Chapter 123
Chapter 123
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: Chapter 3-1. Black Tree Tribe
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Isabel looked awkward as she glanced at Judah, who showed no reaction, then emptied her glass. Perhaps thinking that saying more might seem suspicious, she fell silent.
"Is there a reason you're bringing me along to take that fragment?"
"There isn't anyone in the tribe with skills like yours. There are plenty like Alec with similar strength. But they're all better at long-range than close combat. Unless someone becomes a spirit sword wielder like me, they can't do anything against an opponent arrows won't pierce. They'd just run away."
As she said, arrows wouldn't work on Cain. It seemed unlikely that shooting from afar would make a difference against someone who sliced arrows flying at point-blank range. Though Judah had turned his armor into rags, the Red Bear Tribe had blacksmiths who might have repaired it. Or he could have gotten new armor. She continued amid Judah's silence.
"But you're different, aren't you? You survived against the knight who had the fragment. I heard you fought evenly with some strange dagger that spat red lines."
Where the hell had Alec seen that? Judah closed his eyes. He felt a tipsy buzz rising. She didn't seem to think the special weapon Judah had was the fragment.
...Come to think of it, among the tribes in Lizen, she was the most honest and trustworthy. In the game, she gave the promised quest rewards exactly as stated and was the only chieftain who didn't beat around the bush. At least, according to the set character. No matter how much he recalled her info, no flaws came to mind.
In other words, she wasn't the type to stab him in the back. He couldn't predict what might happen over something specific like the fragment, but worst case, he'd just die.
"Couldn't you handle it alone? You seem capable as a spirit sword wielder."
"You're asking why it has to be two people?"
"Yes."
"I have to stop the Quake. I mentioned earlier that the one who inherits the fragment goes mad and rampages? The only one who can control those guys is the original owner. So I have to watch them from nearby. That means he was blatantly watching as those rampaging ones attacked tribes under our command. And he tried to disguise it using orcs."
She ground her teeth.
"So, Lady Isabel, you'll stop the Red Bear chieftain, and in the meantime, I kill Cain... no, the knight with the fragment?"
"That's right!"
"And you'll give me the fragment?"
Isabel had no answer to Judah's words.
"The fragment... I planned to seal it, but if you can overcome the sword's trial, I have no reason not to give it. But if more damage happens in the process, I'll have no choice but to kill you?"
"That won't happen, so don't worry. However, if I get the fragment, I won't stay here—I plan to leave. I wanted to ask if that's okay."
"...If you can take it, it's yours. It's useless here in Lizen anyway. Hmm— even if sealed, plenty would covet it, so you taking it isn't bad. No one from outside invades this worthless land called Lizen anyway. Plus, you have that trick of storing and pulling things from thin air, so as long as you don't brag about it outside, they won't even know we've lost it."
Not bad? She tilted her head. The fragment tempted her, but becoming its owner meant going mad and rampaging, and even if obtained, it wasn't much use since she wielded a bow. Handing it to a tribe that mainly used swords would be foolish. After pondering, Isabel nodded readily once more.
"Alright. If you trust me and act with me, and if you're confident you can overcome the fragment's trial, I'll gladly hand it over."
Deal sealed~!
That's how it felt. Isabel picked up the liquor bottle from the floor and held it out. Thinking she meant to pour a glass, Judah lifted his, but she shook her head silently as if that wasn't it. Unsure of her intent, he stared at the bottle she offered, then tentatively raised his own. Only then did she grin brightly and clink them together cheerfully, as if to say that was exactly it.
Seeing her chug straight from the bottle, Judah had no choice but to follow. Gulp after gulp, throat bobbing as he poured it down, the buzz hit hard. Feeling heat rise to his face, he hurriedly shoveled in the remaining food.
Delicious. If it wasn't tasty, he might have paced himself, but the exotic cuisine fired him up despite no music.
