Skadi's Hidden Insecurity
A week had already passed since Isaac had been, well, not exactly kidnapped but left behind in the village. Wendigo figured that was plenty of time for Skadi and Isaac to have warmed up to each other. Skadi was kind at heart by nature, and while Isaac had a tendency to lay on the flattery a bit thick, he wasn't completely hopeless with words.
Savoring a well-roasted apple glazed in honey, Wendigo turned to Geron. "Geron, how are Skadi and Isaac getting along?"
"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about, my lord."
"Oh?"
Wendigo shot Geron a puzzled look. Normally, Geron would have just said Skadi was doing fine... But today, Geron was staring back with an unusually serious expression.
"Don't tell me you're worried Isaac might do something shady to Skadi? If he had, he'd be dead by now."
"Ahem. Well, I did have those concerns at first."
Geron coughed awkwardly, caught red-handed. Wendigo fixed him with a cold stare. Even after he'd personally vetted the guy?
Geron read the unspoken reproach in Wendigo's gaze but smoothly brushed it off. Serving an unusual lord like this had a way of thickening one's skin.
"More than that, it's what the workers at Lady Skadi's hut have been saying that's got me worried."
"...Is that place really a hut? Feels more like a mansion to me."
With a slaughterhouse, kitchen, tanning and woodworking workshops, herb gardens, and even rooms for guests and workers, the two-story building was anything but a simple hut, no matter how you sliced it.
Geron couldn't deny the facts but defended Skadi anyway. "It's a shaman's home, so they call it a hut, like how a blacksmith's forge is called a smithy."
"Hm, the analogy's a bit off, but... if that's what Skadi wants to call it, we should respect her wish."
Wendigo had no real complaints. If she saw it as a hut, who was he to argue?
In the fantasy novels from my past life, there were wizards who insisted on calling luxury hotels 'magic towers.' There were comics about building mega-hotels and dubbing them towers, and novels where monster-infested wilds were rebranded as 'academies.' Compared to that scale, Skadi's claim was just a childish whim.
"Oops, I derailed us. So, what did the workers say?"
"I hesitate to believe it, but... it seems Lady Skadi is tormenting that wandering shaman."
"...That Skadi?"
Wendigo tried picturing Skadi bullying someone—a stern, contemptuous glare while cracking a whip. It was plausible enough, but it didn't fit her usual self. She'd be more likely to apply salve to a whipped underling and gently explain aftercare.
Skadi was kind to everyone by default. No way she'd bully someone... right?
Did he actually sexually harass her or something?
At this point, even Wendigo had to admit something was off. "Bring Isaac here. Looks like I need to interrogate him."
"Yes, sir! I'll bind him so tight he can't even dream of escaping."
"...No. We don't even know if he's guilty yet. Don't go that far."
"You look... exhausted."
"No, I'm fine."
The moment Wendigo faced Isaac, he knew it wasn't the shaman's fault. What emanated from Isaac wasn't guilt, but fear laced with a hint of weary resignation. His cheeks had even hollowed out a bit from the stress—enough to inspire pity.
"Be honest. Is Skadi tormenting you?"
"Well..."
Isaac hesitated. Setting aside their first meeting where his life hung in the balance, if asked if it was tough—yes, it was. Answering her endless questions meant dredging up buried memories from the subconscious every day. Not easy work.
But as time passed, Isaac sensed something was amiss.
"She's not tormenting me. It's just... Lady Skadi seems desperate to absorb knowledge and experience, like she's being chased by something."
"Chased by something..."
Wendigo's nose detected no lie in Isaac's words, but accepting them was hard. The shamans he'd met were Skadi, Ryurik, and now Isaac—but he knew Skadi was highly skilled. Why would she show anxiety while learning from this guy?
Isaac gauged Wendigo's mood and ventured carefully. "Spirit, if I may share my guess?"
"Go ahead."
"Just my personal take... but Lady Skadi seems burdened by various pressures."
"What do you mean?"
Wendigo pressed, caught off guard. Isaac shrank lower, fearing anger, and explained. "At first, I thought she was extra harsh because of my rudeness... but living here, something felt off."
