Chapter 213
Chapter 213
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 213
Chapter Title: Souls, and Souls (13)
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“Fabio!”
The man in the black hood didn’t stop what he was doing even at the sound of his name being called. Considering that the one calling him was the heir to the prestigious noble house of Corin, it wouldn’t be strange if his head rolled right then and there.
“……What is it.”
Fabio spoke as he carefully selected tiny grains of sand with his fingernail. His voice carried not just indifference, but outright annoyance. It was only natural. The red moon would soon rise to the midpoint of the sky, and the ritual would begin. Fabio was the one overseeing that crucial ritual. In other words, the truly “important” person here wasn’t the foolish noble fixated on the lord’s seat, but Fabio, the glorious Crow.
“Did you hear that crying?”
“What crying are you talking about?”
There had been cries aplenty around them. Starting from Dawood’s father, then innocent maids, foolish knights, young mercenaries, orcs, mountain beasts…… Though Fabio himself had whispered those anxieties and doubts into Dawood, they were starting to grate on him now. Still, he had to endure until the goal was achieved. As Dawood began gnawing at his nails in an un-noble-like manner, Fabio finally stopped and turned to him.
“Listen closely.”
Dawood muttered with a pale face and pulled back the tent curtain. Red moonlight poured in, and from afar, just as Dawood said, some kind of sound could be heard.
“…….”
But it wasn’t a cry. It was just the wind screeching as it clawed at tree branches, or the river rushing fiercely pushed by the night breeze, or perhaps an owl or nightingale flapping its wings.
However, to a man plagued by paranoia, even the hop of a flea sounded like thunder. Dawood gazed up at the red moon with a pale face, then looked at Fabio. In that moment, Fabio noticed the tremor in Dawood’s eyes.
‘Truly an annoying bastard.’
He couldn’t let a mere fear ruin things at this point. Fabio forced the corners of his mouth up into a smile and whispered in a gentle voice.
“My lord, have no fears.”
“But…….”
Fabio approached the drawn-back curtain and slowly pulled it closed again. Woo woo woo…… As he said, it seemed like a low, beastly wail was coming from somewhere. Just before the curtain fully closed, Dawood said urgently.
“This, could it be, could it be…….”
“…….”
“Could it be Louis…….”
“Lord Dawood.”
Before Dawood could say more, Fabio cut him off firmly and shut the curtain completely. Thanks to that, the mysterious sound, faint as it was, cut off abruptly.
“That’s the sound of ‘victory.’”
“……Victory?”
“Yes.”
“…….”
“Listening closely, it sounds like the carraks’ cries. The orc unit must have finished their job properly.”
“The orc unit…….”
“Yes. After battle, they let the carraks tear into the enemy corpses. The long-starved carraks finally get to fill their bellies, so they sob in joy. That’s the sob of victory, carried here on the wind.”
“Victory…….”
“Yes. Lord Dawood.”
Fabio gripped Dawood’s hand tightly and met his eyes. They’d come this far; he couldn’t let Dawood ruin it now.
“Soon, the moon will scatter its blessing from the highest point.”
“…….”
“At that moment, the thing you’ve most desired will come to pass.”
“…….”
“There are no interferers left. Even the bastard child of that concubine who dared eye your seat—you killed with your own hands.”
Dawood’s hand, firmly held by Fabio, trembled for an instant. But Fabio didn’t release it and kept whispering, as if casting a spell.
“Nor your brother, nor your father, nor anyone can hinder your task. After tonight, Corin…… no, the world will kneel before you.”
“The world…….”
Dawood quietly echoed Fabio’s words. He hadn’t sought the “world” from the start. But…….
What did it matter now?
“Wait just a moment. I’ll ease your anxiety.”
Smiling as he spoke, Fabio turned and pulled a small pouch from inside his cloak. From it, he drew a single black petal, dried so thin it seemed it would crumble at a touch. He ground it finely, placed the powder on his palm, and stood before Dawood again.
“Lord Dawood, close your eyes and steady your breathing.”
Dawood obeyed without question. Things always “worked out” when he followed Fabio’s words. Fabio brought his palm to the face of the closed-eyed Dawood and blew a deep breath.
