MTLNOVEL Chapter 9 - Menhera Elf
Menhera Elf.
That’s what the LAOA players called Ha Lebehi.
Eyes as blue as the autumn sky, hair with a silvery-gray tinge like thin clouds above.
Beauty befitting the elven race, so breathtaking that it could take your breath away just by looking.
“You, this fuck….”
…And speech and behavior so mad that you’d naturally call her crazy.
The title Menhera Elf fits perfectly.
“How do you know that?”
Lebehi’s tone suddenly changed.
It seems she’s finally showing her true colors.
“Surely no one but me should know about that thing’s existence.”
“Isn’t that not the important thing right now?”
Siwon also changed his tone.
She’s not the kind of woman who would listen to someone who grovels to her.
“…Right, that’s right. You, you say you know how to kill that thing?”
“Yes.”
“Then answer, right now. If you don’t want to die.”
Lebehi’s blade pressed more strongly against Siwon’s Adam’s apple.
Along with a stinging pain, blood trickled down the blade.
‘This woman, she’ll really kill me.’
Even so, no, because she’s that kind of woman.
“That’s not going to work. Tell you with just words?”
Siwon didn’t divulge the information.
If he hands over the information out of fear of this sword pressing against his neck, he can’t guarantee his survival afterwards.
Right now, it’s a situation where he has to risk death to live.
“Then die. Seems you’ve forgotten what position you’re in….”
“Then kill me.”
“…?”
Lebehi’s brow furrowed at Siwon’s unexpected answer.
Then, as if realizing Siwon’s actions, Lebehi let out a derisive laugh.
“Ha, are you trying to bluff? Sorry, but I’m not the kind to fall for….”
“Why are you talking so much? I said just kill me, didn’t I?”
“….”
As Lebehi’s eyes were tinged with killing intent.
Siwon uttered the words she never wanted to hear.
“And live as a loser for the rest of your life.”
“…Loser?”
Lebehi’s eyebrows twitched.
“Yes, loser. You said you quit being an explorer because you got bored of the labyrinth, but….”
Siwon’s words were cut off midway.
It was because Lebehi tripped Siwon’s leg and immediately knocked him to the floor.
At the same time, Lebehi’s foot pressed down on Siwon’s abdomen.
“Ugh….”
“Keep talking shit, you son of a bitch. What? Loser? You’re calling me, Ha Lebehi, a loser?”
“….”
“Why should I hear such words from you? Trash like you, I could cut off your head with just one swing of my sword. Huh?”
Lebehi’s sky-blue eyes were dyed with killing intent.
“What the fuck do you know, shit…!”
Just as she was about to exude that will again, holding her sword towards Siwon.
“You, you ran away, didn’t you?”
“…What?”
“You ran away. From that thing. Because you were afraid. Because no matter what you did, it was a being you could never kill.”
“….”
Lebehi’s mouth closed for a moment.
Not missing this, Siwon continued speaking.
“Just keep living in fear like that. Kill me too, and live slaughtering criminals in this trash den.”
“…Fuck.”
“Was your heart’s desire so meager that it could be filled with just that?”
“Shut up, I said shut up!”
The tip of Lebehi’s foot kicked Siwon’s abdomen twice, matching the rhythm of the curses that spewed from her mouth.
“Kuhek!”
“….”
His breath was cut off.
‘This crazy bitch, she put magic power in her foot….’
Siwon felt his consciousness gradually fading.
Even so, he had to say these words.
“But, if in your heart, there’s still a desire to get revenge on that thing….”
“….”
“Then, you’ll have to, keep me alive….”
With those words, Siwon lost consciousness.
“….”
The sight of Lebehi pondering what to do with this bastard in front of her.
That was the last scene Siwon saw.
“Huh?!”
As soon as he regained consciousness, Siwon shouted and got up from his seat.
“Haa, haa….”
He exhaled deeply a couple of times.
‘Where is this?’
Time had already become night, and nothing could be seen.
But the sensation was vividly felt.
A feeling that was somehow soft and smooth.
The place where Siwon was now was not a prison but a bed.
“Oh, are you awake?”
A very gentle tone for a detention center.
At the same time, a faint candlelight shone into Siwon’s room.
“…Who are you?”
Siwon asked the man holding the candle.
“Are you asking for my name?”
“…I’m asking where this is, and what kind of person you are.”
“…I was just joking. This is the Isten Inn, and I’m Hannes, the owner of this inn.”
“Isten Inn?”
It was an inn he had visited a few times during his LAOA newbie days.
The characteristic of this inn is that it has nothing.
Unlike other inns full of various events and hidden items, there are no hidden items or events here.
It’s not cheap to stay here, nor is it in a good location.
Everything is neither good nor bad.
An inn that seems to perfectly embody the word “ordinary”.
That’s why any user who has played LAOA even a little would never visit this inn, but.
“…Why am I here?”
How could he, who was in the detention center until just now, be here?
“A guest wearing a black robe came carrying you on their back.”
“…Black robe?”
He recalled the black robe that Lebehi often wears when hiding her identity.
