Ch.75Chapter 75

Fortunately, Gulmarg didn’t die a violent death.

Of course, his muscles were torn and bones were broken in various places, but being a monster known for his toughness, Gulmarg endured…

“Cough!”

…or rather, he couldn’t.

Even an Ogre couldn’t withstand the pain of bones piercing internal organs while bleeding profusely.

With tension released, Gulmarg rolled his eyes and collapsed to the ground.

“I’ll treat you right now!”

As Skadi screamed and rushed to Gulmarg, Wendigo couldn’t raise his head from guilt.

When Oneton used it, Wendigo thought it just made one bigger and stronger, but he had no idea it would also stimulate instinct and fighting spirit.

Wendigo cursed while thinking of poor Oneton.

‘His personality was so bad that I didn’t even notice.’

Of course, it wasn’t Oneton’s fault.

What fool would fight while revealing everything about their abilities?

But the dead cannot speak.

Wendigo calmed himself by cursing Oneton for quite some time. He approached Skadi, who was busily tending to the wounds.

Skadi calmly treated Gulmarg despite the situation being one where panic would be understandable.

She fed him potions to restore his airways and lungs, removed obstacles between broken bones that would hinder healing…

Then she extracted the cold that had seeped into his body and stitched him up with a needle, causing Gulmarg’s rough breathing to gradually become more comfortable.

“Summoner, thank you. Earlier rudeness, I apologize. I, repay debt…”

“Treatment’s not finished yet, so please be quiet.”

Skadi moved her ringed finger slightly, blocking Gulmarg’s mouth with roots.

Gulmarg quietly closed his mouth. How could he speak carelessly when his life depended on her fingertips?

Shortly after, Skadi wiped away beads of sweat and stood up.

“Whew, I think the treatment went well.”

“I thought we fought quite roughly, but I’m glad.”

Wendigo marveled at Gulmarg’s strong vitality. Honestly, he thought it wouldn’t have been surprising if Gulmarg had died.

Skadi tapped her pocket with a bitter expression.

“I used some pretty rare medicines. I never expected to use them on Mr. Gulmarg rather than the villagers…”

“Ahem.”

Wendigo and Gulmarg cleared their throats simultaneously.

Honestly, they had nothing to say. Even they hadn’t known that what they thought would be a good experience of a fight would lead to a life-or-death situation.

Gulmarg, avoiding eye contact in a way that didn’t suit his size, grabbed his club.

After a very brief hesitation, Gulmarg squeezed his eyes shut and held out the club to Skadi.

“Summoner, apologize for rudeness. This, I give as price for forgiveness.”

“Uh…”

Skadi blinked, looking at the club, then Gulmarg, and then Wendigo in turn. Honestly, it was too burdensome a price to accept readily.

Wendigo immediately understood the “What should I do?” look in Skadi’s eyes and nodded.

“Indeed, Gulmarg’s club would be inconvenient for Skadi to use.”

“Th-that’s true, but it seems too much. Besides… that’s Mr. Gulmarg’s cherished weapon.”

Skadi wasn’t a warrior, but having grown up under a mother who was practically one, she had quite a good eye for weapons.

The club was clearly a weapon made for Gulmarg. The brute strength, weight, and even the shape—all of it.

Taking such an item from a warrior would be too cruel.

“I knew you would say that, Skadi. What I just said was half a joke.”

“Half?”

So that means half of it was serious?

Before Skadi’s eyes could fill with shock, Wendigo approached Gulmarg and suggested:

“Gulmarg. It seems Skadi doesn’t want to take something you cherish. How about granting her a wish instead?”

“Hmm… Summoner, strange like Wendigo. But correct. My thinking was short.”

After all, a reward should be something the other person wants.

As Gulmarg willingly(?) put away his club, Skadi sighed.

“Summoner, tell what you want. I, will grant as much as possible.”

“Umm…”

Facing Gulmarg’s clear eyes, determined to repay her, Skadi couldn’t refuse.

It would be impolite not to accept when someone was being so sincere.

The problem was that nothing appropriate came to mind…

‘I can’t just ask for tendons or hide.’

