My Villains Episode 363
61. The Art of War (5)
As the name suggests, soul shamans are a class of shamans who command souls. It handles three types of skills, namely ‘Beast’, ‘Fairy Tale’ and ‘Guardian’.
This class was the Akanku Karamek, the boo kae I had defeated after a desperate struggle a few months ago. He was a fairly high-level soul shaman who learned the
‘Fairy Tale’ series to the ultimate level and the ‘Beast’ series to the brink of the ultimate level.
“Hello?”
The girl hiding behind Utequai’s giant was also a soul shaman.
Come to think of it, among the characters I had, there was only one female soul shaman. Maybe this guy is that character.
“lorphia. Ur’ne ahunga nm’oyed ahunga kanzai.”
When Utequai spoke in the language of the steppe, the young spirit shaman stepped forward as if he had not won.
Skin with a slight reddish tinge, light blue hair with magical powers, and even a headband with a small feather decoration. She was a girl who gave off a mysterious atmosphere with an exotic impression.
He was quite tall, but his features were small and dense, giving off a youthful look. I don’t know the exact age, but Ellen looks younger than me. Hey, I guess I was sixteen or seventeen.
“Uh” The hesitation seen when making eye contact is due to shyness, not wariness.
When he smiled, the way he quickly lowered his eyes reminded me of a forget-me-not at dawn. I heard that they are called ‘half elves’ among the soldiers of Ulkar, and I think I know why.
“Oh hello. My name is Eofiya, the shaman of the Likuwa tribe and the sister-in-law of Lord Utequai…”
Contrary to my expectations, I was a little surprised by the very fluent Mila Nol.
“Are you very good at talking? Did you learn from the meadow beforehand?”
“yes? no no no I learned it while sailing and staying at Auduenne.”
“When did you come to the kingdom?”
“Three months— no, three months ago.”
“Did you learn this much in just three months?”
When I opened my eyes wide and showed a look of surprise, Iofiah smiled and nodded.
“Great? It ‘s much better than Utequai
.”
Despite my teasing words, Utequai seemed unconcerned. No, he smiled proudly.
“Iofiah was clever from a young age. It is very easy to learn the language.”
“Hey brother-in-law”
“Besides, I read the sky at the age of six. Faster than all shamans in Rikuwa. No wonder he has already become a shaman.”
“Ah brother-in-law-”
“Ah? Dorwa omnui?”
“Th’ol en jubie rehon……
“Rec’ne? what?”
“…no nothing.”
As Iofya covered her face, I recalled more information about her.
My only female soul shaman was made to match a duo with a friend. I was planning to raise it for PvP later, but first of all, I didn’t know the skill points for the ‘Guardian’ series.
However, because that friend quickly got tired of the Dark World, this character was also forgotten.
Is the level… about 20? Probably about that or lower.
It was a lower level compared to me and my colleagues who were in the early to mid-level 30s, but the gap was not so great that they could not even accompany them. Besides, if you’re a melee combatant, you may not know it, but the Guardian Spirit Art, which is in charge of healing and support, can do its job well enough.
“Nice to meet you anyway. I heard that you are in the port of Auduenne, but I finally met you.”
I smiled and held out my hand.
“I am Phoenix. Your brother-in-law and I are friends.”
“Uh…
I hesitated for a while. Iofya laughed with a slightly puzzled expression and held my hand.
“Hello Phoenix. I’ve heard a lot about it from other people.”
“The others?”
After hearing the story roughly, it is said that Iofiya had traveled alone to the far port.
It must have been dangerous since the young girl had traveled a long way alone, but after boarding a ship from the far west, she was helped by a kind boatswain, and after arriving at the port, she was protected by the Grania gang she met by chance.
“The captain of the ‘Sea Mist’ had a mother from the plains.”
“You were lucky. How did you meet Grania?”
“I met bad people at the market in Port Oduenne, but Arnal saved me.”
“Arnal?”
Arnal shrugged as I looked back.
“I only helped a strong-willed girl who was being robbed in broad daylight. It was when I was acting as a security guard under Sir Liam’s orders.”
