Nozomanu Fushi no Boukensha Chapter 26

Chapter 26 [A Discussion In Water and Moon Labyrinth]

TL : Cnine

ED : Tofu

Part 1

「…… Is that true? But that was the magic stone from the demon that you beat. For me to take it is……..」

The man hesitated as he spoke, despite the fact that he really wanted it.

「…. Of-CouRSe-It’S-NoT-FoR-FrEE」

The man's face showed that he understood the meaning behind my words.

「But………. I already told you about my circ.u.mstances right? I don’t know what I can do for a strong adventurer like you. 」

Of course I know that.

When he says that I’m strong, well, I’m not that strong but maybe stronger than when I’m alive.

But, looking from that man’s perspective, his view is justified.

I can understand his train of thought, there isn’t really anything he can do for someone like me.

If his story is in fact true then he is not only in debt but an unskilled adventurer as well.

Which means that he doesn’t know whether things like materials or money can compensate me.

But that was the case when seeing it from that man’s perspective.

When it comes to my perspective, that man has plenty enough value just by being a human being.

And I’m an Undying(Undead).

I don’t have that kind of freedom to be able to traverse the entire city.

Even going to a store is already quite harsh for me. By not making it a matter of  “how much” this human will cooperate with me in some ways and he’ll do it for me as compensation for the magic stone.

In short, I’m thinking of turning this man into my personal helper in Malt city.

But I don’t have enough confidence in him to tell him about my situation.

I can’t restrict him to not reporting somewhere else about me being an Undying(Undead), even if it’s not, it’ll cause a trouble sooner or later to the man himself.

For this reason I’m unable to say that, but, I think that it’s possible for him to help me in various ways.

So I say.

「It’S-NoT-LiKE-ThE-THiNg-WhiCH-I WiSHed-FoR-Is-DiFFicuLt……..」

「Then, what……」

「I haVe-ThIS-KiNd-Of-APPEarAnCe. So-I-CaN’T-Go-To-The-GuilD-Or-StOre-Too-OfTEn….. So-I WAnt-YoU-To BE-The-One-Who RepOrTs-Or-BuYs ThINgs……..」

I unfastened my glove and revealed my hand, while saying those words.

Though I can’t show him my entire body, this much is safe right.

It’s not like I lost my arm, it’s just that its withering is way too dreadful.

There’s adventurers who occasionally look like this.

But the man was a beginner which can’t even be called a novice as an adventurer yet.

He backed up slightly, it seems that he’s not used to seeing arms like mine.

But he’s not averting his eyes and I don’t think that he’s suspecting me to be demon.

It seems that he purely believes it as an old wound, I’m relieved that it’s going according to my prediction. Then I added.

Part 2

「It-WaS-CauSed-By-A-DeMOn-SomeTiMe-AGo. My-VOice-AlSo-BeCamE-LiKE ThIs-As-An-AfTEr-EffEct-Of-That-Time……..」

「……I see. As expected of a strong adventurer, the degree of danger is just way too different…..」

Even if he tries to become a casual adventurer, there’s no need to think too deeply regarding the danger right?

No, maybe because he’s at his wits end economically that he has the composure to think about it.

It seems that showing the terrible state of my arms is like dousing cold water on his hot head.

The man nodded and then pondered for a while after that.

「……….Understood. Even I can do that if it’s only that much. But, are you really okay with only this? What I mean to say is, don’t you think that the condition is too much in my favor………」

「ThAt’S-YouR-SItUAtiOn……………… BuT YoU’Re-RiGhT-oN-ThaT-PoInt,,,,,,,,,,, I-SHAll-AdD-AnOtHEr-ConDITioN………..」

Seeing me nod at his words and say that I’m going to add another condition, the man’s face shown as if he was slightly dissapointed.

As expected, it’s natural to think that there might be something else in this too good to be true condition.

But my next words betrayed that man expectations.

「I-WanT-To-HAvE-ThE-PRIviLEgE-Of-EAtING-FrEE-of-CHArGe-In-YOUr-StOre-in-THe-CAse-THAT-you’ve-PaID-BACk-ALL-of-Your-LOAn…….. IS-THAt-OKaY」

Though it seems that man was unable to understand my words at the beginning, his face gradually turned into one of grat.i.tude right away.

