Barbarian Respect Association

Iushil is not a small city.

Among the many nations featured in 《Dungeon God》, it is the largest city in the Kerval Kingdom, and thus inhabited by a large population.

Accordingly, it had a thoroughly organized security system, and one could say the quality of its guards was high.

“What are you doing, you barbarians!”

“Hurry and return to your assigned posts… Kyaaagh!”

But what could they do?

Their opponents were barbarians.

Barbarians, human weapons.

Idiots with sturdy bodies to match their lack of brains.

“Head to the management office!”

“As Sage Dmihtan said, we will not kill!”

More than ten hulking barbarians rampaged through the auction house as if they were tanks.

I was not obligated to chase after those barbarians. I had no need to stop them either.

Even so, I followed right behind them.

“Barkal, stop!”

“You must show us respect!”

Barkal.

The lunatic had joined their ranks.

“Manager, come out!”

“Despicable bastard! Worse than a goblin!”

Eventually, the barbarian tanks arrived at the place marked ‘Management Office’. As more than ten hulks poured inside, startled voices echoed incessantly.

“W-what are you all doing here!”

Among them was a man with a particularly loud voice. His face and hands were covered in scars, and seeing the barbarians gathering toward him, it seemed he was their target.

“If your god saw this, he’d be disappointed in you! Hurry, go back to your stations!”

“Listen, Rugman!”

“You deceived us!”

“This is not a place blessed by god!”

The barbarians who entered the management office began firing remarks at a man named ‘Rugman’.

I looked around. Soon, I found an area with nameplates gathered together.

Rugman.

It seemed he held the position of ‘Security Chief’ at the Iushil Market Auction House.

What did it matter to me? I just needed to get Barkal out of this mess.

Where are you, Barkal?

“A-are you saying I lied!?”

“That’s right!”

“Then ask your god! Ask if what I said was false!”

“How shameless you are, Rugman!!!”

When Grunt’s thunderous outcry rang out, the man named Rugman flinched. Thanks to that, everyone else in the management office was trembling in fear.

“I want to tear you apart right now, but we want respect! So I will show you respect as well!”

Contrary to my apprehension that something terrible was about to happen, rational words flowed from Grunt’s mouth.

“Two shifts, two teams! Even though you worked us seven days a week, we respected you! Even with no overtime pay, we respected you!”

“Sage Dmihtan told us! If you want respect, show respect to others!”

“Is what we’re saying correct, Dmihtan?”

The barbarians’ gazes turned to me.

“This man must die.”

Two shifts, two teams? What are you doing? Kill this crazy bastard right now!

“Didn’t you say we should show respect?”

“I misspoke in anger. He must not be killed.”

“I knew it!”

“So, what should we do, Dmihtan?”

I looked at Rugman. A man covered in scars and tattoos. Somehow, he had the same vibe as my old team leader, the one who always dumped work on me.

“Let him live! Only if you live can you respect someone else!”

“That’s right!”

“Dmihtan’s words are true!”

“So that means as long as we don’t kill him, it’s fine!”

As long as they didn’t kill him.

Once that was said, I could see a change in the barbarians’ eyes.

“Rugman! In accordance with Sage Dmihtan’s words, we will not kill you!”

“But we must have a conversation!”

“A… conversation?”

“A conversation of the body.”

With a solemn voice, Barkal stepped forward. A massive figure, wearing even a skull helmet, made Rugman let out a hollow laugh.

“It’s the barbarian’s method of settling disputes! A one-on-one conversation of the body!”

“The winner is right! If you win, this place is indeed blessed by god!”

“You crazy bastards! What are you doing? Don’t just stand there watching, call security now!”

“W-well…”

As Rugman shouted, a nearby auction house official faltered, their voice trailing off.

The ones in front of your eyes are the guards.

“I’ll go first, Rugman!”

“Waaaaargh!”

* * *

A conversation of the body.

This is the method by which barbarians settle disputes.

The method is simple.

They put down their weapons and compete purely by physical might.

At this time, both sides tightly grip each other’s left hand so that escape is impossible. With their remaining free hands, they pummel each other with a storm of punches.

The one who lets go, or loses consciousness, is defeated.

That’s right. In other words, it’s a flat-out brawl.

“Huff… Huff.”

Because of this, the once fierce-looking Rugman’s face softened a bit.

It was inevitable.

The conversation of the body was conducted one-on-one, and except for me, there were still 14 barbarians left here.

Over the course of 14 conversations, the barbarians vented all their pent-up anger.

Whenever Rugman tried to let go, the barbarians forcibly gripped his hand and gave him a beating – it was quite a spectacle.

Afterwards, all 14 barbarians were arrested by the city guards.

During the process, there was no sign of resistance; they voluntarily accompanied the guards.

Barkal.

That bastard included.

“Brother, please remember me!”

With Barkal’s arrest, the new adventurer party “Dungeon God” suddenly faced a huge crisis.

First, there was the scammer cleric.

Then, an adventurer got arrested.

You’d have to say it was a truly unpredictable party.

Fortunately, the crisis that had struck the “Dungeon God” party was resolved not long after.

The auction house’s security chief, Rugman, was found to have dodged taxes and, as an internal investigation began, his exploitation of the barbarians became public knowledge.

He really was no ordinary bastard. To think he was even skimming off the top.

Thanks to that, the 14 arrested barbarians were released in less than a day.

Some were injured during the protest, but the auction house admitted their fault and paid for all medical expenses, so you could say the case was closed.

“Sage Dmihtan, thank you, brother!”

“We will never forget this favor!”

