Chapter 25

Teir Bamon (1)

The orc king's head rolled on the ground, spattered with blood. Seeing the headless body collapse, I finally dispelled the barrier. Achele, who had been standing beside me, met my gaze and, with a look of embarrassment, bowed her head. "I'm sorry." "It's fine." Though I was a bit surprised, it helped me confirm the defensive power of the stationary barrier. Looking around, I saw the orcs, now leaderless, in chaos, milling about aimlessly. There was no need to tell Achele to finish them off; they soon began to scatter in all directions, fleeing. Even orcs could distinguish between an opponent that would annihilate them if provoked. "Phew..." The adventurers, who had been watching the battle from the side, looked relieved. Rodin, who had steadied himself, was wobbling to his feet. I said to them, "Let's head back now." This mystery hunt had been eventful in many ways. *** After descending the mountain range and returning to the city, I paid the remaining reward to the guild. They refused it, insisting they didn't need to be paid given the favor I had done them, but I insisted, as a promise is a promise. "Thank you very much, young master. May glory be with you on your journey." They expressed their gratitude with genuine respect in their eyes. It was only natural, considering I had saved their lives with a valuable potion and distributed such a large reward. However, I felt no regret, as I had successfully obtained an important defensive mystery thanks to their help. Besides, a few hundred gold was really just pocket change to me. The funds I had brought from the capital amounted to several hundred gold coins. We left the city the next day. The tedious carriage journey resumed, and our next destination was the 1st Overlord's territory, ruled by Sin Tui. Thinking about the mystery I would obtain there, I idly watched the scenery outside the carriage. My gaze then turned to Achele, who was sitting opposite me, noticing a faint shadow in her expression. "You don't look well." Achele looked at me. "Did you get injured in the battle?" "No, it's just..." She fidgeted with her lips and then, with a darker expression, said, "You appointed me as your bodyguard, but I feel I'm not fulfilling my duties properly." "..." "When we faced the orc king, I failed to finish the job and made a mistake." That topic again? It was the same conversation we had when we met Belvago. She had been incredibly helpful, dealing with minions, breaking walls, and providing significant support. However, she seemed troubled by her inability to face truly powerful opponents. Her pedantic nature was really something. 'Her personality is really annoying...' But on the other hand, I was also pleased. Compared to the initial Achele, who was like a wall, she had made significant progress. The fact that she was bringing up this topic and having a conversation with me meant that the distance between us had narrowed. I chose my words carefully before speaking. "When we first met, I told you that your abilities caught my eye." "Yes." "I was referring more to your potential rather than your current abilities. I know your current limits. In other words, I know what you can and cannot handle." I continued, as Achele listened attentively. "The snakes in the Lutherus Mountains and the golems in the dungeon were all beyond your current capabilities. That's why I've never been disappointed in you. You have the potential to become much stronger, so instead of self-blame, strive for growth. Do you understand what I'm saying?" "..." "Of course, letting the orc escape was a mistake. Try not to be complacent in the future." She seemed to ponder my words and then bowed her head. I turned my gaze back to the scenery outside the window. *** After a long journey, we arrived at Bilpek, a city in the southeastern part of the 5th Overlord's territory. As we passed through the main street in the carriage, something came to mind. 'Now that I think of it, there was a restaurant in this city, right?' When I played the game, Bilpek had a very famous restaurant called Gold Chicken. It wasn't just a MacGuffin; there was a side quest where you helped the chef find ingredients for a new dish. The reason this restaurant stuck in my memory was that it served fried chicken, which was quite rare in this medieval fantasy world. 'Should I visit it?' I was a bit intrigued. After securing a room at a high-end inn in the city, I told Barros, "Find out if there's a restaurant called Gold Chicken in this city." It was five years ago, so it might not have opened yet. However, Barros returned shortly with the news that the restaurant existed. "It recently opened and is becoming somewhat famous in the city. They mainly serve fried chicken." We decided to have dinner there and left the inn. When we arrived at the restaurant and went inside, many people were dining, creating a lively atmosphere. A waiter passing by greeted us brightly. "Welcome! Are you here for a meal with three people?" We were led to a window seat, and I sat down first, with Achele and Barros sitting opposite me. This seating arrangement was initially awkward but gradually became familiar. When we first arrived in the city after leaving the capital, Barros insisted on standing by my side and serving me, rather than sitting with us. He was an excellent talent, handling all the miscellaneous tasks of the journey, but his loyalty was a bit excessive. The waiter handed us a menu and asked, "How would you like to order? If you're not familiar with our restaurant, I can explain..." "No, it's fine. Let's have two chickens." "Yes, understood. Please note that the dishes take a bit of time to prepare." This medieval world, especially in such a large city, had a surprisingly modern feel, with restaurants and other establishments. Since it was a game world created by modern people, it made sense. 