Chapter 17

Magic University

Total income: 14,600 gold.

This is the total profit from disposing of the miscellaneous items we collected, excluding Virtanen party’s service fee. The combined value from disposing of various magic stones and miscellaneous items, plus the belongings of Backstab who was judged as the exit boss.

So including the service fee, it was over 20,000 gold, which rivals the income of a typical 4-person party’s single run on the 1st floor of a labyrinth.

And among that, Yernil’s share was…

“20%.”

The instructor separated 2,920 gold from the pile of gold coins.

“Yernil’s ransom is 3,000 gold, and even including the 5 gold service fee from earlier, it’s 2,925 gold. It’s slightly short.”

Ah! This is insane!

How is it that ominous premonitions never miss their mark!

Yernil! Didn’t you do quite a lot of things too? No, why is it only 20%!

“2,920 gold…?”

Yernil’s complexion visibly worsened.

“That’s correct. Yernil. Are you disappointed?”

“……”

“Yernil’s income is in the top 0.1% of all 1st-time labyrinth incomes in the history of the Magic University’s slave management department.”

The instructor spoke with a seriously lowered voice.

“Originally, 90% of slave parties that enter labyrinths are completely wiped out. And the average profit of the 10% who survive is barely around 4,000 gold. That’s for the ‘team as a whole’“

The reason is that there are hardly any people among slave parties who actually farm in labyrinths.

Everyone desperately struggles to survive with insufficient supplies, or gives up and wanders around like the bald party until they accidentally find the exit room.

And after a desperate battle, a few die and they barely escape.

Most of it is luck, and their actual income is just about the magic stones obtained from the exit boss and the value of the corpse.

So when they come out, their total profit is only about 4,000 gold, and the amount that goes to each individual is pitiful.

“Usually between 500 and 1,000 gold.”

Certainly compared to that average, Yernil who earned nearly 3,000 gold from one labyrinth exploration is indeed in the upper ranks.

“The reason your income far exceeded the average is thanks to your execution ability in moving quickly according to Caleb’s strategy. Creating poison arrows and shooting them accurately to deal significant damage to Backstab, using Sound Mapping skills to detect pursuit from other slave parties, finding the location of the Goblin Shaman, and capturing the invisible Backstab. That value is 2,920 gold.”

The instructor, Jacob, was a rigid and businesslike person.

“Sending slaves to labyrinths at the Magic University also serves as a kind of punishment for criminals. Therefore, a slave’s ransom can never be received as a gift from others’ goodwill, nor can they be carried by someone else in the labyrinth. Only when the money earned solely through one’s own abilities exceeds their ransom, proving they can be beneficial to society.”

Jacob said.

“Only then can they become a free citizen. The value of Yernil’s abilities I mentioned earlier is 2,920 gold. This means that’s about the profit you can expect when you enter the labyrinth again with another ordinary party. I think it’s an appropriate evaluation. In Caleb’s case, he’s evaluated as being able to earn more than the remaining amount in a regular party.”

“Yes……”

“This includes the ability to design the entire adventure and sacrificial spirit. It was Caleb who expanded the pie, and Caleb who risked his life and sacrificed in the battle with Backstab. Speaking coldly, Yernil only shot two poison arrows. When instructed to shoot. That’s what a replaceable position means.”

No, instructor.

Still, how can you say it like that…?

“Nevertheless, if you have any complaints about this profit distribution ratio, please voice them now.”

Like a FM judge giving the defendant a final argument opportunity in court.

“Uh, I don’t have any……”

Poor Yernil was completely dejected. Her face turned red.

Perhaps she thought the labyrinth income would naturally be split 50-50.

Usually adventurers use equal division as a standard contract. The dwarf also said something about 25% to me.

So probably Yernil imagined a romantic scene where we both became free citizens and shared a homecoming drink at a tavern.

Perhaps she was preparing lines like ‘I’m satisfied with just escaping slavery. Caleb. You should take all the rest. That seems right’.

But when the lid was actually lifted, suddenly the instructor poured cold water and stabbed ice picks.

Your contribution of shooting two toothpicks and one illumination arrow in the service fee is worth about ‘5’ gold in terms of contribution.

…… The instructor’s scale blade that started with this was too sharp, and probably given Yernil’s personality, she must be extremely embarrassed right now. That’s why her face turned red.

Self-consciousness excess from overestimating her own abilities and contribution, and self-loathing about the shameless heart(?) that wanted to become a free citizen with her teammate’s share. Additionally, the fear rushing in at the thought of being thrown back into the labyrinth.

Oh.

What an absolutely fantastic feeling that must be?

So instructor.