The 14 freed barbarians came to the adventurers’ guild that very same day.

Seeing those 14 hulks kneeling and bowing before me was quite a sight – though others nearby were so afraid of the barbarians that they kept their distance.

“Grunt.”

It was a bit embarrassing to look down at the barbarians as I spoke, but I had something to ask and decided not to mind.

“What is it?”

“What will you do from now on?”

Grunt was the older brother of Urok, from whom I had previously received help.

I felt the debt to Urok had been paid, but out of fondness, I wanted to ask about Grunt’s future plans.

“… Dmihtan, my brother.”

When I asked about what was next, Grunt adopted a serious expression.

“There is something I realized because of your words.”

“What is that?”

“That we barbarians are indeed foolish and easily deceived.”

He was only realizing this now?

That’s what I’d like to say, but they are barbarians, after all.

Rather, it was a moment deserving praise: They finally figured it out!

“Surely, there are many other barbarians who were deceived like us. Barbarians who have suffered as we did.”

I’m sure there are.

“So, we will band together to ensure this never happens again.”

“Band together…”

“Yes, my brother!”

Grunt rose to his feet. He then looked around at the other barbarians gathered nearby.

“So that no more barbarians like us are made, we shall establish an organization to protect ourselves.”

“An organization, you say?”

“Yes. It shall be called the Barbarian Respect Association!”

The Barbarian Respect Association.

I nearly laughed out loud.

“We will form the Barbarian Respect Association and extend a helping hand to brothers in need!”

In a way, they were founding an association for the socially vulnerable barbarians.

But if it’s an organization run only by barbarians, wouldn’t they just get duped again?

“Dmihtan, my brother and sage.”

“What is it?”

“I want you to serve as the head of our Barbarian Respect Association!”

Serve as president?

At the sudden request, I looked at the other barbarians.

They didn’t seem particularly opposed. In fact, their eyes were sparkling with hope.

“I refuse.”

Still, I refused.

“Why is that!?”

Why, you ask?

I’m not a barbarian, fool.

Still, I had to sugarcoat it.

“It is not I whom they followed. It is you, Grunt.”

“Dmihtan, my brother…”

“You can do it.”

I offered him kind words as I put a hand on his shoulder. Grunt seemed moved, clenching his fist tightly.

“… Still, you will be the spiritual pillar of our association.”

“First, we will follow the words of god, and second, yours, sage!”

“If you wish for anything, no matter what it is, we will answer your call! Does everyone agree?”

As Grunt called out loudly, the remaining barbarians answered in booming voices.

“We will answer the call!”

Yeah, that’s good, but you’re all too noisy, kids.

After a round of commotion, the barbarians started to break up, talking among themselves as if to go through the steps of founding their association.

“Dmihtan.”

Amidst the great migration of the barbarian tribe, Grunt did not join the group but instead approached the table where I was seated.

“What is it, brother?”

“There’s something I want to ask you.”

Something to ask?

“It’s about my proud younger brother! About Urok.”

Grunt, with a brightened face, asked for news of Urok.

“I once heard from Urok! That he wished to undergo his coming-of-age ceremony with Barkal and Dmihtan – with you two!”

“Urok underwent the rite of passage with us.”

“I knew it!”

At my answer, Grunt nodded vigorously.

“I wish you would tell me right away!”

Grunt’s energetic voice. However, as soon as he saw Barkal quietly standing, Grunt’s demeanor gradually darkened.

He realized what had happened in an instant.

“I wish you would… tell me.”

With a much quieter voice, Grunt spoke. Only then did I narrate what had happened at the coming-of-age ceremony.

A mournful cry echoed through the entire adventurers’ guild. Barkal and I remained in silence, watching him.

“What became of the monster who killed Urok?”

“It died. We avenged him.”

“Thank you. Remember him.”

“I will remember him.”

Barkal was the one who replied to the request for remembrance. Perhaps it was a parting phrase handed down in the ‘Red Wolf Tribe’.

“Thank you for telling me.”

“I only spoke of our brother.”

“I receive only help from you. The debt is far too great for me to repay.”

Grunt knelt before me once again, bowing deeply. I knew this was the highest form of thanks among barbarians, but receiving it repeatedly left me feeling odd.

Afterwards, Grunt left the adventurers’ guild. Now, only Barkal and I remained.

Oh, right, I’m not a barbarian.

‘Hmm.’

Still, I felt like I’d forgotten something. What could I have forgotten?

Barkal?

No, he’s right beside me.

Thrag’s trial?

Well, that’s not an issue right now.

Rune of the Abyss?

That, too.

Serena?

Ah.

We got separated when we made our membership cards, and I haven’t seen her since.

She might think she’s been abandoned. Maybe that’s for the best? Should I just get a new cleric now?

“Excuse me.”

As I was thinking about Serena, someone called to me from behind.

It was a man’s voice.

When I turned around, a man clad in radiant, sunlight-reflecting silver armor was looking at Barkal and me.

Upon the surface of his armor was the clearly engraved emblem of a sun crossed with a sword.

That emblem.

If my memory serves, it’s the symbol of Hyrat, God of judgment and virtue, one of the benevolent gods.

“Are you perhaps Dmihtan Elvar?”

The man asked politely, but his gaze was icy and wary.

I had a bad feeling, so should I try to talk my way out of it?

“That’s right. I am Dmihtan Elvar, the great sage of the Red Wolf Tribe!”

Oblivious to my thoughts, Barkal yelled out loudly.

Barkal.

Barkal.

You bastard.

————-= Clacky’s Corner ————-=

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep