Barberian

Chapter 76: Bath and Purify (1)

It all started two weeks ago, when I encountered Nate Elin at the fountain.

"What the hell, horrible..."

"Uww, wooweeek..."

The Temple's investigators, who had followed Nate Elin, recovered the bodies of the slain Paladins and Priests from the fifth floor.

They gagged or squeezed their eyes shut at the sight of the carnage.

Those left on the fifth floor would be weaker than the elite that had followed Nate Elin, but they were still not worthy of death on the fifth floor.

"Can you explain to me what the hell happened here?"

Nate Elin's face grew serious as she asked for the truth of the matter.

We told her everything we had seen and experienced.

The investigators looked as if they were possessed or brainwashed by something and were hugging a mysterious black egg.

The inscrutable abomination that hatched from that egg was a very unpleasant darkness.

Hitolis, Hope, and the Paladins at my back, were going mad, as if possessed by the creature.

"I, indeed. I lost my mind in an instant..."

"I don't remember exactly... but I'm sure, I wasn't me. As if I was possessed by another personality..."

Hitolis and Hope chimed in, frowning as if the mere recollection of the moment was painful.

"How could that be..."

Nate Elin's expression hardened as if she had heard something unbelievable.

"Brainwashing... black eggs... reluctant aura... no way..."

She tapped her chin as if remembering something.

"By any chance, do you have a theory about that black egg?"

"...No. I'm not sure. Thanks for the trouble."

Hearing my question, Nate Elin hastily ended the conversation.

She glared at the injured party members and then at me.

Her gaze, which had begun to scan my head, slowed slightly at the lower crown of my helmet, and then locked completely on the belly of my leather armor, which was riddled with holes.

Nate Elin stared at my stomach and muttered quietly.

"...Certainly, the Paladins' divinity."

Jubeel and Joy Hog, who were watching Nate Elin from behind, muttered quietly.

"That bitch. Just looking at a man's stomach in the open?"

"Jubeel. Please shut up. She's a Paladin of the Temple. There's no way she's looking at a man's stomach. She's just checking out the truth."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"Hmmm."

Nate Elin, who coughed loudly at the sound of the voice, looked at us and said.

"Although it was an inscrutable disaster, caused by a mistake of the temple, I promise to compensate you for this damage in the name of Paladin Nate Elin."

Damage done in the Labyrinth can rarely be compensated.

When you enter the Labyrinth, you don't know what will happen, and you take full responsibility for everything that happens.

So everyone's faces lit up when Nate Elin confirmed that she would compensate them.

Physical injuries aside, the damage was enormous.

My helmet and leather armor, my most valuable equipment, were smashed, and the handle of Zirnier's axe was slightly tarnished.

The axe that Idelbert had gifted me was snapped in half, broken when it entered the creature's mouth.

All that remained of my equipment were my gaiters.

Nate Elin, surveying the delighted faces of the party, turned to me.

"Since you were directly harmed by the Paladin, the temple will compensate you."

"You're going to compensate me for what?"

"What do you want?"

"Hmm..."

It was a bold statement. She knew what I wanted.

"...No. I shouldn't have said that. I'll compensate you accordingly."

"I see."

Seeing my expression, Nate Elin must have felt cheap, because she quickly changed the subject.

'A few gold coins would be satisfactory. Money is one of the biggest reasons explorers come into the Labyrinth.'

"Investigations are suspended. Everyone prepare to return to the surface."

"What?! But we still have 12 floors to go..."

"We've had enough of the harvest. All investigators, retreat."

Nate Elin ordered the group to retreat.

"Let us join you."

"Okay, but don't use that weird language."

"Yeah."

We joined the ranks.

With their gear and bodies in tatters, the party didn't look like they'd make it safely from the fifth floor to the ground.

Looking more like streetwalkers than explorers, we blended in with the survey crew and made it back to the surface in five days.

"Yuck!"

"The light! The sun is so blinding!"

"It's warm..."

The sun was high in the sky over the Labyrinth city of Valerus.

The party was happy to see the sun shining down on them.

Our time in the labyrinth had been shorter than our previous journey, but it had been dense.

We had practically walked on death's doorstep.

The natural light was so refreshing, so warm, after all the hardships of the dark, musty labyrinth.

Tsk!

"...!"

"...!"

At the same time, a strange sensation swept through my body. Joy Hogg, Jubeel, and I shuddered violently.

Hitolis and Hope shuddered as well.

I instinctively knew the cause of the sudden tremors.

"Stop, no!"

"Ah, yes. This sensation!"

[Current Blessings and Curses: 4]

Palpitations.

Heart pounding.

Question mark blessing. Blessing of Hard-fought Battle. Blessing of Brilliance.

The total number of blessings increased by one.

***

"The damage compensation and the promised contribution will be paid within a week. Hope, Hitolis, and Balkan, follow us."

Nate Elin snapped at me.

"You will go to the purification chamber of the temple. Even you, Balkan, have been eaten by it, so we need to cleanse you of any evil energy you may have."

I nodded, knowing she had a good reason.

I didn't feel anything wrong with my body, but there could be something else I wasn't aware of.

"Then we should part ways here. We should turn these guys over to the guards and get some rest."

"I'm frantically wondering if this is a blessing or a curse, but I'm so tired. I think I'm going to get some wine and milk first..."

Joy Hog and Jubeel pounded on Gregor's pack.

Gurmimi and Reichem's heads bobbed up and down.

"Gellan..."

"I'm going crazy!!"

Gellan's party's wizard, Fusilini, stared at the dumbfounded Gellan with Baby Aldente on her head.

In truth, their party had done more damage than Joy Hog's.

A party that was so close to becoming a mid-level explorer had fallen like that.

After all, in the Labyrinth, no one is immune.

I set up a settlement date with Joy Hog's party and saw them off.

"Recover well, Balkan!"

"Go and rest, everyone."

Jubeel, carrying the still unconscious Lammel on her back, gestured as Joy Hog trotted off with them.

Despite the bump in the road at the end, this trip to the Labyrinth had ended well enough.

They've even gotten blessings, which was quite a relief to their bitter hearts.

'Now, let's get cleaned up in the temple's purification chamber, Diana and ...'

I remembered the promise I had made before entering the Labyrinth.

I didn't know if it would be a sign of trust, but I promised myself to have a heart-to-heart conversation with Diana face-to-face.

A smile formed on my face as I imagined the moments when I would share a drink with Diana and have various conversations with her.

I could only imagine the relaxation after the bloody labyrinth.

"..."

Suddenly, the surroundings became quiet. I snapped out of it and looked around.

Nate Elin and the other Paladins and priests were staring at me blankly.

Gulp.

One of the Paladins swallowed loudly. At the same time, I heard an anguished gasp from somewhere.

My hand unconsciously went up to my helmet.

The lower part of the helmet was slightly chipped, revealing the corner of his mouth and left cheek.

I touched the softly raised corners of my mouth and my skin.

-gulp.

Then, once again, the Paladins gulped.

They were a group of confirmed virgins, so it was hard to tell if they swallowed at the sight of a man.

"Crack, crack! Kaak!"

Gellan growled at me, his face full of hostility.

I wondered why this asshole had to be like this.

I quickly ignored him and turned to Nate Elin, the leader of the lifelong virginity affirmation group.

"What, is something wrong?"

"...Hmmm. Nope. Nothing. We have a long way to go. We'll leave for the temple quickly. Get ready, everyone."

"Yes, yes! Prepare to return!"

"I, I. I need to go to the bathroom quickly..."

I followed Nate Elin, who shook her head awkwardly, and the Paladins, who gulped in a strangely sweetened breath, to the temple.

***

"That's it. Serif."

Nate Elin knelt down to one knee before Serif Adeline and reported the rough results of the Labyrinth investigation.

Serif's face was emotionless as she received the report.

There was no trace of her usual manufactured smile, just a stony expression.

"It seems that the omen that came after a decade has caused more repercussions than expected. I never thought the seal would be broken."

