Before sunrise, dawn broke.
Jeong Yusin kicked off the blanket and got up from the bed.
“Ugh! Oh, I’m dying.”
Every muscle in his body screamed in agony. He opened the window and twisted his waist left and right, eliciting a soft cracking sound from his bones.
“Hmm.”
As he descended to the first floor, he heard the clatter of dishes coming from the kitchen. Darmong was already awake and preparing breakfast. Upon opening the kitchen door and stepping inside, he could see Darmong’s back.
“Good morning, Darmong.”
“You’re up?”
“Yes. Is it okay if I use the yard?”
“Do as you please.”
“Thank you.”
Upon opening the back door of the kitchen and stepping out, the early morning air hit his face. In the spacious yard, there was another house where Darmong stayed, along with a warehouse.
Jeong Yusin stood in the middle of the yard and began warming up in earnest. He had no specialized knowledge. He merely followed the movements he had seen on the internet.
Still, the effect was there as the stiff muscles loosened up a little and started generating heat.
“Hmm.”
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Morning chores.
The practice of engraving.
He could practice at the Swordsmanship Guild, but there, there were too many eyes watching. He wanted to refine his secret techniques in a place where no one could see. Except Darmong, who was a benefactor.
[Sacred Weapon]
The particles of magical power that had been dispersed throughout his body gathered in his hand. In the past, he only faintly felt them, but now it was different. The magical power collecting at his fingertips was more vividly perceptible. Thanks to leveling up.
Whoosh!
A warm, golden light dagger was formed in his hand.
He felt none of the usual chilly sensation unique to cold weapons.
The golden light dagger created by magical power soon disappeared.
In his perception, it lasted for about three seconds.
Because of the magic consumption, his body felt stiff and drained of energy, but it was bearable.
Again.
After taking a deep breath, he gathered magical power into his hands.
Whoosh!
This time, it took the form of an Aming Sword, a single-handed sword.
He gripped it and swung it around.
A warm golden trail carved through the cold morning air.
Jeong Yusin glanced at the sword in his hand.
Ts-ts-ts.
The sword crumbled like sand, and golden particles scattered into the air, floating and disappearing.
Jeong Yusin smacked his lips.
“It’s too slow.”
The deployment speed of the Sacred Weapon was too sluggish.
It didn’t match the speed he had achieved when he formed it during his fight against the Hobgoblin Warrior. Neither did it match the speed he used to respond to Dito’s assassination attempt.
Jeong Yusin closed his eyes and reviewed various battles.
How fiercely he had fought.
And how desperately he yearned for victory.
He thought and thought again.
“Huff.”
He spread out his hands. Magical power responded, gathering in them.
This time, golden knuckles formed.
“Still too slow.”
Jeong Yusin muttered unhappily.
Just as he was about to try again, a sudden wave of dizziness hit him. He knelt down, placing both hands on the ground. His heart was racing uncontrollably.
The limit for consecutive casting was three. His body understood that. Still, compared to his past when he couldn’t even cast once, it was a significant improvement.
He regained his composure and stood up. Dawn was breaking.
After having breakfast at the inn, he went to the temple.
As he turned back after confirming his attendance at the temple reception desk, he spotted a familiar face.
Ann.
The young archer from the first party who ventured into the labyrinth.
Ann approached.
“It’s been a while, Scath.”
“Yes.”
Two weeks, maybe three? He couldn’t quite remember when they last met.
“It’s been about three weeks since we last saw each other. How is your body doing?”
“I’m healthy. How about you, Ann?”
“I’m healthy too. Oh! Are you curious about how our party is doing?”
He wasn’t curious at all. But he noticed a shadow flickering in Ann’s eyes and simply nodded.
“Dean was taken by the Labyrinth City Tower. They’re conducting various experiments to bring back those who have been consumed by darkness and are no longer in their right minds. Of course, it’s being done humanely.”
Ann continued.
“Kael was buried in a corner of the graveyard behind this temple. It took some effort to pry Mari off Kael; she didn’t want to let go.”
“…”
“Mari has adopted a Hobgoblin child. She currently stays at the Dejimoseon temple. Have you seen her?”
He hadn’t seen her at all.
Without a word, Jeong Yusin merely shook his head.
“Jon and I are working. We’re taking on any job that pays, except for entering the labyrinth.”
Jeong Yusin and Ann stared at each other for a moment.
There were dark circles under Ann’s eyes.
“How unfortunate. Nevertheless, isn’t there still a brighter day ahead? Stay strong.”
“…That’s true.”
“Right! Well, I’ll be going. Have a good day.”
Jeong Yusin didn’t hear Ann’s response as he exited the temple.
‘This feels dirty.’
They say the number of misfortunes equals the number of people in the world, and this was a perfect example.
His steps heading toward the orphanage suddenly halted.
“Don’t act like this. Yusin. It’s a foolish thing to do.”
He spoke to himself.
He had lived in a world where an appropriate degree of insensitivity and distrust was considered a virtue. Without virtue, one was called a sucker. With too much virtue, one received the honorable title of “son of a bitch.”
“Fuck. We’ve only met once. What help could I possibly give?”
Darmong came to mind.
He also remembered the warm food he had eaten upon returning to the inn after spending a cold dawn at the shelter.
Turning around, he rushed back to the inn like a madman.
“Darmong!!”
He burst through the inn door and shouted.
Darmong, who was sitting at the counter, raised his head.
“What?”
“Why do you treat me so well? Aren’t we strangers?! Why?”
He yelled loudly. People in the inn dining area fell silent and alternately stared at Jeong Yusin and Darmong.
Darmong rubbed his chin for a moment.
“You asked for help. And I wanted to help you.”
“Is that all?”
“Yes.”
“Ugh!!”
Jeong Yusin’s expression contorted. He turned around, sprinted to the second floor, searched his room for silver coins and then rushed back downstairs.
“Ann, do you know her?”
“You mean the red-haired girl archer we met on our first labyrinth journey?”
“Yes.”
“Is she in a difficult situation? Do you want to help her?”
Darmong assessed Jeong Yusin’s condition with just one glance.
“What should I do? Should I help her?”
“Don’t ask me.”
“…”
“Follow your heart. So you don’t regret it.”
“Understood.”
Jeong Yusin left the inn with a pouch filled with silver coins.
The sudden wind-like departure caused a temporary silence, but soon people began chatting again and the inn returned to its usual state.
The ears of a female in the opposite direction of Darmong twitched.
“Hmm? Do you have a thing for those barbaric types, Darmong?”
“No, Lady Karin.”
Her red tail swayed lightly.
“Really?”
“Yes. I prefer women.”
“Are you serious? You praising a human? That’s something else.”
“People change.”
“Huh? Hmm. Alright. I’ll see you later.”
“Yes. Please take care.”
*
Jeong Yusin sprinted until his eyebrows flapped in the wind, finally arriving at the temple.
He asked the attendant at the desk.
“Where is the red-haired girl who was here earlier?”
“Do you know her?”
The attendant responded.
“I’m a party member.”
“She’s currently in the garden. Go down the right corridor straight ahead.”
Jeong Yusin walked down the corridor and stepped into the garden.
Mari and Ann were sitting together on a long wooden bench.
Mion was also there, but he paid no attention to her.
Jeong Yusin approached quickly.
“Eu.”
Mari, who was tightly hugging a teddy bear, shrank in fear at the sudden appearance of a stranger.
“Scath.”
“Take it.”
Upon seeing the pouch Jeong Yusin handed over, Ann bit her lip.
“…There’s no way. There’s absolutely no reason for you to help us this much from the start?”
“Because I want to help. There’s no other reason. And you need it, right? If it makes you uncomfortable, just consider this the help from an old comrade from our first labyrinth journey.”
For quite some time, they exchanged looks silently.
Finally, Ann chuckled softly, with a faint tear welling up at the corner of her eyes.
“We weren’t strangers from the start, were we?”
That’s right.
“In that case, let’s give it to Mari.”
