Chapter 20: Dancing with Orcs!
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 20: Dancing with Orcs!
“Cheers!”
In the quiet inn, occupied by only the three of us, Annie raised her mug of ale. The merchant and I clinked our mugs against hers, and the full-to-the-brim ale sloshed like a wave.
“Gulp, gulp, gulp. Ahhh! That’s sweet!”
“What does a kid like you know about the taste of alcohol?”
I said with a smirk, and Annie shot back.
“I know a thing or two about booze! It’s the atmosphere! You drink for the atmosphere!”
“Good grief… you’re that happy?”
“Of course! This messy life, this country—it’s all over starting today! And it’s all thanks to you!”
“Hug me and you die.”
“Gah. You’re so cold. You could at least be grateful that a pretty girl like me is offering you a hug.”
“Pretty? You? Seriously?”
I stared at her with wide eyes, and Annie scowled.
“You really should have died in the finals.”
“Then you would’ve spent your whole life waiting tables until you died of old age.”
“Hmm… I wouldn’t want that either. Oh, more importantly! I have a question… What did you get as the prize for winning?”
Annie asked, her eyes wide with curiosity. The old merchant, despite pretending to be composed, had his ears perked up as well.
“Why are you so curious about that?”
“Why? Because you won the Quad-Struggle Tournament! Didn’t you get something amazing?”
“It wasn’t that amazing. Just a million gold and a couple of items.”
“A… a million gold…!”
Annie’s jaw dropped.
If I remember correctly, she said she made a total of 240,000 gold from betting, after fees.
She seemed shocked to hear a number nearly four times her own earnings.
“Items… what items did you get?”
“Just three ordinary rings.”
I received three rings for winning the tournament.
Ring of Bleeding.
Increases the chance of causing bleeding. When bleeding, the opponent takes 2% of their max health as damage each turn.
Ring of Warding.
Nullifies the first low-level magic attack at the start of combat.
Nameless Knight’s Green Ring.
Increases durability by 10%.
They were all decent rings, but the reason I participated in the tournament was for the Nameless Knight’s Green Ring.
The Nameless Knight’s Ring series.
I’ve already collected two of the four. Now I just need to find two more, go to that dungeon, and upgrade them…
“I asked what kind of rings they were!”
Annie’s face suddenly looming in front of me shattered my thoughts.
I told her not to shove her ugly face at me. She just doesn’t listen.
I pushed her face away with my palm.
“What are you going to do with that information? Use that time to plan your life.”
“Hmph, I’ve already got that all planned out. I’m going to the Prona Kingdom.”
“The Prona Kingdom? Why there?”
“It has the most fertile land of all the kingdoms, right? I’m thinking of buying a decent farm and some slaves to work it. While the slaves work, I’ll just kick back and relax!”
“Huh… that’s one hell of a life plan.”
“Right? To be honest, I wanted to go to the Empire, but the taxes there are too expensive…”
Annie’s shoulders slumped. I patted her on the shoulder and said, “The Prona Kingdom isn’t bad, though. It’s peaceful and nice. But how are you planning on getting there?”
“I’m thinking of posting an escort request at the Adventurer’s Guild. Maybe hire two or three people. It should cost around 5,000 gold to get there, don’t you think?”
“Oh? A lone woman with 240,000 gold, surrounded by three adventurers on such a long journey? You’ve got some nerve.”
Annie tilted her head for a moment. Then, as she understood the hidden meaning in my words, her face turned pale.
“Th-then what about tagging along with a merchant caravan? There are a lot of people, so it should be safe!”
“Why would they take in a total stranger like you?”
“Well… that’s true… Um… what if I paid them?”
“Do you think a wealthy merchant would take on a burden for a bit of spare change? You’d have to pay quite a lot.”
“Ugh…”
I thought money could solve everything… Annie clutched her head and mumbled.
I chuckled at the sight before turning my gaze to the old merchant.
“Sir, could you help her out? You two are not exactly strangers, are you?”
“Huh? Why are you suddenly bringing him into this?”
“That old man may not look like much, but he’s a pretty big deal. He’s the master of a large merchant guild.”
“M-Master of a merchant guild?!”
“Ahem…!”
As Annie stared at him with wide eyes, the merchant cleared his throat, looking embarrassed.
“I-It was true…? S-Sir Guild Master! Please help me!”
Annie suddenly dropped to her knees and began clinging to the merchant’s leg. The merchant, flustered, tried to pry her off, but she held on as if she’d found her last hope.
“Look, I was planning to help from the start. So please, let go.”
“Really? You can’t take it back now! If you do, I’ll make you a ball-less eunuch!”
It was just as the inn was getting lively.
Clack.
The inn door opened, and a man walked in.
*
Among the Blood Kin, the hierarchy is absolute.
Who was born with nobler blood? That alone determines one’s status.
A low-born cannot defy a noble-born.
Especially not the master who shared their blood.
The same was true for Krapa.
He had caught Hailey’s eye 200 years ago and became one of the Blood Kin. He hadn’t known before, but after becoming her subordinate, he realized it to his very core.
Just how noble and great his master was!
I will never disappoint her.
