Chapter 199: Beyond the Nightmare

He couldn’t sleep.

Closing his eyes in earnest to sleep, the hallucinations of monsters and undead would immediately assault him. It was as if they had taken residence behind his eyelids.

Drinking in the noise of the tavern, Kasim would eventually doze off, only to be awakened by nightmares soon after. This was the repeated cycle. If he managed to sleep for thirty minutes a day, it was considered good.

Kasim was gradually deteriorating. In this state, he couldn’t engage in adventurer activities, and slipping into some party unnoticed was out of the question. His savings were dwindling for no apparent reason, and the anxiety was pushing Kasim further into a corner.

Cheap liquor, prayers, women—none of them provided solace.

The tale of adventurers breaking down mentally and dying a wandering death was not particularly uncommon. Someday, he too would be treated as a common story.

…This is not a joke.

The idea of dying without leaving any proof of having lived became overwhelmingly terrifying. He couldn’t die like this, nor did he want to.

There was only one way to shake off the nightmares. He had considered it multiple times, negated it just as many times. Dealing with the hallucinations was torment enough; attempting to defeat the fiery monster was out of the question.

Leaving the nearly half-empty wooden mug, Kasim staggered outside.

The winter sun showered down on Kasim, causing him to squint from the brightness.

…Am I destined to live like this, averting my eyes from the sun? I don’t know how much of my life remains.

He recalled the strange man he met in the labyrinth. According to him, the blacksmith forged his sword to fight the monster. It sounded insane. However, regarding courage, Kasim seemed to be lacking compared to him.

“Why…”

As if being pulled by something unseen, Kasim walked towards the main street. His steps were unsteady, but he didn’t stop.

“Why can he say he’ll fight such a monster…?”

If he believed the man’s words, it meant his spirit hadn’t broken even after battling. He didn’t understand. What was different between him and that man? It was easy to dismiss him as crazy, using such words, but…

…No, that’s not it.

The feeling that grew within Kasim was admiration. He couldn’t allow his fondness for the man to end as a one-sided insult.

In the middle of the main street, he reached the intersection. Although he had never entered the artisan district and didn’t know much about it, he decided to head in the direction Lutz had left that night.s

Sounds of hammering metal, shaving wood—although he didn’t know exactly what they were doing, the atmosphere became more focused on craftsmanship.

Whispers were heard. Strange and disgusted looks gathered on Kasim.

With disheveled hair, lacking any oiliness, vacant eyes, and sunken cheeks, he emitted a sour stench. A adventurer-like man with a sword, who had to wrap it in cloth and attach it to his belt because it didn’t fit in the sheath.

He was like a sign saying, “I’m a suspicious character.” It was a wonder how he made it here without getting arrested. He did cross paths with knights a few times, but they merely averted their faces from the stench and didn’t bother with this man.

“Uh, excuse me…”

When Kasim spoke to the middle-aged ladies gathered in a corner, they frowned and tried to leave. In a hurry, Kasim raised his voice loudly behind them.

“Do you happen to know the residence of the blacksmith Lutz!?”

Hearing “Lutz,” the ladies’ footsteps came to a sudden stop, exchanging puzzled glances.

Even though Kasim appeared to be a suspicious and dangerous person from every angle, if he was a customer of Lutz, it wasn’t entirely unreasonable.

Lutz was a skilled blacksmith, affiliated with the Count’s family as a personal craftsman. Moreover, not just the blacksmith but almost all workshops were somehow influenced by Claudia—whether borrowing money or receiving souvenirs.

Concerned that turning away a visitor to Lutz’s workshop might cause trouble later, the ladies decided to provide information.

The eldest lady extended her wrinkled arm.

“It’s that three-story narrow house. Be careful because there’s no nameplate.”

“Despite being affiliated with the Count, it’s unexpectedly modest, isn’t it?”

“I heard he doesn’t have any apprentices. What is he doing every night with that plump, lewd wife of his? Hihi…”

Laughing with a strained throat, the lady offered thanks to Kasim, who resumed walking. Even though he still had no guarantee, he thought he could be saved if he went there.

Navigating through dim alleyways, he arrived at the instructed house. From the outside, it looked like an ordinary residence. Originally, Kasim believed that visiting the most splendid mansion would be foolproof, but encountering a helpful lady turned out to be fortunate.

There was no door knocker. Without any better option, Kasim forcefully knocked on the door. That was the intention.

Even though he was surprised at the amount of strength he couldn’t muster, he swung his arm upward again to knock on the door. However, he barely touched it, making a light tapping sound.

“Why… Why did I come all this way…”

Unable to meet Lutz, unable to make him notice. Kasim murmured in a voice mixed with sobbing. It was becoming painful for his legs to tremble.

Squeezing out the remaining moisture from the cloth like wringing a rag, he continued knocking on the door with his last ounce of strength.

“Lutz. It’s me, Kasim. Open up…”

He leaned against the sturdy wooden door, making sure not to collapse. His voice was hoarse, words failing to form; it was as if only the sound of wheezing air escaped.

…Oh god, is this the punishment for abandoning my comrades and running away? Then tell me, what should I have done?

His consciousness began to fade.

…No, no. I don’t want to. If I fall asleep, I’ll be attacked by demons again in the darkness. I don’t want it, please stop.

As Kasim trembled in fear, he heard a rattling sound from inside the door, as if something were shaking. At this point, Kasim couldn’t have known, but it was the sound of a bolt being removed.

Sensing someone moving inside, Kasim gently moved away from the wooden door. Without a doubt, the face that appeared through the gap was undoubtedly the man who had sought salvation from, the one Kasim had asked for help.

“Uh, hey Lutz-san. How are you doing?”

“You look awful.”

His way of speaking remained unchanged. Strangely, it reassured Kasim, and a bit of vigor returned to his voice.

“I need a bit of help, or rather, I’d like to join you in fighting the monster, you know, just kidding…”

He slipped up. What was he saying? Revoke it, right now. Facing that thing in battle was too reckless; it would end with cardiac arrest the moment they met.

Warnings echoed from the depths of his heart, yet for some reason, Kasim’s lips relaxed.

This is fine; it’s my wish to fight together with reliable comrades if I can’t handle it alone.

A moment of silence. Just as anxiety crept in, wondering if he would be rejected, Lutz wore a troubled smile.

“Well, for now, come inside.”

“Y-yeah!”

Light returned to Kasim’s eyes. Firmly planting his feet on the ground, he followed behind Lutz, step by step.

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