Chapter 141
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 141
“What did you just say?”
The sharp gazes of the chieftains fixed on Otar.
The glare from four seasoned warriors was enough to intimidate even the most veteran fighter. However, despite their piercing stares, Otar let out a mocking scoff.
“I said you’re chasing pipe dreams. You’d better stop filling your heads with useless thoughts before you end up disappointed.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Putting the right person in the right place? It sounds good, but that only applies if our skills are superior to those of the people beyond the snowfields. If their level of technology surpasses ours, why would they bother distinguishing between our talents?”
Struck by the harsh truth, the chieftains were left speechless.
As he said, if the technological level of those living beyond the snowfields exceeded that of the Sons of the Snowfield, there would be no need to categorize them. It would be faster to just take anyone and teach them from scratch.
Skal, who had first raised the point, realized this as well, but unable to let go of his hope, he added a few words in a grumbling tone.
“It doesn’t necessarily have to be that way. We have no idea what kind of technology the people beyond the snowfields possess. We might be superior in certain crafts.”
“Do you truly believe that?”
“Why shouldn’t I?”
“For someone trying to play the strategist, you’re quite naive.”
“What!?”
Skal’s face flushed red at the sudden insult. The atmosphere turned hostile in an instant, but Otar merely let out a deep sigh, as if wondering how they still didn't understand.
“Let me ask you one thing. Between a warrior who has swung an axe a hundred times and one who has swung it a thousand times, who would wield the weapon more skillfully?”
“Are you mocking me right now!?”
“Just answer. A hundred times or a thousand times—which is it?”
“Unless there’s a difference in talent, it would be the latter! So what of it!?”
“Then, between a blacksmith who has hammered iron a hundred times and one who has hammered it a thousand times, who would produce better goods?”
“What are you—!”
Skal, who was about to snap in anger, suddenly froze. He finally realized what Otar was trying to say.
Otar clicked his tongue briefly and scanned the other chieftains who still hadn't caught on.
“I don’t know much about the lands beyond the snowfields either, but I have heard a few things. One of them is that their resources and population are vastly superior to ours.”
“What does that have to do with skill?”
“Think about it. Whose skill would be greater: a blacksmith who hammers countless ores all day long, or a blacksmith who only touches the same iron and weapons he’s always handled?”
“...!”
At Otar’s words, the chieftains realized a fact they had been overlooking.
Because the snowfields had a small population and precious resources, there were few craftsmen. Since those craftsmen had few customers, they had even fewer opportunities to hone their skills. Could the craftsmen of the snowfields possibly defeat those beyond the snowfields, who could consume materials at will and deal with countless customers?
“This isn't limited to blacksmiths. From what I’ve heard, that land lacks nothing compared to the snowfields. With what skills could the Sons of the Snowfield possibly best them?”
“...”
“It’s just my guess, but the King won’t bother selecting craftsmen one by one in the first place. What he needs from us are warriors who are loyal to him, not our technical skills.”
In a harsh environment, the only thing that grows is human resilience.
If Otar’s guess was correct, Lucian would require nothing other than hardy soldiers. And if he wanted soldiers, he wouldn't need to go through a troublesome selection process. Since all the Sons of the Snowfield were strong, he could just pick anyone at random.
“Th-then, what will become of us?”
“I’m not entirely sure, but won’t we be demoted to just another warrior? At the very least, we won’t enjoy the same authority we had as chieftains.”
“Is there at least a way to maintain our dignity as chieftains...?”
“If there were, I’d want to know it first.”
As the last shred of hope they had clung to vanished, the chieftains' complexions turned dark once more. Otar shook his head, letting out yet another sigh.
“The situation has come to this, so what can we do? We have no choice but to accept reality. At the very least, we have experience ruling tribes, so they might come to us for advice from time to time. If we cooperate well then, we might be able to receive some decent honorary titles.”
Of course, they wouldn't be given any real power. Giving power to former rulers might spark movements for independence. For the chieftains, it was a staggering fall from grace, but there was no helping it.
The flapping of a giant bird’s wings was enough to sweep many away in its wake. Those who could not soar upon the bird’s back were destined to be crushed by the air pressure and fall. That was the nature of power, unchanged from ancient times to the present.
The next day, Lucian gathered the five chieftains and all the tribespeople at the site that had been the holy land of the Blue Dragon Tribe. It was to stop this tedious blizzard using the artifact and the Dragon’s Heart.
“They say the King is going to stop the blizzard today.”
“Is this dreadful cold finally coming to an end?”
“Shh, keep your mouth shut so you don't jinx it.”
Lucian regulated his breathing amidst the curious gazes pouring in from all sides. The people’s attention wasn't burdensome, but what he held in his hand was none other than an artifact. Even for Lucian, it was impossible not to feel tense while operating a relic that could potentially drive the entire North to ruin with a single mistake.
‘Stop and start. He told me not to touch anything else.’
Lucian recalled the warning Marius had repeated tirelessly until yesterday.
—I understand the general operation, but I haven't tested any of it myself. There’s no telling what disaster might occur if you tamper with it recklessly.
