C292, 293, 294
Chapter 292: Big Shot (4)
Ravigion, where more than half of the kingdom’s population resided.
Although the upper class lumped everyone who lived here as commoners, there was still a wealth gap in Ravigion.
Explorers, self-employed business owners.
These people lived in the center of the city, near the plaza, where the security was good and the living environment wasn’t bad.
But…
‘She lived in a place like this when she was younger.’
…things were different once you left the main street and entered the back alleys.
Poor security where the guards’ eyes couldn’t reach.
Old and dilapidated buildings, divided into dozens of rooms.
Shared bathrooms and kitchens.
Even the barbarian inn, which cost 500 stones a night, was in the outer district, not here.
“…….”
I entered the alley, following Raven, and the residents looked at me with wary gazes.
It was similar to my experience in Bifron.
They were just wary, no one tried to pick a fight with me.
They actually avoided making eye contact.
‘Geez, have you never seen a barbarian before?’
I realized how harsh Raven’s living environment was, feeling a renewed appreciation for the advantages of being a barbarian.
Because this wasn’t the crowded main street.
They probably knew I was following Raven.
‘But no one is doing anything…’
Right, it’s none of their business?
Well, whatever. I wasn’t planning to keep Raven here for long anyway.
Creak. Thud.
Raven entered a building and closed the door.
I didn’t even realize it was her house at first.
It was just a door on a wall.
‘Should I wait for a bit?’
I leaned against the wall and waited.
Raven’s mother appeared about 20 minutes later.
It wasn’t difficult to recognize her.
Her hair wasn’t as shiny as Raven’s, and she was much taller, but her face was identical.
“Are you Arrua Raven’s mother?”
“Yes… Wh, who are you…?”
She didn’t look young enough for me to call her a former beauty.
She was probably in her late twenties at most?
Then she had Raven at a young age?
I stared at her, feeling a strange sensation, and Raven’s mother asked me with an anxious expression.
“Did she cause trouble again…?”
“Let’s go somewhere else and talk. This place isn’t very… pleasant.”
“…Okay.”
I took her mother to the main street.
And we entered a tea house.
“Don’t worry, I’ll pay.”
“Okay…”
I felt a strong sense of dissonance as we talked.
Her face was identical to Raven’s, but her tone and everything were completely different.
“Order anything you want.”
“…….”
“I’ll order if you don’t.”
It wasn’t difficult to order without her help, thanks to my experience in the ‘friend gathering’. And our order soon arrived.
But neither of us touched it.
Damn it, where do I even begin…?
“Let’s clear up the misunderstanding first. I’m not here to scold Raven for causing trouble.”
“Yes? Then…”
“I’m Raven’s friend.”
“Friend…? Her?”
“Barbarians don’t care about age.”
“I, I see…”
Her mother nodded, although she looked dubious.
I could roughly tell what kind of person she was.
The complete opposite of Raven.
“I saw a bruise on her face when we met earlier.”
“Ah…”
Her mother’s face turned pale, as if realizing why I was there.
But did she feel indignant?
“That’s… none of your business.”
She had been too scared to speak, but now she was drawing a line.
It was true.
It was a crazy world where you were executed if you didn’t pay your taxes.
It wasn’t a big deal for parents to discipline their children. No, it was actually considered strange to criticize them for it.
But…
“None of my business? Don’t use difficult words.”
I was a proud member of the barbarian tribe who didn’t understand such things.
“If my friend was hit, I would take blood revenge.”
Her mother flinched as I said it calmly. Well, she probably had never heard the words ‘blood revenge’ before.
It seemed like she was just working in a kitchen.
“…So what do you want from me? Do you want me to stop hitting her? Is that it?”
“No, let go of me.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know, don’t you? Raven has the potential to become a great mage.”
“…Because she’s his blood.”
Her mother bit her lip.
Her eyes were filled with hatred.
