Chapter 151 - Barbarian Lord (3)

Me, a tank, and Misha, a cold-element melee damage dealer. Now we needed three more teammates to round out the lineup.

'One priest, one mage, and one archer who doubles as a Scout.'

That was the first lineup that came to mind. The classic [Dungeon and Stone] party, you might say.

With my Vampire Essence gone, a priest would be a huge help to the team. But...

'Forget about recruiting a priest.'

Actually, calling it giving up wasn't quite accurate. I'd already asked Crovits whether he could introduce me to a priest, only to be turned down flat. Apparently, a team needed at least three rank-5 or higher members, plus a certain merit score with the relevant temple.

'The basic recruitment requirements are even stricter than in the game.'

It was a shame, but not a major problem. A priest made a team far safer, but the trade-off was lower damage output. I'd deliberately left them out of parties before for that very reason.

'I'm starting to get a feel for the lineup.'

That evening, after learning the shocking truth that Misha was a racist, I finished sorting out my thoughts, got dressed, and headed out into the streets. Then I made my way to the tavern I remembered.

JINGLE!

As soon as I opened the door, I spotted the impressively broad-built lady of the Black Bear Tribe. When she asked if I was alone, I gave Mister Bear's name. She smacked her lips and jerked her chin toward one side of the room.

Mister Bear, a rank-5 explorer, was wearing an apron and carrying food and drinks to the customers.

"Hardly any customers, and all he ever does is invite his friends over."

I did my best to let the mutter behind me go in one ear and out the other as I took an empty seat. Then, just as Mister Bear finished serving a table, I quietly raised a hand to call him over.

"Ah, just a moment. I'll be right... Bjorn Jandel?"

"Let's talk for a moment."

At that, Mister Bear's eyes darted toward the counter, checking his wife's reaction. Wow. I hadn't pegged him for the henpecked type.

I'd only meant to have a quick word and leave, but I ordered two dishes and two drinks instead. That should make both of us feel a little less self-conscious.

"... Ahem."

Mister Bear soon brought over the food and drinks, then sat across from me with a sheepish expression. He sounded almost defensive.

"I-it isn't always like this. You know that, right? The tavern's just been busy lately..."

It looked pretty quiet for a busy tavern, but I didn't bother pointing that out. What was so embarrassing about being a devoted family man?

Then he spoke, as if to change the subject.

"So, if you've come looking for me, I take it you've left your old team?"

"... The team disbanded."

"Judging by that look on your face, you lost someone."

I neither confirmed nor denied it. Perhaps my silence was answer enough. Mister Bear gave a bitter smile and drained his drink.

"It's a shitty thing."

"Yes. It really is."

I drained my own glass and ordered two more drinks. Then we got down to business.

"How many have you got?"

"Only two so far."

"You and that Red Cat Tribe woman, then."

"So, what's your answer?"

"All right. I'm in."

Mister Bear readily agreed first, then started asking questions. Which floor were we aiming for? How would we split the earnings? And how would we fill the remaining two slots?

I briefly outlined the setup I had in mind.

"A mage is nonnegotiable. As for the last slot... we'll have to fill it with a Scout."

In truth, putting Erwin in the archer slot instead of Mister Bear had been an option. But she'd only just started her Scout training, so how well she'd perform was still an unknown.

Besides, Mister Bear had a tank summon that could make up for the lack of a priest to some extent. That was why I'd settled on this lineup.

"Until we find a Guide, we'll hire a Scout on a contract basis. Everyone except the Scout will get an equal share."

Mister Bear nodded, then casually asked,

"If I happened to be a Guide, could you increase my share?"

"What?"

"Exactly what I said."

What the hell was he talking about? Was he saying he was a Guide? If so, that made absolutely no sense.

"Didn't you say you spent nineteen hours wandering around the first floor last time?"

"... Did I tell you how many hours?"

"The rupture opened at around seven in the evening on day one."

Even then, Mister Bear had still been roaming the Crystal Cave because he couldn't find the portal to the second floor.

A Guide could tell exactly which direction a portal lay, no matter where they were in the Labyrinth. How could one still be on the first floor that late? Considering Rotmiller's best time was six hours, it made no sense.

