[Title: The unworthy disciple greets the Master!]
'She wants to examine my body closely? Could it be because of this skill called Slime's Body?'
This skill appeared after my stomach was pierced by the black slime; it seems an expert's eyes can see something.
Even I didn't know what had happened to my body, so if she takes a look, I would actually be grateful.
Just as I was about to readily make the request, Arin became flustered and started rambling.
"Ah...! Th-that's not what I meant! I'm not demanding your body as a price or anything like that, I'm purely curious about your body... No, this also sounds a bit weird..."
Hmm... It wasn't an impossible request, but seeing her so flustered felt strange somehow.
'Is she very shy?'
Well, investigating a body isn't an ordinary request, so I decided to let it be.
Before I knew it, Arin's face had flushed red and she placed her hand on my shoulder.
—Thud!
"So what I mean is!"
I grabbed the hand placed on my shoulder and smiled.
"Benefactor-nim, I know what you mean. I'm not misunderstanding at all and it's fine, so please look as much as you want."
"A... As much as I want?"
"Yes, please take good care of me."
I hope she looks and tells me what happened.
It's a Max Level skill; wouldn't there be other functions besides increased flexibility?
Arin, who was staring blankly at me, said.
"What are you going to do... A boy shouldn't say such things carelessly. It's not my place to say since I made the request, but..."
I don't know why she keeps acting like this. Is she sorry about something?
I wanted Arin to feel at least a little less guilty, so I spoke.
"Then, in exchange for looking at my body, may I get a little information?"
"Information?"
"Yes, basic common sense or the location of this place, etc. Since I lost my memories..."
I think I know why people say they don't remember when making excuses.
It's comfortable. I have many things I want to hide, but since I lump it all under 'I don't remember,' the need for excuses decreases drastically.
"When I came to, I was in a plain with nothing... So I ran in one direction and met slave traders and almost got in big trouble... Thank you for saving me."
In an instant, Arin's eyes that were looking at me drooped, and she gently hugged me.
"B... Benefactor-nim?"
"You look young too... Child, you suffered. You were very scared, right?"
The touch of her patting my back with a body smaller and more slender than mine was incredibly warm.
Is it the effect of the Luck stat? I'm glad I met such a good person.
As the warmth, unbelievable to have come from such a slender body, covered my body, the warm Director's...
—Squeeze
The thought flew away in an instant.
I am sorry to Arin who is sharing warmth, but the massive chest touching me bleached my brain white.
She is already a beauty who would make one's eyes pop open, and since she is wearing thin clothes, it was hard to keep my gaze fixed on her face.
The chest, pressed against my solar plexus and increasing in surface area, seemed to weigh down my whole body, making me unable to budge.
Why does she smell so good? I felt like going crazy because of my lower body that kept trying to stiffen.
If I can't hold back here and touch her, I will become a beast who doesn't even know gratitude.
While I was desperately controlling my lower regions where strength was gradually gathering, Arin pulled away and started twitching her nose.
"Sniff... Sniff... Huh...?"
I shouted to Arin, whose cheeks were slightly flushed and mouth hung open.
"Thank you, Benefactor-nim! Thanks to you, I gained some strength."
"I... Is that so? That's a relief..."
The awkward air flowing after that.
Strange... Surely nothing worth being awkward about happened...?
We glanced at each other, and unable to hold back, I spoke up.
"Then are you okay with the condition I requested just now?"
"Ah! R... Right! Of course. Rather, I want to request it."
Having come to our senses again, we continued the conversation.
"Ahem! You have many things you're curious about, right? Ask anything!"
As for the first question...
"Where is this place?"
"This is at the eastern edge... Ah, you said you had no memories, right? This is my house located in the east of the Labyrinth City, Bellanis."
Labyrinth City... I had noticed since the slime appeared, but it seems certain.
"Could you explain in detail about the Labyrinth City?"
"Of course. Here, come this way."
"? Yes."
Arin opened the door wide and pointed to a single large tower.
In the middle of a wide city packed with buildings, a giant tower pierced through the clouds, looking as if a straight line had been drawn between the earth and sky.
"Wow..."
Seeing me unable to close my mouth, Arin smiled slightly and continued her explanation.
"That tower over there is named Labyrinth Lumen. It has existed since ancient times and is called the passage to the Divine Realm. Until now, many adventurers have challenged the top floor of the tower, but no one has conquered it. This city is at the western end of the continent and is managed under the continent's alliance. This city handles all of the magic stones distributed in the continent. The city is divided into 8 districts, and where we are is close to the eastern edge."
Arin tilted her head as if asking if I had any more questions.
