Chapter 99: Rumors (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 99: Rumors (1)
A magic item that could identify the soul of an evil spirit? A second ago, I never would have expected to find myself in this situation.
No matter what this thing is, though, it changes nothing.
I dismissed the idea that this was purely academic curiosity on the old man's part. Could it be that he really knew something? Or was it really just a coincidence? If I couldn't be sure, I'd have to assume the worst. The old man was suspicious of me. So what should I do now?
"...magic item?" I frowned at the old man as if the words "magic item" bothered me more than "evil spirit," and that was the reason for that short silence just now. "...Is it safe?" I said dubiously. I was a barbarian who didn't know anything about magic, and I'd seen countless strange-looking magical tools in Raven's lab.
This must be the right way to react.
Wrapping up my brief assessment, I took action. Now it was the old man's turn.
"Hmm." He studied me with a strange look on his face, but then his expression shifted as he opened his mouth. "Heh heh, you don't trust me? Me, the master of the Altemion School?" When I looked at him as if to say, Isn't that obvious? The old man clicked his tongue. "Tsk, what do you take me for, my friend? Don't worry. Aru will prove that the magic item is harmless to the human body."
"...Pardon? Me?"
"That isn't too hard, is it?"
"Yes, well... if it's just to check what spells were cast on the item, then..."
The master of her school, or a three-month bond with a barbarian? Since it was clear which side Raven would prioritize, I found that particular claim hard to believe.
No matter what excuses I make here, I'll end up falling into his trap anyway.
As I listened to the two of them talk, I grew certain. I didn't know what exactly had tipped him off, but the old man was suspicious of me. Fortunately, it didn't seem like he was entirely sure yet, judging by the way he was trying to suss me out with a non-existent magic item.
Yeah, I'm sure that a magic item like that doesn't exist.
Brushing off my anxiety, I thoroughly analyzed the evidence. A magic item that could identify evil spirits? Nothing like that had existed for thousands of years. However, as this civilization continued to develop, it wouldn't be strange if something like that were actually invented one day.
Still, it would be ridiculous to assume that the first person to make one would be this old man.
The Altemion school was an orthodox school of wizards. Rather than niche subjects such as dimensions and souls, their research mainly focused on things like the creation of new spells. Why would a wizard like that create an evil spirit reader?
If something like that really did exist, he would have done anything he could to trick me into letting him use it on me. He wouldn't have felt me out like this.
Soon, I came to a conclusion. There was no evil spirit reader. The old man just wanted to see my reaction.
"So what do you think?" he asked. "It's not dangerous, and it won't take long."
"...It won't take long?"
"It should take about five minutes."
"In that case, well..." I accepted the old man's offer as though I were a bit uneasy, but had no complaints as long as this would be over with quickly. But I guess my response was an unexpected one.
"...Are you really all right with that?" The old man answered me with a question of his own. His reaction washed away the last dregs of my anxiety.
"What do you mean?" I asked calmly. "All right with what?"
"...Weren't you worried that it might be dangerous?"
"If it is, she said she would check it out!"
"That's true, but..."
"Let's go. I'm already tired from waking up early. I want to go home and sleep!"
Who the fuck did this old man think he was messing with?
***
"He's gone..."
Bjorn had left the laboratory. Raven let out a big sigh at her teacher's mumbling, which sounded somewhat disappointed. She didn't understand what had just happened. A magic item to identify evil spirits? She had never heard anything about her master researching something like that.
"What was that?" Raven asked. When he didn't answer, she pressed him. "Don't just sit there. Are you really not going to tell me?"
Under her master's instructions, she'd had to prove to Bjorn that the magic item was safe. It wasn't difficult, because the 'magic item' her master had called an evil spirit reader wasn't actually imbued with any spells. It was just an odd-looking chair.
"Don't say anything, just go with it," he'd ordered. So, she kept her mouth shut at her master's urging, not mentioning that fact to Bjorn. And now it was time for her to hear the truth.
Of course, she had her theories. She wasn't that stupid. "...Did you really think Mr. Yandel was an evil spirit? Is that why you interrogated me about what happened in the labyrinth?"
