Chapter 71 - From the Beginning (6)

I wasn't able to catch one ship in the end, but the Kraken was dead and the harbor was safe.

Moreover, thanks to Windhand bringing a boat for me, I had successfully made it back to land.

'I guess this is enough.' Even if I couldn't scrape up all the loot, overcoming the crisis without any casualties was good enough for now.

"Can you climb up?"

"I can tell that you won't be able to climb it."

"... I went out of my way to rescue you, so can't you cut me some slack?"

As I gripped the rope he handed me, Windhand subtly stepped back. He was exactly like DeB. Testing the waters right up until things were about to get bloody.

Did that offend me? From my true self's perspective, not necessarily. Leaving the intimidated Windhand behind, I climbed onto the ship that was blocking the bay.

Since the three ships couldn't be cleared right away, we had to move around by climbing up and down the ropes for the time being. Transport boats also had to be hoisted up and lowered on the opposite side to get across.

"Wow, I'm impressed."

But as I reached the top, someone approached me with a relaxed gait. It was that Outlaw guy or whatever his name was.

"To not only single-handedly sink those ships but also silence a sea monster... Are you perhaps interested in becoming a pirate?"

"Chimawa."

"Oh, has hyungnim already called dibs? What a shame."

"Yeeeah. I called dibs, so give up."

"Hmm. But hyungnim. A pirate never gives up! Besides, in matters like this, isn't the person's own will the most important thing?"

The Outlaw, who was bantering back and forth with Windhand, winked in my direction.

Catching it head-on so suddenly, my expression turned sour.

That kind of thing was only cute when a lover or some fresh-faced kid under twenty-five did it. No matter how handsome he was, coming from a pirate with a pitch-black heart...

"Let me know whenever you change your mind. We welcome strong warriors like you."

"Enough of that. What about the boat? You have a boat to take us back, right?"

"Haha, goes without saying."

"Just get it ready, you punk."

Fortunately, Windhand shoved the Outlaw's head away and pushed him aside. The Outlaw chuckled and gestured for me to come over.

"How does it feel to conquer a sea monster after a Sea Dragon?"

Windhand asked me in a whisper just then. I had no idea why he was asking like that... but I didn't know what to say.

Saying 'I never want to do it again' or 'It was really exhausting' would break my concept, so that was out. Whining 'At least I got half a head from the Sea Dragon, but I'm sad I couldn't salvage anything from the octopus' would also break my concept, so pass. Leveling up was a given, and putting aside the stat increases, I had no more skills to invest points into anyway, making it a moot point. So, nope.

In the end, there was no acceptable answer left. I shot him a sidelong glance and stepped onto the rowboat the Outlaw had prepared.

"... Demon Knight?"

I had wondered where she went, but the red-haired passenger was already here.

"I'm sorry, I didn't even know you were coming..."

Setting that aside, she looked to be in terrible condition. Where did her dumpling-like goofiness go? She had the exhausted face of a twenty-year corporate slave.

Well, considering she had fainted for days from overusing her divine power during the dragon slayer incident, it was understandable if this was the same situation.

"Then let's depart now."

Before the Inquisitor could offer me another apology—not that she needed to apologize in the first place—the Outlaw and Windhand each grabbed an oar and started rowing.

The limited capacity of the rowboat was likely the main reason, but still, working two pirate captains like mules to row the boat felt rather luxurious.

Of course, when weighing the pros and cons, the ones benefiting overwhelmingly were them!

"Haha, to think hyungnim and I are rowing. Even the Lord wouldn't get to enjoy such luxury!"

"It's not that he couldn't enjoy it, he just wouldn't."

"That is true!"

They must have been aware of the very thing I was thinking about, lightly bringing it up as a topic. The Inquisitor, looking around nervously, hesitantly asked if she should row as well.

"... Do you even know how to row? Drop it. I don't hand oars over to landlubbers."

As I looked at her like she was the world's biggest idiot, Windhand also chimed in with a tone of utter disbelief. Finding that hilarious, the Outlaw burst into booming laughter.

"You're actually treating her like a human being? Mwahahaha! Well, if you didn't, you wouldn't have brought her along."

"Shall I put a hole in your lung?"

"I've already got one, so don't you worry."

That guy really lived a fun life. I wished I could do the same.