Stopping the blizzard wasn't difficult, as it was simply the process of reversing something already in operation. However, artificially changing the environment again was a different matter. Marius had explained that, in the worst-case scenario, a disaster incomparable to the Veil of the Snowfields could occur.
‘I wanted to try operating it lightly, like the White Castle's defense device... but I should just give up on that.’
Swallowing his regret, Lucian placed the artifact on the ground of the snowfield and reconnected the detached Dragon’s Heart. Even though the heart had already lost about half of its mana, it seemed to have no problem powering the artifact.
He carefully turned the sphere-shaped control mechanism several times, making sure his hand didn't slip.
Whirrrrrr—
‘It worked!’
Having finished the operation, Lucian took a few steps back from the brilliantly glowing artifact. A moment later, the green radiance gathered in the Dragon’s Heart erupted and soared into the sky.
The startled people murmured, but the pillar of light flashed for only a brief moment. The light that ascended into the sky soon vanished into the void, leaving only silence behind.
“Wh-what was that?”
“Is it over?”
Disappointment colored the gazes of the murmuring tribespeople. They had expected a spectacular sight like when Lucian was chosen by the dragon, but it had ended with just a brief flash.
However, regardless of the people’s disappointment, the result brought about by that brief flash was anything but light.
“Th-the sky! Look at the sky!”
“The dark clouds are clearing!”
“The snow is stopping!”
At the scream-like shouts, everyone, including Lucian’s party, looked toward the sky. The dark clouds, which usually cleared for only about ten days out of the year, were vanishing as if being washed away by water. Consequently, the snow and blizzard ceased instantly, and the temperature began to rise rapidly.
While everyone else was in awe, Lucian’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
‘This is insane. It’s only this much because I’m returning the temperature to normal, but if I had maliciously manipulated the weather...’
The mere thought sent a chill down his spine. If one were determined to use this artifact offensively, they could wipe out ninety percent of a region's population. Though he felt a renewed shiver at the artifact’s power, Lucian hid his inner thoughts and shouted calmly.
“The path is open! We will head beyond the snowfields in fifteen days, so everyone, prepare yourselves! The land of salvation awaits you!”
—Waaaaaaaah!
At Lucian’s declaration, an explosive cheer shook the entire snowfield. It was the moment the wall that had blocked the snowfields and the Empire for over a thousand years vanished.
*
The tribes' preparations for migration proceeded with lightning speed. Since food was scarce and blizzards were extreme in the snowfields, they always kept about fifteen days' worth of rations ready, and their household goods were so simple that there was almost nothing to pack.
The only concern was the women and children who might find it difficult to endure a long journey, but even that turned out to be a needless worry.
“There is a saying in the snowfields: a healthy child crosses two mountains a day, and a sickly child crosses one. You shouldn't view the stamina of the people here the same as those in the Empire.”
“Are you saying I should treat women and children like full-grown men?”
“They’ll be more than that. It’s not uncommon for a woman who was bedridden to go out and hunt a beast for exercise once she recovers.”
“...You’re joking, right?”
“It’s the truth. To be precise, it’s more that animals considered beasts in the Empire are treated like mountain rabbits here.”
Marius explained that because the people were so strong and food was so scarce, most beasts were simply seen as prey. This happened because, despite the tradition of strictly protecting women from danger, they didn't view beasts as a threat.
“Did you think I told you to use them as an army for no reason? Your Highness has only faced the warriors so far, but the people here, even the mere women, are of a hardy breed who can easily snap an adult man’s neck.”
Lucian marveled at Marius’s smile. He knew that in terms of physical strength, every resident was at the level of a knight, but he hadn't expected hunting to be a basic skill for everyone. At this rate, if he were to conscript anyone at random in an emergency, a formidable army would be formed on the spot.
‘Even if I don't turn them into a standing army, they’ll be able to repel most forces on their own.’
The fact that the commoners possessed such military power was a significant risk factor for a lord, but Lucian didn't need to worry. He had already shown the tribes of the snowfields far too much. As long as he was seen as the King of Prophecy and their savior, they wouldn't dare defy him as long as he didn't let them starve.
‘Conversely, they’ll show extreme hostility toward any other ruler who fails to prove themselves. If things go well, they might even become volunteers without me having to intervene.’
If he had taken the easy path, Lucian would have been seen as just another invader, and he wouldn't have been able to harbor such expectations. Just as he was wearing a satisfied smile, thinking that the hardships in the snowfields had been worth it...
“My Lord!”
Einar, who had been supervising the tribes' migration, came running toward Lucian in a flurry. Lucian looked puzzled at Einar’s uncharacteristic urgency.
“What is it? Has a problem occurred?”
He had given them a somewhat tight schedule, but there was no one who clung to this land, nor was there anyone whose physical strength was too weak to endure the migration. Preparations had been going smoothly for ten days, so had a problem finally cropped up?
“No, sir. There are no issues with the migration process. However...”
“However?”
“Strangers clad in white iron have arrived and are shouting that they have come to see ‘His Highness.’ If I am not mistaken, I recall that is what you were called, my Lord.”
“...!?”