Chapter 204
Chapter 204
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 204
Chapter Title: Souls, and Souls (4)
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The orc subjugation had ended successfully. The mercenaries, drunk on victory, were already guzzling alcohol, and among them were humans who proudly wore orc ears or fingers strung together like jewelry, mimicking how orcs adorned themselves with human body parts.
“…….”
Calisto surveyed the humans with a face that hid none of his contempt. Humans reviled orcs, but to the elf Calisto, human barbarity was no different from that of orcs.
-Wahaha!
-Kekekeke!
Amid the crackling of bonfires, the heavily intoxicated mercenaries burst into laughter. Drinking parties were everywhere. The command unit had distributed alcohol to celebrate the day's victory, but Calisto couldn't comprehend why they were drinking so excessively. This was Sequoia Forest. If ambushing orcs attacked right now, they'd stumble around drunk and meet their end pierced by orc blades. Did such worries not cross their minds? Calisto shook his head and sipped clear spring water from a transparent glass bottle.
“Elf.”
At the call, Calisto looked up. A human, infinitely younger than him despite having grown a beard, was beckoning.
‘Elf,’ of all things. An insolent address, but Calisto had no desire to bother telling this pathetic human his name. Thus, he simply stared coldly without correcting the man. The soldier swallowed dryly.
“……D-Dawood is looking for you.”
Dawood.
The human Theodore had told him to watch was treating him like a dog just for playing along a bit. Come, go. Why were humans so oblivious to their place? Pathetic worms on the earth acting like they were something special…… Even ‘that one,’ who could be hailed as a hero without exaggeration, was as humble as could be. Calisto rose without hiding his irritation and followed the soldier.
Unlike the mercenaries' area, a large tent stood where Dawood stayed. A flag bearing a bull fluttered as he entered, revealing two men sitting across from a large table.
“Ah, Calisto. You've come.”
One was Dawood, and the other……
“Please come in, Calisto.”
Fabio.
Dawood called the small man in a black robe with his hat pulled low ‘Fabio.’ His face was always obscured by the hat, making it hard to tell if he was young or old, but his voice suggested he was on the younger side even among humans.
“What is it you need?”
Calisto gave Fabio only the briefest glance—enough not to arouse suspicion—before turning to Dawood.
“About the subjugation, there's something I wanted to discuss with you.”
“I thought the subjugation was already over.”
“Yes, the first subjugation ended quite successfully.”
Dawood spoke with evident delight. And why not? The subjugation hadn't just been successful. It had been ‘excessively’ so, closer to a one-sided massacre. But that wasn't because the humans were superior. It was simply because the orcs left in this forest were particularly weak.
Calisto silently regarded the two men. Then Fabio leaned in and whispered something in Dawood's ear. Dawood nodded repeatedly as if realizing something, then clapped twice loudly. Moments later, two soldiers entered carrying a small chest. They carefully placed it on the table, saluted Dawood and Fabio, and exited the tent.
“Come closer.”
Calisto was reluctant. Still, he took two steps toward the table. Fabio then pulled out a key and handed it to him. Calisto paused briefly before accepting it. The key clearly fit the chest before him.
“Open it.”
Dawood said with a voice laced with subtle anticipation. Calisto thought of throttling him for the irritation it sparked but recalled Theodore and suppressed the urge. He inserted the key into the chest's lock and turned it. With a click, the latch released. Dawood then opened the chest himself.
As the lid lifted, radiant light poured from within. And rightly so—the small chest brimmed with countless gold coins and jewels. Among them gleamed top-grade magic stones, shining so beautifully they could be mistaken for gems. A single top-grade magic stone was worth enough to live idly for a year. Yet there were at least five such stones. This one chest alone could ensure a life of comfort anywhere in the empire.
“……I was under the impression I'd already received payment for the subjugation.”
