The Lost Barbarian

The location for the gathering of the criminal organization, the ‘Disguiser’ group known as the ‘masquerade ball’, was a river situated in the Rozelia region.

At first, I was puzzled. A river—are we really meeting at some desolate river?

Are we supposed to go for a swim or something? Should I prepare a recreational activity or what?

When we arrived, a low mist blanketed the riverbanks, greeting us.

And beyond that, a creaky old pier made from worn-out wood surrendered itself to the river’s current.

Is this a dock used by smugglers since a long time ago? It’s pretty large for something like that.

“Is this where that guy’s weakness is, sage?”

Barkal asked, looking at the dock. I stared at Barkal’s face.

I hadn’t given him a mask. His skull helmet was already large enough to cover his whole face, so there was no real need for another mask.

“This is my family’s sin! If I hide, I can’t prove that I am the sinner!”

When I asked if maybe he should wear a mask anyway, Barkal answered like that.

I don’t really understand what he means, but being a sinner isn’t exactly a badge of pride. Still, it’s best to respect his opinion.

Anyway, returning to the matter at hand, I answered Barkal’s question.

“I’m not certain. Still, there’s a possibility.”

“Hm…”

“Uh, brother? May I ask… what exactly is this ‘weakness’?”

Serena, holding her rabbit mask on top of her head, asked cautiously, and I shook my head.

“That’s not certain, either. All I know is it’s called a ‘fragment’.”

“A ‘fragment’… then how are we supposed to find it?”

A natural question. How are we supposed to find something when we don’t even know what it looks like? That makes no sense.

But I had faith.

Just like with the ‘Rune of the Abyss’, perhaps this ‘fragment’ would somehow signal its presence the closer we got.

It’s reckless, but do I have any better options?

“Are we supposed to go inside?”

There was a definite door that looked like an entrance further into the dock.

It was much cleaner than the other neglected areas; it felt as though someone had tended to it just moments ago.

“I’m going in.”

With those words, I pressed the wolf mask I wore further down over my head.

* * *

The dock had reeked of rotten wood, but upon entering the old warehouse, the air felt completely different.

Though the brickwork was old, it was strangely neat, and there wasn’t a speck of mud on the floor. Someone seemed to be intentionally keeping this place spotless.

However, the visibility was still terribly poor. There weren’t any mana stone lamps or similar, only the gentle flicker of oil lanterns hanging on the walls.

“Welcome to the masquerade ball.”

“Please, do not use anything other than the lantern provided here.”

Two mysterious masked men stepped forward and handed us lanterns similar to those on the wall.

I received one and nodded.

A fair number of ‘Disguisers’ could be seen inside. Like us, they wore robes and masks, their faces obscured.

“I… If you lose sight of someone, it’d be hard to find them again…”

Serena’s voice came from beside me, and I nodded absentmindedly.

Just as she said, if you got lost here, you’d easily become a stray. There was obviously no lost-child center in a place like this. Maybe we should’ve arranged a meeting spot before splitting up.

“Rat bastards.”

Barkal muttered as he looked around at the masked people.

His tone was heavy with clear annoyance—and now I understood why.

“They look like rogues.”

Practically the whole room was filled with ‘rogue’ type people. They covered themselves with masks and robes, but you could tell from their posture and gestures.

Barkal hated ‘rogues’, so he probably recognized them even faster than we did.

“Calm yourself. We came for information, brother.”

“Sage, so long as you aren’t in danger, I won’t get involved.”

Very reliable.

Just then, thud!—a loud sound echoed inside the warehouse where the masquerade ball was taking place.

The source was the platform. A muscular man, easily over 190 cm, stood looking down at the crowd from there.

While everyone else hid their identities behind masks and robes, he alone revealed himself, seemingly unconcerned.

Overflowing with confidence.

Or is he just an idiot?

Most likely the latter.

Idiot.

“Hear me! Shadows of the Disguiser!”

A low, heavy voice resounded.

“I am the Second Finger of the Disguiser, silas!”

Announcing himself as ‘Silas’, the man clenched his fist and smiled.

“With the First Finger gone silent, I am hosting this masquerade ball in his stead. I thank you for such a large turnout!”

