Chapter 130: Karlstein (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 130: Karlstein (4)
What did the head of the family really want from me? That had been my question from the start. I had a guess, but it wasn't a sure thing. So, Plan B. I had come up with a plan for Missha to come out in front of everyone. That was the thing Albrenive wanted least right now.
Mhm. The way to hinder your opponent is to prevent them from being able to go through with their plan.
Albrenive wanted to keep Missha's awakening a secret. So, before Plan B came to fruition, I hurriedly showed my hand. As a result of pushing through the conversation like a barbarian, I was finally able to figure out what he really wanted.
"I know you used that item."
He meant the Ring of the Frost Spirit, a Numbered Item that allowed you to make a contract with the Ice Beast Skadia when you activated a hidden trigger.
It's not strange that a chief of the tribe would know that. After all, if he hadn't known that item got used, there'd be no reason for him to still be treating Missha like an other right now.
I had already considered the possibility of this coming up. However, Albrenive didn't know for sure yet.
"That item? What are you talking about?"
The odds of a twenty-five-year-old beastwoman of the Red Cat Tribe making a natural contract with Skadia were close to zero, but "close to" and "zero" were two entirely different things.
"Hmm." That was why he was feeling us out. He might have suspicions, but he had no evidence. "Your acting is clumsy."
Clumsy, my ass. Do you know how many people I've tricked so far?
"What are you talking about? Say it plainly."
"I mean the item that allows you to sign a contract with the Ice Beast Skadia. You can't say you don't know about it." Albrenive stared at me, silently demanding that I tell the truth.
Do you think barbarians are fools?
"Something like that exists? Then why didn't you give it to Missha?"
"Because it is very valuable. I wouldn't give it to someone who isn't even my child."
As soon as I heard that, I quickly checked on Missha. As expected, she looked like she was about to cry. However, I decided to console her later and continued acting like a barbarian who didn't know anything. "A valuable item? Isn't that even weirder? How could I have something like that?"
"Who knows? Perhaps you obtained it from the Magic Tower you used to visit so often."
What the fuck. Does he really know everything?
My body tensed up without me realizing it. In order to make up for my mistake, I stared at the family head. "...Did you investigate me?" With this, my actions just now wouldn't seem so awkward. I was simply a barbarian who was mad about his out-of-line behavior.
"Didn't I already tell you? Your acting is clumsy."
Damn it, I believed in my acting skills, so I refused to budge. "So what is this thing you're talking about?" I asked in annoyance. "Why do you keep bothering me like this?"
"I can't tell you that."
"What?"
"You keep denying it, and this is an item that the outside world can't know about. If you admit you already know about it, I will tell you."
Huh? The heck? There was no contradiction in his words. If he were just feeling me out, it'd make more sense for him to reveal the name of the item.
Why am I getting a weird vibe?
Something felt off. The intuition that had thwarted the countless sons of bitches who had tried to feel me out was talking to me. Something wasn't right.
"Does something like that even exist? You don't have an ulterior motive?" I once again asked, pouring all my concentration into carefully observing the head of the Karlstein family, looking for a momentary hesitation, a twitch in his facial muscles, a change in where he was looking, or how his voice sounded.
"Of course. What other reason could I have?"
I was not an expert, but I examined every part of that short sentence with suspicion. Then I instinctively sensed that he was lying.
Ha, yes, that was it. Thank you for clearing up my last suspicion. You could have felt me out in another way, you know.
"Tell me honestly," Albrenive said. "If you're keeping your mouth shut because you're worried about this kid, I'll take care of that."
Why was he saying such contradictory things? Everything made sense when you concluded that it wasn't Missha, but the ring he was after.
No wonder he kept saying "that item."
Soon, I was convinced. Albrenive knew about the Ring of the Frost Spirit, but only partway.
He knows it exists, but not what it is.
Finally, I pieced together the situation in my head. The head of the family had invited me to his home. Whether or not Missha was his real daughter didn't matter; it seemed like he wasn't too enthusiastic about his children in the first place. His real objective was something else: an item that could definitely contract a Soul Beast. If I really knew something about it, he wanted to find out what. After all, this must have been important and priceless information to a beastman. That was why he was parading Missha's miserable situation right in front of me, believing her to be my Achilles' heel. He likely intended to use her against me in a trade or for blackmail purposes.
