Old People Don’t Hold Hands - Chapter 161



Only Krnovel

Episode 161, Truth (1)

Back at the inn, Diana, Biella, Inogen, … … and finally Nowen.

All four of them were gathered in the room.

“Huh? The old man is here. Why are you so late?”

As if he had been waiting for me to open the door, Biella waved his badge showing me that he had been promoted to the 4th rank.

Diana also nodded quietly, meaning that she had safely completed her work for today.

“Haam, why is this human body so sore?”

“That must be because I slept all day today.”

“… … What are you talking about? Are humans’ bodies becoming like this just because they slept a lot?”

“… … Huh, usually that’s true.”

“Oh, that’s right. That’s usually the case… … .”

“Huh, as expected, creatures like humans are completely useless… … .”

That humans are weak, that dragons like us wouldn’t do that.

Ignoring Inogen, who kept muttering and complaining, I took off my coat.

Biella, who had been swearing at Inogen, grabbed his nose.

“Ugh, what the heck is that smell? … … Is this smell coming from you?”

… … Huh? Me?

Bewildered by Biella’s words, I sniffed around.

There was definitely a strange smell coming from me.

Well, it’s not like it smells like dirty garbage or anything.

This is what is gently spread throughout the body… … .

It was close to the smell of blood.

“Well, I said I was too tired to feel it, but I can definitely smell blood. From you, human.”

I took a few steps back as I watched Inogen speak while holding his nose, just like Biella.

Hmm, the hideout certainly wasn’t that clean.

There was blood all over the place, and the smell must have gotten to me.

“Then I’ll go wash up first.”

“Ugh… … , Hurry up and wash up. Sir.”

… … No, what on earth makes this smell so good?

I wonder if I’ve already adapted to the retreat.

After a long time, even with the exception of Biella and Inogen, whose sense of smell is particularly sensitive.

Diana and Nowen also began to try to ventilate the room, such as by opening the windows.

… … At this rate, I should make sure to pay more attention to cleanliness the next time I visit the hideout.

If the smell is this bad, then there must be some problem with cleanliness.

I was ostracized by my colleagues because of my smell, and I was barely able to grab my clothes and leave.

“Ah, DeClen! Come with me. I haven’t washed up yet.”

Just then, Nowen approached, having opened all the windows, including the one in the left corner.

“You still haven’t washed up until this time?”

“That’s right. When I got there, the men’s bathroom was being cleaned.”

… … Aha, somehow.

It seemed like he was just sitting on a chair with the wrong posture without even changing his clothes.

Well, that’s good.

I also needed time to talk to Nowen separately.

“Okay. Let’s go then.”

At my words, Nowen nodded obediently and followed me.

… … Of course, he followed me, one step away.

As I was going to the bathroom ahead of everyone else, Nowen spoke to me from behind.

“You probably know this because Biella showed you earlier, but you were promoted to a 4th-level adventurer without any problems.”

… … Biella?

So you and Biella have become close enough to talk comfortably to each other already?

“I see, thank you.”

“By the way, where on earth have you been today, Mr. DeClen, to smell like this?”

I paused for a moment at Nowen’s question.

I turned around and met Nowen’s eyes.

Likewise, there was Nowen standing there, looking into my eyes.

“It’s not just a simple smell, it’s the smell of blood. This is… … , a strong smell of blood that even the most dull of countries can smell.”

……aha.

I wondered why he was trying to distance himself from me so much.

The smell of blood itself was disgusting.

As if to contradict Nowen’s words, he was still looking at me with his hands pressed against his nose and mouth.

I looked at Nowen to hide my wavering gaze.

I quickly moved into the changing room and stuffed my clothes into the bin.

“Can I tell you a little later where I’ve been?”

“Why did you do that later… … , oh, no. I see. I guess you, DeClen, have your own thoughts.”

Nowen, the smell of blood is ominous.

He looked at me once with wavering eyes.

He just nodded, perhaps knowing that there was nothing he could do.

No matter how ominous the smell of blood is, adventurers always smell blood.

… … And isn’t it a situation where you can’t help but be close to death?

So, I guess the best Nowen could do was to believe that nothing happened.

After that, the conversation with Nowen came to an end.

We each washed our bodies in the running water.

After washing up, we naturally gathered together in the warm bath.

Perhaps because it was late, the first one to speak in the awkward silence that surrounded the soup was the one without anyone else.

… … It was me.

The original contract with Nowen was to end once I cleared the 4th floor and safely advanced to the 4th coefficient.

Still, I wanted to find out exactly why Nowen wanted to stay here.

… … Because that will be the core of our future conversation.

So, I looked at Nowen, who was sitting quietly in the bath.

“Mr. Nowen, I have a question.”

“… … What, what is it? It makes me nervous that you’re asking me this in a place like this.”

“The contract we made was already over after we entered the labyrinth.”

“… … That, that’s right.”

“But may I ask why you want to stay with us longer…?”

“… … .”

