Chapter 604
Chapter 604
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 604
Chapter Title: Scent of Spring
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Hah, hah.
After looking them over, they were all panting like they'd exhausted themselves.
How many hours had they spent chasing it?
That must've driven them a little crazy. Otherwise, there's no way they'd look at my armor and make such a ridiculous demand like demanding a share.
Or maybe they were getting cocky now that there were six of them.
"We're not asking for both. Just one—the smaller one. That should be fair, right? We herded them your way, and you finished them off. Call it a collaboration."
I'd apparently collaborated without realizing it.
Of course, that's bullshit.
"Collaboration my ass. Hey, I killed them, so fuck off. You keep this up, and you might actually die. I'm letting it slide just this once."
"What the hell...!"
The adventurer's face turned beet red as he yelled back.
"We herded them, so we're asking for just one! It's a reasonable request, but you're talking like that...! You're an adventurer too—how can you treat fellow adventurers this way?!"
This guy's got some nerve.
Did he have some backup he was counting on?
"Where're you from?"
"From the Krasheim Adventurer's Guild."
That bunch, huh?
No reason to go easy on them, then. A few punches oughta sort it out. A good beating's the best medicine for loudmouths.
"Then why didn't you just sell it there? Why chase it all the way here? Why should I hand over my kill, you thick-headed bastard? Do all Krasheim adventurers pull this shit?"
"What nonsense! We wore down their stamina with our herding hunt—you just landed the finishing blow!"
I got the gist, but our ideas of fairness weren't bridging the gap.
Why did herding it give them ownership?
Even the guys who tried claiming spots back when we hunted meteors weren't this brazen.
"So you herded them here, and that makes them yours?"
"Can't you grasp that simple fact?"
"Heh heh heh, you fucking prick."
—Smack.
I took a step forward, and he raised his hand to halt the adventurers who were starting to bristle with hostility.
He was definitely the party leader.
"Hey, then let me ask you something."
"What?"
"If these drakes are yours, doesn't that mean you fucked up herding them my way and put me in danger? Shouldn't I be demanding compensation from you?"
If they owned them, then they were responsible for the drakes attacking me. Time for damages.
"Your screw-up got me attacked by drakes."
"Th-that's absurd! How were we supposed to know?!"
If he knows it's absurd, why act like this?
"I didn't know you assholes were herding them either, fucker."
"That's why we're saying split it half-and-half!"
"Cut the crap, you piece of shit. Whether you herded them or not, I killed them."
"We drained all their stamina!"
They wanted a free meal from someone else's kill.
For starters, their "herding" was just chasing fleeing drakes. No wounds on the drakes proved it.
"What a load of horseshit. Hey, hey—you drained their stamina? Take a good look, moron. Not a scratch on these drakes."
They chased first, so demanding half was just picking a fight. It didn't hold water ethically.
"If you'd fought hard, there'd be wounds. But aside from what I smashed, they're pristine. And they were full of energy—no stamina drain."
"What bullshit...!"
I'd become a damn paladin, trying to avoid needless violence, and these idiots show up.
"Enough! Baiton! No need to put up with this!"
"You black bastard—think you can crawl up here just 'cause I talked to you?!"
I stuck to the facts, and the adventurers behind him exploded in outrage.
"Listen up, fuckers. I get what you're thinking, but I killed them, got it?"
Suppose I was chasing a monster full tilt, it slips my sight and bolts elsewhere, attacks a passerby, and that passerby kills it. Ownership goes to the passerby.
What these guys wanted was me going to that passerby demanding half because I chased it first. Same damn thing.
Even bandits aren't this bandit-y.
"Barbarian prick—we're wasting our breath! Baiton! Just take it! No need to humor his bullshit!"
"W-wait a second!"
One gutsy adventurer gripped his sword hilt and bellowed. Looked ready for a real knife fight.
"Hands off the hilt."
One last warning as a paladin of the Brass Celestial Society.
"Or wha—"
"Forget it, asshole. Talking's pointless."
—Thud!
I charged him and slapped his chubby cheek with my palm.
"—Guh?!"
He spun like a top and flew off. At this level, I could just beat them down and take compensation.
"Gah! You bastard!"
"Baiton! He's attacking!"
The adventurers roared, drew weapons, and rushed me.
"I said stop!!!"
Party leader Baiton tried stopping them, but adventurers don't even listen to their own parents. Why would they listen to me?
Not that the leader was their parent.
"Raaah!!"
"Bastard!"
Four charging at once, but I was just baffled. Their skill was below even the low-rank instructors I'd fought simultaneously when the Martial Guild got kidnapped.