「……… You, seriously………. Aren’t you a foolish person……….」

「So-WHAt-iF-I-Am? 」

「That……That’s the problem, you’re not gonna covet this kind of magic stone that’s worth more than 15 gold coin?! 」

「Can’T-I？」

「You sure your head isn’t broken?………. Please eat as much as you want. I…………. I will work my a.s.s off so that my store won’t be closed this time………. Thank you very much….. Master」

The man smiled happily as he said that.

But his eyes are red and tears are spilling out one after another, it seems I did the right thing.

And so, after settling various things and the debt of the man with the magic stone, we discussed what he would do from now on.

Though I say that most of the discussion is decided by me.

In short, we’ll be leaving the labyrinth and returning to the city.

Part 3

If you ask why, it’s because the man already gained the magic stone which was the purpose of him diving into the labyrinth, he has no need to dive into the labyrinth and exposing himself to any more danger than this.

As for me, I thought that walking any further than this inside the dangerous labyrinth along with this man is just too harsh.

It’s not that much of problem since there’s nothing but demons like Goblins, Slime or Common Skeleton(Normal Skeleton) which come out, but it’s not exactly a proven fact.

If a demon like the Bone Giant《Giant Skeleton》 comes out, my safety aside, I can’t guarantee the safety of that man.

Thus came the talk that we have to return. He approved. It seems that the man isn’t particularly against it.

There’s at least one way to go back in this place, normally it could turn into a problem. However this problem was solved while that man had fainted.

Because a transfer magic square that originally wasn’t there appeared right after I beat that Bone Giant(Giant Skeleton).

Though the problem is where it’s connected to. From the fact that it appeared on the point where we were transferred first, I judged that we might be returned to there.

Even if for example that it’s not a return transfer, I don’t see any advancing pa.s.sage. Though to be honest we have no choice but to get on it. Actually it wasn’t a problem since it’ll return us to our original place before transfer.

The return way is easier than when I came.

Is it because of that man’s ability, or maybe his courage? But his mindset seems to be completely different than when he came here.

It could be because we just fought a powerful demon, or maybe I taught him the bare minimum skill. It came to the point that he’s calm when meeting demon and understands what he should do.

Though it’s not to the point which he can achieve a complete victory in one-on-one combat against a demon. He’s making progress to the point that he can look for a chance to escape while taking some distance from the opponent which came to attack him.

However he might have enough ability to reach copper rank if he keeps at it for 1 or 2 years of gaining experience as an adventurer, but he might have no need for that.

To be honest though, I wish that he would at least learn some martial arts. Since he’ll be receiving the commission instead of me and I need information.

Nevertheless, since I planned on receiving the information from Lorraine in case of a commission with certain degrees of difficulty. At least it’s better if he dives into a shallow layer of the labyrinth or forest by himself.

「……Fuh.  We left at last. Somehow it feels like it’s been a long time since I’ve felt this atmosphere. I feel like that despite everything though I haven’t spent that much time in the labyrinth」

The man took a deep breath as we left the labyrinth and then said those words.

I understand his feelings.

At any rate, he went through a near death experience in there.

His tense nerves might break as we head towards a safe place.

We’re more or less outside of the labyrinth but, it didn’t mean that there’s absolutely no demons here. Though he shouldn’t lose his focus on this matter, I’ll overlook his actions just for today.

But I’ll stop you from doing that again by stabbing a nail lightly.

「….. We’Re-StiLL-ConSIdeRed-ExPLoRinG-The-LabYriNTh-TilL-We'Ve-RetURneD-to-ThE-CitY……」

When I say that while walking ahead, the man showed a face full of confusion.

「AH, WAIT FOR ME, MASTER. I UNDERSTAND！ 」

Though I somehow wanted to smile after hearing such adventurer-like action in his voice, but my dried skin is stiff and made me unable to laugh.

I want to be able to laughing like a human sooner or later.

I was currently advancing towards the station for horse-drawn carriages which operates near the labyrinth.

——-