It seemed like she was thinking of her husband who abandoned their family…
But it wasn’t my concern.
“Send her to the Magic Tower.”
“I can’t afford it.”
“I’ll pay for everything.”
“…Why would you do that?”
“I just… feel like it.”
Raven’s mother was silent for a long time at my answer.
And then she muttered something strange.
“She’ll abandon me.”
Huh?
“She’ll look down on me after becoming successful. And then she’ll leave for her own world. Just like he did, because she’s his blood…”
Ah…
“Isn’t this wrong? Why is her life so easy? She’s my daughter, but I’ve never met anyone who helped me like that. But… but why is she…”
Her words were filled with resentment and frustration.
“Come to think of it, I don’t even have any talent. I was slow at learning. But she’s already learning and using magic at that age.”
Her targets were her husband and daughter, but it was ultimately about her life.
I just listened to her.
Trauma from her husband’s infidelity.
Her hatred was complex and deep-seated.
After some time…
“Are you done?”
I asked, and she answered.
“Okay. I’ll send her to the Magic Tower. She’s nothing like me anyway, except for her face. I’ll feel better if she’s gone. Yes. I want to… be happy too.”
“Then it’s settled.”
I got up and paid as soon as the conversation was over. I tried to give her some money, but she refused.
“I don’t need it. The Magic Tower sent someone a few days ago. They said they would support her if I sent her there for a test. I guess she caught their eye since she was using magic at such a young age.”
“…I see.”
“Isn’t it strange? I’ve spent my entire life working for just this one room in this shithole.”
Raven’s mother then staggered towards her house in the back alley, and I watched her leave.
I didn’t feel any pity.
But…
“What was the point of my life?”
…her last words lingered in my mind.
__________________
Time passed quickly after that.
Raven’s mother took her to the Magic Tower as promised, and she was acknowledged for her talent after a few days of testing.
For reference, I was able to hear about the process in detail from Raven, who came to the library every other day…
“You’re saying you joined the Artemion School…?”
“Yeah, that old man likes me. He doesn’t even look down on me for being young.”
So Auril Gabis was right?
I thought the future might change if I sent her to the Magic Tower at such a young age…
‘Come to think of it, I don’t even know when she entered the Magic Tower in my original timeline…’
I thought she would have been at least ten years old.
After all, Raven said she wanted to become an administrative mage when we first met. I thought something must have happened that changed her mind.
“But why that expression?”
“It’s nothing. Anyway, that’s good. You’re in the Magic Tower now.”
“…I’m a bit worried. Can I do it?”
“You’ll become a great mage. I guarantee it.”
“Hehe, really?”
Anyway, our conversation wasn’t just about the Magic Tower, we also talked about her family.
She said her mom had suddenly become nice.
It seemed like her mother didn’t tell her about our meeting.
“Then I’ll be going. Ah, and I can’t come here anymore. I have to live in the Magic Tower from tomorrow.”
“I wouldn’t have been able to come either.”
“Why?”
“Something came up.”
I had to go down to Noark with Amelia tomorrow. And we probably wouldn’t be able to come back until we achieved our goals.
“…I see.”
I gave Raven one last piece of advice before we parted ways.
“Don’t speak informally to people in the Magic Tower. Be careful.”
“Huh?”
“No, to anyone. There’s no need to make enemies.”
“…I’m not scared of anything.”
“Even if you’re not scared, just do it. Not only will you make enemies, but even those who want to be your friends will run away. You’ll be alone if you keep acting like that.”
“Are you… also upset with me?”
Raven asked cautiously, and I hesitated for a moment before answering that I was a bit upset.
Did she sense something?
“Okay. I won’t do it anymore.”
“You won’t?”
“…Yeah.”
Finally, she’s acting like a kid.
“But shouldn’t you be going now?”
“Yeah…”
We finished our last conversation and left the library.
And we parted ways with an open-ended promise.
“See you later!”
Geez, did you sell your honorifics?
