Ch.26Chapter 26

Geron and Skadi had finished preparing the banquet and were waiting for Wendigo.

They had already prepared warm fur clothing, stew filled with meat and vegetables, alcohol, various breads, and dried fruits…

Why isn’t he coming??

“Lady Skadi. The Djin is later than expected. Should we send warriors?”

Geron expressed his concern to Skadi.

It wasn’t that he thought Wendigo would be in trouble somewhere.

Rather, he worried that the Djin might have gotten caught up in some problem they weren’t aware of.

Skadi smiled and shook her head at Geron’s loyal statement.

“While your concern isn’t misplaced, even if warriors entered the forest, they’d have difficulty finding Wendigo. Ordinary senses cannot detect his presence.”

“Ah… I was shortsighted.”

Finding Wendigo in the forest, who could only be detected by sight, was no easy task.

Obviously, if warriors went searching for Wendigo, they would struggle. Bluntly put, they wouldn’t notice him even if he passed right by them.

Skadi reassured Geron in a calm voice.

“Don’t worry too much. If you’re truly concerned, why not inspect the village? Sometimes movement helps ease worry.”

Geron admired her attitude, which revealed her steadfast faith.

Was it this kind of faith that allowed her to contract with the Djin?

‘Lady Skadi isn’t worried, so I’m just being dramatic. Right, I should prepare more thoroughly so as not to be a burden.’

Geron nodded respectfully and went inside.

Once Geron was far enough away, Skadi grasped the ice necklace, the symbol of her romantic(?) encounter with Wendigo.

‘If something had happened, he would have contacted me, so everything must be fine.’

Skadi smiled as she caressed the ice necklace.

Unlike Geron, Skadi wasn’t worried because of the ice necklace.

She had faith that if Wendigo encountered any problems, he would contact her first.

With this ice necklace, Wendigo’s messages would surely reach her!

However, he hadn’t used it since her escape from her homeland…

‘I suppose he had no reason to use it.’

Skadi dismissed this thought. After all, most problems wouldn’t pose a challenge to someone like Wendigo.

As she stroked the ice necklace while waiting…

“!”

Skadi’s eyes flashed when she sensed the familiar mystical presence.

Shortly after, Wendigo emerged from the forest carrying a cocoon made of roots.

“Wendigo!”

“Why are you waiting outside? The weather is cold; it would be more comfortable to wait inside.”

Skadi rushed to Wendigo’s side.

Though she was slightly concerned about the presence she sensed inside the cocoon… she decided to ignore it.

If it was Wendigo, there must be a reason!

‘Is she not bothered by the cocoon? No, perhaps Skadi trusts me enough to overlook it.’

Unaware of Skadi’s fanatical thoughts, Wendigo simply found her admirable.

As Wendigo arrived at the front, Ivan’s group began to appear one by one.

The people were amazed by the village, which was larger than expected, with sturdy wooden fences and a strange warmth permeating the area.

“It wasn’t like this when I was here before?”

“The snow isn’t frozen. It’s already been cleared away?”

“It feels somewhat warm.”

While most people were talking about the village, some skilled farmers showed interest in the soil, touching it.

Moist, rich black soil. Could this be… black earth?

“Black earth in this forest? How has such land remained unknown?”

“My father taught me this fertile soil is only found in warm places where those Imperial bastards live…”

The anxiety that had been flowing among the people began to fade as they saw the village was better than imagined.

Wendigo realized this was the perfect moment to capture people’s hearts, and Geron thought the same.

Geron appeared from somewhere and shouted loudly.

“Everyone, follow me! The Djin has prepared clothes and food for you all!”

“The Djin has?”

“Um… are we allowed to accept such things?”

The people were confused by Geron’s words, as the very idea of a djin providing for them seemed strange.

Moreover…

“I hope he won’t behead us later for being disrespectful?”

“Beheading? We’d be lucky if we don’t freeze to death.”

Recalling the fierce aura displayed in the forest, they couldn’t help but worry.

Despite knowing he was better than his appearance suggested, they couldn’t shake their fear.

Wendigo felt a twinge of regret seeing them being so cautious.

I should have fought more gently!

‘It’s not like I enjoy fighting that way…’

Wendigo wasn’t a pervert who enjoyed examining others’ internal organs or hearts.

He simply surrendered to instinct once a fight began…

By the time he regained his senses, his body had already dismembered his enemies.

While grumbling internally, Wendigo moved his mouth diligently.

“How could I not honor those who have endured the harsh winter? I only regret that clothes and food are all I can offer.”

“No, no! We were wrong to doubt you when we didn’t understand your warm heart!”

“Let’s all go in! The Djin personally defeated wolves for us—how could we doubt him?”

As the saying goes, those who have tasted meat know how to eat well, and the same applies to moving people’s hearts.

When Wendigo reassured them in a benevolent voice, the people felt both moved and ashamed.

To think they had doubted someone who cared so much for humans, just because he killed some wolves!

“Living in the forest, killing wolves is normal.”

“Yeah, but he also kills peop—mmph!?”

“Come on, let’s go inside! The Djin must have things to do—we shouldn’t bother him!”

When one tactless warrior tried to speak, Ivan hastily covered his mouth.

People gave Ivan strange looks before nodding.

Ivan was certainly right.

After being treated so well, bothering the Djin would be shameful!

The people followed Geron.

‘Geron will handle the rest well… I should attend to my own business.’

“Skadi. I have matters to attend to, so please ensure no one approaches my quarters.”

“…Yes. Don’t worry. I’ll make absolutely sure no one comes near.”

