The week of repairs in the building goes by quickly. There were no notable incidents. All I did was get engrossed in my work without getting distracted and then talk about how hard it was to be an explorer in front of the kids. I even skipped that from the third day onwards. Now, even though I rested in the shade, the children no longer came to see me. So, during the break, it became my daily routine to sit quietly in the shade with Dwalkie as well.
Of course, we also chatted from time to time. «How did you end up here?»
«...The principal told me that my parents couldn't afford to raise me».
«Ya veo.»
«Still, I'm better than the other kids. They'll come pick me up in a while, so...»
«...Did you say that in front of the other children?»
«S-sí, ¿por qué?»
I think I know why he doesn't have friends here.
When I sighed, Dwalkie came up with some excuses. «I'm fine. Anyway, it's not like I'll be here long... My parents are merchants. So it's a little difficult for them now...»
Hard, shit.
As soon as I heard that, bitterness came over me because I knew his situation. The current baron enrolled Dwalkie in a collateral line as soon as he was born, and they irresponsibly abandoned him here.
Only after her biological mother discovered it and told the Baron, Dwalkie was able to live with her in the annex...
For reference, he said he barely saw his adoptive parents while they lived together for more than ten years. However, financial aid was not bad, so he was able to lead a worldly life and learn magic as well.
«It seems like you've had a bad time. Eat some jerky. You need to eat well when you are young if you want to grow taller».
«Oh, sure... thanks.» We sat together and ate jerky. The break ended shortly after. «Um... Is today your last day?»
«Yes, the repair work is already finished. The roof will no longer drip even if it rains.»
«...Thank you.»
At least you have manners. The other children seem to think it's natural for volunteers to come and fix up the house.
«If you are truly grateful, never become an explorer.»
«Excuse me? What do you want...?»
«Just answer me».
«Explorer? I-I could never do that... I don't want to either». Dwalkie's childish face when he said that was sincere. I was sure that was normal once you heard something like that. The other children were already fed up with everything that had to do with the explorers, so no one would stoke the fire.
...To be honest, I still don't feel relieved. But I can't stay here forever, so I can only leave the rest to the heavens.
«Hey, Enze! If you're done resting, come help me with this!»
«Riol, then I'll continue on my way.»
«...Good. Goodbye.»
After that, I gave all the jerky and snacks from my bag to Dwalkie and returned to the workplace. The boy resisted for a while, but what was he going to do against a barbarian who insisted?
«Thanks to you, today's program also ended quickly. Now, good job everyone!»
Anyway, after a few more hours of repair work, the boss announced the end of the job, the end of a schedule that took more than a week.
«Let's have a few drinks later today, are you coming?»
«But I'm an explorer».
«Haha, we know you're not condescending like the other explorers, so it's okay».
The boss asked me if I would attend the dinner and I said yes after thinking about it for a moment. Anyway, there was nothing else to do afterwards. Raven wouldn't be in the library at the time.
«The church has generously paid for your hard work, so drink without worries tonight!».
And so we went to a nearby pub and had a drink. But was it because it was the first time I had attended something like this with non-explorers?
It's a little uncomfortable.
I couldn't follow the thread of the topics of conversation. The only thing we talked about was which forge had good quality and which clan he dated and things like that.
«Uhm...» While I was sitting alone, someone called me from the side. «My name is Warb Emirn.»
Oh right. Even with a small physique, he carried heavy loads without taking shortcuts and participated diligently in work. «Do you have something to tell me?»
«Well... I heard what you were saying to the children».
Oh, no wonder he looked at me strangely every time I talked to them. «Do you mean the labyrinth?»
«Yeah». At my question, Emirn nodded with a slightly embarrassed face and asked carefully: «Is that place really that terrible?.».
«Not always».
«Excuse me? But...»
«The reason I said it in front of the children is because I don't want strange ideas to be made. It's a hard place to endure with an half-hearted attitude, no doubt.»
«Ah...»
While I was at it, I told him a few things, from the third-floor view that Dwalkie especially liked, to the vast forest, to the snowy white field, to various mysteries I saw in Glacier Cave. The longer the conversation went on, the more I felt the people around me shut up. They were stories that both children and adults liked.
«Snow, huh? I've never seen it, so I can't even visualize it».
«Would it be like cold sugar?»
For those who had been confined within the castle walls all their lives, the workings of the labyrinth must have sounded like an otherworldly story. Just as their stories were unknown to me, it would also have been strange for them to get along with the explorers.
«It's been a while since I heard such a mystical story».
«I'll have to tell my son when I get back».
Of course, I didn't spend too much time talking to myself. When I finished my story, the theme naturally returned to the story of their lives and I only united on the themes I could.
Esto no está tan had...
As time passed and the sun began to set, people returned home one by one and dinner ended. Just as I was about to return to the inn, the woman followed me from behind and stopped me. «Sorry...!»
«Ah, Emirn. What's happening?»
«I just wanted to ask you something. Is that okay with you?»
«Ask me».
Emirn hesitated for a moment before speaking in a somewhat disturbed voice. «You said sometimes you were afraid too, right?».
«That's right.»
«Me too. There are times when everything seems impossible and just thinking about it scares me to the point that my heart could burst. How do you overcome those situations?».
It was a bit of a difficult question, especially if the person asking it to me was someone who until a few days ago was a complete stranger. But I decided not to think deeply about it. This person was already in front of me asking for courage.