Arnal, who saved an innocent-looking young tourist from the hands of gangsters at the port, learned through a short conversation with the girl that she was the sister-in-law of ‘Mr. Hatanka’.
“Is that why you guys were protecting it?”
“It was a combination of both.”
“Come and join?”
“yes. Iofiya’s healing technique is better than most priests. We got help, too.”
“It was like that.”
If my predictions were not wrong, Iofiya would be learning only four skills: ‘Protection’, ‘Neutralization’, ‘Mooning’, and ‘Rumination’. They were few in number, but all of them were real skills, so the Grania gang must have received quite a bit of help.
“It’s good luck though. My mother cherished Iofiya.”
“It seems so.”
Iofiya, who joined the Grania gang, met Atalante and Sir Laiam through their introduction. Since she is the sister-in-law of Utequai, who is called the ‘red bear’ or ‘thunder giant’, it seems to have attracted attention.
“Thanks to you, I heard a lot about Phoenix. Contrary to what I heard, you have a good impression.”
“okay?”
I smiled and looked back at Grania and Arnal Atalante.
“…’Contrary to what you’ve been told’? What the hell were you talking about me, you guys?”
“Ah, I didn’t mean that-” I suppressed the desire to question the three women who were looking away and turned back to Iofya.
“Whatever. Just feel free to call me uncle. Since he is a friend of his brother-in-law, what is Phoenix-sama?”
“…Mister?”
“uh.”
The girl tilted her head, but did not vomit. He doesn’t seem to have a bold personality enough to ask, ‘How old are you?’ Or if you’re not familiar with the title ‘Mister’.
“By the way, why did you come this far? Are you here to find your brother-in-law?”
“Oh, there’s that too-”
“This opi.”
Utequai stopped Iophya from saying something and shook his head at me.
“There are many ears to hear. Let’s go in and talk.”
“…is that so?”
I suddenly looked back at the people gathered in front of the ‘Rose Field’ inn and asked Utequai a question.
“By the way, what about Heila?”
“It is on the second floor.”
“On the second floor?”
Eson, standing behind me on behalf of Utequai, explained in a low voice.
“I don’t know, but it seemed like he wanted to avoid eye contact.”
“Sight? What gaze?”
“Aristocrats, sir. It seemed like there was something wrong… Oh over there.”
At Eson’s wink, he looked up to the second floor and saw a figure peeking through the thick curtains hanging over the large window.
They said that even a tiger would come if I told them, and the identity of In-Young was none other than Heila.
For some reason she was looking down at me with cold eyes. Eyes met mine and blinked once, then rolled black glass-like pupils and scanned my surroundings.
“…what?”
“Q”
Grania, Arnal Iofya, and others shook their shoulders, not knowing why, from the chill they felt somewhere.
Atalanta and Theodora instinctively raised their heads and met Heila’s eyes.
“…He’s fucking again.”
“O uh” —
Unlike Theodora, who only narrowed her brows, Atalanta raised her magic as if she had waited.
Jiing.
Amber eyes were dyed purple. A strange sign from the void flowed from her body.
Heila, looking down at this, twitched her eyebrows in laughter. Soon after, an enormous amount of mana flowed as if boiling over, and it turned into sweet, no fishy blood and pressed down on the son-in-law.
As the people gathered in the inn’s front yard stiffened or backed away from the unknown pressure, Utequai frowned and opened his mouth.
“Phoenix. Are you just going to watch?”
“…no. There are ways.”
What I turned to was the bicorn that had left the reins to Fritz. I rummaged through his saddle and pulled out a glass bottle.
“What is that?”
“alcohol.”
“alcohol?”
It was the cherry brandy I had bought at the Longdale Tavern, ‘Golden Coins and Inn’.
I held up the bottle to Heyla with a confident expression on my face.
‘Would you like a drink?’
Her lips parted silently, and Haila opened her mouth a little in amazement.
She still had an expressionless face, but soon she regained her energy as if she had lost her energy.
