Chapter 220 - Lord (4)

Raven, the mage of Team Apple Naraq, stood near a passage with the rest of her companions.

The reason was simple. When the attacks on the knights stopped, she had tried to head over to her team leader, but... thousands of people had packed together so tightly that she couldn't even think of getting through.

“Aynar, could you give me a hand? I can't see very well from here.”

She stood just over 150 centimeters tall, well below the average height of a human woman. Sitting on Aynar's shoulders, she watched what was happening in the center.

She was too far away to hear, but that wasn't a problem. Magic could take care of that.

“What's he saying, nyah?”

“They're almost finished. It sounds like they're going to split into groups of three hundred and each find their own way through.”

Raven relayed the events at the center to her companions as they happened. She wasn't the only one. Countless other teams here were doing the same. Whether through magic or enhanced hearing, most teams had someone with that sort of ability.

“What about Bjorn? What's Bjorn saying, nyah?”

“Uh, well... It looks like he's heading this way for now. Oh, a mage just spoke to him. As I thought, Mr. Jandel seems to be planning to gather a group.”

“Hmm, I see, nyah...”

Misha slowly nodded at Raven's words, looking somewhat worried. Raven could understand why.

“We're heading north!”

“Who will come with me?”

Countless clans and teams were already calling out incessantly for people to join them. Among them were famous explorers whose names were widely known, and commanders of renowned clans. In one place, three such clans had already formed an alliance.

Still, Raven forced a cheerful tone.

“What are you all worried about? You know Mr. Jandel's reputation can hold its own against anyone's. It might take a little time, but he'll be able to gather three hundred people.”

This was distinctly unlike her usual behavior. Normally, she preferred to analyze a situation and state only the facts. But...

'This is probably what Mr. Jandel would have done.'

There was something she had learned from following that barbarian around. A leader couldn't simply act however they ple—

“Huh?”

Raven stiffened in surprise before she knew it.

“What's wrong? Did something else happen, nyah?”

“That mage says he'll follow Mr. Jandel.”

“Wow, really? Didn't you say he was an incredible mage, nyah?”

“Yes, he is, but...”

Raven was bewildered. It was good news, but not knowing why he had chosen them left her deeply uneasy.

'Someone of his caliber could have joined a much better group...'

Why would a mage like that choose to join them? She couldn't fathom his reasoning. So this time, she honestly shared her concerns with a companion and asked his opinion.

“Hmm. That mage said people would gather around Jandel? I think I have some idea what he meant.”

“What do you mean, you have some idea?”

“Jandel is special. Surely you know that too, Raven?”

“I do?”

Just as Raven asked, unable to understand, Aynar shouted at the top of her lungs.

“Bjorn Jandel is a great warrior!”

A great warrior. For some reason, those words immediately brought back memories of the Blood-Tinted Castle.

Throughout their long history, fewer than ten barbarians had officially received that title from the king. Yet back then, as she watched the barbarian in his second month pass out as peacefully as if he were falling asleep after finishing everything he had to do, she had thought that he might truly become one someday.

“Isn't that why you joined this team too?”

“... It is.”

Raven nodded readily. Urigfried wasn't wrong. If she hadn't sensed something special in that barbarian, she would never have joined this team.

“He has a strange power to draw people to him.”

After finishing her conversation with her companion, Raven raised her head to check on Jandel again. Hardly any time had passed.

[“If you'll have me, I'd like to serve under you.”]

[“I believe you can save the most people.”]

[“Haha! At a time like this, a loyal man is the one you can count on most. Take us along too.”]

Before she knew it, countless explorers were following him. Was it because of what Urigfried had said? The sight no longer seemed strange. Nor did she suspect the motives of the mage who had been the first to offer to follow him.

“So it wasn't... just me.”

Sometimes, there were people whose backs made you want to follow them. And...

[“See? Didn't I tell you people would gather around you?”]

[“A mage's intuition tends to be right.”]

Most such people left great footprints in history.

* * *

One to two hours. I'd expected it to take at least that long. Even if all the real heavy hitters had fled through dimensional gates, there were still plenty of explorers better than me. I'd thought I'd have to hustle around recruiting to build the force I wanted while competing with them.

But...

'It's probably thanks to this man.'

Things turned around when Kyle, a military mage with knowledge, power, and the charisma to lead people naturally, joined me. Rank-three explorer Melter Fend brought his entire clan under my command, which set off a herd mentality.

It was like panic buying sparked by a false rumor. Even if you didn't believe it yourself, when everyone else was doing it, you felt like you ought to do it too, right?

“Behel—raaaaaaa!”

