Raising the Princess to Overcome Death Chapter 112
112. Childhood Friend – Offering
“This auction was a bust. The last one didn't yield much either,” grumbled a man wearing a hat. He strode past the stables and into the inner office, followed by two bulky men.
“Boss, if we can just sell the ones we caught in the southern swamps...”
“We can sell them, sure, but they’ll just end up as mining slaves. Those don’t fetch much money.”
The boss entered the office, threw his hat on the desk, and leaned on it, snapping at his subordinates.
“There’s not a single woman worth auctioning. I don’t expect much, but we haven’t had a pretty barbarian girl in ages. And I know why.”
His eyes narrowed sharply, and the two thugs instinctively stood at attention.
“The ones transporting the slaves are messing with the pretty ones, aren’t they? Isn’t that right? Hey, you handled the transport this time, didn’t you?”
“Y-yes, sir!”
“I-I do, but... ack!”
The man who had been kicked in the shin hopped on one foot.
“I’ve hardly done any transporting myself, but even I know you guys play with the girls. But you know what...”
A horse neighed loudly outside. The boss, unable to contain his rage, kicked the desk. The desk didn’t hop, but the boss did.
Thinking his unnecessary action had diminished his dignity, he planted his hands on the desk and spoke to the man behind him.
“...Is it that hard to leave just one or two pretty girls alone? If we had two girls worth auctioning, we’d break even. Is that so hard?”
“No, sir!”
“Ah—this is a headache. With what we need to pay off that guy, we really needed some good ones this time... What’s this? Why are you whining?”
Realizing that the man he had kicked was still clutching his shin, the boss remembered that the man had returned from the expedition with a leg injury.
“Tsk... Go take a break.”
“I’m fine.”
“Go when I tell you to. Unless you’re trying to make me feel guilty on purpose.”
“A-alright.”
The thug limped out, and as the boss took a deep breath to calm down, the remaining thug asked cautiously,
“Uh... boss. I’ve always wondered, who’s this ‘guy’ you keep mentioning?”
“He’s not anyone special, but...”
The boss looked the thug up and down, then smirked.
“Well, you’re grown now, so you should learn the ropes. I’ll need someone to take over one day.”
The thug snapped to attention and shouted,
“No, sir! Working under you is enough for me!”
“Whoa, you scared me. Almost lost my ears there.”
“I mean it! Working under you makes me happy every day... truly!”
The boss smiled contentedly. This thug was competent and knew how to flatter, which is why he’d kept him around for years.
“You little suck-up... I’m teaching you because when I get promoted, you’ll need to take over here and help me out.”
“Thank you! I’ll remember every word!”
The boss walked over to a painting on the wall and took it down, revealing a small wooden door. He pulled a key from his pocket and opened it, revealing a safe. From it, he took out several bundles of maps.
“The reason I’ve been able to climb up in our family is because of this. Barbarians are hard to catch, but knowing their locations and when to strike is even more important, right?”
“That’s right!”
Finally! The thug, excited, responded.
“Keep your voice down. Now, look at this map. See the marked spots? They’re not precise, but they indicate where the barbarian tribes are located...”
“Ugh! Guh...”
The boss was momentarily stunned.
The thug holding the map had a blade protruding from his chest. It didn’t take long to realize it was a sword.
“What... what the hell?!”
He tried to back away in shock, but the wall behind him, containing the safe, blocked his retreat.
When the thug fell, the unwelcome guest picked up the map from the floor to prevent it from getting stained with blood.
“This map marks the locations of barbarian tribes?”
“Who... who are you!”
Rev, tucking the map into his waistband, looked up. He was pleased to have found something useful, but even more delighted to recognize the hat on the desk.
“I remember this hat. You wore it when you threatened Lena back at the inn, didn’t you?”
The man who had kidnapped Lena during the second childhood friend scenario.
“What does it matter who I am?”
Rev smiled cruelly, thankful for his [Tracking] ability.
“Do you ask your captives for their names before you capture them?”
“Wai... ack!”
Rev’s sword flashed upward.
“Aaargh... is there... anyone...!”
“Come, let’s have a little chat, shall we?”
Rev sat the thug down, who screamed in pain from his severed wrist. When he resisted, Rev stabbed his thigh.
