Chapter 87
Erich's unit began its march. The time was dawn. This was to move without anyone knowing.
Frederick shivered in the cold of dawn and grumbled.
"So damn cold. I'll die from the cold, even though I'm not a barbarian. Did we have to set out at the crack of dawn?"
"If you enjoy having those crazy holy knights trailing after us, I won't stop you, but you want to come separately?"
"... No thanks, I'll pass on that."
Even Frederick wouldn't want to deal with holy knights. Their viciousness was well known to anyone in the Empire.
There were all kinds of jokes about the crazy holy knights wandering the Empire.
For example: A serf, a knight, and a holy knight were eating lunch together.
Then, after a while, the holy knight beheaded the serf.
Why?
The answer was...
'What was it again?'
Was it because the sandwich and the holy book were both rectangular, so it was considered blasphemy...?
The knight had a role to play too, but he couldn't recall exactly.
Anyway.
It was just a fable to mock the religious order, but it showed how the people of the Empire viewed holy knights.
They were so unreasonable and incomprehensible.
Erich had already seen too many of the holy knights' ridiculous, incomprehensible stunts during the final war.
Maybe they could be useful, but they were not trustworthy. That was Erich's assessment.
Anyway, Erich's unit headed east. He didn't know exactly where to go, but he had a general direction.
Mikhail walked through the snowfield and opened his mouth.
"But they invited us, didn't they? Did they even tell you the location?"
"Of course not. We'll just have to ask around as we go."
"Looks like it'll be a longer journey than expected."
Mikhail mocked him, but Erich's approach wasn't wrong. Barbarian tribes were sensitive about their territory.
In other words, they knew exactly where their territories ended.
So, by asking the neighboring tribes, they'd be able to find their way.
There might be some uncooperative ones, but there wouldn't be many who'd dare to attack an army of 1,500.
They'd probably just hope the unit passed by quietly.
No matter how much they sought honor, they didn't enjoy dying pointless deaths.
Besides, Erich believed that even if they were attacked, they could fend it off without losses.
After all, wasn't the Watch's strongest swordsman with them?
Thus, on the second day of the march,
—Sssrrrkk.
Erich's unit encountered their first barbarian tribe.
Barnes, the watch captain at the front, spotted them first.
The barbarian warriors tensed up as they saw the large army.
Erich stepped forward and addressed them.
[We have no intention of fighting you. May I ask to which tribe you belong?]
The barbarians' eyes widened.
They had hardly heard of the Watch. Hearing their own language spoken so fluently must have been a surprise.
Then, a warrior with a huge greatsword slung across his back revealed himself.
[I am Branan, son of Kalkur.]
[I am Erich, son of Heidrich.]
[You are fluent in our language and culture. But you don't seem like a half-blood.]
[I picked up a few things here and there. So, what's your answer?]
Branan looked over Erich and the soldiers carefully before putting down his hostility.
[We are the Fox tribe. Are you looking for a particular tribe?]
[We are searching for Hrung-ga of the Wolf tribe.]
[Hrung-ga...?]
Branan's eyes narrowed. Erich sensed that the mention of Hrung-ga's name made him uneasy.
[Did I mention a name that should not be spoken?]
[Not necessarily, but why are you seeking him?]
Instead of answering, Erich took out a carving from his pocket. It was an animal-like figurine that Hrung-ga had insisted was a "wolf."
Branan's eyes widened when he saw what Erich took out.
[What kind of favor did you do that Hrung-ga would entrust that to a Crow...!]
[Is this really such a big deal?]
[To him, it's an object of great importance. But Hrung-ga is a particularly difficult warrior. Hard to believe.]
As Branan spoke, he exchanged glances with the murmuring barbarians.
Erich didn't feel much emotion from their reaction, but he could tell that this item was a big token of goodwill from Hrung-ga.
Erich put the carving back in his pocket and replied.
[I didn't realize it was so precious. So, would you guide us to Hrung-ga's tribe?]
[Normally, I would have done so without hesitation, but now is not a good time.]
[Because of the timing?]
Branan cast an uneasy look around him, then spoke again.
[This forest is undergoing an ordeal. Two factions are at war, and at the heart of this conflict stands the guardian warrior Hrung-ga.]
[... Guardian warrior?]
[They are the ones who bear the mission of serving the Goddess. Recently, Hrung-ga returned from the sacred ground and slew the previous guardian warrior to take the position.]
A smile played at Erich's lips. He had helped Hrung-ga a bit with learning aura, and now it seemed Hrung-ga had risen to a great position.
[Is winning the position of guardian warrior so serious that it causes tribal splits?]
[Normally, it wouldn't have, but Hrung-ga's origins became an issue. I can't explain everything here and now, but what I can say for sure is that we don't want to be any part of that conflict.]
Erich nodded. It seemed this Fox tribe was neutral, not wanting to get involved in the struggle that Hrung-ga had stirred up.
