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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: The Magic Tower Genius Descends into the Labyrinth 3
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The next morning,
Sylbian blinked his eyes. His half-lidded gaze was filled with more fatigue than usual.
'Not an easy start on the first day.'
This was actually the first time he'd spent a full night in such a rundown inn.
Creeeak.
As he carefully sat up, the bed groaned loudly beneath him.
He'd lost count of how many times the stench assaulting his nose or the sounds piercing through the thin walls had jolted him awake.
"...Today, I need to get moving in earnest."
Even as he shook off the haze of sleep, he reflected on the previous day.
Just one day.
In that short time, he'd grown able to calmly endure the stares of others.
And with that, even this uncomfortable bed had become tolerable.
Swish.
He opened his pouch to find two gold coins and a handful of silvers inside.
"I've got enough money."
His top priority was to meet adventurers or mercenaries who'd ventured into the labyrinth and hear their firsthand experiences.
There had always been a vast gap between theory and real combat.
Hearing their stories directly would surely prove invaluable.
Rustle.
Leaving the inn, Sylbian made his way to Helsen's largest adventurer guild.
His goal was to find Jelen, a particularly renowned adventurer among those the waitress had mentioned yesterday.
Step, step.
As he entered the six-story adventurer guild, the adventurers inside turned to stare at him in unison.
Growing accustomed to such gazes, Sylbian strode calmly to the reception desk.
"I'd like to request a meeting with an adventurer."
When his turn came, he stated his purpose plainly to the guild receptionist.
"Yes, please tell me the name and affiliation of the adventurer you're looking for."
"His name is Jelen. I believe he's with the 'Red Wolf' group."
For a moment, the receptionist's eyes flicked to the stigma etched on Sylbian's neck.
Sylbian felt the gaze, too.
That was all.
The receptionist averted her eyes, offered a faint smile, and continued.
"Jelen is a high-rank adventurer, so I can't guarantee he'll accept. However, if you're someone of reputation..."
"Sylbian Blanc."
At his calm reply, the receptionist's eyes wavered for an instant.
"U-Understood. Please come back tomorrow, and we'll have a definite answer on the request."
As her tone shifted noticeably, Sylbian pulled two silver coins from his pouch and set them down.
"This is the advance fee. If he gives me his full day, let him know I'll pay ten times the advance as the full fee."
"...!"
Sylbian turned away without hesitation, his eyes settling into a steely calm.
The guild was teeming with adventurers.
And he could distinctly feel their eyes on the stigma marking his neck.
'Even more hostile than outside.'
Their stares felt sticky and intense.
But he had no desire to hide it.
Step, step.
He was just about to leave the guild when—
"Hahaha! I heard a mage was looking for me."
Turning his head, he saw a sturdy-built man.
Muscled and honed beneath well-maintained black leather armor. A long scar marked his left cheek.
A glint of recognition flashed in Sylbian's eyes.
His wild red hair stuck out like a beast's mane, framing eyes sharp as a predator's.
It matched every detail of the adventurer he'd been seeking.
"You're Jelen?"
"That's me. I heard the gist of your request. What's a mage like you want with me? Especially an exile."
Jelen curled his lips, but his eyes held no mirth as he met Sylbian's gaze.
His look suggested bad experiences with mages.
"I want to hear about the Northern Labyrinth. It shouldn't be a difficult request for you."
Sylbian remained unfazed amid Jelen's rugged appearance and intimidating aura.
"The Northern Labyrinth, huh... Ah, so that's why?"
He seemed to understand at once, staring openly at the stigma on Sylbian's neck.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Step, step, rustle.
As they climbed the guild stairs, adventurers on the upper floors shot them glances.
The sight of an adventurer and a mage together was uncommon.
Finally reaching the parlor, Jelen plopped casually onto the sofa.
"Have a seat, mage. I don't know how much you want to know about the labyrinth, but since I've taken the fee, I'll answer everything I can."
Pocketing the pouch of silvers with satisfaction, Jelen glanced at Sylbian.
