SGB: Episode 36
Episode 36: Guild (1)
"Hey! Mr. Yandel! Wake up!"
As Raven shakes Bjorn's shoulder...
The unconscious companions start waking up one by one.
"Lady Raven? What the hell happened..."
"Bjorn! Is Bjorn dead?!"
"Miss! I'm glad you're safe..."
Questions arise from everywhere.
The only one who can answer them is Raven.
Because she didn't faint.
"The vampire is dead. And Mr. Yandel is alive. Tarjin, I'm fine, so please stop yelling."
"That's amazing! To defeat a vampire with one spell!"
She bites her lip at Murad's exclamation. She feels inexplicably frustrated.
It wasn't the 'Black Sun Orb' that defeated the vampire.
Although her contribution isn't insignificant in terms of contribution...
"...It wasn't me, it was Mr. Yandel."
"What do you mean?"
"Mr. Yandel is the one who defeated the vampire."
Murad frowns.
"No, this guy?"
Although he had praised him earlier, calling him 'special' and 'a great warrior', he can't believe that he defeated a 5th-grade monster.
She understands his feelings.
'If I had only heard about it... I would probably feel the same way.'
Perhaps it was thanks to the distance...
She, who wasn't affected by 'Pain Sharing', was the only one who witnessed the whole story.
Yes, literally.
What could a mage with depleted mana do?
"Everyone, thank Mr. Yandel. If it weren't for him, none of us would have woken up alive."
"Th, that's true, but... could you explain what happened in more detail?"
Just as she's about to explain, Ainar intervenes.
"Then what about Bjorn! Shouldn't we give him a potion?"
In other words, she's asking for a potion if they have one.
Raven shakes her head and answers.
"Potions... are pointless. It seems like his body has mostly recovered already."
If she had to guess, this man won't need potions very often from now on.
Most injuries will heal quickly.
"Then why isn't he waking up!"
"I don't know that either. But..."
"It seems like you have a hunch! What is it? Mage! Tell us!"
Raven sighs and answers.
"It's probably... exhaustion."
"...Exhaustion? Didn't you just say his body was fine!"
Ainar places her hand, dirty with dirt and dried blood, on Raven's shoulder.
Her expression is as if the sky is falling.
"Well, are you two actually lovers or something?"
"Ah, ah, no! Why would you say that!"
"Whew, anyway, I don't know for sure either. It's not like I'm a priest. I just know of a few similar cases."
"Cases? Lady Raven, is this common?"
"It's not common, but... it happens sometimes. Cases where the body has healed, but the mind hasn't recovered, so they can't wake up."
Warriors who have experienced extreme stress that could lead to trauma, or those who have poured everything they have into a battle, sometimes fall into this state.
As she explains this, Ainar raises her voice.
"I've never heard of such a thing! And besides, it doesn't make sense! Not waking up because he's mentally exhausted? Bjorn isn't that weak!"
Not weak...
She wholeheartedly agrees with that statement.
A few hours ago, she would have scoffed and dismissed it, but at least now, it's different.
Because she was the only one who witnessed him fighting against the vampire until the very end.
But...
No, that's why her thoughts are even more solidified.
"To be honest, I'm almost certain that the reason Mr. Yandel isn't waking up is because of mental exhaustion."
Not waking up because he's tired?
That goes beyond whether the mind is weak or strong.
It was a fight where that was to be expected.
'If she had seen it for herself, she wouldn't be saying this to me.'
Maybe today, she witnessed something incredibly precious.
"Mage! Then when will Bjorn wake up!"
"Well, it could take a day at the earliest, or maybe two days at the latest."
"Then he'll wake up in a few hours! Bjorn is a great warrior!"
'...Then why did you even ask?'
Raven's mood sours once again, but somehow, I don't feel like snapping at her.
To be precise, I don't have the energy.
And it doesn't sound as absurd as before either.
"A great warrior..."
Throughout history, less than ten barbarians have officially received that title from the king.
'Well, it seems like it's just used as a form of praise among barbarians these days.'
She takes one last moment to organize her thoughts before continuing.
A barbarian who absorbed the essences of the Corpse Golem and the vampire.
And not just any vampire, but the guardian of the rift.
And he just had his coming-of-age ceremony last month, so this is his second time entering the labyrinth?
She looks at the sleeping barbarian, oblivious to the world, and speaks.
"...Maybe he really will become one."
Of course, to do so, he would have to go through dozens of crises like today and still survive.
