Chapter 120

The declaration of the founding of the Manheim Kingdom caused a great stir in the north. To tell the truth, there were fewer periods without commotion in the north since Wendigo came to prominence.

Naturally, Wendigo’s exploits were still being used as a topic of conversation as they became known to people…

In the cafeteria of Manheim Kingdom’s university.

Tolmen, the eldest son of the Franche tribe located near the Empire, waved his fork at his friends as he spoke:

“At first, when my father said a university was going to be built in the north and to prepare, I thought I might have to succeed him soon.”

“You’re surprisingly alive. Do southern tribes laugh off that much?”

“Of course, I almost had my head split by an axe. But he spared my life because I’m the eldest son who will inherit the tribe.”

Tolmen pulled his clothes to show his shoulder. On his shoulder remained an axe mark filled with affection, the price for asking about his parents’ well-being.

Tolmen’s friends burst into laughter, seemingly pleased with Tolmen being more northern than expected.

Gunter, one of Tolmen’s friends who was a forest person and a bone-helmeted warrior, also known as the son of a Forest Keeper, chuckled and teased Tolmen:

“Who in the world would be happy to be asked if they’re going to die soon?”

“Damn. Then he should have asked if the eldest son wanted to get lost to the northern edge.”

“This is why southern guys… When His Majesty settled at the northern edge, you should have bowed in gratitude if your father told you to go there.”

“Forest pride is really… Hey, when we were young, no one knew the end of the world would flourish like this, right?”

When Tolmen tapped his bowl of beef soup with a spoon, his friends, including Gunter, nodded.

Had their fathers, let alone themselves, ever imagined that the end of the world would become the most precious golden land in the north?

Even Gunter, who was a forest person, couldn’t deny it.

Who would have known that he would suddenly become the most envied among the children of the north?

“I can’t deny it. It’s still vivid in my memory, the day His Majesty summoned warriors to subjugate the evil dragon.”

In the days not long after his coming-of-age ceremony, His Majesty anticipated that chaos would come to the world and first sought to subjugate the evil dragon lurking in the mountains.

His father risked his life to subjugate the evil dragon to protect his family. For a terrifying battle against a soul-eating dragon and its minions, no less.

“So…”

“Ah, please! Gunter, we’ve already heard that story dozens of times.”

“Leave him be. He’s usually quite decent, but he goes crazy when he starts that story.”

When Gunter began the story of his admired father, his friends recoiled. It wasn’t because he was bragging about his father. It wasn’t a sin for a friend to boast about a father he was proud of.

However, the problem was that Gunter’s story was too… exaggerated.

“His Majesty was moved by the warriors who survived that battle and ordered the Grand Sorceress Skadi to create artifacts using the dragon’s blood.”

“And the warriors who received those artifacts became the first bone-helmeted warriors and the current Forest Keepers? Again, I believe your father is a Forest Keeper, but I really can’t believe that story.”

Tolmen argued with Gunter as if in disbelief. Logically, there was no reason for a dragon to be lurking at the end of the world.

To begin with, it was reality that records of dragons were hard to find, and what little was known of dragon habits didn’t really fit with the north.

“They’re crazy about gold and build nests in gold mines. The north is overflowing with iron and copper mines, but there are no gold mines. What, is there a mine underground?”

“Father said it’s true! He said His Majesty breathed his mystery into the dragon’s heart and planted it in the ground, and that’s why it’s become so fertile now!”

“Tolmen. But it’s true that His Majesty made this land prosperous, right? Then couldn’t he… catch a dragon too?”

As Gunter and Tolmen engaged in a verbal battle over the truth, their friends naturally split into two groups and argued to persuade each other.

So far, the general theory was that it couldn’t be true, but as Wendigo’s achievements surfaced, they were gradually gaining a mystical quality.

“He personally defeated two spirits and subjugated the Blue Mane tribe that frequently raided the Empire.”

“Even when corrupt witches sneaked into the forest for an unholy ritual, he single-handedly cut them down.”

“That’s true, but…”

If only Wendigo’s achievements were mixed with exaggeration, but his feats needed no embellishment.

