ONE HOUR LATER
SKIPPING TO THE RESULTS—
I WIN.
I LOST AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OF FIGHTING.
I'M STILL NOT STRONG ENOUGH.
WOULD THINGS HAVE BEEN ANY DIFFERENT IN A REAL FIGHT?
I COULD'VE SPRAYED ACID BLOOD OR BITTEN HIM...
...NO, NEITHER OF US WAS FIGHTING FOR REAL.
YOU'RE STILL LACKING.
IF YOU WANT MY POSITION, GROW STRONGER.
STRONG ENOUGH THAT AN OLD MAN LIKE ME WOULD BE NO MATCH FOR YOU.
DAMN IT. WILL HE ONLY HAND IT OVER IF I BEAT HIM?
I thought he'd settle for someone about sixty percent as strong.
HE WANTS ME TO BEAT AN EIGHTH-FLOOR EXPLORER...
YOU'RE NOT FEELING DISCOURAGED, ARE YOU?
NOT A CHANCE.
ONE MORE ROUND.
AFTER THAT, I FOUGHT THE CHIEF THREE MORE TIMES,
AND LOST EVERY ONE OF THEM.
BUT EACH BOUT LASTED LONGER THAN THE LAST.
...YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'VE LEARNED SOMETHING.
YES, THANK YOU. I'M LEARNING A LOT.
OF COURSE. I'M THE CHIEF, AFTER ALL!
MAY I COME BACK ANOTHER TIME?
ANYTIME.
WELL FOUGHT! A GREAT WARRIOR INDEED, BJORN!
YOU LASTED A WHOLE HOUR AGAINST THE CHIEF!
A CHEAPSKATE LIKE YOU DRINKING A POTION... HE GAVE YOU A HARD TIME, EH?
...SHUT UP.
BJORN! ARE YOU GOING HOME?
NOT YET. I FIGURED I'D TAKE A LOOK AROUND FIRST.
REALLY? CAN I COME ALONG?
WELL, I DON'T SEE WHY NOT.
HMM...
SO THIS IS WHAT A BARRIER IS LIKE.
Ah!!
BJORN?! WH-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!
IF YOU DAMAGE THE PROTECTIVE BARRIER, WE'LL BE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE! You're smart! Why would you do that?
HER REACTION MAKES SENSE. ACCORDING TO THE LORE, EVERYONE WOULD DIE WITHOUT THIS.
At least, that's what we're told.
ACTUALLY, I'D BEEN WONDERING ABOUT IT EVER SINCE BIFRON.
SQUIDWARD, WHY ARE THOSE SOLDIERS LOOKING THIS WAY INSTEAD OF OUTSIDE?
IS THE OUTSIDE WORLD REALLY IN THE STATE THAT THE ROYAL FAMILY CLAIMS IT IS?
...I CAN'T REALLY SEE ANYTHING.
WARRIOR, IT'S BEEN A WHILE.
SHAMAN!!
YES, IT'S BEEN A WHILE FOR YOU TOO, AYNAR, SECOND DAUGHTER OF PHENELINE.
WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE?
FEW WARRIORS VENTURE THIS DEEP.
I WAS BORED, SO I CAME TO TAKE A LOOK.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?
HEH HEH. WHAT ELSE WOULD A SHAMAN BE DOING IN THE FOREST?
...BONE POWDER? YOU'RE CONDUCTING A FUNERAL.
I-IS IT KADUBA'S TURN TODAY? TOHAR'S THIRD SON?
HE'S STILL A LONG WAY FROM RETURNING TO THE FOREST.
I-I SEE.
I'M ABOUT TO HEAD BACK. WOULD YOU TWO LIKE TO COME ALONG?
ONCE A BODY LAID TO REST IN THE FOREST IS REDUCED TO BONES,
A SHAMAN GRINDS THEM TO POWDER AND SCATTERS IT THROUGHOUT THE FOREST.
THAT'S THE FINAL STEP OF A BARBARIAN FUNERAL.