"Yes. Perhaps, given the circumstances, the other floors have been affected as well..."

"...We'll have to circulate the Fountain Transition Scrolls more vigorously. Perhaps the Labyrinth will be closed soon."

Calmly analyzing the report, Serif formed a natural smile and looked at Nate Elin.

"You've done a good job, Nate Elin. Now go back and get some rest."

"..."

The congratulations didn't deter Nate Elin but there was something she hadn't reported yet.

Balkan had been grievously wounded on this journey and he had been brought to the temple to make amends and purify his body.

'Should I tell her?'

Serif looked at Balkan with a different gaze than the others.

Her expression, which had been forced and colorless, was transformed into something more beautiful in front of him.

Nate didn't want to see Serif, who was so warm and consistently kind to everyone, treating only one person with special treatment.

'...hah.'

Nate Elin hesitated for a moment before reporting what had happened to Balkan.

"...What did you just say?"

As if on cue, the white cat's tail and ears perked up.

"Oh, no, it was not someone else, but the sword of the city, of the temple…that stabbed him?"

"...Yes."

Balkan's leather armor was covered in holy sword marks. He had obviously been struck by the Paladins.

Upon hearing this, Serif's face turned pale.

The cat's tail, which had once stood up so high, gradually dropped downward, as if it were in exhaustion.

"How could you have made such a mistake, Nate Elin!"

The next words sounded like a frightened cat screaming.

It was something she'd never seen from Serif, who had always shrugged off any mistake with a mechanical smile.

Nate Elin was quite shocked to see her human side, something she had never seen in all her years as Serif's bodyguard.

"Uh, what to do... what to do... Da, I have to go ask for forgiveness right now..."

As Serif nervously bit her nails, Nate Elin continued her report.

"...He's in the cleansing chamber now, though I did bring him in just in case."

"He's in the cleansing chamber?! Now?!"

"Oh, he hasn't gone in yet, he's just waiting."

The purification chamber is a kind of bathroom.

Before or after an important ritual like a pacification ceremony or entering a labyrinth you have to bathe in holy water to cleanse the body and mind of defilement.

Higher ranking priests, such as Serif, would have their own private purification chambers.

-Gulp.

Serif swallowed hard, having had a brilliant idea.

"...Then… this is really... unavoidable."

She muttered in a very small voice.

"...Yes, this is really, really unavoidable.

The Temple's sword was pointed at him.

Oh, the pain and suffering.

This was the most effective way to apologize to him, to make amends.

'The faithful service of a high-ranking priest, whose face even nobles line up to see.'

This would be enough for him to recognize her sincerity.

I mean it. It was not something personal.

"Bring Mr. Balkan to my private purification chamber, at once."

"Serif!"

Nate Elin's eyes widened at the words. But Serif's demeanor was steadfast.

-Gulp.

Serif swallowed the saliva that kept trickling down her throat, trying to control the uncontrollable wagging of her tail.

"Come on!"

"Yes!"

Nate Elin immediately ran out of the audience room.

-Boo-boo-boo-boo.

"HEEEEEEEE!"

Serif flinched momentarily from the vibration of the necklace on his chest.

Serif had gotten used to the vigorous vibrations by now, and she swallowed back a sweet moan.

The heat was too much but it didn't matter.

Anyway, she's going to take it off soon.

-Tsk. Tsk.

Her white cat ears twitched in anticipation.

Chapter 77: Bath and Purify (2)

"You can change into these."

I, Hitolis, and Hope were given bathrobes by the priest guarding the purification chamber.

The bathrobes were soft and plush.

The material felt luxurious to the touch, unlike anything I'd ever felt on Earth, let alone in this world.

"This is a ceremonial bathrobe made of Arachne's thread. It stretches freely, so please feel free to wear it."

"Ah, Arachne..."

I'd heard that she was a natural disaster in the Middle Floors, but a robe made from her threads?

"This is the most luxurious robe I've ever received in my life."

"Me, too. The robes we usually get are just ordinary robes..."

Hitolis and Hope felt awkward in their current situation.

From what they heard, they usually just give them plain cotton bathrobes.

"...Could it be because of Mr. Balkan?"

"I think so."

"Maybe they're paying more attention to me because of what I've been through."

I shrugged and grabbed Arachne's bathrobe.

"The locker room is this way."

Hope and I changed into our bathrobes in the men's locker room.

TLN: Looks like Hope is a man. Because of the name I thought he was a woman.

As I removed my tattered leather armor, a pool of congealed blood dripped to the floor. It was a sign of injury.

From my pants pocket, I pulled out the Abomination Soul stone.

"Be still."

[]

"Answer."

[...]

I dabbed a bit of Radiant Blessing into the Abomination Soul stone, and it whimpered in understanding.

I slipped it into my backpack, then stripped off my t-shirt, pants, and panties and stuffed them into the backpack as well.

"... and ..."

Hope, who was getting dressed next to me, looked at my body and let out a stunned, envious voice.

"How can a man have a body like this, oh my god."

"Don't admire me."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

I felt a little dirty at the shitty reaction, but with a big heart, I understood.

Men in this world were, on average, meager and impractical, so it wasn't strange for them to look at me in wonder at my body, which was completely different from theirs.

I thought to myself, "How could they not criticize me as soon as they saw me, like some retarded asshole?"

I thought to myself as I put on my bathrobe.

"Oh."

It was definitely a little small when I received it, but as soon as I slipped one arm in, the Arachne silk stretched to fit my frame perfectly.

I casually opened the front and buttoned it up. I was in awe of the luxurious material.

In just a robe, I felt like a beggar on the street and the youngest son of a tycoon living the high life.

If only I had a wine glass in my hand, I would be perfect.

"And the helm."

Hope's eyes traveled to the right side of the face wrapped in the Great Helm.

"...Hmm. I suppose it doesn't matter, since many Paladins like to clean their swords and armor with holy water."

"Then let's go."

After changing our clothes, we headed to the purification chamber.

Like medieval public baths, the purification chambers were divided into gender-specific areas, like the men's and women's baths.

As a man, I headed for the men's bath.

Chaaaah!

-Ack! The holy water is too hot! Pour me lukewarm holy water!

From inside, the male priests could be heard taking care of their own baths.

"...What is going on in there?"

"It's the usual bathing ritual."

Hope's flat voice sounded slightly frightening.

I'm too afraid to open the purification chamber door and step inside. I can already feel my vision diminishing.

I squeeze my eyes shut and cover my ears with my hands to block out the sound.

I subconsciously shut down the awareness that was trying to unfold. Any awareness there would be traumatizing.

Then Hope, who was next to me, glanced at me and said.

"Now, I'm going to show you how to measure your bath-"

"Balkan, here you are!"

Nate Elin, who had come running, panting, in a moment of crisis, found me.

"Kaaaak!"

Hope squealed in horror, hastily covering his high liver and stomach.

I thought to myself, "What kind of reaction is that, when I'm wearing a robe and nothing to show for it?"

Is that normal in this world?

For a moment, I was confused, but then I accepted it.

Just because men in this world reacted that way didn't mean I had to act that way.

I was proud of my healthy body and the muscles I had built up.

"Is something wrong?"

"Th-that-"

Nate Elin's eyes swept over my body for a moment as I opened my mouth to speak.

It was an instinctive, if not selfless, move as a woman of this world.

-Mmph!

Nate Elin chewed on her tongue.

"How dare you take the opportunity to show yourself in front of Serif! Kwak, you bastard!"

"Eh?"

"Huh... no. Serif is in urgent need of you."

"Uh... you mean right now?"

"Yep. You've just changed into your robe. She wants to give you a bath, so come with me."

Serif is going to give me a bath?

"Serif will give Mr. Balkan a bath?!"

Hope was more surprised than I was.

His eyes widened as if he had heard something unbelievable.

"That's just too good to be true!"

"Uh... is that a good thing?"

A woman washing a man?

That seemed a little out of place by this world's standards.

