Bound to the Forest
It wasn't strange that Skadi was flustered. Anyone would suffer cognitive dissonance when a fact they knew was overturned. What mattered was regaining composure and approaching the problem with a mindset to solve it. Skadi quickly pulled herself together. When she broke it down point by point, none of it was that big a deal. So what if she didn't know her own limits? So what if she didn't know his name? To Skadi, the Wendigo wasn't the type to be troubled by issues like that.
The real problem was not knowing his Origin...
"You can manipulate cold, Lord Wendigo, so perhaps your Origin is related to ice or frost—or maybe snow. Ah, considering your head and body, it could even be beasts..."
"Calm down. We can figure out my Origin step by step. For now, let's solve the immediate problem."
"Ah, yes!"
The Wendigo soothed Skadi, who was starting to spiral. From traveling together, he'd noticed that despite her calm appearance, she ignited easily...
Is it because of her tough childhood? She seems to crave validation.
That was the scary thing about deprivation. How badly did she want recognition to try so hard to prove her worth to a monster(?)?
After walking much longer, the Wendigo and Skadi finally reached the outskirts of the village. He spotted the settlement far off, nestled beyond the forest. Men who looked like vigilantes were huddled together with grave expressions; the village seemed in quite a state of disarray.
"Looks like they're worried because the ones chasing you haven't returned."
"Those guys who chased me weren't well-regarded in the village either... Still, from the village's perspective, it's concerning. If they were that worried, they should've stopped them from going. Serves them right."
The Wendigo caught how she softened her words because he was in front of her. Her face alone suggested she could've spewed curses without issue.
Pitying her, he gently placed a hand on her head and stroked it. Skadi startled and looked up at him.
"It's just hair and eye color a bit different. Must've been tough."
"N-no, it's thanks to that I met you, Lord Wendigo."
Skadi blushed and murmured softly. Embarrassed, she hurried out of the forest, calling out in an awkward, loud voice.
"L-let's hurry, Lord Wendigo! There must be things at my mother's hut that you'll like!"
"Got it. Just in case, prepare your weap—"
As he stepped toward the forest's edge, the Wendigo felt a strange sensation. It was like unbreakable chains binding his entire body, dragging him back into the woods.
He was bewildered by the intense repulsion he'd never felt before.
"...Skadi. Are there spirits that can't leave certain places?"
"Not sure about places, but there are spirits that can't be summoned without specific mediums. You can't call fire-related spirits without fire, or earth spirits in the ocean..."
As she answered, Skadi's eyes widened. He wouldn't ask without reason. Which meant...
She looked at the Wendigo. He stood motionless at the forest-grassland boundary, like he'd hit an invisible wall.
The Wendigo said flatly, "Looks like I can't leave the forest."
"!"
Skadi's eyes flew wide, and the Wendigo sighed in frustration. Of course. Even fantasy ultimate weapons like dragons had constraints, weaknesses, and flaws. Why wouldn't he? The Wendigo was bound to the forest.
"Sorry. I said I'd escort you, but I didn't know you couldn't leave the forest."
"No, it might actually be good. At least now we can guess your Origin!"
The Wendigo nodded bitterly. Only an idiot wouldn't realize it. Setting aside whether he was a spirit, anyone could guess his Origin was the forest if he couldn't leave it.
Figuring out his Origin was progress. Useful or not, knowing was better than not. The problem was it meant he couldn't leave the forest.
But sending Skadi alone was too dangerous. Family or friends chased the witch, and only the witch returns? It wouldn't end well.
Going back means leaving her stuff behind, but there has to be a way...
Then an idea flashed through the Wendigo's mind. If he couldn't help directly, he could help indirectly.
"Skadi. To get your things from the village, it seems you'll have to contract with me."
"C-contract? For real?"
"Don't want to? If not, no choice..."
"No! I do. More than that—it's an honor!"
When he asked because she seemed hesitant, she denied it vehemently, eyes shining. Of course she wanted to contract with him. Her hesitation was because he could contract with a skilled shaman even without her.
Shamans contracted with temperamental, arrogant, picky spirits for one simple reason: the mystical powers they granted were that alluring!
If she could wield even a fraction of his cold, shamans would offer up the village's most beautiful virgins. Skadi, shunned by spirits, hadn't dared ask...
