The Second Study: Chieftain Olgoldugolro (Part 2)
I am Tellorian, the court mage of Count Harrington. For the sake of convenience, you may think of me as an elder who assists the chieftess.
As I introduced myself and extended my left hand, Chieftess Olgoldugolro accepted the handshake. The careful way she adjusted her grip revealed a surprising degree of consideration.
“We have much to discuss, Chieftess.”
“I agree, great shaman.”
“First, I would like to learn your language. From the fact that you refer to yourself as Chieftess in the common tongue, it seems Trollish nouns carry grammatical gender….”
You have acquired Trollish (Familiar)!
Experience +10!
You have inherited knowledge regarding Troll Lore!
Experience +20!
Legacy Points acquired: 2
90/100 until Level 12
Legacy Points: 9
***
Harrington Keep.
The banquet hall where the feast was slowly growing cold.
“So.”
Count Harrington, dressed in a splendid doublet for the occasion, fixed a frigid glare on the knight commander kneeling before him.
“You allowed Master Tellorian to enter the rock trolls’ lair alone. As a result, he has yet to return even though midnight has long passed.”
A heavy silence fell over the banquet hall. The Iron Mace Count was openly displaying his fierce rage.
“…It is as you say. I apologize.”
“There is no time to waste on reprimands. Gather the knights in the training grounds. Exclude the greenhorns who have only ever killed humans. Bring only the true elites.”
The knight commander and the chief retainers assembled in the training grounds within five minutes. Three minutes to change from banquet attire into full plate armor. Two minutes to bring warhorses from the stables. An impressively swift muster.
“Damn it all! No matter how wise Master Tellorian is, I forgot he is still only a twenty-year-old youth! I should never have let a young man reckless enough to storm a dragon’s lair go alone!”
The Iron Mace Count accepted the sharp lance handed to him by his page and mounted a Camelonia warhorse with a proud grey mane.
“I will return soon, Belladia.”
“…”
“I will definitely rescue your benefactor.”
Yet despite the count’s resolute gaze, Belladia wore an indifferent expression. She did not even bother hiding the drowsiness evident on her face.
“…”
At his daughter’s heartless demeanor, the Iron Mace Count felt as if a nail had been driven into his chest. Even though Master Tellorian had calmed her mania, did that mean there was still no way for her to live as an ordinary person…?
“…I will return soon.”
“You will only be wasting your time.”
“Are you saying it is already too late?”
“Who knows.”
Viscountess Belladia shrugged.
“I simply don’t understand why everyone is making such a fuss. If we just wait quietly, he will return safely… I’m going back to bed.”
The viscountess left while covering a yawn, and the Iron Mace Count sighed as he watched his daughter depart. In a situation like this, she should at least pretend to worry about the teacher so the subordinates would remain loyal…
“My lord!”
“What is it?”
“The court mage has emerged from the cave!”
“Is he unharmed?!”
“He appears to be! However, the court mage says it would be difficult for him to return to the castle, and requests that Your Lordship come to him instead.”
The Iron Mace Count found the messenger’s overly polite phrasing slightly irritating, but for once he refrained from pointing it out. The news that Tellorian was alive was simply that joyous.
“Lead the way!”
“Yes, my lord!”
Thud thud thud!
A dozen knights galloped through the dead of night on their warhorses. It was a moonless midnight so dark that even elves would struggle to aim with the naked eye, yet the Iron Mace Count and his retainers were such superb riders that they could have guided their mounts with their eyes closed. No one was injured.
“Welcome, my lord.”
“Master Tellorian! Why have you caused me such worry! You clearly promised you would return before the soup grew cold!”
They met in a wide clearing adjacent to the rocky mountain. It was a pitch-black night.
“I apologize for missing the banquet. In exchange, I have brought a guest who could greatly benefit the development of your domain. I hope you will understand.”
Clap clap!
When Tellorian clapped his hands, a massive figure stirred within the darkness. The Iron Mace Count and his retainers instinctively placed their hands on their weapons, sensing a threat.
“Who goes there!”
“It is an honor to meet you, sovereign of humans.”
“…Hm?”
The Iron Mace Count felt puzzled by the unfamiliar voice emerging from the shadows. He had been expecting some monstrous brute, yet what he heard was fluent common speech.
“Reveal yourself.”
“I am afraid that is difficult at the moment.”
“I do not converse with those whose identity I do not know.”
The giant in the darkness glanced at Tellorian, who then attempted to persuade the count.
“What if I vouch for her identity?”
“Even coming from you, this is…”
“The lady I have brought is also a leader who commands a tribe, just like you, my lord. She is merely concealing her appearance because her features differ from those of humans.”
The retainers expressed their opposition with tense eyes. No matter how much Tellorian had cured the young lady’s mania, he was still a newcomer who had only been in the domain for three months. It was too early to trust him completely.
“Can’t she simply reveal herself and speak?”
“If she reveals herself, you will undoubtedly draw your weapon first, my lord. That would ruin any chance of negotiation.”
Humans were creatures who instinctively grew wary upon encountering other races. Those without such caution had failed to pass on their genes to future generations.
“…”
“In exchanges between different species, it is better to address differences later. I recommend that you first build rapport by discovering your common ground.”
Tellorian summoned his tobacco pipe and lit it. His role was merely to arrange new opportunities; seizing them was up to the parties involved.