"Why do people explore the labyrinth?"
"Monsters coming out of the labyrinth possess magic stones. The Adventurer's Guild buys monster corpses and magic stones and gives money. And if you reach the upper floors of the labyrinth, tremendous honor follows. Actually, there is a famous story of a man who climbed the labyrinth and became a duke, then a king. And there is also a legend that if you reach the very top of the labyrinth, it grants a wish."
"Wish..."
"Do you have a wish you want to make?"
What came to mind immediately was returning home.
I was supposed to visit the orphanage Director... I wonder if she is looking for me?
I am worried about the younger siblings at 'Hope Orphanage' where I grew up, and I haven't even repaid the debt to the Director who paid my registration fees.
And I want to know how I ended up coming here.
I, who never wrote the commonly spoken-of 5,700 characters nor was hit by a truck with a transfer magic circle drawn on it, don't know why I came to such a place.
(Note: "5,700 characters" is a meta-reference to webnovel tropes where writing a long criticism or comment leads to transmutation.)
Seeing my complex expression, Arin nodded.
"I guess you have one... Do you want to climb the labyrinth?"
For now... all my circumstances are telling me to climb the labyrinth.
There was nothing else to do in this world right now but climb.
I looked at Arin and nodded.
"Yes, I want to climb."
"You could die. The labyrinth is not an easy place."
"Even so, I feel I must climb."
"Really? Do you have a place to go right now?"
"I don't."
"Is that so..."
Arin opened her closed eyes and said.
"Then, will you be my disciple?"
"Yes?"
I don't know what she trusts in me, whom she hasn't even seen for long, to make me her disciple.
As I was flustered by the sudden proposal, Arin smiled bitterly and said.
"Hmm... It was too out of the blue. Actually, I examined your body slightly when you fainted. Ah! Please don't misunderstand. You fainted so I just intended to share some energy."
"You shared energy?"
"Right. It seems it's called various names here like Mana, Chakra, Aura, etc., but where I lived... No. I call it Ki (Qi) or Internal Energy. And I shared a little bit of that with you."
Mana, Internal Energy... I couldn't not know. Since they are words used in various creative works right now.
"So that's why my body felt refreshed when I woke up... Thank you, Benefactor-nim."
"Fufu, it's nothing. Your body was special. I tried to initiate the Microcosmic Orbit once, but the Internal Energy that should have run along the acupuncture points spread throughout your whole body."
Spread throughout the whole body? I don't know what that means.
Acupuncture points and Microcosmic Orbit are words I've heard in the martial arts novels the Director enjoyed reading... but just what has happened to my body?
Seeing my stupid expression, Arin laughed as if I were cute.
"Kuku, my curiosity was piqued. And seeing the thief's wrist, I thought it was impressive. Wondering if you learned swordsmanship somewhere."
I remembered... I intended to stick the knife in the thief's neck, but I blew off her wrist.
I don't know how I did it, and it wasn't my skill.
Since the only knife I had ever held in the first place was a kitchen knife.
"I'll know the details once I examine it, but you are quite special, you know? Within what I know, I haven't even heard of a body like yours."
It's the first time in my life hearing that I'm special...
"It's not coercion. If you really don't feel like it, you don't have to accept. One thing is certain, if you become my disciple, you won't regret it."
A memory brushing through my head in an instant.
[Hey, beggar brat! If you come and act cute, I'll give you 100,000 won. Try barking first!]
[Haa... This fcker opens his eyes so fcking prettily? Kuku.]
[You know? There's nothing great about you. An orphan and no money. So don't go around acting up, okay?]
The only person who acknowledged my value in my life was our Director.
Moved by the pure goodwill received from another, I nodded.
"I will do it, Benefactor-nim!"
Perhaps she didn't know I would accept at once, Arin opened her eyes wide, then soon smiled with satisfaction.
"Fufu, I look forward to working with you. Then the Nine Bows... No, since the place where we breathe has changed..."
'Is she talking about the Nine Bows Ceremony (Kowtow)? What was it again?'
Arin smiled beautifully and held out her hand.
"Don't call me Benefactor-nim, call me Master."
Instead of the outstretched hand, I stared blankly at Master's beautiful face.
It seemed she wanted the Nine Bows Ceremony, so I prostrated flat on the spot.
"Please take care of me from now on, Master! This unworthy disciple offers nine bows!"
Visibly flustered, Arin tried to raise the prostrating me.
"H... How did you know to do that? And the Nine Bows Ceremony isn't bowing nine times... Fi... First get up!"
"Please take care of me!"
"I... I said it's okay!"
Like this, Arin became my Master.