"Of course! Any other woman would be a deadly bitch, but it's Serif, and no one else! To have the holy and pure one, filled with divinity, personally instructing you in the art of bathing...! What an honor for a worshiper of Mother Earth! I'm sure you're the first to do this, and I envy you...!"

The man, Hope, looked at me with genuine envy as he spoke.

I felt like he was looking at Serif as an object of faith, not reason.

Nate Elin, a woman, had a similar reaction, though not as loud.

'Even though she is not a bishop, she is a pure person who can be called a saint… Should I think of it as an honor?'

I was a little confused.

"I'm going upstairs, follow me."

At that moment, Nate Elin started walking ahead of me.

"Go ahead!..."

Hope, who looked on with envy, waved me off.

I sneaked a glance toward the men's cleansing room.

-Ahhh, Father, the holy water is flowing into my body...! My mind and body are being purified...!

I quickly turned my head away.

Anywhere would be better than there.

***

"I'll be right back with Miss Serif. Stay here."

Nate Elin carefully closed the door behind him and left.

Balkan looked around dazedly.

A dim, humid, steamy space.

He'd been told on the way up that the cleansing chamber was for Serif only, but it was slightly smaller than the men's public cleansing chamber he'd seen earlier.

This meant that the space used by one person was comparable in size to one used by dozens of people.

Even this one was half as small as it used to be at Serif's request.

-Chirp.

Hot, lukewarm water flowed from the carvings on the walls.

It was submerged beneath them, like a bathtub in a bathhouse.

This was no ordinary water.

It was water with a faint glow, pale in comparison to the Blessing of Radiance, a liquid the people of the temple called holy water.

Balkan quickly pulled his bathrobe up to his armpits and dipped his arms into the tub.

"...What, nothing too special?"

Most of his wounds had been healed by the healing water on the fifth floor, and dipping his arm in the holy water hadn't made any difference.

As I was checking the temperature of the water, I heard a knock on the door.

"Se, it's Serif Adeline. Do you mind if I come in?"

-Gulp.

I could hear her swallow as she finished speaking.

"Yes."

Serif must be the owner of this space, but somehow I felt like the roles were reversed.

The door opened almost before I could finish my sentence.

Immediately, I saw snow-white hair and red eyes.

Then white cat ears that perked up nervously, and a cat tail that wagged softly and gently.

A white bathrobe wrapped preciously around her pale skin.

Not as big as her older sister Idelbert, but a vibrating cross necklace resting on a pouch of divine power large enough to keep a baby from starving.

In more ways than one, she was a saint.

Serif's red eyes met Balkan's.

"....

His muscular body, wrapped in a bathrobe with a helmet over his head, came into view.

'When I see other male priests dressed in robes for rituals, I don't feel the slightest stirring.'

Was it the overwhelming difference in physical specs?

Or was it simply because the man standing before her was special?

Serif's face heated up.

-Gulp.

Swallowing hard, Serif's mouth slowly opened.

"Then let us begin our... service."

***

The bathing ritual it's a sacred ritual to cleanse the body and mind of dirt before an important event, or after a big day.

"How are you feeling...? Do you feel anything wrong...?"

"Oh, yes, yes..."

"Good, that's good, now try the other arm..."

I submerged myself in the bathtub of holy water and stuck my arm out of the tub.

Then I saw Serif kneeling by the side of the tub, wiping my forearm with a cloth towel soaked in holy water.

Her expression was unmoved and her eyes serious.

Her calm and pure gaze, devoid of lust, was nailed to my forearm.

-snap!

A white cat's tail, full of steam, slapped the ground in front of me... but that's a physiological reaction.

A cloth towel slid up from my wrists to my elbows.

As the hot, soaked washcloth's tactile sensation glided across my arms, I felt my muscles and joints relax.

Serif's holy water massage it's like a merciless muscle massage from Idelbert, soothing and relaxing.

Up until now, I had only wiped my body with a wet towel because I couldn't afford to go to a public bath, but this was the first time I had soaked in hot water in a long time.

"Hmph!"

"...Hmph, are you okay?"

"Ah... yes... really, good..."

"..."

Serif's face became much more serious as she went back to the bath.

'Did I misunderstand her all this time?'

I thought she was a strange person when she wore the vibrating necklace, but now I could call her a virtuous saintly maiden who diligently tended to her patients.

I glanced over and saw Serif's bathrobe soaked in the warm steam of the purification chamber.

A single bead of sweat trickled down between her breast bones, dampening the sternum of her robe.

"..."

My brain froze for a moment at the sight.

Instinctively, I clamped down on the thickening bulge.

I had been through many trials and tribulations with Diana every day.

Now, with a little concentration, I could control this much...

Tsk-!

Suddenly, I felt a strangely intense gaze on me, and I looked back at Serif.

She was still wiping her arms with a serious expression.

'...Was it my mood?'

I scratched the back of my head with my other arm, embarrassed that I had misunderstood, and Serif spoke up cautiously.

"...I heard you had some trouble in the Labyrinth this time."

"Ah...yes."

Something had happened. I was stabbed by Paladins and eaten by an abomination.

I instinctively clutched at my abdomen where the Paladin's sword had stabbed me.

Then Serif's eyes fluttered wide.

"Shi, for the wrong done by the Temple's sword, I apologize on behalf of the Temple."

Serif's head shook as she bowed.

It was unlikely, but she seemed to be shaking with fear that her apology would not be accepted.

"It's okay now, they didn't do it on purpose. Besides, you've agreed to compensate them for the damages..."

"Damage compensation...!"

Serif's head snapped up at that. Her red eyes, slightly watery, looked up at me.

"I, I don't know what I can give you that will make you feel better, Balkan. Ho, if there's anything you want, just let me know, and I'll do whatever it takes to get it!"

Serif said urgently. Her tone was so urgent that she even gasped slightly.

I looked at her and the question I'd had before came back to me.

'This is too much.'

I didn't understand since this was only my fourth encounter with Serif.

The first encounter was when I had just entered the labyrinth, and saw Serif accompanying the beastgirl party.

TLN: I used beastgirl instead of beastmen because this is a gender reversed novel.

The second time, she suddenly changed her demeanor and offered to perform the blessing and curse tests that other explorers pay a few silver coins for, but only for me, for free.

In the third encounter, I was granted the miracle of mental protection, which was enough to deflect even the hobgoblin staff's magic.

Before this trip, I was also told by Nate Elin that Serif was worried about me.

And now, on our fourth meeting, I'm being treated to a bathing regimen that has the other priests, and even my escort paladin, drooling with envy.

She was too kind.

[◆ Blessing of ???]

And all of this attention came after our second meeting, when I confirmed my blessing.

At this point, I was convinced.

'Serif is aware of the existence of my question mark blessing.'

"Serif. You once told me that if I came to your temple, you would test me for blessings and curses."

"Oh, yes, of course, and it's still in effect!"

Red eyes looked up at me with eagerness.

"It just so happens that I got a blessing on this trip to the Labyrinth..."

"Oh, really?! Congratulations!"

I wondered if that wide smile was the real Serif, or if it was just a mask she had created.

Should I trust her completely, or should I keep my distance and be wary...

"Yes. Would you mind checking the blessings I received last time as well?"

This time, I'll be sure to do it.

"Honestly."

-Gulp.

Serif's red eyes fluttered open.

Chapter 78: Bath and Purify (3)

As Balkan raised himself for the blessing check, his body was revealed to be clinging to a bathrobe soaked in holy water.

"...hhh."

A small intake of breath rang out.

It came from Serif.

As a devout follower of the Earth Mother, Serif was supposed to remain a virgin for the rest of her life.

Before she was a devout believer, Serif was a female who instinctively craved a male.

Her gaze instinctively travels down to his abs.

Balkan spontaneously turned his back to Serif and sat down in the tub.

The reason for Balkan's back was clear.

To feel blessings and curses, the priest's body needed to be closest to the heart.

"Is this how it's done?"

