SGB: Episode 149

Episode 149: Barbarian Lord (1)

Misha once said firmly:

[I… like skinny guys.]

[Eek!! It means you have no charm as a man!!]

It was what she said when she misunderstood my offer of a companion contract as a confession, back when we were stranded in the Witch’s Forest.

I was relieved by her words.

There’s a saying, ‘there’s no such thing as friends between men and women’, right?

I thought that if her preferences were this clear, we could maintain a companion relationship without any awkwardness, even if we stayed together for a long time.

But…

[Come sit down quickly. You’ll get sick if you sleep without eating.]

Misha’s attitude towards me gradually changed.

She would come by every morning to wake me up, and we would eat the food she made together.

She even gave me meat.

Honestly, it felt like I had a girlfriend, not just a companion.

At first, I thought she was trying to repay the debt of saving her life, but…

“…Yes. I like you. As a man.”

Right, so that was it.

“Did you know?”

“I wasn’t sure.”

To be precise, I was avoiding it. She didn’t even mention it directly. I didn’t face the issue, thinking it might all be my misunderstanding.

Because if I knew, there would only be one choice.

“I, I see…”

Looking at Misha, who’s facing me with a trembling gaze, I realize how cowardly I’ve been.

If I had faced this problem earlier, I could have resolved it differently.

I could have subtly pushed her away.

Before Misha’s feelings grew to the point where even Dwarkey told me not to ignore it.

Right, that’s what would have happened.

“So… what do you… think?”

Now there are two choices.

Either I embrace her and fuel the flames…

…or I put out the fire before it grows.

The answer was already decided.

“I…”

I’m an evil spirit, a player.

I’m not Bjorn Yandel, and I haven’t given up on my desire to return home yet.

But I can’t say that.

Dwarkey also said it would be cowardly to expect her true feelings without showing her my true self.

So I speak honestly,

“I consider you a precious companion.”

Misha’s answer comes after a brief pause.

“Right… I’m… not good enough?”

“It would be the same for anyone else. I don’t have the luxury for that. We don’t know when we’ll die. And besides, it hasn’t even been a year since I finished my coming-of-age ceremony.”

It’s a time when survival should be prioritized.

And Misha needs to continue exploring with me.

If we get entangled in romantic feelings, it will be difficult to make rational judgments when faced with choices.

And that will put both of us in danger.

So…

“I hope you’ll also consider me just as a companion.”

I draw a line, facing reality even now.

But no matter how much I try to sugarcoat it with words about caring for each other, the essence of it is selfishness.

Misha firmly rejects my offer.

“No!”

“…What?”

“Why should I? In the first place, I didn’t even intend to confess today, you bad barbarian! You liar! You asked as if you would accept it!!”

Misha shouts in annoyance and punches me in the solar plexus.

Thwack!

I feel a chill that reaches my heart.

As if her anger hasn’t subsided, Misha continues shouting.

“Who asked you to accept me? I know. That you’re not in a position to do that! But! To tell me not to even like you, isn’t that too cruel?!”

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

Cold damage stacks rapidly.

Just as I’m about to say something, Misha weakly places her hand on my chest.

“I… I don’t even expect much. I think… this is already more than I deserve. So can’t you just not say that? Why… why are you taking even that away from me…?”

I feel a tremor from where Misha is touching me.

Although I can’t see her face because her head is down, it’s not difficult to imagine her expression.

I keep my mouth shut. I feel like I don’t deserve to offer any words or actions of comfort. The silence drags on, and then the trembling stops.

“…….”

Misha steps back and glares at me with red, swollen eyes.

And…

“You’re not getting any dinner tomorrow.”

…she leaves after those spiteful words.

I stay there like a statue, watching her retreating figure.

Creak.

As I enter the inn, the owner at the counter clicks his tongue, looking at me.

“You were the one who was wrong today.”

I already knew that without him telling me.

Thud, thud.

I climb the stairs and open the door to my room.

It’s still Bjorn Yandel’s small, cramped room.

It’s time to accept it.

“…….”

I’m not weak because I’ve become attached to them.

I tried not to get attached because I knew I was weak.

_________________

The next morning.

Misha, who said I wasn’t getting any dinner, came to my room and woke me up.

With a healthy lunchbox full of carrots.

“Chew your food properly. Okay?”

I chew and swallow everything since I’m guilty.

It doesn’t take long since I’m eating as if I’ve forgotten how to breathe. However, Misha speaks first as I look around awkwardly after finishing the meal.

“Isn’t it fine just the way it is now?”

“But…”

“What ‘but’? You have no say in this. So don’t feel pressured. I’m just doing what I want to do.”

It’s the conclusion she reached after a night of contemplation.

There’s no room for me to interfere.

Misha is more mature than I am.

She’s saying this resolutely because she doesn’t want this relationship to become any more awkward.

Well, this ambiguous settlement isn’t what Dwarkey wanted, but…

“Alright.”

“Right, then let’s not talk about this anymore. Got it?”

“Got it.”

With that, the issue is settled for now.

Well, it’s not like anything has changed compared to before, but anyway…

“Come out when you’re done washing up. We need to get going.”

