novelraw Chapter 19 : Korean Food (2)
Chapter 19 : Korean Food (2)
Chapter 19 - Korean Food (2)
『 Translator – Divinity 』
The boy thought, curled up as small as he could be.
'Why am I……'
Thump, thump.
'Why do I have to be beaten?'
Until now, he had lived amidst countless acts of violence.
Dozens of times, hundreds of times, thousands of times.
He felt like he was going to die and really almost did, but he struggled on and survived.
Nevertheless, this time was truly different.
Thump. Thwack.
WHAM!
Naba instinctively realized.
'I'm going to die.'
This is the end.
The final stop of a pathetic and worthless life.
He was running towards that end.
Thump…… thump…… thump.
At some point, he didn't even feel pain anymore.
Whether it was from the cold, or from being beaten so much.
Only the mental anguish, rather than the physical pain, remained to torment Naba.
'Why was I born? If it was only going to be this painful.'
Mom. Why did you give birth to me?
If you were going to leave me alone my whole life in such agony, you just shouldn't have had me.
「Fundamentally, life is suffering.」
Naba came to his senses at the bizarre voice.
A child, an old person, a woman, a man. A voice that was a mixture of all of them continued.
「And, suffering is truly the best, isn't it.」
His muddled mind became clear.
“Where am I?”
A dark space, where there was nothing.
He was standing in such a place.
「I have been watching you for a long time.」
“Who are you?”
「I wonder. Who do you think I am?」
“Could it be, are you a god?”
If the pain had stopped, it must be because this was already the afterlife.
「Correct! I am a god. And I've come to answer your suffering. Hee hee.」
“I'm…… dead.”
「No. You're not dead yet. But you will be soon.」
Death is right before my eyes.
Emptiness, despondency, patheticness.
A mixture of emotions washed over him.
「Do you not want to die?」
“……”
And yet, he couldn't rashly answer the question of whether he didn't want to die.
Why is that?
「Hmm. Why no answer.」
Before those words could even end, Naba's entire body was dominated by agony.
The sensation of his body being split apart and torn.
Naba clutched his chest and fell to his knees.
“Kkeuaaaak!!!”
「How is it? Isn't it wonderful? If you die, you go to a world of nothingness where even this kind of suffering doesn't exist. Won't you miss this?」
Red water dripped from Naba's eyes.
「I'll ask again. Do you not want to die?」
Death and life.
If it tells me to choose between them,
“Kkeueuheuk. I-I don't want to die!!”
Even if it's painful, I want to live.
Just as I always have until now.
「If that's the case, then accept me. Child who knows suffering well.」
“Uwaaaaaaaaaaah!”
Please. Make it stop. This pain!
I'll accept it. I'll accept it, so please.
「Call my name.」
「My name is」
「■■■■---.」
.
.
.
“!?”
Naba opened his eyes.
It's bright. But it wasn't dazzling.
He looked around.
A place that looks like a kitchen.
He is covered by an adult's coat.
Next to a fire spreading hot warmth.
'It's warm.'
Even in his dream, he was in maddening agony.
Just then, the black-haired outsider appeared.
The outsider who had caused him to be in this dying state.
“Y-You are……”
The outsider stared at him blankly, then gave him a wooden bowl with steam billowing from it and said.
“Here. Eat.”
……
『 Translator – Divinity 』
The bald Battalion Commander said.
“Ho ho. Right, right. About…… this shop and your master, Bert.”
“Yes!”
“Did you kill him?”
I was momentarily flustered by the unexpected surprise attack, but I didn't let it show.
As it was a situation I had simulated countless times for that very question.
'Because besides Flaco, anyone could be suspicious about Bert's whereabouts.'
Furthermore, Bert's corpse was buried in an Ice Bear habitat.
A place that can't be found easily.
And with a high probability, there would be no physical evidence.
In other words, the bald man is just testing the waters right now.
I had many thoughts, but my thinking was fast, and I answered almost immediately.
“What are you talking about, sir? D-don't tell me. Did you find Mister Bert's body!?”
Despite my passionate performance, the bald man just looked at me with an expressionless face.
Is this man also trying to figure me out with a Senses stat like Flaco?
“Where is Mister Bert, sir!?”
But I didn't waver and continued my performance until the end.
And soon, the bald man's mouth opened.
“Not a bad response. With that, you could probably get past the suspicions of others besides me.”
“Wh-What is that supposed to.”
“That's enough. Stop it. I don't care whether you killed Bert or not. No, even if you did kill him, it doesn't matter at all. Ho ho ho.”
What is this?
Is he certain that I killed Bert?
More than anything, if the fact that Bert is dead becomes known…
'He did say that if a person with no family dies, their property belongs to the Duchy.'
I'll have my shop taken away just like that.
That can't happen.
It's my only joy in this world.
“……I don't know what you're talking about.”
