Chapter 96 - Barbarian Trophy (3)

“Haha! Now that's the boldness of a barbarian!”

The baron laughed heartily at my decision.

He could only laugh like that because he knew nothing about barbarians. Being a barbarian didn't mean knowing no fear.

As Aynar had once said:

["We were born warriors. If we cannot fight, we die."]

They simply carried their fear with them as they moved forward. Because that was what they had to do.

My choice this time was no different.

After so much peace, perhaps this really would be when something terrible happened?

'I'd be lying if I said I wasn't anxious...'

But what was I supposed to do about it? If I chose avoidance out of fear of a future that wasn't even certain, it would only end in ruin. With that mindset, how could I ever enter the Labyrinth again or make rational decisions?

If I'd been like that from the start, I wouldn't even be alive.

“I've informed the count. He was absolutely delighted.”

As I sat quietly gathering my thoughts, the baron soon returned. He seemed quite pleased with my choice.

“Oh, but is that necklace really so important?”

His question suggested he was certain the winner's prize had played a major part in my decision. I didn't deny it.

“Numbered items sell for a lot, don't they?”

“Hmm... If you say so.”

His expression suggested he thought I had another reason, but he didn't pry. He merely asked:

“By the way, just how strong are you?”

“...?”

“Judging by your ambitions, you seem to be seriously considering winning the whole thing. Are you that confident?”

I chuckled. How strong was I? There were far too many monsters in this world for me to answer that confidently.

But...

“I don't actually expect you to win. But if you lose too easily, my reputation would—”

Add the qualifier “apprentice knight”—in other words, assume the level of a third-floor explorer—and it was a different story.

“Oh, don't worry about that.”

I cut the baron off. That part had never worried me in the first place.

“Ten seconds is enough.”

“Enough?”

As the baron tilted his head, I declared:

“I can smash most guys' heads in before then.”

I meant that sincerely, without a hint of exaggeration. Had that sincerity reached the people around me too?

“E-eek!”

The butler, whose eyes happened to meet mine, went into a fit.

* * *

Knights.

Just as in medieval times, here too they were practically the embodiment of military might. Provided, of course, that you removed the “apprentice” part.

'What kind of knight can't even use Aura?'

Aura was what made knights terrifying.

It ignored 90% of defense and 90% of Mana resistance.

Combine that overpowered ability to cut through practically anything with systematically developed, combat-oriented swordsmanship, and they were already absolute monsters...

Then they leveled up with “elixirs” and used their enormous wealth to stuff themselves full of high-grade Essences on top of that?

'No wonder humans never lose their grip on power.'

In a world teeming with other races, where magic actually existed, knights were the spear and shield protecting the ruling class. Even accounting for the fact that elixirs could only raise someone to Level 5, a proper knight could single-handedly cut down several high-ranking explorers.

That was how specialized they were in fighting people.

But...

'An apprentice would be Level 3 at most. And none of their Essences would be better than grade 7.'

That was assuming the best possible case, too. Few nobles would invest that much in someone who couldn't even use Aura yet.

'The tournament itself really isn't the problem...'

What bothered me was what came afterward. There was the count's excessive interest, for one. And if some barbarian went and won this thing, there was every chance the ruling class would look at me unfavorably.

But once I'd made my decision, second thoughts were a luxury.

'Let's just focus on this for now.'

I decided to worry about the aftermath once I'd won. Thanks to the baron's consideration, I was passing the time quietly in a corner when...

“You were spouting some awfully arrogant nonsense earlier.”

Three men in knightly armor approached. I remembered every one of them. Our encounters might have been fleeting, but I'd seen their faces today. I wasn't about to forget them.

“Ten seconds is enough? Have you gotten so wrapped up in playing the clown that you've forgotten your place, you stupid barbarian?”

First, this guy. He was the one who'd sneered about me being a little clown while I entertained the nobles at the outdoor banquet. As I stared at his distinctive, ratlike front teeth, the man beside him took over as though accepting a baton.

