I walked quickly through the city, wearing light armor and carrying a shield and mace.
"No, wait! Wait a minute!" Young Urbans was coming up behind me, almost running after me to try and stop me. "I know what you're trying to do, but doing it now won't help. I... I'll figure it out. Of course, I'll need your help, but... You can lend me your strength, and I'll use my brain. What do you think? Don't we make a good team?"
What was this guy talking about? Ignoring the chatter, I kept walking. Miss Urbans, whom I treated as if she were invisible, kept trying to get in my way and grab my arm. Did she really think that was going to work?
"Phew!"
Dragging me along without resistance, Miss Urbans angrily threw down the parasol she was carrying. It was only a momentary display of anger. After three seconds, she picked up her parasol and started following me again. "I… I'm s-sorry. You might have gotten into this because of me. If I hadn't approached you, Father might have left you alone."
"At least you're not shameless." For the first time, I responded to her sincere apology; of course, not without walking. That was it, and this was it. For starters, she didn't seem that sincere.
"I even apologized!"
When I picked up speed, Miss Urbans, who had clearly been raised indoors, did her best to keep up while dabbing her sweat with her handkerchief. I suppose she thought there was still room for persuasion.
"Hoo, hoo, hoo…" Even as she let out harsh exhalations, Miss Urbans chattered on incessantly. "Give me a chance to make things right. I know it's a brazen request. But once I inherit my father's position, I'll repay you handsomely!"
I was slowly reaching my physical limit. Miss Urbans' voice began to grow distant. After thinking for a moment, I slowed my pace. Of course, I hadn't changed my mind about helping her.
Perhaps it would be best if he were by my side while I met with the district chief.
Now that I thought about it, it would be easy to prove my innocence with her reaction. However, if I walked too slowly, she was sure to whisper in my ear, so I adjusted my speed to keep her at a safe distance. About thirty minutes passed. Finally, we arrived at our destination.
[Central Delegation of District 7 of the Explorers Guild].
There was a branch in every district of the city. I'd seen it a few times in passing, but this one was much larger than the others. Since some matters could only be resolved at the branch, there were also many explorers inside. I stood in front of the doors to think for a moment.
Should I break this or not?
Did it seem like he was hesitating? Miss Urbans, who seemed to have bathed in sweat, quickly said: «Yeah. It is not too late...».
You would like it.
«Okay, I've already decided».
«Excuse me?»
«I'm going to break it».
Yes, this was more to my liking.
¡Crashhh!
I kicked the door with all my might. I needed to show them that I was a vulgar barbarian so they would think: «Oh, I'm going to be screwed if I mess with this guy», and they would change their minds.
If the negotiation goes well, you won't be able to ask me for the repair money anyway.
Even if it wasn't for that, he had enough money for repairs. Did they use good quality wood at the headquarters? It wasn't breaking as excitingly as I thought.
«Kyaa! W-what's up...!»
Whatever Miss Urbans said, I took out the paw that entered the door, calmly grabbed my mace and, without further ado, destroyed the door cleanly.
¡Crunch! ¡Crunch! ¡Crunch!
The door became an open door that let in the breeze so that the interior air could circulate better. Beyond her, she could see staff and explorers.
«...A thief?»
«Shouldn't there be a robber at the bank...?»
There were those who had reasonable doubts, those who seemed stunned, others who seemed to have seen a lunatic, and finally, those who, like the explorers, saw this situation as an opportunity.
A bald man standing next to an employee stretched out his arms as a warm-up as he approached me. «Miss, if I figure this out, will you give me some achievement points?».
«Excuse me? Yeah. I remember, that ordinance was made half a year ago!».
"Good."
Come to think of it, there was also a guy like this last time, six months ago, when I became a Free Barbarian.
I didn't think a rank 5 scout would show up first. Are scouts higher ranking at headquarters?
The identification badge that Mr. Calvo proudly wore on his hip told me that he was a rank 5 scout. In any case, there was no reason for him to give in. On the contrary, I thought I would be the perfect opponent to evaluate my combat power.
«I'm not here to fight you. Move.» However, as a modern person who came into this world not long ago, I tried to use words first. I judged that there wasn't necessarily a reason to fight a scout.
Mr. Calvo didn't seem to want to miss the opportunity to earn achievement points. «Hello barbarian. Looks like you have some complaints to make to the guild. If that's the case, you should have gone through the formal complaint process, huh?».
«Complaint?»
«Oh, you don't know what the procedure is, huh? It makes sense to a savage».
I smiled bitterly. A savage, huh? He certainly wasn't wrong. Even barbarians considered themselves savages, but only we could call ourselves that. How could I not know something so simple?
«...You have a problem with your head. Maybe that's why you went bald».
«That? Son of...!» As expected, he must have shaved his head due to hair loss as he ran towards me indignantly. Or at least, he was about to.
«Everyone still!» Miss Urbans stood between Calvo and me and screamed.
Since he could not injure a civilian, Calvo stopped immediately. «Get out of the way. That man is a criminal who caused riots in the guild. I don't know who you are, but if you carelessly take his side...»
«...Miss Urbans?» While Calvo blew smoke from his nose in an intimidating manner, another employee recognized his condition and the situation took a new turn.
«That? Urbans? The district chief's daughter?».
«Why does such a woman defend a barbarian...?».
Realizing his status and that something had gone wrong, Mr. Calvo took a step back. Was it because he was a rank 5? He was definitely quick to judge.
«Is my father upstairs?»
«Excuse me? Yeah. That's right...»
«Then we will go up together. Is it okay with you? As for here... Please take care of it.»
«Yes! Of course!»
Thanks to Miss Urbans' condition, the commotion on the first floor was cleaned well and I was able to climb up.
