Barbarian Quest

Chapter 48 – Witch (4)

“Heut!”

Bakman whirled the tip of his spear. It was impossible to decipher which direction his spear would fly. It was a trick he learned for one versus ones during his time as a gladiator.

Fwoosh.

Bakman extended his spear with a spin. Donovan twisted his body to dodge it and stepped closer.

‘I’ll split Bakman’s head in two.’

Donovan planned to actually kill the other mercenary. He swung his arms with a strong strike filled with bloodlust.

CLANG!

Bakman swatted away Donovan’s sword with the butt of his spear.

“OHHH!” hollered the surrounding mercenaries.

‘Bakman’s skills are better than I expected. He’s using the centripetal force of his attacks to fluidly transition into defense.’

Sven predicted that Bakman would suffer a severe injury from that attack, but Bakman was successful in his defense.

‘It was a high-level interaction.’

Bakman himself was also surprised after doing it. He could feel that his skills had improved from when he was a gladiator. He was just unable to confirm it since there was no reason to take on one on one battles.

‘I did build up a considerable amount of experience during that time.’

His spear felt like it was a part of his body. He understood what it meant to have full control of the spear’s movements.

Warriors oftentimes evolved during the middle of a fight. Their lives were ultimately decided from those instances where a human’s concentration and learning ability reached their peaks.

‘I can do it.’

Bakman felt exalted. He was invigorated. His fallen pride started to crawl its way back up his throat.

“Come at me, Donovan. I’ll shove this spear up your ass and through your mouth so I can roast you like a pig for dinner.”

Bakman’s voice was filled with confidence.

“You’re getting riled up after doing a good job blocking my first attack, Bakman.”

Donovan clenched his sword with both hands before extending it straight forward so that it was at an angle to his body.

‘A heavy sense of stability. As expected from a former imperial soldier.’

Sven watched the fight with interest. Imperial soldiers learned combat skills through a proper textbook. Their fighting style’s stability and utility were unmatched.

Clang!

Donovan stepped forward. Bakman kept swinging his spear like he was trying to block the strikes. Donovan kept hitting Bakman’s spear away, digging deeper into his space.

‘If he closes the distance, I’ll die.’

Bakman swung his spear with every ounce of strength in his body. The spear, which was moving with centripetal force, didn’t move as he wanted it to. His illusion about the spear becoming a part of his body shattered. His spear felt like a stranger to him again, and his inflated confidence instantly deflated.

‘Those who sweat more lose less blood. Bakman, who had been more lazy with training, will lose.’

It was obvious to the other mercenaries as well that Bakman was getting pushed back.

‘Death is standing right behind me.’

Bakman felt the darkness creeping up to him. His legs were trembling, and the senses on his fingers felt dull.

‘Let’s end this ill-fated relationship, Bakman.’

Donovan raised his sword high. It was a downward strike. It was too late for Bakman to pull in his spear to block it.

CLANG!

Suddenly, a round shield fell between Donovan and Bakman, thrown by Sven.

“What are you doing, old man?!” yelled Donovan while turning back. Sven pointed at the second floor.

“Our leader woke up, Donovan.”

Urich stood on the second floor, leaning against the wall while looking down on them with a scowl.

“Oi, you bastards. I was on my way to Ru but had to come back because you bastards were fighting too much.”

* * *

Urich defeated his illness. How was he able to stand again? While he might have naturally healed due to his robust health, it could have also been because of the fever reducers that the doctor prescribed. It also wouldn’t be strange if they wrote it off as just body aches. Perhaps the porridge of life that Juniva made really helped fill up Urich’s vitality.

Regardless, he stood up again on his own two legs. The shadow that lingered around his face disappeared.

“Fuuu.”

His breathing was clear. His eyes were filled with light.

The time he spent at the hands of illness felt hazy like a dream. It was to the point where he still couldn’t tell whether it was a dream or not.

Creak.

Urich opened the door and left the room.

Sven was the first to realize Urich’s presence and stopped the ongoing fight on the first floor.

‘Hm, so Bakman and Donovan were fighting.’