“Hey there~ handsome~”
A very drunk Annie poked Krapa in the side.
How dare this inferior being touch my body!
Normally, I would tear that arm off! But I will endure, for my master’s command comes first!
“Yes? Can I help you?”
“Is it true? You came to meet him after watching the final match?”
Hmm, she spoke at an opportune moment.
I shall postpone tearing her arm off.
“Yes, that’s right. It was such a moving scene. To be honest, I still can’t forget it. That’s why I shamelessly followed him, hoping to meet him just once.”
Krapa smiled amiably and glanced at Cloud. The man had been scowling ever since he’d arrived.
A moment of awkward silence passed before Cloud spoke.
“What about the others?”
“Pardon?”
“There must have been others following me besides you.”
Others?
Ah, is he talking about that trash?
“Haha, I did see a few people like that. But they didn’t seem to be trying to stop me.”
“What did you say your name was?”
“It’s Howl.”
Naturally, he couldn’t give his true name, bestowed upon him by her, to a lowly human. So, Krapa used the alias Howl.
“Alright, Howl. I won’t beat around the bush. I don’t like it when people lie to me.”
“Pardon?”
“I said, stop lying.”
Cloud’s eyes, fixed on Krapa, turned cold.
‘…Don’t tell me he knew?’
How?
No, that’s not important.
If he knew, there’s no point in trying to talk my way out of it now.
“Since when?”
“From the beginning. There’s no way the people in this city would leave the winner alone after he took such a beating in the finals. They were probably planning to sneak in while I was sleeping and do me in. So, what did you do with them?”
“…I killed them all.”
Krapa’s words froze the air in the inn. Annie and the merchant, now completely sober, stared at Krapa with hardened expressions.
Cloud’s eyes, however, remained as cold as ever.
“Why?”
“I had no choice. Those men were plotting to kill you, Cloud…”
“No, what I’m asking is why you killed them. They would have died by my hand anyway, even without you. What I want to know is what business it is of yours to kill them for me.”
Now.
If I’m going to say it, it has to be now.
“It’s because I was in awe of your skill! That’s why I couldn’t stand by and watch those men plot against you. Cloud, please allow me to travel with you! Please give me the chance to learn about the wider world!”
Krapa bowed his head and shouted.
For him, a confidant of a high-ranking Blood Kin, bowing his head to a human was a great humiliation.
But to fulfill his master’s command, he could endure any amount of shame!
‘…Why isn’t he saying anything?’
He had been bowing for quite some time, but there was no reply. Shouldn’t he have given some kind of answer by now, whether he liked it or not?
But raising his head now was something only an amateur would do. From his long experience serving a noble being, Krapa knew. He must not raise his head until he received an answer.
After some time had passed, Cloud spoke.
“You want to travel with me, huh… I don’t mind, but do you like garlic?”
At the word ‘garlic,’ Krapa flinched. For a moment, he thought his identity had been discovered. But he quickly decided that was impossible.
He had hidden all the traits of the Blood Kin and suppressed his blood energy as much as possible.
A human could never detect him unless he used his blood magic. Not even if that human was the Hero.
“Garlic… why do you ask…?”
“Because I like garlic. If you’re going to travel with me, you’ll be eating a lot of it, so I was wondering if you’d be okay with that.”
“…I will pack my own food separately.”
“For the record, I don’t travel with people who don’t eat garlic. The last companions I had ran off on their own because they said they hated the smell.”
‘…So the main reason Hero Cloud’s party disbanded was because of garlic.’
No wonder they split up so easily.
The smell of garlic is a force to be reckoned with.
“So, do you like garlic or not?”
“…”
The superior race of the Blood Kin had two weaknesses.
The first was holy power.
The sacred energy emitted by the clerics who worshiped the Goddess Iries could burn the skin of the Blood Kin.
The second was garlic.
Unlike holy power, it was an item easily obtainable by ordinary humans, and to the Blood Kin, it was as good as a deadly poison.
The reason was still unknown, but if a low-ranking Blood Kin consumed garlic, they would lose control of their blood energy and perish.
These two things were why the Blood Kin, despite being a superior race, lived in hiding from the inferior humans.
No matter how superior and powerful they were, their weaknesses were just too glaring.
Hearing Cloud’s words, Krapa fell into deep thought.
‘Of all things, garlic.’
Someone of Krapa’s level wouldn’t die from eating garlic.
It would just be a little painful.
‘Not just a little, but extremely painful…’
“What, you don’t like garlic?”
“No, sir. I love it!”
For his master’s command, he could endure any pain. Even if it was the pain of his insides being set on fire!
Besides, how much garlic could a human possibly eat? At most, they’d use it as seasoning.
With that thought, Krapa accepted Cloud’s offer.
And the next morning.
“Hey, morning garlic is delicious.”
Krapa was horrified to see Cloud offering him a whole bunch of raw garlic with that bullshit line.
“Uh… um… what is this for…?”
“What do you mean? You have to eat it.”
As he spoke, Cloud peeled a clove of raw garlic, popped it into his mouth, and began to chew.
“Ah, fuck.”
