Barbarian in a Failed Game

Chapter 063: The Hidden Entity (3)

“Marquis Deillon… Yes. If it’s Marquis Deillon, he would indeed have the will for it. He considers himself not a citizen of the Argon Kingdom, but a successor to the former Northern Duchy.”

“The Witch of Loren mentioned something similar. She said that his bloodline has been suffering from a kind of nostalgia, almost to the point of madness, for generations.”

“If the dark mage says so, it must be certain. But even if it’s true, who could possibly stop Marquis Deillon? He is a general who led to victory in ten battles, and at the same time, the worst butcher with the highest number of casualties. Additionally, the elite soldiers who have been with the marquis for a long time are considered to be able to compete with those of the royal family.”

Viscount Perran let out a long sigh as he continued.

“This problem isn’t something you or I can solve at our level. It’s something the royal family needs to handle. Nevertheless, the fact that the marquis is aiming for control over the North or even marquis status is an ambition unacceptable from the royal family’s standpoint.”

“The royal family will not intervene. I’ve heard similar things from several sources.”

“Did the Witch of Loren say the same?”

Khan nodded affirmatively.

“Then, it seems we are out of options.”

“Isn’t there an option to unite with other nobles and confront the marquis?”

“That’s impossible. Firstly, the land in the North is too vast, and each city operates almost independently. If Al-Rasdel were intact, it could have served as a center for some action…”

Khan clicked his tongue. So, this was why they targeted Al-Rasdel.

“Above all, we are no longer lords, just mere managers. Acting on behalf of the king, we oversee the city and its surrounding lands. The number of private soldiers we have is not even half of what we used to have, and to properly hire a mage who would be a significant help in war, we’d need the king’s approval.”

Tap- tap- Viscount Perran tapped the desk with his fingertips.

“If the royal family truly cannot intervene in the North, it’s too late to gather forces now. On the other hand, since the marquis recently represented the royal family in battle, the number of elite soldiers he can mobilize is substantial. Besides, it seems he’s even controlling a monster known as lesser dragon, judging by the situation.”

“So, we can’t expect help from other cities?”

“It would be a blessing if they don’t hinder us. In fact, there might be quite a few cities looking to connect with the marquis. After all, the North has always been steeped in feelings of inferiority for being neglected by the royal family.”

It’s not much different for me, thought Viscount Perran, with a bitter smile.

“If the goddess hadn’t watched over the city, I would have quietly switched sides to the marquis.”

The viscount wiped the exhaustion off his face with a few dry washes and said in a stern voice.

“I won’t ask why you’re interested in the turmoil in the North or why you’re getting involved. But I promise you this: if you seek help, I’ll provide the maximum support possible within my means.”

As long as it doesn’t harm Al-Ranzas.

***

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Chuckle.

As Khan recalled the conversation with Viscount Perran, he looked around at the laughing voices nearby.

“Wow…. Look at those muscles. They’re double the size of the mercenaries bragging about their strength. Sister.”

“Shh! I heard that the barbarian’s hobby is folding people from the continent in half. We shouldn’t catch his eye…”

“What do you mean fold people in half? People aren’t flip phones.”

Squeak- Run away!

As Khan glared, the girls from the convent scattered with bursts of laughter.

The dreadful figure of the giant barbarian initially scared them, but now they gathered around, driven by their curiosity about Khan’s unusual physique.

Perhaps it was due to spending the last few days at the convent for recuperation.

Driven by the fervent curiosity characteristic of their age, the young girls showed various interests in Khan.

“Please forgive them. Living with a barbarian they’ve only heard of in stories, they’re naturally curious about many things.”

It was only natural to have numerous conversations with children who didn’t act their age. Elena, with a mature expression, patted the seat beside Khan and then confidently took it for herself.

“How are you feeling, Khan?”

“I’m fine. Strong enough to take down another wyvern.”

“If another monster like that shows up, it’s going to be big trouble, right? The rewards our god has to offer you would just keep increasing.”

“Guess I’ll have to hope for another. I heard the Pantheon Church is quite rich.”

“Hmm… That’s unfamiliar to me. Living half my life in this cramped convent.”

Khan simply sealed his lips at her words, which hinted at a complex story.

While her manner towards Khan had become much more comfortable compared to when they first met, she couldn’t hide the fanaticism within.

Ever since the Goddess of Justice inscribed divinity into the stigmata, the way Elena looked at Khan sometimes felt eerily intense.

What kind of twisted past does a kid in her early twenties have, to look at him with such eyes…?

And it was the same with Aries. There seemed to be many dubious aspects about the criteria the Goddess of Justice used to select his apostles.

It almost seemed like he had a strange penchant for collecting kids with tragic backstories.

“…Anyway, that’s all coming to an end soon. We’ll be leaving the convent before long.”

“That’s right. I’ll get to see the outside world! Ah, where did you say we’re going?”

“Ro-Elpellan.”

A land that once existed under the name Elpellan Duchy, now merely a territory subservient to the Kingdom of Argon.

In Argon, where most nobles managed cities as ‘mayors,’ it was one of the rare lands still in the form of a domain.

And.

“It’s also the land owned by Marquis Deillon.”

Khan gave a meaningful look somewhere and then got up, brushing off his seat.

“We’ll leave as soon as Ron finishes preparing. If you have anyone to say goodbye to, it’s best to do it before that.”

