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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: JayM
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The quiet inn in the evening.
Jeong Yoo-shin sat with his arms crossed as he watched the woman eat.
She looked to be in her early twenties, but the way she ate, she looked like a homeless person who hadn’t eaten in a month.
Several loaves of bread were placed around the woman’s table. From dark rye bread mixed with various grains to white bread made with plenty of wheat. It was enough to open a bakery.
But it seemed to be far from enough for the woman.
At first, she had cautiously sliced the bread with a bread knife, but now she was just tearing it apart with her hands and swallowing it.
She used bread instead of a spoon to scoop up the chili con carne, a stew of tomatoes, chili, beans, various vegetables, and beef, and scraped the bowl clean.
And that wasn’t all.
She slurped down a long sausage without chewing, and then gnawed on a tomahawk steak, bone and all.
She was devouring the food as if they were her sworn enemy.
‘Is she filming a mukbang or something?’
The woman’s enormous appetite was giving him a headache.
He had intended to offer her a simple meal, but it seemed like she was determined to bankrupt the inn.
Even the other customers had stopped eating and were watching the woman inhale her food.
Tarman, who was sweating profusely, rushed back and forth from the kitchen while placing food on her table.
While Jeong Yoo-shin was watching her, mesmerized, a pile of empty plates had already accumulated around the woman.
‘Ah.’
This was a loss.
“Hey, that’s enough.”
“Mmm!!!”
The woman, her cheeks puffed out like a hamster, tried to say something. Her sparkling eyes suggested a positive response, but he wasn’t happy.
The smell of a freeloader wafted through the air.
Jeong Yoo-shin gave Tarman a look.
‘Block the entrance.’
‘Yes.’
Tarman immediately understood and went to stand by the inn entrance.
The blonde woman, oblivious to their actions, finished all the food on the table.
‘Does she have a Gluttony imprint or something?’
It was amazing that so much food could fit in her stomach. She must have a lot of space in there.
The woman finished the last plate and leaned back in her chair. Her satisfied smile suggested she was full.
The woman patted her stomach and spoke.
“Don’t you have dessert?”
Or not?
“Excuse me. Have some decency.”
The woman gave a sheepish smile at Jeong Yoo-shin’s words.
“S-Sorry.”
Of course.
Of course you should be sorry.
Eating like a pig and then asking for dessert?
‘Do all explorers have the Shameless imprint these days?’
Judging by her expression, she didn’t seem to be planning to run. Should he be relieved? Even if she had run, he would have chased her to the ends of the earth to get his money.
Jeong Yoo-shin sighed deeply.
“Sigh. Tarman, bring some alcohol. Two glasses.”
“Yes!”
Tarman quickly went behind the counter and brought out a bottle of dwarf liquor and two glasses.
Jeong Yoo-shin turned to Tarman and gave him a look.
‘Why did you bring such expensive alcohol?’
‘Thank you.’
Tarman winked.
Was he mistaken in thinking he and Tarman were on the same page?
Clueless subordinate. The human heart was truly a labyrinth.
Jeong Yoo-shin filled his own glass first.
“Your name?”
The blonde woman hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
“Delia. I don’t have a last name.”
“You had one, but you don’t have it anymore?”
“I used to have the last name Everguard, but I abandoned it.”
“Were you a noble before?”
Delia nodded at Jeong Yoo-shin’s question.
“I was once a subject of the Lionel Kingdom. My family has fallen though. I can’t tell you more than that.”
“Really? Alright.”
A fallen noble.
What did it matter?
As long as she could fight.
“You said you wanted to join my party, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Why?”
He was curious why she would want to join the party of a barbarian, whose kind was despised as penis-wielding outlaws.
And hadn’t he spat on the face of a Labyrinth City council member representative?
It was only natural for a normal explorer to avoid him.
‘You’re quite self-aware.’
‘Are you starting to get it?’
These bastards.
The angel and the devil in his mind were both tormenting him.
“…Well, you see…”
Delia scratched her head while looking embarrassed, and then continued.
“I obtained the Gluttony imprint in the labyrinth a while ago. It gives me strength in proportion to how much I eat, but the downside is that it consumes a lot of stamina.”
“So?”
