Survive the labyrinth with EX-grade traits

I still couldn’t quite believe it as I stepped out of the guild and into the carriage, my hands filled with twenty-seven gold coins from the settlement.

Just the cost of repairing my C-rated greatsword, which had its core function damaged, was two gold coins, with the discount.

With this large sum of money in my hands, I could finally consider buying some equipment to fill the gaps in my gear. Maybe I could find a decent pair of shoes or a cloak.

Or perhaps I could temporarily fill the two remaining slots in my equipment set with weapons that had stat-boosting options, even though I knew that such weapons with straightforward and powerful stat-boosting options tended to be more expensive, even within the same grade.

My strength, agility, and endurance were currently at C+ grade.

If I could just raise each of them by one level, I would reach the next grade without the need for buffs, and the difference would be quite noticeable. This was definitely an option worth considering.

‘I’ll hold off on saving for now. I’ll be heading to the mid-levels soon, so I should probably open a bank account, but since I’ll be regularly entering the labyrinth, I can’t afford to tie up my money in one place.’

Although I may have already escaped the situation of having to worry about making a living for a month, as an adventurer, I couldn’t afford to skimp on spending for growth. I needed to spend when it was necessary.

Sigh, when would I be able to afford my own house?

I hadn’t forgotten my vow to save up for a grand mansion and live a life that others would envy.

I just felt that I was still a long way from achieving that.

As I contemplated what to do with the large sum of money in my backpack, the coachman’s shout reached my ears.

“We’ve arrived! Please disembark one by one.”

We had returned to the inn after a thrilling settlement.

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Roten, sitting at the counter reading the newspaper, greeted us.

“You’re back? You both look cheerful, so I assume the guild’s handling of the matter was satisfactory.”

“Haha, I’d say the reward was worth the effort. This expedition was quite a challenge.”

Well, for someone like Roten, who had ventured as far as the mid-levels, the hardships of the lower levels might not seem like much.

“Of course. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of coming back from a tough expedition and receiving your settlement.”

After confirming that Lumia had returned, Roten headed to the backyard, saying he needed to take care of some chores before dinner.

As the first floor fell silent, I shrugged my shoulders.

Clunk.

I sat down at a nearby table and retraced my memories.

‘In the morning, no later than 9 a.m., we need to take the carriage to Zone 6. Don’t forget.’

I had made a promise to spend the next few days touring the city with Veronica.

I could have asked her to come to me, or we could have met somewhere in Zone 5, a midpoint between us.

However, as everyone knew, Veronica’s current state was not normal due to her previous stat reduction, and her mental state was likely confused, even if she didn’t show it, as her body had become younger.

Showing consideration for her situation might be a positive factor.

“Ahren, what are you thinking about?”

Ah, Lumia.

‘─No, it’s not that. Even if we’re in the same party, it’s not right to suggest going together without the person’s permission.’

I wasn’t completely oblivious.

I could tell from her expressions and demeanor that Veronica, who had become more emotional and honest, wanted to spend time alone with me.

I had already dismissed the idea of inviting the other two.

I had seen her managing on her own, going back and forth to the Searcher’s Training Center.

After the tour of the zones, I’d have to take her to the Magic Tower to get her access card.

“Just some random thoughts, nothing serious.”

Seeing that I was staring at her without saying anything, Lumia took a seat next to me.

“Come sit here for a moment. On the way here, I realized that I still have something to give you besides the settlement.”

“Okay.”

Lumia tilted her head, puzzled, and sat down next to me, her chair right next to mine.

Wow, that’s close!

I froze for a moment, feeling the overwhelming sensation on my arm.

We were so close that I could feel her breath on my cheek if I turned my head slightly.

I forced a smile, not wanting to make things awkward by overreacting.

“Haha, aren’t you a little too close? You don’t need to stick to me like that.”

“Is… is it bothering you that I’m so close?”

I could tell from her darkening expression and downturned mouth that her mood was rapidly sinking.

She seemed to have grown mentally over the past few months of expeditions, as she brushed off the whispers in the guild about the Arar curse.

However, her self-esteem, which had been low since childhood, was not fully restored, and it seemed she still needed time to overcome her long-standing habit of self-blame.

“Sorry… I’ll move away.”

I quickly clapped my hand over my mouth to try and salvage the situation.

“I, uh, it’s not that it’s uncomfortable, it’s just embarrassing. My mouth is always getting me into trouble!”

“Embarrassing…? Why?”

I wasn’t sure if she was just testing me or if she was genuinely naive, having lived more than half her life in a closed-off village with only witches.

I supposed only Lumia herself knew which it was.

[Chaos says that it’s not a cat, but rather a seductive woman.]

I averted my eyes and spoke awkwardly.

“I wasn’t going to say it, but you really need to be more aware of how pretty you are.”

And also the destructive power of those large breasts.

“⋯!”

Lumia’s eyes widened in surprise as she asked,

“Am I… pretty? Really…?”

“Yes! It’s obvious. But please don’t suddenly hug me like this, it’s bad for my heart─”

She wrapped her arms around my left arm, completely disregarding my request.

“⋯.”

The combination of her voluptuous touch and the warmth of her embrace, somewhere between sensuality and comfort, made me forget what I was about to say.

[Chaos says that she’s a bold woman.]

“Wait, just… stay like this for now.”

This wasn’t what I had envisioned, but how had things turned out this way?

I had only wanted to give her a compliment to encourage her, but now I found myself with one arm wrapped around her, buried between her breasts.

Thump.

As I sat there quietly, trying to keep my composure, Lumia leaned her head on my shoulder and breathed deeply, savoring the moment.

Slowly. With satisfaction.

