Chapter 17: The Barcan Estate (5)

The next day was Ketal’s second day in civilization. He woke up brimming with energy. “Let’s get started, shall we?” he exclaimed. Being a mercenary was exhilarating. Just the thought of it made his heart race. However, before diving into work, there was something else he wanted to do. The Barcan Estate was a sizable domain, and Ketal had yet to fully explore it. So, before heading to the guildhall, he decided to tour the area—a kind of sightseeing. Leaving the inn, Ketal strolled through the estate. With no specific destination in mind, he walked aimlessly, enjoying the simple act of moving through the streets. The locals, however, were less enthusiastic. Many hurriedly hid their children and walked in the opposite direction. Ketal paid them no mind, assuming they had suddenly become busy. As he wandered, a food cart caught his eye. Skewers of sizzling meat were being grilled to perfection. “Oh,” he murmured. Driven by hunger and curiosity, Ketal approached the cart. The vendor’s face turned pale. “How much?” Ketal asked him. “Tw-two copper coins…,” the vendor replied. It was surprisingly cheap. The skewers were generously seasoned with various spices. “I’ll take one.” Ketal handed over the coins. The clearly terrified vendor extended the skewer to him while keeping as much distance as possible, as if afraid of breaking under Ketal’s touch. Chewing on the skewer, Ketal smiled in satisfaction. “It’s delicious.” The seasoning was unique—slightly tangy, mildly sweet, and unlike anything he had ever tasted. Skewer in hand, he continued his leisurely exploration of the estate. During his stroll, he purchased a notebook. This world was vastly different from what he knew. Elves were barbaric, and Dungeons held unique characteristics. It felt necessary to document these discoveries. From now on, he planned to organize his findings in the notebook. Satisfied with his purchase, he glanced upward toward a nearby rooftop. Ketal thought. Since yesterday, he had felt someone’s presence watching him. Assuming it was Lord Barcan’s spy, he had chosen to ignore it, but the persistent gaze from above was starting to bother him. Still, he decided not to dwell on it. His priority now was to enjoy himself. He walked on, savoring the sights and sounds of the estate. That alone was delightful. While wandering, he saw a building. he thought. The sign on the outer wall clearly labeled it as such. Ketal was intrigued by the place filled with books. He entered the library. “Welcome…” A woman, presumably the librarian, looked up from her book and froze when she saw Ketal. After a brief pause, she screamed shrilly, “!” “Hm.” Ketal was accustomed to people reacting to him with fear. Calm as always, he attempted to reassure her. “I am a mercenary,” he said, showing his mercenary badge. “May I read some books here? I have no intention of causing harm, nor will I damage the books. You have my word.” “O-okay…” The librarian nodded hesitantly, her voice trembling. Satisfied that he had convinced her, Ketal walked toward the shelves with a contented smile. “Quite the collection,” he muttered. He scanned the titles with keen interest, clearly able to read and comprehend them. Outside the library, Kain, the Swordmaster, observed Ketal and frowned. Though the barbarian was out of sight, Kain’s heightened senses allowed him to perceive every movement inside. It was baffling to him. Kain thought. Literacy required significant education. While education had become more widespread, even among commoners, it was far from universal. However, Kain had never heard of a literate barbarian. Ketal handled the books with practiced ease. He retrieved one, sat down, and began reading with natural familiarity. Kain thought to himself. Ketal’s fast reading suggested he had read hundreds, if not thousands, of books. His demeanor resembled that of a well-educated scholar. Yet, Ketal was a barbarian—a man from the White Snowfield. According to the lord, Ketal had only recently entered human civilization. Kain could not comprehend that a barbarian from the harsh White Snowfield could be deeply familiar with books, let alone literate. His mind spun with questions. He wondered if he was the only one who could read or if all the barbarians from the White Snowfield could read. But regardless of Kain’s bewilderment, Ketal remained entirely focused on the book in his hands. He touched its cover, ran his fingers along the pages, and examined it carefully. The librarian, meanwhile, watched him with a nervous expression, as though expecting him to rip the book apart any moment. Ketal thought. His thoughts wandered briefly to the meat skewer he had eaten earlier. It was very similar to the book he was reading; the quality of the meat had been surprisingly high. Perhaps this estate had a better economy than he had initially assumed. At the very least, it was far from resembling old England, where people survived on nothing but potatoes and coffee. Having satisfied his curiosity about the book’s physical properties, Ketal turned his attention to its contents. The book he had chosen was a history of the continent, a comprehensive record of its past events up to the present day. As he skimmed through its pages, his eyes widened. Milayna had once supplied weapons to the Kingdom at war with the Empire. And it appeared that the Empire had emerged victorious from the war. As he read further, it became apparent just how powerful the Empire had become. The Kingdom to which the Barcan Estate belonged was now a vassal state, subordinate to the Empire. The Empire had devoured half of the human world and was advancing aggressively, as though intent on consuming the entire world. Ketal thought. It was an ambition shared by many conquerors throughout Earth’s history. This fantasy world, it seemed, was no different. However, Ketal’s interest in human affairs was limited. What truly fascinated him lay elsewhere. He eagerly picked up another book, this one detailing non-human elements of this world. His eyes sparkled as he turned its pages. Reading as though he couldn’t afford to miss a single word, he immersed himself in the text. To his delight, the