"..."

An awkward silence fell over the inn due to Brin's strange joke.

It was already an awkward meal since Brin didn't know Karin.

Jung Yu-shin opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again.

Sow.

How does a pig cry?

Whether he wanted to or not, he had held two women in his arms.

He heard gasps that seemed to boil up from his gut, not the delicate moans you'd hear in adult videos.

Hoooot.

Eegeugeugeut.

He found himself glancing at Karin without realizing it.

Sensing Jung Yu-shin's gaze, Karin stiffened her red tail.

"W-what?!"

"S-sorry!"

Brin, at least having some sense, quickly bowed his head and apologized.

"It's fine."

Jung Yu-shin replied with a smile, as if it were no big deal.

'Brin's sharp. Isn't that right? Virgin Female Corruption, and the Incubus Engraving. Stop making innocent women cry and live with some conscience, Yu-shin.'

'Fate calls you. Pig Master.'

A demon must have possessed you.

Has your heart been tainted by the darkness of the Labyrinth too?

The angel and devil in my head uttered similar words.

Jung Yu-shin shook his head, clearing his mind of stray thoughts, and changed the subject.

"Brin, what brings you to Labyrinth City?"

I heard you graduated from the academy safely.

Is there a reason you'd stay in such a dangerous place?

"Well... I ran out of money for living expenses."

Brin chuckled sheepishly and scratched his head.

I see.

"Ska-ssi, did you happen to visit the library?"

Lena asked.

"That's right. I've been going every day for the past week."

"I see. The receptionist there is my friend. She mentioned a handsome Barbaroi man was looking for a specific book. I thought it might be you, Ska-ssi. It would have been nice if we could have gone together."

Lena said regretfully.

"Speaking of which, Lena seems to know quite a lot of people. Does she have many acquaintances in the city?"

She seems quiet, but she must be quite sociable.

"Ah!"

An idea suddenly struck me.

Lena is a mage.

Maybe she knows something about Outer Gods?

"Lena."

"Yes?"

"Do you happen to know anything about Outer Gods?"

Lena closed her mouth and stared at Jung Yu-shin for a long moment.

"...Why do you ask?"

"I'm curious. I encountered a strange monster near the dimensional passage the other day. It wouldn't hurt to know."

"...I see. Generally, Outer Gods aren't interested in humans. They treat us like less than dust. However, some gods are different. They 'obsess' over human emotions."

"I understand."

"Then let me ask you. Where on this continent would human emotions - joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure - be felt most intensely and have swirled for decades?"

Lena's question sent a chill down my spine.

"No way...?"

"Yes. It's Labyrinth City. The joy of obtaining a good Engraving, the sense of accomplishment from breaking through blocked floors, the death of comrades, betrayal by comrades, despair from obtaining a negative Engraving, those killed by monsters, and those who seek revenge. And even amidst it all, those who fall in love with someone."

Lena paused for a moment before speaking again.

"This is the place where countless emotions surge like waves."

"I see. Then, what about the dimensional passage?"

Lena picked up a wooden cup.

"Let's assume this cup is the Labyrinth."

Lena tapped the middle of the wooden cup with her finger.

"Outer Gods constantly knock on the boundaries of dimensions to project their influence into the Labyrinth. Because they want to feel human emotions more closely."

"Does the dimensional passage mean a 'hole'?"

"Yes. It's safe to say a 'hole' has formed in the Labyrinth."

Damn it.

To think the mystery is only now being solved.

I felt relieved.

"Ah! For your information, the Western Empire also worships an Outer God. Lux Aeterna, shall we call it the eternal light of humanity? I heard the Emperor is its proxy."

Lux Aeterna.

Eternal light.

Karin perked up her ears and growled.

"How can only humans be people? What nonsense is that!"

Jung Yu-shin flinched and shut his mouth. Because Karin's reaction was so intense.

Lena nodded.

"I see. That's right. Light should shine upon everyone."

"There must have been significant conflict with the Spirit Church."

"Yes. An empire with such a stance naturally clashed with other races. Simply put, the Western Empire is hell for non-humans."

"..."

That empire is currently massing at the border of the Eastern Alliance territory?

'Isn't that dangerous?'

Until now, I had been indifferent to outside news.

Because I wasn't particularly curious about how the outside world worked.

But hearing Lena's explanation and seeing Karin's reaction, I realized the situation was developing ominously.

"Ah... I think it might be okay."

Brin's words blurted out.

"What is?"

"War."

"Do you have any basis for that?"

"Ah... no. It's just a feeling. Eheheh."

Brin laughed, scratching the back of his head.

"..."

Everyone was speechless and stared blankly at Brin.

At that moment.

Kkiiiiik.

The inn door opened, and Ingrid entered.

"Ingrid-nim?!"

Lena and Brin quickly stood up and bowed.

Ingrid looked at Lena and Brin, then crossed her arms.

"Who are they?"

Jung Yu-shin stepped forward instead.

"They are my friends."

"Is that so? Make yourselves comfortable."

Ingrid cast a glance at Lena and Brin, then went up the stairs and disappeared to the second floor.

Lena took the opportunity to bow to Jung Yu-shin and Karin.

"We're quite late. We should be going now."

"It's nice to see you after a while."

At Jung Yu-shin's reply, Lena nudged Brin's side.

"Right. Brin, did you hear? Getting some fresh air is important too."

"R-right."

Brin replied with an awkward smile.

Jung Yu-shin and Karin stood up and saw Lena and Brin off.

After standing briefly at the doorway watching the two leave, Jung Yu-shin returned to the inn to find Ingrid sitting at a table.

Eru was not there. The clattering sound from the kitchen suggested she was washing dishes.

Ingrid, dressed casually, sat at the table, nursing a drink.