"On my honor as a warrior, I do not know about such a thing." I threw down my trump card. The number one reason why barbarians were overpowered characters to me was the warrior's oath. Bewilderment filled Albrenive's eyes. I took it in and threw in the last punch before the timing passed me by. "But I will definitely find out what it is. Just you wait."
Muttering like I was holding back anger, I studied his face. There was a light of deep disappointment in his eyes.
Geez, his acting is worse than mine.
***
"Forget the conversation we had today."
With that order, we left the Karlstein home. Missha's face had been blank since earlier, and I didn't initiate any conversation. I had things to think about, too.
Whew, at least it didn't get to the worst-case scenario.
When I heard about the invitation from the Karlsteins, there were two reasons why I gladly accepted. The first was Missha's freedom. If the head of the household was trying to push Missha into a large clan, I had to stop it. After Erwen and Ainar, I couldn't let Missha, whom I'd put in all this effort with, get away. Even the thought was horrifying.
The second reason was to prevent anyone from suspecting me of being an evil spirit. If the head of the household knew the secret behind Missha's awakening, it was critical to visit him at least once to properly cover my bases. I didn't think he would call me there with incomplete knowledge, though.
Creak.
When we passed the garden, the gatekeeper opened the gates wide. I guess Baldy was taking a break after getting treated because it was my first time seeing this particular face.
Something felt off. The intuition that had thwarted the countless sons of bitches who had tried to feel me out was talking to me. Something wasn't right.
"Does something like that even exist? You don't have an ulterior motive?" I once again asked, pouring all my concentration into carefully observing the head of the Karlstein family, looking for a momentary hesitation, a twitch in his facial muscles, a change in where he was looking, or how his voice sounded.
"Of course. What other reason could I have?"
I was not an expert, but I examined every part of that short sentence with suspicion. Then I instinctively sensed that he was lying.
Ha, yes, that was it. Thank you for clearing up my last suspicion. You could have felt me out in another way, you know.
"Tell me honestly," Albrenive said. "If you're keeping your mouth shut because you're worried about this kid, I'll take care of that."
Why was he saying such contradictory things? Everything made sense when you concluded that it wasn't Missha, but the ring he was after.
No wonder he kept saying "that item."
Soon, I was convinced. Albrenive knew about the Ring of the Frost Spirit, but only partway.
He knows it exists, but not what it is.
Finally, I pieced together the situation in my head. The head of the family had invited me to his home. Whether or not Missha was his real daughter didn't matter; it seemed like he wasn't too enthusiastic about his children in the first place. His real objective was something else: an item that could definitely contract a Soul Beast. If I really knew something about it, he wanted to find out what. After all, this must have been important and priceless information to a beastman. That was why he was parading Missha's miserable situation right in front of me, believing her to be my Achilles' heel. He likely intended to use her against me in a trade or for blackmail purposes.
"On my honor as a warrior, I do not know about such a thing." I threw down my trump card. The number one reason why barbarians were overpowered characters to me was the warrior's oath. Bewilderment filled Albrenive's eyes. I took it in and threw in the last punch before the timing passed me by. "But I will definitely find out what it is. Just you wait."
Muttering like I was holding back anger, I studied his face. There was a light of deep disappointment in his eyes.
Geez, his acting is worse than mine.
***
"Forget the conversation we had today."
With that order, we left the Karlstein home. Missha's face had been blank since earlier, and I didn't initiate any conversation. I had things to think about, too.
Whew, at least it didn't get to the worst-case scenario.
When I heard about the invitation from the Karlsteins, there were two reasons why I gladly accepted. The first was Missha's freedom. If the head of the household was trying to push Missha into a large clan, I had to stop it. After Erwen and Ainar, I couldn't let Missha, whom I'd put in all this effort with, get away. Even the thought was horrifying.
The second reason was to prevent anyone from suspecting me of being an evil spirit. If the head of the household knew the secret behind Missha's awakening, it was critical to visit him at least once to properly cover my bases. I didn't think he would call me there with incomplete knowledge, though.
Creak.
When we passed the garden, the gatekeeper opened the gates wide. I guess Baldy was taking a break after getting treated because it was my first time seeing this particular face.
