“…”
“…”
As Rudell stared at the boy who was mindlessly inhaling food around the campfire, he was left speechless.
Kyle had a sinister expression on his face, as if he could eat the boy alive, yet he didn’t act because Rudell hadn’t given the command.
After a moment, the boy shoved the last apple into his mouth and let out a short sigh as if he had finally caught his breath.
“Um… can you understand me?”
“I understand. I can speak the common tongue.”
“That’s a relief. What’s your name? My name is Rudellheit Weinstein.”
“Kurt. Kurt Kasha.”
“Uh-huh…”
Just as he feared—it was confirmed…
Feeling his suspicion become certainty, Rudell let out a low groan.
The boy before him was definitely the warrior who played the tank role in the protagonist’s party.
“What on earth were you doing here?”
“I haven’t eaten anything for days. I had to eat to avoid dying.”
“What happened?”
“I went hunting monstrous beasts. All the adults fell to the beasts. I was the only one who survived.”
Hunted only to be hunted by monsters, huh?
If even the skilled Nord Clan fell victim to a beast, it clearly wasn’t an ordinary one.
“Can you tell me about that monstrous beast?”
“It appeared suddenly one day. It attacked the tribe and killed the livestock. We call it Thunder Fang.”
“Thunder Fang?”
“It can wield thunder.”
“Hmm…”
Rudell couldn’t help but let out a low groan at Kurt’s calm description.
If what he said was true, then the beast was certainly a significant threat.
“Any other characteristics?”
“Wherever it is, there’s always fog mixed with thunder and lightning.”
“Okay, that’s sufficient.”
Knowing that much would allow him to prepare in advance.
“Can you take me to the nearest village around here?”
“Why? You are outsiders. We don’t welcome outsiders lightly.”
“We’re from the Count’s Domain of Weinstein, beyond the Bladehook Mountain Range. We’ve come to trade with your Nord Clan.”
“Trade? Why?”
Kurt looked at Rudell with a puzzled expression at his words.
In fact, his reaction was entirely understandable.
According to the mindset of the Nord Clan, taking what they needed from others was the norm.
It would be natural for them not to think someone would come seeking to trade with them.
“Well… let’s say we both have what each other wants, and we don’t want to waste unnecessary effort.”
Truth be told, if Rudell chose to, it wouldn’t be too difficult to turn a couple of Nord clansmen into ashes.
While they too used magic under the name of shamanism, their abilities were lacking due to a culture that looked down on shamans. Their only defense against magic consisted of armor made from the byproducts of monstrous beasts.
Even that armor wasn’t something just anyone could wear, so it could be said that the Nord Clan had practically no defense against magic.
“…”
Kurt looked at Rudell with a face of disbelief in response to his words, and Rudell gave him a gentle smile.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Kurt let out a short sigh and said…
“I understand. I owe you my life. Debts must be repaid. I’ll take you to meet the chief. Follow me.”
“Wait a second.”
“Huh?”
As Kurt was about to rise, Rudell stopped him, and he looked at Rudell with a puzzled expression.
“Are you planning to go right now?”
“Of course. It takes more than two days to get to the village from here. We need to leave now if we want to arrive early.”
“The night snowfield is dangerous, though. Why don’t we rest here and leave tomorrow morning?”
“If that’s what you say, I’ll go along with it.”
Kurt nodded and moved closer to the campfire, settling down and seemingly falling asleep in an instant, starting to snore.
“Is that really okay? What if it’s a trap…”
“Do you think the Nord Clan is clever enough to set such traps?”
“…”
At Rudell’s question, Kyle looked flustered and lost for words. Rudell chuckled softly at him.
“Then, I’ll leave the night watch to you until tomorrow morning.”
“Understood.”
*
During the two days, nothing significant occurred.
Thanks to Kurt leading the way, they were able to avoid dangerous monster territories.
And soon, the sky began to turn orange…
“We’ve arrived. That’s our tribe’s village.”
As they stopped walking, Kurt pointed at a sight of walls made of snow, ice, rocks, and smoke-emitting huts.
“I’ll go from here alone.”
“What do you mean by that?! How do you know what you’ll do by yourself?!”