After the meal, I wash up quickly and leave with Misha. And we head towards the meeting place and meet up with the others, then go to Commelby together.

The atmosphere in the carriage is quite heavy.

“I think this is our first time going there together like this?”

Although the dwarf tries to lighten the mood, strictly speaking, it’s not like we’re all going together.

We can’t do that anymore, even if we want to.

“…Let’s just finish our business and go back.”

It’s a bit better once we arrive in Commelby.

We repair our equipment and sell what needs to be sold. And lastly, we stop by the Central Administrative Office to sign the contract transferring the ownership of Dwarkey’s house to the dwarf.

The reason is simple.

The dwarf said he wanted to buy it.

“…Why are you going so far? I’m sure Dwarkey wouldn’t want you to do that.”

“Haha! It was always my dream to have my own house. And I have a lump sum of money now.”

“Well, that’s enough worrying, just take it and sign.”

We sign the document in front of the administrative office employee who’s notarizing it, and Dwarkey’s house officially becomes the dwarf’s property.

For reference, the appraised value of the house, according to the administrative office, is 24 million stones.

However, since I heard that it would sell for about 20% less at auction, we only received 5 million stones per person.

“Then let’s go back and have a drink.”

We finish our business and return to the residential district, heading towards the bar. And we have our final settlement.

We divide all the income, including the magic stones, into four.

Although there are slight differences because of things like equipment repair costs and consumable expenses in the labyrinth…

‘25 million stones…’

A huge sum of money is in my hands.

The dwarf only has 10 million stones left after buying the house…

Ah, for reference, it was agreed that Dragonslayer and the ‘Tempered Wish’ I used in the labyrinth would be considered my share.

“The fact that he sacrificed himself to save us… it must be a truly valuable treasure. But we’re not shameless enough to be greedy for that.”

“It’s the same for the Dragonslayer. If it weren’t for you, he would have taken that item with him.”

I’m very grateful for their words.

If we were to convert those items into money and split it four ways, we would have to go bankrupt several times over.

“Alright, then let’s drink.”

After a few more rounds of drinks, I subtly bring up the topic.

“It seems like it’s time to talk about the team.”

One spot on the team is vacant.

But I’m not planning to fill that spot, I’m going to tell them that Misha and I are leaving the team.

However…

“I have something to say to everyone about that.”

The dwarf beat me to it.

“I’m quitting being an explorer.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry to bring this up at a time like this. But it’s a decision I made after thinking about it all day yesterday, so please understand.”

Rotmiller asks at the dwarf’s declaration,

“What are you planning to do after you quit?”

“I’m going to open a blacksmith’s workshop. That’s why I bought that guy’s house. I thought if I didn’t do it now, I would never be able to.”

No wonder he wanted to buy Dwarkey’s house.

He was planning to renovate it and turn it into a blacksmith’s workshop.

“I became an explorer to escape reality. I gave up on my dream because I had no talent and needed money to survive. But I don’t want to have any regrets. That would be an insult to him.”

No one could object to the dwarf’s firm words.

They just wished him well in his future endeavors.

“…I hope you achieve your dream.”

“Oh, a blacksmith’s workshop? You’re becoming the boss now? I’ll definitely come visit.”

“If I need to go to a blacksmith’s, I’ll go to your shop from now on.”

“Yeah, that’s right! Just thinking about it makes me excited! Hahaha!”

After the dwarf’s departure becomes a certainty, Rotmiller speaks up.

“Murad, don’t feel too bad. I was also planning to leave the team after this expedition.”

“What? You? Why?”

“I realized my own shortcomings. That’s all.”

The dwarf is speechless at his brief answer.

But did Rotmiller already expect this reaction?

He continues without any change in expression.

“Actually, I already told Bjorn about it. I didn’t imagine it would end like this back then. But since we have a lot of money now, I’m going to take some time to improve myself.”

“…I believe that with your diligence and perseverance, you’ll achieve your goal someday, no matter what it is.”

The dwarf’s sincere words end, and their gazes turn to Misha and me.

They’re probably curious about what we’re going to do.

I briefly reveal our future ambitions.

“We’re going to form a new team. And we’re going to climb even higher.”

“Right, I knew you would say that.”

“Miss Kaltstein will have a hard time.”

“…Well, it’s my karma. And besides, there’s nothing else I can do.”

We all raise our glasses and toast.

The last drinking party as Team Misfits.

We spend our time saying goodbye, blessing and cheering for each other’s futures, and reminiscing about our shared memories.

As always, time flows relentlessly, and soon the dwarf and Misha get drunk and bury their heads on the table.

“It’s time to call it a night.”

I smile bitterly at Rotmiller.

It was always the two of us who cleaned up at the end of our drinking sessions.

It’s a fitting end for Team Misfits.

Just as I’m thinking that and getting up…

“Bjorn, I have something to ask you.”

Unlike usual, Rotmiller calls out to me in a low voice.

As if he had been waiting for the other two to fall asleep.

“…Go ahead.”

I look at him, feeling a strange sense of pressure, and Rotmiller asks me after a brief pause,

“Are you an evil spirit?”

The biggest task remains for the safe disbandment of Team Misfits.

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