Chapter 1: Do You Admit Your Guilt? I Admit You’re a Fool!
Barbaroy.
Unthinkable brats.
They appeared out of nowhere, encouraging people to have sex, and now they were demanding that we find them “holes.”
“Crazy bastards.”
Why were they doing this?
For any civilization to form, there must be basic decorum and the rule of law when people coexist. But such things didn’t exist for the Barbaroys. It seemed like all they cared about was finding a hole to penetrate. That was all that mattered to them.
No wonder they were called savages.
Could they act this freely even in the city?
Jeong Yusin’s expression turned grim.
“Do these people even have their minds straight? If I understand correctly, they’re saying they’ll replace city guards in exchange for us giving them people. Are we just going to sit idly by and watch this happen?”
Ursula brushed her hair behind her ear.
“They’re strong, so you already know they could pose a big challenge. One of them flicked their finger lightly, and it was enough to break a mid-tier Explorer’s sword. Don’t you have a clue why no one would want to deal with the trouble of kicking them out in the city?”
“I know they’re strong. But people are suffering because of this, aren’t they? If it continues like this, who will stay in this city…?”
Ursula’s expression hardened slightly.
“Let’s leave it at that. You’ve barely reached the edge of mid-tier Explorer level and you’re already trying to dive too deep.”
“I, on the other hand, think we’re lucky they’re acting this way.”
After hearing Ashur’s words, Jeong Yusin’s mouth dropped open.
“…What do you mean?”
“Hmph. You’re a mid-tier Explorer now, so you should know at the very least.”
Ashur sighed heavily before continuing.
“There are several clans made up of demons in the Eastern Sector. One of the large ones is called ‘Pandemonium.’ Their goal, in short, could be to create a world where demons can live freely.”
“Sir Ashur, let’s correct that. It’s not demons but humans who have demon marks, right?”
Ursula interjected.
“Yes, my mistake. Let me explain why these clans are even formed. In the Eastern Sector, there are demons we consider ‘good’ and some we consider ‘bad.’ Of course, the standard depends on whether they are helpful or harmful to humans.”
Suddenly talking about “good” and “bad” demons didn’t make much sense.
“Explain it more simply, please.”
“Listen further. Let me give you an example – say there’s a spider-demon called Arachne. This demon can produce delicate silk, which becomes premium material for clothing. That’s a benefit. Slimes too, they’re currently working hard cleaning the city’s sewers.”
“On the other hand, take the case of the Basilisk. It constantly spews poison from its mouth and has the ability to petrify with just a glance. It prefers the depths of the underground and never sees sunlight.”
As Ashur explained, one question came to mind.
“Can’t you just remove the marks?”
“Yes, but do they have the money? They have no way to earn it. And would they even want their demon marks removed? That’s a different issue, so let’s skip it for now.”
“…”
“Do you know what happens when a human is treated unfairly and left alone in the dark?”
“…”
“Anger builds up; can it be released? No, because there’s no one who truly understands or communicates with these demons. Eventually, it explodes. And does it stop there? No. They want to vent and show their feelings. Why? Because that’s human nature. Now, let’s go back to the story of a person marked by Basilisk. If you were that Basilisk, you’d have three choices: keep living like this, fight for your freedom, or release your anger? Pandemonium is a group of people who wish to seize freedom through their anger. And here’s where Barbaroys get involved. They’re truly devious individuals.”
“No way…”
“Yes. There’s a possibility they could join forces with Pandemonium.”
The more he listened, the more confused Jeong Yusin became.
“Just a moment. Are there no people capable of stopping the demons in that Eastern Sector? It seems to be almost under complete control by them.”
“Several people are coming together to suppress them. Ingrid and Luke are leading it, and Simuth is also involved. But their numbers aren’t enough.”
Ashur paused, then sighed deeply again.
“Also, one member of the Labyrinth City Council is Liris, known as the Demon Queen.”
What?
Is a demon part of the Labyrinth City Council?
That was hard to comprehend.
“How can those wicked ones even be on the council? It sounds completely absurd.”
“Scath! Be careful what you say.”
Ashur’s eyes turned cold for a moment.
“They’re humans with demon marks. We need someone to control the Eastern Sector, and Liris, as the queen, is relatively moderate.”
“I apologize.”
He realized he’d made a mistake.
The Barbaroys’ offer had been so shocking that his mind wasn’t processing things clearly.
‘Too agitated. Need to calm down.’
Jeong Yusin steadied his mind and tried to analyze the current situation.
The Labyrinth City was currently in a delicate balance of power. And the Barbaroys? They were crossing boundaries, doing whatever pleased them.
Now, he needed to carefully consider their offer.
The lawless Barbaroys of the Labyrinth City.
Their love for holes was almost incomprehensible, lacking any sense of compassion.
Sure, they probably got tired of constant mating. Perhaps they were just looking for something new.
“I get it.”
He remembered some friends who got excited watching adulterous manga with titles like “You’re piled up.”
‘The world is vast, and tastes run deep.’
Hmm.
Was it just a joke?
Given their wild nature, grabbing anyone and thrusting might even count as a “soft” joke.
But how could it be a joke when it felt like human trafficking?
