Chapter 172

Gratitude (2)

“Let me summarize it briefly.”

Aiden brushed his hair back and carefully organized everything he had heard so far.

“…So you were pretending to be the Great Chieftain to prevent a civil war.”

The daughter of the Great Chieftain had explained that the Tribal Alliance was essentially walking on thin ice.

It wasn’t like the Empire, where two massive factions existed to the point that treason could break out, but because power was distributed so evenly, the level of mutual checks and restraint among them was just as intense.

Of course, in some ways, it functioned quite well.

Fundamentally, when power gathers in one place, it stagnates and rots, and when it is divided, each side restrains the others, making it difficult for any single faction to act recklessly.

Conversely—

If that divided power began to clash in any way, it could lead to ugly situations far beyond what ordinary people could even imagine.

“…We haven’t even been able to hold the funeral yet.”

As if reminding him once more of what he had been going over, the Tribal Leader’s daughter gave a bitter smile.

He had heard that the assassination had happened less than a month ago.

For such a massive incident, “less than a month” might seem appropriate.

But for someone who couldn’t even properly hold a parent’s funeral, that month must have felt like a hellish stretch of endurance…

As I stared at her with that thought in mind, the daughter of the Great Chieftain grinned and shook her head.

“No, I’m not really sad. He was a complete bastard of a father.”

“……”

“He always complained about why he got a daughter instead of a son and nagged me constantly. The only reason I can perfectly imitate the Great Chieftain is because that man forcibly drilled into me how to act like a man.”

“……”

Hmm.

When I heard something like that, it became difficult to come up with any kind of response.

As I blinked blankly, she let out a small laugh and continued.

“You know about the Harvest Festival?”

“…There was something similar in the Empire.”

In truth, no matter the country or culture, there was always some kind of festival to pray for abundance.

Especially in the Tribal Alliance, where despite its insane level of scientific technology, its perception still retained a rather primitive feel, they would naturally place even more importance on such events.

“Right. There’s no event bigger than the Harvest Festival in the Tribal Alliance. We offer thanks to Urgan, the God of Ascension, and walk around the Great Plains to give thanks for the demons our ancestors sealed away… there are all kinds of old-fashioned rituals like that.”

“And?”

“Unlike the Empire, we have a particular tradition.”

“A tradition?”

“Before and after the Harvest Festival, no misfortune must occur. Otherwise, disaster will follow.”

“……”

As I frowned slightly while listening, she smirked again and continued.

“And I can’t really think of anything more ‘unfortunate’ than the head of a nation’s supreme leader getting chopped off.”

“Are they trying to show their intent to follow such an ominous tradition as it is?”

“They would be, if it were just nonsense.”

“What?”

“It’s real. One of the most important duties of the Great Chieftain is to suppress the demons that come during the Harvest Festival.”

She added quietly that even in the Northern Grand Ducal House of the Empire, it was rare to face such intense and catastrophic evil.

“But the person who has to do that just got their head blown off by someone?”

“……”

“You see. I think people would be confused.”

It was a precise observation. In fact, as I listened, I had no idea where this conversation was even heading.

“What I’m asking of you, oppa, isn’t something like ‘please find the one who killed my father.’”

“……”

That much was obvious, given the direction the conversation had taken.

Casually shattering all the expectations I had gathered beforehand, she grinned and rested her chin on the table.

“I’ll put it simply. The Tribal Alliance is screwed.”

“……”

“Forget civil war—if we can’t suppress that during the Harvest Festival, we’re all going to die.”

The situation had gone beyond merely running wild.

From my perspective, it was unfolding at a level that was almost impossible to keep up with.

Even so, within that chaotic flow, there were still a few things I could clearly understand.

“Help me.”

“If you don’t help, this place will be destroyed, Aiden Kellermain.”

At the very least—

It was clear that this woman wasn’t making this request as a joke.

“I partially transferred my authority to you because if there’s anything you need, you can take it and use it freely.”

“……” 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

“Within the Tribal Alliance, there’s no one more specialized than you when it comes to dealing with demons. Please help us.”

Left speechless, I quietly stared at her.

▣

There may be many forms of relationships, but at the very least, they all share one thing in common.

No matter how a relationship is formed, issues of romance always end up causing discomfort.

And if such a problem is brought in by someone who is already uncomfortable to deal with, those feelings only intensify further.

From that perspective, the discomfort Morrigan, the half-human half-dragon, was currently experiencing was beyond imagination.

“…In other words.”

