I Became a Wendigo in a Fantasy World

48 – Episode 48

“From now on, we should either postpone talking about work during meals or not talk about it at all.”

Wendigo grumbled, spitting out the bone of the rib he had put in his mouth.

Although the meal was just a form of entertainment, it was frustrating when the topic turned to something that ruined his appetite.

Geron understood Wendigo’s feelings well and nodded.

“That’s right, as I mentioned before, didn’t I? Please don’t bring up such reports during meals.”

“Well, everyone was busy back then. It was something a leader had to endure.”

“… Usually, I don’t pay attention to such things.”

Geron looked at Wendigo with a puzzled expression.

While it was natural for subordinates to be pleased when a leader worked hard and succeeded, Geron thought Wendigo was a bit excessive.

People would tolerate delays in work anyway…

“Next time, if there’s something urgent during meals or personal matters, we’ll postpone the report unless it’s critical.”

“Let’s do that. By the way, sorcerers came in a group…”

Wendigo, with a mouthful of food, pondered how to handle this situation. Honestly, he was a bit taken aback.

He expected outsiders to visit, but who would have anticipated a procession of sorcerers, of all things?

“Do sorcerers have nothing better to do?”

Wendigo thought of Skadi as an example. Considering the known sorcerers, Skadi was the first one that came to mind.

Skadi’s days were endlessly busy. In addition to personal sorcery research and maintaining rings and necklaces, there was an overwhelming amount of work to be done.

Checking the forest for any changes with Oneton, preparing useful herbs upon hearing news of the sick, ensuring crops were growing healthily…

‘No matter how you think about it, sorcerers are not idle individuals…’

Even with just the immediate tasks that came to mind, it was that much. If you included things he didn’t know, it would be more than that.

In Wendigo’s opinion, sorcerers could never afford to have leisure. No one would want to waste a valuable talent like a sorcerer.

“People who should be working busily are coming to the forest. They might be scammers, for all we know.”

“Scammers?”

“Think about it. Skadi is busy every day, so how could those guys afford to visit without having much to do?”

“That… Honestly, I think Scadi is a bit peculiar. Frankly, I’ve never encountered a mage like Scadi in my entire life.”

As Wendigo seemed to seriously doubt his credibility, Geron defended himself, bewildered.

While mages with a gentle temperament, like Scadi or Isaac, weren’t entirely nonexistent, mages, in general, tended to have shattered personalities. Especially those who had made pacts with spirits were infamous for their eccentricities; dealing with foul-tempered spirits often resulted in a degradation of one’s own character.

Could such mages easily lend a helping hand to others?

“Do you think they’re just ordinary mages?”

“What if they are ordinary mages?”

“They’re a bit greedy, grumbling… and seem to have had a stroke of bad luck.”

Recalling a mage from his memory, Geron spoke, and Wendigo nodded in agreement.

So, they were more like swindlers than anything else. Unscrupulous individuals engaging in monopolistic and downright wicked dealings.

‘Ultimately, they’re just downright villains.’

“If you don’t like them, I’ll send them away with a spell. If our warriors step up, even these guys won’t want to risk the losses and will retreat.”

“We don’t want to become the subjects of friction… Better yet, bring them all as temple offerings.”

“What? Are you serious?”

Geron exclaimed in surprise. No matter how he thought about it, it didn’t seem like Wendigo wanted to see the mages.

However, Wendigo nodded. Listening to the story, it seemed like the mages wouldn’t easily back down.

“People tend to become more intrigued by things they’re told not to do. And didn’t you say they’re so greedy, petty, and relentless?”

“I didn’t say all that. I just mentioned they were unlucky fellows.”

“That’s basically the same thing.”

As Geron looked displeased, Wendigo chewed on his dissatisfaction with a firm resolve.

“Do not make that expression. Anyway, telling them to step back will only stimulate their curiosity, so it’s better to meet only the decent ones among them.”

“Do you intend to evaluate them in person? You’ve just received a letter, and you’re okay with that?”

