WETRIED TRANSLATIONS
Is It Bad That the Main Character’s a Roleplayer?
[Translator – Aren]
◈ Chapter 357 The Left Eye That Remained Shut (5)
Berserk stared at the ground of ice formed where the snow had melted and then frozen over again. White as snow, yet fused together into a smooth and solid sheet that couldn’t be shoveled aside.
There was no way something like that had been created by nature.
Tap.
Keeping a firm grip on her weapon, Berserk examined the enormous mark carved into the ground in front of the village.
A footprint shaped like a Y with one extra branch. A depression where a fan shape and an oval met. Snow swept away on either side of it…or pushed aside? Either way, they were clearly artificial traces.
As unbelievable as it seemed, judging by the shape of the tracks, it looked almost as though a bird had landed here. A bird large enough to span several houses and with a body hot enough to melt the snow in an instant.
"...Hah."
But had a beast like that ever existed in this land? Not as far as she knew, at least. The only being with traits that fit that description should have its nest far to the south of here.
"......."
...Enough. Whatever had left those traces didn’t matter. What mattered wasn’t the cause of this anomaly but what effect this new variable might have.
With her resolve strengthened, she quietly approached the village. She walked with her heels raised, as stealthy and nimble as a feline beast.
Neeeigh.
Prrrrff.
".....?"
But the next moment, Berserk found herself unable to move, confused. Even though she was a seasoned hunter and warrior, she never once imagined she would hear that sound here.
After all, this wasn’t the type of environment horses could survive in.
"H-hey, what’s wrong? Whoa, calm down.”
"Bauti, they’re suddenly acting weird! What are we supposed to do?”
"I-I don’t know either…If they were reindeer, maybe, but I’ve never dealt with horses before……”
...The people beside them didn’t even know how to care for horses. At the very least, it was clear they weren’t the ones who had brought them here.
Rustle.
What in the world was going on? Faced with something she couldn’t understand, Berserk gave up on acting immediately. Instead, she vaulted over the wall and climbed onto the roof of a nearby house. Flattening herself low like a flatworm, her brown fur coat blended well enough against the wooden roof.
Neeeeigh.
"Could they be doing this because they’re hungry?”
"...No way. It hasn't been that long since we fed them.”
Prrf, prrrrrf.
Neeeeeigh.
"But they said it! If they cry like this, it means they’re uncomfortable!”
"Y-yeah, they did. But it’s not even time to feed them yet……!”
While she settled into position, the two who had been fumbling around like idiots threw up their hands and gave up.
"Let’s just ask that person, Bauti.”
"N-no!”
"But didn’t you say you don’t know what to do either?”
"Th-tha-that’s true, but if we tell him, that bastard will kill us!”
Looks like there were more people here. Berserk pulled her attention away from the horses and the idiots and focused elsewhere. She sensed two more presences inside one of the buildings that was still relatively intact.
"Gainir, you saw it too! How I got beaten like a bunch of pounded herbs!”
"Ugh."
"You want to get beaten like that too?!”
"Not really……But… what if the others come back and get angry?”
So there were currently four people and four horses in this village. Judging by their conversation, there seemed to be others who were away as well.
"That Heretic Inquisitor’s punches hurt a lot…… I don’t want to be hit by those either……”
"Yeah, but at least that person doesn’t beat you like they’re trying to kill you!”
"That’s true……”
Still, if the people who were away came back, subduing them would become more difficult. Numbers could be a form of strength too.
"If we say the wrong thing, I feel like we won't just get beaten. We'll actually die. I don't want that.”
"Huh."
"Pamir said so too. If there’s a problem, don’t hide it and report it right away.”
Should I just make all of them kneel now? If it was only these people, it didn’t seem difficult.
"Guuuugh, fine, fine. Let’s come clean and save ourselves. Ngh.”
"Hang in there, Bauti.”
"Don’t laugh, you bastard. You think I’m the only one who’s going to get yelled at?”
