Chapter 46

Wendigo waited for Isaac at the temple.

He was sitting on the throne with quite a solemn attitude… Geron was walking around him, checking for any problems.

“Hmm… We should consider applying lacquer to the throne soon.”

“No. I don’t think we need to bother people with that…”

“That won’t do. You’re not ruling over a small tribe anymore, spirit-nim. Even if it’s not an extravagant throne, you should maintain at least a minimum level of authority.”

Geron firmly countered Wendigo’s minor complaint with a resolute expression.

Others might have been moved by Wendigo’s complaint, thinking ‘As expected, he’s thinking of his subordinates!’, but Geron knew Wendigo too well.

He knew this was just Wendigo wanting to skip it because it was bothersome and troublesome!

“In the past, we had no choice because we lacked manpower and resources, but that’s not the case now, is it? At least for the sake of minimal dignity, we must change the throne.”

“… Then how about I make the throne myself? It would be sufficiently dignified and impressive.”

“That won’t do.”

Geron rejected Wendigo’s suggestion with an even more serious expression than before.

He knew that if Wendigo made the throne himself, it would certainly be an extraordinary object. The problem was that the throne would surely be too extraordinary.

“If spirit-nim makes the throne, wouldn’t cold energy flow from it? It would be difficult for ordinary people to endure that.”

“If I use plants to make it, the cold energy would be reduced a bit…”

“Still, that won’t do. I don’t want to see people who come to see spirit-nim freezing to death from the cold energy flowing from the throne.”

Wendigo looked at Geron as if asking who he thought was a monster killing people, but Geron stood straight, as if this was one thing he couldn’t compromise on.

Geron had been suffering from the cold just by living near Wendigo.

It was fortunate that Skadi understood the situation and provided him with charmed talismans and clothes; otherwise, it wouldn’t have been strange if he had suffered from body aches.

And now Wendigo wants to deliberately craft a throne?

Even though Geron served Wendigo as his lord, he couldn’t guarantee that no accidents would occur.

“I remember there was a tribe skilled in handling lacquer trees, so I’ll contact them and prepare Wendigo-nim’s throne.”

“Sigh… Alright. Since you insist so much, Geron, I have no choice. But don’t force them. If they agree to do it, prepare appropriate compensation.”

Geron nodded with a smile. He thought this aspect of Wendigo heightened his loyalty.

How many rulers would prepare compensation even for tasks that subordinates consider natural?

‘I heard it’s difficult to raise livestock because they handle lacquer trees… I should help connect them with a nearby tribe that raises livestock…’

Pause.

Geron was about to go outside to send a message when a worry popped into his mind, and he stopped at the door, turning his head towards Wendigo.

“I remember you were planning to bestow a reward on Isaac today, is that correct?”

“That’s right. It seems Skadi has learned enough from him, so it’s about time we let him go.”

“… I’m asking just in case, but the reward you’re giving Isaac isn’t something very dangerous, is it?”

At Geron’s question, Wendigo looked at him with a disappointed gaze.

Of course, since he couldn’t make expressions with his skull that had no trace of expression, Geron couldn’t catch the meaning in his gaze.

“Don’t worry too much. I’ve talked with Skadi and plan to prepare something at a level Isaac can handle.”

“Ah, if Skadi-nim is involved…”

“You’re being too harsh. Do you trust Skadi but not me?”

Wendigo naturally threw out a joke. Others might have broken out in cold sweat at Wendigo’s joke mixed with authority, but Geron didn’t waver at all.

“Isn’t it because spirit-nim tends to give overly generous rewards?”

“Such nagging… Alright, I understand, you can go now.”

As Wendigo waved his hand as if telling him to leave, Geron reluctantly stepped out the door.

---

A little while later.

Isaac came to the temple with Skadi and greeted Wendigo.

“The lowly shaman, Isaac, greets the spirit-nim.”

“There’s no need for such excessive greetings to me… By the way, are you alright?”

“Yes. What discomfort could I possibly have?”

It doesn’t seem like it…

Wendigo examined Isaac’s complexion.

His eyes were a bit unfocused, and his body lacked strength, as if he was intoxicated…

“Don’t tell me you’re like this because you ate too many berries?”

Flinch.

As Isaac’s body trembled, Wendigo looked at Skadi standing beside him. Skadi scratched her cheek and let out an awkward laugh.

“Ahaha… When I told him he had to see Wendigo-nim, he ate too many berries.”

