Chapter 60 – Rules of Survival (Part 3)

 

To save time, I removed the ring first.

No9425. The Ring of the Frost Spirit is a numbered item obtained by deceiving an old man who turns out to be a master of the Althemion school.

"Here, take it."

"Huh?" Ring? What for...?

Mike took the ring without hesitation, and soon her expression changed to an alarming one.

"I kept this ring for a suitable person.

"But... Why do you give it to me?

It was because everything had changed. I answered laconically:

"Swear by your Guardian Spirit. Provided you get it, you'll continue to be with me in the future.

The market price of the Frost Spirit Ring was 1.5 million stones.

However, since there was no stock on sale, it was difficult to get it even if you wanted to buy it. If the true value of this ring became known, its price would skyrocket.

"Huh?!" Bjorn! Are you crazy?!

Misha shouted and condemned me, but my head at that moment was clear as day.

Did she really think that I would just give it to her? I decided to use her for our survival for now, but I needed a promise that she would continue to follow me and help me in the future. Of course, it was not a one-sided contract.

"The moment you receive this ring, I swear on the honor of a warrior to be by your side and help you in the future. So I want you to do the same.

"Are you serious...?"

To prove it, I looked into Misha's eyes and said again.

"I'm sincere.

Mutual assistance in the true sense of the word. It was a kind of promise of comradeship.

Mike looked at me with surprised eyes for a while and soon spoke in a voice devoid of any playfulness.

—... This is very unexpected, but I see that you are not saying this to make fun of me. To be honest, this is the first time I've received such an offer, so it's not that I'm not happy!

"Then I'm glad-...

"But I'm sorry, Bjorn. I never thought of you like that.

— ... What do you mean?

Mike closed her eyes tightly. Then she looked at me resolutely and answered.

"I... I like thin men.

"Thin men...?" What does it mean? I don't understand...

"Uh!" This means that you have no male charm!

For a moment, my mind was clouded. So what does it feel like to be rejected when you haven't even confessed? One thing was certain.

— ... You misunderstood.

— Yes, so be it. We must continue to walk together, but it will only make things worse...

What does it mean?

It's my fault that I didn't say it directly, so as not to seem like a snob. I forgot that we barbarians have our own way.

"I meant that in exchange for this ring, I want you to take an oath of comradeship.

"The oath of comradeship...?"

"Of course, you can terminate the contract at any time if you give me another such ring or a profit of 15 million stones. Do you understand now?

"N-can't it be?!" What kind of ring is it that it costs 15 million stones!

"15 million is actually cheap for this ring.

"No, I mean, what is that thing-...?

I interrupted her.

"This ring can fulfill your long-held wish.

— ... A what? Desire?

"For example, your brother will no longer be able to call you a half-wit.

Did I touch something I shouldn't have?

Mike tensed, but after thinking for a while, she smiled awkwardly.

"Wow, do you think I'm going to fall for this?" No matter how ashamed you are, you must not lie...

— This is not a lie.

For a while the conversation was interrupted, and silence fell. Mike, who had been smiling awkwardly until now, was no longer smiling.

Instead, she looked at me with cold eyes.

"It's not something to joke with.

Her voice was cold and harsh, unlike usual.

"I clearly gave you a chance to quit. But why do you keep lying? Did I seem like a fool to you just because I kept laughing at your words?

Mike bit her lips angrily.

— ... I shouldn't have told you that.

It was an unexpected reaction, but it was actually natural. The wound, which had been scalded and burned all his life, hurt at the slightest touch.

"I didn't bring it up to open your wounds. Am I really-...

"I've never heard of such a thing. How do you know something that even my clan doesn't?

Instead of answering, I said nothing. It wasn't something that could be explained in long words, and I didn't want to. We could not remain in this state forever. I decided to end it quickly.

"Misha, let me ask you about one thing.

"Go ahead."

"If everything I've said so far is true, will you accept my offer?"

"Still a buffoon-...

"Answer!" I shouted back, interrupting her in mid-sentence.

You just have to answer the question. "Yes" or "No".

When I shouted at her, demanding an answer, Misha shuddered and bit her lip again.

— ... If all that you have said is true, it will not be enough to serve you as a benefactor for the rest of my life. But-...

— No buts. Well, that's all.

I took a step closer and took her wrist.

"Misha Karlstein, it may be hard to believe, but I swear on my honor as a warrior that everything I have said so far is true.