It seemed the other team recognized me, though. "G-Goodbye." When our eyes met, he even bowed briefly as he saw me off.
Soon, I turned around for the last time and looked at the mansion where Missha had lived from childhood to adulthood. The manicured gardens were gorgeous, and the fountains glistened with splendid jets of water. The mansion itself was not much different. Unlike the inn where I was staying, the architecture was antique and had an aristocratic feel. However, the cold hostility surrounding the mansion remained unchanged. Just like the first time I saw this place, I felt like I was looking at a dungeon full of monsters. And I was realizing now that Missha had survived here for a long time.
"You did a good job," I said.
As I gave her a pat on the back, Missha came to her senses and shook her head. "I-It was nothing. You did all the hard worrrk..."
Well, I didn't mean it that way. "Still, weren't you the one who had the hardest time?" I smiled and slapped her on the back again.
"Agh! It hurts!" Yeah, that seemed more like regular old Missha.
"If you're awake now, lead the way. I don't know the way back."
"Ha, rrreally... what would you do without me?"
"I wouldn't have come somewhere I don't know the way back from."
"...True."
We walked the streets, sharing in meaningless banter. There were happy faces everywhere.
"Dad, it's that barbarian from earlier!"
Families of beastpeople were walking, laughing, and chatting happily.
"Bjorn, let's eat there too."
"Why do you want to eat out for once?"
"Mm, well... it's been a long day?"
Missha and I stopped by a street vendor and bought some snacks, which we ate on a bench in the plaza. There was no problem with eating while we moved, but taking a break wasn't bad either.
"Hey, Bjorrrn?"
"Speak."
"Why haven't you ever asked?"
"What?"
After taking a short break, watching the people around us come and go, Missha asked me a question. "Aren't you currrious?"
"About what?"
"Whether... I'm really my father's child..."
So that was what she was getting at. I chuckled and glanced at Missha. She hadn't done anything wrong, but she dropped her head and stared at the ground anyway. "I'm not curious."
"Really? Not even a little bit?"
"Yeah, what does that matter?"
"Wow, you rrreally don't care about me..."
What was this kid talking about? I was about to slap her on the back again, but paused.
She said that hurt.
I thought about messing up her hair like in a cartoon, but that was too cringy. With nowhere to go, my hand landed on my knee again. I looked out into the distance and talked to her instead. After all, she was my teammate. Shouldn't I clear up some misunderstandings?
"It's not that I'm not interested, it's just that it's not really important."
"Huh?"
"Rank-seven adventurer Missha Karlstein—that's you. It doesn't matter who your parents are. The fact that you are a comrade I can trust to watch my back won't change."
It seemed the other team recognized me, though. "G-Goodbye." When our eyes met, he even bowed briefly as he saw me off.
Soon, I turned around for the last time and looked at the mansion where Missha had lived from childhood to adulthood. The manicured gardens were gorgeous, and the fountains glistened with splendid jets of water. The mansion itself was not much different. Unlike the inn where I was staying, the architecture was antique and had an aristocratic feel. However, the cold hostility surrounding the mansion remained unchanged. Just like the first time I saw this place, I felt like I was looking at a dungeon full of monsters. And I was realizing now that Missha had survived here for a long time.
"You did a good job," I said.
As I gave her a pat on the back, Missha came to her senses and shook her head. "I-It was nothing. You did all the hard worrrk..."
Well, I didn't mean it that way. "Still, weren't you the one who had the hardest time?" I smiled and slapped her on the back again.
"Agh! It hurts!" Yeah, that seemed more like regular old Missha.
"If you're awake now, lead the way. I don't know the way back."
"Ha, rrreally... what would you do without me?"
"I wouldn't have come somewhere I don't know the way back from."
"...True."
We walked the streets, sharing in meaningless banter. There were happy faces everywhere.
"Dad, it's that barbarian from earlier!"
Families of beastpeople were walking, laughing, and chatting happily.
"Bjorn, let's eat there too."
"Why do you want to eat out for once?"
"Mm, well... it's been a long day?"
Missha and I stopped by a street vendor and bought some snacks, which we ate on a bench in the plaza. There was no problem with eating while we moved, but taking a break wasn't bad either.
"Hey, Bjorrrn?"
"Speak."
"Why haven't you ever asked?"
"What?"
