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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 175
"H-uh?"
Mael, who had been quietly standing guard behind them, asked in a puzzled voice. Ian shook his head in response.
"No, just talking to myself. Don't mind it."
The rumor that a path leading to a labyrinth was discovered within the excavation site was false. Very few people knew the truth.
At most, it was limited to those involved in the site and the Red Spear Knights standing guard.
There was no need to spread the information, but it wouldn’t remain a secret for long either.
In just a few days, the mercenaries would undoubtedly start questioning why no one was entering.
But that didn’t matter.
They were merely a precaution in case of unforeseen circumstances, and they only needed to buy a few days.
The fanatics couldn’t be too far away.
Most labyrinths could be cleared within a few days with the help of a skilled guide.
And unless another entrance was discovered, everyone knew that the only known path to the labyrinth was here.
‘The fanatics will come.’
The Outer Gods were inherently arrogant.
And they were not omnipotent.
Even if they saw through such a shallow trap, they would dismiss it as insignificant or even attempt to use it to their advantage. They certainly wouldn’t bother warning their subordinates.
They just needed to hold out for a few days under the pretense of making final preparations before entering the labyrinth.
The number of Red Spear Knights guarding the site had increased, and there were plenty of mercenaries to support them.
On top of that, they had been deliberately separated under the pretext of preventing unnecessary infighting.
In other words, everything was set.
All that remained was for the fanatics to arrive.
‘…Do I really need to wait for them?’
They could simply take care of them as they arrived, one by one.
It would have been nice to have someone to move covertly with, but unfortunately, none of the Red Spear Knights were suited for such work.
Ian, lost in thought as he quietly gazed at the door emanating a subtle mystical aura, finally looked up.
"Shall we head back?"
"Just like this?"
Mael blinked as he asked.
"And what else?"
"Shouldn’t we at least take a look inside? Even if it’s just the entrance. Wouldn’t it help to get a feel for the place?"
Ian glanced at the Red Spear Knight standing guard with a subtle expression.
The knight wore a helmet, but it was clear that he had been watching them the entire time and had likely overheard their conversation.
For a moment, Ian wondered if there was something inside the door, but the knight shook his head firmly.
A silent indication that entry was not allowed.
Though his face was hidden beneath his helmet, Ian could sense his unease.
Ian frowned as he looked at Mael.
"That’s not an option."
"May I ask why?"
"You’re the one who wants to go inside. Even if I usually do whatever I want, barging in without permission would get me in trouble."
"Would you really be concerned about something like that, Young Master?"
When Mael glanced to the side, Mari shrugged.
"I thought he didn’t care about that sort of thing."
"Same here. This is surprising."
"Young Master, can’t we just crack the door open a little? Even just getting a sense of the atmosphere inside would help us prepare."
"No one would dare reprimand you, Young Master. Or… surely, you’re not afraid of getting scolded?"
The way he subtly tried to provoke Ian’s pride was nothing short of infuriating.
Ian narrowed his eyes at him, and Mael flinched.
"Cut the nonsense. No means no."
"Then what are we supposed to do in the meantime? We’re not scouting the labyrinth or anything. And I heard we’re not going in for a few more days. Just sitting around here until then sounds unbearably boring."
"You can take this time to rest. Why are you acting like there's nothing to do? Or should I tell our eldest brother that you two are complaining about having free time?"
That would surely earn them scorn from not just their senior knights but their fellow recruits as well.
Since Dior wasn’t exactly the most lenient commanding officer, Mael immediately shut his mouth.
"Or, we could spar."
"Ugh…"
The twins quickly averted their gazes.
They had already sparred with Ian while traveling to the excavation site, but they could no longer defeat him.
The difference in skill was immense depending on whether one had ascended in rank or not.
No matter how competitive they were, losing repeatedly drained their motivation.
More than that, the experience and achievements Ian had accumulated were on another level.
"…Fine. Let’s do that."
Mael let out a long sigh before agreeing.
Even if he knew he would lose, Ian never beat them senselessly.
Every sparring match was a learning experience, so he couldn’t outright refuse.
"Let’s meet with the person in charge first."
As if on cue, someone leisurely approached them, seemingly having received word of their arrival.
He looked like a scholar.
After exchanging brief greetings, they were shown to their quarters.
The man was one of Verdan’s people, someone who had been briefed in advance about what was about to happen here.
Aside from the person in charge, the rest of the personnel had been replaced with Red Spear Knights in plain clothes.