I chuckled and answered,
“Yeah, see you later.”
Although she probably wouldn’t even remember me.
____________________
I went to one place after Raven left.
I had finally accepted it.
‘Right, I can’t save Dwarkey…’
The Leathlas Church orphanage.
I stood there for a long time, unable to open the door.
I wanted to go in and talk to Dwarkey one last time, but I didn’t see the point.
After some time…
“Mr. Enche…?”
…someone called me.
“Emiren?”
It was the woman I had met while volunteering.
We had a strange conversation at the after-work party.
“What brings you here?”
“Actually… my son is here.”
…What?
“Things worked out, so I can finally take him home. Thank you so much. If it weren’t for you, I would have kept hesitating.”
My body stiffened as I instinctively sensed the truth.
But I had to confirm.
“Is your… son’s name Liol?”
Liol ‘Wobu’ Dwarkey.
And ‘Wobu’ Emiren.
“Oh, yes.”
Emiren nodded in surprise.
So Dwarkey’s middle name was from his mother’s name.
“Um, but how did you know?”
“He just… looks a bit like you.”
“Huhu, is that so? Well, you did talk to him a lot.”
Emiren smiled at my words.
But could it be that she wanted to go get Dwarkey more than talk to me?
“Then I’ll be going now.”
“Ah, right…”
Emiren quickly said goodbye and entered the orphanage. I stood there frozen, like a statue.
Various thoughts swirled in my mind.
After a few minutes…
Thud.
I jumped over the orphanage wall.
Dwarkey was in his usual spot, reading a book under the shade of a tree.
“Oh! Hello.”
Dwarkey greeted me.
“Yeah… It’s been a while.”
“What brings you here?”
“Just… passing by.”
“…?”
Dwarkey tilted his head, but he didn’t seem wary, perhaps because we had spent some time together.
Swoosh.
I looked through the window of the building.
I saw Emiren handing a stack of documents to the staff member at the desk.
It finally sank in.
Dwarkey would be living with his mother now.
And she would tell him stories about the sea.
He would become an administrative mage, but he wouldn’t be able to let go of his dream and would enter the labyrinth.
And…
[Thank you all for being my companions.]
…he would die.
‘Is it… all because of me?’
I felt a deep sense of responsibility.
And at the same time, I felt like a speck of dust in the universe.
A sense of powerlessness washed over me.
And then a rebellious desire arose.
Wasn’t it too late?
If I did something now, could I prevent that future? Yeah, if I kidnapped him now, something would change.
‘Damn it.’
But my body wouldn’t move.
I kept seeing Emiren’s face, who had come to me for courage.
I kept hearing Dwarkey’s voice, reminiscing about his mother.
‘What should I do…?’
Would the future really change if I did that?
What if my actions didn’t affect the outcome, and I just took away his happy time with his mother?
Clench.
My hand clenched into a fist, and a small hand covered mine.
It was Dwarkey’s.
“It’s big… Ah, I’m sorry. For touching you suddenly.”
“…You don’t have to apologize.”
“Do you think I can also be that big someday? Big enough to protect someone precious?”
I answered, trying to endure.
“Don’t worry too much.”
Even though he was skinny and small.
“You’ll become a great person.”
Greater than me.
No, greater than anyone I’ve ever seen.
___________________
I ran away and jumped over the orphanage wall again.
And I watched the orphanage from the alley.
Creak.
The orphanage door opened, and Dwarkey and Emiren came out.
“Why are you my mom?”
“That’s… a long story. Let’s go. You’ll understand when we get home…”
“…….”
They awkwardly held hands and walked away.
And…
“Goodbye, Dwarkey.”
…I just watched them leave.
----------------------------------
Chapter 293: Newbie (1)
It was evening when I returned to the inn.
“You’re late.”
Whoa, that startled me.
I clearly locked the door when I left, how did she get in?