“Even so… The person has become completely limp.”

Wendigo blew a cold wind towards Isaac’s face.

As the cold wind seeped through his eyes, ears, and nose, Isaac’s eyes flashed open.

The cold wind was intense, so much so that he mistook it for his head freezing!

“Spi-Spirit-nim! I’ve come to my senses! I’ve come to my senses, so please stop the wind!”

“It seems quite effective.”

When Isaac spoke with chattering teeth, Wendigo withdrew the wind. Skadi placed her hand on Isaac’s shoulder and absorbed the cold energy residing in his body.

The cold energy seeped into the ring on Skadi’s ring finger according to her will.

Wendigo admired her skillful appearance.

“It seems you’ve already become adept at using the ring.”

“I’m not yet able to cast spells using the ring, but I’m familiar with Wendigo-nim’s mystery. Simple methods like this are quite possible.”

“Th-Thank you.”

As warmth returned to his body, Isaac expressed his gratitude to Skadi with a dazed expression.

Who would have known he’d suffer such an ordeal just because he ate some berries due to nervousness?

‘If I had known this would happen, I should have eaten fewer berries!’

Blaming himself for eating 15 berries because they were effective, Isaac corrected his posture. After all, he didn’t want to show an unsightly appearance in front of a spirit, especially one he respected.

Wendigo burst into laughter at Isaac’s demeanor, which was completely different from when they first met.

“I thought I had done something terrible to you, but it seems you didn’t leave here empty-handed.”

“Yes. Of course.”

Isaac nodded with a pleased expression.

Thinking that the saying ‘misfortune may be a blessing in disguise’ wasn’t for nothing, Isaac prided himself on having taken a step closer to a higher realm by striving to overcome hardship(?).

The cloak he wore was imbued with the agility of wolves, and the white wooden staff he held was wrapped in cold energy.

Both were items created through Skadi’s advice.

Their level was sufficient to call himself a shaman anywhere!

‘… The leather is one thing, but that branch?’

Wendigo glanced slightly at Skadi, but she shamelessly avoided his gaze.

It was a way of glossing over things that he couldn’t have imagined before, but Wendigo decided to let it slide this time.

He was proud of Skadi for finally finding some leeway, and if he really wanted to see a white tree, he could just freeze one and be done with it.

“What you’ve gained here is what you’ve earned through your own efforts. So, to compensate for your hard work, I need to prepare something else.”

Isaac looked at Wendigo with anticipation. A gift from a spirit was enough to make one’s heart race, even without knowing its nature.

Moreover, the spirit before him would surely give a proper reward!

Wendigo raised his hand to condense mystery at its center, responding to his expectations.

The condensed mystery revealed itself as pure ice crystals, and Isaac trembled at the mystery contained in the ice crystals.

‘To think that an object containing so much mystery would be my reward!’

Isaac watched with exhilaration as Wendigo completed the ice crystal.

Wendigo infused mystery into the ice crystal.

Wendigo infused even more mystery than before into the ice crystal.

Wendigo infused a lot more mystery than before…?

Skadi, astonished at this crude, no, amazing sight, rushed to Wendigo.

“Wait! Wait a moment! Wendigo-nim, please stop for a moment!”

“Hm?”

As Skadi ran over, Wendigo paused his work in puzzlement, and the ice crystal that had been devouring cold energy like a possessed thing gently settled in his hand.

Skadi stood on her tiptoes to check the state of the ice crystal.

The pure mystery Wendigo had imbued in the ice crystal had found stability like a calm lake, but…

“Wendigo-nim. Surely that… isn’t Isaac-ssi’s reward, is it?”

“… Is it too much?”

Wendigo carefully asked for her opinion in response to Skadi’s reaction. Skadi barely suppressed the scream about to burst out and held her head.

Although Skadi had always keenly felt how different Wendigo was from normal beings, this time she couldn’t help but be truly surprised.

To think he would consider putting so much mystery into such a small ice crystal!

“Wendigo-nim. The ice crystal you made is truly pure and excellent. However, there’s a problem…”

“What kind of problem?”

Skadi glanced at Isaac.

Isaac immediately noticed what Skadi was trying to say and nodded calmly with a pale face.

“Isaac-ssi’s level is a bit… low to handle this ice crystal. If he makes a mistake, there’s a high risk that the mystery contained in the ice crystal will burst out like a wave and engulf Isaac-ssi.”

