of the lowest-grade magic stones, like those from goblins, which were supplied in huge quantities, doesnt fluctuate much, so Ill have to check thatter.


    Id already experimented with every single possibility that didnt use magic stones, such as how the gacha had a spare change function or how only the required amount of money was used even when holding an excess amount, so there wasnt anything more to experiment with.


    Lets get a 5-star with that single draw!!


    Though I will only be left with 4 copper after this gacha draw! Though I can get one additional draw if I save up 10 silver and do the 10 draw! None of that mattered to me! Because I wanted to roll the gacha right now!


    I couldnt help but think of the famous marshmallow experiment from my past life.


    Im sure I would have been one of the kids who couldnt resist eating the marshmallow right away. However, since itter turned out that the experiment itself had been full of inconsistencies, wanting to spin the gacha right now must not be wrong either.


    Its natural to want to spend the money earned from my firstbyrinth exploration on something meaningful. Yes. Its all thebyrinths fault. Im not to me.


    Sigh.


    I took a deep breath to calm my mind. Its a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I had to try everything I could.


    Holding a magic stone and a coin in my right hand, I began to dance the dance I recalled seeing somewhere.


    A dance to increase gacha luck!


    My arms, spread wide, wriggled like seaweed, and my hips swayed rhythmically from side to side in a strange movement.


    Though I was aware that from a distance, I must have looked like a squirming worm, I passionately continued to dance for about a minute.


    This should have triggered it. With a thumping heart, I spun the gacha.


    Rollllllll.


    With the sound reminiscent of dice rolling, the magic stone and copper coin vanished without a trace. Simultaneously, my heart began to thump wildly.


    Shortness of breath. Vision blinded by diverse, shining colors. Augh burst out of me, driven by the sensation that made it feel as though my entire body was floating.


    Prepared to cheer at any moment, I waitedbut the anticipated rift in space did not appear.


    Instead, I was suddenly struck by a headache.


    Keuk!


    It didnt hurt too much. At most, the pain was akin to that of hitting your head on a corner as you were getting up.


    However, even if it had been much more painful, I would have smiled. This pain was the same pain I had felt when I drew the pickpocketing skill which meant it wasnt a worthless item!


    As I smiled, gripping my head, sure enough, a translucent notification window popped up instead of an item.


    Ding!


    [1 Star: Magic - Weak me]


    Wow!


    It was indeed a skill! Its a bit disappointing that it was only a 1-star, but drawing a skill in a single draw was definitely a win.


    The pickpocket skill, which fell under a misceneous category, turned out to be quite useful once I tried it, but this time it was a magic skill. Although its rank is low, its practicality should be higher!


    With a pounding heart, I absorbed the knowledge that had just been imparted into my head. Simultaneously, a warm sensation arose from my heart.


    I transferred a speck of mana to my fingertips and uttered the spell.


    Weak me.


    Fwoosh.


    A small me ignited in the air, a short distance from my index finger. And that was it.


    I examined the me on my hand from all angles and even tried shaking it, but nothing changed. It was just a small, cute me.


    Is this a lighter or what


    It didntst long and was soon extinguished. The reason was myck of sufficient mana to use as fuel.


    Having the ability to obtain mana without much trouble was indeed great, but the problem was that the amount I obtained was only enough to cast Weak me once.


    What am I supposed to do with this?


    A sense of emptiness welled up from deep within me. Additionally, my heart began to feel slightly sore.


    It was a soreness simr to what one might experience after a full sprint. Could this be a symptom of mana depletion? Even if it was just a tiny amount of mana, it seemed depletion symptoms appeared once it was all used up.


    Give me back my Meteor


    In hindsight, I realized that not all skills were necessarily good. What mattered was the grade. Only a certain number of stars could satisfy me, Jonah Kim.


    Feeling gloomy, I stared nkly at the 4 copper left in my hand. What on earth did I spend the 1 silver for?


    With 1 silver, I could have had a full meal with plenty of meat, gotten myself a decent set of clothes, or bought proper crossbow bolts instead of these crudely fixed wooden arrows.


    But I ended up blowing it on a lighter. And not just any lighter, but one thats a defective mess requiring hours of waiting before it can be used again after just one use.


    Its a bit of an exaggeration to call it a catastrophic failure since it had only been a single draw, but still, the signature feeling of emptiness after having messed up began to creep up on me.


    The boiling dopamine seemed to have gone and jumped off a cliff, leaving behind an endlessly depressing sensation. But the moment I hit rock bottom My perspective flipped.


    Huh?


    If its just at the level of a lighter, why not just use it as a lighter? Why try to use it inbat?


    Rustle.


    I opened the desk drawer and stuffed a few dried strands of mana grass into my mouth. Bitter, sour, and musty, but not inedible.


    Why was it called mana grass? Because it contained traces of mana, thats why.


    Eating it raw was incredibly inefficient, but that didnt matter since my mana pool was as small as a pinpoint anyway.


    Alright. Lets go.


    Lighters reminded me of cigarettes, and cigarettes reminded me of Ellie.


    A good idea popped into my mind.

 Chapter 12: A World Where No One’s Hurt (3)

    Chapter 12: A World Where No One¡¯s Hurt (3)


    Alright. Lets go.


    Lighters reminded me of cigarettes. And cigarettes reminded me of Ellie.


    It was a simple idea, but I was sure it would be effective. Confident in this, I kicked open the door and marched out.


    Finding Ellie and Lydia wasnt difficult; they were talking in a corner on the first floor.


    The challenge was that both of them wore such gloomy expressions and were wrapped in such a serious atmosphere that it was hard to interrupt.


    Especially Ellie, who had smoked so many cigarettes that the ashtray was piled high with butts, and the area was filled with thick smoke.


    Even if magic herb cigarettes were said to be different from ordinary cigarettes in that they werent addictive or harmful to the body smoking that much suggested there must be some problem.


    Thats because the magic herb cigarettes Ellie smoked were used as a substitute for painkillers when she felt phantom pain in her lost right arm.


    Hiding my growing worries behind a bright smile, I dashed towards them.


    Ellie!


    Jonah? Didnt you say you were going to bed?


    I was, but I forgot something.


    For some reason, herplexion was pale. As if that wasnt enough, Ellie was biting down on a new cigar.


    She must have been about to light it, as there was a lighter magic tool in her hand, so I quickly snatched that away.


    PickpocketingON!


    Nope!


    Wait, wait! What was that just now?! You just swiped your hand and it disappeared!


    Is that really whats important right now? Just stay still for a moment.


    Ellie was making a fuss, probably because it was the first time she had seen my skill, but I calmed her down and stood in front of her.


    Normally, Ellie would have been stealing nces at my body while pretending not to But for some reason, she was avoiding my gazepletely.


    Could it bein that short moment?


    It seemed like she tried to hide it, but I, Jonah Kim, a genius (not really) who even dares to insult the gods (actually), understood everything.


    I gently patted her ash-colored head with a benevolent smile. This was only possible because Ellie was sitting down. It was amusing to see her wolf ears twitch every time my hand touched her.


    Its okay, its okay. I dont mind. It could happen.


    Jonah, you know everything?


    Of course.


    I nodded and brought my lips close to Ellies ear.


    You jacked off thinking of my stomach, right? And now youre getting scolded by Miss Lydia for it.


    Hah?


    Ellie tried to hide her embarrassment, feigning disbelief. It was cute, really.


    Oh, you. I told you, I understand. Im indeed charming, but still contained within a young body. Surely, the Noble Miss Lydia wouldnt forgive Ellie for being in heat over a child.


    No! What do you take me for, you cheeky brat?!


    A virgin who spends all day thinking about naughty things, but when the opportunityes, freezes up and cant do anything?


    Stop with the facts! Stop, it hurts my feelings.


    Sigh. I know that you were not only just chewed out by your junior after being caught doing a round but also facing the person that had been your target and that you feel a bit bashful and sorry talking to me But Ill be hurt if you ignore me too much.


    No, just listen to me!


    Ellie protested, clutching her chest as if she was being wronged. Next to her, Lydia pped with an expressionless face.


    p, p!


    Jonah is amazing. You know Senior Ellie well.


    Ahem. Thats me, alright.


    Lydia, you too?!


    Its fortunate that Senior Ellie wasnt taken away by the guards.


    I wish you were all dead.


    Ellie, sighing deeply, lowered her head. A cigar, unlit, still hung from her lips.


    She somehow had yet to drop it. Giggling, I grabbed her cheek to make her look this way.


    Ellie.


    Look at me, Ellie.


    Why.


    Ellie, clearly sulking, avoided my gaze with a grumpy voice.


    In front of her, I raised my index finger and murmured softly.


    Weak me.


    Whoosh.


    A me blossomed from my fingertips, and Ellies yellow eyes widened.


    Is that magic?


    I think I gained a bit of mana after visiting thebyrinth. But this is the most I can do.


    I shrugged my shoulders, and Lydia, narrowing her eyes, asked, Having mana doesnt necessarily mean anyone can use magic. Did you already know that?


    Roughly, yes. Didnt I tell you? I originally aspired to be an adventurer, so I had studied a lot in advance.


    .


    Though her expression was far from convinced, Lydia nodded her head. Sorry, but it cant be helped; my gacha ability is a secret.


    Well, given what Ive shown in thebyrinth so far, maybe shell let it slide. Even if not, at worst, shell just think Im a genius, which is fine.


    More importantly, I need to hurry now. Even at this moment, my granr amount of mana was being rapidly consumed.


    Please focus on this me, Ellie.


    ?


    Ellie tilted her head in confusion as I waved my finger back and forth in front of her. The me flickered in response.


    You find yourself increasingly fond of the boy before your eyes


    Jonah, are you trying to hypnotize me right now?


    You like them so much that you want to pounce on them tonight


    I said I wont do that!


    And then, iming responsibility, you will end up getting married to them


    Wouldnt turning oneself in be the norm in that situation?


    But the guilt doesnt disappear, so you cant refuse anything the boy says, and you end up transferring all your property under the boys name


    Was that your goal?!


    Ellie shivered in horror for a moment, and then, with a sudden move, I thrust my finger forward.


    There.


    Eh, what?


    The moment my finger touched, the cigar Ellie had been holding lit up, causing her to jerk her head back in surprise. A cloud of smoke rose above her dazed face.


    Feeling my mana depleting, I shook my wrist to dispel the magic before it ran outpletely.


    Hows that? I wanted to show it to Ellie first, so I even kept it a secret from Miss Lydia. Did you like it?


    .


    Ellie had grown stiff as if someone had paused her. Only her yellow eyes rolled back and forth between me and the cigarette.


    I touched Ellies cheek and smiled broadly.


    I dont know whats worrying Ellie, but Im on Ellies side.


    Jonah


    Ellie has done more than just a couple of things for my sake, after all. Even entrusting my tutoring to Miss Lydia is one case. Tell me honestly. You became anxious because I was kidnapped this time, didnt you?


    Ellie had always been kind to me, but not to the extent of paying arge sum to Lydia to make a request.


    She had also often advised me not to do dangerous work like adventuring and to live a normal life, such as helping with her work instead.


    But such Ellie seriously thought of making me into a proper adventurer? After giving it some thought, there was only one reason.


    She believed that if I had been left alone, I would have realized how tough being an adventurer would be ande back to her, but instead, I was kidnapped and nearly sold off somewhere.


    So instead of stopping me from bing an adventurer, she had nned to support me properly so that I could develop enough strength to protect myself.


    Ellies such a dummy. Its not Ellies fault I was kidnapped.


    Ithats


    Ellie stammered, unable to finish her sentence. I hugged her tightly and patted her on the back.


    Dont me yourself. And just watch me and wait. I will never betray Ellies trust.


    !


    Ellie flinched violently as if struck by lightning. Though I added a bit of ir, my words were sincere.


    Thebyrinth city was vast, and it was densely popted. In such aplex world, how many people can one possibly fully trust?


    It wasnt like I hadnt searched for my characters either. It was just that despite my efforts, Ellie had been the only one I could find.


    And I was d it was Ellie.


    Because I had only sketched out the rough character of her, I didnt know everything about Ellie, but I was certain she was one of the few absolutelywful characters among my creations.


    As a creator, as a human being, and as a man who had found his ideal type in the novels right before his eyes, I tried to show off a little.


    Ill repay you double for what Ive received from Ellie, so just you wait. And please, stay by my side until then.


    W, wait. I hadnt done it expecting anything in return.


    And!


    I cut off Ellies stammering voice. Then, in a voice too quiet for Lydia to hear, I whispered.


    I jack off to Ellie from time to time as well, so lets pretend today never happened, okay?


    ?!


    After giving Ellie one more pat on the back, leaving her unable to even breathe properly, I hurried over to Lydia.


    I opened my arms wide, intending for a light hug, but


    Cant do. Senior Ellie will be bothersome.


    Seeing that she was really looking for Ellies reaction with a tired expression, I just lightly tapped on the shoulder part of her armor.


    Thank you for today as well, Miss Lydia! Now Im really going to leave, so sleep well both of you~


    Eh, uhyeh.


    Yeah. Lets rest tomorrow and meet the day after.


    Ellie had be unable to speak, and Lydia was waving her hand with an expressionless face.


    Come to think of it, we had nned tomorrow to be a reorganization day and also to review what had happened at thebyrinth, then the next day to be our next venture into thebyrinth.


    Yes maam. See you in two days.


    Only after waving back to Lydia did I head back up to the room on the second floor.


    Thud!


    As soon as I closed the door, I unfolded the hand that had been tightly clenched into a fist. Therey a shiny silver lighter magic tool.


    Its luxurious decoration and finish seemed especially radiant.


    Selling this would easily fetch more than 1 silver.


    Since Ellie has me, she wont need a lighter anymore, right?


    And thus, a world waspleted where no one was hurt.

 Chapter 13: Guid?ance

    Chapter 13: Guid?ance


    Good morning!


    I came down to the first floor and shouted with vigor, but for some reason, Ellie hadnt been very responsive.


    Guhh


    Ellie was sprawled over the counter, half-melting. It wasnt just an act, as her normally perky ears and slowly wagging tail were both drooping.


    Ellies dead?


    Ughhh.


    Even when I poked her shoulder, all that came back was Ellies zombie-like voice. Thinking something must really be wrong, I approached her.


    Ah! You reek of alcoholhow much did you drink?!


    Ellie, facing me as I stepped back in shock, spread two fingers.


    What? You became like this after drinking two bottles? Ellie, youre surprisingly weak to alcohol.


    No


    She corrected my guess with a voice that seemed to have crawled up from hell.


    Ah? So youre saying you drank for another 2 hours after that! Well this is what happens if you drink for 2 hours without pacing yourself. Come to think of it, you smoked a lot of cigarettes yesterday too. Are you really okay?


    Its not that, eitherAnd, Im not okay.


    Elliesplexion had turned pale at some point. No, then what on earth did those fingers mean?


    It was only for a moment that I tilted my head in confusion. It didnt take long to realize the identity of the unease.


    Normally, bottles of alcohol would be crammed behind the counter, but they were empty today. The only ones left were two expensive-looking bottles.


    Could it be that she drank all but those two bottles? Thats kind of scary.


    Elliewhat is the bar owner supposed to do if they drink all of their alcohol?


    Jonah, youll understand too when you grow upthat there are times you want to get drunk.


    Why wouldnt I know? Though my body was like this now, I had been a proper adult on Earth.


    Still, I shrugged my shoulders and yed along with Ellies words.


    Bah, adults! Why do they even drink alcohol?


    Because theres something they want to forget?


    What is it that they want to forget?


    Right. What was it? Ive forgotten.


    Ellie still giggled, even as she was suffering from the hangover. Seeing her like that made me burst intoughter as well.


    Adults are dummies.


    Dummies, thats what adults are.


    Though I said that, there must have been some important reason Ellie had ended up like this. It was the first time I had seen such a gloomy expression on her face.


    I didnt know what it wasbut I too had to give up various things to survive on the continent of Pan. Writing had been one of those things.


    I couldnt live without writing in my past life, but after dying once, I was able to turn my back on it for the sake of survival.


    Well, who had time for writing when you were busy enough just trying to make enough of a living to scrape by?


    Yet, every time Ie across a setting Id created in the Pan Continent, I couldnt help but painfully miss Earth.


    Even knowing I could never return, caught in a situation where I could neither move forward nor back, I caught myself suddenly thinking.


    That I no longer cared about anything, so I wanted to getpletely drunk. Forget everything about my past life and whatever, and just sleep in peace.


    It wasnt like this world was scheduled for destruction or anything either, so that urge had been even stronger.


    It had be a little off-topic, but the point was, excessive emotions could cause a human to break down. Perhaps Ellie was in a simr situation.


    Maybe because of her hangover, but Ellie took out a magic herb cigar as soon as she got up. She had habitually searched her pockets but stopped.


    Huh? Where did my lighter go? Has anyone seen my lighter?


    I dont know about the lighter, but Ellie has me!


    I dashed over and lit Ellies cigar with a Weak me.


    What a responsible thief I am.


    Ellie, looking bewildered as she put the cigar to her lips, soon rxed, the analgesic effect of the magic herb beginning to take hold.


    Only after seeing Ellie looking morefortable did I speak up.


    Im nning to go to themercial district for a bit today, so Ill eat lunch on my own.


    I never said Id take care of your lunch.


    But you will if I keep hanging around, no?


    Ellie, saying nothing, just continued to smoke. Seeing her like that, I giggled and moved away.


    When I was about halfway out, Ellies gentle voice reached me from behind.


    Hey. Ive decided to trust Jonah.


    What? What are you talking about all of a sudden? Dont tell me you havent believed me until now


    Im just saying. Go quickly if youre going to go. Dont talk to me; Ive got a headache.


    A forced expulsion. At that, I sighed deeply and waved my hand.


    Ill be back.


    Yeah.


    I had fallen into the Pan Continent without a single copper to my name. But now, feeling like I have a ce to return to, a ticklish feeling arose within me.<hr>


    There was a simple reason why we decided to take a break today, even though it hadnt been particrly strenuous.


    It was my first time returning from thebyrinth. She had given me time to rest and reflect on what I wascking and what I had been good at.


    Additionally, she had told me to prepare any items I would need.


    In other words, it was time for reorganization.


    In my case, I nned to entrust therge amount of mana herbs and healing herbs I had obtained from the gacha to a suitable alchemist to refine them into elixirs.


    Though I had blown all the money to do so on the gacha.


    Which was why I borrowed the lighter magic without Ellie knowing. It looked quite expensive, so I figured I could sell it, pay themission, and still have plenty left over.


    However, I too possessed what was known as a human heart.


    Ellie seemed to have undergone some change of heart without me realizing it. It was just 10 minutes ago that she told me she trusted me, so how could I possibly sell Ellies lighter just like that?


    Lets pawn it then.


    I can alwayse back to retrieve itter. See, thats how thoughtful and warm-hearted I am.


    Humming a tune, I entered a small pawnshop at the corner of Pangrave Square.


    I appreciated how the elf running the shop began appraising the item without caring who I was or what Id brought, staying true to the nature of an elf-run business.


    5 silver. However, if you promise to only use this ce and no other pawnshops from now on, Ill add another 50 copper.


    Of course!


    No matter how fancy the magic tool might be, its at best a low-grade magic tool that can only light a fire. And this was abyrinth city where magicians were asmon as dirt.


    So, 5 silver was already quite generous considering that I wasnt selling it, but merely pawning it. And to add another 50 copper on top of that?


    I knew Id have to pay it backter, but there was no reason to refuse the moneying in now, so I quickly nodded.


    There was actually no special reason why this elf was offering such generous terms.


    It was simply because lending more attracted more people, and by winning thepetition with the surrounding pawnshops, it was clear that theyd monopolize the market in about 100 years, so they lent the money generously.


    Even though they say they lent a lot, it was because they were confident they could sell that lighter magic tool for more than 5 silver and 50 copper if needed.


    After all, pawnshops were known to never incur losses in thebyrinth city, where adventurers were always dropping dead left and right.


    This is why elves make good business partners.


    I could tell they had their own schemes, but its too leisurely of a scheme for me not to benefit from it. The elves probably thought likewise.


    A grin spread across my face, buoyed by the weight of a fuller wallet. My steps toward the alchemy shop I had scoped out earlier felt not just light but even joyous.


    After losing their World Tree during the War of the Fallen Gods, the elves suffered from extreme mental emptiness for a while.


    The World Tree was an undeniable divine being, yet its domain slightly differed from that of other gods.


    It was the first tree to root in thisnd, and as the oldest living being, it simply existed as a marvel.


    Impressive indeed, but it was just a big tree with no particr role. It was the elves, who lived around the World Tree, that endowed it with meaning.


    Why? Its amon tendency, isnt it? The primitive animistic ideology where one venerates extraordinary natural phenomena as divine.


    The elves revered the World Tree as a deity and honored it greatly. Thanks to them, the World Tree, which had been just an ordinary tree with greater vitality, was imbued with self-awareness and divinity.


    Due to such origins, a strong mental connection, inseparable in nature, was formed between the World Tree and the elves. Based on this bond, their civilization progressed slowly but steadily. However


    Near the end of the War of the Fallen Gods, the World Tree sacrificed itself for the elves and thend they lived on.


    Thus, their connection was severed, and the elves, having lost their mental pir, wandered for a long time, experiencing hardship.


    But wandering was always bound to end someday. Witnessing the continent of Pan rapidly rebuilt by the power of thebyrinth, the elves who had faltered began to stand up one by one.


    At that moment, deciding to adapt and live in a world without the World Tree, the elves realized.


    They already had a new mental pir. And the name of the new god, fitting for their new era, was


    Capitalism.


    Humanity, which almost perished after a devastating war, learned the horrors of war. Thanks to that,rge-scale conflicts and racial discrimination have mostly vanished.


    Military power remained a valuable asset as long as thebyrinth existed, but it was natural that wealth also began to hold a value that could not be ignored.


    Money! Only money can make elves great again!


    The elves who realized this fact started to engage in various activities within the bounds of thew.


    Using their beautiful appearance and long lifespan, they would repeatedly marry for political reasons and then be widowed, thereby increasing theirnd and wealth.


    Or, capitalizing on the inevitable profits from rising prices over time, they would engage in long-term investmentssting up to 300 years.


    Thus, with the capital amassed, even if it meant taking a loss at first, they aimed to win price wars and monopolize the surrounding market.


    Gradually, they began to grasp the financial power of the continent, and though it might not be the case now, someday they will be the continents most corrupt race.


    Umm.


    The thought hadsted a bit long, but it wasnt as if I suddenly dredged up the elfs setting from my mind just because I managed to borrow some money from the pawnshop.


    The point was that elves were serious about money, but since they knew they would benefit over time, they tended to pursue legal methods.


    Therefore, elf criminals were extremely rare. If there were any, they would perhaps be the big shots who dominate the underworld.


    It was only natural for a race that questioned the need to resort to crime if there wasnt significant merit.


    Thanks to that, it was immediately recognizable even in a crowd. The back of the head that exuded thuggishness despite being born with the unique beauty of an elf.


    Are those the bhes from that time?


    A time before I had even realized the gacha system. I had encountered some elf thugs while wandering around begging.


    I followed them, enticed by their pretty faces, only to have them extort all the money I had begged for.


    I vowed that day that I would definitely return the humiliation someday.


    The opportunity has finallye.


    Concentrating, I lifted my heels slightly. Just enough so that it wouldnt be noticeable to the average onlooker, but enough to reduce the sound of my footsteps.


    Then, using my small stature, I weaved through the crowd. At a nce, it might just look like a child desperately trying to slip through the masses.


    Bit by bit, but surely and carefully, I managed to reach a position right behind my target.


    Up close, it was clearer. Those two were the cruel robbers who took the 8 copper I earned from begging all day.


    The only thing you could even buy with that money was a loaf of cheap bread on the verge of molding too!


    A kindness repaid twofold, a grudge returned tenfold. It might be someone elses family motto, but what does that matter? For this moment, call me Jonah Dang.


    From the closest distance I could naturally approach, I held my breath and let my body blend with the surrounding flow.


    My presence faded to an extreme degree. I became part of the background, disappearing, and a strange sensation wrapped around my entire body, as if I was overlooking everything from above.


    And then, as if hypnotized, my hand moved on its own.


    Swoosh.


    My hand, moving too fast to be followed by the eyes, traveled back and forth inside the pockets of two elf thieves. The final destination was, of course, my pocket.


    That was easy.


    A perfect relocation unnoticed by anyone. I praised myself inwardly and slid my body to the side, eventually being pushed to the edge of the road as if bounced off by the crowd.


    I smiled contentedly as I watched the backs of the elf thieves fading into the distance, leaving only their wallets behind.


    That ought to teach them a lesson. This was just guidance.


    Just as I was about to continue on my way, feeling uplifted, someone grabbed my shoulder from behind.


    Pat.


    Jonah. Take your hand out of your pocket.


    Aieeeeeee!!!


    Lydia?! Why Lydia?!?!

 Chapter 14: Guid?ance (2)

    Chapter 14: Guid?ance (2)


    Jonah. Take your hand out of your pocket.


    Aieeeeeee!!!


    Lydia?! Why Lydia?!?!


    I never imagined Lydia would not only appear at this timing but also notice my crime.


    I was so startled that I tried to run away, crying out in all directions.


    Nope.


    Of course, I was caught immediately. She shoved her hands under my armpits and lifted me. No matter how much I iled my hanging legs, I couldnt escape.


    Oh my. How did that even work? I could understand if it were Ellie, but Lydia wasnt that tall, so it should have been hard for her


    Ah.


    Now that I see it, Lydia was lifting me up with her arms almostpletely raised. Like an otter showing off its baby.


    Though, it wasnt something cute like that, but rather akin to capturing a criminal caught in the act.


    Lydia, who already stood out for her appearance, began to attract even more attention with her conspicuous behavior.


    Noble Lydia? That boy is


    Hes a pinkie. Considering its Lydia, and that kid looks dirty despite his pretty face, he must be a gold digger.


    Thats pinkie discrimination, you know But if thats really the case, did he manage to seduce her?


    As if. She isnt called Noble Lydia for no reason.


    True. No idea where all the money she makes goes.


    At least shes not spending it in brothels like you.


    Whats with the holier-than-thou act? I know that you bought ves with the money you had for weapons.


    Loving a ve is an essential part of life.


    If you want love so much, free them, not enve them, idiot.


    Art ignoramus. Its the way a ve pretends to love me just to appease me thats the attractive part.


    ? Youre crazy.


    As I trembled in fear, listening to the terrifying conversation that could be heard amidst the crowd, Lydia repeated her demand.


    Your pockets. Hand it over.


    Ah, um. The thing is, Miss Lydia.


    I sneakily rolled my eyes to check the direction where the elf robber bhes had gone. Fortunately, because they were too far away, they only nced back briefly and then went on their way.


    Relieved that the worst-case scenario was avoided, I took out the wallet.


    My grudge to return tenfold.


    Grudge?


    Perhaps it was because of the woe in my voice, but tilting her head, Lydia set me down. Then, with each of us holding a side of the wallet, she asked.


    Jonah. What do you mean?


    Its exactly as I said. I happened to find the women who took all the little money I had back when I used to live off begging, so I tried to get some revenge.


    How much was it?


    8 copper.


    Thats.


    Right. It doesnt seem like much, right? But back then, it was a big deal for me.


    Really?


    It wasnt about the amount, but the fact that I hadnt eaten anything for 5 days.


    5 days?


    Yes. At that point, you start to feel like you might actually die. So, I tried to fight back somehow but I couldnt stand a chance against an adult woman.


    What?


    Her voice was filled with confusion. Lydia opened her mouth with an extremely cautious attitude as if she was worried.


    Are you okay?


    Of course, it wasnt okay! The 8 copper was all I had, you know?! I thought I was really going to starve to death because of that! Well, luckily, there was a distribution at the temple the very next day, so I survived, but at that time, I thought that was the end for me!


    Thats not what I meant. It was a scary experience. Usually, there would be traumaah.


    Lydia was rambling, trying to say something, but soon nodded as if she had understood. The pity I sensed from her intensified.


    Did I say something weird?


    I stood there, cocking my head in confusion. Lydia gazed in the direction where the two elf robbers had disappeared, her eyes sunken into a cold expression, just like when she had faced the Twin Dagger n leader in the past.


    Though not long after, she rxed her eyes with a deep sigh.


    Sigh.


    Then, she began awkwardly patting my head.


    Good job.


    What? For what?


    You must have wanted to kill them, but you held back.


    8 copper is a pretty big deal, but I wouldnt kill someone just for extorting me!


    What did Lydia think of me? It was ridiculous, but I stayed still while she patted me.


    I only just realized, but Lydia was in casual clothing today. I guess that made sense since it was her day off.


    Overall, her outfit looked warm, suitable for winter. However, there was one presence that couldnt be hidden even by her thick clothes.


    Jiggle jiggle.


    Oh.


    It was her bust area, which I had not seen because she had always been in armor.


    I could only guess the exact size if she took off her coat, but for now, I cautiously spected that it at least followed thews of anime proportion.


    And so, I had been in the middle of admiring the view when Lydia must have noticed my gaze. She stopped her hand for a moment and blinked her red eyes.


    Jonah. Weird expression.


    Ah, its nothing, please continue.


    Okay.


    Not showing any signs of difort, Lydia continued to stroke my head. It was somewhat expected. In the continent of Pan, a womans chest wasnt considered something embarrassing.


    Perhaps because some of the culture from before the War of the Fallen Gods remained, walking around with ones chestpletely exposed was considered the act of a crazy exhibitionist but that was about it.


    The consensus seemed to be that it was okay as long as you covered about as much as what underwear would. Therefore, people tended to be lenient about exposing chests and the gazes that followed.


    Right now, everyone was bundled up because it was cold but in the summer, it was a sight to see.


    Cheers to my past self who came up with this setting!


    Anyway, given the situation, Lydia probably didnt think I was looking at her chest with lecherous eyes.


    Then suddenly, a thought crossed my mind.


    Wait a moment. Wouldnt it be okay to touch it a bit right now?


    Since its a world where gender roles are reversed, and because Im still young, it was just out of curiosity, and I just couldnt help myself, etc. I made all sorts of excuses in my head, but to be honest, it was just a dark desire.


    Pretending to try to take the stolen wallet back, I suddenly shot out my hand. If I just pretend it was an appropriate mistake and then divert the trajectory!


    Here.


    Huh?


    Was it because I moved openly right in front of her? Or because she couldnt be fooled again by a movement she had seen a few times already?


    Lydia easily caught my hand and then ced the wallet she had confiscated on top of it.


    I could feel the heavy pressure through the thick leather. It wasnt her chest, but this was nice in its own way.


    When I stared nkly at Lydia with aplicated emotion, not knowing whether to be happy or sad, she averted her gaze as if she felt awkward.


    I was nning to scold you. My purpose is to provide Jonah with guidance. But this time is an exception. Its something you should be praised for.


    Then, is it okay to continue snatching peoples wallets in the future?


    I praised you for nning to end your revenge there. Pickpocketing itself is a bad deed.


    Ah? Whether its Ellie or Miss Lydia, I really dont know what you both see in me, but I do have themon sense that one shouldnt recklessly kill people, you know?


    What about themon sense that pickpocketing is also bad?


    If youre always bound bymon sense, you cant seed.


    Looks like I have a lot to teach you after all.


    Lydia smiled faintly while she tidied up my tousled hair. In the meantime, I quickly checked todays haul.


    Hmm Is this it?


    It was just full of copper coins. However, the quantity was considerable, so the total amount was promising. It should at least be enough to buy a meal.


    Miss Lydia, you havent eaten yet, have you?


    Yes, I was just about to go eat.


    Since I made some earnings today, Ill treat you! Lead the way!


    As I dered this while thumping my chest, Lydia pondered for a moment then nodded.


    Alright, Im looking forward to it.


    Yes! But its not too expensive, is it?


    Dont worry. Im thinking of going to a ce I often visit.


    If its a ce she often visits, it shouldnt be too expensive. I followed Lydia with a lighter heart.


    And then I regretted it.<hr>


    Arriving at the restaurant with Lydia, I couldnt suppress my rising indignation and raised my voice.


    You liar! Youve deceived me!


    False usation, troublesome. I never deceived you.


    How can you frequent a ce like this?!


    I eximed, gesturing wildly to emphasize the surroundings.


    The chandelier dangling from the ceiling. The guests adhering strictly to a dress code. The impably dressed waiters. And the menu where prices started with silver.


    My goodness. 1 silver for a ss of water, have they lost their minds?


    It did mention that the water wasnt ordinary, citing magical and holy powers, but still, water is water.


    This ce is outrageously expensive! Its a high-end restaurant! Arent regr spots supposed to be reasonably priced and moderately delicious?!


    Ahem. Among the restaurants I frequent, this one is rtively affordable.


    No way! If that were true, even Miss Lydia would be penniless by now!


    Thats not true. Ive also been investing in proper equipment.


    With a noticeably sullen demeanor, Lydia replied. Thinking about it, Lydias purse always seemed light for a high-ranking adventurer. Could it be?


    Be honest with me, Miss Lydia. Where do you spend the money you earn from adventuring? As a high-ranking adventurer, you must have secured a ce to live in thebyrinth city, which is notorious for its expensive housing, simr to how Ellie opened a shop.


    Noment.


    Did you really spend it all on expensive food and gear?!


    Lydia deliberately ignored my shocked state. She then gestured with two fingers to a nearby waiter.


    Two, guide us to our seats, please.


    Understood. A good seat has just be avable, so I will guide you there.


    Despite themotion, the waiter bowed politely as if nothing had happened.


    Thinking about it, didnt this person slightly furrow their eyebrows too when they first saw me? I thought I was mistaken because they quickly returned to their original expression


    But now it was clear. They were about to kick me out after seeing my outfit but let it go after confirming I was with Lydia.


    How often has shee here to be treated like this?


    While I stood there dumbfounded, Lydia, guided by the waiter, began to cross the restaurant with her usual expressionless face.


    I hurriedly ran and grabbed Lydias sleeve.


    Miss Lydia! Miss Lydia! This ce is too expensive. Its a bit awkward to say this as a man, but cant we go to another store?!


    Huh? What does being a man have to do with it?


    I said I would pay for it. But I dont think I would be able to afford the food here even if I spent all the money I had


    Upon hearing my earnest whispering, Lydia cocked her head in confusion, and then her expression lit up as if she had realized something.


    Ah, you were serious about that. Dont worry. Ill pay for it.


    Gasp!


    Thats right. Lydia wasnt unaware of my financial situation, so she wouldnt have nned on mooching off me here. It must have been just a joke.


    In this world, theres a perception that its polite for women to pay for meals, but even that has its limits.


    To buy me a meal at such an expensive ce. Lydia must indeed have a generous heart. Thats what I thought, until I heard what Lydia added next.


    Ill add it to Jonahs debt.


    This was a joke too, right?

 Chapter 15: Guid?ance (3)

    Chapter 15: Guid?ance (3)


    Lydia quietly observed the boy in front of her.


    Theres a saying that those born with pink hair are loved by the Goddess of Love. Of course, it hasnt been officially confirmed by the temple


    The rumor had spread because, regardless of age, gender, or race, they all possessed beautiful appearances and strong sexual desires.


    If that saying is true, then the boy in front of her must surely be the child most cherished by the Goddess of Love.


    His pink hair shone despite theck of proper care, and he had smooth skin even without applying anything.


    Not to mention the neatness of his facial features, and the asional mischievousness that could pull a womans heart up and down. Usually, he exhibited an unguarded manner that was beyond being easy-going.


    Even to Lydia, who had never taken much interest in the opposite sex, Jonah was an incredibly attractive child.


    If he aged a bit more and dressed up a bit more, he would be a man fitting the definition of unparalleled beauty.


    However, Jonahs greatest peculiarity wasnt his appearance.


    Jonah. This is how you eat this.


    Yes.


    Jonah was dining with Lydia, disying somewhat clumsy movements.


    It is indeed strange.


    Jonah might not know theplex etiquette or the order of eating food, but his handling of utensils was oddly proficient.


    In truth, Jonah had just been a tonkatsu enthusiast on Earth who couldnt bear going three days without eating tonkatsu but Lydia, unaware of this fact, saw it a bit differently.


    He knew the bare minimum of dining etiquette but seemed unfamiliar with expensive food.


    This was a characteristic often seen in clergy who considered frugality a virtue.


    It was a wild goose chase, but for Lydia, who had already begun to suspect that Jonah was from One Who Devours the Twilight, it was significantly meaningful.


    One Who Devours the Twilight.


    While all other gods destroyed the world with their folly, they fanatically worshipped the Goddess of Love, who had merely continued to love everything.


    They believed without a doubt that only the Goddess of Love was a true god and should be the owner of all miracles in this world.


    Thus, theymitted any deed they considered necessary, no matter how hical, without hesitation.


    This included dissecting those who had obtained the miracles of a dead god in thebyrinth to steal their power and conducting human experiments to see how far one could still be considered human, as the love of their goddess fell upon all humans


    Then there were various studies targeting those with pink hair, who were believed to be favored by the goddess.


    They did all of this because they believed it was a way to repay the love given by the Goddess of Love, so they never hesitated or pondered.


    Naturally, the orthodox religion that believes in the Goddess of Love strongly opposed this, dering One Who Devours the Twilight to be a heretical group.


    Many nations and adventurer guilds also define them as an extremely dangerous criminal group, hunting them down at every opportunity.


    They had practically turned the entire world into an enemy. The reason why One Who Devours the Twilight still managed to survive and spread their infamy was simple.


    Its because they have their base not in the overworld, but in abyrinth.


    And Jonah was a child who had been kidnapped during his childhood and raised in a branch of One Who Devours the Twilight or so Lydia thought.


    Three years ago, Lydia did not directly experience the incident that led Ellie to retire from adventuring. At the time, shecked the skills to participate in the subjugation operation.


    However, she could infer the general circumstances from what she heard from Ellie and her own investigations.


    Ellie, along with other high-ranking adventurers, embarked on a subjugation mission targeting a branch where two main experiments were being conducted.


    The first experiment questioned whether it was possible to control monsters, imbued with madness, using fragments from the corpse of the God of Madness.


    The second experiment pondered, Does the goddess love even a child who does not know love?


    The former was dismissed as mere folly by the madmen, but the nature of thetter experiment was shocking enough to spark widespread discussion at the time.


    Initially, they would bring in a child young enough not to remember being loved and subject them to thorough brainwashing.


    They suppressed the childs emotions, denied them any form of warmth from others, and relentlessly indoctrinated them with praises for the goddess.


    Once a foundation was somewhat established, they moved on to eradicating even the slightest sense of self-love.


    During this process, they forbade the wearing of clothes,manded the children to harm themselves, and if they refused, subjected them to torture. Through various means, they obliterated not only the concept of shame but also the instinct for self-preservation, shattering the spirit.


    The aim was to make the children see themselves as beings of no value, both physically and mentally, never having been loved, nor having the right to love anyone.


    In this process, most either died or went mad but even those who somehow survived became nothing more than empty shells.


    What the One Who Devours the Twilight taught these hollowed-out children were the skills for ughter.


    They believed that if caring for someone was an expression of love, then its antithesis was to kill them.


    The next step, learned from interrogating captured prisoners, was to force the children to kill each other until only one survivor remained, and then to verify if that child had been imbued with the goddesss power


    Fortunately, the research did not advance that far. The extermination team, including Ellie, arrived while the children were still being trained inbat skills.


    Senior Ellie is a fool but a good person. She wouldnt have just ignored them, even knowing it would interfere with the mission.


    Ellie had pitied the children and wanted to rescue them, to help them lead normal lives.


    But that was the problem. The children had nothing except for enforced faith andbat skills.


    What would they have thought, seeing the branch of One Who Devours the Twilight copse before their eyes, and the zealots they had considered absolute beings being killed off?


    The children felt endangered. Though it had been forced and false, they feared losing their faith, which had been the only thing allowed to them.


    Thus, they deemed Ellie the adventurers as enemies.


    That was why Ellie, who had been fighting against the floor guardian, was stabbed in the back.


    If Jonah was one of those children, wouldnt that exin everything?


    Theck of hesitation in taking lives, the attitude that seems to ce little value on ones own body and pain, his unusually vast amount of knowledge, the speech and conduct that seemed somewhat off frommon sense


    And the abnormal obsession with Ellie.


    If all of this was because Jonah was a child thoroughly ruined by the hands of One Who Devours the Twilight, then everything that had been iprehensible to her until now suddenly made sense.


    Of course, several parts were realistically impossible.


    For example, the location. Elliesst extermination operation took ce on the 6th floor, which corresponds to the middle floors of thebyrinth.


    Moreover, the branch of One Who Devours the Twilight was a mess due to the battle between the floor guardian and Ellie.


    Even if one somehow survived that chaos, was it really possible to find a safe zone and escape out of thebyrinth?


    Originally, it would have been nearly impossible. However, it is said that at that time, most of the monsters on the 6th floor were only targeting the extermination team due to the schemes of the Twilight.


    If one had somehow, by luck, managed to survive, then thebyrinth would have acknowledged Jonahs achievements and given corresponding rewards.


    For example, a speed that could nevere from a child of that age.


    Sigh.


    Perhaps she had thought too much. Lydia inadvertently let out a sigh, unable to properly enjoy her delicious meal.


    Jonah, who had been sneakily eyeing Lydias te, flinched in startlement and retracted his fork. Then, as if nothing had happened, he asked worriedly,


    Lydia? Do you have something on your mind?


    Yeah. I got sad because Jonah was trying to steal my steak.


    Steal! Please, say that we were sharing! Look, like this.


    Trading sd for meat is an unfair exchange.


    Tsk.


    Such shamelessness. Jonah has been like this since the moment they met.


    She tried to save him, but he took advantage of a chance and escaped on his own. Then, as if he knew nothing, he simply thanked her foring to save him.


    Jonah.


    Yes?


    When you defeated the Twin Daggers n leader, why did you pretend that you didnt do it?


    Cough cough!


    He must not have expected to be asked such a question. Jonah hurriedly drank some water to clear his cough, thenughed incredulously.


    What? Were you ying with your food because you were curious about something like that?


    Answer me.


    Well its not that big of a deal, but


    Jonah, looking a bit embarrassed, averted her gaze and continued,


    I really like salvation stories.


    Salvation stories?


    Yes. You know them, right? A man kidnapped by a viin. And the hero who makes a cool entrance to save him. A powerful first encounter. The feelings that start frompassion and admiration develop into love as they get to know each other deeply Its amon and clich story, but its romantic, isnt it?


    Im not sure. I dont really read that genre of books.


    Ill rmend you some good ones next time. Anyway, my first meeting with Miss Lydia was like the beginning of a salvation story, so I just tried saying something that someone who was kidnapped might say.


    Salvation.


    Lydia pondered Jonahs words. Could it be that Jonah sees Ellie not as an enemy of his faith but as a savior?


    If Lydia could see into peoples hearts, she might have noticed that Jonah was seething with anger as he recalled the hatements from his past life about being a salvation story one-trick pony Unfortunately, Lydia does not possess such a skill.


    Come to think of it, Senior Ellie did decide to trust Jonah in the end.


    It didnt matter what his true identity was. What did he say, that he wont doubt the continuous kindness shown to him?


    Suddenly, Lydia realized that she had been too obsessed with Jonahs past.


    What kind of person was the Jonah I saw in person?


    He tried to understand Ellie and Lydias feelings, attempted to keep to a moral line even with his revenge, and stared at her chest for some reason, but asked to be petted with a giggling smile.


    Of course, he was a bit of a kleptomaniac, and a bit of a psychopath, and liked to y with womens hearts, but


    Wait, the problems are too severe.


    Even if Jonahs past is what she thought it was, he had be a much better person now. Perhaps, in the distant future, he might be an even better person.


    But I cant just leave him be.


    Indeed, Jonah needs someone to teach him propermon sense and a way of life.


    And that was supposed to be her role, having taken on the task of guiding Jonah.


    Jonah. Lets go for dessert after we finish eating.


    Hm? Sure, if Miss Lydia wants to.


    Lets go shopping too.


    That would be perfect for digestion.


    Jonah nodded nonchntly. At the sight, Lydia smiled slyly.


    I still have a lot of money left from Senior Ellie. After making a round at the nearby dessert shop, then fitting some weapons at the forge, and then putting it all on his debt Yes. I can extend the period of my guidance.


    After all, a few months would not be enough to teach Jonah about a normal life.


    Lydia finished making her resolution to take responsibility(?) for Jonahs life.


    Unaware of the tragedy born from deep misunderstandings and a strong sense of duty, Jonah secretly switched his and Lydias steak tes while she was still lost in deep thought.


    He was a growing boy.

 Chapter 16: Back To Floor 1

    Chapter 16: Back To Floor 1


    Forced sales are a crime.


    Despite having enjoyed a full array of activities in Pangrave, and having only just enough for Floor 1, I managed to purchase a set consisting of a dagger and bolts for my crossbow. I was also able to pay in advance for the refinement of the magic herb elixir! And though I was thrilled at the prospect of using the money I saved today to roll the gachater, the fact remains:


    Forced sales are a crime.


    For this reason, I found myself pressing my face against Ellies stomach, who was stylishly shaking a shaker with one hand, and began to whine.


    Waaaah! Ellie! Please save me!


    Im working right now, Jonah Im busy, so make it quick. Summarize it in three sentences.


    Had a date with Lydia. But she dumped the date costs on me. Jonah sad. Sob sob.


    Did you really have to add sob sob and make it four sentences? Wait. A date? With Lydia?!


    Yep.


    Eating, going to a cafe, shopping, and chattingeven though the topic was thestbyrinth explorationcouldnt it be considered a date?


    Ive never actually been on one in either my past or present life, so Im not entirely sure, but it seems likely.


    It definitely wasnt my n to involve Ellie and inadvertently cause an unintentional murder on my part, thereby erasing the debt as if it never happened.


    Ah, really, I mean it.


    Struggling to suppress the corners of my mouth that kept trying to rise, I put on a pitiful voice. Perhaps my exaggerated act made her suspect something was amiss.


    Lydia, who had just pulled out a chair to sit down, pushed it back in and quietly turned around.


    Though, by then, it was already toote.


    Stop right there.


    Senior Ellie. Its a misunderstanding. Lets talk this over.


    What are you talking about? Jonah isnt my lover, so why would I care if you two went on a date?


    Wellyou say you wouldnt care, but youre probably giving me a death re right now, just like you are.


    With a deep sigh, Lydia took a seat. In front of her, Ellie poured a freshly mixed drink and began to speak.


    Its not like that. Im just, you know, trying to give you advice as your senior. Look at this. Im even giving you free drinks. What a nice senior I am.


    Old-fashioned, troublesome.


    Shut up and listen! How can a woman try to take money from a man? Especially Jonah, hes still a child!


    Stop with the outdated ideals. Its the era of gender equality now. If youre an adventurer, both men and women are strong, and they earn well too!


    Lydia protested weakly. Hiding behind Ellie, with only my head peeking out, I retorted to her words.


    Wah. Im baby Jonah. Not strong, and hab no money.


    Jonah. Lets talkter.


    Lydia red dryly in this direction. So thats how its going to be? Good, I just happened to have a lot to say too.


    Why talkter? We can talk right now.


    While youre hiding behind Ellie?


    Surely youre not trying to say something you cant tell Ellie, right?


    I shrugged my shoulders and pointed at Lydia with my index finger.


    First of all, let me say, I dont think men and women need to be equal. That way, I can mooch off Ellies money and not do anything.


    I had been speaking to Lydia, but the response came from Ellies direction. Apanied by a fed-up expression at that.


    As always, thats a really trashy reason. Besides, I never said Id marry you, Jonah.


    My goodness. Then Ellie will have to grow old and die alone! How pitiful


    What do you mean by that, Jonny Boy? Youd better choose your next words carefully.


    Its just as I said. Who else would ept Ellie, who spends all day thinking about naughty thoughts and perpetually in heat, with a rather extreme taste, and is only a few days away from being a spinster?


    Ellie seemed genuinely hurt and shrank back in silence. I patted her on the back.


    Now you must be thinking that you really should marry me, right?


    I was tempted, but still, I dont know about a debtor


    I admired her steadfast refusal to take on someone elses debts, even in this situation.


    As expected of Ellie! Unlike Lydia, who spends all her earnings on food and new equipment without saving a dime! Truly a top-notch bride!


    What exactly are your criteria for a bride, Jonah?


    Pretty, kind, wealthy, and most importantly, someone who treats me well.


    Thats not a spouse; thats a wealthy fool! Marriage is supposed to be about more! You know? A bit moreyeah?!


    With her face flushed bright red, she could only stammer, unable to articte her thoughts properly. WellShe was probably trying to say something along these lines.


    Are you saying it should be with someone you love?


    Yes, yes, that!


    Honestly, I dont really understand that part. Ive never loved anyone to that extent.


    My feelings for Ellie werea bitplicated. After all, there was an unconditional affection for my character at the base of my feelings.


    I, Jonah Kim, have been forever single through my past and present lives. Apart from unrequited love, Ive learned everything about love from books!


    As I sighed deeply and said that, Ellie and Lydia froze for some reason.


    Why? Why did they look like theyd just stepped on andmine?


    I decided to try to do something before the atmosphere turned irrecoverably weird and grabbed Ellies tail.


    Long and fluffy fur. The movement of muscles twitching every time my hand touched it felt like a separate creature altogether as I wrapped the tail around my neck.


    It was as if I was using Ellies tail as a scarf. It was a thoughtless act, but it felt much nicer than expected, perhaps due to her regr care. It also seemed to smell nice.


    This was it!


    What I imagined was the heroine giggling, saying she could smell the protagonists scent after putting on their clothes.


    I may not know much about other things, but I was acutely aware of the fantasies harbored by forever-singles like Ellie. Simply doing what I wished others would do for me seemed to work wonders every time.


    Hmmmmm.


    I buried my nose in Ellies tail, which was wrapped around my neck, and took a deep breath. The pleasant smell was undeniable, making the corners of my mouth rx involuntarily.


    How could I describe it? It was like a blend of puppy smell and a hint of perfume.


    After enjoying Ellies scent for a moment, I lifted my head.


    Ellies face was flushed a deep red, her yellow eyes sparkled with impulse, and Lydie just stared at us, her expression one of mild curiosity.


    I smiled broadly at them and began to speak.


    I dont know much about love, but if theres someone whos pretty, kind, wealthy, and likes me Im sure I woulde to like that person too.


    I didnt specify anyone in particr. I just calmly looked at Ellie.


    At this point, she should have either be overly excited, her tastes being met, or, conversely, disyed a pained expression in an effort to restrain herself from pouncing on me immediately


    But instead, Ellie was giving me an encouraging look, her smile bittersweet yet full ofpassion.


    No. She was actually starting to encourage me. She began to gently stroke my head with her hand, cautiously extended.


    Its okay. That will definitely happen for you, Jonah.


    Eh.


    This wasnt the reaction I was expecting. I reflexively looked at Lydia, but her reaction was no different.


    As if she had just watched a touching movie, she was pping softly, her eyes rimmed with redness.


    What was this? Really, what was this


    It was only for a moment that I found myself puzzled. Unable to stand the lukewarm atmosphere any longer, I extricated myself from under Ellies tail and changed the subject.


    Ahem! Anyway, lets talk about something else!


    Something else? Oh, like Lydias execution ceremony?


    Heres a suggestion. Instead of executing me, it would be more beneficial for Senior Ellie to hang out with Jonahter.


    What! Me, going on a date with Jonah?


    Suddenly filled with some sort of thought, Ellie began looking wistful. I knew what she was thinking. That was the expression she had when trying to hide that she was having naughty thoughts.


    Shaking my head, I opened my mouth.


    Ellie. Were going to talk about work now, so please stop with the naughty thoughts.


    I, I didnt! I was thinking aboutpletely wholesome things! But what do you mean by work?


    Yep. Were going back into thebyrinth tomorrow, so I wanted to talk about that for a bit.


    Is there any need to talk about it? Its just the first floor, after all. You can just breeze in, sweep through it, and be done.


    Ellie tilts her head, puzzled. Though her exnation may have been too simplistic, it wasnt wrong.


    The first floor didnt have particrly strong monsters, nor did it have annoying gimmicks. You just had to fight normally.


    After all, the first floor was like a tutorial zone for adventurers, so that was only natural.


    Usually, that was the case.


    Im thinking of fighting the guardian of the 1st floor. I need to be that strong, so I have to look for ways to grow quickly!


    Despite the determination behind my words, the reaction from the two was mild.


    Ah, Ive had that thought before too.


    Every adventurer has thought about that. But no one has ever seeded.


    A listless voice. A gaze staring into the void as if reminiscing, with a distant tone.


    They clearly dont believe me, do they?


    Its not like I didnt understand them. The floor guardian, true to its name, was a kind of boss mob representing that floor.


    Its known that theres one on every floor. If its not found, it simply hasnt respawned yet, or the conditions for its summoning havent been met.


    However, its widely believed that the first floorcks a floor guardian.


    The first floor is essible to anyone who simply walks through the door, making it a hub for novices barely qualifying as adventurers.


    If formidable monsters like floor guardians were present, it would lead to an increase in meaningless deaths rather than growth among these individuals.


    Wasnt there a story that thepassionate Goddess of Love, concerned about this, made the first floor an exception?


    Frankly, thats nonsense. There is indeed a floor guardian on the first floor. Its just that no one knows because the conditions to summon them are difficult to meet.


    I shed a confident smile at Ellie and Lydia.


    Shall we make a bet? The loser fulfills a wish for the winner.


    At those words, their expressions shifted dramatically. Ellies eyes sparkled with a clear desire, while Lydia nodded, her sense of duty ignited.


    Deal!


    No backing out.


    Thats what I intended to say.

 Chapter 17: Back To Floor 1 (2)

    Chapter 17: Back To Floor 1 (2)


    I had dered that I would defeat the guardian of the 1st floor, but of course, that didnt mean right now.


    After all, I stillcked the absolute specs, and it was obvious that I wouldnt even be able to properly fill the minimum contribution points.


    What was important right now was to be stronger. And the fastest way to be stronger was, of course


    The gacha.


    Huh? What did you just say, Jonah?


    It was the next day. This time, I was properly equipped with weapons, and Lydia, who was leading the way in thebyrinth, turned around.


    Her bright red eyes stared straight at me. I, too, without avoiding her gaze, asked in a serious voice.


    Miss Lydia. Could you lend me about 100 gold?


    What do you need that much money for?


    Lets see, to exin gacha in an easy-to-understand way


    Gambling?


    Absolutely not.


    Why nooooot! Ill pay it back if I win!


    Stop talking nonsense. Just get ready for battle. Theres a goblin up ahead.


    I know that too. Ill be right back.


    I briskly walked past Lydia. There was an area with an uneasy feeling about 5 meters ahead, near a thick tree.


    Its n must be to wait atop the tree, then jump down and kill whoever fell into the hidden trap.


    It must have thought it was thoroughly camouged, with the trap covered with a thinyer of soil and it hiding among the branches


    But true to goblin nature, the execution was somewhat sloppy.


    If you look closely at the trap, its outline is visible through the dirt, and the goblin, though hiding, seems unable to stay still, constantly rustling.


    With a bit of attention, it was a threat that could easily be seen through. Just the difficulty level youd expect from a first-floor monster.


    I walked defenselessly forward, pretending not to notice, then the moment I neared the tree, I screamed loudly as if I had fallen into the trap.


    Aaaah!


    Gobureubut! Stupid little human! Be my husband!


    The goblin,pletely fooled, dropped from the tree with a gleeful expression. It seemed to use the momentum of its fall to strike me with its club, but


    I wasnt actually trapped and unable to move, and I knew where the goblin was, so why let it hit me?


    I dont understand why youre in heat for someone of a different species.


    Muttering so, I kicked off the ground and leaped up. But once wasnt enough, so I aimed diagonally towards the tree.


    Pa-pat!


    I stepped on the trunk of the tree and jumped again in a triangr movement. The distance closed in an instant.


    The goblin, who had only lifted the club above its head, was not yet ready to swing. I grabbed it with both arms wide open as if embracing it.


    My smoothly curved arm dug into the goblins joints and then firmly restrained it.


    Gobubbeut?!


    The goblin, surprised by the joint lock in mid-air, might have had the strength to escape if given time but it didnt have that time.


    I put strength into my waist and flipped over. Then, quickly releasing my restraint, I kicked the goblins body away.


    With that recoil, I adjusted my posture in the air andnded safely. Conversely, the goblinpletely flipped over and fell headfirst.


    Gobueeuut!


    Crack.


    Turning away from the corpse that I didnt even use my dagger on, I deepened my voice.


    Hmph. Cut down something useless again.


    But you didnt cut anything.


    Ignoring Lydias exasperated reply, I began dissecting the goblin.


    Since the bones of the hand were sold as alchemical materials, I cut near the wrist, threw it into my backpack, and then split the heart to remove the magic stone inside.


    That was it. Goblins were weak and easy to catch, but that also meant they werent worth much.


    As I sighed and put the dagger back into its sheath, the goblins corpse lost its color and crumbled not long after.


    Half of the remains turned to dust and were blown away by the wind, while the other half seeped into the ground. Thus, within 10 seconds, any sign that the goblin ever existed disappeared.


    Once the core that bound the monster to this dimension was gone, it could no longer maintain its form.


    So, if there was a part that one needed, it had to be cut off before extracting the magic stone.


    Well, even if it disappeared, it didntpletely vanish. Instead, it regrouped somewhere to respawn as a new goblin but no one knows in which time period.


    It could appear in thebyrinth a thousand years ago, have just sprung up somewhere in the Great Forest right at this moment, or have jumped into the future several hundred years from now.


    Naturally, the goblins we face could originally have been from an entirely different time period.


    The space-time of thebyrinth was fundamentally twisted, and theyers we explore have been made as habitable as possible by untangling them as much as possible.


    It was somewhatplicated, but this was just content that I added to justify the setting where thebyrinths monsters and resources were infinite.


    However, the key that formed the floor, the remains of a dead god, were an exception but originally, its like the core that formed the floor, so no one could interfere except for the Goddess of Love who constructed the structure of thebyrinth.


    For example, the World Tree that could be seen from anywhere on the first floor when one looked up. That thing was practically a huge illusion.


    The remains observable within the floor could be described as a shadow cast over a specific space-time.


    Even if you somehow managed to reach the World Tree after breaking through the increasingly ferocious monsters, it would be impossible to touch or destroy it.


    You would just pass through it as if there was nothing there.


    After looking at the World Tree for a moment, I turned my gaze to Lydia.


    By the way, Miss Lydia, it seems goblins are no longer a proper match for me. So, shall we start facing other monsters?


    Yes. I didnt expect you to use the dagger I bought you for butchering.


    Ah Well, this time, it seemed more inconvenient to draw my weapon. You know, with the limited time to stay airborne, why bother drawing the dagger? Especially when it doesnt have the power to kill in one hit.


    I wasnt scolding you. You did well. It was a good decision.


    With a faint smile, Lydia patted my head. For some reason, she seems to think I like being patted.


    She patted my head even for trivial things, saying it was her way of praising me. Of course, I dont dislike it but its not like I particrly enjoy it either.


    And right now, I couldnt even see her bust area because we were in thebyrinth, and she was wearing armor.


    It was only for a moment that I gazed at Lydia with a strange expression. Perhaps she felt my gaze, as Lydia coughed awkwardly.


    Ahem. Lets go a bit deeper, Jonah. Youre more than skilled enough, Jonah.


    Yayy!


    But before that,e here for a moment.


    Crouching in ce, Lydia tapped the ground beside her. Curious, I crouched next to her, and there was a goblins crude trap.


    Were going to disarm this.


    If you know its a trap, cant you just avoid it? Why bother?


    Even if you know its a trap, there are times you cant avoid it. Do you know the difference between a Wandering Goblin on the outskirts and a Hobgoblin in the central regions?


    The civilization.


    Overall, Hobgoblins are bigger and stronger, and asionally, even have shamans, so theres definitely a racial difference.


    But still, theyre goblins. The difference in specs wasnt tremendouslyrge.


    Therefore, the biggest difference was their way of life.


    Wandering Goblins always move alone or in small groups, never exceeding three, living a barbaric life.


    In contrast, Hobgoblins gather in dozens to form tribes, creating their own civilization and living systematically.


    Hobgoblins have primitive huts and fences surrounding them, use a wider variety of tools, and have a clear ss distinction.


    Therefore, they disdain Wandering Goblins, considering them barbarians but since their sexual desire is just as strong, they exceptionally ept all the males thate their way.


    Male goblins are said to never leave their home, not work, and spend their days mating until the end of their lives, hence called the breeding ss.


    Its a bit enviable, but when you consider that all their partners are goblins, the appeal quickly fades.


    Wait. So, is that why Wandering Goblins get excited whenever they see me?


    All the males must have gone to the Hobgoblins, leaving only females behind. Its clear that they get excited firsthand, regardless of species, if they see a male.


    Shivering at the memory of the goblin that wouldnt take its eyes off my groin until the moment it died, Lydia started patting my head again.


    I really wish she would do this with her armor off.


    Correct. If Jonah goes deeper, it will be inevitable to sh with the Hobgoblins. Theyre not the strongest monsters, but they are the most numerous.


    So, we need to know how to disarm traps?


    Yes. Hobgoblins dont just throw traps hoping someone will get caught; they use them in a way that makes it impossible not to get caught. So, well practice in advance. If you cant avoid a trap, how to disarm it, and if youre already caught in it, how to escape.


    Nodding, Lydia began to demonstrate on the trap that was in front of us.


    Professional trap disassembly is quite difficult andplex, so only a few scouts have mastered it but goblin traps are crude. Anyone who is an adventurer should be able to do this much. Look at this. Easy, right?


    Oh.


    Afterward, as we made our way toward the center, we encountered several traps. However, as Lydia had mentioned, they all had a simple structure, making the disarming process straightforward.


    Yet, after detecting and disarming traps multiple times, a thought suddenly struck me.


    Goblins fight in a cowardly manner, so is there any reason for me, whos weaker than a goblin, to fight fairly with just a dagger and a crossbow?


    Considering making traps like theirs wasnt a bad idea, I realized there must be other methods as well.


    Thus, I decided to let my imagination wander. Specifically, into darker territories, pondering how I could tilt a fight in my favor.


    Surely, this will prove to be useful someday.

 Chapter 18: Back To Floor 1 (3)

    Chapter 18: Back To Floor 1 (3)


    Goblins were no longer a match for me.


    Therefore, we ventured deeper and encountered a white mass. Though we could only see its back, it stood out starkly in a forest that was entirely green.


    Lydia, leading the way, extended her arm to halt us, announcing,


    Its a Horn Rabbit.


    Unlike goblins, they at least look cute.


    They were somewhatrge for rabbits, about the size of a medium-sized dog. Its white fur was fluffy, and the expression it wore while nibbling on grass was the epitome of harmlessness.


    Except for the horn on its forehead and its slightlyrger size, it looked no different from an ordinary rabbit.


    Dont let its appearance deceive you. Theres a reason it resides deeper than the Wandering Goblins.


    I have some information on Horn Rabbits, so dont worry.


    Alright.


    Lydia nodded with aplex expression. Did she doubt me? In these situations, actions speak louder than words.


    Gripping the dagger, I approached the Horn Rabbit.


    If cowardice and cruelty were the defining traits of a goblin, then speed was the hallmark of a Horn Rabbit.


    Being originally a rabbit, it was incredibly fast. In terms of burst speed, it was considered the fastest on the first floor. Darting around at such speed and stabbing into the stomachs of other creatures with its horn was the hunting style of a Horn Rabbit.


    Given such characteristics, the orthodox method of capturing a Horn Rabbit was well-known. Block the charging Horn Rabbit with a thick shield and kill the creature as it staggers from the impact. Thats the end of it.


    Its skin is no different from that of an ordinary rabbit; even a poor hit would quickly kill it.


    But that strategy was irrelevant to me, who had no shield, and even if I did, I wouldnt have been able to manage it due to its weight


    The important thing here was that an adventurer from the first floor could respond to its speed if they remained fully alert.


    And I was confident that my instantaneous speed was even faster than theirs.


    In other words, it means that the monster, which relies solely on speed, is outpaced by me!


    Rustle.


    Kyu-it?


    The Horn Rabbit turned around at the sound of me stepping on the grass. Though it cried out in a cute voice, that was its own way of dering war.


    My prediction wasnt wrong; it immediately dashed forward, kicking off the ground.


    Its definitely fast. But if you asked whether it was too fast for the eyes to follow, it wasnt to that extent.


    Ugh.


    I dodged slightly and shed the Horn Rabbits nk with my dagger.


    Perhaps because both of our speeds were so fast, the impact felt in my hand was so strong that I ended up dropping the dagger.


    I aimed my crossbow at the Horn Rabbit that swiftly passed by me To put it short, there was no need for that.


    Because the Horn Rabbit, with its side deeply torn, was already dying.


    Kyuuit!


    Its tragic final words. The creature, struggling with its intestines spilling out, soon went limp.


    Thats it?


    I did expect this to be an easy match, but I didnt expect it to be simpler than a goblin.


    As I tilted my head and approached to take care of the Horn Rabbits corpse, thats when it happened.


    Kyuuiik!


    Kyuaaak!


    Kyukyukkakka!


    The cries of Horn Rabbits wereing from all around.


    M, Miss Lydia? Whats happening?!


    Jonah. I thought you said you knew about them. Horn Rabbits move in family groups.


    I know that! But there werent any around, so I thought it was alone!


    Horn Rabbits are so fast that if theyre too close, they collide with each other. Thats why even within the same group, they maintain a certain distance.


    I didnt expect it to be to this extent.


    Horn Rabbits were set as minor mobs, so I didnt add much detail when nning them. Horn Rabbits that are incredibly fast and often move in groups. That was about it.


    I knew I wouldnt be familiar with many of their detailed habits, but I didnt expect the reality to deviate so much from my expectations.


    With goblins, the only difference was their increased interest in me, which was manageable but this incident was a wake-up call.


    The information in my memory should only serve as a reference.


    Ugh! Ill need to check out that monster guide the guild sells when I get back!


    Gritting my teeth, I braced myself. Not only was I unsure of where they mighte from, but several were charging at me simultaneously. Even for me, this was perilous.


    After a moment of hesitation, I subtly moved closer to Lydia, so I could use her expensive-looking armor as a shield if necessary.


    I know it was somewhat disgraceful, but it really was the best option.


    As I grumbled to myself, Lydia, with a calm demeanor, patted my shoulder.


    Yes. Well said. Studying is crucial for adventurers. And it was wise of you to seek me out when things seemed dire.


    Huh? Oh, I didnt mean to ask for help just nowum never mind, please do help.


    Leave it to me.


    Her tone was as straightforward as ever. However, Lydia had a faint smile on her lips as she summoned arge sword from seemingly nowhere.


    There must have been a weapon storage artifact integrated into her armorbut the fact that this sword lookedpletely different from the twin swords I had seen at the n House before intrigued me.


    The one Id seen before was a sleek ck longsword. And the one she had just drawn was so bulky and heavy it seemed it could double as a shield.


    Could she really be nning to use it in that way?


    The idea of wielding a greatsword as a shield was something Id only encountered inics or games, so I watched, heart racing, though only for a brief moment.


    Then, the rustling sound of something charging grew rapidly louder.


    Jonah. Duck.


    Yes maam.


    I instinctively ducked down And then I witnessed something far more incredible than I had imagined.


    Kwaang!


    A roar loud enough to deafen the ears erupted. A fierce wind, making it hard to open my eyes, swept through our surroundings, and a beatter, something resembling a lump of blood dropped to the ground.


    Thud, thwack.


    Uh.


    So, just now, she swung the greatsword at its face to create a wind current, and that wind pressure turned the group of Horn Rabbits into a bloody mess?


    Hieee! Miss Lydia, youre amazing! So strong!


    Ahem.


    As usual, she wore an expressionless face and spoke in a monotone voice. But with her hands on her waist and her chest puffed out, it was clear she felt proud.


    As expected of a high-ranking adventurer who has received a title! So you can handle this much without even using aura!


    Praise me more.


    That weapon just now was different from what Ive seen before, right? Youve prepared various weapons for different situations! Amazing!


    Indeed.


    Plus, youre beautiful, kind enough to be titled Noble, and though you have arge chest, youre also called Pure Lydia for your strong sense of chastity!


    Thatst one didnt seem like apliment.


    She tilted her head in confusion, to which he responded with a bright smile.


    Wow I thought you were the epitome of a reckless adventurer, spending everyst penny on food and weapons, living a mayfly life, but if youre this strong, thats okay! Yes! Do whatever you want, Miss Lydia!


    As expected, that wasnt apliment.


    Lydia, with her eyes sharply narrowed, drummed the top of my head. It felt like a series of painless knocks.


    I wasnt really trying to tease her, but when someone who usually doesnt act all high and mighty does, it makes you want to tease them.


    Eventually, after enduring her beatings(?) until Lydias mood lightened, I was able to look around us.


    The grassy sideways as if trampled by a giant. Scattered atop it were chunks of red meat.


    Wow. Its fortunate that some magic stones were left. The horns have turned to dust, though.


    Magic stones from living monsters are quite durable. Theyre just weak to power.


    By power you mean like holy power?


    Yes. Aura and mana are included as well.


    Indeed. Strictly speaking, both were the powers of a dead god.


    I nodded inwardly and picked out the magic stones from among the blood clots. Along with them, I harvested the horn from the first rabbit I killed.


    Watching the monsters bodies turn to dust and scatter, I steeled my motivation.


    Eutcha! Come to think of it, isnt this the first time Miss Lydia has helped me?


    Thats right. Youve fought well on your own until now.


    Since this is the first mistake Ive made, Ill do even better from now on! Lets move to the next area quickly!


    Positive attitude. Commendable.


    Lydia smiled, then led the way again, and I followed her to start hunting once more.


    Knowing that I could drop my dagger from the recoil, or that they could call their pack before dying, I added a bit of variation to thebat ordingly.


    For example, instead of swinging a dagger at the right time, Id try shooting the crossbow toward the trajectory of the oing charge, or quickly killing the Horn Rabbit so it couldnt call for its group even if it died.


    Or even if it did, I would have my back against a thick tree that not even a Horn Rabbit could prate and narrow the directions that I needed to guard.


    As if to make up for the initial mistake, I proceeded to clear out the goblins and Horn Rabbits without any mistakes.


    Whether it was good luck or bad, I encountered a lot of monsters today and quickly filled up my backpack.


    Having caught enough to be satisfied, we were on our way back.


    -uhguyah!


    -isover!


    ng! Cl-chang!


    Huh?


    A faint voice from afar. And the unmistakable sound of metal shing.


    Miss Lydia. This is.


    Over there. Someone is being attacked by another adventurer.


    Perhaps its because she possesses far more sensitive senses than I do. Lydia, having overheard a conversation I had almostpletely missed, quickly grasped the situation and turned from the direction she was heading without hesitation.


    This was our first encounter with another adventurer in thebyrinth, and it just so happened to be at the scene of a raid.


    Quietly hunting monsters in thebyrinth qualifies one as an adventurer. However, killing such adventurers and stripping them of their magic stones and equipment makes one a raider.


    Naturally, no oneined about the immediate execution of raiders. The raiders who have survived so far were either lucky beginners, cunning, or unbelievably strong. They had to be at least one of these three.


    But with Lydia going, they probably wouldnt stand a chance before meeting their end.


    I had just witnessed Lydias strength today, after all. No matter what a mere adventurer from the first floor could attempt, they wouldnt be able to touch even a single hair on Lydias head.


    With such optimism, we arrived at the scene. But there, unexpected figures were present.


    Huh?


    The two thug elves who had stolen my 8 copper.


    Those two bhes were the ones being attacked.

 Chapter 19: 8 Copper Duo

    Chapter 19: 8 Copper Duo


    Well, Lydias here, so things will somehow work out.


    With such optimism, we arrived at the scene. However, what we encountered waspletely unexpected.


    The first thing I saw was two elf women, tied up and naked, rolling on the ground.


    Gale! You deceitful bastard!


    We trusted you! This is unfair!


    In front of them stood a man swinging a sword, making what I considered an annoying face, and by the standards of the Pan Continent, a perverted one.


    Ufufu. Women who think with their breasts rather than their brains are really simple~ Ah, elves have small breasts too, right?


    At a distance, five women were giggling, watching the entire scene unfold.


    Kill them, kill them!


    No, just killing them would be a waste.


    What? You crazy bh, dont tell me


    They came here to try and get with Gale, so we should at least show them whats down below before killing them!


    A genius, I see. Alright! Strip down, Gale!


    Their cheerfulness was evident. It was clear they treated the execution of others as a fun event.


    Assessing the overall situation and the conversation I overheard, along with the betrayed expressions on the faces of the two captured elves, I could roughly estimate what was happening.


    This was the scene where a man had flirted his way into an elf party, only to reveal he was a spy for a raider party.


    Ugh. That must be what they call a real gold digger. Unlike me, who only aims for ones wealth and body, why go as far as targeting peoples lives?


    Shaking my head briefly, I suddenly felt a strange sense of dj vu looking at the two elves rolling on the ground.


    Being naked, it was natural for my gaze to wander, but for some reason, I couldnt take my eyes off their faces.


    Those two. Ive seen them somewhere


    Huh?


    Then it hit me.


    The thug elf duo who ripped off my 8 copperst time!


    Yesterday, I happened to meet them and exacted my revenge tenfold by stealing their wallet, but ended up in huge debt after getting carried away and offering to buy Lydia a meal!


    The coerced date cost me a whopping 2 gold, 38 silver, and 76 copper in just one day! Lydia generously(?) reduced it to 2 gold and 30 silver, but thats still enough to spin the gacha 230 times!


    Of course, Lydia wasnt rushing me to pay it back right away, nor was she exploiting me by asking for something else if I didnt have the money. It seemed like she just needed an excuse to keep me around longer.


    Had Lydia mentioned that she received a lot of help from Ellie during her novice days? Maybe she was trying to repay that favor through me.


    Well, thats one thing, but my debt increasing because of those two bhes was a separate issue.


    The blood of the Dang Family flowing within me (it isnt) whispered I must return the grudge tenfold!


    Though I wished to just let them die Lydia wouldnt allow that.


    If I must save them, then I should at least get something out of it.


    But right now, the ones who still owed me a lot were about to die at someone elses hands, not mine.


    Thinking so, something seemed to boil up from the depths of my stomach, unbearable to contain any longer.


    So, I decided not to hold back.


    Gyah!!!!


    Jonah?!


    Lydia, who had been hiding to assess the situation, tried to stop me but it was toote.


    I had already dashed out, kicking off the ground.


    Whos there!


    They werent called raiders for nothing. The moment Gale heard my voice, his smirking face hardened, and he became alert of his surroundings.


    His face noticeably rxed when he discovered me.


    Whats this? So even brats enter thebyrinth now. This pretty one might fetch a good price if we sellhuh?


    Of course, he immediately trained his sword on me after noticing the dagger in my hand.


    That guy named Gale wore heavy makeup and had an annoyingly coquettish expression for a man, but he seemed quite skilled with a sword. Even though I caught him off guard, his stance was stable.


    But if there was no visible opening, you just had to create one.


    How dare you my 23 gold!!


    What nonsense are you talking about!


    Gale stood there, confused. That was exactly the reaction I was aiming for. I took advantage of the moment he was slightly distracted and fired the crossbow on my wrist.


    Ssshhhk!


    Hmph! Such a trivial attempt.


    Gale scoffed as he deflected the iing arrow with his sword. I expected this. Operating in this area means having the confidence to easily handle a Horn Rabbit. Naturally, he could deflect such an arrow.


    However, in the process, he had to make a move. That was enough.


    I lowered my upper body, taking a crouching stance. My body tilted naturally as the center of gravity shifted. Just beforepletely falling over, I spread open my entire body.


    Like apressed spring shooting out, the sticity of my entire body explosively propelled this small frame forward.


    Tadat!


    What?!


    Gale was flustered and swung his sword again in an awkward stance. It wasnt difficult to dodge the sword that wasnt properly powered and whose tip wavered.


    With just a slight twist of the waist at the right time, the de that had lost its target whizzed past close by.


    I took half a step further, driving my knee into the guys groin.


    Crash!


    What!


    Though I couldnt crush it properly because something hard was in the way.


    Are you wearing a chastity belt?!


    Its a groin guard, you dumb brat!


    Distorting his heavily made-up face, Gale swung his pommel down towards my head. It seems he hadnt learned his lesson from the speed I demonstrated a moment ago.


    I dodged the pommel by shifting my body to the side and swung my dagger toward the unprotected inner side of his wrist.


    The leather gloves might protect the fingers, but they dont cover the wrist. It was his fault for not using something better.


    sh!


    Aaagh!


    Blood spurted from Gales wrist like a fountain. Unable to hold the sword due to the cut reaching his tendons, Gale still maintained a firm grip with his other hand.


    Perhaps that was why. With a fierce look in his eyes, Gale swung the sword with one hand.


    Die!


    Hmm.


    He didnt seem like he would go down easily. Well, thats natural given that his life was on the line. I would need to neutralize him more thoroughly then.


    Taking a deep breath, I stepped on Gales thigh and jumped up high. Then, I twisted my waist to flip my body in the air.


    Whoosh-


    The sword passed by where my torso had been. This time, I swung the dagger towards his wrist on the opposite side.


    Being upside down and mid-air, the angle was a bit off but it was okay since the wrist wasnt the real target anyway.


    Do you think the same trick will work twice?


    Sneering, Gale twisted his wrist to dodge the dagger. Laughing at such an attitude, I extended my empty arm.


    Think it will. Because its a different trick.


    The target of my empty hand was, of course, the sword Gale was holding. He was already grasping it with one hand, but now he was barely holding on due to the excessive twisting of his wrist.


    I swiftly dove in and pickpocketed the sword.


    Uh?


    He made a dumbfounded sound as his sword was stolen from him. Then, in front of him, I crouched and flipped over.


    Naturally, my head rose on top, and the sword I was holding went even higher. It then fell, striking down on Gales remaining wrist.


    Slice.


    Aaaagh!


    While Gale fell into a panic and froze, having his wrist severed by his own sword, Inded in the exact posture I had been in, crouched down, and spun around.


    Swoosh!


    -Aaaagh!


    Before his scream even ended, his ankles were cut, and he copsed, no longer able to stand.


    Though it hadnt beenpletely severed like his wrist tendons, it was cut deeply enough. He wouldnt even be able to walk unless someone treated him.


    Ahn, need to escape!


    Of course, Gale, who still hadnt realized his genre had changed to limb amputation, struggled to get up.


    Thud.


    Why wont my legs?


    But all his attempts failed, and struggling in ce was all he could do.


    Just like the two elves he had caught, Gale crawled desperately in an attempt to get away from me.


    After watching Gale for a moment, I then lifted the sword I was still holding in one hand.


    A proper longsword was indeed a bit heavy. Barely managing not to stagger, I struck down on Gales leg.


    There.


    Thud!


    Kee, aaaaah!


    Once his calf was pierced by the sword like an insect pinned to a disy, Gale was incapable of doing anything and began to beg me with a panting voice.


    Pl, please spare me! Im sorry! No, I deeply apologize! Ill do anything, just please spare my life.


    No. Who said I was going to kill you? And its our first time meeting today, so how could you have done anything wrong to me? I dont know what youre talking about.


    When he saw me shaking my head in disbelief, the guy froze with a dumbfounded expression. The makeup he had on was running down his face from his tears and snot, making him look quite the mess.


    However, realizing that I wasnt going to immediately cut his throat, he rolled his eyes anxiously and asked.


    So are you sparing me?


    Men arent supposed to cry like a little baby. Stop crying before I really kill you. Zip!


    Hic. Sob


    When I snapped back at his wimpy reaction a bit irritably, it caused him to cry even harder, albeit a little quieter.


    Wow, how unmanly. I wouldnt say anything if it had been before everything was screwed over, but if you were already screwed, you might as well try to look cool.


    Of course, if I were in that situation, I was confident I would have wailed my heart out.


    I clicked my tongue and looked back. There, probably much stronger than Gale, stood the five women who were likely the main force of the raider party.


    It wasnt much different there. Lydia had beautifully sliced off the raiders heads with her semi-transparent broadsword.


    My goodness. Is that another sword? And it looks expensive, too. Just how serious was she about her equipment?


    When I waved my hand at her, sending a sign that I was okay, Lydia sighed deeply and waved back.


    Good. So that was the end of this situation.


    Kicking Gales side, who was still sobbing quietly, I spoke to him.


    You know what you have to do now that theyre all dead, right?


    Uhh?


    First, spit out any hidden loot you have. Then youll confess everything that happened, and whether there were other aplices or other ns. Then Ill take you to the guild.


    Raiders were usually executed on the spot but if they managed to survive ande out, other options became avable.


    Because just like the by-products of monsters, the guild bought raiders as ves.


    In this case, since they were criminal ves, not ordinary ves, they couldnt pay the price of their bodies and gain freedom.


    They would need to live the rest of their lives as ves But still, you could live, couldnt you?


    Yes, yes! Ill tell you everything! Ill confess everything, so please.


    Good decision. Then, tell the details to that red-haired noonaing over here with a scary face. Ah, just in case, if you try to flirt like you did with those elves, then youll die by my hands, understood?


    !


    Gale nodded his head frantically. He should have understood by now.


    After dumping Gale on Lydia, I crouched down in front of the two elves who were shivering for some reason.


    Blonde hair and green eyes. And the slender beauty typical of elves. They might even be rted, seeing that their facial features are simr.


    The only difference was the length of their hair; one had long hair, and the other short.


    Seeing them up close reminded me of the time they swindled 8 copper coins from me.


    In my annoyance, I pped their slender chests and asked,


    Long time no see, pretty misses. What did you use my 8 copper for?


    Huh?


    Youre that


    Could it be that they still remember me? The two began to tremble. I gave them a broad smile.


    Their already pale elf skin turned even paler.

 Chapter 20: 8 Copper Duo (2)

    Chapter 20: 8 Copper Duo (2)


    In my annoyance, I pped their slender chests and asked,


    Long time no see, pretty misses. What did you use my 8 copper for?


    Huh?


    Youre that


    Realizing they seemed to remember me, I shed them a broad smile, causing their already pale elf skin to lose all its color.


    After all, from their perspective, they had just witnessed the kid they once extorted dissect a person right before their eyes.


    Moreover, they were in a state where they couldnt resist at all, so they must have been terrified.


    I sneakily checked the direction where Lydia was. She seemed too engrossed in interrogating Gale to pay any attention to me.


    A little bit should be fine.


    I let my smile fade.


    So? Where did you spend the 8 copper?


    We, were sorry


    We wont do it again


    The two trembled as they apologized. With a scowl, I grabbed the tips of their nipples and twisted them.


    Pinch.


    Kyaaaak!


    Ah, it hurts! That hurts!


    The two writhed as they cried out in pain. For reference, this was considered taboo even by the standards of the Pan Continent.


    In this world, wearing just underwear was eptable, but fully exposing ones chest was seen as exhibitionism. Since there were people who could be aroused by their chests, touching it was also considered a very intimate form of skinship.


    And yet, here they were, not only exposing their chests in front of a small, young boy like me but also having them pped and pinched?


    Any woman in this world would feel humiliated.


    From my perspective, maybe it was because their chests were small, or maybe because of the past experience I had with them, but I didnt really harbor any lewd thoughts.


    After tormenting them for a while, I finally let them go. Then, I began to gently stroke their heads, which were blushing red all the way to the tips of their elongated ears.


    I didnt ask for an apology. I asked you where you spent the money, didnt I?


    Well. It was so long ago


    We only remembered you because of your pretty fac because of your remarkable appearance. We dont actually remember where we spent the money


    Is that so?


    I stopped petting their heads and grabbed them both by their hair. They flinched and lowered their heads, so I pulled them up to make them look at me.


    Despite the clear difference in strength, the two, perhaps because of the atmosphere, obediently lifted their heads instead of resisting.


    Looking intently at the two faces that looked exactly alike except for their hairstyles, I opened my mouth.


    I almost starved to death that day because I didnt have those 8 copper coins. And for you, it was an amount so trivial you cant even remember where you spent it?


    .


    Now, they just began trembling without even speaking. Leaning in closer, I whispered into their elongated ears.


    But you still remember the situation youre in, right?


    O, of course!


    Youre our savior!


    Wrong. You two are tied up naked right now, rolling on the ground, and I, whom you almost killed, have a dagger. Thats the situation. Understand?


    Eek! Were sorry! Were sorry!


    We dont want to die like this


    I didnt want to lose my 8 copper either.


    Saying that, I drew the dagger that I had momentarily sheathed. The blood from cutting Gale was still there.


    Drip. Drip.


    Drops of blood fell on the face of the one with long hair. And then.


    Sssssh


    Ah.


    The sound of water leaking from somewhere. Looking up and behind them, I found a yellow liquid flowing between one of their legs.


    That couldnt be lemonade, so then the identity of that liquid was


    The one who just pissed themselves. Whats your name?


    Im sorryno. Its Lemon.


    I wondered how someones name could be Lemon, but then, it wasmon to include flowers or fruits in Elvish names.


    Well, that was only formoners, though. In the case of High Elves who inherited special blood, they used ancient Elvish, so their names tended to beplicated and difficult.


    Then what about you with the short hair?


    Its Apple.


    Are you sisters by any chance?


    Were twins.


    Born together, so I guess youll die together as well.


    Now, they looked almost resigned. Did I scare them too much? I wasnt nning to kill them.


    I sighed deeply. Hearing that, they flinched reflexively. And seeing that reaction, I smirked and continued speaking.


    Right. Lemon, Apple. Ive lived my life with one belief. Do you know what it is?


    Im not sure?


    We will listen closely if you tell us.


    Its nothing much, really. Just to repay kindness twicefold and repay grudges tenfold.


    At this point, Lemon and Apple had turned beyond pale and were closer to a ghastlyplexion. I chuckled and shook my head at their readable expressions.


    Actually, it had been someone elses belief I adopted a few days ago, but that didnt matter right now. Whats important was that the mood had been set, so it was time to get to the main point.


    I wont tell you to die ten times, but because of you two, Ive suffered other losses aside from the 8 copper, you see? Ill need to get that back. Applying the tenfold rule, it rounds to about 23 gold How about it? Just give me 23 gold, and Ill forget all about our past grudges. Of course, Ill release you from those binds, too.


    J, Just what calctions need to be made for it to be 23 gold We dont have such arge sum of money on us right now


    But if you trust us, we will surely! Definitely! Pay it back!


    Was it because they found a way to survive? Lemon and Apples faces brightened up as they desperately pleaded.


    However, immediately giving the okay would be something only a fool would do. Instead of nodding, I pretended to as I lightly tossed and caught the dagger back and forth.


    Whish- Click.


    I dont knowwhy should I trust you? Elves are generally crazy about money, but they dont engage in petty actions, do they? Because, in the long run, its actually a loss. But you guys


    Elves generally dont get involved in crimes because they see no need to engage in dangerous activities when they can foresee profit in the long run.


    If there were an elf who dabbled in crime, it would only be those of significant stature who could foresee benefits hundreds of years down the line.


    And seeing them whine after being bested by a mere first-floor raider, theyre definitely not high-profile criminals.


    Thats why I asked them if they were going around ripping off money from little noobs because they werent capable of doing any better.


    I expected them to deny it, but Lemon and Apple just nodded.


    Youre not wrong. Weve been stuck on the first floor for five years now.


    Were on the younger side among elves, so we dont have much saved up. Were also orphans.


    These guys. What do they even have? Suddenly, Im feeling a little rtable to them


    After calmly admitting that theyre utterly worthless, a slight confidence began to sparkle in their eyes.


    But we are confident about our lifespan.


    Would it be okay to repay it in installments over 50 years?


    Are you crazy? Humans, at best, live up to 100 years.


    Thats regrettable but there is another way.


    Well borrow money from Boss. Since were both elves, maybe theyll give us a 10-year interest-free period.


    10 years interest-free, what kind of nonsense talk was that? The scale made my head spin, but there was something else that bothered me more.


    Boss?


    Theyve taken care of us since we were young.


    Weve been working in the Bosss organization these days.


    And what kind of organization is that?


    They trade various items that you cant normally find in the market.


    Sometimes, when someone needs a de, they would fight on their behalf.


    Thats a criminal organization! You guys are no good. Just die right here!


    Ah, no! Its all legal! Nothing bads going on!


    Really! We swear on our dad!


    Youre swearing on something you dont have.


    After scratching my head, thinking, I rolled Lemon and Apple half a roll and positioned them so they were lying face down.


    When I walked up behind them with the dagger in my hand, the two squirmed violently.


    Werent you going to spare us?! We didnt lie!


    We can really pay you back! If needed, well repay with our bodies! 100 years would be more than enough, even with interest!


    Shh. I was just going to untie your ropes, so stay still.


    Ah, understood.


    Sorry for the misunderstanding.


    Lemon and Apple became docile again. Even with the appearance enhancement that elves were given, they somehow gave off a sleazy vibe, but their eyes were now sparkling, a stark contrast to their attitude moments ago.


    Well I could guess the reason. To elves, money was almost like a god. And I promised to spare their lives in exchange for money.


    So, from Lemon and Apples perspective, this must have seemed like a very logical and reasonable transaction. Hard to find a reason to vite it.


    Though I didnt expect to understand that these two elves were quite young for their kind.


    The elven value system, where everything tied to money bes a sacred contract, does not apply to other races.


    Thats why, even with a little experience, they never make verbal agreements with other races. They must create documents and leave evidence to be satisfied.


    And this applied to me as well.


    Of course, Im well aware that a promise involving money is considered a sacred contract to elves but perhaps due to memories from my past life, I felt a bit uneasy letting them go with just a verbal promise.


    So, I decided to implement an additional safety measure.


    Before I let you go, one thing. I need a vow.


    A vow, you say?


    We n to keep the promise anyway, so it doesnt matter.


    Then swear it on the World Tree, since its right there.


    They both fell silent at the same time. However, the silence seemed to stem more from surprise than hesitation.


    We didnt know youd be aware of that.


    Well, if this makes you trust us, then very well. But what should we call you?


    Jonah.


    At my concise reply, the two nodded and turned their heads toward the World Tree.


    I, Lemon, vow in front of the oldest tree to pay Jonah 23 gold coins topensate for my past wrongdoings.


    I, Apple, also vow to the ancient life that I will pay 23 gold to Jonah in atonement.


    Huh? Doesnt that mean theyre each giving me 23 gold? I meant for them to give me 23 gold in total


    But I hadnt specified that. If theyre willing to give it to me, then Ill ept it gratefully. If I can actually receive a total of 46 gold, then well be friends from that moment on.


    Alright. Ill untie you now.


    As promised, I untied all the ropes that bound them.


    Though it was a promise made in the name of a deity long gone and there were no real constraints, and the elves also epted a world without the World Tree


    Still, the name of the World Tree continued to hold an immense presence in elf society.


    It had virtually been the foundation of elf civilization, with its traces found everywhere.


    If Lemon and Apple broke this oath, all I had to do was spread the word around town.


    In just a few months, they would be treated like outcasts in the elfmunity, so unless they wanted to live as wanderers forever, they would take care to keep the promise.


    Lemon and Apple, having regained their freedom, staggered to their feet. However, they soon nced at me and covered their privates.


    It must have been embarrassing being naked all this time. Interestingly, they only covered their lower privates with their hands and left their chests exposed. Not that there was much to see, given their small size.


    I offered a small smile and turned my head away. Despite my consideration, Lemon and Apple copsed to the ground, looking as though their hearts had been shattered.


    We, we wereughed at.


    Being t-chested is just part of being an elf theres nothing we can do.


    Does it bother you that much?


    There are things that a bare-bottomed kid wouldnt understand.


    Women are sensitive creatures.


    You insolents. You think you can say anything now that youre free.


    I understood their feelings, though. In the continent of Pan, a womans chest was akin to a mans height or the length of their genitalia on Earth.


    If its big and pretty, you feel proud, but if its small, you feel somewhat disheartened and unnecessarily conscious of peoples gazes.


    Anyway, hurry and wash up and change your clothes. Ive been smelling something for a while now.


    Khek! To, to be intimidated by a young boy and wet myself thinking about it now, I feel so ashamed I could die!


    Its only Lemon who wet herself. I didnt.


    Lemon became even more withdrawn. Her long hair covered her body like a nket.


    On the other hand, Apple, acting as if it were none of her concern and covering only her lower part with her hands, walked away in a crab-like manner and quickly put on the clothes she had taken off.


    While they were in the process of regaining their human dignity, Lydia, who must have finished her interrogation, was approaching us.


    I hurriedly gestured to the two toe closer and whispered quietly.


    Act and behave wisely.


    Huh? What do you mean all of a sudden?


    What happens if we dont behave properly?


    Ill leave that to your imagination.


    After replying casually, I cleared my throat lightly and adjusted my lips to fine-tune my expression.


    The moment Lydias footsteps halted behind me, I spun around with a broad smile to greet her.


    Miss Lydia! Miss Lydia! Have you finished the interrogation? I wasnt quite sure how to handle such matters, so I asked for your help, but I felt a bit guilty


    Thats natural for a child. Jonah is a child. In that sense, running off alone was dangerous. Youll be scolded when we return, just so you know.


    Im sorry


    I lowered my head slightly, conveying a sense of reflection on my actions.


    Next to me, Lemon and Apple were covering their mouths in shock as if they had just seen a ghost.


    Hmm. It seems it was worth giving them a heads-up. I dont like their expressions, but as long as they keep quiet, itll be fine.


    Lydia momentarily tilted her head at their odd reactions but dismissed it and began to pat my head gently.


    Still, you fought well.


    Hehe. Oh, right. I untied them, too But given the urgent situation, I think they had a little ident Do you have anything they could use to wipe?


    Ah.


    Lemon was still squatting down. Lydia, noticing the yellow puddle around her, took out a cylinder containing a blue stone from her bosom.


    Its a water bottle with a water crystal inside. Shake it, and youll have water to wash yourself.


    Th-thank you


    Lemon, with a bewildered expression, took the water bottle. Suddenly, our gazes met.


    So, I put my index finger to my lips along with the smiling eyes that I secretly practiced.


    Shh.


    !


    For some reason, it seemed like Lemon had wet herself again, but this time, it was quickly washed away, so it wasnt very noticeable.


    That lemonade dispenser type bh

 Chapter 21: 8 Copper Duo (3)

    Chapter 21: 8 Copper Duo (3)


    While Lemon was shivering and cleaning up her lemonade,


    Lydia and I were farming the raiders corpses.


    Of course, it wasnt as if we were cutting off parts of them and selling them as by-products, like monsters.


    Only a madman would do that.


    We simply set aside any usable equipment, rifled through their pockets, and, just in case, also took any means of identification that could prove who they were.


    Even after all that sorting, we ended up with three backpacks stuffed full. I was already struggling with just one, so Lydia ended up carrying them all.


    My goodness. I can kind of see why they do raids. This is several times what weve made so far, isnt it?


    Jonah.


    Eheh. Its just that I understand. Its not like Im saying Ill be a raider, so dont worry. But how do we distribute this? You said the monster loot goes to me since I caught it, but this time was a bit different.


    Its the same. The raiders I defeated are my profit. The raiders Jonah defeated are Jonahs profit.


    Ah?


    Gales equipment was quite sturdy for something used on the first floor. Though thats natural, considering he hunted adventurers, not monsters.


    However, one regret might be that I couldnt use Gales equipment myself.


    Overall, the sizes didnt fit at all. Not to mention, the armor and the longsword, which were somewhat usable, were too heavy, forcing me to give up my advantage of speed.


    Not only that, but Gale, this guy, was so obsessed with adornment that instead of a secondary weapon, he carried around a bunch of cosmetics and essories.


    They werent artifacts either. Just essories. Nes, bracelets, rings, earrings, etc. They were just pretty essories.


    Ahhow much would these sell for?


    Jonah, youre not interested in this kind of stuff?


    Im naturally handsome, so I dont need makeup. As for essoriestheyd have to be pretty expensive to suit me.


    This wasnt arrogance but sincerity. Even I have to admit, this body of mine was born with an impressively attractive appearance.


    If this werent the medieval era but the modern age, Id have started a live stream and been boiling with poprityor maybe it would have been okay to continue writing as I did in my previous life.


    A pretty girl erotic novelistwhat a tasty keyword.


    Well, I would be a pretty boy since Im male, but the important part was that the modern era was an era where appearance could be an effective weapon.


    But on this continent, what could I do with my face?


    A top prostitute, a gold digger, at best, maybe a nobles concubine.


    No, there was one more thing.


    I crossed in front of Lydia with quick steps. Then, spinning around, I faced her and shed a wide smile.


    Thats right. I wont be exploited for my looks; instead, Ill exploit them myself. That was the best weapon I had now.


    What do you think?


    ? About what.


    About me. I might look a little cuter since Im young, but dont I look really handsome?


    I mustered up the courage and poked my cheek with my index finger, then tilted my head. Even for me, this was a gesture that required some resolve.


    Fortunately, it seemed to have worked. Lydia nodded seriously.


    If you act like this, I hate to admit it, but youre right.


    But why isnt Ellie falling for it? It seems like shes aroused too.


    Do you really not know why?


    Lydia, incredulous, began to list the reasons, counting on her fingers.


    First, being young is a problem. For Senior Elli, Jonah is someone to protect, not someone to date.


    That one hurt a bit. Especially since theres nothing I can do about it.


    Secondly, its the issue with what you always say. If you say your goal is their body and wealth, any woman would be wary. Especially if shes a former high-ranking adventurer.


    SighI was trying to be as honest as possible. Do you think Im being misunderstood to be someone like him?


    I pointed at Gale, who Lemon and Apple were alternately carrying. We had only healed him enough to prevent his death, so entrusting them with the task was our only option


    What are they doing to him right now?


    It looks like theyre groping him, mainly around the buttocks and thighs.


    Figured.


    Thats troublesome. Touching someone elses property for free. This is why theyre called thugs!


    Property?


    Lydia flinched, but it wasnt incorrect.


    In this world, the rule was that raiders were not treated as human, even if they were alive. In other words, he was now my spoils of war. Charging a usage fee wouldnt be strange.


    I must teach those brats that theres no such thing as free happiness!


    Anyway! Lets return to the main topic. I hope Im not being seen like that by Ellie, am I?


    Its not that. Senior Ellie believes that Jonah wont betray her. But the longer you remain a virgin, the deeper the fantasy bes, so its understandable.


    Ah. I think I get what you mean. Like how you wish your first experience would be this way or that?


    Yes. Its unsightly when women do it, not men, right?


    No. I think its nice. And regardless of gender, everyone has fantasies about their first experience, dont they?


    Really?


    Lydia seemed pleased to hear that. I observed her cheeks, which were slightly redder than usual, and asked.


    Do you also have fantasies about your first experience, Miss Lydia?


    I cant say no. Im just not as obsessed as Senior Ellie.


    Heh. Im asking for future reference, but what kind of fantasy is it?


    Justah.


    Lydia was about to say something but stopped, hesitating. She furrowed her brows and continued in a deliberately stern voice.


    You shouldnt ask just anyone about that kind of thing.


    Aw. But Miss Lydia isnt just anyone. Youre my second favorite after Ellie.


    Lydia flinched for a moment but then shook her head firmly.


    Still, you shouldnt.


    By the way, it seems Ellie likes to mess men up and leave marks, like bite marks, all over their bodies.


    How would Jonah know that?


    She began acting as if she was prepared to end Ellie today, so I quickly shook my head and added.


    There were a lot of books with that content in Ellies room.


    Ha Senior Ellie


    Lydia sighed deeply, pressing her forehead. I liked the feeling that, though she had a lot to say, she was holding back because of me.


    But I felt sorry for making things too difficult for her, so I should change the subject right about now.


    Since Miss Lydia doesnt like it, lets end this topic here. So, whats the next reason?


    Next? Ah, the third reason you mean


    Lydia stopped there, sealing her lips. After pondering for a while, she then wore thepassionate expression she often had since our (forced) date.


    You know it too, Jonah.


    Me?


    Yes. You said it yourselfst time. That youre still not sure what it means to love someone.


    I think liking someone as much as I like Ellie counts, though.


    Thats the problem. Senior Ellie worries that Jonahs affection might not be pure love. She fears you might realize it toote and regret it, or even if not, she wants Jonah to experience ordinary happiness.


    I get the gist of it, but theres no need to worry.


    It cant be helped. Senior Ellie cares about Jonah.


    Hearing that kind of thing was a little embarrassing.


    Feeling a ticklish sensation in my chest, I cleared my throat and organized what I had heard.


    Hmm. So, in summary, youre saying Ellie is a coward?


    Huh?


    I exined a bit more to Lydia, who didnt seem to understand.


    Being a protector doesnt mean you cant be a lover, right? Its just ack of courage to face ones desires.


    But one wrong move, and its prison. And the problem is that youre after her body and wealth.


    Its natural to risk ones life to obtain a pretty boy like me, right? Thats also due to ack of courage. Yep, yep.


    Conversely, if I could have Ellie, I would have put everything I owned at stake. Not that it was much!


    As I nodded, Lydia sighed as if amazed.


    Ha Then what about thest?


    Then she should have said something like, Ill just make you fall for me then. I promise to make you happy!


    Hearing my response, Lydia stood there stunned for a moment, then soonughed lightly.


    Thats very Jonah-like.


    Right? Remember it, Lydia, you can use itter too.


    What would I need to remember this for?


    Its my strategy, so it might be useful somewhere.


    Perhaps because the only remaining god in the Pan continent is the Goddess of Love, this world was quite lenient with romantic or sexual matters.


    That was why prostitution wasnt illegal, and there had been an explosive increase in poption over thest 1,000 years.


    Naturally, thew did not state that you could only marry or date one person. It was to the extent that it wasnt a problem for a married person to have an affair with someone else.


    However, all of this was based on the consent of all parties involved.


    If I want to date Ellie and Lydia at the same time, I need permission from both of them.


    In that sense, I thought it was quite meaningful to share my strategy with Lydia, who also did not have much wealth but was excellent in many other ways


    Jonahs strategy. I wonder how much Senior Ellie would pay for it Ive been needing an Elvenmetal sword recently.


    You have to give me half of the sales money, alright?


    It seems that the information had been less valuable than a new weapon.


    Feeling awkward, I swung my arms around and stretched my shoulders.


    Right. Miss Lydia. Could you help me out after we calcte the profits at the guild?


    Whats it about?


    Had they witnessed the seductive act I had put on just a moment ago? Lemon and Apple were casting nces our way and whispering among themselves. I pointed in their direction and exined the situation.


    This and that, copper and cuppa.


    If things go well, I might be able to pay off all my debt to Miss Lydia!


    Eh.


    Lydias expression soured.

 Chapter 22: Why Are You Here?

    Chapter 22: Why Are You Here?


    Although Lydias reaction had been somewhat unusual, everything else worked out smoothly. We arrived safely at the safe zone and returned to the surface. Thanks to Lemon and Apples testimonies, the raider issue was also resolved well. Despite his damaged limbs, Gale was sold at a decent price due to a certain demand he met.


    The details of that demand and his destination remained unknown but considering the guild was an adventurer support organization established by a sect worshiping the Goddess of Love, the answer became quite apparent. They probably intend to use him in a public brothel.


    Though it was a ce managed directly by the temple and the treatment of male prostitutes was rtively good, criminal ves were an exception. Theyll likely use him just enough not to kill him. Still, after about 40 years, when his demand decreases, they might heal his limbs and use him as aborer. Live strong, 30 gacha roll no, Galey Boy.


    I shrugged my shoulders and gazed at the backs of Lemon and Apple as they walked ahead, wearing tight-fitting clothes that entuated their body lines. Oh dear. Their hips arecking almost as much as their chests


    As I clicked my tongue in sympathy, Lydia, who was stuck close to my side, spoke with a slightly sullen voice. Jonah. This is really not a good idea. Why are you trusting them so much?


    Well, I trust the elves sincerity about money. The problem was always that they were too thorough. Theres never been an elf who hasnt kept their word, right?


    Thats usually the case. But theres always an exception to everything in the world. Like how Jonah got robbed of 8 coppers. Normally, elves wouldnt tarnish their reputation over such a small amount.


    Hmm Is that so? They swore on the World Tree, so I didnt think itd go that far but this might only be because I was the one who created the elfs setting.


    Lydia, who has seen all sorts of unsightly things while living as an adventurer, might view things differently. So, at this moment, I needed to provide a reason that could persuade even her.


    Grinning, I snuggled up to Lydia, not just leaning on her shoulder but also locking arms with the intention of sticking close to her. Looking up at Lydia, Iughed sheepishly.


    It seems theres a misunderstanding, but I dont trust Lemon and Apple.


    Then why?


    No matter what happens, Miss Lydia will save me, right? Just likest time.


    .


    Lydia mped her mouth shut. However, her stiff movements, as if she had turned into a tin robot, served as her response. She was embarrassed.


    Under normal circumstances, I would have just let it slide, but today, Lydia was unusually responsive. I leaned my upper body closer to her arm, not as tantly as I had with Ellie, but just enough for her to feel the touch while I pretended it was nothing.


    I stood on my tiptoes and brought my lips close to Lydias ear, not touching but close enough for her to feel the warmth. I whispered in a tone slightly lower than usual, almost my normal voice.


    Ive always put my trust in you. My knight.


    !


    Lydias red eyes widened, and then she suddenly froze, like a golem that had its power turned off. But soon, as if restarted, she began to move again.


    Even in the darkness, her bright red hair fluttered magnificently, and her eyes sparkled red like burning mes. Her movements, inherently graceful, now carried an edge that exuded a unique charm.


    Goodness. Did she activate her aura in that short moment? Just how excited was she


    Right now, in this moment, Lydia was closer to a knight than an adventurer. Ssnlk- Lydia, having drawn her sword at some point, held it in front of her and performed a brief sword salute.


    Today, I will be Jonahs de. No matter what happens, I will protect you, so stay close to me.


    Yes.


    Lydia, aze with enthusiasm, protectively shielded me, striking various poses. Lemon and Apples expressions turned sour at the sight, but aside from some grumbling, the twins couldnt do much else.


    My role as a proud child of a noble family, which I had adopted to y along with Lydia and because I felt like it, was short-lived.


    Despite their grumbling, Lemon and Apple earnestly led the way until they stopped. Here it is, Lemon announced.


    This is our organization, Apple added.


    ?


    For a moment, I was at a loss, looking around again. Even in thete evening, the street was brightly lit. On the well-paved main road, numerous carriages and people bustled about, and even the alleyways I nced into were clean, with not a single beggar in sight.


    Indeed, this was themercial district of Pangrave and among these streets, the one lined with high-end stores. The spot where Lemon and Apple had halted was in front of thergestpany on such a street.


    Cradle Trading Company? Is this the organization you two are referring to? Then, that boss you mentioned, was it.


    Cradle Trading Company was renowned even within thebyrinth city. While weaponry was monopolized by the Dwarf Workshop Union and magical tools by the mage tower, everything else was under the purview of Cradle Trading Company.


    In essence, it was one of the three colossal capitals that divided themercial territory of thebyrinth city. It stood as living proof of what happens when long-lived elves seriously engage in trade. That was Cradle Trading Company.


    As long as you have money, you can acquire items not avable on the market, and they even offer mercenary services, albeit solely for protection So, everything they had said was true.


    I never would have guessed that these thugs had connections with the head of the Cradle Trading Company. Just as my mouth was about to hang open in unexpected fortune,


    Ah, not that way. Its this building, Lemon said, pointing to a corner of our view.


    Cradle, those are some bad guys. Dont even look at them. Ptooey, Apple spat on the ground.


    A sigh escaped my mouth at the sight of such tantly thuggish behavior and their stupidity in cursing the Cradle Trading Company right in front of its building.


    Sigh Its only when you have expectations that you feel betrayed, but I forgot that simple rule.


    Oh. That was kinda cool, Lemon sighed in admiration.


    Is Lemon dumb? Sir Jonah has always been cool, Apple seized the moment to tter me slyly.


    Their overly tant attitude was actually amusing. Chuckling awkwardly, I headed in the direction Lemon had pointed.


    Well, anyway, if theyve settled in this kind of neighborhood, they must be pretty good in Thats when I saw it. An old wooden building that was on the verge of copsing, small in size, maybe a bit better than a hole-in-the-wall shop.


    It just happened to be right next to the Cradle Trading Company, which upied almost an entire block, making theparison all too stark.


    Is it really there? I asked.


    Yes. It boasts a tradition iparable to the Cradle Trading Company, Lemon replied.


    The famous Eternal Mercantile Eden! Have you heard of it? Apple asked.


    No. Its my first time hearing about it. What about you, Lydia?


    Ive never heard of it either.


    Lydia shook her head. If Lydia, who invests all her money in herself, said so, it must really be obscure.


    Did my disdain show on my face? The twin elves began to add exnations in a fluster.


    We sell items you cant find anywhere else! Lemon eximed.


    And whatever it is, we guarantee its of the highest quality! Apple added.


    Yeah, yeah. I get that this store is amazing, so just go and get the money you promised.


    Yes, sir Lemon said.


    Well be back in a jiffy Apple added.


    With gloomy expressions and drooping shoulders, Lemon and Apple headed towards the Eternal Mercantile Eden.


    Only after their figures hadpletely disappeared did I tug at Lydias sleeve. Miss Lydia, 23 gold each is probably too much to expect, right?


    Yeah. It seems like theres a basic ie considering theyre maintaining a store here, but still, it seems difficult for a store of this size toe up with 46 gold so suddenly.


    Sigh. Then, Ill just have to take as much as I can get, and the rest will have to be paid off with their bodies.


    Unauthorized human trafficking and organ trading are illegal.


    Hasnt your impression of me gotten a bit strangetely, Miss Lydia?


    I dont know. Im not sure.


    .


    I plead guilty. My killing of enemies without hesitation was, after all, a manifestation of my will to survive as a worthless orphan on the Pan Continent. But at some point, I started to be treated as a psychopath by Lydia.


    How many times did I end up pping the back of Lydias hand out of spite?


    The worn-down door of Eden opened, and Lemon and Apple walked out through it. However, they were not in good condition. Their hair was messy, and on their somewhat attractive faces were now an array of bruises.


    Even with just a nce, it was clear they had been beaten up. From the perspective of a store owner, it was already hard enough to run their own business, and they had taken in such thugs out of past affection.


    But if they not only went and nearly got themselves killed but also came back with debt and asked them to pay it off on their behalf, I would have been furious as well.


    Lemon and Apple walked up, looking as pitiful as chicks drenched in heavy rain. The twin elves spoke up with their swollen lips,


    Were sorry The boss said it will be hard toe up with that much money all at once


    But they said itll just take some time, and theyll definitely pay back. So, they suggested talking about exactly how to do so.


    I expected as much, I nodded and straightened my clothes. Then, I reached my hand out towards Lydia. Could you be my escort?


    Just for today. Though she had said so, Lydias lips were twitching upwards. She had helped me all day, after all, so I owed her at least this much.


    And so, we headed into the Eternal Mercantile Eden.<hr>


    Hehehe. My name is Eve Nirvana. Its a pleasure to meet you or so should I say? There, with her chin propped on her hands, was a suspiciously suspicious slit-eyed elf weing us.


    Surprisingly, this was now the second time I met a character I created.


    Why are you here?

 Chapter 23: Why Are You Here? (2)

    Chapter 23: Why Are You Here? (2)


    I examined the individual before me, stunned. Her long, light green hair was neatly arranged in a half-up style, with the knot made of rice stalks. The hairstyle somehow reminded me of someone wearing a tiara.


    Her appearance was innocent yet forlorn, showing firm determination without seeming fragile. Her beauty was elf-like, closer to a painting, yet her level of beauty far surpassed that of the elves, who were known as the most beautiful race.


    However, her body below the chin was not quite elf-like. Although modified here and there for easier movement, it was still excessively fluttery, closer to a dress than traditional elf attire.


    She had wrapped a corset around the waist of what should have been a baggy outfit. Thanks to that, her emphasized figure was revealed tantly, making her one hot mama. Even by the standards of women from the Pan Continent, who were open-minded about exposure and took pride in their figures, she was difficult to outdo.


    Compared to her elegant face, her body was quite less demure. Of course, she wasnt quite on the level of Lydia, whom I had glimpsed before, but for an elf, where most were on the slender side, her size was quite exceptional.


    Even the men of this world, who were low in sexual desire and passive in love, would be eager to strike up a conversation with her. The problem was that there was just one element thatpletely reversed the image of her beauty.


    Hehehe. My name is Eve Nirvana. Its a pleasure to meet you or so should I say?


    Those crescent-shaped slit-eyes that always shaped into a smile, and her ambiguous tone of voice that made one tense up just by saying hello. The suspiciously suspicious aura enveloping her entire body transformed Eves beauty into intimidation.


    In fact, Lydia, who had been excited until just moments ago, had narrowed her eyes and tensed up considerably. But I know. That was just a pure greeting.


    She didnt intend to take control of the conversation, nor was she trying to imply that they were seeing her for the first time when she had already known them. The reason I was certain of this was simple: like Ellie, Eve was a character I had created.


    The greeting that ended in a question was likely due to her often confusing the faces of others, a consequence of living too long. After all, Eve was probably the oldest being among all mortals.


    In gratitude for the hospitality, I too smiled brightly in return.


    Indeed! Its a pleasure to meet you as well. Please call me Jonah! Though we met under unfortunate circumstances, I hope we can be friends, Miss Eve!


    Oh? Young ones like Jonah are always wee.


    Eve giggled as if shed heard an amusing joke. The vibe she was giving off was, You? With me? Seriously? but she genuinely seemed to enjoy the idea.


    Though she was currently living under a low profile, those who knew Eve recognized her as a legendary no, perhaps more urately, a historical figure. After all, she was a High Elf, born from thest flower left by the World Tree just before it became part of thebyrinth and fell into slumber.


    She was easily at least 1,000 years old, and a mythic legacy that will likely live on for another 1,000 years. That was Eve Nirvana Yggdrasil Though it seems shes hiding the surname Yggdrasil.


    Think about it. The current Pan Continent was a civilization that had once been destroyed and then rebuilt. And there was a being who had watched over it from the very beginning? And with such a suspicious appearance at that?


    Fellow elves might exim excitedly, She is the eldest daughter of the World Tree! Proof of the era when elves were great! and such But from the perspective of other races, it was easy and likely for them to misunderstand her as a crazed, maniptive elderly monster who wanted to control the world.


    And since the despairing elves had actually begun to wee capitalism and started to seize control of the continents financial power, it had be difficult to deny the usation. Moreover, Eve possessed powers left by the World Tree.


    As a High Elf, those created to act as mediators between the World Tree and the elves, she had powers not meant for warfare but for governance. However, this didnt mean her powers were insignificant.


    Eve was endowed with two powers: a body that never decayed until her predetermined lifespan ended, and the Eyes of Truth that could discern truth from falsehood.


    Yes. Why hide it? I had borrowed the traits of elves from old fantasy novels Nowadays, it is criticized as formic fiction, but honestly, I found the worldviews of that time charming. That must be why it became so popr Although it was true that it had been quite overused.


    Anyway, because Eve was born with such powers, she was considered even more dangerous by those around her. In fact, during the period when the elves were in deep despair after losing the World Tree, she somehow managed to lead her race as their queen.


    If Eve hadnt been there, the elves might have struggled to survive until they had opened their eyes to capitalism. Even so, they wouldnt have gone extinct but the decline of the race would have been inevitable.


    Given her lineage and achievements, she could have reigned as queen until the end of her life if she wished. But Eve did not. From the beginning, she only saw herself as someone to help the elves adapt to a world without the World Tree.


    The World Tree left Eve for that purpose, and Eve herself wanted it that way. Just because she was born with the ability to rule didnt mean she was born with the personality for it. Eves true nature was that of a pastoral and petit-bourgeois elf from the old era.


    To put it bluntly, she might seem like a mastermind on the outside, but in reality, shes just a nerd who enjoys talking to sulents alone at home. Thus, as soon as the elves embarked on their journey with a new hope called capitalism, she immediately retired.


    Currently, she embodied the very essence of harmlessness, finding joy in tending to nts, doing chores, and watching the world around her progress. The reason she was genuinely happy about what I said a moment ago was simple.


    Those who didnt know Eve were wary of her suspicious aura, while those who did know her were even more cautious. That had been her lifea life of loneliness, having lived a thousand years without friends or lovers. So, naturally, anyone would be d if someone genuinely seemed happy to meet them and treated them warmly.


    Its somewhat like how a lonely elder appreciates a young person who spends time and ys with them. However, if one asked whether she could be trusted unconditionally like Ellie because she was a character I created that was a different story.


    Unlike Ellie, who was a steadfast ally from beginning to end, Eves role was that of a sub-boss. She was close with the protagonist in the beginning, building an emotional bond, but for some reason turned evil and eventually tragically died at the protagonists hands.


    Covered in blood, she was held in the protagonists arms. For the first time, the face that had always been smiling became distorted, and she left behind a single word of apology before taking herst breath. She had been a character I created because I wanted to write such a scene.


    I shouldnt have done that. I should have nned a happy ending, disregarding the protagonists mental growth or whatever. But this also meant that, as of now, before turning evil, she could be trusted. If the transformation could be prevented altogether, then it would remain that way in the future as well.


    Since I had only roughly outlined the setting, I didnt know why they turned evil or how she intended to destroy the world But if it could be stopped, I wanted to stop it.


    This was not only the least responsibility I could take as the author of a world that had be a reality but also my genuine feelings as someone whod fallen into a world with no one to trust.


    To do so, I first had to be friends with Eve. By closely observing what problems arose, I nned to solve them immediately if they seemed dangerous. With determination, I sat opposite Eve. Then, I tapped the seat next to me.


    Pat pat!


    Please,e sit, Miss Lydia.


    No need. Ill just stand. This is Jonahs matter, so its right for me not to interfere.


    Her expression was as impassive as ever. However, seeing that her lips were slightly more tense than usual, she must still be keeping wary. Although Lydia was a skilled adventurer, she wasnt high-ranking enough to recognize Eves true identity


    But even without knowing such things, one could see that she was suspicious. She must be preparing to take action at any moment. Although Lydias true intentions werent conveyed, Eve nodded with a slightly sullen voice, recognizing that those words were just a roundabout lie.


    Oh dear. By Lydia, you mean Noble Lydia, right? What a shame. I was curious about how noble you were.


    <em>Curious how long the noble act couldst. (X)</em>


    <em>Truly regretting not being able to have a conversation. (O)</em>


    Ahaha! Miss Lydia is just shy. Welle again as guestster, so lets talk in a morefortable atmosphere then!


    That sounds good. A life where one can hope for a next time is indeed beautiful.


    <em>Do you really think theres a next time in your life? (X)</em>


    <em>Youre reallying back, right? (O)</em>


    As I tranted Eves statements in my mind, Lydias expression grew increasingly serious the more we conversed. Conversely, Eve appeared slightly ted by the fact that I hadnt lied once.


    Her narrowed eyes and the quick lick of her lips made that much clear. If this continued, Lydias misunderstanding might deepen to an irreversible point. I needed to steer the conversation elsewhere quickly.


    I would enjoy continuing our leisurely chat, Miss Eve, but its getting quitete, isnt it? Unless you n to keep me up all night, shall we address the main point? Youve been briefed about the situation by Apple and Lemon, correct?


    Of course. Im truly sorry that things have unfolded this way.


    <em>I will kill you. (X)</em>


    <em>Im sorry. (O)</em>


    The one who should be apologizing isnt Miss Eve. And Im not here just to ept apologies.


    Thats true. This is the most I can offer you at the moment I hope it meets your expectations.


    <em>Take this and buzz off. (X)</em>


    <em>This is really all I have. (O)</em>


    Eve, with a bright smile, handed me a small pouch. Upon opening it, I discovered numerous coins sparkling inside, a jumble of all sorts. It was challenging to determine the exact amount due to the mix of gold, silver, and copper


    But it seemed more likely that she had hastily gathered whatever cash was avable in the shop, rather than intending to mock me.


    Still, counting them all, it amounted to a fortune I had never possessed before Though it still fell short of 46 gold. 46 gold was indeed a significant sum, but not one for the oldest elf and the eldest daughter of the World Tree, revered by her kin, to fret over.


    She could simply visit the Cradle store next door and dere, Im the former queen, give me 46 gold, and they wouldply without hesitation.


    However, Eve wasnt like that. Unlike the elves of today who worshipped money, she was an old-fashioned elf who found growing nts to be more important. She had lived a long time, but most of the money she had umted had been spent on her kin. She started a business with the little wealth she had left, but due to ack of business acumen, she had been running it into the ground for hundreds of years that was her situation.


    Unless it was really urgent, there was a high chance she was refusing even the money she was offered. Otherwise, she wouldnt be apologizing to me in such a shabby store.


    After a moment of thought, I took out just two gold coins and returned the purse to her.


    Ill be fine with just this in cash. Instead, I was thinking of taking the rest in other goods. Would that be all right?


    Of course, you are more than wee to, but The items in my shop may be a bit notorious if you understand what I mean.


    <em>You think you can handle it? (X)</em>


    <em>Im worried because some of the items are dangerous. (O)</em>


    Looking at Eve, who was tilting her head with one hand cupping her cheek, I smiled.


    I may be young, but I have a bit of an eye for these things. If theres more to gain, Im willing to overlook minor issues.


    The items Eve sold were of great variety. Elixirs, equipment, magical tools, spirit stones, subcontractedbor, ordinary sulents, and more. True to the name of a general store, she sold a bit of everything but most of what she posted for sale were just products she made as a hobby.


    As a result, many items deviated from their intended purpose or had unexpected side effects. That was also probably why her business wasnt booming. However, just as the twin elves mentioned earlier, the quality of her items was exceptional. In other words, it was all about how you used them.


    For example like the ne hidden in Eves ample bosom. Pointing at Eves chest, I asked.


    How much is that?


    Oh my?


    Eve swept her hand down her chest, wearing a meaningful smile. Is there something shes misunderstanding here?

 Chapter 24: Why Are You Here? (3)

    Chapter 24: Why Are You Here? (3)


    Oh my?


    Eve swept her hand down her chest, wearing a meaningful smile.


    It seems Sir Jonah is quite mature for his age. That will make our conversation enjoyable indeed.


    <em>You are quite mature (X)</em>


    <em>Rude little boy. Want to do something fun with me? (O)</em>


    ?


    The trantor in my head broke down. No matter how many times I reinterpreted it, it really sounded like that. Flustered, I shook my head vigorously and added,


    Its not Miss Eves chest, but the ne youre wearing!


    Ah? I must have misunderstood. What a shame.


    <em>Embarrassed for misunderstanding (X)</em>


    <em>Shame, we could have had some fun (O)</em>


    Had Eve always been this kind of character? Unable to determine whether it was my brain trantor or Eve that was broken, I sighed.


    Eve pulled on her ne, revealing a golden gem that had been hidden in her cleavage. The piece, both antique and delicately crafted, was a work of art in its own right. Perhaps if it were auctioned, it could fetch at least 20 gold.


    However, that ne was not just a simple essory. The primary reason Eve, despite herck of business acumen, still managed to make a living was because of her magical tool that increased luck.


    For me, who was nning to spend the money I earned this time on the gacha, it was an essential item. Fully aware of her nes effect, Eve, holding the golden gem in her hand, opened her mouth with a beaming smile.


    You might not know, Sir Jonah, but this is a really important magic tool to me. I cant just hand it over that easily. Even in this situation.


    <em>Over my dead body. Try taking if you can (X)</em>


    <em>Theres a condition (O)</em>


    So, youre saying youre willing to hand it over under some conditions?


    Eves smile deepened. I, too, responded with a smile to her positive reaction.


    Uhuhu


    Ahaha!


    Lydia was startled, Lemon became wary, and Apple was anxious, but that wasnt really important.<hr>


    On our way back to the Fairy and Silver Coin, I stroked the ne on my chest with a satisfied smile.


    Wow. That was a really good deal! Eve seemed like a nice person, too.


    Jonah, are you blind?


    Miss Lydia, you shouldnt judge people by their appearance. Of course, Eve looked a bit suspicious, and she chose her words as if they had a deeper meaning but she isnt a bad person.


    You shouldnt trust people so easily.


    I didnt trust her easily. I just had a good feeling about it.


    Thats being too trusting.


    Lydia sighed and shook her head. Sticking right next to her, I nudged her with my elbow.


    Dont tell me are you jealous right now, Miss Lydia? Oh my. This is both pleasing and embarrassing. I already have Ellie, you know!


    Its not like that.


    Come on. You just didnt like it because I was getting along andughing with Miss Eve, did you?


    Anyone would have been surprised by the second part.


    Lydia pouted her lips. Well she probably knew it in her head as well. The deal with Eve wasnt bad at all.


    I only took 2 gold in cash, but in exchange, I received a magic tool that was hard toe by, no matter how much money one had. To be honest, it was deeply regrettable letting go of the 4,600 gacha rolls but since I couldnt roll them all at once, I decided to roll them bit by bit over the next several years.


    Securing a high-grade magical tool, especially one that brings luck, seemed much better. In the meantime, I will be stronger, and my ie will increase ordingly


    Then, there was thest condition she proposed. Though it was called a condition, it was something that benefited both parties. If I buy something from Eden, Ill get a slight discount, and in exchange, she asked me to promote the shop while adventuring and refer it to other customers.


    And she offered to let me use Lemon and Apple at a discounted rate, and in return, I would help them grow to the level of a second-floor adventurer when I had the time. It was a sort of partnership proposal.


    Typically, such offers were extended to well-known adventurers But perhaps she saw potential in me or was targeting Lydia, yet she presented these terms to me. To be honest, I half-expected her to propose slightly risqu conditions given her sudden odd behavior.


    That would have been interesting in its own right But, considering I was aiming to maintain a long-term rtionship with Eve, the current conditions werent too bad either.


    Anyway, understanding all this, Lydias sullen demeanor likely stemmed from two reasons. One was her suspicion of Eve, questioning whether it was wise to form such a close rtionship. The second was her worry that, having received 2 gold, I would use it to settle my debt to Lydia.


    For the former, only time will tell if Lydiaes to see Eves true intentions but thetter was an issue I could address immediately.


    Miss Lydia.


    Why.


    About the date expenses you covered for usst time. Can I pay you back a bitter?


    !


    Lydias face brightened slightly. Now that I was looking at her, her lips seemed smugger than usual. However, making an effort to hide it, Lydiaposed her expression and replied.


    It doesnt matter. I wasnt expecting to be repaid soon anyway. But, considering todays earnings, you must have a substantial amount. What do you n to do with it?


    Ive already decided!


    Jonah must also understand from experience, but good weapons can make up for what onecks in physical strength


    Its gambling, of course! Ill triple it, so just wait and see!


    Lydias face contorted as if she were looking at trash that couldnt even be recycled. Perhaps she thought that if she didnt allow this, I would pay off all the debt I owed her and disappear. In the end, she reluctantly nodded.


    Well, fine. Its Jonahs money, so I cant really say anything about how its used.


    While saying this, I could tell she wanted to dissuade me by any means necessary. I understood that. To her, I must have looked like a kid who was practically a beggar until a few days ago and was now unable to control myself after suddenly making a fortune.


    She wasnt wrong. But, after all, the reason I could earn this much money in the first ce was all thanks to the gacha. Even if I used all 2 gold, drawing just one more 3-star would be a profit!


    As I was grinning at the thought of returning quickly to spin the gacha, Lydia suddenly fixed her gaze on my neck and asked,


    That ne. Are you sure its okay to use?


    Huh? Oh, do you mean the side effects?


    Yeah. It has quite a peculiar side effect.


    Every item Eve sold was exceptional in performance but came with strange side effects. For example, the magic tool that produces water boasts an impressive capacity but emits foul-smelling water, making it difficult to drink.


    Or how the magic tool that makes the scenery around the user transparent for a certain time to create a safe zone was too noisy, rendering the purpose of camouging meaningless. Well, something along those lines. It wasnt for no reason that Eden was run down. Thats why no one bought her products


    That was also the case with the ne I got this time, Lucky Strike. Wearing it brought luck, but the type and size of that luck werepletely random. It could be helpful, but there was a low chance of bing involved inplicated matters, making it a magic tool where living off just luck was impossible.


    However, it always resulted in a benefit eventually if one could ovee the problems, making it worth taking the risk. That was the magic of Lucky Strike.


    And I had a slight suspicion that the reason Eve had turned evil might have been her inability to endure a problem caused by Lucky Strike. This was the best-crafted item among Eves possessions, and since she favored it greatly, I didnt expect her to part with it easily.


    I chuckled, touching the spot where the ne would rest on my chest.


    Its okay. I never expected to live a peaceful life without any incidents anyway.


    Jonah.


    Lydia looked at me with a pitying expression. She seemed to haveplicated thoughts, hearing a child speak so gloomily from such an early age. But I was sincere. My appearance was admirable, even to other men, so imagine how I must look to women in a world where gender roles were reversed.


    Moreover, I was someone who held Earths chastity values and the author who created the essence of this world. In such circumstances, how could I possibly enjoy an ordinary life with smooth sailing?


    If living is a series of incidents and suffering, shouldnt we at least gain something in the end? In that sense, luck will definitely be helpful!


    All right. If Jonah thinks so, I wont say anything. Lets go back and brag to Senior Ellie about what happened today.


    Sure! But before that, lets stop by one ce.


    Where to?


    A lingerie store.


    Wow.


    Lydias thin eyebrows trembled. Seeing her red eyes quickly scan my entire body made it clear what she was thinking.


    Miss Lydia. You thought of something naughty just now.


    N, no, I didnt.


    Hmm. So, the person who always acted so noble was imagining me in my underwear?


    .


    Now Lydia turned her head away altogether, avoiding the answer. But stopping here wouldnt be fun, would it? I raised myself slightly on my tiptoes to grasp Lydias cheek, making her turn towards me.


    Snickering at the sight of Lydia rolling her eyes in bewilderment, I whispered suggestively,


    Im not sure if Ellie will like it or not Would you mind checking it first?


    !


    Lydias lips sputtered open and shut, unable to form words. She attempted several times to articte her thoughts but failed. Instead, she grabbed my head with one hand, her eyes narrowing.


    It wasnt the usual pat or gentle touch. It was an iron grip.


    Squeeze-


    Ouchouchouch! Miss Lydia! It hurts! Please let go!


    No. I wont let go. I dont n to.


    I dont think this kind of obsession is healthy!


    Its not obsession. Its educational guidance.


    Gahhhh! I get it! Ill be honest! I wasnt nning to buy underwear for Ellie, but for me. I just wanted to tease Miss Lydia because your reaction was funny!


    Huh?


    Lydia tilted her head in confusion, seemingly unable to understand. Right. Of course, she didnt understand. After all, women in the Pan Continent didnt pay much attention to underwear!


    Mens underwear came with unnecessary decorations, was translucent, or dissolved when wet, among other features. Womens underwear, on the other hand, was nothing but in, single-colored pieces of cloth. Often, they even wore mismatched sets!


    Did you know how disappointed I was when I raided Ellies roomst time and found her rolling around in underwear with different top and bottom colors?! I realized that the target for wrapping in pretty underwear had shifted from women to men Still, I want to see Ellie wearing some hot underwear!


    If Miss Lydia had been excited imagining me in my underwear, youd understand, right?!


    I dont get it at all. And I wasnt excited.


    Hmph.


    Well, if she had understood that, it would have meant Lydia was a lesbian.

 Chapter 25: Gacha, Civilization’s Ultimate Game

    Chapter 25: Gacha, Civilization¡¯s Ultimate Game


    As soon as we arrived at the Fairy and Silver Coin, I scurried to the counter and took a seat. Then, propping my chin with one hand, I opened my mouth with a deliberatelynguid voice.


    Bartender. The usual, please.


    Ah, Jonah, youre back. Where on earth did you learn that.


    Chuckling, Ellie filled a cup to the brim with milk. Gulping it down, the rich aroma filled my mouth.


    Ah! A cool drink after a days work! Its not an exaggeration to say that Ive lived for this moment!


    Thats an exaggeration no matter how you look at it. Youll change your mind once youre older and you try alcohol instead of milk.


    Ill have the 30-year-old typus, please, Senior Ellie.


    That drink costs 10 gold a ss! Do you think we sell that kind of thing here?!


    Just give me a beer then.


    You shouldve just gone for beer from the start.


    Ellie sighed deeply and passed a ss of cold beer to Lydia. Watching her, a sudden curiosity came to mind, and I vocalized it.


    Speaking of which, Ellie. Ive tried milk elsewhere too but the milk here tastes noticeably better. Is there a special way you prepare it?


    Theres no special way to drink milk. Its just that we use good milk. Its not just any cows milk, but A+ grade milk from a dairy cow hybrid human.


    I thought I misheard and asked again, but the answer remained the same.


    ? What did you say? Whose milk?


    A+ grade dairy cow hybrid human. Why, are you surprised? Anyway, in this store, only you, Jonah, drink milk, so I specially prepared the expensive kind.


    Ellie seemed proud, but I couldnt simply apud back with appreciation.


    Thats breast milk?!


    Ow, my ear Well, yes, it could be considered breast milk. But whats the big deal?


    Cows milk is milk. The breast milk of a dairy cow hybrid human is no different.


    Whats with this indifferent reaction? Could it be that Im the weird one? Even in a world where gender roles are reversed, is it really okay to sell breast milk as premium milk?


    On Earth, it would be akin to men selling semen as premium protein or maybe not. Since men dont produce breast milk, it was hard to draw a directparison.


    Its already been 2 years since I started surviving on the Pan Continent. But this was a piece ofmon knowledge I hadnte across, so I decided to just ask.


    Is it really normal to drink someone elses breast milk? How should I put it Isnt it a bit embarrassing or feel somewhat lewd?


    Ah, um Where should I start exining from


    Ellie began to look troubled, like an adult whod been asked by a child how babies are made. Rolling her yellow eyes back and forth, and after roughly scratching the back of her head, she finally spoke with a cautious tone.


    First of all, hybrids have a periodic mating season. Youre aware of that, right?


    Yes. I noticed that there was a time when the number of hybrid men at the brothel increased.


    As I nodded, Lydia, who was drinking her beer next to me, started to pat my head with a sympathetic expression.


    Youckmon knowledge but know all the strange things.


    Hmm. Im not sure I understand, but I can tell Miss Lydia is treating me like a dummy. I know everything I need to know, okay?


    Right, right. Focus on what Senior Ellie is saying now.


    Despite feeling slightly rebellious at the pacifying attitude, it was true that I hadnt known themon knowledge about milk in this world. So, as I kept my mouth firmly shut and looked at Ellie, who had organized her thoughts in the meantime, Ellie refilled my cup with milk and began speaking.


    Since you have a rough idea, Ill skip the basic exnation. Anyway, the important thing is that the heat of hybrids involves physical changes.


    Oh What kind of changes?


    Female hybrids not only experience an increase in breast size while in heat, but in severe cases, they even produce milk.


    Really?


    Yes.


    I wondered if this was a result of the reversed gender roles alteringmon sense, but it turned out to be a characteristic of the different species.


    Usually, its just a little thates out, but imagine what its like for dairy cow hybrids who normally produce a small amount of milk. It overflows to the point of bing troublesome. So, they have to milk it regrly until the end of their heat.


    So, the milk thats milked during this period is much tastier than regr cows milk and is traded at a higher price Is that what youre saying?


    Precisely. To add a bit more, the current world is somewhat livable now, but in the distant past, without thebyrinth, survival was so difficult that people starved to death, right?


    Well, they did revive a world that was supposed to have been destroyed, after all.


    Exactly. Given that era, even if a dairy cow hybrid human had plenty of milk, it would have been too precious to just throw away. They would drink it themselves, their family would drink it, and if there was any left, they would sell it to others. That practice has continued to this day.


    I see. I understand it perfectly now.


    So it wasnt for a lewd reason but a more desperate one. Moreover, it wasnt like humans, where milk is produced only for a few months after childbirth. They would normally produce a little, but it was just that the amount would overflow excessively during the mating season.


    To a dairy cow hybrid human, milk wasnt anything special, and the same went for those who drank it.


    You learn something new every day!


    My fascinationsted about as long as my sip of milk. Come to think of it, didnt they just say all hybrids produce some milk during their heat cycle?


    By any chance, does Ellie also produce milk during the mating season?


    Its rude to ask those sorts of questions.


    Why?! Youve been exining it just fine until now. Whats wrong all of a sudden?!


    Um. Its like asking a human if theyre on their period today. Or since youre a man, whether you had a wet dream.


    Its a question everyone knows, but its awkward to ask directly, right? Thinking about it that way, it was indeed rude.


    But curiosity was another matter entirely.


    Then please excuse my rudeness as I ask. Do you also produce milk during the mating season, Ellie?


    Jonah, you.


    For your information, after meeting Ellie, I often masturbated thinking of Ellie, so I dont have any wet dreams.


    Ellies mouth opened and closed, at a loss for words. With her face turning red, she replied.


    Of course, I also produce some.


    Then, may I ask for Ellies milk next time?


    As if! Im not a dairy cow hybrid. Im a wolf hybrid! Theres not much, and it probably wont taste good! Above all, there isnt any equipment for milking here!


    I just want to taste it, so its okay if theres not much or if it doesnt taste good. And for theck of equipment I can just directly suck it myself.


    Th-thats just tantly lewd!


    Exactly! I just want to do lewd things with Ellie! Thats why I prepared this gift, too!


    Seizing the perfect moment, I handed over the sexy lingerie set I had prepared for Ellie, who was utterly shocked.


    Where did you even find something like this?! You want to see me wearing this?!


    Of course. I think the mismatched underwear Ellie usually wearscks sex appeal.


    Why are you finding sex appeal in a woman


    Despite being dumbfounded, Ellie carefully stowed away the gift. Seeing how she alternated nces between me and the lingerie, perhaps it wont be too long before I get to see Ellie in that outfit.


    I giggled and interlocked my fingers behind my head, leaning back. As I rocked the chair back and forth, Lydia, who had been quietly observing Ellie and me, spoke up.


    By the way, Jonah.


    Yes?


    When you first heard that the milk you just drank was from a dairy cow hybrid, and you were flustered thinking it was something erotic, why did you think so?


    Hey, Im a man, too, so I get embarrassed sometimes.


    Of course, but you didnt get embarrassed just from normal topics.


    Well That was because I somehow ended up imagining how the breast milk was produced.


    ?


    Lydia didnt seem to understand. So, I exined the image that had momentarilye to mind for her.


    I imagined a human farm where the female dairy cow hybrids were gathered, tied up in fixed positions, and forced to repeat pregnancy and childbirth to extract milk in endless abundance, and when they could no longer be pregnant, they were simply disposed of


    Upon hearing my story, Ellie and Lydia began to tremble with astounded expressions.


    So this is what it takes for Jonah to feel embarrassed


    Im surprised. They say the standards of what shocks you are set by what you see growing up. Jonah really is


    Thats mean. I get genuinely hurt, too, if you react with genuine shock.


    To show that I was sulking, I pouted my lips as I stood up from my seat.


    Hmph! Ill be going now. Lydia can talk about what happened today or whatever.


    Showing a clear sign of being upset, I headed towards the stairs leading to the second floor. Just before going up, I turned my head, my foot on the first step.


    Ellie was flustered and stuttering, and Lydia seemed restless at the thought of having made a mistake. After ring at each of them once, I pulled down the skin under one eye with my index finger and stuck out my tongue.


    Bleh! Just so you know, Ellie, Im locking my door tonight!


    Jo, Jonah?!


    Although Ellie looked startled, I didnt look back and headed up to the second floor. Thats how you keep them on their toes.


    But maybe one exception wouldnt hurt.


    I scurried back down the stairs I hade up and hid behind the wall, only peeking my face out.


    However, Ill open the door for you if youe wearing only the underwear I bought you.


    I can look forward to tonight, right?

 Chapter 26: Gacha, Civilization’s Ultimate Game (2)

    Chapter 26: Gacha, Civilization¡¯s Ultimate Game (2)


    I locked the door as soon as I returned to my room. I had told Ellie I was mad at her, but that wasnt the real reason. The truth was, I needed to spin the gacha now.


    To be honest, thest gacha wasnt half bad. After all, I gained some mana, and although it was barely more useful than a lighter, I could use magic, couldnt I? But if you were to ask me if that was thanks to my wholehearted gacha dance, the answer would be no.


    The fact that I pulled a skill was certainly positive, but it was only a 1-star. It felt more like it had been pulled because it was simply time for it to be pulled.


    I was thinking about it all wrong.


    This realization was obvious. The gacha dance was, after all, a ritual from the Holy Grail War of my previous life. Its a ritual that has nothing to do with the Pan Continent. Like the saying goes, When in Rome, do as the Romans do, one must adhere to thews of this world.


    Therefore, I was willing to forego the money I could receive for the next few years in exchange for the magic tool Lucky Strike, which enhanced my luck. And it doesnt end there; I also pulled out a branch I had sneaked from thebyrinth.


    It was about as thick as a childs wrist. It wasnt too hard inside, so I could easily carve it with my strength.


    Ill make a carving of the Goddess of Love!


    Sure, buying a statue was an option, but that was surprisingly expensive. After all, it was the Goddess of Love. Even the cheapest sculpture had to embody a minimum level of beauty to be recognized as a statue of the goddess.


    Perhaps thats why, rather than serving as a religious symbol, theres a high demand for merchandise rted to the goddess.


    And otaku culture makes money!


    Some were devout believers, but there were also quite a few who simply adored the Goddess of Love and collected her statues.


    Naturally, those who crafted them were well aware of this. So, when it came to the goddesss statues, they exerted their utmost effort, even when using inexpensive materials. Subsequently, they would charge an exorbitant amount of money for them, iming that the beauty was indeed a testament to their faith.


    For the less affluent, prints of the goddess or merely the symbol of a heart were sold at a more affordable price but the prevailing wisdom across the continent was that thesecked any real sincerity.


    Its utterly reprehensible that theymodified devotion and judged its quality But, that means what truly mattered was whether the object embodied devotion, or in other words, faith, right?


    Even if the quality was subpar, if it was crafted to the best of my ability, then that alone should attest to my sincerity. The people of this world, especially the priests, might have been apoplectic if they heard this but, in the first ce, I was the one who created the Goddess of Love!


    I know better than anyone that she wasnt a goddess who favored her believers based on the quality of their sculptures!


    You know how much I love you, right??


    Looking up at the ceiling, I whispered to her, then hoisted a wooden block in one hand and a dagger in the other.<hr>


    Im so screwed.


    Even after inspecting thepleted statue from every anglenorth, south, east, west, and even flipping it upside downthere wasnt a single attractive feature to it. Only after this thorough examination did I revise my previously drawn conclusion.


    Im fucking screwed! This is beyond screwed!


    What on earth have I created.


    After about 30 minutes of intense effort, what I had fashioned was a monstrosity. It featured a slender torso with four tentacles sprouting from it. The face, a haphazard amalgamation, bore the semnce of a humans malice.


    And what was with that awkward pose? I had definitely intended to create a standard pose of her spreading her arms lightly to the side with a benevolent expression But what stood before me was a monster, its tentacles reaching out in every direction to capture its prey.


    Though acquiring pickpocketing skills had improved my dexterity, it seems they hadnt brought along any artistic sense, my inner conscience whispered to me. This seriously isnt right. After a moment of contemtion, I quietly answered it.


    Well, whatever.


    If this was my best, then so be it. Just because the result turned out this way didnt mean I had been careless.


    I ced the statue of the goddess on the desk and knelt in front of it. Then, I carefully ced the pouch containing all the money I had earned today in front of the statue, as if offering a tribute.


    Approximately 2 silver from selling the magic stones and monster loot. About 50 silver from selling Gales belongings. 30 silver from selling Gale. And 2 gold from Eve.


    With this money, one could fully equip themselves with gear suitable for Floor 2, stock up on high-grade potions considered as extra lives, and purchase various magic tools to enhance convenience in battle.


    And it might take some time, but one could also enroll in a basic magic attribute course at the Mage Tower. Though my mana was about as significant as a typuss eye booger, it would surely be of help.


    But, disregarding all these possibilities for growth, what I chose was


    Ding!


    [Normal Draw]


    Use cash or an equivalent amount of magic stones to randomly obtain items and skills between 1~5 stars.


    [1 Draw] [10+1 Draws]


    If even one of them were a hit, it was more than worth the investment. Its a whopping 280 draws. Somethings bound toe out!!


    Please, a 5-star! Please, a 5-star! Please, a 5-star!!!


    sping the jewel part of the Lucky Strike with both hands interlocked, I prayed fervently.


    Maybe its just a coincidence that a world identical to the one Ive created exists, that my past life ended in an explosion by mere chance, and that Ive possessed a boy in this world by another stroke of luck


    But if all this happened under someones guidance, that someone is likely the Goddess of Love. After all, all other gods are dead.


    If thats the case, then it was also the Goddess of Love who gave me this system. And the Goddess of Love is a character I created myself, one I consider like my own child.


    If only she granted me a 5-star now, I could forgive everything that has happened to me so far!


    Hoping this earnest wish reached the goddess, who might be rolling around in the deepest part of thebyrinth right now, I pressed the gacha button.


    Spin, dear star of gacha!


    Ding!


    [1-star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    ?


    What is this?


    I was well aware that the probability on this gacha was terrible, with more than 90% of the items being 1-star. I also knew that magic herbs were the mostmon among them.


    But it was the first time Id pulled only magic herbs, which momentarily flustered me.


    It must be because of this monstrosity!


    I burned the grotesque statue mimicking a human with Weak me. Standing boldly in front of the zing effigy of the heretical god, I eximed.


    Goddess! Please ept this offering made for you!


    A chill ran down my spine for some reason, but I forced myself to ignore the unease and red at the gacha button. Ive made my offering, so the next one has to be different!


    Argh!


    I closed my eyes tight and spun the gacha again.


    Ding!


    [1-Star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-Star: Large Pouch]


    [1-Star: Processed Healing Herb]


    [1-Star: Flimsy Wooden Shield]


    [1-Star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-Star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-Star: Processed Healing Herb]


    [1-Star: Sturdy Rope]


    [1-Star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-Star: Refined Iron Ingot]


    [1-Star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    Ah


    After carelessly stuffing the magic herbs into the pouch and shoving the shield and iron ingot under the bed, I could finally smilefortably.


    It seems that the monstrosity I just dealt with had been the problem. Im not sure if its just my imagination, but even for the same 1-star, it feels like I got better items than usual.


    I had a hunch.


    The southeast wind is blowing.


    One might wonder what kind of nonsense this was, standing in a room without a hint of wind, but anyway, that was just how it felt.


    To continue the current momentum, I pressed the gacha button repeatedly. The contents of my wallet dwindled quickly. Correspondingly, the notification window stretched longer.


    Ding!


    [1-Star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-Star: Wooden Arrow]


    [1-Star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-Star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-Star: Processed Healing Herb]


    [2-Star: Multipurpose Belt]


    [1-Star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-Star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-Star: Processed Healing Herb]


    [1-Star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    .


    .


    .


    [2-Star: Skill - Hesitation-Free Pathfinding]


    .


    .


    .


    [2-Star: Masterpiece - For Sale. Fallen Sire. Never Used.]


    .


    .


    .


    [3-Star: Unicorn Horn]


    .


    .


    .


    [2-Star: Low-Grade Mana Recovery Potion]


    .


    .


    .


    [3-Star: Power - Gluttonous Stomach]


    .


    .


    .


    [1-Star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [1-Star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    Huh?


    All my money disappeared in an instant, and when the magic herbs had piled up enough to be used as a bed, I discovered a notification that couldnt be ignored.


    Two 3-stars? And a two-star skill on top of that?


    In a daze, I tried to read the notification again, when.


    Ugh!


    My head began to hurt as if it were being tightly squeezed. At the same time, I broke out in a cold sweat from the sensation of something deep inside my body changing.


    The headache must be from the skillbut this strange feeling inside, was it from the process of the power being transnted?


    Once I curled up into a ball, groaning, it took a moment before all the pain disappeared, as if it had never been there in the first ce.


    And then, memories that were mine but unfamiliar surfaced in my mind.


    First, Hesitation-Free Pathfinding was literally the ability to pathfind. However, fitting for a two-star, it was not at the ordinary level.


    Starting from the simple method of not getting lost to the knack for finding secret passages, clue collecting to discern if a path was dangerous or not, and even the spatial awareness to assist all of this.


    It was disappointing that it wasnt a skill that directly enhancedbat ability, but it was certain that it was a useful skill for overallbyrinth exploration.


    Next was Gluttonous Stomach. I never expected a power toe out from the gacha, but if were going to question that, then its strange for skills to appear in the first ce.


    The effect of the Gluttonous Stomach, which I knew instinctively, was simple.


    If its something edible, it can be digested perfectly.


    Ill have to test out the details, but since its 3-star, its definitely not a useless power.


    Im already making such good use of the pickpocketing skill, and this was a power.


    Thest thing was the unicorns horn. I understand this is a suuuper high-quality material but


    So, where do you use it?


    I gazed at the pure white horn, which shone brightly the moment I touched it.


    Is this some kind of virgin discernment device?

 Chapter 27: Gacha, Civilization’s Ultimate Game (3)

    Chapter 27: Gacha, Civilization¡¯s Ultimate Game (3)


    Unfortunately, there was no event where Ellie came to visit me in the middle of the night wearing just her underwear. But then again, thinking about it, wasnt that obvious? If this were my previous life, it would be akin to an uwu middle school girl asking a full-grown adult man toe knock on their door in their underwear.


    Maybe she took it as a sign not toe at all.


    Still, thanks to that, I was able to organize and test the new things I had pulled an all-nighter for.


    The belt was sturdy and well-made for hanging things, so I decided to keep using it as is. I attached the low-grade mana potion to the corner of the belt along with the existing lowest-grade recovery potion.


    The shield I guess I have to sell it. It was equipment that didnt suit me, and being 1-star, its performance was also dubious. Theres no need to take a risk by changing my style.


    After that, I spent the most time exploring how to utilize the Gluttonous Stomach. I didnt know at the moment how to use the unicorn horn, and the Hesitation-Free Pathfinding skill would be at its full potential once I went outside.


    For that reason, I mainly tested the Gluttonous Stomach It was exactly the kind of ability I had in mind, and its performance was beyond imagination. There was definitely a reason it was rated 3-star.


    When I ate the jerky I had saved for a snack, I felt a satisfying fullness disproportionate to the amount consumed. After depleting my mana with Weak me, the mana herb I ate restored my mana at a much faster rate.


    Moreover, after my mana was fully restored, even my total amount of mana increased slightly.


    Yes. This means there was no need to refine it into an elixir; just eating the mana herb directly now had an effect!


    Sweet.


    Now, I could maintain Weak me for as long as 1 minute. An iparable growth from before when I was panting after just 20 seconds!


    However, it was a bit disappointing that it took all those magic herbs to achieve just this. This is why 1-stars are trash!


    Well, I suppose Ill be harvesting plenty of magic herbs from now on, so I could think of it as reducing the refining costs and the effort of selling them.


    For reference, the healing herbs made me feel a bit better. They may have increased my stamina, but since stamina cant be measured like mana, it was hard to tell.


    Besides that, Ill need to try elixirs, poisons, potions, etc., and see how they work.


    One peculiar thing was that the power of gluttony literally applied only to things that could be eaten, and what was consumed went to a separate space, not the stomach.


    It wasnt much of a demerit that it only applied to things you could eat. If it were possible to swallow flying magic or to eat through space to cast defense-piercing attacks, how could that be a 3-star? That would be a 5-star.


    Next, about the part where the foods were led to a separate space, not the stomach This could just be interpreted as my being able to eat more now.


    Once I reached a certain level of fullness, everything eaten thereafter would be stored in a subspace connected to the stomach rather than the stomach itself.


    Thanks to this, my body could consume several times more than usual, and since digestion continued in the subspace, it improved overall efficiency.


    I could say it was like running a dual-core stomach. That effect really was fitting to the name Gluttonous Stomach.


    Ugh.


    I got up from my seat, belching a loud burp that smelled of a mixture of magic herbs and healing herbs. I had done everything I could in my room. The rest needed to be resolved outside.<hr>


    Knock knock.


    Ellie, are you awake?


    It was still early morning, so the shop shouldnt be open yet. Instead of going downstairs, I knocked on Ellies door.


    Not long after, a flustered voice responded.


    Huh? Yes! Im awake! Whats up?


    I just woke up this morning and thought Id say hello and hear Ellies voice. Can Ie in for a moment?


    No, no!


    Ellie cried out in rm. I heard the sound of rushing steps, followed by the door, which had been slightly ajar, being mmed shut.


    Strange. Usually, she wouldnt mind whether I entered or not. In fact, she seemed to enjoy it when I entered her room.


    Ellie? Are you not going to let me in today?


    Thats, ah, right! Clothes! Im changing, so Im naked! Even I think showing my naked body is embarrassing, Jonah.


    What? Is that it? I can undress, too, then. If youre not alone, the embarrassment will lessen!


    Together?!


    Her voice flipped a little. It was filled with so much anticipation that it seemed to overflow all the way herebut Ellie clenched her teeth and refused.


    Still, not now.


    Hmm.


    What was it? Somehow, her tone was different from usual.


    Normally, it would feel really, really regrettable, and if there were a chance, shed want to sneak a hand over me but couldnt due to ethical or realistic issues. And some of it had stemmed from herck of confidence from being a virgin


    But right now, she conveyed a strong will that she absolutely cannot reveal herself to me.


