The Berserker’s Second Playthrough in the Game - Chapter 147



Only Krnovel

Episode 147. One Friend Like That (2)

Boys usually like games that involve fighting and competing.

The children of Maltana, a small town in this alliance territory, were no exception.

However, the children here were a bit more serious. In Maltana, there were quite a few mercenaries who lived in the underworld of big cities. The stories they told about sagas and mercenaries served as a catalyst to help children break away from boring war games and develop richer imaginations.

So today, about a dozen children gathered in the forest near the village. Just to role-play as a mercenary.

One of the squabbling children picked up a stick and climbed up onto a large rock.

“I am the ‘Spear of the North’! I am extremely, extremely good at using a spear, and I can stab anyone to death! “Even the most scary monsters are so scared that they just tremble when they meet me!”

The child showed off his meager biceps. Chuckles and laughter erupted from the group. After the ‘Spear of the North’ came down, the other children took turns picking up their weapons and climbing onto the rock.

“I am the ‘Blood Blade’! My sword will never spare the lives of my enemies! If you dare attack me, you better be prepared to die!”

“I am the ‘Net Predator’! No one can escape my iron net!”

“I am the ‘Angry Horn of Agon’… … There are few barbarians stronger than me in the world… … Except for that one… … .”

The names of famous mercenaries and famous gladiators flowed out one after another. The children who had obtained the names they wanted were completely absorbed in their roles. Their weapons were crude imitations made of wood and rope, but their expressions were as serious as those of real mercenaries.

However, the child who came up almost at the last minute did not get the nickname he wanted.

“Wow!! I’m the ‘Demon Slayer’! I’m the strongest mercenary that no one can stop!! Yesterday, for dinner, I plucked out demons’ heads and munched on them… … .”

Bam!

Suddenly, the big kid next in line kicked me.

The child on the rock lost his balance and fell down miserably. The big boy frowned and looked down.

“What are you doing, idiot? I told you this yesterday too. ‘Demon Slayer’ is something only I can do.”

“Aya! Ugh… … Ah, boss! The leader has been playing ‘demon slayer’ for several days now! “Me too, I shouldn’t try to play ‘Demon Slayer’ just for one day today.”

“What the fuck? “You talk a lot?”

puck! puck!

The children’s leader, Hurek, mercilessly punched the fallen child on the bridge of his nose. Then he forcibly took away the wooden ax and took on the nickname ‘Demon Slayer’. The child, who was crying with a bloody nose, had no choice but to adopt the unpopular nickname, ‘Dirty Hunter’.

Still, the ‘Despicable Hunters’ were in a relatively better position. There were even children who couldn’t play the role of mercenaries, or even as people.

“Well, I…” … .”

“Ah, what are you asking! You are a devil today too! A stupid and evil, sloppy devil! From now on, don’t talk like a human and cry like a devil!”

“… … .”

The little boy, Duncan, bowed his head.

Unlike reality, here the devil only runs away bare-body and gets beaten up by mercenaries. Dunsen fiddled with his fingers and finally spoke again.

“That, Captain… … I, just for today, I want to do something other than being a devil… … . I’ve never done anything other than being a devil before… … . I can’t do anything else just for today… … .”

“… … .”

“… … .”

The other children opened their eyes and looked at me with straight faces.

Among them, the one with the scariest expression was definitely Hurek. Dunsen trembled his shoulders and huddled. He then regretted that he shouldn’t have said it, but it was already too late.

“What are you talking about?”

“… … uh?”

“What are you talking about, you idiot? Are you kidding me? If you don’t do it, someone will tell you to be a devil. I will do it, huh? Shall I do it?”

“… … .”

The wooden ax hit my head like it was cracking an egg. Soon Dunsen’s eyes were filled with tears. When Hurek saw that, he frowned and was disgusted.

“Oh my… … This little punk, he’s falling over again… … . Got it. Then I’ll make you do something other than the devil just for today.”

“Really? Thank you, boss… … ! Then, if I were to become a mercenary… … .”

“Goblin instead.”

“… … uh?”

“Just say goblin, goblin. I’ll give you a nickname like the others. The nickname is, what is it… … Your father left home and died… … Okay, you can just say ‘fatherless goblin.’”