To be honest, Skadi had already collected payment for the treatment.

She had gathered Ogre bone fragments, blood, and even torn hide.

…They would have just become fertilizer if discarded anyway!

While Skadi, who valued ethical transactions, was struggling, forest people appeared on the hill where the fierce battle had taken place.

They had hurriedly armed themselves and come looking after hearing world-shattering sounds from the hill.

The village chief, armed with a bronze shield and spear, was startled to see the fallen Gulmarg and rushed over.

“Oh my, there seems to be a misunderstanding. Everyone, calm down and return…”

“O Spirit! Please quell your anger!”

“?”

Wendigo was dumbfounded when the approaching village chief suddenly knelt down and begged for forgiveness.

‘Could they have been planning a rebellion, trusting in Gulmarg?’

Leading armed warriors and begging for forgiveness couldn’t be interpreted any other way.

When Wendigo stared intently at him, Gulmarg was also startled and waved his hands.

“I, lived honorably! Such acts are what Djin do!”

Gulmarg realized his mistake only after speaking. Come to think of it, wasn’t the being before him also a Djin?

Saying such things right in front of him was practically inviting Wendigo’s anger.

“Hmm, indeed such acts are what Djin do. Sorry for doubting you.”

However, Wendigo readily agreed with Gulmarg’s claim. He couldn’t sense any falsehood from him.

“O-okay…?”

Of course, to Gulmarg who didn’t know this, Wendigo just seemed strange.

The village chief, realizing that Gulmarg had been misunderstood because of him, hastily opened his mouth.

“Gulmarg has helped our village a lot! He’s absolutely not a bad Ogre, so please be merciful!”

Wendigo immediately understood what misunderstanding the village chief had made.

Seeing the battered Gulmarg, he had clearly mistaken that Wendigo was trying to kill him.

Wendigo swallowed a bit of indignation and tried to explain the situation properly to them.

…If only the warriors who had followed hadn’t also knelt down and pleaded for Gulmarg’s life.

“Please! Spare Gulmarg!”

“Please extend to him the same mercy you’ve shown us!”

“……”

It was certainly commendable to risk one’s life to repay kindness, but…

He couldn’t help feeling indignant deep inside.

* * *

While Wendigo felt a bit wronged, Skadi was able to decide what to ask of Gulmarg.

“Gulmarg. Would you help the forest people while staying in the forest?”

“Good. I was planning to stay long anyway.”

Gulmarg readily accepted Skadi’s request. Honestly, it was a proposal that wasn’t bad for him either.

The more he got along with people during his stay in the forest, the more comfortable it would be for him too.

Wendigo, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, noticed something strange.

“By the way, Gulmarg. Why did you come to the forest? Is this forest your homeland?”

“Here, not my homeland. Here, good for resting, so I came.”

Although an Ogre’s stamina is incomparably superior to a human’s, it’s not enough to wander around for a lifetime.

Even skilled warriors make mistakes when tired.

Gulmarg had come to the forest to rest and prevent such mistakes.

“This forest, no Djin and no Summoner. So no one attacked, was comfortable.”

“Indeed, a land with nothing…”

As Wendigo was about to nod, images of the boar spirit, Gicas, and Oneton flashed through his mind.

Come to think of it, the forest wasn’t particularly quiet. Rather, incidents happened surprisingly often…

“…I can’t say that. Many things have happened recently.”

“Is that so? Want to hear story.”

Wendigo didn’t refuse. There was no harm in telling the story.

After informing the village chief that the problem had been resolved, Wendigo told Gulmarg about the events that had occurred.

Naturally, Gulmarg couldn’t help but be surprised. It was so different from the forest he knew.

“Unfortunately, it seems the forest you knew is gone.”

“Disappointing. Was a quiet resting place… But still better than other places.”

“Huh… Really?”

Skadi looked at Gulmarg with disbelieving eyes and objected.

In just a few years, there had already been four major incidents…

Gulmarg could understand Skadi’s feelings, but he didn’t take back his words.

“World is mess. More crazy people than before.”

When Gulmarg was still young, there weren’t many Summoners, let alone Djin.