    Early morningA flustered voiceA door desperately kept shut


    Could it be?!


    Ellie. Did you, by any chance, cheat on me?


    Huh?


    While I was asleep, did you bring another man into your room and


    Thats not it! What nonsense are you spouting, you dirty-minded pinkette!


    Then why wont you open the door! It must be because theres something you cant show me! If its not a man, could it possibly be a womanI knew it. You and Lydia seemed too close. LydEllie was a thing, then.


    I dont care about the other ones, but that one is definitely not true! Dont say unpleasant things like that!


    Then theres no reason to hide it from me! Havent you heard that couples are supposed to be one body and mind?!


    First of all, were not a couple, and just because of being one body and mind doesnt mean you have to reveal every secret. Lastly, Ive never heard such a saying before!


    Ah.


    Now that I think about it, that phrase was from my past life, so its not surprising it doesnt exist in the Pan Continent.


    The part about not needing to reveal all your secrets did bother me a bit. After all, I have many things Im hiding from Ellie, too.


    After a brief moment of contemtion, I let out a deep sigh.


    I understand. I wont ask you to open the door But cant you at least tell me why youre trying to hide from me?


    Alright. But you cantugh after hearing it, okay?


    I dont see why youre making such a fuss, but okay. I promise.


    Really?


    Of course. When have I everughed at Ellie?


    Now that you mention it, you havent. Ive shown you quite a few embarrassing sides of myself, too, Jonah.


    Ellie chuckled. Then, after a pause, she cautiously began to speak.


    Actually, Im wearing the underwear you gave me as a gift right now.


    What?


    Well, it was a gift, right? I thought it would be polite to wear it at least once instead of just shoving it into a corner immediately because its embarrassing And I was also curious about your taste, Jonah.


    My goodness. She really wore it?


    To be honest, I didnt expect her to wear it right away. And for good reason, too, because not only was it see-through, but its a T-style that leaves the buttockspletely exposed, and the front part is split, so it didnt cover the crucial parts at all!


    The top was the same, with the center split to expose the tip. It was underwear made solely for sex appeal.


    So, by the standards of women in this world, it was quite a scandalous design.


    Even if she did wear it someday, I thought it would only be after I persistently asked or if there was some merit worth the humiliation.


    But the very next day, she wore it. She wanted to understand my taste, as I had gifted it to her.


    This was true love indeed.


    Ellie, Ill take back what I just said. Could you just open the door?


    Why on earth?!


    I want to see Ellie.


    I dont want to show myself!


    Then marry me!


    Arent the choices a bit strange?!


    Ellies mind seemed to be in a flurry of chaos. Seeing that she still had a firm grip on the door handle, she probably had no intention of backing down.


    I shrugged and proposed apromise.


    All right, if you really dont want to, it cant be helped. Then just show your face. Only your face. That should be okay, right?


    Just the face?


    Yes. Just hide behind the door and peek your face out. You can do at least that much for me, right?


    Wait a moment.


    The sound of a small deep breath. And then the door slowly opened.


    Ellie, who peeked her face through the crack of the door, spoke with a face so red it looked like it was about to burst.


    Y, Youre satisfied now, right?


    Ellie was unable to meet my eyes. Her perked-up wolf ears were twitching busily.


    I took everything in, slowly but surely. And then I went on tiptoes. Towards Ellies cheek.


    Chu.


    Huh?


    Ellies voice sounded dumbfounded. Theck of reality was mutual, but the softness left on my lips and her unique scent reminded me that it wasnt a dream.


    A half-impulsive peck on the cheek. But I had no regrets!


    Ill let it slide for today. Oh, and this is a gift.


    Huh? Oh, okay.


    Ellie stared nkly at the book I handed over. It was nothing special, just the novel that came out of yesterdays draw.


    It wasbeled a masterpiece, so I was curious, but it turned out to be an erotic story. For Sale. Fallen Sire. Never Used. What a strange title.


    Honestly, it was entertaining, but being a gender-reversed version, it wasnt exactly to my taste.


    How could I immerse myself in a book where the female protagonist buys all sorts of male ves to devour, or her fallen senior and professor, and even a god?


    If it had been titled For Sale. Fallen Lady. Never Used, I would have read it thoroughly and praised it from all directions as a brilliant novel.


    But to Ellie, who was born and raised in this world, it must certainly seem like an amazing erotic story.


    Consider this a gift, too, and please enjoy it while thinking of it as me.


    I will?


    Still not quite herself, she nodded dumbly and epted the book.


    But to receive the book, one must extend their arm. I grabbed the hand that poked through the gap and stuffed it into my clothes.


    Squish.


    Ellies rough fingers brushed against my soft, not yet fully muscr belly.


    Ghrrrrgk?!


    I smirked at Ellie, who had forgotten humannguage and was making animal-like sounds.


    Thats it for today was what I said, but wouldnt it be too heartless to end it there? So, this is a bonus.


    !!


    Ellies mouth was agape. After leisurely observing the twitching tongue inside, I finally released her hand and stepped back.


    Then, I have some things to do, so Ill step out for a bit! Have a good day, Ellie!


    I waved my hand and hurried down the stairs.


    #?&!@&#$


    Ellies bted scream echoed through the building.

 Chapter 28: Horney Is Weird...

    Chapter 28: Horney Is Weird...


    Yesterday, we ventured into thebyrinth, granting me a day off today. Consequently, the destination I chose for today was none other than


    Ding-


    Hello! Im back after just a day!


    Oh my? Seeing you so soon was unexpected. What brings you here today, Sir Jonah? Perhaps there was some sort of issue?


    <em>Have you finally realized it? That was my doing. (X)</em>


    <em>Im d to see you and concerned for your wellbeing. (O)</em>


    There was no issue. On the contrary, actually, only positive developments. Perhaps its all thanks to the ne I received from Miss Eve?


    Well, if thats the case, Im relieved. But remember, luck and misfortune are two sides of the same coin.


    <em>Ill definitely kill you next time. (X)</em>


    <em>Im relieved. (O)</em>


    Its okay. I remember everything Miss Eve told me. By the way, are you open right now? Im concerned I might have arrived too early.


    Lemon and Apple were asleep on the sofa, their limbs entangled. Seeing the two still deeply asleep, I asked her, and Eves smile deepened.


    Yes, we are open. Its just that its the first time someone has arrived this early Im embarrassed you had to see this.


    <em>Youve witnessed something you shouldnt have. (X)</em>


    <em>Truly embarrassed. (O)</em>


    Ah. Well, its true that I arrived early, so please dont be too hard on yourself.


    Politely shaking my head, I looked for a ce to sit. However, no matter how much I searched, there wasnt a single spot avable in the small shop.


    This was because the shopcked space, leading Lemon and Apple to share the same sofa for their slumber.


    Noticing this, Eve ceased her leisurely tidying of the shop and stood up.


    Its about time. Would you mind waiting just a moment?


    <em>Watch carefully what Im about to do (X)</em>


    <em>The sun has risen, so its time to wake the twin elves. (O)</em>


    Theres no need to trouble yourself, Miss Eve. How about I just do this?


    Grinning, I sat down directly on top of Lemon and Apple.


    Wh, whos there!


    Izz an attack?


    Having their stomachs squashed by my butt, Lemon and Apple woke up babbling nonsense. Their eyes were hazy, likely because their minds werent fully awake yet.


    An attack? Thats a bit harsh. Where would you find an enemy as cute as me?


    Gasp! Its something scarier than an enemy!


    Why are you here?


    Once our eyes met, their gazes sharpened, now fully awake. Lemon seemed genuinely terrified, while Apple cautiously inquired about my intentions.


    For some reason, ever since Lemon peed lemonade, shes been overly cautious around me.


    I gathered up Lemons long hair, disheveled in every direction. Then, as if wielding a duster, I lightly tapped the faces of the twin elves.


    Pap pap.


    Th, that tickles.


    The smell of Lemons hair is unpleasant


    Lemon and Apple struggled but were unable to push me away. I chuckled at their appearance and spoke.


    I came here because I had something to do, but there were no seats, so I just sat down Did you mind?


    Not at all! The feel of your buttocks was so vivid that it was actually nice!


    Lemon. Its not good to speak too honestly.


    Ahaha! Thats alright. Consider it the price for bing my cushion.


    Jonah is so generous.


    Lemon doesnt bother you anymore?


    Well, I settled my grudge against the two of you with what I received from Eve yesterday. And as for Lemon, shes always bothersome, so I just let her be.


    Th-theres an angel here


    Wake up, Lemon. Have you already forgotten what happened yesterday? Its definitely a monster wearing an angels disguise.


    Lemon seemed deeply moved, while Apple scolded Lemon, tossing rude remarks about me. Whos she calling a monster?


    Pressing down on Apple with my thigh as a sign to shut it quickly settled her.


    After reaching an agreement with the cushions, I rxed in a morefortable position, but only for a moment.


    Eve, who had been watching this entire process, spoke up with a voice more imposing than usual.


    You seem quite close?


    <em>So thats your weakness. (X)</em>


    <em>Im jealous, do it for me too. (O)</em>


    I nodded, casually dismissing the brain trantor that was beginning to malfunction.


    Well, Ive even seen them naked in thebyrinth after all. In Lemons case, there was an even worse incident So this much is nothing.


    Ah-ha?


    <em>Understood. (X)</em>


    <em>So when are you doing it to me? (O)</em>


    I could feel the brain trantor going haywire, but I deliberately ignored it until Eve brought up the main topic.


    By the way, what brings you here today, Sir Jonah? If its not about the side effects of Lucky Strike, Im at a loss.


    Well, of course, I came to see Miss Eve! Is what Id like to say, but actually, I came to ask you to take a look at something.


    I pulled out the unicorn horn from my bag. It had been dormant inside the pocket, but it started to shine brightly as soon as my hand touched it.


    This is.


    A unicorn horn?!


    Oh. As expected from Miss Eve. You can tell just by looking.


    I never knew a unicorn horn could shine so brightly.


    <em>How very interesting. (X)</em>


    <em>Wow! A virgin! (O)</em>


    Somehow, Eves gaze seemed to scan not the horn but my body. Tickled by that sensation, I couldnt help but smile as I spoke.


    I happened to acquire it somewhere. Where do you think it could be best used?


    You just happened to acquire a unicorns horn, which is known to be extinct? No, I wont delve deep into that part.


    <em>Dont lie. (X)</em>


    <em>Wow! A virgin!(O)</em>


    Uh Could you just exin it to me? I didnt even know unicorns were extinct.


    Its simple. Unicorns are creatures that adore maidens. However, due to the aftermath of the War of the Fallen Gods, mortals concepts of chastity and sexual desire became twisted. The value of maidens decreased, and so did the poption of unicorns.


    <em>You really didnt know this? Seriously?</em> (X)


    <em>Wow! A virgin! (O)</em>


    Hmm. So, they went extinct because of that?


    No. If it was just that, they might have somehow managed to keep their lineage alive. The problem was that as the concepts of chastity became twisted, so did the characteristics of unicorns.


    <em>What does this guy even know? (X)</em>


    <em>Wow! A virgin! (O)</em>


    The brain trantor and Eve. Her exnation continued, with one of those twopletely broken.


    In summary, unicorns were also affected by the gender reversal beam and started to prefer virgins over maidens, but their bodies still reacted sensitively to maidens.


    Because of this, touching a non-maiden would cause them to vomit blood and die or be corrupted and turn into a bicorn. The same happened when touched by non-virgins, leading to a rapid decline in their poption. And now, they werepletely extinct.


    Of course, it wasnt that there werent any unicorn horns collected and stored in the past but they were traded at a very high price, making them difficult to obtain.


    So, its really been a long time since Ive seen a unicorns horn. Especially one that shines like this.


    <em>So surprising (X)</em>


    <em>Wow! A virgin! (O)</em>


    I just thought it shone when touched by a virgin or a maiden, but it seems theres also a difference in brightness.


    Surprisingly, unicorns can distinguish between maidens and virgins even after death. Therefore, even if its a horn that has already been detached, if its handled by non-maidens and non-virgins multiple times during transportation, the light bes increasingly dull, and the power within the horn weakens. Its not that Im young, but this is the first time Ive seen such a horn.


    <em>What a precious material (X)</em>


    <em>Wow! A virgin! (O)</em>


    Wowthats really a unique taste. Those unicorns.


    I nodded and then looked down. I asked Lemon and Apple, who were looking at me and the horn with an irritated expression and snickering.


    Are you two maidens?


    N, no Im not! I may be young for an elf, but still, throughout the years Ive lived


    Lemon is a virgin.


    Apple?! Why would you expose me like that!


    And I am a virgin as well.


    Lemon vehemently shook her head in denial, while Apple calmly stated the truth.


    It seems Apples ims were correct. After all, it must be because they had immense anticipation for their first experience that theypletely fell for Gales trap.


    What did they say? That he said hed go wash up so they should ready themselves, so they really waited inside thebyrinthpletely naked but were captured by the other raiders?


    Even after being tricked by a bloodsucker or maybe bloodpumper would be more urate. Anyway, even after being tricked by a man, the two were staring at me with passionate gazes.


    Smiling at their steadfast attitude, I proceeded to ce the unicorn horn on each of them.


    There and there.


    Each time it touched Lemon and Apple, the horns light grew stronger.


    Lemon seemed to want to die out of shame, and Apple just sighed deeply. To them, I announced with a dead serious expression.


    I believe it. You are indeed virgins.


    Kyaaaak! No, no Im not! I am an experienced adult woman!


    Lemon Youre just embarrassing yourself. You must humbly ept reality.


    Laughing at the two making a fuss, I then extended the horn towards Eve.


    How about you, Miss Eve?


    Hehe. What do you think?


    <em>Daring to dig into my past, mortal? (X)</em>


    <em>I dont want to be exposed as a virgin at this age (O)</em>


    Finally, the brain trantor returned to normal. Watching Eve stealthily move back, I swiftly extended the horn towards her.


    Tap.


    The moment the unicorns horn touched the back of Eves hand, the entire store was enveloped in a bright light.


    Whoosh-!!


    The amount of light was so immense that it could have made one go blind. Eves face, having just proven her thousand-year virginity, flushed red.


    It was a rather rare sight given Eves normal rxed demeanor.


    I smiled broadly at Eve, who stoodpletely stunned.


    Wow! A maiden!


    .


    It was petty revenge.

 Chapter 29: Horney Is Weird...(2)

    Chapter 29: Horney Is Weird...(2)


    Wow! A maiden!


    With her usual inscrutable smile, Eves face turned red, and she seemed to turn into stone. I patted the back of her hand tofort her.


    Hey, its okay, its okay! Its well-known that elves age slowly, both physically and mentally, right? I dont know how old Miss Eve is, but if youre running a store of this size, you cant be that old.


    Gasp!


    Eve, despite being the oldest living mortal and still a virgin with no money, shuddered. She wouldnt think I did it on purpose since she doesnt know I know her true identity. But sometimes, innocence was the greatest weapon.


    Though in my case, it was used to tease her under the guise of innocence!


    The sight of Eve losing herposure was rare and valuable, but unfortunately, it didntst long. Eve quickly regained herposure, and after coughing lightly a couple of times, she continued speaking.


    Ahem. This is a top-quality horn that is realistically impossible to obtain in this day and age. If you n to sell it, Ill connect you to a good ce. Of course, Ill take a tiny~mission.


    <em>Ill strip you to the bone. (X)</em>


    <em>Lets please change the subject. (O)</em>


    Im not really interested in that. If its such a good item, Id rather use it myself than sell it. Im confident that Ill make money even if it takes some time.


    Hehe. Sir Jonahs confidence is fascinating. It seems more like a firm belief based on solid evidence rather than the typical optimism of a child Its really nice to see.


    Eve nodded her head as she licked her lips. She seemed to have regained her originalposure within that short amount of time.


    But I knew that was just a habit she picked up from her days reigning as the Elf Queen! A person whos risen to a position responsible for the fate of a race would only stir up the anxiety of those they ruled by making a fuss over every problem that arose.


    So, what became ingrained in her was the habit of appearing as if shed expected everything that happened, the more flustered she became. In other words, the Ah, I see. So thats what happened You dont need to know about it yet. strategy!


    In the process, her mysterious tone and rxed atmosphere became habits ingrained in her. This,bined with Eves suspiciously suspicious appearance, actually had a great effect but now, it was just a habit from the past that caused misunderstandings.


    Even now, inside, she must still be fretting about the confirmation of her status. It wasnt right just to torment her, so I should reward her next time. Lets see, what to give her


    While I had been thinking about this and that, Eve ced her lightly interlocked hands on the desk, setting the mood.


    If Sir Jonah is thinking of using the horn personally, I can process it for you. How do you wish to shape it? A dagger, a self-defense tool, an elixiranything is fine. If you cannot trust my abilities, I can also introduce you to an excellent craftsman. Would you be willing to entrust it to me?


    <em>Hand over the unicorn horn. (X)</em>


    <em>Please stop with the virgin jokes. (O)</em>


    Um, I see. Since I hardly know anyone, it will be better for me to leave it to Miss Eve. Seeing how it was shining so brightly earlier, it seems the horn wants that, too!


    Cough


    After all the effort she had gone through to cultivate her impression, everything crumbled in an instant for the thousand-year-old virgin. Something was striking about her excessive concern over herck of experience.


    A man worried about being a virgin. And towards him, a virgin bitch smiling brightly, saying she likes virgins


    Thisll work!


    I held the unicorns horn to my forehead. Pointing the brightly shining horn at Eve, I continued.


    And maybe it hadnt been a coincidence that I got my hands on this unicorns horn. I like maidens, too. Maybe its because Im still a virgin?


    What?


    <em>Really? (X)</em>


    <em>Lets get married. (O)</em>


    Oh my, how embarrassing. What am I even saying? Anyway, Ill leave this to you, Miss Eve. Considering mybat style, a dagger would be my best choice.


    Initially, I considered trying to consume it since Id obtained Gluttonous Stomach but it proved too hard to chew. It was also toorge to swallow.


    Naturally, I thought about breaking it into pieces to eat, but with the equipment and strength I had, it was impossible. So, given the situation, I decided to process it and use it as equipment. I still couldnt forget the sensation of Lydias dagger that Id briefly borrowed in the past.


    Increasing physical specs was important, but if my n wasnt to walk down the path of a martial artist, it was logical to invest in equipment as well.


    Huhu understood. Then, after I finish the initial processing, Ill contact the Dwarf Workshop Union. Fortunately, I have connections there, and with such materials, there will be numerous craftsmen who would want to handle it, even if it means they have to go out of their way to do so.


    <em>I have such connections. (X)</em>


    <em>Lets get married. (O)</em>


    Yes! Then Ill leave everything to you, Eve! This is my first time doing something like this, so Im a bit nervous.


    Oh? Its natural, since first times are special for everyone. You could leave this to me, someone experienced in these matters.


    <em>You can trust me. (X)</em>


    <em>Lets get married. (O)</em>


    I felt a bit of pity for how she emphasized her experience It wasnt like I couldnt understand the feeling, so I continued speaking with a bright smile.


    If Miss Eve says so, then Ill trust your word and leave this all to you. Were partners, after all, arent we?


    Partners Yes. Thats right. We are partners.


    <em>If Im screwed, youre screwed too. (X)</em>


    <em>We were already a couple! (O)</em>


    I leaned in slightly towards Eve, who was muttering dazedly, as if to share a careful secret.


    Since were partners, I have a favor to ask.


    A request that can only be made to a partner how intriguing. Please, feel free to tell me anything.


    Actually, Im currently out of money.


    Pardon? Since Sir Jonah brought the materials, and the workshop union will either not charge us at all or only ask for the minimum, you only need to pay for mybor fee


    I dont have the money for thatbor fee.


    Didnt you obtain 2 gold just yesterday?


    I used that 2 gold to get this horn.


    As I lightly tapped the horn still attached to my forehead, Eve looked back and forth between me and the horn, bewildered. She then spoke in a slightly elevated tone.


    In that case, it cant be helped. But this is troubling, Sir Jonah. I am a merchant, after all. I cant work without receiving something in return.


    <em>Actually troubled (X)</em>


    <em>Pay with your body (O)</em>


    Is there really no other way?


    Normally, this is not allowed, but we are partners, as Sir Jonah said. Im, of course, willing to offer a bit of consideration.


    Really?!


    Yes. By principle, we should receive the payment upfront, but for Sir Jonah, its okay to pay it offter at your own pace. Especially since a certain generous person took goods instead of cash as the price for the lives of my subordinate employees.


    With a deep smile, Eve gazed at Lemons and Apples lying beneath me. Just that was enough to make them start trembling. It seems theyve been through a lot after Lydia and I left


    After alternately patting the shoulders of Lemon and Apple, I sent a subtle nce towards Eve.


    Post-payment. It would be nice even to pay it off slowly over several installments, but Id like to suggest a slightly different method. For example paying with my body?


    Hmm?


    <em>What kind of trick is this? (X)</em>


    <em>Is it really happening?! (O)</em>


    Her excitement was palpable; her usually narrow eyes widened just enough to let her green irises sparkle through. It felt as though her gaze could see right through me. Experiencing the sensation of being stripped bare, my body shivered involuntarily.


    This was no longer merely a sinister atmosphere as before but an actual sense of pressure. It was likely because she was using the Eye of Truth with greater intensity.


    Confronted with a true, genuine powernot merely the remnants left by a perished godI opened my mouth.


    I n to defeat the guardian of the first floor and receive the power of the World Tree. And I will use that power once for you, Miss Eve.


    !


    She seemed taken aback. Her half-closed eyes widened, fully revealing Eves irises. They were a transparent green, reminiscent of emeralds. She must be using the Eye of Truth at its maximum capacity, as Eves eyes were glowing.


    It was more than just a sense of pressure now. I could feel the presence of something immense beyond. A mere small branch left by the World Tree before its death had this much presence.


    Suddenly, the setting I had created, where the world had been destroyed by the gods battle, seemed understandable. If beings of this caliber were shing, destruction was inevitable.


    Looking directly into eyes that brooked no falsehood, I grinned. Not with the cute smile I had learned to survive in this world, but with a smile that was truer to my original self.


    Im telling the truth.


    It seems so.


    But its also true that I need help.


    I will dly help you.


    Eve, having fully activated the Eye of Truth, immediately responded to my words. My sincerity must have reached her.


    If I took my time and grew steadily, in a few years, I would have umted the minimum achievements necessary to be qualified to fight against the floor guardians.


    But that would take too long. So, I will rely on equipment and the gacha to shorten that growth time as much as possible.


    And so, if I became strong like that Id be able to overturn the event that will turn Eve evil someday.


    If asked for help, Ellie and Lydia would dly lend a hand. But apart from that, shouldnt I also try my best? After all, its my responsibility as the person who finalized Eves fate as a tragedy and also her only sympathizer.


    I quietly reached out my hand. Eve hesitated for a moment before taking it. I shook her hand lightly and asked,


    Eve, but didnt you have a strange thought earlier? You know, when I said I would repay you with my body.


    I dont understand what you mean.


    Eve, back to her usual half-closed eyes, tilted her head and tried to pull her hand away I didnt intend to let her escape like this.


    I got a wee bit scared from the immense pressure of the Eye of Truth that had been much beyond my expectations, so its only fair that I give back as much.


    Squeeze.


    I firmly grabbed the hand of Eve, who was trying to escape, and brought my lips close to her long elf ears.


    Eve noona my horn is acting weird


    Hnnnt?!


    Perhaps it was because of the flirtatious voice, or because my breath touched her ear, or maybe because the content was just right for letting loose ones wild imagination. But I truly enjoyed Eves reaction, twitching as if shed been electrified.


    ck.


    cing the unicorn horn down on the desk, I bowed to Eve, who was still gasping for breath.


    Thank you for today. Ill be leaving now. Please send Lemon or Apple to the Fairy and Silver Coin once the item is done. Im always staying there.


    Yes? Y, yes.


    Leaving the dazed Eve behind, I dragged up the twin elves, who had been secretly watching us while chewing on jerky.


    Both of you, please follow me for a moment.


    You two have a separate task.

 Chapter 30: Horney Is Weird...(3)

    Chapter 30: Horney Is Weird...(3)


    Eve Nirvana Yggdrasil stared nkly in the direction where the pink-haired boy had disappeared. Jonah. He was a peculiar boy in many ways.


    Lemon and Apple had been neglected from a young age because they were the children of criminals. Naturally, theycked the education and knowledge expected for their age, and they had no umted wealth or power whatsoever. Thats why Eve had taken them in, feeding them and teaching them various things


    Anyway, Jonah had been unable to even resist against those two sisters about a year ago. However, yesterday, hepletely demobilized a raider in a way that far surpassed Lemon and Apple in strength.


    Even though humans are a species with quick growth, matching their short lifespans, his speed of development felt unmistakably abnormal.


    Moreover, it had been just 8 coppers no, Jonah imed that it was an amount critical to his life at the time. It seemed that he was gritting his teeth with vengeance after almost starving to death from an act that Lemon and Apple hadmitted without much thought, but when the twins were actually facing death, he saved them.


    Emotions dont just disappear right away because the prices were paid. However, Jonah had truly forgotten all of his grudges the moment he received Lucky Strike. This was already surprising enough, but what was even more astonishing was his attitude towards Eve herself.


    He hadnt spoken a single lie. Eve was well aware of herself. She knew that she had the appearance and habits that were prone to be misunderstood.


    In the past, she actively took advantage of this, but after retiring, she started to find these traits cumbersome. Given such circumstances, Eve became ustomed to those who were wary of her.


    Sometimes, there were people who acted friendly and kindly towards her but with the Eye of Truth, such pretenses were all too visible. Of course, she didnt think all lies were necessarily bad. After all, why would she concern herself over such matters after living for so long?


    Basic manners, consideration to not hurt others, ingrained habits, and so on. Eve knew well that not all lies stemmed from malice.


    However, it was precisely because Eve was such a person that she was all the more flustered by Jonahs sincere kindness. Jonah was not like Lemon or Apple, oblivious, clumsy, and unable to lie. If he wished, he could hide his expressions and emotions at any time. But he didnt.


    Looking through the Eye of Truth, Jonah had always been sincere. I didnt know such a person could exist.


    In reality, Jonah had been careful not to lie because he knew of Eves power. Although that had been because he had been an author who, in return for losing all social skills and personal rtionships, hade to love the world they created and the characters within it


    The Eye of Truth was a power that revealed intentional lies. It could not read specific thoughts, nor could it discern when someone was truly being deceived.


    Not even Eve could have possibly known that Jonah was an author who nned to write a novel set in the Pan Continent, and she had been one of his characters. So, she could only think of Jonah as an honest person.


    To her, having lived a thousand years No, precisely because she had lived so long, the boy felt all the more special. But this was merely a personal sentiment and nothing more than interest. Until a moment ago.


    Huhu. To defeat the guardian of the first floor and obtain the power of the World Tree Thats a story Ive heard many times before. Of course, it was something that the elves had attempted over hundreds of years.


    Although things had improved, the spiritual emptiness of the elves had been a much bigger problem than expected. It was so severe that elves, despite being a long-lived race, would often not live to the age of 100 years and wouldmit suicide.


    Naturally, they struggled in every possible way to retrieve even a trace of the World Tree, which is why they ced Eve, the eldest daughter of the World Tree but still young, on the queens throne.


    Even knowing that the World Tree on the first floor of thebyrinth was just a shadow spanning dimensions, a mere illusion, how could the elves of that time have ignored it? They flocked in droves, trying somehow to reim their past glory. There were even elves who actually lived on the first floor.


    Of course, all these attempts had failed. The World Tree had died for none other than the elves, and this was a situation that could not be reversed by any means.


    But when the adventurers who first entered the second floor encountered the existence known as the floor guardian, fought, and defeated it, embedding a part of the divine power into their bodies


    The elves, who had half given up, went absolutely mad. Even if the World Tree was no longer with them, finding just a trace of it would be enough. The older elves would gain the strength to live by reminiscing about the past, and the younger elves would grow stronger, knowing their roots.


    And if the one who obtained that power were a man then they would have him form a marital bond with the Queen, the eldest daughter of the World Tree. The child born to those who harbored the power of the World Tree would be a true leader, making the elves whole again!


    Full of hope, the elves staked the fate of their race and invested everything to start investigating the first floor. And so, 800 years had passed.


    The elves overcame their depression independently and embraced the belief that gold was supreme. Meanwhile, Eve, having left her spouses position vacant, became known as a historical spinster.


    . Her temple still twitched with anger when she recalled those times, but she took a deep breath, deciding to let go of the bad memories and focus on the good ones. For instance the promise Jonah made at the end.


    I didnt expect him to say such a thing at that moment. Despite risking their personal lives and the future of their race, no one truly believed in the n to explore the first floor. They were filled with nothing but wishful thinking. But Jonah was different.


    The young boy dered his goal with clear conviction, as natural as the sunrise in the morning and the moonrise at night. He would harness the power of the World Tree for Eve.


    Jonah probably didnt grasp the full meaning of his words. How could a young boy born in this era be aware of lore from hundreds of years ago? After all, she had preserved her purity for the past 800 years as the woman who could lead one to a jackpot marriage.


    And then, there was thatst smile. Jonah had always maintained a cuteness appropriate for his age, along with the supposed alluring expression said to be a trademark of pinkettes. But it had been different during their final handshake.


    His smile was proud and fierce, as if he intended to conquer the world. No, could that even be described as a smile? It was more akin to the growl of a wild beast.


    A smile imbued with primal violence, ready to ruthlessly attack anyone who stood in his way to im what he desired. Eve was overwhelmed by what was termed masculinity ording to Earths standards.


    It was the first time in a thousand years she had encountered the scent of a man.


    Ahh With Lemon and Apple taken away by Jonah, the Eternal Mercantile Eden was left deserted.


    Alone in the small, shabby space, clearly cut off from the outside world, Eves smile grew wider.


    Huhuhu. A little moment wont hurt. Theres no urgent work waiting for me, anyway.


    Eve stood up, locked the shop door, and draped thick curtains over the windows. She then measured the horn on the desk and fetched an adult toy of simr size from a shelf.


    This ce was a general store, offering a wide variety of items, including tools designed to alleviate the loneliness of solo adventurers. She had been thinking about removing them from the inventory due to poor sales


    Even if its going to be removed, I should find out what the issue is. With that rationalization, Eve took therge model into her mouth.


    Perhaps because she had guarded this ce for so long, venturing below was somewhat intimidating and, more importantly, because Jonah had mentioned he preferred maidens.


    Slip- The sound of fabric hitting the floor echoed.


    It was only after Eve had climaxed twice, fantasizing about Jonahs rugged smile and hisints about his horn acting up, that she was able to start working.<hr>


    I admit I might have made too many empty promises, but I did manage to leave the unicorns horn with Eve practically for free. Now, all that was left was to wait leisurely but that didnt change the fact that I was still utterly broke.


    I might scrape together a few coppers if I looked hard enough, but it was a sum too insignificant to satisfy my heart, now ustomed to the allure of silver.


    So, now, were going to make some money. Lemon and Apple, practically dragged out here, exchanged nces. Then, they both tilted their heads in confusion.


    Are we heading to thebyrinth again today?


    Then, Ill go grab our gear and get ready.


    No. Its not thebyrinth, but thebyrinth city where were making money today. And I need you two for efficient farming.


    What does farming mean?


    Ah, your tones returned to normal. Is that okay?


    Of course, since its just us here. And farming well, youll know once we start.


    The jobs difficulty changed drastically depending on whether you had partners. I narrowed my eyes and looked around. It was a neighborhood that was moderately developed, yet not too upscale.


    There were quite a few adventurers roaming around, but at best, they were on a simr level as Lemon and Apple. In other words, it felt like the kind of neighborhood with just the right amount of unstable public order.


    Theres bound to be one in ces like this I focused my search around the alleyways. And before long, I found them.


    A wild group of thugs appeared!


    Go, Lemon! Apple! Pick a fight with them!


    Youre revealing your true colors, I see!


    From this moment on, this ce is under our control!


    Though they didnt understand the reason, the twin elves charged excitedly at mymand. And as I watched the local thugs taken off guard by their vigor, I stretched my arms.


    Crack- This cool yet heavy sensation.


    Its been a while. Its time to return to pickpocketing, not being an adventurer.

 Chapter 31: Tis But A Dream

    Chapter 31: Tis But A Dream


    Lemon and Apple entered the alleyway in a strange posture, somewhere between annoying and sleazy, with their heads held high and their upper bodies swaying.


    Heh?


    Tsk. New faces.


    The tough-looking women, huddled together smoking, clicked their tongues upon spotting their fellow tradespeople. However, they soon noticed Lemon and Apples ears and were bewildered.


    Elves? Why would elves be


    You dumb bitch! Why do you think elves woulde all the way to a back alley like this to find folks like us!


    As if realizing something, one of them widened her eyes, stamped out her cigarette, and asked, Where are you folks from?


    Hmm. A reasonable reaction. No matter how much Lemon and Apple might look like third-rate thugs, an elf was still an elf. Moreover, elves were known for being a race without petty criminals, the reason being that crime doesnt pay.


    In other words, they must have concluded that behind the seemingly trivial Lemon and Apple was a formidable big shot. Quick thinking. Well, they wouldnt have survived otherwise.


    My admiration for their quick shift in stance was short-lived. The two elves, who were even less than local thugs, giggled and puffed out their t chests.


    Hehe. Curious who sent us?


    Dont be shocked. Theyre a ruthless butcher and a debt collector whod chase you to the ends of hell to im whats owed to them.


    Jonah, that fearsome name refers to this person right here!


    Everyone bows their heads to him!


    ?


    What kind of nonsense was that?


    Suddenly, Lemon and Apple pointed to where I was hiding. I should have realized when they rushed over there, making a ruckus.


    The thugs, locking eyes with me, momentarily wore stupefied expressions.


    Right. I understand. I, too, would have made that face if an uwu middle school girl appeared, iming they were a national-level gang boss.


    But thanks to the thugs being more surprised than me, I was able to regain myposure quickly.


    Originally, Lemon and Apple were supposed to pick a fight, and I nned toe in and pretend to break it up during their argument, then sneak into their pockets. No matter how thuggish, they wouldnt just beat up a pretty boy who came to stop the fight. Then it would have been an easy, simple, and quick pickpocketing formplete.


    Argh! I dont care anymore! Just die!


    If Ive already been caught, the only remaining method was to strike first to win.


    For that reason, I charged at the head of the thugs at the very front who questioned us.


    Huh?


    I threw a noose made of the sturdy rope I had fashioned yesterday towards her, who still hadnte to her senses.


    She tried to take off the noose, sensing that it was dangerous


    Its toote!


    In an instant, I traversed the narrow alley, climbed onto the shoulders of the thug leader, tightly wrapped the noose around her neck, and strangled her.


    Gurk.


    While she was trying to untangle the rope around her neck, I struck the back of her head with the handle of the dagger.


    Phuck!


    Unfortunately, unlike in the movies, she didnt pass out from one blow, so I kept hitting her until she did.


    Phuck! Phuck! Phuck!


    Argh! Gurk! Geuk.


    Maybe it was a lucky shot. Trembling, the leaderdys eyes rolled back, and she copsed.


    Towards the other thugs, who had all frozen from what happened in the blink of an eye, I flipped them off.


    You guys territory is done for! From now on, this ce is under the control of Sir Jonah!


    Those who dont agree,e at me!<hr>


    Thebyrinth city was rtively safe for a ce teeming with tough adventurers. The reason was simple. The real scary ones were either holed up in thebyrinth or were the corporate mafia types who had no interest in petty crimes.


    Of course, there were the asional serial killers, drug dealers, or professional human traffickers. But those usually had their heads caved in by a guilds subjugation request or got done in by the real big shots for bothering their markets before long.


    The Twin Dagger n that kidnapped me was just like that. They were too passionate about human trafficking and ended up getting caught by the guild.


    Anyway, given such circumstances, unless you deliberately venture deep into the dark parts, there really werent many dangerous folks around. That had been why I used to pickpocket around the city before I met Lydia.


    But even thugs who relied on extorting protection money from orphans and beggars as their main ie because they were too scared of messing with legitimate businesses, would dine and dash at street stalls, and would enact bloody revenge (no one dies) when theirckeyse to them beaten up, they would still be stronger than me.


    It wasnt without reason that I thought of using Lemon and Apple. It was because I wasnt confident with direct confrontation. That had been the case


    Pl-please spare us, and we will swear loyalty to you!


    ?


    I looked down at the five or six thugs kneeling before me. Clothes that stuck tightly to their bodies, the smell of alcohol and cigarettes emanating from their entire beings, and faces that, though scarred and rugged by the standards of the continent, didnt look too bad in my eyes.


    The thugs that I considered so fearsome just months ago were now bowing down in front of me. And this wasnt even the first time. This was already the third group.


    How had ite to this?


    Lemon and Apple continued to reveal my location stupidly, and in a moment of panic, I subdued the strongest-looking one first. Then, when the rest of the gang immediately surrendered, I just took their wallets and let them go. Maybe that was the problem.


    At first, those who had been so scared of me visibly rxed, and then they began following me around. Even if I told them to scram, they would only stay at a distance for a short while but never stop their persistent following.


    Feeling it was somewhat pointless to just leave things as they were, I asked if there were any decent targets around to fleece, and with a gleeful expression, I would be guided to another alley.


    And just like Lemon and Apple had done, they introduced me with confidence.


    Crazy women.


    Perhaps because I hadckeys (they werent) with me, but the already hostile atmosphere reached its peak, and we were attacked first But we ended up winning the fight.


    My experience from thebyrinth, especially the experience of facing the Horn Rabbits, helped a lot. If I could handle that swift creatures speed, how could the punches of these pathetic thugs, who hadnt even be proper adventurers, reach me?


    The ones who seemed to be the leader charged at me first but ended up punching empty air before being subdued. As soon as their leader was easily captured, the underlings surrendered without hesitation. I took all their wallets and let them go once again, but they started to follow me around just like the others.


    I was so baffled that even when I asked why they were doing this, they just clung on persistently, asking to be epted as my subordinate, so I got a bit tired of it and sent them over to Lemon and Apple.


    Thus, the number of myckeys (seriously, theyre not) doubled.


    Half-giving up, I asked for the next target, hoping to resolve things quietly this time


    But Lemon and Apple, not wanting to be outdone by the neers, rushed out and shouted aloud before I could stop them. That I wanted this to be resolved quietly, so they should do as told.


    And that led us to now.


    These ones didnt even think about fighting me; they just immediately knelt down.


    Why was it that I remembered the whole process, but I still didnt understand how it ended up like this?


    Seriously, what the heck?


    As I was tilting my head in confusion, Lemon and Apple, standing beside me, started to scold them loudly.


    How dare you! Who do you even think Sir Jonah is?!


    Do you think you can survive with such empty-handed loyalty?


    Shouting this, the twins rubbed their index and thumb together. It was a demand so tant that it seemed ridiculous, but perhaps this was exactly the kind of thing that worked, as the thugs who had been shivering in fear suddenly widened their eyes.


    They hurriedly started rummaging through their pockets. Polite enough to take out their wallets and ce them on the ground, Lemon and Apple collected them all and handed them to me.


    Hmm.


    I pretended to be displeased as I took the wallets. Of course, its not like there was a lot of money in them. Even the thickest wallet from the leader barely contained a little more than 2 silver.


    Still, after collecting everything, it seemed like they had about four silver. Including what we extorted from the previous groups, it all added up to nearly 13 silver.


    Originally, the n was to sneak a wallet or two from those quarreling with Lemon and Apple, so I thought that earning 2~3 silvers would be a big haul


    But my n has changed. The benefits now outweighed my unease. Abandoning my hesitation, I nodded.


    Good. Thats enough. You can stand up now.


    Be grateful for Sir Jonahs generosity!


    Now you are also part of our family!


    Thank you Thank you.


    Lemon and Apple proudly dered them to join us, and the third boss seemed genuinely relieved.


    I poked the sides of the twin elves as I watched the thugs stagger to their feet.


    Heut.


    Hnngh.


    Stop making weird noises, ande talk with me for a second. I have something to discuss.


    What is it? If you have something to discuss do you need to go to the bathroom?


    Lemon. Men dont go to the bathroom.


    Whats that nonsense? Why would I call you just to go to the bathroom? And Apple Pay. Even men go to the bathroom, you know?


    Lemon just blinked dumbly as if she was truly clueless, and Apple slumped down like the world had just ended.


    Sighing deeply at the sight, I pointed behind us to the thugs no, now myckeys, weing the neers.


    Whats with them? Why do they act as if its natural to be my subordinates?


    Huh? Werent you nning to take over this area?


    Did you not know what you were getting into? This is surprising in its own way.


    No, I wasnt trying to do this. I was just going to swipe their wallets and run. Anyway, I really dont understand, so hurry up and exin.


    Lemon and Apple looked at each other and nodded.


    Its simple. Jonah tried to subdue them while inflicting the least amount of harm.


    You didnt even try to kill or cripple them. In this industry, thats how you tell someone to join you.


    But what if you just talkno, of course, theyre out here ripping off kids instead of going to thebyrinth because talking it out doesnt work.


    Theres another reason for that as well. Jonah is young and cute, right?


    How would the others consider those who gotpletely beaten by Jonah? Those around them would ignore them.


    So their mindset is since Ive already lost, let all the other bitches get screwed over too?


    Its simr but a bit different.


    If everyone gets beaten by Jonah, they arent the only ones that will be embarrassed. Its just that Jonah was strong.


    .


    Above all, in this field, if theres someone who can fight as well as Jonah, you absolutely have to cling to them.


    Or never get involved again and just live a decent life.


    Theyre too faithful to thew of the jungle


    That was the reason?


    I shook my head in disbelief and asked, Arent you two ashamed to submit to a young guy like me?


    What are you talking about? Its exciting.


    Serving a female boss is normal, but serving a male boss is hot.


    Ah.


    I understood. Loli boss? Hell yeah.

 Chapter 32: Tis But A Dream (2)

    Chapter 32: Tis But A Dream (2)


    I was mistaken for a battle-crazed, loli boss. Or should I say, a shota boss?


    Not bad


    Receiving wallets as part of the initiation ceremony was, of course, nice. However, the emotion I was feeling now wasnt simply because my wallet had gotten heavier.


    How should I say it? I ended up in this situation unintentionally, but the more I thought about it, something deep inside me started to burn.


    Just a few months ago, I wouldnt have even dreamed of confronting someone head-on, maybe just sneaking their wallet, but that was it. But not anymore. The local thugs were no longer the subject of my fear!


    Strength, muscle, reach, etc. Most of my specs are stillcking, sure. But why did that matter? If we fought, I would win nevertheless.


    Id only been fighting monsters all this time, and the first raider I faced was already half-dead from my surprise attack. Then there were always stronger people like Ellie and Lydia around me, so I didnt realize, but


    I had be stronger! Enough to have leaped over the walls of the past long ago!


    Once I realized this, somehow, everything in the world started to seem trivial.


    I see. So this is the perspective of the strong.


    Ah, Jonah is saying something strange again.


    Shh. He must be pondering which organization to devour next.


    Lemon and Apple chimed in as if they were unable to stand me setting the mood by myself.


    Lemon, Apple.


    What is it?


    Did you call us?


    But the twins were good listeners, so they hurriedly ran and stood in front of me. I began to step on their feet alternately.


    Press, press.


    Take responsibility for ruining my mood!


    Whats with that sudden nonsense


    I wish youd stepped on me harder.


    Lemon tilted her head as if she hadnt thought she was heard or really was oblivious to why this was happening. Apple was just enjoying it.


    I had intentionally stepped lightly, but I didnt expect them to like it this much.


    After stepping on them a few more times with a bit more force, I finally let the twin elves go.


    Haah. Fine. Ill let it slide this time.


    Im not sure what this is about, but thank you.


    Rewards are always wee.


    Enough with the nonsense. Go bring those growling gals over there.


    Oh! Are we finally going hunting for our next target?


    Well be right back.


    Lemon and Apple ran towards the menacing thugs,ughing joyfully.


    As soon as they started talking, the atmosphere quickly eased, and they all approached me.


    The moment our eyes met, they bowed at a 90-degree angle, offering a respectful greeting. The former leaders of their respective groups began speaking, now in a much more polite tone.


    Did you call for us?


    Please, tell us yourmand.


    Ah. I called you here because I had something to ask but before that, lets settle this. Why were you ring at each other earlier?


    Um actually, we havent been on good terms for a while.


    After all, were all crammed into this small area So yes


    The two answered awkwardly. For reference, the leader of the first group I met was still unconscious, so I left them lying in a safe alley.


    I even covered them carefully with leaves up to their head so they wouldnt get sick on a cold day like this. Thats how warm-hearted I am.


    Really? Well, Im sorry about the past, but lets get along from now on. At least dont make it obvious that youre fighting in front of me. You know what I mean?


    Yes. If necessary, you mean you will eliminate one side to prevent any fights, right?


    We will correct our actions.


    No. I just meant dont bicker over unnecessary things. Just what kind of person did I look like for them to say that?


    Scratching the back of my head, I brought up what I originally intended to talk about.


    Right. Dont cause trouble. By the way, do you know any other thugs besides you guys? Not the petty ones, but those worth shaking down.


    As expected.


    You had nned to take over this street from the beginning.


    ???


    Again, they admired me as they pleased. Im too tired even to care now.


    So? Your answer?


    If youre talking about other easy targets I guess Chloe from the south would be the one.


    Though shes one of the Four Heavenly Queens like us, shes no match for Boss. Youll find her if you go about three blocks in that direction.


    Why were there Four Heavenly Kings in this tiny town?


    I sighed deeply and poked Lemon, who wouldnt leave my side.


    Lemony Biscuit.


    Euht Ribs are an erogenous zone for meplease touch me more gently.


    Stop talking nonsense and crouch down for a moment.


    Understood.


    True to Lemons somewhat foolish but obedient nature, she immediately squatted down beneath me.


    I climbed onto Lemons shoulders. The so-called horseback riding stance.


    Oh, ohhh! Thighs on both sides! A squishy sensation at the back of my head!


    Im jealous of Lemon. Do I get something?


    Lemon was making a fuss, and Apple was looking this way with begging eyes. I waved my hand nonchntly in response.


    Lemon, get up now. And Apple Ill do something for you next time, so back off for now.


    Understood!


    Ill look forward to it!


    From behind, I saw the former bosses envying Lemon and Apple, but that wasnt really important.


    Did you hear that, Lemon? They said to go that way.


    Understood! Ill be Jonahs feet and run with all my might!


    Then Ill be the hands. Huh? Then, if you jack off now, does it be a HJ?


    Ignoring Apples nonsense, I pulled on Lemons long hair.


    Go, Lemon! Full sprint!


    Lemon Lemon!


    Extremely excited, Lemon started running with me on her back. Then, btedly, Apple and the others started chasing after us.


    Of course, she was slower than me. But it wasfortable to move around like this, and I could breathe the air from a much higher ce, so that was pretty good.


    I only had a brief moment tough and enjoy the cool breeze. As soon as we turned the corner three blocks away, there were thugs huddled together and giggling like all the previous groups had been.


    While they were surprised by the sight of us merged together, I immediately stood up, kicked off from Lemons shoulders, and jumped.


    T-huap!


    And spinning in the air, I used the rotational force and kicked the closest one in the head.


    Thwack!


    Argh!


    After taking one down, I pointed at the rest with my index finger and shouted.


    If you hand over your wallets without resistance, we wont be seeing any blood!


    This crazy brat! How dare youe here!


    One couldve thought they were royalty from the way they were fawning over her. After finishing their overreactions, they finally noticed Apple and the rest of the gang rushing over here.


    An overwhelming numerical disadvantage. But, surprisingly, they chose to fight to the end instead of surrendering.


    How can you be born a woman and bow your head to a man! Dont you have any pride?


    Pride is far away, and my fists are close.


    Pride doesnt pay the bills.


    Lemon and Apple nodded calmly. The rest didnt say anything, but they seemed to share simr thoughts.


    Thest thug bossprobably one of those self-proimed Four Heavenly Queens, Chloe or something, looked me up and down and smacked her lips.


    For your information, all a man needs to do is lie down beneath a woman and bark for her. Ill make you a man today!


    Wow! Did you hear that? Its my first time seeing someone actually say that in real life!


    Arent you even embarrassed to say that?


    Shes an idiot that doesnt understand being crushed by a man is better than crushing them.


    ?


    ?


    Lemon and Apple looked at each other as if they were looking at a madman. They were just doing their usual foolish whatever, but perhaps it felt different to our opponent.


    Chloe (mid-30s, buff) frowned deeply and shouted while swinging a thick bat.


    What are you doing! Go and beat them up! The first one to catch them gets to have him after me!


    Truly a vulgar reward. But it seemed to be enough to motivate her subordinates. See, thats how handsome of a pretty boy I was.


    Five thugs rushed me at once. I casually waved my hand to signal that I didnt need help, then threw myself into the fray.


    My excellent spatial awareness, a bonus from my pathfinding skill, recognized everything around me and found a way through.


    And relying on the agility gained through the pickpocketing skill to move my body towards the path I needed to go.


    Swoosh! Swish!


    Uh?


    Whats this?


    No matter how surrounded, I could always escape unscathed from the encirclement. It was my first time actively using the pathfinding skill, and it turned out to be quite useful.


    Though I still havent used it for its original purpose of finding paths!


    Keeping the current sensation in mind, I methodically took down the nearest thugs first. Unlike the others, their crimes were more severe, so I used a dagger instead of my bare hands.


    Slice-


    I didnt cut deeply. However, to show that I could kill them at any moment if I decided to, I only sliced through the skin at their vital spots.


    With dazed expressions, clutching at their necks or chests, they either copsed to the ground or retreated to a corner. None of them pissed lemonade, but their will to fight was definitely broken.


    Thest one remaining, Chloe, swung her bat in desperation, but


    You should just die.


    Dodging by a paper-thin margin, I pickpocketed the bat from her. And then I struck her on the back of the head.


    Whack-!


    Seems like my experience paid off, as this time, she fainted after just one hit.


    Thud!


    Stepping on the twitching, hefty mound of flesh sprawled on the ground with one foot, I dered victory.


    We won! Now, this ce, the 4th Commercial District, belongs to us, the Jonah Family!


    Yeahhh!!!


    The narrow alley erupted in cheers, but that was short-lived. Just when I thought it was enough and was about to go back to wallet farming


    Click.


    With a clear metallic sound, a red-haired weirdo in bikini armor stepped into the back alley.


    I received a report. Looks like I know someone here.


    Ah.


    Despite wearing desirable clothes different from her original outfit, how could I forget that expressionless face?


    Exin whats going on here, Jonah.


    The weirdos name was Lydia.


    Well, you see, Miss Lydia I somehow ended up uniting all the local thugs


    Disband them.


    I just finished unifying them, you know, so disbanding them is a bit


    A timid protest was met with a flick on the forehead.


    Knock!


    Disband them.


    Everyone, scram! The Jonah Family has disbanded as of today!


    As soon as the words left my mouth, the thugs scattered in all directions. They must have been scared of Lydia, who could easily be recognized as a high-ranking adventurer.


    Even Lemon and Apple ran away amidst them. So disloyal.


    A unification of the world Tis but a dream


    Tightly shutting my eyes, I sighed, and then Lydia pulled me by my ear and spoke.


    Right. Good job. Lets go now.


    Ouchie! Wait a moment!


    What now.


    Before we leave, at least let me farm the wallets!


    I wish she didnt look at me with those eyes. Its all in order to make a living, innit?

 Chapter 33: You Seduced Me First!

    Chapter 33: You Seduced Me First!


    After finishing my final farming, I earned roughly around 15 silver. In the old days, I would have been thrilled to earn such arge amount but after having burned through money in the gold range, I wasnt as excited.


    This was why, although there was once a time when I risked my life for 8 copper, I now treated copper as spare change.


    Growing up is quite sad.


    What are you talking about all of a sudden?


    The more experience you gain, the more desensitized you be In that sense, youre an adult, Lydia.


    I dont know what you mean, but its irritating.


    Lydia frowned deeply and began to pinch my cheek.


    Streeetch-


    Ow, ow, ow!


    My cheek stretched out, bringing a numb pain to the surrounding area. Normally, I would have struggled to escape but I couldnt do that right now.


    Jiggle jiggle.


    Each time Lydia tormented my cheeks, a huge mass of flesh wobbled before my eyes. My goodness. Is it actually possible to have such arge size on someone with such a small body?


    It was impressive even through casual clothes, but in bikini armor, I couldnt tear my eyes away from its unrestrained movements.


    Despite the pain in my cheek, I kept my eyes wide open to imprint this moment in my memory just a bit longer.


    But perhaps my actions were odd. Lydia, who had been happily squishing me, loosened her grip.


    Did that hurt too much?


    Ah, no. Its nothing. But what did you mean when you said you received a report? I dont think we caused any trouble.


    You didnt cause trouble. But its understandable that you were reported.


    What?


    Imagine all the thugs in the neighborhood roaming around as a group. Its natural for ordinary civilians to feel uneasy.


    Ah.


    That was true. A few thugs loitering around was something you could dismiss with a click of the tongue, but dozens gathered together was definitely cause for concern.


    I never imagined Jonah would be behind it.


    I didnt expect things to turn out this way either. Listen, Miss Lydia! Heres what happened


    This and that, copper and cuppa.


    After hearing the overall situation, Lydia nodded.


    So, to summarize, you were trying to pickpocket but ended up ganking them?


    It sounds odd when you put it that way, but yes! Isnt that just terrible?!


    Jonah Dont you have something called a heart? Even if the opponents are thugs, you were the one beating them up one-sidedly.


    But as Miss Lydia said, they are thugs. Whats wrong with me, an orphan, taking back the money they extorted from orphans?


    Thats


    Im not bad. The bad ones are all the thugs of thebyrinth city who tormented the past me. Remember this for the quiz, alright?


    Lydia pondered my words with a perplexed expression. Thest remark was a joke, but herck of reaction made me a bit embarrassed.


    I cleared my throat and changed the subject.


    Ahem! Anyway, where are we going now, Miss Lydia?


    The guild. I was working on a different request, but just as I was about to leave after resolving it, they mentioned a report hade in and asked for help.


    And there I was. This must be fate!


    Stop talking nonsense. So, why were you there, Jonah?


    Huh? Well, I was just pickpocketing a little


    Youre not short on money anymore. You earned 2 goldst time.


    Um. Well, thats not exactly the case.


    Dont tell me you spent it all on gambling?!


    Lydias red eyes widened in shock. A sense of responsibility seemed to sh through her gaze.


    I cant leave things as they are. If I dont properly teach this child, hell end up ruining his life!


    That seemed about right.


    It was easy to read Lydias expression when she was so openly expressive, probably because she usually showed little to no emotion.


    But if the situation went in that direction, it would be troublesome for me in many ways, so I took the initiative.


    I bought materials for a new weapon with those 2 gold! I got it for cheap due to various circumstances, but it still wasnt easy.


    A new weapon?


    Lydia, true to her gear enthusiast nature, softened upon hearing that I had purchased materials for a weapon. I nodded vigorously.


    Exactly! I entrusted the crafting to Miss Eve from Eden. After that, I had no money left.


    The owner of Eden Trustworthiness aside, she didnt seem like the most outstanding artisan.


    Miss Eve isnt an artisan. But she said she wouldnt make it herself; shed entrust it to the dwarves in the Workshop Union, so you can rest assured about that!


    She has connections in the Workshop Union? With those stubborn fools who make good items but cantmunicate well?


    Lydia seemed more surprised about her connections with the Workshop Union.


    That was understandable. The dwarves of this world epitomized the stubborn craftsman stereotype we knew on Earth.


    They made excellent items but were obstinate about their craft, often failing to meet delivery dates or specific requests.


    If you asked for a regr steel sword, the delivery could be dyed by months if they got inspired while making it. Or if you wanted a spear made, they might decide a double-ended spear suited you better and make that instead.


    They were a very stubborn race. Their mindset was that they didnt craft items for others; they created items that others would use.


    Of course, once a price was set for whatever item they made, it never changed, and the quality always exceeded expectations, so there hadnt been any major issues.


    Thats how the Workshop Union operated, absorbed in their own world


    Having the connections to make a personal request to such a ce was indeed surprising.


    For Eve, who had been influential in thebyrinth city(she hadnt done that) even before the Workshop Union was formed, it wasnt that surprising.


    She shrugged her shoulders and spoke nonchntly.


    Eve is an elf, after all. Given she looks younger than she is, its not strange for her to have various connections.


    Well. Its not just money that elves umte over their long lives.


    Clearly, connections were also a form of power and wealth. After all, no one could live through this world alone.


    Being able to receive Lydiasbyrinth training, finding a safe ce to sleep thanks to Ellie, and entrusting Eve with the unicorns horn were all due to connections.


    So, which weapon did you request, and with what material?


    Um. Well, you see


    I giggled and gestured, pressing my index finger against my upper lip.


    Shh. Its a secret until its finished. But Ill show you as soon as its done, so look forward to it!


    That really is irritating. Anyway, its good that you used the money to strengthen yourself.


    Just out of curiosity, what would you have done if I had really used it for gambling?


    I would have crushed the gambling den.


    What?


    Or crushed Jonahs arms and legs.


    Why were the options so violent?


    Shivering, I resolved to myself never to let Lydia find out about my gacha ability.<hr>


    Afterward, I collected the elixirs made from magic herbs and healing herbs I had left for refinement, drank them on the spot, and then returned to the Fairy and Silver Coin.


    For reference, the elixir was only slightly more effective than the herbs alone That could be due to a margin of error or the other medicinal ingredients used in the refinement process.


    From now on, unless there was a specific use for the herb types, I might as well just consume them immediately.


    After returning, we had dinner as usual with Ellie and engaged in some small talk.


    Now, all that was left was to exchange greetings at the right time and head upstairs to rest. Since we were entering thebyrinth tomorrow, it was best to go to bed early. But


    No matter how calm I tried to appear, I couldnt help but be drawn to Lydias chest. If this continued, I wouldnt be able to sleep even if I went to bed.


    So, I closed my eyes tightly and spoke up.


    Miss Lydia Your new armor looks very nice!


    Huh? Oh. Thank you. I see Jonah has noticed, too. Its morefortable to move in than before, durable, andes with various resistances. It wasnt easy to obtain, even for me. I had to get help from the guild.


    Heh, hehe I see. Thats impressive.


    The lower part was proper dress-style armor, but the upper part was almost like a bikini. I didnt understand how it could be more durable.


    But its a fantasy genre, so anythings possible. What mattered now wasnt that.


    Seeing you like this, I realized Miss Lydia, you have arge chest.


    Hehe. Right? I know.


    Lydia stood up, ced her hands on her waist, and straightened her upper body.


    With a pose that seemed to emphasize her chest, a proud smile appeared on her lips.


    After all, in the Pan Continent, praising a womans chest was no different from any other ordinarypliment about appearance.


    Your eyshes are long, your nails are pretty, your voice is nice, and your chest isrge. All thesepliments had a simr nuance.


    Cough cough. Miss Lydia. So, in that sense


    I had often thrown myself at Ellie, trying to seduce her. In a world where the roles of men and women were reversed, such actions might have made me feel self-loathing; it wasnt embarrassing.


    But what I was about to do now was different. It might not be a big deal for Lydia due to the gender reversal, but for me, it was quite embarrassing to even mention.


    But I had to do it. How could I miss such an opportunity!


    My heart raced as if it were broken, and my body temperature soared. Then, with a bit of hesitation and an even stronger resolution, I begged her in desperation.


    Miss Lydia!


    Huh? Is there something important?


    Please let me touch your chest!


    ?


    Lydia tilted her head, unable toprehend what she had just heard. I shouted once more toward her.


    Please let me grope your chest!


    Ellie, who had been listening from the side, dropped the cup she was holding.


    Shatter.

 Chapter 34: You Seduced Me First! (2)

    Chapter 34: You Seduced Me First! (2)


    ng.


    Ellie dropped the cup she was cleaning. The sharp sound of shattering ss drew everyones attention. I, too, who had been engrossed in Lydias breasts, which were evenrger than her head, was no exception.


    Ellie? Are you okay? I reflexively asked if Ellie was alright, then hesitated. It was clear from her expression that she wasnt.


    Her skin was pale and ashen. The eyes of a yellow beast, having lost their sharpness, wandered aimlessly, and her body, which should have still been strong despite losing an arm, trembled like a wet puppy.


    The rough impression of her ash-gray hair, which would have been striking under normal circumstances, and the neatly dressed bartender outfit now only made Ellie look more pitiful.


    Topare the current state of Ellie Yes. She was like a nobledy whose family had fallen overnight, a merchant whose entire fortune was seized, or a novelist who, after frivolously spending their prize money on gacha, discovered that their bank ount waspletely empty.


    Ellie, with a voice filled with the denial of reality and desperation unique to someone whod just had their entire life denied, cried out, J, Jonah, you were the one cheating on me!


    Huh? I blinked in confusion, wondering what this was all about. Lydias face had turned ashen, and she was shaking her head wildly.


    But Ellie continued to cry out with a voice full of betrayal, After doing such a thing to me this morning, youre now asking Lydia to grope her chest on the evening of that same night


    Her perked-up wolf ears drooped down, and the lightly swaying tail stopped moving as if it was broken. A look of genuine hurt. It was only now that I realized how I must have appeared in Ellies eyes.


    A brat who clung to her every day, iming he was only after her wealth and body, asking her to marry him. Then the little punk brought this weird underwear as a gift, so when she mustered up the courage to wear it, shed received her first kiss. Though it was just on the cheek.


    She pretended not to care, but she must have been thrilled. Of course. After all, wasnt Ellie the ultimate loner and loser who couldnt even seize an opportunity that fell into herp?


    But then, the man approached her first and kissed her on the cheek? I can assure you. Ellie must have spent the entire day thinking about how many children we would have, what their names would be, whom to invite to the wedding, and what to do with the shop if she got pregnant.


    And then, suddenly, right in front of her, that very person became distracted by her close juniors hot bod and asked if it was okay to touch her chest.


    This is totally an NTR A BSS, even if put nicely. Even I would have been hurt. Since it was a world where gender roles were reversed, a womans chest wasnt considered as valuable but breasts were still a major erogenous zone.


    Looking was one thing, but touching directly was quite an intimate form of skinship. Id been so distracted by Lydias bikini armor and chest that Id neglected Ellie. It was my fault.


    The moment that thought reached me, I jumped over the counter and arrived next to Ellie. Ellie.


    Look at me, Ellie. After watching her for a moment, I grabbed Ellies cheeks with both hands. Normally, Ellie would have reluctantly turned her head in the direction I pulled her towards, but today, she was immovable. She was seriously upset.


    Still, I didnt give up and kept talking to her. Are you really going to act like this? Are you never going to look at me again?


    What. Are you trying to tell me that Im not your lover just because I was a little nice to you?


    Of course not. Calm down, thats not what I mean.


    Hmph! This is why pinkettes are.


    Ah, do you realize that what you just said was very dangerous? If I werent so generous and didnt have as much affection for Ellie as I do, we would have broken into a fight just now. And then, we would have ended up drifting apart.


    .


    Perhaps she knew that she just misspoke. With her lips firmly closed, Ellie rxed and turned her head towards me. Looking straight into her eyes, I smiled broadly.


    But I am generous and I do like Ellie a lot, so Ill let it slide.


    Always with those fancy words!


    Then, if not words, what will make you believe me?


    What?


    What do I mean? It means Ill show you with my body.


    When I pulled Ellies head down, she bent her body into an awkward stance. The moment Ellies face reached the right position I grabbed the hem of my top and pulled it over her head.


    Hyap.


    ?!


    With her head inside my top, Ellies face was now buried in my stomach. They say hybrids have a keen sense of smell. To let her properly feel my scent, I pressed down on the back of Ellies head through the top.


    Her sharp nose pressed against my stomach. The ruffled hair tickled my chest, and the breath that touched my skin was hot and damp. In my previous life, there was a saying that the best way to cool a mans anger was to let him touch ones breasts.


    I didnt know if it was true, but it must have had some effect in the Pan Continent as well. So Ellie was snuggled up against my stomach. I gently stroked her head, looking at her perked-up tail.


    Ellie. Im sorry. I made you very anxious, didnt I?


    Mmph


    But please believe me. I wasnt ying around with you or anything like that.


    Mmhmphm


    Mm. Thats true. As Ive always said, my goal is your body and wealth But that doesnt mean theres no affection.


    Hnnhnh


    I can assure you, the person I love and trust the most in this world is Ellie. I dont know what you think of me, but do you think Id do this with just anyone?


    Heahhnh


    If you think so, thats a huge misunderstanding. Ive never allowed this to anyone but Ellie not even to Miss Lydia.


    Grrhh


    Ellie was starting to make noises that didnt sound human. Thinking its enough, I slowly pulled her head out of my top.


    Ellies face, thus revealed, was not something that could be shown to others. Her eyes were unfocused. She was breathing so heavily to the point it sounded dangerous, and her pink tongue was lolling from her slightly parted lips.


    Huh? Ah, did you lick me?


    I, well!


    As I wiped the saliva stains on my stomach with my sleeve saying that, Ellies face turned red. I chuckled at the sight of her, looking like she was about to burst.


    Its okay. Thats what I wanted you to do.


    Huh? Eh? Uh?


    My my, Ellie. Arent you a little old to be babbling like a baby?


    Its not babbling!


    Ellie, having regained her senses, shouted. It seems shes loosened up a bit. Wanna touch my chest(stomach)? was indeed the right move.


    Giggling, I knelt on one knee to match my eyes with Ellie. Then, I wrapped my arm around her neck and hugged her.


    Huap!


    I really hate how Im letting this slide Ellies voice was mixed with a sigh.


    Pretending not to hear it, I rubbed my cheek against Ellies cheek vigorously. It was the side where I had given her a peck on the cheek this morning.


    My cheek, still young and soft, and Ellies, just soft, pressed and rubbed against each other, offering a pleasant sensation. In that state, I whispered softly into Ellies ear.


    What can you do about it, even if you hate it, Ellie.


    What?


    Even though you say you hate it, what can you do besides getting excited like this?


    Jonah, you know you might get into big trouble if you provoke an adult like this, right?


    Im doing this because I want to get in trouble. Ill wee you anytime, Ellie.


    .


    Ellies lips sealed shut, seemingly unable to find the right words. Only after I giggled at her did she continue.


    Anyway, now you know how much I like you, right Ellie?


    Yeah.


    So, can I touch Miss Lydias chest now?


    What?


    Ellie, a beatte, dropped her gaze from my face and grabbed my shoulder with her hand. With an expression as bizarre as someone hearing that typus skin glows for the first time, Ellie finally spoke.


    What are you talking about, Jonah Boy Why are you bringing up Lydias chest at this timing!


    Wait, but listen, Ellie. Miss Lydias chest ispletely insane.


    I dont see what that has to do with anything.


    Men are creatures who, upon seeingrge chests, want to touch them.


    Really?


    With a half-believing, half-doubting expression, Ellie asked. In truth, it was a lie. Men in the Pan Continent tend to have weaker sexual desires, so not many were excited by just chests alone.


    You could think of it as being in a constant state of post-nut rity. Once they step back, dont the breasts on the other side of the screen just look like ordinary lumps of flesh? Thats how the majority of men lived their lives. How quite dreadful.


    But Ellie, who didnt know much about men anyway, would believe whatever I said. So, I decided to just push forward with it.


    Its true, Ellie. I like you this much, and I want to im your body and wealth someday But separate from that fact, I want to touch Miss Lydias chest. I want to knead them as I please.


    I, I have them too. Cant you be satisfied with mine?


    Of course, Im interested in Ellies chest too, but thats separate from Miss Lydias chest, you know?


    I dont think I understand.


    Let me see. How should I exin this. After pondering for a moment, I spoke.


    Ellie likes me, right?


    Who would like a brat like Jonah


    So, you dont like me? Put down your pride for a moment, and just tell me if you like me or not.


    If ites down to liking or disliking, of course, I like you.


    Right? But even Ellie, who likes me, uses other men as dishes when youre fapping off, right? There are novels or drawings, and although a bit expensive, you have video recordings too.


    I understand the other things, but how do you know about the video recordings?!


    If youre going to disy it proudly as if its a magical tool, you should have ced it out of reach of children. This is negligence on Ellies part, you know?


    Ah, ah.


    So I boldly dered in front of Ellie, who was trembling with shame, I like Ellie! But separate from that, I also want to touch Lydias breasts! Do you understand now?


    Uh Yeah.


    Ellie nodded nkly like someone whose soul left their body. Good. Now that Ellie understood, all that was left was Lydias consent!


    I sprang up and returned to where I was before. Then, with my arms wide open, I shouted, Lydia! Please let me touch your breasts!


    No.


    Eh.


    Lydia firmly refused and covered her chest with a nket she had pulled out from somewhere.


    That day, my world copsed.

 Chapter 35: You Seduced Me First! (3)

    Chapter 35: You Seduced Me First! (3)


    I cried out to Lydia, who had wrapped herself in a nket shed grabbed from somewhere. Why, why?! Why cant I, Miss Lydia!


    Because I dont want it.


    But why?! You seduced me first, Miss Lydia! Doesnt unting those big breasts around mean youre saying I can touch them without anyints?!


    Thats strange. Usually, thats something a woman who was stroking a mans butt would say when they get dragged away by the guards.


    I dont care! Let me touch you! Let me touch them! I sprawled on the floor, stretching my limbs out in a big Xa slightly risky preparation stance for someone my age.


    Take this! The Jonah Death Beam! No, Jonah Tantrum!


    Waaaaaaaah!!! I iled my limbs wildly and screamed. The noisy tavern suddenly quieted down, with all eyes on me.


    Not only the employees, who were dressed in full-body swimsuits today and attending to guests, but also the customers, who had been eyeing them with sly nces, all turned to look at me at once.


    Shocked, Ellie covered her face with her hands, pretending not to know me, while Lydia, with a bewildered expression, froze.


    Seizing the moment, I dered my goal once more. Let me touch your chest! Please! Im begging you, please! Waaaahhhh!!


    By now, people were looking at me as if I were a madman. Hmph! Its the worlds fault for not recognizing the dreams and hopes contained in Lydias chest. Im not the bad one.


    How many times did I il my arms and legs, selling my shame and conscience? Finally, Lydia raised her hands and shook her head. Okay, I get it. So get up now, Jonah.


    Okay. I quickly stood up and sat down. I had rashly started screaming because Id been so shocked but honestly, I was really embarrassed, too.


    But if rolling on the floor and throwing a tantrum meant I could touch Lydias chest, it was definitely a winning deal. When I sent her a look full of anticipation, Lydia sighed, holding her forehead.


    I stealthily approached her, extending my hand. p! My hand was pped away.


    Why?! You said it was alright!


    Eyes are scary.


    Thats nder. Where else can you find eyes as clear and pure as mine!


    Its not your eyes, Jonah, its Senior Ellies eyes that scare me. It feels like she might kill me if anything happens.


    Ah. When I turned around, Ellie immediately averted her gaze. The movement was so abrupt I thought she might snap her neck.


    Although it hadnt been visible from this angle, her expression must have been no ordinary one of fear for her to avoid me so intensely.


    Wellit is true that telling Ellie to smile in this situation would be too cruel. Even though Id managed to soothe her for now, the fundamental problem remained unsolved.


    The Pan Continent had its civilization reset once, which meant they needed arge poption, and with the only remaining deity being the Goddess of Love, rtionships between men and women were generally lenient and open.


    But that didnt mean jealousy or insecurity had vanished. Even on Earth, in the past, when polygamy was allowed, it wasnt as if there was no jealousy among the wives.


    Ellie was no exception. I managed to reassure her a bit with a belly face rub just now, but it couldnt really be okay for her to see me touching Lydias chest right in front of her.


    As I hesitated, Lydia spoke with a deliberately gentle tone, as if soothing a child. Later. Ill let you touch them when Senior Ellie isnt around. So hold back for now.


    Yes, maam! Ill wait as long as I need to!


    Right. Good boy. Lydia lightly patted my head and then stood up. Then Ill be going now, Senior Ellie. Jonah, you have to go to thebyrinth tomorrow, so go to bed early.


    Uh Yeah. Have a safe trip home.


    Of course I will! See you tomorrow! Ellie and I reflexively bid her farewell, and Lydia waved to us lightly before slipping out of the Fairy and Silver Coin.


    I chuckled until her figure was out of sight, then realized Did Lydia just leave me with empty promises and run away?


    This must have been how Ellie felt when she was dealing with me.


    Feeling somewhat guilty, I climbed onto the counter and stroked Ellies ash-colored hair, only to be scolded for leaving shoe prints.<hr>


    Only after vigorously wiping off the shoe prints did I go up to my room. Lying on the bed, I stared nkly at the ceiling, pondering.


    Should I just splurge on the gacha right now I had only intended to pickpocket a little, but things had escted. It was short-lived, but I had amassed a considerable sum.


    A whole 14 silver and 78 copper. Normally, I would have spun the 10-draw without hesitation. I could manage for a few days with 4 silver, and since I was going to thebyrinth tomorrow, Id have some ie.


    Yet, I hesitated for a simple reason. After I identally caused Ellie to have a meltdown, I remembered the lighter that I had pawned.


    Was it 5 silver 50 copper? I couldnt stop by on the way back because Lydia had caught me, but now I could sneak out alone.


    Right. I may not have strength, money, or a home, but I have Ellie. It seemed like the better choice to take care of Ellie, who was right beside me, than to hope for the uncertain oue of a gacha.


    I could just bring it back with the money I get from thebyrinth tomorrow but honestly, I felt like Id spend that money on the gacha again.


    I trust my own intelligence. I know that Im so foolish that if I have even a bit of spare cash, Ill waste it all on the gacha!


    For that reason, I made up my mind and went down to the first floor. As evening turned into night, the Fairy and Silver Coin tavern, fittingly, became noisier. A bit of time had passed, and Ellie, having regained her usual calmness, was nkly staring at the stores interior.


    To an onlooker, I might seem like a do-nothing idler, but in reality, it was more like the leisure of a businessman whod set up a system where moneyes rolling in just by sitting around.


    How envious. In my past life, my ultimate goal had been to be andlord so I could write whatever I wanted without worrying about money.


    For example, a dark fantasy featuring a heroine who is just a head or a cyberpunk martial arts story with a heroine who has blood-poisoning piercings.


    Of course, that dream was shattered by a terrible series of gacha rolls and an inexplicable explosion.


    Honestly, the fact that my cause of death in a previous life was an explosion felt quite meaningful.


    Why was I, of all people who died from an explosion, given the ability to roll a gacha? Maybe the Goddess of Love has a worse personality than I thought.


    With such pointless thoughts, I approached Ellie. Uh Jonah. Why are you up instead of sleeping?


    An oddly awkward atmosphere lingered. It seemed the incident from earlier was still on her mind. But I couldnt tell whether it was because of Lydias chest or my stomach.


    I silently approached and hugged Ellies tail. Its fluffiness was so satisfying to hold.


    At first, it iled like a freshly caught fish, surprised by my embrace, but it calmed down after I continued to hold on for a while.


    Only after burying my face in its lush fur and taking a deep breath did I finally speak. I couldnt sleep because I wanted to smell Ellies tail.


    Eut! Ellie flinched at my light joke. However, it didnt seem like the pure excitement shed shown in the past.


    Its a joke. I came down to get some fresh air. But seeing Ellie, I remembered something I wanted to say. I pressed close and whispered beside the twitching Ellie. Ellie. What are you thinking about right now?


    Im not thinking about anything.


    Really? Thats a suspicious reaction for someone who ims that. I giggled and hugged Ellie from behind. Under normal circumstances, it would have been a rather cool back hug


    But currently, due to the height difference, it just ended up with my face buried in Ellies back.


    But that was enough. It wasnt the usual naughty teasing but a wholesome skinship where we just shared each others warmth.


    Staying like that, Ellies stiffened body slowly began to rx. Did you expect something? Well. I have been pushing it too hardtely.


    Well, that is true. Ellie nodded with effort. Although wed known each other for a few months, the progress made between us in thest few weeks was much faster than the progress made during the entire time we knew each other.


    I actually had my own reasons. Up until then, all I had was my body. So, I had to take care of it as much as possible.


    I think it would be a good idea to take care of it now, too.


    Umthere was a bit of a misunderstanding in the word take care. To be more precise, it was closer to holding back.


    I like Ellie. Im not sure if it was the love between a man and a woman, but its true that I harbor affection that goes beyond ordinary fondness.


    Isnt it natural to desire physical intimacy? All the more so since the reversed concept of chastity assures me that the other person would not refuse.


    But I held back my desires. I knew all too well that rushing the rtionship would only lead to stagnation.


    I would help Ellie run the Fairy and Silver Coin, and maybe someday have a child, and perhaps, if theres enough leisure, I might be able to write again.


    Those would surely be peaceful and happy times.


    However, it wouldnt havested forever.


    Because if this world truly shared the same setting as my novel, things wouldnt have gone so smoothly.


    Did you know?


    Ive never written a slice-of-life story before.

 Chapter 36: You Seduced Me First! (4)

    Chapter 36: You Seduced Me First! (4)


    If this world truly shared the same setting as my novel, things wouldnt go as smoothly as a slice-of-life story, since Ive never written one of those before. Without a precise storyline nned, I didnt know whether the world would end, someone would die, or anything like that. But the settings were made in such a way that something significant was likely to happenthats how stories progressed.


    Take Eve, for example. Her turning evil was supposed to cause a major incident that would turn the entirebyrinth city upside down. I nned to prevent that from happening, but the problem was that the possibilities for danger were more than abundant, hidden all over the Pan Continent.


    There was the objective of the cult called the One Who Devours the Twilight, the magic towers experimental idents, the corruption of the Workshop Union, the secrets of thebyrinth and the goddess, and so on. This didnt mean all these events would actually happena story hardly ever flows the way the author intends.


    I had just scattered ideas that could be obstacles blocking the protagonists path no matter how the story unfolded. Obstacles led to growth, and growth to rewards. The protagonist would encounter some of my ideas, ovee them, and ultimately obtain their desires.


    However, this process posed a serious threat to those who were not the protagonist, like Ellie. Being a supporter meant getting involved in these significant events. I couldnt be sure if my conceived events would happen or where the protagonist was, and it didnt seem Ellie would try to get involved with them while I was here.


    But to survive what would happen from now on, I needed some sort of power. Ellie would surely protect me with her nature and ability. However, just being protected wasnt enough for me, both from the pride of a man left from my past life and the responsibility of being the original author.


    Fortunately, now that my conditions to grow stronger had been met, there was no need to hesitate anymore.


    Ellie, I said, I know well that you find poor little me adorable.


    Find poor little you adorable Its not like that. I she hesitated.


    Its okay. Whatever the reason, the important thing is that you like me.


    Jonah


    But I dont want to stay this way. If possible, I want to be on equal grounds with you.


    Equal grounds?


    Yes. It means I want to be stronger than you and then force myself on you.


    ??? Ellie tilted her head, unable toprehend what shed just heard.


    On my tiptoes, I whispered into her ear, No matter how guilty you feel or how much of a coward you are backing off when it matters, it wont matter. Because I will force myself on you. Hows that? Quite convenient for you, isnt it?


    Wa-Wait a minute. Thats a bit


    Then its Miss Lydia, I interrupted.


    What?


    Im a pinkette with strong sexual desires, just as you said. I might not be satisfied with just you and might reach out to Miss Lydia, I teased.


    Jonah, are you being serious right now


    But you will always be the first. And the ce I will always return to is by your side.


    I just wanted to tell you that. After saying that, I distanced myself.


    Ellie stood there nkly for a moment before chuckling at my appearance and taking out a magic herb cigarette from her bosom. Im not as patient as you think, Jonah.


    Thats rather good, isnt it? I smirked.


    Well see. Lets see if you can say the same thing when the timees.


    Ellie shed a fierce smile, true to her wolf hybrid nature, and took out a lighter to light her cigarette. Now she lookedpletely normal again wait, a lighter?


    Ellie. Thats the first time Ive seen that lighter, Imented.


    Ah. I recently lost one so I bought a new one. What do you think? Isnt it cool? She held it out proudly.


    .


    I quietly looked at the lighter. It seemed more expensive than her old one. Feeling an unnecessary sense of deprivation, I brought my finger to the end of the cigarette Ellie was biting.


    Weak me, Whoosh! I cast my magic at its maximum output, as if trying to cover the me of the lighter.


    Whoa?! Ellie was startled when the tip of the cigarette gotpletely engulfed in mes instead of just catching on fire. I blew on it as if it were part of the act. Hoo!


    The transferred fire went out, leaving only the spark I had lit with my magic. Satisfied, I nodded my head. Then, Ill be going now.


    Okay Wait, but what was that just now? Ignoring Ellies bewildered voice, I turned not to the outside but to the second floor.


    Are you going up again? Didnt you say you were going out for some air?


    Hmph! I dont need to do that anymore! Go get the lighter? As if! Ill just roll the gacha.


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    Ding!


    [: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [: Magic Herb Pill]


    [: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [: Processed Healing Herb]


    [: Lowest-Grade Healing Potion]


    [: Processed Healing Herb]


    [: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [: Low-Grade Detox Potion]


    [: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [: Fresh Wreath]


    Kyah! This is the stuff! I cheered at the two 2-starstwice my original investment. Nothing immediately helpful, but each one is good to have. The pawnshop lighters service is now terminated! Ellie can just use her new lighter! Ill spend that money on rolling the gacha instead!


    After a lively dance, I finally checked the gacha results sprawled out on the bed. Magic herbs and healing herbs were a no-brainer, so I popped them into my mouth right away.


    Mmm yum yum The bitter yet refreshing taste of herbs filled my mouth. Medicine wasnt meant to be enjoyed for vor.


    I continued chewing as I examined the restmagic herb pills, a lowest-grade healing potion, a low-grade antidote potion, and a fresh wreath.


    The magic herb pills looked simr to the elixir I had requested, but nicerger, shinier, emitting a cooler fragrance. Anything would be simr or betterpared to something made by a cheap apprentice alchemist.


    This was just my guess, but items from the gacha tended to be of reasonably good quality. Magic herbs and healing herbs were perfect for bugs to munch on if you werent careful, but not the herbs from the gacha.


    Well no matter how well theyre made, they were ultimately the lowest grade of elixirs made from magic herbs. Id tried one before, so I shouldnt expect too much and just eat it with the other herbs.


    The lowest-grade healing potion and low-grade antidote needed no discussion. I immediately hung them on the corner of my belt. Just emergency medicines, in case.


    Now that I had an antidote, I could try eating some poison next time to check if it could be digested with Gluttonous Stomach. If not, Id just drink the antidote.


    Lastly, a pretty wreath that I wasnt sure what to use for. After pondering, I just hung it on the wall. Normally, I wouldve hung it around Ellies neck and teased her but now was an awkward time for that.


    Alright. Time to sleep, I dered. Since I had to go back to thebyrinth tomorrow, I needed to start managing my condition. I stuffed all the remaining herbs and pills into my mouth and covered myself with the nket.<hr>


    The next morning, after a simple breakfast, I was on my way to Pangrave Square, following Lydia. She cautiously opened her mouth as she watched me.


    Jonah. Did you make up with Senior Ellie? Things seemed okay again when I saw you both for a moment.


    We didnt fight in the first ce, you know? Just a slight difference of opinion, I rified.


    Right. Whatever it was, Im d youre getting along again. Lydia was visibly relieved.


    I smiled slyly at her. Thats right, Miss Lydia. Didnt you say it was okay to touch it when Ellie wasnt around? So, its fine now, right?


    Not now,ter. There are too many people here. Lydia averted her gaze subtly.


    ring at her with sharp eyes, I replied, When ister? When we enter the dungeon?


    Well


    Youll say its too dangerous in the dungeon, so no. When wee out, youll say its not okay because people are watching, like now. And in the Fairy and Silver Coin, youll say its not okay because Ellie is watching, right?


    Lydia kept her mouth shut as if shed been caught.


    Even now, her chest swayed rhythmically up and down, left and right, in sync with her stepstruly a sight to behold. So this was how incredible a chest freed from armor could be


    My hand reached out as if hypnotized. Then I quickly came to my senses and naturally brought it to her head instead, twirling a lock of her hair around my finger.


    Its okay, I continued nonchntly. I dont know why youre avoiding me, or if it really is because of Ellie but Ive decided not to worry about it anymore.


    Really? With a mix of regret and disappointment, Lydia swept a hand down her chest.


    In front of her, I boldly raised my arms, appealing my harmlessness. Touching might be off-limits, but looking is fine, right?


    Well, they wont wear out just from looking, so


    Promise me this time! When I extended my pinky, Lydia hooked it with hers after a moment of hesitation.


    I gripped her pinky tightly so she couldnt escape. So Miss Lydia will show me her chests whenever and wherever now! Thank you!


    I never said that!


    Upupup. Its already been promised. No take-backsies.

 Chapter 37: Great Forest

    Chapter 37: Great Forest


    This time, we decided to venture deeper into thebyrinth. Apart from a single encounter with a bandit party, I could now easily take down the Horn Rabbits. Other adventurers would usually learn to work together in parties or develop skills to read the movements of Horn Rabbits. However, since I moved faster than these creatures, dealing with them was simpler for me than fighting physically stronger goblins. There was no point in wasting time when there was nothing new to learn.


    ¡°Ah, right, Miss Lydia. I¡¯ll try taking the lead today,¡± I suggested.


    Lydia sighed more than usual but shook her head firmly. ¡°¡­It¡¯s still too early. Now is the time to hone your ability to detect ambushes and traps rather than finding our own way.¡±


    I understood her perspective. Normally, it would be wise to restrain someone who had only entered thebyrinth a few times but imed they could handle pathfinding just because they had fought some monsters. However, I was truly confident in my abilities. With my newly acquired pathfinding skill, Hesitation-Free Pathfinding, I didn¡¯t think I would get lost on the 1st floor.


    Shrugging my shoulders, I joked, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. Have I ever made a mistake, except for that time with the Horn Rabbit?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t, but thebyrinth isn¡¯t a ce where you can survive just by being strong. Jonah still doesn¡¯t know the real terror of thebyrinth,¡± Lydia cautioned.


    ¡°That might be true, but there¡¯s one thing I do know.¡± I stared straight into her eyes. ¡°Like with the Horn Rabbit incident, no matter what happens, Miss Lydia will help me.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Then, just this once, I ask of you. If I start going down the wrong path, it¡¯s okay to stop me right away. From then on, I¡¯ll obediently follow Miss Lydia¡¯s words.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I trust you. My knight.¡±


    ¡°¡­Mmh.¡± Lydia¡¯s face flushed as she swallowed her breath. After her gaze wandered for a while, she finally let out a sigh. ¡°Hah¡­ Jonah. That¡¯s cheating.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯ll let it slide just for today. Don¡¯t do that next time.¡±


    ¡°Wow! Thank you, Miss Lydia!¡± I eximed, running towards her with a bright smile, intending to hug her and bury my head in her chest.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Lydia stopped me in my tracks, catching me by the forehead.


    ¡°Why be so shy about a woman¡¯s chest?!¡±


    ¡°And why are you, Jonah, so persistent about it? Like you said, it¡¯s just a woman¡¯s chest.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s¡­!¡± I had nothing to say. There was a lot I wanted to express, but I hesitated to spit it out.


    Sensing my hesitance, Lydia smiled softly. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t be too hasty. Even if it¡¯s not about a physical rtionship, neither I nor Senior Ellie will abandon Jonah.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I widened my eyes in confusion.


    Lydia¡¯s expression became even more affectionate, a sense of determination in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s okay. There¡¯s no need to rush into bing an adult. That¡¯s for me and Senior Ellie to handle. Jonah just needs to move forward at a pace that suits him.¡±


    ¡°???¡± Though I didn¡¯t understand the sudden shift in conversation, Lydia seemed sincere, so I nodded. If I responded with ¡®I dunno, what?¡¯ to her serious words, it would only create an awkward situation for both of us.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± I assured her.


    ¡°Right. Good boy.¡± Lydia patted my head with a proud smile. Though I didn¡¯t quite understand, it seemed I had given the right answer. Smiling brightly, I stretched out both hands, but Lydia covered her chest.


    ¡°¡­No, not that. Please give me the map andpass,¡± I rified.


    ¡°¡­Okay, but as Jonah said earlier, if it looks like there¡¯s going to be a problem, we¡¯ll return to the original format immediately,¡± Lydia said, nodding awkwardly as she handed me the map.


    ¡°Okie.¡±


    After receiving the map from Lydia, I aimed for a spot between our current location and the World Tree as our destination. As soon as I made up my mind, I felt something sharp, like a stick, thrusting into my head. Although I described it as sharp, it wasn¡¯t painful¡ªjust the sensation of a foreign object in that shape. The rod that only I could feel began to spin around and soon started to be drawn in one direction.


    It was like having anotherpass created in my head, always pointing the way to the destination. Usually, one must rely on a specialpass drawn to the remains of a god to find their way. It goes without saying, but this is an incredibly difficult and delicate task. One must urately determine their current location, pinpoint the location of the remains, and then calcte the angle to head toward the desired safe zone based on those two points. Even a slight deviation in direction while moving could lead you astray, so it was necessary to check thepass and adjust your path constantly. It was something that could be done with familiarity, but bing ustomed to it required a lot of time and effort. However, since this was the only method, everyone reluctantly stuck to this inconvenient approach.


    Thanks to my pathfinding skill, I no longer needed to check constantly if I was going in the right direction. It was essentially skipping the most difficult part. Of course, the pathfinding skill wasn¡¯t omnipotent. I nned to pass through several safe zones to rest in between, but the skill only captured the fastest route to the final destination, neglecting those parts. Being a 2-star, the mechanism of the ability was that much simpler. Naturally, there were workarounds. I could simply designate the safe zones to pass through directly, then repeat, moving towards the closest one as the target. That was how most adventurers moved when they consulted a map in the first ce.


    However, if this was how it activated, its limitations were clear. I must be aware of where I needed to go, the path that connected the way could not be set separately, and only the shortest route was shown. On the middle floors, which didn¡¯t have a map, its efficiency would drastically decrease. It couldn¡¯t be helped since it¡¯s about finding a path, not pioneering one. Thinking of passing the middle floors and beyond easily with just a 2-star skill was pretty ridiculous on my part.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go this way, Miss Lydia,¡± I said.


    ¡°Be a bit more cautious¡­no, never mind,¡± Lydia replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to give me some advice.¡±


    ¡°¡­Jonah, you wouldn¡¯t know since you¡¯ve only partied with me. Among other adventurers, there are a few unspoken rules. One of them is not to doubt the guide¡¯s decision unless it¡¯s necessary.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s necessary for the party to proceed smoothly. Right now, there are maps like these and various known tips. It¡¯s somewhat manageable just by wandering around¡­ but think about why abyrinth is called abyrinth.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± This was a setting I had really paid attention to when brainstorming, so I knew it well.


    Frankly, wasn¡¯t the term ¡®dungeon¡¯ more familiar to people? And isn¡¯t a tower that rises into the sky cooler than tunnels going underground? However, Pangrave was called abyrinth, not a dungeon or a tower.


    The reason was simple. Pangrave was neither a ce where treasures were hidden nor a ce to ovee trials and move forward. It was just a ce where the corpses of gods and the disasters named miracles they left behindy dormant. A ce where all sorts of powers intertwined and distorted entire concepts. Instead of high walls, twisted space-time confined the adventurers. And so, the Pangrave was a ce where mortals were buried next to a god.


    It seems not all people of the Pan Continent were fully aware of these settings¡­ but they instinctively knew what was important. The reason why abyrinth was abyrinth. I think that was a phrase that prated the essence of the setting.


    Anyway, it was a surprisingly pleasant feeling to know that many people recognized the effort I¡¯ve put in. Barely holding back the smile that threatened to flow out, I spoke.


    ¡°I understand. Even if monsters don¡¯t appear in thebyrinth, I¡¯ll always be careful.¡±


    ¡°Amendable attitude. ¡­But why are you smiling, Jonah?¡±


    ¡°I just thought of something good all of a sudden.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Though she looked somewhat skeptical, it wasn¡¯t something to make a fuss about, so Lydia took a half step back as she said and started to follow behind me. At first, Lydia seemed to be watching to see how much I could do with her arms crossed, but when I found the way without getting lost a single time, her jaw dropped in astonishment. She did look a bit foolish in many ways but since the only ones who saw it were me and the monsters (or what used to be monsters) we encountered on our way here, it should be fine.


    Thus, by using the specialpass and my pathfinding skill while ughtering every monster we encountered, we arrived at the safe zone at the edge of the Horn Rabbit habitat. Lydia seemed a bit frustrated that we¡¯d explored the maze much faster and safer than when she had led as the guide.


    ¡°This is cheating,¡± she remarked.


    ¡°My talent is a bit cheat-like. Are you jealous?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Lydia kept her mouth shut, but her sullen look itself was an answer. I shrugged my shoulders once and then moved my feet towards the next safe zone. Not long after, the atmosphere of the forest began to change drastically. In reality, nothing had changed. The vegetation of the trees was the same as it was near the outskirts. However, the quality of the air had be heavier. That was the only way to describe the feeling.


    We were being more cautious than usual, weaving through the trees. At some point, my pathfinding skill started to tingle sharply as if warning me of some danger ahead. Normally, I would just feel a bit reluctant, but this intense aversion was something else. There must be something there.


    I picked up a suitable stone and threw it towards the direction the skill was indicating.


    Whoosh¡­Thud!


    ¡°Grrr!¡±


    The growling sound of a beast could be heard behind a tree. Perhaps it thought it had been discovered. A creature emerged, slinking out from behind the thick tree. The beast had a body asrge as a bull and fur as stiff as steel. It also possessed sharp teeth and ws. The Iron Wolf revealed itself.


    ¡°Oh! A wild Ellie appeared!¡± I eximed.


    ¡°¡­Stop joking around and focus, Jonah,¡± Lydia chided.


    It couldn¡¯t be helped. Now, just seeing a wolf brought me joy, not just werewolves.

 Chapter 38: Great Forest (2)

    Chapter 38: Great Forest (2)


    Every monster was a being consumed by the Blessing of Madness. They had lost their sanity, their aggressiveness had increased, and, in return, they had gained great power.


    Goblins, for instance, instead of losing restraint and living by instinct, had acquired a strength that belied their size. Horn Rabbits had lost their ability to control their anger, ramming into everything they saw, but in return, they had gained a sharp horn and swift speed.


    ¡°Grrrr!¡±


    Then, what had the wild Ellie¡ªno, the Iron Wolf¡ªlost and gained?


    The Iron Wolf had lost sexual pleasure, and in return, it had gained an extremely buff body. It wasn¡¯t that they couldn¡¯t have offspring or have sex, and only masturbate. They could have sex, rub against tree trunks to masturbate, and even have offspring¡­but no matter what they did, they couldn¡¯t feel good.


    Being hit by the reversal beam, their increased libido remained the same! And they even had mating seasons¡­! That was why they became so aggressive.


    ¡°Poor thing. I¡¯ll put an end to your pitiful life today.¡±


    I tensed my body, pushing my left hand with the crossbow forward and pulling my right hand with the dagger back. The Iron Wolf also lowered its stance, ready to pounce at any moment.


    A brief standoff ensued, but it didn¡¯tst long.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    I yelled loudly, kicking a stone at my feet toward the Iron Wolf. Reflexively, it charged first.


    ¡°Grawrgg!¡±


    The bull-sized body charged forward, kicking off the ground. It sounds simple when said, but the situation felt quite powerful when seen up close.


    But it was okay. It wasn¡¯t that fast. It was slower than me, obviously, and even slower than a Horn Rabbit. With a smirk, I dashed toward the Iron Wolf.


    Pa-pap!


    The distance between us closed rapidly. In a few steps, we would be within reach of each other.


    ¡°Heup!¡±


    I pretended to run straight towards it, then abruptly veered to the side. The trajectory was almost a perfect 90-degree angle. It was as if someone had pulled me to the side. My light body with flexible joints,bined with my swift agility, made this possible.


    Seeing its prey slip away to the side, the creature tried to turn its body as well, but it was already toote. I had reached its nk long before. The moment the wolf, with its quadrupedal base, hesitated for a split second to change direction, I fired the wrist crossbow at its head, which had turned faster than the rest of its body. The arrow, aimed precisely thanks to the short distance, lodged itself in the Iron Wolf¡¯s eye.


    Spwch-


    ¡°Yelp!¡±


    Screeching in pain, the creature writhed. Having a seizure while turning, its legs became tangled, and it rolled on the ground. Seizing the moment, I quickly approached and swung my dagger. My target was its inner nape. The outer fur was partially metalized, acting like armor, so I aimed for the rtively soft inside.


    Press.


    ¡°F**k.¡±


    Its skin must be as thick as its muscles. Even aiming for the inner skin, the dagger didn¡¯t pierce through, though it left only a slight scratch. This was partly due to myck of strength and the weapon¡¯s dullness.


    Regaining consciousness from the sensation of something touching its neck, the Iron Wolf twisted its neck, trying to bite my hand.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    I pulled my hand back and quickly assessed its condition. Its body was perfectly fine. It didn¡¯t seem to have sprained its leg while falling, either. Its only injury was the arrow stuck in its eye. Its fur was tough, but its eyes seemed ordinary.


    I threw a dagger at the Iron Wolf, which was twisting its body and trying to stand up.


    Whsssh¡­Sck!


    ¡°Yelp! Yip!¡±


    More than half of the de was lodged in its eye. Therger the body, the bigger the eyes, making them an easy target. Suddenly, the creature had fallen into a state of blindness.


    It somehow managed to stand up, but it couldn¡¯t adapt to the darkness. It crouched and began to guard its surroundings. A normal beast would have run away by now, but this one still wanted to fight. Monsters were monsters, it seemed.


    Maintaining an appropriate distance, I threw thesso rope that I had kept tied around my waist. I sessfully looped it around its head, just like when I had used it on thugs before, but given its massive size, it was blocked by its forehead and failed to choke it. At best, I made it difficult for it to open its mouth.


    But that was enough.


    ¡°Krrrgh!¡±


    With its mouth tied, the beast shook its head in frustration. It seemed to try to remove the rope¡­ but I pulled on the rope and stopped it. Of course, given the significant difference in strength, it wasn¡¯t so much that I was restraining the Iron Wolf¡¯s actions; rather, my body was being dragged around¡­ but that was actually better.


    Instead of resisting the force, I threw myself forward. Thanks to that, I closed the distance almost as if I were flying. At the precise moment, I kicked off the ground and sessfully mounted its back.


    ¡°Krrrgh¡­!¡±


    As soon as I mounted it, the creature bucked, trying to throw me off. It felt like I was risking my life in a rodeo¡­ But being agile meant having the corresponding reflexes and sense of bnce.


    ¡°Ahaha!¡±


    I twisted my waist to respond to the violent thrashing of the Iron Wolf. As a result, even though my lower body was moving busily, my upper body remained still. Calmly, I brought my hand to its nose, drawing up the mana that had increased exponentially due to the countless magic herbs I had consumed.


    ¡°Weak me.¡±


    Flwooom!


    ¡°Kheung?!¡±


    The firepower was still questionable, but the me from my hand was enough to thoroughly scorch the wolf¡¯s moist nose.


    ¡°Keheung! Grrrrgh¡­Keheung!¡±


    It was no longer a thrashing of anger but a desperate struggle to survive. The Iron Wolf tried everything to shake me off, from rolling over to rubbing its back on the ground to crashing into trees with all its might. Every time it did so, I managed to hold on while still keeping my hand to its nose, shifting from its back to its side, and sometimes even jumping.


    It was actually peculiar for humans to be able to breathe through both the nose and mouth, as most mammals absolutely could not or struggled with open-mouth breathing. Then, what about in a situation where the mouth was half-blocked by a rope?


    The nose of the Iron Wolf was scalded and swollen, and the only things entering the narrowed nostrils were the intensely heated air and the smoke made from the burning of its own flesh. The creature¡¯s fierce resistance gradually became sluggish, and it soon started to droop. Its rebellious growling weakened and eventually wentpletely silent.


    Still, just in case, I kept Weak me going a little longer. I only removed my hand after confirming that there was no response for over 10 seconds. There was a feeling of emptiness, as if two-thirds of my mana had been drained, but I hadn¡¯t reached mana exhaustion. All those magic herbs I had diligently consumed actually paid off.


    A sense of satisfaction rose from deep within my chest. I shouted out loud as if spitting that feeling out.


    ¡°Ellie down!!¡±


    ¡°Like I said, that isn¡¯t Senior Ellie.¡±


    Lydia, who had her greatsword drawn, ready to intervene at any moment, let out a long sigh.


    ¡°Still, you did well. Honestly, I thought even Jonah would struggle this time.¡±


    ¡°I was really shocked, too. I aimed for its inner hide, but I didn¡¯t expect it to block the depletely.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. If you get used to killing other creatures by fighting Goblins and get used to partying with others by facing Horn Rabbits, then Iron Wolf is a monster where you learn how to fight against enemies stronger than you.¡±


    After all,pared to Goblins or Horn Rabbits, the Iron Wolf just felt like it had overall higher specs.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking this just out of curiosity, but¡­ how would you usually kill an Iron Wolf? You don¡¯t suffocate them by burning their noses like I did, do you?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s one of the standard methods. If there¡¯s a mage or a spirit master in the party, suffocating them from a distance by blocking their nose and mouth is the most efficient.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°But since mages and spirit masters are rare, it¡¯s not thatmon of a sight. It¡¯s even rarer to see someone get up close and burn their nose like Jonah did.¡±


    ¡°Then what¡¯s the mostmonly used method?¡±


    ¡°Blunt weapons.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Iron Wolves are called that because their bodies are as tough as steel. It¡¯s difficult for adventurers or weapons on the Floor 1 level to cut through them. So, they beat them to death.¡±


    ¡°¡­If it¡¯s that thick, wouldn¡¯t it be hard to kill by beating it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you have to beat it until it dies.¡±


    My goodness. They¡¯re wolf cutlets while still alive. What a terrifying hunting method that is.


    ¡°Jonah, you should remember this too. des are effective weapons, but there are quite a few monsters that they don¡¯t work well against.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. If it¡¯s like this with an Iron Wolf, then golems or skeletons will really make you cry.¡±


    It might be better with arge sword or simr hefty weapon. You can afford to damage the de a bit and use it like a club. But for someone like me who uses a dagger, it would be much better to fight with a rock rolling around on the floor.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it dangerous to use a weapon you¡¯re not ustomed to? I, for one, wouldn¡¯t be confident handling a blunt weapon if told to.¡±


    ¡°Do you know the advantage of a blunt weapon?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to swing it without training. That¡¯s why there¡¯s swordsmanship but no hammermanship or clubmanship.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Come to think of it, that made sense. Blunt weapons don¡¯t require much attention other than the grip. And since every weapon needs a proper grip, it was an exception.


    ¡°Should I also prepare one as a secondary weapon¡­?¡±


    ¡°No. Jonah doesn¡¯t need to.¡±


    ¡°Huh? You just said there are situations where a blunt weapon is needed.¡±


    ¡°The reason a blunt weapon can be swung any which way is because the mass itself is the weapon. But Jonah can¡¯t use heavy weapons.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if you could somehow manage to lift it, it needs to be swung strongly to be effective. Wouldn¡¯t you get tired after a few swings?¡±


    That¡¯s true. I¡¯ve grown significantly in overall specs thanks to hunting monsters left and right every time Ie to thebyrinth¡­ But all of it went to either physical strength or agility. But who knows, since this time I caught it with magic, my mana might increase.


    As I nodded, slightly disheartened, Lydia patted my shoulder as if tofort me.


    ¡°Jonah is still a baby.¡±


    ¡°Wahh¡­¡±


    Jonah is a noob!

 Chapter 39: Great Forest (3)

    Chapter 39: Great Forest (3)


    There was much to salvage from the corpse of an Iron Wolf.


    Not only did it possess thick skin with metallic fur, but its teeth and ws were valuable alchemy materials, and the mage tower would pay handsomely for its heart.


    Including the magic stone, the total could sum up to roughly 80 copper.


    Its a jackpot.


    Usually, people form a party to hunt it. After dividing the loot, theres not much left But Jonah caught it alone. Thats why its a significant amount.


    Hehee! Do you see this? Im, yknow? Like, yknow? So capable, arent I?


    As I danced around the Iron Wolf, Lydia turned her head andughed.


    Pfft.


    Ah! Did you justugh at me, Miss Lydia?


    No.


    I heard that loud and clear, you know? You justughed.


    I didugh, but not in mockery. Just


    Just?


    You looked like a goblin that had seeded in hunting.


    What! Calling a super handsome young man like me a goblin? I think you should go to the cathedral today and have your eyes healed, Miss Lydia!


    Youre about the same height.


    .


    I had nothing to say in response.


    In this reverse world, being young and short was useful in many ways but still, beingpared to a goblin was a bit much.


    I grumbled and took out my utility dagger. Just as I was about to push it towards the corpse of the Iron Wolf, I hesitated.


    Miss Lydia. Miss Lydia.


    What?


    How do you skin it?


    Until now, the by-products Id harvested were things like horns or wristsparts that could be roughly cut or smashed to collect.


    But skinning required a specific technique, which I didnt know since Id never done it before.


    In response to my question, Lydia lifted her head slightly and answered with a proud tone.


    I dont know either.


    ? But I heard Iron Wolf hides are the most valuable part.


    Yeah. But since I didnt know how to skin it, I just took the teeth and ws.


    Arent there monsters on other floors whose hides are valuable too?


    There are. But it wasnt me who skinned them. It was Beni.


    And who is Beni?


    My party member?


    Right. Now that I thought about it, Lydia was only looking after me because her usual party member was on a break for personal reasons.


    I remembered Lydia mentioning she had asked Beni to track down her wallet. So, they were colleagues.


    Anyway, I understood why Lydia didnt know how to skin But still, if this was supposed to be the most valuable part, I couldnt just leave it.


    Could you at least tell me what youve seen?


    Its okay, but Jonah, you probably wont be able to do it. Only Beni can do Benis method.


    Wait, do they use magic to skin it or something?


    Yeah. They swallow the monster whole and spit out only the by-products. The magic stones are extractedter too.


    I hadnt realized she meant they literally used magic.


    Sigh. I cant help it. Even if it gets a bit damaged, Ill have to tear it off.


    Hehe.


    Why are youughing weirdly again?


    Its nothing.


    Lydia, whoughed suspiciously, leaned against a tree and crossed her arms.


    It was nice how her chest was emphasized, resting on top of her arms, but her expression full of anticipation was disconcerting.


    Hmph. Fine. Ill try to manage on my own, so you just watch from there.


    I will.


    Lydia clearly didnt intend to help me. So I stood alone and red at the Iron Wolfs belly.


    I didnt know the details, but I think I saw on TV in my previous life that you usually start cutting from the belly of suchrge animals and then slowly peel towards the back or legs. I guess Ill have to try it out first


    Aiming at a suitable spot, I thrust the utility dagger straight down.


    Thud.


    ???


    It sounded more like a punch than a knife strike. In fact, the skin wasnt pierced at all, and only the flesh quivered slightly.


    No, wait. Could it be?


    Wondering if that was the case, I switched from the utility dagger, which was good for delicate work, to the sharper and sturdierbat dagger.


    Thwack!


    The results were the same. Although the flesh quivered more due to the increased force, the skin wasnt pierced.


    Miss Lydia. The knife wont go in.


    Right. Thats why its expensive. Why else would a monster on the first floor cost 80 coppers?


    Who would bother skinning it if its this tough?


    Adventurers who stay on the first floor despite having qualified to move down to the second. People who were strong even before entering thebyrinth. Those who bought expensive, high-quality skinning knives from guilds. And geniuses who awakened their aura while roaming the first floor.


    Then what can I, a face genius without aura, do?


    Just pluck out the Iron Wolfs teeth and ws, weakling Jonah. Give up on the magic stone and skin.


    How much would those two fetch if I sold them?


    Dont know. I just remember its a pittance.


    So, the amount was small enough to be considered a pittance.


    My mood, which had been good just a moment ago, plummeted rapidly. With a gloomy face, I poked at the Iron Wolfs gums and the base of its ws with a dagger.


    These at least came out easily. So, they must not be worth much.


    With a gaze dripping with regret for not being able to retrieve the magic stones, I looked at the rtively intact corpse of the Iron Wolf.


    But then, Lydias suggestive voice came from behind.


    Jonah. Did you know? I can use aura.


    What?


    And its pretty strong too. Ahem.


    Lydia, with an expressionless face, huffed through her nose. The angle of her eyebrows and the corner of her mouth was slightly off by about 5 degrees, clearly indicating that she was smirking.


    Well, of course, since youre the Noble Miss Lydia. Why boast about something so obvious huh?


    Wait, what had Lydia just said? That those who can use aura or are adventurers above the first floor level could pierce its skin?


    Miss Lydia.


    Yeah.


    Whats your goal?


    If she were going to help, she would have done so already. She wouldnt have been just leaning against a tree, watching me from the side.


    My guess must have been right. A pleased expression appeared on Lydias face.


    I like clever kids like you.


    Kehut!


    Its not that it put me in a bad mood, given her face and the bikini armor but it was annoyingly irritating for some reason.


    Lydia arrogantly nodded her head in front of me as I harvested the monster.


    Try to persuade me.


    Excuse me?


    You know, like what Jonah often does to Senior Ellie. Coaxing her gently and asking for this and that. Try it on me.


    Hmmyou pretended not to, but you actually like that kind of thing, dont you, Miss Lydia?


    However, exclude anything sexual.


    ?


    Even if its only limited to Senior Ellie, Jonah relies too much on sexual appeal.


    That was true. Id often made erotic jokes to Ellie in the past, andtely, that level had been increasing. However.


    Isnt that honestly Ellies fault? You just cant help but tease them when they have that funny of a reaction!


    What are you, a 7-year-old girl?


    Lydia, incredulous, pressed her forehead with her hand. Since it was true that I was teasing Ellie because I liked her, I couldnt exactly refute it.


    Anyway. My point is this. Jonah is too obsessed with an unhealthy way ofmunication. If its because you dont know any other way, you should practice with me.


    Ah-ha?


    I got the gist of it.


    Having been with Lydia up until now, Id realized a few things, one of which was that Lydia was not very adventurer-like.


    Given the rough nature of the work, it was hard to find refinement among adventurers. Even Ellie was a good person, but if you asked whether that made her refined, the answer would be no.


    But Lydia was different. For starters, her posture was different.


    Standing straight with shoulders wide, there was confidence in her stride. Perhaps that was why, despite being short, she didnt feel small.


    Her gaze was direct, and although she may be a bit blunt when speaking, her way of speaking was not vulgar, and she rarely raised her voice, even when her emotions were elevated.


    In short, she carried herself with dignity.


    Not quite as genuinely as someone like Eve, but among adventurers, she was certainly considered a notch above the rest.


    Her nickname of Noble likely came from her inherently good nature and exemry habits.


    Of course, from Lydias perspective, she was probably just acting as she was taught in her youth or how she believed a knight should behave.


    In any case, that was the gist. Lydia was the epitome of a proper, upright youngdy.


    Miss Lydia. Youre a maiden, right?


    Im telling you not to say things like that.


    Lydia pointed out my actions with her cheeks puffed. This unknown condition must also have arisen because of her nature. From Lydias perspective, I must be a vulgar pinkette.


    She probably thought it was because I hadnt learned propermunication methods.


    After all, she often taught memon knowledge andforted me, saying I didnt have to overdo it and that she hoped I woulde to know ordinary happiness.


    I dont know why she cared so much about me, though.


    I giggled and shrugged my shoulders.


    Well, thats fine. It means I should woo Miss Lydia in a wholesome way, right?


    That could be interpreted in a very wrong way, but yes, basically.


    Thats my specialty!


    Thats not something to be proud of.


    Lydia looked exasperated. I deliberately straightened my disheveled clothes in front of her.


    There were several ways to persuade Lydia. I could brace myself for a bit of shamefulness and act with my usual cuteness or logically exin the benefits of securing the Iron Wolfs hide.


    What was important was to ask Lydia for help in a sensible manner.


    But if its specifically Lydia, theres only one method that would work best.


    Stand tall as if a sword is embedded in your spine, and slightly lift your chin to exude an air of arrogance.


    Here, the crucial part was the gaze. With an expression not too arrogant but sufficiently reserved to seem so, I looked up at Lydia.


    Apletely different appearance from the usual me.


    What I was aiming for was the image of a nobles young son.


    Lady Lydia.


    !


    Lydias half-closed eyes snapped open.

 Chapter 40: Great Forest (4)

    Chapter 40: Great Forest (4)


    What I was aiming for was the image of a nobles young son.


    Straightening my back, I lifted my chin slightly and looked down with a reserved gaze.


    Assuming that posture, I locked eyes with Lydia and spoke.


    Lady Lydia.


    !


    Lydias half-closed eyes snapped open.


    For the typically stoic Lydia, this was an extraordinary disy of emotion.


    Her trembling red pupils told me she needed a moment topose herself.


    I seized the opportunity to concoct a backstorymy specialty.


    I couldnt be just any noble, given my adventurers attire. A fallen noble would do.


    A noble stripped of grace by political strife, with nothing but a title left.


    Assassins had murdered my parents, and my sole surviving younger brother had be our enemys concubine to spare my life.


    And after their wedding night, he took his own life.


    The details were unknown, but one thing was clear:


    I was thest one standing.


    Only I could restore our familys honor.


    Only I had the right to seek vengeance.


    For this purpose, I would stop at nothing.


    Even if it meant wielding a sword for the first time, associating with adventurers I once scorned, or manipting a young knight naive to the ways of the world.


    I would not falter.


    It was a dark tale, but a fallen noble needed a past this tragic.


    The idea of a naive noble ying at adventurer, navigatingbyrinths with just one knight for protection, wasnt bad either.


    But what mattered was whether it would fulfill Lydias romantic fantasies.


    And as a knight, shed likely prefer to serve a young master with a cause rather than a frivolous one.


    My knowledge of noble etiquette was limited, but this was all an act. Appearing convincing should suffice.


    With the image firmly in my mind, I delivered my line.


    I desire you, Lady Lydia.<hr>


    Lydia inhaled sharply.


    The Jonah she knew was a small, cute pink-haired boy, whose actions werent always so endearing.


    Despite his dark past, he tried to hide it, and though hed picked up some questionablemunication skills, he still managed to get along with others.


    He had a maic charm, but he was hardly what one would call a young master.


    But the Jonah before her now?


    He stood with a posture so rigid, it seemed hed rather break than bend to anothers will. He appeared to look up at her, yet somehow it felt like he was looking down, a fierce determination in his pink eyes.


    A determination as unyielding as a boulder, unmoved by any storm.


    Jonah, transformed, spoke again.


    I desire you, Lady Lydia.


    Huh?


    Lydia uttered a bewildered sound, and Jonah closed the gap between them with deliberate, graceful steps.


    They werent hurried. Their measured pace drew the eye even more.


    A bitter smile graced Jonahs lips as he stopped before Lydia.


    Of course, I have little to offer you, mdy. No grand weapons, no high honors, not even a sliver ofnd.


    His words might have sounded pessimistic, but Jonahs voice was devoid of negativity.


    It resonated calmly, simply stating facts.


    Instead, I offer you my everything.


    What?


    Lydias brow furrowed, thinking hed breached their agreement to avoid sexual advances.


    But shed judged too quickly.


    Oh dear. Are you interested in my body? Thats not off the table. If needed, Ill give it willingly but not at this moment.


    Jonahs demeanor shifted once more.


    Moments ago, he had theposed air of a true nobles son.


    Now, he radiated a deeper, more intense emotion.


    Lady Lydia, you told me you wouldnt abandon me, that youd always stand by my side. Were those words true?


    Yes.


    Confused, Lydia still responded to Jonahs question.


    Her desire to help him was genuine, urged by Ellie and befitting an aspiring knight but also because she feltpassion for Jonah.


    She knew his past, hispses inmon sense, and yet shed seen him struggle for happiness like anyone else.


    Wanting to aid such a person was human nature. Lydia was no exception.


    Perhaps Jonah saw through her superficial understanding. His eyes curved like crescents.


    Then, would you join me in a descent into hell?


    What?


    His smile was a mix of intrigue and sorrow.


    The message was clear: a half-heartedmitment would lead to regret.


    This was a raw emotion, unlike his usual yfulness or the resolve shed seen moments ago.


    Overwhelmed, Lydia listened to Jonahs voice.


    If you do, I will give everything to you, Lady Lydia.


    Everything?


    Yes. Do you desire my body and soul? Or perhaps the fame that spans from the highest to the lowest ces in this world? I could even grant you the ancient weapons of gods that slumber within thisbyrinth if you would lead my quest for vengeance.


    !


    Only after his final words did Lydia grasp the emotion in Jonahs eyes.


    It was a burning desire for revenge, capable of consuming the world and himself.


    I was mistaken.


    She thought he needed only to learn how to live normally after escaping the One Who Devours the Twilight and its brainwashing.


    But that was naive.


    Someone whod endured such trials couldnt simplyugh and live as if nothing had happened.


    Revenge was the key to freeing Jonah from his past.


    Lydia gazed at Jonah, who was no longer a pitiful child or a risqu, cute boy, but a specter hungry for vengeance.


    That beautiful specter extended its hand, offering the back to Lydia in a gesture of noble etiquette.


    For Lydia, from a modest knightly family, the movement was wless.


    She was already captivated, but this gesture astounded her further.


    The One Who Devours the Twilight, a pseudo-religious cult with clerical roots, wouldnt have taught noble etiquette.


    What then was this refined disy before her?


    I dont know everything about Jonah.


    She knew of his kidnapping by the cult, but what of his life before? Was he truly an orphan from the alleys? If so, who were his parents?


    In truth, since this world was born from Jonahs imagination, the etiquette didnt stray far from his thoughts.


    His actions, based on what he thought a noble would do, had fortuitously matched perfectly but Lydia was unaware.


    Lydia, stunned by the sessive shocks, watched as Jonah extended his hand, prompting a decision.


    .


    .


    Silence reigned, filled with unwavering trust.


    Jonah truly believed that with Lydia, he could exact his revenge.


    When Lydia realized this, a spark ignited within her.


    A knight dedicates their life to those who acknowledge them. And here was someone who believed in Lydia more than anyone else, perhaps even more than she believed in herself.


    In a moment of impulse, she trusted that she would never regret this decision.


    nk.


    Lydia knelt on one knee and took Jonahs hand.


    He recited an ancient oath as if hed been waiting for this moment.


    I dere. My will shall be your will, and my glory shall be your glory. You shall be my procurator.


    I swear here. I will dedicate everything I have to fulfill your will. Please, ept this de.


    Lydia kissed the back of his hand and presented a longsword.


    Jonah epted it, kissed the de, and gently ced it on Lydias shoulder.


    Then, with a yful voice masking gratitude and apology, he whispered.


    This makes you an aplice now, Lady Lydia.


    Ah.


    Lydia realized the gravity of her actions. Jonah helped her to her feet and returned the longsword.


    I have a request for my loyal knight, Lady Lydia.


    What is itsir?


    Lydia added the honorific awkwardly. Jonah, back to his usual self, grinned mischievously.


    Please cut the leather of that wolf with your aura!


    ?


    Reality returned abruptly, like waking from a dream. Jonah urged Lydia, still dazed and confused.


    I won, right? So hurry up and get the Iron Wolf leather with your aura! Are you going to waste 80 copper just like that?!


    .


    Lydia closed her eyes in silence.


    My first experience (oath)


    It felt like shed just emerged from a terrible nightmare.

 Chapter 41: Great Forest (5)

    Chapter 41: Great Forest (5)


    Was she embarrassed because she got too immersed in the role? Lydia was as still as a statue, her eyes firmly shut.


    Weeell I was just as engrossed in the character I had created, so I couldnt im to be oblivious to her feelings.


    I opted to wait in silence until her embarrassment faded. But then


    Excuse me, Miss Lydia? How long do you n to stay like that?


    .


    Time passed, yet Lydia wouldnt open her eyes.


    Wondering if she had dozed off, I gave her arm a shake, but she remained motionless, clearly indicating she was wide awake.


    Miss Lydia?


    .


    Miss Lydia? Miss Lydia? Miss Lydia?


    .


    I circled Lydia, calling her name three times in session as if summoning a demon, but still, she didnt stir.


    Huh? Is this an opportunity?


    Seizing the moment, I decided to study Lydia more closely.


    The first thing that caught my eye was, of course, her ample chest. While its sheer size was notable, that alone wasnt enough to captivate me.


    To be frank, in the Pan Continent, ample bosoms were a dime a dozen. Come summer, such sights weremonce.


    And therger they were, the more likely they were to be on disy.


    Of course, Id never encountered anyone with a chest as generous as Lydias beforebut I wasnt so deprived of such sights that Id obsess over them to this degree.


    So, what was it that had me so entranced? I decided to dissect my fascination, piece by piece.


    Beyond her chest, the first thing I noticed about Lydia was her petite stature.


    Though she was still taller than me, both her height and build were modest. Yes, objectively speaking, she was quite petite.


    That probably exined why she once passionately lectured me on how smaller individuals couldpensate with weaponry.


    In her early days as an adventurer, Lydia would have been weaker than other women.


    But that didnt mean she appeared frail now.


    Those who awakened their aura underwent a transformation, their bodies bingbat-ready. This meant achieving a toned physique without an ounce of excess fat.


    From a distance, Lydia might appear slender, but up close, her muscles were well-defined and neatly arranged.


    Of course, they werent pronounced enough to be immediately noticeable. Whether due to her natural constitution, ack of training, or simply the ideal form for Lydia


    Aside from a six-pack, you wouldnt sense the muscrity unless you looked very closely or touched her.


    Next, my attention was drawn to her long, red hair cascading down past her waist.


    With such a diminutive frame, her flowing hair was eye-catching, but the vivid red hue was even more striking.


    Given that this was a fantasy world, hair colors varied widely. My hair was pink, after all. Naturally, there were many redheads.


    However, none had a color as saturated as Lydias.


    Her red hair stood out wherever she went. It was as if the hair alone had been painted over this worlds canvas.


    The way her hair moved and fluttered Yes, if I had to describe it, it was like a dancing me.


    Her eyes, though closed at the moment, were the same shade.


    Only after all this did I finally focus on Lydias face.


    She had a youthful appearance, exuding a soft and gentle aura. It was as if she was a blend of 70% beauty and 30% cuteness.


    It was a shame she was usually expressionlessbuttely, deciphering her expressions had be its own delight.


    Reflecting on it, I realized Id never truly examined her face closely because my gaze was often drawn to her chest.


    Nodding to myself, I stood on tiptoes to scrutinize Lydias features more intimately, starting from the bottom up.


    Her light red lips were firmly closed. A hint of baby fat lingered on her cheeks, and her nose, while not sharp, was pert enough to be considered so.


    Finally, my eyes settled on her closed eyelids.


    Her soft eyelids and longshes fanned out from them. It was obvious, but hershes were the same red as her hair.


    Humans typically had hair of one color all over. In other words, the color of ones hair matched the rest of their body hair.


    So, it wasnt odd that her eyshes were redbut this inadvertently led me to ponder the color of her hair in other areas.


    Perhaps because she wore bikini armor, or maybe due to regr grooming, but her underarms were smooth.


    For a brief moment, I struggled to keep my gaze from wandering lower.


    Sigh


    But just then, Lydia began to stir.


    Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing red eyes that stared directly at me.


    From a distance close enough to see my reflection in her pupils.


    Kyaaak!


    Huaahh!


    I screamed out of guilt, and Lydia, she screamed in surprise.


    Even though I instinctively leaped back and turned away, my heart continued to race.


    Why did you open your eyes all of a sudden?!


    What were you trying to do, Jonah?! Dont tell me


    We shouted at each other, both with our backs turned.


    In words, it might have sounded like a cute exchange, but in reality, it was so awkward and embarrassing that I wished I could disappear.


    I sighed deeply and spoke up.


    I guess Im never getting married.


    I didnt do anything, though?!


    The problem is that I was caught staring at Miss Lydia, admiring how pretty your red eyshes were and then wondering if your other hair was the same color!


    Thats what you were thinking of?


    Lydia, who had instantly stepped back several paces, looked at me with a mix of shock and horror. Her reaction stung, as if she viewed me as a source of potential trouble.


    After a while of ufortable silence, I, being the moreposed one, decided to offer an olive branch first.


    Hmm. Well, both Miss Lydia and I are in an odd state, so misunderstandings like this can happen, right?


    Shouldnt I be the one saying that? I see why Senior Ellie calls you a naughty boy.


    Ah! Lets forget the details! The important thing is that its Miss Lydias turn to honor our promise!


    Promise? Ah, the skin.


    Lydia nodded, her gaze shifting between me and the longsword in her hand.


    Im just rifying, but the oath from earlier was


    Oh, that? It was a joke, of course. I got swept up in the moment, but I dont intend to hold you to it!


    Even for me, blurring the lines between role-y and reality was a bit much, wasnt it? It would be no different from failing to distinguish between fiction and reality.


    Wait, then what did that say about me, who had be so absorbed in my own novel?


    While I pondered this, Lydia trembled, her expression one of utter dismay.


    A joke? My first timea jokecarried away by the moment, a mistakeit never happened


    Miss Lydia? Whats with that reaction, like someone who thought theyd found true love only to learn it was just a fling?


    How could you say such!


    Did I really do something terrible to you?!


    Taken aback by Lydias intense gaze, I inquired about her distress, but all I received was a look of profound loss.


    Yeah. I get it. Its already toote to turn back


    Uhh Miss Lydia? Youre really okay, right?


    At my cautious question, Lydia forced a smile.


    Its fine. Just lost in thought for a moment.


    That doesnt look like the face of someone whos fine at all.


    More importantly, about the skin. You wanted me to cut it with my aura, didnt you?


    Ah! Yes! Will you do it?


    A promise is a promise.


    Lydia nodded, then positioned herself before the Iron Wolfs corpse, pointing her longsword at it.


    Vwooong-


    A soft hum emanated from the de as red mists enveloped it, amplifying the aura I could sense.


    Aura was truly fascinating. I knew that an Aura de, a manifestation of aura, could slice through anything with ease, but it was still baffling that it became sharper just by being shrouded in a light mist.


    Its a staple in novels, but witnessing it in reality, I could appreciate that this was a power beyond the ordinary.


    After all, thoughmonce, it was still deemed a divine miracle.


    Hup!


    Lydia inhaled sharply and swung her sword. A red arc split the air, descending upon the Iron Wolfs remains.


    It was a mere fleeting sh. Yet, that was all it took.


    sh!


    The thick hide was cleaved in one smooth motion, the innards spilling forth.


    Lydia burned away the few drops of blood on her de with her aura, then sheathed her sword with calm precision.


    Now. The rest is up to you.


    Thank you, Miss Lydia! You know I really do love you, right?!


    Confession. Troublesome.


    Back to her usual self, Lydia leaned against a nearby tree to rest, cradling her longsword as if it were a precious treasure.

 Chapter 42: Great Forest (6)

    Chapter 42: Great Forest (6)


    Yelp! Yip! Kehrng


    Another Iron Wolf was slowly dying of suffocation. I whispered softly in response to its pitiful howling.


    Dont worry. Youre not dying; youre going to live on with me.


    Where would I spend the money from selling its hide? Probably on the gacha, only to end up with magic herbs as the mostmon oue.


    Thanks to the Gluttonous Stomach, Ive been consuming all the magic herbs for my maximum mana growth, so its not entirely incorrect to say so.


    In other words, it wouldnt be an exaggeration to call this creature not an Iron Wolf but a half-magic herb


    Ah. Im annoyed now.


    It was as if I were predicting my own gacha demise. With a gloomy heart, I focused a bit more on Weak me.


    The skills obtained from gacha allowed me to skip the efforts that would normally take someone a long time.


    Not only did you need to increase your specs for casting, but you also needed to engrave a minimum amount of essential rted knowledge into your mind.


    Im certainly grateful for the increase in specs and was making good use of it but since it was a skill, I think its true valuey in that knowledge aspect.


    Take the Weak me Im currently using, for example.


    The magic was simple enough to be called basic. Not even the magic tower, which usually wanted to monopolize magic, restricted the skill from being shared.


    But was the weak me theyd learned really the same as what Im using?


    The gacha system said it was the same, but there were a few points that made me wonder if that was true.


    In the Pan Continent, Weak me was a magic that merely focused on lighting a fire. Its firepower was hardly significant, and it was impossible to manipte its shape.


    Adding more mana indeed increased the output to a certain extent, but if it exceeded a certain limit, the structure of the magic itself copsed. Hence, it matched the former statement.


    I havent been able to test it myself due to myck of mana, but the knowledge I received had simr content.


    However, the next part puzzled me. It imed that it was impossible to manipte the form.


    No matter how much I searched my mind, no such information existed. In fact, it seemed like it would be possible with just a lottle<sup>1</a></sup> bit of effort.


    So, I decided to give it a try.


    And seeded.


    Huh?


    I blinked, seeing that instead of scorching the entire nose of the Iron Wolf, the mes split into two and only blocked its nostrils.


    Id been a bit nervous since it was a different sensation from how Id used skills up to now, which was more like clicking a button


    But it was actually no different at all. It just worked when I tried to do it.


    Why is it working?


    No, wait. Thinking about it, wasnt it obvious? The pickpocketing skill wasnt just about sneakily swiping wallets but also making it possible to snatch weapons directly from the enemy.


    I chuckled in disbelief and reverted the me back to its original form. It seemed that transforming it was possible, but it consumed more magic power.


    Above all, the Iron Wolf still suffered, but its strength was draining slower as well.


    The heat may have been transmitted deeper inside, but the efficiency of suffocation decreased due to the reduced smoke from its burning flesh.


    Only after exhausting nearly all of my already scarce mana to the brink of mana exhaustion was I able to defeat the Iron Wolf.


    Phew Please take care of it, Miss Lydia!


    Strange. Im sure that I was the one who chose Jonah as a porter.


    Lydia pouted her lips in dissatisfaction. However, her body was still moving diligently, slicing through the Iron Wolf with her aura.


    Thats true. There was Ellies request, and Lydia had gotten quite into raising me, but this was actually supposed to be my porter training period.


    The logic had been that I needed to have at least the skills to reach the second floor to perform the duties of a porter properly.


    At first, I didnt understand what that meant but after making my way around the first floor like this, I got it.


    At the very least, I shouldnt trigger traps and cause problems, should know how to pack up the loot, and must have the stamina to carry all sorts of loads.


    In other words, I was currently too weak even to be used as Lydias porter.


    I am a noob.


    A noob cant catch something like an Iron Wolf.


    Shrugging off Lydias scolding, I began to finish skinning the halved Iron Wolf.


    The process of skinning was tough, and since I wasnt properly trained, many parts got ruined


    Still, even if I only salvaged half of it, that was 40 copper. Or, it could be used to make my armor. The leather armor I was currently wearing was a cheap one made for beginner adventurers, after all.


    If I had armor made from the Iron Wolfs hide, it would be okay to fight a bit more aggressively on the first floor.


    Though it became a bit tattered, I happily tied the salvaged hide on top of my bag.


    Since there were already 2 Iron Wolf hides from the previous ones Id caught, they stacked up in a threeyer shape. I couldnt help but be pleased when I thought about how much money they would make me.


    Hehe. Im having meat for dinner today!


    Dont you eat meat for every dinner? Senior Ellie eats meat every meal.


    That is true, Im being ki-jap-ed<sup>2</a></sup> by Ellie right now.


    That term doesnt sound very appropriate. What does ki-jap mean?


    You dont know what ki-jap is? Its when you raise and take care of someone until theyre grown enough to eat up.


    Thats interesting But from what I can see, it looks like youre the one ready to eat up Senior Ellie.


    That would be a reverse ki-jab. Well, Im fine with either one.


    Theres a romance to ki-jabs!


    As evidence, while you consume all sorts of creative works, youll often find ones that exude a ki-jab vibe.


    Theseus abducting Helen, <em>Daddy-Long-Legs</em>, Im a teacher, and youre my student, <em>The Tale of Genji</em>, <em>Princess Maker</em>, <em>The Count of Monte Cristo</em>, and so on


    What was important here was that from ancient Greece through the Middle Ages all the way up to the present day, countless people across both the East and West continents had dealt with the element of being ki-jab-ed.


    It was considered quite controversial in reality, but in terms of fantasy, there was no denying it.


    Which do you think Ellie would prefer? It seems like she wouldnt have the courage to make the first move, so maybe the reverse ki-jab?


    I dont want to know about Senior Ellies preferences. Especially not when the person in question is right in front of me.


    Hmm. Thats true. Things would get awkward no matter what you say. Thats my bad. Then, what about you, Miss Lydia?


    Youre suddenly asking me?


    Lydia became flustered. I drew a sly grin as I asked her.


    Yes, you, Miss Lydia. You said it yourself, didnt you? You wanted to use me as a porter, but Im too weak now, so you said youd train me up to the level of Floor 2 and then take me along. Isnt that a ki-jab?


    I breezed past the roughly packed bags and stuck close beside Lydia.


    Youre not going to say it isnt, will you, Miss Lydia?


    I, I didnt do anything.


    Not do anything? You gave me equipment under the guise of guidance, taught me how to fight, followed me into thebyrinth to ensure I wasnt hurt and even forced your idea of an ordinary life onto me, no?


    Forced? I just.


    I know. That wasnt what you were nning. I just said forced because I couldnt think of another word, but that doesnt mean I didnt like it, okay? I know its all stemmed from your goodwill and wishing for my well-being.


    Saying so with a light giggle, I then lightly ced my hand on top of Lydias.


    What I really want to say is this. You dont have to live an ordinary life to be happy. Even someone whos twisted can lead a reasonably good life.


    Lydia was unable to say anything, perhaps not expecting such a sudden advancement.


    She seemed to be taking it quite seriously Of course, I meant it sincerely, but what I just said was merely some buildup.


    I tightened my grasp over Lydias hand.


    So please, take responsibility for me.


    What?


    If youre going to mold me to your taste, you need to take responsibility. I mean, dont raise me only to abandon me, but devour me properly.


    But Senior Ellie I never intended to do that in the first ce


    Normally, Lydia would have cut the conversation short with something like Nonsense, troublesome. But her reactions were quite lively today.


    Maybe that was why a yful urge bubbled up inside of me and caused me to say something I normally wouldnt have.


    Miss Lydia. Did you know?


    Know what.


    Adultery in chivalric romance is considered romantic.


    That, thats!


    Chivalric literature. The wandering knights wemonly think of, roaming around, defeating evil, then getting involved with adyor, in this case, a gentleman. Anyway, stories of forming rtionships with the opposite gender exist even in the Pan Continent.


    And due to the nature of such literature, it often included married men.


    Both ki-jab and adultery are considered romantic. Then, wouldnt theirbination be considered the romance of romances?


    Romance.


    Lydia had frozen into a statue, looking like shed imagined something, so I whispered softly into her ear.


    Dont you want to make ite true? That romance.


    !


    Lydias eyes widened. But perhaps the provocation had been too strong. Instead, Lydia regained her senses, red daggers at me, and flicked my forehead.


    Knock!


    Eaaaeeh!


    No ying around like that. Now hurry up and pack your things. We need to move to the next area.


    Lydia said so as she turned her back to me. What was surprising here was that, even though I was looking at her from behind, I could see her chest sticking out to the side.


    My goodness


    Pretending to rub the spot on my forehead where I got hit, I focused my gaze on the rare sight of her chest visible from the back and said.


    I would like to, but the bag is too heavy for me to lift.


    Huh?


    Weve already caught three Iron Wolves, havent we? The weight of their hides is no joke.


    An Iron Wolf boasts the size of a bull. Naturally, their hides are equally asrge and heavy.


    Could you possibly carry just half of it, Miss Lydia? In return, I wont hunt anymore and will head straight back.


    I cant tell whos the porter anymore.


    Lydia grumbled to herself but helped me carry it.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    The original Korean text uses a yful extension of the word  (effort), emphasizing a significant amount of effort in a humorous manner. The trantion attempts to capture this yfulness and the dual notion of effort bybining lot and little into lottle, reflecting the originals tone and the idea that a seemingly small but actually substantial effort might be required.</a></li><li role="doc-endnote">


    The term  (ki-jap) is a colloquial Korean expression derived from  , which literally means to grab the keyboard. It is often used metaphorically to describe a situation where one person is dominating or outmaneuvering another, particrly in online games or digital interactions. The trantion uses ki-jap-ed to maintain the originals yful and informal tone, indicating that the speaker feels outyed or under the control of Ellie in the current context.</a></li></ol>

 Chapter 43: Im Not A Heretic

    Chapter 43: I''m Not A Heretic


    After returning to the surface, I exhaled deeply, leaving the guild building behind.


    Haah I can see why porters are needed.


    If youve realized that, Jonah, youre a proper adventurer now.


    Lydia nodded with a pleased smile. But on my end, I felt like I was going to die of frustration.


    Excluding the piece of leather I kept for myself, the amount I received was 2 silver and 73 copper. But they said the cost to make a leather chestte was 3 silver.


    This left me with a deficit of 27 copper. Of course, the end result would be a good piece of armor. However


    I would have made a profit if I had just caught a few more.


    I never imagined wed end up in the red.


    I was almost about to die of frustration. I was just getting the hang of it, and I was confident that I could easily take them down if only I had mana.


    Considering the rate of my mana recovery, if we had spent the usual amount of time in thebyrinth, I could have caught three or four more.


    But we had given up and left just because the load was too heavy to carry.


    Miss Lydia Should I go back once more now?


    Just rest today ande back well-prepared tomorrow. Thats more efficient.


    Ugh Still, Im regretting it a little. Look! The sun is still high in the sky!


    It must have just passed lunchtime. Compared to the usual time when we emerged at dusk, it was much too early.


    Lydia smirked at me as I red at the sky.


    Theres a high-grade artifact at the tower for people like you, Jonah. Do you know about the subspace backpack?


    Ive heard of it. Isnt it really expensive?


    Yes. But you can put a lot inside it.


    Ive always wondered. Then what happens to the weight? Even if it expands the space to fit more, the weight should remain the same.


    The cheap ones weigh the same. The expensive ones are enchanted with space expansion and weight reduction magic. My backpack is that kind.


    Bringing that up at this timing means youre going to lend it to me, right? Whats your objective this time?!


    No. I was just bragging.


    .


    When I looked up at her with a bewildered gaze, Lydia snickered mischievously.


    So she was getting revenge for what I did to her. If that was really her intention, she seeded. It actually irritated me a little!


    Seeing Lydia looking pleased, I vented my frustration by kicking the pebbles on the ground.


    Well, its fine. Anyway, it doesnt change the fact that I gained a lot today.


    Though I ended up spending 27 coppers, when I remembered that I was making Iron Wolf armor with only that much expenditure, it was a huge gain.


    Its not that there werent any ready-made items, but since they didnt quite fit my frame, custom orders were essential.


    Additionally, I practiced using the pathfinding skill directly in thebyrinth and got a rough idea of how far I could apply the Weak me skill.


    Lastly, as soon as I exited thebyrinth, I found that hunting the Iron Wolves with magic led to a significant growth in my maximum mana.


    The absolute increase wasnt that impressive but since I had so little mana to start with, it felt like a huge growth.


    The reason I was exploring thebyrinth was partly to earn money but right now, bing stronger was more important.


    One reason was that I would be raking in money anyway once I became a high-ranking adventurer, and another was because I was worried about Eves corruption arc, which I didnt know when it would happen.


    For those reasons, today was not a day to feel regretful but instead to be happy.


    but still, being in the negatives does tick me off. Maybe I should do a light round of the back alleys nearby.


    No dangerous activities.


    Lydia shook her head sternly at the words I had unintentionally blurted out.


    She started walking down the street while holding my hand tightly as if to prevent me from going astray.


    Lets go straight to Senior Ellie.


    Umm Cant we just go around once? Ill just quietly snatch the wallets instead of aiming for world domination or anything likest time.


    Pickpocketing is a crime.


    Even against thugs?


    Even if its against petty criminals, a crime is a crime. The exception starts with felons.


    Tch.


    Surprisingly, in the Pan Continent, felons were not protected byw. It wasnt because they were so bad they deserved to die!


    It was an exception born out of the inadequate awareness of human rights and from the concept of survival of the fittest, where serious criminals who had survived in thebyrinth city had to be strong.


    Clicking my tongue, I shoved the hand that wasnt grabbed by Lydia into my pocket and spoke.


    I get it. Then please ept this, Miss Lydia.


    What is it?


    Lydia stopped, but still looked suspicious. To her, I took my hand out of my pocket and made the gesture of lifting my thumb.


    You helped me with skinning the monsters today, right? This is yourpensation!


    Lydia, looking at my thumb with a subtle expression, must not have disliked it, as she soon cracked a smile.


    Yeah. Thats not bad.


    We repeated this process a few times, smiling at one another while walking, and before we knew it, we had arrived at the Fairy and Silver Coin.


    But the sign indicating the business was closed was already hung up.


    I knew it was still daytime and there wouldnt be many customers, but that didnt mean the shop would be closed.


    I tried opening the door just in case, but only heard the nking sound of the firmly locked doors.


    Thud thud!


    Ellie? Ellie, are you there?


    Even when I knocked lightly on the door and called out her name, there was no response.


    Maybe she stepped out for a bit?


    That could be it. Since the main business hours are in the evening, it makes sense to run errands now if she had any.


    It was a bit disappointing not being able to see Ellie right away upon opening the door, but there was nothing I could do about it. I never received a spare key, so I guess I just had to kill some time nearby ande backter.


    This actually works out. Its a bitte, but we could have lunch and thenehuh?


    I felt a stirring sensation beyond the door. Familiar footsteps approached us, soon followed by a bright metallic sound.


    nk.


    The lock opened. Slowly opening the door, Ellie greeted us.


    Youre here.


    For some reason, the atmosphere was darker than usual. With a stiff expression, Ellie shook her head as she spoke.


    Sorry, but I have some important guests right now. Can youe backter?


    Ah, um, okay. Should Ie back around dinner time?


    Thanks. See you then.


    Only then did Ellies expression soften as she nodded. Though I dont know what, it must be something important.


    Just as Lydia and I were about to leave, an unfamiliar voice came from inside the shop.


    Its okay. We will be leaving now since weve spoken about everything we needed to.


    Ah! Maam, wait for me!


    It was a duoposed of a tired woman with dark circles under her eyes and a man who couldnt stop smiling, as if everything pleased him.


    Both were apparently from the clergy, as they were d in priestly robes, but the robes were a bit unusual.


    Normally, priests serving the Goddess of Love wore voluminous robes with a white base adorned with gold and pink patterns.


    However, the robes worn by the two in front of us were different in that everything was the same, except the base color was ck instead of white.


    Moreover, their voluminous robes seemed overly puffed up, as if they were hiding something.


    At first, I was surprised by their unfamiliar appearance, but soon, I could recall what their attire signified.


    Those who serve the goddess not in the light, but in the shadows.


    Inquisitors.


    Each one possessed skillsparable to high-ranking adventurers, but that didnt mean you needed to be too scared.


    Inquisitors were appointed only to those whose origin and faith had been proven, and they never wielded weapons for personal reasons.


    The only ones they opposed were those who desecrated the name of the Goddess. For example, the One Who Devours the Twilight.


    For someone who has lived as virtuously as I have, the Inquisitors were more trustworthy than anyone else. Although their appearances were a bit intimidating.


    However, since they didnt know this, Ellie and Lydias eyes hardened. The atmosphere turned awkward and even slightly chilly.


    Perhaps the Inquisitors noticed this as well. The woman spoke with tired-looking eyes, and the man with a difited expression.


    It seems there might be some misunderstanding.


    We just came here to ask some questions, not to interrogate Miss Ellie. Isnt that right, Miss Ellie?


    I didnt want to cause trouble, but their reactions seemed like they were familiar with these situations.


    I wasnt sure why Ellie and Lydia were suddenly acting so sensitivebut getting on the bad side of the Inquisitors was never good.


    Maybe its time for me, the one with a friendly disposition, to step forward. I took a step forward and made the sign of the cross.


    May the goddess smile upon those who do not lose love even in the darkest hours. Dont worry too much! Its just that Ellie and Miss Lydia just like me so much that they cant stand to see me talk with other women!


    Um.


    Oh dear. It seems youve been caught by women heavy with love, dear follower!


    The woman nodded awkwardly, while the man, who appeared to be the junior, smiled broadly and teased me.


    I, too, forced the kindest smile I could manage and shrugged my shoulders.


    Its okay! I think that heaviness is actually a charming point! It feels like proof that they care about me that much, doesnt it? Youre a man, Mr. Inquisitor, so you get what Im saying, right?


    I understand, but thats not exactly my taste. If you ask me which I prefer, I like being the one who clings.


    My goodness. So youre a bit of the nuisance type, I see.


    I do hear that a lot. Specifically, from my senior over here.


    Exchanging business smiles, the guy and I conversed. However, this did notst long.


    By the way, dear follower, are you perhaps interested in joining the clergy? Your sign of the cross earlier and even your greetings were exemry. Id like to show them to our apprentice priests if possible.


    Kut!


    !


    Ellie and Lydia reacted seriously to what was supposed to be a mere pleasantry.


    What is it? Why are they acting like that?


    Just when the mood was finally getting better, it turned cold again.

 Chapter 44: Im Not A Heretic (2)

    Chapter 44: I''m Not A Heretic (2)


    The atmosphere was an ambiguous thing indeed.


    Consider what shapes the atmosphere in the first ce.


    Subtle shifts in expression, the pitch of a voice, eyes that meet or avoid, tension in the body, choice of words, the context of a conversationthese non-verbal expressions amass to form a judgment of the atmosphere.


    It has no physical form, so one must learn to interpret it through experience or detect it with keen observational skills.


    In that regard, I wasnt the sharpest tool in the shed.


    My experiences often lost relevance as I navigated a world where traditional gender roles were flipped, and I struggled to catch the subtle cues in someone Id known for years, let alone a stranger.


    Still, I fancied myself slightly above average


    By the way, dear follower, are you perhaps interested in joining the clergy? Your sign of the cross earlier and even your greetings were exemry. Id like to show them to our apprentice priests if possible.


    Kut!


    !


    I was baffled.


    I couldnt fathom why Ellie and Lydia were taking a simplepliment so seriously, their guards up as if bracing for conflict.


    Just when the mood was finally getting better, it turned cold again


    The male inquisitor, who had been praising me in an attempt to seem benign, now wore a perplexed, frozen smile.


    Conversely, the woman who seemed to be his senior, previously sighing with annoyance, now sharpened her gaze as if suspecting something amiss.


    Did Ellie and Lydia harbor secrets? That could be troublesome.


    I wasnt without my own indiscretions, but they were petty at worstlike queuing for a second helping of soup at the distribution centers or the time I burned the sphemous statue of the goddess.


    If Ellie and Lydia had secrets from me, they were likely far graver than my trivial misdeeds.


    Uncertain of the exact problem but indebted to their regr assistance, I resolved to help them as best I could.


    I rifled through my mental archives for information on the clergy, recalling the detailed settings Id crafted for them, given their potential to rule thebyrinth city.


    After a quick mental calction, I rxed my posture, signaling non-threat in contrast to Ellie and Lydias tension.


    Regrettably, I am too humble a vessel to bear the love of a deity. How can I embrace the goddesss love when I cant even fully grasp human love?


    My casual response elicited a relieved smile from the male inquisitor, who had been at a loss.


    Oh, that is quite unfortunate. However, the goddess loves all equally, even those not within her embrace. Its enough for you, dear follower, to practice your own love.


    Ahaha! Your words do put me at ease. Truth be told, everything I know was gleaned from sermons at the meal distributions. I understand it intellectually, but its not backed by genuine faith, so I was a bit anxious, you know. Especially in the presence of inquisitors!


    By meal distributions, do you mean the weekly soup and bread sharing at the temple?


    Exactly! Im well-cared for now, thanks to Ellie and Miss Lydia, but there was a time when I had nothing to eat and relied on the kindness of others. Do you know Sister Veronica? Shed give us extra bread for memorizing doctrine or learning manners, so I studied diligently


    In truth, I had already memorized everything and feigned eagerness for extra food.


    The man seemed touched by the mention of a familiar name, his eyes distant with nostalgia.


    Sister Veronica the elderly nun? Its heartening to know shes still in good health. She was distributing food even when I was a child!


    Shes almost too vigorous. Last I saw her, she preached so long the soup nearly went cold, and everyone was disheartened.


    Yes, she does have that tendency I never expected to hear the name of someone from my past here. This must be the goddesss guidance.


    He made the sign of the cross, smiling broadly.


    Guidance of the goddess, my ass. It was a calcted move, mentioning someone significant enough to be recognized. And indeed, Veronica had looked out for me in various ways.


    Though I did flee every time she tried to recruit me into the priesthood.


    The most likely culprit for my arrival in this world was the Goddess of Love, which admittedly made me hesitant.


    Regardless, I had presented a rtable human side for my age and even invoked a shared acquaintance to forge a connection


    Yet the female inquisitor still regarded us with a chilling expression.


    Here, I couldnt afford the calm demeanor Id shown the man.


    She had clearly experienced conflict and was aware of her intimidating presence.


    I needed to act as a boy of my age would, visibly unnerved by a frightening woman.


    Feigning an idental meeting of our eyes, I flinched and shuddered, then avoided her gaze and subtly stepped behind Lydia.


    Lydia, as if on cue, stepped protectively in front of me,pleting the performance.


    Now, if I just peeked out and offered an apologetic, embarrassed voice for being startled


    Before I could enact my n, the inquisitor moved first.


    Karen, having gently nudged her junior aside and stepped forward, locked eyes with me and introduced herself.


    My name is Karen.


    Uh I, Im Jonah. That is, well, this is


    I stammered, feigning fear, but Karen cut me off before I could finish.


    No need for pretense. By the goddesss grace, I can discern simple emotions. You are at peace right now.


    Sigh. I was unaware you possessed such divine insight.


    The goddess directs all my actions, whether through the eyes she grants me, my role as an inquisitor, or my presence before you. Theres no need for your displeasure.


    Aha? Im not sure how that works, but it sounds quite handy. Im envious.


    You say that devoid of envy, I observe.


    That was a bit of social tact.


    The others, listening to our exchange, wore expressions of astonishment. Ian, the male inquisitor, seemed the most taken aback, his sense of betrayal palpable.


    What is your name, sir?


    I, I am Ian.


    M-m-mh! Please, Ian hyung, dont look at me like that. I havent lied. Its true I learned for the meal distributions, and I have met Sister Veronica. I merely orchestrated the atmosphere a bit.


    To present myself as a plucky orphan, perhaps nurturing a nascent seed of faith.


    Ians stuttering response prompted a chuckle and a shrug from Karen.


    Hes a novice, not yet fully indoctrinated. Other inquisitors are not so easily swayed.


    Just by observing you, Sister Karen, that seems evident. Shall we cut to the chase? You clearly seek something from me, having deliberately shared your name.


    Agreed. I, too, have no desire to dally.


    Karen then gestured toward Ellie, who was ring daggers at the woman, and continued.


    I came to hear the testimony of one of the few survivors from thest major subjugation.


    You mean back when Ellie was a formidable adventurer, right? So, did you find what you were after?


    No. She was knowledgeable, but the vital information I sought was absent. It seemed there was no ill intent, but something was being concealed And now I see that you are likely that concealed element.


    Hmm. I am indeed the light of Ellies life, the fire of her loins. Her sin, her soul.


    Perhaps, yes.


    Karens dry response to my jesta nod to a famous novels openingindicated that if the work existed here, its humor was lost on her.


    My fleeting sympathy for Karensck of levity was interrupted as she abruptly inquired.


    Have you ever heard of the One Who Devours the Twilight?


    Huh? Well Of course, I have.


    The One Who Devours the Twilight was no secret society. They were pests known to all but elusive as shadows, their base hidden within thebyrinth.


    Karens gaze, weary yet piercing with a pink glint, bore down on me, reminiscent of Eves Eye of Truth but less intense.


    After all, the blessing Eve received, which was created by the World Treepressing all of its power into her at the brink of death, and the one bestowed upon Karen, one of the many heresy inquisitors, were bound to be on entirely different levels.


    Thanks to Eves potent vine, I shrugged off Karens blessed scrutiny and awaited her question.


    Ill be direct. Jonah, what are your thoughts on the One Who Devours the Twilight?


    Her question was sudden, but my response was instinctive, unfiltered.


    Theyre fatherfucking bastards.


    A flicker of intrigue crossed Karens eyes.

 Chapter 45: Im Not A Heretic (3)

    Chapter 45: I''m Not A Heretic (3)


    One Who Devours the Twilight.


    As an organization poised to emerge as the main antagonist in the early to mid-parts of the story, One Who Devours the Twilight was vast in scale and wielded significant influence, boasting a collection of individuals each more unhinged than thest.


    In thebyrinth city, a ce rife with danger from countless incidents and idents, they were considered a top-tier organization.


    This cult, obsessed with the Goddess of Love to the point of madness, believed everything in the world should be surrendered to the goddess.


    They were heretics who saw the remnants of gods and miracles as the dying embers of civilizationtwilightand felt it their sacred duty to gather these by any means necessary and offer them to the goddess.


    The specifics of their misdeeds were unclear, but what was certain was their reputation as the most nefarious group in existence.


    While viins in thetter half of a story oftene withplex backstories, isnt there something satisfying about having a detestable foe to outright despise in the early to mid-parts?


    One Who Devours the Twilight fit that role perfectly.


    Cloaking their vile deeds and insanity in the guise of faith, they acted with brazen impunity. Despite the universal agreement on their need for eradication, they scattered and concealed themselves like cockroaches, proving exceptionally difficult to eliminate.


    Thus, if asked for my opinion on One Who Devours the Twilight, I would respond without hesitation.


    Theyre fatherfucking bastards.


    Hmm?


    Interest sparked in Karens eyes.


    The Goddess instructed us to love the world, our neighbors, our family, and above all, ourselves.


    Thats the final verse of the Regenerations.


    The Regenerations, this continents equivalent of Genesis, narrates the rebirth of the world following its destruction.


    In its conclusion, the Goddess of Love offers guidance on how humanity should live in the regenerated world.


    Nowhere does it state that we must love the goddess. This holds true not only in the Regenerations but across all scriptures.


    Thats


    Karen, visibly taken aback, received my words with a firmness that seemed to drive the point home.


    Because the Goddess of Love does not beg for love.


    !


    I had invested considerable effort into the character of the Goddess of Love. She was thest transcendent being, a survivor from an ancient era and the ruler of thebyrinth.


    And she was destined to be the final boss.


    The Goddess of Love was not inherently evil; she was merely exhausted.


    All the deities she could have shared eternity with were gone, and faced with an endless solitude, she chose self-destruction.


    Yet, as the sole deity remaining on the Pan Continent, she couldnt simply abandon everything, especially since civilization still heavily depended on thebyrinth.


    Thus, the Goddess of Love resolved to forge her sessor. She deemed thebyrinthan intricate stage, a graveyard teeming with monsters and unimed wonders, alongside adventurers slowly honing their skillsas the perfect proving ground.


    Should one conquer thebyrinth and ascend to demigod status, they would be worthy of inheriting her divine mantle, ensuring the worlds seamless continuity.


    Hence, in thebyrinths deepest recesses, straddling the twilight of one epoch and the dawn of another, the goddess fervently prayed for someone to emerge as her vanquisher.


    Yet, the protagonist defied the goddesss final plea. Undeterred and desperate, the goddess confronted him, seeking her demise at his hands in their ultimate confrontation.


    Despite having meticulously crafted her character, I found myself questioning whether the Goddess of Love truly manifested as I had imagined. After all, she was no mere mortal but a deity.


    Even without absolute certainty about the goddesss nature, the temples doctrine aligned perfectly with my vision.


    This allowed me to confidently dere:


    The Goddess of Love is an eternal being. Her love is about giving, not receiving.


    It mattered not if the world changed, with more non-believers than followers.


    She would continue to love the world, its people.


    Unchanging love was a phrase reserved solely for the Goddess of Love.


    This is why One Who Devours the Twilight were the viins.


    Do you know what they call someone who preaches about a love the goddess does not desire and destroys what she cherishes? For starters, I call them an ungrateful daughter of a dickhead.


    Ha! What a splendid expression. Ive learned something new today.


    Karensughter seemed to dispel her weariness. Ian stood by, stunned, while Ellie and Lydia appeared troubled.


    Had my words truly been that shocking? Perhaps I should moderate mynguage in the future, especially around these two.


    Some im its unbing for a woman to swear. It seems Ellie and Lydia might share that sentiment.


    Jonah. Your sincerity is clear. I will set aside my unnecessary doubts. But may I inquire about something that has piqued my curiosity?


    Please, do.


    Your disdain for One Who Devours the Twilight is unmistakable. Yet, I detected a faint, contradictory emotion in your gaze.


    Human emotions are inherentlyplex, allowing for contradictions. The tongue, much like a sword, can divide what is mixed in the mind the moment its expressed, and those words cannot be retracted.


    I partially agree, but thats not my point.


    Then, what is it?


    Jonah. While you clearly despise and condemn One Who Devours the Twilight as evil, you also harbor a peculiar fondness for them. This isnt a simple matter of love and hate coexisting; these feelings, though simultaneous, are not unified.


    You noticed that too?


    Yes. Its quite unusual, so while Im not questioning your integrity, I must ask, for ritys sake, what kind of emotions enable this?


    Its nothing extraordinary.


    With a wry smile, I spread my arms wide, as if inviting her to observe me closely.


    I fundamentally love everything in this world.


    Yes?


    Before Karen, who looked astonished, I continued earnestly.


    The majestic Pangrave Cliffs. Magic and aura. The way filthy adventurers emerge one by one as the sun sets, clutching monster parts in their hands. The scum of the slums. Orphans with nowhere to turn. Male prostitutes in garish attire. Female adventurers drawn to them. The temples chorus of worship. Ramshackle wooden buildings. The magic tower, a marvel of magical engineering. The rhythmic hammering from the workshop district. The former adventurer, now missing an arm. The aspiring knight, dreaming of glory. And the inquisitor, brimming with questions.


    Was it my words that overwhelmed her, or something else entirely? I smiled broadly at Karen, who stared back, mouth agape.


    I love everything in this world.


    After all, this is my world.


    Even if it stems from the petnce of a child.


    Its a world filled to the brim with the things I cherish.


    Even if theyre despicable fanatics.


    Surviving in this body has been both daunting and difficult.


    Or an enemy I could never forgive.


    Yes, my life has asionally been at risk.


    I love everything in this world.


    But my affection remains unwavering.


    After all, I am a writer, and this is the world of the novel I created.


    It epasses agape, philia, and even eros.


    Defining this emotion is challenging, but it aligns somewhat with any definition you choose.


    This is the love I hold for this world.


    So, does that answer your question?


    Karen remained silent, not because shecked a response, but because she seemed lost in thought, her gaze fixed on something beyond me.


    Her eyes, wide with astonishment, sparkled with pink hues.


    For a long while, she remained motionless, unable to blink, speak, or move.


    Eventually, tears began to stream down her face, and she knelt, sping her hands in prayer.


    O goddess


    Im not a goddess?! Im a man!


    Only now do I truly understand your words.


    Are you even listening? More importantly, why are you crying?


    Surprised, I gently wiped away her tears with my sleeve. Suddenly, a radiant light enveloped her body.


    It was a soft pink, reminiscent of fluttering petals, soothing my mind and body to the point of near-melting.


    The only force capable of such an effect, in that particr hue, was the divine power of the Goddess of Love.


    As if receiving a divine revtion, Karen found herself imbued with immense divine power, continuing her prayers with a face awash in religious ecstasy.


    Why is she suddenly experiencing an awakening?


    How long did we stand there, watching, unsure of how to react?


    Karen, having leaked divine power like a broken faucet, finally regained control and rose to her feet.


    With her dark circles halved, she appeared more human as she spoke.


    Jonah. You truly should consider priesthood.


    Id rather not.


    Evangelism. Troublesome.

 Chapter 46: Im Not A Heretic (4)

    Chapter 46: I''m Not A Heretic (4)


    Karen, awakened out of nowhere, spoke with a face marked by shallower dark circles but stained with tears.


    ¡°Jonah. You really should be a priest.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Evangelism. Troublesome.


    My refusal came without hesitation, just like when I cursed the One Who Devours the Twilight.


    Karen¡¯s faith-filled gaze wavered.


    ¡°Please reconsider. I¡¯m not saying you should be an inquisitor like me.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s bothersome to live byplex doctrines, and I¡¯m not kind enough to live helping others. And, above all, to start now as an apprentice priest¡­ Absolutely not. I have things I need to do with that time.¡±


    The epitome of an immature response, yet entirely sincere. People of the Pan Continent, who lived as if the existence of God and religion were a given, might not understand¡­But to me,ing from a non-religious background on Earth, priesthood was hardly an appealing profession.


    Above all, I did not want a job closely associated with the Goddess of Love. Regardless of my fondness for her, the truth was that it felt unsettling.


    Imagine this: one day, you write a novel, and one of the characters grabs you by the hair and drags you into the book.


    How terrifying and horrific that would be. It¡¯s as if writers weren¡¯t already prone to balding. Well, of course, I had a full head of hair!


    After hearing my exnation, Karen nodded, then tightly grasped my hand.


    She clung to me earnestly, in the same posture she had while devoutly praying, making me waver for a moment.


    As I nkly looked down at her, Karen continued in a confident voice.


    ¡°The doctrine is essentially a guide to understanding the teachings bestowed by the Goddess. It¡¯s an unnecessary formality for someone like Jonah, who already understands and practices the will of the Goddess.¡±


    ¡°Eh.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to go out of your way to help others or to live a good life. Compassion is a form of love, but it¡¯s not the only form of love. You must know this well since you¡¯ve received distributions. It¡¯s always those same people at the distribution. It¡¯s because only those who aremitted topassion get involved in the distribution at the temple.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t because they were demoted¡­?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to start over as an apprentice priest either. With my rmendation letter, you can be an official priest after just the basic training. I don¡¯t know what you n to do, but having the title of a priest won¡¯t be a disadvantage.¡±


    ¡°Being a priest isn¡¯t some kind of certification¡­.¡±


    It¡¯s not a certification, but she had a point. In this world, being a priest was a sort of guarantee that the person had passed the basic test of character and had received some form of education.


    Yet, despite all those merits, I still didn¡¯t want to get involved with the goddess.


    Maybeter, but not yet. It wasn¡¯t the right time.


    So, once again, I sent a plea for help with my eyes to Ellie and Lydia. Since she was holding my hands, it wasn¡¯t possible to hide behind someone like before.


    ¡°¡­Uh.¡±


    Ellie, frozen by the sudden change in situation, finally snapped back to reality. On the other hand, Lydia was¡­


    ¡°Nobility¡­Revenge¡­One Who Devours the Twilight¡­Twisted emotions. Goddess¡­But despite all that, in the end¡­.¡±


    It was hard to urge her because she was muttering something seriously to herself.


    Why was she acting like that all of a sudden? I don¡¯t know why, but Lydia seems to have broken down, too.


    While I sighed inwardly, Ellie quickly approached and grabbed Karen¡¯s hand, pulling it away.


    ¡°Stop it. Jonah said he doesn¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°But didn¡¯t you just see? This person must walk the path of a priest!¡±


    ¡°All I see is a grown woman forcing a young boy against his will.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­.¡±


    Only then did Karen, seemingly a bit calmer, let go of my hand. I immediately hid behind Ellie, peeking just my head out.


    ¡°Thank you for the offer, but I have things I must do.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that so? May I ask what they are?¡±


    ¡°Of course. First, I owe something to Ellie and Miss Lydia, so I need to repay that.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s money, I can pay it off for you.¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s important that I repay it myself. In Ellie¡¯s case, it¡¯s the kind of debt that can¡¯t be repaid with money.¡±


    ¡°What kind of debt is it that you speak of?¡±


    Karen was puzzled. Ellie, too, initially tilted her head in confusion but soon straightened her ears and tail as if she had understood.


    ¡­I¡¯m not sure what she¡¯s thinking, but that seemingly significant reaction was helpful. I should make use of it.


    Karen¡¯s eyes could only see emotion. So, it¡¯s more important to harbor the right emotions than to tell a clever lie.


    I subtly lowered my eyes and set my emotions. What came to mind were the jokes we often shared between us. And then, a bit of sincerity.


    Relief towards the first trustworthy person I met in this world. The kindness I received when I was at my lowest. With all these feelings of gratitude, I opened my mouth.


    ¡°Actually¡­when I was having a tough time, I received a lot of help from Ellie. Even now, I¡¯m living in Ellie¡¯s house for cheap, getting meals, enjoying various conveniences, and she even put in a request to Miss Lydia to train me as an adventurer¡­.¡±


    ¡°Lydia?! You told that to Jonah?¡±


    ¡°Temple¡­conflict¡­knight¡­oath is absolute¡­even voluntary¡­.¡±


    Of course, Lydia was still out of it, so she couldn¡¯t hear Ellie¡¯s voice.


    Karen nced over the two and nodded.


    ¡°She¡¯s a good person.¡±


    ¡°Right. So, I gave it a lot of thought. How could I repay this kindness? And you know what Ellie said¡­?¡±


    I trailed off, looking at Ellie as if to check if it was really okay to say it.


    Of course, Ellie, who hadn¡¯t received any hint, just stared nkly back at us.


    Covering my mouth with my hand, I whispered as if sharing a secret.


    ¡°She said not to worry because she would make me repay with my body when I grow up. I also thought that seemed fine, so I said okay.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I said that¡­?¡±


    Karen¡¯s head was tilted as if she couldn¡¯t understand what she had just heard, and Ellie seemed genuinely flustered.


    Before Ellie could exin, I quickly added,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I already belong to Ellie, so I cannot return to the embrace of the goddess.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Karen¡¯s eyes widened as if struck by lightning. Then, she slowly turned to look at Ellie.


    ¡°What, what! It¡¯s not like that! Hey, Jonah! Why are you suddenly saying weird things?! You¡¯re causing a misunderstanding!¡±


    Her yellow eyes wavered aimlessly, and her tail drooped.


    Though I don¡¯t possess holy abilities like Karen, I could still understand what Ellie was feeling right now.


    Panic. And anxiety.


    The typical reaction of someone caught doing something wrong.


    Karen¡¯s expression twisted in various ways before she nced at me and sighed.


    ¡°¡­I understand for now. You have a great debt on your mind and wish to focus on that, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Then, I will step back for now¡­but remember, my offer always stands.¡±


    Karen nodded her head and pulled out a small heart-shaped ornament from her bosom. Seeing how the silver was so shiny, it looked quite expensive.


    ¡°Carry this with you, and if you mention my name at the temple, you will receive the treatment you rightfully deserve.¡±


    ¡°Thank you! I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll use it, but I¡¯ll cherish it!¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s enough.¡±


    With a troubled expression, Karen called to Ian, who was clutching his head, trying to understand the current situation.


    ¡°Ian. The mission is over, so we¡¯ll be returning. We can¡¯t afford any more dys, especially with so much to do.¡±


    ¡°But, but¡­¡±


    ¡°No buts. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Reluctantly following Karen, Ian turned around once more and then bowed his head.


    As I waved to them lightly, it wasn¡¯t long before they disappeared into the crowd.


    Yes. Even though Ellie suddenly became trash who leashed up a pretty-faced orphan and raised them with gaslighting!


    Even though I became a pitiful victim who was tricked and fell for Ellie!


    Anyway, I seeded in warding off what would have been seriously persistent evangelism.


    I guess they saw something simr to the qualities of a priest in the way I faced the world¡­


    But it wasn¡¯t like matters of the world could be resolved with talent alone. Effort was required for results to emerge.


    In the case of a priest, that was faith. And faith, after all, came from sincerity.


    Whether it¡¯s about qualities or whatever, I had to have stepped back because I felt I couldn¡¯t sincerely ept the goddess yet.


    Of course, she probably hadn¡¯tpletely given up. I don¡¯t know what sort of enlightenment she gained, but Karen suddenly awakened something, hadn¡¯t she?


    Having experienced something directly and having seen something, she might cling quite persistently.


    For example¡­ instead of changing the route and directly taking me to the temple, she might try to recruit me by gradually winning over my heart.


    Well. Even if that¡¯s the case, that would be a matter forter! Right now, I should just enjoy the freedom from escaping such annoying matters!


    ¡°Great for you, Ellie! It¡¯s a relief that you don¡¯t have to send me away to the temple, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Considering that I¡¯ve sacrificed my social reputation, I don¡¯t really feel like I¡¯ve gained anything.¡±


    ¡°Hey! How can you say you gained nothing? You got me, Jonah, didn¡¯t you? That¡¯s definitely a profitable deal!¡±


    ¡°It was forced onto me¡­!¡±


    Ellie sobbed slightly.

 Chapter 47: Overgearing Is Always The Answer

    Chapter 47: Overgearing Is Always The Answer


    After Karen and Ian visited the Fairy and Silver Coin, Ellie and Lydia had a lengthy conversation without me, using magical devices to keep it confidential.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what it was about, but it was likely about why the inquisitor was searching for Ellie.


    If it was about sending me to the temple, they wouldn¡¯t have any reason to hide it from me since I¡¯d already firmly refused. Ultimately, it was about me.


    Perhaps because of that conversation, Ellie asionally wore a serious expression, and Lydia seemed lost in thought while looking at me more often.


    Of course, Ellie still reacted amusingly to a little teasing, and Lydia sighed, telling me to moderate my jokes, as always.


    As the days that seemed both changed and unchanged continued, Lemon and Apple suddenly kicked their way into the Fairy and Silver Coin.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Jonah?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯vee because of a call from our boss!¡±


    ¡°Hmrm?¡±Munching on Ellie¡¯s cereal that she¡¯d somehow recreated from my description, I looked up at them.


    Despite calling for me, their eyes were fixed on the employees who were wearing tight gymnastics clothes and performing pole dances as they walked toward me.


    With every step, they bumped into other adventurers, tripped over chairs, and hit their waists against tables, but their heads never turned.


    ncing around, I saw Ellie, like everyone else, hypnotically focused on the pole dance, and Lydia pretending to cover her eyes while peeking through her fingers.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Well, I did understand them. Even I would be distracted if someone was pole dancing in full-body tights.


    But understanding was one thing, and wanting to tease was another.


    I reached out and firmly tugged on Ellie¡¯s empty sleeve.


    ¡°Eek!?¡±


    Startled, Ellie let out a shriek with her wolf ears and tail standing straight up. Then, with a creaking motion, she turned to look my way.


    ¡°Ellie. So you like this kind of thing.¡±


    ¡°Ju, just wait a moment and listen to me, Jonah. This is something any woman can¡¯t help but¡­!¡±


    ¡°I know, I know. After all, I was the one who taught you all about those outfits and dances. It¡¯s only natural since I nned to charm every woman in the world.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? Judging by your reaction, it seems quite to Ellie¡¯s taste¡­ How about tonight? Once all the hyungs are off work, we can have the first floor to ourselves. The first time doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be in a bed.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Uh, euahh?¡±


    Ellie had lost her ability to speak coherently. Leaving the flustered Ellie behind, I then turned to look at Lydia.


    Despite having seen everything through the gaps between her fingers just a moment ago, she now covered her eyespletely as if she couldn¡¯t bear to look.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that now, Miss Lydia. No one will say anything even if you look at them openly.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything.¡±


    ¡°Ah, what¡¯s the big deal? We¡¯re at an age where we know everything about each other, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°I might be, but Jonah isn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then why cover your eyes, Miss Lydia? Ahah? Feeling guilty about something?¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. What could be so significant that Miss Lydia would hide it this desperately? Even as a noble knight, you¡¯ve been visiting the Fairy and Silver Coin daily, but you¡¯re suddenly reacting like this today¡­ It¡¯s because of that, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    With her eyes covered, Lydia shrank back, looking like an anxious prisoner awaiting judgment, and I brought my lips close to her ear.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t because you saw the employee hyungs, but because you imagined me wearing those clothes and dancing like that, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Eut.¡±


    Lydia made a small peeping sound. I deliberately blew a gentle breeze as I continued speaking.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t personally dress like that or teach them how to dance¡­but I did exin to Ellie what it was like with my own words. And Miss Lydia, you were right there listening alongside us at the time.¡±


    ¡°Ah, no¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you been imagining it since then? My provocative appearance.¡±


    ¡°I¡­that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°How could you, Lady Lydia? Even though I¡¯m not a noble of high birth, to think you¡¯d look at me with such eyes.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Having heard that, Lydia removed her hands from her face and shook her head in desperation with an urgent expression.


    ¡°No! It really isn¡¯t like that¡­!¡±


    ¡°Eh.¡±


    I was taken aback by her unexpectedly desperate atmosphere, but soon created some distance between us and shed a broad smile.


    ¡°Surprise~ Just kidding, just kidding! I know well that Miss Lydia is not that kind of person!¡±


    ¡°¡­Really?¡±


    ¡°Really, really.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±


    Lydia let out a sigh of relief. Although I wasn¡¯t sure, the joke from a moment ago must have touched a nerve.


    The fact that she didn¡¯t point out being called ¡°Lady¡± suggested that it was the content of what I said that was the problem. I¡¯ll remember this and be more careful next time.


    Jokes always need to be carefully treaded. After all, I want to know and be with Lydia for a long time.


    Nodding to myself, I was about to finish my prototype cereal when.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found Jonah!¡±


    ¡°This is important!¡±


    Lemon and Apple finally arrived at my table.


    Fairy and Silver Coin was a pretty big shop, but it wasn¡¯t big enough for them to have taken this long to get here.


    Sure enough, when I lifted my head, the employee hyungs¡¯ performance had ended. These guys. Were they so engrossed in the pole dance that they forgot what they were supposed to do? And here they were, saying it was important.


    However, if they came all the way here, there was only one matter I assumed there to be, so I decided to be generous.


    ¡°Was the item I entrusted to Evepleted?¡±


    ¡°Whoa! How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Jonah, do you have a simr ability to the boss?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that Eve and I have special powers, but rather Lemon and Apple are just too simple.¡±


    ¡°No way! I¡¯m a veryplex woman!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! I don¡¯t know about Lemon, but I am smart!¡±


    Around the time that the betrayed Lemon and firm Apple began to bicker with each other, I put down the bowl I was eating from and stood up.


    ¡°Ellie. I have some urgent business to attend to, so I¡¯ll be stepping out. I¡¯ll probably be back by evening.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Have a safe trip, then?¡±


    ¡°Cereal. I appreciate you making it, but it doesn¡¯t taste very good. Try making it mint chocte vored next time. See you tomorrow, Miss Lydia!¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­See you tomorrow.¡±


    Leaving behind the two, who still seemed dazed as if under a spell, I exited the Fairy and Silver Coin.


    Lemon and Apple, who followed me out, pointed toward the shop and asked.


    ¡°What did you do to those two?¡±


    ¡°Did you also know how to use psychic magic?¡±


    ¡°Psychic magic can only be used with a license issued by the Magic Tower, right? It¡¯s not that, just¡­.¡±


    After choosing my words carefully, I slowly said.


    ¡°I straightened out the discipline of the household.¡±


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t know, we don¡¯t have a family.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been orphans since we can remember.¡±


    ¡°Just think of it as deciding who is the older sister between Lemon and Apple.¡±


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about that before¡­.¡±


    Lemon and Apple growled at each other as if they were in a rivalry. With those two, I headed to the Eternal Mercantile Eden.<hr>


    A dazzling street. Dazzling buildings. Dazzling people. Amidst everything that was big and sparkly, the drab store instead caught one¡¯s eye.


    Ding-!


    As I opened the door and entered the Eternal Mercantile Eden, Eve greeted me from her usual spot with a suspicious smile.


    ¡°Running here all out of breath¡­ Did something good happen?¡±


    <em>You¡¯re toote (X)</em>


    <em>Sweaty body hot! (O)</em>


    Ignoring the internal trantor that¡¯s already gone down bad, I shed a grin.


    ¡°Of course. Do you know how long I¡¯ve been waiting for today? I ran here as soon as I heard the news from Lemon and Apple.¡±


    ¡°Oh? I was thinking of making you wait a bit longer. Would that make you angry?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you my disheveled appearance any time, so let¡¯s start with the item first¡­!¡±


    Eve, who scanned me from head to toe, meaningfully licked her lower lip with her tongue.


    ¡°¡­Understood. I trust you will keep your promise.¡±


    Saying so, she reached out into thin air. Was it a spatial artifact? Given Eve¡¯s age and skills, she might have mastered subspace magic as well.


    She pulled a box, slightlyrger than my forearm, from the deep void she had plunged her shoulder into and ced it on the desk.


    Sliiide.


    Eve pushed the box towards me. As I nkly alternated my gaze between Eve and the box, her squint deepened, and she nodded her head.


    ¡­It may seem like she was offering dangerous drugs, but let¡¯s not forget that she was just handing over a regr requested item.


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, I touched the box. Then, the engraved patterns began to shine and connect as one, and a small sound followed.


    Click.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a precious item, so I stored it in a box that only Sir Jonah can open.¡±


    ¡°¡­Wouldn¡¯t that require my mana or a part of my body?¡±


    ¡°I used the hair you left behindst time you were here. How careless of you, Sir Jonah. ¡°


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    This clearly sounded like the words of a crazy stalker. But surely, it must have meant to be a concern for me.


    A warning to be more careful since those things could be misused if one intended to¡­ That must be it, right?


    After debating whether to turn my broken internal trantor back on or not, I decided just to open the box.


    It¡¯s only natural that Eve seemed suspicious, since I was the one who made her like that. Right now, the new equipment was first.


    Thump thump.


    My heart was pounding simrly to when I spun the gacha. The sensation of my entire body bing sharply acute made an involuntary grin spread across my face.


    ¡°With this¡­!¡±


    I could finally defeat the monsters that were too powerful to handle before. Perhaps I could even be able to deal sufficient damage to the guardian of the first floor.


    I opened the box with one swift movement.


    Inside was a dagger made from a unicorn¡¯s horn.

 Chapter 48: Overgearing Is Always The Answer (2)

    Chapter 48: Overgearing Is Always The Answer (2)


    Upon opening the box, insidey a dagger made from a unicorn¡¯s horn.


    The de was straight and pure white, with a golden line embroidered onto it, drawing a geometric pattern. Could it be some kind of magic circle?


    Next was the hand guard. This, too, was pure white like the de but not as fancy. Its only decoration was the transparent bead embedded in the center.


    Lastly, the handle. Wrapped in ck leather, the handle was dark and luxurious. Could it be the leather of a rare monster instead of an ordinary animal?


    From a pickpocket¡¯s perspective, this was a weapon valuable enough to bring consequences if stolen.


    The 3-star materials used to make it seemed to be worth it¡­ But, how should I say it?


    ¡°It seems a bit¡­ lifeless, doesn¡¯t it?¡± I remarked.


    When it was just a unicorn¡¯s horn, there was something about it that felt alive, even though it was a part that had been cut off long ago.


    Perhaps that certain power determined whether those who touched it were virgins or not.After bing this dagger, that feeling disappearedpletely.


    As I slightly furrowed my brows and tilted my head, Eve opened her mouth with a surprised expression.


    ¡°My goodness. I didn¡¯t expect you to feel that. As Sir Jonah said, this dagger is currently in a dormant state. There¡¯s a specific process it must go through to be awakened.¡±


    ¡°I see. What should I do?¡±


    ¡°Blood,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Do you desire power? Then offer it blood. The blood of someone pure.¡±


    Sacrifice an innocent soul to awaken the cursed sword. (X)


    It needs a drop of blood to mark its owner. (O)


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    I knew what kind of person she was, but actually hearing her ask if I wanted power surprised me enough to restart my internal trantor.


    Right. That must be it. Sealing the master¡¯s mark with a drop of blood and activating the engraved magic was amon setting in the fantasy genre.


    I knew that because I¡¯d used it frequently myself. This must also fall under a simr category of magic.


    With an emptyugh, I pulled out my existing dagger from my pocket. It was well-maintained, but it seemed somewhat shabbypared to the unicorn dagger.


    Well, I¡¯ll have to sell this one as usedter. It¡¯s somewhat ironic that itsst job would be to cut its owner¡¯s finger.


    With a bitter smile, I lightly cut the tip of my index finger with the de.


    Spt!


    The sensation of the cold de cutting through the flesh¡­ Did I cut a little too deep?


    Recing the coldness of the de, a hot pain blossomed from my fingertip. Simultaneously, drops of blood began to fall.


    I could feel the tearsing, but I couldn¡¯t whine over a cut I made myself.


    That was¡­ even for a gender role-reversed world, too embarrassing.


    So, as I tried my best to act as if nothing was wrong and maintain myposure, it was instead Eve and the Lemon Apple duo who became surprised.


    ¡°S, Sir Jonah?! There¡¯s no need to make such a deep wound!¡± Eve eximed.


    ¡°Bandages! Get the bandages!¡± Lemon cried out.


    ¡°We used them all up yesterday ying the bondage game! Go look for a potion first!¡± Apple replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just a cut on my finger. It¡¯s not a big deal,¡± I reassured them, before adding, ¡°¡­But what exactly is a bondage game?¡±


    What¡¯s with that suspiciously named game? It¡¯s distracting me!


    I wanted to calmly sit them down and ask what that game was all about, but there was something else I needed to do first.


    ¡°By the way, it seems like I¡¯ve dropped enough blood on it, but why isn¡¯t there any reaction, Miss Eve?¡± I asked.


    Not only did I drop my blood on the crystal ball on the hand guard, which was practically begging for blood, but also on the de and handle. However, there wasn¡¯t any reaction.


    ¡­Could it be that my purity was taken while I was asleep?


    For a moment, I contemted whether I should go find Ellie and make her take responsibility.


    But then Eve replied with an anxious voice, ¡°You have to hold it, not just sprinkle blood on it!¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    I immediately grabbed the dagger and lifted it. At once, a brilliant white light burst out from the de. The brightness was so immense that for a moment, I couldn¡¯t open my eyes.


    After cautiously opening my eyes after a while, I found the dagger boasting a pristine white, as if it had never been covered in blood.


    ¡°¡­Did it absorb the blood? Is it a cursed sword?¡± I wondered aloud.


    Vwoonm!


    The dagger vibrated faintly as if protesting my remark about it being a cursed sword.


    Upon closer inspection, the de¡¯s edges on both sides had be sharper, and the golden patterns drawn on the de were pulsing at consistent intervals.


    The orb on the hand guard was swirling with a mix of white and pink, and holding the handle felt more like it was clinging to me rather than me grabbing it.


    It truly felt as if the sword was alive.


    Eve let out a sigh of relief upon confirming that the marking was sessfullypleted.


    ¡°It¡¯s all done now. Your wounds should have healed by now as well. Would you please check?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Huh? Oh, now that you mention it, it doesn¡¯t hurt,¡± I replied, noticing the absence of pain.


    When I stretched out my finger, it hadpletely healed, leaving only a trace of the cut. Even that was fading quickly enough to be noticeable.


    ¡°Hehe. How is it? Do you¡­ like your new power?¡± Eve asked, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.


    A suitable power has been bestowed in exchange for the sacrifice. (X)


    I worked really hard on this. Tell me what you think! (O)


    ¡°Of course, I love it! Who would say no to healing abilities? It has other abilities, too, right? Can you tell me?¡± I asked eagerly.


    Eyes wide and smiling broadly, I lifted my head towards her in a way that, for Eve, it would feel like I suddenly leaned into her.


    It¡¯s a form of service. I¡¯m not sure what other functions it had, but the power emanating from the dagger didn¡¯t seem ordinary.


    That wasn¡¯t just because of the good materials. This was possible only when a great cksmith and magicianbined their powers.


    Even Eve, with her extensive connections from living so long, would have found it burdensome to do this for free just on the promise of my frequent visits.


    So, I had to give her something like this, at the very least.


    Eve momentarily clutched her chest and staggered but quickly regained herposure and nodded.


    ¡°Of course I will. As you have seen a moment ago, it has a constant healing ability. Basically, it¡¯s a power that applies only to the wearer, but if Sir Jonah wishes so while in contact with the sword, it can also heal others. There are some restrictions, though,¡± she exined.


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing! But what do you mean by restrictions¡­?¡± I inquired.


    ¡°The person being healed must also be pure,¡± Eve stated.


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°Or they must have given birth to more than two children and be living happily after having gone through a process of pure and devoted love¡­ Honestly, I¡¯m not sure about that part either. Unicorns have always been such mysterious creatures¡­ I mean, they¡¯ve been extinct for so long that there¡¯s hardly any remaining documentation rted to them,¡± Eve borated.


    Realizing she had identally revealed how long she¡¯d lived, Eve hurriedly corrected herself.


    An agility fit for someone who lived during the olden days when unicorns used to stab the husbands of cuckqueans.


    Pretending not to have heard her, I gestured to Lemon and Apple, who were hurriedly putting the potion they had taken out back on the shelf.


    Flick flick


    ¡°No, no!¡± Lemon protested.


    ¡°We oppose live experiments!¡± Apple chimed in.


    ¡°You know I¡¯ll catch up right away if I chase after you, right? Ah, but if youe right now, I¡¯ll bite you with my teeth instead of using the dagger. Then I won¡¯t identally cut too deep, right?¡± I teased.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ming right now!¡± Lemon eximed.


    ¡°Lemon! No cutting in line!¡± Appleined.


    ¡°It¡¯s not firste-first-served, so take your time!¡± I said, standing up.


    Lemon and Apple obediently lined up in front of me with very tense expressions.


    The experiment was a sess.


    Chuckling as I saw Lemon and Apple, who were honest about their desires, sucking on the healed wound with their mouths, I sat back down.


    Not in my original seat, but next to Eve.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Somehow, Eve was ring at Lemon and Apple with a scarier atmosphere than usual. I nudged her in the side with my elbow and asked, ¡°What other effects does it have?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Uh, eh?!¡± Eve stammered, startled by my sudden proximity. She briefly trembled, seemingly unaware that I had sat right next to her.


    It was kind of funny. She looked a little like a fish¡­.


    ¡°Were you listening to me? I asked what other effects it has, Miss Eve,¡± I repeated.


    ¡°Yes, yes, of course. It contains all the basic functions of a unicorn¡¯s horn,¡± Eve replied, trying to regain herposure.


    See? I made such an awesome weapon. (X)


    So close. So small. Smells good. (O)


    ¡°Does it have the ability to discern one¡¯s experience?¡± I inquired.


    ¡°¡­That might be the most well-known, but there are many other abilities, too. For example, protecting the user from all sorts of negative effects, purifying anything dirty, and enhancing luck,¡± Eve exined.


    ¡°Luck¡­!¡± I eximed, my eyes lighting up.


    While the resistance to status ailments and an automatic cleaning function were nice, luck was the most important for me, who had a gacha ability.


    ¡°You really seem to value luck, Sir Jonah. Just like the Lucky Strike you tookst time,¡± Eve remarked.


    ¡°Well, of course. The most important thing in gambling is luck, isn¡¯t it?¡± I said with a grin.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    I smiled slyly towards Eve, who stared at me quietly.


    ¡°If you find a treasure from the past or a relic of a dead god in thebyrinth, you can make a fortune! And I like money!¡± I dered.


    ¡°¡­Ah. That kind of gambling. Well, the life of an adventurer in itself is a gamble with one¡¯s life,¡± Eve mused.


    Ah, so you care about luck because you deal with such dangerous tasks. (X)


    A shame. If you were a gambling addict, I could have made sure I would be indispensable to you, even if it meant I needed to use the powers of my people. (O)


    ???


    You mean you¡¯d turn me into azy husband who lives off the elves¡¯ hard-earned money?


    What a scary thought you have, Eevee¡­


    I almost blurted out that I¡¯d like that, but because there was still so much to do, I barely managed to hold myself back.


    ¡°¡­Seeing as you mentioned basic abilities, that must also mean there are some abilities that aren¡¯t usually found in a unicorn¡¯s horn, correct?¡± I asked, steering the conversation back on track.


    ¡°You catch on quickly. While it does have convenience-oriented magic like automatic restoration, automatic retrieval, and security spells¡­ these are basic features for any expensive weapon. The real deals are whates next,¡± Eve said, her eyes gleaming with excitement.


    ¡°Oh¡­ What is it?¡± I inquired, leaning in closer.


    ¡°You are able to deal a fatal blow when facing those who are sexually promiscuous or evil,¡± Eve revealed.


    ¡°What!¡± I eximed, my eyes widening in surprise.


    A non-virgin yer¡­?


    I did hear that it also applies to evil entities, but that wasn¡¯t really important.


    I pressed my body close enough to Eve for our shoulders to touch and brought my lips to her long ear. Then, I whispered softly, ¡°What happens if I¡¯m no longer a virgin¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­Then the dagger will turn ck and split into two. Perhaps you could call it a Bicorn Dagger,¡± Eve replied, her voice barely above a whisper.


    It won¡¯t harm the user, so rest assured. (X)


    Is there something I could look forward to? (O)


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Seems like my internal trantor is broken.


    Anyway, that was the gist.

 Chapter 49: Overgearing Is Always The Answer (3)

    Chapter 49: Overgearing Is Always The Answer (3)


    When you acquire a new weapon, it¡¯s almost a primal instinct to want to test it out.


    However, today was designated as a day of rest. Lydia was adamant about maintaining this schedule, and she wouldn¡¯t entertain the idea of a quick trip to thebyrinth, even if I suggested it.


    For that reason, I considered persuading Lemon and Apple to casually explore the entrance of the first floor with me.


    ¡°Ah. There¡¯s no need to go that far.¡±


    My curiosity was reaching a fever pitch, almost driving me insane¡­ but it wasn¡¯t enough to make me break my promise to Lydia that we must enter thebyrinth together, at least for now.


    After all, we were nning to go in tomorrow, so I just needed to muster a bit more patience.


    So, I decided to engage in something as thrilling as testing the new weapon. That was, engaging in the gacha¡­!


    I don¡¯t know what came over me, but I rose from my seat and put some distance between myself and Eve, who was bubbling over with excitement.


    ¡°Lemon! Apple! Let¡¯s go do some work together.¡±¡°Eh. We¡¯re not going to thebyrinth.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already been today. We¡¯re exhausted.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not about that, so juste with me. Ah, thank you for today, Eve. I¡¯ve got something to take care of, so I¡¯ll be heading out now!¡±


    ¡°Eh? Oh¡­ Okay?¡±


    With a polite bow to the puzzled Eve, I seized Lemon and Apple by the wrists and made our exit from the store.


    Thud!


    The sound echoed behind us, like someone was mming their forehead on a desk, but it was probably just the noise of the door closing.<hr>


    Lemon and Apple nced at Eve but followed me without anyints.


    Even now, after we¡¯d gotten quite far from the store.


    ¡°Lemon. Apple. Aren¡¯t you going to ask where we¡¯re going or what we¡¯re doing?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to know that.¡±


    ¡°The important thing is that Jonah is still holding our wrists.¡±


    They giggled like idiots, following me simply because I was holding their wrists¡ªnot even their hands.


    ¡°Sigh. Maidens.¡±


    ¡°¡­But isn¡¯t Yona also a virgin?¡±


    ¡°A sudden attack like that hurts, y¡¯know.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Even if it hurts, it can be healed with the unicorn dagger. And do you think that the value of a virgin and a maiden are the same?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s this world¡¯s fault!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re both of the same pure body, so why are only maidens ridiculed!¡±


    Having memories from my past life, I couldn¡¯t help but sympathize with Lemon and Apple, who were indignantly discussing such a topic.


    Their conversation made me chuckle for a moment. But now, it seemed the topic had shifted as their voices grew heavier.


    ¡°When I was being healed earlier, it felt good but also somewhat off.¡±


    ¡°Being healed means it¡¯s proof of being a maiden. The body¡¯s wounds may heal, but the heart¡¯s wounds do not.¡±


    ¡°No, if you put it that way, what does that make me? It¡¯s like I¡¯m walking around, revealing my virginity constantly.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to be amazed and say ¡®wow.¡¯ What are you going to do if Jonah¡¯s dagger turns ck and splits into two one day?¡±


    Apple nudged the side of Lemon, who had just been admiring me without any thought. After a moment of hesitation, Lemon seemed to ponder for a while, then finally spoke in a serious tone.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to kneel and beg for him to do it with me.¡±


    ¡°Are you seriously insane?¡±


    Whack!


    Eventually, Lemon received a full swing to the back of her head by Apple, then grimaced in pain.


    I chuckled at the dumb-and-dumber-like bickering of the two, then spoke in a subtle voice.


    ¡°Well, not now¡­ butter. After I¡¯ve be an adult and achieved my goals, if both of you are still virgins, I¡¯ll take your first times.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°We elves consider 10 or 20 years as nothing. You must speak carefully.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m serious. Ah, but there¡¯s a queue, so you might have to wait a bit.¡±


    ¡°We know that Boss is first in line.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, having been lonely for a thousand¡­ no, for a long time, we understand.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    I was talking about Ellie and Lydia. Why was Eveing up here? I hadn¡¯t even flirted with Eve, had I?


    Except for slightly leaning in when she was exining about the unicorn dagger, I hadn¡¯t done anything.


    ¡­Is it just that I¡¯m her type?


    With my brain¡¯s trantion function seemingly malfunctioning these days, I decided to downgrade my assessment of Eve by one notch in my mind.


    Seems suspicious but ¡®still¡¯ a good person (X)


    Seems dangerous but ¡®still¡¯ a good person (O)


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    As I nodded to myself, Lemon and Apple cautiously began to speak.


    ¡°By the way, can I ask where we¡¯re going now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to get curious.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Where are you taking us?¡±


    ¡°This direction seems to lead to a somewhat questionable neighborhood, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not taking you to the red-light district or any cheap inns nearby.¡±


    ¡°A shame, really¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re disappointed because that¡¯s exactly what we wanted¡­¡±


    These girls really are candid about their desires, aren¡¯t they?


    I sighed deeply and tightened my grip on the wrists I was still holding, determined not to let them escape.


    ¡°There¡¯s an alleyway before we get there, right? Towards the industrial district.¡±


    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that where we first met Jonah?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning to bury us there to settle past grudges¡­¡±


    Lemon and Apple began to tremble. Come to think of it, the industrial district was indeed where my transmigrated self first woke up.


    It¡¯s also the ce where Lemon and Apple extorted me.


    ¡°What do you even think of me? We agreed to settle itst time when I receivedpensation for saving your lives. I won¡¯t resort to such things now, all right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking just in case, but what if you still harbored a grudge?¡±


    ¡°Would it end just with us being extorted?¡±


    Lemon and Apple asked cautiously. I turned to them and gave a light smile.


    ¡°Elves are indeed a race with many uses.¡±


    ¡°Organ trafficking¡­!¡±


    ¡°Human trafficking¡­!¡±


    Seeing them tremble, a sense of satisfaction blossomed within my heart.


    Why was it so enjoyable to torment Lemon and Apple? Was it because they reacted in such an amusing way, slightly different from Ellie?


    I slightly lowered my arm and, instead of holding their wrists, took their hands, then added on.


    ¡°It¡¯s a joke. At most, I would have scared you like I was scared and then used you as errand girls.¡±


    I had been extorted, but it wasn¡¯t like I was physically harmed. They just acted a bit menacing and frisked my pockets, taking the money I had begged for that day. So, it was something that could be forgiven with some money.


    ¡°Anyway, the reason we¡¯re going this time isn¡¯t to bury you guys. It¡¯s to try doing what we didst time again.¡±


    ¡°What we didst time¡­?¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about bing an undisputed ruler of the back alleys?¡±


    ¡°Simr, but slightly different. Last time, we had to disband because we were reported, right? So, I thought about it, and we shouldn¡¯t have tried to unify in the first ce. If we grow too big, we¡¯ll just end up attracting more attention from the guards.¡±


    Gang members and a gang organization indeed feel entirely different, don¡¯t they?


    ¡°So, let¡¯s just extort them and then let them go. This neighborhood is riddled with unresolved issues anyway.¡±


    ¡°What if theye after us, even if we drop them likest time?¡±


    ¡°You mentioned you had no intention of uniting them back then, either.¡±


    ¡°Why overthink it? We¡¯ll just knock them all out.¡±


    Unlike Lemon and Apple, I haven¡¯t yet received anypensation from these local thugs. They have no clue how miserable my life as a beggar was.


    ¡°I¡¯ll aim for ten times the amount.¡±


    It might also be the perfect opportunity to test the power of the unicorn dagger.


    I suppose I shouldn¡¯t stab people¡­ But it should be eptable if they aren¡¯t exactly people, right?


    The results were a resounding sess.<hr>


    Swoosh!


    I returned to the Fairy and Silver Coin, emptying today¡¯s earnings onto the desk.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ what¡¯s the total?¡±


    The pile included the proceeds from farming Iron Wolf leather, after meticulous preparation. I then tallied it up, adding the amount I had extorted while encountering those familiar faces once again.


    ¡°1 gold, 26 silver, 92 copper, is it?¡±


    Among this, the Iron Wolf leathers alone brought in more than 1 gold.


    That¡¯s when it dawned on me why the somewhat strong adventurers didn¡¯t stoop to thuggish behaviors.


    ¡°Just going to thebyrinth once or twice earns more than shaking down all the local thugs¡­?¡±


    It made sense to avoid such petty crimes if they weren¡¯t profitable, especially if those acts could draw the guards¡¯ attention.


    Unless, of course, you harbored a grudge like me.


    ¡°Now it¡¯s double. Just need to go four more times.¡±


    Ah, the performance of the unicorn dagger exceeded my expectations.


    Of course, I hadn¡¯t used it on people, so its effects, such as the special non-virgin attack, were unknown to me¡­ but it had sliced through weapons and thick padded clothes with ease.


    Not only had I effortlessly cut through thick wooden clubs, but I had also sliced through quilted jackets known as gambesons, which served as makeshift armor, as if they were mere sheets of paper¡­


    Although I hadn¡¯t verified it yet, with this capability, slicing through the hide of an Iron Wolf should pose no problem.


    If I could inflict direct damage, then mybat style could undergo a drastic transformation.


    Just in time, the armor crafted from the hide of the Iron Wolf, which I hadmissioned, will bepleted tomorrow. This marks a significant upgrade in the quality of my equipment.


    With this enhancement, beyond Iron Wolves, I could potentially take on Giant Mantises¡­ and perhaps even a Hobgoblin tribe.


    However, that wasn¡¯t my immediate concern.


    ¡°She mentioned it increases luck, didn¡¯t she¡­?¡±


    I ced the symbol of the Temple of the Goddess of Love, which Karen had given me, on the desk, positioning the unicorn dagger in front of it.


    It wasn¡¯t that I was attempting to exploit any sphemy or intimidation tactics.


    Since manual dexterity wasn¡¯t my forte, I ced the dagger in front of the symbol rather than a statue, banking on its supposed ability to bring good luck.


    Lastly, clutching the Lucky Strike I always wore with both hands, I activated the gacha system.


    Ding!


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, 120 pulls¡­!¡±

 Chapter 50: Overgearing Is Always The Answer (4)

    Chapter 50: Overgearing Is Always The Answer (4)


    [Normal Draw]


    -Use cash or an equivalent amount of magic stones to randomly obtain items and skills between 1~5 stars.


    [1 Draw] [10+1 Draws]


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this, 120 pulls¡­!¡±


    I mmed the draw button without a second thought.


    Ding!


    ¡ï: Well-Dried Magic Herb


    ¡ï: Processed Healing Herb


    ¡ï: Well-Dried Magic Herb ¡ï: Well-Dried Magic Herb


    ¡ï: Well-Dried Magic Herb


    ¡ï: Impure Iron Ingot


    ¡ï: Processed Healing Herb


    ¡ï¡ï: Steel Shield


    ¡ï: Lowest Grade Healing Potion


    ¡ï: Well-Dried Magic Herb


    .


    .


    .


    ¡ï¡ï: Lesser Mana Potion


    .


    .


    .


    ¡ï¡ï: Wrist Crossbow


    .


    .


    .


    ¡ï: Power - Fragrant Scent


    .


    .


    .


    ¡ï¡ï¡ï: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World


    .


    .


    .


    ?¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï: Skill - Sound-Eating Footsteps?


    .


    .


    .


    ¡ï: Well-Dried Magic Herb


    ¡ï: Processed Healing Herb


    ¡ï: Processed Healing Herb


    ¡°Huh? Huuuuh¡­?!¡±


    While all other notifications were in in white text with a ck border, there was one that shone in a golden color alone.


    ¡°A 4-star?¡±


    And it was a skill. Moreover, it even had a cool name!


    Having made such good use of a 3-star pickpocketing skill, I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how much better a 4-star skill would be.


    Perhaps it was too surreal. At first, I stood there, dumbfounded, unable to grasp reality. But a momentter, I couldn¡¯t contain the thrill that welled up from deep within my chest.


    ¡°Yes! This is it!!! Keep spending, and someday, you will pull it!!! I wasn¡¯t wrong!! Eee¡­eeeeeeeeek?!?!?¡±


    But my shouts quickly turned into a scream as pain began to overwhelm me.


    It felt as if every single cell in my body was being flipped inside out. Muscles were tearing and reattaching strand by strand, and I could hear the suspicious sound of cracking bones emanating from within my body.


    The sensation that my body was no longer my own was unbearable. I couldn¡¯t breathe, and I couldn¡¯t stop the tears, snot, and even drool from falling to the floor.


    For a moment, I writhed, biting my nket in an attempt to suppress the screams that kept trying to burst out.


    Once the physical pain subsided, a vast amount of knowledge began to shoot directly into my brain. Unfamiliar information poured in ceaselessly, making it impossible to regain myposure.


    In just about ten seconds, I became so exhausted that I felt on the verge of fainting.


    As Iy there, sprawled out on the bed, it wasn¡¯t long before I heard hurried footsteps from downstairs, followed by intense knocking.


    Thud thud!


    ¡°Jonah?! What just happened? Open the door!¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    I snapped back to reality.


    It seems Ellie rushed here after hearing my screams a moment ago.


    If left alone, she might just break down the door. Then, she would discover the room filled with my gacha loot.


    I might even need to tell her about the gacha system itself. I had nned to tell Ellie about it someday, but now was not the right time.


    ¡°Ju, just a moment, Ellie¡­ I¡¯ming out right no¡­¡±


    My voice trailed off weakly, like that of an author who ended up getting soaked in the rain after indulging in a bowl of spicy pork at the restaurant in front of his house because someone took his umbre.


    But there was no helping it. Disposable umbres were more expensive than I thought¡­ no, really, I just couldn¡¯t muster any strength.


    I pushed the gacha results as far into the corner as I could and opened the door halfway. Then, I stuck out my upper body and forced a weary smile.


    ¡°What is it, Ellie? Suddenly knocking on my door as if you¡¯re going to break it down¡­ Don¡¯t tell me, could you not bear it anymore?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Huh? W, well, I thought I heard a strange noise¡­¡±


    Ellie, who until just a moment ago was acting like an alpha female, suddenly became timid, rolling her yellow eyes around nervously.


    No, more precisely, it was closer to her trying to avoid her gaze from being fixed in one ce.


    And that ce happened to be in my direction. Curious, I casually looked down at myself.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    There, I found my pajamas, which had be rumpled from me writhing in pain. The angle just happened to reveal the area from my corbone to just under my belly button.


    At the sight of Ellie, who didn¡¯t know just where to look, I reflexively thought to smile broadly¡­ but due to the information still ravaging my mind and the lingering pain, all that came out was a weak smile.


    ¡°Hehe¡­ Did you hear all that? It was nothing. I¡¯m fine now.¡±


    ¡°Are you really okay? Your voice sounded pretty urgent.¡±


    Ellie was unable to look me straight in the eye, yet her voice was still full of concern. She didn¡¯t seem like she¡¯d back down easily. I needed toe up with some excuse.


    ¡°Actually¡­¡±


    ¡°Feel free to tell me anything. I¡¯ll help you if I can.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Ellie. Actually, I tried a new kind of ¡®self-development exercise¡¯.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°But the posture was a bit strange, and it didn¡¯t just end with a cramp in my foot, and my calf muscles started spasming. I was just surprised, but I¡¯m really okay.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, but you just said you would help, right, Ellie? First,e in so we can discuss in detail how you can¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    The worried look was nowhere to be found, and Ellie, her expression having soured, shook her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do it too much. You¡¯ll wear yourself out¡­ Looks like I got worried for nothing.¡±


    And then she sighed deeply as she walked away. Her small grumbling was a bonus.


    After confirming Ellie was going back down to the first floor, I closed and locked the door.


    ¡°Good. This should be the end of that.¡±


    Though I had be someone who identally screamed while pleasuring myself¡­ It all worked out because I didn¡¯t actually get caught. Yep.


    Now feeling considerably better, Iid down on the bed and started to fiddle with the magic herb I had picked up.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the flood of knowledge finally ceased, so I decided to slowly figure out what I had gained.


    ¡°Sound-Eating Footsteps.¡±


    What kind of footsteps were they to be rated a 4-star? The answer was simple. The movement was so quiet that it could be described as ¡®eating sound¡¯.


    Yes. The skill I acquired this time was a stealth skill that erased one¡¯s presence.


    That was why my body hurt so much. In order to move without making a sound, the shock of the soles touching the ground had to be absorbed by the entire body.


    Additionally, I had to stop breathing not to make any sound, and if necessary, I should be able to control even the sound of my heartbeat.


    What made this possible was an extraordinary physical control ability.


    Flexibility, sense of bnce, precision¡­and most importantly, senses.


    The current me was not stronger, faster, or more fit than before¡­ but still, I was confident that I had be apletely different person.


    That¡¯s because even the air I felt on my skin was different. At this point, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say I¡¯d been reborn.


    ¡°¡­But it was very, very painful.¡±


    It hurt when I first acquired the pickpocketing skill, but not to this extent.


    It meant that my body had changed drastically, more than just a single grade difference would suggest. It¡¯s no wonder the system emphasizes from 4 stars onwards.


    I¡¯d have to use itter to learn the details, but for now, I needed to check the other things first. After all, the skill wouldn¡¯t just run away.


    ¡°1-star Power, Fragrant Scent¡­¡±


    Being a mere 1-star, it didn¡¯t cause any strain on my body. Not even a small sense of difort.


    As the name suggested, it was a power that always allowed one¡¯s body to emit a pleasant scent. It was a power utterly useless in battle.


    Though I wouldn¡¯t openly admit it anywhere since it was a blessing of the Goddess of Love.


    After sneakily glimpsing at the statue rolling around on the floor and the heart-shaped symbol enshrined on the desk, I spoke up in an awkward voice,


    ¡°Wow~ With this, there¡¯s no need to worry about not being able to wash properly during long-term exploration or the smell of sweat after intense activity!¡±


    Although there was no one to listen, the thought that a goddess might be listeningpelled me to add that. Then, I picked up the statue that had been bothering me for some time now.


    It featured long, luscious hair, and a face with a faint smile that made even me smile along with it. The body was the epitome of femininity, with erged chests and buttocks, yet it boasted an incredibly slender waist.


    I wasn¡¯t sure of the material it was made from, but the texture was so soft that I found myself wanting to touch it repeatedly.


    Indeed, this was truly a masterpiece. It captured the otherworldly beauty of the Goddess of Love.


    However, the name ¡°The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World¡± really bothered me!


    It felt significant that it emerged with the power of none other than the Goddess of Love herself!


    Yet, there was the problem that, although it was frighteningly beautiful, it ultimately served no practical use beyond admiration.


    In the end, it was still a 3-star item. Wasn¡¯t the dagger, made from a unicorn¡¯s horn and also a 3-star item, incredibly good as well?


    I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on it, but there had to be something special about this statue.


    I pondered over its potential uses: setting it up as a prayer idol before engaging in gacha, selling it to a wealthy collector of goddess memorabilia, or donating it to a temple in exchange for various privileges.


    The specifics would require further investigation, but one thing was clear¡ªthis was no ordinary item.


    Even if it were, its sheer beauty elevated it beyond the mundane.


    ¡°Uhm,¡± I murmured.


    The more I looked at it, the more reluctant I became to part with it. Eventually, I wrapped it carefully in leather and tucked it into a corner of my closet.


    Having dealt with the statue, what remained were the usual 1-starmon items and the 2-star items that weren¡¯t immediately useful.


    I decided to keep the mana potion in my bag and ced the steel shield in the pile of items designated for sale.


    Now, all that¡¯s left was the wrist crossbow¡­ but I¡¯ve already drawn one of these before. It was a 2-star, but it was still a duplicate.


    I considered attaching it to my right arm as well, but it seemed like that would make moving around too difficult. Perhaps I should just sell this new one.


    It was the moment I lifted the brand-new wrist crossbow, thinking to ce it on top of the steel shield, that something unexpected happened.


    Ding!


    Would you like to merge the ¡ï¡ï: Wrist Crossbow?


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Does this have an upgrade system?

 Chapter 51: Overgearing Is Always The Answer (5)

    Chapter 51: Overgearing Is Always The Answer (5)


    Ding!


    Would you like to merge the : Wrist Crossbow?


    Eh?


    Theres an upgrading system?


    It was amon feature in gacha games. Enhancing characters or weapons that had been drawn multiple times was a popr method to encourage more in-game purchases.


    But I had never expected this gacha system to include an upgrading feature as well.


    My gacha system was notoriously unfriendly,cking any pickup events to increase the probability of drawing a specific item. It never disclosed what could be drawn or the odds of drawing each grade.


    I wasnt certain, but it seemed likely that the gacha system was a gift from the Goddess of Love.


    Being a goddess who already monopolized the faith of the entire world and earned an enormous amount of offerings, she probably didnt need to encourage in-game purchases.So naturally, the system became a fucking asshno, it simplycked kindness.


    Ordinary people wouldnt touch this system, knowing all too well that a gacha with no ceiling and terrible odds was equivalent to throwing money away


    But someone like me, whose brain had already melted after receiving a 3-star fodder in the first free gacha, would be the one to sink money into it.


    If I had invested the money Id spent so far on myself no, if I had wanted to live a stable life, I wouldnt have chosen to be an adventurer in the first ce.


    I have a reason to be stronger. Thus, I spin the gacha, which is the fastest way to gain strength.


    Itotallydonthaveagamblingaddictiondominatedbydopamine,eagertospinthegachathemomentIgetabitofmoney.


    (I totally dont have a gambling addiction dominated by dopamine, eager to spin the gacha the moment I get a bit of money.)


    Anyway, that was the situation, so I never imagined that there would be an upgrade system.


    An upgrade feature in a system that seemed entirely disinterested in profit.


    Items, skills, and powers werent categorized separately; they all emerged simultaneously from the same pool.


    With an absurdly expansive gacha pool, no spending limit, no guaranteed rewards, and abysmal rates, there was a breakthrough system?


    Such a crappy game


    Except this wasnt a game.


    I sighed deeply, surveying the magic and healing herbs still strewn across the floor.


    There were so many it was almost tear-inducing, yet no notification had popped up at the time.


    So it starts with 2-stars.


    Perhapsbining them was futile since 1-stars were so prevalent.


    Of course, I couldnt be certain. This was the first time I had received a duplicate 2-star. rity woulde with more instances of duplicates at 2 stars or higher in the future.


    For now, I decided to address the notifications shing in my field of vision.


    Once I acknowledged them internally, the notification vanished. Simultaneously, the crossbow in my grasp began to glow intensely.


    Whoosh


    In a sh, the crossbow disintegrated into particles of light, merging with the crossbow I already possessed. This one, too, began to sparkle.


    However, this time, instead of dispersing, the silhouette of the crossbow transformed as it shone.


    The metalponents slightly increased, pulley systems were attached at various points, and finally, a gear with a handle was mounted atop the bowstring.


    As the light covering the crossbow faded, a new notification appeared.


    Ding!


    : Wrist Crossbow has been upgraded to : Wrist Crossbow +1.


    I see, so this is how it works.


    Nodding, I examined the upgraded crossbow. At first nce, it boasted a more sophisticated design, resembling a truepound bow. The frame had transformed into metal, and a pulley system at the end of the bow significantly enhanced its power.


    However, this also meant an increased draw weight, making it more challenging to load. The gear with a handle attached above the string must be the mechanism designed to assist with this. When I turned it clockwise, the string pulled back with minimal effort.


    Wait, but this is barely the same device.


    At best, the leather bracer that secured it to my arm remained unchanged. Too many otherponents had been altered.


    It was as if they hadnt merely enhanced the existing crossbow but had reced it with an entirely different model.


    As I examined the device from various angles, I tried it on my wrist to assess the feel of the new handling.


    Surprisingly, there was no significant difference in how it felt to wear, and it wasnt solely because the bracer was the same. The heightened senses granted by Sound-Eating Footsteps informed me that the weight bnce had remained consistent with the original model.


    Although the weight had increased significantly due to the higher metal content, my consistent training in the dungeon had also made me stronger, so handling it wasnt too difficult.


    In other words, the weapon I had be familiar with had simply grown stronger.


    Thats nice.


    I would need to see how it performed in actualbat, but so far, I was growing fond of it.


    Perhaps my satisfaction came easily due to my low expectations, which stemmed from the absurdity of such an unfriendly system having a merging feature.


    Nheless, this was a much better oue than acquiring mediocre new 2-star items or equipment like the steel shield that I couldnt properly utilize.


    In other words, the efficiency of merging an item was satisfactory.


    Then, I should start sorting out the rest now.


    I shoved a handful of magic herbs and healing herbs into my mouth.


    They tasted bitter and minty.<hr>


    Jonah, where did you steal that from again?


    Why do you assume I stole it?


    Lydia, who hade to the Fairy and Silver Coin to enter thebyrinth together, mped her mouth shut. For the record, Ellie was giggling in the background.


    Hoisting the sparkling metal crossbow, I continued in a triumphant voice.


    I bought this with the money Ive saved up! Stealing, you say? What do you take me for?!


    A cheeky brat with guts, Ellie retorted.


    A pickpocket who steals everything, including lives, Lydia added.


    Why dont you, Ellie, who tried to break into said cheeky brats room, keep quiet! And Miss Lydia! Thats called an assassin, not a pickpocket!


    Ellies face distorted momentarily, a silent protest to my unjust editing of yesterdays events, but that wasnt really important.


    What mattered was Lydia, who had been shaking her head, she suddenly narrowed her eyes and red in my direction.


    Wait. Somethings off with Jonah.


    Youre saying the same thing as Ellie did this morning. Are you going to bury your nose in my head because I smell good too, Miss Lydia?


    As I leaned my head forward slightly, Lydia turned her serious gaze toward Ellie.


    Senior Ellie?


    No, its just that Im a hybrid, you know? Im sensitive to smells, so I just couldnt help myself.


    Yes, but you werent born yesterday. Using an inability to resist ones urges as an excuse is something criminals do.


    Its not like that! Lydia, youd definitely notice the difference too if you get closer!


    I can sense it from here too. Jonah is at that age, and since we made some money from the Iron Wolf leather, he must have bought some perfume. But that doesnt justify you sniffing him.


    Ugh! Its not just ordinary perfume smell!


    Ellie scratched the back of her head in frustration. Timidly, I raised my hand and stepped between the bickering pair.


    Stop it! Dont fight over me!


    Nope, its not that.


    Yeah, its not that.


    Silence fell as soon as I intervened, both of them shaking their heads in unison. Wow, thats a bit hurtful.


    Hmph! Jonahs mad.


    Stop joking around. So, whats really going on? Ive been waiting to discuss this until Lydia got here, but Jonah, you seem like apletely different person overnight. You know that?


    Yeah. You could have invested in upgrading your crossbow. Thats fine, as long as you didnt steal it. But as Senior Ellie mentioned, its not just your scent; youve be apletely different person.


    In what way?


    Your movements.


    Your footsteps.


    Ellie and Lydia responded as if they had been waiting. My goodness. Had they already noticed the Sound-Eating Footsteps? I hadnt even used it yet.


    Of course, as the person who had undergone a change, I guessed at what and how I had transformed.


    Even if I wasnt actively entering a state of stealth by erasing my presence, my basic sensitivity had increased.


    The way I perceived the world had subtly shifted.


    The sounds of my footsteps, which hadnt bothered me before, now seemed irritating. My slightly off bnce stance made me ufortable, and my unnecessarily tensed shoulders felt awkward.


    So, I gradually adjusted my posture and behavior to be morefortable. No, that wasnt quite right. Adjusted wasnt the perfect word.


    My body simply moved on its own toward a morefortable state.


    For that reason, there had indeed been some minor changes since yesterday, but I hadnt expected them to notice so quickly.


    I knew Miss Lydia was perceptive, but it seems the rumors about Ellie being a formidable adventurer were true.


    If I had both my arms, I would be stronger than Lydia.


    But you dont have an arm. Senior Ellies weak.


    What did you say, you brat?!


    The two started bickering again. However, this time it felt awkwardly different from usual, and their tant nces in my direction were hard to ignore.


    Perhaps my heightened senses made it easier to notice.


    Now, they were leaving the decision to me. Should I exin the sudden change or just let it go and continue as usual?


    Well, I only needed to keep the gacha a secret. It wasnt that big of a secret, so I decided to just tell them.


    Ahem, ahem. Its not like anything special happened yesterday just that the Goddess of Love suddenly blessed me. Thats why theres a fragrance emanating from me.


    ?


    ?


    Both of them blinked in surprise after hearing that Id received a blessing overnight. Their expressions were so adorably confused; they looked like cute children despite being fully grown adults, which made me feel a bit yful.


    And the reason my movements have changed and Im walking so quietly is


    I paused, then shyly avoided Ellies gaze as I muttered softly.


    Yesterday, I made a loud noise by ident while um, pleasuring myself, and Ellie came to check on me. Thats when I had my realization.


    What?


    I gave Ellie a shy smile in response to her bewildered reaction.


    If I move this quietly, it wont reach Ellies ears, right?


    W-wait, what does that


    Ellies ears perked up.


    And if I smell this good, it might even mask the scent of the chestnut flowers.


    !


    Ellie scrunched up her nose slightly.


    Really, she was so predictable.<hr>


    Editors Note:


    The mped text is intentional; I was originally gonna leave it like that but decided to help our brains. Besides, Jonah is not a gacha addict, right? right?

 Chapter 52: Goblin Slayer

    Chapter 52: Goblin yer


    Only after I had sufficiently teased the flustered Ellie did we enter thebyrinth.


    Was it because all my gear had changed overnight, or was it thanks to the new skill that sharpened my senses?


    The air on thebyrinth floor was always pleasant, set as it was in the Great Forest, but today, it felt even more refreshing.


    ¡°Sniff sniff.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t have a smell like you, Jonah.¡±


    ¡°That makes me sound like a pervert. Besides, I wasn¡¯t smelling Miss Lydia!¡±


    I was simply taking in the scent of the forest¡ªa scent surprisingly hard to catch in Pangrave, which had been a city since its establishment.


    Lydia dismissed my response with a nod and then asked,


    ¡°By the way, are you sure you don¡¯t need to visit the temple? You mentioned receiving a blessing. Even if you don¡¯t n to be a priest, I heard that those who are blessed receive a little subsidy from the temple.¡±


    ¡°But the subsidy varies depending on the blessing received. What I got only improves how I smell, so it¡¯s not a high-ranking blessing. I don¡¯t really want to get involved with the temple over such a small subsidy.¡±


    ¡°Jonah, why do you avoid the temple so¡­ No, never mind.¡±


    Lydia, who had started to say something, then shook her head vigorously. Only after pping her own cheeks did she continue speaking.


    ¡°So? How far are we going today? Still aiming for the Iron Wolves?¡±


    ¡°No. This time, it¡¯s the Giant Mantis. I¡¯d also like to try challenging the Hobgoblin if possible.¡±


    ¡°¡­Won¡¯t that be dangerous? I know you¡¯ve got new equipment, but your skills haven¡¯t improved that much.¡±


    ¡°Well, I feel like I can do it.¡±


    I shrugged my shoulders and grinned.


    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? That I had an awakening moment. I¡¯ll show you what it was today.¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, okay. It won¡¯t be dangerous since I¡¯m here. Whatever you¡¯re doing, just make sure you don¡¯t stray out of my sight.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I smiled as I pulled a map from my bosom. After proving several times that I could navigate without Lydia¡¯s help, she had finally relinquished the map of the first floor to me.


    Unlike before, when I had merely followed Lydia, this time I was leading the way through theplex paths of the Great Forest.


    Suddenly, an odd feeling of unease washed over me, and I stopped to concentrate.


    A faint stench tickled my nose. I turned towards the source of the smell and spotted a clumsily hidden goblin trap.


    The monster was hiding behind a nearby tree.


    ¡­Now, with my improved vision, even objects at a considerable distance appeared clear, as if they were right in front of me.


    The ability to move silently, and what apanied it, was not a matter of strength, agile reflexes, or even a hint of mana.


    It was about senses.


    More than the basic five¡ªsight, taste, touch, smell, and hearing¡ªthis included bnce, intuition, and even the sense for mana maniption.


    Most abilities that could be considered senses had developed to a groundbreaking level.


    Just as muscle training builds strength, I had acquired these senses in an instant, a process that would normally have taken years.


    However, I hadn¡¯t realized it would be this remarkable.


    With a sly smile, I drew my unicorn dagger and silently moved towards the hiding goblin with deliberate slowness.


    Lydia gasped from behind, but it probably wasn¡¯t anything important. I needed to focus, so I brushed it off.


    One step followed another. I concentrated on the angle at which my feet struck the ground, the force they carried, how to control my breathing, and where the blind spots in a goblin¡¯s field of visiony.


    My mind buzzed with calctions as I moved.


    Thus, employing all my senses, I had minimized the traces I left behind.


    Before I realized it, I was standing behind the goblin.


    Despite traversing a grassy area that would typically cause rustling, the creature hadn¡¯t detected my presence.


    It nced over at Lydia, who was hidden beyond the trees, and began to chuckle silently, its face alight with anticipation.


    The shock on its grotesquely ugly face was fleeting. I stabbed it from behind with the dagger I had drawn earlier.


    My target was its lungs.


    Pshook.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°Go, b?¡±


    The dagger plunged into the goblin¡¯s flesh as easily as slicing through cake.


    Goblins weren¡¯t particrly robust, and they could be pierced if you exerted enough force¡­ but still, they had muscles and fat, didn¡¯t they?


    I hadn¡¯t expected it to prate without any resistance.


    The goblin, too, seemed startled by the pure white de suddenly protruding from its chest, freezing in surprise.


    Well, the stealth effect was as reliable as one would expect from a 4-star skill, so now it was time to finish off the goblin¡­


    Thud.


    ¡°?¡±


    I had pulled out the dagger, intending to stab it into the creature¡¯s neck next, but the creature copsed, its head hitting the ground with a thud, faster than I could act.


    Upon closer inspection, it was already dead, its face turned an eerie ck.


    ¡°¡­Poison?¡±


    It was perplexing; I hadn¡¯t applied anything to the dagger. Even the spot I had stabbed wasn¡¯t the heart, which was protected by bones, but the lungs. So, it shouldn¡¯t have died this quickly.


    There was only one possible exnation.


    ¡°You really are a cursed sword, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Despite being deeply embedded, the dagger didn¡¯t have a single drop of blood on it. It vibrated faintly.


    Vwoong!


    The reaction was either disgust from absorbing the blood of a non-virgin, or it was denying my words, possessing an ego of its own.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. She mentioned it reacts to evil as well, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    Of course, the monsters of thebyrinth died, but they were repeatedly reborn in the random space-time of thebyrinth.


    However, this did not mean they were truly reborn with new bodies. More urately, it was akin to reconstruction.


    Essentially, their baseline state was the condition they were in when they first became trapped in thebyrinth.


    While living in thebyrinth, they aged, grew, and managed to live reasonably well.


    But upon death and rebirth, they were reset to their initial state when first trapped in thebyrinth, including their memories.


    This reset also included the status of their virginity.


    In this regard, unlike the hobgoblins, who had formed a tribe and carved out their own society, the wandering goblins were pitiable beta females driven mad by their inability to find a mate.


    Theycked strength, a partner, and were rtively lower in intelligence.


    These wandering goblins were doomed to live as virgins for life unless they were fortunate enough to capture an ipetent adventurer.


    ¡­I¡¯d rather not dwell on the state of these creatures¡¯ hymens, but that was their setting.


    To summarize, the unicorn dagger reacted not because she wasn¡¯t a virgin but because she was evil¡­Originally, monsters were not so much evil as they were a race consumed by madness.


    Undead or demons, sure, you could say they¡¯re obviously evil, but goblins¡­


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Thinking of goblins as inherently evil brought something to mind.


    Although it was a discarded setting now, I had once created a scenario where goblins, before bing monsters, imed themselves to be a minor spirit race.


    Originally, the name ¡°goblin¡± was assigned by other races due to their distinct gob-gob speaking manner and unique vocal organs.


    Among themselves, they insisted they were minor spirits¡ªa needless detail I decided to omit from the novel and simply store away in my mind.


    ¡°Was that detail actually applied?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t find any other exnation that made sense.


    I would need to experiment with other races that had their own backstories to understand the details fully, but for now, it wasn¡¯t necessary to delve too deeply.


    What mattered was that the special attack of the unicorn dagger was effective against goblins.


    That was sufficient.


    I quickly pierced the heart, retrieved the magic stone, and then returned to Lydia.


    ¡°Miss Lydia! Miss Lydia! How was my stealth? Did Ick anything? Goblins are quite simple-minded, so they¡¯re easily deceived, but it might not be the same with other races.¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Lydia wore the puzzled expression of someone who had just learned that a moon bear was not a moon, a kiwi bird was not a kiwi, and Perry was actually the typus.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been watching closely, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed you at all. It would be a different story if someone cranked up their aura to the maximum¡­ but who walks around leaking their aura constantly?¡±


    ¡°Oh? And you mentioned I smelled nice, too. Do you think I might get caught because of that scent? I even considered asking for a refund from the goddess if that were the case.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s set aside your depiction of the goddess as if she were a local grocery store owner; the scent wasn¡¯t an issue. The moment you, Jonah, made up your mind, the smell vanishedpletely.¡±


    ¡°My goodness.¡±


    That made sense. If it was possible to mask one¡¯s natural body odor with a pleasant fragrance, then surely, it should be feasible to eliminate the body odor entirely.


    Relieved after the trouble of drawing a 4-star skill, I was d it wouldn¡¯t be rendered useless by a 1-star power.


    As I internally sighed with relief, Lydia asked, her expression stiffer than usual.


    ¡°What exactly were you caught doing by Senior Ellie that you learned such desperate stealth techniques? You called it an awakening, but this isn¡¯t something you learn overnight.¡±


    ¡°What did I get caught doing, you ask? Well, I can tell you, but you can¡¯t go around talking about it, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yep. I¡¯ll keep it a secret.¡±


    Lydia made a zipping motion over her mouth. Judging by her intensely serious gaze, she seemed more curious about the nature of the enlightenment than the incident itself.


    ¡­I felt a bit guilty now. What I was about to show her wasn¡¯t what Lydia was imagining.


    I scurried over and stood in front of Lydia. Facing her with a serious expression, I formed a ¡®V¡¯ with both hands.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Then, I rolled my eyes up and stuck out my tongue through my slightly parted lips.


    ¡°Ah-heh-¡±


    It was a perfect ahegao double peace.

 Chapter 53: Goblin Slayer (2)

    Chapter 53: Goblin yer (2)


    ¡°Ah-he-¡±


    Jonah¡¯s ahegao double peace!


    It¡¯s super effective!


    Lydia is confused¡­!


    ¡°Uh, th¡­ Uh?¡±


    Like a fish out of water, Lydia could only bob her mouth open and shut, unable to form words.


    Lydia usually disyed faint expressions of emotion. It was quite rare to see her this visibly flustered.


    ¡­Which probably made me take the prank a little further! But anyway, seeing Lydia so startled was enough for me.


    I poked the stuttering Lydia¡¯s side with my index finger, touching the part where her skin was clearly exposed due to her half-bikini armor.


    Supposedly, there was a barrier that automatically unfolded when attacked, but this didn¡¯t seem to count as an attack, so I touched it as is.


    It was a bit soft.


    ¡°Miss Lydia, Miss Lydia. You were envious of my enlightenment, weren¡¯t you? How about it? Do you think you can copy that?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Hey, are you going to keep pretending you don¡¯t know? You know what I was talking about. But for Miss Lydia, a virtuous maiden full of shyness, I¡¯ll exin it so it¡¯s easier to understand!¡±


    Saying so, I stood on my tiptoes and whispered into Lydia¡¯s ear, ¡°It means, Miss Lydia, try getting caught while you¡¯re masturbating alone and just reaching your climax.¡±


    I activated Sound-Eating Footsteps. My presence disappeared. Within the sensation, as if an invisible curtain had spread between the world and me, I continued.


    ¡°¡­Then like this, you¡¯ll be able to sublimate the shame of wanting to disappear from the world into a skill.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Lydia¡¯s eyes trembled faintly. After pondering for a long while, she opened her mouth.


    ¡°¡­Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Can you really awaken it after experiencing something extremely embarrassing?¡±


    ¡°Eung?¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect it to turn out this way.


    Of course, it was impossible. No, maybe it was possible, but I didn¡¯t gain this skill that way.


    I just pulled it from a gacha!


    But¡­ if I nodded here¡­ maybe I would see Lydia pleasuring herself?


    Should I repay kindness with enmity or upgrade the unicorn dagger to a bicorn dagger?


    No, were those the same thing? My thoughts started to lean too much in one direction.


    I shook my head vigorously, trying to drive away the unholy thoughts, but even that wasn¡¯t easy.


    ¡°¡­Is this how?¡±


    Lydia made a V sign with each hand and stuck out her tongue while keeping her expressionless face.


    It was too expressionless to call it an ahegao, but that¡¯s what made it better. It had its own charm.


    But I realized when I saw her flicking her tongue sincerely that Lydia was genuinely amazed, and she wanted to learn it herself.


    Even I felt guilty about deceiving her like this.


    ¡°You seem tock the desperation. Why don¡¯t you try rolling your eyes upwards first?¡±


    And I managed to push through that painful task.


    ¡°Oh, I think I get it. Not making a sound, controlling my breath, hiding my energy¡­ none of that was really important. It¡¯s about the image of hiding myself from the world. It¡¯s like my very existence is isted somewhere else.¡±


    And Lydia, in her own way, achieved something, too.


    ¡°???¡±


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t as good as mine, but it was a definite changepared to how she used to announce her presence openly.


    Lydia gently smiled and stroked the top of my head.


    ¡°Thank you, Jonah. This is much better than the stealth techniques I paid a fortune for at the guild.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, it seems that sensation is important, after all. I¡¯ve honed my skills as much as I can, so what¡¯s left is probably integrating it with innate talent and aura.¡±


    ¡°Yep¡­¡±


    ¡°It might be difficult for me to pull it off like Jonah, but still, it¡¯s iparable to the skills I¡¯ve learned so far with money.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ see¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Jonah. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Don¡¯t look at me with those eyes¡­!


    My triangle of conscience was spinning so fast that it was on fire!


    I forced a smile to hide my inner scream.


    ¡°Since we have this opportunity, how about we practice sneaking all the way to the Iron Wolf¡¯s habitat?¡±


    ¡°That sounds good.¡±


    Looking at Lydia, who nodded with sparkling eyes, my conscience was pricked sharply again.


    I forced myself to ignore it and opened my mouth.


    ¡°Before that, just a moment, Miss Lydia. Could you give me your hand?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Lydia tilted her head curiously and obediently extended her hand. I ced the unicorn dagger in her palm.


    Whoosh!


    The de shone brightly, easing the unease in my heart slightly.


    Only then did I regain myposure and delve deeper into the dungeon.<hr>


    I rushed in and climbed atop the massive body of the Iron Wolf, then thrust the dagger into its nape.


    Pwook!


    ¡°Yelp?!¡±


    The de sliced through its thick hide with little resistance. However, due to the Iron Wolf¡¯srge size and the short length of the de, I failed to kill it in one blow.


    But that didn¡¯t mean the Iron Wolf had a chance of surviving.


    Firmly grasping the dagger still embedded in its pelt, I leapt off its back.


    Schlt¡ª


    Pulling with all my weight, I ripped through the nape of its neck.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    The Iron Wolf, with half of its neck sliced, staggered. Instead of crying out, blood spewed like a waterfall.


    Not long after, it copsed to the ground.


    Its gaze remained fiercely hostile, too dangerous to approach and deliver the final blow. Though its bodycked strength, the hostility burned intensely. They weren¡¯t called monsters for nothing.


    But that fierce look was all it could muster.


    Smirking, I lightly tossed the unicorn dagger into the air, caught it by the de, and then hurled it straight at the Iron Wolf¡¯s forehead.


    Shwoook¡­Phwk!


    The dagger easily embedded itself. The light faded from its smoldering eyes.


    Nodding in satisfaction, I extended my hand, and the dagger trembled before pulling itself out of the corpse and returning to my grasp.


    This was the first time Lydia had witnessed the true capabilities of the unicorn dagger, so she stood behind me, her mouth agape.


    I proudly raised the dagger towards her, noting her surprise, which seemed more frequent than usual today.


    ¡°Overgearing is always the answer! I finally understand what you meant, Miss Lydia!¡±


    ¡°Ahem. But isn¡¯t this weapon too powerful? What on earth is it made of to allow such feats?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before? It¡¯s made from a unicorn¡¯s horn.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s this powerful, I¡¯d expect there to be some tough restrictions¡ªwait¡­Don¡¯t tell me the reason it glowed when I touched it earlier is¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    I smiled at her, but all I received in return was a flick on the forehead.


    ¡°Hyap!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no use trying to dodge.¡±


    When I attempted to dodge, I got hit two more times. Hmph, meanie.


    Pouting, I began to butcher the body of the Iron Wolf. This time, the skin peeled off easily without Lydia¡¯s help.


    Being careful not to damage the pelt because it cut a little too well, I spoke.


    ¡°There are restrictions, so to speak. There¡¯s a limit to its use.¡±


    ¡°A limit? Don¡¯t tell me your lifespan decreases with each swing?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a cursed sword. This one might be obsessed with purity, but it doesn¡¯t desire one¡¯s lifespan or soul. Rather, it has the power to heal its user.¡±


    Vwoong-!


    The dagger convulsed at the mention of a cursed sword. A single strike quieted it down again. Some things only get fixed when hit.


    Vwoong¡­


    Ignoring the dagger¡¯s timid resistance, I continued to strip off the skin.


    ¡°There aren¡¯t any scary restrictions¡­ instead, it¡¯s selective about its owner.¡±


    ¡°An ego sword?¡±


    ¡°No way. It just means it distinguishes whether one is a virgin or not.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°They say that if I¡¯m no longer a virgin, it will split in half and be a ck twin dagger.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Though it might seem obvious, the power held by a bicorn was significantly weaker than that of a unicorn.


    If this weapon currently felt like a 4-star weapon made from 3-star materials, the moment it became a bicorn twin dagger, it would be akin to a 3-star weapon made from the same quality materials.


    ¡°So, rest assured, Miss Lydia! As long as my dagger remains white, it means I¡¯m still pure!¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not particrly curious about Jonah¡¯s purity.¡±


    ¡°Oops. I forgot. Miss Lydia, you dream of true knightly romance! You¡¯re more drawn to a lord¡¯s spouse than to a noble virgin!¡±


    ¡°Lies and nder¡­!¡±


    Lydia trembled, and with a giggle, I crammed the treated leather into my backpack.


    ¡°Eutcha. With this, there shouldn¡¯t be any need to cling to the Iron Wolves. Let¡¯s venture deeper today.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? Just catching Iron Wolves would be enough for growth, and we¡¯d make a lot of money.¡±


    ¡°But if we catch Hobgoblins, we can make even more money and grow even more.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯ll be dangerous. Unlike Iron Wolves, who roam alone, Hobgoblins live inrge tribes, with over a hundred individuals together. I¡¯ll help, but we might not be able to handle all the dangers perfectly.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Miss Lydia, did you really think I was nning to eradicate a Hobgoblin tribe head-on?¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Lydia stared at the blood-soaked backpack as if she was hearing nonsense.


    I ced one hand on my waist and raised the other in front of me, index finger pointing upward, striking a pose.


    ¡°Ugh! Please don¡¯t say such cruel things!¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­.¡±


    ¡°I was just nning to assassinate them like normal!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    To die without pain.


    Could there be a more peaceful end?

 Chapter 54: Goblin Slayer (3)

    Chapter 54: Goblin yer (3)


    Hobgoblin Tartara lived each day with a busy schedule. Ever since she was young, she was frail and couldn¡¯t be a warrior. Instead, as if topensate, she was born with a diligent personality, rare for a goblin. Starting from menial tasks and after oveing various hardships, she finally seeded in rising to the position responsible for the entire tribe¡¯s meals.


    Today was that monumental first day of work. She twisted her wrinkled green skin into a smile. ¡°Gobububut!¡± pping happily to herself, she arrived at the kitchen. Today was the day the chieftain finally butchered thest meat they¡¯d been saving. She had instructed first to rub the meat with red berries to remove the gamey smell, but she wondered if the underlings had done it properly. With such worries, Tartara opened the door.


    What greeted her were her colleagues, who had worked with her for a long time, ughtered. ¡°Go, b¡­?¡± The kitchen was drenched in nothing but crimson red blood. The goblins, who had beenughing and chatting just yesterday, were now skinned and disassembled by parts. Among them, what was peculiar was that all had their wrists cut off.


    Good heavens! Who could have done something so cruel?! Treating goblins, not even humans, like mere pieces of meat. Even the inferior beings wandering the outskirts of the forest wouldn¡¯t do such things!


    Terrified, she covered her mouth with her hands and slowly began to step back. She must inform the warriors about the current horror. Everyone must know that a terrible murderer had sneaked into the tribe¡­!


    At that moment, when she began burning with a sense of duty, a thick rope caught around Tartara¡¯s neck. ¡°Gohuk?!¡± The rope wound around her neck, strangling her. Whoever it was, she was certain that it was the insane murderer who had ughtered her fellows!


    The force exerted by the rope wasn¡¯t very strong, but it was too much for her, who was already in a panic and with her neck restrained, to realize and escape on her own. Eventually, Tartara, exhausted from struggling, suffocated. The owner of the rope dragged her limp body back to the kitchen.


    Thud! The moment the door closed, isting her from the outside, Tartara sensed her impending doom. However, she wanted to see at least who was killing her. Even as her consciousness faded, Tartara forced her eyes wide open. Perhaps her desperate effort wasn¡¯t in vain, as the murderer revealed himself in front of her.


    A stature simr to or slightly smaller than her kind. A human with pink hair held a pure white dagger and tilted their head curiously. ¡°This one¡¯s pretty resilient.¡±With those words, the dagger swung down, and Tartara¡¯s vision spun as she tumbled to the floor. In the momentary respite given before Tartara¡¯s brainpletely ceased functioning after being decapitated, what came to her mind in that instant was not vengeance, anger, or fear. It was admiration for a beauty she had never seen in her lifetime. And the fragrant smell that filled her nostrils. That was the death of Tartara.


    Just when I thought everything was taken care of, I was startled by another oneing in btedly. ¡°Ha¡­ I thought I missed it. There won¡¯t be another oneing in, will there?¡±


    As I sighed deeply and said so, the door to the kitchen storage opened, and Lydia came out. Using the stealth technique she learned from me, she made her presence as faint as possible. ¡°Who knows? That¡¯s why I told you to be careful. It¡¯s hard to kill so many like this, unlike assassinating one or two secretly.¡±


    ¡°Well, haven¡¯t we already dealt with almost half of them? Even just this much is impressive. Just praise me already!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright. Jonah, you¡¯re amazing.¡±


    Lydia chuckled and tapped my head gently. Receiving her touch, I quickly began to butcher the goblin I had caught a moment ago.


    Hobgoblins, unlike the Wandering Goblins on the outskirts, have many useful parts. First, their skin can be used for scroll materials, so the mage tower always purchased it. As always, their hand bones were alchemical materials. Unlike the females, the testicles of males were used in virility drugs, and their magic stones were muchrger.


    However, there just wasn¡¯t enough time to take everything. Just a moment ago, I had to hide quickly because I felt someone¡¯s presence while I was in the middle of gathering materials. First, I cut off the wrists, and instead of painstakingly peeling off other parts, I just chopped them off. I only tore off the skin in rectangr shapes from the broad back and belly and, finally, extracted the magic stone.


    Hush¡ªthen, the unattended corpse turned to dust and scattered in the wind. This transformation was why I believed that aplete assassination would be convenient; it was simpler to deal with the bodies once the magic stones were removed.


    After extracting the magic stones from the other Hobgoblin corpses sprawled in the kitchen, although it had be a bit messy, the appearance of an ordinary kitchen, not covered in blood as it was before, was revealed. Well, it¡¯s called a kitchen, but one at a really primitive level. A t stone for butchering and preparing ingredients, then arge bonfire with a wide-open roof was all there was here.


    ¡°Now, then, I¡¯m thinking of going to where the warrior ss lives¡­ But there¡¯s one problem we need to solve before that, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lydia nodded her head and headed towards the warehouse where she was hiding.


    There, unidentified fruits and various smoked meats were hanging in abundance¡­ Also, on the floor was a naked woman who had been rescued just before being ughtered. As our eyes met, she immediately lowered her head and trembled. Her skin was smeared with a red powder mixed with water, making it impossible to discern her original skin color. They must have seasoned her in advance. Ugh, those cruel goblins.


    Clicking my tongue, I crouched in front of her. ¡°Excuse me. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Pl, please spare me¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Jonah. An adventurer here to subdue the Hobgoblin tribe. You¡¯re an adventurer too, right?¡±


    ¡°I taste bad. Please don¡¯t eat me, dear angel¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Miss Lydia. This noona seemspletely out of it. What should we do?¡±


    ¡°Just so you know, she panicked because of you, Jonah.¡±


    ¡°Ah. What did I do? I just saved someone who was lying on a stone cutting board, covered in seasoning, begging for their life.¡±


    ¡°Suddenly appearing and killing all the goblins that had power over their life and death until now, and then licking your lips saying it smells delicious would make anyone terrified. Especially if they were already mentally and physically weakened.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s obviously a joke! It was just a Jonah-style joke to ease the tension and tell her it¡¯s okay now! I¡¯m not a cannibal; why would I eat people? ¡­Unless it¡¯s in a sexy way!¡±


    ¡°¡­Jonah doesn¡¯t understand people¡¯s hearts.¡± What should she do with this boy? Lydia shook her head back and forth with such an expression written on her face.


    Putting the rude Lydia aside, now that we¡¯ve found someone who¡¯d been captured, we couldn¡¯t just leave them behind. Either we hide her and take her awayter, or we pause the assassination for a moment and take this person instead¡­


    I grabbed the cheeks of the female adventurer, still out of her senses, and made her look straight at me. ¡°Ah, ugh¡­¡±


    Then, to the adventurer who nowpletely forgot human speech and was trembling, I whispered in a slightly lowered voice. ¡°Do you want to live?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    I smiled slyly at the adventurer, making a terrified sound. ¡°So, tell me someone else I can eat instead.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°If mere Hobgoblins caught you, you¡¯re not a very skilled adventurer. You didn¡¯te alone but formed a party with your colleagues, right? Tell me the location of those colleagues. Then, I¡¯ll spare your life.¡±


    ¡°That, that¡¯s¡­¡± After much contemtion, the woman finally closed her eyes tightly and continued speaking. ¡°Mi, M died fighting. She was eaten on the first day.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. So, one is gone.¡±


    ¡°Dolores was eaten yesterday. Right before my eyes, she was cooked¡­ Sob!¡±


    ¡°Oh dear. That¡¯s unfortunate. But don¡¯t cry. Keep talking. Saying this much means there¡¯s someone else, right?¡±


    ¡°Ha, Hans.¡±


    ¡°Oh. A male name?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ Hans was a male, so he was offered to the chieftain. He might have be their ything but probably didn¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°Well. Goblins do indeed go crazy for men. Unless he¡¯s killed himself, he wouldn¡¯t have died easily.¡±


    ¡°¡­He wouldn¡¯t havemitted suicide. Hans is a coward. That¡¯s why I promised to protect him¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Hans¡­¡±


    As she spoke, tears streamed down the adventurer¡¯s face. It seems they were indeed very close to each other. Anyway, I roughly understood the situation. A party of four had entered. One died, and another was eaten, so now only two remained.


    No. There could be more men captured. The women were simply eaten, leaving no trace, but the men would have been kept for a prolonged feast. When killing the chieftain or other high-ranking goblins, I¡¯ll have to search their houses thoroughly.


    ¡°Ah, I have onest question. If you answer this, you might survive.¡±


    ¡°What, what is it? I¡¯ll answer anything!¡±


    ¡°Your name. What is your name, noona?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡± After much debate, the adventurer spoke with a voice as grave as if she were selling her soul to a demon. ¡°Selly. It¡¯s Selly.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Selly. I¡¯ll bring Mr. Hans, so you have to wait here quietly until then, okay? It¡¯s dangerous outside with your arms and legs in that state. You understand?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡±


    Leaving Selly, who nodded weakly, I looked at Lydia. ¡°Miss Lydia.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Shall we go straight to capture the chieftain?¡±


    ¡°Good thinking.¡± Lydia, nodding her head, pulled out arge greatsword.


    Since we assassinated half of them in secret, we decided to assassinate the other half openly. It didn¡¯t matter as long as there were no witnesses, after all.


    ¡­And honestly, I was a bit angry too.

 Chapter 55: Goblin Slayer (4)

    Chapter 55: Goblin yer (4)


    Lydia, who had begun to wield her power in earnest, was stronger than anyone had imagined.


    ¡°Hup.¡±


    With an expressionless face, she swung her greatsword. The aura that burned around the de shot out in a long, crescent shape.


    Boom!


    A sound akin to an explosion reverberated off the ground. The nearby goblins, along with their huts, were blown away.


    One goblin, which had miraculously survived, stared dazedly at Lydia. I took the opportunity to shoot it in the forehead with my wrist crossbow.


    Shwoooo¡­Phwk!


    Though it was my first time using the weapon, its power exceeded my expectations. The arrow prated the creature¡¯s brain so deeply that the fletching was barely visible, and the goblin copsed.


    ¡°¡­Jonah. Leave the small fry. I¡¯ll pick up the pace now, so focus on following me. No, just get on my back.¡±¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Even though you¡¯re fast, Jonah, it¡¯s still impossible for you to keep up with me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    After witnessing her strike from a moment ago, I realized she was right. Without objections, I climbed onto her back.


    The sensation was almost like clinging to bare skin because of her half-bikini armor. I felt the direct warmth and softness of her body, and then I froze, caught in the sweet scent of her skin.


    ¡°Hold on tight.¡±


    With those words, the world around me elerated.


    ¡°Eeeeeeeaaak!¡±


    I screamed, reflexively burying my face in Lydia¡¯s neck to avoid feeling like my neck would snap from the wind pressure.


    Bang! Crash! Thud!


    Lydia maintained a terrifying speed, shooting aura at the Hobgoblins within sight and simply kicking through those in her way.


    At that moment, Lydia was akin to a living tank.


    All I could do was press my head against Lydia¡¯s shoulder and watch her chest shake violently from her movements.


    ¡­What a sight to behold.


    But good times always pass quickly. The Hobgoblin tribe upied a fairlyrge area, but they were still goblins.


    For Lydia, a 10-second sprint was enough to traverse from a secluded spot to the chieftain¡¯s house at the center.


    Lydia aimed slightly high, intending not to demolish the entire house in case someone was inside but rather to remove just the roof.


    I tapped her shoulder and shouted.


    ¡°Miss Lydia! Just go in without blowing off the roof!¡±


    ¡°Why? There might be traps, but they¡¯re not dangerous to me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it. We¡¯re here to rescue Mr. Hans and possibly other men who might have been captured, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°If you think about why they were captured, they¡¯re obviously going to be naked!¡±


    ¡°¡­Right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want Miss Lydia to see any man¡¯s naked body other than mine.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Lydia released her grip on her greatsword, looking dumbfounded.


    ¡°Jonah, didn¡¯t you just see Miss Selly¡¯s naked body? And before that, you saw the bodies of the elf sisters named Lemon and Apple. You even pped them.¡±


    ¡°You saw that?! But it¡¯s fine for me! Because I¡¯m cute!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Lydia closed her mouth, clearly dumbfounded. Then I rubbed my cheek against the top of her head and continued.


    ¡°If it bes dangerous, I¡¯ll ask for help, of course. But if possible, I¡¯d like to handle it myself. Can¡¯t I, Miss Lydia?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be blocking the iing goblins. Apart from that, I¡¯ll also keep my senses open, so if something happens, I¡¯ll rush in right away.¡±


    ¡°Thank you! And don¡¯t be too disappointed! I can at least give you my underwear as a gift!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t need it.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you sure? I¡¯ll give it to you unwashed. Don¡¯t you need it as a substitute for a handkerchief or something?¡±


    ¡°¡­I really don¡¯t need it.¡±


    With a hardened expression, Lydia swung her greatsword. The aura, burning in the shape of a crescent moon, blew away half of therge chieftain¡¯s house.


    Boom!


    Taking that as a signal, I stood up. I positioned myself on Lydia¡¯s shoulders with both feet and crouched down as much as possible.


    Lydia felt something touch the back of her head and momentarily froze, but that was inconsequential. I tensed my legs, then released all the coiled energy like a spring.


    Tat!


    I ascended rapidly. As I flipped midair to look inside the building, I saw the chieftain, a massive figure at least 1.5 timesrger than the other Hobgoblins, and two naked men tied to the wall.


    There was one more than expected.


    Clicking my tongue in annoyance, I aimed the reloaded wrist crossbow at the chieftain.


    Half-naked, it appeared to have been in the midst of some indulgence. As it hurriedly donned the leather clothing it had discarded, it reached for a nearby sword.


    But I had no intention of allowing it to arm itself.


    Shwoooo!


    The arrow pierced the back of the chieftain¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Gobuuugh!¡±


    The Hobgoblin Cheftain, clutching his pierced hand, screamed in agony. Meanwhile, Inded safely and drew my unicorn dagger.


    Vwooong-!


    The dagger vibrated more violently than usual as if repulsed by the situation. I gripped the handle tightly and lowered my stance.


    Without giving the chieftain a chance to recover, I charged. The chieftain wasn¡¯t idle either, swinging its injured arm like a whip to fend me off while grasping arge club with its other hand.


    ¡°Kyaaak! Little human!! Will not forgive you, gob!!! I will do you until it breaks, gobuu!!¡±


    ¡°Damn. Troublesome.¡±


    I slid close to the ground to evade. It wouldn¡¯t suffice just to dodge, so I lifted my dagger and shed at the wrist that passed overhead.


    P-shk!


    Blood spurted out, drenching me. Fortunately, it missed my eyes, so I darted between its legs and aimed for the Achilles tendon¡­


    ¡°Keu, euhuk¡­?!¡±


    The Hobgoblin Cheftain staggered as it tried to lift its club, then gasping, fell backward.


    Thud!


    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±


    Unsure of what had happened but recognizing an opportunity, I drove the dagger into its side and dragged it through.


    Intestines spilled out, yet there was no reaction.


    ¡°???¡±


    Puzzled, I examined its face.


    Its already grotesque features had paled, froth bubbling at the mouth, eyes rolled back.


    As if it had sumbed to a deadly toxin¡­


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    I nced at the unicorn dagger in my hand.


    ¡°Was it you?¡±


    Vwoong-!


    It vibrated once, as if in response, then stilled. It seemed content, having eradicated another evil, non-virgin entity from the world.


    ¡°It could be problematic for a weapon to be too effective.¡±


    Previously, all the Hobgoblins I¡¯d encountered had been beheaded or stabbed in the heart, so I hadn¡¯t realized¡­ but like this, there wouldn¡¯t even be a chance for a proper fight. Naturally, there would be no opportunity to improve my skills either.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. There¡¯s no need to obsess over head-on fighting skills in the first ce.¡±


    With my utterly pathetic skills, why should I bother with a fair and square sword fight? If I could take them down with a single strike from behind, that would suffice.


    Feeling enlightened about the path I should take, I nodded and then turned my attention to the captured men.


    The spoils could be harvestedter.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    The condition of the male prisoners was distressing up close.


    They were covered in bruises and wounds, their bodies smeared with a substance I preferred not to identify. Their eyes were unfocused, whether from drugs or trauma.


    Hmm. At least the lives of these men didn¡¯t seem to be in immediate danger, which was a relief, right?


    I smiled broadly at the prisoners and spoke up.


    ¡°Over here. Who is Mr. Hans?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    One flinched and raised his head, while the other remained unresponsive, lost in his world.


    I pointed the dagger at the one who had reacted.


    ¡°Aha? So you¡¯re Hans?¡±


    ¡°Please! Spare me! Spare me!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Selly sent me!¡±


    ¡°Selly¡­?¡±


    Hans, who had been shaking his head at the sight of the dagger, froze at the mention of Selly¡¯s name, his eyes widening in disbelief.


    Chuckling at his reaction, I swung the dagger.


    ¡°Aaaaah!¡±


    ng!


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Hans cautiously opened his eyes, which he had squeezed shut reflexively, and saw his broken shackle.


    He had been shackled by one leg to the wall. I had freed him from his restraint.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re okay, please wait a moment. I need to free this person as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Yes. Of course¡­¡±


    Hans nodded, still bewildered. Although I freed the person next to him from the shackles, there was still no reaction from him.


    ¡°¡­Do you know why this person is like this?¡±


    ¡°Ah, probably because of the hallucinogenic drug given by the chieftain. The hallucination symptoms are quite severe¡­¡±


    ¡°Tsk. That can¡¯t be helped. Then Mr. Hans, although it might be difficult, could you carry this person for me? It¡¯s hard for me to carry an adult since I¡¯m so small.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­actually, I¡¯ve be unable to stand up as well¡­¡±


    Hans carefully showed me his arms and legs, revealing deep, unhealed wounds on his wrists and ankles.


    ¡°Did they cut your tendons?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Hmm. There wasn¡¯t much that could be done then.


    ¡°Put this on for now.¡±


    I tore off every piece of leather in the chieftain¡¯s house and wrapped it around the two men¡¯s bodies.


    ¡°Help me, Miss Lydia!¡±


    Crash!


    As soon as I called out, Lydia burst through the wall and appeared.


    She quickly assessed the situation, but seeing the dead chieftain and me covered in blood, she tilted her head in confusion. I gave her a reassuring smile.


    ¡°Could you please go bring Miss Selly?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Lydia stared at me with an expressionless face, much like someone who had rushed over for an urgent matter only to be asked to turn off the lights.

 Chapter 56: Goblin Slayer (5)

    Chapter 56: Goblin yer (5)


    Selly hugged Hans, who was unharmed(?)¡ªwithout a single bite mark¡ªand sobbed loudly.


    She administered an antidote and the lowest-grade healing potion to the other prisoner, who was still in a daze.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if the antidote would work for drug poisoning, but the potion definitely seemed effective, as his bruise marks quickly faded.


    Meanwhile, we butchered the dead Hobgoblins to salvage anything valuable.


    Each was weakerpared to an Iron Wolf, and their by-products were less valuable, but catching so many would surely sell for a good price.


    Moreover, the loot from the Hobgoblins wasn¡¯t just their carcasses.


    ¡°Miss Lydia, this is equipment from adventurers, right?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes. Goblins can handle stone and wood but not iron,¡± she replied.


    ¡°It seems more have died than I thought.¡±The adventurer equipment found in the building they used as a warehouse amounted to enough for a total of nine people. Typically, three to four people formed one party, so it seems reasonable to assume that, including Selly¡¯s party, three adventurer parties were annihted.


    ¡°¡­Are Hobgoblins really that dangerous?¡± I mused aloud.


    ¡°Not every adventurer is like Jonah, after all,¡± Lydia reminded me.


    That¡¯s true. I was well-versed in the habits of Hobgoblins and knew exactly how they lived within a certain level of civilization and system.


    On top of that, I had skills drawn from my gacha ability, and I was wearing good equipment.


    Just this alone put me in the top ten percent of the adventurers on the first floor, and in addition, I had Lydia to help me out when necessary. In other words, I could afford to be a bit more bold and aggressive.


    As I nkly stared at the helmet that had lost its owner, Lydia tapped me on the shoulder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. After all, countless people die in thebyrinth every day. You just happened to see some of them die in front of you,¡± she said.


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Among the settings of thebyrinth, the first floor was known to have the highest mortality rate.


    While other floors were essed by clearing the previous one or being led by a teammate who had cleared it, the first floor was unique in that anyone could enter without any conditions.


    Since many more entered the first floor, it was natural that just as many died.


    Moreover, the first floor was designed with a ¡®purpose¡¯ in mind, where it allowed adventurers to train skills that were bothmon and essential.


    Against Wandering Goblins, one learned the method of killing living creatures, and against Horn Rabbits, one practiced party y.


    Against the Iron Wolf, one learned how to strategize against monsters, and against the Hobgoblin, how to ovee a vastly superior number of foes.


    Though I hadn¡¯t encountered them, against the Giant Mantis, one learned how to defeat an opponent stronger than them in every aspect¡­hammering the basics of raiding into oneself.


    Additionally, you would learn the fundamental rules applicable anywhere in thebyrinth, strategies for finding one¡¯s way, and so on.


    There was no shortage of things to learn outside ofbat as well.


    And if one fails to learn these in time? Simple. You died right there. Even the first floor was still part of thebyrinth. It wasn¡¯t an easy ce.


    That¡¯s why I made a setting where even reaching the second floor earned one recognition as an adventurer. After all, you needed to have the basics down to clear the first floor.


    It wasn¡¯t for nothing that Lydia said she would make me clear the first floor before using me as a porter.


    Anyway, I knew in my head that thebyrinth was a ce where you risked your life and earned rewards in return.


    But it was also true that it made one¡¯s heart heavy to see the traces of someone who¡¯d died.


    I¡¯d been navigating thebyrinth quite smoothly so far, and I thought being an adventurer might actually be an easy job.


    But I btedly realized that it wasn¡¯t such a happy workce after all. Though, I wasn¡¯t going to get scared and stop now.


    I opened my mouth with a slightly sullen voice.


    ¡°¡­What should we do in cases like this, Miss Lydia?¡±


    ¡°The loot is basically ours. However, we have to report it to the guild properly. If there are items that can identify the person, we also have to show them that,¡± she exined.


    ¡°Ah? Is this a process to check whether we killed them or not?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s not that there haven¡¯t been cases where adventurer parties entered together and saw another party get annihted right before their eyes, but most of the time, they were found quite some time after they¡¯d died. It¡¯s just a simpleparison with the guild¡¯s list of missing persons.¡±


    ¡°Comparison¡­ You don¡¯t mean to say guild have to search through every single name on the list, do you¡­?¡±


    The thought ofparing lists in a world without Ctrl+F. Just thinking about it made me feel nauseous.


    However, Lydia just tilted her head as if she didn¡¯t understand what I was saying.


    ¡°Jonah. Have you forgotten? The guild is an institution operated by the temple.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Does that mean they think it¡¯s okay to exploit all those people because there are so many of them!? And if someone copses, just heal them, and that¡¯s the end of it! How cruel¡­!¡±


    ¡°No, I meant they spent a fortune to build a search system with magic. There¡¯s even a rumor that the mage tower grew 30 floors taller thanks to thatmission.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm. Indeed, the clergy. The temple strives to reduce the number of people dying unjustly, even if it¡¯s just by a little!¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m starting to understand a bit why Jonah hates going to the temple so much,¡± Lydia said, narrowing her eyes as if she had seen something sphemous. Avoiding her gaze, I collected all the remains of thest party that was eradicated.


    There was not only equipment, but I also found a pouch full of magic stones, which should be quite profitable.


    However, I couldn¡¯t see any other monster by-products. Perhaps the goblins had used them.


    Just in case, I stomped on the empty ground, searching for any hidden spaces. Meanwhile, Lydia was shouldering a bag heavy with all sorts of equipment.


    ¡°Thank you for carrying it, Miss Lydia. If I were alone, I couldn¡¯t have taken even half of this.¡±


    Since we were nning to make Selly somehow move Hans and the other unnamed prisoner, we had to figure out a way to move the items ourselves.


    Hearing my words of gratitude, Lydia cocked her head with her usual expressionless face.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s my money too, so of course.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Jonah. The ounts between adventurers must be precise. Jonah assassinated half of the Hobgoblin tribe, but I killed the other half. So, naturally, the rights to the spoils are half and half.¡±


    ¡°Agh!¡±


    It¡¯s infuriating, but she was right so I couldn¡¯t argue. Instead, I decided to bring up a slightly different topic.


    ¡°Miss Lydia. About the floor guardian of the first floor that you mentioned before. I¡¯m thinking of starting preparations soon, so could you help?¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    ¡°The new equipment I got this time turned out to be stronger than I thought. With this, we can definitely inflict damage on the floor guardian, so I think it¡¯s worth a try.¡±


    ¡°¡­No. Wait. Wasn¡¯t that just a vague goal or a symbol of your resolve?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I was totally serious. I even think I know how to summon the floor guardian.¡±


    ¡°¡­Normally, I would have told you to stop talking nonsense, but somehow, what Jonah¡¯s saying feels real.¡±


    ¡°Ahem!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not apliment.¡±


    ¡°Aw, you¡¯re getting all shy again! I know you say that, but you¡¯ll help anyway!¡±


    ¡°Well. Even if there really is a floor guardian of the first floor, it wouldn¡¯t matter since I can take it down by myself.¡±


    The floor guardian was a sort of boss. Naturally, it was much stronger than other monsters on the same floor and often had tricky abilities, not just in strength.


    As one descends thebyrinth, the strength of enemies in thebyrinth increases, so at best, the floor guardian of the first floor would be simr to or slightly stronger than monsters 2~3 floors below.


    In other words, the floor guardian of the first floor was as strong as the monsters from the third to fourth floors.


    For a high-ranking adventurer like Lydia, it wouldn¡¯t be as difficult an opponent as I¡¯d expected.


    ¡°Are you saying you¡¯ll help? Thank you! Then let¡¯s talk about the detailster and start heading out now.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    There was no secret space in the warehouse, so with regret, we just stepped out. There, we found Selly awkwardly carrying Hans, then the prisoner, who still hadn¡¯t regained consciousness.


    ¡°Selly! Do you think you could carry him too?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll try.¡±


    With a grave expression, Selly nodded and adjusted Hans on her back. Though his tendons were cut, his forearms and thighs were intact, so it seemed they were managing somehow.


    Hans carefully reached out to the man with a dazed expression and lifted him princess-style.


    I wondered if his arms would hold out until we got out of thebyrinth¡­ But it wasn¡¯t me who was suffering, so he¡¯ll work it out on his own.


    ¡°Shall we head back now, Miss Lydia?¡±


    ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    ¡°Okie.¡±


    Although we still had some strength left, with both luggage and people aplenty, it would be best just to return.


    After walking for a bit, I asked Lydia in a soft voice.


    ¡°So, what do we do about those people now?¡±


    ¡°First, we report them to the guild. Selly and Hans may be injured, but their minds are fine, so they¡¯ll have to manage on their own. But that man is a different case.¡±


    ¡°He seemspletely broken, so if we just leave him to fend for himself, it would lead to disaster.¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why we have to leave that man at the temple. Taking care of those severely injured in thebyrinth is also a role of the temple.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do we really have to go?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we really have to go.¡±


    ¡°How about Miss Lydia goes instead of me?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t want to entrust another man to me?¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s ask Selly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not nning to take the rescue fee?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±


    If you saved an injured person found in thebyrinth and admitted them to the temple, you could receive a rescue fee.


    Of course, this wasn¡¯t anything like human trafficking. It could be called a kind ofbor fee.


    First, the temple paid the fee, and then the patient, once treated and recovered, worked at the temple to repay that money to the temple.


    Having such a system ensures that the injured, who could be considered burdensome, were not abandoned in thebyrinth but were properly rescued and returned to the surface.


    However, there were times when people died even after receiving treatment, and those who survived may suffer from severe aftereffects, rendering them unable to repay the money.


    But the temple took that into ount when offering a reward for those who made the effort of bringing them in. After all, if someone could be saved, shouldn¡¯t they be saved?


    Befitting those who served the Goddess of Love, they were people overflowing with the spirit of phnthropy, after all.


    ¡°¡­It can¡¯t be helped then. Let¡¯s go together.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Good thinking.¡±


    Being an Inquisitor was not a leisurely position, so it was unlikely to encounter one, but still, I sighed, worrying that we could, by chance, meet Karen.


    Suddenly, my gaze shifted to Selly and her group behind us.


    Putting aside the nameless prisoner who was still unresponsive, Selly, who was carrying Hans on her back, was still too gloomy for someone who had just narrowly escaped death.


    Reflecting on it, Selly, in her panic, had chosen Hans as the one to be sacrificed in her stead.


    What would it feel like to watch the lover you vowed to protect being vited by oblins, powerless to fulfill that vow?


    And what about the guilt of having nominated such a lover as a sacrifice to save yourself despite the panic?


    Then, what would it feel like to have that lover, oblivious to everything, weeping on your back, showering you with thanks and apologies?


    Treating a severed tendon required either a high-grade potion or long-term care at a temple.


    Either option would incur a significant expense, which Selly likely couldn¡¯t afford.


    That meant she would have to care for a lover who was incapacitated for an indefinite period¡­


    Then what must it feel like to confront one¡¯s sins every time she looks at him? Can one still love their lover purely as before?


    I didn¡¯t know the answers to these questions.


    I just hoped their future would be somewhat bearable.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    I suddenly felt like writing for the first time in a while.

 Chapter 57: A Quick Reunion

    Chapter 57: A Quick Reunion


    I suddenly felt the urge to write for the first time in a long while.


    An impulse I thought I had forgotten pounded within my chest. Yet, that didn¡¯t mean I was ready to write immediately. Some tasks had to bepleted first.


    After submitting our report to the guild, settling ounts, and whispering in Selly¡¯s ear that I had abandoned the idea of offering Hans as a sacrifice, our work for the day was essentially finished.


    What remained was to deliver the nameless man, who now seemedfortably nestled in the leather roll, to the temple and collect my reward.


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna go¡­ to the temple¡­¡± he muttered.


    ¡°It¡¯s already toote.¡±


    Lydia chuckled and gestured towards two guild employees who were carrying the man on a stretcher on our behalf.


    Although we had received the payment, it was ultimately the guild¡¯s responsibility to ensure the injured person was transferred to the temple, hence their apaniment.


    The guild also intervened to prevent any incidents involving individuals who imed to be adventurers found unconscious in thebyrinth after receiving a blow to the back of the head.In fact, there was a team dedicated solely to such cases, highlighting the guild¡¯smitment to supporting adventurers.


    However, strictly speaking, their devotion was either to their faith or to money.


    The goddess created thebyrinth, and her followers established the guild to support adventurers.


    How many of its members could boast solely about this fact?


    Of course, one didn¡¯t need to be a follower of the goddess of love to work at the guild. They simply had to exhibit a level of professional dedication akin to that of her devotees.


    Most failed to meet these requirements, but a few remained with tenacity. For instance, an elf whom the guild¡¯s high sry had attracted¡­that was why so many handsome elven men crowded the guild¡¯s reception. In a world not governed by gender reversal, they would have been ¡°noonas.¡±


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    ¡°Stop sighing. You didn¡¯te all this way to quit now, did you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I sighed for a different reason.¡±


    ¡°A different reason?¡±


    ¡°I was imagining how delightful it would be if, instead of the hyungs who work at Fairy and Silver Coin, Ellie and Miss Lydia wore the bunny girl outfits.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Lydia silently scowled.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I knew you wouldn¡¯t do it because of that disgusted reaction. But I still want to see it¡­ Is there no other way?¡±


    ¡°Why on earth do you want to see a woman half-naked?¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­ Then, why on earth do you want to see a man half-naked?¡±


    For a brief moment, we both shook our heads at each other, and before we knew it, we had arrived in front of a white stone building.


    The building exuded a grandeur that rivaled the guild¡¯s headquarters, supported by countless pirs and made of spotless, pure white marble.


    A perfect Doric temple¡­evoking the style of ancient Greek temples. Naturally, this was the intended motif.


    Though it was the most conspicuous building due to its size, many other rtively ordinary buildings were lined up around it.


    If the central temple had been a ce to praise the goddess and proim her greatness, the buildings constructed around it were erectedter as needed.


    There was a clinic created to treat the injured, a free brothel (not for profit but funded by donations) that emerged because too many men were being turned into prostitutes through criminal means, an academy for educating children to be knights or priests, and the free food distribution service that I often relied on, among others.


    Facilities not for the goddess but for those living in the embrace of the goddess were arranged like satellites around the main temple.


    The ce we needed to go to was one of those satellite buildings.


    ¡°Miss Lydia, Miss Lydia, how much do you think he will fetch? He looks fine and young, aside from his current state, so I bet he¡¯ll bring in a good amount.¡±


    ¡°¡­Saying it like that makes it sound like we¡¯remitting a crime,¡± Lydia sighed deeply and shook her head.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be a considerable amount, considering the profits from the first floor. That¡¯s the only way they¡¯d take the risk to bring him in. Plus, we¡¯re receiving all the money he would have earned working there for a few years in one go.¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s a lump sum then.¡±


    ¡°Yes. But it won¡¯t be as much as you think. As I mentioned earlier, this isn¡¯t actual human trafficking but rather a fee for the rescue operation. Moreover, the ransom is determined by the person¡¯s abilities.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying he¡¯s worthless because he¡¯s bepletely crippled?¡±


    ¡°¡­Stop choosing words that make people misunderstand. The temple will take proper care of him, so unless he¡¯s under a terrible curse, he will be healed. What I meant is that an adventurer from the first floor cannot repay such money. That¡¯s why they set a low fee.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. The temple isn¡¯t short on money, after all.¡±


    A sum that would tempt adventurers of that floor was sufficient. There was no need to shackle their patients with debt.


    As Lydia nodded, we arrived at the clinic. Passing by the long line for general consultation, she knocked on a small door beside it.


    Knock knock.


    Soon after, I sensed someone moving inside.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Someone bringing an injured adventurer.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Please wait a moment.¡±


    Only after hearing some nking sounds did the side door open. There, a woman with a kind face dressed in pure white priest robes greeted us.


    ¡°May your path be filled with love. I am Priest Remilly. Please,e inside.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lydia nodded and stepped inside. I followed, along with the guild staff who were carrying the stretcher.


    Inside, a long corridor stretched before us. At its end, there was arge gathering area bustling with patients.


    ¡°Hey, you there! Make sure to align the bones before you start the healing on fractures!¡±


    ¡°What kind of poison is this¡­ Pull yourself together, adventurer! The Goddess is with you!¡±


    ¡°Oh no, Ollie! Open your eyes!! The priest will be here soon!¡±


    Priests with dark circles under their eyes fervently recited prayers and summoned their divine powers. Patients, barely clinging to consciousness, vomited ckened blood. Some were on the verge of death.


    The scene was reminiscent of a wartime field hospital, filled with the dying and the desperate.


    Scratching the back of his head, Remilly spoke with an awkward tone.


    ¡°Despite how it looks, very few people actually lose their lives here. We continuously rotate to pour out our divine power.¡±


    Though she looked somewhat weary, Remilly¡¯s eyes and voice radiated pride.


    I gave her a broad smile and nodded.


    ¡°Of course! Even in a ce serving the Goddess of Love, you are those who tirelessly work day and night under the toughest conditions. I trust you deeply, as you must be people of profound faith. And, after all, hearing screams means, at least, that they are still alive!¡±


    ¡°Ho ho. Hearing you say that puts me a bit more at ease! You truly are a worthypanion of the noble Lydia.¡±


    Remilly¡¯s expression brightened a bit as she looked at Lydia with admiration before bowing her head towards me.


    It struck me then¡ªshe recognized Lydia. It was one thing for me to grumble to myself, but as a member of Lydia¡¯s party, anyints from me could tarnish her reputation.


    No matter how eager I was to leave the temple, it was time to adopt a facade of modesty.


    ¡°¡­Is this what wifing means?¡±


    ¡°Jonah, stop talking nonsense ande over here.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lydia tugged on my arm, noticing that I had fallen behind while lost in thought. After a bit more walking, we reached a bed in a rtively quiet corner, far from the critically ill patients.


    ustomed to the process, the guild employees gentlyid the deeply sleeping prisoner on the ground and began to ry to the temple the details we had reported to the guild.


    Meanwhile, I started to remove the leather straps wrapped around his body. Now that it was all over, I thought, I¡¯ll be taking these.


    Even for a Hobgoblin, hunting Iron Wolves was a foolhardy task, especially when dressed in armor patched together with Horn Rabbit leather and undertaken recklessly.


    With this amount of leather, it would fetch a decent price. Alternatively, I could use it as a carpet on the floor of my room.


    With such thoughts, I was in the midst of carefully collecting each piece of leather.


    A makeshift wall and a single curtain crudely separated the bed next to mine. Through the gap, a familiar face appeared.


    ¡°¡­Huh? Mr. Ian?¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Swoosh!


    The curtain opened in response to my voice. The person who emerged was Karen, the inquisitor I had seen a few days ago.


    My mind froze momentarily, as I hadn¡¯t expected to meet them here.


    Sttered on her neat ck priest¡¯s robe was red blood, and her face, now free from the dark circles that had marred it before, disyed a mix of self-reproach and surprise.


    It was evident to anyone that they were inquisitors who had just been through a fierce scuffle.


    However, the blood on the priest¡¯s robe wasn¡¯t solely from her enemies.


    When I saw Ian¡¯s entire body, now fully revealed as the curtain was drawn back, it was covered in dark red blood. Thankfully, the wounds seemed to have mostly healed.


    But the problem was that he was unconscious.


    While I stood there, startled by the severity of the wounds, Karen¡¯s eyes widened upon seeing me. She suddenly grabbed my shoulders with both hands and eximed,


    ¡°Please, please help!¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Please¡­I¡¯m begging you to help Ian!¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who has fully embraced the teachings of the goddess? Surely, you must have a way!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ I mean, I don¡¯t even possess divine powers.¡±


    As I shook my head in confusion, Karen¡¯s face fell.


    ¡°Oh no¡­ Then what am I supposed to do about Ian¡¯s curse¡­¡±


    ¡°Curse¡­?¡±


    The mention of a curse snapped me to attention. Reflexively, I fiddled with the hilt of the unicorn dagger at my waist and asked, ¡°Is Mr. Ian, by any chance, still a virgin?¡±


    Perhaps, in that case, I might be able to help after all¡­

 Chapter 58: A Quick Reunion (2)

    Chapter 58: A Quick Reunion (2)


    ¡°Is Mr. Ian, by any chance, a virgin?¡±


    At my question, everyone blinked in surprise. However, since this was a matter concerning Karen¡¯s colleague, she was the first to regain herposure.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really know about that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. We can start finding out now.¡±


    I took out the unicorn dagger and ced it on Ian¡¯s arm. There was no reaction at all. Nada.


    ¡°Oh. Mr. Ian is not a virgin. Well, it makes sense. Serving the goddess of love, he must have had many opportunities.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Karen closed her eyes tightly as if she had learned something she wished she hadn¡¯t. But it was already toote!


    Just as you can¡¯t turn a non-virgin back into a virgin, the fact that Ian was not a virgin was something that couldn¡¯t be forgotten¡­!Shaking her head vigorously to regain her senses, Karen asked in a trembling voice.


    ¡°What, what is this that makes it possible to discern whether he is a virgin or not? And why on earth is the matter of purity important¡­¡±


    As she spoke, Karen lightly tapped the dagger with her fingertip. The de momentarily shone brightly.


    ¡°You¡¯re a virgin.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    She stiffened in surprise, and I shrugged my shoulders, exining.


    ¡°This dagger is made from a unicorn¡¯s horn. That¡¯s why it can lend the power of a unicorn to those who are maintaining their purity. The power of healing and purification.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Karen nodded as if she finally understood. However, her expression soon darkened again.


    ¡°But in other words, this means Ian cannot be healed with this dagger.¡±


    ¡°So it appears. Could you exin the details now? We¡¯re in a temple, not just anywhere. We should be able to lift most curses here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Moreover, Ian and I are inquisitors who were injured in the line of duty, so we qualify for additional support. However, this isn¡¯t a typical curse. In fact, it might not even be a curse at all.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Karen gives me a wry smile as I look at her, puzzled.


    ¡°As you know, the primary duty of an inquisitor is to deal with apostates who tarnish the name of the goddess.¡±


    ¡°Thinking back, when we first met, you came to the shop because you wanted to inquire about One Who Devours the Twilight from Ellie.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t divulge all the details, but Ian and I were tracking them after learning they were plotting something.¡±


    ¡°So, you confronted them this time?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Thanks to Brother Jonah¡¯s recent help, my divine power has increased, and the blessing within me has strengthened. We managed to repel them¡­ but in a final act of desperation, they sacrificed their followers to cast a curse.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Although One Who Devours the Twilight is a group of heretics, they are still priests in their own right, meaning they possess some divine power.


    In a world where gods are real, it might seem absurd to speak of a heretic possessing divine power¡­


    The goddess of love is currently focusing her energy on tuning thebyrinth from its very depths. That¡¯s why her influence on the surface has weakened.


    It¡¯s easy to spill water but hard to gather it back up. In the same way, it¡¯s easy to bestow divine power or blessings but difficult to take them back.


    That¡¯s why the divine power of those in One Who Devours the Twilight is distorted but not gone. They see this as undeniable proof of their righteousness.


    ¡­The real reason, however, was somewhat different.


    A fallen priest wielding twisted divine power is a must-have!


    That¡¯s the kind of setting I added on a whim. The other reason was just tacked onter.


    As I looked at the fallen Ian, I nodded.


    ¡°Now I understand a bit better. Though it¡¯s twisted and inverted, at its core, it¡¯s still the same divine power. It acts harmfully on the body, so it must be seen as a curse, but rather than a real curse, it¡¯s more like a bizarre blessing that the human body can¡¯t withstand. After all, it would have to be something like this for the temple to be unable to lift it.¡±


    ¡°¡­You really are knowledgeable.¡±


    Karen nodded with an impressed expression. Wondering if I had acted too knowledgeable, I turned my head to look around, only to find that the only one surprised was Remilly, who had guided us here.


    Lydia¡¯s expression hardened slightly, but she didn¡¯t seem to doubt me.


    Is this all because I¡¯ve been pretending to know a little bit of this and that all along? Maintaining consistent behavior is indeed important.


    Anyway, now that we know the cause, we should start looking for a way to treat Ian. It was a brief encounter, but still, watching someone you know die is a bit¡­ unsettling, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡°If it really isn¡¯t a real curse, even if he was a virgin, the unicorn dagger wouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything. By the way, what are the symptoms?¡±


    ¡°The flow of blood has be abnormal. The blood clots in one ce, turning ck as the tissue dies, or it circtes too strongly, causing the blood vessels to burst from the pressure. Even though Mr. Ian looks fine on the outside, his internal organs have necrotized several times. Right now, the other priests and I are taking turns treating him, but if this continues¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s the Blessing of Erectile Dysfunction being distorted.¡±


    ¡°Ere¡­ What?¡±


    Karen asked back with a stunned expression. It was then that I btedly realized the mistake I had made.


    ¡°Oops, my bad. Saying it like that makes it sound like it prevents erections. It¡¯s the opposite, actually. It¡¯s supposed to help with getting an erection¡­ What was the exact name again? The Blessing of Erection? No, that¡¯s not it. Was it the Blessing of Evesting Love or something?¡±


    I remembered writing this setting with a chuckle, thinking about what kind of blessings would be amusing if you were a goddess of love.


    In this world, men have low libido, so their stamina is also low; therefore, they need a little help to have a passionate night.


    This blessing is one of those. It regtes the blood flow to the lower body¡­ There are a few blessings rted to blood flow, but if it can be cast on a man and cause such symptoms, there¡¯s only one answer.


    Admiring my perfect deduction, I was snorting through my nose when I finally noticed the reactions of those around me.


    Karen was just nkly blinking, and Lydia subtly distanced herself as if she wasn¡¯t part of the group.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not even kids. How can everyone react like this to an erection? It¡¯s a bit embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°Is, is that so?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you, Jonah.¡±


    Though they seemed to have a lot to say, Karen nodded for now, and Lydia gave a hollowugh.


    Sighing deeply, I slumped my shoulders.


    ¡°Haah¡­ you all act like a bunch of lewd adults. Fine, just step aside. I¡¯ll try to treat it.¡±


    ¡°What?! You can treat it?¡±


    ¡°Of course. To start, does Inquisitor Karen understand how those of One Who Devours the Twilight use the blessings that benefit the human body as if they were curses?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in such heretical knowledge¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s better not to know. If you know, you¡¯ll want to use it because that¡¯s human nature. It¡¯s just that there are issues like this one where you need to know in order to treat it.¡±


    Saying so, I ced my hand on Ian¡¯s chest. Let¡¯s see, is this about right?


    ¡°It¡¯s not like a man¡¯s lower part grows because there¡¯s a bone there, you know? ¡­No, among animals, there are indeed cases of those who actually do have a bone there, but at least not in humans. It bes hard because blood rushes there and can¡¯t escape.¡±


    I continued to exin to Karen, who tilted her head in confusion during this unexpected sex education lesson.


    ¡°The Blessing of Evesting Love, essentially, regtes blood flow. It either increases the flow to the lower extremities or reduces the amount that escapes, thus facilitating easier pooling of blood. But what if we alter the position slightly?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°What if the blood pools in areas other than the lower body and fails to drain? Something problematic would ur, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Because those organs aren¡¯t designed to handle such stress.¡±


    ¡°Consider also elerating other aspects of blood flow. Imagine the blood pressure skyrocketing, blood vessels bursting randomly, and abnormalities in the immune system causing the blood to rot.¡±


    In simpler terms, think of it as thrombosis, hypertension, and sepsis.


    Of course, if we get technical, it¡¯s a bit different¡­ but whatever the cause, the symptoms that appear are roughly simr.


    No, perhaps it¡¯s even more severe. Since this is not a natural urrence but an artificially induced phenomenon by divine power, it¡¯s akin to being forcefully pushed, with the symptoms continuously worsening.


    Eventually, as Karen pointed out, despite extensive treatment, the rate of recovery can¡¯t keep pace with the rate of deterioration, leading to tissue death.


    ¡°But, essentially, we¡¯re dealing with abnormalities in the blood, right? Then the solution is straightforward.¡±


    I put away the unicorn dagger and took out the carving dagger.


    ¡°Inquisitor Karen, please gather all the divine power you can muster. Miss Lydia, if you possess a high-level recovery potion or better, please bring it out. We¡¯ll settle the expenses with Inquisitor Ianter, right?¡±


    ¡°All of it, you say?¡±


    ¡°¡­An inquisitor won¡¯t be short of funds; it should be fine.¡±


    Karen, though puzzled, began to harness her divine power, her body glowing with a faint pink hue.


    Lydia also nodded, retrieving a luxurious bottle filled with a red potion from her bag.


    Once everyone was ready, Karen, with focused intent, cautiously asked, ¡°What is this coping method?¡±


    Instead of answering, I stabbed the carving dagger into Ian¡¯s heart.


    Thud!


    ¡°It¡¯s something like this.¡±


    Heart reset.

 Chapter 59: A Quick Reunion (3)

    Chapter 59: A Quick Reunion (3)


    Thud!


    I stabbed the carving dagger into Ian¡¯s heart.


    Heart reset.


    The basic principle is simr to that of a defibritor. It stops a malfunctioning heart once, then makes it beat again to return it to normal.


    It¡¯s like turning aputer off and on, a brain melted by gacha gamesing to its senses after seeing an empty wallet, barely meeting a deadline after awakening to find the manuscript gone despite having it backed up on the cloud, and so on.


    Aren¡¯t there many simr instances? It¡¯s the same in this case.


    If there¡¯s a problem with the blood flow, simply stop the heart that causes the flow once and then restart it.


    A distorted blessing will weaken as the heart breaks down, and wounds can be treated before death. This is a temple, so it shouldn¡¯t be difficult.


    ¡­However, it seems this simple conclusion was hard for others to understand.¡°Oh, Goddess! Bestow your mercy upon the injured!¡±


    ¡°Jonah, have you lost your mind?!¡±


    Panicking, Karen conjured a divine healing spell while Lydia forced a potion into Ian¡¯s mouth with a scream-like shout.


    Thanks to their perfect response, Ian quickly recovered, but¡­


    ¡°No, how can you heal him before the blessing is even lifted? Please prepare to do it again.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®do it again¡¯!?¡±


    ¡°¡­Exnation! At least give us a detailed exnation before doing it!¡±


    They looked at me as if they were seeing a madman. That¡¯s harsh. It was the best I could do.


    Shrugging my shoulders, I began to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯m eliminating the cause of the problem. If you heal Inspector Ian before he dies, he¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°What kind of nonsense¡­hmm? Wait a moment. No, why¡­could it be?¡±


    Although Karen was prepared to question with determination, being the most knowledgeable about divine power or blessings here, it seemed she quickly caught on to what I meant.


    After muttering something to herself for a moment, she soon nodded.


    ¡°¡­I understand. Blessings scatter with death, so if the heart stops, the distorted blessing that resided within would also disappear.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simr but a bit different. That refers toplete death, not when the heart stops and the brain ceases, but the moment the soul leaves the body.¡±


    ¡°¡­When the heart stops and the brain ceases, a person dies,¡± Karen countered with a serious face. It seemed there was a bit of a difference inmon sense here.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not immediate death. There¡¯s a slight grace period. If you recover quickly during that time, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really. So, Inquisitor Ian doesn¡¯te back from the dead, but rather, his heart just stops for a moment. This distorted blessing is closely rted to the heart, so if the vessel breaks, it will naturally scatter in all directions. ¡­Though a bit will remain.¡±


    ¡°You said some remains? Then it can¡¯t bepletely resolved.¡±


    ¡°If Inquisitor Ian isn¡¯t actually dying and resurrecting, then yes. But don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s also a way for that.¡±


    ¡°Oh Goddess¡­ it seems you had a n for everything.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the goddess¡¯s n, it¡¯s mine¡­ Anyway, now we¡¯re going to tear his heart apart again, but count exactly five seconds, no more, no less, and then you must start the healing prayer. Miss Lydia, please prepare the next potion.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that I was crazy; the two of them prepared divine power and potions once again. Only after confirming this did I twist the sword I hadn¡¯t yet fully drawn out half a turn.


    Eujeuk!


    The sensation of flesh being crushed at the tip of the sword was palpable.


    Ian, whose heart was shattered once more, shivered even in his unconscious state. Karen flinched at his intense reaction, but¡­


    ¡°Not yet! Just wait a little longer!¡±


    ¡°Keut!¡±


    I counted down five seconds in my head before I finally pulled the dagger from Ian¡¯s heart.


    Pusuuut!!


    Blood spurted out vigorously like a fountain. I shouted as some of the blood, which I couldn¡¯t fully dodge, sshed onto my face.


    ¡°Now!¡±


    ¡°Oh, Goddess! Here lies a woundedmb! Please bestow your mercy!¡±


    ¡°¡­Jonah, let¡¯s talkter.¡±


    Karen sped her hands together and recited a prayer while Lydia, ring sharply at me, applied a new potion.


    Lydia¡¯s reaction was a bit concerning, but the priority right now was Ian.


    Whoosh!


    Ian was enveloped in a light pink light when, almost instantly, a dark purple mist began to rise from the wound on his chest.


    The moment Karen¡¯s concentration wavered, I shouted in a firm tone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it and continue!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Karen, gritting her teeth, summoned her divine power once again. It goes without saying, but the purple energy, essentially the same divine power albeit tainted, was unaffected.


    It scattered in all directions, only to be absorbed by me¡­


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    If it had scattered, it should have gracefully disappeared. So why was it gathering towards me?


    I tried to slip away, but the persistent energy followed me. It didn¡¯t seem harmful, but it was definitely unsettling.


    I attempted to find a spot where Karen couldn¡¯t easily see me, but¡­


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Perhaps it was more concerning than I thought because as I locked eyes with Karen, her face was dotted with sweat; Lydia also noticed it.


    Umm.


    Am I in trouble?


    Just knowing this method of healing could already cast a lot of suspicion on me.


    I hoped Karen would see me as something akin to a divine apostle and Lydia, given her previous experiences with me, would react calmly to most things. So, I went for it.


    After all, I was just saving a life. I thought there wouldn¡¯t be any real threat, even if suspicions arose.


    ¡­Until I absorbed the distorted divine power unique to One Who Devours the Twilight.


    This is nuts. What do I do now?


    As Ian¡¯splexion brightened, mine darkened.


    I reached into my shirt and gripped the statue of the goddess. Maybe if things went south, I could just lift this and praise the Goddess of Love, and somehow, everything would work out, right?


    Wait. The followers of One Who Devours the Twilight also believe in the goddess, right? The problem is that they¡¯re heretics.


    Maybe it¡¯s better to bring out One Who Devours the Twilight, Fatherfucking Bastard, Season 2 here¡­


    Argh! This is why I didn¡¯t want toe to the temple! I had a feeling I¡¯d get caught up in some annoying trouble! Though I didn¡¯t know it would be this kind of problem!


    As I fretted and grumbled to myself, sweating profusely, the divine power that had been emanating from Karen finally subsided, indicating the healing wasplete.


    Ian waspletely healed, sleeping with a peaceful expression distinctly different from before.


    ¡­Well, at least it ended without any major issues.


    I quickly pulled out the statue of the goddess after calming myself.


    Holding it above my head with both hands, like an otter disying its young, I eximed,


    ¡°Long live the Goddess of Love! One Who Devours the Twilight are fatherfucking bastards!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Karen, unresponsive to my sudden outburst, simply stared at me with a nk expression.


    Lydia, having witnessed the scene as well, did not question my actions. Instead, she positioned herself protectively in front of me with an urgent expression.


    In the midst of this subtle standoff, tears began to stream down Karen¡¯s cheeks again.


    ¡°Indeed. I was not mistaken,¡± she murmured.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± I asked, puzzled.


    ¡°To ept such turbid divine power and purify it so purely. Brother Jonah, you are surely favored by the goddess.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Lydia turned her head sharply to look at me upon hearing Karen¡¯s words. But could the quality of divine power be discerned just by a nce from an aura user? Perhaps, if it was manifested.


    I focused my mind inward and felt a warm energy spreading throughout my body, in patches here and there.


    This energy, simr yet distinct from the tiny mana located near my heart, felt more familiar.


    Since I had only absorbed the remnants, there wasn¡¯t much of it, and I didn¡¯t know how to use it, but possessing divine power was beneficial in itself.


    It was definitely advantageous for me. But still¡­


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have said something?¡± I asked, unsure of what exactly had transpired but certain that the Goddess of Love must have intervened somehow.


    I looked resentfully at the sky¡ªor, more precisely, at the statue of the goddess raised high¡ªbut nothing changed.


    Karen and Lydia, following my gaze to the statue, were simply in awe of the beauty of the 3-star sculpture.


    I was about to sigh in relief inwardly when I suddenly raised my head.


    ¡°Right! There¡¯s still one more thing left to do! Inquisitor Karen, could you please open Inquisitor Ian¡¯s mouth?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Like this?¡±


    Without a word, Karen stood up and pried open Ian¡¯s mouth. Standing in front of him, I drew my dagger again. This time, it was a unicorn dagger, not the one for carving.


    Lydia looked at me with a doubtful expression while Karen opened his mouth without a hint of suspicion.


    ¡°May I ask what you are intending to do?¡±


    ¡°Topletely drive out the remaining remnants of the curse.¡±


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    ¡°Just keep his mouth open wide.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Karen nodded. I braced myself and then gripped the unicorn dagger tightly in my opposite hand.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    The cold de dug into my palm. A beatter, I felt the pain surge as I drew the dagger across.


    Swoosh.


    As blood welled up from the deep cut in my palm, the unicorn dagger emitted a faint light and began to heal the wound.


    Before itpletely healed, I pressed my fist against Ian¡¯s lips and clenched it tightly.


    Drip, drip, drip.


    A few drops of blood, squeezed out by the pressure, passed through Ian¡¯s lips and down his throat. And then¡­


    sh!


    Ian¡¯s body shone again, emitting a slight purple aura¡­All of which was absorbed by me, however.


    And now, Karen began to kneel before me entirely.


    ¡°Ah, aah¡­! For the children who shed tears, the goddess bleeds!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is, but it¡¯s not that.¡±


    ¡°Thepassion to wipe away someone else¡¯s tears with your own blood!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­.¡±


    I felt like crying a little too.


    Isn¡¯t it somewhat cool to solve a problem that started with blood by feeding it blood? It was a setting introduced with the same light-hearted intention!


    Stop paying attention!

 Chapter 60: Secret Friends

    Chapter 60: Secret Friends


    ¡°Ah, aah¡­! For the children who shed tears, the goddess bleeds!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is, but it¡¯s certainly not that.¡±


    In fact, I know very well. Priests who believe in the Goddess of Love have divided the broad concept of love into several categories based on their doctrine.


    Understanding the love of a god with a human body is challenging, so they refined it into a form they could ept.


    Thus, they spent their lives exploring and practicing a few types of love that suited them¡­ but among them, there was one considered the greatest.


    ¡°The loving-kindness of wiping away someone else¡¯s tears with your own blood!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­.¡±


    Among the types of love that humans can understand, loving-kindness is said to be the most simr to that of the goddess.


    Yes, I know too. Though I say it¡¯s not like that with words and cry out for Karen to stop paying attention, I still want to cry¡­I know all too well what the priests see in someone who purifies divine power out of nowhere and saves people by feeding them blood.


    After all, it was thest treatment method I deliberately introduced!


    The idea that a curse, thrown into chaos by a once-stopped heart, ispletely deceived by the blood of others was just an additionter on.


    The point is, isn¡¯t it super cool that a person, thought to be dead, gets up abruptly after drinking the holy blood (not) flowing from the hand?


    And this is clearly a setting introduced with loving-kindness in mind.


    To pity the sick and heal their wounds with one¡¯s own. How can one resist this!


    But the problem is that the other party is none other than Karen.


    She had been blessed with the ability to see emotions, and based on this, she perceived my unconditional love for this world the other day.


    Yet, to witness the miracle of loving-kindness (it really isn¡¯t) right before her eyes?


    It would be enough to drive Karen, an inquisitor already more devout than the average clergy, to madness.


    ¡°Please do not deny what I see. In these eyes bestowed by the goddess, I see the apostle¡¯spassion and loving-kindness. Stop telling me to ignore what I¡¯ve seen. I would rather be blinded.¡±


    ¡°No, but¡­ This isn¡¯t really it¡­¡±


    ¡°If you are worried about Priest Remilly, it¡¯s alright. The moment I knelt, I temporarily obscured the vision of those around us.¡±


    ¡°At this close distance, I guess that makes sense¡­ Since you¡¯re an inquisitor.¡±


    Inquisitors are a bit different from ordinary clergy.


    They hunt heretics with distorted faiths from the One Who Devours the Twilight. They have learned different things than merebat priests or pdins.


    The ability to see through one¡¯s lies. The method of interrogating the truth, a fanatical yet unwavering faith that remains unshaken even in the presence of divine power stemming from the same source, and the ways to conceal oneself and evade the public eye, among others.


    Obscuring one¡¯s sight momentarily shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.


    ¡°Oh Apostle, the Holy One who hase to thisnd after a thousand years, what should I do?¡±


    ¡°Could you perhaps make today¡¯s events as if they never happened¡­?¡±


    As Karen scratched the back of her head in distress, Lydia, who had stepped forward as if to protect me, now wore a puzzled expression and frowned.


    ¡°No.¡±


    With that firm word, shepletely hid me behind her.


    ¡°Jonah is not what you think. So, stop tormenting him.¡±


    Though her sword was not drawn, the surging aura was visibly fierce as she spoke.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    What a knight escort.


    I almost fell for her because she was so reliable.<hr>


    Lydia looked at Karen, who knelt before Jonah with a passionate gaze and voice.


    Since she was an inquisitor, this was better than her targeting Jonah for death for being associated with One Who Devours the Twilight¡­


    But that doesn¡¯t mean the current interest and misunderstanding were weed. This was evident just by looking at Jonah¡¯s expression, which seemed to rot away in real-time.


    After all, Jonah was an experimental subject of One Who Devours the Twilight.


    The love Karen saw in him was not of a mere human but closer to that of the goddess.


    It¡¯s because of the faith forcibly instilled in him after stripping away even thest shreds of his humanity. Jonah ims to love everything in the world, but in other words, it means he doesn¡¯t hold anything particrly dear.


    Absorbing the heretical divine power and converting it into pure divine power?


    The human experiments of One Who Devours the Twilight sometimes yield results beyond imagination. There¡¯s even a living witness right around Lydia herself.


    The question at the heart of the experiment conducted on Jonah was this: Can the goddess¡¯s love reside in someone who doesn¡¯t know love? The answer seems to be ¡®yes.¡¯


    To be suspiciously well-versed in the methods of One Who Devours the Twilight?


    Although Karen brushed it off, saying it wouldn¡¯t be strange for Jonah to know if he truly were an apostle of the goddess¡­


    But Lydia knows the truth. Jonah is well aware of these methods because he has either closely observed them or experienced them firsthand.


    Despite knowing the risk of being discovered, Jonah likely acted because he saw his past self reflected in the fallen Ian.


    Andstly, Jonah¡¯s attitude of avoiding involvement with the temple?


    Although Karen seemed to have wanted to nicely package it as if it were some high-minded reason beyond his understanding.


    But to Lydia¡¯s eyes, it appears differently. Jonah is extremely afraid of his past being exposed.


    It¡¯s only natural. A slight mistake could brand Jonah as a heretic of One Who Devours the Twilight¡­ and even if not, the event of being kidnapped as an experimental subject before could be revealed.


    Lydia vividly remembered the juxtaposition of Jonah¡¯s perfect noble etiquette and the fiercely burning desire for revenge that seemed to engulf the world.


    Jonah had chosen to be stronger by enduring hardships in lowly ces rather than livingfortably as an apostle of the goddess.


    The reason was simple: revenge carried out by one¡¯s own hands held meaning.


    In that sense, the de of revenge was best kept as secretive as possible. Only then can it pierce the most vulnerable spot most deeply.


    Perhaps this was why Jonah was obsessed with surprise attacks and assassinations, aiming for such an ultimate goal.


    Unaware of these circumstances, Karen seemed to view Lydia as an obstacle. She began to draw upon her divine power to counter Lydia¡¯s aura.


    Despite having already expended a significant amount of it to save Ian, Karen still possessed a considerable reserve of divine power.


    ¡®She¡¯s not an ordinary inquisitor.¡¯


    Resolved, Lydia reached into the air, her hand poised to draw her sword at a moment¡¯s notice. However¡­


    ¡°Miss Lydia, I won¡¯t me you for wanting to protect Sir Jonah. However, I hope you understand that sometimes overprotection is no different from imprisoning someone. Sir Jonah is destined for greater things in a muchrger arena.¡±


    ¡°No. You know nothing. I can¡¯t entrust Jonah to someone like you.¡±


    ¡°It sounds as if you believe you¡¯re different. But in the end, aren¡¯t you just like Miss Ellie, aiming for the grown-up body of Sir Jonah?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡±


    Lydia, who had shaken her head, stealthily nced at Jonah hidden behind her.


    His expression was puzzled, yet he firmly grasped her waist as if his position behind Lydia meant he could ovee any adversity.


    That sight evoked memories of a forest from long ago.


    What had started as a simple prank had evolved into a demonstration of Jonah¡¯s faith in her, and Lydia had reciprocated.


    Even if Jonah himself did not acknowledge it, the oath they had shared that day was real.


    ¡°I am Jonah¡¯s knight.¡±


    To those who recognized her, Lydia willingly offered her loyalty. Even if it meant turning the world into her enemy, she never wavered in the direction of her sword.


    ¡°A sword that cuts down enemies and a shield that never breaks.¡±


    Lydia¡¯s heart pounded heavily. Her aura red like mes, and her distinctive red eyes glowed brilliantly¡ªa clear sign of a will that could ignite at any moment.


    ¡°If Jonah does not wish it, no one can force him.¡±


    Lydia had always aspired to be a knight. She yearned to restore her fallen family¡¯s honor and to retaliate against those who had scorned her.


    Serving nobles, earning des on the battlefield, and indulging in slightly scandalous romances¡ªall appealed to her.


    But above all, Lydia craved something more substantial in this imperfect and chaotic world.


    She sought what she believed to be right¡ªher unwavering conviction.


    ¡°Even if it were the goddess herself, there would be no exception.¡±


    A knight lives and dies by their conviction.


    And Lydia was the most noble knight of all.


    ¡°You¡­!¡±


    Karen ground her teeth as if she had been subjected to sphemy. Lydia, her resolve hardened, was about to draw her rapier from thin air, a weapon well-suited for closebat.


    Peek!


    Jonah, poking his head from beneath Lydia¡¯s armpit, spoke in his usual yful tone.


    ¡°Inquisitor Karen! How about we stop fighting and be secret friends?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Secret friends, you know, secret friends. We can sometimes talk in private, share tasty food¡­¡±


    Jonah¡¯s choice of words,den with impure connotations, left both Karen and Lydia frozen in shock. With a mischievous grin, Jonah continued.


    ¡°We also beat up heretics together.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Lydia tightly closed her eyes.


    But what can she do? He is the lord she has chosen.

 Chapter 61: Secret Friends (2)

    Chapter 61: Secret Friends (2)


    It¡¯s true that I don¡¯t want to get involved with the temple, but that doesn¡¯t mean I want to be openly hostile. So, when Lydia wrapped her arms around me protectively and even imed she was my knight, ready to draw her sword if necessary, I was momentarily taken aback. The prospect of them fighting¡ªnot just verbally, but in a sword fight¡ªwas even more concerning.


    Therefore, I poked my head out from between Lydia¡¯s arms and said, ¡°Inquisitor Karen! How about we don¡¯t fight and be secret friends instead?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Secret friends, you know, secret friends. Sometimes we talk in secret, eat delicious things¡­¡±


    After giving it some thought, I realized that the option of not getting involved with the temple had already flown out the window. I had no idea Karen held me in such divine regard. So, there was really only one option left, right?


    ¡°We also beat up heretics together.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The ominous atmosphere vanished in an instant, leaving only two women exchanging nces as if they couldn¡¯t believe what they¡¯d heard. Of course, there was a reason I brought it up. The tone in which I mentioned being secret friends suggested more than just simple camaraderie.¡­Really.


    Now that it hade to this, there was no need to hide the information I had. It was better to gradually reveal it and steer things in the direction I wanted, between me and Karen. And even further, to establish the rtionship between me and the temple. It would be much better than bing the saint (not) Karen envisioned and being the temple¡¯s mascot.


    ¡°First, let me confirm. Inquisitor Karen, what do you want to do with One Who Devours the Twilight?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I want to erase them from this world without leaving a single trace.¡±


    ¡°How much sacrifice are you prepared to make for that?¡±


    ¡°¡­If necessary, I will give my all.¡±


    ¡°Great! Now it¡¯s time for a secret story that¡¯s only for you.¡±


    I smirked and positioned myself beside Lydia rather than behind her.


    ¡°Pope udia the Third is secretly supporting One Who Devours the Twilight.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°That crazy bitch believes, just as it happened a thousand years ago, if the world falls into despair in the name of God once again, the Goddess of Love will descend.¡±


    ¡°Wait, just a moment. Why would Her Holiness the Pope¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. The Pope adores the Goddess of Love. She loves her so much that she wants to possess her.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Karen, too flustered to speak properly, just gaped. I offered her a bitter smile in response.


    ¡°This is why I didn¡¯t want to get involved with the temple. I knew something would happen if we went there.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±


    ¡°So¡­.¡±


    Karen trembled in shock. Meanwhile, Lydia nods, seemingly understanding the situation. I hadn¡¯t expected Lydia to take it so calmly. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter since this is all true.


    The mastermind behind the heresy was actually the Pope! She had secretly allied with the heretics to increase the church¡¯s influence!


    Well, isn¡¯t this kind of plot twist somewhat familiar? I just followed it. However, I gave the motive a unique twist. The crazy, psycho lesbian is actually aiming for the Goddess. This is kind of fun, isn¡¯t it?


    Of course, when I consider what the crazy psycho lesbian might do next, I can¡¯tugh at all. For her, bing the Pope was also a means to get closer to the Goddess, and even that wasn¡¯t enough, so she conspired with the heretics to summon her. She is literally a person who wouldn¡¯t surprise you no matter what she did.


    It¡¯s quite terrible when a setting scribbled for fun bes a reality, huh? Anyway, I shrugged my shoulders once and asked in a subtle voice.


    ¡°So, Inquisitor Karen, are you okay? The temple to which you¡¯ve devoted your entire life might not be as pristine as you thought.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    I took a step towards Karen, who stood there with her lips tightly sealed.


    ¡°The Inquisition doesn¡¯t belong anywhere, right? It¡¯s a unit directly under the Pope, and you receive your orders from her.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    I grasped her arm, noting its tremble and the paleness of her skin.


    ¡°Appointing you as an Inquisitor, demanding you forsake all personal joy for the goddess, and asking you to stain your hands with blood was a mistake.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    I stroked her arm gently, trying to offerfort.


    ¡°Perhaps, in your service to the goddess, you unknowingly aided the heretics. It¡¯s possible that yourrades were sacrifices to their cause.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Suddenly, I tightened my grip on Karen¡¯s forearm to prevent her from escaping.


    ¡°Ah, poor thing, it might have been better for you to remain unaware, blind and deaf to the truths around you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Leaning in, I whispered in her ear,


    ¡°How does it feel to have your lifelong faith and dedication denied?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Her eyes welled with tears, then I gently pulled her into a hug and patted her back soothingly.


    ¡°It must be hard and overwhelming when your world crumbles and you can¡¯t bear to ept the truth¡­I understand because I¡¯ve felt betrayal before.¡±


    As I spoke, recalling the sense of betrayal I felt when the ceiling leaked, Karen finally shifted her gaze from the empty air to me and opened her mouth with a faltering voice.


    ¡°Then, what should I do¡­Saint¡­why are you telling me all this¡­¡±


    ¡°Because you asked for it, you said you¡¯d pay any price to root out all heresy, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°But¡­the burden is too heavy. What should I do¡­please, show me the way¡­¡±


    Karen began to sob uncontrobly, a reaction I hadn¡¯t anticipated. Releasing her from our embrace, I took a small step back to meet her gaze directly, hoping to convey my sincerity and remind her of the divine protection she had received.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡±


    I handed her the most beautiful 3-star goddess figure¡­no, goddess statue among all the sculptures I¡¯d ever seen.


    ¡°You should not ce your faith in the Pope, the temple, or even in me.¡±


    Could this be the first time an inquisitor has ever encountered such a masterfully crafted statue of the goddess? Karen, with her eyes wide open, nkly stared at the figure of the goddess.


    ¡°Listen only to the goddess and the conscience whispering in your heart.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°Remember, the goddess has always taught us to love ourselves above all.¡±


    Holding the statue in her hand, I covered it gently with mine and smiled reassuringly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying you shouldn¡¯t feel guilty, but remember, the goddess doesn¡¯t bestow her protection on just anyone.¡±


    I then reversed the principle of Sound-Eating Footsteps. Instead of concealing my presence, I made it more pronounced. My breath, movements, and even the subtle scent blessed by the goddess were deliberately made evident to Karen.


    ¡°This smell is¡­¡±


    Muttering softly, Karen fell into her own thoughts. Turning away from her, I saw Lydia trembling as if she had seen something terribly frightening.


    Oops! Lydia must have seen the whole ¡®persuasion¡¯ from a moment ago.


    There¡¯s no helping it. Despite Lydia¡¯s warnings, I had to resort to using my most effective technique.


    ¡°Shh!¡±


    I brought my index finger to my lips and added just one more word with the shape of my mouth.


    ¡®It is a secret, my knight.¡¯


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Lydia quickly regained herposure with a startle. But why? Today, her expressionless face seemed to be filled with regret andmentation.


    ¡­Whatever! It must be my imagination!


    I casually brushed it off and went around to Lydia¡¯s side, waiting for Karen to organize her thoughts.<hr>


    After a moment of reflection, Karen nodded, her eyes filled with her usual resolute belief.


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ve received a lot of help because of you.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I told you, didn¡¯t I? Let¡¯s be secret friends. Friends help each other out.¡±


    ¡°Helping each other out¡­ What can I do for you, Saint?¡±


    ¡°First, please stop calling me a saint.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir Jonah.¡±


    Karen quickly corrected herself, and I, satisfied, continued.


    ¡°Can you tell me about the mission you received this time and how you ended up here?¡±


    If things go well, I might uncover how far the ns of One Who Devours the Twilight have progressed. That was my intention behind the question.


    ¡°The mission was to discover what One Who Devours the Twilight is scheming on the first floor of thebyrinth and, if possible, to stop them.¡±


    ¡°What? The first floor?¡±


    Does that make sense? The first floor is heavily trafficked by adventurers, making it a challenging ce to operate in secret. If they were moving through the first floor, it must be for something significant.


    ¡°Did you encounter anyone from One Who Devours the Twilight on the first floor?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Those heretics were killing monsters near the World Tree¡¯s illusion.¡±


    ¡°But killing monsters in thebyrinth isn¡¯t unusual, is it?¡±


    ¡°It was the manner in which they were killing them that was strange. They killed the monsters brutally and disyed the bodies for everyone to see without even collecting the mana stones.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The moment I heard those words, I felt as if I had been struck on the back of the head. I¡¯m not sure where they learned it, but they are trying to summon the floor guardian of the first floor.


    ¡°They¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡±


    Stealing my wish ticket? I won¡¯t let them get away with this!

 Chapter 62: Secret Friends (3)

    Chapter 62: Secret Friends (3)


    ¡°They¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡±


    The guardian of the first floor is a bit special because it¡¯s the first guardian that the protagonist takes down in thebyrinth.


    As such, various settings were added to highlight and make the protagonist special, and that was exactly the power guaranteed by gacha.


    Originally, the party that captures a floor guardian for the first time has a low chance of obtaining a portion of that floor¡¯s god¡¯s power.


    From the second capture onwards, it¡¯s impossible, so they must capture floor guardians of other floors.


    For example, if you defeated the Cyclops, the guardian of the second floor, but didn¡¯t obtain the power, no matter how many times you defeated it again, you¡¯ll never obtain the power of the God of War.


    Still, if you desire the power of that god, you either hope to be born with goodpatibility with the God of War, luckily find a ce where divine power umtes¡­ or aim for the power of a god from another floor.


    However, unlike the respawnable ones, if you defeat the first-ever spawned guardian of a floor in thebyrinth, you can definitely obtain a god¡¯s power.


    Of course, this doesn¡¯t mean that everyone who participated in the battle will receive it; it¡¯s limited to a few who contributed significantly. And what power you¡¯ll get ispletely random.Still, it¡¯s certainly much better than the already conquered floor¡¯s guardian, which you might or might not get the power from.


    Who and what kind of power one might receive is random, but the fact is it¡¯s still guaranteed. Guaranteed!


    Just like that! It¡¯s like giving a guaranteed 5-star draw ticket to users who achieve the top 1 percent inpetitive content in a gacha game.


    It¡¯s indeed a frustrating and unwee system, but how right it feels when I¡¯m the one receiving it.


    The protagonist, by a chance encounter, summons the guardian of the first floor and, somehow, ends up in a one-on-one situation without anyone¡¯s help, manages to defeat it and gains an overpowered ability, growing immensely. This is the setting I intended for the protagonist.


    ¡­I haven¡¯t thought of any important details, so it might seem incredibly convenient, but that¡¯s okay!


    After all, the protagonist is allowed to have it easy!


    I might not know what the floor guardian of the first floor is like or how it¡¯s summoned, but that¡¯s exactly why I set it up this way.


    The scene where the floor guardian of the first floor is summoned for the first time is essentially where the story really begins, so it requires more thought. For that reason, the scenario involves killing numerous monsters in front of the World Tree and not extracting their magic stones, leaving the corpses unattended.


    I have no idea how they found out about this method. I wonder if there¡¯s another possessor like me, but this person never even wrote the first sentence of the novel. Even if there were another possessor, it would have been impossible for them to figure out how to summon the floor guardian of the first floor.


    So, it¡¯s certain that One Who Devours the Twilight has something. And because of that something, it looks like the wish ticket, the prize of the bet, is going to fly away.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what those guys are trying to do, but it¡¯s clear they¡¯re nning tomit something terribly horrific and evil, something that should not happen!¡±


    ¡°I agree with Sir Jonah¡¯s words. That¡¯s why they attacked us as soon as they saw Ian and me.¡±


    I tilted my head at Karen¡¯s words.


    ¡°So, are you saying they attacked without even knowing you two were inquisitors?¡±


    ¡°Yes, if the Goddess¡¯s favor hadn¡¯t be even stronger thanks to Sir Jonah, we both surely would have fallen victim to the first surprise attack.¡±


    ¡°Gasp.¡±


    That means if Karen hadn¡¯t met me, she would have died in thest battle alongside Ian.


    It¡¯s a crazy thought, but maybe the fact that Karen and I met and her misunderstood enlightenment was what the Goddess of Love intended.


    ¡°Could you please exin in more detail? I have a guess, and it seems to be quite important.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Let me start with when we first discovered them.¡±


    Thisandthat, Perrythehhhtypus


    ording to what Karen told me, it seems true that One Who Devours the Twilight is attempting to summon the floor guardian.


    It¡¯s just that they don¡¯t know the exact method.


    Even though they know that they must offer a sacrifice in front of the World Tree¡¯s illusion, they don¡¯t know what kind of sacrifice to make, so it¡¯s almost like they¡¯re just killing whatever they encounter.


    ¡°It¡¯s somewhat a relief¡­¡±


    ¡°Could it be that what they¡¯re plotting isn¡¯t anything significant?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s definitely something huge, and if left alone, it might really be dangerous.¡±


    That¡¯s my wish-granting ticket!


    ¡°It¡¯s just fortunate that they haven¡¯t found the exact method yet.¡±


    ¡°¡­As expected, Sir Jonah has seen through the purpose of One Who Devours the Twilight,¡± Karen said with sparkling eyes.


    Feeling ticklish from her sudden adoration, I poked Lydia¡¯s side.


    ¡°Miss Lydia, Miss Lydia.¡±


    ¡°What.¡±


    ¡°How strong is Miss Lydia exactly? Can you win against those from One Who Devours the Twilight?¡±


    ¡°If they are just minion-level, it doesn¡¯t matter how many of them there are, but from the Mentor ss onwards, individual differences can be significant. Ah, as for what the Mentor ss is¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I roughly know the organizational structure of One Who Devours the Twilight.¡±


    They greatly simplified the organizational structure for one reason: everyone is equal under the Goddess of Love.


    Mentees are akin to ordinary, lower-tier adventurers, still in the learning phase and primarily tasked with handling various chores. They pose little to no danger.


    Next are the Mentors, possessing strength ranging from mid to high-tier adventurers. They take on the role of aiding the Mentees in their growth, having gone through it themselves¡­A title that can only be obtained by those who possess one or more powers or something equivalent. They are also the main force causing trouble in Pangrave.


    The next position does exist, but¡­ it¡¯s more of an honorary title.


    One Who Devours the Twilight is divided into small groups and operates as small organizations, and the heads of these numerous branches are called Masters.


    It¡¯s a title unrted to power, typically held by mentors within the organization who are particrly skilled in management or are deeply devout.


    Thest title is Grand Master, or Sage, given to the old geezer from where the name of the organization, One Who Devours the Twilight,es from.


    There was the first apostate, Baneus, but¡­ by now, he¡¯s likely barely clinging to life deep within thebyrinth, so it¡¯s unlikely he¡¯d suddenly appear on the first floor.


    Anyway, because the organization operates in this manner, it¡¯s impossible to urately gauge a heretic¡¯s strength just by hearing the titles.


    But we have Karen, who, though defeated, has fought them directly and returned.


    ¡°Inspector Karen, how formidable were the enemies?¡±


    ¡°The scale was small. There were only about a dozen at the mentee level and two at the mentor level. However, one of them was unusually strong.¡±


    ¡°It must be the one who left Inquisitor Ian in such a state.¡±


    ¡°Correct. I could handle the rest on my own, but that one was a cut above me.¡±


    ¡°¡­If they were that strong, weren¡¯t their features or anything notably recognizable?¡±


    Even those who excel at concealing their identities, like those of One Who Devours the Twilight, can¡¯t help but be remembered if they¡¯re seen often.


    If you know their face, just remembering the face is enough, and even if not, gender, build, voice, abilities used, primary weapon, estimated age, etc.


    Distinctive traits are noted, and something like a codename is assigned.


    I didn¡¯t set it up myself, but still, living in Pangrave, there are a few names youe to hear.


    Owner of the Chimera, Battle Maniac, Whore, etc.


    But Karen shook her head seriously as if he didn¡¯t belong to any of those.


    ¡°I had no idea who he was. He was wearing a mask, so I couldn¡¯t see his face, but his voice sounded very young.¡±


    ¡°A new mentor, huh? This is going to be troublesome.¡±


    I sighed deeply and continued.


    ¡°Surely, you¡¯ve also reported this to the temple. What did the Pope say?¡±


    ¡°¡­She said to prepare reinforcements and wait.¡±


    ¡°Ah, hmm. It seems like we¡¯ll be waiting only to have them achieve their goal and go back into hiding.¡±


    They seemed unsure of the exact method, but it was something simr. Probably in a few days, they might actually seed in summoning the guardian of the first floor.


    Karen nodded heavily upon hearing my words.


    ¡°I also think that¡­¡±


    ¡°Putting in a request to the guild¡­ would be pointless.¡±


    ¡°Yes. The temple owns the entire guild. If, as Sir Jonah said, the Pope is aiding One Who Devours the Twilight, she must have already taken some measures.¡±


    ¡°Sigh. Then what should we do¡­.¡±


    There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to hand over the power of the guardian of the first floor.


    Not to mention, there¡¯s the wish ticket, but wouldn¡¯t this hinder the growth of the protagonist¡ªwho must be somewhere in this world¡ªright from the very beginning?


    If that happens, we will lose a national power-level talent who could splendidly resolve the countless incidents that will ur in the future.


    Knowing how many foreshadows I¡¯ve scattered around, that would be a bit troublesome.


    The point is, we need someone stronger than Karen who can fight alongside us, risking their lives, and soon¡­


    After pondering for a while, Lydia tapped my head and said,


    ¡°Jonah. Are you forgetting something?¡±


    ¡°Miss Lydia? I know that Miss Lydia is strong, but considering the atmosphere when you acted fiercely, it seems that you¡¯re on a simr level to Inquisitor Karen. Maybe the two of you will be fine, but it seems a bit dangerous, so I¡¯m worried.¡±


    ¡°¡­Although you¡¯re right, it¡¯s infuriating.¡±


    Thump!


    ¡°Aaargh!¡±


    Suddenly, Lydia gave me a noogie. Clenching my teeth in sharp pain, I looked up at her.


    Just as I was about to protest this absurd violence with a voice welling up from deep within my belly,


    Lydia shook her head and opened her mouth.


    ¡°There¡¯s senior Ellie.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Even without one arm, wouldn¡¯t she be stronger than me or this Inquisitor?¡±


    ¡°¡­She¡¯s that strong?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    My goodness. Why would such a person retire¡­


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Right.


    Ellie didn¡¯t retire because it was hard to make a living as an adventurer. It was because she wanted to enjoy a decadent life, indulging in all the erotic experiences she never had before.


    Though, it seems like there hasn¡¯t been anything more erotic than her touching my stomach.


    ¡­Suddenly, I felt sorry for Ellie.

 Chapter 63: Preparation

    Chapter 63: Preparation


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡±


    That was the blunt reaction I received from Ellie after hastily briefing her on the situation, with Lydia and Karen right behind me. It seemed a bit harsh.


    ¡°Ellie, this is really important. Can you please consider it, just this once?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not possible. There¡¯s no reason for Jonah to get involved in this mess. Let the authorities handle it.¡±


    ¡°But what if the authorities aren¡¯t on our side?¡±


    ¡°Then we do nothing. Just live quietly, as if you¡¯re unaware of anything. Jonah¡¯s good at that, right? Adapting and taking advantage of situations without getting directly involved. Just follow suit this time.¡±


    ¡°I know, but¡­¡±


    That approach had always worked before, but this situation was different. The task of defeating the first floor¡¯s guardian had to be mine, or if not mine, then at least let it be the protagonist¡¯s. Honestly, I¡¯d be okay with Ellie or Lydia taking on the challenge. Truly, anyone is eptable, as long as it¡¯s not One Who Devours the Twilight.


    With a heavy sigh, I closed the gap between Ellie and myself, effectively eliminating any space between us. In simpler terms, I hugged her tightly. While my face was pressed against her chest¡ªnot as ample as Lydia¡¯s, but still generous¡ªI wasn¡¯t focused on the softness but rather the sense offort it brought.In this scenario, the act of me pressing my face into Ellie¡¯s chest isn¡¯t a big deal. It¡¯s merely a form of close physical contact. What¡¯s noteworthy is that my stomach brushed against Ellie¡¯s waist, and my waist grazed Ellie¡¯s thighs.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Ellie stiffened as if struck by lightning, her body rigid and unyielding. I inhaled deeply, enveloped in Ellie¡¯s embrace. A peculiar scent enveloped me, a blend of the unique aroma of a woman¡¯s skin and the fur of a wolf hybrid. This observation isn¡¯t meant negatively. Both scents were pleasant, making the experience doubly enjoyable, if not more so.


    Ellie¡¯s face flushed bright red when she realized I was taking in her scent. Her ears stood up straight, and her tail tensed. Her pupils, slit like those of a predator, darted about aimlessly. The twitching of her nose suggested she was aware of her fragrant body odor, amplified by my blessing.


    Ellie became as rigid as a mouse in the presence of a snake. Meanwhile, like a snake wrapping around its prey, I tightened my embrace around Ellie and whispered, my breath tickling her ear.


    ¡°Ellie, is there really no way? You know this is the first time I¡¯ve asked you for such a favor. It¡¯s very important to me.¡±


    ¡°But, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    Though she didn¡¯t speak, she seemed to swallow nervously, as if her throat had gone dry. I continued, subtly rubbing my body against hers.


    ¡°If Ellie helps me¡­ I¡¯ll do anything for Ellie.¡±


    ¡°An¡­ anything?¡±


    ¡°Yes, anything. Even the bondage y you¡¯ve been curious about recently or the role-reversal scenarios you¡¯ve looked up. You don¡¯t have to choose just one. We can explore them all.¡±


    ¡°All of them¡­¡±


    ¡°How about we let our imaginations run wild? We could start with a bath together. Ellie, imagine you¡¯re washing me, your chest covered in bubbles¡­ as if you¡¯re iming every part of me.¡±


    ¡°Every part¡­¡±


    ¡°So, since Ellie has taken care of me, it¡¯s my turn, right? No need for a brush; I¡¯ll use my hands. Or perhaps, another part of me¡­ like rubbing with my belly? No, that might be a bit awkward. There¡¯s a better option, right?¡±


    With that, I subtly shifted my hips against Ellie¡¯s firm thighs. Ellie¡¯s breath caught, a soft growl escaping her lips as if she were trying to suppress something. Sensing the tension, I pulled away, leaving the air charged between us.


    ¡°What do you say? If Ellie helps, we could start right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Ellie remained silent, her lips pressed together.


    Turning slightly, I noticed Lydia sighing and holding her forehead in exasperation. At the same time, Karen, although pretending to cover her face, peeked through her fingers, her breaths shallow with barely contained curiosity.


    V.


    I formed a V with my fingers, offering a silent victory sign to the duo struggling topose themselves. Lydia wore a look of utter disbelief as if a harsh truth had just dawned on her, while Karen, clutching the goddess statue I had given her, began to pray fervently for reasons unknown.


    ¡®They¡¯re taking this way too hard,¡¯ I thought, giving them a moment to recover. Ellie, having wrapped up her contemtion, finally addressed us.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to make concessions to help Lydia and Miss Karen. But Jonah, you¡¯re not part of this deal.¡±


    ¡°This mission is personal for me. I¡¯m open to assistance, but I can¡¯t just stand by and watch.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t up for discussion. You promised you¡¯d do anything, right? Well, this is my condition.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    ¡®This isn¡¯t going as nned. Troublesome.¡¯


    Avoiding the catastrophic scenario of the World Tree¡¯s power falling into the wrong hands is possible. However, I also wanted to y a part in this. Considering the circumstances, perhaps it¡¯s time to call in Eve? She might not rank among the universe¡¯s mightiest, but her vast experience surely ces her above the average adventurer.


    Given her connection to the World Tree¡¯s power, she might be eager to assist. However, if Eve joins us, there¡¯s a risk I won¡¯t achieve sufficient contribution to im the rewards even if we defeat the guardian of the first floor, meaning I could miss out on both the initial subjugation bonus and the opportunity to gain power from the first floor.


    Lost in thought, I hardly noticed Lydia regaining herposure. She interjected with a weary tone, seizing a brief pause in the conversation.


    ¡°Wait a moment, Senior Ellie. Let¡¯s have a word.¡±


    ¡°What now? Lydia, you¡¯re not buying into Jonah¡¯s wild tale as well, are you?¡±


    ¡°Juste over, will you?¡±


    The two made their way towards the warehouse on the first floor, pulling Ellie along almost by force. Lydia usually tries to shield me from danger, but today, it seems she¡¯s on my side. Could it be because of my saintly (not) act in the temple? Even those who don¡¯t pursue a clerical path in Pangrave hold the Goddess of Love in high esteem. This reverence likely stems from a childhood filled with tales of the Goddess¡¯s feats, the temple¡¯s strong influence, and the inherently lovable nature of divinity.


    Perhaps it¡¯s time I stopped resisting and started leveraging this to my advantage. While I¡¯m not convinced of my sainthood, the entity that summoned me to Pangrave and bestowed upon me the gacha ability must be the Goddess of Love. Thus, she probably wouldn¡¯t mind if I invoked her name asionally. She¡¯s not likely to be that petty.


    ¡­Right?


    I find myself mulling over the rtionship between the unidentifiable god statue I carved and the exquisitely crafted 3-star statue now in Karen¡¯s possession, my head tilting in curiosity. After my ¡°request¡± to Ellie, Karen, who had been behaving awkwardly, hesitantly began to speak.


    ¡°Sir Jonah.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You once mentioned your rtionship with Ellie¡­but observing you both now, it appears far more intimate than you described. Am I right?¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess you could say that. Ellie took me in when I had nowhere else to turn. She provided me with food and shelter, and as I grew older, I began assisting her with various tasks. While it might sound like I was a kept pet (man), the reality is quite the opposite.¡±


    ¡°The opposite?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me who¡¯s always reaching out to Ellie, seeking food,panionship, a ce to call home, even asking, ¡®Can I touch your chest?¡¯ I¡¯m the one eagerly anticipating the day I be an adult.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±


    Karen covered her mouth with her hand, a look of surprise shing across her face. Then, it dawned on me: Karen was also a virgin, a fact confirmed by the unicorn dagger.


    ¡°Hmm. I see. Inquisitor Karen, you¡¯ve remained untouched by the opposite sex because you were rigorously trained from a young age and dedicated yourself to missions as you matured?¡±


    ¡°How, how did you know!?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not hard to guess¡­¡±


    ¡°Truly, Sir Jonah possesses the goddess¡¯s insight¡­¡±


    ¡°Eek.¡±


    My casual boast was taken seriously by Karen as a divine blessing. As I contemted how to correct this misunderstanding gently, Karen nced towards the warehouse where Ellie and Lydia had gone and posed a question.


    ¡°By the way, Sir Jonah, I have a question that¡¯s been on my mind. It mighte across as a bit impolite, but may I ask?¡±


    ¡°How impolite could it be? Just so you know, I¡¯m still growing, so I¡¯ll get taller.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to ask about your height.¡±


    ¡°Huh? You mean you weren¡¯t curious about¡­ other measurements?¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    As we both looked puzzled, Karen quickly grasped the misunderstanding and shook her head frantically, her face a mix of shock and embarrassment.


    ¡°How could I be so inappropriate! I didn¡¯t mean to ask anything of that sort!¡±


    ¡°What I mean is, as long as it¡¯s not that kind of question, feel free to ask.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Yes¡­¡±


    It seems there was a misunderstanding. Let¡¯s proceed under that assumption, given the rification. Karen, her face betraying her thoughts, cleared her throat to refocus the conversation.


    ¡°Ahem. Earlier, you mentioned loving everything in the world, even enemies.¡±


    ¡°Yes, what about it?¡±


    ¡°However, your actions today suggested you hold Miss Ellie in special regard. I¡¯m curious: can universal love and romantic love coexist? It¡¯s a topic of much debate in the temple, and I¡¯d love to hear your thoughts, Sir Jonah.¡±


    ¡°Aha.¡±


    I understand her question now. At first nce, professing to love everything in the world might seem noble and impressive. But from another angle, it suggests ack of special affection for anyone. Conversely, romantic love ces a select few above everyone else. So, the question is whether universal love and romantic love can coexist and, if so, which takes precedence? It appears the temple is deeply engaged in exploring the nature of love, possibly with differing viewpoints. To me, this seems like a false dichotomy.


    ¡°But that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Universal love should be like this, and romantic love should be like this¡­ discard these stereotypes. The heart, to begin with, has no form.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Karen¡¯s eyes widen as if she¡¯s had a revtion. What is this, an enlightenment machine? She seems to have revtions at everything I say. Why does she take my words as gospel? I couldn¡¯t help but let out a bewildered chuckle, albeit briefly. Suddenly, a crazy idea popped into my head which I had to try immediately.


    ¡°Inquisitor Karen, may I ask you a somewhat impolite question?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Feel free to speak your mind.¡±


    ¡°Then, without further ado¡­¡±


    I pause for a moment, offering her a bright smile.


    ¡°Inquisitor Karen, what¡¯s more important to you, faith or money?¡±


    ¡°Obviously, it¡¯s faith.¡±


    ¡°Then, how much are you willing to donate to me?¡±


    ¡°My entire fortune.¡±


    The answer sprang forth without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Smiling broadly, I extended both hands.


    ¡°All your wealth. Will you entrust it to me? I promise to use it for a good cause.¡±


    ¡°If Sir Jonah needs it.¡±


    Karen nodded calmly and took out her wallet. The moment she ced the wallet entirely in my hands, the door creaked open.


    ¡°Sigh. Jonah. I just heard the whole situation from Lydia. We really shouldn¡¯t be doing this, but just this once¡­¡±


    Ellie, announcing her participation by scratching the back of her head, froze. Her eyes, wide and trembling, locked onto the heavy wallet in my grasp.


    ¡°You¡¯re not doing what you did with Lydia, are you?!¡±


    ¡°No! This time, it¡¯s different because I asked and received it willingly!¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s like when you took ten silver from me¡­!¡±


    ¡°There was no exchange involved?! I simply asked, and it was freely given to me!¡±


    ¡°Do you think that makes any sense?¡±


    ¡°Well, even I find it nonsensical that someone would give away their entire fortune on a single request. ¡­But ta-da! I¡¯ve managed to aplish that difficult task!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Ellie red at me, her eyes filled with doubt. It was clear there was ack of trust.

 Chapter 64: Preparation (2)

    Chapter 64: Preparation (2)


    ¡°No, Ellie! Don¡¯t you trust me?!¡±


    ¡°Jonah, you have aplicated past.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not fair! Just because I often y tricks on you, do you think I do that to everyone?!¡±


    ¡°You just admitted to ying tricks, didn¡¯t you?! Are you confessing to being a repeat offender?!¡±


    Ellie screamed, and I felt wronged. In the midst of this, Karen quietly raised her hand.


    ¡°May I say something?¡±


    ¡°¡­What is it?¡±


    Ellie frowned, clearly wary of Karen. But for me, it was a wee interruption.


    ¡°Inquisitor Karen! Please tell the truth! I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, right? I just asked for a donation of your entire fortune, right?¡±¡°Ah! Jonah, Jonah! Do you think that makes sense?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Ellie wore a dumbfounded expression. Karen continued speaking to her.


    ¡°I said it was my entire fortune, but it¡¯s not that much money. Since Sir Jonah said he would use it for a good cause, I trusted him and gave it to him.¡±


    ¡°But still, it¡¯s your entire fortune.¡±


    ¡°More than anything, thanks to Sir Jonah, Ian, who took the curse in my ce and copsed, was able to live. If I think of it as the price of his life, I don¡¯t regret it.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Ellie nodded as if she had just remembered something. She probably heard the story of what happened at the temple while she briefly went to the warehouse with Lydia. After struggling for a while, Ellie finally sighed deeply and slumped her shoulders.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case.¡±


    ¡°Hehe. See? When have I ever done something to worry you, Ellie? Please, ce more trust in me.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re still doing things that worry me right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t we just agree to go to the first floor together?¡±


    ¡°Right. Lydia said that even if I told you not toe, you would follow anyway. ¡­I¡¯m just wondering, can you tell me why you want to confront One Who Devours the Twilight directly?¡±


    ¡°Why, you ask.¡±


    I tapped my chin thoughtfully for a moment. Where should I start, and where should I end? Should I tell her that this world is made up of my settings? That there are too many seeds of tragedy sown, so I need to be at least a bit stronger to stop them when necessary? Or¡­ that I have a sense of crisis, fearing there might be a setting error for reasons unknown to me?


    Of course, it was impossible to tell her all of this. Even if I did, I¡¯d probably be treated as a lunatic. So, I had to be a bit more vague, but I made sure to pinpoint the true nature clearly.


    ¡°I need to tie up loose ends.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something only I can do.¡±


    ¡°Is that so.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Asking for your help doesn¡¯t mean asking you to fight in my stead. It means asking you to help me tie up my matters.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Please, I ask you again, Eli. Help me. Even without one arm, you¡¯re strong, aren¡¯t you? Please use that strength for me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±


    Eli nodded and added another word while scratching the back of his head.


    ¡°But there¡¯s a condition.¡±


    ¡°What? What kind of condition?¡±


    ¡°No matter what, don¡¯t stray from the side of others. Be it me, Lydia, or even this inquisitor. Never jump into danger, and make sure youe back safe without a single injury. ¡­Can you promise that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try; just do it.¡±


    ¡°But if Ellie is in danger, I¡¯ll have no choice but to rush over.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that won¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°I also won¡¯t need to rush in if Ellie is safe. ¡­This is only in the case of a battle with One Who Devours the Twilight, right? Please don¡¯t stop me from fighting with the floor guardian. I also want to try and gain power.¡±


    ¡°What? Why are you bringing up the floor guardian all of a sudden? You said we¡¯re going to the first floor.¡±


    ¡°Eh? I¡¯m talking about the guardian of the first floor.¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Ellie and I looked at each other, puzzled. I noticed Lydia, who had carefully closed the door of the warehouse, and Karen, who had been fiddling with the statue of the goddess, also had their eyes wide open.


    ¡°Oh dear. Did I not mention this?¡±


    ¡°This is the first I¡¯ve heard of it!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s my first time hearing it.¡±


    ¡°Could it be that the heretics are aiming for¡­¡±


    I nodded toward the three, who were gasping in shock.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not sure where they found out, but it seems they¡¯ve discovered the summoning method for the guardian of the first floor. Whether it¡¯s because they¡¯re not certain yet, they¡¯re still in the trial and error phase, but it won¡¯t be long before they actually summon it.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s really troublesome. It¡¯s not just about a power struggle in the temple or corruption or anything like that.¡±


    ¡°Just as Senior Ellie says. If you think about what happens every time another power is transferred to One Who Devours the Twilight, we can¡¯t just sit by.¡±


    ¡°But how did Sir Jonahe to realize this? Don¡¯t tell me you already knew about the summoning ritual¡­ Oh?¡±


    Karen, realizing something, ced the goddess statue on the table and offered a prayer. Yep, It seemed she thought the goddess of love might have given me a hint because I¡¯m a saint (not). Deciding to y along, I gave a meaningful smile as if it were true.


    ¡°Ahaha. It just appeared in a dream for a moment; I wasn¡¯t sure if it was real or not.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Elli and Lydia looked at me silently, clearly not believing a word. That was fine since it was meant to be unbelievable anyway. I enjoyed their tant stares and tapped the table lightly.


    ¡°So, shall we start making a concrete n on how to storm in?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes. Well, Jonah¡¯s role is decided either way.¡±


    ¡°Jonah. Sidelines. Agreed?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for Sir Jonah to be in danger.¡±


    The three of them seemed to agree to push me out as if it were nned. What was with this princess treatment? Wait, since it¡¯s a reverse world, it should be ¡®prince¡¯, right? Anyway, feeling cherished warmed a corner of my heart, yet I also bristled at the thought they might not trust me. It was aplex emotion.


    Is this how a female knight feels when she says not to underestimate her because she¡¯s a woman? One must indeed be in a position to learn certain things.


    Pretending to sob, I said,


    ¡°How could you? You all gathered to help me, yet you won¡¯t include me in the n.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. It¡¯s just that we¡¯ve already decided what you can do; it¡¯s not like we¡¯re moving forward without you.¡±


    ¡°Well, that may be true. But if I¡¯m just going to be protected and follow along, there¡¯s no need for me to attend the strategy meetings, right?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Uh, right?¡±


    ¡°Then let me know once everything is decided. Since I don¡¯t know anything about these kinds of extermination ns to begin with, I¡¯ll leave it to you all and follow along.¡±


    ¡°¡­Considering how much you insisted on following, you¡¯re quitepliant now. What are you up to?¡±


    ¡°That hurts, Ellie. You were jumping to conclusions earlier, and yet you still can¡¯t trust me? I just want to witness One Who Devours the Twilight being defeated and take down the floor guardian.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but¡­¡±


    Ellie trailed off, stroking my head firmly as if pressing it down.


    ¡°Right. You¡¯re correct. You should focus on ensuring your safety for tomorrow as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°Yes. That was my intention from the beginning when I said I would go ahead. There¡¯s a lot to prepare.¡±


    ¡°Is that so.¡±


    I grabbed her hand, which was still on my head, and gently lowered it. Then, I lightly pressed my lips to the back of her hand.


    Smooch~


    ¡°Thank you, Ellie. You¡¯re fighting for me even though you¡¯ve retired.¡±


    ¡°If you know that, then treat me well from now on.¡±


    Ellie chuckled, but the power of the hand kiss must have been greater than expected. Her face turned bright red, her lips quivered, and she wagged her tail vigorously.


    Laughing at her reaction, I turned to Lydia and Karen.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be upstairs if you need anything.¡±


    I told them before heading to my room with Karen¡¯s hefty purse in hand.


    Prepare? Yes, I should. But, whether I should or not¡­it was time to prepare for the gacha!!!


    As soon as I closed the door, I spilled today¡¯s earnings all over the desk. Not only had I wiped out a Hobgoblin tribe, but I also included the reward for moving a drugged man to the temple, and there was even all of Karen¡¯s savings. Unfortunately, it was a pile of silver coins with not a single gold coin, but with this much, it must be a considerable amount of money. I didn¡¯t bother counting. After all, it was all going to be spent¡ªno, invested in the gacha.


    The goddess statue was gone because I had given it to Karen, but I prayed with a desperate heart.


    ¡°If you¡¯re a human being¡­ you know, right?¡±


    Ding!


    [Normal Draw]


    Use cash or an equivalent amount of magic stones to randomly obtain items and skills between 1~5 stars.


    [1 Draw] [10+1 Draws]


    ¡°Watch over me!!¡±


    I screamed and frantically pressed the draw button.


    The jingling sound of coins filled the air as my pile of silver quickly disappeared. In its ce, a flood of various trinkets emerged, apanied by a message window in front of me.


    [3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]


    [3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]


    [3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]


    [3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]


    [3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]


    [3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]


    [3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]


    [3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]


    [3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]


    [3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]


    [3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]


    ¡°???¡±


    No, this¡­this wasn¡¯t what I meant by asking you to watch over me¡­

 Chapter 65: Preparation (3)

    Chapter 65: Preparation (3)


    Trinkets overflowed across the desk. Among the long list of texts, what stood out the most was, of course, the notification of 11 goddess statues at the very top.


    ¡°???¡±


    No, that wasn¡¯t what I meant by asking you to watch over me. Did giving Karen the goddess statue in the heat of the moment really upset you that much, oh goddess?


    It was ridiculous enough to be showered with 3-star items, but to think they were all useless goddess statues. Considering my body still felt fine, it seemed like I hadn¡¯t drawn a single skill or power. Did I pour all my luck into those goddess statues?


    ¡°Stop manipting the odds¡­!¡±


    With a resentful heart, I red at the sky, but all I saw was the dreary ceiling. I wanted to hire and send a protest truck if I could, but since I needed to spin the gacha one more time with that money, I let it slide. Still, wasn¡¯t it a huge win to get this many 3-stars anyway? Trying to think positively, I scrolled down the blinking list in front of me.


    1 star: Well-dried Mana Herb


    1 star: Processed Healing Herb


    1 star: Well-dried Mana Herb 1 star: Well-dried Mana Herb


    1 star: Well-dried Mana Herb


    1 star: Perry''s Tears


    1 star: Processed Healing Herb


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    ¡ï4 stars: Invisible Cloak¡ï


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    3 stars: Haste Boots


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    3 stars: Masterpiece - A High-Quality Decorative Cab Perfect for Storing the Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    ¡ï4 stars: Large Capacity Subspace Ring¡ï


    ¡°Whaaat?¡±


    4-stars¡­ two of them? There was something odd in the mix, but overall, the draw turned out quite well. Even better, they were the items I needed most and could use right away. It felt as if they were given to prepare me for what was happening tomorrow.


    ¡°Ah! I see! You aren¡¯t a human being but a goddess!¡±


    I bowed deeply to the goddess whose location I didn¡¯t know. I was so grateful that I bowed twice. Bowing twice is usually reserved for the deceased, but since this wasn¡¯t a Confucian cultural sphere, it probably didn¡¯t matter.


    The goddess who witnessed my double dogeza (not)¡ªa traditional Japanese act of deep apology or respect where you kneel and bow with your head touching the ground, also practiced in Korea¡ªmust have been satisfied.


    ¡°Hehe. Now, let¡¯s take a look.¡±


    Humming, I searched through the pile of magic herbs. I deliberately avoided the goddess statues that could be easily grasped with just a slight touch. Finally, a ss bottle came into my fingertips. In the small bottle, about as thick as a thumb and as long as an index finger, a transparent liquid was sloshing around. Is this that tear or something? I didn¡¯t know what it was used for, but seeing it was 1-star, it was probably a useless junk item.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    For now, I casually tossed it toward a corner of the bed and rummaged through the pile of magic herbs again. This time, what I grabbed felt like soft fabric.


    Pulling it out, I found a cloak that reminded me of silk¡ªthin and soft to the touch. It was a in ck cloak without any patterns. Was this the 4-star invisibility cloak? Just hearing the name made it sound appealing. It would be a great match with my sound-eating footsteps.


    At full power, even Lydia said it would be hard to notice me unless she was sensing her surroundings with aura or looking directly at me. Now that I wouldn¡¯t be visible to the eyes, it would be even harder to detect me. Whether I needed to run away orunch a surprise attack, this equipment would be of great use.


    ¡°Eutcha.¡±


    As I draped the slightlyrge cloak over my shoulders, it smoothly shrank to fit my size perfectly. But how did I use this thing? Most magical tools worked if you infused them with magical power, so I tried channeling a tiny bit of magic into it.


    Wooong¡ª


    The cloak greedily absorbed my magical power, gradually bing faint until it perfectly blended into the surrounding scenery. But my body remained visible.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    Did it mean the cloak became invisible when worn, not the wearer? And it got 4-stars for this!?


    As I almost let out a string of swear words, I nced at the mirror half-buried in a pile of magical herbs. My frustration instantly vanished.


    In the mirror, where I should have been, there was no sign of me. It seemed my body was visible only to my own eyes.


    I swung around a weapon, just in case. Things close to my body became invisible with me, but as soon as they left my hand, they reappeared. Looking at objects like desks, which stayed visible even when I touched them, it seemed making something toorge invisible was impossible. Overall, the cloak seemed like a top-tier item; however, there was one problem.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    It used too much magical power. Originally, magical tools were difficult to make because they involvedplex magic circles and precious materials, but they were easy to use. They used less magical power, and their effects were consistent. Yet, this cloak couldn¡¯t even maintain invisibility for 10 seconds despite the reduced consumption. Even though I¡¯d been consistently eating mana herbs, and the faint me of my magic had reached a level where it couldst for nearly 5 minutes. It seemed I¡¯d have to use this sparingly, only in critical moments.


    The next item was Haste Boots. I could pretty much guess their effect from the name, but¡­ unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t check them out right now.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    How could I use a magical device when I was almost out of mana? While munching on the mana herbs scattered around, I decided to check out the other item first. It was something like a transparent ss case with a suspiciously strong presence.


    ¡°This has to be that, right?¡±


    If you buy a figure, it¡¯s only natural to buy a disy case for it, too. Of course, I was practically forced into buying it, so it didn¡¯t really matter to me!


    But still, this case was really well made. It seemed custom-made, just the right size for the goddess statues. The body was so clear that you could easily see inside. And it was lighter than I expected. Judging by the texture and feel, it was definitely made of ss¡­ but it couldn¡¯t be ordinary ss, could it?


    Just to be sure, I lightly scratched the top part with a unicorn dagger. If it were ordinary ss, it should have been cut or shattered right away¡­


    Grrk.


    The surface of the case remained intact. Well, there were slight scratches, but not enough to be visible to the naked eye.


    ¡°It¡¯s sturdy¡­¡±


    It must have been made with some special ss-like material, or maybe it was thickly coated with strengthening magic. As I chuckled at how well-made it was, I discovered a small button on the side of the case. So, I pressed it.


    Pop!


    Light burst from the top part of the case. It seemed to be a disy case with its own set of lights.


    ¡°It would definitely look cool to put the statues here.¡±


    I chuckled at the thought that it was called ¡®High-Quality¡¯ for nothing and pressed the button once more.


    Pffft!


    But instead of turning off, the light changed color and began to shine red.


    ¡°¡­Is there no instruction manual?¡±


    I pressed the button repeatedly. Each time, the light changed to different colors: blue, purple, yellow, pink, and so on. After fiddling around for a while, pressing and holding it down finally turned the light off.


    ¡°It¡¯s really unnecessarily well-made.¡±


    Shaking my head, I then tried using the Haste Boots, having restored my mana. Just as I expected, it consumed a certain amount of mana to speed up all actions for about 30 seconds. However, it didn¡¯t speed up the thought process, and since it consumed quite a bit, it seemed impractical to use continuously. It was something to use briefly in crucial moments but impractical to usevishly in everyday situations.


    With this, I finished checking all the items. Now, all that was left were the 22 eyes looking at me with an unnecessarilypassionate expression¡­!


    Swallowing my saliva, I picked up a goddess statue. Then, as if it had been waiting, a notification window popped up.


    Ding!


    Do you want to synthesize this?


    [3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]


    I pondered for a moment while looking at the notification. Couldn¡¯t I just sell these 11 statues to the temple for gold? If I did that, how many times could I spin the gacha¡­? It was a tremendous temptation. But I resisted.


    This incident made it clear. The goddess of love could somewhat interfere with the results of the gacha. Hadn¡¯t she threateningly stuffed me with 11 of them after I gave one to Karen? If I wasn¡¯t careful, all the gachas that came out in the future might only be goddess statues. Or just magic herbs.


    There was no need to provoke the goddess¡¯s displeasure deliberately. It was just a bit of friction; it wasn¡¯t like we were sworn enemies. Above all, I was a bit curious about what would happen if I synthesized them.


    I took a deep breath and nodded.


    ¡°Synthesize.¡±


    Whoosh!


    As soon as I gave my permission, one of the goddess statues on the ground shone brightly and was oveid onto the statue in my hand.


    Ding!


    An rm signaling thepletion of the synthesis rang, but instead of reading it, I continued to synthesize.


    ¡°Synthesize. Synthesize. Synthesize!¡±


    Exactly ten times. After synthesizing all the goddess statues into one, the sound of the notification changed. It wasn¡¯t a dry bell sound but rather a fanfare being yed.


    Bam-ba-ka-bam-!


    [3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World+9]


    have been synthesized into


    [3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World+10]


    Congrattions!


    The potential of [3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World] has been fully unlocked!


    ¡°Kyah!¡±


    It was a full +10 upgrade. Considering the vastness of the gacha pool, did it really take +10 to upgrade an item fully? A sense of madness bubbled up in a corner of my heart, but after all, wasn¡¯t it a good thing that I had managed to achieve such a rare full upgrade? I took a closer look to see what had changed. Then, I realized a terrifying fact.


    It didn¡¯t matter that the body, which had been fully white, had be full-colored, or that it emitted a soft divine power, or even that it felt warm to the touch. The issue was that the statue, which was clearly made of stone, looked as soft as if it were made of silicone!


    Squish.


    ¡°Gasp¡­!¡±


    Oh my.


    Itsasoftsticwlesswarmminigoddessoflove!!


    Faith began to swell inside me.

 Chapter 66: Preparation (4)

    Chapter 66: Preparation (4)


    I quietly looked at the <span>softsticwlesswarmminigoddessoflove held in my hand.


    It¡¯s small enough to fit snugly in my palm, but its proportions are identical to those of an adult woman. No, it wouldn¡¯t be right to call them identical.


    The sturdy pelvis and buttocks promise easy childbirth, and the heavy breasts seem to ensure a baby would never go hungry. On the other hand, the waist is slender, and the arms and legs are delicate, evoking both lust and a protective instinct.


    An entity that refines femininity and beauty to the utmost. Isn¡¯t it too harsh to equate such a figure with that of an ordinary adult woman?


    And then there¡¯s the face. Pink eyes sparkle as if stars were embedded in them. A nose that is neither too high nor too low exudes a mysterious aura. From the faint smile on her lips, a kind of maternal love can be felt.


    To think I would find a face the size of the joint of my finger this beautiful. The sexual allure of a woman and maternal love, all stimted at once by her appearance. Nothing I have ever seen before could be as <em>lovEllie</em> as the being before me.


    ¡°¡­To see a setting I¡¯ve only read about in text be a reality is truly terrifying.¡±


    I thought the original marble-carved figure was incredibly beautiful, but this is on another level. I kept admiring internally, looking beyond the overall impression to see what else had changed.


    After the beauty that made her seem like a real goddess rather than a statue, the next thing that caught the eye would indeed be the intricate details. Originally, it was a well-carved statue that seemed to have real clothes, hair, and skin, but now, it was as if the real thing had been attached.First, the soft and squishy texture of the skin. At first, it reminded me of the silicone material I often saw on Earth. Soft and squishy. A solitary writer needs a silent friend. In that sense, there was a time when I studied various materials for dolls. While it¡¯s true that silicone feels good, it¡¯s not to this extent. TPE material, which has a superior touch but lower durability and oozes oil, is the same.


    It didn¡¯t feel artificial. It felt like I was touching real human skin, and its warmth made it feel even more realistic.


    ¡°Sniff, sniff.¡±


    I even smelled it, just in case, but instead of the smell of chemicals, I only sensed a pleasant scent of skin. Indeed, as much as the blessing sprinkled on me allows me to control my body odor, this should be a simple task.


    While the skin is astonishing, it doesn¡¯t end here. Next is the hair. Wavy pink hair ripples as it sways down to the waist. Yes, it sways. Surprisingly, the hair of the fully upgraded goddess statue was made not of stone but of a material resembling real hair!


    Every <em>livEllie</em> strand was simr to, or even better than, Ellie, who usually spends a fortune diligently taking care of her fur. I tried to pull on a strand lightly, but there was no sign of iting out, as if it had always been part of the same body.


    With this, it seems safe to say that there won¡¯t be any incidents of hair loss from a momentary mistake, like with my girlfriend mk¡¤3<sup>1</a></sup>.


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    I took a deep breath and finally examined the clothes. A garment from ancient Greece, made by weaving a single wide piece of cloth. A design reminiscent of a toga. Surprisingly, this also had transformed into a material just like real fabric.


    ¡°¡­Could it be?¡±


    With a hopeful heart, I turned the statue upside down to peek underneath. Previously, it was impossible because it was <empletEllie</em> attached to the body, but now it should be possible!


    Flutter.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    However, <em>unfortunatEllie</em>, due to the posture, it is only visible up to the thighs, and I couldn¡¯t confirm if or what panties it has on. In my haste, I tried to bend the knees slightly, but the legs wouldn¡¯t budge at all. It seems like they don¡¯t have joints.


    ¡°Haah¡­.¡±


    What¡¯s the point of a figure if you can¡¯t see the panties? This makes it ¡®unusable¡¯ in real life!


    Suddenly, I began to despise the world. With a feeling of disappointment, I started to fiddle with the soft chest of the goddess statue, wondering what other features it might have, one by one.


    It took a while, but after looking into it, there wasn¡¯t much to be impressed about. At best, it had be a relic emitting a faint divine power, capable of activating once a day to enhance physical abilities and regeneration speed, creating a mini sanctuary. On cold days, it could also serve as a hand warmer, and when ced in its special case, it turned into RGB lighting, smoothly transitioning through all existing colors.


    Beyond that, there really wasn¡¯t any notable effect. Love doll¡­ no, onahole¡­ not that either. Anyway, for something that raised such high expectations, it was a rather underwhelming upgrade.


    ¡°Since this came out because I asked to be watched over, I wondered if she had descended through divine possession, but it wasn¡¯t even that.¡±


    It¡¯s just a doll that feels <em>strangEllie</em> sphemous to touch because it looks pretty, cute, sexy, and makes you feel good when you touch it, but it just happens to have the appearance of a goddess.


    ¡°You¡¯ve given me trash again! Someday, I will have my revenge, Goddess of Love!!¡±


    Shouting so, I gently stroked the goddess statue held in my hand. Then, I put it in its special case by my bedside, making it shine with the fancy RGB lighting, and slipped the second 4-star item that came outst, arge capacity subspace ring, onto my index finger.


    This is also a really great item and useful, but since I already know the purpose and how to use it, there¡¯s no need to test this and that. The middle-aged woman from the Twin Dagger n who kidnapped me before used one, and Lydia also wore one on each finger to summon her necessary weapons whenever needed. I can use mine in the same way. It¡¯s just that the capacity has gotten much bigger.


    ¡°Yap.¡±


    A peculiar resistance felt at the fingertips as a bit of magical power was infused. Then, I started stuffing various items inside. Leftover mana herbs and recovery herbs that seem <em>unlikEllie</em> to be consumed today, various potions, and even arrows, a unicorn dagger, and a sheathed dagger. It¡¯s time to also put in a few throwing weapons that I¡¯ve been <em>deliberatEllie</em> not using because they made me feel heavy.


    There¡¯s room for more, but considering the loot from hunting monsters, it¡¯s probably best to keep some space free. Thinking this, I nodded. At that moment, I suddenly saw the RGB goddess statue illuminating the bed.


    ¡°Could it be¡­?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t given with the intention for me to carry the goddess statue wherever I go, right? After much thought, I couldn¡¯t deny it. In case the precedent of me giving the goddess statue to someone else, only to suddenly end up with a fully awakened goddess statue, were to happen again, I decided to carry it around whenever possible.


    ¡°Starting tomorrow, not today.¡±


    As if making excuses to someone, I said that andy down on the bed. The Goddess of Love statue, surrounded by the fancy lights, looked down at me with apassionate smile.


    ¡­It was somewhat ufortable. But perhaps because of the divine power softly emanating from it, sleep came easily. The sensation of my body floating and my mind bing hazy as I fell into sleep.


    As my vision faded, I could see the corners of the goddess statue¡¯s mouth turning up in a crooked smile, as if everything was going ording to n¡­


    <em>SurEllie</em>, it was just a mistake seen in my drowsiness.<hr>


    I woke up after a good sleep. Judging by the dazzling sunlighting in from the window, it seems to be a clear day.


    ¡°It¡¯s a perfect day for killing someone.¡±


    I nodded and abruptly got up from the bed. With familiar movements, I fully armed myself, and then¡­ no, I took the goddess statue out of its case and put it into the subspace before heading down to the first floor.


    However, Ellie, who is always around, was nowhere to be seen. Only Lydia and Karen were there.


    ¡°Huh? Where¡¯s Ellie?¡±


    ¡°Senior Ellie went to get her equipment.¡±


    ¡°Ah? So, are we waiting here to go together?¡±


    ¡°Yes. However, Inquisitor Karen will wait a bit longer and then enter aler.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s wary of the eyes nted in the guild.¡±


    ¡°Correct. We¡¯ve agreed to meet at Safe Zone 26, so I¡¯ll go ahead and wait there to join up then.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good!¡±


    Karen, who had been devoutly praying to the goddess statue I gave, released her sped hands and said,


    ¡°There¡¯s something you need to know, Sir Jonah.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible that they¡¯ve strengthened their power more than what I had seen before. After all, I did stir things up quite a bit.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°So, if it seems our forces are insufficient, we¡¯ll aim to stop the ritual rather than eradicate the heresy. And if even that seems too difficult, we¡¯ll prioritize survival.¡±


    ¡°I understand. In such a situation, there¡¯s no helping it.¡±


    If asked whether it¡¯s worth risking the lives of those quite dear to me, like Ellie and Lydia¡­ Well, I¡¯d say it¡¯s not to that extent. Above all, it¡¯s one thing to risk my own life, but I can¡¯t ask others to risk theirs for me.


    Nodding briefly, Ellie appeared in an attire that was not that of the usual bartender but a ck full-body suit that clung tightly to her frame. The empty sleeve of one arm was tied up so it wouldn¡¯t dangle.


    Lydia raised her hand sharply towards Ellie, whose muscr figure was fully exposed.


    ¡°Senior Ellie. Jonah is rolling up some expensive equipment I¡¯ve never seen before.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Ellie, tilting her head in confusion, was met with Lydia driving the point home.


    ¡°A transparent cloak hard to find even in the Magic Tower, boots with magic embedded, and even a top-grade subspace ring. Did he rob your storage, Senior Ellie?¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t have such equipment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a baseless nder! Would I ever steal Ellie¡¯s equipment?!¡±


    Ellie tilted her head to the other side, and I shouted in frustration.


    Then Lydia blinked with an indifferent expression.


    ¡°Then where did you steal them from?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start with the assumption I stole them!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    I let out a deep sigh and then pointed at Karen, who was looking around beside me.


    ¡°Yesterday, after praying fervently to the Goddess of Love with the money I received from Inquisitor Karen, I fell asleep, and then it suddenly appeared. This shows that I am a man of deep faith.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. If it¡¯s Sir Jonah, it could be possible.¡±


    Karen nodded her head. Then, she began to offer prayers to me.


    ¡­She believes this?<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    Jonah is probably referring to a character from the mobile game ''Girl''s Frontline''?</a></li></ol>

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    If you pray earnestly, the universe¡ªno, the Goddess of Love¡ªwill grant your wish! And that, too, with the high-quality equipment you need right now!


    Even I think it¡¯s a pretty poor excuse. Who would believe such a thing? It¡¯s suspicious, but since it¡¯s between us, I¡¯ll let it slide just this once.


    That was exactly what I was aiming for with my words, but then¡­


    ¡°Hmm. If it¡¯s Sir Jonah, it could be possible.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡­She believes this?


    Just to be sure, I carefully observed Karen¡¯s eyes. She was praying devoutly, her gaze unwavering. The conviction that it was possible if it was me was palpably conveyed.


    Ellie¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment, her disbelief underscored by the absolute support from none other than the inquisitor.


    ¡°Jonah, what on earth have you been doing? It wasn¡¯t like this thest time I saw you.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha. Well, how should I put it? Things just turned out this way.¡±


    ¡°Does that even make sense?¡±


    Ellie sighed, her voice faintly trembling as if she was anxious. Seeing her react this way, it couldn¡¯t be that she was nervous about the fight, could it? Then, there was only one reason. It must be unsettling for her to see me looking different from before as if I might disappear somewhere.


    It seemed necessary to reassure her a bit here. As Ellie, merely opening and closing her mouth, tried to say something but couldn¡¯t, I ced my index finger on her lips.


    ¡°Shh. I may not be the moneyless, houseless, or strengthless kid who Ellie knew, but I¡¯m still the same kid who was confident in nothing but his face. Nothing has changed.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that so.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Ellie closed her mouth briefly and stared at me with an intense, almost uncanny gaze. It wasn¡¯t fear of me disappearing or changing, but something more fundamental, more instinctual. It felt like the look of a child who doesn¡¯t know what to do after facing their wrongdoing.


    If something were wrong between us, it would surely be my fault, not Ellie¡¯s. After all, I was the one who forced this incident to happen. But we couldn¡¯t keep up this gloomy atmosphere forever, especially when we were about to head into a fight.


    I forced a grin and scanned Ellie¡¯s full-body suit as if I were licking it with my eyes.


    ¡°Ellie, what¡¯s with that lewd outfit? Are you trying to seduce me?¡±


    ¡°What? Lewd¡­? Seduce¡­?¡±


    Ellie looked utterly bewildered as if she hadn¡¯t expected to hear that at all. Tapping her distinct abs, I continued.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Come to my room wearing thister!¡±


    ¡°Ha! Jonah, you¡¯re the one asking me toe. You think I won¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Huh? I¡¯ve never stopped you before, so why are you suddenly acting tough¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­Shut up! Anyway, all of this is a story for after everything goes smoothly, so be careful. I won¡¯t ask how you got it, but I¡¯ve seen more than one fool get hurt trying to use new equipment they¡¯re not ready for.¡±


    ¡°Ah. With Lady Lydia, Inquisitor Karen, and even Ellie there, what could go wrong? ¡­But I¡¯ll still hide as promised. And run away if anything happens.¡±


    ¡°Right. That¡¯s enough.¡±


    Ellie, stretching while patting my head with one arm, yawned. The sleek yet flexible muscles characteristic of a predatory beast writhed before my eyes.


    ¡°Huat! It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve had a real fight. Lydia, don¡¯t hold us back.¡±


    ¡°How many years do you think it¡¯s been since you retired? Don¡¯t fall behind, Senior Ellie.¡±


    The two exchanged grins and took the lead, heading out of Fairy and Silver Coin. Karen and I watched them for a moment before slowly following. It was time to deal with those heretics.


    Ellie, Lydia, and I entered first, as promised. Normally, I would pair up with Lydia, but today, I feigned excitement to show Ellie my progress.


    After waiting for a while at the meeting ce, Karen approached from a distance, exuding a mix of fatigue and fervor.


    ¡°You¡¯ve arrived not toote. Were we followed?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I checked several times just to be sure, but we weren¡¯t followed. ¡­And with the Goddess herself orchestrating this, what interference could there possibly be?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well. You do know that the Goddess of Love is currently unable to intervene directly on the surface because she¡¯s stabilizing thebyrinth, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why the Goddess sent her proxy, Sir Jonah.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Karen¡¯s eyes zed with fervor, the fanaticism almost frightening against the backdrop of fatigue etched around her eyes.


    Is this really okay? To openly proceed with the saint (not) route, secretly carrying out the will of the Goddess?


    The truth is, there¡¯s no other option. If I dere now that ¡®It was all a lie,¡¯ I might be branded a heretic for impersonating a saint and risk being executed by Karen.


    Despite this, I felt a twinge of guilt, or perhaps it was a sense of responsibility. Casually, I fiddled with the goddess statue I had stashed away in the subspace, asking inwardly.


    ¡®Is it okay to go on like this?¡¯


    The statue remained soft, chewy, and warm¡ªthe permission was unmistakable. Since the agreement with the concerned party had been smoothly concluded, there was no need for hesitation.


    Although a fingernail-sized divine power had settled inside me, I didn¡¯t know how to use it. For now, I tried my best to imitate the benevolent smile of the goddess statue I had observed thoroughly yesterday.


    ¡°However, I can¡¯t do anything with my power alone. Will you help me, Inquisitor Karen?¡±


    ¡°Until my power is exhausted, there will never be an end to this faith.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful. Then, may I ask for your guidance right away?¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me.¡±


    Karen, brimming with enthusiasm, led the way. Lydia, shivering as she watched, and Ellie, wearing a dumbfounded expression, stood side by side and asked in a low voice.


    ¡°Jonah, tell us the truth. Are you really a saint?¡±


    ¡°Ye-yeah, Jonah. I won¡¯t tell anyone, so can you give us a little hint? Just a little?¡±


    No, why are they both so serious? With a bitter smile at their naive expressions, I shook my head.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not sure myself. The Goddess of Love indeed favors me, but this love is not unconditional. ¡­More than anything, I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m even worthy of it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Ellie and Lydia, who were once so curious, now pressed their lips tightly shut. I shrugged my shoulders toward them.


    ¡°But my feelings toward both of you are selfless. Just like how you both help me without expecting anything in return!¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, it might not be about helping, but rather repaying a debt.¡±


    ¡°Jonah owes me a debt. I have no intention of letting him go until he pays it all back.¡±


    The two followed Karen with a snicker. How long had we roamed through the Great Forest?


    Since we had deliberately met on the outskirts where no one was around, it took quite some time to reach the deepest center, the illusion of the World Tree.


    Still, perhaps because it was before thebyrinth had reshuffled, with Karen, who had been there once, and my skill in not getting lost, we managed to find our way without trouble.


    The giant trees that weremon in the Great Forest left me speechless for a moment with their majesty, which seemed not just to cover the sky but to support it.


    ¡°This is the World Tree¡­¡±


    ¡°Just a little further from here is where I encountered One Who Devours the Twilight.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s proceed with caution from here.¡±


    I moved forward using my Sound-Eating Footsteps. The others employed their unique techniques or magical tools to approach the World Tree silently.


    Up close, the World Tree looked more like a wall than a tree trunk. Of course, it wasn¡¯t solid, so touching it meant passing right through¡­ yet, despite that, there was an open in around the World Tree as if something was indeed there.


    And on that in, there were figures that, at a nce, emitted a suspicious aura. They were certainly wearing robes of ordinary colors, but that alone couldn¡¯t mask the distorted divine power emanating from their bodies.


    Above all, it was but a glimpse, yet a red heart symbol was engraved near the heart. This mark of fanaticism indicated a vow to offer one¡¯s heart¡ªeverything to the goddess of love. Without a doubt, they were followers of One Who Devours the Twilight.


    They were gathered closely in front of the decaying corpses of monsters strewn about; their appearance was bizarre beyondparison. Fortunately, thanks to the havoc Karen and Ian had wreaked previously, there seemed to be fewer in number than expected.


    At the center stood a fanatic of unusually small stature, as Karen had mentioned, but possessing divine power more intense than anyone else present. The distorted divine power was not just leaking out; it was flowing freely, indicating he either had no intention of hiding it or could not do so.


    At first nce, he looked like he had something going on¡­ but right now, there was something more important.


    I thought it would take a while since they were hunting monsters in front of the World Tree¡­ but to think they¡¯d find the right method in just one day.


    The followers of One Who Devours the Twilight stood around in a circle drawn on the ground. At its center, two people were tightly bound. Not just any other race, but the elves, who so desperately wanted to protect the World Tree in its lifetime, would be this time¡¯s sacrifice. And this was the correct answer.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect them to find the summoning method so quickly.¡±


    The grinding of teeth in anxiousness was brief. For some reason, the faces of the two elves tied up looked familiar.


    ¡°¡­Lemon? Apple?¡±


    Why were those girls captured again? Did they enter thebyrinth because they wanted to be tightly bound?

 Chapter 68: Identity (2)

    Chapter 68: Identity (2)


    The Floor Guardian of the first floor. Although I don¡¯t know what will appear, I do know how to summon it.


    This is because I paid quite some attention to it, as it marks the real start of the story.


    To exin it properly would be too long, so to summarize briefly¡­


    It¡¯s a sacrificial ritual.


    The residents of the Great Forest¡­in this case, all the monsters on the first floor and the elves. A specific number of them are massacred in front of the World Tree, and their bodies areid out. Finally, when someone harboring a desperate desire for revenge prays for power to the World Tree, that¡¯s the end.


    At first nce, it might seem like a simple task that makes one wonder why it hadn¡¯t been discovered yet, but upon closer inspection, it¡¯s not so simple.


    Why would anyone bother dragging monsters to the front of the World Tree andy out their bodies without even extracting their Magic Stones?


    Rather than dragging a load a long way, it was better to ughter the monsters on the spot and take the Magic Stones and drops.


    Prayers towards the World Tree? In the early days of the Labyrinth, when there were still elves who hadn¡¯t abandoned their faith in the World Tree, maybe, but nowadays, there are no elves who truly believe in the World Tree.At best, maybe Eve, who has carried on the old way of thinking?


    Conversely, this means that in the distant past, there were quite a few elves who truly believed in the World Tree¡­.


    What they wished from the World Tree was its revival.


    Like a child who has lost its mother, merely grieving and begging for her to return.


    That was themon emotion held by the elves at the time. It¡¯s not for nothing that a racial depression urred.


    As the Great Forest became abyrinth, the sentiments of the inhabitants became distorted, and because the elves¡¯ affection for the World Tree was much more poignant than the World Tree¡¯s thoughts, it was simple yet undiscovered by anyone.


    Over time, those who truly believed in the World Tree disappeared, making the achievement practically impossible.


    In the novel I intended to write, the protagonist was to join an elf party as a porter, only to be annihted by raiders who brought monsters.


    A theme enjoying the difference in perception of gender reversal. The protagonist, who barely survived by hiding among the corpses, was like me, a transmigrator from Earth.


    Lackingmon sense and not even knowing that the World Tree was already a dead deity, he sincerely prayed and identally met the summoning conditions.


    Thus, the summoned Floor Guardian wins, but is exhausted after killing all the raiders, and the protagonist defeats the wounded Guardian and gains power¡­ something like that?


    Well, in my case, I was thinking of buying an elf corpse to use.


    Among the numerous races, elves, known for their longevity, are inherently valuable.


    Some elves, aware of this, leave wills to sell their corpses for inheritance.


    Of course, among elves, this is considered a ruthless act¡­ but still, there¡¯s a legal way to acquire one.


    Anyway, how he figured out this simple yetplex condition so quickly is beyond me.


    Following Karen, we arrived in front of the World Tree¡¯s illusion. There, the One Who Devours the Twilight were standing in a circle among countless monster corpses.


    In the center of that circle, there were two elves who were soon to share the same fate as the monsters¡­but somehow, their faces looked familiar.


    ¡°¡­Lemon? Apple?¡±


    Why are those girls captured again?


    Do they enter the Labyrinth because they want to be tightly bound?? Is bondage their hobby??


    As I muttered to myself in disbelief, Ellie, who had been measuring the angle for an attack next to me, flinched and whispered.


    ¡°What the? Does Jonah know them?¡±


    ¡°Yes. If you look closely, Ellie, you might remember them too? They are the ones who came to Fairy and Silver Coin to take me awayst time.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the ones who were captured by those raiders.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The dagger I¡¯m using now was alsomissioned from someone who takes care of those two¡­I didn¡¯t know they would be captured again.¡±


    As I sighed deeply, Lydia, who had already drawn her rapier, narrowed her eyes and stared straight ahead as she spoke.


    ¡°Senior Ellie. I heard the smallest one is the strongest, so you take care of that one. I¡¯ll handle the one leading the ritual over there. Inquisitor Karen, please take care of the sacrifice offerings in the meantime.¡±


    ¡°That sounds reasonable.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me.¡±


    Ellie and Karen nodding their heads. Lydia, who had raised her aura, sneakily nced this way.


    ¡°Jonah, you wait here. Later, when Inquisitor Karen brings the hostage, release and treat them, but don¡¯t join the fight. No, don¡¯t do anything that draws attention.¡±


    ¡°I got it, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    Lydia nodded slightly. Then, she silently looked at Ellie and Karen.


    Without a word, the three of them simultaneously stomped on the ground.


    <em>Kwang!</em>


    Ears ringing, and the ground shaking with a roar loud enough to stir the earth. There was a small crater on the ground, and before he knew it, the three had beenunched far ahead.


    The first to arrive was, of course, Ellie. She stood in front of the petite frame and took a firm stance.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you bitches tired of this! Instead of quietly living in a corner, you always have to jump out and court death!¡±


    Ellie bends her elbow greatly, pulling her arm back. It looked as if she was pulling a bowstring to its limit.


    The small figure, now the target, showed no sign of panic and calmly offered a prayer.


    ¡°Goddess. The affection I have for you makes me forget even the flow of time.¡±


    It had a small voice that matched its small stature. But it could not be ignored.


    <em>Wooong-</em>


    A murky purple fog surrounds Ellie. Does it have an effect that hinders movement? Ellie¡¯s movements slowed down as if she was entering water.


    But can itpletely suppress Ellie¡¯s strength?


    <em>ng!</em>


    With the sound of something breaking, the fog enveloping Ellie scatters in all directions. However, perhaps because she had used strength in the process, the trajectory of her extending fist distorted.


    The wind pressure alone was enough to shake the surrounding area. However, it missed, and the heretics stood right there.


    ¡°O Goddess-!¡±


    The prayer continues. It seems it will take some time to settle this matter.


    Nodding inwardly, I turned my gaze to the side. There, Lydia, who arrived a stepter than Ellie, was stabbing the heart of a heretic with a rapier enveloped in aura.


    It¡¯s the one who tried to kill Lemon and Apple.


    ¡°Kuhuk¡­¡±


    The guy, foaming blood at the mouth, throws the weapon he was clutching with all his might towards Lemon and Apple. But.


    <em>ng!</em>


    It was blocked by Karen¡¯s spear, who had run up just in time.


    It had no special decoration. Just a de and a shaft. Though the spear was simple, having only those two parts, it felt like it was quite effective for its intended purpose.


    Karen¡¯s eyes, which had been weary from fatigue, were now zing with anger. Whether it was because she hadn¡¯t forgotten her purpose, she quickly retrieved Lemon and Apple and returned.


    ¡°Sir Jonah. Please use this if you need it.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±


    Karen, who handed over a bottle of holy water with an effect simr to a potion, dashes back into the battlefield.


    Indeed, as Karen said, most of the One Who Devours the Twilight seemed to be at aparable level.


    After taking one down with a surprise attack, Lydia swings her greatsword, felling heretics like falling leaves.


    Karen was also calmly piercing hearts one by one.


    Of course, the One Who Devours the Twilight were not just sitting idly by, those wrapped in murky divine power took the lead to confront Lydia and Karen, while the rest stepped back to prepare their distorted divine magic.


    But it wasn¡¯t much of a big deal.


    The heretical divine power was engulfed by Lydia¡¯s me-like fiercely burning aura, shattered into pieces without being able to exert its power.


    And even if someone managed to break through, they were intercepted by Karen¡¯s spear, emitting a clear pink light.


    There were alsopleted divine spells in between, but¡­


    ¡°Shut up! You who distort the will of the Goddess!¡±


    <em>Paaht!</em>


    The distorted miracle crushed by the pure divine power emanating from Karen¡¯s body.


    Yes. This is definitely as Karen said, even with just one of them, they have the power to win.


    So, the problem is indeed on Ellie¡¯s side.


    With a single punch or kick from Ellie, the ground flips over, and an explosion is heard in the air.


    She¡¯s not like Lydia, who is surrounded by aura. She¡¯s just strong and simply solid.


    The growth reward of the Labyrinth seems to have honed the beast tribe¡¯s inherently strong physique to the extreme.


    Ellie, who unleashed primitive violence, was emitting a fierce fighting aura, entirely different from the Ellie I know.


    Yet, the small figure was somehow keeping up with Ellie.


    The purple mist dulled Ellie¡¯s body, causing punches to miss, and the distorted blessings that other heretics barely managed toplete after a long time poured out by the second.


    Moreover, what that person was using was not only the power of the Goddess of Love.


    A purple crystal spear piercing the air, a warrior shimmering in violet appears from behind, swinging his sword, and at his feet, extraordinary mes flicker.


    Judging by the divine power felt in all of them, it¡¯s clear that he¡¯s wielding the powers of another god, though where he got it is unknown.


    Yet, despite this, he couldn¡¯t inflict a wound on Ellie.


    The crystal spear only managed to scratch Ellie¡¯s body, and the warrior¡¯s head was sent flying by Ellie¡¯s translucent fist. The mes spreading at its feet were extinguished as the ground was overturned with a single advance.


    Ellie gradually neutralizes the small figure¡¯s power and closes the distance.


    Although it seems that it will take some time, it won¡¯t be dangerous.


    Only after being certain of victory did I let out a sigh of relief and turned my gaze to Lemon and Apple rolling on the ground.


    Their needlessly sparkling eyes. It would have been better if their pants didn¡¯t sparkle as well.


    Locking eyes with Lemonade Dispenser and Just Apple, they opened their mouths.


    ¡°Sir Jonah! Did youe to save us?!¡±


    ¡°As expected from Sir Jonah!¡±


    ¡°No. I was captured too.¡±


    ¡°¡­???¡±


    ¡°¡­???¡±


    The confused duo.


    When they look at you with such expectant eyes, don¡¯t you just want to betray those expectations?

 Chapter 69: Identity (3)

    Chapter 69: Identity (3)


    ¡°Sir Jonah! Did youe to save us?!¡±


    ¡°As expected from Jonah!¡±


    ¡°No, I was captured too.¡±


    ¡°¡­???¡±


    ¡°¡­???¡±


    The confused duo.


    What can I say? When they look at you with such expectant eyes, don¡¯t you just want to betray those expectations? What I just said was prompted by that kind of instinct.


    I chuckled at the two, who were gaping at me with dumb expressions, and freed them from their ropes with the Unicorn Dagger.


    ¡°It was a joke. But it¡¯s true that I didn¡¯te to save you.¡±¡°Ah, thank you. But if you didn¡¯te to save us¡­.¡±


    ¡°Then how did you know toe here? Wasn¡¯t it Boss Eve who asked you toe?¡±


    ¡°How would Miss Eve know you were captured and to ask for help¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Ah, these blockheads.


    But still, they¡¯re my blockheads.


    Checking if Lemon and Apple had any injuries, I fiddled with their bodies here and there.


    ¡°Those guys. They¡¯re One Who Devours the Twilight, right? While it¡¯s also amon rule to beat them up as soon as they¡¯re spotted¡­but more than that, they have their eyes on something I had my eye on. So, they need to be killed right here.¡±


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    ¡°The Ruler of the Back Alleys¡­!¡±


    Why is that phraseing up here? The One Who Devours the Twilight aren¡¯t just some neighborhood thugs.


    Anyway, it doesn¡¯t seem like there are any injuries, so there¡¯s no need to pour holy water.


    ¡°Now, if you understand, Lemon, step back.¡±


    ¡°Could it be that Sir Jonah is also going to fight?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m saying that Sir Jonah is weak, but you¡¯re just going to hinder them there.¡±


    ¡°Who said anything about going to fight? I told you to step back because you smell like pee, Lemon. Ah, Apple, you can stay as you are.¡±


    ¡°That, that¡¯s too mean!¡±


    ¡°As expected of Sir Jonah. An excellent judgment. The smelly Lemon should quickly move away.¡±


    Apple clings to me, making a shushing sound with her mouth. In contrast, Lemon looks as if the world has crumbled, hesitating and keeping her distance.


    It seems she¡¯s also bothered by her awkward smell.


    In such a posture, hunched down, I looked over the battlefield with Apple by my side.


    The misceneous ones were mostly dealt with by Lydia and Karen. What remained were only Ellie and the small figure.


    But their fight was more intense than I imagined.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A sound like a bomb exploding. The air pressure created by Ellie¡¯s fist mows down the weeds and overturns the ground.


    However, that overwhelming force never reaches the small figure. If it did, the air pressure wouldn¡¯t be wrecking the innocent ground like this.


    Time partially slows down, the translucent warrior burns with zeal without fatigue, lightning pouring down from the clear sky as if it is divine punishment, and even the corpses of the already dead heretics squirm and cling to Ellie.


    Of course, most of them are not causing any significant harm to Ellie.


    Breaking through the time barrier with force, the translucent warrior had already faced death dozens of times. The lightning is split apart by Ellie¡¯s knife-hand strike, and the corpses clinging like meat dough burst open with a single kick from Ellie¡¯s foot.


    The small figure was mimicking the powers of all sorts of dead gods with the divine power received from the Goddess of Love.


    Of course, it was a feeble levelpared to real divine miracles, but still, it was a terrible power no different from natural disasters.


    Then, what does that make Ellie, who nonchntly brushes aside those natural disasters?


    ¡°Ellie is strong¡­.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a monster.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not human.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Ellie is just an ordinary person! Even at that age, having such strength and corresponding wealth, being someone who¡¯s forever alone, she¡¯s just a kid struggling with her single status¡­no, she¡¯s not a kid. Anyway, that¡¯s the kind of person she is!¡±


    ¡°I suddenly feel a sense of camaraderie with her.¡±


    ¡°It seems she¡¯s one of us¡­¡±


    With Lemon and Apple¡¯s voices suddenly bingfortable, I chuckled and focused on the battle before me.


    Even without one arm, Ellie was strong.


    Iprehensibly strong.


    But Ellie was not simply strong. While she overwhelmingly pressed with her brute physical power, she was also skillfully cutting off her opponent¡¯s attacks, step by step.


    The priest, by nature, bes more desperate and can perform stronger miracles the more he is cornered¡­ Yet, the reason this small figure continues to be at a disadvantage is due to Ellie¡¯s meticulousbat strategy.


    She fights more cunningly than her opponent, using pure strength as her weapon, where no trickery can intervene.


    This was a hunt. Ellie was the wolf, and the small figure took on the role of the sheep¡­ It was a y with a predetermined ending.


    Knowing that it was being hunted, the small figure had no choice but to be dragged along. Any effort to create a variable was blocked by Ellie¡¯s experience, and any outside help was killed by Lydia and Karen.


    It¡¯s not for no reason that Lydia and Karen cleaned up all the misceneous ones and, instead of joining Ellie, were just watching.


    There¡¯s no need to add or subtract anything. Because it¡¯s just right as it is.


    If things continue this way, the small figure, having all its moves sealed off, will inevitably allow Ellie a direct hit, and have its head fly off.


    Even for One Who Devours the Twilight, there is no way to resurrect from death¡­no, is there?


    There is a way to be undead using the power of the God of Death. However, in this case, at best, it will remain as strong as when it was alive, but most be weaker.


    An undead body may have a few advantages, but it also has more weaknesses.


    As expected. Whether Ellie¡¯s attacks started to reach or not, the small figure¡¯s heavily worn robe shook violently as if it would be stripped off at any moment. And then.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    <em>Kwoong!</em>


    Ellie, stepping into her stance and throwing a punch pulled to its limit. That strike pierces through all the powers, and finally breaks the armor-like holy barrier protecting the small figure.


    <em>Chaeang!</em>


    With a sharp sound, the purple divine power shatters into fragments.


    Unfortunately, Ellie¡¯s fist lost most of its power in breaking through the barrier¡­but it still had enough strength to strip the robe off.


    <em>Whoosh!</em>


    Ellie¡¯s fistes to a halt at the tip of the small figure¡¯s nose. And then, the dyed st of wind pressure pushes back the guy¡¯s robe.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    And from Ellie¡¯s mouth, a dumbfounded voice leaks out.


    Her face contorts in horror, as if she had seen something that should not exist, and the fighting spirit that filled the yellow eyes of the beast transforms into guilt.


    I was just as surprised.


    Pink hair and pink eyes, identical to mine. But non-human, elongated ears. Among the beautiful elves, it is a striking beauty that would give even another man goosebumps.


    Overall, he had a gloomy impression, but it was precisely because of this that a weary charm emanated from the beautiful boy in that spot.


    No, doesn¡¯t this seem like I was surprised by the handsomeness of a guy?


    To be more precise, I was surprised that the face I had imagined and designed was perfectly realized.


    Yes. The small figure that had been fighting with Ellie until now. Surprisingly, he was supposed to be my protagonist.


    ¡­I don¡¯t know why Ellie was surprised. Is it because we¡¯re on the same wavelength?


    But something was off for him to be the protagonist of my novel.


    The fun of a gender-bending noveles from the disparity withmon sense. That¡¯s why it often involves transmigration or reincarnation.


    My protagonist was no different. He was supposed to have possessed the body of an orphan with his memories from Earth.


    That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t understand it at all.


    Why did the protagonist side with One Who Devours the Twilight?


    It was not surprising for him to have simply joined an evil organization. Being born on Earth, he¡¯s a person with faint faith. This meant he could never be a zealot.


    Moreover, as befitting a protagonist, his basic nature is good.


    He¡¯s not the type to think, ¡®Maybe after monsters, we should sacrifice humans?¡¯


    How did ite to this¡­


    ¡°You¡­how did youe to this¡­¡±


    Ellie, with a trembling voice, asks in ce of what I was about to say.


    At those words, the protagonist momentarily hesitate before looking straight at Ellie.


    His lips remained utterly still. However, from his half-dead eyes, an indescribable passion was surging.


    ¡°You remembered me, Big Sis.¡±


    ¡°Of course! But why¡­no, never mind. Since there¡¯s no one watching us now, it should be fine. We don¡¯t need to fight. Just pretend to be dead here, and follow me. This time for sure¡­.¡±


    ¡°Heh. To think you¡¯d say such a thing even after losing an arm because of me.¡±


    What?


    Aside from the fact that they seem to know each other, but Ellie lost an arm because of the protagonist?


    There¡¯s no such setting¡­no, could it be? While the settings I specified are well-maintained, there have been more than a few instances that went beyond my spection.


    In this case, it seems I must consider it an added backstory that Ellie, who harbors unconditional goodwill towards the protagonist and never betrays him, bes an ally.


    The original body of the protagonist and Ellie had a connection from the past, but with the protagonist transmigrated into that body, only Ellie remembers the protagonist.


    If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s enough reason for Ellie to assist the protagonist.


    ¡­But no matter how I look at it, the protagonist seems to remember Ellie.


    In other words, the original owner is inside that body.


    For some reason, a human soul from Earth has not transmigrated into the protagonist¡¯s body.


    Maybe it¡¯s not yet time for the possession, or perhaps something went wrong, and it might never happen.


    What¡¯s certain is that this guy is not the protagonist I know. And that Ellie owes him something and feels guilty.


    Ellie, havingpletely lowered her fist, opened her mouth with an urgent voice.


    ¡°That¡­ I understand now. It must have been sudden news for you, and you must have felt like the world was copsing. But not anymore. There¡¯s a child in a simr situation as you. I¡¯m sure this time, I can truly show you the real world!¡±


    ¡°¡­Big Sis still hasn¡¯t changed. But neither have I.¡±


    The protagonist mechanically lifted the corners of his mouth and pulled out a blood-stained dagger. At a nce, the unmistakable presence of divine power indicated it was definitely a divine relic.


    However, the divine power felt was not that of the Goddess of Love. It was more alien¡­not just distorted. It probably belonged to a different god who was already dead.


    Seeing the dagger, Ellie¡¯s body began to tremble violently. Her fragile appearance is iparable to the strong demeanor she had just moments ago.


    The protagonist¡¯s expression is as emotionless as a wax doll. Yet, his eyes alone harbored a strange fervor as he brandished the dagger towards Ellie.


    ¡°Big Sis can¡¯t save us. If you wish to¡­please die by my hand.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Ellie¡¯splexion turned pale.


    No, this son of a bitch?


    Sensing something was amiss, Lydia and Karen changed their previously indifferent stance and took up arms. But I was quicker.


    Sound-Eating Footsteps, Invisible Cloak, Haste Boots.


    All of these activated simultaneously, momentarily isting my existence from the world.


    With a speed that even surprised me, I ran and arrived behind the protagonist.


    With the Unicorn Dagger, I stabbed him in the heart from behind.


    <em>Thud.</em>


    With wide-open eyes, I whispered into the ear of the protagonist, who barely managed to turn his trembling neck to look at me.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t hit on another man¡¯s woman.¡±


    Then, I rotated the dagger sideways,pletely crushing the heart.


    ¡°Goodbye, Cena.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    He just opens his mouth, and then slumps down and closes his eyes.


    I killed the protagonist.


    No, to be precise, I killed the guy who was supposed to be the protagonist.

 Chapter 70: Floor Guardian

    Chapter 70: Floor Guardian


    Ellie¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°You¡­how on earth¡­¡±


    The small figure wielding vast divine powers and various abilities. What was revealed as his robe was stripped off was an elf boy with unforgettable pink hair.


    Thest request as an adventurer. It was because he was a test subject encountered during the subjugation of a branch of the One Who Devours the Twilight.


    Does the Goddess of Love even love a child who knows not of love?


    To solve this question, children with pink hair, regardless of their race, were gathered and became victims of a crazy experiment to thoroughly strip them of their emotions.


    ¡®Jonah must have probably been one of them.¡¯


    However, that¡¯s not why she remembers the boy in front of her so clearly.


    It was during the fight with the Floor Guardian, whom the One Who Devours the Twilight had summoned and driven into a frenzy, that he stabbed her in the back and ultimately caused her to lose an arm.The boy waved the beast god¡¯s relic that had stabbed Ellie in the back and said,


    ¡°Big Sis can¡¯t save us. If you wish to¡­please die by my hand.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Ellie couldn¡¯t say anything. She couldn¡¯t imagine what this powerless test subject boy had gone through to be so strong.


    Promising to save them, only for them to have been pushed into an even worse hell and their reason for living taken away.


    What stood before Ellie was not simply an enemy or an innocent victim.


    It was a sin of the past.


    Ellie, trembling with guilt, couldn¡¯t just willingly die.


    Not wanting to die was one reason, but¡­what came to mind first was Jonah¡¯s face.


    Unlike the boy who saw her as an enemy, Jonah saw her as a benefactor.


    Jonah was the only child she could save, and also the only child she would be responsible for in the future.


    But what if Ellie dies irresponsibly like this? What will happen to Jonah who will be left behind?


    Thinking this, Ellie couldn¡¯t afford to die, no matter who the opponent was.


    The moment she steeled her trembling body.


    <em>Pwook.</em>


    Jonah, who had appeared behind the boy at some point, stabbed his heart with a dagger.


    ¡®How?! I hardly felt his presence¡­.¡¯


    Even though her mind was shaken, the fact that Ellie was a strong person did not change. But how did Jonah sneak past her detection ability?


    That alone was surprising, but what Jonah said next was even more astonishing.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t hit on another man¡¯s woman.¡±


    It seemed like he whispered quietly, but for someone like Ellie, everything could be heard even from a distance.


    You shouldn¡¯t touch another man¡¯s woman.


    Although Jonah often clung to Ellie, the emotion in that one sentence just now was iparably deeper than before. And then.


    ¡°Take care. Cena.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Jonah, turning the dagger sideways,pletely crushes the heart. At those words, the boy called Cena opens his mouth and then slumps down, and closes his eyes.


    To others, the mouth might not have been clearly visible, but to Ellie, who was facing him head-on, it was clearly seen.


    -Jo, nah.


    The boy called Cena definitely called out Jonah¡¯s name. And Jonah also knew the boy¡¯s name.


    What had been a guess until now became certain.


    Jonah was once one of the test subjects she had wanted to save.


    And just now. He killed his friend who had been with him through the toughest times.


    For Ellie.


    Jonah, with a terrifying expression never seen before, carefullyys the corpse on the ground.


    Jonah, cing a hand on the blood-stained chest of Cena, bowed deeply. Like mourning the death of a friend, Jonah¡¯s shoulders shook for a long while.


    He slowly raised his head.


    ¡°Jonah¡­?¡±


    Ellie was at a loss for words.


    Because in those lovely, shining pink eyes, a fierce me was burning, as if it could set the world aze.


    The people of the world would call that the me of Revenge.<hr>


    I killed the protagonist.


    No, to be precise, I killed the one who was supposed to be the protagonist.


    It¡¯s true that I cherish everything in this world, but among them, there are certainly things I am especially attached to.


    For example, Ellie. She was supposed to be the heroine of my novel, and as such, I put more effort into her character¡­ She is a character I created, pressing down my tastes into her.


    Naturally, my affection gravitates more towards her.


    The protagonist is no different.


    The center of the events, the agent of resolution, and the projection of the ideal superhuman the author envisioned.


    As such, a character created with deep immersion, and one who had many tasks to undertake in this harsh world on my behalf.


    However, now. I have eliminated the protagonist with my own hands.


    To be precise, it¡¯s not the protagonist himself, but the body the protagonist was to transmigrate to that I killed.


    I¡¯m not particrly curious about the current upant. The one I consider the protagonist is the soul that would possess it someday.


    But, with the body now destroyed, it¡¯s also true that I will never meet the protagonist I knew ever again.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Realizing this, a sigh ofment naturally escapes.


    I slowlyy the corpse on the ground and begin to ponder.


    What will be of this world without the protagonist?


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    Upon careful consideration, surprisingly, there¡¯s no problem at all!


    After all, I¡¯ve never written a story with substance. The only thing that exists is the setting.


    There¡¯s no global issue that only the protagonist can solve, like the end of the world, for instance.


    Of course, it¡¯s true that I¡¯ve scattered all sorts of dangerous elements that could cause problems and advance the plot at any time¡­.


    But that¡¯s a matter I¡¯ve already pondered over. I decided to deal with it as far as I can reach.


    This is both a responsibility as the author of this world that has be reality, and the candid sincerity of a transmigrator who has fallen into a world without anyone to trust.


    In other words, my task remains unchanged¡­!


    No, it could be seen as a good thing since the real protagonist who was supposed to transmigrate into this body can now live a peaceful life on Earth.


    As that thought reached me, the brief gloominess dissipated, and I even began to feel a bit proud.


    Just as I was about to get up and greet Ellie with my usual giggles.


    ¡°Heup!¡±


    The summoning conditions for the Floor Guardian came to mind btedly.


    I quickly looked around with my head down.


    The countless types of monsters sprawled around, and the freshly made warm elf corpse.


    All that¡¯s left now is a burning desire for revenge, and sincere prayers towards the World Tree.


    ¡­Aren¡¯t these the perfect conditions for summoning?


    I stopped trying to get up, closed my eyes, and focused my mind.


    Unjust thoughts, unjust thoughts, unjust thoughts¡­.


    In an instant, memories of unjust episodes from my past life shed through my mind like a zoetrope.


    The academy teacher who pped my palm, telling me not to lie about not doing my homework when I had simply left it at home.


    The middle school teacher who insisted on reading aloud in front of the whole ss the novel I had secretly written during ss.


    The high school teacher who tore up my light novel right in front of me, dering it wasn¡¯t a real book because I read it during self-study time, even though we were allowed to read.


    My parents crying, worrying I would grow up to be a pervert because I only read eroticics at home.


    Missing the pickup even though I barely made it to the gacha roll five minutes before the pickup ended due to my paychecking inte, because the cardpany froze my card and told me to confirm my identity over the phone for spending a lot of money at once.


    Quitting part-time jobs and everything else to start a career as a writer. But being a bottom-feeder who couldn¡¯t even make 300,000 won a month, leading to my heart became more and more tattered every day¡­


    Still, to express my gratitude towards the readers who continued to support me, I held a cash gift event for the first ten people toment, but only six ended upmenting.


    There were days when I couldn¡¯t pay my rent and just ate into my savings, but as I kept writing consistently, I somehow made it to the top rankings¡­only for the novel site to go bankrupt a monthter.


    In the midst of all this, someone mistook me for someone else and left a 5,500-character hatement.


    Fighting in thement section with another person who was ufortable with the hatement. The person who copied and pasted the contents of the hatement, sending it to me through a message after I eventually deleted it.


    Yet, undeterred and continuing to write, I somehow managed to make a living. That¡¯s when a fellow bottom-feeder writer, who looked down on me for being an erotic novelist, appeared.


    Feeling down, I finally decided to fully upgrade my favorite character in the game which I got from a pickup event, only to see it be obsolete in less than a year due to a meta change.


    The manuscript I definitely saved in real-time and even backed up to the cloud, that somehow disappeared without a trace.


    Andstly, the mysterious explosion that took my life the moment I turned on myptop, with the grand ambition of sparking a gender reversal trend.


    Recalling up to that point, I felt a sensation as if blood was rushing backwards, and a hot me ignited deep in my stomach.


    That me, coiled like a serpent, slowly rose, engulfing my entire body, and soon reached the top of my head.


    With my eyes wide open, I lifted my head. The majestic form of the World Tree, as if supporting the sky, filled my view.


    ¡°Ah¡­.¡±


    A voice so hoarse it was hard to believe it came from me.


    From that lofty ce, the ancient mystery gazes down upon us with dignity. Imented sincerely towards the World Tree.


    ¡°¡­If only everyone else but me would just perish.¡±


    As if responding to those words, the illusion of the World Tree began to shine in green.

 Chapter 71: Floor Guardian (2)

    Chapter 71: Floor Guardian (2)


    ¡°¡­If only everyone else but me would just perish.¡±


    A sigh filled with sincerity.


    Responding to this, the illusion of the World Tree began to glow green.


    <em>Whoosh-!</em>


    A massive presence emanates from the World Tree, which clearly did not exist in reality, but was merely a projection of a lifetime of wishes.


    The divinity of the World Tree envelops the surrounding area. And the environment begins to change.


    In the ins, unnamed grasses began to grow and wildflowers began to bloom, while the trees of the nearby forest rapidly grew, stretching their branches threateningly in all directions.


    At a nce, the thorns look as if they are pointing towards the sky.


    This is not some minor divine power of humanity disyed by the One Who Devours the Twilight or Karen.It was a real world-changing miracle caused by a god. Fragments of that miracle havee to this ce.


    ¡°Jonah! It¡¯s dangerous!¡±


    ¡°Senior Ellie. I¡¯ll leave this to you. I¡¯m going to go take a look at the hostages.¡±


    ¡°This, this¡­this is¡­¡±


    Ellie hurriedly reaches out like a person who had juste to her senses, as Lydia runs towards the bush where Lemon and Apple are.


    And Karen looks up nkly at the World Tree as if something was broken.


    Come to think of it, it¡¯s too powerful to be the power of a dead god.


    Actually, this was only natural. Why would the first appearance of a Floor Guardian in the Labyrinth have a guaranteed power drop.


    A Floor Guardian is the will left by the God of that floor.


    So, even if the respawned version of that twisted space and time is unknown, the first observed Floor Guardian contains the lingering thoughts left behind by that God in their final moments.


    In this case, it must have been the concern for the well-being of the elves until its very end.


    In the case they were treated unjustly, or that there is an event that shakes the existence of the species, the World Tree resolved to lend its strength even in death for its children.


    That is precisely the hidden setting of the summoning condition on the first floor.


    ¡°Ah, aah¡­.¡±


    To me, what was merely a few lines of text about the World Tree¡¯s heart has be a reality, pressing on my body and soul.


    It was overwhelmingly moving. I felt as if the real miracle might be happening right at this moment.


    Of course, to Ellie¡¯s eyes, it seemed like my body had stiffened due to the sudden change and pressure.


    ¡°Snap out of it ande here! I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening, but it must be thest struggle of One Who Devours the Twilight, so let¡¯s forget the corpse and¡­¡±


    ¡°No. That¡¯s not it, Ellie.¡±


    I corrected her misunderstanding.


    ¡°This has nothing to do with One Who Devours the Twilight.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Ellie. Did you not know? This is a precursor to the summoning of a Floor Guardian.¡±


    ¡°Su-summon?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You just saw it. My prayer.¡±


    Perhaps because the lingering feelings hadn¡¯t faded, I had to contort my face to force a smile on and continued speaking.


    ¡°So please don¡¯t tell me to run away. Instead, watch over me. Watch me fight. See how the World Tree answers my prayers. ¡­Of course, if it¡¯s dangerous, Ellie will have to help me!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Despite grinning broadly after adding that, Ellie¡¯s face didn¡¯t seem to rx.


    Ellie, still with a serious expression, nodded.


    ¡°Alright. I promise. Jonah, I will always be behind you. So go ahead and do everything you want to do, everything you can do.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Ellie. You know I really like you a lot, right?¡±


    Words tossed around dozens of times a day, insignificant as they may seem. But could it be because of that small figure? Today, the sentimental Ellie paused with a nk expression, then soon nodded with a gentle smile.


    ¡°I know. And I¡¯m even more grateful.¡±


    A voice and atmosphere that seemed genuinely relieved. It was only for a moment that I stood dazed, captivated by Ellie¡¯s unusual response.


    Before I knew it, the preparations wereplete, and the divine power of the World Tree began to converge into a single point within its shade.


    <em>Crunch-</em>


    With the sound of something breaking and being crushed, the green light deepened. The light, now an egg-shaped sphere, developed a crack.


    <em>Crack.</em>


    Once cracked, the fissures expanded uncontrobly. In an instant, the surface of the sphere was covered with cracks, and a piece of the light mass fell off.


    <em>Shriiing-!</em>


    A piercing sound rings high. At this signal, the green egg shatters into pieces, revealing its contents to the world.


    A stature about two meters tall. Abnormally thick and long limbs. And thorns densely covering the entire body.


    Like a thorn bush carved into a human shape¡­ No, a thorn bush that grew into a human form, staring intently this way with hollow eyes.


    However, the focus seems oddly off, suggesting its body isn¡¯t fully formed yet.


    The first strike wins!


    ¡°Die¡­!¡±


    The wrist-mounted crossbow that had been prepared earlier was fired.


    <em>Swoosh-!</em>


    Although it¡¯s only able to shoot one bolt at a time, the crossbow¡¯s destructive power has been increased to an iparable level. The fully tensioned bolt pierces through the air.


    At that moment, the sharp arrowhead reaches the creature¡¯s eye.


    <em>Whoosh!</em>


    Green mes zed from the empty eye sockets, hot enough to melt the arrow.


    ¡°What kind of ¡­.¡±


    Dripping molten metal from one eye, it tilted its head and pulled out the part of the shaft that hadn¡¯t yet caught fire.


    As it tilted his head and examined it, he clenched his fist tightly. The arrow, which was expected to shatter, was absorbed into the body of the Floor Guardian.


    And from his body, a new sharp thorn sprouted.


    Though his entire body was covered in thorns, the most striking were those on his head.


    Looking at the thorns, which were indistinguishable whether they were horns or a crown, I muttered without realizing.


    ¡°The King of Thorns¡­.¡±


    -¡­¡­.


    Did it perhaps like my expression? The mes recing his eyes red up fiercely for a moment.


    The King of Thorns slowly extends its index finger to point at me. In those burning eyes, there lies an endless hatred and rage.


    Someone once said. That the eyes are the windows to the soul.


    Though we had not exchanged a single word, I could tell what it was about to say.


    ¡®Surpass me and take the power.¡¯


    Is that so?


    This is my revenge. My anger, my resentment.


    I forced myself to think of something out of ce here, but the emotions I felt at that time were not false.


    My lifelong frustration wrapped in thorns, stood blocking my path.


    ¡°Alright. You want to fight one-on-one, right? What a coincidence. So do I.¡±


    With a chuckle, I stepped forward. I don¡¯t particrly enjoy these direct, one-on-one battles.


    It¡¯s also because such battles werepletely opposite from the skills I possessed, which were optimized for ambush and stealth.


    But now is not the time to back down.


    To gain power, it is necessary to inflict a certain level of damage on the Floor Guardian to secure contribution points¡­


    But more importantly, the fact that the King of Thorns was born from my prayers is the most crucial reason.


    It is a creation born to embody my trials and emotions. Therefore, I should at least confront him head-on.


    ¡­There¡¯s also the slight calction that someone else will help if it¡¯s too dangerous.


    ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try.¡±


    My voice was a bit better than before, but still rougher than usual as I spoke and picked my dagger.


    Before I knew it, the de, now washed of blood and restored to its pristine whiteness, sparkled in the sunlight.


    I tilted the de slightly to reflect the light towards him.


    <em>sh!</em>


    Although it had burning eyes, I guess its sensory organs are probably no different from a human¡¯s, since the King of Thorns flinches momentarily from the dazzle.


    It then stomps on the nameless wildflowers at its feet.


    ¡°Haste!¡±


    By activating all the magical tools for even a short time, the mana I had left is scant, with nearly half of it being sucked into the Boots.


    And as if a price for the mana, a sensation of exhration fills my body from the feet upwards.


    The flow of the world slows down. No, it¡¯s my body and thoughts that are elerating.


    <em>Paang!</em>


    The King of Thorns rapidly closes in. Due to the dazzle, he reacts half a beatte and swings his arm widely.


    In an instant, thorns grow and his arm swells significantly. It¡¯s toote to stop, and any attempt to bend or shift direction would still result in a direct hit.


    That would turn me into a thoroughly perforated mess of flesh.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going!¡±


    I forcefully tensed my thighs and leaped high.


    <em>Crack!</em>


    Perhaps due to the momentum of my run, my view spun around. Seizing the moment, I threw asso pulled from the Subspace Ring.


    Having done so several times while capturing Iron Wolves, thesso caught precisely around the neck of the King of Thorns.


    Though humanoid, it wasn¡¯t exactly human, so strangling him outright was impractical¡­ but it was enough to get him in the air where concepts of up, down, left, and right vanished.


    ¡°Haah!¡±


    My flying body halts, and I adjust my posture. Then, I pull towards the back of the creature¡¯s head.


    Careful not to get pricked by the thorns, yet close enough for my weapon to reach, I swing my dagger.


    <em>sh!</em>


    I sliced off nearly half of thergest and most beautiful thorn on its head.


    Flustered, it twists its body into a bizarre angle. Suddenly, his massive arm that was clearly facing forward was now swinging backwards.


    ¡°Kkeut!¡±


    I managed to jump back in time,nding on the ground, but¡­inevitably, the tip of my nose got slightly nicked by a thorn.


    Still, I briefly congratte myself on a sessful dodge.


    ¡°Uh..uh¡­?¡±


    Suddenly, my vision wavers.


    Could it be that the thorn was poisoned? To think that even a slight scratch has such an effect. It was when I was just about to calmly pull out an antidote potion from my subspace.


    <em>Hwaaak!</em>


    The unicorn dagger, as if having a fit, spews out a burst of white light, and my shaky vision instantly returns to normal.


    The bleeding at the tip of my nose was half-healed as a bonus.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    That reminds me, the unicorn dagger is said to possess healing and purifying powers.


    At this point, I briefly flicked through the abacus in my mind.


    Of course, in terms of strength or stamina, I¡¯m far more fragilepared to the King of Thorns. But I am faster. With Haste, I might even overwhelm him momentarily.


    Moreover, the poison contained in the dense thorns that hinder closebat can be treated with the unicorn dagger.


    If, at the crucial moment, I squeeze out the remaining magical power to activate the Invisibility Cloak once more¡­


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    Could it be, this might actually be feasible to attempt alone?


    The Goddess of Love had it all figured out after all!

 Chapter 72: Floor Guardian (3)

    Chapter 72: Floor Guardian (3)


    Ellie, Lydia, and Karen too. Even Lemon, who had be moist, and Apple, who had slightly distanced herself from her, couldn¡¯t take their eyes off the scene before them.


    The fight Jonah was showing was that fierce.


    With eyes wide open, and the corners of his mouth subtly distorted. He threw his body diagonally to swing the dagger once more. The minor wounds that urred were quickly healed each time, but the scars remained clearly visible.


    The light armor made from the skin of the Iron Wolf, the finest material avable on the first floor, was bing tattered, and bright red blood seeped through.


    If it weren¡¯t for the unicorn dagger, ceaselessly emitting white light and healing Jonah¡¯s body, he would have copsed from excessive bleeding long ago.


    Watching this, Ellie clenched her lips. A single line of blood ran down her cheek.


    It goes without saying, but if Ellie wants to intervene, she can do so anytime. The same goes for Lydia and Karen.


    The wooden figure covered in thorns was certainly strong. But at best, it was just the Guardian of the first floor.


    Since they all had long surpassed the level of the first floor, they could easily defeat it.Yet, the reason they only watched Jonah was simple.


    It was because Jonah wanted it that way.


    Lydia gently wrapped her hands around Ellie¡¯s tightly clenched fist and said,


    ¡°Are you okay, Senior Ellie?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes. I¡¯m fine. Jonah is hanging in there, so I need to be fine.¡±


    Jonah had killed with his own hands, a close friend with whom he had spent the toughest moments of his life with, but walked down a separate path.


    And now, Jonah was fighting against an enemy that had grown by feeding on his own resentment.


    Sad and difficult, yet to move forward into the future. He was facing the past clinging to his ankles for a better life.


    How could one not cheer for Jonah, who was willingly taking on such heavy burdens with his small body?


    Especially when all of this is known to be for Ellie herself.


    If the small figure¡­ Cena considers Ellie an enemy of faith that has shattered his world, then Jonah regards Ellie as a benefactor who rescued him from the mire of heresy.


    Ellie watches Jonah¡¯s struggle. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked if he might copse, yet he didn¡¯t. Lydia pondered for a moment before slowly opening her mouth.


    ¡°Senior Ellie. Do you know about what happened to Jonah before he was captured by The One Who Devours the Twilight?¡±


    ¡°¡­Uh?¡±


    ¡°This is just a guess, but¡­¡±


    Ellie, who med herself for everything, was so pitiable that Lydia, who had decided to keep it a secret unless Jonah spoke up first, whispered the story softly.


    Only loud enough for Ellie to hear.


    As she quietly listened to Lydia¡¯s whisper, Ellie¡¯s eyes gradually widened.


    And at the same moment. Karen was equally shocked.


    ¡®Could it be that Sir Jonah¡­¡¯


    Ellie and Lydia didn¡¯t go into details, but Karen had a sense of things.


    She didn¡¯t know the exact circumstances, but she could gather that Jonah had once been a victim of One Who Devours the Twilight, and that he had killed a fellow victim with his own hands at that time.


    A sh of her first meeting with Jonah crossed Karen¡¯s mind.


    The statement that he loved everything in the world was clearly sincere. There was no doubt he was saint material.


    But his words that he did not want to be involved with the Temple were also sincere.


    At that time, she guessed that the Goddess had a profound intention and followed him, and she was convinced when she heard that the Pope was a traitor¡­


    Witnessing his faceoff with The One Who Devours the Twilight, and fighting against the Floor Guardian, she saw something.


    The anger and sorrow felt from Jonah while carefullyying down the small figure that he had fought with were real.


    A heart that resents the world as much as it loves it.


    Inside Jonah¡¯s heart, such ambivalence, such contradiction, was filled to the brim.


    But now. As he was fighting the thorny wood figure that seemed to project Jonah¡¯s negative emotions as they were, Jonah was changing.


    Because the deep-seated hatred towards the world was slowly melting away.


    It is not merely about fighting off one¡¯s own darkness. It involves confronting it, epting it, acknowledging it, and ultimately, transforming it into love.


    ¡°Ah¡­.¡±


    In reality, he had only joined in the praise of the Goddess internally after finding it manageable once he tried, but Karen, unaware of this, found it a profoundly moving moment.


    Just as a caterpir breaks out of its cocoon to be a butterfly. It was the process of a still tender saint metamorphosing into a more wholly formed being.


    This was what was happening before her eyes.


    ¡°Oh, Goddess¡­¡±


    Holding the statue of the Goddess she had received from Jonah close to her chest, she made a vow.


    No matter what, she would follow the Goddess¡¯s representative who had descended to thisnd.


    Thus, Ellie, Lydia and Karen each deepened their own thoughts under different misconceptions.


    Lemon and Apple had no thoughts at all.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what everyone is saying.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll hurt when you try to know. Just ignore it.¡±


    This was because everyone had cast a sound control barrier around themselves with magical tools and divine power so that others couldn¡¯t hear!


    To Lemon and Apple, it merely appeared as a bizarre scene where each person was twitching their lips, either gritting their teeth or shedding tears¡­!


    Even Lemon and Apple had no ability to intervene in Jonah¡¯s battle.


    Eventually, Lemon, who had been continuously amazed by Jonah¡¯s struggle, cautiously asked, wondering if it was alright to do so.


    ¡°Apple. What can we do?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do. Just bring some pea fritters.¡±


    Thanks to the foolish (?) cultists who took weapons but not snacks, the pea fritters were safe.


    After rummaging through her t chest, Lemon pulled out a neatly tied pouch.


    And then she began to share the traditional elf cookies she took out with Apple.


    <em>Crunch crunch.</em>


    ¡°Ah, to think that Sir Jonah really did summon the Floor Guardian.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely surprising. There must have been some thought behind it.¡±


    <em>Munch munch.</em>


    ¡°¡­By the way, that Guardian. Doesn¡¯t it look familiar?¡±


    ¡°I thought so too. But I can¡¯t remember where I saw it.¡±


    <em>Yum yum.</em>


    ¡°Um¡­ Ah! I remember now! Isn¡¯t it the thorn bush monster from Basilieus!¡±


    ¡°No, why suddenly bring up the founding myth here¡­eh?¡±


    Apple, baffled, paused and took a closer look at the Floor Guardian Jonah was fighting.


    A thornbush grown in the shape of a human. Now half-cut, but with crown-shaped thorns grown on the head, the ability to eat wood and produce new thorns, and the power to freely manipte the thorns on its body.


    From a distant past. The story of Basilieus, who first became the king of elves after enduring the ordeal of the World Tree.


    The entity that represents the ordeal of the World Tree is this thornbush monster, or what is called the King of Thorns.


    And now. Jonah is fighting the monster of that ordeal.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Lemon and Apple look at each other silently. Both nodded at the same time.


    ¡°A line, something that must be queued in advance.¡±


    ¡°To be Sir Jonah¡¯s concubine? A sweet deal indeed.¡±


    No need for pea fritters now.


    Taking out ab which wasst used was unknown, Lemon and Apple, with serious expressions, nodded as they neatlybed each other¡¯s hair.


    ¡°There seems to be manypetitors, but our Boss Eve is indeed the best.¡±


    ¡°She who is seasoned with experience is in a different ss from those kids.¡±


    The two made unapologetically rude remarks to both sides.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it best to just ride on Boss Eve¡¯s coattails?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s under the guise of serving, that should be enough. Besides, the conditions for marrying Boss Eve haven¡¯t changed, have they?¡±


    Lemon and Apple exchanged cunning smiles. But the two blockheads didn¡¯t know. They didn¡¯t realize that no matter how hard a blockhead squeezes their brain, they just end up being more blockheaded.


    ¡°I want to live life the easy way.¡±


    ¡°Living the easy way¡­doesn¡¯t it sound a bit lewd? Like doing it raw?¡±


    The two t-chested elves puffed out their unshaking chests proudly.


    ¡°Sir Jonah loves money.¡±


    ¡°Surely if we offer money and ask for it once, we¡¯ll be despised and trampled on, but will be granted permission.¡±


    It was indeed a trashy idea, but unfortunately, there was no one here to stop the two of them.


    Everyone was floundering in their own delusions.


    ¡°¡­But I don¡¯t know how much is needed.¡±


    ¡°Money! Only more money will make the Elves great again!¡±


    Lemon and Apple, like other elves, eventually began to obsess over money. The naive two began to ignite their ambition¡­no, their desires.


    It was spring.<hr>


    ¡°Kkeuk!¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect them not to help for real.


    I swallowed a scream as I pulled out the thorn deeply embedded in my forearm.


    Of course, I can¡¯t reallyin since I told them not to help unless it was really dangerous.


    <em>Ptooey!</em>


    Spitting out blood-mixed saliva, I red at the King of Thorns before me.


    My mana was nearly depleted. My already scant stamina was on the brink of exhaustion after an endless full-speed sprint, and my body, pierced and healed numerous times, retained pain like an afterimage.


    But the results of my all-out spinning shes were clear.


    Most of the thorns wrapped around its body were broken and shed away. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as exhausted as I was. However, it was true that it had lost its weapons and armor.


    The King of Thorns hesitated and began to increase the distance between us. It¡¯s a different approach from its previous attempts toe close and stab me to death.


    Considering his ability to absorb arrows that it had disyed at first, it must be nning to replenish its lost thorns by consuming the surrounding trees.


    This could be useful.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    I feigned exhaustion and staggered, showing a gap. Then, as if it had been waiting for it, it dashed in the opposite direction.


    The moment I saw its back, I realized. This was the decisive moment I had been waiting for.


    I quickly pulled out a Low-grade Magic Potion from my subspace pocket and drank it.


    Thanks to the Gluttonous Stomach, mana surged immediately. I pushed it into the Invisible Cloak and Haste Boots, activating my Sound-Eating Footsteps.


    Now ustomed to the sensation of being isted from the world.


    I swung my dagger at the unprotected nape of the King of Thorns, who was reaching out towards the trees of the Great Forest across the ins surrounding the World Tree¡¯s illusion.


    <em>sh!</em>


    The neck, half-sliced, revealing its growth rings. With the effects of Haste still lingering, I did not miss this opportunity and continued to swing my dagger.


    <em>sh. sh. sh.</em>


    The white light emitted by the Unicorn Dagger filled the space, rapidly mutting the body of the King of Thorns.


    Wrist, hip joint, waist, shoulder, spine¡­


    No longer shielded by thorns, the defenseless body is dismantled piece by piece.


    <em>Thud.</em>


    The head fellst.


    I plunge the Unicorn Dagger towards the still-burning eyes.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    ¡°Thank you, Wish Ticket.¡±


    That was the end.

 Chapter 73: Jonah Is No Longer A Baby

    Chapter 73: Jonah Is No Longer A Baby


    ¡°Gweeeeeee¡­¡±


    A strange groan escapes my lips. At the same time, my knees give way and my body copses.


    This was expected. To capitalize on agility, the only advantage I have over the King of Thorns, I ran around non-stop, swinging my dagger.


    On top of that, I drank potions to recover my magic power, only to exhaust it all and even triggered mana exhaustion.


    in exhaustion + mana exhaustion = uh, I¡¯m dead.


    This simple equationes to mind right before my head hits the ground.


    With a soft thud.


    ¡°¡­Good job.¡±


    Before I knew it, Ellie, who had run over, embraced me with her one arm.The unique softness of a woman¡¯s body is vividly conveyed through her skin. Yet, beneath that lies densely packed, resilient muscles, providing a strange sense of security.


    Ellie¡¯s scent arrives a beatter, a mix of body odor and the slightly musty smell from her ears and tail fur. And then, the familiar aroma blended with a hint of tobo finally eases my tension.


    At the same time, the fatigue that had been building up hits me all at once.


    ¡°Ah, we¡¯re in big trouble, Ellie.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t tell me something else is going toe out here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­ I¡¯m so drained I can¡¯t even move a finger.¡±


    ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped. You¡¯ve be surprisingly strong, but it was still too early for Jonah to face such an opponent.¡±


    ¡°If things stay this way, I won¡¯t be able to resist whatever Ellie does to me¡­!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Oh no~ To be left defenseless like this, at the mercy of a wolf like Ellie. I¡¯m definitely going to be devoured!¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to eat you?¡±


    ¡°Miss Wolf, Miss Wolf. If you¡¯re going to eat me, please do it quickly and painlessly.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Ellie, who looked to be at a loss for words, managed to lift the corners of her mouth that hardly moved and chuckled.


    Only then did Ellie snort withughter and sighed.


    ¡°Jonah, you¡­even in such a situation, you want to do this?¡±


    ¡°But wasn¡¯t Ellie making a scary face? As if it was Ellie¡¯s fault that I got hurt.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Ellie¡¯s eyes drooped sadly, her ears perked up, and her tail lost its strength, pointing towards the ground.


    ¡°Again. That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you not to make that face. Anyway, not only did we thwart the n of One Who Devours the Twilight, but we also took down a leader, and I¡¯ve grown strong enough to fight and win one-on-one against a Floor Guardian. It¡¯s a day to be happy, isn¡¯t it? You should smile!¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes. That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a happy day, just like you said, Jonah.¡±


    With a faint smile, Ellie skillfully lifted me up with one hand and carried me on her back.


    Perhaps because she was wearing a full-body suit that clung tightly to her, I can feel Ellie¡¯s touch distinctly.


    As I bury my head in the unprotected nape of Ellie¡¯s neck and secretly sniff, Ellie adjusts her hold on me and says,


    ¡°We¡¯ll go to the surface like this. Just rest deeply.¡±


    ¡°Is that really okay? We took down The One Who Devours the Twilight, and it¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve summoned the Floor Guardian of the first floor. It seems like there will be a lot to testify about at the Guild¡­¡±


    ¡°There will be a lot. But the Guild isn¡¯t crazy enough to detain the injured and force testimony. Besides, I¡¯ll be watching sharply from behind, how could they dare?¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. I¡¯m just bringing this up now¡­what exactly is Ellie¡¯s identity? I knew you were a retired high-ranking adventurer, but you¡¯re too strong for just that.¡±


    Regarding Ellie, I only conceptualized the important charm points and personality-defining traits, without specifically thinking about how strong she was or how much she had achieved in her youth.


    That¡¯s because settings that are not directly rted to the story, that exist only for the sake of the setting, tend to strangle the writer¡¯s neck as the series progresses.


    It¡¯s true that as settings umte, the depth of the character deepens, but as a side effect, the episodes that can be used be limited.


    For that reason, I tend to make settings as open as possible. Except for what¡¯s absolutely necessary, it might as well be considered left nk.


    In Ellie¡¯s case, it¡¯s about her active days, and for Eve, it would be about her time as a queen.


    Anyway, the important thing is that Ellie is a retired adventurer who has never even held hands with a man, and Eve is historically a virgin.


    Everything else is just a side story, a side story.


    ¡­Somehow, it started to feel like the unicorn¡¯s horn being pulled from the gacha wasn¡¯t a coincidence. Could this have been intentional?


    While seriously considering the theory of a dark plot by the Goddess of Love internally, Lydia, who had approached unnoticed, spoke up in ce of the hesitating Ellie.


    ¡°The Hero Ellie. Until five years ago, it was a famous name.¡±


    ¡°He¡­ro?¡±


    Surprised by the grander than expected nickname, Lydia nodded expressionlessly and continued.


    ¡°You know, once you¡¯re a high-level adventurer, mastering either aura or magic is essential, right?¡±


    ¡°Right. Both are versatile and effective.¡±


    Anyone can learn aura and magic. Of course, the speed and the point where one hits a wall vary depending on the level of talent, but it is still possible to learn.


    Usually, at this point, it is treated as a privilege granted only to a chosen few¡­but not so for adventurers.


    As long as one can somehow return alive, there exists a Labyrinth that forcibly enhances one¡¯s growth and elevates their rank based on their achievements.


    Lacking the talent to umte more aura? No matter. The Labyrinth will provide you with aura!


    Lacking mana sensitivity to handle high-level magic? This too doesn¡¯t matter. If you relentlessly cast magic in the Labyrinth, eventually, as a reward, your sensitivity will increase!


    The reward of the Labyrinth is in itself another miracle. Even though I haven¡¯t gained much muscle, I¡¯ve be much stronger than before.


    So, if you want to achieve higher as an adventurer, you must learn aura and magic.


    Isn¡¯t it too inefficient to not carry a weapon like everyone else does?


    ¡°But Senior Ellie didn¡¯t manage to do it.¡±


    ¡°Ehh?¡±


    ¡°Senior Ellie is, how should I say¡­beyondcking talent, she was a hopeless case.¡±


    ¡°¡­???¡±


    Despite trying to make sense of what was said, I briefly tilted my head in confusion. I was convinced by Lydia¡¯s next words.


    ¡°She can feel aura and mana, but it¡¯s impossible for her to umte it in her body.¡±


    ¡°Ah ha.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, she was so unlucky that she had never received aura or mana as a reward from the Labyrinth, despite having been an adventurer for a considerable time.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Is that so? Is that how it is?


    Did Elliepletely bomb in both the talent gacha and the Labyrinth reward gacha¡­


    Feeling sorry, I rub my face against the nape of Ellie¡¯s neck, and her skin slowly heats up. She seems to like it.


    ¡°But even without aura or magic, Senior Ellie was amazing. She faced formidable enemies with nothing but courage and won. That¡¯s why she wasbeled a hero.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­wait a minute. You mean she had no abilities at all¡­not even divine powers?¡±


    ¡°Yes. She reached this point with just the body of a pure hybrid human.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    If I had known, I would have just seasoned it moderately and told Ellie to deliver the final blow.


    Then at least she could have received the World Tree¡¯s power.


    Feeling guilty, I gently nibble on Ellie¡¯s nape, recalling the way she fought.


    The ground flips with a single step. Trees crumble just from the shockwave of a straight punch, and power enhanced lightning or even crystal spears are repelled with bare flesh.


    The most basic reward.


    Physical ability enhancement. Surely, she has reached a higher realm than anyone else by focusing solely on that.


    Muscles that contain the strength of a giant. Durability harder than most metals. And on top of that, the acute senses unique to the hybrid human tribe.


    At this point, Ellie¡¯s body itself is practically a power.


    As my thoughts reached there, a sudden question arose. Pulling my mouth away from Ellie¡¯s saliva-drenched nape, I asked.


    ¡°Uh, hold on. Then how exactly was Ellie¡¯s arm cut off?¡±


    Ellie herself was strong. What kind of being could possibly have had the power to sever Ellie¡¯s arm?


    Ellie, flushed bright red, rubbed the saliva on her shoulder with the sleeve of her suit and spoke.


    ¡°What¡­ Even I would lose an arm if hit by a dragon¡¯s breath.¡±


    ¡°Dragon¡¯s breath?!¡±


    ¡°The Floor Guardian of the 6th floor was a dragon who had gone mad. It even went berserk because of The One Who Devours the Twilight.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    A dragon that¡¯s gone mad and berserk. There¡¯s nothing to be done about that.


    I didn¡¯t include settings about dragons, but considering it¡¯s a fantasy world, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for there to be one.


    The sixth floor, isn¡¯t that where the Beast God sleeps? I hadn¡¯t thought about what kind of monster or guardian might appear, but¡­seeing the dragon as the pinnacle of beasts makes sense.


    It goes without saying that it had gone mad since it had been turned into a monster.


    For a moment, I nod inwardly. But soon, overwhelming fatigue closes my eyes.


    From a distance, Karen was gathering things that could serve as evidence, along with Lemon and Apple, when I was about to fall asleep.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    I remembered then.


    I took out the statue of the Goddess from the Subspace Ring, unfolded the mini sanctuary, and then put it back immediately.


    Even for me, it was a bit embarrassing to show the squishy, irresistible, warm, mini Goddess of Love in front of others.


    A surge of vitality quickly filled me. I was still too exhausted to feel it, but my physical abilities must have certainly increased.


    I was intoxicated by the atmosphere, and since I hadn¡¯t thought of it immediately after acquiring it, I hadn¡¯t used it during the battle with the King of Thorns¡­but now that I¡¯ve remembered, isn¡¯t that good enough?


    As I nibbled and sucked on Ellie¡¯s nape with a revived spirit, the surrounding gazes focused on us.


    ¡°A hero beside a saint¡­ Yes. A fundamentalbination.¡±


    Lydia pped her hands in satisfaction.

 Chapter 74: Jonah Is No Longer A Baby (2)

    Chapter 74: Jonah Is No Longer A Baby (2)


    ¡°Eung-ae. I¡¯m baby Jonah. I can¡¯t walk on two feet.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, Jonny Boy¡­ If your body has recovered,e down¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to! I don¡¯t want to!¡±


    I protested by wrapping one arm tightly around Ellie¡¯s neck and iling the other.


    Opportunities to legally cling to Ellie¡¯s body, d in a tight full bodysuit, are rare.


    I must make the most of it now¡­


    For that reason, I briefly clung tightly to Ellie¡¯s back, marking my territory here and there.


    Karen, wrapped in various evidences including the mark of One Who Devours the Twilight, spoke in a cautious tone.


    ¡°Sir Jonah. How do you n to handle this matter?¡±¡°How? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°About the aftermath. If you instruct me on what to disclose and what to conceal at the Temple, I willply. Otherwise, I¡¯ll handle it at my discretion.¡±


    ¡°Ah, about that¡­¡±


    After organizing my thoughts for a moment, I nodded.


    ¡°Just keep it all a secret!¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Inquisitor Karen came here alone to punish the heretics, despite everyone¡¯s dissuasion. Believing that the only way to save Inquisitor Ian was to kill the person who cast the blessing¡­no, the curse.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t really a curse, so killing the caster wouldn¡¯t have solved anything¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. Just pass it as a setting where you were that mentally stressed!¡±


    ¡°Setting¡­?¡±


    I gave Karen, who was tilting her head in confusion, a more detailed exnation.


    ¡°Even if I had to fight alone, I made it back to the center of the first floor, only to find that what awaited me there were the remnants of a fierce battle and fragments of a monster I had never seen before.¡±


    As I said this, I handed Karen a thorn I had cut from the King of Thorns.


    ¡°Thought to be non-existent, The One Who Devours the Twilight managed to summon the Floor Guardian of the first floor by using some method, but being exhausted from the ritual, they ended up perishing along with that Guardian!¡±


    ¡°What? But then wouldn¡¯t Sir Jonah¡¯s achievements be erased?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I came up with this while I was nibbling on Ellie¡¯s nape, thinking it tasted rather salty.¡±


    ¡°Jo-Jonah! You were thinking that?!¡±


    Ellie, trembling and shaking her body. Only after adjusting her center of gravity so that we didnt fall, did I continue speaking.


    ¡°The summoning conditions of the Floor Guardian of the first floor. This must not be disclosed.¡±


    ¡°Why not? I do not im to fully understand the Goddess¡¯s will, but if I may venture a guess, the first floor seems like a training ground that turns ordinary people into adventurers.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what it is.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Oh Goddess¡­ Ah, anyway, if we can regrly subdue the Floor Guardian, it would significantly enhance the growth of adventurers, which would align with the Goddess¡¯s intentions, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a valid point. However, it seems you are not fully aware yet¡­ What I want to keep secret is not the usefulness of the Floor Guardian but the summoning conditions.¡±


    ¡°What kind of conditions are they that you wish to keep them hidden?¡±


    Karen, Ellie and Lydia blinked their eyes. And for some reason, even Lemon and Apple, sending a sinister nce this way, held their breath waiting for my words.


    After a brief pause, I opened my mouth with a calm voice.


    ¡°The corpses of all the monsters and elves on the first floor. A fierce desire for revenge. And a sincere wish towards the World Tree.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±


    Only then did Karen¡¯s expression harden as if she had realized something.


    Yes. If it bes known that the corpses of elves are a summoning condition, it would certainly put the lives of novice elves at risk¡­


    ¡°I understand. The faith that should go to the Goddess could flow to a god who is already dead.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Devoting faith to a god who is already dead returns nothing but emptiness. You don¡¯t want to create victims like the elves of the past. Jonah understands.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°As an elf, I also agree with Jonah¡¯s opinion.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not from my generation¡¯s experience, but I¡¯ve heard that clinging to unrewarded prayers is like slowly approaching death.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    My head began to ache slightly at a perspectivepletely different from what I had thought.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t anyone considering that using an elf¡¯s corpse as material could harm innocent victims? Especially Lemon and Apple. They are elves.¡±


    ¡°But the corpses of elves are already circting in the market. In other words, they are already frequently targeted.¡±


    ¡°Innocent victims fall into the hands of looters by the dozens every day, regardless of race.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    That¡¯s right. Thinking about it, the corpses of elves were already being traded at high prices.


    In other words, whether I disclose the summoning conditions or not, elves are a top priority target for looters.


    To officially buy and sell them, a somewhatplicated procedure is needed but¡­not everything in the world has to go through official channels.


    ¡°So that¡¯s it¡­the reason why Lemon and Apple are always in danger of being captured and killed is not because they like being forcibly tied together, but because their ransom is expensive¡­.¡±


    ¡°Have you been looking at us with such eyes?!¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­not bad.¡±


    Lemon was shocked. Apple nods calmly. Lemon, even more shocked, distances herself further.


    They really are characters you never get tired of watching. It¡¯s fortunate that we arrived in time to save them this time.


    If the timing had been slightly off¡­then we might have had to summon the Floor Guardian with the corpses of Lemon and Apple.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    I sighed deeply and buried my nose in Ellie¡¯s hair. And just then, the duration for the mini sanctuary ended.


    My body had already fully recovered, so it didn¡¯t matter¡­


    ¡°Kheuk!?¡±


    Suddenly, I feel my blood boiling throughout my body, followed by a surge of intense pain.


    ¡°Jonah?!¡±


    Ellie, who had half given up and was quietly carrying me, gasped and twisted her head, and Lydia, catching her gaze, immediately prepared a potion, while Karen readied a healing spell using holy power.


    Just as Lydia was about to pour the potion into my mouth, holding my chin, I squeezed out thest of my strength and shook my head.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, really¡­!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn. We don¡¯t know what kind of aftereffects there might be. Just drink the potion first.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­no. I¡¯m really fine.¡±


    ¡°There was poison on the thorn. The power of the Dagger detoxified it, but there might still be some left¡­¡±


    Lydia, stroking my back, tries to feed me the potion again. But this isn¡¯t something that can be fixed with a potion. And that¡¯s because.


    ¡°Pow¡­er¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The feeling is simr to when I drew powers from a gacha.


    A sensation of something changing deep inside my body. There might be a brief pain, but it won¡¯tst long.


    Since there¡¯s no process like forcibly engraving knowledge into my head or optimizing my body like a skill, I just need to endure the moment the power is imprinted onto my soul.


    Sure enough. Just a few seconds ago, I felt like my insides were turning over, but now only a refreshing rity remains, as if I had received a full-body massage.


    And then, the method of using the power naturallyes to mind.


    ¡°Basilieus.¡±


    As I utter the name of the power, I feel the texture of wood above my head.


    A design merely consisting of a ring-shaped woven ash tree with some decorations. A crown¡­though it¡¯s too crude to be called one.


    I wonder if this is what it feels like if you strip all the thorns from the crown of the King of Thorns.


    However, the power contained within it could not be ignored.


    ¡°Grow.¡±


    At that single word, a de of grass nearby swiftly grew and bloomed into a flower.


    It was simr to the scene just before the King of Thorns appeared, where the surrounding nature grew wildly.


    Yet, the warm energy that had spread throughout the body inevitably drained away, leaving a hollow feeling.


    It wasn¡¯t a matter of using the slightly improved mana that had recently be more usable.


    It was the pure divine power that remained in the body after absorbing and purifying the distorted blessing that had once afflicted Ian¡¯s body. That was the driving force behind the nt¡¯s growth.


    As a flower bloomed with just a word, those around began to marvel.


    ¡°Jonah, what is this¡­?¡±


    ¡°The power of the World Tree. It¡¯s my first time seeing it.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, the Labyrinth is a ce directly managed by the Goddess. This must also be the will of the Goddess.¡±


    ¡°¡­It truly is the power of the World Tree.¡±


    ¡°Except for Miss Eve, don¡¯t us elves still possess some powers?¡±


    Quite useful.


    It might be weak now, but if I gather more divine power and study how to use it, it will definitely be helpful.


    However, the rapid growth of a nt that has consumed divine power is merely an incidental effect.


    Like any other power, the moment it inhabits me, I just know how to use it.


    Like now, I can materialize the power and not consume divine power. Just possessing it elerates my own growth rate steeply.


    It is as if I grew the nt a moment ago.


    ¡­And this growth boost effect applies to all types of growth.


    It includes not only the achievements gained through ordinary training but also the rewards given for surviving abyrinth.


    Other powers possess their own formidable strength. Just as Cena caused a minor natural disaster using the rtively easy-to-acquire elemental powers of a god.


    But Basilieus is different.


    It has no special power in itself. However, if I strive to be stronger, it promises greater rewards than anything else.


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    The name Basilieus means ¡®king¡¯ in Greek.


    It¡¯s a name that fits perfectly with a typical returned king¡¯s type of power.


    Gripping Ellie¡¯s waist tightly with my thighs, I straightened my back. Then, with a deliberately solemn voice, I began.


    ¡°Jonah is now no longer a baby. He is a king.¡±


    ¡°Ah, elves do not serve a king. The Elven Forest has been a republic for 400 years.¡±


    ¡°A king who doesn¡¯t bring in money is a sword that¡¯s not needed! It¡¯s a revolution!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    I was promptly dethroned.


    ¡­Now that I think about it, being a fallen royal seems to have its own charm, doesn¡¯t it?

 Chapter 75: Jonah Is No Longer A Baby (3)

    Chapter 75: Jonah Is No Longer A Baby (3)


    ¡°Unfortunately, Inquisitor Karen, we must part ways here for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Since we entered separately, exiting differently will avoid any suspicion.¡±


    ¡°It was my idea to hide, so if anything happens, please tell me right away.¡±


    ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any trouble that would bother Sir Jonah.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you should suffer any losses alone. I might not have much¡­but I¡¯ve recently found someone I can rely on.¡±


    Now that it¡¯s time to slowly ascend to the surface, I hold back my tears, as I climb off Ellie¡¯s back. Ellie, who had been puffing on a Magic Herb cigarette and sighing beside her, tilted her head and asked,


    ¡°Are you talking about me? Even if my arm was fine, taking on the entire Temple would be madness¡­¡±


    ¡°What? No, well, Ellie is Ellie, but I was talking about someone else.¡±


    I said that and then subtly pointed upwards. It¡¯s obvious, but when you look up at the sky from the first floor, all you see are dense branches and the sky peeking through them.However, the meaning bes clear when you add the actions I have shown so far.


    ¡°Are you really a saint, Jonah? I can¡¯t believe it.¡±


    ¡°Of course, since I¡¯m not actually a saint.¡±


    ¡°Are you really not?¡±


    ¡°Um. If being a saint means being an agent of the Goddess recognized by the Temple, then I¡¯m definitely not. However, it is true that the Goddess takes an interest in me and watches over me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that what a saint is?¡±


    Ellie tilts her head in confusion. Next to her, Karen, having listened to the conversation, makes the sign of the cross and speaks with a reverent attitude.


    ¡°That¡¯s the standard for saints you¡¯d find in fairy tales before the War of the Fallen Gods. Currently, the only deity that remains is the Goddess of Love, and the Goddess is focusing on managing the Labyrinth. In other words, it¡¯s no longer possible for deities to roam the earth as in the mythic era.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°And even in this era, Sir Jonah managed to establish a small sanctuary without divine power.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­?¡±


    That was possible thanks to the fully upgraded Goddess statue; it wasn¡¯t due to any skill of mine.


    Was it a problem that I secretly activated the sanctuary without taking out what might be mistaken for a suspicious toy?


    Karen, thinking that the Goddess opened the sanctuary simply because I was struggling, continued with a look of near-blind faith.


    ¡°No matter how close this Labyrinth is to the Goddess, a sanctuary originally requires years of preparation to be established. Even if it¡¯s on a small scale, it¡¯s not something that can be easily seen.¡±


    ¡°Ah, um. About that¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to deny what Sir Jonah thinks. It might be burdensome, you might really think that way, and there might be reasons why you have to say no. But I just want to let you know. The favor Sir Jonah receives is extraordinary. And Sir Jonah certainly deserves such favor.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Having said that, Karen wore a tired face with a faint smile.


    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve said everything, I¡¯ll be going first. To the people who had be hostages¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll talk to Lemon and Apple.¡±


    ¡°Then I will trust Sir Jonah and go ahead first. I will testify as we agreed beforehand, so please be assured.¡±


    ¡°Ah. I don¡¯t really mind such things. You¡¯ve worked hard today, and if there¡¯s another matter to see each other about, we¡¯ll meet then. ¡­No, that would seem like I¡¯m hoping for problems. Even if there¡¯s no business,e visit the Fairy and Silver Coin when you¡¯re bored!¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Then, I¡¯ll take leave now.¡±


    Karen bowed her head and was the first to touch the tombstone and ascend to the surface.


    When we entered the Labyrinth, Karen had inconveniently waited and then came around, so this time, it was our turn to leaveter.


    We still have about 30 minutes to kill¡­


    ¡°Ellie. Miss Lydia. When we go up to the surface, may I stop by somewhere before going straight home?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to be alright? Even if your body has recovered, your mind must be tired.¡±


    ¡°Jonah. Are you nning to stop by Eden?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Lydia, who had once saved Lemon and Apple and gone to Eden with me, immediately caught on to my intention.


    Ellie, who had been tilting her head alone, suddenly perked up her ears and tail as if she remembered something.


    ¡°Ah! Eden, that ce that sells cheap but oddly defective magical tools, right? Is it still not out of business? I was terrified when I stopped by a few times just as I was passing the second floor.¡±


    ¡°You, that¡¯s too mean! Are you saying our Boss looks like she could go bankrupt at any moment?!¡±


    ¡°Still,st time, she made a portable Safe Zone Kit that can be installed anytime, anywhere!¡±


    ¡°Oh. That¡¯s kind of interesting. The Safe Zone Kit is something the Mage Tower and the Workshop Union only started making not long ago. It must not have been easy to make it to a usable level, considering the price too.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. But the Boss managed it. The price is less than half! Portability and secrecy. And it doesn¡¯tg far behind in durability either!¡±


    ¡°Except for the minor ws like breaking out in unexined hives all over your body when you go inside, and the astronomical amount of magical energy needed for maintenance, it¡¯s perfect!¡±


    ¡°¡­Then it¡¯s trash.¡±


    ¡°Is it really?¡±


    ¡°The Boss who insisted on this despite my objections is the one at fault.¡±


    Lemon and Apple quickly changed their stance after initially reacting defensively to Ellie¡¯s indifferent response.


    It¡¯s not that they were intimidated by seeing Ellie fight. It¡¯s just that it really is trash¡­.


    In the Labyrinth, even breathing must be done with caution.


    It might be okay in the already mapped upper levels, but in the middle levels where the maps are iplete, there are many times when one must physically confront challenges.


    You might be poisoned without realizing it, or there might be monsters that rush towards the sound of your breathing, or perhaps there are bizarre spaces where trying to breathe only stops your breath.


    The Labyrinth is a ce where you never know what will happen next, so you must always be on alert.


    The only ce where you can rx is a Safe Zone created around a small tombstone.


    But what if that Safe Zone is too far away? Or what if you¡¯re unlucky and can¡¯t find a Safe Zone for a long time?


    Then, you have no choice but to forcefully camp out, which is even more dangerous.


    Thus, the concept of a portable Safe Zone was devised.


    To put it simply, artisans design the blueprints for prefabricated houses, then mages program each material with magic to assemble in a specific form, and finally, use spatial magic to distort the size so it can be carried aroundpactly. This is precisely what a portable Safe Zone is.


    A high gradeprehensive magical device that instantly erects a small but sturdy house on an emptynd in an instant, and all around it, various types of concealment magic are cast to make it invisible.


    These are the portable Safe Zones that have started to appear one by one recently.


    The promotion is so aggressive that every time I visit the Guild to sell materials, they either demonstrate it directly or forcibly hand out flyers, making it impossible to forget.


    It¡¯s certainly an impressive feat to have made it alone. To put it in Earth terms, it¡¯s as if the local hardware store owner saw thetest electric car, then went on to create a simr electric car himself.


    However, I can¡¯t purely admire it¡­aren¡¯t the side effects too pernicious?


    To be unable to rest properly in the suffocating Labyrinth, even in the safety zones set up for a breather due to hives, and the mana consumption is so severe that the party¡¯s mage has to retire or use up all their mined Magic Stones?


    This is just trash. No matter how much I cherish Eve, there¡¯s no excuse.


    I sighed deeply and patted Lemon and Apple on the shoulders.


    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard. But there are things I need to discuss with both of you¡­and especially, I owe Miss Eve fromst time.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°An appraisal dagger.¡±


    Instead of production costs, I had promised to use the power of the World Tree for Eve someday.


    I never thought a power that aids growth would appear¡­but anyway, shouldn¡¯t it still be possible for me to make nts grow even now?


    First, I should hint at what the ability is and tell them to call me if they need anything.


    As I nodded to myself, Lydia, who seemed bored, was fiddling with the dirt with her toes and then looked up.


    ¡°Jonah. If you¡¯re hesitant to go alone, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I need to go ande back alone this time¡­.¡±


    Saying this, I shrugged, and for some reason, Ellie and Lydia looked uneased.


    It seemed not so much that they were worrying about the fight I had just been risking my life in, but something else¡­.


    ¡°Gasp! Ellie, Miss Lydia. Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯m just going to talk about work, I¡¯m definitely not going off to cheat!¡±


    ¡°Who-who said anything?!¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. I¡¯m not worried about such things. ¡­But if it¡¯s about work, shouldn¡¯t I or Senior Ellie be going with you?¡±


    Ellie, as if stung by her own words, screams in denial. Lydia, finding Ellie¡¯s voice too noisy, covers her ears and continues speaking.


    Both of their reactions made me chuckle as I responded.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing big, so there¡¯s really no need to go together. And since I¡¯ll be going home early, Ellie, you can rx and get ready to grant my wish.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°¡­Was that for real?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been serious.¡±


    To the extent that I¡¯ve even decided on a wish already.

 Chapter 76: The Elves’ Common Sense Of Persistence

    Chapter 76: The Elves¡¯ Common Sense Of Persistence


    Aftering up to the surface¡­with a sly smile as if nothing had happened, I waved to Ellie and Lydia and then turned around.


    For some reason, Lemon and Apple were standing side by side in the ¡®at ease¡¯ posture, filled with tension.


    What¡¯s this? Are they asking for a belly punch?


    <em>Tak, tak.</em>


    I feigned punching their stomachs for no reason. Then, twisting their bodies and making strange noises, Lemon and Apple reacted.


    ¡°Aah! That¡¯s a no-go zone¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir Jonah is sneaky¡­¡±


    ¡°No, isn¡¯t it just the stomach?¡±


    ¡°Have you not considered that it might not be the stomach?¡±¡°It¡¯s covered by clothes. Maybe it¡¯s lower than what Sir Jonah thinks¡­¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡±


    <em>p.</em>


    With a snort at Apple¡¯s nonsense, I simultaneously lifted the hem of their clothes.


    As one would expect, all that was visible was a wless, white belly without a trace of fat.


    They don¡¯t have muscles like Ellie, nor the firmness of Lydia. They just have a thin and delicate feel.


    Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I would spare them.


    ¡°Ayy!¡±


    <em>p! p!</em>


    Jonah¡¯s stomach p! The effect was tremendous¡­


    ¡°Kyah?!¡±


    ¡°Heeit!¡±


    Could it be that they never expected to be suddenly hit directly in the stomach? The two cringed with a shrill scream.


    In Pangrave, a world where gender roles are reversed and women¡¯s exposure is tolerated, such a reaction is rare.


    Well. Thinking about it the other way, if some woman suddenly lifted my clothes and hit my stomach, I might make a simr sound¡­or maybe not. Yeah.


    I would have just made surprised noises like ¡®Wow! Heuk!¡¯ Not such a sharp shriek.


    ¡°Hmm. What¡¯s with that sexy sound. Don¡¯t tell me you feel aroused when you get hit?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all! What are you talking about!¡±


    ¡°What kind of talk is this in a public ce¡­!¡±


    The two of them cover their bellies and scream shrilly.


    Could it be that they are unaware that such reactions draw more attention?


    Chuckling, I lightly pped both of their buttocks.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    ¡°Heeyang!¡±


    ¡°Why, why again¡­.¡±


    Words spoken in grievance. Yet, there¡¯s a peculiarly heightened tone in their voices that sounded as if they didn¡¯t seem to entirely dislike it.


    After all, in this world, it might be understandable if a woman hits a man¡¯s buttocks, but a man hitting a woman¡¯s buttocks can be taken as a joke.


    Especially since I appear as young as a child. Thinking weirdly in this situation would be the odd thing.


    ¡­Lemon and Apple do seem a bit odd though.


    ¡°Hee¡­hee. Heehee.¡±


    ¡°The threads of fate, even a foot-wiper can be a power wielder¡­heehee.¡±


    The two gazing nkly into space, giggling foolishly. Having seen them tied up in the Labyrinth whenever I run into them, I had suspected¡­and indeed, they clearly have a peculiar fetish.


    I sighed deeply and took the lead.


    ¡°Ah¡­it¡¯s settled, soe quickly. I need to go to Eden.¡±


    ¡°Ah! You can¡¯t go alone!¡±


    ¡°We will protect you.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    For a moment, I hesitated, wondering what I had just heard.


    ¡°Protect?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Sir Jonah must not get hurt!¡±


    ¡°You guys?¡±


    ¡°What, what is the problem?¡±


    ¡°If you tell us, we will correct it.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too mean¡­¡±


    Only then did they realize the reality and their shoulders sagged heavily. The reason is simple. I am stronger than thebination of Lemon and Apple¡­!


    ¡°Do you understand the difference in our strength?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    I shrugged once and then slowed down a bit, walking side by side with them and said,


    ¡°I roughly understand what you¡¯re thinking. You¡¯ve already owed your life twice, so it seems like you want to do something¡­but let¡¯s skip the unnecessary. Just continue as you were.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Now that I think about it¡­¡±


    ¡°Shh. Keep it down, Lemon.¡±


    Lemon seemed to have realized something and was about to mutter when Apple stopped her. Well, it¡¯s probably not that important.


    ¡°Last time, Miss Eve had to cover for the price of our life, but since she used up all her extra money, this time we might have to rob a store if there¡¯s no other way.¡±


    ¡°That, that¡¯s right!¡±


    ¡°If we mess up, the Boss might go bankrupt!¡±


    ¡°¡­No. Are you nning to cling to Miss Eve to the point of bankruptcy? Aren¡¯t you ashamed as an adult?¡±


    Lemon and Apple, rolling their eyes and keeping their mouths shut. After all, what can you expect from novice adventurers who had just cleared their thug life and are trying to live earnestly by entering the Labyrinth?


    ¡°Fine. I wasn¡¯t nning to ask for money this time either. Just keep one thing in mind.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say, just say it.¡±


    ¡°I will definitely keep it!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just keep everything that happened today a secret.¡±


    ¡°Everything means¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®everything¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Literally everything. Who captured you, how you were rescued, the enemies we fought today, the oues, and so on. Everything.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lemon and Apple both nodded in unison.


    ¡°I understand. I swear it.¡±


    ¡°Even if I die, I¡¯ll keep today¡¯s events secret from the Boss too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the right attitude. But it¡¯s okay to make an exception for Miss Eve.¡±


    ¡°Eh. Why is that?¡±


    ¡°As expected, the Boss and you¡­.¡±


    Lemon blinked dumbly, while Apple smirked meaningfully. Whatever they were imagining, it was clearly wrong.


    ¡°What do you mean why, you fool. Remember the promise I made with Miss Evest time?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ is it showing the Dagger every time we meet?¡±


    ¡°It was about proving whether we still have the V card!¡±


    ¡°Neither, you idiots! Is that all you have in your heads?!¡±


    <em>Smack!</em>


    I struck both Lemon and Apple on the head simultaneously. The sound resonated unusually loud, though it didn¡¯t seem like I hit them hard.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    ¡°Kkeung.¡±


    And the twin elves acting as if the impact was great, clutched their foreheads and groaned.


    ¡°Uh¡­uh?¡±


    This was not what I intended?


    Confused, I looked down at my hand. Naturally, my forearm looked slender, almost delicate, and my skin was pale as if it had never seen sunlight, soft without a single callus to greet me.


    In other words, nothing special had changed. If I had to point out a difference¡­


    ¡°Aha?¡±


    It must be the Labyrinth¡¯s growth reward.


    This time, instead of dealing with various minor monsters, didn¡¯t I defeat the Floor Guardian alone? There was also the single Mentor ss member of The One Who Devours the Twilight¡­Cena, who I killed with my own hands.


    Purebat experience, the achievement of being the first to summon a Floor Guardian, and even the boss solo kill achievement.


    All of thisbined must have contributed to my growth, and with the power of Basilieus I gained this time, the growth rate has inted even more.


    It wouldn¡¯t be strange to say that my physical abilities have increased dramatically without me knowing.


    ¡°¡­Did it hurt a lot? I¡¯m having a bit of trouble controlling my strength right now. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay now.¡±


    ¡°Rather than my head, I¡¯m fine with you hitting my butt whenever you think of it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°¡­Actually, it seems like Apple is the most dangerous, so I¡¯m running away!¡±


    ¡°Hehehe. Do you think being a lemon makes you any different? I know you¡¯ll be the first to join in when the chancees.¡±


    Lemon, shocked, and Apple, who no longer hides her preferences.


    As usual, the sight of them brought a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Haah¡­ You seem fine, so that¡¯s good. Let¡¯s just go.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s, let¡¯s go together!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not into neglect y!¡±


    Hurriedly, with the two in tow, we headed towards Eden.<hr>


    <em>Jingle.</em>


    As the door opens, a clear bell rings.


    Items disyed haphazardly without any unity. The smell of grass wafting from pots ced here and there, and from a small back room, a sinister(not)-looking, old, narrowed-eye elf,ing to greet us with a dripping dagger.


    ¡°Oh? I thought a rare guest hade after such a long time, but it¡¯s Mr. Jonah? Nice to see you. What brings you here today? Surely Lemon and Apple haven¡¯t done anything wrong?¡±


    <em>Tsk! An interruption(X)</em>


    <em>Pleased to see you(O)</em>


    Even now, the blood-stained dagger dripping dark red blood as if it had been soaked in someone, and the few stters on the always smiling merchant¡¯s face are incredibly worrisome¡­but surely it¡¯s nothing serious.


    She forced a smile and shook her head. Lemon and Apple also gasped and followed suit, shaking their heads.


    ¡°Of course not. I came to share some good news.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s a secret! It¡¯s a de that only spares lives!¡±


    ¡°Stupid Lemon! At times like this, you should just say it¡¯s okay! Do you want to be the Boss¡¯s next prey?!¡±


    Eve, breathing as if ndered. I cautiously asked her, shifting the topic.


    ¡°Miss Eve. What exactly is that dagger? It keeps dripping blood, which is a bit scary¡­.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. I was just tending to a good child that came in.¡±


    ¡°A good child, you say¡­?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a Mandragora.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Talking as if she¡¯s just casually sacrificed something. Well, since a Mandragora¡¯s fluid is red too, that must be why there are traces left.


    Well, Eve is originally like that, so it¡¯s expected, but it¡¯s a bit disheartening nheless.


    I chuckled and naturally sank into the sofa.


    ¡°Miss Eve. I have something important to discuss. Do you have a moment?¡±


    ¡°If Sir Jonah says it¡¯s that important, I¡¯ll have to make time.¡±


    <em>Let¡¯s hear what you have to say (X)</em>


    <em>Is it a proposal?! (O)</em>


    Hmm. Today, as usual, I casually ignored my malfunctioning internal trantor. Instead, I materialized Basilieus with the meager typus tear-like amount of divine power that had recovered.


    <em>Whoosh!</em>


    A crude ash tree crown is ced upon my head, glowing faintly green.


    <em>ng!</em>


    Eve, realizing whose power it was, opens her eyes wide and drops her dagger. Then, with a trembling voice, she stammers on.


    ¡°F-for it to actually be a proposal¡­!¡±


    <em>Did the Floor Guardian of the first floor actually exist!(X)</em>


    <em>For the power of the World Tree to appear now!(X)</em>


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Something seems off?

 Chapter 77: The Elves’ Common Sense Of Persistence (2)

    ¡°F-for it to actually be a proposal¡­!¡±


    <em>Did the Floor Guardian of the first floor actually exist!(X)</em>


    <em>For the power of the World Tree to appear now!(X)</em>


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    What¡¯s this? Something seems off.


    I carefully retraced my memories. And then I realized.


    The content of the Eve trantor and the actual dialogue had been switched¡­!


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    As I shivered, wondering if I had finally lost it.Before I knew it, I had switched to spectator mode, watching Lemon and Apple munching on pea fries from a distance.


    Seeing their reactions, I realized. It wasn¡¯t that I had heard wrong.


    ¡°Miss, Miss Eve? What are you¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh? Why do you look so surprised at what I said?¡±


    <em>If you don¡¯t want to be silenced, pretend you don¡¯t know (X)</em>


    <em>I¡¯m screwed! Please pretend you didn¡¯t hear it! (O)</em>


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Before I knew it, Eve was tilting her head with her usual suspicious smile and narrowed eyes.


    So serene that I wondered if I had just seen and heard things that weren¡¯t there.


    But then I realized it when I saw the dagger smeared with the red juice of the writhing Mandragora on the floor.


    That it was all true. And that the Eve trantor might never have malfunctioned even once.


    Sitting on the sofa, crossing one leg, I smirked.


    ¡°Miss Eve.¡±


    ¡°Just a moment. I¡¯ll clean up the Mandragora first, so please wait a bit¡­.¡±


    ¡°Did you just say propose?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    Eve¡¯s lips curled up, but her eyes were not smiling.


    The fierce slit eyes, the inherent difference in status from birth, and the charisma forged from her experience as a queenbined to create a considerable sense of oppression.


    It felt like an instinctual warning that stepping even one foot further would lead to some incident.


    It was a sensation that went beyond shivers down my spine, as if ice had been poured along it¡­


    I know this person named Eve very well.


    Like Ellie, Eve too is a child born from my hand. Naturally, I fully understand that the current atmosphere is nothing but a pretense.


    Thus, instead of trembling or stepping back, I started to think.


    Inferring the truth from the fragmented information provided is the realm of a detective, but¡­regardless of the truth, weaving minor details into an interesting narrative is surely the realm of a writer, isn¡¯t it?


    With Basilieus, still on disy, the promised wish in lieu of payment for dagger crafting, the peculiar attitudes of Lemon and Apple after the manifestation of power, the proposal statement, an infallible trantor, pretentiousness.


    With all these themes, I crafted content perfect for teasing Eve.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Now that I think about it, I did make a promise to Miss Eve. I said I would use this power just once for Miss Eve.¡±


    I said this while tapping on the Ash Tree Crown ced on my head. True to her professional (not) nature of illusion, Eve maintained herposure and tilted her head in curiosity.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. It was a bit surprising, but I believed in Sir Jonah¡¯s potential and invested in it. And you¡¯ve shown me the answer so quickly.¡±


    <em>Where could it be used to be well-utilized and be the talk of the town? (X)</em>


    <em>Has the usurper and the former queen¡¯s y taken off! (O)</em>


    Seeing Eve¡¯s inner thoughts, a smile naturally formed on my face. Indeed. She must have been very lonely all this time.


    There is only one setting for Eve¡¯s romantic rtionships. ¡®Virgin¡¯.


    In other words, the fact that Eve is a virgin remains unchanged. Indeed, it even elicited the greatest reaction from the Unicorn¡¯s Horn.


    It goes without saying, but here, virginity does not merely refer to the presence of a hymen, but rather that she has never harbored feelings for any man, nor has she ever engaged in even the slightest sexual activity.


    But how can a person live nearly a thousand years inplete istion from the opposite sex?


    It¡¯s truly an absurd notion, but¡­what if it actually happened? The answer is right before my eyes.


    Eve Nirvana Yggdrasil.


    I don¡¯t even know why she has lived as a virgin for a thousand years in this gender-reversed world.


    However, if I imagine living a very, very long time as a virgin while possessing a young body, I can easily guess how Eve must feel.


    In the midst of this, what could Eve, who holds the one-time wish I promised, be thinking?


    ¡°Heh. Miss Eve, where do you intend to use the promise I made to use the power of the World Tree just once for you? A proposal? Surely¡­you¡¯re not thinking of wasting that precious opportunity to marry me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Suddenly talking about a proposal, I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡±


    <em>Go ahead, say something. If you can keep your head attached (X)</em>


    <em>Can we please talk about something else? (O)</em>


    Judging by the reaction, it seems I¡¯ve hit the mark. Talk about something else? Absolutely not.


    Eve was feigning a rxed smile. Towards her, I shrugged with an even deeper smile.