“Phuhat!”

“Pheuhhhhh… … .”

The crowd that had been silently watching erupted in laughter. Dunsen, who had been silent all along, became angry for the first time and stepped forward.

“Woah, my dad’s not dead! To make a lot of money, you went so far away that you haven’t come back yet! My mom will definitely be back by this winter at the latest… … .”

“No, you shouldn’t be talking like a human, kid. I told you you’re a goblin now.”

Bam!

“Ahh!”

The feeble protest was too easily dismissed. After being struck by the wooden axe, Dunsen was no longer able to utter human words. Hurek looked back at the other children with a sly sneer.

“Gentlemen! I, the strongest mercenary, ‘Demon Slayer’, command you! Today, we will not subdue demons! Instead, we will specifically hunt ‘fatherless goblins’! Now, repeat! What are you hunting?”

“A goblin without a father!”

“A goblin without a father! “A goblin without a father!”

“Yeah, great! Hunting shouldn’t be without rewards! “Whoever catches and beats up the fatherless goblin first will be given the opportunity to choose the mercenary they want first next time!”

““Waaaaaa!!””

The children raised fake weapons and chased after their targets. It was a sight that adults who didn’t know anything about fashion would be happy to see, but inside it was the purest, unrefined malice.

“Come here, you fatherless goblin!”

“If you don’t stop now, I’ll kill your mother too!”

“Keying, keying, keying… … .”

The son of a peddler, who had been waiting desperately for his father to never return, imitated a frightened goblin and hurriedly ran away into the forest.

*

Julia was an ordinary woman who could often be found anywhere in the countryside of the alliance territory.

Until recently, it was certainly like that. Now, she has become a woman who is a bit more unfortunate than others. Half a year ago, her husband went on a long journey to earn a lot of money, and he has not returned yet. Now, the word “young widow” is attached to her like a label.

“… … .”

Still, Julia was not frustrated. He had no time to pay off the large amount of debt he had left behind and feed his only son. Today too, I had gone to work at the mansion of the village official and the village official who owed me money to do laundry.

But for some reason, the space where his tools should have been was empty.

“Excuse me, Miss Lorraine… … ? My clothespin that was in the storage room has disappeared. Have you seen it by any chance?”

“Huh, why are you asking me that? You should go ask the laundry people… … .”

The fussy-looking maid snapped and went her way. Julia bit her lip and then took up the laundry and headed to the stream.

“No, that stupid woman still thought her husband would come back?”

“Oh my, what do you mean by coming back… … . It’s obvious that you’ve started a new life after falling in love with another woman… … .”

“Oh my, a new life? What kind of ability does that small, unattractive old man have? He must have crossed the border without knowing anything and got caught… … Huh?”

“… … .”

The women who had been chattering like sparrows, whether they had come to do laundry or to crack pumpkin seeds, shut their mouths tightly as soon as they saw Julia. It was obvious who they were talking about without even looking. Julia suppressed her boiling anger and walked toward them step by step.

“Madame Medel, have you seen my clothespin? “I left it in the storage room at the secretary’s house yesterday.”

“oh… … That? It seemed like Mr. Ortan’s second daughter was borrowing it, but hmm, maybe she didn’t put it back after using it… … ?”

“… … .”

Something was suspicious, but there were no other clues. Julia quickly went to Ortan’s house. However, the only answer she got was that he had never borrowed it. She heard that someone else might know, so she went there, but again, it was a waste of time.

After going around the town asking people here and there, Julia finally got a proper clue.

“Oh, that clothespin? “I thought Mrs. Medel took it out of the warehouse in the morning?”

“… … .”

She returned to the stream, tottering, carrying a basket of laundry. Only then did Julia realize that the clothespin that Madame Medel, the woman who had first asked about the whereabouts of the bat, was holding was hers.

When I asked her why she took it without permission and pretended not to know, she acted surprised.

“Oh my, oh my, look at my mind! I’m so sorry, what should I do, ma’am? It looks so much like mine that I mistook it for you~”

“… … “The wife said the color was different from the one she originally used. How could she be mistaken?”

