*Hraaaaap!*

Pretending to be asleep, with the snoring of a young barbarian as background music, I listened to the rustle from the side of the fire. It seemed that the other three were having some kind of written conversation among themselves. I could roughly predict the content of the conversation.

[What are you going to do?]

[What else? Let's kill them now.]

[Who shall we start with?]

Probably, they were planning who to kill first. A real son of a bitch wouldn't miss such a chance. After all, it was a double event, a chance to get two barbarian hearts worth 1.8 million stones.

Let's deal with the barbarians first.]

I guessed what conclusion they would come to. Most likely, they will try to kill me or Charon first. So I focused more on my hearing.

*Top*

The sound of slowly approaching, quiet footsteps: two in this direction, and one in the direction of Charon.

They plan to deal with both of us at once.

This was not a bad decision on their part. They would have to split up, but a simultaneous attack would reduce the number of variables. But even then, the result would be the same.

*Top*

The moment the two figures stopped next to me, my upper body jumped up.

"I'm hungry!" And what are you doing there?

The spearman and the leader holding the sledgehammer were so surprised that they choked on their saliva. When I stole a glance to the side, I saw that the archer was aiming at the sleeping young barbarian.

I pretended not to notice and calmly asked:

"Oh, did you wake up from hunger too?"

As I rubbed my stomach, they thought I hadn't noticed the archer. The guys exchanged glances with each other for a moment, and then laughed awkwardly.

— That's right. I mean, I'm hungry. Why don't we go there and have dinner together?

"Is it meat?"

— ... Of course. I have jerky in my backpack.

"Jerky!"

"Quiet. The rest are asleep.

"Okay...

I nodded.

Just as I was about to go in the direction he was pointing...

*Blow!*

… A blow pierced the back of his head.

It looks like the leader hit me on the head with his hammer.

"Huh?"

My head, which survived the blow of the Orc Warrior's axe, could not shatter from this.

"What was it?"

When I calmly looked around, I saw two numb faces.

It wasn't that it was impossible to understand. Even if he hit me on the head with a hammer, I didn't stumble and certainly didn't moan in pain.

"Uh...

The bastard leader didn't even think to strike another blow and stayed where he was.

Well, I was sure that everything was mixed up in his head anyway. First, it would be reasonable to conclude that I was hiding my identity, but that would be too desperate a truth to believe.

I said with a grin:

"Oh, did your hand slip?"

"Oh, yes?"

"You must not make such mistakes, no matter how hungry you are.

These words didn't make any sense to me, but surprisingly, the leader only smiled awkwardly and nodded.

"Ah!" Sorry.

I'm sorry, damn it. Do I really look like a barbarian fool?

"It seems that I allowed...

*Blow*

— … Error...

Since I didn't have a mace, I struck him in the face.

*Smack!*

The result has not changed much. The leader collapsed to the ground with a sunken face.

"Huh...?"

The bastard with the spear next to him was still looking at me with an expression like he couldn't understand the situation.

"Ah, I was hungry too, so my hand slipped.

I said it as if I was genuinely sorry, but he didn't seem to want to accept my apology.

"Royce!" What are you doing, shoot!

The spearman gave the order instead of their unconscious leader.

*Whoosh!*

Soon the archer fired an arrow. But it seems that there was a misunderstanding. He must have ordered him to shoot me, but instead the arrow flew at the young barbarian.

*Blow!*

Fortunately, Charon, who woke up after hearing the spearman's scream, twisted his body and avoided hitting a vital place.

"Ugh, Royce!" What are you doing?

Charon, with an arrow stuck in his shoulder, quickly stood up and grabbed the archer by the neck.

"Kha, kha!"

"Speak!" I asked, why did you shoot at me?

"I... This is... Let go...!

"Aren't you going to tell me?!"

It looks like I won't have to worry about that side anymore.

When I turned my gaze to the spearman, I saw him slowly retreating back into the darkness. It was almost commendable that he would even think of abandoning his teammates in such a situation, but did he really think it would work?

— ... They were indeed looters.

The situation ended when Mike, who was watching what was happening from beginning to end, hit him on the back of the head with the back of his sword.

***

"What the hell is going on?!" Charon asked, unable to hide his confusion. However, the suffocated and unconscious archer could not answer.

"These guys are looters.

I kindly explained everything from the fact that a barbarian's heart was selling for a high price to the fact that I had hidden my identity because these guys were suspicious.

"What?" This cannot be! These are my teammates...!

Our innocent young barbarian did not believe it so easily. No, to be precise, he didn't want to believe it.

"Charon, son of Tarson, grow up.

— ... Are you trying to insult me?! I'm already a warrior!

"Then why are you trying to deny reality?"

Charon pursed his lips in response to my question. He must have known himself that everything I had said was true.

—…

The barbarians I've seen are definitely not a race with low intelligence. They were simply not taught anything but combat skills, and having spent their entire lives in the Holy Land, they were too naïve.

"That vile archer shot an arrow at you. If you hadn't dodged in time, the arrow would have hit you in the neck instead of your shoulder," and with that, I pulled out the arrow that was stuck in his hand.

Although the pain must have been severe, Charon didn't make a sound, so I just kept talking.

"These guys are looters. They are the scum of the labyrinth who tried to kill you and take your heart.

— ... I want to hear what they have to say.

Perhaps he was hoping that there had been some misunderstanding. Charon asked to talk to the trio, and I had no reason to refuse. I just took their weapon and woke up one of them.

