The Worth of the World – Part 04
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Translator: Kell
“Ugh… I’m wasted… I’ve never been so drunk in my entire life.”
Time quickly passed and night had fallen. Knox’s drinks were much stronger than all the beverages I ever had. Zero downed them like she was drinking water, so I did too.
Zero seemed completely fine, only a little tipsy, while I threw up in a back alley.
“You are pathetic, Mercenary. You had less to drink than I did.”
“Shut up! You’re more of a monster than I am!”
Zero was such a heavy drinker that she weirded out the patrons. It was exhilarating to watch all the men who challenged the beautiful Zero to a drinking contest, only to end up sinking to the floor.
Unfortunately, the world was not exactly at peace; we couldn’t spend the whole night drinking. Once it was closing time, people began to head home one by one, bidding farewell to each other. Zero and I staggered out of town.
I was so hot from the alcohol that the cold temperature outside felt pleasant. Somehow we managed to make it back to the carriage. Zero and I lay down inside the carriage, the cold breeze slipping through the cracks penetrating our skin.
Our breath came in white puffs. But it wasn’t that cold.
Right when I was about to fall asleep, Zero said, “Mercenary.”
“You usually talk about stupid things when it’s time to sleep,” I said.
“Perhaps.” She chuckled. “Like is this world worth saving or not?”
“See? I knew it.” I stifled a yawn.
“I am talking about the world. How is that stupid?”
“I’m the kind of guy who chooses his soup over the world, remember? I honestly don’t give a damn about the world.”
When we first met, Zero threatened to destroy the world if I didn’t give her my soup, to which I told her to knock herself out.
“Oh, right. I remember.” She laughed again. “But the situation is much different now than it was back then. In fact, you decided to fight for the world, did you not?”
“Nope. I said I’d fight for you, not the world.”
Zero fell silent, then sidled up to me like a child seeking warmth. “For me?”
“Yup.”
“What if I decided not to go to the Altar?”
“You mean you’re going to do what the priest asked and escort the people to Wenias?”
“Yes.” She gave a small nod. “I figured that it was not a bad idea.”
“So you’re gonna give up on saving the world?”
“See?” She smiled. “Does it not bother you? That is why I am asking if this world is worth saving or not.”
“You know, you’ve been acting strange lately.”
“How so?”
“You keep waking up in the middle of the night. Is this what you’ve been brooding over? Whether the world is worth saving? It’s no use thinking about it. If the world is destroyed, it’s all over. You can start worrying about matters after you kill your master.”
“Should I really kill her?”
I lifted my body up. Zero was lying down, staring at an empty space. The cheerfulness that she had shown earlier when we were drinking was nowhere to be found.
“What do you mean by that?” I asked.
“Don’t you see? The only reason the Church and witches are temporarily working together is because my Master reigns as evil incarnate. The reason why the Bishop and the townspeople welcomed us is because we have a common enemy.”
“I suppose.”
Zero hugged her knees. “I had fun today. I wished that days like this could go on forever. But if I kill my master, the world will be divided once more. Would it not be better, then, to leave things the way they are at the moment? What if we focus on defense, wait for a few generations, and when the relationship between the Church and witches had become truly solid, we defeat my Master?”
“Is that what’s been on your mind all this time?”
Suddenly I heard the sound of a bow, and I quickly picked Zero up. The next instant, my ears caught the sound of a bottle breaking. Flames began spreading all over the ragged carriage made of cloth and wood.
“A fire arrow?!”
I jumped out of the carriage with Zero in my arms. As if waiting for me to come out, arrows came flying at me, and one pierced my shoulder.
“Fuck! I didn’t sense anything. This is why I hate archers!”
The alcohol had dulled my senses as well. A skilled archer could easily hit our carriage from the town’s breastworks. I was sure the attacks were coming from the town.
Using the burning carriage as a shield, I pulled out the arrow stuck in my shoulder. Zero quickly healed my wound with Magic.
It would have been nice to watch the carriage burn like a huge bonfire, feeling its warmth, but heavily-armed men were coming toward us.
“What is happening?!” Zero cried.
“Beats me. I think it’s faster if we just asked the attacker.”
Grabbing my sword, I stood up, took off my cloak and threw it. Five arrows quickly shot through my cloak and pinned it to a tree. They’re really out to kill us.
There was only one person who would want to kill us in this situation. “What do you think you’re doing, Orlux?! You’re the Captain of the Noble Guards. Are you going against the Bishop’s will?!”
The footsteps stopped all at once. I thought the man just ordered his men to kill me, but apparently he was part of the attack. He’s scum, but he’s got guts, I’ll give him that.
“Color me surprised. You’re quite perceptive for a Beastfallen. But there seems to be a misunderstanding.”
“Really, now? You didn’t mean to set our carriage ablaze?”
“I did. But I don’t want to kill you. I just want you to leave this place. If you are going to disappear into the woods, I swear we won’t follow you too far. Now if you’d be so kind as to scuttle into the forest like petty thieves.”
I pondered our options. Zero tried to get up, but I grabbed her arm and forced her to sit down.
“We can’t fight back.”
“Why not?! They attacked us with clear intent to kill. They set fire to our carriage and wounded you. I am incensed!”
“It doesn’t matter. If we attack him, it’ll be over for us.”
“Why?!”
“Because I’m a Beastfallen and you’re a witch.”
“Exactly,” Orlux said, peering behind the carriage where we were hiding, a fake smile plastered on his face.
“Son of a bitch!”
“Impressive,” he said. “You are well aware of the position you are in.”
I quickly readied my sword, but Orlux not only looked at it with amusement, but he also spread his arms wide as if to say, “Kill me.”
“Are you going to kill me? Come, then. You will lose the people’s trust. The Bishop’s, the Knights Templar’s, and the powerless citizen’s. If that happens, you will be expelled from this place. I will gladly lay down my life to exterminate evil.”
I snickered. “What a fine spirit of self-sacrifice you’ve got there. You don’t seem to get it, so allow me to explain. If the witch wanted to, she could kill you and everyone in town. Do you know why she’s not doing that? Because we’re not your enemy!”
“So basically she could decimate the town at any moment. There is no guarantee that you will not do so. You might attack the town under the cover of darkness. The witch might summon demons. You have to understand. We can’t allow you to stay one more night.”
This is pointless. We’ll never get through to him. But if we kept talking, someone might notice something wrong and come here.
Realizing my intentions, Orlux drew his sword. Knights, with their swords drawn, surrounded the carriage.
“Help won’t come,” he said. “We have taken some precautions. Who do you think urged the people that invited you to the tavern?”
God damn it. I’m such an idiot.
Although the Bishop welcomed us, the Noble Guards, the knights in charge of defending the town, did not. In that case, the townspeople would have chosen to just watch, not approach us.
The only reason that man had the courage to invite us to the tavern was because the Noble Guards pressured him. They were also probably behind the stronger beverages.
But none of the people who were drinking with us knew about their plot. They simply welcomed us. What would happen if they found out the next morning that we killed the knights? Feeling betrayed, they would never again trust witches and Beastfallen.
“I’ve given you plenty of time to think. Now, make your choice. Face execution, kill us, or walk away quietly. I’ll give you ten more seconds. Ten… Nine…”
I sheathed my sword, grabbed my pack, and picked up the motionless Zero. I stepped into the night-shrouded forest, listening bitterly to Orlux’s voice as he joyfully counted down.
“Marvelous! You’ve made an excellent decision! I wish you luck in saving the world. We, the Knights Templar, have high hopes for you.”
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