I breathe out, feeling the sunlight on my skin for the first time in a while.
‘We barely made it…’
Time was tighter than I expected.
Finding the item hidden in the ceiling of the outer wall watchtower, which we reached by climbing a ladder, took less than 10 minutes, but…
Going to the boss room and back was tough.
‘…It was a waste of time in the end.’
Did she mean that they waited for half a day while the mage investigated?
‘Well, it would be strange if she had just left without doing that, considering her personality.’
The walls are broken here and there.
Frames are ripped off.
And there’s even a box of a type I’ve never seen before, left open.
‘There must have been some additional reward, but she took it for herself, huh…’
When I arrived at the boss room after running at full speed, there were traces of someone having already investigated the place.
However, rather than anger at being ripped off, I’m more curious about what the item was.
After all, it’s a variant rift that has never been cleared before.
An element that even I, a 9-year veteran player, don’t know about?
My curiosity as a gamer is piqued.
‘She wouldn’t give it to me even if I asked… I guess I’ll just have to ask her subtly when we meet later.’
Anyway, I searched the surroundings thoroughly to see if the mage had missed anything, and time became very tight.
The stairs practically closed as soon as we left the rift, so it was more than just a close call.
If I had been even a little careless, I would have been trapped there forever, even after defeating the boss monster.
“Serum, the fourth son of Kenik! You have more scars! I’m envious!”
“It’s nothing! Karak, the third son of Fanun!”
Just as I’m briefly organizing my thoughts, I hear the voices of barbarians from all around.
Fortunately, they haven’t spotted me yet.
I bend down to avoid attention and head towards the exchange office for 9th-grade explorers.
Luckily, I arrived early, so the line isn’t long.
And there are no barbarians to bother me.
I hand over the magic stones, and the official exchanges them for money like a machine, just like last time.
“231,520 stones.”
230,000 stones.
It feels like a ridiculously small amount compared to all the hardships I went through, but…
‘This isn’t everything.’
I absorbed two essences during this expedition.
And once I sell the physical items, I’ll make several times more than the magic stones.
‘Somehow, magic stones always end up being a bonus, not the main source of income.’
I’m not sure whether to be happy or sad about this.
As I smile bitterly and reach for the pouch…
“That’s quite a large amount for a 9th-grade explorer.”
The official takes back the pouch he had put down and stares intently at my face with a meaningful look.
“What’s in the backpack you’re carrying?”
What’s in it?
There’s nothing I can’t tell him, but…
“…Why do you ask?”
I feel a chill down my spine for some reason.
I look around, and in the distance, I see guards quickly approaching.
It seems like he pressed some kind of emergency call button that’s supposedly hidden under the bank desk.
“Is it him?”
“Yes.”
I raise my arms to show my willingness to cooperate with the authorities, but the guards, after a brief exchange with the official, forcefully restrain my arms.
Damn it, what the hell is this after I barely made it back alive?
“Barbarian, let’s go over there and have a chat.”
Instinctively, I feel like I’m fucked.
"Hey! Mr. Yandel! Wake up!"
As Raven shakes Bjorn's shoulder...
The unconscious companions start waking up one by one.
"Lady Raven? What the hell happened..."
"Bjorn! Is Bjorn dead?!"
"Miss! I'm glad you're safe..."
Questions arise from everywhere.
The only one who can answer them is Raven.
Because she didn't faint.
"The vampire is dead. And Mr. Yandel is alive. Tarjin, I'm fine, so please stop yelling."
"That's amazing! To defeat a vampire with one spell!"
She bites her lip at Murad's exclamation. She feels inexplicably frustrated.
It wasn't the 'Black Sun Orb' that defeated the vampire.
Although her contribution isn't insignificant in terms of contribution...
"...It wasn't me, it was Mr. Yandel."
"What do you mean?"
"Mr. Yandel is the one who defeated the vampire."
Murad frowns.
"No, this guy?"
Although he had praised him earlier, calling him 'special' and 'a great warrior', he can't believe that he defeated a 5th-grade monster.
She understands his feelings.
'If I had only heard about it... I would probably feel the same way.'
Perhaps it was thanks to the distance...
She, who wasn't affected by 'Pain Sharing', was the only one who witnessed the whole story.
Yes, literally.
What could a mage with depleted mana do?
"Everyone, thank Mr. Yandel. If it weren't for him, none of us would have woken up alive."
"Th, that's true, but... could you explain what happened in more detail?"
