Chapter 86: Chapter 86 Baron Martoan (2)

Baron Martoan (2)

The Moselan knights were swift and efficient.

“Kuku, I am the great mage… huh? Who are you…?”

“It’s him, take him away.”

The knights grab Dwarkey by the hair, who was face down on the table, and confirm his identity before quickly restraining his arms.

“Um, excuse me, what’s going on…”

The dwarf, who had been drunk, finally comes to his senses and tries to figure out the situation, but to no avail.

“You don’t need to know.”

“Bu, but…”

“Do you have a problem with our methods?”

It seems like they’ll drag him away too if he nods.

I cover the dwarf’s mouth and answer instead,

“No.”

“…Are you Little Balkan? You’re quite wise for a barbarian.”

His tone and gaze are hard to interpret as a compliment.

As soon as they leave the bar with the intoxicated Dwarkey, the dwarf starts making a fuss.

“Bjorn! They must have gotten something wrong. Th, there’s no way that guy would do something like that!”

He’s not wrong.

Insulting a noble?

If it were impersonation, maybe. But honestly, I find it hard to understand the charge of insult.

However…

“We have to help him!”

What should we do to rescue our companion who was dragged away by the authorities?

I close my eyes.

“Hikurod, ca, calm down. Bjorn is doing that because he has a solution!”

Phew, I was just planning to rest today…

Why is this happening again?

________________________________

Before trying anything, we need to understand the situation accurately.

Because we don’t have any information yet.

Whether he really insulted a noble, or if they just got it wrong, or even who framed him, I don’t know anything.

Therefore, I quickly leave the bar and head towards the Moselan headquarters.

But…

“Please wait until the official investigation is over.”

The Moselan knights, who were exclusive and arrogant even in the game, refuse to give us any information.

So I go to Shabin.

“He was taken away by the Moselan? I’ll try to find out. I can’t promise I’ll be able to get any information, though…”

“That’s enough. Thank you.”

“No problem.”

Since Shabin is a civil servant, I figure she’ll have easier access to information compared to a ground-dwelling explorer.

“…He’s at least alive, right?”

“Hikurod! I know you’re worried, but please stop jinxing it and just stay still!”

“Ah, alright.”

As we wait for Shabin’s reply, spending the whole day waiting in front of the Moselan headquarters…

“Uh, uh? Isn’t that Dwarkey?”

“Seems like it.”

Dwarkey, with his shoulders slumped, comes out through the main gate. Contrary to the dwarf’s worries, he doesn’t seem to have been tortured or injured anywhere.

“Hey! Are you alright? How did the investigation go? Ah, the fact that you’re out like this means they must have gotten it wrong, right? Yeah, I knew it!”

“Ah… that is…”

Dwarkey just hangs his head low without even looking happy to see us.

“…Let’s move to a different location. I’ll tell you everything then.”

We follow Dwarkey’s suggestion and move to a different place.

It’s a private room in a bar that we often visit for labyrinth-related meetings. As soon as the snacks and the beer we ordered arrive, Dwarkey speaks in a dejected voice.

“It seems… I’ll have to leave the team.”

It’s the third time I’ve heard something like this, after Erwen and Ainar.

The dwarf is shocked.

“No, what do you mean! Explain in detail!”

“That is…”

Dwarkey trails off and then lets out a long sigh.

“It’s pointless to hide it now. Actually, there’s something I haven’t told you guys until now.”

“Something you haven’t told us?”

“My older brother… is Baron Martoan.”

“What?!”

“Th, then you’re really a noble?”

Everyone, including Misha, is shocked and gapes in disbelief, but Dwarkey keeps talking with his eyes closed.

“Sort of. I’m the son of the former Baron Martoan and a maid from the mansion.”

An illegitimate child of a noble family.

As someone who has seen many soap operas in the modern world, it’s not that unfamiliar of a story.

And the subsequent development is not much different either.

“Since I was a disgrace to the family, I was adopted by Mr. Tirba, the third younger brother of the baroness, as soon as I was born. Of course, it was just a formality, and it was my birth mother who actually raised me.”

The Martoan family still sent money periodically, and thanks to that, he was able to learn magic and grow up comfortably.

It’s a complicated family history just to hear about.

However, the dwarf doesn’t seem to have the patience to wait.

“So what does that have to do with you leaving the team?”

