Chapter 81

The Forest at the End of the World, which had become a hot topic among the Northern people.

In the end, the Northern Alliance’s expedition to the End of the World ended in glorious defeat and succession, but the Northerners were not downcast.

From the beginning, it was common in the North for those in power to push brave warriors into dangerous situations out of their own greed…

For farmers, merchants, and even hunters, it ultimately turned out to be a stroke of good fortune.

The crops that began flowing in from the End of the World were like rain in a drought for the Northerners who were always suffering from hunger.

Moreover, pioneers who received permission from the chieftains began to establish pioneer villages on the outskirts of the End of the World and start farming, so the Northerners realized they could be prosperous without having to plunder.

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

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

“That’s right. We can trade cleanly with him, unlike nobles or chieftains who try to haggle by making unreasonable complaints!”

“But, are you sure the spirit actually permitted this? The more I hear about it, the more it doesn’t sound like something a spirit would do.”

Frank, who was drinking with his fellow merchants in a carriage heading to the forest, challenged their praises. To Frank, who had been active in areas adjacent to the Empire, the idea of a benevolent spirit felt quite foreign.

The merchants who had downed their drinks burst into hearty laughter and slapped Frank’s shoulder with their palms. Why do these country bumpkins(?) who came up from the south always say the same thing!

“This is why those who grew up near the Empire… Who cares if it’s a spirit or a witch! At least it’s better than greedy nobles!”

“And well… the world’s gone to hell these days, so a spirit becoming kind isn’t such a big deal.”

Frank nodded, realizing that the merchants were certainly right. There was nothing wrong with what they said.

It was a fact known from the Emperor of the Empire down to the lowliest slaves that the world had gone strange.

“Didn’t you come up here because your… Milbern Company, was it? Got attacked by a witch?”

“Yes, it was utterly destroyed.”

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

Traveling the world had always been dangerous, but these days were especially chaotic.

Weren’t there those called witches attacking people?

Weren’t monsters like trolls and griffons, which one might not see in a lifetime, appearing?

Even madmen hunting spirits and magical beasts…

“Ugh, this is just ruining the taste of the alcohol. Let’s all throw away gloomy thoughts and just drink.”

“That’s right. Let’s see… Ah, here it is! This is a very precious mead, let’s enjoy it together.”

“Precious mead, you say?”

“That’s right! Mead made by the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen, chewing it herself…”

“My goodness! Pour it right away. If you had such a precious thing, 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 shook off their concerns.

Hoping that 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 cheaply.

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

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

“Ho ho ho. How could that be?”

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

Of course, entering such a place was not an easy task.

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

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

A sign stating the crime was hung on the corpse with an arrow pierced 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 more humble as the fear of death drew closer.

In fact, it was quite effective; even Frank and the merchants, who had committed no crimes, naturally became humble.

The warriors rummaged through the luggage for a long time and used dogs to check for scents.

After confirming that there was nothing suspicious, the warrior clicked his tongue in disappointment.

“Tch, it’s normal this time too. Not a single suspicious thing.”

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

“The ones caught causing trouble in the forest are always in bunches. Hurry up and go in!”

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

If there had been even one criminal among them, it was obvious that it would have been difficult to trade in the forest from then on.

However, having passed this far, they could relax from now on.

The merchants shouted to the mercenaries they had hired as guards.

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

“What? What kind of nonsense is that? No matter if it’s a spirit…”

“We know, so stop shouting. Some of our men have directly faced the King.”

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

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

“If you’re planning to keep coming and going to the forest, I recommend that fellow. He’s someone who survived even after antagonizing the Forest King.”

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

“Ahem!”

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

When Gardam glared and grumbled, Rodomel avoided his gaze and played dumb.

Frank asked Gardam out of curiosity.

“Is the Forest King that strong?”

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

Gardam looked at Frank with surprised eyes.

The incident of the Northern Alliance being crushed by the spirit was so famous that almost no Northerner didn’t know 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 air of a warrior.

“Well, you must be someone who came from near the Empire.”

“Ah… Is it that obvious?”

“Wearing leather clothes and carrying a sword at your waist doesn’t make you a warrior. How should I put it… You don’t smell of blood. Maybe ink, but…”

Northerners take pride in being descendants of plunderers and children of warriors, but not everyone is like that.

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

At Gardam’s blunt observation, Rodomel burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! Gardam! Even so, that’s too direct. You might get into big trouble if you pick the wrong opponent later!”

