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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: JayM
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Jeong Yoo-shin looked around at the men sitting in the inn.
Finally, his gaze settled on the middle-aged man with the slicked-back hair.
He was about to speak, but he stopped himself.
Sex.
It was a distant concept for him. Especially as a stranger in a strange land, struggling to find his way back home.
He hadn’t received many kind glances since arriving here. A few warm-hearted individuals had believed in his innocence, but that was all. Contempt and ridicule were his companions. At least, that was how it had been in the beginning.
“Innkeeper, why are you so quiet?”
The middle-aged man with the slicked-back hair asked.
Jeong Yoo-shin stopped his thoughts and spoke.
“None of your business. What do you want?”
The man grinned.
“We came to apologize. And to see your face while we’re at it.”
So that was it.
That was why Karin had left them alone.
Karin was standing behind the counter. Tarman and Anne were beside her.
‘Tarman and Anne are safe. That’s a relief.’
Karin understood him well. She had grasped his intentions and acted accordingly without him having to say much.
“I accept your apology. Don’t show your faces here again.”
“Well, well!”
The man laughed, as if amused.
“If you say it like that, how are we supposed to know if you’ve accepted our apology? My men are new to Labyrinth City, so they got a little excited and made a mistake. Please be understanding.”
“So, who are you?”
“Gaian, leader of the Pighead Mercenaries.”
Jeong Yoo-shin nodded inwardly.
So he was the leader of the bastards who had caused trouble in the inn earlier.
“Is that so? I understand. Now leave.”
The man smiled, looked around, and then spoke to his subordinates.
“If he says leave, we leave. The innkeeper is quite heartless. Alright, men, get up.”
““Yes.””
The mercenaries slowly got up and left the inn one by one.
Gaian was the last to remain.
“Young innkeeper, can I give you a piece of advice?”
“Don’t.”
“Sigh.”
The man sighed and scratched his head.
“You should watch your mouth. I almost lost my temper.”
“Try me.”
“Hahahaha!!!”
The man burst into laughter. His booming voice echoed throughout the inn.
“I think we’ll be seeing each other again soon… See you then.”
“You talk too much.”
The man took a coin pouch from his pocket, tossed it on the table, and left.
Thump!
The inn door closed, leaving only Jeong Yoo-shin and the inn staff.
Jeong Yoo-shin approached the counter.
“They didn’t cause any other problems, did they?”
“No. They really just came here to apologize.”
Jeong Yoo-shin scratched his head at Karin’s reply.
Was that really true? He had a bad feeling about this.
Still, he couldn’t grab someone by the collar and shake them after they had come to apologize. He decided to let it go. He had lost his temper unnecessarily, and he had a mountain of other things to worry about.
“Let’s get ready. There’s a lot to do for the Blue Moon Festival. I’ll help.”
Jeong Yoo-shin said while rolling up his sleeves.
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Under the cover of darkness…
The man with the slicked-back hair walked down a dark street.
It was near the slums, a place Jeong Yoo-shin would recognize instantly. The outermost edge of the Eastern District.
The man found a dilapidated tavern and opened the door.
Creak.
He opened the worn doorknob and entered. Inside, several figures sat cloaked in robes.
The tavern was dark, making it impossible to discern the identities of the cloaked figures.
“Gaian, did everything go well?”
One of the cloaked figures asked.
The man sighed deeply.
“Sigh. He was a really ill-tempered bastard.”
“In this district, he’s called a barbarian. He’s a half-blood.”
“A savage… That might be accurate. The higher-ups are complaining because that half-blood keeps interfering with our business. Honestly, I doubt this plan will work.”
“Now is the time to strike, while people are crowding the city for the festival.”
The cloaked figure stated firmly.
Gaian rubbed his forehead.
“Nothing is ever easy. We need to acquire slaves, but that ‘strange guy’ from the Western Empire is ruining our business. It’s almost more profitable to hunt within the Eastern Alliance.”
“I’ve heard the rumors. That strange guy… is…”
“Tsk. They say he’s a hero. All sorts of lunatics are popping up these days. What’s the world coming to?”
Gaian clicked his tongue and grumbled.
The cloaked figure tapped the table.
“Just wait patiently until the festival. We still have some time before the plan is executed.”