For the first time in a long while, the noble vampire uttered a vulgar curse.
*
I’m sure of it.
This bastard must have figured out my identity. Otherwise, there’s no way he’d be doing this fucking shit!
Krapa muttered inwardly as he chewed on a piece of jerky marinated in garlic juice. In front of him were garlic jerky and garlic bread.
Even if he wanted to eat something without garlic, Cloud had dismissed the idea, saying there was nothing else.
He was a real son of a bitch.
“Ugh, damn. The smell of garlic. Can’t he go eat that somewhere else?”
“You go tell him.”
“What? No way. You just saw what happened, didn’t you? When that other guy went to say something, he gave him a death glare. He looked like he was about to kill someone.”
The other people sharing the cabin with Krapa and Cloud grumbled in displeasure.
Krapa’s eyes narrowed.
Inferior beings! Do you think I want to eat this shit? My stomach churns with every single bite!
Krapa trembled as he glanced to his side.
The cause of this whole situation was lying peacefully on his bed with his eyes closed. Krapa was extremely displeased by the sight, but what could he do? He had to endure it for his master’s command.
“…Are you still not going to tell me?”
“Tell you what?”
“Our destination. It’s been a while since we boarded the ship, but you still haven’t told me where we’re going.”
Several days had passed since their first meeting at the inn.
Cloud had said he would tell him their next destination later, but he still hadn’t said a word, even now that they were on the ship.
“Hmm, I guess it’s about time I told you. The place we’re going is…”
It was then.
BOOM!
With a heavy impact, the ship shook violently.
“What was that? What’s going on?”
The cabin was instantly thrown into chaos.
“Howl, go outside and see what’s happening.”
“…Yes.”
He was extremely displeased with the attitude of being ordered around like a servant, but this too was unavoidable.
I must carry out my master’s command…
Krapa trudged out of the cabin.
“Hey, what in the world is going on…?”
Krapa narrowed his eyes at the scene before him.
He rubbed his eyelids with his fingers, but the view didn’t change.
“Haha, fuck.”
I’ve been using a lot of vulgar language lately.
Click.
Closing the door, Krapa strode over and grabbed Cloud by the collar. Cloud, grabbed for no reason, tilted his head in confusion.
“You son of a bitch! I told you we should walk instead of taking a ship! You ignored me and insisted on taking a boat, and now…!”
“What? What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?”
“What’s wrong?! A storm! There’s a storm raging outside!”
A massive storm was brewing over the sea. The sailors were moving frantically, trying to escape it.
Hearing this, the other passengers in the cabin grew even more agitated.
Cloud’s reaction, on the other hand, was nonchalant.
“Is that all? From your reaction, I thought some twisted deep-sea octopus monster had shown up. You’re making all this fuss over a little storm?”
“A storm?! A little storm?! The ship is about to be wrecked, and you can say that?!”
In the face of Mother Nature’s mysteries, being a high-ranking Blood Kin’s subordinate meant fuck all.
He would just be swept away and die without being able to put up any resistance.
“Shipwreck! A shipwreck! No, I can’t die!”
The panicked passengers rushed outside. Cloud sighed and pried Krapa’s hands from his collar.
“Yeah, I get it. It can be like that if it’s your first storm.”
“…Are you saying this isn’t your first storm?”
“Of course not. How long do you think I’ve been an adventurer? As a seasoned adventurer, I’ll teach you how to deal with a storm at sea. Follow my lead.”
Krapa swallowed nervously, his face tense.
Is there… really a way to deal with a storm?
Yes, looking at that confident expression, maybe there really is.
No matter how inferior a human he is, he’s still the Hero who wanders the continent, isn’t he?
Krapa decided to trust Cloud’s words.
“First, lie down comfortably on the bed.”
…?
It was a strange instruction, but Krapa lay down comfortably on the bed.
“Close your eyes.”
Krapa closed his eyes.
“Take a deep breath and calm your mind.”
As he took deep breaths, his frantic heart began to calm down. The commotion around him no longer bothered him.
‘Not bad.’
Yes, I’ve heard that calmness is the most important thing in any situation. To think a vampire of my stature would forget that.
He reflected on his mistake and waited for the next instruction.
“Calm now? Good. Now go to sleep.”
“…?”
“I said sleep. Why are you making that face?”
“Sleep? Do you mean literally fall asleep?”
“Is there any other meaning to the word ‘sleep’?”
“…Didn’t you say this was a way to deal with the storm?”
“It is. Just take a nap, and when you wake up, everything will be resolved. Whether the ship has escaped the storm, been shipwrecked on some coast, or you’ve drowned and gone to heaven. You just have to wait for the result.”
With that, Cloud lay down on his bed and closed his eyes.
Krapa was momentarily speechless at his nonchalant attitude. Soon, he came to his senses and grabbed Cloud by the collar again.
“How is that a way to deal with it?!”
Cloud looked at Krapa with an expression of growing annoyance and said, “It is a way. Is there a better method than not going against nature and simply following its course? Just leave it to fate. That’s life.”
Cloud swatted Krapa’s hands away, lay back down, and closed his eyes.
Darkness descended before Krapa’s eyes.