novel
| ← Ch.059 | Ch.061 → |
There were various methods to threaten people.
Such as magic on a tremendous scale that would cause them to piss themselves.
However, Ian chose to 'conjure a spirit'.
"S, spirit.... ."
The reason was simple.
His opponent conjured a copied version of a spirit.
The first reason was that Ian had felt competitive.
The second was,
"Dear fire spirit!" He knew the religious characteristics of the aborigines quite well.
To them, spirits were treated as Gods. Even the election process of the King of Shamans was related to spirits. A shaman who could conjure a 'real' spirit was elected as the King of Shamans. From the point of view as a mage, they were only around the 3rd class.
'It must be their first time seeing a salamander level spirit. '
To the aborigines, a shaman was a king, and the messenger of God. That was the reason, that Ian had summoned this giant flame lizard, 'salamander'. It was the most effective spell to the aborigines more than others, spiritually, and visually.
'I didn't expect them to be this astonished, though. '
Ian just tried to threaten them.
However, they were kneeling down and started bowing,
As if they had met a 'real God'.
"Dear fire spi......"
"Stop."
By Ian's order, the salamander breathed out. Even its single breath burnt down the grass underneath it.
"Now can we talk?"
The bent down aborigines looked confused. They were isolated from society for a long time. Since they had observed a greater spirit than their King of Shamans, they couldn't think properly.
"The spirit is asking through me."
"Yikes!"
It was very effective.
"Where is the King of Shamans, actually, why are you hiding him? You better tell me the truth."
At last, the old fake King of Shamans came out and bowed down. He must be one of the high rank shamans so he was doing the King of Shaman's job, which was similar to an Archmage for the aborigines.
"T, the King of Shamans is not in the village."
It was the expected answer.
Their action had proved his words already.
They were creating some kind of plan.
It must be the plan of the King of Shamans.
"Give me the details."
"F, for the details, we have no idea...."
"The spirit is furious."
"S, spirit.... . ?"
By Ian's gesture, the salamander shook its head curiously.
Ian had to show the salamander by raising his head and pretending that he was breathing fire. Then the salamander understood Ian's intention and started to breathe fire in the sky. That was the proper expression of 'fury'.
"I, I will tell you!"
With this scene, the aborigines' bodies started to shake.
It would've been no different to normal imperial men. Imagine giant flame lizard spreading fire on the sky. Furthermore, aborigines believed in spirits.
"The King of Shamans said that h, he is opening a path."
"Opening path?"
"He told us that he found a new plan to conquer the northern monsters and open the path between other strong countries..."
"Plan?"
"W, we do not know what the plan is. He just told us that he had a plan, and headed to the north, and he substituted me to do his job. That's all I know, I swear."
The old man desperately claimed that he wasn't lying. However, Ian's interrogating spell was revealing that the old man was saying a lie. The old man must know what the 'plan' was. It must be some plan that wasn't pleasant to the empire's men.
'A plan to conquer all monsters?'
Ian had almost solved the puzzle. Those monsters acted intelligently, as they were ordered by someone. If assuming that the King of Shamans managed to control some actions of those monsters, it started to make sense.
'He may be using the border lines to reduce their numbers. '
Sending monsters to the three countries' border lines.
Endlessly, with deception.
Then, the three countries would act sensitively, wouldn't they?
They would focus their forces on conquering all those monsters.
'Falling into his lap. '
The consumption of supplies and sacrifices was the responsibility of those countries.
It was a decent plan, indeed.
In the point of the aborigines' view, of course.
'And it will actually happen soon. '
Ian knew the brief historical flow after this event. Three countries would soon hold their meeting, and form a united monster conquering army. As the King of Shamans wished, most of the monsters were eliminated from the Great Grass Field. But,
'The aborigines become their slaves. '
A 'new path' wouldn't be constructed. Rather, those countries divided this resourceful aborigine's land into several pieces, and enslaved these aborigines.
'It will happen in future after a while, though. '
Anyway, it wouldn't change their future.
Ian leered at the old man.
Then, he spoke quietly.
"He found an incantation that controls the monsters, hasn't he?"
The old man's body shook greatly.
It seemed Ian got the point right.
"What kind of incantation is it?"
"....... ."
The old man's face turned pale. The opponent was the one who conjured the 'real spirit'. Furthermore, it seemed that he could see through his mind and find out the truth. If he kept lying, he couldn't guarantee the future of his life and these tribes.
"....... . The King of Shamans had learnt the incantation from a woman, who had white skin like you."
"Woman?"
"The King of Shamans just called her a guest, and she left after a few days. A few days later, our king scripted such a formula on his staff, and then headed to the north. T, trust me.
That meant this event wasn't planned by the King of Shamans alone. If the woman had white skin, she must come from an Empire or Principality.
"Hmm."
Ian had imagined a few guesses and possibilities.
But soon, he decided to solve the problem he faced right now.
'He is not telling a lie. '
So there was only one way to solve this problem.
Firstly, he had to find out where the King of Shamans, among those tides of monsters were.
'Next, '
Whether killing him or stopping him, Ian had to release those monsters from his control.
The method was simple.
'It is rather the problem on how to find where he is and approach him. '
Ian tied up his long hair.
Now the solution was clear.
It was the time for action.
"Thank you for your help."
Ian treated them politely, again.
There were no businesses left with the aborigines. He didn't even care enough to punish their rudeness. He got what he needed, and the staff must be with the King of Shamans.
"That man may need some treatment."
Ian dismissed the salamander, and pointed to the man that Ian had defeated with his sword.
"Excuse me then."
Ian was raised up to the sky. Conjuring a real spirit already shocked them, but now Ian was flying. The aborigines were astonished again.
| ← Ch. 059 | Ch. 061 → |