Berserk of Gluttony (LN) - Volume 3 - Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

No Place to Call Home 

THERE WERE ABOUT thirty adventurers in total. Quite the hunting party. The young blond man who led them was no doubt their leader. 

He was blandly handsome, equipped entirely with high-quality, fashionable gear. He faced me with an odd smile across his face. I’d never seen a smile that looked so fake. 

Who is this? I gripped the hilt of my sword more tightly. 

“Calm yourself, Fate,” said Greed. 

“I want to, but there’s something about this guy. He feels off.” 

The young man seemed not to notice or care about my suspicions. He approached with that mask of a smile across his face, then spoke. 

“I’m Northern Alistair. And you, well… You’re incredibly strong! I was watching from afar, and your overwhelming power, let’s say it left quite an impression on me. Will you tell us your name, lone adventurer?” 

Northern extended his right hand in search of a handshake. I ignored it and sheathed my sword. 

“I’m Corpse. Just another solo adventurer. Nothing more, nothing less. Now, if we’re done with introductions, I’d like to take these sacks back to Babylon before the ears rot.” 

As I picked up the sacks to leave, Northern’s party surrounded me. An implicit threat darkened the air. I set the sacks back down and adjusted my skull mask. The party seemed worried about Northern’s ego. I suspected these men had pledged loyalty to him, and if he hadn’t finished talking, they weren’t about to let me go until I’d heard him. To make their point even clearer, they all held their weapons at the ready. 

Obedient and short-tempered, I thought. Looks to me like the pervading idea among these goons is that you do what Northern wants, or you die. 

But what kind of behavior was this? Would an ordinary party draw their swords on a supposedly friendly conversation? No, I didn’t think they would. In that case, why…? 

As I grappled with my strange predicament, I finally noticed the weapon hanging at Northern’s waist. A holy sword?! So that’s what this is about. But even if you’re a former holy knight, don’t expect my attitude to change. 

“So, you’re a holy knight…” I muttered. 

“Yes, just as you’ve surmised,” Northern said. “Today’s one of my rare days off. I came out here to have a little relaxing fun with my troops.” 

I was sick of this guy and his need for attention already. The gall of calling monster hunting relaxing fun . Northern ran a hand through his soft blond hair and smiled at me again. Perhaps that self-assured smile would have charmed me, were I a woman. However, I was far from charmed. His hollow grin filled me with disgust. 

Northern was a holy knight—kingdom-employed, not former—so it seemed he thought I’d stolen the two squadrons of orcs from his men. Perhaps I’d made him angry. That was entirely possible, and it would explain why his men continued to surround me, weapons drawn. 

I pointed at the two leaking sacks of orc ears. “Are you telling me I should leave these here for you?” I said. 

Northern laughed and shook his head. 

Are you saying that a mere two sacks aren’t enough, then? 

I was tired of trying to figure out what these people wanted. Galia was a country ruled by the strong. Unlike in the kingdom, being a little excessive in Galia got you results. 

I drew Greed again and pointed the tip of the black sword at Northern. “Rather than wasting more of my time, let’s just cut to the chase.” 

“Now, hang on a second there,” said Northern. “It’s as I said earlier. You left quite the impression on me.” 

“So…” 

“So, how about becoming one of my men? I’ll give you anything you desire.” 

This was the problem with holy knights. It didn’t matter whether you were in Babylon or in Seifort. They were all the same. They thought money and power solved everything and could buy anybody. It was ridiculous. If power solved problems, I wouldn’t need to be out here fighting. 

“No. Find somebody else. I don’t work for anyone, and I don’t work with anyone. I have everything I need right here.” I showed Northern the blade of the black sword. 

Greed’s voice echoed in my head. “Yeah, you tell him!” 

The only master I would ever consider serving was Lady Roxy. The day she left for Galia was the day I had made that decision. I had no intention of working under any other holy knight. 

Northern wasn’t inclined to leave me alone after one rebuff. “Yes, I saw the capabilities of your black sword while you were in battle. Quite the surprise, that weapon. And it changes form, too. A multi-weapon, they’re called. I’ve seen them in the old scriptures, but finding one out in the wild is quite the shock. I don’t suppose you’d let me see it?” 

“No. This sword isn’t some trifle. I won’t simply pass it to a stranger.” 

“Yeah, you said it!” said Greed. “Cut this try-hard down where he stands. I grant you permission, Fate!” 

