Ian visited the temple, taking advantage of a brief mont of leisure.
Tanya, who had hurriedly followed after being told a companion was needed, was visiting a temple for the first ti; she followed behind Ian, looking around the massive interior with curious eyes.
’I didn’t know there was a place like this in Labyrinth...’
’If you look for them, there are surprisingly many. They’re just not usually in the areas we frequent...’
Labyrinth City was quite large, but the areas rcenaries primarily used were limited.
The shopping districts and inn streets ford around the rcenary Guild, and other businesses catering to rcenaries.
Facilities like this, which residents used often, were located far away from the typical activity radius of rcenaries.
Even for a rcenary who had lived in Labyrinth City for quite a while, it was a place they would never visit unless they had specific business.
’Captain Ian. You’ve returned safely.’
’Hello.’
’Ah, hello.’
Soone spoke from behind toward Ian and Tanya, who were waiting while looking around the temple interior.
It was the nun who always greeted Ian whenever he used the temple.
Tanya also gave a deep bow, following Ian’s lead.
’...Ah.’
The nun’s eyes narrowed as she t Ian’s gaze, and she flinched in surprise.
Hurriedly approaching, the nun looked back and forth between Ian and Tanya and asked.
’Are—are both of you alright?’
’Pardon?’
’The curse...’
’Ah...’
It seed the nun had sensed the labyrinth’s curse carried by Ian and Tanya.
Since it hadn’t been long since they left the labyrinth, everyone, including Ian, was living with one or two curses.
Thanks to Ian checking beforehand that there were no dangerous curses requiring imdiate recovery, everyone was getting by while mostly ignoring the slight inconveniences.
’We went to the labyrinth not long ago. It’s fine.’
’No, it shouldn’t be fine...’
The nun imdiately suggested hospitalization to Ian and Tanya.
’Please don’t say that. How about being admitted for a while to recuperate? If you offer prayers to the Goddess statue every day, you can heal the curses.’
As she said, this temple with the Goddess statue was one of the places where erosion could be treated.
Originally, it was a facility that couldn’t be used by just anyone, but thanks to working hard to raise his rank recently, he now had the qualification to use it.
However, Ian shook his head.
’It’s alright. I plan to treat it once I have more ti.’
The downside of this place was that ’hospitalization’ ant exactly that—having to be admitted to the temple.
The temple facilities healed erosion gradually depending on the duration of stay.
With Ian’s current levels, he would have to be shut away for almost a month to fully recover.
And he already had so much to do.
Even if it cost several tis more, sothing with imdiate effects was better; hospitalization was out of the question.
’W-well, if you say so, it can’t be helped... but even if it seems fine for now, you mustn’t neglect it.’
At Ian’s firm refusal, the nun nodded with a slightly puzzled face.
Explorers who enter the labyrinth for the first ti usually feel an imnse psychological burden from the curses left on their bodies.
Most people would cling to the temple, saying they didn’t care how much it cost as long as the curses were removed.
But Ian’s reaction was like that of an explorer with years of experience who had entered the labyrinth until he was sick of it.
Rather, it was often the rcenaries who had grown accustod to curses that ruined their bodies by neglecting them like this.
While the courage to not fear a curse was admirable.
If he treated curses lightly, it could lead to disaster.
Expressing a bit of worry, the nun asked Ian.
’But, if it wasn’t because of a curse... what brings you here at this hour?’
’I’d like to purchase so Holy Water.’
’Pardon? Is there a place you need to use it urgently?’
’It’s the end of the month...’
It was almost the end of the month.
Ian, who had been a bit distracted right after returning from the labyrinth, happened to see the date and rembered what he had nearly forgotten, so he rushed to the temple.
Temple items can only be purchased in limited quantities, and those purchase limits reset every month.
That period is at the beginning of each month.
Before the purchase limits reset, he had rushed over to buy this month’s share of items in advance.
