Ch.101Chapter 101

How did things get so blown out of proportion?

Wendigo sighed as he sat on his throne, reading through the dispatches unfolded by his attendant.

The attendant shivered as his entire body absorbed the frost-laden sigh.

“I apologize. Why don’t you hand this over to someone else and take a rest?”

“N-no! I can endure this much!”

When Wendigo expressed concern, the attendant shouted confidently despite his trembling.

Though Wendigo felt sorry, he couldn’t help but continue sighing.

Wasn’t it natural to sigh while reading these unbearably boring dispatches?

“I can’t even have a snack… what am I even doing…”

“With dispatches constantly flooding in, what choice do we have? Still, it’s all hardship for establishing the university, so we must endure.”

Geron encouraged Wendigo while speed-reading the dispatches and listening to his complaints.

Normally, they wouldn’t handle business together in the audience chamber, but right now they had no choice.

With new work constantly coming in, working separately in two locations wasn’t efficient.

Moreover, allowing tribal chiefs to participate in—no, to stick their spoons into—the university’s establishment was beyond Geron’s authority.

After reading through a dispatch filled with lavish flattery, Wendigo clicked his tongue and fidgeted with his nails.

“These damn fools want to participate but instead of making proper proposals, they’re trying to get something for nothing.”

The attendant neatly folded the dispatch and set it aside.

There had been instructions not to carelessly discard dispatches, even useless ones, as people could use them as insulation materials.

Looking up at Wendigo, who was (supposedly) trying to take care of people even today, the attendant grimaced and cursed those who had sent the dispatches.

“To send such useless content—I worry they might be underestimating the Djin.”

“Well, you have a point. Unlike those who have faced the Djin’s power directly, to most northerners, the Djin is merely a benevolent entity.”

When the attendant spoke with a face full of discontent, Geron nodded while reading two dispatches simultaneously.

Those who had belonged to the Northern Alliance had experienced submission to Wendigo’s power and held him in awe, but other northerners did not.

People tend to believe what they see.

To most northerners, Wendigo was a grateful but strange(?) Djin who brought prosperity to barren lands, not a normal Djin who harmed people.

‘…Still, being afraid seems more normal.’

Listening quietly to Geron’s words, Wendigo found it absurd.

With so many warriors who had died by his hand, how could people still harbor such soft thoughts?

“With all the people I’ve killed, surely that can’t be the case.”

“There are so many arrogant fools in the world. Besides, those with sense don’t easily believe rumors…”

Given the times, unless one was naive, people didn’t readily believe stories passed from mouth to mouth.

How many wanderers were there who spun tall tales just to earn some drinking money?

Naturally, people often discounted half of a rumor before even judging its veracity, and there was no reason Wendigo’s case should be different.

As evidence, Geron handed Wendigo the dispatch he had been reading.

“That’s why they attempt to plant their people using these useless promises as an excuse.”

“Keep that one separate. I’ll recite it in front of them later to humiliate them.”

Wendigo clicked his tongue and gave instructions.

While a university required many resources, it wasn’t all losses.

Introduction fees for recommending talent, research fees in exchange for studies in specific fields, admission fees naturally paid upon entering the university…

Once the foundation was established and no major problems arose, a university had more ways to generate income than one might think.

Moreover, as an optimized place for finding talent, anyone in a position to try would want to take a shot.

“How many fools would accept such contracts…”

“The North is a land of warriors. Chiefs who’ve spent their lives focusing on building strength occasionally get duped, it seems.”

“…Keep those ones separate. I think they might be useful later.”

Geron quietly nodded, and the attendants, quick to catch on, re-examined the dispatches to weed out those who dared attempt to deceive Wendigo.

Though it was unclear how this list would be used, it surely wouldn’t end well for them.

‘Why are we suffering because of these damn fools?’

‘I hope this becomes a death list.’

Wendigo, Geron, and the attendants sorted out those deserving punishment with unified purpose.

…So much so that finding dispatches with good proposals had become secondary.

It was inevitable that the despicable ones drew more attention.

* * *

From renowned intellectuals in villages to famous warriors and merchants across the North, and even every tribe—they all sent dispatches.

It took Wendigo and Geron four days to sort through them all.

Looking at the neatly organized mountain of dispatches, Wendigo muttered, “Damn, there are so many.”

Geron nodded.

Indeed, the dispatches, each just a single sheet of paper, had formed a mountain, so “damn many” was accurate.

Especially since they had to read many of them while sorting…

“Now that we’ve sorted them as much as possible, I’ll send people outside the forest to verify if the contents of the dispatches are trustworthy.”

The fortunate thing was that Wendigo and Geron wouldn’t have much to do for a while.

Since they couldn’t simply trust the sorted dispatches, they needed loyal individuals to discern the truth of what was written.

Wendigo nodded while looking at the dispatches with mixed feelings.

‘It’s ironic that I want everything to be true since we worked so hard to sort them, yet I also hope half are false.’

After all, they would still need to meet everyone personally to judge their worth.

Recognizing the emotion in Wendigo’s gaze, Geron cleared his throat and gestured to the attendants.

They needed to remove those cursed things from their lord’s sight quickly, or else the university and everything else might be doomed!

‘I can’t let my lord’s worthy achievement be ruined by these rascals.’

The attendants, somewhat aware of the importance of these dispatches, hurriedly gathered them and left the audience chamber.

The dispatches, marked with regions, tribes, and names, would guide the warriors.

“You’ll have some free time until people return. Lady Skadi Brynhild has personally baked an apple pie for you. Why not enjoy it with tea to relieve your fatigue?”

Since time would now solve the problem, Geron massaged his stiff shoulders and suggested Wendigo take a break.

