Chapter 93

#093

After finishing their meal, the group left the house.

"I'm going out."

Askel, who was the last to step outside, turned to look at Ian.

A strange look in his eyes. Ian nodded slightly.

"Why."

"…No, it's nothing. Let's go."

Askel turned his body.

'He's curious about what I'm planning to do.'

Ian, feeling a rare sense of fullness, followed him.

It was a rough but not bad meal.

Moreover, he learned quite a bit about the village's situation, which he hadn't been particularly curious about.

It was a common story. The conflict between those who argued for leaving their hometown and those who argued for staying and protecting it.

Only here, the latter side was overwhelmingly dominant.

It wasn't a particularly new situation.

Not just in this world, but human judgment was often far from rational.

"Hmm."

Charlotte, passing through the square, suddenly turned to look at the village entrance.

A dozen men were entering the village, ranging from robust adults to boys Askel's age.

"The search party has returned. It seems their search was in vain. They only hunted."

"Who's the head warrior?"

Charlotte asked. Askel pointed to the largest man, wearing a bear fur cloak.

"Valeri. He's the youngest of the head warriors. He's strong, too. They say he's favored by Kharha."

Even to Ian, Valeri looked like someone who could put up a good fight.

At that moment, a few of them, including Valeri, looked in the group's direction.

Some of the villagers who had come to receive the animals they had hunted were whispering to them.

Their gazes were a mix of suspicion and mockery.

"Shall we go talk to them?"

Askel asked.

Ian, meeting Valeri's intense gaze without flinching, shook his head.

"There's no need. Just show us to our lodgings."

"...Yes."

Askel, looking at Ian as if he didn't understand, resumed walking.

***

"That guy had a haughty look in his eyes."

Charlotte muttered.

Ian chuckled.

"Seems similar to your old look."

"Maybe. After all, it's the kind of look someone who has never experienced defeat would have."

"He'll find out eventually."

Opening the door to the empty house, Askel said,

"I'd like to make him feel it with his own hands, though. Come in."

"You? It'll take a few years."

Entering the house, Charlotte said,

"As Ian said, the room was warm with the stove already lit. A hard-looking bed. The large, round tub in the center of the room was for Ian to use.

"A few years... I'd prefer it to be sooner. We don't know how many winters the village can survive."

"Hard to say. They might not even make it through two."

While taking off his weapons, including the Sword of Judgment, Ian said casually.

Askel's brows furrowed.

"Just two? Our village's warriors aren't that weak, Sir Ian."

"Strength and weakness are relative."

Ian continued, unfastening the buckles of his breastplate.

"If you want to live, it would be better for you to leave the village. Your old man would probably be happy if you left."

Ian recalled the dinner.

The old man who had lost his eye in the war with the demons had subtly asked about their next destination.

When they answered Travelgar, there was a brief hesitation that Ian didn't miss.

"I can't leave on my own."

"Well, figure it out. I'm going to take a bath, so get it ready."

"...Ah, yes."

Askel quickly moved.

He placed a large pot full of snow on the stove and went outside to fetch more snow.

The snow he brought was poured into the tub.

'Wondering what I'd do. This is how.'

Thinking this, Ian looked at Charlotte and Tesia.

"I'm going to take a bath first."

"...So, you don't want us to watch?"

"That's up to you. I was just asking if you wanted to wash up."

"...?! Are you serious?"

"Dear, how lecherous, Ian."

Charlotte and Tesia's reactions made Ian frown.

What are they talking about?

"I didn't mean to ask you to join me."

"...I see. I misunderstood."

"I don't think that's a bad idea."

Ignoring Tesia's sly smile, Ian took off all his equipment except for his inner cold-weather gear.

His body felt incredibly light.

Meanwhile, Askel, who had poured boiling water into the tub, brought another pot of snow and placed it on the stove.

"One more pour should do it."

"I'll be in for a while, so keep preparing until I tell you to stop."

"...You really love baths, don't you? Understood."

While Ian was staring at the tub, Charlotte, who had been lost in thought, spoke.

"The northern warriors seem to pursue different goals than the orc warriors."

"Did you think they would all want to fight and die like you?"

"I thought they were similar. But their struggle was a means to survival and freedom, not the fight itself."

Askel, who had added another scoop of snow to the tub, spoke.

"Those who fight to die or fight for the sake of fighting are called berserkers in the north."

