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Chapter 174 Choice (2)
Chapter 174 Choice (2)
Chapter 174 Choice (2)
Choice (2)
Choice (2)
Respect for elders.
It's one of the Five Confucian Relationships, signifying that there's an order between adults and children.
But when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
'This is a world where age doesn't matter.'
Lafdonia is a city where order is determined by the power each individual possesses. It's a world of survival of the fittest.
In short, respect for the strong.
Only strength and weakness determine the hierarchy.
And according to that law, there's zero reason for me to hold back right now."...A fledgling acting out of line."
"You want to get beaten up by a fledgling?"
The atmosphere turns hostile in an instant as I slowly get up.
"What?"
The blond, tanned man looks flustered, as if it's his first time experiencing this.
The bear-like man subtly places his hand on my arm.
"Yandel."
It's a sign for me to stop.
The blond, tanned man, who was cowering, regains his arrogant smile.
"Why don't you listen to your companion? I'll let it slide if you kneel and apologize now."
What is this guy talking about?
I just challenge him to a duel.
"Enough, let's duel."
It's the only means of personal conflict allowed in the city.
If we agree and have a proper duel in the presence of a notary, it's not classified as violence.
Although it would be troublesome if I kill him.
Well, I can just control my strength.
"...Duel? Do you even know what that means?"
"What do you mean, meaning? I just want to smash your head."
"You're insane..."
The blond, tanned man looks confused, as if it's his first time encountering such a barbaric explorer.
Well, he wouldn't have expected to be challenged to a duel at a gathering where he came to show off.
"What are you thinking so hard about? Are you scared of getting beaten up by a fledgling?"
"...There's no need for me to deal with a lunatic."
The blond, tanned man scoffs and gets up from his seat.
Right, so he's going with that tactic.
To pretend he won't stoop to the level of a lunatic.
The solution is simple.
"You're scared."
Veins pop up on the blond, tanned man's forehead at my single word.
But he doesn't want to talk to me, does he?
He takes it out on Derbes, who's next to him.
"Pepe, you should be more selective about who you invite. If you associate with barbarians like this, your level will also drop."
Derbes doesn't answer.
No, to be precise, he doesn't even have time to answer.
The blond, tanned man turns his back and walks towards the exit after saying what he wanted to say.
Thud, thud.
His back is straight, and his gait is confident.
But I can tell that he's feeling shame and humiliation in this situation.
"Avman, do you see? His face is red."
"Right, it seems like he knows shame."
Even the bear-like man, who was trying to stop me at first, doesn't hesitate to join in and mock him.
It's the mindset of enjoying it since he couldn't avoid it.
It's a very desirable attitude for my companion.
However, could it be that he can't just endure this insult?
Thud.
The blond, tanned man's feet stop in front of the exit.
"Oh, he stopped. Is he accepting the duel?"
"There's no way. He's just a kid who can't do anything without his clan's name."
The blond, tanned man turns his head and looks at me.
He glares at me as if daring me to say something, and he grits his teeth and mutters,
"Barbarian, you're acting all high and mighty just because you got lucky and gained some fame."
"Yeah, so?"
"You won't be able to go above the 5th floor with that attitude."
I can't help but laugh genuinely.
Does he think he's something special?
"That's funny."
I say as I slowly walk towards him.
"I don't know how many years you've been an explorer, but you're a pathetic bastard who's scared of someone who hasn't even been an explorer for a year. You can't even hunt on the 5th floor without your clan, and you'll probably spend the rest of your life on the 5th floor, picking up scraps like a salaryman."
And...
"I reached the 5th floor in 8 months. Unlike someone, I even have a title, and I formed a team myself to go higher. I'm already recognized for my potential within the barbarian tribe and am even being considered as a successor."
I stand in front of him and pat him on the shoulder.
"So, who do you think will be on the higher floors in a few years?"
The blond, tanned man can't say anything.
As expected of a human male with an average height of 170 centimeters, he just looks up at me.
I kindly bend down and lower my face.
And I whisper in his ear,
"Now get lost. Whether you join a clan or not is your business."
I open the door for him, and he walks out blankly.
Bang.
I close the door immediately.
I turn around, and everyone is looking at me.
I return to my seat and say casually,
"Well, I took care of the problem, so let's just continue drinking."
Strangely, no one answers.
"......"
Geez, how embarrassing.
Have they never seen a barbarian who resolves things through conversation?
___________________
The silence was short-lived.
We clink glasses and resume our conversation as the shock from the sudden incident subsides.