Skadi glanced at the cocoon Wendigo was carrying before answering heavily.

She wasn’t sure what he planned to do with the person he was carrying, but it was clearly something he didn’t want to show.

And in her mind as a Summoner, most things a djin would be reluctant to show humans were usually…

‘Get a grip! Wendigo would never do such things!’

‘Skadi is always so passionate.’

When her eyes blazed with intensity, Wendigo inwardly admired her.

He misunderstood Skadi’s self-flagellation as testing her own faith as passionate devotion.

It was a completely baseless misunderstanding.

* * *

As soon as Wendigo reached his quarters, he manipulated the head portion of the cocoon.

The man who had been unconscious had apparently regained consciousness and was glaring at Wendigo, baring his teeth.

“Mmph! Mmmmph!”

“You have plenty of energy.”

Wendigo removed the roots covering the man’s mouth. Having captured him alive, he intended to hear what he had to say.

When the roots were removed, the man shouted fiercely.

“Damn evil spirit! I do not fear death, so kill me now!”

“I have no interest in your life. Rather, I’m curious about who’s backing you.”

“…I have no such thing!”

“Ah, I see. So you attacked people alongside wolves without any backing. Perhaps you were raised among wolves rather than humans? That would explain the lack of support.”

Unable to contain his sense of humiliation, the man spewed curses madly. Apparently, his parents weren’t wolves after all.

Wendigo ignored the curses and pondered.

‘Judging by the mystical energy flowing through his body… he’s definitely received help from a Summoner or a Djin.’

The mystical barrier surrounding him certainly wasn’t the man’s own.

The man didn’t emanate the unique aura of a Summoner.

So it was necessary to find out who was behind him…

‘Should I torture him?’

Wendigo felt troubled. Had he ever tortured anyone in his life?

Still, some ideas came to mind. With modern knowledge, there were quite a few methods available.

Waterboarding with a cloth over the face, pulling out fingernails or toenails, electric clamps on the ears…

‘Come to think of it, there aren’t many methods I can use here. Fingernails and toenails would be hard to pull out. Cutting them might work though.’

While considering dozens of methods, Wendigo came up with a fairly good idea.

What if he used the methods of the boar and the parasite?

‘That might work quite well.’

Wendigo decided to set the mood first. Most tasks begin with laying the groundwork.

“Hehehehe…”

“W-what is it!”

When Wendigo suddenly laughed sinisterly, the man trembled.

The laughter was just the beginning. In an instant, the temperature in the room dropped, and a wind from somewhere extinguished the torch.

As darkness fell in the room, the man felt cold sweat running down his body.

“How foolish. I don’t know whose help you received, but this is my domain.”

Wendigo’s voice echoed in the darkness.

The man moved his eyes around, trying to locate Wendigo…

Whirrrr!

“Ugh, aaaagh!!! What, what is this!”

With a chilling sound, something wriggled in front of the man’s eyes. The man bulged his eyes at the sight of Wendigo beyond it.

Wendigo was staring at him with eyes glowing like sulfurous fire.

When the mouth of the skull, devoid of vitality, gaped open, the man felt his breath stop.

A grim voice flowed from Wendigo’s mouth along with intense cold, tormenting the man’s ears.

“If you refuse to speak until the end, I have no choice. I’ll have to make your soul and body mine.”

“W-what?”

The man asked Wendigo, not even realizing his tone had become respectful. Naturally, Wendigo didn’t answer the man’s question.

As Wendigo’s head disappeared back into the darkness, the man focused on the wriggling thing in front of him, terrified.

As his eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, the man recognized what it was…

“S-seed?”

It was indeed a seed.

The problem was that it was a seed with sinister, moving roots. The seed wriggled as if ready to take root in the man’s face at any moment.

The man was horrified. He was too shocked to even scream.

‘This thing is supposed to be a seed?’

This horrifying thing, impossible to believe was of this world, was targeting him and moving its roots.

The man’s face turned pale at the disgustingly vivid sight.

‘What is this crazy evil spirit trying to do to me?!’

‘I hope this works.’

The true identity of the seed wasn’t some terrible creation of an evil spirit or a product of cursed sorcery… it was just a seed.

Unfortunately, Wendigo didn’t have the ability to control living beings with seeds like the Boar Wearing Roots and Sticks.

He had taken the boar’s source, but that didn’t mean he could take its knowledge or wisdom.

However… wasn’t Wendigo already a veteran(?) who had experienced tentacles twice?

Wendigo remembered their terrible tentacle movements precisely and applied this to move the seed.

‘Fear is sometimes stronger than pain.’

Each time the roots tapped the man’s nose and eyeballs, the man let out a shrill scream.

Seeing the good response, Wendigo decided to try some intimidation, or rather, persuasion.

“S-stop it!!!”

“When this seed burrows into your pathetic body, your soul and flesh will be mine forever. So choose. Will you accept my mercy and reveal the truth willingly, or will the seed…”

“I’ll talk! I’ll talk, so please show mercy!!!”

“…Huh?”

As the root tried to enter his nostril, the man begged while wetting himself.

Wendigo was honestly dumbfounded. He hadn’t expected the man to give up so easily.

He had been hurling insults even after seeing Wendigo’s face, so Wendigo thought he was prepared to die, but it turned out to be nothing much…

“Huhuhu! Evil spirit, please grant me a merciful death! Please spare at least my soul!”

“…Stop crying, I understand.”

Wendigo swallowed his disappointment and withdrew the tentacle seed.

The man was definitely the one who had attacked people… yet somehow Wendigo felt like the bad guy.