The Shape of Destiny
The young girl of the Baba Tribe in the northern mountains had been special since birth. Her eyes saw things others could not. To her, the energy within a person manifested as a distinct shape. At first, she didn't know what it was. No one else could see them, and she had no idea why she alone possessed this sight.
But on that day—after the Empire's invasion began—she finally understood what those shapes meant. What she saw was the innate destiny a person carried. An unchangeable, predetermined flow. It wasn't just a vague feeling. It was a realization bordering on absolute certainty.
Around her uncle, she saw the shape of a massive bear. Around the neighbor who always caught fish, a thick-shelled turtle. Around the older girl next door, a nimble leopard. And as death drew near, those shapes would vanish, one by one.
Eventually, the shapes that once filled the village disappeared entirely. She had become ordinary, just like everyone else, just as she had always wished. Just as she had always wanted. But... she wasn't happy.
On that day, too, she hid behind her mother's back and watched the people. “Grandpa.” She looked at her grandfather standing before her. The destiny she thought could never be altered... had changed.
Her grandfather's shape had reappeared. The shapes of her uncle and the neighbors had also returned to life. At first, she feared the change. But the moment she pressed her forehead against her grandfather's, sharing his warmth, she realized something. There was no need to fear destiny changing. If it could be changed, then this was not a curse, but a blessing.
Her mind, which had been slowly consumed by madness, cleared. As she headed toward the Elium Kingdom, she looked beyond the mountains. The vision was etched vividly onto her retinas. Despite the worries of those around her, she didn't feel a shred of anxiety. She knew that neither her grandfather nor the warriors—no one—would die.
She saw the shape her grandfather carried. A giant. Even now, that giant did not lose its energy; it only continued to grow larger. So much so that it was impossible to think he was anywhere near death.
At that moment, as if drawn by something, she raised her head. For some reason, the sky grew dark, as if day and night had been inverted. And the instant she saw the man standing far away atop the castle wall, her eyes widened. Her breath caught in her throat.
Atop the wall. A massive bird was perched there. A bird with wings so immense they seemed to shroud the entire world in darkness, looking down upon the heavens.
And now, that very bird she had seen that day was standing right before her. “Crow...”
Feeling the kid clinging tightly to my back, refusing to let go, I looked ahead. An elderly man stood there, looking utterly at a loss. Is this... the chief who rules the Thousand Lands, the one who contacted me through letters? I believe they call him 'Wise Bird.'
His left arm was missing, but no one in this village seemed to look down on him for it. Respect was one thing, but his physique alone was forged in the fires of real combat. He stood easily over two and a half meters tall. His entire body was covered in countless scars, with a massive one slicing right across the center of his face. If anyone dared to mess with a man like that just because he was missing an arm, they'd have to be clinically insane. I would easily believe it if someone told me he was a secret strategic weapon hidden by the state.
Just looking at him radiated an aura so intense it practically stung my eyes. The wound on his arm was relatively recent. Piecing it together with what I'd heard from my subordinates, it seemed that, fortunately, the high-grade potion I sent had done its job perfectly. It was the result of squeezing out every drop of my daily production limit. Thanks to that, many who should have died were now alive.
The scars of war were scattered everywhere. There were many who were missing limbs, yet smiles graced their faces instead of despair. Once again, I felt reassured that my choice had not been wrong.
The old man bowed his head, almost kneeling before me. It was a cautious, deeply respectful attitude that contrasted sharply with his rugged appearance. “We have received a monumental grace. How can we ever repay this benevolence...” When he raised his head, the tears pooling in the corners of his eyes glistened in the sunlight.
At that moment, the little girl clinging to my back tilted her head. “Grandpa... what's wrong...?” Soraka, the pink-haired girl. An age where everything probably looked like a game. Feeling the child latched onto my back, I locked eyes with the old man, who looked thoroughly embarrassed.
“Forgive her rudeness, Prophet... Soraka, stop that and get down at once.”
“It is quite alright. She is not heavy, and while I could pry her off if I had to... well, she is still just a child.”
Soraka buried her face in my back and whispered softly, “So warm...”
The old man said nothing more at my words. Though it had only been a little over a month, the village was already taking proper shape. Log cabins stood in neat rows, and the ground was well-packed. Contrary to the notorious reputation of the Urai Mountains, the paths were cleared well enough to easily climb on foot. Suddenly, I recalled what the herb gatherer had said at the entrance. 'What in the world... Did a monster stampede through here? Lion Rock is gone!'