Her master neither confirmed nor denied that, but sometimes silence was the most revealing answer of all.
"Ha... So have your suspicions been put to rest now?"
"...Yes, I was wrong."
"It's not like I don't understand where you're coming from, Master. He is a strange man, after all. But I have a question. And I would really like for you to answer it."
"...What is it?" her master asked weakly.
"Why did you do that? If you suspected him of being an evil spirit, you could have let the Ministry of Security take care—"
"If I did that, he would die," he murmured quietly.
"Sorry? What do you m—"
"I'm tired. I'll take my leave now, so please clean this up." Soon, her master lifted his elderly body from the chair and left the room with an uncharacteristic weariness in his gait.
Raven, now alone in her laboratory, pondered her master's words.
He'd die?
In other words, could that also be taken to mean that her master needed a live evil spirit for some reason?
What does Master want?
She couldn't shake off her sense of unease.
***
Flop!
Returning home, I immediately collapsed on the bed. For some reason, I felt like I had used up all of my energy this morning. I wanted to get some rest, but I took time to relax and reflect on what had happened today.
That really came out of nowhere.
I didn't think I made any mistakes. Looking back, none of the moves I'd made were bad ones. Assuming the worst, and using the information provided, I prevented myself from jumping to conclusions. Because of that, I was able to come up with the best solution I could at the time.
"...Are you really all right with that?" The old man answered me with a question of his own. His reaction washed away the last dregs of my anxiety.
"What do you mean?" I asked calmly. "All right with what?"
"...Weren't you worried that it might be dangerous?"
"If it is, she said she would check it out!"
"That's true, but..."
"Let's go. I'm already tired from waking up early. I want to go home and sleep!"
Who the fuck did this old man think he was messing with?
***
"He's gone..."
Bjorn had left the laboratory. Raven let out a big sigh at her teacher's mumbling, which sounded somewhat disappointed. She didn't understand what had just happened. A magic item to identify evil spirits? She had never heard anything about her master researching something like that.
"What was that?" Raven asked. When he didn't answer, she pressed him. "Don't just sit there. Are you really not going to tell me?"
Under her master's instructions, she'd had to prove to Bjorn that the magic item was safe. It wasn't difficult, because the 'magic item' her master had called an evil spirit reader wasn't actually imbued with any spells. It was just an odd-looking chair.
"Don't say anything, just go with it," he'd ordered. So, she kept her mouth shut at her master's urging, not mentioning that fact to Bjorn. And now it was time for her to hear the truth.
Of course, she had her theories. She wasn't that stupid. "...Did you really think Mr. Yandel was an evil spirit? Is that why you interrogated me about what happened in the labyrinth?"
Her master neither confirmed nor denied that, but sometimes silence was the most revealing answer of all.
"Ha... So have your suspicions been put to rest now?"
"...Yes, I was wrong."
"It's not like I don't understand where you're coming from, Master. He is a strange man, after all. But I have a question. And I would really like for you to answer it."
"...What is it?" her master asked weakly.
"Why did you do that? If you suspected him of being an evil spirit, you could have let the Ministry of Security take care—"
"If I did that, he would die," he murmured quietly.
"Sorry? What do you m—"
"I'm tired. I'll take my leave now, so please clean this up." Soon, her master lifted his elderly body from the chair and left the room with an uncharacteristic weariness in his gait.
Raven, now alone in her laboratory, pondered her master's words.
He'd die?
In other words, could that also be taken to mean that her master needed a live evil spirit for some reason?
What does Master want?
She couldn't shake off her sense of unease.
***
Flop!
Returning home, I immediately collapsed on the bed. For some reason, I felt like I had used up all of my energy this morning. I wanted to get some rest, but I took time to relax and reflect on what had happened today.
That really came out of nowhere.
I didn't think I made any mistakes. Looking back, none of the moves I'd made were bad ones. Assuming the worst, and using the information provided, I prevented myself from jumping to conclusions. Because of that, I was able to come up with the best solution I could at the time.
Given his expression at the end, it seems that the old man has completely dismissed his suspicions.
The incident was unexpected, but it had been handled well. However, there was one thing that was a little unclear. Once I convinced him that I wasn't an evil spirit, the old man looked almost disappointed. Why?