“The hope of the barbarians!”

“Follow the great warrior!”

I moved forward, letting the fervent cheers of the wildly excited barbarians go in one ear and out the other. I'd never experienced anything like this in my life.

“Take me with you! I swear I won't hold you back!”

Was this how a superstar felt arriving at an airport? With every step, a new team, clan, or confident individual approached to make their pitch.

So I raised my standards. The reason was simple. According to the basic market principles of supply and demand, I now had the upper hand.

“State your role and rank.”

“Rank five. I'm on my own now, but I served as the guardian in my old team.”

A guardian was a warrior who stood at the very front. At rank five, his skills should be decent.

“Your name?”

“Fell Akabud.”

Accepted.

“Good to meet you. I am Bjorn, son of Jandel. Get behind me.”

Even as I moved, I grew my force by carefully selecting only the people I needed.

'Almost all the priests left through the dimensional gates. I can barely find any.'

It was a shame, but there was nothing I could do. I'd just have to fill as many slots as possible with warriors and mages. Oh, knights were even better.

“... Carls Erimore.”

“Would you happen to have room for me and my companions? Three apprentice knights and one full knight.”

Sometimes, someone I knew showed up.

“I never thought they'd have abandoned you too.”

“I suppose an apprentice knight who used to be an explorer isn't all that important.”

He was the knight of Baron Martoin's Family I'd met at the count's estate. He was a decent person, and as a former explorer, he'd pull his weight. Besides, they had a knight who could use Aura.

“Come with me.”

“Thank you.”

Step by step, the number following me grew. The barbarians who had decided to follow me alone had long since exceeded the three-hundred-person limit, but I kept recruiting.

'We can just split into groups of three hundred anyway.'

If we traveled along the same route, we could help each other in an emergency. I'd never expected to gather enough people to make that possible, though.

'Good. Things are going well.'

How much farther had I gone? Even in that enormous crowd, one face caught my eye.

“Takellan.”

He stood alone, motionless. He wasn't looking for a team like the others, nor did he show any desire to form one. Perhaps he'd simply given up on everything.

“...”

When our eyes met, he looked away. He clearly wanted me to pretend I hadn't seen him and walk past. But I was a barbarian, one of a people who couldn't rest until they'd done what they wanted. I approached him and spoke.

“Come with me.”

I didn't know why I'd done it. The words simply came out first.

“Come on, if you want to live.”

“Do you... think I want to live?”

He murmured as if he'd heard something strange.

“Lena was my wife.”

So that was it.

“Then why should I live?”

I answered.

“Because someone has to bring back the news.”

That wasn't what I truly thought. Even in the final moment of taking their own lives, everyone yearned to live somewhere deep in their hearts. Takellan himself had kept running behind us to the very end, despite losing all his companions.

Had he really had a reason then? Well, I didn't think so. But...

“Yes, there was that...”

Having a reason made it easier for people to get back on their feet.

“If you've pulled yourself together, get behind me.”

“... Why go out of your way to be kind to me? With what you have now, you don't even need me.”

I answered with selfish honesty.

“Because if you survive, I'll feel a little more at ease.”

Using someone else to ease my guilt. In a way, it was similar to what that knight commander had done. The only difference was that I knew how cowardly I was.

“...”

I didn't know what he thought of my words. But after that conversation, Takellan went behind me and joined the group.

'That took longer than I meant it to.'

I continued leading the group forward. Before long, I spotted my companions near the passage.

“Bjorn!”

Misha and Aynar rushed over as soon as I was close enough, greeting me enthusiastically. I pushed them off without much ceremony and spoke to Raven.

“Raven, did anything happen?”

“No...”

“Good. Did you hear what we were discussing in there?”

“Yes, I heard...”

Okay, no need to explain everything again.

“Then why do you keep avoiding my eyes?”

“What? I'm not. Here, look!”

Hmm, was that so? She'd seemed strangely uncomfortable around me. Oh, was it because of all the people behind me? Fair enough. Even I had to admit that army commander Bar bar ian Mode was imposing as hell.

My teasing must have brought her back to her senses, because Raven returned to her usual self.

“Anyway, with a group this size... we can leave as soon as we've taken stock of our people. This really worked out well. We were already pressed for time.”

Pressed for time. She wasn't wrong. But there was one thing left to do first. Something that might just be the most important part of getting through this crisis.

* * *

Kyle Pevrosk, the rank-three military mage known by the epithet “Mage of Steel,” let out a hearty laugh.

'And here I was wondering what he was going to do...'

The more he watched this fellow, the more fascinating he became. After gathering so many people, the very first thing he did was merely exchange names.

