Berserk of Gluttony (LN) - Volume 6 - Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

A Reunion by Moonlight

PERHAPS UNSURPRISINGLY, the town was as silent as the grave that evening. In the past, outsiders had strictly been forbidden entry, but even now that the city was free from Rudolph Lanchester’s iron fist, it was hard to argue that the situation had improved. When LeChoix had led us to the manor, townsfolk were out and about, milling around, but now that night had fallen, everyone had shut themselves in their homes. 

The reason for the silence was clear: the ancient monster in the desert terrified the locals. It was a monster perhaps as powerful as the Divine Dragon. Monsters in the Domain of E could only be harmed by others in the Domain of E. Anything less wouldn’t even leave a scratch. In a worst-case scenario, the only thing the townspeople could do was run, hide, and hope they didn’t get in the monster’s way. The air over the town was thick with fear.

“So much for food at an outdoor stall,” I muttered.

“If there’s nothing open on the main street, nothing will be open anywhere else either,” said Greed.

I groaned. “I was really looking forward to trying some desert cuisine. Who knows what specialties they have here!”

“Maybe you could ask LeChoix?”

“No, she’s got her hands full just worrying about the monster. And I’ve already asked her to look after Roxy. I can’t impose on her any further, especially if it’s for something as selfish as wanting to try the local specialty.”

“Aren’t you the one fighting the monster? Doesn’t that give you the right to throw your weight around? Tell her to bring you some food.”

“Looks like you’ve got me confused with yourself. You know that’s not my style.” I gave Greed a couple light slaps to calm his haranguing.

As I walked down the main street, my attention was drawn to a narrow alleyway on my right. I peered in, but it was too dark for me to discern anything.

“Something wrong, Fate?” 

“Just…a gut feeling.”

Something about that alleyway captivated me. It wasn’t concrete or visible. Rather, it was a sensation that pushed me onward, urging me deeper into the darkness of the narrow street.

“That kind of feeling rarely leads to anything good, Fate,” warned Greed.

“I still have to see what’s down there.” I knew Greed spoke from a place of experience, but all the same, I took a tentative step into that dark alley, where even the moonlight refused to shine.

“Fate, you have the Night Vision skill for a reason.”

“Would you give it a rest? I was just about to use it.”

“Sure you were. Ever since the day we met, I’ve had to look out for you at every step. You’re like a forgetful little baby who doesn’t know left from right.”

“Sounds rough,” I said with a chuckle.

“Don’t try to laugh it off!”

Greed continued to complain, so I did as he said and used my Night Vision. As I crept farther into the alleyway, I spotted two figures in black. They were speaking, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. From their silhouettes and equipment, I could tell they were adventurers. However, they were obviously of a much higher level than most of their brethren. For some reason, even with my Night Vision, the area around the two figures remained cloaked in shadow.

Why isn’t my skill working?

This had happened once before. It was similar to when I’d first tried to use the Identify skill on Myne. Though I knew almost nothing about the two figures shrouded in darkness, I knew I had to be careful. I pressed against an alley wall, hiding in the shadows, and tried to eavesdrop on their conversation.

I still couldn’t tell what they were saying, but as a holy knight, I had the right to take any suspicious individuals into custody. I edged closer, coming to the decision that I would find out what they were up to by confronting them directly. But the two figures seemingly noticed me before I moved another inch, and they began to move away. However, the alleyway was so narrow that they couldn’t escape easily. If I needed to, I could stop them with my overwhelming power.

“Hey! Stop!” I shouted.

One of the figures continued to walk, vanishing into the darkness of the alleyway. I tried to give chase, but the remaining figure turned to face me, blocking my path.

“Fate, wait,” they said.

I knew that voice. My feet froze mid-stride at the sound of it. I turned to stare intently at the face, still shrouded in darkness. For a time, we stood there in silence. As the moonlight filtered through the clouds, the face before me grew clearer.

“Dad…”

My father had disappeared without a trace when he took Laine and the Philosopher’s Stone from Seifort. I couldn’t have imagined that he would turn up here. I choked back the feelings that boiled in the pit of my stomach and leaped backward, putting some distance between us.

“Hm? What’s the matter? Afraid you’ll catch something, Fate?”

“Don’t play dumb with me. Where’s Laine? What are you doing here?” I spoke quickly, unsheathing Greed as I did so.

“Why the rush? The night’s still young.”

“Dad!”

He didn’t pull his spear out of the air. Rather, he walked toward me as I pointed Greed at him, a look of unshakeable confidence on his face. He was calm and collected, as though he were dealing with a child.

“Calm down, Fate. First things first. You can rest easy knowing that Laine is in my care.”

“In your care? You kidnapped her!”

“I regret that, but I was left with no other choice. That said, things have changed now. After hearing what I had to say, she travels with me of her own volition.”

“What the hell?”

“Our interests align.”

What could that mean? How could Laine want the same thing as my father?

Seeing that I was at least listening to what he had to say, my father continued. “As for the rest, I can’t say. Not about the Philosopher’s Stone, and not about what I’m doing here.”

“Dad!”

