Chapter 87 - Baron Martoin (3)

Auriel Gabis.

The creator's username, always displayed at the bottom of the loading screen.

Well, I didn't know whether it was a username or a real name, but anyway.

'Why is that name here...?'

This was rather sudden, but there were two possibilities.

[Complete Analysis of Ruptures II]

Either a Player had written this book, or the man himself really had written it.

The latter possibility left me unsettled. At the very least, it would mean the game's creator was closely connected to my waking up in this body.

'Is that bastard really some kind of god?'

In any case, finding a clue was a good sign.

Auriel Gabis.

If I carefully followed that name, perhaps I could eventually find a way home.

As I've said before, I still knew nothing. Not even whether reaching the final floor and opening the Gate of Abyss again was the key to returning home.

'Asking around could get me hurt. I'd better investigate carefully.'

With that in mind, I examined the book closely.

Nothing in particular turned up. It didn't even give the year it was written, just a signature on the very last page that presumably belonged to the author.

After making sure Lagna wasn't nearby, I tore off a small corner and slipped it into my bag.

'Even finding out how many years ago this book was made would be a big—'

Wait, it was morning already?

I put an end to my musings and got up.

At the desk, I found Lagna nodding off. There was a blanket beside her, so I was about to at least drape it over her when she stirred at my presence.

"Mmm."

"Why didn't you say anything? If I'd known this much time had passed, I'd have left long ago."

"Don't get the wrong idea. Putting away the books took a little longer than expected, so I was merely resting."

Putting away the books took a little longer?

From the look of things, the library would be opening soon.

"It's the truth. Don't misunderstand."

"... All right."

Since she insisted, I simply nodded and made my way out of the library. Just before opening the door to leave, I happened to glance back and saw her stretching, her face weary.

"What are you doing? Get going already."

Was she actually nice?

* * *

Since it was morning, I simply started my day. Being a barbarian, it made no difference whether I washed or not anyway.

'Still, I should eat first.'

I went into the first open restaurant nearby, grabbed a quick meal, and headed straight to the Magic Tower.

"Mr. Jandel? What are you doing here at this hour...?"

"I've come to ask you something."

"Make it quick. I'm sleepy."

"We have an opening for a mage on our team. Would you consider join—"

CLACK

Fuck, she could at least say no.

So she was a bust too. Whatever. I hadn't expected anything anyway.

"Wait! I have another favor to ask!"

I shouted urgently and knocked on the door. It creaked open a crack.

"Another favor?"

"I want to know when this paper was made."

"Hmm? Let me see."

Her interest apparently piqued, Raven scrutinized the paper I handed her. Perhaps she hadn't found anything particularly special about it, though.

"It's doable, but why do you want to know?"

"Can't you just do it for me?"

"Well, all right. But not for free. I'll need something in return..."

Raven trailed off, then continued as though she'd thought of something suitable.

"My seniors are very interested in you, Mr. Jandel. Go help them with their research. They've been pestering me about it lately."

She wanted me to put myself in those perverted bastards' hands?

"... Will once be enough?"

"Yes. It's not a particularly difficult favor. I'll have the analysis done by the time you come next week. Oh! Right. And try not to show up unannounced this early in the morning again."

"... All right."

It was nine in the morning when I finished my business and left the Magic Tower. It was a little early, but with nothing else to do, I headed to the tavern where we'd agreed to meet.

Surprisingly, someone had arrived before me.

"Bjorn! What's going on, nyah? I went to your lodgings, and they said you weren't there, nyah!"

"Oh, I was at the library."

"Wh-what? All night...? Is that what you meant by having business there, nyah?!"

"What are you talking about? Lagna was considerate enough to let me stay and read."

I'd told her nothing but the truth, yet Misha eyed me suspiciously.

She wasn't actually my mother, for crying out loud.

"Really, nyah...?"

"Why would I lie to you?"

"That's... true, nyah. All right, nyah."

Surprisingly, looking her straight in the eye and saying that was enough to convince her. Was it a case of her good son never telling a lie?

Anyway, when I sat beside her, Misha offered me the drink she'd been having.

"Try some of this, nyah. They make it by grinding up a fruit called a tomato. It tastes so unusual, nyah!"

I wasn't sure about the unusual taste, but the mention of tomato juice reminded me of something.

"More importantly, what were you going to say yesterday?"

From the mood, she'd seemed about to tell me something fairly important, but Hans B had interrupted before I could hear it.

However...

"Huh? What do you mean, nyah?"

"Don't tell me you don't remember?"

"Uh, um... Did I say something I shouldn't have, nyah?"

Judging by those innocent eyes, she'd genuinely been too drunk to remember. I tried asking whether there was anything she'd been meaning to tell me, but that got me nowhere.

