Labyrinth Exploration 101 - L.E Chapter 87 (Part 1): An Ordinary Day (3)

**Labyrinth Exploration | NaN Seol Ha-woon School Violence Controversy**

*TailNews Reporter Lee Seung-jin*

Explorer Seol Ha-woon has been embroiled in allegations of school violence and military harassment.

A post titled ‘Exposing Seol Ha-woon’s School Violence’ was uploaded to an online community. The author, identified only as A, claimed to be a middle and high school classmate of Seol Ha-woon, alleging that they suffered “severe violence” at his hands… (omitted).

Seol Ha-woon has yet to make any official statement regarding the controversy…

…As a breakout star of the hit program *Labyrinth Exploration NaN*, known for coining the catchphrase ‘Always-Right’, he has drawn even greater public attention.

| Seol Ha-woon, School Violence and Military Harassment… Countdown to Withdrawal? |
| Seol Ha-woon’s Profile Vote Ranking Plummets |

*Knock knock.*

The sound of someone tapping on the door.

*Knock knock.*

Once more.

Another visitor today. I’m awfully popular today, aren’t I?

Could it be the production crew?

I hurriedly opened the door.

“…What is it?”

It was someone unexpected.

A noblewoman, always impeccably dressed in a pristine uniform, without a single flaw or blemish. Her face seemed to glow faintly, exuding an indescribable aura.

Kate stared straight into my eyes and asked, “Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m fine.”

“Why don’t you withdraw?”

“……”

What a load of nonsense, right out of the gate.

For a moment, I genuinely considered it. My middle finger twitched, but I barely held back.

“Are you insane?”

A slightly softened retort.

Kate, as if she’d anticipated my reaction, clasped her hands behind her back.

“May I come in? Just one step.”

“…Sure.”

Kate stepped inside and closed the door. It seemed she had something private to say.

“I have one question.”

“What.”

“Seol Ha-woon-ssi. Did the labyrinths we’ve experienced so far feel fake to you?”

A loaded question. My instincts kicked in.

She knows something.

“Why? Do you think they’re real? Those labyrinths.”

I answered her question with one of my own. Kate’s eyes narrowed, her gaze probing, as if trying to peer into my soul.

“I’m giving you a warning.”

Kate continued.

“You could get seriously hurt, Seol Ha-woon-ssi. Or even die. You, more than anyone else.”

Kate’s sense of danger was off.

No, half-right.

The future of our debut group, save for one person, is a one-way ticket to the afterlife. It’s not ‘more than anyone else’—it’s that *all of us* could get seriously hurt or die.

“Then I’ll die.”

“You probably think I’m spouting nonsense right now.”

Kate shot back calmly.

“But you’ll regret it later if you don’t listen.”

“…My first-round tally is already on shaky ground anyway.”

“Then I hope you fall. For your sake, Seol Ha-woon-ssi.”

She’s worried about me.

No, ‘worried’ is too heavy a word.

Concerned? Apprehensive?

“For my sake?”

“Yes. I heard you saved me in that labyrinth.”

“…I didn’t go in there specifically to save you.”

“I see. Then, may I ask what happened in that labyrinth?”

Kate was more straightforward than I’d expected.

I almost faltered for a moment.

“…Well, it’s the Unconscious Labyrinth, isn’t it? My memory’s a bit hazy.”

“……”

She stared at me silently, her piercing gaze weighing the truth and lies in my words.

But you won’t figure me out. A refined noblewoman like you can’t read the heart of someone who’s rolled through the filth of reality, enduring all kinds of human scum.

“You really don’t remember anything?”

I stroked my chin, pretending to think.

“Well… I’m pretty sure I wasn’t a prince.”

She let out a hollow chuckle, as if dumbfounded.

“I never wanted a prince to begin with. Since I was a kid, I’ve always wanted a white horse.”

“Ah, I see.”

I gestured toward the door with my eyes.

Can you get lost now?

“No white horses here. Maybe a pony, at best.”

“Yes.”

Nodding, she gripped the doorknob. Still holding it, she muttered something under her breath.

“Imbécile. J’espère que vous ne regretterez rien à l’avenir.”

I gave a faint smirk. It was just funny.

“Do nobles learn how to kill people with words?”

“…Kill? I was just talking to myself.”

Her feigned innocence as she opened the door was absurd.

To her, I said, “Have some tea.”

“No, thank you.”

I picked up a tea bag from the desk and tossed it to her.

It was a tea bag I’d carefully portioned out myself, more precious to me than any Hermenian luxury bag.

“Brew it yourself.”

Kate caught it reflexively.

“It’ll taste good. I didn’t bring it back from the World Labyrinth for nothing.”

She didn’t refuse this time. No, she probably meant to, but the moment she smelled the tea leaves, she gave up.

“Thank you.”

“And.”

I stopped her as she turned to leave.

I wasn’t done talking.

“I may seem like a fool, but I don’t have regrets. If I were the type to regret, I wouldn’t have lived my life this way.”

Kate flinched and turned back to me.

Her earlier words, roughly translated, were, ‘Idiot. I hope you don’t regret this later.’

“……”

I shrugged at her blank expression.

“I’ve been to a lot of countries.”

It’s happened plenty of times.

British soldiers chatting in French, American soldiers talking in Spanish.

I learned various languages to understand those conversations. Fortunately, I had a knack for languages.

Pretending not to understand while listening in was the most effective way to gather intel.

“Then, Savourez bien votre thé.”

Enjoy your tea.

Kate let out a small cough and left.

* * *

“…Tea leaves.”

Back in her quarters, Kate stared blankly at the tea bag. She felt a tinge of embarrassment, but it was her own doing. She’d gone and used her uncle’s bad habit.

Come to think of it, there were days like that.

Days when she was curious about the French her uncle muttered to himself, so she secretly learned it and surprised him. Days when she was praised for being clever.

Now, those days felt so far away.

*Vrr.*

Suddenly, her smartphone vibrated. It was the Labyrinth Exploration NaN group chat, created with the explorers who cleared the Snowfield Labyrinth together.

[Lee Jong-su: Yo, y’all see this?]
[Ji Hye-in: What what?]
[Lee Jong-su: Always-Right lol new exposé dropped]
[Ji Hye-in: Wtf, another one? Link me]
[Lee Jong-su: Yup, but it’s kinda different. Check it out]

Lee Jong-su sent a link.

“A new exposé…”

Was the floodgate opened, letting a torrent pour through?

Kate pressed the link firmly.

| I’m Seol Ha-woon’s Junior |

First, a post claiming to be from Seol Ha-woon’s junior.

She rested her chin in her hand and read. The blue of her eyes reflected the text on the screen.

*I’m Kim Jun-seok, UDT Class 68, Seol Ha-woon’s junior…*

The post began with the author verifying their identity and discharge certificate. At first, she read the sentences casually, but—

“……”

Her pupils widened. Her hair stood on end.

It was *that* kind of post.

* * *

Dangun

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