"Eeek!"

I chose an archer. I decided that he had suffered less damage than the others, since he had only been strangled.

"Have mercy!"

As soon as he saw me, the archer knelt down and I took a step back. I didn't want to speak.

"Royce, are you really looters?"

"H-Charon...?" This is a misunderstanding. I'll explain everything, but first wake me up-...

"Answer me." What did I misunderstand?

"This—" The archer could not answer Charon's words.

It was obvious because it wasn't a misunderstanding.

To save time, I tossed Charon the notebook I had found when I was taking away their weapons.

"What is it?"

"Read it yourself."

"I... I can't read.

A. That's right.

"Then why don't you ask him to read this for you?"

"This... faithfully.

Soon Charon handed the notebook to the archer. It recorded the conversations of these three while we pretended to be asleep.

—…

As soon as he saw this, the archer lowered his head, sweating coldly. He seemed to have reached the stage of despair.

Not on my shift.

"If you don't read this, I'll kill you."

—…

— Very painful.

"I'll read it.

Soon the archer began to read the text slowly with trembling lips:

"[Greole, why did you accept him? Are you going to kill him too?]

"[He begs to be killed, so why let him live?]

"[I think this guy is suspicious. The fact that he's looking for a night companion on the 2nd floor... Even barbarians are not so stupid.]

"[Suspicious? I agree with Briol. You've killed so many barbarians and still don't know?

The archer, who was reading with difficulty, closed his mouth at some point, and I broke one of his fingers.

— Did my words sound like a joke?

"Ahh!!

"Go on."

"[They're just walking monsters! Their intelligence is similar to that of monsters, and especially in that whoever kills them wields them.]

After finishing his sentence, the archer watched Charon's reaction.

Charon trembled.

— ... Whose words are these?

"Victor...

"Yes, this guy... I see, go on.

Convinced that it was a spearman's remark, Royce continued the story.

"Besides, you don't have to be a barbarian to be useful. A woman seems to be as stupid as a barbarian, but her face is... beautiful...]

"Go on."

"[I agree, but I don't know how a bitch who somersaulted with a barbarian will be c-...]

"Enough!"

Mike intervened and snatched the notebook from his hands. Then, after reading it quickly, she asked the archer:

"Here, and here. Who wrote this?

Her voice was as cold as ice. I've never seen her like this before.

When the archer pointed at the leader with trembling hands, Mike looked at me and said bluntly:

"Bjorn, I'm going to kill this one.

"Do what you want."

In any case, I shouldn't have angered Mike any more, so I made him skip the lewd conversation. After that, they continued to talk about who and how to kill first.

"[I'll take care of Charon. I'm angry that he looks down on me for being an archer. He doesn't even know he'll be dead when the hunt is over...]

The conversation ended with the archer's remark. After a moment's silence, Charon opened his mouth.

"I... I don't understand anything.

His first words were a question.

— ... Did I do something wrong?

At first, he looked for guilt in himself. Of course, he didn't do anything wrong. It's just that this world was too cruel for such an innocent person.

"Bion, son of Thor...

"Actually, Bjorn, Yandel's son.

- I see. So you are the very famous... Ok. Tell me, Bjorn, son of Yandel, are such people often found in the labyrinth?

— Quite often.

Not a word was said about this side of the labyrinth in the Holy Land. A young warrior who encountered this for the first time asked:

"Then... What should I do? — as if sincerely hoping for an answer. It's as if if I tell him that, he'll definitely do it.

And I answered.

"Doubt everyone, whether they are human or of another race. Just as I deceived them, hide your axe behind your innocence. Even if it's annoying and a little complicated, always think before you act.

— ... Can I really do that?

"It's not a question of whether you can do it, it's a matter of what you have to do," I said firmly. "If you can't tell the difference between the two, you'll have no choice but to live forever as a child. Remember. If you kill one, many other young warriors will be saved.

At my words, Charon pursed his lips.

- I see. That's why you...

He seemed to understand my actions.

"So, what are you going to do?" I will submit to your choice," I asked for the last time.

*Grab*

Charon, a young warrior and son of Tarson, only gripped his axe tighter.

*Colic!*

At last, he became a warrior.

***

Having received a rough blow, the archer's neck flew off.

Misha, who was waiting, woke up the leader by stomping on his groin and slit his throat.

The remaining one came to his senses and began to beg for life.

"P-Please spare me!" From now on, I will live an honest life...

"Do you mean you're going to be a good looter?"

"A good marauder?" Oh, yes, yes! I will become-...

I snapped his neck.

It didn't change anything. There was only one way to become a good looter.

"Here, take the potion."

"Thank you.

When the clean-up was almost finished, I handed Charon a potion, and he poured it on the wound on his shoulder.

"Why don't you pour some more?"

"Then it will heal completely. Scars are evidence of immaturity. I don't want to forget that.

"As you wish."

I knew that barbarians had a habit of thinking of scars as medals, so I didn't add to that.

"Thank you, Bjorn, son of Yandel. Now I know what to do next.

His eyes were already different from before.

Seeing this, I was convinced.

"I can't do it like you, but I'll crush the skulls of those I meet—no, even if I have to find them myself." Also, if I see a young warrior, I will tell him about what I had to go through today, and give advice, as you did today, for the sake of our people.

The way he was now seemed to make it clear to most marauders: from now on, if you touch a barbarian, you will be.