Bifron (4)
Bifron (4)
Once in the Land of the Dead.
Once under the sewers.
And once by chance in front of our inn after Noark was locked down.
‘Counting today, it’s a total of four times.’
It's hard to even call this a coincidence anymore.
Therefore, it was time to change my approach towards this woman.
“……Aren’t you going?”
“Yeah, I changed my mind.”There’s a saying, ‘knowledge is power’, right?
Until now, I’ve been avoiding her, trying to erase any interest and not get involved…
[…You’re not a human woman.]
[Amelia Rainwales.]
…but we’ve become acquainted, even knowing each other’s names.
It means that avoiding her is no longer the solution.
‘I need to find out now. What this woman is up to.’
If someone keeps loitering around your house, you have to check who they are.
Whether they’re someone you should report to the police and get rid of.
Or someone so dangerous that you have to abandon your house and run away.
You need to know that to respond properly.
“Jinkasar Peljain!!”
The rooftop door bursts open after a short wait.
The one who entered is a bald man wearing a black eyepatch.
It seems like he’s the leader of the eastern faction…
“How dare you enter our territory without a word, are you prepared for the conseque… But your hair…?”
…but he trails off.
He’s shocked by Jingjing’s jellyfish haircut.
“…Don’t tell me, it was a wig?”
“…….”
Jingjing hangs his head low, speechless.
An awkward silence follows.
But is there too much bad blood between them to feel a sense of camaraderie?
The interrupted situation resumes.
“Do, do you think I’ll let you off the hook because I feel sorry for you! I’ll end our bad blood today!”
“Pu, puhahaha! You think you can defeat me just because you have more people, you newbie who’s never even been to the labyrinth? And me, a 6th-grade explorer?”
The bald man declares war, and Jingjing laughs exaggeratedly and expresses his confidence.
To clarify the facts, he’s not even 6th-grade.
He confessed that he was actually 7th-grade after I interrogated him because he was so weak.
‘There’s no way a guy like that would be so relaxed against dozens of people, so he must be confident because he trusts me?’
Although it’s funny, the bald man is serious.
“Right, I know you were a 6th-grade explorer. But that’s why I brought someone special.”
“……?”
“Make way!”
The bald man’s underlings step aside and create a path as he speaks, and a woman appears.
Amelia Rainwales.
The 8th-floor explorer from Noark.
“Barbarian? Why are you here…?”
She frowns as she appears among the men with an annoyed expression.
I feel a sense of satisfaction.
I was also surprised when I first saw you.
“I should be the one asking that. Why are you here?”
Amelia ponders for a moment, and then the bald man, who was watching us, cautiously speaks.
“…Do you know this barbarian?”
He seems worried that she might be acquainted with me, even though he came here trusting only her.
“Quiet.”
The bald man shuts his mouth at Amelia’s curt words.
And about 3 seconds pass.
“Bjorn Yandel, hand that man over to me.”
Amelia makes a sudden demand after finishing her thoughts.
Of course, there’s no way I would agree.
“He’s my subordinate.”
Barbarians don’t abandon their subordinates.
…At least not without a reason.
“…Boss!!”
Jingjing looks at me with a touched expression as I answer without hesitation.
On the other hand, Amelia seems confused.
“…Subordinate?”
She has a look that says she doesn’t understand why I, the rising star of the explorer industry, am here and why I’m acting as the boss of a gang.
I mutter briefly,
“I have my reasons.”
“I see.”
Amelia nods coolly.
Although she could have asked what my reasons were, she doesn’t, probably because of her personality.
“Then I’ll take him by force.”
Amelia immediately draws her dagger and takes a fighting stance as the negotiation fails.
Does she think she’s a barbarian?
I quickly speak,
“Wait, let’s talk first.”
“Talk?”
“Yeah.”
The situation is different from when we met at the inn.
I don’t have any companions to help me, and Bifron is a lawless zone where strength is law.
It’s only natural to try to resolve this through conversation.
I haven’t completed my Aura resistance setup yet.
If your body is weak, your mind has to work harder.
“Interesting. I didn’t expect you to be the one to say that. Don’t tell me you’re planning a surprise attack?”