The nun, who had thought sothing major had happened in the labyrinth because Ian visited so urgently, let out a sigh.
’I can set aside items for you at my own discretion, so there’s no need to co so urgently.’
’Is that really okay?’
’It’s not like you’re a stranger...’
Unlike the AI of cold-blooded, heartless NPCs, the nun here possessed sufficient flexibility regarding wealthy donors.
’Phew. Then I should have just co later.’
’No, coming after the period has passed on purpose is also a bit...’
Ian purchased Holy Water and various other items up to the remaining limit.
After splitting the load appropriately with Tanya, Ian started walking out first.
As Tanya gathered the remaining items to follow Ian, the nun approached slightly and whispered to her.
’Excuse . Ms. Tanya?’
’Y-yes?’
A flustered Tanya answered the nun.
As if she had sothing to convey to Tanya, the nun lowered her voice slightly and spoke.
’The Captain said he’s fine, but there might be abnormalities he doesn’t perceive himself, so please keep a close watch on him.’
It was advice from a nun who, while living in the Labyrinth temple, had seen countless rcenaries suffering from curses.
’His personality could change, or he might develop strange obsessions... but the person themselves often doesn’t notice. If it seems like there’s a problem, you must have him hospitalized even if it’s by force.’
Hearing the nun’s serious words, Tanya also nodded with a solemn expression.
＊ ＊ ＊
’....’
Dinner ti.
Ian said he was fine, but Tanya couldn’t stop thinking about what the nun had said at the temple.
After returning from the labyrinth, Ian had checked the status of each mber one by one and explained what symptoms might arise.
Thanks to that, everyone, including Tanya, could accurately grasp their own symptoms and ease their worries about the curses.
...But there was no way to know what Ian’s own condition was like.
Just like what she heard at the temple.
Perhaps, could it be that Ian himself didn’t pay much attention to his own state and just let it slide?
Concerned by that point, Tanya’s subconscious gaze continued to watch Ian.
-Clang!
At that mont, Ian accidentally dropped his spoon during the al.
’Ah, here.’
’Ah, sorry.’
Tanya imdiately brought Ian a new spoon along with a handkerchief.
’....’
Glance.
Tanya, who had been watching Ian, witnessed his hand trembling significantly before he dropped the spoon.
It wasn’t a simple mistake; it was clearly a sign that sothing was wrong with his body.
Could it be...
Tanya’s gaze, now more persistent, stared intently at Ian as he ate.
＊ ＊ ＊
’Phew...’
Ian, having scooped up water in the bathhouse, poured the moderately cooled hot water over his body.
It was a rest period he had managed to create after barely finishing the day’s work.
Ever since imdiately after coming out of the labyrinth.
The mbers could rest right away, but Ian, as the captain, was flooded with work because of the events in the labyrinth.
After handling urgent matters for the past few days, he finally had so ti to rest.
Even so, because he had handled the most pressing tasks, his body was exhausted but his mind was at ease.
At that mont,
He heard the sound of soone knocking on the bathhouse door.
’Excuse ...’
’Tanya? Sorry. I’m using it right now.’
Ian answered after hearing the voice from outside the door.
No matter how large the base was, it wasn’t enough to have separate bathhouses for n and won, so this happened occasionally.
For one thing, being a rcenary wasn’t exactly a profession with a regular lifestyle.
Furthermore, since Ian was the only male, it was more inconvenient to divide usage tis in a complicated manner.
They were just using it by sensing when no one else seed to be around.
Ian thought he would use it quickly and leave, but before that, the bathhouse door opened.
Tanya, wrapped in a towel, entered the bathhouse hesitantly.
’Tanya?’
’Um...’
It wasn’t that she hadn’t heard the answer.
Rather than a mistake, Tanya, who looked like she had entered on purpose with so goal, approached Ian with cautious steps.
Upon reaching Ian, Tanya suddenly shouted.
