Chapter 127 - Karlstein (1)

Misha Karlstein. A fifth-year explorer born into a pureblood family, yet never even treated as their child because she had failed to form a contract with a Spirit beast.

'Her dad wants to see me...'

I had some idea why. Through Misha, I had learned plenty about how the Red Cat Tribe operated.

"Why aren't you saying anything? I asked what time we need to be there."

"Uh, well... O-on second thought, tomorrow won't work, nyah. I need time to prepare myself... And I need to tell Father beforehand, nyah."

"What? What are you talking about? Weren't you the one who asked me to come tomorrow?"

At my incredulous question, Misha avoided my gaze and fidgeted with her hands.

"Well... I honestly didn't think you'd agree so easily, nyah..."

"So that's why you said tomorrow?"

"Yes, you said that's how you negotiate, nyah."

"..."

I wasn't sure I'd ever said that, but Misha's plan did make a certain amount of sense. Apparently, if I said I was busy, she had intended to graciously offer to postpone, naturally securing a later date.

"Ugh, you're always busy when I beg you to go out and have fun, so what's gotten into you this time, nyah?"

"Your father asked to see me. Of course I should go meet him."

"Huh? I-is th-that so, nyah?"

Misha averted her eyes at my offhand excuse.

"Y-you really... How can you say something so embarrassing, nyah?"

Hey, weren't you the one who said Therianthropes and barbarians were practically family?

* * *

"Let me know once you've set a date, and head home for now. I need more sleep. Oh, and don't come tomorrow. I have to leave early."

"What? You've slept all day, and you're going back to sleep, nyah?"

"Keep that up, and I might not go—"

"Never mind, nyah! I won't bother you, so get plenty of rest, nyah!!"

After Misha hurriedly opened the door and left, I resumed my briefly interrupted sleep.

Then came the next morning.

'Whew, I finally feel alive again.'

Only after sleeping a full thirty-six hours did my head finally clear a little. I'd have to rein in my use of Bloodlust from now on.

Anyway, after a quick wash, I headed to the sanctuary, where the elder welcomed me.

"It has been a while, Bjorn, son of Jandel."

Where on earth was the chieftain?

My curiosity got the better of me, and when I casually asked, the answer was a little unexpected.

"The chieftain went into the city on some business. He should be back tomorrow."

"The chieftain going out? That's unusual."

"It is rare. Anyway, if you came to see him, why not meet the young warriors while you wait? You would be a fine source of motivation for them."

I politely declined the elder's hopeful suggestion. It felt good to know I was now considered one of the barbarian tribe's success stories, but I had come for something else today.

"Then could you call the Shaman for me?"

After a short wait, the Shaman's apprentice came and led me to the tent. The bald, deeply wrinkled Shaman was puffing smoke through a large pipe clenched between his lips.

"Hee-hee-hee, warrior, you've come again. You certainly have a knack for this."

His voice was oddly high-pitched today. His words were a little slurred, too, making him look like some druggie.

"Can I receive a Spirit Seal today?"

"As long as you have enough money. Hee-hee."

No, I meant could he do it in his apparently intoxicated state. I was worried, but I simply opened my purse.

CLINK, CLINK.

My heart ached each time I dropped in another magic crystal worth a million Stones.

'And now I'm broke again.'

Stage-five engravings cost eight million Stones. Once I paid, I would only have about seven hundred thousand left. Well, there were still two million Stones in my joint account with Misha... but those funds weren't for personal use.

"Warrior, you're one short."

"... I was just about to put it in."

I dropped in one final magic crystal worth five hundred thousand Stones, completing the payment. Tsk. I'd thought it might work this time.

'At least I don't need to worry about him making a mistake halfway through.'

Focusing on the positives as best I could, I lay down on the bed.

And then...

"Ghhhhhh..."

"Hee-hee, warrior! Scream louder!"

"Gaaaaaagh!!"

Before long, the same old pain engulfed me.

* * *

「Stage 5 of the Immortal's engravings has been activated.」

「Energy increases significantly.」

「Mental increases by +80.」

* * *

Energy was an important stat in [Dungeon and Stone]. It didn't have much impact on combat strength, but running out of stamina left you unable to act. An Energy Regeneration Support Scroll was considered essential even for raids lasting just a few hours.

