Chapter 34. Pig hunting

Fialar was a quite gentleman compared to his violent first impression. Although his voice was hoarse and very loud. He emphasized it several times along the way.
“Again, I had no intention of fighting you from the beginning.”
“Yet, you approached me with such a wild force?”
“..well, there was a bit of a misunderstanding.”
Fialar said he didn’t think Ivan would swing his sword first before he even spoke properly, he murmured a little, then smiled and added.
“But in a way, you’re more like a Norse warrior than anyone else. Recently, many people have lost their Norse mind.”
“I have no intention to act like a Norse warrior.”
“That’s what you think? Then, it comes naturally. I see.”
He shook his head with a bitter expression.
“Most of them now want to be plotters rather than warriors. That’s the result of so-called ‘civilization’ in the continent.”
Continental people consider Norsemen as ignorant and violent savages, but do they really have the right to say that? Was it ‘civilization’ to swing a sword from the back instead of from the front?
Fialar spoke his words about it, mixing deep contempt and anger. Those who were not Norse, seemed to have suffered quite a bit from what they called Continental.
Racism, ethnic discrimination, gender discrimination, class discrimination, rich and poor discrimination.
Compared to the previous world, in this damned land, such discrimination is more blatant. The concept of human rights was an ideal word for scholars, and it was not applied at all in reality. The world was accustomed to define one’s identity by discriminating against others.
Ivan, too, was treated very badly before he had built up some power and fame. Even now, there was an atmosphere of implicit disdain for him. Even if they can’t speak openly because they’re afraid of his sword.
He snorted inwardly as he looked back on the hard years of the past.
‘But it’s the same with the Norse.’
Norsemen didn’t welcome him. Whether you wield an ax from the front or stab someone with a knife from the back, it’s the same thing. After all, except for the emotional aspect, a bastard is a bastard.
The biggest source of money for Norsemen was plundering. They roam around in hordes to loot, or they became mercenaries elsewhere.
In fact, with the exception of some reliable mercenaries, mercenaries were no different from plunderer in the end. Even the nobles of the so-called civilized continent said it was the victor’s right and proudly raped, looted, and set fire to it.
‘I suddenly miss Delfino. He was one of the few people I’ve ever met.’
Ivan nodded his head, saying that he sympathized with Fialar as he thought about it.
“Civilized people are more rude than savages because they don’t split their heads even if they speak rudely.”
Once upon a time, as Ivan said that, Fialar burst out laughing and clapping.
“Hahaha! That’s right! That’s so true!”
While having such a heartless conversation, we arrived at a small town located nearby.
Soldiers yawned loosely on the low wall. Passing through the entrance check.
In a way, they were indolent, and in another way they were accustomed to peace. The war with the Greenskins in the eastern part of the Roman Kingdom and the plots of demon worshipers that took place in the vicinity also did not seem to have had any effect yet.
“Is that all weapons you have?”
“What, should there be more?”
“No. This guy seems a bit familiar. Hmm, pass!”
The two muscular men who had finished their arming tried to enter the city together, but cast a suspicious glance for a moment, but the soldier eventually shouted “pass”. There was a strong expression on his face that said it will be a bother to catch him here.
Fialar led us to a house attached to the wall. There was not much furniture inside, so it was cold, but the workroom attached to one side was full of various pieces of iron.
“Do you live in a place like this?”
“For now. I will be leaving soon. I looked all over this area and it didn’t look very attractive.”
“Isn’t attractive?”
“The seed of the hero is nowhere to be seen. I’m looking for someone to use my weapon.” (dlazarturead(dot)wordpress(dot)com)
Whoops!
Fialar, who ignited the brazier, pointed to the chair and said.
“Sit down. It won’t take long to clean the spear.”
When Ivan took the spear from his inventory and handed it to him, Fialar also took a tool from his subspace box and began to refine the spear.
It looked like the box had been used for a long time.
As Ivan stared at it, Fialar said proudly.
“It’s been used in our family for generations. In the case of this magic box, it was used even before we came to this land. It’s old-fashioned, but other people can’t open it unless you’re of direct blood. Many foolish people have tried and lost their lives. There’s some kind of magic on it.”
“Looks like a pretty powerful magic. Seeing you speak so confidently.”
“Well, it’s the work of the old dwarfs. Not the dwarfs who are now buried in the mountains over there, but the dvergar.” (TN: he said 난쟁이 and 드워프, so I used dvergr as the old dwarf)
In myths, the dvergr’s skills, said to have sometimes shamed the gods, that would have made them so confident. It’s not something that normal humans can withstand. Ivan didn’t want to test his strength.
Shhhh! Shhhhh!
Fialar nodded his head in admiration as he trimmed the spear.
“Other equipment is poor, but this spear is really good. It’s alive. It has very mysterious powers. Maybe this was made by a dvergr?”
“Well, I’m not sure. All I know is that the spear’s name is ‘The Lost Warrior’s Spear’.”
“The spear of the lost great warrior, that is a very strange name. I wonder what happened to this guy.”
He stared at the runes engraved on the spear and said.
“There is power in a name. Especially if it’s the stuff of dvergr. I wonder where this spear will lead you.”
At that, Ivan simply smiled bitterly. Hearing this, he felt that his situation was very similar to his own.
Is this spear the one who finds a way for a lost warrior, or the one who makes a warrior lose his way?
“The grooming is over. It’s not bright, but it will be better than before.”
As soon as he was handed the spear, he sensed something different. Fialar only sharpened the blade, cleaned it, and then applied something, but somehow it felt like it was sticking to his hand.
It seemed to fit his hand better than before. The creative movement also seemed to have become more exciting. There was no change in the strength of the spear, but the taste was different.
Shh!
phut!
“You’ve only touched it for a while, but it’s changed so much?”
Fialar chuckled as Ivan raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“That’s the craftsmanship of the right craftsman. The old spear wasn’t made for you, so just a little change makes it feel so much better. Because high-level warriors are sensitive.”
“If the spear you touched for a moment is enough, I’m very curious to see how good your weapon.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t give you a weapon. I have to sell it, because as long as you have that spear, it will only be a secondary weapon.”
“Isn’t there anything better than this spear?”
“Well, if there is, it would be something that would go to a true hero. One day, if are recognized as a true Esirsson by all of the Norse, then I will gladly offer up my weapon. Because that is my lifelong wish.”
Having said that, Ivan did not speak any more. Instead, he asked for something else.
“I don’t have enough armor right now. How can I get a decent piece of armor? If you don’t sell it, please introduce me to another decent blacksmith.”
At those words, Fialar thought for a moment and then nodded his head.
“Armor is not my specialty, but I can do that. Instead, you’ll have to bring the materials. If it’s not good materials, the results won’t be great.”
As a skilled craftsman, Fialar’s standards must be quite strict. To say it’s good stuff, he’d never use a dog or a cow.
But Ivan laughed confidently. (dlazarturead(dot)wordpress(dot)com)
“Don’t worry. I will bring precious stuff.”

