SGB: Episode 130

Episode 130: Kaltstein (4)

What does the master truly want from me?

This has been a constant question.

I have a guess, but it’s not at a level where I can be certain.

So, Plan B.

I planned to have Misha come out in front of everyone.

It’s the thing the master would dislike the most in the current situation.

‘Right, the best way to hinder someone is to prevent them from doing what they want to do.’

The master wanted to keep Misha’s awakening a secret, both internally and externally. That’s why he hurriedly appeared before Plan B could be executed.

And as a result of having a barbarian-style conversation…

…I was finally able to hear his unfiltered true intentions.

“I know you used that item.”

The Frost Spirit Ring.

It’s a Numbered Item that allows you to make a guaranteed contract with the Glacier Beast Skadi when you activate the hidden piece.

‘It wouldn’t be strange for the chieftain to know about it.’

It was a possibility I had already considered.

If he didn’t think I used ‘that item’, there would be no reason for him to treat Misha like an outsider.

However, the master isn’t certain either.

“That item? What are you talking about?”

A twenty-five-year-old Red Cat beastman.

The probability of naturally making a contract with Skadi with those conditions is practically 0%…

But ‘close to’ and 0 are different.

“Hmm.”

So he’s testing me.

He has suspicions but no evidence.

“Your acting is clumsy.”

Clumsy my ass.

I’ve fooled countless people so far.

“What are you talking about? Speak in a way I can understand.”

“I’m talking about ‘that item’ that allows you to make a contract with the Glacier Beast Skadi. You can’t deny knowing about it, can you?”

The master stares at me with a look that says, ‘don’t lie, I know everything’.

Does he think barbarians are idiots?

“There’s such an item? Then why didn’t you give it to Misha?”

“Because it’s a very valuable item. There’s no way I would give it to someone who’s not even my child.”

As soon as I hear those words, I involuntarily look at Misha.

As expected, she looks like she’s about to cry.

But I decide to comfort her later.

I continue acting like a clueless barbarian.

“Valuable item? Then it’s even stranger. How could I possibly have such an item?”

“Well, maybe you obtained it by chance from that Magic Tower you frequent.”

What the, damn it.

Does he really know everything?

My body stiffens involuntarily.

So I decide to glare at the master to make up for my mistake.

“…Did you even investigate me?”

Just a barbarian who’s pissed off by his crossing the line.

This shouldn’t make my previous action seem too awkward—

“I told you, your acting is clumsy.”

Bullshit, I believe in my acting skills.

I don’t budge and ask back in annoyance,

“So what is that item? What is it that you’re bothering me so much for?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“What?”

“You keep denying it. It’s an item that shouldn’t be known to outsiders. If you admit it, then I’ll tell you.”

Huh? What?

There’s no inconsistency in the master’s words.

If he’s just testing me, it’s only natural that he can’t tell me the name of the item.

But…

‘Why does it feel so strange?’

I feel a strong sense of dissonance.

My intuition, honed from defeating countless bastards who tried to exploit me, is telling me that something is wrong.

“Does that item even exist? Or do you actually have another purpose?”

Therefore, I ask again.

And I focus all my senses on observing the master.

A momentary hesitation, a change in his facial muscles. Where is his gaze directed, and how does his voice sound?

“Of course it exists. What other purpose could there be?”

I observe every moment of his brief answer with suspicious eyes, although I’m not an expert.

And I instinctively realize it.

The master is lying right now.

‘Ha, so this was it.’

Thanks to that, the last question I had is answered.

He could have tested me in other ways.

“Be honest. If you’re keeping quiet because you’re worried about this child, I’ll take care of it.”

Why is the master even saying these contradictory things?

Everything makes sense now.

If his goal wasn’t Misha, but ‘that item’ itself.

‘No wonder he kept saying ‘that item’.’

I finally understand the situation.

The master invited me to the mansion.

Whether Misha was his real daughter or not didn’t matter.

He didn’t seem like the type to be very devoted to his children anyway.

He had a different goal.

An item that guarantees a contract with a Spirit Beast.

If I really knew about this item…

…he wanted to find out about it.

After all, it would be information of immeasurable value to beastmen.

So he showed me Misha’s pitiful situation, which he judged to be my Achilles’ heel.

He was probably planning to use it for negotiation or blackmail.

Therefore…

“I swear on my honor as a warrior, I don’t know anything about such an item.”

I throw out my trump card that I’ve been saving.

The warrior’s oath, the number one reason why I chose to be a barbarian.

“…….”

A look of bewilderment appears in the master’s eyes.

Confirming that, I add one last blow before missing the timing.

“But I’ll definitely find out what that item is. So just wait.”

I mutter as if suppressing my anger and check the master’s expression.

