Editing Lugal Gigam:Chapter 1 (section)

=== Part 3 ===

The bronze-type gate of Kagushila started opening while creaking.

“Ooh! If it ain’t Laashi.IL’s {{furigana| party | Ildam }} member! You’re alive!”

Huffing and panting, it took my all just to nod back at the gatekeepers. I then proceeded while staggering because of Laashi’s weight on my back.

I finally stepped inside the city of Kagushila while passing the Anzuu {{furigana| Daimon | Great Gate }} , which had brick build reliefs of a weird bird with a lion’s head on both sides.

“Golden-haired Kenny, Are you alright?”

“Like hell I’ll die that easily. Hey, have you seen the others?”

“No, you guys were the first. Everyone was worried if something happened.” 

“...I see, understood.”

“The one being carried is Chief Laashi.IL-dono, no? He’s not moving… is he breathing?”

“Well somehow. He only has a gash. Sorry, but can someone run to the divination lane and go get a therapist?”

“If it’s that then you guys don’t need to worry. The people related to the chief were just about to go search for you. They’re probably preparing now.”

There was a small plaza after the brick tunnel exiting the gate.

There were a few people making preparations for the search there. As soon as they saw us, they turned pale and came running.”

“Chief!” “Laashi.IL” 

"Be careful. Though it’s the worst at the hips, the other bones are more or less in the same state. I’ve made him drink some antipyresis.” 

I handed the unconscious elder over to the noisy bunch.

His {{furigana|Party | Ildam }} worried about him so much. I wonder how much this guy is really admired? Compared to that, I am much more rimless.

But...

As the Chief was carried away, the exhaustion finally hit me.

The rising sun in the relentless mid-eastern dawn was shining. There was/were?? the noisy {{furigana|Party | Ildam }} preparing for their trip and the buzz from people going to and fro the the market.

The smell of the dry soil reached my nose, seems today will be a hot day too.

I lead on the wall after I moved into its shadow.

This happens every time I call out the <Aspects>, especially in the {{furigana| <Hydra>’s| Mushyumaph }} case, the reaction comes more quickly than usual. An abnormal feeling of exhaustion as if my stamina hit zero and my body turned into metal, that kind of heaviness. 

I was aware that I overexerted myself so I’ll probably feel super sluggish after this.
I felt like when I used to skip classes and laze around on the school rooftop like I had all the free time in the world, rolling around loosely. But then the dizziness hit me.

And at that moment, as if he carefully chose his timing, a youth about my age with raven hair noticed me and approached.

It’s Xuyen.

He was wearing a long coat that reached his knees and long pants, and above that was leather clothing that matched mine. 

Down at his feet were leather shoes that looked like boots. Normally it was usual to go with sandals or just barefooted but stepping into the ruins without protection was dangerous. In other words, it was the usual familiar get-up for when one was about to enter Babylon.

“Nn, was just about to go look for you guys.” 

“Sorry. We somehow managed to return on our own. Made you guys prepare for nothing.”

“Nn. That’s okay. It’s good enough that you’re safe.”

This guy’s real name is Ni.El.Xuyen. My friend, and the only <Kiengi> born in our {{furigana| Party | Ildam }} . 

His habit of answering in a nasal tone makes him kind of childish, but even so is splendidly a kid my age.

His has a similar frame, but is a bit thinner and shorter than me.  

His skin tone is a bit burnt brown, and has soft curly hair. His face could be called one of those sexy baby faces. He was at a level where if he were in the current Japan, he would definitely get scouted in a bishounen idol team.

He is normally a quiet person, almost expressionless at that too, but he also has a stubborn side to him. May he’s what they call a double-faced person?

Well stuff happened but now he’s someone I can talk equally with.

“Sensei was worried. I’ll pass on the news later.”

“Is that so? Then please do so. It was seriously bad you know. I’m dead tired. I want to get back to the inn and go to sleep already.”

“Nn. Murakami said he was going to come too. He’s drunk and asleep now.”

“Again? That uncle... I bet he said he had free time till the gate opened and went on a drinking spree?”

