How a Black-Haired Barbarian Survived the Labyrinth in Another World-Chapter 23: If you do good deeds

Before sunrise.

Jeong Yusin pulled the blanket off and got out of bed.

"Ugh! Oh, I’m dying."

His muscles screamed in pain. He opened the window and twisted his waist, hearing his bones crack.

"Hah."

When he went downstairs, he heard clattering from the kitchen. Dalmong, already awake, was preparing breakfast. As Jeong Yusin opened the kitchen door, he saw Dalmong’s back.

"Good morning, Dalmong."

"Awake already?"

"Yes. Is it alright if I use the yard?"

"Do as you please."

"Thank you."

Jeong Yusin opened the back door of the kitchen and stepped outside. The cool dawn air hit his face. Behind the wide yard, there was a small house where Dalmong lived and a shed.

Jeong Yusin stood in the center of the yard and started stretching. He didn’t have any professional knowledge. He just moved his body following what he had seen on the internet.

It seemed to work, though, as his stiff muscles loosened a little, and warmth started to rise.

"Hah."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

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What he needed to do at dawn.

It was practice for his imprint.

He could practice at the swordsmanship guild, but there were too many eyes there. He wanted to hone his secret techniques in a place no one was watching. Dalmong was an exception. He was his benefactor.

[Sacred Weapon]

The magical particles that had spread throughout his body gathered in his hands. It had once felt faint, but now it was different. The magic gathering at his fingertips was more vivid. It was thanks to the level-up.

Pah!

A golden dagger with a warm hue appeared in his hand.

There was no cold sensation typical of cold weapons.

The golden dagger, made of magic, soon vanished.

It lasted about three seconds.

Because of the magic used, his body felt stiff, and he was drained, but it was bearable.

Again.

He took a deep breath and gathered the magic into his hand.

Pah!

This time, an arming sword, a one-handed sword, took shape.

He gripped it and swung it.

The warm golden arc sliced through the cold dawn air.

Jeong Yusin looked down at the sword in his hand.

Tsu tsu tsu.

The sword crumbled like sand, scattering golden particles into the air before vanishing.

Jeong Yusin clicked his tongue.

"Too slow."

The speed of the Sacred Weapon was too slow.

It didn’t match the speed he had created while fighting the Hobgoblin Warrior. It didn’t even come close to the speed when he had responded to Dito’s assassination.

Jeong Yusin closed his eyes and reflected on the battles he had fought.

How desperately he had fought.

How badly he had wanted victory.

He thought and thought again.

"Hah."

He opened his hand. The magic responded and gathered in his hand.

This time, golden knuckles formed.

"Slow."

Jeong Yusin muttered in dissatisfaction.

Just as he was about to try again, a sudden dizziness hit him. He knelt and placed both hands on the floor. His heart raced wildly.

He understood with his body. After casting three times in a row, three was his limit. But compared to the past, when he had collapsed after just one, this was much better.

He steadied himself and stood up. The dawn was breaking.

After having breakfast at the inn, he went to the temple.

After confirming his attendance at the temple’s reception desk, he turned around and noticed a familiar face.

Anne.

The archer girl he had met during his first journey into the labyrinth.

Anne approached.

"It’s been a while, Skah."

"Yes."

Had it been two weeks? Three weeks? He couldn’t remember exactly when he had last seen her.

"It’s been about three weeks since we last met. How are you feeling?"

"I’m healthy. How about you, Anne?"

"I’m doing well! Ah! You’re probably curious about what happened to our party, right?"

He wasn’t curious at all. But seeing the dark flicker in Anne’s eyes, he just nodded.

"Din was taken from the labyrinth city, Map Tower. He’s doing some experiments to bring back people who were consumed by darkness. Of course, he’s doing it humanely."

Anne continued.

"Karl is buried in a corner of the graveyard behind the temple here. Maria didn’t want to let go of Karl, so it was tough getting her to part with him."

"..."

"Maria gave birth to a Hobgoblin cub. She’s currently staying at the Earth Goddess temple. Have you seen her?"

He hadn’t seen her at all.

Jeong Yusin silently shook his head.

"Tarmin and I are working. We’re doing every job that brings in money, except going into the labyrinth."

Jeong Yusin and Anne exchanged glances for a moment.

Dark circles were heavily visible under Anne’s eyes.

"That’s unfortunate. But, you know, there’s always a chance for a brighter future, right? Keep your head up."

"...You’re right."

"Yes, yes. I’ll go now. Take care."

Jeong Yusin didn’t listen to Anne’s response and left the temple.

‘This feels disgusting.’

It was true that there were as many misfortunes as there were people in the world, and it felt perfectly fitting.

His footsteps toward the orphanage stopped dead.

"Don’t do this. Yusin. This is crazy."

He spoke to himself.

He had lived in a world where a certain level of indifference and distrust was considered a virtue. Without virtue, you were called a fool. If you had too much virtue, you were called a bastard.

"Fuck. We only met once. What do I need to help for?"

Dalmong came to mind.

He remembered the warm food he had eaten after spending the cold dawn in the relief center and returning to the inn.

He turned and ran toward the inn, running like a madman without resting.

"Dalmong!!"

He burst through the ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) inn door and shouted.

Dalmong, who had been sitting at the counter, looked up.

"What’s going on?"

"Why are you being so kind to me? We just met! Why!"

He yelled loudly. The people eating at the inn fell silent and alternated glances between Jeong Yusin and Dalmong.

Dalmong scratched his chin for a moment.

"Because you asked for help. And because I wanted to help."

"Is that all?"

"Yeah."

"Ugh!!"

Jeong Yusin’s face twisted uncontrollably. He turned and ran up to the second floor, searched his room, took out silver coins, and then went back downstairs.

"Do you know Anne?"

