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Berserk of Gluttony (LN) - Volume 3 - Chapter 10




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Chapter 10:

A Pure Soul 

“MY NAME IS JADE STRATOS,” the young shopkeeper said. “I’m, er, well, I’m what you’d probably call a novice craftsman. As you can see, I design weapons and armor. Actually, I only just opened my shop. It’s been here for about three months now.” 

Ah, I see. I had a feeling I knew what Jade was getting at. 

“So, let me see if I’ve got this right,” I said. “You want me to wear your armor to help advertise your work, yeah?” 

“I’m glad you caught on so quickly! I can tell by the state of your equipment that you’re a formidable adventurer. So, how about it? I’ll discount my goods, and in return, I only ask that you attach this to them.” 

Jade reached into a drawer and pulled a crest from it. It was the coat of arms for the Stratos Armory, Jade’s shop. 

With this crest stitched onto my gear, people would be able to tell at a glance where I’d bought it. 

“Look,” I said, “are you sure I’m the guy you’re looking for to pull this off? What if I’m not the adventurer you think I am? If I go out there and do something crazy, it’s going to be hell for your reputation.” 

Two examples sprang to mind: openly opposing the will of a holy knight, and getting involved with the Seifort army to fight the Divine Dragon. The more I thought about it, the more I realized just how many bad events I could soon be in the middle of. 

However, Jade just laughed. “You’re a bit of a worrywart, aren’t you? That’s just adventuring, isn’t it? You’re an adventurer, so march right on out there and, you know, do your adventuring things! You guys don’t worry about the consequences of your actions. You live in the moment. You’re arrogant and sometimes—maybe often—violent. That’s just how adventurers are! Isn’t that adventuring? Occasionally, when I think about the lives you adventurers live—never knowing if the next day will be your last—I think about how us merchants aren’t too different, really!” 

“How so?” I asked, baffled. 

Jade suddenly looked a little bashful. He scratched his nose as he explained. “I mean, we’re searching for fame and glory in our own way, you know? I want to start out by becoming the best-known armorer in Babylon, then work my way up to doing the same thing across the entire kingdom. But I can’t do that simply by crafting the best gear. I have to find the right adventurers to make myself known, and we have to reach for those heights together. Well, that’s the path I aim to walk, anyway.” 

Jade spoke of his hopes with great intensity. I was genuinely impressed at his lofty ambitions. I didn’t think there were many craftsmen as young as Jade with such a clear vision. I knew exactly how to respond. 

“If you really believe in your goal that much, then I’d be a fool to refuse your offer. We have an accord. Jade, you can call me Corpse.” 

“No need to be so formal! We’re partners now.” 

I extended my right hand and Jade took it in his own with a firm grip. Our exclusive deal was signed with a handshake. From now on, I’d use the gear Jade supplied. But only his armor. I couldn’t imagine using any weapon but Greed. 

Jade took the light armor in the display case and made some adjustments to accommodate my size. Not long after, he came out from the back room and presented it to me. 

“I made a few small adjustments. What do you think?” 

“It…it looks awesome.” 

I took the black armor and noticed the red fabric sewn to the inner lining. 

“The red is only visible in flashes, like when you spin, or if you jump through the air,” Jade explained. “Consider it a hidden accent. Why don’t you try it on?” 

“Good idea.” 

I put the armor on, and it was amazing . Jade seemed to instinctually understand the size and height of my body, even though we’d only just met. The fit was perfect, and the gear was easy to move in too. 

This guy, he’s the real deal. 

I knew then that in the not-so-distant future, Jade’s name was destined to echo through the world for his amazing craftsmanship. It wouldn’t matter whether he’d met me or not. I shook in excitement. Jade’s armor was leagues ahead of the equipment I’d bought in Seifort. 

“How’s the fit, Corpse?” Jade asked. 

“It’s even better than I expected. I feel stronger just wearing this!” 

“Ease up on the compliments, or they’ll go straight to my head!” Jade laughed. “How about a pair of boots to go with it?” 

“You read my mind.” 

A light armor set, a pair of boots, a belt, and some fingerless gloves. All together, they came to a grand total of eighty gold. Changing out of my old gear and into the new, I admired myself in the store’s mirror. I know it was probably arrogant, but I really liked the way I looked. At a glance, everything was black, but with movement there were small, striking flashes of red. 

I smiled. Now, there’d be no problem the next time I bumped into Lady Roxy. 

 

“The clothes maketh the man, indeed,” said Greed. 

“Aren’t you tired of saying that?” I asked. 

