Chapter 472: The Sheep, the Shepherd, and the Shepherd-Herder
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 472: The Sheep, the Shepherd, and the Shepherd-Herder
There is such a thing as a boundary line. Not one intentionally drawn by someone, but a blue line created by the grand principles of nature.
At a certain altitude, it is extremely difficult for tall trees to survive. The low temperature, thin air, and lack of water—a combination of problems caused simply by the high elevation—causes their survival rate to plummet. Plants, too, are social creatures in their own way; if there is no similar vegetation nearby, they grow shy and wither away.
The void left by the tall trees is filled by short grass. The wild grasses, once suppressed by the towering trees, stretch out wide and extend their roots. They thrive in a world of their own, vying for height amongst themselves.
Thus, the boundary line is meticulously drawn over long ages.
If there were such a long, drawn-out line, I might be tempted to hum a tune and follow it, but while I may have a child's heart, I'm no fool. A person walking along the boundary line on an open plateau where not a single tree can grow would be far too conspicuous. Chief Viltear, who told me to walk that way, must have intended for me to stand out.
But of course, I wouldn't do that. Even if I weren't a mind reader, I wouldn't choose to walk over open grass when there are trees for cover. I moved cautiously, keeping myself hidden just below the boundary line, among the trees, ready to quickly hide underground should any beasts appear.
After walking for what felt like an eternity, I saw a peak draped in clouds in the distance. The clouds seemed to have been climbing the slope, only to be blocked by a sudden cliff, where they now lingered, letting out a weary sigh. Normally, I would have just passed by with a thought of, Wow, what a view, but now, I kept myself hidden and scrutinized the peak.
“That must be the peak where Collie the Mok-in-gyeon is.”
Sure enough, I could see shimmering dots in the distance. A white mass, so widespread it rivaled the clouds, and between them, the silhouettes of people jutting out.
It seemed to be where vampires, humans, and the flock of sheep they tended to were staying.
“A Mok-in-gyeon… does that mean a dog that herds people? So there are sheep, shepherds, and a shepherd-herder, it seems.”
According to what I've read, Collie the Mok-in-gyeon is an Ain of Elder Lunken. A dog beastkin from a rather famous bloodline, and I vaguely recall reading that she was unusually intelligent for a beastkin. I guess I can just think of her as a superior version of Azzy.
It was hard to discern her abilities or weaknesses just from the thoughts of others, but one thing was certain.
I can't win against her.
I barely managed to beat a Yeiling, so how could I possibly take on an Ain? Even the Six Generals are difficult to kill outright; the best one can hope for is a win by decision. I'd be lucky to just lose by decision.
“So, I should avoid being seen if at all possible…”
Suddenly, a chilling sensation ran through me, and I quickly crouched down. A sense of danger, not learned but retained on an animalistic level, consumed me.
Using my Earth Art to half-bury myself in the ground, I lifted only my head to look across. On the opposite side of the peak was an open plain. A pack of beasts was roaming there. I studied their forms.
“…Wolves.”
Not all beasts are hostile to humans. But wolves are always hostile to humans. It's as if their half-brothers, the dogs, took all the friendliness for themselves.
I held my breath and stayed hidden until the wolves were out of sight. The pack, which had been roaming in the distance, glanced toward the peak before heading off somewhere. Once I confirmed they were far enough away, I let out a sigh of relief.
“Phew, I'm alive. What would I have done if I'd run into them on the plain without my Earth Art?”
Now that I have Earth Art, I can escape as long as I sense them in advance. If I can sense them in advance.
The problem is, I can't read the minds of beasts. Wolves are capable of ambushing me from the bushes. They have the tenacity to watch the spot where I've burrowed for days. And they possess the agility to tear at my limbs before I can even use my Earth Art.
Since ancient times, wolves have been one of humanity's greatest threats. They are just as threatening to me, the King of Humans.
“Ugh. It's definitely risky to cross the mountains. The mountains themselves are dangerous, and with vampire patrols and wild animals, there's no shortage of threats.”
I considered just digging my way across the mountain... but that's practically impossible. Even with Earth Art, it would take at least a month, and it's hard to find your way underground. More importantly, the threats I'd face would be just as severe. If I hit a water vein, I'd become a drowned corpse, and if the tunnel collapsed, I'd leave behind a King of Humans fossil.
“Still, it has to be better than the border guarded by an Elder.”
Of course, I hadn't come without a plan.
The Duchy isn't a populous country, nor is it proactive in educating its 'livestock.' It's an environment where it's difficult for exceptional humans to be born, as they lack the motivation to become stronger on their own. However, sometimes an individual overflowing with energy and manifesting unique magic will suddenly appear among the livestock. Like Lyre Nightingale.
