TW-Chapter 9

The Wizard of Trust

“Abisson!”

The beastman’s ears perked up.

“This is Abisson’s backpack!?”

“Did you meet Abisson!”

The dwarf shouted.

“I thought it looked familiar! Where did you see the body?”

The priest was delighted.

“I didn’t find Abisson’s corpse, I got it as loot after fighting with a slave team.”

I briefly summarized the story of my encounter with the bald party.

“My word! Such a thing happened.”

“That’s really incredible!”

The priest and beastman were moved to tears as they checked the inside of the backpack.

And the dwarf calculated first.

“What do you want as payment for finding the backpack?”

“I want the backpack.”

A somewhat amusing answer came out.

But the dwarf probably expected this answer.

Because for them, who were planning to head to the village, things like bacon, bread, and pots in the backpack weren’t necessary.

Instead, they would want to take valuable items like Abisson’s wallet and keys.

In return, I would receive more of the consumables that the dwarf team had.

“Good. We’ll give you all our food.”

“All of it?”

“They’re just going to be burdens for us now anyway.”

I began exchanging luggage with the dwarf party.

While returning Abisson’s handkerchief, keychain, wallet, bible, etc., I asked.

“You’re not planning to come back right away?”

Because if they were just going out to get a resurrection scroll and coming back, they wouldn’t give us all their food.

“That’s right.”

The dwarf answered while handing over two loaves of bread, one butter, twelve boiled eggs, and seasoned dried beef.

“It takes time to receive the resurrection scroll. The administrative processing is troublesome.”

“Because we already received one.”

The priest explained from the side.

“A resurrection scroll?”

“Yes.”

I thought it was strange that they had soul preservation cast but no scroll.

“What happened to that?”

“We already used it because Mr. Abisson died.”

No, Abisson…

You just shouldn’t explore labyrinths.

“Anyway, we’ll recruit a wizard while we get a new scroll.”

The priest said while handing over bacon, five cans of corn, one pack of tissues, and two water bottles.

“And we’ll come back as a four-person party to resurrect Abisson and send him to the city, while we clear the next exit room and leave.”

“I see.”

“Haa. To be honest, you as a slave wizard are about 30,000 times better than Abisson.”

The dwarf seemed to have had many headaches because of Abisson, and he tap, pressed his forehead.

“If we had recruited a wizard like you from the beginning, things would have been easier.”

“Aim for the next opportunity. My price will be expensive.”

I responded jokingly and shouldered my bag, and that was exactly when.

“Um…”

Yernil, who had been quietly focused on packing luggage until now, suddenly raised her hand and requested the right to speak.

Because it was Yernil who had been the most incompetent (?) and had a timid personality, all eyes were drawn to her.

And the statement that came out of Yernil’s mouth was truly shocking.

Even I, the turn-based master, hadn’t expected it.

“Then, can’t you take Caleb with you?”

What?

“There’s one spot left at the gate…”

Yernil, are you crazy?

***

“If Caleb crosses the gate with you all, the contract is still fulfilled, right? Because all three of your party members crossed the gate. Isn’t that right?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

Even that calculating dwarf was flustered by Yernil’s point.

“Priest!”

This time Yernil grabbed the priest’s arm and pleaded.

“You said you were going to recruit a wizard, right? Caleb could go out, receive 9,500 gold, become a free citizen, and then join your party.”

Her logic was sound.

“And with the money left over after becoming a free citizen, he could get equipment too. Couldn’t you take him into your party that way?”

But the problem was…

“But then what about you?”

The priest asked in shock.

“You’d be left alone!”

If I went over with the dwarf party, Yernil would be left here alone.

“Even a talented wizard like Caleb would have a hard time surviving alone in the labyrinth. Let alone you – you wouldn’t last a day!”

At the priest’s point, Yernil fidgeted with her pants hem and her lips trembled.

“I…”

She glanced at me once, then bit her dry, cracked lips hard. Her eyes reddened and she cast her gaze down.

“Actually, when you said you only needed a wizard in front of the exit room.”

She said with a sniffle.

“I think I should have said this then. Caleb.”

