Chapter 353: Barbara
Chapter 353: Barbara
East, West, South, North.
Of the forces assigned to these four gates, the one advancing at the very front was the Eastern Gate unit, commanded by the Han Lord.
While crossing the Forest of Constellations, the Eastern Gate unit encountered a group of Users who appeared to have fled from Barbara, forcing them to abruptly halt their march. Using the communication crystal provided for smooth inter-unit communication, they relayed their intention to await orders on how to proceed, whether it be handling the Users or resuming the march.
The Western Gate unit, which received the message, replied, “For now, guide the Users to our position. We will halt our advance here. Do not lower your guard until you receive further communication.”
Before long, the Users who had fled Barbara arrived, escorted by members of the Eastern Gate unit.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven… Only seven of them?
As I counted them one by one, a strange suspicion began to surface. The number itself might not have mattered much, but the more I looked at them, the subtle sense of unease I’d felt from the start wouldn't go away.
Should I have brought Ahn Sol?
Just as I was starting to regret that my lucky charm wasn't with me, the Goryeo Lord began his questioning.
“I was told you are Users who escaped from Barbara. You all look exhausted… I apologize, but I have a few questions for you. They are quite important to us right now.”
“Haha. Not at all. It’s fine. We’re a little tired, but right now, we’re just relieved to have met fellow Users. The people who escorted us gave us a rough idea of the situation. We will answer your questions to the best of our ability.”
A man standing in the center of the seven Users answered the Goryeo Lord. His appearance was shabby, and his face was etched with fatigue. Yet, an expression of genuine relief was plain to see.
But I narrowed my eyes and studied him closely. His clothes, torn in places and so dirty it looked intentional, kept bothering me.
“Thank you for your understanding. First, could you provide some basic user information? If you belong to a clan, I’d like to know that as well.”
“I am Baek Geon-ung, a Year 4 User. I’m currently unaffiliated. The clan I was in disbanded after the Steel Mountains expedition.”
When the man stated his name, the Goryeo Lord glanced at the Users gathered around. From his gaze, it seemed he was checking if anyone knew Baek Geon-ung. However, the Users assembled here were all of a certain standing or had built a reputation for themselves.
Baek Geon-ung, on the other hand, seemed to be an average User, so it was safe to assume they would have had few opportunities to interact, unless there was some special relationship.
After seeing the Users all shake their heads, the Goryeo Lord spoke again.
“I see. Then, could you briefly tell us about the current situation in Barbara? For example, how the battle is progressing…”
“The progression, you ask? To be honest, we left the city a week ago, so we have no way of knowing about the battle. I’m sorry.”
“Pardon? What do you mean you don’t know the situation?”
“It’s just as I said. We left the city about a week ago. At that time, the city had not yet been invaded.”
In other words, they had left Barbara before the invasion even began.
And their clothes are in that state?
Barbara’s stability was considered the best on the Northern Continent. Moreover, if they had left a week ago, they must have passed through the areas near the city. As such, it was rare for one’s clothes to get that damaged—no, it was practically impossible. I felt the faint suspicion I’d had at first grow stronger.
“Let me at least tell you about the situation up until we left…”
As I listened to Baek Geon-ung’s continuing explanation, I activated my Third Eye.
Huh?
The moment I checked his Player Status, I felt an immense power focus in my eyes.
“Where should I begin… First, shutting down the Warp Gate was a unilateral decision by the Golden Lion Clan. It didn’t seem like the East and South were going to change their stance, and Users were constantly leaving. I think they were probably trying to secure defense personnel by force.”
“Hmm. But I was under the impression that not just the Warp Gate, but all forms of contact were cut off. What happened there?”
“Ah. That… I believe a similar phenomenon occurred in other cities that were invaded in the past. But Barbara hadn't been invaded, and yet… To be honest, I don’t really know the reason. However, whenever we tried to communicate, the flow of magic power became extremely unstable.”
Baek Geon-ung shook his head calmly, as if he truly knew nothing about that part. His story continued.
Afterward, the Golden Lion Clan had apparently tried everything to defend the city, from coaxing to placating the Users. But the North, which they had trusted as their last bastion, had already turned its back on them, and the number of people leaving through the city gates increased by the day.
In this situation, Baek Geon-ung had tried to hold out, but he concluded his story by saying that the moment he confirmed the invaders were closing in, he fled the city without hesitation.
“I admit it was a cowardly act. But I just didn’t think the city could hold out. It was once a city with at least ten thousand residents… By the time I left, there probably weren’t even a thousand people remaining.”
“Hmm… I’ve heard you out. So you’re saying you don’t know anything beyond that.”
“Yes…”
Baek Geon-ung added, his voice tinged with deep regret. The Goryeo Lord, watching him, nodded with a placid expression. In a way, the situation in Barbara was no different from what the East and South had orchestrated. He seemed to have anticipated it to some extent and didn't appear to find it particularly strange.