Swallowing my useless envy, we reached the pier. Perhaps it was because my fatigue had spiked by nearly twenty from the recent battle. My legs briefly gave out as I stepped onto the dock. It wasn't enough to make me lose my balance and stumble, but everyone definitely saw me falter for a split second. The area around my eyes felt a bit stiff.

"Gasp! Demon Knight, are you oka— Ugh!"

But the Inquisitor, who was stepping off after me, was an even bigger spectacle.

Whether she had simply lost her balance or tripped after miscalculating the height of the dock, I couldn't tell. Either way, she nearly face-planted.

"Whoa! What are you doing?!"

Nice catch, DeB. I guess since they were comrades, he'd still catch her in times like this.

"Are you an idiot? You couldn't even step up onto that?!"

"Q-Quiet."

'Good grief, what a cute way to bicker.'

Barely suppressing a soft smirk, I tried to make my way inland. And I would have, if not for the dense crowd of people completely blocking the pier and spilling out beyond it.

"You guys..."

"I thought you were strong, but..."

"Hah, I don't know what to say."

What's this? What's going on? Weren't all the people in the front row high-ranking figures? Their clothes suggested it, and some were even wearing medals on their chests.

"... From the left, Redbeard Ames, Lame Waylan, and West Wind Kato. All three are pirates. The bald guy is the Captain of the Guard for the city of Ayu Hin, the mustached man behind him is his lieutenant, and the one at the very front is Ayu Hin's Minister of Finance. Next to him are more pirates, with the old woman being Boss Lahong, and..."

Luckily, DeB sidled up and whispered the information into my ear.

He spoke too fast for my brain to memorize it all at once, leaving me with a vague, 'Uh-huh, I see'... but it was still better than not knowing. At the very least, I had a rough idea of who belonged to which faction and what they did.

"First off, we convey our gratitude."

Knowing that the man stepping forward right now was a city official rather than a pirate was somewhat helpful. Not that knowing would change how I reacted to him, but anyway.

"Thanks to you..."

"Drop the useless formalities. I came here to find out the current situation of the island, gather intel on the enemy forces, and learn Bipurit's location."

Even as I focused on maintaining my concept, my mind was wandering elsewhere. Was the sea down here warmer than up north? It wasn't particularly cold, but for some reason, I was really craving a warm bowl of soup.

"I-I see. However, we owe you a debt..."

"If you wish to repay that debt, bring me the information."

For instance, something like sundae gukbap? You know, a hearty rice soup loaded with thinly sliced pork head meat.

Honestly, the more I thought about it, the more tragic it felt. Why were the only broth dishes in this world stew and soup?

"Secondly, get out of my way."

Ah, I really wanted some gukbap.

* * *

Deathbringer massaged his temples, dealing with a headache caused by a man who was far too consistent.

That guy would definitely have a bounty on his head for insolence or whatever if he went to any given city. He was absolutely sure of it.

"Bwahahaha!!"

In the midst of all this, the Outlaw, who was laughing as if having the time of his life, was even more obnoxious. According to DeB's investigation, the man belonged to a demographic he wasn't particularly fond of.

DeB himself often scoffed at the law and had committed his fair share of crimes, but he wasn't the kind of malicious scum who dragged civilians down with him like the Outlaw did.

"What are you doing? Hurry up and follow him."

Still, they were allies for the time being. Besides, he also had a scatterbrained priest to look after.

"Huh? I-Is that okay?"

"Sticking close to his side is the only way you'll keep your head attached to your neck, you know? Don't step away from him until I get there."

Taking advantage of the fact that everyone was still overwhelmed by the Demon Knight's martial prowess, Deathbringer quickly shooed the blockhead away. Once people regained their senses, the very first thing they would zero in on was her Temple affiliation.

After everything they had done to help and seeing the Demon Knight's overwhelming strength, they probably wouldn't try to kill her... but you never knew.

Furthermore, that tactless fool was practically a magnet for trouble. Tucking her away next to the unapproachable Demon Knight was the perfect countermeasure.

"T-That bastard!"

"Mwahaha! Hahaha! What a character, what an absolute character!"

"What an audacious man. Yes, a true hero ought to have that kind of pride."

"That greenhorn punk has some real nerve."

"Gah, I couldn't even get a word in! Hey Windhand, tell us more about him!"

