Including today, it had been a total of four times: once in the Land of the Dead, once under the sewers, and once by chance at my inn after Noark was sealed. At this point, he had already passed the point of stubborn coincidence. Therefore, it was necessary to alter my approach towards this woman now.Bifrp
«Yes, I have changed my mind.»
They say that knowledge can be power. I may have tried to free myself from curiosity until now to avoid getting involved with this woman, but we ended up learning each other's names.
«...I am not a human woman. Amelia Rainwales».
Avoiding it was no longer a solution.
I need to find out now who the hell this woman really is.
If someone was still hanging around near his house, of course he had to find out what kind of person he was. If they had to be reported to the police, or if they were so scary as to leave the house and leave, only by knowing that could he respond appropriately.
«Jingkasar Feljain!» After a while of waiting, the roof door burst open. The person who entered was a bald man wearing a black blindfold. It seemed like this guy was the leader of the eastern group. «Do you dare to enter our territory without saying a word? Surely you've come E-wait, what happened to your hair...?». Calvo, who appeared vigorously, did not finish his sentence. Apparently, Jingjing's jellyfish cut was quite shocking. «...Was it a wig?».
Jingjing did not respond, but instead dropped his head. There was an inopportune silence.
It seemed like there was too much pent-up resentment to feel sympathy. The situation resumed again. «Do you think I'll have compassion on you for that? Starting today, I will end my rotten relationship with you».
«Pft, Puhahaha! Do you think a fool who hasn't even been in the maze like you can defeat me just because you have more numbers? A rank 6 scout like me?». After Calvo's statement, Jingjing's exaggerated laughter and confidence followed.
To tell the truth, he wasn't even rank 6. When I questioned him for being so weak, Jingjing confessed that he was actually rank 7.
There's no way a guy like that is this relaxed against dozens. Does your trust come from me?
It was a little funny, but Calvo was serious. «Yes, I know you were a rank 6 scout before. But that's why I brought someone awesome with me. Make way, children!»
When Calvo said that, dozens of his thugs behind him stepped aside and revealed a woman: Amelia Rainwales, an eighth-rate scout from Noark.
«Barbarian? Why are you...?» His expression of annoyance as he appeared among the men turned into a frown when he saw me. I felt rewarded.
You don't know how surprised I was to see you too.
«That's what I want to ask. Why the hell are you here?».
Amelia ignored my words as if she wanted to organize her thoughts and Calvo cautiously opened his mouth as he watched us. «...Do you know that barbarian?». I assumed he was worried that she seemed to know me, since he had placed all his faith in that woman.
«Silence». When Amelia murmured dryly, Calvo jumped and fell silent. About three seconds passed. «Bjorn Yandel, give me the man next to you». Finishing organizing, Amelia suddenly made a request.
Of course, there was no way for him to agree to this. «This man is my subordinate.» The barbarians did not abandon their subordinates. At least not if there was no reason for it.
«...boss!» When I responded immediately without a moment's thought, Jingjing looked at me with a moved face.
On the other hand, Amelia didn't follow me. «Subordinate?» It seemed like he didn't understand why a rising star of the scouting industry was here, acting as a gang boss.
I muttered concisely: «I had my own circumstances».
«I see». Amelia nodded coldly. You'd think she'd ask what those circumstances were, but that's how she was. «Then I will take him away by force». When the negotiation failed, Amelia immediately took out a dagger and got into a combative position. Did she think she was a barbarian or something?
I continued quickly: «Wait, let's talk first».
«Talk?»
«Yes.»
Things were different than when we met at the inn. I had no companions to help me and Bifron was a lawless zone. Of course talking about it was the best. I didn't have the character settings to stop an aura yet. If you had a weak body, your head was destined to suffer.
«Interesting. I didn't think you'd tell me that first. Are you planning an ambush?»
«An ambush? I don't do anything cowardly like that». I made no secret that this was insulting to me. In the sewer I could have thrown my mace halfway through the conversation, but I stood my ground. My memory of that moment had been erased, at least from his point of view.
«...almost I can laugh». It wasn't a situation where he could argue with me. However, Amelia moved on without a hint of frustration. His body was still preparing for an ambush. Was he finally recognizing me as a worthy adversary? «First, take the men».
«Okay».
An agreement was reached and, at a glance, Calvo brought the thugs down again. Then it was Jingjing's turn. «Um...»
«Don't worry. I will not abandon you».
«Yes, boss!» He seemed anxious, but he still trusted me and went downstairs. Before long, the two of us were alone on the roof. Therefore, it was time to have a heart to heart.
«Amelia Rainwales. What are you doing here?»
«Why should I answer that?»
«It's funny that adults get into a child fight.»
«...Don't you just turn twenty?»
Come on, the details weren't important. He was sure that Jingjing and Calvo were older in terms of age, but the stronger side was the older one in this industry.
«Anyway, your answer?».
Amelia contemplated for a moment before opening her mouth. «You say it first. Why the hell are you in Bifron?».
«They arrested me for using a special ability in the city. I thought I would end up with a fine, but they told me to come live here for twenty days. Today is the third day».
«And the subordinate?»
«He tried to rob me, so I beat him up in return and took charge.».
Amelia smiled satisfied. «You really do what you want, don't you?». This was not tinged with sarcasm. Instead, there was a touch of envy.
«Your turn. Why have you come here?» It was a question that had already been asked several times.
Finally, Amelia briefly revealed her story. «I'm looking for an explorer who could be here. In exchange for their help, I agreed to help them with one thing».
«I see.» Broadly speaking, the situation made sense now. At first I wondered why she would make a deal with such weak guys.