“Unfortunately, I also obtained a negative imprint during my last labyrinth exploration. I was trying to save money to remove it, but I couldn’t stand the hunger. I’m not part of a clan, so I can’t receive any support, and I don’t have any connections to borrow money from. Then I heard about you.”
Is that so?
She was a brave woman. Quite fearless, huh?
“Really? Couldn’t you have just sold your equipment?”
“Absolutely not.”
Delia’s face hardened.
“The equipment I’m wearing is a family heirloom. I’ve had it for a long time. I can’t just sell it.”
She had abandoned her family name, but not her memories?
“Let’s get back to the topic. Skar, I heard that your party is looking for a vanguard. Since most explorers are reluctant to join you, I thought you would accept me if I applied.”
Honest.
He liked that. But there was one thing that bothered him.
“What’s the negative imprint?”
“I-It’s embarrassing to say. But I can assure you that it won’t interfere with labyrinth exploration.”
Jeong Yoo-shin was suddenly reminded of Soline.
She was a paladin who served the Light Spirit God, but she also had a negative imprint. She had left without ever telling him what it was.
‘I wonder how she’s doing?’
Jeong Yoo-shin closed his mouth and reminisced for a moment.
Delia, mistaking his silence for something else, looked at him with a serious expression.
“I can swear on my family’s name.”
“Didn’t you say your family has fallen? What meaning does your family name hold now?”
Delia’s expression darkened, and she closed her mouth.
“…”
Oops.
He had hit a sore spot.
Ugh. The darkness of the labyrinth again.
“I’m sorry. Have a drink.”
Jeong Yoo-shin took the other glass Tarman had brought, placed it in front of Delia, and poured her a drink.
Glug.
“Thank you.”
Delia’s expression brightened, and she downed the drink in one gulp.
“Sigh. Good.”
A strong woman.
Jeong Yoo-shin nodded inwardly.
He understood. He also had a negative imprint that he couldn’t easily talk about. It was the kind of thing you could only reveal to someone you trusted.
“Delia, tell me your main weapon and the highest floor you’ve reached.”
“I mainly use a shield and a mace. A one-handed sword is my secondary weapon. I usually act as a vanguard, deflecting attacks. I’ve been to the 8th floor of the Corridor area.”
The Corridor area.
Good.
If Delia was the vanguard, he would have more flexibility in choosing his own equipment.
If a sturdy tank was holding the front line, Karin and he could act as damage dealers, which would be a relief.
Or Karin could be a ranged damage dealer, and he and Delia could be the vanguards.
Jeong Yoo-shin refilled Delia’s glass.
“Do you have any conditions? Other than the distribution of spoils.”
“I do.”
Of course. There was no such thing as a free lunch.
“What is it?”
“Provide me with meals. At least until we enter the labyrinth.”
Jeong Yoo-shin’s hand that was holding the bottle trembled slightly.
“…”
This was a loss.
If she ate like this every day, they would go bankrupt.
They had just started making a profit, and he had even sent some money to Dalmong with a letter.
He might not be able to send any more for a while at this rate.
Suppressing a sigh, he nodded.
“Alright.”
He wasn’t in a position to be picky.
“A-And an advance…”
Jeong Yoo-shin’s eyes widened.
Another condition?
“Huh…?”
An advance, even before they had obtained any spoils?
“Oh! And I’m sorry, but do you have an empty room?”
Jeong Yoo-shin stared at Delia’s face blankly.
“…”
Jeong Yoo-shin clutched his forehead.
‘If I hadn’t done that crazy thing…’
“Take everything.”
“Thank you. You’re just like the rumors, Skar. You’re a kind barbarian who doesn’t rape.”
“It’s best not to believe rumors too blindly.”
Jeong Yoo-shin growled with a fierce expression.
Just as Delia’s grimy face was about to turn pale…
Clang!!!
The inn door opened.
Clank. Clank.
A giant in plate armor walked into the inn. They were wearing a helmet, so their gender and age were unknown.
They stood still, looked around, and then, spotting Jeong Yoo-shin, slowly approached them.
“…”
The giant looked down at him without a word.
He couldn’t even see their eyes through the slits in their helmet. And he couldn’t hear their breathing either.
‘What’s this?’
A sense of unease crept in him.
