It was our 109th day in the maze. In other words, two days had passed since we linked up with the expedition group sent by the palace and entered the library.
¡Tarantantara! ¡Tarantara! ¡Tarantatara!
A morning bugle call from the military band marked the dawn.
Hah, why do armies always do things like that...? If he told Baekho, he would probably be angry.
Well, we were all working towards the same goal, so it didn't matter.
In any case, the trumpets woke us up and did not give us the opportunity to turn around and continue sleeping. As soon as the noise stopped, our day began.
«Distributing rations!»
As soon as the camp was cleared, the soldiers in charge of the kitchen began to distribute the breakfast they had prepared first thing in the morning. We only had thirty minutes to finish eating.
«There is a morning meeting that the squad leaders will have to attend».
There was a meeting to inform the leadership team of our plans for today and discuss our course of action. I thought someone might say something interesting and I kept an eye out, but there was none of that.
So let's hunt like yesterday.
Of course, there were slight differences. Yesterday we destroyed the door and prevented it from regenerating to summon monsters at breakneck speeds, but as the monsters' ranges increased, we decided to hunt as usual instead. Naturally, the mages would join the battle now.
«Very good, let's have another great day of work in pursuit of our mission!».
I was wondering if it was necessary to meet like this to hold this meeting, but things like this were probably the basis of the army. Sticking to protocol might be ineffective in some situations, but having an established habit like this could help us avoid problems and mistakes in the future.
«Take your positions!»
After that, the squads took their assigned positions and we began cleaning the library once again.
«It seems that we are going to alternate the groups that are in active combat».
«That is the most efficient way.»
We had over two hundred people here, so having each person join the battle would be overkill. Therefore, Jerome decided on a squad rotation.
«Stop! Squad One and Squad Two will now switch to Squad Three and Squad Four Temporary!»
When the time came, Squadron One and Squadron Two moved away from where they had been stationed in front of the stone gate, and Squadron Three and Squadron Four stopped transporting the books from the shelves to take their place. From there, Squad One and Squad Two approached to transport the books to our place and regain their stamina and resources.
I guess I won't be able to fight Kaislan and Parav today either.
Those two were part of Squad One, which meant we also ate at different times. The fact that Raven was part of squad three was an advantage, but since she was a mage, I was at the end of the pack, so I couldn't interact with her during the day either.
...In the end, I guess I'll just be able to ask about the revelation tonight.
Our squads meshed like gears on a machine. As we worked, I noticed that one of us became quite close friends with the knights of the expedition group.
«Hahaha! Don't lie! How could a simple wizard defeat a warrior like us?».
«That's why it was so humiliating! Who would have thought that one of us would lose to a wizard in a duel?».
«And when did it happen?»
«A month ago! But I guess you haven't heard since you've been here, Wild Sword. He was the subject of quite a bit of gossip in high society».
How the hell had she become such friends with them? I was still amazed at how easily he made friends. But to be honest, this custom of his benefited me.
I approached them silently, then interrupted so I could join the conversation. «What's so funny?»
«Oh! Mr. B-Baron! Sorry, I'll focus on the mission-»
«I'm not scolding you».
«Sorry...?»
«Here we are all warriors. I'm curious too. A warrior losing to a magician? Who is the fool who lost like this?»
The knight's eyes wandered for a second before smiling and excitedly launching into telling his story. The other knights who were part of Squad Three, perhaps noticing our amusement, also approached us to listen, occasionally offering their two cents and correcting the narrator at certain times.
These guys wouldn't be happy working in the factory either.
Once I showed that I could be light-hearted with them, even those who found it difficult to talk to me because of my status as a baron began to feel an affinity with me, and some even asked me personal questions.
«So... Mr. Baron, there is something I have been wanting to ask...»
«Go on.»
«I heard that you challenged Baron Kypriot to a duel during his ennoblement ceremony. Can I ask you what happened to that?»
«Oh that? Nothing really happened. I heard that elf chatter behind my back. I wanted to punch him, but since I couldn't, I challenged him».
«Haha... it's true? Baron Kypriot must have been terrified when you called him».
«He deserved it. There are too many nobles who don't know how the world works. They have to learn that when you play dumb without thinking, you stick to the consequences».
It was a joke that only I could make, since I was also noble. But the gentlemen seemed to agree with me as they all nodded.
«Well... there's no way we could do something like that to them».
«There are too many people out there who don't realize that people like us are the ones keeping them all safe...».
Still, they kept their mask of chivalry and didn't say anything too scandalous. However, as I continued to speak my mind freely and share my opinions with them, I was able to see a few people indirectly enjoying my story.
I think this should be enough to gain your favor.
I continued telling stories throughout our hunt and became closer to the knights of the expedition group.
«Lord Baron... You are even bigger than the rumors suggest! Oh, I don't want to say that rumors don't do it justice! But I never knew you were so carefree and funny...»
I laughed at his nerves. «Hahaha! Why do you look for excuses? Don't worry, we're friends now!».
«To-friends! Haha, don't say that! The commander will be pissed if he finds out about this!»
«Then we can be comrades.»
«Comrades… Yes, we are comrades…»
«Then in times of danger, I will leave my back to you.»
«...Please trust us, Mr. Baron!»
Making friends was always helpful.
***
When night finally fell after a long day of fighting and chatting with the knights, I set up camp with my clan members and headed to Squad One camp to find Sven Parav. After asking permission from the members of the clergy who were there, I took him aside.
«We didn't finish our talk yesterday».
«Oh... Ah, about that...»
«The revelation you received. What was it about?»
