Chapter 154
Chapter 154
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 154
Chapter Title: A Friend Like That (9)
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Duncan Wheeled's family had decided to leave Maltana.
It was an unavoidable choice. Even if their house was intact, the surrounding area had been reduced to rubble. Right now, Duncan's home was like an uninhabited island in the middle of a vast ocean.
There were no regrets. It was a village they had planned to leave anyway. They had no fond memories with the neighbors. And with the clerk and his cronies all wiped out, there was no worry about loose ends.
Plus, their destination was already set.
"...So, where are you headed from now on, Duncan?"
"Delruta. We're going to Delruta, Yulia."
"...Delruta? Why such a big city out of nowhere? Did you bury treasure there or something?"
Duncan flashed a meaningful smile. Treasure? That was far too modest a word for the fortune of a magnate who had once controlled an entire city.
Before leaving, they didn't forget to stop by the collapsed clerk's mansion. Clearing the debris was no trouble at all. Kadim shoved aside the pile of bricks in an instant and retrieved the inventory bag and chests of gold coins left in the basement.
While sifting through the rubble, they even stumbled on an unexpected bonus. The sword used by the mercenary captain Aluben. Kadim examined it closely for a moment.
Now that he looked at it, it wasn't unfamiliar. Didn't Ilenia and that cyclops in the demon cave use a blade with a transparent edge like this? Could this be another holy relic of the Forgotten God?
Who knew. But it was clear who could make good use of it. Kadim found the ornate scabbard as well, sheathed the sword, and handed it to Duncan.
"Take this, Duncan."
"Pardon? Uh? Th-this sword..."
"Under the laws of the wilds, spoils of war are the rightful claim of the victor. And those spoils should be distributed according to merit earned."
"B-but that mercenary captain was taken down by you after a hard fight..."
"You didn't back down from your own struggle and proved your worth again. That's qualification enough for a share of the spoils. Besides, this weapon suits your fighting style far better than mine."
Duncan stood there gaping for a moment before hurriedly taking the sword. As solemnly as a holy knight receiving a divine weapon from the archbishop. His grateful eyes shimmered like a lake cradling a host of stars.
And so time passed until the final night before departing Maltana.
With so many events piling up one after another, he hadn't had time to talk with his son. Duncan took the chance to head to the woods outside the village and spend some intimate time chatting with the boy.
"So you're saying Dad fought Agon's Furious Horn and won? He sliced right through Dad's chest and Dad went down, but he didn't give up—he hid his weapon, waited for the perfect ambush chance... and when he got close, off guard... Dad sprang up and stomped his instep!"
"Whoa... Really, Dad?"
"Of course it's real! I've got proof! Look, here's the scar on my chest... Oh, right. It healed up that day..."
Unlike his wife, who sniped at every turn with sighs and remarks like "Oh please, that must've been the mercenary, not you...", Densen believed his father's tales without evidence. Duncan, thrilled for the first time in ages, spun yarn after yarn of his exploits.
After sharing nearly every story, Duncan suddenly grew solemn. He could clearly see how much hardship this innocent child had endured while he was away.
Duncan gently stroked his son's hair.
"Densen... I'm sorry. It must've been tough without Dad around."
"Hmm... It was a little tough, but not anymore. Dad's back now, and Uncle Kadim taught me how to protect my toes."
"...?"
He wasn't sure what that meant, but it was probably about how Kadim had helped thrash the clerk's son.
Duncan earnestly warned him not to do that to other friends anymore. Densen nodded readily, then fixed his round, earnest eyes on his father and asked,
"Dad, were you okay without me and Mom?"
"...Me? Oh, why wouldn't it be tough! I missed you and your mom, wanted to rest easy at home instead of on the road—it was brutal!"
"Really? But when you were talking about traveling with Uncle Kadim just now, your eyes were sparkling so bright."
"..."
"Like when you tell me about first meeting Mom or when I was born. Your eyes sparkled just like that."
"..."
Duncan paused for a moment. Then he slowly lifted his head.
His son was right.
The journey with Kadim had been indescribably grueling, but equally rewarding and special. From a frail merchant to one who could bear the weight of struggle, a time when a mighty warrior acknowledged the value of his life. He probably wouldn't experience anything so astonishing again in this lifetime.
