Barbarians (1)

"W-What... Why are you home at this hour?"

Ted asked with a flustered expression.

Ted's older brother, Ben, usually wasn't home at this time.

Because he went out early in the morning to work in the fields and came back late at night.

"I just stopped by. More importantly Ted, who is this girl?"

"A-A friend."

"A friend?"

At Ted's answer, Ben looked at Rakia.

A girl holding a girl around her age in her arms.

Dressed in a luxurious dress, with golden shining hair and eyes.

Her skin was pale and her face was pretty.

Just like Ted had thought, Ben also considered Rakia to be a high-ranking noble.

"...Where did you meet her?"

"In the forest."

"The forest? Did you go out to train or something again? You idiot."

At Ben's words, Ted hung his head low.

Ben let out a soft sigh and said,

"Anyway, send her back. Outsiders are prohibited from entering our village."

"Brother..."

"Send her back."

"No, I invited her over for dinner at our house. She helped me out..."

Pak!

Ben swung his fist and struck Ted's face.

Ted collapsed to the floor, but Ben paid no mind and said,

"Do you not know the current situation of our village? When will you ever learn?"

"..."

Ben looked at Rakia again.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. It seems my foolish brother invited you without thinking, but outsiders are prohibited from entering our village. So please leave immediately."

"But I wanted to try a soup dish called stew..."

"Our village is dangerous. If those guys come..."

Knock knock.

Then someone knocked on the door.

"Ben, those guys are here! They're telling everyone to gather at the square now!"

"!"

Ben's eyes widened, and Ted also raised his head with a startled expression.

"Ted, stay put in the house. Got it? You absolutely cannot come out."

"Y-Yes."

Ben hurriedly left the house, and Ted quickly locked the door.

Click.

"I-It'll be okay... It's safe if we stay in the house. Those guys won't come into the house..."

Ted muttered in a flustered manner.

Rakia tilted her head.

"Those guys?"

"Those barbarian guys... It seems they've come to the village."

*

After leaving the house, Ben hurried towards the village square.

Though called a square, it was just an open space near the palisade since it was such a small village.

When he got there, the villagers had gathered.

Adults and children alike, all kneeling down.

And in front of them, about a dozen rugged-looking men were glaring down at the villagers.

The man standing in the middle with a long scar on one cheek noticed Ben.

Ben quickly knelt down in front of the man.

"I-I'm sorry for being late..."

"If you're sorry, you should get hit."

Pak!

The man's foot struck Ben's face.

Ben tumbled backwards but immediately got up and knelt again.

The man asked,

"Any peculiarities in the village?"

"None..."

"Is that so? Are the crops growing well?"

"We're working hard."

"Working hard isn't important. The harvest is what matters. If I'm not satisfied with the harvest, you know what happens? I'll boil all of you alive. Kuhahaha!"

The man laughed heartily as he spoke.

Though he said it with a laugh, Ben's face paled at the thought that these people would actually do such a thing without hesitation.

"I-I'll do my utmost."

"You better."

The man patted Ben's shoulder with his large hand.

"Otherwise you'll end up like your old man, dying like a dog."

"..."

Ben silently bit his lip.

Ben's father had been the village chief.

A diligent and kindhearted man respected by the villagers, he was an excellent chief.

He was also an affectionate father who doted on Ben and Ted.

That father was killed. Beheaded by the man standing before Ben now.

Ben could never forgive this man. If he could, he would pounce on him right now to avenge his father.

Of course, if he did that, Ben would be the one killed.

This man was a barbarian.

Even if all the villagers attacked him together, they would be no match.

If they fought, they would just end up "dying like dogs" as the man said.

And if that happened, his younger brother Ted would not be spared either.

Ted was still young and couldn't live alone, and these people would not leave him be in the first place.

When they raided the village, they tried to capture and eat all the village children.

To stop them, their father fought back with farming tools, and after he was killed, Ben knelt and pleaded.

To not harm the children. That he would do anything if only they spared the children.

That's how Ben became their slave. Even when they took away all the village's livestock, Ben did not complain.

Far from complaining, he has been farming for them.

He had no choice but to work in the fields all day and make do with just a small amount of vegetables for meals.

Since they were not affiliated with any territory and had no lord to protect them, he had to survive by kneeling and providing labor.

"Hm, by the way, why isn't your younger brother around today?"

The barbarian man looked around.

Among the village adults, a few children were kneeling, but Ted, Ben's younger brother, was nowhere to be seen.

Ben hurriedly made an excuse,

"My brother is...not feeling well..."

"Is that so? I rather liked his fierce gaze."

The corners of the man's mouth stretched into a wide grin.

"In fact, I'm looking forward to it. I wonder if he'll ever attack me, his face looks just like he's thinking of avenging his father. Kuhahaha!"

"He...won't do that..."

Ben responded with effort. In truth, as the man said, Ted did dream of avenging his father.

He had even obtained a wooden sword from somewhere and swung it in the forest every day, pretending to practice swordsmanship.

Of course, there was no way he could defeat this barbarian man, even if he did that.

"I guess not. Since I'm here, I should at least see his face before leaving. Hey, village chief's son. Lead me to your house."

Ben was startled by the barbarian man's words.

It wasn't just Ted alone at home.

That noble girl he saw this afternoon was there too.

Ben's face paled.

'If those guys see that girl...'

They would never just let it go.

"Come on, hurry up!"

When Ben hesitated, the barbarian man kicked him.

"If you don't guide me right now, I'll kill the village children one by one. Kuhahaha!"

"..."

In the end, Ben had no choice but to lead the men to his house.

*

The door to Ben's house was locked. It seemed Ted had locked it from the inside.

It was an appropriate measure, but ultimately meaningless in this situation.

The barbarian men would never just leave because the door was locked. They would surely break it down.

"Step aside, I'll break down the door."

'As expected.'

Ben stepped back with a resigned expression.

Inwardly, he prayed that Ted had hidden the noble girl somewhere in the house.

If he hid her tightly in a wardrobe or something, these barbarian men might not notice her.

"Chief! There's something in the barn!"

Then someone shouted.

The man who was about to kick down the door stopped and turned his head.

"Huh? What's there?"

"It's like...a wolf. An enormous one!"

"A wolf?"

The barbarian man made an interested expression, then lumbered over towards the barn.

'A wolf...?'

Of course, Ben was utterly clueless.

These barbarian men had taken away all the village's livestock, so the barn should be completely empty.

"Oho!"

The barbarian man let out an exclamation.

"It really is! Huge! This must be...a spirit wolf? Kuhahaha!"

The barbarian man laughed in satisfaction as he drew an axe from his waist.

"And its fur is silver! A cloak made from the pelt of that wolf would be perfect!"

The barbarian man opened the barn door, and at that moment, an enormous wolf leapt out.

"Alright, time to hunt!"

As the barbarian man shouted, the men around him who seemed to be his subordinates cheered.

"Wooww!"

"Catch the wolf!"

For the barbarians, hunting was practically an event.

Especially when hunting a beast that looked this large and powerful, everyone would get excited.

"Urahh!"

The man who appeared to be the chief lunged at the wolf first. His axe swung towards the wolf's nape.

Whish!

The wolf lowered its body to dodge the axe, then immediately swiped at the barbarian man with its forepaws.

"Oho! As expected, you're no ordinary beast!"

The barbarian man nimbly leapt into the air, belying his large frame.

The wolf's swiping forepaws sliced through empty air.

"But you're still just a mere beast!"

The barbarian man brought his axe down again, aiming for the wolf's head.

This time, the other men also swung spears and swords from the sides.

It seemed the wolf had no path to escape.

'The end...'

Ben made a gloomy expression.

He didn't know why such a huge wolf was in his house's barn, but he still didn't wish to see it die before his eyes.

Especially not at the hands of these barbarian men.

'Damn it.'

Ben quietly closed his eyes, thinking the wolf's agonizing scream would soon ring out.

Clang!!

But it didn't.

The sound that rang out was a dull thud.

'...?'

Ben opened his eyes again.

An astonishing sight unfolded before him.

Somehow, a blue barrier had formed around the wolf, and a girl now stood by its side.

A girl with silver shining hair and pointed ears.

An elf.