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Chapter 16 – Horus Gladiator Troupe (9)
“That’s too much. I can’t believe he threw his champion away just because he wasn’t a good axe thrower.”
Urich looked down at the arena with his arms crossed. He did not have a match set up today. Instead, Donovan took on the important match.
“It’s because you can easily buy a gladiator of that caliber. A gladiator’s life isn’t exempt from being calculated by money. He must be a fairly rich aristocrat,” said Bakman.
The arena was in an absolute frenzy.
‘A lion and a human.’
It was an uncommon match. Two male lions were roaming the arena. The growls of the beasts were terrifying.
Creak, creak.
The iron prison door opened, and a gladiator emerged. It was Trios’s champion, Mogdy.
“H-Heuk. Heuuk.”
Mogdy was trembling as he stepped into the arena. He was repeatedly beaten the previous night, and none of his bones were left unharmed. He practically came out with a body incapable of lifting a weapon.
“His condition doesn’t look that good either?”
Bakman squinted his eyes while speaking.
“Looking at how he moves, his left arm is broken. His leg might be fractured as well,” said Urich.
“You can see all of that from here?”
“Somewhat.”
“You’re a monster. A real monster.”
Bakman clicked his tongue after hearing that.
‘Is he really the same human that I am?’
It was a natural thought. Urich’s physical abilities were superhuman at times.
“It’s a slaughter show. There’s no way he can face two lions with that body.”
Mogdy’s death was inevitable.
“WHOAAAAAAAA!”
The audience was looking forward to the upcoming brutality, cheering for Mogdy’s death.
‘Die, Mogdy. That is the price you pay for humiliating me.’
Trios, who sat in the VIP seats, laughed. He watched Mogdy’s death while sitting with his legs crossed.
A lion pounced on the gladiator, whose shield was rendered pointless. The lion’s front paw ripped and tore the shield to shreds.
Stab.
Mogdy tried swinging his sword but couldn’t kill the lion with just a single strike.
Gnash!
The lion chomped on his face. His petrifying screams filled the arena, and the audience cheered with excitement. Several spectators also fainted at the sight.
“U-Uwaaaaaah!”
Even while dying, Mogdy was scrambling to survive. However, it was pointless against a lion.
Chomp, crunch.
The sound of Mogdy’s skin being crushed and bones breaking filled the arena.
His screams were muffled. Life became a lump of meat.
The people cheered for the death.
“Grrrrr.”
The lion roamed the arena while carrying Mogdy’s corpse. Soon after, experienced hunters came out and captured the lion in a net.
“How horrifying.”
Bakman clicked his tongue after watching Mogdy’s final moments. Becoming food for beasts was one of the worst endings a gladiator could have.
“Is the next match Donovan’s?”
Urich spoke while buying snacks from the arena’s roaming vendor.
“He’s coming out there.”
The iron prison door opened again, and the fully armed Donovan stepped out.
‘Chainmail armor, a sturdy shield, and a sword of appropriate length.’
Donovan’s equipment looked like stereotypical heavy infantry armor.
“Donovan is stable. His matches are cruel, but he fights normally. He never takes a dangerous risk,” Bakman muttered.
“I know as well. He slowly suffocates the enemy like a snake before killing them.”
Donovan’s match was fairly high level. The opponent was also a formidable mercenary gladiator.
A fierce match continued with both of the gladiators using tricks and feints to create an opening on their opponent. Donovan was a gladiator that had lots of real-life experience and took the upper hand.
Stab.
He stabbed the opposing gladiator’s shoulder.
“It’s over,” said Urich.
Donovan was good at taking his advantage to the end.
“He’ll probably drag it out while injuring him and finish it off cruelly.”
Bakman also knew how Donovan’s matches went. He would finish them off cruelly. It was the reason he was popular.
“I guess our business here is finished now.”
The victor, Donovan, raised his sword with a roar.
With this match, the Horus Gladiator Troupe’s business was concluded. They planned to move to the next city. Horus knew the lords of multiple cities, and their match schedule was packed.
“It was a good decision to come here.”
Urich liked his current lifestyle in the Horus Gladiator Troupe. He had enough money, and the constant fighting kept his body in shape. But more than anything, he had the opportunity to see lots of things as they moved to different places.
* * *
Reaper Scans
Translator – goguma
Proofreader – yukitokata
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* * *
“Did you pack everything? Make sure everyone’s here.”
“What about the slaves?”
“They’re all gathered.”
The Horus Gladiator Troupe was busy preparing to leave. If you counted all of the gladiators, slaves, guards, and maids, it would be approximately fifty people.
“This should be enough for the settlement fund. Thank you for your hard work, Vien.”
“Please take care of yourself as well, Master.”
On one side, the female slaves who were full-term pregnant were saying their goodbyes. They were the ones who took care of the men’s libido in the gladiator troupe. They would settle down in the city, give birth to their children, and start a new life. Even if most of them went back to the brothel, they were at least free.
“That’s surprising. I didn’t think he would pay them while freeing them.”
Urich tilted his head.
“It’s because we can’t bring pregnant women with us. And if we don’t show a precedent to look forward to, the other female slaves won’t last. They endure embracing multiple men in the hopes that they will be set free like that someday. Horus just knows how to handle slaves.”
Bakman spoke while loading the wagon.
“Hmm.”
Urich watched the female slaves. He also frequented their dormitory. Because they were slaves for that purpose, they accepted him.
Clang.