That was the exact phrase he’d used when I first bought equipment in Seifort. Didn’t my new look deserve more praise? 

Jade observed our bickering with a spark of curiosity in his eyes. I realized I’d fallen back into my bad habit of talking to Greed in public. To anyone who didn’t know better, I was just a creep muttering at his sword. I couldn’t believe I’d been so careless after Jade and I literally just agreed to this exclusive partnership! Sweat beaded my forehead. 

“Ah, it’s so clear,” said Jade. “You really love your weapon, don’t you, Corpse? I can tell. I talk to the weapons and armor I make, too. But, just like yours, those conversations of mine are a one-way street. Naturally, all the other merchants think I’m enormously odd for it.” 

Now that shocked me. Jade was even weirder than I was. And he’d lumped us together. I could have told him I actually was conversing with my sword, but that might have meant revealing my Gluttony too. I decided to let it go. 

For a time, Jade happily went on showing me different types of equipment he made. After a moment, he took a long look at Greed. “You know, that scabbard is pretty beaten up, isn’t it? Would you let me make you a new one?” 

I considered Jade’s offer. If the new scabbard wasn’t crafted to Greed’s specific tastes, I’d never hear the end of it. I quietly asked Greed what he thought about the idea. The sword seemed to recognize Jade’s abilities too, because he said it was worth giving the young craftsman a shot. 

“If you’d be happy to make it,” I said, “then I’d be happy to use it.” 

“Really?! In that case, may I look at your sword for a moment?” 

“Sure.” 

I unsheathed the black sword and showed it to Jade. The young man froze at the sight, his mouth hanging open in shock. 

“Jade? Are you okay?” 

I shook Jade gently until his senses returned. Even then, he gazed at the black sword. Finally, a quiet sigh escaped his lips. 

“This weapon…” he mumbled. “It’s so perfectly crafted. I’ve never seen a one-handed sword like it, never in my life. It’s incredible .” 

Greed was over the moon. His ego was sky-high anyway, but now I’d never hear the end of it. 


“Did you catch that, Fate? Some people just sense quality. I can try to hide my divine craftsmanship, but it oozes from my blade!” The sword laughed heartily. “Go on. You can praise me too. I will allow it.” 

We needed to decide on a color for the scabbard while Greed was in high spirits. No way was I going with all gold. Gold was the color holy knights loved, and anyway, I wanted the scabbard to match the rest of my black gear. However, going full black would lead to whining. Perhaps there was still a way to accommodate both our desires? 

“Jade, could you make the scabbard mainly black, but also add something a little decorative? Some accents?” 

“Yes, of course. Exactly what kind of accents do you have in mind?” 

“Something in gold. But not too much. Just a little.” 

“I see…” Jade looked thoughtful. “Okay. I’ve got it. I’ll craft a scabbard truly worthy of your blade. But I should tell you in advance that this will take some work. A scabbard to match a perfect sword like this won’t come cheap. Are you okay with that?” 

Jade hadn’t seen fit to warn me about the price of my armor. Just how much labor and material did he plan to put into this scabbard? 

My mouth went dry, but I had to ask. “Uh…so, how expensive are we talking here?” 

“Well, I’ll make it cheap for you. We’re looking at about five hundred gold.” 

Five hundred gold?! I coughed in shock. How was Greed’s scabbard so much more expensive than my equipment?! I couldn’t wrap my head around it. 

“That’s fair,” said Greed. “Actually, five hundred gold is a bargain. That Jade, he really knows me. He gets me. I’m sure he’ll do an amazing job. I concede my artistic vision and accept these conditions.” 

Greed was all in on Jade’s scabbard now. If I backed out here, he would be on my case until the day I died. Still, all I had left was twenty-three gold. Considering things like paying rent for the evening, I had to keep at least three gold. 

I sighed and turned back to Jade. “Would it be okay if I paid in installments? I can only give you twenty gold right now.” 

“Of course. I’ll put the remaining four hundred and eighty on your tab. I’ll need about a week to prepare the scabbard.” 

Once we settled our negotiations, Jade got to work measuring Greed. He let out a few sighs of admiration as he did so, but other than that, he was very, very quick. 

“I’ve got everything I need,” Jade said, winding up his measuring tape. “Come back in a week! I’ll be waiting with the finest scabbard I can craft!” 

“I look forward to it. Until then, I’ll get to work paying it off.” 

I left the shop, straightened my skull mask, and looked toward the sky. The sun was setting. The day was already almost over. 