NO, I'LL STAY A LITTLE LONGER.
REALLY? THEN DO AS YOU WILL.
AH.
?
BUT, WARRIOR, ALL THINGS MUST COME IN THEIR PROPER ORDER.
??
IT IS NOT YET TIME FOR YOU TO WONDER WHAT LIES BEYOND.
...IN THE END, WE TURNED BACK WITHOUT LEARNING ANYTHING.
WHEW. WOULD I HAVE FOUND SOMETHING IF I WERE A MAGE?
OH, DID YOU HEAR? KARON'S GOING TO BE A FATHER.
WHAT? HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?! SINCE WHEN?
HE NEVER MENTIONED THAT IN THE LABYRINTH!
It was always just vehella...
I HEARD IT FROM THE WOMAN A FEW DAYS AGO. HE PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW BACK IN THE LABYRINTH.
HMM? COME TO THINK OF IT...
BJORN, AREN'T YOU INTERESTED?
...HUH?
IN HAVING CHILDREN.
I HEAR A FEW FEMALE WARRIORS ALREADY HAVE THEIR EYES ON YOU...
OH. I HAVE NO PLANS FOR THAT YET.
OH? WHY NOT? YOU KNOW WE'RE ALREADY QUITE LATE.
EVEN SOME WARRIORS FROM THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS ALREADY HAVE CHILDREN.
AH! IS IT BECAUSE OF MISHA?
DON'T WORRY! IT'S OUR DUTY TO OUR RACE!
MISHA WILL UNDERSTAND.
SHE CAN ONLY GIVE BIRTH TO THERIANTHROPES ANYWAY!
WAS IT BECAUSE I'D NEVER HAD A CONVERSATION LIKE THIS BEFORE?
FOR SOME REASON, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I FELT SCARED OF BARBARIANS.
I-I'LL PASS.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
M-ME?!
I-I COULDN'T EVEN IF I WANTED TO.
WHAT WARRIOR WOULD WANT A WOMAN AS S-SMALL AS ME-
THOSE DAMN BEAUTY STANDARDS.
BESIDES... I HAVE NO PLANS FOR THAT EITHER.
HUH?
W-WELL, OF COURSE I DON'T!
AFTER SPENDING TIME WITH YOU, ALL THE OTHER MEN OF OUR RACE SEEM YOUNG AND UNMANLY!
WELL, THEN, WHAT ABOUT SOMEONE FROM OUR RACE WHO'S OLDER THAN US-
I DON'T LIKE OLDER MEN!!!
...HER TASTES ARE A REAL HEADACHE TOO.
ANYWAY, LET ME KNOW IF YOU'RE INTERESTED!
I'LL INTRODUCE YOU TO A FINE FEMALE WARRIOR!
WAIT, HOW DID THE CONVERSATION END UP HERE?
CONVERSATIONS LIKE THIS REALLY DO MAKE ME UNCOMFORTABLE.
THREE DAYS LATER, WE GOT UP EARLY AT DAWN AND GOT READY.
BY LUNCHTIME,
WE HAD ARRIVED AT KIARBIS, THE NOBLES’ RESORT IN NOMETREE.
HERE’S WHY—
PLEASE DELIVER THIS LETTER FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY
TO BARON NERTOBIN, WHO IS ON VACATION IN NOMETREE.
THE PAYMENT IS THREE MILLION STONE.
WE’LL ALSO BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS THERE.
For three days and two nights.
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY HAD SOMETHING IT URGENTLY NEEDED TO TELL SOME BARON,
BUT HE WAS IGNORING THEM AND HAD HOLED UP AT A NOBLES’ RESORT.
THAT'S WHY THEY WANT ME, WHO'S AN EXPLORER AND A NOBLE, TO DELIVER THEIR LETTER.
WELL, I NEEDED TO VISIT NOMETREE ANYWAY.
SO, WHAT WILL YOU DO?
I'LL ACCEPT.
