What did the head of the family really want from me? That was the question I'd been asking myself all along. I had a hunch, but I wasn't sure. So, plan B. I made a plan to get out in front of everyone. That would be very inconvenient for Albrenive right now.
Mhm. The way to checkmate your opponent is to prevent them from carrying out their plan.
Albrenive wanted to keep Missha's awakening a secret. So, before Plan B could be put into action, I hastily revealed my true intentions. As I continued the conversation with the barbarian, I finally overheard his true intentions.
"I know you used that object."
He was referring to the Frost Spirit Ring, a numbered item that allowed you to make a final contract with the Glacial Beast Skadia when you activated a hidden piece.
It's not surprising that a tribal chief knew. If he didn't know that item was used, there would be no reason for Missha to be treated like one of them.
It was a potential scenario he already had in mind. However, Albrenive wasn't yet certain about it.
"That object? What are you talking about?"
The probability of a twenty-five-year-old beastwoman from the Red Cat Tribe making a natural contract with Skadia was close to 0%, but close and zero were strictly different.
"Hmm." That's why he was sounding us out. He may have had suspicions, but no proof. "Your acting is clumsy."
Clumsy, my ass. Do you know how many people I've fooled so far?
"What are you talking about? Just say it."
"I'm referring to the object that allows you to sign a contract with the Glacial Beast, Skadia. You can't say you don't know about it." Albrenive stared at me, silently demanding that I tell the truth.
Do you think barbarians are stupid?
"Does that exist? Then why didn't you give it to Missha?"
"Because it's very valuable. I can't give it to someone who isn't even my son."
As soon as I heard that, I quickly checked on Missha. As expected, she looked like she was about to cry. However, I decided to comfort her later. I continued acting like a complete ignoramus. "Valuable object"? Isn't that even stranger? How could I possibly own something like that?
"Who knows? Maybe you got it from the magic tower you used to visit often."
What a load of crap. Does he really know everything?
Without realizing it, my body stiffened. To correct my mistake, I decided to stare at the head of the family. "…Have you been investigating me?" I was a barbarian who was simply angry about behavior that had crossed a line. With this in mind, my actions from a moment ago wouldn't seem so foolish.
"Didn't I tell you? Your acting is clumsy."
Damn, I believed in my acting skills. I didn't back down and asked, annoyed, "So what is that? Why do you keep bothering me like this?"
"I can't tell you."
"That?"
"You keep denying it. It's an object that cannot be revealed to the outside world. If you admit it, I'll tell you."
Hey? What the hell? There was no contradiction in his words. It was only natural for me to reveal the name of the object if I was just probing myself.
Why is it so strange?
A feeling of incongruity blossomed. The intuition that defeated the countless sons of bitches who tried to probe me was speaking to me. Something didn't fit.
So I asked again: «Does that exist? Doesn't he have an ulterior motive?» and I poured all my concentration into carefully observing the head of the Karlstein family: a momentary hesitation, a change in his facial muscles, where he was looking and what his voice sounded like.
«Of course. What other purpose could it serve?»
I was not an expert, but I observed every moment of that short sentence with a suspicious look. Then I instinctively realized that he was lying.
Ha yes, it was this. Thanks for clarifying my last suspicion. It would have been possible to probe me in another way.
«Tell me honestly», Albrenive said. «If you keep your mouth shut because you're worried about this guy, I'll take care of it».
Why did he say such contradictory words? He explained everything if it wasn't Missha, but the ring he was looking for.
No wonder he kept saying «that object».
I soon became convinced. Albrenive knew the Ring of the Frost Spirit, but only half.
He knows it exists, but not what it is.
Finally, I imagined the situation in my head. The head of the family invited me to his house. Whether or not Missha was his real daughter didn't matter; First of all, it seemed like he wasn't too excited about his children. His true goal was another: an object that could contract a Spiritual Beast. If he really knew anything about it, he wanted to find out. After all, it had to be important and invaluable information for a beastman. That's why I was presenting Missha's miserable situation in front of me, believing it was my Achilles heel. He must have intended to use it for commercial or blackmail purposes.
«For the honor of a warrior, I know nothing of such a thing». I threw my decisive letter. The number one reason barbarians were cheating characters to me was the warrior's oath. The confusion was deeply etched in Albrenive's eyes. After confirming it, I threw the last punch before missing the opportunity. «But I will definitely find out what it is. Just wait».
Murmuring as if he was holding back my anger, I looked at his face. There was a light of deep disappointment in his eyes.