Stop hitting her already……

“From what I can see, there’s actually a part where Caleb didn’t make his statement aggressively. It seems you were considerate of Yernil’s share. Please keep in mind that the party was lucky even in this regard.”

“Yes……”

Yernil, who had been completely gaslighted, hung her head low.

Hmm.

It’s good that my share increased, but is this scale evaluation system really correct?

I’m not sure.

Honestly, I don’t like that magic scale itself. Virtanen party, who trust each other, do their best, and share 25% each, seems cooler.

Clack.

The instructor slightly opened the door and instructed the junior wizard outside.

“Take Yernil to the slave quarters.”

***

What happens to Yernil now?

In the game, slaves who don’t become free citizens have one of two fates.

If they cleared with a wand, they’re judged to have magical talent and enter Magic University.

If they come out with other weapons like Yernil, they’re sold to the Adventurer’s Guild.

What about here?

“We’ll sell her to the Adventurer’s Guild.”

When I checked with the instructor, it was just as I knew.

Then that’s settled. I can meet her later when I go to the Adventurer’s Guild.

“More importantly, Caleb.”

The instructor now got to the main point.

“Don’t you have any thoughts about enrolling in Magic University?”

For slave wizards, this process is simple. The infrastructure provided to Magic University slaves is extremely poor, so they can be recruited sufficiently with things like a warm room and balanced meals.

Of course, these are the guys who gave them one wand and one potato and threw them into labyrinths to struggle through limbs, so their feelings can’t be good, but they have no choice but to enroll.

And through the university’s rehabilitation and brainwashing, they slowly become real wizards.

However, I am no longer a slave.

Also, I just debuted as a legendary genius wizard with Chantless and Ultra-high-speed casting talents who defeated Backstab as a duo. Though it wasn’t intentional.

“In Caleb’s case, you can enter as a scholarship student.”

The power relationship has changed.

That businesslike and rigid instructor Jacob started shaking one leg like he had anxiety.

Originally, the reason Magic University throws slaves into labyrinths and then selects talented individuals to train as wizards is to increase the number of wizards.

At least that’s how it was in the game.

Due to labyrinth eruptions, there was enormous human casualties, and especially wizards died on a large scale, so they’re urgently filling the numbers.

So they can’t let me go.

“What are the benefits of enrolling?”

“Everything is good in every aspect. First, in Caleb’s case, your magical talent is outstanding……”

Bang!

Suddenly, the door to the small meeting room was roughly thrown open and a red-haired human woman and an elderly Halfling appeared.

The woman is the instructor who was waiting in front of the gate when we came out of the labyrinth.

And the Halfling is……

“Professor!”

Jacob stood up abruptly.

“Is this the friend?”

The Halfling wizard looked at me up and down with a very interested expression. Due to the height difference, he had to tilt his neck almost to the limit when looking up.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Meldini, an associate professor at Magic University.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Throw away such brochures!”

He pushed aside the brochure Jacob had given me.

“Dormitory this, scholarship that, curriculum that. None of it’s necessary.”

I do need it though.

I don’t even have a place to sleep right now.

“To move real wizards with hot blood like us, this won’t do. You need to present more noble purposes for humanity as a whole. Right?”

Meldini clenched his fist.

Jacob hit his forehead with a thud with a ‘we’re screwed’ expression, and the red-haired instructor shrugged.

“What is a wizard’s mission? To excavate lost magic? To exterminate labyrinth monsters? To develop new magic book binding methods? No! That’s not it.”

Meldini threw out a shocking statement.

“It’s to eliminate the otherworld possessors who came through the game called ‘Abyss of the Labyrinth’!”

Fuck.

What did this Halfling professor just say?

I can only hope I managed my expression well just now.

Stay calm, stay calm. If I panic, it’s over. Let me breathe slowly.

“I looked at the data remaining in the slave management department about you. And I also looked into how you came to have a murder conviction. You’re from the eastern labyrinth city ‘Windham’, right? Originally a labyrinth adventurer.”

“……”

“And you claimed that in court, didn’t you? That the colleague you killed was actually a possessor who came from Abyss of the Labyrinth-.”

What?

“And the evidence you submitted was quite convincing. If I had been the judge there, I would have acquitted you.”

“……”

“On behalf of the citizens of Windham, I express gratitude for your noble sacrifice and brave decision. If you hadn’t dealt with that colleague……”

Meldini said.

“Windham’s labyrinth would have erupted.”

***

To summarize the professor’s words, it was roughly as follows.

There are quite a few people besides me who got possessed here while playing the game Abyss of the Labyrinth and ruined their lives.

And if they don’t enter a labyrinth for more than 2 weeks.

The nearest labyrinth erupts.