“It’s fine. Evaluating as a group doesn’t matter if they are in their twenties or thirties.”

?”

Geron looked at Wendigo with a doubtful expression, but Wendigo was confident in his own way.

If he asked a few questions, the smell of ‘I am garbage’ would waft naturally.

Above all…

“Even if the evaluation is done through a doppelganger, it’s fine.”

Today was a day when his mentor(?) Oneton came to mind for some reason.

Certainly, if he knew how his own magic was being used, he would have praised it.

* * *

Wendigo’s orders were conveyed through particularly sturdy and healthy crows.

The crows imbued with Wendigo’s mystery were bright-eyed like owls and swift like sparrows…

“Caww!!!”

“You damn crows…”

“Quiet. The fact that there is a mystery means that it is undoubtedly a beast favored by spirits.”

They were clever like crows. The crows that delivered the letters, if they had no other tasks, would fly over the heads of the sorcerers, cawing until their ears were torn apart.

At first, the sorcerers wondered if it was just some omen, but later, they couldn’t deny it.

Those crows just hated them!

“Did it grow up eating human flesh? One vocal cord is impressive.”

“How many of those are there? If we’re lucky, there might even be ten of them…”

The sorcerers, who were being guarded by warriors, murmured as they glanced at the ravens.

The favor of the spirits doesn’t discriminate between their kinds, but to have such a mysterious connection with so many ravens…

“I heard that they weren’t actually spirits in the form of ravens, though.”

“Did I bring something related to ravens…?”

If only those ravens were the only ones like that, the sorcerers would have easily calmed down. It was an astonishing sight, but as sorcerers, they had encountered such things many times.

However, considering what they had seen in the village, they couldn’t possibly calm down.

“What kind of livestock in my village has such mystery…”

“Is it the same in your village? It was like that in the village I went to.”

If the sorcerers hadn’t heard in advance what kind of land this was, they would have caused a commotion.

In the village, there were beasts imbued with mystery roaming around, and even a mediocre warrior carrying a helmet imbued with mysterious magic!

If they were less experienced sorcerers, they might have overlooked it, but for seasoned sorcerers, that was impossible.

“What in the world are these spirits adorning themselves with that they’re wasting like this…?”

If Isaac had known their doubts, he would have chuckled and said, “Do you remember what I said?” Unfortunately, Isaac wasn’t here.

Of course, they remembered that Isaac had said the spirits of this forest were important for subjugation, but…

Could that really be possible?

“Could it be that Isaac’s friend was right?”

“Ah… no matter what, it’s still hard to believe. Where in the world would such spirits exist?”

“That guy from last time… Right, Lyurik! Don’t you remember that he also got into big trouble for making a contract with a spirit?”

“Ah, that guy.”

When the name of the sorcerer who had contracted with wild boars, roots, and branches was mentioned, the sorcerers nodded in agreement.

Ryurik was a typical sorcerer who had mistakenly made a pact with spirits. More precisely, his greed had been too excessive…

“So, he tried to borrow the power of the spirits without any preparation and ended up with unreasonable demands?”

“Yeah. I always thought he was too greedy. He tried to make a tight contract with the spirits and got his nose bent.”

“Tsk tsk, one should proceed step by step. If you try to cheat, that’s what happens…”

Most sorcerers were reluctant to establish close relationships with spirits.

Even low-level sorcerers could enter into contracts with spirits to gain mystical powers. As long as they understood the whims of the spirits and paid the price, it was manageable.

However, things changed when sorcerers began to make close contracts with spirits.

The spirits, knowing well that they held the upper hand, started demanding prices that were difficult for sorcerers to bear.

Those guys, even though they are spirits, act like loan sharks…

“I haven’t seen that Ryurik for a while now.”

“He must have been somewhere doing some shady business… Wait, what are those over there?”

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One sorcerer pointed to the forest with a surprised expression. There were figures in the forest that shouldn’t be seen there.

They were none other than werewolves. Of course, a few werewolves wouldn’t be unusual in this forest.

