Month 13 (5)

What path must I follow?

I still haven’t found the answer to that question, but for now, I’m walking along a path anyway.

A path leading not to the barbarian sanctuary, but to that of another race.

Although the buildings weren’t all that different from those in the city, they somehow blended seamlessly with the surrounding nature.

Lifting my head slightly, I could see a massive tree towering in the distance, silently revealing my location.

The sacred land of the fairies: Barharium.

The people here were enjoying the festival as well, but their way of celebrating was quite different from that of the barbarians.

It wasn’t quiet by any means, but there was a sense of order to it.

Even the background music was different. While the barbarian festival featured booming percussion instruments such as drums, here soft, lively string instruments dominated.

‘And no one’s fighting, either…’

Hmm. Is this what you call a cultural difference?

It was my first time witnessing another race’s festival, and I found it fascinating. But to Erwin, who was walking beside me, this must have been a familiar sight.

“Mister! Isn’t this place amazing? Nothing smells burnt here!” Erwin chirped, clearly more pleased by that than the festival itself.

Well, I didn’t dislike it either.

“The air is clean… but how did they manage that?”

Even now, with the festival in full swing, the stench of the massive fire in District 8 still lingered throughout the city.

District 5 had even set up a purification magic circle running daily, and yet the smell hadn’t disappeared completely. So how was the air here so clean?

Erwin pointed toward the massive tree in the distance.

“It’s thanks to the Sacred Tree. Outsiders don’t really know this, but it has purification powers.”

Ah… that does sound familiar.

Now that I think about it, I do recall there being a bit of lore about that.

“But let’s stop wandering around and head over there,” Erwin said firmly.

“Huh? Weren’t we here for the festival?”

“Huh? Why would I be? What’s so fun about joining something this boring…?”

“Then why are we here?”

“Just hurry up and come!”

Erwin quickened her pace, leading the way.

However, since we were still at the entrance of the sanctuary, we had no choice but to pass through the festival-crowded streets.

“…Isn’t that Blood Spirit Queen?”

“And who’s that human next to her?”

“If he’s standing beside her… could he be Baron Jandel?”

“He looks too small for that, though.”

Unlike at the city festival, we were the centre of attention wherever we went, despite my altered appearance.

It was rare for other races to be in the Fairy sanctuary, and more importantly, the person next to me was far too famous.

“…That snake of a woman.”

“She abandoned her duty as a pureblood just to chase after a man, didn’t she?”

“How does she have the gall to show her face here after betraying the clan…”

As I stood there listening, the insults hurled at Erwin pierced my ears.

Traitor, snake, disgrace to the clan…………….

‘So this is why she hasn’t been visiting the sanctuary…!’

A barrage of verbal attacks came at her from all directions.

Just as I wondered whether I should step in—

Erwin grabbed my sleeve.

“Let’s just go…”

…Right. If she’s staying quiet, it’d be strange for me to make a scene.

I held it in and followed her.

“Tch, look at that.”

Some said elves were all honest and kind, while others insisted they were incapable of the cruelty so common among humans. But none of that meant anything to me.

From now on, anyone who says that to me is getting hit.

“Dragging a man around like that—looks like a prostitute from the red-light district.”

“Bethelraaaaaa!!!”

I released the effects of the Crimson Party Suit and let out a roar as I activated both Union and Giantization.

「Character has used [Wild Burst]」

「Threat level temporarily triples, and the character’s physical stats increase in proportion to it.」

With [Wild Release], my threat level also increased.

My roar echoed through the air and, within a 50-metre radius, not a single person could move.

The dozens of people around me froze, as if even the slightest movement might cost them their lives.

It was ironic.

I hadn’t even used a stun—just raised my “threat level.”

‘If that’s all it takes, what gave them the courage to talk like that?’

I didn’t know.

But perhaps that irrational behavior was proof that fairies, too, were just people.

Fortunately, dealing with people was a barbarian’s specialty.

Boom

I moved forward, calmly parting the frozen crowd as I made my way in a set direction. Before long, I stopped in front of a middle-aged fairy who stood frozen in fear, staring at me.

He seemed like he wanted to speak, but he was too terrified to even move his lips properly.

I spoke.

“Say that again.”

“What did you just say to my companion?”

He said nothing.

That was fortunate.

If he’d said it again, my hand might’ve moved first.

Still, he seemed to have decent survival instincts, so I decided to let him off with a warning.

“You should keep your mouth shut if you want to live long.”

“I—I will…”

He nodded frantically, taking the chance to back off, and just like that, the situation came to an end.

“Mister…”

Erwin quietly approached and tugged at my sleeve again.

But—

“Damn it.”

“Why is he here?”

“Is it really okay for him to act like that in another race’s sanctuary?”

“Ignorant brute… doesn’t he even think about the diplomatic issues this will cause…?”

The whispers continued behind us.