"Hahaha! You drink well. Bring more liquor here!"
He'd planned to slip out discreetly, but drinking well backfired—more liquor like a fever poured into the room. Fresh snacks in skewer form replaced the nearly gone food, steaming hot as if just made. In the end, clinking bottles with her, chatting, and eating until his memory cut out.
'...Damn.'
When Judah came to, he realized he and Isabel were sleeping entwined like lovers. He couldn't recall how many bottles, but his last memory was raising one arm-in-arm with her. He'd never blacked out from drinking even in his past life, let alone here. Worried he might've done something stupid, he instinctively checked his clothes. Top was off, probably too stuffy, but thankfully bottoms were on.
Letting out a small sigh of relief, he tried to rise, only to find one of her legs draped over him to keep him from escaping. He needed to get up but couldn't. Looking at her clutching him like a doll, Judah took a deep breath. Sweet liquor scent filled the air. Like incense from the empty bottles they'd drunk last night, it clung to his body. The smell nearly buzzed him up again. Watching her sleep with auburn hair half-covering her face, Judah chuckled softly and reached out.
'Tia had this habit too.'
He'd often seen it waking beside her. Memories of Tia brought Selenia Castle to mind: pink-haired Liel, Cain training under Kaseun with him, the old librarian... Judah shook his head and prepared to rise. Gripping her thigh—toned yet soft—he pushed it aside lightly, and she naturally rolled over. Thanks to that, Judah slipped free easily, pulled the blanket over her properly, and stood.
"Urgh... drank way too much."
Rising made his head throb with a massive hangover. Better than expected for how much he'd downed, but he chuckled wryly at the booze stench from his body. Stretching fully, he cautiously opened the room's window. Fresh morning breeze swept in, carrying away the heavy air.
'Should I just go like this?'
Or, eyeing the messy room, should he clean a bit? Glancing around, he sighed at the state—impossible to tidy silently. Too lazy to weave through the mess, he leaned against the wall by the window and sat. Still sleepy, he dozed off quickly.
"Wake up. Why are you sleeping here?"
Isabel's voice jolted Judah awake with an "Ah." She'd risen unnoticed and crouched before him. Rubbing his eyes and yawning lightly,
"Yeah, I meant to leave first but... sat to rest and must've dozed off."
She chuckled, kicked a rolling bottle aside, and headed out. Judah followed. Saying she must be sweaty from the booze and needed a wash, she dragged him along, grabbing spare clothes and what seemed Baekje-imported soap.
He nearly said he'd wash back at his place, but naughty thoughts kept him trailing eagerly. As expected, she led to a downstream river spot—secluded, no onlookers or vantage points.
Ignoring Judah completely, she stripped casually and waded in shamelessly. Waist-deep water had a slow current, no worry of being swept away.
"Come on, wash up. Can't dawdle if we're hunting them from afternoon."
If she wasn't embarrassed, why should he be? Seeming normal here, he stripped and entered. Cold water snapped the hangover haze.
"Hehe."
Seeing him grit his teeth, she giggled softly, dunked her head, and soaped up. Judah admired her thorough cleanliness: soaping inner thighs and every nook, even shampooing hair.
Makes sense—with Baekje ties, hygiene matched outsiders. His naughty motives faded; she washed purely and emerged. Judah suggested breakfast before leaving; Isabel accepted gladly.
Pulling ingredients from <Bag>, Judah boiled bean sprout soup with chili powder for his hangover. Isabel's face at the floating bits was priceless—expecting sandwiches, not sprout soup. Sipping disappointedly, her expression shifted until she gulped it like liquor. Breakfast done, he told Jeanne and Arhil of Isabel's proposal.
At mention of the fragment, they insisted two was reckless—they'd join. Regretting spilling, but no point hiding.
Jeanne and Arhil would help somehow. Isabel warned of danger but didn't stop them. Thus began indefinite days in Lizen with temporary ally Isabel.