"But... are you sure I'm okay? I mean, my appearance aside, spirits avoid me."
"Honestly, I'm not even sure I'm a spirit. And does contracting cause some big issue?"
"No, but contracts are sacred and solemn..."
"If no problem, just do it. To me, you're qualified."
To the Wendigo, Skadi was decent talent. A bit low on confidence from years of mistreatment, but reciting her mother's knowledge showed a sharp mind. Strong will too, unshaken by the unfamiliar. And most of all...
Honestly, 'shaman's items' piques my curiosity.
His proposal was heavily influenced by personal curiosity. Unaware, Skadi was deeply moved by his trust.
"To think Lord Wendigo believes in me that much!"
Feels a bit guilty now.
A twinge of guilt for toying with an innocent maiden surfaced, but he ignored it.
Vigilante Rollo didn't like pulling night watch late. They often stood guard against beasts, but this was different.
Rollo puffed his tobacco pipe, staring into the dark forest.
"Damn, all this suffering over one girl we couldn't catch. Shouldn't have chased her to begin with."
"Right? The shaman's hut alone had plenty to loot..."
As Rollo grumbled, Maxim, on watch with him, agreed. Rollo didn't like that either. He couldn't say it with the village mood, but he couldn't understand treating the shaman so cruelly—what had she done?
"Hey. The shaman helped us plenty. My mom beat her illness thanks to her—lived her full life peacefully. Even helped when wolves bit my leg."
"I know, I know. But she has to pay for saving that cursed brat. Who knows if your mom's illness was that kid's fault?"
"What kinda bullshit... Never mind. Shut up."
Rollo almost snapped but stopped. Wasn't he the same scum? Benefiting yet ignoring her daughter out of fear—he was scum.
Rollo glared, puffed his pipe, exhaled smoke, and looked back at the forest. No sign of the witch-hunters. But something else: a woman approaching from the woods.
Realizing who, Rollo gasped. "Wait, isn't that Skadi? What the hell's she doing here?"
"Huh, for real?"
Stunned, Rollo dropped his pipe. As he bent to grab it, a cold wind snuffed the ember. He shivered from the chill racing over his skin.
An inexplicable dread hit him as he looked at Skadi. She approached with eerily serene calm—not like a fugitive.
Rollo sensed something wrong instinctively. "Hey, hey. Something's off. Get the captain now—"
"Hey, witch bitch! Got the guts to come back? Daughter wants her mommy's corpse?"
Rollo backed away slowly, warning Maxim, but Maxim was worse than he thought. Lust gleamed in Maxim's eyes. He'd eyed Skadi since childhood—not kindly. Despite her odd looks, she was beautiful... Most men lost it over pretty girls. Maxim was one.
Maxim advanced, thrusting his spear. Licking his lips, he said, "Dunno how you escaped, but sleep with me one night, and I'll hook you up with your mom's body and some cash..."
"A dull-witted head and beast-like senses, yet that loose mouth sure talks well."
"...What?"
That idiot line was Maxim's last. Skadi grabbed his spear, cold bursting from her fingertips. Frost coated it; Maxim panicked, trying to drop it—but couldn't. The cold flash-froze his hand to the spear.
The frozen spear channeled cold from hand to body to heart. As it seized him, his skin turned blue-black, frost settling. Dead.
Skadi eyed the corpse impassively, released the spear. Her gaze turned to Rollo; he inhaled sharply.
"...You respected my mother, so live. But tell the village."
"Wh-what do I say?"
Rollo asked hastily, fearing she'd change her mind.
"Tell them to bring everything from my mother's hut. Hide anything, and they'll end like this trash."
"B-but they won't believe it. A guy freezing to death in the village—not the tundra? How...?!"
Skadi formed an ice sword, smashed Maxim's arm; it shattered, falling. Rollo shut up at the horror.
At her glance, he picked up the arm warily. It was chillingly cold.
"Bring that—they'll believe. One more thing: everything from the hut. Deviate a single grain, they die."
"Y-yes! Of course! I'll tell them!"
Cold swirled around her like her fury. Rollo nodded frantically, eyebrows frosting.
She gestured; he dropped his spear and ran to the village.
Skadi watched him go. Through the ice necklace at her throat, the Wendigo watched too.