‘At least turn on the light…’
I lit the lamp, and I saw Amelia sitting on my bed.
Hmm, what should I say?
She didn’t seem to be in a good mood…
‘Since when did I care about that?’
I wasn’t in a good mood either.
I just stared at her, as if telling her to speak if she had something to say, and she slowly got up and walked past me.
“We have to go to the meeting point by midnight, so get ready.”
Right, it was almost time to leave.
I had to get my equipment ready.
Slam.
As soon as Amelia left, I started putting on my equipment.
Swoosh.
Boots made of 2nd-tier Wyvern leather.
Click.
An all-in-one belt with expandable pockets for potions and scrolls.
‘It feels empty.’
I didn’t buy any greaves or a chestplate.
I couldn’t get a full set just from looting five looters.
I decided to focus on my shield and weapon.
So I had a mace made of 3rd-tier Idium, 100% purity.
‘The grip feels good.’
And a 5th-tier Adamantium large battle shield.
‘Yeah, a shield should be this big.’
The budget Amelia gave me was depleted after buying those two items because of their weight.
So my helmet was just ordinary steel.
Well, steel wouldn’t provide much protection at this point…
‘But I didn’t buy it for defense anyway.’
I had a lot of worries about the future when I ordered this equipment three weeks ago.
So I had a full-face steel helmet made.
It was similar to the one I used in the early days, with only a T-shaped slit for vision.
Of course, there were differences.
The design was different because it was made by a different blacksmith…
‘Maybe because the slit is narrower? It’s very uncomfortable.’
…and less of my face was exposed.
I was worried that there might be problems if I revealed my face, as we would be meeting many people in the labyrinth.
‘Well, it doesn’t really matter now…’
I sighed and dismissed my thoughts.
And I looked in the mirror and left the room.
Amelia was sitting on a chair at the end of the hallway, as if she was ready.
“You’re finally here.”
Geez, ‘finally’?
It didn’t even take ten minutes.
“……You.”
Amelia flinched as she turned to look at me.
And she asked in an interrogating tone,
“Where did you get that helmet?”
“I had it custom-made. Is there a problem?”
“…Custom-made?”
Amelia stood there silently for a while after hearing my answer.
Her expression was cold, and her gaze was sharp.
Like when she first saw ‘Nibels Enche’s’ ID card on Parune Island.
Ah, of course, the situation was different.
“Why are you just staring at me after asking a question?”
“…It’s nothing.”
She didn’t tell me the reason, just like always.
But…
“We don’t have time, so let’s go.”
…I think I knew why.
_______________________
A broker wearing a black robe was waiting for us at the sewer entrance, our meeting point.
It was a strange feeling.
Like we were illegal immigrants.
“…….”
“…….”
The broker didn’t greet us, and neither did Amelia. She just placed a pouch of money on his outstretched hand.
“I’ll tell you one last time, but it’s not easy to return to the surface once you go down.”
The broker gave us a formal warning after the payment was made.
It was a bit ridiculous.
He should have said that before taking the money.
It didn’t seem like he would give us a refund.
“That’s our problem.”
“Huhu, if you say so.”
The broker laughed unpleasantly as Amelia spoke coldly, and then he took out a key and opened the sewer grate.
And he led us inside.
“Don’t fall behind.”
The journey to Noark was longer than expected.
We walked through the labyrinthine sewers for hours before reaching the entrance.
“This is as far as I go. If you follow this map, you’ll see a door. Show this badge to the guard, and he’ll let you in.”
The broker handed us what would be our ID badges and then opened the entrance with a magic tool.
Rumble.
A stone door, disguised as an ordinary wall, slid open, revealing stairs leading down.
But just as we were about to go down…
“Can I ask you something?”
…the broker, who had been silent except for the necessary information, spoke.
“It’s not common for a barbarian to go down to Noark, so what’s your story? It can’t be an elopement—”
“Stop.”
Amelia cut him off firmly.
“Your job is done, so go now.”
