“What’s wrong, Fate?” asked Greed. “If I were you, I’d strike some real fear into the hearts of those losers.”
“Let it go. They’re cockroaches. There’s always more.”
I called out to the girl at the counter. Since I hunted in such large quantities, I now got directed to a specific, somewhat-private trading counter. On one hand, it was great, because I didn’t have to deal with the line. On the other hand, special treatment bought me the scorn and envy of my peers.
I put my sacks on the cart below the counter. “Just here to turn in today’s hunt,” I said.
“Yes, sir! Wow, it seems like you hunted a few more orcs than usual,” said the girl, her ponytail swaying energetically as she spoke. “You know, you only just got here, but you’re already one of the top three earners in Babylon, Mr. Corpse!”
It was nice to receive such a kind compliment, but because most of the money was going toward Greed’s scabbard, I didn’t feel like I’d actually earned much. After a short time counting up the ears and preparing my money, the girl returned to the counter.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. Let’s see here… So, in total, we’ve got six hundred orcs plus three high orcs. All together, that’s a hundred and fifty gold coins.”
One hundred and fifty gold was quite the sum, and also quite heavy. Walking around with all that would get cumbersome. Thankfully, I could let the trading post handle it.
“Please send the money to Jade Stratos,” I said. “He’s a craftsman in the Merchant Sector with whom I have an exclusive deal.”
“Understood. You’re sending him this as payment, then?”
Regular trading posts never handled money in this way. However, because the monster situation in Galia was so extreme, the Babylon trading post allowed this kind of transaction. Some people kept their earnings at the trading post until they withdrew them all at once when they left Babylon.
I took my receipt from the girl at the counter and rushed off to Jade’s armory. I’d finally paid off the scabbard, and the only task left now was to pick it up.
I headed north via the main street, entered the Merchant Sector on the east side of Babylon, and went down a few small side streets to the door of Jade’s armory. Inside, the relaxed air of the shop invited me to slow down and peruse the weapons and armor neatly arranged throughout. The whole setup felt like a perfect reflection of its owner.
The doorbell rang as I stepped inside, and at the lively sound, a young man poked his head out from the workshop at the back. Judging by the dark circles under Jade’s eyes, he’d only just woken up.
“Ah, Corpse! Good morning.”
“Jade, it’s already noon,” I said.
“Oh, is it? Well, good day, then.”
Jade had completely lost track of time.
“You seem tired,” I said.
His eyes widened with manic passion. “I’m so close to finishing your scabbard—just one step away! But I’m out of a necessary component.”
That component, according to Jade, was a special crystal gathered deep within Galia. Usually, the kingdom’s army stockpiled it during their expeditions into the region. However, army deliveries had recently stopped. Jade had tried to find a substitute, but despite all his research, he couldn’t find any materials with the crystal’s specific properties. He’d searched so frantically that he’d lost sleep, which was why he looked so exhausted.
“Do you have any idea when the next shipment of this crystal is due?” I asked.
“It’s called duskstone, specifically. Though I don’t know the particulars, I’ve heard it only grows under very specific circumstances. The kingdom’s army completely controls the supply, so if they say they don’t have any shipments, there’s nothing I can do about it.”
In other words, until the army trekked out to get more—whenever they felt like doing so—we had no idea when we’d get hold of any duskstone.
“A pity,” I said. “And just when I finally paid off the scabbard.”
“I’m sorry,” said Jade. “I know you were looking forward to it, and I couldn’t meet the deadline we agreed to…”
I understood just by looking at him that he’d done his very best. He’d obviously done everything in his power to find a duskstone substitute.
Jade’s eyes suddenly lit up. “What if you go and gather the crystals? I can even throw in a little discount—you’d be doing me a big favor.”
“Me? Is duskstone easy to gather, then?”
“Quite so, I hear. The difficult part is getting to it. It’s found deep in the Galian wastes. That’s why only the army harvests it, typically, and only on the most arduous expeditions. But I don’t think it would be a problem for you, Corpse.”
“I think you might be overestimating me, Jade.”
“You think I haven’t heard the news? You’re one of Babylon’s top three earners!”
I knew just who’d told him. That ponytailed receptionist was a real gossip. At this rate, my landlady would hear about it in no time at all. What a terrifying thought. I could already see my hard-earned wages dancing off into her pockets as she went above and beyond to provide me with richer foods, rarer wine, and even more exceptional service.
“Someone as strong as you should be able to make the trip there and back, surely,” Jade said. “Especially if you’re the trustworthy, reliable adventurer I think you are.”
It seemed I didn’t have much of a choice. I’d meet Jade’s expectations in the hopes that he’d meet mine for the scabbard.
“All right, I’ll do it. But I’ll need a map so I know where to go.”
“Hold on, just one second.” Jade searched a neatly arranged bookshelf. He took an old parchment from a shelf, along with an old map. “I got this from my master back when I apprenticed as a blacksmith. He was in the army and drew this map himself when he was young. It documents where they gather the duskstone. I’ll give you a copy.”
“Thank you. Wow, it really is quite deep into the region, isn’t it?”
