Barbarian in a Failed Game

Chapter 046. The Goddess of Justice (1)

“Oh, temple of all gods…”

After examining Jose, who lay on a clean cloth as if dead, for a long time, the elderly man let out a small sigh and shook his head.

“He’s almost as good as dead. Apart from the severe burn on his arm, the bleeding is serious. It doesn’t seem like he’s bled separately, but how he ended up in this state…”

The diagnosis given by the town doctor, who was the elder, wasn’t particularly surprising, so Khan’s reaction was merely to nod calmly.

‘Has his blood been drained? This situation feels eerily familiar.’

Khan glanced sideways at Draupnir, who had caused a commotion demanding ice and had now clammed up again. He gave the elder a slight nod and said,

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Oh, no, not at all. It’s an honor for this old body to have been of help to a hero who single-handedly defeated the vile bandits.”

May the protection of the temple of all gods be with the great warrior. With these words, the elder bowed deeply to Khan and exited the room.

Khan felt awkward, his expression twisting uncomfortably at the elderly’s profound respect.

‘The protection of the temple of all gods… As if I’d want those damned things’ protection.’

The fact that everyone was treating Khan with extreme caution wasn’t just a problem with the elder.

Even before making eye contact, people were bowing their heads.

Especially the children who had grown up in the border town were the worst in their overzealous attitudes. And then…

“So, it seems unlikely we’ll get anything out of this fellow.”

“Ah, yes… That seems to be the case.”

The town chief’s attitude was also suspicious.

His answers to questions were far from satisfactory, and he could hardly meet Khan’s eyes.

It was dubious enough to wonder if the mana backlash had caused some brain damage.

“But, chief, you must know something, right? This town is a trade route between the west and the east. You must have some information that others don’t.”

“Th-that’s true. If there’s anything you wish to know, I’ll share as much as I can…”

“Firstly. I’m curious about this fellow’s origins. The equipment he had couldn’t just be obtained through plundering. Besides, not only him but all of his subordinates were exceptionally skilled in mounted combat. Ordinary bandits couldn’t possibly do that.”

“He used to be a cavalry captain in Al-Rasdel. His skills were so remarkable that neighboring domains would seek his training counsel, and there were even talks of the city’s mayor cherishing him more than a knight.”

Al-Rasdel, then…

‘I remember the daggers dropped by the bandits we killed on the way to the border town had the mark of Al-Rasdel soldiers.’

He recalled Ron mentioning the city was famous for supplying warhorses throughout the kingdom.

“So, he deserted, taking all the city’s warhorses with him?”

“Exactly. Although it might be difficult to call it desertion.”

“Difficult to call it desertion?”

As Khan asked back, the town chief seemed to ponder on how to explain, hesitating for a moment before he cautiously started,

“Are you aware of the abnormal phenomena in the north? It’s not widely known in other regions yet, but I believe all the chaos in the northern territories is caused by that ‘abnormal phenomena.’ At least, that’s my take.”

Khan’s eyes lit up. The abnormal phenomena in the north, the reason Khan had come to the north, was being mentioned by her first.

“I do have a rough idea. People suddenly lose consciousness and don’t wake up, right?”

“…They call it ‘the living corpse’ here in the north.”

The living corpse. A paradoxical combination of words. At first listen, it reminded one of ‘undead.’

“The body remains perfectly alive while the consciousness never returns… That’s the rumor circulating among the people of the north. And it’s not far from the truth. However.”

The town chief added that there had been absolutely no cases where those who had become ‘the living corpses’ had simply gotten back up.

Neither the healing of priests, the medicine of common folk, nor the potions from the Golden Tower could cure this incurable disease.

“And this living corpse disease, what’s its connection to this bandit scum?”

“It was revealed that the mayor of Al-Rasdel he was in suddenly lost consciousness and later became one of the living corpses. With no successor in such a situation, the city was paralyzed for a while. This man took advantage of the chaos, killed the city’s knight, and fled the domain with his subordinates to become bandits.”

It was a story all too familiar in Midland.

‘Where stabbing someone in the back is part of the daily routine.’

With that thought, Khan gazed intently at the unsettled town chief before him, who twitched as if flustered by the stare.”Why, why? Is there something on my face…?”

“It’s nothing.”

In contrast, it was clear that the town chief who founded this border town was of a rare ethnicity seen in Midland.

Aside from being a half-elf, her very nature was unique.

The sight of her, risking her life to complete a spell just moments before Firebird of Aelos could burn down the barricades, was particularly striking to Khan, who held a skeptical view of this place called Midland.

And it wasn’t just her.

It struck Khan anew that his companions Ron, Jan, and Aries—who fought alongside him—were also of characters seldom found in Midland.

“I just became curious all of a sudden. Why would you go so far as to risk your life to protect this town?”

“Uh….”

Surprised by Khan’s sudden question, the town chief cocked her head in puzzlement before giving a slight smile.

Despite the pallor of her face due to the backlash of mana, her smile was breathtakingly beautiful.

“I guess, at that moment, I was too desperate to think otherwise. I just felt it had to be done. You know? Here, elves are revered for their noble lineage, but half-elves like me are treated as if cursed.”

“…I didn’t know that.”

It was rare to begin with, a hybrid of elf and human.

Proud elves wouldn’t mix with what they consider inferiors. Even if elves were captured as slaves, it was rare for them to bear children with other races.

But one could guess the reason. It was a world rife with superstition, after all.

“Something accomplished against all odds can be seen as a miracle from one perspective, but an ominous sign from another.”

“Right. It’s an old story now, but my mother was burned at the stake for bearing me. They said an elf dark mage seduced a human to create a test subject…. That’s the reason my mother was killed.”

