Chapter 77
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: That Way, My Heart Will Be at Ease Too
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'The sun's already rising. I slept like a log, oblivious to the world.'
Thanks to our good friends, the Holy Knights taking turns on watch from the ramparts, we made it through the night without incident.
I heard Ibu tossed and turned a bit now and then, but not enough to wake me.
I mixed the Power of Magma and the Insight Ability just right, squeezing warm water from my hand.
After washing my face, I gargled with it and climbed up to the ramparts.
"Did you cough?"
Steron, who was on watch, bowed his head lightly.
Roginin was lying off to one side, fast asleep.
"It must've been a long night. Good work through it all, Steron."
"Not at all."
I patted Steron's shoulder, pulled Roginin's blanket up to his neck, and sat on the edge of the ramparts.
A faint green light was gradually spreading across the plains.
A new sun was rising.
I pulled out my writing tools.
The parchment came from Requiya, and I scavenged a sturdy piece of charcoal from the dead campfire.
「Incident Summary」
「Ibu barged in.」
No, that's not it.
I wetted my finger and erased the charcoal.
「Woke Ibu.
Ibu joined us.
Ogres attacked.
Killed them all.」
Hmm... Is that right?
I wasn't used to keeping a journal, so the words didn't come easily.
Even just summarizing what happened.
Still, I wanted to leave some trace of my time here.
Whenever I recalled the Sanctuary's inscriptions, I thought about it.
Wouldn't it be meaningful to leave a record like that?
Just like whoever left those sword marks in the Sanctuary.
Of course, it's not for anyone else.
It's for me to read someday later.
My memory isn't all that great, after all.
'It'd be really nice if I could read this later...'
To make that happen, I need to practice my handwriting first.
'This is some awful penmanship.'
Writing with Luke's body felt awkward and unnatural.
Like forcing muscles I never used before to move, my forearms cramped and the tendons on the back of my hand stiffened.
'Just keep at it till it gets better. Easy.'
I planned to stick around the fortress while Silver Star was still asleep, so I had plenty of time to write.
I'd jot things down simply on the parchment for now and transfer them to paper later.
If time allowed.
"Ibu... woke up?"
The dragonkin approached as silently as an assassin and read over my shoulder.
I froze, too stunned to even hide the parchment.
"You can read this?"
This is in Hangul.
"Damn thing. Did I curse at Ibu? Did Ibu snore?"
"You snore?"
"Yeah. Dragonkin snore. When super tired, we snore."
Fred, watching us from afar, nodded.
His eyes held a resentful glare from someone who'd lost sleep over Ibu's snoring.
I hadn't heard a thing.
Maybe because there were so many strong guys around, I slept soundly?
"But Ibu, how can you read this?"
"Damn thing. Forgot? Ibu is noble dragonkin. Ibu's eyes are dragon eyes. Knows Revek language, knows E'ar language too. Understands, reads everything. Speaking and writing? Not good. Needs lots of practice."
Yeah, his speech was kinda rough.
But being able to understand and read was impressive enough.
In that case, there was one thing I wanted to check.
"Can you understand hippo speech?"
"Uhahahahaha! Damn thing!"
Ibu clutched his stomach laughing.
The thieves stretching and cleaning in the fortress yard looked up, wondering what was going on.
It took a while before Ibu stopped, wiping tears from his eyes.
"Damn thing, hippos talk? Boss jokes super well. Hippos go like this: grumble grumble—puff puff—cry. Not talking. Uhihihihihek—!"
If not, why laugh like that?
I'm hungry, and now my mood's ruined first thing in the morning.
'Silver Star understood it, though.'
Ibu's pretending he can't understand while making me look like the weirdo.
Grown-ass guy running around without pants, calling me the funny one?
Argh, damn—
Should I beat the crap out of him before he gets stronger?
Land some chestnuts loaded with my anger and weight all over—
My pride was hurt.
Just as uncontrollable rage started boiling up...
Sunlight bathed my face.
It was sunlight melting the frustration inside me.
'If not for the sunlight, my anger gauge would've spiked again. No Silver Star to hold me back, either.'
Sunlight fell on Ibu's face too.
He's pretty cute, so I'll let it slide.
"Whatever."
Talking to the hippo would have to wait till Silver Star woke up.
I pocketed the parchment and stood.
Anyway, better to write the journal when no one's around, so Ibu couldn't read it and mock me.
I looked down at the fortress yard.
Anyone still lying down? I'd bury them in the ground.
If they could sleep through Ibu's booming laughter, they were already corpses.
Fortunately, everyone was up.
"Ibu, let's head down."
"Damn thing. Why?"
Ibu, who had been stretching with his interlocked hands reaching for the sky, widened his eyes.
He seemed to like the ramparts with their open views in all directions.
