Ch.138Chapter 138

The armored spiders were too preoccupied with feasting on Zeloa’s corpse to pay any attention to Wendigo and Gulmarg as they slipped out of the cave.

Honestly, it would have been perfectly normal if at least one had noticed and attacked them…

When they reached the end of the passage, Wendigo looked back one last time to check on the armored spiders’ movements.

With more than ten armored spiders feeding on it, Zeloa’s corpse had literally been reduced to nothing but bones and shell.

Wendigo noticed that several of the creatures were unusually large and trembling.

“… So that’s why they were so fixated on Zeloa’s corpse.”

“Keeeeeeee!!!”

Three of the armored spiders let out horrific screams and began rapidly increasing in size.

The death of a solitary ruler is nothing but an opportunity for its offspring to seize the crown.

The three armored spiders that had consumed the most of Zeloa’s corpse began emitting pheromones to control the surrounding spiders, howling and keeping the other queens in check.

As the ground began to rumble, Gulmarg’s face hardened as he warned Wendigo.

“Wendigo, step aside. Something’s coming.”

Wendigo and Gulmarg pressed themselves against the wall, waiting for whatever was causing the tremors to appear.

Moments later, dozens of armored spiders rushed through the narrow entrance. They split into three groups, following the pheromones that appealed to them most, forming three separate queen factions.

They showed absolutely no interest in Wendigo and Gulmarg.

Who had time to worry about them when they needed to pledge loyalty to a new queen and secure Zeloa’s legacy?

Gulmarg was disgusted by the armored spiders’ nature, starting family feuds before their mother’s body had even cooled.

“Armored spiders, ungrateful bastards.”

“Thanks to them, our escape is easier. Or perhaps eating their dead parent is their way of showing filial piety.”

“……”

Gulmarg stared at Wendigo with an incredulous expression at his savage joke.

While Wendigo was certainly a just king, a true friend who would go to great lengths to help others, and a warrior worthy of respect… he was truly terrible at making jokes.

… Though in truth, he hadn’t actually meant it as a joke.

* * *

Once a family feud properly ignites, the flames tend to spread to even distant relatives.

Especially when inheritance is involved. If you don’t want to be driven out of the cave, you have to pick a side and fight bloody battles.

The armored spiders responding to the pheromones hurried deep underground to serve their new queens, allowing Wendigo and Gulmarg to reach the surface without any interference.

Naturally, the spiders on the surface had either returned underground or been sent to join their mother by the warriors.

Seeing no need to fight on the surface, Wendigo tapped Zeloa’s head hanging from Gulmarg’s waist and muttered.

“I didn’t expect that not a single one would show interest despite us having Zeloa’s head.”

“……”

Having similar thoughts, Gulmarg lifted the severed head with a blank expression.

He truly hadn’t imagined that not a single armored spider would show any interest.

‘… Should I really give this to Angrid?’

Gulmarg seriously wondered if it was appropriate to give such a trophy to Angrid.

Of course, Angrid knew nothing about Zeloa and would be happy to receive a monster’s head as a gift, but what Gulmarg had witnessed of Zeloa and the armored spiders was nothing short of a dysfunctional family.

For Gulmarg, who valued family harmony, it felt like giving an evil spirit as a gift to Angrid…

“Gulmaaaaarg!!!”

“!?”

Startled by the familiar voice, Gulmarg looked up. Angrid was flying toward him.

Upon hearing that Gulmarg had surfaced, Angrid had rushed over and launched herself at him in joy.

Successfully executing the surprise attack that Zeloa had failed to accomplish, Angrid knocked Gulmarg over and climbed on top of him. With a bright smile, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Do you know how worried I was when you fell underground? If you were planning something like that, you should have told me!”

“Angrid, that wasn’t planned.”

“Aaah… You’re covered in blood! And there’s a hole in your hand!”

Of course, while he might look more impressive now(?), what wife dreams of her husband dying before they even have their wedding?

After checking Gulmarg’s condition, Angrid opened the pouch at her waist and applied medicine to his wounds.

Finding himself suddenly being treated by Angrid, Gulmarg glared at Wendigo resentfully. He might have been lost in thought and missed her approach, but Wendigo must have seen her coming.

Gulmarg’s assumption was correct. It would have been strange not to notice someone running toward them as excitedly as a puppy reuniting with its owner.

But why would Wendigo dampen the moment when Angrid was just happy to see Gulmarg after his ordeal?

Wendigo chuckled and said to Gulmarg.

“Don’t look at me so resentfully. Those wounds needed treatment anyway.”

“These wounds would heal quickly with enough time.”

“Or is it that you don’t want to appear weak in front of Angrid?”

“Ahem!”

Wendigo’s words hit the mark, and Gulmarg cleared his throat to avoid answering. Angrid looked at Gulmarg adoringly as she patted his wound.

“Whenever Dad came home injured, Mom would always apply medicine. And when Mom got hurt, Dad would do the same. Isn’t that what couples do?”

“Hmm… You’re right.”

Could the word “couple” have sounded so good?

Gulmarg watched Angrid applying medicine, his fangs twitching slightly. As she worked, their eyes naturally met…

As a pink atmosphere developed between them, Wendigo folded his arms and remarked.

“As someone who shared in the hardship, I’d appreciate if you saved the romance for when you’re alone.”

Flinch.

Angrid, who had been entranced and aiming for Gulmarg’s lips, suddenly realized Wendigo was nearby and backed away with a blush.

Gulmarg complained to Wendigo with a dissatisfied expression.

“Wendigo, don’t interfere with Angrid’s courage.”

