Chapter 110
Chapter 110
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: The Beastkin Village
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Following Alakishi out of the cave, I had to gaze upon the vast snowfields and the snow-capped mountains rising like spines along the horizon, a shiver of dread running through me.
It was the moment Harvabonia unfolded before my eyes—the land of bitter cold and the unknown, the realm of eternal death.
To the west, a barren coastline stretched endlessly southward, and atop the ice floes, grotesque sea lions gathered in packs, bellowing ominously.
"The land north of the barrier for real..."
"North, north, north."
Pipi and I trembled as we took in the entire scene together.
The cold bit like it could tear the skin, but thanks to the mystical inner flame Alakishi had breathed into our bodies, even in these thin clothes, it felt chilling yet not truly cold.
That was why Pipi had been tucked inside my school uniform blouse since leaving the cave, only its head poking out...
「Don't lag behind. Follow me.」
Overwhelmed by the scenery, I snapped back as Alakishi's urging voice reached me from ahead, and I hurried my steps once more.
「It'll take a full half-day on foot. The wraiths awaken at sunset. Hurry.」
Harvabonia also meant "Snow Capital" in the ancient tongue.
This signified it had been blanketed in snow since antiquity, and as the site of the final battle between the [Awakened Ones] and the [Forgotten Kings], it was the origin of countless heroic legends.
It was also a frequent backdrop for the "scary stories" told to children as discipline.
For this land was home to the cursed beings, the beastkin, living in packs.
According to legend, beastkin were those who wandered the boundary between abyss and light, cursed by the gods to bear a beast's body upon a human soul.
Thinking on that legend, it made sense that discipline like "Do bad things and you'll be cursed into a beastkin" was commonplace.
"Will the beastkin welcome us?"
When I asked cautiously, Alakishi, who had been striding across the icy plain with Kasena in her arms, glanced back at me.
「No, they'll tear you to shreds.」
Well, better prepare my mind for that...
As a former northerner, I knew well the deep-seated grudge between the White Wolf Corps guarding the [Snow Barrier Fortress] and the beastkin.
The White Wolf Corps called the beastkin barbarians and blocked their passage south of the barrier. I'd heard they slaughtered each other.
「Of course, if it were just you two, that would have happened. But now Alakishi is with you, so no need to worry.」
Harvabonia.
The ancient land where the 'Spider Lord, Mystery of Impiety' was sealed.
Its size, occupying a sixth of the Akrad continent, went without saying, but the true nightmare was the utter lack of proper paths across that vast expanse.
Endless ice floes, bergs, and crevasses blocked the way like a labyrinth. Traversing even a straight kilometer demanded indescribable effort and time.
"The abyss concentration is ridiculously thick."
On top of that, if I hadn't filtered the air I breathed with mana control, the atmospheric density would have poisoned us into Kasena's state long ago.
Hum, hum, hum.
To aid its master's labored steps, the Black Sheep Lin around my neck flickered repeatedly, refilling my core with fresh mana.
"How do beastkin even survive in a place like this?"
「A foolish question.」
It sounded scolding, but Alakishi's voice held no childish scorn or mockery. It was more like gentle instruction.
「They received such bodies from the gods to live here. If they can't survive, what meaning is there?」
Her strange answer made my head tilt instinctively.
Received such bodies from the gods?
Was that just a roundabout way of saying cursed? But it didn't feel like that at all...
「We're here.」
As waves of questions surged in my mind, just as I was about to voice them, Alakishi stopped atop a low iceberg and nodded ahead.
"Whoa..."
Standing beside her, I let out an involuntary exclamation.
It was a glacial valley.
Nestled between low mountains on either side, a U-shaped eroded gorge cradled a village that looked to house at least a hundred households.
「Rain Ludwig, engrave my words in your heart.」
"Yes?"
「The times being what they are, everyone's nerves are on edge. And those who chose beast flesh for war can't easily control their bloodlust. Avoid actions or words that could cause misunderstanding.」
My heart had raced a bit at the thought of seeing a new side of the world, but her words instantly quelled it.
