Inside a palace located deep in Noark Fortress, a man was talking to someone through a crystal ball. «Amelia Rainwales. Have you found the explorer?»
«Not yet, my lord».
«Ya veo... »
This was the first regular report since the city's closure. It was natural that there would be no results yet, but still the lord of the castle fell into silence.
He received more sad news. «But, I have one more thing to tell you».
«What thing? Tell me.»
«The palace is said to be distributing specially manufactured identification tags to explorers starting this month».
«...Is it a magical device?»
«Sí.»
«Explain it in detail. Surely you already have more information about it».
The lord of the castle heard Amelia's information about the identification tags that were scheduled to be distributed throughout the palace. The more I listened, the darker the content became. The identification tags had been designed by the palace wizard.
«It will take us at least several months to get something similar».
«Yes, I think so too».
«Thanks for letting me know. Don't worry about us and focus on your mission. Until next month».
After that, the castle lord closed his eyes and fell into deep thoughts. A lot of time passed like this.
«Ah, you are here». After calling the quaestor, the castle lord first confirmed Noark's financial situation. To be precise, he asked this question. «Quaestor, how long can we last without entering the maze?»
«Three months, if the situation continues as it is now».
After the aftermath of the battle, the situation was not good. However, there had never been a time when they were ahead of the other side, and therefore this was familiar. It was also what their ancestors had done.
«What if we go hungry and resist? How long can we last then?»
«... Maybe twice that length.»
«I see.» The castle lord nodded briefly. Then he called his advisor and ordered him: «Until he gives orders, seal the maze and make sure no one can enter».
«...The reaction will be severe. Can we know the duration?»
The lord of the castle replied firmly: «At least until we can copy the identification labels made by the palace». If they entered earlier, they would surely be condemned to a shameful death. «Until then, we will hold on as long as possible and let them let their guard down».
They had to be patient and wait. Then, surely, the only opportunity to change everything would come.
***
[The maze closes. You are transported to Rafdonia.]
The light slowly entered through my closed eyelids. When I opened my eyes slowly, the clear sky filled them for the first time in a long time. The warm city air circulated through my lungs with each breath. I felt the passage of time with my whole body.
Are we already in June?
It had been six months since I was exiled to Bifron. Winter here, which was a joke compared to Korea, was long over and even the short spring was coming to an end.
Interesting.
It was March when I came into this world. It had really been over a year since I got here. I also felt it when I paid taxes for the first year, but the strange feeling remained. To be honest, memories of my life on Earth were beginning to fade. That was a fact. If I added up the time spent in the maze, my time here would amount to almost two years.
«Hey, are you going back to your inn right away?».
«For now. Let's wash and have a drink».
«We're back!»
Confirming that the surroundings were as usual, I let the thoughts go from my head.
This time there were no major incidents either.
I wondered how the other floors would have fared, but judging by the reactions around me, it seemed like there had been no special incidents. That made me anxious.
Shaaaaa.
I looked down and checked my wrists. Although it hadn't been long since I returned to the city, the ID tag etched like a tattoo on my wrist was already scattering like light. It was cumbersome to get a new one each time, but it worked differently than old identification tags that could be stolen. Coincidentally, at the time this went on sale, there was no trace of those underground bastards.
I thought it was time they showed up...
The Earth had a clearly different ecosystem than this place, a world without mighty rivers or fertile land for agriculture. To survive, both Noark and Rafdonia had to create food with mana stones from the maze.
But it's been six months without news, huh?
Ever since I heard from Fox that the mega clans had formed an alliance in preparation for Noark's ambush at the last Round Table, I was even more anxious. Where were they hiding? It wasn't as if there was a way to supply food other than mana stones.
«Mr. Yandel! Why did it take you so long?» As I organized my thoughts as I walked, I could see Raven greeting me from afar. Even Mr. Bear, who was always late, was there first.
«I had something to think about».
«Hmm, you could have done it while you were in line...»
Yes, she only cared about efficiency. Anyway, since I was late, I apologized and got in line. It only took a few minutes for the queue to move forward. That was because this was the rank 5 checkpoint.
«Team Apple Narak, is that correct?»
This was one of many changes in the last six months. Me, Ainar, and Missha had been promoted to rank 5, causing the team's rank to rise one stage. It was necessary to complete a guild assignment to reach rank 5, which was a bit cumbersome, but we did it together three months ago. Having a low rank was meant to be belittled, and being belittled was meant to cause problematic events.
