[Translator - Peptobismal]
[Proofreader - Max]
Chapter 35: The God of the Blue Mane Tribe (1)
The old man, who had been momentarily stunned, regained his composure and removed his robe.
His hidden face was revealed.
Blue patterns were intricately drawn across his face, and his head was adorned with a feathered ornament.
Placing a hand on his chest, the old man greeted them formally.
"My name is Arandel. I am a descendant of the Blue Mane Tribe."
"I've heard of you."
Hamel nodded, slightly surprised.
They were a tribe of druids.
One of the minority groups that made significant contributions during the transition from the mythical age to the age of humans.
The first emperor was renowned for acknowledging their contributions and granting them autonomy.
"It is an honor to meet such an esteemed tribe."
"The honor is mine. Though I was surprised by the sudden visit of the lord."
Arandel gave a hearty laugh and gestured towards Hamel and his companions.
"Come with me. I have lost in a contest of strength, so I have no choice but to yield."
"Thank you."
Hamel expressed his gratitude politely.
Judging from the powerful aura emanating from Arandel, he was not someone to be underestimated.
He wouldn't have known before, but after using the power of dragon blood last time, he had become more sensitive to the flow of mana.
'He's quite strong.'
Perhaps if Arandel had fought seriously, Hamel wouldn't have won easily.
Things had simply worked out smoothly because Arandel had decided to talk to Hamel.
Meanwhile, Benjamin, unaware of this fact, adjusted his monocle and expressed his admiration.
"The more I see, the more surprised I am. I heard you were an exorcist, but to subdue those who even the elites of our company couldn't handle so easily..."
"I was lucky."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Hamel shook his head and replied.
But even this seemed to impress Benjamin, who nodded vigorously.
"To possess swordsmanship skills surpassing even a knight and yet conceal them... It's something to learn from as a businessman."
Hamel tried to add something, sensing a misunderstanding, but then gave up.
He felt like anything he said would only deepen the misunderstanding.
As they followed Arandel while conversing, a small village with a wooden fence came into view as they entered the forest.
"This is our tribe's village. Come in."
As they followed him inside, hundreds of gazes fell upon them.
"Outsiders?"
"Why are those people here...?"
"What is the chieftain thinking...?"
Their gazes were piercing.
Gazes filled with distrust, wariness, and fear.
But neither Hamel nor Benjamin blinked an eye.
Both were quite accustomed to such gazes.
"We'll talk here."
An elder led them to a large tent in the center of the village.
Inside, seats were arranged in a circle around a fireplace.
Arandel, instead of sitting in the chieftain's seat, sat facing Hamel and spoke,
"So, what brings you here?"
"It's due to a deal with the lord of Sorn."
"...I see."
Arandel's face hardened at the mention of the lord.
This confirmed Hamel's suspicion of a conflict between the two groups.
"He wants the Blue Mane Tribe to open the occupied road and withdraw."
"I know."
Arandel tapped his fingers impatiently.
"But this is our land. Where are we supposed to withdraw to? We have made concessions so far, but all we received in return was contempt and disregard. Didn't you see it on your way here?"
"..."
Hamel nodded.
It was not hard to see.
The forest, deforested, cleared, and desolate.
For druids, the forest and nature were their home and akin to the gods they served.
'This place, the Rosel Forest, was their home.'
If so, their conflict was inevitable.
"Negotiations with the lord..."
"We've tried countless times. He would say he understood, and the next day, hundreds of trees would be cut down."
Hamel thought of Viscount Ramsey.
That sly and greedy man was certainly capable of such behavior.
'Perhaps what the viscount is aiming for is...'
Hamel put aside the hypothesis that came to mind for a moment and said to Arandel,
"But if this continues, a direct confrontation with the lord will be unavoidable."
"...We're prepared for that. We have our reasons for not being able to retreat any further."
Hamel tilted his head.
Judging from Arandel's attitude, it didn't seem to be just a territorial dispute.
"What are those reasons?"
"..."
Arandel looked at Hamel with a complicated expression for a moment.
Then, he spoke,
"You also said you were a priest. Which god do you serve?"
