Chapter 182 : Chapter 182

Chapter 182 : Survival of the Fittest (2)

“Now, if you look to the left here, you can see the men of Brakenport who empty a barrel the size of a five-year-old child in a single day. How about the right? It is truly a street of performance, where the sounds of fighting, cursing, toasts, and clinking glasses are all tangled together. Isn't this exactly the charm of the abandoned Port Street.”

The vagrants packed on both sides of the street looked at us crookedly.

I do not know who was watching whom.

“Depressed? Is life lethargic? Come to Brakenport. A fantastic harmony of idiots who make you laugh just by looking at them and magnificent scenery.”

Brakenport tourism, of all things.

I thought he was putting a lot of effort into spouting nonsense.

It was my mistake.

Wherever Ellen pointed, some breathtaking spectacle was unfolding.

Women grabbing each other by the hair and screaming while fighting, a person being hung upside down and beaten with clubs for some unknown reason, men taking turns exchanging punches one by one…….

“Real bottom-feeder lives that will console you are gathered here in heaps!”

Brakenport was real, and Ellen was sincere.

“This is the pride of Brakenport, an oyster cuisine specialty shop.”

As we walked where Ellen led, we were suddenly at a restaurant.

Introducing the scenery as if bargaining over goods was interesting, but the route design that naturally led to a restaurant while sightseeing was quite meticulous.

‘His acumen is considerable.’

By the way, oysters?

“Does it look unsightly? Just try eating it first. You will immediately know why the men of Brakenport are particularly full of vigor.”

Not only I, but Bolero and Noser were also frowning deeply.

It seemed oysters were not a common food in the Kingdom either.

When I turned my gaze…… the guys sitting around looked at us with gratification and nodded.

Tiaro rolled his eyes and repeatedly struck his palm against the other hand which was curled into a circle.

Hururup―

Just like that, starting with Bolero, Noser followed and inhaled the oyster into his mouth.

I also mustered up courage.

‘…….’

The moment I was about to spit it out immediately due to the fishy smell rising as soon as I put it in my mouth, I recalled the lesson obtained from The Oath of Bastion and suppressed it.

At that moment, the fishy smell changed into a fresh ocean scent like a lie.

The three of us, who felt the same taste, exchanged glances and nodded.

“We could feel the flavor of the sea, owner. Thank you for the good experience.”

As we left after finishing the meal, Noser handed a silver coin to the owner. Not only the owner, but the eyes of all of Ellen's Gang widened.

“Since we promised to treat you, you do not have to pay for the meal……?”

“Ah, this is a tip.”

“……?”

“It is the basic literacy of the Imperial Capital…… ah, no, of a Heavenly Demon Divine Cult believer. It is a sort of return for letting us have a good experience.”

The rugged-looking owner made a face like he was about to cry.

Ellen's Gang also looked at Noser with fascination, as if they had not expected this at all.

Just like that, next was digestion and sightseeing at the seaside.

“Now, this is the jewel of the southern part of the Kingdom, Brakenport Beach. Like now, in broad daylight, the seawater becomes transparent like glass, so the bottom comes clearly into view. Look.”

It briefly came to mind that the guys who landed at Brakenport Bay in my past life had praised the scenery.

Of course, I did not listen attentively back then.

Since there is no leeway to admire scenery during a war.

“……Oh.”

“Crazy.”

Bolero and Noser exclaimed at the same time.

If there is a commonality between the two, it is that they are men who roam the entire Kingdom.

If such two people were admiring it to this extent, it was certain that this Brakenport beach scenery was arguably one of the best in the Kingdom.

My head also nodded automatically.

“Ships do not come and go on this side, so there was no reason for the landscape to be damaged. It is nature as it is.”

Ellen explained.

The tone that was deliberately exaggerated until a moment ago had settled down calmly.

Sincerity was felt in everything, starting from his expression.

“……Sorry.”

“Yes?”

For looking down on it.

“Brakenport tourism, it is certainly not bad.”

It was an honest impression.

I do not know about the Kingdom, but in the Empire, travel is equivalent to enjoying a quiet rest in a secluded place.

This Brakenport tourism approached me as a unique and special experience.

Should I say it felt slightly marvelous that they came up with this idea in a lawless zone.

Seueuk.

The admiration was brief; suddenly, an unfamiliar presence approached.

It was distinct, like a grain of sand caught in the mouth.

When I turned my gaze, a small shadow was lingering behind Bolero.

It was a petty thief.

“You, this son of a bitch―”

“Kyak!”