“…”

“I’m sorry… I didn’t have the courage to say it then. Please cross over with these people.”

What is this exactly?

Some kind of moral victory?

Because of the guilt of holding me back? Or was she getting ahead of herself because she was worried about being abandoned later? Or was she worried that I might resent her later?

I couldn’t easily guess what psychology was behind Yernil’s absurd proposal.

“To be honest…”

But surprisingly, it turned out to be the result of rational analysis.

“I don’t think we two can clear another exit room…”

She said in a voice full of despair.

“Caleb’s magic is incredibly powerful, but I… I saw it. The arrows I shot were completely useless…”

That was a rational resolve and a cold judgment. Rather than being brave, she was terrified and sniff sniff shedding tears, offering it out of necessity.

But it was a tragic decision.

“If we two continue like this… We’ll eventually die in the next exit room… Don’t do that because of me.”

A brief silence flowed.

This isn’t game-like. Such situations don’t exist in games. Suddenly, the fact that this isn’t a game but reality hits me with a chilling force.

“Elf woman.”

The dwarf let out a low sigh.

“Everything you just said is correct. To be honest, I want to recruit Caleb and take him with us right now.”

“…”

“But trying to recruit another party’s party member in a labyrinth is not proper etiquette.”

“B-but, in front of the exit room…!”

“In front of the door, we didn’t care because you were ‘criminal slaves’. Nobody cares whether someone dies or not, or what happens.”

It’s cruel talk, but it’s true. It’s something I had guessed too.

“But now my perspective on you two has changed somewhat. So I’ll respect both of your positions and do this.”

The dwarf turned his gaze to me.

“Caleb. On behalf of our party, I’ll make you a formal recruitment offer. If you join our party, we’ll distribute 25% of the profits and pay you 9,500 gold as per the contract we made in front of the exit room.”

He glanced at the priest.

“That’s fine, right, Emma?”

“Yes. We would have fulfilled our contract.”

Then Yernil firmly grasped my hand.

“Caleb. Go over to that party. I’m fine. You’ve already saved me three times. First with the Goblins, then when I stepped on the trap, and when we met the other slave team.”

“…”

“Actually, I should have died long ago. I wasn’t any help in this exit room either. I know my place too.”

While speaking tragically, her arms and legs were trembling.

Honestly, she had to be scared. Volunteering to be left here alone. This doesn’t make sense.

“I’d rather die alone than drag you down with me. We can part with smiles now.”

“The choice is yours. Caleb.”

The dwarf gave the ultimatum.

“Let us part with smiles.”

Yernil wiped her tears and forced a smile.

And.

Tiring! Tiring!

The hourglass shook and rang like an alarm clock.

[Hourglass Expansion Opportunity!]

▶If you stay by Yernil’s side now, Yernil’s trust level will reach 100%.

▶If you maintain a trust level at 80% or higher afterwards, you can give commands to Yernil during your turn.

▶After ending your turn, Yernil will carry out the command of her own will.

‘What’s this again?’

When I encountered the bald team.

When I received the dwarf’s proposal at the exit room entrance.

And now.

Having fallen into trials about Yernil three times in a row, I found the hidden option of the hourglass.

***

In the game Abyss of the Labyrinth, special abilities are sometimes added as you level up, and sometimes expand to higher stages.

For example, special abilities like ‘Corpse Eating’ develop into new dimensions with additional options when used frequently.

Originally, you could only recover life force by eating corpses, but then skill cooldowns would also recover.

Or you’d get additional status buffs, or if you ate the victim’s brain, you could glimpse some of their memories.

That’s the special ability expansion function.

This function seems to apply even now that it’s become a reality instead of a game.

The expansion function of the special ability called ‘Turn-based Hourglass’ is ‘Giving Commands to Party Members’.

How would it work?

‘If I give a command during my turn and end the turn, Yernil will carry out that command?’

Can she carry out all commands?

What happens if I give an impossible command?

If I tell her to hold her breath for two hours, will she suffocate? Or will she eventually breathe?

Long-term commands are likely impossible in the first place. For example, if I commanded her to absolutely obey my words for the next 50 years, that doesn’t seem like it would work.