His striking silver hair framed rare purple eyes that regarded him coolly.
Even to a seasoned adventurer like Jelen, it left a peculiar impression.
"Your experiences in the Northern Labyrinth. I want all of it."
"...All your experiences in the labyrinth? That might be hard to cover in a day."
"Doesn't matter. I can request you again tomorrow."
Jelen let out a low whistle at Sylbian's near-instant reply.
"I like how straightforward you are. Makes it easy for me, too."
Jelen was one of the elite Special Grade Adventurers.
Even so, earning twenty silvers just for sharing info was tempting.
"Let's dive right into what you want to hear about, mage."
Jelen leaned back against the sofa.
Then, as if reminiscing, he let his eyes drift shut for a moment.
"The Northern Labyrinth isn't just some simple dungeon. It's a space that defies common sense—you could say it's alive in its own right."
"What I want is the labyrinth's secrets, not the common knowledge."
Jelen chuckled dryly at Sylbian's icy response.
"Haha, figures a great mage like you would cut straight to it. I'll tell you what you want, so no need to rush me."
"..."
A brief silence fell after Jelen's words.
Yet their gazes never left each other.
As Jelen pondered where to begin, he stole another glance at Sylbian's attire.
'The reason a stigmatized mage heads to the labyrinth is obvious. But that attitude... it's strange.'
The motive was easy to guess.
To erase the Magic Tower's stigma on his neck.
Or to find some power strong enough to shatter the mana sealed within it.
But to Jelen, Sylbian seemed untroubled by it.
"Before I go into details, I'll say this once: even if a mage with a stigma enters the labyrinth, it'll just end in a dog's death."
Jelen stated it flatly.
He knew mages were only exiled for grave sins.
That's why they were called 'exiles.'
Above all, he knew what kind of lives exiles led.
'They say it's a life worse than death for a mage.'
The mage before him probably couldn't even be called one anymore.
A half-baked mage.
This Sylbian surely couldn't cast proper spells.
"That's for me to decide."
Yet Sylbian brushed it off lightly, meeting his eyes.
Jelen nodded as if he'd expected as much.
"Yeah, figured you'd say that, mage."
Mages were never the type to be swayed by words.
Having dealt with them enough to be sick of it, Jelen had no interest in arguing further.
Just as he was about to share some basic labyrinth info—
Shaaaah...!
Suddenly, a brilliant blue light emanated from Sylbian's body, illuminating the parlor.
It was unmistakable mana manifestation. Jelen's eyes hardened.
"Mage, you aren't thinking of casting a spell, are you? Better not do anything foolish."
"Stigmatized mages can't use magic. That's the common view of exiles. And you seem to see me that way too."
Without pause, Sylbian raised one hand.
The manifested mana gathered at his fingertips, glowing even brighter.
"So let me show you first. Stigma or not, my mana surpasses yours. I can say that with certainty."
"Mage... you expect me to believe that?"
Even then, Jelen didn't buy it.
The mana display was impressive, no doubt.
He knew Magic Tower mages were exceptional.
An ordinary adventurer's mana couldn't compare, even with training.
But this Sylbian was different.
'He can't complete a spell. A stigma restricts most of a mage's mana.'
Especially one placed by a grand mage—impossible for a young one to resist.
The mages he'd seen had at most three times his own mana. That was the limit.
Not nearly enough for a full spell.
"Gesente."
⟨ Gesente ⟩
But the moment Sylbian uttered the incantation, Jelen witnessed the impossible.
Whiiiiiing...!!!
A fierce gale swirled around his condensed mana hand.
The parlor shook as if caught in a storm.
Jelen barely steadied himself, feeling the magic's reality through his body.
"...!"
Silver and red hair whipped endlessly in the gale.
Amid it all, the two men's gazes locked solely on each other.
Shaaa...
As the wind died down, Jelen burst into laughter at his disheveled state.
"Haha...! What an unexpected treat this turned out to be!"