Chapter 239 |
> [Oh my. I thought the sky was looking quite gloomy, but it’s really raining now.]
He’d finally decided to leave once the fourth wave of reinforcements came. Before they even arrived, however, rain began to fall once more over the shabby tent village.
“It’s really coming down.” The problem was that it wasn’t just a drizzle, but a heavy rain that almost seemed like it could pierce through fabric. “What about the wizards?” The wind howled even more fiercely, as if to remind everyone that they were near the sea. “Well. With Great Sage Surging Azure Lake already in custody and the entire Magic Tower under suspicion of heresy, I doubt they’ll help…” The people who’d crowded together started growing restless again.
> [Why is the wind so strong? It’s not even a typhoon.]
> [I’m pretty sure we’ll be hit by one soon?]
> [Huh, really?]
> [Yeah.]
Who would’ve guessed that this was actually a precursor of a real typhoon?
The Mountain Lord took the Land Turtle’s words at face value. Even if they’d lost most of their power, they were still a Primordial Beast, so it was only natural that he would trust their words.
> [If they do, that’ll be their problem.]
> [But still…]
But right now, the source of that faith wasn’t important. The Mountain Lord quickly wrapped around the Land Turtle more securely. While they could read the flow of the wind and waves, they no longer had the strength to withstand them, which made his actions necessary.
His materialized body curled tight around the small turtle like a bird’s nest. “Even with our biggest worry gone, why are things still not improving?” In the center of his coiled body was a bed of soft grass and some fruit meant for nourishment.
> [Will people start dying again?]
Over the past few days, not a single person had died from external wounds. That much was to be expected, since people wielding Divine Power were by their side.
However, that didn’t mean no one died at all. Those who succumbed to the cold or starvation couldn’t be saved even with Divine Power. Such things weren’t afflictions that could be cured by simply basking in Divine Power.
So tonight would likely be another difficult night. Although the situation had improved quite a lot, the people’s living conditions here remained poor.
> [Ah, light.]
> [Are they trying to prevent the disaster before it happens? That’s going to be tough.]
However, contrary to those expectations, a golden barrier spread over the tent village. It was clear the red-haired person, whom the other people called a Hero, had come forward.
The golden shield blocked the fierce winds and protected the people “…Those guys from the Temple will only get more full of themselves now.” Some people’s murmurs of discontent were carried along by the wind.
> [That poor kid sure has it tough.]
However, their relief came too soon. How long could that barrier really last? Especially when the typhoon hadn’t even fully arrived yet.
> [They don’t even realize it’s a typhoon.]
> [Oh my…]
If this continued, she wouldn’t have the strength to act when they truly needed it. The Mountain Lord knew this all too well and felt some pity. However, no matter how much he wanted to warn her, he couldn’t even communicate with her, which only doubled his frustration.
The Mountain Lord’s tail twitched, reflecting his restless mind. “Do whatever it takes to convince the wizards. Leaving everything to just one person has never ended well.” Look, weren’t all these people in the same boat right now? “What if the Temple brands us as heretics too?” Of course, there was a… slight issue. “We’re already finished. Just focus on protecting the people.” Still.
> [This is such a mess.]
> [Such a pitiful kid, right?]
> [She brought this on herself, so why are you pitying her…?]
> [Even so.]
> [Didn’t you say you were done with people?]
> [Well…]
The Land Turtle wasn’t wrong. The Mountain Lord’s patience had already been worn quite thin by these people’s shamelessness. In other words, he was disappointed in most of them.
However, despite that, there was something admirable about those who used the great power they possessed for others. That’s why he felt sympathy.
> [I can’t help it. I’m just that nice. And besides, didn’t even you say she’s not so bad, Ancestor?]
Furthermore, the Hero was the only person who came to show her gratitude every single day. How could he just ignore someone as diligent and kind as her?
> [The people who cared for you are probably struggling just as much as the Hero right now, Ancestor.]
The Land Turtle probably felt the same way. They weren’t the type to shamelessly forget a debt, and the people who’d taken care of them when they’d first hatched were still there.
> […Then lend me some strength at least. Let’s change the course of the typhoon.]
Just as he thought. The Land Turtle eventually grumbled and gave in. They might have kept quiet all this time because they lacked strength, but it was clear they’d been paying close attention to the whole situation from the beginning.
The Mountain Lord’s lips curled up.
> [Alright.]
> [Seriously. First, I had to Purify the one who was nearly consumed by Demonic Energy, and now, I have to stop a typhoon… I should be focusing on recovering, not sticking out my neck like this.]
> [Hehe.]
> [What are you laughing about? We’re using your strength here.]
They were the one who wanted to step up first, yet they were criticizing him. The Mountain Lord grinned down at the Land Turtle, not caring what it said. In the next moment, all his strength left his body.
> [Uuugh.]
