How Did I Raise You!

Had I ever seen Thrag this flustered before? That thought crossed my mind as a barrage of ‘text’ appeared before my eyes.

There was no real need to read it. It was just telling me to curse, or to change my mind, and so on.

“I can’t hear you.”

After ignoring the ‘god’s’ pouty tantrum a few times, Thrag’s complaints gradually began to subside.

Could this actually work?

To be honest, what I said about forsaking Thrag was just bravado.

This insane God of Blood and Revelry is a mentally unstable lunatic god who will go to any lengths to torment anyone who betrays (forsakes) him until death.

So much so that there’s a tip never to choose him unless you’re a barbarian.

That such a Thrag would react like this to me saying I’d abandon my faith was genuinely surprising.

“Hmm, hmm.”

I coughed lightly, deciding to readjust my relationship with Thrag.

From now on, I’m the boss.

You’re the underling.

From here on out, even if I summon and command undead with necromancy, or use ranged attacks, you’ll accept it, right?

* 〈Thrag has retrieved the ‘Blood-Colored Awl’.〉

Oh, come on.

Thrag, big bro! I was just joking!

When the ‘Blood-Colored Awl’ started emitting a faint glow as if it was about to disappear, I quickly waved my hand and smiled.

Only then did the ‘Blood-Colored Awl’ return to normal.

* 〈Thrag allows belief in multiple gods.〉

What a petty guy.

Still, this was progress. For a lunatic god to compromise this much was a remarkable step forward.

So.

While Thrag was causing all this commotion, what has our new god been doing?

Even inwardly wondering, I still received no response from Mortis.

* * *

After the battle with Mortis’s necromancer, we safely made it back to Iushil.

Here, I was surprised by something else as well.

The wagon and horse we had ridden on our journey. Even amidst all that chaos, this guy had survived.

We found him again at none other than the stable of the ‘Bearded Cat Inn.’

“I thought you ran off, but here you were all along!”

Barkal got angry the moment he saw the horse. But really, what could a horse do in the middle of a war like that?

Isn’t it impressive enough that he even came back? When I suggested as much to Barkal, he nodded.

“That’s true. Actually, I forgot the way back to Iushil myself.”

Hearing Barkal say that, I couldn’t help but think ‘you’re worse than the horse.’

But really, this horse…

A real prodigy.

He led the wagon straight back home all on his own.

“Come to think of it, we haven’t given him a name yet, have we?”

Serena said, stroking the horse’s mane.

“He’s traveled with us all this way; shouldn’t we at least give him a name?”

I nodded at her words.

He had traveled alongside us throughout the journey of the Dungeon God, so calling him a companion was more than just talk.

“How about ‘Krunga’, brothers?”

Krunga?

What does that mean?

“I think it’s great, brother! It just has that vibe, like a real veteran!”

Before I could even ask what it meant, Serena nodded enthusiastically.

Indeed, the sound of the name ‘Krunga’ suited the horse’s appearance rather well.

Maybe it felt like a ‘veteran,’ or maybe not, but he had made it through several deadly situations and survived, hadn’t he?

From the name ‘Krunga’ I felt a strong will to survive.

“Brother, what do you think?”

Barkal looked at me and asked. It seemed he’d thought of the name, but the final decision was mine.

“It suits him. I’m fine with the name Krunga.”

“Then it shall be Krunga!”

In the end, the horse’s name was decided as ‘Krunga.’

“By the way, Barkal, what does Krunga mean?”

It certainly seemed related to the ‘Red Wolf Tribe’.

“It means emergency rations.”

Upon hearing this, Serena let out a dumbfounded laugh.

“Oh, actually, they say that kind of name ensures a long life!”

“Khhahahaha! Krunga! If anything ever happens, you’d better be prepared!”

Barkal patted Krunga’s neck and laughed loudly, then he turned abruptly and locked eyes with me.

“Brother! On a day like this, shouldn’t we have a celebration?”

A celebration?

Ah, right—after narrowly escaping death, the Dungeon God party had reunited.

“That’s a great idea! Plus, we’ve become a ‘Silver rank adventurer party,’ haven’t we?”

Fair enough.

“How about we invite everyone and celebrate this event?”

I agreed. On a day like this, we had to drink.

“I thought as much and already called everyone.”

Barkal said, claiming he’d taken care of it.

Called who?

“Khahahahaha!”

“Drink! Anyone who doesn’t drink, dies!”

After hearing Barkal, I entered the Bearded Cat Inn, and it was packed with burly figures.

Barbarians.

And more barbarians.

Most likely, friends from the Barbarian Respect Association.

So these were the ones Barkal had invited.

“Sage, you’re here!”

“Sage! Over here!”

Normally I would have brushed the barbarians off as usual, but…

At a drinking table, you can’t ignore a senior’s words so easily. Is this instinct in my blood?

“Grunt, what is it?”

“What do you mean what? I have something to say to you!”

Something to say.

Could this be about the payment owed?

Honestly, it would make sense if so.

Even if the Barbarian Respect Association is all about ‘Respect the barbarian!’ they risked their lives in this matter.

Wanting a reward is only natural.

“I thank you!”

But the words Grunt spoke were unexpected.

Thank you? Why?

“You gave us the chance to slay those filthy necromancers!”

“Sharing that chance with us! You are a great one, greater than the word ‘sage’ can convey!”

Wahaha!

The barbarians laughed with me and threw their arms around my shoulders.

What? You don’t want money?

I’d gladly give you any. That’s how grateful I was for your help this time.

“You should thank me. I shared my honor with you!”