He shuddered upon hearing the word «revelation» and immediately looked around to see if anyone else was within earshot. After confirming that no one seemed to have heard me say it, he let out a big sigh. He then lowered his voice and offered a disclaimer. «Me... First of all, I want to warn you that you may be wrong...».
«Yesterday you said you were sure of it».
«If I answered yes or no, I would understand if you thought like that... but there is a difference between me saying I believe something and someone else believing it... so in that sense...».
Wow, this was getting frustrating. «I already understood. I'll judge what I hear for myself, so give me the details».
«If you say so...» After that, he closed his eyes for a while as if to organize his thoughts before slowly opening them. «When I was in the city, I had a dream».
«A dream?»
«It's hard to say what it was... but I heard a very sacred voice. And suddenly, I instinctively knew that the voice... was hers».
«By 'her' do you mean Reatlas?»
«Yes that's right.»
A goddess had visited him while he was sleeping. I wondered for a moment why this guy thought something like a dream could be a revelation, but I decided to listen to him first. «So what did he say?»
«He said there was something I needed to do and showed me a fragment of my future».
A prophetic vision. That was the most common form of revelation that saints received, and Parav claimed that he had received one that day.
«There was a scene where the archbishop told me to join the expedition group».
That prophetic vision had been fulfilled the next day and, thanks to this, he was sure that what he had seen was not a simple dream, but a prophecy.
«And then?»
«That's it... everything».
"¿What?"
«She said she would show up one more time and I would be ready for her.».
Simply put, your main quest would only be given to you after joining the expedition and entering the maze.
However, to be honest, this still didn't make sense to me. «...Then why did you act like your stomach hurt and try to escape your duty? Even after receiving the goddess's message?»
«Uh, so, about that...» He interrupted himself before closing his eyes and blurting out: «A revelation...! It is obvious that what is going to happen will be dangerous».
"...¿Which?"
I was whipped by his sudden change in tone, but the guy continued to vent. «Although it is not dangerous, it will be somewhat problematic. That's what my gut told me».
Hah, what was wrong with this guy? So that was the reason he hid the fact that he received a revelation. The moment other people found out, the clergy would intimidate him into fulfilling the prophecy.
A paladin trying to evade his responsibilities for something like that?
Every word that came out of his mouth was incredible, but in another sense, he was grateful for each one of them. He had told me honestly what he had hidden from everyone else.
In terms of loyalty... passed the test.
«So... can I go now? They're looking at me», he said, looking at the group of clerics on the side. Although, in fact, they were looking at us, I could see that, instead of glaring at him, they were looking at him with concern, in the same way that someone watches over a child who is precariously near a lake.
So they treat him like that even in church...
«Understood. Let me know immediately as soon as you have another dream like this».
«Understood.»
«Good night.»
«Yeah. You too, Your Honor.»
After finishing my conversation with Parav, I returned to my camp to get some sleep. However, sleep didn't come easily today either.
A revelation...
The information he gave me was nothing special. However, just like Parav threw that tantrum to try to avoid entering the maze, I couldn't help but feel a powerful sense of foreboding either.
Something huge was coming. And if so, he could only do one thing.
Whether what was on the horizon was a tsunami or a hurricane, I had to prepare for the worst to avoid being swept away.
Honestly, I wanted to save it as long as possible before using it...
But in this situation, it couldn't be helped. With that, I came to a decision while I was under my blankets that night.
The essence of Bellarios.
I needed to get one as soon as possible.
***
On our 111th day in the maze, we had made quite a bit of progress in the library and were now mainly fighting rank three monsters.
It only took us five days to get here.
Once again, I was surprised at how powerful the palace was. Knights, magicians, priests... They could choose the best of the best from those precious classes and create the perfect army. His ability was extraordinary.
If I had known they were so strong, we could have gone straight to the boss island.
I hesitated because I didn't know how powerful this group was, but in retrospect, we should have gone to the chief's island and killed the village chief first. Even if he possessed the same essences that he had when he was human, none of that would mean anything in the face of a military power like this.
«Mr. Baron! There is a book with Bellarios inside!»
I was having lunch, with a blank mind, when good news reached my ears. The person who had transmitted the message was one of the knights of Squadron Three, whom I had asked to notify me if a Bellarios was discovered.
«Is it in that book you have in your hand right now?».
«Yes! I brought it directly here as soon as I found it!»
«Thank you».
«It's nothing. After all, we are comrades».
This was my reward for having won his favor.
I showed the greatest respect a barbarian could bestow upon a knight as I handed him a handful of jerky.
Changing the color of the fountain pen to green, I quickly opened the book and scribbled over the image of Bellarios before going to find Commander Jerome Saintred.
«Hmm, do you want to fight this one with just Squad Four?».
«It is an essence that we need. You said everything we acquired ourselves would be ours, right?».
«That's true. But is it really necessary? We have little time, so fight with the other squads. Oh, of course, you can have the essence either way. If one appears, of course».
Jerome thought that the chance of an essence appearing was low, as he allowed me to easily hunt it with his help.
«¡Invoking!»
I immediately went to invoke Bellarios.
«Defeat him!»
The shiny scales of the Bellarios that appeared through the stone door were quickly softened by the knights and archers, and less than a minute later, it disappeared in a flash of light.
Glow!
A huge mana stone fell where it had been. Just like an essence.
«An essence... really appeared. Hey? Lord Baron, where are you going? Ah, wait... so the person who needed that essence...!»
I left behind a bewildered Jerome to speed towards the essence and absorb it.
[The Essence of Bellarios is being absorbed by your soul.]
Yes, it was finally mine.
«¡Become-aaaaaa!»
My perfect barbarian shield was not far away.