405 – Let’s get it right (1)

A scar is a mark left behind when a wound heals.

Most wounds heal quickly and disappear without a trace, but some do not.

Depending on the severity of the injury, scars may remain dark. In particular, the scars may change the impression others give off.

For people who work in physical professions like adventurers, soldiers, and unmanned vehicles, scars are a daily occurrence. Even if you don’t want to get hurt, you often get hurt.

Therefore, depending on the amount and degree of scars, one can roughly estimate how much hardship the person has gone through.

Instead, if the scar is engraved on the face, it tends to be evaluated poorly in terms of appearance. This cannot be helped.

But if it’s a country where ability is valued over appearance, then it doesn’t matter.

“That guy defeated Queen Sand Scorpion?”

“It looks weak on the outside?”

“You’ll know when you see it.”

This is the assessment made by the Tatars sitting in the stands as they watched Shivar.

The physique itself isn’t bad, but it looks too innocent and weak.

In fact, many people looked down on Shivar because of his unique, absent-minded expression.

Most people only realize this after they’ve been punched. Right now, I’m not showing any force.

I defeated Kara, a strong warrior and priestess, and defeated the monster that was giving me trouble. That was the end of the rumors.

“What? You got hit by Io’s fist and you’re fine?”

“It wasn’t just pride, it was leisure.”

“Should I keep watching?”

But everyone started to watch seriously as the Gulag dancer, Io, appeared unharmed even after being punched.

Even though he wasn’t hit once, but multiple times, he was fine. Even they couldn’t help but be surprised by his durability.

That surprise turned into admiration because of what happened next.

-Whoosh!

Shivar proudly revealed his upper body by tearing off his tattered shirt.

The Tatars reacted favorably, each expressing admiration or ecstasy as they looked at his scarred body.

For Tatars, scars are marks of glory and traces of struggle. They are like a map of life gained through countless battles.

Of course, this is not only true for Tatars, but also for other countries. In particular, soldiers often consider scars as marks of honor.

The Tatars are particularly prone to this. Their barbaric customs have been transformed into ‘romanticism’ as they have progressed through civilization.

Especially, as it is a country of romance, there is a strong tendency to prefer ‘physical beauty’ over appearance.

In that sense, Sivara fit the description of a ‘warrior’ that all Tatars aspire to be.

“An academy student with a body like that? What kind of life did he live?”

“I heard that he was a student who lived in the forest and then entered the academy. Have you heard of the Forest of Chaos?”

“I’ve heard of it. I’ve heard that the inside is harsher than a desert.”

“They say he survived inside. So it’s only natural that he would have such scars.”

The Tatar lords sitting in the VIP seats were also amazed at the sight of Shivar’s large and beautiful body.

Those who had been through the war of tribal unification were especially more likable.

“With a body like that, you must have great strength······ But you don’t show it easily.”

“Isn’t it only used when necessary, like when capturing a queen?”

“If they come from the forest, they must be more savage than us. However, they don’t show any of that. I think we should also take note of the Academy’s training in the future.”

Most of the heads of households who experienced the tribal unification war were middle-aged and elderly.

Wise men who have accumulated wisdom and experience and have very broad eyes to see the world.

They praised Shivar’s academy education, noting that he did not display his power recklessly.

‘That’s just Shivar being nice.’

Kara, who was listening to the whole story, had a hard time holding back her laughter.

Considering the incident that occurred when Shivar entered school, it is true that the education was effective.

But it was more like martial arts training. You didn’t know how strong you were, so strength control was essential.

Mental cultivation is the result of the efforts of those around him, including Lord, not the academy.

From the beginning, Shivar’s nature was good, so he did not commit any moral problems.

‘What is this kid trying to say?’

Kara looked to the side without hiding the corners of her lips rising.

A man with a typical golden sun expression was frowning. His expression showed that he was not pleased.

That’s understandable, since a man who was practically his superior had suddenly appeared.

He even went as far as to open his mouth and kept nagging at Kara until just now. He must be nervous in many ways.

‘Will just one scar suffice?’

Karado Burgar Gaju knows a lot about Uro. Hector told him the whole story.

It was just too similar. Moreover, they didn’t even properly participate in the tribal unification war.

It was at the end of the war when I was defending my base and was ambushed. I have a scar from that time.

‘It should be at least as good as Shivar.’

On the other hand, look at Shivar. He is a perfect groom, lacking nothing.

Force? Victory over Hector, known as the King of Destruction.

Face? If you say that face is ugly, then the world will surely perish.

Flesh? A body full of scars is the mark of a great warrior and a mark of honor.

Intelligence? He’s so physically fit that he doesn’t use his head, but his ability to improvise is quite outstanding.

Even if you leave aside the fact that he lacks common sense, he is an overwhelmingly top-class groom candidate.

‘··· ···’

That’s why Kara couldn’t help but smile. Every single thing was so perfect.

Maybe that’s why she kept hearing some rather unpleasant things. Most of them were stories from the heads of the household.

