Chapter 105

Gregory hastily gathered his companions and left.

Ian watched his back and said,

"What the f*ck is that guy doing? That bastard?"

Gunnar exclaimed quickly,

"Hunter Gregory! The richest f*cker in the village, with a damn narrow mind!"

Hunter Gregory was renowned as the top hunter of the Sky Claw tribe.

In the North, where most food comes from hunting, being a hunter was a coveted job.

Isn't life all about making good money?

Just as there are doctors, lawyers, and prosecutors today, barbarians have their hunters.

Indeed, hunting was a serious job...!

"After surviving a disaster in the snowy mountains as a child, he became a devout follower of Hrundal."

"Hrundal?"

"The name of the ice god. The followers of Heaven's Faith hardly speak it."

No wonder he despised the Church of Heaven's Faith.

Being a hunter, Gregory naturally worshipped Hrundal, the northern ice god.

There was a belief in the North that the ice god sent prey to hunters.

Angering the ice god supposedly made hunting more difficult.

'Maybe he really does send them.'

Ian nodded as he listened to Madagal's tale.

If the ice god revered by the northerners was like the god of Heaven's Faith, then the ice god too was somewhat of a mystery.

It wouldn't be surprising then if the ice god truly looked after the northerners.

"You've heard it from Gunnar... but the Sky Claw tribe has screwed up the Great Hunting Festival."

"The event that secures food?"

"Yes. We need to gather enough food during the festival to safely get through the winter. But we couldn't..."

That was why Gunnar had spoken of war.

Both the southern and northern tribes had botched the hunting.

With winter approaching, they all faced starvation unless they could steal food from one another beforehand.

"Gregory believes the Church of Heaven's Faith ruined the hunt. But that doesn't make sense."

"Exactly! Heaven's Faith has been around for 30 years! If Hrundal was going to punish us, it would've happened by now!"

Originally, the people of the Sky Claw tribe liked Heaven's Faith.

Because the monk Isilla had come to convert them like a madman before leaving.

But as time passed and the situation worsened, the villagers began subtly shifting their allegiance towards the ice god.

Gregory, who had always believed in the ice god, naturally thrived.

"...I see."

Ian seemed to understand why Gregory had come to intimidate them.

With the situation in the North worsening, a wizard from the Empire had arrived.

For Gregory, who despised the Church of Heaven's Faith and favored the ice god, there was nothing good about this situation.

He wanted to send Ian and his party back to the Empire as soon as possible.

If Ian had been a weaker man, he might have succumbed to the barbarians' violence and threats and fled to the Empire.

However, Ian was a veteran traveler who had experienced all sorts of strange adventures.

Gregory surely hadn't expected to be sent back like that.

"That knight handled it well. But I'm worried about possible retaliation."

Belenka responded unflinchingly, "I have no regrets. I did what I had to do."

Ian chuckled.

Belenka's physical and moral integrity was always reassuring.

"Gregory has no friends anyway! He'll never be able to retaliate, right?"

"He may not have friends, but he's got followers."

Madagal sighed deeply.

"Ian. I hate to say this as soon as you've arrived... but I wish you would return to the Empire."

"Hmm. Is it because of Gregory?"

"That's part of it. But that's not all. A war might break out soon. That would put your life at risk."

War. Ian had already experienced war once.

Ian had slaved away in the Talian estate to make Lucy a baron.

He wasn't scared of war itself.

The real issue was that if war broke out, the northern exploration plan would fall apart.

He surely hadn't come all the way from the distant Empire, by ship no less, just to deliver a phoenix... or was it just a chicken?

Ian had plenty to do.

He needed to check if Takarion was alive or dead and investigate the Arcana card Isilla had given him.

He wasn't some delivery guy.

Would he return to the Empire as soon as the delivery was over?

That wasn't possible.

"I'll keep that in mind, but I have a request from the monastery, so I can't return yet."

"Ah. You were looking for a monk, right?"

"Yes. Have you heard of Takarion, by any chance?"

Gunnar responded instead.

"Golden Finger Takarion! The one who wrote the Gospel of Marcus!"

"Oh, really?"

"Know it! I even have a copy of the gospel!"

Gunnar proudly showed off the gospel.

Madagal grumbled from the side.

"It's full of all sorts of bizarre nonsense... I can't believe people like this stuff."

"What do you mean! Don't you see how cool this gospel is!"

Ian marveled softly.

Even in this remote barbarian land, Takarion's novel—no, gospel—was circulating.

Takarion must be pleased, being such a successful author.

"But why Takarion the monk?"

"I heard he was taken by the northerners. Do you know anything about that?"

Madagal crossed his arms and looked serious.

"It's hard to tell. There are so many raid-loving tribes around, it's hard to pinpoint which one."

"Hmm, I see."

It was a question tossed out without much hope.

He wasn't surprised there were no leads.

But Madagal's next words took Ian by surprise.

"However... if it's about a monk being kidnapped, perhaps the chieftain of the Red Bear tribe might have commissioned it."

"The chieftain? Why?"

Ian couldn't think of a reason why the chieftain would go all the way to the Empire's land to kidnap a religious figure.

"The chieftain of the Red Bear tribe is severely ill and can't get up. Maybe that's why they needed a monk."