At the mention of Skadi’s apple pie, Wendigo’s spirits seemed to brighten instantly.

‘I haven’t had the chance to eat it recently.’

In the past, Skadi had more leisure time and often served her homemade dishes, but lately she hadn’t had such luxury.

As her responsibilities increased, she rarely had time to cook herself.

And now she was in charge of the university, an institution difficult to gauge…

Remembering the sweet yet tangy taste of Skadi’s apple pie made Wendigo’s mouth water.

“Skadi must be busy too. I feel bad for making her do this.”

“It just shows how much she thinks of you.”

Shortly after, attendants following Geron’s instructions brought in a massive apple pie.

Of course, Wendigo couldn’t eat it all alone when they were together.

Wendigo cut a piece and offered it to Geron, who didn’t refuse the apple pie he hadn’t tasted in a long time.

Crunch!

The tangy apple flavor combined perfectly with sugar, enveloping his taste buds, and the tea gently washed away the stimulating sweetness, making it incredibly refreshing.

Of course, drinking tea was somewhat awkward with his protruding mouth structure.

‘But I can’t use my tongue like a straw like a horse either.’

Still, Geron smiled contentedly as Wendigo enjoyed the tea he liked.

After savoring the last piece, Geron cleansed his palate with tea and rose from his seat.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Are you off to work already?”

Wendigo looked at Geron with regretful eyes.

Geron nodded as if it were only natural.

“Now that the urgent matters are finished, I need to handle the tasks I’ve put aside. Ah, do you have any other tasks for me?”

“…Even the most shameless person in the world wouldn’t assign you more work.”

Obviously joking, Geron burst into laughter when Wendigo recoiled.

Wendigo thought it was a difficult joke to appreciate and crossed his arms.

“Keep that list we sorted well preserved. I plan to invite those people later too.”

“I expected as much, so I’m not surprised. Do you plan to kill them?”

Since it wasn’t truly surprising, Geron asked honestly.

After all, among the villains Wendigo had met so far, those who returned alive could be counted on one hand.

The members of the Northern Alliance?

He couldn’t be certain, but by now, one of their children had probably taken their heads, sending them to the afterlife.

So considering this list as a death list wouldn’t be strange…

“Do I look like someone who kills people indiscriminately?”

“You’re not indiscriminate, but you do kill bad people.”

“……”

Wendigo was speechless at Geron’s answer.

It wasn’t Wendigo’s style to spare villains in the belief they would reform.

With more villains than good people in the world, what need was there to keep villains alive?

“…I don’t plan to kill them all. Some might have made wrong judgments in a moment of greed.”

In other words, if someone was rotten to the core, it wouldn’t be strange if their head flew off.

But there was no reason for Geron to worry about such things.

‘If my lord takes their head, it means they deserved to die in the first place.’

For the sake of the world, wouldn’t it be beneficial for such people to die quickly?

If such sinful lives could help his lord rule the forest and the North, they should consider it an honor.

* * *

For many years, the Empire had approached the northern tribes in various ways.

Sometimes they supported families near the North for a hardline approach, and sometimes they extended a hand, offering the Empire’s prosperity and civilization as a carrot.

The Kaffustin family was one that had joined the Empire relatively recently.

Naturally, having joined late, the Kaffustin family had yet to gain recognition from the imperial nobles…

“Hahaha! Finally, finally my opportunity has come!”

“Congratulations, young master!”

Dario Kaffustin, the second son of the Kaffustin family, read the dispatch from the edge of the North and burst into cheers.

At last, their chance to gain recognition in imperial society had arrived.

‘At first, I laughed at the idea of establishing a university in the impoverished North, but it’s a bigger catch than I thought!’

Merchants trading with the Empire traveled through tribes friendly to the Empire or families of northern origin.

Having connections to the Empire made crossing into it easier.

Thanks to this, Dario had heard about the university, collected information, and realized it had considerable potential.

The Djin known as the Forest King, who had recently made a name for himself in the North, was the driving force behind the university’s establishment.

Ruling the most prosperous land in the North, with power so great that none dared to challenge him.

If such a being established a university, it surely wouldn’t be completely useless.

One of his subordinates smiled slyly and flattered Dario.

“Ever since I saw the writing that moved Baron Kaffustin’s heart, I knew you were extraordinary! To think you’d even move a Djin’s heart!”

Though it was blatant flattery, Dario raised the corners of his mouth and enjoyed it.

It wasn’t entirely wrong—Dario had used his innate talent for flattery to win his father’s favor and was being considered as the next heir.

The ability to say only pleasing things was a kind of talent.

“Enough flattery. Prepare to head north. We need to move now to reach the End of the World by the appointed time.”

“A-are you going to meet the Djin directly?”

“Ha, there’s nothing to fear. Djin or human, there’s not much difference.”

When his subordinate showed fear, Dario snorted.

While the prospect of visiting a Djin’s lair might seem frightening, Dario wasn’t afraid.

After all, capturing someone’s heart depended on how one used their words.

‘I’ve even manipulated my father, who is as suspicious as he is greedy. A Djin won’t be any different.’

According to rumors, the creature valued humans dearly.

What a perfect target to manipulate!

‘Well, they also say he’s killed quite a few people.’

Fighting hundreds of warriors alone, witches trying to capture the Djin only to have their souls taken…

It was hard to guess how much truth lay in these exaggerated rumors.

While the Djin’s power was said to be strong, how could anyone face hundreds of warriors alone?

Only uneducated northern bumpkins would believe such rumors.

‘The threat is minimal, and the reward is mountainous!’

Dario was convinced his time had come.