“Understood. Then we must decide what to do with you all… For now, it seems best to return to the city. It’s dangerous here.”
“Ah. Excuse me, I have a request regarding that.”
“A request?”
“If you are heading to Barbara now, could we perhaps…”
At that moment, Baek Geon-ung stopped talking.
It was because I had taken a step forward. In an instant, everyone’s gaze fell on me as I walked slowly toward the Goryeo Lord.
“Hm? Mercenary Lord. Is there something you wish to say?”
“Yes, Goryeo Lord. Do you happen to remember the incident where we cleaned out the spies?”
“Ah. Of course, I do. Thanks to the Shadow Queen’s ability, we were able to root out even those who Baek Seoyeon hadn't named… But why bring that up so suddenly?”
“A thought just occurred to me. If it’s not too much trouble, would it be alright if I asked these people a few more questions?”
I was no longer a fledgling. I was the User who had contributed most to the preparations for this war, and the lord of the Mercenary Clan, whose reputation was currently soaring. In the past, such an action would have been considered arrogant, but now, I was in a position where my voice would be heard.
The Goryeo Lord looked momentarily puzzled, but then he nodded once or twice, as if to say, ‘Go ahead.’
I began my questioning immediately.
As always, I started with a fastball.
“I’ll be blunt. I find you all extremely suspicious.”
“Excuse me?”
“The distance from here to Barbara is about five days if you travel fast, and seven if you go slow. Your story itself isn’t a major issue… but I can’t shake the feeling that the timing is just too perfect.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You said you left just before the city was invaded, but there’s no way to know that, is there? It could have been invaded well over a week ago. Or perhaps it has already fallen. Do you understand what I’m getting at?”
A murmur spread through the crowd.
The moment I finished speaking, a small commotion erupted among the surrounding Users. Most of them seemed surprised by my sudden statement, wondering what nonsense I was spouting. But I had expected this reaction. I had spoken out because I was certain, and I had an ace up my sleeve. I wanted to end this quickly, without dragging it out.
“Oh my. Mercenary Lord?”
Just then, a polite and demure voice called out to me from the side. It was Seon Yul. She gently linked her arm with mine and continued in a low tone.
“Are you suggesting that you suspect these people of being Vagabonds?”
“That’s right. We’ve currently captured all the spies. Since they can’t contact their agents, I figured they’d be curious about our situation. So, they disguised these Vagabonds in front of us as Users to extract information.”
“Hmm. That’s quite the theory you’ve got there. No physical evidence, only circumstantial… A bit of a stretch, don’t you think?”
Seon Yul let out a light laugh and chided me with a look full of sarcasm. At that, thinking he had found an ally, Baek Geon-ung’s flustered expression quickly returned to a smile as he spoke.
“Haha. It’s alright. I understand. Given the circumstances, it’s certainly possible to be suspicious. As for that part, I can explain…”
“No, actually. I do think it’s a stretch, but I was thinking the same thing as the Mercenary Lord. That’s why I said it.”
It happened in an instant. The Tarot Card Magician, Seon Yul, who had just challenged my words, suddenly dropped her expression and changed her tune completely.
“W-What? What do you mean…”
“We’re not fools. Your story sounds plausible at first glance, but if you think about it, there are too many things that don’t add up. For example, the communication crystal. Let’s say it didn’t work inside the city, but you could have used it after you left, couldn’t you? We just used ours perfectly fine a moment ago. Did you happen to try?”
Hey, I was going to say that.
My plan was to make a big accusation, even if it felt forced, and then follow up with supporting details. It was a bit of a disappointing moment for me.
“N-No. We don’t have a communication crystal.”
“Aha. I see. Then let’s do a simple body search. I’d think a spy would have brought a crystal to send secret messages. Wouldn’t you agree, Mercenary Lord?”
As the person he thought was an ally turned on him, Baek Geon-ung’s consistently calm demeanor vanished, replaced by a look of utter panic.
Hm. We’re quite in sync, aren’t we?
I inwardly marveled as I saw Seon Yul wink at me. Of course, my opinion of her as an unpredictable woman remained unchanged.
“This is truly unfair!”
Just then, a woman who had been listening quietly from the back shouted in a shrill voice.
“Do you have any idea what we went through to leave that city? How we trembled in fear all the way here? We finally thought we’d found allies, and now you treat us like some ridiculous Vagabonds…”
The woman’s face showed genuine indignation. But for me, who was already certain thanks to the Third Eye, it looked like nothing more than an attempt to escape the crisis by appealing to emotion.
“How… How… How could you do this? We barely thought we’d survived… How… Sob… sob…”
How could I?
Because I've seen all of your Player Statuses, that's how.
“Ahem. I understand what the Mercenary Lord is saying. However, I don’t think it’s right to corner them based on mere speculation. The timing could be a coincidence, and they might not have thought to use a communication crystal. After all, isn’t it possible they are genuinely wronged Users?”