Prompted by the memory, I spoke up. “As I was coming in earlier, I noticed a head hanging near the entrance...”
“Ah. That is a tradition to ward off misfortune from the village. If it displeases you, Prophet, I shall mobilize the entire village to tear it down immediately.”
Talk about overkill. I just asked out of curiosity...
“No, I did not mention it to find fault. Rather... I noticed a particularly large, red monster head among them. An ogre... correct?”
“...Is that what they are called? Ogres?”
“Yes. To be precise, a Red Ogre. It is about twice as strong as a standard one.”
The old man's expression shifted. His voice dropped to a low, heavy rumble. “Originally, we of the Baba Tribe found a good spot and sought to build our village here. However, that creature kept pestering us... so while we were teaching it a lesson, we accidentally killed it.”
...What did I just hear? They accidentally killed a Red Ogre while 'teaching it a lesson' because it was being 'pesky'? Are we even having the same conversation right now?
“Was it perhaps a monster belonging to another lord's territory?”
“No. Absolutely not.”
“Then that is a relief.”
“What about the massive boulder that was on the path?”
“Ah, I heard that some of the children saw it while passing by and ran over to clear it out of the way.”
I nodded at the village chief, who let out a sigh of relief. I didn't quite get it, and honestly, I still don't understand, but it was easy to see that this village had its own unique way of doing things. If you lack brains, your body suffers. If you lack brawn, your brain suffers. In my case, it was the extreme latter.
“Prophet, this way. There is something I wish to show you.”
The old man led me deep into the village, toward a storehouse. As he opened the heavy wooden door, a gust of cold air rushed out, carrying a fishy, metallic scent. Ogre bones, hides, ground claws, dried hearts... all sorts of monster parts were neatly organized inside.
“These things are abundant here. However... they are of no use to us. We cannot eat them, we have nowhere to sell them, and we lack the skill to process them.” He looked at me as he spoke, as if apologizing for having nothing else to offer. “If you wish, you may take all of it.”
I could feel his earnest desire to give me something, anything. His sincerity was palpable. I raised my hand and pointed toward the storehouse. “It would be improper of me to simply take them. How about we trade these for food instead? I will request Elium to establish a supply line. Preservable grains and dried meats—those would be far more vital in these barren mountains.”
The old man's jaw dropped. “You do not need to go to such lengths...”
“This is a fair trade. As a resident of this kingdom, I am merely doing my part.”
My conscience pricked at me. Even if we sold only a fraction of what was in this storehouse, it would easily cover the cost of the food Elium would supply. In fact, it would be more than enough to feed them luxuriously, but the actual value of these monster byproducts was easily dozens of times greater than the food. So, receiving such unconditional praise was actually a bit hard for me to stomach.
The girl named Soraka rubbed her face against my back and giggled. “As expected of... Crow...”
Stop it. My conscience is already taking a beating here.
“...On my way here, I noticed many who seemed to be injured.”
“Since this region is teeming with monsters, it is an inevitability...”
“I shall ensure a set amount of potions is supplied every month. And—”
This was about the newly unlocked skill. As the renown of my name spread, the influence of the Ifrit Church grew. Finally, it had crossed the next threshold of 500,000 believers.
[Divine Power Bestowal: Lesser Heal]
[Designatable Individuals: 100]
Now, I could bestow this power upon anyone I chose.
“I shall dispatch a priest from our order to this village.”
This wasn't charity. It was a preventative measure and an investment to hold back the monster waves of the Urai Mountains that occurred every year. Compared to the costs of reconstruction and hiring mercenaries, a single priest was dirt cheap. So... please stop looking so deeply moved.
“...!?! To go so far.”
Seeing a giant of a man with tears welling up in his eyes was a lot to take in. Hearing such a deeply moved voice from an elderly grandfather was even harder. Unable to bear looking at his emotional face, I turned my head to look at the little kid clinging to my back. I could feel her pressing her cheek against me as if my back were her personal space heater.
“So, what is this 'Crow' you've been talking about anyway?”
The girl giggled softly and whispered, “Crow is... Crow!”
No, but seriously, what is it?