“I’m living on borrowed time thanks to the Forest King sparing me. Thinking I died in that catastrophe, what is there to fear?”

“Excuse me, what do you mean by surviving even after antagonizing the Forest King?”

Gardam let out a deep sigh and looked at Rodomel.

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

Rodomel stroked his beard and tried to placate Gardam.

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

“… You know I’m letting it slide because the alcohol tastes good.”

To Northerners who go crazy for mead, the price Rodomel offered was attractive enough to make them spill their dark history.

Frank listened to Gardam’s story day and night as they headed towards the center of the forest.

---

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

A spirit that suddenly appeared and defeated evil spirits (from what he heard, they just seemed like normal spirits).

It slew the embodiment of evil lurking underground and saved the forest people.

It buried an earth dragon and made the End of the World fertile…

‘And to think it overwhelmed hundreds of warriors alone…’

It was full of unbelievable stories, but Frank had to believe at least half of it was true.

The land was truly fertile, and the forest where giant wolf-riding warriors roamed was definitely not an ordinary place.

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

“Ah, yes!”

Frank, who had arrived at the palace past the village in the inner part of the forest, nervously prepared his tribute.

Although the stories had made him believe that the spirit might be kind, it wasn’t easy to throw away the common sense he had lived with all his life.

Rodomel advised the naive young man.

“Don’t worry too much. The Forest King is a generous person. He has praised things much worse than the golden cup you prepared.”

“Is, is that so?”

“Yes. One merchant even had his tribute stolen and offered grapes instead, but he still liked it.”

There’s no way such a great being called the Forest King would be happy receiving 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 shaman who goes around with the spirit is kind, so it should be fine.’

Frank slapped his cheeks to wake himself up.

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

Frank and Rodomel, having prepared their tributes, moved their steps together to have an audience with the Forest King.

---

Frank, who had arrived at the forest palace, took deep breaths as he followed Rodomel.

While the servants weren’t scary, the very presence of the warriors guarding the palace was intimidating.

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

“Merchants have come to praise the greatness of the Spirit. Please allow them to offer their tributes.”

There was no answer. Only when someone inside knocked on the door of the audience chamber twice did the servant nod and step back.

Rodomel massaged Frank’s shoulders and advised him.

“When addressing him, call him Forest King or Spirit-nim. If possible, it’s better to call him King. He doesn’t call himself a king, but his subjects like it when he’s called king.”

“Are, are there any other points to be careful about?”

“No. Ah, there is one thing…”

“What is it?”

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

Rodomel made a gesture of cutting his throat with a serious expression.

At that ominous 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. Mr. Rodomel should be used to this, so it’s fine… As for you, I hope you come out safely.”

“Come on, that joke… You’ll make this friend’s heart drop.”

Soon after, as the warriors opened the heavy door, Rodomel and Frank stepped inside.

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

‘Why is Skadi-nim in such a place? And why is her hair fluttering?’

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

Having visited the forest quite often and traded with Skadi, Rodomel knew well how warm-hearted a woman she was.

Thinking there must be profound reasons he couldn’t understand, Rodomel smiled and greeted Wendigo.

“O Forest King. Rodomel of Heidrun offers gifts in gratitude for the grace of the benevolent one. Please accept these gifts with a generous heart.”

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

“Ho ho ho, how could it not be?”

When Wendigo praised him, Rodomel was overjoyed and bowed his head.

Unlike most powerful figures who thought of merchants as opportunistic bats, the spirit before him always highly valued the existence of merchants.

Rodomel bowed deeply and stepped back.

From now on, it was Frank’s turn, who had come for an audience together…

“Ah, aah…”

“?”

Frank was staring somewhere with a terrified expression.

Had he been scared by the giant with a huge body wearing an animal skull?

‘Th-that hair!?’

Surprisingly, what Frank was scared of wasn’t because of Wendigo.

Skadi’s hair fluttering under the influence of mystery.

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

Frank recalled the witch who had burned the members of the trading company alive.

‘A, a witch!’

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

Wendigo smelled the thick scent of fear from Frank and inwardly sighed.

‘There are still people who fear me.’

It was right about the appearance, but it was a greatly mistaken thought.

But what could he do?

It’s natural that a giant with a skull head would be scarier than a beautiful woman surrounded by a mysterious atmosphere…

Anyone who had observed this situation would have thought the same.