But as he smiled faintly and lowered his gaze, Densen jumped up and declared,
"Dad, I'm all grown up now. I'm way taller than you when you're sitting, and look at these muscles! And I know how to stand up to the kids who bully me now!"
"...?"
"Mom's super strong too. Those nosy ladies who always gossiped can't even talk back to her anymore. They're scared she'll slap them!"
"..."
Wondering what had gotten into the boy, Duncan suddenly shuddered as realization dawned. His son was reassuring him—it was okay to leave again, no need to worry about them.
Duncan shook his head frantically, as if his neck might snap.
"No, no, no, Densen. Dad's not leaving again. How could I leave you and your mom? No matter how special that time was, family comes first..."
"Dad."
Densen's face darkened abruptly. He scuffed the dirt with his toe, hesitating, then poured out words he'd bottled up inside.
"Uncle Kadim... he acts weird sometimes when he's alone. I sneaked after him and saw—he smashes his head against rocks super hard, gulps down something, mutters to himself, puffs out yellow smoke, bends his fingers backward..."
"...!!"
"So I'm really worried. Without Uncle Kadim, you and I would've been in big danger... Can't you go help him this time...?"
"..."
"You told me before—if a 'friend' is struggling, you have to go help them."
His son's voice carried pure concern and earnest plea. But Duncan couldn't reply easily. He mumbled incoherently, eyes unfocused like he'd lost his voice.
Friend... friend...? Struggling, so help...?
He stayed like that until the moon, high in the sky, slid toward the western horizon.
It was early dawn, before the sun had risen.
The Duncan family finished preparing and stepped outside.
"Let's see, clothes and food are all packed, other luggage too... Good. Time to head out, Duncan."
"...Huh? Oh, yeah, yeah, we gotta go. Yeah."
"Hm? What's with you since yesterday? You seem like you left your brain somewhere..."
"N-no, it's nothing. Densen, let's go. My lord, please come with us at least to the village edge."
"..."
Duncan, his son, and Kadim shouldered the loads and took the lead. Yulia followed with a suspicious glance.
They chose dawn to depart, avoiding encounters with those tiresome neighbors. The villagers who'd lost their homes were all sleeping rough on the streets—huddled under straw mats as blankets, or piles of fallen leaves if they had nothing else. A pitiful sight.
Still, this was better than what was coming. Winter was near, and they'd face far harsher times soon. The Duncans glanced at their neighbors with mixed feelings but soon turned away, chalking it up to karma.
They had to part ways with Kadim as soon as they reached the village outskirts. Delruta lay northwest, the Great Forest southeast—completely opposite directions.
The family bid their farewells one by one.
"Whew, it was full of ups and downs, but... thank you for looking after my worthless husband and son all this time. May Lord Remillion's golden blessings fill the rest of your journey."
"Uncle Kadim... thank you. For... teaching me how to protect my toes, and keeping your promise to save me when the bad grown-ups took me... I'm really grateful."
"My lord... I... um... I owe you so much... You kept all your promises, gave us so much money... Th-thank you... I..."
The merchant couldn't quite finish, but the barbarian bade farewell as always—simply and succinctly.
"Yeah, safe travels. May Atala's fighting spirit guide your path."
With that, Kadim turned and left without a backward glance.
Duncan froze in shock.
It was too curt a goodbye. Almost like they'd meet again soon. But this was undoubtedly a permanent parting. Unless fortune smiled extraordinarily, they'd never cross paths again in this life.
Even as he walked away, Duncan couldn't bring himself to look back. After stealing several glances, Yulia finally sighed deeply and said,
"Go after him, Duncan."
"...What?"
"I said go after that mercenary. Before it's too late—right now."
"Wha? N-no, no, no, Yulia! What are you saying? We're going to Delruta. Come on, Densen!"
Duncan thought his wife was mocking him for neglecting the family. But that wasn't her intent.
"Duncan, this isn't empty talk or sarcasm. I don't know the man's world, so I can't say exactly why you're like this. Loyalty? Admiration? Worry? All three...?"
"..."
