Ch.81Chapter 81

The End of the World, renowned as a hot topic among the northerners.

In the end, the northern alliance’s expedition to the End of the World concluded with a glorious defeat and succession, but the northerners weren’t dejected.

From the beginning, it was common in the north for those in power to push innocent warriors into danger due to their own greed…

For farmers, merchants, and even hunters, it ultimately turned out to be a blessing.

For the northerners who always suffered from hunger, the crops that began flowing in from the End of the World were like rain during a drought.

Moreover, pioneers who received permission from the chieftains began establishing settlements on the outskirts of the End of the World and started farming, making northerners realize they could live abundantly without resorting to plunder.

All of this was thanks to the Djin, no, the King of the Forest, who graciously allowed them to receive the forest’s blessings!

“Ho ho ho. There’s no better trading partner than the Forest Djin, I mean, the King!”

“Indeed! We can trade cleanly with him, unlike nobles or chieftains who slash prices while making unreasonable complaints!”

“But, are you sure the Djin actually permitted this? From what I’ve heard, it doesn’t sound like something a Djin would do.”

Frank, drinking with fellow merchants in a carriage heading toward the forest, challenged their praises.

For Frank, who had operated near the Empire, the concept of a benevolent Djin felt quite foreign.

The merchants who had just downed their drinks burst into hearty laughter and slapped Frank’s shoulder.

Why do these country bumpkins(?) who came up from the south always say the same thing!

“This is why those raised near the Empire—what does it matter if it’s a Djin or a Witch! At least they’re better than greedy nobles!”

“And well… the world’s in such a sorry state these days that a Djin becoming kind isn’t such a big deal.”

Frank nodded, realizing the merchants were certainly right.

There was nothing wrong with what they said.

Everyone from the Empire’s emperor to the lowest slaves knew the world had become strange.

“Didn’t you say you came up here because your… Milbern Trading Company was attacked by a Witch?”

“Yes, we were completely destroyed.”

Frank swallowed a bitter smile along with his beer and shuddered.

The world had always been dangerous for travelers, but these days were particularly chaotic.

People were being attacked by those called Witches.

Monsters like trolls and griffins, which one might never encounter in a lifetime, were appearing.

And even madmen who hunted Djin and Beasts…

“Ugh, this is ruining the taste of my drink. Let’s all throw away these gloomy thoughts and just enjoy our drinks.”

“Well said. Let’s see… ah, here it is! This is a very precious mead, please enjoy it with me.”

“Precious mead?”

“That’s right! Mead made by the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen, chewed by her personally…”

“Come on! Pour it right now. If you had such a precious item, you should have brought it out earlier.”

Alcohol has a way of making people forget their worries.

Frank and the merchants shared the mead and cast aside their concerns.

Hoping their future would be as sweet and smooth as the mead.

* * *

The forest called the End of the World was no longer a barren land.

For farmers, it was a land of opportunity where they could have fertile soil.

For merchants, it was a new market where they could obtain quality crops at low prices.

For hunters, it was a paradise where they could freely hunt the beasts roaming the forest.

“I’ll check your cargo. If you’ve come to the forest with suspicious items or intentions, it would be better to confess honestly.”

“Ho ho ho. There’s no way we would.”

“We value our lives. We have no intention of angering the King of the Forest.”

Of course, entering such a place wasn’t easy.

At least in areas where human footprints reached, tribes blessed by the Wendigo were conducting strict inspections.

Frank glanced sideways at the corpse hanging from the gate with a sour expression.

A sign listing the crimes was hung on the corpse with an arrow through its neck.

[Illegal Entry, Poaching, and Theft]

‘This place isn’t peaceful either.’

Making an example of criminals was common even outside the north. People tended to become humble as the fear of death drew near.

It was quite effective in practice—even Frank and the merchants, who had committed no crimes, became humble.

The warriors searched through their cargo for a long time and used dogs to check for suspicious scents.

After confirming there was nothing unusual, the warrior clicked his tongue as if disappointed.