But...

'I never knew it'd be useful in everyday life, too.'

I'd experienced the limits of exhaustion in the Witch's Forest before. And just yesterday, draining my mental strength had left me half in hibernation. That made the changes to my body and mind all the more apparent.

"Hee-hee, you look quite well today."

Normally, I would have been half-dead by now, but today, the accumulated fatigue in my mind and body was considerably lighter. I'd have to test the details later, but with an effect this strong, couldn't I stay up two nights and still be fine?

Of course, if asked whether that was worth eight million Stones, the answer would be a resounding no.

'... Engravings really do give you lousy value for money.'

It was a different story in the mid-to-late game, when stats mattered more than money. In the early-to-mid game, buying equipment—or even paying for Essences to absorb—was more efficient. Growing stronger as quickly as possible, then saving up to upgrade your engravings, shortened the overall time it took to develop.

That was why I'd originally planned to get only stage-one engravings and leave them alone for a while. I hadn't expected to acquire [Gigantification] this early.

'Whew. Still, after going all in on engravings, I really do only have one stage left.'

The hollow feeling of seeing my wealth dwindle soon gave way to a fresh surge of satisfaction. The moment I reached stage six, I'd reap rewards worth several times everything I'd invested so far.

"Warrior, what are you staring into space for? I'm tired. Off you go."

Lost in thought, I was snapped out of it by the Shaman dismissing me, and left the tent. Night had fallen before I knew it.

I carefully checked the bushes as I walked, wondering if Aynar might be waiting like last time...

'She's not here.'

There was no sign of Aynar all the way through the dark forest path and back to the city. Well, her training was nearing its end. She was probably busy.

'Come to think of it, there's only a month left now.'

I chuckled as I walked through streets that felt especially lonely today. Time really did move both quickly and slowly. It felt like only yesterday that I'd been hobbling around after stepping in a trap because I didn't have leather boots.

* * *

「Bjorn Jandel」

Level: 4

Physical: 386.1 / Mental: 319.3 (New +81) / Ability: 345.4 (New +3)

Item Level: 967

Overall Combat Index: 1292.55 (New +84)

Obtained Essences: Corpse Golem - Rank 7 / Vampire (B) - Rank 5 / Orc Hero - Rank 5

* * *

Three days later, Misha and I boarded a large carriage bound for District 13. After all, the Therianthropes' sanctuary didn't border District 7, where we lived.

"A-are you thirsty? Should I get you some water, nyah?"

"I'm fine."

"What about food? Aren't you hungry? I brought all sorts of things just in case. Want some, nyah?"

I laughed in disbelief at Misha's excessive attentiveness.

"Enough already. I'm not going to turn back halfway there."

"No, I'm just worried about you, nyah. This won't be comfortable for you, nyah. You're going for my sake, so the least I can do is wait on—"

"Forget it. I'm going to sleep, so wake me when we arrive."

"A-all right... It'll take about three hours, so get some good sleep, nyah."

Before she could become any more bothersome, I announced I was going to sleep and closed my eyes.

How much time passed?

Just as Misha had said, the carriage only reached our destination at noon.

'A six-hour round trip... No wonder she stays overnight whenever she visits.'

It wasn't far as the crow flew, but we had to go all the way around District 14, which was off-limits, so the journey took longer than expected.

'Well, that's probably why she settled where she did. She must have wanted to get as far from home as possible.'

"Bjorn, why are you just standing there? Are you tired? Want me to carry you on my back, nyah?"

"Forget that and lead the way."

"All right, nyah!"

I followed Misha, a native of the area, taking in the streets. They weren't much different from District 7, where I lived. The streets were just a little more complicated, with more Therianthropes and dwarves around.

But...

"Here we are, nyah."

The Therianthropes' sanctuary, when we reached it, differed from the barbarians' in many ways.

'I'd heard about it, but I never imagined this...'

Like ours, it was located outside the city. But that was where the similarities ended. Instead of shacks or tents in the undergrowth, most of the buildings were stone, with proper roads running between them.

And on top of that...

"Daddy, look, a barbarian! A barbarian!"

