Ch.73Chapter 73

The village chief turned pale as he watched Wendigo’s reaction.

He had never dreamed that Gulmarg would insult Wendigo right to his face.

“I-I’m sorry. I should have informed him about your presence, Djin!”

“It wouldn’t have been easy when dealing with an ogre rather than a human. I understand everything, so calm down.”

Even telling humans “we are ruled by Djin” would get you labeled as insane, let alone trying to explain it to an ogre.

The village chief swallowed a sigh of relief at the generous forgiveness.

Gulmarg watched this with curious eyes.

He had seen monsters and beasts that obeyed Djin before, but never a Djin who looked after his subordinates, so his surprise was natural.

Could it be that the old human wasn’t lying?

“Djin, you really human leader?”

“I told you so already. Quickly show some respect!”

“No. Interesting that… ogre can be asked for manners.”

Gulmarg knelt on one knee and bowed his head to Wendigo, showing proper respect.

Wendigo and Skadi watched in astonishment.

An ogre showing respect and bowing his head—a rare sight indeed.

“I, Gulmarg. Greet human leader. Forgive, rudeness.”

“Hmph. You’re better than most people. As you’ve heard, my name is Wendigo. This is Skadi, a capable Summoner who assists me.”

“Summoner!”

Gulmarg, who hadn’t given Skadi a single glance until now, changed his attitude when he learned she was a Summoner.

From indifference to extreme vigilance.

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

When Wendigo asked in confusion, Gulmarg positioned himself to flee at any moment and pointed at Skadi while making a request.

“Human leader.”

“Just call me Wendigo.”

“Wendigo, order her back. Summoner, unsettling.”

At Gulmarg’s request, Wendigo looked at Skadi. He wondered if she might have brought some dangerous artifact without his knowledge.

But Wendigo couldn’t see anything special. Just the usual ring and sword he had given her…

“Skadi doesn’t seem to have brought anything dangerous?”

“Djin, don’t pretend not to know!”

Gulmarg shouted with a serious expression.

Seeing his unusual gravity, Wendigo looked at Skadi, but she shook her head in confusion.

If she had brought an artifact dangerous enough to make an ogre wary, she would have informed Wendigo first.

Perhaps Gulmarg was just overly cautious?

“There really isn’t anything dangerous.”

“Summoner brought most dangerous thing! Tongue! Tongue is most dangerous!”

“……”

Wendigo couldn’t argue with Gulmarg’s brief but powerful assertion. Indeed, few were as prone to causing trouble with their mouths as Summoners.

…He just hadn’t expected the karma built up by others to fall on Skadi!

* * *

Sensing this would be a lengthy conversation, Wendigo sent the village chief away and persuaded Gulmarg.

Fortunately, Gulmarg was a reasonable person—or rather, ogre.

When Skadi swore she would never threaten, deceive, or propose any deals, he allowed her to approach.

Skadi, who had lived honestly her entire life, glared at Gulmarg with a sulky expression.

“I may not speak for other Summoners, but I would never do such things.”

“I, not trust Summoners. Summoners, help Djin do bad things.”

“Gulmarg. Have you met a Summoner before?”

Gulmarg’s vigilant attitude was definitely not natural.

While it was surprising that an ogre would attempt rational conversation, that alone couldn’t explain why Gulmarg was so wary of Djin and Summoners.

Common sense, after all, only applies to those who have learned it from others.

Gulmarg looked at Wendigo.

Though still uncomfortable with him being a Djin, the Djin before him was different from those he had seen before.

Djin typically spoke with arrogance and contempt, but Wendigo showed none of that.

“Gulmarg. If my question was rude, I apologize. Especially if I made you recall uncomfortable memories…”

“No. Wendigo, strange for not acting like Djin. That’s why I stared.”

A Summoner following such a Djin might be trustworthy.

Gulmarg relaxed his guard out of respect for Wendigo.

“Met Summoner before. When I was cub, Summoner came to my mother.”

Sitting down heavily, Gulmarg slowly began his story.

In his childhood, Gulmarg wasn’t as thoughtful as he is now.

Like other ogres, he perceived the world clearly and lived without regrets for any of his choices…

“Being cub was good. Kill enemies, protect family. Good to eat a lot… Such easy life.”

“I take it you’re not pleased about becoming smarter.”

Gulmarg nodded. Had he been born intelligent from the start, it might have been different, but for Gulmarg who had lived simply, wisdom was almost a curse.

A world that had always contained more happiness than discomfort suddenly became full of discomfort.

“I grew up with mother. No father. Father died fighting big lizard.”

“Ogres are known for strong family bonds. It’s difficult to find mates due to their small population, and cubs are frequently attacked by predators trying to eliminate threats.”

Though ogres had violent temperaments, they were monsters with extremely strong family bonds.

Their affection was so strong that even after becoming independent, ogres would track their parents’ scent to visit them annually…

“True. Ogres protect family. Mother died protecting me from Summoner.”

While ogres were certainly objects of fear, humans could overcome fear with greed.

The Summoner who came to Gulmarg’s mother was an especially dangerous type.

A Summoner strong enough to regard ogres as mere beasts.

Such a Summoner came and even took Gulmarg hostage to threaten his mother.

Having lost her husband, his mother couldn’t bear to lose her child too…

“Summoner, cowardly took mother’s heart using me as bait. I couldn’t control rage… but fainted after being struck by Djin protecting Summoner.”

“Oh my…”

Skadi gave Gulmarg a sympathetic look.

Losing a mother is never easy. Unlike her, Gulmarg’s mother was murdered by someone else.

Wiping tears with her handkerchief, Skadi asked Gulmarg.

“How did you survive? Such an evil Summoner would have had no reason to spare you.”

“Summoner not alone. Djin there too. Summoner fought Djin after taking heart. Escaped during fight.”

“……”

Wendigo could understand Gulmarg’s pathological wariness.

It would be strange not to develop prejudice after witnessing those who murdered your mother fighting over her heart in your childhood.

“I feel ashamed even though it wasn’t my doing.”

“It’s fine. Wendigo not like other Djin.”

“Thank you. But from your story, it seems your intelligence isn’t related to the Summoner?”

“Correct. One day, instinct led me to lake. Found tasty-looking apple there.”

“Oh, do you remember where that apple grew?”

Wendigo asked Gulmarg, thinking it might be useful to know about an apple that makes one smarter.

“Don’t remember. And tree died right after I picked apple. Only ashes remain if you look.”

Wendigo swallowed his disappointment and continued listening to Gulmarg’s story.

After eating the apple, Gulmarg suffered terrible pain. The feeling of his body being torn apart tormented him for days…

When Gulmarg emerged from the pain, he began to see, hear, and feel the world differently.

He realized the usefulness of tools, the comfort of clothes, and the savory taste of cooked meat…

“Hmm? But when we first met, you were tearing into raw deer.”

“That was preparation. Preparation for meeting human leader.”

“Preparation?”

Gulmarg returned with a club carved from stone and primitive armor made of bones and tree bark.

He looked at Wendigo with competitive spirit.

“I have request for human leader. Leaders don’t listen unless challenged with strength. So ate deer. Sharpened instincts.”

“Hmm…”

Wendigo looked at Gulmarg with a dubious expression. He didn’t think he would lose a fight, but he didn’t particularly want to fight either.

After hearing the circumstances, it seemed there was no harm in helping…

“I’ve heard your story. But do we really need to fight?”

“Wendigo, good Djin. But want to fight. Revenge requires strength. Fighting is honest path to strength.”

Becoming smarter hadn’t eliminated his love for battle.

Wendigo quickly gave up when he realized Gulmarg wouldn’t back down.

By now, Wendigo had learned something about warriors.

That a warrior who has set his mind never backs down.

“Gulmarg. I’ve heard your story. Since you came with a just cause, I’ll grant your request. I’ll ask my people to find out about that Summoner.”

“Wendigo, thank you for accepting request. Will repay this favor.”

“I’m glad you’re saying that much. Shall we fight right now?”

Gulmarg nodded and prepared for battle.

He donned his primitive armor, gripped his stone club, and held up a shield made of several layers of bear hide.

The armed Gulmarg was incredibly threatening.

Skadi muttered in astonishment.

“My goodness, an armed ogre…”

“I, ready. Wendigo, not preparing?”

Silently, Wendigo drew his ice sword. Facing an ogre, the ice sword grew in size and sharpened its edge.

Wendigo pointed the ice sword at Gulmarg and said:

“I will use neither armor nor shield.”

“Wendigo looked strong from first sight. Must respect strong one’s stubbornness.”

Though it could have been taken as provocation, Gulmarg respected Wendigo’s decision.

Someone of Wendigo’s strength surely had his reasons.

Skadi naturally took on the role of referee between them.

She raised a branch high in the air and asked them both:

“Are you two ready?”

Wendigo and Gulmarg silently nodded. Skadi swallowed hard at their fierce stances.

Wendigo held his sword high, his empty hand extended forward ready to grab his opponent’s neck.

Gulmarg crouched like a massive rock, shield raised, ready to swing his club in any direction.

Skadi took a deep breath to compose herself.

This was not a duel born of foolish greed like those she had witnessed before.

This was a sacred duel to test pure fighting spirit.

With humble heart, Skadi threw the branch high into the air and…

Thwack!

< ■■■! >

With a short roar, Wendigo charged at Gulmarg like an enraged wolf.

In the blink of an eye, Wendigo reached right in front of Gulmarg, grabbed his shield, and swung the ice sword toward Gulmarg’s neck.

The ferocious swing of the ice sword seemed certain to tear Gulmarg’s neck in an instant, but…

BOOM!

“!”

Gulmarg deflected the ice sword with a swing of his club.

Wendigo realized for the first time that he had been overpowered.

“□□□□□□!!!”

But there was no time to respond. Gulmarg charged forward, glaring at Wendigo with bloodshot eyes.

Gulmarg’s club and the ice sword collided in mid-air…

CRACK!

The mystical energy forming the ice sword shattered under Gulmarg’s monstrous strength.

Watching the fragments scatter in the air, Wendigo thought:

Perhaps this would be quite a lengthy battle after all.