"..."

Charlotte's expression became strange.

Tlesia smiled.

"Then you're definitely a berserker, meow."

"...It's just a difference in values. Stupid cat."

Askel, pouring boiling water from the pot into the tub, muttered.

"If they keep holding out here, the village's warriors will essentially become berserkers. Everyone knows that there will be an end someday."

"Maybe. They might overcome all the adversity and give birth to a superhuman on par with Kharha."

Askel, smiling as if that was impossible, took the pot and went outside.

Ian, who had taken off his clothes, got into the tub. The temperature was just right. Rubbing his body a few times, the grime turned dark.

'If only there was some soap...'

His gaze turned to the side.

Tlesia, lying on the bed with her chin in her hands, was smiling.

Charlotte was sitting to the side.

"Your neck looks very tempting, Ian."

That's why he was looking at it.

"An apple that can't be eaten always looks redder."

"An interesting saying. Just like you."

"There's also a saying that you shouldn't even look at a tree you can't climb. Turn your eyes away."

Askel, who had returned, placed a new pot on the stove.

Ian, who had rubbed his body sufficiently, leaned his head against the side of the tub.

He felt the cold that had settled in his bones melting away.

Askel, who had been taking in Ian's well-defined muscles and the large and small scars on them, suddenly spoke.

"I still don't understand."

"What don't you understand?"

Ian asked without opening his eyes.

"That white demon. I don't understand why he specifically targeted a village with so many warriors."

"There must be a reason."

"Do you have any idea?"

"Maybe... I'm thinking of a game."

Ian recalled the game.

In the game, it was clear why this became a quest exclusive to the barbarian warrior.

The mutated harpy queen had powerful ranged attacks, but if you could approach her stealthily, she wasn't as difficult as you might think.

None of these applied to the barbarian warrior.

Of course, the mutated harpy queen didn't have to be killed.

It was likely that the game designers had induced a battle that was disadvantageous to certain classes to increase the difficulty.

Now that it had become reality, there might be a different reason.

"...But. The demon's intentions aren't important."

Askel, who had come to a conclusion on his own, muttered. He then added, looking at Ian, who was enjoying the bath without responding.

"No matter how much I think about it, I think it would be better to go talk to Valeri now. Even if he doesn't like my decision, he won't ignore the need to eliminate the demon."

"No. There's no need."

"But... "

"The warriors won't be of any help."

At these words, Askel, who had stiffened, blinked.

"Sir Ian, you're underestimating our village's warriors."

"It's not that they're weak. If the warriors rush out, the demon will just run away again. It would be more helpful for us if the warriors stay behind the palisade and do what they've been doing."

"Then, are you really going to handle this with just the three of you?"

"More precisely, two. This task can be handled by me and Charlotte."

Askel's expression became one of speechlessness. He had seen the scene Ian created, but he also knew how terrifying that white monster was.

"How... do you plan to do it?"

Ian opened his eyes slightly. He looked at Tesia.

"That guy can sense magic very well. He'll tell us where the harpy is hiding. His role ends there. And... "

Ian's gaze turned to Charlotte.

"Charlotte will fight the undead from one side. She'll just buy time. Since she's alone and doesn't look very strong, the harpy won't run away and will try to hunt her using her minions. And in the meantime."

Ian, looking at Askel, shrugged.

"I'll quietly approach the demon and tear off its wings. Then, I'll cut off its head."

"..."

It was a very simple plan.

But to Askel, there were many parts that didn't make sense.

Charlotte would have to fight dozens of undead alone, and Ian would have to face the massive monster alone.

If it were that easy, the village's warriors wouldn't be struggling so much.

But Ian's tone and expression were calm, and even Charlotte and Tesia were the same.

"You can watch from beyond the palisade with the other warriors. Everyone will see that you made the right choice for the village. And for now... "

Ian, looking at Askel, nodded slightly.

"Pour some more hot water."

"...Ah, yes."

***

Night.

"..."

The eyes of the warriors watching beyond the palisade flickered dimly.

Beyond the palisade, dozens of undead lined up along the edge of the forest, staring at them intently.

The tension that continued every night was exhausting even the tough northern warriors.

The fear that these terrible nights might go on forever, or that the village might be destroyed before that, was keeping more and more people awake at night.

"..."

Valeri, the head warrior of the village, knew that unrest was spreading throughout the village.