She probably wants to handle it quietly. Making a commotion like the one I made will inevitably seep out.
Things could progress more easily than I thought.
«I tell you in advance, but I'm not here to break my promise.»
¿Eh?
When I tilted my head, Amelia continued as if she wanted to excuse herself. «I... didn't think I'd find you here».
Ah, that, his promise not to look for me again. I never dreamed she would worry about it in this situation, and before I did, too. Did you have any kind of obsession with promises?
«Don't worry. I don't think you broke your promise».
Now that I understood the situation, I got straight to the point. «Anyway, I'm glad. If so, we have no reason to fight».
«Do you mean you'll deliver it?».
«No, there is no need. Don't you need subordinates? I'll lend you to my men».
«I have heard that the Western Alliance has the least authority here.»
«You're faster than I thought.»
«Because it's been more than ten days since I arrived».
«I see.» I nodded.
As she said, the Western Alliance was a small elite, although they were too weak to be called elites. At the very least, they would be better at tracking someone.
«The small number doesn't matter». This was not a problem. Rather, he could hardly understand why it didn't occur to him to do something so simple. Aren't there enough subordinates? Why worry about something like that? «Because as of today, the eastern sector is also my territory».
Subordinates just had to be copied and pasted.
I wondered if she was an inflexible woman considering how much she valued a promise, but she was surprisingly similar to me in this regard. Amelia was also an efficiency freak. «Not a bad idea».
«Do you mean you agree?»
«Before that, what do you gain by helping me?».
«...Do me a favor next time.»
«Then I refuse. For some reason, I think you're going to ask me for something I can't handle.»
Wow, that didn't work. Well, it doesn't matter. The important thing was not the favor. «Then consider it charity. It's better than wasting my energy fighting you».
I guess it seemed plausible enough, since only then did he accept the deal. I went down to the first floor.
«What happened to that woman?»
«You forgot to add 'boss'». I kicked Calvo in the stomach, who was in an awkward confrontation with Jingjing. It was customary to get ahead of the opponent on a date.
«Urgh!» With a kick to the stomach, Calvo fell to the ground instantly. «Bastard!»
With this as a trigger, the oriental bastards who filled the entire first floor charged at me. Swords, hammers, spears, spikes; The thugs stabbed mercilessly with the weapons in their hands. There was no need to stop them.
Although they were aimed at exposed skin, the weapons bounced off without even leaving a cut. This was natural. These were the guys who came by the dozens to catch a Jingjing and thought that would work on my current physical stamina?
«You're done?»
«…No.»
«¡Behell-ahhhhhhh!»
It didn't take long. After implanting fear into them with Wild Burst and crushing a few guys as an example, the battle was over. Dozens of men did not even dare to flee in the face of the overwhelming difference in power.
I grabbed Calvo by the neck and picked him up. «What's your name?»
«¡P-Philippe Lazere!»
«From now on, I will call you Calvo».
Well, with this the presentations concluded. Just as he was about to move on to the next step, Calvo asked in a deadpan voice: «W-who are you?».
There I corrected the error. «boss».
"¿Qué...?"
«I'm your boss».
«boss...?» With confused eyes, Calvo's gaze went to Jingjing who was hiding in the corner. Finally, he understood the situation.
Yes, that's how I beat him too.
«You arrived just in time. Give me a potion».
«...Potion?»
«My subordinate is hurt. I need to treat it».
Amelia looked at me like she was seeing a strange creature, but then she took out a potion jar and gave it to me.
Chhhhhh.
Calvo screamed and squirmed as he gave him the potion. After a moment of waiting, he woke up in a cold sweat. He still seemed to be dreaming.
Enough sticks, it's time for carrots. «I'll be gone in seventeen days».
«Excuse me?»
«I'm just saying.» Simply put, consider it bad luck to hold on until then. Afterwards, I ordered Calvo and Jingjing to go gather everyone. «As there are many people, the Plaza de la Dimension will do. Are five hours enough?»
«That's not even close...»
«Yes boss! It's enough». Jingjing cut off Calvo's words vigorously. That was quite an experience for you. Responding «yes» to anything was a subordinate's greatest virtue, especially if your boss was a barbarian.
«Okay then, get to it».
As time ran out, my subordinates quickly set out to accomplish their missions. The show was quite satisfying.
Is this why everyone is so obsessed with power?
I smiled and turned my gaze to Amelia, sounding deliberately indifferent. «Now tell me. Who are you looking for?»
I was curious before. After all, that woman was from Noark. It was possible that he was looking for someone not of his own free will, but on Noark's instructions.
Someone the underground city has sent for her at a time like this...
It could be an important clue. Any information unknown to others was always useful. If the information was irrelevant to me, I could use it to seem important at the Round Table. Either way, he had nothing to lose.
Contrary to my expectations, Amelia only responded with the individual's characteristics. «He looks like an old man, but he could be dressed up».
«You mean they can't be distinguished by appearance. So how do you find them?»
«Because of the back tattoo. I have heard that it is impossible to hide it with magic».
Hmm, so we have to check each person's back?
«Any other useful traits?»
«No.»
«Don't you even know his name?»
«... It doesn't make sense because they would have used a pseudonym, anyway.»
«You never know. Let's hear it».
When I pricked her, Amelia hesitated for a moment. I figured he thought I wouldn't know. He soon responded with a name. «Auril Gavis».
Auril Gavis?
«Auril Gavis?»
«...Do you know him?»
«No, I just pretended to know him». I improvised a response and put on a poker face.
¡Thump-thump-thump!
My heart was beating like crazy. It was a fact. Auril Gavis? That was the name of the author of the Complete Books series and creator of Dungeon and Stone.