—AND THAT'S HOW WE ENDED UP ON A WORKING VACATION.
THIS WAY, PLEASE.
THIS IS MUCH NICER THAN I EXPECTED.
YOUR MEAL IS READY.
GREAT. I WAS GETTING HUNGRY ANYWAY.
WHAT'S MORE...
THERE'S A HOT SPRING...?
LET'S GO, LET'S GO, BJORN!!
AHH~ YES...
NOW THIS IS THE LIFE! ♪
Eek! Stop splashing me!
WELL, I'LL BE OFF!
WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!
Stay and have some fun!
SINCE EVERYONE LIKES IT SO MUCH, I SHOULD COME BACK HERE IN THE WINTER, EVEN IF I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT MYSELF.
WELCOME, BARONET JANDEL. WHAT GOOD TIMING. I'VE BEEN WANTING TO MEET YOU.
BUT WHAT BRINGS YOU TO SEE ME SO SUDDENLY?
You look quite refreshed. Did you go to the hot spring?
Is it that obvious?
AH, I HAVE SOMETHING TO DELIVER.
SOMETHING TO DELIVER?
?
THOSE FELLOWS AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY MUST BE QUITE WORKED UP,
IF THEY'RE ASKING YOU FOR A FAVOR LIKE THIS.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS.
HMM. YET YOU STILL AGREED TO DO THIS FOR THEM?
WHY WOULD SOMEONE LIKE YOU BOTHER?
BECAUSE I OWE THEM A DEBT.
HAHA. NOW THAT YOU'RE A NOBLE, YOU COULD SIMPLY TURN A BLIND EYE TO SUCH THINGS.
WOW, IS THAT HOW NOBLES THINK?
Who's the barbarian here?
...A WARRIOR NEVER FORGETS A FAVOR.
HMM... HOW INTERESTING. A NOBLE WHOSE TRUSTWORTHINESS, AT LEAST, IS GUARANTEED.
PERHAPS MORE NOBLES WILL SEEK YOUR FRIENDSHIP.
WHATEVER, THE JOB'S DONE NOW.
AFTERWARD, I DECLINED HIS INVITATION TO EAT AND LEFT.
IN THE TINY WORLD OF NOBILITY, EVEN EATING WITH THE WRONG PERSON CAN HAVE REPERCUSSIONS.
NOW THE REST OF MY STAY WAS MINE TO ENJOY.
RIGHT, I'LL GO THERE LATER, ONCE IT GETS DARKER...
...HUH?
...NO WAY.
IT COULDN'T BE, COULD IT?
A BARBARIAN? COULD THAT BE...
WASN'T THIS PROVEN BY QUANTUM MECHANICS OR WHATEVER?
Tell Schrödinger
I made it back alive!
NOBODY KNOWS UNTIL THE BOX IS OPENED.
THIS SO-CALLED UNCERTAINTY...
EXCUSE ME...
LET'S GET OUT OF HERE.
W-WAIT!
YOU THERE, THE BARBARIAN... ARE YOU...
ARE YOU BARONET JANDEL...?
THE REAL HANS AIFREIA
YOU ARE, AREN'T YOU? THERE COULDN'T BE ANOTHER BARBARIAN HERE-
WH-WHY ARE YOU RUNNING AWAY...?!
I SUDDENLY FEEL LIKE RUNNING!!!
W-WAIT A MOMENT!
I HEARD YOU SUFFERED BECAUSE OF AN EVIL MAGE WHO IMPERSONATED ME-
PLEASE ACCEPT MY APOLOGY-
DIDN'T HEAR A THING.
Bjorn spars the barbarian chief four times and loses every bout, though each lasts longer as he learns. Afterward he inspects the protective barrier with Aynar, questions its lore, and meets a shaman conducting a bone-powder funeral. Later, on a paid trip to deliver a letter to Baron Nertobin at the Kiarbis resort, he enjoys the hot spring before spotting the real Hans Aifreia and fleeing.