“Ouu.”
Mari looked curiously at the pouch, tilting her head before tentatively grabbing it with one hand. As Jeong Yusin let go, Mari placed the pouch on her lap and tugged lightly at Ann’s clothes.
“There isn’t much, just five silver coins and about fifty copper coins.”
“…Thank you.”
Ann bowed deeply. Tears dropped on the floor.
Mion gently held Ann’s hand.
“Things are looking up. Ann. We can settle Kael’s funeral expenses and Mari’s treatment costs with this. I’ll cover the rest with my own money.”
“Sniff. Thank you, Officer Mion.”
“Go home today and rest well. You look exhausted.”
“…Understood.”
Jeong Yusin turned around.
“I’ll be going now. I’m late.”
“Haha. Yes. I’ll go soon too, Scath.”
Mion seems warmer today, or is it just my imagination?
“…Thank you, Scath.”
“Alright. Let’s meet from time to time.”
He waved his hand in response to Ann’s gratitude and turned to leave the garden.
He arrived at the classroom on the first floor of the orphanage and took his seat.
“Today the teacher is late.”
“If it’s Officer Mion, that would be great.”
“Right. Officer Mion is like a kind older sister. She smells good when you’re next to her.”
“By any chance, did that Barbaroy do something to the teacher?”
“Ah…no way?”
The parentless children were gossiping about Jeong Yusin.
Some older kids glared and subtly rose from their seats.
“What are you going to do if you stand up? Sit down. The teacher will be here soon.”
With Jeong Yusin’s words, the children sat back down.
Only the boy with brown hair remained standing.
“You! What did you do to the teacher?!”
The classroom fell silent, and everyone’s gaze turned to him.
“I didn’t do anything.”
“Then why isn’t she here?! You’re a Barbaroy, so you must have done something for sure!”
“Right. Right.”
“Woo!! Bad Barbaroy!”
Hearing the baseless accusations from the boys and girls, a strong urge to have a calm and wise moment hit him.
‘You guys are really pure.’
Jeong Yusin gestured at the brown-haired boy.
“Exactly what crime have I committed against Officer Mion? Speak concretely.”
“T…that…”
The boy’s face turned red.
The children supported Jeong Yusin’s words.
“Right. John, speak up! Tell everyone the terrible things this Barbaroy has done confidently!”
“Right!”
John hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke.
“T…that’s right! You Barbaroy! You molested Officer Mion’s chest, didn’t you?!”
“Huh.”
Everyone next to John trembled at his shameless words.
“T…that’s not all! You kissed her with a ‘chu’ sound and even did the tongue thing, right? We know everything!”
“Eek.”
The girls glared with cold stares at John.
Jeong Yusin crossed his arms and looked at John.
‘Is this what you get for one silver piece from the Noemmi Academy?’
“And you sniffed Officer Mion’s neck and went ‘hmm hmm!’ Isn’t that right, you bad Barbaroy?!”
John looked around for agreement, but the classroom atmosphere had grown cold and heavy.
“Hmm?”
A deep voice came from behind John.
John’s body stiffened suddenly.
Clumsily turning around, John said,
“W…whee! Te…Teacher.”
“So, John, you were looking at me that way, huh?”
It was only then that Jeong Yusin saw Mion’s eye color. They were cold and serious yet unmistakably golden. This lasted only for a moment before Mion closed her eyes gently.
“John.”
“Ye…yes? Teacher.”
“Write 50 pages of a reflection essay by the end of today.”
John’s face turned dark with despair.
“Ye…yes.”
“Apologize to Mr. Scath.”
“Ye…yes.”
John bowed to Jeong Yusin.
“I’m sorry, uncle.”
“It’s fine. At your age, it’s the storm and stress period. I understand.”
The heavy atmosphere lightened slightly.
“Alright, let’s start class, shall we?”
“Yes! Teacher!”
30 minutes had passed since the start of class.
A single drop of sweat rolled down Jeong Yusin’s forehead.
‘Even I went through the storm and stress period.’