’I—I’ll help you wash!’
’....’
...Suddenly?
As Ian looked at her with a bewildered expression, Tanya’s face also turned a bit red.
It was... a bit sudden, wasn’t it?
Muttering to herself, Tanya felt her face burning.
Approaching a bit closer, Tanya sat beside Ian and asked cautiously.
’Um, Captain. Your arm... it’s uncomfortable, right?’
Tanya had felt it clearly while observing Ian for a while.
His hand trembling for no reason occasionally.
Dropping things. Shaking when holding a cup, causing a bit of the contents to spill.
There were clear signs that his body was uncomfortable.
To an onlooker, these were just light mistakes that could happen in daily life, and since Ian acted nonchalantly, no one else noticed.
But Tanya, who had been watching Ian all along, realized sothing was wrong with his body.
And that he was hiding it on purpose so the mbers wouldn’t worry.
Seeing Tanya’s worried expression, Ian answered with a bit of embarrassnt.
’Uh... it’s not that bad, though?’
’Pardon?’
Because of the battle with the Banshee, everyone’s erosion levels had accumulated significantly.
Fortunately, they escaped the labyrinth without any major casualties, but as a result, the mbers of the Ian rcenary Group each had one or two curses.
Ian had also gained [Hand Tremors] at the end.
Since the intensity of the curse wasn’t at a high level, it was just slightly inconvenient.
Of course, it was a curse with a fairly fatal impact in combat, but for Ian, who didn’t have to go out to battle imdiately and wasn’t a primary combatant, it wasn’t much of an issue.
Since a new purifier was currently being made in the laboratory, it was sothing that would be resolved once it was finished.
After hearing the explanation, Tanya nodded.
...It really isn’t that bad?
’Uh... so I can handle a bath by myself.’
’....’
Tanya’s face grew redder and redder.
This wasn’t it; it should have been a more... moving and warm atmosphere.
At this rate, it wasn’t a heartwarming story about a mber who noticed the captain’s discomfort and ca to help.
It was just a perverted mber who suddenly entered while he was bathing.
’Th-that’s not it. Anyway, I’ll help you!’
Pushed by Tanya, who was pressing on as if to forget her sha, Ian eventually gave his back to her.
Tanya’s hands moved cautiously.
A towel soaked in warm water touched Ian’s back.
’....’
Tanya stared at Ian’s back as he sat turned away, silently moving the towel.
It was more embarrassing than she thought.
There was no particular topic to discuss in such a situation, so a quiet silence flowed.
Tanya wiped Ian’s back with the towel without a word.
After wiping his back for a long ti, when there was nowhere left to wipe, Tanya’s towel began to pass over the sa spot again.
...Tanya sohow felt that sothing similar had happened before.
Was it when Ian caught a cold?
Even back then, she had stepped forward to nurse him and ended up stalling for ti like this because she was embarrassed.
Right, you shouldn’t be this embarrassed.
Summoning her courage, Tanya spoke.
’N-now, please turn to the front.’
Ian slowly turned his body and sat facing Tanya.
’Ugh...’
Seeing Ian’s front, Tanya flinched in surprise.
Although slightly covered by a towel, Ian’s mber was enlarged without even needing a close look.
Tanya, who had experience observing it directly before her eyes while nursing him, could tell imdiately.
...Why did Ann’s words have to co to mind at a ti like this?
’If you use these breasts, any man will fall for you in an instant...!’
Was what Ann always said, feeling proud of her own chest even though it wasn’t even Tanya’s.
...Is that so?
She didn’t know why those words suddenly surfaced, but Tanya was a bit tempted.
Tanya steady her voice, which was shaking slightly due to her racing heart, and spoke.
’Th-that’s, um. Captain.’
With her face flushed red, Tanya murmured in a small voice.
’Sh-should I... wash you this way?’
Tanya grabbed the towel covering her body and slowly pulled it down.
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