Barbarian Quest

Chapter 306

Basha knew that Urich swung his weapons in the garden at the same time every day and that he drank water from the basin during his short breaks. Watching Urich's actions daily, she hid in a wooden barrel, waiting for him.

She blinked and looked up at Urich. There were many other ways, but she deliberately chose to hide in a wooden barrel.

‘If Urich is truly that man....’

Basha still dreamed of the village burning every night. She had lost everything to the barbarians. The monster made of hatred slowly raised its head.

In the chaos where everything collapsed, Basha saw a light in a barbarian who saved her as she trembled in a barrel, whom she could only describe as an apostle of Lou.

‘There is no way that man was Urich.’

Basha clearly remembered the shadow from that day.

“Were you hiding in here planning to kill me with that tiny knife?”

Urich chuckled as he covered the sun behind him.

Basha’s lips quivered.

“There is no way...”

She had vaguely known but couldn’t accept it. No, she must never accept it.

“What do you mean there’s no way?”

Urich scratched his chin, watching Basha’s reaction.

“Why, why.... The person who took everything from me....”

Basha jumped out of the barrel and swung the dagger, but no matter how disabled Urich’s leg was, he wasn’t someone to be hit by Basha’s attack.

Urich grabbed Basha’s arm and threw her into the rose bushes.

“Go back to Gottval, you dumb bitch.”

Urich bared his teeth and threatened.

The roses emitted a sweet scent as their petals scattered, but their thorns scratched Basha’s skin, leaving wounds everywhere.

“You took everything from me...”

Basha stood up. Entangled in the vines, blood dripped from the scratches on her skin, but she ignored the pain and walked up to Urich.

“Why didn’t you take my life too? Why did you save me?”

Basha was certain that Gottval’s words were not lies and that Urich was indeed the man from that night. The sight of Urich from inside the barrel matched the shadow from that day exactly.

Urich looked down at Basha with an indifferent expression.

“Did Gottval tell you?”

“Answer my question! Why did you save me? You should have killed me along with the others! Why did you save me?” Basha screamed in fury.

“Yeah, you’re right. It would have been easier to just kill you,” Urich responded indifferently. Basha, even angrier, charged at Urich.

Thud!

Urich grabbed Basha’s head and slammed it into the ground. It was the same outcome no matter how many times she tried. To Urich, Basha’s movements were pathetic.

“Haha, if I had known you were such an idiotic girl, I would have just let you die.”

Basha’s face turned bright red. The moment she heard Urich's laughter, something snapped in her mind.

“Die! Just die!”

Basha lunged at Urich again, swinging the dagger wildly but failing to even leave a scratch on Urich.

“Basha, to kill someone, there always has to be a reason. Hatred, grudges, revenge, retribution—whatever it is, there must be a reason like these. Sure, sometimes people kill for fun, but most don’t kill without a reason.”

“What did my family ever do to you?! We... we were just living our lives in that village! We had no reason to be killed by you!”

“But we had our reasons to plunder that village, and that’s all there is to it. Your family did nothing wrong, but we didn’t do anything wrong to deserve the empire’s invasion.”

“Shut up!”

Basha aimed her dagger at Urich’s throat, but Urich deftly leaned back, grabbed her by the arm, and threw her aside.

After being slammed to the ground several times, Basha’s body was a wreck. There was even a crackling sound in her bones

“But there doesn’t always need to be a reason to save someone. I saved you because I wanted to. The reason you’re still alive right now is because I feel reluctant to take back the life I saved, not because I like you.”

Urich grabbed Basha’s dagger. Despite holding the blade, no blood seeped out as the dagger’s edge was dull and Urich’s palm was as thick as a bear’s.

Urich let out a long sigh.

‘This is my karma.’

Basha was the embodiment of the hatred and anger of the civilized people toward Urich. To ordinary people, the justification of war meant nothing. The harm that the Alliance caused the civilized world was enormous, and the number of people who lost their families to them was countless.

A little girl living in an ordinary farmhouse lost everything overnight. It would have been stranger if she wasn’t driven mad by hatred.

The old Urich wouldn’t have even tried to understand Basha’s feelings. A warrior believed that understanding the pain of others would only dull their senses and that it was their way to kill anyone who got in the way.

“...I’m sorry about what happened to your family, Basha. I apologize.”

After saying that, Urich left the garden, using his crutches.

“I will get my revenge, I swear! One day, you will die by my hand!”

Basha, slumped on the ground, shouted through her tears.

* * *

The heads of Solarism sent a group of clerics to Hamel, aiming to establish friendly relations with the Alliance.

“I am Gottval.”

Gottval, whose reputation was well-known among the priests, greeted them.

‘The priest who tamed the chief of the barbarians.’

The priests showed respect to Gottval. Converting the western barbarians to Solarism would be a great achievement.

“Do you know a woman named Basha?”

“She is staying here.”

“We have heard rumors that she calls herself a saintess.”

“It is merely a rumor. She is not a saintess, just a pitiable girl.”

Gottval deliberately changed the subject as he was aware of the unpleasant rumors surrounding Basha.

Gottval and the priests discussed plans for the future throughout the night. Gottval was a devout and well-regarded Sun priest who was also deeply rooted within the Alliance. From the perspective of Solarism, Gottval was like a saint sent by Lou.

“His Holiness plans to designate a western diocese and appoint you, Brother Gottval, as its bishop.”

Gottval immediately shook his head as if he had anticipated the proposal.

“This is all too soon. Unlike the northerners, the barbarians of the Alliance are the victors of war. We must gradually integrate ourselves into their society, not impose our ways on them.”

Even the prestigious position of bishop meant nothing to Gottval. The priests murmured, praising Gottval’s humility.

While Gottval and the priests were talking, an apprentice priest wandered through the palace. His face was still youthful, retaining the look of a boy.

‘Basha.’

The apprentice priest went around the city, looking for Basha. He asked the servants who were going in and out of the imperial palace and eventually found the room where Basha was staying.

Knock, knock.

The apprentice priest knocked on the door.

Basha, with a fierce expression, opened the door and stared at the apprentice. She was planning to leave Hamel soon, knowing that her life was in danger if she stayed in the capital any longer. Although she had failed, the reality was that she had attempted to kill the Great Chief with many warriors as witnesses.

“Who are you?”

Basha eyed the apprentice priest’s attire warily.

“I am Hume. I am still an apprentice, but I am walking the path of the clergy.”

“I can tell you’re a cleric by your clothes. So, what brings you to me?”

“I have a message from Priest Gottval. May I come in?”

Basha frowned but nodded reluctantly upon hearing that the apprentice in front of her was sent by Gottval. Despite the various events, Basha still followed him, who had willingly forgiven her for trying to kill him.

“What is it?”

“May I tell you my story for a moment?” Hume asked.

“I’m not really interested.”

“No, you have a responsibility to listen to this story, Basha. I’m sure you remember that among the Imperial Army, there were those who called you a saintess.”

Apprentice Priest Hume glared at Basha with a sharp gaze that was uncharacteristic of a priest. The intimidation made Basha flinch.

“You see, I was an orphan. I lived like an idiot, stealing in the back alleys of the city.”

“What does that have to do with me?”

“But then there was one monk who took me in. Even then, I couldn’t straighten out and continued my foolish ways. Eventually, I was caught by the guards and sentenced to have both of my hands cut off for stealing. Despite my foolish actions, this monk stepped forward and offered to pay the penalty in my place. He bravely told the lord to cut off his hands instead of mine. Fortunately, the lord did not cut off either of our hands, and I swore never to do wrong again.”

Hume glanced around the room, taking note of its layout. With the only escape being through the door, he could block the escape route if he stood in a straight line with the door.

“He sounds like a truly admirable person,” Basha responded perfunctorily.

“Indeed, a truly admirable person. I was away from him for three years to formally receive ordination.”

Hume took a step closer. Basha stumbled and grasped the dagger hidden in her garment.

“If you have nothing more to say, please leave.”

“...It’s not uncommon to die while following the Imperial Army. One might be struck by a stray arrow on the battlefield. But you see...”

A specific incident that occurred during the height of her madness flashed through her mind.

“Stand back, I’m warning you,” she said with fear.

“He was not the kind of man to violate a woman. You whispered lies to people and you have tarnished his honor.”

Tears rolled down Hume’s face. The priest was like a father to him. He was not someone who would die from being overpowered while trying to violate a woman. Right from the moment Hume heard the news, he knew Basha was lying.

“...He tried to taint my body.”

“Can you swear by Lou?”

Basha hesitated for a moment. Seeing that, Hume shook his head in self-mockery.

“I can't take this anymore. What wrong did he ever do to you? Why did he have to die under such disgrace?” He said, dropping all politeness.

Hume's voice was filled with anguish and his eyes gleamed with murderous intent. All he wanted at this point was to kill the woman in front of him, with his faith in Lou not considered one bit.

“I-I...”

Basha was flustered and saw Hume drawing a hook-shaped dagger.

Karma sought Basha's life. She stumbled backward and fell.

“When you die and meet Brother Aledor, confess your sins and beg for his forgiveness!”

Hume's movements were swift and practiced, befitting someone who spent their early years in the dark back alleys.

Screech!

Basha desperately grabbed Hume’s hand and tried to push the dagger away, but it was difficult to resist his downward force. The blade slowly sank into Basha's chest.

Hume’s eyes were filled with hatred. His purpose for visiting Hamel was entirely different from the other priests; revenge was his sole focus.

‘Is this my fault?’

Basha’s eyes stared at the ceiling as Hume tried to kill her.

‘But I had no choice.’

Basha had killed an innocent person for her own ends.

‘All I wanted was revenge...’

But Hume was no different. He just wanted revenge for someone dear to him.

‘I am no different from Urich.’

Basha sighed and released her grip.

Schluck.

With Basha's sudden surrender, Hume's blade plunged into her heart with ease.

Basha shuddered, looking up at Hume. She saw his face, drenched in blood, smiling with the success of his revenge.

“Mom, Dad...” Basha muttered through her tears as her heart grew cold.