“Your name?”

He approached them one at a time and asked their names. After hearing each name, he gave them a brief handshake.

“Good to meet you. I am Bjorn, son of Jandel.”

Someone even asked the barbarian why he was exchanging names when they had so little time. His answer was quite something.

“There are still plenty of people whose names I don't know.”

“Yes, but what does that mat—”

“It matters to me. So don't interrupt.”

The barbarian continued exchanging names as if he were performing some sacred ritual. Most considered his actions meaningless. Even Melter Fend, commander of the Nartel Clan and a man with considerable experience and insight, felt the same.

“... Does this serve some purpose?”

Kyle smiled at the question from Melter, who had sidled over.

“Melter Fend, why did you decide to follow him?”

“Well...”

Melter Fend hesitated before speaking.

“To be honest, I believed you must have had good reason to choose him, Master Kyle.”

“Yes, that would be one reason. But I doubt that's all. You have people you're responsible for.”

“... Do you know about my circumstances?”

“I happened to hear. That commander offered you a place, but you refused because you couldn't abandon your remaining clan members, didn't you?”

“Well, this is rather embarrassing.”

“What's there to be embarrassed about? I think it was a loyal choice. But to lead the clan members you were so determined to protect simply by following someone else's choice...”

“Even I can see that's hardly a convincing reason.”

Melter Fend smiled sheepishly, then continued cautiously.

“This may sound strange, but I simply had a feeling. That standing behind him would be the safest place to be...”

“You followed your instincts...”

“It's fairly common in our line of work. Ultimately, if you're unlucky here, you die.”

“I'm not criticizing you. In fact, I doubt anyone here is very different from you.”

“Pardon?”

Melter Fend tilted his head, but Kyle only offered a cryptic reply.

“Just watch. We'll soon find out whether this was meaningless or not.”

The two watched the barbarian without further conversation. He was still making his rounds, asking people their names one by one.

“... Hans, did you say?”

“No, Hanbus.”

“Oh, is that so? Good to meet you! It may only be for a short while, but I'm counting on you.”

“And I'm counting on you!”

Asking names and exchanging brief greetings. That was all he was doing, yet somehow, much had changed from the beginning.

“Teterud, is it? Good to meet you. That's a fine axe.”

“Haha! There's no finer compliment for a dwarf.”

“I'll be counting on you to watch my back later.”

“Of course. Don't you worry.”

The atmosphere gradually softened. Facing a battle they might not survive, these people had seemed bristling with thorns, but now the tension around their mouths eased.

“Wait, why are you passing me by?”

“I asked you as soon as we met, didn't I? It was Darberus, right?”

“Hah! You remember all of them?”

“You're companions I'll be fighting alongside.”

Only then did Melter Fend understand the cause of this change. That barbarian was earning the trust of all these people as naturally as breathing. Simply by asking their names.

“Bjorn, son of Jandel. Don't tell me you really intend to hear every last person's name?”

“Is there a problem with that?”

“No. I just thought you were a truly steadfast fellow. I'm Humble Elbertin. Let's have a drink if we make it out.”

“Humble Elbertin. I'll remember that.”

“You can't leave me out of a gathering like that. Me too! Count me in!”

And the growing trust wasn't limited to the two exchanging names. Others could hear the brief conversations that accompanied those introductions.

“They're no longer... strangers.”

Melter Fend was genuinely astounded. Circumstances had forced them into a single group, but until today, they had been strangers. Now they knew each other's names and faces. From the brief conversations they'd overheard, they even understood a little of what kind of people the others were.

Each individual's connection to that barbarian became common ground, intertwining like strands of a spiderweb to form bonds.

“Bjorn Jandel, he... Could he have calculated all of this in advance...?”

“Well, I doubt it.”

“I find that difficult to understand.”

“What do you mean?”

“... People don't normally do something like that for no reason.”

Kyle chuckled. Certainly, that was normally true. Normally, even doing the same thing produced an entirely different result. But...

“Don't try to understand it. If you've studied history, you should know that every age has people like him.”

It was precisely because their actions and results were beyond an ordinary person's understanding that they were considered great.

* * *

The long round of introductions ended. Then, just as we finished dividing the thousand-strong crowd into three groups on Kyle's advice...

“Behel—raaaaaaa!”

I couldn't help letting out a shout with all my might, honoring the ancestral god's blessing.

“Hoho... My friend, why did you shout this time? Now you've got all the other barbarians shouting too.”

Uh, sorry about that... But I couldn't help it.

'Not a single Hans among all these people.'

If this wasn't a sign from the ancestral god, what was?