HBWnovel Chapter 160 – Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Tower (7)
Chapter 160 – Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Tower (7)
[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
Chapter 160: The Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Tower (7)
This barbarian was special.
He was recognized by a god and could handle holy relics.
He was also an excellent cook and possessed knowledge that only a highly educated person could have.
‘Is he really a barbarian?’
If not for his appearance, one might mistake him for a scholar who had practiced self-discipline for a long time.
“Here, take this.”
When it was time to eat, Ketal handed Baker a bowl of stew filled with rich, dark brown meat.
Baker, driven by pride, wanted to refuse.
However, his hands accepted the bowl willingly.
Ketal’s cooking was too delicious to turn down.
Baker felt a pang of self-loathing.
‘...No!’
He tried to pull himself together.
He still had the upper hand over the barbarian.
‘I can use magic!’
He could wield the mystical power that the barbarian couldn’t.
Magicians used magic, and barbarians wielded weapons.
It was an obvious fact, but Baker needed to believe in his own superiority.
But that belief soon shattered.
They moved directly towards their destination, sometimes passing through forests.
Late at night, they prepared to sleep in the middle of the forest, surrounded by the sounds of insects. Aquaz frowned slightly.
“...There are quite a lot of insects.”
Given the warm weather, the forest was teeming with insects of all sizes, enough to obstruct their vision.
“I’ll take care of it.”
Aquaz was about to pray to the Sun God to create a barrier against the insects when Ketal stopped her.
“No, leave it to me.”
“Pardon?”
Ketal began to take out catalysts from his pouch.
As Aquaz and Baker watched, their eyes widened.
Ketal was meticulously using the catalysts to create a barrier.
Baker couldn’t believe it.
“...Alchemy?”
As he finished speaking, a breeze began to rise around them.
The gentle wind drove the insects away from their area.
Ketal smiled with satisfaction.
“It’s done. I used alchemy to create a wind barrier. Small insects won’t be able to fly through it. Plus, the cool breeze will help us sleep comfortably.”
“T-Thank you. But you can use alchemy too?”
Aquaz was genuinely surprised.
Ketal responded as if it were nothing.
“Just at an apprentice level. It’s not that great.”
“Even so... it’s impressive.”
Aquaz found it fascinating that a barbarian could use alchemy.
Baker, on the other hand, swallowed hard.
‘H-how.’
While Aquaz was simply amazed, Baker couldn’t let it go.
He was a magician.
He knew how challenging it was to reach even an apprentice level in magic, how much perseverance it required.
Many aspirants at the magic tower failed to become even apprentices.
Reaching an apprentice level in magic was impossible without serious dedication and long-term study.
Although the alchemy Ketal displayed wasn’t impressive to an extraordinary magician like him, the fact that a barbarian could handle mysticism at all was a huge shock.
Even if the barbarian possessed some mystical ability, he had thought it was negligible.
He couldn’t imagine the barbarian had studied magic seriously.
At most, he believed the barbarian might know a bit about physical enhancement.
“...”
Baker fell silent.
His final belief in his superiority, knowing the great art of magic, had been shattered.
‘...Am I really superior to this barbarian?’
He was a magician.
Objectively comparing himself to Ketal, he realized there was no clear advantage.
‘No, no!’
That couldn’t be.
He couldn’t accept being inferior to a barbarian.
Baker desperately tried to find a flaw in Ketal.
‘...Yes!’
After all, he was still a barbarian.
No matter how knowledgeable, magically skilled, divinely recognized, or good at cooking he was, his fundamental nature wouldn’t change.
Though he might be hiding his barbaric nature, he wouldn’t be able to conceal it completely.
“Is there any need to kill them? Their lives are precious.”
“As expected of a barbarian, you’re so savage... huh?”
Baker, who had been ready to criticize, tilted his head.
‘Did I hear that wrong?’
“What did you say?”
Ketal kindly repeated himself.
“These are precious lives as well. Though we are victims, we didn’t suffer any significant harm, so there’s no need to kill them.”
“...What?”
Baker stuttered.
Of course, that was Baker’s own belief as well.
He had grown up in the magic tower, never lacking for anything.
Recognized for his exceptional talent, he had received much support from a young age, and so had the magicians around him.
As such, he didn’t understand the harshness of the world well.
When he first went out into the world with Aquaz, he was shocked by the cruel reality and helped many suffering and poor people.
Baker was fundamentally a kind-hearted person who could sympathize with others’ pain.
But that was something Baker should say, not Ketal.
“R-really? But isn’t there no need to keep them alive? Even if we spare them, won’t they just continue living as thieves?”
“On the contrary, there’s no need to kill them. We can just impose some restrictions on them, can’t we?”
“Is it our job to deal with such bothersome tasks?”
Baker tried to coax Ketal into saying he would kill them.
That way, Baker could accuse him of being barbaric.
But Ketal never said what Baker wanted to hear.
Baker was almost going crazy trying to get Ketal to reveal his true nature.
As Baker desperately tried to say something, he noticed a gaze and closed his mouth.
Aquaz was looking at him with a puzzled expression.
“Mr. Baker? Why are you so intent on killing them?”
“...What? No, it’s not that.”
Baker hastily looked at the thieves.
They were trembling and staring at him with pale faces.
“...Ah.”
Baker realized too late.
In his attempt to paint Ketal as a villain, he ended up looking like the one insisting on killing the thieves.
“No, that’s not what I meant....”
“Of course, I agree with your point. They might commit more crimes even if we spare them. Aquaz, can you impose restrictions on them to prevent them from committing any more thefts?”
“Yes, I can.”
“Then, please go ahead. I will provide them with enough money to settle elsewhere. Is that acceptable?”
“Uh, okay....”
Baker nodded weakly, knowing that if he said any more, he would just look like the one eager to kill the thieves.
Aquaz placed restrictions on the thieves, and Ketal handed them some money.
The thieves wept with gratitude.
“...You are quite merciful.”
Aquaz looked at Ketal with a surprised expression.
Ketal was not your typical barbarian.
He had a friendly relationship with the devotee of a god and approached her warmly.
He helped them without expecting anything in return.
But he did so because he considered them friends.
Some barbarians were very kind to their friends.
In contrast, these thieves had initially been hostile towards Ketal.
There was no reason for him to be kind to them.
Baker’s words were harsh but not incorrect.
Yet Ketal chose to spare them, which was quite unexpected.
“I am not a good person.”
“If this isn’t good, then I don’t know what is. You should give yourself more credit.”
Aquaz smiled warmly.
But Ketal muttered with a strange expression.
“I don’t think so.”
He knew he was not a good person.
He knew it better than anyone.
Ketal didn’t bother to correct Aquaz’s misunderstanding.
The thieves were tearfully preparing to leave, continuously expressing their gratitude.
Baker cautiously asked.
“Is there any magical help you need? I can help too.”
“Eek!”
“I’m sorry! We’re really sorry!”
The thieves, who had been crying with gratitude in front of Ketal and Aquaz, trembled and begged in front of Baker.
“....”
The situation had turned out completely opposite to what Baker had intended.
Baker felt like crying.
[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]