"What kind of off?"
"When dealing with me, she acts the fearsome shaman more than anyone. But with the forest folk, she's the epitome of benevolence."
Isaac analyzed: the venomous face she showed him versus the gentle one for others. After three days, he realized her true nature was the latter. No one badmouthed her, and...
Thinking back, the herbs she used to treat him were quite rare.
"...Maybe your wounds were just that bad?"
"No. The limbs were mere scrapes, and the head wound was split but not life-threatening."
Any shaman of Skadi's caliber would know the injuries weren't severe. If her true self was a vicious, evil shaman, she wouldn't waste precious herbs on him.
So why did she? Isaac recalled her treatment: cold eyes, but fingertips full of care. He guessed guilt.
"What could make such a person lose emotional control to that degree? It's a stretch, but maybe my arrival as a fellow shaman sparked fear."
"Fear?"
"She seems afraid of other shamans—specifically, ones more skilled than her. She's talented, but... still young, isn't she?"
"...If she thinks I contracted her because of her talent, she might fear a better shaman replacing her."
She surely knew no peer her age matched her knowledge, and few elders surpassed her. But humans couldn't control emotions with facts alone. Feelings weren't that convenient.
If she'd matured more... or seen the wider world, that anxiety might be less.
But her childhood was mostly in her mother's hut, and as an adult, she'd been with Wendigo. The fear of losing him might hit her hard.
...Very hard.
...Looks like we need to talk, just the two of us.
Wendigo gathered his thoughts and eyed Isaac. Originally brought to teach Skadi more, the man had exceeded expectations.
With genuine warmth, Wendigo expressed thanks. "Appreciate it. Thanks to you, I'm reflecting on whether I've been too hands-off with Skadi."
"N-no, think of it as the delusions of a wandering shaman."
"Even delusions help, so thanks are in order. When you leave the forest, I'll make sure you're properly compensated. Head back now... and pass a message to Skadi?"
"What message?"
"Hm... yeah. Tell her I'd like her to join me for a nighttime stroll in the woods. Make time for it. Thanks."
"Aigoo, no need for thanks—I'm just following orders."
As Isaac panicked and bowed low, Wendigo chuckled and waved him out. Isaac retreated head down, convinced his face was a mess.
Even without the spirit part, he's no ordinary good soul. Caring for underlings like this...
Isaac now understood why the forest folk worshipped Wendigo. The world overflowed with spirits, nobles, and others craving dominance—but few strove to care for those below.
He hoped Skadi found peace talking with Wendigo.
...So he could finally rest easy. No more question hell.
Late at night. Skadi sighed as she walked the dark path. The chilly air only deepened her unease.
I need to apologize to Isaac... but I can't muster the courage.
From their first meeting, she'd felt inexplicable hostility, and circumstances justified it, so her hands grew rough unwittingly. She'd even threatened him over an unspoken village taboo outsiders wouldn't know.
...Isaac was summoned to Wendigo too. He might've told him about my ugly side. No... he definitely did.
Skadi sighed again. Lately, she knew her inner turmoil was a mess. How could she not, with her usual self slipping out constantly?
But why, and how to fix it? She felt like flailing in an endless swamp—self-loathing and gloom.
Because of that? She belatedly realized she'd passed the temple.
She sighed again...
"You've been sighing a lot. Not a great habit."
"We-Wendigo?!"
Turning, Skadi found Wendigo waiting. Shocked he'd followed her, she flushed with shame that he'd seen her like this.
She'd messed up before, but lately, she didn't want to show her flaws to him of all people.
"Skadi. Remember why I called you?"
"Yes. Isaac said you wanted to take me into the woods...!?"
Seeing her fidget, Wendigo scooped her up and slung her over his shoulder. Skadi blushed furiously, flailing in panic.
Wendigo watched, bursting into laughter.
"We-Wendigo! Put me down!"
"Sorry, can't. From now on, we're strolling like this."
"What!?"
At Wendigo's tyranny(?), Skadi let out a shrill shriek of horror. Satisfied, Wendigo carried her into the forest.
Destination: the old mansion where they'd once lived alone.