«Wow, they even give candy here. Bjorn, did you know that?»
«I didn't know.» I put the candy Missha gave me in my mouth and sucked it. «It's sweet».
Rafdonia was a city infinitely ruthless towards the weak. Little by little, I began to feel respected wherever I went.
«Are we going to make settlements tomorrow?»
«Why do you ask the obvious?»
«Oooh! Then let's go! Home!»
After simply exchanging mana stones, we left for the city. The rank 5 checkpoint even offered a bathroom for added comfort, but we didn't use it this time either. Why would we do it if we could wash at home?
«Then see you there tomorrow. Honey, I'm here!»
We dispersed in front of Mr. Bear's Tavern to avoid a lost child incident and headed straight home to a four-story building inside the 7th arrondissement, which was just ten minutes from the Kommelby business district. The first and second floors were occupied by us and the third and fourth by another pair of explorers. The entrances were different, so we rarely crossed paths.
«Ahh, home!»
Unlike the previous accommodation, which was a single room for everyone, the new home was superior in every aspect. In fact, we had only moved two months ago. It was a property we really liked and the previous tenant left around then. Of course, we only rented it. The purchase price was crazy.
«Since it takes us a long time to wash, eat before us if you're hungry!»
Ainar and Missha went to the bathroom on the first floor with a bathtub and I washed in the small bathroom on the second floor. I say small, but it was in much better condition than our previous accommodation. When I washed with soap, I chuckled.
This can also be considered a change.
We had a spacious house with a kitchen, soap sold in workshops, not mass-produced, and even the expensive bed I bought as a great investment. Instead of saving every penny to go home, I started improving my quality of life here. However, I didn't want to consider it inefficient. How many years would I be here? Since the Genesis Treasures had disappeared, he didn't even know if it was possible to return.
First of all... I don't even know if I have to go back.
I left the bathroom drying my hair with a towel as if to shake off my weak will.
¡Shwaaaaa!
It sounded like they were still washing downstairs. I was hungry, but since Missha's food tasted so much better, I sat on the couch and dozed a little. How much time had passed?
«You woke up just in time. Come eat».
Turning my eyes towards the kitchen, which emanated an appetizing smell, I saw that there was an entire table set. Since we were two barbarians, most of the dishes were meat. We exchanged casual conversation while eating.
«Ah, okay. Are you taking the equipment today?».
«Should. You have to take good care of it to use it for a long time. When we finish eating, pass it all to me together. I will go alone».
«Okay. But are you going to Hikurod's forge again?»
«At least we should use it often. It's not that you need a knack for inspecting weapons».
As time passed, the dwarf had opened a forge. It had been going on for about three months now, but since it was a business in which regular customers made the base, it seemed that a loss could not be avoided. However, he seemed to be improving.
«But, speaking of Hikurod... If your store fails, you'll explore again, right?».
«Don't say that question in front of him».
«Oh, am I crazy? I have a brain too, you know? I'm just a little worried».
«Haha, Missha, why are you so worried? If it fails, we can use it as our butler.»
«Un mayordomo...?»
«Hikurod is fun!»
What did you think a butler was? I couldn't say it, but taking literally what a barbarian said would be nonsense.
Saying it would be fun, we exchanged meaningless conversations and laughed with each other for a long time.
«Then I'm going to the forge, so you sleep first».
«¿Shall we go with you?»
«Alright. I'm not going anywhere important».
Letting the children take a nap, I picked up the equipment and headed to the dwarf's forge. Then, leaving it for inspection and repair, I returned home and also lay down on the bed, a king-size bed that was purchased for a whopping 350,000 stones.
Si, esto es.
Satisfied with the unchanging softness, I closed my eyes. For some reason I remembered the old days. Was that when the last car was cut off and I had to sleep in Kommelby with Missha? At that moment I wondered when I could sleep in a bed like that every day and sighed that I had a long way to go.
He had arrived in this city more than a year ago. I was no longer scared by the blood splashing on my body, and rather felt that bloodless days were more uncomfortable. At this point, he no longer felt anything about harming monsters, or even people.
Before I went to sleep, I wondered if I lived more like a human being than I did then.
***
The nap that lasted until the next morning ended with Missha's visit. «You said you were leaving later. Wake up!»
«Oh, thanks».
«You're hungry? Do you want to eat?»
«No, I'm supposed to eat out».
«Oh, ¿in series?»
As I washed and prepared to leave, I heard snoring on the first floor. It seemed that Ainar was still sleeping. For reference, Missha and I were each using a bedroom on the second floor. Although there were two rooms on the first floor...