“Surprise attack? I don’t do cowardly things like that.”
I don’t hide my offended feelings.
Although I threw my mace at her and charged in the sewers while we were talking…
…there was no reason for me to be ashamed.
She doesn’t remember what happened back then.
At least not from her perspective.
“…That’s not funny.”
Although she wants to retort, she can’t.
However, Amelia doesn’t seem frustrated and just brushes it off with a single sentence.
Her body is still prepared for a surprise attack.
Is she finally acknowledging me as a worthy opponent?
“Let’s get rid of them first.”
“Alright.”
We make a brief agreement, and the bald man, as if sensing it, takes his underlings and goes downstairs.
Then it’s Jingjing’s turn.
“I…”
“Don’t worry, I won’t abandon you.”
“Yes!”
Jingjing goes downstairs, trusting me, although he seems uneasy.
Now only the two of us are left on the rooftop.
It’s time for a heart-to-heart conversation.
“Amelia Rainwales. Why are you here?”
“Why should I tell you?”
“Isn’t it ridiculous for adults to fight over a children’s squabble?”
“…You’re only twenty years old.”
Geez, let’s not argue about trivial things.
Although Jingjing and Baldy are older, in this industry, the stronger one is the older brother.
“Anyway, what’s your answer?”
Amelia hesitates for a moment and then speaks.
“You first. Why are you in Bifron?”
“I was caught using an ability in the city. I thought it would just end with a fine, but they told me to live here for 20 days. It’s my third day here.”
“And that subordinate?”
“He tried to rob me, so I beat him up and took over.”
Amelia chuckles.
“You really do whatever you want.”
It’s not a sarcastic tone.
No, it’s more like she’s envious.
“Your turn. Why are you here?”
It’s a question I’ve already asked several times.
Amelia finally gives me a brief explanation.
“I’m looking for an explorer who might be here. So I made a deal with them to help them with something in return for their help.”
“I see.”
I roughly understand the situation.
At first, I wondered why she would even bother making a ‘deal’ with weaklings…
‘She must have wanted to handle it quietly. If she caused a scene like me, word would inevitably spread.’
It seems like things will be resolved easily.
That’s when…
“I’m not trying to break my promise.”
Huh?
Amelia adds as if making an excuse as I tilt my head in confusion,
“I… didn’t expect to see you here.”
Ah, that.
The promise not to come looking for me again.
I can’t believe she’s worried about that in this situation.
Does she have some kind of obsession with ‘promises’?
“Don’t worry, I don’t think you broke your promise.”
“Is that so…?”
Now that I understand the situation, I get to the point.
“Anyway, that’s good. There’s no reason for us to fight.”
“You’re saying you’ll hand him over?”
“No, there’s no need for that. You need someone to do your bidding, right? I’ll lend you my subordinate.”
“I heard the Western Union is the weakest faction here.”
“You’re well-informed.”
“It’s been over ten days since I came here.”
“I see.”
I nod.
Indeed, as Amelia said, the Western Union is small but elite.
Well, they’re too weak to be called elite, but…
…the eastern bastards would be better at finding people.
However…
“Don’t worry about the small number of people.”
There’s still no problem.
I don’t even understand why she didn’t think of this simple solution.
You’re saying there aren’t enough subordinates?
Why worry about something like that?
“The east is also my territory from today.”
I can just multiply my subordinates.
_______________
Although I thought she might be inflexible because she values ‘promises’…
…she’s surprisingly similar to me in this aspect.
Amelia is also a woman of efficiency.
“That’s not a bad method.”
“You agree?”
“Before that, this. What do you gain from helping me?”
“…Do me a favor later.”
“Then I refuse. I have a feeling you’ll ask for something I can’t handle.”
Tsk, that didn’t work.
Well, whatever. It wasn’t the main point anyway.
“Then just consider it as volunteer work. It’s better than wasting my energy fighting you.”
Amelia nods in agreement, as if it’s a convincing excuse.
Therefore…
“Th, then what happened to him?”
“That’s not how you talk to me.”