"Time for a meeting. Too hungry to talk loud up here. And you in that pose—your clothes are riding up, the guys below can—eh, never mind."
Whether they see or not, what do I care.
Worlds differ, people differ, concepts and values all differ.
Ibu seems too dense to even know shame—
"Eek—! Damn thing! What're you looking at, you bastards—?!"
He knows.
I passed through the fortress square, issuing my first order of the day.
"Everyone, follow me inside."
I took a seat in the first-floor conference room of the central tower.
There was a long, wide oval stone table; I sat anywhere.
The hesitant ones gradually claimed chairs one by one.
I eyed each one.
25 thieves, two Holy Knights, a demon, a ronin, ex-knight, dragonkin, hippo...
So, total headcount?
'Fuck if I know.'
Holy Knights don't bother counting.
Too much hassle.
"Yuderg, report first."
I'd given Yuderg a task yesterday.
Before dismantling the ogres, collect their blood.
Requiya had tipped me off in a low voice.
— "Ogre blood is the most precious and expensive part. Rare magic ingredient, and as you know, not many of them around—."
— "This many, and you say they're rare?"
— "These are exceptions. Anyway, hard to catch, so even when armies get 'em, the Drawnen Mage Tower monopolizes them. Most solidify anyway."
That was the deal.
Ahem—
Yuderg stood, clearing his throat.
"I'll explain the method first."
No need for that.
"Collected blood only from specimens before rigor mortis set in—heart blood only. Used orc barrels in a pinch. Half-filled them, vented air to prevent oxidation, and sealed. Erakins knows a warehouse likely storing flasks, so we'll distribute and store there by today."
"Good. Clean work, perfect plan, clean report. Keep it in a dark place."
Requiya raised his hand.
"What'll you do with it?"
I'm starving to death, and he's asking everything.
"Sell it for food."
I answered matter-of-factly, eyes on the table.
"Food's top priority. Can't survive here without it, right? Yesterday it was thick saltwater, nothing this morning. Can't starve."
Strangely, talking with these guys makes me chatty.
Feels like my energy's draining on top of the hunger.
"Lots of mouths. Finish ogre dismantling today. Fiore up top, Brad below. Sell wherever before it heats up. It'll lose value if it spoils."
Environment and location are key in distribution.
I'm a high school grad Holy Knight; I know this stuff.
'What was that old merchant guy's name? He'd be useful if he were here.'
No matter. Plenty of ways without him.
Cruk slammed his palms together, shouting like he had a great idea.
"We have plenty of clean carts. Load 'em up and sell door-to-door."
I shook my head.
"Not enough manpower for peddling. Make 'em come to us."
"How?"
No energy to explain.
I extended my index finger upward.
Everyone looked up.
Grooo—
The hippo grumbled like, what's up there?
Nothing in the conference room air, obviously.
I nodded at Requiya, who already knew.
Requiya stood with a smug look.
"Your humble Requiya put in some work yesterday."
No self-praise; explain.
Sigh, everyone's just here to brag.
"As you all know, our boss commands birds like limbs, right?"
Hmm.
My boast, but true, so fine.
"Sent messages via birds in all directions. Content like this: 'I am Holy Knight Kalruk Seid. Hunted a massive ogre horde. Those wanting fresh ogre parts, bring gold, food, clothes, and tradeables.'"
I asked quietly.
"Requiya."
"Yes, boss."
His loyal minion bowed, smile all over his face.
"Was it my imagination, or did you forget to say where to come?"
"Ah, aaah—."
Hey, fuck. Who to blame.
Shouldn't trust anyone but my guys; my fault for trusting a demon.
My bad—
No one spoke, eyeing my blank expression.
They were racking brains on what to say, how to recover.
I'm a sharp Holy Knight; I get it.
"Um..."
Sergei at the far end raised a hand, squinting his narrow eyes.
Dare I speak? Fear in his eyes, but Sergei was brave.
"Speak. Speak freely."
At my permission, Sergei perked up, puffing his chest like he had a good idea.
"Can't we call the birds back?"
"You don't know how fast birds are?"
Requiya snapped without hesitation.
Sergei just mumbled, downcast.
"They already dropped notes and came back, man."
"Ah... yes."
Requiya's tone is too cold with others. Demon bastard.
If it were me, I'd be lenient for his guts.
The silent guy two seats away... what's his name.
Anyway, the mute friend waved at Sergei.
Sergei watched the sign language closely, then stood again.
"How about writing destinations and sending them again? Good idea, right? Birds are fast."
Echoing Requiya's words back.
Missing address ain't big deal; Sergei's idea nothing special.
But I responded positively.
"Most practical. Feasible too."
They need to lead here.
Share ideas without fear, get used to deciding themselves.
That way, my heart will be at ease too when I leave them behind.