If they escorted Erich to Hrung-ga, they'd risk being suspected of taking sides. Erich could understand this perfectly.
[That explanation is enough. Then I won't ask you to guide us, but could you tell us the general direction?]
[That's not hard, but the route won't be easy. You'll have to cross right through the middle of the fighting.]
[We can handle that ourselves.]
Branan marked the territory of the Wolf tribe on Erich's map. They expressed some surprise at how cleanly drawn the map was.
Having received help from Branan, Erich spoke to Frederick.
"Frederick, share a bit of our rations with them."
"We hardly have enough to eat ourselves. Are you sure?"
"We'll manage somehow. Besides, it's only right to repay help when you get it."
At Erich's order, Frederick handed over some of the rations they had brought.
The Fox tribe expressed their gratitude for Erich's gesture.
But Erich hadn't meant this as simple kindness.
'Rumors spread fast among the barbarian tribes. It's best to be seen in a positive light if possible.'
Judging by the circumstances, this didn't look like a simple skirmish. That meant Erich's mission could drag on.
The rumor of the Crow who repaid favors would spread to other tribes through their word.
And for as long as Erich operated in this region, that would work in his favor.
After parting with the Fox tribe, Erich's unit resumed their march. But unlike before, Erich gave new orders for greater vigilance to Watch Captain Barnes.
"Since there's a civil war among them, spread the sentry lines wider."
"Understood. If we encounter hostile forces, what should we do?"
"Use your judgment. You know the principles as well as anyone."
Barnes gave a small smile. The troops marched on, now tense and alert.
Mikhail, looking around as if bored, commented,
"Barbarians killing each other in civil war, huh? If they die on their own, less work for us."
"Wouldn't that be better than running into you, sir Mikhail?"
"You're getting cheeky, aren't you? Should I show you how bitter I can get?"
Though Mikhail sent a sharp look Erich's way, Erich only laughed to himself.
Hardly anyone in the Watch treated Mikhail this way anymore, as most were cowed by his reputation.
'But I always played up my cheekiness.'
And surprisingly, Mikhail didn't dislike Erich's slyness—as long as the line wasn't crossed.
But soon, the sentries stopped marching. Erich halted the main column and, with Frederick, went to where Barnes was.
There, what Erich saw were the corpses of barbarians, sprawled across the ground.
Studying the wounds, Erich remarked,
"... Judging by the wounds, it was done by barbarian greatswords."
"Looks like the civil war is real."
"But the scale of this..."
Almost a hundred barbarians lay dead where Erich looked. Even for a civil war, this was enormous.
Who, exactly, was fighting whom? Even Erich, with the knowledge from before his return, couldn't say.
As he wandered among the corpses, Mikhail called out.
"Commander Erich, look here."
"Did you find something?"
Erich approached the body Mikhail indicated. Unlike the others, this corpse was torn apart by something sharp and unnatural.
"... This is no ordinary wound."
"There's a faint trace of aura left. Probably a wound caused by a Head Hunter's ability."
Erich's eyes narrowed.
So Head Hunters were involved in this battle. That made sense, remembering how Head Hunters had threatened the fortress before.
Hrung-ga himself could wield aura, after all.
"How skilled do you think they are?"
"How should I know, am I a prophet? I can't say, but it's certainly a fearsome power."
Erich nodded. He had once dispatched a Head Hunter without much trouble, but those were the weak ones.
The truly formidable ones could threaten not just an individual, but the entire Watch.
For example, there had been the "Immortal Barbarongga" that August and Mikhail had risked their lives to destroy.
There was a good reason why his name still haunted the Watch's nightmares.
Erich finished searching the area. Clearly, a battle involving hundreds had taken place here, but no sign of the enemy remained nearby.
They moved on, but kept finding further traces of small-scale fights.
Meanwhile, the unease among the troops who had to step over barbarian corpses only increased.
Thanks to encouragement from the team leader Frederick, and from Sergeant Kurz—now the senior among them, promoted from the Black Snake post—morale was kept in check.
But Erich suddenly stopped. Mikhail, sensing something, spoke.
"... Did you sense something?"
"No. It's just..."
"Spit it out. It's meaningless if you're the only one who knows."
But Erich couldn't explain. Though the scene was shocking enough to make him stop in his tracks, it was not something he could put into words for Mikhail.
Erich's gaze turned beyond the pine forest, toward the area before Haratakan.
It was far, but that wasn't what had caught Erich's attention.
'The golden pillar.'
Chased and desperate, he had sought his last hope—a gamble in that place.
There, Erich had gained 'power', and now he could see that very same golden pillar.
The golden pillar was emanating a pale light from somewhere. Glancing at the map, Erich confirmed its position and narrowed his eyes.
Wolf tribe.
The golden pillar was calling Erich to that place.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
Hrung-ga!
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】