“Uh huh. Started last night, continued throughout it.”

Sigh… I guess he was even more of a human failure than I thought.

Unlike Kenny-san’s group which had tens of people, ours only had four.”

Jingorou Murakami, a samurai from the Sengoku period and an old uncle, is our leader. Though he’s an outrageously unreasonable imperator, his skills are definitely first rate.

Gwendolyn's a cool and quiet in 11th century British-born female knight. She participated in the crusades led by the Christian church in order to capture and revive the Holy Lands in the Middle East. She’s the one Xuyen called teacher, because in place of Jin-san, she’s the one training us.

Before we also had a skilled {{furigana|Inuit diviner | Algakoshikh }} called Neltornaltok, but about 6 months ago he lost it and died. Inuits are the tribe of people who lived in the Arctic parts of Greenland and Canada.

And lastly, it’s me and Xuyen, a total of four. 

The headcount is really on the low side, but since the income from the ruins isn’t something one can estimate, it won’t rise. At least that’s what I heard.

“Even though it was Jin-san who told me to do it, dammit! That unsympathetic bastard.

“Well, whatever. Leave him alone. After he becomes sober, this time I won’t let him escape.”

“Nn.”

Xuyen’s gazed scanned me from top to bottom expressionlessly. I was like a child who played in mud, completely dirtied with dry blood, sweat, and desert sand.

“Seems like you were almost done in.”

“That’s not the least of it! I was almost almost a goner! Being chased by an angry scorpion monster, that psycho almost turned me into a sacrifice!

If I wasn’t me then I’d definitely be dead right now. 

“For a gatekeeper like that to be in <Ebadonigul>, what the hell is happening?”

“Nn. It’s certainly strange.”

“It was right in the middle of the city area you know? Wasn’t that place combed clean already? There wasn’t supposed to something so dangerous there!”

“That’s what I heard too.”

This guy’s always like this. He only speaks the bare minimum. Thanks to that, I end up speaking three times more than usual.

But I guess it’s okay like this. Before, even if he faced me, he wouldn’t even speak a word all day; nothing worked on him. Because of that, we almost ended up fighting a few times.

“And that iron hatchet I finally completed was lost too. Damn, what a blunder. It even took 2 Mana and 30 Silver to order it...”

By the way, that was equivalent to forty bags of barley! ...It’s no good. The exhaustion is making me emotional.

“Nn. Is that so.”

Other people would think he was still expressionless, but to me it looked like his face showed a trace of sympathy.

This guy laughs and cries like a normal person too you know. But he isn’t that good at expressing it. Even though I couldn’t really get words out of him, at this point I can read his mood.

“Well, no choice but to give up. A great cost is a great cost.  I’ll just have to lash out at that greedy Grimmkin. I still have some reserves.”  

“Nn.”

I’m a bit envious at the two single-edged swords hanging from Xuyen’s waist.
His swords were a kind of edged weapon called Zapala. Its blade was inwardly bent like a scythe. The blade itself was quite heavy, and it was handled like an axe-center to chop at the target, a special kind of blade found in this area. 

“Well I guess I’m lucky enough to survive at all. Let’s head back.”

It won’t do anything even if I become disheartened here. I have to catch a good sleep back at the inn.

As I stood up and dusted off the dirt from my bottom, a group of two approached this time: a fat guy wearing some expensive and gorgeous Drapery, and a dull giant that looked like his follower.
 
The crafty looking fat mass asked, “Who is the one called Amagi.Souya?” He stroked his flabby chin.

For the well-to-do bunch of <Kiengi>, they usually weave their beards in fine bunches.
He probably had a high social position. He seemed awfully haughty and arrogant, but the way he rubbed both of his hands together and held them before his chest showed an action of respect. Well it couldn’t be helped. I turned to face him.

“Oh. So you were an {{furigana| Outsider | Ba’a }} .

The truth that he was naturally looking down on me was revealed at that fixedly evaluating gaze.

For me who was born and raised in a country where social status wasn’t ranked like this, it wasn’t a pleasent feeling. I’m not a vegetable at the supermarket you know.