Urich understood the situation by looking at the first floor. He remembered the things he heard in his dream. The mercenary group was busy picking out a new leader.

“Did he beat his illness?”

“Urich woke up.”

In the middle of the mercenaries’ clamoring, Urich stepped down to the first floor and sat on top of a table.

“I don’t really know what’s going on, but as long as I’m up, everything that has happened up to now is null. Put away your weapons. Both of you,” Urich ordered calmly. There was strength in his voice.

‘He’s all better. His voice is completely clear.’

Donovan willingly put his sword down.

As long as Urich was able to wake up unimpaired, Donovan had no plans to fight.

‘I-I survived.’

Bakman tried his best to keep a blank expression while cheering in his head.

“Hah, that’s a relief. Urich woke up.”

“I mean, there’s no leader as good as Urich.”

“I was secretly worried.”

The mercenaries were talking with one another. Donovan also knew who the mercenaries believed in. The person they trusted the most was Urich. Donovan wouldn’t be able to receive their trust by betraying him.

The moment Urich woke up, the mercenary group was his again.

“The sun is already up. We should clean up here and prepare to leave. And Donovan, come talk with me for a second.”

Urich quickly gave orders. The other mercenaries had already informed him about the situation.

“It looks like you’ve been praying everyday to Ru, Bakman. What ridiculous luck,” Donovan spat at Bakman while putting away his sword. He then followed Urich to the backyard.

There were no mercenaries there. It was just Urich and Donovan.

“It’s obvious that the strongest should be the leader. Just like how I became the leader by being the strongest person here,” said Urich while stretching his stiff body. Donovan wasn’t able to take his hand off his sword.

“We couldn’t leave the leader position vacant at a time like that. Anyways, I can’t believe it happened.”

“If I am unable to be the leader, the next leader would probably be you. It’s an obvious sequence. This fuss was my fault for not properly deciding the vice-leader. Before we depart, I’ll announce it to the other mercenaries. ‘The vice-leader of Urich’s Brothers is Donovan.’ You.”

Donovan’s eyes were trembling. It was an amazing offer.

Up to now, the second-in-command of the mercenary group was ambiguous. Bakman was Urich’s closest confidant, Sven had his own independent force, and Donovan… was in an opposing position; the worst position to become the second-in-command.

“Are you trying to get something from me?”

Urich shook his head before spinning an axe in his hand and throwing it at a tree. It landed accurately. Even though his body had just recovered, his edge was still there.

“No, I’m giving you a proposition. If I am gone, you can take the mercenary group. But don’t take any of our brothers’ lives. …If Bakman was dead when I woke up, you would have died at my hands,” said Urich while pulling out the axe from the tree. There was an undertone of rage hidden in the last part of his words.

“Urich, are you threatening me, the Donovan?”

Donovan wagged his fingers at Urich while touching his sword.

“Threatening or whatever, I’m just letting you know ahead of time. This is the first and last time I will let you slide for attempting to kill one of our brothers. Next time, I will finish it off, as warriors do.”

Urich finished his words and went back into the dormitory. Donovan, who was alone, looked up to the sky and laughed.

“Fuck me.”

* * *

The mercenary group was prepared to leave. They paid the remainder of the dorm rental fees. Each of the mercenaries started to lift up their belongings.

“Urich, the guards are here for us.”

The city’s guards came to find the mercenary group. The mercenaries pretended to be calm while placing their hands on their weapons.

“Is it Duke Harmati’s work?” asked Fahel to Phillion while being cautious. Phillion shook his head.

“Even if it’s Duke Harmati, he doesn’t have influence outside of the kingdom. They’re probably just here for an inspection. If we act calmly, nothing will happen.”

The mercenaries were all on guard while facing the guards. The guards searched around for the leader of the mercenary group.

“Urich’s Brothers. Where is Mercenary Leader Urich?” asked one of the guards.

“I am the mercenary leader. Do you have business? We haven’t caused any disturbances within the city,” said Urich while stepping forward.

