Chapter 69

Chapter 69. An Unexpected Encounter

A few days later, Heinrich heard news that struck him like a bolt from the blue.

Balun was leaving Rotenfeld Grand Castle.

Shocked by this, Heinrich hurriedly went to find Balun.

“Balun! I heard news that you are leaving. Is that true?”

“It is true, but did you come rushing over in such a fuss because of that?”

“How could I not make a fuss? You are leaving this early…….”

As Heinrich spoke and looked at Balun, he saw Balun sitting at a desk, writing something on paper with a fountain pen.

“But what are you doing?”

“Writing down a plan.”

“A plan?”

“You would not understand even if you saw it. It is not in the Common Tongue.”

“Ah, it must be the Barbarian language.”

It was not the Barbarian language, but Hangul. However, Balun did not bother to point that out.

“Did you not say you would stay until the weather warmed up?”

“Things do not always go according to plan. Besides, I am an outsider.”

“That is true, but nngh.”

Heinrich scratched his head as if troubled, then soon sighed and sat on the bed.

“Very well. If you say you will leave, then it cannot be helped. I shall let you go. It would not be right to stop someone who intends to leave.”

“Thank you.”

‘This man is unexpectedly cool about it.’

From how he usually acted, Balun had expected him to whine.

“Before you leave, receive one gift.”

“A gift?”

“I have not yet paid you the price of my life, have I?”

“Ah.”

“I originally intended to give you a knight’s title, but you refused it. So I begged my father to place you at the vanguard of the war, but that did not go well either.”

‘Was that Heinrich’s idea?’

It did not seem so. It was probably a joint work between father and son.

“Wait a little. I will return quickly.”

Heinrich left and returned to Balun’s room about an hour later.

He handed something over.

It was a necklace.

A pendant?

“Here, take this.”

“What is this?”

“It is a token of our family.”

Balun’s head tilted on its own.

Why was he giving him this?

“It is something only those of Rotenfeld blood can possess. Giving this to you means you are a friend of Rotenfeld.”

“Is it all right to give me something this precious?”

“Of course. You saved my life. Should I not give you something equivalent to my life?”

Balun nodded. Hearing it like that, it did make sense.

“Always carry that with you. Then one day, there will be a time when it helps you greatly.”

Balun examined the pendant. A family crest was engraved on it, and aside from that, there did not seem to be anything else.

“Does this perhaps have a special function?”

“A function?”

“You know. Something like magic.”

“There is no such thing.”

“That is rotten.”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing. Thank you very much. Balun received something precious.”

Balun put away the pendant and let out a small sigh. In any case, his reckless mouth was the problem.

“Ah, it does have magic cast on it.”

“What is it?”

“Preservation magic. It will not be damaged easily. It will not deteriorate even if you leave it for a long time.”

“Oh, that is good.”

‘Oho, a bulletproof necklace.’

I should save it and use it to block an arrow later.

“By the way, do you perhaps have any thoughts of marriage?”

“Balun will probably do it someday. Not now, though.”

“I see.”

“Why do you ask that?”

“If you were willing, I thought I might introduce my younger sister to you.”

Balun nearly spat out the water he was drinking.

“Are you serious?”

“I am serious.”

Just how serious was he to try to introduce his younger sister?

“Is that all right? I am a commoner. A Barbarian too.”

Were noble young ladies not supposed to enter political marriages?

“That is true, but from how I see it, you seem likely to become a noble before long, so I judged that it would not matter. My father judged the same. And being a Barbarian is not a flaw. If you have ability, that is.”

Now that he saw it, this had been a joint operation between father and son.

“As for my younger sister…… she is extremely kind. You will probably like her. My younger sister also seemed to have taken a liking to you.”

“I appreciate the thought, but I decline.”

“Why?”

‘Do you really have to ask that?’

For reference, Balun had seen Heinrich’s younger sister up close before.

He would leave it at that.

“Do you perhaps not like my younger sister?”

“That is not it. It is just…….”

“Just?”

“Balun does not want to cause trouble when he is about to leave.”

“If you wish to see each other, you can simply meet again later, can you not? That is what friends do.”

No, why was he so persistent?

“That is true, but the path of a Warrior is harsh.”

“Mm, if that is the case, then it cannot be helped.”

Perhaps convinced, Heinrich nodded. Balun secretly let out a deep sigh of relief without Heinrich noticing.

‘Whew.’

