Chapter 41

As Geron recited the contents of the message, Wendigo sighed.

‘It seems there really is such a thing as an unlucky name.’

Of course, this problem could have occurred even if the wolf hadn’t been named Oneton.

The story of tracking the wolves meant they had been eyeing them even before arriving at the village.

However, perhaps because it was the name of that vile and petty fellow, it irritated him unnecessarily. Just as a dislikeable person is dislikeable no matter what they do.

Geron, who had stored the message in the archive, asked Wendigo for his opinion.

“What should we do?”

“… Did you say the one who chased Oneton was a shaman?”

“Yes. However, it seems the people didn’t recognize him as a shaman. He probably proclaimed himself as one.”

Wendigo tapped his claws on the armrest of the throne, lost in thought.

Chasing Oneton was already a past event.

What mattered now was the purpose for which the shaman had followed.

If he had come for personal grudges, it was obvious things would get troublesome.

‘But it would be a shame to just drive him away.’

That’s because, setting aside the reason, this shaman was the third one Wendigo had encountered.

While there was no time to persuade or anything with the one who contracted with the boar, this time was different.

At least since he hadn’t caused any trouble, wasn’t there room for dialogue?

‘I don’t even hope to bring him under my command, but it would be nice if I could extract something from him.’

He pondered for a moment what he could extract from the shaman, but nothing suitable came to mind.

Indeed, at times like this, rather than struggling with unknown matters, it was better to call someone knowledgeable and seek their opinion.

“Geron. Send someone to call Skadi.”

“Indeed, Skadi-nim would be more capable in handling such matters, right?”

“Hmm. With my knowledge, the only way to gain benefit from a shaman would be to simply rob him of his possessions.”

Though Wendigo spoke of robbery so brazenly, Geron didn’t waver. It was outrageous, but this was quite a spirit-like answer.

Moreover, as a forest person, Geron was quite accustomed to the law of the jungle…

‘Still, he wouldn’t say such things in front of Skadi-nim, right?’

Geron ordered the warrior waiting outside to call Skadi.

---

A little while later.

As the warriors opened the door, Skadi entered riding on Oneton. Oneton was panting with his usual bright expression.

‘They say you can’t spit on a smiling face. It’s not wrong.’

Wendigo looked at Oneton with uneasy eyes. No matter how he thought about it, it wasn’t Oneton’s fault, but he kept seeing the wolf spirit’s face in Oneton.

Wendigo forcibly tore his gaze away from Oneton and waved his hand towards Skadi. Skadi gently smiled and greeted Wendigo.

“Wendigo-nim! I heard you needed me and came… Has something troublesome happened?”

“Hmm… It seems a shaman has come to the village.”

Wendigo explained to her the reason why the shaman had come and asked if there was anything they could gain from the shaman.

Skadi, rubbing her delicate lips in thought, offered her personal speculation about the shaman’s identity.

“In my opinion, the shaman who appeared in the village isn’t likely to be someone extraordinary. The most likely possibility is that he’s a wandering shaman.”

“A wandering shaman. You mean like the one who contracted with the boar?”

“No. Actually, cases of shamans who have contracted with spirits wandering around aren’t that common.”

To Skadi, who grew up under a strict mother, shamans who hadn’t contracted with spirits were embarrassing to even call shamans, but…

Not everyone in the world was as strict as her mother. For ordinary people, just handling mystery was enough to be called a shaman.

Among those born with spiritual talent, those who were also born with great fortune are recognized for their talent and become disciples, serving under elderly shamans.

Even shamans who live by their own conceit want to leave behind what they’ve achieved in the world when their days are numbered.

These lucky ones receive teachings in shamanism and wisdom from their masters, and contract with spirits that their masters have painstakingly persuaded, receiving part of their power…

Of course, such luck couldn’t be common. Most shamans take nature as their teacher and learn shamanism on their own in it.

“Then the one who contracted with the boar… Ryuk?”

“Spirit-nim. It’s not Ryuk, but Ryurik.”

“It was close enough. Anyway, are you saying he was quite a capable fellow?”

“Yes. Even the tree giant that faced Wendigo-nim would be something a wandering shaman might create only after dedicating their entire life.”

Wendigo was disappointed. To think that a shaman of Ryurik’s level was considered among the capable ones.

Then the level of the shaman who came to the village might be even lower than that.

Geron caught the subtle drooping of Wendigo’s shoulders and gently urged Skadi to continue.