Gaian leaned back on his chair and spoke.
“If I remember correctly, the plan was to cause chaos in the city on the day of the festival, right?”
“Correct.”
“And we take advantage of the confusion to abduct people from the arena and the black market?”
“That’s right.”
“Where are you planning to create the diversion?”
“We’ll release some monster friends in the southern district. Strong ones.”
“Isn’t there an elf swordmaster there?”
“He’s just one person. He can’t do anything alone.”
“I see. One more question. Won’t this plan further antagonize the eastern district? It feels like a self-inflicted wound.”
“They’ve always hated us. It doesn’t matter anymore. And we’re not just sending monsters. We’re also sending a human.”
Gaian’s expression hardened.
“That man? The one who was trapped in the Giant Spider cave and went half-mad?”
“That’s right. The one who was bragging about having the Genius Swordsman imprint. I can’t understand how someone with that imprint could be trapped there, but whatever. One of our friends has a Brainwashing imprint, so we’re all set.”
“That poor bastard. Tsk.”
Gaian clicked his tongue and raised his glass.
The darkness outside the tavern deepened.
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A few days after the mercenary incident…
Jeong Yoo-shin and the inn staff were busy preparing for the festival.
Their biggest headache was…
…how to attract tourists.
The Labyrinth City was known for nothing but beasts disguised as humans.
It was a frustrating problem.
Jeong Yoo-shin, Tarman, Anne, and Karin sat around a table in the inn, brainstorming.
“How about delicious food? Something unique.”
Tarman suggested while scratching his head.
“Unique food is a good idea. What kind of food are you thinking of?”
Tarman stroked his chin and then spoke hesitantly at Jeong Yoo-shin’s question.
“How about fish pie?”
Jeong Yoo-shin’s eyes widened.
Tarman, mistaking his surprise for approval, beamed.
“Skar, it’s a really good dish. Since Labyrinth City is located in the middle of forests and plains, seafood is quite rare here. There’s a river, but freshwater fish can’t compare to saltwater fish. If you just leave it to me…”
“No.”
“…Huh?”
“Tarman, what’s gotten into you? You said you were reforming. Why would you suggest something like fish pie? Your heart has been tainted by darkness.”
“Uh… I’m sorry.”
Tarman apologized while looking bewildered.
Anne, who had been quietly sipping her water, spoke.
“Skar.”
“Yes?”
“I’d like to spend time with Marie and Dean during the festival.”
Marie.
The girl who had been raped by goblins in the labyrinth and whose mind had been broken because of it. She had become pregnant with a goblin child, but thanks to the money he had given her, she had been able to take care of it.
And Dean.
The boy who had been driven mad by the ‘darkness’ of the labyrinth. He remembered him as being a bit delusional. He had heard that Dean was currently receiving treatment in the magic tower.
He hadn’t heard any news about Marie and Dean lately because he had been busy. He hadn’t asked either, deliberately avoiding the topic because it was a sensitive subject for Tarman and Anne.
Jeong Yoo-shin readily nodded.
“Sure. Let’s spend time together. Are they coming to the inn?”
“If you’ll allow it.”
“Anytime. I’ll always allow it.”
“Thank you.”
Anne bowed her head in gratitude.
“Karin, do you have any brilliant ideas?”
Jeong Yoo-shin asked Karin.
“Hmm? Sorry, I didn’t hear you.”
Karin seemed to have been lost in thought and hadn’t heard his question properly.
Jeong Yoo-shin sighed.
“Sigh. What should we do?”
Running a business was harder than he had thought.
He was at his wit’s end while sitting in the inn and racking his brain. It was even more difficult because he didn’t know what people liked.
Just then…
Clang!
The door opened, and a group entered the inn.
More precisely, two people and one familiar.
“Oh? It’s you guys.”
The teddy bear bakery owner waddled over as he walked in.
Then there was Luna, the fox beast-person.
Lastly, Lin was also with them.
“Are you worried about what to sell?”
The teddy bear exclaimed.
“Then we’ll help you!”
Luna puffed out her flat chest and put her hands on her hips.
“Chirp!”
Lin mimicked Luna’s pose.
‘Sigh. They’re like the Malrang Friends.’
His heart ached.
Jeong Yoo-shin gestured.