“Have you heard rumors about Serpens cultists being active again in Balgma? It wasn’t just one or two babies that had gone missing.”

“Serpens? Aren’t they the bastards who offer babies up as sacrifices? They’re talking about the snake-tattooed guys we met last time, right?” said Urich while turning back.

The mercenaries spat out all sorts of curses about the Serpens. It was extremely rare for any race or religion on the continent to have a favorable view of the Serpens. Even in the South, the birthplace of the Serpens, the cultists were completely despised.

“We are also devout Sol believers. While we do have a few pagan Northerners, there are no Serpens cultists within our mercenary group,” said Urich while putting forth his Sol pendant.

“So you are a converted barbarian. An excellent decision. I pray that Sun God Ru lights up your path, Urich.”

“To you as well.”

Urich gave a short response. The guards looked around the mercenaries.

“Regardless, we caught the remnants of the Serpens this time by carefully inspecting everyone in the city. I don’t want to doubt a Sol believer, but there are no exceptions from this inspection, so…” said the guard while looking around. Urich signaled the mercenaries.

“Receive the inspection. Let’s leave here quickly.”

The mercenaries took off their tops. Devout Serpens believers would tattoo a snake onto their body. The majority of the men did so on their upper body.

“It looks like there isn’t one. Pardon us. We hope you have a pleasant trip, Urich!”

The guards disappeared after finishing their inspection. It looked like they were busy as well.

The mercenaries walked across the city in a single, straight line. Prostitutes opened up their windows to the mercenaries to wave their hands and expose their chests.

“Oh, mercenaries! Come visit us one more time before you go!”

“I’ll make it cheap since it’s the afternoon!”

The mercenaries, after hearing that, all had the same thought. They weren’t sure when they would arrive at a city again. If their path got tangled up, it could be a long while until they would be able to visit a brothel again. Furthermore, brothels could only be found in the somewhat-prosperous cities.

“Urich, what are you going to do? You’re going to go as well, right? You spent all this time just lying down on your bed,” said Bakman.

“I’m fine. Those who want to go, do it quickly and come back. It looks like Mr. Phillion is quite upset that we aren’t departing quickly.”

Phillion exploded with complaints, but the mercenaries didn’t mind it. They quickly decided on an order and entered the red light district.

“Fahel, I heard that you did a lot of things for my illness when I was sick. Thank you. That porridge was delicious as well,” said Urich. He then thought about Fahel and Juniva. He could still clearly remember the taste of the meat porridge that Fahel had brought him. He didn’t have an appetite then because he was sick, but that porridge—at least—was delicious.

Fahel, who had been checking the schedule with Phillion, raised his head.

“It wasn’t much. I still question whether what I did actually helped. And that porridge… I think I got swindled by Juniva. I also had a taste, but it just tasted like a normal meat porridge. You completely recovered the next day, but looking at how Juniva didn’t come to collect the remainder of her money… From the start, she planned to swindle us after taking the deposit,” said Fahel, smiling bitterly. Urich woke up the day after eating Juniva’s porridge.

‘But I don’t think it was because of the porridge,’ thought Fahel. He couldn’t help but to constantly question it.

‘Even if Urich didn’t eat it, he would have woken up.’

It was just a plain meat porridge. While it might have been a nutritious food and good for the body, it had no medicinal effects.

While the mercenaries entered the brothels, the remaining mercenaries gathered around the square.

Murmur, clamor.

People started to gather at the square. They gathered as if there was a spectacle to watch. People walked out with baskets filled with stones and rotten fruits and vegetables.

“What’s going on?”

The mercenaries, who were sitting on the floor and leaning against their luggage, spoke to one another.

Tang, tang.

The bell rang, signifying noon. It was when the sun was at its highest.

“BOOOOOO!”

“Die! You filthy cultists!”

The city guards pulled convicts towards the center of the square, and the people booed at them.

“You disgusting bastards! You monsters are animals!”

“How could you kidnap and eat babies?!”

“You cultists aren’t humans!”

Convicts were being dragged towards the square. They were being pelted by the crowd.

