“Barbaroy?”
A bearkin seated at the counter spoke.
“Is there an empty room?”
Jeong Yusin asked with great hope.
“There is.”
The bearkin rose from his seat. He was several times larger than the bearkin guard captain Jeong Yusin had seen at the city gate. He approached leisurely, resembling a massive clump of fur rolling toward Jeong Yusin.
Jeong Yusin took a small step back.
“How much is it?”
“Five copper pieces. Breakfast included.”
Jeong Yusin took out five copper coins from his bag and handed them to the bearkin.
“Hold on.”
The bearkin raised an arm to stop him.
“What?”
Just as Jeong Yusin was about to blurt out that he was a good Barbaroy who didn’t commit rapes—
“There’s one rule you must follow here.”
Jeong Yusin gulped. The seriousness in the giant ball of fur’s expression made him unusually tense.
“What is that?”
“Do not complain if any fur gets into your food or bedding.”
Indeed.
Until now, most innkeepers he’d encountered were human. Dwarves were often seen running inns, but bearkins were extremely rare. At least, he’d never encountered a bearkin with such fluffy fur.
“Understood. Here are five copper pieces.”
Only then did the bearkin accept the coins and hand over a key.
“The third room on the right, second floor.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Gratitude welled up spontaneously, as if he’d found light in the darkness.
Climbing to the second floor, Jeong Yusin opened the door. There was merely a bed, a desk, and a chair sitting alone in the dimly lit room, devoid of any lighting fixtures.
Jeong Yusin unpacked his belongings, shedding his leather armor which reeked of sweat from a long journey.
“Phew.”
Taking out his waterskin, he wet a cloth with water, wiped his body, and then lay down on the bed.
“Ah, finally.”
Was this the start?
Tomorrow, he’d head to the Explorer’s Guild to obtain a labyrinth exploration license, purchase the necessary equipment, and dive into the labyrinth.
His heart raced with excitement.
It was rumored that one could acquire “engraving” upon entering the labyrinth, albeit with a low probability. If fortune smiled upon him, he might gain power quickly.
His desire for strength had grown ever since arriving in this world.
Perhaps it was due to always being pushed around. He instinctively sensed that if he continued to stumble around, his choices would eventually dwindle, leading to his ultimate demise.
With a mixture of anticipation and determination, Jeong Yusin fell asleep.
“Wow, it’s enormous.”
Jeong Yusin marveled at the overwhelming grandeur of the massive building.
The Explorer’s Guild.
Constructed of white marble, the building resembled a temple.
He was glad to have risen early, realizing he didn’t need to ask for directions—simply following the crowd carrying their gear would lead him there.
Entering the building, dozens of counters filled the space, with equally many guild members working efficiently. Jeong Yusin lined up behind the long queue, which quickly shortened as the guild members worked diligently.
“May I help you?”
It was Jeong Yusin’s turn. The female guild member greeted him with a smile, not even pausing to wipe the sweat from her brow.
“I’m here to apply for an exploration license.”
“Is this your first time?”
“Yes.”
The woman raised her hand and pointed left.
“Go to the farthest left counter. New explorers obtain their licenses there. And by the way, this counter is for intermediate explorers only, so please be mindful of that moving forward. Have a great day!”
“Yes.”
Jeong Yusin headed to the relatively quiet far-left counter and got in line.
“May I help you?”
It was finally his turn.
“I’m here to apply for an exploration license.”
“Alright. Ten silver pieces, please.”
“Here they are.”
Jeong Yusin handed over the silver coins.
“Thank you. Now, can you read and write?”
“No, I can’t.”
“Please provide some basic personal details verbally, and I’ll fill out the paperwork for you.”
Ah, here we go.
If he were honest and said he was abruptly dropped into this world, would they believe him?
Or would they report him to the guards, thinking him mad?
He didn’t want to take that chance. Even if they believed he was from this world, it was problematic.
Would the explorers who delve deep into the labyrinths and uncover mysteries easily dismiss someone claiming to be from another world?
