Barbarian Quest

Chapter 111

The northern nights were long, and even the sun seemed pushed away by winter.

"It's still dark."

Urich woke up in his bed. It was still pitch black outside. Those accustomed to the northern weather hadn't risen yet. Even Sven, who had grown familiar with the empire over the years, was still sound asleep, exhausted.

Creak.

Urich grabbed his weapons and carefully slipped out to the backyard.

"Hoo."

Urich’s chest swelled with the night air.

The darkness unsettled him. Before, he was never afraid of the dark. He often stared right into it even in his childhood.

‘When I gaze into the flickering darkness, it feels like they are watching me.’

The wandering evil spirits roamed aimlessly. Urich blinked several times.

He had lost the blessing of god. Evil spirits eagerly awaited his death. They were those like Urich, who had lost their afterlife. Perhaps they were his brethren or ancestors.

"Do you think I destroyed your world?" Urich spoke into the darkness.

He had crossed the Sky Mountains, witnessing the world of humans, not spirits. The souls who crossed the mountains in search of the afterlife became wandering evil spirits because of Urich.

"Hmph."

Urich chuckled, twirling his axe. His muscles warmed up, and pale steam rose from his body.

‘The Owl Stance.’

He set down the axe and drew his sword. Then, he got himself into the stance he learned from the Sword Demon Ferzen.

It was a high-raised sword stance that was named after a hunting owl. It was also the most common in a knight’s swordsmanship. The attacks from the Owl Stance were flashy and aggressive.

"Hupp."

Urich breathed in and out. As he steadied his breath, he slowly swung the sword.

Daybreak approached. No matter how deep the darkness, the sun always came up. Urich watched the sunrise as he wiped his sweat away.

Morning in Marldalen began. The hostess, Irene, was busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen.

The breakfast she prepared was mainly bread and meat soup. Durigand ate quickly as if he was in a rush and left with his axe.

"Looks like lumbering is busy," Sven said as he watched Durigand leave. Irene replied while clearing the empty plates.

"We make just enough to get by with his job selling wood. We have to work hard."

Urich and Sven were practically idle in this village. Marldalen was a place without fights. Without battles, warriors existed with no purpose. Like countless northern warriors who lost their purpose, Urich and Sven spent their time aimlessly.

"Yawn."

After breakfast, sleepiness overwhelmed Urich. He watched Sven and Karha in the backyard.

Sven was teaching Karha combat skills.

"I'll have to have a word with Durigand when he returns. A nine-year-old boy not yet taught combat skills..."

Sven handed Karha an axe. It was a hand axe normally used to chop firewood, but it looked like a battle axe in his small hands.

"C-can I really swing this at you, Grandpa? This is a real axe."

Karha questioned as he looked at the axe in his hands. Sven laughed heartily, drawing his hand-axe and shield.

"Swing at this old man all you want. Is there someone you don’t like?"

Karha thought for a moment, then spoke.

"Torjan. He always makes himself the leader when we play."

"Then imagine you’re attacking Torjan. Pour your anger into it. A warrior's attack should be filled with anger and hatred. That's the source of power. Alright, come on, Karha!"

Sven tapped his shield with the axe, but Karha still hesitated.

"Karha, come on!"

Sven urged, almost scolding the boy.

'He’s petrified as he’s swinging the axe.'

Urich yawned, watching Karha. Not only were his attacks lacking any rage, they were nervous and almost feeble because of Sven’s intimidation.

"How do you expect to kill someone with such an attack?"

Karha closed his eyes and swung the axe. Sven held up his shield, helping him sense the impact.

"Strike with anger! Like this!"

Unable to watch anymore, Sven swung his axe in a big motion. Although it didn't make contact, it was sufficiently threatening.

"Uh, uhh."

Karha trembled violently. The initial excitement was nowhere to be found. Sven's teachings were not child's play.

"When I was your age, I beheaded a prisoner captured from a neighboring village. My father taught me the feel of cutting through a man."

Sven pushed Karha with his shield.

"Ugh.”

Karha, hit by the shield, fell to the ground.

"One more time."

Sven pushed his shield out, urging Karha to attack.

Karha was no longer enjoying it. He reluctantly held the hand axe out of his fear of Sven.

"Durigand hasn't raised you to be a man. All men of the north become warriors. The sooner, the better. You are of my blood, you will be a great warrior, Karha."

Sven's eyes shone with excitement in his voice. He pushed and knocked down Karha threateningly several times. Karha stood up with a tearful face.

"Do not cry, Karha! Warriors should shed blood and sweat, not tears!" Sven shouted at the boy.

"Karha! What do you think you’re doing!"

Irene ran out of the house. She wiped her wet hands on her apron and held Karha.

"Irene, Karha's education is lacking. He hasn't even grasped the basics of a warrior,” Sven reproached Irene. Irene glared at her father.

"What is this? What are you doing?"

"I was teaching him the mindset of a warrior. Look at Urich over there, Irene. In about ten years, Karha will be Urich’s age. Urich is a great warrior. Karha will be too."

Irene hugged Karha as if she was trying to protect him from Sven.

"Karha will not become a warrior, Father."

Sven's eyebrows twitched. He barely managed to suppress his anger before speaking.

"Every man of the north is a warrior. Without being a warrior, one cannot go to the Field of Swords."

"Karha doesn't need to be a warrior."

Irene rummaged under her shirt. She pulled out a necklace with a sun engraving.