The same dolphin shorts and baggy tunic as last time.

But there was a difference. The tunic was white, allowing a glimpse of a black lace bra.

Karin sat down, frowning slightly.

No matter how much she wanted to be comfortable, wearing such revealing clothes in front of her potential boyfriend (?).

There's a limit to how casual one can be.

She remembered her mother's face, looking strangely excited while choosing clothes during their visit to the Arachne Tailoring Guild's flagship store.

Surely not?

"Karin, do you want to enter the Labyrinth?"

Her mother's sudden question. Karin immediately nodded.

"Yes, of course."

"There is one way."

"What is it?"

"A baby."

"A baby?"

"It would be for me to have a baby."

Karin's lips trembled.

"W-Mom! What are you saying? Dad... he's been gone for a long time...!"

She stopped mid-sentence.

Her mother crossed her legs and traced the rim of her wine glass with her finger.

'That's strange.'

After always appearing so confident, she was suddenly acting so feminine.

Karin spoke again.

"Remarrying might be difficult, right? Mom, you're the representative of the Beastman Alliance. There are so many people who would only aim for your status!"

"Hoo. Status... Karin, you're right. Isn't there anyone who would see me as a 'woman'?"

A languid sigh escaped her mother's small lips.

Her mother turned her head and looked at Ska.

"Ska."

"Yes?"

"Am I not that attractive? Purely as a 'woman', setting aside my status?"

Karin quickly signaled Ska.

"Tell her the truth!"

But Ska, lacking tact, just smiled and shook his head.

"As I mentioned before, Ingrid-nim is still very attractive. She looks so much like a sister when she's with Karin."

"So?"

Her mother's lips curved into a smile, making her heart skip a beat.

As if she'd heard the greatest compliment, she wagged her red tail like a 'female dog'.

"You should receive healthy and strong sperm. For Karin's sake, too."

Her mother, who always maintained a poker face, gave a slight smile and placed her large breasts on the table as if showing them off.

Karin was speechless with shock.

Was it because she drank strong alcohol?

Or was it loneliness from living alone for so long?

Whatever the reason, her mother's behavior was very different from what she knew.

She had always been a strong woman, commanding loyalty and respect with her confident and cool demeanor.

She was acting coquettishly in front of Ska.

"Why?"

Ska, oblivious to her inner turmoil, blushed and kept glancing at her mother's breasts on the table.

"R-right."

Just as Karin, unable to stand it any longer, was about to tell her to maintain some dignity.

"I'm done, I'm done washing the dishes."

Eru emerged from the kitchen and approached cautiously.

Ska quickly stood up.

"I... I'll head upstairs first."

"Go ahead."

Ingrid let him go coolly.

Eru also quickly followed Ska upstairs.

Only Karin and Ingrid were left in the inn hall.

"Mom."

"What is it?"

"Why did you suddenly mention a baby? And in front of Ska!"

"It's for you. Didn't you say you wanted to enter the Labyrinth?"

"What does that have to do with a baby...?"

"Succession is important."

"..."

Ingrid reached out and stroked Karin's hair.

Karin's tension eased slightly at her mother's touch, something she hadn't felt in a long time.

"I raised you strictly because I love you. Especially since you have high aspirations. But tragedy can strike at any time. What if you suffer something terrible in the Labyrinth or change your mind? I'm telling you this in advance, I don't want you to die. However, I want to give you options for your future."

"Ngh!"

Karin was lost for words. Her mother, who had always been strict and rarely showed her true feelings.

"Karin, my jewel. I want to be a mother who respects whatever choice you make."

"Mom!"

Karin hugged Ingrid.

The scent of her skin, felt after so long, brought peace to her heart.

After floating in a wave of emotion for a while, Karin suddenly came to her senses.

Karin lifted her head, pulling away from Ingrid's chest.

"Mom."

"What is it?"

"...It's not Ska, right?"

After a moment of silence, Ingrid spoke.

"...Who knows?"

Karin's face hardened ominously.

Ingrid gently stroked Karin's head once more.

"I'm just kidding."

"Ahaha."

Karin ended up laughing awkwardly in the embrace of her potential 'female'.

However, she didn't see Ingrid's tongue lick her lips like a snake.

* * *

Jung Yu-shin lay on the bed, using his arm as a pillow.

The conversation with Lena and Brin.

The conversation with the one-eyed Barbaroi.

Information scattered in his mind began to coalesce.

This encounter had given him a general outline.

The most important information was.

Outer Gods.

Near death at the dimensional passage, he received the light.

In the intense light, the 'Death Deferral' Engraving and the 'Revenger' Engraving were linked.

The memory of that moment still lingered, floating in a corner of his mind.

It was a brilliance so dazzling it could blind you.

And when he returned from the Labyrinth, Mion asserted it was the divinity of an Outer God.

What kind of Outer God would bestow a blessing upon him?

He couldn't recall doing anything particularly 'good'.

Lux Aeterna.

'It couldn't be, right?'

You shouldn't get ahead of yourself. This was bordering on delusion.

Jung Yu-shin slapped his own cheek and sighed deeply.

Although several truths had been revealed, it wasn't enough.

As he went in and out of the Labyrinth and formed various connections, he would surely find out more.

He calmed his impatient heart and closed his eyes.

Tung tung!!!

Jung Yu-shin's eyes snapped open, and he looked at the door.

"Who's there?"

"..."

There was no answer.

What is it?

Tung tung!!!

The sound of glass hitting glass was heard.

It was coming from the window.

Jung Yu-shin quickly turned his head and looked at the window.

"Who is it?!"

He gathered magic in his hand and focused his gaze on the window.

In the darkness.

Outside the window.

Something with red eyes was flapping its wings.