Tiaro, who had approached before anyone noticed, pulled the glowing earlobe of the brat.

It was a girl who looked barely ten years old.

“You did this last time, is it you again? You really want to die?”

“I was wrong! Please let me off just one more time!”

When Ellen gave a signal with his eyes, Tiaro hit the nape of the brat's neck once and chased her away with kicks.

While his actions were fierce, his expression was actually not so.

It seemed to be a daily routine.

“I want to take a walk. Would that be okay?”

“Of course.”

Noser had a face completely captivated by the scenery.

Indeed, for swordsmen like us who live soaked in the smell of blood and iron, such cozy scenery is a great comfort in itself.

Bolero also followed, and Tiaro and McRay accompanied them.

Saaaa―

Even the sound of the waves was quiet and clear.

The finely broken water droplets popped, leaving a refreshing resonance.

I stood with my gaze set far away.

Ellen, who was standing side by side next to me, spoke in a low voice.

“Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, you said?”

When I turned my head, Ellen also withdrew his gaze from the group walking on the beach and looked at me.

“You grasp the atmosphere roughly now, right? What kind of place this is.”

“Well, what kind of place is it?”

“Haha, can you not tell by looking? It is a place where old men's sermons and such do not work at all.”

Ellen smiled bitterly.

“So when you leave, just leave quietly. Do not do anything foolish for no reason. Do you understand? Let’s just keep good memories with each other.”

“…….”

“I don’t know about a ship going to the Empire, but out of the kindness of my heart, I can take you to a place where you can take a ship. When you return, please be sure to spread the word. Yes?”

“As you can see, I am not an old man.”

“Ah― yes.”

Ellen spat out thick phlegm.

I barely held back from smacking the back of his head.

“Looking earlier, fights were breaking out as if it were nothing. The order was quite a mess.”

Ellen smirked as if it was ridiculous.

“Order? Does such a thing look plausible here?”

“Being a lawless zone is only true for outsiders, but in reality, it isn't so among yourselves, is it? Whether it is the strongest guy or whoever, there is a leader, and the rest of the guys below live following the laws set by the leader.”

“…….”

“Why am I wrong?”

“You know well, don't you?”

I laughed because it was absurd.

“Where is there to know well or not. The way beasts live is all pretty much the same.”

Ellen's face turned red instantly.

It seemed I scratched a nerve.

“We are beasts?”

“You aren't?”

The moment I took my eyes off the guy, a rattling sound was heard from the side.

It seemed he grabbed the hilt of his sword.

“You are a beast bastard alright.”

“……!”

“If you draw that, you die. Think carefully.”

In a short interval, the sound of sighing and the sound of a face crumpling crossed a few times.

I could tell without looking. Should I say I felt the guy's agony.

“……We call him the Ruler of the Port. Among ourselves.”

It was a tone that seemed to have put something down.

It seemed he intuited that I was far stronger than him. Indeed, is he a beast?

“Alkabang. He is the current Ruler of the Port. There are numerous families under him. We are one of them too.”

Ellen, having given up the thought of confronting with force, started to rattle off the inside story of Brakenport.

The Ruler of the Port Alkabang, the Families that divided the Abandoned Port Street, the business means conducted by the Families, and the ecology maintained by that.

“There is an absolute being above Alkabang. Called Deiron. It is a name that makes the brats of Brakenport wake up suddenly from sleep and wet themselves.”

“…….”

“Do you understand now? I don’t know what you guys are planning to do, but just give up and leave nicely.”

The guy gathered phlegm again.

I considered really hitting him once but stopped.

“Time is short.”

“……Yes?”

“Live coolly, brat.”

Because guys around this age are particularly sensitive to physical abuse and humiliation.

***

Ellen's Gang was renovating a building in their district to use as guest accommodation.

Originally it was a pub, but it was practically the Ruler of the Port's consideration so that rookies wouldn't have to start from scratch.

‘Quite systematic in its own way.’

It looks like kindness, but it is not necessarily so.

Since the larger the Family's profit becomes, it eventually ends up filling his own belly.

Looking at this, bad guys using their heads better is the same everywhere.

“You could say the Ruler of the Port is the Lord.”

Noser said while stroking his chin.

I used the break to tell the two people about Brakenport's circumstances.

“It will be over if we catch the guy called Alkabang. Since we would become the Rulers of the Port then.”

“No. It is not that simple.”

The right to challenge the Ruler of the Port is given to only a formal faction, that is, a Family, among the numerous factions, exactly once a year.

