“Oh, finally!”
The ragged Jeong Yusin shouted as he approached the front of the village.
Thinking about the hardships of the past three days, tears clouded his vision.
The survival guide he had learned from his father was utterly useless.
[Dear, please teach me how to start a fire.]
[Ah, you start fire like this. Watch closely.]
His father had simply scraped his hand over the surface of a dry piece of wood, a spark had passed over it, and smoke rose. His father then tossed in a piece of straw, crossed his arms, stood for a moment, and as if on cue, the fire ignited.
[Easy, right?]
“It’s not easy.”
The so-called survival guide geared towards manliness had numerous methods, none of which proved helpful.
At night, he would climb a tree to sleep, and walk in the mornings. Fortunately, there were no monster attacks. Was it due to the many soldiers patrolling the roads? He didn’t know.
Jeong Yusin brushed his messy hair back and approached the village guard.
“Are you from Arrentsville?” the shaggy-haired guard asked.
“Yes.”
“Five copper coins.”
“Here they are.”
Just as Jeong Yusin handed over the coins and was about to enter the village, the guard raised a hand to stop him.
“Did anything unusual happen on your way here? We’ve been hearing that slave hunters have appeared around the roads.”
The memory of his first arrival in this world flashed by. Even if he told the guard he had transferred to another world, there was no guarantee he would believe. Moreover, to make up a false story detailing his identity would be difficult since he lacked the necessary knowledge, making it easy for his lies to be uncovered.
Should he just deny ever meeting them?
“No, nothing unusual happened.”
“Is that so? You seem to be carrying a rather nice sword. Let me take a look.”
Jeong Yusin handed over his weapon.
The guard drew the sword and held it up to the sunlight.
“Most slave hunters come from the Western Empire. Do you know their hunting method?”
“No.”
A creeping feeling of impending doom began to rise. Should he have just told the truth?
The guard continued examining the sword as he spoke.
“They don’t gather in one hunting area. Do you know where their hunting areas are? We are in the Eastern Confederation. They enter like rats, pretending to be good people, pretending to know nothing, posing as pilgrims while they quietly prepare for their hunts.”
Jeong Yusin remained silent.
“When individuals gather, it’s hard to distinguish who the hunters are, so they engrave a mark on their swords, one that looks exactly like this.”
As the sword’s surface reflected the sunlight, Jeong Yusin briefly closed his eyes against the glare.
Thud.
A cold sensation touched his neck.
“Today’s your lucky day. Come with me, you filthy brat.”
The guard dragged Jeong Yusin into a building at the corner of the village square.
“Captain, I’ve caught one.”
Inside were two people.
A middle-aged man reading documents and a person completely covered in a gray robe.
At the guard’s words, the middle-aged man looked up.
“Dark hair. So it’s a Barbaroy after all. It’s been a while. Judging by his weak appearance, he’s probably a half-blood. Most of the information we have is from her, so we don’t need much from him. Head into the nearby forest, interrogate him appropriately, and dispose of him.”
“No, wait a moment. This is a misunderstanding. It’s a misunderstanding!”
“In which part am I misunderstanding? The fact that you’re a half-blood?”
“No, the part where I’m a slave hunter.”
The middle-aged man paused, stroking his chin.
“Gut him open and kill him. Make it as painful as possible.”
“Wait, wait! I was also captured by slave hunters. A red-haired werewolf named Karin saved me!”
The middle-aged man and the guard froze.
“You…”
Finally, they had recognized the truth in his cries.
“A Barbaroy crying, this is…quite rare.”
The middle-aged man looked at Jeong Yusin with surprise.
“Shit.”
“I wasn’t crying. It’s just that my eyes got a little watery because of the injustice.”
“That’s crying. Let’s handle this cleanly. Tsk.”
“Captain, it seems like this person was one of the humans she saved. Shouldn’t we confirm that?”
At the guard’s words, Jeong Yusin cried out in agreement.
“You’re right! Please arrange a meeting with Karin. She can confirm it right away!”
The middle-aged man sighed.
“Lady Karin is the daughter of the Werewolf Union’s representative. You’re not someone who just gets to meet her. Plus, she’s been gone for quite some time now. Just go peacefully.”
“How can you kill someone who is innocent?”
“To detain you, we’d need at least four soldiers, but they’re all out on patrol. There’s no one left in the village. Do expenses grow out of the ground? No. Does the paperwork for this mission complete itself? No. How many people will suffer because of you? Go peacefully, Barbaroy.”
The middle-aged man’s eyes had turned red with excitement by the time he finished speaking.
The guard scratched his head and looked at Jeong Yusin.
“The captain is right.”
“I’ll take him.”
The person in the gray robe spoke up.
“Truly?”
The middle-aged man’s face brightened.
“Yes. Anyway, I need to meet Lady Karin eventually. In helping you with my duties, I’ll take this one.”
“Lord Simuth…”
The middle-aged captain seemed moved and unable to continue speaking.
Simuth, as he was called, revealed himself as a middle-aged human with some white hair in his locks.
He smiled as his eyes met Jeong Yusin’s.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve traveled with a Barbaroy.”
“Thank you. I don’t know how I’ll repay this kindness.”
The captain stood up quickly and bowed.
“It’s my duty as a member of the Spirit Sect.”
