18. Iron, Blood and Conversation
A bonfire with a warm glow softly illuminates the night that has now turned completely black.
It was such a night when the crackling and bouncing sparks of the bonfire floated around like fireflies.
If someone asks me, ‘Do you have a favorite moment while on an adventure?’, I would say right now without a moment’s hesitation, I like this peaceful and cozy moment, the present situation.
Sometime during the past three years of my adventurous life, I had been waiting for this moment to come.
If you ask me how I came to like these boring times… Well.
Because in the long time of 3 years that I have been with as a member of the warriors party, I only have time for myself at this moment.
I thought that if I burned my heavy heart as firewood in this roaring bonfire… Would it lighten my heart a little?
But whenever I lifted my butt in front of a campfire, the fire would go out without even burning the burden in my heart.
Every time that happened, what was left was my heart that had been burned a little without being burned.
It’s like burning a wound with fire to stop bleeding.
Because of that, I think it was more difficult.
But now…
“…Warm…”
I was satisfied with just feeling the heat of this bonfire with my palms.
Feeling the warm heat and the vermilion light of the bonfire wetting your hands, raising your head just a little bit, the dense starlight that embroidered the sky fills your eyes, such a romantic…
“I look forward to cutting you limb from limb, ugly creature. I want you to hear me sweet screams.”
……Very… Very romantic, such a scenery.
If you lie down in a warm tent with this kind of background as a blanket, how…
“Hmph… I don’t give in to childish threats like that. Wherever you want to try it, try it. Foolish priest who believes in false idols.”
How… Damn, I forgot.
“…Until now… All the beings who dared to blaspheme the righteous light, I returned them directly to the soil with my own hands… Are you ready, ugly being?”
Anyway, the important thing was that this kindling was my favorite and most anticipated dinner.
…
…?
Why is my mind going back and forth?
Please forget what I just said.
Anyway, what I’m trying to say is…
“… Jeop. I want to eat wolf frog skewers.”
“Ah…! Those wolf frog skewers… I also remember eating them several times on the market street near the academy. It was definitely delicious.”
“Isn’t it? It’s such a delicious dish, but rumors I’ve heard… The warrior said he’d never tried wolf frog skewers. Well, I can’t possibly eat a frog…”
…What I’m trying to say is, people who can’t enjoy the present moment are either crazy people without emotions, or people who have something more important than enjoying the present moment.
I was speechless because of the sudden gibberish, but in the end, this must also be because the bonfire quietly burning in front of me and the starlight in the night sky exploded my sensibility.
Just like this. Like this…
“Keugh… It looks like you’re still young, but do you know who I am?”
“Sorry… I’m sorry…! But, Austin made me do it… Ah! Don’t be so violent! I hurt my wrist!!”
…I want to slap a glass of cool ale like this. Like a dog
I was staring blankly at the campfire with rain-soaked eyes when Max came over to me hesitantly.
“That… Austin hyung. I’m ready…”
“…Huh? Uh… Yes Good work.”
I didn’t want to ruin this peaceful moment, but…
Everything has an order. Well, I should get rid of the troublesome things in front of me first.
I shook my butt off and stood up, then walked toward Depal, who was sprinting with his arms and legs tied.
Defal’s solid but flexible body revealed after taking off the armor, and the lower and upper body drawing soft curves.
“Now that I take off my armor, I look a bit like a woman. I thought he was a man because he wore such heavy armor…”
“…Shut up, kid… Aren’t you ashamed to use such a cowardly method as a smoke screen?”
“What would you say to a b*tch who didn’t intend to fight fair and did surprise attacks?”
“…That’s…”
After putting down the steel mug she was holding in her right hand, I sat down in front of her depal and looked at her for a moment.
I laughed at Depal’s gaze as if he was going to kill me, and I clapped my hands and opened her mouth.
“Okay then… Shall we start a conversation?”
By the way, I enlisted as a Ranger after getting a perfect score on interrogation.
* * *
“So… First of all, what is your name and affiliation?”
When I interrogate an enemy or attempt a conversation, the first thing I ask is the enemy’s information and personal information.
After hearing the enemy’s name and affiliation, I compared it with the information about the enemy that was crammed into my head to determine if it was a worthy opponent to fight.
In this case, I already know a little bit about Depal’s personality, but my first question is always fixed to this like a routine, so I asked Depal about the information I already knew.
“…You know me, but you ask such a thing… Is it to mock me?”
It must have been a bit misunderstood.
If the atmosphere gets messy from the start, there will be setbacks in the conversation afterwards.
I quickly waved my hand and denied Depal’s question.
“Ha ha… No no. What is this… A kind of routine that should be asked first when interrogating? Fixed question? Should I say That’s it.”
Fortunately, as if he felt that I had no reason to mock him, Defal lowered his glaring gaze and nodded his chin.
I’ve avoided spoiling the atmosphere.
“What… The leader of the Lompalia Raiders, Depal. One of the two artificial humans Argyle created herself… Spear doll Depal, Argyle’s fingernail Depal… He handles the spear like a toothpick… Poohup…!”
f*ck, I burst into laughter at an insignificant part.
“This… Toothpick… Khehehehe…”
“…Dare you… Laugh at…”
As I continued to laugh, Depal glared at me with her face reddened and tearing me to death.
Anyway, Depal seems to be ashamed of rumors about whether it’s a toothpick or something.
“No. f*ck… Suck… I didn’t laugh at it. What is that… Puff… Puff hahahahaha!!!”
From noble mtl dot com
No, like a toothpick… The sobbing part… I don’t know why it’s so funny.
Why, doesn’t everyone have that kind of experience?
That kind of situation where you explode alone in a part that is not a big deal… It has come to me now.
“hehehehe… Kellogg! Kellogg!! No… Kuhmm… That, I suddenly had a funny idea, so stop… I’m sorry.”
“…If I’m released from here, I’ll be the first to kill you.”
“I’m sorry about that. Anyway, next question.”
Something bad happened for a while, but at times like this, it’s best to just move on.
“Uh… Hmmm… Was Argyle the one who ordered the raid on the supply unit? Or is he the Demon King?”
“…Hmm.”
“…Don’t want to answer?”
Despite my question, Depal must have already pouted, and he just glared at me with his mouth closed.
From noble mtl dot com
No matter how you think about it, it seems that the toothpick just blew it apart and left behind as sediment.
Old people and women say that once you get angry, it lasts a long time, but it has become difficult to deal with.
“Okay, well… Next question. Is Argyle building another cyborg?”
“…”
Yes. It seems that there is no need to pay attention to the words when the atmosphere has already become a f*ck.
“Eojjuguri. Won’t you answer? Mr. Depal, the toothpick doll.”
Since he didn’t open his mouth all of a sudden, when he got a little upset, the Depal’s mouth opened with a thud.
– Iron puck
“……”
“How dare you insult me… I will definitely kill you…!”
I quietly moved my hand without replying and wiped the saliva dripping from my face with a piece of cloth I took out from my chest.
This crazy b*tch even spit on me for making fun of him.
“…I can’t. Royman.”
“Yes, brother. Did you call?”
“…?”
As Royman suddenly approached, Depal trembled and sent a look, wondering what he was going to do.
I laughed at Depal’s appearance and pretended to use Depal’s right and left arms.
“Snip it here… Cut it here too… And leave the legs…? No, would it be better to use your legs?”
“…Hey, what…”
“Hmm… From my limited perspective, I think it’s better to cut off the ankle first than the arm.”
“Isn’t that right? Because you can’t run away.”
Only then, Depal, who realized the intention behind our words, hurriedly opened his mouth with trembling eyes as if an earthquake had struck.
“Now… Wait…!! I was just trying to talk…”
“I can’t do a stuffed limb amputation, but well… But be content with this much.”
“I’m not satisfied, but… I can’t help it.”
A clanking sound was heard, and a flail was heard in Royman’s right hand before he knew it.
“…Wouldn’t it be better to cut it with a knife?”
“If you crush the bones to powder, they will fall off on their own.”
“No, well… you don’t have to go that far.”
After hearing the eerie conversation between me and Royman, Depal rolled her eyes frantically and quivered his lips.
Even if it’s an artificial human, it seems that there are emotions.
“Well, one last question. Argyle is making another android?”
“I, I… Don’t know…”
“Sweep… You don’t seem to have any intention of opening your mouth yet. Royman!”
Royman, who had come to his side, was breathing heavily, as if anticipating the smell of blood he would soon smell.
“Even though I can’t take my arm… I’ll take that leg.”
Royman’s arm was slowly lifted, and the Orichalcon weight attached to the flail’s chain slithered down.
“hahahaha… No way, you really don’t want to… Don’t you? You bastard… I can’t-“
Anyway, it seems that Depal hasn’t come to his senses yet.
I nodded my head at Roy Munn and gestured to him to shoot him.
“Take a picture.”
With the sound of humming and crushing the wind, Orhar Chon Chu quickly descended, aiming for Depal’s ankle, and Depal screamed as he closed his eyes tightly.
“Kyaaah!! M… I’ll tell you…!! I will tell you!!!”
– Bang!!
As soon as Depal’s mouth opened, I pushed Royman’s arm to change the trajectory of the flail.
Royman’s flail cut the ground right next to Depal’s ankle, and a thick cloud of dust spewed out in the aftermath.
“…Um. Well, fortunately, he changed his mind at the last minute. It’s a smart choice. Otherwise, I would have taken it for real.”
“… Heb-“
Towards Depal, who was hiccuping with his eyes wide open like a rabbit, I asked the question again.
“Are you going to cooperate?”
At my question, Depal just nodded his head vigorously.