And that warning proved true the moment we descended the slope to the valley floor.
No sound reached me, but the silent approach of killing intent made my spine shudder.
「These children are not enemies.」
At Alakishi's words, cursed creatures emerged one by one from the snow, revealing their chilling forms.
About five of them, their eerie appearances varied wildly—some with wolf heads, others with goat heads.
Beyond the thick fur warding off cold, they wore crude garments of penguin or sea lion hides. The apparent leader, a wolfman, bared his fangs ferociously.
"Grrrr... What are those suspicious brats?"
Perhaps due to their beast mouths, their accent was rougher than south of the barrier, but still intelligible.
「These are under Alakishi's protection.」
"Ha! My father said we don't take in hairless beasts."
The wolfman sneered, exuding the heavy presence of a battle-hardened warrior like Kies or Bart.
"You never know when they'll stab you in the back."
Catching his eye cautiously, animalistic fear surged, and I averted my gaze first.
"How can you protect brats who slipped into this land undetected? They could be abyss spies."
Well, we must look suspicious no matter what. Two minors popping up out of nowhere north of the barrier...
「Are you saying Alakishi can't distinguish light from abyss?」
But as Alakishi narrowed her eyes and glared at the wolf, the logic of power prevailed; the wolf clicked his tongue irritably and led the way.
Following Alakishi boldly down the opened path at a quick pace, beastkin warriors glared murderously at me, and Pipi ducked its face back into my blouse.
The beastkin village we entered lacked proper structures.
Perhaps due to scarce timber or stone, most dwellings were simple tents woven from hides.
"Whoa..."
A stream of fascinating discoveries.
It was a village brimming with vitality. Near bonfires, young warriors sparred barehanded using claws.
Shepherd boys herding primitive sheep and goats scattered when our eyes met, threatening with staffs before fleeing on all fours.
'Those kids look almost human?'
I'd learn later that beastkin like our wolf guide, born with strong beast traits, became warriors.
Those like the shepherds, with human forms lightly touched by beast features (rabbit ears only, dog nose only), handled chores like livestock.
"Human..."
"Hairless beast..."
"Ominous..."
While I became the target of deep-seated hostility, Alakishi was treated with utmost reverence; every beastkin we met bowed deeply.
"Dur bal aras. Welcome, Lady Alakishi. Two months since last."
Even the owner of the grandest tent, woven purely from polar bear hides, was no exception.
An old fox with dull, patchy yellow fur, her body human-like, stirring instinctive revulsion.
Yet her glance held no such rejection—only a benevolent smile that left me oddly embarrassed.
"And rare guests as well."
「They suffered from the abyss. They need warm beds and food for recovery. Can you provide?」
"If Lady Alakishi asks, we give anything. Come inside."
The tent interior was thick with humid smoke from the brazier.
Eyes stinging, yet so warm that my tension from the cold melted away, legs nearly buckling.
Even the floor was thickly layered with hides, blocking ground chill—this was paradise on this frozen hellscape.
"This way."
As Alakishi laid Kasena on a straw bed, the wolfman sat blocking the entrance like a guard, glaring at me repeatedly.
Pretending to be foolish—or innocently childlike—I smiled and sat casually beside Kasena as the chief suggested. Unsettled, of course.
The wolfman narrowed his eyes irritably at my actions.
"No matter how I look, they're suspicious. That kid shows no fear of us at all. Even those damned fake wolves flinch at first sight."
Fake wolves must be slang for the White Wolf Corps...
Of course I was scared, but my 300-year journey toughened me against wraiths.
The Lizard Lord's wraiths were lizard-human hybrids, after all.
"Enough, Varlzen. If Lady Alakishi brought them, we should welcome even a chief wolf, no? Forgotten her grace?"
"Not that, but... Tch, I've warned you plenty. Don't come crying if you're tricked."