God, his performance is worse than mine.
***
«Forget the conversation we had today.»
With that order, we left the Karlsteins' house. Missha's face was expressionless from before and I didn't start the conversation. I had things to think about too.
Ugh, at least it hadn't reached the worst case scenario.
When I found out about the Karlsteins' invitation, I was delighted to accept for two reasons. The first was Missha's escape. If the head of the family was trying to get Missha into a big clan, I had to stop it. After Erwen and Ainar, I couldn't let Missha, who I put all that effort into cultivating, escape. It was terrible just thinking about it.
The second thing was to avoid the suspicion of being an evil spirit. If the head of the house knew the secret of Missha's awakening, it would be necessary to visit her at least once to properly cover it up. However, I didn't know he would call me for it with only half knowledge.
Crujido.
As we passed the garden, the doorman opened the doors wide. I guess Calvo was taking a break after treatment, because it was the first time he had seen that face.
It seemed like the other party had recognized me. «A-Goodbye». When our eyes met, he bowed briefly and bid me farewell.
Soon, I turned around one last time and looked at the mansion where Missha would have lived from her childhood to adulthood. The manicured gardens were beautiful, and the fountains shone with splendid jets of water. The mansion was not much different. Unlike the inn where I was staying, the architecture was old and had a grandiose style. However, the cold malice surrounding the mansion remained unchanged. Just like the first time I saw this place, I felt like I was seeing a dungeon full of monsters. Now I realized that I had survived in this place for so long.
«You did it well».
When I said that with a pat on the back, Missha came to and shook her head. «It's nothing. You did all the hard work...»
Well, I didn't mean that. «Still, weren't you the one who had it worse?». I smiled and patted him on the back again.
«Agh! Hurts». Yes, that seemed more typical of a normal Missha.
«If you're awake now, guide me. I don't know the way back».
«Ha, really... what would you do without me?»
«I wouldn't have come to a place I don't know the way back from.»
«...True.»
We walked the streets, having meaningless conversations. There were happy faces everywhere.
«Dad, he's the barbarian from before!»
The beast people walked, laughing and chatting happily like families.
«Bjorn, let's eat that too».
«Why do you want to eat out for once?»
«Mm, well... it's been a long day...»
Missha and I stopped by a street vendor and bought some sandwiches, which we ate on a bench in the square. There was no problem eating while we moved, but it wasn't bad to take a break.
«¿Sabes, Bjorrrn?»
«Speaks».
«Why don't you ever ask?»
"¿What?"
After taking a moment to rest and watch people come and go, Missha asked me a question. «Aren't you curious?»
«About what?»
«Yes... I am really my father's son...»
So that's what he meant. I chuckled and looked at Missha. He hadn't done anything wrong, but Missha lowered her head and looked at the ground. «I'm not curious».
«Really? Not even a little?»
«Yeah, what does that matter?»
«Wow, you don't really care about me...»
What was this boy talking about? I was about to slap him back, but I stopped.
He said that hurt.
I thought about messing up her like in the cartoons, but it was too unpleasant. With nowhere to go, my hand landed on my knee again. I looked away and talked to Missha. After all, she was my teammate. Shouldn't some misunderstandings be resolved?
«It's not that I'm not interested, it's that it's not really important».
«¿Eh?»
«Rank 7 Scout, Missha Karlstein. That's you. It doesn't matter who your parents are. The fact that you are a comrade I can trust with my back doesn't change.»
«Wow...» Missha opened her mouth as if she had heard something fascinating. Then he smiled and looked at me. «How did you come up with those words?»
«...Are you looking for a fight?».
«Heh heh, I'm saying thank you. That gives me strength». That was a relief. After getting enough rest, I was about to get up when Missha grabbed my sleeve. «Bjorn?»
"¿What?"
«This is a secret, I'm just telling you, okay?»
«Spit it out quickly».
«I... really am kind of stupid. My mother told me. Before dying. While apologizing».
Ah, uh... um...
I was thinking about what to say, and decided to just nod my head. «...I see.»
«That? Why aren't you surprised?»
I already knew it. Although I didn't know the details. «It's not that important, is it?»
«Oh, this emotionless barbarian!»
We soon got up from our seats. We leave the holy field, enter the city and arrive at the public platform.
Just as we bought the tickets and were waiting for the carriage, she said: «Oh, by the way. How did it happen? You took an oath in front of my father beforess. That was definitely...» Missha interrupted herself.
