Ch.132King Maker #2

When I move separately, I draw some attention, but when I blend in with the usual crowd, that attention diminishes.

So I planned to secretly leave the territory by mixing in with the elves being dispatched to this place.

I didn’t know if there were imperial spies in this territory, but it couldn’t hurt to be careful.

That merchant who might be burning with resentment by now could have secretly sent someone, and I couldn’t rule out the possibility that he might have connections with other nobles.

“Which tribe is closest to the elf village?”

“Ah… I believe it was the Hound tribe.”

Though they were elves who had lived cut off from the outside world, they weren’t so ignorant as to be unaware of the surrounding political situation.

Thanks to that, I could hear various stories from Eileen’s lips.

Most of it was information I’d already seen in reports, but hearing it from the mouth of a neighbor who lived nearby had its own charm.

“The Hound tribe occupies an ambiguous position among the twelve tribes. They’re highly trusted for their exceptional abilities and strong loyalty, but that’s also their weakness…”

“A weakness that’s not really a weakness, you mean.”

They were ideal subordinates, but they struggled to stand in positions of leadership alongside the king.

Even now, they survived the selection process but couldn’t make it to the end.

It was truly an awkward position.

I listened briefly to the rattling sound of the carriage, then glanced at Eve, who was sound asleep leaning against my shoulder.

Some might call me careless, but she had exhausted herself all morning, so it couldn’t be helped.

Besides, this wasn’t a place teeming with monsters.

“Um… may I ask you something?”

While I was lost in thought looking at Eve, Eileen cautiously posed a question.

I naturally shifted my gaze toward her and nodded silently.

It meant she should speak if she had something to say.

“Is it true that war might break out?”

“I’m not certain. But I think there’s a high possibility. If it were simply about establishing agreements between nations, they wouldn’t be moving in secret.”

“…I suppose that’s true.”

There’s always a reason for moving in secret.

Even thieves try to minimize their footsteps to avoid being caught.

Eileen seemed to understand this, nodding with downcast eyes.

At first glance, the elves seemed to have nothing to do with this potential war, but without knowing what the Empire was after, we couldn’t be completely at ease.

If the elves came under direct pressure, it would obviously be a major problem, and even if not, complications seemed likely.

For instance, assuming the Empire was definitely targeting the Kingdom and had already formed an alliance with the Beastkin Nation, the elves, situated between the Kingdom and the Beastkin Nation, could come under pressure.

Just as I was planning to cross through numerous elf villages, the enemy might think the same.

When that time came, the elves would have to make a choice, and Eileen seemed troubled by the thought of that decision.

“Eileen. If war breaks out, how do you think the other village chiefs will respond?”

“I can’t say for certain, but… we have our pride.”

Pride, huh.

That single word made me think that whatever choice the elves made would be acceptable.

Even bad connections are still connections, and in some ways, they’re more tenacious than good ones.

Besides, our relationship hadn’t been too bad lately.

“That’s enough for me.”

If they sided with the Empire, I’d use them as double agents; if they sided with us, I’d provide appropriate support.

I thought this and smiled slightly.

It felt fortunate to see some light from a small act of loyalty.

.

“Fire!”

“Keep watch on the rear properly!”

Wind leapt like flames, and flames swept through the area like a storm.

Between these, the elves’ shouts rang out like awls, and with each shout, another monster fell.

From four-legged beasts to bipedal creatures, they came in all varieties.

I stood watching the scene with Eileen and Eve nearby.

I didn’t want to interfere and potentially disrupt their rhythm, nor did I want to get in the way and annoy the elves.

So it seemed better to stay put.

—Grooowl…!!

Each time a high-ranking monster like an orc roared and fell, the surroundings reverberated.

With the explosions of spirit magic mixed in, my ears were not just stinging but nearly bursting.

If I had enhanced my hearing with mana, my eardrums might have ruptured.

“Oh! I’m sorry! A Yellow Cat is heading your way…!”

Yellow Cat. Literally a yellow cat, but these were small, agile creatures with sharp claws and teeth that made them quite troublesome.

By my standards, they were far worse than the lynx I once considered ferocious.

One of these had slipped through the elven formation and was approaching us, causing the elf who missed it to cry out in dismay.

—Shaaark!

As it flew toward me with its yellow eyes and vertical pupils wide open, I instinctively wanted to step back.

Its claws were so long that it sent chills down my spine.

“Huu.”

I took a moment to catch my breath and carefully observed the cat as it approached.

It had taken a powerful running start and leapt high, preparing to swing its long claws.

If I remained still, my face would be torn at minimum, and my eyes could be severely damaged.

Judging by the length and thickness of its claws, that was entirely possible.

So I had no choice but to extend my right hand, covered in aura, at an angle to block the blade-like claws.

A metallic clang rang in my ears.

If I hadn’t covered my hand with aura, my right hand bones would have been at least half-severed and turned to rags.

The numbing sensation was quite chilling.

I quickly curled my hand into a fist as soon as I blocked the claws.

The result was a strange sensation like holding a blade in my hand, and the Yellow Cat whose claws I had caught let out a cry and struggled.

“My lord…!”

Eve, who had been guarding me, cried out in surprise.

She had been vigilant in fending off approaching monsters, but this one was so small and fast that her reaction was a bit late.

Her expression full of regret clearly showed her apology.

