At the regular meeting the next day, the whole group had gathered in a tavern for the first time in a long time. It wasn't the tavern we usually went to, because the dwarf was completely against it.
"Let's go somewhere else! This place is full of bad luck!"
It must have bothered him that Dwalkie had been arrested by the Mozlan out of nowhere in that place. Missha and Rotmiller agreed, since the explorers were superstitious people.
Well, it's not that I can't understand it.
As an occupation that could be fatal without luck, this kind of sensitive reaction was not unusual.
However, isn't that too much?
I sighed. I didn't mind going to another tavern. It was a bit of a nuisance, but it wasn't as if that decision would impact reality, unlike the bomb the dwarf had just spat out.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" As I sighed, Hikurod began to grow restless and watched my reaction. I suppose that showed he still had some conscience left.
"Wait. I'm thinking."
"I will do that".
A heavy silence fell over the drinking party. I quietly gathered my thoughts. "In short, you guys aren't going on the expedition this time."
Ten days remained until the opening of the labyrinth. At the last meeting to confirm our plans, Hikurod declared that he would not participate in the exploration, and he wasn't the only one. As if they had discussed it beforehand, Rotmiller and Dwalkie shared the same opinion.
"Ahem! They say where there's smoke, there's fire."
"Since the matter is serious, I have decided that the right thing to do is to take a month's break and see how things develop."
Was it a collective boycott? Three of the five team members declared their absence. The reason was simple: Rumors of an impending dimensional collapse had spread so widely that they must have worried them. That's how the human brain works. Even if you think it won't happen based on logical reasoning, you're easily swayed by the atmosphere around you.
"All my former colleagues said they won't be entering this time."
"Wouldn't it be better for you to rest too? You shouldn't have to worry about next year's taxes."
"If the collapse really happens, it's over!"
At first they brought up the issue with apologies, but now they were even worried about my safety.
"…Bjorrrn, what are you going to do?" Missha carefully inquired into my thoughts.
To be honest, it wouldn't have been hard to convince them otherwise. I could slip in some information I learned from Ghostbusters, and with time and a little persuasion, these guys would change their minds.
But it's not necessary.
On second thought, it wasn't so bad, since three months had already passed since the visit to the Bloody Citadel.
It's better this way. I was going to enter the maze on my own with my own reasons sooner or later.
The rule was to clear the first floor crack every time it appeared early in the game.
«If that's what you think, I can't do anything. Then only Missha and I will enter this time».
«Hey? Me too?»
«So you were trying to send me alone?»
«Eh, no, but...»
What do you mean by «no»? It clearly seems like he doesn't want to.
«If you're so worried, then just...»
«Ugh, barbarian! Shouldn't you at least ask me properly? And speak kindly for once!»
Good? Hmm... «Would you like to come with me?»
«Tsk, do you think I would send you alone?»
Well, I didn't know what he wanted from me. «So, good.» But it was decided. This time, he was going to enter a crack.
***
«Extra! Extra!»
Coincidentally, the day after Hikurod announced his absence, notices were posted throughout the city. It was an official document distributed by the royal family stating that rumors related to the collapse of the dimension were, in fact, unfounded.
It really turned out like he said.
The Tarutein school was even mentioned in the official document stating that, blinded by the investigation, they intentionally spread rumors. I was a little surprised. I may have spent 40,000 GP for the information, but I didn't expect it to be so accurate.
«Hahaha! Bjorn! Have you seen it?» Anyway, when night came, Hikurod came to look for me. With a happy face, he withdrew his statement from yesterday and said that he could now enter the labyrinth.
But... I had already decided which crack I was going to enter. «That? Do you want us to go together? I've already received an order, so I can't do it».
«Hmm? A commission?»
I recited the answer I had prepared, that it was clear that Missha and I couldn't earn much just the two of us, so I accepted a commission. The job was as an escort in the maze, so I had to stay by the client's side until we got back to town.
«Is it... possible to cancel it?»
«I have already received the advance payment, but do you want me to break the promise?».
«No, but…»
It was a perfect response with no room for negotiation. The dwarf had no choice but to lower his shoulders and go home. What could I say here? In the end, the cause of this incident was his own declaration of absence.
Oh. Seeing him like this makes me feel a little sorry for him.
