Chapter 160: The Inquisitor of the Sun God and the Mage from the Mage Tower (7)

Baker had conceded that this barbarian was undeniably special. Ketal possessed the recognition of a god, allowing him to wield a holy relic, and he demonstrated remarkable skill in cooking. Furthermore, he displayed knowledge that should only be obtainable through extensive higher education. Baker found himself seriously doubting if Ketal was truly a barbarian at all; stripping away his appearance, one might easily mistake him for a scholar seasoned by long years of study. "Here, eat up." When dinnertime arrived, Ketal, having prepared the meal, handed Baker a bowl. It contained a rich, dark brown stew brimming with chunks of meat. Baker felt a strong urge to refuse out of pride, clinging to his wounded ego. However, his hand moved obediently, accepting the offered bowl. Ketal's cooking was simply too delicious to reject. A wave of self-loathing washed over Baker for his own weakness. No...! Baker forced himself to regain composure. There had to be some area where he still held the advantage over the barbarian. Wait... I can use magic! That realization struck Baker as a final bastion of superiority. He could wield Myst that this barbarian clearly could not command. Mages controlled magic, barbarians wielded weapons – this fundamental truth felt like his last anchor. Although it was an obvious distinction, Baker desperately clung to it as proof of his own elevated standing. However, even this conviction was destined to crumble before long. They continued their journey, traveling in a straight line toward their destination, which sometimes required passing directly through dense forests. One late evening, they prepared to make camp deep within such a wood. The air buzzed with the sounds of insects from all directions. Aquaz frowned slightly, discomfort flickering across her face. “There are quite a lot of insects here," Baker remarked. .bg-container-63276437b6{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } The warm weather meant the forest teemed with bothersome creatures, large and small, swarming thickly enough to nearly obscure their vision. "I shall handle it," Aquaz offered, preparing to pray to the Sun God to establish a protective barrier impenetrable to the pests. Just as she began, Ketal stopped her. "No, leave it to me." "Excuse me?" Aquaz looked surprised. Ketal began retrieving various catalysts one by one from his pouch. Aquaz and Baker watched, their eyes widening in astonishment as Ketal worked with meticulous precision, using the catalysts to define a specific area around them. Baker let out an involuntary gasp of disbelief. "Is he using alchemy?" As he uttered the word, a gentle breeze sprang up, centered around their campsite. The soft currents of air effectively drove the swarming insects out of the designated zone. Ketal smiled with satisfaction. "There we go," he announced. "I've used alchemy to create an area with a constant breeze. Small insects won't be able to fly within it. Plus, the cool air should make for comfortable sleeping." "Th-thank you, but... I didn’t know you could use alchemy," Aquaz said, genuinely startled. Ketal waved it off dismissively. "It's only at an apprentice level, nothing particularly impressive." "I see... Even so, it is quite remarkable," Aquaz commented. The sight of a barbarian practicing alchemy was truly novel to her, and she observed him with great curiosity. Baker, however, felt his breath catch in his throat. How... how is this possible? While Aquaz viewed it with simple wonder, Baker understood the deeper implications. As a mage, he knew firsthand the immense difficulty and perseverance required to reach even the apprentice stage in any magical art. He vividly recalled the countless aspirants at the Mage Tower who failed to achieve even that basic level, washing out despite their ambitions. Progress was impossible without serious dedication and prolonged study. Although Ketal's demonstrated level of alchemy was trivial to a Transcendent mage like himself, the mere fact that this barbarian could manipulate Myst at all struck Baker with the force of a physical blow. It utterly shattered his foundational assumptions. He had perhaps vaguely acknowledged Ketal's ability to use the holy power from the relic, but he hadn't considered it Ketal's own learned skill. He had never, ever imagined that a barbarian could have undertaken formal study in magic. The most he'd conceived Ketal capable of was perhaps some rudimentary physical enhancement. Baker fell silent, his mind reeling. His final sanctuary, the belief in his exclusive mastery of great magic, had just evaporated. He was forced to objectively compare himself to Ketal, analyzing their respective strengths and weaknesses. The chilling conclusion he reached was that he held no definitive advantage. The question