“My father, the former baron, passed away a year ago. And my second older brother took his place.”

“Hmm, not the first?”

Rotmiller interjects with a question.

Dwarkey continues in a candid voice,

“That’s right. The second son. That’s the problem.”

“I don’t understand, why is that a problem…?”

“After the former baron passed away, many people died. Starting with my first older brother, and many other distant relatives…”

That alone is enough.

To understand the cause of this incident, the bloody power struggle within the Martoan barony.

“So it was that second brother of yours who sent the Moselan knights.”

“That’s right. It’s probably a warning, to live quietly like I always have.”

“But why now?”

“It seems like he’s bothered by the fact that I became an explorer. I’ve also been learning a lot of magic lately… and with a famous person on the team, he must have been concerned.”

Ah, uh, hmm…

Is he blaming me for this?

Honestly, I think it’s a bit of a stretch…

I summarize Dwarkey’s words briefly.

“Anyway, you’re saying you can’t enter the labyrinth anymore because you’re scared of your second brother?”

“…You really don’t know how to sugarcoat things. You’re not wrong. But… it would have been the same regardless of my will.”

“What do you mean?”

“They took away my labyrinth entry permit instead of punishing me for insulting a noble.”

In short, it means that he can’t enter the labyrinth even if he wants to.

“Bjorn, is there no way?”

The dwarf and Misha look at me with pleading eyes.

I close my eyes silently.

And instead of trying to find an answer to a question that has no answer, I think about what day it is.

‘Phew, this is troublesome.’

There are 9 days left until the next labyrinth opens.

Can we really find a new companion before then?

Nothing ever goes smoothly for me.

__________________________________

“First, let’s each think about this problem and meet again tomorrow to discuss it.”

“Right, it’s not like you can come up with a solution right away. Let’s do that.”

We disband after making an appointment for the next day.

The dwarf and Dwarkey seem to have decided to have a drink somewhere quiet, and Rotmiller heads back home.

For reference, I decide to go to the library.

“Huh? You’re going to the library?”

“I have some business with that librarian.”

“…At this late hour?”

“I’ll get there before closing time if I hurry.”

“I see… Sh, should I come with you?”

What is she talking about?

“No, you go and rest.”

“But I don’t have anything to do when I get back…”

“Why wouldn’t you have anything to do? If you have time, just swing your swords some more. You didn’t do anything today.”

I send Misha away, who is persistently trying to follow me, and quickly head to the library.

I was originally planning to rest today and go tomorrow…

But the situation has changed a bit.

______________________________

“Parsitye…”

As I arrive at the library, the librarian, who was dozing off, starts to cast a spell mechanically but then flinches.

“You’re…”

“Come to think of it, we haven’t properly introduced ourselves. I’m Bjorn, son of Yandel.”

“…Of course I know that.”

Hmm, right.

Anyway, after that exchange, a brief silence follows.

I feel a bit awkward with her.

“…It’s almost closing time, are you going to enter?”

“No, I didn’t come to read books today.”

“…Then?”

How should I explain my situation?

After contemplating for a moment, I just get straight to the point, like a barbarian.

“Ragna Ritaniyel Peprok.”

“You can just call me Ragna.”

“Ragna, what grade mage are you?”

Although I asked straightforwardly, the answer doesn’t come for a while.

She looks at me as if I’m some kind of rude bastard.

Well, Raven also gets angry when she’s asked this question.

“I’ll ask this first. Why are you suddenly curious about that?”

Ragna, who is a bit more gentle than Raven, calmly asks for the reason first.

So I answer honestly.

“The mage on our team can’t enter the labyrinth anymore. So, how about you take a break from your librarian job and enter the labyrinth with—”

“I refuse.”

Yeah, so it’s a refusal.

I cleanly let go of any lingering thoughts at her firm voice.

“I see. If you’re too low-ranked to enter the labyrinth, then it can’t be helped.”

“…When did I ever say that?”

“Then it means your skills are sufficient.”

Ragna, who was about to get angry, realizes that it was a test and makes a dumbfounded expression.

“You… don’t tell me, you were curious about that?”

“…What are you talking about? Anyway, let’s end this conversation here. It can’t be helped if you don’t want to.”

I change the subject.

“So what was that thing? Shabin Emuer said you prepared something for me if I came here.”

“…What? Prepared for you?”

