Chapter 83 – Friction (3)

The lightning unleashed by Belloc certainly possessed a fearsome power. If hit directly, dozens of people would have been turned to ashes in an instant. However, the true power of thunder lay in its intense light and noise.

The overwhelming spectacle, which could not be approached, instilled fear in people’s minds. Since even the army was dismantled in an instant, it was certainly a tremendous ability.

“This… has a power that seems like combining several lightning spells from a skilled mage… Did that spear have this kind of function? No, there’s no way. If it did, the Demon King would have used that power. No way? Is this what you meant before when you said electricity was imbued in your sword? That mysterious power?”

As Cara asked with her mouth agape, Belloc nodded silently. It was because he could not give her a proper answer to her question right now.

Holding his throbbing head, he closed his eyes slightly. Then, he controlled the power fluctuating inside him. When he whispered for it to go away, the lightning flowing along the spear dispersed in an instant. ‘Now I can breathe.’ As he let out a sigh and stumbled, Adel cried out in horror.

“Are you alright, Lord Belloc?! What on earth happened to you?”

“Wait, just a moment…”

Supported by Adel, Belloc thought about this power. To be precise, about the side effects. It was a different kind of pain, unlike feeling pain from a hole in his body or complaining of fatigue from tired muscles. In other words… his head throbbed as if it would explode, and his vision blurred. If he had made a mistake, he might have lost consciousness. When he spoke of this, the answer came from Cara.

“It is probably the depletion of mental strength.”

“Mental strength?”

Cara briefly looked at the backs of the City Lord and the army fleeing frantically, and then touched Belloc’s cheek. Her bright brown eyes were filled with two emotions: surprise and worry.

“I would need to hear more details to know for sure, but judging from what I just heard and your reaction, that is what I think. Please listen to it as a mage’s opinion. What you just experienced is similar to the depletion of brainpower due to excessive use of spells.”

“You mean it’s an overload?”

Cara nodded slowly.

“Exactly. Let me give you an example. Do you know how a mage’s spell works? It twists the boundaries and laws of reality and forces the caster’s will. That is the basic framework. And this always accompanies side effects. The more powerful the strength, the more so. Skilled mages only minimize this as much as possible by using minor tricks—borrowing the power of sacrifices, weather, or tools.”

“Then, does that mean what Lord Belloc experienced is that side effect?”

Cara affirmed Adel’s words.

“Yes. That mysterious power you used. Well, it could also be seen as the grace of an ancient god. I remember hearing about it in the past. At the church in Hameln.”

He had just said that in passing. No, maybe those words were right. This window, which was like a game system, was something an ordinary person could never understand.

“Anyway, the point of my words is this. Whether it is the holy power of a paladin received from a god or the spell of a mage, all power has a price. Just as your body gets muscle pain if you swing a sword multiple times, the brain also gets tired. Fainting can be considered mild. In severe cases, the brain could even melt. It would be better not to use that power excessively. Do you understand?”

Cara spoke in a firm tone, as if demanding a promise. Belloc also nodded, not wanting to die a sudden, random death instead of being killed by a blade. So, the more a character is intelligence-based, the more they use their brain. And since he is a strength-based character, the side effects are more severe. Dammit, is the path of a magic swordsman out of the question? Should he raise other stats even now? While he was contemplating that, Adel spoke.

“More importantly, what should we do?”

The party looked around. The road, which had been neatly maintained, was completely overturned, and the stalls and carts displaying fruits or daily necessities were noisily smashed to pieces. Scorched white stone houses and cracked walls were also seen in abundance.

The army had long since fled to the City Lord’s castle, but the citizens living nearby glanced at the party through the gaps of windows or doors. Their fearful gazes could be felt intensely. What to do about this? It seemed grocery shopping was out of the question.

“It would be best to move for now.”

The party left the ruined section of the marketplace and tried their best to somehow obtain the items needed for their journey. They wandered around in the scorching sun for several hours. However, whether because the rumor of the commotion Belloc caused had already spread completely, there was not a single open shop or stall.

Shit. Should he have just politely asked the Lord’s son? Not that he thought the guy would have returned it. Or should he have sneaked into his room and stolen it? Whatever the case, the matter itself became terribly tangled. What should they do? While they were worrying like that, a man wearing a turban on his head with an impressive goatee approached them. Since there was no one around, his movements were cautious, but he stood out immediately.