Summoners could only be seen in large villages, and one would have to be really unlucky to encounter a Djin, but their numbers started increasing from about ten years ago.

“Thanks to that, got club. But attacks also increased.”

“Ah, was that club made by a Summoner? Good skill.”

Gulmarg was certainly a good trading partner.

With his strong power, there were many things one could ask of him, and above all, he was more rational than most people.

However, Gulmarg shook his head.

Unfortunately, Summoners were often… less rational than one might think.

“Most Summoners, attack before dialogue.”

To ordinary people, an Ogre was a disaster to be avoided if possible, but to Summoners or monster hunters, they were mouthwatering prey.

If they succeeded in capturing one, every part they could extract was valuable.

Especially a talking Ogre. It wouldn’t be strange for a Summoner to go crazy trying to capture one.

Gulmarg showed his club and continued.

“Club, belonged to Summoner who attacked me. At first, not treasure. Just strange stone fragment.”

The stone fragment, which initially had no power, gradually began to emit a strange energy as time passed.

Then one day, while sorting through unnecessary junk, the stone fragment cut his palm.

After absorbing Gulmarg’s blood, the stone fragment grew in size and became a club fitting his build.

“But maybe you didn’t notice the mystery because of your lack of sensitivity?”

“No. Asked when met nice Summoner. Said just garbage.”

Wendigo perceived that Gulmarg was telling the truth.

If so, it really had no power at first…

“Skadi, are there such cases?”

“As far as I know, once magical power leaves an object, it can’t be restored unless new magic is cast… There’s only one possibility.”

Skadi answered with a sour expression.

“It could be an artifact that lost its power because it required vast amounts of mystical energy. When the required mystical energy exceeds what it can absorb from the surroundings.”

“A Summoner capable of creating such an impressive item wouldn’t be unaware of that.”

“Exactly.”

It was a club that couldn’t be shattered even when struck with an ice sword at full power.

A Summoner who created such an impressive item wouldn’t make such a naive mistake.

When even Skadi couldn’t provide a satisfactory answer, Wendigo stopped pondering.

“Well, if fate allows, we’ll learn the reason someday.”

“I’ll look for similar cases when I get back.”

“Good attitude. No need to worry about impossible things. Only hinders what can be done.”

Even sharing this story could be considered a kind of goodwill.

Wendigo expressed his gratitude to Gulmarg.

“Thank you for sharing such a valuable story. Next time we meet, I’ll treat you to delicious food.”

“Huh? I, plan to follow Wendigo.”

“?”

Wendigo was puzzled. He hadn’t particularly planned to take Gulmarg along.

‘…It wouldn’t hurt to have him along, I suppose.’

Still, he decided to hear the reason.

“Is there a reason?”

“I, have more than one reason for traveling. I, looking for mate.”

“…And that’s why you’re following me?”

Gulmarg nodded, and Wendigo was bewildered by the logic that simply didn’t connect.

What on earth did finding a wife have to do with following him?

Seeing that Wendigo didn’t understand, Gulmarg smiled and explained his thinking.

“I, strange Ogre. Intelligence, similar to human. Because of that, ordinary Ogre, cannot take as mate.”

“That’s certainly true.”

“So I searched. World is wide, strange things happen often. Female Ogre, same thing happen to her not strange.”

Pointing at Wendigo, who still didn’t understand, Gulmarg continued.

“Wendigo, from story, strange things happen often. Being near you, higher chance of finding mate.”

“……”

Wendigo was about to get angry but held back. Honestly, he couldn’t refute it.

He turned away from Gulmarg and grumbled.

“I don’t mind you following, but don’t expect strange things to happen. They don’t occur that often for me either.”

* * *

A few days later, upon arriving at the temple, Geron hurriedly ran over and whispered in Wendigo’s ear.

“Spirit. Mr. Shir has subdued a strange man and brought him here…”

“The gods have returned! They, they told me their names! The grace of the gods will once again descend upon this world!”

“……”

Gulmarg looked at Wendigo with admiration.

Wendigo silently lowered his head and let out a deep sigh.