What would such a talented human do in the Duchy? One of two things: try to become a vampire, or escape.
There must have been others who attempted to escape. My job is to either follow the path these wise predecessors walked, or learn from their failures.
“There must be a reason an Ain is playing shepherd-herder near the border. This place must have been a hot spot for escapees. It'll be difficult to pass through openly, but it might be easy if I can sneak in.”
Shepherds live apart, but not alone. There must be a village nearby to serve as a base. I may not be as good as Hilde, but I'm also confident in my ability to blend in among humans.
It was a plan I'd improvised, but not a bad one. I praised myself and headed toward the nearby village.
“Woof! Woof!”
…Of course. I should have been more careful.
A large dog was staring me down, barking loudly. With its majestic chestnut fur and bared teeth, the only thing that distinguished it from a wolf was that it hadn't bitten me yet.
Damn it. I can read human minds, but not a dog's. I never expected to run into such a huge obstacle right from the start.
“Grrrr.”
“Easy now, good doggy. You recognize me, right? I'm a human. Your friend, a human.”
“Grrrrrrrrr.”
“I know I'm a stranger, but I'm not an enemy and I won't hurt you. I'm your friend. There, there. Good boy.”
“Grrrr…”
As I relaxed my expression, put on a gentle smile, and continued to send friendly signals, the dog lowered its guard a little and slowly approached me. It sniffed at me, trying to determine whether I was dangerous.
It seems to be friendly toward humans. Then again, it wouldn't be a dog otherwise. Having avoided being mauled to death for the time being, I cautiously continued to build a rapport.
“Brownie? Where'd you go?”
Just as I thought. No way the dog came alone.
I heard its owner calling from a short distance away. The dog immediately ran to its owner without a backward glance. The sight of it running with its tail wagging was the very picture of a loyal hound.
“Why'd you suddenly run off like that? Is someone there?”
So I've run into someone. An encounter I didn't initiate is bad news... But it can't be helped. This isn't the time to be picky.
I revealed myself to the dog's owner. He was a boy who looked like a young shepherd. Wearing a large hat and holding a staff, the boy became wary upon spotting me.
One little kid is no problem... but that dog is. I have no desire to find out just how ferocious a shepherd's dog can be, because I'd be the one serving as the cautionary tale.
Did it sense its master's feelings? The dog's expression turned fierce. I spoke before the boy could say anything.
“Hello, little one. Is this…”
I read his mind with my ability and chose my words and actions to cause as little unease as possible. Without approaching him, I simply held up my hands and asked.
“the place where Lady Collie resides? I've come to see her on important business. Could you tell me where I need to go?”
“Lady Collie? What for?”
Now. How will this go?
To deceive someone, it's better to use the truth than a lie. It's easier to show someone a two of hearts twice and make them think you have a pair than it is to conjure an ace of spades out of thin air.
I don't go easy on anyone, not even a child. I put on a deliberately serious expression and whispered to the boy.
“Chief Viltear of Black Valley Village sent me. A fugitive has appeared there.”
“A fugitive?”
“Yes. A fugitive. A stranger showed up looking for food, and when he was refused, he snuck into the village and stole provisions. So Chief Viltear sent me to deliver the news. There's no one better at finding suspicious people than Lady Collie, after all.”
To the boy, I was the suspicious one. While they didn't have frequent dealings with Black Valley Village, he had seen the faces of those who came and went a few times. But my face was completely new to him.
So I created a fictional suspicious person and pretended to be chasing him, redirecting the suspicion aimed at me elsewhere.
After hearing my story, the boy thought for a moment and asked.
“A fugitive? When?”
“Not long ago. It happened just last night.”
“Really…? That's very strange.”
“What is?”
My approach of pretending to hunt a fugitive was a success. I was the fugitive, but the boy was so caught up in the questions blooming in his mind that he had no time to suspect me. He tilted his head and said.
“Because the fugitive has already been caught. Lady Collie took him to the outpost.”
“What?”
But I'm the fugitive. I was caught?
This time, it was my turn to tilt my head in confusion.
What is the most important skill a shepherd must possess? The ability to communicate with animals? The strength to fight off fierce wolves? The stamina to run across the fields with the sheep?
All are necessary, but the most important skill is none of those. It is the ability to endure boredom in the midst of beasts that is most required.
The boy was still an apprentice, but he had plenty of talent for shepherding. He embellished his answers to my questions with all sorts of details. At this rate, he'd be fine even if left alone for months.
On the way to the village, guided by the boy, I listened to his words and read his thoughts, learning a rather surprising fact.