Ian nodded.

Ah, he must need prayers!

Different religion or not, Takarion was a famous monk, presumably good at praying!

"It must be for prayer."

However, Madagal quickly dismissed Ian's guess.

"Huh? No. They want to use him as medicine."

"Medicine? What kind of medicine?"

"You know, like tonic medicine. The heart of a holy person is supposed to revitalize the body."

"..."

The barbarians had cruelly dashed Ian's expectations.

Prayers? What prayers?

We're talking about boiling him alive, right?

Ian was deeply shocked.

If the chieftain had indeed kidnapped Takarion, it was to extract his heart and use it as a potion!

These insane barbarians!

"We must go to the Red Bear tribe!"

"No, Ian. You need to return to the Empire now..."

It was just a possibility.

But Ian felt a kind of certainty about that possibility.

It was a wizard's intuition, something that could not be ignored.

"The Red Bear tribe is a warlike tribe. They like to live in isolation, and the journey there is treacherous, so we need to prepare!"

"Ah, back to the food issue, huh?"

"Yes. No one in the village will be happy if you ask to borrow food for the journey."

Ian cautiously took out a jewel.

"You said Gregory was rich. Can we buy food with this... would that work?"

"They probably won't sell it to us."

"Even though it's a jewel?"

"What... Is it something special? That thing?"

"..."

Jewels are pretty.

But that's about it.

In lands where commercial economies were not developed, jewels were merely pretty stones.

It wasn't that barbarians were unique; in fact, most lands of this era were simply unfamiliar with commerce.

Only the city-states near the Coral Sea in the southern part of the Empire engaged in proper trade.

"...Understood."

To continue operating in the north, Ian needed proper support.

Madagal, a priest of Heaven's Faith, welcomed Ian but could offer little else.

More substantial support than what a poor priest could provide was necessary.

'Let's find a way.'

Otherwise, it would be a "boat people" ending, meaning they had no choice but to return to the Empire helplessly.

Ian pondered how he could befriend the people of the Sky Claw tribe as he looked around the village.

"Hmm?"

But that day, Ian witnessed a somewhat unusual scene.

"Hey! Gregory! If you have any spare food..."

"Another beggar has shown up. Don't bother me, just scram!"

"A beggar! This man is like a distant relative of yours..."

"Damn, then it's someone else's problem!"

There was a quarrel in front of Gregory's house.

Ian quietly observed the dispute.

Knowing Gregory was wealthy, residents with poor food supplies came to ask for his help.

However, Gregory had refused them each time.

'Such a stingy neighbor.'

Initially, Ian watched without much thought.

He already knew Gregory had a terrible personality.

A miser who turned away requests for help was common everywhere, wasn't it?

"Dirty and stingy! Enjoy your good life alone!"

The villagers cursed Gregory.

Gunnar's words came to mind.

Didn't he say Gregory had no friends?

That's why even after being hit by Belenka, he couldn't strongly protest.

'A friendless, wealthy miser...'

Soon, an idea occurred to Ian.

Gregory was stingy and petty.

But could that stinginess be exploited to secure some food?

'Worth a try?'

Ian was from the Empire, a follower of Heaven's Faith, and a wizard.

In a society where information is heavily biased, no one would suspect Ian's plan.

Ian immediately began discussing with his companions.

His plan was straightforward.

"See, Gregory. Despite his wealth, he's utterly unpopular."

"So?"

"How about we first win over the villagers, and then extract food from Gregory?"

In short, he intended to exploit a sucker.

The meaning was clear.

But the method was elusive.

"How do you plan to win them over?" Belenka asked.

Belenka thought Ian wasn't just spouting nonsense.

After all, Ian was a wizard, and wizards are supposed to have all sorts of tricks up their sleeves.

But Belenka was dumbfounded by Ian's next statement.

"We'll distribute food."

"...What are you going to distribute?"

Belenka thought she had misheard.

Distribute food to the villagers?

It didn't make sense.

If there was food, they would have eaten it already!

Understanding the confusion among his companions, Ian calmly explained.

Of course, Ian had no food.

So, naturally, the food Ian would distribute to the people would be—

Fake food.

It was a scam...!

"So, we distribute fake food to the people, and then get real food in return."

"This is bull-"

Belenka almost let slip a curse.

Distribute fake food? That was too much!

But Ian quickly said,

"But! The food we actually feed the people will be real!"

"???"

What kind of nonsense is that.

Belenka experienced a brain freeze. She simply gave up on trying to think.

Ugh. Just typical of Ian and his schemes...

"I don't understand your plan. How will you turn fake food into real food?"

Ian responded with a smile,

"Maybe with magic?"

Of course, he would use magic. After all, he is a wizard.

Muttering to herself, Belenka reluctantly followed Ian's plan.

Ian led his companions up a nearby hill.

There, a large boulder that had been visible from the village entrance was in sight.

Pointing to a boulder about the size of a small child, Ian declared,

"This."

"What is that?"

Belenka asked.

"I'm thinking of making soup from it."

...This is madness.

Belenka stared out at the distant mountains.

The food Ian planned to prepare to win over the villagers...

Was literally rock soup.