The last time we spoke, I told Missha that I considered her a valuable teammate. I drew the line with her with cowardly words. I had thought it was the right thing to do, and in fact, it was. At that moment I was still burning with the desire to return. Not to mention... that he didn't even have the right to cross that line, because he was an evil spirit. No matter how much affection I whispered through Bjorn Yandel's body, I assumed I would only end up cheating on the other person.
«What does that mean? Don't you consider me just a teammate...?»
At Missha's question, asked with wide eyes, I answered without hesitation. «You should know what I mean by that».
It was something I had realized after visiting the community this time. More than Hansu Lee's darkroom, I considered this place where my home was now.
«You didn't even tell me right...» Missha slowly moved her eyes from the wall where she avoided my gaze towards me. «So how do I know...?».
Perhaps this was what Baekho distrusted. The moment he established a deep connection with an NPC, the desire to stay in this place grew stronger. But so what?
«Missha Karlstein, me gustas.»
I didn't mind coming back anymore. It was also true that it became difficult to make rational decisions when emotions about the other sex got in the way, but it was too late anyway. Even at this time, I considered my teammates, including Missha, valuable and couldn't put myself as a top priority.
This was a trace of the legacy Dwalkie left behind. What could he do if he left us like that? I could never think of them as NPCs.
So what was Missha's response? I felt nervous for the first time in a long time, but I didn't express it outwardly so that it couldn't affect the result. A time of silence passed like this.
«Bjorn». Soon, Missha ended the long silence and parted her lips. Before I knew it, she was out from under the blanket that covered her body and standing in front of me. «...Let's go outside.»
Missha took me by the hand and led me out of the house. I didn't ask where we were going. It was early in the morning, when people began to wake up and start their activities. Without even wearing a coat, Missha and I left the house and found a room in an inn thirty meters away, and we hugged each other tightly.
«Bjorn, be careful...! It hurts when you push too hard...».
In case he got hurt, I moved my rough barbarian body conscientiously and carefully. «Are you really sure about this...?»
«...Anything for you». Missha hugged me awkwardly but warmly. That's how we both spent time into the night, sharing each other's warmth.
So this is what happened to his tail.
It was the day I saw with my own eyes what I had always been curious about. But they say that happiness is like a fleeting illusion.
«Bjorn.»
«Sleep more. Don't worry about Ainar and Erwen. I'm sure they are f-»
«It's not that. I have something to say.»
«…¿Eh?»
Before I could tilt my head in confusion to ask her what she meant, Missha sat on the bed and looked at me. Then he spoke in a determined voice. «I think it's better that we stay as teammates.»
She rejected me.
***
It seemed like he was in a dream.
«Missha Karlstein, me gustas.»
The moment he heard those words, his heart began to beat like crazy and the entire world shone. That's why.
«...Let's go outside.»
Missha grabbed Bjorn and almost ran out of the house with him because she was anxious. He felt that if he lost sight of himself even for a moment, he would wake up from this dream.
«¡Bjorn, Bjorn, Bjorn…!»
«Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere.»
That's how the dream moments passed. The two transmitted their warmth to each other and sometimes rested while talking. From the moment they met until now, they talked about many moments and vomited feelings and thoughts on each other. It was time to share with each other.
Did I fall asleep a little?
A dream was a dream because you had to wake up one day. Missha slowly opened her eyes. He could see the darkened sky through the window and the man he had wanted so much slept next to him. The deep happiness that that vision brought him was short-lived. The world was dyed the color of reality and she became sober.
As I thought, Bjorn...
It was an evil spirit. Unable to spit that out even in her head, Missha swallowed the hidden end of that sentence because it broke her heart just thinking about it.
«Ugh…»
She felt suffocated. Until now she had had her doubts, but today she was sure of her identity. That was because after learning of the duty from Kharon, he had checked this and that with Ainar. Only barbarians could give birth to barbarians. This was something she knew from the beginning.
»Have a relationship»? Haha, isn't it obvious? Of course we can. As far as I know, there are quite a few barbarians who are!»
Barbarians were still people, after all. The longer they lived in the city, and the longer they teamed up with explorers who were not compatriots of the holy land, the more their values began to change.