I wondered what I should do next. One day, and my wallet was yet again almost empty. Perhaps it was best to head back to the inn. Their nightly fee was only fifty silver, so that wouldn’t be any trouble. As long as I was careful about extra bills for food and drink, everything would be fine. My only problem was the landlady’s incredible persuasiveness. I had a slight fear I’d end up drinking another night away. 

If I was really worried about that, I could always go night hunting. Back in Seifort, that had been my norm, so I was actually more comfortable hunting after dark. With my Night Vision skill, I could see clearly even if the moon was hidden behind the clouds. 

Yes, night hunting sounded good. I headed back to the inn, crossing the main street from the Merchant Sector into the Residential Sector. On the way, I walked by drunken adventurers holding each other up as they wandered along sloshed and happy. It seemed their hunts had gone well. Now that I had most of my gear sorted out, I hoped I might be just like them at the end of my hunting expedition tomorrow. 

I arrived at the battered inn with its cracked, fading facade, and I headed inside. 

“Ah! Welcome back!” cried the landlady. “Wow, what happened? I almost didn’t recognize you!” 

She laughed her gruff laugh and looked me up and down like she was drinking in my appearance. Then she slapped my shoulder. “Looks like you found some nice equipment! Must have cost you quite the pretty penny, huh?” 

“Yeah, it did,” I said. “The prices here in Babylon just keep on surprising me.” 

“You’ll get used to them. Well, if you’re a serious adventurer, anyway.” 

“Hey, I only just got here! I don’t need any extra pressure.” 

The landlady burst into laughter. “You must be hungry! How about we start getting dinner ready? My daughters have been looking forward to dinner with you all day!” 

“Just to be clear, I’m not going to drink like I did last night,” I said. 

“Hey, now, there’s no need to be so uptight! Let’s not speak so hastily, yeah?” 

The landlady dragged me into the dining room. Her daughters were already seated at the table, waiting for me. Meanwhile, the table itself was covered with bottles of alcohol, a few of which were expensive-looking vintages I’d never seen before. I suddenly envisioned my remaining three gold as a candle in the wind. 

“No need to be frugal,” the landlady said, beaming. “Let’s celebrate your first day here! Am I right, or am I right?” 

“Please,” I said weakly, “go easy on me.” My gold was as good as gone. Guess I should eat to get ready for a big day of hunting tomorrow! 

I returned to my room that night, collapsed into my bed, and closed my eyes. As the ceiling above swirled to the rhythm of everything I’d drunk, my consciousness faded into darkness. 

*** 

When I came to, I found myself standing in a world I did not know, entirely alone. I looked up at a sky of pure white. Even the ground I stood on was that same unvaried hue. Wherever I walked, the featureless landscape stretched out before me. As far as the horizon, and likely beyond it: all that same stark white. I didn’t even cast a shadow. 

What is this place? Why am I here? 

I stared at the expanse while I paced, and then a girl appeared before me—a girl also of pure white. She smiled and gazed at me with a stare I couldn’t hold because of the crimson that stained her eyes. 

“We’re…finally…connected…” she said. 

I’d seen her before. I recognized her. She was the girl fused to the core of Haniel. The girl I had fought with Myne. 

“You,” I said. “You’re…” 

“The…before…you…” 

The girl tried to say something to me, but I couldn’t understand her message. Staccato noises and crackling broke up her voice. She was trying to tell me something important. I tried to understand. Strained to listen. Ultimately, my efforts came to nothing. 

I tried to get closer to the girl, but the landscape slipped into a shadow devoid of light. My feet gave way underneath me, and I plummeted into an abyss. 

I screamed. 

The girl stood unmoving in her place, watching me sorrowfully as I fell. I tore my gaze from her toward the darkness below. Stretched out beneath me were piles of all the people and monsters I had devoured, heaped atop one another in gruesome mounds. They writhed in agony in this world of flickering red. Only one word would ever accurately describe a place such as this… 

Hell. 

I awoke abruptly, covered in sweat and gasping for air. I felt awful. 

What was that?! 

For a dream, it had been unusually vivid. Unusually real . Even awake, the details burned in my mind. The dream’s meaning was vague, and I couldn’t recall the whole thing clearly, but the sensation of falling into that dark-crimson abyss gave me terrible chills. 

I…I felt guilty for devouring that poor girl’s soul to defeat Haniel. That must have been where the dream came from. Even then, what had she tried to tell me? 

All through the night, I couldn’t shake the broken echo of her message, or the sorrow painted across her features as she gazed upon me. 



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