...Well, that's none of my business.
After thinking about it for a while, I cleared my mind. That was a question that was impossible to answer, and I decided that whatever the reason was, it had no direct impact on my safety.
Still, I feel kind of relieved.
What a shit show first thing in the morning. But paradoxically, this incident gave me a strange sense of relief. This must have offset some of that luck that had been piling up to the ceiling lately.
"Bjorrrn! Wake up! It's already broad daylight, how much longer are you going to sleep?!"
Did I fall asleep at some point? When I opened my eyes, Missha was shaking my body. I didn't sleep with the door unlocked, so she must have entered with the spare key I gave her.
I gave it to you to use in case something happened...
"Missha, why are you here? I told you I was going to the Magic Tower today."
"You came home late last night. I was going to wake you up if you slept in!"
Well, in that case, I'd have to consider taking away her spare key at some point. "Ah, but how did you know I got back late yesterday? Don't tell me you were waiting for me."
"You promised to tell me everrything when you got back. Besides, I didn't wait long, so don't worry about it." She may be saying that, but it was clear she had stayed up late waiting for me. Was she that curious about what had happened at the banquet? "Well then, tell me. What happened?"
At Missha's urging, I slowly recounted what had happened yesterday: wearing the barbarian equipment prepared by the butler, leading the wagon procession toward the banquet, the food I ate there, and even the tournament I happened to win.
"Eh, did you rrreally win? Against all those knights?"
"They were apprentice knights, not knights."
"They'rrre still knights! That's awesome!"
Not really. Except for the guy I faced in the finals, Missha would have easily beaten the rest. Her close combat was no joke.
"Never mind that. Write this down."
Anyway, after briefly explaining what had happened, I started writing letters with Missha. They were responses I was going to send to the nobles. I had written a lot of them in the morning, but when I woke up, I found that the letters had piled up again.
"...Bjorn, is it really okay to send stuff like this out? They'rrre nobles. This could lead to problems later."
"It's okay."
"Well, if you say so..." Despite the anxious look on her face, Missha wrote down what I dictated.
I'm telling you, there's nothing to worry about. What more could you ask for in a letter from a barbarian?
Getting a reply was a miracle in the first place.
I can't go. I'm busy. So find another barbarian. From: Bjorn, son of Yandel
Yeah, that was delicate enough.
***
Being in an aristocrat's house—a spacious and shiny place where delicious smells wafted around every corner—was like being in a different world, from the people's clothes to the way they talked to the sound of the music.
Given his expression at the end, it seems that the old man has completely dismissed his suspicions.
The incident was unexpected, but it had been handled well. However, there was one thing that was a little unclear. Once I convinced him that I wasn't an evil spirit, the old man looked almost disappointed. Why?
...Well, that's none of my business.
After thinking about it for a while, I cleared my mind. That was a question that was impossible to answer, and I decided that whatever the reason was, it had no direct impact on my safety.
Still, I feel kind of relieved.
What a shit show first thing in the morning. But paradoxically, this incident gave me a strange sense of relief. This must have offset some of that luck that had been piling up to the ceiling lately.
"Bjorrrn! Wake up! It's already broad daylight, how much longer are you going to sleep?!"
Did I fall asleep at some point? When I opened my eyes, Missha was shaking my body. I didn't sleep with the door unlocked, so she must have entered with the spare key I gave her.
I gave it to you to use in case something happened...
"Missha, why are you here? I told you I was going to the Magic Tower today."
"You came home late last night. I was going to wake you up if you slept in!"
Well, in that case, I'd have to consider taking away her spare key at some point. "Ah, but how did you know I got back late yesterday? Don't tell me you were waiting for me."
"You promised to tell me everrything when you got back. Besides, I didn't wait long, so don't worry about it." She may be saying that, but it was clear she had stayed up late waiting for me. Was she that curious about what had happened at the banquet? "Well then, tell me. What happened?"
At Missha's urging, I slowly recounted what had happened yesterday: wearing the barbarian equipment prepared by the butler, leading the wagon procession toward the banquet, the food I ate there, and even the tournament I happened to win.
