The barbarian had a fluent, impeccably clean speech in the common tongue, devoid of any dialect. The outsiders were too stunned to respond.
He cast a quick glance and saw a total of eight carriages.
“Are you merchants?” the barbarian asked.
“Yes,” came the stuttered reply.
“Braving the snowfield, you’ve chosen a perilous path,” he said in his deep, resonating voice.
The mercenaries hesitated, gripping their swords. They had expected a monster but were faced with a barbarian spoken of only in legends. The shock of encountering a barbarian was already enough, but his fluent speech only deepened their astonishment.
The barbarian, eyeing the mercenaries’ attire, spoke again, “You appear to be mercenaries hired to protect the merchants.”
“Correct,” answered one of the mercenaries.
Anyone living in a civilized society knew the concept of merchants and mercenaries. However, the man in front of them was a barbarian—a legendary being who dwelled within this isolated White Snowfield. The mercenaries were surprised that a barbarian actually knew the concept of mercenaries and merchants.
He pointed at a neatly adorned yellow carriage.
“I would appreciate being hired as well,” the barbarian proposed.
“It’s not a hard concept. I am offering to help you cross the snowfield.”
“I understand what you’re saying, but….” The captain trailed off. It was a lot to take in. He couldn’t believe a legendary barbarian, engaging in fluent conversation, would suddenly offer his services. However, he managed to collect his thoughts and continued, “You have no intention of becoming our enemy?”
“If that were my intention, you’d all be dead already.”
“I see….” The captain nodded at the barbarian’s nonchalant words. Then, he approached the yellow carriage and knocked on the door. “Did you hear all that?”
“Yes,” the young woman said with a calm voice.
The old man inside the carriage was pale, trembling.
“W-what on earth is going on…?” the old man asked.
“That barbarian seeks to be employed by you. What do you wish to do?” the captain asked.
The woman inside closed her eyes, paused, and asked softly, “If we were to fight, how do you think it would turn out?”
“I wouldn’t recommend it.”
“Understood.” The woman opened her eyes. “Tell that man that we accept his offer.”
“Yes.” The captain stepped forward and addressed the barbarian. “Your offer has been accepted, barbarian.”
“That’s good.” The barbarian smiled with satisfaction as he walked toward them.
The mercenaries backed away, startled.
“Do not fear. I am not going to hurt you. You are merely employees. I must speak directly to your employer,” the barbarian said.
“If you try anything…”
“I won’t do anything, don’t worry.”
The barbarian responded calmly as he passed the captain. The mercenaries hesitated, unsure if this was a good idea.
“Captain, is it really wise to let him meet them?”
“Our employer has accepted.”
“Even so, we’re mercenaries… Shouldn’t we stop him?”
“Stop him?” The captain let out a bitter laugh. “Do you think we can stop him? You must be joking.”
As the barbarian approached the carriage, the old man’s face turned ashen.
“L-lady! This is…” he stammered.
“Calm yourself,” the young woman instructed.
A polite tapping sound was heard, unfitting of a barbarian.
The juxtaposition was jarring.
“May I come in?” the barbarian asked.
As the door opened, the woman felt momentarily overwhelmed. The barbarian wasn’t excessively large, standing about two heads taller than an average sturdy man. However, it wasn’t his size that struck her. Wearing only a leather vest, his bare muscles were fully on display. Every fiber of his body moved with precision, and he appeared less like a living being and more like a sculpture.
He was a monster in human form.
“No…” the old man moaned. He had nowhere left to retreat.
The carriage felt suffocatingly small for the three of them.
“I hope you will calm yourselves. I mean no harm,” the barbarian said.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” the woman said.
“And to you.” The barbarian smiled, his dark eyes fixed on the woman. “It’s quite warm in here. Even indoors, maintaining such warmth in this snowfield must be no small feat.”
“It’s thanks to magic.”
“Magic, you say. You mean the mysterious power of your people? I’ve heard of it before.” The barbarian’s eyes glimmered with interest.
“Have you…?” The woman was taken aback. A barbarian—the embodiment of savagery—was standing before her, speaking in a refined, high-level language. It felt akin to conversing with a well-educated noble.
“You must know this place is dangerous. Those mercenaries stand little chance of making it through safely. Thus, I offer to safeguard your lives,” the barbarian proposed.
“What do you want in exchange?” the woman asked. Her mind raced. She wondered about what he would demand.
Is he going to ask for food? Or perhaps weapons? Her thoughts raced, as she quickly assessed what she could offer. However, what the barbarian said next was unexpected.
“Nothing grand. It’s very simple, actually,” he spoke casually. “Knowledge.”
“Knowledge of the world beyond the snowfield. I want the information that you possess. That’s my price.”
“Knowledge and information? That’s it?”
“Yes. I think it’s a good deal on your part.” He smiled slyly.
At that moment, the woman nearly lost control of herself. Even his mere smile made her feel like she was standing naked before a predator.
“A-alright….” She nodded slowly, forcing herself to remain composed.
“Good.” The barbarian grinned in satisfaction. “May I know your name?”
“I am Milayna of the Akasha family.”
