Chapter 481: Successor
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 481: Successor
Of course, the Goblin Three Sisters’ reaction to her suggestion was less than enthusiastic.
“Lee Wanyong?”
“You mean that human?!”
“I think it would be better to think about this a little more!”
Their reaction was, of course, understandable. Lee Wanyong was a so-called non-combatant who had never participated in a war.
“If you need someone smart, Hakajin wouldn’t be a bad choice!”
They had never seen him swing a sword, nor had they ever seen him fight. He was the type of human who would be the first to flee whenever a battle broke out. And while he was knowledgeable in strategy and tactics, the Blood Dagger Clan was not short on individuals with that level of military expertise. The sisters were currently considering the possibility that the Lee Wanyong card was a trap.
Hakajin was certainly a good choice. A being skilled in military arts, possessing vast knowledge, and even capable of wielding shamanistic magic could surely prove to be quite a nuisance to others.
Nevertheless, Mev decided to trust her intuition. There were so many things that even those who couldn't fight could do. She had already concluded that when it came to responding to the various variables that went beyond simple military strategy, that man was the best.
No one knew how the mock battle would unfold. Rather than focusing solely on the combat itself, they had to be prepared to respond to every possible situation. Even after the effects of her unique ability, ‘Cornered Fairy,’ had worn off, Mev’s mind kept returning to Lee Wanyong.
For Laveua to have also thought of Lee Wanyong was quite unexpected; it was likely the best choice she could have made after considering all the conditions. Seeing the discontent on the Goblin Three Sisters’ faces, Mev quickly spoke up.
“No, I still think Lee Wanyong will be fine.”
“But… th-the opponents are armed with Gark, Orbo, Choi Eunju, and Hark!”
“We might be the ones who are unprepared…”
“No. I-It seems Laveua also thought of Lee Wanyong…”
“Still…”
“R-Remember this. That human, Lee Wanyong, wasn’t always present at every victor’s side… but everyone who was with Lee Wanyong was always on the side of the victors!”
“Th-That does sound plausible.”
“A-As expected of Mev!”
Even she had to admit, it was a brilliant line. Literally, he hadn't been present at every single moment of victory. In the Blood Dagger Clan’s major and minor battles, or the war between the elves on the Eastern Continent, or the joint battles with the Goff and Black Spear Clans, there had been failures and even small-scale defeats. But if one were to look at the ratio, victories were far more common.
However, the nature of the raids and battles he was a part of was a little strange. Those who fought alongside him never met a tragic end.
Strangely, very strangely, wherever Lee Wanyong was, the roar of victory always followed.
It did feel as though he only participated in fights he knew he could win, but Mev decided to trust her gut.
“L-Laveua, why did you choose him?”
“Because I’m not smart. I thought of the person who could help me the most. He’s also one of the humans who spent a lot of time with Dad… I remember there were times when that mister used to go in and out of Dad’s tent several times a day, so I felt there must be a reason for it.”
“I-I see.”
“To be honest, I did consider choosing Mister Hakajin… but I decided to trust my gut!”
Laveua, who had never participated in a war, didn't understand how every battle had unfolded. Naturally, she couldn't weigh the strength of the clan executives either. All she knew was what she heard from the battle information room, the records office, or the stories passed down. She recognized that she needed something special to break through the situation.
‘Wh-What a relief!’
She was relieved her daughter didn't take after her. Relieved she took after Blood Dagger. Her lovely daughter, Laveua, was a much brighter child than she had thought.
“Th-Then let’s go! T-To the Eastern Continent.”
“Okay! Mom!”
*
Naturally, they traveled with Choi Eunju’s help. Even if she had joined Lapura’s faction, they had no choice but to rely on her assistance to get to the Eastern Continent. It seemed Blood Dagger had given her a heads-up about this, as Choi Eunju simply smiled without asking any questions and sent them on their way.
“Th-Thank you. This favor…”
“Don’t worry about it, Lady Mev.”
“Thank you, Auntie.”
“You do your best too, Laveua.”
“Yes!”
Although she saw them off with a smile, there was no denying that she would become their most fearsome enemy once the mock battle began. Upon arriving at the temple on the Eastern Continent, they quickly began searching for Lee Wanyong and soon saw his face.
The elves had guided them into his room.
It was a rather large room, though slightly smaller than Blood Dagger’s tent and those of the other executives. She had heard that humans liked luxury, yet his room seemed quite modest.
After a short while, the sound of someone rushing over could be heard, and she instinctively knew it was Lee Wanyong.
“My goodness! My goodness! If it isn’t Lady Mev and Lady Laveua. Why have you come all the way to such a humble place? If you had told me in advance, I would have prepared and been waiting for you.”
“Ah… well, you see.”
“F-First, I shall escort you elsewhere. I cannot keep such esteemed guests in a place like this. Hehe. Please! This way.”
“O-Okay! I understand.”