When Jade said the kingdom’s army gathered duskstone on arduous expeditions, I hadn’t realized he meant such long ones. This trip went even farther into Galia than Myne and I had traveled to her ruined village. According to the map Jade gave me, the crystals were several times farther south than that. It pointed to a great canyon carved out of the land, inside of which I would find my new target.
“There’s supposed to be a host of other rare materials as well. You could make a great deal of money collecting some.”
“Now that’s interesting.”
The Divine Dragon hadn’t been seen near the border recently, so it was a good time for me to head out. If I happened to get my hands on other valuable materials, I could earn myself a hefty bonus, too. Also, with my increased stats, I could run at an unbelievable speed for a considerable distance. Even if I took it easy, I figured I could make it to the canyon and back in about four days.
“I’ll see you soon then, Jade.”
“I’ll be counting on you!” Even through his exhaustion, Jade had an excited gleam in his eyes.
“You got it!”
With that, I headed out.
Chapter 12:
On the Trail of the Kingdom’s Army
FROM JADE’S SHOP, I headed straight to the part of the Merchant Sector where I could buy traveling supplies. Once I stocked up on food that would last—jerky, dried fruit, rye bread—I was ready to head out. I didn’t need to bring any burlap sacks with me this time, because I wasn’t hunting much. I would only need to hunt enough to satisfy the cravings of my Gluttony.
The gates of Babylon faced away from the border, so I had to head north to leave the city, then wrap around south to enter Galia. As I passed through the gates, adventurers passing by stared at me in utter shock.
“They think you’re heading out for another hunt already,” said Greed, chuckling. “You really are a greedy one, aren’t you?”
Very funny.
“I’m not half as bad as you,
” I said. “Weren’t you listening to Jade? Who do you think I’m doing all this work for, anyway? That scabbard is over ten times as expensive as my armor.”
“Of course it is! It’s worthy of my blade. Really, you’re getting a bargain, Fate.”
I suppose, being a sword, he didn’t have much to be particular about besides his scabbard. The one I used now was worn from countless battles, the leather cracked and the metal bent, making it hard to draw Greed smoothly. In fact, every time I sheathed or unsheathed the black sword, I heard Greed’s voice: “I have absolutely had it with this scabbard, damn it!”
So, honestly, the new scabbard was my first priority. It would at least shut Greed up for a little while. We’d been together long enough that I understood him; when he was happy and satisfied, he fell silent so that he could truly enjoy the moment.
“All right! Greed, let’s go gather some crystals!”
“Finally! The journey for my scabbard begins! Onward!”
I ran past the gates and stepped over the border into the Galian region. I was immediately hit by the now-familiar, but still awful, smell of blood. The air here surrounded and suffocated, and even having crossed the border many times now, I couldn’t get used to the change to this strange other world.
“The way Galia reeks of slaughter… I hate it.”
“Quit your whining. This is for the sake of my beautiful scabbard. Now run, Fate!”
Greed was in especially high spirits. Perhaps he was excited to be in the spotlight for a change. All the same, the one actually doing the work was, as always, me.
Wherever I looked, Galia stretched out in desolate ruin all the way to the horizon. It was a land devoid of greenery. The only thing resembling fauna was a strange moss that occasionally dotted the rocky ground. The moss grew as tall—or a bit taller—than me, and sometimes spores burst from it.
“Hey, Greed,” I said. “What happens if you breathe those in?”
“Oh, the spores? If I remember correctly, inhaling too many lets the moss take root in your lungs.”
“Seriously?!”
“Take a closer look. From certain angles, that moss sure seems to have a human shape, right?”
“Wait, you’re not saying that moss used to be human, are you?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. So don’t go huffing that crap if you can help it.”
No way would I do something so disgusting! It was worse now that I knew the growths had once been human. I decided to keep a safe distance and skirt around. I could already imagine the moss creeping into my lungs and growing through me, reducing me into decomposing Moss Fate.
Greed laughed. “Moss Fate! Ha ha ha!”
“It’s not funny! Stop laughing! And stop reading my mind!”
“As if I need to. Your feelings spill out from your whole body. Even with that mask on, you’re an open book!”
“You don’t have to rub it in!”
Greed laughed.
“I said, stop laughing!”
So, instead, Greed cackled.
“Now you’re just being creepy!”
I couldn’t put up with his awful sense of humor any longer, so I took my hand from the sword and let the telepathic cackling fade away. I continued on, passing the mossy human remnants and their deadly spores. A little farther onward, orcs appeared here and there along my path.
“Seems we’re officially deeper into Galia now,” I said.
“So, you’ve finally learned to navigate the land based on the orc density. At least we don’t have to fret about being lost anymore.”
The settlements of orcs—usually known as colonies—were a long way south from our location. According to the available historical records, the orc colonies sat at Galia’s southernmost point. Supposedly, the orc population was so numerous there that they were impossible to count. Fortunately, as you headed north, the orc numbers fell significantly.
The desecrated, cracked earth spread out in every direction. There was nothing to use as a real landmark, and even compasses were of little use here. The temperamental Galian weather meant that clouds covered the sky with little warning, making navigation by sun, moon, or stars extremely difficult.
