I looked at the strange ceiling and thought to myself, "Since the last thing I saw before losing consciousness was the city's typical gloomy sky, this must be a temporary tent set up for patients. There must be many other injured people besides me."
In fact, when I glanced to one side, I could see many beds lined up next to each other. I naturally understand the situation. A stillness filled the tent. Most of the usable beds were empty.
That meant that remove some time must have passed.
So my task was clear. First, I had to check how much time had passed. As I tried to slowly lift my body so as not to strain my muscles, I felt a strange heaviness in my abdomen. As soon as I realized what it was, I let out a giggle.
I was wondering where you had gone...
Missha was asleep on my stomach, emitting her characteristic, loud snore. On the one hand, it was commendable that she had taken it upon herself to look after me, but on the other, it seemed pointless.
Well, she must have been pulled too.
Elisa, the priestess of Karui. Being abandoned in the Witches' Forest. Being pursued by the Lord of Chaos, Riakis. It wasn't hard to understand when I thought about what we had been through.
"Missha, wake up." Right now, my curiosity came first, so I shook Missha awake without hesitation.
"Hm? Mm... B-Bjorn! You're awake! How's your body? Is it okay?"
"As you can see, everything is fine." The injured left ankle was moving well, and the torn arm had returned to its original state. So, my first question was, "Did you use an advanced potion?"
"No, a priest came and treated you."
"And the cost?"
"Don't worry. The guild provided disaster relief, so it wasn't that bad..."
Actually, her words worried me more. "And how much?"
"...300,000 stones."
"I see." Phew, it was still cheaper than an advanced potion. I was worried when he mentioned a priest, but lucky, it seemed the guild subsidy was pretty generous. "Why the long do? You did fine."
"But Bjorn likes money..."
Well, yes, but... Wait, is that how he thinks of me?
"Even so, money can't be more important than my body, right?"
It wasn't just a matter of restoring crushed flesh or joining severe sections, but of regenerating an arm torn to the bone, an arm that had been left behind in the labyrinth.
Natural regeneration would have been impossible.
I erased all my regrets. During past experiments with Raven, it took a very long time for even an amputated finger to grow back.
Anyway, the second question: "How much time have you passed since we left the maze?"
"About six hours."
Hmm, no wonder it was still light outside the tent. So I hadn't lost a whole day. "The backpacks?"
«Are well. And everything inside too».
«The mana stones?»
«I turned yours and mine into money.»
«Did anyone come to see me while I was passed out?»
«Ah, Hikurod and the others came!»
«... Did the dwarf do it?»
When I tilted my head, Missha explained everything that had happened to me. In short, Hikurod and the others came about five hours early just in case we met here and met up with Missha.
«I'm glad the three of you are okay. And where did they go?»
«After confirming that we were alive, they said they were tired and went to rest».
«I see.» That didn't make me sad. I would have done the same. It wasn't like I was going to wake up faster just because they were here. We could discuss everything we missed at the promised meeting in two days. «So what do I have to do to get out of here?».
«You just have to pack your things and leave. I've already taken care of all the problematic things».
«I see.»
As I was about to remove the blanket and leave, Missha hurriedly stopped me. «Wait, don't get up! P-put this on first...»
No further explanation was needed. «Oh...» As Missha turned her back on me and looked away, I put on a new set of clothes that was folded on the table. I didn't expect him to prepare the clothes in advance. He might seem clumsy, but I guess he also had a delicate side.
«Does it fit you?»
«It suits me». To be honest, I was a little small, but finding clothes that fit me in the city was difficult in the first place. Anyway, when we left the store, the sun was setting. «Missha, where are you staying?»
«District 8.»
«Then we can go together».
We were heading to our inns, which were in the same direction, when I noticed the contrast between our appearance and that of others. People on the streets wore clean, everyday clothes instead of heavy, hard armor.
«Bjorn, what are you looking at? Come on, I'm super tired».
After walking about 30 minutes through the clean streets, we arrived at my accommodation. Missha's inn was about ten more minutes away. «It's closer than I thought».