Northern and I sized each other up until he let out a sigh and waved his hand. In an instant, the men surrounding me sheathed their weapons. 

“Very well,” Northern said. “In that case, perhaps we can talk about it next time we meet.” 

I slid Greed back into his scabbard. “There will be no next time. Nobody wants to work with a pushy weasel.” 

Northern’s breezy smile didn’t leave his face. “Oh, there definitely will be. Babylon’s not that big. As for your second point, it so happens that I’ve gotten everything I’ve ever wanted, sooner or later. That’s not going to change.” 

His smile didn’t falter as he and his men stepped aside, opening a path for me to leave. I glanced over his men as I passed them. All looked battle-hardened. Northern had probably selected them personally. Handpicked himself a group of useful adventurers who were all too happy to serve under a vaunted holy knight. 

What garbage luck… I’m in Babylon for all of two days, and already some holy knight has a target painted on my back. 

Was I bound to the holy knights via some inextricable destiny? I ducked through their gauntlet and walked long enough to assume I’d finally gotten clear of Northern and his men when I heard his voice call out behind me. 

“By the way, Corpse! You can find me in the Military Sector of Babylon. I’m working under Lady Roxy Hart, who arrived just yesterday. Come play with us sometime. I’ll be waiting!” 

Damn it! That guy is working under Lady Roxy’s command?! Just imagining that smarmy jerk around her makes me…it makes me furious. 

On top of that, I felt some nefarious intent around Northern that I couldn’t quite define. It wouldn’t be easy for an ordinary adventurer like myself to get close enough to Lady Roxy to protect her, so I hoped I was just overthinking the situation. But I swore, if this Northern dared raise a hand against her, I would cut him down. 

Northern reminded me of Eris’s earlier warning. The air of danger surrounding Lady Roxy was only growing more oppressive. Still, worrying about it wouldn’t change anything. I gripped the burlap sacks I carried and walked back to Babylon. 

I passed over the border of Galia and filled my lungs with the fresh air of the kingdom. Little by little, the frustration and anger in my heart faded—but not entirely. Some sharp emotion continued to smolder impatiently within my chest. I had never felt this pang before, and I couldn’t figure out what the unpleasant feeling was on my own. 

“Hey, Greed.” 

“What’s wrong?” asked the black sword. “You don’t sound like yourself.” 

“Well…” I couldn’t decide how to describe the feeling. “No, it’s nothing.” 

“No need to pretend to be cool around me. What’s up?” 

“No, it’s fine.” 

I didn’t feel like I could discuss this with Greed after all. I didn’t need his ridicule adding to the simmer. 

“We got held up by a minor annoyance,” I said, “but it’s not too late for us to make it to Babylon’s trading post in time to buy new equipment.” 

“Ooh, I’ve been waiting for this. Waiting…for my beautiful scabbard forged entirely from gold.” 

What nonsense had he come up with now?! “In your dreams! That would be way too heavy to use!” 

Greed laughed. “Think of it as weight training! How about it?” 

Even with the excuse, it was a tasteless request. Exactly who did he think was rich enough to buy such a gaudy scabbard, anyway? Greed loved extravagance, but I had to keep his tastes at bay. If the black sword had its way, I’d be completely decked out in shiny polished gold. Just imagining the spectacle made me grimace in horror. I’d be the laughingstock of any tavern I entered. 

“You already know what I think, Greed,” I said. “I just want something modest, easy to wield, and understated. You know what they say—keep it simple!” 

“When you say ‘simple,’ what you mean is ‘black.’ How dull. How utterly boring and unimaginative.” 

“What’s wrong with black?! It’s practical. When you get dirty, it barely shows, and it’s good with stains too.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Greed muttered. 

“Keep grumbling about my fashion sense, and you’ll end up with a beautiful scabbard forged entirely from black iron.” 

“Oh no, you don’t. You can waltz around in your monochrome getup, but don’t you dare try to foist your boring style on me.” 

“Ha! You’re one to talk about foisting!” 

He was a perfect example of the pot calling the kettle—well, black. Greed always said what he wanted, trying to convince me to do things his way, and he was completely blind to his own selfish tendencies. 

We bickered until the thick adamantite walls of Babylon came into view, and we entered the sentinel city through the main gates to the north. It was time to get our money. Time to buy some clothes and a new scabbard. Finally time to buy armor that really complimented my skull mask. 

All of it in black, of course.