"But that look in your eyes is familiar. Just like when we first met. Like if you let this man, this chance slip away, you'll regret it forever."
Duncan blinked dumbly, as if questioning if he'd really looked that way. Yulia shrugged lightly, as if to say no need for more words.
"Well, you did get a bit more manly and cool after traveling with him. When you carried that blabbering neighbor on your back, I thought you were someone else! For that, I'll forgive you this once—so chase him before you change your mind. Don't regret it later."
"..."
"Don't worry about Densen and me. For Delruta... we can hire guards in a nearby city or join a caravan. A big city like that—plenty heading there. Oh, and since I'm lending my husband again, bring back a fat rental fee this time too."
Yulia tossed out the joke with feigned casualness. Duncan stared at her, emotions surging, then pulled her into a tight embrace. She pretended to squirm but hugged back, patting his back.
"Yulia, in Delruta, find someone named Goltaran. He's as big as my lord, leads a band of Atalan warriors. Mention my name and 'that bastard'—he'll treat you well. If he seems doubtful, drop my lord's name or tell him about fighting Agon's Furious Horn..."
"Got it. You take care too— no dangerous stuff. Densen, Dad's going again. Say goodbye."
"Thanks, Dad... Come back safe."
He hugged his relieved, beaming son tight. No—he scooped the boy up for a family embrace. A moment to etch each other's warmth deep in their hearts, unbreakable even by the cruelties of time.
After bidding his family farewell, Duncan ran until his soles blistered.
"My lord!! My lord!! My lord!! Huff, huff, huff..."
Fortunately, Kadim hadn't gone far. He caught up before a full hour had passed. Kadim looked down at the panting Duncan like he'd spotted some bizarre creature.
"What is it? Lingering business?"
"N-no! Huff, huff, I came back to continue the journey with you, my lord!"
"...Nonsense. Your duty's done. Go protect your family."
"Huff, huff, kehak, khek! No! My family will manage without me for a while! But you, my lord, huff, huff, you don't seem okay at all..."
"...What about me isn't okay?"
The heavy voice pierced his ear. Duncan squeezed his eyes shut, catching his breath with effort. Pondering how to broach it, he led with a plausible excuse.
"My lord, don't you need a top guide? I can lead the way from here on..."
"No need. Just follow this road to the Great Forest."
"Th-then, how about a porter? Carrying bags during fights must be a hassle..."
"No need. Just set it down then."
"W-well, demon blood transfusions, cooking, gathering firewood... Odd jobs like that—don't you need a lackey?"
"No need. I can do all that myself."
Every plea met a sharp rebuttal. Anxiety burned through his veins like a fuse toward his pounding heart. If this kept up... he'd really be turned away... If that happened...
Who would calm him when he went berserk?
Who would prove the value of his life from here on?
In the end, Duncan lost it and shouted like a madman.
"Then what about when you!!! Due to your affliction!!! Go rampaging like a rabid wastrel!! Smashing your head on rocks, snapping your fingers wildly, carving gashes up your arms!! When you're blindly slaughtering everything in sight and causing utter mayhem!!! Don't you need a 'friend' to slap you awake and douse you with a bucket of cold water!!!"
"..."
A devastating silence followed his outburst.
The fearsome bronze face hardened like stone.
Reason returned too late. Duncan's face cracked like parched earth. He'd spoken out of turn. How could he spout such insanity before someone who could crush skulls like walnuts...?
But Kadim wasn't angry. He was lost in thought.
'Friend... friend...'
Not comrade or companion—but 'friend'.
It rang childish and awkward. A corny word he hadn't heard since falling into this world. It didn't fit a berserker who'd butchered humans and demons alike to build a throne of blood.
But Kadim didn't entirely hate that childishness.
If it meant the resolve to stand against him even in the throes of madness.
"...A friend like that wouldn't be so bad."
"...!"
"It'll be no easy road. Steel yourself, Duncan."
With those words, the two set off.
The merchant let out a sigh of relief deep enough to sink the earth and pulled out his map. The barbarian chuckled softly and adjusted his pack. Dawn broke, and the sun, hidden beyond the world's edge all night, slyly peeked over the horizon.
A pale light bathed the path ahead of the two men facing the sunrise.