Ch.59Chapter 59

“Indeed, I understand what you mean.”

Geron, who had been alternately looking at the arrow and Wendigo’s face, nodded with a stern expression.

When Wendigo met Geron’s confident eyes, he nodded back. He had predicted that Geron, who handled the forest’s affairs, would understand immediately.

“So you plan to imbue this arrow with your power to sweep away the enemies in one go.”

“Yes. Putting power into the arrow… Wait, what are you talking about?”

“Pardon? Weren’t you planning to use that arrow to deliver severe punishment to the enemies? Then the allied chieftains would blame each other, causing internal strife…”

“……”

Wendigo wondered if Geron was joking, but upon realizing the sincerity of his emotions, he immediately regretted it.

How violent and ignorant must he have appeared for Geron to view him as a murderous maniac!

“Do I really seem that ignorant? Even so…”

“Ignorant? Anyone with power like yours would have done the same.”

Geron firmly refuted Wendigo’s complaint. Honestly, it wouldn’t be strange if Wendigo wanted to subjugate his enemies with overwhelming force.

Sometimes harsh punishment drives out wicked hearts more effectively than gentle governance.

Using Wendigo’s power, even the allied warriors would bow their heads and submit…

“I already said I have no intention of fighting that way.”

“I thought perhaps you were extremely angry at the outsiders.”

“No matter how angry I get, such methods would harm the forest too. I’d prefer not to use such approaches if possible.”

At Wendigo’s answer, Geron barely restrained himself from saying, “Don’t you already fight in ways that wreck the forest?”

Sometimes one must overlook a lord’s peculiarities.

Just then, Skadi Brynhild arrived with Oneton to meet Wendigo.

She greeted Geron and Wendigo with a bright smile.

“Lord Wendigo. Mr. Geron. I heard you needed my assistance.”

“You’ve come at just the right time.”

Wendigo welcomed Skadi warmly. He believed she would immediately understand his plan.

Indeed, Skadi was a brilliant Summoner. Looking at the map, the atmosphere, and the ice arrow made of mystical power in Wendigo’s hand, she immediately deduced his plan.

“Lord Wendigo. While using this arrow to annihilate enemies is quite a good method, it might give people reason to fear you.”

“……”

Even Skadi, whom he trusted, assessed him as a warmonger, causing Wendigo to hang his head in disappointment.

‘Have I, have I really fought like a madman?’

He felt wronged. He had always tried to live peacefully, so why was he misunderstood like this?

He had merely slain some Djin, torn apart some Beasts, surrounded himself with mist and…

‘…Come to think of it, I really did fight like a madman.’

Realizing he truly had behaved like a warmonger, Wendigo heaved a deep sigh.

How had he, a pacifist, become so stained with blood…

Today, Wendigo particularly despised the world.

* * *

Fortunately, Skadi’s misunderstanding was quickly cleared up. She had thought Wendigo was preparing a violent method because of the arrow.

Though it took the form of an arrow, what it contained was mystical cold beyond mere solidity and form.

Because of this mystical power, Skadi had suspected Wendigo was preparing for mass slaughter.

Learning the truth, Wendigo asked Skadi with a sour expression.

“Is there really that much mystical power in it?”

“Yes. Honestly… if such an arrow were shot, a blizzard would rage and people turning into ice shards wouldn’t be surprising.”

“Was it such a terrifying arrow???”

Geron looked at Wendigo with an incredulous expression. He claimed not to use violent methods, yet the arrow was beyond violence—it was practically a calamity.

Wendigo felt Geron’s gaze but quietly ignored it. His brazenness came from having been scolded by Geron countless times before.

Wendigo extracted chunks of mystical power from the arrow and handed it back to Skadi.

“Is this enough?”

“It’s still quite dangerous. Not enough to cause a calamity like before, but any Summoner would immediately notice something strange about the arrow.”

“Even with just this much?”

“If you offered them the arrow instead of shooting them with it, I’d say five out of ten would try to take it.”

Wendigo found Skadi’s example quite appealing. Perhaps he could make the allied Summoners volunteer themselves…

“No, that won’t do. Killing only Summoners would just spread rumors about a crazy Djin who shoots Summoners dead.”

“Considering your authority, that doesn’t seem like such a bad thing.”

“I don’t want to gain authority through infamy. By the way… making the ice crystal for Issac was difficult too. This isn’t easy.”

Wendigo grumbled as he extracted mystical power from the arrow. Being accustomed to using immense power, he was naturally clumsy with such delicate work.

Watching him, Skadi realized something odd.

“Lord Wendigo. Do you really need to use an arrow you made yourself?”

“Hmm? Of course I need to make my own weapon if I’m going to shoot… Oh.”

Wendigo paused after reflexively answering Skadi’s question. He realized that any arrow would do; it didn’t have to be an ice arrow.

If people noticed it was an ice arrow, they would naturally suspect Wendigo as its owner.

Wendigo stared dejectedly at the now-hollow ice arrow.

He had successfully extracted the mystical power while maintaining its solidity as he wanted…

Unconsciously upset, Wendigo snapped the arrow. He threw it to the ground, vowing:

‘Making me go through all this trouble. I’ll leave them a proper warning.’

If the alliance hadn’t invaded the forest in the first place, he wouldn’t have had to worry about this.

Wendigo resolved to completely annihilate the alliance.

“I just need a few arrows. Skadi, prepare something to amplify the sound of the arrows.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t worry.”