“My name is Ketal. Pleased to have made your acquaintance.”
Finally, someone I can actually converse with, Ketal thought. He breathed a sigh of relief.
Most humans he encountered panicked and brandished their blades at the mere sight of him. He had tried countless times to communicate, but most were too terrified to listen. This one, however, was calm—something he found deeply reassuring.
I just wanted a brief stroll… I didn’t think I would be this lucky.
He couldn’t fathom why people willingly entered this cursed snowfield, but those from beyond its borders occasionally made their way inside. Since there was no way out, whatever information he could extract from these outsiders was invaluable.
After talking with those ignorant barbarians for so long, speaking with a civilized person feels almost like therapy.
Ketal bombarded Milayna with questions. He asked about the happenings outside the snowfield, how the nations interacted, and the current affairs of the world.
The more questions she answered, the more perplexed she became. For a being said to dwell in legends, the barbarian’s questions were far too specific.
“I see.” After hearing Milayna’s answers, Ketal nodded. “So, even beyond, peace is elusive.”
“Yes. The Empire and Kingdom are at war,” Milayna answered.
The world was embroiled in conflict. A powerful empire and the largest kingdom were engaged in a war threatening to consume all.
“The Empire, with its overwhelming resources, is slowly advancing, but the Kingdom is holding on thanks to the Swordmaster and Heroes at the border,” she continued.
“Swordmaster? Heroes?” Ketal’s eyes lit up with interest. “Are they strong?”
“Yes. Beyond human comprehension,” Milayna replied. “One of them even slew a dragon.”
“A dragon, you say,” Ketal murmured.
The words Swordmaster and dragon all felt like fantasy. He wondered what a real dragon would look like. Would it resemble a serpent or a lizard?
“I would like to see one,” he said longingly.
There was a fantastical world beyond the snowfield. He no longer remembered how long he had been trapped in this accursed land. He had only fought to survive, knowing this place was a snowfield in a fantasy world and that escape was impossible.
He yearned to see what was beyond the snowfield—a world of fantasy.
Milayna suddenly shivered, and said, “Wait, you’re not thinking of…”
She wondered if this barbarian was planning to attack the outside world. She also wondered if that was why he sought information about their strongest figures and their secrets. The thought sent chills down her spine.
“You… are a barbarian, correct?” she asked cautiously.
“So you say. Judging by your expression, it seems you know of me.”
“Yes, there are legends about you people.”
Milayna recounted what she knew.
Hearing it, Ketal chuckled. “So that’s how the story goes. An emperor? That guy was an emperor?”
I thought he was just a madman, Ketal thought with a chuckle.
“Never mind.” Ketal shook his head. “Your legends may be accurate. There was a man that came here long ago.”
To hear validation from a legend itself left Milayna in awe. She missed a key detail in Ketal’s words—he spoke as if recounting events from thousands of years ago. The longer their conversation went on, the less wary Milayna became. She even dared to ask some questions of her own.
“It seems you know much of our language and knowledge.”
“Long ago, a few tried to cross this snowfield. When I met them, they were all about to die. In exchange for saving them, I learned much about your world. I am not sure if they made it back.”
“Most likely not,” Milayna said.
Had they returned, tales of a knowledgeable barbarian would have spread.
His refined speech and vast knowledge seemed beyond what mere exchanges could explain. Unless he had dedicated himself fully to learning things about the outside world, his expertise felt unattainable.
After a pause, Ketal asked, “I’m assuming you’re trying to transport some sort of a weapon, right?”
“Oh… yes. How did you—”
“The carriages give off the unmistakable sound of sharpened steel.”
Milayna was very confused. They were currently in the White Snowfield. The harsh winds made it nearly impossible to talk to someone, even if they were right beside each other. Furthermore, the carriages were sealed tightly—no sound should’ve escaped.
“Judging by the number of carriages, you’re carrying quite the load. Why choose this route?” he asked.
“We need the money.” Milayna bit her lip. Her family, which had traded for generations, was now deep in debt due to recent schemes and disruptions. They were on the brink of collapse.
This journey was their desperate bid for survival.
Ketal understood her reasoning. “You intend to sell weapons to the Kingdom at war with the Empire.”
“Huh…?” Milayna’s eyes widened. She had never mentioned their destination. “How did you…?”
“There are only two nations that would want such quantities,” Ketal spoke nonchalantly. “The Empire or the Kingdom. But you said the Empire had no supply issues. That leaves only one option.”
Milayna stared at him dumbfounded.
“Supply and demand. If the supply is scarce, prices rise. I’m not familiar with outside values, but that seems like a worthwhile investment,” Ketal said.
Milayna blinked in astonishment.
“Since you said you had to cross the snowfield, I can only assume that there is no other route to the Kingdom. Does it border the Empire?” Ketal asked.
It was a perfect deduction.
“Even so, it’s very dangerous to cross this path.”
“Who… are you?” Milayna asked, beyond shocked. Is he really a barbarian?
Before she could ask, the carriage halted, and the roar of a monster echoed outside.
“It seems we have an uninvited guest,” Ketal muttered quietly.