Barbarian Quest-Chapter 122

“S-stop him and kill, no, capture him alive!”

The guard captain yelled as he rose to his feet in panic. Regardless of his status, Urich had broken out of the interrogation room. The captain couldn’t let him get away with that without hurting his pride.

The soldiers grabbed their spears upside down and lunged toward Urich.

“Hah?”

Urich whistled and did the same with his axe so that its blunt handle would point toward the enemies. He pummeled through the soldiers, using his axe as a hammer.

'Capturing a barbarian warrior is no ordinary feat. After all, they're a kind that won’t stop unless they’re killed.'

Yanchinus leaned on his chin and chuckled. He held back one of his knights who was attempting to intervene and watched Urich fight. Already, seven soldiers were rolling on the ground.

"This man is my guest. It seems there has been a misunderstanding!" Yanchinus called out to the guard captain.

'Now he says that! Dammit! Dammit!'

The guard captain was in a bind, stamping his feet helplessly. Urich stood there, breathing like a beast, having knocked down the soldiers.

‘I hate him. What a cunning man.'

Urich had been aware of Yanchinus's gaze from the start. Yanchinus had more than enough power to quell the chaos instantly, yet he chose to stand idly by and watch, allowing the disorder to persist.

"Stop! Stop the fighting!"

The guard captain stepped in front of the soldier and Urich, yelling. He raised his shield to block Urich's axe and swung the spear shaft.

Urich’s eyes widened at the sight of the guard captain's spear shaft. It was faster and more unpredictable than he expected.

'He’s good.'

The title of guard captain was not given just for show. As the captain of the Imperial Capital's guards, he excelled in both military and civil spheres.

Thud!

Urich knocked the spear shaft away with the back of his axe and looked at the guard captain.

"Are we good?"

Urich asked, twirling his axe around.

"Lay down your weapon. His Majesty commands that you be treated as a guest."

Urich laughed, drained of energy. He lifted his head to look at Yanchinus. Steel knights, with their faces hidden, stood around him.

Yanchinus looked back at Urich. He had been deep in thought since earlier, his lips curling into a half-smile.

* * *

Urich stayed at the Swallow Palace as a guest of the royal family. He was familiar with the place, having stayed there before with Pahell’s party. Some attendants even recognized Urich. Many were still waiting to be received by the emperor, and some were unjustly complaining to the innocent palace officials.

Urich bathed and dressed in clean, neat clothes. Even the most free-spirited had to dress appropriately in the royal palace. Urich frowned at the tight-fitting clothes.

'This is ridiculous, the clothes feel like they'll rip if I move even just a little.'

Urich moved stiffly, sighing. A palace official knocked and entered his room.

"His Majesty invites Sir Urich to a hunt."

"Eh? Me?"

"Yes, that’s right," the official said, narrowing his eyes.

'He probably doesn’t realize what a great privilege this is.'

Many waited to be received by the emperor, yet Urich was a guest directly chosen by the emperor himself. Right upon his arrival, he got the opportunity to meet the emperor and even go hunting together.

"Hunting, huh? Noble hunting games aren't really to my taste."

Urich knew how nobles hunted. It was entirely different from the hunting Urich knew, which had the sole purpose of surviving. Game animals were released in private forests and fields, and beaters and hunting dogs drove them to the nobles, who only had to pull back their bows.

'That's not hunting. It's just child's play. I wouldn't even use that to teach a ten-year-old to shoot an arrow.’

Urich prepared to join the hunt despite all his grumbling. Whether he liked it or not, it was true that he was practically indebted to Emperor Yanchinus. Regardless of the circumstances, Urich had caused a disturbance in the guardhouse. He could have lost his head if things had gone wrong and it would have been completely justified.

'Traveling alone as a barbarian isn’t the most pleasant thing to do.'

Only when alone did he acutely feel the discrimination and prejudice against barbarians. Despite the empire’s efforts in the barbarian inclusion policy, guards would first arrest barbarian travelers whenever a crime occurred. Indeed, many barbarians in civilized society engaged in dirty and violent deeds.

'It’s a vicious cycle.'

Barbarians are only able to engage in such jobs because that’s what they are viewed as.

Urich was treated well because he was an outstanding warrior. His exceptional prowess overcame the barriers between barbarians and civilized people. Sometimes, extraordinary beings are not bound by their origins.

"This is your hunting attire," the official said as he presented the clothes. Urich scowled.

"You want me to change again? Fucking hell."

"Please watch your language in the palace," the official said expressionlessly. Accustomed to dealing with various nobles, he was good at hiding his emotions, simply stating facts without inciting anger.

Urich got dressed in the hunting attire with the help of the palace attendants. The clothes were hard to put on alone. He tied laces, buttoned up, donned a vest, and then an overcoat. The hat's brim curved excessively upwards, making him question its utility.

"You look splendid!" an attendant exclaimed, sweating.

"This is splendid? Your eyes must be useless. Better pluck them out right away."

Urich snapped, making the attendant fall silent.

"The attire suits you well, Sir Urich," the official who was waiting for him commented.

"Splendid, my ass."

Urich followed the official to the Swallow Palace stables. Kylios was well cared for by the royal stablemaster, and his mane and skin were finally glossy again after the rough northern journey.

"Hey, Kylios."

Kylios neighed upon Urich's arrival, his large eyes gazing at him.

"Will you be riding your personal horse?"

"Of course."

Urich and Kylios headed to the royal hunting grounds. It was a while after Urich's arrival that Yanchinus and his knights appeared. The emperor’s hunting attire was lavishly embroidered with gold threads, easily identifiable as himself even from afar.

"Ah, Urich."

Yanchinus smiled at Urich. He had a refreshing smile on his handsome face, but Urich found it chilling. He had already experienced what kind of person Yanchinus was.