“A wanted order was issued?”
“Yes. They say he performed a miraculous escape from the middle of Plenilune Castle, where the Progenitor and all the Elders had gathered for the Night Ebb Tide! He committed a terrible crime, so Lord Sanguine gave a strict order to capture him alive. So he can inflict the most excruciating pain on him!”
That has to be a lie, right? Surely they wouldn't kill me?
“Who brought the news?”
“A messenger from Lord Sanguine! He was so cool and amazing! He came like the wind and left like the wind!”
I'd felt the Duchy's methods were a bit haphazard, but Valdamir's fists were remarkably fast and sharp. I had done my best to escape, yet a messenger had already come and gone. I asked another question, hoping to dig up more information.
“Was the fugitive Lady Collie caught the same one who came to our village?”
“You said the fugitive was discovered last night, right? Then it's probably not him. The commotion in our village was the day before yesterday.”
“Is that so…? That's strange.”
I wondered if it could be Hilde, but she was with me the day before yesterday. Could it be someone else who tried to escape, taking advantage of the weakened security during the Night Ebb Tide?
“What was their description?”
“Well... I was herding the sheep at the time, so I didn't get a good look. But considering Lady Collie rushed off and then returned looking exhausted before sending us down... it seems they were a formidable opponent.”
A formidable opponent against an Ain in this Duchy of Mist? Was it someone who'd been hiding their power somewhere? Besides me and Hilde, there shouldn't be anyone else that strong.
The boy sighed as if disappointed, then asked me a question in return.
“What about you? What happened in Black Valley Village?”
“The fugitive snuck into the village and stole food. He got caught by Chief Viltear and they had a big fight.”
“A fight? With the vampire chief?”
The story of a fight seemed to light a fire in the boy's heart. As he asked with shining eyes, I recounted an adapted version of my own heroic tale.
The boy was fascinated by my story, as if he were witnessing the battle firsthand.
“Really?! The chief lost?”
“Yes. Of course, we all thought the chief would teach him a lesson... but when we went in later, he had tied up the chief and calmly departed.”
And that was me. A powerhouse you people can't even imagine. The boy muttered in shock.
“So even a vampire chief can lose during the day...”
“That fugitive must be incredible, to have subdued the chief even during the daytime.”
I spoke with pride, a little drunk on my own newfound strength, but the boy shouted back as if not to be outdone.
“But Lady Collie is the strongest! Chief Viltear is a Yeiling, but Lady Collie is an Ain! In front of her, that fugitive is nothing but a tossed bone!”
“That's the problem.”
“Huh?”
Exactly. I barely beat a Yeiling, so how could I possibly shake off an Ain? I clicked my tongue and hurried the puzzled boy along.
“So. When do we get to the village?”
“It's just over…”
“Woof!”
Brownie, who had been circling the boy and me, lifted his head and barked.
“Woof woof! Woof woof woof!”
“Brownie? What is it?”
“Woof! Woof woof!”
He was running around, excited about something. It was completely different from when he'd barked at me. The boy was bewildered to see Brownie running wild, seemingly overcome with joy.
“What's gotten into him?”
“Woof woof!”
“Woof!”
Patter, patter. Soon, the sound of running paws grew closer. Another dog suddenly appeared and stood before Brownie. The same Brownie who had barked so fiercely at me now folded his ears and lowered his body, welcoming the newcomer as if none of that had ever happened.
Dogs have a hierarchy. Instinctively recognizing the other as its alpha, Brownie submitted and lowered his posture.
“Brownie? Who is that? Did you make a new friend while I was away?”
The boy felt a sense of betrayal at Brownie's submissive posture, which went beyond mere friendliness, but there was no need. Unlike with humans, it was only natural for a dog to submit to the Dog King.
But I had a different question.
“What are you doing here?”
“Woof? Good to see you! Good to see you!”
Azzy, who was receiving Brownie's submission, wagged her tail and bounded over to me. We had been apart for quite some time, but it was as if that time had been snipped away with scissors. Without a moment's delay, Azzy came and rubbed her face against my pant leg.
A dog that hates people and a dog that loves people are both problems. Both of them will run up to a person one way or another. Whether they like you or not, you're bound to be discovered.
“What? Do you two know each other?”
“No. It's just…”
A dog beastkin looks like a dog but isn't one. Azzy, however, looks like a dog beastkin but is a dog. To me, it was just a dog happy to be reunited, but to the boy's eyes, it looked like some beastkin was circling around me.
The boy's eyes went wide as he pressed for an answer. Before I could even make an excuse.
Another cry echoed from behind Azzy.