At his words, Elena smiled brightly, replying that she had already finished preparing.

It was two days later that the group’s carriage left Al-Ranzas.

Since they had plenty of supplies from the border town and Khan had separately stored valuable loot, like the basilisk’s corpse, in Aecharis’s pouch, the carriage ran smoothly on the road.

“Viscount Perran. Have to admire the man’s skill. He began to clean up the aftermath immediately, collecting the carcasses of beasts strewn about the road… There must have been a lot of them.”

As they traveled, Ron, who was driving the carriage, murmured in feigned surprise.

It didn’t seem like he expected a response, perhaps just trying to alleviate the boredom of the journey.

“It’s still amazing to me. I never thought I’d face two dragons and be chased by hundreds of monsters in my life. If I hadn’t left the tower, I would never have experienced such things.”

“Heh. I’d say it’s because you’re traveling with Khan. He’s a magnet for events and incidents.”

“Um, well, I’m not sure.”

“No, it’s certain! The biggest adventures of my life have all happened recently. Fighting a corrupted priest, dragon-like mage, meeting dwarves, and now tracking a mysterious group of mages and facing dragons?”

“Corrupted priest? Dragon-like mage? What’s that about?”

With such intriguing topics brought up, Maya couldn’t help but show her curiosity. Ron hummed smugly and after a brief pause, began to boast.

“That was before Miss Maya joined us. Jan was there too, right?”

“That’s right. I came to capture the mage who harmed my fellow disciple, never imagining I’d end up accompanying a warrior like this.”

“Heh. Who knew, right? Sometimes I think, maybe Khan’s adventures could spread like an epic of a ‘great hero.’ Just like those tales, a hero defeating sinister plots alongside allies who join by chance….”

“Ha. If that’s the case, I might just be a supporting role who appears briefly in the introduction and leaves.”

“If you’re considered that much, then I might not even get my name mentioned!”

“Rather than that, tell us more about the corrupted priest and the mage.”

“Do you really want to hear that badly? Hmmph. Not that I can’t tell you!”

Such noisy things.

Khan simply closed his eyes, letting Ron’s nonsensical praises, portraying him as a hero of an epic saga, go in one ear and out the other.

To begin with, the term ‘hero’ was preposterous for a race of barbarian. It just didn’t fit the picture.

‘Heroes are supposed to be slender young men with blond hair, as per the national rule.’

To break such a longstanding, venerable tradition. It was as if they were uncivilized medieval brutes.

However, Khan didn’t seal Ron’s mouth entirely, for he knew that having something to talk about was the best way to alleviate boredom during their journey to Ro-Elpellan.

‘After all, there are things to ponder over…’

That matter was none other than the conundrum concerning the Lord of Ro-Elpellan, the Marquis Deillon.

From the day he began to suspect the truth behind the marquis, Khan has been haunted by the dilemma of whether the marquis was a follower of Truth from the start or if the followers approached him later.

One might ask what difference it made, but to Khan, the distinction was as vast as heaven and earth.

‘If it’s the latter, eliminating the collaborating followers would suffice to achieve my objective…’

If it was the former… he would have no choice but to end things with the marquis himself, by any means necessary.

Despite Khan’s indifference towards the killing of nobles, this case was markedly different.

Should a high-ranking noble such as the Marquis Deillon be murdered by a barbarian, it would undoubtedly shake the entire kingdom to its core.

Even the nobles who opposed him would rise in arms, clamoring for justice for defaming a noble’s honor.

In essence, the entire kingdom would turn hostile.

With numerous knights and soldiers attacking at any given chance, even Khan would find himself in a difficult spot. Not to mention the bounty hunters that would swarm like ants.

‘Tch. But can I really just let this go?’

After all…

‘Taking care of people while worrying about such things isn’t my style.’

A barbarian warrior has his ways. Worrying about the backlash of assassinating a noble can wait until after the deed is done.

If by eliminating the followers of Truth meaningful progress is made, then leaving Argon without much regret wouldn’t be too late.

‘If it comes to it, I could always flee to another marquisry. Well.’

If not, just claim it was a divine mission from the Goddess of Justice. Surely, even he must have some conscience to forgive that much, considering he was the one who issued the task.

Khan wiped away the dilemma that had been troubling him for days. Focusing on the immediate tasks at hand was the right course of action.

‘The sage of the north, was it?’

It was a rumor Neria from the border town had shared with him. The tale of a benevolent mage, known as a sage, helping people all over the northern regions…

Upon hearing this rumor, Khan immediately detected a foul smell.

Of course. A benevolent mage, indeed.

‘Sounds like something a modest elf would say.’

It was obvious that behind the scenes, the individual was either conducting dubious human experiments, assisting Marquis Deillon in scheming something, or engaging in some sort of mischief.

As it happened, the investigation by marquis Perran revealed that the sage was currently staying along their route to Ro-Elpellan. Khan decided to make this mysterious figure their first target of the journey.

‘Let’s see what kind of misdeeds are being committed.’

With certainty, upon arriving in Ro-Elpellan.

Khan and his companions encountered an unexpected situation right at the edge of the town where the sage was said to be staying.

“How dare these arrogant mercenaries target our sage again…!”

“Everyone, take up your weapons! This time, it’s our turn to protect the sage!”

Wait, we haven’t even asked for the sage to come out yet…?

TL’s corner:

Khan casually throwing modern words.