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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: The Barbarian Who Hid His Face in a Reversed World
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The time rewinds to yesterday evening.
Tomorrow, we were entering the Labyrinth, so my training with Edelbert and my inn duties were both on hold.
While I was lounging around, resting my mind and body, I met with Joy Hog's party to go over the essential information before entering the Labyrinth.
"All we need to do is escort the students to the 6th floor and bring them back."
The request was simple.
We were to escort the Academy students while they investigated phenomena within the Labyrinth.
"I heard there's quite a number of students, almost twenty-five, right?"
"Besides us, there are five other explorer parties who've taken the request. And not just any reformed explorers, but clean ones. Each party will probably be assigned five students."
"Five parties? Looks like the Academy is pretty serious about safety."
Even if they weren't considered intermediate explorers, Joy Hog's party was among the top-tier on the 7th floor.
Hiring five parties of that caliber wasn't cheap.
"Of course. The Academy's financial power is immense, and apparently, there are even a few children of nobles among the students."
Nobles. I didn't know much about them, but certain images always came to mind: haughty, arrogant, and prone to making a fuss.
"So, the students absolutely cannot get hurt or die."
"A noble throwing a fit because their child came back as a corpse? Ugh. Just thinking about it is awful."
"Exactly. Even if they lose a limb, their lives must absolutely be preserved. Otherwise, when we return to the surface, our own heads might be on the chopping block."
Joy Hog made a chopping motion across her neck with her hand.
While they might not actually kill us, failing the request would surely result in equivalent penalties.
"But they're also generous folks. If we successfully complete the request, they've promised 2 gold coins per party member. Plus, all the monsters we deal with are ours, except for a few needed for research."
"Two, two gold coins per person...!"
"Ugh. Crazy money! I'm jealous! Well, it's how we make a living, I guess."
Even on the 7th floor of the Labyrinth, earning 2 gold coins per person was almost impossible.
It was a profit level utterly unattainable unless a miracle occurred, like soul stones dropping one after another.
Catering to these snot-nosed kids while heading to the familiar 6th floor. For them, it must have been an incredibly lucrative offer, one they couldn't refuse.
"What's more, an Academy assistant professor-level mage will be assigned to supervise the students. That's overkill for the 6th floor."
"An assistant professor can definitely hold their own on the 6th floor. Still, their direct Labyrinth experience will be limited, so they'll probably respect our orders since we have more field experience."
Safely escorting all twenty-five students to the 6th floor was by no means an easy task.
After all, if ten novice explorers entered the Labyrinth, at least four or five would die.
So, to increase the students' survival rate, even by a little, the Academy promised various forms of support to the escorting explorers.
"They're even providing all supplies, including 5th-floor fountain scrolls, and food. That saves us some money."
Packing supplies for the 6th floor was already hard labor, but with the Academy providing all of it, there was nothing much for us to prepare.
"Any more questions?"
I shook my head. The other party members did the same.
No matter how grand or detailed a plan one made, it would quickly fall apart in the unpredictable Labyrinth.
'All I need to know is that we're escorting students, and other explorer parties will be moving with us, right?'
Understanding the broad strokes and reacting with improvisation and quick judgment was an explorer's most crucial virtue.
Perhaps because they were all explorers of three years or more, they seemed to understand this core principle well.
"Alright! Let's have a blast tomorrow!"
"Ooooh!"
Cheers!
Drinking alcohol the night before entering the Labyrinth felt a bit off, so we simply clinked our milk glasses and chugged them down.
"How does my milk taste?"
That the cow Beastkin, Jubel, uttered those words after I'd chugged the milk was another matter entirely, and it certainly turned my stomach.
***
"Balkan. Here, a gift for you."
The moment I opened the inn door and stepped inside, Diana, who had been waiting by the entrance, handed me something.
I took it with a blank expression.
It was a leather armor, emitting a radiant blue light.
"It's a special armor made by combining relics and minotaur hide. I, I prepared it because of... that day... when your breastplate was torn... How do you like it?"
Until now, I had only seen such miraculous light from Zirnier Basil's armaments.