But...

"Ah, well... the Crystal Cave's paths are pretty complicated, aren't they?"

"Huh?"

"I know where the portal is, but getting there always gives me trouble."

He went on to explain that he'd only pointed out the direction, while his teammates had found the route. I couldn't help asking,

"... In other words, you're a Guide with no sense of direction?"

"Ahem! That's what my old teammates used to say. Though I honestly find that hard to accept."

What was so hard to accept? Even an ordinary person could reach the second-floor portal in a day with nothing but a compass.

'A Guide with no sense of direction...'

I wasn't sure that even made sense, but I did my best not to show it as I wrapped up our discussion.

"I'll think about your share. I need to hear what the people who join later think, too."

"That's good enough for me."

"Then we're settled."

I'd found our first recruit.

Avman Urigfried. A rank-5 archer with a tank summon, and a Guide whose scouting ability was practically zero.

"I look forward to working with you, Bjorn, son of Jandel."

Was it just me, or was this already starting to look like the second coming of the Outcast Team, only with much better stats?

* * *

We'd barely clinked glasses to celebrate becoming teammates when his wife shot us a glare.

"How long are you planning to sit around?"

"H-honey? No, this isn't sitting around."

Mister Bear scrambled to his feet, hurried over to her, and said something too quietly for me to hear. At first, it looked like he was getting a scolding, but...

"Oh, my! You should have told me sooner. He's going to be your teammate?"

Apparently, he'd managed to explain things, because she approached me first with a warm smile.

"It's a pleasure. I hear you've even earned the epithet Little Valcan? You're so tall and sturdy. I can finally stop worrying."

"I-I'm glad to hear that."

"Yes. To be honest, I didn't like his last teammates. How could they be on a team together for over half a year without showing their faces here once?"

Huh?

"... His last teammates?"

Wasn't he exploring solo?

I stole a glance at Mister Bear. His face had gone deathly pale, and he was shaking his head frantically.

Our previous conversation came back to me.

["You're a married man, and you've been going into the Labyrinth alone?"]

["The tavern's been losing money lately. I have to work hard to bring something in, don't I?"]

Working hard to earn money was all well and good, but I'd never imagined he'd been lying to his wife while going solo.

First his terrible sense of direction, and now this. My image of him was shattering. I'd thought he'd be a wise teammate, as dependable as a bear. Turns out he was just a guy living like there was no tomorrow.

"Anyway, everything you've had tonight is on me. My husband has his shortcomings, but please take good care of him."

Not wanting to get caught in the crossfire of someone else's domestic troubles, I all but fled the tavern. Then, when I arrived back at my lodgings...

"Oh, Mister. Have you been drinking?"

Erwin was waiting for me in the ground-floor lobby with a drink she'd ordered. I wondered if she'd come to finish the conversation we'd cut short before, but...

"I'm sorry!"

Before I could say anything, she blurted out an apology.

"Sorry? What do you mean?"

"I had no idea that had happened to your teammate..."

"How did you find out?"

"You looked so upset that day, so I asked one of your other teammates."

When I asked who she meant, she said the dwarf. Apparently, once she told him she was a former teammate of mine, he'd told her about Dwalki without questioning it.

Fortunately, he seemed to have left out everything about the oracle and the Dragonslayer.

"It must have been so painful. I know, too. I know what it feels like to lose something."

Erwin stroked my hand, on the verge of tears.

It felt terribly embarrassing. Like being comforted by a three-year-old, maybe? Besides, it was a little late. I'd more or less come to terms with it by now.

"... Let's leave that subject alone. Anyway, I'm glad you came. There was something I wanted to discuss."

"Something to discuss? Oh, but I wasn't finished yet..."

"Finished with what?"

"... Nothing. So, what did you want to talk about?"

I sat down across from her and got straight to the point.

"I'm putting together a new team. Would you be interested in joining?"

Originally, I hadn't planned to include Erwin. Not because of Misha's request, of course. After weighing my options, I'd simply chosen Mister Bear as our archer, leaving no room for her.

