Chapter 271
Chapter 271
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 271
Chapter Title: Seramite 1
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“Right, so next up is Sedrin?”
Having subdued two of the Chadra Ogres, Azadin turned his thoughts to his next target: the Wild Druid Sedrin.
But just then, a small falcon flew in and perched before them.
“No need for that.”
The falcon transformed in an instant into an elf woman.
Dressed in loose-fitting clothes, tall and slender, the elf woman clapped her hands with an expressionless face.
“That was an entertaining show. Sir Azadin.”
“You were already here? That’s unexpected.”
Azadin was surprised that Arael’s voice hadn’t detected Sedrin.
Sedrin seemed aware of this and replied.
“Artificial spirits like the Emperor’s Voice are programmed to conserve energy. Unless I radiate killing intent, even constant surveillance from an artificial spirit won’t easily catch me.”
“You knew?”
“You said it yourself, didn’t you? That you’re the Emperor’s Herald. It’s only natural that the Emperor’s Voice would accompany the Emperor’s Herald.”
It appeared she didn’t know that what was attached to Azadin was Arael’s Voice, not the Emperor’s.
‘Unlike the Emperor’s Voice, Arael’s is influenced by nether magic, but she doesn’t notice the difference? Ah, well, she’s never actually heard the real Emperor’s Voice. Even with the nether magic influence, she’d just assume that’s what it sounds like.’
Azadin thought this and asked,
“Saved me the trip, then. Good. Sedrin, is there any way to adjust and control the griffins so they don’t harm people?”
“Just kill them.”
Selim jumped in surprise at Sedrin’s words.
“K-Kill them?”
“Hmph. The fool who was ready to slaughter people on the bishop’s orders now treasures griffin lives.”
“But is it right for a druid to suggest killing animals?”
“I’m a Wild Druid. If the balance is disrupted, it’s right to restore it—even if by killing or destroying. Griffins aren’t supposed to multiply like this in the first place. Their habit of hoarding shiny objects in their nests lowers the egg hatching rate, but some idiot took the eggs home, wrapped them in warm towels, and hatched them, throwing the balance out of whack.”
Sedrin glared accusingly at Selim, who was already reeling from the villagers’ scorn and had no defense to offer.
Azadin stepped in to stop the argument between Sedrin and Selim.
“I get the Wild Druid stance. But now that Selim has multiplied them on his own, exterminating them feels too disrespectful to life. Isn’t there a way to restore balance while keeping as many alive as possible?”
“Hmm?”
Sedrin paced back and forth in front of Azadin, scrutinizing him from every angle.
“You’re pretty to look at, and your words are even prettier. I like it. Last time I saw you, I thought you were a bit arrogant—maybe that was because Chasan picked the fight first?”
“Good to hear.”
“So, what exactly do you want? You’re not just saying to let the griffins live. You’re consulting me because you want to put them to use somehow.”
“Exactly. Truth is, I want to use flying beasts to build suspension bridges.”
“Suspension bridges?”
“I want to pioneer routes from the Chadra Plateau to Banreung and Arangi Kingdom. Installing bridges or ropes along the cliffs could shorten the paths a lot. If we use flying beasts for the construction, it should be much easier.”
Azadin had been envisioning a proper trading network ever since encountering Chasan, Selim, and now Sedrin.
The Chadra Plateau’s fertile lands produced overwhelming surpluses, currently monopolized by the knights.
“Griffins won’t work for aerial transport. Too inefficient.”
“Right. But wouldn’t they be useful for building bridges? Even just ferrying construction materials would be incredibly helpful.”
Sedrin nodded as realization dawned.
“Got it. You’re right. If griffins are accepted by humans as useful livestock, even Wild Druid law would count them as part of the balance.”
“So we can resolve this without killing them?”
“Yeah. But I have a favor to ask you in return.”
“A favor?”
“That’s right. Take down Knight Sok, the undead knight. Then I’ll devote myself to you. Just like this Selim here.”
Selim’s oath of loyalty, surrendering his weapons, was the kind of intense vassalage sworn only between kings and retainers.
Sedrin was making Sok’s subjugation the condition for her own loyalty.
“That’s ridiculous…”
Selim shook his head at Azadin upon hearing this.
“Refuse her, Sir Azadin. Not even you can beat Knight Sok.”
“Hm? Wait a minute?”
Azadin was puzzled by Selim’s immediate surrender at the mention of Knight Sok.
Come to think of it, the other Chadra Ogres—Chasan and his brothers—had reacted the same way.
Everyone yielded to Knight Sok. No, it was more like they feared him.
“Why is Knight Sok so special?”
“But first, let me show you how useful I am.”
At a gesture from Druid Sedrin, the griffins that had been lurking nearby out of concern for Selim approached her as if hypnotized.