I was really perplexed. I hadn't even thought about it, either because I felt very comfortable with her now or because it was in front of the Karlsteins' head of the family.
«So… it was a lie, true?».
I sighed and nodded. What was the point of hiding something when she knew everything? I just had to clean it well. «Yes, it was a lie. Because you are more important than the honor of a warrior».
«…Are you really?»
«Sí.»
Missha didn't say anything for a long time. Without further ado, a moment of anxiety ensued. Surely, she wasn't having strange thoughts, was she?
Just when I decided to speak first instead of continuing this suffocation, Missha jumped up. Then he spat something incomprehensible. «Oh! I left something at home, so I'm leaving!»
«...What? A carriage will arrive soon...»
«You go first!»
And it disappeared like the wind.
What...? I'm screwed?
***
Return.
Sitting in the study, Albrenive Karlstein turned the pages of a book with a somewhat hurried hand. Finally, he found what he was looking for.
No…
It is possible to contract the Glacial Beast, Skadia.
All his doubts began with this book, and an explanatory passage with only one legible sentence due to being completely destroyed. The Complete Book of Relics VI contained descriptions of hundreds of numbered objects. The important thing here was that the explanation was never wrong. That's what these books were, books of truths whose value there was no point in even discussing.
If I hadn't known this, I could have been really happy.
When that girl revealed that she had woken up, to be honest, she felt happy. He thought that now he didn't have to hide his shame from the family. However, the contracted Spiritual Beast was the problem. Was it really a coincidence? He couldn't get rid of the feeling of restlessness. He questioned the girl many times and soon came to a conclusion: She did not wake up naturally. If her prediction was correct, she received help, perhaps from that barbarian Bjorn Yandel.
«Yo, I can't tell you anything related to Bjorn. I swore an oath to the guardian spirit...»
However, the boy rejected the conversation, mentioning the guardian spirit oath. Although the oath lacked authority and had no meaning now at a time when tradition had faded, the boy who could never rebel first made such an excuse and lied to him. This would make it difficult to get an adequate answer.
It would be better to investigate that barbarian.
Albrenive changed the direction of his pursuit. Suspicious circumstances continued to appear. The barbarian was friends with an Artemion School mage, Arua Raven. Coincidentally, he remembered her. She was a competitor he met while wandering to get another Complete Book.
Then a hypothesis arose. What if the magician got The Complete Book of Relics? What if he told the barbarian?
That makes a lot more sense.
He decided to target the barbarian instead of the bold mage. As part of the investigation, he discovered that their relationship was almost like that of a married couple, so it seemed more efficient to use Missha.
To think that it really was a natural awakening.
He didn't believe in something like an oath. The barbarian was not acting. He really seemed unconscious, and Albrenive felt sorry for his ignorance of that child.
Interesting. Even that insignificant blood has talent.
When his thoughts reached so far, someone knocked on the door. It was Beros, his assistant. «Missha asks to see you».
«Make it happen immediately».
After waiting a while, the helper left and the girl entered. «I... there is something I didn't say beforess-»
«Oh, don't worry about that. I will keep my promise. No one will ever think that you are not part of the family».
Strangely, Missha did not react. He thought she would be happier.
He even added, "It means you're my daughter now." These were the words the unloved, resentful girl had longed for. Yet, this time was no different. "...Why aren't you saying anything?"
"Because I'm not here to hear something like that!"
"What?" He was surprised by the disrespectful tone. What was the reason for this change in attitude?
Before he could adjust, Missha confronted him directly. "Father. No, you're not even my father. Did you know that? We don't even share a drop of blood."
"What?" He was genuinely perplexed, not because he didn't know, but because he never expected to hear that from her.
"My mother told me this before she died. I'm not actually related to the Karlstein family. I came to tell you this. I hate you... but I feel sorry for you."
Was it really because he'd never imagined this behavior from her? Albrenive wasn't offended by that bold statement. He was merely curious. "Why are you doing this?"
He knew who Missha's real father was. He had secretly seen his wife confess before her death. He only kept it a secret until Missha came of age, for the sake of his family's honor. He assumed the matter would be settled if she died in the maze.
"If you hadn't said that, I really would have accepted you as a member of the family." He was giving her what she had always longed for. Why was she rejecting him? "Why? Why waste the opportunity with your own hands?"
As if it wasn't worth answering, the girl turned and headed for the door. But had she changed her mind after all? She just turned her head and said, "I just... wanted to!"
For Albrenive, those words were incomprehensible.