It was a professional tone.
It seemed like she even mixed in some killing intent…
“…I apologize for my rudeness. Please go ahead. I have to make sure the door closes.”
The broker backed down, and Amelia strode down the stairs. I slowly followed her.
Rumble, thud!
The door closed behind us.
Phew, this feels like we’re going to hell.
“Wait, let me see the map.”
I tried to open the map after we reached the bottom of the stairs, but Amelia stopped me.
“There’s no need. I know the way to the castle.”
Ah, right, she’s from here.
Anyway, I followed her, enjoying the rare opportunity to not have to navigate. And we soon reached our destination.
A vast cavern, hard to believe it was underground.
A giant stone gate, even bigger than the gate of the Lafdonia royal palace, was visible in the distance.
“Hahaha, come here! Don’t just stand there!”
There was only one man at the gate, a human male with a physique as sturdy as a barbarian’s.
Amelia whispered to me,
“Don’t do anything stupid. He might sound casual, but he’s one of the strongest people in this city.”
“Do you know him?”
“You can’t not know him if you’ve lived in Noark.”
Hmm, really? He doesn’t look that strong…
Anyway, I handed the badge I received to the man at the gate.
“Oh! They finally brought some decent people! Welcome. I’m Rex Aures, the gatekeeper!”
“…….”
“Ah, are you uncomfortable with real names? Don’t worry, no one here uses their real names. Have you decided on your new names?”
Rex Aures, who introduced himself as the gatekeeper, then asked for our names, and we told him the names we had decided on beforehand.
Amelia was ‘Emily’.
And I…
“Bjorn, son of Thor.”
…just used the alias I had used before.
I decided to create a new one, just in case, since ‘Nibels Enche’ was also an alias.
Of course, it didn’t really matter.
It was just a name to engrave on the badge, and they rarely asked for your name in the city.
“Huhu, it’s been about five years since I engraved a barbarian name on a badge.”
The names we had given him were engraved on the badges he returned.
“Anything else?”
“No, the entry procedure is complete. Go that way.”
“…Aren’t you going to open that gate?”
“Hahaha, it would be a waste to open and close that giant gate just for two people, wouldn’t it?”
The gatekeeper then opened a side door.
Rumble.
I suddenly remembered the first day I came to this world as I watched the stone door slide open.
Yeah, it was like this back then.
Thud.
The gate fully opened, revealing an unfamiliar city.
“Emily, and Thor Bjorn.”
“Thor is the last name, and Bjorn is the first name.”
“Haha! Ah, right? Anyway! Welcome to Noark!”
I finally made it here.
______________________
People usually think of Noark as a den of criminals.
It’s only natural.
This was where those who had committed crimes so severe that they couldn’t live on the surface ended up. And it was also the hideout of ‘Orculus’.
But…
“It’s surprisingly normal.”
…there were no bloodstains on the walls, the streets were clean, and the people didn’t look that gloomy.
“I don’t know what you were expecting, but this is also a place where people live.”
Geez, a newbie can be curious.
“Follow me.”
I first followed Amelia, who was a local, and looked around the city. And I asked her questions.
“What are those stones embedded in the ceiling?”
“Magic tools. They emit light using magic stones as fuel.”
“What about those moving dolls?”
“They’re golems called ‘patrols’. They all belong to the Lord.”
“Ah, and is there a market here?”
“There is, but it’s not big. There’s only one alchemist in this city. Most of the food is distributed in a few standardized items.”
Hmm, I see.
“Then what if you want something else?”
“You can request it from the alchemy workshop with magic stones. But it takes about two days, and it’s much more expensive than on the surface. Are you done with your questions?”
“…For now.”
“That’s good. It seems like we’re attracting attention because of you.”
“Huh?”
“We have a tail. Let’s speed up.”
Amelia then increased her pace without even asking me, and I hurriedly followed her.
“A tail? We’ve only been here for ten minutes.”
“Barbarians are especially rare in this city. They must have realized that you just came down from the surface.”
I roughly understood what she meant.
Noark was a place where there were even rumors that demons lived on the surface.
I could imagine how tempting the pockets of newbies who had just come down from the surface would be. They would definitely be filled with all their assets from the surface.
But…
“Didn’t you say this was also a place where people live?”
Amelia tilted her head at my question.
“What’s so strange about that? It’s only natural that there are people like this since it’s a place where people live.”
Uh, is that so?
“That’s true.”
I couldn’t refute her logic, so I just agreed.
After all, Lafdonia wasn’t much different.
There were three types of people who wandered around the outer districts of Lafdonia at night.
Criminals.
Explorers who could protect themselves.
Or those who had nothing to lose.
“So what are we going to do?”
“We’re going to the back alleys where the patrols can’t see us.”
“Huh? Back alleys?”
I thought I misheard, but Amelia gave me a rational explanation.
Harming ‘ordinary people’ born in Noark was taboo, and the Lord would find and punish them, but everything else was okay?
“They specialize in targeting newbies, so they’ll have a lot of valuables.”
Damn it, she should have told me sooner.
As expected, locals have a different mindset.
Yeah, farming is always the priority, no matter the situation.
Step.
We entered the back alleys and wandered around for a while.
And then we naturally stopped at a dead end.
We turned around…
“Where are you going? You’re not going to get far.”
…and a group of fifteen looters appeared.
“Did you think you could escape if you went into the back alleys?”
“I can’t believe you came here on your own. Newbies are so naive.”
“We all went through this when we were newbies, so don’t resent us too much.”
The veterans of the city, excited to loot newbies.
It was like watching a dead game right before it shut down.
Tsk, they should be taking care of newbies.
“Huh?”
I scanned the group and froze as I spotted a human male.
But I wasn’t sure yet, so I had to confirm.
“Hey, you.”
“Me?”
He stepped forward, curious, as I pointed at him. He was wearing a shiny chestplate, his physique as large as a barbarian’s.
It was a material I couldn’t mistake.
“…Laetium.”
“So?”
What do you mean ‘so’?
Have you never heard of giving hand-me-downs?
It’s common sense for veterans to give their items to newbies.
I was already embarrassed because I wasn’t wearing a shirt, so this was perfect.
“Take it off.”
“…?”
“Before it gets blood on it.”
It was time to evolve into a civilized person.
------------------------------------------
Chapter 294: Newbie (2)
They must have been wary of us.
They didn't know how strong we were.
That's why they came in a group of over ten.
How kind of them.
“Take it off.”
“……?”
“Before it gets blood on it.”
The guy looked confused when I spoke.
But he soon understood.
“…….”
Everyone, including him, shut their mouths.
It's a common occurrence in the animal kingdom.
They chase prey when they think it's weaker, but they instinctively sense danger when it fights back.
They know from experience.
That it's dangerous.
Swoosh.
They retreated, wary of an ambush.
It didn't matter to me.
It was a dead-end alley.
And it was too narrow to even use [Gigantification].
‘This is better.’
There was nothing to obstruct me from above.
‘Leap.’
I leaped over their heads and landed on the other side.
Okay, I blocked their escape route.
“…Kill him first!”
They panicked and charged towards me.
They probably judged that they had to break through since their escape route was blocked…
Whoosh!
…but they dodged my mace.
“Dodge, don’t block!”
“No one’s going to get hit by that slow attack.”
The three in front of me dodged my mace like eels and swung their weapons.
I endured most of their attacks with my Physical Resistance, but a few skill-enhanced attacks managed to pierce my thick skin.
Thud.
Damn it, that stings.
I wouldn't have even bled if I had activated [Gigantification].
Well, 'defense' wasn't the only way to protect myself.
'Transcendence.'
I raised my mace and mentally input the command.
The target for [Transcendence] was already decided.
'Swing.'
The combo that was effective against multiple enemies, thanks to the added 'Strike range tripled' characteristic.
Whooosh!
I slammed my mace down, and it elongated like a magical staff, growing in size.
Although the range was much smaller than when combined with [Gigantification]...
"Cr, crazy...!"
"Dodge!"
Where would they dodge?
In this narrow alley?
Kaboom!
Although they hurriedly retreated, the three in the front couldn't escape the range.
Ah, that's satisfying.
Thud.
They retreated as I stepped over the three who had been turned into ground meat.
They were surprisingly good at escaping.
"The woman! Grab the woman!"
They charged towards Amelia, trying to take her hostage.
But they couldn't even reach her.
Thwack, thwack, thud!
Amelia quickly subdued two of them with punches and kicks and then drew her dagger, swinging it at another one's neck.
Although he raised his arm to block, his wrist protected by a steel bracer...
Slash!
…it was useless against a woman who could use Aura.
Thud. Thud.
His severed wrist and head fell to the ground almost simultaneously.
And…
"A, Aura..."
…that was the end of the fight.
They all dropped their weapons as soon as Amelia used Aura. They realized they couldn't win and decided to beg for their lives.
Well, it was too late.
"Pl, please spare me. I'll give you everything I have..."
"What are you going to do?"
"Kill them, of course."
Amelia answered without hesitation. The looters hurriedly picked up their weapons and tried to fight back…
"Die!"
…but it was futile.
They were all 6th-grade at most.
Thwack, kwagic.
Slash!
Amelia and I quickly cleaned up the remaining survivors, like a two-person looting party.
It took less than five minutes.
'It's reassuring to have a strong damage dealer.'
It was a level of security I had never felt before in any team.
How can I keep her from joining our team?
I continued looting as I thought about that.
That's when...
"Ugh..."
…the guy whose Laetium chestplate I was taking off twitched.
What, was he unconscious?
Thwack!
I knocked him out and then asked Amelia,
"Why did you just knock him out?"
"...You said you didn't like blood."
Ah...
"Th, thank you?"
"..."
"Ahem."
It was a bit awkward, but we finished looting after a few minutes.
Looting took longer than the actual fight.
But the profit was higher than ever.
'This is worth at least 70 million stones on the surface.'
I felt a surge of excitement as I looked at the loot before putting it in my expandable backpack.
This was the result of just a few minutes of fighting?
'I didn't expect there to be such a good hunting ground in the underground.'
Maybe Noark was a good place to live.
_____________________
Click.
I put on the Laetium chestplate and then equipped the greaves and other equipment from his set.
They fit perfectly.
Damn right, a warrior should have proper armor, barbarian or not.
"Then let's go."
"Ah, right."
I felt uncomfortable under the wary gazes of the nearby residents, which I could feel even through the closed curtains, so we quickly left the alley and entered the main street.
And I followed Amelia, casually looking around. It was a rational judgment that if I acted like a newbie, I might get another opportunity to loot.
Well, that was the plan…
“Are we being followed?”
“No.”
…but there was no one taking the bait, even after walking for a while.
“Even now?”
“…No.”
What the hell is going on?
Amelia sighed, as if she couldn’t believe it, as I subtly expressed my disappointment.
“Word travels fast in Noark.”
Ah, so no one dared to attack us because they knew that the guys who followed us in didn’t come back.
“…Ugh.”
I clutched my chest and collapsed to the ground, groaning.
Amelia was startled and crouched down.
“Are you hurt? You didn’t have any external injuries earlier, don’t tell me it’s poison?”
I whispered as she hurriedly tried to give me an antidote.
“Don’t worry. I’m just pretending.”
“…What?”
“Maybe they’ll come if I do this.”
“Barbarian, you really…”
Amelia looked at me with disgust, so I quickly got up.
Damn it, she enjoyed looting too.
She’s making me feel embarrassed.
“Just follow me. We might have to sleep outside if we’re late.”
“Alright.”
We then headed towards the center of the city and found an inn.
Ah, of course, we got one room, not two.
If anyone was targeting us even after the rumors spread, they would be strong enough to handle us both.
“There are a lot of beds.”
“All inns in Noark are like this.”
“Huh?”
“No one comes here to sleep alone.”
It seemed like it was common to live with your companions unless you had a family and bought a house…
I could understand.
It would be safer to move in groups in a place like this.
“You wash up first, Yandel. I’ll organize the loot.”
“Ah, I’ll be out soon.”
We took turns washing up, and then we talked while Amelia was in the bathroom.
“What are we going to do with the loot?”
“We’re not selling it for now. It will be worth three times more on the surface.”
“That’s a big difference.”
“It’s only natural since the supply is much greater than the demand.”
Hmm, that’s true.
Looters brought back more equipment than magic stones.
“But I heard there are merchants who travel between the surface and the underground. Can’t we just sell it to them?”
“You must be mistaken. The price I mentioned is after selling it to a merchant.”
“…I see.”
“So if you need anything, use it instead of selling it. That’s how things are in this city.”
Anyway, that was the end of our conversation about the loot.
And then we got to the main topic.
“So what are we going to do now?”
We had successfully entered Noark.
And we had two goals here.
1. Steal the ‘Fragment of Records’ from the Lord and return to our original time.
2. Grant Amelia’s wish.
Honestly, I didn’t tell her, but the second goal would be difficult to achieve. Because the past had to change for her wish to come true.
‘Judging by her expression back then, it seemed like she realized it to some extent…’
Then what decision would Amelia make?
“Why are you asking that?”
“Just in case you changed your mind.”
Amelia answered without hesitation at my nonchalant question.
“That’s ridiculous. There’s no change in plans.”
Right, so you’re not giving up.
_____________________
There was day and night even in the underground city of Noark.
But there was no dawn or dusk.
The jewels embedded in the ceiling emitted light when it was time to be active, and they switched to minimum output at night.
And in that sense…
“It’s daytime.”
…we left for the city as soon as the sky outside the window brightened.
The city felt unfamiliar.
After all, it wasn’t a common sight for people to pour out of all the buildings as soon as it was daytime.
“Stop sightseeing and come here. We’ll have to wait for a long time if we’re late.”
“Ah, okay.”
I followed Amelia and arrived at the Lord’s Castle in the center of Noark.
Unlike yesterday, when we saw it from afar, the giant gate was wide open, welcoming countless people.
“Why are they all going there?”
“Most of the jobs are at the Lord’s Castle. Those who don’t enter the labyrinth work there and get paid.”
This is like a communist country.
Well, that’s probably why people from Noark were so tenacious. They had to be to survive in a place like this.
[Labyrinth Management Office]
We entered the building.
The interior was similar to the Explorer’s Guild.
And their work wasn’t much different either.
“I’ll see you later.”
“Ah, okay.”
We each found a short line to save time.
There were a lot of things to do before you could enter the labyrinth in Noark.
First, newbies had to register, and it seemed like they had to pay an entrance fee every time they entered the labyrinth…
‘How is this place even worse than Lafdonia?’
It was ridiculous, considering that Noark was founded by the ‘Olmi Revolutionary Army’, who rebelled against the royal family.
‘When the hell is this line going to move? They should at least have a number system like Lafdonia. What’s the point of making everyone wait in line?’
That’s when, as I was complaining inwardly about the slow processing and outdated system after waiting in line for over 30 minutes…
“Oh, hey! You’re a newbie, judging by your registration form?”
…a group of five explorers approached me.
And one of them put his hand on my shoulder.
“We’re in a bit of a hurry, so can you let us go first? Huh? We’re on the same side now. We have to help each other.”
I was momentarily confused.
‘What?’
Was this another hand-me-down situation?