'Of course, the light is much weaker than that of the Great Helm I'm wearing.'
Considering the Great Helm's fraudulent ability to enhance perception, this leather armor was clearly no ordinary item either.
As if possessed, I put on the leather armor over my T-shirt.
The slightly small leather armor stretched on its own, perfectly conforming to my body.
Compared to the heavy iron breastplate I'd worn, this was unbelievably light. To exaggerate a bit, it felt like wearing nothing at all.
*Thunk, thunk.* When I tapped it with my fist, it rang like a bell. That was a hardness impossible for leather armor.
It was as light as a single piece of clothing, yet its hardness far surpassed that of iron armor.
"C-can I really accept something like this?! It's clearly much more expensive than the breastplate I was wearing! I can't just take it!"
Excited, words I didn't truly mean spilled out.
Diana, watching me repeatedly admire the leather armor, smiled warmly.
"Balkan's safety is more important than a few coins. Please don't feel burdened; just accept it. I want you to know that there are people who worry about you getting hurt. I'm sorry I couldn't do more."
Ah, Diana! Just what kind of person are you?!
How could I just accept such a gift? I wanted to repay her somehow, but there wasn't much I could give Diana.
Diana seemed to already possess so much. So, what could she not have?
"Ugh..."
As I pondered, a sweet moan escaped Diana's lips.
Startled, Diana immediately covered her mouth, but her appearance was clearly different from usual.
At first glance, she looked beautiful, like a widow, with her eyes gently closed as always.
"…Hoo…"
Yet, there was a strangely flushed breath, her chest rising and falling more intensely with it, and even a peculiar sensation that she was gazing intently at me despite her closed eyes.
'The Curse of the Lewd, Frail, Corrupted Symbol. A premonition!'
Until now, I had simply thought she wasn't feeling well, but now that I clearly recognized the existence of that curse, she looked different.
In preparation for the impending rampage each quarter, lust was gradually accumulating within Diana's body.
What could I do for Diana right now?
Only one thing immediately came to mind.
Wide open.
"Ms. Diana. Could I, perhaps, give you a hug?"
I said, spreading my arms.
My experiences so far had made it abundantly clear that my body held an unusual value in this world.
Perhaps due to my perception, I felt Diana's gaze shift, even with her eyes closed.
From her outstretched fingertips, it gradually moved inward, finally reaching a single spot. At the same time, Diana's face flushed crimson.
"I can help you relieve your lust."
"B-Balkan...! I, I didn't give you the armor with that intention...! H-huh...! It was simply because I wished you wouldn't get hurt...!"
"I know that much. You've given me so much, Ms. Diana, all this time."
As I slightly widened my embrace, Diana's voice gradually softened.
"So I just... want to repay you, even a little. You're struggling because of the curse, aren't you?"
In truth, it was 70% my own personal desires and 30% using the curse as an excuse.
Diana's fingertips twitched. She seemed to be hesitating greatly.
Her body, experiencing the premonition of the curse, wanted to rush forward and embrace me immediately, but Diana's formidable reason seemed to be forcefully suppressing it.
So, I simply went to her.
Still with my arms open, one step. Then another.
I stood right in front of Diana's nose, looking down at her.
"...Uuuugh..."
Diana's trembling arms slowly began to slide under my armpits.
Her movements were slow. Even then, her face revealed immense conflict and anguish.
*Squeeeeeze—*
"Huuuuhhh...!"
Unable to wait any longer, I hugged Diana tightly first. A breathless gasp escaped her lips.
Her large breasts softly compressed against the leather armor she had gifted me, and I felt her lower abdomen begin to throb.
"H-heeeek..."
Diana's hands couldn't reach my back.
She simply remained stiff, her arms outstretched, tightly embraced by me.
It was a real shame I couldn't see her face.
"You're suffering because of the curse, aren't you?"
"Hoo, uuuugh..."
"Please bear with it for a moment. I'll help you relieve your lust right away."
*Nod. Nod.*
Diana kept letting out foolish moans, barely managing to nod her head.