of his supposed superiority echoed uncomfortably in his thoughts. No, no, it can't be! Baker shouted in his mind. It was utterly unacceptable to him as he believed he could not be inferior to this barbarian. Desperately, Baker scrambled to find some flaw, any weakness he could latch onto. That’s it! A final rationalization surfaced. Ultimately, he is still a barbarian! Regardless of Ketal’s acquired knowledge, his unexpected skills in alchemy, his divine favor, or his cooking ability, his fundamental nature remained unchanged. Baker convinced himself that Ketal was merely concealing his savage core, but that such a facade couldn't be maintained forever. Eventually, that inherent ferocity would surely reveal itself. Baker clung to this conviction with unwavering certainty. And before long, an opportunity seemed to present itself. *** "G-give me your money." "Hand over your valuables, too." Bandits suddenly appeared, blocking their path. Naturally, they posed no actual threat. The group consisted of three individuals possessing power at the Transcendent level, beings rarely encountered even once in an entire nation. These mere half-dozen bandits could likely be swept aside with less than a flick of a finger. However, Aquaz let out a soft sound of dismay. "Mm..." The bandits were clad in ragged, torn clothing. Their bodies were coated in grime, clearly having gone unwashed for a long time, and their limbs were so gaunt that flesh seemed almost non-existent. The weapons they brandished were crude spears, roughly carved from wood. A single glance revealed these were not people who had turned to banditry by choice. "What should we do?" Ketal inquired. Aquaz sighed deeply. "Let's subdue them first." A golden radiance enveloped her body. Only then realizing they had targeted the wrong people, the bandits turned pale and tried frantically to flee, but they were swiftly captured. Golden snares materialized, binding the bandits and forcing them to their knees. "They seem in rather poor shape for bandits," Ketal observed. "They are likely refugees," Aquaz explained sadly, "people who fled unbearable exploitation." Ketal nodded, understanding dawning on his face. He recalled the village he had stayed in on his way to Kalosia’s holy land, a place suffering under the oppression of brigands. These people seemed to be just like those villagers. Ketal asked Aquaz if such desperate individuals were common. .bg-ssp-10081{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} "There are quite a few," Aquaz confirmed gravely. The probability of refugees, driven from their homes, managing to build stable lives was extremely low. The village Ketal had witnessed represented the top one percent in terms of successful resettlement. Most refugee attempts to form new communities eventually collapsed due to various hardships, forcing many, like these individuals, into banditry. "So, what do you intend to do with them?" Ketal inquired further. "That is the question," Aquaz murmured, falling into thought. "Until now, whenever encountering bandits or brigands, my policy has been execution without question." "Oh? Is that so?" Ketal remarked with mild interest. "They are individuals who dare to hide from the light of the great sun, fleeing the law to commit acts of evil," Aquaz stated calmly, her expression indicating this was simply standard procedure. "There is no reason to show them mercy," she continued as she displayed no hint of guilt about potentially taking human lives. Ketal offered a small smile, reflecting inwardly on the harsh realities of this medieval fantasy world, a place where concepts like human rights held little sway. "However," Aquaz continued, her tone softening slightly, "these individuals clearly did not become bandits by choice." Just as Aquaz wrestled with her decision, Baker seized the opportunity to interject. "Aren't they still just bandits in the end?" he argued pointedly. "Being weak doesn't automatically make someone good. Ultimately, these people attack others and steal their belongings. They are criminals." He pressed further, attempting to ease Aquaz's conscience, "Is there really any need to burden yourself over them? We are the victims who were attacked, remember?" "Mm," Aquaz fell silent, seemingly conflicted by his words. As Baker spoke, his eyes were fixed pointedly on Ketal. Say it, barbarian! he urged internally. Declare that you will take their heads! Baker mentally pictured the typical barbarian archetype: beings who loved battle, craved blood, and never forgave those who dared raise a weapon against them. Baker felt certain Ketal would view this as a perfect chance to indulge his violent nature and personally cut down the bandits. Baker’s plan was ready: the moment Ketal made his move, he would denounce him as savage. The trap was perfectly laid. Go on, barbarian, Baker prompted silently