His feelings were conveyed to Geron and Skadi. They sensed a faint anger in Wendigo’s voice but didn’t dwell on it.

Though Wendigo himself denied it, they both thought of him as a Djin who could be infinitely cruel to his enemies.

It wouldn’t be strange for such a Wendigo to want to severely punish those alliance members who brought chaos to the forest.

…If Wendigo knew what they were thinking, he would have felt quite wronged.

* * *

Recently, Todel rarely went a day without a smile on his face. Everything had proceeded smoothly since making his secret agreement with Wendigo.

He enjoyed stirring up trouble with those he disliked in the alliance and sowing discord among the greedy ones.

Of course, if he had done such things without preparation, Todel would have quickly found himself surrounded and beheaded.

There was a reason Todel could cause trouble and avoid punishment…

“My magic tells me there are numerous traps ahead. Let’s change direction.”

“Yes, Summoner!”

After the first failure, Todel seemed to always read the path ahead, detecting obstacles and enemy ambushes in advance.

When he ordered the standard-bearer with a sage-like expression, the bearer responded with reverence and turned his horse.

‘Of course… we were occasionally attacked, but that much damage was necessary to completely fool the alliance.’

Todel didn’t bat an eye at such losses. After all, the warriors weren’t his assets.

As Todel moved forward with a smirk, traitors gathered around him. They asked with worried expressions:

“Todel. Has the Djin sent no message this time?”

“The alliance is starting to suspect us… don’t you have any solutions?”

“Haha. Don’t worry. Who am I? I’m the loyal servant who advised the Djin to recruit you all. Surely he would have told me if there was a plan.”

The traitors were anxious about suddenly being assigned to the alliance’s vanguard. It seemed strange that they were now given positions they had previously begged for but were denied.

Todel barely suppressed his laughter as he reassured the traitors.

He was delighted to see those who once looked down on him for his mediocre skills now bowing their heads and watching his every move.

Who would have thought that he, once the lowest in rank, would rise above others like this?

‘This is why deception is all about momentum.’

The first day he spoke with another traitor, Todel instinctively realized that this group of traitors was an opportunity.

They had all been asked the same question about wanting power. The problem was that no one knew why the Djin had chosen them among so many others.

While others searched for reasons, Todel thought differently.

Why did the reason matter? What mattered was that they had no way to resolve their doubts, and he could exploit that!

Todel spread rumors that he was the one who had informed the Djin about potential recruits.

This alone implied that he could influence the Djin.

He could do this because Wendigo only contacted Todel among the Summoners.

Naturally, the one who manages communication with superiors gains power.

“There was no special message today. He just told me to guide the army along the path he showed me.”

“Is that really all? Just that?”

“I already told you. Your behavior is very suspicious. You’re not thinking of betraying us again, are you?”

“Ah, no! That’s impossible. I was just worried, that’s all. Just worried.”

The chieftain who had been pressing him backed down, and the others watched Todel cautiously. Their eyes gleamed with jealousy and humiliation, but Todel enjoyed even that.

Wasn’t all of this the burden a victor must bear?

‘Come to think of it, the Djin contacting only me might be a kind of hint. A hint that if I control the traitors well, he’ll promise me a high position.’

Why else would he create a situation where power concentrated in his hands?

As Todel was already imagining who to cut off and who to keep as his subordinates, a messenger rushed to him with urgent news.

“Summoner! Dense fog is rolling in ahead. If we continue marching, visibility will…”

“Tell them not to worry. I’ve checked, and it seems the enemies found fighting in the fog too difficult and have retreated.”

Todel, initially interested in the urgent news, quickly lost interest at the mention of fog.

Since the Djin hadn’t specifically warned him about it, he assumed the fog was natural, not intended by the Djin.

The messenger hesitated, unable to easily accept the order to march into the fog.

Todel whipped the annoying messenger who didn’t know the truth. The messenger fell to the ground with a scream.

“Go! Go and tell them to advance quickly!”

“Ugh… Y-yes, sir.”

The messenger with torn skin on his back barely managed to answer while biting his lip. After the messenger left, the army advanced toward the fog.

As the surroundings gradually darkened until they could barely see the faces of those next to them, voices of concern rose again among the traitors.

“Are you sure this is alright? The fog is extremely thick…”

“I told you already. It’s fine…!?”

Even pleasant sights become irritating when they continue too long.

Just as Todel was about to raise his voice in annoyance—

Five or six arrows flew from the rear of the army and rained down on the traitors. The one who had voiced concern died instantly with an arrow through his neck.

“W-what is this!?”

Having received no warning from the Djin, Todel panicked and hurriedly pulled out talismans to prepare defenses.

The battle-hardened chieftains tried to calm the soldiers by raising their shields, but…

“The chieftains in the rear have betrayed us!!! They’re trying to kill us all to seek forgiveness from the Djin!!!”

“Behind us! Enemies have appeared behind us!!!”

Someone shouted before they could act. The voice was so loud that even in the blinding fog, the warriors sensed something was wrong.

The chieftains and Summoners instinctively knew something was amiss, but they had no time to calm the warriors.

“Arrows!!!”

“From behind, arrows are coming from behind!!!”

Another rain of arrows fell upon the warriors’ heads. With screams, they reflexively stopped advancing and turned around.

Todel, completely unprepared for this sight, watched blankly and realized:

Something, something in the plan had started to go terribly wrong.