Berserk considered whether these people had anything to do with the traces carved into the ground outside.
Horses that shouldn't have been able to live here, and the people they were clearly afraid of. She came to a quick conclusion.
"Whatever…Yeah. At least the guy inside is groaning around like a normal person. Getting beaten by that man of steel who walks around dressed even lighter than a Nordan in this could is definitely not—”
The moment the two idiots stepped out of the makeshift stable to make their report, Berserk landed behind them. Thwack! Before either of them could even turn toward the sound, the edge of her palm slammed into the backs of their necks.
Thud, thud.
The two figures collapsed onto the freshly fallen snow.
Neeeeeigh!
Neeeheheeeigh!!!
"Hmm."
At the same time, the horses inside the stable went wild. Even though it had happened on the other side of a single wall, they seemed to have sensed that something had happened and taken it as a threat. As expected of animals known for being extremely sensitive.
“Ah, shit, you bastards. I told you to take care of the horses prop—”
But it didn’t matter if this gave her away. She was confident she could subdue whoever came out. With that confidence, Berserk faced the new arrival who kicked the door open.
“Huh?”
“...You.”
“You're the person who used to travel with the Hero, right?”
“That’s right. But why are you here?”
“Ah…how do I explain this?”
In the end, it had been a pretty good choice. This way she didn’t accidentally end up ambushing someone she recognized.
“It’d take too long to explain everything, but I came looking for you.”
“For me……?”
This encounter was a bit…not very unexpected.
“More precisely, it’s not me but the Adventurer… The Demon Knight who was looking for you. He just stepped out for a bit.”
“...The Demon Knight.”
Meanwhile, Meister was just as surprised. Even he hadn’t expected to run into the person they were looking for here.
Then again, if you could predict a coincidence like this, that would no longer fall within the realm of deduction or intelligence. I would be prophecy or foresight.
"Yeah, him.”
Damn, the timing sure was incredible. Those guys have barely been gone, and she showed up right on cue.
"I thought he’d be wanted by now. Things must’ve improved a lot if he had time to look for me.”
"Yeah, pretty much. Somehow or other, all the false charges got cleared up.”
“I see. That’s good. But why exactly is he looking for me?”
"Ah, what was it again? He said there was something he had to repay or something, I think?”
"He owes me nothing.”
"That’s from your point of view. From his…right. I guess destroying your weapon made him feel like he owed you.”
Meister said that and lowered his gaze slightly. Two men lay sprawled on the ground without so much as twitching.
And the horses were still making a racket.
"Hey, you.”
"Yes, did you call for me?”
He raised his voice and summoned the man who had been working inside. The man, who had been busy clearing out the basement, poked his head out with a reluctant expression.
"Come out here and move those two unconscious idiots inside. Take care of the horses too.”
"What??"
For the first time since Meister had stayed behind here, the man who had treated him with incredibly politeness and awe talked back. Though one long stare from Meister was enough to make his head drop immediately.
"Let’s move inside. No point standing around in the cold while we talk.”
"Fine."
While one lackey gathered up his friends, Meister led Berserk inside. Apparently she was just as curious about the situation, because she didn’t refuse his invitation.
“I have a companion as well. May I bring her?”
"As long as she’s not going to try eating the horses.”
"Don’t worry. She isn't that sort of child, and if she does try it, I’ll crush her skull myself."
"Reassuring.”
So Berserk brought her companion along as well. She was a girl about the age where the Adventurer would've immediately started handing out candy if he’d seen her.
"H-hello.”
"Don’t touch anything without permission.”
"Yes......."
But that was what the Adventurer would have done. Meister had no intention of giving her any food just because she was a kid.
He wasn’t really that fond of kids to begin with, and they didn’t exactly have food to spare here either. Roughly speaking…if the ones who had gone north didn’t come back within 10 days, they were in serious trouble.
"You’ve got quite a lot here.”