Meanwhile, Deathbringer focused on the expressions of the crowd.

Figuring out who harbored resentment over the Demon Knight's arrogance (even if they couldn't express it to his face) and who prioritized gratitude instead.

The information he had gathered while those two were out fighting was already dancing on the tip of his tongue.

"Don't take it too personally, folks. It's true that Sir Demon Knight is strong, but taking down a monster of that caliber takes a heavy toll. And the environment was awful, too. His nerves are just a bit frayed right now."

'How did I end up cleaning up after these guys?' Granted, it wasn't exactly his martial prowess that had gotten him recruited to the team in the first place.

But still, wasn't there a massive gap between gathering intel and doing PR control? Masking the hollow feeling in his chest, he waved his hand. The gazes of the people, which had been trailing after the Demon Knight, naturally shifted to him.

That included the high-ranking officials he loathed, as well as the criminals who aimlessly pillaged civilians just for their own twisted satisfaction.

"He'll be in a foul mood for a while, so why don't you talk to me in the meantime?"

'When is the Mage getting here?' He found himself intensely, desperately missing the Archmage, who always took charge of these social situations.

"Then, let's start with your identities..."

"No, there's something far more important than that."

He hadn't even done anything yet, but seeing a pirate glaring daggers at him proved his point.

"Why is someone from the Temple here?"

'Ah, can't you just let it slide? How many times do I have to explain this?'

Out of sight, a vein bulged on Deathbringer's forehead.

* * *

I checked on the Kimchi Dumpling, who had trotted up a half-step behind me. DeB showed no sign of following, having presumably stayed back with the others. The same went for Windhand and the rest.

"Where are you going?"

Good question. I didn't want to deal with that crowd either, so I just walked away without a plan. I had no idea where I was going. Where should I go?

Answering the Inquisitor's question in my head, I scanned the harbor. I finally got a good look at the full layout of the port, which I hadn't been able to properly observe earlier due to the urgency.

It looked reminiscent of Sorrento, the port city perched on a cliff. Except this was a Sorrento that had been walled off by yet another layer of steep cliffs.

GRUMBLE.

More importantly, where did that sound just come from?

"I-I'm sorry."

I hadn't even so much as glanced her way, yet the culprit immediately confessed.

There was no need to apologize. It had been quite a while since our last meal.

My own satiety gauge was scraping the bottom as well. In other words, it was time to eat.

The problem was whether there was even a place to eat in this hidden sanctuary.

Towing the despondent Inquisitor along, I scoped out the areas where people were gathered. Sure, it was a secret harbor, but I figured a place of this scale had to have at least one tavern.

"Oh! Demon Knight. There is a tavern over there."

And my assumption wasn't completely off the mark. I spotted a building that was, indeed, labeled as a tavern.

From the looks of it, it was currently functioning more like a soup kitchen... but as outsiders, we wouldn't know that, right? So we were probably fine to just walk in.

"It isn't mealtime yet. Get out."

Apparently, we were not fine to just walk in...

"Are you not open for business?"

"What are you talking about? It's not time for rations yet."

The Inquisitor's face instantly fell. She already looked as dry as a dehydrated dumpling, so seeing her pout made me feel a bit bad for her.

"I wish to purchase food."

"Good grief. You must be new arrivals, but food is strictly off-limits for trading. Rations are strictly calculated per person, so even if you're hungry, you'll have to wait until evening—"

"Gaaaaaah!!"

I had tried purchasing some just in case, but it seemed even that was a bust. And I would have believed that completely, had someone not rushed out from the kitchen and clamped a hand over the speaker's mouth.

"Of course! Absolutely!"

"Have you lost your— Mmph!"

"Is there anything specific you would like to eat?! We'll prepare whatever you want!"

Excuse me, but the face of the person you're restraining is turning bright red.

"Are you certain it is allowed?"

"Oh, you two are more than welcome to! Is there anything you'd like to order?!"

"... Anything is fine, as long as it fills the stomach."

The Inquisitor ordered with a baffled expression. The person, still clamping their hand over the server's mouth, looked at me next.

"Something without meat."

No, never mind the food, the poor guy's face was turning as red as a persimmon. Shouldn't you let him go?

"Puhah! You crazy bastard!"

Fortunately, the suffocating man managed to pry the hand off his mouth himself. With a bright red face, his thick hands began vigorously smacking the back of the person who had taken our order.