Brakenport's law, in other words, an unwritten rule.

If I was going to do as I pleased, I would not have gone to the trouble of disguising as a ruffian in the first place.

“We must jump into the board in their way without going against the order here.”

Fortunately, both seemed to agree.

Noser spoke.

“But there is no time. We cannot stay stuck here until we become a Family.”

I agree.

Of course, even if it takes some time, I am willing to do so if there is certainty that I can catch the Phantom Demon here.

“We have no choice but to stick to Ellen's Gang guys and gather more information.”

“For now, is that all?”

“It might rather be a method for the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and Ellen's Gang to appear to be in cahoots.”

I and Noser nodded at Bolero's opinion.

It made quite a bit of sense.

The next day.

“Yes? You say you will stay a few more days?”

Ellen expressed disapproval.

“We will pay whatever amount of money. As I said, our goal is missionary work.”

I threw a money pouch the size of a fist up and caught it.

It was a fact I was unaware of, but when I emptied the pockets of the three of us, the amount was quite considerable.

It was enough to be capital to open a small shop.

“Ah, that money…….”

“It is not necessarily important but…….”

The gazes of the guys standing opposite moved up and down following the money pouch.

In this aspect, they were innocent beyond measure.

“Instead, I have a request this time. Rather than all flocking together, the three of us want to move separately.”

For today, we decided to scatter individually to familiarize ourselves more with the atmosphere of Brakenport and read the lay of the land in more detail.

Of course, I intended to track the clues of the Phantom Demon in the meantime.

“Fine. Anyway, the prepared schedule ended yesterday, so let's do it in a way that you look around freely today. Instead, you have to pay that much for room, board, and escort costs.”

“Of course.”

When I threw the money pouch, the guy grinned and caught it.

Deal concluded.

“First of all, I have to go see Alkabang today, so usable guys…….”

“Oh, then I should go with you.”

Noser stepped forward first.

Ellen frowned and asked back.

“Yes? You want to go together? To Alkabang?”

“Anyway, a face-to-face with him is inevitable. It would be better for me, who is more classy than these friends, to step forward.”

“……Well, do as you please.”

This time Bolero looked around the gang and spoke.

“I want to play a bit hot. Can anyone guide me?”

The wandering gazes gathered in one place as if promised.

It was Tiaro who was leaning obliquely in the corner.

“If it is that, I am the expert. Somehow, Mister, your appearance is exactly our type.”

“Sorry, but with your level, you won't be able to handle me.”

“Puha! Long and short, you only know after measuring.”

Tiaro was laughing happily, not knowing what he was blabbering about right now.

***

I even lifted my heels to look far away.

I narrowed my eyes as much as possible under the shade of my hand.

I could see a structure built on the coastal cliff.

The front was not visible well because the angle did not match from this side, but…….

“That is…….”

“Yes, that is right. Rosaria Goddess Statue.”

So it is.

I withdrew the shade of my hand and looked at McRay.

“You say it is a Goddess Statue?”

“Yes. It has been set up there for a really long time. When was it? It was a very long time ago. Since it was when we were extremely young…….”

According to Manuan's retrospection, there was an altar to serve Rosaria in Brakenport.

So I hinted to see if there was anything special that could only be seen in Brakenport, and McRay, who was attached as an escort, confidently brought me here.

Well, it counts as a lucky guess.

“Ellen said so, you know? The Rosaria Goddess Statue is Brakenport's Land……, ah, no. Sandmark.”

“…….”

“So originally, there was a schedule to view that in yesterday's tourism course too, but we took it out because a situation arose.”

“A situation?”

“There is something like that. Anyway, since you cannot go close now, just look from here. Alkabang's Gang is probably spread out all over the vicinity. If you go close, just krchk.”

McRay drew a line across his own neck with his hand blade.

In his own way, he was acting out a fierce expression to scare me.

In the meantime, an old man walked past us alone.

He seemed to have an uncomfortable gait, limping slightly.

“Huh? Oh damn……!”

McRay quickly ran over and grabbed the old man.

“Old Man Luke! Where are you going again!”

“…….”

“You are going to see the Goddess Statue, right? Not today!”

“……Have to go.”

“I said no! Over there! It is dangerous because there are many of Alkabang's Gang!”

“I said I have to go.”

“Ssp― You really won't listen?! Even if not Ellen, I am a scary man.”

“The guy who was next to you passed by too. Why are you only doing this to me!”

“……What are you saying again, scarily really.”

·

·

·

“Uh―!? Where did he go, this person!”