«As I said before, barbarians also know fear». I knew him even better as an ordinary office worker, but... «We only know that if we don't do what needs to be done out of fear, only the worst outcome awaits us».
«The worst result... Yes, I'm sure it will be...»
Then there was an awkward silence. Giving him a moment to think, I then asked him: «Is this something you have to do?».
«Yeah». His voice was small, but there was no hesitation, so he could only tell her one thing.
«Then do it». It was a cry that only a barbarian could give in this world.
The answer took a while to arrive. «...Thank you for giving me the courage. I will try with all my might».
«Yes? Whatever it is, I hope it turns out well».
«Yeah. The stories you told before were also very interesting».
«Then I'm glad.»
«Especially the place called the sea. I've only heard of it, but I think it will be a very cool place. Although... someone like me will never be able to go there in my life».
I didn't add anything to his self-critical comments. What could I say? What could I go if I really wanted to? I knew very well that they were words of deception.
«...Then I will continue on my way.»
«Oh, sure. Forward.»
After exchanging one last goodbye, I separated from Emirn.
Warb Emirn…
I didn't know why, but that name kept coming to mind all the way back home.
When I came back from dinner, reeking of alcohol, I found Amelia in my room. «You've been away all day. Where have you been?»
«Oh, I went to volunteer».
«Volunteer...?»
Oh, you and your frown. Have I said something I shouldn't have?
«People need to know when to return».
«...Ya veo.»
«Anyway, thank goodness you're here. I've run out of money. Lend me some while you're here.»
«Have you already spent all that money?»
«Oh, after buying equipment and doing other things, there was nothing left».
«...I see.» Then Amelia fiddled with her waist and threw me a bag. It was quite heavy.
I won't have to worry about paying for meat for a while.
"The usaré well".
After expressing my gratitude, I told him about some of the good restaurants I had visited. Judging by their reaction, I didn't think I was going to visit them. It seemed to me that he was going to get angry if he didn't get to the point.
«Ah! So how's work going? Did you say you met the agent or something last time?»
«We are still in the contact phase. Luckily, everything is going according to plan, so if there are no more setbacks, we should be able to leave next week. You should prepare».
«Use haré».
As soon as we finished our brief conversation, Amelia left saying she had something to do.
We're leaving in a week, huh?
After washing a little, I lay down on the bed and mentally organized what I had to do in the remaining days. There wasn't much to organize, really.
If we leave next week, I should finish things with Raven.
I should be able to get the equipment I ordered sometime next week, and then I'd just have to deal with Raven. Tomorrow I should go straight to the library.
The important thing is what happens after going down to Noark, I guess.
From then on, he would probably have to live in alert mode as well. Even though I had made plans with Amelia about how to act once we were down there, when did things go as planned?
Ugh... I just want to go back now.
With all these hopes in my head, sleep slowly invaded me.
***
The place was a two-story rented house that Missha and I found together. There, I was laughing and chatting with my comrades. At first I didn't know it, but I quickly realized it.
This is a dream.
What convinced me was the mirror. I looked to the side as I laughed and chatted to see that the person in the mirror was not Bjorn, but Hansu Lee, something that could never happen in real life. As soon as I realized it, the background was crushed and the space changed.
«Bjorn, what are you doing? Let's go».
Now he was in the maze. I was going up the floors and exploring as usual. But again, I was Hansu Lee, not Bjorn. The shield was heavy and my eyes had been raised, so I was looking up. Was that why?
«Why can't you even stop that?»
I kept making mistakes, letting my comrades suffer the damage. At first it was just a wound, but it ended with a death.
«If it weren't for you...»
It was Dwalkie. Only then did I remember that this was a dream, and the bottom swirled again. It was once again a familiar place, a quiet room reminiscent of the office of a medieval aristocrat.
«What, this time it's the Round Table?». At first I laughed and moved on, but soon I felt a sense of incongruity.
It's a little different...
The structure and atmosphere of the room were similar, but the wall that should have been filled with clothing and decorative accessories was missing. Well, it could be that the detail was missing in a dream.
«...But it's too realistic for that».
I opened and closed my blank hand repeatedly. Every time I squeezed hard, I could clearly feel the movement of my muscles. Even the flow of my thoughts became natural.
Toc, toc.
The sound and sensation of hitting a wall was all indistinguishable from reality.
Realizing this, I immediately noticed the full-length mirror placed to the side. As expected, there was Hansu Lee, not Bjorn. But how had it happened? Assuming it wasn't a dream, a plausible hypothesis immediately emerged, surprisingly.
Ah... Today is community opening day.
I was summoned while I slept. If so, that explained this situation. The same was true of the different way the community worked compared to computers twenty years later. Considering it was the early days, it made sense. He might even see the GM's surprised face when he walked out that door.
I suddenly remembered the conversation I had had with Baekho.
«There were evil spirits in this city even more than a hundred years ago. In Earth terms, that was over twenty years ago. So who are those people?»
At that time I told him to tell me the answer because I didn't know.
«The answer is those from another dimension!»
Evil spirits invoked from another dimension, few in number compared to the people of Earth, but each possessing unique powers. Apparently one of them created this space and the GM we knew inherited it.
Could be...?
A very plausible possibility crossed my mind.
Toc, toc.
Someone knocked on my door.