Ch.120Chapter 120

The declaration of the Kingdom of Manheimr caused a great stir in the north. To be honest, there had been more periods of turmoil than peace in the north since Wendigo rose to prominence.

Naturally, Wendigo’s exploits continued to be a topic of conversation as they became known to people…

In the university cafeteria of the Kingdom of Manheimr.

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 told me to prepare because a university would be built in the north, I thought I might have to succeed him soon.”

“You’re lucky to be alive. Do southern tribes laugh off that kind of thing?”

“Of course my head was nearly split open with an axe. But he spared my life since I’m the eldest son who will inherit the tribe.”

Tolmen pulled his clothes to show his shoulder. On his shoulder was an affectionate axe mark, the price for asking about his parents’ well-being.

Tolmen’s friends burst into laughter, apparently pleased with how he was more northern than they had expected.

Among Tolmen’s friends, Gunter, a forest person and warrior of the Bone Helmet, also known as the son of the Forest Keeper, snickered as he teased Tolmen.

“Who in the world would be happy when you’re basically asking if they’re about to die soon?”

“Damn it. Then I should have asked why the eldest son was being sent to the edge of the north.”

“This is why southern guys… When the King has settled at the northern edge, you should bow in gratitude if your father tells you to go there.”

“Forest pride is really something. Hey, when we were young, no one knew the End of the World would flourish like this.”

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

Could their fathers, or even they themselves, have 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 that.

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

“I can’t deny it. I still vividly remember the day when the King gathered warriors to subjugate the evil dragon.”

Not long after his coming-of-age ceremony, the King predicted that chaos would come to the world and first sought to subjugate the evil dragon lurking in the mountains.

His father had risked his life to protect his family and defeat the evil dragon. It was for a terrible battle against a soul-devouring dragon and its minions.

“So…”

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

“Leave him alone. He’s usually fine, but he goes crazy whenever he starts that story.”

When Gunter began talking about his admired father, his friends grimaced. It wasn’t because he was bragging about his father. There was nothing wrong with a friend being proud of his father.

The problem was that Gunter’s story was too… exaggerated.

“The King was so moved by the warriors who survived that battle that he ordered the Grand Summoner Skadi to create artifacts using the dragon’s blood.”

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

Tolmen challenged Gunter in disbelief. Logically, there was no reason for a dragon to be lurking at the End of the World.

In reality, it was difficult to find records about dragons, and what little was known about dragon habits didn’t match the north at all.

“They’re obsessed with gold and build nests in gold mines. The north has plenty of iron and copper mines, but no gold mines. What, is there a mine underground?”

“My father said it’s true! He said the King breathed his mystical power into the dragon’s heart and planted it in the ground, which is why it’s so fertile now!”

“Tolmen, it’s true that the King made this land prosperous, isn’t it? So couldn’t he have hunted a dragon too?”

As Gunter and Tolmen engaged in a heated argument, their friends naturally split into two groups and debated to persuade each other.

The general consensus was still that it couldn’t be true, but as Wendigo’s achievements surfaced, they were gaining a mystical quality.

“He’s personally slain two Djin and subjugated the Blue Mane tribe that frequently raided the Empire.”

“He even single-handedly killed corrupt witches who had hidden in the forest for an unholy ritual.”

“That’s true, but…”

If Wendigo’s achievements were mixed with exaggeration, it would be understandable, but his accomplishments needed no embellishment.

Considering that a god had led the declaration of Manheimr’s founding, there was nothing more to say.

Thanks to this, those who had predicted the university project would fail were now kneeling in surprise, begging for an opportunity.

However…

“So is there a dragon corpse left?”

“Ugh.”

“Wouldn’t they have dismantled the entire corpse and stored it in the King’s treasury?”

“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 the King was a dragon slayer. He simply wouldn’t believe anything unless he saw it with his own eyes.

That personality had gotten his shoulder split by his father, so what could he expect from the King?

“It was probably an ancient Beast he hunted, not a dragon.”

“But… dragons are cooler.”

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

When someone muttered this, Tolmen confronted his friends in disbelief.

They had already debated the topic “the being the King subjugated was a dragon” more than ten times, and the reason was simply because it sounded cool!

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

“Jermy, please do me a favor and tell these idiots that a giant worm is more likely than a dragon?”

“J-Jermy! You think dragons are cooler too, right!?”

“You idiot. It’s not because dragons are cool, but considering the King’s achievements… damn it, honestly, dragons are cool!”

“Haha… you know, guys.”

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

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

The problem was that if he said it, half of his seniors would be depressed, muttering “I thought it was a dragon…” which was predictable.

Jermy tried hard to come up with a suitable excuse.

“Come to think of it, your master is called the King’s Mace, Gul…”

“AAAAHHHH!? L-look at all those birds over there, isn’t that amazing?!”

When Gunter tried to mention Jermy’s master’s name, Jermy hurriedly pointed at birds visible in the distance.

