Chapter 195
Chapter 195
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 195
Chapter Title: Shadow of Corin (11)
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*Peep! Peeep!*
"Ah, ow! Ow! I'm up! I'm up!"
*Beep! Pip pip!*
"Master! Please stop Pip!"
Pip was pecking furiously at El's forehead, who was buried under the blankets up to her neck, fast asleep. El squealed and flailed until she finally bolted upright to escape Pip's beak. Pip puffed out its chest proudly, let out one more loud *peep*, and fluttered over to the table. Legion, who had already been dozing off at the table, cracked open one eye to watch, then yawned hugely with its mouth stretched wide.
"You should've gotten up earlier."
"Tch...."
*'It's early enough already,'* she grumbled under her breath, then El started tidying the bed. I poured myself another cup of warm, fragrant herbal tea and sipped it slowly. The lemongrass and mint leaves cleared my mind nicely.
"Could I trouble you for a cup as well?"
"Of course."
Lloyd sat down across from me and requested some tea. I fetched another cup, poured the hot brew, and peered into my worn book.
*'Skills are secure enough now....'*
My current level was 48. I'd acquired the mid-to-high-tier skill [Forest Giant].
[Forest Giant] was a skill that allowed truly massive trees—like ancient oaks or chestnuts—to move like actual giants. Not only could they uproot themselves from the ground and walk around, but they could also handle tasks impossible for human strength, like shifting enormous weights or engaging in combat. As one could guess from their size and weight, the resilience of Forest Giants was beyond human imagination.
Of course, agility wasn't their strong suit. But their defense and stamina were on a level where most monsters couldn't even compete. Plus, Forest Giants were relatively insensitive to pain, so they felt no fear, allowing them to confront enemies without hesitation.
However, there was one thing to watch out for with [Forest Giant]: the moment the skill effect ended, the tree would root itself right there on the spot. *Anywhere*. Forest, house, middle of a city street—it didn't matter. Well, used cleverly, that could even count as an "attack."
The skill's only real drawback was....
*'I can only control one tree for now.'*
It was a brand-new skill, so that was unavoidable. Still, the number of Forest Giants I could handle increased every 10 levels—60, 70, 80, 90—so I'd shelve the disappointment.
Since [Forest Giant] didn't grant the trees any intelligence, I had to control them directly, which drained a ton of mental energy and mana. Maybe it was a blessing that I could only manage one at the moment.
If the orc subjugation hadn't been a trap—and if I'd joined it—I might have swept through the orc horde with this [Forest Giant] skill and earned some serious fame. Especially since it was in Sequoia Forest.... Turning one of those sky-scraping sequoias into a Forest Giant and trampling the orcs....
*'Orc Slayer, Orc Blender—something like that for a title.'*
Heh heh heh. Well, even without the orcs, [Forest Giant] would be useful in all sorts of ways. Despite the name meaning "forest giant," it worked on something as small as an olive tree too. Not that I'd have occasion to, probably.
"Shall we head down now?"
"Let's."
"I'm all ready too!"
We went downstairs. Unlike usual, the dining hall was completely empty today. Not surprising. Today was....
*'Orc subjugation day.'*
Everyone must have eaten early, finished prepping, and headed to Sequoia Forest. Was the inn's emptiness a good thing or a bad thing...?
"Oh my. You're still here?"
The innkeeper spotted us entering the dining hall and asked in surprise. I greeted her warmly and claimed a table. She brought over the usual sugarcane milk, passing out a glass to each of us, then gave us a slightly troubled look.
"What to do.... I thought all the mercenaries had left. It was bustling this morning. Now there's hardly anything decent in the kitchen."
"No problem. Something simple is fine."
"Then just a moment."
The innkeeper returned to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Seizing the chance, I asked Lloyd,
"Lloyd. Lewis is...."
"He's waiting at the castle."
"Good."
We'd agreed to come here if anything unexpected happened. Things were going to plan. I relaxed and drained the last of my warm sugarcane milk.
"It's simple, but dig in."
"Thank you."