«True? Why didn't I know before?»
«You can go anyway. You must be tired too. Thanks for today.»
«It-wait!» As I was about to enter the inn after saying goodbye, Missha grabbed my wrist.
«Is there anything else I need to know right now?».
«No, but...» So what? When I looked at her as if telling her to spit, Missha smiled and let go of my wrist. » Does not matter. You're just going to tell me to stop repeating the same thing over and over again».
«The same?»
«Then see you tomorrow!» Before he could ask what he meant, Missha disappeared.
«Tomorrow?» Hadn't we decided to meet the day after tomorrow? The last sentence was a little iffy, but I didn't bother to ask what it meant, so I quickly entered the inn. After washing a little, I ate something quick on the first floor.
As always, only when I lay down on the bed did I realize it.
So this time I came back too.
I came back alive.
Fuck.
***
Noon the next day.
I woke up to the sound of knocking on the door. I wanted to ignore him, but that person was too persistent.
«... Missha?»
«I knew you'd be sleeping.»
«Why are you here? We agreed to meet tomorrow night».
Missha smiled at my anger and opened her jacket on the table. When I looked, it was full of food. «Come, sit down quickly. If you don't eat between meals, it's bad for your body».
The barbarians didn't have those kinds of problems. When I looked at her as if that were absurd, Missha ended up dragging me by the arm.
«Just come. You can go back to sleep after eating».
Skipping a meal or two wasn't the end of the world, but I obeyed because of his sincerity. The menu was sautéed vegetables and grilled meat with eggs.
«How is it?»
«...It's good. Have you done it?»
«Of course, who would sell something like that?»
You can say yes.
I had no idea he knew how to cook too.
«At first I cooked more to save some money, but now I still do it because it's fun».
«Mm, but aren't you staying at an inn?».
«Oh yeah, but I ended up becoming friends with the chef, so they let me use the kitchen from time to time».
«I see.
«If you have a chance later, you should try it. You can save a lot more money than you think, which is good».
Cook? You shouldn't say things like that to a barbarian. Or maybe she didn't know much about barbarians? «Cooking is the shame of a warrior.»
«Is that so?» When I nodded firmly, Missha made a suggestion cautiously. «Well, then, I can do it for you...»
What was he saying? «Alright. Why would you do it? I can buy my own food».
«True.»
«By the way, how did you know my room number? I don't remember telling you».
«Ah, that? When I asked the innkeeper where the barbarian was staying, they just told me.»
«...I see.»
Afterwards, we chatted and put the food in our mouths, and the bowl emptied immediately.
«So what are you going to do? Are you going to sleep a little more?».
I thought for a while and answered: «Now that I'm awake, I plan to visit the commercial district». At first, I was going to sleep until tomorrow, but even if I went back to bed, I didn't think I would be able to fall asleep. It was a kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Unless I felt like I was going to collapse from exhaustion right away, I couldn't afford to procrastinate and take a break. «It's better this way. Missha, come with me».
«Hey? Me too? He was going to come back and sleep some more...» Missha interrupted his words with a surprised face.
In my experience, it was necessary to come out strong in such situations. «It was you who woke me up. Take responsibility».
«Hnng, okay. I have to repair my equipment anyway...»
Don't even think about running away.
***
First of all, the acquired equipment was completely eliminated. The money was not as tasty as he expected, as he had previously paid the Dzarwi a protection fee of 2 million stones for the equipment.
With this, Hans' group's money will have to be divided into five...
Still, after selling the three religious fanatics' equipment and various consumables, it turned out to be quite a considerable income, especially since one of those three owned an extendable backpack. This also meant there was more to pay.
«... Does the repair cost 500,000 stones?»
«It is made of lithinum. The corrosion is too severe, so there is no other option».
But still, how could it cost 500,000 stones to repair equipment worth four million? Was this guy trying to trick me?
«Bjorn, don't force it. Not that it's bad...» It left me with a bitter taste, but seeing Missha, an explorer with five years of experience, say that, I assumed it wasn't a scandalous price, so I just paid it.