After taking a short break, watching the people around us come and go, Missha asked me a question. "Aren't you currrious?"
"About what?"
"Whether... I'm really my father's child..."
So that was what she was getting at. I chuckled and glanced at Missha. She hadn't done anything wrong, but she dropped her head and stared at the ground anyway. "I'm not curious."
"Really? Not even a little bit?"
"Yeah, what does that matter?"
"Wow, you rrreally don't care about me..."
What was this kid talking about? I was about to slap her on the back again, but paused.
She said that hurt.
I thought about messing up her hair like in a cartoon, but that was too cringy. With nowhere to go, my hand landed on my knee again. I looked out into the distance and talked to her instead. After all, she was my teammate. Shouldn't I clear up some misunderstandings?
"It's not that I'm not interested, it's just that it's not really important."
"Huh?"
"Rank-seven adventurer Missha Karlstein—that's you. It doesn't matter who your parents are. The fact that you are a comrade I can trust to watch my back won't change."
"Wow..." Missha's mouth fell open like she'd just heard something incredible. Then she looked up at me and smiled. "How did you think that up?"
"...Are you picking a fight?"
"Hee hee, I'm saying thank you. Those words give me some strrrength." That was a relief. After resting for long enough, I was about to get up when Missha grabbed my sleeve. "Bjorn?"
"What?"
"This is a secret, and you're the only one I'm telling, okay?"
"Spit it out quickly."
"I... really am a bastard. My mom told me. Before she died. While apologizing."
Ah, uh... um...
I scrambled to figure out what to say, and decided to just nod my head. "...I see."
"What? Why aren't you surprrrised?"
Because I already knew. I hadn't known the details, though. "It's not that important, is it?"
"Oh, this cold-hearted barrrbarian!"
Soon, we got up from our seats. Then we left the holy grounds, entered the city, and arrived at the public carriage platform.
"Oh, by the way," she said once we'd bought our tickets and were waiting for the carriage, "what was that earlierrr? You made an oath in front of my father. That was definitely..." Missha trailed off.
I was genuinely stunned. I hadn't even thought about it, either because I was so comfortable with her now, or because I had been in front of the head of the Karlstein family.
"That... was a lie, rrright?"
I sighed and nodded. What was the use of hiding anything when she already knew everything? I just had to do decent damage control. "Yeah, that was a lie. Because you are more important than my honor as a warrior."
"...Is that trrrue?"
"Yes."
Missha didn't say anything for a long while. Just like that, a period of anxiety ensued. Surely she wasn't thinking anything weird, was she?
Just when I decided to speak up first rather than let this suffocating silence continue, Missha jumped up. Then she blurted out something basically unintelligible. "Oh! I left something at home, so I'm going to go!"
"...What? A carriage is coming soon—"
"You head home firrrst!"
And just like that, she was gone with the wind.
What the... Am I fucked?
***
Flip.
Sitting in his study, Albrenive Karlstein turned the pages of a book with a slightly hasty hand. Then, finally, he found what he was looking for.
No...
In the case of... it is possible to contract the Ice Beast, Skadia.
All of his suspicions began with this book, and an explanatory summary with only one intelligible sentence thanks to the page it was on being completely torn apart. The Complete Book of Relics VI contained descriptions of hundreds of numbered items. The important thing here was that said explanations were never wrong. That was what these books were—books of truths that there was no point in doubting.
If I hadn't known about this, I could have been genuinely happy.
When that child had revealed she was awakened, to be honest, he was happy. He had thought that he wouldn't have to hide the family's disgrace anymore. However, the Soul Beast she'd made a contract with was the issue. Was this really a coincidence? He couldn't shake a strange unease. He had questioned the child many times and soon came to a conclusion: she didn't awaken naturally. And if his assumption was correct, she had received help, perhaps from that barbarian Bjorn Yandel.
"I-I can't tell you anything related to Bjorn. I m-made an oath to the Guardian Deity..."
However, the child avoided the conversation by invoking the Guardian Deity's oath. Although the oath held no authority and had no meaning now in a time when such traditions had faded, the child who had never been able to rebel had come up with an excuse for the first time and had lied to him. It would be difficult to get a proper answer from her.
It would be better to dig into that barbarian.
