Chapter 162: The Coastal City (1)

It existed beneath the sea. Trapped in a narrow, profoundly deep place where light scarcely penetrated, it had lived like a fish in a small well, believing its small world was the entirety of existence.

However, one day, it realized something.

When that which had existed since the beginning of time vanished from the surface world, the constraints binding it instantly disappeared. The narrow walls of its well had shattered completely.

***

Before them, the vast ocean stretched endlessly to meet the horizon. Baker appeared deeply moved; seeing the sea for the first time, he seemed utterly overwhelmed by its sheer immensity.

Ketal, too, murmured in appreciation, "This is my first time seeing the ocean."

"What? This is your first time seeing the ocean?" Aquaz asked him, surprised.

"Yes," Ketal confirmed.

Of course, he had seen plenty of oceans back on Earth. While the White Snowfield also bordered a sea, that body of water was part of the Demon Realm, so he didn't count it. To be precise, this was his first time witnessing the ocean of a

fantasy

world.

It doesn’t look much different from Earth’s oceans,

he observed internally.

Yet, simply knowing it was a fantasy ocean gave it a distinctly different feel. Ketal gazed at the vista with evident pleasure, while Aquaz watched him, a puzzled expression on her face.

Aquaz found his statement confusing. Ketal was a barbarian from the White Snowfield, a land known to connect to the sea. His claim of seeing it for the first time didn't quite align with her knowledge.

Perhaps he never traveled to the coastal regions within the White Snowfield?

she reasoned silently. The White Snowfield was immensely vast; it was plausible he simply hadn't ventured that far. Aquaz filed away the thought.

They proceeded towards the coastal city, the scent of the sea growing stronger with each step, bringing a look of delight to Ketal’s face. As they neared the city proper, they encountered guards stationed at the entrance.

"Who goes there?!" one challenged.

"Greetings," Aquaz responded with formal politeness. "I am Aquaz, an inquisitor of the Sun God. We received word that the city was facing a crisis and have come to offer our assistance."

"Wh-what?"

"An inquisitor?!"

The guards' eyes widened considerably.

Aquaz gestured towards Baker. "This is Baker, a mage from the Mage Tower."

"A mage from the Mage Tower..." The guards' eyes grew even wider, nearly bulging from their sockets.

"And this," Aquaz concluded, indicating Ketal, "is Ketal, a barbarian."

"Huh?" For a moment, the guards seemed to short-circuit, staring at the trio with dumbfounded expressions.

"Uh... W-we will inform our lord immediately!" one stammered before they both turned and rushed hastily into the city.

Watching them go, Ketal chuckled. "They seem rather flustered."

"It's understandable," Aquaz replied with a wry smile. An inquisitor, a mage, and a barbarian—even she had to admit it was an extremely peculiar combination.

It wasn't long before the guards returned. "The lord wishes to see you. Please, come this way."

They followed the guards into the city, getting their first look at the interior.

Aquaz surveyed their surroundings, murmuring in surprise, "This place seems surprisingly intact. Actually, it appears downright prosperous..."

"Indeed," Ketal agreed. "I expected conditions to be much worse."

They had understood that some entity from the Demon Realm had seized control of the sea, effectively blockading the city's primary trade route. Logically, this disruption of supply lines should have led to hardship within the city, but the reality was the exact opposite.

There were no beggars or vagrants in sight, and the citizens they passed looked cheerful and wore clean clothes. The buildings were well-maintained, the streets immaculately swept, and the air was filled with the inviting aromas of cooking food. The city seemed more affluent than many kingdom capitals they had seen.

Puzzled by this unexpected prosperity, they proceeded towards the lord's castle and were soon ushered into his presence.

Meeting the lord, Aquaz spoke with a carefully neutral, yet observant tone, "You appear to be a man of considerable virtue, my lord."