“Will this exchange benefit my domain?”
“It will be of tremendous benefit.”
“…For example?”
“First, you will gain command of exceptional warriors. They feel no fear when fighting monsters, rarely die or suffer injury, and yet you need not pay them in gold.”
Military strength was the single most important factor for any lord in this medieval land. Nothing mattered more than security.
“…Is that all?”
“They can also serve as exceptional labor.”
“And what price must I pay?”
“You need only grant them the right to inhabit the rugged, uninhabitable rocky mountain and supply them with livestock at regular intervals. Strategically, it is an outstanding gain.”
Huuu.
Tobacco smoke drifted outward.
“…”
A heavy silence pressed down on the Iron Mace Count and his retainers. They had already begun to guess the identity of the silent giant lurking in the darkness.
“What if our people are devoured?”
“We do not eat humans, my lord.”
At that.
The giant spoke.
“Not only in this domain, but in others as well. We know that attacking you would only invite conflict.”
Chieftess Olgoldugolro had been about to say that humans were not desirable prey, but stopped herself. It was an answer that would only heighten the other party’s wariness.
“I desire peace.”
“…”
“I also wish to fill the bellies of those who follow me. That is why I make this proposal. I will fight for you, so in return, guarantee the prosperity and safety of my tribe.”
The Iron Mace Count stroked the mace at his waist as he carefully considered the proposal. Looking only at the content, it was a perfectly ordinary lord-vassal relationship. Kings and counts. Counts and barons. Knights and serfs—all maintained such relationships.
“…This is unprecedented.”
Yet a lord-vassal relationship was one formed between humans, or at most between humans and demi-humans. At the very least, there needed to be trust that neither side viewed the other as prey.
“Therefore, I wish to proceed with caution.”
“I respect your wishes.”
“For now, let us begin with trade.”
He removed his hand from his waist.
Suppressing the urge to draw his mace.
“If we provide livestock, do you have goods to offer in return? Exclude military force. We do not yet know where your strength might be directed.”
The Iron Mace Count held Tellorian’s wisdom in high regard, but he was also conscious that the fate of hundreds of thousands depended on his decisions. He could not fully endorse the young mage’s ideas.
“How about stone?”
“…Stone?”
“Master Tellorian told me that humans always need large quantities of stone, yet your frail bodies limit how much you can quarry.”
Stone was the most important building material in this medieval land. Castle walls, churches, the lord’s residence, and the mansions of the wealthy were all constructed from it. Without stone, humans would be no different from wild beasts.
“The mountain we inhabit contains various types of stone. In particular, there is an abundance of the limestone you humans favor for construction. We also possess the strength to tear oak trees out with our bare hands, so quarrying limestone is not difficult for us.”
The retainers were astonished. They only knew the difference between a broadsword and an arming sword, yet this brutish monster spoke of distinguishing types of stone like a stonemason?
“Would this not constitute a valid trade?”
“…Very well. As long as your people work diligently as laborers in the quarry, I permit you to reside in the rocky mountain. However, you are forbidden from leaving the mountain without permission or causing harm to humans. If you violate this, I will burn every last one of you.”
Despite the Iron Mace Count’s overbearing attitude, the chieftess politely accepted the terms, offered a courteous farewell, and returned to the rocky mountain.
“…She’s gone.”
“Phew.”
The retainers let out sighs of relief and relaxed their tension. They were only human, after all, and the monster had frightened them. As knights, they simply could not show their fear.
“Master Tellorian.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“…I thank you for the trouble of bringing such an unusual trading partner. However, in the future, I would appreciate it if you discussed such major matters with me first.”
…It was a difficult request. Inspiration for creative research never came on demand.
“…Master?”
“I will do my best.”
“……”
Endure it with sheer willpower.
He is the court mage you hired.
Research Clue Acquired: Turning Beasts into People
Experience +10
Research Clues: 1/5
Level up!
0/100 until Level 13
Stat distribution: Intelligence and Magic Power.
Class ability: Speed Reading.
Personal trait: Study Addict.
***
“Teacher. What are you doing?”
“…”
“Teacherrr?”
“There are still fifteen minutes until class begins.”
“…There is something I wish to tell you.”
“I am reading a book, as you can see.”
“…Yes, sir.”
At Tellorian’s irritated response, Belladia—who was dressed in light, breezy clothing—frowned. Did she lack charm? Surely not. Young kings and princes from across the continent were constantly sending her letters.
“Um, Teacher.”
“Get out.”
“Last night, one of your friends came to visit.”
“?”
I have neither family nor friends.
I did have a master, but I cut ties with him.
“What is his name?”
“Pellerinus.”
“Did he visit you in secret?”
“Yes.”
“Others could see him but did not recognize him.”
“Correct.”
“Where is he now?”
“In my bedchamber… Oh. He has arrived.”
Belladia waved toward the entrance of the laboratory. When I turned my gaze, there stood a crimson nobleman exuding a dangerously seductive beauty.
“It has been too long, my friend!”
It stung the tip of my nose.
The pungent stench of sulfur.
“I truly missed you. Have you not missed me as well?”
Name: Lucifeles.
Occupation: Hell’s insurance fraudster.
Status: Youngest son of the Devil House.
Hobby: Duke of Gehenna.