25. Using an Alias

“Oh, Euan! You’re back?”

“Yes. Good morning.”

“It’s 1 o’clock, you know? What about lunch?”

“Ah, um.”

There was hardly any bleeding, and he was in a much cleaner state than when he had come out of the labyrinth before.

There was a minor mishap where the bone in his left forearm broke, but he could feel his condition gradually improving since he drank Ursus’s blood around 2 a.m.

It seems to be the power of the magic that Ursus possessed. The tremendous natural healing power of his magic is having a great effect on the human body. Originally, Ursus’s natural regeneration was such that even a few knife wounds were nothing to him.

“Something delicious, please.”

“Okay, got it. But you’re much cleaner today than last time? Did you come out in the middle? It only took a day.”

“I went up to the 6th floor. Rescued a few goblin victims there, and after catching a crazy bear, I lost the will to go to the 8th floor.”

“Bear… Ursus? You mean Ursus?”

“Sarah, do you know about the monsters that appear in the labyrinth?”

“Phew- I’m also a resident of the labyrinth city, you know~?”

Well, they say even a dog at a school can write calligraphy after three years. If you’re working at an inn in the labyrinth city, you’ll naturally have a lot of contact with explorers, and you’d at least know the names of the monsters that appear below the 10th floor.

“It must have been a strong party. You said it was a four-member iron-grade party, right? It wouldn’t have been easy.”

“Well, it was a strong party. But I caught the Ursus by myself.”

“What?”

Sarah laughed, thinking I was joking.

Sarah, who had tied an apron around her waist, which was hanging on the back of the chair in front of the desk, went into the kitchen. I took off my robe and gambeson, loosened my pouch belt, and went up to the second floor to put my things in the room.

It was lunchtime, but as is typical for an inn tavern catering to explorers, it was a bit quiet at this time. Since it was a period when many explorers went to the labyrinth, there were no guests.

When Sarah wasn’t around and I was spending time in the labyrinth, the landlady would sit on the bench in front of the inn, smoking a cigarette out of boredom.

Now that Sarah is here, she goes out for walks and chats with the neighbors when it’s quiet.

“Yuan, there’s a strange smell of blood. You look clean, though.”

“That’s because I’m a dangerous man.”

“What? Stop joking and go wash up quickly.”

“I will.”

After finishing up, I went into the kitchen, and Sarah shooed me away. I guess my hands and mouth still smelled a bit like blood.

I had been handling blood for almost seven hours, so it couldn’t be helped. I had washed off the bloodstains visible in the river, though.

Still, if you come out of the labyrinth with just a slight smell of blood, you’re in pretty good shape.

“So? How was the party?”

“This trip to the labyrinth was a bit strange. The dire wolves didn’t come close, and the goblins ran away. We met the Ursus in the middle of the night and fought like crazy.”

“Mm.”

Sera stared intently at me as I ate my meal. I think I understand how Ravi feels. It’s not easy to make eye contact with a beautiful person. Not that I’m saying I’m handsome…

“Yoo-eon. Those eyes, are they the eyes of a direwolf?”

“Did I mention that?”

“You said you’d tell me a funny story last time but didn’t say anything. I’m a little upset.”

“Oh no, that won’t do. So, how’s the food? I’ll give it a 0.7 Auntie.”

At that, Sera tilted her head and asked.

“Zero point seven Auntie..? What does that mean?”

“If I say 1 Auntie, it means it’s on par with Auntie.”

“So, you’re saying it’s not as good as Mom’s.”

Sera, with her lips pouting, suddenly reached out, grabbed my right hand holding the fork with the meat, and brought it to her mouth. Hey, that’s my meat! Cooked meat is so precious. How could she take revenge like this?

“Sera, you’re still young. There’s a certain flavor that comes from experience.”

“Geez, Yoo-eon, from now on, ask Mom to cook.”

“I’m kidding. It’s a 1.7 Auntie.”

“Hmph, fine. When are you going to tell me that funny story you mentioned last time?”

“Well.. now that I think about it, it’s not that funny. What happened was….”

I recounted to Sera what happened during my sixth labyrinth expedition. Fighting a pack of direwolves, being pushed to the brink of death.

Eating corpses and becoming a semi-werewolf. A brief explanation of the skills.

“I see…. That must have been tough. You did well, you overcame it.”

Sera looked at me with a sympathetic expression. I didn’t particularly want this reaction, but still, comfort and empathy are empowering. Sera, with her pale, thin arm stretched out, placed her hand gently on my head and stroked it kindly.

How long has it been since someone patted my head? It’s a very strange sensation.

That aside, isn’t Sera younger than me? Patting the head of an elder. In the name of the Confucian Dragon, I cannot forgive this.

‘Hmm.’

Because she bent her upper body and leaned forward to pat my head, my field of vision was filled with Sera’s pale skin. This, I must forgive.

“So… has Yoon’s body changed to that of a direwolf now?”

“Only a very small part has changed for now.”

