Chapter 6: The Berserker Awakens

Outwardly, I had bluffed my way through with bravado, but honestly, I was utterly flustered.

What the hell is going on?

I had always been somewhat athletic.

I even learned a bit of boxing to use in emergencies.

But this was real combat, wasn’t it?

The opponents were professional assassins with soot-stained weapons.

No matter how much martial arts I trained in, I couldn’t take on six at once.

Yet I pulled it off naturally?

It was absurd.

Hiding my bewildered inner thoughts, that was when I gripped the gavel tightly.

「Combat skill unlocked.」

Suddenly, a phrase appeared along with personal information.

Name: Abel Carius

Status: Duke

Position: High Judge

Title: Berserker of the North

Skill: Heart of the Beast

<personal information>

“Berserker of the North? Heart of the Beast?”

I unconsciously muttered the newly added details.

But right at that moment.

Something even more astonishing happened.

Heart of the Beast activated

TSTSTSTST!

Suddenly, my vision wavered, and power surged through my entire body. At the same time, a crimson aura condensed on the gavel I was holding.

“Kuhuhuhu!”

A rough breath and bizarre laughter burst from my mouth.

This was by no means a normal situation.

I was utterly flustered, yet surprisingly, I accepted the change obediently.

Strangely, this situation felt very familiar.

Soon, the flustered voice of the opponent reached my ears.

“W-Wasn’t the Berserker of the North sealed?”

It seemed Abel’s abilities had been restricted until now.

Otherwise, this guy wouldn’t have intentionally hidden his power.

Perhaps it was due to falling into despair after losing his parents.

Whatever the process, what mattered was the situation at hand.

“You attacked me. I counterattack. Any objections?”

When I asked in a growling voice, the opponent’s mouth shut.

He realized further talk was pointless.

I immediately kicked off the ground and charged at him.

At a ferocious speed.

KUWOONG! SWIIIIIK!

“You crazy bastard!”

The opponent spat a curse and swung his sword.

But his attack never completed.

Because I had already arrived before his arm fully extended.

Soon, a person’s head and the gavel shared a sticky kiss.

CRAAAAACK!

The assailant rolled his eyes back and collapsed backward.

“Oh! I can control the power.”

In truth, I had hit as gently as possible to avoid killing him.

Yet he fainted outright.

If even a bit of real intent was behind it, his skull would have shattered.

I gazed for a moment at the blazing aura.

Flames pouring from a human body, exerting transcendental power.

I couldn’t resist the fascinating sight.

But after some time passed, a slight fatigue set in.

“Ah, so it’s something to turn on only when needed? But how do I turn it off?”

The moment I thought of turning it off, text appeared before my eyes.

「Heart of the Beast terminated」

PSHUUUU―.

The way to use the skill was extremely simple.

It activated immediately just by thinking it.

That aside, why the hell did they do this?

I quietly looked down at the sprawled assailants.

I definitely sensed murderous intent to kill me without fail.

Yet, the thought that something was off came first.

Attempting to assassinate a duke of the Empire, royalty no less.

Who in their right mind would do such a thing?

“Usually in cases like this, the enemy is internal.”

But in House Carius, there was no one coveting power.

They had all passed away, every last one.

Then it must be an external factor.

There was only one place that came to mind.

Sierre Noble Faction

Lately, the only ones on bad terms with me were them.

But isn’t this too straightforward?

The motive is extremely flimsy too.

Imprisoning one low-ranking noble and going this far is excessive.

Ah, I did seize Count Titus’s territory too.

But attempting assassination over just that?

No matter how irrational they were, this was over the line.

“It’ll come out if I investigate.”

I intended to tie up the assailants tightly and take them to the mansion.

Plan was to lock them in the warehouse and thoroughly interrogate them.

But the moment I touched the first one, something astonishing happened.

TUDDUDUK!

“KWEEEEK!”

“UEGH!”

Wasn’t black liquid pouring from the assailants’ mouths?

Soon, it writhed and merged, transforming into a blazing fireball.

—Kekekeke! Berserker scum. You think you’ll be safe after turning me into this?

A voice like scraping vocal cords to their limit rang out.

A repulsive sound that made me want to cover my ears instinctively.

I frowned and said.

“What nonsense.”

The opponent’s form was utterly mystical.

Not only did black flames float in the air, but red eyes even formed within.

But what did that matter?

It was undeniably an entity to subdue.

At a glance, this guy was the mastermind.

KAANG!

I swung the gavel and struck the black fireball.

A very crisp sound echoed.

“It feels squishy, but surprisingly solid?”

—KAAAK! Y-You bastard?

“I don’t know who you are, but let’s start with some hits.”

Daring to assault a duke of the Empire? You must pay the price.

『Heart of the Beast activated』

As fighting spirit surged from my chest, the skill activated on its own.

It seemed it could cast automatically influenced by emotions.

TEONG! KAGANG! KWAJIK!

The gavel enveloped in crimson aura relentlessly battered the black flames.

It was truly a breathtaking onslaught.

Befitting the nickname Berserker, I poured out attacks viciously.

Soon, the opponent’s voice filled with pain rang out.

—UAAAK! J-Just you wait. Berserker!

This line?

Isn’t it what villains say when fleeing?

I couldn’t let him attack at will and escape.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

KWAAK!

I grabbed the fireball’s hair(?) and prepared to continue hammering.

But right at that moment.

PIIING—!

‘Ugh!’

A sharp headache struck, and countless images flashed before my eyes.

It wasn’t the opponent injecting will; it was merely Abel Carius’s memories surfacing.

A moment later, I snapped my eyes open and slowly raised my head.

Then, gazing at the black fireball, I murmured softly.

“It’s you? Feltron.”

Damn it!

PSHUUUK─!

