Barbarian Quest

Chapter 97

The night of victory deepened. The men who were still awake shouted and sang restlessly.

"God dammit, we did it! We really made it!"

The mercenaries celebrated in the town square with the barrels they emptied rolling on the ground. Mercenaries who drank to the point of becoming half-animals sang arm in arm.

"Oh! Oh! We are the loyal mercenaries!"

"Uuurich's Brotherhood!"

From now on, this land will be called Uscall, and it will belong to the mercenary squad. With the profit created by this land, the mercenary squad was certain to grow bigger and bigger.

Even the maimed mercenaries grinned widely. There were several administrative roles in the fief that could accommodate their state after the war. If all else failed, they could become landlords, overseeing tenant farmers.

In a mercenary squad with land, compensation after service or retirement was a sure thing. That fact will successfully attract more formidable warriors, and Urich's Brotherhood was destined to become a leading military force in the Kingdom of Porcana.

"We did it. We actually did."

Even Donovan drank, stunned by their success. The task they had taken on was a near-impossible one. Throughout their journey, they almost gave up multiple times. It was a gamble that lasted half a year.

"We succeeded."

"To Bachman."

"And to Rallo and Paul."

The mercenaries raised their glasses, calling out the names of their fallen comrades. The squad was now half its original size. They remembered their comrades by pouring liquor into the fire in mourning.

Tssss.

Urich watched the alcohol vaporizing as it touched the flames. It was an offering to the fallen mercenaries, who were now with the sun god.

Urich poured a long stream of alcohol into the fire.

'I know they were warriors who died fighting, but please accept them.'

Urich knew the sun god Lou. The god of benevolence hated warriors. Because of that, Lou's followers added grand missions to their fights: for the weak, the lord, or the state.

'In Solarism, a warrior's struggle itself is sinful.'

The sun god rejected the life of a warrior. Warriors were men who fought in order to keep on fighting, and warriors believed that true glory was at the end of endless strife. They didn’t fit the values of the sun god Lou.

"To the Sword Demon Ferzen," Urich muttered as he poured the honey liquor into the fire. The strong alcohol content in the liquor added to the flame.

Urich thought that Ferzen must have been a devout follower of Solarism initially. But to him, a lifelong warrior, its doctrine was too harsh. Urich felt it too. The value of benevolence didn't suit a warrior.

'No matter how you dress it, a sword is a tool for killing. A warrior grows on the life and fear of others.'

A warrior could not possibly uphold benevolence.

'Ferzen lost faith in Lou and believed in the northern god. He probably thought that he, a pure warrior, would be rejected by the sun god Lou and become a wandering evil spirit in his afterlife.'

Urich stared into the darkness. The bonfire illuminated the mercenaries, but the alleyways remained dark.

'Will I join the evil spirits when I die, too?'

Urich gazed into the darkness. He saw the shape of humans in the wavering darkness.

"I’ve been seeing those things again ever since I abandoned Lou."

The day he killed the Sword Demon Ferzen, Urich threw his Sun pendant into the lake. Since then, he saw evil spirits at night. Without a god, Urich didn’t have protection from anyone.

'I have no god.'

Even the strongest warrior had to face death. But what follows death? Even Urich couldn't hide his anxiety. After his job was finished, all the thoughts he had pushed down came swelling back up along with tremendous anxiety.

Creak.

Urich downed bottle after bottle.

'Heeheeheehee.'

He heard evil spirits laughing. They were spirits who were deprived of a god’s salvation.

His vision blurred. He saw the dancing mercenaries. Grown men were laughing purely like children.

"Hey, leader, shouldn't you be at the higher-up’s banquet? You're the top hero," one of the mercenaries commented.

Urich glanced at the brightly lit inner castle. The nobles’ banquet was in full swing. He had the right to a seat at that banquet. Even though he was a barbarian mercenary, he was the king's sole friend. Even the nobles didn't dare offend him.

"Eh, I can always go later. Anyway, where’s Sven?" Urich said as he looked around. Sven had been missing.

"He said he was tired and went to sleep. He was going that crazy during the battle, but I guess age is age."

"Right, I guess he is pretty old. You can’t hide your age."

Warriors feared aging. Even the Sword Demon Ferzen lamented it.

"We did it. At least try to look happy."

Donovan said to Urich as he filled his glass. Even Donovan, who was usually cold to everyone, was uncharacteristically kind to those around him that evening.

Donovan and the mercenaries had achieved their dreams. They had accomplished their life's purpose.

'What about me?'

Urich questioned himself. Was he going to stop here?

'Why did I come down from the Sky Mountains?'

He remembered the unforgettable blizzard. That day, Urich left his homeland for the unknown world with only his heart pounding in the cold that was enough to freeze his blood.

"Not for this, that’s for sure."

Urich smiled and got up. Despite drinking the liquor like water, his steps were steady and light.

* * *

Pahell sat in the seat of honor, observing the banquet. Each of the nobles took turns flattering him, boasting how loyal they are to him to the point of tongue-tiredness.