‘Is this around 3 million cil?’
Urich pulled out his coin purse and walked towards the female slaves.
“It isn’t much but share it amongst yourselves. All of you, take care of yourselves.”
Urich tossed over his coin purse to the female slaves.
Their eyes opened wide. Horus was also shocked and looked at Urich.
“Why didn’t you just give that money to me?” Bakman grumbled after watching his actions.
“Who knows, maybe one of those kids is mine?”
Urich laughed, showing his teeth.
“Don’t make me laugh. Do you think a woman’s stomach gets that big in just three months?”
Bakman shook his head.
The Horus Gladiator Troupe finished everything on their schedule and left the city.
The gladiators took turns walking and sitting on the carriage. The guards at the edges of the formation were on alert, and Troupe Leader Horus yawned while riding a horse.
“Urich, where are you really from? I think you might be from the South, but I don’t completely think you’re from there. Sometimes, you’re like a Northerner too.”
Horus came up to Urich and asked. Urich laughed.
“Just think that I came from the South. What’s so important about that?”
“True, it’s not that important.”
It had been ten years since Horus started his gladiator troupe. He saw a lot of gladiators during that time.
‘Urich is special.’
It was hard to pinpoint something in particular. He just thought that Urich was.
‘He’s not going to finish his life as my gladiator.’
Urich was someone who had immense potential. At first, he thought Urich was an arrogant person. The actual Urich was a man who spoke and acted the same. If he said he would do something, he would. If he said he would kill someone, he would.
‘He has the same position as Donovan in just three months… A barbarian, at that.’
There were a lot of gladiators that followed Urich. It wasn’t just one or two gladiators that fell for his charms through Bakman. Even Donovan, who at first didn’t acknowledge him, started to recognize him.
“I really like it here, Troupe Leader.”
Urich spoke while gazing at the wheat field outside of the city.
“That’s strange. I can’t believe you like it here.”
“That’s why I want to own land here.”
Urich watched the scenery with hazy eyes. An odd vitality was squirming around him.
Horus shuddered from an unknown chill.
“If you have a lot of money, who knows? I’m sure you’ll be able to buy land in the countryside,” Horus answered plainly. He touched the Sol emblem that was on his chest.
‘Sun God Ru, would it be alright if I kept this barbarian with me?’
Horus would donate to the clergy in each city they visited. It was because he piled up one immoral sin after the other as it was his job to do so.
“Where are we going next? And when do we arrive at the sea?” questioned Urich.
“We’re still far from a coastal town. And our plans are still the same as what I said last time…”
Horus watched Urich as he spoke. The barbarian was attentively listening to him.
“Ah. And Troupe Leader, you know how to read and write, right?”
“Of course.”
“Teach me that too. The letters.”
Horus furrowed his brows.
“It isn’t something you can learn in a day.”
“That’s why I’m asking you to teach me.”
“For free?”
“From now on, you can take 10% more from my pay.”
Horus laughed at Urich’s proposition.
“Come find me after you eat dinner. Let’s start with learning how to write your name.”
* * *
Buuurp.
“Thanks for the meal.”
Urich bent a bamboo-leaf oak sapling to use as a toothpick.
“Urich, where are you going? We have to roll some dice.”
“I’m good. I don’t have money right now anyway.”
“Haha, that lunatic. I heard that you gave money to the female slaves? We have a priest here. A real holy man.”
The gladiators poked fun at him.
“Do you want to get your skull crushed by a lunatic?”
The gladiators laughed after hearing Urich’s response. Urich then left the gladiators and went to Horus’s tent.
Chhhhhk.
The night was long and insects could be heard all around. The outskirts of the camp, which didn’t receive any light, was pitch black.
It was impossible to see into the dark forest with eyes that were used to the light. The sentries turned their backs on the fire to stare into the darkness.
“Urich?” asked a guard after seeing him.
“I came to see the troupe leader.”
Horus, who just finished his meal, signaled for Urich to come.
“Do you really want to learn the letters? There’s nowhere to really use it.”
“That’s something for me to decide, not you, Troupe Leader.”
“You really are an odd person.”
Horus and Urich sat near the bonfire and pulled out a dagger.
“Let’s start, Horus.”
Urich spoke with shining eyes. Horus scratched the ground with the dagger to spell it out one by one.
“It would be a relief if you can memorize the spelling and write your name by the end of the night.”
Horus didn’t expect much. He believed that Urich would give up quickly.
“Hm.”
Urich put his hand on his chin and observed the spelling. He copied Horus while reading it out loud.
Tap, chhhhk.
The bonfire was ablaze. The embers drifted between Horus and Urich.
“Urich.”
Horus, who was teaching Urich how to write letters, was astonished.
“Why?”
“Did you really never learn how to write before?”
“Why would I be doing this if I learned it before? Huh? Did you get stupid all of a sudden?”
Horus’s eyes opened while.
‘He already memorized all the spellings after looking at it a couple of times?’
Urich had a great memory. He memorized the spellings that Horus thought would take days to do.
“U…rich… Is this right?”
Urich wrote his name on the ground.
“Exactly.”
“Haha. If it’s like this, I’ll learn it in no time. This is nothing!”
Horus couldn’t refute it. Urich’s words didn’t sound like a joke to him.
‘He might really learn how to write soon. He has an extraordinary memory. I did hear that barbarians were good at learning the letters, but… this is too fast.’
Urich urged Horus to teach him more words. He memorized them again in no time.