book more than lived up to his expectations. The book contained the Dwarven Cave of Mantamia, which was filled with the world’s greatest ores, such as Mithril and Adamantium, the Fairy Village of Pisarapia, which was said to hold every mystery imaginable, and Lagemeria, the celestial city that floated in the skies, inhabited by the Celestials. The book also cataloged countless cities and capitals belonging to various non-human races. Ketal couldn’t stop grinning. He had read similar accounts before, but those had all mere flights of fancy—products of human imagination. This world, however, was different. The fantastical places described in this book actually existed here. The realization filled Ketal with immense joy, almost to the point of losing himself. As he continued to devour the text, another piece of information caught his eye. Elfo Sagrado was a sacred ground for the elves, unapproachable by any race other than elves. Its location was a mystery, zealously protected and sought after by those in power. Even the mightiest rulers had failed to uncover it. Yet Ketal had the qualifications to enter. Ketal thought. It would be rude to ignore such an invitation. Still, the world was brimming with too many other wonders to explore first. Ketal was the type to save the best for last. Suppressing his excitement, he turned his focus back to the book and continued reading. The more he read, the more Ketal’s curiosity grew. Then, something caught his eye again. “What’s this?” His head tilted in confusion. “There are other places like the White Snowfield?” The book was describing Demon Realms—regions of chaos and distortion. These were areas entirely unwelcoming to humans, each shrouded in mystery. The descriptions painted vivid pictures in his mind: the Silent Forest where all sound ceased, leaving unnerving stillness; the Abyss, a bottomless chasm that could drag the world itself into its depth; the Deep Sea, home to mysterious primates unknown to science; there was also an area where it had no name, where existence itself seemed to unravel. Most important of all, the book contained information about the White Snowfield, which Ketal knew all too well. Beyond these were numerous other Demon Realms, each as alien and unreachable as the next. These mysterious, untouchable regions were staples of the fantasy world, yet Ketal’s expression darkened as he considered their implications. Ketal thought. His memories of the White Snowfield were far from fond. He had endured endless suffering in that desolate expanse. Without his unwavering thirst for adventure and discovery, he would surely have perished there. The thought of other Demon Realms that could rival the White Snowfield in harshness didn’t inspire him. In fact, it filled him with unease, and he had no intention of visiting such places unless absolutely necessary. Even so, a question naturally arose in his mind. Sёarᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The White Snowfield alone was unimaginably vast. Even after spending years there, he hadn’t fully explored it. And now, he was learning that this was just one of many such places. Coupled with the lands of humans and those of other races, the sheer scale of this world was overwhelming. he concluded. That much was certain. Just how much bigger, however, was beyond him. It seemed this world had yet to measure its circumference, leaving its true size a mystery. “Well, I think I’ve learned enough for now,” Ketal said, standing up and brushing off his pants. The library wasn’t particularly large, so there was little additional information for him to uncover. Still, he felt satisfied with what he had gleaned. “Thank you for letting me look around,” he said politely. “You’re welcome.” The librarian stood and bowed, her tense shoulders relaxing slightly as she realized Ketal was leaving. She breathed a sigh of relief, but her respite was short-lived. “I will visit again when I have the chance. I hope to see you again in the future,” he said with a grin. “Y-yes…,” she stammered weakly, her expression falling as she watched him leave. *** Ketal arrived at the guildhall. Just like the day before, the place was quiet. Ketal strode leisurely toward Rosa, who greeted him with a tense expression. “Oh, you’re here,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “Yes. What quests do you have for me today?” Ketal asked casually. “Here they are.” Rosa handed him a quest sheet, her hands a little steadier now. Ketal accepted it with a faint smile. As they conversed quietly, Rosa began to relax. Despite his intimidating appearance, Ketal proved to be surprisingly reasonable. Though there was an instinctual fear of him, it became clear that there was no real need to be terrified. After briefly examining the quest sheet, Ketal raised a finger to indicate his choice. “I’ll take this one today.” “Ah, this is an herb collection quest. Here is the sample.” Rosa handed him a sample of the herb, and Ketal examined it before heading out. Just like the previous day, he went out to gather the herbs and returned to complete the quest. Afterward, he accepted a new one. All the tasks were trivial—menial jobs that anyone could have done. Watching this unfold, Kain felt as though he was going to burst with frustration. Kain thought. Ketal was incredibly strong. Even revealing just a fraction of his power would have earned him immediate recognition. There was no reason for him to waste time on such insignificant work. Kain couldn’t understand any of this. The sight of someone as extraordinary as Ketal performing mundane tasks felt like watching a priceless gem being used for a child’s play. Yet, Ketal himself seemed to genuinely enjoy these simple tasks. There was something entirely alien about Ketal. Kain couldn’t get a clear sense of who he really was. After mulling it over for a while, Kain made a decision. Observing from a distance was no longer enough. If Kain wanted to gain any meaningful information about this enigmatic barbarian, he would need to speak with him directly. Swordmaster Kain resolved to confront Ketal face-to-face. Bubly (bubblicious)'s Thoughts Didn't know they'd drink coffee during that period