LRIC Chapter 79

A little while ago.

Sallion led her party to the front of the Baku Clan’s chieftain. Not just any tribal chief, but the Great Chieftain who led all Baku clans.

He carried a staff like the other shamans, but due to his massive build, the staff tucked into his waistband looked tiny. Six tattoos adorned his body.

Seeing the Great Chieftain and the fierce-looking Baku tribesmen lined up behind him, Hwang Hyun-woo trembled.

“B-Brother. Shouldn’t we run away?”

“It’ll be fine.”

“Really?”

“Probably.”

“Hyung!”

Hwang Hyun-woo panicked at the word “probably”.

Do-joon tapped Hwang Hyun-woo’s shoulder to calm him down, gently infusing a bit of mana.

Finely shredding mana had made even this skill possible for him.

“I brought you here, so I’ll take responsibility and protect you.”

“Ah.”

Strangely, Hwang Hyun-woo felt his anxiety dissipate at Do-joon’s words. In fact, it was thanks to Do-joon’s mana flowing in, but he wasn’t skilled enough to notice that.

Seeing this, Seok Dae-kyung, who was next to them, smiled slightly and said,

“You’ll protect me too, right, Leader?”

“Mr. Dae-kyung, you’ll have to fend for yourself.”

“That’s too much.”

“An A-grade hunter asking someone to protect them, really now.”

A casual banter passed between them.

However, Hwang Hyun-woo could see the sweat trickling down Seok Dae-kyung’s forehead. Though he joked around, he was also quite nervous.

Among them, only Do-joon remained calm. He was confident he could safely escape with his party if things went south.

Meanwhile.

“Gaumter.”

Sallion stepped forward.

At the same time, something amazing happened.

Fwoosh!

Sallion’s small body seemed to be engulfed in flames for a moment, then transformed into a gigantic figure.

A giant of burning fire. The Great Chieftain, Gaumter, knelt before it. The other Baku tribesmen also bowed, following their chieftain.

Like tribesmen worshipping a god, they were gazing at Sallion.

To be precise, they were worshipping the fire itself, not Sallion.

“Grrrr.”

After transforming into a giant, Sallion’s voice deepened considerably. In that voice, she spoke.

“These folks are my guests, so don’t lay a finger on ’em.”

Do-joon almost burst into laughter unintentionally.

Her voice had gotten cool, but her way of speaking hadn’t changed at all. It was extremely incongruous.

“Grook!”

In contrast, the Great Chieftain answered solidly without a hint of amusement.

The result was this.

“Uh… Is this really okay, Brother Dae-kyung?”

“I wonder…”

The entire party ended up being carried in the Baku clan’s palanquins, joining their march.

“They said it’d be fine, so quit yer grumblin’! Humans are just so full of suspicion, even when treated well…”

Sallion, who had already returned to her dwarf form, shouted at the two anxious men. She sat on Do-joon’s shoulder as if it were her designated seat.

Do-joon asked Sallion,

“Is that giant form your true body?”

“That giant form from earlier? Nah, nah. This is my real appearance, and that was just something I made with fire. You could call it my combat form, I guess?”

Combat form, huh.

Do-joon found Elayna’s words about Sallion being an upper-grade spirit convincing. If a fire giant of that size charged at you in earnest, it would be quite powerful.

Moreover, her true ability was manipulating fire itself, so her actual combat prowess would be even greater.

‘On top of that, she’s commanding this many orcs with a mere gesture.’

Do-joon looked around.

The Baku clan marching in a long formation easily numbered in the hundreds. They were all moving under Sallion’s command.

He couldn’t be sure why the Baku followed Sallion. Was it simple submission to power, or was there some religious reason behind it?

But whatever the reason, one thing was certain – they obeyed Sallion.

And under Sallion’s direction, their destination was.

“We’re heading near the fief?”

“Yep. His Majesty told me to bring ’em.”

The Flame Monarch’s territory, the Burning Castle.

“Elayna, is this sort of thing common?”

When Do-joon asked Elayna, she shook her head.

“It’s not common. Rather, you could say it’s never happened before. Why would a spirit, especially one of Monarch rank, need monsters? There are many spirits who are quite playful, but…”

“You’re saying Monarchs play pranks on this scale?”

Do-joon asked in disbelief at her words.

However, Elayna had a similar expression. One that said it was absurd.

“There’s no way that could be.”

“Of course not!”

Sallion shouted at the same time. As if telling them not to make unwarranted accusations.

“Then why?”

“It’s, it’s a secret!”

Do-joon narrowed his eyes and scrutinized her.

But he didn’t glean much. Her body was so small that it was nearly impossible to gauge Sallion’s feelings from her expression.

Moreover, Sallion.

“I won’t tell you even if you stare like that!”

She said that while covering her face with both arms.

Do-joon let out a small sigh and turned his gaze forward again.

The endless procession of the Baku clan.

It seemed difficult to extract any more information from her.

In the end, Do-joon’s pondering about the Flame Monarch returned to square one.

Just like his thoughts before even entering the hinterlands.

‘I’ll figure it out when I get there.’