When I ended the hug and pulled away, Diana grabbed my wrist and led me somewhere. It was none other than Diana's bedroom.
Although it was my first time entering the room, I had no time to look around.
That was because as soon as we entered, Diana pushed me against the wall.
"H-huh, I'm sorry for dragging you in here... That Blessing you use, it feels so strange... I thought I'd collapse right away if you used it in the hall..."
I nodded and focused on the Blessing of Radiance.
*Shhhwaaaa—*
Thanks to having practiced its use in my spare time, light imbued my hands much faster and more smoothly than before.
*Thump. Thump.*
Looking at Diana's lower abdomen, a perverted, heart-shaped womb symbol was already forming.
As I knelt for a closer look, Diana's lower abdomen and smooth Y-zone came into view before my eyes.
Perhaps because she was encased in a gray dress that perfectly revealed her figure, her cute lower abdomen gently rose and fell with each breath.
Furthermore, last time I saw it, the [Darkness] and pink light were very deeply etched, but now, even from up close, it was barely visible, faint and blurry.
'It's probably because I resolved the rampage not too long ago.'
*Squeeeeze.*
"Eunghiiiiiit...!"
As I pressed down on Diana's soft, supple lower abdomen with my light-infused hand, the light immediately began to disrupt the darkness.
"B-Bal, kaaan... Th-that spot... H-huh, a little more carefully..."
"Ah. My apologies. I'll be gentler."
For a while, I sweated as I suppressed Diana's curse.
The darkness, exposed to a large amount of light, struggled and resisted. But it didn't last long.
The womb symbol drawn by darkness disappeared, and we, drenched in sweat, looked at each other and conversed for a short while.
*Thump.*
That was when the situation suddenly changed.
I was late to notice, having been focused on Diana's womb. A strange presence was felt outside.
"Who's there!"
I rushed out immediately, but no one was there. Instead, a book lay on the floor in front of the door.
[Ellie Ordia: Research Log on Portals and Dimensional Magic 1]
It was a book that had become very familiar recently.
***
"Ellie..."
The moment Diana saw the book, she pressed a hand to her forehead. It was an unfamiliar reaction.
At the same time, seeing that reaction, I was certain. Indeed, Ellie Ordia was Diana Ordia's adopted daughter.
"Are your relations... perhaps not very good?"
'The way she'd only covered the surname on the book, and how she hadn't revealed her surname during introductions.'
I didn't know the exact reason, but Ellie seemed to be avoiding Diana.
"You... knew about Ellie?"
"Yes. Mr. Edelbert mentioned it in passing."
"…Until I adopted her, our relationship wasn't so bad. We'd eat together and laugh, and sometimes when she couldn't sleep, I'd let her share my bed. She loved using magic, so I'd often teach her too…"
Diana spoke as if recalling a bitter past.
"But ever since... she enrolled in the Academy..."
Diana swallowed. No more words came from her lips.
Only a bitter, regretful expression spoke volumes.
"..."
Honestly, I was a little shocked. Perhaps because it was the first time I'd seen such an expression on Diana's face.
There are as many types of families in the world as there are stars.
There are orphan families like me and my sister, ordinary families, and then there are complicated ones like Ellie and Diana.
As an orphan, I don't really understand parent-child troubles.
Frankly, I don't quite grasp either warm relationships or bad ones.
'Still, this isn't right.'
I felt a desire for Diana not to wear such an expression.
The same went for Ellie. Though it had been a short time, I had seen Ellie.
The way she had gotten excited by my Labyrinth stories, focused on her research, and smiled—that was certainly not the look of an evil person.
With what feelings did that child, who showed such a bright smile, flee the inn?
It might seem presumptuous, but I had this thought:
I wanted to mend this fractured family.
***
Thirty minutes before entering the Labyrinth. The party members hadn't all gathered yet.
Once inside the Labyrinth, it would be difficult to have a relaxed conversation. Now was the optimal opportunity.
"Ellie. Do you have a moment?"
The pale-faced, red-haired elf looked up at me indifferently.
"...No."
It didn't seem like it would be easy.
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