Chapter 82

Wendigo calmly waited for Frank to compose himself.

He knew well that doing anything to someone gripped by fear would only backfire.

‘At times like this, staying still is most effective.’

Maintaining a single emotion continuously is harder than one might think. Especially if left alone without doing anything, emotions easily scatter.

After a while, Frank bit his lip to forget the nightmare.

As the tangy taste of blood filled his mouth, Frank’s mind snapped to attention. This was no time to be showing such an unsightly display.

If he slipped up here, it was clear that either the witch or the spirit would kill him.

‘I, I need to finish offering the tribute and get out quickly!’

Frank took out the tribute he had prepared.

A golden cup made for high nobles of the old empire.

Phrases praising nobility were engraved on the surface of the golden cup, and it was extremely luxurious with rubies and emeralds embedded as decorations.

Frank bowed deeply and carefully offered the golden cup like a slave addressing his master.

“This, this is a golden cup obtained from the old empire. Of course, considering the nobility of the Spirit-nim and the Shaman-nim, such a thing is trivial…”

“You’ll run out of breath talking like that. Calm down and…”

Frank’s words in his nervous state were too fast to hear clearly.

Wendigo waved his hand, ordering the servants to bring the golden cup.

After checking for anything strange, the servants brought the golden cup to Wendigo.

Wendigo carefully picked up the golden cup with his claw and observed it from various angles.

Rodomel couldn’t help but be surprised at this sight.

Usually, the Spirit-nim showed an indifferent reaction no matter what was offered as tribute…

‘How amazing must this item be for him to show such interest?’

Rodomel blinked and looked at Frank again.

He had thought him to be a naive merchant, but to think he had such an amazing trump card.

‘Perhaps even his trembling was to draw attention.’

Acting peculiarly is one of the common methods to attract attention.

Of course, just because it’s a common method doesn’t mean everyone can use it. Being peculiar also meant potentially offending the other party if done wrong.

How many people in the world would try such a thing with nobles or spirits?

‘Unless they’re truly mad or trying to make a name for themselves as a great merchant, no one would do such a thing.’

Thinking about it that way, Frank’s method wasn’t bad.

While proud or arrogant behavior was likely to offend a ruler’s mood, showing fear was more likely to give satisfaction to a ruler.

At least, someone gripped by fear was less likely to plot rebellion or treason compared to arrogant and overconfident fellows.

Rodomel admired Frank’s actions as he replayed them in his mind.

‘Wh-what about my rude attitude just now? A-and why is he examining my item so closely!?’

… Of course, Frank, who had become alone before gaining experience in the trading company, did not possess such level of business acumen.

Frank quietly raised his head and looked at Wendigo.

Having no expression could not be so terrifying.

What secret could possibly be hidden in that golden cup for him to examine it so closely!

‘This seems to be the eastern style of the old empire that Skadi told me about… No. I think she said they don’t prefer engraving phrases there.’

Wendigo wasn’t appreciating the value of the golden cup. From the beginning, the golden cup was nothing more than an extravagant item with nothing special about it.

Nevertheless, the reason he was trying so hard to understand its artistic value was because he felt the need to do so.

Geron, Freya, and even Skadi had emphasized the importance of maintaining dignity, so he couldn’t help but acknowledge it.

Having gained power, he realized he couldn’t keep living while harping on about frugality forever.

‘That doesn’t mean I intend to indulge in useless luxury.’

Luxury, depending on how it’s seen and heard, can become art.

Wendigo had no intention whatsoever of collecting meaningless things like a nouveau riche.

To do that, he would first need to study to be able to discern the value of things…

Naturally, he couldn’t understand the art and thought processes of this world overnight.

“Skadi. Is this a style popular in the western part of the empire?”

After pondering for a while, Wendigo asked Skadi as he held out the golden cup to her.

The western region of the empire, heavily influenced by elves, preferred engraving elegant phrases on objects.

“Hmm…”

Skadi appraised the golden cup, turning it this way and that on Wendigo’s shoulder.

“There’s a phrase comparing nobility to the sun, and I’ve heard such expressions are popular in the southern part of the old empire.”

Skadi finished her appraisal and whispered quietly into Wendigo’s ear.

She thought it wouldn’t be good to show others the sight of her teaching Wendigo…

To Frank, who had been attacked by a witch, this action seemed extremely suspicious.

Could she be telling the spirit to kill him…

“It’s a beautiful golden cup. Is it an item obtained from the old empire?”

“Yes, yes! It’s an item I brought when the trading company I worked for collapsed. Since the North is no different from being ruled by the Forest King, this item naturally should belong to the King.”

“?”

Wendigo was puzzled as the scent of fear from Frank intensified.

He hadn’t tormented or touched him, so why was he so scared?

‘Is he just naturally timid? Well, not all Northerners are fierce warriors.’

Wendigo didn’t think much of it. Not all Northerners became warriors or hunters.

Some people could be more fearful than others.

Wendigo decided to send Frank back quickly out of consideration.

“As my aesthetic sense isn’t particularly good, I got some help from Skadi. She says it’s a good item, so I’m pleased too.”

“Ah, no, not at all!”

“No need to be so humble. Isn’t that right, Rodomel?”

“Ho ho ho! That’s right. This young man will surely become an excellent merchant.”

Suspicion tends to grow as it builds upon itself.

As Wendigo and Rodomel’s praises continued, Frank felt a strong urge to faint.

He wanted to escape this situation quickly!

As Frank avoided Wendigo’s gaze while sweating profusely, Skadi whispered into Wendigo’s ear.

“It seems that merchant is quite tired. It might be better to send him back soon…”

“You’re right. Rodomel and Frank, you may withdraw now.”

With Wendigo’s permission, Rodomel and Frank bowed politely and left the audience chamber.