“I (He uses Washi) am called Kabutou.IL, a relative of Laashi.IL. I was entrusted with a task by uncle. Well, you can think of me as the {{furigana| great Chief’s | Sudanda }} representative.”
	
There was a hint of pride in the middle-aged man’s oiled face.

“I’ve already been informed by Golden Haired Kenny.”

I could see Kenny-san’s figure at the other end of the plaza. Between that group of about 20 people, she was explaining something to the search party while grilling meat off a pan.

Her crossbow and pack were ready at her feet. Seems like she was planning to go too, what a hard-worker.

“You put yourself in risk to save Laashi.IL no? Truly a good job. Let this Kabutou.IL thank you instead of uncle. Our clan shall not forget this favour. As such, we will deliver a reward later.”

...This is kind of troubling. It was unwelcomed kindness.

I just did what I was supposed to do as a supporter. The compensation will come from the councilor. Well, I guess I was just reluctant because of the failure.

If someone asked, then of course I wanted some cash. I took some great losses, and this is a city where money counts when it matters.

But if I took a strained rewards, then our relationship will turn out to be that of lending and borrowing. Even for me, I’ll deny that kind of relation with all my might. It’s not something I need.

And besides, the one who was trying to save Laashi at any cost wasn’t me. 

"Reward" was what he said but I couldn’t really feel that way from his haughty attitude.

“Please, the feeling alone is enough.”

“Huh? If you’re not satisfied with silver then... oh. Could it be that you want to join our clan? I must say you have a tactful mind there. Certainly if I were to say so then uncle would not reject you. He already left the management to me while he’s under treatment.”

What the hell is this guy saying? His selfish blabbering was bad enough but, I don’t think the ruffian Ruin-raider’s would just obey him like that.

“I was just protecting myself. If you want to thank someone then thank Kenny-san.”

The end. But it might’ve been a little too cold.

Kabutou.IL stammered, as if someone poured cold water on him when he was in a happy mood. And his face was turning a bit red too. A strange silence drifted in the air, as I made clear that we had nothing more to talk about.

“Sage Kabutou.IL. It seems like Souya is still feeling a bit out of it because he was in contact with the {{furigana|<Miasma>  | Ni}} for too long. I’ll make sure off a more courteous greetings next time. But for now please excuse us, a long rest is of essence.

“Y-Yes that’s right. S-So it was {{furigana|<Miasma>  | Ni}} intoxication it seems. There is no helping it if that was the case. But if you say you don’t need a reward then that is fine too. But please be sure to inform him later that he was the one who refused.”

“Thank you.”

It was Xuyen who mediated between us with his smooth words. Hey!!

...Well this guy also spouted out stuff non-stop if he thought it was necessary to talk. Really, only when it was necessary.

“Sheesh. I’ll be heading back!”

After snorting once in displeasure, Kabutou.L went back to the search party’s side along with his servant, who was still as silent as a statue. As I turned around, the cursing words he purposely said aloud reached me.

“How dare he, a mere dirty {{furigana|<Outsider> | Ba’a }} who doesn’t know his lineage...”
Shit! I hurriedly blocked Xuyen.

“It’s okay.”

Xuyen, who had his glare plastered on the fat man’s back turned towards me silently. His eyes were filled with rage.

“It happens all the time. Let them say what they want. Rather, let’s head back.”

I dragged Xuyen back after appealing that everything was ok.

The ancient people are different from the modern people who tame their emotions with logic. Their emotional impulses were violent, and they were much more straightforward with it.

Xuyen, who was usually an expressionless silent character, hid more than necessary passion inside of him. This overly serious one-track minded person gets angrier when insults are aimed at us, his friends, rather than himself.

He abruptly does stuff without any previous warnings at all and often leaves people dumbfounded. But I don’t want to turn this trifling matter into something serious.

After staying silent for some time, Xuyen nodded slightly.

““...Nn. Understood.” 

Well this guy is really a nice guy at heart. He only has a bit of a dangerous side to him.