— ... Wh-What?

Mike looked puzzled. Seeing this, I thought it would have been easier if I had used the Warrior's Oath earlier.

However, it didn't matter now.

"So when you wake up, keep your word, too."

I pulled Misha to me and put the ring on her finger.

*Crackle!*

With the power of my hand, I shattered the blue glass pearl on the ring.

[The Frost Spirit Ring has been destroyed, and the seal on the Ice Beast of Skadia has been broken].

Like ripples on the surface of the lake, a wave of cold air spread across the ground.

*Вуш!*

A unique effect occurred when No9425 – Frost Spirit Ring was destroyed. It was almost a pointless option as it didn't do any damage, but after a few tries, I was able to make a discovery.

[Special conditions are met].

If the owner of the ring was a beastman, a separate event occurred at the time of destruction.

[The ice beast Skadia offered Misha Karlstein a contract].

Beastman had to forcibly awaken his innate special ability.

***

[The contract was successfully concluded]

***

A gust of cold wind swirled around Mike like the eye of a typhoon. When it gradually subsided, Mike opened her eyes. There was a complicated but slightly blank look in her red eyes.

"It's that simple... What did I spend so much time on...

Mike looked at me and spoke. Then, with a treacherous look, she asked:

"Bjorn, what is this ring?" If it exists, why didn't my father tell me about it?

It was unknown if the Beast Folk knew of the existence of this ring, but in order to give her the answer she wanted,

"Perhaps he didn't know either.

— ... He didn't know?

— Yes. It seems that the magician only found out about it recently, after researching it for a long time. It's probably not because he didn't consider you his child and hid it from you.

Such an explanation would be better for her mental health. But even after my answer, Misha seemed to be full of questions.

"Wait, then how the hell did you know?" Where did you get this ring?

It was not difficult to explain, because I had pre-prepared stories. But before that, one thing had to be done.

"It will be better to talk after you get dressed first."

— ... Get dressed?

Mike tilted her head, then turned it down, following my gaze. When she confirmed her current state...

"Huh?" And? Wh-why am I naked?! She shouted, squeaking like a robot.

"I've stacked everything next to you, so let's talk after you put them on."

When I turned, Mike picked up her clothes and got dressed. "Now you can turn around.

"It was fast.

"Then I shouldn't have been in a hurry?"

I turned around and saw Misha in casual clothes, a thin fabric that was worn inside the equipment. Due to the fact that it fitted snugly, the curved lines of her body were more clearly defined.

"Aren't you wearing any equipment?"

"Before that, answer me!" Why was I oh, naked?!

"That's because I've undressed you."

"Partition?!" Y-you?!

"I had no choice. I heard that all the equipment on your body will disappear during this ritual.

Notice, this was a lie. I hadn't heard of it, but I had experienced it myself. Heck, I worked hard to raise this character, but since all the equipment was reset, there was nothing I could do.

— ... Hang on! So that's why you asked me that question at the very beginning?

— Question?

"Whether I was married or not.

Oh, that.

I nodded honestly.

"If you had a spouse, you would feel uncomfortable.

I was a proud Korean Confucian. I could never undress a married woman with my own hands.

But Mike shouted back, as if it were absurd:

"Someone who is able to think so far couldn't have thought to tell me beforehand?!"

"I had no intention of hiding it. But you didn't believe me at all.

"Y-yes, but...

When I answered all her questions with reasonable explanations, Misha had nothing more to say.

Now I could speak more decisively.

"In fact, since I had to undress you in a hurry, you can imagine my difficulties. *Click-click*. Why do you need so much equipment?

— ... I apologize.

"Before you apologize, don't you need to do something?"

I walked around the bush and looked straight at her. The rule is this: when a situation arises, you should take care of them as much as possible.

— ... Thank you.

"Is that all?"

Mike thought for a moment and spoke again.

— ... Thank you very much?

"Don't try to dodge. Isn't there something that needs to be addressed properly?

"Do I have to say this out loud?"

Misha avoided my gaze with a shy and embarrassed face, but it didn't look like me to let her get away with it. Such things should not go unsaid.

— Of course.

When I stubbornly answered, the expression in her eyes changed, as if to say that this was the end of the playful atmosphere.

As if she had no intention of missing it from the beginning, she straightened up and looked at me.

"Bjorn, you know... I... at one time... tried to commit suicide.

What now?

I didn't have a premonition that this would happen, but for now I just listened to her serious story.