He didn’t know.
Still, he had to imagine the worst. At least until he grew strong enough to protect himself, it seemed safest to conceal his origin. Fortunately, a fitting identity came to mind just in time.
Jeong Yusin opened his mouth.
A Barbaroy who had lived their entire life in an unnamed village in the north…
The receptionist nodded.
“Lastly, please provide a name. Oh! Of course, a pseudonym is also acceptable. But this is Barbaroy-exclusive.”
“Why must I use a pseudonym?”
While Jeong Yusin wasn’t ashamed of his real name, it seemed necessary to reduce suspicion. A few pseudonyms crossed his mind.
However, the receptionist’s suggestion of a pseudonym caught him off guard.
The receptionist’s face paled at Jeong Yusin’s question.
“Well, I don’t know everything about Barbaroy culture… but I do know that Barbaroy share their true names only with lifelong companions or close friends.”
“Ah.”
Jeong Yusin began to piece things together in his mind.
Among the Barbaroy, engaging in the “hunting” of females to “immerse them in semen” was considered a form of entertainment. Revealing one’s name to a woman amounted to a Barbaroy declaration: a promise to unconditionally turn her into a lifelong sexual partner through any means necessary, essentially a marriage proposal combined with a sexual threat.
In essence, it was an outright declaration of rape.
“Eh…”
Jeong Yusin felt faint as his lips turned dry. After licking his lips, the receptionist’s face grew even paler.
“I have a boyfriend!”
Wanting to avoid further argument, Jeong Yusin quickly stated his pseudonym.
“Alright, my pseudonym will be Scath.”
“Scath. That’s a good name.”
Trembling slightly, the receptionist hastily filled out the documents.
After completing the registration, the receptionist handed over a small iron badge engraved with some characters, though unreadable to Jeong Yusin. It was likely his pseudonym.
“Each time you don’t have to visit the Exploration Guild headquarters, as there are guild branches located all over the city. The main headquarters pays higher fees but is more convenient for new explorers. However, since most visitors are mid-level or high-ranked explorer parties, newcomers often get neglected.”
The receptionist quickly concluded.
“Understood.”
Jeong Yusin nodded as he left the Exploration Guild headquarters.
Despite the situation, he felt a sense of accomplishment having completed such an important task.
“Now, I just need to prepare the equipment and supplies.”
He had only a few copper pieces and two silver coins left in his pouch, but it seemed sufficient. He already possessed the Hard Leather Armor from the Slave Hunter and only needed to acquire a sword and shield. The shield had been confiscated by the guard captain yesterday.
However, this expectation was soon dashed.
“Five silver pieces for this?”
Upon Jeong Yusin’s question, the dwarf’s expression clouded.
“Yup. This is the cheapest Long Sword we have. And the shield costs three silver pieces.”
The dwarf pointed to a round wooden shield.
Eight silver coins? That meant he would need a total of 800 copper pieces since 100 copper pieces equaled one silver coin.
Jeong Yusin let out a hollow laugh, feeling utterly defeated.
“What’s so funny? Barbaroy, how much is your budget?”
“Two silver coins.”
“Get lost. Kaak tuuk!”
After visiting several blacksmiths, Jeong Yusin realized the prices were all similar.
Dejected, Jeong Yusin trudged back to the inn.
The inn smelled delicious, probably serving lunch around this time.
The bearkin was seated at the counter.
“Lunch costs two copper pieces.”
“Do you need any workers?”
“Having a Barbaroy in my inn is like trusting a cat to guard fish. Are you trying to make money off courting women? You have no shame? Get lost.”
Despite the bearkin’s response, Jeong Yusin calmly explained his situation, asking for help. To explore the labyrinth, he needed to buy a sword and shield but couldn’t afford them, thus needing a job. Anywhere would do.
The bearkin crossed his arms after hearing Jeong Yusin’s plea.
“And why should I trust you?”