The proportion of direwolf muscles used in daily life gradually decreased. The reason is that my original human muscles have recovered. Although the injured parts were replaced with direwolf muscles by willpower.

As the damaged skin and muscles recovered, there was no need to use direwolf muscles anymore. Thanks to Ursus’s magic, the recovery rate of the human parts has also significantly increased.

Now, except for a very small amount in the right arm, the left eye, and a bit of blood, everything is human. The blood used is Ursus’s, not the direwolf’s.

The blood can be completely replaced with human blood, but even a small amount of Ursus’s blood circulating through the body seems to enhance natural regeneration.

“Then, in the labyrinth, did you use the muscles of that leader?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Hmm, then wouldn’t the direwolves naturally be scared and run away?”

“Ah.”

Come to think of it, that’s true. A human exuding the magic and scent of a direwolf leader. If they feel the overwhelming presence of a leader they instinctively have to obey and fear.

It’s obvious that the direwolves wouldn’t come near. Even if they occasionally approached, they would growl a few times and then run away repeatedly.

“Sera, you’re smart.”

“Pfft, you just realized that now?”

“You’ll be hated, Sera. Being pretty and smart.”

“W-What are you talking about?!”

Sera suddenly jumped up from her seat and fled to the kitchen. Maybe I shouldn’t have complimented her. Well, these days, saying someone is pretty can be considered s*xual harassment.

“Oh, come on! Do you want more meat?!”

“Yes, please.”

She has a kind heart too. There’s nothing to criticize.

Sera came back with a hot frying pan and used tongs to place a large piece of meat on the plate. She returned to the kitchen to tidy up the utensils and then sat down in front of me again.

“Sera, about my name.”

“Yes? Oh, your name… Yuwon, right?”

“Do you think it looks strange to others?”

“Well… probably.”

Most people I’ve met so far have known my name as an alias. Those who I haven’t bothered to explain to still think it’s an alias.

I don’t particularly have any regrets about my name, but I don’t want to create misunderstandings.

First impressions are very important, and a name is the first piece of information I can give to someone.

If my real name is mistaken for an alias? It would be better to use a real alias. Isolde said to ask a close person to create an alias for me.

“Then, Sera, please make an alias for me.”

“An alias? Hmm~ An alias… Is it okay if I make one for you?”

“The party member said to ask a close person.”

“Ugh… Okay…”

Sera made a sound of deep contemplation, rubbing her cheek.

“Aben, or Avens?”

“Aben, I like it. Does it have any meaning?”

“I know, but I won’t tell you.”

“You’re being mischievous.”

“I’ll tell you later. Hehe.”

* * * * *

“You’ll be back by evening, right?”

“Yes. If you’re sad because I’m not here, just let me know.”

“Ugh.. Oh, hurry up and go! We’re busy with lots of customers these days! Make sure to come back and help in the evening!”

“Of course. Take it easy, Sera.”

With a slight smile on Sera’s face, just as I was about to turn my head.

“Come back soon, Aven.”

“…Yes. I’ll be back.”

Sera lightly stomped her feet and pushed me out. As if being chased out, I stepped out of the inn and took a deep breath, then headed towards the appraisal shop.

“I wish I could tear down the building and place it in the inn.”

Beyond the unpleasant valley, this location is a great spot. It’s ambiguously close to the southeastern slums, so people heading to the red-light district or gambling dens in the southeast have no business here.

People looking for inns or shops in the southwest have no reason to come here. I guess the only ones who know about the Sateria Appraisal Shop are me and Ravi.

*Knock knock*

“Ravi? Are you inside?”

After knocking a couple of times and opening the door, there was someone inside.

“Oh, there’s a customer.”

It’s quite surprising. Even though the location isn’t great, there seems to be a demand for a cheap appraisal shop. A female adventurer with a small shield and a short gladius, a typical front-line armament. But her face looks familiar from somewhere.

‘Ah, it’s that party of kids.’

It’s the female vanguard from the party of one man and two women we met inside the labyrinth last time. Where are the other party members, and why is she here alone?

“Ah..! Y-you are..!”

“It’s been a while. Looks like you’ve acquired some skills.”

“T-that is….”

“Have you finished the appraisal?”

“Huh? Ah! Yuen! You’ve come!”

Ravi, who came out from the room behind the desk curtain holding something in her arms, widened her eyes when she saw me.

“Yes, I have. It’s rare to have a customer.”

“Hehe. What did you say!”

Realizing a beat late that she was being teased, Ravi clenched her small fists and protested with a chirp.

“Are you in the middle of an appraisal?”

“It’s all done now! Here, Miss Tresha? This is the potion you mentioned!”

“Ah, thank you….”

“Hmm, hmm! Next customer! Busy, busy!”

Ravi, with her arms crossed and her chin raised high, called out to the next customer proudly. It seems she is proud of having customers come in succession.

“Oh my, you seem very busy. I guess I’ll come back later.”

Of course, the next customer was only me.

“W-wait?! Come back ㅡ !!!”