This forest was a gathering place for those who had fled regardless of their race.

But the werewolves that appeared were not just one or two. Over twenty werewolves had revealed themselves, riding on wolves.

“There’s more than just a couple!”

“And, they’re not just walking, they’re riding on wolves!”

Werewolves on foot were already frightening, but werewolves riding wolves were another level of fear.

The sorcerers prepared their spells and eyed the werewolves. Werewolves were generally ferocious and tenacious, so if they gained momentum, it could be a big problem…

“Hello! Are these the sorcerers who should be taken to the Spirit Lord?”

“Hokan. It’s been a while.”

“?

As the werewolf extended a handshake to the warrior, the warrior inquired about his well-being, seemingly familiar with the gesture.

The sorcerers found this strange scene hard to believe.

Why were these werewolves so intimate with the forest dwellers?

“…It seems our common sense doesn’t apply in this forest.”

“No matter what happens from now on, there won’t be anything to be surprised about.”

* * *

“What is this…”

The sorcerers stared in astonishment at the bizarre structure in front of them.

What lay before their eyes was a gigantic tree cave boasting impressive proportions.

Naturally, such a strange cave couldn’t have formed naturally.

If that’s the case, someone must have deliberately made this…

“Why would someone create something like this?”

“It’s to test all of you.”

!”

As the voice echoed inside the cave, the sorcerers, tense, looked around to find the source.

From the deep darkness of the cave, Skadi revealed herself. The sorcerers couldn’t help but feel uneasy in the presence of the considerable… no, frightening level of mystery emanating from her body.

“Who are you?”

“A good question. My name is Scadi… I am a shaman who follows Wendygo.”

“If you’re Scadi… the shaman that Isaac mentioned?”

“Indeed, I am young.”

The shamans looked at Scadi with confusion. They had heard about her from Isaac, but they didn’t expect her to be this young…

Despite their surprise, the shamans regained their composure and greeted Scadi.

“Hello. I am from the Falkenheim tribe…”

“I’m sorry. Unfortunately, Wendygo has instructed us to only greet those who have passed the test.”

“A test? What kind of test?”

To not even receive a greeting and go straight into a test.

With troubled expressions, the shamans asked Scadi. They didn’t expect to be tested by the spirits right away.

Anticipating their reaction, Scadi smiled and nodded.

“Don’t worry. Wendygo will ask you a few questions, and all you have to do is answer them honestly. It’s an easy test.”

“Is that… the test?”

“Are we not supposed to go somewhere and retrieve something or offer a sacrifice?”

“That’s right. Should I swear on my magic if you still have doubts?”

The shamans acknowledged Scadi’s confident attitude and realized she wasn’t trying to deceive them.

As Scadi stepped aside at the entrance, the shamans cautiously entered the dark cave.

Inside the cave, where the darkness enveloped everything.

Each shaman confronted the darkness in their own way. They had prepared some potions or spells for such situations.

They were waiting for those who had overcome the darkness, and there was one figure.

“That… It looks like the spirit Isaac mentioned!”

With the ice sword planted in the ground, serving as a support, it observed them from the darkness.

The sorcerers approached the figure presumed to be a spirit.

As its appearance became clearer, some thought something was strange. It was different from the spirit Isaac talked about.

“Isn’t it a bit smaller?”

“Maybe Isaac exaggerated or got a restricted response.”

“Let’s confirm with clairvoyance. If that’s not a spirit, then it’s strange.”

Sorcerers conversed by moving only their lips to avoid being heard by the spirit, then opened their clairvoyance.

A colossal body woven with mystery.

‘It seems like it really is a spirit.’

“It looks like everyone is in. Well then, let the test begin.”

“!”

Crackle!

As the spirit suddenly opened its mouth and pulled out the ice sword stuck in the ground, the sorcerers tensed.

Certainly, a spirit emitting coldness in the dark cave… Its appearance was too gruesome.

‘Surely it won’t swing that thing… right?’

Unconsciously, the sorcerers placed their hands on their tools.