with his eyes, Say you'll kill them! Unable to reach a decision, Aquaz turned to Ketal. "Ketal, what are your thoughts on this matter?" Ketal replied calmly, "Is there truly a need to kill them? Life is precious, after all." "Just like a barbarian, always sav... huh?" Baker, poised to launch his rehearsed condemnation, tilted his head in confusion. Did I hear that correctly? he wondered, completely thrown off balance. "What did you say?" Ketal patiently repeated himself. "These are also precious lives. While we were indeed the victims here, we haven't suffered any significant harm. Therefore, I see no necessity in taking their lives." "Huh...?" Baker stammered, flustered. Ironically, Ketal's expressed sentiment mirrored Baker's own deeply buried compassion. He himself had grown up in privilege within the Mage Tower, shielded from the world's harshness. His first ventures outside with Aquaz had exposed him to brutal realities, shocking him and prompting him to help many poor and suffering people. Fundamentally, Baker possessed a kind heart capable of empathizing with others' pain. However, expressing such mercy was something he might do, not something he ever expected from Ketal. Trying desperately to salvage his scheme, Baker argued against leniency, "R-really? But is there any need to keep them alive either? If we let them go, won't they just continue their banditry?" "Conversely, there is no need to kill them, either," Ketal countered logically. "Can’t a simple constraint prevent that?" "Should we really involve ourselves in such troublesome matters?" Baker persisted, still attempting to maneuver Ketal into advocating for violence so he could condemn the barbarian's savagery. But Ketal steadfastly refused to provide the response Baker desired. Baker felt increasingly frustrated, almost frantic in his failed attempt to expose Ketal's true nature. Just as he was about to push harder, he caught Aquaz’s gaze and abruptly fell silent. She was looking at him with an expression of pure confusion. "Baker? Why are you so insistent on killing these people?" "Huh? No, that's not it," Baker backpedaled hastily. He glanced at the bandits, who were staring back at him, faces pale with terror, trembling uncontrollably. Belatedly, Baker realized the dreadful truth. In his effort to frame Ketal as the villain, he had inadvertently made himself appear as the one aggressively advocating for the bandits' execution. "No, that wasn't my intention...,” Baker said. "I understand your point, Baker," Ketal interjected smoothly, addressing Baker while directing his gaze to Aquaz. "It's true they might commit evil acts again if simply released. Aquaz, could you place a restriction on them to prevent further banditry?" "Yes, that is possible," Aquaz confirmed. "Then please do so," Ketal continued. "I will provide them with enough funds to resettle elsewhere. That should resolve the matter, wouldn't you agree?" "Uh, yes..." Defeated, Baker could only nod weakly. Arguing further would only solidify his image as someone eager to kill the wretched bandits. Aquaz placed the divine restriction upon the former bandits, and Ketal handed them a pouch of coins. Tears streamed down their faces as they expressed their profound gratitude. "You are quite merciful," Aquaz remarked, looking at Ketal with an expression of genuine surprise. Ketal was certainly not a typical barbarian. He maintained a friendly relationship with a priestess and approached Aquaz herself with easy familiarity, even helping them without expecting anything in return. Initially, she had attributed his kindness to loyalty towards those he considered friends, as some barbarians were known for fierce devotion to their comrades. These bandits, however, had initiated hostilities against Ketal without provocation; there was no apparent reason for him to show them favor. Baker's arguments, though harsh, hadn't been entirely without merit from a pragmatic standpoint. Ketal’s choice to spare them, and even help them, was therefore quite unexpected. "I am not a good person," Ketal stated plainly. "You are more than good enough by that measure," Aquaz assured him with a gentle smile. "You can have confidence in that." But Ketal merely murmured with a peculiar expression, "Somehow, I don't think that's right." He knew his own nature better than anyone. He chose not to correct Aquaz's perception, however. As the bandits profusely thanked Ketal and Aquaz one last time and prepared to leave, Baker cautiously approached them. "Um, do you perhaps need any magical assistance? I can help too." "N-no, thank you!" "We're sorry! We did wrong!" The bandits, who had been weeping with gratitude before Ketal and Aquaz, recoiled from Baker in terror, trembling and wringing their hands. The scene was the absolute inverse of the outcome Baker had envisioned. He felt an overwhelming urge to cry.