Inside the inn room with luxurious furniture. Me and Utequai Heila sat around a small table in the middle.
Heila seemed to like the cherry brandy I brought. It was unmistakable to see that the hardened eyes loosened a little.
As expected. Good thing you bought it.
Utequai, on the other hand, drank the brandy and chewed a couple of times before crinkling his brow.
“It’s not alcohol, it’s alcohol. Phoenix’s appetite is terrible.”
‘Hicks!’ he yelled into the hallway. Then Hicks, the servant, appeared as if he had been waiting for it and took a large oak barrel.
“They said all the clerks here jumped out. So, are you and your wife taking care of all the inn work?”
“That’s not it sir.” Hicks and Rowen, a young couple who have been together since Gistol, wait on Heyla and do chores for his subordinates.
I am still attached to the group, perhaps thanks to the generous salary – Hicks and Rowen both receive a silver coin a week together. Considering the things I’ve been through while traveling, I’m just grateful that I didn’t run away right away.
Hicks glanced at Heyla as he hammered the brass spigot into the oak barrel.
“Thanks to the lady’s consideration, we are receiving help from the mercenaries. Mr. Donnell and Mr. Mittelman take care of the stable, and Mr. Taggart and Mr. Golman take care of the firewood. My wife and Shea serve the lady.”
“okay? Are there enough supplies?”
“yes. As always, Eson is taking good care of it. He is a very talented person.”
Hicks turned the brass spout and filled the glass, threw the first glass into the bucket and set the second glass in front of Utequai.
“This mead was also obtained by Esson-nim.”
“Mead? Where did you get the mead in the highlands?”
“Oh well. I’m not sure, sir.”
Heila parted her lips in place of Hicks who shook her head.
“I bought it from Ruyan.”
“To Baron Ruyan?”
“huh.”
According to the story, as soon as Ruyan arrived at High Castle, he robbed his pocket and bought all the luxury items. Merchants and rich people who were preparing to evacuate at the same time disposed of their goods at low prices to relieve their burden, and Ruyan stocked up on the luxury items and sold them little by little to fellow nobles.
“…He’s a real goal hitter. What kind of thirteen-year-old is doing business during the war. Aren’t you cursing?”
“With the money I earned, I’m equipped with soldiers’ equipment, so it’s an atmosphere where everyone turns a blind eye to it.”
“really…. Anyway, it’s great.”
I heard about the situation in the city through Heila and looked back at Utequai.
“But didn’t you tell me what happened?”
“I heard
there was something to be angry about.”
“Oh right.”
He poured a glass of mead into it and made an astringent expression.
“I command the brothers of the enemy meadow.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your father’s army of slaves. There are tribal warriors in it.”
“…there are steppe warriors in the heathen slave army?”
“right.”
Utequai snorted indignantly.
“Do you remember the Sueatan tribe?”
“…No, I don’t know?”
“Then, what about the warrior of the grass circle we met in the sticky fog?”
“The warrior of the steppe I met in the fog? Oh, are you talking shungkasle?”
“Shunkasle?”
Oops, Utequai doesn’t know that warrior’s name is Shungkasle the Thunderbolt. I just inferred the tribe by looking at the decorations
.
“No, anyway, why that warrior?”
“His tribe is Sueatan. Now, among those cutting down the forest for the king in front of the city are the warriors of Sueatan.”
“…Well, that’s not surprising. They said that they were a group of pagan slaves, so there must have been some warriors captured in the grasslands.”
“Hey, you talk like a spectator.”
The table thumped in his thick, large palm. I didn’t hit it hard, I just put it on it, but the table was slightly incontinent.
“I can’t just watch. As the great warrior of the steppe, we must save them.”
Oh, what a troublesome additional quest.
Of course, I didn’t mean to say this to Utequai, whose little eyes were burning brightly. I just nodded.
“Yes, yes. I see what you mean. Let’s think carefully about how to save our friends in the grassland.”
After I soothed Utequai, I asked a question about a subject that interested me far more than the warriors of the steppe captured by the slave army.
“So.
Why did your cute sister-in-law come all the way here?”
