Chapter 35
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: The Last Night in the Border City
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Luke's temperament was brazen and shameless enough for that. He must've sweet-talked the Saintess into fooling around every night, nice and gentle. Or maybe not.
Hold on.
Now that I thought about it, maybe this bastard Luke soaked up every pleasure, got bored with it all, dumped his body on me, and bolted?
Like a kind of suicide for someone who'd basked in every honor and had no lingering attachments to life.
Meanwhile, I'm the one stuck here without any divine power or mana, enduring the agony of possession and putting on naked shows...
I'm so pissed.
This damn dog—
【Stop the rage! You know that's not true!】
'Ah, right. Luke wouldn't pull something like that.'
I'd gotten a little worked up for a moment.
Knowing full well that he was out there dancing his sword amid swarms of monsters, wild speculation like this was just cowardly.
As I shook my head, my gaze clashed with Suhes's—he was peering up at me with a strange look.
Ah, right. I was in the middle of talking with the half-bald grandpa.
"Suhes, what were we discussing?"
"Kalruk said he'd cover the ability fee—"
"Yeah. I'll pay it."
"Even though we said it's fine—?"
"Still, I'll at least cover a service charge."
I'd triumphed over Luke's brazen temperament.
I owed thanks to that unflappably confident nature of his anywhere he went, but there was something to be said for living life on my own terms too. It wasn't a bad way to be.
"I won't feel right unless I pay up."
Strictly speaking, the miners' efforts in finding Grurr hadn't been a walk in the park either.
How would they feel if some guy popped up out of nowhere and snagged it for free?
No matter how I sliced it, that just wasn't right.
My mom used to say it.
Janggun, a person needs to have some shame.
"You're something else when we said it's fine. Do whatever you want—"
If you're going to refuse, commit to it!
Ah, no—that wasn't it.
"How much?"
"Hard to price since I don't know the ability's value. That's why we always took whatever was offered before—. Since it's tricky to calculate, how about buying a round for everyone here? They all came out to gawk at a rare Holy Knight—."
"Sure."
I nodded, and suddenly Suhes handed me a dining knife.
He jerked his chin toward the bell on the counter.
'Ah, Golden Bell. Never thought I'd ring one before dying.'
Ding ding ding—.
I ferried drinks and food to clerks and patrons alike, no distinction.
The staple was beer in wooden mugs.
Rich foam promised a smooth swallow.
"It's a western border city specialty. Iron ore won't last forever, so Suhes brewed it up as a city booster. Famous enough to ship to Fiore and Brad."
Fred said it proudly.
Requiya and I, sharing the table, nodded as we inhaled the beer's malty scent. It smelled damn good.
Once mugs had made the rounds, a miner I recognized from the shafts raised his.
"To Miner Holy Knight Kalruk!"
"May light be with him!"
"We pray Mother Earth embraces Kalruk!"
"May the Demon God's power be with him!"
I gave a light bow in reply to the crowd.
Settling back into my seat, I quietly asked Requiya what the hell that all meant.
"'Light be with you' is a prayer to the good god, who has no name, so they phrase it that way. Mother Earth is like the spirit deity the earthfolk worship. The Demon God has a name, but it's not widely known."
"Gods everywhere. Demon God sounds bad, though?"
Requiya laughed and shook his head.
"The Demon God loves all creation. Even wicked demons. Ah, I'm not a wicked demon."
"Doesn't know the gods, so can't even parse a simple good-luck wish."
I really was that untainted.
"No evil god's name came up, so take it in the good spirit."
"Yeah."
Deep-voiced gravebass blended with humans hollering over wooden instruments, and the raucous chatter battered my eardrums.
Thanks to my sharpened senses, I even caught whispers from the corner.
"Our second kid finally called me Dad yesterday."
"They say kids nursed on wolf milk grow up to be kings."
"Among earthfolk, the male earth warriors are the bravest? Three male earth heroes together can take down a yeti?"
Eavesdropping on their mundane chatter, I unconsciously stuck out my lower lip.
The time I'd spent holed up in this city matched my isolation in the sanctuary.
And yet I barely knew these people.
No real bonds beyond Suhes, Fred, and a handful of Fred's men.
'Still scared, I guess.'
【What?!】
'Afraid of losing people I get close to.'
That must be why.
Even why it felt good hearing Requiya call me captain.
The hippo hogging a whole chair nudged my elbow with its snout. Its mouth was smeared white with milk.
Grooo—.
【Kalruk, drink milk too!】
"Yeah, Hama. You drink up lots too."
Fred eyed me sharing milk with the hippo, intrigued.
"Looks like Kalruk doesn't drink. Holy Knight thing?"
Couldn't find the words, so I just nodded.
I had no clue if Holy Knights drank or not, but my reason was Silver Star.
If I drank, she'd taste it too—and she felt too much like a baby for that. It'd be like committing a sin.
【Booze! Booze! Booze! Booze! Booze coming in! Gulp gulp gulp—! Gulp gulp—!】
'Calm down. This is milk.'
Well, she always acted half-sloshed even stone sober, so I didn't feel the need anyway.
Handing booze to a drunkard was a waste.
Back in my star-plagued days, alcohol never got me buzzed.
Like my body rejected medicine.
Senses dulled, liver calloused maybe? No autopsy now, but damn curious.
'Bet I could taste it fine now.'