The typhoon, which was about to strike the coast where the people were, changed course and veered southward without anyone noticing. In exchange, the Mountain Lord lost even the strength to lift his head.
A colossal head flopped down atop its coiled-up body. The sounds coming out of his mouth were just meaningless whining.
> [I can’t give you food today…]
> [Forget today. You should save up your energy for at least three days.]
The Land Turtle showed him not a lick of sympathy and just scolded him more.
Do you even realize how dangerous it is to use power beyond your level? If your status were even slightly lower, you’d be suffering unbearable pain here, just like how animals feel tremendous agony when they try wielding Divine Power. Stop laughing like an idiot and start taking better care of your body.
The conversation circled endlessly, but in the end, they did it out of concern. Feeling like he was back in the Great Forest, the Mountain Lord laughed again.
> [How did I end up giving birth to something like you…?]
> [Ah, what did I even do?]
> [Enough, you utter fool.]
> [Hmph.]
> [I knew you could handle it, but you’re in much better shape than I thought. How unexpected.]
Even as a direct descendant, he’d suffered fewer side effects than expected. The Land Turtle pondered over this strange occurrence.
> [I mean, your bloodline hasn’t weakened over the generations, so maintaining your status is all fine and good… but still, this seems strange.]
> [Huh?]
> [You didn’t eat anything strange growing up, did you?]
> [Hmm… I was born from corrupted Arcane Power, so I kind of just ate both Arcane Power and Demonic Energy along with all sorts of other stuff…?]
> [That’s just a special trait. What I’m asking is… did you eat anything that should have been out of your league?]
> [Erm… Ah!]
That manner of questioning finally yielded the proper answer.
> [Erm, so, remember how there used to be a tiger living around here?]
> [Yeah?]
> [Well, it got corrupted. And those guys took it out.]
> […Even it got corrupted?]
> [I heard it lost its mind over some guy. Anyway, there wasn’t much of its body left, but some of it sort of ended up inside me.]
> [Oh my, the world really is falling apart, huh?]
> [Yeah… From what I’ve heard, the West isn’t doing any better either.]
> […]
The atmosphere between the Mountain Lord and the Land Turtle grew heavy as they finally pieced together the truth.
One was awkward, while the other was unsettled by the fact that all the other Primordial Beasts they’d known had fallen into corruption.
That was the reason for this heavy feeling.
> […Well. Stagnant water is bound to rot. Maybe this outcome was inevitable.]
However, that uncomfortable silence didn’t last long. More precisely, the Land Turtle forcibly ended it by changing the subject.
The small turtle curled into itself, its head and limbs tucked under its shell.
> [In that sense, the fact that you ate it… is probably for the better. You did well.]
> [Yes.]
Despite the praise, the Mountain Lord didn’t feel particularly happy. He tried to scratch his forehead with his tail but lacked the strength to do so, so it simply drooped down.
Had the Knight given him the heart because he’d known this would happen? The thought that came to him was at least able to ease his mind.
The Mountain Lord began thinking over the past again, wondering if it was truly a coincidence that the Knight had given him the heart. Thanks to that, he quickly forgot all about the surrounding situation.
“Make sure no more hunters go out today. Anyone who’s left already should return as quickly as possible.”
“Yes.”
“Haah… Seriously, it’s a relief that Sir Mountain Lord is still providing us with food.”
However, if there was one thing the Mountain Lord had overlooked, it was that, for some, what he considered trivial was anything but.
* * *
* * *
“Sir Mountain Lord has stopped granting us its blessing. With this storm raging, we can’t even go out to gather food… If this keeps up, morale in the temporary shelter will hit rock bottom again.”
Perhaps the Mountain Lord, after overexerting itself, had fallen into a slumber to recover its strength.
At first, the people felt only slightly uneasy about the mercy it was no longer granting them, but as one day stretched into the next, they urgently convened an emergency meeting. Its purpose was to address the quickly depleting food supplies.
“We’re also running out of firewood. If this continues, people will start freezing to death from the dropping temperatures.”
“The river keeps rising as well. The lowlands might get flooded.”
However, when they looked further into it, they found that food wasn’t the only thing they were lacking. Even though multiple reinforcement units had arrived, the situation still wasn’t great.
“So what’s the solution?”
“We need to conserve as much as possible.”
“Is that all?”
“…My apologies.”
“Haah…”
Conserving as much as possible, reuse as much as possible, as much as possible, as much as possible…
Why would they have called this meeting if they hadn’t already been aware of that? However, not a single person there came up with a better solution. After all, realistically speaking, there wasn’t one.
“We can’t solve the food and firewood situation immediately, so we’ll have to focus on conserving what little we have. As for the flooding, move the tents to higher ground and continue working on drainage trenches.”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s end the meeting. Ah, you stay behind.”