“Hoo… Ahh… It feels so good.”

A memory from the time of the trial of lust came to mind, and I found myself drawn to her sparkling eyes and moist lips.

‘Damn. I can’t get hard here.’

Come to think of it, I had been swinging my sword and cutting off lower bodies in the city and the labyrinth for a few months now.

As a man, I had never directly used my hands or moved my hips to satisfy my desires.

Up until now, it had been bearable.

To be precise.

I hadn’t had the time to think about such things, as I had been struggling to survive in the labyrinth and the city.

‘This is bad. Should I sing the national anthem or something?’

My mind was filled with countless thoughts and fragments.

Survival in the Grand Labyrinth and the labyrinth city.

I had lost over 2 billion, and in my pursuit of wealth and happiness, my first goal was to become a high-ranking adventurer with the strength and prestige to match.

Considering the imperial laws and social perceptions, polygamy was only allowed for the nobility and a select few high-ranking adventurers.

After just a few months of rolling around, I was barely on the verge of becoming a mid-level adventurer, still a long way from achieving my goals.

Finally, I looked around at the various beauties who were showing interest in me—

I had been abandoned by my parents on Earth, treated like a beggar, and failed in two false relationships, completely trampling my already low self-esteem and dragging it through the mud, even affecting my self-confidence, which was not fully restored.

“⋯Lumia, if you calm down, we can move on to the main topic, okay?”

I couldn’t let her hair and head stay like that, leaning on my shoulder and glancing at me with her eyes.

I reached into my backpack with my free right arm, which was still attached to her.

Thump.

Fortunately, thanks to the space magic on the bag, I was able to easily take out the item I wanted just by thinking about it.

I took out a book from my bag and placed it on the table, something that could be called a skill book.

If she read the contents carefully and discovered the hidden arrangement, she would acquire a growth-type trait, ‘About Savagery’, a C-rated item.

According to the hidden arrangement in the information window, she would have to read each word carefully or go through a difficult ordeal to acquire the trait.

On top of that, she was about to learn common magic soon, and I felt a bit guilty for making Lumia’s head work so hard.

Sluuuurp.

I stroked her hair and gently played with her cat ears.

“Hyaat!”

“If you want to learn various things, it’ll be tough, but it’s a rare opportunity that we’ve finally found.”

“Mhm.”

“I hope you’ll do your best to acquire the trait. I always believe in you. You know how I feel, right?”

“Okay⋯ More, more.”

Something felt a bit strange.

It was just a simple touch on her head and ears, but today she was reacting more intensely than usual.

“Lumia, are you listening?”

“I know, I know everything⋯ Don’t stop, just keep touching me a little more.”

She trembled at my touch, her voice shaking.

“Starting tomorrow, I’ll really work hard. Ngh, there, there, it feels good.”

If I indulged her whims too much, it would only lead to trouble, so I decided to stop and finish the conversation, but at that moment, the door of the inn was flung open.

“Ugh, I’m tired! Hey?”

Yeriel burst into the inn, staring at us stuck together and shouting.

An awkward silence filled the room.

Seeing Lumia still leaning on my shoulder, I spoke up in her place.

“It’s nothing. As you know, we obtained various items from the treasure box in the tower, right? Do you remember?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. Wasn’t there an item for beastmen among them? You were going to give me that, right?”

Yeriel nodded in agreement and then shouted again.

“Wait a minute! There’s no reason to stick to each other like glue just to give a book!”

Lumia, who had been leaning on my shoulder, pulled away and sat up straight.

“I’ll be on my way. Bye!”

“Hey, don’t just leave like that! There’s something fishy going on, isn’t there?! What is it?”

After a nervous laugh, I spoke up.

“Yeriel, come and sit down. I just got our settlement money from the guild, and it’s a huge amount. Come and see.”

“Hmm.”

Yeriel, who had been sitting with her head tilted, straightened up and approached us.

“Hmm.”

“Does it hurt somewhere?”

Did Evelyn train her again? It had only been a day since she returned.

“No, it’s not that, it’s just that the chair is a bit wet.”

What?

“Just feel it for a moment. Come on.”

[Purification]

Paaat!

A white light flashed as Yeriel chanted a short spell.

Although I could guess the meaning of the water on the chair, I remained silent to avoid any embarrassment.

“It’s done! Ahren, do you want to be purified as well?”

“I’m going to take a shower anyway, so it’s fine. Here.”

I handed her the money pouch filled with gold coins and the talisman I had kept at the tower.

“It’s a talisman to ward off curses, right? I’ll keep it safe!”

“Open the pouch and take a look. You’ll be surprised.”

As expected, Yeriel’s face lit up as she counted the gold coins, her eyes widening in surprise.

“Fifteen, sixteen⋯ Hyaat! Why are there so many?”

“The amount we received as treatment fees in the third layer is several times more than what we got from the by-products. We were lucky. And we worked hard for it, too.”

“I’m so overwhelmed that I don’t know what to do with it.”

As Yeriel stared at the pouch of gold coins, confused, I suggested, “If you’re having trouble deciding what to do, you can ask your sister for advice.”

Although Evelyn’s stance was to shower her with affection, she avoided excessive materialism and direct protection.

However, seeing how she had been training her intensely, I thought she might give appropriate advice.

“Yeah! I’ll think about it more, too.”

With a mix of joy and confusion, Yeriel and I chatted for a while.

After a while, we waved goodbye and headed to our respective rooms.

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The morning sun shone brightly, and the weather was clear.

“The day is young, and the weather is great. Let’s go!”

With a feeling that something good was about to happen, I boarded the carriage heading to Zone 6 with a light step.