Chapter 86

Chapter 86. Roadkill!

Balun had not the slightest intention of accepting Oskal’s proposal.

Of course, it was true that he had not listened to everything Oskal had to say.

But did one really have to hear someone out to the very end to know?

“Are you truly not going to hear my proposal? I even prepared a reward that you might like, Sir Balun.”

“It is all right. For Balun, life is more important than rewards. No matter how much I like money, living comes first.”

At Balun’s words, Oskal gave a faint laugh.

“You are quite good at lying. There is no way you would truly be worried about something like that, Sir Balun. Oh, I see. Are you trying to negotiate?”

“What negotiation? I mean it.”

“Very well. I will accommodate you as much as possible. What do you want?”

“No, I said I mean it.”

Why would he not listen to what people said?

“Do you want a high-quality artifact? Or the finest liquor? Tender meat? If not that, then women? I heard Barbarians are generally lustful.”

‘Is he doing this on purpose right now?’

Balun did not want to suspect him, but Oskal was making it impossible to think otherwise.

“Ha ha. It was a joke. This is just a feeling, but I get the sense that nothing I offer will be enough to persuade you, Sir Balun. I will simply give up cleanly.”

“A wise thought.”

At Oskal’s declaration of surrender, Emil could be seen letting out a deep sigh.

It seemed he had wanted to keep Balun.

That was only natural.

After all, he had seen Balun’s martial prowess with his own eyes.

“In my view, Sir Balun is not the sort of person who avoids battle. Yet if you are still refusing…… you must have some kind of plan. A plan of your own, Sir Balun.”

I have nothing like that.

“Then what will you do now? Will you stay longer?”

“I will leave once I finish reorganizing my supplies.”

He had originally intended to stay longer, but he had changed his mind.

The sooner he left, the less likely he would be dragged into troublesome matters.

***

After that, he settled the payment for the request with Emil.

A base payment of 500 gold, plus an incentive of 100 gold. A total of 600 gold.

“Thanks. I received it well!”

“Are you truly not considering an additional contract?”

“That is right.”

“Ugh, what a shame. It would be truly wonderful if someone as skilled as you helped us…….”

Emil looked considerably regretful.

Balun offered that Emil some consolation he did not mean in the slightest.

“It is all right. Mayor, you can do it. Be strong.”

“If you ever change your mind, you may come find me at any time. You will always be welcome.”

“Understood. I will come by later if I have the chance.”

After parting ways with Emil, he met Oskal alone.

That was because Oskal had said there was something he wanted to tell him privately.

“My apologies. This is not something suitable to share with others, so I asked to meet you separately like this.”

“It is fine. Say what you need.”

Oskal looked left and right, then swung his wand. Mana shimmered, forming an invisible barrier.

“What did you do?”

“I cast noise-blocking magic. I thought our conversation might leak out.”

“Is that necessary? We are inside the Red Tower. There are only the two of us anyway.”

“Words spoken by day are heard by birds, and words spoken by night are heard by mice.”

After taking a deep breath, Oskal began.

“While you were at the inn for two days, Sir Balun, we succeeded in uncovering additional spies from the Black Tower. It was all thanks to you, Sir Balun.”

“Spies from the Black Tower?”

“Yes. They were inside our Red Tower.”

Balun nodded with a stiff expression. He had wondered why Oskal was being so serious, and there had been a reason after all.

“We interrogated him. We obtained meaningful information. Among that information, there was something related to you, Sir Balun.”

“Related to me?”

“Yes. The Black Tower is targeting you, Sir Balun. To be precise, they regard you as a person requiring special caution.”

Hiding his unease, Balun asked,“What exactly does being a person requiring special caution mean?”

“To explain that, I believe I must first explain what the Black Register is.”

“The Black Register?”

“It is a kind of danger rating that the Black Magic Tower assigns to enemies who interfere with their operations. It consists of four stages in total.”

According to the explanation that followed, the four ranks of the Black Register were as follows.

Watch, Special Watch, Blockade, and Extermination.