Sedrin stroked a griffin’s head with the back of her hand. These monsters, who could tear a person apart with a single swipe of their forepaws, followed her like meek lambs.
“Huh? My babies.”
Selim felt a twinge of betrayal watching the griffins he’d hand-fed follow Sedrin so obediently.
But then he saw the tattoos on Sedrin’s body glowing.
She was casting magic right now.
“I’ll imprint on their deep instincts not to attack cows or horses. That should make it easy to create hippogriffs.”
“If that’s possible, why didn’t you do it sooner? You just watched me struggle…”
Selim resented Sedrin, thinking back to his own efforts to make hippogriffs.
He’d thought they were on good terms, but this meant she’d known the solution all along and just watched him suffer?
“Hippogriffs made that way end up supplied to the Northern Empire’s army—and that’s no good.”
“Northern Empire’s army?”
“The hippogriffs Selim raises go to the Northern Empire’s princes. Bishop Sehnat is their lackey.”
Sedrin beckoned to Azadin.
“I’m doing this because you’re opposing the Northern Empire and promised to eliminate Knight Sok.”
“…I haven’t promised anything. Just who the hell is this Knight Sok that everyone gets so serious?”
“Sok is the leader of the Fimbul Horde.”
Knight Selim said this.
“Fimbul Horde? The Winter Raiders?”
Azadin was shocked to hear it.
*********
Knight Sok had originally been an orc mage.
Invited by the Salvation Knights and the Order of Wisdom, he conducted magical research with them, pioneering Seramite synthesis and treatments for various plagues, earning great merit.
But as an orc, his muscles kept growing, eventually leading to fatal angina that brought him to death’s door.
To transcend death, Knight Sok turned to necromancy, separating his life from his flesh to become a lich.
The Salvation Knights excommunicated him but couldn’t cast him out, knowing he held the Seramite formula.
So they attacked to eliminate him… but as a lich free from angina’s torment, he proved too much for them.
After a horrific battle, records claimed the Salvation Knights victorious.
But their aftermath showed the knights had effectively lost and sued for peace.
On the condition he not leak the Seramite formula, Knight Sok was exiled to the Chadra Plateau, settling in the Viar Swamp, while the knights, fearing him, stayed far away.
Yet from time to time, to acquire what he needed, Knight Sok would leave the plateau and raid Asander, Banreung, and Arangi with his undead horde…
Terrified, people called his undead army the Fimbul Horde.
*********
“You’ve heard of the Fimbul Horde, right? Unbelievable. I didn’t connect it because of the Chadra Ogres, but to think the Fimbul Horde’s leader was Knight Sok?”
Nightmarish monsters straight out of old tales—that was the Fimbul Horde.
And its leader was Knight Sok?
Sedrin scowled as Selim warned Azadin about Knight Sok.
“Damn it, Selim! You know your precious griffins are in my hands now!”
“I’d say it even if it meant all the griffins died. Sir Azadin, even you can’t handle Knight Sok.”
It seemed Sedrin was desperate to get Azadin to take down Knight Sok somehow.
Curious, Azadin asked,
“But why do you hate Knight Sok so much?”
“His retinue includes wights made from my kin’s corpses. He doesn’t just steal our bodies to use as puppets—he enslaves their souls too. It’s vile necromancy.”
“…….”
Azadin, who harvested true essence with necromancy himself, felt a pang of guilt.
Of course, his necromancy was low-level, not touching the dead’s souls, so it didn’t desecrate them—but would a druid like Sedrin see the distinction?
‘I’d better be careful not to let her catch on.’
Azadin hesitated, pricked by his conscience, but Sedrin took it as fear of Knight Sok and sighed.
“Ah, to think the Salvation Knights have no one capable. Sir Azadin, I’ve already calmed the griffins to help you. Just declare you’ll destroy Knight Sok, and I’ll build your bridges with them, hunt down bandits on the roads, and even pledge my loyalty.”
Seeing Sedrin so frantic, it was clear others fled at the mere mention of Knight Sok’s name.
“Don’t even listen, Sir Azadin. Sedrin’s a Wild Elf who eats human flesh.”
“You’re the one who devours humans, you Minotaur!”
“Now, now, both of you calm down.”
Azadin stopped Selim and Sedrin from bickering.
“I don’t know the details, but I’ll look into it first.”
“Look into it?”
“Yeah. If Knight Sok is really using your family in necromancy, I’ll free them. Whether to take him down comes after.”
“…Fine. That’s more than enough. Got it, Azadin.”
Sedrin was satisfied just knowing Azadin would try to liberate her family from Knight Sok.
It showed how much everyone feared the Fimbul Horde’s leader, Knight Sok.