“Barbarian, you would do well to pray fervently to your ancestral god that you do not face me. I shall take your head in a single stroke. It will not take ten seconds, of course.”

I didn't know his name, since he hadn't given it. He was the idiot who'd made his stupidity obvious by going on about me sucking up and asking whether a warrior's pride was a thing of the past.

Judging by his speech, he was a pompous ass to boot...

“If I face you—”

Just as the baton was about to pass to the next runner, I sprang to my feet and cut him off.

My policy was to avoid making enemies where possible, but at this point, I honestly had to ask.

“Do you lot have something seriously wrong with your heads?”

That was still a fairly roundabout way of putting it. Asking, “Are you morons?” might get me charged with insulting nobility, after all.

“W-what?”

“Do you think I'll be scared if you crowd around me like cowards? Even a three-year-old warrior in my tribe wouldn't do this!”

“... Cowards? How dare you insult—”

“Then what is it? Did you suddenly find courage you didn't have before, now that the baron's gone? What tremendous honor!”

“Th-that's...!”

They hadn't come anywhere near me while the baron was around. When I pointed that out, the three knightly stooges gaped like goldfish. Being a barbarian free of prejudice, though, I didn't assume they had speech impediments.

They were simply flustered. They couldn't have expected me to expose their disgraceful behavior so loudly.

“That's why I asked! I heard knights had pride! But you're using your 'superior numbers' to pull this childish stunt on a 'fellow contestant'? Clearly, something must be wrong with your heads!”

My shout spelled out exactly what they were doing.

“S-stop! Shut that mouth of yours!”

The three stooges looked desperate. Naturally. Disgraceful behavior aside, at this rate, they'd become the guys a barbarian had called wrong in the head.

Perhaps they decided that talking any further would only make a bigger scene.

“... You'll pay for this!”

The three stooges left, choking back their anger. Being locals, apparently, they even threw in a parting line that went beyond clichéd into downright cringeworthy.

I appreciated the sentiment, so I called back.

“Anyway, don't worry too much! When we meet later, I'll make sure to get rid of whatever's wrong with your heads!”

Had my sincerity reached them? I couldn't tell from their rapidly retreating backs.

* * *

That little incident aside, the banquet, packed with all manner of spectacles, had finally reached its climax. It was time for the count's tournament.

“I hear that barbarian we saw earlier is competing. Isn't it exciting?”

“Hmm, I'm not so sure. He's only an explorer, after all. He's made a name for himself recently, but I hear he hasn't even been at it a year.”

The venue was the lawn at the outdoor banquet grounds. Crowds already packed the surrounding area, and some nobles had even set up chairs on the mansion's second-floor terrace for a better view.

As I sat quietly in the tent provided for us, the baron spoke to me like some kind of coach.

“Aren't you nervous?”

“No.”

“Whew, you truly have a heart of steel. Even I'm this worked up.”

I wasn't sure about the praise, but his claim of being worked up seemed true, judging by the bonus he promised without my even asking.

“If you win, I'll give you another million Stones. So do your best. My reputation is riding on you, too.”

“I'll give it my best!”

Was it the unexpected dose of financial therapy? Motivation suddenly welled up inside me.

“Sir Saboan of Baron Serphia's house and Sir Arpheon of Viscount Hennsylvania's house, take your places!”

A little later, the first match began. The two knights stepped onto the platform, recited their dueling oaths, and swung their swords with flair, drawing cheers from the audience.

'Seeing things like this really drives home how barbaric this world is.'

I'd slipped out of the tent to watch the duel, and it gave me a peculiar feeling. Like watching the Roman Colosseum, perhaps?

Really, there wasn't much difference. There was a rule telling them to try not to kill their opponent, but... didn't that also mean it was fine if they did?

'Well, they're fighting with real swords. It'd be stranger if nobody got hurt or killed.'

