A Priest's Life as a Villain Chapter 93

Chapter 93

The things exchanged between the Barbarians and Dakir through equivalent trade differ for each.

Binut. Shairach's son, the boy of the Frost Wolf, and the butcher Hank.

He lost his keen intellect and eloquence, and in return gained the purest, raw wildness.

Piiiieeee―!

A sharp hawk cry echoed across the barren plains.

The hawk's na was Jebe. Jebe circled around Maya as if keeping a wary watch.

'An ability to communicate with animals, huh.'

Ran stared wordlessly at Maya, who was riding ahead.

The two were each on horseback, moving forward.

"Ran, you're a man, aren't you?"

A voice ca suddenly from behind.

It was Ragna, who had insisted and argued stubbornly to join them.

Behind Ran was Ragna, and behind Maya were the supplies.

"What do you an by that?"

"Hehe. The grown-ups say it's only natural for a man's eyes to be drawn to Maya."

Ran shook his head, bemused.

He recalled how Ragna kept trying to talk to Iel. According to Rev, when Ran had collapsed, Iel had looked after him at Shairach's house, and Ragna had often been there too.

Plonk―

"Ah! Why'd you hit !"

"It's dangerous, so don't talk to ."

At nightfall, they made camp. There was no need to carefully choose a spot. They lit a campfire in the middle of the plains.

Crackle, crackle.

Ran and Maya silently stared into the fire. Both were alike: taciturn and picky eaters.

Yet both felt thankful to Ragna. Since Ragna kept up his ceaseless chatter, the awkwardness lessened. That's why, no matter what Ragna said, neither scolded him.

An awkward day passed.

On the second day, they packed up to move again.

Ran was checking the saddle. He sensed soone behind him. Ragna had just gone to relieve himself.

"? Thank you, imperial."

Maya jerked her head around as soon as Ran turned at her words.

"Thank you?"

"Bloodhorn. For trusting ."

It wasn't really trust, just a hope in a slim possibility.

Ran didn't bother correcting her. According to Count Stangdal's Theory of Love, when speaking to won, one should reduce logic and ignore principles.

'Is that really how to keep a conversation going longer?'

Ran squeezed his eyes shut and cleared his mind.

This was warti.

"We can't search for long. We'll have ti to check just one place, at most. You choose. I'll follow, no complaints."

"Alright."

Separated from the main unit, the Bloodhorn scout team was heading northwest of Northland.

The snowy mountain that had looked like a distant fixture on the horizon drew nearer.

"Haaa―

Ran deliberately exhaled a plu of breath. A puff of pale vapor spilled forth.

The cold was becoming more palpable. At the sa ti, it truly felt like Northland.

Clumps of half-lted snow lingered on the ground like moss.

The third day.

The Bloodhorn scouting party again prepared to camp.

The path, a mix of snow and dirt, had turned all gray.

"We're almost at the Gigantes snowy mountain."

Maya spoke as she surveyed the area. The group's clothes were steadily thickening as well.

Ran spat out so fur that had gotten into his mouth and asked,

"How big is the snowy mountain? Like the Mountain of Astana?"

"It's smaller than Astana Mountain, but you can't go deep. You'll freeze right there."

Maya spread her arms a little, then paused for a mont. Ran and Ragna stared at her, prompting Maya to blush and clear her throat.

"Still, it's lucky we made it this far without trouble."

Ragna said brightly. Ran nodded in agreent.

"Do we need to inform the main force?"

Tascar had said Maya, using Jebe, could contact the main unit.

But there was no written script in Northland. Ran was curious how Jebe could serve as ssenger.

Maya answered softly.

"I check in often. The main force is fine, too. They haven't encountered the enemy yet."

"What do you an? Check in?"

Maya's blue eyes glimred mysteriously.

"I can see through Jebe's eyes."

"? That's amazing."

"Direct communication isn't possible, but I can send simple signals or coordinate our schedule to match theirs. If anything happens, I'll let you know right away."

Maya handed Ran a piece of leather rolled thin. It was a crude map with the terrain sketched in dye.

"This is where Bloodhorn is likely to be."

It was hard to figure out at a glance. It looked less like a map and more like a jumble of shapes in a code.

Ran unrolled the leather and simply examined it. Steam puffed from his nose with every breath.

" too. I want to see."

Ragna fussed around Ran. Even on tiptoe he couldn't reach.

"It's a bit hard to make out."

Ran handed the leather map to Ragna. Maya spread out a blanket on the ground.

"The Gigantes snowy mountain has more hidden paths than visible ones."

"What do you an?"

"Exactly what I said. Inside, everything is connected by caves. Frost caves reach deep underground."

"So Bloodhorn is sowhere in the caves?"

"Yes, that's right."

Ran turned his body toward the snowy mountain. Its peak soared to the sky, the end lost even when he craned his neck. Clouds or snow, he couldn't tell, hung thickly around it. Just looking at it made him dizzy.

'Better than having to climb that thing.'

He withdrew his gaze, about to turn back.

Ragna was trotting off sowhere. At Maya's call, ragna simply waved his hand.

"Sohow, I think I'll understand it if I look while I'm pooping."

"Don't use that to wipe, ragna."

"What, you think I'm that dumb?"

Maya chuckled as if at a mischievous younger sibling. Ran reflexively looked away, feeling as if he'd seen sothing he shouldn't. The icy woman's smile was truly warm.

"? Imperial. Be careful with how you treat Ragna in front of my or other Sabertooth Tigers."

