Surviving on the Northern Front with Gukbap

Chapter 96 : Calm Before the Storm (7)

Calm Before the Storm (7)

After finishing the evening business and cleaning up, I ordered all the employees out.

In case the special ops guys barged in, it was a necessary precaution.

"Tonight, stay at the inn where the stonemason guild is lodging."

Harper looked puzzled, and as Naba was about to say something, Clara, her face glowing with excitement, jumped in.

"He-hey! Who's trying to argue with the boss right now?!"

Everyone was visibly surprised at Clara's sudden loyal attitude, but it didn't bother her.

She dragged Harper and Naba outside the shop.

"We'll be back, boss! Have a restful night!"

She winked as she spoke. What's this? Why is she so happy?

'Was she that desperate not to sleep at our shop?'

I felt a little hurt, but soon Plerine followed the others outside.

'Come back as soon as you can, Plerine. I still feel uneasy alone.'

For a moment, I considered only sending out everyone except Plerine, but couldn't come up with a good excuse.

'Otherwise, the employees might think I'm playing favorites.'

Anyway, Plerine would return right after checking in at the inn.

As soon as the shop door closed, I changed into my padded armor.

The blade—hmm, nothing wrong with it.

'Seems unlikely they'll come at me again, but it never hurts to be ready.'

If they launched a sudden attack, they'd surely bring backup.

Even if Zaiya and Ricky came at me together at full strength, they wouldn't be a threat.

Would they try force or propose negotiations?

I waited, mixed with equal parts anticipation and worry, and closed my eyes—

Knock. Knock.

I heard a knock at the door.

... Knock knock.

Damn it.

A chill went down my spine.

A knock had become both a jinx and a trauma for me.

'What am I, pavlov's dog or something?'

But this was just a bogus emotion born out of old experiences.

I forced myself to be rational.

'Think logically. This is a good sign.'

After all, knocking is the symbol of manners.

It's an act of respect, the opposite of force.

Deciding this was a sign the special ops guys were approaching peacefully, I spoke up.

"It's open. Please come in."

Hardly had I finished speaking when—Kkiik—the door opened and someone stepped inside.

Just as expected, it was the foul-mouthed Ricky. But—

"...?!"

His half-open eyes showed only the whites.

Now that I noticed, his legs looked strange too. Limp and floppy, floating above the ground—

Thud.

Ricky's body collapsed limply onto the shop floor.

"!!"

Before my brain could process the situation, my body moved on instinct.

I shot to my feet, grabbed the kitchen knife—

Fwoomph.

Another person was tossed down next to Ricky, their body sprawled out.

Seeing the helmet encasing their head, I knew who it was.

But right now, there was no time to worry about unconscious Ricky and Zaiya.

My gaze fixed on the person who had tossed them inside.

"Schutmann."

As I said it, I realized I'd forgotten to add "sir" at the end, but didn't bother correcting myself.

That was trivial compared to the current situation.

'Why would Schutmann bring those two here? And unconscious, at that?'

I opened my mouth to resolve my doubts.

"You don't look like you've come for dinner."

"As you can see."

Schutmann's eyes, above his inverted-triangle mask, slowly narrowed. What he did and how he looked were total opposites.

'No wonder Plerine said he's a pain in the ass.'

My heart started to heat up, but I forced my brain to stay cold as I asked,

"Did my subordinates commit some kind of offense?"

"Yes. A rather serious offense indeed."

Schutmann strode inside and—thump!—stepped on Ricky's head.

"......"

The floor dented a little, likely imbued with mana.

Damn.

Good thing the stonemason guild folks were at Granfen's; I'd deal with that later.

"What offense was so grave that you did this to my subordinates? I wish you'd informed me, their immediate supervisor."

Schutmann took his eyes off Ricky and looked at me, then slowly took his foot away and spoke.

"One of the things I hate most is insubordination."

I didn't immediately grasp what he meant and just stayed quiet. Schutmann continued.

"These two were plotting to kidnap you."

At those words, I felt my hair stand on end.

'These medieval morons!'

I'd suspected as much.

After taking such a beating from me, they still planned to try again?

What incredible idiots.

Did they think they'd succeed with a sneak attack or different plan this time?

'As if they could do it with Plerine around!'

Of course, they didn't know about Plerine's presence. Still, that's beside the point—the real issue was something else.

'How did Schutmann find out those two were planning to kidnap me?'