Indeed, even though it was only the first match, the two knights continued their bloody duel amid the feverish excitement. The moment that decided the winner was every bit as dramatic as the fight itself.

“The winner is Sir Arpheon of Viscount Hennsylvania's house!”

The match was decided when one knight's sword hand was severed clean off. A priest soon reattached the injured knight's hand, of course, but the blood that had sprayed like a fountain remained vividly splattered across the platform like decoration.

But...

“Woooooo!”

Listening to the crowd's fervent cheers, I felt it anew. This was another world. And I, too, already belonged to it.

“Hehe, I see the blood has you excited as well?”

Well, I wasn't sure about that. What I did know was that I was up next.

“Sir Sylvania of Baron Hessen's house and... Bjorn Jandel of Baron Martoin's house, take your places!”

Following the announcer's instructions, I passed through the crowd and climbed onto the platform. A knight was stepping up on the opposite side at the same time.

What a coincidence. I hadn't known his name, so the bracket hadn't told me anything.

“Hehe, you look surprised.”

I gave a small nod of agreement. Facing one of the three knightly stooges in my very first match? That was surprising, wasn't it?

'And the most obnoxious one, at that.'

The corners of my mouth stretched into a grin before I knew it.

I'd cut off that final baton pass, so I hadn't heard what he planned to do to me, but how could I forget him?

["I heard he got that name because he's little down there, actually?"]

He was the one who'd spread that absurd rumor.

It felt a little awkward for me to say this, but... the nerve of him, when he was only human.

* * *

Before the duel began, he recited his dueling oath. The usual promise to stake his knightly honor on taking the duel seriously and refrain from wicked or underhanded tricks.

Then it was my turn.

“VEHELLLAAAAAA!!!!”

A literally barbaric cry, dispensing with all the flowery verbiage. The crowd grew even more excited.

“Woooooo!!”

Apparently annoyed that I was getting more attention even now, Sir Syl... whatever muttered:

“How vulgar and crude.”

What was he on about? Had he expected a barbarian to be refined?

At the announcer's direction, we approached each other and touched weapons. He held out his long sword, and I a massive double-bladed battle-axe rather than the mace I'd left at the baron's mansion.

'... I'm not used to edged weapons.'

Unfortunate, but using it probably wasn't all that different. I just had to swing as usual. The results would probably be similar, too. The only difference was whether the target got sliced apart or burst apart entirely.

“Hah!”

The instant the duel began, Syl-whatever nimbly kicked off the ground and charged me. Apparently, he wanted to turn my ten-second promise back on me...

'Interesting.'

For the moment, I backed away and observed. This was my first encounter with a knight's swordsmanship, so I was curious. Besides...

WHOOSH!

Apprentice or not, he was still a knight, and his sword was fairly vicious.

“Die!”

Was this some technique out of a martial arts novel? His sword shot toward me, splitting into three illusory images. For a moment, I wondered which was real, but only for a moment.

If I couldn't tell which was real, couldn't I simply knock them all aside?

'I've really become a barbarian.'

I turned the axe blade sideways and swept it in the widest arc I could. That alone was enough.

CLANG!

The sheer force knocked his sword off course, and Syl-whatever began to lose his balance. Yet despite the impact, he didn't let go of his sword. Though he must have been rattled, he pivoted and swung at my neck in a seamless follow-up.

'Definitely not someone to take lightly.'

His sword swept up from below in a gentle curve, like a waterspout. Whatever his personality, I acknowledged his skill. Was this what swordsmanship passed down through generations looked like?

'His weapon skills are several notches above mine.'

If we'd been on equal footing, I surely couldn't have beaten him. But that wasn't something I needed to dwell on.

“VEHELLLAAAAAA!!!”

Because we weren't on equal footing.

「The character has used [Wild Outburst].」

「The character's Threat stat temporarily triples, and Physical stats increase in proportion to that value.」

There was still plenty of time before ten seconds were up.