It didn't matter where they talked, but Mev found herself nodding, pushed along by his inexplicable momentum. It wasn't long before they arrived at the room Lee Wanyong had guided them to. It was an incredibly lavish space that made her constantly look around.
“This is the room for our esteemed guests. Hehe.”
“Oh? It’s Dad.”
“Ah. You mean the statue, my lady? Hehe. Since most of our visitors are from the Blood Dagger Clan, I took the liberty of adjusting the reception room’s atmosphere a little…”
This place felt dozens of times more splendid than Lee Wanyong’s own room. From the statue of Blood Dagger that Laveua was pointing at to the painting hanging on one wall, every single element decorating the room seemed to have been prepared just for Green Skins.
“There’s the Beast of the East, too.”
“Ah. A model of the creature, yes. I can have some packed for you to take when you leave in a little while. Hehe.”
It was only natural that Laveua’s expression quickly filled with excitement. She was still at an age where she would be interested in such things. Even Mev herself found her eyes drawn to a small sculpture of Blood Dagger displayed on one side. Such a reaction was to be expected.
“Th-Thank you!”
“My goodness, you don’t have to say such things. On the contrary, I am the one who is grateful every single day.”
“Mhm!”
“But more importantly, for what reason have you sought me out? Hehe. It’s not that I can’t guess… but I believe it would be proper to ask just in case.”
His voice helped her gather her scattered thoughts. Mev glanced at Laveua. A mother’s role was to help; the recruitment itself was up to Laveua. Laveua, sensing her gaze, slowly began to speak.
“I think it would be good if you joined our side, mister.”
Her voice held not a shred of doubt.
“As I thought. It is a great honor. I never imagined Lady Laveua would seek me out… To be honest, I’m a little flustered. Hehe.”
He didn't seem all that happy about it. Seeing Lee Wanyong’s face, Mev began to feel anxious for no reason. She quickly interjected.
“D-Do you already have an arrangement with someone else?”
“Ah! It’s not that. Actually, I was in some talks with Lord Ratga’s side because of my daughter…”
“You were?”
“It’s just that, as you know, Lord Blood Dagger doesn’t seem to want this situation to be used politically. Considering my daughter, it would be right for me to lend my meager strength to Lord Ratga… but I was worried Lord Blood Dagger might look upon it unfavorably… Hehe, it’s a bit of an awkward situation. I have not a single selfish motive, but the thought that it might appear that way in Lord Blood Dagger’s eyes made me anxious. Hehe… I-I have declined for now, but joining another side also feels a bit awkward…”
It was a complicated story, but she understood. She had heard that Lee Wanyong’s daughter, Wanhee, was currently spending a lot of time with Ratga. If their relationship developed and Wanhee were to have Ratga’s child, Lee Wanyong joining Ratga’s faction could indeed be a sensitive situation.
He was a deep thinker, as expected.
“Lady Jang Ye Ri also seemed to be aware of this, which is likely why she didn't press me. In fact, it seemed she wanted someone else more than me anyway. Hehe. Lord Ratga must have his own thoughts as well.”
“But if you have to participate in this mock battle…”
“That is another problem. Lady Laveua, can you trust me? N-Of course, I am by no means harboring any foolish or ulterior motives. I am certainly not planning to manipulate the outcome from behind the scenes or scheme for Lord Ratga’s sake. I am simply asking in the most literal sense of the word.”
Mev thought it was a tricky question. But Laveua’s expression didn't change.
“I trust you.”
“Hmm… I-I see. I should tell you beforehand, I won’t come with any troops.”
“I don’t care.”
“…”
“…”
“Then I understand. I will join you. For this short time, I offer you my humble self. Please take good care of me. It will be difficult for me to get involved in the matter of becoming the successor, but I will do my best to serve you. Hehe.”
“L-Laveua!”
“Thank you. I’m counting on you, mister!”
The sight of Laveua flapping her wings entered her vision. She wasn't overtly showing her happiness, but she seemed incredibly pleased. Her face was faintly flushed, and her voice was a little louder. The biggest proof was her flapping wings. Of course, Mev found her own wings starting to flap as well.
It was partly because she was happy, and partly because she sensed that her intuition had been correct.
Just as no extra troops were assigned to Gark or Choi Eunju, none were assigned to Lee Wanyong either.
Blood Dagger had clearly designated it so. It was obvious that he rated Lee Wanyong’s abilities highly and had imposed what could only be called a penalty.
At this point, she couldn't help but be certain.
The individuals who could shake the battlefield or turn the tide of war were not assigned additional troops. She had been half in doubt even after thinking it over, but the cunning-looking human before her possessed the ability to overturn the course of a war, and that ability was acknowledged.
It was a situation where she couldn't help but cheer inwardly.
In a manner of speaking, she had drawn a hidden rare card. No, it wasn't just a rare card. A smile naturally formed on her face as she felt like she had drawn a legendary card.
‘We can do this!’
For some reason, she felt like it might just be possible. No, they had to make it happen.
“Th-Then let’s go back to the camp!”