“Tsk, normal again. Nothing suspicious at all.”

“I heard the guys who were inspecting last time caught a criminal and got medicinal herbs good for virility as a reward. Why don’t we ever get that lucky?”

“Troublemakers caught in the forest always come in bunches. Go on in!”

As the warrior waved his hand and shouted, the merchants breathed sighs of relief.

If there had been even one criminal among them, it would have been difficult to continue trading in the forest.

But having passed this point, they could relax from now on.

The merchants called out to the mercenaries they had hired as guards.

“From here on, the King of the Forest protects us, so don’t even think about drawing your weapons!”

“What? What are you saying? Even if it’s a Djin…”

“Keep your voice down, we know. Some of our men have met the King face to face.”

Gardam, the mercenary captain, replied while touching the scar on his chin.

Rodomel, the merchant who had offered the mead, whispered quietly to Frank so Gardam couldn’t hear.

“If you plan to travel to the forest regularly, I recommend that fellow. He survived after confronting the King of the Forest.”

“Mr. Rodomel, if you’re going to whisper, do it more quietly. I can hear everything. And what do you mean by confronting…”

“Ahem!”

Rodomel was a merchant with a voice as big as his personality.

When Gardam glared at him and grumbled, Rodomel avoided his gaze and pretended not to notice.

Frank asked Gardam curiously.

“Is the King of the Forest that powerful?”

“Huh, you really don’t know anything, do you?”

Gardam looked at Frank with surprised eyes.

The incident where the Northern Alliance was crushed by the Djin was so famous that almost every northerner knew about it….

Gardam looked Frank up and down.

For a northerner, he had few scars on his face, and his posture didn’t give off the impression of a warrior.

“I see, you’re from near the Empire.”

“Ah… is it that obvious?”

“Wearing leather clothes and carrying a sword doesn’t make you a warrior. There’s something about you… you don’t smell of blood. More like ink, if anything.”

Northerners prided themselves on being descendants of raiders and children of warriors, but not everyone was like that.

Frank had been worried about becoming prey due to appearing weak, so he had been living in a manner that didn’t suit him….

Rodomel burst into laughter at Gardam’s blunt observation.

“Hahaha! Gardam! That’s too direct, even for you. If you choose the wrong person to talk to like that, you might be in big trouble!”

“I’m living on borrowed time thanks to the King of the Forest sparing me. I think of myself as having died in that disaster, so what is there to fear?”

“Excuse me, what do you mean you survived after confronting the King of the Forest?”

Gardam sighed deeply and looked at Rodomel.

Why did he have to bring up someone else’s dark history with unnecessary comments!

Rodomel stroked his beard and tried to appease Gardam.

“Hmm, I’m sorry. I’ll give you a barrel of mead that I brewed myself, so please forgive me.”

“…I’m only letting this go because the mead tastes good.”

For northerners who went crazy for mead, Rodomel’s offer was attractive enough to make them share their dark history.

As they headed toward the center of the forest, Frank listened to Gardam’s story day and night.

* * *

The story Gardam told was so incredible it was hard to believe.

A Djin who suddenly appeared and defeated an evil spirit (though from what he heard, it just sounded like another Djin).

He slew the incarnation of evil lurking underground and saved the forest people.

He buried an earth dragon to make the End of the World fertile….

‘And he overwhelmed hundreds of warriors by himself…’

The story was full of unbelievable elements, but Frank had to believe at least half of it was true.

The land was indeed fertile, and the forest where warriors rode giant wolves was definitely not an ordinary place.

“Frank, you should prepare your tribute soon. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be anything too grand.”

“Ah, yes!”

Having arrived at the palace past the village in the inner forest, Frank nervously gathered his tribute.

Through the stories, he had developed some belief that the Djin might be kind, but it wasn’t easy to throw away the common sense he had lived with his entire life.

Rodomel advised the inexperienced young man.