Despite his calm face, he was constantly reviewing the geography of the area they would search tomorrow.

He had to find the white demon's nest as soon as possible to quell this unrest. If he didn't, he might have to abandon the village or step down as head warrior.

That's why.

"!"

He noticed Askel's presence beside him later than usual.

"It's time to sleep."

Valeri, turning to Askel, spat out coldly.

The son of the previous head warrior was a thorn in his side.

He had inherited the blood of an excellent warrior but was a coward who wanted to abandon tradition.

But he was also someone he couldn't get rid of. Thanks to this guy, his own position was more prominent.

Askel spoke calmly.

"I can't sleep."

"What about those outsiders? I heard everyone saying you brought a demon."

"He's a orc, not a demon. And he's a monster hunter."

"What...?"

Valeri's expression twisted.

"Are you really involving outsiders in the village's affairs?"

"Yes."

Valeri's brows furrowed even more at the calm answer. He thought, 'What can just three of them do?'

By tomorrow night, Askel might be labeled as a coward and a traitor.

Askel added then.

"They said not to interfere."

"..."

"They said not a single warrior from the village should come out. They said it would only hinder them."

"...They really said that?"

"Yes."

Do they have some confidence?

Just as Valeri's brows furrowed.

"Ah...?!"

An exclamation erupted from the side of the palisade.

At the same time, the heads of the undead standing at the edge of the forest turned in unison.

Valeri and Askel, looking at each other, turned their bodies without a word.

Crack! Bang!

"!"

What caught their eyes was the sight of an orc fighting the undead alone.

Wielding a massive battle axe, he was smashing the undead to pieces.

"..."

Valeri's eyes narrowed as he watched.

He was brave, but not as strong as expected.

Moreover, the undead were swarming from all sides.

"He must be planning to die."

"I want that axe. Let's bet on who gets it when the demon dies."

The warriors who had gathered around began to murmur. Since all the undead were heading there, there was no need to guard the other parts of the palisade.

Crack! Bang!

The orc, though bravely resisting, was gradually being overwhelmed. There were too many undead. He managed to break through one side just before being surrounded and began to be chased by the undead.

He looked completely cornered.

"That demon isn't much, it seems."

"Maybe the stories we heard were exaggerated."

The warriors began to laugh.

No one tried to help the outsider.

Since he had meddled in the village's affairs, it was his responsibility to bear the consequences.

"..."

Askel, watching the orc, suddenly turned his gaze to Askel.

Though he was pretending to be expressionless, he was biting his lower lip tightly.

He must be anxious.

Valeri realized that now was the perfect time to go save the demon.

Then Askel's decision would look even more foolish, and his own generosity would stand out even more.

"...It won't work."

Just as he was about to make a decision and speak.

"Ki- Eeeek-!"

From beyond the forest, a scream he had never heard before echoed.

A sound that made his soul freeze just by hearing it.

The murmurs of the warriors who had been chuckling abruptly stopped.

"!"

"?! "

As everyone silently turned to look in the direction the sound came from.

Crack! Bang!

The sounds from below the palisade began to change.

"Such...?"

"Madness..."

A few warriors who turned to look at the orc sighed.

The orc, who had been running around in a corner, was now charging into the center of the undead.

It looked like a suicidal act.

Crack! Bang!

The undead were just being smashed and shattered one-sidedly.

They couldn't even break through the orc's attacks, let alone get close to him.

It was a dramatic change, as if they had been waiting for the scream to echo.

"Waiting...?"

Valeri's brows slowly furrowed.

Was it really possible to hide his true strength while fighting so many undead alone?

Just as Valeri involuntarily looked down at Askel.

"Kiiek-! Kiieeeek-!"

Another scream echoed from far away.

This time, it wasn't just a scream.

Whoosh!

A huge, white monster rose from the dark forest.

Flapping its tattered wings, it rose, but eventually stopped as if it had run out of strength.

"!"

The monster, which had risen, paused as if floating in the air. A black figure on its back finally became clear.

It was the black-haired outsider.

He raised his sword above his head.

The sword blade, reflecting the moonlight against the night sky, shimmered.

Bang!

In the next moment, it drew a flashing trajectory and fell onto the monster's neck.

"Kiieeeek-!"

Scattering a scream that shook the mind into the night sky, the monster fell back into the darkness of the forest.