Balkan asked Serif.

"...Neh."

Serif swallowed hard, pushing aside the regret that was creeping up on her.

-Gulp.

She swallowed hard but didn't make eye contact.

Serif gently touched Balkan's back, feeling slightly less tense than before.

As she placed her divine hand on the viciously cracked muscles of Balkan's back, she was immediately met with the sound of a wildly beating heart.

-Thump-thump-thump.

Serif closed her eyes, concentrating on the sound of Balkan's heart.

'Honestly...'

In the back of his mind, she remembered Balkan's words.

Serif realized that her consciousness had been sucked somewhere else.

And she looked up at [something] in the sky somewhere.

Something so distant, [something].

It was the same view she'd seen before, when she'd confirmed the Balkan Blessing.

The [something] had been staring at her from somewhere in the distance.

She didn't think Balkan has noticed it yet, but if the day comes when he does.

Will he be able to withstand this gaze?

Of course, one day he will.

Balkan has come a long way in less than half a year since they first met.

But what about the months and years ahead?

Serif was half sure that in the not-too-distant future, he would be a force to be reckoned with in the Labyrinth City.

That was all. He would be a bright light in a world tainted by evil, as the Mother Earth Goddess had revealed.

But after a moment's consideration, Serif shook her head.

It was too soon, not yet.

[■■■ ■ looks at Serif Adeline who invaded ■■.]

[She is banished.]

***

I felt the warmth of Serif's hand on my back.

A few minutes before I feel the warmth of an unfamiliar hand and the holiness radiating from it, running through every inch of my body.

"Blessing confirmed, it's done."

Serif's voice sounded calmer, and I turned my head slightly in response.

Serif, who was breaking out in a light sweat, as she had during the previous blessing check, immediately pulled a wand out of thin air and swung it around.

Then, out of nowhere, paper and a pen flew in front of her.

The pen began to move of its own accord and scribble on the paper.

Serif soon snatched the paper out of thin air.

"In addition to this blessing, you've gained another in the meantime. Congratulations, Balkan. As you promised, you've grown a little stronger."

During our second meeting, when I confirmed the blessing, Serif asked me for a favor.

To keep heading into the Labyrinth, to be stronger than you are now.

"I tried."

I hadn't set out to become stronger, but entering the Labyrinth made me naturally seek it.

Serif laughed at my short answer, her tail flicking.

I stared at Serif for a moment, then looked at the paper she handed me.

Blessing of the Battle, with the Blessing of Radiance.

[◆ Blessing of the Hour of Judgment]

– Once a day, you have a moment of judgment.

– If there is a danger to your life that you don't recognize, it will appear unconsciously.

The contents of this new blessing were also written.

– Wisdom +3, +10 if all prerequisites are met.

There were also additional stats in the status window that were more powerful than the Temple's appraisal.

Overall, I was happy with the blessing.

It gave me a small boost in wisdom that I lacked.

'Most of all, I like the blessing itself.'

The uncanny focus I used to have unconsciously when I felt my life was in danger.

This blessing allows me to deal with it consciously.

It was a tremendous benefit. It would give me a lot more leeway in future battles.

"This is an interesting blessing. I've only ever seen one of these before."

It was such an unusual blessing that even Serif looked at it curiously.

I was dealt an unusual hand but that was it.

"Serif."

"What?"

"Is this really all I have to show for my blessing?"

The piece of paper Serif handed me had only three blessings on it.

There was no question mark blessing.

"..."

Serif's face tightened slightly as I sounded convinced there was another blessing.

"..."

"..."

An odd silence hovered.

The humid, warm air of the purification chamber made Serif's face break out into a slight sweat.

"...Did you know?"

It was a meaningful question, but I realized it was about the question mark blessing.

It was a de facto confession, a confession that she had checked the blessing, but hadn't been honest with me.

"I have a guess, but I don't know for sure."

I knew from the status window that I had a Blessing, but I didn't know what it did or how it functioned.

Serif purses her lips as if considering my words, then raises her hand as if swearing an oath.

A white glow of holy power enveloped his hand.

"Faithful servant of the Mother Earth Goddess, Serif Adeline, High Priestess, prays here now."

A white powder descended upon Serif's head, dissolving instantly.

"From now on, I swear to the divine that I will never speak a false word against you, Balkan, for the rest of my life."

An oath to the divine.

Serif had enforced a rule upon herself that she would never break.

From this moment forward, Serif would not tell me a single falsehood for the rest of her life.

"No, what the…"

I opened my mouth, dumbfounded by the sudden declaration of oath.

"Even if I didn't mean to, I ended up deceiving you, and I felt it was the least I could do to make you trust me in the future."

Serif smiled bitterly.

"I do apologize for not being clearer about the blessing you have, Balkan, but."

There was sincerity in her red eyes.

It was, perhaps, the most sincere and honest look I'd ever seen from Serif.

"I just want you to know one thing. The reason I didn't mention the blessing was because I thought it would be more beneficial to you now, Balkan."

"...Is that true?"

"Yes. I can affirm it on faith."

Not knowing the content of the blessing would be more helpful?

It was completely contrary to conventional wisdom.

Get the blessing, and then increase my mastery of it, that's the fastest way to get stronger.

[◆ The Blessing of ???]

– ???

– Stamina+10 Strength+10 Agility+10

'What kind of blessing is this?'

Serif's mind kept trying to wander off, but the eyes of the man in front of her drove it away.

That other person was a level 50 powerhouse, one of the top powers in the Labyrinth City of Valerus, and was treated with special treatment by the Temple.

Such a being had asked me to trust her, even swearing an oath of divinity.

There had to be a good reason.

'No, rather, isn't this an opportunity?'

Serif can't lie to me now.

If I force her to tell me the details of the Question Mark Blessing, she'll reluctantly open her mouth.

'...No, that's not possible.'

That would undermine Serif's trust right out of the gate.

The question mark blessing is a nagging mystery, but not knowing right away won't kill me.

However it was clear that Saint Serif's unconditional favor would be of great benefit, both now and far into the future.

In the end, the mental scales tipped in her favor.

"If you're willing to go to such lengths, there must be a reason."

Serif's tail, which had been twitching nervously, stood on end.

"...! Mi, do you believe me?!"

"Why wouldn't I? Last time you performed a miracle yourself, and this time you even swore an oath to prove your words."

Actually, the oath was a bit too much this time.

How could I not believe her when she said that?

"Thanks to the miracle you granted me then, I was saved from a great danger in this labyrinth. Thank you."

It's true that Serif's miracle did save the day.

As I bowed my head in gratitude, I saw Serif clasp her hands together as if in prayer.

"I, for one, thank you for believing in me, even when I forsook my duties as a priest. One day, I will tell you of your blessing, Balkan, with my own words."

"Someday" implies that there is something lacking in my current knowledge of the blessing.

And that lack is most likely powerlessness.

So I have no choice but to be strong.

"I see."

Serif looked up at me and replied, her tail wagging gently.

Her expression brightened, as if a great worry had been relieved.

"So, are we done with the bathing?"

"Ah, yes! You may come out now..."

I lifted myself out of the tub before Serif had finished speaking.

My body was quite hot and I was even feeling a little dizzy from the constant soaking in the hot holy water.

My bathrobe, soaked with holy water and clinging tightly to my body, sagged.

"...Waaaah!"

I heard an exclamation from behind me.

Serif, who was kneeling, had her gaze set right on the inside of my thigh.

"Ugh-"

The cat's tail, which had been flicking gently, moved swiftly to cover Serif's mouth.

The fur on the white tail bristled as her white ears twitched frantically, and her white face turned apple red.

Our eyes met through the helmet and Serif quickly averted her gaze.

"What is wrong with you all of a sudden?"

I asked, puzzled by the sudden change, and Serif, still tucking her tail and squeezing his eyes shut, muttered.

"Earth Mother...teach me...!"

"...yeah?"

I couldn't understand what he was saying because her pronunciation was slurred.