"Eh, did you rrreally win? Against all those knights?"
"They were apprentice knights, not knights."
"They'rrre still knights! That's awesome!"
Not really. Except for the guy I faced in the finals, Missha would have easily beaten the rest. Her close combat was no joke.
"Never mind that. Write this down."
Anyway, after briefly explaining what had happened, I started writing letters with Missha. They were responses I was going to send to the nobles. I had written a lot of them in the morning, but when I woke up, I found that the letters had piled up again.
"...Bjorn, is it really okay to send stuff like this out? They'rrre nobles. This could lead to problems later."
"It's okay."
"Well, if you say so..." Despite the anxious look on her face, Missha wrote down what I dictated.
I'm telling you, there's nothing to worry about. What more could you ask for in a letter from a barbarian?
Getting a reply was a miracle in the first place.
I can't go. I'm busy. So find another barbarian. From: Bjorn, son of Yandel
Yeah, that was delicate enough.
***
Being in an aristocrat's house—a spacious and shiny place where delicious smells wafted around every corner—was like being in a different world, from the people's clothes to the way they talked to the sound of the music.
"I finally understand the chieftain's words! The world is truly a big place!"
All we had were some drums...
"What are you doing?! Come this way."
"A-All right!" A barbarian who became an adult one month ago, Dukat, son of Karpen, followed his client to the center of the banquet.
"Tsk, what is that gait? Walk more confidently!"
That was a bit unfair. He didn't seem to know what it meant to walk confidently, and the equipment he was wearing was unnecessarily bulky and uncomfortable.
I'd be more comfortable naked...
Although he wanted to express his dissatisfaction, Dukat kept his mouth shut as he remembered an earlier conversation he'd had with his host.
"That man wore an even bigger one without a problem."
A few days ago, after following a man who had promised to pay him a large sum of money, Dukat received various lessons, mostly about how to behave at a banquet. At first, he had been angry.
Are they making these unreasonable demands because I am a barbarian?
He wondered if they were looking down on him.
"Who is 'that man'?! Who is he that you keep telling me to do these strange things!?"
"I'm talking about Little Balkan, Bjorn, son of Yandel."
After learning the identity of the man they were referring to, Dukat had no choice but to bear all the demands made of him. Bjorn, son of Yandel, was a warrior among warriors who had defeated all the knights at a banquet full of nobles and had even acquired the wonderful title of Knight Crusher.
Am I not good enough to be like him?
After hearing this anecdote, Dukat vowed to give a great performance at this banquet. There couldn't be any fault to be found in the actions of a warrior the chieftain had praised so much.
If there is anything wrong here, it would be me.
He had decided to act like a warrior, but it was not as easy as he thought. In the middle of these elegant and noble aristocrats who looked so different from him, he couldn't help but feel small.
"T-This is delicious...!"
"Louder! That man wasn't this shy!"
"B-Behelahhh..."
It was embarrassing, to be honest. He may have been a barbarian, but why would someone start shouting in front of people just because the food tasted good? Well, to be fair, if he were alone, he would have shouted several times.
"Don't just eat the meat, chew on the bones too!"
His teeth hurt now.
"You want a napkin? Why do you need that?"
The hand he was holding the food with was sticky.
"Ugh, why are you taking off your helmet again?"
His neck was sore and his shoulders heavy. However, soon, he would have to enter a tournament comprised of only barbarian participants. Would he be able to fight properly? The fact that he was worried in the first place made him feel pathetic. Unlike that man, his opponent was not even a knight.
They say if you follow a goblin troll, you'll end up getting your head crushed...
After his coming-of-age ceremony, Dukat entered the city with the heart-pounding aspiration of becoming a famous warrior one day. However, the limitations of reality proved different from what he'd expected. Less than a month later, he was being confronted by all the ways he was lacking.
"Why can't you do that?"
Dukat finally spoke the words he had been holding back all night. "I am... an ordinary warrior."
Screaming whenever you want, breaking whatever you want, behaving as you please regardless of who was beside you... that was for the truly powerful, a right granted only to real warriors with confidence in themselves.