"No reason to waste the limited time I have.”
"Right, you were a craftsman.”
He’d stayed behind because of the Vermilion Bird’s warning that it might be dangerous, and because it was the only rational choice for him. He couldn’t fight anyway, so he might as well stay behind and keep an eye on those bastards.
But keeping watch was one thing. It wasn’t like he had to keep his eyes on them every second of every minute.
That was why all those tools were scattered around inside. Since he was stuck here anyway, he’d planned to catch up on some of his research. Berserk’s unexpected visit had interrupted that for the moment, though.
"So. The Demon Knight said he wanted to pay me back for my weapon?”
"To summarize, yeah."
"Hah, that happened during a fair duel. He has absolutely no reason to take responsibility for it.”
"What? That idiot thinks breaking it during a duel was his fault? Seriously, that guy is so rigid.”
An unspoken rule of a mutually agreed-upon duel was that no matter what happened during it, you didn't hold the other person responsible. And yet he was still trying to repay her… It was exactly the kind of thing that guy would do.
"But take it anyway. If you refuse, that idiot’s going to kick up a fuss over it.”
"I’m telling you, I have no right to accept it…….”
"Fine, don’t if you don't want to. But I warned you, okay? That idiot will absolutely kick up a fuss.”
It hadn’t even happened yet, and Meiser could already picture it. That guy desperately trying to force a gift into her hands somehow.
"That your weapon?”
And in the end, that guy would probably win. No matter how many times she insisted she had no right to accept it, he could just come up with some new excuse like, ‘Then consider it a gift from a former comrade.’
"Looks like it’s enchanted. Right?”
"Yeah."
“Can I take a look?”
"A craftsman’s curiosity? Do as you please. Just don’t break it.”
If that was how things were going to play out, then obtaining a weapon for this huge warrior was basically inevitable. And Meiser would obviously be the one tasked with making it. Knowing the Adventurer, there was no way he’d give some cheap run-of-the-mill weapon to someone he felt indebted to.
"It looks a little small for someone your size.”
"I chose from what had already been made.”
"Couldn’t afford anything better?”
"I didn’t buy it with money to begin with.”
Of course, just because the Adventurer wouldn’t give her something mass-produced didn't necessarily guarantee Meister would be the one making it. Nobody had discussed it with him beforehand, and he hadn’t even heard so much as a hint that implied it.
"Ah, a trade?”
"Closer to compensation than a trade.”
"Did the Magic Tower do something to you?”
"Some idiot had the nerve to try making me an experimental subject.”
But seriously, with the world’s greatest Grand Master right beside him, was the Adventurer really going to look for somebody else? Would the Adventurer of all people do something that inefficient, irrational, and stupid?
"...That was foolish of him. So?”
"I broke his arms and legs and crushed his organs.”
"Did he die? You made sure he died, right? Life wizards can heal themselves, so they’re pretty hard to kill.”
"Don’t worry. The other people who escaped with me smashed his skull apart with whatever they could get their hands on and tore his flesh and muscles to pieces.”
So yes, it was basically already decided that Meister would make it.
With that well-founded confidence, Meister filed Berserk’s details away in his head. His trauma nearly flared up a little in the process, but what had happened to that other bastard was so satisfying that he recovered immediately. He decided he’d put a little extra care into Berserk’s weapon.
"Then that settles it. You’re quite something.”
Apparently, she was even more capable than he’d thought. The fact that she hadn’t escaped alone but had gotten others out meant she must have reached the wizard’s workshop, there was no reason they would’ve kept people somewhere else, and taking down a wizard inside their own workshop wasn’t usually an easy task.
"Come to think of it, if you got that as compensation, then it’s probably a different type of weapon from what you normally use, right?”
"I don’t limit myself to any particular weapon."
"Still, there has to be something you’re especially comfortable with.”
"...Well, as long as it has a long shaft and a blade, I don’t particularly care. It’s not as though I can’t use anything else.”