Suddenly, as I turned to leave the bath, leaving behind the praying Serif, I realized where her gaze had been.

Between my thighs.

'...She's a holy woman of the temple.'

A saint in a group that is so sensitive about sexual matters that they blush, even saying that sleeping together is unclean.

'She almost said, Look at that dickhead...'

Suddenly, I realized that the oath Serif swore was an oath to be truthful.

"..."

Just in case, I turned my head to look at Serif again.

"Aaaaahhh!"

Suddenly, I heard a scream and the voice was familiar.

My perceptions immediately expanded to the men's cleansing room on the first floor.

There the screams of Hope, a priest of the Gellan party, rang out.

...It wasn't a long scream.

Chapter 79: Drunken Jokes (1)

Serif's first reaction to hearing Hope's screams was.

"Something's happened."

She was blushing, chewing her white tail like a gag, but now she had the air of a serious, elite priestess.

With a flick of her wand, her bathrobe vanished, and a clean robe of priestly garb enveloped her body.

I swallowed hard; the transformation had happened so quickly I hadn't seen it.

"I'm going to go downstairs and see what's going on, and Balkan is taking a break."

"But the voice came from the men's room."

"Eh."

Serif's red eyes widened slightly at my report.

Her eyes widened with embarrassment, as if this was a rare occurrence.

"Gahhhhhh!"

Then another scream rang out.

This time, it wasn't Hope's voice.

"Hitolis?

The priest of the Joy Hog Party.

"I'll head to the male cleansing chamber first, Serif, and you can check the other side."

"Oh, okay, just get him out of here and I'll check it out."

We quickly headed downstairs. I followed Serif down the stairs.

As we descended each flight of stairs, her chewed tail wagged seductively in front of my eyes.

'I wonder what it would feel like to pull it.'

I resisted the urge to act.

"What's going on here?"

"Serif!"

"Well, that is. I just came back and heard some screams coming from the purification chamber."

The priests gathered nearby squinted at Serif.

From the way they spoke, it seemed like they hadn't quite grasped the situation yet.

Serif treated the priests gathered around her in a completely different way than she treated me.

It's like the difference between an office worker who's enjoying himself after work and one who's exhausted from overtime and late nights.

The way she talked was not much different, and she was smiling in a way that seemed warm at first glance...but it felt like a forced smile with no emotion.

Maybe it was because I had just seen Serif's sincere expression, but the threshold felt even bigger.

"Oh, what should I do, what should I do...!"

"Why isn't the male Paladin coming!"

I turned my attention away from the emotions and toward the men's purification room, where I could hear screams and chatter.

I rammed the door open and entered.

"Gah!"

The male priests huddled together in the purification chamber began to cover their torsos and stomachs.

"Aaah!"

I swallowed the bad words that were about to come out of my spinal cord reflexes and made my way to where they were huddled.

"Ew, ew, ew."

I caught sight of Hope, gasping for breath on the floor of the purification chamber, his face contorted.

Honestly, in the back of my mind, I was considering the possibility that he'd screamed out during the bath.

Unfortunately or fortunately, I was wrong.

"Bar, Balkan?"

"Yes. It's Balkan. Are you awake?"

Hope slowly opened his eyes and looked up at me.

'Okay. At least he's conscious. '

I looked at Hope's body, which was the average male in the world and immediately frowned.

"What the hell happened?"

A very faint [darkness] was felt within Hope's reddened body.

It is far more primitive than the monsters, and is nothing more than a claw compared to Diana's curse.

It was definitely [Darkness].

Straining my eyes, I checked Hope's status window.

[Blasphemous Curse]

– Contact with objects imbued with holy power causes excruciating pain.

– Even so, you will instinctively crave powerful holy power.

"I don't know, as soon as I sprinkle holy water on myself to take a bath, I feel pain..."

Holy water has a weak divine power.

When you sprinkle such holy water all over your body, you can't help but feel pain to the point of screaming.

"Huh!"

"Why, why?"

Hope cried out, his eyes suddenly wide.

"Looking at you, my body is getting hotter and hotter... my heart is racing... I can't calm it down..."

Apparently, it wasn't just his body that was sick.

I wondered if the holy water sprinkled on his hair had hurt his head as well.

It wasn't easy for him to talk.

"Hang in there, I'll take you to Serif soon-"

"Ugh, ouch!"

"Hey, shit."

As I bent down to pick him up and carry him down the hall, Hope lunged at me with his arms outstretched.

-Tsk!

Instinctively, I threw a short punch with my Radiant Blessing, catching Hope in the jaw. Luckily, I managed to control my force.

Hope fell to the ground just as I lunged at him.

As he hit the ground, I heard a strange sound.

"Is Mr. Hope dead?"

Contrary to the words muttered by the male priest looking on, Hope's back slowly rose and fell as he collapsed into a slouched pose.

"He's still breathing."

Not only that, but the Blessing of Radiance tore through the [Darkness] within Hope's body.

"..."

"..."

As he spoke with inward relief, the male priests' icy gazes fell upon me.

"Well, it's self-defense. You saw that, didn't you?"

"Hmm...."

"Mr. Hope was in a strange state..."

I walked over to the fallen Hope. I didn't want to hug him, so I carried him around my waist like a piece of luggage and left the purification room.

Hitolis was already lying in the hallway in front of the purification chamber.

Thankfully, it seemed to be a bloodless affair. With Serif there, that was to be expected.

I laid Hope down next to Hitolis and carefully examined her body.

I could feel the aura of [Darkness] within her body.

[Blasphemous Curse]

Hitolis had the same curse as Hope.

Serif, who had placed her holy hand on Hitolis' back, spoke in a low voice.

"It looks like they were cursed on your last trip to the Labyrinth, and it's a pretty bad curse."

"So, it was from this trip to the Labyrinth.

Somehow, I wondered why they both had curses that hadn't existed before they entered the Labyrinth.

Sure enough, as I recall, they, along with Jubeel and Joy Hog, were shivering as we exited the maze.

What a curse.

"That's the worst curse for a priest."

A priest deals with the divine.

If a cleric is cursed to feel great pain when he touches the divine, he will crave it even more.

'I would have jumped up and down with joy if I had gotten it.'

A ridiculous self-destructive cycle is complete. A literal circle of pain.

'That explains why Hope jumped at me...'

[Blessing of Radiance]

This blessing naturally came to mind.

A light far more green and warm than the light contained in the holy water. A light that lightly tore through the darkness.

'Could it be that the Blessing of Radiance has divine powers?'

It was a plausible deduction.

"Priests. Please prepare for the sacrifice. We will begin the ritual of the sunrise. Please move Hitolis with particular care."

At Serif's words, the priests watching from the periphery began to move in unison, carrying the two cursed people.

Serif cautiously stepped to my side and whispered.

"By any chance, did Balkan do this?"

"Yes? Which one do you mean?"

"Mr. Hope, what you said. The darkness of the remnants… I don't feel any magi."

"Magi...?"

"Yes. Magi. A loathsome, horrible aura."

Serif called what I'd been calling [Darkness] by the name of the Remnant Darkness, the Magi.

'That's a shitty name.'

"Curses are tricky enough, but those with magi attached to them are even more vicious than conventional curses, and they're twice as difficult to perform, so I'm guessing Mr. Hope is under a magi-infested curse along with Hitolis, since I don't sense any magi on him."

I involuntarily remembered driving my blessed fist into Hope's face.

'I'm pretty sure that's when the darkness was torn away.'

"Mmm. I see!"

Serif, who had been observing me carefully, smiled broadly at my recollection.

She looked as if she'd gained some sort of conviction.

"Thanks to you, Balkan, this will be easier."

She had examined my blessing, and even if she hadn't said it, she seemed to have come to a conclusion quickly.

"Please hone that power further. It seems like it'll be a bit more sinister for a while."

"The Labyrinth is getting nastier?"

"Yes... I haven't seen magi above the fifteenth floor since 'that day' ten years ago... but I think it's because of the recent omens that they're starting to reappear."