"Ah, hahaha!" The lord, a man easily three times Aquaz's girth, let out a nervous laugh, dabbing at the sweat trickling down his plump cheeks with a cloth while forcing a strained smile. "W-welcome! It is an honor. I am Dorban Bulkan, lord of the Bulkan Estate."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Bulkan. I am Aquaz, Inquisitor of the Sun God."

"P-please, have a seat over here," the lord stammered, gesturing nervously towards the sofas in the reception room. He was clearly trying to project composure, but his voice trembled noticeably.

After they were seated, Aquaz remarked politely, "Your estate seems remarkably prosperous, especially considering the difficult circumstances. Your governance must be truly excellent."

It was a standard courtesy, carrying no hidden accusation.

Nevertheless, the lord flinched visibly, his expression suddenly resembling that of someone caught doing wrong.

"Ah, is that so? Th-thank you. We are deeply grateful that you have traveled so far to assist us," he deflected, desperately wiping at the sweat now streaming down his face.

He was obviously panicking, and given the unexpected arrivals, his reaction was perhaps understandable.

What is happening?!

Lord Bulkan screamed inwardly. He had, of course, requested external aid due to the troubles plaguing his city. But he had anticipated receiving perhaps a contingent of knights or soldiers from the kingdom, nothing more. The sudden appearance of an inquisitor of the Sun God was beyond anything he had imagined.

An inquisitor represented formidable power, but simultaneously, an equally terrifying authority. The Church of the Sun God currently held the greatest influence on the continent, surpassing even the Church of the Earth Goddess in terms of direct ecclesiastical power.

Inquisitors formed the most radical faction within that powerful church, tasked with judging heresy and eradicating the church's enemies by fire. Their pronouncements carried immense weight.

If Aquaz were to deem him a heretic right here, right now, the Sun God's church would undoubtedly dispatch forces immediately to obliterate his estate, root and stem, and annihilate his entire family line. The justification was simple—an agent of the Sun God had judged a heretic. That one simple line would suffice.

While political repercussions might follow later, an inquisitor possessed the authority to enact such judgement. It was no exaggeration; a single misstep in this conversation could spell the utter ruin of his domain.

And a Mage Tower mage on top of that!

Lord Bulkan thought.

The Mage Tower was the gathering place of all preeminent mages. Its members were known for fierce loyalty to their respective schools. Any slight, real or perceived, against Baker could potentially turn his entire faction hostile towards the city.

Lord Bulkan recalled a historical incident involving a lord who had mistreated and disrespected visiting mages from the Mage Tower. Upon learning of this, the mages' school had reacted with fury, magically inflicting an unending drought upon the lord's lands. Not a single drop of rain fell until the lord personally traveled to the Mage Tower and begged for forgiveness on his knees.

It was a blatant display of power, yet the kingdom had remained silent throughout the affair; antagonizing a powerful school from the Mage Tower over a single minor fief was deemed an extremely foolish risk.

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Both Aquaz and Baker were members of organizations wielding immense power. Furthermore, each was individually a Transcendent-level expert, the kind rarely found even within entire kingdoms.

They were far beyond the station of a mere lord governing a small coastal city. Lord Bulkan knew his estate lacked any significant backing, unlike some territories protected by figures like Sword Masters; a single misstep before these powerful individuals could spell absolute ruin. It was no wonder his body trembled like a leaf in the wind.

And what in the world is this barbarian...?

Lord Bulkan’s fearful gaze shifted to the third member of the group.

He knew the common dynamic: barbarians typically denied or outright rejected the existence of gods, naturally putting them at odds with devout believers. Mages were usually no different; focused on knowledge and the secrets of magic, they tended to view barbarians as little more than scrawny savages with underdeveloped intellects.

Devout believers and mages represented the two groups historically most antagonistic toward barbarians. Yet, here was a barbarian traveling in amicable company with both an inquisitor and a Mage Tower mage.

The situation felt profoundly strange, no matter how he looked at it. Lord Bulkan found himself wondering if there was something extraordinary about this specific barbarian. Considering the formidable power of his companions, Lord Bulkan’s attention inevitably focused on Ketal.

