Chapter 2
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: King of the Wolves
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"Before that, what exactly is 'Kel Bark' that you're calling me?"
The old shaman who had introduced herself as Magra answered with her eyes gleaming.
"It means King of the Wolves. You are the bloodline of the king who leads our noble Wolf Tribe, the 'Grom Kel'."
"......Me? I'm the king of this tribe?"
Magra nodded with a face full of conviction.
I blankly looked down at my scrawny arms.
Then I alternated my gaze to the muscle monster kneeling before me, whose single arm was thicker than my thigh.
No matter how I looked at it, our species seemed completely different.
"Um."
I cautiously opened my mouth.
Every gaze in the tent focused on my lips.
"There seems to be some serious misunderstanding. I'm not like you all, like this...... uh...... I mean......"
How should I put this?
Full of wild charm? Muscular? Intimidating?
None of that sounded like it would land well.
"......Just take a look at my body."
I slowly rolled up the sleeve of my torn shirt.
It was a body somewhat toughened from rolling in back alleys, but compared to theirs, my arm looked like a skinny twig.
"This isn't the body of the Earth's descendants."
I swallowed the word 'barbarians'.
I've been eating 'awareness rice' for over ten years to become a servant.
I instinctively avoid words the other person would hate.
Karack's eyes, kneeling before me, darted around wildly.
Right, you think something's off too, don't you?
So hurry up and send me back home.
The Lovensia Ducal House might be out of reach across the sea, but the imperial capital is still full of noble houses.
With my qualifications for passing as an apprentice servant there, getting hired by a marquis's house would be a piece of cake.
It was then.
"Must take after your mom."
"......!?"
I whipped my head toward the voice.
It was the Quest Master.
With his legs crossed and leaning crookedly against the wall, he shrugged his shoulders.
"Ahem, ahem!"
I stared at him with a dumbfounded expression.
'He's laughing?'
Pretending to be all serious and heavy, but he's the type to crack his own jokes and laugh at them?
It was the moment my illusions about him shattered.
But as soon as that joke-like remark landed, the shaman crone clapped her hands.
"Exactly!"
Magra slammed her staff down and shouted.
"The Blood Bone Ritual never lies. Such a reaction wouldn't occur without the direct bloodline of Kel Bark."
Direct lineage? So I really do take after my mom?
If my dad was a barbarian, for me to be born looking like this, did that mean my mom was some kind of elf?
No, to begin with, was genetic compatibility even possible between those two?
At that moment, the Quest Master stepped forward slightly.
"Looks like the verification's done. I've found the target and brought him here, so how about that promised final payment?"
At his urging, Magra rummaged in her bosom and pulled something out.
It was a strangely shaped stone.
Like an eyeball that was half-closed......
The moment I saw it, a chill ran down my spine from the ominous aura.
But this wasn't the time to be getting goosebumps.
The instant that payment went through, I'd be sold off here for good.
My mind raced.
The moment he takes that, the Quest Master's commission is complete.
'Can't let that happen!'
I hurriedly raised my hand to stop Magra.
"Wait a second!"
"......?"
Magra, about to hand over the item, looked at me with puzzled eyes.
I jerked my chin toward the Quest Master.
"Let's make one thing clear. If I'm direct blood of Kel Bark, then you have to obey my commands right now, correct, Magra?"
"That's true, but......"
As expected.
Long live bloodline hierarchies.
"Then don't give him that."
For a split second.
The air in the tent froze cold.
The Quest Master's eyebrow twitched.
"...What did you just say?"
"I'm not some object! How can you make a deal like this without even considering my wishes?!"
The Quest Master's eyes narrowed.
His hand slowly moved toward the hilt of the greatsword on his back.
"Looks like you want to die."
Rumble―
His aura shifted.
Blue haze rose from his body.
It soon formed the shape of a serpent with four wings, coiling up.
It was identical to the 'Four-Winged Serpent' emblem engraved on his greatsword.
Aura.
The absolute power that only those who had reached that realm could wield, something I'd only heard rumors about.
And an aura so vividly manifested that it was visible to the naked eye...
'S-Swordmaster?!'
My heart felt like it would leap out of my mouth.
I knew he was S-rank, but I never imagined he'd be one of the less than twenty Swordmasters on the continent.
No matter how strong these warriors were, they'd be nothing but wooden logs before a Swordmaster.
Should've just let them pay him off and send him away.
What was I thinking?
But the water was already spilled.
I swallowed dryly and glared at him with trembling eyes.
Thud―!
A massive shadow blocked my front.
The one whose name was... Karack, right?
Karack, who had shot to his feet, was facing the Quest Master's killing intent head-on.
Hiding behind that huge back instantly made me feel secure.
Only then could I finally breathe.
Veins bulged over his swollen muscles, and the axe in his hand gleamed menacingly.
Karack growled low.
"How dare you. Put that sword away!"
"You think you can block me just because you added a tattoo or two?"
The Quest Master's aura thickened further.
The tent flaps fluttered as if they might tear under the oppressive pressure.
A Swordmaster's strike wouldn't leave even that massive frame unscathed.
But.
'This guy won't kill us.'
I was certain.
Quest Master.
S-rank mercenary with a 100% success rate on commissions.
One of the few known facts about the man whose age, name, and origins were all mysteries.
He had a maniacal obsession with completing commissions.
Right now, the commission was on the verge of completion.
In other words, I was still his 'quest target'.
Would he destroy the goods?
Before even getting paid?
That would mean commission failure.
He could kill us all and take the item by force, but with that man's pride, he'd never do it.
A tense standoff.
About ten seconds passed.
"Tch."
Clink―
With a low click of his tongue, the Quest Master released his grip on the greatsword.