Hamel was excited to hear about his condition from such an unexpected source.
He was hurriedly organizing the questions he wanted to ask when
Tarkasi spoke as if seeing through Hamel.
[You must be curious about how to control and handle that power.]
"...Indeed."
The life of a dragonkin was a terminally ill one, accompanied by excruciating pain proportional to their immense power.
It was said that one could become a complete being if they could obtain the heart of a dragon, but that was just a legend.
No one had ever obtained a dragon's heart.
Those with exceptional skills extended their lifespans through dragon byproducts, but in the end, they only became monsters, driven mad and losing their sense of self.
'I'm suppressing the power by absorbing demons, but...'
It was uncertain how long this temporary measure would remain effective.
He had to find another way if there was one.
Despite Hamel's expectant gaze, Tarkasi replied coldly,
[I know nothing about that.]
"...I see."
Hamel slowly nodded.
It was disappointing, but it was an unexpected piece of luck, so he shouldn't be discouraged.
At that moment, Tarkasi's eyes flashed.
[However.]
"...?"
Tarkasi pushed its head towards Hamel and said,
Exhaling a foul smell of rotting flesh, Tarkasi opened its mouth.
[I might be able to tell you how to handle that power.]
Hamel's eyes widened in surprise, a rare sight.
If he could handle the dragon's power, it would be of great help on his journey.
"I want to learn."
[Is that so?]
As Hamel nodded, Tarkasi gurgled with a phlegm-filled sound.
It was probably laughter.
[But I can't tell you for nothing. As you can see, I'm in this state, so I'd like to receive some help.]
"Tell me what you need."
At Hamel's immediate answer, Tarkasi let out another satisfied chuckle and opened its mouth.
[Something is harming the spirit of the forest and eating away at me. I had the Blue Mane Tribe stop logging the forest, but that's only a temporary solution.]
"So that's why."
Hamel looked at Arandel.
Arandel simply nodded with a gloomy expression.
"We have our suspicions, but it's impossible for us to solve with our own power."
Tarkasi looked at Arandel for a moment, then said to Hamel,
[If you help Arandel solve the problem, I'll teach you how to handle the power, as promised.]
Hamel's deliberation was brief.
If he solved the problem that was devastating the forest, Tarkasi would regain its strength, and the tribe would lift the occupation of the road.
Then, not only would he be able to learn about the dragon's power, but he would also be able to fulfill the lord's request.
The issues of logging and the Blue Mane Tribe's livelihood would remain, but unfortunately, those were not things Hamel could easily intervene in.
"Alright."
Hamel accepted Tarkasi's request.
Hearing the answer, Tarkasi growled lowly and then lay down on the ground, seemingly exhausted.
[...I need to rest for a bit now.]
"It won't take that long."
[Chuckle. You're a confident priest. I don't dislike your spirit.]
Tarkasi chuckled and slowly closed its eyes.
[Go. I hope your confidence isn't just recklessness...]
With those last words, Tarkasi took a breath and fell asleep.
Hamel turned his gaze to Arandel.
"It seems we don't have much time."
"...Actually, it might be surprisingly easy if you, a priest and lord, help us."
Arandel said with a bitter smile.
As Hamel stared at him instead of replying, Arandel shrugged and answered,
"We druids use the spirit of the forest to perform our magic, but we cannot use divine power. However, the strange traces found in the forest seem to be of that power."
"You mean..."
Hamel asked, feeling a sense of foreboding.
"That's right. It's faint, but I can sense divinity. A priest who knows how to handle divine power might have a way to solve it."
"..."
Hamel swallowed dryly instead of answering.
Who was he?
He had barely scratched the surface of understanding mana.
Originally, a half-baked priest who couldn't handle mana or divine power.
That was Hamel.
'...Should I have brought Antonio?'
Antonio's absence was keenly felt.
But what could he do?
If he didn't have teeth, he had to use his gums.
Hamel swallowed a sigh and replied,
"Lead the way."
"That's reassuring."
As Arandel smiled brightly and nodded, a drop of cold sweat trickled down Hamel's back.
[Translator - Peptobismal]
[Proofreader - Max]