The barbarian was watching him with an expression of keen interest. A peculiar, oppressive aura seemed to weigh down the room, a pressure Lord Bulkan had initially attributed to the inquisitor and the mage.

However, on closer inspection, he realized its source was Ketal. Facing the barbarian felt akin to confronting a ferocious beast, making Lord Bulkan instinctively want to shrink back. He felt a surge of fear, wondering what kind of being Ketal truly was.

Lord Bulkan had encountered barbarians before, but this one felt fundamentally different, almost as if he weren't entirely human. Assessed purely on individual presence, the barbarian before him seemed more terrifying than either the inquisitor or the mage.

Compounding this was the fact that he

was

a barbarian. They were notoriously unreasonable opponents. If a problem arose, Lord Bulkan believed he could potentially negotiate or bargain with the inquisitor or the mage; dialogue was possible.

Barbarians, however, were different. They generally preferred axes and fists to conversation. This one could, at any moment, decide to mock him as a fat pig and swing an axe. Lord Bulkan shuddered, recalling a past unpleasant encounter with a barbarian that fueled his current trepidation.

"And... this gentleman is?" Lord Bulkan asked Aquaz hesitantly, gesturing towards Ketal.

"Ketal, the barbarian," Ketal introduced himself, flashing a wide, toothy grin. "A pleasure."

"

Eek!

" the lord let out a short, high-pitched squeak.

Aquaz offered another wry smile. "He means no harm. You truly need not worry."

"Ah, is... is that so?" Lord Bulkan replied, though his expression clearly indicated he placed little trust in her assurance.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen this kind of reaction,

Ketal noted internally. This overt fear and wariness, even during conversation, was a stark contrast to the acceptance he’d experienced at Kalosia’s holy land. He found the change rather refreshing in its novelty.

"You can relax," Ketal said aloud, attempting to ease the tension. "I’m not going to bite."

"Ha, hahaha..." A dry, mirthless laugh escaped the lord’s pale lips.

Ketal tilted his head slightly. The joke seemed to increase the lord's fear, making Ketal wonder if his attempt at humor had failed.

"It is perhaps less the joke itself, Ketal," Aquaz gently interjected, "and more your overall intimidating aura that prevents it from sounding entirely humorous."

She turned back to the lord. "Please, do not be overly afraid. He is actually quite reasonable. I, Aquaz, inquisitor of the Sun God, personally vouch for him. He will not cause any trouble."

"Ah, I see...," the lord stammered, still looking doubtful.

"I feel like some kind of wild beast," Ketal commented dryly.

"My apologies if that has made you uncomfortable," Aquaz said politely to Ketal.

"No, it doesn't matter." Ketal shrugged nonchalantly as he maintained his relaxed posture. "I am well aware that my appearance isn't exactly the most welcoming."

Lord Bulkan watched this exchange unfold, his eyes wide with utter bafflement, as if observing something truly bizarre. The lord struggled to comprehend the scene unfolding before him. An inquisitor and a barbarian chatting amiably was a sight that defied belief.

And what is wrong with that mage?

the lord wondered, his gaze shifting to Baker.

He now noticed the mage was slumped in his seat, posture conveying a distinct lack of confidence. Baker kept darting nervous glances towards Ketal, almost like a subordinate warily checking their superior's mood. It appeared, unbelievably, that the mage was wary of the barbarian.

Lord Bulkan’s mind reeled, trying to process the impossible dynamics. The Sun God's inquisitor, sworn to judge heretics and condemn those who deny the gods, was defending a barbarian who rejected deities and was historically hostile to believers.

The Mage Tower mage, representing an institution that valued knowledge and typically scorned savagery, seemed almost subservient to that same barbarian. It almost seemed as though the barbarian was the one in charge, leading the two formidable Transcendent experts.

Lord Bulkan felt his head spin with confusion.