That tipsy haze before crashing out—nothing beat it.
And Luke's little heart-gift kept me from it.
Such torment even in death and rebirth.
Might as well drop dead.
【Whoa! Deep breaths, deep breaths!】
'Excited again.'
As I let out a long exhale, my eyes landed on the demon with his face flushed ripe.
Requiya was making a miserable face at the coin pouch.
"Judging by their pace, it'll take at least half the gold. Beer's mild and there are so many..."
"Requiya, half is fine. Whatever's left after settling up is yours."
"But still..."
"I'm the one footing the bill anyway. Pocket it. Nothing looks worse than sweating the tab mid-party."
"Yes."
With his worries settled, Requiya stashed the pouch and bounced table to table, clinking mugs nonstop.
Always that bright, sociable type of demon.
Eavesdropping idly, the chatter centered on Negaf Arron adventures.
"Heroes! Let me spin you the tale of my big bro's heroism!"
"Ooh, young adventurer Requiya's here. Lay it on us."
"My bro flashed his sword like this! And declared—"
Already tipsy? Beer sloshed from his raised mug.
"What'd he say?"
"Got you curious?"
Requiya grinned wide.
"I won't allow it!"
"Kuh—So cool!"
"In the name of the greatest Holy Knight, Luke Seid, I pronounce death!"
"Kuh—Holy Knight! A Holy Knight in our city!"
"I! Am the continent's strongest Holy Knigh—!"
Waaaaa—!
The biggest roar yet.
That lunatic.
"Ooooo—What a man!"
I needed a hole to crawl into.
Scooping up the hippo, I told Fred,
"I'm beat. Heading out."
"Rest well, Kalruk."
Behind me, the tavern din faded as I descended to the basement in silence.
In the now-quiet post-mining nook, I spread a blanket and lay down. The hippo claimed the spot beside me.
"Lullaby— lullaby, our Hama—."
As I stroked the hippo, I told Silver Star,
'Wake me every four hours.'
【Got it! Alarm set!】
No Requiya around, so I had to ask her.
Couldn't risk freezing to death.
Magma power was an active skill—it wouldn't trigger without my intent.
Meaning I couldn't proactively fight off the cold.
And no power under heaven could overwhelm Insight Ability.
【Lullaby! Lullaby! Our Kalruk!】
The last night in the western border city.
I didn't string another thought together before passing out cold.
Two hours' sleep, maybe.
Silver Star hadn't woken me, but my eyes snapped open anyway.
Gororororo—.
'What sound is that?'
Not just sound.
Toasty warmth too.
I turned my head, peering back.
Grurr lay curled in a ball, snoring away.
'When'd this toasty guy sneak in.'
A few hefty stones sat before Grurr, shallow tooth marks etched in.
'Breakfast, huh.'
I chuckled and gave its rocky hide a few strokes.
'Lullaby—, lullaby—.'
A brief bond, but the guy who'd gifted me magma power.
Tomorrow meant farewell for Grurr too.
Dawn broke, and I climbed up from the mine.
Requiya was alone, clearing tables and sweeping the floor.
Our eyes met; he smiled and gave a light nod.
Late-night drinkers sprawled across the first floor.
In my old world, office drones couldn't overdo it—they had work next day. Somehow dragged home, showed up reeking.
Border city folk were free spirits.
Not the origin of their "freemen" label, but aside from security gigs, no forced shifts.
Work or no work, earn or starve—same both worlds. Lifestyles differed.
Social norms weren't beaten into you too hard, you could say.
【Kalruk! Getting so smart! Hard words!】
'You'll get it someday.'
【Eat breakfast before we go!】
Planned to slip out quiet while sparse, but she sniffed it like a ghost and tripped me up.
By the time I'd helped Requiya finish tidying, savory smells wafted from the kitchen.
"Special menu today—."
Suhes announced, wheeling out a wooden cart topped with a massive pot.
Requiya peeked at a plate, mumbling in a daze.
"Whoa— meat, meat..."
"Hope we cross paths again—. Shame I couldn't introduce my boy; he's out on outer patrol, missed the chance—."
"Fate brought us once; it'll do it again."
Suhes dished out a portion for the hippo too.
The guy who'd sourced precious milk for it before.
Treated beasts like folk—that's how he kept the city hale.
Farewell to Suhes, the western border city's innkeeper and market chief.
Meal done, we stepped out of the inn.
Suhes followed to the door to see us off.
Usually so laid-back and peaceful it was rare to spot folks dashing about, yet today it buzzed frantic.
A closer look: mostly security uniforms.
Unnerved by the unfamiliar sight, Requiya asked,
"Suhes, what's going on?"
"Patrol must've brought word—. Nothing major—. Our security's tougher than you think—."
Then Pornosta bolted toward us.
"Sir Kalruk! Hurry, get out of here!"
"Get out? What're you talking about?"
Pornosta gasped for breath as he spoke.
"Messenger bird from Nerassar."
Nerassar was Suhes's son.
The drunk-driving slob we'd beaten with a crowbar on arrival. Glutes like iron. Recalling him made my instep throb.
"One of Fiore Kingdom's princes is marching here with an army. Couldn't catch details over the hoofbeats, but they overheard talk of hunting a Holy Knight."
Requiya shot me a sidelong glance at Pornosta's words.
His eyes quivered with anxiety, his mouth mumbling something.