I remembered the shadowy, ominous, dark beasts I'd seen every time I'd entered the Labyrinth since the Omen, and the terrible abomination that was darkness itself.

'I wonder if that was Magi's possession.'

After thinking about Magi for a moment, I asked Serif a question.

"I have, but from the looks of things, neither the priests nor the explorers seem to know much about Magi."

"Hmmm, that's the thing, Balkan. You're a low-level explorer, right?"

"...Yes."

Serif suddenly asked, "So, what's your tier?"

I nodded sheepishly, realizing that I was a Bronze novice.

"Ah. I don't blame you, Balkan, for being a low-tier explorer, of course you don't know, and I doubt many of the intermediate ones do."

Serif smiled bitterly at me.

"It's a sad fact, but every time the Labyrinth opens, explorers die by the dozens every day, and new explorers flock to it to fill the void, for there is something to be gained only in the Labyrinth."

Blessings, artifacts, rare powers and treasures that can only be found in the Labyrinth.

Explorers flock to the Labyrinth like moths to a flame to get them, and die in the process.

And new explorers fill the void.

"You also can't ignore the passage of a decade, which means that far more people don't know about Magi than know about it."

Of those who were active a decade ago, the talented ones quickly moved up the ranks, while the rest either faded away, quit exploring, or ran out of steam.

Even Joy Hog's party, which has the longest seniority among the junior explorers, has an average of three and a half years of explorer experience.

Ten years was a long way off.

"Do you think that answers some of your questions?"

"Yes. Thanks for letting me know."

"Hoohoo, if there's anything else you don't know or want to know, just ask."

Serif smiled brightly, her tail flicking at my thanks.

It was a genuine, heartfelt smile that she didn't show her congregants.

Suddenly, I had a question.

'How old is Serif, if she knows so much about what happened ten years ago?'

She's Idelbert's sister, so she must be younger than her but then I realized that I don't even know Idelbert's age.

Even in this world, it would be rude to ask a woman's age, so I swallowed my question and asked another.

"If you get cursed, is that what they do to you?"

"Uh, no. Unfortunately, we have to charge outsiders a fee to do so, it's a temple rule."

Serif continued.

"But it's different for those of us who follow the Great Mother Goddess. How can we stand by and watch someone who walks the same path as us suffer?"

Indeed, one must have such a character to be respected by others.

As I stare in stunned admiration at Serif, who has made such a saintly statement, she looks at me and perks up her white cat ears.

"Are you envious?"

"Yes."

You never know what's going to happen in a person's life, much less in the labyrinth. I could certainly be cursed.

I nodded, and Serif suddenly leaned in close to me.

"Then."

We're almost touching.

She stares at me, the distance between us barely touching, and asks.

"Why don't you walk the same path as me, Balkan?"

***

I decided to leave the topic of reparations and compensation for another time, and parted ways with Serif, who went off to remove Hitolis curse.

I returned the bathrobe and was given a change of clothes.

The clothes were a little tight, but I didn't complain, figuring I'd find something else that fit, so I put them on and left the temple.

I walked through the streets of the Labyrinth City as the sun began to set.

Already, I could hear the chattering and drinking parties.

In the shadows of a corner, a daring couple was mixing their tongues in a flirtatious manner.

The woman was taking the lead.

Alcohol. Sex. All the normal human needs.

These are all things you're supposed to stay away from when you join the Mother Earth Goddess.

'I'm supposed to be celibate here?'

I shake my head, feeling the heavy buildup of semen on my bottom that I've been unable to quench.

'It's not easy.'

Honestly, I am close to my limit now. I'd have to think about Serif's suggestion.

'I should get back to the inn and rest.'

As I walked through the streets, my body was still damp from the labyrinth and the bath.

"Mr. –!"

A familiar voice called out from behind me.

Light footsteps rushed toward me.

"Mr. –!"

-Hwaah!

I reflexively turned my body slightly, and the person who had lunged at me with both arms outstretched, aiming for my back, fell to the sidewalk.

"Heh!"

A cute little squeal kicked up dust.

As the woman fell, white paper spilled out of the bag that had fallen with her, fluttering around her.

The fall lifted her skirt, revealing the panties wrapped around her smooth, shapely ass.

Plain white panties with crude but cute flower designs on them.

The panties were ripe for the picking as she flapped her ass.

A red-haired elf girl, Diana's daughter, fell to the floor with her arms outstretched in front of her.

"Eli, why are you here?"

Eli Ordia flinched at Balkan's words.

She pressed her wide-brimmed wizard's hat down tightly to hide her face.

"..."

Her long elven ears twitched in embarrassment and poked at the brim of her hat.

She was maddeningly ashamed.

Chapter 80: Drunken Jokes (2)

Eli.

Diana's foster daughter. Prodigy mage. A student about to graduate from the Academy.

Why is she here when she's supposed to be buried in reports and papers until graduation?

"Just get up. People are staring."

I walked over to Eli, who was stumbling and frozen with embarrassment, and offered her a hand.

The stares of passersby on the sidewalk began to gather.

"Mom. She's weird. She's lying down with her skirt up."

"Uh-huh. My daughter, you need to study hard if you don't want to be one of those girls who shows her panties to guys later? ...No, wait. Isn't that an academy uniform?"

"They say the more you learn, the better, and now she can do some really amazing perverted things."

"No. Watch me. It's not enough that she boldly targeted a guy behind his back, she casually showed him her panties. That girl is a professional of the highest order."

The red-haired elf's panty-trap pose in her academy uniform drew quite a bit of aggro.

People with conspiratorial expressions were showering Eli with outrageous comments.

"Oooh, thanks, mister..."

An embarrassed Eli grabbed my hand and stood up.

"...She's calling him Uncle with that body?"

"I don't think she knows a real uncle yet because she's a kid, but at that level he's a daddy."

Ignoring the people around me who were discussing the difference between an uncle and a daddy, just like the difference between an auntie and a MILF, I picked up the papers that had fallen around me and handed them to Eli.

"Oh, no, I'll pick them up...!"

"I already picked them up. What are you doing anyway, weren't you at the academy?"

"I'm done with my report and graduation assignments, I don't have classes anymore, and graduation is in two weeks, so I just moved out of the dorm."

Eli explained.

Apparently, graduation was coming soon.

"So you're staying at Diana's inn, then?"

"Ah, well, uh, that's…"

Eli stuttered, unable to answer easily.

Her ruby-red eyes darted around, avoiding my gaze.

'Is something wrong?'

Just as I was thinking about it, Eli snapped her index fingers together and answered cautiously.

"Well, it's just that... actually, it's that... I'm not as brave as I was last time when I went to visit my foster mom... or should I say, I'm a little embarrassed to go by myself...?"

After hesitating for a long time, Eli scratched the back of her head with a wry smile.

"Actually, it's been about three days since I left the academy, and I've been staying at cheap inns around here for meals and stuff, but I've run out of money now... Hehe."

I got the picture.

Eli had made a vague attempt at reconciliation with Diana the other day, but she still hadn't fully accepted her as her adoptive mother and felt overwhelmed.

She ran out of money and moved from one inn to another, and when she finally gathered the courage to go to Diana's inn, she met me.

'Three years of no communication was too much for a short conversation.'

Still, it wasn't all bad news.

It took some circling around, but in the end, Eli finally mustered up the courage to go to Diana.

It was a positive sign of family reconciliation.

"Then why did you jump on my back?"

I instinctively dodged, but I wanted to know why.

Eli blushed, rolled her eyes awkwardly, and then blurted out, "The Academy is so hard."

I wondered how such a culture came to be among the elite.

'No, it's because they're geniuses that such a ridiculous culture develops.'

As a blue-collar laborer, I couldn't easily cut the people leading the culture.

I just let it go and accepted Eli's words.

"I happen to be on my way to the inn, so why don't you join me?"

"Okay, okay!"