    ¡°Are you nning to pretend you don¡¯t know what I clearly heard? Oh, just to make it clear, the promise I made was to use the power of the World Tree solely for you, Eve? It¡¯s not following whatever you say.¡±


    Eve flinches at my calm demeanor. Toward her, I deliberately used the power of Basilieus.


    <em>Wooong-</em>


    The Ash Tree Crown takes away all the remaining divine power I had. At the same time, the nts in the pots ced around the store begin to grow rapidly.


    Vines curl around the sofa where I am sitting. Eve swallows nervously as the foliage thickens meaningfully.


    I gave her a sly smile. If the trantor¡¯s information is true, there couldn¡¯t be an easier opponent than this.


    ¡°The first thing that came to your mind was a proposal¡­ Have you been seeing me in that light all this time, Eve?¡±


    ¡°Who knows. What might happen¡­¡±


    <em>You dare to judge me? (X)</em>


    <em>IgotcaughtIgotcaughtIgotcaughtIgotcaught (O)</em>


    On the surface, Eve wears a leisurely sinister smile. But now I believe it. If Eve was caught, she would be restless!


    Normally, I would have backed off by now, but today I decided to step in deeper instead.


    I leaned casually against the armrest of the sofa.


    The hem of my clothes naturally rolled up. The exposed corbone between the disheveled breaths and the wideningpels.


    Imagining a decadence that didn¡¯t match her small stature, I put effort into every gesture.


    At that moment, when Eve¡¯s narrow eyes focused on me, I asked her again in a subtle voice.


    ¡°Oh dear. There¡¯s no need to hide, right? It¡¯s between you and me, Eve. ¡­We share such things in our rtionship, don¡¯t we?¡±


    I stopped there and pretended not to as I fiddled with the Unicorn Dagger at my waist.


    It¡¯s not that I¡¯m threatening to draw the sword. I¡¯m just trying to show how it vibrates and emits a white light every time my fingers touch it.


    Though it¡¯s sheathed, the reaction is so violent that anyone paying attention can tell. At least, that the Dagger is reacting to me.


    In other words, I¡¯m still putting on the ¡°I¡¯m still a virgin¡± appeal.


    If it were the old days, Eve, who would cheer inwardly at the shout of ¡°Wow! A virgin!¡±, would surely react¡­!


    <em>Gulp.</em>


    Just as expected.


    Eve swallows her saliva without changing her facial expression. It was hard to notice because of her slyly narrowed eyes, but her gaze was clearly sweeping over my entire body.


    It seems my long experience wasn¡¯t in vain, though my mouth was running on its own.


    ¡°Sir Jonah? I feel awkward saying this, but don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being too rude? Bursting in suddenly and pushing me like this¡­¡±


    <em>That¡¯s enough of this nonsense (X)</em>


    <em>Wow, that body! (O)</em>


    ¡°Pushing you? You¡¯re making it sound like I¡¯m a bad person, which is disappointing. I just want to know. What Miss Eve expects from me¡­and what the power of the World Tree means to the elves.¡±


    This time, I briefly signaled with my eyes towards Lemon and Apple, who had been merely watching from behind. Simultaneously, thin vines began to wrap around my wrists and ankles.


    Some of the nts from the pots that were being steadily grown by Basilieus had reached the sofa where I was sitting.


    Having control over most of the nts in this area feels simr to me crossing my arms¡­but to an outsider, it might look as if I was being entwined by tentacles.


    I maintained a faint smile as I quietly observed Eve.


    Eve, too, stopped her rambling speech and looked down at me.


    ¡­Well, her gaze was a bit sinister, but I, in my own way, admired Eve¡¯s voluptuous chest, which was uncharacteristic of an elf, so we were even.


    We stood in silence for a long while, but eventually, it was Eve who made the first move.


    She sighed deeply, lifting her arms lightly as if to surrender.


    ¡°There¡¯s no helping it. Sir Jonah and I are partners. If you insist on listening, I can¡¯t stop you.¡±


    <em>Now that it¡¯s irreversible, brace yourself (X)</em>


    <em>I wanted to raise him longer before eating him up, but what can I do (O)</em>


    As I was briefly shocked at her tant intentions, Eve then opened her eyes wide.


    Between the parted eyelids were chillingly beautiful green irises.


    Eve, having activated the Eyes of Truth, began to speak in a deliberately chilling voice.


    ¡°It may be unfamiliar to you, Sir Jonah, since you are human. This story is from the distant past. Not long after the War of the Fallen Gods ended, us elves¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. Are you talking about the time when Miss Eve was the queen?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Eve, as if frozen by having her lead stolen, stiffened uppletely.


    Oh right. This was supposed to be a secret for now, wasn¡¯t it?

 Chapter 78: The Elves’ Common Sense Of Persistence (3)

    ¡°Yes, yes. Are you talking about the time when Miss Eve was the queen?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Eve, as if frozen by having her lead stolen, stiffened uppletely.


    Oh right. This was supposed to be a secret for now, wasn¡¯t it?


    Well, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s a top-secret that no one should know, but it does feel like it¡¯s high-level information that only certain people are aware of.


    I haven¡¯t set an exact number of years, so I¡¯m not sure, but there is a setting that quite some time has passed since Eve retired, even by elf standards.


    Wasn¡¯t there a joke in the Labyrinth about how Lemon and Apple said a king who couldn¡¯t make money was unnecessary, and that the Elven Forest has been a republic for 400 years since then?


    So, it seems about right to say that it¡¯s been just over 400 years since Eve gave up her queenship.


    By human standards, it¡¯s a long enough time for a kingdom to fall, but by elf standards, it¡¯s just a generation or two ago.Pieces of memories fit together perfectly as I organize the information in my mind. Eve straightens her disheveled posture caused by her confusion.


    She straightens her back, lifts her head, and neatly ces her hands in front of her stomach.


    Not only has her posture changed, the aura and atmosphere emanating from Eve feelpletely different.


    Indeed. Is this what it feels like to be born a queen, not merely made one?


    Even I, who had not fully visualized a clear image, find the character I sketched out standing before me in such perfect form.


    What an exhrating moment this is.


    Without realizing, my lips curl into a smile. Eve, receiving that smile, gazes back intently with her sparkling green eyes.


    The Eye of Truth.


    The legacy of the World Tree delving into, excavating, and drawing out everything from my deepest core, leaving nothing behind.


    A sense of unease and helplessness as if someone is intruding into a domain that no one else can trespass¡­or perhaps a sense of awe.


    Now, with the little bit of miracle from the Age of God¡¯s left, Eve spoke, revealing it generously.


    ¡°Since when have you known?¡±


    <em>I should have dealt with this sooner (X)</em>


    <em>Even as an elf, I didn¡¯t want to be caught being four digits old (O)</em>


    Giggling at the cute intentions, I too stood up from my seat.


    Then, slowly, I headed towards Eve. With each step, tiny sprouts blossomed at my toes.


    This was thest disy made by squeezing out all the remaining divine power left¡­ It turned out looking more impressive than I thought.


    Arriving in front of Eve. I stopped just short of touching her queen-sized chest, casually sped my hands behind my back, and looked up at her.


    ¡°Would you believe me if I said ¡®from the beginning¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The difference in dignity perceived from Eve¡¯s eyes intensifies the pressure.


    Not a fragment of power barely salvaged from the distorted space and time of the Labyrinth, but a true miracle of a god that remains intact on the earth.


    When I briefly encountered it before, it was chilling to the spine for a moment¡­but now, it¡¯s not to that extent.


    How should I put it? Perhaps that it feels a bit more familiar.


    Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve be stronger in the meantime, or maybe it¡¯s the power of the Goddess of Love transmitted through the fully upgraded statue, or¡­maybe it¡¯s the attraction between those who harbor the same divine power.


    Well. Anyway, to Eve¡¯s eyes, it must seem like I am speaking the truth.


    Eve and her past are a scenario I devised, so it¡¯s only natural that I have known everything from the moment we first met¡­no, even before that.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s the truth. How on earth do you know? There are no perfect secrets in the world, and my past is no exception¡­but it¡¯s not something just anyone would know. Above all, I heard you, Sir Jonah,e from the streets, like Lemon and Apple?¡±


    <em>Is this an agent sent by some organization? (X)</em>


    <em>Ah! It must be fate! (O)</em>


    Even now, the millennia-old virgin¡¯s moves are consistently the same.


    Anyway, when asked such a question, I should show something reasonably convincing.


    The Ash Tree Crown I acquired this time mightck persuasiveness. Then, it seems there¡¯s only one thing left.


    I didn¡¯t expect to show this to Eve first.


    I reached into the subspace of the bracelet.


    <em>Uung-</em>


    With a strange resonance, ripples spread through the air. I inserted my hand up to my wrist and then withdrew it.


    The softunresistingwarmministatueoftheGoddessofLove.


    <em>Whoosh-!</em>


    Just by taking it out, the space dominated by Eve transforms in an instant.


    The divine power of the Goddess of Love, pushing through and expelling the power of the World Tree.


    Indeed, the entity that was emitting a soft divine power like a moodmp reacted violently upon encountering the power of another god.


    As if it was throwing a tantrum because it didn¡¯t want me to be taken away.


    ¡­No, right? Surely she¡¯s not really sending more power to the relic for that reason, is it?


    I tried to hide the cold sweat trickling inside me and smiled calmly.


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because I¡¯m the type who is loved by someone quite high up. It¡¯s not a revtion¡­but I juste to know various things.¡±


    ¡°O World Tree¡­¡±


    <em>That a sessor of the World Tree¡¯s power could be an apostle of another god¡­ I cannot ept it (X)</em>


    <em>Does this mean the Great n of a Hundred Years is ruined¡­? (O)</em>


    ¡­???


    What are you talking about, Eevee¡­


    What¡¯s this ominous ¡°Great n of a Hundred Years¡±? And you¡¯re telling me that those few words contain such meaning?


    They say even a broken clock is right twice a day¡­ Could it be that the trantor was indeed really broken and happened to be correct earlier by chance?


    For a moment, she denied reality in her mind. Then, Eve closed her wide-open eyes and returned to her usual narrow-eyed look. The sense of oppression that could be felt unconsciously also faded away.


    ¡°Hoo¡­ I understand now. The Goddess of Love must have had a n too. Us elves cannot forget the World Tree, who is still in eternal slumber, and she has always bestowed unwavering love upon us.¡±


    <em>If it weren¡¯t for the favor of the Goddess of Love¡­it would have been regrettable (X)</em>


    <em>Even if it has been a thousand years since someone has received the power of the World Tree, being that it¡¯s a human, it was worrisome¡­but if it¡¯s a saint, everyone would ept it (O)</em>


    I¡¯m not sure why, but since a while ago, Eve has been counting her chickens before they hatch. It¡¯s funny to watch, but if I keep watching like this, I feel like something bad is really going to happen.


    Having lived as a virgin for thest thousand years, she might have be a bit odd¡­but even considering that, Eve¡¯s reaction is a bit too much.


    Then, there are two possible exnations to consider.<ol><li>


    Eve is a dangerous pervert who gets excited by little boys.</li><li>


    There is a meaning to the World Tree¡¯s power that I am unaware of.</li></ol>


    The first option can¡¯t be right. It shouldn¡¯t be. It isn¡¯t, right¡­?


    To dispel the slowly rising anxiousness, I posed the most crucial question.


    ¡°So? Could you continue what you were saying earlier? I mean, the significance of the World Tree¡¯s power to the elves.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear. I was so surprised that my words slipped away. If we go back to the story right after the War of the Fallen Gods¡­¡±


    The following words from Eve were as intriguing as they were pitiful.


    The World Tree had died, but its traces remained intact on the first floor of the Labyrinth. And then, traces and fragments of power from other dead gods began to be discovered on the other floors.


    The elves, still not over their loss, pondered there. What if someone who gained the power of the World Tree appeared?


    And what if they, along with Eve, who was born with power, ruled the Elven Forest¡­ the elf kingdom that had lost its god¡­?


    For the elves of that time, who wanted to feel even a trace of the World Tree, it was a desperate earthly task.


    Of course, no matter what they tried, they couldn¡¯t summon the first floor¡¯s Floor Guardian and the idea all but fizzled out.


    ¡°¡­Is that important now?¡±


    Eve shook her head in resignation to my question.


    ¡°Though it¡¯s still important, not all elves are as enthusiastic about it as they used to be. Except for me, that is.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°To rule the Elven Forest with me simply means to marry me and for us to be king and queen.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°In other words, even though I am a woman, I must not carelessly mingle with other men.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­.¡±


    In my setup, Eve is not the heroine. I thought she was, but for some reason, she turns evil and dies at the hands of the protagonist as a mid-boss.


    Still, I decided to include that she was a virgin, because it seemed like it would be interesting¡­.


    I never expected such a backstory to attach itself to a setting chosen simply because it seemed like it would be fun.


    Withpassion, I patted her shoulder, and Eve, with her long ears blushing red to the tips, stuttered.


    ¡°Ye-yes, up to here it¡¯s still okay. If the situation changes, we can just retract it. ¡­However, back then, I was young and full of vigor.¡±


    ¡°What? You¡¯re starting to make me feel a bit nervous.¡±


    ¡°You have a good intuition. It¡¯s because at that time, I swore an oath to the World Tree in my name, saying I would not be deeply involved with a man who does not possess your divine power.¡±


    ¡°My goodness.¡±


    The World Tree is dead, but its power and authority have notpletely disappeared.


    It was a rather impulsive oath, but nheless, Eve is a natural-born queen, directly brought into being by the fruit of the World Tree.


    If she breaks the oath made in the name of a god, her own powers might very well turn against her.


    And if one is born with a power as strong as Eve¡¯s, just the surge of divine power can be life-threatening.


    ¡°To die or to live as a virgin forever. That was the fate given to me. The price of folly. I thought so¡­until you, Sir Jonah, turned the impossible into possible.¡±


    Having said that, Eve stepped back half a step with a look full of sorrow.


    ¡°Sir Jonah. I cannot marry anyone but you. Perhaps I have been waiting for you all this time.¡±


    ¡°What? What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°I should have taken more time to get to know each other and exin my situation properly, but¡­now that it hase to this, I will try to be a bit braver.¡±


    Then she knelt down, took off one of the rings she was wearing on her fingers, and offered it with both hands.


    ¡°Will you marry me?¡±


    <em>Be my political sacrifice (X)</em>


    <em>Come on, give it to me! (O)</em>


    I chewed over the dizzying content of the trantor that only bes clear at times like this, and then I grinned broadly.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to.¡±

 Chapter 79: The Elves’ Common Sense Of Persistence (4)

    Chapter 79: The Elves¡¯ Common Sense Of Persistence (4)


    ¡°Will you marry me?¡±


    <em>Be my political sacrifice (X)</em>


    <em>Come on, give it to me! (O)</em>


    After chewing over the jumbled trantor output, I grinned broadly.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to?¡±


    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±


    Eve, momentarily unable toprehend what she had heard, made a foolish noise.


    But it didn¡¯t take long for her to understand what I had said, and herplexion quickly turned pale.


    ¡°Why, why not?!¡±¡°Why not, you ask? Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Although I am a former queen, I was a queen nheless. I simply didn¡¯t feel the need, but if I wish, I can reim the throne anytime.¡±


    ¡°I can also gain power whenever I want, you know? Since I¡¯m kind of like a saint.¡±


    ¡°Then, then what about money? I haven¡¯t made much due to myck of skills, but the other elves aren¡¯t like me. If I ask, they will all generously donate their gold.¡±


    ¡°That might be true. But I wonder if the Temple has collected more money than all the elves of the Continent?¡±


    ¡°Kkeuk¡­¡±


    ¡°More than anything, I¡¯m not a materialist who marries for money¡­ It¡¯s a bit sad if that¡¯s how you see me, Miss Eve.¡±


    ¡°No, not at all! I swear to the World Tree, I¡¯ve never thought that!¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Well, let¡¯s assume that¡¯s the case. But still, it¡¯s clear that it¡¯s not a reason for me to marry you, Miss Eve.¡±


    ¡°That is¡­¡±


    Eve chews her lips and eventually closes her eyes tightly and shouts.


    ¡°Then what about my appearance?! I know it¡¯s quite something to say this myself, but I am confident that I possess exceptional beauty and physique even among the elves.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­after money, it¡¯s appearance. You do realize that what I said earlier applies here too? Just as I¡¯m not someone who marries for money, I¡¯m also not someone who marries for looks alone.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Having lost her words, Eve bowed her head deeply.


    Of course, if appearance was a major consideration, Eve would certainly be weed anytime¡­but not yet. There¡¯s also the matter of order.


    Eve¡¯s is merely third ce¡­!


    Muttering to myself, I look up at Eve, who couldn¡¯t bring herself to raise her head.


    Her face was marred by shame and self-loathing. At this, one corner of my mouth curled up into a smirk.


    ¡°Perhaps, as Miss Eve says, I might be your destiny. It¡¯s possible that you won¡¯t meet another man besides me. ¡­But isn¡¯t that your own circumstance?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, your situation is unfortunate, Miss Eve. However, I shouldn¡¯t have to devote my life to you just out of sympathy. I have my own goals and circumstances too.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Yes. Eve, true to her forever-single ways, did get carried away with the mood and made a rash move, but by now she should have realized.


    That she proposed to me simply because she was caught up in the moment¡­!


    Well. To be honest, I¡¯m not feeling bad about it. In the continent of Pan, where gender roles are reversed, a woman¡¯s appearance does hold value, though it¡¯s not extraordinarily high¡­but at least it¡¯s a major matter to me.


    There¡¯s no way I¡¯d refuse when a woman like Eve says she¡¯s the only one for me and offers everything from money to power if I marry her.


    However, as I mentioned earlier, I have a purpose to address the dark foreshadowing I¡¯ve scattered across this world.


    And if possible, I¡¯d like to meet the Goddess of Love in the deepest part of the Labyrinth.


    Now that I¡¯ve just begun to tackle the first floor, I can¡¯t be tied down to Eve.


    This doesn¡¯t mean Eve would be restraining me. But whether we be king and queen and reim power, or retire and live as symbolic figures, it¡¯s clear that my journey would end there.


    No matter how diminished the presence of a queen in the elf society became, or how the influence of the World Tree wanes, surely no one would expect a king or queen¡¯s consort to be frequently visiting the Labyrinth.


    For that reason, I decide to dissuade Eve from her n here. If I¡¯m not careful, I might even push her towards corruption myself, so I should leave some room for maneuver.


    I reached out and grasped Eve¡¯s face.


    <em>Squish.</em>


    The soft touch of her cheeks. Though her face is slim without baby fat, the skin itself is just soft.


    Startled, Eve cautiously opens her eyes. Though to say she opens them, it¡¯s more like her normally squinted eyes just became less so.


    In that state, I adjusted the angle slightly to make her look directly into my eyes.


    ¡°Miss Eve. Don¡¯t look away, please look at me.¡±


    ¡°I, I am¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, I know. You¡¯ve been very lonely, haven¡¯t you? The circumstances must have driven you to this.¡±


    ¡°You understand?¡±


    ¡°Of course. The World Tree entered eternal rest for the future of the elves, and amidst the despair of the surviving elves, Miss Eve had to ovee this bleak situation as the queen arranged by the World Tree. It must have been tough for Miss Eve, being young at that time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ I was born with many gifts, but not with experience.¡±


    <em>But now that I have gained experience, I have no weaknesses (X)</em>


    <em>Could it be that even someone like me can be forgiven¡­? (O)</em>


    Hmm. The fact that the Eve trantor has started working again means there¡¯s room for other thoughts.


    In other words, it means she has somewhat recovered from the state of her mental breakdown.


    While gently stroking Eve¡¯s cheek, I continued speaking.


    ¡°Bearing the fate of an entire race alone is no easy task. Seeing the truth isn¡¯t always a good thing either¡­ Above all, the greatest sorrow for Miss Eve must have been having no one to share that pain with.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s okay. A queen must be a dignified being, after all.¡±


    <em>The understanding is appreciated, but pity soon bes an insult (X)</em>


    <em>This man. Will he understand my tastes even in bed? (O)</em>


    Do you really only have nonsense in your head, Eevee¡­


    It¡¯s trulymentable, but having endured for a thousand years, I thought it possible, and gently pulled on Eve¡¯s hair, which she had been wrapping around herself.


    Her head slowly drops. But as it bends to the angle where the neck can no longer bend, she stoops and bends her knees to adjust to me. I didn¡¯t stop there but continued to pull Eve towards me.


    The view that was once higher than mine soon became simr to mine, and now it has lowered even more.


    The posture that symbolized the dignity of a queen was now bent, and her knees were already kneeling on the ground.


    Earlier, I was looking up, but now, Eve is the one looking up, and I smiled faintly at this change.


    ¡°I understand why you are obsessed with me, Miss Eve. But it can¡¯t be.¡±


    ¡°Then am I supposed to live like this forever? Not knowing when this long life will end¡­?¡±


    <em>If only I had lived without knowing hope¡­ (X)</em>


    <em>Should I just close my eyes and kidnap him? (O)</em>


    Oh, the world.


    Just maybe. It¡¯s just a hypothesis, but¡­


    Could it be that Eve turned evil because she was rejected by the protagonist after being too clingy?


    It¡¯s like if I can¡¯t have it, I might as well destroy it.


    She ruled the country wisely in her own way, and now lives a good life adhering to the ssical elven lifestyle, but I wondered if Eve would really turn evil just because she was rejected¡­


    Seeing the content of the trantor, I now think it might actually be possible.


    As if hiding my astonishment, I grabbed Eve¡¯s head and hugged her tightly.


    Eve¡¯s face buried in my chest. I gently stroked her trembling light green hair, an unexpected event for her.


    Likeforting a child who has caused trouble.


    Eve¡¯s trembling slowly subsided. Only after she hadpletely calmed down did I continue in a low voice.


    ¡°No. That won¡¯t happen. I won¡¯t let it.¡±


    ¡°Eh?!¡±


    Eve startled, as if my statement was a contradiction of what I had said before.


    This is sincere. I can¡¯t live just for Eve, but it doesn¡¯t change the fact that Eve is someone I need to embrace.


    Even if she has lived nearly 50 times the age of my current and past lifebined¡­no, this elder¡­um. Anyway, even for a long-lived species, that part doesn¡¯t change.


    Eve is my child.


    With that sentiment, I tightened the arm that was embracing Eve¡¯s head slightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I dislike Miss Eve. It¡¯s simply that I can¡¯t marry Miss Eve right now.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean it will be differentter?¡±


    ¡°Of course. By then, I¡¯ll be an adult, won¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ You are so mature that I didn¡¯t pay attention to your age, Sir Jonah.¡±


    <em>Indeed. Marrying a minor would attract societal criticism, so I must endure it (X)</em>


    <em>The grooming angle is sharp (O)</em>


    I decided to give Eve, who had started to spin her delusions alone again, a dose of reality.


    ¡°And there are other people besides Miss Eve.¡±


    ¡°O, ther people? What does that mean¡­¡±


    <em>Stop NTR!(X)</em>


    <em>3P¡­possible!(O)</em>


    I brought my lips close to the elongated ears of the helpless lewd elf.


    ¡°There¡¯s another woman I¡¯ve promised to marry. And Miss Eve might not be thest.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Eve, perhaps now grasping the situation, gasped.


    I whispered into her ear with a voice full of unrestrained mischief that I couldn¡¯t quite hide.


    ¡°Sorry. My lower half is a bit busy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Oops! I meant to just soothe her¡­!


    Eve reacted so honestly that I ended up saying it without thinking.

 Chapter 80: The Elves’ Common Sense Of Persistence (5)

    Chapter 80: The Elves¡¯ Common Sense Of Persistence (5)


    ¡°Sorry. My lower half is a bit busy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Oops! I meant to just soothe her¡­!


    Eve reacts too honestly to every word I say, and I inadvertently blurted it out.


    Eve, who has been mentally battered repeatedly in this short time, became ragged. With a pale face, she opened her mouth.


    ¡°It, it¡¯s okay. So this doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s because you dislike me, right¡­?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, yes. Honestly, there¡¯s no reason for me to dislike Miss Eve. I rather like you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Really?¡±


    <em>Are you trying to cook me with usible words again? (X)</em><em>Is the chance of me graduating from being a maiden still alive¡­? (O)</em>


    Eve¡¯s voice sounded almost desperate. Honestly, I felt sorry for having been too harsh, even though I was supposed to prevent her from turning evil.


    I leaned in closer, holding Eve¡¯s head in my embrace. The distance suddenly narrowed.


    Being uncharacteristicallyrge for an elf, Eve¡¯s chest pressed tightly against my midsection, as if to envelop me.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Startled, Eve tried reflexively to pull away, but her head was already firmly grasped by me.


    Unable to do much, Eve clung to me in an awkward position. Just as nned.


    Pretending to notice nothing, I continued speaking in a voice no different from before, perhaps a bit softer with a hint of apology.


    ¡°Of course. I most definitely like Miss Eve. Though you said it wasn¡¯t necessary earlier, that was just not a reason enough for marriage, but it¡¯s true that it¡¯s a charming point, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Then, may I take it that my proposal is not entirely rejected?¡±


    <em>Is there still a chance to capture your heart? (X)</em>


    <em>This is a man¡¯s¡­ (O)</em>


    She spoke as if she had found a sliver of hope, like a pure-hearted maiden in her words¡­but her mind was filled with nothing but risqu¨¦ thoughts.


    Isn¡¯t this the best??


    I¡¯m not sure how the men of the Pan Continent would feel, but at least for me, it¡¯s definitely a point in her favor.


    I stroked the round back of Eve¡¯s head and nodded.


    ¡°As I said earlier, it¡¯s not possible right now. But if someday my work is safely finished, and if Miss Eve epts that there are other women by my side. Then, will you gift me the ring again?¡±


    ¡°At that time¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. At that time, please put it on my finger yourself.¡±


    Saying so, I slowly released Eve¡¯s head and stepped back.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Eve eximed as if in regret. I¡¯m sorry, but the service ends here. Well, maybe one more wouldn¡¯t hurt, right?


    With a sly smile, I moved my arms behind my back and sped my hands together. Then, I pressed my forehead against Eve¡¯s and whispered,


    ¡°That¡¯s one thing, but¡­the promise I made with youst time still stands. Whenever you need the power of the World Tree, I¡¯ll help you out once, whatever it may be. Think carefully about how and where you¡¯ll use this.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    After a moment of silence, Eve responded with her usual sinister smile.


    ¡°Hehe. To think you¡¯re giving me a nk check. Are you sure that¡¯s alright?¡±


    <em>You¡¯ll be stomping the ground in regret when you find out what I might ask of you (X)</em>


    <em>King domination y? Totally possible! (O)</em>


    Eve, what did you take my words for? I told you I won¡¯t do anything lewd??


    But I understand that feeling. Even I wouldn¡¯t think much about being an emperor, but imagining being devoured like a dog by an empress does cross my mind.


    ¡­But Ie from a background of writing erotic fiction, and Eve is of royal descent, so why on earth?


    I carefully wrapped up the sudden question that popped into my mind and shoved it deep into my brain, deciding to forget about it.


    Otherwise, I felt like I might gantly step up for Eve, feeling too sorry for her¡­


    Instead, I just chuckled and nodded to what wasn¡¯t quite a threat from Eve.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s fine. I stopped by specifically to talk about this.¡±


    Pleased with my response, Eve smiled and stood up. I sneakily watched as she straightened her disheveled clothes and said,


    ¡°Hmm. Well, I¡¯ve finished what I came for, so I¡¯ll be taking my leave now.¡±


    ¡°Do as you wish. I¡¯m truly sorry for the disgraceful behavior I disyed today.¡±


    <em>If only you weren¡¯t here, no one would know of my embarrassing state (X)</em>


    <em>WhatonearthdidIdo,someonepleaseerasemymemory! (O)</em>


    Eve, as usual, exudes a peculiar aura with her half-closed eyes and a rxed smile that seems to suggest she¡¯s got something up her sleeve.


    It¡¯s really heart-wrenching to know her true feelings, but it¡¯s a relief that she seems to have recovered well.


    And it¡¯s also fortunate that our rtionship hasn¡¯tpletely soured.


    Thanks to this, if something happens to Eve in the future, I¡¯ll be the first to know and can handle it.


    Above all, I didn¡¯t outright reject Eve¡¯s proposal; I initially refused but then conditionally agreed, didn¡¯t I?


    And Eve seems to have taken this condition lightly.


    I never imagined she would immediately shout ¡°3P possible¡± at the mention of another woman¡­


    What kind of monster have I created?


    A sense of self-reproach did wash over me, but this too was a consequence of the scenario I had created. In other words, it was a karma I had to deal with.


    After arranging the nts grown with Basilieus to give a decorative feel, I deactivated my power.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    The sensation of the wood crown fading from my head. And the emptiness as if a part of my senses had been torn away.


    Is that how it is? It seems that if I use the power for more than just a moment, connecting with the surrounding nts for a long time, there are such side effects.


    I steadied my staggering body by putting strength into my legs and waved my hand towards Eve.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going now. See you next time.¡±


    ¡°May I ask when next time might be?¡±


    <em>Don¡¯t assume you¡¯ll be safe until then (X)</em>


    <em>Come before you run out of the fruits you gained today (O)</em>


    ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll drop by if there¡¯s something. Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t take long. I think I¡¯ll clear the first floor soon and move on to the second.¡±


    ¡°Oh my. Are you leaving already? You truly possess extraordinary talent¡­¡±


    <em>I¡¯ll crush that talent before it blooms (X)</em>


    <em>A strong man, distorted sexual desire (O)</em>


    ¡°Yes. So, I think I¡¯ll be visiting again soon. If it¡¯s alright with you, may I ask you to find out information about the power I¡¯ve acquired¡­Basilieus, until then?¡±


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s fine. Basilieus is a special power among the World Tree¡¯s abilities. It¡¯s ancient history for us elves, but the records definitely still exist¡­ Of course, it won¡¯t be free.¡±


    <em>Hehe. I¡¯ll strip you to the bone (X)</em>


    <em>Should I ask for the underwear you wore today? (O)</em>


    ¡°Ahaha! Don¡¯t worry. Do you think I woulde empty-handed? I¡¯ll prepare the payment separately, so just make sure the information is ready.¡±


    ¡°Uhuhu. Trust me. I wouldn¡¯t disappoint Sir Jonah, of all people.¡±


    <em>I will betray you at the crucial moment after slowly gaining your trust (X)</em>


    <em>Saying I¡¯ll satisfy you sounds too risqu¨¦, so let¡¯s say I won¡¯t disappoint you (O)</em>


    After shaking hands with Eve, who hid her true intentions until thest moment, I left the Eternal Mercantile Eden.


    It was time to return home, where Ellie was waiting.<hr>


    Eve slowly looked around the now empty store.


    The design was unique, as if the nts and the building had be one. It was a style Eve recognized from ancient elven architecture.


    The power to dominate nts. A symbol of royal authority. The legitimacy itself recognized by the World Tree.


    The oldest power, named after the first King. It was a form that could only be created with the power of Basilieus.


    ¡°U-huhu¡­¡±


    Eve, slightly cheered up, settled into the sofa where Jonah had been lying just moments before. No, she simply sprawled out in the same manner and took a deep breath.


    A faint scent of Jonah lingered.


    ¡°Wow. That¡¯s pretty tant.¡±


    ¡°Boss. Pervert.¡±


    Lemon and Apple were making a racket in the corner, but it was hardly a matter of concern for Eve.


    Buried in the traces left by Jonah, reflecting on the conversation they had just shared. What could be more important than that?


    ¡®Did you say you have something to do and to wait? I can do that as much as needed.¡¯


    Eve has already been waiting for nearly a thousand years. There¡¯s no need to fret over waiting a few decades more.


    Just helping Jonah and waiting a bit longer is all that needs to be done.


    The real problem is that there are many other women around Jonah¡­.


    ¡®Whoever you love, no matter how tainted, it doesn¡¯t matter. As long as you are by the side of this Eve Nirvana Yggdrasil in the end¡­!¡°


    After all, the lifespan of humans is around 100 years! Even the long-lived races like beastmen or dwarves hardly exceed 150 years!


    Even for those who surpass the limits of their race, living twice the allotted lifespan is a distant dream!


    On the other hand, what about Eve?


    Despite having lived for over a thousand years, she maintains her undiminished youth. As long as she doesn¡¯t get sick or injured, she might have hundreds of years left¡­perhaps even over a thousand.


    This is all thanks to the divine power of the World Tree bestowed upon her at birth.


    And Jonah too has gained the power of the World Tree. Being that he had obtained the one most formidable in strength, his lifespan will increase dramatically.


    At least simr to that of an ordinary elf¡­he may even live long enough to stay with Eve until the very end of her life.


    ¡°Ah¡­I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    To elves, this was themon sense of persistence.


    All the aged, dead, and buriedpetitors. Thinking of the half-elves frolicking above their graves made Eve¡¯s lower abdomen burn with heat.


    <em>Squirming, squirming.</em>


    Eve instinctively crossed her legs and pressed her body against the sofa.


    At that sight, Lemon and Apple who were in the corner were horrified and kicked their way out of the store.


    ¡°That, that. That¡¯s totally a crazy bitch, that one.¡±


    ¡°Lemon. It¡¯s not that. It¡¯s the Boss.¡±


    Apple, who did not correct the term ¡®crazy bitch¡¯ until the end, locked the door of the store from outside.


    Today was another peaceful day in Pangrave.


    Anyway, it was peaceful.

 Chapter 81: Wish Fulfillment

    Chapter 81: Wish Fulfillment


    Have they decided not to open for business at all today?


    I could sense the presence of Ellie and Lydia inside, but the door to the Fairy and Silver Coin was firmly closed with a sign indicating they were closed for the day.


    ¡°Hmm¡­.¡±


    <em>ck, ck¡­ click.</em>


    ¡°Ellie! Miss Lydia! What should we have for lunch? I feel like eating something with meat!¡±


    ¡°Wh-what! I haven¡¯t opened the door yet?! How did you get in!¡±


    ¡°Jonah. Did you break the doorknob? But I didn¡¯t hear any sound¡­.¡±


    Likewise, having sensed my presence, Ellie, who was walking through the hall, and Lydia, who was quietly sipping her drink, looked at me with startled expressions.


    I responded to their intense reaction with a double peace sign.¡°I just picked the lock and came in?¡±


    ¡°How?!¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s atch and not a lock¡­.¡±


    Ellie and Lydia were dumbfounded. It¡¯s actually not that impressive. I just slightly put the new power I obtained, Basilieus, to use.


    The wide open door frame. I pointed to thetch area. There, unlike the other smoothly trimmed parts, something like a protruding branch was attached.


    ¡°The door frame is made of wood. I could manipte it with the new power I got.¡±


    If you extract the branch from the door frame and release thetch, then push it, it¡¯s done.


    ¡°¡­But it¡¯s already a dead tree?¡±


    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s wood, and it¡¯s a nt.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Ellie closed her mouth tightly. Meanwhile, Lydia cut the elongated branch and examined it, mumbling nkly.


    ¡°This. It¡¯s alive?¡±


    ¡°It grows because it¡¯s alive.¡±


    ¡°¡­How can a living branche out of a dead tree?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s a miracle, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Ellie and Lydia, powerless, look at each other and lean their heads together, whispering softly.


    ¡°Um, I get that it¡¯s amazing, but it¡¯s not that great, you know? Just looking at the result, it may look like I revived a dead nt, but technically, it¡¯s more like my divine power transformed into a branch. It¡¯s so inefficient that I can only produce something this small.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re handling it so well already.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have powers, but we¡¯ve seen people who do. It¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve seen someone adapt as quickly as Jonah.¡±


    ¡°Well, you know¡­.¡±


    It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve gained powers in abyrinth, but I¡¯ve obtained skills and powers from the gacha several times.


    Knowledge being forcibly engraved, a foreign power taking root within me at some point.


    It¡¯s something I¡¯m already familiar with, having experienced it several times.


    Of course, since I couldn¡¯t tell the two of them, I just shrugged and pretended to be smug.


    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m a genius. Ahem.¡±


    ¡°That might be true¡­ Lydia. What do you think? You¡¯ve been observing him closely.¡±


    ¡°Yes. In my eyes, Jonah is a genius. But there¡¯s something more than just talent.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Goddess¡¯s blessing?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    The two nodded as they exchanged their conversation calmly.


    No, I was joking, but if you acknowledge it so seriously, it makes me feel really awkward?


    I sighed deeply and sat in the seat in front of the counter.


    ¡°Alright, both of youe here. We have something to talk about, don¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Murmuring half-jokingly, the two locked the door again and sat down next to me.


    Just until a moment ago, we were talking about trivial things as usual, but as soon as I said I had something to say, the atmosphere between Ellie and Lydia changed.


    The air felt strangely heavy. The first to speak was Ellie.


    ¡°Jonah. Have you decided to tell us now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll listen to whatever you have to say. We¡¯re on your side.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that supposed to mean¡­?¡±


    This time, when I looked puzzled, Ellie shook her head with a bitter expression.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to pretend you don¡¯t know anymore. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry for making you make that choice. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t do it for you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Ellie said that while patting my shoulder. Lydia was not much different.


    ¡°Now that we¡¯ve cleared the first floor, Jonah is my porter. I won¡¯t let you go until you pay back all the money you borrowed. ¡­So from now on, keep entering the Labyrinth with me.¡±


    Since she was talking about debt with a serious face and telling me to repay it.


    On the first floor, I fought alone and took all the profits¡­ If I be a porter, I¡¯ll only get porter wages.


    Just how long does she n on dragging me around?


    Isn¡¯t this child exploitation? But if you¡¯re going to exploit me, can¡¯t you exploit my sperm instead?


    Suppressing the nonsense that kept trying to escape my mouth, I pondered Ellie and Lydia¡¯s words.


    I suddenly came out as a saint (not). Ellie apologized for making me shoulder the burden alone. Lydia was trying to keep me somehow.


    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±


    I see. I understood everything.


    ¡°Ellie.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Ellie and I will keep seeing each other in the future, right? Isn¡¯t that so?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­yes, that¡¯s right?¡±


    ¡°Then please don¡¯t say you¡¯re sorry. I¡¯ve received a lot of help from Ellie so far, and I n to continue doing so. Ellie is always someone I¡¯m grateful for. Always.¡±


    ¡°Jonah¡­¡±


    Ellie¡¯s eyes reddened slightly. She was perhaps moved. Good. This side is settled somehow. Next is Lydia.


    Staring intently at Lydia¡¯s expressionless face, I slowly opened my mouth.


    ¡°Miss Lydia.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You said it, didn¡¯t you? That you¡¯re always on my side.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I am Jonah¡¯s¡­¡±


    Whether she was mumbling or stopped herself from speaking, one thing is certain: Lydia also harbors goodwill towards me.


    However, unlike Ellie, who helps me selflessly, it seems clear that Lydia has some expectations from me.


    It probably has something to do with me being a saint (not)¡­.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    As expected, if there is only one reason Lydia would go this far.


    A knight.


    Lydia¡¯s ultimate goal is not to seed and live well like other adventurers.


    The Labyrinth and adventurer life are merely means to an end. A means to gain power and fame as a knight.


    What Lydia truly desires is to be a knight and revive her family.


    Then, one question inevitably arises. Can¡¯t she be a knight right now?


    It¡¯s not like she wants to be a duke.


    Nevertheless, the reason Lydia remains an adventurer instead of a knight is¡­is it only one reason?


    The reason why Lydia, whose skills and character are proven, cannot receive a knight title anywhere.


    There must be that level of ¡®disgrace¡¯ hanging over Lydia¡¯s family.


    From that perspective, the title of the saint¡¯spanion was an irresistible bait.


    Who in the world would point fingers and call the saint¡¯s party member disgraceful.


    Although I don¡¯t intend to enter the Temple yet, I can¡¯t keep my distance from it forever, so bing an official saint is just a matter of time.


    So, from Lydia¡¯s point of view, I am the perfect asset to buy at a low point right now.


    Who knows. Perhaps if I be a saint officially, I might make Lydia an honorary pdin.


    Unlike ordinary knights, pdins do not inherit their authority, but the position guarantees honor beyond that of an average knight.


    At least it would be enough to dispel the disgrace that the family has been burdened with.


    I organized my thoughts up to this point and patted Lydia on the shoulder. As if I were appointing her as a knight.


    ¡°Although Miss Lydia told me not to, but I truly believe that Miss Lydia is already a wonderful knight.¡±


    ¡°That is¡­¡±


    ¡°Stand up straight. Show your chest wide, and hold your head high. My knight. You haven¡¯t done anything wrong.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Her lips parted slightly, and her eyes opened so wide, it was to the point they couldn¡¯t get any bigger.


    I smiled at her. Adding a touch of the noble young master¡¯s act that Lydia was so engrossed in before.


    ¡°Thank you for everything until now. And I look forward to your continued support.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes!¡±


    Lydia nodded a beatte with a stiff expression.


    Alright. This wraps up the wholeing out as a saint (not) thing.


    I still hesitate to reveal the gacha ability itself¡­ But there¡¯s no longer a need to hide what I got from the gacha or toe up with usible excuses to deceive.


    I can just say, ¡®The Goddess of Love gave it to me¡¯.


    Inside the now quiet shop. Somehow, it feels like I¡¯m the only one who talked after suggesting we chat¡­


    Anyway, since the result is good, isn¡¯t it okay?


    Lying t on the table, I rubbed my cheek against the cold wood and said,


    ¡°Oh, right. I just went to Eden and met Eve, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Huh?! Oh! Right. You said you had some business to attend to?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. When I made the Unicorn Dagger, instead of payment, I promised to lend her the power I got from the World Tree once. Today, I just showed her what kind of power it is.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s impressive that she allowed it. It¡¯s practically like making it for free, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It could also be because there was still a little debt left for saving Lemon and Apple. Ah, and just in case, I should tell you this.¡±


    ¡°Oh. What is it?¡±


    ¡°I was proposed to by Eve.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Ellie, who habitually took out a Magic Herb cigarette, paused.


    Lydia, on the other hand, covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes rolling wildly.


    A suffocating silence.


    Exactly three secondster, Ellie lit the cigarette and stood up.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯m going to step out to go kill Eve or whatever for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Stop with the murder threat¡­!¡±


    Why are you saying that so calmly!

 Chapter 84: Wish Fulfillment (4)

    Chapter 84: Wish Fulfillment (4)


    Once again, touching a woman¡¯s chest is not such a lewd act in this world.


    It¡¯s a bit of intense skinship, but if you ask if it warrants Ellie making a face like her world is copsing, absolutely not.


    But well¡­


    The problem is that she was expecting a slightly naughty wish, pretending it wasn¡¯t, and the subject is not herself but the ¡®trusted junior¡¯. Now, Ellie has to ¡®helplessly¡¯ watch what unfolds.


    Ellie¡­ You¡¯re the most beautiful when you¡¯re being NTR¡¯d!


    I was muttering that inwardly and chuckling. Lydia whispered with aplicated expression.


    ¡°Jonah. Are you really okay with this?¡±


    ¡°Huh? With what?¡±


    ¡°It seems like Senior Ellie will be really hurt¡­¡±¡°It does seem that way. But it¡¯s not like I¡¯m doing this because I like it. It¡¯s something that needs to be done.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Lydia tilted her head. Smiling wryly at her, I spoke.


    ¡°If it were just Ellie that I was looking at, it wouldn¡¯t matter¡­but honestly, I don¡¯t think I can do that.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t¡­could it be?¡±


    I shook my head demonstratively in front of Lydia, who had her eyes wide open. My slightly grown pink hair tickled my eyes.


    ¡°You know, right? Those with pink hair are a bit strong when ites to sexual desire.¡±


    In truth, it¡¯s just because I¡¯m from Earth.


    ¡°I definitely won¡¯t be satisfied with just Ellie.¡±


    Honestly, this reversed-gender world is too stimting for me. I¡¯m not confident I can keep my lower half in check, and I wonder if I even need to.


    ¡°In the first ce, dating multiple people isn¡¯t that strange, is it?¡±


    Above all, in the continent of Pan, under the influence of the Goddess of Love, polygamy is quitemon.


    Ellie has illusions about pure love because she¡¯s an older virgin who hasn¡¯t dated.


    ¡°So this is a kind of vination. Ellie agreed to it. She was just shocked to see it in person.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah. I understand. But I have one question.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°If the purpose was to vinate Ellie, why didn¡¯t you just go to the owner of Eden? Why me?¡±


    Lydia tilted her head, genuinely puzzled.


    Smiling wryly at her innocent reaction, I shook my head.


    ¡°Sigh. Miss Lydia, do you really not get it?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I thought I had been hitting on you for a long time.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Of course, part of it is because you have the biggest chest of anyone I know¡­but mainly, I chose you because you¡¯re Miss Lydia.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Unable to find the words, Lydia¡¯s red eyes darted around. I stood on tiptoe and brought my lips to her ear.


    ¡°The article of adultery. Don¡¯t you want to try it?¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Lydia¡¯s eyes flickered like a candle in the wind. I couldn¡¯t help butugh at the easy-to-read desire within them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s be more honest. Must people live so nobly? When no one else is looking¡­wouldn¡¯t it be okay to be a little filthy?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m watching, Jonah¡¯s watching, and Senior Ellie is watching.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on. Are we strangers?¡±


    Saying that, I stepped back and looked straight at Lydia¡¯s face, smiling bashfully.


    ¡°I can show a bit of my filthy side in front of you two, you know? Can¡¯t you, Miss Lydia?¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Seeing Lydia flinch, I was certain. She¡¯s almost there.


    To drive the final nail in, I brought back the image of the fallen noble that had received a good response before.


    A straightened back. A slightly raised chin. Eyes looking down on the world with disdain.


    With a softly raised index finger, I pointed at Lydia.


    ¡°It¡¯s an order. Stand still with your chest out.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Without questioning, Lydia reflexively assumed the stance, thrusting her chest out.


    She realized her mistake toote.


    The sight of her presenting herrge chest as if asking to be touched must have beenpletely visible to Ellie¡­!


    ¡°L-Lydia? You¡­¡±


    Ellie¡¯s voice, heavy with betrayal, trailed off. Did it trigger something?


    Lydia¡¯s lips twitched, and then a shy smile bloomed. That flower¡¯s name was surely a sense of superiority.


    Lydia, whose default expression was emotionless, must have been even more shocked.


    Lydia, who seeded in an illicit romance (not yet), now leans towards me and pushes her chest forward.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to touch it?¡±


    ¡°I was debating whether to touch it inside the clothes.¡±


    ¡°¡­This is equipment, so it doesn¡¯te off easily.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying it¡¯s okay to put my hand inside?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Lydia nods slightly instead of answering. I can feel the corners of my mouth rising uncontrobly.


    ¡°Then, here I go.¡±


    I reached out carefully.


    Soft.


    Lydia¡¯s unique fresh scent. Warm body temperature. Skin softer than silk. Cushiony feel. And the hefty weight.


    ¡°Wow¡­.¡±


    A sigh of amazementes out naturally.


    It was literally a sensory bomb. It surely contained everything that could fascinate a person.


    At first, the sensation of her chest, which warmly epted my fingers, had a peculiar addictive quality, bouncing back stically if I applied too much pressure, making me want to keep kneading it.


    Soft and squishy.


    As I slowly savored Lydia¡¯s chest and reached further inside¡­


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Something hard touched my fingertips.


    The uncertain future, the reality of an empty wallet, and even Ellie ring at me from behind all disappeared from my mind.


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    I realized it.


    I had certainly lived for this moment.<hr>


    The reason Ellie was called the Hero during her active years is simple.


    An unbreakable spirit in the most desperate situations. The strength and skill to crush all kinds of monsters with a powerful body. And the willingness to lead the way, illuminating the path for others.


    Indomitable. Peerless. Courageous.


    What else would you call someone with such qualities if not a hero?


    But now, the hero Ellie is copsing.


    When facing a mad dragon alone, when thrown unprepared into unexplored territories by a trap. Even when stabbed in the back by the children she sought to protect, she remained steadfast¡­.


    But the sight before her broke her heart.


    ¡°Ugh. Hoo¡­ha¡­.¡±


    ¡°Wow. No. How is this¡­wow¡­.¡±


    Lydia¡¯s voice, unexpectedly coquettish. Jonah, constantly marveling and focused on fondling her chest.


    This much is fine. It¡¯s quite suggestive skinship, but not enough for Ellie to overreact.


    However, there¡¯s another problem.


    ¡°Stop¡­I told you to take it easy¡­!¡±


    A desperate voice. There¡¯s no way it couldn¡¯t be heard from this close distance.


    Nevertheless, Jonah and Lydia do not stop. As if Ellie doesn¡¯t even matter, they are lost in their own world.


    That fact pierced deeper than anything else.


    ¡®How did ite to this? Did I do something wrong? There wasn¡¯t any mention of such a thing. Just a vague promise. Wouldn¡¯t it be fine to break it and walk away from here?¡¯


    Questions that endlessly spiral. Unable to ept the sudden reality, they were a typical case of escapism.


    But Ellie was different from ordinary people. Her strong mental fortitude did not allow for escapism.


    In the end, what she reached was regret, devastation, and obsession.


    ¡°I liked him first¡­.¡±


    She faces the emotions welling up deeply from within without turning away.


    ¡®If I had known it would be like this, I would have epted Jonah¡¯s yful advances.


    If I had known this would happen, I would have abandoned the business and personally taught Jonah.


    If I had known this would happen, I would have taken Jonah out of the Labyrinth on the sixth floor.


    If I had known this would happen, if I had known this would happen, if I had known this would happen, if I had known this would happen.¡¯


    Countless choices from the past surface. Regret weighs heavily on Ellie¡¯s shoulders.


    So, what should be done? Should she rush in now and separate the two?


    But even that, Ellie couldn¡¯t do.


    ¡®Is he really that focused on a woman¡¯s chest?¡¯


    Jonah desperately clinging to the chest was both adorable and incredibly lewd. To the point of slightly shaking one¡¯s values.


    ¡®If I separate them now, I won¡¯t be able to watch anymore, right?¡¯


    Ellie is a virgin. But that doesn¡¯t mean she has no sexual desire.


    She often relied on various erotic books or expensive video recording devices to handle things alone.


    ¡­And there is onemon feature in this type of solo solution.


    It¡¯s about enjoying it while ¡®watching¡¯.


    In other words, Ellie was already in a state of voyeurism without even realizing it herself¡­.


    Even as her mind became a jumbled mess, her body was honest.


    <em>Fwoosh!</em>


    A faint throbbing rose from her lower abdomen. The heat made Ellie¡¯s breathing naturally rough.


    ¡°No¡­it can¡¯t be¡­¡±


    Ellie, realizing her own change, shook her head vigorously. Of course, that didn¡¯t change anything.


    In fact, the more she denied it, the more she became aware of it, making it even more bothersome.


    While barely suppressing the twisted wolf inside her.


    She suddenly met Jonah¡¯s gaze.


    His pink eyes curved into a crescent shape. As if even someone like Ellie could understand.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    That day, Ellie realized one of her hidden kinks.

 Chapter 83: Wish Fulfillment (3)

    Chapter 83: Wish Fulfillment (3)


    ¡°Ellie¡¯s arm. I¡¯ll get you a cool one.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Ellie blinked her yellow eyes. As if she had heard something she couldn¡¯t even conceive.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting me a new arm. What do you mean by that, Jonah¡­?¡±


    ¡°Just as it sounds. I¡¯m going to get you a new arm, Ellie.¡±


    ¡°If you mean reattaching it, that¡¯s impossible. My right arm waspletely obliterated by the breath. Even if it had remained until now, without special treatment, it would have rotted away.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean getting your old arm back and reattaching it.¡±


    ¡°Then are you trying to make it grow back? I¡¯ve heard that some species with high regenerative abilities can do that with the help of a High Priest and under certain conditions, but not for a wolf hybrid like me. I¡¯ve already been healed by the Archbishop before.¡±


    ¡°Even the Pope herself wouldn¡¯t be able to regenerate Ellie¡¯s arm. The healing power of the Goddess of Love is merely a symbol ofpassion, not a force that touches the essence.¡±¡°¡­The Archbishop said something simr before. What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°It means that unless the God of Life, who is already dead and gone,es back to life, it will be difficult to heal Ellie¡¯s arm. Ah! The Goddess of Love could perform a miracle directly on Ellie to regenerate it! But that would only be possible if we go to the very bottom of the Labyrinth.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    I gave a faint smile toward Ellie, who had a dubious expression.


    ¡°Ellie. In fact, there are more ways to fix your arm than you think. The problem is that they¡¯re all dangerous and take a long time.¡±


    For example, the Elixir that the Alchemists¡¯ Union, the Truth Society, might be making around now.


    The Homunculus, the Philosopher¡¯s Stone, and the Fragment of Truth are called the three great achievements of alchemy. If it¡¯s an Elixir, it can even bring back the dead, so what¡¯s the big deal about a severed arm.


    Well¡­as you can guess from the fact that I know this setting, the Elixir of the Truth Society will be the starting point of all kinds of incidents and idents¡­.


    Anyway, the important thing is that such a thing exists. It might even be on the gacha list. I don¡¯t know if I can pull it, though¡­.


    Besides that, there¡¯s also the Beast God¡¯s Source of the Wilderness left on the sixth floor, and despite the Goddess of Love¡¯s adjustments, sometimes there¡¯s a distortion of time and space, so I could get an arm from the past Ellie.


    There¡¯s the minor issue that to get the Source of the Wilderness you have to go up to the sixth floor, and the space-time distortions ur purely by chance, beyond the Goddess of Love¡¯s control¡­.


    Anyway, there is a way.


    However, all of them are realistically difficult or take too much time.


    In the meantime, what about the magitek prosthetic arm that can be obtained on the third floor?


    Since it¡¯s merely an object, it won¡¯t grow with Eli like a real body would¡­but it will still be quite useful.


    For starters, isn¡¯t it an over-technology from the era of the War of the Fallen Gods? It will more than suffice until we acquire an Elixir or the Source of the Wilderness.


    Above all, that¡¯s the quickest to obtain among the alternatives I¡¯ve thought of.


    There are two clear conditions for each floor.


    One is to repeatedly grow and achieve specs superior to the average monsters of that floor.


    The second is to achieve a great feat on that floor.


    A great feat here means solving an incredible secret or subjugating the Floor Guardian.


    In other words, it means I have already cleared the first floor.


    The next time we go to the Labyrinth, the path to the second floor will be open.


    ¡°Although I had Miss Lydia¡¯s help, it took me about a month to clear the first floor. It won¡¯t take long for the second floor either. The upper levels arepletely mapped out, with all the information avable, right?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­that¡¯s true.¡±


    Ellie, who was pondering for a moment, red sharply at me¡­then failed and just pouted her lips.


    ¡°Jonah, you know well. With the skills you showed this time, reaching the third floor won¡¯t be difficult. But¡­¡±


    The second floor is ssified as an upper level, and all information about the Labyrinth is publicly avable through the Guild.


    Thanks to that, many people die on the first floor when they start as adventurers, and it takes quite a bit of time to learn various things and clear it¡­


    Conversely, that¡¯s why the second floor can be cleared much faster than the first floor.


    Well. The moment you go to the ipletely mapped third floor, you have to risk your life and strategize every single step again.


    There¡¯s a reason why it¡¯s called the mid-level from the third floor.


    ¡°But it¡¯s dangerous, right? I know.¡±


    ¡°Of course¡­!¡±


    ¡°But you know, Ellie.¡±


    After a brief pause. Holding Ellie¡¯s empty sleeve, I smiled at her.


    ¡°Living as an adventurer is dangerous from the start. You kept trying to stop me until I was kidnapped by the Twin Daggers n, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Seeing Ellie at a loss for words, I continued, counting on my fingers.


    ¡°It is also dangerous to fight the Pope, to thwart the ambitions of the Workshop Union, to stop the crazy emperor¡¯s crazy n to invade from outside Pangrave, and to break through all the floors of the Labyrinth!¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait. Fighting the Pope and conquering the Labyrinth, fine, but what¡¯s that about the Workshop Union and the Empire?!¡±


    ¡°Is that important right now? What¡¯s important is that dying our trip to the third floor because it¡¯s dangerous could make things even more dangerous!¡±


    ¡°It is important! That¡¯s not something you can handle alone!¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just a possibility, not a certainty.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying it¡¯s not a prophecy but a hint?! That¡¯s too unsettling¡­!¡±


    Ellie was shivering. Now that I see, Lydia isn¡¯t much different. They allck faith.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re so worried. I¡¯m going to handle everything anyway.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Is that even possible?¡±


    ¡°You got it wrong, Miss Lydia. It¡¯s about making it possible. With the help of the goddess, it¡¯s achievable!¡±


    Yes. With the help (gacha) of the Goddess of Love¡­!


    Maybe it was the gleam in my eyes filled with the desire for a five-star. Ellie stared nkly at me before letting out a sigh.


    ¡°I was just nning to raise you up to the second floor so you wouldn¡¯t get beaten up somewhere¡­¡±


    But soon enough, she seemed to make up her mind and nodded.


    ¡°Alright. Then I guess I have to return as well.¡±


    ¡°What? What are you talking about? Ellie, you need to stay here and run the Fairy and Silver Coin as usual.¡±


    ¡°You want me to just sit back and watch? Jonah, you¡¯ve seen it yourself. Even with one arm, I¡¯m strong.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that Ellie is weak, but that we might be under surveince. You know why Karen the Inquisitor moved separately today.¡±


    ¡°¡­The Temple, perhaps.¡±


    The Pope is not an ipetent being; the Temple she moves is never incapable. If it were, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to reign as the de facto ruler of Pangrave until now.


    By now, even if they are not certain of our rtionship with Karen, they would have harbored some suspicions.


    They are probably just watching, considering the bacsh of oppressing two renowned high-ranking adventurers without clear evidence.


    ¡°So, we mustn¡¯t act differently all of a sudden. At least until I bring back the arm. Then we¡¯ll have a reason to return, won¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m angry, but you¡¯re right.¡±


    Ellie, drained of strength, drooped her shoulders. But what can she do? This is just the beginning.


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s wrap this story up here¡­and move on to the main topic, shall we?¡±


    ¡°The main topic?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Ellie. Miss Lydia. You both remember the bet we made, right? That if we defeated the Floor Guardian on the first floor, you¡¯d each grant me a wish.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±


    Ellie, who had be like semi-dried squid, and even Lydia, who had secretly taken an expensive drink from the counter, flinched.


    I shrugged lightly, enjoying their reactions.


    ¡°A wish. What should I use it for¡­?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there something more important to talk about right now?¡±


    ¡°Senior Ellie is right. There must be something more.¡±


    ¡°No. We¡¯ve solved all the urgent matters among theplex ones today. The only things left might or might not happen muchter, so we just need to build our strength in the meantime. That¡¯s what we¡¯ve been talking about so far, right?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    ¡°Uht.¡±


    Swallowing their saliva, they both nod reluctantly. Realizing there¡¯s no valid reason to stop the wish execution, they start to propose conditions.


    ¡°Jonah. You know, right? Nothing too excessive, okay?¡±


    ¡°Uh-uh. Jonah¡¯s excess is different from ours. Let¡¯s clearly set boundaries here. If you make me drink a beer, I¡¯ll keep watch while Jonah has her way with Senior Ellie.¡±


    ¡°Lydia! You traitor, you¡­!¡±


    Ellie grits her teeth. Lydia desperately pretends not to notice Ellie¡¯s re.


    Laughing at the sight of the two getting along, I shook my head.


    ¡°Come on. Do you really think I¡¯d make such a weird wish? There¡¯s ack of trust here. I¡¯ll ask for something that can be passed off as a joke, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°¡­Really?¡±


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    Ellie, who brightened up, and Lydia, who sighed in relief. Nodding vigorously, she pointed her index finger at Ellie.


    ¡°Ellie. From now on, whatever I do, don¡¯t move an inch for ten minutes.¡±


    ¡°¡­I just can¡¯t move my feet, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You can do whatever you want with your hands.¡±


    Next, I pointed my index finger at Lydia.


    ¡°Miss Lydia.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Do I just need to stay still too?¡±


    ¡°No? Miss Lydia, please let me touch your chest.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Lydia tilted her head as if she couldn¡¯t understand what she just heard. For her sake, I repeated it clearly once more.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you to press your chest against me in front of Ellie, who can¡¯t move.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Lydia¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Reflected in those red eyes was Ellie, who had a look as if the world had copsed.

 Chapter 82: Wish Fulfillment (2)

    Chapter 82: Wish Fulfillment (2)


    Suffocating silence.


    Ellie stood up, lighting the end of her Magic Herb cigarette.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯m going to step out to go kill Eve or whatever for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Stop with the murder threat¡­!¡±


    Why is she speaking so calmly! It sounds like she really means it!


    I hugged Ellie from behind, trying to hold her back. But maybe it¡¯s the difference in strength. She kept walking, dragging my body along.


    ¡°C-calm down, Ellie! I properly rejected it! It¡¯s not like I¡¯m having an affair or anything!¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s good. But what I see as a problem isn¡¯t that. Even if we¡¯re being generous, the age difference is over 100 years. Does it make sense to propose to such a young child?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a child, okay? I¡¯m a full-grown adult! And you getting aroused by me is just the same, so how can you say that?!¡±¡°Ugh¡­!¡±


    You were turned on too.


    The words seemed to have some effect as Ellie stopped with a sound. Now is the time to keep pushing.


    ¡°From the beginning, it was you, Ellie, who did nothing even though I said we should get married and left the door open today. And now you¡¯re getting angry just because I got a proposal?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡±


    ¡°Luckily, I decided that you would be my first no matter what! What if I had epted out of exhaustion from your cold attitude? Would you get mad then too?¡±


    ¡°¡­I-I don¡¯t think I treated you that coldly.¡±


    ¡°Is that important right now?!¡±


    Ellie flinched at the loud shout. With her ears and tail drooping, she even looked somewhat pitiful.


    ¡°Haa¡­Ellie. Look at me.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    With a sullen expression, Ellie turned around. Pulling her cheeks sideways, I continued speaking.


    ¡°I think Ellie has something else to do right now. What do you think, Ellie?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­sorry?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want an apology. Now, follow me, Ellie.¡±


    Saying that, I spread my arms wide. Ellie, somewhat hesitant, followed suit and spread her remaining arm.


    Her body line was tantly visible, perhaps because she was still in a full-body suit.


    Starting from herrge chest, to her slender waist, and then her rising hips. The concave part presumed to be her navel¡­.


    I approached, seemingly enchanted by the alluring curves unique to a woman¡¯s body, and hugged her tightly.


    ¡°Yap.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, oh¡­?¡±


    Ellie, flustered with her arm still spread. While this look could be considered cute¡­it wasn¡¯t without its drawbacks.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be getting used to this by now?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s not easy.¡±


    With a sigh, I responded awkwardly in a hesitant posture.


    ¡°What did I say? I told you to follow me, right? Am I spreading my arms now?¡±


    ¡°¡­No?¡±


    ¡°Good. Now hug me the same way.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    Ellie follows my words as if mesmerized. Her arm gently wrapped around my shoulders and back, pulling me towards her.


    A position with no gaps between us. But unlike usual, there¡¯s no suggestive atmosphere.


    A pure hug, exchanging each other¡¯s warmth without any sly intentions.


    In that state, I spoke in a low voice.


    ¡°Ellie.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to marry Eve.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m not going to marry you either.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    I hugged Ellie¡¯s back tightly in disbelief. Then Ellie reflexively hugged me back.


    Being wrapped with a bit too much strength brings a peculiar sense of stability. ¡­Though it also brings along a certain responsibility.


    I n to handle the dangerous bait I¡¯ve scattered ahead in Pangrave. Ellie, no matter how dangerous the task, would try to help me.


    Thinking of that makes a part of my chest ache.


    ¡°Technically, it means we can¡¯t get married right now.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Is that what you mean?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I have things to do. Quite a lot, actually.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how it is.¡±


    Ellie briefly answers while stroking my back.


    To be honest, at first, I had no thoughts of doing anything about this world.


    And that¡¯s because the dangerous elements I¡¯ve scattered are just bait to be used in intermediate episodes.


    In other words, it¡¯s not an inevitable end that often appears in the final chapter.


    At first, I was too busy surviving, and even when I had some leeway from pickpocketing, I thought about leaving Pangrave with Ellie.


    I believed that the protagonist would handle the problems on his own even if I didn¡¯t do anything. I didn¡¯t think that the mes would reach me even if I missed a few.


    But the protagonist died. I killed him with my own hands.


    Now I have no choice but to do something myself.


    ¡°Someday. If I finish all the things I need to do. I¡¯ll propose again then.¡±


    ¡°¡­Just asking, but when will that be? You¡¯ll be over 20, right?¡±


    ¡°Is that really important right now?¡±


    It was a bit absurd, but Ellie seemed sincere, so I decided to answer honestly.


    ¡°Maybe so? It won¡¯t take one or two years to reach the bottom of the Labyrinth.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. As long as you¡¯re an adult¡­ Wait. What did you say?¡±


    Ellie released the hug and took a step back, holding one shoulder.


    ¡°Sigh. Did you want to hear it that much again? I can¡¯t help it¡­ Ahem. I won¡¯t pester you to marry me for a while. But when I be an adult, can you hold me then?¡±


    ¡°No! Not that! It¡¯s nice to hear, but there¡¯s something more dangerous than that!¡±


    ¡°More dangerous than this? Could it be, Ellie¡­ It¡¯s not that you can¡¯t wait until I be an adult, but you simply like me being young?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s dangerous in its own way, but it¡¯s a different kind! I¡¯m talking about the Labyrinth! What do you mean by going to the bottom of the Labyrinth?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly as I said. I have to go to the deepest part and see the Goddess of Love.¡±


    ¡°An audience with the Goddess of Love¡­?¡±


    Ellie frowned slightly. Could it be that she¡¯s jealous of the Goddess of Love?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ellie. I like you a little more than the Goddess!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m worried about, okay? It¡¯s just too grand in scale, I don¡¯t know how to react.¡±


    Ellie scratched her head with aplicated expression. Lydia, who was nodding contentedly from a short distance away, had a simr reaction.


    ¡°Jonah. No one has ever reached the end of the Labyrinth yet. The deepest part we call the front line is only the seventh floor. And the gods who survived the War of the Fallen Gods are¡­.¡±


    ¡°Thirteen. If you exclude the Goddess of Love, there are twelve.¡±


    ¡°Yea. So the estimated number of floors in the Labyrinth is 12. And the number of floors adventurers have explored over a thousand years is only 7. They haven¡¯t even conquered half yet. ¡­And yet, you want to venture to the end of the Labyrinth?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m saying this fully aware of everything. I think it¡¯s entirely possible. And whether it¡¯s possible or not isn¡¯t important. It¡¯s something that must be done.¡±


    I have already decided to take responsibility in this world. In that case, I just need to do what must be done.


    I gave a broad smile to Ellie and Lydia, who wore astonished expressions.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You saw today that I have something I can trust in, right? And there¡¯s a reason I need to focus on the Labyrinth besides the Goddess.¡±


    The third floor. The ce where the God of Machinery slumbers.


    During the War of the Fallen Gods, technology advanced rapidly, undergoing explosive evolution, resulting in the birth of a new discipline thatbined magic, alchemy, and cksmithing: magitek.


    Even now, items frequently seen in daily life such as lighters, stoves, subspace, water and sewage systems, etc.


    These oddly modern and convenient technologies are all products of magitek.


    And new concepts tend to birth new gods.


    The youngest god born during the war. The God of Machinery. An extraordinary being from the start.


    This is because he was born by tearing open the belly of the cksmith God, devouring the corpse, and usurping the divine throne.


    As a god born amidst the ruthlessness of war, his very nature was unrelentingly harsh.


    He viewed the world as a precise mechanism, considering every being living upon it, including himself, as mereponents.


    However, that doesn¡¯t mean he was an evil god.


    The God of Machinery might have been cold and unfeeling, but he was clearly a benevolent god.


    His goal was singr. To end this tiresome war as soon as possible and bring peace to the Continent.


    For the greater good, the God of Machinery could unhesitatingly turn even his own followers into magical devices and ¡®consume¡¯ them, and he himself was no different.


    At the end of the War of the Fallen Gods, he, who survived thanks to his cold reasoning that never suffered a loss, decided that an unfeeling god like himself was only harmful to the world.


    Once he had decided, he did not hesitate. He stopped all external activities and began focusing on leaving behind his knowledge of magical engineering.


    He gathered and disposed of techniques for killing people, inhumane technologies, and excessively advanced technologies to the greatest extent possible, and then entered eternal rest himself.


    However, the time given was insufficient, and no matter how divine, one cannot control everything in the world at will.


    Some of the artifacts that were discarded managed to slip out due to the impact of the Labyrinth.


    Naturally, the adventurers dly took and used them¡­ What I¡¯m aiming for is also such an over-technology product.


    I touched Ellie¡¯s empty sleeve with a faint smile.


    ¡°Ellie¡¯s arm. I¡¯ll get you a cool one.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Ellie blinked her yellow eyes. As if she had heard something she couldn¡¯t even conceive.

 Chapter 85: Love For Feed

    Chapter 85: Love For Feed


    ¡°Ah, that was satisfying.¡±


    As soon as I came up to my room on the second floor, I threw myself onto the bed and muttered.


    Lydia¡¯s chest was soft, tender, warm, and even had a nice fragrance¡­


    ¡°It was addictive.¡±


    Just recalling the memory from a moment ago brought a pleased smile to my face.


    But as my thoughts naturally drifted to Ellie, my mind began to getplicated.


    ¡°She seemed to enjoy it subtly¡­¡±


    At first, she definitely seemed to have a lost look on her face, but after being momentarily distracted by Lydia¡¯s chest, when I looked back, her face was strangely flushed.


    I intended to give her a vine, but it feels like I identally administered a drug instead.I clearly remember Ellie twisting her legs as if possessed by something and heading up to her room ten minutester.


    Lydia also hesitated for a long time, wondering if this was right, and then went back.


    ¡°Well, it should be fine.¡±


    The continent of Pan is a world greatly influenced by the Goddess of Love. Isn¡¯t the preference for NTR rtivelymon?


    Anyway, since Ellie seemed to enjoy it, let¡¯s just say it¡¯s fine.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    After stretching out and twisting around on the bed, I finally got up.


    Today has been exhausting with various things happening¡­but there¡¯s still something I need to do before sleeping.


    I thought I would have to live in poverty for a while since I spent all my money on gacha for this subjugation operation.


    But it turned out there was a considerable amount of money when I searched the bodies of those of One Who Devoured the Twilight.


    Karen took the dagger, a divine artifact of the Beast God, to submit to the Temple to deceive the Pope, but¡­


    All the other spoils were divided among Ellie, Lydia, and me.


    Despite splitting it three ways, the amount came to 32 Silver. Where on earth did those fugitives earn so much money?


    I¡¯ll just do exactly 30 pulls and go to bed.


    ¡°Please take care of me today as well.¡±


    I murmured as I took out the fully upgraded Goddess statue from the subspace. But somehow, its condition seemed a bit off.


    It was sitting down with its legs bent in a W shape. Its arms were crossed tightly over its chest, pressing down on its breasts which bulged out.


    Moreover, the eyes that should have been filled with kindness were empty, and a deep blush had spread across its cheeks.


    It looked simr to the expression Ellie had just shown.


    ¡°What the¡­ Ah.¡±


    Could it be? Is it jealous because I said I liked her a bit more than the Goddess of Love?


    So it¡¯s striking a pose like it¡¯s been NTR¡¯d?


    ¡°This creepy stalker Goddess.¡±


    Hey! If you have something to say,e and say it directly! Don¡¯t hint in such a roundabout way!


    Well. If that really happened, the Labyrinth would be a mess, and the adventurers inside would be in danger. Some monsters might even escape, causing chaos throughout Pangrave, so it¡¯s absolutely uneptable.


    In the end, I have no choice but to go to the Goddess of Love myself.


    I let out a deep sigh and turned the statue of the Goddess upside down. Because the legs were unnecessarily close together, I couldn¡¯t see the panties.


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    Clicking my tongue, I put the statue in its dedicated case and opened the gacha system.


    <em>Ding!</em>


    [First Floor Clear Reward! Free Draw Ticket x10!]


    [First Floor Guardian Subjugation Reward! Free Draw Ticket x10!]


    ¡°Gasp.¡±


    Aside from the first-anniversary survival reward, this was the first time I received free tickets.


    The unexpected notification left me momentarily dazed.


    Realizing that I had received the feed a beatte, I promptly bowed to the Goddess of Love within the dedicated disy case.


    ¡°The Goddess of Love is more beautiful than anyone, and your actions until now were not stalking but a beautiful act of protection from behind¡­!¡±


    Perhaps my ttery was well-received. The statue of the Goddess, which had struck a pose like a tragic heroine, began to glow brightly, then returned to its original posture.


    Only after confirming this did I clear the notification. The original gacha screen then revealed itself.


    [Standard Gacha]


    -Consume cash or equivalent Magic Stones to randomly obtain items and skills ranging from 1 to 5 stars.


    [Single Draw] [10+1 Draw]


    ¡ùTickets in possession: 20


    ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s go for a 50-roll!!!¡±


    With my spirits high, I frantically pressed the gacha button.


    <em>Ding!</em>


    [¡î: Well-dried Magic Herb]


    [¡î: Processed Healing Herb]


    [¡î: Well-dried Magic Herb]


    [¡î: Well-dried Magic Herb]


    [¡î: Well-dried Magic Herb]


    [¡î: Processed Healing Herb]


    [¡î: Well-dried Magic Herb]


    [¡î: Non-prescription sses]


    [¡î: Lowest Grade Healing Potion]


    [¡î: Well-dried Magic Herb]


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    [¡î: Used Women''s Lace Panties]


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    [¡î: Power ¨C Moist Skin]


    ¡°No way¡­.¡±


    Fifty consecutive draws, and all 1-Star? Not even a single 2-Star??


    ¡°This can¡¯t be real¡­!¡±


    For a moment, I clutched my head andmented the absurdity of the world. But upon reflection, while this gacha result was unlucky, it wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected.


    To begin with, this darn gacha typically gives 1-Star items, and even a 2-Star is considered decent, with a 3-Star being amazing in this ridiculously low probability game.


    In fact, before entering the Labyrinth, except for pickpocketing, everything I got was 1-Star.


    It was strangetely, with 11 consecutive 3-Star Goddess statues appearing, or 4-Star equipment and powers that could be used immediately showing up right before important battles.


    Originally, gacha was something incredibly unfriendly. Thebyrinth of the inhuman way where ceilings and rate-ups ran rampant was another name for gacha.


    Today¡¯s 1-Star party is not just unlucky. It¡¯s just that the gacha probabilities have returned to the average¡­!


    ¡°Hoo. Now I feel a bit more at ease.¡±


    I know that regression to the mean is something you can only say when you¡¯ve pulled countless gachas, close to infinity.


    But, doesn¡¯t the term itself somehow bringfort?


    It¡¯s much more usible to think that it¡¯s not because I did something wrong or was unlucky today, but because it was goodst time, so it won¡¯t be this time.


    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s regression to the mean. I¡¯ve decided that.¡±


    The internal rationalizingsted only a moment. Suddenly, my skin felt like it was burning, and soon after, it cooled down as if doused with ice water.


    That¡¯s right. Come to think of it, I did get a power even though it¡¯s just 1-Star.


    Unless it¡¯s a peculiar case, having more powers is always better. Even if it¡¯s just 1-Star, its value can¡¯t bepared to something like Magic Herbs.


    As the engravingpleted, the method to use the power flooded into my mind.


    Anytime, anywhere, the skin would remain moist.


    ¡°¡­???¡±


    Is this it? Just like with the fragrant body odor, this is merely a beauty power!


    I knew that the powers of the Goddess of Love weren¡¯t usually helpful in battles, but isn¡¯t this a bit much?


    Sure, having moist skin is nice. It¡¯s fine now because I¡¯m young, but as I age, my skin will dry out and face various troubles.


    ¡°Still, if you¡¯re going to give me a 1-Star power, at least give me something useful¡­.¡±


    A sigh escaped me¡­but, well, what can I do? It¡¯s already been chosen. I have to think it¡¯s better than nothing.


    More importantly, there¡¯s a bigger issue than the power right now.


    The scattered junk. Among them, the only thing that fell on my head instead of the floor, I grabbed and pulled down.


    A soft texture. A pure white cloth without a single blemish. A pair of charmingly warm panties adorned with delicatece on the edges.


    [1-Star: Used Women¡¯s Lace Panties]


    ¡°What am I supposed to do with this¡­huh? Wait a minute.¡±


    On a hunch, I took out the Goddess statue from the exhibition caae and flipped it over. Of course, because of the pose, I couldn¡¯t see under the skirt.


    At this point, I have no choice either.


    ¡°If you had shown your panties willingly, this wouldn¡¯t have happened¡­.¡±


    Muttering as ifmenting, I ced my index finger behind the statue of the Goddess.


    <em>Press.</em>


    Such a realistic texture. It even has body heat, making it feel like touching a shrunken person.


    After enjoying the sensation of the protruding shoulder de for a moment, I slowly lowered my finger.


    Starting from the back, passing the waist, and reaching the buttocks.


    The feeling of volume and sticity is vividly conveyed. Yes. It is conveyed so vividly. As if touching through a singleyer of cloth.


    Just in case, I stroke my finger smoothly from the waist to the buttocks, concentrating on that part¡­but my hand moved naturally without any obstruction.


    In other words, I couldn¡¯t feel any panty line.


    ¡°My dear love¡­you perverted Goddess¡­is this perhaps your panties?¡±


    ¡­¡­


    Of course, the statue of the Goddess does not answer. Because it is a statue of a Goddess.


    ¡°Ay. No matter how much, a Goddess wouldn¡¯t secretly send panties or anything like that. I did check what panties it was wearing today, but that¡¯s like a greeting to the figure.¡±


    ¡­¡­.


    The Goddess statue remains silent. Only the concentration of divine power that was naturally emanating suddenly surges.


    <em>sh!</em>


    The Goddess statue, enveloped in bright divine power simr to when the mini sanctuary was deployed, even though nothing was touched.


    After briefly closing and reopening my eyes due to the overwhelming brightness, the Goddess statue had returned to the disy case on its own.


    Sitting crouched with her face buried between her knees.


    ¡°Looks like she knows what embarrassment is¡­.¡±


    With a deep sigh, I put the still warm panties into the subspace.


    ¡­Well, you never know?

 Chapter 86: It’s Not A Diary

    Chapter 86: It¡¯s Not A Diary


    ¡°Ellie! Good morning¡­.¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh! Did you sleep well? It¡¯s a good morning. The weather is nice. Yeah.¡±


    Ellie¡¯s usually well-groomed fur and hair were a mess, and her dark circles were so prominent that they seemed like makeup. Her eyes were unfocused and dazed, as she babbled incoherently.


    Anyone could tell she hadn¡¯t slept properly. She looked like she was facing an endless dawn rather than a new morning alone.


    ¡°¡­Did you stay up all night?¡±


    ¡°No?!¡±


    Ellie jumped and denied it when I merely asked. Seeing that, I was certain.


    ¡°Did you stay up all night thinking about what you saw yesterday and¡­you know?¡±


    ¡°Wh-what are you talking about?! If you say such things in the morning¡­heuh! What am I supposed to do!¡±¡°¡­¡­¡±


    A woman who feels something even from a slightly naughty remark. Isn¡¯t she the best! ¡­There was a time when I thought that.


    Seeing it in person, it¡¯s a bit unsettling. If it had been like that on the bed at night, it would have been great, but now it¡¯s the early morning hallway.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Only then did I realize. The fact that I was a sensible person who could distinguish between time and ce¡­!


    At the same time, I felt a slight moment of rity.


    Bing a sensible human being is almost the same as losing one¡¯s identity as a writer.


    You know, there are a few famous stories about writers.


    Creation is a series of pains, so if you keep inflicting pain, you can write.


    Writers need to have a certain degree of mental illness, so all writers are lunatics.


    Though it¡¯s an extreme leap in logic, cautiously¡­very cautiously, it¡¯s not entirely something I can¡¯t agree with to some extent.


    In that sense, I¡¯ve been too content these days.


    Even if I¡¯m full, it doesn¡¯t matter, but seeing the panties still asleep in the subspace or the current Ellie makes me feel a sense of crisis¡­


    It¡¯s funny, but I was afraid that I might be a normal human being.


    Would I start seeing this world I created as an ordinary world rather than a work touched by my hands?


    I was terrified of not being amazed by the detailed realization of monsters, not giggling at adventurers¡¯ dirty jokes, and not being moved by abilities beyond the human realm.


    Although various hardships follow, the Pan Continent is nothing short of the best gift for me.


    But, to get tired of that gift.


    ¡°¡­This won¡¯t do.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Jonah? Why all of a sudden¡­?¡±


    Ellie, who was mumbling to herself, started to feel uneasy, but it probably wasn¡¯t anything important.


    If you¡¯ve made up your mind, there¡¯s no need to hesitate.


    ¡°Ellie. I¡¯ll be stepping out for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no! That¡¯s not what I meant!¡±


    I patted Ellie¡¯s trembling shoulder.


    ¡°If you overdo it, your bones will ache, so take it easy. See youter.¡±


    I gave a thumbs up onest time, and Ellie sat down with a dazed expression. Leaving her behind, I dashed down the stairs.


    In a world withoutputers, there are things you need to write.


    The first thing I checked after leaving the Fairy and Silver Coin was my wallet.


    ¡°Three silver coins.¡±


    Due to yesterday¡¯s gacha, this was all the money I had left.


    No, I can¡¯t call this ¡°all¡± I have. My sense of money might be getting warped because of the gacha, but 3 silver coins is still a significant amount.


    If saved wisely, it would be enough to live on for a week. At least it would be sufficient to buy paper and a pen.


    At an appropriate general store, I bought a pen, ink, and a bundle of cheap paper, then returned to the Fairy and Silver Coin.


    For some reason, Ellie was wallowing in misery, drinking heavily since morning, but it wasn¡¯t the first time her pathetic behavior belied her abilities.


    I waved my hand casually and shut myself in my room.


    ¡°Hiss¡­ So, what should I write now?¡±


    I had thought about writing again. Although I was working as an adventurer, I always considered my main profession to be a writer.


    Because of that, I could love this world, and perhaps that¡¯s why the Goddess of Love called me here.


    However, as soon as I held the pen properly, my mind went nk.


    ¡°Thinking about a world where gender roles are reversed, there¡¯s so little I can write¡­¡±


    My foundation is erotic fiction. And thanks to the Goddess of Love, in this world, erotic fiction is a major genre.


    Well-written erotic fiction is bought for a hefty sum by the Temple, so that says it all.


    I secretly read a few in Ellie¡¯s room, and there were certainly a lot of interesting ones.


    The problem was that they were all male-reversed versions, which had some scenes that were a bit tough for me.


    ¡°A young man who bes the new warden, being corrupted by wicked female prisoners, is quite the story.¡±


    It was a moment when I seriously doubted Ellie¡¯s taste.


    Well, if you look at the big picture, sexual corruption has always been a popr theme throughout history. The detailed parts were just a bit¡­


    The problem is that this is said to be the average taste in Pangrave.


    If I keep writing the way I always have, it will be a niche story catering to a minority, branded as femdom¡­no, maledom.


    If that¡¯s the kind of story I want to write, there¡¯s no helping it, but when I¡¯m in a state of ¡®I want to write but what should I write now?¡¯ like now, I should avoid it.


    I am not writing a diary, I am writing something for others to read.


    So, after nkly contemting until the ink on the pen was half-dried.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    It suddenly came to mind. Where Ist thought about wanting to write.


    Hobgoblin Vige. The two surviving male and female adventurers.


    A woman who, despite dragging her childhood friend and lover into adventuring, abandoned him to save herself when their lives were in danger.


    A foolish man who, by sheer luck, got rescued and believes his lover risked her life to save him as promised.


    As she looked at the man who had to live his whole life crippled because his ankle tendons were cut while being imprisoned, what did the woman think?


    What does it feel like to face a sin that no one else knows?


    In fact, I have no interest in that pain and guilt orpassion.


    What matters to me are the regret, devastation, and obsession that will bloom in a distorted rtionship.


    It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t feel any aversion to consuming someone¡¯s misfortune as a ything¡­but isn¡¯t it a life I saved in the first ce? I think this much is eptable.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go with this.¡±


    I soaked the dry pen with plenty of ink and scrawled the first sentence that came to mind on the paper.


    <em>Scratch, scratch.</em>


    -Stand up. That¡¯s the only thing a cripple like you can do.


    I had a feeling it would be a masterpiece.<hr>


    She was screwed.


    Ellie gulped down the high-end liquor she was supposed to sell to customers, looking around the noisy store.


    And after pondering for about three seconds with her half-alcohol-fried brain cells, she reaffirmed.


    She was screwed.


    ¡°Surely, it¡¯s all been found out?¡±


    In a world where any form of sexuality is recognized as long as it¡¯s consensual and not illegal.


    But that¡¯s merely out of respect for preferences.


    ¡®Wow! You¡¯re excited by the sight of the man you like rolling around with another woman? What a sophisticated taste you have! If you don¡¯t mind, could I sleep with your husband next time?¡¯


    It doesn¡¯t mean people actually say such things.


    ¡®Surely, Jonah must feel the same way!¡¯


    Ellie realized this starkly, but she couldn¡¯t honestly say it and ran outside as if fleeing! It¡¯s certain that¡¯s why she¡¯s been holed up in her room for more than half a day without stepping out¡­!


    ¡­Jonah had consistently mentioned that he would flirt with other women, and thus, Ellie hadpletely forgotten the fact that he would rather like Ellie, who had awakened to the NTR fetish.


    The reason is simple. The forever single, experience-less, outcast Ellie has a slight inferiorityplex about her hymen.


    Although she has no experience, aplicated psychology of not wanting to be looked down upon continually fuels bad imaginations.


    For a moment, she trembles at the thought that she might bebeled as aplete NTR-loving masturbation addict.


    What Ellie ultimately chose was a straightforward approach.


    ¡°Please, pretend it never happened¡­!¡±


    A truly Ellie-like idea. Resolute, Ellie downed her drink in one gulp and focused on her work in a slightly tipsy state.


    Even if he skips lunch, he¡¯lle for dinner. After all, isn¡¯t he a boy who eats a lot during his growth spurt?


    ¡¯Shall I make pasta with a ton of basil sauce today? Or should I fry all kinds of meat and serve it with a sweet and sour sauce?


    Either way, it¡¯s something Jonah usually likes, so we can definitely start the conversation in a rxed atmosphere.¡¯


    Having thought that far, Ellie set aside some ingredients in advance and waited for Jonah.


    An hour passed, then two hours, and so it went until the shop closedte at night.


    Ellie waited endlessly, but Jonah did note down.


    ¡°Oh, no¡­¡±


    Ellie, engulfed in anxiety and unease, reached a conclusion she normally couldn¡¯t even think of.


    ¡°If it¡¯se to this¡­ I¡¯ll break in.¡±


    Of course, she couldn¡¯t do it sober, so she downed a bottle of strong liquor in one shot.


    Thus, the hero, empowered by the courage called alcohol, headed to Jonah¡¯s room.


    <em>Creak-</em>


    The door opened effortlessly, rendering the meticulously prepared master key useless. It was never locked in the first ce.


    Ellie, feeling a bit deted, staggered into the room.


    On the desky Jonah, fast asleep, hugging a bundle of papers.


    ¡°Is this¡­a diary?¡±


    Simple curiosity. She looked at the papers with a light heart. The moment she read the ck text on them, Ellie sobered up instantly.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    No wonder, since the content on the paper somehow resembled the story of Ellie and Jonah.

 Chapter 87: It’s Not A Diary (2)

    Chapter 87: It¡¯s Not A Diary (2)


    ¡°Is this¡­a diary?¡±


    Purely out of curiosity. Ellie looked at the paper Jonah was holding with a light heart.<hr>


    <em>p!</em>


    <em>¡°Stand up. That¡¯s all a cripple like you can do, isn¡¯t it?¡±</em>


    <em>Her lips, saying this drunkenly, held a sneer. But the contempt wasn¡¯t directed at her crippled lover. It was a sneer aimed solely at herself.</em>


    <em>A truth she couldn¡¯t confess to anyone festered and became a wound that ruined her.</em>


    <em>Anger with nowhere to go took the form of violence. What she struck was clearly his cheek, but it was an act not unlike self-harm.</em>


    <em>Because he was still the most precious being to her.</em>


    <em>Holding his cheek for a moment, he looked up at her nkly, then slowly nodded.</em><em>¡°Yes.¡±</em>


    <em>He doesn¡¯t know what she experienced in the Hobgoblin vige. But he knows what he went through.</em>


    <em>A stench reminiscent of rotten onions. A face revealing vile desires. Overt groping. Although he was drugged, his body responded, and sometimes he even ttered them out of fear of violence.</em>


    <em>He hated himself.</em>


    <em>He hated himself for being defiled by some Hobgoblin, hated his own body that got excited at any moment without warning, and hated being so humiliated that he couldn¡¯t even walk on his own.</em>


    <em>Therefore, her violence always seemed justified to him. If you do something wrong, you get punished. Isn¡¯t thatmon sense?</em>


    <em>He was atoning for his sins.</em><hr>


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Ellie, reading madly as if possessed by something.


    Ellie, who skimmed through thest page in an instant, was not just sober but had turned pale as she put the paper down.


    It was a dreadful story.


    It clearly took the form of an erotic novel, and although the sexual scenes were intense, they were slightly arousing.


    But more than that, it felt disgusting.


    Afortable quagmire. The foolishness of choosing destruction with one¡¯s own hands. Twisted possessiveness. Deteriorating rtionships. The body and mind bing impoverished. Regret thates toote.


    And like tar stuck at the bottom of all this, a sticky obsession.


    It¡¯s a world where all kinds of eroticism are permitted under the influence of the Goddess of Love. Simply in terms of intensity, you could find much more extreme content.


    However, there is one unwritten rule. ording to the Goddess of Love¡¯s precepts, the depicted rtionships must always be consensual.


    From that perspective, how does Jonah¡¯s writing fare?


    ¡®It¡¯s risky.¡¯


    Neither side is forced into anything. Not that it was a healthy rtionship.


    The woman vented her anger and irritation through violence, and the man endured it all despite the pain.


    Until the moment when the woman, overwhelmed by self-loathing, hung herself right before his eyes. The man never resented her.


    This is a story of wed individuals who happened to fit together¡­choking each other¡¯s throats.


    At the same time, it¡¯s clearly a love story.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t know Jonah had such a talent.¡¯


    It¡¯s too dark and unsettling, but anyway, in the end, the female lead and male lead, who failed at suicide, resolve their misunderstandings and reach a happy ending.


    The writing itself was excellent. At least, it wasn¡¯t at the level of someone writing for the first time.


    As seen through the eyes of Ellie, a crazy erotica addict who has read more than 70 percent of the erotica avable on the market, it¡¯s certain.


    However, what bothered Ellie was not the tone of the writing, the fact that it was written by a minor, or the extreme y.


    The fact that One Who Devours the Twilight turns into a hobgoblin and that the two characters have a distorted rtionship¡­


    The structure itself was a thorn in her side because it closely resembled the story of Ellie and Jonah.


    ¡®Could it be that Jonah saw me like that? ¡­No. The main character isn¡¯t just the heroine.¡¯


    Ellie looked down at Jonah¡¯s face with aplicated expression. He had fallen into a deep sleep, probably because he had been writing non-stop since he came back from his brief outing.


    ¡®Not the heroine, but the hero. A projection of himself, not me¡­?¡¯


    The male lead in the story could not escape his trauma until the veryst moment. To him, he was still a dirty, useless cripple, tainted by the hobgoblin.


    And when Jonah was an experiment subject of One Who Devours the Twilight. Ellie knew what he went through.


    Recently, Lydia mentioned that Jonah might have been born into a significant noble family.


    If he were just an ignorant orphan from Pangrave, living a life at the bottom, willing to risk his life or sell his body to survive, it might have been better.


    But if Jonah had noble blood. If he had received an education befitting his status, and had a sense of chastity befitting his status.


    If that were the case, the memories of being an experiment subject would certainly be a massive trauma.


    ¡®Even his usual promiscuous behavior¡­.¡¯


    Desperate people who recklessly throw themselves around are amon sight in Pangrave.


    Even the employees working at Ellie¡¯s shop gave off that vibe when they were first hired.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    A sensation as if a heavy stone had fallen on her heart.


    Although she hadn¡¯t heard the full story, Ellie, who thought she knew quite a bit about Jonah, was even more shocked.


    ¡°Haaa¡­¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that the wound particrly stung, but Ellie desperately needed a Magic Herb cigarette.


    She let out a deep sigh and looked down at Jonah.


    Pink hair as delicate and soft as silk. The atmosphere of a flower bud in the middle of a boy bing a man.


    Why did his cheeks, exposed so defenselessly, look so moist today¡­?


    Usually, Ellie would have felt a momentary desire. But not now. At this moment, she couldn¡¯t possibly feel that way.


    Perhaps Jonah¡¯s self-deprecation wasn¡¯t as severe as it sounds. Even if it was, it might not be that extreme.


    But it is certain that such darkness exists in his heart. Yet, his unwavering belief that he can still love the world and move forward in a better direction is dazzling.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Only then did Ellie realize. Why the Goddess of Love, silent for a thousand years, showed interest in Jonah. She began to understand what Karen meant by saying that he might be a saint.


    A candle in broad daylight holds little value, but a candle on a dark moonless night is precious beyond anything.


    Jonah is like that as well.


    Someone who can speak of love in the face of despair¡­is more beautiful than anyone.


    A simple fact that Ellie could understand even better as she cried out for courage in the face of a dark reality.


    Ellie cautiously reached out towards the sleeping Jonah.


    Affection. Guilt. Admiration.


    And a trembling hand mixed withpassion.


    <em>Swoosh swoosh.</em>


    She stroked the round back of his head, and the sensation of his ear at her fingertips made Ellie shiver. And then.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    Jonah, who was lying face down as if talking in his sleep, rubbed his head.


    Ellie gave a bitter smile at his cat-like appearance.


    ¡°Ah, if you¡¯re going to sleep, do it in bed instead of miserably at the desk.¡±


    Saying so, she lifted the sleeping Jonah with her arm.


    The presence of Jonah felt in her embrace. The nice scent that suddenly wafted over. Even though he was young, he was still a man with strangely solid bones and muscles.


    Each element stimted Ellie, but in the end, she never pounced on Jonah.


    Right now, emotions other than sexual desire are taking priority¡­ Above all, Ellie just doesn¡¯t have the guts for it.


    Despite being timid, the kind-hearted Ellieid Jonah on the bed and covered him with a nket.


    For some reason, there was arge amount of dried Magic Herbs hidden inside the nket¡­but it didn¡¯t seem important, so she subtly pushed them aside.


    Then, she brought her lips close to Jonah¡¯s forehead¡­but couldn¡¯t bring herself to do something so embarrassing, so she just pressed her forehead against Jonah¡¯s.


    Ellie stayed like that for a while, with her forehead against the sleeping Jonah¡¯s, then slowly lowered her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay now. It¡¯s going to be okay.¡±


    Because Ellie herself would make sure of it.


    With a faint smile, Ellie turned off the room¡¯s light and carefully slipped out the door. Before closing itpletely, she whispered into the small gap.


    ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    The much-anticipated somnophilia event that Jonah had been looking forward to did not happen.


    Only the Unicorn Dagger on the desk sparkled in the darkness.<hr>


    ¡°Gahhh!¡±


    Waking up to a peculiar stiffness all over my body, I found myself lying in bed, covered with a nket.


    ¡°What was I doing before I fell asleep¡­.¡±


    I tried to recall, focusing hard on my hazy memory. I was definitely writing¡­writing¡­.


    ¡°Oh, did I fall asleep?¡±


    Did I instinctively find my way to the bed and copse? It¡¯s amon urrence when I stay up all night writing, so I know it well.


    My body is tired, but perhaps because I scribbled something after a long time, my head feels really clear.


    ¡°Hmmm~¡±


    Humming a tune that naturally flowed out, I went downstairs to the first floor.


    Contrary to expectations, it¡¯s dark outside the window. It seems I must have slept through the entire day and barely woke up by the next evening.


    Now that I see it, I must have just slept too long and felt stiff.


    ¡­Well. Lately, there have been many things going on, so it was about time for the fatigue to hit me. Was that today?


    Anyway, I¡¯ve cleared the first floor, and since I¡¯ve decided to lie low for a few days to observe the Pope¡¯s response, it doesn¡¯t matter.


    The first floor is bustling again today, probably full of guests. Enjoying themotion, I went down the stairs.


    There, unlike yesterday, Ellie hadpletely returned to her usual self.


    Ash-gray hair of rough greeting. Perked wolf ears. With an empty right sleeve fluttering, Ellie was shing a fierce smile, suspiciously waving one hand.


    ¡°You¡¯re up? I thought you might be spending some secret, private time since it¡¯s sote.¡±


    Almost like that NTR y¡­no, incident? Anyway, the usual yful tension seems to be back.


    In response, I also lifted the corners of my mouth in a grin.


    ¡°Hey. Ellie, you probably don¡¯t know since you¡¯re a virgin, but unlike women, men have a limit on how many times they can do it. We can¡¯t go at it for that long.¡±


    ¡°¡­Really? But in books.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because those are fictional. Since most of the work is done by the waiter anyway, it¡¯s not busy, right? Come here. I¡¯ll give you some sex education for your sake.¡±


    Giggling, I jumped behind the counter. Ellie, flustered, backed away.


    Despite everything, I really like this kind of daily life. Thinking that days like today will repeat for a while made me a bit happy.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    It was like that until I noticed the purple-haired kid jumping up on the counter and looking down at me.


    ¡°Hey. Are you the kid porter Lydia was talking about?¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re a kid too, so why are you talking down to me?¡±


    Confucian switch ON!

 Chapter 88: Party Breaker (Not)

    Chapter 88: Party Breaker (Not)


    Seeing Ellie made me feel good, but only for a moment.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    Suddenly, a little girl with purple hair jumped onto the counter and looked down at me.


    ¡°Hey. Are you the kid porter that Lydia mentioned?¡±


    As soon as I heard those words, I carefully examined her appearance.


    A witch-like pointed hat. Wavy purple hair flowing from it. Slightly upturned cat-like facial features.


    She was wearing a tight-fitting ck dress that revealed her figure, but¡­her small stature and t chest made it not very provocative.


    Pure wholesomeness.


    In other words, a real little girl who was as young or younger than me.The moment I realized this, I heard a switch flipping inside me.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re a kid too, so why are you talking down to me?¡±


    Confucian switch ON!


    The little purple-haired girl flinched at my words and started stomping her feet.


    <em>Thump thump.</em>


    ¡°What? Who are you calling a little kid now?¡±


    Unlike her previous full-body jump, this time she only moved her feet, making a very light sound.


    Though it wasn¡¯t a very threatening sight, the problem was that she was stomping her feet on none other than the counter.


    And the counter at the Fairy and Silver Coin was the same as those in bar-style pubs. It wasn¡¯t just a ce for transactions, but also for eating and drinking.


    In other words, it was a dining table.


    ¡°You rude girl. Didn¡¯t your parents teach you not to put your feet where the food goes?¡±


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t have parents.¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence. I don¡¯t have any either.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Amid the slightly awkward atmosphere, we briefly red at each other.


    The purple-haired kid hopped off the counter and introduced herself.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a kid, I¡¯m Vanitas Benibeni. Lydia¡¯s originalpanion.¡±


    ¡°What¡­!¡±


    How can someone¡¯s name be Vanitas Benibeni.


    Internally startled, I once again scrutinized the one who introduced herself as Benibeni.


    Now that they were off the counter, it was clear that their height was simr to mine or slightly shorter.


    Wondering if it was just their height, I took another look at their face, but as expected, they had a youthful appearance simr to mine.


    ¡­A bit cute, actually.


    However, there was something more concerning.


    Benibeni¡¯s eyes.


    Her amethyst-like purple eyes uniquely had heart-shaped pupils.


    Between her lips, sharp teeth like those of a shark could be seen peeking out.


    In the end, I couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°What species are you? Are you a subus by any chance?¡±


    ¡°Then are you an incubus? Why are you covered in so many enchanting powers?¡±


    Benibeni frowned and took a step back. It seemed she had noticed the fragrant scent and the power of my moist skin.


    ¡°¡­You noticed this.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Any high-level mage can¡­ Wait. You didn¡¯t believe me until now?!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Instead of answering, I looked at Ellie beside me.


    Ellie, who had been cleaning a cup instead of continuing her previous motions, nced over and answered indifferently.


    ¡°Benny¡¯s correct. Long time no see. Did you finish what you were doing?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Who am I? I¡¯m the Creepy Witch Miss Benibeni! The old men at the Magic Tower¡¯s research was a piece of cake!¡±


    ¡°So, how about your research you said you would do in return?¡±


    ¡°¡­I failed again.¡±


    Benibeni grumbled as she sat down at the counter. Watching her, I asked cautiously.


    ¡°Are you really Miss Lydia¡¯spanion, Benny?¡±


    ¡°Why. Are you suddenly scared now? It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m generous. I can forgive you for calling me a kid by mistake¡­¡±


    ¡°A kid like this?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hey!¡±


    In the end, Benny, now furious, red at me. Then, the long shadow behind her suddenly rose up and transformed into a ck y-like mass.


    It felt as if the shadow, which should have been stuck to the floor, suddenly gained the concept of height.


    That alone was surprising, but something began to sprout from the shadowy mass in an instant.


    Bloodshot eyes, shark teeth, hands that seemed to be melting, wings with feathers sparsely missing, spines, long protruding horns, a tongue covered in sticky mucus, a half-rotted beak¡­.


    A nightmarish scene thatbines all sorts of disgusting things. Just looking at it brings up a nauseating feeling of difort.


    Indeed. Is this why her nickname is Creepy Witch?


    Benny, who didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of attacking, just summoned the shadow monster from afar. Ellie, who seemed to know this well, just narrowed her eyes but didn¡¯t stop it.


    And I¡­


    ¡°Oh my! It really is Miss Benny! Goodness. You look so young that I didn¡¯t recognize you! I¡¯ve heard a lot about you from Miss Lydia!¡±


    I entered ttery mode, rubbing my hands together like a sycophant.


    Yes. If she¡¯s a high-ranking mage and Lydia¡¯s colleague, this is the right approach.


    It¡¯s clear that some magic was used to make that youthful appearance. If she can create such a monstrous creature, surely she can manage some rejuvenation.


    Of course, Benny seems quite startled by my demeanor.


    ¡°What kind of sudden change in demeanor¡­.¡±


    She made a strange face for a moment. Then she turned her head smoothly and continued speaking.


    ¡°Well, calling me ¡®Miss¡¯ feels too awkward. Just call me Benny.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say to call you ¡®Miss Benibeni¡¯ earlier?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s different when I say it myself and when someone else says it! Just drop the ¡®Miss¡¯! Everyone calls me that anyway!¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do that, Benny.¡±


    Only then did Benny nod with a slightly more rxed face. In the meantime, she subtly approached the shadow monster.


    ¡°Wow. It looks really creepy. Is this magic by any chance?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, something like that.¡±


    Benny, who said that, moved her fingers slightly. Following her gesture, long tentacles extended from the materialized shadow.


    The sticky, mucus-covered tentacles swept across the counter where Benny had climbed up a moment ago.


    Dirt and dust clung together with the mucus, and as the tentacles detached, they turned back into shadows and returned to Benny¡¯s feet.


    The dirt and dust that were there had disappeared somewhere.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    Come to think of it, I heard from Lydia before that Benny uses a peculiar magic to swallow entire monster corpses and only spits out the drops and cores.


    This must be it.


    I nodded with a pleased smile.


    ¡°So Benny had it all nned out? Although climbing onto the counter with dirty feet is a bit much, I¡¯ll forgive you since you cleaned it up nicely.¡±


    ¡°¡­Who is forgiving whom?¡±


    Benny gave a hollowugh and shook her head. Then, as if puzzled, she asked me again.


    ¡°You. Your name is¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Jonah.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Jonah. Aren¡¯t you scared of this? Something like you could be swallowed in one bite.¡±


    Benny pointed to the monstrosity emerging from her shadow. I tilted my head towards her.


    ¡°Why should I be scared?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I mean, isn¡¯t it true? If you¡¯re a colleague of Miss Lydia, then you must be a good person.¡±


    ¡°Uh, well. That¡¯s¡­right?¡±


    ¡°And even though Ellie red a bit, she didn¡¯t move beyond that, so it seems you had no intention of harming me.¡±


    No matter how sharp the sword, how fast the arrow, or how mighty the magic that topples castles.


    In the end, if it¡¯s not aimed at me, there¡¯s no reason to fear it.


    Benny, who had heard my words, opened her mouth with a perplexed expression.


    ¡°¡­You thought that far? In this short time?¡±


    ¡°No? Actually, I added this partter. I just acted out thinking Ellie would save me if something happened.¡±


    ¡°¡­Rattlesnake.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s rude. Could you call me a husband candidate?¡±


    ¡°Hus, band?¡±


    Benny looked at Ellie with wide eyes, as if hearing an unbelievable story.


    Ellie started to ramble under the gaze that looked at a criminal beyond a thief.


    ¡°N-no? It¡¯s just that Jonah said it one-sidedly, it¡¯s nothing like what you¡¯re thinking, Benny.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too much, Ellie! Yesterday¡­no, the day before yesterday, you stayed up all night doing that with me!¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Benny¡¯s eyes cooled down, and a contemptuous sigh flowed out between her sharp shark teeth.


    ¡°Woo. Trash.¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Ellie couldn¡¯t rebut Benny¡¯s quiet insult and ground her teeth.


    Why is it? A woman like Ellie, who seems cool and chic, looks so beautiful when her face contorts with shame and guilt.


    However, if I torment her more here, Ellie will be too pitiful, so I decided to help a little.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t be too hard on Ellie. She¡¯s just inexperienced and has no immunity to men.¡±


    ¡°¡­Jonah, you¡¯re the worst.¡±


    I shrugged, listening to Ellie¡¯s grumbling as if she were sulking.


    ¡°Last time, I groped Miss Lydia¡¯s chest, so I was considering making Ellie next. But I guess I¡¯ll forget about it. Ellie, just watch! Like the red books scattered in your room! ¡­Like the red books!¡±


    Ellie pricked up her ears, momentarily tempted. But then, as if remembering something, she shook her head vigorously in refusal.


    ¡°No. I didn¡¯t say itst time, but Jonah, you need to take better care of your body¡­¡±


    Just as Ellie was about to back off with her usual Ellie-like words, Benny interrupted her, stammering.


    ¡°T-t-t-the¡­¡±


    ¡°Benny? Calm down and try taking a deep breath first.¡±


    ¡°Hoo¡­ Hoo¡­¡±


    Following the instructions, Benny took deep breaths obediently and then spoke clearly with a trembling voice.


    ¡°You infiltrated to destroy my party! You wicked lecher!¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    I said I wasn¡¯t an incubus.

 Chapter 89: Party Breaker (Not) (2)

    Chapter 89: Party Breaker (Not) (2)


    Benny took a deep breath and, with a clear pronunciation, teared up.


    ¡°You infiltrated to break up my party! You vile subus!¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Good grief. What nonsense is this.


    There are subi in this world, but most sumb to the curse of madness and be monsters.


    The few who resist the curse are either lucky to be in ces beyond its reach or possess extraordinary power.


    The tiny number of subi who survive¡­ end up mostly as prostitutes.


    However, it¡¯s obvious that I¡¯m not an incubus based on the shape of my wings, tail, and ears.


    In other words, Benny doesn¡¯t genuinely suspect me of being an incubus.She¡¯s calling me a ¡®bitch¡¯ who flirts with people around her.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned.¡±


    I was so dumbfounded that I pounded my chest and yelled out.


    ¡°I let it slide because you¡¯re Miss Lydia¡¯s colleague, but isn¡¯t that too harsh?!¡±


    ¡°You must be the harsh one! Not only did you enchant the Noble Lydia, but now even our Mentor Ellie¡­!¡±


    Benny, with tears like chicken droppings, points a finger at me. With her movement, a materialized shadow presents a ghastly figure to me.


    ¡°I-I have heard of it! A party breaker¡­infiltrates existing adventurer parties, bewitches the members, and extracts all kinds of help and material support¡­then eventually causes a love quarrel to dissolve the party, pretending to be a pitiful man caught in the fight, and sneaks into another party¡­!¡±


    ¡°No. What¡¯s that supposed to be?¡±


    I¡¯ve never heard of it.


    Is that it? Like the queen bee of an otaku club? Since it¡¯s a gender-reversed world, a king bee? No, that¡¯s not right since the ecology is different. If I had topare, it would be a male lion.


    As I nodded, thinking that to myself, Benny spat out a more primitive expression.


    ¡°You rattlesnake! You might have fooled women by shaking your hips all this time, but it won¡¯t work on me¡­¡±


    ¡°Benny! There are things you should and shouldn¡¯t say. What are you talking about to a kid!¡±


    It was too vulgar, and Ellie smacked her in the head mid-sentence.


    <em>Thwack!</em>


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    The sound was too loud to be just a light smack. Worried it might have been too much, I nervously checked, but luckily, Benny¡¯s crown wasn¡¯t dented.


    Instead, the shadow monster that had covered her head was just a shadow monster once again.


    ck liquid spilled on the floor. Rolling eyeballs. Broken horn. Shark teeth scattered everywhere¡­.


    It was a grotesque scene that could haunt dreams, but as Benny shook her head, it vanished in an instant as if it had never been there.


    Then, the monstrous figure rose from Benny¡¯s shadow again. Seeing this, Ellie raised her remaining fist.


    ¡°Damn it. Aren¡¯t you going to clean this up?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Ellie, you¡¯re being deceived right now!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think, so put that shadow away! You bitch.¡±


    ¡°No, Ellie. Just listen to me for a moment.¡±


    ¡°You listen to me. Jonah is actually¡­¡±


    Ellie, who had spoken up to that point, suddenly turned this way and quietly asked with just her lips moving.


    ¡®Can I talk about the saint stuff?¡¯


    I walked up to Ellie with small steps and waved my hand at her. Ellie bent down for me, tilting her head slightly.


    I took a big bite of her beautiful wolf ear with my lips, not my teeth, so it wouldn¡¯t hurt.


    ¡°Mwang.¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    Ellie flinched and straightened her tail, then soon rxed and wrapped her tail around my arm.


    I whispered softly into her ear.


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret, but since she¡¯s Ellie¡¯s junior and Miss Lydia¡¯s colleague, I¡¯ll give you special permission. Just make sure she doesn¡¯t tell anyone.¡±


    ¡°Ah, alright. I got it, so just let go of my ear¡­!¡±


    The cool and cynical ex-adventurer bartender was gone, and Ellie became an ordinary female.


    Finding it amusing, I licked the inside of her ear before letting go.


    ¡°Haah¡­¡±


    Ellie, whose face was flushed, red at me, then sighed deeply and ced her arm on Benny¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Come here for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Is that important right now, Ellie? What was that just now! You subus! Did you use hypnosis or something?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really not like that, so juste here, you idiot.¡±


    Since I had slept all day, it was now evening. In other words, it was the busiest time for the tavern.


    Ellie couldn¡¯t use a holy barrier for soundproofing like Karen, nor could she use a magical tool infused with aura for noise cancetion like Lydia.


    Holy power, aura, magic¡­ because her body wasn¡¯t imbued with any of them.


    So, she dragged the grumbling Benny to the storeroom by force. And a momentter.


    For a reason different than before, Benny, with tears welling up, patted my shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I may not know about others, but I understand you.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°You said your name was Jonah, right? I¡¯m the same as you. I didn¡¯t get this shadow by choice. Just like how I don¡¯t age anymore.¡±


    ¡°Oh, um. Yes!¡±


    Though I didn¡¯t quite understand, I energetically pretended to, and only then did Benny¡¯s furrowed brow rx.


    ¡°Sorry about earlier. I didn¡¯t know it was a power granted by the Goddess of Love.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s alright. You couldn¡¯t have known.¡±


    I shrugged and quickly tried to think about what might have happened in the storage room.


    No matter how I looked at it, it didn¡¯t seem like Ellie would beat Benny up and tell her to get along with me¡­


    She must have said something about how I am favored by the Goddess of Love, just like she mouthed earlier.


    Of course, it¡¯s obvious, but the Goddess of Love is literally the Goddess of Love, not the Goddess of Wisdom or the Goddess of Adventure.


    Her favorite person is not someone smart or strong. It¡¯s someone charming.


    Being cherished by the Goddess of Love means being that charming. Not a subus that deceives people, as Benny misunderstands.


    There was something else said, and thanks to that, Benny seems to feel a sense of camaraderie with me¡­


    I don¡¯t know about that part. The important thing is that Benny¡¯s wariness has subsided again.


    Let¡¯s take this opportunity to get closer. Since I¡¯m already deeply involved with Ellie and Lydia, it seems I should also get along with Benny.


    ¡°By the way, Benny. There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask, is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What is it? Go ahead and ask.¡±


    ¡°Benny¡¯s shadow. Is that why you¡¯re called the Creepy Witch?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well. Yes. Isn¡¯t it kind of gross?¡±


    Benny pursed her lips. Unlike the usually cool Ellie and the expressionless Lydia, her reaction was honest and straightforward.


    A rare sight among the women of the Pan Continent.


    Thinking it was refreshing, I smiled and pointed at the quiet shadow.


    ¡°Can you show it to me again, just once?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible¡­but are you sure? It¡¯s a kind of curse, so no matter how tough you are, it¡¯ll feel unpleasant.¡±


    ¡°That makes me even more curious.¡±


    As I pressed on without retreating, Benny, who was momentarily troubled, nodded cautiously.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll show you, but don¡¯t look too deeply, okay?¡±


    Benny, who had asked so, snapped her fingers. Simultaneously, the shadow stretched long, then began to blend with parts of various creatures.


    Eyes toorge to be human. Bloodshot eyes red this way, and the irregrly grown shark teeth were extremely menacing.


    A form that seemed to meld all kinds of beasts into a single lump. Without taking my eyes off it, I continued speaking.


    ¡°Benny. Is it okay if I touch it for a moment?¡±


    ¡°What? No. That¡¯s too dangerous. It¡¯s true that the shadow follows mymands, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can control it perfectly. If you touch it recklessly¡­¡±


    ¡°Yap!¡±


    I reached out and touched the shadow monster.


    The oddly sticky body, eyes rolling around to inspect the surroundings, small tentacles hidden like little bumps, and a shark tooth mouth that smacks its lips even though it can¡¯t be hungry.


    Those parts that look so fierce be docile as amb the moment my fingers touch them, making it easy to handle.


    ¡°Kyaaa!¡±


    Benny, seemingly startled, screamed half a beatte.


    ¡°Are you crazy?! I told you it¡¯s dangerous! If you¡¯re not careful, it might think your hand is food and just swallow¡­swallow it¡­huh?¡±


    All the parts on the surface of the shadow quivered, as if regretting the loss of my touch.


    Benny turned to look at me nkly, as if the shadow was begging to be touched again.


    ¡°You. What are you? ¡­No, it doesn¡¯t matter. You said you¡¯re Jonah, right? Let¡¯s do a job together.¡±


    ¡°¡­Lewd jobs go to Ellie first. Draw a number and get some breast enhancement surgery.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it, okay? Besides, what¡¯s important about breasts right now!¡±


    Benny was panting. She smiled broadly, revealing her sharp shark teeth.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you about ten copper per day. Since you¡¯re already a porter, help me with my research too.¡±


    ¡°Ten copper per day¡­? Who would that be enough for!¡±


    ¡°Not copper, silver.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    A 10-draw event every day¡­.


    I smiled brightly.


    ¡°What should I do first?¡±


    It was the smile of capitalism.

 Chapter 90: Party Breaker (Not) (3)

    Chapter 90: Party Breaker (Not) (3)


    Ten silver per day.


    It¡¯s certainly a suspicious offer. Especially when it¡¯sing from a magician who controls grotesque shadow monsters and the job description is unclear.


    But do you know why high-paying scams exist?


    The answer is that there are always people who fall for them. Just like me right now.


    ¡°What should I do first?¡±


    Smiling with the grin of capitalism, I said that, and Benny took half a step back with a startled expression.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that weird smile all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°No, I was just asking. What you want me to do for you, Benny.¡±


    ¡°What I want you to do for me¡­?!¡±As if imagining something, Benny¡¯s eyes momentarily zed over.


    Then, turning her head slightly, Benny nced over at me.


    ¡°Uh, you¡¯ll really do anything?¡±


    ¡°Oh my. Benny. What were you thinking? I was just talking about work!¡±


    ¡°Huh? ¡­What?! No, that¡¯s not it! It¡¯s not what you think, you perverted pinkette!¡±


    Benny¡¯s face turned red as she screamed. Tears started to well up in her eyes.


    ¡°Huh? Benny, are you crying?¡±


    ¡°N-no, I¡¯m not!¡±


    She was like that when she first mistook me for a rattlesnake, and now too. It seems she tends to cry a lot.


    But for Benny, whoes from a world with reversed gender roles, it seemed to be a sensitive issue.


    Benny wiped her face repeatedly until her skin turned red, then continued speaking clearly.


    ¡°I said I¡¯m not crying.¡±


    ¡°I never said you were.¡±


    I understand her feelings. She doesn¡¯t want to show any weakness. Or, more precisely, she probably can¡¯t afford to.


    In this world, women are not the ones being protected but rather the ones who protect others. Showing tears is no different from revealing weakness.


    ¡­On the other hand, to someone like me who has memories of Earth, a crying woman, especially one who looks like a child, like Benny, stirs up a lot of guilt.


    I carefully reached out and touched the corner of Benny¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Hold on. Stay still, Benny.¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Benny flinched as my fingers touched her. However, she stayed still as instructed, and I gave her a gentle smile before closing my eyes and concentrating.


    A power is aplete force in itself. As long as you have enough mental strength, you can use it as much as you want.


    That¡¯s why adventurers go crazy over powers. Who wouldn¡¯t want to perform miracles with minimal effort?


    However, divine power is a miracle of the gods. Whether it is the power of a dead god or the living Goddess of Love, they all draw from divine energy.


    Naturally, divine power can also be more potent and versatile if divine energy is consumed.


    Basilieus¡¯ original power is to elerate my growth, simr to investing divine energy to rapidly grow nts.


    The recently acquired divine power, Moist Skin, wouldn¡¯t deviate from this principle.


    A beauty power that keeps the skin moist at all times. At first nce, it seems trivial, but the principle behind it is quite advanced.


    It¡¯s the power to maintain the most ideal skin condition at any time.


    The reason why the fragrant body odor disappears when it needs to be hidden is the same. Strictly speaking, it¡¯s because it maintains the ideal body scent for the situation.


    I haven¡¯t tested it yet, but the speed of recovery for wounds on the skin should have increased dramatically.


    Smooth, unblemished skin is the ideal.


    It¡¯s not called divine power for nothing.


    And now. I¡¯m trying to apply this effect to someone else by pouring divine power into this moist skin.


    <em>Wooong-</em>


    A warmth resonating with my will from deep within my body. I pulled it out and concentrated it on my fingertips.


    Then I opened my eyes.


    Fingertips emitting a subtle light. The swollen skin starts to subside where it makes contact.


    ¡°Heal-ing? Ellie was telling the truth.¡±


    ¡°When did you learn divine magic¡­.¡±


    Benny, touching her eyelids in a flustered voice, and Ellie, shaking her head in disbelief while holding a shaker.


    I shrugged at the two of them.


    ¡°It¡¯s not divine healing magic, but an application of power. It can only heal skin wounds, so please don¡¯t expect too much.¡±


    At best, it should be considered a substitute for the Lowest-grade Healing Potion. Of course, this efficiency is based on applying it to others.


    If I limit the effect range to myself, it would be about the level of a low-grade potion.


    ¡­Either way, it¡¯s not that impressive.


    Perhaps because it was my first attempt, I felt a bit tired from theck of concentration. I buried my head on the counter and turned my head slightly to look at Benny.


    ¡°So? What is it that you want to do with me?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Uh, well, when you touched my shadow just now, instead of being attacked, it seemed to like it, didn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it did. It even had a surprisingly cute side. ¡­By the way, from what you¡¯re saying, it seems Benny isn¡¯t controlling it directly.¡±


    ¡°How nice it would be if that were possible. I¡¯m just making requests. For it to listen to me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good kid.¡±


    It looks terrible, but its personality is gentle.


    I tilted my head and reached my hand out. Then all sorts of parts rushed forward. Stroking the eyeballs, poking the horns, and scratching the tentacles made it shiver as if it felt good.


    Benny, who was watching, shook her head with a disapproving voice.


    ¡°Good? How nasty it is. If it were someone else, one of their arms would be gone by now.¡±


    ¡°Oh. It¡¯s a pair with Ellie!¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m really sorry to say this to someone I just met, but are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°Benny isn¡¯t sane either, so isn¡¯t it fair?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sane! ¡­For now.¡±


    Benny, who had a moment of frustration, let out a deep sigh.


    She opened her mouth wide, revealing sharp shark teeth, and continued speaking.


    ¡°Do you see this? Ever since it was grafted into my shadow, it¡¯s been slowly taking over my body. At this rate, I¡¯llpletely transform into a monster and be part of this thing.¡±


    ¡°¡­Could it be that each of these traces was originally a person?¡±


    ¡°Yes. This horn is Marek, these teeth are Melonia, the carapace is Frey, and the eye was Jamit. I don¡¯t remember the names of the others because I wasn¡¯t close to them, but they were probably all people too. Maybe when I assimte, it¡¯ll grow another eye? One with a heart, perhaps.¡±


    Benny said this with a self-mockingugh. ncing at Ellie, wondering if it was a joke, she too was looking at Benny with pitying eyes.


    My goodness. It¡¯s real?


    Nodding with a somewhat solemn heart, Benny looked me straight in the eyes.


    A gaze filled with strong determination. However, that determination¡¯s name was surely desperation.


    ¡°I¡¯m currently researching ways to separate myself from this guy. If that¡¯s impossible, I¡¯m thinking of at least slowing down the erosion rate.¡±


    ¡°Oh? You want me to help with that experiment, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. As I mentioned earlier, this guy doesn¡¯t exactly obey mymands but listens to me. Because of that, there are times when it doesn¡¯t listen¡­¡±


    ¡°So, the experiments are limited because of that, I see.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. When I try to confirm something seriously, it either hides in the shadows or tries to bite me. It doesn¡¯t bite hard, though.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I understand the reason, and I know what you want from me. You want me to coax it into participating in the experiment, right? But, can I attach one condition?¡±


    ¡°What is it? Are the funds insufficient? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m asking you to do something extraordinary, so paying more would be a bit much.¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m satisfied with thepensation. However, the problem is the time I need to invest.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Benny blinked her purple eyes, which had a heart shape in them. I gave her an awkward smile in response.


    ¡°I have some circumstances that require me to go up to the third floor. There¡¯s something I¡¯m looking for there. Well, there¡¯s no guarantee I can find it, but shouldn¡¯t I at least try as much as I can?¡±


    ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying. You¡¯re worried that spending too much time on my experiment will slow down your growth, right? Isn¡¯t ten silver enough?¡±


    ¡°No. But if you raise the payment to three times the current amount, then I can spend the whole day with you.¡±


    Was asking for 30 silver too much? Benny frowned and began to ponder.


    But honestly, I can¡¯t help it either. If I want to substitute getting stronger in the Labyrinth with gacha, I need to ensure at least this much.


    Benny, who was whining like a typus whose tail had been stepped on while sleeping, let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°I can¡¯t give you more payment. I need to have money for the experiment. But if your goal is to get stronger, I think I can help.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°First, I¡¯ll go into the Labyrinth with you and assist in various ways.¡±


    ¡°Lydia is already doing that for me¡­.¡±


    ¡°Well. It might be different?¡±


    Benny, pretending to be nonchnt, <span>pushedoutheirtunwaveringchest as if she was disappointed.


    ¡°I heard you know a bit of magic? I¡¯ll teach you the basics of magic. If you use it in the Labyrinth, you¡¯ll improve quickly.¡±


    ¡°¡­That sounds like a good deal. So, let¡¯s go back to the first question. What should I do first?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­.¡±


    Benny nodded and said with a serious face.


    ¡°First, could you take your clothes off?¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    You said you wouldn¡¯t make me do anything lewd.

 Chapter 91: Second Floor

    Chapter 91: Second Floor


    Benny spoke with a serious face.


    ¡°First, can you take your clothes off?¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    You said you wouldn¡¯t make me do anything lewd.


    Could it be that being naked isn¡¯t considered lewd by Benny?


    At this point, it doesn¡¯t matter if this is a reversed world or not, isn¡¯t this just a person with shattered moral values?


    But now I¡¯m really curious. If being naked isn¡¯t enough, then what does it take for Benny to feel it¡¯s lewd?


    ¡°Naked dogeza¡­?¡±


    The phrase slipped out of my mouth. Ellie, who had been tilting her head and eavesdropping on our conversation, immediately stormed out from behind the counter.¡°Benny. Over here.¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait! That was a misunderstanding, Ellie! It wasn¡¯t even something I said in the first ce!¡±


    ¡°Enough, to the Room of Truth.¡±


    ¡°Kyahhh!¡±


    Benny was dragged to the warehouse by Ellie gripping her ear. As she iled her arms towards me, seemingly asking for help, I waved back at her.


    ¡°Bye-bye¡­.¡±


    ¡°Help me, you jerk!¡±


    The warehouse door mmed shut with a single scream. As I took over Ellie¡¯s spot at the counter, it wasn¡¯t long before a tattered Benny emerged, clutching her head.


    Her purple eyes, adorned with heart patterns, flickered with intense emotion as our gazes met.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Of course, she shriveled up again under Ellie¡¯s silent watch from behind.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking you to strip naked, just to give me something you usually carry around¡­.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so from the start? Both Ellie and I misunderstood for no reason.¡±


    I shrugged and tossed my socks over to her.


    ¡°Is this enough?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Benny, carefully picking up my sock with her index finger and thumb, turned around and dropped it into her own shadow.


    Strangely, instead of falling to the floor, the sock slowly sank into the shadow as if it were being swallowed by a swamp.


    It must have gone to where that shadow monster resides.


    After ring at her shadow for a moment, Benny let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Phew. This should be fine for a while.¡±


    ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°I threw it a toy so it wouldn¡¯te out and bother us. It seemed to like you, so it might interrupt. Without something like this, it would pop out all the time.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is it that bad?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a reason why, out of all the good nicknames, I ended up with the name ¡®Creepy Witch¡¯.¡±


    Benny, who spoke in a calm voice, looked a bit lonely.


    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s go to my workshop. I¡¯ll briefly exin what you need to do there. I¡¯ll also show you some magic as a bonus.¡±


    ¡°Now? It¡¯s the middle of the night though¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Oops.¡±


    Benny, realizing her mistake, gaped nkly. The sharp teeth glistening between her lips were quite impressive.


    After hesitating for a while, Benny scratched the floor with one foot and asked.


    ¡°Could you take off just a little more?¡±


    ¡°You mean the socks? Just a moment.¡±


    When the other sock was taken off, she epted it and put it into a small box.


    ¡°Ahem. You said you were going into the Labyrinth with Lydia these days, right? I¡¯ll follow along to observe. I¡¯ll also see how you use magic.¡±


    ¡°Then I should drop by the workshop after the loot calction is done.¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s it.¡±


    Benny, who nodded in satisfaction, tidied her hair that had be disheveled from a few hits. Then, she tapped the floor with the tip of her foot and said.


    ¡°I¡¯lle with Lydia tomorrow. The daily wage will start tomorrow as well.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Then just pay for the socks and go.¡±


    ¡°¡­???¡±


    Benny tilted her head, wondering if she had heard correctly. Then I ced my hands out towards her.


    ¡°Did you think I gave them to you for free? I gave them because they were necessary for your experiment.¡±


    ¡°¡­Got it. Ten copper should be enough for the socks, right?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I think I should get 1 silver since they have my scent on them¡­ Well, fine. I¡¯ll let it go for 10 copper this time!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    With a look of disbelief, Benny took out 10 copper and handed it over. After seeing her off, I quickly ran to the counter and handed over the coins.


    ¡°Ellie! A cold ss of milk, please!¡±


    ¡°I think I mentioned it before¡­ It¡¯s premium milk, so 10 copper won¡¯t cut it.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you the chance to lick my bare feet in addition to the 10 copper.¡±


    ¡°No, what kind of benefit¡­benefit¡­¡±


    Ellie, who was about to let out a hollowugh, stopped mid-way. She kept repeating the same words like a broken phonograph, and soon quietly took out the milk.


    Then she whispered softly.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if it¡¯ster too, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll even make a certificate for you, so wait a moment.¡±


    Tearing a sheet from the stack of papers bought for writingst time, I scribbled down the words I had just said in crooked letters.


    ¨C1-time foot-licking pass for 10 minutes¨C


    Feeling it was a bitcking, I also drew a few cute pictures.


    ¡°Here you go!¡±


    Ellie had aplicated expression for a moment, but her hands quickly snatched the coupon and tucked it into her bosom before anyone could see.


    Anyway, she is someone who is honest about her desires.<hr>


    The next morning. As promised, Benny came with Lydia to the Fairy and Silver Coin.


    Seeing me all dressed up, she jumped onto a nearby chair with a satisfied expression.


    ¡°Good, good. It seems like you¡¯ve got the basics down. Well, it¡¯s natural since Lydia taught you!¡±


    ¡°¡­Just to ask, do you always have to climb up somewhere when greeting?¡±


    Yesterday and today, seeing her constantly climbing up somewhere, I asked in disbelief. Lydia, not Benny, answered my question.


    ¡°Benny is short. So, she climbs up high to make a strong first impression.¡±


    ¡°Lydia?! I told you not to say that!¡±


    ¡°He would have found out in a day or two anyway.¡±


    ¡°Still!¡±


    Benny stomped her feet, throwing a tantrum. Chuckling at her disy, she continued speaking.


    ¡°I actually like that you¡¯re short, Benny. I don¡¯t have to look up like with other people.¡±


    ¡°I said that I hate that!¡±


    ¡°Who cares? I¡¯m just saying I like it. Anyway, let¡¯s get going. Honestly, I¡¯m a bit excited to try out the new stuff we got.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Are we doing the first floor again? Or¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go straight to the second floor. There¡¯s nothing left on the first floor except for fighting the Giant Mantis¡­and we can rece that with the Spider Queen on the second floor.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Alright. Then let¡¯s stop by the Guild¡¯s supply shop before heading in.¡±


    ¡°Seems like we should, right? We haven¡¯t bought anynterns.¡±


    ¡°I have one. It¡¯s this year¡¯s new release from the Magic Tower. It¡¯s a Mana Stone rechargeable type, but it can also be charged directly with mana. It has ten output settings. Ites with a stealth detection feature using visual distortion. The design was handled by the Artisan Guild.¡±


    ¡°¡­How much is it?¡±


    ¡°Just 5 gold. It was originally 6 gold, but I got a VIP discount. Ahem, ahem.¡±


    Lydia, with hands on her hips, boasted. She was tantly demanding praise for her great achievement¡­


    ¡°Equipment freak.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    ¡°Do we really need such an expensiventern when we have Benny, a mage, in our party?¡±


    ¡°But, but we might get separated from Benny.¡±


    ¡°Even so, this level ofntern is unnecessary. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to buy a reasonablentern and use the remaining money to prepare emergency food or survival kits?¡±


    ¡°I already bought all of that.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°Heheh. I bought top-notch everything and used the remaining money to buy a goodntern.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    This time, it was my turn to be at a loss for words.


    Both are minor consumables, but they¡¯re famous for getting more expensive as the grade goes up.


    Like bread that fills you up with just one piece, a portable Safe Zone, long-distancemunication magic tools, potions, etc.


    It must have cost a fortune, but you bought everything top-notch? And you still had money left to buy an expensiventern that¡¯s less important?


    How many gacha pulls would that money get me¡­


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    At the point where the first thing I want to do with what could be dozens, maybe hundreds of gold is gacha, I¡¯m not much different from Lydia.


    With a much more lenient heart, I patted Lydia¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Please cut me a little piece from the emergency rationster if we need to eat them. I¡¯m curious about the taste.¡±


    ¡°That is, if Jonah is with us at that time.¡±


    Lydia and I exchanged small promises in a warm atmosphere. Once again, Benny interrupted us.


    ¡°Wait a minute! Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯ve been teaching under Ellie¡¯s request for the past month? And you¡¯re nning to take him around as a porter during my break?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°But on the second floor? At that age? With only a month¡¯s experience as an adventurer?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    Ellie quietly looked at me after giving a short answer. Judging by the atmosphere, it seemed she hadn¡¯t disclosed the details to Benny.


    I nodded slightly to show my gratitude to Lydia for giving me the choice and then opened my mouth to speak.


    ¡°I took down the Floor Guardian of the first floor.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Is this a secret?¡±


    As I said that, bringing my index finger to my lips, Benny¡¯s expression turned into a frown.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie! It¡¯s hard to believe that there¡¯s a Floor Guardian on the first floor, let alone that you defeated it!¡±


    ¡°Then how about we make a bet? The loser has to be the porter for the day.¡±


    For your information, I only make bets I can win.<hr>


    The moment we arrived on the second floor through the stone monument, Benny copsed to the ground.


    ¡°¡­Be honest. You¡¯re actually much older, and just young looking like me aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Goo goo ga ga. I¡¯m baby Jonah. I¡¯m an orphan, so I don¡¯t know my real age.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Without a word, Benny took over the bag I was carrying.

 Chapter 92: Second Floor (2)

    ¡°This is unfair!¡±


    ¡°Stop acting like a child and ept the results, Benny.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±


    <em>Gnashing.</em>


    Benny ground her sharp teeth audibly. Though the sight was quite threatening, the tears welling up in her eyes made her less intimidating.


    I opened the top of the backpack slung over Benny¡¯s slumped shoulders.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Ah, here it is.¡±


    What I was looking for was the standardntern I bought before entering the Labyrinth. Uniquely designed to be worn around the waist like a belt, it was made of a material that wouldn¡¯t break from vigorous movement.


    They say it¡¯s made from something called Soft Crystal that onlyes from the second floor¡­ In simpler terms, it¡¯s a material that can be processed into soft ss.I don¡¯t know how it works. If I did, it wouldn¡¯t be a fantasy.


    Out of curiosity, I fiddled with thentern around my waist and turned it on.


    <em>Click-!</em>


    The sound of the switch flipping and thentern lighting up brightly. Thanks to it, the previously pitch-dark surroundings began to be visible a bit further.


    The road surrounding us was dirt. The air was heavy and musty. And a terrible silence with not a single sound.


    That¡¯s right. If the first floor¡¯s background was a dense forest, the second floor¡¯s background is an underground tunnel.


    A giant maze created by countless tunnels intertwined over a long period. That is the concept of the second floor. Of course, it¡¯s a maze that has been conquered and mapped out.


    ¡°Wow. Seeing it in person, it¡¯s no joke. People in the old days tackled this ce with their bare bodies, right? I don¡¯t think I could do it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Even now, most of the deaths on the second floor are not from monsters, but from people starving after getting lost. So be careful, Jonah. The difficulty of finding your way will be different from the first floor.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    With the pathfinding skill, there¡¯s no worry of getting lost at least where there¡¯s a map. Yet, the scene before me was so overwhelming that I worried about losing my way despite knowing it in my head.


    The distance thentern¡¯s light reached was about a 1.5m radius. Beyond that, it gradually darkened and soon transformed into an unfathomable unknown.


    Shaking off the chill of looking into an abyss, I smiled brightly.


    ¡°In that sense, shall we first check where we are?¡±


    ¡°Hmph! Even if we¡¯re lucky to be on the second floor, can a newbie who¡¯s only been adventuring for a month really find the way?¡±


    Unlike Lydia, who stood calmly behind me, Benny grumbled with a face full of distrust. I smirked at her.


    ¡°Hey! Is the porterining? Just enjoy the view.¡±


    Benny¡¯s face suddenly crumpled. But what could she do? If she didn¡¯t like it, she should¡¯ve trusted what people say and not have ced a strange bet.


    I chuckled and scanned the gravestone standing alone in the center of the safe zone, which was like arge room.


    ¡°It¡¯s Zone 17. It¡¯s just right as it¡¯s appropriately on the outskirts. I¡¯m thinking of passing through Zone 15 and returning from Zone 26. Any objections?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It looks fine. I agree.¡±


    ¡°Even if Lydia doesn¡¯t, I do! It¡¯s clearly a route that circles around the outskirts, so only monsters appropriate for your current level wille out. But do you know how many crossroads you have to pass to circle around the outskirts like that?!¡±


    ¡°Uh, um. It¡¯s nine.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Quite a lot, right?! Can you choose the right path all nine times without any confusion? Since we are here, the monsters won¡¯t be a big problem. So, how about going deeper and then returning around the 13th Zone along one path?¡±


    Benny pointed to the winding path on the map, indicating the straight path from where they were.


    Ultimately, it leads to the middle of the second floor, but as Benny said, there won¡¯t be any dangerous situations due tock of power. However.


    ¡°Hmm. So, you¡¯re saying you don¡¯t trust my skills, right? This is one totally arrogant porter!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?! What have you done to make me trust you?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I appreciate that you¡¯re worried about someone you¡¯ve hardly met, but trust me, I¡¯m really okay. If anything happens, we can just retrace our steps, right? Benny is a mage, so you must have a good memory. It won¡¯t be hard with Benny around.¡±


    ¡°¡­I wasn¡¯t worried about you, okay? But, well¡­if you promise to follow my lead in case of an emergency, I¡¯ll let it slide this time.¡±


    Benny, boasting with a backpack as big as her own body. I¡¯ve always thought that tight-fitting witch dresses are practically cheating.


    A body that shouldn¡¯t look sexy is starting to look sexy.


    I averted my gaze and crouched down, touching the floor.


    In a Labyrinth where everything inside changes irregrly, the basic trick to figuring out your position and finding your way is simple.


    The unchanging elements¡­that is, using the Safe Zone and the location of the god¡¯s remains as reference points. On the first floor, the World Tree, visible from anywhere in the primeval forest, served that purpose.


    And the reference point for the second floor, the god¡¯s remains, is the Heart of the Earth.


    On the map, it is marked with arge heart shape, and if you actually go there, you¡¯ll see a giant pulsating rock heart.


    As the name suggests, the god sleeping on the second floor is the Earth God.


    While the other elemental gods died during the war, the Earth God survived until the end.


    Thus, among the spirits born in ces heavily marked by elemental gods, earth attribute spirits are the fewest in number.


    While other gods birthed numerous spirits from their corpses, the Earth God did not die on the surface but was buried in the Labyrinth.


    Feeling the faint vibrations while keeping my hand on the ground. It¡¯s not that the heartbeat of the Earth God can actually be heard here.


    Just as the entire Great Forest is under the domain of the World Tree, this burrow itself was the realm of the Earth God, so you could feel the presence of its owner everywhere.


    Remembering the location of the Heart, I stood up.


    ¡°I found it. It¡¯s this way.¡±


    Heading towards one of the three passages connected to therge, room-like Safe Zone, Benny muttered anxiously from behind.


    ¡°Lydia. Do we have enough food?¡±


    ¡°We always carry a year¡¯s worth of emergency rations.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much?¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t carry any, Benny. If we share, it¡¯s half a year.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­sorry.¡±


    ¡°And if we share with Jonah, it¡¯s four months¡¯ worth.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll start carrying some from now on¡­.¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s fine. Since a new emergency manuales out every year, it¡¯s perfect.¡±


    ¡°¡­Give me back my apology!¡±


    Lydia and Benny followed well despite bickering. How many times did weugh and proceed down the long corridor?


    <em>Thud.</em>


    There was a small sense of discord in the otherwise silent space, except for the soundsing from our party.


    I stopped walking and drew a dagger from my waist.


    ¡°Enemies.¡±


    ¡°I know. ¡­I don¡¯t know how you figured it out, though.¡±


    Benny tilted her head. When I waved at the eyes that popped out from her shadow, they blinked in approval.


    I replied with a smirk at the sight.


    ¡°I¡¯m quite sensitive, you see.¡±


    Footsteps that consume sound gained power and became more sensitive. If you want to hide your presence, you must be keenly aware of the impact you have around you.


    I tapped the ground a couple of times with my toes and focused my mind. Sharpening my senses to the utmost. At the edge of my awareness, I hear a faint breath.


    Is it from the right wall?


    Using the Sound-eating Footsteps, I suppressed my presence to the extreme.


    Before long, my breathing became quiet, and the sound of my steps grew faint.


    It felt as if my existence was melting into the world, or as if I was wrapping this world around myself to hide my being.


    Perhaps it was startled by this. The breathing sound that came from afar started to be erratic.


    It¡¯s only natural. The monsters on the second floor live in burrows, so most of them have degenerated vision and have developed other senses.


    It must look like one of the enemies suddenly disappeared from that monster¡¯s perspective.


    ¡°What, what the!¡±


    Benny, who is quietly eximing from behind, seems to feel the same way.


    ording to Lydia, unless you use aura to sense it or keep watching, even she would miss it.


    Benny would be no different. No, being a mage, the sharpness of her senses would be less than Lydia¡¯s, so she would be even more surprised.


    Giggling inwardly, I carefully approached the monster step by step.


    What was there was a bipedal monster, clinging closely to the wall, holding a pickaxe dearly in its arms.


    It appears to be of simr height to me or perhaps a bit taller. However, its appearance, being a mix between a wolf and a lizard, and its shabby attire, along with the long, spiky tail suggests that it¡¯s a threatening monster despite its small frame.


    A Kobold.


    Like the goblin on the first floor, it¡¯s the weakest monster on the second floor. Perfect for a first opponent.


    Quietly smiling, I approached the creature, who was listening intently in this direction.


    Eyes turned gray. Probably a sign of visual degeneration.


    Even though I¡¯m right in front of him, the kobold doesn¡¯t notice me at all as I swing my dagger.


    ¡°Kobol?¡±


    Maybe it¡¯s the sound of the wind being sliced. Or perhaps it¡¯s the light emitted by the Unicorn Dagger. The kobold realizes my presence btedly.


    Indeed. It certainly looks stronger than a mere goblin. Though it¡¯s already toote.


    <em>Swoosh.</em>


    The Unicorn Dagger sliced smoothly through the cobalt-scaled neck, as if cutting through pudding.


    The body, now without its owner, copsed with a thud, and the head rolled to a stop at my feet.


    After a moment of hesitation, I picked the head up. Then, I walked back to my party, dangling it.


    Specifically, to Benny.


    ¡°Benny! A gift for you!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re like a cat bringing a cockroach! I don¡¯t need it!¡±


    That¡¯s too harsh.

 Chapter 93: Second Floor (3)

    Chapter 93: Second Floor (3)


    ¡°Benny! A gift for you!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re like a cat bringing a cockroach! I don¡¯t need it!¡±


    Benny was horrified and disliked the severed Kobold head I brought.


    That¡¯s too harsh.


    In a slightly gloomy voice, I asked Benny¡¯s shadow.


    ¡°Do you want to eat it at least?¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª!


    With an indescribable strange noise, the shadow monster fully emerged.


    Numerous mouths on its body opened wide, revealing sharp teeth.¡°Yap!¡±


    I threw the kobold head to the nearest mouth.


    <em>Crunch!</em>


    With the sound of something breaking, the monster chewed a couple of times and swallowed it whole, wagging its tentacles.


    It seems it liked my gift.


    ¡°Hehe. I¡¯m d you liked it.¡±


    As I reached my hand out, the shadow, as if waiting, extended what seemed to be its head¡­


    Softness and squishiness. And a strange, alien texture that I couldn¡¯t help but stroke.


    <em>Grrrr.</em>


    After caressing it for about ten seconds, the satisfied creature let out a cute, ferocious sound before disappearing back into the shadow.


    Benny, who had been watching the whole scene, shook her head in disbelief.


    ¡°Unbelievable. You never listen to me, but why do you listen to Jonah so well?!¡±


    ¡°Maybe it likes men. You do too, don¡¯t you, Benny?¡±


    ¡°N-no, not like this!¡±


    ¡°Then do you like ovum?¡±


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡±


    It was just a joke, but Benny denied it seriously.


    But if you think about it, it¡¯s understandable. It¡¯s like asking a little girl on Earth, do you like sperm?


    Just thinking about it makes me dizzy.


    Though it was a stream-of-consciousness remark, I should be more careful about such things.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. By the way, you said you wanted to see me fight, right? How was it, Benny?¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡­¡±


    Benny continued in a bewildered voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me how it was after fighting without using any magic at all? Of course, you fought well, but still!¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Now that I think about it, she¡¯s right. Benny followed me to see how I used magic in actualbat to set the lesson n.


    But just now, I took down the kobold using only my powers and pure physical movements without any magic.


    ¡°I forgot to use magic. I haven¡¯t had much need for ittely.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It seemed that way. Didn¡¯t I mention earlier? You fight well. In my opinion, Jonah, you already have your own style. It¡¯s even quite refined. With mediocre magic, it would only get in the way¡­ What kind of magic did you learn?¡±


    ¡°Sorry? Oh, it¡¯s Weak me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s basic magic. Can you show me?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    I extended my empty hand and gathered my magical power. Mana quickly aligned itself ording to the knowledge rapidly infused.


    That unfamiliar power began to ze ording to my imagery. It was about the size of arge match me.


    ¡°Weak me.¡±


    <em>Whoosh.</em>


    ¡°Oh. Even though it¡¯s just basic magic, this is quite impressive, isn¡¯t it? The structure is clean. It may not be the most efficient, but it¡¯s definitely textbook. It looks so ssic that one might believe it¡¯s magic from the Mythical Era. Even the descendants of long-established noble families would have to bow to you.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha¡­¡±


    It¡¯s only natural since it¡¯s magic bestowed through a gacha by the Goddess of Love, a survivor from the Mythical Era.


    But it¡¯s somewhat fascinating. Magic may have be widespread, but it¡¯s still a fragment of a miracle.


    It¡¯s the power of a now-fallen God of Magic, yet why was it drawn under the separate category of Magic rather than the Power category?


    While thinking that to herself, Benny nodded with a satisfied smile.


    ¡°The casting speed is fast, and it¡¯s good that you can use it with just the activation word without any incantation. The magic flow is stable, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problems using it while moving vigorously. Yes. You¡¯ve learned the magic well.¡±


    ¡°Th-thank you?¡±


    Seeing her talking about magic like this, after only seeing her stomp her feet or huff and pant like a child, really makes her seem like an expert.


    As I nod nkly, Benny mutters to herself while stroking her fluffy chin.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this quite a talent? Plus, that stealth from a while ago, and his movements were definitely not at a second-floor level. Even the Goddess of Love¡¯s¡­¡±


    Benny, who had been mumbling to herself for a while, suddenly raised her head as ifing to her senses and said,


    ¡°Anyway, you did well. Now show me the next magic.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°No, really, I don¡¯t have any. This is all the magic I know.¡±


    ¡°All you know is just one basic spell? What, did you get kidnapped halfway through learning magic? Basic magic includes the four elemental spells and light magic as a set!¡±


    ¡°Even if you say that, this is really all I¡¯ve got.¡±


    As I scratched the back of my head awkwardly, Lydia, who somehow looked a bit troubled, approached and patted Benny on the shoulder.


    ¡°Benny.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s up all of a sudden, Lydia?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t know something, you can be taught. That¡¯s what a teacher is for.¡±


    ¡°What?! I said I¡¯d help you a bit with magic, but I never said I¡¯d be your teacher¡­ But I get what you¡¯re saying. You mentioned you were an orphan earlier, right? Seems like you never had a proper chance to learn magic. I¡¯ll teach you the other basic spells.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You can buy magic books for basic magic and up to the 3rd circle at the Magic Tower if you pay, and if you pay more, you can even get lessons.¡±


    ¡°What do you have to do to learn beyond that?¡±


    ¡°You have to join the Magic Tower. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t use magic above the intermediate circles.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    There¡¯s a setting where the Magic Tower monopolizes magic, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be implemented like this.


    When I asked again out of disbelief, maybe Benny thought I was asking why she didn¡¯t join the Magic Tower. She let out a deep sigh and continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to please the old geezers at the Magic Tower, and being affiliated with something doesn¡¯t suit me. Most importantly, they want to take the results of my research for free. I have nothing to lose, so why should I bow down?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­isn¡¯t Benny a high-ranking adventurer? I heard that mages in high-ranking adventurer parties can cast 4th-circle spells, and the really skilled ones can even throw around 5th-circle spells.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. But magic isn¡¯t only about circle spells, is it?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Is that so?¡±


    I created a setting where magic exists and was originally a Power, but now anyone with talent can learn it¡­.


    I hadn¡¯t thought out the specific magic system in detail. Those things can change as you write, so there¡¯s no need to decide them in advance.


    So I¡¯m even more curious. How did this world¡­ How did people fill in the gaps in the setting?


    With a pounding heart, I waited for Benny¡¯s words.


    ¡°Yeah. Since the Magic Tower uses the circle system, everyone thinks circle magic is everything¡­but actually, circle magic is a really baseless magic system.¡±


    My goodness. In fantasy, isn¡¯t it a given that magic is divided by circles?


    I hadn¡¯t explicitly set such details, but I thought it was a result of my subconscious.


    However, I couldn¡¯t help but be amazed after hearing Benny¡¯s exnation.


    ¡°Originally, magic was in the realm of miracles. But the God of Magic died, and that power became everyone¡¯s. Mana sensitivity, imagination,putational ability, willpower, and so on¡­ As long as you have talent, anyone can use magic.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It was said that thest magic the God of Magic casted before dying was to engrave his power into the Continent.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Thanks to that, magic has continued to exist, but¡­it¡¯s be more like a technology than a miracle.¡±


    Not a miracle, but a technology. That phrase somehow lodged in my mind like a thorn.


    ¡°Do you know the difference between a miracle and a technology?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t really know.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quiteplicated, but to put it simply, it¡¯s a difference in understanding. Miracles don¡¯t try to be understood. They are simply epted, believed in, and hoped for. That¡¯s why it¡¯s the purest form but a power only a chosen few can enjoy.¡±


    ¡°Literally a miracle.¡±


    ¡°On the other hand, technology is different. It seeks to understand the principles and reproduce them with one¡¯s own hands. The results are consistent, can be used more efficiently with skill, and once the theory is fully established, many more people can enjoy it¡­but there¡¯s no mystery in it. It can¡¯t go beyond its framework.¡±


    Miracles can evoke much more powerful magic in response to earnest hearts and will.


    But magic as a technology cannot do that. It just produces a predetermined result if you input the materials like a form.


    ¡°The circle is the framework, the form. Thanks to the circle, the number of mages has increased, and even ordinary people can enjoy its benefits¡­ But what I want lies beyond that.¡±


    Beyond the predetermined result.


    I know what Benny desires. She has said it herself. She wants to remove the shadow monster fused with her.


    Although there is magic that can ignite the world, there is no magic that can separate a monster fused with oneself, so it is understandable that she is absorbed in non-circle magic.


    As I mentioned earlier, it also seems she dislikes simply bowing down to the Tower.


    I took a step toward Benny with twinkling eyes.


    ¡°Benny. So, what kind of magic do you use? If it¡¯s not circle magic, it means it¡¯s not the kind of magic I usually think of, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well. Since I was going to show you at some point anyway, don¡¯t be so impatient. But right now, you¡¯re the priority.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. This time, try fighting properly using magic. I know your magks power. I¡¯m not asking you to defeat them with magic alone. I just want to see how you use magic inbat, so don¡¯t overdo it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Got it. I¡¯ll try that with the next monster.¡±


    Nodding, we resumed the Labyrinth exploration.<hr>


    With eyes degraded and clouded, and a freshly baked, warm kobold head.


    Holding the snout part, I ran over.


    ¡°Tada! A present!¡±


    ¡°Hey! Why do you keep bringing me severed heads! I don¡¯t need them!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s not a present for Benny, it¡¯s for Shadow.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s just overthinking it. As if anyone would doubt you¡¯re a mage.¡±


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    As I clicked my tongue, Benny roared menacingly and stomped her feet.


    It was a threat on the level of a kitten.

 Chapter 94: Second Floor (4)

    Chapter 94: Second Floor (4)


    Do you know the ranking order of our party?


    Lydia is first, Shadow is second, and Benny is only third.


    For reference, I¡¯m excluded from the ranking because I am a man. Should I say I¡¯m not considered apetitor? If I had to say, I would be the winner¡¯s trophy.


    So what¡¯s important is bragging rights. After all, gacha and trophies exist for that purpose, right??


    With that lighthearted thought, I wrapped my arm around Lydia¡¯s waist. The feel of bare skin on my forearm thanks to the bikini armor.


    Soft and warm, Lydia¡¯s slender waist clung to my arm, and I raised one corner of my mouth in a smirk.


    As if to show Benny.


    ¡°Grrrr!¡±


    Benny, carrying the backpack as the wager, ground her teeth as she rode on top of the shadow monster.I said with a smug smile towards her.


    ¡°Benny¡¯spanion is amazing.¡±


    ¡°Guaaaah!¡±


    Benny, ranked third in the order, almost fell while rolling around on Shadow, but the shadow monster extended a tentacle to grab her waist and lifted her up.


    The shadow monster swayed Benny gently as if sighing, then ced her back on its back.