There were shops open for business, and Therianthrope families walking along the streets everywhere. As though they lived here, rather than in the city.

'We were all kicked out as soon as we came of age...'

The Therianthropes' sanctuary was quite literally a village outside the city for their people.

Perhaps I looked strange, staring blankly at it all.

"What's wrong...? Is there a problem? Even if there is, you can't go back, nyah!"

"... I just thought it was interesting."

"Huh? Interesting, nyah?"

Misha tilted her head, unable to understand.

I had plenty to say, but held my tongue. Complaining about the barbarians' poor living conditions would only make my own people look bad. Instead, I casually asked one question.

"Are sanctuaries normally all like this?"

"Um, I'm not sure what you mean, nyah?"

"Aren't Therianthropes supposed to live in the forest, raising animals and such?"

That was what their sanctuary had actually looked like in the game. Which would have been a hundred and fifty years ago now, I supposed?

"Oh, uh, I think I heard that people used to live like that to preserve tradition... But that was so long ago, I don't really know, nyah."

"... I see."

Ugh, why were the barbarians the only ones who hadn't changed?

As I walked on, swallowing those complaints, an enormous mansion soon loomed before us.

"Here, this is my house, nyah."

Fucking hell. Our chieftain still slept in a tent.

I let out a heavy sigh, and Misha began watching my reactions again.

"Y-you don't have to be nervous, nyah. Everything will be fine, nyah. You're Little Valcan, Bjorn, son of Jandel, aren't you, nyah? My father likes famous explorers. All right, nyah?"

Misha spoke soothingly, but she was the one who looked visibly nervous.

"You're the one who needs to calm down. This is your house. Why are you acting like that?"

"Huh? I-I'm perfectly fine, nyah."

"Then open the gate. How long are we going to stand here?"

At my words, Misha quietly steadied her breathing, then rang a bell to summon a servant.

"Um, we'd like to come in. Could you open the gate, nyah?"

Without even answering her request, the servant gave her a cursory glance, opened the gate, and left.

'What's this?'

It felt deeply out of place. Misha wasn't a failure anymore.

'I distinctly remember hearing that her dad knows she's contracted with a Spirit beast.'

I glanced at Misha without thinking. She must have been watching me, too, because our eyes met. The emotion in them was familiar. My ex-girlfriend had often worn that look—the look of someone caught revealing something they didn't want you to see.

"Um... Bjorn, there's something I haven't told you yet, nyah."

"Out with it."

Misha swallowed, then cautiously continued.

"Only Father knows I've contracted with a Spirit beast so far, nyah. So whatever happens inside, I don't want you to get angry. All right, nyah?"

"That depends on what happens."

"It's nothing serious, nyah. Just a little worse than that person you just saw, nyah."

"Be more specific. I need to know how to respond."

Misha hesitated at my request, then began reciting examples with a resigned expression. Verbal abuse from her siblings, harassment disguised as pranks, servants whispering behind her back loudly enough for her to hear.

None of the incidents she described were all that severe. She must have picked out the milder ones to tell me. The reality had surely been much worse.

"O-of course, nobody will treat you like that, nyah. So you don't have to worry too—"

For some reason, the corners of my mouth twisted upward.

"B-Bjorn? Why are you smiling, nyah? D-don't smile, nyah. It's scary when you do that... Once Father tells everyone, it'll all be over, won't it, nyah? I-I just have to put up with it a little longer, nyah."

Misha anxiously defended her father, but to me, he was the biggest problem of all. The bastard knew everything, yet left her to suffer. Whether or not he had a convincing reason to stay silent, he had allowed his child to endure pain for his own convenience.

And despite all that, he'd invited me into this house.

'He must think I'm a fucking joke.'

Suddenly, I began to sense a sinister malice emanating from the enormous mansion. It felt like looking at a dungeon teeming with monsters.

Was that why?

"Behel—raaaaaaa!!"

The battle cry burst out of me unbidden. At the same time, the servant who had vanished without so much as a bow reappeared.

"What are you doing, barbarian? Show some manners!"

"Manners..."

I approached him, mulling over his words.

"There is definitely something wrong with your head."

What barbarian in the world showed manners to an enemy?