Eli chewed on her tongue as she replied impatiently. She immediately clapped her hand over his mouth.

She's a weird kid. Maybe it's because she's a magical genius.

So I walked with Eli through the streets of the Labyrinth City to Diana's inn.

"...The door is locked?"

The entrance door of the inn we arrived at was firmly locked.

It was nighttime so it should be open for the evening business.

I knock on the door, but there's no sound from inside.

"I see... maybe she's out shopping?"

"No. Ms. Diana always leaves the door open when she goes out."

"...Hehe. I see."

"..."

The last time Diana locked the inn's entrance door was when the head of the Royal Knights came to visit.

I wondered if someone important visited now.

As I approached to knock once more, I heard footsteps coming from inside the inn.

-Squeak.

The door opened, and a familiar gray milky dress came into view.

"Ahhh."

My mouth dropped open in stunned admiration at the stimulating sight.

I was tall enough to see her sternum if I tilted my head slightly.

After widening the angle of view of the helmet, even the white collarbone was revealed more clearly.

A voluptuous breast that equally stimulates a man's maternal instinct and reproductive desire.

There can't be two people in the world with a body like this.

"How are you, Balkan?"

"I'm back, Ms. Diana."

I gasped a little, and looked up to see her smiling softly, her eyes still closed.

It was only then that I realized I was out of the labyrinth and back on the surface.

So much had happened, but this time, I had made it out alive.

And that's when I locked eyes with Diana.

"Hey, I'm here too!"

Eli poked her head out from behind me urgently.

"Eh, Eli?"

Diana's eyes widened.

***

Balkan resisted the urge to hug her in ignorance.

It had been a long time since he'd seen her, but today she seemed more erotic than usual.

Her body felt warm, even heated, and her clothes were wrinkled in places as if she'd put them on in a hurry.

Besides, now that he was home, she couldn't be satisfied without a hug but she felt strangely hesitant to approach Eli, whose eyes were wide open.

'But you beat me to it.'

Balkan slapped Eli on the back.

Eli turned to look at him with a bemused expression.

"A trendy greeting."

"Oh...!"

Eli's eyes widened at the short word.

Whether it was true or not, it was a greeting that Eli had heard was recently trending at the Academy.

The act of hugging someone tightly when you see them.

I can't swallow it back because I've already spit it out, and by not hugging her, I'm telling her I'm not happy to see her.

She's already tried to hug Balkan, who isn't even related to her.

It's a quandary.

Eli's eyes darted around as if in confusion.

Then, as if steeling herself, she squeezed her eyes shut.

"What's wrong? Is something wrong?"

Seeing Balkan and Eli whispering in close proximity, Diana rushed to intervene, and Eli lunged at her.

"What, Eli?!"

Diana was embarrassed to see Eli suddenly in her arms, but she didn't shy away from her daughter.

She had been distant from her ever since she entered the Academy.

'It's been a while since I've seen her like this...'

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Diana's mouth.

"...It's been a long time."

Diana smiled softly, grateful that Eli had accepted her.

Then she gently patted Eli on the back.

"...Neeee."

Eli nodded in Diana's arms, her voice slightly shaky, her emotions overflowing with memories of the Academy and the past.

After hugging each other for a while, they pulled away, looking strangely embarrassed.

Balkan felt a pang of regret at the sight.

Eli had hugged Diana so hard that her tits had been crushed against Eli's tits.

What man wouldn't sigh at the sight of a mother and daughter's tits being squeezed and rubbed together?

"Eli's turn is over, and now it's...

"Ms. Diana."

I walked over to Diana with my arms wide open.

"Dah, why are you all suddenly trying to hug...?"

Diana looked puzzled as Eli and then Balkan hugged.

"I heard it's fashionable at the Academy these days to hug someone tightly when you meet them."

Balkan explained Eli's assertion moderately.

"That, that...kids are fast these days..."

Diana blushed, quite shocked by the advanced academy education.

Diana's gaze gradually shifted to Balkan.

He was still spreading his arms wide.

They cautiously approached each other, neither knowing who would make the first move.

Balkan's hand slipped between Diana's armpits and carefully wrapped around her back.

Mmmmmmmmmm.

A heartfelt hug, arms locked around each other and hugged tightly.

"Hooh, hooh..."

As they stood upright and embraced, Balkan's pectoralis major was right in front of Diana's face.

Diana squeezed her eyes shut tighter to keep her sanity.

Then she became more aware of the sensation of her breasts rubbing against Balkan's abdominal line.

Her back relaxed slightly at the unexpected stimulation, and the curse responded immediately.

"Nghhhhhh!"

Diana stifled the searing pleasure rising from her lower abdomen.

'Balkan's here earlier than I thought...'

The Curse of Decadence had prevented her from fully quenching her ever-building libido.

To be precise, she had been working hard to relieve it until just now, when she heard Balkan's knock on the door and rushed out of the room.

Not anyone else's room, but Balkan's.

The curse that had been on the verge of dissolution and then repressed once again, tortured her womb more fiercely than before.

Diana felt like she was about to go insane, but she tried to keep her libido in check as best she could, forcing a soft, gentle smile on her face.

Mmmmmmmm.

Still, her body was honest. She felt his embrace, taking care not to crush Balkan.

"...Aren't you two hugging too long?!"

Eli exclaimed in a panicked voice as she stared at her foster mom and Balkan's heartfelt embrace.

"..."

"..."

In the silence, they hugged, feeling each other's bodies, and only after hearing Eli's words did they come to their senses.

They hugged for so long and so hard that their bodies broke apart, making a lustful sound.

Balkan and Diana looked at each other for a moment.

"...Diana. Are you in business this evening?"

"...Yes...Uh, no."

"Then it's been a while since we've seen each other. Anyway, shall we have a drink together? Let's reminisce about the past."

"...Yes.."

Diana nodded at Balkan's words, her face somewhat dazed.

Then Balkan's gaze shifted to Eli.

"Ahem. Ahem. Eli, go up to my room. The adults have something to talk about."

At Balkan's words, both Eli and Diana shuddered as if a seizure button had been pushed.

Eli's keyword was "adults" and Diana's was "Balkan's room."

"I'm an adult now, right?!"

"Well, then! Eli is an adult now. How can a man and a woman share the same room? Oh, and Balkan. Please use a different room today. I, it's not for any other reason… I was cleaning the room."

While Balkan was still reeling from the more intense reaction than he had expected, Eli came over to the bar table and pulled out a bottle of the Dwarven brew, which was rumored to be strong.

"I, I can drink!"

She said and took a seat at the table.

Sinking into her stool, Eli glared at Balkan and Diana.

'Something... dangerous.'

Eli's instincts warned her.

The mood between Balkan and Diana was unnerving and it felt like something was about to happen.

And if there was alcohol involved?

Maybe, really maybe. One in a million. One in a hundred thousand.

'...I might get a little brother.'

That had to be stopped.

'I'm going to be stuck between my foster mom and you, and I'm going to have to keep an eye on you!'

Faced with Eli's determined face, Diana sat down at the table, smiling broadly as if she were watching her daughter play a cute prank.

"You should come too!"

Balkan sighed as he watched Eli pat the chair next to her.

In an inn in the Labyrinth City, just as the sun was setting and the stars were beginning to shine brightly in the dark sky.

The drinking has begun.

Chapter 81: Drunken Jokes (3)

Inside a quiet inn with no one around except a mother and daughter and me.

-POP!

A cheerful sound rang out as I popped the cork.

Dwarven liquor is one of the more expensive alcoholic beverages, so I hadn't opened it much, except for when I was at Zirnier's.

"Yuck."

Eli frowned and covered her nose as she caught the scent of alcohol wafting through the air.

"It smells weird in here."

"Smells weird?"

I ask, smirking at the cute reaction, and Eli bobs her head up and down.

It certainly does smell strong.

Dwarven brews are strong enough to get you drunk, and they don't have a pleasant aroma.

However, its hot, cool throat feel and addictive flavor make it a surprisingly popular drink.