“You don't know? Ho ho. I'm sure you do. Or perhaps, are you acting this way because of Jeros?”
This is driving me crazy.
First Bert, and now he's bringing up Jeros.
“For someone of my rank as Battalion Commander, the level of information is different. And if Bert really had left our town and was alive, he would have surely stopped by one of the nearby towns.”
“……”
Should I grab onto his words and argue further here.
I thought for a moment, but decided against it.
“Do you understand what I'm saying?”
The Battalion Commander is certain.
He has no physical evidence, but he has perfect circumstantial evidence,
And a medieval Battalion Commander is someone who can do anything with just circumstantial evidence.
“I asked if you understand what I'm saying.”
If he's an opponent against whom neither force nor diplomacy, like with Flaco, will work.
'I'll have to…… raise the white flag.'
I swallowed dryly and asked.
“If you hadn't liked my food today, I would have been a dead man, wouldn't I?”
“You're a smart fellow. Ho ho ho.”
To think the dish I made a little while ago almost became the last dish of my life, goosebumps broke out all over my body.
“Still, isn't it a relief? Since you have splendidly proven your value.”
Thank you for sparing my life. I couldn't bring myself to say crap like that.
“Relax your face. I can't even make a joke with that expression. Ho ho ho.”
“I'm sorry.”
It seems I made a sour face without realizing it.
“Good. You've answered the first question well, so now I must ask the second.”
“Please speak.”
“What did you learn from Jeros? From what I hear, Jeros is not very good at teaching.”
It was the same during the demonstration, and now the bald man is asking about Jeros again.
“I learned the theory of mana, the principles of its application, how to apply it, and the basics of the Supreme Sword.”
“Hoh. You learned a lot in just one hour. So, how was it? Were there any results?”
“I learned mana and rose to Hierarchy 1.”
“Oh, is that so?”
For a fleeting moment, the light in the bald man's eyes flashed.
“I've heard that outsiders can learn mana, but seeing it in person is quite amazing.”
“Yes. I was lucky.”
Soon, the Battalion Commander grinned, rose from his seat,
And drew the sword from his scabbard, handing it to me.
Number 11 of Kalista's masterpieces, 'One Point'.
“Then I shall personally see what you've learned. Try attacking me with all your strength using this.”
Is his intention to test how much I learned from Jeros?
“Even so, how could I possibly attack you, Battalion Commander.”
“It's fine. It's an order.”
“……If you insist, sir, then I will be rude.”
With a slightly fluttering heart, I gripped the Artifact.
As soon as I held it, I felt vitality imbue my body and my senses sharpened, as if I had received additional stats.
However, for an Artifact, stats are just a secondary benefit, the core is the skill modifier.
The problem is,
'That I haven't learned those skills.'
I'm a lowbie, so I only have the basic attack Supreme Sword and a dash; a level 1, no, a Hierarchy 1.
It's such a shame that I can't even utilize 'One Point' properly while holding it.
However,
'Just being able to try using it is something.'
Seeing and using in reality the Artifact I had only seen as a dot icon in the game, I felt another kind of joy.
After taking a deep breath, I assumed a ready stance, however clumsy.
“Then. I will begin.”
“Good.”
I recalled that sensation from when I fought Flaco.
The feeling from when the Supreme Sword Jeros had taught me was working at its best.
'Distance and timing.'
I take one step forward and bring the sword I raised above my head down. A vertical slash.
Swoosh.
Even though it was a strike with my entire soul poured into it, the Battalion Commander easily dodged it while maintaining his smile.
His movements were so fast I couldn't even follow them, and I felt a sense of futility.
“Keep going.”
“Yes, sir!”
Considering it a chance to practice with a real sword, I swung the blade down.
Slashing horizontally, slashing vertically.
If the distance widens, I close it with a dash.
But the Battalion Commander dodged all my attacks with minimal movement.
It feels like it's not as smooth as when I fought Flaco.
“You really are straightforwardly using only what you've learned. Ho ho. Do you have anything else?”
It feels like he's gently provoking me right now, and it's not just my imagination, is it?
Gradually, the feeling of futility disappeared, and a spirit of defiance rose up.
“I will show you my final strike.”
With the basic attacks of the Supreme Sword, the vertical and horizontal slashes, it's hopeless anyway.
If that's the case,
'Let's try to utilize the skill modifier in 'One Point'.'
I've never learned it in reality, but I decided to try and imitate the stance the game character showed.
I pulled one foot far back, drew the sword back as much as possible, and held it parallel to the floor,
“Hup!”
Took a breath, and thrusted towards the Battalion Commander.
FWOOOSH!
The Artifact's effect activated.
Unlike the previous Supreme Sword strikes, the movement connected like flowing water,
And I could feel the power being transmitted naturally.
'It's fast!'
This is the true power of an Artifact.