At Skadi’s explanation, Isaac kept nodding as if it was what he wanted to say.

He had expected a reward, but not such a dangerous object!

“Hmm… I wanted to give something valuable since it’s a reward…”

“How about removing some of the mystery? To a level suitable for Isaac-ssi.”

At Skadi’s question, Isaac was terrified. He thought the ice crystal was too much as a reward, but removing the mystery seemed too wasteful.

If only Skadi could have it…

However, before Isaac could offer his opinion, Wendigo started extracting the mystery.

As the mystery burst out like water poured into a leaky bucket, Isaac froze in great shock.

“Is this much alright?”

“I think you need to remove more.”

“How about this much?”

“You need to remove more. At this level, if Isaac-ssi makes a misstep, one of his arms might freeze.”

Isaac stared at the mystery scattered in the air as if in a dream.

Although his spirit vision wasn’t as clear as Skadi’s, it was enough to see the mystery flowing like a river before his eyes.

It was the first time he had seen so much mystery with his own eyes, but to think he would see that mystery being released into the air without any use!

‘Would other shamans believe this story if I told them?’

Probably not even close.

While not to the extent of spirits, shamans were quite stingy when it came to mystery.

If he told such shamans that he saw a spirit spreading mystery into the air, would they believe him?

They would find it more believable if he said spirits were kind.

“Is this really the best we can do?”

“Even that is a level Isaac-ssi can handle only if he doesn’t make any major mistakes.”

Wendigo looked at the ice crystal on his hand with a dissatisfied gaze. No matter how he thought about it, the level of the ice crystal had become too shabby to give as a reward.

Even the ice spear he usually used seemed to have used more mystery than this…

Wendigo held out the ice crystal, which had become unexpectedly cheap, to Isaac. Only then did Isaac come to his senses and carefully lifted the ice crystal.

“Compared to what I first made, it’s too shabby… Are you satisfied with that?”

“Yes! I’m very pleased with it!”

Isaac nodded happily.

While the ice crystal he first showed was too frightening even to touch, the one before him now was at a level he could handle.

Of course, he still had to be careful lest the cold energy penetrate his body, but this was much better!

Skadi approached Isaac, whose mouth was stretched to his ears.

“This could still be dangerous, so I’ll split it in half for you.”

“Really?”

Isaac looked at Skadi with a moved expression at her consideration.

Skadi nodded with a smile. As she tapped the ice crystal with her ring, the ice crystal split neatly in two.

“Ooooh!”

“I’m glad you’re happy.”

As Isaac fiddled with the split ice crystal in joy, Wendigo swallowed his disappointment inwardly.

He wanted to give a more useful gift since Isaac had been of great help to Skadi, but to give only something like this…

Just in case, Wendigo threw out bait to Isaac.

“It’s good to see you happy, but if you want, I can give you something more useful.”

“No need! This seems to be the best for my level.”

“……”

As Isaac answered brightly, Wendigo felt deflated. He had wanted to give a reward in a cool and touching way…

“… I’m glad you like it. Go find Geron outside. If you tell him what you need for your journey, he’ll prepare it generously.”

“Thank you so much! I will widely spread the news of spirit-nim’s benevolence to people outside the forest!”

Skadi was about to caution Isaac about his words, but Wendigo raised his hand to stop her.

Isaac bowed and quickly left the temple. His steps were light, having gained a rare experience and treasure.

As he left, naturally only Skadi and Wendigo remained in the temple.

Skadi asked Wendigo with a worried face.

“Wendigo-nim. Will it be alright? If Isaac-ssi tells people outside about the forest, it might cause quite a bit of trouble.”

“You’re not wrong. But even so, the forest can’t avoid attention.”

Wendigo didn’t deny it. However, he had no particular intention of stopping it.

From the beginning, there was no way to prevent the forest’s situation from becoming known just by silencing Isaac.

“The land continues to become fertile, and the forest people are becoming a unified force. Naturally, those outside the forest must be noticing these changes too.”

“… In the end, outsiders will also react to the changes in the forest.”

“That’s right. But don’t worry too much. We just need to act as we always have.”

Wendigo’s way of acting, being fundamentally a pacifist, was very simple.

If they approach us amicably, we will join hands.

If they approach us hostilely, we will crush their hands.

Who knows who will be the first to reach out from the outside…

Wendigo only hoped that the other party would make a good choice.