“Don’t worry too much. The King of the Forest is a generous person. He even praised offerings worse than the golden chalice you’ve prepared.”

“R-really?”

“Yes. One merchant even had his tribute stolen and offered grapes instead, but the King was pleased.”

Surely a being great enough to be called the King of the Forest wouldn’t be pleased with mere grapes.

Frank found some peace of mind.

…But he still couldn’t shake off his anxiety. The memory of being attacked by a Witch was still haunting him.

‘Pull yourself together. They said the Summoner who accompanies the Djin is kind, so it should be fine.’

Frank slapped his cheeks to clear his mind.

Isn’t it right to let the past flow away?

Having prepared their tributes, Frank and Rodomel set off together to have an audience with the King of the Forest.

* * *

Upon arriving at the forest palace, Frank took deep breaths as he followed Rodomel.

While the servants weren’t frightening, the warriors guarding the palace were intimidating by their very presence.

The servant guiding them cleared his throat and whispered carefully toward the audience chamber.

“Merchants have come to praise the greatness of the Djin. Please grant them permission to present their tributes.”

There was no answer. When someone inside knocked on the door of the audience chamber twice, the servant nodded and stepped back.

Rodomel massaged Frank’s shoulders and advised him.

“When addressing him, call him the King of the Forest or Djin. It’s better to use ‘King’ if possible. He doesn’t claim to be a king himself, but his subjects prefer calling him that.”

“Are there any other precautions I should take?”

“No. Ah, there is one…”

“What is it?”

“Don’t lie. And if you’ve prepared any hidden weapons that even I haven’t noticed…”

Rodomel made a throat-slitting gesture with a serious expression.

At that grim implication, Frank shook his head in disgust.

He had come as a merchant, and he swore to heaven he had no intention of becoming a criminal.

“I’m opening the door now. Mr. Rodomel, you’re familiar with this, so you’ll be fine… but you, I hope you come out safely.”

“That joke isn’t… you’re going to make his heart drop.”

Shortly after, as the warriors opened the heavy door, Rodomel and Frank entered.

Waiting for them were the Wendigo seated on the throne, Skadi perched on his shoulder, and Geron standing by his side.

‘Why is Lady Skadi in such a place? And why is her hair flowing like that?’

Even Rodomel was puzzled by the situation he had never encountered before. However, he wasn’t greatly surprised.

Having visited the forest frequently enough to have traded with Skadi, Rodomel knew well what a warm-hearted woman she was.

Believing there must be some profound reason he couldn’t understand, Rodomel smiled and greeted the Wendigo.

“King of the Forest, Rodomel of Heidrun comes to offer gifts in gratitude for your gracious favor. Please accept these gifts with your generous heart.”

“Rodomel, it’s good to see you in good health again. Your mead has always brought joy to people. I look forward to it this time as well.”

“Ho ho ho, how could it be otherwise?”

When the Wendigo praised him, Rodomel was greatly pleased and bowed his head.

Unlike most rulers who thought of merchants as opportunistic bats, the Djin before him always valued the existence of merchants highly.

Rodomel bowed deeply and stepped back.

Now it was Frank’s turn, who had come for the audience together….

“Ah, aah…”

“?”

Frank was staring somewhere with a terrified expression.

Had he been frightened by the giant with a beast’s skull for a head?

‘That, that hair!?’

Surprisingly, what frightened Frank wasn’t the Wendigo.

Skadi’s hair, flowing due to mystical influence.

As he took in that hair wrapped in mysterious light, unwanted memories shook Frank’s mind.

He recalled the Witch who had burned the members of his trading company alive.

‘A, a Witch!’

The red-haired Witch who had attacked the company he belonged to.

Wendigo smelled the intense fear from Frank and inwardly sighed.

‘There are still people who fear me.’

It was due to his appearance, but it was a greatly mistaken thought.

But what could he do?

It’s natural that a giant with a skull for a head would be more frightening than a beautiful woman surrounded by a mystical aura…

Anyone observing this situation would have thought the same.