“I think it would be okay to introduce our daughter to her?”

“Haha. Isn’t this guy being too greedy?”

“You look like a mixed race person. And I heard you speak our language well.”

That’s the story. The moment Shivar revealed his beautiful body, the favorability rating of the heads of households skyrocketed.

If you continue to show off your outstanding military power······

-Bang!

That anxious feeling spread out into reality. Kara suddenly raised her head at the loud noise she heard.

Soon, I looked at the training ground and the expected situation unfolded.

A scene where Io is lying on the ground and Shivar is standing tall.

With just one attack, Shivar took down Io. Kara didn’t see it clearly.

-Wow!

Thunder and cheers filled the arena. The owners responded enthusiastically, even clapping.

Kara also clapped without thinking, but it was a little embarrassing. It felt like all the intermediate steps were skipped.

“It wasn’t a fist, it was a palm strike, a long strike to the temple. It was a very clean takedown.”

“I don’t know who taught it, but it’s a simple movement. What if it was a punch instead of a long hit?”

“The dancer of the Buwar tribe fell in one blow. What great strength.”

Fortunately, the heads of households who prefer conversation described a series of events. It is said that they were thrown out in one room.

Kara snickered when she heard that. In fact, that would be less than 10% of her power.

“Bourggar, it’s your turn now.”

“······I know.”

At the words of one of his subjects, Uro stood up from his seat. His expression looked somewhat complicated.

Kara could tell what he was feeling just by looking at his expression.

Inferiority complex. Uro harbored an inferiority complex toward Shivar, whom he looked down on.

If you don’t know, it’s simple. At one time, Kara, she also had similar feelings towards Shivar.

However, by looking back at myself and also ‘acknowledging’ it, all my feelings of inferiority were resolved.

Instead, affection and love took its place, and an obsession of a different meaning began.

“Would you like a shirt? Please give me the Bouar Gaju?”

Kara made a suggestion to Uro, giggling. It was just a suggestion, nothing more than empty boasting.

She was very good at using the ‘sarcasm’ she learned from civilization. It was a way of speaking that made the listener angry.

“······It’s okay. Princess Kara.”

Uro then expressed his refusal with a hardened face, although his face was still distorted.

Then he turned to Kara and spoke quietly.

“Princess Kara.”

“why?”

“His Majesty the King······”

“Yes, yes, I know.”

I answered roughly because I already knew what he was going to say. Uro’s eyebrows quirked at that.

Kara pointed to the training ground with her finger, maintaining a sarcastic smile.

“You can tell me after you win. If you lose… you know what I mean?”

“··· ···”

“You’ll pay the price for speaking carelessly.”

Uro opened his mouth. He didn’t mean to say anything.

I just moved my tongue in my mouth without realizing it. Hector and Kara are both saying the same thing.

If you can’t defeat Shivar, I’ll tear out your tongue. You’re guilty of putting the princess in your mouth.

“For the record, I lost to that guy.”

“··· ···”

“If you want to have me, you must be stronger than that man. Come and show me the scars of a glorious Tatar.”

Kara has become a great civilized person.

‘Is that my daughter?’

It was such a fancy tongue-twister that even Hector was skeptical.

*****

‘It’s burdensome.’

Maybe it was because I was receiving all the attention from the audience. I felt burdened and embarrassed for no reason.

Who would have thought that just breaking one’s upper body would elicit such a passionate response?

No matter how much scars are a sign of survival, anything too much is not good.

Moreover, most of the scars on my body were acquired when I was weak.

In common parlance, it’s the shit-eaten days. These are things I acquired during the time when I was an extremely weak prey, not a predator.

Rather, after going through adversity and hardship, there were no scars. You see, it’s because of the regenerative ability.

‘I wish someone would give me some clothes.’

I guess I’ve become a civilized person. In the past, I wasn’t embarrassed at all to walk around in my underwear.

Feeling embarrassed for no reason, I stroked my body with both arms. It was an effort to cover it up somehow.

-Gyaaah!

But it backfired. This time, the cheers from the women were even louder.

Surely this isn’t what’s called a s*xual provocation. If that’s the case, I want to hide in a hole.

-Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

At that moment, I heard the sound of someone walking near my ear. It was not drowned out by the noise of the loud stands.

Along with that, the cheers from the audience gradually diminished. It was none other than the Tatar who appeared before me.

A typical golden sun-like impression. The long, sharp lines carved into the upper body are truly extraordinary.

He was holding a fairly large sword in his hand. He seemed to be quite strong, as if he had a muscular body.

“··· ···”

“··· ···”

A subtle silence settled between us. I know that man, and he knows me.

“······you.”

It was about the time the man opened his mouth.

-Shhh!

I approached him in the blink of an eye.

-Crack!

My fist hit him squarely in the ribs.

Judging by the sound I heard, he must have gotten a rib or two.

“Huh?!”

It didn’t matter whether the Bouwar family screamed or not.

‘You should get hit first.’

Even if it’s true, it’s cheap.