“Let’s hear it. Come and sit down.”
“Alright.”
“We want juice.”
“Chirp!”
Although he brought chairs, none of them could climb onto them properly.
Jeong Yoo-shin stood up, lifted each of them up, and placed them on the chairs.
Karin chuckled at the sight.
“Our Skar seems to have a soft spot for cute things, doesn’t he?”
Anne, bringing juice from the kitchen, smiled.
“He does. His fondness for cute things shows on his face.”
Jeong Yoo-shin’s expression hardened.
“Is it that obvious?”
“Your expression softens, Skar.”
Really?
He thought he had hidden it well, but he had been found out.
Anyway…
When did Lin become friends with Luna and the teddy bear?
He had been worried that she might be causing trouble since he hadn’t seen her for a while. Now he realized he had been mistaken.
Still, he had to say something.
“Lin, where have you been wandering around?”
“Chirp!”
Lin stood on the table, looked at Jeong Yoo-shin, and stuck out her belly.
She stood proudly with her hands on her hips while facing Jeong Yoo-shin. It was a defiant attitude, as if daring him to do something.
Jeong Yoo-shin looked down at Lin’s soft belly and shook his head.
“Lin, that’s not a good attitude. No massages for a while.”
“Chirp? Chirp, chirp!”
Lin immediately relaxed her posture and clung to Jeong Yoo-shin’s hand while shaking her head.
Karin looked at them, dumbfounded.
“What’s this?”
“Don’t bully Lin!”
Luna, who had finished her juice, interjected.
“That’s right.”
Jeong Yoo-shin looked at the bickering trio and raised his hands.
“Alright, alright. I’ll stop. So, tell me your plan.”
“The plan we’ve prepared…”
“Is Cream Slime Bread!”
“Chirp!”
Jeong Yoo-shin stroked his chin.
Cream was white, like Lin’s fur.
Slime was Luna’s familiar.
Bread was the teddy bear’s specialty.
“I’m not sure. The idea isn’t bad, but it’s hard to judge without seeing the actual product.”
“The actual product? I don’t understand.”
“Chirp, chirp.”
“Don’t worry. We’ve brought the ultimate Cream Slime Bread!”
The teddy bear took something out of a paper bag.
A round bread that looked like a coffee bun.
Cute eyes and a bright smile were imprinted on the front.
“Oh.”
“It’s cute.”
“Not bad.”
The inn staff members at the table commented.
“Here, try it.”
Jeong Yoo-shin took the bread and bit into it.
As the thin crust crumbled, a thick custard cream filled his mouth.
The rich milk and vanilla flavor and the not-too-sweet cream created a fantastic harmony in his mouth.
“This…”
Jeong Yoo-shin couldn’t even think about wiping the cream from his mouth.
“…is deliciously deadly?!”
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T/N – Trouble is brewing in the background. As expected of a company named “Pighead”, they’re involved in it too. I also have a feeling that the barbarians will probably come in clutch later on.
Also, the hero from the rumors seems to be the guy who saved the MC in the earlier chapters. So he went to the West, huh? And he seems to be doing well and fighting against slavers. Good for him!
Lastly, so the idiot with the Swordmaster imprint survived? How the fuck did that happen?
If you find any mistakes, feel free to point them out in the comments.
ok
Okay, I have a question about something. Maybe I didn’t read properly earlier, but did the MC ever try to clarify that he isn’t a barbarian from this world? Because it annoys me that he just accepts being labeled and such, and of being capable of those horrible acts just because of that.
He just accepts it. Because how can he explain his origins otherwise? He doesn’t want to advertise his otherworldly origins, and in this world, only barbarians have black hair.
Not only that but didn’t his father have absurd strength that’s similar to a barbarian in a brief flashback at the beginning of the novel? If I’m remembering right of course, my theory is that Skar’s oldman somehow transmigrated to earth like Makoto’s parents in Tsukimichi.
bro i completely forgor about that thx for the reminder
Oh right, barbarians only have black hair here, still, part of me wished he tried to say “I am not a barbarian, I only happen to have black hair”, and then the characters just don’t believe him or something like that, just wanted to share my opinion
That’s also kind of like a trauma for him. Remember, when Skar admitted that he was from another world, he got his ass beaten by the slave traders.