... How much gold have I lost, then?
All the efficiency-crazy players were afraid of losing gold. I counted one by one.
I left the mace in the maze along with an arm, and used an advanced potion along the way, paying 300,000 stones for the treatment, and 500,000 stones for the repairs...
The more I thought about it, the more it hurt. If he hadn't had to pay a whopping two million stones in equipment for the protection fee, all this money would have been nothing.
«Bjorn, don't worry. I will earn a lot more money in the future...»
Yes, let's think positively. In fact, the second largest income from this expedition would be her. Of course, the first was the Orc Hero Essence.
I got a lot of consumables like potions, so I don't really have much money to spend afterwards.
«Bjorn, what are you doing? Aren't you going in?»
I finished the calculations and entered the inn with Missha. It was not mine or Missha's, but an inn located in the Kommelby shopping district.
«Who would have thought that carriages would stop circulating so early?»
«That's why I said we should move quickly», he scolded.
«Okay, stop bothering».
Upon entering the inn, I asked for two rooms at the counter, and Missha patted me on the back. «You're crazy?! Do you know how much a room costs a day? Take only one».
«... Just one?» Didn't it used to be the other way around?
«Do you think we are in Ravigion? These types of inns have rooms for 10,000 stones per night!»
«I see. One room should be enough.»
I deserved that pat on the back. We came to this inn because it seemed the cheapest, but 10,000 stones for one night? The prices were crazy in the city center. My food expenses last month were just over 20,000 stones.
So that's why he insisted that I move fast...
However, the room itself was well worth the price. It was not in the shape of the tiny half room I was staying in, but rather the structure of a living room, a bedroom and a separate bathroom. Obviously, it had a window and the living room even had a small terrace, and there was a slight smell of flowers everywhere.
«Bjorn, look at this! Artian Studio Soap! This is gratiiiis!» At first Missha scolded me for spending unnecessary money, before discovering something and disappearing into the bathroom. When she came out, she seemed very satisfied. «Bjorn, we should make a lot of money in the future».
I wondered why he was making such a fuss, but when I lay down on the spacious bed, I couldn't help but agree with him. «Yes... let's make a lot of money». This is what a bed should feel like.
When will I be able to sleep in a bed like this every day?
There was a long way to go. This was a city where barbarism and civilization coexisted. How many more predators and monsters did he have to kill to live here more humanely than now?
Honkkk!
Before I could think deeply, my eyes slowly closed.
***
At a time when most were sleeping, those who took pity on themselves were as loud or louder than usual.
«Hey, have you heard the news?»
«Are you talking about the Lord of the Floor who appeared on the third floor?»
«Yeah. They say that more than 30 Dzarwis died because of that monster».
«Who cares about 30? The guild will probably announce it tomorrow, but the total number of deaths is said to be in the hundreds.»
«So the culprit who summoned the ground lord has not yet been captured?».
As an explorer, it was intriguing news. However, in addition to what everyone knew, there was a story that spread slowly and without the gossip realizing it.
«You know what? This is something I heard from one of the survivors... The reason so many Dzarwi were able to survive is apparently thanks to one person.»
«Are you talking about the Iron Lion, Subcommander McGrain?»
«No, I heard it was a third floor explorer who was there by chance».
«Hmm, is there anyone among the third floor scouts who could do something like that? What is it called?»
«His name is...»
Bjorn, son of Yandel. A barbarian who entered the third floor after only three months. The story of the incredible bravery he showed in saving so many people from the crisis was sometimes accurate, and sometimes a little exaggerated as it spread. However, each story ended with one thing.
«The magician who told me the story did not hesitate to say this about the barbarian».
«What?»
«He may not have accomplished the feat of a hero, but being young, it is clear that he will follow in his footsteps, and so he borrows the name of a hero who was braver and bigger than anyone else...».
A nickname, a middle name that only explorers with skill and fame could obtain.
«It will be appropriate to call him Little Balkan».
That nickname always accompanied the stories.
***
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