-Hooo……!
The black powder spread like acrid smoke. Most of it entered Dawood’s nose with his breath, and soon……
“Ah…….”
“Feeling calmer?”
“……A bit better.”
“Good.”
Dawood blinked slowly, sighed deeply with regret, and turned as if to go outside. It worked again. Fabio smiled in satisfaction.
Using black opium powder required delicate control to avoid driving him mad. Fortunately, Fabio had a talent for it. Even so, continued use would turn Dawood into a lunatic, an idiot, or kill him outright. He was already on the edge. The sudden anxiety fits were one symptom. He’d exploited them well until now, but……
‘……Just hold on until the ritual ends.’
Yes.
Dawood’s role ended there. After the ritual, whether he went mad, became an idiot, or died—it wouldn’t matter.
Once he had “that.”
“Lord Dawood. All proceeds according to ‘His’ will. So worry not, and think only of the glory due to ‘Him.’”
“Ah…… Yes, yes.”
With all prior tension and anxiety gone, Dawood smiled faintly. Fabio smiled back, then led him out of the tent. Much preparation remained for the ritual. No time to waste on this annoying fool. As Dawood left, Fabio returned to his desk.
-Woo woo woo woo……
Outside, the carraks’ cries continued. Devouring corpses like mad, no doubt. Fabio chuckled and resumed sorting the red sand grains.
* * *
-Woo woo woo woo……!
“Hey now. That good, huh?”
I picked up the last butternut squash and tossed it into the leader carrack’s mouth. The carrack, catching the oily, sweet butternut, stretched its neck long and wailed like a howl. The well-fed carracks followed their leader, stretching necks and crying out.
Before entering the Sequoia Forest, I’d thoroughly checked the carracks’ backs. Scars remained from years of saddle nails piercing their hides, but no more bleeding. Fully healed, no more pain.
“Good, good. That’s it.”
I vigorously stroked the rough-furred nape of a carrack and locked eyes with it for a while. Then, it slowly folded its hind legs, then forelegs, lowered its body fully, and tilted sideways. Meaning ‘climb on.’ In thanks, I touched its scarred snout, then mounted. No saddle, but bearable. As I settled and gripped the mane, it slowly rose.
-Gurook, gurook!
The carrack stepped slowly. Its hard hooves clawed scars into the ground. A single stomp would bisect an ordinary human. Carracks were that dangerous.
But now, my “friends.”
“See, everyone?”
I looked at El, Lloyd, and Callisto. El’s mouth gaped, Lloyd nodded, Callisto rubbed his chin with an inscrutable expression.
“M-M-Master! D-Do we have to……?”
“Of course. Can’t take the carriage deep into Sequoia Forest. And walking to the center’s no easy feat…….”
“B-B-But!! But!!”
“El, you saw how gentle they are.”
-Gurook gurook.
I gently stroked the carrack’s mane. It shook its head up and down pleasantly, rumbling.
“Just get permission. Just that.”
“What if they don’t?!”
“Hmm…….”
“What if they bite off my hand when I pet them?!”
“Won’t happen. Fed them till stuffed, just in case.”
“St-St-Stuffed……?”
My last words spurred El more. Pale-faced, he clamped his mouth and stepped back two paces. Sigh. I looked at Lloyd.
“Lloyd?”
“Mm.”
Lloyd awkwardly but carefully stroked a nearby carrack’s nape, like grooming his own horse’s mane. Luckily, it soon lowered for him to mount.
“Excellent. Now then…….”
“…….”
“Cal?”
Callisto glanced between me and the carrack, then shook his head.
“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll pass.”
Doesn’t look thankful at all, you…… Well, he’s an elf. Might not want an orc mount. Plus, he’s fast enough without one.
“No choice. Then…….”
“…….”
“……El, just you left. What’ll it be?”
“…….”
“Ah! Right, if you insist…… Cal! You take El and…….”
“Wait! Wait! Wait! I’ll ride! I’ll ride the carrack!”
El bolted clumsily to the smallest, gentlest-looking one.
“Careful, El. Wouldn’t want to lose a hand…….”
“Eek! Don’t scare me!”
Heh heh heh. This is the fun of raising disciples.