“Here’s my fresh Exploration Guild license. Is that not sufficient as collateral?”
Jeong Yusin pulled out the small iron badge and handed it over.
The bearkin examined the badge.
“Do you, Scath, know the meaning of handing over an Explorer badge?”
“I am new, so I’m not sure.”
The bearkin clicked his tongue and slipped the badge into his own pocket. Jeong Yusin felt a chill run down his spine at the gesture.
“Sir, perhaps loaning my Explorer badge was reckless. Could you return it, please?”
“I’ll find you a job. Eat lunch first. And my name is Darmong.”
Darmong.
Though it was a strangely cute name for the large, fluffy bearkin, it lost that charm when the man outright ignored Jeong Yusin’s request for his badge back and moved on.
The free lunch Darmong provided was delicious, even with some fur mixed in. Jeong Yusin ate it like he would a fish bone, carefully separating it out.
The job came faster than expected. The next morning, Darmong called Jeong Yusin.
“Demon Disassembly Site?”
“Yes.”
“Alright.”
Darmong’s eyebrows twitched slightly upon seeing Jeong Yusin comply without question.
“It’s tough work.”
“Don’t worry. How tough could it be?”
“I’ve never been worried. Don’t cry and complain later.”
“Can I quit if I cry?”
“No.”
At Darmong’s firm denial, Jeong Yusin forced a hollow laugh.
An ominous feeling crept up his spine, but he ignored it.
“Can you read?”
“No.”
Darmong scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it over.
It was a map of Labyrinth City.
The circled location was at the far west, on the outskirts of the city.
“Here’s where it’s marked, so follow this map. The Demon Disassembly Site smells strongly of blood, so you’ll recognize it easily when you’re close. Tell the supervisor I sent you, and he’ll understand.”
“Thank you.”
“You can thank me later.”
Jeong Yusin left the inn, making his way toward the Demon Disassembly Site based on Darmong’s directions. Sure enough, in the far west, there stood a large building at the edge of the city, emanating a strong smell of blood.
A building made of red bricks.
He immediately recognized it.
People unfamiliar with these animal carcasses were loading them onto carts and heading toward the building.
Jeong Yusin followed them inside. The inside was bustling with the sounds of workers.
“Excuse me, where can I find the supervisor of this disassembly site?”
He asked a passing dwarf.
“Are you a new hire?”
“Yes.”
“Newbie!? Supervisor, we’ve got a newbie!”
Suddenly, the dwarf shouted, silencing the area. Intense stares could be felt all around.
“You’re a newbie?”
“Uh… probably just a field trip or something. Probably.”
Whispers rippled through the crowd. A few people began edging closer.
Jeong Yusin felt increasingly uncomfortable and took a step back.
Thud!
His foot stopped moving when he realized a dwarf had forcefully grabbed his leg.
“Supervisor!”
“I’m coming. I heard.”
A worker nearby stepped forward, answering calmly.
An elf man, wearing a blood-soaked work uniform, approached. A black eye patch covered his left eye, and his casual yet degenerate demeanor radiated a dissolute charm.
The elf ran a bloody hand through his golden hair.
“Are you the one Different sent?”
“Yes.”
“Alright. Rookie training is handled by Malon. You take it from here.”
“Yes, sir!”
The dwarf who had a firm grip on Jeong Yusin’s leg answered firmly.
The elf turned and said,
“If you plan to run away after one day, do so now.”
“Yes.”
“Ah! That was a joke. You can’t leave. You were recommended to me by Darmong, and I trust him, which is why I accepted you. If you leave, it’ll make it hard to trust Darmong. Please honor my trust, Barbaroy.”
This trust feels way too heavy.
Jeong Yusin had merely asked for a job, but it felt like being inducted into some kind of martial arts school.
“Haha! Though Supervisor says harsh words, he’s actually a kind person. Come on, newbie.”
‘What are the chances I’ll die?’
Jeong Yusin thought to himself while following the dwarf to the locker room.