“Yes. They gave me money and asked to let you stay for a few days. Enough for half a year.”
Even the lacking sense of economy is the same.
“….”
‘Did that crazy woman save me?’
He didn’t feel particularly grateful.
If that crazy woman saved him despite hearing such insults.
She must also have thoughts of squeezing him for all he’s worth.
“And, they asked me to hand you this note when you wake up.”
“….”
He had an ominous feeling.
Siwon immediately received the paper from Hannes and unfolded it with trembling fingertips.
“…!”
The moment he saw the contents of the note, Siwon’s expression hardened immensely.
At the same time, Siwon’s gaze turned to Hannes.
“….”
“Why, why are you looking at me like that? I didn’t read it. I’m not that curious….”
“No, it’s not that….”
“?”
“By any chance, how do you read this?”
“….”
He thought the auto-translation function was definitely on.
…But the letters couldn’t be read.
A moment later.
After somehow persuading Hannes, who kept insisting he couldn’t read it, Siwon received the contents written on the paper from Hannes.
“I’m sorry for troubling you unnecessarily.”
“It’s alright, there are far more foreigners who can’t read than those who can… And, it wasn’t much content anyway. Fortunately.”
“….”
At least that’s how it must have sounded to him.
It seemed Lebehi had anticipated that he would read the note.
“Then, I’ll be going now. I have work left to do….”
“Yes, thank you.”
Hannes left only those words and exited Siwon’s room.
“….”
Silence and darkness returned once again.
Siwon recalled the contents of the note he had heard from Hannes just now.
“I’ve finished the cleanup well. I’ll wrap up all the tasks given to me within a year, so match my level by then. I’ll come to check from time to time….”
The most important content was missing.
‘Shit, so what happened to the items I got from Rabbit Gondu?’
If he’s considered dead, probably that guard captain has most likely swallowed them up.
“Ha, fuck….”
Longing for the lost money, Siwon searched his pockets which would probably be empty.
“…Huh?”
He felt the sensation of coins at his fingertips.
There were three in total.
“Shit, what can I do with just three silver coins….”
He naturally grasped those coins in his hand and opened it.
“…Huh?”
A brilliant golden light shone in the moonlight.
“…This should be enough to live on, at least.”
He said this, but the corners of Siwon’s mouth were already almost touching his ears.
“I think I can even prepare supplies for exploration somehow.”
Siwon’s voice brightened a bit, but.
-Until then, match my level.
Recalling the letter from earlier, his expression immediately hardened.
“…Should I be satisfied just because I’m alive?”
Being satisfied because he’s alive.
It didn’t seem easy to say that.
The condition to enter the 25th underground floor of the Argantolla Labyrinth.
“Within a year. 5th class….”
An impossible task in a game where most actions are blocked by choices.
But this is reality.
If he utilizes the information from 20,000 hours of playing LAOA well, there’s nothing he can’t do.
‘It might be a bit tight, but… there’s no choice.’
Whether he likes it or not.
Siwon instinctively knew that he had to enter the labyrinth again to survive.
The next morning.
‘…As expected, there’s no change in my face.’
Siwon checked his face first.
He thought his face would be the same since his body felt the same as before, and he was right.
The reason others called him a foreigner must be because of this black hair.
‘…356 years, August 27th?’
After that, Siwon checked what day it was today.
The value of information changes depending on the time, after all.
‘…As expected, it’s exactly two days after the game started.’
It was information he had roughly anticipated from the conversation of those two maggots who said there hadn’t been any stirring for several years.
‘If so, then probably tomorrow….’
The corners of Siwon’s mouth curved upwards.
How could all the schedules match up so perfectly?
‘The confirmation is done, shall we go?’
Siwon immediately headed towards the Explorers’ Guild.
“Thank you, so much… You’ll be blessed.”
“…If I earn a lot, I’ll give you more.”
He didn’t forget to give one silver coin to the nameless beggar begging in front of the guild.
They hadn’t introduced themselves yet, after all.
Right after stepping into the Explorers’ Guild.
“Hey, listen. I went to the 3rd underground floor yesterday….”
“…Don’t lie.”
“No, it’s true….”
The chatter of numerous explorers brushed Siwon’s ears.
There was no leisure to participate in the conversation.
Siwon’s feet immediately headed towards the guild office.
“….”
A long line stretched out in front of the office caught Siwon’s eye.
‘Shit, there are so many fucking people.’
There was a reason why more than an hour flowed by every time he went to the guild office to receive a request.
It seems he’ll have to wait at least an hour, just like in the game, but he doesn’t have that leisure.
He needs to raise his explorer rank as soon as possible.
‘…Isn’t there a good way?’
This is the world inside the game but also reality.
It means that if he utilizes the information he knows well, various eccentricities that weren’t possible in the game are possible.
‘…Come to think of it, that should work.’
He came up with a good strategy.
Siwon turned his feet and headed towards the table where people were chatting earlier.
“Hello?”
Siwon’s gaze turned towards a man with a gray beard.
“…Who are you?”
“I’m Siwon.”
“Sean? That’s an unusual name. Is it because you’re a foreigner…?”
