Chapter 2 - Meeting Karl the Barbarian (1)
Chapter 2 - Meeting Karl the Barbarian (1)
Chapter 2 - Meeting the Barbarian Karl (1)
002
Slimes are a species that typically live in the forests.
Their nature leans toward the docile side, so they say they will never attack unless provoked first.
However, if their numbers grow too large, they become the main cause of the forest ecosystem collapsing.
That is why the Adventurers Guild periodically hunts slimes.
"The reward is 20 copper coins."
Converted, that is 20 loaves of bread!
Taking on requests like this really does pay well.
I wish I had done this sooner, but unfortunately I did not even have money to buy a weapon, so I could only accept it now.
"We recommend forming a party. Do you happen to know anyone?"
The receptionist asked me with her characteristically friendly smile.
Someone I know, huh.
There are a few. Adventurers I got to know while working as a porter.
The problem is that those folks are not the type to take on odd jobs like this.
"I do not..."
"Then you will have to make one. Take the request form and head over to the dining hall area. There should be adventurers wandering around looking for work."
After hearing that, I headed toward the dining hall.
The Adventurers Guild building also served as both a dining hall and lodging, so it was quite massive, and naturally there were a lot of people.
I clutched the request form tightly and looked around. How many people here were looking for work like me?
As I did, my eyes landed on a woman quietly tilting a cup of liquor at one of the tables.
She was a large woman with black hair wearing thick breastplate armor. A massive axe leaned against the table beside her, so huge that it reached up to half her torso.
Her face was hard to see. The hair sticking out from under her helmet only told me it was black; her features gave nothing away.
'A northern barbarian!'
I do not know their official name. I only know they are characterized by black hair.
They are all said to be brave people who do not fear death, but because their temperament is crude and violent, they are looked down upon.
'That is why there is no one around her.'
Barbarians usually travel alone, so she probably does not have anyone to party with either.
The question is whether that human will even take on a slime extermination request. Barbarians value honor as much as they are brave, so there is a high chance they will not bother with odd jobs like this.
I will poke at her anyway. If not, I can just find someone else.
"Excuse me."
The barbarian turned her head at my words. Up close, she was even taller.
She had to be at least two meters.
"Do you have business with me, little man?"
The barbarian's speech was clumsy, as if she was not used to this country's language.
"How long have you been in this city? I have never seen your face at the guild before."
"...If you are trying to prostitute yourself to me, I am not interested. The warriors of the north only accept the seed of warriors."
"That is not it!"
"If it is not that, then fine. I arrived in this city two days ago."
"Aha! Then you do not have any companions traveling with you, do you?"
Looking around, there were no other barbarians. In other words, she had no one to party with.
The guild only assigns missions to parties of two or more. That is supposedly effective at reducing the death rate.
"I do not."
"Then how about forming a party with me? The truth is, I received a simple request, but I cannot go because I am short on people. Haha..."
The barbarian did not answer right away.
She tilted her cup to her lips first, as if drinking took priority over me, and only after slamming it down with a thud did she open her mouth.
"You are weak. I am strong. I possess the power granted by Mother of the Snowfield."
"Even though I may look weak!"
"Your frame is small. The weapon you carry is also pathetic."
...Every single word was correct.
In truth, I had already vaguely sensed that finding a party would be difficult for me.
No helping it. I will have to find someone else.
"Therefore, you will not be able to attack me. What you possess is pathetic. I arrived in this city two days ago. There is much I do not know. You will assist me. Then I shall accompany you."
"I-is that so? If those are the conditions, I would be more than happy to."
"Good."
I did it.
I actually pulled it off!
'I have already accumulated quite a bit of this world's common sense.'
To survive as a porter, information gathering is the top priority.
Without miscellaneous knowledge and information collection, you will starve to death in no time.
"You. Meet me here tomorrow at this same time."
"Understood."
"Go."
I quietly left.
Today is a good day. Even though I have taken on a huge debt, I have finally been able to start real work!
'Today I will eat two loaves of bread.'
Even if they are hard and black, there could be no finer feast than that.
