Ch.14Chapter 14. Winning Over the Barbarian (2)

Chapter 14. Gaining the Barbarian’s Favor (2)

[LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL]

Ah, I can’t hold back my laughter. Serves them right!

Isn’t this just karma for being so cocky?

[NotACatfish: You’re laughing?]

[NotACatfish: Fine]

[NotACatfish: Just get lost]

They’re sulking.

Still, I should help them, right? We can’t have any more victims between Paladins and barbarians.

[OK I’ll help]

The message came a few minutes later. I can feel how much they agonized before sending it.

[NotACatfish: I’m near Linea, can you come help me?]

[NotACatfish: I don’t even expect you to fight these guys, just maybe ask that barbarian woman you’re friendly with for help or something?]

Realistically, would that work? Do you know what position the kid I saved (I didn’t actually save them) is in?

Do you think I saved the chief’s daughter or something?

[NotACatfish: Sigh]

Seems like they don’t have any good options either. They’re asking me as a last resort, like clutching at straws.

Even if they say Linea… I don’t know where that is. I don’t have a map, and I haven’t memorized the regions in the game.

[What’s the situation now?]

[NotACatfish: I’ve been disarmed]

[NotACatfish: My hands are tied, there’s a sack over my head, and I’m being dragged somewhere. They’ve gagged me too]

So they’ve been taken prisoner.

If they can capture NotACatfish, a Paladin, there must be someone incredibly skilled in that tribe.

[Are you still near Linea?]

[NotACatfish: Probably? I think we’ve been walking for about two hours]

[How about asking other Paladins living near Linea for help?]

[NotACatfish: Your casual speech is really pissing me off]

[NotACatfish: I’m probably the only one here]

[Just post on the community asking for help. Isn’t embarrassment better than death?]

[NotACatfish: Who would come help if I posted? They’d just mock me endlessly]

[Then why did you message me? How did you know whether I’d help or not?]

[NotACatfish: You said you’re friendly with the barbarians]

[NotACatfish: I told you about Daknunsam so help me out]

[?]

[NotACatfish: I’ll help you later too]

“Just do it anyway,” they’re saying. I can only laugh bitterly.

What can I even do to help?

This is difficult. Really difficult.

Let me at least ask about the tribe name.

[Do you know the tribe name? The people who captured you]

[NotACatfish: How would I know that;;]

I was about to type “Then die, you fool” but stopped myself.

Such attitude for someone who’s a catfish.

[Can you communicate with the barbarians?]

[NotACatfish: How could I? We speak different languages]

[NotACatfish: I can understand them, but they can’t understand me]

Those who are possessed can automatically acquire all languages of this other world… I guess that’s the setting.

Come to think of it, I could understand the barbarians’ language from the moment I possessed the Blue Moss tribe totem.

Automatic language acquisition is pretty standard for possession scenarios.

[Did you hear anything from those barbarian friends?]

[NotACatfish: They said they’re going to sacrifice me as a heretic. That’s all. I can’t hear well now because of this sack over my head]

There’s too little information. Even if I had more, I don’t know how I could help this person.

If only they could communicate with each other, there might have been a way.

[Just act cooperatively for now. Don’t make them angry at all]

[NotACatfish: What difference would that make? They’re going to sacrifice me]

[Don’t get excited, just listen. Take a deep breath first. There are still some options]

[NotACatfish: Alright]

[If they’re sacrificing you, they’ll take you to an altar. I don’t know where their altar is, but they probably won’t harm you until you reach it]

[NotACatfish: OK]

[I don’t know how much time we have, but I’ll ask my barbarian friends and keep looking for a solution]

[When you think you’ve arrived at the altar, message me immediately. I have a last resort]

The last resort is to shout my name at the altar to pique the barbarians’ interest.

Barbarians are said to know the names of all Roa.

If a Paladin they’re about to sacrifice suddenly shouts the name of one of the gods they worship, they’ll naturally be curious.

At the very least, it would create an opportunity for dialogue, or rather, communication.

However, this method would be difficult to use unless they remove NotACatfish’s gag before the sacrifice.

There’s also the risk that NotACatfish might discover my identity. Even if they don’t fully realize who I am, they’ll certainly find me suspicious.