Simuth waved his hand dismissively and continued.
“Let’s depart immediately.”
“Barbaroy, don’t entertain any foolish thoughts.”
As Simuth was getting his luggage ready, the captain grabbed Jeong Yusin.
“I wasn’t thinking anything. By the way, where are we going?”
“Lady Karin has gone to the Grand Labyrinth, so you’ll need to go there too. It’s about a week’s walk.”
“Should you be telling me this kind of information so freely?”
Jeong Yusin’s question made the captain flare up.
“I haven’t told you anything willingly. Also, be cautious of arrogant behavior in front of Lord Simuth. He holds a high position in the Spirit Sect.”
“How high of a position?”
“See for yourself. Why should I be the one to tell you everything?”
“…”
At that moment, Simuth entered, fully prepared with his luggage.
“Let’s go.”
“Are we leaving like this?”
Jeong Yusin asked, and Simuth shrugged.
“Do you need anything else?”
“What about tying my hands or something? I could escape, you know.”
Everyone burst out laughing. The captain and the guard both chuckled.
Simuth also smiled gently.
“Barbaroy, try if you want. It’s quite admirable to see such confidence.”
Simuth and Jeong Yusin immediately departed the village.
Jeong Yusin was allowed to keep the contents of his bag but had his sword confiscated. His hands and feet were not bound, but it was evident they didn’t want him to possess any weapons.
Jeong Yusin walked along the road, and Simuth moved silently, occasionally mumbling something as if in meditation. Now and then, he would pull out a peculiar-looking necklace from his robes and kiss it.
Simuth hardly spoke to Jeong Yusin unless necessary, making a mockery of his earlier comment about not traveling with a Barbaroy in a long time.
Jeong Yusin, similarly, had nothing more to say, and so the two walked in silence.
In the morning, they stopped to briefly admire nameless wildflowers blooming by the road.
At noon, they rested under the shade of a massive ancient tree by the road.
In the evenings, they gazed at the horizon of expansive grasslands, watching the sun slowly set beyond it.
The strange silence accompanying their journey changed on the fourth day after leaving the village.
It was as they were sitting by a bonfire on a high plateau, munching on dried meat.
Simuth raised his head.
“It’s a demon.”
“What? What do I do?”
“Don’t worry. It’s merely a few goblins.”
Simuth stood up.
“Keek keek.”
“Kreee!”
About thirty goblins approached the bonfire’s light.
Simuth smiled as he stood, shedding his gray robe to reveal a black priest’s vestment. As he clenched his fists and prepared himself, an unusual current wrapped around his entire body.
Paaaang!
The goblin that had leaped down was split in its belly, creating a clear hole with a bang.
Jeong Yusin widened his eyes.
The speed of the punch was too fast to follow.
Not only that, but the power to tear a colossal hole through the goblin’s stomach was immense.
Chaaaarrrkk!
Simuth’s side kick lashed out like a whip, flattening a goblin into the ground.
The ten goblins that had charged from the front hesitated, perhaps realizing something, but it was too late.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
With light jabs from the priest, goblin heads popped one after another. The goblins, screaming, tried to retreat into the darkness.
“Stop.”
Simuth said calmly, and the goblins froze, unable to move.
Jeong Yusin realized that the unusual current he had felt earlier was what held the goblins in place.
Simuth drew a line with his extended finger.
The heads of the paralyzed goblins cleanly detached and fell to the ground.
Jeong Yusin stared in shock, his mouth wide open.
“Nuts.”
He immediately understood.
Why they didn’t tie him up.
Simuth’s earlier statement, challenging him to escape if he could.
Decapitating demons like pulling coins from a pouch rendered any restraints meaningless.
The only reason he was still alive was because Simuth didn’t desire his head.
“Ugh!”
The horrific scene before him and the scent of blood churned his stomach. He quickly brought his water pouch to his mouth.
Gulp. Gulp.
“Phew.”
“Barbaroy.”
At Simuth’s voice, Jeong Yusin snapped back to reality.
“Yes, Lord Simuth!”
Simuth smirked.
“I need to wash my hands, so could you pour some water for me?”
“Yes.”
Jeong Yusin tilted his canteen, pouring water over Simuth’s hands.
“Barbaroy, are you trembling?”
Indeed, he was. His trembling hands made the water container shake, and its stream likewise wobbled.
“I’m sorry.”
“There’s no need to apologize.”
“Yes. I’m sorry, but I won’t apologize.”
“Ho, trembling while being a Barbaroy, this is quite rare. You’ll grow old enough to see many things. Sleep now.”
Simuth wiped his wet hands and returned to the bonfire.
Jeong Yusin shivered.
What exactly was a Barbaroy?
He slowly approached the bonfire and slumped down. The sharp, metallic smell of blood lingered around him.
He thought back to the day Karin had left. That lonely night spent in the carriage, smelling blood.
Shaaaawk.
A mysterious wind swept past Jeong Yusin, taking away the scent of blood.
“It’s the wind spirit. The smell of blood has been lifted. Let’s rest a bit. We’ll depart early tomorrow.”
“Do you have any plans to relocate the camp?”
“No.”
“Yes.”
If he said so, he’d move. Jeong Yusin covered himself with his blanket and closed his eyes.
His heart pounded from the earlier horrifying sight.
‘Can I even sleep?’