There was nothing more to say when you consider that a god led the declaration of Manheim’s founding.

Thanks to this, those who had predicted that the university project would fail were so surprised that they knelt and begged for a chance.

However…

“So, is the dragon’s corpse still around?”

“Ugh.”

“Well, of course, they must have completely dismantled the corpse and stored it in the king’s treasury, right?”

“They could at least display part of the corpse as a monument symbolizing the king’s authority.”

Tolmen dismissed their claims with a skeptical expression.

It wasn’t that he wanted to deny that the king was a dragon slayer. From the start, he was the type who wouldn’t believe unless he saw with his own eyes.

Because of that personality, his shoulder was split by his father, so how much more so for the king?

“It was probably a long-lived magical beast he hunted, not a dragon.”

“But… a dragon is cooler.”

“… Don’t tell me you took Gunter’s side because it’s cooler?”

When someone muttered, Tolmen questioned his friends in disbelief.

They had already debated the topic of ‘the being His Majesty subjugated was a dragon’ more than 10 times, and the reason was just because it was cool!

As his friends avoided his gaze, Tolmen asked his most reliable friend:

“Jermy. Please, I’m begging you, can you tell these idiots that a giant worm is more likely than a dragon?”

“Je-Jermy! You think a dragon is cooler too, right!?”

“Idiot. It’s not because a dragon is cool, but considering His Majesty’s achievements… Damn, honestly, a dragon is cool!”

“Ahaha… You see, brothers.”

Jermy, the youngest student at the university and who played the most important(?) role in establishing the university, laughed awkwardly at his brothers’ questions.

In fact, Jermy already knew the winner of that debate.

The problem was that if he said it, half of his brothers would sink into depression, muttering ‘I thought it was a dragon…’

Jermy tried hard to come up with a suitable excuse quickly.

“Come to think of it, your master is called the king’s iron hammer, Gul…”

“Uwaaagh!? Lo-look, there are so many birds, isn’t that amazing?!”

When Gunter, who recalled Jermy’s master, was about to mention the name, Jermy hurriedly pointed at the birds visible.

Where Jermy pointed was the ceiling of the cafeteria. There, dozens of birds were quietly looking around, moving their heads this way and that…

“That one, was it Katrina from the Lefrun tribe?”

“That’s right. She’s a red fox beastkin, but unusually her fur is white and her eyes are red, so I remember.”

Most of the birds were staring intently at Katrina, who was eating alone in a corner of the cafeteria.

They quickly changed the subject at Jermy’s question. It wasn’t a very serious debate to begin with.

Tolmen rested his chin on his hand and pointed at Katrina with his spoon.

“She’s really a strange woman. She’s clearly not bad-natured, but she subtly keeps her distance from people.”

“Isn’t that what makes her attractive? I like her, she’s like a haughty fox.”

“… Don’t invite me if you end up marrying a beastkin later.”

“Why!?”

She’s smart, good at archery, kind but awkward, want to stroke her fur(?)…

After gossiping about Katrina, they now chattered about the birds. Recently, strangely, many birds had been flying around inside the university.

“Did the birds increase because of Katrina? Is it because she’s a beastkin that animals love her?”

“Isn’t that a racially discriminatory remark? I asked an elf merchant if they were vegetarian last time and got ripped off.”

“It’s not because of her. If you look carefully, there are birds observing other people too. Look, that group is staring at us.”

“You’re right.”

Their gaze naturally turned to the birds watching them.

Jermy was particularly interested in an unusually large eagle among them. He was curious about how strangely familiar it felt.

When their eyes met, the eagle nodded, but when other birds looked at Jermy, it looked around fiercely and pecked at them.

“Could they be birds controlled by magic from the professor teaching sorcerers and witches?”

“Why would a professor do such a troublesome thing?”

“Who knows. Maybe they’re monitoring because of that guy who caused trouble drinking hidden alcohol last time.”

“… It’s frustratingly convincing. But that one seems to be staring intently at Jermy?”

Tolmen said, pointing at the eagle. Naturally, Jermy caught his friends’ attention.

Of course, Jermy, who had nothing to say this time either, just broke out in a cold sweat.