"Then my father found me and saved me.

"You should be grateful to your father.

"I'd like to, but... This is not such a beautiful story. When I woke up, do you know what he said first? That if I really wanted to die, I had to die in the labyrinth. That I should stop disgracing our family.

Her family turned out to be more shitty than I thought.

While I was seriously thinking about whether I should correct the mistake I had made earlier, Misha calmly continued.

"That's why I entered the labyrinth. Of course, I didn't come here to die, as my father said. I just wanted to run away from home. Even if I didn't have a Spirit Creature, I hoped that if I became a great researcher and was recognized, my father would look at me differently," In that complex, restrained voice, I heard all the emotions she had felt as a child. "Of course, I don't know if my father will accept me with this. But somehow... now I don't care," Then Mike bowed to me. — ... Thank you, Bjorn. I will not forget this mercy for the rest of my life, and I will engrave it in my heart until I pay you.

Even if it could be blurred over time, it seemed pointless to doubt Misha's sincerity now. In this sense, a new wave film is enough.

"Will you swear by your Guardian Spirit?"

After listening to her words, I asked a short question.

Mike grinned and nodded.

"I swear by my Guardian Spirit.

So, good and clean.

[Challenge], [Enhancement], [Special Ability]: A person who has made a pact with a spirit creature will usually acquire one of these three abilities. For Misha, it was a strengthening.

[The power of the ice beast Skadia lives permanently in the body of Misha Karlštejn].

Aside from the jump in physical abilities, the Freeze attribute always acted in a similar way to how my stomach turned cold from this blow.

"Oh!" I hit you because you told me to, but I didn't know it was going to happen! Are you okay?

My skin was red, as if it had been frostbitten. Seeing this, I smiled.

It's a pity it's not [Summoning] or [Special Ability], but... Still, this is something.

Having received a blow, I became more confident. The long-awaited attribute-based attack method has been created. With it, it was now possible to hit some spirit-type monsters.

"Huh?" Come to your senses, Bjorn! Why are you laughing like an idiot?!

"It doesn't matter. Come along. We've been in one place for too long.

Having put the surroundings in order, I took Misha out of there.

We tried to fight the 9th rank spirit type monster Wraith, who we met along the way.

[Wraith used [Corpse Fire]].

Corpsefire was an active skill that mixed dark and fire attributes.

Its power was lower than that of a rank 9 spell, and for me, who possessed Vampire Darkness Resistance, it was only lukewarm. Therefore, most spirit type monsters had low combat power compared to their rank. In the beginning, they were difficult to deal with just because there was no way to attack them.

[You killed Wraith. Experience +1]

With the help of my mace sprinkled with holy water, and Misha's two frost fists, we dispatched a group of 15 Wraiths.

"Hmm, it's a strange feeling every time I hit something.

The reason why she used her fists instead of a spear was simple.

Apparently, the first stage of awakening does not apply to weapons.

Just as a barbarian had stages in the cultivation of the [Spirit Imprint], the beastman's Spirit Beast contract also evolved gradually. Nevertheless, it was lucky that Misha originally belonged to the class of fighters. I was sure that she was fighting only with her fists, until she felt limited and switched to the dagger, which was the easiest to adapt to.

[You killed the Witch Lamp. Experience +1]

[You killed Dyruter. Experience +2]

[You killed a Low Rank Mutated Spirit. Experience +2]

In general, after that, we continued to wander through the forest. We killed all the monsters that caught our eye. In addition, at every opportunity, we rested as much as possible and accumulated endurance.

[You killed Woodman. Experience +1]

[You killed a Homunculus. Experience +2]

[You killed the Owl Bear. Experience +2].

About 11 hours passed in this way. We didn't encounter any rank 7 monsters, but the lower rank monsters were easy to defeat.

There were no risky situations either. Contrary to our fears, there was no indication that the bitch Eliza had come to look for us.

Could it be that something had happened to them too?

This may or may not be so. Instead of cherishing light hopes, I continued to prepare for something else, doing all I could at the moment.

Ha... still no essence.

This left a bitter taste in my mouth. With holy water and the ice beast Skadia, we could hunt spirit type monsters without any problems, but still not much had changed.

About 30%.

That's how I thought our chances of getting back to town were safe and sound.

[It's been 12 hours since you entered the Witchwood.

[Added status anomaly [Witch's Eye]].

Now the real survival has begun.