Indeed. He'd already been paid handsomely for the first subjugation, in a hefty pouch of gold coins no less. That had seemed excessive already, but this chest…… Objectively speaking, it was enough to buy Calisto himself. Not that such a thing would happen…… With furrowed brows, Calisto alternated glances between the chest and Dawood. He'd heard tales of human powers seeking to enslave elves, so he eyed Dawood warily, gauging if that was the intent.
“This is…….”
“No need to worry, Calisto. This is the ‘advance’ for the next commission.”
Before Dawood could speak, Fabio cut in toward him. It was no behavior for an unknown human toward a noble like Dawood, but Calisto—who saw nobles and commoners alike as equally worthless humans—felt nothing amiss.
“The next commission?”
“Yes. The next one.”
“I never agreed to take another commission.”
Calisto twisted one corner of his mouth. Yet Fabio continued unfazed.
“We know. That's why we're showing our ‘sincerity’ in advance.”
“…….”
A sly tone. As Theodore had said, this was where the ‘real’ part began. Calisto listened silently.
“We know that for a warrior of your caliber, this subjugation was as easy as snuffing out a candle.”
Classic human flattery. Calisto stifled a yawn.
“But, Calisto, what I'm about to ask is something even you, an elf, will find far from easy.”
Praise followed by subtle belittlement. A blatant ploy to stroke his pride? Or truly ‘not easy’? Calisto let out a scoffing laugh. The orc subjugation had obviously been a mere pretext; this felt transparently like the true goal.
‘For Sir Theodore's objective, I suppose I should play along here.’
Calisto glanced at Fabio and Dawood, paused, then nodded.
“If you're willing to pay this much…….”
“…….”
“I suppose I should at least hear it.”
Though his face was mostly hidden by his hat, it was easy to tell Fabio was smiling. Pretending interest only in the riches, Calisto rummaged through the chest—like the rumor-mongered elf who moved solely for ‘money.’
-Snap!
Fabio snapped his fingers after scanning the surroundings. In that instant, Calisto glimpsed purple letters glowing on the back of Fabio's hand. Simultaneously, a faint barrier formed inside the tent.
‘……A soundproofing spell.’
Now came the main point. Calisto wiped the sneer from his face and looked at Fabio.
“I'll assign you soldiers under your command. With them, ‘guard’ Sequoia Forest.”
“Be precise.”
“When the next subjugation begins, kill everyone who tries to enter Sequoia Forest afterward.”
“…….”
“It shouldn't be difficult for you, right?”
As expected, their goal wasn't the orc subjugation. So what was it? Calisto rolled a gold coin between his fingers in silence. Probing further or showing curiosity here would tip them off. He couldn't ruin Theodore's plan. Flicking the coin into the air and catching it, Calisto met Fabio's gaze squarely.
“Killing humans is far easier than killing orcs.”
“Excellent.”
Fabio smiled faintly, then snapped his fingers again to dispel the barrier. The important talk was over. With a blank expression, Calisto took the chest from the table and left the tent without a farewell. Outside, the mercenaries' raucous celebration continued.
‘……I must inform him.’
Calisto gazed at the crimson moon rising as if it might fall at any moment.
* * *
We returned to the inn secretly once more. As planned, even the innkeeper was unaware we'd left. Back at the inn, we took a moment to rest.
“…….”
No, calling it ‘we’ might be wrong. While the others might have relaxed, for some reason, I couldn't let my guard down.
A red moon hung outside the window, and I sat by it, staring intently at the box on the table. The square box formed by combining the black, red, and gold ones. Unlike when first merged, it now showed no movement. The carvings and crests etched on its surface were still.
“……Fulfill mother's vengeance.”
Yet when I read the inscription in ancient Angsar……
-Uuuung……
The carvings and crests began glowing faintly and moving once more. Flowing slowly. Or swiftly.
“……Kukuku. Do you know what this is?”
-Not at all.
I'd asked Dimakushel, suspecting some demonic connection, but he too seemed utterly clueless about the box and its contents.
I fiddled with the glowing Riadel's key. My hands trembled, but oddly, it didn't bother me this time. None of the initial fear or terror remained.
In that case, now was the time……
‘Open it…….’
……Or not?