“Who goes there?!”

As Adel raised her axe with a whoosh, the man gasped and immediately bowed his head. Then he shouted loudly.

“O-O precious guests from afar. I am the City Lord’s steward, Banzac. I have come because I have something to tell you!”

The Lord’s subordinate? While Belloc was wondering, the man spoke.

“I have heard the whole story of how things transpired from the dwarf Bruce and Guard Captain Haban. Even the mistake of Lord Abenmaha. Therefore…”

The man named Banzac licked his lips slightly, as if nervous. Soon, he fell flat on the floor and bowed.

“Please give us an opportunity to make up for our mistake. We wish to offer an apology and compensation for our rudeness.”

We threw such a fit, and yet they act like this? Is it a new trap? While Belloc was thinking, Adel stepped forward. Her halberd drew a heavy sound as it tore through the air and pointed right at the man’s neck. A drop of red blood trickled down his neck, past the sweat that covered it. Regardless of his fright, Adel muttered coldly.

“What trick are you trying to play?”

Since the party had suffered a great disaster due to Duke Georg just a little while ago, this level of vigilance was natural. Of course, since Belloc had awakened, most cheap tricks would not work, but there was always the off chance of an emergency.

“N-No, it is not! That is…”

The man waved his arms frantically, shedding tears and snot. The gist of his words was roughly this: It was true. The Lord sincerely wanted to apologize to them. If they were suspicious, they could enter with their weapons. He would show it through his actions. What on earth were these bastards up to? While Belloc was thinking, Cara whispered.

“I think I roughly know what their intention is. Why don’t we go check it out?”

“What is it?”

“Do you remember the rumors we heard? The disappearances in the city, and the rotting smell from the sewer.”

As Belloc nodded, Cara spoke.

“They might have dug a trap simply because they wanted to kill us, but… could they really be that foolish? I think it is related to the sewer. The Lord used his head a bit. It seems he wants to turn a crisis into an opportunity. The identity of the killer active in the city’s underground must be bigger than expected.”

“So, he wants to use us as mercenaries? This is a novel approach.” Belloc was slightly taken aback, but soon nodded. Because even if they kept wandering around the market like this, it would be difficult to buy the items needed for their journey. And if he was a noble, he would probably know the situation of the country well.

‘We must be careful, but… if it is a trap, we just have to make them pay the price.’

Belloc gestured with his chin toward the man, who was now just shivering.

“Lead the way. I will go meet the Lord.”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

#

The steward’s words were not wrong. When they arrived at the castle, which looked as if neat white stones were laid out and a circle with a slightly protruding tip was placed on top, the party received a grand welcome. Although the soldiers feared the party, instead of drawing their swords, they bowed their heads, and beautiful women and handsome servants guided them with polite expressions. The one walking at their head, Banzac, spoke.

“This way. It is the banquet hall where the Lord is.”

A banquet? The moment the jewel-crafted canopy was pulled back, drums rumbled, and loud trumpets followed. On the floor covered with a luxurious carpet, there were bands along with naked dancers, and plates overflowing with colorful dishes. The party turned their heads.

At the head of the room, on a soft leather chair, the middle-aged man they had seen before, the Lord of Altanis, was sitting. As soon as the party entered, he jumped up from his seat and walked over. Then, opening his arms, he spoke.

“Guests from a strange land, welcome. I am extremely pleased to see you again like this.”

The Lord acted very nonchalantly, as if he had forgotten the fact that he had tried to attack the party. It seemed like a real welcoming ceremony. Of course, his voice and hands were trembling and his eyes were rolling around, but it could still be considered a great display of tact.

He prepared all this and composed himself in that short interval? Is this why he is the ruler of a city? It seemed he was not just a fool for his son. Belloc was slightly impressed.

“So, you said you wanted to apologize?”

“That is… no, yes, indeed. Because I have grasped how the situation turned out. I heard my foolish son dared to lay his hands on your property.”

“Yes. Since communication was impossible, I simply took my own action. I only strived to find my rightful rights.”

“Y-You are entirely correct. Sir, you did absolutely nothing wrong. This is entirely the fault of that bastard son of mine. That is why… I called you! For a proper apology and compensation!”

The Lord’s effort to protect the city was desperate. He spoke passionately, even speaking ill of the son he supposedly cherished. Cara, who had memorized a shield spell in case of emergencies, stroked her chin with a hum. Because she understood roughly how the situation was developing.