But the words that came from my mouth were shameless to the extreme.

“Wahahah! Sage! Give us words for everyone!”

A speech at a feast?

Ah, I suppose they’re asking for a toast.

“Thank you for helping us this time, brothers!”

I raised my cup and shouted.

Barbarians must like short and simple.

“For honor!”

Uwoooooh!

The building seemed to shake as the barbarians raised their cups and shouted.

I drank with everyone else.

Huh?

The drink in my glass was a transparent gold with bubbles floating within it.

I thought it was beer, but then a rich honey flavor and a hit of wildflower aroma exploded at the end.

Delicious! And it didn’t even taste that strong.

But it wasn’t long before I felt the buzz rising. Despite the taste, it must have been quite high in alcohol strength.

“Wahahaha! For honor!”

Barkal, Grunt, and the rest of the barbarians cheered and threw back drinks with swagger.

The pile of empty glasses nearby was considerable. As expected, barbarians could drink as well as they were big.

“Wahahaha! For honor!”

Again, the barbarians knocked back drinks.

“Wahahaha! For honor!”

These lunatics. Now that I looked, they no longer had focus in their eyes.

It wasn’t that they were strong at drinking. They were all already blackout drunk.

“This place has already become a mess.”

Before long, members of the Dark Shade party arrived at the Bearded Cat Inn.

Of course, everyone who helped was invited tonight. The Judges of Light left Iushil to file their report, so I couldn’t invite them.

Camilla frowned in disgust at the chaotic table, then approached with her allies.

“You started drinking before we even got here? Well, I guess it doesn’t matter… Hic!”

“Hey, Camilla! Hic!”

At the same time, Serena’s voice came from nearby.

Serena’s cheeks were flushed red as apples, and her normally neat blonde hair was now messy.

Are you drunk?

Aren’t clerics supposed to abstain from drinking?

“I’m Silver rank now, too! So let’s be honest! Why did you fire me!”

When that familiar topic came up, Camilla’s expression soured.

Again with that subject. It must really have stuck with her.

The fact that Serena was now tipsy made it clear it’d only get more troublesome.

A few more glasses.

After knocking back more honey mead, I left the crowded inn to shake off the gathering drunkenness.

Thanks to lights made from mana stones and torches, the night felt quite bright.

No—

On second thought, is this really bright? If I were my old self, I’d be grumbling about not being able to see my hand in front of my face.

I’ve really adapted a lot.

Schlurp──!

In my moment of nostalgia, I felt the familiar sensation of something slimy clinging to me.

“Z-Avava.”

Slime oozed out from my leather armor. If anyone saw a monster here, there’d be a commotion for sure, but fortunately, there was nobody around.

“Didn’t I tell you not to show yourself until I gave the word?”

As I scolded Z-Avava, he just rolled his ‘core’ around like eyes.

Something seemed different.

He looked like he had something to say.

“What do you want?”

Though his intelligence wasn’t quite what it was before dying once, the slime could still think a bit.

He wriggled his body, projecting the night sky and the natural scenery around him.

I was surprised for a moment.

Just from hanging around barbarians, I could now pick up on this stuff?

The nuance of Z-Avava’s message was basically:

Nature.

Freedom.

And then he shaped himself as if mimicking Mortis’s Goddess statue.

“Are you planning to leave?”

In answer, z-Avava bobbed his core up and down.

It seemed witnessing ‘Mortis’s Goddess statue’ had sparked something in him.

Something about his god, Ji-Avba.

When I’d first met this slime, he had excitedly shown me around, introducing things he liked and pointing at the Pantheon of ‘Ji-Avba.’

Perhaps those feelings had been rekindled? Like he wanted, just like Mortis, to revive his god with his own faith.

It would be a difficult journey.

“Let me ask you one last time. Is this truly your will?”

When I asked sharply, z-Avava began to look between me and the sky.

He still hadn’t steeled his resolve.

“Of course! It’s only natural a monster and a human can’t be together!”

At that, I snapped coldly at Z-Avava.

A chilly wind brushed my cheek, and the torch flame flickered sadly, as if sensing farewell.

“Slime! There is an unscalable wall between us!”

With my angry voice, z-Avava’s core shuddered violently.

“So get lost! This isn’t the place for you!”

I raised my voice and threw Z-Avava to the ground as if casting him aside.

He looked at me wide-eyed in shock, but that was all.

He didn’t seem to intend to attack.

He didn’t even seem to hate me.

He simply wrapped his moist body around my ankle as a final goodbye.

Then, he moved his body toward the outskirts of Iushil.

He paused for a moment as if lingering in regret.

“Good riddance! At last, I’m rid of that slimy one!”

Like a bird leaving the nest, he disappeared from sight.

He’s finally gone.

I smiled as I gazed at the darkness where Z-Avava had vanished.

No more slime leaking from my armor.

No more worrying about being caught by others.

After all, a monster living with humans isn’t realistic.

Yeah.

It’s a relief.

“Ugh-heuk.”

Then why did my chest hurt so much?

“Z-Avava…!”

Memories of the days I spent in the desert with him flashed through my mind.

The one who gave me shade in the deadly heat.

The one who helped me light fires.

The one who found me water.

I vividly remembered how he’d thought of me as family and doggedly followed after me.

“Live well!”

Don’t eat humans!

Then again, he liked humans so much, it was unlikely.

Damn.

Why was my nose stinging? Was it just the alcohol?

Why did I get so attached to a monster?

* 〈Mortis gives a hollow laugh.〉

New Entities:

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep