Ch.60Chapter 60

The person responsible for the rain of arrows on Todel’s forces was, of course, Wendigo.

While Gelmir had been suspicious of Todel’s group, he wasn’t foolish enough to turn the entire army against them.

The alliance couldn’t see an inch ahead due to the thick fog, but to Wendigo’s eyes, the fog might as well not have existed.

This was only natural. How could the mystical fog imbued with his power affect him?

His doppelgangers, hidden in the forest, mechanically nocked arrows to their bowstrings.

“It’s rather uncomfortable since I’ve never shot a bow before. I should have practiced.”

“…In my opinion, the issue isn’t your shooting posture but rather your size.”

Geron, standing beside Wendigo, corrected his misunderstanding with a stoic expression.

Even for doppelgangers, it was strange for beings one or two heads taller than ordinary men to comfortably use human bows.

However, to Wendigo, who was twice the size of his doppelgangers, there seemed to be little difference. He burst into laughter, apparently thinking Geron was joking.

“Geron. I’m surprised you’re making jokes on the battlefield.”

“It’s not a joke, I’m serious… No, let’s just call it a joke.”

“Don’t make jokes with humorless people elsewhere. They’d easily misunderstand.”

Somewhere, the sound of grinding teeth and crumbling pills could be heard, but Wendigo paid no attention. He needed to focus on preparing to launch arrows.

The arrows shot by the doppelgangers poured down like heavy rain onto the forest, and the arrows enchanted by Skadi pierced through enemies with a loud noise.

Wendigo confirmed this through the eyes of his crows.

“This is absolutely no accident! They’ve betrayed us!!!”

“Calm down, calm down and assess the situation… Aagh!”

“You’re telling me to calm down? Look around you and say that again!”

The authority of the chieftain and summoner was certainly impressive, but it meant nothing to warriors who were covered in blood and under one-sided attack.

The chieftain’s henchmen, who were trying to calm the warriors by moving among them, were beaten to the ground by the enraged fighters.

Though they usually strutted around as the powerful’s lackeys, they couldn’t raise their voices now.

The eyes of the warriors, filled with rage and hatred, gleamed with deadly intent.

“Let’s kill them! Let’s avenge our comrades with their blood!!!”

“We’ll chew their gallbladders and carve out their hearts!!!”

“Alright! I understand! Stop hitting me! I’ll go back to the chieftain and convey your wishes!”

The most important skill for a lackey was reading the atmosphere.

Sensing they might get a sword through their hearts if they didn’t immediately bring permission to advance, the henchmen tucked their tails and begged the warriors for their lives.

Just as the chieftain’s men, released by the warriors, were about to find their master…

Piiiiing!!!

“Arrows! Our side is shooting arrows too!!!”

“Damn. Come to think of it, we have bows too. Everyone, prepare your bows!”

With an ear-splitting sound, several arrows flew toward the rear. The warriors cheered and responded by taking out their bows.

Whoever it was, they were thinking of returning fire to the enemy in this situation. What a composed warrior!

* * *

The source of the arrows wasn’t a seasoned warrior with composure and bravery, but simply Wendigo.

Wendigo, who had been using his doppelgangers to fire arrows, was bewildered when the warriors responded by shooting their own.

“I knew it would be effective, but… this is better than expected? How did they sow such discord that there’s so much hostility?”

“They were rotten to the core from the beginning, so perhaps they caused trouble? Like cutting off supplies… If they did such things, they would have been sharpening their knives, wanting to kill each other.”

“Even if they belong to different factions, wouldn’t such actions normally result in someone losing their head?”

Wendigo, who had only heard that they were properly stirring up trouble for Todel, looked at Geron and the summoners with a skeptical gaze.

Geron avoided his gaze, while the summoners glanced at each other nervously. Skadi… was looking at them with the same expression as Wendigo.

How could someone commit such madness and still keep their head attached?

“Geron probably doesn’t know much about the outside world…”

“Of course. How would I know the common sense of the outside world?”

As Geron nodded with a shameless face, Wendigo’s gaze naturally turned to the fresh-faced summoners (average age 30s) who had recently joined the forest.

Faced with Wendigo’s sinister eyes, the summoners trembled like newborn lambs.

“You must know well. As summoners, you must have experienced this kind of thing at least once?”

“Well, about that…”

The summoners couldn’t answer easily and looked at each other.

If they told the truth, Wendigo might not freeze them in extreme disappointment, exclaiming, “This is why outsiders can’t be trusted!” But…

Even as summoners, they had to be careful with the patron who supported their mystical powers.

Naturally, no one wanted to take on this awkward and embarrassing role. They whispered among themselves, trying to select a sacrificial lamb.

“Osa. You step forward. Wouldn’t a pretty woman like you get a gentler response from the Djin than old men like us?”

“Why me again! I stepped up last time too!”

“You’re close to Lady Skadi, and you have experience, even if just once. I’ll share some materials needed for spells with you next time, so please.”

Typically, according to long-standing tradition, such tasks fell to the younger members.

Osa, chosen as the sacrificial lamb(?), stepped forward with a tearful expression. She carefully bowed and murmured.

“I think… it’s because such actions are common between chieftains and summoners? They even kidnap passing chieftain’s relatives for not paying tolls.”

It might seem absurd to cause discord over such reasons, but unfortunately, the powerful of this era weren’t that considerate of others.

How could chieftains who trampled others and seized power by holding knives to their fathers’ throats have such consideration and respect?

As a result, messing with others’ supplies or giving incorrect information about camp locations was considered a common provocation.

At least they didn’t come in person to spit and say, “I’ll cut off your head and throw it to the crows.”

… Of course, to Wendigo, both seemed equally insane.

“What kind of… No. I suppose that makes sense. Such people would bring an army and cause this chaos.”

Wendigo started to make a bitter remark but stopped himself. On second thought, bringing an army for a ritual wasn’t normal either.

Above all, the situation wasn’t bad. From Wendigo’s perspective, wanting them to fight bloodily, the warriors’ enthusiasm wasn’t problematic at all.

Wendigo decided he no longer needed to worry about Todel’s group and chose to focus on Gelmir’s forces.

“The traitors seem sufficient as they are… Gelmir’s forces might be different.”

“Yes. Gelmir is quite elderly, but his skills are famous among summoners. He tattooed the mystery of giants on himself, and without a practitioner, he endured the pain of cutting his own flesh…”

“You seem to know a lot about Gelmir. Osa, tell me more about him.”

Flinch.

Osa, who had been answering without thinking, realized what she had done and staggered.

Instead of letting it pass quietly, she had spoken up and caught Wendigo’s attention…

Osa cast a pleading look at the summoners. Asking Skadi would be most effective, but she probably didn’t know much about Gelmir either.

The summoners understood what she meant just from her gaze. They looked at each other and responded with gestures.

‘Good luck.’

‘Damn these dirty, petty old men!’

Though she thought they had become friends while working together, Osa realized the truth that life is always solitary and gritted her teeth.

“What’s wrong? If that’s all you know, we can move on.”

“Ah, no! I was just organizing my thoughts before speaking to you, Djin.”

‘I don’t think so.’

Osa was startled and made excuses, but she couldn’t fool Wendigo’s eyes. Her gaze was mixed with irritation and resentment.

.. Above all, Wendigo had heard Osa and the summoners whispering. No matter how quietly they spoke, they couldn’t deceive his ears.

“Discussing information about the enemy is quite burdensome. So even if the information is incorrect, I won’t blame you, and regardless of its value, I intend to reward you, so speak.”

“!”

At Wendigo’s command, not only Osa but also the summoners were surprised. This was completely different from the powerful figures they knew.

Most would rage that they’d cut off heads for even one mistake, and at worst, they’d belittle the value of information to avoid giving rewards…

‘Truly a benevolent Djin… no, a benevolent being.’

‘Could he really be something other than a Djin?’

Without realizing it, Wendigo had earned the summoners’ loyalty. Osa put aside her previous disgruntled demeanor and reported respectfully with shining eyes.

“Gelmir has a vile character but was born with talent. They say he was born with the qualities of a warrior, a summoner, and even a ruler.”

Though his fame had diminished with age, Gelmir was a hero who caused upheaval in the north in his youth.

It was natural that even excellent summoners couldn’t discuss martial prowess with warriors who had lived their lives amidst spears and swords. After all, summoners and warriors required completely different innate qualities.

However, Gelmir transcended such common sense. His natural physique and combat sense had also led him down the warrior’s path.

Thanks to this, Gelmir gained fame as both a summoner and a warrior. It was still talked about how he slaughtered his brother and sister with an axe and usurped the chieftain’s position.

“Moreover, as he aged, he became so cold that it’s hard to believe he was violent in his youth, earning him the nickname ‘Old Bear’.”

“I see he’s quite a remarkable summoner… This might mean our discord-sowing could fail. Thank you for telling me. Later, tell me what you want, and I’ll grant it.”

Pleased that she had been helpful, Osa smiled and withdrew. Skadi watched with a warm smile.

It seemed her own past self overlapped with what she saw.

‘I also had such times…’

While Skadi smiled like a mother, unsuited to her age, Wendigo prepared for possession with a slight tension.

Given the abundance of traitors, he had expected an incompetent figure, but from what he heard, the term “hero” wasn’t an exaggeration.

Such a person might notice the discord-sowing and respond accordingly.

‘This might become troublesome.’

Wendigo shook off distracting thoughts and focused on possession. He possessed a crow located in Gelmir’s camp…

“Advance the army immediately!!! They’ve betrayed us. They dare to betray us!!!”

“Gel, Gelmir. Calm down! We still don’t know who shot the arrows…”

“Shut up! They, they shot arrows at me! I shouldn’t have trusted those who side with traitors in the first place. I’ll split their backs and tear out their bones!!!”

“???”

What Wendigo, possessing the crow, saw was Gelmir swinging an axe and shouting at his allies from the alliance.

There wasn’t a trace of composure in his demeanor. He didn’t hesitate to hurl abuse and swing fists at those trying to calm him down—the very image of a ruffian.

He was told that Gelmir had gained composure with age… but from what he could see, he wasn’t an old bear but an enraged one.

After briefly releasing the possession, Wendigo looked at Osa with narrowed eyes.

“Osa, you did well. Wendigo likes people who don’t hide and work hard. If you continue to act without fearing mistakes like this, you’ll please him.”

“Lady Skadi was right! Honestly, I was worried, but I’m ashamed that I hesitated to speak out of fear of making a mistake.”

“……”

Wendigo couldn’t bring himself to dampen the cheerful atmosphere. Moreover, he had said he wouldn’t mind incorrect information, so it was hard to say anything…

Wendigo turned away from Osa and focused on possession again.

What on earth had happened to make him so furious to the core???