'It's also a favorite of the Zirnier.'

In short, it's a drink for sophisticates.

"It's a little hard for a kid to drink, isn't it?"

"Well, I'm an 'adult' now, so it's totally easy for me to drink! I'm a grown-up!"

Eli said with a lot of emphasis on the words 'adult' and 'grown-up'.

Even without emphasizing it, I can tell by looking at her body.

Her breasts are in the top 1 percent.

The fact that Ellie had an exceptionally nice body even among adult women capable of ovulating was painfully felt as I stamped compliments on her butt.

'Even against Diana, a walking sex machine, I'd say she'd win 3 out of 10 matches.'

I handed Diana the bottle.

"Mr. Diana, please pour Eli first. You know how they say you learn to lead from your parents?"

Diana looked a little surprised at that.

"Parents..."

After a moment's reflection on her mother's mission, Diana took the bottle.

"Eli."

"...Yes!"

Eli raised the glass with a slightly nervous expression.

It was slightly larger than a soju glass, about the size of a straight shot glass.

A clear, watery liquid poured from the bottle, filling the glass about halfway.

As the glass filled, Eli's face became strangely tense.

Next, Eli, who received the bottle of wine from Diana, filled Diana's glass with wine as well, to the brim.

"It's good to give a lot, right?"

"..."

I don't know much about liquor in this world.

Even when I worked in a bar, I was used to drinking beer on the rocks, but I've never seen anyone drink from a glass like this.

Zirnier always came in full glasses or bottles.

"...I'm fine."

Diana didn't say anything, so it didn't seem to matter.

Now that their glasses were filled, it was my turn.

Without thinking, I raised my glass to Eli, who held the bottle.

"Sir, did you want me to pour you a drink?"

Eli asked, looking somewhat amused.

The grin made me feel weird. I quickly shifted my drink.

"Uh, Diana. I think your glass is a little too full, but let me ease it-"

And with that, Eli filled my glass.

For some reason, she looked even tenser and focused than when she took the drink from Diana.

I smiled bitterly as I watched the glass fill to the limit of surface tension.

All three glasses under one table were full.

The lineup of appetizers that Diana had prepared was also colorful.

"Congratulations on your return from the Labyrinth, Balkan and congratulations in advance on Eli's graduation from the Academy."

"Cheers!"

With Diana's brief toast, a salty sound rang out.

It was the beginning of a full-blown drinking party.

***

There's nothing quite like alcohol to bridge the distance between people.

The conversation between the mother and daughter started off a little awkward, as any drinking session would, but as the bottles were emptied, the conversation deepened.

With each clink of glasses and slurp of liquor down their throats, they unravel a little more of their complicated stories and feelings.

After all, three years of no communication was too long.

There were many complicated stories they couldn't tell each other, and deep unresolved feelings.

But little by little, the mother and daughter told each other their stories, and together they untangled the threads.

It would not be possible to resolve all of these feelings in one day, but if they had a meeting like this often in the future, they might be able to resolve them sooner than they thought.

'This is family.'

I listened to them talk in the background and felt myself drift away.

Having grown up without parents, this was always new to me...and enviable.

I thought of my only family.

Nam So-eun, my one and only sister.

'Where are you, where have you gone...'

My heart was empty.

A terrible bitterness and loneliness ate away at my emotions and heart.

-Tsk-tsk.

I heard the sound of the glass in front of me being filled.

"What's wrong, you don't look happy..."

I looked up and saw Diana, her cheeks slightly flushed, looking at me with a worried expression.

"...No. It's nothing, I just got dizzy for a second, and Eli's ... ah."

I didn't even bother to ask Diana.

I looked over to see Eli, who had retired with her forehead on the table.

'What the hell is she dreaming about?'

"She was so excited that she drank too much and now he's gone."

"Whoo-hoo. You learn by drinking, don't you?"

Diana laughed softly, a little drunkenly.

Her flushed cheeks were a little redder, her smile a little wider.

She's pretty.

I'd always thought that, but today she was strangely prettier. Maybe I'm getting drunk, too.

"Should we finish our drinks?"

Diana asks, glancing at Eli for a moment, then clinking her glass.

I couldn't resist the temptation.

"I'd be honored to drink with you, Diana."

The corners of her mouth turned up at the words.

This time, I filled her glass halfway.

-Snap.

A crisp, clear toast rings out, and she empties her glass again.

We often shared some of Diana's appetizers as well, and we had many conversations.

Mostly about the Labyrinth or the inn.

"...You did it again..."

Diana's expression darkened slightly when I mentioned the monstrosity I had encountered on the fifth floor, but it was quickly erased.

"By the way, how are your relationships with the others these days, and are you settling in well in Labyrinth City?"

Diana changed the subject.

It had been nearly five months since I had traveled to this world.

In that time, I've done a lot of work to adapt to the Labyrinth City, and to descend the Labyrinth, where modern common sense and experience doesn't apply.

What has helped me the most along the way is, of course, people.

I thought of the people around me.

Diana, Eli, Idelbert, Serif, Zirnier, Jubeel, Joy Hog, Lammel, Hitolis...

Benefactors, benefactors' daughters, teachers, saints, business partners, and colleagues.

I also thought of those who were gone for a while and the unknown.

My pet masochistic slave, Grumpy, Jeremy, my armored knight, etc.

I met and lost so many people in that short time and without them, I wouldn't be who I am today.

"Yes. I had a lot of people who helped me, so I think I'm settling in well."

"That's good to hear. Who were the people who helped you?"

Diana asked, and without thinking much about it, I named the people who had helped me.

"Without Ms. Idelbert, I would have lacked combat experience, and without Ms. Zernier, I wouldn't have been able to get good weapons."

Eli also does an important job of analyzing portals.

Serif's miracle has also been a great help.

Trusting them or not, it's clear they've been a great help.

"...I."

I heard a muttering, almost inaudible, sound.

I looked straight ahead, and saw Diana with a bitter expression on her face.

"...I was of no use to Balkan, I see."

She had a slight flush from drunkenness and her lips pursed in defeat.

The reddened corners of her eyes were wetter than before and my heart sank instantly.

"I was just… just… just… someone who fed you and housed you."

"No, no, no, no!"

I shouted urgently. It was a ridiculous misunderstanding.

She was only speaking for herself.

She might have thought she was being unhelpful, that she was just giving me food and a place to stay but that wasn't the truth.

I took Diana's trembling right hand in both of mine and held it tightly.

"The reason I didn't bring you in with the others is because you're helping us so much more than the others."

Who was it that handed me a bowl of warm soup when I was nearly raped by beggars in a back alley?

Who wholeheartedly helped me find my place in this world?

Who has warmly embraced me and taken care of my mental health whenever I've been in the Labyrinth and gone through rough times.

It's all Diana.

In fact, she's the only person I can completely trust in this harsh Labyrinth City.

I say all of this with as much care as I can muster.

I want the favor and affection I have for her to reach her, unfiltered.

"You are the only person in this world I trust completely."

At those words, Diana's eyes, which had been closed the entire time, snapped open.

Her beautiful amber eyes shone even more brilliantly, moistened slightly with emotion.

Diana's eyes caught the image of a man in a broken helmet.

Yes. A helmet.

In order to break down the psychological barriers between people, the first thing you have to do is talk to them face to face.

For me, it was the last thing on my list of things to do, but it had its benefits.

Because once the psychological barrier is broken down and you're on the same page, it's proof that the person sees you on the inside, regardless of how you look on the outside.

'Now, I won't need this mask in front of Diana.'

"I want this... to be proof that I trust you completely."

"Balkan. What's that..."

I looked at Diana, who looked slightly confused, and smiled.

Then, I reached for my helmet.

Diana's pupils gradually widened.

She seemed to have realized what I was about to do.

-click.

The sound of the strap coming undone echoed through the silence of the inn.

Carefully, I removed my helmet and on Diana's lower abdomen, a pink womb tattoo emerged.