“Wait, speaking of what we were just talking about. Your master…”

“Jermy!”

“!”

Hearing a familiar voice, Jermy jumped to his feet. Anna was running towards them, waving her hand from afar.

To Jermy, that sight was nothing short of a savior.

“Bro-brothers, I’m sorry! It seems Anna is calling me, so I’ll be going!”

“Hey! No matter how important your lover is, friendship and loyalty… Hick!?”

Gunter, who tried to grab Jermy, froze like a frog facing a snake when Anna glared at him with wide eyes.

In the world, how great a witch must she be to emit such killing intent?

‘Jermy’s going to have a hard time later.’

‘Ah, I want to date such an affectionate lover too.’

Jermy’s friends sent him gazes filled with pity or envy. If nothing else, it was certain that Jermy would live under his lover’s thumb.

Jermy approached Anna and shuddered, his spine chilling.

“Some-something seems a bit off…”

“I-I didn’t have any strange thoughts! Je-Jermy, more importantly, Lord Dario is calling, so hurry!”

“Oh my, let’s go quickly. Witch!”

“Je-Jermy. It’s not formal speech anymore…”

“Right! Anna, let’s go!”

Jermy answered brightly and grabbed Anna’s hand, running out.

Watching Jermy (1x years old) and Anna (2…) run out, people nodded their heads.

Burning with love was the privilege of youth.

---

After explaining the situation to the university’s stable keeper and borrowing horses, Jermy headed to the royal palace with Anna.

Upon arriving at the palace, servants who recognized them guided them to the room where Dario was performing his duties…

“Damn it, I must be crazy. Blinded by success, to be so immersed in work like this!”

An irritated shout burst from the room. Jermy and Anna were startled and asked the servant:

“Um… Is it okay to go in?”

“Yes. It’s a sound you can often hear in the palace, so don’t worry too much.”

As the servant spoke as if it were nothing and withdrew, Jermy and Anna knocked on the door with disgruntled expressions. Dario then told them to come in with a gruff voice.

The two swallowed dryly and opened the door.

“Damn it, asking to expand the windows so they can see the students better. Even if they’re gods, they should restrain their unreasonable demands!”

“Excuse me…”

“Did you bring tea? Just fill an oak barrel and bring it… Oh.”

Dario, who had been glaring at the documents as if to burn holes in them, paused when he confirmed that the visitor was Jermy, not a servant. He recalled his own shouting image from just moments ago.

However, Dario was a person who could become more shameless than anyone once he started to be shameless.

Dario naturally cleared away the documents and pulled out the reason he had called Jermy, handing it to him.

“Take it.”

“Ju-just now, you were making strange sounds…”

“In this palace, such sounds continue until His Majesty goes to sleep.”

“I heard His Majesty doesn’t sleep?”

“That’s right. You know well.”

“……”

Jermy looked at Dario with pitying eyes and quietly received the letter. It would only hurt Dario’s feelings to ask more questions unnecessarily.

As Jermy began to unfold the letter clumsily, Dario chuckled and said to him:

“You might be running around busily soon. It’s not just anyone, but your master’s wedding, so you should give a good wedding gift.”

“Huh? What do you mean…”

Jermy unfolded the letter, puzzled.

[ Jermy, it’s already been 3 months since I left your side. Honestly, because you were intelligent and persistent, I could leave with a light heart knowing you didn’t need my teachings anymore. ]

“Master…”

Feeling his master’s affectionate heart through the writing, Jermy continued reading the letter with a lump in his throat.

The letter was uncharacteristically long for Gulmag. It contained writings about monsters caught in the forest, realizations, and mysterious phenomena…

Jermy froze after reading the last paragraph.

[Actually, the reason I’m writing this letter is because I feel I might meet my destined partner soon, so I wanted to tell you. I can’t be completely certain, but the scent I can feel from the traces of battle is clearly… ]

“……”

“My, you seem quite shocked.”

Dario chuckled as he watched Jermy and Anna, who had frozen with dumbfounded expressions.

Gulmag (estimated age under 10), he too was a youth chasing love by ogre standards.