I go down to the 1st floor and kick Baldy, who’s having an awkward standoff with Jingjing, in the stomach.
After all, establishing dominance is important for ‘recruitment’.
“Keugh!”
Baldy collapses, clutching his stomach.
“You bastard!!”
The eastern bastards on the 1st floor charge towards me.
Swords, hammers, spears, stakes…
They attack me from all sides, wielding their weapons mercilessly.
There’s no need to even block.
“No, why…”
Their weapons bounce off, unable to even pierce my skin, even though they’re aiming for exposed areas.
It’s as expected.
They came here in a group of dozens just to deal with one Jingjing, how could they possibly hurt me?
Just how high is my Physical Resistance?
“Are you guys done?”
“…No.”
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!!”
It doesn’t take long.
The battle ends after I instill fear with [Wild Release] and crush a few of them as a demonstration.
Dozens of men, unable to even think of running away due to the overwhelming difference in strength.
I grab Baldy by the collar and lift him up.
“What’s your name?”
“P, Philip Lazer!”
“I’ll call you Baldy from now on.”
Okay, the introductions are over.
Just as I’m about to move on to the next step, Baldy asks blankly,
“Wh, who are you?”
I correct his mistake first.
“You don’t use honorifics with me.”
“…?”
“I’m your boss.”
“Boss…?”
Baldy, who was looking confused, glances at Jingjing, who’s hiding in a corner.
It seems like he finally understands the situation.
Right, that’s how he was defeated too.
“You came just in time, give me a potion.”
“…Potion?”
“My subordinate is injured, I have to treat him, don’t I?”
Amelia looks at me as if I’m a strange creature, then takes out a potion and hands it to me.
Sizzle.
Baldy screams and squirms as I give him the potion, and after a short wait, he regains consciousness, sweating profusely.
He still has a dazed expression, as if he’s dreaming.
It’s time to give him a carrot since the stick was enough.
“I’m leaving in 17 days.”
“Yes?”
“Just saying.”
In short, it means he should just endure it, thinking he stepped in shit. I then order Baldy and Jingjing to go back and gather everyone.
“There are a lot of people, so the Dimensional Plaza should be fine. Can you do it in five hours?”
“Th, that’s absurd—”
“Yes! It’s enough time!”
Jingjing shouts confidently, cutting off Baldy.
As expected of a senior.
Saying ‘YES’ to any order is the greatest virtue of a subordinate.
Especially if the boss is a barbarian.
“Then it’s settled, go now.”
My subordinates, having received their orders, rush out to carry out their mission.
I’m quite satisfied with the sight.
‘Is this why everyone is so obsessed with power?’
I chuckle and turn my gaze towards Amelia. And I ask nonchalantly, as if I’m not interested,
“So, tell me. Who are we looking for?”
I’ve been curious since earlier.
She’s from Noark.
There’s a chance that she’s looking for someone on Noark’s orders, not her own.
‘To even send someone from the underground city to find someone in this situation…’
It might be an important clue.
The more I know about things that others don’t, the better. And if it’s information that’s irrelevant to me, I can use it to appear knowledgeable at the Round Table.
Either way, there’s nothing to lose.
But contrary to my expectations, Amelia only tells me the person’s characteristics.
“He looks like an old man, but he might be disguised.”
“So you can’t tell him apart by appearance. Then how do we find him?”
“The tattoo on his back. I heard it can’t be hidden by any magic.”
Hmm, so I have to check everyone’s back?
“Any other helpful characteristics?”
“None.”
“You don’t even know his name?”
“…It’s meaningless since he would have used a pseudonym anyway.”
“But you never know. Just tell me.”
Amelia hesitates for a moment as I ask casually.
But did she judge that I wouldn’t know even if she told me?
She utters a name.
“Auril Gabis.”
What?
“Auril Gabis?!”
“…Do you know him?”
“No, I was just pretending.”
I roughly brush it off and try to control my expression.
Thump, thump, thump!
My heart is pounding like crazy.
It’s only natural.
Auril Gabis?
Isn’t that the name of the author of the ‘Compendium’ series and the creator of [Dungeon and Stone]?
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