Jermy was pointing at the ceiling of the cafeteria. Dozens of birds were quietly looking around, moving their heads here and there…

“That girl, Katrina from the Lefrun tribe?”

“Right. She’s a red fox beastkin, but unusually has white fur and red eyes, so I remember her.”

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

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

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

“She’s such a strange woman. She’s not mean, but she keeps a peculiar distance from people.”

“Isn’t that what makes her attractive? I like that proud fox-like quality.”

“…Don’t invite me when you marry a beastkin.”

“Why!?”

She’s smart, good with a bow, kind but awkward, want to pet her fur(?)…

After gossiping about Katrina, they started talking about the birds. Recently, there had been an unusual increase in birds flying around inside the university.

“Are the birds increasing because of Katrina? Do animals love her because she’s a beastkin?”

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

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

“You’re right.”

Their gazes naturally turned to the birds watching them.

Jermy was particularly interested in an unusually large eagle. He found it strangely familiar.

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

“Maybe they’re birds controlled by magic from the professors teaching summoners and witches?”

“Why would professors bother with something so troublesome?”

“Who knows. Maybe they’re monitoring after someone caused trouble by hiding and drinking alcohol.”

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

Tolmen pointed at the eagle. Naturally, Jermy became the center of his friends’ attention.

Of course, Jermy, who had nothing to say this time either, could only break into a cold sweat.

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

“Jermy!”

“!”

Hearing a familiar voice, Jermy jumped to his feet. In the distance, Anna was running toward him, waving her hand.

To Jermy, she looked like a savior.

“G-guys, I’m sorry! It looks like Anna is calling me, so I have to go!”

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

When Gunter tried to hold Jermy back, he froze like a frog facing a snake when Anna glared at him with wide eyes.

How powerful a witch must she be to emit such killing intent?

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

‘Ah, I wish I had such an affectionate lover too.’

Jermy’s friends gave him looks of either pity or envy. If nothing else, it was certain that Jermy would be living under his lover’s thumb.

As Jermy approached Anna, he felt a chill down his spine.

“S-something feels off…”

“I-I wasn’t thinking anything strange! J-Jermy, more importantly, Dario is calling for you, so hurry!”

“Oh my, let’s go quickly, Witch!”

“J-Jermy, you don’t have to be so formal anymore…”

“Right! Anna, let’s go!”

Jermy answered brightly and grabbed Anna’s hand as they ran off.

People nodded as they watched Jermy (1x years old) and Anna (2…) running away.

Burning with love was the privilege of youth.

* * *

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

When they arrived at the palace, the attendants who recognized them guided them to the room where Dario was working…

“Damn it, I must be crazy. Blinded by ambition, spending all my time buried in work like this!”

An irritated shout erupted from the room. Jermy and Anna were startled and asked the attendant.

“Um… is it okay to go in?”

“Yes. This is a common sound in the palace, so don’t worry too much.”

After the attendant spoke as if it were nothing unusual and withdrew, Jermy and Anna knocked on the door with uncomfortable expressions. Dario responded in a gruff voice, telling them to enter.

The two swallowed nervously and opened the door.

“Damn it, asking to add more windows so I can see the students better. Even a god should know when to stop being unreasonable!”

“Excuse me…”

“Did you bring tea? Just bring it in a full oak barrel… Oh.”

Dario, who had been glaring at the documents as if he wanted to burn holes through them, paused when he realized the visitor was Jermy, not an attendant. He suddenly remembered how he had just been shouting.

However, Dario was someone who could become more shameless than anyone once he started.

Dario naturally cleared away the documents and handed Jermy the reason he had summoned him.

“Take it.”

“J-just now, that strange sound…”

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

“I heard His Majesty doesn’t sleep.”

“Yes. You know well.”

“……”

Jermy looked at Dario with pitying eyes and quietly accepted the letter. There was no point in asking more questions; it would only hurt Dario’s feelings.

As Jermy began to unfold the letter, Dario snickered and said to him.

“You might be busy running around soon. It’s your master’s wedding, so you should give a nice gift.”

“What? What do you mean…”

Jermy opened the letter with confusion.

[Jermy, it’s already been three months since I left your side. Honestly, because you were intelligent and persistent, I could leave with a light heart knowing you no longer needed my teachings.]

“Master…”

Feeling his master’s affection through the writing, Jermy continued reading the letter with a touched heart.

The letter was uncharacteristically long for Gulmarg. It described monsters caught in the forest, insights, mysterious phenomena…

Jermy froze after reading the final paragraph.

[Actually, the reason I’m writing this letter is to tell you that I might soon meet my destined partner. I can’t be completely certain, but the scent I can detect from the battle traces is definitely…]

“……”

“My, you seem quite shocked.”

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

Gulmarg (estimated age under 10), was also a youth pursuing love by ogre standards.