He decided to go and see with his own eyes first.

***

Traveling with the Baku clan couldn’t be more comfortable.

Few beasts or monsters were foolish enough to rush at this massive group, and even if they did, they merely became a meal.

Thanks to this, despite the large numbers, their speed wasn’t slow at all.

If Do-joon had been traveling with just his party, they would have been bogged down by incessant monster attacks.

Not only sleeping arrangements but food was no issue either. They had packed their inventories full of provisions to begin with, and above all.

“Grook.”

The Baku clan’s Great Chieftain brought them a catch every time he hunted. Politely treating them as guests.

“He says it’s their favorite meat. He hopes you’ll eat it?”

And Sallion acted as the interpreter for the Great Chieftain. Perhaps all spirits were like this, or maybe it was just her, but she understood the Baku language.

“Tell him thank you.”

“Kraak! Krak! Krak!”

As he accepted the meat, Sallion shouted at the Great Chieftain in a harsh, guttural tone.

Her manner of speaking was so fierce, it made one doubt if she was really conveying thanks, but the Great Chieftain just laughed in satisfaction and left.

Well, as long as he was satisfied, it was fine.

In this way, receiving VIP treatment they never asked for, the party comfortably traversed the forest.

If the expedition team that entered earlier heard about this, they’d pound the ground in envy. How much hardship did they have to endure just to take one more step in this forest?

In contrast, Do-joon’s party had nothing to do besides drawing maps for later, so they were quite free.

After walking day and night for ten days, then fifteen.

“We’re here.”

The party and Baku clan arrived at the Burning Castle. To be precise, the village at the base of the castle.

Someone lived in the village. However, they were neither humans nor elves.

Goblins, gnolls, and other monsters had formed a crude settlement and were living there.

“So a place like this exists…”

Seok Dae-kyung muttered upon seeing the sight.

Different monsters, who would have normally fought over territory, were living together in relative peace.

It wasn’t as if they were mingling with other races – they only gathered among their own kind. Still, the fact that they coexisted in the same space without fighting was astonishing enough.

“Follow me.”

Sallion spoke to the party. Perhaps excited to be back in her old home, her tone was quite lively.

Following her words, Do-joon’s group and the Great Chieftain Gaumter trailed behind Sallion.

Leaving the Baku clan to wait for a moment, they crossed the village.

Eventually, they arrived at a colossal castle whose top couldn’t be seen even when craning one’s neck.

A pitch-black castle that seemed entirely ablaze.

Instead of sentries, massive fires were lit on the ramparts, and thin blue flames encircled the castle gates as well.

At a glance, it was clear the structure wasn’t built with humans or other lifeforms in mind.

“For now, Gaumter, you follow me. The rest of you wait here. I’ll go ask His Majesty and be back.”

With those words, Sallion and Gaumter slipped into the castle.

The gate’s flames, which had parted briefly to let Gaumter pass, closed again like an iron wall, barring the party’s way.

Looking at that gate, Do-joon.

‘If we tried to force our way through…’

He was preoccupied with thoughts of preparing for the worst-case scenario. As they came to make a request, such a situation was unlikely to arise, but one could never be too sure with human affairs.

“This is the Burning Castle… It’s much smaller than I heard.”

Elayna muttered while gazing at the castle.

Do-joon turned to her and asked,

“Small? Isn’t this plenty big?”

“No. It pales in comparison to the other Monarchs’ territories. Though I’ve only heard stories myself.”

A small domain compared to the other Monarchs.

Do-joon inputted this new information into his mind. It could prove to be a clue later on.

“Perhaps the rumors are true.”

“What rumors?”

“That the Flame Monarch is…”

Just as Do-joon’s eyes were fixed on Elayna’s lips.

“I’m back!”

Sallion flung the gate open with a creak and came out.

Elayna closed her mouth, and Do-joon also turned his head towards Sallion.

There stood Sallion, grinning from ear to ear.

“His Majesty says he doesn’t wanna meet anyone! Too bad! Bleh bleh~”

Sticking out her tongue, she said that and promptly vanished back inside the castle.

The party was at a loss for words.

Kwang!

Only the gate closed with a heartless sound.

“……”

Siwalin frowned and looked at Do-joon. She was the only one present who knew Do-joon’s purpose for coming here.

And that it was for So-eun.

Do-joon was also speechless at the sudden dismissal.

That moment.

Creak.

“I heard there are dark elves who came as envoys in the village below, so why don’t you go check there?”

The gate opened slightly, and a curt voice sounded from the gap.

Then the gate closed again.

Do-joon frowned and pondered for a moment. Should he force his way in right now?

Thinking of So-eun, he desperately wanted to, but that would be unwise.

“Dark elf envoys…”

“If they came as envoys, it’s probably someone I know.”

At Elayna’s words, Do-joon nodded.

He also knew from Elayna that the dark elves sought the Flame Monarch’s power. To obtain the fire that would burn the World Tree or something.

The negotiators here were likely for that purpose.

Having made up his mind, Do-joon.

“Let’s head to the village for now.”

He said to his party.