“Still, isn’t there anything we could gain from a shaman?”

“There might be something?”

“As expected!”

Geron looked at Wendigo with a brightened expression. Wendigo too regained his spirits at the words that there was something to gain…

“However… for that, we’d have to strip the shaman bare. After all, if he’s a wanderer, everything on his body would be his entire fortune.”

At Skadi’s firm words, Wendigo sighed as if he had expected it. It was something he had anticipated to some extent.

“If Wendigo-nim wishes, I’ll capture the shaman and strip him of everything he has.”

“Skadi-nim. Even as a joke, such words…”

Geron thought Skadi was joking, but seeing her resolute gaze, he couldn’t help but be shocked.

She was looking at Wendigo with eyes that seemed ready to put her words into action at any moment.

Wendigo was a bit tempted by her proposal, but after thinking for a moment, he shook his head.

“No. No matter what, committing robbery before knowing if there’s any malice… Geron, what are you eating?”

“It’s a fruit good for calming the mind and body. I received it from Skadi-nim a while ago?”

“Why are you… No. You can eat it if you want. I’m sorry.”

As Geron clutched the pouch containing the fruit so tightly it made a crunching sound, Wendigo quickly apologized.

Sending a gaze full of resentment, it seemed he thought Skadi’s radical(?) idea originated from Wendigo…

‘If anything, she’s more extreme than me.’

However, this argument wouldn’t work on Geron, who thought of Skadi like a daughter.

Wendigo decided to willingly shoulder Geron’s misunderstanding. In fact, it wasn’t like he had no part in it at all.

“For now, let’s call in the shaman. We’ll talk about Oneton and… if he doesn’t give up even then, we can deal with him later. It won’t be too late.”

“Yes. Then I’ll send someone to the village to bring the shaman.”

Wendigo hoped the shaman would be a decent fellow. He didn’t want to see blood unnecessarily.

---

The wandering shaman, Isaac, found his current situation quite interesting.

‘I didn’t know such a large force had formed in the forest.’

Though Isaac was a northerner, he wasn’t a shaman particularly connected to the forest. If the wolf he was tracking hadn’t fled into the forest, he wouldn’t have even thought of entering.

He had no choice but to enter because the wolf he was chasing fled into the forest… but the forest looked completely different from the information Isaac remembered.

‘It’s fascinating how the villages are built as if dividing areas, but the mystery felt from there is really…’

Isaac sipped his tea while looking at the forest through the window. Though the dense darkness inside the forest prevented him from seeing inside, it couldn’t hide the mystery he felt.

A pure yet slightly unsettling mystery was faintly flowing out from the forest.

That alone tickled the curiosity unique to shamans, but Isaac’s curiosity didn’t stop there.

Isaac recalled what he had seen on his way here.

‘Not only the land that feels full of strong vitality, but the livestock that felt mysterious are clearly not normal no matter how I think about it.’

While humans might be able to boost the energy of the land through effort, imbuing livestock with mystery wasn’t something ordinary humans could do.

‘Clearly, someone is up to something in this forest!’

Usually, if one felt something strange, they would be unable to suppress their anxiety and try to flee, but Isaac didn’t.

To become a proper shaman, one sometimes needed to risk their life.

“Shaman-nim. Permission has been granted, so I’ll guide you to the temple.”

“Hmm.”

As a warrior with his lower body covered in pants and leather and his upper body exposed spoke politely, Isaac looked him over with a solemn face.

While shamans are required to have various qualities, Isaac’s strongest point was his discerning eye for gauging the level of others.

The warrior could have been dismissed as barbaric due to his wolf skin cloak and exposed upper body, but Isaac’s eyes flashed when he saw the bone helmet hanging at the warrior’s waist.

The bone helmet had quite a deep spell cast on it. Moreover, it was a complex spell that Isaac couldn’t easily attempt with his level.

‘If he possesses such an artifact, he must be a warrior of quite high rank?’

Since objects with spells cast on them were generally considered treasures, ordinary warriors couldn’t carry them around. If one didn’t have the power to protect it, a treasure was like poison that harmed its owner.

Isaac naturally wiped away his solemn expression and flattered the warrior with a friendly attitude.

“Your bearing seems quite extraordinary, you must be a strong warrior… Perhaps you hold a considerable position in the village?”

“Huh? Hahaha, Shaman-nim, you jest too much. While I can’t say my position is low, it’s not that high either.”

“…?”

As the warrior waved his hands and brushed it off as a joke, Isaac looked at him strangely.

