Kays Translations

Chapter 100: Radiance of Life

The two remained silent until they exited the labyrinth. As they basked in the sunlight and took deep breaths, they finally felt the realization that they had returned safely.

“Finally, we can breathe a sigh of relief,” Ricardo said.

Lutz scooped up water from the river, rinsed his mouth, and spat it out. The water wasn’t exactly clean, but it was much better compared to the stagnant air in the labyrinth.

“So, what was that all about?” Ricardo asked in a low voice. Lutz didn’t want to recall it, but as someone who came to investigate, he couldn’t avoid talking about it.

“I’d like to think it was just a nightmare. Should we check inside the bag? The gemstones might have disappeared,” Lutz suggested.

“Let’s not bother. It will only leave us feeling empty,” Ricardo replied.

Ricardo emerged from the river and grabbed the scabbard of his beloved sword, Tsubaki, while still naked.

“It seems Tsubaki’s curse didn’t work…” he murmured.

“Perhaps that man was of the undead,” Lutz suggested.

“And the curse doesn’t work on the dead,” Ricardo added.

“They wouldn’t experience the pleasure of the curse,” Lutz concluded.

Sexual pleasure was a connection to life. While they didn’t understand the mechanics of the curse, it made sense that it wouldn’t affect the undead.

Inducing self-harm as a form of sexual pleasure could only be possible with a living opponent.

Ricardo slapped his own cheeks and regained his focus.

“All right, I’m fine now. I’ve recovered!” he exclaimed.

“That was fast. Aren’t you going to dwell on it a bit more?” Lutz asked.

“There are dangerous individuals residing in the labyrinth. Tsubaki’s curse doesn’t affect them. I have to apologize to Gerhart-san. And on top of that, I’m naked. However, once we understand the problem, we can deal with it. It’s important to ponder, but there’s no meaning in pondering too much!” Ricardo explained.

“Is that the mindset of an adventurer?” Lutz remarked.

Come to think of it, despite his eccentricity, Ricardo was a first-class adventurer. Lutz smiled wryly as he dried his body. He couldn’t help but feel slightly relieved by Ricardo’s optimistic attitude, although he didn’t want to admit it.

“Now then, we have a heap of problems. Where should we start?” Ricardo asked energetically.

Lutz looked at Ricardo from head to toe and replied, “Put on your pants.”

The next day, they decided to gather at Gerhart’s workshop. They could have taken a break for a couple of days, but they couldn’t sleep soundly with such a creepy incident weighing on their minds.

“Dumping troublesome matters on someone above is the smart way to live as a hired hand,” Claudia advised, and they followed her advice.

Lutz, Claudia, Ricardo, Gerhart, and the decorator Patrick gathered in the cramped enchanting workshop.

“If the investigation is over, couldn’t you just report directly to the Count…?” Gerhart grumbled, once again ignored about his vacation.

“I apologize, Gerhart-san. However, I thought it wouldn’t be wise to present the possibly cursed gemstones directly to the Count…” Lutz bowed his head and took out the two gemstones wrapped in a cloth from his bag. The gemstones on the table emitted a radiant light unlike anything they had ever seen.

“These are diamonds… or rubies… or emeralds. They seem different from any of those,” Lutz remarked.

“These could be considered a subspecies of emeralds. They may not be genuine emeralds, but they are undoubtedly gemstones,” Patrick stated, picking up the remaining gemstone. Both craftsmen confirmed its authenticity. However, their expressions were somewhat dissatisfied.

“Do they seem important to you?” Ricardo asked, puzzled.

“Not so much their importance, but it’s hard to see them as anything other than something resembling gemstones,” Claudia added.

Indeed, Patrick couldn’t help but feel uncertain. Even though they were beautiful, they could only be seen as something resembling gemstones.

“It seems there’s a connection to enchantment as well,” Gerhart noted.

“There’s no choice but to continue the investigation,” Gerhart sighed, exhaling deeply.

At present, two things were known. Although they didn’t know the specifics, something was happening, and they would have to give up their vacation once again.

“I will inform the Count. Claudia, please investigate the flow of gemstones. And Lutz, sorry to say this, but you’ll have to accompany us on the next labyrinth exploration,” Gerhart instructed.

“…But I’m a blacksmith,” Lutz protested.

“I’m a curse user as well. The policy of the Count’s household is to use whatever is available. Give up,” Gerhart insisted.

“You have a persuasive point when you say it, Gerhart-san,” Lutz reluctantly agreed.

“I want to swim away…” Lutz muttered to himself. He didn’t want to go back to the labyrinth, but refusing seemed impossible now. Besides, he was also curious about how the incident would be resolved. There was also a sense of camaraderie towards Gerhart and Ricardo.

“By the way, Ricardo, what do adventurers do with gemstones they bring back from the labyrinth?” Claudia asked the active adventurer.

“They sell them at adventurer-exclusive taverns, but the commission fees are high, so it’s not that great. Some people who have connections with merchants take them there, and as for me, I sell them to the Count’s household,” Ricardo explained.

“Connections with merchants, huh…” Claudia pondered. She considered the possibility of a connection between the creators and sellers of the gemstones.

Previous chapter | TOC | Next chapter