«According to the chief, if you live in the city for a few years, any warrior is obliged to change even a little. The chief called that urbanization».
Because they were kind, their personalities worked well together. Affection built up from spending a lot of time together. Regardless of that person's race, there were definitely barbarians in town who were attracted to the other sex, but they all had something in common.
«But I've heard that it's hard to find someone, because most don't understand duty».
Even those people wanted to have children. Ainar said that it was a racial vocation imprinted on the soul. And so, Missha also tried to understand. The reason he went up to his room without saying anything, even though he waited until morning unable to sleep because his heart was heavy, was because of that.
«Missha, nothing happened on holy ground last night, and I don't want you to misunderstand me about that».
However, he was told not to misunderstand me.
«Because I no longer consider you just my teammate.»
She even heard these words from Bjorn. At that moment she was so immersed in her happiness that she couldn't even think about it, but when she came to, everything was full of contradictions. Of course, she believed that nothing had happened in the holy land.
So why did Kharon lie?
Why did Bjorn tell Kharon that he was going to do his duty? Thinking about it now, the answer was simple.
Because I had to do it.
The only barbarian who had failed in his duty was one early in his career who had not established himself. It was strange that a warrior who even had the nickname Giant would abandon his duties, so Bjorn turned to Kharon. Kharon's words yesterday were proof of this.
«Bjorn is doing his duties with the tribe's warriors, so don't even think about interfering!».
Without needing to investigate further, Kharon conveyed the full story. If Bjorn really wanted to keep it a secret, this couldn't have been possible. If so, it would have made Kharon take an oath. Considering his thorough personality, it could be seen as intentional. Bjorn wanted Kharon to spread throughout the barbarian community that Bjorn Yandel was doing his duty.
Still, the reason why he had to bother changing his appearance...
Missha lowered her head.
Because... he likes me...
Bjorn wanted to be seen as a barbarian who did his duty to his countrymen, but not have that reach her ears. If he hadn't stopped by the bar that day on a hunch, he would have continued to think that Bjorn had been drinking all night. Anyone I had asked would have said it too.
Now...
Now that he knew the truth of everything, his hands and feet were shaking. Bjorn Yandel was an evil spirit, but his feelings for him did not cool in the slightest. This was natural. The person she fell in love with was not Bjorn Yandel, but the man who saved her and was by her side for many trips until now.
So... what do I do now?
The fact that it was an evil spirit was not important. Even if everyone pointed the finger at her and said it was wrong, she just had to do whatever she wanted just like he taught her. But still, realistic problems remained.
If this happens, one day they will catch him...
Love made rational judgment difficult. Missha knew this better than anyone. And in truth, Bjorn made the wrong decision. Instead of pretending to do his duty, actually doing it was much more advantageous to hide his identity. The reason he didn't was just one.
Yes, because of me...
So Missha made up her mind. If this relationship continued, Bjorn would one day make a bigger mistake.
It's just me who has to endure it...
This was the best course of action. Although even imagining it made her heart hurt, she was good at putting up with things. Before meeting the man named Bjorn Yandel, he had lived his entire life that way.
«Bjorn.» She woke up her sleeping lover by name.
«Sleep more. Don't worry about Ainar and Erwen. I'm sure they are f-»
«It's not that. I have something to say». He forced a smile even though it was uncomfortable and spoke, even though that path was full of pain. «I think it's better that we stay as teammates».
Surely, she could do that if it was for this man.
***
«T-you come a little later. I... I... I will give the others an excuse... Okay?»
Before I could understand what the hell was happening to me, before I could understand the full outline of the situation, Missha left.
I hardened like a rock on the spot: Barbara Statue Mode.
«Was I rejected...?»
My head felt numb. What had he done wrong? Have I made any mistakes today? I racked my brain for a while, but only delusions came to mind, so I just left the room and left. Yes, what was the point of moaning to myself? If you had a question, just ask. And if he did something wrong, he just had to fix it.
«Oh, are you here? Come eat.» When I finally got home, Missha greeted me as if nothing had happened.
«Are you here, sir?»
