Chapter 112: Childhood Friend – Offering
“This auction was a failure again. The last one didn’t yield good results either.”
A man in a hat grumbled. He strode past the stables and into the inner office, with two hulking figures following behind.
“Boss, even if we manage to sell the ones we captured in the southern swamps this time…”
“Selling them is one thing, but they are nothing but mine slaves. They don’t fetch much.”
The boss entered the office, took off his hat, and leaned against the desk chin in hand.
“There isn’t even a single girl worthy of auction. I don’t expect much, but there has never been a pretty one among the savage women. And I know the reason.”
As his gaze sharpened, the two lackeys in front of him stood at attention subconsciously.
“Since those transporting slaves touch all the pretty ones, it’s not like they aren’t around, right? Yeah. Did you bring them for transport this time?”
“Yes, yes!”
“You idiot. Haven’t you taught them not to mess with the goods?”
“I have, I have…Agh!”
The fellow who kicked his shin hopped on one foot holding the other up.
“I haven’t transported much myself, but I seem to know. They fool around with the girls. But, well…”
Outside, a neighing sound was heard. He got so frustrated that he slammed the desk, but instead of the table, it was the boss who jumped.
Thinking his reputation was tarnished by his unnecessary act, he stood with both hands gripping the desk and spoke over his shoulder.
“…Is it so difficult to leave a few of the prettiest ones alone? With just two girls good enough for auction, it’s a fair deal to make ends meet, isn’t it?”
“No!”
“Oh, it’s really annoying. We needed a genuinely good one this time since going back and forth on that matter wasn’t what we wanted… What? Where is all this fuss coming from?”
When he turned around due to the discomfort in his foot, he noticed that the guy he had kicked earlier was still clutching his shin. Only then did the boss remember that this fella had returned from the expedition with a leg injury.
“Tsk… Go rest and come back.”
“I-I’m fine.”
“When I tell you to go, go. Unless you want me to apologize for being intentionally foolish.”
“Oh, I see.”
The hulking figure limped out, and as the boss took a deep breath to calm himself, the other lackey left in the room asked cautiously.
“Umm… Boss, I’m curious. You’ve been mentioning that guy continuously. Who is he?”
“Oh, he’s no big deal…”
After glancing the lackey up and down, he chuckled.
“Well, now that you’re grown up, you better learn a thing or two. I might need someone to replace me someday.”
In response, the lackey shouted resolutely, standing at attention.
“No! Working under you is more than enough for me!”
– “W-who…?! Agh!”
“Surprise, huh. Thought your ears were about to fall off.”
“It’s true! When I work under you, I’m always happy… That’s right!”
The boss smiled contentedly. This guy had decent skills and flattered well, having been his sidekick for a few years.
“You, stop babbling… I’m teaching you in case I get promoted, and you have to take over for me.”
“Thank you! I’ll keep that in mind!”
– Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle.
He took down a picture hanging on one wall. Behind it was a small wooden door panel, and judging by the key pulled from his pocket to unlock it, it seemed like a safe. The boss pulled out several bundles of maps from the safe.
“The reason I could grow steadily in our family was because of this. It’s not just about catching savages, but knowing their locations and when to attack is more important, right?”
“Indeed!”
Finally, for me too! The excited sidekick responded.
– Thud, click-
“Lower your voice. From now on, listen quietly. I have a guy in mind… Ah, more importantly, look at this map first. See those marked places? It’s not entirely accurate, but there’s a sign of the savage tribes nearby…?!”
“Ugh! Uh…”
The hulking lackey was momentarily dazed.
The boss’s chest that snatched the map bulged. And it didn’t take long to realize that it was the dagger that had been protruding.
“What, what is this?!”
Startled, he tried to step back but was blocked by the wall with the safe attached.
As the sidekick fell, the unwelcome guest lowered his head. It wasn’t a greeting but an action to pick up the fallen map so it didn’t soak in blood.