His eyes are filled with deep disappointment.

Geez, he’s the worst actor here.

“Forget everything we talked about today.”

I leave the Kaltstein mansion after the master’s announcement. Misha has been dazed since earlier, and I don’t bother talking to her.

I have things to think about.

‘Phew, at least it didn’t go to the worst-case scenario.’

There were two reasons why I readily agreed when I received the invitation from the Kaltstein family.

1. Misha’s defection.

If the master was planning to put Misha in a large clan, I had to stop him. Erwen, Ainar, and now even Misha, whom I finally raised, leaving?

It’s a horrifying thought.

2. Avoiding suspicion of being an evil spirit.

If the master knew the secret behind Misha’s awakening, I had to visit at least once to explain it properly.

I didn’t expect him to only know half of it and call me because of that, though.

Creak.

The gatekeeper, who recognized us, opens the main gate as we pass through the garden. The bald guy from before must have gone to rest after receiving treatment, as it’s a new face.

But did he recognize me?

“Ah, goodbye.”

He gives a brief bow as we make eye contact.

The mansion where Misha lived from childhood to adulthood.

The well-maintained garden is colorful, and the fountain sprays water gracefully, sparkling.

The mansion itself is no different.

It’s a grand and elegant building, unlike the inn I’m staying at.

But…

…the dark malice surrounding the mansion is unchanged.

Just like when I first saw this place, it feels like I’m looking at a dungeon filled with monsters.

I realize once again…

Right, she survived in this place.

For all those years.

“You did well.”

I pat her on the back and say that, and Misha comes to her senses and shakes her head.

“Ah, no. You’re the one who did well…”

Hmm, that’s not what I meant.

“But you must have been the one who had the hardest time.”

I chuckle and pat her on the back again.

“Ack! That hurts!”

Right, now she’s back to normal.

“If you’ve come to your senses, lead the way. I don’t know the way back.”

“Ha, really… what would you do without me?”

“I wouldn’t have come to a place where I don’t know the way.”

“…That’s true.”

We chat idly as we walk through the beastman district.

We see heartwarming scenes everywhere.

“Daddy, look! It’s that barbarian from before!”

Beastmen families are walking around, laughing and chatting happily.

“Bjorn, let’s eat that too.”

“Why are you buying food outside?”

“Hmm, well… because you worked hard today?”

We stop by a street vendor and buy snacks, then sit on a bench in the plaza. Although we could eat while walking…

…it wouldn’t hurt to rest for a bit.

“You know, Bjorn.”

“Speak.”

“Why don’t you ever ask?”

“Ask what?”

We rest quietly, watching the beastmen passing by, and then…

…Misha asks me a question.

“Aren’t you even curious?”

“So what is it?”

“That… whether I’m really, Father’s child…”

So this was it.

I chuckle and look at Misha.

Although she didn’t do anything wrong, she hangs her head low and stares at the ground, as if she’s the one who asked the question.

“I’m not curious.”

“Really? Not at all?”

“Yeah, why would that be important?”

“Wow, you really don’t care about me…”

What is she talking about?

I’m about to hit her on the back, but I stop.

‘I shouldn’t hurt her, right?’

I consider ruffling her hair like in a cartoon, but I stop because it’s too cringe-worthy.

My hand, which lost its destination, returns to my lap.

I look away and say to Misha,

I should at least clear up the misunderstanding since she’s my companion.

“It’s not that I don’t care, it’s just that it’s not important.”

“Huh?”

“Misha Kaltstein, the 7th-grade explorer. That’s you, isn’t it? It doesn’t matter who your parents are. The fact that you’re a companion I can trust and rely on doesn’t change.”

“Wow…”

Misha opens her mouth wide as if she heard something amazing.

And she looks at me with a bright smile.

“How did you think of that?”

“…Do you want to fight?”

If that’s the case, then it’s a good thing.

Just as I’m about to get up after resting enough…

Misha grabs my sleeve.

“Bjorn.”

“What?”

“This is a secret, I’m only telling you.”

“Enough, just say it quickly.”

“I… I’m actually a half-breed. My mom told me. Before she passed away. She said she was really sorry.”

Ah, uh, hmm…

I contemplate how to react and then just nod.

“…I see.”

“What? Why aren’t you surprised?”

Because I already knew.

Although I didn’t know the details.

“It’s not that important, is it?”

“Ugh, you insensitive barbarian!”

We then get up from our seats.

And we leave the sanctuary and enter the city, arriving at the public transportation platform.

However, just as we’re buying tickets and waiting for the carriage…

“Ah, right. What about that? You made a promise in front of Father. That… definitely…”

Misha trails off.

I’m genuinely flustered.

Maybe because she’s become too comfortable, or maybe because she had a lot on her mind in front of her father…

…but I didn’t even think about it.