She frowns as if she’s never heard of it before, then facepalms as if she understands.

“Ha… did she really phrase it like that?”

“Speak in a way that I can understand.”

“Let me tell you beforehand, don’t misunderstand.”

Ragna gives a long-winded explanation only after I assure her that I won’t misunderstand.

“Shabin said that her standing within the department has improved thanks to you. So she asked for my opinion on how to repay you, and I… said that you like reading books.”

“So?”

“That was all, but she suddenly mentioned something I owed her and told me to repay you instead. So this isn’t from me, it’s from Shabin. Do you understand?”

“…I understand.”

In short, there’s something prepared for me.

I don’t know why she’s so insistent on emphasizing that it’s not from her…

If it were me, I would have taken credit for it.

“Do you really understand?”

“Yes. So what is this repayment?”

“Books.”

“…Books?”

Ragna closes her eyes and chants a spell as I tilt my head in confusion.

“Bierdo Parsityev.”

A brilliant golden light flows into my body as the spell is completed.

The chanting sounded a bit different from usual.

“What is this?”

Ragna gives me a detailed explanation, unlike her usual self.

There are books in this library that don’t react to the regular [Book Detection] spell because they have a high security clearance, and this spell allows me to find those books as well.

“…I didn’t know such things were hidden.”

“It’s normally a privilege reserved for nobles or a few authorized individuals.”

It feels like I’ve received an unexpected gift, but I’m also bewildered.

“Is it okay to do this for me?”

“If you don’t go around telling people about it, there won’t be a problem. In the first place… I haven’t used this spell many times since I became a librarian.”

Ragna continues in a slightly sad voice,

“Who would even care about this place?”

Tsk, I’m starting to get curious about her story too.

___________________________________

Click, clack.

The only sound that echoes through the silent, empty library is the sound of shoes.

I’m reading books in that atmosphere.

It’s thanks to Ragna’s consideration.

[So that’s why you came at such a late hour. Whew, alright. I’ll make an exception and let you stay today.]

Although all the other users were kicked out when it was closing time, Ragna allowed me to stay until she finished organizing the books.

It’s a strange feeling.

It’s like I’ve sneaked into a restricted area, right?

Click, clack.

I put down the book I was reading and glance at Ragna.

‘I was wondering how she organizes the books, and she does it all with magic.’

The books automatically go back to the empty shelves as she slightly moves her staff.

I wonder if she knows their places and puts them back…

Come to think of it, the books in this library don’t need designated places. They have magic that helps you find the book you want.

Wait a minute.

“Ragna.”

“Yes?”

“When we first met, didn’t you tell me to put the books back in their original places after reading?”

“I usually say that because I’m too lazy to explain in detail. Many people ask unnecessary questions because it’s magic.”

“…I see.”

Although it’s quite hurtful as a barbarian, I don’t show it and continue reading the books I was reading.

Is it because they’re books with high security clearance?

The content is definitely different.

[Lafdonia Organizational Chart]

The book about public institutions in this city not only includes information about the Secret Security Department, the one that includes the Evil Spirit Hunters…

[World of Evil Spirits]

…but also a book that delves deeply into ‘Ghostbusters’.

For reference, this book contains the last words of an agent who entered their spiritual world and returned half-dead…

‘With this kind of system, there’s no way I would be in danger.’

Thanks to this, I’m now certain that I can take the pill I’m keeping whenever the time comes.

As I continue to focus on reading books…

Just as I finish one book and reach for the next one…

[Compendium of Rifts II]

My hand freezes as I read the title.

Compendium of Rifts?

Isn’t that the name of the book Raven mentioned? I quickly open the first page and check the contents, and I immediately understand her attitude.

‘…It’s no wonder she’s so obsessed with it.’

It’s like a strategy guide.

All the hidden pieces that I discovered through countless trial and error and experiments are written down without omission.

Although there are only four rifts described due to the physical limitations of a book…

‘This must be like treasure to the people here.’

The content is organized so perfectly that even I, as a veteran player, can’t find any gaps to fill.

And maybe because it’s well-preserved…

Unlike what Raven said about it being written by an unknown person, the author’s name is written on the last page.

“Auril Gabis…?”

I read the name out loud involuntarily and freeze.

‘Crazy, why is this guy’s name suddenly appearing here?’

Auril Gabis.

It’s the name of the game developer of [Dungeon and Stone].