********

“Well, is that precious material really here?”
When Fialar asked that question as if suspiciously, Ivan sighed.
“If you’re going to keep talking like that, just go back. It’s not like I force you to go here with me.”
“No, it’s because you’re so confident that it’s such a precious material, so something feels a bit suspicious.”
“Shut up and follow me. It’s a sensitive guy, so if you keep talking, you won’t even be able to see its nose.”
Ivan, who had strongly warned Fialar, bowed his back and looked down at his floor. It wasn’t the type to used stealth. If you look for it, there will definitely be traces.
After searching for three days without saying a word, Ivan was finally able to find a trace. The footprints of a large beast, a broken tree, and golden hairs caught in it.
“Golden fur? What the hell are you tracking?”
“Golden boar.”
“What? Gullinbursti? It’s here?”
Gullinbursti was the golden boar that Frey, the god of Asgard, rode. A mythical spirit creature that can run faster than anything in the water or in the sky.
Of course, that wasn’t what Ivan was aiming for.
“Are you crazy? How do I catch a guy like that? What I’m looking for is a wild boar with golden fur. It has a sturdy hide, but he’s no match for a Gullinbursti.”
In any case, his skin was a very good material for armor. Of course, this is a story if you can hunt it.
“We’ll have to go this way. It seems we’ve slowly found his territory.”
Based on the clues found, it gradually narrows the scope.
There were times when fearless monsters attacked in the middle, but they were both skilled warriors, so they knocked them down without difficulty and went further inside. (dlazarturead(dot)wordpress(dot)com)
Tracking wasn’t easy. This is because wild animals originally had a much wider range of activities than expected. Besides, the golden boar was a spiritual creature that was connected with mythology as much as its fur.
“At this point, you might be able to see its face, but you’re acting dirty and expensive.”
“It’s really expensive, isn’t you? It’s so precious, and bound to be hard to find.”
Ivan poked the side that he had wrapped in a twig with a branch. It was not as hard as I thought and there was moisture remaining. It was proof that its traces weren’t that long.
It was becoming more and more frequent. There must have been a nest of this guy nearby.
“It’s not bad. Although it’s a little hard, I’m finding it well…”
Ivan, who was talking, narrowed his eyes and looked ahead. There were traces of something that had not been seen. It wasn’t a beast. They are bipedal, intelligent guys.
Fialar, who was beside him, asked as Ivan made a serious expression when he finally found a faint footprint as he followed the grass press.
“Why do you look like that?”
“These footprints. They used shoes. These patterns are usually Orcs’ footprints…”
“Orcs appeared here? Are they the ones who used to live here? “
“Have you ever heard of orc tribes around here?”
“Hmm, I’m not from this area, so I don’t know…”
There were more independent orc tribes that did not join the Blood Alliance than expected. Ivan wished it was like that, but he felt strange.
“I’m waiting for you at the cave side earlier. I’ll go check out the surroundings quickly.”
After saying that, Ivan moved quickly. Since the skill of the ranger and the assassin were combined, there was no loud noise even when running through the forest. It was worthwhile to practice.
‘If you look at the traces, there are fewer than ten guys, isn’t it just one group?’
Ivan, who was moving quickly, suddenly lowered his waist. A faint voice could be heard from afar. As I quickly climbed up a nearby tree, the orcs were talking loudly.
From what I heard, it seems that they almost caught a golden boar and missed it. Some say they are being pursued by another group.
However, Ivan focused on the words themselves rather than the contents. Ivan’s expression became even more serious.
‘Northeastern Orc dialect. They’re not from this area.’
Ivan looked to the east involuntarily.
Eventually, the Eastern Front collapsed.