Commands I can give during my turn would be simple actions.

For instance…

‘Drop your shield, come out, and hit the spider!’

Commands like that.

In terms of action points, it would be about a 1-point action.

While the dwarf and beastman didn’t come out until I was about to explode with frustration, Yernil would jump out immediately upon turn-based command.

“…”

That’s good?

No, isn’t this incredible?

I know better than anyone how much impact giving a party member one turn worth 1 action point has on battle.

“How about it?”

The dwarf urges an answer.

Wait, give me a moment. I need more time to think.

1. The hourglass’s expansion function and the talented archer Yernil.
   
2. Gold coins worth a whole 10,000 gold, the opportunity to immediately escape the labyrinth, and a skilled party position.
   

Honestly, my heart was greatly shaken because of Yernil, but let me think as rationally as possible, excluding emotions.

Abyss of the Labyrinth is a game where every big and small choice matters. Every trivial event can return as a huge butterfly effect in the late game.

Let me weigh these two choices on scales.

Making a mistake here would end up like the bald guy.

Which choice would bring maximum benefit?

What should I choose?

“Caleb.”

Sorry dwarf, but let me think.

Just 60 seconds.

[It is your turn.]

[Action Points: ■■■■]

***

“Please go over as originally planned, you three. I’ll escape separately with Yernil.”

An answer even more surprising than Yernil’s shocking self-sacrifice dropped like a bomb in the exit room.

“…Uh…Uhhh…”

Yernil literally ‘staggered’ without exaggeration. She was that shocked.

“Huh…”

And the dwarf and beastman’s eyes doubled in size, and the priest made a gasp and covered her mouth.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes, I’m serious.”

There was too much missing information to judge which side would be beneficial.

What would it have been like if this were a game? What choice would I have made in the game?

Thinking about it that way, the answer is 100 percent Yernil.

The immediate skilled party position and 10,000 gold are excellent, but considering the final clear of the labyrinth, raising Yernil from now would be more beneficial.

Without that level of long-term investment, clearing the labyrinth master was impossible even at lower difficulties.

Let alone at Developer difficulty? Absolutely impossible.

Of course, there are parts that worry me.

Like Yernil, whom I struggled to bring out, saying ‘Farewell everyone! I’m leaving for the fairy forest to find happiness’, and running away.

Or me finding a job in the village where I can live safely without doing more labyrinth adventures.

Because this is reality, not a game, such possibilities probabilistically torment me.

The latter is especially a strong temptation. If I become a free citizen with 9,500 gold, that might really happen?

But for now, it’s better to keep all possibilities open and approach broadly.

And above all…

‘I’m not that cold-hearted.’

When my turn had about 20 seconds left, my heart tilted after seeing Yernil’s face.

It’s not about some heroic spirit protecting Yernil. I’m more of a small-minded person than heroic, and I’m far from being a knight on a white horse.

But I’m just not heartless enough to abandon Yernil at a time like this.

Actually, humans are surprisingly like that.

When a lion jumps into a buffalo herd, 100 buffalo abandon the stragglers and run away, but humans are crazy creatures who jump in to rescue fallen comrades even in battlefields with bullets flying.

Surprisingly, humans can’t be coldly rational.

Rather, damn it, come along! It’s more comfortable to clear it together. If I leave like this, will I be able to sleep peacefully at night?

“C-Caleb!”

Not knowing my feelings, Yernil became a bit urgent.

“Caleb! Are you crazy!? Why aren’t you leaving!?”

I’m troubled enough, so please be quiet.

“Even this personality is appealing.”

The dwarf was truly deeply moved.

“You have loyalty. In a labyrinth, this level of trust is a skill that rivals ‘Ultra-High-Speed Magic Casting‘ or ‘Chantless Casting.‘”

“…”

“The Magic University really got something proper this time.”

The priest was pleased.

“If you escape, that is. Everything Yernil said was true.”

The beastman thief added.

“Yes. To be honest, it won’t be easy for you two to find and clear the exit room.”

The priest agreed supportively.

“Caleb is strong, but how are you two going to defeat the next exit boss?”

“Speaking of which, can we take the Venomic Spider corpse?”