Just as she's about to explain, Ainar intervenes.
"Then what about Bjorn! Shouldn't we give him a potion?"
In other words, she's asking for a potion if they have one.
Raven shakes her head and answers.
"Potions... are pointless. It seems like his body has mostly recovered already."
If she had to guess, this man won't need potions very often from now on.
Most injuries will heal quickly.
"Then why isn't he waking up!"
"I don't know that either. But..."
"It seems like you have a hunch! What is it? Mage! Tell us!"
Raven sighs and answers.
"It's probably... exhaustion."
"...Exhaustion? Didn't you just say his body was fine!"
Ainar places her hand, dirty with dirt and dried blood, on Raven's shoulder.
Her expression is as if the sky is falling.
"Well, are you two actually lovers or something?"
"Ah, ah, no! Why would you say that!"
"Whew, anyway, I don't know for sure either. It's not like I'm a priest. I just know of a few similar cases."
"Cases? Lady Raven, is this common?"
"It's not common, but... it happens sometimes. Cases where the body has healed, but the mind hasn't recovered, so they can't wake up."
Warriors who have experienced extreme stress that could lead to trauma, or those who have poured everything they have into a battle, sometimes fall into this state.
As she explains this, Ainar raises her voice.
"I've never heard of such a thing! And besides, it doesn't make sense! Not waking up because he's mentally exhausted? Bjorn isn't that weak!"
Not weak...
She wholeheartedly agrees with that statement.
A few hours ago, she would have scoffed and dismissed it, but at least now, it's different.
Because she was the only one who witnessed him fighting against the vampire until the very end.
But...
No, that's why her thoughts are even more solidified.
"To be honest, I'm almost certain that the reason Mr. Yandel isn't waking up is because of mental exhaustion."
Not waking up because he's tired?
That goes beyond whether the mind is weak or strong.
It was a fight where that was to be expected.
'If she had seen it for herself, she wouldn't be saying this to me.'
Maybe today, she witnessed something incredibly precious.
"Mage! Then when will Bjorn wake up!"
"Well, it could take a day at the earliest, or maybe two days at the latest."
"Then he'll wake up in a few hours! Bjorn is a great warrior!"
'...Then why did you even ask?'
Raven's mood sours once again, but somehow, I don't feel like snapping at her.
To be precise, I don't have the energy.
And it doesn't sound as absurd as before either.
"A great warrior..."
Throughout history, less than ten barbarians have officially received that title from the king.
'Well, it seems like it's just used as a form of praise among barbarians these days.'
She takes one last moment to organize her thoughts before continuing.
A barbarian who absorbed the essences of the Corpse Golem and the vampire.
And not just any vampire, but the guardian of the rift.
And he just had his coming-of-age ceremony last month, so this is his second time entering the labyrinth?
She looks at the sleeping barbarian, oblivious to the world, and speaks.
"...Maybe he really will become one."
Of course, to do so, he would have to go through dozens of crises like today and still survive.
_________________________________________
“We made it.”
I open my eyes, and it’s midnight.
For some reason, Ainar is giving me a lap pillow, and as soon as our eyes meet, she shouts “Bjorn!!!” and startles me awake.
“…Where are the others?”
“They all left! More importantly, Bjorn, are you okay? I was worried because you were unconscious for three whole days!”
Three days have passed?
Then in terms of time, it’s Day 7 now, right?
I sit up straight, my mind completely awake. And I check my current condition first.
There are no visible external injuries.
Aside from being hungry, my health seems generally fine.
“Anyway, Ainar, what are these pants I’m wearing?”
Actually, calling them ‘pants’ is an understatement.
A piece of cloth like a handkerchief is wrapped around my lower body, barely covering my privates.
To be precise, it’s closer to a skirt than pants.
And a very short one at that.
“Ah! The mage gave me some leftover fabric.”
“…So, you put it on me?”
“Of course!”
I feel a sense of shame, but it’s a little less because Ainar doesn’t seem to mind.
Well, it would be a bit strange for warriors to be awkward about such things.
“There’s no need to be embarrassed. As expected, Bjorn is a great warrior!”
Hmm, I didn’t mean for her to sexually harass me.
“…So what happened after that?”
I change the subject to forget about the embarrassment.
I’m curious about everything that happened after I lost consciousness, especially regarding the loot.
“The Numbered Item? Murad took it, and the mage took the Rift Stone.”
“What?”
It’s been a series of surprises since the beginning.
