Jin Chen's Blunt Questions and the Ogre's Roar
Jin Chen asked a question, and Gaeneom answered immediately.
“I am called Gaeneom.”
“Gaeneom, huh. You picked a good name. I’ll never forget it.”
“I-I’m not Gaeneom, I’m Gaeneom.”
“Enough. What about those orcs? Can you eat them?”
Gaeneom jerked his hand in denial, eyes wide.
“Monsters have poison in their blood. You can never eat them.”
“What happens if you eat them?”
“You’ll catch a monster sickness and go completely berserk!”
At that, Jin Chen looked sideways at the bald man standing beside him.
“You heard that?”
“What did you say, milord?”
“I couldn’t understand a word except your words, milord.”
“What? So this only works with me?”
Gaeneom nodded quickly.
“Y-yes.”
“So we can’t all talk together?”
“There is a translation magic that casts a spell in a certain area, but it’s 6-circle. I can’t cast it.”
“Why? Too lazy?”
“Yes. I’m only a 5-circle mage…”
“Hmm. Then your usefulness drops a lot.”
A strangely ominous tone made Gaeneom swallow hard.
“Th-that is what you mean…?”
“Then later. Bbakbbaki.”
“Yes, milord.”
“They have poison in their blood, so they go mad if you eat them. Pass it on to the kids. There are bound to be some who’ll try to taste it thinking it’s pork.”
“I will warn them strictly.”
With that, Bbakbbaki turned and walked away.
A moment later, the men started piling the orc corpses in one spot.
“Ah, catching those useless monsters and killing them with all their might.”
“Idiot? They looked like they’d taste like shit the second you bit them.”
“What the hell are these things? Demons or something?”
“Who knows. It’s important that you can’t eat them. Aish! Ptooey! The smell is disgusting too.”
Because they were simple-minded, no one was seriously worried about the current situation.
Jin Chen chuckled at his subordinates’ grumbling.
“Finish what I started earlier. I won’t cut you off this time.”
“Ah! Yes.”
Gaeneom answered fast, but suddenly felt strange.
He wasn’t even one of the subordinates, yet he was following orders like it was nothing. Why was he using formal speech to a young punk who spoke to everyone in casual banmal?
Thinking it over, it was probably because the aura had crushed his spirit back then.
No way a young man like that could release aura. There had to be someone else.
Realizing that, he straightened his slumped shoulders.
Even though I’m chased now, I was once called a talent of the Light Tower!
With renewed confidence, he faced the opponent straight on and said.
“I’ll introduce myself properly. I’m Gaeneom, a 5-circle mage of the Light Tower…”
Right then.
Kiaaaaa!
Suddenly, a massive giant burst out from one side.
It was the exact spot where the mercenaries had gathered.
“Damn it! It’s an ogre!”
“Everyone prepare for battle!”
The mercenaries yelled in shock, and Jin Chen clicked his tongue shortly.
“Tch, they’re coming all at once. Annoying as hell.”
With those words, he swung the axe lightly. White aura shot out.
Flash!
In an instant, space split and the ogre’s neck was sliced clean.
Cooong.
The high-level monster ogre fell dead with its usual scream still on its face.
Barkan and the other mercenaries, and even Gaeneom, stared blankly at Jin Chen.
But the crisis wasn’t over yet.
Kiaaaaa!
Kruururururak!
Roars came from every direction.
From the ground and from the sky too.
“Ogres and wyverns are approaching.”
“They’re coming because they smell blood.”
“Damn it! The real alert has collapsed!”
The mercenaries raised their voices with tense faces.
As if desperately hoping their words would reach Jin Chen.
But none of their words reached Jin Chen at all.
Only Gaeneom could understand the conversation.
Noticing that, Gaeneom opened his mouth in panic.
Jin Chen rubbed his ear with his finger and said.
“Baek-i and Samsaek-i. You two go. They’re busy, so go and pay for the meal.”
Before the words even finished, two streaks of light burst from the dirt.
The red, white, and black streaks shot into the sky. The white and black streaks flew into the forest.
After the light streaks vanished, Jin Chen spoke again.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“N-now is not the time to be chatting leisurely…”
Kiaaaaa!
Kralararararar!
Roars echoed again from the sky and the forest.
Everyone looked bewildered and confused.
Just as they did, something fell from the sky.
Thud thud thud!