“Haha, I hear that a lot.”
Siwon wasn’t unaware that there was a disparaging meaning towards foreigners mixed in his tone, but he didn’t mind.
“I’m Hegel. What brings you here?”
Seemingly pleased with Siwon’s attitude, Hegel immediately revealed his name.
There’s no time for small talk.
Siwon immediately got to the point.
“Mr. Hegel, do you have any plans to enter the labyrinth today?”
“Today? No, I don’t. I just came out yesterday, why would I go back into that terrible place?”
This is what most explorers think.
They go to the labyrinth because they lack money, for survival.
“No way. Unless I’m so short on money that I’m about to die, I’m never going in there.”
In another sense, Siwon, whose life was threatened by Lebehi, wasn’t much different from them.
But what Siwon wanted to say wasn’t about the reason for entering the labyrinth.
“Is that so? That’s fortunate. I hope that thought doesn’t change.”
Siwon left only those words and stood up.
“Hey, why on earth are you saying such things? Did something happen?”
An expected question.
“Within a few days, there will be a stirring in the labyrinth.”
“…!!!”
At Siwon’s words, the eyes of other explorers eavesdropping on their conversation widened.
“No, is that true?”
“On what basis are you saying such things?”
“Do you know what you just said? A stirring is no joke.”
Siwon left without answering their questions.
“…What’s with that guy.”
“Even if you’re going to lie, you should do it in moderation. Ha.”
“…He just ruined the taste of my drink.”
“….”
Just a bit of doubt blooming in their hearts.
That was enough.
After briefly leaving his seat, a few minutes later.
Siwon headed towards the guild office again.
“…As expected.”
The long line that had been stretched out until just now to receive requests had completely disappeared.
‘Well, it’s not a lie anyway.’
After easily brushing off his guilty conscience with that one sentence, Siwon entered the office.
“Hello. What have you come to see?”
A receptionist guiding requests and guild entry welcomed him from behind a partition.
“I want to become an explorer.”
“What position do you want?”
“I’ll be a guide.”
“…What? Are you seriously going to be a guide?”
‘What’s wrong with being a guide?’
As if answering Siwon’s inner thoughts, the receptionist continued speaking.
“If you’re thinking this because you’ve seen successful guides, stop right now. Most 1st class guides can’t even join parties.”
“….”
In short, it was unnecessary meddling.
“It’s fine, I’ll be a guide.”
“…If that’s your wish, I’ll ask a few questions for confirmation. These are questions all guides are asked, so you need to answer well.”
‘…Questions? Did they do this in the game too?’
He definitely remembers that in the game, they sent you to the labyrinth for confirmation, but well.
If they end it with questions, that’s rather welcome.
“Okay.”
At Siwon’s answer, the receptionist gave a faint smile.
“Name three types of traps on the first floor of the Argantolla Labyrinth.”
“Spike type, fall type, arrow type, closed room type, deception type, gas type….”
“Stop, stop!”
The receptionist stopped Siwon’s mouth as he was listing trap types.
“You seem to have studied quite a bit. But one was wrong. Gas type is on the 6th floor, not the 1st….”
“No, it’s not.”
“Pardon?”
“There’s gas type on the 1st floor too.”
“….”
The receptionist’s expression hardened for a moment at Siwon’s informal speech and rebuttal, but only for a moment.
“Well, okay. You got everything else right, so I’ll consider it correct.”
“No, there really is….”
“Yes, yes. Next question. What’s the truth that applies in the Argantolla Labyrinth?”
“Price and reward. Equivalent exchange.”
This time it was a normal answer at least.
“…Last question. Tell me just two main roles that guides usually play in parties.”
“Finding paths through map reading and trap searching, supporting the vanguard and rear guard.”
“Okay, good. Then….”
“Interpreting blood letters, searching for hidden streets, analyzing weaknesses and characteristics of magical beasts that appear on each floor and then formation manage….”
“…Ah, no! What are you saying right now?”
The receptionist waved her hands at Siwon’s continued answer.
“…What.”
“What guide in the world interprets blood letters, searches for hidden streets, and even analyzes magical beast weaknesses?”
“I did that.”
“Enough! You’re quite the joker. Anyway, this concludes the test. I’ll proceed with the guild entry procedure right away.”
“…What?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Is it really over with just this? Is there nothing more?”
“No, there’s nothing more….”
It was so ridiculous that he felt like laughing.
“No, are these really the guide test questions? Even a three-year-old kid could answer them. No wonder guides aren’t accepted into parties when you pass them so carelessly.”
“….”
The receptionist’s expression hardened at Siwon’s words.
“…If this felt so easy to you, I’ll ask one more thing.”
“Sure, what.”
“What kind of magical beast appears on the 31st underground floor of Argantolla?”
The receptionist was certain he could never answer this.
Because the 31st floor was an unknown area that even the advance party hadn’t set foot in yet.
“There are no magical beasts there.”
“…What?”
“There are no magical beasts there. But it’s quite dangerous. The terrain is so messed up. The magic is strong too.”
“….”
At the unexpected answer, the receptionist was dumbfounded.