Crujido, crujido.
The wooden ladder was not capable of supporting the weight of a barbarian with heavy equipment without creaking. I stopped for a moment and asked: «Why did you help me a moment ago?».
«Because you're not going to change your mind anyway».
Well, yes, but... That makes it harder to understand.
If she judged that it was impossible to recruit me as an ally, why did she help me?
«I thought my offer would help you as a result, Mr. Yandel. But since you don't want it, this would be the right thing to do. I'm sorry I had to suffer for my family's affairs. Once we get in, I'll explain it well to my father».
Hmm, I perceived more sincerity than before. «I see». I nodded indifferently and moved my feet.
«Hey? That's all?»
What, you thought I was going to change my mind?
«Fulfill your ambition with your own hands».
I refused to get involved in anything problematic. To be honest, she also did not sympathize with the position of a daughter deprived of liberty by her father. If she really wanted independence, she would have given up everything: the rights that derived from the status of daughter of the district head, the responsibilities, everything.
«Miss?» When we arrived at the district chief's office, we saw a guard blocking the way. «Who is the man next to him?», the guard asked professionally.
Miss Urbans overlooked it for the moment. «He is a guest of my father».
When the guard knocked on the door and notified the district chief of the situation, words of permission soon arrived. «Tell them to come in».
«They cannot enter with weapons. Please give it to me».
I raised my mace as if following the guard's instructions and entered the office with brute force.
¡Crunch!
The office door became an open type door. When I handed her over, the district chief was sitting at his desk, frozen in place with a pen in his hand. He looked between his daughter and me, back and forth. «What is this?» After a moment of silence, the guard moved quickly. «Stop, you can get out», Urbans said.
«But...»
«There is nothing to worry about. It's not that inconsiderate».
«Yes then». The guard seemed well trained because he left without saying another word. Of course, there was no need to close the door, because he was already gone.
Sigh ...
He watched as the guard walked down the hallway in a daze and then down the stairs. The district chief got up from his desk and sat on the couch, so I sat in front of him too.
squelch.
The sofa collapsed, unable to support the weight of a heavily armored barbarian. Like a barbarian, I didn't apologize. «This sofa is old».
A blue vein bristled on the district chief's forehead, but I guess he judged that the couch wasn't important. «...Tell me why you are here. There must be a reason you came hand in hand with my daughter and did this.»
«Father, that's it...»
«I haven't asked you.»
At those words, Miss Urbans hardened like a stone. Although he boldly planned to go against his father, I guess he was still afraid of him.
I spoke bluntly. «Resolve family matters between you». That was the first reason I was here today.
«Does that mean you're betraying my daughter?»
«There is nothing to betray because we never work together. And we never will».
The district chief looked at me with mixed feelings, as if he wanted to discern my true intentions. I didn't make any excuses. The judgment would be up to him. «So why did you come with my daughter?».
«It kept bothering me, so I decided it would be best to tell him directly. But he kept following me, like an elf».
«I-That's so I can stop you before you cause trouble!» Julianna was enraged by the word «goblin» and, as expected, that reaction was helpful.
«I see. I will believe you». That solved the first objective of clearing up the misunderstanding. «But if that's your purpose, why are you behaving so rudely?», the district chief asked ahead of time as he looked at the shattered door. «It has nothing to do with my feelings towards you. What will people think of me when they see that broken door?».
I don't know, that you are an honest boss who values communication with his employees and has nothing to hide?
Thinking this, I smiled. I realized what he was trying to say. He said I had ruined his reputation.
«No one will be able to object if I arrest and detain you immediately».
He wasn't wrong, but I wasn't afraid. I knew I couldn't do it, and that's also why I behaved like that. «Arrest me. Then everything you did to me will also be revealed».
«...Do you trust that explorer?»
"Absolutely not." I shook my head firmly. I had no intention of involving Rotmiller in this incident. I had a better card to play than that in the first place. "I have a video copy of you trying to win over the magician after my prison break."
"The lady from Altemion lied to me."
"She said she wouldn't show it to anyone; she didn't say there wouldn't be any copies." I tilted my head indifferently and added, "I don't know if you know this, but she became our team's magician not too long ago."
In short, it meant, "Forget about appeasing Raven." The district chief's eyes darkened.
Don't you understand yet? I'm not the same amateur barbarian I was when we first met.
"A district chief who tried to frame and kill the heir of the barbarian tribe. I hear there will be elections next year. Sounds like the perfect bit of gossip to nibble on."
"...Heir?"
"Your source of information is slow. It happened not too long ago."
The district chief pursed his lips for a moment and then asked, "What do you want?"
A complete declaration of surrender. It was time to move on to my second reason for being here. The district chief had tried to undermine me by using Rotmiller. Normally, this was a serious offense deserving of three whacks on the head. Of course, to punish him for his sins, I also had to endure numerous hardships. We were bound to become arch-enemies, which is why I ended things with him today with just a warning. Only the dragon hunter was giving me a headache.
"If there's another misunderstanding, or if you simply hate me, it doesn't matter. If you do something like this one more time..." I continued, "I won't speak to you again." When I glared at him while unleashing murderous energy, he stiffened. It wasn't quite as dramatic a reaction as in Ghostbusters, but it should have been warning enough.
When I finished my business, I immediately got up from the sofa. The district chief spat out a question. "Aren't you going to hear my answer?"
I don't know, is it necessary?
I chuckled.
Snap!
I grabbed the table between us with both hands and bent it with just the strength of my arm. "This table is old too."
That brought today's negotiations to an end.
"Then I'm leaving. I'm hungry."
If I had to come back here someday, it wouldn't be something like a door or a table that I would lose.