¡Honnnnnkk!
...This girl snored louder than me. The remaining room on the first floor was only used as a storage room.
«Then see you at the tavern later.»
«Okay, see you!»
I said goodbye to Missha alone and left the house. Instead of taking the wagon, I headed to Kommelby, which was a ten-minute walk away. Crossing the castle wall and walking thirty more minutes, I reached the public platform where we had agreed to meet.
Raven had already arrived. «You're late. The wagon arrived a long time ago».
«I think you arrived early today».
«Tsk, you are too fast for your own good. Come on, let's go. Before I starve».
After meeting Raven, we ate at the restaurant we frequented and toured the general stores and exchanges to get rid of the loot from our previous exploration. This time sales were higher than usual. This was thanks to a rank 5 essence that had appeared in the Hidden World on the other side of Mila Roden's mirror.
«It looks like it will be some time until it sells. Let's distribute the payment with my money and I will receive it here later».
«It seems good to us, but is it good to you?»
«Why not agree? Waiting for it to sell and meeting again to distribute it is not cumbersome at all».
That was true, but we had continued with this method until now judging that it would bring us fewer problems.
«...What? What is that look?»
«Nada.»
«It doesn't seem like anything to us.»
«The wrong thing».
Struggling to contain my laughter, I moved forward. Now that she thought about it, this girl had also changed a lot, although she kept trying to be honest.
«That ended faster than I expected. Let's wait in the tavern».
After selling all the loot, we headed to the tavern that was our meeting place. As expected, no one had arrived yet.
«It's better this way. Last time I didn't even have time to organize».
After ordering only drinks, Raven took out a piece of paper and began writing down all matters of the deal in advance for today. It took longer than I expected. Every time I asked her about it, she always said it wasn't that big of a deal.
«Thank you».
«…¿Suddenly?»
«You always take care of problematic things on behalf of our team».
«If there was even one other person who could do this besides me, I wouldn't have done it. Why don't you pay me while you're at it?»
«Okay, I will. How much do you want? Others will be happy to do so».
«...It doesn't matter. It's not like I can get rich with that money».
Geez, if it weren't for that tone of voice, it would have been a lot more popular.
«Oh, I thought it would be the last one». As time passed, Mr. Bear arrived. Soon the sisters also arrived hand to hand. This is how the agreements began.
«It's 8.5 million per person.»
Thanks to Mila Roden spitting out a mirror, a lump sum landed in our hands. My debt had already been paid for two months, so all this income went into my pocket.
«So let's talk about something else now».
Once the agreement was finalized, we made plans for the next exploration while having drinks and eating comfortably. Well, actually it would be correct to call this a warning.
«We will no longer go to the Hellfire Gorge».
«Excuse me? Why not?»
For the past half year, we had been hunting in the Hellfire Gorge and had used the mirror to enter the Hidden World a total of three times. We had completed the exploration of the Ash Mountain Range and Lake Lava that we had not been able to tackle before. It wasn't too difficult. Along with the Fire Orb making fire damage difficult, our combat power was much greater than when we first entered that place.
«Is there any reason why we should leave the place that is most compatible with us and go somewhere else?» Since he was having fun in Hellfire Gorge, Raven expressed concern about my decision.
However, this issue could not be compromised. «We can't stay on the fifth floor forever. It's time to explore other places». We had gotten everything we could from Hellfire Gorge, so it was time to move on to the next chapter.
«So where are we going?»
«Frost Cannon».
«Uh, Frost Cannon...» Missha interrupted herself and looked at me. Unlike Hellfire Gorge, she knew it was a field that could be opportunistic for her.
He wasn't wrong. Ice Cannon dropped several essences that had good synergy with Missha, who was an explorer of cold attributes.
That's one of the things I look for too. Once we get that essence, Frost Cannon will be over.
After that, he planned to gather only the experience points from the two remaining fields of the Great Demon Realm and pave the way to the sixth floor. However, it would take us another year to get there.
Still, we have come far.
That was what he was thinking when a light emanated from the vine ring he was wearing on his finger.
¡Shaaaaa!
«Bjorn, it's just...»
Unlike the first time, I didn't deny it or fool myself. I didn't even try to rub it with saliva to put it back together. That didn't change anything, anyway.
[The conditions for activating the Blessing of the Stars have been met].
The second vine blocking my dragon slayer-related death flag broke.
Damn sea.