The thing turned into black smoke and tried to slip through my fingers.

Of course, I had no intention of letting it go freely.

If you’re leaving, at least pay the toll?

“Hup!”

CRAAAAACK!

Swinging the gavel with all my might, a deafening ROAR that could tear eardrums resounded.

I succeeded in landing a valid hit just before Feltron completely vanished.

Soon, a groan of pain hammered into my mind.

—KAAAAA! Y-You son of a bitch……!

I savored the fading voice and smiled faintly.

Now things are starting to make sense.

Abel Carius, who had made his name in the North, suddenly stopped his activities at some point.

It was after his parents passed away.

Thus, a rumor circulated in the world.

That the Berserker’s abilities were sealed.

It was nonsense, but Abel never bothered to explain.

He simply returned home quietly and lived breathing only.

That’s how great his grief was.

As a rare filial son, the mental blow must have been immense.

Anyway, that’s why Feltron sent assassins so easily.

If the Berserker had lost his power, he must have thought it worth trying.

By the way, he’s still not dead?

Feltron was a legendary being who unified the northern tribes.

The reason I don’t call him a person is because he wasn’t human.

Look at today.

He controlled people with strange abilities, not magic.

“If you have time for that, just recover.”

Feltron was miserably crushed by Abel in his prime.

His body torn to shreds, yet astonishingly alive.

Must be because he’s not human.

Some say he’s a god existing on earth.

Bullshit. Probably just a peculiar guy.

What god gets beaten by a mere human?

But thinking differently, it might be possible.

Loki got beaten by Hulk too.

Ah, but that’s because it’s a movie.

“Anyway, what to do with this?”

I shook off my thoughts and looked around the mess.

First, I needed to wake the coachman.

And upright the overturned carriage.

But I can’t expect compensation from these guys, right?

The assailants were soundly asleep.

Probably not intentional.

They were manipulated by a bizarre power.

Still, I couldn’t leave them on the roadside, so I stacked them neatly in the carriage.

“Phew! What kind of hardship is this.”

Recalling Feltron’s details, I lightly clenched my fist.

If I ever go to the North, I’ll properly crush him.

So he can never revive again.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

***

Lying sprawled on the bed, spending a long morning, suddenly a knock sounded.

“Come in.”

“Good day, Your Highness.”

The visitor was Steward Miller Xavierre.

But his face looked extremely haggard.

Didn’t he always appear impeccable?

Something was clearly wrong.

“Why do you look like that?”

“It’s part of what I need to report. May I begin right away?”

“Go ahead.”

“Ahem! First, very ominous rumors are circulating.”

“That’s to be expected. Royalty was attacked in the capital.”

“That’s not it.”

“Huh? Then what?”

“The story that Your Highness Carius goes around smashing people’s heads with the gavel…….”

“Hah!”

A hollow laugh burst out involuntarily.

Rumors naturally get distorted.

It was just once, and already a rumor spreading?

It must be distorted for sure.

Seeing my dumbfounded expression, the steward added an explanation.

“Most are circulating among noble houses. But public opinion among commoners is different.”

“How so?”

“I compiled what I heard while out.”

A report unfolded before my eyes.

I quickly read the text.

─Those who attacked Your Highness Carius. Weren’t they sent by the Sierre noble faction?

• Clearly retaliation for an unfavorable ruling.

─What mad thief would target royalty anyway.

─Still, he escaped the crisis. Swinging the gavel stylishly, they say.

In truth, it was due to an old grudge with Feltron, but the public had no way of knowing.

Anyway, it was quite satisfying content.

Popularity was certainly secured.

If only relations with the Sierre noble faction improved, it would be perfect.

An opportunity would have to come. Right. Who told them to commit crimes?

While thinking roughly like that, the steward continued.

“Those six we captured yesterday?”

“What about them?”

“They asked if they couldn’t settle here.”

“Huh?”

What kind of nonsense was this?

Weren’t they a nomadic people riding around?

Adapting to the Empire wouldn’t be easy; it was truly strange.

But hearing the next part, I understood immediately.

“They observed how the laborers live.”

“The treatment appealed to them?”

“Probably because the North is barren.”

“Well, not bad……. Wait. This is actually pretty good?”

“There might be friction with existing laborers. Cultures are quite different after all.”

“That can be adjusted over time. I mean they’ll be useful.”

“Northern peoples are poor at farming, aren’t they?”

“I’ll use them as soldiers. They know how to fight.”

Of course, they fainted from one gavel hit, but that was because the opponent was me.

With proper equipment, they’d be fine as guards.

They ride horses exceptionally well, so patrolling the fences would be easy.

However, Steward Miller Xavierre seemed disapproving.

“I worry they might cause trouble.”

“It’s fine. If they don’t listen, I have this.”

“+ Interest”

Shaking the steel gavel before his eyes, the steward’s expression grew distant.

It was as if asking why treat laborers well but them like this.

“Because workers and soldiers must be distinguished. For military, obedience is life.”

“As expected from long northern life, you know military matters well. Then I’ll arrange it so.”

I waved my hand casually.

Meaning, if done, get out quickly.

I planned to laze around a few days while at it.

And also rummage through Abel’s memories.

There might be other grudges like with Feltron.

But it seemed I wouldn’t get rest.

The steward’s one line struck the back of my head.

“Finally, Your Highness.”

“Yes, yes. What now?”

“His Majesty has issued an edict to enter the palace.”

“Oh. I’ll resolve that quickly and rest……. Whaaaaat?”

The irreverent remark that slipped out didn’t matter.

No one was there besides Steward Xavierre anyway.

What mattered was the content.

Why call me suddenly? Did he get pissed because I used his name?

Ugh, this damn position.

I could quit……..

No.

Appointed by the Emperor.

My mind only grew more complicated.