'What's unnatural is my situation in this game world.' Achele was usually quiet, and Barros was not someone I could easily converse with, so I fell into my own thoughts while waiting for the food. Why was I in this world? Finding the answer was currently beyond my grasp. Speaking of which, there were actual gods in this world. The only god in the Lasa world, who granted the Holy Sword to the hero of Saintea. Perhaps, if I could find a god, they might explain why this happened to me. "..." But for now, survival was the most important thing. If I kept surviving, I might eventually meet the hero. That was a problem for another time. Feeling a bit down, I leaned back in my chair. At that moment, the door opened, and a new customer entered. A well-dressed woman, likely a noble's daughter, and her bodyguard. She glanced around the hall, frowned, and shouted, "Manager! Why aren't you seating customers?!" The manager, who had been inside, was startled and quickly approached. "Welcome, Lady Denvry. It's an honor to have you visit our establishment." "Tsk, you're so slow." She looked around. "I heard this restaurant's dishes are famous, so I decided to try them out. But the interior is so shabby and rustic." "Ha ha... I apologize. We are still far from being worthy of a noble lady like you." "What nonsense. Quickly show me to the best seat." ...What a brat. The atmosphere in the restaurant had become quiet as everyone watched the scene. It seemed she was a well-known figure in the city. Lady Denvry? 'Is she the mayor's daughter or something?' Caledric, like Saintea, had a typical monarchy and no noble class. Power was centralized in the Overlord, and there was no need for a noble class to balance it. However, there were mayors and commanders managing cities and fortresses in different regions, who formed family lines and passed their positions down. While there was no formal noble class, they were essentially the nobles of Caledric. "I'll have the dishes you ordered brought out shortly." The woman sat down and glanced around again. Seeing the other customers hastily lowering their eyes, she sneered and tapped her fan. Her superior expression suggested she enjoyed the reactions. 'I can't stand this.' I thought, but then I lost interest in her. There was no need to waste time on troublemakers; I just wanted to enjoy the chicken and leave. Clang! While waiting for the food, another commotion broke out. It was coming from her direction again. "I'm sorry!" A waiter, who had been serving drinks, dropped a glass, and it shattered. Unfortunately, it was near the bratty woman. She looked down at her dress, which had been splashed with the drink. Her face twisted with annoyance and anger, and she abruptly stood up, slapping the waiter's face roughly. "Ow...!" "You damn bitch, are you crazy? How dare you dirty my dress?!" One slap wasn't enough; she grabbed the waiter's hair and pulled her to the ground, stomping on her mercilessly. No one tried to stop her. The manager, who had come out to deal with the commotion, just watched with a nervous expression. "..." As I watched, thinking she was truly insane, I noticed Achele's expression hardening. She had a fundamentally good nature and couldn't easily overlook injustice. I felt the same way about the one-sided violence. I said to her, "Remember what I told you before, about expressing your thoughts and intentions." Achele flinched and turned to me. She then nodded and spoke. "Can I help this waiter?" "Do as you please." Just as Achele was about to stand up, another voice came from elsewhere. A young man sitting in a corner had approached the woman, blocking the fallen waiter and speaking humbly. "I apologize for intruding, but if you could forgive this waiter, she would be greatly grateful. So..." "Who are you? Get lost!" The woman pushed him away and picked up a glass bottle from the table, ready to hit the waiter. The man, startled, quickly grabbed her wrist. Thud. The bodyguard, who had been standing next to her, also grabbed the man's arm. The bodyguard's face contorted in pain from the tight grip. "..." The woman, surprised by the grip on her wrist, turned a cold gaze on the man. "You grabbed my arm? How dare you?" "Please, just calm down..." "Jerald, cut off this guy's wrist." The man's face hardened. The bodyguard, seemingly ready to follow the order, reached for his sword without hesitation. At that moment, Achele, who had approached the bodyguard, grabbed his arm. The bodyguard, frowning, turned to Achele and tried to push her away, but it was futile. His arm didn't budge, and he looked bewildered. "What is this? These lowly people keep interfering." "..." "What are you doing, Jerald! Cut off this crazy woman's head first!" However, the bodyguard's arm remained immobile. The woman, noticing the situation, turned to look at me. "Hey, you with the black hair! This is your bodyguard, right? Quickly stop her! Do you know who I am?!" ...Is she calling me? I was so taken aback that I couldn't even laugh, but Barros' expression turned fierce. "How dare you..." He seemed ready to summon a spirit and attack, so I gestured for him to stay calm and spoke. "You're vulgar." "What? What? Vulgar?" "Your behavior, like a calf with its tail on fire, is truly vulgar. Stop causing a disturbance and leave." Only then did Achele release the bodyguard's arm. The bodyguard, holding his arm, stepped back. The woman, who had been trembling, let out a scream and glared at me. "Kill him! Don't just stand there like an idiot; kill him now!" The bodyguard hesitated but eventually reached for his sword. I said to Achele, "If he draws his sword, cut both of them down."