I Became a Wendigo in a Fantasy World

67 – Episode 67

Competitors were driven out in droves, but those who remained did not relax. I realized that if I did something wrong, I could be kicked out without even seeing the spirit’s face.

I took the risk of being purged by the future chief, but I couldn’t go back without doing anything.

The successors looked at Jaken, who was at the head of the wolf riders.

If you are the leader of the wolf riders who ride large wolves like horses, you must have a close relationship with the spirits.

‘If you gain favor with that person, you will be able to gain an upper hand in the succession competition.’

Of course, the successors were not stupid enough to approach Jaken carelessly.

Those in power do not easily allow people to sit next to them.

Yakov, the third son of the Larsen tribe, took out the golden bracelet he had brought with him in preparation for such an incident and approached a wolf rider.

“Hey, can I talk to you?”

“If you have any questions, please ask. This is something that the spirit has given permission to do.”

“!”

When the Wolf Rider allowed the question with a sour expression, the successors’ eyes flashed.

Doesn’t that mean that the spirit was predicting this situation?

At that moment, the same guess flashed in the minds of the successors.

‘The spirit’s test may have already begun!’

Thinking like that, the appearance of a wolf favored by the spirit was also suspicious.

If you think about it with common sense, why would such a precious guy be so regretful about showing himself to them?

The successors, who thought they were playing into the Wendigo’s hands from the beginning, trembled at its insidiousness.

“So what’s your question? If it’s not a big deal, just leave.”

“Hmm, that’s it…”

As the warrior frowned and urged, Yakov cleared his throat and wasted time.

At first, he planned to win favor by handing over the golden bracelet as a bribe, but if the spirit had anticipated this situation, it could have been a self-destructive decision.

Yakov pondered, fiddling with the golden bracelet in his pocket.

‘Can I hand this over?’

It was a spirit that had already anticipated that the successors would ask questions and even cautioned them.

A guy like that would naturally have expected a bribe.

After a moment of consideration, Yakov decided to hand over the bribe. When I thought about it, there was no way a spirit could have prevented bribery.

If it were a human, there might be a very low probability of being innocent, but the probability of a spirit being so was extremely low.

In particular, the forest spirit is an arrogant spirit that drives away prestigious shamans just because it does not like them.

There was no way a spirit like that would have prevented bribery. It was clear that they would just tell me to collect it and bring it back.

“Hmm. First of all, I have something to give you in return for your question. It’s not that big of a deal, but it’s a pretty pretty bracelet…”

Yakov carefully held out the bracelet to the warrior.

Novak, the eldest son of the Refrn tribe, clicked his tongue at Yakov’s clumsy appearance.

‘Tsk tsk, you’re giving a bribe, or rather a gift, when everyone is watching.’

With bribery, it was necessary to be more selective about the time and place than expected.

If you hand over a bribe while others are watching, you have no choice but to refuse it out of concern for your face, no matter how impeccable you are…

“Oh. Is it a golden bracelet? Thank you. If you want anything, just ask!”

“!?”

When the warrior took his bracelet without any shame, not only Novak, who was known as a cunning negotiator, but also other successors were shocked.

Even Sir was embarrassed, his calm face hardening.

The warriors of the forest… Don’t they know what honor is?

“Uh, what I want to ask is…”

“Listen closer! I gave you a golden bracelet, but you can’t let someone else do good things, right?”

“Ah, yes!”

As the two faceless things, Yakov and the warrior, began to whisper, the other successors also got excited.

This was especially true for Hanryang, who had long ago been pushed out in the succession structure.

Don’t they have to have something to be chosen by the spirits?

“Take my jewel ring!”

“This is a famous sword sold by a wandering shaman. If you run your hand over the engraved pattern, light shines every time you swing it.”

“Give it to me. I’ll tell you everything I know.”

When the unconsciousness of not wanting to fall behind others collapsed, the successors turned their attention and offered bribes.

Of course, not everyone did that.

Milosi of the Reprn tribe, a red fox beast with a scar over his left eye, sighed.

What kind of power does he have that causes brothers and sisters to behave so obscenely?

Miloš shook his head and clicked his tongue inside.

‘Even if you obtain information that way, it is of no value.’

The value of information comes from scarcity.

In a situation like now where information is available to everyone, the value of information is bound to fall to the ground.

Even if you imitate them with rude words, you won’t offend the spirits, so what’s the point of offering a bribe?

As several people except Milos looked at them pitifully or disdainfully, Sir looked at them closely.

[ They are boring kids. There’s nothing more fun than kids who go on a rampage just to get a taste of power! ]

‘Not everyone is a moron like the humans you used to play with.’

As Freyja grumbled, Sir punched the damn spirit.

From Noble mtl dot com

I can’t get any favor from seeing things like that, but you’re saying it’s not fun.

Sir blocked out the bullsh*t flowing through his veins and learned their faces.

If the forest spirit is not a fool, there is a high probability that they will be the successors the spirit chooses.

“They are impressive people.”

“As expected. The spirit of the forest… Or is it true of the spirit as well?”

Sir hurriedly called out Wendigo and asked Jaken.

Jaqen patted the wolf’s neck and burst into laughter.

“There is no need to praise the spirit in front of me. I and the warriors are loyal servants to the spirit, but we are not the shaman, are we?”

[ That’s right! He calls me hey, you, trash, and shows respect to a spirit I’ve never even seen.. Ugh! ]

Sir nervously suppressed the spirit that popped out without notice.

She is not even Freya’s lover, so why would she listen to such complaints?

Sir trembled humbly with a beautiful smile that men could not help but feel good about.

“If you step into the forest spirit’s territory, you must be polite.”

“hehehehe. I’m glad you said that, but…”

As expected, the beauty’s favor easily broke down the wall in his heart.