Ian observed the gradual shift in personnel over time and was impressed by Verdan’s efficiency.
"Wow."
This was shaping up to be a much bigger operation than he had anticipated.
He had only been aware of the basic outline, but the number of people being mobilized during such turbulent times was more than he had expected.
‘Did they even request support from the Pantheon?’
Well, they were essentially handling the duties of Arbiter Eor in his stead, so it wouldn’t make sense if they were simply handed an order without any backup.
A significant number of priests had been dispatched.
The mercenary groups scattered throughout the area grew restless as they sensed something unusual, but they simply assumed the labyrinth was larger than expected. None of them questioned its existence.
"Ah! Senior!"
Ian heard someone call out to him, but he didn’t turn around.
After all, no one ever addressed him as ‘Senior.’
He continued walking without much thought, but he could sense someone approaching.
"Senior! It’s me, Perak!"
Ian finally turned his head at the familiar name.
Mari, who had been standing guard, rested her hand on the hilt of her sword, ready to draw it at a moment’s notice. Ian quickly gestured for her to stand down and stepped forward.
"Perak."
Ian’s eyes widened.
In his previous life, Perak had helped him greatly during his time as a mercenary.
And after his regression, he had been the one to save Perak when he was kidnapped by the demonic beast, Baphomet.
He hadn’t kept in touch, so he hadn’t heard any news. But he never expected to run into him like this.
"Have you been well!"
An older man bowed deeply to Ian.
Ian greeted him warmly.
"Of course. I've been doing well. Haven't you heard plenty about me?"
"Every time I heard of your growing fame, I couldn't help but be amazed. And I kept waiting for the day I’d see you again."
"Me? Why?"
"Because you’re my savior, Senior. If you and the Hero hadn’t saved me that day, I wouldn’t be here now."
Perak spoke with sincere emotion.
Ian grinned at his reaction.
For a moment, he wondered if Perak was trying to show off their connection to the mercenaries watching nearby, but that wasn’t it—he was genuinely happy to see him.
And in that short time, he had grown quite a bit.
Though he was still only Level 4, it was progress nonetheless.
"Thanks for thinking that way. How have you been, Perak?"
"I’ve been through a lot, but ever since I met you, my luck seems to have turned around. Everything has gone smoothly. Thanks to that, I’ve been able to grow, and as you can see, I’m now receiving commissions from a great family."
"Really? That’s good to hear."
"I may not be very skilled, but if you ever need me, please don’t hesitate to call. Even if I have to abandon my current commission, I’ll rush to you immediately. I may not look it, but I have a wide network and plenty of connections that could be useful!"
Perak straightened his shoulders proudly. Ian smiled at his enthusiasm.
He wasn’t just saying it.
"I’ll keep that in mind. I might need you someday, so keep growing. That way, I can ask you to save me instead."
"I’ll do my best to make that happen. Just call me anytime. And I’ve saved up some money too."
"Money?"
"Didn’t I promise to treat you to a nice meal? At the very least, I can cover one meal!"
He’d regret that. Ever since gaining an Aura Core, his appetite had grown significantly. Just in case, he kept entire boxes of energy bars stored in his ring’s subspace.
"Alright. Let’s meet up sometime soon."
He wasn’t sure when, but saying something like that wasn’t difficult.
Perak apologized for taking up his time and bowed before leaving, saying he’d greet him properly next time.
"Ohhh. Young Master, what was that just now?"
"You saw it. Someone I saved before."
"Which Hero were you talking about?"
"Sigel."
The Lord of Protection, the one chosen by Dandeot.
"The Beast Slayer!"
His eyes widened in shock. Ian tilted his head.
"He’s already being called that?"
"Huh? Already?"
Oops.
Ian realized he had slipped up several times today but maintained a neutral expression.
"No, I was just asking if that's what people are calling him."
"You didn’t know? The number of beasts Sigel has slain has already reached well into double digits. Whenever a beast appears and gains notoriety, he shows up like a phantom and takes care of it. People are even joking that as soon as a beast appears, they should hurry up and name it so he’ll show up faster."
"Hmm."
Ian recalled the first Hero he met after his regression. He had been so busy that he hadn’t paid much attention to world news.
"Oh."
"What is it?"
"There's nothing else I need to see. Let’s have a spar."
"...Ah. Alright."
Hearing Mael’s unenthusiastic reply, Ian chuckled.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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