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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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After I told another story by the great Tolstoy, specifically about land, the Jade Flower Sword brought her own snack basket, shared mooncakes with me, and enjoyed herself.
“This is so delicious…!”
The taste of the Ming Dynasty mooncake, which I was eating for the first time in my life, was truly killer. It was filled with sweet red bean paste, which was too stimulating for me, who had completely cut off sugar since I came here.
“Such delicious food exists! Is this food from the celestial realm?”
“It’s a necessity for celestial beings. But where did you hear such stories, Geun-hyeop? They are all excellent stories.”
Of course, they are excellent since they were written by literary giants.
“Hehehe, I just remembered the stories told by storytellers.”
“Storytellers tell such stories…?”
“There are many who tell good stories. Wow, but, this!”
The impression of the mooncake didn’t end.
“It’s really too delicious. A heavenly taste that transcends imagination… No, I can’t breathe!”
Honestly, I didn’t eat red bean buns when I was on Earth. Because they weren’t very tasty. I preferred croquettes or salad bread.
But this mooncake, which I ate after a few years, just drove me crazy. Sweet bread was this delicious.
From now on, I’ll earn more money and buy as many mooncakes as I want. I’ll even post them on my martial world Insta.
“Calm down, I’ll give you another one.”
“Gasp!”
The Jade Flower Sword immediately gave me another mooncake!
Unbelievable…!
How can such a kind-hearted woman exist? With this level of generosity and a kind heart, she is already a perfect beauty who can be compared to my aunt!
“Thank you!”
“Always grateful. It was a very enjoyable time. Then, I’ll be going.”
“Goodbye, Celestial Being!”
I immediately bowed deeply and expressed my gratitude, and she smiled as if satisfied.
“You know how to show proper respect. I will praise you.”
“Yes!”
I watched her return to the carriage, stroking the mooncake like Gollum coveting the ring.
“Kuh!”
It was a really good time.
Not only did I have a good time with a beautiful woman like the Jade Flower Sword, but I also got to eat the food of the celestial realm.
“Wait a minute!”
But isn’t there a legend that if you eat food from another world, you can never return? Like in Greek mythology, it was said that if you eat food from the underworld, you can never go back.
No way!
If I know the taste of this delicious mooncake, I won’t be able to eat combat rations anymore! I won’t be able to eat the dry rations that I ate with Jaemison earlier!
It was at the moment I was in such confusion when,
“You.”
“Hmm?”
A martial artist from the noble family approached and called me.
He was a man with a very tough impression.
“What is it?”
“Don’t misunderstand.”
“Huh? What?”
“It’s just a light interest in a wandering swordsman, so don’t have any strange thoughts.”
“No, what are you talking about?”
“This is not a warning, but a notice. There will be no next chance.”
With that, the martial artist turned around and walked away.
“…”
That fucking bastard?
I will remember this guy’s face for when I become a master later, just wait.
Well, he must have been jealous because I was talking to their master, right? I’ll let it go for now because I’m weak, but your name is already on my Death Note.
“Hey, Jaemison.”
Anyway, I went back to Jaemison.
“Get lost… Greedy guy.”
“Hey, punk. Are you going to throw me away, who recognized the true value of your unique weapon?”
“I don’t know… such a thing.”
“Kuhuhu, you crazy guy. Hey. Let’s eat together.”
“That’s…!”
I immediately split the mooncake in half, pretending to do it precisely, but I used my skills to meticulously separate exactly 30% and gave it to Jaemison. Jaemison’s eyes widened, and he gobbled up the mooncake like a dog.
“K, Kekeke! This is so delicious!”
“It was really good.”
I also ate all the remaining mooncake.
The taste lingering in my mouth was unbearable. It would have been better if I had milk, but that’s too bad.
“Grateful guy… I’ll hang out with you more.”
“Bullshit.”
“Anyway… The martial artist from the noble family seemed to warn you earlier.”
“He told me not to hang out with the Jade Flower Sword.”
“As a martial artist of the noble family, he can’t help but be consumed by jealousy… But that’s not all. Look over there. The wandering swordsmen are also sending you jealous glances.”
“What?”
I looked around.
“…”
“…”
Some of the wandering swordsmen glared at me and then quickly turned their heads away.
“No, is this for real?”
Seriously?
This is happening just because I talked to her? Are these guys really crazy? How can they be so childish?
“It’s only natural… The Jade Flower Sword is one of the Four Flowers of the Martial World. The flower of this world. For a mere wandering swordsman to talk happily with such a being… There will surely be those who are consumed by jealousy and harbor resentment.”
“Does that make sense? They harbor resentment for such a childish reason?”
“There are no normal people among martial artists… Except for me.”
“And me.”
I was realizing through experience that many martial artists are scum.
Still, I can’t believe it. To gain resentment just for hanging out with a woman. They must be crazy.
“But they wouldn’t actually attack me, right?”
“Kekeke… Be prepared.”
Jaemison just laughed gloomily as usual.
I became a little more cautious of my surroundings.
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We arrived at our destination.
“Gasp.”
“Hup…!”
“S-Such an ominous aura!”
We couldn’t even see the labyrinth, but we could tell just by the aura. Even the mere third-rate wandering swordsmen began to tremble, feeling the ominous aura on their skin.