The next day.
I walked toward the forest where slimes appeared, together with the barbarian I had met yesterday.
The hot sunlight licked at my skin. Whether it was the sunlight's saliva or just sweat running down, either way, moisture was leaking out of my entire body.
"Huaaah..."
It is humid and hot.
At this level of humidity, is it not basically the same as living in water?
I cannot understand why it is this hot in summer yet so cold in winter.
Anyway, it is a difficult city to live in.
"Slimes are monsters that do not exist in the north. What are they?"
"Huff, huff... S-slimes?
Most of a slime's body is composed of moisture. Naturally, they would not be able to live in the cold, dry north.
"They are born when mana settles into stagnant puddles of water. They usually crawl along the ground sucking up moisture to increase their size. Once they get big enough, they pounce on animals and suck out their bodily fluids."
"Like vampires."
"If you think about it, yes. Ones that grow to human size will even attack people, but they are usually exterminated before that happens."
The total number of slimes we need to exterminate is fifteen.
That is not a large number. With the right technique, even a child could handle it.
Of course it would be difficult for me alone, but with this barbarian friend around, I can breathe easy!
"Come to think of it, your name..."
"I will not tell you. You are not yet my friend."
"Ah, yes. My name is Dennis."
That is not my real name. My true name is Park Seoyun.
This name was one I came up with back when I was a kid at English Village, and since this world somehow resembles medieval Europe, I roughly gave myself an English-style name.
It seems to work well enough as a name, so I have been using it.
"Right."
"Hmm, still, I think I need some way to address you. That would make it easier to call you."
"Call me Warrior."
"Warrior? Should I say Warrior-nim, then?"
"That is correct. All daughters of the snowfield are warriors."
Hah. I see.
"Understood, Warrior-nim. It looks like we will be arriving soon. Do you see those slime traces over there? That is a slime trail."
When I pointed at the green slime residue stuck thickly to the grass, the barbarian nodded with interest.
"Judging by the size of the residue, it seems fairly large. It could easily pounce on a rabbit."
"Is that so."
"The residue has not hardened yet. It should be nearby."
Sure enough, my prediction was correct.
When we pushed aside the grass, there was a slime wriggling inside.
It was about the size of my ankle. Considering that their usual size is on the level of a snail, this one must have absorbed quite a bit of moisture.
"Warrior-nim, look. This is a slime."
It was a grotesque creature with a wobbly, jelly-like body colored green.
At the center of its body was a round, egg-like nucleus. That was its weak point.
Piercing it there would kill it instantly without fail. Veterans are said to be able to stab it in one go.
"I will give it a try."
I raised my dagger and drove it down toward the slime's nucleus.
"Gurururuk!"
With a sudden vulgar moan, the nucleus split cleanly on the blade.
In an instant, the creature's body collapsed with a rush. As per the natural order, it dissolved back into moisture.
"This is how even a light touch to the nucleus kills them. Simple, right?"
"Simple indeed. Even a child could do this."
"Of course, but occasionally tricky specimens appear, so we cannot let our guard down."
"Tricky?"
Slimes are fundamentally easy to deal with.
Combat is usually 70 percent decided by size difference, and these creatures are endlessly small.
However, there are always exceptions.
"...That one over there is exactly such a case."
I pointed with my hand at the exception that had just appeared.
It had a similar size to the one I had just killed, but its body color was closer to yellow.
That one had sucked the juice of highly acidic fruit, so its entire body carried acidic properties.
It was not enough to melt human flesh, but touching it would still hurt quite a bit.
"In cases like that, we keep our distance like this."
I backed up until my sword could just barely reach the nucleus, then thrust forward quickly.
Fwoosh! The creature's body scattered limply.
"The key point is killing them from as far away as possible."
"I see. Then how should we handle a case like that?"
"What kind of case are you referring to?"
"That."
Crack!
The moment the barbarian spoke, the sound of wood splintering rang out.
Letting out its characteristic splat sound with great force, it was... a two-meter giant slime.
"...I cannot handle that one either."
This fucking shit!
No wonder my luck had been so good.