No matter how he thought about it, the bone helmet the warrior possessed was something only a huscarl guarding the chief should be able to have…

The warrior, pleased by Isaac’s unintended compliment, tapped the bone helmet and muttered a few words.

“In our village, there’s a shaman-nim whose skills have reached the heavens, and this is a treasure she made for us. Not just me, quite a few warriors…”

The warrior went on about Skadi, who was no less than the pride and idol of the village.

Dispelling the cold, healing the sick, and sharing dreams and hope with everyone…

‘This is why ignorant people are.’

Isaac clicked his tongue inwardly while nodding appropriately. He thought the warrior was thoroughly infatuated.

However, Isaac judged that it wasn’t entirely useless information. At least, if she could make such treasures, maybe half of what the warrior said might be possible.

‘It’s a shame I lost the wolf… but maybe this could be an even greater opportunity.’

Isaac recalled the large white wolf he had been chasing. Though the mystery it held wasn’t at an extraordinary level, for a wandering shaman like Isaac, even that much was precious mystery.

At first, he had thought of hunting the wolf to use in casting spells… but now it seemed the wolf wasn’t the issue.

‘At least this shaman the warrior speaks of must be one of the key figures in this alliance.’

Isaac considered whether he could become a disciple of this unidentifiable shaman.

Judging by the level of the spell cast on the helmet, they must be quite old… if he played his cards right, he might be able to become a disciple.

“We’ve arrived. When you go inside, the warriors guarding the temple will escort you, Shaman-nim.”

“Ah, thank you.”

The temple they arrived at after passing through the forest was not only imposing, but the strong mystery felt from inside made Isaac tense.

The entrance of the temple was guarded by warriors wearing bone helmets and wolves. As the warriors all looked at him at once, Isaac felt a chill down his spine.

‘So what the warrior said was true.’

Not just guards protecting a shaman, but warriors guarding a building wearing such treasures. Isaac looked at the warriors with curious eyes.

As the wolves approached and sniffed, Isaac put his hand on the dagger in his bosom, thinking they might pounce on him.

The warriors scolded the wolves for their rude behavior, pulling on their leashes.

“You guys! What are you doing so rudely!”

“I’m sorry. These guys seem to like people, so they’re excited because an outsider has come.”

“It’s, it’s alright.”

As the wolves whimpered and were dragged away, Isaac waved his hands while touching his own neck.

The warriors smiled at his humble appearance. Of course, Isaac couldn’t see this due to their bone helmets.

As the warriors opened the door, Isaac stepped inside. Inside the temple, quite a few people were moving around, working.

Putting vegetables in baskets, checking prepared meat…

‘… If it’s a temple, why food ingredients?’

“Shaman-nim. Please follow me.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I got distracted.”

Isaac had a moment of doubt, but without time to resolve it, he moved further inside following the warrior’s guidance.

Isaac swallowed dryly as he beheld a massive door. The cold energy flowing from inside made his body shiver involuntarily.

After one of the large warriors guarding the door spoke inside for a moment…

“You may enter now.”

“… Thank you.”

Isaac entered through the door, awakening his senses to the maximum.

What the highly tense Isaac faced was… a huge throne and a giant sitting on it.

Isaac looked around as calmly as possible. Surely there should be people inside since the warrior had spoken inwards…

No matter how much he looked around, he couldn’t find even a shadow of a person.

‘… By the way, what a grotesque taste in statues.’

Isaac harshly criticized the aesthetic sense of the forest people as he looked at the giant sitting on the throne.

Judging by the powerful mystery felt, this statue was certainly made by a shaman.

He had heard that shamans, or those called mages, active in the Empire sometimes make such grotesque things to establish cults…

Isaac unconsciously muttered softly while looking at the statue.

“Even so, decorating the head with a deer skull is…”

“It’s not a decoration, but my real head.”

“… Huh?”

As a voice came from somewhere, Isaac looked around. However, there was still no one to be seen.

Isaac slowly raised his head to look at the statue’s head, feeling a chill down his spine.

“Yes. You came to the village chasing a wolf…”

“Aaaaah!!! The, the statue is speaking!?”

As the statue, no, Wendigo opened his mouth, Isaac panicked and drew the dagger from his bosom. Wendigo looked at Isaac as if dumbfounded.

‘Even so, to call me a statue…’

… Isn’t he too stupid for a shaman?

Wendigo decided to lower his evaluation of the other party even further.