A weapon with a long shaft. Meister searched his memory, trying to recall what this woman had been carrying back in Bemurchen.
He was pretty sure it was a halberd… He was slowly starting to pinpoint her preferences, looking at the axe she’d received as compensation and the halberd she’d used before.
And so Meister settled on the preferences she herself denied having.
“Are you finished with your questions? Then I’ll ask mine.”
“Not really, but…go ahead.”
“First, where did the Demon Knight go?”
“He had business at the end of the world, so he went there for a bit.”
“I see.”
Now that the type of weapon was decided, possible designs naturally started appearing in his mind.
She seemed to favor power over finesse, so he could probably make the blade a little larger… She looked strong enough that putting blades on both sides might work too. But then the shaft might not be able to handle the weight, so for the shaft material……
“Then did the Demon Knight leave that bracelet with you while he was away?”
While Meister was sketching out a design in his head, Berserk’s attention briefly settled on his wrist. Her gaze was fixed precisely on the bone-fragment bracelet the Demon Knight had lent him.
“You recognize it right away?”
“It’s a style used by a tribe I know. I can guess why he left it with you too.”
“Oh… The guy who lent it to me wasn't even sure it’d actually work. Guess it wasn’t completely useless after all?”
“Who knows? If you run into them, it should at least keep you alive.”
“Ah, so that’s about it, huh?”
Meister easily understood what Berserk had left unsaid. If it could keep him alive when he encountered them, then in other words, there was no guarantee he’d get to keep anything besides his life.
"Still, that’s something at least.”
"Yes. That’s true.”
But having your life guaranteed was already a lot. If the choice was between losing both your possession and your life or at least keeping the life, the latter was obviously far better.
The Demon Knight hadn’t told him to carry it as insurance for nothing.
"...Now that that question has been answered, I’ll keep going to the next. The traces outside where the snow melted and frozen again. Are those related to the Demon Knight, too?”
"Why?”
"So they are related. Did the Demon Knight make them?”
"No. He didn’t.”
"Then who did?”
The conversation sure took a fast turn.
Meister clasped his hands for a moment as he pondered over Berserk’s question. She hadn’t seemed the slightest bit interested in the Demon Knight’s objective, yet now her attitude had suddenly changed. What was that supposed to mean? What was she after?
"Why do you need to know?”
Berserk might be a former member of the Hero’s party, but that was all. Now that the Vermilion Bird had joined them, her presence wasn’t absolutely needed anymore.
So rather than blindly trust her over that short connection, Meister crossed his legs and began negotiating. The woman, a full head taller than him, narrowed her eyes.
"I'm searching for something in this land. But lately, I’ve been seeing several traces. Traces like those. Traces that could never have formed naturally, clearly made by some being’s power.”
"So?”
"You don’t seem willing to tell me the details. Then answer me just this. Is whatever caused them hostile to me?”
"Depends on what you’re looking for, right?”
"...I’m looking for the remains of a family member who died decades ago.”
"Oh…then probably not.”
After a brief moment of thought, Meister nodded. He did wonder whether she really had to go that far for something so crazy…but in any case, the search itself didn’t seem likely to cause any problems.
Right. Surely a family member of hers who had died decades ago couldn’t possibly be among those who had to be returned to the dragon. Her luck would have to be unbelievably rotten for that.
"Fine, that’s enough.”
"Is that all you wanted to ask?”
"Yes."
And with that, Meister left the relieved Berserk alone.
Considering the weight of the Hero’s current mission, the label of ‘former member of the Hero’s party’ wasn't enough to put him at ease. If some absurd coincidence really did happen, there was no telling how she might react. There were plenty of reasons to justify his silence.
Well. If he had to pick the biggest reason out of all of them, ‘It’s a pain in the ass to explain,’ and ‘I don’t owe her enough to take all those risks just to tell her’ would probably be it.
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