As she'd said, the breakfast she served was modest. But it all looked delicious. Creamy bean stew loaded with cheese, well-baked rye bread, and one each of herb-and-butter-roasted chicken drumstick and wing. A solid morning meal. We ate heartily and stood.
"We're planning to rest up fully today. With no mercenaries in town, it'll be so peaceful. Perfect for a nap."
I joked as I handed over the breakfast payment. She laughed brightly and took the coins.
"Hahaha, you folks are such characters! Then when do you plan to make money?!"
"Well, money comes and goes. The real priority is health, right? Rest when you need to."
"True, your friend came back last night, didn't he? The inn's empty today, so rest well! Let me know if you need anything."
"We're fine. We'll probably sleep all day."
With that light chatter, we headed back upstairs. And then....
"The town's empty, but that's just the mercenaries. The townsfolk are still here, so we can't let our guard down. Who knows what rumors might spread—we need to avoid their eyes carefully."
Lloyd and El nodded.
"Lloyd, you go first. Take Blackie with you. Once you reach the castle, put the shadow cloak on Blackie and send it back."
A simple but flawless plan. This way, no one would spot Blackie either. I'd get the shadow cloak back from the returning Blackie, El would don it and head to the castle with Blackie, then send Blackie back. Finally, I'd wear the shadow cloak and go to the castle.
It took a bit longer, but no one would see us heading there. Plus, with what we'd told the innkeeper....
*'We have a perfect alibi.'*
To everyone else, we'd look like mercenaries who lounged all day without a care for coin.
We could've used the secret passage, but that was riskier. Someone else might be using it, and it was close to Sequoia Forest where the subjugation was happening.
*'This is the best way.'*
As planned, we departed for Corin Castle one by one. Lloyd went first and met Lewis, then El, and finally I donned the shadow cloak and headed out. Thanks to the innkeeper leaving the door unlocked, slipping away was easy.
The town was dead quiet, just as she'd said. The mercenaries who'd flooded in like high tide had ebbed out toward Sequoia Forest like low tide. The subjugation would take at least two days minimum.... With so many mercenaries, maybe just one? To avoid risks, we should uncover everything we could from the castle before the day ended and get out.
"I hope the subjugation goes well."
"Come on, you saw how many mercenaries there are with your own eyes."
"Does numbers matter? I've lived fifty years and learned one thing: life boils down to 'luck.' 'Luck'! Even with that many mercenaries, who knows what could happen!"
"Pah. If you believe in 'luck' so much, quit jinxing it and pray!"
"My wife's already off praying. We make our living off those mercenaries—can't have them dying on us."
"I'd better go pray too."
The townsfolk chatting in the alley headed toward the temple. I hurried in the opposite direction, toward the castle.
*'Even the townsfolk think there are way more mercenaries joining this subjugation than before.'*
That must be why they're uneasy. Needing that much manpower meant the enemy was just as numerous.
*'Wonder what's really happening in Sequoia Forest....'*
I shook my head. No worrying. Kallisto would handle it properly. What I needed to focus on right now was....
*'The castle's secrets.'*
More precisely, Dawood's secrets.
Finding proof that Dawood was colluding with the Crows and stopping their plan—that was priority one. In the last town, an entire village had nearly been obliterated to summon a demon. If Dawood planned to sacrifice all those mercenaries' lives, whatever he offered them to....
*'...would be just as vile and monstrous in scale.'*
Uncover Dawood's secrets, the Crows' goals, save Corin's lord....
*'Easier said than done.'*
Lost in thought, I arrived at the castle before I knew it. Thanks to the shadow cloak, I slipped past the guards easily. Now, which way was it? Left first, then straight, around the right corner to the small wooden door....
"You're here."
As if I'd kept him waiting, Lewis spoke with a hint of reproach. I shed the shadow cloak and shrugged. How late could it be?
"Preparations...."
"Everything's ready. The remaining castle forces are minimal, and they all follow my lead—no need to worry."
"Excellent."
Sure, there'd be some supporting Lewis over Dawood as next lord. Friendly forces in the castle eased my mind a bit.
"Then let's begin."