Survive the labyrinth with EX-grade traits

…It was my fault again.

Just like the previous party, I caused them to fall into traps, friendly fire, and unexplained dizziness.

Moreover, a mutant Ratman suddenly appeared near the portal, and only I and the vanguard barely survived the first floor, let alone the second floor.

No, I thought we had survived.

“Huff, huff. Get the potions from my backpack and pour them on me, quickly!”

“Ugh, okay.”

I frantically searched through the backpack, but the two spare potions were already broken beyond recognition.

The vanguard looked at the shattered bottle in my hand, feeling hopeless.

Eventually, he breathed his last.

“Why… Why… Why me…”

Tears poured down my face like a waterfall.

Why do I have to go through these experiences? Why did they have to die because of me?

Did I really have false hope?

I couldn’t even return to the village. Every party I joined in the dungeon ended up wiped out because of me. If I go back, I’ll just waste money and won’t be able to survive for more than a few months.

And I can’t just find a job and earn money through labor, can I?

Who would hire an Arar?

I barely made it out of the portal, staggering.

Thud.

I sat down, and a shadow stood in front of me.

“You’re the witch that Ian’s party accepted. Why are you alone?”

I looked at her with empty eyes, and sparks flew in front of my eyes, making my cheeks tingle.

“You bitch! Why are you the only one who came back alive?”

I didn’t have the strength to speak, so I just bowed my head and headed towards the guild. Behind me, I heard pitiful wailing.

I don’t care anymore.

After reporting and settling the accounts, the receptionist said coldly, “As a receptionist, I shouldn’t say this, but I think it might be better for you to leave the Dungeon City.”

“…”

I took the money without saying a word and headed to the inn.

“Lumia, are you okay?”

Grandpa said something, but I didn’t hear it.

I just lay there, like a corpse.

For several weeks, I lay there like a corpse, and when my survival instinct forced my body to move, I finally got up, ate, and went back to bed.

I forgot about revenge and growth and just stayed like that until one day, a flame ignited in my heart.

Since I was on the verge of death, I decided to do something flashy as if it were my last attempt.

After getting ready, I went downstairs, and Grandpa greeted me.

I had a quick meal and said, “I’m going to the guild.”

“Okay. Take care.”

No, I might not make it back. Please don’t wait for me.

Ignoring Grandpa’s joy, I left the inn.

When I arrived at the guild and opened the door, all eyes were on me.

“Ugh, she’s here again. That witch.”

“It’s disgusting. Every month, she wipes out another party.”

“Come on, let’s just move away from her.”

I ignored them.

I approached the shortest line, and the people in front of me moved to the other line, hissing as if they were afraid of my curse.

…Well, fine. Thanks to that, it’s my turn now.

Before I could even reach the receptionist’s desk, she snapped at me, “I have some urgent matters to attend to, so I won’t be able to assist you with any requests at the moment. Please go to another counter.”

“But—”

Zing!

Huh?

For a moment, I felt like someone was looking into my body, or rather, my very essence.

I flinched.

This time, I could see something more clearly. For example… the darkness that enveloped me.

Ignoring the receptionist, I turned my head towards where I felt the gaze.

That man!

A man with black hair and golden eyes, who anyone would consider handsome, was looking directly at me.

Can he really see the darkness?

“You, can you see it?”

He slightly turned his eyes away, seeing my lips move. He could indeed see it.

I ran towards him without thinking. If he could see the darkness, maybe he could help me get rid of it.

As I got closer to him, the darkness that had surrounded me disappeared as if it had never existed.

“Ah, ah.”

For a moment, I couldn’t believe it.

I felt like the chains that had bound me were broken.

I felt a sense of liberation, as if the ropes that had tied me up had been cut.

While I was standing still, I saw the woman next to him trying to pull him away.

No, no, no.

“Don’t go—”

I jumped like a squirrel and clung to him.

I felt warmth in his embrace and said, “I really can’t feel the darkness.”

He tried to pry me off, but I held on.

‘This man is trying to gently remove my arms and legs so that I don’t get hurt.’

“I won’t let go.”

I won’t let go.

After a struggle, he sighed and lifted me by my thighs, carrying me outside.

People were staring, so he told me to let go.

“No.”

The woman angrily tried to pull me off, saying, “Let go!”

“I won’t let go.”

For a moment, the passersby once again showed their disgust at my appearance.

I should have ignored them as usual.