"Huh? Nothing like that, nyah."

"I see."

"... Are you angry, nyah?"

"No."

There were two ways to make someone angry in this world, but I wasn't going to get angry over something like that.

It wasn't her fault in the first place.

We passed the time treating the quiet tavern like a café, until the others arrived.

"Oh, you're here already?"

"I'm sorry you're all here so early because of me..."

The dwarf and Dwalki showed up together as always. A short wait later, Rotmiller arrived right on time and took a seat.

Then the meeting began. Naturally, the subject was how to get Dwalki's ban from the Labyrinth lifted.

"Let's hear any ideas you've come up with. First... Yes, Bjorn, why don't you start?"

Huh, me first?

It was certainly a nerve-racking position to be in, but I delivered my presentation honestly and concisely.

"I think we'd be better off finding a new teammate."

"... What?"

"Of course, finding a mage probably isn't feasible. I asked two other mages, but both turned me down on the spot."

"... Wh-what are you saying? You've already gone to see other mages?"

"Is there a problem?"

I asked the question without hesitation.

The dwarf, who'd been trying to find a way no matter what, might feel hurt by what I'd done...

But there was always a fine line between selfishness and selflessness.

All I'd done was assume the worst and try to find a realistic alternative for the team.

"Someone had to say it, even if it wasn't me. Isn't that right, Rotmiller?"

"Well... that's true, but..."

When I singled him out for his opinion, Rotmiller nodded with a somewhat uncomfortable expression.

The dwarf's gaze grew grave, but even Dwalki himself spoke up.

"M-Murad! I'm all right, so don't look like that. Bjorn isn't wrong, is he?"

At that, the dwarf pressed his lips shut.

"Th-then I'll go next, nyah!"

"Y-yes, go ahead, Miss Karlstein."

Misha raised her hand with forced cheer, as though trying to lighten the mood.

Of course, what she had to say wasn't worth listening to.

"I asked around, and I heard Mozlan is susceptible to bribes, nyah. Why don't we pool our money and slip them a little something, nyah?"

Discussing bribery in such an innocent voice.

Certainly, Baron Martoin or whatever his name was must have paid them to screw Dwalki over.

However...

"Miss Karlstein, Mozlan never does business with anyone who isn't nobility."

Mozlan thoroughly excluded commoners.

Most of them didn't hold titles themselves... No, perhaps that was precisely why this was their last shred of pride.

"R-really, nyah...? I didn't know that, nyah. Then you go next, Rotmiller, nyah."

Flustered, Misha passed the turn to him.

Since it was Rotmiller, I waited for his opinion with some seriousness too.

However...

"To be honest, I don't know how we could get what we want from a noble... let alone a titled one. I'm sorry..."

Rotmiller hadn't found a suitable solution either.

Unlike with me, though, the dwarf sighed and actually comforted him.

"How could that be your fault? Really... it's only natural."

Hey, if he knew it was only natural, why had he glared at me?

While I grumbled inwardly, the dwarf spoke in a tentative tone.

"That's why... Dwalki and I gave it a great deal of thought last night."

"Get to the point."

"We thought we might go speak to Baron Martoin directly."

In short, he wanted to tackle this head-on.

But there was a serious problem with that too.

"How are you going to meet him?"

Most nobles lived in District One, the imperial capital of Carnon. Low-floor explorers like us couldn't even enter that area.

Forget having a conversation; we lived in different worlds.

The dwarf, however, seemed to have worked out a detailed plan already.

"There's a teahouse Baron Martoin visits regularly. If we wait there, we're certain to meet him."

Hmm, in that case, it certainly wasn't a bad idea.

Regardless of how unlikely the baron was to change his mind, there was nothing to lose by trying.

"Then there's no problem. You two go."

"H-how can you say something so hurtful? Come with us!"

What was he on about now?

"You're only going there to beg. Why do we all need to go?"

"... We need courage! We're dealing with a titled noble!"

When I told them to handle it themselves, the dwarf started whining to an absurd degree.

His hopeless attitude already had me sighing, but we'd been together long enough to grow attached, so I weighed the practical benefits.

'Finding a new mage with nine days left isn't feasible...'

Even if we recruited someone of any class, we'd be in for a hell of a time unless they were decent.

Having Dwalki stay on the team really was the best outcome.

'If these two go alone, they'll probably just stammer and come back having ruined even a problem they could've solved.'

However I looked at it, our chances did seem at least a little better if I went myself.

But...

'I don't like the idea of meeting a noble.'

Even in the game, avoiding entanglements with nobles whenever possible had been an ironclad rule.