The menacing aura dispersed like a lie.
He looked at me.
"Normally, they'd back down trembling after a scare like that."
The corner of his mouth curled up slyly.
"Didn't run even after seeing my aura. Either you're crazy, or you've got some real guts."
No.
My legs just gave out, so I couldn't move.
Unaware of my inner thoughts, he looked quite satisfied.
"Fine. Consider this my apology for dragging you here without asking your opinion."
He stared straight at me and said.
"Tell me what you want."
Gathering my courage, I approached the Quest Master with stiff, wooden steps like a puppet.
Those rigid steps must have looked fairly dignified, as all eyes focused on me.
Even the Quest Master seemed a bit surprised.
"Hm?"
Leaning to his ear with a puzzled look, I whispered desperately.
'Please send me home.'
He looked down at me with eyes full of pity and said.
"Think that'll fly?"
I hung my head and turned back toward Karack.
I'd tried saying it on a whim, but as expected, it didn't get through.
That would count as a commission failure too.
"Then...... later."
I said slowly, word by word.
"Help me once, when I ask for it."
The Quest Master's eyebrow twitched again.
"You're putting me in your debt, huh......"
It might be tough right now.
But later, I could commission him to send me home.
That was my plan.
"It's a bad deal for me."
"Got any other options?"
Don't know, whatever.
The Quest Master's eyes flashed as if piercing through me.
"I could just kill you all and take the item. Why bother with the hassle?"
His killing intent crept up on me again.
I couldn't flinch here.
"Then you'd become blood enemies of the 'Grom Kel' tribe for killing Kel Bark."
He clicked his tongue again.
"Tch, cheeky bastard."
He turned his head to look at Magra.
"Hand over the final payment."
Magra looked at me.
I nodded. It was the signal of approval.
The Quest Master, receiving the eye-shaped stone, smirked.
"Got it for sure."
"Good deal."
"Not for me."
Leaving those words, he glared at me once more and flicked a coin at me.
Ting―
The coin slicing through the air landed in my palm.
It was a coin engraved with a serpent emblem.
"If you think of a favor to ask, leave that coin at the Dolphin Merchant Guild in the capital of Marcel Kingdom."
With that, he left the tent without a hint of lingering.
A free and willful exit, like the wind.
"Hoo......"
The moment he vanished, I clutched the coin and let out the breath I'd been holding.
This should save my life at least once in the future.
My back was soaked with cold sweat.
Silence returned to the tent.
Magra and Karack were watching me intently.
A strange mix of awe and doubt in their eyes, different from before.
I cleared my throat and straightened my torn shirt collar.
"So."
I looked around, trying to act as dignified as possible.
"......What am I supposed to do now?"
Was it because I had one prior experience of being dropped into another world?
I decided to accept reality quickly.
Magra walked over slowly, leaning on her staff.
"First, you must be tired from coming all this way, so we need to prepare a place for Kel Bark to rest."
"Ah, that sounds gre―"
"Karack!"
Whoa, startled me.
This old lady's got some lungs...... Her voice booms.
At Magra's shout, the great warrior Karack bellowed back thunderously.
"Karack is here!"
"Escort Kel Bark to the 'King's Tent'!"
"Got it! Old shaman hag!"
King's Tent?
Ah, that name feels a bit heavy right off the bat.
"Wait, just any decent place is fin―"
"No!"
Magra shook her head firmly.
"One with Kel Bark's bloodline cannot stay anywhere carelessly. The King's Tent has been empty for 20 years. Now its master has returned."
20 years.
That number strangely pricked at my heart.
My age here was just turning eighteen, right?
Then before I was even born...... something happened.
"Kel Bark! Follow me!"
Karack pointed outside the tent.
I swallowed dryly and followed him out.
The night air was cold.
And.
"......Huh?"
Stepping out of the tent, I froze, breath caught.
The barbarians were lined up.
Dozens...... no, over a hundred at least.
All kneeling on one knee, fists to chests, staring solely at me.
"Kel Bark! Tahu!"
"Kel Bark! Tahu!"
Thunderous cheers tore through the night sky and echoed.
I was rooted to the spot by the overwhelming sight.
I didn't know what 'Tahu' meant.
But I could tell it was something huge.
Karack stood beside me.
"'Grom Kel' tribe! Warriors! Follow Kel Bark!"
His voice was low but firm.
"20 years! Waited for Kel Bark."
"......"
I couldn't say a word.
They said they'd waited 20 years.
For my return.
No, precisely, for 'Kel Bark' to return.
"Kel Bark! Say a word!"
"Pardon?"
My mind was a whirl of confusion.
What was I supposed to say?
Still, I put as much strength as I could into my trembling voice.
"......Everyone, stand up."
Couldn't have them crouching like that forever.
At that, the warriors rose in unison.
'Whoa...... what builds.'
Under the moonlight, massive shadows formed a forest.
Hundreds of eyes gleamed toward me.
I read the emotions in their gazes.
Expectation.
Loyalty.
And aching desperation.
'Ha, this is insane.'
In the end, I could only say the obvious line.
"I'm inexperienced, but please take care of me."
At that moment, the tribesfolk roared as if exploding.
"Wooooaaarrr!!"
"Kel Bark!! Tahu!!"
"Kel Bark!! Tahu!!"
It was a cheer so massive the ground shook.
Then a strange emotion bubbled up from the bottom of my chest.
My life.
Had anyone ever welcomed me like this?
Thump―
The fierce cheers gripped my heart, making it race wildly.
Someone shouted at the top of their lungs.
"The King of the Wolves has returned!"
Maybe because so many people stood before me?
I'd heard it before, but strangely, this time those words sank deep into my chest.
'Am I really... their king...?'