The thug was married, as evidenced by the ring on his finger. But that hand was now on the floor, and Rev kicked the severed hand into a corner.
“You’re from the Dorf family, right? The ones dealing in slave trading. I have some questions. Where is your headquarters?”
“...Do you think I’d tell you?”
“You’re going to tell me because I’m asking.”
“Aargh! Ugh...”
Rev used a quill from the desk to stab the open wound on the thug’s wrist.
Although he could have used enchantment to compel the man, he didn’t want to waste divine power on such scum.
Rev stared into the thug’s eyes and asked again.
“It would be best if you just confessed. I have ways of finding out.”
The thug shuddered, his adam’s apple bobbing. He realized this man had no intention of letting him live.
‘I’m dead anyway, why would I talk?’
He spat at Rev.
But the spit didn’t reach its target. Before it could arc through the air, Rev’s palm slapped it back.
Through his fingers, the thug saw the young man smirking as if pleased.
“Aaaargh!”
After annihilating one branch of the Dorf family, Rev returned to the Marquess of Guidan’s estate. He waited a day before heading out again.
Rev’s destination was a bustling area on the eastern outskirts of Nevis.
It was usually a desolate place with no passersby, just large commercial buildings standing ominously. But today, it was crowded with thugs bearing tattoos of skewered birds glaring around.
Rev walked in nonchalantly, feeling the day’s wait had been worthwhile.
“Hey, you can’t go... huh?”
- Swoosh.
The thug who tried to warn him froze as Rev drew a two-handed sword and donned a mask.
The thug immediately blew a whistle, summoning his comrades from inside the buildings, armed and ready.
There were over fifty thugs, even by a rough estimate.
‘...Let this offering be accepted.’
[ Achievement: Killing Civilians - You have killed ‘0’ civilians. Slightly unlucky. ]
Rev had prepared in his own way, offering the lives of the thugs.
This achievement carried only penalties, so it was best to get rid of it quickly, but he had let it be until now for a reason.
“Haa...”
Rev’s body trembled. He exhaled a moist breath unconsciously.
It felt good.
His fingers and toes tingled with a warm, fulfilling sensation. His body felt light. As he tilted his sword slightly, he could feel the increase in strength.
Until now, he had restrained himself from using Barbatos’s power recklessly, worried about potential issues. But now, he needed it, and he felt justified in using it. Besides, what did it matter? It felt so good.
‘Maybe I should use a little more?’
Greedy thoughts surfaced, but he managed to hold them back. He had decided to use only what was necessary. He must not forget that this power came at the cost of human lives.
Still, it felt incredibly good...
“It seems you’re a knight. What brings you here?” a thug who appeared to be higher-ranked asked politely, though he held his weapon ready.
A branch had been destroyed yesterday, and now someone with a drawn sword was at the headquarters. A fight was inevitable, but the thug wanted to know if this person had any demands.
Knights were terrifying entities. Monsters the thugs desperately wanted to avoid.
Naturally, Rev didn’t respond. What he desired couldn’t be negotiated.
“If there’s something you want, we’ll give... Damn it! Kill him! He’s just a kid, he can’t be that strong!”
Rev charged. The thugs raised their daggers and axes, but they fell one by one to his sword.
Thugs were generally weaker than mercenaries. If someone was skilled enough to be a mercenary, there was no reason to become a thug.
Some had ended up as thugs due to bad temperament or age, after quitting mercenary work...
Rev’s eyes sparkled as he fought. He pulled out a gold coin he received from the Marquess of Guidan and shouted,
“I’ll hire you! I’ll pay you as much as you want!”
A mercenary-turned-thug, advancing with a shield, turned on his comrade and stabbed him in the side.
“Ugh!”
“What the hell, Derren! Are you insane?”
“...!”
He hesitated, shocked by his own actions. I might be greedy, but not this much...
But he didn’t have time to ponder as Rev’s sword struck the back of his head, ending his dilemma.
“Damn it!”
Seeing dozens of their comrades fall, the leader who had spoken to Rev earlier fled.
That crazy knight seemed determined to wipe them out.
There were tales of knights attacking crime families to make a name for themselves.
Those were urban legends, or rather, thug legends, but if this wasn’t the case, why would he attack without any demands?
‘With skills like that, he could join any noble family. Why is he targeting us?’
