Chapter 160: The Inquisitor of the Sun God and the Mage from the Mage Tower (7)
Baker had conceded that this barbarian was undeniably special.
Ketal possessed the recognition of a god, allowing him to wield a holy relic, and he demonstrated remarkable skill in cooking. Furthermore, he displayed knowledge that should only be obtainable through extensive higher education.
Baker found himself seriously doubting if Ketal was truly a barbarian at all; stripping away his appearance, one might easily mistake him for a scholar seasoned by long years of study.
"Here, eat up." When dinnertime arrived, Ketal, having prepared the meal, handed Baker a bowl. It contained a rich, dark brown stew brimming with chunks of meat.
Baker felt a strong urge to refuse out of pride, clinging to his wounded ego. However, his hand moved obediently, accepting the offered bowl. Ketal's cooking was simply too delicious to reject. A wave of self-loathing washed over Baker for his own weakness.
No...! Baker forced himself to regain composure.
There had to be some area where he still held the advantage over the barbarian.
Wait... I can use magic! That realization struck Baker as a final bastion of superiority.
He could wield Myst that this barbarian clearly could not command. Mages controlled magic, barbarians wielded weapons – this fundamental truth felt like his last anchor. Although it was an obvious distinction, Baker desperately clung to it as proof of his own elevated standing.
However, even this conviction was destined to crumble before long.
They continued their journey, traveling in a straight line toward their destination, which sometimes required passing directly through dense forests. One late evening, they prepared to make camp deep within such a wood. The air buzzed with the sounds of insects from all directions. Aquaz frowned slightly, discomfort flickering across her face.
“There are quite a lot of insects here," Baker remarked.