    Watching this, I chuckled, but Lydia gave a wry smile and removed my arm.


    ¡°Jonah. Don¡¯t torment Benny too much.¡±


    ¡°Torment? I was just trying to befriend Benny.¡±


    I shrugged, jesting briefly. Even in the midst of ying around, something was sensed at the edge of my sharpened senses.


    <em>ng! ng! ng!</em>


    A faint metallic sound echoed from afar. There¡¯s only one entity on the second floor that could make such a noise.


    I tightened the ckened tension and listened carefully. The number of irregrly ovepping metallic sounds was four.


    ¡°Front. Four kobolds. I¡¯ll take the lead.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    Lydia equips her magical device in the form of sses that prate the darkness in preparation for any unforeseen events.


    Benny, who had been suffering at the lowest rank until just a moment ago, also showed a change in demeanor.


    She puts the backpack down on the ground and stands with her arms crossed. The shadow monster submerged back into the shadows, ready to pounce at any moment.


    ¡°This time, you don¡¯t have to fight with just magic. Fight freely but try mixing in some magic.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my specialty.¡±


    Nodding, I activated the Power to silence my footsteps. A thin barrier formed between the world and me in an instant.


    As I took a few steps forward, the kobolds, now not just one or two but four grouped together, revealed themselves.


    A creature that seemed like a mix of a wolf and a lizard was engrossed in digging into the wall with a pickaxe, draped in a ragged cloth.


    Until now, the kobolds had always discovered our presence first, but this time, since we found them first, it seemed they did not stop what they were doing.


    The Underground Labryinth on the second floor is quite different from the Great Forest on the first floor, despite some simrities.


    Just as the entire Great Forest is within the domain of the World Tree, the Underground Labryinth is within the domain of the Earth God.


    Unlike the Great Forest, which was clearly created for the protection of the elves, the Underground Labryinth is simply a neglectednd where various creatures have gathered.


    The fallen sun caused rivers and seas to evaporate, and the raging blizzard extinguished even the first me.


    Yet, thend remained steadfast in its ce, enduring all the miracles wrought by the gods.


    Sometimes deeply furrowed, sometimes melted away, the earth never goes anywhere. It always stands firm in the same ce.


    Enchanted by its reliability, one by one, they dug into the ground.


    Once a proud warrior but now reduced to a miner and ve, the kobold did so, as did the Spider Queen, once the mother of the legion, and the earth spirits who simply loved thend.


    The steadfast earth epted everything without discrimination. Even those who devoured its flesh.


    How many times had it be a refuge during the long war?


    Before long, the Underground Labryinth became a sanctuary symbolizing the God of the Earth, buried with the god¡¯s remains.


    And now, I hunt the devotee who once served the Earth God within it.


    <em>Puuuk!</em>


    The soft entry of the pure white de of the Unicorn Dagger. A kobold pierced through the cervical spine copses without a sound.


    The surrounding kobolds, startled by the sudden death of theirrade, stop mining and panic.


    ¡°K-Kobold?!¡±


    ¡°Kobold, kobold!¡±


    ¡°Kokobold¡­!¡±


    It would be great if I could handle them one by one like this¡­but my Power was released the moment I attacked one of them.


    Though their vision had degenerated, their other senses had developed keenly. They will soon realize that I am standing behind them.


    Indeed, one of the kobolds noticed my direction and swung a pickaxe at me.


    <em>Whoosh!</em>


    I twisted my waist diagonally to avoid the pickaxe. In the process, it grazed my forearm slightly, but it wasn¡¯t enough to prate the armor made from the hide of an Iron Wolf.


    Enduring a slight stinging sensation, I grabbed the arm of the guy who had just swung the pickaxe and pulled him towards me.


    Not only did I achieve the feat of defeating the first floor Floor Guardian, but thanks to Basilieus doubling the growth rewards from the Labyrinth, my physical abilities had increased significantly over the past few days.


    Of course, it still wasn¡¯t enough to win a strength contest with the weakest kobold on the second floor¡­but it was enough to pull that body.


    At first, he resisted my touch, but as I subtly tripped him, causing him to lose bnce, the kobold was helplessly dragged towards me.


    ¡°Ko, bold?!¡±


    With as much force as I pulled, I thrust my body forward. In an instant, the situation between me and the kobold was reversed. And then.


    It was struck directly by the pickaxes swung by the kobolds who realized my position toote.


    <em>Thud! Thwack!</em>


    ¡°Kooook¡­!¡±


    The kobold had a pickaxe embedded in its forehead and shoulder. The creature, not yet dead, writhes on the ground.


    ¡°Kobolbol!¡±


    ¡°Kobolkobol!¡±


    The two kobolds, realizing they¡¯ve killed theirrade, charge in a fury. This time, side by side to avoid team killing.


    Unlike the simple-minded goblins or other monsters on the first floor that are mere beasts, kobolds have considerable intelligence. But even they wouldn¡¯t have expected this.


    ¡°Basilieus.¡±


    A wooden crown floats above my head. The entity, having absorbed most of my divine power, turns my empty hand green. And then.


    <em>Woong-!</em>


    The pre-purchased seed rapidly grows and entangles the legs of one charging kobold.


    Simultaneously, I fired a wrist crossbow at the other one¡¯s knee.


    <em>Swaeak¡­ Thunk!</em>


    ¡°Ko, bolkobold?!¡±


    ¡°Kokobold¡­!¡±


    The one whose foot was caught in the vine fell forward with a thud, and the one hit in the knee with an arrow sat down on the spot with a painful scream.


    Though their situations were different, both kobolds ended up on the ground. I took out a handful of seeds I¡¯d prepared from my dimensional ring and scattered them towards the kobolds.


    Then, I squeezed out the little divine power I had left.


    <em>Wooong!</em>


    nts grew explosively. The tangled vines firmly restrained the kobolds.


    The characteristic of this nt, called Oil Vine, is that it secretes a sticky, mmable substance from its surface.


    Now, only one thing remained.


    I pointed my finger at the wriggling kobold.


    ¡°Weak me.¡±


    A me the size of a lighter flickered to life. I flicked my hand lightly.


    Sparks scattered widely and fell upon the kobolds. And then.


    <em>Whoosh!</em>


    mes red up wildly.


    The ze was so intense that the kobolds¡¯ screams were drowned out by the crackling noise.


    However, high reactivity means that the fuel burns quickly.


    Within less than ten seconds, the mes subsided. Inside, kobolds appeared crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.


    Since the burning time was so short, they were notpletely dead, but due to the severe burns that charred their scales ck, movement seemed impossible.


    Just waiting for death, I stuck the kobold¡¯s neck with a dagger.


    <em>Thud, roll¡­</em>


    The head rolled on the ground too easily. The appearance was so unrecognizable that I grimaced.


    ¡°Inefficient.¡±


    The battles have indeed be easier. However, the seeds of the Oil Vines are quite expensive. And the consumption of holy power is greater than expected.


    ¡°Kobolds themselves aren¡¯t worth much money¡­¡±


    I let out a deep sigh and walked past the corpses, picking up the pickaxes they had wielded.


    Iron from the Labyrinth. In other words, materials that can be used to make equipment for adventurers are rtively rare.


    Even this pickaxe, boasting a purity close to scrap iron, is more expensive than a kobold¡¯s Magic Stone.


    ¡­Should I just take the pickaxes and run next time?


    No, given the nature of the maze, there isn¡¯t much space to escape, so I¡¯ll have to fight anyway.


    Letting out a deep sigh inwardly, I cut the handle just below the de of the pickaxe with a dagger.


    <em>Ssshhk.</em>


    I gathered the separated iron parts and headed to where my party was.


    Somehow, Benny wore a tired expression. Smiling brightly, I held out the iron lump in my arms to her.


    ¡°This time, I brought the pickaxe head instead of the kobold head! I did well, right?!¡±


    ¡°Eh. Ah. Yeah.¡±


    Benny took the pickaxe from me in ackluster voice. While she busied herself organizing the spoils into her backpack,I extracted the kobold¡¯s drops and Magic Stones.


    ¡°Ah, hold on a second. We¡¯re almost at our destination and about to head up, right? The backpack is full too.¡±


    ¡°Seems like it, right?¡±


    ¡°So this time, I¡¯ll show you my magic. You need to know what you¡¯ll learn and what you¡¯ll help with.¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡±


    I tilted my head, puzzled at what she meant by helping, even if I understood learning.


    Benny snapped her fingers while looking at the scattered kobold corpses.


    <em>Snap!</em>


    ¡°Disassemble.¡±


    With that one word as a signal, Benny¡¯s shadow stretched out long. The shadow, unnaturally extended, enveloped the corpse.


    It smoothly absorbed the corpse as if it were a swamp. And before long, something popped out of the shadow.


    ¡°¡­A horn?¡±


    It was a small horn-like protrusion. Among kobold drops, it¡¯s one of the pricier ones.


    After that, various parts of the kobold popped out from beyond the shadow, finally even spitting out a Magic Stone.


    The shadow that disassembled the kobold like deboning chicken returned to Benny. And a cute burp flowed out from between Benny¡¯s sharp teeth.


    ¡°Urp.¡±


    Benny reflexively covered her mouth, then confidently put her hands on her hips.


    ¡°How was that? Not bad, right?¡±


    ¡°Benny. Would you debone me for life?¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    I heard somewhere that deboning fish for someone is true love.

 Chapter 95: Shadow

    Originally, a Labyrinth is a ce that makes money but is dangerous and requires a lot of preparation.


    But Benny¡­ No, the existence of the shadow monster made such a Labyrinth seem like a pic.


    ¡°Good job~ Good job~¡±


    When I waved my hand and cheered from afar, Benny swung her arm as if telling me to be quiet.


    Still, the twitching corners of her mouth suggested she didn¡¯t dislike it.


    The shadow that started from Benny extended long and secretly upied the kobold¡¯s feet. And then.


    <em>Crunch.</em>


    ¡°Squeal!¡±


    ¡°Ko, kobold¡­!¡±The kobold was swallowed whole as if it had fallen into a swamp. It¡¯s fascinating no matter how many times I see it.


    And soon after, the merciless chewing sound of something being crushed could be heard.


    Quite a grotesque feeling. But.


    <em>Pop.</em>


    Seeing the drops popping out one by one from the shadow that returned to Benny¡¯s feet made meugh.


    ¡°Kiya! Now I understand why you¡¯ve been managing the party with just the two of you all this time! It¡¯s all because Benny is amazing!¡±


    ¡°Hmph! For someone like me, it¡¯s only natural.¡±


    Benny puffed her chest out and acted smug. I chuckled at the sight and stretched lightly.


    ¡°Uhtchacha. But thanks to that, the end was a bit easier. Shall we start heading to the surface now?¡±


    ¡°Su-surface?¡±


    Benny, who had been huffing and puffing, paused. I nodded towards her.


    ¡°I told you it was until here for today. And Benny, you said you¡¯d show it onest time.¡±


    Well, she said it was thest time, but she got excited by my reaction and showed it several times already.


    ¡°I wish Benny would dismantle the monsters I catch for the rest of my life. Ah, Miss Lydia, you¡¯ll protect me for life, right? Right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Haa.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Party breaker¡­¡±


    I praised Lydia too, thinking it seemed like Benny was getting all the attention, but for some reason, Lydia sighed.


    Benny also looked so happy just a moment ago, but now she had a disgusted expression.


    She pouted and grumbled as she took the lead.


    ¡°Hmph. It¡¯s fine. I have Ellie with me, you know?!¡±


    While I was thinking about how to tease Ellie today and looking for a way, Benny shook hef head and spoke up.


    ¡°You said you¡¯d stop by my workshop after leaving the Labyrinth. Did you forget?¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Now that I think about it, today¡¯s task was merely a preview of the second floor and to see how I fight and how well I handle magic.


    I drooped my shoulders and looked at Lydia with the saddest expression I could muster.


    ¡°Miss Lydia. Miss Lydia. Aren¡¯t you going to help me from being kidnapped by an evil witch?¡±


    ¡°It seems so. I should go with you to make sure the friendless witch doesn¡¯t getpletely taken advantage of by a cheeky brat.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too much! All I want from Benny is an automatic farming system, money, magic, and the fun of teasing her!¡±


    ¡°W-weren¡¯t we friends, Lydia?! And Jonah, anyone can see that you¡¯re nning to take everything from me!¡±


    Benny screamed loudly. The monster rising from her shadow cked its sharp teeth in delight.


    Does it have the intelligence to understand and enjoy the conversation?


    Now, it was said that the material of that shadow monster was originally human. Whatever happened, it makes sense that it has high intelligence.


    Nodding, I focused my mind on the pathfinding skill without hesitation. The Safe Zone wasn¡¯t far.


    ¡°¡­The second floor is really nice.¡±


    The surface, essed through the Safe Zone¡¯s monument. After selling today¡¯s loot and settling the contributions, quite a bit of money came in.


    Thirty-two silver.


    For a short round trip, it¡¯s a significant amount.


    Of course, most of it wasn¡¯t from the kobold¡¯s drops, but from the pickaxe¡¯s de it was carrying.


    Even scrap iron can be used as a material brought directly from the Labyrinth. It¡¯s perfect for making equipment for adventurers on the first and second floors.


    I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s possible to increase the purity of Labyrinth iron if you put your mind to it¡­


    Rather than putting in all the effort to increase the concentration of Labyrinth iron, it¡¯s better to pay a little more and buy better materials, so they don¡¯t do it often.


    On the third floor, just one level up, alloys far harder than iron pour out.


    Parts of monsters¡¯ bodies, remnants of the War of the Fallen Gods, items imbued with power, and so on.


    Iron from the Labyrinth is useful, but it¡¯s not considered that great of a material.


    Anyway, I decided to use the money I earned today for gachater¡­


    After putting the money pouch in my pocket, I asked Lydia.


    ¡°By the way, Miss Lydia. You¡¯ve been looking after me so muchtely that you hardly seem to be making any profit from the Labyrinth. Haven¡¯t you run out of themission money you got from Ellie?¡±


    Lydia is a gear fanatic. She always insists on maintaining the best equipment, from weapons to artifacts enchanted with all sorts of magic, and consumables.


    Naturally, her expenses are high. That¡¯s also why, despite being a high-ranking adventurer, she doesn¡¯t have a proper base in the Labyrinth city.


    Lydia, who earns a lot and spends a lot, was kind enough to watch over me, but I was worried that she might end up in debt because she hadn¡¯t earned anything for a while.


    At my words, Lydia nodded with a faint smile.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s okay. Now that Benny is here, I¡¯ll asionally go to the mid-levels to earn some pocket money.¡±


    ¡°What? Without even asking for my opinion?¡±


    ¡°Then are you going to the depths?¡±


    ¡°¡­No. I have something to look into, so it will be hard to focus entirely on the Labyrinth. The mid-levels are just right.¡±


    Benny said that while ncing this way.


    By thing to look into, it¡¯s probably the reason why the shadow monster likes me. And the research to suppress the erosion phenomenon that urs when assimting with the shadow.


    I nodded and stood next to Benny. More precisely, next to the monster that had been peeking out from the shadows with only its eyes showing.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll follow Benny as promised. What about you, Miss Lydia? Are youing with us?¡±


    ¡°No, thanks. I have something to discuss with Senior Ellie, so I¡¯ll head over to the Fairy and Silver Coin.¡±


    Lydia shook her head and turned to Benny.


    ¡°Benny. If you keep Jonah too long, Senior Ellie will get scary, so let him go appropriately.¡±


    ¡°That was the n from the start. Today, we¡¯re just going to get to know each other lightly.¡±


    ¡°Right. And if you touch Jonah, there will be big trouble.¡±


    ¡°I have no intention of doing that!¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s you, Benny, I¡¯ll get angry.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t intend to!¡±


    Benny shouted and red at me. From the position of someone who had just been poking at the eyes of shadow monsters, it was an incredibly cute sight.


    Receiving Benny¡¯s mixed resentment, I waved at Lydia.


    ¡°See youter.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised if a mysterious video recording crystal ball arrives.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Is there no concept of video letters on the Pan Continent? Lydia tilts her head, looking confused.


    I parted ways with her, chuckling at her reaction.


    I asked Benny, who was sighing while bncing on the tentacles of the shadow monster.


    ¡°Then shall we get going? Where is Benny¡¯s workshop?¡±


    ¡°Sigh. If I take it out in the city, people get anxious or even report it, so I¡¯ll put it away for now.¡±


    Saying that, Benny gestured at the shadow monster.


    ¡°Get in.¡±


    -¡­¡­


    ¡°Ah, I said just for a moment, okay?¡±


    -¡­¡­


    ¡°Hey! What if I get caught again!¡±


    -¡­Grr.


    The shadow monster turned its head abruptly as if it didn¡¯t want to listen. Stroking its tentacles gently, I spoke.


    ¡°You did well. But could you go back inside until we get home?¡±


    -¡­¡­


    The shadow monster, staring at me intently, submerged itself back into the shadows as if diving.


    Seeing this, Benny¡¯s eyes widened, and she stammered.


    ¡°You, how could you¡­how could you do this to me! You never listened to me at all!¡±


    Benny stomped her feet on the shadow, looking frustrated. After venting for a while, she finally led the way, huffing.


    ¡°Follow me! It¡¯s not too far from here, so it won¡¯t take long!¡±


    ¡°Okay. By the way, can I buy a sandwich on the way? I just came out of the Labyrinth and want to fill my stomach.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll make it for you, so juste along!¡±


    ¡°Oh. I¡¯m curious about that. Let¡¯s hurry!¡±


    I walked closely behind Benny, sticking to her back. How long did we travel like that? Before I knew it, we had arrived at a quiet street.


    There was nothing to call it amercial district, and it felt oddly different to call it a residential district.


    ¡°This is the workshop district.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Most of it is upied by artisans of the Workshop Union, but in the corner, there are workshops of unaffiliated adventurers like me.¡±


    ¡°Do other mages not use the workshops in the workshop district?¡±


    ¡°Most mages belong to the Magic Tower. The Tower provides workshops inside, so why would they spend a lot of money to buy a house?¡±


    ¡°¡­Is Benny¡¯s workshop owned by Benny?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? Who would lend out workshops unless it¡¯s the Magic Tower¡­ Oh, did you think I didn¡¯t have one because Lydia doesn¡¯t have a house?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t treat me the same as Lydia, okay? I¡¯m managing it properly!¡±


    Benny, who said that, walked briskly and stopped in front of a suitably sized building.


    ¡°Here it is!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a house made of cookies?¡±


    ¡°¡­What kind of fantasy do you have about mages?¡±


    It¡¯s more of a prejudice towards witches. It¡¯s because the pointed hat suits her well.


    ¡°Sigh. Anyway, juste in. It¡¯s a bit dirty, but it should be tolerable.¡±


    <em>ng.</em>


    Benny opens the bluish glowing lock which looked as if it was under some magic.


    The moment I stepped inside following her.


    <em>Boom-!</em>


    A shadow filled my vision and rushed towards me.


    ¡°Kyahhh!¡±


    Save Jonah!

 Chapter 96: Shadow (2)

    Chapter 96: Shadow (2)


    The moment I stepped into Benny¡¯s workshop. Darkness filled my vision and rushed towards me.


    <em>Kwaaah-!</em>


    It was the shadow¡¯s hug to me!


    The effect was amazing!


    ¡°Kyahhh!¡±


    Save Jonah!


    A mysterious touch, neither soft nor squishy, nor prickly, wrapped around my entire body.


    Instinctively, I iled wildly, and the shadow, momentarily startled, began to adjust the pressure wrapping around me.


    It wasn¡¯t particrly painful before, but I felt much morefortable now.As I swayed back and forth, I came to my senses and realized I was trapped in arge cylinder.


    ¡°Eh.¡±


    Outside, the shadow monster stared at me, eyes gleaming (?), and Benny, bewildered and stuttering.


    Caught in the cage and turned into a spectacle, I hesitated for a moment before shouting.


    ¡°You wicked witch, Benny! What are you trying to do to me?!¡±


    ¡°Ah, no! It wasn¡¯t me! It was just something he did on his own?!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie! I know everything! You want to trap me here and perform all sorts of experiments you can¡¯t tell others about, right?! You didn¡¯t want me to try to help you with experiments, you were trying to experiment on me!¡±


    ¡°I said no! What would I even experiment on you for?!¡±


    Benny, flustered, quickly manipted something. The shadow monster still stood behind, observing me like a treasure.


    ¡°What kind of experiment¡­ Are you trying to make me say it myself!? Showing me strange videos to brainwash me, invading me with some newly developed aphrodisiac, or pouring slime that dissolves only clothes to make me naked! It¡¯s obviously something too obscene to even say out loud!¡±


    ¡°I never even thought of such things?! Aren¡¯t you the one who¡¯s always thinking the dirtiest thoughts here?!¡±


    ¡°What? Are you saying my mouth says no but my body is lewd? That I¡¯m a child but capable of making children?¡±


    ¡°Who are you trying to get arrested with such talk?!¡±


    Benny shrieked and pressed therge button nervously. The cylindrical door opened with a low signal sound.


    But instead of leaving right away, I looked around cautiously.


    ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that I¡¯ll be attacked again as soon as I step out?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to happen¡­ Just wait a moment.¡±


    Benny muttered something and lightly snapped her fingers.


    <em>Swoosh!</em>


    At the same time, silver chains sprang from the floor and wrapped around the shadow monster, which was still blinking its eyes.


    -Grrr¡­


    It cried sorrowfully but did not resist strongly. It seemed like it had just realized what it did wrong.


    ¡°Benny. What was that just now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure¡­ That¡¯s originally where the shadow lives in the workshop.¡±


    ¡°Not inside Benny¡¯s shadow?¡±


    ¡°The only ce that it can follow me from when we¡¯re outside is inside my shadow, so it¡¯s just hiding in there. The mostfortable ce is here.¡±


    Benny pointed to the cylindrical container I had been in until now. I didn¡¯t notice it inside, but various magic circles were drawn on its surface from the outside.


    ¡°This. It¡¯s specially made. Originally, the shadow monster could only live in such special ces.¡±


    ¡°¡­What exactly is this thing? No, is it correct to call it a shadow monster? It looks like somethingpletely different to me.¡±


    At those words, Benny gave a wry smile and nodded.


    ¡°To get your cooperation, Jonah, I should exin that part too. Remember I said before that these monsters weren¡¯t like this from the beginning?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You said they were all your friends originally?¡±


    ¡°Well, some were less close, but we all knew each other. ¡­So let me reintroduce them. We¡¯ve been calling it a shadow monster, but it¡¯s neither a shadow nor a monster.¡±


    With a soft stroke along the side of the creature, wrapped in chains, its eyes cast down in gloom, tentacles limp and sharp teeth hidden, Benny continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s a chimera.¡±


    And then, sorrowfully blinked with eyes marked with heart patterns.


    ¡°I¡¯m the same as well.¡±<hr>


    As always, most of the problems in the Labyrinth city are caused by The One Who Devours the Twilight.


    The incident that urred to young Benny was also like that.


    The orphanage where she lived was entirely kidnapped.


    Adults were killed, and only children were locked up in somebyrinth. There, heretics were conducting forbidden experiments considered taboo.


    By artificially adjusting madness and transnting it into the human body, can one be stronger while maintaining reason?


    The theory is simple.


    All monsters are the result of ordinary flora and fauna failing to resist the final curse bestowed by the God of Madness.


    If one could absorb a manageable level of madness, one could maintain reason and gain a permanent enhancement buff without any cost.


    This means that we could take the powers of the God of Madness for ourselves and offer them to the Goddess.


    Based on this idea, something even a child might conceive, The One Who Devours the Twilight began to carry out all sorts of insane experiments.


    Transnting Magic Stones into human hearts, recing parts of the human body with those of monsters, crossbreeding humans and monsters, and so on.


    Most were reckless human experiments conducted without proper theories, and naturally, most subjects died in horrific agony.


    The child with a Magic Stone imnted in their heart couldn¡¯t maintain their body¡¯s form and melted down.


    The child who received monster limbs died with their entire body grotesquely deformed except for those limbs.


    In the case of crossbreeding, the monster used as the seedbed remained fine, but the boys who became the seeds couldn¡¯t endure the madness and self-loathing transmitted through intense physical contact and resorted to self-harm.


    However, there was one experiment that turned out rtively well.


    That was Benny, who had a subus¡¯s magic eye transnted.


    The first sessful case of acquiring the ability to maintain youth and magical aptitude, although unable to use the subus¡¯s inherent charm.


    Benny was trapped in an undeveloped young body that day, and had to watch one by one as her friends died.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not the end. They even began to desecrate the corpses.¡±


    They mixed the melted corpses together. Until the multicolored mucus turned ck.


    They took intact monster fragments from the twisted corpses and buried them in the mucus. Bloodshot eyes, sharp teeth, tentacles, acidic bodily fluids, and so on.


    They poured the energy and vitality extracted from the maddened children into the grotesque mixture.


    So that what originally had no life could move as if it did.


    Thus what was born was this shadow monster¡­no, the nameless chimera.


    ¡°They fused this newborn creature with my soul as a final step. I have no idea how they did it. I know they used some divine relic, but I can¡¯t fathom which god¡¯s power it contains. The only thing that¡¯s certain is¡­.¡±


    Benny carefully stroked the shadow monster after pausing to choose her words. The creature growled as if displeased but eventually epted the touch.


    ¡°This creature and I became one, and we gained strength. At least, enough strength to escape that damned ce.¡±


    The moment Benny and the shadow connected, they could understand each other¡¯s thoughts.


    Hatred toward The One Who Devours the Twilight. A vengeance that must be fulfilled even if it means immting oneself. ¡­And a madness so intense it made one¡¯s mind reel.


    ¡°I gave in to the madness and went on a rampage. And when I came to my senses, the cage that held us was broken¡­ I could taste blood in my mouth. Ah, and my teeth ended up like this.¡±


    Benny opened her mouth wide, revealing sharp teeth like those of a shark. They looked exactly like the shadow monster¡¯s.


    <em>Swoosh.</em>


    Only then did Benny release the chains that bound the shadow. Naturally, the creature blended into her shadow, peeking out with just its eyes to observe this side.


    Benny looked down at her feet with a sorrowful smile.


    ¡°As a result, this creature hates everything fundamentally. It wants to return the pain it received. ¡­But you are an exception.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t know the exact reason either. But, Jonah, it¡¯s showing you a lot of kindness, isn¡¯t it? Just now, it put you in the tank because it¡¯s the ce it feels mostfortable, and it yielded to you.¡±


    ¡°That¡­is quite considerate, indeed.¡±


    As I stared at the shadow with a peculiar look, Benny continued in a slightly stiff voice.


    ¡°I think I can guess the reason. ¡­You¡¯re simr to us, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Benny looked at me with eyes full of empathy. As I tilted my head in confusion under that gaze, she hugged the shadow.


    ¡°In the Fairy and Silver Coin, I said I am researching how to stop the erosion or how to separate it from me, right?¡±


    She said that and let out a deep sigh. As if it were thest breath of her life.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you more precisely. I want this child to have their peace which was taken from them, returned. And I want to reim the future that was taken from me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you think I can do that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I¡¯ll make it happen.¡±


    Benny¡¯s heart-patterned eyes sparkled purple.


    ¡°Because magic is a miracle.¡±

 Chapter 97: Shadow (3)

    Chapter 97: Shadow (3)


    ¡°Do you know when a person feels despair?¡±


    ¡°When they realize that unicorns exist but typuses don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°No! It¡¯s when, no matter how hard they try, they can¡¯t move forward! And typuses do exist!¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure. If Benny says so, then it must be true.¡±


    Even at this moment, inside the Subspace Ring, therey the tears of a beast whose purpose was unknown, but teasing Benny was fun, so I decided to y dumb.


    Watching Benny huff and puff, I extended my hand. Then, the shadow monster stretched its tentacle out and ced a cream pie, which it had taken out from somewhere, onto my hand.


    ¡°Oh. Thanks.¡±


    <em>-Growl.</em>


    The creature ttered its sharp teeth with a joyful growl. There was one person feeling lonely in a world where I was happy, the shadow was happy, and everyone was happy.¡°That¡¯s mine?! How did you find it hidden in the sub-refrigerator magic tool?¡±


    <em>-Scoff.</em>


    The shadow monster scoffed as if to say, ¡°How could you not know?¡± As Benny was hopping mad, I asked in anguid voice.


    ¡°So? What experiments have you been doing? I did everything Benny asked, but it took longer than promised, and now I¡¯m sleepy and hungry¡­ Was the result not good?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Sorry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you with the cream pie from a moment ago. That aside, the results are what¡¯s important now. I¡¯m a participant in the experiment too, so it¡¯s okay to tell me this much, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Benny nodded and threw herself onto the wide sofa. It must have been quite soft as her small frame gently sank in.


    I got curious and stood up to try sitting on it.


    <em>-Growl.</em>


    The shadow monster wrapped its tentacles around my waist as if to say, ¡°Don¡¯t go¡±.


    Whether it was its back or its stomach, I wasn¡¯t sure, but sitting on the guy¡¯s body wasfortable enough, so I decided to stay like this.


    Benny began to roll around with an utterly exhausted expression. The hem of her dress naturally curled up.


    The skin that was only visible around the ankle gradually became visible up to the back of the knee before it stopped. With the inner thigh barely visible, Benny continued speaking.


    ¡°The first thing I experimented with was why this guy likes you.¡±


    ¡°Smell, magic, divine power, voice, face, and other various things, we tried it all.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. But I have no idea. When you¡¯re not around, it¡¯s one thing, but when you are, he only reacts to you.¡±


    ¡°This is all because of my dazzling charm, isn¡¯t it? Pleasepliment me, Benny.¡±


    ¡°¡­In the end, I couldn¡¯t even catch a clue about this part and had to move on. After that, what I tested was the changes ording to its mood.¡±


    ¡°Are you ignoring what I¡¯m saying, too? Well, whatever. I¡¯m generous, so I¡¯ll let it slide. Did anything change when its mood changed? I couldn¡¯t tell the difference since I don¡¯t know the usual data.¡±


    ¡°Yes. There was a significant difference. Overall, the reaction speed improved. But the strength weakened. Also, the concentration of acidic fluid flowing through the body became lighter, and the teeth became blunt.¡±


    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that a sign of weakness?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit different. It¡¯s not that it weakened, but it was trying to weaken itself. Simply put, it¡¯s like a cat trying to hide its ws as much as possible, being careful not to scratch anyone?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    With a newfound gaze, I stared at the shadow cast under my buttocks. My eyes met with its bloodshot and intense gaze.


    <em>Blink.</em>


    It split into two.


    <em>Blink, blink.</em>


    No, now there are four.


    As I giggled at the increasing number of pupils, Benny spoke with a slightly tired expression.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it gross? I¡¯ve been with it for a long time and even thought of it as a friend, but seeing it directly like this is disgusting.¡±


    ¡°Well, it is gross, but if you keep looking, it has its own cute side. It¡¯s excitedly multiplying these eyeballs because I like it.¡±


    Tiny pupils now densely filled half of its body. I¡¯m really d I don¡¯t have trypophobia.


    ¡°Has it ever reacted differently to anyone else?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Not to this extent, but it was a bit calmer with Ellie and Lydia. Oh, and it was always like that in front of other high-ranking adventurers.¡±


    ¡°Did it always react simrly in front of high-ranking adventurers?¡±


    ¡°It was a little different, wasn¡¯t it? It became more docile in front of particrly strong people among the high-ranking adventurers. Although, it did growl at clerics exceptionally.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because it still remembers being attacked by The One Who Devours the Twilight?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably because of One Who Devours the Twilight. But I¡¯m not sure if it remembers.¡±


    Benny, who tilted her head, turned over andy on her stomach. The skirt that had been rolled up returned to its original state.


    Instead, the outline of her peach-like, petite buttocks was fully revealed.


    Hmm¡­ I can see the panty line. She is wearing them properly. It seems the No-Panty Goddess Lovey Dovey was the strange one after all.


    While nodding inwardly, Benny, like a cat, stretched her upper body close to the ground, lifting only her buttocks high.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ Haaaaa¡­.¡±


    Though she seemed unaware, her posture was indeedmendable¡­no, desirable. To the point that I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off her for a while.


    Whether Benny knew about my tant gaze or not, she continued in a carefree tone.


    ¡°There are too many dubious parts to say that it holds memories. Above all, its reaction to The One Who Devours the Twilight is too instinctive to be considered asing from a thought process.¡±


    ¡°Well, since it¡¯s a mix of traces from multiple people, even if there are memories, they¡¯d be jumbled and meaningless. Besides, there are reasons to dislike them, even if it¡¯s not necessarily because of old memories.¡±


    Even after being reborn as a shadow monster, the experiments of One Who Devours the Twilight continued. Transnted into Benny, until the day they became familiar with each other.


    If there is someone who torments you from the moment you are born, you would either fear them or hate them.


    In the case of the shadow monster, it was probably thetter.


    ¡°By the way, it¡¯s a bit surprising that it bes rtively docile in front of other high-ranking adventurers.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s simply because it senses the difference in power. It¡¯s smarter than a beast, but its instincts are just as sharp or even sharper. It¡¯smon to tuck its tail in front of a stronger opponent.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I don¡¯t know. If that¡¯s the case, then its attitude towards me and Benny doesn¡¯t make sense. I think differently.¡±


    It¡¯s true that the shadow monster acted as if it would do anything for me, but with Benny, it didn¡¯t seem like it followed her out of dislike or listened to her because it liked her.


    It¡¯s just being irritable. Like Benny dealing with something that was once a friend but has be a disgusting monster.


    Then the reason why it likes me is simple too.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because I like this kid, so it likes me back?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking. I¡¯m serious.¡±


    I looked at the shadow monster, which had be an eyeball monster, with a serious face.


    A scene so disgusting that an ordinary person would faint. But to my eyes, it just seemed like a desperate gesture craving affection.


    ¡°The shadow¡¯s appearance is a bit off. Maybe it has never received proper affection since birth? Benny was the only one who treated it with empathy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Benny closed her mouth and began to ponder something. I don¡¯t know much about the distant past, but I was well aware of the looks it received while walking around today.


    Everyone hated the shadow monster. They were scared, disgusted, and reluctant.


    If I had just been born and received such looks, I too would have turned out twisted.


    Benny, hearing my words, asked back in a slightly sullen voice.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you¡¯re not?¡±


    ¡°I still find it disgusting and scary¡­ But I like it even more than that.¡±


    It¡¯s sad to think about what the kids who became materials for the shadow monsters went through, and what they went through as the shadow monster.


    But honestly, isn¡¯t it exciting to embrace my settings to the fullest and mix things up as much as I can without deviating?


    What does it matter if it looks hideous? Even if I didn¡¯t create it myself, it¡¯s certain that it¡¯s a child living in my world.


    I patted the shadow monster¡¯s body gently and tapped its sturdy teeth.


    At first nce, it looked like it might devour me at any moment. But there¡¯s a kind of trust between us.


    While it might identally hurt me, I believe it would never intentionally harm me.


    ¡°In that sense, I think we need to change its name.¡±


    ¡°¡­Its name?¡±


    ¡°Shadow monster isn¡¯t a name, is it? I understand why you haven¡¯t named it yet, though.¡±


    To Benny, the shadow monster must have been a ¡®ghastly thing¡¯.


    For now, she needed its power, but it was something she would eventually need to let go and ovee.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s give it a name first. Acknowledge it as an entity, and then figure out the rest.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah. You¡¯re right. I was too indifferent. Regardless, it¡¯s the one that has stayed by my side throughout my adventures, right?¡±


    After a moment of hesitation, Benny spoke.


    ¡°Shadow. Yeah. From now on, you¡¯re Shadow.¡±


    Derived from the shadow of the shadow monster, Shadow.


    ¡°How is it? Do you like it?¡±


    -¡­¡­.


    The shadow monster. No, Shadow, quietly observed Benny. And then.


    <em>Lick.</em>


    It extended its long tongue between its sharp teeth and licked her.


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    It was the moment when the secret of the behavior Benny had longed to uncover was revealed.


    ¡°So wet¡­and smelly¡­ugh¡­.¡±


    Of course, Benny, who waspletely soaked, didn¡¯t seem to notice yet.

 Chapter 98: Self ? Study

    Chapter 98: Self ? Study


    After giving the shadow monster the name Shadow, I returned to the Fairy and Silver Coin.


    Bursting through the door, arms wide open.


    ¡°I¡¯m back! Ellie¡¯s cute fianc¨¦, Jonah!¡±


    A voice echoed loudly throughout the entire shop. There was a moment of silence in the noisy tavern, but as their gazes turned towards me, they quickly resumed their chatter as if nothing had happened.


    Of course, someughed heartily as if amused, or whispered to the person next to them as if wondering what was going on¡­but that was it.


    It¡¯s not that I have some hypnotic ability that makes people not find anything strange no matter what I do. It¡¯s just that everyone has gotten used to it.


    Sometimes people would hit on me¡­but most of them would straighten up after experiencing Ellie¡¯s possessive punches.


    Now, it seems like the rumor has spread, and they pretend not to see even if they do.


    ¡­Since they¡¯re said to pretend not to see even if they do, I¡¯m a bit curious about the extent of what¡¯s allowed.Arriving at the counter, I resisted the temptation of the unguarded backsides of the female adventurers and the wallets hanging nearby.


    Ellie let out a deep sigh and lightly tapped the top of my head.


    <em>Thunk.</em>


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    ¡°I told you not to yell every time youe in.¡±


    ¡°Waaah. I¡¯m baby Jonah. My memory is bad.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but you remember saying you¡¯d be independent when you turn twenty, right?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t the promise to do naughty things when I turn twenty?!¡±


    <em>Thunk.</em>


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    ¡°We never made such a promise! I said if your feelings hadn¡¯t changed by then, I¡¯d consider it seriously!¡±


    ¡°Aww. I trust Ellie. You¡¯re definitely nning to get me really drunk as soon as I turn twenty and then do this and that, like in those red books! Like in those red books¡­!¡±


    ¡°¡­Ha! Do you think I¡¯ll be flustered by this pattern again?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Your tastes have changed recently, so you hid those kinds deep in the storage, right? What was thest thing you bought¡­ ¡®For Sale. Fallen Noble. Never Used¡¯. Theic version, wasn¡¯t it? Seems like you liked the novel I gave you!¡±


    ¡°¡­Grr!¡±


    Ellie bit her lip in frustration. Seeing her face turning red as if about to explode, it was clear she was embarrassed by the urate jab.


    As I chuckled and sat in front of her, Lydia, who was sipping beer with a sausage snack beside her, waved her hand.


    ¡°You¡¯re a bitte.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still here? I thought you¡¯d leave first since it took so long.¡±


    ¡°Senior Ellie said she¡¯d give me free beer and snacks if I told her how Jonah, you fought on the second floor. So I kept telling her and kept drinking.¡±


    ¡°Really? So, what did you talk about?¡±


    ¡°In the end, apliment. It¡¯s true that the second floor is rtively easy. But it¡¯s impossible to move like on the first floor.¡±


    ¡°Why? The difficulty as a Labyrinth is simr.¡±


    ¡°Yes. But the monsters¡¯ specs have changed. And it¡¯s hard to surprise them since they usually detect you first.¡±


    It¡¯s true that the difficulty as a Labyrinth is simr, but the monsters have be overall stronger, and adventurers rely on their sight, whereas monsters distinguish enemies by hearing and smell, making it hard to perform at one¡¯s best until getting used to it.


    ¡°For me, it was rather a good match.¡±


    ¡°Right. So, never let your guard down.¡±


    Lydia nods faintly with a smile.


    That¡¯s correct. No matter how much I can minimize my presence with Sound-Eating Footsteps, it¡¯s a fact that if I get hit even once by a kobold by mistake, it would result in serious injury.


    ¡°Should we get some armor?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. The Iron Wolf¡¯s hide is simr to iron. As long as you watch out for the golems and the Floor Guardians on the second floor, the worst you¡¯ll get is a fracture.¡±


    ¡°¡­Fractures are scary though.¡±


    ¡°Just don¡¯t get hit. You haven¡¯t so far.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Lydia¡¯s treatment of me somehow feels a bit careless.


    It might be trust, but why does it hurt my feelings?


    As I pouted and grumbled, Ellie ced a te with some warm pasta and a few pieces of meat in front of me.


    ¡°You¡¯re hungry, right? Benny doesn¡¯t eat well, so you probably haven¡¯t had a proper meal at her ce. Eat and get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, she only had snacks, no proper meals. The cream pie was really good though¡­¡±


    As I said that while mixing the sauce, Ellie¡¯s expression turned peculiar.


    ¡°Cream pie¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh my. Ellie, what are you thinking about right now? You had a naughty thought, didn¡¯t you? Right? Look at this. Miss Lydia! Ellie just had a naughty thought!¡±


    ¡°¡­Jonah. Don¡¯t act like a child. Ellie is a grown adult. She might just be frustrated.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a child, though?¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡±


    Lydia nodded and tried to bring the sausage to her mouth with a fork. But perhaps she didn¡¯t stab it deep enough. The sausage slipped and got stuck between her cleavage.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s hot.¡±


    Lydia furrowed her brow slightly. She lifted her chest with her hand instead of the sausage and bent her head down.


    Then she pulled out the sausage from between her breasts and ate it.


    Feeling my gaze, Lydia confidently made a V-sign with her fingers.


    ¡°V.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Could it be that she just took it out and ate it directly, without touching it, after receiving it with her chest? Even though it was hot and covered in oil?


    While I was dumbfounded. Lydia started wiping her chest casually with a tissue. Not just the top part, but even between her breasts to clean the inside.


    <em>Gulp.</em>


    I swallowed unconsciously. But unfortunately, this didn¡¯tst long.


    ¡°Jonah.¡±


    ¡°Yikes!¡±


    Ellie was looking down at me with an expressionless face. ¡­Judging by her oddly heavy breathing, she seemed half angry and half excited.


    ¡°What kind of experiment did you do at Benny¡¯s workshop? It wasn¡¯t dangerous, was it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing like that. What we did today was about Shadow¡­I mean, figuring out why the shadow monster likes me¡­¡±


    Sweating profusely, I exined to Ellie what had happened today.


    Tentacles, cream pie, favorability, Shadow, moist Benny Chip cookies¡­.


    ¡°I also brought back a magic book to read on my own. It¡¯s not difficult, just a book with basic spells simr to Weak mes.¡±


    I pulled out a rather thin book from my chest and waved it lightly.


    Though it only contained basic magic and no great spells, it was knowledge that the Magic Tower half-monopolized, so it was priced at 1 gold.


    So Benny, rather than giving it away, lent it to me instead.


    What a pity¡­


    If it had been given outright, I could have quickly learned the magic and sold it to spin the gacha.


    Ellie¡¯s expression, listening to my story, gradually softened.


    ¡°What? I was a bit worried, but you did well.¡±


    ¡°What were you worried about¡­ Ah! Did you think I might have an affair with Benny?¡±


    ¡°No. If it were Lydia, maybe, but there¡¯s no need to worry about Benny, so that¡¯s fine. You¡¯ll just hold hands.¡±


    ¡°¡­This is making me angry in its own way.¡±


    When I puffed my cheeks up and expressed my dissatisfaction without hiding it, Ellie gave a wry smile and spoke.


    ¡°I told you I heard Benny¡¯s situation, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right?¡±


    ¡°Benny is mindful of that too. Always careful, just in case another trait awakens.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    What Benny received was the eyes of a subus.


    Because of that, Benny was forever stuck in a girl¡¯s body, and as if aspensation, gained magical abilities.


    Even though Shadow was present, it wasn¡¯t easy for an experiment subject who had never learned proper resistance methods to blow away a branch of The One Who Devours the Twilight.


    But Benny knows the fate of a human consumed by the power of the monster¡­or more precisely, the power of the God of Madness within it.


    The body cannot endure and twists to death, or they gopletely mad and be another monster.


    It¡¯s been fine so far, but there¡¯s no guarantee it will remain so. The assimtion with Shadow is getting worse.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll tease Benny just moderately.¡±


    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t there an option not to tease?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my way of showing affection, so I can¡¯t help it. And honestly, you kind of like it too, don¡¯t you, Ellie?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Laughing at Ellie, who kept her mouth tightly shut, I stood up.


    Handing over the empty pasta te, I waved one hand towards Ellie and patted Lydia¡¯s back with the other, then spoke.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m heading up! I¡¯m tired and want to read this!¡±


    Ellie lifted the corners of her mouth into a slight smile as she tapped the basic magic book.


    ¡°Kids should have been asleep a long time ago. Hurry and go. Lydia, you should get up too.¡±


    ¡°Eh. No. Ellie, you have plenty of rooms. Let me sleep here today. Give me more beer too. The next snack should be chopped steak.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how many bottles you drank alone?! Get up quickly, you brat!¡±


    Leaving the bickering Ellie and Lydia behind, I went up to my room.


    No matter how basic the magic is, it would be too much to master it just by reading it briefly before bed. But understanding the content should be possible.


    First, read it, andter, chew over it while practicing.


    Honestly, gacha is a gamble. It¡¯s true that you can hit the jackpot if you¡¯re lucky¡­but isn¡¯t the fun of fantasy in learning magic through hard work?


    With high expectations, I opened the book. And then.


    ¡°¡­What the heck is this?¡±


    I can read the writing. I could only read the writing.


    I can¡¯t understand what it¡¯s saying at all. Why are there so many pedantic modifiers?


    Even if I try to cut away the fluff and read only the content, it says something about the heart¡¯s circle, but I don¡¯t have a circle to begin with.


    I know that magic is gathered around the heart, and I can move it, but that¡¯s it.


    After pondering for a long time while looking down at the book, I nodded.


    ¡°Should I spin the gacha?¡±


    This is more suitable for me¡­

 Chapter 99: Self ? Study (2)

    Chapter 99: Self ? Study (2)


    Before falling asleep. I opened the basic magic book I received from Benny with high expectations.<hr>


    Foreword.


    Once, magic was a miracle.


    Just as a cksmith melts stone to extract iron, the God of Magic bestowed mortals with the method to extract phenomena from the mana that fills the world.


    We called this magic.


    However, no one is unaware of the significant difference between magic and cksmithing. It is universality.


    cksmithing can be learned by anyone (though one must be born with talent to reach a high level. I do not intend to demean craftsmen), but magic could only be handled by a chosen few.


    It is natural. Mana is scattered throughout the world, but the sense to handle it is bestowed only by the God of Magic.


    Our brains, or hearts, or perhaps somewhere in our souls, this magical organ did not originally exist.It was bestowed upon us by the God of Magic.


    Therefore, magic was a miracle.


    A miracle that reshaped the world as we desired, following the tools and answers provided by the God.


    But today¡¯s magic is not like that.


    The God of Magic could not escape the mes of the War of the Fallen Gods and perished, casting the final great spell at the cost of its existence.


    Thus began the era where even dogs and cows are born with magical organs (truly, even dogs and cows are born with them; they just can¡¯t use them properly).


    Therefore, today¡¯s magic is not a miracle, but a technology.


    However, do not be disappointed. The inherent beauty of magic has not disappeared, and theyers uponyers of technology have be a shortcut to the truth.


    Remember that knowledge with a system is superior to an unexpressed enlightenment.


    The Magic Tower is notposed of outstanding individuals, but of pioneers bearing the mission to lead all of humanity to the truth.


    If you diligently absorb the contents of this book, you too will be one of us.


    First of all¡­<hr>


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s this?¡±


    It¡¯s filled with seemingly profound words that are actually hollow, and the unnecessary author¡¯s notes interspersed throughout make it quite cumbersome to read.


    And what about the content? Isn¡¯t it just brimming with elitism?


    This book isn¡¯t written to be read by others, but rather indulges the author¡¯s own whims, making it fundamentally wed.


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    I suppressed the professional fervor boiling within me, trying to calm my anger.


    Right. It¡¯smon knowledge that mages are stuck up, and this book isn¡¯t even a novel to begin with. So, this much is fine. What¡¯s important is the content of the main text, not the preface.


    After taking a deep breath, I continued reading the book. And then.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    Even after skimming through it to the end, there wasn¡¯t much of a difference.


    It¡¯s hard to understand what it¡¯s saying, and it tells me to rotate the circle, but I have no idea what that circle even is in the first ce.


    I know that magic is concentrated in the heart, but it naturally forming a ring? What kind of nonsense is that?


    After staring at the elegant cover of the book and contemting for a while, I nodded.


    ¡°Yeah. Maybe I should just try my luck with gacha.¡±


    This is the way for me¡­


    With a deep sigh, I used the magic book as a stand and ced the fully upgraded Goddess statue on top of it.


    With its usual benevolent expression, it was in a pose as if praying to someone. There must have been nothing to sulk about today.


    I sighed while patting the shimmering hair of the Goddess statue.


    ¡°Sigh. I¡¯m working so hard just to get rid of some heretics¡­you know?¡±


    <em>Wooong-!</em>


    The Goddess statue emitted a rough divine power as if in protest, but it only glimmered softly.


    ¡°Why! Did I ask for a 5-star? The magic category itself rarely appears, but it was just a 1-star!¡±


    <em>Woooong¡­!</em>


    ¡°Do it! Do it, do it! If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll keep you locked in a subspace all day and only take you out when needed!¡±


    <em>Woooong¡­</em>


    ¡°¡­No, don¡¯t get so down. Instead, if you do it, I¡¯ll, huh? Hug you like a beloved doll for a while. How about it? Isn¡¯t that a fair deal?¡±


    <em>Paaat!</em>


    Cool! The entire room lit up brightly as if the statue of the Goddess was shouting.


    I opened the gacha system with a wry smile, thinking it now even does something simr tomunication.


    <em>Ding!</em>


    [Normal Draw]


    -Consume cash or equivalent Magic Stones to randomly obtain items and skills between 1 to 5 stars.


    [Single Draw] [10+1 Draw]


    ¡°Let¡¯s gooooo!¡±


    Today, I earned about 30 silver in the Labyrinth. I put it all along with the 10 silver I received from Benny into the gacha.


    My money pouch became light in an instant. I could hear the sound of dice rolling, audible only to me, and soon a translucent window unfolded before my eyes.


    <em>Ding!</em>


    [¡î: Well-dried Magic Herb]


    [¡î: Processed Healing Herb]


    [¡î: typus Bone Shard]


    [¡î: Well-dried Magic Herb]


    [¡î: Well-dried Magic Herb]


    [¡î: Processed Healing Herb]


    [¡î: Well-dried Magic Herb]


    [¡î¡î: Magic ¨C Intense me]


    [¡î: Lowest-grade Healing Potion]


    [¡î: Wooden Arrow]


    [¡î: Well-dried Magic Herb]


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    [¡î: Aura ¨C Enhanced Senses]


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    [¡î: Magic ¨C Mana Discharge]


    The items fell to the floor half a beatter. But that wasn¡¯t important right now. After all, they were all 1-star junk items.


    ¡°No, I asked for basic magic, so what¡¯s with the 2-star magic and Mana Discharge¡­? And what¡¯s with the sudden Aura¡­?¡±


    For a moment, I tilted my head in disbelief at the Goddess statue. But I had to clench my mouth shut as the pain surged in.


    ¡°Grrk¡­!¡±


    My heart pounded madly as if someone was squeezing it with all their might, and my lower abdomen burned as if a bullet was lodged deep inside.


    Fortunately, the pain didn¡¯tst long. But it wasn¡¯t over yet.


    Before the echo of pain even subsided, knowledge directly burrowed into my brain.


    A headache that felt like my head was being struck with a hammer. This too was a brief pain, but¡­it lingered for a long time.


    My vision was dizzy, my head hurts, my heart was sore, and there was a foreign sensation in my lower abdomen.


    Although it wasn¡¯t as painful as the 4-star skill, Sound-Eating Footsteps, being in pain in multiple ces at once made it hard to stay focused.


    I pressed the cheeks of the Goddess statue with an aggrieved heart.


    ¡°I said basic magic would be enough¡­¡±


    <em>Woong-</em>


    The light was clearly weaker than before. Even the intention within it seemed a bit blurry.


    Like a doll with a low battery. Or an utterly exhausted human.


    ¡°¡­Could it be that you can¡¯tpletely control the gacha either? And you even get tired if you manipte it?¡±


    -¡­¡­..


    Lacking the energy to respond, the Goddess statue, havingpletely lost its light, remained silent. However, its current feeble state itself served as an answer.


    ¡°Sigh. If I had known it was like this, I wouldn¡¯t have asked for such a thing. It¡¯s not even urgent.¡±


    Thinking back now, after handing me the 4-star right before the fight with One Who Devours the Twilight, nothing useful hase out of the gacha since.


    Even though I rolled quite a bit, getting nothing is somewhat surprising. Of course, since it¡¯s gacha, it can always be chalked up to bad luck¡­


    Maybe I just used up all my luck in advance. Naturally, the burden fell on the Goddess.


    I patted the Goddess statue¡¯s bottom in apology for a moment. Suddenly, a thought struck me, and I stopped my hand.


    ¡°Huh? Come to think of it, thest time I summoned 11 Goddess statues at once, they were all fine.¡±


    I squinted my eyes and red at the Goddess statue. The carved pupils somehow seemed to feel aggrieved.


    It seems that the other side has its own circumstances. I can roughly guess what it was.


    The Goddess of Love was rtively intact whenever she handed down an item rted to herself through gacha.


    It¡¯s simple to sneak in her own things, but it seems manipting the gacha itself is not easy.


    ¡°Well, thinking about it now doesn¡¯t mean anything.¡±


    I can ask the Goddess of Love directly at the bottom of the Labyrinthter.


    With a slightugh, I decided to check the newly drawn items first.


    First, the Intense me. This is an advanced version of the Weak me I used to use.


    It¡¯s literally a magic that ignites an intense me, and since it¡¯s 2-star, its power is quite usable.


    In other words, to test it, it should be done in a Labyrinth or a proper training ground, not indoors.


    Regrettably, I decided to check the Intense me next time and looked at other things first.


    <em>Bam!</em>


    The power of mana bursting from my fingertips.


    Mana Discharge. This is simple. It emits an invisible shockwave by consuming mana.


    It¡¯s too primitive to be called magic¡­ It¡¯s a technique closer to a mana skill.


    It consumes a lot of mana but has poor power. However, its activation speed is exceptional.


    This will depend on how it¡¯s used.


    Next is the Aura that was drawn out unexpectedly. Its usage and effect are also simple.


    A basic enhancement that sharpens the senses by enveloping the whole body in aura. The sensation of drawing aura from a tiny dantian is unfamiliar, but the difficulty itself is nothing special.


    However, as I gained Sound-Eating Footsteps, my senses had already be more sensitive, so its efficiency has somewhat dropped¡­.


    I¡¯ll have to learn the details by using it directly in the Labyrinth.


    What I need to do now is¡­.


    ¡°I should get rid of the Magic Herbs.¡±


    As always, it¡¯s time to dispose of junk items.


    I stuffed the unknown monster¡¯s bone fragments deep into the subspace and started chewing on Magic Herbs and Healing Herbs alternately.


    After eating enough, I shoved the rest into the drawer carelessly. Then, wiping my mouth that still tasted like herbs, I picked up the fully upgraded statue ced on the altar-like magic book.


    ¡°Sigh. A promise is a promise.¡±


    I hugged the statue andy down on the bed.<hr>


    The next morning.


    Somehow, the skin of the statue looked glossy.


    ¡­What did you do while I was sleeping?

 Chapter 100: Self ? Study (3)

    Chapter 100: Self ? Study (3)


    Early morning. When I went downstairs after getting ready to go to the Labyrinth, Lydia and Benny were already there.


    ¡°Good morning. Did you all dream about me?¡±


    ¡°I sleep deeply when I drink, so I don¡¯t dream.¡±


    ¡°Since I merged with Shadow, I only have nightmares.¡±


    Lydia, clutching her head from a hangover, and Benny, for some reason, standing on the table again, answered casually.


    Unable to bear the awkwardness, I let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°¡­Shall we just stick to saying good morning?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Hi hi.¡±<em>-Grr.</em>


    A mini Shadow, which emerged from the small shadow cast at Benny¡¯s feet, squirmed affectionately.


    No, upon closer inspection, the end of the tentacle had been transformed to resemble its own form. Eyes, teeth, tongue, and so on. It had everything.


    ¡­Could it perhaps change into someone else¡¯s form other than its own?


    Standing next to Benny, I briefly chuckled, imagining something that resembled her.


    I stood in front of the table where Benny was sitting and silently watched her.


    ¡°What, what is it?¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    I carefully examined Benny from her purple crown to the toes peeking out from the end of her clingy dress and chuckled.


    ¡°Benny. Could you call me the genius mage Jonny Boy?¡±


    ¡°¡­What are you suddenly talking about?! And what¡¯s Jonny Boy supposed to be?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re Benibeni, so can you really say that to me?¡±


    Grumbling for no reason, I handed back the basic magic book that I had been using as a pedestal for the Goddess statue to Benny.


    ¡°I used it well. Thanks to it, my hand skills have improved.¡±


    ¡°Did you really master it all in one day? Even though it¡¯s basic magic, is that even possible¡­?¡±


    Seeing Benny¡¯s wide-eyed expression made my conscience twinge a little¡­ But admitting that I didn¡¯t know anything at all was too much for my pride.


    ¡°Hmph! For me, this is as easy as stealing candy from a baby!¡±


    ¡°Why would you steal from a poor child?!¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m that poor child, so it¡¯s fine!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not fine! Stop the crime cycle!¡±


    Benny, jumping around like a freshly caught mackerel, insisted that it wasn¡¯t okay. While enjoying her lively reaction, Ellie, dressed in her uniform, appeared from the back of the warehouse.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Benny. Jonah doesn¡¯t pickpocket poor people or children in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°¡­Really, Ellie?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. But he often picks the pockets of grown-ups.¡±


    ¡°¡­???¡±


    Benny tilted her head as if she didn¡¯t understand. I kindly exined to her.


    ¡°Think about it. How much can you get from kids, anyway?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s, true?¡±


    ¡°So, we should aim for adult wallets. Preferably from slightly bad adults. Usually, they carry more cash.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of efficiency. Ahem.¡±


    ¡°This, this is about ethics and crime, you idiot!¡±


    Benny screamed and jumped up and down in ce. I gently patted her shoulder to calm her down.


    ¡°Hahaha! Don¡¯t get so worked up. If you get too excited¡­¡±


    I stopped there and waved Benny¡¯s wallet, which I had slipped out earlier, in front of her eyes.


    ¡°You might get pickpocketed like this, you know?¡±


    ¡°My wallet?! When did you take it?!¡±


    ¡°When I patted your shoulder earlier. I took advantage of the moment your mind was focused on my hand, and slipped it with the other hand.¡±


    ¡°Even if I didn¡¯t notice, Shadow wouldn¡¯t have any blind spots¡­ Ah! You¡¯re an aplice!¡±


    Only then did Benny realize that Shadow had pretended not to notice my sleight of hand. She started patting the shadow lightly.


    Of course, Shadow seemed annoyed and took a few hits, then disappeared into the shadows.


    ¡°You two seem to get along well?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Better than yesterday, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­When you put it that way, I have nothing to say.¡±


    Certainly, they seemed morefortable than before. It must be because the fear of having to forcibly control Shadow or the fear of the impending erosion had lessened.


    Probably, Shadow would also be less likely to raise its hackles towards Benny.


    The erosion might not havepletely disappeared, but I believe we have seeded in significantly slowing its pace.


    ¡°By the way, Benny. Why did youe today?¡±


    ¡°I called her.¡±


    The one who answered my question was not Benny, but Lydia.


    Sipping the honey water Ellie handed her while struggling with a hangover, she let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Jonah. Today, you have to go to the Labyrinth with Benny.¡±


    ¡°What? Why? Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Are you already tired of me, Miss Lydia?!¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t say weird things. It¡¯s just that something urgent came up.¡±


    ¡°Something urgent?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There was a summons from the Guild.¡±


    High-ranking adventurers receive various benefits from the Guild. In return, the Guild can also request help from high-ranking adventurers in the event of emergencies¡­


    Although they say it¡¯s a request, it¡¯s practically semipulsory. If you refuse, you have to give back all the benefits thate with the title.


    ¡°What was it about?¡±


    ¡°A crazy mage caused trouble in the Tower and ran away. It¡¯s amon urrence.¡±


    ¡°Is itmon¡­?¡±


    Lydia¡¯s calm reaction left me blinking, and Ellie, who had just lit a Magic Herb cigarette, provided a detailed exnation.


    ¡°idents happen daily in the Tower. Most of them can be handled within the Tower, so outsiders are usually unaware.¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­¡±


    ¡°But if the ident was caused by a high-ranking mage, it¡¯s a different story. The scale of cleanup besrger, right? If it ends within the Tower, it¡¯s fine, but if the damage extends outside, they call in other adventurers for a swift resolution.¡±


    ¡°So, Lydia, you¡¯re the fixer for this?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Lydia, with her robust physique, can handle various weapons, allowing her to adapt flexibly to any situation. Hence, she often gets called in for sudden situations like this.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    When I turned my head towards Lydia, she made eye contact with me and, despite her hangover, disyed a V sign with her hand.


    ¡°Yay.¡±


    Her soulless bragging was just a bonus.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay with the hangover?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It clears up quickly when I circte my aura.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then why aren¡¯t you clearing it now?¡±


    ¡°Using aura to sober up isme.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it just foolish?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a world that a minor like Jonah wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Even recalling my 20-year-old self in my past life, when I had just be an adult and drank excessively, it seems clear that Lydia is the odd one here.


    Looking at me with a pitiful gaze for a moment. Misunderstanding my gaze, Lydia made a V sign with both hands this time.


    ¡°Yay.¡±


    It was a double peace sign with a nk expression.


    Shaking my head, I reached out to Benny.


    ¡°Benny. Shall we go ahead by ourselves then?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind that¡­but we should eat first.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Ellie is behind us looking really down with a sandwich.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Turning around, Ellie was looking at the sandwich with a sorrowful expression, her ears and tail drooping.


    ¡°¡­Indeed, one needs to eat to gain strength! Shall we eat heartily and then go?!¡±


    Saying so, I quickly sat down in front of the counter.


    Ellie¡¯s sandwich was meaty, and it was delicious.<hr>


    ¡°So, shall we start by showing yesterday¡¯s results?¡±


    On the second floor of the Labyrinth, where we came down alone. Benny said this to me as I checked the number of the Safe Zone.


    ¡°Just a moment. This is¡­ Zone 32. Yes. It¡¯s done now. What did you say, Benny?¡±


    ¡°Basic magic. Show me what you learned yesterday. You seem quite confident, so I guess you must have mastered it¡­ But being able to use it and using it well are different, right? How about starting with the moist water drop spell?¡±


    ¡°Ah, about that¡­¡±


    I scratched the back of my head andughed sheepishly.


    ¡°Actually, I couldn¡¯t master any of the other basic spells.¡±


    ¡°¡­? Wait, then what was that about showing off when returning the book?¡±


    ¡°Instead, I can do something like this.¡±


    I stretched my hand toward the air. Then, I released the surging magic from around my heart in an instant.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    With a sound of something exploding, an invisible shockwave shot forward.


    ording to the knowledge imprinted in my mind, it¡¯s good for emergencies but not very efficient, so I didn¡¯t have high expectations¡­


    With this level of power, it¡¯s stronger than a serious punch by swinging my arm. That¡¯s enough.


    Benny, who saw my Mana Discharge, widened her eyes momentarily, but soon had a nonchnt expression.


    ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s clean. Given its nature, it¡¯s a technique that is inherently quite wasteful, but it doesn¡¯t feel like there¡¯s any unnecessary leakage. But this isn¡¯t magic.¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment. There¡¯s one more.¡±


    I kept my outstretched arm steady and focused my mind. The boiling mana circtes along a predetermined path. A vivid image emerges.


    But this alone isn¡¯t enough. This isn¡¯t just a 1-star spell, but a 2-star spell.


    So I added a bit of incantation.


    ¡°Devour the offering. Intense me.¡±


    <em>Whoosh!</em>


    A massive me fiercely burns a short distance from my hand.


    Moving or throwing it seemed impossible, but the me, which was about the same size as my body, was threatening in itself.


    It evolved from a match me to a campfire level, just by advancing from 1-star to 2-star.


    I turned my head towards Benny with a proud heart. There stood Benny, staring nkly with her mouth open. Those sharp shark teeth looked cuter the more I saw them.


    ¡°H-how did this happen? Suddenly it¡¯s a 3rd-circle spell?¡±


    ¡°Oh, was this 3rd-circle? No wonder it felt strong.¡±


    Well, the difference between 1-star and 5-star is just four stages.


    But within those four stages, basic magic has to reach the level of grand magic, so it¡¯s natural for the power to leap with each star.


    I dropped the final bomb on the bewildered Benny.


    ¡°Oh, and I also awakened my aura.¡±


    ¡°That basic magic book I lent you, right?! Huh?! It¡¯s not some ancient grimoire, is it?!¡±


    Benny is bewildered!


    But it¡¯s okay because the way she frantically rummages through her inventory, with her butt sticking out towards me, is cute.


    ¡­That dress is really a cheat.

 Chapter 101: Maze

    Chapter 101: Maze


    Benny, in confusion, cast countless search spells on her basic magic book and muttered nonsense like, ¡®An advanced artifact that even I can¡¯t notice¡­?¡¯.


    Other than that, the Labyrinth exploration was going smoothly.


    <em>Ssshhk.</em>


    As the Unicorn Dagger swung, a kobold, frantically digging the ground, instantly perished.


    ¡°K-kobold?¡±


    The one next to it, startled, straightened its bent back.


    ¡°¡­Intense me!¡±


    <em>Whooosh.</em>


    ¡°Koooook!¡±As it stood up, it was engulfed in fierce mes and screamed before copsing.


    ¡°Tsk. The power is more subtle than I thought. And they¡¯re too noisy when they die.¡±


    ¡°That Dagger is unusually strong, you know? It¡¯s not that the magical power iscking. The kobold that just fell is at your level or even higher.¡±


    Benny, watching from afar while riding on Shadow, shook her head.


    ¡°Well, thinking about it that way, it¡¯s kind of a finishing move.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I suppose it¡¯s just a bad matchup. Against creatures whose eyesight has degenerated but have developed hearing and smell, such shy magic should be avoided.¡±


    The kobold¡¯s screams. The smell of soot on clothes. All these factors make the opponent notice us first, causing a surprise attack.


    It¡¯s not a big deal for me since I can even hide smell.


    ¡°In that sense, Jonah, your usual style is well-matched for the second floor.¡±


    ¡°Basically, it¡¯s because it¡¯s stealthy.¡±


    I shrugged as I answered, but in fact, when ites to stealth, Benny is no slouch either.


    Shadow can swim through the ground as if gliding while carrying Benny¡¯s shadow. What happens if you ride on Shadow¡¯s back?


    It bes possible not only to reduce footsteps but topletely eliminate them.


    An impossible task for Lydia, whose armor clinks no matter how careful she is.


    With a smirk, she threw the kobold¡¯s corpse to Shadow. It swallowed it whole and spat out only the drops and Magic Stones.


    After picking up the loot and packing it into her backpack, she spoke.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go a bit deeper today. Kobolds are quite profitable but¡­we can¡¯t just keep hunting kobolds.¡±


    ¡°Right. That¡¯s no way to improve our skills. You know? If you only hunt the same monsters, the Labyrinth¡¯s growth rewards decrease exponentially.¡±


    ¡°I know. It¡¯s not just because we hunt the same monsters¡­it¡¯s because we hunt them easily using predetermined methods. The Goddess favors adventurers who embark on true adventures.¡±


    ¡°I know that well. But be careful. Your life is always the top priority. There were those stronger and more talented than me, but¡­¡±


    ¡°In the end, Benny is the one who survived, right? Only Benny became a high-ranking adventurer. I know. My survivales first, of course. After all, the Goddess wouldn¡¯t want me to get hurt or die from overexertion.¡±


    I never asked directly, but it must be so. It¡¯s not like she gave me a 4-star right before the showdown with One Who Devours the Twilight and the King of Thorns for no reason.


    If she hadn¡¯t done at least that much, I would have been somewhat in danger, and since the Goddess didn¡¯t want that, she somehow twisted things to make it happen.


    ¡­Maybe that¡¯s why I¡¯ve only been getting 1-star or 2-star pulls since then.


    ¡°Anyway, if we go deeper, we¡¯ll need to chart a new route. Let¡¯s see¡­perhaps the Fallen Gnomes from here?¡±


    ¡°That would be better than the Spider Queen. It seems, Jonah, you¡¯re stronger in one-on-one battles than against multiple enemies.¡±


    All monsters are beings corrupted by madness. In the case of kobolds, they focus obsessively on digging.


    There is no particr reason. They just started digging the ground with pickaxes instead of wielding swords to survive.


    In fact, most of the second-floor maze was created by kobolds, which says it all.


    However, at some point, they started digging not to survive but just for the sake of digging.


    They were consumed by madness.


    Anyway, they dig. They keep digging. If something gets in their way, they kill it.


    That became the sole principle of kobold behavior.


    And using these kobolds is exactly what a corrupted gnome does.


    If you bring them all kinds of minerals, including iron, they will make you pickaxes and shovels good for digging.


    The kobolds, whose sole purpose is to dig, dig silently like ves, and the gnomes increase their power through the minerals they receive.


    This is the form of symbiosis that urs on the second floor here.


    ¡°We should at least take a lot of iron.¡±


    ¡°Take it easy. If you take too much, it¡¯ll be too heavy.¡±


    ¡°¡­Can¡¯t we leave the load to Shadow?¡±


    ¡°No! ording to Lydia, Jonah, you need to grow quickly. Weight management is also a virtue of an adventurer. If you don¡¯t like it, buy a backpack with a lightening spell.¡±


    ¡°Lightening backpacks are expensive and small.¡±


    ¡°Then buy one with a spatial magic spell too.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s something only high-level adventurers can afford, it¡¯s expensive.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t have money, you have to use your body. Isn¡¯t that what being an adventurer is about?¡±


    ¡°Using my body¡­ Have you been looking at me like that all this time, Benny?¡±


    When I red at Benny with a look full of disappointment, she flinched and shook her head hastily.


    ¡°N-no! I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but that¡¯s not it!¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You just don¡¯t want to be the bad gal until the end, right? Fine. Let¡¯s just say this is something I¡¯m doing on my own volition.¡±


    Saying that resignedly, I dropped the backpack I was carrying.


    As I then reached for the buttons of my top, Benny screamed and covered her eyes.


    ¡°Y-you idiot! What are you doing all of a sudden in the Labyrinth¡­!¡±


    Even while saying that, Benny slyly peeked through her fingers in this direction. Smiling slyly at her shy yet curious expression, I suddenly threw my backpack at her.


    ¡°Take that!¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    Benny looked bewildered. Meanwhile, Shadow, who was wriggling under her, swiftly extended a tentacle and snatched the backpack. Then, with sharp teeth, it swallowed it whole in one bite.


    ¡°Good job! You should only spit it out when I ask you to, okay? Even if Benny asks you to spit it out, don¡¯t listen to her?¡±


    <em>-Grrr.</em>


    Shadow growled happily and blinked its eyes. Only then did Benny realize she had been tricked and started hopping up and down in ce.


    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s not fair!¡±


    ¡°Here it is. And if we¡¯re going to catch gnomes, it¡¯s best to keep metal as far away from our bodies as possible, right?¡±


    I shrugged off Benny¡¯s anger.


    Half of it was to pass the buck to Shadow¡­but the other half was sincere.


    Gnomes absorb the earth¡¯s energy from the minerals buried underground to increase their strength.


    Since they were originally born from traces where the power of the God of Earth was deeply left, it is an act akin to strengthening their origin.


    But we must remember that gnomes have also be monsters.


    It¡¯s good that they pile up all kinds of minerals and absorb their power. But monsterized gnomes begin to obsess over the mere act of hoarding minerals.


    A gnome¡¯s madness is greed.


    If they absorb the earth¡¯s energy from the piled minerals, they will surely grow significantly, but they just keep hoarding. Because if they absorb the earth¡¯s energy, the minerals turn back into soil.


    Well. From an adventurer¡¯s point of view, the attitude of living weakly while hugging minerals is something to be weed.


    Isn¡¯t it a kind of treasure goblin?


    But you shouldn¡¯t underestimate it. Spirits are fundamentally different beings from ordinary nts and animals. Their inherent power and their perspective on the world are on a different level.


    It¡¯s not about being superior or inferior, but literally, they are heterogeneous.


    For example¡­the mineral detection ability of gnomes.


    Gnomes have the usual five senses, but apart from that, they can also sense the earth itself.


    Naturally, metal equipment imbued with earth energy can never escape a gnome¡¯s detection.


    Perhaps my Sound-Eating Footsteps might be a little different¡­.


    From the start, the gnome¡¯s mineral detection is not a search ability, but a natural sense of recognizing a part of its own body. If unlucky, it might not work.


    There¡¯s no harm in being careful.


    Teasing Benny who felt so wronged, turning every kobold we encountered into a kob/old, and storing the loot we obtained in Shadow¡¯s belly, how many times had we repeated this process?


    Before we knew it, the narrow and confined passage ended and arge cavern revealed itself.


    However, that did not mean we had reached a Safe Zone.


    A space where peculiar moss growing on the walls emitted a bluish light, serving as illumination.


    At the center, instead of a small tombstone, there was a heap of mineral ore piled up.


    No matter how unrefined the ore was, and even though there were few minerals useful to adventurers among them¡­


    Still, with this quantity, even after filtering, a considerable yield would result.


    However, I could not honestly be happy about it. The reason being, there is always a gatekeeper guarding wealth. This is akin to the rules of a Labyrinth.


    A small gnome sitting idly on a heap of raw stones.


    A body made of earth, not flesh and blood. It has a vaguely human-like shape, but the details are strangely crude.


    A form as if a child¡¯s hastily drawn picture were brought to life.


    After confirming the creature endlessly caressing the raw stones, I quickly pulled back.


    Then I whispered quietly into Benny¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Spirits die if their heads are cut off, right?¡±


    ¡°Heeeut¡­!¡±


    ¡°¡­???¡±


    No, this isn¡¯t the time to be ticklish from a whisper in the ear.


    It¡¯s so awkward.

 Chapter 102: Maze (2)

    Chapter 102: Maze (2)


    ¡°Spirits die if their heads are cut off, right?¡±


    ¡°Heeuugh¡­!¡±


    Benny shivered and let out a stifled moan.


    No, don¡¯t get ticklish from a whisper in the ear. It¡¯s kinda weird.


    When I looked at Benny silently, she shook her head as if making an excuse.


    ¡°N-no! It¡¯s not like that¡­!¡±


    ¡°Benny. Do you really have to act like this before a battle?¡±


    ¡°I was just ticklish, that¡¯s all?!¡±


    ¡°Haa. This is why women are¡­ All they think about all day is naughty stuff, right?¡±¡°I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s not like that! I¡¯m just very ticklish! D-do you want to touch my side? I¡¯ll definitely be ticklish there too!¡±


    Benny, demonstrating an unnecessarily remarkable skill of screaming quietly so the spirits wouldn¡¯t hear.


    She turned her body sideways, offering her side towards me.


    Was it because she bent her body too much? Her tight dress faintly revealed the outline of her ribs.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    I had a theory for a long time. The theory that a t-chested heroine must have beautiful ribs¡­!


    In that sense, Benny passed.


    I reached out toward Benny¡¯s side to stamp the approval.


    <em>Swoosh.</em>


    ¡°Eek?!¡±


    Benny flinched violently even though I just brushed her lightly. I traced my fingertips carefully along her side.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ah!¡±


    Making a sound that could be perceived as suggestive, Benny trembled. I finished by lightly tapping her ribs as if ying a piano.


    Any more than this, and we might get discovered before the fight even starts.


    ¡°At least we know Benny is very ticklish.¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s right? Then let¡¯s start the battle¡­¡±


    ¡°But actually, you might just be pretending to exin to make me touch your side¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡­!¡±


    ¡°¡­I thought you might not know, surely there¡¯s no way Benny would do that. Anyway, so do spirits die if their heads are cut off?¡±


    I was about to tease Benny a bit more but decided to turn around. If I keep bothering her here, she might really get angry.


    Benny, who was making hissing sounds by herself, barely calmed down and dropped her shoulders.


    ¡°Haa¡­ Don¡¯t mess around in the Labyrinth. We¡¯re not here for fun. And in the case of spirits, their vital points are a bit different from other creatures. There are some that die from having their necks cut, but¡­¡±


    ¡°The fundamental vital point is in a different ce, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s right.¡±


    When I was nning the novel, I tended to set things up as roughly as possible. The same went for spirits.


    How they were born, how strong they are, whether they can be summoned or not. I¡¯ve never thought about their weaknesses.


    Ah, but there is that. Like how fire spirits and water spirits are deadly to each other, or how lightning spirits¡¯ power doesn¡¯t do much damage to earth spirits.


    I¡¯ve thought about elemental affinities to some extent. Though in this situation, it¡¯spletely useless information.


    Earth spirits mightck attack power, but they have excellent resistance and durability.


    For reference, that¡¯s also why the God of Earth is the only one among the elemental gods who survived until the end.


    As I waited eagerly for Benny¡¯s words, my stare seemed burdensome, and Benny, pulling her neck back, spoke in a hesitant voice.


    ¡°The usual weakness of spirits is their opposing attribute. However, since earth spirits don¡¯t have a specific opposing attribute, you just have to keep smashing them until they break.¡±


    ¡°What the heck¡­¡±


    I think I understand why it survived the war.


    Seeing my dumbfounded expression, Benny chuckled and added.


    ¡°But the one we¡¯re dealing with isn¡¯t an ordinary spirit, it¡¯s a corrupted spirit, right? Then there¡¯s a very simple answer.¡±


    ¡°Oh! What is it?¡±


    ¡°The core.¡±


    ¡°¡­???¡±


    ¡°I mean the Magic Stone.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    The Magic Stone is like an anchor that keeps the monsters bound to this Labyrinth, a pin that fixes them in their own time.


    Because they are tied to the Magic Stone, the monsters cannot leave the Labyrinth, and even if they die, they can continuously be reborn.


    In other words, if the core of any monster is broken or separated from their body, they will be detached from the current timeline and disappear into the storm of time and space.


    When you extract the Magic Stone from the corpse, the body disappears just like that.


    Well, it doesn¡¯tpletely vanish, but it will regenerate in the Labyrinth of another timeline.


    Anyway, the important thing is that if you break the Magic Stone, the monster disappears entirely. That¡¯s all you need to know.


    ¡°¡­Just out of curiosity, if I hunt it down by breaking its core, what drops would be left?¡±


    ¡°None? If I had to say, maybe the mineral ore that guy is holding onto dearly.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The mineral ore would surely be worth money. But that¡¯s that, and it¡¯s too sad that there are no drops.


    Benny pats my depressed shoulder and adds.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Originally, spirits don¡¯t have significant drops other than Spirit Stones. And Spirit Stones are¡­¡±


    ¡°Cheap, right.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. So don¡¯t hesitate and just get rid of it swiftly!¡±


    In this world, quite a number of spirits exist. What does the death of all the elemental gods, except for the God of Earth, during the War of the Fallen Gods mean?


    It means they fought fiercely. Naturally, many traces were left behind, and countless spirits were born from their corpses.


    In ancient times, spirits were rare beings, but in today¡¯s era, they have established themselves as a race, even forming nations.


    However, just because their numbers arerge does not mean they have be a familiar race.


    Due to the nature of spirits, it is difficult for them to leave their domain unless they form a contract.


    In addition, there are issues such as the corrtion between strength and intelligence, the need to spend time in their domain to increase power but having too many entities leaving no room, their immensely long lifespans that only long-lived races like elves are willing to make contracts with, and their nature of spirit-like presence that prefers to stay in one ce.


    Due to these various issues, they have always been a rare species to encounter.


    ¡°Hoo. Got it. I¡¯ll be off now.¡±


    ¡°Okay. If it looks dangerous, I¡¯ll step in then.¡±


    <em>-Grr.</em>


    Shadow responded to Benny¡¯s words by peeking out with its eyes.


    Finally, I turned off thentern strapped to my waist and ced my whole body under my senses.


    A momentary feeling as if the world was bypassing me. Controlling each action as if cut off by an invisible wall, I drastically minimized my presence.


    Sound-Eating Footsteps. Along with that, I activated the Invisibility Cloak.


    Unlike the kobold, the corrupted earth spirits¡¯ vision had not deteriorated.


    A dimly lit cavern with only bluish moss growing on the walls for illumination.


    I moved quietly through it like a ghost. I was definitely running, but not a single sound of footsteps could be heard.


    Even when climbing over a pile of ore, there was not a single small tter. It was careful to move that way, but still surprising.


    Smirking, I thrust the Unicorn Dagger into the back of the corrupted earth spirit that was sitting idly. And then.


    -This, human.


    The creature, turning its head 180 degrees, said in a clumsy voice.


    ¡°What!¡±


    To my surprise, I let out a shout, breaking my concealment¡­but it¡¯s fine. My hand hasn¡¯t stopped.


    This is the fastest thrust I can manage right now. A strike so swift that even my eyes can barely keep up shoots toward the corrupted earth spirit¡¯s chest.


    Though it doesn¡¯t have a heart, there¡¯s a Magic Stone where a heart should be, so it makes no difference.


    At the moment the dazzling white dagger touches the corrupted earth spirit¡¯s back.


    -Intruder¡­thief!


    Suddenly, the earth on its back bulged up. Precisely where my dagger was touching.


    <em>Squelch!</em>


    The de sunk in to the hilt. But it couldn¡¯t reach the Magic Stone, which was blocked by more earth.


    ¡°Click.¡±


    I don¡¯t know how I was discovered, but the ambush had failed. For now, I¡¯ll have to create some distance and slowly chip away at it, waiting for the chance to destroy the Magic Stone.


    Clicking my tongue, I pulled out the embedded dagger roughly. As if trying to cling to my weapon, it bit down hard on the de, but even that was cut off as the dagger was withdrawn.


    At that moment, I made a great leap backward.


    -Do, dododo! Doooooo¡­!


    ¡°¡­???¡±


    The corrupted earth spirit twisted its body like a pretzel, stuttering alone as if it were bugged.


    <em>Pususuk.</em>


    And not long after, it crumbled on its own. Leaving behind only a single Magic Stone.


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    It was absurd, yet at the same time, a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu hit me.


    ¡°Hobgoblin?¡±


    It was a simr reaction to the hobgoblin that had died in agony as if poisoned by a virginity-special attack, just from being grazed by the Dagger.


    Unbelievable. So, that meant someone actually pounded that short, human-like thing? Or rather, it might have been the other way around.


    Shivering at the unwanted truth, I dropped the Stone and ran to Benny.


    ¡°Benny!!!¡±


    ¡°Huh?! What, what is it!¡±


    ¡°Benny! BeniBeni! Beninininit!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a little cute, but at least call my name properly!¡±


    Benny¡¯s reaction was ambiguous, unclear if she liked it or not. I thrust the Unicorn Dagger toward her.


    ¡°Hiya!¡±


    The de touched Benny¡¯s forearm. The dagger shone brightly in pure white.


    ¡°Whew.¡±


    Only then did I feel a bit more at ease.

 Chapter 103: Maze (3)

    Chapter 103: Maze (3)


    ¡°So, what¡¯s that? That was made with a whole unicorn horn?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And when you brought it to my arm, it glowed?¡±


    ¡°Wow! Virgin!¡±


    ¡°¡­Jonah, you¡¯re carrying it around just fine yourself?!¡±


    ¡°Wow! Virgin!¡±


    ¡°I should just stop talking¡­.¡±


    After briefly hearing the situation, Benny sighed, clutching her purple hair.


    ¡°Ah, but Benny. That¡¯s not what¡¯s important right now.¡±¡°Was there ever anything important you wanted to say to begin with?¡±


    Benny, who had been interrupted while fighting and had her virginity questioned, trembled and spat out thorny words¡­


    Seeing her nce alternately at me and the Dagger, it seemed my virginity was more important to her than her own hymen.


    Well. When the world reversed genders, it surprisingly became a world where women preferred men¡¯s chastity.


    Because of the influence of the Goddess of Love, polygamy or polyandry isn¡¯t condemned¡­ But it seems that the importance ced on the first experience hasn¡¯t changed.


    In that sense, it¡¯s really hard to tell whether a man is pure or not.


    A woman bleeds, but a man shows nothing. Therefore, it¡¯s inevitable to be concerned about clear and easy-to-understand results like now.


    I shook my head, putting the Dagger I had been unting into the Subspace Ring.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m always joking around? You just saw it, Benny. The corrupted earth spirit crumbled just like that.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah. If you had shattered the Magic Stone, it would have disappeared, not crumbled.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I was so startled that I didn¡¯t bring it with me, but there should be a Magic Stone somewhere over there.¡±


    I pointed backward with my thumb. There was Shadow, swallowing an entire pile of ores and spitting out only the good ones.


    Among the things it spat out, there might be some Magic Stones.


    ¡°By the way, Shadow is reallypetent. It¡¯s hard to tell what¡¯s inside ores unless you¡¯re an expert, right? So, I was nning to take anything that looked special and have it appraised by the Guild.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been through the second floor before. I made Shadow memorize the appearance of the ores back then. Of course, I still remember it too.¡±


    The second floor is ssified as the upperyer of the Labyrinth, with maps and all sorts of information perfectly organized and distributed for free or at a low price.


    The ssification of the ores guarded by the corrupted earth spirit is one of them.


    Benny gave a shrug, nodded her head and continued speaking.


    ¡°I see. So, you mean it¡¯s strange that the corrupted earth spirit reacted to the unicorn¡¯s horn?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Just to be sure, is it possible for spirits to engage in sexual activities? I mean, not just high-ranking spirits with clear forms, but also lower-ranking spirits like the one we encountered.¡±


    Half-breeds with spirits are extremely rare, but they do exist.


    The torn remains of the God of Life have also affected the spirits.


    However, being able to reproduce with other species and enjoying sexual activities are entirely different matters.


    In the first ce, aren¡¯t they a species that doesn¡¯t reproduce normally but appear naturally? They don¡¯t have sexual desires.


    Perhaps that half-breed was simply a result of responding to the partner¡¯s request. Or it could have been out of a desire to see offsprings.


    At least, it wouldn¡¯t have been due to sexual desire¡­


    Then why did the earth spirit from earlier die after receiving the special attack effect properly?


    ¡°Could it be that some lunatic is going around pounding the ground?! Or maybe, they arepacting the soil and satisfying themselves?! Isn¡¯t it terrifying to think that there might be a crazy serial rapist who gets aroused by dirt?!¡±


    ¡°¡­Sigh. What should we do with this pervert.¡±


    Benny let out a long sigh. She then stood on her tiptoes and struck a boastful pose, pushing out her t chest.


    It seemed like she was trying to imitate a teacher giving a scolding, but no matter how you looked at it, it seemed like Benny was cosying as a teacher as she began to speak.


    ¡°The Unicorn Dagger definitely contains the power to harm non-virgins and non-chaste individuals. But, doesn¡¯t it also have other abilities?¡±


    ¡°Poison? Could it really have been toxic soil¡­.¡±


    ¡°Not that! I mean purification! Purification! Haven¡¯t you realized after all this time what you¡¯ve been saying yourself?! What ¡®corrupted¡¯ earth spirit means!¡±


    ¡°What? But strictly speaking, aren¡¯t monsters just crazed and powerful creatures?¡±


    ¡°Usually, yes. If it were an ordinary monster, it would just be like a regr nt or animal that got stronger. But spirits are different.¡±


    ording to Benny¡¯s continued exnation, spirits were fundamentally incarnations of nature or divine messengers.


    They were a race born purely from power, unmixed with the flesh and blood of other beings.


    In both good and bad ways, they arepletely pure.


    ¡°But madness, a foreign substance, has intruded into such a spirit.¡±


    ¡°Its purity has been tainted?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. And when nature is tainted, we call it contamination.¡±


    ¡°Aha.¡±


    The unicorn¡¯s horn isn¡¯t just a mop-like ultimate weapon. It¡¯s also stered with abilities like enhanced natural healing and purification effects.


    I haven¡¯t experienced it yet, but they say most poisons won¡¯t affect me.


    ¡°Wait a minute. Does that mean the madness was cured?¡±


    ¡°Not a chance. The body¡¯s purification power and the erosion from the madness shed, and in the end, the body couldn¡¯t withstand it and broke down. Oh, maybe in the veryst moment, they regained their sanity. It was such a short time that it probably didn¡¯t mean much.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Only then did the words it left at the end start to bother me.


    It kept repeating ¡®do¡¯, right? Until now, I thought he was calling me a thief¡­but it might mean something else.


    Like ¡®run away¡¯. Or ¡®help me.¡¯


    ¡°¡­Benny. But how do you know all this? Ah, it¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s just that you know so much in detail that it¡¯s fascinating. I wonder if all mages are like that.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Not really.¡±


    Benny shook her head. She continued speaking as she gently stroked Shadow, who had just returned after swallowing only the good gemstones and Magic Stones, having finished all the sorting.


    ¡°Experiments rted to madness are something I¡¯ve experienced firsthand. That¡¯s why I know it well. They experimented not only on humans but also on monsters.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    So it was just a personal story.


    As I scratched my head in awkwardness, Benny consciously lifted the corners of her mouth and spoke.


    ¡°Alright! Now that we¡¯ve all rested, shall we move on to the next? Anyway, we now have a weapon that works well against corrupted spirits, right? That means we can hunt safely and easily!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making me feel like even taking a break right now is a waste of time!¡±


    ¡°It actually might be a waste. After all, you¡¯ll need toe with Lydia next time. You can¡¯t make Shadow do the carrying, so even if the battles are easy, you¡¯ll have to return quickly because of the loot.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Come to think of it, that¡¯s true.


    Benny was only helping out today in Lydia¡¯s ce, and there was no promise that she would alwayse to the Labyrinth together in the future.


    I need to get the most out of Shadow while I can¡­!


    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you today!¡±


    <em>-Grr?</em>


    I tapped near Shadow¡¯s enormous eye a few times and then quicklyy down with my ear to the ground.


    Faintly, I could hear the rhythmic heartbeat. Using the heart left behind by the God of Earth as a guide, I recalcted the optimal route.


    ¡°We should go this way! Don¡¯t fall behind, okay?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be lost on just the second floor? Jonah, you be careful!¡±


    I started to move forward, leading the bewildered Benny.


    As I navigated through the maze-like interior, I effortlessly turned every monster we encountered into Magic Stones.


    The kobolds couldn¡¯t detect my stealth, making them easy targets, and the corrupted earth spirits noticed and reacted the moment I drew my weapon, but they copsed with just a touch, so they were no trouble either.


    There¡¯s a saying that the easiest level in the Labyrinth is the second floor.


    The first floor is tough due to inexperience, and the third floor is difficult because the monsters are purely strong and the gimmicks are dangerous.


    The second floor is rtively manageable, with neither particrly strong monsters nor significant traps, and by then, one has enough experience to handle it easily¡­


    I was beginning to understand that saying. I thought I had breezed through the first floor except for the King of Thorns, but the second floor is even easier.


    Of course, the story would change if I encountered other monsters.


    For instance, the Spider Queen is a monster that carries dozens of baby spiders.


    I am confident in handling one or two opponents better than anyone, but fighting against multiple enemies makes me uneasy.


    Stealth will be broken after the first few shes, and my stamina is still weakpared to a second-floor adventurer.


    However, I have no intention of progressing that far yet, so it¡¯s not an immediate concern. What I need to do now is.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    ¡°Kokokok¡­!¡±


    Stabbing the back of the kobolds endlessly digging the ground.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make good use of your treasure!¡±


    ¡°Rumble¡­!¡±


    And focusing on robbing the vault of the corrupted earth spirits.


    How many times did I repeat moving without rest until I got tired of piling up the loot?


    ¡°¡­Shadow says it¡¯s full?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Shadow, who had been eating endlessly, dered a strike.


    Come to think of it, we did feed it a lot. I bet today¡¯s earnings match those of the previous week.


    ¡°There¡¯s no helping it. Shall we head back now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. By now, it must be dark up on the surface, so we should hurry if we don¡¯t want to get scolded by Ellie.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always thought this, but both Miss Lydia and Benny seem to like Ellie but are afraid of her. Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a world of women that men just don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°¡­???¡±


    So, what is that supposed to mean?


    No matter how much I probed, Benny wouldn¡¯t tell me the details. As I kept pestering her, we found our way to a nearby Safe Zone. And then¡­


    ¡°Something feels off.¡±


    ¡°This seems like the way we came from, right?¡±


    Despite having the Pathfinding skill, I got lost.


    Something is wrong.

 Chapter 104: Maze (4)

    Chapter 104: Maze (4)


    Finding the way in the Labyrinth is simple.


    Using the sound of the heartbeat of the God of Earthing from the ground and the number of thest Safe Zone passed, you measure your current location and direction.


    Then, you look at the map and head in the desired direction.


    Well. It sounds simple but actually doing it is difficult. But I have a skill called Hesitation-Free Pathfinding.


    Due to its low grade of 2-stars, there is a restriction that I need to know my location and destination urately, but as a skill obtained through gacha, it has never let me down once activated.


    However, no matter how much I walk, the passage never ends.


    ¡°Something is strange.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the way we came?¡±


    We walked for a long time. By now, we should have reached a Safe Zone¡­¡°Benny. You said it seemed like the path we just came from? I can¡¯t distinguish since all the corridors look the same to me. Is there a special way to see it?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing like that. Look at the floor ahead.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s just the floor?¡±


    ¡°No. If you look closely, there¡¯s pink hair lying there. It¡¯s strange for your hair, Jonah, to be on a path we haven¡¯t even gone down yet.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not saying this based on just that one thing. At first, I thought it was a coincidence or I saw it wrong. But feeling uneasy, I kept paying attention as we walked, and saw hair roughly every 3,500 steps. Plus, we haven¡¯t encountered any monsters during that time.¡±


    ¡°Oh my.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but ask, unable to hide my astonishment.


    ¡°Benny¡­how did you know the hair on the floor was pink, or that it was mine?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you been closely observing my hair all this time?!¡±


    ¡°Ehh?¡±


    She shouted while stepping back and pretending to cover herself.


    ¡°Pervert! Hair fetishist! I can¡¯t believe it! I trusted you because you are friends with Ellie and Miss Lydia¡­!¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s not it?!¡±


    ¡°Not it?! If it isn¡¯t, how could you so easily find a hair that fell on the floor and identify whose hair it is? You must have been observing closely all along!¡±


    ¡°Listen to me! High-level adventurers not only have enhanced physical abilities but also incredibly sharp senses!¡±


    ¡°With such heightened senses, you must have inspected my hair! It¡¯s so obvious! You must have thought about licking my hair all over! Or rubbing your face on the top of my head! Or using it as a tissue!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t?! How do you evene up with such thoughts! Aren¡¯t you the biggest pervert here?!¡±


    ¡°Eek! Anyway, everyone knows you¡¯re a pervert, so now you say we should enjoy it together¡­ No! I don¡¯t want to! Don¡¯t do this! I have Ellie, you know.¡±


    ¡°I never said anything like that!¡±


    ¡°B-but there¡¯s only Benny here, and no one wille to help me. Sigh. Fine. If Benny wants it, then just a little¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going crazy¡­.¡±


    Benny eventually gave up, sighing deeply. Alright. Teasing Benny for today ends here. Thanks to that, my slightly shaken mental state is back.


    I rxed my startled expression and smiled as I walked back to Benny¡¯s side.


    ¡°Anyway, I understand that we¡¯re trapped here. Is there a way out?¡±


    ¡°¡­Could it be that you¡¯re also one of those types with a loose screw? There are especially a lot of crazy women among adventurers.¡±


    Benny asked as if in disbelief. I lifted her lips with my index finger, making her smile.


    ¡°Haha! I was joking. What if we¡¯re stuck here forever? Then we should try something naughty before we starve to death.¡±


    ¡°Please, never joke again!¡±


    ¡°Why? It¡¯s so fun!¡±


    ¡°You must have found it fun! I was really troubled, thinking you were truly scared of me.¡±


    ¡°Come on. Then I¡¯ll make it fun for you too, Benny!¡±


    I moved behind Benny and started massaging her shoulders as if gripping them. Her small shoulders were more tensed up than expected.


    <em>Squeeze, squeeze.</em>


    ¡°Hi-ya!¡±


    ¡°Actually, what I said earlier wasn¡¯t entirely untrue. I realized that this passage is repeating, and I understand that we are trapped.¡±


    With the Pathfinding skill, there was no way we would have taken the wrong way.


    But if the path was correct yet kept repeating, it made sense.


    After all, we were on the right path, just unable to reach the destination.


    Continuing to knead Benny¡¯s now docile shoulders like kneading dough, I spoke further.


    <em>Squeeze, squeeze.</em>


    ¡°Hiii-yaa¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying after understanding the situation. If possible, I¡¯ll think about escaping, but if that¡¯s impossible¡­well. Whether I like it or not, I¡¯ll have to live here with Benny until we starve to death, right?¡±


    ¡°Th-the muscles have loosened¡­!¡±


    ¡°But since Benny dislikes it so much, there¡¯s no choice. Let¡¯s find a way to get out of here somehow!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Benny, already slumped like a slime, said nothing.


    Next to her, the real slime, Shadow, who had been watching Benny, quietly extended a tentacle to me.


    It seemed like it wanted a massage too, so I did, but¡­it didn¡¯t have knotted muscles like Benny, so it didn¡¯t really mean much. I mean, does it even have muscles in the first ce?


    However, Shadow seemed to just like the physical contact, purring and making a contented noise.


    After a brief moment, Benny got up, rotating her shoulders and opening her eyes wide.


    ¡°I feel refreshed¡­ No, wait. What¡¯s important now is this space.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Do you have any clues? There didn¡¯t seem to be such a trap on the second floor.¡±


    ¡°Right. This isn¡¯t a trap from the second floor. Maybe it is, but it¡¯s much more likely that it¡¯s the work of someone else.¡±


    ¡°Someone else?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that much. But what is certain is that it¡¯s either a high-level mage who specializes in space or barriers, or an adventurer with special powers.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Then how do we dismantle it?¡±


    ¡°First, we need to find out if it¡¯s Magic or Power. If it¡¯s Magic, we can dismantle it through reverse engineering. If it¡¯s Power, we¡¯ll have to force our way through.¡±


    ¡°Ah-ha? I understand! So, it¡¯s Benny¡¯s turn to step up, right? What should I do?¡±


    ¡°¡­Cheer?¡±


    ¡°Gasp! I was thinking of doing naughty things if we can¡¯t escape from here, but are you saying I should do something naughty as a reward if we seed in escaping?! Vanitas Benibeni¡­scary kid!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a kid! And just treating me to the Fairy and Silver Coin is enough?! For now, you¡¯re a distraction, so go y with Shadow over there!¡±


    Benny made shooing noises with her mouth and waved her hand.


    Looking at Shadow, who was receiving a tentacle massage from me, as if not understanding anything, I asked,


    ¡°Shall we y by ourselves?¡±


    <em>-Grrr.</em>


    I didn¡¯t quite understand, but it seemed to mean yes.<hr>


    How many times had we rolled around and yed on top of Shadow?


    Benny, who had been emitting a faint magical glow while sitting on the floor, finally began to calm down.


    The ceaselessly muttering incantations, and the overwhelming sense of power from the small frame, all vanished.


    Now, the only thing left was Benny, the familiar baby witch who inexplicably wore lewd clothes.


    Sitting on a tentacle transformed into a chair, Shadow stretched and moved me in front of Benny.


    I asked Benny, who looked utterly exhausted.


    ¡°Benny? Did it go well?¡±


    ¡°¡­I think we¡¯re in big trouble.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It was both.¡±


    ¡°¡­???¡±


    ¡°Some crazy mage came to the second floor, severed the passage with a 7th-circle Spatial Magic, and even connected the ends, then fixed it strongly with Power!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­so, we can¡¯t get out?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. It¡¯s just incredibly difficult. This isn¡¯t a case of us getting unlucky and falling into a space distortion, but rather a trap designed from the start to imprison us¡­specifically me.¡±


    ¡°Not us, but you, Benny?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lately, there have been many people targeting me, so I thought it might be The One Who Devours the Twilight again, but it seems different this time.


    Benny ground her shark-like sharp teeth and continued.


    ¡°There is only one person in Pangrave who can wield Spatial Magic to this extent, and the Power felt from the fixed point is a force I¡¯ve encountered before.¡±


    ¡°Who on earth could it be¡­?¡±


    ¡°The Elder of the Magic Tower, Morgana Deathweaver. The Power is probably amplified by a relic, not her own.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a name I¡¯ve never heard before. Does she have a grudge against you, Benny?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m needed for her ambition. Until now, she approached me asking for help with her research, but the contents were all so bizarre that I refused¡­ Now, it seems like she wants to use me as a test subject.¡±


    Benny, clenching her fist tightly, spoke as if spitting her words out.


    ¡°That wretched woman¡¯s research topic is immortality. That¡¯s why she wants to study me, who does not age.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Listening to Benny¡¯s words, I suddenly remembered the hint I had scattered in the Magic Tower.


    The keyword was ¡®failed immortality¡¯.

 Chapter 105: Shh! I’m In S.M.

    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Research on immortality.


    Hearing Benny¡¯s words, I suddenly recalled the hint I had scattered in the Magic Tower.


    If the main keywords of the episode for the elves were the former queen named Eve, and for the Temple, the Pope who joined hands with heretics¡­


    The main keyword for the Magic Tower hint was ¡®failed immortality¡¯.


    Like other settings, I didn¡¯t outline this in detail, but there was one thing. Just one thing. That I had firmly decided on.


    It was the corruption of the Magic Tower.


    The Magic Tower had brought Magic down from miracles to technology, allowing more people to benefit from its grace.


    What if such a Magic Tower, one day, fell into corruption and started using people as ingredients for its technology?Amon clich¨¦, perhaps. But if utilized well, it could be a story everyone loves.


    With that thought, I conceptualized the corruption of the Magic Tower.


    The mages, who abandoned ethics and morals while achieving limited immortality. Once the pride of Pangrave, the Magic Tower began to be called the Axis of Evil¡­


    The protagonist challenges and eventually brings down the Magic Tower, which stood tall for nearly a thousand years, for the sake of a loved one.


    Isn¡¯t it thrilling just to imagine?


    That¡¯s what I thought until I may be the first victim of the Magic Tower¡¯s corruption¡­


    ¡°Benny. You said it would be hard but possible to get out. Is it really going to be okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It would be impossible if I were alone, but with Shadow, escaping is possible.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Why did those words feel so unsettling?


    Benny¡¯s presence stands out too much. A small and young appearance. A hideous monster. And the master who resembles it.


    The nickname ¡°Creepy Witch¡± and the real name ¡°Vanitas Benibeni¡± are both too conspicuous, aren¡¯t they?


    Nevertheless, I have never set up a character named Benny.


    Of course, I¡¯m not saying that the whole world should revolve around my will just because it¡¯s a novel I intended to write.


    I¡¯ve experienced enough to know that the world doesn¡¯t work that way.


    However, Benny¡¯s traits are exceptionally unique, and of all things, the mad mage targeting Benny is researching immortality.


    I can¡¯t stand how much that bothers me.


    Is this really a coincidence? Perhaps, even if not here, Benny would eventually fall victim to Morgana and be an experimental subject.


    Thus, leading to the imperfect yet sessful research on immortality and the corruption of the Magic Tower.


    Such ominous imaginations continue, one after another.


    Benny, noticing my anxiety, just stretched her t chest and smiled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If there¡¯s one thing I can do best in the world, it¡¯s escaping¡­ I¡¯ve already done it once.¡±


    Benny¡¯s smile twisted fiercely, revealing sharp teeth between her lips.


    Her breathing bes rough. Following that breath, the magical glow that had momentarily disappeared flickers and circles around Benny.


    Seeing that, I realized what Benny meant by being the best at escaping.


    To Benny, Magic is a miracle. A lifeline that pulled her out of the despair she thought she could never escape.


    And now. Benny is trying to recreate the first miracle that came to her.


    With a terrifying expression I had never seen before, Benny let her magical power flow in streams.


    At first nce, it seemed as if she couldn¡¯t control her power, but the sense captured by my slightly improved mana sensitivity after learning the 2-star magic refuted this.


    It was a wild, rampaging force like an untamed horse, yet it moved in the direction Benny desired.


    Primal strength. The will to break and devour everything blocking the way and escape.


    Benny, ring into the void, spoke clearly, encapsting all this.


    ¡°No one can imprison us.¡±


    She said she pursued Magic closer to the original source rather than standardized circle magic. Only now do I understand its meaning.


    Benny¡¯s emotions amplified her power, and each word filled with resentment was d in blue magic, etched into the void.


    ¡°No one can hurt us.¡±


    Instinctively, I could tell. This deration itself was a kind of spell.


    I looked at Benny in front of me half with regret, half in awe.


    Shadow, who had taken a ce beside her before I knew it. Its body was seething violently, swelling in size.


    The yful atmosphere up until now had vanished, reced by an eerie atmosphere.


    The glint of hidden fangs shed before me, tentacles melted more grotesquely, and bloodshot eyes split into hundreds, densely filling the space.


    Overwhelmed by an appearance that could be believed to be a monster, I quickly widened the distance.


    Unknown characters zing blue in the air were swiftly sucked into Benny¡¯s hand.


    ¡°So, destroy everything.¡±


    <em>Snap!</em>


    With a short word, Benny snapped her fingers.


    A blue wave spread from her hand, soon converging into a single point, turning into a lightning bolt that filled the entire space with blinding brilliance.


    ¡°Crazy¡­¡±


    I don¡¯t know what kind of Magic that is. But one thing is certain. The power contained within it is enough to forcibly rend space asunder.


    <em>Crack!</em>


    The air actually split open, revealing a rift filled with deep darkness.


    Pale lightning surged in topletely destroy the rift. I tensed my body against the massive torrent of power that I couldn¡¯t even fathom, but only for a moment.


    The rift, which I thought would soon tear open and swallow us, was still holding up well.


    Spewing gray mist from within.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    I realized with an instinctive repulsion felt from the gray mist. That is not a power permitted to humans.


    Benny¡¯s magic, and the Magic felt from the rift, both evoke a sense of awe. However, from that mist, only thick fear and rejection could be felt.


    Death.


    That mist was death itself, well-refined.


    The power of annihtion that brings the end to everything. The alien divine resonance made my eyes widen.


    It is a relic of the God of Death. Without the same density of power, anything that touches it will crumble.


    Fortunately, since Magic is a branch of Power, Benny¡¯s lightning was fiercely contending with the mist of death.


    I understood why Benny said it was ¡®fixed¡¯ with the power of the relic.


    That Power probably annihted even the Magic that severed this space.


    A space where the beginning and the end are dead, leaving only the result. Breaking through this would not be an easy task, even for Benny.


    It was the moment when I was fiddling with the seed in my pocket, wondering if I should help with something.


    <em>-Kyaaaah!</em>


    With a sound resembling a sharp scream, Shadow lunged toward the crack.


    ¡°Shadow?! Stop!¡±


    Startled, I called out to Shadow, but he ignored me and bit into the crack with his mouth, dripping acidic fluid.


    The moment I braced myself to forcefully pull him away, Benny stopped me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Shadow won¡¯t die¡­ To be precise, it can¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    That¡¯s right. Shadow is something constructed by mixing the corpses of those already dead and forcibly injecting it with life force to make it move.


    It is not a new life born over someone¡¯s death. It is merely a deformity that moves while remaining dead.


    Shadow faces the mist head-on. Upon closer inspection, there are no wounds on its body. No, it seemed to be even more powerful.


    Its countless eyes were beyond bloodshot, glistening with a crimson hue, and the tentacles split and merged at a speed of dozens of times per second, grabbing at the air as if biting at invisible objects.


    And this was very simr to a phenomenon I knew.


    ¡°Rampage¡­?¡±


    A phenomenon seen only in Floor Guardians or some powerful monsters of the deep.


    A type of monster-exclusive ultimate move where madness consuming the body draws out power beyond its limits.


    I suddenly realized. Even though Shadow looked like that, it was an essence-like existence made by condensing the madness of all kinds of monsters.


    The blessing of madness it harbored would not fall short even whenpared to the Floor Guardians of the deep.


    Seeing them fight together, I could understand why Morgana was so obsessed with Benny.


    Benny became an ageless being after the experiment, but she is still mortal, capable of dying if her heart stops or her neck is cut.


    On the other hand, Shadow is unstable and cannot exist without Benny¡­but as long as it has a host, it bes an immortal monster growing stronger with madness instead of dying.


    Each may be iplete on their own, but together they could be considered immortal, which is probably why Morgana was so obsessed.


    I unconsciously clenched my fist and focused on the crack.


    <em>ng!</em>


    With the sound of something breaking, a transparent something surrounded the area like mes and then disappeared.


    What emerged from the haze was the same scenery as before.


    There was an unfamiliar figure at the other end of the passage this time.


    A middle-aged woman in a traditional but mboyant mage robe.


    Benny staggered towards her a step, who wore a surprised expression. Still baring her sharp shark teeth.


    ¡°You bitch! Aren¡¯t you ashamed to be setting traps on the second floor, you woman with milk jugs on your chest? Thanks to you, a poor boy almost died¡­ What? Jo-Jonah? Where did you go?!¡±


    Benny, flustered, looked around after trying to appear cool.


    I whispered softly into Benny¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Shh! I¡¯m in stealth mode.¡±

 Chapter 106: Shh! I’m In S.M. (2)

    Chapter 106: Shh! I¡¯m In S.M. (2)


    ¡°Jo-Jonah? Where did you go?!¡±


    Benny, who was in the middle of showing off, looked around in confusion.


    I whispered softly into her ear.


    ¡°Shh! I¡¯m in stealth mode.¡±


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    Even in this situation, her ears being ticklish was inevitable. Benny squirmed and made a strange noise.


    However, she seemed to have the sense that she couldn¡¯t show any weakness to the opponent in front of her. She widened her eyes and gritted her teeth, managing to suppress her ticklishness.


    That sight made her look as if she was trying hard to quell her rising anger¡­ It seemed I wasn¡¯t the only one who thought so, as Morgana¡¯s lips curled into a smirk.


    ¡°Well. Are you ming me for the death you caused with your own hands? Did you really expect that child to be safe after rending through space with force? How foolish. Didn¡¯t I warn you? You¡¯re not a mage.¡±Morganaughed grimly and pulled her staff out. It was an elegantly designed staff, carved from wood and adorned with gold. The transparent gem at the tip was cut in multiple facets, boasting a dazzling brilliance.


    Though momentarily captivated by the expensive-looking staff, it became apparent that the staff wasn¡¯t the only extravagant item.


    The robe draped over her body was a traditional but magnificent mage¡¯s robe, white with gold embroidery.


    However, the material, which seemed unusual and ominous, and the densely packed magical runes, almost imperceptible unless closely observed, suggested that this was no ordinary item either.


    I remember Lydia telling me once. The items sold at the Magic Tower are not only expensive, but there are also things that can¡¯t be bought with money. And she said that¡¯s the real deal.


    In other words, it¡¯s not surprising if the artifacts are of a much higher level than those on the market.


    It must have an incredible defense enchantment that surpasses Lydia¡¯s bikini armor.


    I can¡¯t be sure, but the chances are low that a woman who has reached that age and status on the Pan Continent is a virgin.


    As long as I can stab her with the Unicorn Dagger, I can deal a fatal blow. Yes. If I can just stab it in. Though it¡¯s highly likely to be blocked.


    As I squinted and pondered how to create an opening, Benny shouted in a fierce voice.


    ¡°If you die, you won¡¯t be a mage either! Shadow! Devour that damned woman!¡±


    <em>-Kurrr!</em>


    I thought I had gotten quite strong, but Shadow threw its body at an invisible speed.


    But as expected, Morgana¡¯s robe glowed, forming a translucent barrier around her.


    Blocked by this, Shadow made a st sound, spreading widely in the air like mud hitting a ss dome.


    The incessant grinding sound. The sound of the sharp teeth, which had grown to fill its entire body, gnawing at Morgana¡¯s shield.


    However, it was not the usual sound of teeth I knew. It was an ominous roar, like the twisting of dragon bones.


    With the noise and Shadow¡¯s body blocking Morgana¡¯s sight and hearing, Benny urgently whispered.


    ¡°Run away!¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Jonah, this is not a fight for you to get involved in! If you really get caught up in this, it could be dangerous, so run away from here immediately!¡±


    ¡°How can I run away and leave Benny behind? I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something I can do¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­No! To be honest, it¡¯s a hindrance! We can¡¯t focus on our full strength while worrying about you, Jonah, when we don¡¯t even know where you are! And Lydia asked me to ensure your safety.¡±


    Benny, ring towards Morgana, said this. But the hand she was gripping tightly was trembling slightly.


    Ah, is that it?


    Being told to run away because it¡¯s dangerous, but not going and ending up in danger together, the heroine.


    At that moment I paused, having never thought I¡¯d be in such a position. Benny, perhaps interpreting my silence in some way, added in a much gentler voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to just go. Go and bring Ellie. You¡¯re good at finding your way, right?¡±


    ¡°But Benny, you just used a big spell back to back and got really tired. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Who do you think I am?¡±


    Benny, with the witch hat pulled down snug. The purple hair peeking out fell onto the dress clinging to her body.


    Only the heart-shaped pupils gleamed chillingly in the shadows.


    ¡°Win.¡±


    That single word became a spell that wrapped around Benny. Shrouded in a golden glow, Benny scattered a strong presence as if she were the center of this space¡­


    Why is it? The deration that should be grand sounds hollow.


    With a sense of foreboding, I forced my lips to move.


    ¡°¡­Got it. I¡¯ll be back soon, so please hang in there.¡±


    As if saying to go quickly, Benny waved her hand instead of answering.


    In any case, it was indeed dangerous, so I created some distance. Has the battle really started? Loud explosions and vibrations could be felt from behind me.


    Strangely, the intermittent screams and impacts vanished as if they had never existed. The feeling of repeatedly ying and pausing, only then did I recall Morgana¡¯s specialty.


    Spatial Magic must be having some influence.


    I deliberately didn¡¯t look back. To focus solely on getting out of here, as Benny said.


    Gradually, when I could no longer hear the aftermath of the battle behind me or Benny¡¯s curses.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Suddenly. Without any warning. The anxiousness that weighed heavily on my heart spread throughout my body like wildfire.


    The sensation of my breath hitching in my throat. My mind filled with just one thought that this shouldn¡¯t be happening.


    And this unknown anxiousness soon took on a distinct form.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    An image shed through my mind with a brief headache.


    Just like being sliced by an invisible sword, she is being cut into pieces at the same speed I was running.


    Despite having her limbs severed, Benny does not bleed a single drop, and Shadow wails mournfully at her.


    A monster, indistinguishable whether it resembles the frenzied Benny or the frantic Shadow.


    A rejuvenated Morgana exults while looking at her own skin, only for it to boil and countless eyes to emerge.


    Ellie and I biting our lips in front of Benny¡¯s corpse, which has an empty heart.


    Countless horrific scenes repeatedly sh and disappear in my mind.


    In reality, only a few seconds have passed. But the hallucination, which felt like itsted almost an hour, finally ends, and a passage surrounded by dirt fills my vision.


    A head blurred and cloudy as if shrouded in fog. Breathing heavily like someone utterly exhausted, the scenes from just moments ago start to fade from memory, and rity begins to return.


    As my mind fullyes back, all that remains is the impression of having seen something horrifying; no detailed memories exist.


    As if it had been my delusion from the very beginning.


    ¡°What is this¡­¡±


    In confusion, I ced one hand on the wall and clutched my head. Instinctively, I knew from the anxiousness clinging like embers at the bottom.


    That something did indeed happen a moment ago. And that it should not be ignored.


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, I tried to sort out the situation for a moment.


    If I am there, Benny cannot fight properly, even if present, I cannot intervene.


    However, if things continue like this, I feel like something bad is going to happen. This is not just a simple illusion.


    ¡°Damn it.¡±


    So what do you want me to do? If neither side is the right answer, I don¡¯t know what you expect me to do.


    I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m suddenly feeling this unease and d¨¦j¨¤ vu that I¡¯ve never felt before.


    Is this some kind of magic? A brainwashing app¡­or some kind of mental magic that calls back witnesses?


    Frustration turns into anger, and my hands, not knowing what to do, rummage through my pockets.


    Of course, there¡¯s nothing to find. Just some simple snacks, a smooth stone given by Shadow as a gift, and some crossbow bolts ready to be loaded at any time.


    Since I got the Subspace Ring, I¡¯ve put all the important things in the subspace.


    Knowing it was meaningless, how many times did I rummage through the subspace?


    <em>Squish.</em>


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    A soft sensation in my hand. There is only one thing that feels as soft as human flesh.


    The fully upgraded Goddess Statue.


    However, the touch I feel at my fingertips is slightly strange. It¡¯s not the usual posture with slightly open arms, as if to hug me.


    Curious, I take it out, and the Goddess Statue is sping her hands together in front of her chest, as if in prayer.


    What¡¯s this? Is it a desperate prayer meta to spin the gacha?


    But all the Magic Stones I¡¯ve collected so far are with Shadow. All I have now is the emergency fund of 1 silver coin tucked in the sole of my shoe.


    Just in case, I tried a single spin.


    <em>Ding!</em>


    [1 Star: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    ¡°Darn it!¡±


    This isn¡¯t it either.


    Then what on earth is that prayer for¡­


    I hesitated for only a moment while chewing on the Magic Herb. I finally recalled the function of the Goddess Statue that I hadn¡¯t used well until now.


    If I pray to the Goddess Statue that became a holy relic through refinement, I can build a mini sanctuary.


    Normally, it would only boost physical abilities and regenerative powers¡­but this is a Labyrinth.


    It¡¯s the tomb of Gods, where the Goddess of Love sacrificed herself and secluded them, a ce that shouldn¡¯t exist, given rules by the intertwined space and time.


    And Morgana is a being that mainly uses Spatial Magic.


    ¡°Aha?¡±


    I finally understood what the Goddess was trying to say.


    ¡°Sigh. Would it kill you to exin things a bit more simply?¡±


    Grumbling, I turned back the way I came from,


    no longer feeling anxious.

 Chapter 107: Shh! I’m In S.M. (3)

    Chapter 107: Shh! I¡¯m In S.M. (3)


    When pushed into extreme situations, some people crumble, while others burn even brighter.


    Though she might deny it, Vanitas Benibeni was also one of those types.


    ¡°Break! Sever! And boil over!¡±


    Too reckless to be called an incantation. But for Benny, Magic was inherently like that.


    Desperately yearning, drawing out the hidden desires deep within and painting over reality with miracles.


    An ignorant fool who knew nothing became a mage that way.


    In that sense, it¡¯s not surprising that the Magic painted on the canvas of reality touches Benny¡¯s darkest memories.


    A gigantic chunk of meat in the shape of a fist suddenly appeared in the air and fell, the jaws of a translucent beast snapped shut, and blood-mixed mud that melted everything it touched churned on the ground.


    And the entity that put the finishing touch on Benny¡¯s previously casted magic,bining them into one. It was Shadow.<em>-Kyaaaak!</em>


    A sharp scream resembling a shriek. It didn¡¯t resemble any existing creature, yet parts of it seemed like they could belong to any creature.


    No, should this entity even be called a living being?


    Itcked any essential organs for sustaining life and only possessed organs meant for hunting its prey.


    It moved as if alive, but even if half its body evaporated, it would soon bubble and regenerate, resembling a phenomenon more than a creature.


    This is a bizarre phenomenon far beyond humanprehension, and ordinary people feel a sense of repulsion towards such things.


    Surely, this is why people call Benny and Shadow the Creepy Witch.


    In contrast, Morgana simply smiled gracefully, as if she didn¡¯t feel such instinctive repulsion.


    ¡°Regardless of the potential you hold, I¡¯ve never liked you. How can you be socking in dignity?¡±


    Morgana waved her staff elegantly. With just that, the surrounding space began to align in a certain order and then connected.


    The fleshy giant¡¯s arm crushed the beast¡¯s maw, and the blood-mixed mud obstructed Shadow¡¯s path.


    Morgana effortlessly used Benny¡¯s attack against her.


    The lofty attitude, as if no filth could ever touch her, was like the embodiment of what people often called ¡®magehood¡¯.


    However, to Benny, such elegance was nothing but needless affectation.


    Magic is longing, desire, and hope. And collectively, it is called a Miracle.


    ¡°Shut up, you old hag! Missing your youth at your age? There¡¯s not a single woman who doesn¡¯t know that you seduce the male disciples of the Magic Tower with that pretentious face of yours!¡±


    Benny spat and cursed, raising her middle finger high. Astonishingly, it became a seal.


    The crushed flesh on the ground twitched, spitting white bone fragments out from within.


    Shadow swallowed the bloody mud, which was more corrosive than acid, and swelled evenrger.


    Benny no longer wished for pure strength as she did when she escaped the ce she was held in istion.


    But Magic to kill the opponent in front of her.


    And the closest image of death to Benny was formed in her childhood and has not changed until now.


    Disassembled, continued, and eventually evolving life.


    That is Benny¡¯s power and the trauma she dredged up from the bottom.


    Bones born from the flesh sharpened like spears, dividing into dozens and hundreds, writhing like living snakes.


    The body of Shadow, swollen several times its size to fill the entire passage, had countless eyes bubbling and bursting repeatedly.


    Thus, the acidic fluid slowly continued to rise from the floor.


    Benny was disgustingly but effectively coloring the surrounding area with death.


    Anyone would have trembled at the sight, but Morgana remainedposed.


    For her, Magic was a field of study, a skill, and thus the more time she invested, the more intricate and powerful it became.


    And Morgana had prepared extensively for today, to capture Benny.


    Though she had to act swiftly upon hearing that she suddenly headed to the second floor instead of the usual deep Labyrinth.


    This caused some trouble with the other mages of the foolish Tower¡­


    Nevertheless, Morgana could fully unleash the magic she had long prepared for Benny.


    Morgana was confident. She was certain that neither Benny nor anyone else could escape her trap.


    ¡°Poor beast. I will restore your usefulness.¡±


    Morgana shook her head and lightly tapped the floor with her staff.


    <em>Tap tap.</em>


    An enchanted circle that started at Morgana¡¯s feet expanded explosively, creating a domain.


    A translucent barrier rose above the enchanted circle filled with runes and unknown shapes.


    A realm that permits no filth. It was as if an isted, separate space was engulfing the surroundings.


    ¡°This crazy bitch¡­¡±


    Benny ground her teeth, sharp like those of a shark.


    It was understandable since it was swallowing the environment she and Shadow had painstakingly created.


    Desperately, they fired grotesque spells and sometimes Shadow tried to hold on with its body, but they were ultimately pushed back.


    Benny was not weak. Her desire was intense, and Shadow¡¯s madness was vicious, but¡­


    The problem is that Morgana already knew about this and had prepared countermeasures.


    A domain created solely to incapacitate Benny and Shadow. Within it, the power of its master, Morgana, is amplified, while her enemies be infinitely weaker.


    Benny let out a deep sigh at the magic that didn¡¯t move as intended and the increasingly blurry vision.


    ¡°Life is a bitch.¡±


    Resignation. Yet, Benny¡¯s eyes were filled with determination not to end it like this.


    Even without the Demonic Eye, the subus¡¯s eyes glowed wickedly with heart-shaped pupils as they red at Morgana.


    Of course, Morgana just sneered in response.


    ¡°The experiment subject is quite arrogant.¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling an experiment subject!¡±


    Benny growled, biting her own wrist to draw blood. She scattered it widely and poured out the forcibly drawn mana.


    ¡°Oh, flower that blooms by devouring corpses!¡±


    In an instant, the blood drops turn ck and rot. Inside, something like pus forms and then swells at an incredible speed.


    A shape resembling a flower. But the stench emanating from it was enough to shake even the most mentally resilient mage¡­.


    Morgana had prepared for this as well.


    ¡°The magic you use. No, calling it magic is too generous. I have understood all the miracles you desperately cling to.¡±


    The gem at the end of the staff shines multi-dimensionally like a well-cut diamond. Its brilliance amplifies madly and soon reaches Benny¡¯s corpse flower. And then.


    <em>nk.</em>


    With the sound of chains, Benny¡¯s magic freezes in ce. Shortly after, the sound of something breaking can be heard from within.


    <em>Creak¡­ Crack!</em>


    Dozens, hundreds, thousands¡­perhaps even more pieces shattering into fragments from Benny¡¯s magic.


    Even those fragments began to crumble and scatter like sand somewhere.


    That was the end. The magic Benny cast at the cost of her own life disappeared without a trace.


    Morgana, standing with her staff, looked down at Benny with aloofness.


    ¡°Your eyes still show no signs of giving up. But this is the end. Just because you do not age or die, doesn¡¯t mean you have no other recourse.¡±


    Morgana flicked her fingers. A translucent guillotine-like object appeared behind her.


    ¡°¡­Spatial Severance.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s the pinnacle of Spatial Magic, even a beast¡¯s dull mind can grasp that. And it will also be the pincers to preserve you wretches.¡±


    Getting struck by spatial slicing does not mean death. It is not Benny¡¯s body that gets cut but the space surrounding her.


    She just continues to live in pieces. Until Morgana allows her death.


    ¡°So there¡¯s a woman more disgusting than me.¡±


    Benny grits her teeth and sneers.


    Not all of her strength is exhausted yet. But what does it matter? Just because the time of resistance is prolonged doesn¡¯t mean the situation will be overturned.


    Although she had sent Jonah up, it was to save the young boy, not because she really thought Ellie woulde and help.


    She didn¡¯t even know how much help Ellie would be if she were here.


    That¡¯s how special Morgana¡¯s magic was, and her preparation was thorough.


    ¡°¡­Shadow.¡±


    <em>-Grr.</em>


    Shadow, whose spirit seemed crushed, as if just existing was painful, wriggled and clung to Benny¡¯s side.


    Right. Even if the oue is predetermined, she couldn¡¯t just sit back and take it. At the very least, she had to leave a scratch on that annoying face.


    It was the moment she resolved to fight until the end.


    ¡°Hmm? An assassin?¡±


    Morgana frowned. This is her domain. No matter how exceptional their stealth abilities, no one can escape the master¡¯s senses.


    Morgana pointed her staff toward the empty space beside Benny.


    A transparent glow shed, and a bullet that distorted the space was fired. And then.


    <em>Paaat!</em>


    A massive holy power suddenly burst forth from seemingly nowhere.


    A pink aura colored the pure white domain. In the center stood Jonah, whom she thought had already left.


    No matter how solid the substance, the moment it touched the divine power radiating from Jonah at the center of the spatial magic, it melted away like snow.


    As if such magic had never existed.


    Jonah, who denied the spatial magic head-on. He raised the corners of his mouth, his pink hair fluttering, resembling the radiance of divine power.


    The gesture of half-covering his mouth and giggling was a bonus.


    ¡°Pa~thetic. Pa~thetic. You call this magic?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Lousy form! Mana premature ejaction! Apologize! Apologize to the God of Magic for using such trashy magic!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Now, at this moment. Benny didn¡¯t care why Jonah had returned, what the divine power enveloping his body was, or how he had nullified the spatial magic.


    She just wanted to give him a good knock on the head despite being an ally.

 Chapter 108: Shh! I’m In S.M. (4)

    Chapter 108: Shh! I¡¯m In S.M. (4)


    After running back for a while, I arrived at the battle scene.


    Benny and Morgana were nowhere to be seen. The only thing present was arge white cube.


    I swallowed hard as I looked at the cube, which seemed to ripple like a separate space.


    At a nce, it seemed dangerous to enter it. In that case, I should hide my body first.


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    My breathing slowed, and my every movement lost its sense of discord. It felt natural just to be there.


    At first nce, it seemed like I had blended in with the surroundings, but my senses felt a strange istion from the environment as I threw myself into the cube.


    ¡°¡­Shadow.¡±


    And there, with the unique cold gaze of someone prepared to die, was Benny.I knew it. It¡¯s lucky I arrived just in time.


    Letting out a sigh of relief inwardly, I instinctively kicked off the ground. If I approach quickly like this, deploy the Sanctuary, and stab the heart from behind¡­.


    ¡°Hmm? An assassin?¡±


    Morgana frowned and pointed her staff directly at me.


    As expected. This entire white space is her domain.


    Grasping the fully upgraded Goddess Statue, I prayed to the Goddess of Love who would be watching over me from the deepest part of the Labyrinth.


    ¡°Help me.¡±


    <em>Paaat-!</em>


    In response to my short plea, the statue burst forth with intense divine power. By the time I passed Benny, my entire body was enveloped in a pink radiance. And then.


    <em>Fwoosh.</em>


    The translucent bullet was caught in the light and vanished.


    Simultaneously, the concealment that had been cloaking me began to unravel. With this much divine power scattered around, it was natural that I couldn¡¯t remain hidden.


    I quickly racked my brain within the radiant glow of divine power.


    I don¡¯t know the exact principles, but Morgana¡¯s spatial magic is nullified within the Sanctuary. It¡¯s probably due to the power that fixes the Labyrinth¡¯s space-time in a ¡®normal form¡¯.


    Spatial Magic, after all, twists ordinary space ording to the caster¡¯s will to produce the desired result.


    However, this only applies to the small Sanctuary spread around me. Even if I¡¯m safe, Benny might not be.


    And that translucent guillotine-like shimmer behind Morgana. The pressure emanating from it was no joke.


    In short, I have to draw her attention.


    I have to scratch and irritate her so much that Morgana can¡¯t even think about targeting Benny.


    I had never detailed the settings for Morgana, so I didn¡¯t know what kind of character she was¡­but I did establish that the elders of the Magic Tower took great pride in their magic.


    At a nce, it¡¯s a natural setting. However, given my past experience, where any explicitly stated setting I created was strictly adhered to, it was worth trying.


    In my mind, I conjured up the most infuriating character type I knew.


    As the radiance scattered by the Sanctuary began to dissipate, I had already be the character I imagined.


    ¡°Pa~thetic. Pa~thetic. You call this magic?¡±


    Though I should have been looking up, I cast a condescending gaze.


    It didn¡¯t end there. I lightly bowed my upper body, as if leaning in. Though I covered it with my hand, my twisted smirk was clearly visible.


    Morgana¡¯s eyes widened at the rude behavior that seemed to take adults lightly. Hmm. That¡¯s why her wrinkles look even more pronounced.


    Nodding to myself inwardly, I added a bit of nuance here.


    That absolute certainty that even if you¡¯re pissed, you can¡¯t do anything about it! In other words, an atmosphere that calls for some serious schooling.


    ¡°Lousy form! Premature mana ejaction! Apologize! Apologize to the God of Magic for using such trashy magic!¡±


    ¡°You damn fucking brat¡­!¡±


    The reaction was immediate.


    Well, how many mages wouldn¡¯t get pissed when someone nullifies their magic in their own domain and taunts them with ¡®You have no talent, you can¡¯t use magic¡¯ in a bratty tone?


    Benny, who was standing behind, clenched her fist tightly, unable to resist my wide-area provocation, but that¡¯s not important right now.


    ¡°Oh yes. Let¡¯s see if you can handle this too!¡±


    <em>Tap tap.</em>


    Morgana tapped the floor twice with her staff. At the same time, a translucent wall surrounded me. I was trapped inside a cubic box.


    <em>Tap tap.</em>


    When Morgana tapped the floor again, the walls began to close in rapidly. It looked as if the space itself was tightening, trying to crush me.


    If this continues, I¡¯ll end up as 100% Jonah juice.


    That is, if the Goddess of Love hadn¡¯t backed me up.


    <em>Wooong-</em>


    With a faint resonant sound, the walls of space disappeared without a trace. Morgana, whose magic was fundamentally negated, squinted.


    ¡°The first time, I thought it was a hidden trick. But now I see. The Goddess of Love is using her power directly. However, the Goddess no longer has the strength to interfere¡­.¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey.¡±


    Morgana¡¯s words were interrupted as I approached. The figure did not lower its guard towards me nor did it retreat.


    I openly waved my hand at Morgana. It looked like she was holding something and shaking it up and down.


    It seemed like she was tapping the floor with the staff a moment ago, but it also appeared to have a slightly different meaning.


    ¡°What was that knock just now? Nothing happened¡­ Was it the sound of dentures ttering?¡±


    ¡°Wh-what?¡±


    I giggled tantly at the figure who seemed startled by the mention of dentures.


    ¡°Or¡­was it the sound of you getting off with the staff because you have no man?¡±


    ¡°Scoundrel! I understand that Spatial Magic does not work! Can you ovee even this with the Goddess¡¯s radiance?¡±


    Morgana shouted furiously, swinging the staff widely. A long crack followed the trajectory, and arge golem crawled out from within. However.


    ¡°Shadow?¡±


    <em>-Kishaaa!</em>


    On this side there is Shadow.


    Shadow, looking even more horrific than thest time I saw it, swiftly attacks the dashing, knight-like golem.


    Shadow swells up and devours the golem whole. From inside, the sound of something breaking can be heard.


    <em>Crack. Snap.</em>


    When Shadow returned to its original size, only a few scattered fragments remain on the ground.


    ¡°How, how did that immortal beast¡­?¡±


    Morgana is astonished. I sp my hands in front of my chest as if in prayer, smirking.


    ¡°Chicken coop? Old fart? Despite all their techniques and knowledge, you¡¯re but a pathetic mage who can¡¯t do anything in the face of a true miracle?¡±


    A deliberately sweet voice squeezed out. But for Morgana, who was filled with pride to the extent of seeking immortality through her magic, it was the most irritating voice in the world.


    ¡°Why learn magic? A single prayer can undo everything.¡±


    ¡°¡­I will kill you!¡±


    This time, Morgana raised her staff high. From the gem at its tip, a pure light emanated, and countless cracks formed behind her.


    Golems that looked significantly smaller and weaker than before, and magic devices that began to resemble cannons.


    These were not spells that twisted space directly, but ones that invoked pure physical force and destructive power.


    Naturally, such things couldn¡¯t be blocked by a Sanctuary. However.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle that with Shadow! I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but Jonah, you take down that bitch in the meantime!¡±


    ¡°Aha!¡±


    A smile not meant to provoke or lull Morgana into a false sense of security, but one born from genuine intent.


    ¡°I nned to do that from the beginning.¡±


    From the start, I provoked and lulled her into a false sense of security, all to close the distance.


    Agility gained from the Pickpocketing Skill. The physical abilities developed over time. Buffs received within the Sanctuary. And the recent acquisition of a pinky nail-sized aura for momentary enhancement.


    Taking all of this into ount, the result was a single step.


    With just one step, I could bridge the gap between Morgana and me.


    Above all, Morgana was only wary of the Goddess¡¯s power, not me as a person, so I could definitely reach her at least once.


    I lean my body as if to fall. The center of gravity rapidly shifts forward. Stretching my leg as if to brace myself, I unleashed all the aura in a single kick.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    I was surprised by my own speed. Morgana¡¯s eyes widened as she found herself within arm¡¯s reach.


    However, she was undeniably a mage who had reached the realm of superhumans.


    The mana within her body strengthened her just by existing. Though she couldn¡¯t bepared to a knight of the same rank, she was more than capable of killing a second-floor adventurer.


    Yes. If it were an ordinary second-floor adventurer.


    <em>Swish!</em>


    The staff swung at a threatening speed. I reached out with my empty hand.


    My fingertips moved so quickly they became a blur. My fingers, long idle in their primary trade, naturally pickpocketed the staff from Morgana.


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    Morgana was flustered. If I stabbed her in the heart with the Unicorn Dagger, it would end here¡­but, unfortunately, that was impossible.


    Because I was discovered before I could draw my dagger, I deployed the Sanctuary first.


    Since the Subspace Ring is also a space magic, it cannot be opened until the Sanctuary¡¯s duration ends.


    So this time, he had no choice but to use another weapon.


    He raised his heavy left hand and aimed at Morgana¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Die.¡±


    A crossbow fired with a flick of the wrist.


    <em>Shoo-shoo-shoo!</em>


    The arrow flew through the air. At the same time, Morgana¡¯s robe shone brightly, but only shone and did not generate a barrier.


    As expected from seeing it block Shadow¡¯s teeth¡­ It seems the magic enchanted on the robe is also Spatial Magic.


    In the end, Morgana was defenselessly pierced through the heart by an ordinary arrow.


    ¡°Ugh¡­! I-I can¡¯t believe this¡­.¡±


    Morgana muttered in disbelief. Soon, her eyes filled with malice.


    ¡°I can¡¯t die like this¡­!¡±


    Morgana clenched her fist tightly and mimicked pulling something.


    The de of the translucent guillotine, which had been standing silently behind her, fell.


    <em>Slice.</em>


    There was a sound of something being cut, even though nothing was ced on the guillotine.


    I don¡¯t know what it was, but something just happened. And if given more time, she will continue her final struggle.


    Those with high realms have tenacious vitality, prolonging their time before death.


    So what is needed is a finishing blow.


    ¡°Stop doing useless things and just die!¡±


    I struck Morgana¡¯s crown with the staff I had taken.


    <em>Smack!</em>


    ¡°Even if you seed in using Benny and Shadow as test subjects, you will fail anyway, so just die!¡±


    <em>Smack! Smack!</em>


    The transparent jewel at the end of the staff dented Morgana¡¯s crown.


    Seeing the upturned eyes, she seemed dead¡­ but just in case, I kept striking her.


    Wasn¡¯t she the one researching immortality? She might have some insurance.


    <em>Thud! Thud! St!</em>


    There was the sound of something breaking. As the sound of impact started to mix with wetness and the sttering blood began to warm my cheeks, I finally stopped my hands.


    Alright. With this much, it shouldn¡¯t be able toe back as a Duhan.


    Smiling with satisfaction, I kicked what used to be Morgana once more and turned around.


    ¡°Benny! We won!¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah, yeah.¡±


    Benny, with a somewhat disgusted expression, avoided my gaze.


    How very harsh.

 Chapter 109: A Room You Cant Leave Without S.M.

    Chapter 109: A Room You Can''t Leave Without S.M.


    ¡°Benny! We won!¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah, yeah.¡±


    Benny, with a somewhat exhausted expression, avoided my gaze.


    So harsh.


    I pouted inwardly for a moment.


    <em>Woooong-</em>


    The divine power that was emanating from the Goddess statue in my arms began to wane.


    At the same time, the Sanctuary that was pushing away this white space gradually shrank and soon disappeared entirely.


    With the enhanced physical abilities and regeneration gone, my body suddenly felt heavy. It was hard to breathe due to theck of energy.A kind of bacsh. But that¡¯s not important right now.


    ¡°Ba-ba-da-bum! Jonny Boy has obtained an expensive staff!¡±


    I raised Morgana¡¯s staff high, speaking in the style of a ssic RPG game.


    The transparent, shining jewel had turned red, but it still looked to be an incredibly expensive magical artifact.


    Since it was something used by an elder of the Magic Tower, selling it would fetch an enormous amount of gold. Even if it was too pricey to sell, I could just use it myself.


    Considering the majesty of Morgana, who manipted space as if it were her own without any special incantation, it was definitely worth it.


    Giggling, I ced the staff into the now essible Subspace Ring.


    Benny fought alongside me, but I yed the most crucial role, so this much should be fine, right???


    With that thought, I nced at Benny cautiously. But¡­


    ¡°Con¡­congrattions?¡±


    Benny trembled like a frightened person, stepping back nervously.


    ¡­No way, she¡¯s still acting like that?


    ¡°Benny. I¡¯m a bit hurt.¡±


    ¡°Wha-what?!¡±


    ¡°Why are you avoiding me? I ran all the way here to save Benny!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not avoiding you! It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    ¡°Just what?¡±


    ¡°My body feels strange. I can¡¯t make eye contact. When I try, I start trembling¡­¡±


    ¡°Gasp! Could it be that you¡¯ve fallen for me?! Oh dear. This is troublesome. I already have Ellie.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that! ¡­But I really don¡¯t know why this is happening. It feels like my body isn¡¯t mine. I don¡¯t know if I should say it¡¯s be overly sensitive or soft¡­¡±


    I carefully observed Benny, who tilted her head in confusion.


    Her dress, already clinging tightly to her body, was now soaked with sweat, revealing even more of her figure.


    To the extent that the shape of her navel was clearly visible through the fabric.


    Of course, it was the same for other parts as well. What was at most knowing how modest Benny¡¯s chest was, had now reached the level of knowing that Benny was only wearing nipple patches instead of underwear.


    The im about how small and cute her butt was, had now reached the level of knowing she was wearing a thong.


    Nodding, I recorded every piece of new information in my brain.


    ¡°Benny¡¯s body originally seemed soft and sensitive though?¡±


    ¡°¡­???¡±


    Benny was bewildered and did not understand what I was suddenly talking about. Well, that¡¯s not important right now, so I decided to switch topics.


    ¡°So, to summarize, Benny is currently vulnerable to psychological stimuli, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Morgana cast a spatial cut at the end, didn¡¯t she? Do you know what she cut?¡±


    ¡°Spatial severance? Could it be that the guillotine that was quietly behind you was a spatial severance spell?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not exactly sure, but ever since it activated, I feel like my condition has be strange.¡±


    Benny, usually full of confidence, repeatedly puffed out her t chest proudly, only to shrink back in surprise.


    It crossed my mind that she was boasting about a figure that wasn¡¯t much to boast about, but I didn¡¯t voice it.


    Solving the problem at hand is more important right now¡­. It¡¯s not because I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to see it again if I point it out!


    ¡°Could it be a mental magic spell?¡±


    ¡°Not sure. Probably not, though? Morgana was exclusively specialized in spatial magic, and while she also dabbled in rted fields like time magic and rejuvenation research, she never delved into mental magic.¡±


    ¡°¡­Time magic?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Space and time are closely rted. But you won¡¯t be able to use such great magic. At best, you can only elerate or decelerate the flow of time for yourself.¡±


    It cannot be applied to others or objects. Only a slight maniption of one¡¯s own time.


    That¡¯s all the time magic allowed to mortals.


    It¡¯s not that there are restrictions or that it¡¯s a forbidden, dangerous power.


    Purely because it¡¯s so difficult that no mage has aplished more until the day they die.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably why Morgana used magic directly without any incantations. She must have elerated her own time to assist the calctions in her head.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, she never chanted spells or formed seals. She just summoned pre-drawn magic circles.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It was possible because the calctions were already perfectlypleted in her mind with elerated thinking. ¡­We got a bit sidetracked, but anyway, Morgana is clueless about mental magic.¡±


    ¡°Then I have no idea what to guess¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Once we get to the surface, there are mages and priests who specialize in treating these unknown status effects. We just need to get out¡­ Do you know the way?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Just follow me and this time¡­oh, um. Wait a moment.¡±


    ¡°Why, why?¡±


    Lowering her voice, Benny flinched, staring endlessly at the ground. As if she sensed something ominous.


    ¡°Hey. Benny. What do we do about this?¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Morgana is dead but this strange space isn¡¯t dissipating.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    Benny jumped up and sat down abruptly, closing her eyes.


    Concentrating in that state, she extends her remaining magical power in all directions. It feels like an invisible hand groping the entire space, inferring its contours.


    How much time has passed like that? Benny, who reopened her eyes, still avoiding my gaze, stared into the void and spoke.


    ¡°¡­I think I know what Morgana cut at the end.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Here.¡±


    ¡°¡­???¡±


    ¡°She cut and isted the space we¡¯re in.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ So it¡¯s simr to when we were trapped without knowing why at the beginning?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Whether it¡¯s being trapped in a repeating corridor connecting the beginning and the end, or being trapped in a realm created by Morgana¡¯s magic, the fact that we¡¯re trapped is the same.¡±


    ¡°Whew. That¡¯s a relief. So, it means we can escape the same way this time too. Of course, that would be after Benny fully recovers.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s the problem because we can¡¯t.¡±


    Benny, with a gloomy expression, hugged her knees. Her slightly exposed ankle looked round and cute.


    ¡°I got separated from Shadow while being isted in this space. The connection isn¡¯t cut, but it feels like he¡¯s far away, out of reach.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t seen Shadow since earlier.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the second problem. This space was originally created to deal with me. Of course, since Morgana is dead, it¡¯s not dangerous¡­ But the nature that restricts my power hasn¡¯t disappeared.¡±


    Benny sighed deeply and buried her face in her knees.


    ¡°My magices from my past. Because I was confined, I¡¯m skilled in magic that destroys things, and since I witnessed many human experiments, I often use magic that utilizes body parts.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, Benny¡¯s magic was quite gruesome. I think it¡¯s unique and interesting, though!¡±


    ¡°Thanks. But this space was created to negate my kind of magic. It doesn¡¯t acknowledge any sort of ugliness. I don¡¯t know what the criteria are, but for someone like me, even moving my magic is difficult.¡±


    ¡°Uh, um. So that means¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It means I can¡¯t force my way out as I did initially. Magic that concentrates pure power might not be restricted, but my magic itself is limited, and even if I somehow create a crack, Shadow, who would rip it open and expand it, is outside.¡±


    Benny trembled, speaking in the most sorrowful voice in the world.


    ¡°Maybe my mind is unstable right now because Shadow is too far away. Ahaha. Isn¡¯t it funny? No matter what, I could only stay sane thanks to Shadow¡¯s erosion.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jonah. You actually came back. You even defeated Morgana. But because of me, you¡¯re trapped and are going to starve to death¡­ I promised to return you safely to Lydia¡­<em>hic</em>.¡±


    Now Benny was outright sobbing.


    Hmm. It does seem like her mind is unstable. No matter how bad it is, to be crying already?


    After a moment of thought, I sat down next to Benny. Then, I took off her witch hat and patted her sweat-soaked purple head lightly.


    ¡°Benny.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t me you, Benny.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Because if that¡¯s the reason, we can escape tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Benny lifts her head abruptly and looks my way. However, perhaps due to her weakened state, she immediately turns her head away as soon as our eyes meet.


    ¡°Wh-what do you mean we can get out tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember how I nullified Morgana¡¯s magic?¡±


    ¡°¡­The power of a miracle?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I opened a small Sanctuary of the Goddess. Inside, with the Goddess¡¯s help, I stabilized the space into its normal form.¡±


    ¡°A Sanctuary?! That¡¯s something that takes several high-ranking priests days of near-ascetic prayer to barely open for a single day!¡±


    ¡°Yep. But since I¡¯m alone, I can only open it for about 15 minutes.¡±


    ¡°Even opening it alone for 15 minutes is unbelievable?!¡±


    <em>Thud.</em>


    Benny, startled, crouched down and performed some kind of amusing trick by hopping on her butt.


    ¡°H-however, since we opened it this time, it will take a long time before we can open it again, right? Okay. Then the key is how we will endure until then. The food we have¡­¡±


    ¡°I can open it once a day though?¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Benny blinked, as if she couldn¡¯t understand what she had just heard.


    I grinned at her.


    ¡°Who am I?¡±


    Then I jabbed my chest with my thumb and continued.


    ¡°The Goddess¡¯s Favored Future Saint.¡±


    Until the Sanctuary¡¯s cooldown resets. About 24 hours to go.


    I smiled broadly at the dumbfounded Benny.


    ¡°So, what shall we y in the meantime? What shall we y?¡±


    A day is long.


    There are many things we can do in that time.

 Chapter 110: A Room You Cant Leave Without S.M. (2)

    Chapter 110: A Room You Can''t Leave Without S.M. (2)


    ¡°Not yet?¡±


    ¡°We, we¡¯re almost there.¡±


    The Guild-affiliated pathfinder answered, trembling to Lydia¡¯s repeated urging.


    ming red hair and eyes of a different hue, standing out starkly alone. Her chest, proudly revealed thanks to her bikini armor, shook violently with her hurried steps.


    Though short in stature, the sight of her carrying a massive greatsword on her shoulder was nothing short of intimidating.


    In fact, she possessed the power of a walking heavy weapon and was recklessly exuding her aura, unlike her usual self.


    To be precise, it would be more urate to say she couldn¡¯t control her aura and it was spilling everywhere.


    The reason was simple. A request from the Guild. A crazy mage who killed five senior mages of the Magic Tower, stole the divine artifact they were guarding, and the highest-grade Magic Stone, and then fled.


    The result of tracking Morgana Deathweaver indicated she had headed to the second floor of the Labyrinth.That¡¯s right. The same second floor where Jonah and Benny are adventuring.


    Most of those who cause trouble in Pangrave and run away, head to the Labyrinth.


    The city¡¯s security system is more robust than one can imagine, and even if they manage to escape, there¡¯s no suitable ce to hide.


    Due to the War of the Fallen Gods a thousand years ago, the habitable areas on the continent of Pan have significantly decreased. There were no ces to hide from others¡¯ eyes.


    Thus, they head to the Labyrinth. Especially to the third floor and above, where the map is iplete.


    The Labyrinth is vast,plex, and poses dangers to both the escapee and the pursuer.


    However, those who cause trouble in the first ce are not the kind to fear danger.


    To their eyes, it would look like and of growth as well as a natural trap to fend off pursuers.


    It¡¯s no coincidence that thergest criminal organization on the Pan Continent, One Who Devours the Twilight, is hiding inside the Labyrinth.


    But why would she head to the second floor, where the map ispletely drawn, even though she isn¡¯tcking in ability?


    This means that Morgana didn¡¯t head to the Labyrinth simply to escape.


    And Lydia, who had been in a party with Benny for a long time, knew well that what Morgana wanted most was her party members.


    Benny is in danger. And Jonah, who is by her side, is no exception.


    That ominous fact was driving Lydia¡¯s mind.


    As if to relieve the frustration swirling in her chest, Lydia swiftly cut down the kobold that appeared just in time.


    <em>sh.</em>


    ¡°Wow¡­.¡±


    The monster vanished without even a chance to scream. It is natural for a high-ranking adventurer active on the seventh floor to overpower a monster on the second floor with overwhelming force.


    However, the speed invisible even to the eyes of a mid-tier adventurer of the fourth floor, who had officially received the title of ¡®Pathfinder¡¯ from the Guild for his tracking and trap-disarming skills, was certainly astonishing.


    Of course, Lydia couldn¡¯t even afford the time to be impressed.


    ¡°Just focus on finding the way. Which way at the next fork?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes! Turn left!¡±


    The Pathfinder was tracing Morgana¡¯s tracks as quickly as possible. Watching this, the high-ranking adventurer who also received a request from the Guild, ¡®Barbarian Hippolyte¡¯, clicked her tongue.


    ¡°Tsk tsk. Why are you bullying that poor guide? You seem unusually sensitive today¡­frustrated?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°Hey. No way. Even the most noble knight has desires, right? If you¡¯re embarrassed, just leave it to this sister. I can satisfy even someone who¡¯s a first-timer.¡±


    ¡°¡­What Morgana is aiming for is probably Benny.¡±


    ¡°Oh, um. Benny, the little spell caster who¡¯s always with you? The one who carries around that disgusting slime in her shadow.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Sss. If yourpanion is in danger, that¡¯s understandable. But you don¡¯t need to worry too much, right? That little gal might be small, but she¡¯s pretty useful among spell casters.¡±


    ¡°Hippolyte. You don¡¯t know Morgana. She must be confident she can take them down before the pursuit catches up, which is why she¡¯s doing something so reckless. ¡­And it¡¯s not just Benny who¡¯s in danger.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean by that?¡±


    Hippolyte blinked and asked back.


    Rough, unkempt hair. Draped over it, a golden lion¡¯s hide. Wearing a tattered piece of cloth and holding a thick club, she was a renowned warrior¡­ But she was not well-versed in rumors, living a life consumed by battles.


    So, Lydia decided to exin a little.


    ¡°These days, I have someone I¡¯m raising.¡±


    ¡°Like a disciple?¡±


    ¡°No. If I had to say¡­ ¡°


    My little lord.


    Lydia swallowed the words she was about to say and found a suitable term.


    ¡°A potentialrade. And a potential husband for Ellie?¡±


    ¡°Is he that good?! And a man, no less?!¡±


    No matter how fast an adventurer grows by delving into Labyrinths, it takes a long time for a novice adventurer to stand shoulder to shoulder with a high-ranking adventurer who fights on the front lines.


    To be considered a fellow candidate despite all that. It¡¯s impossible unless he¡¯s a genius among geniuses.


    Moreover, he¡¯s the man Ellie has her eye on. If something happens, Pangrave will surely be turned upside down.


    Although it¡¯s been quite some time since her retirement, the title of Hero still holds its value.


    Hippolyte scratched her head and let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Haa¡­if that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s no choice. It¡¯s a shame, but we¡¯ll have to give the guide the elixir I¡¯ve been saving.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already given him the Sensory Expansion Elixir I had.¡±


    Lydia always buys things that might be needed for Labyrinth exploration. Naturally, she carries potions for temporary buffs.


    However, Hippolyte, instead of stepping back awkwardly, wore an even more triumphant expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s not some cheap stuff sold at workshops. It¡¯s Nemea¡¯s Elixir.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you really going to use that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You owe me. You better remember that.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    This potion, made by the witches of Nemea, is several times more effective than anything avable on the market.


    These witches don¡¯t reside in Pangrave and do not sell their potions to just anyone, making it impossible to acquire even with money.


    Using this potion not in a life-or-death situation, but simply to find Lydia¡¯spanion a little faster, is an immense favor.


    But Hippolyte has always been that kind of woman.