That situation seemed harder than cleaving a few people apart.

***

Just as Heinrich had not held Balun back, Count Rotenfeld did not hold him back either. He merely wished Balun well on his path ahead with an expression that was clearly full of regret.

“A famous Adventurer from a hundred years ago is said to have spoken these words. Barbarians possess the souls of free and solitary wolves. Looking at you, I am reminded of those words.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means exactly what it says. Barbarians are beings with free souls that are bound by nothing. Just like you.”

Count Rotenfeld muttered strange words as though they were farewell remarks.

“You possess a soul that is bound by nothing. You refused a knight’s title, something others desperately want but cannot obtain, and even the position of a Sword of Rotenfeld, for nothing more than freedom. That is proof.”

‘No, say it properly. Would you want to sign a lifetime contract as a military officer at seventeen?’

“Moreover, you are very strong. Though you possess that strength, you do not boast about it and instead move wherever your feet take you, flowing along as you will. That could be seen as resembling a solitary wolf.”

‘Is that comparison really appropriate?’

Balun did not know whether this man even understood what he himself was saying right now.

“In truth, I thought those words were absurd. I wondered if that adventurer had overestimated a tribe of people who were ignorant to the core.”

That was certainly an overestimation.

Now that Balun looked at him, this Count had quite the discerning eye.

“But now I think I understand. Those words were true. Because I have come to know an existence like you. Mm, perhaps that adventurer made a prophecy with you in mind. A single free and solitary wolf.”

“The Count is good at saying embarrassing things.”

“It means I viewed you that favorably. I wanted to make you my sword, but since I could not, I have no choice but to at least earn some points with you. Is that not right?”

“That is…… true.”

Balun nodded and accepted it. He was right.

However, Balun honestly could not understand.

Was there really a need to go this far?

“But is there really a need to do that? Balun thinks someone as great as the Count does not need to flatter a mere commoner Barbarian. There are many strong people in the world, and Balun is only one person.”

“Balun. A ruler who neglects talent does not last long. I do not want to become a ruler who soon declines and disappears.”

“I see.”

Balun nodded. He understood what the man meant.

‘Well, human resources work is important.’

Balun felt pleased for no reason.

Because it meant the man genuinely thought highly of him.

“I have spoken at length, but there is only one thing I wish to say.”

“What is it?”

“I wish you fortune in battle.”

“Balun wishes the Count fortune in battle as well. Win the war.”

“Yes.”

Balun mounted his horse and shook the reins.

“Let us go, Blackie!”

NEIGH!

Balun quickly rode away, passed through the castle gate, and entered Feldraum.

As Count Rotenfeld watched his back, Roton’s voice suddenly came from behind him.

“He has gone.”

“Yes.”

“Do you not regret it? If Balun were here, he would have been a great help in the war against Valtrien.”

“Of course I regret it.”

“Why did you not hold him back further?”

“Because I realized that man is not livestock, but a wild beast. By nature, wild beasts cannot be tamed.”

Without turning around, Count Rotenfeld continued speaking.

“Do you know why that man refused me?”

“Was it not because of freedom? Because he did not want to be bound somewhere……?”

“No.”

“Then what…….”

“Because he did not see me as someone above him.”

“Pardon?”

“Balun is not someone who would be satisfied within my embrace to begin with. That is why he refused to become a Sword of Rotenfeld.”

Count Rotenfeld recalled the moments of his meetings with Balun. Looking back, not even once had Balun played within the bounds of his expectations.

Daring to insolently propose a negotiation, subjugating the elite rangers of the Shadow Claw Unit and bringing them back as prisoners, refusing knight investiture, and even deviating from the design to make him participate in the public sparring ceremony.

At each of those moments, Count Rotenfeld had merely thought that Balun was lucky. But he now knew that was not the case.

From the beginning, the boy’s eye level was not that of a knight. At the very least, it was equal to his own or higher. That was why he had not been caught by either his expectations or his designs.

“H-He is that much?”

“Yes.”

“Hah. He is a monster.”

“A monster. Yes, that word is appropriate. A monster.”

Count Rotenfeld chewed over those words and gazed endlessly at the castle gate through which Balun had disappeared.

***

As soon as Balun left Rotenfeld Grand Castle, he exited through Feldraum’s north gate and immediately rode north. It was because he intended to go to a city named Mirehal.