«Bjorn, get out all night and just come back now? Take me with you next time you drink!»
Erwen and Ainar thought he had just arrived home. For now we all got together and ate. He wanted to ask Missha the meaning of her words from before, but he couldn't ask her here.
«So, I'm tired so I'm going to rest first!» As soon as the meal was over, Missha ran to her room.
«Erwen, Missha is acting weird today. He also walks strangely».
«I'm not sure. I don't know why he behaves like that either. Something doesn't seem right to me, though...»
To the two who questioned Missha's behavior, I intervened saying that she must be sick and quickly followed her to «check her condition.»
«¡¿B-Bjorn...?!»
Finally, we were alone again. I asked her to tell me if I had done something wrong and why I wanted to continue being a teammate and the answer was the same as before.
«Let's pretend that nothing happened today. I think it would be the best». It was a stubborn refusal without giving me a proper reason. Judging that now was not the time, I took a step back and waited for the right moment. But...
«Oh, I'm sorry! Now I have to go somewhere!»
«¡Ainar! ¡Lavar la ropa! ¡Let's tend la colada!»
«...Today I'm tired.»
After that, Missha continued to avoid the situations in which the two of us were alone like a plague and if somehow I made time and looked for an answer, she always gave me the same one. After a few days, I also gave up.
«...I see. So let's pretend that day didn't happen».
Even I couldn't be stubborn when the other person acted like that. That would just be coercion. To be honest, it was a defense mechanism of my subconscious.
Wow, I want to smoke.
I didn't even remember the last time I had felt so out of my mind. Even when I stepped on goblin traps and crawled through the cave, or when the columns of fire exploded in the square, it hadn't been that bad.
Yes, focus on what you have to do.
I couldn't remain so distraught forever, so I deleted the incident with Missha as much as possible and focused on my work. Fortunately, there were other things to occupy my time.
«Sir, did you hear about that rumor?»
«That the outside world is fine?»
«Yeah. It's the only thing being talked about these days».
Information about the world beyond the castle walls, first revealed in the community, began to spread throughout the city. Well, it was still just a rumor, but as time went on, it was destined to grow.
I wonder how the palace will react.
Contrary to expectations, the palace had not yet responded. I had to keep a closer eye, of course, while I did my own work.
«Anyway, you know about today, right?»
«Meeting at District 7 headquarters at 3 PM today, right?»
«Sí.»
As soon as I finished eating, I headed to the Scout Guild first and prepared the paperwork in advance. These were several documents necessary to create a clan. That was because Raven and Mr. Bear, who said they wanted to think about it a little more, finally made the decision to join my clan.
«¿Raven?»
While filling out the paperwork like that, Raven showed up before the agreed upon time. «This is an important issue. I didn't want to leave everything to you». He talked like I wasn't trustworthy, but it actually meant he had come earlier to help me. «How far have you come? Let me see».
Then Raven grabbed some of the papers and scribbled with her pen to quickly write down the essentials. She was three times faster than me and also made fewer mistakes.
«The rules are ambiguous. These things have to be clear. The same for the conditions relating to withdrawal. You can make exceptions, but you have to say clearly who you make them for».
«Ya veo... »
«Show me the roles you've already done. I feel like I have to fix everything, anyway».
«Tomas. »
Anyway, receiving Raven's help, the other members came near the end of the paperwork.
«It's my first time making a clan myself, so it feels new. Did you do all this, Raven?»
«Yeah. You just have to sign here. If you want to read the documents first, go ahead».
«Haha, it's okay. I'm sure you filled it out correctly».
Starting with Mr. Bear, the remaining members signed the paper and upon handing it over at the end, the application for the creation of a clan was complete. He would probably be officially registered with the guild tomorrow.
So this solves this problem...
A clan structure would go beyond uniting us as a group and take us further.
«Did everyone clear their agendas?»
In that spirit, we left the guild and went to a tavern. There were still only six of us, but it was the first meeting as a clan rather than a team. Ordering a few dishes and some drinks, we took our time to share our future plans. I guess I should describe it as an announcement moment, to be exact.
«This time we will enter the maze».
Now that we had created an official clan, it was time to get back on track.