    To put it nicely, she is decisive; to put it bluntly, she is simple-minded. Yet, she matches her reputation as a barbarian with her exceptional action-taking ability.


    Hippolyte took out a rugged ss bottle from her waist and called out to the Pathfinder, who was scouring the ground with intense focus.


    ¡°Hey, guide. Drink this¡­.¡±


    ¡°I-I found it!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but suddenly there¡¯s a strange phenomenon happening across the entire second floor! And everything is pointing in one direction! They hid their tracks meticulously, but it seems they couldn¡¯t hide the aftermath of their actions!¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, right. It¡¯s good we found it quickly.¡±


    Hippolyte awkwardly put the Nemea¡¯s Elixir back. Lydia, bypassing her, shouted urgently.


    ¡°Where should we go?¡±


    ¡°Monsters! Head towards the direction where the monsters are gathering! Please, follow me!¡±


    Unlike their cautious movements until now, the guide sprinted down the passage at full speed.


    As someone specialized in agility among the adventurers on the fourth floor, their speed was incredible. Of course, it was nothingpared to high-ranking closebat adventurers like Lydia and Hippolyte.


    After a few powerful strides, the two caught up with the Pathfinder. The three of them became a single unit, madly rushing through the Labyrinth.


    The more they ran, the more monsters appeared. However, the creatures shattered into pieces the moment they collided with Lydia and Hippolyte¡¯s bodies, as if exploding on impact.


    No one could obstruct their path.


    How many times had they repeated this running? It seemed as if they had gathered every monster in the area, and now the passage was so cramped that the monsters themselves couldn¡¯t move.


    Lydia and Hippolyte shattered the monsters blocking their way in a single strike, destroying them down to their Magic Stones. The moment the blocked path was cleared¡­


    <em>-Roarrrr!!</em>


    A white cube emanating magical energy. A grotesque shadowy mass blocking its way.


    With hundreds of eyes, dozens of mouths, and countless writhing tentacles, the immortal monster was tearing apart every monster that came at it.


    Shadow. Drawn by the madnessparable to the deepest of monsters, all sorts of monsters had gathered.


    Of course, none could match Shadow.


    The monsters on the second floor couldn¡¯t resist its sharp teeth and splitting tentacles, bing mere chunks of flesh.


    Shadow continued to massacre monsters, swallowing their corpses whole with the Magic Stones intact.


    However, this was merely a secondary goal. It was akin to waving away flies that had gathered.


    What Shadow was focusing on now was¡­


    <em>Boom!</em>


    <em>- Screeeeech!!</em>


    ¡­breaking the cube in front of it to reunite with its other half.


    Well. To Lydia and Hippolyte, who were unaware of the circumstances, it seemed as though Shadow, free from Benny¡¯s control, was rampaging indiscriminately.


    ¡°¡­Hippolyte.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Both instinctively aimed their weapons. Above them, their respective auras red up like wildfire.


    It was a precautionary measure against any unforeseen situation. However, the shadow had a very simple behavioral pattern that reacted to others¡¯ goodwill and hostility.


    <em>-Grrr¡­</em>


    Shadow turned its body to face the hostility directed at it.


    Its numerous eyes, forming a bizarrely short human shape resembling Benny, squirmed and then focused on Lydia and Hippolyte.


    At the eerie sight, Lydia gripped her greatsword tightly and whispered.


    ¡°Jonah¡­ Benny¡­¡±


    What kind of situation could make Shadow rampage alone?


    Lydia desperately ignored the worst-case scenarios in her mind and ignited her aura even more fiercely.


    Like a me that devours everything in the world. As if to engrave her resolve upon the world.


    ¡°Here I go.¡±


    With Lydia¡¯s single statement, the battle that shook the entire Labyrinth began.<hr>


    Inside the cube.


    Jonah, whom Lydia was desperately searching for, was now¡­


    ¡°Ah, heads!¡±


    ¡°Wrong! It was tails!¡±


    ¡­coin flipping with Benny.


    ¡°Since you lost, take off one more!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­is this for real? Is this really real!¡±


    For reference, the rule was that the loser had to undress.

 Chapter 111: A Room You Cant Leave Without S.M. (3)

    Chapter 111: A Room You Can''t Leave Without S.M. (3)


    Time remaining until I can cast the mini Sanctuary again: 24 hours.


    Even if I sleep for 8 hours, there are still a whopping 16 hours left.


    If I were outside, I could hang out with Ellie, take a walk around the city, read novels of this world, or continue writing the story I recently started again. There would be plenty to do.


    But inside this empty cube, nothing is possible.


    At best, I could either zone out or train, but there¡¯s nothing else to do.


    For the record, the former is boring, and thetter is not only boring but also exhausting, so they¡¯re out of the question.


    After all, didn¡¯t I just risk my life to defeat a formidable enemy? I just want to rest and have fun mindlessly.


    And here. Fortunately, I was not the only one trapped inside this cube.


    Benny was dumbfounded by the fact that I could use the mini Sanctuary once a day. Smiling brightly at her, I said,¡°Benny.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Uh¡­why?¡±


    ¡°There are no other problems now, right? We just have to wait, right?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes?¡±


    ¡°So, what should we do for fun? What should we do for fun?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Benny had a strange look in her eyes, like someone who just learned that typuses have excellent vision but shut their eyes tightly when diving.


    In short, it meant she¡¯s looking at me as if to say, ¡®What the heck is this guy talking about?¡¯


    ¡°Oh,e on. Don¡¯t be so serious, Benny. We won, and now we¡¯re just temporarily trapped. In a safe space with no one but us.¡±


    ¡°But¡­this is still a Labyrinth.¡±


    ¡°A Labyrinth without monsters or traps.¡±


    Shrugging it off, Benny, who was about to protest, just mumbled and lowered her head.


    Maybe it was because the connection with Shadow had weakened. Benny seemed more downcast than usual.


    Or rather, should I say her resolve had weakened?


    Freed from the influence of the erosion she had been so wary of, she had instead be weaker.


    Benny herself hadn¡¯t known, but the moderate level of madness flowing from Shadow had been supporting Benny¡¯s fragile mind.


    Then, what impact would whatever flowed from Benny have on Shadow?


    And now. What state is Shadow in, having lost Benny¡­


    It¡¯s true that I¡¯m worried, but there¡¯s also a part of me that feels relieved.


    After all, isn¡¯t Shadow an immortal monster, to whom the concept of death doesn¡¯t apply?


    I don¡¯t think anything will happen on the second floor, but even if something does, it won¡¯t die.


    That¡¯s enough. What¡¯s more concerning is not Shadow, but the other adventurers exploring the second floor.


    If they happen to run into the Shadow, it¡¯s obvious they¡¯ll be ughtered.


    I just hope that doesn¡¯t happen¡­but if it does, we should me it all on Morgana.


    After all, it was because of Morgana that Benny and Shadow got separated.


    Of course, I can¡¯t voice this suspicion to Benny. I can¡¯t burden someone who¡¯s already mentally fragile with more worries.


    That¡¯s why I suggested we y something. To keep Benny, who¡¯s already weakened, from having negative thoughts.


    ¡°What I have in mind is a coin guessing game.¡±


    ¡°Coin guessing? Like putting a coin in a cup, shuffling it around, and guessing which side the coin is on?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a con game¡­ It¡¯s all a trick, and you¡¯ll always lose money, so don¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡±


    ¡°Really. Want me to show you something simr?¡±


    I pulled out a 1-copper coin from my pocket. It looked like some loose change I had picked up somewhere¡­


    The 1-silver emergency money I used to keep in my shoe sole had been blown on gacha, so this was my entire fortune now.


    I ced the 1-copper coin conspicuously on my palm and then clenched my fist around it. Then, I made a show of rubbing my thumb and index finger into my fist.


    That¡¯s right. It was just a show. I had secretly extracted the coin and ced it on the back of my hand.


    From Benny¡¯s front view, the angle wouldn¡¯t have given her a clear look.


    Now, what¡¯s left is to carefully open both hands so the coin doesn¡¯t fall. Then, from Benny¡¯s perspective, it will definitely feel like the coin in my hand suddenly vanished.


    ¡°What?! Where did the coin go?! Is it magic? A magical tool? No, I didn¡¯t sense such a presence¡­¡±


    Benny muttered to herself with a serious look. It was quite fantasy-like to immediately trace the presence of magic¡­ but there¡¯s no way she could catch it.


    This is a simple magic trick. It¡¯s purely a sleight of hand and deception, so no matter how much she gropes for traces of magic, nothing wille out.


    In my past life, during childhood. There was a time when magic tricks suddenly became popr on TV. It¡¯s a trick I practiced during that trend.


    For the record, this is the only trick I can do. I lost interest and didn¡¯t learn any others.


    ¡°How was it? Amazing, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah. I get that you hid it in a way I couldn¡¯t detect. Probably the same with the shell game. Bad guys. I thought it was just my poor eyesight because there was no trace of magic¡­ I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve been fooled all this time.¡±


    ¡°Benny, you¡¯re a mage. It¡¯s not strange to have a habit of looking for magic first when something unusual happens. Didn¡¯t you think to use a detection spell?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not really my specialty. Even if I knew how, finding it with magic would be cheating.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very diligent in strange ways.¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­ Exactly. I didn¡¯t expect there to be a blind spot like this. Anyway, where did the coin go?¡±


    ¡°Who knows. Where could it be¡­¡±


    With a sly grin, I extended my palm straight towards Benny.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    In a firm tone, I spoke to Benny, who hesitated and tried to step back.


    ¡°Please stay still.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡±


    Benny stiffened. Bringing a hand toward the back of her head, I swiftly retrieved the coin from the back of my hand.


    Showing the coin back in my hand, I giggled.


    ¡°Oh my! It was on the back of Benny¡¯s head!¡±


    ¡°Why was it there¡­?!¡±


    Benny jumped in ce, startled. Her reactions are always so good, no matter when I see them.


    Unlike Lydia, who responds intriguingly only to suggestive topics, Benny¡¯s charm lies in how she bounces around like a child at the smallest things.


    Benny grumbled and pondered why it came from there. pping lightly in front of her, I drew her attention.


    ¡°Alright, alright. Now you know that the coin trick isn¡¯t about guessing the location, right? I can easily manipte things like that without Benny noticing.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. So what are we guessing?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. Just flick it with your finger, catch it, and guess whether it¡¯s heads or tails.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too easy.¡±


    ¡°Sorry?¡±


    ¡°For a high-level adventurer like me, it¡¯s just visible, you know? Mages mostly grow their magic power and concentration every time they enter a Labyrinth. If I focus, I can just see which side it willnd on.¡±


    ¡°What the heck¡­.¡±


    Unless it happenspletely in a blind spot of your senses, like a moment ago, it¡¯s virtually impossible to deceive me once it¡¯s caught inside.


    Well, considering that I¡¯m almost rebornpared to before I entered the Labyrinth, how amazing must a high-level adventurer who has reached the seventh floor be?


    I sighed inwardly and changed the rules slightly.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s decide whether it¡¯s heads or tails first, and then take turns flipping the coin.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s that¡­ Yeah, that¡¯s fine.¡±


    Benny nodded. She seemed to believe without a shred of doubt that it would be a fair game of luck.


    So naive¡­.


    Strangely, coin flipping has an image of fairness, but in reality, it¡¯s not entirely a game of chance.


    There are research results indicating that with a bit of practice, you can manipte the coin tond on a specific side.


    Of course, it¡¯s not 100%, at best about 70%, but¡­since I obtained the Sound-Eating Footsteps, my senses have developed to the point where no one can surpass them.


    I can achieve a better sess rate than that. And that¡¯s more than enough. Compared to a fifty-fifty chance, it¡¯s a much more favorable condition.


    So, I decided to add a few conditions.


    ¡°Just to make it interesting, how about the loser takes off one piece of clothing each time?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    Benny flinched for a moment. Her gaze trembled as it instinctively scanned my corbone and abdomen.


    How lecherous. Well, I understand. If I put myself in her shoes, it¡¯s like a pretty girl asking if we should take off one piece of clothing each time we flip a coin. I would probably react the same way Benny did.


    ¡°Ah, no¡­ I can¡¯t do that. Besides, you have Ellie, right?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not here. It¡¯s fine. Ellie won¡¯t know whatever we do in here. ¡­So, what do you say? Want to give it a try? I¡¯ll let you go first.¡±


    With a subtle smile, I handed the coin to Benny.


    <em>Gulp.</em>


    After contemting for a while, Benny took the coin. And then.


    ¡°Ah, heads!¡±


    ¡°Ding! It was the back side! Since you lost, take off one more!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Is this right? Is it really right?!¡±


    I took off both shoes, socks, and my leather armor, leaving me in my inner clothes.


    All Benny had left was a tight-fitting dress.


    Hat, shoes, socks, various essories¡­there were none. She had lost them all earlier!


    ¡°Benny! Hurry up! If you want to see my body, you should at least be prepared to show yours!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such preparation before!¡±


    Benny hesitated for a long time. Finally, as if she had made up her mind, she closed her eyes tightly.


    ¡°Here goes!¡±


    Benny quickly shoved her hand inside her dress. After a moment of struggling alone, she pulled out something that looked like a round sticker.


    ¡°¡­Phew. Is this enough?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    I stared nkly at the coin-sized sticker in Benny¡¯s hand, feeling utterly deted.


    And then, a voice slipped out without me knowing.


    ¡°Ho¡­¡±


    ¡°Ho?¡±


    ¡°How dare you use sorcery! What do you think this sacred undressing gamble is!¡±


    Where do you think you¡¯re pulling out nipple patches from!!

 Chapter 112: A Room You Cant Leave Without S.M. (4)

    Chapter 112: A Room You Can''t Leave Without S.M. (4)


    ¡°How dare you use sorcery! What do you think this sacred undressing gamble is!¡±


    ¡°What, what?! Is this something to get so mad about?!¡±


    I unknowingly raised my voice, and Benny shrank back quickly. It must be because her heart is currently fragile.


    I felt a bit sorry for her¡­but what¡¯s done is done.


    Where do you think you¡¯re pulling nipple patches out from!!


    ¡°Gahhh! Is this something to get so mad about?! Of course it is! I thought Benny would finally take off that unnecessarily sexy dress! But now, here you are with nipple patches! Why on earth are you wearing those instead of underwear in the first ce?!¡±


    ¡°To wear this sort of dress, I had to wear something that wouldn¡¯t show the underwear lines¡­!¡±


    ¡°And what does that have to do with taking off those little sticker pieces instead of a dress?!¡±


    ¡°Even if it were ordinary underwear, would you want to show me yourself with just three stickers pasted on?! That¡¯s shameful, no matter if you¡¯re a woman!¡±¡°Grr¡­!¡±


    Even by the standards of the male-oriented world, a woman in just stickers is a no-go.


    For a moment, words of protest surged to my lips, but upon careful thought, it wasn¡¯t iprehensible.


    Being d in underwear in front of the opposite sex can be conceded, albeit reluctantly.


    Wearing only panties in a private space isn¡¯t that umon. Depending on the situation, one might do so in front of family or close friends.


    But walking around with just three stickers? Maybe if you were alone, but never in front of others. Not even family or close friends are exceptions.


    And now, Benny. She is being forced into such an indecent appearance in front of someone who is neither family nor an old friend, but a somewhat young, respectable member of the opposite sex.


    I understand the idea of just taking off the nipple patches. That doesn¡¯t mean my insides aren¡¯t boiling with betrayal and emptiness though¡­


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I was fuming inside, but only for a moment. Seeing Benny¡¯s chest with a protruding bump on one side quickly calmed me down.


    This isn¡¯t so bad either¡­


    And within the regained inner peace, I realized. I came to a realization.


    ¡°Benny. Did you just say three stickers?¡±


    ¡°Now it¡¯s two¡­¡±


    Benny slyly covered her chest. I wanted to tell her to move her hand immediately, but that wasn¡¯t the important part right now.


    ¡°Two means the upper ones¡­but thest one then¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Benny¡¯s face turned beet red in an instant. She stammered as she opened her mouth.


    ¡°Well¡­you see? No matter how thin the lines are, the clothes cling to my body so tightly that they keep bothering me¡­¡±


    ¡°No way?!¡±


    Seeing no underwear lines on her butt, I had assumed she was wearing a thong. But it was even more surprising.


    Benny confessed to me with her eyes tightly shut.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay! It¡¯s long enough to cover the back too!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    A C-string?!


    Underwear that resembles the letter C, more like it¡¯s wedged between the legs to cover the surrounding area rather than worn.


    The shocking truth made me feel more motivated than ever.


    ¡°Alright. There¡¯s no rule that says we have to start from the outside, so I¡¯ll yield here. But we can¡¯t stop now. Let¡¯s go all the way.¡±


    ¡°No?! Why are you so determined to strip me?!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same reason Benny epted this bet?¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Benny averted her gaze as if something had pricked her.


    That¡¯s right. She, too, was pretending to y along but was actually anticipating my undressing¡­!


    Benny fidgeted, unsure of what to do. I took her hand gently and spoke.


    ¡°Both you and I have clear intentions, don¡¯t we? We¡¯re interested in each other¡¯s bodies, but actually getting into a deep rtionship feels a bit burdensome, right?¡±


    ¡°N-no. I¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand. With Ellie and Miss Lydia around, it¡¯s only natural for Benny, who has only two friends, to be concerned. Of course, I¡¯m also mindful of the order, you know? If possible, I n to start with Ellie.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Benny, rolling her eyes around, was gauging my reaction. Even in this situation, she kept sneaking nces at my corbone.


    I had only taken off my leather armor, and my clothes were still properly on, so I wondered why she was acting that way¡­ Then I realized that just as Benny was sweating, I was quite drenched too.


    Benny wasn¡¯t looking at my corbone which she couldn¡¯t even see properly. She was watching the beads of sweat trickle down my neck and disappear at the corbone.


    I slyly took the nipple patch from Benny¡¯s hand and ced a coin there instead.


    ¡°Exactly three rounds.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Whoever wins or loses, let¡¯s just throw three more times. Do you know? A man has only one piece of underwear. Although Benny will be naked if she loses three times in a row¡­ but the same goes for me.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Benny¡¯s eyes trembled as if there was an earthquake. Her slender breaths became slightly rougher, matching her petite frame, and the heart-shaped patterns sparkled with a mischievous glow in her eyes.


    Although shecked the seduction magic unique to a subus, her sheer beauty was enough to enchant anyone.


    I, too, did my best to set the mood, not wanting to be outdone.


    The image was that of a little devil. Despite being small and fragile, there was a sense of leading people into temptation with irresistible offers, befitting a proper devil.


    Benny swallowed repeatedly, her expression dazed. I whispered as I gently stroked her hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about anything else. It¡¯s just you and me here, right?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s only one thing Benny needs to think about.¡±


    I stopped speaking there and tugged slightly at the end of my shirt. Just enough to almost reveal bare skin.


    ¡°Heads, tails. Which side do you think will show?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    For the first time, a glimmer of determination appeared in Benny¡¯s eyes, which had weakened after separating from Shadow.


    ¡°¡­Heads.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take tails.¡±


    Smiling brightly, I lightly tapped the back of Benny¡¯s hand.


    The coin spun and soared into the air from the impact. Catching it mid-air, I slowly opened my fist.


    The result was¡­<hr>


    To cut to the chase, both Benny and I are still fully clothed.


    Just fully clothed.


    ¡°Benny. Thinking about it calmly, I think we were both crazy just now.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah. I think so too.¡±


    Benny lost twice. In other words, she had removed the other nipple patch and what could barely be called underwear, the C-string panties.


    Is it because she¡¯s only wearing a tight dress that clings to her bare body? The points that stand out clearly through the clothes, and the lower body that forms an explicit outline with just slight movement.


    But anyway, she¡¯s properly dressed. Because she only lost twice¡­!


    And in other words, it means I lost once.


    Just as I returned the favor to Benny, I left the top and bottom alone and only tossed off my underwear¡­.


    The ufortable sensation from below suddenly brought me back to my senses.


    My goodness. What on earth were we doing?


    Just as the promised third and final round ended, the question of ¡®So what now?¡¯ turned directly into self-reproach.


    Although Benny was extremely seductive at the moment¡­ We¡¯re in a situation where we can¡¯t proceed with the main event, nor can I back out alone.


    Then isn¡¯t this practically torture for both Benny and me?


    Why did I put myself through this torment? There is still over 20 hours to go.


    With a deep sigh, Iy down using the clothes I¡¯d taken off as a pillow and said,


    ¡°Haa¡­ It feels like I¡¯m suddenly having a moment of rity.¡±


    ¡°What? How would you know about that, Jonah¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes? About what? A moment of rity?¡±


    ¡°That. You know? When a woman takes care of herself alone and suddenly feels empty and self-loathing. Do men not have those moments?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­.¡±


    Men on the Pan Continent have a weak sex drive. To put it simply, they are almost always in a state of rity.


    Because of this, there is no specific state that can be ssified as a moment of rity.


    On the other hand, since women¡¯s sexual desire has increased, they will feel not only emotional fluctuations but also physical ones more intensely.


    In other words, during the moment of rity, they would feel it simrly or even more severely than men on Earth.


    I chuckled at themon sense of a world I had never thought about and opened my mouth.


    ¡°Other men might not have it, but I do.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Not all the rumors about the Pinkettes are lies, you know.¡±


    ¡°Gasp¡­!


    Benny swallowed hard and asked in a cautious, but expectant voice.


    ¡°Th-then, is it true that pink-haired men have their entire bodies as erogenous zones?¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s nonsense. At that level, daily life would be impossible.¡±


    As I looked at her with a pitying gaze, Benny covered her face with her hand and curled up.


    She seemed embarrassed.


    ¡°Well¡­it¡¯s true that my sexual desire is strong, so maybe that¡¯s why it got exaggerated? I can get it up much more easily than other men, and itsts longer too.¡±


    ¡°Get it upsts longer¡­.¡±


    Benny muttered to herself, curling up even more. At this point, she almost looked like a half-rolled pill bug.


    It seemed the topic was too stimting for Benny, who was already mentally softened.


    Talking about naughty things might make her go on a rampage again, so I decided to subtly change the subject.


    ¡°Benny. Come to think of it, I have a question.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Benny, you learned this time that you be weaker without Shadow, right? Do you still want to sever your connection with Shadow?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Benny closed her mouth tightly and pondered. After a long silence, she nodded slowly.


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Then, she straightened her curled-up body and looked directly this way.


    ¡°To get my life back, I have to.¡±


    It was a voice filled with heartfelt sincerity.

 Chapter 113: A Room You Cant Leave Without S.M. (5)

    Chapter 113: A Room You Can''t Leave Without S.M. (5)


    Benny bes mentally vulnerable without Shadow. Even so, do you still want to sever your connection with Shadow?


    Benny, who had been pondering that question for a long time, slowly nodded.


    ¡°To get my life back, I have to.¡±


    To get her life back. I don¡¯t know exactly what that means. But the sincerity contained in that short phrase was conveyed to me deeply.


    So I straightened my posture, and only after calming the yful atmosphere from a moment ago did I open my mouth.


    ¡°Could you exin a bit more what you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright. Jonah, since you agreed to help with my experiment, you deserve to know.¡±


    Benny hesitated for a moment, her lips quivering. She continued speaking with a cautious demeanor, as ifying out something precious.


    ¡°To start, I don¡¯t hate Shadow. I¡¯ve never once thought of it as a stain on my life that needs to be removed or wished it would disappear.¡±¡°Of course. If Benny truly hated Shadow, you two would have been fighting to the death a long time ago.¡±


    Shadow¡¯s principles of action are simple. If someone treats it kindly, it returns the favor, and if someone harbors hostility, it responds in kind.


    Of course, it seems to have a special regard for Benny¡­but not to the extent of being an exception.


    ¡°Shadow is, how should I say it, my reverse scale. Its existence is like a symbol of my past.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s probably because of its origins.¡±


    ¡°¡­So when I look at Shadow, I still feel like I¡¯m trapped in that narrow iron cage.¡±


    A narrow cage where one can¡¯t even straighten their back. The stench of blood wafting from all directions. Screams and pleas echoing day and night. The friend from yesterday turns into an unrecognizable monster today and is put down.


    Benny¡¯s childhood was filled with such nightmares.


    ¡°We were orphans, but it didn¡¯t mean we had no family. We promised to be each other¡¯s support.¡±


    ¡°Did you join some kind of organization?¡±


    ¡°No. That would mean no future. Either bing criminals or being used and discarded.¡±


    The back alleys of Pangrave are divided into two main parts.


    A shallow underworld where small-time thugs gather. And a deep underbelly where the real hardened criminals, the filtered ones, congregate.


    As for me, who is an orphan like Benny in the past, there¡¯s no way to get involved with thetter, and they also don¡¯t care about insignificant orphans, so the organization mentioned here must be a gang of thugs.


    They are certainly a bunch of rabble. Even I alone can beat them up anytime now.


    That¡¯s why they act viciously towards those weaker than themselves.


    Specifically, the orphans. It¡¯s not for nothing that I targeted and picked the pockets of thugs as soon as I developed my pickpocketing skills.


    However, just because they are orphans doesn¡¯t mean they only suffer. They know their situation well, so they try to help each other out.


    Of course, it doesn¡¯t mean they joined forces to fight against the gangs. It¡¯s just that in some alleys, if you pay up, you won¡¯t get beaten, and there¡¯s a crazy woman who goes berserk when she drinks and often roams a certain street.


    It was just sharing information to survive.


    When I first transmigrated, those orphanmunities also approached me.


    However, in my case, the leader of thatmunity seemed like a lost cause. They hadn¡¯t even served in the military but yed soldier, bragging about how they wouldter create the greatest gang in Pangrave.


    She, as the future boss, wanted to make me her man or something. So, I just kept my distance and stuck to myself.


    Their future dream was to be a nationwide gangster. How terrifying these kids are.


    Anyway, that was me, but Benny seemed different. Benny¡¯s friends were literally good friends.


    Sometimes they shared bread they barely managed to get, and sometimes they protected each other by throwing stones from afar or getting beaten together.


    They were real friends like that.


    ¡°Our goal was singr. To be great adventurers when we grow up and change our lousy fate, and if possible, to make sure there are no more kids like us.¡±


    ¡°Regardless of realism, it was a good dream.¡±


    ¡°Right. Sometimes the priest from the Temple who came to distribute food saw us favorably, and as soon as there was an opening, he got us all into an orphanage.¡±


    In this world, the status of an orphan in an orphanage and that of a street orphan are totally different.


    All orphanages are either affiliated with the Temple or subject to its inspection, so touching a child of an orphanage is tantamount to opposing the Temple.


    Petty thugs wouldn¡¯t even dare to think about it.


    It¡¯s practically a promise of safety until they be adults.


    If they had be adults as they were, Pangrave might have be a slightly better neighborhood.


    ¡°Though that never happened.¡±


    ¡°¡­One Who Devours the Twilight.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. In Pangrave, the only ones bold enough to openly attack the Temple are them.¡±


    One day, heretics invaded, killed all the adults in the orphanage, and kidnapped all the children, taking them somewhere into the Labyrinth.


    Thus began Benny¡¯s hell.


    ¡°Surprisingly, those lunatics targeted the orphanage with some kind of goodwill. They said the adults were doing good deeds, so they¡¯d head to the Goddess¡¯s paradise when they died, and the children were being raised in the name of the Goddess, so they¡¯d surely go to her side.¡±


    ¡°My god¡­.¡±


    The mindset of ¡®It¡¯s okay to kill them since they¡¯ll go to heaven anyway¡¯. No wonder the fanatics acted without hesitation.


    ¡°The guy who kidnapped us kindly asked what our dreams were. Just like how adults usually ask children.¡±


    Terrified, the children of the orphanage shared their dreams. And they underwent experiments that matched those dreams.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t an exception for us either. Melonia, who wanted to be a renowned adventurer by bing an excellent swordsman, received a Sharkman¡¯s teeth transnt. Day by day, her body dried up, and eventually, she became a mummy, leaving behind only sharp teeth like a sword.¡±


    ¡°Jammit, who said she would explore the Labyrinth with Melonia by bing a mage, received the eye of an Evil Eye and started writhing in hallucinations. No one touched her, but wounds began to appear on her body one by one, and eventually, she breathed herst with a peaceful face after all her skin was peeled off.¡±


    ¡°Frey, who said she would be a cleric to support the two so they wouldn¡¯t die, was pickled alive in the death aura of an undead monster. Naturally, she didn¡¯tst long and died¡­but her bones remained and started to transform little by little. Like a huge carapace.¡±


    ¡°The only boy among us. Marek, who wanted to be the head of the orphanage to create a ce for us to return to and to prevent more orphans like us, was used as a stud in monster breeding experiments. Unable to ovee the contagious madness and self-loathing, hemitted suicide by smashing his forehead against the horn of the Drill Boar mounted on top of him.¡±


    ¡°And then, there¡¯s me. Unlike Marek, I just wanted to be an adventurer, eat well, and sleep well. I was the only one who survived and had to witness everything.¡±


    Ironically, Benny¡¯s friends drew courage from seeing Benny unharmed. They thought that if they could somehow endure, they might survive too.


    Of course, that was impossible. In the end, Marek, who resisted until thest moment,mitted suicide in front of Benny with a brief apology, saying he no longer had the courage to live.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t end there. That crazy woman gathered the corpses of other dead children and my friends and forcibly injected life into them.¡±


    What was born from that was Shadow.


    A nameless, immortal monster born with Melonia¡¯s transnted teeth, Jammit¡¯s reced eyes, Frey¡¯s transformed carapace, Marek¡¯s horn that pierced his own forehead, and tentacles made of the bodily fluids of countless others.


    As the final experiment, One Who Devours the Twilight attempted to transnt Shadow into Benny, but was instead turned on, leading to the current situation.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t give Shadow a name. Melonia? Frey? Jammit? Or Marek? I didn¡¯t know what to call it.¡±


    That wouldn¡¯t be all. Every time she saw Shadow, carrying the parts that led her friends to their deaths, the memories of that time would resurface.


    In the recent battle with Morgana, I realized something after seeing the magic Benny used. Benny¡¯s magic is akin to a miracle born from earnestness.


    In other words, it inevitably hinges on her trauma.


    To Benny, who constantly picks at her wounds, the existence of Shadow must have felt like a nightmare that never awakens, no matter how much time passes.


    This is separate from her affection for Shadow.


    ¡°I know. I killed that fanatic with my own hands back then, and much time has passed, making me the high-ranking adventurer I am now. The great adventurer everyone wanted to be.¡±


    Benny, who spoke up to that point, let out a hollowugh.


    ¡°Even so, I couldn¡¯t be an adult.¡±


    If Shadow is an immortal monster, then Benny is an ageless witch. Her time is preserved in the distant past, at the moment she devoured Shadow.


    ¡°My thoughts haven¡¯t changed. I¡¯m not wishing for Shadow to disappear, but at least this connection¡­this erosion must vanish.¡±


    Only then can Benny be an adult. Only then can she keep the most precious promise she made with her friends.


    ¡­Only after casting off all the shackles that have bound her can Benny live her own life.


    No longer confined in a narrow iron cage, Benny curled up into a ball.


    Watching her for a moment, I sat down beside her. Then I patted her thigh and spoke.


    ¡°Lie down first, Benny.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    With a dumbfounded expression, Benny tilted her head, and I ced it on my thigh.


    By the time she came to her senses, she found herself in ap pillow position. I gently stroked her purple hair and began to speak.


    ¡°Since I¡¯ve heard Benny¡¯s story, would you like to hear mine next?¡±

 Chapter 114: A Room You Cant Leave Without S.M. (6)

    Chapter 114: A Room You Can''t Leave Without S.M. (6)


    Many people are mistaken, and sometimes even the authors themselves get confused¡­


    In reality, a novelist is no different from a storyteller.


    I am not a person who writes, but one who unravels characters and narratives.


    Writing is merely a medium to convey my story. Essentially, it is no different from speech, song, or painting.


    At least, that¡¯s what I think, even if others don¡¯t.


    As I ruminated over a conclusion I reached long ago, I gently stroked Benny¡¯s purple hair, whichy on my thigh.


    ¡°Since I¡¯ve heard Benny¡¯s story, would you like to hear mine next?¡±


    ¡°Wh-what are you doing?!¡±


    Benny, struggling to get up. No matter how much of a mage she is, as a high-ranking adventurer who has built her specs in the Labyrinth, her strength surpasses mine.However, when I firmly pressed on her forehead, Benny eventually quieted down, blushing furiously.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I won¡¯t do anything strange.¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s what I should be saying¡­¡±


    ¡°Then it just means Benny shouldn¡¯t do anything strange.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Even though we are without underwear, as long as nothing happens, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°What is that supposed to¡­ugh!¡±


    ¡°Putting the underwear aside, Benny¡¯s dress seems too revealing, but anyway, it¡¯s okay!¡±


    ¡°Do you think I wear these clothes because I like them?! Look at this frail body! If I don¡¯t dress like this, I look too much like a child! Who would see me as a woman?¡±


    ¡°Wow! That body!¡±


    ¡°Are you making fun of me?!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just a reaction. But there¡¯s something I need to correct. Look, Benny.¡±


    ¡°Look at what? ¡­Huh?¡±


    Benny, who tilted her head in curiosity, suddenly froze. It must have been because I pressed her head down, making her cheek rub against my thigh.


    ¡°How is it? Benny and I look about the same age¡­ Doesn¡¯t Benny see me as a man?¡±


    ¡°Th-that is¡­¡±


    ¡°Aha? So this isn¡¯t enough. Then, would you like toe up a bit higher?¡±


    The upper part of the thigh. We call that the groin or the crotch.


    ¡°Eek?!¡±


    I don¡¯t know what she was imagining, but Benny flinched in surprise. I calmly restrained her short limbs and whispered softly.


    ¡°Benny.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Benny¡¯s body is plenty seductive.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what are you talking about?! A man shouldn¡¯t say things like that!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t say this to just anyone.¡±


    ¡°¡­Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes! At most, only to Ellie, Miss Lydia, and Benny!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    I chuckled at the pallor of Benny¡¯s face and continued speaking.


    ¡°Well, since Benny seems to have calmed down, shall we get to the main topic now?¡±


    ¡°¡­Main topic? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? Just now. I asked you to listen to my story this time, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Benny covered her mouth as if she had truly forgotten. Despite that, she started topose herself, seemingly preparing to listen.


    Since Benny seemed ready to listen, it was time to begin.


    With a broad smile, I asked,


    ¡°Do you know the story of a human who fell in love with a vampire?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    I continued to stroke Benny¡¯s head, who blinked nkly.


    Like reading a fairy tale to a child. Or perhaps like the scenery in my oldest memories.


    I began to speak, filled with the hope that Benny could feel the samefort I once did.


    ¡°Once upon a time, a smooth-talking wanderer arrived at a small vige.¡±


    Thus, I started the story. A tale of someone else. A story of fiction.


    In truth, it might not be a very realistic story. It doesn¡¯t even have a grand twist.


    But one thing is certain, it is the story I most wanted to convey.


    A story where a braggart turns his boasts into reality for the vampire sisters he fell for.


    A story where, without knowing the reason, one saves the world for a half-elf who epts him in a game-like world he fell into.


    A story where an untalented fool, for the lover he found by the river, repeatedly faces death until he finally splits the sky and cleaves the mountains.


    A story of a person who trusts no one and a ve who has no choice but to cling to such a person, bing each other¡¯s support.


    A story of counting stars alone for a thousand years for those one loves and who love oneself.


    A story of a disciple who holds on to his master freed after 300 years of revenge, and a master who willingly puts a cor on their own neck for such a disciple.


    A story of a half-dwarf denied by everyone, who creates a miracle for the one person who recognized him.


    A story of a greedy dragon who, after numerous losses,es to cherish the entire world as if it was its own treasure.


    A story of a saint praying to god while watching the crumbling walls, and a god who answers the saint¡¯s empty prayers for the sake of their apostle.


    At the end of being betrayed by everything in the world, the story of someone who hated the world but ultimately spoke of love as he faded away.


    The story of someone who, in the face of unprepared trials, sacrifices everything to grasp a happy ending.


    These stories I wrote before entering this world.


    There are different stories, and there are the same stories, but the message within is the same.


    We can be happy.


    Even if the heavy reality weighs down on your shoulders, and you seem as insignificant as an ant, and the trials before you tower like a mountain.


    One day, we can be happy.


    If it is people who bring others down, then it is also people who lift others up.


    Even if you are a broken person, no matter how desperate your situation, it¡¯s okay.


    I am your salvation, and you are mine.


    This has always been the one and only thing I wanted to say.


    ¡°I like stories of salvation.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Benny called Shadow her shackle. A shackle that binds her to the nightmares of the past, preventing her from moving forward into the future for eternity.


    But I think differently.


    Shadow was Benny¡¯s salvation. Thanks to it, she could escape theb, exact revenge on the fanatics, and gather her fragile mind to act as an adventurer.


    Probably the opposite was true as well. For the newly born Shadow, who had nothing, Benny must have been an excellent guide in life.


    Without anyone stepping in, Benny and Shadow saved each other.


    Nevertheless, if Benny doesn¡¯t think much of the present, then¡­ I might be able to help a little.


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to criticize you, Benny. It¡¯s perfectly reasonable to feel that way. After all, emotions don¡¯t always go as we think they should.¡±


    ¡°I, I¡­¡±


    I lightly pinched Benny¡¯s cheek. Her stretchy cheek was unbelievably soft.


    ¡°Benny. You want to be an adult, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then, would you like to be an adult with me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Benny¡¯s eyes, adorned with heart patterns, widened as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she had heard.


    I lowered my head close to Benny¡¯s face.


    Our eyes drew nearer, and our foreheads were almost touching.


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit sorry to Ellie, but no one will know what happens in here anyway.¡±


    ¡°Uhh? Huh?¡±


    Benny lost her ability to speak humannguage. After observing her flustered state for a while, I finally pulled my head away.


    ¡°Ta-da! It was a joke~¡±


    ¡°¡­Ugh! Why do you keep making such jokes?!¡±


    ¡°Because Benny keeps looking all sullen, like someone who got scolded. Didn¡¯t I say earlier? I understand the feeling of wanting to distance yourself from Shadow because it¡¯s tough.¡±


    ¡°Before, you were criticizing me for hating Shadow too much when I owe my life to it.¡±


    ¡°So, I was saying that what I said earlier didn¡¯t mean that at all.¡±


    Shaking her head, she continued speaking.


    ¡°Benny, you said it yourself. Magic is a miracle. In fact, you¡¯ve already performed a miracle. Even if Shadow was there, how could a kid who never properly learned even basic magic defeat an officer of One Who Devours the Twilight?¡±


    ¡°¡­I inherited the subus¡¯s magical talent.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re aware that untapped talent holds little meaning, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Benny, with a pout, kept her mouth shut. I gently rubbed her lips to rx her and said,


    ¡°Can¡¯t you do it a second time if you¡¯ve done it once?¡±


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t worked so far.¡±


    ¡°So what if it doesn¡¯t work? At that time, I¡¯ll just turn you into an adult, Benny.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    I gave Benny, who had widened her eyes, a sly smile.


    ¡°Oh, this is serious. I don¡¯t know how Ellie will react, though.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Benny¡¯s face turned pale.


    Of course, it¡¯s unlikely that Ellie, who has recently developed an NTR fetish, would react so extremely¡­ But Benny doesn¡¯t know this.


    ¡°Benny. Salvationes to everyone. Maybe I am your salvation.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s absolutely not the case! Save me! I don¡¯t want to be beaten to death by Ellie¡­!¡±


    ¡°Hehe. You talk like that, but your body is being honest. You¡¯ve been subtly rubbing against my leg for a while now.¡±


    ¡°Di-did you notice?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I noticed a long time ago.¡±


    I continued with a chuckle.


    ¡°Can the weakened Benny really resist my temptation? Oh, by the way, I have a dagger made from a Unicorn Horn, so I can always check for virginity.¡±


    ¡°Why on earth would you have such a weapon¡­!¡±


    Even while grinding her teeth, Benny kept sniffing the upper part of my thigh¡­that is, near the groin. It¡¯s something she could never have done if she were in her right mind.


    ¡°Now! Make your choice! Either join forces with Shadow like before and try again, or ept the salvation offered by me, the Prospective Saint! Which do you prefer?¡±


    ¡°Why are the choices like that?!¡±


    Benny, looking tearful, stomped her feet and yelled.


    ¡°Alright! Once I get out of here, I¡¯ll try to merge with Shadow like I did back then! I won¡¯t be scared anymore and I¡¯ll face it properly!¡±


    Hmm. That¡¯s the right attitude.

 Chapter 115: A Room You Cant Leave Without S.M. (7)

    After Benny promised to face Shadow, and not to escape from the past, but to properly move into the future.


    Already fatigued from battle, with the bickering having also probably added to the exhaustion.


    After the brief chat, we fell asleep just like that.


    Since there was plenty of time, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to sleep a bit early.


    While we were both soundly asleep, hugging each other like hugging dakimakuras¡­


    <em>Thud!</em>


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Wh-what was that¡­?¡±


    A heavy sound echoed from somewhere. Snapping everyone awake instantly.¡°¡­Benny. If it¡¯s the Floor Guardian of the second floor, can it break this space?¡±


    ¡°No. The Floor Guardian of the second floor is a Minotaur. It has good endurance and strength, but this magic can¡¯t be broken with just brute strength.¡±


    Well. Distorting space with pure physical force is impossible.


    This is a fantasy world, so it might be possible with the kind of power that defiesmon sense often found in novels¡­ But honestly, if it¡¯s that much, I would consider it a supernatural ability.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably the case, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s no way that bitch Morgana would create an ordinary spell.¡±


    Benny sighed and stood up. But she stopped halfway up.


    <em>Bang! Boom! Bang!</em>


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Her small body trembled as if terrified by the continuous loud noises.


    It can¡¯t be helped. Benny is too mentally fragile right now. At this rate, she wouldn¡¯t be able to cast magic properly.


    So, I carefully took her hand.


    Slightly warm temperature. The feel of her soft skin and slender fingers is conveyed.


    Why does she feel like a doll when she¡¯s probably about my size? Maybe Ellie or Lydia see me the same way.


    Thinking I should try it sometime, I shrugged toward Benny.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Benny, you¡¯ve gotten stronger than before, right?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°If this isn¡¯t enough, let me put it differently.¡±


    I gently hugged Benny from behind. Wrapping my arms around her soft belly, I whispered with my nose buried in her nape.


    ¡°Benny. Will you protect me?¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    I know. How much a man wants to show off in front of a woman.


    And in the world of Pan Continent, where gender roles are reversed, this would apply to women too.


    Maybe Benny is more fragile than usual today. Like a small animal, she might overreact to minor stimuli and get scared.


    However, she isn¡¯t the kind of person to be so cowardly when there¡¯s someone she needs to protect behind her.


    I haven¡¯t known Benny for long, but there¡¯s one thing I know for sure.


    Benny truly cherishes the people around her. And I think I¡¯ve gotten close enough to be considered a friend.


    A small spark ignites in Benny¡¯s previously frozen eyes. Some might call it an illusion brought on by the atmosphere, and some might say it¡¯s simply the pupils dting and reflecting light¡­but I want to give it more meaning.


    Something like determination, perhaps.


    ¡°¡­Stay still for a moment.¡±


    Benny took a deep breath and clenched her fist tightly.


    Her small body exuded a faint haze. It was materialized magic. She must be trying to gather all the strength she had recovered while sleeping.


    I stayed as still as possible, following her instructions. I knew well that making any unnecessary moves could only disrupt her concentration.


    Benny, who had been gathering magic for quite some time, suddenly raised one arm high. Then, with a still trembling voice, she began to chant.


    ¡°Cage. Stagnation. Deprivation. Screams. And istion.¡±


    A string of disjointed words, as if she was uttering whatever came to her mind without a filter.


    However, it painted a clear image.


    ¡°No one shall escape, and no one shall break it.¡±


    A crude iron cage enveloped Benny and me. The prison, pulsating with dark red magic that seemed not to belong to Benny, smelled oddly of blood.


    The moment I saw it, I knew. This was probably a recreation of the iron cage where Benny was confined as a child.


    ording to Benny¡¯s story, being trapped in the cage was suffocating and frightening, but at the same time, it was the safest ce.


    Because the experiments of One Who Devours the Twilight only began after dragging the child out of the cage.


    So the cage was both a prison that confined Benny and the safest zone where she could feel at ease¡­


    And the wall that she could not break until the end.


    Benny was now bringing out the deepest part of her trauma for me.


    Knowing how hard it must be for Benny in her current state, I tightened my arms around her wordlessly.


    After a moment. Benny, having finished her spell, lowered her raised arm and spoke in a tired voice.


    ¡°This is the best I can do. You should at least be mentally prepared, as we don¡¯t know what will happen when the magic copses.¡±


    A voice tinged with subtle mischief. In response, I too raised the corners of my mouth in a smirk.


    ¡°Even in the worst case, I won¡¯t die alone, so I won¡¯t be lonely!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say such unlucky things!¡±


    It was the moment Benny turned towards me with a shriek.


    <em>Bang! Crack¡­ Shatter!</em>


    Cracks began to form in the white space.


    Sensing that the cube would soon give way, Benny pounced on me, knocking me down.


    ¡°Get down!¡±


    ¡°Yikes!¡±


    With strength unbefitting her small frame, Benny, like a high-level adventurer, pinned me down. As if to shield me even if the magic copsed.


    Unable to simply shift all the burden to Benny, I panicked and tried to push her shoulder away. At that very moment.


    <em>Chaeaeaeang¡ª¡ª¡ª!</em>


    With a sharp sound like ss shattering, the entire space began to fragment and copse.


    The falling white debris briefly bounced off the iron bars and flew far away. Then, mes spread out, engulfing the surroundings.


    <em>Whoosh!</em>


    Is this what hell would be like? As if intending to burn the entire world, the fierce mes filled my vision.


    Sharp space fragments crumbled, and the iron bars that protected this side melted away with a sizzling sound.


    What is this? Could it be that the magic broke and flew to another space?


    There is only one ce in the Labyrinth where such mes could exist.


    The seventh floor, where the God of War sleeps.


    If I really flew all the way there, I need to stay sharp. No matter how skilled Benny is, roaming the seventh floor, the front line, alone without a Shadow is¡­


    ¡°¡­Jonah?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    The ominous thoughts that filled my mind vanished without a trace at the familiar voice.


    When I slowly turned my head toward the source of the sound, there stood Lydia with an expression of disbelief.


    She was enveloped in a zing red aura, like fire shrouding her entire body.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Come to think of it, I don¡¯t feel any heat from this me. It¡¯s not real fire, but Lydia¡¯s aura.


    ¡­But why is Lydia here? And what¡¯s with this massive release of aura?


    Even for Lydia, this seems too much.


    As I tilted my head in confusion, Lydia called out my name again with a voice mixed with relief and gratitude.


    ¡°Jonah!¡±


    Lydia, retrieving her aura that had been burning the surroundings, ran towards me. I too reached out with a big smile of joy.


    ¡°Miss Lydia! You¡¯vee to save me!¡±


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯m here to get you out¡­ Huh?¡±


    Lydia stopped right in front of me. Her red eyes began to waver aimlessly.


    ¡°B-Benny? Why¡­?¡±


    Like someone who, thinking they were handling a typus skull and tried to pull its beak, only to be surprised that it wouldn¡¯te off.


    And as if passing the baton, Benny, who had been immobilized, started moving on top of me instead of Lydia.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ What, what¡¯s going on? Where am I¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯vee to your senses, Benny? I think it¡¯s okay to release the spell now! Miss Lydia hase to save us!¡±


    ¡°Lydia? Really?!¡±


    Benny, whose face brightened up, quickly lifted her head.


    And then, as she made eye contact with Lydia, she froze as if someone had pressed the pause button.


    <em>Creak, creak.</em>


    Benny, looking back and forth between me, herself, and Lydia, with awkward movements like a broken robot.


    She opened her mouth with a trembling voice.


    ¡°C-calm down, Lydia. I can exin everything!¡±


    ¡°Benny¡­dressed like that, making Jonah look like this, in a spell that no one can escape except the caster, and in this position, do you have something to say?¡±


    ¡°Yes! This situation is definitely easy to misunderstand, but please, listen to me first¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, Benny. We¡¯re in big trouble. I think our clothes and underwear got burned by Lydia¡¯s aura just a moment ago¡­mmph?!¡±


    Benny hastily covered my mouth, looking up with an awkward smile.


    Lydia was already there, brandishing arge sword.


    ¡°Jonah, I¡¯ll save you now.¡±


    ¡°Huh? I¡¯m not in danger anymore?¡±


    ¡°No. From what I see, it¡¯s still dangerous.¡±


    With a resolute attitude, Lydia swung the aura-covered greatsword towards the iron bars.


    <em>Kaaang!</em>


    It was the sound marking the end of this ordeal.


    ¡­Or perhaps the sound of Benny¡¯s reputation being ruined.

 Chapter 116: What A Mage Leaves Behind When They Die

    <em>ng! ng! ng!</em>


    Finally, the bell signaling the end of this hellish ordeal rang out.


    ¡°Gasp! <em>Hic</em>! No, no! It¡¯s not like that! Calm down, Lydia¡­!¡±


    ¡°Make your excuses to the guards.¡±


    Or maybe it was the sound of Benny¡¯s reputation going down the drain.


    A cold, frozen expression. And contrary to that, Lydia¡¯s aura was zing hot as she swung her greatsword relentlessly.


    <em>ng! ng! Crack!</em>


    The sword, filled with a tyrannical energy that seemed ready to smash anything in its path, shed against the sturdy iron bars that Benny, with her questionable tastes, had created.


    The iron bars withstood Lydia¡¯s strikes several times. Perhaps because the magic was cast when Benny was not in peak form.Cracks started to appear, and the bars began to creak.


    ¡°Hey! Jonah! Say something! Lydia looks like she¡¯s seriously going to kill me too!¡±


    ¡°What? What are you talking about? It¡¯s true that Benny took off her underwear and then took mine off, right?¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°On top of that, you even rubbed your face against my thigh¡­ Oh dear. Just ept it.¡±


    ¡°That was all because you, Jonah, told me to do it!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. I know. ¡®I¡¯m not at fault, you tempted me!¡¯ Is that what you¡¯re saying? Save that for the courtroom.¡±


    ¡°You- You! Youuu!¡±


    Unable to contain her anger, Benny grinds her teeth and stamps her feet. Alright. I¡¯ve teased her enough, maybe it¡¯s time to clear up the misunderstanding.


    ¡°Well, just kidding.¡±


    <em>Kaang!</em>


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Lydia, who had been swinging her greatsword, paused mid-swing. Smiling brightly at her, I uttered the excuse I had just made up.


    ¡°Actually, we almost got sliced into pieces by Morgana¡¯s magic. Thanks to Benny, we were able to resist¡­but our clothes were shredded off like shedding skin.¡±


    ¡°Really¡­?¡±


    ¡°Really, really.¡±


    I pushed the im that it wasn¡¯t a stripping game but the aftermath of a bizarre magic battle.


    In short, Benny cleverly countered the magic that would have cut us whole if we couldn¡¯t dodge, making it cut our clothes instead of our bodies.


    In the end, we decided it was better to go without underwear than to walk around in just underwear, so we got rid of the underwear first. I added that just now, as the magic copsed, Benny tried to protect me as a priority, not knowing what might happen.


    Lydia, who had been contemting my testimony interspersed with 40% truth and 60% lies, slowly lowered her greatsword.


    ¡°¡­Sorry. I must have been mistaken.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Ah, yeah. It¡¯s understandable.¡±


    Nodding in confusion, Benny continued to re at me. Her gaze was much sharper than before.


    It felt like something fundamental had solidified, rather than just being upset over a simple prank¡­.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    The sound of Morgana¡¯s magic copsing and Lydia entering meant she forcibly broke the spell toe in.


    I don¡¯t know the exact principle, but it might be due to the destructive aura I saw from Lydia a while ago.


    However, that isn¡¯t the thing that¡¯s bothering me.


    ¡°Sha¡­¡±


    ¡°Shadow!¡±


    As soon as I opened my mouth, Benny interrupted me. She must have sensed the strangeness a beat faster than me.


    ¡°Lydia! What did you do with Shadow?! It should have been outside¡­.¡±


    Benny looked around. Inside, she had talked about separating from Shadow, but thinking there might be trouble made her uneasy.


    Lydia flinched at Benny¡¯s fierce demeanor, but soon silently pointed to one side.


    And over thefe¡­


    ¡°Hey. The talk is over now, right? Can I let go now?!¡±


    <em>-Grrr!</em>


    A woman dressed like a barbarian, whom they had never seen before, was overpowering Shadow with sheer strength.


    ¡°Wow. Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect it to be this intense. Little Benny, you were holding back your strength all this time?¡±


    ¡°Uh, ah, yeah? Right?¡±


    Although Benny should have regained her usual confidence with her bond to Shadow strengthened, all she could do was nod awkwardly with a weary expression.


    It was because Hippolyte¡¯s body was too intact considering she had faced off against Shadow.


    Of course, she wasn¡¯t entirely unscathed. Her skin was slightly reddened, with faint bruises and deep bite marks visible here and there.


    These were all the injuries on her body. Although they were healing up quickly.


    Perhaps the acidic fluids, tentacles, horns, teeth, and the waves of madness sted from its eyes had no effect on her.


    Of course, it made sense that she won against Shadow since she teamed up with Lydia, and was also a high-ranking adventurer.


    But to subdue it without shedding a single drop of blood was surprising. Even more so, ording to Lydia, as Shadow was in a berserk state.


    I wondered what she must have eaten to grow up like that, so I carefully examined her.


    Long and rough ck hair. On top of it, she wore a lion skin cloak that doubled as a hood, and only the important parts were obscured with thick leather.


    The naturally revealed body was on the slender side, but the fierce aura emanating from her entire body and the thick club tied to her waist dispelled any impression of weakness.


    It was like mixing half Barbarian and half Amazon, then dropping in a spoonful of Hercules.


    There was something peculiar about her appearance, so I cautiously opened my mouth.


    ¡°Um, by any chance, are you Hippolyte?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, are you the candidate for Ellie¡¯s husband and also a candidate for Lydia and Benny¡¯s party member? If I remember correctly, your name is¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Jonah.¡±


    ¡°Right. Nice to meet you, Jonah. Since you know my name, you must know who I am?¡±


    ¡°Roughly.¡±


    The reason I know about Hippolyte is simple. First of all, she is one of the most famous adventurers of this era.


    Just living in Pangrave, you often hear the name of the barbarian who conquers Labyrinths alone.


    But in fact, I knew her even before I fell onto the Pan Continent.


    That¡¯s because Hippolyte is also a character I created. ¡­Although she is an extra who is already dead at the start of the original story.


    Hippolyte is theplete opposite of Ellie.


    She has insanely good luck, surrounded by all kinds of powers, and received exactly what she needed for growth in the Labyrinth, and even possessed genius-level talent.


    She was born with all the conditions to be strong and, true to her barbarian origins, was braver than anyone else.


    Hippolyte quickly rose to the position of a high-ranking adventurer, admired by everyone.


    ¡­Overconfident in one¡¯s abilities and luck, one loses their life in the Labyrinth in vain.


    Even those who seem to be favored by the Gods die mercilessly if they let their guard down in the Labyrinth.


    An extra which was mentioned in a single line to convey this. That was Hippolyte.


    I had nned to write an episode where the protagonist inherits the power left behind by her, something along the lines of Hippolyte¡¯s legacy.


    But now, there¡¯s no protagonist!


    Shaking my head, I tried to recall as much information about Hippolyte as possible.


    Anyway, she¡¯s lucky, anyway, she¡¯s capable, anyway, she¡¯s a barbarian warrior.


    That was all the background for Hippolyte¡­


    However, the Hippolyte before my eyes had filled in all the nks I couldn¡¯tplete, as a living person. First, I should thank her.


    ¡°Thank you. Hippolyte, you came to save us too, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, it turned out that way¡­ By the way, what happened to Morgana?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s dead?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this? Lydia was making such a fuss, I thought Benny was in danger, but it seems that wasn¡¯t the case at all.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Benny was indeed about to die. It¡¯s just that we were a bit luckier.¡±


    Hippolyte didn¡¯t seem like a bad person, but I couldn¡¯t talk about the fully upgraded Goddess statue and the mini Sanctuary, my trump cards.


    For that reason, I also glossed over the details of the battle.


    I said something like I distracted Morgana with my awesome stealth skills, and Benny took the opportunity to finish her off.


    Finally, Hippolyte, who confirmed Morgana¡¯s corpse, looked at me with a subtle expression.


    And then, with a look that seemed to say she understood everything, she continued.


    ¡°So, the little one finished off Morgana while the kid distracted her?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go with that. Now, what¡¯s left is the distribution¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh? Distribution? What¡¯s that supposed to mean all of a sudden? Benny and I were the ones who risked our lives to bring her down in the end.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not denying the merits of you kids. But we also took on this task at the Guild¡¯s request, so we have to hand over the body.¡±


    Hippolyte smirked, raising the corners of his mouth as she spoke arrogantly.


    ¡°Let me tell you something good as a senior adventurer, kid.¡±


    ¡°¡­What is it?¡±


    ¡°As you continue to work as an adventurer, you¡¯ll find yourself not just exploring but also receiving requests from others.¡±


    ¡°Right? The rewards and support are great too.¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s a tip. Even if you barely achieved your goal, don¡¯t just give it back.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°Because you need to milk it for all it¡¯s worth before you submit it.¡±


    Hippolyte said this while nodding towards Morgana¡¯s corpse.


    ¡°If there¡¯s any loot, grab it now. We only need to take the body.¡±


    ¡°Gasp.¡±


    It was truly advice that would be blood and flesh.


    Until now, I was so focused on Benny¡¯s unstable condition that I had neglected the ¡®cleanup¡¯.


    Being a high-ranking mage, she must have carried many valuable items. Considering the sacred relics she had stolen while causing trouble¡­


    ¡°Thank you, Hippolyte!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    Hippolyte shrugged and stepped back. At the same time, I squatted in front of the corpse.


    Morgana, oh Morgana.


    How many consecutive rolls are you???

 Chapter 117: What A Mage Leaves Behind When They Die (2)

    It is said that when a tiger dies, it leaves behind its hide, and when a man dies, he leaves behind his name.


    Then what does a mage leave behind when they die?


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s find out.¡±


    Humming a tune that came naturally to me, I began rummaging through Morgana¡¯s corpse.


    The staff, which had to be secured first, had already been slipped into the Subspace Ring during the battle.


    As for other valuable items¡­ Maybe the artifact stolen from the Magic Tower.


    Though I¡¯m not sure how to use it, the aura of death that had trapped us and blocked Benny¡¯s magic was undeniably powerful.


    It was a pity that the relic of the Beast God, obtained from the subjugation of One Who Devours the Twilight, had to be handed over to the Temple as evidence¡­ This time, I¡¯m definitely using it for personal gain.


    I meticulously examined Morgana¡¯s corpse while running a happy circuit in my mind.First, there are two rings and a bracelet on her hand. I¡¯m not sure what they are, but they all seem like magical items.


    I should take them for now. I could leave the appraisal to Benny or Eve.


    The ne around her neck didn¡¯t seem to emit any magical power¡­but I took it anyway.


    After all, wasn¡¯t Morgana a mage far beyond my meager abilities?


    It might be a hidden magical item, and even if it¡¯s not, it looks expensive enough to grab anyway.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Is this all that stands out? Now, it¡¯s time to strip her down in earnest.


    ¡°The robe¡­seems useless.¡±


    It was a luxurious and intricately enchanted robe, almost on par with her staff, but now it was damaged with a hole through the chest.


    Of course, despite losing the power of its enchantment, the fact that high-grade materials were used generously and that it contains advanced spatial magic knowledge means it will be quite valuable. Let¡¯s take this too.


    I stripped the robe off Morgana¡¯s corpse and rolled it up.


    Then, just in case, I rummaged through the pockets and even ran my hands all over the inner lining to see if there were any hidden spaces.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Sure enough. While the lining didn¡¯t feel odd, the moment I put my hand into the pocket, it slid all the way up to my forearm.


    It¡¯s not that I suddenly gained monstrous strength and tore the robe. It¡¯s because spatial magic is applied to the pocket.


    The weight I felt while stripping it off earlier was about the level of a slightly heavy winter coat. In other words, it¡¯s an artifact with both the spatial magic I so desired and weight reduction applied simultaneously¡­!


    ¡°Indeed, one should live virtuously.¡±


    So, isn¡¯t this how luckes around?


    Giggling, I emptied the pocket of all its contents. Fortunately, although the protective spell was broken as the heart part was pierced, the other spells seemed to be functioning normally without any instability.


    From the subspace pocket, I pulled out a few potions containing blue liquid, a heavy wallet, and two thick books.


    Not knowing much about the potions, I put them back. The wallet seemed full of money, so I decided to count it quietlyter¡­


    As for the books, a quick nce revealed that one seemed to be a research journal or diary, and the other was a magic book about spatial magic.


    ¡­Why do viins always leave behind something like a diary?


    When I write novels, I often include such settings, but that¡¯s simply because it¡¯s convenient to use.


    But Morgana doesn¡¯t have any readers to convince, so why on earth¡­?


    Tilting my head in curiosity, I set aside the research journal. I n to burn it instead of selling it.


    ¡°Intense me.¡±


    With a short incantation, I uttered the activation word. Watching me burn the journal without hesitation, Hippolyte¡¯s eyes sparkled as she stepped back.


    ¡°Huh? That seems like the most valuable thing. Are you sure about this?¡±


    ¡°Knowledge should exist for people. Attempts to ovee death and the great magic for it are fine, but if the lives of innocent people are taken as the price, no matter how tremendous the knowledge is, it¡¯s worth less than a piece of trash.¡±


    Maybe because I intentionally used a powerful 2-star magic, it turned to ashes in an instant, scattering everywhere.


    As I blew it away so it couldn¡¯t be gathered again, I suddenly met Hippolyte¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Kid. Was your name Donna?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Jonah.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Jonah. I kind of like you.¡±


    ¡°Gasp. Wh-what¡¯s this? Are you hitting on me? Sorry. Your face and fashion are a bit my type, but that ¡®I¡¯ll make you fall for me¡¯ confidence is so annoying, it¡¯s physiologically impossible for me!¡±


    ¡°¡­I never thought that. Why does it feel like I just got rejected?¡±


    Hippolyte, scratching the back of her head through the lion¡¯s mane, asked Lydia, who was observing Benny from a bit further away.


    ¡°Hey Lydia. Is this kid always like this?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? I didn¡¯t see what happened, but if something weird goes down, Jonah would always say something weird.¡±


    Lydia nodded. Benny also nodded half a beatter, as if in agreement.


    The only one consistently showing me kindness was Shadow.


    <em>-Screeeech¡­ Heck!</em>


    However, I wish you would stop multiplying eyes on the tongue revealed between those sharp teeth. Even for me, that¡¯s just too disgusting.


    Shaking my head, I resumed farming Morgana, which I had paused for a moment.


    The clothes inside the robe are luxurious, but they are just ordinary clothes without any special function, so pass.


    I continued examining various parts of the body, but there was nothing particrly valuable.


    ¡°No. <em>Sigh</em>. <em>Hiss</em>.¡±


    So where on earth is the artifact? With a deep sigh, I even stripped off the outer garment, just in case.


    It might have been beautiful once, but now it¡¯s old and wrinkled, leaving only traces of its former self.


    ¡°Darn it!¡±


    It feels like I just wasted my time and hurt my eyes.


    Swallowing a curse inwardly, I turned my head. There, kneeling and raising her hands in front of Lydia, was Benny¡­


    Of course, just like me, she wasn¡¯t wearing any underwear, so her young and fresh body was tantly exposed.


    ¡­Good. I felt the energy to farm again.


    I steeled myself and examined Morgana¡¯s corpse again, flipping it here and there.


    But the artifact was still nowhere to be found.


    Shouldn¡¯t an artifact exude the aura of its deity? Just like how a full-bloom statue always emits a faint divine power like a moodmp.


    If it¡¯s an artifact that can even impose death to abstract concepts like space or oue, it¡¯s certainly no ordinary item.


    I should be able to feel its presence somewhere.


    With a slight nod of my head, I pondered for a moment. But as I noticed the surrounding nces of ¡®What is this guy doing, stripping the corpse and falling into deep contemtion?¡¯ I realized my gaze was also being drawn to one spot.


    The wound on the chest. Specifically, where the remnants of the shattered heart were.


    It was the ce where I had driven the Unicorn Dagger to end Morgana¡¯s life, and also where the thick defensive magic had been futilely pierced by the Sanctuary.


    As if possessed by something, I dug into Morgana¡¯s wound and looked inside.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    And I found it.


    Among the pieces of the shattered heart and the cold, congealed blood, something silver sparkled.


    As expected of the artifact of the God of Death, it was exuding a deadly aura, but I hadn¡¯t noticed it since it was found inside an already dead body.


    ¡°Bingo.¡±


    Unable to hide theughter that naturally flowed out, I reached in and pulled out the artifact of death from the remnants of life.


    A ring in the form of an ash-gray snake biting its own tail.


    Made of a peculiar material, uncertain whether metal or ss, its eyes gleamed red, exuding an eerie aura.


    I have no idea why this was embedded in the heart. I don¡¯t even know what power this artifact holds.


    However, finding out is not particrly difficult.


    An object imbued with power is called an artifact, and the power¡¯s use bes naturally known without needing to be learned.


    Naturally, with some familiarity, the exact ability of the artifact will be clear.


    Giggling, I slipped the ring onto my index finger. Could that have been a sort of trigger?


    Knowledge pierces through my mind, not of my own. It¡¯s the familiar sensation of knowledge being injected through gacha.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    The pain felt was brief, but the content could not be ignored.


    ¡°What the¡­?¡±


    A snake biting its own tail. This holy artifact astonishingly possessed the power to exclude death.


    What this means is that while it spreads the aura of death around it and can actually cause someone to die¡­


    Its original use is to deflect the user¡¯s death far away by absorbing that power.


    Morgana was merely distorting the artifact¡¯s power with magic and using it abnormally, but originally, it was an item that gave the wearer one extra life.


    If I had simply handed over Morgana¡¯s corpse, she would surely have been able to move again at some point.


    Being resurrected might not be exactly what Morgana desired, but it is fitting for a mage obsessed with immortality.


    ¡°Indeed. So that¡¯s why it was embedded in the heart.¡±


    If it were simply worn on a finger, someone could have taken it, and the miracle Morgana was preparing in her body would have been nullified.


    Thus, she chose the area near her heart, which she could protect most securely with all sorts of spatial magic.


    She never expected to die so easily by having her heart pierced!


    Smirking, I pulled up the corners of my mouth and draped my outer garment over Morgana¡¯s corpse.


    Then, I nodded towards Hippolyte, who had reminded me of something I hadn¡¯t thought of and would have unwittingly yielded the profit.


    ¡°Thank you, Hippolyte! Thanks to you, I got what I wanted!¡±


    ¡°Oh? Ah, you¡¯re wee.¡±


    Hippolyte, who had been hesitating for a moment, finally asked in a very cautious voice.


    ¡°Just out of curiosity, Jonah. Is there by any chance something like a voice that you hear only when you enter the Labyrinth, or do you feel the need to dedicate everything in the world to the Goddess?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    What the hell.


    Am I being suspected of being One Who Devours the Twilight or a lunatic?

 Chapter 118: What A Mage Leaves Behind When They Die (3)

    It¡¯s unfair.


    When you¡¯re farming, you might end up digging into a heart, and if something goodes out, you mightugh, and if you¡¯re thankful, you might say so.


    But why do I have to be suspected of being a crazy zealot?


    ¡°What did I do to deserve this!?¡±


    ¡°Do you really not know why?¡±


    As I jumped up and down in ce and demanded, Hippolyte shook her head as if it was unbelievable.


    ¡°Little Jonah. I rmend you take a look at what you¡¯re wearing right now.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡­ Let¡¯s see.¡±


    Following Hippolyte¡¯s words, I looked at myself.Blood-soaked hands, a widely stretched smile. And even though I was fully dressed, my outfit was strangely lewd.


    ¡°Aha?¡±


    ¡°Finally realized it. People usually can¡¯t see themselves¡­¡±


    ¡°I do have a bit of a sphemously attractive charm.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Ha! Just a little blood, and I¡¯ve got this decadent beauty going on. Even I¡¯m in awe of myself!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hippolyte silently stared at Lydia. Feeling her gaze, Lydia looked between me and Hippolyte before nodding her head.


    ¡°Jonah has always been like that.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It was simr when we first met. He killed the kidnapper who took him hostage by himself, covered in blood, and thenughed while asking for help.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see. So, he¡¯s not a cultist or mentally unstable from trauma, but rather, he¡¯s just been unhinged from the start.¡±


    Hippolyte nodded as if she understood. To think I¡¯d bebeled a natural-born psycho in an instant.


    Pouting, I put the ring I had just pulled out from the heart into the pocket of the robe I had just looted.


    Hmph. Anyway, it¡¯s my victory since I got a +1 life ring. It¡¯s not really apetition or anything, but still.


    While grumbling to myself and iming mental victory, I suddenly noticed the blood on my hand.


    Is this really bothering me? Or is it the part where I dug into the heart?


    To be honest, I don¡¯t quite get it. Isn¡¯t killing someone worse than rummaging through a corpse¡¯s innards?


    ¡°They¡¯re not a person once they¡¯re dead¡­¡±


    I let out a long sigh and shook the blood off my hand once. Then I tried to use Morgana¡¯s outer garment as a towel.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    In the process, a drop of blood sttered on my lips, and a brilliant idea suddenly came to me, so I sneakily approached Benny and asked.


    ¡°Benny Benny.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What is it?¡±


    Benny, ring at Shadow with wide eyes, as if determined to face her past head-on before seeing it as shackles to escape from.


    She responded indifferently, her gaze fixed on Shadow.


    ¡°Too much. So, the connection with Shadow is restored, and you¡¯re back to your usual self?¡±


    With a heart full of ¡®Will you not react and endure this?¡¯, I cautiously ced my hand around Benny¡¯s waist.


    <em>Rustle.</em>


    ¡°Hii?!¡±


    Benny¡¯s bare skin felt through a thinyer of clothing. It¡¯s different in sticity from Morgana¡¯s skin, which I had to touch forcibly while farming.


    As she nodded in satisfaction, Benny finally turned toward me with creaking movements.


    ¡°Wh-what is it?¡±


    A face trying hard to suppress, whether it¡¯s ticklishness, a pounding heart, or something else.


    But I pretended not to notice and brought my lips close to Benny¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Benny, I suddenly got curious about something.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Tell me.¡±


    ¡°Mages store mana in their hearts, right? Whether it¡¯s just kept there or refined into a circle.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Then, if you eat a mage¡¯s heart, will it have an elixir-like effect?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Benny¡¯s mouth dropped open in shock. It was as if she had discovered a typus hiding among humans, pretending to be one of them¡­


    But for me, this is really important.


    Gluttonous Stomach.


    It¡¯s a 3-star Power, allowing me to fully absorb whatever I eat.


    Usually, I use it to consume the Magic Herbs that from the dud draws¡­but its potential is limitless.


    If even a little of the magic contained in Morgana¡¯s heart could be absorbed, it would result in tremendous growth.


    With a pounding heart, I asked, and she shook her head while gripping my hand tightly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°First of all, the mana contained in the heart quickly dissipates when one¡¯s life ends. Not to mention cases where the heart is shattered, like Morgana¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if the heart is intact, you shouldn¡¯t do such things. After all, it¡¯s a good vessel, right? If the magic from a painfully dead mage¡¯s heart escapes, what do you think will be contained in it?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­dead blood?¡±


    ¡°That too, but what I meant is a curse.¡±


    Benny pointed at Shadow as she said that. Come to think of it, Shadow was also a being condensed from the malice left over by the dead and the madness contained in the bodies of monsters.


    Even if the details differ, the basic principle is probably simr.


    ¡°So, don¡¯t even think about using such shortcuts. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Uh, um. Got it¡­ But what if I couldpletely digest that curse or grudge¡­?¡±


    ¡°Digestion means to melt it down and make it your own. That would be more dangerous. If you make a mistake, you might get eroded like me.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll give up.¡±


    ¡°Good. Whatever it is, you made the right choice.¡±


    I released Benny, who sighed in relief.


    Then, as I turned around, there were Hippolyte and Lydia whispering quietly.


    ¡°Is he really Ellie¡¯s fianc¨¦? This is totally¡­¡±


    ¡°Shh. From what I see, Senior Ellie seems to have that kind of taste. She hasn¡¯t met a man for so long that her values got twisted.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh dear. How unfortunate.¡±


    Rumors, not quite nderous, could be heard, but I decided to just let it slide instead of refuting them.


    I was starting to get tired of this suffocating Labyrinth.


    Retrieving the thoroughly frightened guide and ascending to the surface was smooth sailing.


    The Magic Tower, already in an uproar, was eagerly awaiting the return of Lydia and Hippolyte with eyes aze.


    However, the truth wasn¡¯t divulged. Lydia, knowing well that it was too early for me to be in the spotlight, adapted the story appropriately.


    While Benny desperately held out, Lydia and Hippolyte destroyed the barrier and tore Morgana¡¯s heart apart.


    And I was cheerfully cheering them on from the back, munching on popcorn¡­or so the story goes.


    Instead, the items farmed from Morgana were split between Benny and me, while Lydia and Hippolyte took the rewards and fees for their contributions, making it a win-win situation.


    ¡°Ta-da! And that¡¯s how I managed to return to Ellie¡¯s side~¡±


    ¡°What in the world¡­.¡±


    Hearing what had happened today, Ellie dropped the ss she was wiping with a stunned expression.


    ¡°Oops.¡±


    Of course, I caught it before it could shatter.


    Finally regaining her senses, Ellie began to feel my body here and there.


    ¡°You¡¯re okay, right? Are you hurt anywhere?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Even if I was, everything got healed when the Sanctuary was deployed at the end.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief¡­ha.¡±


    Letting out a deep sigh, Ellie pulled at my cheeks with a weary voice.


    ¡°No matter how unpredictable the Labyrinth can be, Jonah, you¡¯re too much. Are you really a saint? What is the Goddess doing? Isn¡¯t your luck just too bad?¡±


    ¡°Hey. If the Goddess could control everything, why would there be a Labyrinth or a Guild? Everything would be solved with a miracle; yup!¡±


    The Goddess of Love monopolizes all faith as thest remaining deity in this world¡­but she also pours most of her power into the Labyrinth.


    In other words, despite being a god, there are surprisingly few things she can do at will.


    Ellie, recalling this well-known fact, released my cheek with a wry smile.


    ¡°I suppose¡­ Anyway, I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. But it¡¯s also true that this time it was genuinely dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Huh? No way¡­ Are you finally thinking of quitting as an adventurer and living a normal life¡­!¡±


    ¡°So, I want to give my virginity to Ellie today so I won¡¯t have any regrets when I die. Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Ellie froze stiff as if she had been stunned. But as soon as I started to fondle her soft ears, Ellie quickly regained her senses and shook her head with a voice full of regret.


    ¡°N¡­no. Forget it. I¡¯m not so desperate that I¡¯dy hands on a minor.¡±


    ¡°What? You don¡¯t have the guts to risk your life for me?! Ellie, you coward!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to risk my life like that! And more importantly, it¡¯s crucial that you have lingering feelings for me, Jonah!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why? Is this some kind of teasing game?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s not that. From what I¡¯ve seen, Jonah, you seem to be an excessively free-spirited type. The fact that you¡¯re tied down to me like this is astonishing in itself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s obviously because I like Ellie. And also because Ellie is a good person.¡±


    ¡°But what if it actually happens? If Jonah loses interest in me? Wouldn¡¯t you leave me then? What if, during a dangerous moment in the Labyrinth, you say you have no regrets and give up? Those thoughts make me anxious.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t know Ellie was thinking that way.


    After pondering for a while on how to respond, I carefully opened my mouth.


    ¡°Ellie is really a troublesome woman!¡±


    ¡°Shut up! I know that too?!¡±


    ¡°But I like even that troublesome Ellie.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ugh!¡±


    Ellie¡¯s face turned red, and after stammering for a moment, she barely managed to change the subject.


    ¡°So, what about tomorrow? You¡¯re not nning to head straight to the Labyrinth, are you? If you don¡¯t have any ns, how about we¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course not. After what happened, I need to rest a bit too. Besides, I need to estimate how much loot I got this time and sell off what I can. I¡¯m nning to visit Eve¡¯s shop.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, okay.¡±


    Ellie became sullen when I mentioned I might be busy with another woman.


    I gently tugged on her drooping tail and whispered.


    ¡°So, make sure to leave plenty of your scent on me so everyone knows I¡¯m yours.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Ellie, who had been downcast, suddenly widened her eyes.


    She carefully reached out her hand towards me. And then¡­


    I was thoroughly petted.


    I was hoping for some grooming, so I was a bit disappointed.

 Chapter 119: What A Mage Leaves Behind When They Die (4)

    My luck is bad.


    Ellie used to tell me that and worry.


    But was it really just bad luck? Were the series of recent events I¡¯ve experienced simply unfortunate idents?


    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡±


    It¡¯s a matter of perspective and background knowledge.


    I know. I know what Morgana bes in the future.


    The motive is a mad immortal. You know, the type that¡¯smon enough. Appearing noble but turning out to be a vile beast once you peel back ayer. It was just like that.


    At first, she was a powerful and beautiful mage. But she wasn¡¯t someone you couldn¡¯t possibly defeat.


    But even if you tear, burn, break, and melt her, she eventually returns to her original form.Morgana gradually loses her sanity each time, and eventually, she forgets her own form, with eyes, nose, and mouth in strange ces or a different number of limbs.


    In the end, she bes a monster driven by madness, only preying on the living around her instinctively.


    That is the true form of Morgana that I created.


    How about it? Doesn¡¯t it resemble Shadow exactly? Rejuvenating into a younger form would be like a trace of Benny.


    Yes. What I feared back then was Benny¡¯s death.


    To be more precise, I was afraid that Benny might die because of the seeds of crisis I had sowed.


    Perhaps even Lydia, who went to save Benny, might be in danger, and the thought of an awakened Morganamitting ughter in Pangrave was enough to make me shudder.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t think that way from the beginning.


    At the moment when I was escaping the Labyrinth, just as Benny had said, something happened to me. I don¡¯t remember clearly, but something certainly urred.


    I have no precise memory, but the dreadful emotion remains. And also the hope that it¡¯s not toote.


    Perhaps the Goddess of Love sent some kind of message¡­.


    In any case, after that, I began to imagine the worst-case scenarios, and although it was a bit dangerous, I¡¯m satisfied that it could be prevented.


    For me, this incident was not only about Benny almost dying but also about the entire Pangrave, including Lydia, who came to rescue her, being in danger.


    ¡°But Ellie is different.¡±


    For Ellie, this incident would be simply about getting caught up with a crazy woman targeting Benny, almost leading to both our deaths.


    So, from Ellie¡¯s perspective, saying that I¡¯m unlucky isn¡¯t incorrect.


    To me, the mere fact that I can prevent such a significant issue in advance feels like a stroke of luck.


    For a moment, my head became cluttered. Luck and misfortune. Somewhere in between. If I endure, I gain something greater, but if I fail, we perish together.


    Isn¡¯t this a setup I¡¯ve heard somewhere before?


    ¡°Lucky Strike.¡±


    I fiddled with the ne around my neck and recited the name.


    A former elf queen, a living masterpiece of history who has lived for a thousand years.


    An artifact that grants bad luck to its wearer but promises greater rewards if one can ovee it.


    It might not make much sense when you hear it at first, but you need to understand that it¡¯s a nonsensical magical tool from the point where it can slightly intervene in fate.


    Though she herself deemed it unnecessary as she stepped down from her position as queen¡­.


    It¡¯s certain that Eve being treated as a dark figure and simultaneously receiving fear and reverence was partly due to Lucky Strike.


    The fact that she survived for a long time while wearing it means she managed to navigate through a tumultuous life.


    To others, she must have seemed like a suspicious elf with squinted eyes who made the impossible possible.


    Perhaps I¡¯m not much different from Eve back then. No, maybe I¡¯m even worse.


    Unlike Eve, whose goal was the preservation of the elf race, my goal is to eradicate the threats I¡¯ve cast into the world.


    Greater purposese with greater trials.


    However, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll copse halfway.


    It¡¯s not just because I recently defeated the formidable Morgana and got a bit cocky¡­but rather because of the support I felt behind me.


    The Goddess of Love is supporting me, so I can¡¯t fail, right???


    But no matter how much of a Goddess she is, the power she can exert while confined in the Labyrinth is limited.


    So, I have to roll the gacha. Only the gacha is the direct backup from the Goddess of Love, and it will help me grow to meet my goals.


    To roll the gacha, I need money, and my pockets are empty right now, but¡­


    ¡°If I start earning from now, that¡¯ll be enough.¡±


    I¡¯ll sell the still hefty loot even after sharing with Benny¡­!


    Don¡¯t worry too much, Morgana! You¡¯ll be my gacha and live with me forever!


    This is thepletion of a world where no one gets hurt!


    ¡°Oh my? Jonah¡¯s goods are excellent, but unfortunately, it¡¯s impossible for me to handle them. But, well, it¡¯s not like there isn¡¯t a way.¡±


    <em>From now on, I¡¯m going to rip you off and bleed you dry (X)</em>


    <em>I slipped in a dirty joke, but he didn¡¯t catch it, right?! (O)</em>


    ¡°Eh.¡±


    I was momentarily at a loss for words.


    It wasn¡¯t because of the usual messed-up Evenguage trantor, but because I couldn¡¯t earn money for the gacha.


    That¡¯s right. What¡¯s there to hide?


    My gacha addiction level has now reached quite a precarious point.


    I haven¡¯t properly pulled the gacha for a while, and recently, there was that big battle where my life was in danger.


    It¡¯s not because I¡¯m a gambling addict! My body! My soul! They crave adrenaline and dopamine¡­!


    ¡°No, there¡¯s a precious item here! It¡¯s worth whatever price you call! Why won¡¯t you buy it?!¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s because you¡¯re still a minor¡­ahem. It¡¯s because our shop is short on cash.¡±


    Eve hurriedly changed the subject. Her squinted eyes curved warmly, almost like a scam artist sizing up their prey.


    ¡°Sir Jonah might overestimate me since you know of my past, but in reality, I¡¯m not that wealthy.¡±


    <em>I have enough power that money doesn¡¯t matter (X)</em>


    <em>I really don¡¯t have any. Save me (O)</em>


    ¡°Oh, I know that well. Every time I visit, I¡¯ve never seen any other customers, and there¡¯s that shy Cradle Trading Company building next door. The items they sell are subtle¡­ Honestly, aren¡¯t you barely making rent?¡±


    ¡°¡­That hurts. But you¡¯re right. In my eyes, they are certainly useful kids, but not to other adventurers. Ah, but I don¡¯t pay rent. This ce is in my name.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    In her name? How could that be?


    Of course, I¡¯m not trying to say that it¡¯s impossible for every citizen to own a house just because Pangrave is a red-vored <sup>1</a></sup> society.


    Isn¡¯t Fairy and Silver Coin also Ellie¡¯s property in the first ce?


    However, there are a few important areas that are exceptions.


    For instance, the ce where Eve¡¯s shop is located. Surprisingly, this ce belongs to the primemercial district.


    It¡¯s close to the Guild, connected to the Temple by a main road, and the entrance to the Labyrinth is within sight.


    In other words, the foot traffic here is insane.


    ¡­Suddenly, Eve seems amazing for running a failing business in such a ce.


    Anyway, although this is a prime spot for business, it can also be seen as a strategic point.


    Even if you bring in dangerous weapons iming they¡¯re for dungeon adventurers, no one would suspect anything.


    Since the goods are expensive, even if you fortify the shop like a fortress for security reasons, no one wouldin.


    How important a region it is, being connected to core facilities.


    Of course, it¡¯s not just suspicion that made trade impossible. It was banned because there was a madman who actually executed this crazy idea.


    The First Apostate, Baneus.


    The leader of One Who Devours the Twilight, who has somehow kept himself alive for hundreds of years, first revealed himself to the world using this very method.


    That¡¯s why thew was changed to make ownership impossible.


    Of course, it¡¯s merely a formality to allow search and seizure at any time, but the rent itself is cheappared to the floating poption.


    Buildings erected on thend can be bought and sold by others.


    ¡°How is that possible¡­?¡±


    At my question, Eve scratched her cheek with an awkward smile.


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯snd I bought a long time ago for retirement¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°When there was now, transactions were possible, and no one could forcibly take away the ownership of thend from me, so I still hold it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Unbelievable. I hadn¡¯t even considered this.


    Even if they are elves, they die after living for about 300 years. Thend that follows cannot be inherited and will be reimed by the Temple.


    But what if it¡¯s a crazy, ancient monster¡­no, a high elf who has lived for over a thousand years? And what if they are a suspicious dark powerhouse known to everyone (or not)?


    Now I understand why Eve has been stubbornly holding on in such an unprofitable ce.


    ¡°You¡¯re andlord then.¡±


    ¡°Hehe. Actually, I justck cash, but I do have quite a few magical tools and real estate. ¡­It¡¯s enough to support a man.¡±


    <em>Enough to kidnap and imprison you in the basement (X)</em>


    <em>How many children should we have? (O)</em>


    I nodded, trying hard to ignore the iprehensible trantion.


    Then introduce me to someone else who has lots of cash. I¡¯ll give you a generousmission.


    ¡°I have no business with someone like Miss Eve who has no money.¡±


    Oops! My inner thoughts and dialogue got swapped¡­!


    This is all because of the anxiety that I might not be able to roll a gacha today.


    This is how dangerous gacha can be.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED: Metaphor for ¡®extreme¡¯, or in this context, an extremist society?</a></li></ol>

 Chapter 120: What A Mage Leaves Behind When They Die (5)

    Then please introduce me to someone else who has lots of cash. I¡¯ll make sure to give you a generousmission.


    ¡°I have no business with someone like Miss Eve who has no money.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Eve¡¯s face looked as shocked as a typus with its tail yanked off. It was then that I realized.


    My inner thoughts and dialogue got swapped¡­!


    A beat toote, a sense of embarrassment rose up. But soon it was transferred onto ming others.


    This is all because of the anxiety that I might not be able to roll the gacha today! It¡¯s because the gacha withdrawal symptoms have reached a lethal level!


    I hope everyone remembers. This is how dangerous gacha can be.


    ¡­Alright. Now that the escapism is over, let¡¯s see how I can handle this.Smile.


    I stood up with the best smile I could muster.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    With a wistful expression, Eve reached out to me. Did she really think I would stand up and leave just like that?


    What kind of image do I have, really¡­


    Without showing my slightly hurt feelings, I sat down next to Eve.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Eve, her face nk, just opened and closed her mouth. I snuggled closer, wrapping one arm around hers, and looked up.


    A slightly upward angle. Eve¡¯s elbow touching my stomach. The fragrant scent and dewy skin activated by my beauty power.


    Theposition is perfect.


    Finally, I opened my mouth, imagining the mischievous junior character archetype.


    The key here is to raise my voice one or two octaves higher than usual and mix in breathiness while speaking.


    ¡°Just kidding. It¡¯s a joke.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hoo, hohoho. Of course, I knew that.¡±


    <em>I¡¯ve already seen through that shallow n to shake me up (X)</em>


    <em>I had no idea (O)</em>


    Eve¡¯s eyes narrowed even more, and a meaningful smile appeared on her lips.


    Eve has a peculiar habit of bluffing more as she gets cornered. It must mean she¡¯s really flustered right now. Of course, I shouldn¡¯t let her know that I know this.


    Here, it¡¯s time to tter Eve as if I¡¯m surprised. The saying that men are weak to praises and recognition applies to women on the Pan Continent.


    ¡°Wow! Amazing! Everyone else gets angry at such jokes. As expected, Miss Eve, you¡¯re different from other women!¡±


    ¡°Well, I was once in the position of a queen, after all.¡±


    <em>Don¡¯t you dare try to test the queen, scum (X)</em>


    <em>Wow, damn! That was close! (O)</em>


    Pretending not to notice the inner thoughts conveyed through the cold sweat, I continued with a brief moment of admiration and praise.


    The key point here is to emphasize that she is different from other women.


    It¡¯s important to make Eve believe that she alone is special.


    Of course, someone like Eve would see through such shallow tricks¡­but isn¡¯t ttery something that works even when you know it¡¯s happening?


    Just as the effect of emphasizing her uniqueness was about to wear off, I lowered my voice a bit and continued.


    ¡°Sigh¡­but this is troublesome. This time, for the ¡®first time¡¯, I¡¯ve managed to earn such a significant loot. Naturally, since it¡¯s my ¡®first¡¯ time handling this, I came to look for you, Eve, as you were the one who said you would be my exclusive for the ¡®first¡¯ time¡­ If you¡¯re short on cash¡­¡±


    This time, the emphasis is on the first time.


    Living and adapting in Pan Continent, I¡¯ve realized one thing. The women of this world have a surprisingly strong tendency to obsess over and sanctify a man¡¯s first experience.


    The reason is simple. First, it¡¯s not easy to confirm a man¡¯s experience.


    It¡¯s not like there¡¯s something obvious like a hymen.


    And secondly, the historical context. Though the civilization developed rapidly after being rebuilt, it is still at a medieval level.


    Moreover, the only faith in this era is the Goddess of Love.


    While being non-virgin is not considered sinful, virginity is almost revered, transcending mere respect.


    Lastly, there is Eve.


    Isn¡¯t it natural to have high expectations for a first experience the longer one remains inexperienced?


    However, Eve is a thousand-year-old virgin. Practically speaking, she is closer to a monster whose age makes the term ¡°ancient monster¡± seem inadequate.


    Of course, be they an ancient monster or a regr monster, if someone has Eve¡¯s face and body, they are always wee¡­


    Anyway, it¡¯s obvious that Eve must be harboring tremendous expectations at the mention of my grand ¡®first time¡¯.


    Thus, Eve is dazed by thebo of ¡®special person¡¯ and ¡®first time¡¯.


    Although she still wears a menacing smile that seems like she could take someone down at any moment, she is nheless dazed.


    Since the warmup seems sufficient, I decided to move on to the main topic.


    I subtly began to stroke Eve¡¯s thigh with one hand. Unlike the typically skinny elves, her thigh was quite fleshy, probably due to being a high elf born with all kinds of blessings.


    Enjoying the feel that clung to my hand, I brought my lips even closer.


    Not just whispering into her ear, but close enough for breath¡­no, body heat to be felt faintly.


    However, I twisted my waist lightly, making minute adjustments to ensure that my lips did not actually touch her ears.


    tantly rubbing my belly against Eve¡¯s elbow, I said,


    ¡°I need cash urgently right now, and I would be really grateful if you could help me out, Miss Eve¡­ Is there any way?¡±


    ¡°Oh my. Acting like this won¡¯t create a way out of thin air.¡±


    <em>Don¡¯t try to gloss it over with words,e up with a corresponding price, brat (X)</em>


    <em>Since a human¡¯s lifespan is roughly 100 years, it would be good to have about 100 children (O)</em>


    If it weren¡¯t for the truly dreadful and terrifying content of the trantion ability, it would have felt like she was drawing a firm line.


    In other words, it means there is still room to push a little more.


    This time, I lowered my head slightly and looked straight into Eve¡¯s eyes from close range as I open my mouth.


    ¡°Is it really impossible? Isn¡¯t there any way? I¡¯m begging you like this.¡±


    ¡°Since I¡¯m not an alchemist who has discovered The Truth <sup>1</a></sup> nor can I create gold, there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be entirely cash. I can also ept Magic Stones of equivalent value. And¡­if you help me dispose of it by today, I promise I¡¯ll give you something really good¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Despite her creepy smile (she was troubled), Eve paused.


    Then, she gently lifted her narrow eyes, revealing her jewel-like, sparkling green pupils.


    ¡°Jonah. What you just said. Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°¡­???¡±


    Is it really necessary to confirm this with the Eye of Truth¡­?


    A little dumbfounded, but as if swearing to her eyes, I nodded while meeting her gaze head-on.


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll really give you something good.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Please wait here for a moment.¡±


    Eve then left me in Eden and disappeared somewhere.


    After rolling around on the couch for about 30 minutes, Eve returned.


    She was holding two heavy pouches.


    ¡°A staff encrusted with diamonds, various high-grade potions, two defensive magic tools, four offensive magic tools. Altogether, ites to 92 gold in cash and a hundred gold worth of Magic Stones. How does that sound?¡±


    ¡°192 gold¡­!¡±


    Whenbined with the 13 gold from Morgana¡¯s wallet, it amounts to a staggering total of 205 gold.


    With this amount, I could immediately afford my own ce in this expensivend of Pangrave.


    Of course, I couldn¡¯t pocket all of this money for myself.


    I couldn¡¯t have defeated Morgana alone, so I decided to split the rewards exactly in half with Benny.


    No, we split the money from selling the loot in half, but I decided to keep the robe, and Benny agreed to overlook the fact that I discarded Morgana¡¯s magic book without consulting her. Strictly speaking, I ended up taking more.


    Anyway, even if I share the sales proceeds with Benny, I still end up with over 100 gold in my possession.


    Wow. 100 gold.


    So, does that mean I can roll the ¡°10-consecutive rolls¡± a thousand times?


    To be more precise, with the 10+1 gacha, does that mean I can roll it 11,000 times??


    Too many numbers can sometimes numb a person¡¯s reasoning.


    With that much, I couldpletely resolve all the side effects caused by the Goddess of Love¡¯s interference in the gacha and still have plenty left over.


    Is today the day I pull a 5-star???


    It felt as if hot molten iron was being poured down my spine, making it tingle with dopamine.


    My whole body felt energized to the point where I wondered if I had this kind of strength within me.


    I got up from my spot as if springing up and nodded vigorously.


    ¡°Great! I won¡¯t do a cross-check on the appraisal! If it¡¯s you, Miss Eve, I¡¯m sure you handled it well! Ah, but I must ask one thing. Where did you get the cash?¡±


    ¡°I told the kid from the Cradle Trading Company to repay the debt from childhood. Even then, it wasn¡¯t enough, so I made a promise to help himter as long as it doesn¡¯t burden me.¡±


    <em>You must prove that you¡¯re worth this much (X)</em>


    <em>Choo Choo! The never-stopping Half-Elf-Making Train is departing! (O)</em>


    ¡°Th-that really wasn¡¯t necessary¡­¡±


    I never imagined that not only was she able to recover the debt owed by the Cradle Trading Company, but she would also end up owing them back.


    And the content of the brain-trantor, which even made me flinch, was¡­?


    Fearing that if I yed around any longer something serious might happen, I shivered and snatched the pouch of gold coins and Magic Stones from Eve¡¯s hand.


    Then, I handed over the ¡®good thing¡¯ I had made while rolling around on the couch to Eve¡¯s hand and decided to beat a hasty retreat.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve given you something good, so I¡¯ll be going now! Oh, there¡¯s no expiration date, so feel free to use it whenever you like, no worries!¡±


    ¡°Eh? W-wait a moment, Sir Jonah. I-!¡±


    ¡°See you next time! Goodbye!¡±


    Hearing Eve¡¯s urgent voice trying to grab hold of me, I quickly activated my stealth skill and dashed away.


    ¡°Sir Jonah¡­!¡±


    Avoiding Eve, who was crumpling the ¡°*¡¯<strong><strong>Chicken, Massage, Ear Lick</strong></strong>¡¯ *<em><strong>Full Course Coupon</strong></em>¡± in her hand with a vacuous expression.


    ¡­No, I never thought she would give away everything so easily?


    It¡¯s overwhelming!<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    ¡°The Truth¡± refers to the Philosophical Truth: This can refer to the deeper, hidden truths or principles that alchemy seeks to uncover about nature, the universe, and the transformation of substances.?</a></li></ol>

 Chapter 121: Eobbo (Karma)

    There is a word called ¡®eobbo¡¯.


    Fundamentally, it originates from the Buddhist concept of karma, but it¡¯s not anythingplicated.


    If you do wrong, you get punished. If you do good, you get rewarded.


    This basic concept of rewards and punishments ording to good and evil is like an instinct of humans to maintain the collective, and thus, karma has existed in every era, East or West, in various forms and names.


    A person who umtes good deeds in life goes to heaven, a warrior who dies bravely in battle enjoys eternal glory on the battlefield, or a writer who meets the daily quota sips whiskey bought after great determination and watches a VTuber stream all night.


    At a nce, it seems like a very good concept. But remember this. People are always prone to evil, and there are no exceptions to karma.


    Those whomit evil will burn in hell, cowards will rot away meaninglessly in the inferno, and writers who stayed up all night drinking and watching VTuber videos will suffer from the looming deadline.


    And those who manipte probabilities will likewise suffer from manipted odds.


    Like how my recent hundreds of gacha pulls were all filled a bunch of 1-stars.¡°Gasp!¡±


    My goodness. What a terrifying and dreadful statistic. Just thinking about it takes my breath away.


    I thought I had gotten used to the ceiling-less system from the early Holy Grail War games, but I guess it was all a delusion.


    No matter how many 4-star powers and skills I received, isn¡¯t this too much?


    In this medieval male fantasy world where entertainment is only about sex, to take away the thrill of gacha pulls.


    But those colorless days end today.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    Tworge sacks rolled across the desk with a heavy thud.


    After escaping from Eve in a sh. I headed straight to Benny¡¯s workshop, split everything exactly in half, yed with Shadow, showed off a nipple patch I had slyly taken earlier by sticking it on the back of my hand, and when a horrified Benny chased me, I repelled her with a ¡°No, please, stop¡± before returning to the Fairy and Silver Coin.


    Ellie, who was nagging about how I kept wandering around despite almost getting seriously hurt, was silenced by the excuse that I went to buy some fruit. Only then did I lock myself in my room. That is the current situation.


    ¡°This is bliss¡­.¡±


    I caressed the heap of gold coins and Magic Stones with a voice of pure ecstasy.


    Since I can use Magic Stones for gacha anyway, I gave Benny mostly cash, and kept most of the Magic Stones for myself, enjoying the tactile pleasure.


    So smooth¡­.


    The top-grade Magic Stone was so beautiful that I admired it alone and took out the statue of the Goddess from my robe pocket.


    Today, she seemed to have nothing special to say, or maybe she didn¡¯t have the strength after exerting herself in the Labyrinth, as she spread her arms benevolently as usual.


    ¡°Yes. Even a goddess must have her own hardships.¡±


    The Goddess of Love had been unable to intervene on the surface for the past thousand years because she was maintaining the Labyrinth.


    But the Goddess of Love had intervened quite a bit for me.


    Manipting the gacha rates was an indirect intervention, so it was eptable, but changing the pose of the fully upgraded Goddess Statue, now a holy relic, or telling me something in the Labyrinth that I can¡¯t quite remember, is quite a direct intervention, isn¡¯t it?


    Of course, she must have overexerted herself. There might be some kind of side effect¡­ There¡¯s a very high probability that the confirmed bust gacha period will be extended.


    ¡°But if I spin this much, something will work out.¡±


    Even for me, there is resistance to blowing a fortune worth 100 gold solely on gacha.


    It¡¯s an amount that could allow me to buy a full set usable throughout the middleyers, high-grade aura crafting methods, mana breathing techniques, or even a house in the overpriced Pangrave like Ellie did.


    But I think normalizing gacha probabilities takes precedence over all of these.


    I didn¡¯t just vow to livefortably and well-fed; I promised to root out the seeds of disaster I had sown with my own hands.


    I can¡¯t leave the gacha, the very source of my power, broken.


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    Even if I have amassed this much money¡­ No, is it because I¡¯m thinking of using all this piled-up money that I¡¯m getting nervous?


    Taking a deep breath, I activated the gacha system.


    <em>Ding!</em>


    [Standard Draw]


    -Consume cash or equivalent Magic Stones to randomly obtain items and skills ranging from 1 to 5 stars.


    [1 Draw] [10+1 Draw]


    NEW!


    [Limited Draw]


    -Consume cash or equivalent Magic Stones to randomly obtain items and skills ranging from 1 to 5 stars.


    -The probability of obtaining 3-star or higher items doubles.


    -The probability of obtaining masterpieces is halved.


    -Special items and skills that can only be obtained through the limited draw exist.


    -The price is ten times that of the standard draw.


    -Time remaining: 23:59:37


    [1 Draw] [10 Draws + 10 Standard Draw Tickets]


    ¡°What¡­!¡±


    A limited draw here¡­?


    To be honest, I had expected something like this to appear someday. After all, it was clearlybeled as a ¡®standard¡¯ draw.


    The fact that it was specificallybeled as ¡°standard¡± must mean there¡¯s something special about it.


    And now. The limited-time draw that I had been eagerly waiting for has appeared. The content was a bit different from what I had imagined.


    ¡°The price is 10 times higher? And the bonus for drawing 10 times is a standard draw ticket?¡±


    Have they really lost their minds?


    A standard draw costs 1 silver per time, and the 10+1 draw costs 10 silvers. With 1 gold, you can draw 110 times.


    But for the limited-time draw, it costs 1 gold just to draw 10 times. You do get an additional 10 standard draws, but you would get that even if you spent 1 gold on standard draws.


    In other words, even if you spend 1 gold, you only get 10 limited draws and 10 standard draws. A total of just 20 draws.


    No matter how terrible the odds are, and even though this is a kind of penalty period due to past maniptions¡­


    Ultimately, the most important thing in a draw is the number of times you can pull.


    Even if the probability of drawing a 3-star or higher is doubled, isn¡¯t it a loss if the number of gacha pulls is reduced to a tenth?


    But despite that, my eyes couldn¡¯t leave the limited draw.


    Is the number of pulls really the most important thing in gacha?


    If I had to choose between spinning a 1% chance 50 times or a 50% chance once, I would definitely choose thetter.


    Could such logic also apply to limited draws?


    It was said that the probability of a masterpiece appearing was reduced.


    The masterpiece category is not bad. They are a kind of novelty item but their liquidity is guaranteed.


    But honestly, it¡¯s not a category I like.


    From the start, isn¡¯t this gacha system¡¯s probabilitypletely messed up?


    Let¡¯s say you sold a 3-star masterpiece item and obtained dozens of chances to roll again. Will a usable 3-star item emerge from among those dozens of tries?


    It won¡¯t. At least, it hasn¡¯t so far.


    So, even if it¡¯s the same star level, it¡¯s better to get a useless Power than a masterpiece.


    After all, Power is definitely something you can use.


    But the probability of drawing 3-stars or higher increases, while the probability of getting a masterpiece decreases?


    It¡¯s the same as saying the range of ¡®effective hits¡¯ broadens.


    There are no pickups in the Goddess gacha, but if I had topare, it¡¯s like the probability of an unexpected character breaking through the pickup buff drops significantly.


    Above all, the most concerning thing is the items and skills that only appear in limited draws.


    This damn unfriendly gacha system doesn¡¯t tell you whates out.


    However, I possess the memories of my past life. I still remember the resentment of missing out on a limited character and sulking every day for half a year until the rerun.


    Limited characters are generally powerful. Especially if it¡¯s the first limited pickup.


    To me, this ismon sense, truth, and as unshakable a premise as the cuteness of a typus.


    Moreover, the limited period is not even a week, but just a single day.


    A limited gacha while the Goddess of Love is enduring side effects.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    No matter how much I think about it, there seems to be something here. It¡¯s absolutely not that I¡¯m enchanted by the word ¡°limited¡±.


    I¡¯m not someone who, blinded by gacha, would obviously suffer a loss by pulling for a limited character. I spin the limited gacha chasing something unseen by others!


    My wavering heart leaned to one side. No, perhaps it had already tilted when I saw the word ¡°limited¡±.


    What I needed was justification, and a bit of courage.


    Erasing thest bit of reason within me, I squeezed my eyes shut.


    ¡°5-star! Let¡¯s go!!!!¡±


    I frantically pressed the limited gacha roll button.


    <em>Ding! Ding! Ding!</em>


    The rm sounds echoed in my ears without rest. But it ended ten times faster than I had anticipated.


    No matter how much I flicked my fingers, the system didn¡¯t respond. An empty wallet.


    And then, btedly, junk spilled onto the bed, and a list floated before my eyes.


    <em>Ding!</em>


    Of course, at the beginning, everything was just 1-star.


    Drawing 1-stars with ten times the amount of money was painful even for a chain gacha yer like me, who had neither money nor a future¡­.


    This ended earlier than I thought. As expected, there seems to be some connection between the current state of the Goddess and the limited-time draw.


    With a list that started to mix in 2-star items, my breathing grew heavier. I consciously regted it as I continued to scroll down.


    And then.


    ¡°EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!¡±


    A shriek burst out of me involuntarily at the sight of the dazzling rainbow light.

 Chapter 122: Eobbo (Karma) (2)

    <em>Ding!</em>


    The short rm was followed by a long list of gacha results.


    Taking a deep breath, I began to slowly look through it.


    [¡î: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [¡î: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [¡î: Processed Healing Herb]


    [¡î: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [¡î: Processed Healing Herb]


    [¡î: Lowest Grade Healing Potion] [¡î: Processed Healing Herb]


    [¡î: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [¡î: Savory Peanut Cookie]


    [¡î: Well-Dried Magic Herb]


    [¡î: Half-Drunk Cheap Whiskey]


    [¡î¡î: Wrist Crossbow]


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    [¡î¡î¡î: Moonlight-infused Crystal]


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    ¡ï[¡î¡î¡î¡î: Aura ¨C Dormant Explosion]¡ï


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    [¡î¡î¡î: Fragment of Conviction]


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    ¡ï¡ï[(Limited) ¡î¡î¡î¡î¡î: Power ¨C Avatar of Love]¡ï¡ï


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    I had expected the sequence of 1-star items. Given the circumstances, it was clear I¡¯d be drawing 1 stars for a while.


    At some point, I started seeing 3-star skills, and eventually, even a dazzling golden 4-star skill appeared.


    But even that is not important to me right now.


    At the very bottom. From the veryst draw, a brilliant five-colored light was bursting forth.


    The golden 4-star was certainly dazzling, but the one upying my view now is on a different level.


    It¡¯s like all colors gathered together, exploding right in front of my eyes in an instant.


    Behind that violently splendid disy was a phrase that read¡­.


    The moment I realized I had drawn the [¡î¡î¡î¡î¡î] I longed for. My body reacted before my mind did.


    ¡°Eeeeekkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!!¡±


    A mix of emotions that could be joy, astonishment, resentment, or relief, ultimately turning into dopamine.


    My vision spun, and a tingling sensation ran down from my spine to the tips of my body.


    After exhaling all the air in my lungs along with a scream, I finally regained myposure.


    ¡°Oh no¡­!¡±


    No matter how happy I was, wasn¡¯t that too loud?!


    Panicking, I hurriedly started stuffing the gacha results scattered on the bed into the robe¡¯s subspace.


    It was to hide them from Ellie, who woulde up after hearing my scream¡­.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    For some reason, I didn¡¯t hear the sound of footstepsing up the stairs.


    Instead, I noticed a faint pink barrier filling the room btedly.


    The fully upgraded Goddess Statue, which I used as a totem, was now emitting divine power on its own.


    Sanctuary? Did it create a barrier to prevent the sound from escaping? Wait, can it activate on its own without my will?


    Just as my mind, already overloaded with the presence of a 5-star, began to tangle and half-break down.


    <em>Bang! Bang!</em>


    A dazzling divine power burst around the Goddess Statue like fireworks. Rather than dissolving into the air, it started circling around me like a school of fish, and began to shine with the five colors I saw on the list.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    The moment I saw that, I instinctively realized.


    If it¡¯s a 5-star, it wouldn¡¯t be strange to have an animation scene¡­.


    Well, this isn¡¯t a game, so it¡¯s not like they inserted a cutscene. But thinking a bit more calmly, if it¡¯s a 5-star, wouldn¡¯t some preparation be necessary instead of just shoving it in?


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    At that moment, a memory of a 4-star being drawn surfaced.


    It was a short time, but wasn¡¯t it so painful that I almost rolled my eyes¡­?


    If a 4-star was like that, what level would a 5-star be? And why would the Goddess Statue bother deploying a Sanctuary that maximizes regenerative abilities¡­.


    ¡°Wa, wait!¡±


    In horror, I reached at the ominous conclusion¡­but quicker than that, the radiant light swirling around me poured into my heart.


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    An intense presence filled the deepest part of me, unseen by eyes and untouchable by hands.


    The density of this presence, far surpassing my own, left me breathless.


    It felt as if my very being was turning inside out and shattering. If it wished to, this presence could easily crush or dominate me.


    Yet, the entity watching from afar did not do so.


    Like handling a fragile ss vessel, it gently caressed me and willingly mended any cracks.


    Of course, this is all limited to my soul. My body couldn¡¯t withstand the reaction and began to copse on its own¡­but here, divine power filled the Sanctuary, preventing a single drop of blood from flowing.


    Though my body did not break, the sharp pain remained, tearing my mind apart. Yet, each time, something more tender than the pain caressed me.


    The touch feels very familiar. Is it the Goddess of Love? Surely, it must be.


    No other being in this world holds such presence, can do such things, and harbors such goodwill towards me.


    How many times did my body break into pieces and get repaired, inside and out?


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    The pain that felt eternal vanished without a trace. The divine power that filled the room also evaporated as a bonus.


    ¡°Hoo. Haa¡­¡±


    Taking a deep breath, I reviewed the knowledge that had btedly etched itself into my mind.


    There were two changes my body experienced this time. The effect of the first one, Aura ¨C Dormant Explosion, was simple.


    Just as the name suggests, it ignites the aura, pushing the potential of the entire body to its extreme.


    Of course, there is also a bacsh. Although, it¡¯s not like using it once will definitely kill you, but you¡¯ll be so exhausted that you can¡¯t even move a finger for a while.


    It¡¯s more than enough to be considered as a trump card for emergencies.


    Additionally, there was the bonus of an aura strong enough to stimte potential, and the physical endurance to withstand power beyond its limit.


    The increase in strength was minimal, and since my body was originally weak, the rise in endurance didn¡¯t create a huge synergy, so it¡¯s hard to say my capabilities as a frontliner increased significantly¡­.


    But at least I¡¯ll be as sturdy as any other ordinary adventurer.


    ¡°This is really fortunate.¡±


    Unlike before when any hit could be fatal, now, if I avoid attacks to the vital areas, the chances of me dying from one blow have significantly decreased.


    It¡¯s like stepping down from ying on Lunatic difficulty to Hard mode.


    That¡¯s enough. Now it¡¯s time to see how amazing a 5-star can be.


    ¡°Ssss. Hoo.¡±


    I took a short deep breath and focused my mind on the unfamiliar energy that had merged with my body.


    Then, naturally, the powers I possessed came to mind.


    The most powerful power that the Goddess of Love can bestow.


    To summarize its effects briefly¡­


    ? ?Greatly increased lifespan.


    ?? Fixed appearance at the age I consider ideal.


    ?? Massive resistance to mental interference.


    ?? Enhanced existing powers of the Goddess of Love.


    ?? Unyielding stamina even after rolling 17:1 for three days and nights.


    ???? A size down below that matches it.


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    For a moment, I wondered what it was, so I carefully went over it again, but nothing changed.


    This Power. It¡¯s great, but it¡¯spletely useless inbat¡­!


    ¡°A refund!! Give me another 5-star!! Give me abat one!!¡±


    I clung to the Goddess Statue and wailed, but the statue continued to smile benevolently.


    ¡­Wait, aren¡¯t the eyes slightly half-closed? And isn¡¯t there some drooling from its mouth?


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    From a distance, it certainly looked benevolent, but up close, it seemed lecherous. I roughly tossed the statue onto the bed and stood in front of the mirror.


    A face not much different from before. It seems the ideal me I envision is this current appearance.


    However, this is only the overall appearance. The difference itself was clear.


    ¡°No matter how you look at it, feeling a seductive vibe from a man is a bit¡­¡±


    Even by the high standards of the Pan Continent, I was no different from an unparalleled pretty boy.


    During that time, I gave off an aura closer to cute rather than handsome because of my age¡­.


    But now, on top of that, I was exuding a sultry scent.


    ¡°What exactly do you want to turn me into¡­¡±


    Even the beauty power that came out asionally felt a bit unsettling, but the Avatar of Love power felt like the final touch.


    Well, if you dissect it one by one, it certainly has effects befitting a 5-star.


    Significantly increased lifespan? As seen in the existence of Eve, who has lived for over a thousand years under the blessing of the World Tree and will live just as long in the future, it¡¯s not something to take lightly.


    The Goddess of Love isn¡¯t a deity specialized in vitality or life span like the World Tree¡­but still, I¡¯ll probably live a few hundred years more.


    Moreover, I can maintain the ideal age I envision throughout that long life.


    ¡°It¡¯s a relief that Morgana died this time.¡±


    If she had seen me, she would have obsessed over me just like she did with Benny. There¡¯s no way she wouldn¡¯t be captivated by agelessness without side effects.


    Next is absolute mental resistance.


    Of course, this is helpful. Every monster has been cursed with madness, and madness is inherently contagious.


    Right now, all the monsters have gone berserk and their bodies have be powerful¡­.


    But what if a species with mental abilities are turned into monsters from the start?


    A terrible thing would happen where madness is indiscriminately spread around.


    The reason the front line¡¯s progress on the 7th floor is dyed is because of the high ratio of such mental-type monsters, so that exins everything.


    This I acknowledge. It might not be of immediate help, but it will surely be incredibly usefulter.


    ¡°¡­The problem is whates next, though.¡±


    Enhancement of the existing Power received from the Goddess of Love? Does that mean my skin bes more moist and emits a captivating fragrance?


    Where else would I use this besides teasing Ellie¡­


    Increased stamina and lower body reinforcement? Of course, that¡¯s good. I¡¯m a man too, how could I dislike this?


    However, this also does not help in battle at all.


    ¡°Hmm¡­.¡±


    Still, just in case, should I check how much it has grown?


    I pulled down my pants and looked below.


    ¡°¡­Crazy.¡±


    I take back what I just said.


    This is definitely 5-star quality.


    With a slightly more generous heart, I decided to look for other good points instead ofining.


    ¡°Hmm. Hmmm. Hmmmm¡­.¡±


    I kept tilting my head and racking my brain¡­.


    Aside from the increased divine power and its purity due to the enhancement of the Goddess of Love¡¯s Power, there¡¯s nothing else.


    ¡°¡­Still, it¡¯s 5 stars.¡±


    The Pickpocketing skill is quite handy now, but I was really disappointed when I first got it.


    I didn¡¯t even know what a 3-star was, and I thought pickpocketing was so unimpressive.


    But when I actually used it, wasn¡¯t it an unexpectedly excellent skill?


    ¡°So, even though this seems unimpressive now, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be useful in some way in actualbat.¡±


    I turned my gaze towards the pile of Magic Herbs on the bed, trying hard to stay positive.


    Now, it¡¯s time to check out the 3-star item.

 Chapter 123: Eobbo (Karma) (3)

    I thought I finally pulled a 5-star, but it turned out to be the Power of Lookism.


    ¡°¡­It seems subtle for now, but it mighte in handy in actualbat.¡±


    Turning my hopeful thoughts around, I shifted my gaze to the remaining results piled on the bed.


    There were two more 3-stars. It¡¯s time to check those out.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡±


    First, I popped a Magic Herb, rolling it around at the top of my mouth, and began rummaging.


    Before long, I discovered something emitting a subtle glow among the clutter.


    ¡°Is this it?¡±


    Pushing aside the surrounding items, I retrieved the source of the light.A finger-sized crystal imbued with a bluish glow.


    The crystal itself ismon, but the light within makes it resemble a gem. This must be the Moonlight-infused Crystal that was listed.


    ¡°A material item, huh.¡±


    A 3-star material like the Unicorn Horn I once pulled. I don¡¯t know what I can make with this, but considering the power of the Unicorn Dagger, I can certainly make something substantial from it.


    However, there¡¯s one thing that bothers me¡­.


    ¡°¡­I have to go back to Eve?¡±


    After doing that to her, I have to go back to Eve? For a moment, my head went nk.


    To the person who came all the way here, even incurring debt, just to do something naughty with me, I have to walk back in myself.


    This time, she will definitely not let it slide.


    Well. I don¡¯t mind seggs itself, but I made a promise to Ellie and Lydia.


    The reason they treat me well isn¡¯t just because they¡¯re good people or because they¡¯re close to me, but also because they expect such things.


    I know this, and I have used it to get various things.


    But now that I¡¯ve received everything I could, I¡¯ll have seggs with someone else? Is that how it turned out?


    This pricks my conscience a bit.


    ¡°Alright. I should go to Benny.¡±


    Benny might not have as much experience as Eve, but she¡¯s also a high-level mage. Being more adept in practical skills than theory, she should be familiar with such special materials.


    She might not be able to tell me the best way to process it or connect me with the top craftsman, but she should at least know what the item is used for.


    Then I can go to Ellie or Lydia and ask them to introduce me to a suitable person.


    Although Ellie has retired, she was once the most famous adventurer in Pangrave.


    And isn¡¯t Lydia a severe gear junkie? Given how much she¡¯s bought, she¡¯s likely to know in detail.


    ¡­If my past life was as a writer, wouldn¡¯t I need a good keyboard? Just like how I bought so many expensive keyboards, one for each day of the week, Monday through Sunday, and still had one left over.


    Why on earth did my past self buy eight keyboards¡­.


    With a deep sigh, I put the jewel back into my pocket. There¡¯s still one more 3-star item left, so I should check that out first.


    ¡°It was definitely called ¡®Fragment of Conviction¡¯.¡±


    An abstract name. It sounds like an item or equipment¡­.


    No matter how much I searched, I couldn¡¯t find anything that looked like a 3-star item. Instead, I found another Wrist Crossbow and reinforced it.


    During the previous reinforcement, its power significantly increased, and this time it gained a rapid-fire function.


    It¡¯s only three shots, butpared to having to reload after every shot, it¡¯s a world of a difference.


    Of course, the crossbow has be a bitrger and heavier¡­.


    But it¡¯s not sorge that it hinders movement, and thanks to my body¡¯s growth after defeating Morgana in the Labyrinth and my ability to handle the massive aura of a 4-star, the weight shouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    I¡¯ve been neglecting the crossbow since acquiring the stealth skill¡­but at this level, it might be worth using it more seriously.


    ¡°By the way, where on earth is it¡­¡±


    Surely, it¡¯s not that it didn¡¯te out, right? More likely, I just haven¡¯t discovered it because it appeared in an unexpected form.


    In the end, I began checking by moving the piles of herbs one by one. How long did I rummage like that?


    Suddenly, I discovered a small wooden box exuding an unusual aura.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    Judging by the size, it looks just right for holding a ring. Could it be a jewelry-type artifact?


    The artifact I farmed from Morganast time was truly fitting for a mage¡­meaning it consumed quite a bit of mana to activate.


    The performance itself is useful, but for someone like me with a mana pool far inferior to Morgana¡¯s, a few uses would leave me in mana exhaustion.


    Benny said it didn¡¯t suit herbat style and told me to just sell it.


    In the end, the only magical tool I got from Morgana was this subspace robe. And I¡¯m quite satisfied with it alone.


    ¡°Since I already have a Subspace Ring on one hand, should I wear it on the other?¡±


    I even thought about selling the Subspace Ring secondhand since I have the robe¡­


    But with the robe, don¡¯t I still have to take items out of the pocket?


    A Subspace Ring is designed to quickly draw or exchange weapons in urgent situations.


    Its capacity is small, and it doesn¡¯t have a lightweight function, so you can¡¯t store very heavy weapons¡­but its practicality in realbat is certain. After all, the two have different purposes in the first ce.


    Anyway, because of such a situation, the box in front of me started to look incredibly promising.


    Sending it wrapped again, how sneaky. It¡¯s like getting a gacha box after doing a gacha.


    I gulped and opened the wooden box in one swift motion.


    ¡°Hut!¡±


    <em>Click.</em>


    A refreshing scent suddenly wafted out at that moment. The inside of the box was filled with dry moss, and in the centery a pure white pill.


    ¡°An elixir?¡±


    My head tilted involuntarily at the unexpected item. An elixir worthy of being called the Fragment of Conviction¡­.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Is it a potion rted to aura? People oftenpare magic to wisdom and aura to conviction.


    If it were Benny, she would be jumping around saying magic is a miracle born of foolishness¡­ Anyway, that¡¯s themon perception.


    ¡°This is a bit troublesome.¡±


    It¡¯s a 3-star potion. I¡¯m not exactly sure how effective it is, but it certainly isn¡¯t ordinary.


    Judging by my experience so far, it might be among the top-tier potions.


    Of course, if the potion¡¯s effect is good, it¡¯s beneficial for me too¡­ The problem is, didn¡¯t I just learn the Aura skill, Dormant Explosion?


    It¡¯s a type of awakening technique that triggers the aura to momentarily draw outtent power. Although it¡¯s not a technique used purely with aura, it¡¯s still a 4-star.


    After activating it once, I only have the minimum aura needed to maintain it until exhaustion, yet my lower abdomen already feels quite heavy.


    But now I have to take another 3-star elixir here¡­.


    ¡°Hey. Still, it shouldn¡¯t do anything harmful to me.¡±


    Although I often felt like the Goddess of Love was remodeling me to her taste, she never acted as if she wanted me to get screwed. Rather, she tried to help excessively.


    Above all, don¡¯t I have the Power of the Gluttonous Stomach that perfectly digests anything I eat?


    ¡°Alright. Since it was given to me to eat, I should eat it.¡±


    I quickly popped the pill from the box into my mouth. As soon as it touched my tongue, it melted smoothly and went down effortlessly.


    ¡­It was definitely white, right? The thought of drinking white liquid triggered an instinctive aversion, but fortunately, the elixir didn¡¯t smell like chestnut flowers or plum blossoms.


    Up until a moment ago, it had a refreshing mint scent¡­but as soon as I put it in my mouth, I couldn¡¯t taste or smell anything.


    I blinked in confusion for a moment. The elixir that slid down my throat started to move into a different space instead of my stomach.


    It must have flowed into the unique space of the Gluttonous Stomach.


    After waiting for a few seconds, it seemed like it would be stored and digested whenever I had the capacity.


    Energy began to flow from somewhere in my stomach. The liquid I drank vanished, and only pure energy started to fill my body.


    But I could only use aura in a very basic way. I was perplexed about what to do with this massive energy.


    ¡°Uh.¡±


    The energy of the elixir began to move on its own, gathering in my lower abdomen.


    It was as if I hadn¡¯t properly learned the mana breathing technique, unable to form a mana core, just gathering mana around my heart.


    The aura I had, was not properly refined, but merely stored in my lower abdomen. Then, when needed, I would draw it throughout my body.


    However, the energy of the elixir acted as a kind of focal point, pulling in the aura and refining it cleanly.


    Thus, what waspleted was a pure white sphere, with not a speck of dust on it, just like what I had seen before consuming it.


    I could instinctively tell. This was a proper dantian.


    ¡°¡­Is that what it is.¡±


    I realized from the state of the dantian, so clean it seemed easily tainted.


    The Fragment of Conviction was not to increase the amount of aura, but an elixir to help form the dantian.


    Aura, too, originally stemmed from the power of the God of Knights.


    At first, it wasn¡¯t like now, with a system in ce for training.


    Suddenly gaining power is nice, but managing it properly requires effort.


    The Fragment of Conviction must have been an elixir made for this purpose.


    Though it gathered aura to form a dantian, it was merelyying the foundation.


    The power of aura is the power of conviction. This nk canvas that can be colored with anything¡­ What picture I will paint¡­ How I willplete this simple fragment with a conviction is up to me.


    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t this essentially a fundamental training method?¡±


    Magic was originally a miracle. Thus, with the power bestowed by the gods, it was just about wishing and wishing again, reaching for the impossible.


    Isn¡¯t this what I¡¯ve been learning from Bennytely? In fact, mana and magic were given to me by the Goddess of Love through gacha.


    Aura is the same. First, receive the aura, gather it in the dantian, and then ovey it with my conviction.


    It¡¯s theplete opposite of now, where I explore the true meaning contained in the aura refining method from the beginning. Gather the aura ordingly, and transform it into the dantian by the prescribed method.


    I don¡¯t know which one is better. Both have their pros and cons. The God of Magic and the God of Knights have long since died and vanished.


    However, I know this one thing.


    ¡°The time ofpletely freeloading is slowlying to an end.¡±


    Even if you draw an amazing Tier 0 character, you can¡¯t aim for the end content if you use the skills without understanding them.


    That¡¯s probably the logic.


    The next morning. Lemon and Apple burst into Fairy and Silver Coin with horrified expressions.


    ¡°Cr, crisis, Sir Jonah!¡±


    ¡°The Boss has run away!¡±


    ¡°What.¡±


    The episode of Eve¡¯s darkening was supposed to start with Eve suddenly vanishing one day.


    ¡­There is a word called eobbo.


    Surely, it is a word used in situations like this.

 Chapter 124: Runaway, Or….

    Eve Nirvana Yggdrasil.


    Compared to most elves who are called by simple names rted to nts like Lemon, Apple, Lavender, or Mint Cacao, it¡¯s quite a grandiose name.


    And aplex name from the medieval era is, in itself, a symbol of authority and power.


    An epithet to show that one is a special being different from others. That was the reason for theplex name¡­and Eve was no exception.


    Thest descendant of the World Tree, the Eternal Queen, the ancient monster who has been lurking for a thousand years, the shadow behind all the dark corners of the Pan Continent, and the historical forever single virgin.


    There were countless phrases describing Eve, and each one was extraordinarily remarkable.


    And indeed, Eve¡¯s abilities were also extraordinary, so if she had set her mind to it, she could have turned the world upside down¡­.


    ¡­With that thought, the ckening event was scheduled, and its start was her sudden disappearance one day.


    The so-called ¡®The Reunion with Eve was the Worst¡¯. plot.And now.


    ¡°Cr-crisis, Jonny Boy!¡±


    ¡°The Boss has run away!¡±


    ¡°What.¡±


    Eve had really disappeared.


    ¡­Could it be because of what happenedst time? Is Eve¡¯s ckening my karma?


    It felt like someone had hit me on the back of my head with a hammer.


    Of course, Ellie, who didn¡¯t know about Eve¡¯s settings, only responded indifferently to the unexpected visitor who came early in the morning.


    ¡°Well, maybe she just went out for a bit. There¡¯s no obligation to tell everyone where she¡¯s going.¡±


    ¡°What Miss Ellie is saying is right.¡±


    ¡°But the Boss is a bit of a special case.¡±


    Lemon and Apple exchanged nces for a moment before cautiously speaking.


    ¡°The boss hasn¡¯t left Pangrave for the past few centuries.¡±


    ¡°But when I went to the store today, all the Boss¡¯s important items were gone. As if preparing for a long journey.¡±


    The two were clearly anxious, thinking something had happened or was about to happen.


    Just as there are other kingdoms outside of Pangrave, the elves also have their own kingdom.


    The Great Forest, where the World Tree once stood, was almost absorbed and destroyed by the Labyrinth, but under Eve¡¯s guidance, they overcame allpetitions and reimed theirnd.


    The reason why Eve abandoned her kingdom and lives by running a magic shop that doesn¡¯t sell well in Pangrave is simple.


    Eve is no longer a queen.


    Staying in Pangrave is proof that she has stepped down from the throne.


    But, if she were to return to the Elf Kingdom again¡­


    ¡°A Queen¡¯s return.¡±


    The elves would dly offer the vacant throne to Eve.


    Ellie, who heard my muttering, flinched and asked.


    ¡°Wh-what? Jonah, did you know? How?¡±


    ¡°You know there¡¯s someone watching my back. There are things you learn whether you want to or not.¡±


    I shrugged and vaguely attributed it to the Goddess of Love. Strictly speaking, it¡¯s a memory from my past life, but since it seems like the Goddess brought me here, it¡¯s not entirely wrong.


    Ellie, finally convinced, nodded.


    ¡°Well, if it¡¯s her, of course, she¡¯d know. By the way, Jonah. It¡¯s not because I have any strange feelings¡­¡±


    ¡°Go ahead. If it¡¯s you, Ellie, even a little strange feeling is fine.¡±


    ¡°You look quite handsome today?¡±


    ¡°Phew¡­ How could you say such a thing! Follow me to the bed! Let¡¯s settle this there! ¡­is what I want to say, but actually, thanks to defeating Morgana this time, my Power has been strengthened. That¡¯s probably why.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Strictly speaking, I received a new Power¡­but it also includes the enhancement effect of the existing Power.


    Ellie, along with Lemon and Apple, with their mouths tightly shut nod absentmindedly.


    Come to think of it, did I not tell the two that I am the Saint of the Goddess of Love?


    No, I¡¯m sure when I took out the fully upgraded Goddess statue in front of Eve and hinted, Lemon and Apple were also there.


    ¡°Hmm¡­.¡±


    I understood everything, seeing the two stomping their feet expectantly.


    Indeed. Just as I figured out Eve¡¯s true identity, they must be hoping that the Goddess would whisper Eve¡¯s location to me.


    With a wry smile, I spoke to the two who were anxiously awaiting my answer.


    ¡°First of all, this is a secret, okay? If you go around talking about this, it will only make it harder to find Eve.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My lips are sealed.¡±


    ¡°If Lemon says anything stupid, I¡¯ll kill her.¡±


    Lemon, confidently patting her AAA-grade chest, and Apple looks at her sister with a resolute expression.


    Lemon tried to distance herself from Apple in fright, but my answer came half a beat faster.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where Eve is either.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°Really¡­¡±


    ¡°But, I do know that if something goes wrong, it could bring great destruction to both Eve and all of Pangrave.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°What should we do?¡±


    Like devotees desperately seeking salvation, Lemon and Apple looked at me with pleading eyes. However, I was neither a true saint nor a cult leader, so I couldn¡¯t give them the answers they wanted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡±


    I sighed deeply and continued speaking.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if this runaway is truly the beginning of the end, or where we need to go to find Eve. All I know is that there¡¯s a foreboding possibility in Eve¡¯s fate, and it¡¯s quite a high probability.¡±


    There were no given clues. If Eve had hidden herself of her own volition, it would be difficult to find her.


    But the concern is real. It could be for other reasons, but¡­considering what happened just yesterday, it seems like she became despondent and gave up because of me.


    Long ago, I vowed to retrieve all the seeds of disaster that I had sown.


    And this is still a valid vow.


    If I were the author, once the creator of the Pan Continent¡­ I would want to take responsibility for this iplete world.


    After this gacha, I discarded all the ns I had organized in my head.


    Until now, I had moved as inconspicuously as possible so that the Guild¡­more precisely, the Temple, wouldn¡¯t detect my existence.


    Given the circumstances, I¡¯ll have to go all out, even if it means taking on some issues.


    ¡°Lemon. Apple. Although you¡¯re treated as foreversinglevirginsandoutcasts among elves, you do know about the elfmunity of Pangrave, right?¡±


    ¡°Your words are too harsh¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that I¡¯m a forever single virgin, but only Lemon is an outcast and loser.¡±


    Lemony, suddenly hit, wore a sullen expression, while Apple subtly stepped back, offering her sister as a sacrifice.


    I chuckled and nodded at the sight of the two.


    ¡°Anyway, if you know, spread a rumor in the elfmunity.¡±


    ¡°A rumor, you say?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible, but¡­what kind of rumor?¡±


    I quietly closed my eyes. A moment of contemtion. But if it¡¯s necessary, there¡¯s no other choice.


    ¡°Say that the new king is looking for the youngest daughter of the World Tree to be his mate.¡±


    Saying so, I quietly activated my power.


    A Crown of Thorns settled on my head. At the sight, Lemon and Apple, with reverent expressions, murmured.


    ¡°Basilieus¡­¡±


    ¡°Symbol of the First King¡­¡±


    They offered a clumsy salute and replied vigorously.


    ¡°Understood! We¡¯ll spread the rumor everywhere!¡±


    ¡°Not just to the elves. We¡¯ll make sure no one in Pangrave is unaware!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Oh, just spread the rumors but don¡¯t talk about my identity. Anyway, only Eve needs to find me, right? Those who need to know will figure it out somehow¡­but I don¡¯t want to attract the attention of random people.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t tell anyone that Jonah has some kind of rtionship with the Boss!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    It¡¯s not that kind of rtionship. It¡¯s more like she ran away after turning corrupt¡­


    I wanted to correct them, but I couldn¡¯t because Lemon and Apple, who had been brimming with enthusiasm after seeing my crown, had dashed off.


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    I let out a deep sigh and released my Power.


    There was a sense of emptiness close to despondency, as the expanded cognitive abilities and omnipotence vanished.


    Somehow, it feels like Basilieus¡¯s power has gotten stronger¡­ Ah, is it a bit different?


    Basilieus is the Power of the World Tree. Unlike the still-living Goddess of Love, it is the power of a God who died long ago.


    Naturally, there is no room for growth here.


    I have a passive ability that elerates my own growth and an active ability that elerates the growth of nts, but¡­


    Strictly speaking, the essence of these two is the same. The only difference is the direction of the power, but it¡¯s rapid growth nheless.


    When used in an active form, it consumes divine power to enhance its potency, but¡­


    It¡¯s just a matter of whether you swing your fist normally or with force.


    The Power of a dead god cannot grow intrinsically.


    However, it felt as though the power of Basilieus had strengthened without consuming any divine power.


    Because the expansion of cognition and the sense of omnipotence felt when wearing the Crown had greatly increased.


    However, this is not because Basilieus¡¯s power has truly increased.


    It¡¯s just that I have be able to handle more power.


    The significant enhancement of mental strength, one of the effects of the Avatar of Love.


    Perhaps thanks to that, I am now able to fully draw out Basilieus¡¯s power, which was previously adjusted moderately.


    Even if I don¡¯t know about other things, the power to expand senses can harm the owner if mishandled, so there must have been an instinctive safety mechanism.


    Wow! As expected of a 5-star Power. A function that is already useful in actualbat has been discovered!


    While marveling inwardly and nodding,


    Ellie, who had turned pale white, creaked like a rusty tin doll and asked.


    ¡°Ma-, te?¡±


    ¡°Ah, the third mate. The first one is, of course, Ellie.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Only then did Ellie, who seemed relieved, pat her chest. But soon, realizing something was strange, she tilted her head¡­.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just go check on Benny for a moment! Let¡¯s do our best today, Ellie!¡±


    Before that, I seeded in getting out of Fairy and Silver Coin.


    ¡­For some reason, I feel a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.

 Chapter 125: Runaway, Or…. (2)

    Shivering from an ominous d¨¦j¨¤ vu, after leaving the Fairy and Silver Coin.


    The ce I headed to, as I told Ellie, was Benny¡¯s workshop.


    Eve¡¯s disappearance and the risk of her turning dark are major incidents and personally worrisome, but¡­


    Honestly, there isn¡¯t anything I can do just by worrying.


    I don¡¯t have the ability to find Eve, who has hidden herself on purpose. Therefore, I must make here to me on her own, and I have taken the best possible measures for this.


    Now, all that remains is to do my work and wait for Eve to return.


    ¡°For that reason, I¡¯vee to see you, Benny!¡±


    ¡°¡­You talk about people like they¡¯re homework and expect me to wee you?!¡±


    ¡°Hey. Homework? It¡¯s not something I¡¯m forcing myself to do, I was nning toe meet you from the beginning.¡±¡°Well. From what I¡¯ve heard, it seems like you¡¯re trying to assign the job to me because that Eve person disappeared.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear. I really dislike sharp kids like Benny.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s a kid! Who!¡±


    Even while screeching, Benny, who seemed determined to treat the guest properly, handed over a steaming cup of tea.


    The fact that it was in a potion bottle rather than a teacup was a bit concerning, but since it smelled unmistakably like herbal tea, I decided to drink it without any fuss.


    Of course, I did briefly wonder if Benny had spiked the herbal tea with something and was secretly recording¡­


    But whatever drug it might be, thanks to my Gluttonous Stomach, I would perfectly digest it, so I quickly concluded it didn¡¯t matter much.


    ¡°Wh-what? Is it that bad? Why are you drinking it with that expression?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just that a slightly boring thought crossed my mind.¡±


    I gave a bright smile to reassure Benny and then changed the subject.


    ¡°By the way, Benny. How did things go with Shadow that we talked aboutst time?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Sorry?¡±


    ¡°Let me just say, it¡¯s not like before where I wanted to separate from Shadow unconditionally. I¡¯ve realized there¡¯s a lot I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°Like what kind of rtionship I have with Shadow. And what it wants from me.¡±


    With a deep sigh, Benny gazed at Shadow wriggling inside arge ss tube.


    No matter how immortal Shadow may be, it doesn¡¯t mean it can¡¯t be damaged.


    It had been badly beaten by Hippolyte in the previous battle, so now it was quietly recovering.


    Since the moment I entered, its tentacles had been wriggling actively, but Shadow itself seemed to know it wasn¡¯t in good condition and didn¡¯t try toe out of the ss container.


    Feeling a bit touched, I tapped on the ss wall and greeted it before asking.


    ¡°Could you exin it a bit more specifically?¡±


    ¡°Specifically or not¡­I have always treated Shadow as a phenomenon. It¡¯s not actually alive, you know.¡±


    Benny said that she dealt with Shadow by finding patterns in its behavior,paring points of contact with other friends who had be sacrifices, and exploring solid methods of control.


    Until now, Shadow had reacted ording to simple patterns, appearing more like a beast with remnants of emotions and instincts rather than any existing intellect.


    ¡°But Jonah, after listening to you and looking into things again, a lot has changed.¡±


    ¡°Changed? You mean it¡¯s not just that things that were invisible are now visible?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It has changed. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because I met you, Jonah, or because we named it Shadow, or if it¡¯s because the connection weakened once due to Morgana¡¯s barrier¡­but Shadow is different from before. This is certain.¡±


    Benny nodded firmly. She mumbled a few words while biting her small lips.


    ¡°And maybe I¡¯ve changed a bit too.¡±


    Benny twirled her toes on the floor, ncing this way.


    It seemed more like she found it hard to look at me for a long time rather than trying to steal a nce.


    How cute.


    I squished Benny¡¯s cheeks with both hands.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    <em>Squeeze, squeeze.</em>


    ¡°Wh-what? Stop it!¡±


    Benny resisted fiercely. However, her struggle was limited to below the neck.


    Though she didn¡¯t seem topletely hate it, as she quietly offered her face, allowing me to fully enjoy her soft, squishy, unresisting cheeks.


    Her cheeks changed shape with my touch, and her lips puckered and rxed like a duck¡¯s bill, repeatedly.


    Laughing at the sight, I opened my mouth.


    ¡°Benny, it seems like both you and Shadow have changed in some way, but you¡¯re not sure what it is, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s find out slowly from now on. If possible, together with me.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Benny blinked slyly but soon nodded seriously with a serious voice.


    ¡°Well, Jonah, you seem to have a lot going on too¡­ You don¡¯t n on telling me, do you?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­it¡¯s still true, but what I meant was not to get to know me, but to get to know the future of Benny and Shadow with me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Benny, thinking she had made a mistake, shut her eyes tightly with an embarrassed expression.


    I too awkwardly removed my hand from Benny¡¯s face.


    ¡­But when I think about it carefully, it¡¯s true.


    Since I transmigrated to the Pan Continent, the deepest conversations I¡¯ve shared were with none other than Benny.


    Strictly speaking, they were not my stories, but the stories I wrote¡­


    I can¡¯t deny that they touch on my most essential aspects.


    So if. One day I am to be fully understood by someone. Or if a dayes when Iy everything bare.


    That person would most likely be Benny.


    <em>Vroom-</em>


    Suddenly, the statue of the Goddess of Love vibrates wildly inside the robe pocket.


    Right, right. There was also the Goddess of Love.


    In this case, she already knows almost everything about me, so it¡¯s a bit different.


    With a deep sigh, I made a gesture of crossing myself, and only then did the statue calm down.


    After confirming this, I poked Benny, who still had her eyes closed and was stomping her feet.


    ¡°Eek! Wh-what is it!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I was thinking we should get back to the main topic now.¡±


    ¡°The main topic¡­ Right. You came to ask me to appraise something?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a Moonlight-infused Crystal¡­.¡±


    I took out the softly glowing Crystal from my robe pocket and handed it to Benny.


    ¡°A Moonlight-infused Crystal? I¡¯ve heard of it, but what was it again.¡±


    Benny examines the Crystal I handed over, turning it this way and that. However, finding nothing with the naked eye, she subtly channels her magic through it.


    ¡°Hmm. For now, it¡¯s certain that there¡¯s some kind of energy contained inside. Quite a lot of it, and it¡¯s even pure. Just having this might keep you from falling ill.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Can you make an artifact that grants disease immunity?¡±


    ¡°Ugh. It¡¯s not at that incredible level. More than anything, the energy is just clear and clean, which is good for the body. It doesn¡¯t have any sterilizing abilities.¡±


    ¡°If it had sterilizing abilities, it would constantly emit a faint aura of death, which would be detrimental for the body.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s a fresh perspective.¡±


    With a chuckle, Benny hands the Crystal back to me and starts rummaging through the shelves.


    Unusually, she squats down and begins her search from the bottom shelf, gradually moving upwards one shelf at a time.


    But Benny keeps climbing up, unable to find the book she wants.


    At some point, she starts tiptoeing, and now, even tiptoeing doesn¡¯t reach it, so she hops up and down, scanning the book titles.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you have something like a chair at home, Benny?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Usually, I transform Shadow¡¯s tentacles into a chair and sit on that.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Come to think of it, when I first came to the workshop, I also sat on a chair made from Shadow¡¯s transformed tentacles.


    So it just does that often as a habit.


    Sighing deeply, I tapped Benny on the shoulder.


    ¡°Move aside.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What is it all of a sudden? Just so you know, Jonah, you and I are about the same height, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. I¡¯m saying I¡¯ll crouch down so you can climb on top of me and look.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh.¡±


    Benny suddenly froze. However, she quickly shook her head in refusal, as if she had thought of something.


    ¡°H-how can I step on a boy!¡±


    ¡°Oh, then do you want a piggyback ride? Like I said earlier, it¡¯s hard to bnce because we¡¯re about the same height.¡±


    ¡°The problem is that I¡¯m the one being carried, not the one carrying! I¡¯d rather be the stepping stone, so you climb up! I¡¯ll tell you the name of the book!¡±


    ¡°What? ¡­Oh.¡±


    Only then did I understand why Benny was so flustered.


    From Earth¡¯s perspective, it would look like a young girl suggesting to step on her to climb up.


    Goodness. No matter how small and light I am, that¡¯s something I can¡¯t agree to.


    I nodded and opened my mouth.


    ¡°Got it. Then, Benny, please get down.¡±


    ¡°Right. This makes sense.¡±


    Nodding proudly, Benny got down on all fours in front of me.


    Could it be because of the dress that clings to the body? The line of the back and buttocks is clearly revealed.


    It was only after seeing that figure that I realized. In this case, I have to step on and climb over the small girl, don¡¯t I?


    But I am the type who doesn¡¯t refuse a request to be stepped on. I decided to start doing that from today.


    Suppressing my heart that was pounding with a sense of immorality, I ced one foot on Benny¡¯s waist.


    ¡°¡­W-wait.¡±


    It was only then that Benny, realizing the absurdity of using someone as a stepping stone, tried to say something, but it was already toote.


    ¡°Yap!¡±


    I put my full weight on and climbed on top of Benny.


    Benny¡¯s small body creaked and wobbled under my weight, but soon regained bnce.


    Well, despite being a mage, she is a high-level adventurer, so her strength must be considerable.


    Just now, it seemed that Benny¡¯s light weight made the center of gravity shift when my own weight was added.


    The feeling of trampling on and mounting Benny was.


    ¡°Ooh.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t as bad as I thought.


    ¡­Will she ask me to do it againter?

 Chapter 126: Runaway, Or…. (3)

    Chapter 126: Runaway, Or¡­. (3)


    The book I pulled out by stepping on Benibeni.


    For some reason, Benny, who still had a flushed face, started flipping through the pages here and there, and stopped at a certain part.


    ¡°It¡¯s this.¡±


    ¡°Did you find it?¡±


    I peeked over Benny¡¯s shoulder to steal a look at the book.


    A distance so close that our cheeks could almost touch. But they didn¡¯t really touch, only the tickling sensation of fine hairs and the warm body heat was conveyed.


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Benny stiffened like a startled goat, but I ignored it and examined the contents.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ A crystal imbued with special light?¡±


    There were numerous illustrations of crystals simr to my Moonlight-infused cCystal, but with lights of entirely different colors.


    ¡­The problem is that I can only see the pictures, and none of the text registers in my eyes.


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    That¡¯s strange. Thanks to the auto-trantion that kicked in when I transmigrated, I should be able to read everything, even if I can¡¯t understand it.


    While I tilted my head in confusion, Benny finally came to her senses, quickly moved away, and let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    ¡°Benny, I can¡¯t read this. What is it?¡±


    ¡°¡­What else? It¡¯s a security spell made for people like you, Jonah! If you can¡¯t input the pre-registered magic pattern, a cognitive decline spell prevents you from reading it.¡±


    ¡°Why go through such troublesome measures¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ask the guy who made this book.¡±


    ¡°¡­? Didn¡¯t you buy it somewhere?¡±


    ¡°I found it in a dead mage¡¯s belongings in a dungeon.¡±


    Oh.


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    Well, Benny has spent quite some time as an adventurer, so it¡¯s no wonder she picks up items from other adventurers¡¯ corpses.


    ¡°¡­Human farming is indeed more efficient than monster farming.¡±


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    ¡°What do you take me for?! They were already dead when I found them!¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure. Officially, that¡¯s what happened, right? I¡¯ll answer like that if anyone asks.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s true! Do you think I¡¯m some kind of looter?!¡±


    ¡°While Benny wouldn¡¯t be the first to loot, it does seem like she¡¯d be frequently targeted by looters because she usually has many enemies.¡±


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t deny that. Until I teamed up with Lydia, something really did happen every day.¡±


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    Benny sighed again and started grumbling. Mostly about how all the major ns are full of idiots.


    Looks like she had some kind of trouble with those major ns in the past.


    After chewing on the matter for a while, Benny finally wrapped up her boasting about being the strongest and got back to the main point.


    ¡°Anyway, about the Moonlight-infused Crystal. Actually, the Crystal itself isn¡¯t that rare. When an ordinary crystal is influenced by a densely concentrated energy, like divine power, it develops a property to store a specific kind of power. And the Labyrinth¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s thergest scar left by the War of the Fallen Gods.¡±


    ¡°Right. The upper levels don¡¯t show much, but as soon as you get to the middle levels, traces of the War of the Fallen Gods start to appear. In the deep levels, there are ces that almost bring the battlefield back to life.¡±


    ¡°The 7th floor, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. That damn 7th floor.¡±


    The current frontline is the 7th floor. It seems like significant progress to have reached the 7th floor out of 12¡­but we mustn¡¯t forget that it took a thousand years to get there.


    And out of these 1,000 years, 200 have been spent solely on the 7th floor.


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    Even though the deeper you go, the harder it gets to conquer, 200 years of stagnation seems excessive¡­


    Both the Guild and the high-ranking adventurers have their reasons for this.


    It¡¯s because the 7th floor is the domain of the God of War.


    True to his name, the God of War was one of the most active deities in the War of the Fallen Gods.


    Though he wasn¡¯t the God of Victory, and couldn¡¯t win every time, he constantly drew power from the ceaseless wars rampant in the world.


    However, the long and fierce wars wore down the spirits of his followers.


    No matter how much one enjoys and worships war, if all of life is marked by constant strife, the mind is bound to crumble.


    In the end, his followers became increasingly deste, and the God of War, prioritizing his followers over his role in war, began to care for them btedly¡­


    At that moment, the God of Madness perished and cast a curse of madness upon the entire world.


    The God of War¡¯s followers, already mentally shredded, could not resist the encroaching madness.


    Ultimately, thepletely deranged followers turned into a group of murderers, wholly dedicated to ughter.


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    The God of War did not abandon those followers. How could he forsake his children andrades?


    Eventually, the God of War chose to end the war as quickly as possible topletely burn away the madness.


    He began to annihte the other gods one by one with an even more aggressive stance than before, solely for the sake of his followers.


    However, at the War¡¯s end, when only about ten gods remained, he realized something.


    Even if the God of War were to win and be the sole deity of the Pan Continent, the mes of madness that had ignited would never be extinguished.


    They went mad to the point where, if they had no one else to fight, they would fight among themselves, and if that wasn¡¯t enough, they would wage war against the God of War.


    The mes of madness consumed not desire but the soul, and ashes could never revert to trees.


    In the end, the God of War, regretting his folly, dered defeat by his own will for the first time since his birth.


    He decided to bury himself in Pangrave, sacrificing himself along with the other gods.


    Thus, the God of War entered eternal rest¡­and the mad devotees were entombed with their God.


    As a result, the field of the 7th floor became a brutal battleground with mountains of corpses and rivers of blood. The monsters appearing were the devotees of the God of War, the most notorious organization during the War of the Fallen Gods.


    Until now, adventurers who meticulously disarmed the Labyrinth¡¯s traps and exploited the monsters¡¯ weaknesses face apletely new phase on the 7th floor.


    War.


    To conquer the 7th floor, what was required was not excellent hunting skills but the ability to conduct warfare.


    It was natural for the existing adventurers, who had a mix of explorer and hunter traits, to struggle.


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    Moreover, the number of high-ranking adventurers who reached the 7th floor was quite few.


    Already conquered floors could be advanced by umting a certain level of specs or defeating the Floor Guardian to gain the right to move to the next floor.


    However, in unconquered floors, there are clear conditions to be met.


    If these are not achieved, no matter how much specs are umted or the Floor Guardian is defeated, one cannot advance to the next floor.


    And the clear condition for the 7th floor is to win in a war.


    Individual skills, tactics, numbers, state of armament, and so on.


    In every aspect, the adventurers were inevitably inferior to the war-crazed devotees of the God of War.


    At least through past records, they managed to barely hold on by identifying the characteristics and weaknesses of the God of War¡¯s devotees, each of whom was a hero.


    However, considering that it was previously impossible to leave the Safe Zone, the situation has improved significantly.


    The number of high-ranking adventurers has increased, their skills have rapidly advanced, and they have armed themselves with stronger equipment. Long-term research has also led to the development of tactics against the God of War¡¯s devotees.


    In other words, if up until now, a few outstanding adventurers had paved the way to the next floor¡­


    From now on, the overall level of adventurers must rise to venture deeper.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a long story, but in any case, this type of storage crystal can store more power, in a purer form, the deeper it¡¯s found in the Labyrinth.¡±


    ¡°Ooh¡­! So, what level is this one at?¡±


    Benny, who was looking at the pale light crystal I held out, nodded.


    ¡°We should leave the detailed analysis to the experts¡­but the Moonlight contained within, in this case, is the moon¡¯s magic. Anyway, just looking at the total amount and purity of that power, it¡¯s believable even if you said you picked it up on the 7th floor.¡±


    ¡°¡­What? That much?¡±


    Three stars is a high rating, but to think it¡¯s a material of the content that drops in high level¡­


    No, wait. This is only possible because the standard is the Goddess of Love.


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    From our mortal perspective, the 7th floor has been the unchanging front line for the past 200 years¡­but from the Goddess of Love¡¯s point of view, isn¡¯t it just the 7th out of 12 floors?


    Considering that it bes more difficult to conquer as you go further, it¡¯s somewhat natural for a 3-star item to be on the level of the 7th floor.


    Anyway, I looked at Benny with a pounding heart because it was an incredibly good item¡­but the following words were a bit disappointing.


    ¡°But one disappointing point is that the power contained inside is ordinary. Moonlight¡­ To be precise, it¡¯s the magic of the moon? This is a verymon energy.¡±


    ¡°¡­What effect does it have?¡±


    ¡°It will enhance things like cold, darkness, water, and stillness.¡±


    To put it in a martial arts context, it feels like it amplifies Yin energy.


    ¡°Oh, there is one exception.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°If processed appropriately, it will enhance the physical abilities of a lycanthrope or a wolf hybrid.¡±


    ¡°Wolf hybrid? Could it possibly have an effect on Ellie as well?¡±


    ¡°Yes. From the beginning, Ellie has had a lot of equipment like that, right? Although nothing quite like this.¡±


    So, it¡¯s decided. This Crystal should be used to make something for Ellie and me.


    The Crystal is quiterge, so it should be enough to make something for both of us.


    After a moment of contemtion, I spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to make two rings with this. Could you perhaps introduce me to a good craftsman?¡±


    ¡°R-rings¡­ Hmph. I knew it. Alright. If Jonah wants it that much. Ah, since we have to decide on finger sizes and designs anyway, should we go to the artisan district together? Our finger thickness looks simr, but you never know.¡±


    Benny suddenly seemed happy and started talking more. Tilting my head, I said.


    ¡°One of these is for Ellie, though?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The light vanished from Benny¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 127: Runaway, Or…. (4)

    The light disappeared from Benny¡¯s eyes.


    Dead, dark eyes without focus. Commonly called r*pe eyes¡­ So this was actually possible.


    Especially the heart pattern in her pupils darkening seemed to hint at corruption, giving me a chilling feeling.


    But if I keep teasing her too much, it would be troublesome if Benny also ran away like Eve, so I should start to soothe her.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    I pinched Benny¡¯s nose like a mp with my thumb and forefinger.