Still, Alakishi's prestige and the chief's authority won out; Varlzen the wolfman backed off.
Meanwhile, the chief's daughter ladled steaming stew into a pottery bowl from the brazier. Wait, this is...
My tense swallow came unbidden. Not quite Alakishi's dragon food, but a formidable foe nonetheless...
Chunks of unknown origin floated disgustingly in the blood-red sludge—indescribable in human terms.
Kasena would die of poison from this, 100%.
"Um, if it's not rude, what is this?"
"Sea lion brains for broth, guts shredded as chunks. Excellent for vitality."
Can't it just be normal meat stew? Always the harsh polar life?
No, wait.
Normally, I'd choke it down for goodwill, but this morning's dragon food trauma sealed my mouth shut.
"Kasena here is frail, so she needs specific food. If I could use ingredients to cook it myself?"
Mentioning Kasena was an excuse, but it worked surprisingly well. The wolfman nodded.
"We accommodate hairless weaklings. Wrong food shreds their guts. How can such frailty make abyss-fighting warriors?"
The chief approved easily too, letting me use the brazier and ingredients freely.
Thank goodness...
I'm no master chef, but as a hunter veteran like Kies taught me from basics to advanced camp cooking.
Even shrine maiden Fride, used to luxuries, acknowledged it.
"...So that's how it is."
By then, the chief had heard our tale from Alakishi and nodded in understanding.
"We've seen abyss black spots south of the barrier here too... Everyone knows things are dire."
「Mm. Now I can affirm it. The abyss awakens. Across the entire continent.」
Varlzen laughed mockingly.
"Good for them, eh? Betrayed us thinking they could thrive alone—half the continent's probably ash by now. Hairless ones are all weaklings."
Overhearing while prepping bear meat in the kitchen corner, Rain could only tilt his head.
"Betrayed...? Humans betrayed beastkin?"
"What kinda stupid question is that?"
"Not meaning to insult—just knew the opposite. All books say so."
The tent's air chilled instantly.
Oops, foot in mouth... I shut up, but the chief sighed with a wry smile, finishing for me.
"Beastkin clashed 'twixt light and abyss, cursed by gods, exiled beyond barrier... Like that?"
I nodded cautiously, and Varlzen burst into mirthless laughter, glaring straight at me.
"Engrave this in those hairless ears, damn brat. Our bodies ain't cursed. Blessed!"
His cry against the world's widespread "truth" held no regret, anger, or hate.
Pure, towering pride.
No conman's sweet deception—just stating plain fact boldly.
"The Holy Elmine Knights, blades of the gods—elite thousand shock troops serving Enuel, strongest of the five heroes! We are their descendants!"
Enuel...? That Enuel?
Staring at Alakishi in shock, she closed her eyes, confirming the truth.
- They received such bodies from the gods to live here. If they can't survive, what meaning is there?
What? What does this mean? What about everything I knew?
Amid the crumbling edifice of common knowledge, one emotion flashed: true thirst for knowledge.
Bowing politely to chief and Varlzen despite anxiety.
"Then everything I knew was lies."
"...?"
"Forgive my ignorance causing offense. If possible, teach me the truth?"
The boy's response deeply disconcerted Varlzen and the chief, while leaving a special impression on Alakishi.
Most—no, all humans laughed it off as nonsense or drew blades...
Thus, this war at the end of mutual incomprehension loomed...
"Wh-what's this punk scheming? Cut it out! We ain't falling for it!"
Varlzen, flustered and suspicious, could only doubt, but the chief raised a hand.
"Varlzen, no harm in explaining fully."
"But Chief!"
"I'm puzzled too—this is new—but not a bad experience, right?"
Varlzen fell silent, struck true.
Why wouldn't he? First time a human listened—or pretended to—in their lives...
As Varlzen lost words, the chief turned to Rain with a gentle smile.
"If you wish, I'll tell our tale. Listen easy while you cook."