Surviving on the Northern Front with Gukbap

Chapter 40 : In the Middle of a Deal, Under Surveillance

In the Middle of a Deal, Under Surveillance

Belkhazium was a dot RPG. Unlike its gameplay, which grew richer the more you played, the graphic quality was garbage-tier.

'There weren't even any in-game illustrations in the chat window, let alone anything fancy.'

However, there were some fan-made illustrations for a few of the more popular characters.

From major figures who played key roles in the continent's state of affairs to those with real impact.

And a few hardcore fans would even draw their own illustrations of them and upload them to the fan cafe.

'All those guys who used to draw that stuff must've been dragged into this world too.'

Anyway, I distinctly remembered seeing illustrations of the Demon King Naba and the hero Rio as well.

The unique hair colors of those two punks were growing out of a single head.

That too, from a boy carrying the full names of both NPCs.

'Is this really just a coincidence?'

I tried recalling if those two NPCs had ever appeared at the same time.

I combed through memory after countless playthroughs.

"......"

Nope. At least, not in any of my play experience.

Of course, belkhazium was a game with so many permutations, and the appearance rates for both NPCs were pretty low, so maybe their paths just hadn't crossed.

But right now, a few uncanny words from Plerine and several suspicious circumstances set my instincts tingling.

'Could Naba really be...?'

I quietly whispered, making sure Naba wouldn't hear.

"Plerine. The energy inside Naba—it's not mana, not a spirit, then could it be Demonic Energy?"

"It's... not Demonic Energy either. Yeah. I don't think so."

For a moment, I was relieved—

"Alright. I'm going to have Naba do some knife skills. Can you check if you sense any other energy coming from her?"

The blind woman nodded, and I turned to Naba.

"We'll pause the introductions for now. Both of you, come with me."

"Yes!"

"Mm."

Leading the way, I entered the kitchen. One side of the already cramped kitchen was entirely taken up by the Ice Bear.

"S-Sir? What's that?!"

Naba, not recognizing the hunk of meat, jumped back in fright and asked.

"That's an Ice Bear corpse. I caught it on my way here."

"You... caught it yourself?!"

I wouldn't have been able to without Plerine's help, but that wasn't important, so I just nodded vaguely.

"Amazing! You really are something, boss. Even Flaco couldn't catch a beast this big."

Hmm. Was he always this sycophantic in character?

"That aside, Naba. Since you learned butchering, would you show off to our second employee?"

At my words, Naba looked at Plerine with conscious determination and approached the carcass.

"I'll show you the skills I've honed all this time."

Naba spun his dagger with a swift motion and caught it with a snap.

'When did he pick up that parlor trick?'

Probably useless, but I found myself thinking I should try it sometime.

While I was doing that, Naba clambered up onto the bear and gently set his knife against its chest. Tch.

If he presses that lightly, there's no way it'll—

Pook.

"?!"

The knife went in like it was nothing.

It sliced through like tofu, not meeting any resistance.

Then, as Naba slid the blade, the hide peeled off thickly with each stroke.

'I thought it was one thing when he peeled off wild boar hide that easily, but to do the same to an Ice Bear...'

But does that even make sense?

I know because I've done it myself—this is an absurd situation.

I focused my sight to the max, trying to watch Naba's knife with clarity. But I saw nothing.

'No wavering colorless energy, not even any colored flashes.'

No Sword Energy imbued with mana, not even aura. And yet he sliced right through with that technique.

Whew. Just as I thought. As far as I know, there's only one NPC who can do that.

I thought I'd picked up a kitten—

'But it turns out, I've got a tiger.'

And a Siberian tiger at that.

About thirty minutes later, a fully-skinned Ice Bear made its appearance.

Judging by the bear's size, that speed was way above expectations, but Naba was drenched in sweat—maybe too tough for a child's body.

"Good job, Naba. That's enough."

I decided there was no point observing further. But Naba seemed eager to go on.

"I can finish if I just do a little more."

"No, that's enough. At this level, Plerine will admit you're more than just a kid—you're a proper employee, right, Plerine?"

Plerine stood still for about three seconds, then nodded.

Only then did Naba's stiff face start to relax, but as the boss, I had to keep up all my employees' morale.

"Plerine, you should show what you've got too."

"Now? Is that okay?"

"When else, if not now?"

With that, Plerine smirked and snapped her fingers. *Snap.*

Fwoosh.

Blue flames from the brazier instantly blazed up red.

'She can do that level of magic so casually—'

And she made this show of snapping her fingers. Internally, I thought she was being childish, but apparently, it worked.

"M-m-mage?!"

Naba was so startled she fell on her butt where she stood.

"Yeah, as you can see, employee No. 2, Plerine, is a mage. Don't ever breathe a word to outsiders—keep your mouth shut."

Naba stammered and nodded over and over again.

'So mages really are a big deal up north.'

Thus, the first-impression showdown between my employees ended with Plerine's victory.

*

The awkward atmosphere between Employees No. 1 and 2 only lasted a moment.

The woman and the kid each got to their own work.

After a good rest, Naba resumed butchering the Ice Bear, and Plerine joined the stonemason guild's crew for repair work. I wanted to help, but—

"The meat will spoil, boss. I'll handle it."

"Owner, the young miss's help is plenty for us here."

For some reason, I was turned away from both the kitchen and the front of the shop.