“oh? What are you saying like that, man? If anyone hears it, they’ll think I took it on purpose… … . Well, anyway, I had a good time borrowing the laundry basket, and we’ll be on our way. Good luck~”

“… … .”

Madame Medel calmly put down the bat and left with the other ladies. Julia clenched her fists and slowly let out her anger.

Due to an unexpected incident, the laundry was done at dusk. The maid at the mansion yelled at her, asking when the laundry would be dry if it took this long, and she wasted more time. When Julia returned home, exhausted, it was already pitch dark.

“… … Duncan, are you home?”

“… … .”

My eight-year-old son was crouching in a dark corner as usual. That was his spot ever since his father left. Julia let out a deep sigh.

“I’m sorry I’m late, Mom… … . Are you hungry? I’ll make you dinner right now… … .”

“No, I don’t want to eat.”

“… … uh?”

“I don’t want to eat. I’m not hungry.”

A sudden, ominous feeling of foreboding.

Julia soon noticed that her son’s body was once again covered in bruises and cuts.

“Oh my God, Dunsen! Also, who else is doing this? Who did this? “Is that the case with those people I was hanging out with this time?”

Dunsen did not respond to questions. Instead, in a voice choked up in his throat, he asked:

“Mom… … . “Dad, are you dead?”

“… … what?”

“The kids said my dad is already dead… … . They say I’m a goblin without a father… … . “Dad, are you sure you’ll be back by this winter, Mom?”

“… … .”

I was speechless.

If it had been any other time, I would have told the same white lie I always told myself, asking who told me such nonsense and saying I would definitely come back by this winter. But Julia was so exhausted and shocked today that she couldn’t come up with an answer right away.

Then, Duncan distorted his face and ran out of the house.

“Dunsen! Dunsen!”

No matter how much she called, her son did not return. Julia stared blankly into the darkness and collapsed.

My legs were completely weak. I couldn’t keep up. How long am I going to live like this? Every single day feels like I’m sinking deeper into a bottomless swamp.

I knew that raising my son without a husband would be difficult. However, the reality was hundreds of times harsher than expected. Her exhausting hard work, the neighbors who openly laughed at her, the clerk’s mercenaries who demanded debt at all hours, and the uncooperative maids, her whole world seemed to be tormenting her with persistent malice.

What torments her the most, more than anything, is her own foolishness in not giving up hope that her husband will return.

“… … .”

That couldn’t have been possible. My husband came back once every three months at the latest. No news for half a year… … It definitely means that something unpleasant has happened.

Still, I couldn’t give up on life.

It was enough for him to suffer alone. I couldn’t pass on such a heavy burden to that poor lump of blood. So I shouldn’t have just sat there like this. Julia once again strengthened her resolve, got up, and ran after her son.

“Dunsen, Dunsen! Where have you gone! “It’s dangerous, so come back quickly!”

But as Julia wandered through the forest at the entrance to the village, she soon encountered people she had never imagined.

A small man with a goat-like beard, and a savage with such enormous size that you wonder if he is really human.

Normally, in situations like this, it would be best to look at the barbarians, but that wasn’t the case for Julia. Her eyes were solely focused on the short man. Her eyes froze, doubting whether it was a dream or reality.

The man was the same. He couldn’t move after meeting her. He just blinked like an idiot, and only after he finally came to his senses did he show a faint smile.

“Yu, Yulia… … ! How do you know here… … ! Bo, I missed you… … Well, I’ve been doing well so far… … .”

Slap-!

“… … “Eck.”

A hand like a lightning strike struck my right cheek. Duncan looked puzzled at his wife’s tearful face.

“Where have you been and now are you coming back, you frozen to death after getting hit by lightning!!”

“… … .”

A man who has proven his worth, a comrade who has shared the blood of a great warrior, a warrior who has fought and won against the angry horn of Agon, a collaborator who has embezzled all of the wealth of the king of the arena, and the ultimate guide who has spied on the magic tower and revealed the secrets of mana, magic stones, and magic tower beads.

The first thing Duncan encountered upon returning home after achieving great things was a slap from his wife, who was full of regrets.