Albrenive thus changed targets. Then, suspicious details came to his attention, one after another. The barbarian was friendly with a wizard of the Artemion School, Arua Raven. Coincidentally, he knew of her. She was a rival he'd run into while wandering around to get another Complete Book.
Then a hypothesis formed in his mind. What if the wizard had somehow gotten her hands on The Complete Book of Relics? And what if she told the barbarian about it?
That makes a lot more sense.
He decided to aim for the barbarian rather than the bold wizard girl. Throughout his investigation, he found out that his relationship with Missha was almost like that of a married couple, so it seemed to make sense to use her.
To think it really was a natural awakening.
He didn't believe in things like oaths, but that barbarian hadn't been acting. He really seemed oblivious, and Albrenive found himself lamenting his neglect toward that child.
Interesting. Even such insignificant blood has talent.
Just as his thoughts began to wander in that direction, someone knocked on the door. It was Beros, his aide. "Missha is asking to see you."
"Send her in at once."
The aide left, and after a brief wait, the child came in. "I... there was something I didn't say earlierrr—"
"Ah, don't worry about that. I will keep my promise. No one will think of you as someone who isn't part of the family anymore."
Strangely, Missha did not react to that. He had thought she would be happier.
He even added, "That means you are my daughter now." These were words that any child who grew up lacking love and resenting her family would have desperately hoped to hear. However, her silence continued. "...Why aren't you saying anything?"
"Because I'm not here to hearrr something like that!"
"What?" He was taken aback by her disrespectful tone. What was this change in attitude?
Before he could regroup, Missha faced him head-on. "Father—no, you're not even my fatherrr. Did you know that? We don't share even a drop of blood."
"What?" He was genuinely perplexed, not because he didn't know that, but because he had never expected to hear it from her.
"My mother told me beforrre she passed away. I'm not actually blood-related to the Karlstein family. I came to tell you that. I hate you... but I feel sorrry for you."
Perhaps it was because he hadn't imagined she'd ever act this way, but Albrenive wasn't even offended by that bold statement. He was just curious. "Why are you doing this?"
He knew who Missha's real father was. He had secretly watched his wife confess the truth on her deathbed. He had just kept it a secret it until Missha became an adult for the sake of his family's honor. He figured this matter would all be resolved if she just died in the labyrinth.
"If you hadn't said that, I really would have accepted you as a member of the family." He was giving her what she always longed for. Why was she refusing it? "Why? Why throw away this opportunity with your own hands?"
As if the question wasn't worth answering, the child turned around and headed for the door. But did she have a last-minute change of heart? She turned her head to glance at him over her shoulder. "I just... wanted to!"
To Albrenive, those words were utterly incomprehensible.
"Wow..." Missha's mouth fell open like she'd just heard something incredible. Then she looked up at me and smiled. "How did you think that up?"
"...Are you picking a fight?"
"Hee hee, I'm saying thank you. Those words give me some strrrength." That was a relief. After resting for long enough, I was about to get up when Missha grabbed my sleeve. "Bjorn?"
"What?"
"This is a secret, and you're the only one I'm telling, okay?"
"Spit it out quickly."
"I... really am a bastard. My mom told me. Before she died. While apologizing."
Ah, uh... um...
I scrambled to figure out what to say, and decided to just nod my head. "...I see."
"What? Why aren't you surprrrised?"
Because I already knew. I hadn't known the details, though. "It's not that important, is it?"
"Oh, this cold-hearted barrrbarian!"
Soon, we got up from our seats. Then we left the holy grounds, entered the city, and arrived at the public carriage platform.
"Oh, by the way," she said once we'd bought our tickets and were waiting for the carriage, "what was that earlierrr? You made an oath in front of my father. That was definitely..." Missha trailed off.
I was genuinely stunned. I hadn't even thought about it, either because I was so comfortable with her now, or because I had been in front of the head of the Karlstein family.
"That... was a lie, rrright?"
I sighed and nodded. What was the use of hiding anything when she already knew everything? I just had to do decent damage control. "Yeah, that was a lie. Because you are more important than my honor as a warrior."
"...Is that trrrue?"
"Yes."
Missha didn't say anything for a long while. Just like that, a period of anxiety ensued. Surely she wasn't thinking anything weird, was she?
Just when I decided to speak up first rather than let this suffocating silence continue, Missha jumped up. Then she blurted out something basically unintelligible. "Oh! I left something at home, so I'm going to go!"