Even if it hadn't been this time, I would have made up an excuse to go with Missha eventually. It wasn't like the five of us could enter a crack. Apart from having fewer pieces of the pie, it also increased the number of risks.
This is the right decision.
I erased my regrets. Unlike Missha, with whom he had built a relationship of trust beyond being a simple teammate, it was foolish to reveal the hidden piece to the other three.
A thud.
When the door closed behind Hikurod, Missha came running. «An escort request? When did you find out?»
«Don't worry about that. It's just an excuse».
«An excuse?» Missha tilted her head as if she didn't understand.
I told him sincerely that on our next exploration we would go into a crack, and that there was a method that ordinary people were unaware of.
«Did you also learn that in the library?».
«Well, something like that».
«Well... But why did you hide it from Hikurrrod? Wouldn't it be nice if we went together»?
The question sounded too innocent. I smiled mockingly and said, «Missha, have you told anyone about the Spiritual Beast contract you made with the Frost Spirit Ring?».
«Hmm? I have not!»
«Really? To nobody?»
«You told me to keep it a secret».
«I did». I nodded and continued. «But what do you think would have happened if it had been Hikurod? If I had asked him the same thing, do you think he would have kept it a secret?».
Missha thought about it for a moment and then shook her head. «...It wouldn't be strange if Hikurod told everyone after a few drinks».
«¿Qué hay de Dwalkie o Rotmiller?»
«Well... I think Dwalkie would have been wrong even with a sober mind, and Rrrotmiller... I don't know».
Were all human eyes the same? To my surprise, Missha's prediction almost matched what I had been thinking to myself, except for Rotmiller.
Actually, that man is the easiest to read.
Rotmiller would have kept it a secret, and would have wondered to himself how I knew such information and would have become suspicious.
«Oh! That's why you kept it a secret!». Anyway, at that moment Missha seemed to understand what I meant. But another question arose. «And what about me? Why are you telling me?».
There were several reasons. Missha was surprisingly meticulous and knew how to bite her tongue. At the same time, however, he could not lie by nature. That's why he could check if the secret had spread in real time just by asking him, like now.
However, one word would suffice this time, too. Because I was a barbarian. «You are someone I can trust».
Missha slows a sighs.
***
There were eight days left until the labyrinth opened. Once again, this time passed quickly as he marked the things he had to do. To briefly recap...
First day.
Since fate was a crack, there were quite a few things to prepare. First, the team.
«Buying equipment again?»
«Buy on, enchant».
I added properties to my mace and Missha's twin swords.
[The lightning energy has permeated the equipment. A portion of the damage dealt by the team is converted to lightning damage].
The total cost was 600,000 stones. It was a fixed duration enchantment that only lasted 30 days, but since we were both trying to clear the crack, this amount of investment was worth it.
«If you're going to do it anyway, shouldn't you have done it perrmanently?»
«Then it would be twenty times more expensive».
I also purchased some consumable items related to the lightning attribute, such as thunder herbs and lightning scrolls. In total it only cost me 300,000 stones, but since the products were not in high demand, I had to make arrangements.
«...Are you really buying something so expensive? You have an extendable backpack, why do you need it? This is a consumable! Something that disappears after using it!»
Finally, after much thought, I also purchased a bottle of the highest quality potion. The purchase price was 1.03 million stones, however, the highest quality potion was not exactly an investment for the crack. It was just something that I had wanted to have in my possession and that I was now buying. For an explorer without a priest, a high-quality potion was equivalent to another life.
«If the need arises to use it, I won't think it's a waste of money».
«Hmm, it's true...»
«Since we are both paying for it, it is not that much of a burden.»
For reference, the cost of about 2 million stones I spent up to this point was all borrowed from the shared account.
«Ugh, so we're done spending money?»
«Sí.
Second day.
I headed to the holy land first thing in the morning. This time, too, the boss welcomed me.
«Bjorn, son of Yandel! I've heard your rumors! I'm so proud! I heard your new nickname is Knight Crusher!»
Unlike last time, when it happened briefly, the boss praised me for a long time. Apparently, rumors about me had already spread throughout the sacred land and were heated among the young warriors. Anyway, it was a pointless moment for me, so I gave a rough answer and headed to the shaman's tent.