"Off your horse! Show respect in His Majesty’s presence!" a knight beside him shouted. Yanchinus raised his hand to stop the knight.

"Shut it. He's a barbarian. Of course, he doesn’t know our manners."

Yanchinus embarrassed his own knight while taking Urich's side.

'This sly fox, what’s he plotting?'

Urich looked down at Yanchinus. He was a head taller.

"Do you enjoy hunting, Urich?"

"I like hunting, not 'hunting games.'"

"Haha, of course, it must seem that way to you. You're right. This is a hunting game."

Even as he was saying these words, Yanchinus still signaled the start of the hunt. The servants bustled about preparing for the hunt. The royal hunting grounds were vast, seemingly endless. It looked like they would have to ride for a while.

"It's quite something, causing such a ruckus at the guardhouse. Normally, one would have lost their head for that. Of course, you must have had your reasons. We couldn't just chop off the head of the champion of the last jousting tournament. It's a matter of dignity."

"I didn’t really think things through."

Urich shrugged his shoulders, and Yanchinus laughed as if he was momentarily at a loss for words.

"I didn’t expect to meet you again. I thought you were doing well in Porcana, eating and drinking to your heart’s content. King Varca seemed to favor you."

A warrior favored by the king. Urich's feats could have earned him a title and more.

"I'm not one of Varca’s men. Just... a friend."

Urich muttered the last word. Yanchinus squinted his eyes.

"That's why I have been watching you and King Varca closely. A barbarian and royalty being close was an incredibly unusual sight."

"Incredibly unusual? That sounds a bit exaggerated."

Urich replied, receiving a bow from a servant. He lightly plucked the bowstring.

Dogs barked in the distance. Beatmen shouted, driving the game toward Urich and the emperor.

"But it was unexpected to hear that Ferzen disappeared in Porcana, but I wasn’t surprised. He didn’t have too long left to live, so it would have made sense for him to disappear. Noya was always that kind of man."

Urich gave no indication of being affected. His heart was calm. There was no sting. If anything, Urich was a victim of Ferzen's schemes.

'It feels like I keep getting used by old men lately.'

Urich grumbled, looking at the forest. The sound of bushes rustling came through.

Cre—eak!

Yanchinus drew his bowstring. He shot an arrow toward the moving bushes.

"Ah, I missed. I'm really no good at archery. What about you?"

"If it were my bow, maybe, but this one... eh."

Urich widened his eyes as he pulled the bowstring. He spotted a brown hide moving through the bushes.

Thwip! freew(e)bnove(l)

The moment Urich released the bowstring, he sensed the arrow would hit. It was a hunter's instinct.

"Hit! Excellent!"

Yanchinus patted Urich's back.

"Let's see what you caught. Hiya!"

Yanchinus spurred his horse forward, followed by his knights. The animal seemed to have run quite a distance even after being hit.

"Beaters!"

The beaters released the dogs. They followed the blood trail, barking and running. Yanchinus and Urich cut through the forest, following the dogs.

"Ha! Here it is."

Yanchinus found Urich's quarry first. He beckoned Urich over.

"Grrr..."

A groan was heard. Urich frowned and dismounted.

"To run off this far even after being hit in the thigh, not your usual game, right?" Yanchinus said as he pointed at the game. His laughter was light.

"The game was a person..."

Urich looked at the man rolling on the ground. Urich's arrow was lodged in his thigh.

‘No wonder I couldn’t tell. Who knew he'd be wearing deer hide head to toe.'

The man couldn’t remove the deer hide himself even if he wanted to. It was stuck to his skin with glue. Removing it would peel off the skin too.

"You're a skilled hunter, Urich. But you must finish it off properly."

Yanchinus raised his sword. He stabbed the neck of the man hit by the arrow. The smooth blade cut through the flesh without hesitation. The emperor showed no hesitation in taking a life.

Yanchinus was a man who stood at the pinnacle of the world since birth. He had never seen anyone above him. Every person in this world was simply a tool for his use.

"Isn't hunting people a bit too perverse for so-called civilized people?"

"That would be the case unless the prey is of Serpentism. That man kidnaps and eats children. It's fine to treat him like a beast. Lou would forgive it."

Yanchinus threw his blood-stained sword to a servant, who carefully cleaned it.

"That damned Lou, so convenient. Do whatever and just seek Lou’s forgiveness."

Urich spoke sarcastically. Yanchinus laughed off his sarcasm.

"There's a disease called Serpentism in my city. They've infiltrated the heart of the empire. I plan to eradicate them completely. I need a strong, ruthless remedy... someone who can carry out brutal justice in my stead."

Yanchinus raised his hand and pointed at Urich.

"Eh? Me? What, a man like you, the emperor, doesn't have enough competent men under you?"

Urich looked at the knights around Yanchinus. They just kept their mouths shut, expressionless.

"Finding the Serpentists hidden in the underworld is not for everyone. If a civilized person approaches, they'll just run away. Using Sun Warriors is risky as their strong faith might spoil the task. There are many capable people, but none are ideal. I'll offer ample compensation, whatever it may be. You can have money or whatever you want."

Yanchinus looked at Urich. Urich was a cunning being who had infiltrated civilization without losing his barbarism. He oscillated between civilization and barbarism.

"You talk as if you know me so well. We've barely spoken a few times."

"Of course, I know you. My concubine keeps cursing and ranting about you. She says you're someone who shouldn't exist in this world."

Urich's pupils dilated. He had completely forgotten.

'Damia.'

Princess Damia must be Yanchinus's concubine. She hated Urich. This was not good news for him.

"And you still want to use me?"

Yanchinus's lips twitched. He burst into a hearty laugh.

"Did you know? The greater the man, the more he incurs the wrath and hatred of women. Just like me!"

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