“Originally, you were at Stage One, Sir Balun. In other words, the Watch stage. However, you have been active in several places, and you even noticed and eliminated the Black Tower’s tail. That means you stood out to them.”

“So I went up to Stage Two or something?”

“That is correct. You are quick-witted.”

Oskal continued.

“They recently classified you as a Special Watch target, Sir Balun. We learned that from the Black Tower spy.”

“…….”

“Please be careful. I told you because I wanted to convey that.”

“Thank you.”

“Not at all.”

Balun asked with a serious expression, “There is one thing I am curious about. If I am a Special Watch target, does that mean they do not intend to kill me yet?”

“Usually, yes. Though that may change if they judge the target to be more dangerous than expected.”

After hearing that, Balun let out a sigh of relief.

“Then that is fine.”

“What is?”

“Balun is not a dangerous person. Balun is a complete weakling novice. It will end at Stage Two.”

“Pardon?”

“Think about it. If I do not do anything dangerous, the rank will not go up either. Is that not right?”

“Uh, well, that is true, but…….”

Oskal narrowed his eyes at Balun.

He found it hard to believe that this Barbarian would truly not do anything dangerous.

A race of people who would charge in no matter who their opponent was was saying they would not do anything dangerous?

Truly?

“Well, I am sure you will handle yourself well, Sir Balun. You are wise and strong, after all. In any case, I mentioned it out of concern. I would like you to live a long life, Sir Balun.”

“Why?”

“If you ask me why, let us call it a mage’s curiosity.”

“You certainly have a lot of curiosity.”

“That is why I am a mage, is it not?”

Oskal smiled meaningfully, and Balun suddenly grew curious.

‘Is this man also interested in my constitution?’

He had not said it aloud, but that seemed highly likely.

After all, his gaze seemed to have changed subtly ever since Balun killed the troll.

It was as if he were looking at an amusing toy……

He recalled Calrent’s words.

Calrent had said Balun was fated to draw the attention of mages.

His mood soured in a strange way.

What am I, human catnip exclusively for mages?

“Do not stare at me. It is unpleasant.”

“Pardon?”

“Turn your head.”

“S-Suddenly?”

Balun had grown spiteful for no particular reason.

***

After that, Balun heard many things from Oskal. They were mostly about surrounding news and the state of the war.

Oskal said Monster Waves had occurred not only in Mirehal, but all over the Kingdom of Corint, and because of that, the state of the nation was a complete mess.

Bands of thieves were apparently running rampant in various places, and monsters were appearing more frequently on the roads. The lords of each region were recruiting mercenaries and had begun collecting higher tolls.

Troubled times. In other words, everything was on the verge of turning into complete chaos.

Oskal explained such matters in detail, but rather than feeling alarmed by the story, Balun first suspected the intention behind telling him all of it.

Why was he being this friendly?

Was this not a little too much?

“I understand. You still have lingering attachment to me.”

“Pardon?”

“Balun will not fall for it even if you do it that way. Balun will not sign a contract.”

“Ah! That is not it! I am simply telling you!”

“I will not be fooled.”

Even so, Balun’s eyes remained narrowed in suspicion.

That suspicion was exactly correct.

‘He is disgustingly sharp. What kind of Barbarian is like this?’

Oskal broke out in a cold sweat. In truth, the reason he had given Balun that information was to shake him.

He had thought that if he somehow made Balun aware of the chaotic state of the war, Balun might develop a desire to participate in battle like other Barbarians.

But that showed he did not understand Balun at all.

If anything, Balun’s sense of caution had only grown stronger.

‘I need to leave this place quickly. Seeing how badly they are looking for me, this place is obviously the most dangerous one.’

Fortunately, there was still time. If he hurried and left, he would not be swept up in the war.

“Ah, right. There is one last thing I want to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Do you perhaps need this?”

“This……?”

Balun took out barrels and pouches containing Troll’s Blood from his Subspace Pouch and showed them to him.