“Is this a map depicting the locations of the savage tribes?”
“W-who are you!”
As he roughly tucked the map into his waist, Lev lifted his head. He had obtained something useful, but there was something more joyful. He easily remembered the hat placed on the table.
– “There wasn’t time for education, but it worked out well. If you don’t behave properly until tomorrow, your boyfriend…you know?”
It was the hat worn by the guy who threatened Lena in their lodge. In a previous childhood friend scenario, this guy had kidnapped Lena.
“Do you know what I can do?”
Lev grinned cruelly. Thanking his {tracking skills}, he taunted.
“Do you ask for names before catching travelers?”
“Wait… Ah!”
Lev’s sword struck like lightning.
“Agh… W-who are you…!”
“Shall we sit down and have a chat?”
Lev placed the gangster with a severed wrist in his seat. As the gangster resisted, he placed a knife on his thigh.
“Have you been married? There’s a ring on your hand.” But now that hand just fell to the ground, and Lev kicked the piece of flesh that was once a hand, pushing it into a corner and asking, “Are you from the Dorf family? Running a slave trading business. I have a question, where is your headquarters?”
“… Do you think I’ll tell you?”
“I think you might tell me, so I’m asking… or not?”
“Gaaaah! Krrr…”
The pen on the desk plunged fiercely into the gangster’s severed wrist.
Now there was no ring, it would have been simple to charm him, but Lev didn’t do that. It would be a waste of power on a guy like this and he didn’t really feel like it.
Lev looked him in the eye, asking again, “You’d be better off just confessing. I have a way of finding out no matter what.”
The gangster boss, facing Lev’s fiery, hateful eyes, swallowed a groan and shook his head in resignation. He was convinced this person wouldn’t spare his life.
‘I’m going to die anyway, might as well open my mouth.’
He spat. But the spit didn’t make it. Before it could arc, Lev’s hand covered his face.
He saw a young man peeking out between the fingers as if to thank him.
“Gaaaahhhh!”
*
Having wiped out one of the Dorf family’s bases, Lev returned as a hired mercenary. After waiting a day, he ventured out again.
Lev headed to the bustling area on the outskirts of Nevis to the east.
It was a bit remote to be called a bustling area, usually devoid of people, with only large commercial buildings clustered together.
But today, there were many people there. Gangsters with sinister tattoos (a bird twisted around a branch) swarmed, overwhelming with their presence.
Lev strolled in casually. He thought it was worth waiting a day and coming now.
“Hey you. Take a different path… Oh?”
– Sssrrrretch.
The face of the gangster warning the approaching youth stiffened as the lad drew his sword, then as if remembering something, flipped his mask.
The gangster immediately lit a flare. Other gangsters around and those waiting inside rushed out, each wielding their weapons.
It was more than fifty people at a glance.
‘… I offer.’
[Achievement: Civilian Killing – 0 civilians killed. You become slightly unhappy.]
Lev also prepared to sacrifice the lives of civilians.
While it was better to get rid of the penalty quickly, he had left it untouched so far for a reason.
“Haahhhh…”
Lev trembled. He breathed out humid air without realizing.
It feels good.
He felt a sense of fulfillment from head to toe. His body felt light. He tilted the sword in his hand and felt its strength.
He had refrained from using Barbatos’ power recklessly in the past, fearing consequences. But now he needed it immediately, and it seemed he would consume it quickly, but so what? This feels so good.
‘Just a little more?’
Though tempting, he managed to suppress the urge. He had resolved to use only what was necessary at the time. Let’s not forget that this was the price of human life.
Yet it felt really good…
“Seems like a knight, what brings you here?” a gangster who appeared to have a high rank politely but with a weapon aimed, inquired.
A branch from a base was destroyed yesterday, and today some guy drew a sword from their headquarters, so a fight was inevitable. Perhaps he wanted something in return, so he asked.