“They’re Serpens cultists.”

Fahel looked towards the square while riding Kilios. The convicts were completely naked. The cultists, whether they were men or women, all had snake tattoos on their bodies. There were some who had massive snake tattoos across their backs, and there were also some who cleverly hid their tattoos on the bottom of their feet or near the nape.

“It’s a beheading!”

The crowd cheered with excitement. An executioner stood in front of the convicts with a sword in his hand.

“You fools! We will simply begin our next life when our flesh is shed! The snake achieved eternal life by shedding its skin! This world as well! Shedding off this single layer is nothing for us! We will be in the next world, waiting for all of you!” shouted one of the Serpens cultists. The crowd threw stones at him after hearing that.

“Stop! Stop! Please stop throwing!” said a guard trying to calm down the crowd. It would be awkward if the convict died before the executioner was able to behead them.

“Fahel, do you know what his words mean? The next world?” asked Urich after getting up. He had been lying on the ground, watching the sky.

“I don’t really know about Serpens doctrines either. It seems like they believe that they go into the next world when they die, though. If they escape their bodies in this world, they receive a new body in the next. It’s just nonsense. Their souls will not receive salvation anywhere.”

Fahel also showed his discontent towards the cultists.

“WHOOOAAA!”

The crowd cheered and shouted. The Serpens cultists stepped forward, one by one. Each of their heads fell to the floor, one by one. A beheading was an exciting sight.

All of the male cultists were dead, and it was now the female cultists’ turn. The female cultists hid their tattoos in places where it couldn’t be easily seen.

“Hm?”

Urich’s eyesight was better than others. And amongst the female cultists, he found a familiar face.

‘Juniva.’

Juniva’s plentiful hair was all chopped off. Her snake tattoo was on her scalp. It was only visible if her hair was cut off.

“Hmm.”

Urich covered his mouth and thought for a second. He pieced together his splintered memory.

‘Juniva, a healer of the Serpens who sacrifices babies… and the meat porridge that I timely ate…’

Urich smirked and shook his head. He could somewhat tell what happened. Whether it was true or not wasn’t important. The only person who knew the truth was Juniva.

‘Fahel.’

Urich glanced at Fahel who was sitting on Kilios. The prince still didn’t realize that Juniva was one of the convicts.

“Hey, Fahel. What are you going to do by watching people getting their heads cut off? You’re going to get enough of it by sticking with me. Anyways, I changed my mind. I’m going to go to a brothel. What about you? Let’s go feel up some boobs together.”

Urich yanked Fahel off his horse. Fahel was close to hitting the floor and injuring himself, but Urich quickly supported the falling prince.

“Wh-What are you doing?! Do you think that falling off a horse is a joke? If you fall off head first, you can die!” yelled Fahel. His heart was pounding.

Urich chuckled and pressed his hand down on Fahel’s head. His coarse fingers messed up the other’s hair.

Fahel, who was shocked by Urich’s joke, couldn’t focus on the execution. If he wasn’t on top of Kilios, he wouldn’t even be able to see it.

The crowd’s shouts were filled with madness. Now, it was time for Juniva to have her head cut off. Because Urich was taller than the others, he could clearly see the scene above the heads of the rest of the crowd.

Urich felt a gaze on him and glanced back, locking eyes with Juniva.

‘She’s looking at me.’

Juniva raised her head while being forced to the ground. Her expression didn’t look like someone who was facing death. Her eyes were calm. Urich had seen those eyes before.

‘Gotval.’

For some reason, he thought of the clergyman. Urich’s eyes grew wider.

“What are you looking at? Lower your head in shame! You foul bitch who latched onto the snake!”

The executioner stepped and ground his feet on Juniva’s head, creating a perfect angle to behead her.

Clunk.

Juniva’s head rolled on the ground. The crowd cheered while looking at the rolling head.

Juniva was dead. Where does her soul go?

Urich closed his eyes then opened them again. Whether they were Serpens cultists, Northerners, Sol believers, or whatever… He wished that they would all be able to arrive at the afterlife they longed for.

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