The main topic is, of course, Jack Johnsonville.
The guy who ran away like a coward.
"Hahaha, did you see the look on his face when I challenged him to a duel? He'll probably never forget it."
Surprisingly, no one criticizes me.
Well, even I found him annoying when I first saw him, so they must have felt even worse.
"But why did you keep putting up with him?"
"He was sharing information that you wouldn't know unless you were a member of a clan, even though he was acting all high and mighty."
Hmm, so he was useful in the sense that he was loose-lipped.
Then I feel a bit sorry for him.
"Don't worry too much about it. We weren't really accepting him lately, so he was coming less often. He probably moved on to another group."
"If that's the case..."
"Ah, and one more thing. You don't have to worry about him at all. He's just a low-ranking member of the clan, so he wouldn't even dream of retaliating against you."
"Haha, Pepe, does it matter if he's a low-ranking member? With his personality, he'll probably just suffer in silence because he's too embarrassed to tell his superiors."
"Hmm, you're right. Well, even if he did tell them, they would just call him an idiot."
It's a clean resolution.
As expected, not holding back was the right answer.
'In the first place, even if the clan retaliated, what could they do?'
Ambush us in the labyrinth?
If a large clan did something like that and got caught, they would be punished severely. They would never do something that crosses the line for a mere low-ranking member.
'The most they could do is control our experience points.'
They could prevent us from gaining experience points in a certain area.
If it were just one area, it might be different, but 5th-floor clans have close relationships with each other.
Therefore, if we were blacklisted, there would be huge restrictions on our leveling.
Ah, of course, that doesn't apply to me.
I never intended to pay for experience points in the first place.
Why would I pay when I can just hunt inside the mirror?
"Alright, let's drink!"
The conversation about the blond, tanned man gradually fades as the drinking party continues.
The main topic that replaces him is the Noark subjugation.
"Bjorn, your team isn't participating?"
"Yeah, I have a bad feeling about it. Derbes, what about you?"
"We've already decided to participate. It's dangerous in the labyrinth too, isn't it?"
"I see."
"Most of the people here will probably be the same. The reward is quite tempting. It's worth over a year's worth of exploration."
"I wish you a safe return."
"Haha, thanks."
I don't add any comments about their choice.
There's no one here with less experience as an explorer than me.
And it would be rude to give unsolicited advice.
Even barbarians have to know their place.
"Well, it's getting late. Let's disband. Avman, you should go home before your wife gets angry."
"...It's fine, I told her I'm going with Yandel."
"Oh? It seems like your wife likes this friend."
The gathering ends after 2:00 AM.
Although people started leaving one by one with excuses, I stayed until the end.
"Are you coming next time?"
"If you invite me."
"Okay, then I'll let you know through Avman."
I couldn't get any useful information right away.
I was able to get a glimpse into the mindset and common sense of ordinary explorers, but that was all.
But I'm planning to attend again next time.
Assuming they return alive.
I'm curious about how the subjugation turned out.
"Keuh, it's been a while since I had a good drink!"
The cool night air hits my skin as we step out onto the street.
It was early spring when I first came here.
Autumn is almost over now.
"Let's go."
"Haha! Right, let's go!"
The bear-like man is much more energized than usual, perhaps because he practically chugged his drinks.
Honestly, it's strange that he's even standing properly, considering how much he drank, but his mind seems clear.
Well, he won't be able to find his way home, though.
'I feel like I've gotten closer to this man.'
Since the carriages have stopped running, I walk him all the way home to the 7th district.
"Thank you for walking me home. Would you like to come in and rest for a bit? I have something that's perfect for hangovers."
The bear-like man's wife is very kind to me, perhaps because they made a lot of money from this expedition. I head home after being treated to warm honey water.
'Home...'
I've gotten used to calling it that.
Clack.
As I open the locked door, the door to the room next to mine also opens.
Room 207.
It's Misha's room.
"Hmm, you're back?"
"Ah, you were awake?"
"Why are you so late? What's with the smell of alcohol?"
I briefly tell her about attending the gathering with the bear-like man, standing in the hallway.
"So, you went there... Good work. You finally seem like a real leader."
It's a world where this kind of socializing is also part of an explorer's job.
Misha pats my shoulder, saying I worked hard.
"But what's with the paper bag in your hand?"
"There was a night market on the way, so I bought some candied apple skewers."
"Huh? You don't really like those, do you?"
"Don't you two like them?"
Misha chuckles at my words.
"Nyaha, you're like a dad."