A knight was a fearsome presence.
As gangsters, they were monsters to be avoided at all costs.
Naturally, Lev didn’t respond. What he wanted couldn’t be obtained through negotiation.
“If you want something, I’ll give you anything… De-jeez! Kill! He’s just a kid, he can’t be that strong!”
Lev charged. The gangsters also fought back with swords and axes, but steadily fell under his blade.
Gangsters were generally weaker than mercenaries. If you handled weapons well enough to be a mercenary, there was no reason to resort to thuggery.
Some individuals had temperaments that led them down that path, or became gangsters after retiring from the mercenary life because of age, but…
Lev’s eyes glittered as he slashed. He took out the gold coins given by Marquis Guidan and shouted, “I’ll hire you! I’ll pay as much as you want!”
The thug, who was approaching with a shield raised, suddenly turned around. He plunged his dagger deep into the side of his companion.
“Gah!”
“What, what’s happening? Deern! Are you insane?”
“…!”
He seemed to be taken aback by his friend actions. No matter how blinded by money he was, this was too much…
But he soon found himself no longer needing to worry about his actions as Lev’s sword struck the back of his head.
“Damn it!”
As they began to falter against the dozens of people, the boss-level thug who had spoken to Lev earlier decided to flee.
That crazy knight had obviously come here intentionally.
There were rumors of a knight attacking the family, but it sounded more like urban legend, or rather, thug legend. But if it wasn’t that, there was no reason for him to draw his sword so recklessly.
“With your skill, you could enter any noble family, why bother with us,” he swore as he ran towards the boss.
He needed to quickly get his family to safety and ask for help from the noble he had been in touch with…
Behind, a sinister footstep was heard.
When he turned around, that crazy bastard was chasing him.
Already? A knight in a mask, whose whole body was covered in blood, ran with all his might.
“Stop that guy!”
He shouted to the gangsters who ran out puzzled to block him and continued running.
Fortunately, the boss had heard the news and was coming down to the street with the gangsters.
“Boss! Something big happened. You need to evacuate right away…”
“Calm down. Just One knight? Don’t worry. And didn’t Lord Amus’s knights just arrive?”
The gangster who ran up behind calmed down when he saw the knights standing behind the boss.
“He’s insane. He won’t listen, I think we should just kill him… It’s him!”
He pointed to someone who didn’t even need to be identified.
Lev had been covered in blood, killing more than twenty gangsters in the meantime. The boss said with scorn.
“Knights. I request you to take care of him. I informed you in writing yesterday, this is the man who destroyed our branch. He trampled on people like rags… I asked for help as this seems like something only one person did.”
However, the two knights of Lord Amus hesitated to take out their swords. Now we have to help the gangsters too. ‘Damn it… we should have left with Brendor. Instead of doing this, I’d rather become a mercenary…’
Regretfully, one knight opened his palm.
“Hey. Stop it? I’m not sure which family’s knight you are, but be reasonable. If you don’t want to start a territory war. These gangsters… are under the patronage of Lord Amus.”
Lev was also in a bit of a predicament. Gangsters could be cut down like pigs, but the knights were not easy opponents.
Moreover, it was burdensome to raise a charm since being an official knight meant being sponsored by a sword receiving ceremony.
He came out to gather power, would he have to exhaust himself to charm them. ‘I need to use a little more.’ Let’s raise the charm a little more.
After receiving the power of Barbatos, he felt lighter and stronger. If he receives a little more power, can’t he handle two knights adequately?
Oh, of course, raising the charm makes him feel good, not because he forgot that it was the price of a human life.
‘…I offer.’
Lev wiped his lips with his tongue and offered a sacrifice. The taste of bitter blood was strangely sweet.
[ Achievements are updated for ‘Back Alley Cleanup’. ]
[ Achievement: Thug ‘3’ – Get stronger in dark alleys. min(3) ]
He sacrificed five thugs. …