"Are you talking about the archer girl you met on your first labyrinth trip?"

"Yes."

"Is she in a tough spot? Looks like you want to help her."

Dalmong quickly assessed Jeong Yusin’s condition.

"What should I do? Should I help her?"

"Don’t ask me."

"..."

"Do what you feel is right. Just don’t regret it."

"Understood."

Jeong Yusin grabbed the pouch of silver coins and left the inn.

As if he had rushed out like the wind, there was a brief silence in the inn. But soon, the people began talking again, and the inn returned to its usual state.

The female beastman sitting across from Dalmong perked up her ears.

"Hm? Dalmong, is that Barbaroi your type?"

"No, Karine."

Her red tail swished playfully.

"Really?"

"Yes. I prefer women."

"But, do you trust that Barbaroi?"

"I’m not sure. He hasn’t caused trouble. He’s a diligent man."

"What? You’re praising a human? That’s something new."

"People change."

"Is that so? Hmm. Fine. I’ll come back later."

"Take care."

Jeong Yusin ran to the temple, his eyebrows furrowed.

He asked the priest sitting at the reception desk.

"Where is the red-haired girl who was here a moment ago?"

"Do you know her?"

The priest at the reception desk asked.

"I’m part of her party."

"She’s in the garden. Just go straight through the right passage here."

Jeong Yusin walked down the passage and came out to the garden.

Maria and Anne were sitting on a long wooden bench together.

There was some warmth, but he didn’t mind.

Jeong Yusin walked up to them.

"Eeew."

Maria, holding a teddy bear tightly, shrank away. She seemed scared of the sudden appearance of an outsider.

"Skah."

"Take this."

Anne, seeing the pouch Jeong Yusin handed her, bit her lip.

"...I can’t accept this. You didn’t owe me anything in the first place, did you?"

"I want to help. There’s no other reason. And you need it, right? If it’s uncomfortable, think of it as help from an old comrade who fought alongside you in the first labyrinth."

They exchanged a long, silent glance.

Finally, Anne gave a small smile, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"We weren’t strangers, though."

That’s right.

"Then give it to Maria."

"Aww."

Maria looked at the pouch and tilted her head before holding it in one hand and fiddling with it. When Jeong Yusin let go of it, Maria placed it on her lap and tugged at Anne’s sleeve.

"It’s not much. I put in about 5 silver coins and 50 copper coins."

"...Thank you."

Anne bowed deeply. Tears fell to the floor.

Mion gently took Anne’s hand.

"I’m glad, Anne. You can use this for Karl’s funeral expenses and Maria’s medical bills. I’ll help with the rest out of my own pocket."

"Sniff. Thank you, Priest Mion."

"Go back and rest for today. You look tired."

"...Understood."

Jeong Yusin turned around.

"I’ll go first. I’m late."

"Hehe. Yeah. I’ll go soon too, Skah."

Was Mion’s atmosphere warmer now, or was it just his imagination?

"Thank you... Skah."

"Alright. Let’s meet again occasionally."

He waved off Anne’s thanks and turned to leave the garden.

When he arrived at the orphanage’s classroom on the first floor, he sat down.

"Today the teacher is late."

"I hope it’s Mion-sensei again."

"Yeah. Mion-sensei is like a kind older sister. She smells good when she’s around."

"Is it true that the Barbaroi uncle is with the teacher?"

"No way?"

The orphans without parents were gossiping about Jeong Yusin.

A few older children glared at him before slowly standing up from their seats.

"What are you going to do if I stand up? Sit down. The teacher will be here soon."

Jeong Yusin’s words made the children sit back down.

Only the brown-haired boy stood.

"You! What did you do to the teacher?!"

The classroom became quiet, and all eyes were on him.

"I didn’t do anything."

"Then why isn’t she here? You’re Barbaroi, right? You definitely did something wrong!"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Ugh! Bad Barbaroi!"

As he listened to the baseless accusations of the boys and girls, he felt a strong sense of déjà vu.

‘This is dizzying.’

Jeong Yusin pointed at the brown-haired boy.

"What exactly do you think I did to Mion-sensei? Tell me specifically."

"Well... well."

The boy’s face turned red.

The other kids agreed with Jeong Yusin’s words.

"Yeah, John, just tell us what bad things this Barbaroi did!"

"Yeah!"

John, hesitating, finally spoke.

"Th... That’s right! You, Barbaroi! You fondled Mion-sensei’s chest, right?!"

"Gasp."

At John’s shameless words, an 8-year-old beside him started shaking.

"And you kissed her, too, stuck your tongue out! I know everything!"

"Yuck."

The girls shot John cold, accusing glares.

Jeong Yusin crossed his arms and stared at John.

‘Is this the level of a 1 silver coin academy?’

"And you were sniffing Mion-sensei’s neck! Huh. You bad Barbaroi!"

John looked around for approval, but the atmosphere in the classroom had turned icy.

"Oh."

A low voice came from behind John.

John’s body stiffened.

He slowly turned around with a creaking sound.

"Gasp! Te... Teacher."

"I see. John, were you looking at me like that?"

Jeong Yusin finally saw the color of Mion’s eyes. They were cold, but definitely golden. For a moment, Mion narrowed her eyes.

"John."

"Y... Yes, teacher."

"Write 50 pages of apology letters by the end of today."

John’s face turned pale.

"Y... Yes."

"Apologize to Skah as well."

"Yes."

John bowed his head to Jeong Yusin.

"Sorry, uncle."

"It’s alright. You’re at that age, the stormy years. I understand."

The tense atmosphere in the classroom relaxed.

"Well then. Shall we start the class?"

"Yes! Teacher!"

Thirty minutes into the class.

A drop of sweat ran down Jeong Yusin’s forehead.

‘I was also at that age once.’