"...What? A carriage is coming soon—"
"You head home firrrst!"
And just like that, she was gone with the wind.
What the... Am I fucked?
***
Flip.
Sitting in his study, Albrenive Karlstein turned the pages of a book with a slightly hasty hand. Then, finally, he found what he was looking for.
No...
In the case of... it is possible to contract the Ice Beast, Skadia.
All of his suspicions began with this book, and an explanatory summary with only one intelligible sentence thanks to the page it was on being completely torn apart. The Complete Book of Relics VI contained descriptions of hundreds of numbered items. The important thing here was that said explanations were never wrong. That was what these books were—books of truths that there was no point in doubting.
If I hadn't known about this, I could have been genuinely happy.
When that child had revealed she was awakened, to be honest, he was happy. He had thought that he wouldn't have to hide the family's disgrace anymore. However, the Soul Beast she'd made a contract with was the issue. Was this really a coincidence? He couldn't shake a strange unease. He had questioned the child many times and soon came to a conclusion: she didn't awaken naturally. And if his assumption was correct, she had received help, perhaps from that barbarian Bjorn Yandel.
"I-I can't tell you anything related to Bjorn. I m-made an oath to the Guardian Deity..."
However, the child avoided the conversation by invoking the Guardian Deity's oath. Although the oath held no authority and had no meaning now in a time when such traditions had faded, the child who had never been able to rebel had come up with an excuse for the first time and had lied to him. It would be difficult to get a proper answer from her.
It would be better to dig into that barbarian.
Albrenive thus changed targets. Then, suspicious details came to his attention, one after another. The barbarian was friendly with a wizard of the Artemion School, Arua Raven. Coincidentally, he knew of her. She was a rival he'd run into while wandering around to get another Complete Book.
Then a hypothesis formed in his mind. What if the wizard had somehow gotten her hands on The Complete Book of Relics? And what if she told the barbarian about it?
That makes a lot more sense.
He decided to aim for the barbarian rather than the bold wizard girl. Throughout his investigation, he found out that his relationship with Missha was almost like that of a married couple, so it seemed to make sense to use her.
To think it really was a natural awakening.
He didn't believe in things like oaths, but that barbarian hadn't been acting. He really seemed oblivious, and Albrenive found himself lamenting his neglect toward that child.
Interesting. Even such insignificant blood has talent.
Just as his thoughts began to wander in that direction, someone knocked on the door. It was Beros, his aide. "Missha is asking to see you."
"Send her in at once."
The aide left, and after a brief wait, the child came in. "I... there was something I didn't say earlierrr—"
"Ah, don't worry about that. I will keep my promise. No one will think of you as someone who isn't part of the family anymore."
Strangely, Missha did not react to that. He had thought she would be happier.
He even added, "That means you are my daughter now." These were words that any child who grew up lacking love and resenting her family would have desperately hoped to hear. However, her silence continued. "...Why aren't you saying anything?"
"Because I'm not here to hearrr something like that!"
"What?" He was taken aback by her disrespectful tone. What was this change in attitude?
Before he could regroup, Missha faced him head-on. "Father—no, you're not even my fatherrr. Did you know that? We don't share even a drop of blood."
"What?" He was genuinely perplexed, not because he didn't know that, but because he had never expected to hear it from her.
"My mother told me beforrre she passed away. I'm not actually blood-related to the Karlstein family. I came to tell you that. I hate you... but I feel sorrry for you."
Perhaps it was because he hadn't imagined she'd ever act this way, but Albrenive wasn't even offended by that bold statement. He was just curious. "Why are you doing this?"
He knew who Missha's real father was. He had secretly watched his wife confess the truth on her deathbed. He had just kept it a secret it until Missha became an adult for the sake of his family's honor. He figured this matter would all be resolved if she just died in the labyrinth.
"If you hadn't said that, I really would have accepted you as a member of the family." He was giving her what she always longed for. Why was she refusing it? "Why? Why throw away this opportunity with your own hands?"
As if the question wasn't worth answering, the child turned around and headed for the door. But did she have a last-minute change of heart? She turned her head to glance at him over her shoulder. "I just... wanted to!"
To Albrenive, those words were utterly incomprehensible.