In the moved atmosphere, I suddenly threw out a question.

The dwarf tilted his head.

“The corpse?”

Their party originally intended to take the entire corpse beyond the gate. Because extracting byproducts from it would bring some money.

“I was moved by you, but this is a different matter.”

Kya.

I tried to slip it in with the atmosphere, but it didn’t work?

Dwarf, are you a T-type?

“Then sell it to us.”

“The corpse? How will you pay?”

The priest asked with a smile.

“Add it to our 9,500 gold tab.”

“Krahaha!”

The dwarf laughed heartily.

“Good, let’s do that. 1,500 gold. How about it?”

“1,300.”

“1,500 is already a bargain price.”

“I understand. Then 1,500.”

Actually, paying on credit like this is something to be grateful for. The dwarf is someone who bet 9,500 gold on me dying.

“Good. And… Elf woman.”

The dwarf asked Yernil.

“What’s your name?”

Wait, dwarf.

You didn’t even know Yernil’s name until now?

That’s too much.

“Yer…Yernil.”

“Yeyernil.”

“No! Yernil.”

“Anyor Yernil.”

“No…”

What are you doing…

Suddenly the two of them had a brief standing comedy routine.

“Yernil. I think you were also very brave. Thanks to you, I saw a scene more wonderful than four consecutive ultra-high-speed fireballs.”

“…”

“Never die, don’t lose Caleb either, and make sure to return to the city together.”

The dwarf gave Yernil four healing potions.

Emma the priest lightly touched Yernil’s forehead.

“Nathaniel’s blessing.”

White light swirled around Yernil’s body.

In the game, it’s a blessing that lasts 12 hours with +1 to all stats and immunity to curses and corruption.

I don’t know what it’s actually like though.

“Nathaniel’s blessing.”

The priest also cast a blessing on me.

Having a priest in the party is convenient because of things like this.

“I don’t have anything to give. If we meet in the village, I’ll buy you a beer!”

The beastman pointed beyond the gate.

“If we escape and go to the village, where should we look for you three?”

When I asked the three people, the priest answered.

“Come to Nathaniel’s temple and ask them to call Priest Emma. I’ll pay the reward immediately.”

“Thank you.”

“Well then, we’ll go to the village first. We wish you good luck.”

Priest Emma greeted us first and crossed the gate.

Kwaagwang!

The gate’s color changed from blue to green. It began to collapse.

“Hey, rookie wizard. My name is Zikal. Remember it.”

Beastman thief Zikal patted my head.

“Let’s definitely meet again in the city.”

When he crossed the gate, the gate’s color changed from green to yellow.

“Well then. You two have no intention of crossing.”

Dwarf warrior Biltanen took out the E-grade magic stone he had put in his pocket and rolled it smoothly beyond the gate.

Kwaang!

The gate’s color changed from yellow to red.

He processed it as if ‘one person’ had crossed using the magic stone.

This is etiquette in labyrinths. If fewer than four people are crossing, you should use magic stones to make the gate close quickly so new gates can be generated faster.

“When you come to the city, look for dwarf warrior ‘Biltanen’ at the adventurer’s guild.”

The dwarf patted his chest and crossed the gate.

***

Kuwoong!

Now the gate has completely disappeared.

Only Yernil and I remained in the exit room. Along with countless burned spider corpses.

Thud.

Suddenly, Yernil collapsed.

She had pretended to be calm and smiled while telling me to go first, but it was indeed a bluff.

“Why… Why didn’t you go.”

She hung her head low.

“How can we two clear the exit room…?”

“Don’t cry and come here.”

Yernil.

Don’t worry.

I, the crazy veteran of this game, so veteran that I’ve rotted, already calculated the sleeping arrangements and stretched out my legs.

“Let’s extract the Spider fangs.”

This time I shot two toothpick arrows, but in the next exit room, I’ll have you shoot deadly poison arrows.

You’ll do the explosive damage of two people – the dwarf and beastman – and we’ll escape together.

[Yernil’s trust level has reached 100%!]

[You can now give commands to Yernil during your turn.]

The hourglass shook like an alarm clock.