"What do you mean, take an order?!"

"Ow, ow! Let me explain, ah! Stop hitting me!"

"Says the guy who nearly just suffocated me to death?!"

"My bad, my bad! Ah, please take a seat at a table and wait a moment. I'll get the food— I said stop hitting me!"

Well, we somehow managed to secure a meal without any casualties... so I guess it was fine, right?

"... Are they going to be alright?"

... If even the tactless Inquisitor was questioning it, was it really going to be fine?

THUD.

Whatever. Using my foot, I dragged a pushed-aside table back into place and set a chair upright. Plop. My body, crusted and grimy with sea salt, slumped heavily into the seat.

After looking around hesitantly, the Inquisitor took the seat right next to me. Compared to the bustling outside, the interior of the tavern was comfortably quiet and empty.

"It's them..."

"Wait, isn't that the Temple's crest?"

"They killed the monster..."

I stand corrected. Only the interior of the tavern was empty; the outside immediately grew loud and noisy.

How did they even know we were the ones who fought? And had they really gathered just to gawk at us? Either way, a swarming crowd of people had packed closely together right outside the tavern.

"...!"

Suddenly, the Inquisitor bolted up from her seat and stared intently in one direction. Thump. Thump. The tingling sensation in my right arm synchronized with a rhythmic heartbeat.

"A demon..."

I just ordered my food. Now there was more work.

An internal sigh that I couldn't share with anyone escaped my lips.

"Demon Knight, um..."

"Where is it."

Suppressing the urge to cry, I grabbed my weapon and stood up. The collective breathing of the crowd outside seemed to halt instantly.

"From what I can sense, it is not a fully formed demon."

A demon is a demon. What the hell was an incomplete one?

"As I recall... a zombie in the process of infection gave off this feeling. I would need to observe it closely from a short distance to be certain, though."

... If the infection was still in progress, didn't that mean we were lucky? Or not?

"Is it alright... for me to step forward?"

I quickly racked my brain. There were people here who vividly remembered the massacre the Temple committed forty years ago. They had indiscriminately burned everyone alive during that purge, making no distinction between infected zombies and healthy humans.

With such a horrific history, what would happen if someone dressed as a Priest walked up right now and said, 'Uh, one of your humans is turning into a zombie, mind if I take a look?'

Even though we had just saved them earlier, from their perspective, it would only sound like a declaration of war.

"Location."

"Location, you ask? Right outside. I can sense it among the gathered crowd."

But you know what the bigger problem was? Not only had she consulted me on this, but the very moment she gave me the location, my edgy concept forced me to charge ahead with zero hesitation!

"The food is read— Uh, where are you two going?"

Couldn't I just drop the act? But if I really did break character, she'd probably smash my head in with her mace, wouldn't she? I knew it...

"Move."

Flinging the tavern door wide open, I growled at the crowd while maintaining a firm grip on my sword hilt. The people flinched in terror and hurriedly parted to make way.

"Location."

"You must not harm them recklessly."

"I don't just stand by when there's a demon."

"I agree with you on that, but..."

The Inquisitor agonized, her expression caught between 'Is this really okay?' and 'But it's a demon!' Had she been more flexible, she would have found a compromise, but her rigidity left her a squirming mess.

"Promise me that you will not resort to violence immediately."

Eventually, the dumpling reached a decision. Her green eyes stared intently at me, sparkling with resolve.

"I came to this land prepared for that outcome, and I received this opportunity because I made an oath upon it."

My edgy persona might not have liked it, but those words themselves weren't half bad.

"Even to the Demon Knight, I cannot yield on this."

Man, up until the dragon slayer incident, this kid was the type to just follow orders when I told her to think for herself. Now, instead of just blindly obeying my every word, she was actually being stubborn.

She had grown up well.

"Please promise me."

"... You."

She really had grown up well, but when the hell was my concept going to grow? I couldn't even dare to show any character development for fear that she'd try to smash my skull in again. Was it okay to cry?

Gripping my sword hilt and contorting my face into a vicious scowl at a moment like this—was this stupid concept really okay?

"Hey, why does it look like you two are about to fight again?!"

Fortunately, DeB showed up to mediate between us. For a brief moment, I could have sworn I saw a halo glowing behind him.