The moment he took them out, the reek of blood filled the air, and Oskal pinched his nose.

“Ugh, the smell. What is this blood?”

“Troll blood.”

“No, why did you store it like this……?”

“Do you not handle this? I gathered a lot.”

At Balun’s serious words, Oskal’s expression turned dumbfounded.

“Why would we handle that? We have no need for…… Ugh, could you put it away? Or throw it out.”

“I cannot throw it out. You never know. Anyway, you are saying you do not handle this?”

“We do not handle it.”

“What a shame.”

Clicking his tongue, Balun put the barrels back into his Subspace Pouch. Oskal, who had been staring blankly at the scene, recalled a memory he had once heard in passing.

“Come to think of it, I do remember a research paper that was submitted to the Magic Academic Society a few years ago.”

“What kind of paper was it?”

“It said that Healing Potions could be made using Troll’s Blood. Even thinking about it now, it was truly absurd.”

Recalling that memory, Oskal gave a faint laugh. However, Balun’s eyes widened.

What? Healing Potions really exist?

“By Healing Potion, do you mean that thing? Something that heals you? A red potion?”

“Pardon? It is true that it heals an injured body, but it is not red. Rather, it is transparent and sparkling.”

“Why is that? Should a Healing Potion not be red?”

“What nonsense is that? Naturally, a Healing Potion is made from holy water, so it is normal for it to be very transparent and sparkling.”

“That is complete nonsense.”

“Where in the world did you hear such information?”

“From a game.”

“Pardon?”

“Never mind that. What is the name of the person who submitted that paper?”

Oskal’s eyes filled with doubt.

Why was a Barbarian asking about something like that?

“It was Aldus. Mage Aldus. He is rumored to be an eccentric.”

“Where can I find him?”

“Uh, I do not know that either. He is not a mage affiliated with our Magic Tower. However, he is a full member of the Magic Academic Society, so you may be able to meet him if you visit the society.”

“I see. Understood.”

Balun then took out a notebook and wrote down that information.

Unable to endure his curiosity, Oskal asked, “Why are you looking into that, exactly? Are you going to visit him?”

“Of course.”

“Why?”

“To sell him this blood, obviously?”

“Pardon? Sell it? The blood?”

Oskal’s eyes filled with questions.

Why would anyone want that useless thing?

“I will sell it for a high price. Is there a problem?”

“No. There is not. Yes. Sell a lot of it.”

Oskal soon shook his head. He was a Barbarian who was impossible to understand.

Oskal simply decided not to understand him.

***

“It is a shame to let you go, Sir Balun, but it cannot be helped. Let us part ways this time and meet later on the battlefield, Sir Balun.”

“Do not say such horrifying things.”

“Ha ha, I was joking. I wish you good fortune on the road ahead.”

“Thank you. May you receive many blessings as well.”

“Ah, for reference, the doors of our Red Tower are always open. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to knock on the doors of our Red Tower.”

“Understood. I will stop by if I need anything.”

After saying farewell to Oskal, Balun quickly prepared to leave. After checking his equipment, he stopped by the market to buy food and various supplies, but ran into one problem.

The price of food was far too expensive.

It was as much as three times the original price!

“Are you joking? Why is jerky this expensive?”

“It is because of the war. They say goods will not be coming in for a while, so what can we do?”

“You are not trying to rip me off, are you?”

“Go somewhere else if you want. It will all be the same. It is only going to get more expensive anyway, so you would be better off buying it quickly.”

As the food merchant had said, he went to other shops as well, but they were all the same. Every single one had similar prices.

Well, what could he do?

He had no choice but to buy it at that price.

‘War really is chaos.’

Signs of it could be seen everywhere.

First of all, the atmosphere of the city was extremely gloomy. The many citizens and peddlers who had once filled the streets were nowhere to be seen, and only mercenaries in armor were walking around. The rumors of war had sharply increased the number of mercenaries.

Even the few citizens walking around the streets were all hurrying along with quick steps. Every one of them looked full of worry.