I also trembled and stuck close to Jaemison. Of course, Jaemison was also trembling a lot.
“Kek… I’m looking forward to it. It’s time for my spear to run wild.”
“No matter what kind of monster appears, this Kim Geun-hyeop will slaughter them all!”
I tried to say that, but the more I moved, the stronger the ominous aura became.
“No! I can’t do it!”
Then a wandering swordsman shouted.
Just as I thought what nonsense he was saying.
“Shut up!”
A martial artist from the noble family delivered a kick to him.
“Kuak!”
The wandering swordsman rolled on the ground, clutching his arm where he was hit. The martial artist shouted while looking at him.
“Remember the contract! If you run away from here, you have to pay a penalty! Do you still want to run away!”
That’s right. If you run away from here, you have to pay a penalty. Moreover, desertion in the face of the enemy is punishable by severe penalties in any army, and it’s the same for mercenaries.
Once you’ve been deployed to the battlefield, no matter how much of a mercenary you are, you can’t just say you won’t get paid and run away. That’s not how the world works.
“Enough.”
The Jade Flower Sword got off the carriage and spoke.
“We have arrived at the labyrinth as planned. Now there is only one thing to do. Defeat the monsters and destroy the labyrinth. We have no energy to waste elsewhere.”
Her jade-like voice echoed in the quiet space.
“This must be it.”
The moment the Jade Flower Sword drew her sword, a blue energy covered the blade.
That’s sword energy. I heard that transcendent masters can use refined energy, but this is the first time I’ve actually seen it. Just as I thought that it was a sword energy as beautiful as her beauty and heart.
Slash!
The sword cut through the air.
Slash!
With that, the entrance to the labyrinth appeared…!
As if something hidden in a barrier had been revealed!
“Wh, what!”
“Gasp!”
“The labyrinth…!”
“It’s the entrance to hell!”
A gate like the maw of hell.
Not only the wandering swordsmen but also I was surprised and stared at the entrance with my mouth wide open. This can’t be a martial arts world. There’s no way something like that gate to hell would appear in a martial arts world.
Whoosh!
An even more ominous aura emanated from the gate. Strangely, I felt a bit refreshed. It was like standing in front of a huge ventilation fan.
“Then, we will enter.”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
The martial artists of the noble family answered the Jade Flower Sword’s command vigorously, and with that, the entry into the labyrinth began. Starting with the Jade Flower Sword and the martial artists entering first.
“Wandering swordsmen, follow me!”
A martial artist who took on the role of squad leader commanded us.
“Hurry up!”
The wandering swordsmen hesitated at first, but they seemed to be intimidated by the shout and moved without complaint. I also moved with Jaemison in the middle.
Like that, we entered the labyrinth.
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As soon as we entered, the scenery changed.
As if we had come to another world.
“Gasp…!”
“N, no way!”
“This is unbelievable!”
A world of canyons made of crimson rocks. Flames raged around, and a river of blood flowed beside us.
“Hell! This is hell!”
“It’s hell!”
“Aaaaaaaah!”
The wandering swordsmen who saw the scene panicked and shouted, but the squad leader wouldn’t stand for it.
“Hmph!”
The squad leader shouted and struck the head of the guy who was screaming in front.
“It’s just a part of hell that has been realized by an ominous power! Get a hold of yourselves! It’s nothing special!”
This is nothing special?
No, is this for real? As soon as we entered the labyrinth, the scenery completely changed to hell? Can we really conquer such an incredible space on our own?
“J-Jaemison. Is this really okay…?”
“I don’t know… Kekeke.”
This guy is also sweating bullets.
Come to think of it, this was the first time for both of us to enter a labyrinth.
“Hey! You guys, gather those flowers over there!”
“Flowers?”
When I looked, there were indeed flowers blooming. Strange flowers that took root in those crimson rocks. Could they be flowers of hell? We’re supposed to gather those?
“Aren’t they poisonous?”
“No! They are a kind of medicinal herb that grows in the labyrinth! Hurry up and gather them!”
“Alright.”
If we’re told to do it, we have to.
Jaemison and I carefully gathered the flowers. We didn’t forget to wrap bandages around our hands.
Snap
“Ah, shit.”
When I broke off a flower, some kind of blood flowed from the stem… But it’s just a plant. Let’s not be afraid.
“Where should we store the gathered plants!”
“Put them in this box! What are you all doing! Hurry up and search the area! Gather everything that can be gathered!”
At those words, the wandering swordsmen spread out and started enjoying an unexpected picnic. Gathering flowers in hell. This is a valuable experience that you can’t get even if you pay for it.
It’s so precious that I want to tear up all the flowers.
With that in mind, I put the gathered flowers into a large box.
“There are all sorts of things in the labyrinth, Jaemison.”
“Don’t let your guard down… Monsters always appear in labyrinths.”
“I’m not letting my guard down.”
Screeeaaam!
A scream was heard in the distance.
“Hup!”
Immediately, everyone’s attention was focused in that direction.
Clatter
Something was approaching from over there.
Its identity was.
Creak
“It’s a Bone Golem!”
“A Bone Golem has appeared!”
It was a skeleton!!!
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Damn I caught up to the freebies… Super fun read so far 😩