So instead of wasting more time on some unsolvable problem, the lord dismissed those present.
The one who stayed behind, looking as though he’d aged ten years during this twenty-minute meeting, let out a deep sigh.
“What’s the status of the wizards?”
“They’ve agreed to cooperate given the situation, but morale is low. You shouldn’t expect the same enthusiasm as before.”
“I see…”
But this was still enough.
Sure, the wizards were individualistic, but the Magic Tower had always held deep respect for pioneers. And now, their greatest pioneer had been arrested on suspicion of heresy.
On top of that, this accusation spread to the entire Magic Tower. Even those who’d once held their own interests in higher regard than the great sage were bound to start harboring some resentment over this.
“At least they all have a strong sense of duty thanks to Surging Azure Lake’s influence.”
If the Magic Tower of Bemurchen were run by White Wind instead of Azure Lake, there might have been many more deaths.
“And the Temple.”
“They’re keeping quiet for now.”
“Hah, if they have any shame, they should.”
The Demon Knight, the one who’d caused the Temple and the wizards to be at odds, was gone. Azure Lake, who’d been accused of assisting in his escape, had surrendered and was now under strict surveillance, only lending his strength under their control.
Another great sage, his companions, and even the Hero, who’d just woken up, all people who had defended the Demon Knight, were now choosing to remain silent. While the Hero might have been unconscious at the time, the rest had openly supported the Demon Knight and treated him with utmost respect, but now they weren’t saying a single word. It was clearly an act of consideration.
Had the Temple dared to stir up any trouble under these circumstances, they wouldn’t have been able to call themselves followers of God.
“And the Hero? How is she feeling?”
“She said we shouldn’t worry and that she can still go on.”
However, the lord still didn’t feel good about the Temple.
For that reason, he’d made the conscious decision to keep the Hero and the Temple separate when asking these things. Unlike those guys, who only seemed to enjoy making things harder for others, the Hero was his only source of comfort.
“Regardless of everything else, make sure to take good care of her. If she wavers now, it’ll be disastrous for everyone here.”
Without her, the number of people suffering from hypothermia would be several times higher than it already was. The same went for those complaining about the reduced food rations.
If not for the Hero, who’d proven that miracles alone could be enough to keep hope alive, they would’ve suffered more difficult trials.
“We’re doing our best, but she keeps insisting that she can’t be the only one enjoying special treatment…”
“Then think of a way to convince her. Right now, the influence of her power is far greater than some trivial sign of solidarity by eating the same as everyone else.”
What good was solidarity if she ended up collapsing from starvation? It would be far more beneficial to ensure she had enough strength by giving her better things. However, those foolish people couldn’t even understand something as simple as that.
Seeing the lord’s sharp gaze, the person who’d been doing nothing but making excuses shut his mouth.
“Lastly… ask the Archmage. See if she’s willing to check on Sir Mountain Lord, just to make sure there’s nothing wrong with it. Immediately prepare an escort for her as well in case she accepts.”
“Understood.”
“Good. Then go.”
“Yes.”
The lord didn’t believe the Mountain Lord would abandon them without a reason, but right now, the absence of its mercy was far too critical for him to ignore.
He decided that he had to send someone, even if it meant swallowing his pride. He grabbed his throbbing head. His worsening headaches were starting to interfere with his daily life.
“I hope I won’t end up dead before we’re able to wrap all this up.”
“M-my lord! How can you say such things?!”
His aide, who’d remained silent while assisting him, seemed utterly shocked, but the lord definitely hadn’t said it in jest.
He sank into his shabby chair. After nearly two weeks of surviving on nothing but short naps, his body felt as heavy as lead.
“´My lord, there’s a banner of another reinforcement unit in the distance…!”
“…They really give me no time to rest.”
However, just as he sat down, he immediately had to get up again. As he pushed off his knees for support, his vision briefly went white.
“Are you okay, my lord?”
“I’m fine.”
His aide caught his staggering body, to which the lord blinked a few times. His vision gradually returned to normal.
“You, if I die, take all the blame they try to pin on us and put it solely on me.”
Even if his vision had returned, it didn’t change that his body was reaching its utmost limit. So the lord gave his aide in order, just in case.
“That includes Azure Lake’s crimes as well. If they ever choose to go to trial… testify that I was the one who ordered everything. No matter what Azure Lake may say, understood?”
“Have you gone mad? If I do this, my lord…!”
“I won’t even be given a grave. But so what? Even if I don’t, I won’t be around to care. I have no parents, partner, or children who would suffer from my mistakes either.”
“Sir Azure Lake won’t stand for it.”
“Then tell him it’s retribution for acting all sentimental at my family’s funeral.”
Still, this was only a precaution, nothing else. The lord straightened his shabby cloak, preparing himself to go outside.
He was still alive, and there was still work to do.
____