I felt a brief pang of disappointment, but the Goryeo Lord’s words were the most appropriate for the current situation.
Emboldened by the Goryeo Lord’s defense, Baek Geon-ung’s face lit up as if he’d had a sudden idea.
“Ah! Wait a moment! There are many people here. I’m sure someone among you must know at least one of the seven of us. Ah, no. There’s no need for that. Among the first people we met, there was a face I recognized! If I go to that person, I can prove our innocence.”
“Oh. Now that you mention it, that is one way. Still, just in case, we will conduct a body search and temporarily confiscate any communication crystals…”
A final, desperate struggle. While his method might seem sound, it had a major flaw. We may have cleaned out the spies from the East, South, and secretly the North, but the spies from the Central region still remained.
In other words, it was highly likely that Baek Geon-ung and the people behind him were Vagabonds wearing the masks of Users.
I quickly shook my head and spoke quietly.
“No. There’s no need for that. I have proof.”
“Excuse me? Proof…”
I heard the Goryeo Lord’s questioning voice, but without delay, I called out a name.
“User Ko Yeonju.”
“Yes, Clan Lord. You called?”
As if she had been waiting since I first stepped forward, Ko Yeonju quickly came forward and answered.
“Ah.”
At that moment, I heard the Goryeo Lord gasp beside me. Ko Yeonju had often been dispatched on missions, so he likely understood exactly what I intended to do.
“I don’t believe all seven of the people before me can resist your ability.”
“Hmm~.”
I turned to Ko Yeonju and gestured toward the Vagabonds, who were standing with tense faces. She drew out her response with a leisurely hum.
“Hoho. I think so, too.”
And then, Ko Yeonju, answering in her characteristically languid voice, had eyes that were already tinged a faint ash-gray.
*
The sun was setting, and a deep twilight was already blanketing the plains. But with patches of darkness seeping in here and there, I could tell that evening would soon arrive.
As I calmly looked around, I saw tents neatly set up, indicating that preparations for camping were complete. Normally, we would have marched for as long as time allowed, but since leaving the Forest of Constellations, we had ceased all rapid marching.
The reason was simple: we would soon arrive at Barbara.
The remaining distance was short enough that we could cover it in two days, even at a slow pace. As such, it was now time to conserve our stamina for the coming war.
I stepped out of my tent and watched the Users talking with serious faces, then turned my head once more. My gaze fell upon the center of the campsite, where seven people were tied to wooden posts. Bloodstains were visible all over them, and they were completely still, clearly already dead.
The seven people hanging there were the Vagabonds who had come disguised as Users three days ago. Using Ko Yeonju’s unique ability, ‘Eyes of Temptation,’ I had easily exposed their true identities. They were immediately taken prisoner and, in turn, revealed most of the information they knew.
Of course, being mere grunts, there wasn’t much to be gained. There were only two useful pieces of information.
One was that Barbara had already been captured. And the other was…
Vwooom…
Just then, the resonant hum of a sword reached my ears, and I turned around. Behind me stood the Sword Empress, Nam Daeun, looking demure.
“The Mercenary Lord has achieved another great feat.”
A cold and frosty voice. Just from her tone, one might mistake it for dislike, but now that I knew it wasn't her true feeling, I just shrugged nonchalantly.
“I was just suspicious. It’s not something to be praised as a great feat.”
“You’re being modest.”
Vwooom.
I tilted my head. I had helped her by recommending her clan members, but since then, we had mostly just nodded briefly at each other and gone our separate ways. That was why I found it a bit strange that the Sword Empress was suddenly striking up a conversation with me.
Why is she suddenly acting like this? It's making me uncomfortable.
As I pondered how to respond, I saw Nam Daeun’s lips part once more.
“There’s a meeting this evening. For the squad members, of course.”
“I see.”
A clear message and a simple reply. And then, an uncomfortable silence descended once again. As the atmosphere lingered, why did I get the feeling that I had done something wrong?
Wanting to shake off the inexplicable guilt, I decided to answer more sincerely.
VWOOOM!
“I will be sure to attend the meeting.”
“……”
At my firm reply, Nam Daeun nodded. Then, we looked at each other, our gazes meeting.
About ten seconds passed as we stared at each other meaninglessly.
Nam Daeun seemed to have something more to say, her lips moving slightly. Then, her eyes flickered downward as she shyly extended both hands, her voice small.
“M-Mercenary Lord. This…”
“…Yes?”
“Please… I’m asking you… Please…”
“…This again?”
As if she was incredibly embarrassed to be asking me this, Nam Daeun just stared at the innocent ground, nodding her head repeatedly. In her delicate hands was the sword that had been emitting that annoyingly loud hum.
So it's still not resolved.
I sighed inwardly and carefully took the sword from her.
Wee-ing, wee-ing.
Suddenly, the sword began to make a strange noise.
Startled, I dropped it.
Waaaaah.
And then, a sorrowful wail echoed from it.