Elisha—at least, that was the alias she had decided to use—spoke while crossing her arms.

“I’m going to bring that guy to our base soon. I’d like your cooperation.”

“……”

“That guy,” of course, referred to Aiden Kellermain, the man she had recently taken the most interest in.

Morrigan slowly rubbed her arms up and down as she quietly nodded at Elisha’s words.

“…When you say bring him to the base.”

“It’s right nearby.”

That detestable Storyteller would probably arrive here soon as well.

Thinking that, Elisha frowned and glared at the massive flow of power visible beyond the ridge.

The place where she and Morrigan were standing now was a high hill overlooking the Void Zone.

Buried there was the being her kind considered their ultimate, irreconcilable enemy—the God of Devouring, Wornil.

On the other hand, the god Elisha served was the very existence that had personally torn them apart and buried them there.

Of course, it had lost much in return, but in terms of power and authority, it was by no means inferior to Wornil, the god of the demonkind.

And—

Aiden Kellermain was a man who held the authority to determine the ‘future’ of either side—whether it be Wornil or the god she served.

“He’ll have to choose soon.”

She let out a sigh and brushed her hair back.

Though they hated each other, there was at least one thing Bailey and she clearly shared.

That soon, an event would occur that would decide everyone’s fate.

“Wornil’s awakening isn’t far off. And our god’s awakening isn’t far either. What remains is……”

The divinity that Aiden Kellermain himself possessed.

Even Karva, the main god of the Empire, and Sia, the main god of the Holy Crown Kingdom—and perhaps even Urgan, the main god of the Tribal Alliance—

All of them were connected to that side.

Perhaps he was an Outsider who suited the title of master of the Pantheon more than anyone else.

Depending on how the god he held responded, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the fates of Elisha and Bailey would be completely decided as well.

“…And is that the beginning of it?”

Following Elisha’s gaze, Morrigan also turned her eyes and answered while tracking the massive flow of power that pulsed without giving even a moment to breathe.

The Great Plains of the Tribal Alliance did not only serve as a suitable living environment, but also held religious significance as a place where a massive demon was sealed.

Of course, most founding myths and related legends tended to be nonsensical.

But at the very least, the enormous flow they were witnessing right now was real.

They said that the Harvest Festival itself existed to properly seal and appease such demons.

And it didn’t feel like a lie at all.

“Well, it’s probably just a precursor.”

Yet Elisha scoffed as if even that immense flow was nothing.

“You could call it an appetizer before the main course. Something like a herald before the ‘real thing’ awakens.”

Of course—

If even that were to fully awaken, it would easily bring about the destruction of something like the Tribal Alliance in no time.

The only one who could stop it would likely be Aiden himself, who had already formed connections with divinity multiple times.

“……”

Elisha let out a faint chuckle.

And in the process of saving all of that—

He would have to choose.

Whether he would stand on Wornil’s side.

Or stand against it.

“I think it’s ridiculous.”

“…Pardon?”

“That the fate of the world rests in the hands of a single human desperately struggling just to survive.”

“……”

Morrigan, who had been quietly listening, shook her head from side to side.

“He’s not struggling just to save himself.”

“Oh? Then it’s to protect the people around him?”

“Yes.”

Elisha stared at Morrigan as she said that, then smirked.

“Hey, Drakan.”

“Yes.”

“Do you like that guy?”

“……”

At the sudden, piercing question, Morrigan flinched and looked at Elisha.

Normally expressionless and stiff as stone, the fact that her face—from her neck to the tips of her ears—had turned red was answer enough.

“…Don’t you feel the same, Lady Elisha?”

“Well, he is handsome. I’ve never even spoken to him, but he might become the savior of our kind.”

“……”

“But you’d better remember this too.”

If—

If that man were to be devoured by Wornil, or take that side—

“We’ll have to kill him ourselves.”

“……”

“Otherwise, the entire world will be devoured by Wornil.”

At Elisha’s words, Morrigan tightly shut her eyes.

Of course, from her perspective, Elisha was an extremely uncomfortable person.

She particularly despised Morrigan’s half-human, half-dragon bloodline, treated her harshly, and at times made her wonder how someone could be so violently tempered.

Even so, there was one thing she couldn’t deny.

“…Yes.”

At the very least—

This person was almost never wrong.

At the crossroads of the choice that would soon arrive, the moment Aiden Kellermain made the wrong decision—

“For the sake of the dragonkin.”

The one who would end his life from the closest distance—

Would have to be her.