Left with nothing to do, I wandered up to my room like a layabout.

Well, honestly, I'd been kicked out more than I'd wandered up.

"Still, it's good to see my room again."

Thanks to Plerine, even camping out had been warm, but home was still the best.

'My room's the best, my bed's the best.'

As I unpacked my travel bag, I caught sight of something I'd bought at Grey Fortress—now rendered useless.

'Glad I bought the cheap one.'

That dirt-cheap arming sword I'd debated buying.

If I'd known even a bit sooner that only kitchen knives triggered my sword techniques, I could have saved that money.

But there's no helping what's already bought.

The only answer for an accidental purchase is the secondhand market.

'Let's go sell this.'

I grabbed the arming sword and left the shop, two kitchen knives wrapped in cloth at my side.

"Where are you off to, boss?"

"To sell a sword and do some knife skills."

I planned to hit the village training ground right after selling the sword.

No point hanging around here, and I needed to reach 3rd-rank as soon as possible.

"See you later."

Heading toward the smithy, I recalled Plerine's comment about Naba.

― I'm sure. What's contained in that knife skill wasn't mana, spirit, or Demonic Energy.

If Plerine's eyes were accurate, I could narrow down the power Naba used to just one thing.

'A Gift.'

The Goddess's blessing given only to heroes—a Gift. Or, as it's sometimes called, an 'Abnormal Ability'.

"Haa."

At this point, there was no denying it. I had to accept it: Naba's knife skills were none other than the hero Rio's Gift and broken skill, 'Separation'.

'To think I'd learn the secret of that Easter Egg I always wondered about in the game, here of all places.'

So, Naba really was both the hero and the Demon King's seed.

Still, I was a bit relieved. It seemed I'd stopped Naba from becoming a crazed hero.

'Guess I know now why the hero was always so desperate to kill the player character adventurer.'

It made sense, having been on the receiving end from all those adventurer guild scumbags.

Well, that was all in the past. What mattered now was how I would raise Naba going forward.

'I'll have to look after him so he doesn't go down a dark path.'

Like Plerine said, he wasn't wielding Demonic Energy, but there was something inside Naba.

Just please, don't let him become the Demon King.

Lost in thought, I arrived at the smithy.

"What's this? This piece of junk?"

The dwarf scowled at the sword I offered.

"One shilling."

I almost grumbled at the price, but proper haggling rarely gets you half the carrot, so I just let it go.

Leaving the smithy, I headed to the training ground—

"Heh heh."

I heard that familiar laugh.

"Long time no see, Ian."

There stood Jeros, dressed in plain clothes.

*

"Heh heh. Good thing you're neither dead nor on the run."

Even with that grinning face, he still managed to get on my nerves.

'So this is what he's really like.'

I was finally able to gauge the power Jeros held. Now that I'd reached 2nd-rank, my perception had opened up.

'4th-rank.'

The kind of strength that could rule any local battlefield.

Probably stronger than Granfen's bald battalion commander, and easily overwhelm any company commanders beneath.

Young age, incredible achievement and talent.

And yet, despite such strength—

'Why's a guy like that working guard duty on the northern frontline?'

Only after getting stronger did these questions appear.

"Heh heh. I heard you went to Grey Fortress for the stonemason guild. Did you get your fill of sword training there?"

Just as I sensed Jeros's strength, he seemed to recognize my own leap to 2nd-rank.

"Not training. Self-study."

"Self-study? You reached 2nd-rank alone in that short time? Heh heh."

Jeros looked at me, clearly suspicious, with curiosity in his eyes as well.

"Is that another power of yours, outsider?"

I replied instantly, without hesitation.

"Nope."

No need to give him any more information.

"Heh heh. Well, I suppose it doesn't matter. Like you said—if you're stronger, there's less chance you'll die running this shop. That's a win."

"Exactly. Whoever attacks now, I'm not going down so easy."

"Heh heh heh. That's right. So, when are you reopening?"

"With any luck, a week from now."

"I see. But rumor has it, the officers will start eating all three meals at Fairy's Leg?"

News traveled fast.

"That's right. The battalion commander ordered it."

No reason to deny it, so I admitted as much.

"So it was true. Heh heh."

With a deadpan smile, Jeros continued.

"Delay reopening as much as possible."

For an instant, I had to doubt my ears.

"??"

What kind of nonsense was this?

If I wanted to earn shop window points and clear quests, I had to open the shop as soon as I could.

Had that money-grubber finally lost his mind?

'What's his angle?'

But now wasn't the time to figure him out—I needed to persuade him.

Steadying myself, I began.

"All the officers' meal fees are covered by military funds. I'm changing the menu, raising prices, so not just 1.5 times our previous earnings, but double is easily possible."

I'd promised to increase profits by hiring Naba.

Honestly, in this situation, exceeding that was possible. There's nothing better than money to tempt Jeros.

But—

"Ian, outsider Ian. Maybe because it's been a while, or maybe you got stronger, but you're awfully bold. Heh heh."

He looked at me, eyes crescent-shaped.

"I'll say it again: choose one of two things. Either delay reopening as long as possible—"

"......?"

"Or die by my hand."

At that chilling voice, I remembered what I'd forgotten: Jeros and I were "in the middle of a deal."

And—

― 'Keep a close eye on Jeros for me.'"

By the battalion commander's orders, I was also "under surveillance" on Jeros.