For this reason, local adventurers differentiated north and south by way of orc density. As long as you could orient north from south, you could do the same for east and west.
It was said that the infamous stampedes originated from the southern orc colonies. Endless turf wars took place there, driving losing hordes out. Ousted orcs then pushed north, looking to establish new colonies. Most of these hordes were what we called squadrons: a hundred orcs, plus the high orc leading them.
On occasion, traveling hordes met and mixed. The resulting larger horde drew more monsters, even crowned beasts, until their numbers grew truly frightening. This was what the citizens of Babylon referred to as a death parade. Against this class of stampede, even a sizable party of twenty or thirty adventurers was useless. They’d be swept under and crushed in the blink of an eye.
Death parades had to be dealt with by holy knights and the armies under their command. Fighting alongside tens of thousands of tough, well-trained soldiers, holy knights met these stampedes head-on, held them back, and even fended them off. I could only imagine what it felt like to see an incoming wave of seemingly infinite monsters. Facing such a wave was an act of incredible courage.
This savage reality was why the adventurers of Galia were rarely as boastful or arrogant as those in Seifort.
***
I had attracted the orcs’ attention, and they clutched their handmade weapons at the ready. I unsheathed Greed and continued toward them without slowing my approach.
“If you waste your time playing with weaklings, we’ll never get where we’re going,” said Greed.
“I know. That’s why we’ll use this.”
I transformed the black sword into the black shield and prepared to break through the orcs’ ranks.
“Ah, the Shield Bash,” said Greed. “Classic. Now you’re getting it!”
“It’s perfect for forcing our way through a crowd!”
I pumped my legs and picked up speed. The orcs launched arrows and fire magic, but against the impervious black shield, their attacks meant nothing. Anything that stood in my path was smashed skyward.
There was just something fun about using the shield in battle. I listened to the rhythmic whacks as the orcs’ bodies hit the shield and messily flew to their dooms.
All the while, the metallic voice echoed in a corner of my mind.
Gluttony Skill activated. Stats increased: Vitality +156,800, Strength +153,600, Magic +121,600, Spirit +128,000, Agility +121,600.
Hm, that’s thirty-two. The metallic voice had some interesting side benefits. I could calculate the orc kill numbers from the totals it reported.
“You’re on a roll, Fate!” Greed cackled.
“Launching and lunching! The perfect snack for an empty stomach!” I crowed. You’re all in my way! But not for long!
It’d been a while since I’d fought so freely, and for a time, Greed and I were lost in the joy of unfettered violence.
“Fate, two orcs sighted! Dead ahead!”
“And soon to be actually dead!” This time, Greed’s sense of humor meshed with mine perfectly.
The last two orcs between me and the way ahead soared into the sky and out of sight. I’d made a mess of their formation, and before the survivors had a chance to surround me, I pushed through their back line and past the squadron entirely. Fireballs and arrows followed me from behind, but I’d gained too much ground for the missiles to find their mark. I had crystals to harvest, after all; I couldn’t stay to finish off these small fry.
Since arriving in Babylon, I’d wrecked the local orc population so thoroughly that their numbers had noticeably thinned. If this group continued their journey north, they’d find other adventurers with whom to do battle.
The squadron of orcs shrank to a tiny dot behind me, then disappear
ed from sight. I continued onward until I spotted a great flag flapping in the wind. It belonged to the kingdom’s army. They were still too far away for me to make out the expedition clearly, but it looked to be a single squadron. That was strange. It was more common to send three squadrons for any expedition this far from Babylon. That meant that, whatever this squadron was up to, it was in a hurry.
“Hey, Greed,” I said through my Telepathy. “What do you think?”
“Looks to me like they’re heading in the same direction as we are.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought… Let’s try getting a little closer.”
I moved quickly and quietly across the rugged landscape and took cover behind the shade of a large boulder.
This squadron proceeded on foot. Horses weren’t practical in Galia, the land being too rugged for them to keep a steady pace, and what’s more, there was no greenery for them to feed on. For holy knights and high-level adventurers, it was therefore much faster to travel the wastes on foot. In any case, holy knights mostly rode horses as an ostentatious display of rank.
Peering over the rock, I saw that the squadron was traveling at significant speed. Among them was one shining warrior clad in a holy knight’s white armor.
Wait, is that…?
“Greed, that’s Lady Roxy!” I exclaimed. “What is she doing here?!”
“Keep your voice down, idiot! They’ll hear you!”
Damn it, he’s right! I ducked back behind the rock. I’d spoken out of pure disbelief and surprise. My heart pounded. What a clumsy slip-up… They didn’t hear anything, did they?
After a short time, I peeked back out from behind the rock. The squadron still headed in the same direction, and with an unyielding urgency. Every soldier sprinted into the distance. I heaved a sigh of relief. If they discovered me, I’d once more be stuck trying to dodge Lady Roxy’s inevitable barrage of questions. She’d probably run over to ask them herself!
I knew I had the skull mask, and that its minor enchantment concealed my identity, but still…the closer she got to me, the more concerned I grew that she would find out who I really was, about my Gluttony, and that I’d come to Galia to follow her.
Berserk of Gluttony Vol. 3 Page 8