Ch.25Chapter 25

Winter was the most treacherous time and also the quietest.

Unless it was an extremely urgent situation, there was no reason to wander around enduring bone-chilling cold.

Especially in this forest where blizzards… no, snowstorms raged, wandering around in winter was literally a choice bordering on suicide.

Wendigo recalled the few memories he had of winter while standing in front of the snow-covered palisade.

Or could this even be called a memory?

‘…Finding a frozen bear to death isn’t exactly a fond memory. More like something out of a horror story.’

A forest where bears fail at hibernation and freeze to death. At this point, he could only marvel at the forest people.

How did they survive in such a forest?

“Hey. Now that spring has arrived, it feels warm and nice!”

“The snow isn’t even thinking about melting yet. Is this really spring?”

“What? Since the snowstorm has stopped, isn’t it spring?”

When Geron looked at him as if asking about obvious common sense, Wendigo understood why these people had been able to survive in the forest.

People who would die from just this much had clearly already become wandering spirits.

“Everyone hurry up and clear the snow! If you’re not careful, you’ll lose your toes!”

“The snow is frozen here. Someone bring a hammer!”

As spring arrived, people moved in unison to start clearing the snow.

Breaking frozen ice with hammers and awls, shoveling snow to appropriate places, carefully sprinkling hot water when needed…

Wendigo clicked his tongue when he saw the hot water that had just been sprinkled freeze instantly upon contact with the snow.

“If boiling water freezes in an instant, this is definitely not normal cold.”

“Still, being forest people, their speed is impressive. I was worried about how to clear all this snow.”

Skadi Brynhild, wrapped in a soft fur cloak, stood beside Wendigo watching the people with curiosity.

Though she was a woman raised in cold lands herself, she was relatively weak to cold compared to the forest people. The forest people had something… frighteningly healthy about them.

“Hahaha! Thanks to Lady Skadi’s totem, the snow is soft!”

“Woooah! Let’s clear all the snow before sunset today!”

“That’s the spirit, Oldro!”

If this was how much the cold was reduced thanks to the totem… this was truly a terrifying forest.

As burly warriors forgot about the cold and began clearing snow piles, the ground around the palisade was quickly exposed.

Wendigo scratched the frozen ground with his nail. Clear black soil stuck to his nail.

“The black soil has already spread this far.”

“Hmm… I think it will continue to grow. Honestly, it’s spreading faster and wider than expected.”

Indeed, it was performing as expected of a three-hundred-year-old fertilizer, or rather, heart. The ground around the village was already turning into black soil even though years hadn’t passed.

Wendigo was looking at the ground with satisfaction when he raised his head, sensing something from the forest.

The snow-covered forest was perfect for creatures to hide in, but they couldn’t deceive Wendigo’s intuition. Someone was definitely moving through the forest.

But it wasn’t an attack. Wendigo called for Geron, recognizing the familiar presence. It was time to welcome guests.

“It seems Ivan and people from other villages have arrived. Geron, tell everyone to prepare a feast.”

“Yes. I’ll tell them to prepare warm clothes and food.”

Wendigo nodded.

For those who had trudged through snow, not only would they be hungry, but how they must long for warmth.

If they filled their stomachs with warm food and wrapped themselves in fur, goodwill would surely spring forth even where there was none.

‘Such small gestures of goodwill often return as solid loyalty.’

Wendigo decided to go out and greet them personally since he was showing goodwill anyway. It wasn’t that far after all.

“Skadi. I’ll go greet them, so please prepare the feast with Geron.”

“Yes. I’ll prepare everything perfectly so people can feel Wendigo’s mercy and benevolence!”

“No. There’s no need to make it that grand, just prepare moderately.”

Skadi’s eyes, which were about to burn brightly, drooped. It was pitiful, but unavoidable.

When she sincerely prepared something, it was impossible to stop her, so preemptively blocking it like this was the best method.

Wendigo barely managed to keep his permission from bursting out and headed toward the forest.

* * *

Entering the forest, Wendigo felt his senses sharpen more than usual. The forest itself was more suited to him than the village within it.

Thanks to this, Wendigo noticed that something was wrong.

‘This presence isn’t human?’

Wendigo raised his head and smelled the scent flowing through the forest.

The smell of beasts coming from Ivan’s direction.

It was different from livestock. There was a sense of wildness unlike pigs or chickens.

If wild animals were following them…

‘With over three hundred humans moving together, no predator would dare target them unless it’s a monster.’

It might be a coincidence that their paths overlapped, but Wendigo didn’t believe in coincidences.

He had experienced too many incidents in this world to believe in such things. He created an ice axe in preparation for battle.

‘Their movement speed has increased!’

Sure enough.

They started behaving strangely. They began chasing Ivan’s group at a ferocious speed.

Wendigo ran through the forest, gathering mystical energy.

‘I’ll strike them all at once when I see an opening.’

Wendigo closed the distance to Ivan’s group in an instant, as if folding the ground beneath him.

He shouted toward Ivan, visible in the distance.

“Ivan!!!”

“Djin!”

Ivan, who had been trudging through the snow, brightened when he heard Wendigo’s voice.

He had been worried that Wendigo might have left the forest during winter, but here he was coming out to greet them.