The identity of the massive winged creature was…
“…A gray wyvern.”
The weakest wyvern, but the most numerous.
Those four gray wyverns lay dead with their tongues sticking out.
At the same time, huge things broke through the bushes from the forest and flew in.
Puk puk puk!
With a slight delay, things fell from all directions.
It was the high-level monsters ogres and minotaurs.
What the hell is going on here?
Just as everyone thought that, a small bird no bigger than a palm fell from the sky.
A peculiar bird with blue feathers on its body and red, white, and black tail feathers landed on Jin Chen’s shoulder. It started rubbing its face against his cheek like it knew him well.
“You brat, good job.”
Kririk.
Samsaek-i let out a clear laugh that sounded happy about the praise.
Was that why it felt jealous?
Krrurururur.
A massive presence moved slowly while pushing through the bushes.
Black lightning-like patterns etched on a snow-white body that moved without sound.
Yellow eyes sharp enough to make your spine tingle just by meeting them.
White teeth bigger than those of the wyverns.
The massive being dominated the atmosphere just by appearing, and everyone held their breath.
The massive being, moving slowly like it enjoyed the atmosphere, suddenly stopped and pushed its head toward Jin Chen, who was sitting on the cart roof.
Grrrrung.
And with a happy sound, it rubbed its head against Jin Chen’s leg.
“You didn’t bite them even though they said they have poison, right?”
Kiiik!
Kyaang!
At the short cries, the two beasts nodded with their heads.
“If you meet them again, don’t bite them. Just slap them. Got it?”
Once more, Baek-i and Samsaek-i nodded like gentle sheep.
After Jin Chen gently stroked the heads of Baek-i and Samsaek-i with a satisfied smile, he turned to Gaeneom, who was staring at him blankly.
“Since it’s solved, tell me again. I heard the Light Tower thing, 5-circle thing, and all that.”
Gaeneom gripped his wand tightly, stood up abruptly, and shouted firmly.
“I, the trash who is only 5-circle, will tell you everything with all my heart!”
Jin Chen laughed softly at the sight of Gaeneom bowing his head all the way.
“You’re an interesting guy. Then let’s talk seriously. About this world.”
***
Jin Chen and Gaeneom continued their conversation.
Mostly Gaeneom talked and Jin Chen asked questions occasionally.
Thanks to that, they learned quite a lot about the world.
Whoosh!
Jin Chen watched the orc corpses burn roughly, then stood up.
He waved his hand toward the space still covered in dust.
Whaaaak!
The dust scattered in all directions, revealing the inner scene.
“Huh! There were so many people!”
“A-all of them have black hair!”
“Ah, no, was black hair that common?”
“No way! I’ve never seen it until now!”
The mercenaries and the caravan members were stunned.
Because there were people gathered in a pit of considerable size.
Including the fifty men who had slain the orcs, it was enough to be two hundred.
Those people were quietly staring only at Jin Chen.
As if believing he would explain everything and solve any problem.
Jin Chen slowly looked over the people staring at him.
About one hundred and fifty held weapons.
The remaining fifty were old men, women, and children.
“First… bring Seo Moon-un-hwi forward.”
The only person wearing a scholar’s robe among the group came out.
The man with a large mole on his left cheek.
“Jinryong Chae’s strategist! Seo Moon-un-hwi, answering milord’s call!”
“You’re a sharp one. Already noticing that this mess happened because of you.”
“I don’t understand what you mean…”
“Say one more thing. I’ll feed you only death from now on.”
Seo Moon-un-hwi shut his mouth in a hurry, and Jin Chen narrowed his eyes.
“Did I say to add any, or not?”
“Th-that… I was testing the things I learned from milord by adding them…”
“You bastard! How many did you add without me knowing! What the hell did you add! Dropped in a completely unknown place!”
“I-I only added a little. About twenty kinds.”
At Seo Moon-un-hwi’s words, Jin Chen smiled slyly.
“That’s not a lot, right? Then let’s test you on exactly twenty.”
“Huh! I don’t know any martial arts, so even one hit will send me to hell!”
“You’re the one who ate a ten-thousand-year spiritual fruit. Not the kind of person to say that.”
“M-milord! Please calm down! We should check the food first!”
“True, there’s no need to stuff them right now. Besides, we have plenty of time.”
Jin Chen looked at the food and raised his hand.
“Anyone with any attachment to the Central Plains?”