"...Irene, what is that?" Sven asked as his hands trembled.

"Our household no longer believes in Ulgaro. We live by working diligently. Go to the Field of Swords after dying in battle? Who are we fighting now? Warriors who search for a place to die in battle are insane! I won't let my child die in battle. We will return to Lou’s embrace together, who is accepting of even those who die in bed after living a peaceful life.

Irene sent Karha inside the house.

"You are my daughter. Not believing in Ulgaro is unacceptable."

"Then you better accept it, father. Since when were you so attached to me? Wasn’t it you who left for the eastern continent without a goodbye, and now you show up like this? If you truly thought of me as your child, you shouldn't have left like that."

Irene poured out the stone-cold words that carried her pent-up emotion. Sven was speechless, unable to find words even with his heart boiling.

"That is not what’s important right now! Not believing in Ulgaro? Did the other people of the village not say anything about that? Without being a warrior, Karha will be ostracized! Treated as a worthless man! Are you just going to watch and let that happen to your own son as his mother? "

"The people in this village believe in Lou. There's no longer a reason to fight, and we can live just fine without fighting."

The northerners sold fur and wood and bought scarce resources from the merchants of the empire. There was no need for raids due to resource scarcity. Thanks to farming techniques from the empire, regions that were relatively southern saw a surge in agricultural production.

The northern warriors gradually abandoned their weapons and found their new occupations. Swords could not support families, and warriors who abandoned their swords had no reason to remain faithful to Ulgaro. Ulgaro despised non-warriors, but Lou loved those who lived diligently.

"I will speak to Durigand about this when he returns. I know you are my daughter, but I can't speak with a woman who isn't a warrior."

Sven put away his weapon as he said his words to Irene. Irene bit her lower lip.

"Karha is not your son, but mine. And unlike you, Durigand respects a woman's words."

Sven said no more. Irene took Karha and went inside.

Only Sven and Urich were left in the backyard. Urich had witnessed the entire scene.

"She is truly your daughter, old man. Quite firm," Urich chuckled.

"My daughter doesn’t believe in Ulgaro..." Sven mused.

Women could also make it into the Field of Swords. If a husband died as a great warrior, his women and children also joined him there. Even in that realm, women cooked and served drinks for their warrior husbands and sons. Dead children became fairies serving warriors.

Sven waited outside for Durigand to return. Returning from work, Durigand greeted Sven with a broad smile. "Sven, let's get wasted again tonight."

"There's something I want to talk to you about, Durigand," Sven replied, sitting on a log. He was resting his chin on his hand supported by his axe rooted in the ground.

"It’s getting late. Let’s chat inside."

"No, we have to talk out here. Grab these weapons, Durigand. I must see if you're still a warrior."

Sven tossed a hand axe and shield to Durigand and took up a two-handed axe himself.

"What did my wife say to you?" Durigand asked awkwardly as he scratched his head to show his hesitation. He bent down clumsily to pick up the axe and shield.

Woosh!

Sven swung his axe, the force stirring Durigand's hair.

"Act like a warrior. You might be going to the Field of Swords tonight."

Upon hearing Sven’s words, Durigand closed and then opened his eyes to show a chill in his gaze. He stomped on the axe handle and shield.

Boom!

The weapons bounced up from the impact, and Durigand caught them stylishly.

"I can't go to the Field anymore, so I’m afraid I can't die here, Sven."

"Have you really abandoned Ulgaro? You are a warrior at heart! You can't leave Ulgaro behind!"

Sven roared. He'd met Durigand several times before handing his daughter over to him. Durigand was hearty and a great warrior, and most importantly, he was responsible, which was an essential trait for a husband. Sven wouldn't have let his daughter marry him if that weren’t the case.

"No matter what anyone says, I am still a warrior, just don't believe in Ulgaro. I have no intention of abandoning my family just so I can die in battle, to be crow's feed. Test me if you doubt me."

Durigand widened his stance, raising the shield.

"Hmm."

Urich watched the duel between Sven and Durigand unfold.

'Stable stance. Shows how much blood he's shed.'

Durigand was a lumberjack and warrior, and his words were no empty words. As soon as he held his weapons, he transformed into a fighter.

Sven swung his two-handed axe.

Clang!

Durigand blocked Sven’s attack with his shield and swiftly counterattacked with the hand axe.

"You've aged, Sven! Haha!"

He charged into Sven’s side immediately, using the momentum to push Sven with his shield.

Boom!

Sven stumbled backward. Durigand aimed a kick at his groin.

"You probably have no use for these anymore, so I’ll just pop them right now!"

Durigand, who was now a Solarist, fought like a true northern warrior in battle.

"Krgh!"

Sven barely blocked the kick with his shin.

Crack!

Durigand's attacks were relentless. His hand axe was pressed hard on Sven's axe, showing the prowess of his lumberjack muscles that were formidable in battle.

"Now you see I'm a warrior."

Durigand threw down his weapons after dominating Sven.

"Why did you turn your back on Ulgaro?"

Sven said as he gasped for air. He was quite weakened by the illness in his lungs.

"There is no place for warriors in the north now. Carrying a weapon only makes one a thug. I'll talk to Irene, Sven."

Durigand went into his house.

Urich, after staring at Sven on the ground for a bit, helped him to his feet.

"Everyone's forgetting their roots," Sven muttered.

"Yes, yes. Can't forget the roots," Urich replied nonchalantly, smiling.

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