Quite a few shops had closed their doors, and people could be seen drinking even though it was still daytime.

Balun crossed the main road while observing that gloomy atmosphere. When he went straight to the northern gate, there was a line. That line was truly long.

‘Wow, are all these people leaving? If I wait, it will take at least more than an hour, will it not?’

Balun was about to move to stand in line when the guard conducting inspections saw him and widened his eyes. Soon, delight spread across his face.

He ran over in one step, grabbed Balun’s hand firmly, and shouted. In an instant, people’s gazes gathered on them.

“Oh, it is you! The Axe Massacrer! Hey! It is good to see you!”

Balun’s face, however, crumpled.

‘No, of all things, why did that nickname have to become the one people know me by?’

It makes me sound like a villain……

“Where are you going? Are you leaving Mirehal, by any chance?”

“That is right.”

“Ah…… really?”

“Is there a problem?”

“It is not a problem. It is just a shame. It would be really nice if a great warrior like you fought alongside us. Do you not agree?”

When the guard asked the colleagues beside him for their opinions, they all nodded at once. At present, Balun’s name was still unknown to the citizens, but at least within Mirehal’s military, he was very well known. It was thanks to Balun’s achievements.

Among the soldiers, there was not a single one who had not seen Balun slicing through Lizardmen.

Nor had they missed the mighty blow that burst two troll heads apart with a single swing of his axe.

“He really was incredible.”

“I saw that guy send a troll flying from atop the wall through a telescope.”

Their eyes were full of goodwill, but Balun felt nothing but awkward.

No matter how many times he saw it, he could not get used to it at all.

Rather, he felt like it would be more familiar if they called him a smelly monkey……

He must have been steeped too deeply in racial discrimination.

“Well, if you are leaving, there is nothing we can do. All right, go safely. Come again. If it is my shift then, I will let you through right away.”

“Thank you.”

“Come on, go quickly.”

“Is it all right for me to go first? There are many people lined up.”

“It is fine, it is fine. I am the Squad Leader, and I say I will let you through, so what are they going to do about it?”

Thanks to the kindness of the Guard Squad Leader, Balun cut to the very front of the long line—no, passed through with a free pass.

“Run, Blackie!”

NEIGH!

He immediately mounted Blackie and rode north. His destination was a place called the Kingdom of Croa, a country located north of the Kingdom of Corint.

There was only one reason Balun had chosen that place as his destination. Among the other countries he could go to from here, it was the closest.

Of course, the Kingdom of Valtrien was the closest, but that place was one of the belligerent nations, so he could not go there. Besides, Balun had a record of killing that country’s soldiers, did he not?

After doing the calculations, he judged that the Kingdom of Croa would be the best option.

There, he would probably be able to wander around comfortably. He had gathered a lot of money as well, so it was about time he started looking for a place to settle.

Even so, since it was another country, the distance was quite far. He had heard it was far enough that he would have to ride for several days to arrive, so he would truly have to keep sleep to a minimum on the way.

‘This is the right way, is it not? They said I could just keep following this road, so as long as I do not forget the way…….’

“Hey! You there! Stop right there!”

“Get off your horse! You cannot pass through here as you please!”

“Baron Anchio has ordered a travel ban! If you want to pass, you must obtain permission!”

At the sudden, absurd voices, Balun snapped out of his thoughts.

‘Huh?’

When he looked ahead, he saw a group of suspicious, black-clad men holding swords and blocking the road. Balun urgently pulled on the reins to stop Blackie.

But where would inertia go? There was no chance.

“Huh?”

Because Blackie had been running at full speed, he slid forward for quite a while. In the end, he rammed straight into the unidentified suspicious men occupying the road.

BAM!

Roadkill!

“GRAAAAH!”

Three of the men kicked by Blackie’s hooves were sent flying violently forward. Even after hitting those three, Balun could only stop quite a while later.

Balun, the hit-and-run culprit, got down from his horse.

Looking at the three who had been completely wrecked, he scratched his head and said,

“Sorry. I was a beginner driver.”