'This too is a part of my future responsibilities,' Pahell thought, letting nobles' words go in one ear and out the other. Nobles were undoubtedly the backbone of the country; it was not possible to govern the kingdom well if the king was on bad terms with them.

'Without their support, it would've been hard to win the civil war. They joined me for their own reasons, but they were still helpful.'

Pahell looked toward the entrance. No matter how long he waited, Urich wasn’t showing up.

‘So, he really isn’t coming, huh,' Pahell mused.

He knew that it wasn't exactly Urich's kind of place. On top of that, the nobles were wary of him.

'But there aren’t many that I can fully trust.'

Even the nobles, who seemed like they would offer their lives to Pahell in a heartbeat, would turn against him without hesitation if circumstances changed.

'I need to distinguish between trustworthy and untrustworthy nobles.'

Not all nobles were traitors, but Pahell lacked the political experience to discern them. Recognizing one's people was a vital skill for a king.

'That is definitely something I lack compared to my uncle.'

Harmatti was good with his men. He was a man who knew how to wield his charm. His guards gave their lives for him without hesitation, and many nobles followed him.

'and that’s what I have to learn.'

Pahell was tired, but he still attended to each noble.

"Urich’s Brotherhood, the lords of Uscall, their leader is entering," a servant announced. As the banquet was nearing its end, Urich made his appearance.

"Urich?"

Pahell twitched in his seat. He wanted to get up right away and rush to greet Urich but sat back down for decorum's sake.

Crunch.

Casually, Urich grabbed and bit into a piece of meat from a table, then left it where he found it.

"I thought he wouldn't come."

"It seems like he’s not completely uninterested in power."

"Is he planning to join the noble society?"

"A barbarian? That would be absurd."

Whispers among the nobles followed Urich’s entrance. Urich glanced at them, encountering wary looks. However, some nobles were friendly toward him, preferring him as an ally rather than a competition.

'It's good to be close to the king's favorite.'

Though Pahell hadn't held his coronation yet, he was essentially the king, and the nobles treated him as such.

"Are you really okay with giving this land to the mercenaries? I heard it's one of the best in the kingdom. You could've given them some worthless land instead; they would have liked it regardless."

Urich sat beside Pahell, speaking casually.

‘How could he be so full of himself!’

The nobles almost choked on their own tongues after hearing Urich's blithe comment. The land that was given to the mercenary squad was a highly coveted estate. Protected by high sea cliffs at the back and tall city walls at the front, and abundant farmlands making it wealthy. It was land befitting for someone like Harmatti to base himself on.

"At first, I was going to give the other estates we gained from this civil war to your squad as well, but they seemed too precious. So, I decided to keep them under my direct control."

Pahell spoke nonchalantly. He had absorbed all of Harmatti’s estates, but soon he would have to distribute some to his lieges. Soon, the powerful nobles would inevitably complain about the king's excessive direct holdings, and those who lost their estates to Harmatti would demand their return.

"So, you're just a greedy man after all," Urich chuckled with his breath reeking of alcohol. He had been drinking all the way up to his appearance in the banquet hall.

"How did the mercenaries react? They didn't grumble about it not being enough?"

"Grumble? They were overjoyed as if they were given the world. They're probably still guzzling down alcohol, shouting your name."

"Good. I owe them quite a bit, after all."

Without the mercenaries, Pahell would've died long ago. Despite a few unpleasant memories, these men fought and died for him.

Pahell and Urich stepped out to the balcony.

"Finally, some fresh air."

Pahell spoke as the cold breeze hit his face. He sounded relieved to be away from the nobles' scrutiny as his face softened.

"I'll be leaving once your coronation is over,” Urich said to Pahell. Pahell narrowed his eyes.

"What else do you need? Were my rewards not enough?"

"No, it's too much, actually."

"I know what you’re thinking. I know you. But just wait ten years. I’m going to put together a fleet to explore the eastern continent."

"Then, see you in ten years."

Urich was firm. His eyes were gazing into something in the distance.

"... are you leaving the mercenaries too?"

"I’m thinking of heading south or north first. I've gathered enough money."

"People will say that you are mad. Most waste their lives chasing honor and wealth, and you've already got it all! Yet, you're leaving it all behind?"

Urich shook his head, touching his neck.

"I lost something very important to me when I came to the world of civilization."

Pahell’s eyes widened. Urich's neck was bare. He wasn’t sure since when it had disappeared, but the sun pendant was missing.

"Apostasy... Lou will be furious. That’s not a wise thing to do, Urich. Go find a priest and seek forgiveness."

Pahell shook his head. His voice was trembling.

"I'm off to find my god. I must find the afterlife I lost when I looked for the civilized world. Lou's embrace isn't where I belong."

Pahell was about to say something when a knight entered the balcony.

"Harmatti the rebel has something to say to you, my prince."

Pahell nodded to the knight’s news.

"Urich, let's discuss this later. But I’m telling you, that is not a good idea."

Urich shrugged and followed Pahell. The two men were guided to the room where Harmatti was confined.

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