Cursing, he ran to his boss.
He needed to get his family to safety and call in favors from connected nobles...
He heard the chilling sound of footsteps behind him. Turning, he saw that crazy knight chasing him.
Already?
The masked knight, soaked in blood, pursued him relentlessly. The thug leader sprinted for his life.
“Stop that bastard!”
He yelled at the thugs who emerged, confused, pointing them to stop the knight.
Fortunately, his boss seemed to have heard the commotion and had brought reinforcements to the street.
“Boss! We’re in big trouble. We need to evacuate immediately...”
“Calm down. You said it’s just one knight, right? Don’t worry. The knights from Count Amus’s household just arrived.”
The thug leader calmed down upon seeing the count’s knights behind his boss.
“He’s crazy. Doesn’t talk, just kills. You’ll need to kill him... that’s him!”
Even without pointing, it was clear who he meant. Rev was covered in blood, having already cut down over eighty thugs.
The boss, bowing, addressed the knights,
“Sirs, I ask for your help. As I informed you in the letter, this man destroyed our branch yesterday. He’s turned people into mincemeat. I think it’s the work of one person, so I requested assistance.”
The count’s knights looked displeased as they drew their swords.
Helping thugs now? How low had they fallen?
“Damn... I should have left when Brenda did. Better to be a mercenary than do this...”
Regretting, one knight opened his palm.
“Hey, stop it. I don’t know which noble family you’re from, but enough is enough. We don’t want this to escalate into a territorial dispute. These thugs are... under the protection of Count Amus.”
Rev found himself in a difficult situation.
Thugs could be slaughtered like pigs, but knights were a different matter. Moreover, knights' swords were usually consecrated during their knighting ceremony, making it risky to use enchantment on them.
He had come to gather divine power, and using it on these knights would be a waste.
‘I’ll need to use a bit more.’
Just a little more offering.
Rev received Barbatos’s divine power, feeling lighter and stronger.
A little more should make him capable of handling two knights.
Of course, he wasn’t doing this for pleasure. He hadn’t forgotten that this power came from offering human lives.
‘I offer this.’
Rev licked his lips, offering the sacrifices. The metallic taste of blood was oddly sweet.
[ ‘Back Alley Cleaning’ achievement transformed. ]
[ Achievement: Thug ‘3’ - Stronger in dark alleys. min(3) ]
He sacrificed five thugs, leaving only the minimum three required for the achievement.
He felt lighter again, but...
‘Is it not enough? Yes! It’s not enough!’
[ ‘Ten Bandits’ achievement transformed. ]
[ Achievement: Bandit ‘10’ - Stronger against bandits. min(10) ]
He offered the lives of 31 bandits, leaving only the minimum required for the achievement.
‘...I offer this.’
Rev's body felt light as a feather. The sweet sensation from the divine power made him feel euphoric.
“I offer it all!!”
“What’s wrong with that guy?”
[ ‘Ten Mercenaries’, ‘Ten Soldiers’, ‘One Knight’, ‘Killing a Noble’ achievements transformed. ]
[ Achievement: Thug ‘0’ - Stronger in dark alleys. min(3) ]
[ Achievement: Bandit ‘0’ - Stronger against bandits. min(10) ]
[ Achievement: Thug ‘0’ - Stronger against thugs. min(10) ]
[ Achievement: Mercenary ‘0’ - Stronger against mercenaries. min(10) ]
[ Achievement: Soldier ‘0’ - Stronger against soldiers. min(10) ]
[ Achievement: Knight ‘0’ - Stronger against knights. min(1) ]
[ Achievement: Noble ‘0’ - All nobles feel slight fear towards you. min(1) ]
Rev sacrificed 3 thugs, 10 bandits, 116 thugs, 30 mercenaries, 92 soldiers, 2 knights, and 2 nobles... all the lives he had accumulated.
No, he squandered them all.
“Aah! Aaaah! Aaaaahhh!!”
Rev's eyes turned bloodshot.
His limbs twisted, craving more. Red mist rose ominously from his sword.
This feels so good!
He had foolishly held back all this time!
Then, he saw the ‘humans’ who were less than worms. Their stiff necks angered him.
Rev’s eyes gleamed with madness as he moved towards the remaining thugs and knights, ready to unleash his full power.