The giant in plate armor took out a piece of paper and a pen from their armor and started scribbling.
Jeong Yoo-shin stared at the giant blankly.
‘Are they mute?’
The giant showed Jeong Yoo-shin the paper.
-Are you Skar?
Jeong Yoo-shin nodded.
“I am.”
The giant scribbled on the paper again.
-I heard you’re recruiting for a party.
Jeong Yoo-shin looked at the giant for a long moment, then shook his head.
“I’ve already found a vanguard.”
-I’m not a vanguard.
What?
Wearing full plate armor and not being a vanguard?
It was completely incomprehensible.
“Then what are you?”
-A priest.
“That’s ridiculous.”
The giant in plate armor sat down at the table, as if to introduce themselves properly.
-I am Barion, an intermediate priest of the Earth Mother Goddess.
The Earth Mother Goddess?
“Do you know Mion?”
Barion nodded.
-I’ve seen her a few times. She’s a kind person.
“Is that so? But isn’t that plate armor heavy? Priests usually wear cloth robes.”
“…”
Barion sat silently for a bit, then opened their helmet visor.
And an unbelievable sight was revealed.
Jeong Yoo-shin’s eyes widened.
‘The helmet… is empty?’
He should have been able to see a face inside the helmet, but there was nothing.
Did this even make sense?
-It’s the Spirit of Steel imprint. An imprint where the soul leaves the body and resides in steel.
“W-Wait a minute!”
Jeong Yoo-shin held up his hand.
He couldn’t keep up.
He prided himself on having seen many strange things in his short time in the labyrinth, but he had never seen an imprint this absurd.
Beyond imagination.
Jeong Yoo-shin stared blankly at the empty helmet.
“Wh-What about your original body?”
-It’s gone.
“Can you get it back?”
-I believe I can if I remove the imprint.
“This is crazy.”
Jeong Yoo-shin leaned back in his chair and rubbed his forehead.
‘I’m dizzy.’
What was this world?
Every time he thought he had adapted, a strange imprint appeared before him.
“By any chance…”
-Feel free to ask.
Barion lowered their helmet visor and looked down at Jeong Yoo-shin.
“Do you have a brother? Blonde, one-armed. A bit short? Uses a strange kind of magic?”
-You must be mistaken. I’m an only child. I don’t have a brother.
“Ah… I see.”
Jeong Yoo-shin sighed deeply.
‘That was a close call.’
“Is there a reason you applied to my party?”
-Priestess Mion spoke highly of you. She said you were a barbarian who didn’t judge people by their appearance. So I thought I’d take this opportunity to join your party.
Teacher Mion had praised him that much?
His shoulders straightened.
And as a priest, they would be able to use various divine spells.
They were a necessary addition to his party, which lacked a proper healer.
Even the fallen noble Delia seemed pleased.
“Alright. Do you have any other negative imprints?”
-No.
“What’s the highest floor you’ve reached?”
-The 9th floor of the Corridor area.
The Corridor area again.
Jeong Yoo-shin extended his hand.
“You’re in. Let’s work well together.”
Barion shook Jeong Yoo-shin’s hand.
-Likewise.
A party with an empty suit of plate armor and a fallen noble.
Life was full of surprises.
Jeong Yoo-shin was about to pour Barion a drink, but then he stopped.
“You can’t drink, can you?”
-That’s right. I don’t need to consume food.
“Then I’ll drink Barion’s share!”
Delia’s eyes lit up as she spoke.
Jeong Yoo-shin, flustered, poured Delia a drink.
“S-Sure.”
A warrior who didn’t know how to refuse. Seeing her happy face, he didn’t feel so bad.
Jeong Yoo-shin put down the bottle and spoke.
“Then let’s start by deciding which area to target.”
“Good.”
-I agree.
On a quiet, late summer evening, in the empty inn…
Barion, the empty suit of plate armor…
Delia, the gluttonous fallen noble…
And Jeong Yoo-shin, the black-haired barbarian, gathered their heads and began to talk.
As the conversation lengthened…
A small smile appeared on Jeong Yoo-shin’s face.
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T/N – Damn! A Living Armor imprint! I was totally gonna reference the Elric Brothers, but the author beat me to it.
If you find any mistakes, feel free to point them out in the comments.