I’m alive now, so that means I absorbed the bastard’s essence… In other words, the vampire dropped all three loot items?
What kind of extreme luck is this?
“Ah, right! We didn’t roll dice or anything when splitting the Rift Stone. The mage insisted that he should take it to make up for his losses, so…”
Ainar adds in a defensive tone.
“Murad said it was fine, but I said no! But then the mage said something strange.”
“Strange?”
“He said that you, Bjorn, already got the biggest prize, so you wouldn’t complain about him taking the Rift Stone.”
‘It seems like only that woman knows I absorbed the vampire’s essence.’
I nod silently.
I have no regrets about this loot distribution.
The mage fed me the Corpse Golem’s essence, for whatever reason. And considering the potions she poured into me, she practically left the rift at a loss.
If she had been greedy for the Rift Stone on top of that, she would have been no different from a thief.
Although Ainar seems to think differently…
“B, but I said let’s decide after you wake up, but it couldn’t be helped! Everyone left through the portal after waiting for more than half a day and you still hadn’t woken up!!”
“You don’t need to blame yourself. It couldn’t be helped, could it?”
Honestly, I can imagine the expressions of the people who were stuck there for half a day because of Ainar’s stubbornness…
But it’s better to just praise her in this situation.
“Thank you. I feel reassured because you’re here.”
“…It’s, it’s nothing! We’re comrades, aren’t we!”
I check my belongings, which I assume were gathered by Ainar.
Backpack, mace, a few pieces of scrap metal that used to be my shield…
‘I guess I can at least get some money for the metal.’
I put everything I can see into the backpack and then take out food and the canteen to satisfy my hunger.
And I check the time.
11:20 PM.
‘Less than an hour left until the stairs close.’
“Bjorn! Shouldn’t we leave after we finish eating? We don’t have much time left!”
“We can’t.”
I refuse firmly.
I desperately want to leave this place, but…
After all that hardship, I should take everything I can get, right?
I also want to investigate the boss room.
‘The mage took the Necronomicon, so there’s only one thing left, right?’
It seems like I’ll have to move quickly.
“We made it.”
I open my eyes, and it’s midnight.
For some reason, Ainar is giving me a lap pillow, and as soon as our eyes meet, she shouts “Bjorn!!!” and startles me awake.
“…Where are the others?”
“They all left! More importantly, Bjorn, are you okay? I was worried because you were unconscious for three whole days!”
Three days have passed?
Then in terms of time, it’s Day 7 now, right?
I sit up straight, my mind completely awake. And I check my current condition first.
There are no visible external injuries.
Aside from being hungry, my health seems generally fine.
“Anyway, Ainar, what are these pants I’m wearing?”
Actually, calling them ‘pants’ is an understatement.
A piece of cloth like a handkerchief is wrapped around my lower body, barely covering my privates.
To be precise, it’s closer to a skirt than pants.
And a very short one at that.
“Ah! The mage gave me some leftover fabric.”
“…So, you put it on me?”
“Of course!”
I feel a sense of shame, but it’s a little less because Ainar doesn’t seem to mind.
Well, it would be a bit strange for warriors to be awkward about such things.
“There’s no need to be embarrassed. As expected, Bjorn is a great warrior!”
Hmm, I didn’t mean for her to sexually harass me.
“…So what happened after that?”
I change the subject to forget about the embarrassment.
I’m curious about everything that happened after I lost consciousness, especially regarding the loot.
“The Numbered Item? Murad took it, and the mage took the Rift Stone.”
“What?”
It’s been a series of surprises since the beginning.
I’m alive now, so that means I absorbed the bastard’s essence… In other words, the vampire dropped all three loot items?
What kind of extreme luck is this?
“Ah, right! We didn’t roll dice or anything when splitting the Rift Stone. The mage insisted that he should take it to make up for his losses, so…”
Ainar adds in a defensive tone.
“Murad said it was fine, but I said no! But then the mage said something strange.”
“Strange?”
“He said that you, Bjorn, already got the biggest prize, so you wouldn’t complain about him taking the Rift Stone.”
‘It seems like only that woman knows I absorbed the vampire’s essence.’
I nod silently.
I have no regrets about this loot distribution.
The mage fed me the Corpse Golem’s essence, for whatever reason. And considering the potions she poured into me, she practically left the rift at a loss.
If she had been greedy for the Rift Stone on top of that, she would have been no different from a thief.