But learning that Mister Bear was a Guide had changed things. The slot I'd intended for a Scout was now open.

'Her combat ability isn't quite there yet, but if she develops well, she'll definitely pull more than her own weight.'

The fact that her sister was training her as a Scout was a huge plus, too. She'd be perfect for finding routes alongside Mister Bear.

"Um..."

After a long silence, Erwin finally managed an answer.

"I'm really happy you asked. So please don't misunderstand, all right?"

Hmm. So that was a no, then.

"Is it because of your sister?"

"No. It's because of me. I still have so much to learn from her."

That wasn't the answer I'd expected. Still, I could understand it.

Sticking with her sister would certainly help her grow more right now. She'd only been training as a Scout for a few months, and I couldn't teach her things like spirit magic.

"I see. Understood."

"Um... you're not angry, are you? Are you?"

"Of course not. It's a sound decision. You've become a proper explorer now."

"Ah, it's been so long since you praised me..."

After staring blankly into space for a moment, Erwin cleared her throat and came back to her senses. Then she spoke with determination.

"Just wait six months. In exactly six months, I'll learn everything I can from my sister and join your team."

Uh, I appreciated the sentiment, but... didn't that make it sound as though I'd planted an industrial spy?

For some reason, I could almost hear her sister's heart breaking.

* * *

The next morning, I headed to the sanctuary as soon as I woke up, without even washing. A rational decision: there was no need to wash when I was going somewhere crawling with nothing but barbarians anyway.

'Feels like coming home.'

I wasn't even a real barbarian, yet the sight of the green undergrowth here put me at ease. There'd been a time when fear of the chieftain had made me uncomfortable, but now, at least, I felt at home.

Was that why?

'Fuck.'

The oracle suddenly came to mind, weighing on my heart.

My instincts, honed by misfortune, told me that a secret known to more than ten people couldn't stay secret forever.

'Even if I finish stage six today, it'll take years to reach stage nine...'

Unlike the other races, who'd abandoned their outdated traditions, barbarians were stubborn to the point of insanity. If word got out that I'd received an oracle from the Goddess of the Stars instead of our ancestral goddess, the chieftain would personally try to expel me, superstar rookie or not.

'I'll think about that as I go...'

I walked through the undergrowth toward the center of the sanctuary.

Along the way, I spotted young warriors gathered in an open clearing. Little warriors who stayed in the sanctuary, honing their martial skills as they waited for their coming-of-age ceremony.

It was a sight I saw every time I came here, but...

'Is that Karon...?'

Among the young warriors, I spotted a familiar barbarian face. Karon, son of Tarson.

Once an innocent baby barbarian who knew nothing of the world, he'd accepted its darkness and grown into a proper warrior. Now he stood before the young barbarians like a drill instructor.

"Repeat after me. Humans are?"

"The enemy!"

"Our hearts?"

"We must protect them!"

It was rote instruction bordering on brainwashing, but even this would greatly improve their chances of survival. I watched them with satisfaction.

Until I noticed something.

'What's that, though?'

There was something odd about the appearance of Karon, son of Tarson, and the few senior barbarians who seemed to have come with him. For some reason, each was wearing three or four backpacks.

I wondered if it was some new fashion among barbarians, but...

"Instructor! What are those bags?"

Apparently, I wasn't the only one who thought it was strange. One of the young warriors raised a hand to ask.

Karon smiled as if he'd been waiting for the question.

"Good question, young warrior! This is Robert, this is John, and this is Aiden..."

He pointed to each of the backpacks hanging on his sides, front, and back, naming them one by one.

"Hahaha! Those sound like people's names!"

The baby barbarian giggled. But...

"That's because they are people's names."

Karon was no longer smiling.

"... Wh-what do you mean?"

Karon gave the stunned baby barbarians a very, very long and detailed explanation of how he'd acquired those backpacks. Then he resumed their indoctrination.

"Repeat after me once more. Humans are?"

"The enemy!!!!!"

"Our hearts?"

"We must protect them!!!!"

"Bjorn, son of Jandel, is?"

"A great warrior!!!!!"

I was speechless as I watched.

"..."

... What the hell had I done?