"You worthless shits—unbelievable!"
—Clang!
I blocked the lead guy's sword with my gauntlet, grabbed his wrist, and swung him hard.
—Whoosh!
"Kyyaaahhh!!!"
The grabbed adventurer became a human flail, screaming as he swept through the others.
—Thwack!
"Gwaaah!!"
"Kyaaahhh!!"
Near-70kg adult male slamming into them. Massive impact. The hit ones flew every which way, screaming in agony.
Using a person as a flail wasn't even taxing.
I flung the last one away and hurled the one I'd been holding.
"You bastards!!!!!"
It took all of 30 seconds to sort out the six, leader included. Sprawled on the ground, they writhed in pain, vomiting blood from internal injuries.
"Urk...!"
"Kuhak!"
"Cough!"
Really feeling my boosted combat power.
This was entirely their fault. But I'm a paladin. Mercy is a virtue. Fusion Confucianism preaches compassion too.
"Heh heh heh, you punks."
I looked down at them.
"Don't eye what you didn't kill, you fuckwits."
I hadn't even stolen a killing blow from their hard fight. Just killed guys who attacked me. Half shares? Please.
"You're not pro bandits, so I'll let it slide once. Do it again, and you die. Got it?"
"Grk...!"
"Kuh..."
No replies despite my advice.
They were all broken and scattered anyway. I rifled through their pockets, emptying every wallet.
One weakly resisted, but a punch to the forehead shut him up. Looting wallets was second nature—done in under five minutes. Deeper hiding spots got clothes sliced with my knife.
Six wallets totaled about 24 silver.
"Heh heh heh. Greedy rich pricks."
Silver in hand, my boiling rage magically cooled.
"Urk... Y-you can't...!"
"Shut it."
Yeah, this much loot made it forgivable once. People lose it sometimes.
Anyway, profit right away.
I shoved the downed idiots aside, decapitated the drakes, skinned them.
Extracted teeth and claws, bundled the loot in the hide like a sack. Bulky, but carryable.
Headed to Shled.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Shled was a decent-sized village.
Atmosphere just like that kobold dungeon village back in the day. Adventurers milling about, locals selling food.
—Trudge, trudge.
—Trudge, trudge.
—Trudge, trudge.
Even lord's soldiers marching in formation. Looked like the extermination ops using this as base were real.
"Warrior! Did you take down a drake?!"
"Pardon?"
Crossing the village, a middle-aged local ran up beaming. Despite drake threats, he seemed thrilled. Makes sense—extermination would boost economy with all the adventurers and soldiers.
"We're buying drake hides, teeth, bones, and heads here! For folks who don't wanna lug 'em back to Isvant!"
"Ah, buying cheap to resell in Isvant later?"
"Exactly! Hunting while hauling loot's a pain, right? Sell here!"
Not a bad deal. Couldn't tote this bundle forever. Storage was tricky too.
I followed him, handed over all drake materials including the head. Got about 19 silver—fair enough.
Isvant would've netted 20, but whatever. Couldn't haul everything there. Head counts for credit, but I didn't need that anymore.
"Easy money."
Stupidly easy.
Asked the merchant for the inn, headed there.
Crowded, so rooms scarce and pricey.
Bars gotta bar everywhere.
Who cares? Got cash.
Snagged a room barely, dropped gear, splashed water on face, headed out. Planned to ask soldiers for basics. Need battleground info.
"Hoo."
Stretching toward the square—
"No waaay!!! It's you!!!!!!!!"
A familiar voice boomed from the side. Turned to see a red-haired bun-headed woman striding toward me purposefully.
"Barbarian warrior!!!!!!"
"L-Lady Isvant greets you!!!"
—Snap!
I dropped to one knee reflexively, eyes down!
Only one high-energy bun-head in Isvant: the Lady Isvant! Heard she was here, didn't expect instant meet.
Unexpected, but two years of military life drilled upper-class etiquette into me.
Reflexes satisfied.
She liked me, but nobles are nobles. One slip, and slap.
"Just as expected! I knew you’d come! A righteous warrior elevated to a priest-in-training wouldn’t miss this! I recognized you from afar—be honored!"
Yeah, she'd yelled "Barbarian warrior" from distance.
"For the lowly me to be recognized by Lady Isvant—my house's eternal glory! If I return to the clan, I'll boast forever!"
"Oh ho ho ho ho! Of course! Rise, Barbarian Warrior! You're no kneeler!"
"S-such honor!"
I stood promptly.
The lady beamed at me.