“Don’t mind them,” Erwin urged, likely thinking I might react to their remarks. “Let’s just keep going. Quickly.”

Being dragged away by Erwin made me feel like some delinquent trying to look tough in front of his girlfriend.

Still, I had no regrets.

It was their fault to begin with, so why should I care?

If a Barbarian hears such things, this is the natural outcome—

“…I guess he does look after her as his woman.”

“The Blood Spirit Queen is strange too, what does she like about a Barbarian like that…”

Oh, seriously.

I felt sorry for Erwin, but I stopped following her and glanced around at the crowd.

They were talking behind my back just a moment ago, but the second I stopped, they shut their mouths and avoided my gaze.

‘Since she’s hearing those things because of me, I can’t just leave it like this.’

Having made a quick decision, I shouted loudly.

“Listen up, everyone!! I swear here on all my honor! I, Bjorn, son of Jandel, have never slept with Erwin Fornacci ti Tercia!!”

“L-let’s go!” I stammered as I grabbed Erwin’s wrist and bolted away. A bad feeling told me I’d just made a huge mistake.

“Uh… Erwin? I didn’t mean for it to go like that…”

“No, it’s okay. You don’t have to explain.”

“No, I—”

“I said it’s really okay.”

…Is it, though?

If it were Misha or Amelia, I’d have been attacked by now.

But judging by her voice, she didn’t sound angry.

“Actually, I’m grateful. You stood up for me, didn’t you?”

“Uh… yeah, that’s right.”

“So it’s fine. Though… it did hurt my pride a little.”

…Yeah, I’ve got nothing to say to that.

So I quickly changed the subject.

“I don’t see any people here.”

Before we knew it, we were in the middle of a forest.

“This isn’t a residential or commercial area. Not many people come here during the festival.”

“I see.”

“But we were heading this way anyway. Shall we continue?”

“Alright.”

Once we entered the forest, Erwen slowed her pace, and our walk gradually turned into something closer to a hike.

‘Wait… where are we even going?’

The question came to me belatedly, but I decided to ask something else first.

“Erwen.”

“Yes?”

“…Does this happen often?”

“…That? Well… it can’t really be helped. Even after receiving the pure blood, I’m not devoting myself to the clan…”

I see.

I asked her one more question, though I knew it might not be easy for her to answer.

“Are there people who think you should be killed so the pure blood can be passed on?”

“…There are some. Especially in times like these, when strength is needed more than ever. But don’t worry. Thanks to you, even the elders can’t say much to my face.”

“I see.”

Watching her force a smile, I thought to myself—

‘I need to resolve this before it gets worse…’

Of course, I couldn’t return the “pure blood,” but I could compensate in other ways—

Repay them with something equivalent, or help the fairies when they’re in crisis and build a debt.

“So where are we going?”

“We’re almost there.”

Whatever the destination was, the fact that she brought me here despite everything meant it was important.

“Alright.”

I followed silently, observing the surroundings.

Then I noticed something.

“This place… it’s not just a forest.”

When I stopped walking and spoke, Erwin gave an awkward smile.

“Ah… you noticed?”

“The magic circles carved into the trees, the soft ground making it hard to run, and even the positions atop the trees are perfectly set up to intercept those below. Is this a defensive structure?”

“Yes. It is now.”

“Now?”

“It used to be a residential area. But after it was invaded and the sanctuary was burned to ashes, this place was rebuilt along with it.”

I didn’t ask what invasion.

It was obvious.

The Dragonslayer incident.

From what I’d heard, Erwin had lost her parents back then.

“We used to live here… It still looks familiar, but at the same time, so much has changed.”

“I-Is that so?”

“…Hehe, let’s stop talking about that and get going.”

It felt like I’d brought up something I shouldn’t have, but what’s done is done.

We continued walking through the forest as if on a quiet stroll, and before long, we finally arrived at our destination.

It was a small house built beside a modest pond.

“This is my home—the place where my older sister, my younger sister, and I used to live. Though neither my older sister nor I live here anymore.”

“Then is it abandoned?”

“No. My younger sister stays here. Actually… the reason I brought you here is because of her…”

“You brought me here because of your younger sister?”

From what I knew, Erwin didn’t have the best relationship with her.

After Daria died and I went missing, Erwin had neglected her home and devoted herself entirely to revenge.

That was when she earned the nickname Blood Spirit Queen.

“After coming back from the underground first floor, I started visiting from time to time. So our relationship has improved quite a bit… but… she is really curious about you.”

Hmm. I get the idea.

“W-Well… given racial differences, there are certain prejudices against barbarians… I’m sorry.”

“That’s not something you need to apologize for. If anything, it’s my responsibility.”

“…Huh?”

“If she’s your family, then she’s basically my family too. And yet I’m only coming to see her now, aren’t I? Is your sister inside? Let’s go.”

I didn’t know what kind of person she was, but it was best to meet her quickly and leave.

…Before word of the incident that just happened in the village could reach here.

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