"I can't do that... Please, do not compare me to him anymore. Bjorn, son of Yandel... he is a great warrior who cannot be compared to the likes of me."
"Hmm, I guess he was a special case..."
At Dukat's confession, the noble sighed and stared off into space with eyes full of desire. No, maybe he wasn't the only one.
"I see. It has to be him..."
"Well, how could such a savage barbarian be the norm?"
"I thought all barbarians were like him."
"They're more normal than I thought."
Listening closely, it seemed similar words to these were erupting throughout the banquet hall.
***
[Your reputation has increased +10.]
[Your reputation has increased +10.]
"I finally understand the chieftain's words! The world is truly a big place!"
All we had were some drums...
"What are you doing?! Come this way."
"A-All right!" A barbarian who became an adult one month ago, Dukat, son of Karpen, followed his client to the center of the banquet.
"Tsk, what is that gait? Walk more confidently!"
That was a bit unfair. He didn't seem to know what it meant to walk confidently, and the equipment he was wearing was unnecessarily bulky and uncomfortable.
I'd be more comfortable naked...
Although he wanted to express his dissatisfaction, Dukat kept his mouth shut as he remembered an earlier conversation he'd had with his host.
"That man wore an even bigger one without a problem."
A few days ago, after following a man who had promised to pay him a large sum of money, Dukat received various lessons, mostly about how to behave at a banquet. At first, he had been angry.
Are they making these unreasonable demands because I am a barbarian?
He wondered if they were looking down on him.
"Who is 'that man'?! Who is he that you keep telling me to do these strange things!?"
"I'm talking about Little Balkan, Bjorn, son of Yandel."
After learning the identity of the man they were referring to, Dukat had no choice but to bear all the demands made of him. Bjorn, son of Yandel, was a warrior among warriors who had defeated all the knights at a banquet full of nobles and had even acquired the wonderful title of Knight Crusher.
Am I not good enough to be like him?
After hearing this anecdote, Dukat vowed to give a great performance at this banquet. There couldn't be any fault to be found in the actions of a warrior the chieftain had praised so much.
If there is anything wrong here, it would be me.
He had decided to act like a warrior, but it was not as easy as he thought. In the middle of these elegant and noble aristocrats who looked so different from him, he couldn't help but feel small.
"T-This is delicious...!"
"Louder! That man wasn't this shy!"
"B-Behelahhh..."
It was embarrassing, to be honest. He may have been a barbarian, but why would someone start shouting in front of people just because the food tasted good? Well, to be fair, if he were alone, he would have shouted several times.
"Don't just eat the meat, chew on the bones too!"
His teeth hurt now.
"You want a napkin? Why do you need that?"
The hand he was holding the food with was sticky.
"Ugh, why are you taking off your helmet again?"
His neck was sore and his shoulders heavy. However, soon, he would have to enter a tournament comprised of only barbarian participants. Would he be able to fight properly? The fact that he was worried in the first place made him feel pathetic. Unlike that man, his opponent was not even a knight.
They say if you follow a goblin troll, you'll end up getting your head crushed...
After his coming-of-age ceremony, Dukat entered the city with the heart-pounding aspiration of becoming a famous warrior one day. However, the limitations of reality proved different from what he'd expected. Less than a month later, he was being confronted by all the ways he was lacking.
"Why can't you do that?"
Dukat finally spoke the words he had been holding back all night. "I am... an ordinary warrior."
Screaming whenever you want, breaking whatever you want, behaving as you please regardless of who was beside you... that was for the truly powerful, a right granted only to real warriors with confidence in themselves.
"I can't do that... Please, do not compare me to him anymore. Bjorn, son of Yandel... he is a great warrior who cannot be compared to the likes of me."
"Hmm, I guess he was a special case..."
At Dukat's confession, the noble sighed and stared off into space with eyes full of desire. No, maybe he wasn't the only one.
"I see. It has to be him..."
"Well, how could such a savage barbarian be the norm?"
"I thought all barbarians were like him."
"They're more normal than I thought."
Listening closely, it seemed similar words to these were erupting throughout the banquet hall.
***
[Your reputation has increased +10.]
[Your reputation has increased +10.]