As the tension drained from him, Frank’s legs gave out and he collapsed.

Rodomel was startled and supported Frank.

“Are you alright! My, why are you sweating so much…”

“I thought I was going to die.”

Rodomel’s concern didn’t reach Frank’s ears at all. The very brief conversation from just moments ago wouldn’t leave his mind.

Of course, it wasn’t because he was happy to receive praise from the spirit.

‘If, if the shaman had criticized instead of praising there… Would I have died?’

There was no one to give him the correct answer, but Frank could be certain.

If the shaman had branded him, his head would surely have flown off!

‘A witch… No, she might be an even more terrifying existence than a witch.’

There was nothing good about staying long in a place where such a being was lurking.

Frank resolved to sell off all his goods within two days at most and leave this forest.

Though he had no clear evidence…

He was certain that the forest would soon fall into chaos.

---

In the banquet hall of the forest palace, Wendigo was dining with Skadi when Geron came to visit, puzzling him.

“Spirit-nim. There’s a strange rumor circulating among outsiders recently.”

Geron reported to Wendigo with a serious expression.

“A strange rumor? Ah, Skadi. This is quite tasty too, try it.”

“Hehe, thank you.”

Wendigo asked while carefully deboning a well-roasted turkey for Skadi with his claw.

For Geron, who had witnessed various incidents while serving Wendigo, to call something strange, it should be at least on the level of a human-faced tree…

Recently, the forest had been nothing but peaceful.

At least, except for those who snuck in with suspicious purposes, there weren’t even any bloodshed incidents, so how peaceful was that?

Geron spoke passionately with an expression full of indignation.

“Voices are emerging in the forest now slandering Skadi-nim as a witch!”

“Huh, what a strange rumor indeed.”

Geron nodded with eyes blazing fiercely.

Wendigo stopped eating and fell into thought.

At least until recently, a witch wasn’t such a significant existence.

It was closer to a derogatory term for those with unusual appearances like Skadi, or evil shamans…

At some point, as the world changed drastically, the meaning of witch naturally changed too.

“It’s true that Skadi-nim has gained special powers, but she hasn’t committed any heinous acts that would incur the wrath of heaven and men, yet they spread such rumors!”

Evil women who freely wield powers close to sorcery, that was what witches were now.

Of course, Skadi was not a witch. How could Skadi, who had been using shamanic powers since long ago, be called a witch?

Especially when she doesn’t use that power to dominate or torment others.

“If strange rumors have started circulating recently, there must be a cause.”

Most rumors, even if not clearly defined, usually have at least a plausible reason.

Perhaps mercenaries or merchants who suffered at the hands of witches spread strange rumors…

“Yes. There is a cause.”

“What is it?”

“Well… It seems the problem is that Skadi-nim is on Spirit-nim’s shoulder.”

“……”

Wendigo looked at Geron with incredulous eyes.

No matter how you look at it, there’s no way they would call a kind shaman a witch just for such a thing, right?

However, Geron was speaking based on the results of analyzing and synthesizing information gathered from people.

“Didn’t Spirit-nim recently receive merchants together with Skadi-nim?”

Wendigo nodded.

At least until Skadi could control the mystery dwelling in her body, they had to stay together.

So naturally, they had to be together even when meeting merchants.

“The merchants who have been here before didn’t pay much attention, but it seems the newly arrived merchants were suspicious of that sight.”

“Suspicious?”

“Yes. That Skadi-nim is controlling Spirit-nim from behind…”

“Wh-what are you saying! How could I do such a blasphemous thing!”

Skadi cried out in shock, so startled she was.

To think they were viewing her conversations with Wendigo-nim, who listened to her and praised her by his side, with such eyes!

“Tsk tsk, to think merchants would be swayed by such baseless rumors.”

“What should we do? If you order, I will silence the merchants.”

Geron requested instructions from Wendigo with determined eyes.

He was ready to personally deal with the merchants who had spouted nonsense if given permission right away.

However, Wendigo shook his head and stopped Geron.

“Suspicion isn’t something you can prevent just by telling people not to do it. Moreover, if we move to silence them, they’ll become convinced that Skadi really is controlling me.”

Above all, at times like this, the opinion of the person involved is important.

Wendigo asked Skadi:

“What would you like us to do?”

“I think it’s best to just leave it be. It’s practically impossible to stop rumors… Above all, unless the merchants are fools, they’ll surely realize there’s no proper evidence.”

From the beginning, it was nothing more than an unfounded rumor spewed by mixing delusions with what they had seen.

What need is there to add fuel to a rumor that will naturally disappear as merchants keep coming and going in the forest?

Moreover, the problem with this rumor was that Skadi was riding on Wendigo’s shoulder…

“Once I can perfectly control the mystery flowing in my body, there will be no reason for me to be on Wendigo-nim’s shoulder, so the problem will be solved.”

Skadi said while creating an ice shard in her palm.

Although uncontrolled cold still caused problems by creating unintended spikes on the ice shard, at this rate, she would be able to control it perfectly soon.

“So it’s alright.”

“If Skadi-nim says so.”

“It wouldn’t be strange even if you got angry, but I’m proud that you’re my contractor.”

Wendigo praised Skadi for dealing with the situation composedly.

Such things are easy to say, but not easy to show in action.

Skadi, elated by the praise, smiled brightly and was certain.

“Yes. As time passes, the problem will surely be solved!”

---

[O Forest King. Men claiming to be followers of the witch have appeared in the land of Duenor.

They caused trouble, saying they follow the forest witch, and called the shaman you favor a witch.

Naturally thinking it nonsense, I personally beheaded them, but if they truly were her followers, I will gladly accept punishment.]

“Ah, damn it.”

It was truly a world where things never go as planned.