Because not one of them was decent—

"I'll pay you three hundred thousand Stones however it turns out! Each!"

Hmm, now that was tempting.

As long as I wasn't being paid in friendship, meeting a noble once wasn't out of the question.

* * *

"In that case, meeting him might not be a bad idea."

"Really?!"

The dwarf's face visibly brightened at my agreement.

Rather than get swept up in his antics, though, I calmly checked what I needed to know first.

"So when do we go?"

This wasn't a world where even nobles could go around killing just anyone. Especially not explorers who enjoyed a degree of respect.

It probably wouldn't be all that dangerous under normal circumstances, but this would be my first time meeting a real noble since waking in this body.

I needed a little time to mentally prepa—

"T-today."

"What...?"

"I-if we miss today, he won't visit that place again until next month."

Whew. No wonder I'd wanted to refuse.

Still, I'd already agreed, so I checked the other details one by one.

How old Baron Martoin was, whether he was indeed a man, whether there was anything he disliked, and anything else it would be useful to know.

Time flew as I familiarized myself with it all.

"L-let's get going. Like you said, if we're going to pretend it's a chance encounter, we should be there ahead of him!"

The baron usually visited the teahouse between three and four in the afternoon.

Accordingly, we arrived at two and waited for our moment.

How much time had passed?

"Th-that's my second-eldest brother."

Baron Martoin appeared with his attendants in tow.

Apparently, he came in person to enjoy tea brewed by the owner himself.

Once he entered a private room, we'd lose our chance to speak to him, so I quickly rose and led the way.

"Who are you?!"

A huge knight blocked our path the moment we approached.

For now, Dwalki stepped forward as planned.

"B-Baron Martoin! It's me! Leor Wuerv Dwalki! Please, just hear me out!"

As I'd advised him, Dwalki prostrated himself on the floor in a show of submission.

That drew the attention of Baron Martoin, who'd been speaking with the owner.

His reaction, however, was nothing like we'd expected.

"Dwalki...? That sounds familiar."

He murmured as though he could barely remember.

A man who looked like a butler leaned in to explain.

"The Dwalki family is the birth family of Lady Carolina, the previous baron's third wife."

"Ah, yes! So what business does someone from that family have with me?"

"I, um... Well, you see..."

With events diverging from our plan right from the outset, Dwalki had begun stammering.

It was earlier than expected, but it was my turn to step in.

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

I spoke boldly, noble or not.

For any other race, that alone would constitute insulting a noble...

But big, precious barbarians were exempt.

Long ago, an ancestor had performed a great service and secured that permission from the king.

"It's been a long time since I spoke with a barbarian. It always feels so novel."

Fortunately, the baron seemed intrigued by the situation.

Well, when else would people like him meet a barbarian and get a refreshing dose of informal speech?

"So what business do you have with me?"

"This fellow was banned from the Labyrinth after Mozlan dragged him away yesterday."

"How unfortunate. But why are you telling me?"

Because he'd said you'd ordered the whole thing.

'What? Why does he look like he knows nothing about this?'

At first, I'd thought he was simply denying responsibility, but by this point, even I was starting to have doubts.

Then the butler whispered in the baron's ear again.

"Hmm, an illegitimate child? There was one of those? I see. So you took care of it..."

"Yes, my lord. It wasn't a matter that required your attention, so I didn't report it separately."

"Well done. Knowing about such trivial matters would only waste my time."

It seemed the baron had known nothing about this, and that butler bastard had handled everything.

"Such trivial matters...?"

Whatever the severity of Dwalki's shock, this wasn't a bad development in terms of the outcome.

The more insignificant they considered the matter, the better our chances of achieving our goal.

"Could you have his ban from the Labyrinth revoked?"

"Hmm, why should I do that?"

The baron tilted his head as though he genuinely couldn't understand. And the infuriating part was that I could sense no malice.

His very way of thinking was different from ours.

'Fucking Celestial Dragon bastards...'

As I inwardly cursed the baron and considered what to do next, the butler whispered something in his ear yet again.

Whatever trick he was using, I couldn't hear a word this time either.

Still, I could roughly guess what he was saying.

"Hmm? What was that? This is that barbarian?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"Well now, Little Valcan... Even I've heard the name. At the banquet two days ago, the count mentioned that an interesting explorer had appeared."

The baron looked at me in an entirely different light now. His eyes lit up as though he'd found an amusing toy.

"Bjorn, was it? In exchange for granting your request, would you do me a favor as well?"

Ah, uh, hmm...

I hadn't expected this turn of events either...

"It's a trifling favor. Besides, I'll give you ample compensation for it! What do you say?"

Somehow, it looked like I was about to receive my second commission.