He kept speaking, voice bursting with confidence.

“You should all know why the masquerade ball has been called!”

Silas paused for breath.

“A report came in that the Butterfly was found.”

The corners of his mouth curled upward.

“And one more thing.”

That bastard…

He’s definitely up to something.

It hasn’t been that long since I started living this kind of life, but…

Just by looking at that smile, I felt something was up.

He’s up to something for sure.

“First Finger!!!”

Silas’s booming voice made the building rattle.

“I know you’re here somewhere!”

But no answer came in response to his words.

An oppressive silence.

Yet, a strange smile appeared on Silas’s face, not displeasure.

“How much longer will you hide and rule over us? Your silence is weakness!”

He slammed the table—thud! The impact made the candle flames shudder, lengthening the shadows.

“If you insist on ruling us in silence, then blood will be the proof!”

As Silas continued, the gathered ‘Disguisers’ began to murmur more loudly.

“From this moment, your seat is mine! I, silas Abaddon, will claim your place for myself!”

Something felt wrong.

“Uh…”

Serena seemed to think so too.

“Th-the atmosphere is bad… D-do you think we should just run for it today?”

I agree, Serena. Maybe we should retreat for now? The masquerade ball or whatever it is can wait.

If it gets really dangerous, we don’t even have to secure the ‘fragment’.

“You all want it too! You want to be a Finger? Then act! If you uncover the true identity of the First Finger, or kill him—! I’ll personally give you the rank of Finger!”

Okay.

We’re leaving today.

With that in mind, I started glancing around.

To find Barkal.

“Barkal?”

No answer. The ‘skull helmet’ that was visible just moments ago was gone.

Meanwhile, the ‘Disguisers’ nearby were beginning to move around, glancing at one another.

Damn, rkal! Where are you!

* 〈Thrag bursts into raucous laughter.〉

You lunatic.

That’s your Apostle! Can’t you keep track of him?

* * *

The moment Barkal entered the pier where the Disguiser’s masquerade ball was going on, his mood turned sour.

Rogues swarmed the place.

Those creatures called ‘rat bastards’ in the barbarian tongue were lurking everywhere inside.

No matter how they hid their faces,

no matter how they concealed their bodies with clothes,

he could still tell.

Especially as an honorable ‘barbarian’, he could sense it even more surely.

Kill them!

Kill the rat bastards!

The instinct drilled in by the ‘God of Blood and Revelry’ kept ringing in his head, and each time, Barkal let out a sigh.

“Hm.”

But he would endure, no matter what.

He desperately wanted to tear those rat bastards apart there and then, but he’d come here at the behest of the Sage and his dear brother.

Dmihtan Elvar had asked him to come.

He didn’t want to disgrace his brother in front of others, so Barkal held back as much as he could.

“Brother, where is the thing we’re searching for?”

After looking around, Barkal tapped Wolf-mask Dmihtan, who was walking ahead of him, on the shoulder and asked.

The wolf mask spun around brusquely.

“Huh?”

“Who are you?”

Impossible.

There wasn’t just one wolf mask.

Two, three, four.

There were four wolf masks in total.

“Sage, there are four of you! Did you use a cloning technique, brother!?”

“What, what’s your problem!”

“Skull mask? Did someone bring this guy here?”

“No idea!”

When the wolf masks argued, Barkal seized one by the face.

“K-Kaaaaaagh!”

Perhaps it was his tremendous grip. The man in the wolf mask screamed.

“H-huh?”

“What are you doing!”

“We’re at the masquerade! If you start a fight now, the Fingers themselves will intervene!”

The others tried to stop Barkal in a panic, but he squeezed harder.

Crk, crk.

The wolf mask shattered. As the face was revealed, Barkal saw someone he’d never seen before.

“Not my brother.”

Barkal was dazed in disbelief.

“Not the Sage.”

He started thinking as hard as he could. Surely, just moments ago, his brothers had been with him.

Ah.

A dreadful thought flashed through his mind.

“Dmihtan, my brother! Don’t tell me… you’ve gotten lost!!!”

Throwing the Disguiser in his hand aside, he let out a cry of anguish.

—

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