Jeong Yusin couldn’t find any reason to happily accept their games, even if Barbaroys thought it was mere fun.
‘What kind of people are they really?’
A headache was starting, and no matter how much he thought about it, no clear reason came to mind.
If he were stronger, he wouldn’t even have to think about it. He could just obliterate them.
But when Jeong Yusin’s eyes flashed, an idea hit him.
Could it be…
Culture?
Perhaps Barbaroys had their own distinct culture, one that Jeong Yusin didn’t understand. They must see a special meaning in choosing whatever “hole” they desired.
Maybe it’s similar to the Korean tradition of doljabi, where a baby is presented with various items on their first birthday, and the item they pick foretells their future.
‘Hmm. Time to widen my perspective.’
The world was full of different cultures. In some societies, an 8-day-old infant’s foreskin was cut off as part of a long-standing tradition.
There were stranger customs, but they didn’t shake him.
‘But still, cutting off a baby’s foreskin? That’s a bit too much, isn’t it?’
‘Ah, my head.’
Jeong Yusin grabbed his head. There was no need to complicate things.
“Can’t we just reject it?”
“Our thoughts exactly.”
“Right.”
Ursula and Sorjin agreed, nodding their heads.
Jeong Yusin slouched in his chair.
“So, what’s the point of this offer, then?”
“They targeted you, so they probably are just here to meet you.”
Sorjin replied in a teasing tone.
‘Something feels off.’
It seemed they were trying to gauge what he thought.
Honestly, everyone here was testing him in some way.
It felt like he was stuck on a tightrope right before the festival.
Then, someone softly grabbed his hand under the table, their touch warm and gentle.
It was Mion.
“Sir Scath, please don’t worry too much. I understand your feelings.”
Mion smiled.
Jeong Yusin nodded.
“Thank you.”
The merchant faction leader Sorjin stood up.
“Let’s call it a day. We have a lot to do for the festival preparations.”
“Ashur, I’ll visit when the Explorer’s certificate is ready in a few days.”
“See you later.”
“Understood. Have a good day.”
One by one, the people left, and only one person stayed behind.
Ashur, the Guildmaster of the Sword Guild.
“How are you, Scath?”
“busy with festival preparations.”
“You went through a close call again, huh?”
“I survived thanks to the Deer Centaur. If he hadn’t come when he did, it could’ve ended badly. But… how did you know?”
“How do you think?”
“Simon. The Giant Spider you fought used to be part of our sword guild. He was my student, so it was my responsibility.”
“…”
“His real name was Simon. He was a human boy from the Lionel Kingdom in the south, around 16 years old. He’d be your age now, I guess.”
“Living underground in the Eastern Sector, Simon went mad. If he went outside to find freedom, he would’ve been chased and killed. So, he retreated further into the labyrinth. It happened when Ingrid was sick. I heard he went in with some friends. Some died, but Simon survived with some injuries.”
“But can’t demons already freely enter the labyrinth?”
“You’re right. Anyone can come and go freely. But Simon killed a priest. That’s a capital offense. So I asked the Deer Centaur to chase him.”
‘Shit.’
This tasted bitter, but it was all for survival. No compromise would’ve worked.
“Still, it feels coincidental, doesn’t it? Meeting in such a vast area.”
Ashur smirked.
“You always seem to find yourself in life-or-death situations. Don’t you think it’s time to accept it?”
“What?”
“Something tells me you carry bad luck.”
Jeong Yusin frowned.
What kind of rude comment was that?
“Did you get dementia or something?”
“This brat!”
Ashur glared at Jeong Yusin before standing up.
“Will you go straight into the labyrinth right after the festival?”
“Yes.”
“Stop by before you go.”
“Yes, sir! Oh, by the way…”
Jeong Yusin explained the death-deferral mark he’d obtained.
“…Is there any possibility that a death-deferral mark could go well with the Revenger mark? Delaying death and then coming back fully recovered to continue fighting, for example.”
Jeong Yusin demonstrated excitedly with gestures, and Ashur tilted his head.
“As far as I know, there’s no one who’s had both marks at the same time. But I’ll check. Just in case.”
“Thank you, Master.”
“It’ll cost you.”
“Guildmaster, do we really have to bring up money? We’re a bond of honor, aren’t we?”
“It’s one gold coin.”
“Guildmaster, isn’t this how business is ruined?”
“Fine, I’ll charge you thirty silver coins.”
“Thank you, Master.”
“I’ll go now. Take care of yourself.”
“Understood.”
Ashur tapped Jeong Yusin on the shoulder and turned to leave the inn.
Jeong Yusin saw Ashur off to the inn entrance and returned. Delnaco was waiting at the counter.
“Delnaco.”
“Sir.”
“Can you lend me some money?”
“…Alright.”
“Cheer up. I’ll definitely pay you back. I spent too much preparing for the festival. You know I always keep my promises.”
“Of course.”
“Alright, let’s get to work.”
Jeong Yusin firmly grabbed Delnaco’s shoulder and they headed into the kitchen.
For a few days, Jeong Yusin and his companions worked tirelessly preparing for the festival.
And…
The Blue Moon Festival was now just one day away.