«Hehe, Guerrero, how clever you are, making so much money in just two months».
I paid a whopping 4 million stones to activate the fourth stage of the Immortality Imprint.
[You have activated phase 4 of the Immortality Imprint. Willpower and soul power have increased. The Spirit stat has increased +30. Stat special ability increased +10.]
All the money I made by getting involved with the baron disappeared, but it was still a sustainable business. Aside from Willpower, which gave a strong resistance bonus to psychological magic or state anomalies, it was safe to say that there was virtually no way to increase Soul Strength, which served as MP, except by leveling up and with a few essences.
Third day.
After returning to the bedroom almost half dead, I checked the MP change as soon as I woke up. The duration of Gigantization had increased 1.5 times.
«Why did you leave so early? Go wash. Let's eat». Then Missha arrived, so we had a simple breakfast, something that happened every day and somehow became routine.
«Do you go to the library? I can go with you?»
«¿You?»
«What expression is that?! Sometimes I want to read a book too».
After eating, I went to the library with Missha.
«Parsetiev. »
Why did Ragna cast basic Book Recognition magic and not Special Book Recognition magic? Since it was strange, I asked why, but the answer I received was even stranger. Apparently, since it was done in secret, he couldn't do it in front of anyone.
«Well, if that's the case, shouldn't you tell me quietly?».
«That's true too. Miss Karlstein, am I right? Please forget what you just heard».
What the hell? I didn't want to think about it, so I grabbed Missha and started reading.
Fourth day.
I visited the magic tower and helped Raven with her research. This was my last cooperation; I had filled my entire quota. From now on I didn't have to come every week.
«You did well.»
«Thanks for noticing.»
«Wow... Anyway, don't die.»
As it was a business relationship, the farewell was brief. However, contrary to my expectations, Raven did not recover my pass from the magic tower.
«You can come if something happens. Ah, but that doesn't mean you can bother me by coming over from time to time... You understand what I mean, right? Since it seems like you get tangled up in strange incidents very often. I'm sure I'll be curious to know what you're up to».
«Okay.»
I ran into the old man on the way out, but he surprisingly showed little interest in me. It was not anger or disappointment, but perfect indifference. Then I realized that, from the first meeting, this old man suspected that I was an evil spirit. That's why he pretended to be friendly at the time.
Fifth day, sixth day, seventh day.
The days continued as usual. In the morning, I ate with Missha, sparred with her during the day, and in the afternoon I would go to the library and read a book for a while. Time flew like this.
«Everyone behind!»
The long-awaited moment had finally arrived.
¡Shaaaaa!
In the dimensional plaza where many explorers were gathered, a dazzling glow began to explode from its center.
«Bjorn, son of Yandel! Thanks for your advice today! I'm going in first!»
«¡Behell-aaaaaaaah!»
As soon as the city and the labyrinth were connected, a group of barbarians a short distance away rushed towards the portal. And to think that they even knew how to say thank you. Why were we barbarians so educated?
«Hahaha! Having a good senior like you, they are very enviable friends».
«I just showed them the way».
«Don't be ashamed».
Currently at my side were Hikurod, Rotmiller and Dwalkie. Apparently, they didn't want to let an entire month pass.
«Be careful. If someone is nice to you, always distrust», I advised them.
«Hahaha! Do I look like those young barbarians?».
Similar, actually. Well, I was sure Rotmiller would take care of them. Since this time they would only stay on the second floor, it wouldn't be dangerous even for the three of them alone.
«Then we should enter soon... Aren't you going to enter?»
«Ah, our client is not here yet.»
"I see. Then tomorrow... No, see you later!"
After a brief greeting, the three of them entered the labyrinth first. I stayed where I was and watched people stumble out.
Missha asked curiously, "Bjorrrn, aren't we going in?"
"We just have to wait."
"Hmm? Until when?"
Oh, rookies… Just wait until I tell you.
[You have entered the crystal cave on the first floor.]
That's how they copied the EXP.
***
[Bjorn Candle]
Level: 4 (new +1)
Physical: 330 / Spirit: 154 (+30) / Special Ability: 128 (New +13)
Object level: 828
General Combat Power: 865 (New +43)
Essences acquired: Corpse Golem – Rank 7 / Vampire (B) – Rank 5 / Orc Hero – Rank 5