“That must have been hard.”

“Yes, it was hard. I didn’t even know my father, and having the appearance of an elf made me an easy target. The person who took me in was my stepfather. He was an ordinary mercenary you’d see anywhere.”

Khan decided not to ask the tactless question of what became of the stepfather. Although she appeared to be around Jan’s age, in reality, she must have lived much longer than him.

“It was tough for him to raise me. Trying to protect a vulnerable burden, he was often injured, and those wounds festered…. Anyway, I’ve strayed off topic. You asked why I chose to protect this town?”

She gazed out the window with a distant look in her eyes. Outside, young men bustled about, supervised by retired mercenaries shouting commands.

“My stepfather always used to say that there was a place travelers used as a rest stop, and that he wanted to build an inn there for people to rest comfortably once he retired. He claimed it was the perfect spot for business….”

“He had a great eye.”

“Yes, he truly did. Thanks to him, we now have this wonderful place.”

That was all Khan needed to hear.

The town chief, who should have been advancing into her twilight years if she were a mere human, was still living according to her stepfather’s last wishes.

“You’re both quite remarkable individuals. You and your stepfather.”

“Ha. I think you’re the most remarkable of all, don’t you think?”

“Not a warrior.”

“Hm?”

“Call me Khan. Khan, Son of Gordi . That’s my name.”

“Ah….”

She opened her mouth wide, unable to hide the surprise in her large eyes, then let out a brilliant smile that lit up her elfin features.

“Alright, Khan. I’m Neria. Neria Eastwood. It’s the name my stepfather gave me when he found me in the eastern forest.”

Saying so, the town chief… Neria showed none of the hesitation she had displayed before.

“Please take care of me.”

“Likewise.”

Would Khan have the chance to see her, the town chief, again? He couldn’t be sure. In fact, he thought it unlikely.

Just as he guessed at Aries’s past and troubles but never delved too deep, Khan had always unilaterally refused to engage too deeply with others.

Past bitter experiences had shaped him thus, but also because he had vowed to himself that he would one day leave Midland.

He remained an outsider in this wretched Midland, wandering the world in hopes of finding his way back. Yet now…

Suddenly, he found himself thinking otherwise.Even in this world of Midland, it might not be a place solely filled with filth and ugliness.

“What were you so engrossed in talking about? I thought my neck would snap from waiting.”

“S-sorry. The conversation went a bit long….”

“Hmm. Why is your face red…? Don’t tell me it took that long because—Ouch!”

“If you’re going to spout nonsense, I’ll leave you behind.”

Khan cut off Ron’s foolish talk with a kind admonishment and hopped onto the carriage. A sturdy carriage with a robust roof and spacious interior, it was an item provided as a reward for their task by Neria.

“Ah, warrior! I checked the carriage earlier, and it’s quite different from what I knew! It’s really stiff and shaky! Maybe it’s a unique cultural thing of Argon? To enjoy the journey physically?”

“That’s just because you’re comparing it to the empire’s carriages. This one is quite excellent.”

“Excellent, you say…?”

Jan, who had been waiting in the carriage, greeted Khan with an innocent face that criticized the backwardness of the kingdom, while Maya informed him of the truth and then bowed her head slightly toward Khan.

“We’ve loaded all the rewards from the town. There’s a lot—from gold coins to various food supplies, and even spare equipment.… I’ve sorted them out, but you should check them yourself later. They are all your share, after all.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Hmm. That’s not why I did it, but alright.”

‘Of course, it isn’t.’

The tdark mage of her lips was all too visible. Like Wagner, she was a woman who deeply craved recognition.

She would probably be wagging her tail if she were a beastman.

“Boss! We’re all set to leave! Just say the word when you’re ready!”

Then Ron shouted, and Khan poked his head out of a little window. Neria smiled warmly at him, as if she had been waiting right in front.

“It’s a shame you’re leaving already, Khan.”

“I’ll stop by again if there’s more work to be done.”

“Do that. I will always be here, so please visit whenever you wish to rest.”

Being a half-elf, she indeed might always be waiting just like now, whenever he decided to visit.

Instead of replying, Khan nodded firmly.

“Ah, and also, take this with you. It felt like my gratitude was a bit lacking….”

What Neria offered was a blade somewhere between a dagger and a longsword, its edge tapering to a point like an awl.

It resembled the stilettos classified in games.

“It’s a sword I used during my mercenary days. It’s made from a special steel that’s easily enchanted and sharp enough to pierce through troll skin. Plus, I’ve inscribed it with various enchantments.”

“It’s a fine item. Would it be alright for me to have it?”

“Of course. It would just rot in my storage anyway. If it can be of any help to you, that would be even better.”

Khan expressed his sincere gratitude.

While he was unsure of the extent of her magical skills, considering that elves were generally excellent mages, it undoubtedly was a significant gift.

More valuable than the payment of the two-horse carriage with northern lineage horses, gold coins, and food supplies for dealing with the bandit group.

“Since you don’t have mana, I also added some magic stones. The inscribed spells are….”

Neria elaborated on the spells inscribed on the blade, and Khan listened attentively to her explanation till the end without hurrying.

“Well then. If there’s another chance, let’s meet again.”

“Certainly.”

Their conversation ended there.

As if promising to meet again, they deliberately left no lingering feelings behind.

After bidding farewell with a refreshing attitude, Khan found his seat and tapped the wall towards the coachman’s seat.

Thump- Thump-

At the signal, Ron started moving, and with a jolt, the carriage began its journey.

Heading towards Al-Ranzas, a city they must pass through to purify the ‘Blood Vessel’ obtained from Darkin.