The 'Piercing Sword' attached to 'One Point', that is, the 2x damage effect of a thrust!
Cutting through the wind, the tip of the sword rushed towards the Battalion Commander's chest.
However,
The tip of my sword touched nothing, and my posture soon collapsed, my steps got tangled, and I tumbled to the floor.
Clatter.
It seems nothing works against that bastard.
The difference is too great.
“Amusing.”
The bald man, his smile now completely gone, was looking down at me lying on the floor.
“Amusing.”
His expression didn't look amused at all, but it was a Battalion Commander who repeatedly said it was amusing.
I dusted off my bottom, got up, and said as I returned the sword.
“May I stop here, sir?”
“Good work. Your swordsmanship is still clumsy, but your mana utilization is excellent. To think you're already on the verge of Hierarchy 2.”
“Is that so, sir?”
That's pretty good news, isn't it?
“That's right. If you continue to learn a lot from Jeros, you'll get much better.”
“Thank you.”
“And I'll make sure to tell Jeros not to accept any tuition fees from you, so be aware.”
“……? Thank you!”
He gave me 3 shillings before, and now he's even giving me the benefit of waived tuition.
My hateful feelings towards the Battalion Commander almost melted away, but the remaining thread of my reason kept my suspicion alive.
'Why is he taking care of me to this extent?'
My parents used to say, a gift of pork is goodwill, but a gift of beef comes with a hidden motive.
No matter how much money and power the bald man has,
3 shillings might be understandable, but waiving the tuition fee seemed excessive.
“Then I'll ask my last question. Actually, it's closer to a request than a question. Ho ho ho.”
Just as I suspected. He had a hidden motive.
“Yes. Please speak.”
The bald man brought his index finger to his lips.
「Keep a close watch on Jeros.」
What was that?
He definitely didn't open his lips, and it didn't enter my ears, but I heard it.
Is it something like the sound transmission from a wuxia novel?
「If you understand, nod your head.」
I slowly nodded twice, and only then did the Battalion Commander speak with a benevolent smile.
“Good. Ho ho ho. Then my business with you is finished. I'll be on my way now.”
Clomp. Clomp.
In the quiet stillness, the Battalion Commander's footsteps headed out of the shop.
“Please take care on your way out.”
I saw him off with a military salute.
……
On the roof of a building in the red-light district, far from The Fairy's Leg.
A man with silver hair, wearing leather armor, was watching The Fairy's Leg.
'That goddamn baldy.'
Jeros was ignoring his duty.
A rumor had already spread like wildfire among the soldiers that the Battalion Commander was at The Fairy's Leg.
He had to hear what conversation the Battalion Commander and Ian were having.
But the voices were suddenly cut off in the middle.
This probably meant he had used a Mind Speak.
'Showing off all his fancy tricks.’
Only martial artists of Hierarchy 5 and above should be able to do that.
He doesn't know what trick the baldy used to perform the Mind Speak,
But actually, that's not what's important.
'I've been found out.'
The Battalion Commander knew that he was listening.
That must be why he used Mind Speak.
Certainly, in a one-on-one fight, he himself has a slight advantage, but the Battalion Commander was talented in other areas.
Creeak.
The door of The Fairy's Leg opened and the baldy appeared.
The baldy stared into the air with his characteristic annoying smile, and soon opened his mouth and murmured.
“Jeros, isn't it your duty hours?”
A voice imbued with mana.
It pierced his ears from afar.
As expected, he knew everything.
“Do I look like I care about my duty hours?”
“Ho ho. So you're finally acknowledging me.”
“Anyone would think I was the one who was avoiding you.”
“But you did avoid me. Ho ho ho.”
“No matter what you do, I will remain the same.”
“Did anyone say otherwise? I merely came to see the outsider.”
Jeros must have clearly heard those last words.
But no answer came back to the Battalion Commander.
Soon, one corner of the Battalion Commander's mouth rose in a bitter smile.
……
Late at night, after closing the shop,
I was organizing the Korean dishes I could make with the Shop Window and going over the ledgers.
Knock, knock.
“Ian. Ian!”
Knock, knock.
“It's me. Flaco.”
The Battalion Commander who knocked politely was the abnormal one; for medieval bastards, this is normal.
I got up from the table and opened the shop door.
Just in case, I had a kitchen knife hidden in my waistband this time too.
“You've come, Mister Flaco. Mister Bert didn't come today either.”
“……Figured as much.”
Looking at Flaco's face, his eyes were still sharp, but his atmosphere seemed to have softened considerably.
'He was completely fooled. Simple-minded bastard.'
At this rate, I don't think I'll need to carry a kitchen knife from now on.
“Take this.”
Flaco took a small bundle from his bag.
A bundle caked with blood.
“Th-This is?”
“What are you so surprised about?”
Flaco said, revealing his yellow teeth.
“It's fresh meat.”
“!!”