Barbarian in a Failed Game

009. Dark Mages (3)

“Is that attire not that of a barbarian? How come a barbarian is accompanying that person…?”

“Eek. Don’t tell me the Paladin is coming with a heretic. And barbarian, they’re like Greenskins with all those tattoos.”

“No. If the skin is ashen, it must be the barbarian of the Frost Gorge, right?”

The moment a mysterious figure clad in a robe and a muscular barbarian, over 2 meters tall, entered the small manor, it was only natural that all eyes were instantly upon them.

Especially since the followers of the Pantheon, who consider barbarian heretics, were glaring at him to the extent that it felt piercing.

Fortunately, since Aries was by his side, the situation was manageable. Otherwise, they would have openly revolted. Such ignorant zealots, anyhow.

“…….”

Perhaps bothered by the murmurings, Aries cast a quick glance at Khan, as if checking his reaction.

“It doesn’t bother me what they babble about.”

He had long grown accustomed to the unilateral contempt and loathing.

“May the Pantheon’s blessing be upon you…”

“May light accompany the ones anointed by the Lord.”

However, he couldn’t maintain his composure in front of the devout prayers pouring out from dozens of mouths. It almost seemed like brainwashing.

Seeing Aries casually nod as though familiar with the situation, Khan wondered if this manor was a covert support for wayward paladins from the church.

‘The scale is just different.’

In a world where travelers could suddenly become bandits, merchant caravans could switch to marauder bands, and mercenaries often turned into armed mercenaries, having most of the manor’s residents as faithful followers provided an excellent base specifically for paladins.

“Unexpectedly useful. Little lady.”

“I gave you my name.”

“How did you stay put here, only to find out when Ericson was nearby?”

“…I smelled it. The distinct foul stench of dark magic.”

“Fantasy version of a drug-sniffing dog right here.”

“…? I’m not a dog.”

“It’s just a saying.”

The absurd banter between a noble paladin and a warrior who had subdued an ogre only ended upon arriving at the monastery.

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

As Aries knocked on the door using the knocker, the monastery’s door creaked open.

Peeking through the gap was an elderly man with a benevolent face that screamed ‘I’m a priest’.

The old man gave Aries a bow but slightly furrowed his brows upon seeing the large barbarian standing behind.

‘The old man´s eyes are quite sharp.’

Even though Khan glared back, the priest’s gaze on Khan lasted only a brief moment.

“Please come in. Have you achieved your purpose?”

Aries nodded slightly, and the old priest beamed a benevolent smile.

“How fortunate. But… You’ve acquired a companion I hadn’t seen before.”

“A collaborator.”

“Yes, a collaborator. Having trustworthy companions is better than moving alone. Yes. But.”

Can this person be trusted? The old priest’s eyes held a peculiar glint.

The origin of that color was obvious: hate, contempt… the kind of emotion a fanatic would naturally possess upon seeing a pagan barbarian.

“The barbarian of the North… They are heretics who worship their native gods, not the deities of the Pantheon. Crossing over from the Frost Gorge to this land, they incite conflict and act nothing less than thugs in vulgar terms. I’m not doubting your judgment, but.”

The old priest, seemingly exhausted from his lengthy discourse, licked his cracked lips before catching his breath.

“…I’m terribly afraid the filth of this secular world might taint you. O anointed one. Why not use the youths here instead? They are faithful followers, always ready to prove their devotion, willing to lay down their lives for you like dogs.”

Aries remained silent, neither affirming nor denying. Khan, for some reason, sensed discomfort in the small figure’s stance.

But to the priest consumed by faith, her dilemma seemed invisible.

“If not, give me some time. I will personally verify if this barbarian can be trusted…”

“Enough with your senile babble. Are you losing your mind?”

Fearing that his own ax of justice might unwittingly split open the cunning priest’s skull, Khan finally stepped in to take control of the situation.

“At the very moment the anointed one is present, this place becomes sacred ground! You, a filthy heretic…! Do not recklessly wag your tainted tongue.”

‘This is why I detest religious fanatics….’Witnessing the unabashed spewing of nonsense was not only astonishing but it transcended to the realm of wonder. What life is there to sacrifice?

“Spewing utter nonsense. What sanctuary? How can a crumbling monastery be a sanctuary? A senile priest.”

“Such foolishness—! To not feel the gaze of the Lord directed right upon us! Clearly a heretic!”

“For a being as busy as a god to have nothing better to do than to spy on a young girl? Clearly, senility is at play. I’d recommend a visit to the psychiatrist. Senile priest.”

“Yo-you…!”

Khan couldn’t help but smirk as he looked down upon the old priest, who seemed on the verge of collapsing from a few exchanges of words.

To think of engaging in a verbal battle as a modern person accustomed to fighting keyboard warriors over concepts as ridiculous as the Earth being flat or the existence of a shadowy world-dominating organization – it was leagues away from his experience.

‘Far from it, indeed.’

Moreover, Khan, being practically untouchable for speaking his mind too boldly, was in his element. After all, Khan was considered ‘an ignorant barbarian’ by many!

“Enough. Khan is to be trusted.”

“How can you…!”

Before the old priest could succumb to his hypertension, Aries, unable to stand it any longer, stepped in to resolve the situation, even going as far as to side with Khan.

“Let’s go.”

“Indeed.”

Leaving the old priest with a look of utter devastation, Khan smirked once more and followed Aries down the corridor.

“Don’t hate him too much. He’s just following his faith.”