“That… was a lie, right?”

I sigh and nod.

What’s the point of hiding it when she already knows?

I just have to handle it well.

“Yeah, it was a lie. You’re more important than a warrior’s honor.”

“…Is that true?”

“Yeah.”

Misha doesn’t say anything for a long time after that.

The time passes, filled with an awkward silence.

“…….”

“…….”

Don’t tell me, she’s thinking something strange?

Just as I’m thinking that I should say something first to break the suffocating silence…

“Ah!”

…Misha jumps up.

And she says something incomprehensible…

“I, I left something at home, so I’ll be back!”

“…What? The carriage is coming so—”

“You go ahead!”

…and disappears in a flash.

…What?

Don’t tell me, I’m fucked?

________________

Flip, flip.

Albreniv Kaltstein.

He sits in his study, flipping through the pages of a book with somewhat hurried movements.

And he finally finds the part he was looking for.

[No……]

…contract with the Glacier Beast Skadi.

It’s a description where he can only read one sentence because the rest is completely torn out.

All his suspicions started from this book.

[Compendium of Artifacts VI]

This book contains descriptions of hundreds of Numbered Items.

And the important thing is that the descriptions are never wrong.

That's what the Compendium is.

A book of truth, whose value can't even be measured.

‘If I hadn’t known about this, I would have been genuinely happy.’

When she told me that she had awakened.

Honestly, he was happy.

He thought he wouldn’t have to hide the shame of the family anymore.

[So it’s the Glacier Beast, Skadi.]

The problem was the Spirit Beast she contracted with.

Could this be a coincidence?

He couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was off.

So he tested her several times, and then he came to a conclusion.

She didn’t awaken naturally.

If his prediction was correct, she received help.

Probably from that barbarian, Bjorn Yandel.

[I, I can’t talk about anything related to Bjorn. I sw, swore to the guardian deity…]

However, she refused to talk about it, mentioning the guardian deity’s oath.

It’s something that has no binding power, and in this day and age where traditions have faded, it holds no meaning.

But she, who had never even properly rebelled before, lied while even making such an excuse.

It would be difficult to get a proper answer from her.

[It would be better to question that barbarian.]

He changed the direction of his investigation.

And suspicious circumstances continued to appear.

That barbarian was close to a mage from the Artemion school.

Arrua Raven.

Coincidentally, it was someone he remembered.

She was a competitor he met while searching for another ‘Compendium’.

A hypothesis came to mind.

What if that mage obtained the ‘Compendium of Artifacts’?

And she told the barbarian about it?

[That makes much more sense.]

He decided to target the barbarian instead of the bold mage girl. Since they seemed to be practically living together, it would be much easier if he used her.

But…

‘To think it was a natural awakening.’

He wasn’t fooled by the oath or anything.

That barbarian wasn’t acting.

He had a genuinely clueless expression, and he felt a sense of regret for his ignorance for her sake.

‘Interesting. So even that insignificant bloodline had some talent.’

Just as that thought crossed his mind, someone knocked on the door.

It was his assistant, Veros.

“Misha Kaltstein requests an audience with the master.”

“Her? Let her in immediately.”

After a short wait, the assistant left, and she entered.

“I… there’s something I couldn’t say earlier—”

“Ah, don’t worry about that. I’ll keep my promise. No one will think you’re not a member of our family anymore.”

Strangely, she didn’t react at all.

He thought she would be a bit happier.

He added,

“It means you’re my daughter now.”

The words that she must have longed for, feeling a sense of lack and love-hate.

But it was the same this time too.

“…Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“Because I didn’t come here for something like that…!”

“What?”

He was genuinely surprised by her disrespectful tone.

What is this change?

Before he could even adjust, she looked him straight in the eyes.

“Father. No, you’re not even my father. Don’t you know? That we’re not even related by a drop of blood.”

“What?”

He was truly surprised.

Not because it was something he didn’t know, but because it came from her mouth.

“My mother told me before she passed away. That I’m not actually of the Kaltstein bloodline. I came here to tell you that. I hate you… but I also feel sorry for you.”

Was it because it was something he had never imagined?

He didn’t even feel angry at her bold words.

He was just curious.

“Why are you doing this?”

He knew who Misha’s biological father was.

He thought everything would be resolved if she died in the labyrinth.

But…

“If you hadn’t said that, I was planning to truly accept you as a member of the family.”

She’s rejecting it even though she’s being given what she longed for.

“Why? Why are you throwing away this opportunity?”

She turns her back on him as if it’s not even worth answering and heads towards the door.

But did she have a change of heart at the last moment?

She turns her head slightly and says to him,

“I just… felt like it!”

It was a statement he couldn’t understand at all.

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