But it seemed clear that my father was done listening. As I stood there with the black sword unsheathed, somehow powerless to move, my father strode past me with slow, deliberate steps.

“Fate,” he said as he passed, “didn’t I tell you to leave me alone?”

“What did you expect? I wasn’t going to just sit back and twiddle my thumbs at the castle!”

“I see. You’ve grown into your own man. Well, I suppose it has been five years, hasn’t it? Actually, it’s closer to six, isn’t it?” My father laughed as walked on, his back facing me. “I have one more thing to tell you. Leave it alone—that monster in the desert.”

“Why?”

“That monster and I, I suppose you could call us old acquaintances. It’s far beyond your capabilities as you are now.”

“You don’t know that. I’m in the—”

“Domain of E? In which case, let me be clearer. It’s not about how high your stats are anymore, it’s about your mastery of skills and how you wield them in battle.”

“You think I don’t know that?”

“Perhaps. But know this: Your Gluttony feeds on the souls of the defeated, and their power becomes your power. From here on out, there’s nothing but the Domain of E, and those souls will come with a torment beyond imagination. Perhaps some of your skills can stifle it somewhat, but beware your stats growing to the point where you can no longer control them.”

I took a step toward my father, but he maintained the distance between us.

“Fate, if you insist on fighting that monster, then listen well. What you are about to face is known as a holy beast. It’s a special type of monster with divine protection. Even the Weapon of Mortal Sin you carry will be useless in a direct attack. Well? Knowing that, will you still fight it?”

“My mind is made up.”

“I see. Of course it is. I heard about how you defeated the Divine Dragon from Laine. If you’re willing to risk your life on something as reckless as that, then it only makes sense that you won’t listen to good advice. Still, try not to be careless. Your body is already transforming, isn’t it?”

“Did you hear that from Laine too?”

“She’s worried about you, Fate. As am I.”

My father walked away, but I wasn’t about to let him go yet, even if I had to use force. Even as I thought this, my father seemed to read my mind.

“Personally, I prefer it when kids can just be kids, you know?” he said.

“Dad, wait!”

He pulled his spear from thin air, and tendrils of cold seeped into the air around it. However, he kept his back to me and made no effort to enter a battle stance.

“Fate, if we fought here, if we fought seriously… You know what would happen to this place.”

My jaw clenched, grinding my teeth together.

“Are you willing to do that to stop me?”

“Grrr…”

“That’s my boy.”

It was as though he had taken the population of the town hostage. My hands were tied. Even so, I suspected that he was bluffing. When he kidnapped Laine and stole the Philosopher’s Stone, he’d frozen a host of soldiers in ice. However, after he was long gone and the ice melted, those same soldiers had been cold but otherwise unharmed. I didn’t think he would pull civilians into battle if we were to clash. The reason I let him go had more to do with the pulsing red tattoo staining his face…and the constant, dull pressure it exerted on me.

“Well, that’s about all the time I have. Be seeing you, Fate.”

With that, my father vanished into a darkness that even my Night Vision couldn’t penetrate. I just stood there, alone and unmoving. Taking deep breaths, I waited for my racing heart to calm down.

“Never thought we’d see your father here,” said Greed. “I can’t tell if your sixth sense is a blessing or a curse.”

“I’m as surprised as you are,” I said. “But I’m glad we met, all the same. At least we found out something about the monster in the desert. The holy beast.”

“Holy beasts… It just gets worse by the minute.”

“Dad said that even your blade would be useless against such a monster. Is he right?”

“Hah?! The mighty Greed, useless?! …But aside from the sheer audacity of such a comment, remember that I am no more than a weapon. I am only as effective as the one who wields me.”

“It comes down to me, then.”

“Indeed it does. It comes down to your effort, your commitment. There are some fights you won’t win by using my special skills alone, but I think that no matter how this battle with the holy beast shakes out, you’ll at least come away better prepared for future battles.”

“I don’t intend to fight a losing battle, Greed. Losing here means leaving the people of Lanchester with nothing but despair.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m just saying you have to consider all the possibilities. Not knowing when to back off is how you lose the people closest to you. Don’t forget: you’re not fighting alone anymore.”

“Yeah…”

I looked up at the night sky. The thick clouds from earlier had decided to make themselves scarce, leaving behind a clear indigo expanse. The full moon shone, illuminating the once gloomy alleyway. 

There was still time before midnight. I had come here to clear my mind, and I intended to do just that. I left to wander and explore the quiet town.

“It’s been a surprisingly busy day,” said Greed. “What say we grab a drink somewhere to blow off some steam?”

“Would that I could,” I said, “but we’ve got a battle looming on the horizon, and with a holy beast no less. I don’t think it’s the kind of thing we want to take on sloshed.”

“I suppose so. After all, Eris would probably be pretty furious with you, and you’d be in for a scolding from Roxy, on top of that. Memil would probably suck your blood right there just for good measure!” The black sword guffawed.

“Not funny, Greed!”

It was like he didn’t have the slightest care for what we would face later that evening. Then again, Greed was just a weapon. In the end, the outcome of our confrontation would come down to the one who wielded him.