“I don’t particularly feel anything. It’s familiar to me.”

After all, isn’t it the nature of keyboard warriors to easily shake off any topic once the thrill of the argument fades away? The joy of winning was all that mattered.

“…I see. Familiar, indeed.”

While Khan’s reply was nonchalant, Aries’ voice carried a hint of somberness.

*

*

*

It was only after entering her designated cell that Aries shed her robe.

Loosening her platinum-blond hair, now gleaming crimson under the lamplight, she listlessly laid down on the bed.

“Ericson.”

The man who, six years ago, had instigated the orc uprising to exterminate settlers in the mountains and used the chaos to gather undead, concealing his identity to live as a mercenary after usurping the body of a blue tower mage.

Because he could change identities through body snatching, no one could track down Ericson or any of Darkin’s disciples, except her and the gray-skinned barbarian she had met that day.

“Gordi Khan.”

The impression she got from the barbarian she encountered at the source of the stench of black magic – surrounded by bodies hewn by axes, nonchalantly collecting loot – was one of danger.

‘A transcendent body, blessed by the divine, possesses a superiority far beyond mere physical strength or endurance, elevating them above ordinary humans.’

Yet, upon encountering Khan, every instinct screamed danger, threatening immediate death if she didn’t flee.

However, Aries chose to fight.

Regardless of the adversary’s nature, she had sworn before the faith to eradicate all related to black magic.

“I lost.”

Compared to the danger her instincts had warned her of, Khan’s strength was within Aries’ capabilities to handle.

However, she was certain.

He had not fought with his full strength, and had he done so, she might have been defeated.

“No, that’s unknown.”

She had her own trump card, a move that could ensure victory against anyone.

Yet, Aries acknowledged Khan’s strength.

Beyond mere physical force, Khan as an individual was incredibly strong.

‘Even as a mere human…’

Aware that the formidable dark mage Darkin Perayas was targeting her, she rather chose to confront them head-on.

Just like how Aries had falsely claimed the church’s support, yet Khan, knowing that, chose to comfort her instead.Despite the monastery’s priest slandering and pouring out hatred towards him, calling him a barbarian, he shrugged it off unconcernedly….

Could Aries do the same? Born into such circumstances, without having done anything to deserve it, could she endure all the hatred and contempt poured upon her just for the sake of criticism?

Sigh…

Aries buried her head in a soft pillow.

Her expression barely changed, and she was not very talkative, but that didn’t mean she was devoid of feelings. On the contrary, her mind was cluttered with numerous thoughts she kept to herself.

“I don’t know.”

Though renowned as being born for battle and strong beyond the disparaging rumors of being brutish, the ripples caused by the wise and thoughtful warrior of the North would not easily settle.

The sight of the aged priest, who had long held onto the teachings of the gods, unleashing his fury in enmity was vivid.

Aries knew well enough that there were occasionally fanatical believers…

“I was no different.”

The warnings of intuition, scattered corpses, collecting spoils of war – after all, the reason Aries launched a preemptive strike against Khan was ultimately because Khan was a barbarian.

According to the church’s teachings, barbarian were heretics, capable of becoming the minions of a dark mage, which had pushed her.

Amidst the chaotic whirl of thoughts,

Knock. Knock.

“I am Priest Bethel.”

“Come in.”

By the time, Aries, who had gotten up from the bed, welcomed the elderly priest.

“I apologize for earlier. I was worried that my overstepping behavior might cause you great harm. If you wish, right here…”

“It’s okay.”

“Thank you for your mercy.”

The anger that had been present before was nowhere to be seen.

Priest Bethel, who quickly managed his emotions and now smiled warmly like a benevolent old man, seemed more like a cunning politician than a devout clergyman.

Even now, that seemed to be the case.

Bethel must have known from the start that Aries would forgive his extreme remarks. Aries was not unaware of this fact.

She had realized long ago that Bethel’s intentions weren’t pure.

Perhaps he was aiming to earn ‘the favor of the paladins’ and eventually make a place for himself in the empire, far from the remote land of Argon.

“Why have you come?”

However, in the same vein.

Aries’s intention to hunt down the dark mage wasn’t purely noble either.

She was in no position to criticize this old priest for harboring his own intentions while assisting her. At least, that’s what she thought…

“It doesn’t matter.”

After all, this manor was a gift reluctantly given by the church, unable to bend Aries’s stubbornness, and Bethel was the master of this gift.

There seemed to be no need to antagonize him unnecessarily.

“…I was apologizing for my behavior to the companion you brought.”

“What is he doing?”

“He is cleaning himself after the battle.”

“I see.”

“But… I couldn’t mention it earlier due to the circumstances. There is a strange rumor among the young people of the manor.”

Bethel lowered his voice as if worried someone might hear.

“There’s been an increase in outsiders visiting the manor recently. Their identities are suspicious, and the fact that this increase happened after your arrival is stirring quite the gossip.”

Just the brief description itself was enough to raise suspicion, and Aries was about to ask for more details when,

“I smell something.”

“Pardon?”

Bethel, taken aback by the sudden comment, sniffed himself in various places to check for any odor.

However, the ‘smell’ Aries referred to was not a simple stench detectable by the nose.

Just as she had sensed the use of dark magic from afar during the encounter with Ericson.

Her divine gifted power had detected the peculiar aura of dark magic.

“This is…”

The scent was far denser than what she sensed from Ericson, indicating one thing for certain.

“We are under attack.”

TL’s notes:

Off the cuff remarks of the MC is quite funny.