Just a mont ago her tone toward Ragna had been warm, now it froze over in an instant.

Ran watched her in silence.

"Ragna is the only remaining blood of that person. You know that, don't you?"

"You an the great Mukesh?"

"Yes. No matter his end, he was still a hero of the Sabertooth Tigers and all Northland."

Maya's kin had each passed away, bearing deep stories.

Mukesh, too, was judged as both greatest chieftain and worst traitor.

They had much in common, which made Maya feel more connected to Ragna.

Ran snorted.

"I don't treat people differently depending on the circumstances. That kid's just a brat to . An arrogant brat, nothing more, nothing less."

Maya frowned. It wasn't the answer she wanted.

She opened her mouth for another retort.

"Raaaan―!"

Ragna's urgent voice made both of them move at once.

Fortunately, it wasn't far.

When they arrived, a strange group of Northn was approaching from the other side.

Ragna, caught in the middle, was hurriedly pulling up his trousers as he dashed toward Ran and Maya.

The area was all reeds.

The Northn murmured to each other, loud enough to be heard.

"Who the hell are those?"

"Looks like a family, doesn't it?"

"Damn it, do I have to be the bad guy again?"

Ran narrowed his eyes. The Northman who appeared to be the leader wore a black robe. He wasn't properly dressed, more like he'd thrown on whatever didn't fit.

When the leader stopped, so did those following him.

Not close, but not far either.

Ragna pulled out a small hand axe and stood beside Ran.

At this, the leader burst out laughing.

"Kekeke! What do you think you're doing? Wanna try us?"

The Northn behind him laughed in chorus.

Ran craned his neck to survey them. Four who looked like bandits, and behind them three more with black cloths over their heads, hands tied at their wrists.

Ragna muttered.

"? Ran. Aren't those... the black priests?"

"Not sure yet."

Ran didn't take his eyes off the group. He closed his cloak over his neck and pulled it up to the bridge of his nose, then spoke to Maya with his mouth covered.

"Maya, I'll handle this. Don't get involved."

Maya raised her chin, locking eyes with the enemy. Her blue pupils slid briefly toward Ran. With just a word of advice, she understood why Tascar respected this Imperial.

"Hey! You there, you!"

The leader pointed at Ran with the tip of his axe.

"We've already got our quota for today! I'm feeling generous!"

He smacked his lips hungrily. His yellowed teeth were patchy.

"Leave the woman and get lost! The soon-to-be priest here is feeling rciful!"

Piiieee―!

Suddenly a hawk's cry echoed overhead, louder than before.

The leader and his n turned their eyes upward.

Wham!

Maya's spear embedded itself dead center in the leader's face.

The spearhead drove through his skull, and landed in the ground, pinning his body at an angle with his impaled face stuck halfway up the shaft. Blood and brain matter dripped down.

"Huhh?"

The remaining Northn paled.

Jebe, who'd drawn their attention, landed on Maya's shoulder. Maya drew two daggers and let the ends dangle.

"Bring it on, you bastards."

Normally, northn are unafraid of death. Dying in battle is an honor.

Maya, and the deceased leader's n, were no different.

'Ah, seriously.'

Ran sighed and covered his face. He'd only wanted to ask about black priest remnants.

"Kill her, that bitch―!"

"Don't kill, leave so alive! I need sothing from them!"

"They're mine, you fuckers!"

"Kyahaaa―!"

All four riled-up Northn rushed Maya at once.

Maya did not avoid. She faced them alone.

Whoosh―!

She deftly parried the incoming attacks. Her agility bordered on acrobatics. The Northn's blades only slashed empty air.

Whack!

Her counter was swift and precise. With heavy, economical cuts, she severed body parts from the Northn.

"Aaaagh!"

The last Northman shrieked, raising his severed arm as blood gushed from the stump.

"Maya! Stop!"

Ran stepped between Maya and the last man.

The fight had erupted so quickly, he'd had no ti to act.

"Move, imperial. To insult an enemy is to offer up your life."

"I'm not asking you to spare him. Think of what's behind him."

Mid-sentence, the downed Northman suddenly sprang up, trying to strike Ran from behind.

As Ran tried to subdue him, maya's dagger slashed the Northman's throat.

"? Gah, dammit..."

Maya twirled her dagger, then slipped it back into her thigh.

"Sorry. Once I start fighting, it's hard to control myself."

"??."

Ran sighed lightly. He checked to see if anyone was still alive.

Every one had been finished off with a single deadly strike to a vital area.

"Bastards! Do you know who we are!!"

A voice ca from one side. Ragna was chopping an axe into the chest of a corpse.

"You! Bastards! You insulted !"

The man was already dead. The boy's eyes glinted with madness.

Ran started to step in.

But Maya grabbed his wrist. As if knowing exactly what Ran intended, she shook her head.

"Don't interfere. This is our way."

Ran clenched his teeth. He glanced fiercely at the hand gripping him, then at Maya's face.

Back in the days with Zima's family, he'd learned that sotis it was more effective to convince others with strength than talk. Respect and etiquette toward others grew from fear.

Ran's eyes chilled as he weighed thod and intensity.

"Both of you, stop right there―!!"

A cracked old voice rang out.

Maya's eyes widened, and Ran turned as well.

"Drop your weapons! Right now!"

One of the prisoners grabbed Ragna, holding a dagger to his throat.

He was exactly Ragna's height.

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**New Nas, locations, skills, and Techniques**