For now, since a human life is at stake, I decided to put aside the identity issue.

[NotACatfish: OK…]

[NotACatfish: Thanks]

[You’re welcome^^]

[NotACatfish: …]

At least I’ve managed to calm them down.

This is really difficult. The only barbarian tribes I know are the Blue Moss tribe and the Brown Rock tribe.

The Blue Moss tribe is here where I am, and the Brown Rock tribe left their original grasslands to join us here.

…?

Wait a minute.

The Brown Rock tribe that traveled a long distance, and NotACatfish who has been walking for hours. The tribe that captured them has someone skilled enough to defeat a Paladin.

I’m not sure if this is the answer, but it feels like a puzzle piece has fallen into place.

[What level are you?]

[NotACatfish: Why? Is that important?]

[Yes]

[NotACatfish: Level 4]

They say from level 3 you’re no longer considered a newbie, and at level 5 you can wipe out an entire village, so I guess that’s mid-tier ability.

[You’re level 4, so why did you lose to a barbarian?]

[NotACatfish: …That’s harsh]

[I’m not blaming you, just curious]

[NotACatfish: She was strong. She looked different from other barbarians, seemed like a special individual]

[NotACatfish: Like an elite mob in gaming terms?]

The barbarian who defeated NotACatfish is female. The Brown Rock tribe chief is also female.

The picture is becoming clearer. I should ask Paya.

[OK I’ll contact you again]

When I dismiss the message window, the community window comes back into view.

[MeleeSpy: Is she pretty?]

[MorningTentBuilder: I’m jealous. Do you get hard easily?]

[Donuts: Here comes the deception~]

[Ghoulr: Isn’t this the same content as your earlier post?]

[LoveDeathMeow: (Praising the good Paladin) Meow meow meow meow~!]

[ITrustedMonkeyMister: So is she a virgin?]

ㄴ [FullPlay: Why does that matter?]

ㄴ [BasementPolitician: LOLOL They’re called barbarians but they’re basically primitives, how could she be a virgin? She probably has at least five kids LOLOL]

ㄴ [ITrustedMonkeyMister: Politician, I have pure intentions too. If you trample on my purity like this, I’ll have no choice but to become a demon.]

ㄴ [ITrustedMonkeyMister: I’ll make you a favorable user.]

[Bramanda: How romantic. So romantic it sounds made up.]

[FallenPowerKnight: Was your earlier question about barbarians just setup for this? You’re thorough]

Quite a few comments on my post “The barbarian girl I saved is obsessed with me.”

More than half of the users I’ve seen so far have left comments. Well, it’s my masterpiece, so it deserves this much attention.

No. That’s not what I should be focusing on right now.

I pushed the community to the side and bestowed a divine blessing on Paya.

– Priestess Paya, urgent matter…

“Kyaaak!”

– Call Kanto as well.

She was in the shower. I quickly removed the blessing.

…I’ve discovered a danger of divine intervention.

***

“…What is it, my lord?”

“Malak! I have arrived! Hahaha!”

Paya appeared at the altar looking all fresh and clean. Kanto was with her, his face flushed as if he’d been drinking.

This guy is drinking in broad daylight. But he’s been working hard to earn points so far, so I won’t say anything.

– Kanto. Do you know the Brown Rock tribe chief?

“Huh? Yes! I do know of her…”

– Tell me her name and appearance.

“Uh… um… just a moment.”

Slap! Slap!

Red-faced Kanto slapped his own cheeks a couple of times.

“Whew…”

How about now? Are you fully awake?

“Her name is Lakye. I’m not sure if she’s really mixed-blood, but she does look unusual.”

As I listened to Kanto’s explanation, I simultaneously sent a message to NotACatfish.

[What does the female barbarian who captured you look like? Tell me everything you remember]

“Her skin is white like a civilized person’s, her eyes are yellow like a carnivore’s, and she’s unusually tall for a woman with long limbs.”

[NotACatfish: Black hair, glowing yellow eyes. Tall like a model, looks really fierce. She’s white unlike other barbarians]

Almost perfectly matching testimonies. I’m not even surprised anymore.

How is this even possible?

Should I consider this good luck or bad luck?

At least it’s something I can handle, so that’s fortunate, I guess?