“You’ll have plenty of time for that after marriage… Besides, that’s why you brought Zeloa’s head, isn’t it?”

“Ah!”

When Wendigo pointed at Zeloa’s head, Angrid finally noticed it and picked it up with sparkling eyes.

After examining Zeloa’s face, Angrid muttered with disappointment.

“It’s… plainer than I expected. I thought the leader of the armored spiders would look fiercer.”

“Its personality was fiercer than any beast. As for its skills… well, you can guess from Gulmarg’s wounds.”

Angrid nodded at Wendigo’s explanation, but her disappointment didn’t fade easily.

The Hrimtur traditionally enjoyed hunting fierce and ferocious-looking beasts to show off as trophies, but while Zeloa might have been powerful in life, its face wasn’t particularly intimidating.

Zeloa’s face looked peaceful, as if it were merely sleeping and might open its eyes at any moment…

Clack!

“Eek?!”

Zeloa’s grotesque jaw suddenly split open, revealing sharp teeth and a slimy, extended tongue covered with spines of unknown purpose.

Angrid jumped in surprise and held the head at arm’s length, but when the head showed no further movement, she scratched her head sheepishly.

“Hahaha… I thought it was going to attack when it suddenly opened its mouth. But now that I look at it, I quite like it!”

“… You mean the head? Seriously?”

“Yes! Aren’t these horrible teeth and harpoon-like tongue extremely threatening?”

Angrid smiled as she reevaluated Zeloa’s face. Unlike common creatures like mammoths or saber-toothed tigers, Zeloa was a rare and unique monster.

Of course, to Wendigo, it looked like a monstrous woman happily holding a monster’s head…

“Wendigo, I told you. Angrid would definitely like it.”

Gulmarg teased Wendigo with a satisfied expression, as if he had known all along.

Wendigo burst into laughter and nodded.

A woman who delights in receiving an enemy’s head and a man who understands her heart enough to personally cut it off and bring it to her.

If nothing else, they were certainly made for each other.

* * *

Though the armored spider extermination had ended successfully, the Hrimtur didn’t part ways immediately.

There were many armored spiders to butcher, and more importantly, who would miss the wedding of the youngest daughter of Voltorn, the famous Hrimtur hero?

Wendigo savored a cold dish made from armored spider meat while casually speaking to Voltorn, who was surveying the wedding venue with eagle eyes.

“I think quite a few of them stayed behind because they knew you’d bash their heads in if they left.”

“Ha! Of course they wanted to attend the wedding of the most beautiful woman in all of Hrimtur!”

Voltorn firmly denied Wendigo’s insinuation while keeping a sharp eye on the guests, making sure they wouldn’t ruin his daughter’s wedding.

Wendigo dipped shark meat in traditional Hrimtur sauce as he looked around the wedding venue.

Due to their size, the Hrimtur couldn’t build structures for wedding venues, so their ceremonies were typically held outdoors.

This was no exception, but the Hrimtur valued weddings just as much as anyone else. Everyone wants to make life’s rare important events as splendid as possible.

Angrid’s family had brought out precious hides to create walls and decorated them with ornaments made of bone and metal to make her wedding magnificent.

They had even carefully crafted totems, which they normally found too troublesome to make, to erect pillars. It was clear how much Angrid was loved by her tribe without even asking…

‘…They could have sent some people home and still had plenty of guests.’

“Hup!”

Warriors who made eye contact with Voltorn often dropped their utensils due to his intimidating aura. In severe cases, they couldn’t even swallow their food, wondering what mistake they had made.

Voltorn’s childish behavior continued until Angrbodar came to fetch him.

“Honey! Come quickly. Angrid is waiting!”

“Aaack! Ang-Angrbodar, I can understand words, you don’t need to pull my ear… Aaaack!”

“This is what happens when you have staring contests with the guests. Come on!”

Angrbodar dragged Voltorn away by his ear for his childish behavior. Wendigo snickered as he ate armored spider meat dipped in salt.

Shortly after, the guests at the center of the venue parted, and Angrid and Gulmarg appeared.

They wore traditional Hrimtur makeup and clothing made from animal bones and hides…

“Hmm?”

Angrid and Gulmarg looked around, spotted Wendigo, and beckoned to him. Wendigo, who had been reaching for another dish, pointed at himself in confusion.

Why would they call him, who wasn’t family, to their wedding?

But Angrid and Gulmarg continued to gesture with smiles, and as everyone’s attention focused on him, Wendigo sighed and approached them.

Wendigo reluctantly stood beside them.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for an outsider to intrude on a family event.”

“What are you talking about? Thanks to you, I’m marrying Gulmarg. ‘Outsider’ is too formal!”

“Angrid is right. I met Angrid thanks to you, Wendigo. That’s why we want you with us.”

Not disliking their warm words, Wendigo smirked and joined them for the wedding ceremony.

Voltorn and Angrbodar began their congratulatory speeches.

Angrbodar wished for typical family peace, happiness, and an abundance of children.

As for Voltorn…

“The day Angrid sheds tears will be the day your life comes to an end…”

“Honey!”

Voltorn was being Voltorn. He listed all the things Gulmarg should never do to his daughter, even as Angrbodar smacked his back.

The guests burst into laughter at Voltorn’s doting father behavior, and Angrid hit her father’s shoulder in annoyance. Yet her face showed she didn’t really mind.

Finally, Gulmarg and Angrid kissed, swearing before the Glacier Giant, whom the Hrimtur worshipped as their ancestor, to love each other forever.

Amid the cheers of the people, Angrid and Gulmarg became husband and wife.