A chill ran down my spine at the thought.

I'd thought Schutmann's surveillance was limited to those around the battalion commander, but could he really have been monitoring the whole village of Granfen?

'Even for a squire and a 5th-tier, is that possible?'

For the first time in ages, I felt the limits of my Belkhazium knowledge.

Knowing someone's fighting ability and stats wasn't enough—there were all these 'utility' settings I had no information about!

'Anyway, I need to find out the extent of Schutmann's surveillance.'

If it was broader than I thought, there was a risk he'd overheard my daytime conversation with Plerine.

'Let's try to ask as naturally as possible.'

Despite my deep worries, my mind worked fast, and I spoke up almost without hesitation.

"Truly outrageous guys. Still, thank you for stopping them before they did anything foolish."

"No need to mention it."

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Schutmann's mouth, visible beneath the mask.

Sensing this was my chance, I pressed on.

"However, how did you know those two were plotting to kidnap me?"

Schutmann's face froze at my question. A cold sweat trickled down my back.

'Should I not have asked?'

I suddenly found myself eager for Plerine to return, when out of the blue, the system voice echoed in my head:

〈 The customer is satisfied with your service. 〉

〈 You have gained 1 'Satisfaction'. 〉

〈 The customer is satisfi... 〉

... What is this now. What the hell are these idiots doing?

***

At that same moment, while Ian was dealing with his unwelcome guest, Naba shouted at the once-popular inn 'Hohohba's Blade of Grass', which used to rival Wyvern Tail.

"No! You can't go!"

Naba was standing with arms spread wide, with Harper mimicking him by his side.

They were blocking Plerine from leaving the inn.

"I agree with Naba here. Why do you think boss sent us out by ourselves? It's obviously—"

Clara cut him off.

"Boss just wants us to unwind and have fun together without him! Right, Plerine?"

Grabbing a mug as big as Ralph's jaw, Clara slung her arm around Plerine's shoulders.

Plerine barely resisted the urge to throw her over her shoulder and said,

"Okay, I get it. I'll be back really quick. I have something to do."

The excuse was pretty poor, but Ian's subordinates weren't about to let it slip.

"Come on, Plerine, you don't have any friends other than us. What sort of business could you have, at this hour?"

Naba eyed her suspiciously.

"Don't tell me, Plerine! Did you get yourself a boyfriend?!"

A small spark crackled at Clara's teasing. Naba and Clara burst out laughing, but—

'Something's weird.'

Harper, the highly-educated outsider, sensed something off.

'Come to think of it, boss called Plerine aside this afternoon, didn't he?'

And now, of all people, Plerine was refusing to drink with them—

'Something's definitely up!'

Boss and Plerine were clearly up to something they couldn't yet reveal.

Having deduced this, Harper intervened, winking at Plerine so only she could see.

"So let's do this! Plerine promises to come back as soon as possible, but just has one drink with us before she leaves. Okay?"

Naba looked disappointed at Harper's sudden change of plan, but Clara responded enthusiastically.

"Oho! That sounds great! I'm in!"

With that, Clara disappeared somewhere.

Plerine and Harper both sighed in relief, but a moment later, Clara returned, slamming down a wooden barrel the size of a person.

"You just drink one mug of this and off you go, Plerine!"

Clara beamed, her face bright red.

Harper shook his head at the unexpected turn of events, but—thud, thud, thud—Plerine strode bravely to the barrel and stopped.

"??"

Flash!

Plerine lifted the barrel full of liquor.

Then, all three employees witnessed a sight beyond belief.

Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.

The three employees weren't the only ones shocked.

Thanks to Wyvern Tail being closed for repairs, all the customers at 'Hohohba's Blade of Grass'—enjoying the sudden business boom—stared with wide eyes.

"She's drinking directly from a barrel?"

"Isn't that Ian's waitress?!"

Gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp!

Eventually, the bystanders started chanting, "Hey! Hey!" in time with Plerine's swallowing.

... Thud! Clunk.

At last, the empty oak barrel dropped to the floor and rolled away.

"Wooooow!!"

The crowd erupted in cheers at the first barrel one-shot anyone had ever seen.

〈 The customer is satisfied with your service. 〉

〈 You have gained 1 'Satisfaction'. 〉

〈 The customer is satis... 〉

With Harper and Naba speechless and Clara doubled over in laughter, Plerine simply turned, wiped her mouth on the back of her hand, and strode out of the inn.