When Jaken smiled brightly, Cyr decided that he had sufficiently relaxed his guard and brought up the story he wanted to ask him.

“But… Wouldn’t it be a big problem if the spirits caught the warriors taking bribes?”

“Ah. It’s okay. In the first place, the spirit gave me instructions to actively accept bribes.”

“Ah… Are you taking bribes and offering them to the spirits?”

Sir thought it was quite possible. Contrary to what ordinary people think, spirits are not beings that only desire mystery.

A spirit was a being that would take anything it could have.

So, it is strange to collect gold, jewels, and other useless treasures offered as bribes to various spirits.

“Uh, no. We plan to collect that later and distribute it equally to the warriors?”

“……”

Syr suspected that Jaqen was lying and checked the golden ring.

The emerald embedded in the ring shined brightly, showing that Jaken’s favor was alive and well.

Freya was astonished and whispered into Sir’s ear.

[ I think it’s a really crazy spirit? Babe. How about going back now? ]

Sir, who usually ignored most of Freya’s words, had no choice but to think seriously this time.

Is there any spirit in the world that would ask you to take bribes not to monopolize but to share with the warriors?

I could have sworn that it would not be easy to find such a crazy person among the people.

[ Why on earth are you giving gold and jewels to such ugly kids? ]

‘I never thought there would be a day when I would have the same thoughts as this guy.’

However, it was the shaman’s destiny to move forward even if he could not understand.

Sir asked Jaqen another question.

“I couldn’t even imagine using brains and bribes like that. But if you release information like that, won’t the spirit have a problem selecting a successor?”

Sometimes, in areas with no connection to spirits, a fairy tale was told about a good child receiving protection from spirits.

Of course, that didn’t happen. If that had happened, it was clear that the spirit had given the child its blessings based on her talent, not her personality.

It was not given because it was special, but rather as a warning to other spirits.

However, in Sir’s opinion, none of his successors were born with such heavenly talent.

What on earth was the spirit thinking when it revealed the information?

“Are you unraveling false information?”

“No way. Everything they’re hearing is true.”

“What exactly is the story?”

“Uhm…”

Jaken stroked his chin and summarized the gist of the story. I heard that shamans don’t like talking gibberish.

Jaqen explained as briefly and concisely as possible.

“To put it simply, the spirit is a benevolent person and hates people who persecute and mistreat those under him, so you should be as humble as possible.”

[… I think it’s a really crazy spirit? ]

“……”

Sir was discouraged by the fact that he could not deny Freya’s judgment.

* · * *

In conclusion, Sir decided to believe Jaken’s story.

If Jaqen was not a fraud so rare that it deceived the eyes of a timeless spirit, it was because, although hard to believe, Jaqen’s story was true.

[ Baby. No matter how much I think about it, the probability that that guy is a rare fraud is higher than the probability that the spirit is good! ]

… Of course, Freya thought it was more likely that Jaqen was a rare fraud.

What a good spirit in the world. It was more likely that I would meet a gentle ogre.

At least the ogres become quiet when they feast on their stomachs!

[ I know this because I am a spirit, but a spirit can never be good! Since you are born superior to mortals, you cannot help but become arrogant! ]

“But look around. Honestly, Jaken has a point.”

The forest village we arrived at was peaceful.

Farmers were cultivating the fertile land, shedding valuable sweat, and livestock were gaining weight by grazing the grass.

Not only the successors but also Sir could not help but be amazed by the sight, which was difficult to find even in the warmest regions of the North.

No, rather, because he was a shaman, Sir admired him more than others.

It was clear to him that the land, crops, and even livestock were mysteriously influenced by witchcraft or spirits.

“At this level, it’s no wonder that Jaken and his warriors show loyalty.”

[ Baby! So it’s not weird! Why on earth would you waste precious mystery and treat me like this? ]

Unable to overcome her frustration, Freyja appeared in the form of a fairy and patted Sir’s head while grumbling.

Sir took a step forward and spoke transparently.

“The spirit may really be good.”

[ You’re kidding. Self? Even when I was just born, this was something only foolish spirits captured by the gods did! ]

Freya screamed as she recalled her childhood.

In those days, he could freely indulge in mysteries wherever he went, but Freya did not miss those days at all.

What if there was so much mystery? It was a time when gods who were more arrogant than the spirits walked the earth and manipulated the spirits with their limbs.

In those days, spirits bound by the gods performed humiliating chores such as making the land produce abundant crops and controlling the weather.

That alone is enough to crack one’s pride, but compared to those days, aren’t we living in an era where mystery is precious?

‘… It seems like the mystery has been fluctuating recently.’

However, the fact remains that what is lacking right now is.

[ Baby. I still really care about you? He even remembers his own name! ]

‘It’s ridiculous. ‘So you’re saying I can’t even remember my mother or grandmother’s name?’

Although Freya herself did not know it, she had a talent for making people angry.

Sir, who was listening, was so angry that he felt the urge to throw Freya.

Syr removed Freya from her head and spoke to her.

“If you came all the way here, you shouldn’t have to say hello. And you never know, right? It might be a good spirit and not a crazy spirit.”

[It can never be like that…]

* · * *

“Hello! I am Yaakov of the Larsen tribe.”

“The smell is terrible. You are eliminated as successor.”

“……”

The wendigo spat out as if it didn’t want to see the terrible smell coming from Yakov’s body.

When Yakov could not accept reality and looked up at the Wendigo blankly, Geron called the warriors and dragged Yakov out.

Sir watched her and her face hardened.

[ Is he really crazy? ]

Freya was embarrassed and spoke to Sir with a straight face.

For the first time in her life, Syr regretted that she should have listened to Freya’s opinion.