But I couldn’t control my body from trembling with embarrassment and guilt, feeling sorry and ashamed that their insults were directed at both me and the man.

Then, he sighed and…

He hugged me.

“Huh?”

Is he comforting me by hugging me like this? Now?

On top of that, he gently stroked my ears and hair.

“Hmm…”

My mind became hazy, and my legs went weak.

Since my parents passed away, no one had hugged me with such gentle hands or stroked my ears and hair.

Unconsciously, tears welled up in my eyes.

He looked at me with surprise, then told me to listen to what he was about to say.

He said that no one could harm me, and no one would be harmed because of me.

He told me to forget and ignore the hurtful words people threw at me like trash, as it would only hurt me to be swayed by the words of strangers.

As he stroked my ears and fixed my hair, my body felt warm, and for some reason, I felt a tingling sensation in my lower abdomen.

So, when he promised not to run away, I hooked my pinky with his and released his arms and legs.

I didn’t care about the white woman next to him, who was pouting and demanding to be stroked as well.

At that moment, my eyes were only focused on his face, with its playful smile and warm eyes.

After that, we took a carriage to Grandpa’s inn, and I begged him to let me stay and party with him.

Grandpa was happy to see me back and laughed heartily.

When we entered the room, he asked if it was just because of the curse that I wanted to be with him, as the darkness disappeared when I was by his side.

I firmly answered that it wasn’t the only reason.

“I’ve rarely felt positive emotions in my life. But today, when you hugged me and calmed me down, I felt a strange emotion.”

And that emotion…

“It was definitely a much warmer and more pleasant feeling than any other positive emotion I’ve experienced.”

After being cursed, my life had become a living hell.

“Everyone else is the same. They avoid even the slightest contact, as if I’m a walking plague, not a person.”

But in that dark hell, a ray of light entered and warmed me.

“Among them all, you were the only one who hugged me gently and stroked my ears. That’s why I want to be by your side.”

You are that ray of light.

“I’m a witch specializing in black magic, and as a member of the cat tribe, I have a talent for sensory abilities and decent stats. I want to party with you for as long as possible. Is that okay?”

If I’m rejected here… I’d rather die. I can’t bear to be alone anymore, seeking revenge or anything else.

“Yeriel, what do you think? Since it’s just the two of us in the party, I’ll reject her if you don’t want her.”

He asked the woman next to him about my joining the party.

So they’re that close? Unconsciously, I bit my lip.

She closed her eyes and thought for a moment before asking me a question.

“I have one question. You said you use black magic, right? Can you also use curse magic?”

Can I use curse magic? Of course, I can.

“Can you use the ‘Tracking Arrow Curse’?”

Right. She’s asking about a specific curse, which means she probably needs it right away.

Let’s see. The Tracking Arrow Curse… Fortunately, it’s a curse I can use.

Yeriel? Yes, Yeriel agreed to accept me after hearing that I could use the curse.

Even though she had been showing her dislike for me since earlier, saying that she didn’t like how I clung to him and that it was annoying, it didn’t matter.

What does it matter? As long as I can get on his good side, that’s all that matters.

With that, my joining the party was decided, and we introduced ourselves.

Ahren. Ahren. Hmm, what a cool name.

Yeriel… I don’t like her attitude, but since she agreed to my joining and I want to get on Ahren’s good side, I’ll have to pretend to like her.

Ahren said he would treat us to a big meal to celebrate my joining the party.

“Lumia, why don’t you change into something more comfortable and come down? I’ll order the food and wait for you.”

Change into something more comfortable? Great.

I’ll show them an overwhelming difference, Yeriel.

I changed into a revealing outfit from my luggage that emphasized my cleavage.

After checking for any imperfections, I went downstairs, looking neat and tidy…

Ahren glanced at my chest for a moment.

Although he tried to change the subject by asking Yeriel if priests could drink alcohol, I was satisfied with that.

“Then, let’s all raise our glasses. To our new party member, Lumia, and our party’s future!”

We clinked our oak barrel-sized beer mugs and took a sip.

Hmm, I feel a bit lightheaded.

So, my first drinking experience is with you, Ahren?

We spent time chatting and drinking, sharing trivial details about ourselves.

“Then, Lumia, see you at the guild tomorrow.”

See you tomorrow? …Oh, I guess I’ll be staying at the inn I was originally at.

“Okay, bye.”

…

…

Since coming to the Dungeon City, it’s the first time I’ve looked forward to the next day.

I can’t wait for tomorrow to come.