If he could hear his voice, he must be nearby!

“The Djin is nearby. Find the Djin!”

“Ivan. I, I can see the Djin over there…”

“If you can see him, just say so, why are you stammer…!?”

When the warrior pointed with a trembling hand, Ivan looked in that direction with a bright smile.

And was shocked.

Wendigo was running toward them with a large ice axe on his shoulder, emanating an ominous aura.

Ivan froze in fear and quickly racked his brain.

‘Did I do something wrong!?’

Nothing came to mind.

The only thing was that he had moved ahead without waiting for the Djin’s instructions…

But that didn’t seem like something worth losing his head over.

He had gathered all the valuables from each village and brought everyone safely, so he should be praised if anything.

‘Then is it because I came too late? Does he think I broke my oath and tried to run away?’

No matter how rational and benevolent, Wendigo was still a Djin… at least as far as Ivan knew.

Even with excellent understanding of humans, a Djin was still a Djin.

What if Wendigo had overlooked the fact that humans could freeze to death crossing the forest in midwinter?

It was entirely possible. There was no law saying spirits couldn’t make mistakes.

In such situations, calmly explaining could clear up misunderstandings. But…

‘Being rational, benevolent, and good, he’ll surely listen to my explanation… right?’

If not, it would be a disaster. The image of that huge axe severing his neck flashed through Ivan’s mind.

“Ivan!!!”

As Wendigo’s voice grew louder, Ivan swallowed dryly and tensed up.

The moment they faced each other, he needed to quickly explain!?

《 Duck!!! 》

Wendigo shouted loudly as he burst from the forest. The enraged beasts had reached them, leaving no time for explanations.

However, the problem was that Wendigo had drawn up a lot of mystical energy.

When the spine-chilling shout hit his ears, Ivan felt his heart shrink.

When he met Wendigo’s eyes, which emitted an ominous light, he felt the urge to faint immediately.

He forgot his original plan and surrendered to instinct.

“I’m sorry!!!”

He knelt down immediately, forgetting all about explanations.

Others weren’t much different. Without anyone taking the lead, they screamed and collapsed.

When confronted with the anger of a higher being, their knees gave out regardless of their will.

“Well done!”

Wendigo praised their quick action.

He had shouted urgently, and sure enough, sincerity always came through.

As if sensing there was a reason, they lowered their posture without hesitation!

‘Though I don’t know what they mean by saying they’re sorry!’

With the obstacles gone, Wendigo let out a roar and swung his axe widely.

As the mystical energy imbued in the axe exerted its power, a snowstorm enveloped the axe.

“Grrrrrr!!!”

Wolves that had just arrived bared their teeth with ferocious growls.

As Wendigo’s axe drew a crescent, the snowstorm became a massive slash flying toward the wolves.

The slash cut down more than ten wolves at once. Naturally, the wolves following behind hesitated.

Wendigo jumped into the center of the wolf pack and ordered Ivan.

“Ivan! Snap out of it and take up arms! It’s an ambush!”

“I’m sorry! I’m sor… ambush?”

Ivan, who had been begging for forgiveness in shock, turned his head to look at the wolves and was astonished.

It really was an ambush!

Staring blankly at the wolves, Ivan inwardly cheered. He realized that Wendigo wasn’t targeting him.

‘He didn’t come to kill me!’

“Ivan!”

“Yes! Everyone, snap out of it and take up arms! Beasts have appeared!”

When Wendigo called Ivan again, he finally took command.

The warriors, being perceptive, realized that Wendigo wasn’t targeting them. They sighed in relief and began countering the ambush.

“They’re just wolves. Block them with shields!”

“Torches, make torches! Threaten them with fire!”

As the warriors dealt with the attacking wolves, Wendigo raised his weapon with ease.

Every time the axe swung, wolves were dismembered and sent flying through the air, and with one roar, five or six wolves became ice fragments without even a scream.

Even a kick or a punch turned wolves into a pulp, killing them miserably. Watching this, Ivan made a resolution.

‘I must never provoke the Djin!’

Ivan was too wise to do such a thing.

After Wendigo had been slaughtering wolves for a while, creating a blood storm…

“Yip, yip!”

The wolves, drooling as if rabid, began tucking their tails and fleeing.

Wendigo watched the fleeing wolves for a moment before walking toward the people.

Ivan looked at the approaching Wendigo with an awkward smile.

It was hard to smile naturally with the intense killing intent emanating from Wendigo.

Ivan greeted him with the most respectful attitude possible.

“D-Djin. It’s an honor to see you again.”

“Ivan, you’ve worked hard bringing these people. Crossing a snow-covered forest must have been incredibly difficult… truly impressive.”

“!”

Ivan felt his heart swell at Wendigo’s sincere praise.

Indeed, the Djin was so admira—

“But there’s a rat hiding.”

As Wendigo flicked his finger, roots shot up from the ground and wrapped around a man. As the man twisted his body with curses, Wendigo slowly approached him and…

Thwack!

Delivered a forehead flick.

Considering Wendigo’s size, even a normal flick was no different from a punch.

As the man bled and fainted, Ivan unconsciously lowered his eyes.

He was indeed benevolent and admirable, but…

There was no helping the fear.