Currently, the city was in chaos inside and out due to the overflowing monsters. In times like this, order and discipline were of the utmost importance. Somehow, the citizens had to be united to face this crisis. However, the blade of the Lord, who should enforce this, snapped. And that was by a single foreigner from abroad. In this state, the citizens would feel great anxiety along with bewilderment. The public order that had been barely maintained was now threatened to be shaken.

‘In a time like this, the options are to eliminate the cause to make an example of it, or… recruit.’

He knew they were no match. On top of that, there were no casualties. Therefore, the Lord chose the second method. If he could only embrace this foreign mercenary who showed tremendous strength—no, if he could at least make them move according to his orders—he would be able to put this chaos to rest. And there was a perfect stage for that.

The murder cases currently causing an uproar in the city. The underground sewer. Cara chuckled. It was highly amusing to see the ruler of a city flustered because of just one person. In the end, all of the Lord’s plans depended on Belloc’s sole decision.

“Now, now! Please sit down first. Aren’t you hungry? I have prepared Altanis’s finest dancers, food, and alcohol. I am sure it will suit your taste.”

The party sat on the soft chairs prepared right next to the Lord. Adel, who was not used to floor seating, frowned and stretched out her legs. Her halberd was also rested on her shoulder, emitting a murderous aura from beginning to end. This was to respond immediately in case of a surprise attack.

According to the Lord’s command, the servants poured the alcohol contained in the jars generously into the party’s cups and served unfamiliar dishes before them. Cara and Adel did not lay a finger on the food. They were wary that it might be poisoned. However, Belloc was an exception.

He holding the seasoned chicken in one hand, he bit into it right away. Then, he also took a sip of the clear liquor.

“Lord Belloc?!”

“Wait! If you eat so carelessly…”

“It doesn’t seem to have poison…”

He spoke while chewing, looking at the two startled companions. There was a valid reason. His inhuman five senses were at a level where they could detect even a single impurity contained in the food and drink. ‘This is delicious. Indeed, the food eaten by those in power is different.’ As he showed satisfaction, the Lord let out a sigh of relief. Then, to dispel their doubts, he also began chewing on the food vigorously while speaking.

“I swear on my honor as a noble. I have absolutely not done anything underhanded! Please believe me!”

As he clapped his hands, the dancers’ movements became even more intense. The bands also continued to play joyfully. When Cara and Adel also slowly reached out to pick up and eat some food, the atmosphere improved further.

The Lord let out a sigh of relief while stroking his beard. ‘Good. It is going well. If I just get them the items they want and hand over some jewels, I can wrap up this incident nicely. Perhaps it could turn out even better.’ It was just when he was thinking that. Suddenly, swearing was heard and the door slammed open. People’s attention was immediately focused. A young man, who was missing a few front teeth, pointed at Belloc’s group. It was the Lord’s only son, Abenmaha.

“Father! How on earth can you do this? Not only did you let those thugs into the castle, but you are even holding a banquet for them?!”

The Lord stood up from his seat, glancing at Belloc’s group. Then, he scolded loudly.

“Abenmaha? You idiot… Watch your tongue! I have heard the whole story. Did all this not happen because of your negligence?! What are you all doing?! Drag this fool away!”

“F-Father?”

Abenmaha’s eyes widened. It was his first time receiving such treatment from his father, so his face showed great shock. But he did not give up. As he had resisted Belloc, his frivolous mouth blabbered again.

“You! You foreigner! No, you bastards! What kind of trick did you play?! What kind of cowardly act…”

“Shut your mouth! You dumbass!”

Abenmaha could not finish his sentence. It was because the Lord, whose face was completely red, threw the wine bottle in his hand at his face.

The porcelain shattered with a crash. The cherished son lost consciousness again with a groan. The Lord turned his head, breathing heavily. Then, he bowed his head toward Belloc’s group.

“S-Sir! Please calm your anger. I am truly ashamed! I… I will compensate you sufficiently.”

At the sight of the Lord, who was now even shivering, Belloc raised one of his arms. Then, the maidservant standing behind him refilled his wine glass with a polite attitude. It was as if he were the master of this castle.

“I don’t mind. Because it was a rather entertaining performance. So, what are you going to give us? It seems there is also something you want to ask of us?”

He took a sip of the drink and chuckled.