These Demons Do it for Free

Viola’s boast had barely faded before the owner of the loud voice appeared. It didn’t take long at all. Considering the volume of the sound and the way it echoed, the distance must have been quite far. Yet, here he was, charging down the highway Viola had cut through the maze as if it were his personal autobahn.

By now, I had grown accustomed to using my far-sight and magic vision, and when I activated them, I saw a figure that was unmistakably human. At the very least, it wasn’t a monster. Although, there are some monsters that can mimic human voices.

The first impression I got when I saw him properly could be summed up in one word. It might sound rude, but the term that immediately popped into my mind was "savage."

Covered in dirt, carrying a large pack, and moving on all fours, he looked as if he had been crawling through the earth. His entire body bore signs of someone who had spent far too long in this labyrinth, perfectly fitting both meanings of the word "savage."@@novelbin@@

"Is that what I think it is? You know, those who live underground?"
"Dwarves?"
"Yeah, that!"
"He seems pretty tall for a dwarf. His proportions don’t really match either."

He did have a scruffy beard, though. Unlike the dwarves who dream of being master artisans and meticulously groom their beards, his seemed to have been left completely untamed.

As if to confirm my guess, Viola spoke.
"He's human."

Then she followed up with some more detailed information about the man.

His name was Hernan Wakefield. Among the experts, he was officially referred to by the guild as "The Cartographer." However, Hernan had another, more popular nickname—one that was even more widely used than his official title.