Then almost all the monsters in the labyrinth, even the abyss monsters living on the master floor, come up.

Naturally, the surface is devastated.

This has been happening for quite a long time, and wizards who were tracking the cause discovered one important fact.

The abyss monsters that came up to the surface move in a certain direction.

As if there’s a common target.

That target is the otherworld possessors.

“We don’t know why labyrinths try so hard to eliminate otherworld possessors. But one thing is certain: abyss monsters will definitely remove that one target without fail.”

Can’t I live safely and peacefully on the surface after acquiring free citizen status?

That hope of mine became a bubble. I cannot escape from the labyrinth.

“Labyrinths are profitable places, but eruption crises are always threatening to all of us. The best way to prevent that is ultimately-.”

And the surface is more dangerous than labyrinths.

“For us to find and eliminate possessors first.”

The amazing part of my past history is also there.

“You’ve already killed a possessor. A colleague you shared hardships with for years at that.”

What was my relationship with that Yoho woman?

If we spent years as labyrinth adventurers, she would have known too. That otherworld possessors cause labyrinth eruptions and is therefore an elimination target.

So her identity would have been an important secret not revealed to anyone.

But how did I find out?

It’s not some terrible story like she trusted me as a colleague and confessed, then got betrayed, right?

It must have been a 4-person party there too, what happened to the other two colleagues? What feelings do they have toward me now?

My head’s about to explode, damn it.

“Caleb.”

Fighting Backstab was actually more comfortable mentally.

“Join the otherworld possessor detection club I lead at Magic University. Let’s eliminate all possessors in our city and protect the city.”

“……”

“You’re not a possessor, are you? Hahaha! Right? Are you by any chance a possessor?”

The professor asked jokingly.

I almost laughed along and lied saying no.

‘That would have been death.’

Because I still have the lie prevention magic cast on me!

“……”

This is big trouble.

This is a dead end. Even turning on the hourglass won’t help this situation.

I feel like I’m doing a circus show sticking my head into a wide-open crocodile’s mouth.

What did I do wrong?

Was it wrong to come straight here when I woke up at the temple?

Should I have investigated more about otherworld possessors through Emma before coming?

No. If I had been discovered later, they might have found it suspicious that I was poking around for unnecessary information.

Was coming out of the labyrinth itself a mistake? Should I have collected more information about the outside while inside?

No, what’s the point of all that now? If this Halfling prompts me to answer even once, it’s over.

Can I just laugh this situation off?

If I answer that I’ll join your club, will he just let it slide? Or will he try to verify more thoroughly whether I’m a possessor since I’m on his team?

I feel like I’m standing on thin ice watching the ground crack in real time.

And right at that moment.

Knock knock.

Someone knocked on the door of the slave management department.

It was the same wizard I saw when I just came out of the labyrinth. His name is probably-.

“Clarence.”

“Hello, Professor.”

Clarence greeted the Halfling professor and also bowed his head to the instructors. And……

“I was waiting outside the door for Caleb to come out, and I unintentionally overheard. Professor. But isn’t it a bit early to be recruiting for the club already?”

“To harvest good crops, you must personally select the seeds from the time of sowing.”

“You’re absolutely right. But Caleb.”

Clarence said.

“You don’t need to decide right now. There are various clubs at Magic University.”

“Is Professor Isilof also interested in this friend?”

The Halfling professor asked.

“Of course. And…… Is Chantless with Ultra-high-speed casting talent needed for detecting and eliminating possessors?”

“……”

“I think he’s talent more specialized for labyrinth exploration. Caleb. The Labyrinth Exploration Club wants to invite you, would you like to have an interview with Professor Isilof?”

“Ah-.”

The instructor Jacob, who had been listening to the conversation from behind, came between me and Clarence.

“Why are the professors getting ahead of themselves? The enrollment documents haven’t even been stamped yet. Right? Clarence. How can this friend enroll if he’s scared like this?”

“…… He’s someone brave enough to give up the chance to escape the labyrinth alone and challenge Backstab together with his colleague, right?”

Clarence said.

“In the same context, since he’s someone with outstanding camaraderie, how heartbroken must he have been when he directly killed a colleague for being a possessor. Is there a need to take on similar work and stir up wounds?”

Clarence took my hand next to Jacob and gently pulled me.

“Let’s go meet Professor Isilof once? Free citizen Caleb.”

I followed his touch and came outside as calmly as possible.

Right now, if he just helps me escape from next to that Halfling, I feel like I’d go even if told to go back to the labyrinth.

Seriously, that bastard is a hundred times scarier than Backstab.

Click.

Beyond the gently closing door of the slave management department.

-That youngster talks back so impudently.

I heard the Halfling’s quietly laid down anger.