Mirehal was a Free City in the northeastern part of the Kingdom of Corint, said to be the largest city in that area. The reason Balun decided to go there was because he had heard that countless guilds had gathered there.

The Swordsmanship Guild, Magic Towers, Mercenary Guild, Adventurer Guild, Merchant Guild, Craftsmen’s Guild, Architects’ Guild, and many other guild associations were intricately entangled there, fighting over interests. Among those countless guilds, there were also Rogue Guilds.

And only famous ones at that.

Had they said there was an organization even stronger than the Crescent Moon Blade that Patem belonged to?

Balun intended to find them and try learning Stealth.

If he was going to learn it anyway, he should go to the place that did it best.

‘Hehe. Once I learn Stealth too, I will be able to use Invisible Axe Technique, right?’

Balun smiled sinisterly as he imagined himself using Invisible Axe Technique. Honestly speaking, he had become strong enough to defeat knights even now, but if he learned Stealth on top of that, he was certain to become truly impressive.

……That was the secondary purpose, and in truth, he had a different primary purpose.

‘If I learn Stealth, I will be able to run away better.’

Balun recalled Count Rotenfeld’s words. The Count had said that war would definitely break out. He had also said that the timing would probably be after winter ended.

In other words, at the earliest, it would happen in spring, and at the latest, in summer or autumn. Balun wanted to leave the Kingdom of Corint before then.

What reason was there for him to stay in a country where war was going to break out?

Rotenfeld? Did he have ties there? Why should he care?

I do not want to go around battlefields for no reason.

He would learn Stealth and go to a safer country. He would look around other countries too, and go on-site for property inspections.

Balun would have to settle down someday, and if he wanted to settle down, going to look at houses was essential in the end.

Balun had no hometown or connections anywhere, so he intended to decide on a settlement only after traveling through every country and inspecting locations.

‘Naturally, I should live in the best place. Somewhere with infrastructure and where I can enjoy cultural life.’

If not that, then it would be good if he could build that infrastructure himself. A wide piece of land where he could build a grand fortress like Rotenfeld Grand Castle? A place like that seemed fine too.

He could build a fortress, then build something like a Magic Tower inside it and live there. Ah!

In any case, it was certain that he had to diligently go on-site for property inspections if he wanted to do that.

They said there were as many as ten human countries, so it would take a long time to visit them all.

‘Wow. Just how long would it take to tour ten countries without even a car…….’

“Aaaagh!”

Balun’s thoughts were interrupted by a sudden scream.

“We cannot beat that thing!”

“R-Run!”

He heard people’s voices from somewhere. They sounded quite desperate…….

Where was it?

It did not seem that far away.

Balun listened carefully.

He quickly determined the direction.

‘It is over there.’

Balun increased his speed. As he galloped along the winding road, he quickly confirmed the source of the screams.

It was a group of people. Some were armed, and some were unarmed.

Those people were being chased by a huge monster.

A hideous monster that looked to be a full four meters tall.

Balun knew what that monster was.

Because he had actually seen one before.

“A Troll?”

Balun’s expression turned strange. Memories of the past came back to him one after another.

During his coming-of-age ceremony, he had fought a Rock-Cleft Troll.

While fighting that bastard, he had nearly departed this life.

That Troll had been around two meters and fifty centimeters tall.

But no matter how he looked at it, this bastard looked to be at least four meters tall.

His body naturally shrank back.

‘Should I run?’

Balun turned his horse’s head.

How was he supposed to beat something that big?

Even if he had become stronger, that was on a human scale, not a monster scale.

‘Let us run.’

Balun ran without lingering attachment.

No, he tried to run.

“Ah! A-A person!”

“Here! P-Please help us!”

‘Damn it.’

Their eyes met.

Well, his luck truly was filthy.

“Do you mean me?”

“Y-Yes! Please!”

“Hero!”

‘Hero, my ass.’

For a brief moment, Balun agonized over it. Should he run as he was, or should he help them?

‘Damn it, it would be embarrassing to just turn back.’

But could he defeat that?

That thing looked like it had hands that could tear a person’s torso apart with both hands.

Of course, Balun felt that he might be able to tear one apart too if he used Enhancement Art.

‘Or maybe not? Is it worth trying?’

While Balun hesitated for a moment, the Troll saw him.

GRAAAAAAAAH!

Their eyes met.

‘Shit.’

It seemed running away was no longer an option.

Balun dismounted from his horse.