“Kyle, let it be.”
Rudell said as he looked at Kyle, who was shouting in disbelief at Kurt’s words.
Kyle groaned in disbelief and stepped back, and Rudell nodded at Kurt.
As Kurt got off the cart and approached the front gate of the village, a Nord warrior on the wall began shouting something at him.
After a short while, the gate opened, revealing several grim-looking Nord warriors, and Kurt began conversing with them in Northern tongue.
Moments later…
“You may enter, Rudell. Only you.”
“What the…!? Absolutely not. Young Master!”
As Kurt turned back to Rudell and said that, Kyle shouted in disbelief.
In retrospect, his reaction was perfectly reasonable.
Sending Rudell alone into a place inhabited by those who frequently pillaged and where fighting was a way of life is simply unthinkable from his perspective.
But…
“Don’t worry, Kyle. They can’t do anything to me with their current abilities.”
Rudell raised his hand towards him with a relaxed smile.
“But…”
“If I haven’t returned after thirty minutes, feel free to do as you wish. Got it?”
“If Young Master says that…”
Reluctantly, Kyle nodded, and Rudell began walking inside with Kurt.
The grim-faced Nord warriors glared at him, but Rudell entered the village with a face that showed no sign of intimidation.
“Just as I thought, these are indeed Nord warriors…”
Right from the entrance of the village, two intoxicated men were fighting each other, while others nearby cheered while watching them.
Women and children busily moved around, working on hides or repairing armor and weapons.
The scene fit perfectly with the rugged image of the northern people, and Rudell looked around with an intrigued expression.
As they walked through the village for a short while…
“This is the chief’s dwelling.”
They arrived in front of a large building that was significantly larger than the others, and Kurt approached the guard at the entrance and began speaking.
At his words, the guard narrowed his eyes and looked at Rudell, and shortly after, stepped aside to allow them through.
As the door opened, Kurt and Rudell entered…
That’s the chief…
Sitting on a throne made of stone and looking down with an arrogant face was a man that Rudell couldn’t help but think that way.
He exuded a rough, primal beauty, standing considerably taller than the average person.
Next to the throne leaned a huge great sword that seemed to belong to him.
“You wished to see me?”
With a tone that conveyed almost no discomfort, the chief asked Rudell.
“I am honored to meet the descendant of winter. I am Rudellheit Weinstein, a subordinate lord of the small Count’s Domain of Weinstein beyond the Bladehook Mountain Range.”
“I am Kahlan Ptak, chief of the Winter Great Tribe. You seem to know quite a bit about us for an outsider.”
Descendant of winter.
That was the term the Nord Clan used to refer to themselves.
Of course, most people from the kingdom referred to them as barbarians or northerners, but Rudell was in a position of wanting to trade with them.
As long as the deal hadn’t gone sour, it was essential to treat them as courteously as possible.
“It’s merely trivial knowledge.”
“So, you wish to trade with us?”
“Yes. We’ve brought a bit of food, supplies, and some alcohol.”
“I must decline.”
Without a hint of hesitation, Kahlan answered.
Upon hearing that, Rudell flinched momentarily before recalling the reason behind it. He then asked with a faint smile:
“May I ask the reason?”
“Trade is established on equal footing. You are weak, and we are strong, so if we want something from you, we can simply take it. Why should we bother trading?”
“…”
As expected, this is how it would go…
Rudell let out a short sigh, realizing how true to their nature the Nord Clan’s mindset was.
If it came to this, then he’d play along with their style.
“That’s precisely why we wish to resolve things peacefully.”
“That sounds like you are claiming to be stronger than us.”
Kahlan’s voice lowered, turning uncomfortable as he tightened his grip.
–Crack!
With a chilling sound, cracks began to form in his throne, yet Rudell remained unfazed as he spoke.
“It’s accurate to say so.”
“…Is that so? Then you’ll be able to prove yourself.”
“I hope to.”
Indeed, those who often resorted to their fists were closer to conversation.
Seeing Kahlan easily fall for his provocation, Rudell stood up.
Kahlan also rose from his seat and then bellowed toward the outside with a thunderous voice.
“Prepare for a duel!!”
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