Although Ainar seems to think differently…
“B, but I said let’s decide after you wake up, but it couldn’t be helped! Everyone left through the portal after waiting for more than half a day and you still hadn’t woken up!!”
“You don’t need to blame yourself. It couldn’t be helped, could it?”
Honestly, I can imagine the expressions of the people who were stuck there for half a day because of Ainar’s stubbornness…
But it’s better to just praise her in this situation.
“Thank you. I feel reassured because you’re here.”
“…It’s, it’s nothing! We’re comrades, aren’t we!”
I check my belongings, which I assume were gathered by Ainar.
Backpack, mace, a few pieces of scrap metal that used to be my shield…
‘I guess I can at least get some money for the metal.’
I put everything I can see into the backpack and then take out food and the canteen to satisfy my hunger.
And I check the time.
11:20 PM.
‘Less than an hour left until the stairs close.’
“Bjorn! Shouldn’t we leave after we finish eating? We don’t have much time left!”
“We can’t.”
I refuse firmly.
I desperately want to leave this place, but…
After all that hardship, I should take everything I can get, right?
I also want to investigate the boss room.
‘The mage took the Necronomicon, so there’s only one thing left, right?’
It seems like I’ll have to move quickly.
___________________________________
「Entered 1st Floor Crystal Cave.」
「The labyrinth is closed.」
「Character is being transported to Lafdonia.」
___________________________________
「Entered 1st Floor Crystal Cave.」
「The labyrinth is closed.」
「Character is being transported to Lafdonia.」
___________________________________
I breathe out, feeling the sunlight on my skin for the first time in a while.
‘We barely made it…’
Time was tighter than I expected.
Finding the item hidden in the ceiling of the outer wall watchtower, which we reached by climbing a ladder, took less than 10 minutes, but…
Going to the boss room and back was tough.
‘…It was a waste of time in the end.’
Did she mean that they waited for half a day while the mage investigated?
‘Well, it would be strange if she had just left without doing that, considering her personality.’
The walls are broken here and there.
Frames are ripped off.
And there’s even a box of a type I’ve never seen before, left open.
‘There must have been some additional reward, but she took it for herself, huh…’
When I arrived at the boss room after running at full speed, there were traces of someone having already investigated the place.
However, rather than anger at being ripped off, I’m more curious about what the item was.
After all, it’s a variant rift that has never been cleared before.
An element that even I, a 9-year veteran player, don’t know about?
My curiosity as a gamer is piqued.
‘She wouldn’t give it to me even if I asked… I guess I’ll just have to ask her subtly when we meet later.’
Anyway, I searched the surroundings thoroughly to see if the mage had missed anything, and time became very tight.
The stairs practically closed as soon as we left the rift, so it was more than just a close call.
If I had been even a little careless, I would have been trapped there forever, even after defeating the boss monster.
“Serum, the fourth son of Kenik! You have more scars! I’m envious!”
“It’s nothing! Karak, the third son of Fanun!”
Just as I’m briefly organizing my thoughts, I hear the voices of barbarians from all around.
Fortunately, they haven’t spotted me yet.
I bend down to avoid attention and head towards the exchange office for 9th-grade explorers.
Luckily, I arrived early, so the line isn’t long.
And there are no barbarians to bother me.
I hand over the magic stones, and the official exchanges them for money like a machine, just like last time.
“231,520 stones.”
230,000 stones.
It feels like a ridiculously small amount compared to all the hardships I went through, but…
‘This isn’t everything.’
I absorbed two essences during this expedition.
And once I sell the physical items, I’ll make several times more than the magic stones.
‘Somehow, magic stones always end up being a bonus, not the main source of income.’
I’m not sure whether to be happy or sad about this.
As I smile bitterly and reach for the pouch…
“That’s quite a large amount for a 9th-grade explorer.”
The official takes back the pouch he had put down and stares intently at my face with a meaningful look.
“What’s in the backpack you’re carrying?”
What’s in it?
There’s nothing I can’t tell him, but…
“…Why do you ask?”
I feel a chill down my spine for some reason.
I look around, and in the distance, I see guards quickly approaching.
It seems like he pressed some kind of emergency call button that’s supposedly hidden under the bank desk.
“Is it him?”
“Yes.”
I raise my arms to show my willingness to cooperate with the authorities, but the guards, after a brief exchange with the official, forcefully restrain my arms.
Damn it, what the hell is this after I barely made it back alive?
“Barbarian, let’s go over there and have a chat.”
Instinctively, I feel like I’m fucked.
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