“Eve. I’m fine, so keep watching our surroundings. This isn’t the time to relax, nor is it the time to focus only on me.”

“Y-yes!”

When I spoke coldly in a deliberately low voice, Eve seemed to come to her senses and hurriedly turned her gaze away.

Fortunately, the expression I glimpsed before she turned away showed neither hurt feelings nor guilt.

—Kyaaak!

While I was briefly talking with Eve, the creature struggling in mid-air swung its remaining claws.

Perhaps because it swung from an unstable and fixed position, it was slower than before and less fierce.

Thanks to that, I could catch it with my left hand, which was also covered in aura.

With both front paws caught, it still glared at me, showing signs of resistance.

Whether it was the resistance of a hunter or an attachment to its prey, I couldn’t tell.

I only knew for certain that I couldn’t leave it alone.

Crack! First, I twisted its front legs with all my might to prevent it from swinging its claws.

As a result, a chilling scream that sounded just like a baby’s cry spread far on the wind.

If a modern animal protection group had seen this, they would have been beyond outraged.

However, this place was monster territory, and though relatively safe, it was dangerous enough to lose one’s life if careless.

I had to be resolute to avoid having my life cut short by acting half-heartedly.

Resolute enough to twist its two legs forcefully and break them, then bend them at right angles to completely shatter them.

I looked into the eyes of the limp Yellow Cat and released my right hand.

Since I had completely destroyed its legs, it could neither swing its claws nor walk properly.

They just dangled like the arms of a wooden puppet.

With my now free right hand, I reached for its nape and gripped it tightly like I was strangling it.

For a moment, I met the terrified eyes of the Yellow Cat, but it was the one that had rushed at me intending to kill.

I might have spared it out of pity, but I had no reason to.

I had neither the skill nor the leisure to tame monsters.

Therefore, I simply applied pressure to the hand gripping its neck and cut off its breath in one go.

“My lord! Are you hurt?!”

“No, I’m fine. How about you, Eve? Are you depleted of mana or…?”

“I have plenty of mana left, and I’m not hurt at all. As you know, spirit magic is quite efficient.”

Shortly after, I calmed Eve who had rushed to me in a fluster, and surveyed the surroundings where the fierce atmosphere had somewhat subsided.

The monsters that had been charging seemed to have fled, judging they had no chance of winning, and numerous corpses were scattered everywhere.

With blood added to the mix, it truly looked like the floor of hell.

The elves were wiping sweat with their sleeves and checking the surroundings, and Eileen was among them.

Though not the village chief, she was still a respected elder of the village, so her authority remained intact.

“Might you have been injured somewhere, my lord…?”

“I’m fine. It might sound like childish boasting, but… I can at least protect myself.”

I smiled and answered Eileen who had rushed over belatedly to inquire about my well-being.

After years of training under Helena, it was impossible not to improve.

Both Eileen and Eve, who was listening beside me, seemed to realize this anew.

They opened their eyes wide as if recalling a fact they had forgotten.

“I’m truly relieved.”

“Yes. Thank you for your concern. How are the other elves?”

“Everyone is accustomed to this, so there are no major issues. No one is injured, so we could continue on, but if you’re tired, would you like to rest for a while before proceeding?”

“I’m just sitting quietly in the carriage, so how could I be tired? If the elves are fine, I’d like to continue…”

“Understood. If that is your wish, we’ll depart as soon as we finish regrouping.”

Eileen bowed politely and then jumped into the group of elves to quickly organize the situation.

As a leader, she had good command and a fitting ability to calmly assess the surroundings.

“My lord, the preparations are complete.”

The horses that had been kept in the rear were now stable, and the corpses had been cleared enough to open the path.

Perhaps because we were far from places like Riesling Margrave’s territory where mercenaries gathered, despite all this commotion, not a single unfamiliar presence was felt.

“Good. Let’s set off again.”

At my command, the group began heading toward the forest again, and the sound of carriage wheels rattling could be heard.

Everyone was riding in wagons, so no elf was walking.

This was to minimize fatigue from transport and movement.

The elves were seated in groups on several wagons, which also carried simple food and camping equipment like tents.

However, perhaps because they had only cleared enough to move forward, there was blood from monsters staining the wheels here and there.

Although they had wiped it off for now, it seemed we would need to clean the carriages first upon arriving at the village.

The processed wood wouldn’t rot easily, but it was dirty.

“My lord, I know it’s presumptuous, but could you possibly delay your departure immediately after we reach the village?”

In the midst of pushing through the forest, Eileen, who was riding in the same wagon compartment, cautiously suggested.

She was so careful and considerate that I felt sorry just watching her.

“Why do you ask?”

“When we arrive at the village, I’d like to send a messenger immediately to ensure there are no obstacles to your movement. Also, while you stay briefly, we can double-check anything we might have missed…”

It was a reasonable point. Although we were hurrying for something that might or might not happen, the old saying “haste makes waste” came to mind.

So it seemed good to follow Eileen’s suggestion and recheck our plans and necessary supplies.

I nodded readily, thinking her words made sense.

“That’s right. It’s not a bad idea to check once more before entering. It might even be beneficial. What do you think, Eve?”

“I… I’ll follow your wishes, my lord. But personally, I think it’s a good idea too. While exploring the village, we might find some useful items.”

With Eve also saying this, there was even less reason to object.

As a result, we decided to stay in Oberon Village for a day or two after arrival to take time for preparation.