Misha then takes a skewer from the bag, puts it in her mouth, and enters her room.
I'll give the rest to Ainar tomorrow.
Clack.
I put the bag on the table and roughly wash up.
The slightly faded intoxication and the cool night air blowing in through the window.
'Not bad.'
It was a day that made me think that more often.
___________________
After the gathering...
...my daily life became a bit busier.
You have to upgrade when you have money, right?
"Ainar, go to the sanctuary and get your engraving."
"I don't have money."
"I'll lend it to you."
"...Th, thank you!!"
Ainar, who acted like she had received free money when she first borrowed money, gradually realized the weight of debt as the amount increased.
"When will I be able to earn money!!"
Well, maybe in a year?
Actually, I'm planning to decide on how to spend the big money after that too.
Anyway, it took three days to get the 3rd-stage engraving.
"You seem fine. Wasn't it painful?"
"It was!"
"But?"
"It's natural for a warrior to endure pain to become stronger!"
Uh, right... I see.
As expected, barbarians have a different mindset from ordinary people.
For reference, the engraving Ainar received is 'Slayer'.
It's a typical warrior engraving that provides bonuses to various combat stats.
She chose [Devour] as her 3rd-stage engraving skill.
It's a passive skill that recovers a certain amount of Soul Power when you kill a monster.
'Let's just get the 3rd stage for now and then upgrade it to the 6th stage in one go when we have money.'
Ah, Misha also grew during that time.
Did she feel a bit pressured seeing Ainar becoming stronger at a terrifying speed? Misha spent most of the money she earned on 'Beast's Blood'.
And as a result...
"Bjorn!! I finally did it!"
...she finally achieved her first Spirit Beast awakening.
The new ability she obtained is [Blessing of the Glacier].
It's an OP ability that halves the resource consumption cost when using cold-related skills or items.
'I can't believe this ability appeared before that sword...'
Could it be a reward for her past hardships?
Things have been going smoothly since we arrived on the 5th floor.
"But are you going to keep using that equipment?"
"It's enough for the 5th floor."
It's not like I haven't spent any money either.
I sold the expandable backpack I was using and used almost all the money I had to buy a subspace ring.
It's funny how the human mind works, but I started to feel uncomfortable with the expandable backpack.
'I'm going to change it later anyway, so it's better to buy it now.'
A personal backpack is essential in the labyrinth.
You never know when you might get separated from the team, right?
And most importantly, you can store fresh food in a subspace pocket.
'It's a world where you can do anything with money.'
I reaffirm my resolve to earn a lot of money and prepare to go out.
It's because I have an appointment with Rotmiller.
"Fortunately, you're on time today."
"I'm a navigator now."
"Huhu, I like your attitude."
I've been meeting with Rotmiller every day for the past few days, receiving navigator lessons.
Of course, it's not free.
Just like medieval blacksmiths and other professionals, asking them to teach you these skills for free is practically stealing.
I'm paying a hefty tuition fee every day.
"I haven't been to the 5th floor myself, so I can't tell you much about it. But I've studied a lot about it, so I can at least give you some advice. Ah, learning mapmaking will also be very helpful."
Basic knowledge for a scout.
And a few skills, know-how that only someone with experience can teach, special training to improve your sense of direction, and so on.
I'm gradually learning everything Rotmiller has systematized through years of effort.
"...Teaching you like this makes me think that it wouldn't be bad to open a training center."
"That's a good idea. I'm sure everyone would flock to learn from you."
"Haha, you flatter me..."
After the lesson with Rotmiller, I return to the inn and have dinner with everyone.
Ah, Erwen is also with us today.
"How do you always know we're here? We might have been out."
"Hmm... I just knew, I guess. A fairy's intuition?"
"Hmph, intuition my ass. You just keep coming until you find us."
"Misha is right! You liar!!"
"...Both of you, stop it."
Both of them become curt whenever Erwen is around.
It's understandable.
Barbarians naturally dislike fairies, and Misha just dislikes fairies.
'I wish they would get along since she might become our companion...'
Am I expecting too much?
'Maybe I should reconsider adding Erwen to the team.'
I also hear about Erwen's recent situation while we're eating.
It seems like her sister decided to have her join a clan she knows as a mercenary for a few months.
She said she'll be hunting on the 5th floor from now on.
Geez, the life of a rich kid.
"Then I'll be going! See you next week!"
After dinner, I go up to my room, wash up, and rest.
Although it's late, I don't sleep.
?The character's soul resonates and is drawn to a specific world.?
Because it's that day.