Let’s look at Nowen and ask directly.

Nowen also looked surprised for a moment, then sighed as if he had no choice.

“Certainly, I need to speak clearly to someone as thorough as you.”

“… …Speak clearly?”

“Actually, after going to the labyrinth this time, I feel like I want to be with you all.”

……also.

You changed your mind along the way and decided to come with us.

But, you know.

“Didn’t you clearly say that you didn’t have such feelings before going to the labyrinth?”

“That, that was the case back then. Of course… … .”

“But why did you change your mind?”

“That, that’s what I mean… … .”

To my question, Nowen looked away for a moment as if he was embarrassed.

“… … Didn’t you say that in the labyrinth? Protecting myself and my comrades was the top priority. If we didn’t survive… … , there was nothing we could do.”

“Yes, it definitely was.”

“Just like you said back then, I just wanted to protect you.”

… … You want to protect me?

“… …Are you talking about us?”

“Huh? That, that’s right! That’s right! You’re included in the ones I want to protect, haha!”

… … It looks like something is pricking me.

I kept staring at Nowen, who was smiling awkwardly.

“D, Dicleen! Didn’t you just wash up! T, let’s go out now!”

He just smiled awkwardly and got up.

“Oh, oh my, the, the towel… …!”

In the process, the towel wrapped around her body also fell down as a bonus.

… … No matter how I look at it, it seems like there’s something there.

What on earth is the reason why I can’t talk about it like this?

… … Anyway, I decided to end the conversation for now, leaving Nowen behind as he seemed to have no intention of talking anymore.

Although Nowen didn’t go into detail, we concluded that he had decided to come with us.

… … Or, more precisely, should I say that it feels like there is now a reason for you to come with us?

We need to find out more about why that is, but it does give us some hope.

When I told everything to Nowen, there had to be some reason to change my mind… … .

Because you will want to be with us.

The moment you join hands with us, you’re bound to be in danger, and then there’s what happened with Homer before.

There was a moment when I thought that maybe it would be right to just push it away this time… … .

In order to continue to succeed with future plans and reach the end of the labyrinth, there must be something in between.

… … A successor to the god of war, Zenrir, was needed.

This was also a strategy that remained constant throughout my exploration of the dungeons while playing EndWorld.

In the first place, there is a world line that cannot be broken without Zenrir’s successor.

If we were to bring Zenrir’s successor anyway, it would be better to bring someone trustworthy.

… … In addition, Nowen not only had good power, but also had good growth potential.

In a word, Nowen is the talent we need for our future plans.

So, as I was returning to my room with Nowen and my new clothes on.

“… … .”

I stood still.

As I stopped, Nowen, who had been chasing me from behind, also stopped.

“Decklen, what’s going on all of a sudden?”

“… … Ah. I left something behind. I’ll just bring it over for a moment.”

“… … ? Something you left behind?”

“Yes. You go first. I’ll be back shortly.”

I left Nowen, who was looking at me strangely as I suddenly tried to turn back.

Let’s go back to the basement where the bathroom is, in front of the changing room in the bathroom where there is still no one.

There was someone standing there.

… … Someone who looks familiar, wearing red robes.

As I quietly approached the robed man, he also looked at me and immediately knelt down on one knee to show his respect.

“… … I meet the master of pale blood.”

It was Nokin.

“Yeah. How’s work going?”

“… … As you said, we are dividing the manifesters into types. As soon as we finish this task, we will begin the hunt.”

“… … How long do you think it will take to finish the classification task?”

“I expect it to be as short as one day and as long as two days.”

“… … That’s good.”

That means that automatic hunting will start in a day or two.

“And this is… … , the thing you were talking about.”

As he said that, Nokin handed over a very small glass tube containing blood.

“… … This is?”

“… … It is the blood of the saint. As you know, the saint was born with the power to hide something.”

“… … .”

“The things that the Saint can hide include things like memories.”

Hmm, so that means…?

“Can we erase memories using this blood?”

“It is limited to a short memory, but yes. If you tell the person who fed you this blood to forget, the memory will be hidden.”

“If you say short memory, to what extent are you talking about?”

“… … About 5 minutes.”

“Five minutes.”

That was enough.

My plan is to briefly tell Nowen about our identity and our plans going forward.

If Nowen couldn’t accept it, I was planning to use this blood to erase only the memories of that moment.

… … Of course, you could ask them to keep it a secret, even if it goes wrong like in Homer’s time.

Isn’t Nowen the official ‘successor’ who changed his last name for the sake of God?

It’s still hard to predict what I’ll do when I find out the truth.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Yes, and I would like to have the coronation held as soon as possible. What do you think… … ?”

“As soon as the proof is complete, the coronation will proceed quickly.”

“……! All right!”

At my words, Nokin seemed relieved and jumped up, then disappeared following the sign.

And I held in my hand the only thing left, a bloody glass tube.

Okay, then.

Now that the safety devices are ready, is it time to talk?