    ¡°Gheh.¡±


    Benny reflexively opened her mouth to breathe. I slid my hand between her sharp, pointy teeth.


    ¡°Ughh?¡±No matter how much of a meltdown Benny was in, she couldn¡¯t help but react at this point, and focus returned to her eyes. Though the gleam in them was still ckened.


    Benny opened her jaws as wide as possible, trying not to let her sharp teeth hurt my hand.


    I giggled at the ambiguous appearance, unsure whether she was darkened or not, and deliberately brought my hand to her teeth.


    <em>Press.</em>


    Although Benny¡¯s teeth were said to be sharp, one should not think of them as typical fangs.


    If anything, they were closer to the sharpness of a dull de.


    In the first ce, these teeth originated from a monster. Naturally, since they were used as a weapon, they would be as dangerous as a weapon.


    Just by pressing lightly, the teeth dug into my skin.


    ¡°Ugh?!¡±


    Startled, Benny pped her arms and tried to pull back in a fluster. So, with my remaining hand, I roughly grabbed her jaw and part of her cheek to stop her.


    Then I applied more force to my hand. Benny¡¯s teeth not only left a deep mark on my skin but even pierced a small hole, drawing blood.


    <em>Poke.</em>


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    A small pain felt at the fingertip. When I nced down, I saw a small wound created by Benny¡¯s teeth. Blood flowed over it.


    Benny must have realized the bleeding by now, with the metallic taste spreading in her mouth, and she stiffened.


    Only then did I pull my hand out of her mouth and show her my finger, dripping with blood.


    ¡°Ta-da. It¡¯s a tooth mark ring.¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?!¡±


    ¡°Out of my mind?! I¡¯mpletely sane, you know?!¡±


    Moreover, having acquired the 5-star Power of the Avatar of Love this time, my mental resilience had strengthened, making it hard to go crazy.


    ¡°Benny was sulking because she didn¡¯t have a ring of her own, so I made one for you! Now it¡¯s your turn, so give me your hand.¡±


    ¡°N-no. You¡¯re bleeding! Let¡¯s take care of the blood first!¡±


    ¡°It was intentional, you know? I¡¯m always protected by various powers, so my skin is always in top condition. Just biting wouldn¡¯t leave a mark, so I had to make a wound. It¡¯ll heal quickly anyway.¡±


    I shrugged and took Benny¡¯s trembling hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m an unusual case, and I have no intention of hurting you. I¡¯ll just leave a bite mark without drawing blood.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Wh-what?¡±


    I opened my mouth and stuck out my tongue, and Benny, who had been fuming, froze as if stunned.


    Ah! A sad creature who cannot be free from lust! ¡­Well, I¡¯m the same, after all.


    Chuckling inwardly, I took Benny¡¯s ring finger into my mouth. I licked the finger with my tongue and gently bit the first knuckle with my front teeth.


    As I mentioned earlier, I bit down strong enough to leave a mark, but moderate enough that it doesn¡¯t bleed or hurt.


    ¡°Phew. This should be enough.¡±


    After removing my finger from my mouth, I wiped the saliva off with Benny¡¯s clothes and held my hand out.


    Benny, with a nk expression, couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the sight of the blood still dripping.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see well because of the blood, Benny. Can you clean it up for me?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Clean¡­ Oh, got it.¡±


    With a resolute expression, Benny nodded. She extended her tongue between her sharp teeth and started licking from the fingertips.


    Even though it was bleeding, the wound wasn¡¯t that deep to begin with, so there wasn¡¯t much blood.


    However, Benny started to lick off the blood from my fingers with unnecessary diligence.


    Fingertips, knuckles, between the fingers, over the palm and back of the hand, and finally, the wounded area.


    Benny licked meticulously and thoroughly. It took a considerable amount of time, and by now, thanks to the Power of Supple Skin, the surface wounds had healed.


    This time, it felt like the speed had increased due to the enhancement.


    Thanks to that, the moment Benny licked the wound and wiped off the beads of blood. The remaining wound revealed itself in a perfect form.


    As if it were a tattoo, it remained in the shape of Benny¡¯s teeth.


    Benny, who was staring nkly at it, heard a whisper in her ear.


    ¡°How is it? How does it feel to leave your mark on my body?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Without saying a word, Benny slowly lifted her head and looked this way. Her eyes were now brightly lit as if a fire had been ignited.


    However, what sparkled within was not something noble like will or conviction, but desire.


    It¡¯s my first time receiving such tant and heated gazes¡­ This feels surprisingly good.


    Basically, a writer is a creature that lives on attention.


    But living as a man with my looks in this world, I got a bit indifferent to the constant attention.


    The current Benny was as intense as Ellie, who had been teased by me to the limit.


    A grin that couldn¡¯t be suppressed crept up at the corner of my mouth. I spoke in that state.


    ¡°You seem satisfied, Benny. So, shall we get back to the main topic?¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the craftsman. You said you would introduce me to a craftsman who can process crystals.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, I did.¡±


    A quick sh of rationality returned to Benny¡¯s eyes. However, she still seemed hesitant, ncing at my hand as she continued speaking.


    ¡°Just tell me what kind of item you want, and what effects you hope it has. I¡¯ll try to match it as best as I can.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for us to go together?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡°If Benny wants to go, I can apany you.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Stop teasing and just tell me the options you want!¡±


    ¡°Two rings that don¡¯t interfere withbat, one focused on enhancing the abilities of a wolf hybrid, and the other focused on reducing presence.¡±


    ¡°Combat? Does it have to be rings?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Jonah, your mainbat style relies on delicate handiwork, right? And Ellie fights barehanded. Rings would probably just get in the way.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s true¡­ Maybe nes would be better?¡±


    ¡°A ne can also be a hindrance if it moves too much. The best would be something fixed to the body like earrings or piercings¡­¡±


    ¡°Ellie wouldn¡¯t like that, would she?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Because she¡¯s a proper youngdy.¡±


    Benny and I continued discussing what kind of item to make for quite a while. Perhaps because she is a high-ranking adventurer, she has a knack for practical magical tools, which was very helpful in many ways.


    As a result, our initial n to make a ring shifted to a ne, then to a bracelet, and back to a ne.


    To be more precise, it was a choker.


    ¡°¡­Jonah. Are you sure this is okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes. With this, it won¡¯t shake even with intense movement, andpared to a ring, itsrger surface allows for more stable enchantments, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­ Hm. The visual is a bit off, you know.¡±


    Benny swallows¡­no, sighs and furrows her brow. But soon, shaking her head, she asked.


    ¡°Anyway, I got it. Is that all?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ Ah.¡±


    I opened my mouth unconsciously, recalling something btedly. For some reason, Benny¡¯s fingers twitched.


    ¡°Wh-what! If you need something, say it now. It¡¯s hard to change once we start making it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s necessary. Actually, it¡¯s the most important thing.¡±


    ¡°What could it be to that extent?¡±


    ¡°¡­I hope it¡¯s free.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Benny tilted her head, looking puzzled.


    ¡°You earned over 100 gold this time. Even if you spent some on buying the Crystal, there should be quite a bit left, right? Don¡¯t tell me you bought the Crystal for 100 gold?¡±


    ¡°No way. That¡¯s not it. It¡¯s just, well, I had some other expenses. I¡¯m broke now.¡±


    ¡°No, are you really that broke? Just tell me how much you can manage. I¡¯ll try to find someone who fits that amount. We can worry about the enchantmentter; even just making the choker should have a decent effect with the Crystal, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Zero.¡±


    ¡°Stop joking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking. I¡¯m really penniless.¡±


    ¡°¡­Really?¡±


    ¡°Really, really.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Benny squinted and cautiously spoke.


    ¡°Jonah. Be honest with me. Is someone extorting money from you?¡±


    ¡°If there was such a person, I would have torn their head off already.¡±


    ¡°Or are you in debt to some dangerous people?¡±


    ¡°I usually avoid debt, so I¡¯ve never taken out a loan.¡±


    ¡°Then where did you spend over 100 gold?!¡±


    Seeing Benny¡¯s horrified expression, I put on a solemn smile and pretended to pray.


    Like an innocent priest who knows nothing.


    ¡°I spent it all on the Goddess of Love.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Benny mped her mouth shut as if at a loss for words. Technically, it¡¯s not entirely wrong since it was blown on gacha.


    Of course, Benny, unaware, thought it was wasted on something useless and scolded me a lot, telling me not to squander money.


    ¡°Haah. For now, I¡¯ll pay this time, so pay me back slowlyter. You have quite a bit to repay Lydia too, right?¡±


    ¡°Did I ever tell you I love you, Benny?¡±


    ¡°¡­Jonah, your love is too expensive!¡±


    Avoiding the rampaging Benny, I returned to Fairy and Silver Coin.


    It feels like I¡¯ve been running away all day. I¡¯ve done nothing wrong, though.


    <em>Bzzz-</em>


    The pocket-sized statue of the Goddess of Love buzzed as if to tell me to stop talking nonsense, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just my imagination.

 Chapter 128: Minotauros

    Chapter 128: Minotauros


    It has been ten days since I drew a 5-star Power and Eve disappeared.


    Eve still hasn¡¯t returned. But I couldn¡¯t just wait idly, so I was doing what I had to do.


    Imissioned the production of the Moonlight-infused Crystal. I was negotiatingpensation for the damages to the Magic Tower with Benny, and I applied to join a raid party upon hearing the news that the Floor Guardian of the second floor had appeared.


    Maybe it was the shock from Morgana¡¯s incident, buttely, Lydia has been sticking to me wherever I go, and I poked her in the side and asked.


    ¡°Miss Lydia, Miss Lydia.¡±


    ¡°Hm? Hungry? But if we eat and go in, Ellie will be disappointed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Unless you say you¡¯re eating out, there¡¯s always something prepared for you. But the reason I called you, Lydia, isn¡¯t because of that. I have a question.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about the Floor Guardian on the second floor.¡±¡°Oh.¡±


    Morgana is a colossal forcepared to me. I only managed to take her down her by a stroke of luck and favorable conditions. Otherwise, even if there were hundreds like me, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to touch a hair on her head.


    Still, I defeated Morgana, and the Labyrinth recognized this as an achievement.


    With Basilieus¡¯s growth eleration effect added, I¡¯ve experienced tremendous growth¡­to the point where I could move on to the third floor if I wished.


    Hunting more monsters on the second floor won¡¯t increase my stats much. Despite that, the reason I haven¡¯t moved on to the third floor is simple.


    Since we have to take down the boss¡­


    The Floor Guardian of the second floor isn¡¯t the first subjugation in the Labyrinth¡¯s history like on the first floor, so it¡¯s not a guaranteed Power draw¡­


    Anyway, it gives a chance to roll for Power. This is only given to the adventurer who subjugates the Guardian for the first time, so should it be called a single roll?


    Swallowing such doubts, I opened my mouth.


    ¡°I know the Floor Guardian of the second floor is Minotauros. But I don¡¯t really know what kind of monster it is specifically. Miss Lydia, you¡¯ve fought it before, right? How was it?¡±


    ¡°Minotauros? It¡¯s a monster with the head of a bull and the body of a human. It¡¯s strong.¡±


    ¡°I know what it looks like. I¡¯m curious about how strong it is and how it fights.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. How it fights, huh.¡±


    Lydia, who was pondering for a moment, slowly opened her mouth.


    ¡°First, you know that monsters were once intelligent beings or ordinary flora and fauna, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course I know. That¡¯s basic if you want to get the Temple¡¯s rations.¡±


    ¡°Right. So what do you think happens when an extraordinary being gets consumed by madness?¡±


    ¡°¡­A strong monster?¡±


    ¡°Half right, half wrong. Strength doesn¡¯t make something special. It¡¯s achievements that make a being special.¡±


    ¡°Achievements¡­¡±


    Come to think of it, achievements were considered extremely important in the Labyrinth. Perhaps, to the Gods, achievements are more than just long-remembered honors.


    ¡°War begets heroes. And Minotauros was one of them.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­then, isn¡¯t it incredibly strong? If it was called a hero on a battlefield where even gods perish, it can¡¯t be just on a second-floor level, right?¡±


    ¡°If it were in its prime, maybe. Minotauros is quite a famous hero, so the records still exist. Jonah could probably ess them at the Guild library¡­¡±


    ¡°Aww. When will I go all the way there again? Miss Lydia, just tell me. I want to hear it in your voice.¡±


    ¡°¡­No flirting.¡±


    <em>Thwack!</em>


    I got a flick on the forehead when I subtly rubbed my shoulder against hers. So unfair. She can cling to me, but I can¡¯t do the same?


    As I grumbled internally, Lydia shook her head and continued her exnation.


    ¡°The War of the Fallen Gods was a fierce and longsting war. Many races went extinct because of it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I guess so.¡±


    So, while exploring the Labyrinth, there were ns to discover traces of already extinct races. The mystery of ancient races is a given, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡°To put it another way, the races that survived after the War of the Fallen Gods had their own strategies. They aligned well, had sheer tenacity, or were blessed with a great hero¡­ And the bull hybrid fits all three.¡±


    Bull hybrids are fundamentallyrge, strong, and durable. Excluding the hybrids of the predator line, they rank high in terms of pure innatebat power.


    Although theyck magical talent, this is amon issue among all hybrid humans, so it doesn¡¯t stand out much.


    Even so, they were not safe from the mes of the War of the Fallen Gods¡­ Instead of diving headfirst into the war, they headed to the domain of the God of Earth, which was rumored to be safe.


    This turned out to be the right decision. The God of Earth survived until the very end of the War of the Fallen Gods.


    Anyway, after arriving at the domain of the God of Earth, they managed to live peacefully¡­


    The God of Earth had survived, but was not spared from the cmity.


    To protect themselves from the relentless external onught, various races dug tunnels and constructed underground bunkers, praying fervently to the God of Earth.


    ¡°Please protect us from the heinous invaders.¡±


    Initially indifferent, the God of Earth eventually couldn¡¯t ignore their desperate pleas and bestowed his blessing upon the most gifted individual, making him his apostle.


    ¡°That person is none other than the hero Asterios, who hails from the bull hybrid race.¡±


    With inexhaustible stamina as long as his feet were on the ground, a body as hard as rock, the strength to overturn mountains, and armed with high-quality steel, Asterios was strong.


    When he alone blocked the narrow tunnel, he would often reverse and defeat the approaching army.


    Thanks to his endurance and protection, the tunnel gradually widened, reaching a level worthy of being called a maze.


    No matter how strong a hero is, they cannot be free from the passage of time.


    Even Asterios, who maintained his youth for a long period due to powerful blessings, faced the limits of his lifespan.


    His back bent, his muscles shriveled, and the proud horns became dull and cracked.


    Asterios was slowly preparing to step down from his position as guardian and take a rest¡­but unfortunately, he was not lucky.


    On thest day of his patrol as a guardian, the God of Madness perished, scattering his final curse across the world.


    If it were the innermost depths protected by the power of the God of Earth, it might have been different, but he, who always roamed the outskirts to fend off the invaders, had no choice but to receive the curse directly.


    His soul, weary from long battles, and his aging body could not resist it. In the end, he was eroded by madness and turned into a monster.


    Asterios, who had the typical appearance of a human with the horns, ears, and tail of a cow, transformed into a bipedal bull.


    His reason faded, he lost the ability to speak, and even his lifelong weaponry skills became unusable.


    However, he regained the strength of his youth¡­and did not forget his mission to guard the Labyrinth.


    The problem was that he could not distinguish between invaders and those he needed to protect.


    Consumed by madness, Asterios began to destroy with his own hands the things he had protected all his life.


    A halfpleted underground city, neighbors whom he had shared joys and sorrows with for over a century, and even his own kin.


    To Asterios, all of this must have appeared as abhorrent invaders.


    By the time the God of Earth, who had been holding off other monsters cursed with madness, realized the anomaly, it was already toote.


    Nearly half of his followers were dead, the city he had painstakingly built was in ruins, and his most cherished champion had be a monster.


    The God of Earth, though sorrowful, hastily isted Asterios.


    At the will of the God of Earth, the ground copsed and sealed, altering the terrain.


    The half-destroyed city and the survivors were evacuated to the surface, and Asterios was sealed deep underground along with the Labyrinth leading to the city.


    However, the God of Earth, unable to kill the great warrior with his own hands, withdrew all blessings and sealed the Labyrinth, so that no one could approach.


    The survivors, unable to call the fallen hero by his glorious name, named the crazed one Minotauros after his tribe and respected the choice made by the God of Earth.


    Well, in the end, the God of Earth never found a way to lift the curse of madness and was buried with Asterios in Pangrave.


    ¡°That¡¯s Minotauros, a monster with a bull¡¯s head that possesses great strength and resilience.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a sad story.¡±


    This is a story I didn¡¯t know either. Of course, who would set the detailed backstory of a monster that might or might not appear in a novel that hasn¡¯t even had its first episode written yet?


    What I know is simply that the God buried on the second floor is the God of Earth, and how they ended up creating maze-like tunnels.


    That¡¯s why it hits me even harder. Stories that are fleshed out to the point of admiration in ces I don¡¯t know are always sweet.


    But, I should ask what I need to ask.


    ¡°So, what is the weakness?¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that the first thing you ask after hearing this story?¡±


    ¡°After all, the Minotauros on the second floor isn¡¯t really Asterios, and even if it were, the fact that it¡¯s an enemy we have to fight and defeat doesn¡¯t change, right? I want to fight as easily as possible.¡±


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    Lydia let out a deep sigh and shook her head.


    ¡°That¡¯s so typical of Jonah¡­ Well. Its weakness is quite easy to understand. Asterios has fought his whole life in narrow tunnels. In other words, he¡¯s weak in open spaces.¡±


    ¡°Are you telling us to gang up on it together?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The Guild will provide more details once the raid party is decided. As for its weaknesses¡­probably magic.¡±


    Since it can¡¯t handle weapons, it¡¯s vulnerable to ranged attacks. However, its body is so tough that physical attacks are inefficient.


    ¡°Yeah. As long as you don¡¯t get too close or stay in a straight line, you¡¯ll be fine. Like I said earlier, it mostly fought in tunnels, so its charging power in a straight line is immense.¡±


    ¡°But if its weakness is ranged magic, what do melee fighters do?¡±


    ¡°Body tanking?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The world of adventurers seems harsh.

 Chapter 129: Minotauros (2)

    The summoning of a Floor Guardian is generally divided into two types.


    One is simply appearing with a pop at a predetermined time and ce. Its birth itself follows the respawn format, simr to ordinary monsters.


    The other is a summoning format where, after a certain time, it is directly called upon by satisfying given conditions.


    If the King of Thorns of the first floor was a typical summoning-type guardian, then Minotauros of the second floor is a typical respawn-type guardian.


    In other words, the Guild knows exactly where and when Minotauros will be born and supports the raids ordingly.


    Naturally, other ns also send promising talents suited to the level, and sometimes apany them with high-ranking adventurers.


    Since as many participants as possible must achieve more than one person¡¯s worth of merit for it to be recognized as having participated in the subjugation, they don¡¯t directly engage inbat¡­but they can rescue if necessary.


    In that sense, Minotauros has be not a boss to be feared, but a rare resource.


    It has turned into a simple prey after a glorious past and a tragic demise.It¡¯s a beast which isrge and powerful, but equally abundant in meat.


    If it were in the deep or middleyers, it would be different, but a guardian of the upperyer is just that.


    So with that said, the Guild staff, who hosted the briefing, exined the strategy mechanically without enthusiasm, and the promising members of each n also listened half-heartedly while doing their own things.


    ¡°It¡¯s a mess.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re a promising talent to the extent of being here, you must have received various supports from the n. Among them, there are records of Floor Guardians¡¯ subjugations.¡±


    ¡°True. No one wants to hear a story they¡¯ve already heard.¡±


    As I shrugged, Lydia nodded if that was indeed the case.


    That¡¯s right. We are now trapped in a room that looks like a Guild meeting room, listening to an exnation on how to catch Minotauros.


    ¡°¡­But, Miss Lydia, do we really fight like this just by listening?¡±


    ¡°No. To coordinate to that extent, we need to have fought together previously. Everyone has experience fighting within their own n or party, but coordinating with others is impossible.¡±


    ¡°Tsk. I figured as much, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. This briefing is for self-made adventurers who asionally pop up without any affiliation, new ns with insufficient information, and to avoid Guild responsibility.¡±


    ¡°Avoid responsibility¡­¡±


    ¡°Even though we provided this much information, if you die in vain, it¡¯s because youcked skill or luck, not the Guild¡¯s fault.¡±


    ¡°Adults areplicated.¡±


    ¡°Jonah, as a child, you can think simply. Fight as usual. Just be careful not to get caught up in other adventurers¡¯ attacks.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the hard part¡­.¡±


    My basic style is to crush them at the start. Whether it¡¯s stealth or just snatching their weapon and cutting their throat, I aim to finish it one-sidedly before it bes a proper battle.


    But against Minotauros¡¯s toughness, assassination is out of the question, and stealth could get me hurt by my allies¡¯ magic.


    It¡¯s not that someone is trying to mess with me. If I could see it, I could dodge or return fire, but since I can¡¯t see it, I can get caught up in the spells cast thinking it¡¯s an empty spot.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think too hard. Unlike before, you just need to inflict moderate damage. You¡¯re not fighting alone.¡±


    ¡°I know that in my head¡­ Hmm. Well, when the timees, I¡¯ll figure it out somehow.¡±


    Nodding nonchntly, I let the Guild staff¡¯s voice drift away. The reason I¡¯m half-listening, despite not being part of a major n, isn¡¯t because I¡¯m arrogant or stupid.


    When I said I was going to hunt Minotauros, Ellie clung to me all day, lecturing about the past.


    I didn¡¯t want to know the strategy information like this.


    And seeing the so-called promising members of each n filling the room¡­


    ¡®If we fight, I¡¯ll win.¡¯


    There is no need for a surprise attack. If it¡¯s one-on-one, I think I can win head-on.


    I don¡¯t know if this is just baseless confidence, if I¡¯m actually stronger, or if it¡¯s because I¡¯ve gotten used to top-tier fighters like Ellie and Lydia.


    However, I can definitely tell that they are interested in me.


    Some of the gathered people didn¡¯t show much interest in me, but most of them have been ncing this way constantly since a while ago.


    Some are simply showing favor based on appearance, others are displeased that someone who looks young is here, and some are intrigued by the new rookie they¡¯ve never seen before.


    But the most noticeable among them were the ones with gazes close to hostility.


    ¡°Why is that elf acting like that towards me?¡±


    ¡°Who knows. Maybe Jonah picked their pocket in the past?¡±


    ¡°No way. Even if I did, I¡¯ve never been found out, so recognizing me is impossible.¡±


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s with that useless confidence?¡±


    Puffing out my chest and going ¡®ahem¡¯, Lydia shook her head. No, this is actually quite impressive.


    How long had Lydia and I quietly chatted away? Before I knew it, the Guild briefing was over.


    The only thing I need to remember is to gather at the square by 1 PM tomorrow.


    Before getting up from my seat, I stretched my arms high and twisted my waist this way and that.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    My joints, which had stiffened from sitting still, cracked and loosened up.


    As I leisurely stretched, the surrounding gazes became more intense. Maybe because Lydia was next to me, no one was staring too hard¡­.


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    No. There was someone.


    The pointy-eared one who had been ring at me from earlier clicked their tongue as they approached.


    ¡°A man without any dignity.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The term ¡®man¡¯ itself isn¡¯t particrly offensive to me, given my memories of Earth. However, in this world, it¡¯s a rather derogatory expression akin to calling someone a ¡®wench¡¯, and the fact that it was used with that intent makes me angry.


    Gently stopping Lydia, who had furrowed her brow, I grabbed her sleeve and took a closer look at the pointy-eared one in front of me.


    Blonde hair, white skin, small chest, tall stature, neat appearance¡­


    A typical elven woman. One peculiar thing was that everything she wore from head to toe looked incredibly expensive.


    The tiara on her head emanated a formidable magical power, and the brooch on her chest radiated a holy energy as if it were a sacred relic.


    Each earring on her long ears and every ring on her fingers were artifacts, and though I couldn¡¯t speak for the performance of her clothes, their material seemed on par with Morgana¡¯s robes.


    And the crowning touch was, of course, her weapon.


    The whip at her waist was made from the leather and bones of an unknown monster.


    Its exact capabilities were unclear, but it exuded an auraparable to Lydia¡¯s collection of famous swords, surpassing even my Unicorn Dagger.


    Her own skills didn¡¯t seem particrly outstanding.


    Considering her presence, movements, gaze control, the amount of aura she held, the state of her muscle development, and so on.


    Taking all these into ount, she was at most around 1.2 Lemons?


    With Lemon and Apple still struggling on the first floor, it would be tough for them to reach the second floor yet.


    Even if one somehow managed to build up their specs through sheer grind, challenging a Floor Guardian is absolutely out of the question.


    However, that person is standing here. They probably supplemented theircking strength and skills with magical tools.


    Or perhaps received help from the muscr elf archer ring this way from behind, like a bodyguard.


    In other words, an annoying youngdy from a filthy rich family.


    Having roughly assessed the opponent, I decided to respond ordingly.


    While feigning ttery, I would subtly deploy ¡®Sound-Eating Footsteps¡¯ and ¡®Faster Than the Eye Pickpocket¡¯ simultaneously to strip them of everything they¡¯re wearing.


    ¡°My apologies for showing such an unsightly appearance¡­¡±


    ¡°Lady Lydia. If I may offer a piece of advice, it would be wise to keep your distance from this vulgar creature. It¡¯s a rattlesnake that could bite your hand at any moment.¡±


    ¡°¡­What? Vulgar? Rattlesnake?¡±


    Lydia¡¯s face turned icy. Normally, she has such a calm expression that she probably didn¡¯t notice, but I know. This means she¡¯s about to explode.


    In a hurry, I reached beyond Lydia¡¯s sleeve, grabbed her hand, and desperately tried to calm her down as I spoke.


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t it a bit rude to be so impolite on a first meeting? Calling someone vulgar and a rattlesnake just for stretching a bit.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Now you¡¯re being shameless too, on top of being vulgar.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    What is this? Did I unknowingly rob this woman of all her possessions or something? Otherwise, it seems impossible for her to direct such genuine contempt my way.


    As I stood there, dumbfounded, watching her, she snorted and continued.


    ¡°Well, you did enchant that person for a moment, so you must be no ordinary vulgar person.¡±


    ¡°¡­That person?¡±


    I tilt my head just for a moment, wondering who it was. The brat continued speaking with the same arrogant attitude.


    ¡°The one you¡¯ve been spreading rumors about recently.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Is it Eve? Come to think of it, she looks like a high-ranking elf¡¯s daughter. The only person who could be referred to as ¡®that person¡¯ because they dare not call her by name would be Eve.


    ¡°She has returned to where she rightfully belongs. She¡¯s taking what she should, so a worm like you shouldn¡¯t stick around and interfere.¡±


    ¡°Hm. So you know where Miss Eve is?¡±


    ¡°Ha! There¡¯s no ce for someone as vile as you to meddle now. Leave Pangrave immediately, or I¡¯ll make sure you have nowhere to stand.¡±


    For some reason, she insulted me by bringing up Eve, and now she¡¯s threatening me to leave Pangrave.


    But it was clear that she knew a clue about Eve, which I had been waiting for for so long.


    I smiled brightly and opened my mouth.


    ¡°Who do you think you are, to interfere between Eve and me and tell me what to do?¡±


    ¡°¡­How dare you!¡±


    Just as she was about to shout something in rage. I grabbed her hair and mmed her head onto the desk.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    Thanks to all sorts of magical tools, she was unscathed, but she widened her eyes, trying to figure out what had just happened to her.


    I continued, twirling a dagger in front of her eyes.


    ¡°You seem to be mistaken about something, but I¡¯m not here to ask you anything.¡±


    It meant I would find out myself from now on.

 Gacha Addict in a Matriarchal World

    <em>Boom!</em>


    I grabbed the elf woman¡¯s hair and mmed her head onto the desk.


    Various magical tools glowed, forming a thin barrier over her skin. It seemed like some kind of defensive shield.


    Thanks to that, she didn¡¯t have a single scratch, but her eyes widened in confusion, not understanding what had just happened.


    Waving a dagger in front of the nameless elf¡¯s eyes, I continued speaking.


    ¡°You seem to be mistaken, I¡¯m not here to ask you anything.¡±


    ¡°Th-then what is it?! Do you think you can get away with doing this to me?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯ll find out by myself from now on. And whether you get away or not, that¡¯s not for you to decide¡­ Miss Lydia will decide that.¡±


    <em>Bang!!</em>The noise was iparable to when I smashed the elf woman¡¯s head. The sound, akin to an explosion, caused one side of the wall to copse.


    This elf woman was not only covered in magical equipment but also escorted by a highly skilled guard.


    It was only natural for them to intervene the moment I grabbed her by the hair.


    However, I have guards on my side too. I guarantee that among all of Pangrave, my guard knight is one of the strongest.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have pulled out the arrow.¡±


    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t really mean to stab you¡­.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    <em>Thud!</em>


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    Therge elf archer woman, pinned against the wall, coughed up blood. Despitecking a chest typical of elves, her pectoral muscles were extraordinarily pumped. She tried to mutter something but was struck again andpletely knocked out.


    Lydia, looking down at the fallen woman with a cold gaze, turned to me. She waved her hand cheerfully.


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Knight! I won¡¯t kill her, so could you help prevent others from interfering?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Lydia nodded and stood firmly by my side. But really, who would dare to intervene after witnessing such a scene?


    Those gathered here are all promising members of well-known ns, but even their seniors are not at a level to be called elites.


    The 6th floor¡­not even the 5th floor, it was just a briefing to capture a second-floor Floor Guardian. Even the Guild staff exined it perfunctorily, so why would a high-ranking adventurer show up?


    There are plenty of people to assign rookie clean-up duties to. Lydia following me this far is unusual in itself.


    Well, adventurers affiliated with the Guild might swarm in upon hearing themotion, but it will be over before then.


    The atmosphere was cold and frozen. In the now quiet room, I slowly began to speak.


    ¡°I told you earlier, I don¡¯t intend to kill you. Not yet, anyway. You better think carefully before you speak, got it?¡±


    ¡°Grr!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Miss Eve right now. And you know where she is. So, what should we do now?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll talk just because of that!¡±


    ¡°Hmm. You seem to be a bit mistaken. I¡¯m the one asking questions. You just need to answer. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Ptooey!¡±


    Shivering and even spitting at me, this brat. I quickly dodged to avoid getting hit, but it couldn¡¯t help but sour my mood.


    ¡°I just want to end this with words, but why are you being so uncooperative?¡±


    With a deep sigh, I lowered my head. Three seconds passed. Just when she started to feel puzzled, I swiftly thrust a dagger.


    Aimed right above her left eye.


    <em>ng!</em>


    As obvious as it may be, no matter how great the Unicorn Dagger is, it cannot break through this manyyered barriers at once.


    Sparks scatter in all directions with a crisp sound.


    ¡°Eek! Hiiiii!¡±


    The person, as if being welded right in front of their eyes, convulses and thrashes about.


    ¡°Stay still.¡±


    ¡°Kyaaaa!¡±


    Only after calmly subduing the iling limbs did I retrieve the dagger that was scraping against the barrier on the eyes.


    ¡°You, you crazy bastard¡­!¡±


    ¡°Oh dear. Now I have no choice but to use my hands instead of my tongue again. Sis. Let¡¯s go peacefully. Okay?¡±


    Shaking my head, this time I brought the Unicorn Dagger under the person¡¯s neck and started sawing it back and forth.


    <em>Crack. Creak. Crackle!</em>


    Particles of light pour out like a waterfall. One of the barriers, already having taken several hits, could no longer hold and shattered.


    <em>Clink!</em>


    ¡°Ahhhh! I¡¯ll talk! I¡¯ll tell you, so stop!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Anything! I¡¯ll answer whatever you ask!¡±


    ¡°¡­Tsk.¡±


    There are still three moreyers of the barrier left, and she¡¯s already beingpliant. If she was going to be like this, she should¡¯ve just listened from the start.


    As I smacked my lips and retrieved the Dagger, she looked at me as if I were a madman. I gently stroked her demon-filled head with the dagger and asked.


    ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°R-Rosemary.¡±


    ¡°Age?¡±


    ¡°125 years old.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re a long-lived species¡­.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Next¡­right. Height?¡±


    ¡°177 cm¡­.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re tall. Then, your three measurements?¡±


    ¡°Why¡­why do you even want to know that?¡±


    ¡°Just answer.¡±


    As I tapped her crown with the t of the dagger, the now alert Rosemary hastily answered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I¡¯ve always worn clothes with size-adjustment magic, so I¡¯ve never had to worry about that!¡±


    ¡°What.¡±


    Such a bourgeois brat.


    Barely calming my reddened heart, I asked the most important part of the personal information.


    ¡°Lastly, how many partners have you had?¡±


    ¡°Par¡­tners?¡±


    ¡°I mean sex.¡±


    ¡°Why the hell are you asking that?!¡±


    ¡°Shush. Won¡¯t you answer?¡±


    ¡°Two¡­no, three! There¡¯s no way I¡¯d still be a virgin at this age!¡±


    ¡°Pluck a hair. It¡¯s not you who¡¯s going to judge, it¡¯s this. Dagger, dagger, will you reveal the truth?¡±


    Even when I thrust the Unicorn Dagger at her, there was no reaction, probably because of the thin barrier enveloping her entire body. So, I told her to pluck a hair out.


    With a confused expression, Rosemary plucked a strand of her hair.


    I brought the Dagger close to the hair she held. Then-


    <em>sh!</em>


    ¡°Hmm. At that age, and still a virgin.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what! What kind of ridiculous nder is that! I am not a virgin!¡±


    ¡°Bragging won¡¯t work. This is a dagger made from a pure Unicorn Horn. If nothing else, it can certainly detect purity.¡±


    ¡°Unicorn¡­? Y-you¡¯re lying. If that¡¯s truly a Unicorn Dagger, how are you holding it so easily?¡±


    ¡°Because I am of pure body?¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, check the request Eve submitted to the Magic Tower and the artisan workshop. There should be a request to make a dagger from a high-purity Unicorn Horn.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Rosemary¡¯s eyes widened as if she already knew. Her pupils focused nkly on the pure white de.


    In front of her, I deliberately ran my finger down the de.


    <em>Fwaaash!</em>


    A Unicorn Dagger emitting light several times brighter than when Rosemary herself touched it.


    ¡°Now, you get it, right? I¡¯m not the bad guy you think I am.¡±


    ¡°But then¡­why did the Queen¡­?¡±


    Rosemary was crestfallen with a nk expression. I smirked, raising the corner of my mouth towards the one who seemed finally ready for a proper conversation.


    ¡°Now that we¡¯ve cleared up the misunderstanding between us, let¡¯s get back to the main point. Where and what is Eve doing?¡±


    ¡°¡­She¡¯s still in Pangrave. She said she had some unfinished business here and went somewhere, but it¡¯s ssified, so I don¡¯t know where.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. And after that?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Do you know what she¡¯ll do next after she¡¯s done in Pangrave?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but she said she was going to the Elven Forest. There, she will once again sit on the throne and lead the elves to greatness¡­.¡±


    Rosemary¡¯s face was slightly flushed as she spoke. She looked like someone intoxicated with loyalty, almost to the point of fanaticism.


    Assuming Rosemary is a loyalist who genuinely cares for Eve, I can understand why she was so aggressive towards me.


    ¡­Honestly, I do realize that I was a bit harsh on Eve.


    But I still can¡¯t figure out why she disappeared without a word, or what she¡¯s trying to do hiding somewhere in Pangrave.


    The Eve I know would get gloomy alone or return in a day or two even if she ran away for a bit.


    ¡°Do you really not know? Should I start sawing again?¡±


    ¡°I-I mean it! It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know because it¡¯s a top-secret facility, but I¡¯m sure that person is there!¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Well, fine. Let¡¯s say that¡¯s true for now. How did you find me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you trust those dumb twins?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    I had nothing to say when asked that.


    Lemon and Apple are not bad guys. But no matter how favorably I try to see them, it¡¯s undeniable that they¡¯re stupid.


    It¡¯s not that they bbed around; they probably leaked information without realizing it.


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    I let out a deep sigh and asked Rosemary, who was sneaking nces at me.


    ¡°I understand you don¡¯t know much about Eve¡¯s location or purpose. Then this is thest question.¡±


    ¡°Phew¡­.¡±


    Maybe it was because there weren¡¯t any particrly deep questions. Rosemary let out a sigh of relief. But she shouldn¡¯t be relieved just yet.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there an elf gathering in Pangrave too? When and where does it take ce?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t pretend not to know this, would you? Based on the information you¡¯ve provided so far, it seems like you¡¯re part of the gathering.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±


    Rosemary frowned with a flustered expression.


    Even if this brat doesn¡¯t know, the high-ranking elves know Eve¡¯s whereabouts. The conversation must have reached Rosemary¡¯s ears because they knew.


    If so, we just need to find those bastards and figure out the way to Eve.


    It would be a much rougher method than initially nned, but as long as we get to the soul of it, it doesn¡¯t matter how.


    However, what came out of Rosemary¡¯s mouth was unexpected.


    ¡°If I sessfullyplete this Minotaur subjugation, there will be a gathering to celebrate it.¡±


    ¡°¡­? You think the big-shot elves would move just to celebrate you? Who do you think you are?¡±


    The brat, who had been mumbling for a while, saw the glint of the Dagger and started to tear up.


    ¡°I-I am the daughter of the Cradle Merchant Guild leader!¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    The daughter of the most sessful elf in this era?


    This scaredy-cat?

 Chapter 130

    Chapter 130


    <em>Boom!</em>


    I grabbed the elf woman¡¯s hair and mmed her head onto the desk.


    Various magical tools glowed, forming a thin barrier over her skin. It seemed like some kind of defensive shield.


    Thanks to that, she didn¡¯t have a single scratch, but her eyes widened in confusion, not understanding what had just happened.


    Waving a dagger in front of the nameless elf¡¯s eyes, I continued speaking.


    ¡°You seem to be mistaken, I¡¯m not here to ask you anything.¡±


    ¡°Th-then what is it?! Do you think you can get away with doing this to me?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯ll find out by myself from now on. And whether you get away or not, that¡¯s not for you to decide¡­ Miss Lydia will decide that.¡±


    <em>Bang!!</em>The noise was iparable to when I smashed the elf woman¡¯s head. The sound, akin to an explosion, caused one side of the wall to copse.


    This elf woman was not only covered in magical equipment but also escorted by a highly skilled guard.


    It was only natural for them to intervene the moment I grabbed her by the hair.


    However, I have guards on my side too. I guarantee that among all of Pangrave, my guard knight is one of the strongest.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have pulled out the arrow.¡±


    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t really mean to stab you¡­.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    <em>Thud!</em>


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    Therge elf archer woman, pinned against the wall, coughed up blood. Despitecking a chest typical of elves, her pectoral muscles were extraordinarily pumped. She tried to mutter something but was struck again andpletely knocked out.


    Lydia, looking down at the fallen woman with a cold gaze, turned to me. She waved her hand cheerfully.


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Knight! I won¡¯t kill her, so could you help prevent others from interfering?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Lydia nodded and stood firmly by my side. But really, who would dare to intervene after witnessing such a scene?


    Those gathered here are all promising members of well-known ns, but even their seniors are not at a level to be called elites.


    The 6th floor¡­not even the 5th floor, it was just a briefing to capture a second-floor Floor Guardian. Even the Guild staff exined it perfunctorily, so why would a high-ranking adventurer show up?


    There are plenty of people to assign rookie clean-up duties to. Lydia following me this far is unusual in itself.


    Well, adventurers affiliated with the Guild might swarm in upon hearing themotion, but it will be over before then.


    The atmosphere was cold and frozen. In the now quiet room, I slowly began to speak.


    ¡°I told you earlier, I don¡¯t intend to kill you. Not yet, anyway. You better think carefully before you speak, got it?¡±


    ¡°Grr!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Miss Eve right now. And you know where she is. So, what should we do now?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll talk just because of that!¡±


    ¡°Hmm. You seem to be a bit mistaken. I¡¯m the one asking questions. You just need to answer. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Ptooey!¡±


    Shivering and even spitting at me, this brat. I quickly dodged to avoid getting hit, but it couldn¡¯t help but sour my mood.


    ¡°I just want to end this with words, but why are you being so uncooperative?¡±


    With a deep sigh, I lowered my head. Three seconds passed. Just when she started to feel puzzled, I swiftly thrust a dagger.


    Aimed right above her left eye.


    <em>ng!</em>


    As obvious as it may be, no matter how great the Unicorn Dagger is, it cannot break through this manyyered barriers at once.


    Sparks scatter in all directions with a crisp sound.


    ¡°Eek! Hiiiii!¡±


    The person, as if being welded right in front of their eyes, convulses and thrashes about.


    ¡°Stay still.¡±


    ¡°Kyaaaa!¡±


    Only after calmly subduing the iling limbs did I retrieve the dagger that was scraping against the barrier on the eyes.


    ¡°You, you crazy bastard¡­!¡±


    ¡°Oh dear. Now I have no choice but to use my hands instead of my tongue again. Sis. Let¡¯s go peacefully. Okay?¡±


    Shaking my head, this time I brought the Unicorn Dagger under the person¡¯s neck and started sawing it back and forth.


    <em>Crack. Creak. Crackle!</em>


    Particles of light pour out like a waterfall. One of the barriers, already having taken several hits, could no longer hold and shattered.


    <em>Clink!</em>


    ¡°Ahhhh! I¡¯ll talk! I¡¯ll tell you, so stop!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Anything! I¡¯ll answer whatever you ask!¡±


    ¡°¡­Tsk.¡±


    There are still three moreyers of the barrier left, and she¡¯s already beingpliant. If she was going to be like this, she should¡¯ve just listened from the start.


    As I smacked my lips and retrieved the Dagger, she looked at me as if I were a madman. I gently stroked her demon-filled head with the dagger and asked.


    ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°R-Rosemary.¡±


    ¡°Age?¡±


    ¡°125 years old.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re a long-lived species¡­.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Next¡­right. Height?¡±


    ¡°177 cm¡­.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re tall. Then, your three measurements?¡±


    ¡°Why¡­why do you even want to know that?¡±


    ¡°Just answer.¡±


    As I tapped her crown with the t of the dagger, the now alert Rosemary hastily answered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I¡¯ve always worn clothes with size-adjustment magic, so I¡¯ve never had to worry about that!¡±


    ¡°What.¡±


    Such a bourgeois brat.


    Barely calming my reddened heart, I asked the most important part of the personal information.


    ¡°Lastly, how many partners have you had?¡±


    ¡°Par¡­tners?¡±


    ¡°I mean sex.¡±


    ¡°Why the hell are you asking that?!¡±


    ¡°Shush. Won¡¯t you answer?¡±


    ¡°Two¡­no, three! There¡¯s no way I¡¯d still be a virgin at this age!¡±


    ¡°Pluck a hair. It¡¯s not you who¡¯s going to judge, it¡¯s this. Dagger, dagger, will you reveal the truth?¡±


    Even when I thrust the Unicorn Dagger at her, there was no reaction, probably because of the thin barrier enveloping her entire body. So, I told her to pluck a hair out.


    With a confused expression, Rosemary plucked a strand of her hair.


    I brought the Dagger close to the hair she held. Then-


    <em>sh!</em>


    ¡°Hmm. At that age, and still a virgin.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what! What kind of ridiculous nder is that! I am not a virgin!¡±


    ¡°Bragging won¡¯t work. This is a dagger made from a pure Unicorn Horn. If nothing else, it can certainly detect purity.¡±


    ¡°Unicorn¡­? Y-you¡¯re lying. If that¡¯s truly a Unicorn Dagger, how are you holding it so easily?¡±


    ¡°Because I am of pure body?¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, check the request Eve submitted to the Magic Tower and the artisan workshop. There should be a request to make a dagger from a high-purity Unicorn Horn.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Rosemary¡¯s eyes widened as if she already knew. Her pupils focused nkly on the pure white de.


    In front of her, I deliberately ran my finger down the de.


    <em>Fwaaash!</em>


    A Unicorn Dagger emitting light several times brighter than when Rosemary herself touched it.


    ¡°Now, you get it, right? I¡¯m not the bad guy you think I am.¡±


    ¡°But then¡­why did the Queen¡­?¡±


    Rosemary was crestfallen with a nk expression. I smirked, raising the corner of my mouth towards the one who seemed finally ready for a proper conversation.


    ¡°Now that we¡¯ve cleared up the misunderstanding between us, let¡¯s get back to the main point. Where and what is Eve doing?¡±


    ¡°¡­She¡¯s still in Pangrave. She said she had some unfinished business here and went somewhere, but it¡¯s ssified, so I don¡¯t know where.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. And after that?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Do you know what she¡¯ll do next after she¡¯s done in Pangrave?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but she said she was going to the Elven Forest. There, she will once again sit on the throne and lead the elves to greatness¡­.¡±


    Rosemary¡¯s face was slightly flushed as she spoke. She looked like someone intoxicated with loyalty, almost to the point of fanaticism.


    Assuming Rosemary is a loyalist who genuinely cares for Eve, I can understand why she was so aggressive towards me.


    ¡­Honestly, I do realize that I was a bit harsh on Eve.


    But I still can¡¯t figure out why she disappeared without a word, or what she¡¯s trying to do hiding somewhere in Pangrave.


    The Eve I know would get gloomy alone or return in a day or two even if she ran away for a bit.


    ¡°Do you really not know? Should I start sawing again?¡±


    ¡°I-I mean it! It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know because it¡¯s a top-secret facility, but I¡¯m sure that person is there!¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Well, fine. Let¡¯s say that¡¯s true for now. How did you find me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you trust those dumb twins?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    I had nothing to say when asked that.


    Lemon and Apple are not bad guys. But no matter how favorably I try to see them, it¡¯s undeniable that they¡¯re stupid.


    It¡¯s not that they bbed around; they probably leaked information without realizing it.


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    I let out a deep sigh and asked Rosemary, who was sneaking nces at me.


    ¡°I understand you don¡¯t know much about Eve¡¯s location or purpose. Then this is thest question.¡±


    ¡°Phew¡­.¡±


    Maybe it was because there weren¡¯t any particrly deep questions. Rosemary let out a sigh of relief. But she shouldn¡¯t be relieved just yet.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there an elf gathering in Pangrave too? When and where does it take ce?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t pretend not to know this, would you? Based on the information you¡¯ve provided so far, it seems like you¡¯re part of the gathering.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±


    Rosemary frowned with a flustered expression.


    Even if this brat doesn¡¯t know, the high-ranking elves know Eve¡¯s whereabouts. The conversation must have reached Rosemary¡¯s ears because they knew.


    If so, we just need to find those bastards and figure out the way to Eve.


    It would be a much rougher method than initially nned, but as long as we get to the soul of it, it doesn¡¯t matter how.


    However, what came out of Rosemary¡¯s mouth was unexpected.


    ¡°If I sessfullyplete this Minotaur subjugation, there will be a gathering to celebrate it.¡±


    ¡°¡­? You think the big-shot elves would move just to celebrate you? Who do you think you are?¡±


    The brat, who had been mumbling for a while, saw the glint of the Dagger and started to tear up.


    ¡°I-I am the daughter of the Cradle Merchant Guild leader!¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    The daughter of the most sessful elf in this era?


    This scaredy-cat?

 Chapter 131

    Chapter 131


    ¡°Alright. Shall we continue the conversation at home?¡±


    ¡°What, what! What do you mean by that! I¡¯ve already told you everything! So let me go!¡±


    Rosemary was trembling and struggling fiercely. Anyone would think she was being kidnapped seeing her like that.


    ¡°Come on. If you say it like that, it sounds like I¡¯m forcibly holding onto someone I dislike. Rosemary, you¡¯reing of your own free will.¡±


    ¡°Why would I do¡­!¡±


    I raised one corner of my mouth towards her, who was gritting her teeth. Then, I unleashed all the beauty powers I had been suppressing to the fullest extent.


    A fragrant scent spread out like a spring breeze. My skin, with a brighter and softer texture than a baby¡¯s, mesmerized the opponent.


    Even on its own, it was a power superior to any cosmetic, and it had recently been enhanced by the Power of the Avatar of Love.


    However, this is merely an additional effect.The Avatar of Love has various effects, and its true value is revealed when all of these are fully activated.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Rosemary stiffened in a daze. Her gaze fixed on me, unable to look away.


    A 5-star Power. A forceparable to a miracle is seeping out of my entire body.


    It has no particr function. It¡¯s just an overwhelming presence, a sense of dissonance evoked by the divine power not permitted to humans.


    Just like when I felt awe and admiration during the genuine battles of high-ranking adventurers I had witnessed a few times.


    When people face a power different from their own, they instinctively enter worship mode.


    And now. Rosemary, who is staring directly at the ¡®True Customization¡¯ of the Goddess of Love, is in a simr state.


    A vacant, unfocused gaze. A small tongue peeks out between parted lips.


    The eyes once filled with hostility and fear quickly soften, and a pinkish excitement begins to take its ce.


    Yes. The immense divine power itself became a kind of violence, wildly shaking Rosemary¡¯s heart.


    What caught her eye in that weakened moment was an incredibly handsome boy, further enhanced by the power of beauty.


    Of course, she couldn¡¯t help but be mesmerized.


    But this isn¡¯t real love or anything like that. It¡¯s just a temporary daze from encountering an unbelievably attractive person.


    If Rosemary realized this, she would snap back to her senses much quicker.


    In summary, it¡¯s a short-lived, single-use brainwashing app¡­no, let¡¯s call it a brainwashing smile.


    I whispered into Rosemary¡¯s long ear, with a smile thatbined pure innocence and alluring charm I use to tease Ellie.


    ¡°Wannae to my ce?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm¡­¡±


    Rosemary nodded reflexively. Good. Now, I just have to quietly take her to Fairy and Silver Coin¡­


    <em>Thud!</em>


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    Had she caught onto my sly smile? Or was it just that Rosemary¡¯s change was so drastic that she noticed right away?


    Lydia, who was guarding this side, flicked me on the forehead. And quite hard, too.


    ¡°Jonah. What did you just do to her?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything?¡±


    ¡°Liar. If you tell the truth, I¡¯ll cut you some ck.¡±


    ¡°¡­A, a pretty boy tactic?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Lydia, who looked at me with disdain for a moment, then flicked Rosemary on the forehead.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    The sound was much louderpared to mine, showing how strong it was. And it was quite effective.


    ¡°Heuk!¡±


    Grasping the top of her head and trembling, Rosemary¡¯s eyes had returned to normal.


    ¡­Though tears were welling up.


    ¡°S-sorcery! So this is how you seduced that person!¡±


    ¡°Haa. Look, Miss Lydia. If you let her go like this, she¡¯ll spread rumors everywhere. I don¡¯t care if my image gets ruined, but if it reaches the Cradle Trading Company, it¡¯ll be troublesometer on.¡±


    ¡°But if we take her back as she is, Ellie will beat us to death.¡±


    ¡°Tsk. I didn¡¯t think of that, but you might be right.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me!¡±


    Rosemary, who had been begging to be let go, was now angry about being ignored. She shook her head and said.


    ¡°Alright. Then let¡¯s do it this way. We¡¯ll take down Minotauros, and if, as you said, there¡¯s a banquet among the high-ranking elves, take me and Miss Lydia there. If anyone asks about what happened today, just try to evade the question as much as possible.¡±


    Though it was Rosemary I had asked, the answer came unexpectedly from Lydia.


    ¡°Me too?¡±


    ¡°Is it not okay? Then I¡¯ll just ask Ellie or Benny¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was just wondering if you know what it means to take someone as a partner to the banquet.¡±


    ¡°A partner, you say. I was thinking more of as a guardian knight, but is that alright?¡±


    ¡°A guardian knight¡­yes. I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Lydia nodded with sparkling eyes. Good. Now we have some insurance for when things go south.


    Both Lydia and I nodded in satisfaction and turned our gazes back to Rosemary once more.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple, isn¡¯t it? Just quietly let me meet with the high-ranking elves. After that, you can spread weird rumors about me or do whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Are you trying to deceive others too! You filthy rattlesnake!¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on. Can¡¯t you see? I¡¯m neither filthy nor a rattlesnake¡­. If you keep ndering me, we¡¯ll just have to have a polite conversation again.¡±


    As the brightly shining Unicorn Dagger was waved gently, Rosemary¡¯splexion turned pale.


    In the end, she, filled with fear, nodded her head.


    ¡°F-fine! I¡¯ll ept that proposal. But what if someone else here spreads the rumors?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ve already activated the silence magic tool. Isn¡¯t that right, Lydia?¡±


    <em>V.</em>


    Lydia, showing a V with two fingers, wore a proud expression.


    Realizing that there was no way out, Rosemary nodded in resignation.


    ¡°Alright. I understand everything now, so let me go.¡±


    ¡°Let you go? I never held you in the first ce. You can just walk out on your own.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Slowly exiting the half-destroyed room, Rosemary kept ncing back, as if she couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡­Anyway, the Minotauros subjugation is in three days, so she just needs to stay quiet for three days. But seeing her like that makes me a bit uneasy.


    Alright. I should at least put some safety measures in ce.


    I quickly ran to the door, half-opened it, and grabbed Rosemary¡¯s shoulder just as she was about to let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    She shrieked as if she had seen a ghost. I patted her shoulder gently to calm her down.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. I just forgot something.¡±


    Smiling as harmlessly as possible, I ced my hand on Rosemary¡¯s chest.


    Soft.


    A truly meager sensation. There wasn¡¯t much to feel, but a chest was still a chest. The intimate and dense skinship made Rosemary¡¯s cheeks redden.


    ¡°Wh-what is this! Are you really¡­!¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡±


    I brought my other hand¡¯s index finger to her lips to quiet her, then slowly channeled divine power into her body, encircling her heart.


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    Rosemary¡¯splexion turned pale.


    It must feel simr to when the Avatar of Love fully unleashed its power. After all, it¡¯s the same root force. It could easily be mistaken.


    Of course, someone of her high status wouldn¡¯t bepletely ignorant of divine power, and with careful thought, she¡¯d realize it was just pure divine energy¡­


    But it was enough to deceive her for today.


    Rosemary, whose heart had be a bit healthier, stammered and asked.


    ¡°Wh-what did you do to me?¡±


    ¡°A geas. If you break the promise made today, your heart will explode.¡±


    ¡°¡­!!!¡±


    ¡°If you keep it properly, it will disappear on its own, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Since it was a very pure divine power, it wouldst for a few days even if left alone, but because it was not a proper blessing, it would eventually dissipate over time.


    With a bit of thought, one could realize that the energy pushed into the heart wasn¡¯t that threatening and that it was normally impossible to cast such aplex geas in such a short time.


    But it seemed impossible for Rosemary, who was mentally cornered at that moment.


    ¡°Hic!¡±


    Rosemary shivered and hupped. I stood on tiptoe to lightly tap her head and then returned to Lydia.


    ¡°Shall we go now, Miss Lydia?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I left the broken room with Lydia.


    From behind, I heard a despondent voice saying,


    ¡°What¡­ happens to me now¡­?¡±


    along with a thud, but it didn¡¯t seem very important.


    So, I hummed a tune and followed Lydia for a while.


    ¡°¡­Miss Lydia? Where are we going now?¡±


    ¡°To the Guild office.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we going home?¡±


    ¡°If we just leave after breaking the room like that, it¡¯s a crime. If you don¡¯t want to pay several times the fine, you need to report it andpensate now.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    That¡¯s right. We did break the room.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cover the repair costs for now, so pay me backter.¡±


    ¡°¡­Wasn¡¯t it you who broke the wall, Miss Lydia?¡±


    ¡°You ordered it, didn¡¯t you? You can¡¯t hold the sword ountable. The responsibility lies with the owner.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    I have no words, since I¡¯m the one who lifted Lydia¡¯s spirits by calling her a guardian knight or something.


    ¡°Ah, and from now on, I¡¯ll be taking a portion of the earnings from the Labyrinth.¡±


    ¡°Why?!¡±


    ¡°You said you owe Benny too. You have too many debts. It¡¯s hard to overlook debts in the gold units.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Every word she says is true.


    In the end, I could only nod with my shoulders drooping.<hr>Rosemary was depressed.


    She was counterattacked while trying to punish the evil rattlesnake that dared to hurt the Queen.


    Not just counterattacked, butpletely humiliated.


    ¡°Sigh. I need a drink today.¡±


    Even though others might not have heard the conversation, many saw her being toyed with.


    Since she couldn¡¯t return to her senses, she asked her guard, who was also a thoroughly shaken archer.


    ¡°Berry, is there a good bar nearby? Let¡¯s have a drink together before heading back.¡±


    ¡°Well, I heard of a good ce from a colleague before. I¡¯ve never been there myself, but I heard it¡¯s a ce where men in revealing outfits serve.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­.¡±


    ¡°And they all work at night, so if the conditions are right, you can take them straight to bed.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Rosemary was secretly bothered by Jonah forcing her to prove her purity.


    Determined to lose her virginity this time, Rosemary confidently entered the bar rmended by Berry¡­


    Fairy and Silver Coin.


    ¡°Come here¡­huh?¡±


    And she saw it.


    The demon sitting near the counter with a straw in his mouth. A milk bottle extended towards him, almost as if to flirt.


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    Rosemary and Berry, terrified, turned around and fled.


    Once again, Rosemary¡¯s purity was preserved today. Regardless of her own will.


    ,¡°Alright. Shall we continue the conversation at home?¡±


    ¡°What, what! What do you mean by that! I¡¯ve already told you everything! So let me go!¡±


    Rosemary was trembling and struggling fiercely. Anyone would think she was being kidnapped seeing her like that.


    ¡°Come on. If you say it like that, it sounds like I¡¯m forcibly holding onto someone I dislike. Rosemary, you¡¯reing of your own free will.¡±


    ¡°Why would I do¡­!¡±


    I raised one corner of my mouth towards her, who was gritting her teeth. Then, I unleashed all the beauty powers I had been suppressing to the fullest extent.


    A fragrant scent spread out like a spring breeze. My skin, with a brighter and softer texture than a baby¡¯s, mesmerized the opponent.


    Even on its own, it was a power superior to any cosmetic, and it had recently been enhanced by the Power of the Avatar of Love.


    However, this is merely an additional effect.


    The Avatar of Love has various effects, and its true value is revealed when all of these are fully activated.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Rosemary stiffened in a daze. Her gaze fixed on me, unable to look away.


    A 5-star Power. A forceparable to a miracle is seeping out of my entire body.


    It has no particr function. It¡¯s just an overwhelming presence, a sense of dissonance evoked by the divine power not permitted to humans.


    Just like when I felt awe and admiration during the genuine battles of high-ranking adventurers I had witnessed a few times.


    When people face a power different from their own, they instinctively enter worship mode.


    And now. Rosemary, who is staring directly at the ¡®True Customization¡¯ of the Goddess of Love, is in a simr state.


    A vacant, unfocused gaze. A small tongue peeks out between parted lips.


    The eyes once filled with hostility and fear quickly soften, and a pinkish excitement begins to take its ce.


    Yes. The immense divine power itself became a kind of violence, wildly shaking Rosemary¡¯s heart.


    What caught her eye in that weakened moment was an incredibly handsome boy, further enhanced by the power of beauty.


    Of course, she couldn¡¯t help but be mesmerized.


    But this isn¡¯t real love or anything like that. It¡¯s just a temporary daze from encountering an unbelievably attractive person.


    If Rosemary realized this, she would snap back to her senses much quicker.


    In summary, it¡¯s a short-lived, single-use brainwashing app¡­no, let¡¯s call it a brainwashing smile.


    I whispered into Rosemary¡¯s long ear, with a smile thatbined pure innocence and alluring charm I use to tease Ellie.


    ¡°Wannae to my ce?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm¡­¡±


    Rosemary nodded reflexively. Good. Now, I just have to quietly take her to Fairy and Silver Coin¡­


    <em>Thud!</em>


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    Had she caught onto my sly smile? Or was it just that Rosemary¡¯s change was so drastic that she noticed right away?


    Lydia, who was guarding this side, flicked me on the forehead. And quite hard, too.


    ¡°Jonah. What did you just do to her?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything?¡±


    ¡°Liar. If you tell the truth, I¡¯ll cut you some ck.¡±


    ¡°¡­A, a pretty boy tactic?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Lydia, who looked at me with disdain for a moment, then flicked Rosemary on the forehead.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    The sound was much louderpared to mine, showing how strong it was. And it was quite effective.


    ¡°Heuk!¡±


    Grasping the top of her head and trembling, Rosemary¡¯s eyes had returned to normal.


    ¡­Though tears were welling up.


    ¡°S-sorcery! So this is how you seduced that person!¡±


    ¡°Haa. Look, Miss Lydia. If you let her go like this, she¡¯ll spread rumors everywhere. I don¡¯t care if my image gets ruined, but if it reaches the Cradle Trading Company, it¡¯ll be troublesometer on.¡±


    ¡°But if we take her back as she is, Ellie will beat us to death.¡±


    ¡°Tsk. I didn¡¯t think of that, but you might be right.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me!¡±


    Rosemary, who had been begging to be let go, was now angry about being ignored. She shook her head and said.


    ¡°Alright. Then let¡¯s do it this way. We¡¯ll take down Minotauros, and if, as you said, there¡¯s a banquet among the high-ranking elves, take me and Miss Lydia there. If anyone asks about what happened today, just try to evade the question as much as possible.¡±


    Though it was Rosemary I had asked, the answer came unexpectedly from Lydia.


    ¡°Me too?¡±


    ¡°Is it not okay? Then I¡¯ll just ask Ellie or Benny¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was just wondering if you know what it means to take someone as a partner to the banquet.¡±


    ¡°A partner, you say. I was thinking more of as a guardian knight, but is that alright?¡±


    ¡°A guardian knight¡­yes. I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Lydia nodded with sparkling eyes. Good. Now we have some insurance for when things go south.


    Both Lydia and I nodded in satisfaction and turned our gazes back to Rosemary once more.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple, isn¡¯t it? Just quietly let me meet with the high-ranking elves. After that, you can spread weird rumors about me or do whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Are you trying to deceive others too! You filthy rattlesnake!¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on. Can¡¯t you see? I¡¯m neither filthy nor a rattlesnake¡­. If you keep ndering me, we¡¯ll just have to have a polite conversation again.¡±


    As the brightly shining Unicorn Dagger was waved gently, Rosemary¡¯splexion turned pale.


    In the end, she, filled with fear, nodded her head.


    ¡°F-fine! I¡¯ll ept that proposal. But what if someone else here spreads the rumors?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ve already activated the silence magic tool. Isn¡¯t that right, Lydia?¡±


    <em>V.</em>


    Lydia, showing a V with two fingers, wore a proud expression.


    Realizing that there was no way out, Rosemary nodded in resignation.


    ¡°Alright. I understand everything now, so let me go.¡±


    ¡°Let you go? I never held you in the first ce. You can just walk out on your own.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Slowly exiting the half-destroyed room, Rosemary kept ncing back, as if she couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡­Anyway, the Minotauros subjugation is in three days, so she just needs to stay quiet for three days. But seeing her like that makes me a bit uneasy.


    Alright. I should at least put some safety measures in ce.


    I quickly ran to the door, half-opened it, and grabbed Rosemary¡¯s shoulder just as she was about to let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    She shrieked as if she had seen a ghost. I patted her shoulder gently to calm her down.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. I just forgot something.¡±


    Smiling as harmlessly as possible, I ced my hand on Rosemary¡¯s chest.


    Soft.


    A truly meager sensation. There wasn¡¯t much to feel, but a chest was still a chest. The intimate and dense skinship made Rosemary¡¯s cheeks redden.


    ¡°Wh-what is this! Are you really¡­!¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡±


    I brought my other hand¡¯s index finger to her lips to quiet her, then slowly channeled divine power into her body, encircling her heart.


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    Rosemary¡¯splexion turned pale.


    It must feel simr to when the Avatar of Love fully unleashed its power. After all, it¡¯s the same root force. It could easily be mistaken.


    Of course, someone of her high status wouldn¡¯t bepletely ignorant of divine power, and with careful thought, she¡¯d realize it was just pure divine energy¡­


    But it was enough to deceive her for today.


    Rosemary, whose heart had be a bit healthier, stammered and asked.


    ¡°Wh-what did you do to me?¡±


    ¡°A geas. If you break the promise made today, your heart will explode.¡±


    ¡°¡­!!!¡±


    ¡°If you keep it properly, it will disappear on its own, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Since it was a very pure divine power, it wouldst for a few days even if left alone, but because it was not a proper blessing, it would eventually dissipate over time.


    With a bit of thought, one could realize that the energy pushed into the heart wasn¡¯t that threatening and that it was normally impossible to cast such aplex geas in such a short time.


    But it seemed impossible for Rosemary, who was mentally cornered at that moment.


    ¡°Hic!¡±


    Rosemary shivered and hupped. I stood on tiptoe to lightly tap her head and then returned to Lydia.


    ¡°Shall we go now, Miss Lydia?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I left the broken room with Lydia.


    From behind, I heard a despondent voice saying,


    ¡°What¡­ happens to me now¡­?¡±


    along with a thud, but it didn¡¯t seem very important.


    So, I hummed a tune and followed Lydia for a while.


    ¡°¡­Miss Lydia? Where are we going now?¡±


    ¡°To the Guild office.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we going home?¡±


    ¡°If we just leave after breaking the room like that, it¡¯s a crime. If you don¡¯t want to pay several times the fine, you need to report it andpensate now.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    That¡¯s right. We did break the room.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cover the repair costs for now, so pay me backter.¡±


    ¡°¡­Wasn¡¯t it you who broke the wall, Miss Lydia?¡±


    ¡°You ordered it, didn¡¯t you? You can¡¯t hold the sword ountable. The responsibility lies with the owner.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    I have no words, since I¡¯m the one who lifted Lydia¡¯s spirits by calling her a guardian knight or something.


    ¡°Ah, and from now on, I¡¯ll be taking a portion of the earnings from the Labyrinth.¡±


    ¡°Why?!¡±


    ¡°You said you owe Benny too. You have too many debts. It¡¯s hard to overlook debts in the gold units.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Every word she says is true.


    In the end, I could only nod with my shoulders drooping.<hr>Rosemary was depressed.


    She was counterattacked while trying to punish the evil rattlesnake that dared to hurt the Queen.


    Not just counterattacked, butpletely humiliated.


    ¡°Sigh. I need a drink today.¡±


    Even though others might not have heard the conversation, many saw her being toyed with.


    Since she couldn¡¯t return to her senses, she asked her guard, who was also a thoroughly shaken archer.


    ¡°Berry, is there a good bar nearby? Let¡¯s have a drink together before heading back.¡±


    ¡°Well, I heard of a good ce from a colleague before. I¡¯ve never been there myself, but I heard it¡¯s a ce where men in revealing outfits serve.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­.¡±


    ¡°And they all work at night, so if the conditions are right, you can take them straight to bed.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Rosemary was secretly bothered by Jonah forcing her to prove her purity.


    Determined to lose her virginity this time, Rosemary confidently entered the bar rmended by Berry¡­


    Fairy and Silver Coin.


    ¡°Come here¡­huh?¡±


    And she saw it.


    The demon sitting near the counter with a straw in his mouth. A milk bottle extended towards him, almost as if to flirt.


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    Rosemary and Berry, terrified, turned around and fled.


    Once again, Rosemary¡¯s purity was preserved today. Regardless of her own will.

 Chapter 132: Minotauros (5)

    Time passed and the day of the Minotauros subjugation arrived.


    Usually, adventurers moved individually or in teams, but seeing them gathered en masse in front of the monument leading to the Labyrinth was something else.


    ¡°It looks like a demolition crew for the Labyrinth.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why no country dares to invade Pangrave, which generates immense profits.¡±


    Their armaments were all different, and they weren¡¯t even lined up properly, just scattered around nearby¡­


    As more and more beginners shed their rookie status and got used to killing, the atmosphere became quite fierce.


    The adventurers inside, however, seemed bored as if tired of waiting.


    ¡°By the way, there are so many strong-looking adventurers. With such insurance, can properbat even take ce?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Surprisingly, it can.¡±Currently, the fact that I summoned the Floor Guardian of the first floor isn¡¯t widely known.


    In fact, Minotauros, the guardian of the second floor, is the first Floor Guardian that adventurers can face.


    Surviving until now means they¡¯ve somehow managed to secure stable victories againstmon monsters.


    However, even such individuals couldn¡¯t help but struggle with their first boss fight, and to aid them, adventurers who operate at least two floors deeper were assigned as protectors.


    ¡°The Labyrinth isn¡¯t stupid. The moment your life is protected, most of your umted merits flow to the one who saved you.¡±


    ¡°Ah. That makes sense. After all, it was the Goddess of Love herself who designed the Labyrinth¡¯s merit system.¡±


    Saving someone earns you far more merits than killing them. What the Labyrinth evaluates isn¡¯t something like battle records.


    It is everything done within that space.


    Helping someone else in a ce full of dangers must have been considered noble.


    ¡°Noble¡­ Perhaps Miss Lydia too?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, that¡¯s why my nickname is ¡®The Noble¡¯.¡±


    Even in a Labyrinth filled with death, she never loses her humanity and always strives to act honorably.


    Helping those in danger, punishing the wicked, standing at the forefront when advancing, and at the rear when retreating, showing courage and dedication.


    That¡¯s why Lydia is considered strong even among high-level adventurers.


    ¡°The number of monsters subjugated may be simr, but the deeds are not the same.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but do such so-called good deeds help in some way? Like increasing strength by exerting power, or stamina by fighting for a long time. There is some randomness, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure. But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a physical issue¡­ But can¡¯t you just ask the Goddess?¡±


    ¡°Hey. That¡¯s an oracle and a revtion, right? It¡¯s not something thates down so easily. Though, if I do ask, she might answer¡­¡±


    Since I can¡¯t convey the message directly, she might try tomunicate through the fully-leveled Goddess Statue. However, there¡¯s the problem that the gacha rates tend to lean towards the unfavorable side each time.


    This time, I spent nearly 100 gold to somehow reset the penalty, so I can¡¯t waste it on something random.


    ¡°It would be a burden on the Goddess. And I have a hunch too.¡±


    ¡°A hunch?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I think it might be rted to mental strength.¡±


    Having acquired the Avatar of Love, my mental resistance greatly increased. Along with that, my mental strength also grew stronger, resulting in an unexpected synergy.


    I can control a muchrger amount of power more easily than usual. In other words, the output and control of the three great abilities ¨C Aura, Mana, and Divine Power ¨C had achieved remarkable growth.


    And Lydia¡¯s total amount of Aura was significant; she boasted an immense output that seemed almost magical, scattering Aura around her.


    The me-like Aura that enveloped the surrounding area, and thus the domain Lydia unfolded, was probably an art that other Aura users would find hard to imitate.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I think. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the correct answer or not.¡±


    ¡°This can¡¯t be¡­ Was it not my genius talent¡­?¡±


    It seemed that Lydia thought it was only possible because she was a genius.


    Lydia trembles as she looks down at her hands. I momentarily enjoyed watching her violently shaking chest.


    In the distance, a familiar face appeared. Tall stature and well-proportioned body. t¡­no, agile chest and bright blonde hair. An elf, the second-generation rich brat with strangely annoying features.


    It was Rosemary. Behind her was the muscr archerdy seen before.


    Though she was overpowered by Lydia in one blow, from her appearance, you¡¯d think she was some kind of human weapon.


    With a happy heart, I waved my hand and shouted.


    ¡°Here! Over here!¡±


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    Rosemary, who noticed me, was startled and immediately turned her head, but how could she resist this?


    I quickly ran over and hooked my arm around Rosemary¡¯s shoulder. I wanted to put my arm around her shoulder, but Rosemary was taller than expected, so it wasn¡¯t easy.


    ¡°Why did you pretend not to see me when you did?¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s because¡­.¡±


    ¡°I greeted you so warmly, so why didn¡¯t you respond?¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡­you suddenly used formalnguage, so I was surprised¡­.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s because I was angry then. How could I speak informally to someone over 100 years older than me? ¡­So why did you pretend not to see me? Do elves turn their heads away when they¡¯re surprised?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­well, that is¡­um¡­.¡±


    Rosemary lowered her head and mumbled. I leaned in to look up at her face from below.


    The key here was to keep my eyes as vacant as possible, letting my pupils go unfocused.


    In that state, I began repeating the same words mechanically, like a broken phonograph.


    ¡°Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?¡±


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    Rosemary seemed to love my fashion yandere act, as if she was going to die from joy.


    I grabbed her trembling hand and pulled her.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    ¡°Hup.¡±


    With a paleplexion, Rosemary quietly followed. Berry, who was supposed to be the escort, closed her eyes tightly as if she couldn¡¯t bear to watch the scene in front of her.


    ¡­Anyone would mistake this for a human trafficking scene.


    After bringing her over, I stood next to Lydia and nodded my head.


    ¡°Stick close to us in the Labyrinth and fight.¡±


    ¡°Wh-why?¡±


    ¡°So we can save you when it gets dangerous.¡±


    Rosemary¡¯s eyes widened as if she had heard something unexpected. However, the elf Nuna, who was her escort, whispered into her ear with aplicated expression.


    ¡°If they say they can help when it gets rough, it means they can cut you down when it gets rough. It¡¯s best to follow their words here.¡±


    Rosemary flinched and looked at Lydia and me in turn, nodding slightly.


    ¡°No, I can hear everything? It¡¯s not like that. If Rosemary dies by ident, the n will go awry.¡±


    ¡°Then if I take you to the meeting as nned¡­.¡±


    ¡°Why would I keep a horse that has lost its utility?¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    ¡°It sounds like you want me to say that. Honestly, it¡¯s frustrating. I only responded because you provoked me first, and now you look at me as if I¡¯m the embodiment of evil.¡±


    I patted Rosemary¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. There won¡¯t be anything to worry about.¡±


    Rosemary nodded stiffly, like a broken doll.


    Lydia, who had been watching all this, sighed and shook her head.


    After a while. An adventurer belonging to the Guild arrived and, under her guidance, we all held hands and entered the Labyrinth together.


    As soon as we arrived at the Labyrinth, the Guild¡¯s adventurer, who might also be apetent guide, surveyed the surroundings and led the way without hesitation.


    Seeing dozens of people lined up in a narrow cave was quite a spectacle.


    Although some of the monsters we encountered along the way charged at us without fear¡­those at the forefront took care of them without me, who was rtively in the rear, needing to step in.


    Well. If they are challenging the Floor Guardian, it¡¯s only natural that they can easily defeat the regr monsters on the second floor.


    We followed the Guild¡¯s guide for a long time. Deep, deeper.


    Having be stronger after defeating Morgana, I boldly pushed through to the depths I have never ventured into with the subjugation team.


    Slowly, the kobolds disappeared, and queen spiders with multiple offspring or crude golems made of earth began to appear¡­.


    These too were swiftly hunted down.


    After taking only the Magic Stones from the loot and leaving the rest behind, how long had we continued on?


    The sound of a gigantic heartbeat grew closer. The intermediate cavities no longer appeared. There was only a narrow passage stretching on.


    At the end was a ce as wide and open as a za on the surface.


    <em>Thump-thump! Thump-thump!</em>


    And the heart of the God of Earth was right in front of us.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    An involuntary exmation. The other adventurers were no different.


    The gigantic heart made of earth and rock pulsed rhythmically, emitting a heavy sound.


    The sound resonated throughout the entire second floor, so I thought it would be extremely noisy as it was the reference for finding our way, but when I got closer, it wasn¡¯t really so.


    The reason is simple. What I had thought was a sound reaching my ears was actually something deeper, perhaps stimting what we call the soul, rather than the body.


    Of course, I know that the heart before my eyes is merely an illusion. It¡¯s just an echo of the past.


    Even knowing that, in the midst of my awe that welled up.


    <em>Thud-</em>


    The heart that had been pounding incessantly suddenly stopped its movement.


    Following that, the calm voice of a Guild adventurer was heard.


    ¡°It¡¯sing. Everyone, get ready.¡±


    <em>Crack.</em>


    As soon as her warning ended, a small crack appeared in the massive heart.


    No, the heart was so huge that it seemed small, but in reality, it was quite a significant crack.


    <em>Crunch, creak. Crack!</em>


    With a loud noise, cracks begin to break and twist from the inside. And before long, an illusory figure materializes, breaking through the outer wall of the heart.


    A bull walking on two legs. A fallen hero of the past. The one who receives the love and sorrow of the God of Earth.


    <em>-BWOOO!!</em>


    It was Minotauros.,


    Time passed and the day of the Minotauros subjugation arrived.


    Usually, adventurers moved individually or in teams, but seeing them gathered en masse in front of the monument leading to the Labyrinth was something else.


    ¡°It looks like a demolition crew for the Labyrinth.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why no country dares to invade Pangrave, which generates immense profits.¡±


    Their armaments were all different, and they weren¡¯t even lined up properly, just scattered around nearby¡­


    As more and more beginners shed their rookie status and got used to killing, the atmosphere became quite fierce.


    The adventurers inside, however, seemed bored as if tired of waiting.


    ¡°By the way, there are so many strong-looking adventurers. With such insurance, can properbat even take ce?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Surprisingly, it can.¡±


    Currently, the fact that I summoned the Floor Guardian of the first floor isn¡¯t widely known.


    In fact, Minotauros, the guardian of the second floor, is the first Floor Guardian that adventurers can face.


    Surviving until now means they¡¯ve somehow managed to secure stable victories againstmon monsters.


    However, even such individuals couldn¡¯t help but struggle with their first boss fight, and to aid them, adventurers who operate at least two floors deeper were assigned as protectors.


    ¡°The Labyrinth isn¡¯t stupid. The moment your life is protected, most of your umted merits flow to the one who saved you.¡±


    ¡°Ah. That makes sense. After all, it was the Goddess of Love herself who designed the Labyrinth¡¯s merit system.¡±


    Saving someone earns you far more merits than killing them. What the Labyrinth evaluates isn¡¯t something like battle records.


    It is everything done within that space.


    Helping someone else in a ce full of dangers must have been considered noble.


    ¡°Noble¡­ Perhaps Miss Lydia too?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, that¡¯s why my nickname is ¡®The Noble¡¯.¡±


    Even in a Labyrinth filled with death, she never loses her humanity and always strives to act honorably.


    Helping those in danger, punishing the wicked, standing at the forefront when advancing, and at the rear when retreating, showing courage and dedication.


    That¡¯s why Lydia is considered strong even among high-level adventurers.


    ¡°The number of monsters subjugated may be simr, but the deeds are not the same.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but do such so-called good deeds help in some way? Like increasing strength by exerting power, or stamina by fighting for a long time. There is some randomness, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure. But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a physical issue¡­ But can¡¯t you just ask the Goddess?¡±


    ¡°Hey. That¡¯s an oracle and a revtion, right? It¡¯s not something thates down so easily. Though, if I do ask, she might answer¡­¡±


    Since I can¡¯t convey the message directly, she might try tomunicate through the fully-leveled Goddess Statue. However, there¡¯s the problem that the gacha rates tend to lean towards the unfavorable side each time.


    This time, I spent nearly 100 gold to somehow reset the penalty, so I can¡¯t waste it on something random.


    ¡°It would be a burden on the Goddess. And I have a hunch too.¡±


    ¡°A hunch?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I think it might be rted to mental strength.¡±


    Having acquired the Avatar of Love, my mental resistance greatly increased. Along with that, my mental strength also grew stronger, resulting in an unexpected synergy.


    I can control a muchrger amount of power more easily than usual. In other words, the output and control of the three great abilities ¨C Aura, Mana, and Divine Power ¨C had achieved remarkable growth.


    And Lydia¡¯s total amount of Aura was significant; she boasted an immense output that seemed almost magical, scattering Aura around her.


    The me-like Aura that enveloped the surrounding area, and thus the domain Lydia unfolded, was probably an art that other Aura users would find hard to imitate.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I think. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the correct answer or not.¡±


    ¡°This can¡¯t be¡­ Was it not my genius talent¡­?¡±


    It seemed that Lydia thought it was only possible because she was a genius.


    Lydia trembles as she looks down at her hands. I momentarily enjoyed watching her violently shaking chest.


    In the distance, a familiar face appeared. Tall stature and well-proportioned body. t¡­no, agile chest and bright blonde hair. An elf, the second-generation rich brat with strangely annoying features.


    It was Rosemary. Behind her was the muscr archerdy seen before.


    Though she was overpowered by Lydia in one blow, from her appearance, you¡¯d think she was some kind of human weapon.


    With a happy heart, I waved my hand and shouted.


    ¡°Here! Over here!¡±


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    Rosemary, who noticed me, was startled and immediately turned her head, but how could she resist this?


    I quickly ran over and hooked my arm around Rosemary¡¯s shoulder. I wanted to put my arm around her shoulder, but Rosemary was taller than expected, so it wasn¡¯t easy.


    ¡°Why did you pretend not to see me when you did?¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s because¡­.¡±


    ¡°I greeted you so warmly, so why didn¡¯t you respond?¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡­you suddenly used formalnguage, so I was surprised¡­.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s because I was angry then. How could I speak informally to someone over 100 years older than me? ¡­So why did you pretend not to see me? Do elves turn their heads away when they¡¯re surprised?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­well, that is¡­um¡­.¡±


    Rosemary lowered her head and mumbled. I leaned in to look up at her face from below.


    The key here was to keep my eyes as vacant as possible, letting my pupils go unfocused.


    In that state, I began repeating the same words mechanically, like a broken phonograph.


    ¡°Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?¡±


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    Rosemary seemed to love my fashion yandere act, as if she was going to die from joy.


    I grabbed her trembling hand and pulled her.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    ¡°Hup.¡±


    With a paleplexion, Rosemary quietly followed. Berry, who was supposed to be the escort, closed her eyes tightly as if she couldn¡¯t bear to watch the scene in front of her.


    ¡­Anyone would mistake this for a human trafficking scene.


    After bringing her over, I stood next to Lydia and nodded my head.


    ¡°Stick close to us in the Labyrinth and fight.¡±


    ¡°Wh-why?¡±


    ¡°So we can save you when it gets dangerous.¡±


    Rosemary¡¯s eyes widened as if she had heard something unexpected. However, the elf Nuna, who was her escort, whispered into her ear with aplicated expression.


    ¡°If they say they can help when it gets rough, it means they can cut you down when it gets rough. It¡¯s best to follow their words here.¡±


    Rosemary flinched and looked at Lydia and me in turn, nodding slightly.


    ¡°No, I can hear everything? It¡¯s not like that. If Rosemary dies by ident, the n will go awry.¡±


    ¡°Then if I take you to the meeting as nned¡­.¡±


    ¡°Why would I keep a horse that has lost its utility?¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    ¡°It sounds like you want me to say that. Honestly, it¡¯s frustrating. I only responded because you provoked me first, and now you look at me as if I¡¯m the embodiment of evil.¡±


    I patted Rosemary¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. There won¡¯t be anything to worry about.¡±


    Rosemary nodded stiffly, like a broken doll.


    Lydia, who had been watching all this, sighed and shook her head.


    After a while. An adventurer belonging to the Guild arrived and, under her guidance, we all held hands and entered the Labyrinth together.


    As soon as we arrived at the Labyrinth, the Guild¡¯s adventurer, who might also be apetent guide, surveyed the surroundings and led the way without hesitation.


    Seeing dozens of people lined up in a narrow cave was quite a spectacle.


    Although some of the monsters we encountered along the way charged at us without fear¡­those at the forefront took care of them without me, who was rtively in the rear, needing to step in.


    Well. If they are challenging the Floor Guardian, it¡¯s only natural that they can easily defeat the regr monsters on the second floor.


    We followed the Guild¡¯s guide for a long time. Deep, deeper.


    Having be stronger after defeating Morgana, I boldly pushed through to the depths I have never ventured into with the subjugation team.


    Slowly, the kobolds disappeared, and queen spiders with multiple offspring or crude golems made of earth began to appear¡­.


    These too were swiftly hunted down.


    After taking only the Magic Stones from the loot and leaving the rest behind, how long had we continued on?


    The sound of a gigantic heartbeat grew closer. The intermediate cavities no longer appeared. There was only a narrow passage stretching on.


    At the end was a ce as wide and open as a za on the surface.


    <em>Thump-thump! Thump-thump!</em>


    And the heart of the God of Earth was right in front of us.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    An involuntary exmation. The other adventurers were no different.


    The gigantic heart made of earth and rock pulsed rhythmically, emitting a heavy sound.


    The sound resonated throughout the entire second floor, so I thought it would be extremely noisy as it was the reference for finding our way, but when I got closer, it wasn¡¯t really so.


    The reason is simple. What I had thought was a sound reaching my ears was actually something deeper, perhaps stimting what we call the soul, rather than the body.


    Of course, I know that the heart before my eyes is merely an illusion. It¡¯s just an echo of the past.


    Even knowing that, in the midst of my awe that welled up.


    <em>Thud-</em>


    The heart that had been pounding incessantly suddenly stopped its movement.


    Following that, the calm voice of a Guild adventurer was heard.


    ¡°It¡¯sing. Everyone, get ready.¡±


    <em>Crack.</em>


    As soon as her warning ended, a small crack appeared in the massive heart.


    No, the heart was so huge that it seemed small, but in reality, it was quite a significant crack.


    <em>Crunch, creak. Crack!</em>


    With a loud noise, cracks begin to break and twist from the inside. And before long, an illusory figure materializes, breaking through the outer wall of the heart.


    A bull walking on two legs. A fallen hero of the past. The one who receives the love and sorrow of the God of Earth.


    <em>-BWOOO!!</em>


    It was Minotauros.

 Chapter 133: Minotauros (6)

    <em>-BWOOOOOO!!</em>


    At the center of the Labyrinth¡¯s second-floor. Minotauros, having torn through the heart of the God of Earth as an illusion, gained substance as he roared.


    A massive sound fills the open center. The sheer intensity of the enmity contained within makes the body freeze for a moment. But.


    ¡°Get a grip! Everyone spread out and ready your weapons!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared! Haven¡¯t we practiced this several times already?¡±


    ¡°Remember! Don¡¯t get close, don¡¯t stand in front, and watch out for friendly fire!¡±


    At the shouts of the veteran adventurers apanying them as protectors, they snapped out of it and began to scatter in perfect unison.


    They hadn¡¯t trained together, but with the strategy so clear, and Minotauros being so well-researched over the hundreds of years, their movements fell into ce as if rehearsed.


    Lydia also moved to the side, waving her hand.¡°Jonah, you can do it.¡±


    ¡°Watch carefully!¡±


    With a bright smile, I grabbed Rosemary by the nape as she was taking something out and distanced her from Minotauros.


    ¡°Ah! Wh-what! I have my own ns too! Isn¡¯t it dangerous to move like this suddenly?¡±


    ¡°You remember that we need to always stay within Miss Lydia¡¯s sight, right? We can¡¯t stray too far.¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Rosemary made a hissing sound in frustration, but soon realized this wasn¡¯t the time for that and pulled out arge bow from her Subspace Ring.


    ¡°Whew. Alright, now cast your magic quickly. We need to contribute.¡±


    ¡°Contribute, huh¡­.¡±


    Currently, Minotauros was being held by the ankles by half a dozen heavily armored tanks, while long-range attackers continued to deal damage from a distance.


    Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m wearing Morgana¡¯s robe, but they seem to have mistaken me for a mage who deals ranged damage.


    Though I wasn¡¯t one of course.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t have anything like that.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°I mean, I can use magic, but the range is short for all of them. And I¡¯m a melee fighter, so I n to fight in the thick of it.¡±


    ¡°With that armor, you¡¯ll die with a single hit!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be the same even if I were to wear heavy armor, so what¡¯s the difference?¡±


    I recently gained the Aura Skill, Dormant Explosion, which greatly enhanced my physical endurance, but it¡¯s still at the level of an ordinary adventurer.


    It¡¯s far inferior to those who have been raising their endurance while assuming the role of a tank for a long time.


    But.


    ¡°In other words, as long as I don¡¯t get hit, I¡¯m fine!¡±


    Rosemary looked dumbfounded. I patted her shoulder lightly.


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you to follow me. But as I said earlier, keep in mind the angle at which Miss Lydia can see both me and you at a nce¡­ Got it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay?¡±


    While Rosemary was still fumbling, I used the Sound-Eating Footsteps to conceal my presence.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Leaving behind the startled Rosemary, who was bewildered by the strange sight of a person who seemed to be there but not, I charged towards Minotauros.


    I didn¡¯t use the Invisibility Cloak. In such a chaotic battle, if the others can¡¯t even see me, they might unknowinglyunch an attack in my direction.


    With each step closer, the distance shortened. The noise of battle grew louder ordingly.


    <em>-BWOOO!!</em>


    Minotauros let out a low but intense roar and swung its fist. Standing over 2 meters tall, its massive frame and muscles exuded explosive power.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    A loud explosion was heard from therge shield of the tank who had misreceived the attack.


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    The human woman who had just blocked the attack spewed blood and was flung to the side. The arm holding the shield was twisted in an impossible direction.


    Still, since she wasn¡¯t dead and was wriggling, the priests started healing her from a distance.


    Though the priests were still at a low level, so their long-distance healing efficiency would be poor, it should suffice for first aid.


    Up until now, she had skillfully deflected Minotauros¡¯s punches, but just one mistake of sustaining a direct hit had led to this.


    If I get grazed by it, I¡¯m dead for sure.


    I smirked and enveloped my entire body with greatly increased aura.


    As vitality surged through my body, my sprinting speed elerated even more.


    Lately, I¡¯ve been learning how to use aura from Lydia bit by bit, and my improved control made this possible.


    In the stretched-out scenery like pulled y, I instantly took position behind Minotauros.


    Someone spat curses at me from behind, but who cares. Up close, it seemed like its leather was just slightly singed, but it was otherwise fine.


    Dealers whock damage don¡¯t have human rights.


    With a smirk, I caused a small explosion of aura near the soles of my feet and leaped.


    A leap that utilized the full speed of my run. Only after confirming I had jumped to a heightparable to Minotauros¡¯s did I twist my waist fully.


    Just before hitting the back of Minotauros¡¯s head, which was focused on the tanks in front.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    I quickly restored my twisted waist and rotated once in midair.


    The muscles of my whole body explode with a spring-like sticity, creating an incredible speed. But I don¡¯t stop there, I swing my arm wide, timing it perfectly.


    The momentum from running, the rotational force of my entire body, and the arm swing at just the right moment.


    At this very moment. All my strength is focused on the Dagger.


    <em>sh-!</em>


    The leather, known for its resistance to physical impact, is cut in an instant, and a chunk of flesh is torn away.


    However, it¡¯s a bit disappointing that the Unicorn Dagger isn¡¯t enough to finish off such arge and tough creature.


    <em>-Roarrr?!</em>


    Minotauros, suddenly struck at the back of its neck, turns around with a painful scream.


    It¡¯s a pretty dangerous situation for me, as I¡¯m still mid-air and unable to move. If it just swings at me now, I¡¯d be done for. But.


    ¡°Burn! Intense me!¡±


    Before that happens, I just need to hit it with a spell to its face.


    <em>Whoosh!</em>


    <em>-Buuooook!!</em>


    Its burning gaze of fury is now engulfed in evenrger mes.


    Minotauros, who was about to strike at me, pats the fire off its face with its hand.


    A 2-star magic. ording to the Magic Tower¡¯s standards, it belongs to the 3rd circle. Despite its short range, its firepower is undeniable.


    As if to not betray my expectations, Minotauros¡¯s face, which had not suffered much from numerous arrows and spells until now, is now ckened.


    Not just the outer skin, as it exhales ck smoke from its mouth.


    However, Minotauros. The indomitable hero who once single-handedly defeated countless intruders wouldn¡¯t die from just this.


    Minotauros, which had its eyes closed from the intense mes, suddenly opened its eyelids wide.


    One eye had turned white from the heat. The other eye, still intact, red fiercely in this direction.


    ¡°Th-thatst strike, what on earth¡­¡±


    ¡°Idiot! Is that the issue right now? You¡¯ve drawn all the aggro!¡±


    ¡°Stick together and block! If the formation breaks, we¡¯re all dead!¡±


    The tankers, who witnessed everything up close, urgently rushed out to block Minotauros.


    Simultaneously, small spells and arrows poured in from the sides.


    While the tankers seemed to be on guard to prevent the frontline from copsing and the subjugation from turning into a mess, the ranged dealers appeared anxious that Minotauros might fall before they could contribute enough.


    However, it wasn¡¯t an easy opponent just because it fell for my attack easily. It¡¯s normally a monster that should be taken down slowly from a distance. Starting a reckless attack won¡¯t end well.


    The forcibly enhanced magic either missed its target or dissipated mid-air.


    Attempts to imbue arrows with excessive aura ended in futility, breaking the bow or causing the user to falter from the rebound.


    This created a gap in the briefly concentrated firepower, turning into a disaster for the tanks trying to manage the aggro.


    <em>-Roooar!</em>


    Minotauros, roaring, kicks the dwarf warrior at the front.


    Normally, it wouldn¡¯t inflict deep wounds, but the kick, which should have been restrained by movement-impairing spells,nded perfectly.


    <em>Crack!</em>


    The dwarf¡¯s armor crumpled with the sound of metal folding. The others fared no better.


    They were punched, trampled, and sometimes grabbed and thrown aside.


    ¡°Kyahhh!¡±


    ¡°You stupid bitches! Why has the attack stopped?¡±


    ¡°Senior! Help us, senior!!¡±


    Utter chaos. Some stood up despite their severe injuries, refusing to give up, while others surrendered and pleaded for salvation.


    No one had died yet, but the situation was aplete mess.


    ¡°No. What¡¯s this¡­?¡±


    Although I had drawn Minotauros¡¯s attention by dealing significant damage, I didn¡¯t expect things to fall apart just because of this one thing.


    They would have smoothly cleared it without me, so I felt a bit sorry, yet seeing them self-destruct in a frenzy was absurd.


    But well, it can¡¯t be helped now.


    As I struck with the Unicorn Dagger, I got a rough sense. I can cover this alone for a while.


    Of course, I¡¯ll have to give it my all, so avoiding attention will be difficult¡­


    That part was already prepared for. The rumors spread to find Eve, the Power to show to high-ranking elves met through Rosemary.


    Anyway, it¡¯s only a matter of time before my existence is known.


    So it¡¯s okay to reveal a little bit in advance.


    ¡­If I want to y dumb against the Temple, I need to add some seasoning.


    I chewed grape-vored candy roughly as I passed through the helplessly copsing adventurers.


    With a solemn expression as if I were consuming some forbidden elixir.


    I tapped my pocket and prayed softly towards the fully leveled Goddess statue.


    ¡®Sanctuary deployment. Please make it as narrow as possible to stick closely to my body.¡¯


    <em>Uwoong-</em>


    For some reason, the light emanating from the excitedly vibrating Goddess statue was more sinister than usual.


    At the same time, I activated the newly acquired Dormant Explosion.


    The divine power that should have radiated brightly like a halo began to flicker like mes, mixed with a transparent aura, as it had not yet been coated with conviction.


    This image depicted Lydia¡¯s aura maniption. However, it was slightly more precarious, as if burning one¡¯s life force, dazzlingly.


    Those who were fleeing, those who barely stood up to fight, and even Minotauros that seemed ready to charge at any moment all paused to look this way.


    Enjoying their gazes, I smirked and lifted the corners of my mouth.


    ¡°Bring it on!¡±,


    <em>-BWOOOOOO!!</em>


    At the center of the Labyrinth¡¯s second-floor. Minotauros, having torn through the heart of the God of Earth as an illusion, gained substance as he roared.


    A massive sound fills the open center. The sheer intensity of the enmity contained within makes the body freeze for a moment. But.


    ¡°Get a grip! Everyone spread out and ready your weapons!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared! Haven¡¯t we practiced this several times already?¡±


    ¡°Remember! Don¡¯t get close, don¡¯t stand in front, and watch out for friendly fire!¡±


    At the shouts of the veteran adventurers apanying them as protectors, they snapped out of it and began to scatter in perfect unison.


    They hadn¡¯t trained together, but with the strategy so clear, and Minotauros being so well-researched over the hundreds of years, their movements fell into ce as if rehearsed.


    Lydia also moved to the side, waving her hand.


    ¡°Jonah, you can do it.¡±


    ¡°Watch carefully!¡±


    With a bright smile, I grabbed Rosemary by the nape as she was taking something out and distanced her from Minotauros.


    ¡°Ah! Wh-what! I have my own ns too! Isn¡¯t it dangerous to move like this suddenly?¡±


    ¡°You remember that we need to always stay within Miss Lydia¡¯s sight, right? We can¡¯t stray too far.¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Rosemary made a hissing sound in frustration, but soon realized this wasn¡¯t the time for that and pulled out arge bow from her Subspace Ring.


    ¡°Whew. Alright, now cast your magic quickly. We need to contribute.¡±


    ¡°Contribute, huh¡­.¡±


    Currently, Minotauros was being held by the ankles by half a dozen heavily armored tanks, while long-range attackers continued to deal damage from a distance.


    Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m wearing Morgana¡¯s robe, but they seem to have mistaken me for a mage who deals ranged damage.


    Though I wasn¡¯t one of course.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t have anything like that.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°I mean, I can use magic, but the range is short for all of them. And I¡¯m a melee fighter, so I n to fight in the thick of it.¡±


    ¡°With that armor, you¡¯ll die with a single hit!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be the same even if I were to wear heavy armor, so what¡¯s the difference?¡±


    I recently gained the Aura Skill, Dormant Explosion, which greatly enhanced my physical endurance, but it¡¯s still at the level of an ordinary adventurer.


    It¡¯s far inferior to those who have been raising their endurance while assuming the role of a tank for a long time.


    But.


    ¡°In other words, as long as I don¡¯t get hit, I¡¯m fine!¡±


    Rosemary looked dumbfounded. I patted her shoulder lightly.


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you to follow me. But as I said earlier, keep in mind the angle at which Miss Lydia can see both me and you at a nce¡­ Got it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay?¡±


    While Rosemary was still fumbling, I used the Sound-Eating Footsteps to conceal my presence.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Leaving behind the startled Rosemary, who was bewildered by the strange sight of a person who seemed to be there but not, I charged towards Minotauros.


    I didn¡¯t use the Invisibility Cloak. In such a chaotic battle, if the others can¡¯t even see me, they might unknowinglyunch an attack in my direction.


    With each step closer, the distance shortened. The noise of battle grew louder ordingly.


    <em>-BWOOO!!</em>


    Minotauros let out a low but intense roar and swung its fist. Standing over 2 meters tall, its massive frame and muscles exuded explosive power.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    A loud explosion was heard from therge shield of the tank who had misreceived the attack.


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    The human woman who had just blocked the attack spewed blood and was flung to the side. The arm holding the shield was twisted in an impossible direction.


    Still, since she wasn¡¯t dead and was wriggling, the priests started healing her from a distance.


    Though the priests were still at a low level, so their long-distance healing efficiency would be poor, it should suffice for first aid.


    Up until now, she had skillfully deflected Minotauros¡¯s punches, but just one mistake of sustaining a direct hit had led to this.


    If I get grazed by it, I¡¯m dead for sure.


    I smirked and enveloped my entire body with greatly increased aura.


    As vitality surged through my body, my sprinting speed elerated even more.


    Lately, I¡¯ve been learning how to use aura from Lydia bit by bit, and my improved control made this possible.


    In the stretched-out scenery like pulled y, I instantly took position behind Minotauros.


    Someone spat curses at me from behind, but who cares. Up close, it seemed like its leather was just slightly singed, but it was otherwise fine.


    Dealers whock damage don¡¯t have human rights.


    With a smirk, I caused a small explosion of aura near the soles of my feet and leaped.


    A leap that utilized the full speed of my run. Only after confirming I had jumped to a heightparable to Minotauros¡¯s did I twist my waist fully.


    Just before hitting the back of Minotauros¡¯s head, which was focused on the tanks in front.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    I quickly restored my twisted waist and rotated once in midair.


    The muscles of my whole body explode with a spring-like sticity, creating an incredible speed. But I don¡¯t stop there, I swing my arm wide, timing it perfectly.


    The momentum from running, the rotational force of my entire body, and the arm swing at just the right moment.


    At this very moment. All my strength is focused on the Dagger.


    <em>sh-!</em>


    The leather, known for its resistance to physical impact, is cut in an instant, and a chunk of flesh is torn away.


    However, it¡¯s a bit disappointing that the Unicorn Dagger isn¡¯t enough to finish off such arge and tough creature.


    <em>-Roarrr?!</em>


    Minotauros, suddenly struck at the back of its neck, turns around with a painful scream.


    It¡¯s a pretty dangerous situation for me, as I¡¯m still mid-air and unable to move. If it just swings at me now, I¡¯d be done for. But.


    ¡°Burn! Intense me!¡±


    Before that happens, I just need to hit it with a spell to its face.


    <em>Whoosh!</em>


    <em>-Buuooook!!</em>


    Its burning gaze of fury is now engulfed in evenrger mes.


    Minotauros, who was about to strike at me, pats the fire off its face with its hand.


    A 2-star magic. ording to the Magic Tower¡¯s standards, it belongs to the 3rd circle. Despite its short range, its firepower is undeniable.


    As if to not betray my expectations, Minotauros¡¯s face, which had not suffered much from numerous arrows and spells until now, is now ckened.


    Not just the outer skin, as it exhales ck smoke from its mouth.


    However, Minotauros. The indomitable hero who once single-handedly defeated countless intruders wouldn¡¯t die from just this.


    Minotauros, which had its eyes closed from the intense mes, suddenly opened its eyelids wide.


    One eye had turned white from the heat. The other eye, still intact, red fiercely in this direction.


    ¡°Th-thatst strike, what on earth¡­¡±


    ¡°Idiot! Is that the issue right now? You¡¯ve drawn all the aggro!¡±


    ¡°Stick together and block! If the formation breaks, we¡¯re all dead!¡±


    The tankers, who witnessed everything up close, urgently rushed out to block Minotauros.


    Simultaneously, small spells and arrows poured in from the sides.


    While the tankers seemed to be on guard to prevent the frontline from copsing and the subjugation from turning into a mess, the ranged dealers appeared anxious that Minotauros might fall before they could contribute enough.


    However, it wasn¡¯t an easy opponent just because it fell for my attack easily. It¡¯s normally a monster that should be taken down slowly from a distance. Starting a reckless attack won¡¯t end well.


    The forcibly enhanced magic either missed its target or dissipated mid-air.


    Attempts to imbue arrows with excessive aura ended in futility, breaking the bow or causing the user to falter from the rebound.


    This created a gap in the briefly concentrated firepower, turning into a disaster for the tanks trying to manage the aggro.


    <em>-Roooar!</em>


    Minotauros, roaring, kicks the dwarf warrior at the front.


    Normally, it wouldn¡¯t inflict deep wounds, but the kick, which should have been restrained by movement-impairing spells,nded perfectly.


    <em>Crack!</em>


    The dwarf¡¯s armor crumpled with the sound of metal folding. The others fared no better.


    They were punched, trampled, and sometimes grabbed and thrown aside.


    ¡°Kyahhh!¡±


    ¡°You stupid bitches! Why has the attack stopped?¡±


    ¡°Senior! Help us, senior!!¡±


    Utter chaos. Some stood up despite their severe injuries, refusing to give up, while others surrendered and pleaded for salvation.


    No one had died yet, but the situation was aplete mess.


    ¡°No. What¡¯s this¡­?¡±


    Although I had drawn Minotauros¡¯s attention by dealing significant damage, I didn¡¯t expect things to fall apart just because of this one thing.


    They would have smoothly cleared it without me, so I felt a bit sorry, yet seeing them self-destruct in a frenzy was absurd.


    But well, it can¡¯t be helped now.


    As I struck with the Unicorn Dagger, I got a rough sense. I can cover this alone for a while.


    Of course, I¡¯ll have to give it my all, so avoiding attention will be difficult¡­


    That part was already prepared for. The rumors spread to find Eve, the Power to show to high-ranking elves met through Rosemary.


    Anyway, it¡¯s only a matter of time before my existence is known.


    So it¡¯s okay to reveal a little bit in advance.


    ¡­If I want to y dumb against the Temple, I need to add some seasoning.


    I chewed grape-vored candy roughly as I passed through the helplessly copsing adventurers.


    With a solemn expression as if I were consuming some forbidden elixir.


    I tapped my pocket and prayed softly towards the fully leveled Goddess statue.


    ¡®Sanctuary deployment. Please make it as narrow as possible to stick closely to my body.¡¯


    <em>Uwoong-</em>


    For some reason, the light emanating from the excitedly vibrating Goddess statue was more sinister than usual.


    At the same time, I activated the newly acquired Dormant Explosion.


    The divine power that should have radiated brightly like a halo began to flicker like mes, mixed with a transparent aura, as it had not yet been coated with conviction.


    This image depicted Lydia¡¯s aura maniption. However, it was slightly more precarious, as if burning one¡¯s life force, dazzlingly.


    Those who were fleeing, those who barely stood up to fight, and even Minotauros that seemed ready to charge at any moment all paused to look this way.


    Enjoying their gazes, I smirked and lifted the corners of my mouth.


    ¡°Bring it on!¡±


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 134: Minotauros (7)

    ¡°Bring it on!¡±


    The pink divine power emanating from the Sanctuary clinging tightly to my body, and the transparent aura not yet reinforced by conviction, intertwine and ze like mes.


    From the outside, it would look like I¡¯m setting myself on fire while charging at the rampaging Minotauros. It is somewhat simr since I did use Dormant Explosion.


    A brief silence flows over the battlefield, which has turned into chaos and pandemonium, just because I managed tond one strong backstab.


    The focused gazes around me. Minotauros also looks this way and slowly assumes a stance.


    <em>-Bwoo!</em>


    <em>Thud!</em>


    Minotauros lightly punches its own chest, unting its presence.


    Its head is scorched ck, ck smoke constantly wafting from its nose and mouth, and one of its eyes has turned white like a cloudy ss bead.However, despite everything, an unyielding, formidable spirit remained. No, it should be called a spirit of valor.


    An unbroken will. Strength befitting it. And recognition for an opponent who risked his life.


    Even having lost reason, unable to distinguish friend from foe, Minotauros still had honor¡­pride.


    Though I had only read and heard about it from Lydia, seeing it first hand was a different experience.


    Thus, while looking straight at Minotauros¡¯s intense gaze, I lightly brought my dagger-wielding fist to my heart.


    I don¡¯t know theplex etiquettes of this world. But considering the sword etiquette I know and what Minotauros just disyed, I decided to follow suit.


    However, whether this had any meaning or not, I could hear the sound of people holding their breaths around me.


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    ¡°The Oath of the Heart¡­!¡±


    ¡°Here, of all ces?¡±


    What the hell is an Oath of the Heart, you damn otakus¡­


    I wanted to say, but the mood was too good to ruin. Instead, I just shouted loudly.


    ¡°Step back! And reorganize the ranks! I don¡¯t n to die easily, but you can¡¯t just stand there dazed after I¡¯m down, right?¡±


    The adventurers, locking eyes with each other, retreated as is.


    Supporting the injured, and even those who tried to flee gritted their teeth and gripped their weapons with an air of determination.


    ¡°Seriously, whose fault is it that it came to this¡­.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, you bitch! If we are going to fall apart just because of a momentary distraction, we would¡¯ve been screwed anytime!¡±


    Of course, one person did stir the pot, but she was quickly subdued with a smack on the back from arade.


    Well. Honestly, I think the same. No matter how you look at it, causing such an uproar just because of one aggro is too much.


    It¡¯s no different from a newbie who just follows the strategy guide and then copses in an unexpected situation¡­


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Come to think of it, except for the few mid-level adventurers who apanied us as a safety measure, this is the first raid battle for most of the adventurers gathered here.


    They¡¯ve shed their beginner status, but just barely. They¡¯ve never faced a truly formidable enemy.


    If I had known it would be like this, I would have taken it easy at the start, I thought, sighing as I lowered the dagger I had held to my chest.


    Before I knew it, the other adventurers had formed a circle around me and Minotauros.


    The basic strategy is to surround and gang up from a distance, which is a given, but looking at it like this, it seems they¡¯ve created a dueling ground centered around me and Minotauros, making me feel some kind of way.


    Everyone around us steps back, and as I finish my sword salute and take my stance, Minotauros¡¯s one remaining eye shes menacingly.


    Then it half-lowers its head so that its sharp horns are parallel to the ground, steps forward with one leg, and tenses all its muscles.


    A stance that looks like it could charge at any moment. Come to think of it, didn¡¯t they warn me to be careful of its linear breakthrough ability?


    With a smirk, I lowered my stance as well. As if I were going to face Minotauros head-on.


    Left hand with the Wrist Crossbow forward, right hand with the Dagger slightly pulled back.


    Minotauros snorted with satisfaction. And then.


    <em>-Bwooooooo!!</em>


    Like an overly excited bull, it charged straight at me.


    <em>Thud! Thud! Thud!</em>


    The force with which it pounded the ground was overwhelming, almost grinding it to dust. The solid ground revealed its innards, tracing Minotauros¡¯s trajectory.


    And that shocking visual made sense given its insane speed.


    In the blink of an eye, it was closing in faster than the first floor¡¯s Horned Rabbit. With that bulk and such speed, it was a weapon in itself.


    ¡­However, speed is my domain.


    ¡°Hoo.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, I softly pushed off the ground. With each step, my body, receiving the full sticity of my muscles, elerated rapidly.


    Already confident in its agility, my body was further enhanced by the Sanctuary¡¯s effect and pushed to its limits by the power surge.


    I guarantee that there are few here who can follow my movements with their eyes. Minotauros is probably no exception.


    <em>Tadak!</em>


    With a light sound, Minotauros approached me in a single step. It did not expect this, and its eyes widened in surprise.


    I pulled the trigger of the wrist crossbow aimed at it.


    <em>Thud! Thud! Thud!</em>


    A somewhat muffled sound echoed repeatedly.


    The wrist crossbow, which had been enhanced twice, was now capable of not only increased power but also rapid fire. Although there were no more arrows until it was reloaded, three shots should be enough.


    The speed of the arrow added to the running speed. Adding to that, the speed of the charging Minotaur made the force something beyond that of an ordinary crossbow.


    Thanks to that, an ordinary arrow, not even magical, was able to pierce the thick hide of Minotauros.


    <em>-Boooaaaar!</em>


    I aimed for its eyes, but it shook its head at thest moment, resulting in two hits to the trapezius and one to the cheek.


    All were blows that pierced the hide and tore the flesh, but Minotauros, as if it was nothing, bled profusely and charged at me with its horns.


    If I were to be struck by those massive horns at the speed it was charging, my fragile body would undeniably be a Jonny Donut.


    However, this was also part of the anticipated n. Minotauros is known as a tough boss, after all.


    ¡°Haa!¡±


    Aura circtes madly through my whole body. I explode part of it near my soles to make a great leap.


    <em>Pang!</em>


    The impact is enough to dent the ground. At the same time, the sensation in one foot vanishes, leaving only a faint numbness.


    A nce down reveals blood flowing freely. But the foot isn¡¯tpletely torn off, so this much is fine.


    Trusting in the Sanctuary¡¯s healing power, I flip my body in midair. Simultaneously, I pull out a long rope from the Subspace Ring.


    The bleeding from my foot draws a circle, scattering brilliantly, and Minotauros charges through it futilely like a bull excited by a red g.


    <em>-Boouh¡­!</em>


    Minotauros btedly realizes that I dodged its charge with a leap over its massive frame and looks back.


    But it¡¯s already toote. My rope had beenunched long ago.


    A rope tied in asso shape, I mainly used on the first floor. It was made to fit the size of the Iron Wolf, so it couldn¡¯t catch the thick neck of Minotauros¡­


    But it¡¯s enough to snag those hefty horns.


    <em>Swish.</em>


    Thesso easily catches therge target. Pulling it hard, I changed direction in midair.


    My body flies toward Minotauros. The creature, because of its running momentum, only turned its head but hasn¡¯t stopped yet.


    Twisting its body forcibly would just make it lose bnce and fall.


    In other words, for the next few seconds, it has to expose its defenseless back.


    Even while flying, I curled my body and twisted my waist. Like a springpressed to its limit.


    And the moment I reached the horns where thesso was hooked. I instantly released my twisted muscles and spun my body.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    The sound of air being sliced by the Unicorn Dagger. But that¡¯s not enough. There is a difference in weight ss.


    So, I draw the circting aura from within and concentrate it on the Dagger.


    I¡¯m not doing something grand like creating an Aura Sword. It¡¯s just a brute act of pouring out aura recklessly.


    It was an inefficient act of using the power of 10 to raise the force of 3, but right now, even that slight power was desperately needed.


    ¡°Haaaat!¡±


    The pink mes, born from the holy power mingling with the aura¡¯s flow, envelop the Dagger. Adding a rotational force to it.


    <em>Paaaat!</em>


    The intense mes from the Unicorn Dagger brightly illuminate the surrounding area. To be precise, that¡¯s how it looks.


    A blow containing all my strength strikes down.


    <em>Kaang!</em>


    In an instant, a circr shockwave causes a gale in the surrounding area.


    The sh of the Unicorn¡¯s Horn and Minotauros¡¯s horn. The winner is almost predetermined.


    ¡°Heroic Lust¡­Non-virgin!¡±


    Minotauros¡­ No, Asterios, was a great warrior who had been revered as a hero for a long time.


    And at that time, the tunnels they were digging served as a refuge for various war-weary races.


    In a world where they couldn¡¯t go out and were stuck digging all day, what could be the only entertainment?


    Of course, it was sex.


    Asterios had over seven wives, each from different races, making him an extremely lustful being.


    In other words, he far exceeded the unicorn¡¯s standards of an outcast.


    Divine power and aura. Between them, a pure white light began to rise.


    The Unicorn Dagger, under extreme stress, began to draw out its inherent power to thest drop.


    Thus, as a pure white light filled my field of vision.


    <em>Crack!</em>


    With the sound of something breaking, one of Minotauros¡¯s horns snapped.


    <em>-Bwoooooo!!!</em>


    The creature groaned in pain, forcing its arm to twist backward, reaching out.


    I let go of the rope, dodging by kicking off the falling horn and shoulder in session. Then, arge wound appeared right in front of me.


    It was the first strike Inded. Thanks to that, a chunk of flesh from the back of its neck was blown away, revealing tough muscles and the white bone in between.


    I raised the still-glowing Unicorn Dagger once more.


    I could feel the time limit for Dormant Explosion approaching. This would probably be the final blow.


    Gritting my teeth, I focused all the remaining strength I had.


    Divine power and aura red even more intensely, the white light remained blinding, and magic was added to it.


    ¡°Consume my blood and ze. Intense me.¡±


    Anyway, I¡¯m going to be exhausted soon. I use all my remaining mana as fuel to unleash the maximum magic allowed to me.


    A crimson magical me adds to the quietly zing holy power and aura. I straighten the perfectly heated pure white dagger.


    And I strike down.


    <em>Crunch!</em>


    The sound of it slipping between the neck bones. And then.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    All the power concentrated in the Unicorn Dagger is released, causing a massive explosion.


    Mana, Aura, Divine Power.


    The three great abilities take the form of mes and transform into physical impact.


    <em>-Bwooooo!</em>


    Minotauros writhes in agony, twisting its arm so much that its shoulder dislocates.


    But this is not the end. The power of the unicorn acts like poison to the enemy.


    It was severely wounded by me from the start, one horn was cut off, and now its bones are being crushed.


    No matter how tough it is, the poison will inevitably spread.


    <em>-¡­¡­!</em>


    Suddenly, the stiffened arm could not crush my head and fell limp.


    And then.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    Minotauros¡¯s thick bone finally gave way and broke.


    The torrent of power trapped inside it surged, shooting a massive pir of fire into the sky. And then.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    Minotauros¡¯s headnded on the ground.

 Chapter 135: The God Of Earth

    Minotauros¡¯s headnded on the ground.


    It was a precarious battle for me, as the time to maintain the Sanctuary and Dormant Explosion was running out, but did it not seem that way to others?


    ¡°¡­Is it over? Wasn¡¯t he just stalling for time?¡±


    ¡°Who said Minotauros had strong physical resistance?¡±


    ¡°It was strong though. And at the end, there was also some special ability mixed in.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­ Does anyone know that guy¡¯s name? I¡¯ve never seen his face before.¡±


    ¡°A cute boy with a dangerous vibe¡­huff, huff.¡±


    ¡°Tie him up for now¡­¡±


    The adventurers around were murmuring. There was one odd person in the midst, but the reactions were generally simr.Admiration for what I had done. And curiosity about the new face.


    ¡°¡­But then, what happens to our subjugation?¡±


    ¡°The formation breaking down was all because of that guy in the first ce.¡±


    And a bit of resentment? me? There was that too. However.


    <em>nk. nk.</em>


    Lydia stood beside me, her armor clinking. Everyone fell silent at her appearance.


    It was understandable, considering everyone here had seen firsthand how sensitive Lydia was to any nder against me, and how strong she was.


    Lydia, brushing off the gazes around her, extended her hand to me.


    ¡°Jonah. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. I¡¯m still okay.¡±


    Sanctuary and Dormant Explosion are still maintained. It seems like it will fade in a minute or two.


    ¡­Then, will I copse just like this?


    Most of the adventurers around me are either friendly or startled, but some are discontent.


    Not just emotional discontent, but dissatisfaction regarding the subjugation rewards.


    Remembering the saying from my past life that ¡°Proof takes a lifetime, but incitement only a moment¡±, I decided to strike first.


    ¡°Ahem. Everyone? It seems I ended up handling this alone. So, it would be best if I took the most loot, right? Ah, but don¡¯t worry! You didn¡¯t contribute much anyway, did you? So, it won¡¯t count as a subjugation, and you can catch it again next time!¡± ?


    A moment of flowing silence. I realized the atmosphere had be oddly prickly.


    Maybe it was because the battle had just ended and the excitement hadn¡¯t died down. My tone, being more aggressive than usual, might have sounded a bit strange.


    To summarize roughly, it was something like, ¡®Heh~ Losers~! You didn¡¯t even contribute, and you want the loot? There¡¯s no loot for weak adventurers like you, so why don¡¯t you just retry next time?¡¯


    Lydia also sensed it and looked around smoothly before asking.


    ¡°Anyone dissatisfied?¡±


    As if waiting for this, a middle-aged adventurer raised his hand.


    He doesn¡¯t seem to be one of the subjugation participants, but rather one of the apanying guardians.


    ¡°I agree with you taking most of the spoils. However, our share shouldn¡¯t be nonexistent. Depending on how much we get, there may or may not be dissatisfaction.¡±


    He was a rare male adventurer. With a dignified appearance, he looks quite impressive even to another man.


    You know, the kind of guy with hair that¡¯s half-gray and looks almost silver. And a neatly groomed beard.


    A style that always has steady demand even on Earth, so how would it be in this world?


    Isn¡¯t it a bit like a MILF? In fact, a few women around were staring at him nkly, blushing.


    But Lydia, who was looking at the bearded man like a pebble on the street, nodded as if she agreed.


    ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ll ask the person involved. Jonah?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. Anyway, I should at least cover the cost of the potions and scrolls he used. Besides, it¡¯s true that he did draw aggro at the beginning¡­.¡±


    After thinking for a moment, I pointed in the distance to the horn that had fallen.


    ¡°Would it be okay if we split that one?¡±


    ¡°¡­Not bad.¡±


    The bearded man nodded in satisfaction. However, was money not his goal from the beginning? Even though the conversation had ended, he subtly asked another question.


    ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Jonah.¡±


    ¡°Which n do you belong to?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a n, but there is someone who looks after me.¡±


    ¡°Ah, are you apprenticed to Miss Lydia? She¡¯s an excellent person.¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    ¡°But the nature of individual support and group support is different. Above all, there are hardships that us men have which are difficult to confide to women. In the case of the ¡®Men¡¯s Days¡¯ n I¡¯m part of, it consists only of men¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh.¡±


    Was this an invitation to join a n? But I have no intention of belonging to any particr n. At least not now.


    Especially if it¡¯s a sausage fest.


    Ugh¡­ Just thinking about it makes me shudder.


    Not all men in a gender-reversed world are gay, but¡­there¡¯s a peculiar sense of incongruity.


    I nodded roughly and quickly changed the subject.


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about that partter. Anyway, he says that one horn is fine, is it the same for others?¡±


    ¡°Well. Minotauros¡¯s horns are the most expensive.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t lose out even if we share.¡±


    ¡°If we crumble after one mistake, it¡¯s because of ack of skill. Back in my day¡­¡±


    ¡°No, if someone heard you, they¡¯d think you¡¯re from a few hundred years ago.¡±


    A generally agreeable atmosphere. Just as I thought I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    My entire body is suddenly drained of strength. My legs tremble, and my vision starts to spin.


    The duration of Dormant Explosion has ended, and the bacsh has hit.


    Fortunately, Sanctuary¡¯s deploymentsts a bit longer, so I¡¯m barely holding on thanks to it¡­


    It¡¯s clear that the Sanctuary will end before I fully recover today.


    Trying not to show it, I leaned my head on Lydia¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Miss Lydia, Miss Lydia.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lydia, understanding everything, carries me on her back. The adventurers who had been noisy earlier fall silent again.


    ¡°Come to think of it, I think he ate something before the battle¡­¡±


    ¡°Was it a kind of stimnt? Well. No matter how great his talent may be, it¡¯s impossible to overwhelm a Floor Guardian alone.¡±


    ¡°Even so, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that he overwhelms other adventurers of the same rank.¡±


    Whispering voices. Good. As nned. It¡¯s unavoidable to attract attention, but this way, I can hide about 30% of my power.


    In fact, I not only hid the true nature of the Sanctuary deployment, but also the existence of Basilieus and the Invisibility Cloak.


    Riding on Lydia¡¯s back, I waved my arms and spoke.


    ¡°Miss Lydia. Miss Lydia. Could you now process Minotauros¡¯s materials?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­.¡±


    Lydia let out a dissatisfied hum. It was clear that she had something else in mind, ncing this way.


    Well, there¡¯s only one thing Lydia would want at this timing.


    I chuckled and lowered my voice. A fallen noble with nothing but pride left. They spin their final lifeline into a form of elegance.


    ¡°Miss Lydia. My loyal guard. Will you gather the glory of victory for me, and for yourself?¡±


    ¡°As youmand.¡±


    Only then did Lydia, satisfied, draw out a suitably sized longsword. Easy.


    The adventurers watching this scene were in shock¡­but there¡¯s no need for that.


    This is a kind of role-y. Just a simple game.


    As I shook my head and hummed, Lydia neatly sliced Minotauros¡¯s corpse with her drawn de.


    Originally, using a dagger for this kind of dismemberment is the norm¡­ But isn¡¯t using a small dagger to disassemble this gigantic body too inefficient?


    Above all, someone like Lydia can disy sufficient skill even with a longsword.


    At first, it seemed like she was stabbing Minotauros¡¯s belly vertically, then she swiftly skinned it, and took two of the remaining thigh bones.


    And then, she grabbed the head with only one horn left, and that was it.


    After all, he was once a hero, so this kind of tragic end leaves a bit of a bitter aftertaste.


    Of course, that bitterness will return as a reward from the gacha, so it¡¯s bearable.


    Unable to fit everything into the subspace bag, Lydia, who had tucked the severed head under one side of her waist, finally extracted the Magic Stone.


    <em>Fwoosh.</em>


    Minotauros¡¯s body turned to ashes and scattered, then was absorbed into the Heart of the God of Earth.


    Strictly speaking, that heart is an illusion, and the ashes blend into the Labyrinth itself¡­ but at least to the eye, it appeared so.


    The God and the Champion. The fallen hero who couldn¡¯t be killed and was sealed away. The two who were buried together in the same grave, having failed to find a cure till the very end.


    There must have been twists and turns between the God of Earth and Asterios that even I, as the author, couldn¡¯t know.


    In the end, they did not meet a happy ending, and now their divinity and greatness have been reduced to mere prey.


    Even so, to say that their choices and achievements were meaningless would not be right.


    I bowed slightly towards the real remains buried deep within, not the specter manifested in the Labyrinth.


    ¡°May you rest peacefully in the embrace of Mother Earth.¡±


    A softly murmured eulogy. In response, a small warmth rose from deep within.


    The now familiar sensation of a Power being engraved.


    ¡­Simultaneously, my vision turned ck.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 136: The God Of Earth (2)

    <em>Whurrr.</em>


    A small warmth rising from deep within my body. It is the now familiar sensation of a Power being engraved.


    ¡­But this was not the end.


    Suddenly, my vision turned ck. I was certainly on Lydia¡¯s back, but when I came to my senses, I was standing on the ground.


    No, could I say that I was stepping on the ground? Clearly, I was stepping on empty air.


    The strange thing was that despite this, I perceived it as ground.


    It wasn¡¯t just ground in the sense of a floor. It was solid rock and soft soil. Small pebbles rolled around, and between them, nts grew or insects crawled ¨C that kind of ground.


    It was a peculiar sensation that made me perceive it as ground, even though I couldn¡¯t see or touch anything.


    The moment I realized this, the sensation expanded and filled me with slight enlightenment.All the darkness surrounding me is also ¡®ground¡¯.


    ¡°Bur, buried alive!!¡±


    I made a fuss for no reason, but nothing changed. It was still dark and cozy here.


    ¡­Cozy?


    While tilting my head at the suddenly added sensation. Suddenly, a light appeared in the darkened view.


    A muscr boy with horns on his head. And a woman as huge as a mountain, looking at him kindly.


    I instinctively realized. This is Asterios and the Goddess of Earth.


    Asterios embarks on his journey, and the Goddess of Earth watches quietly. And I look down on both of them from above.


    It¡¯s a slightly dizzying view, like a frame within a frame. However, it wasn¡¯t ufortable.


    The story of the boy Asterios in front of me flowed quickly.


    The boy was extraordinary from a young age, and as he grew older and became a young man, there was no one in the vicinity who could match him.


    However, this was only among ordinary mortals.


    His power was not enough to stand against gods and their armies.


    In the end, Asterios and his n began to traverse the continent to escape the endless war.


    To the east. To the east. Continuously to the east.


    Towards the territory of the God of Earth, where the highest mountain range and the broadest ins of the Pan Continent existed.


    What followed were events well known in history.


    The hybrid-humans barely managed to reach the territory where the God of Earth resided. They had lost the glorious mountain range, but the vast ins and the underground tunnels beneath them remained intact. ?


    The Goddess of Earth and her followers willingly epted the beastmen who refused to partake in the war.


    However, the War of the Fallen Gods did not end, and Asterios volunteered to be the guardian of the burrow.


    The Goddess of Earth, who had quietly watched his pilgrimage from before, willingly shared her power with him.


    Now copsed, she nted the seeds of the mountain range she had reserved for Asterios, so they could be reestablished at any time.


    Thanks to this, he could wield power akin to a small mountain.


    With a single stomp, the ground cracked, and his strength, which could support even the weight of a mountain, shattered anything in its path. His body was like a rock, unbreakable and tireless.


    ¡°A true monster indeed¡­¡±


    An overwhelmingly powerful being, iparable to the Minotauros I had faced.


    But he was not an eternal being.


    His mortal body gradually grew old, and now he approaches the brink of death.


    The Goddess of Earth was still gazing at Asterios.


    Though she never took her eyes off Asterios, there were times when she had to focus on other things.


    It was during battles with other gods.


    The one bearing the burning halo. The god who seemed to be the God of the Sun swallowed the God of Fire, evaporated the God of Water, and now even aimed at the God of Earth.


    ¡°This is why the world is doomed.¡±


    It was an unbelievably absurd battle.


    Nuclear explosions happened every second before my eyes, and the gargantuan, sorge that it warped the sense of perspective, silently endured it while attempting to counterattack.


    Seeing what I only knew in my head with my own eyes now made me question it even more.


    ¡°How did mortals survive such a battle?¡±


    It¡¯s a wonder that the Pan Continent still retains its shape, considering the people crawling within it are still alive.


    A sh of such powerful forces that raises such doubts.


    The answer to this question was soon revealed.


    A battle so fierce that it altered the terrain. Yet, amidst the chaos, the God of Earth and the God of the Sun continued to protect their followers.


    Indeed. Absolute devotion to one¡¯s god. That is the only path for mortals to survive.


    If their gods were a bit more selfish, if the opposing gods were a bit more ruthless. Or¡­if one side eventually lost and its followers were left defenseless.


    In that case, over 90% of them would face inevitable death.


    It was such an overwhelming, literally mythological battle, but surely, everything couldn¡¯t just be left to the gods, could it?


    The power of a god can be innate, but it can also be umted through faith. In other words, if you kill all of a god¡¯s followers, the god¡¯s power weakens ordingly.


    Even among mortals, battles ur based on this simple logic.


    Those who follow the God of the Sun, regardless of race, wear golden halos behind their heads and charge while spewing mes from their weapons or body parts.


    And opposing them are the legions of Earth spirits who can be resurrected almost immediately as long as they have enough energy.


    The Fallen Gnome I faced wouldn¡¯t have even been ackey for this legion.


    Since I watched it through a video, an exactparison is impossible, but the spirits that seemed to be leaders had blows as powerful as the high-level magic shown by Benny or Morgana.


    A scene of insane power intion where such strength is disyed with basic attacks.


    However, overall, the Earth spirits were at a disadvantage.


    It was natural since the enemy had thrown all theirbatants into the fray, while only the Earth spirits, who could revive upon death, were gathered here.


    Eventually, during the cycles of the spirits dying and reviving, a considerable number of the Sun¡¯s forces crawled into the burrows.


    Of course, no matter how many or how strong they were, they all fell into traps or were crushed by Asterios. In the burrows, he was invincible, no matter how old he got.


    At the moment when I held my breath, watching a war scene more grandiose than any movie I¡¯d seen on Earth, a sudden wave of ominous color, looking both purple and bloody, swept across the battlefield.


    Those mortals who were struck directly began to go mad and mutate in order of their weakness.


    ¡°¡­Madness, isn¡¯t it.¡±


    All beings on the battlefield, except for those blessed beyond a certain level or possessing exceptional mental fortitude, transform into monsters.


    Spirits fall into corruption, and humans turn into demons with purple skin and distorted extremities.


    The God of the Sun, taken aback by this, withdrew his forces to regroup, while the Goddess of Earth, though equally shocked, reverted the corrupted spirits back to earth.


    Thus, the battle somehow ended, and the Goddess of Earth turned her gaze back to the burrow. Just as she was about tomend her champion and celebrate their survival as usual¡­


    The Goddess of Earth saw it. Her champion had be a horrific monster, destroying everything they had fought to protect.


    At that moment, Asterios was now the Minotauros that I know.


    He had received the Goddess of Earth¡¯s strongest blessing without sumbing to madness.


    Horns twisted like those of a demon. Breath mixed with the dust of decay. With each step, a building crumbled, and countless people died, their bloodpping at his ankles.


    The terrified Goddess of Earth hastily pulled the seeds of the mountain range from Asterios¡¯s body and lifted the survivors to the surface.


    Thus, Asterios was sealed in the underground city, leaving only thebyrinth as a passage. Or rather, Minotauros.


    Though I didn¡¯t expect to see it in such detail, this much of the story is well known. Why show this again¡­?


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    A lofty view overlooking everything in the world. Thanks to it, I could see the Goddess of Earth, whose image was not recorded in any history book.


    She was crying.


    As if the world had copsed. As if her heart had been torn out¡­ Or like a woman who had lost her beloved.


    It was only then that I realized everything. The one showing me this scene was not the already dead Goddess of Earth.


    Using her power as a medium, the Goddess of Love, who had only observed everything in the War of the Fallen Gods, was delivering a message to me.


    ¡°¡­What do you want from me?¡±


    A single word spoken, clearly conscious of the Goddess of Love. Simultaneously, the past from a thousand years ago disappeared, and the curtain named darkness also lifted, revealing the scene after the ending credits.


    The first thing that came into view was a shabby bed. Inside it, a man and a woman were lying peacefully as if they were asleep.


    It was not Minotauros, but Asterios in his boyhood, and the small woman was tightly embraced in his arms.


    Lying down, she was a mountain range; standing up, she could peek beyond the clouds. But now, the Goddess of Earth had a figure even smaller than that of an average woman.


    Was the name of theprehensive blessing Asterios received called the Seed of the Mountain Range?


    Perhaps. Perhaps indeed. The Goddess of Earth might have wanted Asterios to grow asrge as a mountain range.


    So that he could be her equal. Thus, not as a god and its follower, but as a man and a woman. To be eternalpanions.


    Contrary to expectations, Asterios ended up bing just a slightlyrger mortal and ultimately a crazed monster.


    Yet now, here they are. Lying side by side in a perfectly fitting bed.


    It was possible because the Goddess of Earth had faced death, lost all her power, and shriveled.


    However, in any case, their eyes finally met at the same level.


    Now, the Goddess of Earth no longer needs to just watch Asterios sharing love with someone else.


    Asterios also has no reason not to ept the Goddess of Earth.


    As if to assert this, the two were tightly embracing each other at the very end.


    The moment I took in the sight of the two looking like lovers, I just knew.


    If everything in the Labyrinth is merely a shadow cast by the mes of space-time on the remains of the gods.


    The two before my eyes must be the ¡®reality¡¯ beyond such mes, the source on the second floor.


    The Goddess of Love, who maniptes the space-time of the Labyrinth, pushed me inside the stage set.


    ¡°¡­Why?¡±


    The moment I voiced the question I had at the beginning once more.


    From the empty void, a sudden pale pink light descends and falls atop the Goddess of Earth¡¯s head.


    She looks like a newlywed bride veiled in white.


    ¡°Is this what has been bothering you?¡±


    As the Goddess of Love, it must have troubled her that their love ended in tragedy.


    Butcking the strength to intervene directly, is she asking me for help?


    I am neither a priest nor someone significant enough to officiate, but perhaps just this once, it might be okay.


    Focusing the remaining divine power into my fingers, I made the sign of the cross.


    ¡°May your love be blessed, unwavering like the towering mountain ranges.¡±


    <em>Paaa-!</em>


    Was this the correct answer? Unlike when I was dragged into this space, the surroundings started to turn white, and my entire sense of perspective began to blur.


    My vision grew hazy. Beyond it, a sepia light started to radiate.


    The light emitted from the point where the Goddess of Earth and Asterios touched. This soon became a small seed that flowed into me.


    And.


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    I woke up on Lydia¡¯s back.


    Along with the Seed of the Mountain Range firmly rooted in my soul.

 Chapter 137: The God Of Earth (3)

    When I opened my eyes, I was on Lydia¡¯s back.


    ¡°Waaah.¡±


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s with you all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°You may not know, Miss Lydia, but I¡¯ve been through so much. It¡¯s really exhausting.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but you seem like your usual self, Jonah. When do you think you¡¯ll recover?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know until we get back to the surface? Oh, and I think I just gained some Power, so I need to focus for a moment to figure out what it is. Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Sure. And don¡¯t forget, we need to bring Rosemary up too, right?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    With that, I buried my head in Lydia¡¯s nape and concentrated for a moment.My consciousness diving inwards. The surrounding mor gradually fades, and things I normally didn¡¯t perceive began to be felt.


    My heart. More precisely, a seed deeply rooted in something even further inside.


    The moment I realized this, I instinctively knew that it was once the Seed of the Mountain Range that Asterios had received.


    Since Power is imprinted in the soul rather than on the body, its effects and usage can be intuitively understood.


    However, the Seed of the Mountain Range was difficult to recognize at a nce. This was because there was too much information surfacing.


    It wasn¡¯t as intense as when I got the Avatar of Love, but it felt simr to Basilieus.


    Since the Avatar of Love was a 5-star, in gacha terms, Basilieus or the Seed of the Mountain Range would be around 4-star powers.


    I began to gather and organize the scattered information that was imprinted messily. As expected, most of the effects pertained to the body.


    First, strength.


    While muscle enhancement is basic for physical reinforcement, the problem was the magnitude of the increase. It was truly immense.


    The growth system of the Labyrinth doesn¡¯t enhance all abilities; it raises one¡¯s abilities correspondingly to the achievements umted inside.


    Thanks to this, one naturally develops their own specialized field¡­ At this point, wouldn¡¯t I have strengthparable to a front-line fighter of the same level that focused on physical power?


    Realizing again how weak I was before, it brings tears to my eyes that even after receiving such power, I still can¡¯t break out of my previous limitations.


    Next is stamina.


    As long as my feet are on the ground, vitality is automatically replenished, making it hard to tire easily.


    The point to note here is that it¡¯s a bit different from regeneration.


    Regeneration increases not only stamina recovery but also wound healing speed, whereas vitality feels more focused on stamina recovery.


    It does speed up wound healing, but the effect is too minimal.


    Unlike regeneration, it does not require any special resources.


    Regeneration causes new flesh to grow on the wounded area and helps broken bones to reattach¡­but it needs energy for this.


    Whether you eat a lot to replenish calories or use supernatural powers like divine energy, it all boils down to converting some form of energy into physical restoration. ?


    Regeneration, after all, refers to the efficiency of this conversion.


    In contrast, replenishing vitality through the Seed of the Mountain Range absorbs the energy soaked in the earth and converts it to one¡¯s own.


    I don¡¯t know how good the conversion efficiency is, but one thing is for sure: the storage tank is enormous.


    The earth is everywhere, and how much power is stored in the vastnd?


    I¡¯ll need to test it in detail, but for now, I probably won¡¯t have to worry about physical fatigue for a while.


    Up to this point, the effects on physical abilities were direct, but thest one is somewhat different in nature.


    The reason the God of Earth gave Asterios the Seed of the Mountain Range instead of another Power.


    Breaking the Growth Limit.


    Whether physically or supernaturally, there is a clear limit for mortals.


    Therefore, it is important to gain some form of enlightenment to expand one¡¯s vessel, and the reason the Labyrinth is called an opportunity for growth is also because it gradually forces an increase.


    The Seed of the Mountain Range is akin to constantly applying this effect of the Labyrinth.


    Although its efficiency is not very good¡­ Even if one does not break through the next floor, even if one does not achieve great feats, even if one does not fully achieve faint enlightenment on their own, it means that the path forward is always open, even if only through a small hole.


    Of course, the process is akin to a path of suffering. But.


    Stacking stones, stacking sand, stacking dirt, eventually, the mountain will inevitably rise. The altitude will honestly increase by the amount stacked.


    There is the Labyrinth, so is this really that important? To make it easier to understand, let¡¯s give an example¡­


    The reason adventurers are stuck on the 7th floor is because there is a limit to the level and strength they have umted while breaking through the Labyrinth so far.


    It is extremely difficult for a few who are just a bit stronger to achieveplete victory against the followers of the God of War, who are all superhumans.


    So, all that can be done is to wait for the overall level of adventurers to rise, and for more high-ranking adventurers to reach the 7th floor.


    Even if I arrive, it won¡¯t be easy to deal with the stagnation of the 7th floor, but if one has this effect of breaking through growth limits, then the story changes.


    Even if it takes some time, wouldn¡¯t it be better to keep building up strength on the 7th floor? Eventually, I might reach a level where I can change the battlefield alone.


    ¡­Honestly, if I could pull a few more 5-star Skills or Powers, I think I could manage somehow, but that¡¯s easier said than done.


    Anyway, even if not now, it is a Power that will shine more as time goes on¡­ The problem is that in the process of breaking through the growth limit, the body size keeps increasing as well.


    Actually, it¡¯s hard to call this a side effect because arge body itself can be a source of strength.


    That¡¯s why the now-extinct Giants were once feared.


    Well, although the fact that it forces you to grow bigger even if you don¡¯t want to can be defined as a side effect.


    Perhaps the God of Earth deliberately imnted this Power into Asterios for this reason. The problem is that it¡¯s a really useless side effect for me.


    If it made someone who was already robust even more so, that would be one thing, but for someone like me, it¡¯s likely to be rather subtle.


    However, an unexpected sh urred here.


    The appearance-fixing effect of the Avatar of Love and the limit-breaking effect of the Seed of the Mountain Range collided with each other.


    The two powers wrestled for a while, but the one with the greater force and rank, the Avatar of Love, gained the upper hand.


    In other words, my appearance remains fixed, while I can fully enjoy the limit-breaking effect.


    ¡°Jackpot.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±


    When I opened my eyes, I was already in a Safe Zone, and a small monument leading to the surface was right in front of me.


    Lydia, carrying me on her back and holding Minotauros¡¯s head on one side, had Rosemary tucked under her other arm.


    Because Lydia was shorter than Rosemary, Rosemary¡¯s legs were dragging along the ground.


    Her limp, resigned posture evoked a peculiar sense of sadism.


    A well-breddy¡­dead eyes¡­a limp body without resistance¡­


    Perhaps in this gender-reversed world, I¡¯m not the only one who knows of this fetish?


    I loosened one of the legs wrapped around Lydia¡¯s waist and lightly tapped Rosemary¡¯s buttocks.


    ¡°Why are you so down? Did something bad happen?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I might have doomed my kin because I messed with the wrong person, and the guilt is overwhelming.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear. Rosemary really has no eye for people.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. All of this stemmed from my foolishness. So, could you just please end your anger with me?¡±


    It seems she was demoralized after seeing me defeat Minotauros earlier.


    Well, she thought I was just a rattlesnake bluffing with a woman, but then I defeated the Floor Guardian alone.


    I wondered if Lydia was simply infatuated with me, but looking closely, she followed me without a word like a knight (though this is a kind of role-y).


    Above all, she confidently told the elder elves she would defeat the Floor Guardian, only for her thunder to get stolen by me.


    Failing everything she had nned and on the verge of being outmaneuvered, it¡¯s impossible for her to stay sane.


    However, this is truly a misunderstanding. I have no particr grudge against the entire elf race.


    In the first ce, isn¡¯t Eve the one who must lead the species? How could I possibly hate her?


    With that thought, I smiled brightly and continued speaking.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. After seeing Miss Eve¡¯s face, I won¡¯t do anything too harsh.¡±


    ¡°What on earth are you nning to do to her¡­ Ah, World Tree, please watch over us¡­.¡±


    She prayed briefly in a mncholic voice. I know well that among elves, the World Tree still serves as a kind of symbol, and phrases involving the World Tree function like idioms.


    However, Rosemary¡¯sment felt somewhat different.


    Is it because I possess the Power of the World Tree? Or is it because I harbor a divine power so pure that even an inquisitor would be astonished?


    From Rosemary a moment ago, I sensed a faint but unwavering faith.


    ¡°Rosemary, do you still believe in the World Tree?¡±


    ¡°Of course. There isn¡¯t an elf who doesn¡¯t revere the World Tree.¡±


    ¡°But there are hardly any who genuinely devote their faith. Especially among the elves of today.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re right. I know I¡¯m quite peculiar in that regard. But just because it has entered eternal slumber, its greatness doesn¡¯t fade. It¡¯s not about expecting a reward. It¡¯s simply about showing respect in the way I can.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    No wonder you¡¯ve been sanctifying Eve. It turns out that you¡¯re one of thest true believers in the World Tree.


    I patted Rosemary¡¯s back with my foot and said,


    ¡°Then you can look forward to it. I¡¯ll show you something nice at the banquet. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like it, Rosemary.¡±


    ¡°Kuk¡­!¡±


    Rosemary gritted her teeth as if she had been subjected to an immense insult. She looked as if she had lost her country.


    ¡­Was it because of the shoe print on her back?

 Chapter 138: Elf Festival!

    The subjugation of the Floor Guardian, Minotauros, has never failed even once for hundreds of years.


    In fact, for about 300 of those years, there haven¡¯t been any fatalities.


    Of course, that¡¯s to be expected since it¡¯s a monster whose strategy has already been perfectly shared. In addition, with it being only a guardian of the second floor, it was easy to find mid-level adventurers to assist when needed.


    Unless someonecked the necessary qualifications to even participate in Minotauros¡¯s subjugation, it has be a world where defeating it is only natural once you join the subjugation.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying the banquet is probably already being prepared? We just need to go there?¡±


    Rosemary nodded mechanically with a despairing expression at my question.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You can pass yourselves off as my party to gain entry. However, such an excuse won¡¯t work inside the banquet hall. Especially with Mother¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s fine. We just need to get inside.¡±


    ¡°Ggrr!¡±Rosemary wore an expression filled with anger and guilt, as if she had identally awakened an ancient archdemon.


    Judging by how she looks every time she speaks, I guess she¡¯s always been that kind of person.


    For reference, Rosemary, who is a little over 100 years old by elven standards, is practically just entering adulthood.


    Even among humans, there are people who don¡¯t outgrow their teenage angst until their twenties, so it¡¯s not strange that Rosemary is deeply immersed in her own world.


    By the way, people who don¡¯t outgrow teenage angst and have a way with words usually start working as writers. The reason I would know that¡­


    Shaking my head to dispel my gloomy thoughts, I asked Lydia.


    ¡°Miss Lydia, will you be okay on your own?¡±


    ¡°What level of force will be needed? I¡¯m saying just in case¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah. Would I make Miss Lydia do something outrageous? I have no intention of attacking first. It would be enough if you could just protect me from any potential dangers.¡±


    ¡°Then I can handle it alone. But just in case, bringing Benny along would make it more certain.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Shall we do that? Since we¡¯re attending under Rosemary¡¯s invitation, we need to match the dress code. While we¡¯re on our way to borrow clothes, let¡¯s bring Benny as well. Ellie is¡­¡±


    ¡°Senior Ellie is over the top. And Senior Ellie tends to have her eyes rolled back when you, Jonah, gets involved.¡±


    ¡°Oh ho. Unlike Miss Lydia, she can throw the first punch, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. And the people who can block Senior Ellie¡¯s first punch can be counted on one hand.¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s out of the question. Then I¡¯ll just bring Benny.¡±


    The discussion was proceeding swiftly. Even though they had already ascended to the surface, without even the thought of escaping, the sobbing Rosemary silently asked her guard who was watching.


    ¡°Berry. If you inform Mother of this evil plot even now¡­.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the confidence to shake Lydia off.¡±


    ¡°¡­What can you even do?¡±


    ¡°I can be a witness to what happened today.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a guard¡¯s role¡­!¡±


    I headed to Benny¡¯s workshop with Rosemary, who was letting out a mournful scream.<hr>


    I kidnapped Benny, who was lounging at home chilling in her panties, and headed straight to a high-end suit shop on Commercial Street.


    During that process, there was an unfortunate incident where Benny bit the back of my hand, but fortunately, Shadow bit the back of Benny¡¯s hand, suppressing the rebellion.


    Although Rosemary fainted after unexpectedly witnessing Shadow¡¯s mouth, it wasn¡¯t particrly important, so we just moved on.


    Anyway, a size adjustment spell was cast, and only after fitting myself in a neat suit that perfectly matched my small frame did Ie out of the store.


    Fortunately¡­ No, unfortunately, Lydia couldn¡¯t remove her armor in case the need to use force arose, so she wore her bikini armor that fully exposed her belly and cleavage.


    Benny, unlike usual, borrowed and wore a purple dress adorned with borate decorations. Although, as usual, it clung to her body, revealing her figure.


    ¡°Wow! What a figure!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already upset to have been suddenly dragged out while I was resting at home, and yet you keep teasing me?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious! What do you expect me to say when you¡¯re the one wearing such sexy clothes in the first ce?!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, sexy¡­ Ah, Jonah, are you saying that just because it slightly reveals my back? Heh? Hm? I see? Well, Jonah is still young.¡±


    Perhaps her memories of being trapped in the cube together with me have faded. Benny (smelling like a baby), with an enchanting (cute) smile, subtly shows her back.


    With a forcedugh, I deeply inserted my hand into the back of her revealing dress.


    ¡°Hyak!¡±


    Benny jumps up and down like a cat whose tail has been grabbed. In fact, I did press on her tailbone with my finger.


    Upon seeing Benny being subdued in an instant, Shadow observed for a moment before quietly hiding in the shadows and then turning around.


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    I smiled brightly at Rosemary, who was startled and was covering her own hips.


    ¡°So, shall we go?¡±


    ¡°Ah, got it!¡±


    Rosemary creaked as she took the lead. Following her, we arrived at the main branch of Cradle Trading Company.


    ¡°So, that means it¡¯s the building right next to Eternal Mercantile Eden.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why hold a banquet at the Trading Company? Didn¡¯t you say it would be at your own mansion or something?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid. Do you know how much Pangrave¡¯snd is worth? To build such a huge mansion? Anyway, the banquet is just an extension of the business. If we set up a banquet hall inside the Trading Company building, we can treat all the costs of installing and maintaining the banquet hall, hosting costs, and so on as expenses. With all the money we can save from taxes, why would we engage in such uncultured, old-fashioned aristocratic luxuries¡­¡±


    ¡°Waaah. I¡¯m baby Jonah. I don¡¯t understand such difficult talk. Isn¡¯t money generated like this?¡±


    When I showed Rosemary her wallet that I had swiftly stolen with my pickpocketing skills, her face turned pale.


    However, the point where she was surprised seemed to be a bit different.


    ¡°When did you?! More importantly, shouldn¡¯t you earn money legitimately? Haven¡¯t you learned the basic rule that you shouldn¡¯t steal! That¡¯s why youck character¡­ Ahem. It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Rosemary, who was about to pour out remarks that seemed either sincere or arrogant, noticed Lydia¡¯s nce and decided to stop.


    She giggled, I took out 1 silver from her wallet, pocketed it, and returned it to her.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the 1 silver¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the reward for finding your wallet.¡±


    ¡°Finding it? A reward?¡±


    Rosemary, as if she couldn¡¯t believe it, asked again, but perhapscking the energy to argue further, she let out a tired sigh and hid the wallet deep into her inner pocket.


    Then, she quickly adjusted her clothes and, in an instant, returned to the high-handed appearance of a second-generation rich kid that she had when I first met her.


    ¡°Most of it, I¡¯ll handle myself, so just keep your words in line¡­ Instead, be sure to keep your promises.¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha! Don¡¯t worry. I will never cause harm to the other elves first. From the start, Miss Lydia won¡¯t overlook such things, right?¡±


    ¡°Even Lady Lydia because of you¡­ No, it¡¯s nothing. Just please, keep your promises.¡±


    After making several earnest pleas, Rosemary took a deep breath and then confidently opened the door of the Cradle Trading Company and walked in.


    Following her, what unfolded before our eyes was a spacious and clean area reminiscent of a modern department store.


    The only difference was that all the items on the shelves were packed full with consumables for adventurers or equipment of decent quality.


    As expected of the Cradle Trading Company. Along with the Magic Tower and Workshop Union, it portrays an organization that constitutes a third of Pangrave¡¯s economy.


    It is clearly on a different scale from other stores. At first nce, the quality doesn¡¯t seemcking, and the prices are even low.


    Overall, it feels like they¡¯re pursuing cost-effectiveness. Well, the first floor is always like that. The structure likely sells more expensive items as you go higher.


    Nodding to myself internally, I took a closer look inside the store and saw throngs of customers and the employees who were guiding products to them.


    Surprisingly, all the employees were male elves.


    To my eyes, it looked like a disgusting men¡¯s bathhouse, but others probably wouldn¡¯t see it that way.


    A celebrity-level man smiled softly and started talking to me, but how many women in this topsy-turvy world would dislike that?


    At best, someone like Lydia who scrutinizes equipment more than people, I suppose.


    Benny was distracted, so I stepped on her foot.


    <em>Gulp.</em>


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    ¡°Benny, either close your eyes or look only at me.¡±


    ¡°What now!¡±


    ¡°Do you want to see me crazed??¡±


    ¡°Ah, fine. I got it, so calm down a bit! Is this okay?¡±


    Did Benny¡¯s loud voice get heard? Suddenly, all eyes focused in this direction. Naturally, the staff spotted Rosemary and bent their backs at a 90-degree angle to greet her.


    ¡°You have arrived, Young Lady!!¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going upstairs, so continue on.¡±


    As Rosemary waved her hand roughly to acknowledge the greeting, the elves seemingly went back to their original tasks as if nothing had happened.


    It¡¯s cool, but the scene feels somehow discordant, and I asked in a small voice.


    ¡°Rosemary. I have a question.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there would be a banquet today? But you¡¯re receiving customers?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? How much sales do we lose by taking a day off? As long as we manage to keep guests froming up to the banquet hall, that¡¯s all we need.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then why did they greet you, the sessor, so politely when you arrived, but then immediately went back to work?¡±


    ¡°While a greeting might leave a good impression, it doesn¡¯t bring in money. Besides, I¡¯m not even a client. Isn¡¯t that only natural?¡±


    ¡°Is that¡­natural?¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah! Maybe you didn¡¯t know. Our employees receive incentives proportional to the revenue they generate beyond a certain level. Focusing on money-making tasks is a natural thing. You can understand this, right?¡±


    I definitely set the elves as money grubbers.


    I was well aware of it, and in fact, I myself frequent several shops operated by the elf president.


    But seeing such a full-fledged money grubber move is truly impressive.


    With the amount the president of the Cradle Trading Company makes, it would be no surprise for her to put on airs, but she continues to push forward with the business simply because of her fear of not making enough money.


    Even the elves working down there all seem to share a simr mindset.


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit it. You¡¯re really crazy about money!¡±


    ¡°¡­? Thanks for thepliment?¡±


    Rosmarie tilted her head in confusion with a puzzled expression.


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