00624 Night Of Battle. ————————————————– ———————-=
The Iron Mountains, home of giants.
“what?”
“… “Please listen to the humans’ stories just once.”
When the giant sitting at the head table raised his eyes and asked, Kushan bowed his head and said. Then, a small commotion arose among the fifteen giants standing on the left and right of the head table.
No, isn’t it a small commotion? Except for Kushan, all of them were over 7 or 8 meters tall, so their voices were also booming.
“Little master, what do you mean! “Are you telling us to join hands with humans now?”
“No, I knew it would be like this from the beginning! That’s why I said long ago that we should destroy the humans and bring them back!”
The shouts that broke out among the giants were directed to the small owner standing alone in the center. As if Kushan knew this would happen, he bit her mouth hard and looked left and right alternately.
“I am back here now. Of my own will. I didn’t get any injuries while living with humans. “Can’t you see this?”
“Little master, you still don’t know much about the human race!”
“Yeah, I don’t know. But after living with humans this time, I know at least one thing. The humans waiting in the grassland now have no intention of fighting us. No, I don’t want to fight! But is it really that difficult to even listen to the story?”
“story? her! It’s a story about humans. “It’s nothing but useless.”
When a giant snorted as if it was absurd, Kushan looked angrily. Seeing the giants who only believe in their natural strength without knowing the seriousness of the situation makes me feel so uncomfortable that I feel like I’m dying. So, I was just about to try to persuade him once again.
“stop!”
At one point, the giant sitting at the head of the table let out a loud roar. It was a giant whose body was larger than that of any other giants standing around. Perhaps that was why the unusual voice, with its solemn resonance, calmed the commotion in an instant.
Soon, the giant looked left and right and fixed his gaze on Kushan in the center.
“At least… .”
“… … .”
“Did you come back just to talk about this?”
“Not only… !”
“Did you stop us back then just to talk about this? “Little master.”
“… … .”
Kushan unconsciously closed his mouth as the giant stared at him from the front. In his lowered voice, there was a strange energy that he could not dare to protest, and there was an undertone of disappointment somewhere.
“Hehehe.”
At that time, the giant with his mouth wide open took a step forward and laughed without hesitation. As expected, his body was huge, but unlike the giants around him, his face was full of signs of age, including wrinkles here and there and a gray beard. She seemed to be probably the eldest of the giants here.
“It seems like the brothers are overheated. “I guess everyone is dissatisfied with the little master’s behavior.”
“… … .”
“But, how about we stop at this point? “I understand their feelings, but it doesn’t seem right at all to just scold them like this.”
“… … .”
The old giant intervened in a calm tone. Then, the surrounding giants, who looked as if they would rush at any moment, cleared their throats one by one and eased their momentum. Of course, the glare still didn’t go away.
Soon, “Tsk.” The giant at the head of the table clicked his tongue and said as he looked at Kushan.
“… “Awaiting us in the meadow?”
However, Kushan did not open his mouth to the following question. He just nodded his head once slowly.
“after… .”
Eventually, the giant touched his forehead as if his bone was in pain, lowered his bulging eyes, and gestured towards the entrance.
“Everyone, let’s leave now.”
“then… !”
“Assemble all your brothers and have them wait. “I will finish my conversation with the little master and leave.”
“… “I understand.”
All of the other giants agreed to Kushan Thor’s congratulatory command and began to walk away. In fact, the words ‘assemble and wait’ were the giant’s official declaration of how he would treat the humans who came. Prepare for war. The gloomy look on Kushan’s face was proof of this.
Some time passed.
Where the giants standing around stopped moving, only the giant on the headstone and the Kushan remained.
“Kushan.”
Suddenly, the giant at the head table called out to Kushan softly. It was not a stiff voice like before, but a tone filled with warmth and affection. Just like a parent calling their child.
“Why are you doing this all of a sudden? “Tell me.”
“… Godfather Kuchar.”
Kushan called the giant at the head of the table Kuchar Godfather. Of course, they were not related to each other by blood. However, it is the giant sitting at the head of the table who has taught Kushan many things since he was young, and who has taken on the role of his father since the previous Kushan Thor left. As such, the giant he trusted the most among the Kushan clan was Kuchar.
“I just remembered my father’s words. Godfather Kuchar. “Now the time has come for our clan to need change.”
“Again, again. Are you bringing up your father’s words again? He left you and went out. “He passed on the great responsibility of managing the shrine to you, who hadn’t even had a coming-of-age ceremony yet, and left.”
“I didn’t abandon it! “You went out on your own because you were worried about the future of your clan!”
“worry? “It was something we were all against.”
“Father, you are not wrong! That’s why you went out despite the opposition!”
“I didn’t say it was wrong!”
For the first time, Kuchar’s voice rose. Kushan’s body flinched. Then, Kuchar, who said, “Oops,” immediately relaxed his stiff expression and sighed deeply.
“… But it’s different. It was so different. There is a clear difference between being wrong and being different. “Why don’t you understand this?”
“… “It’s the same for me when I don’t understand.”
“The more you act like this, the more it will affect not only us, but also other brothers. Your words are too dangerous. Especially if the other person is a human!”
“How can you know without even trying? And how long do we have to live like this? “They define everyone but us as enemies, and they live in a closed space without any interaction.”
“There is a reason for everything.”
“What is the reason for that?”
“Kushan… .”
“Tell me please. “If you don’t tell me, I will protect humans again in front of everyone.”
As Kushan’s tone became challenging, Kuchar called out to the central giant in a more earnest tone. But Kushan did not back down this time. Instead, his eyes shine and he clasps both hands.
“under… .”
This is my third sigh. Kuchar let out a long sigh and shook her head.
“Such behavior is not right. It will only harm you. And you are too young now. The coming-of-age ceremony hasn’t even taken place yet. “It’s something you will naturally learn later when you grow up.”
“But this opportunity will never come again.”
“You are now the last remaining Kushan clan. There’s only one thing we want from you. Grow up a little more, have a coming-of-age ceremony, and sit in the king’s seat. And lead us. When that time comes, I will personally hand over Mjolnir to you. … That would be fine, but why do you keep trying to look somewhere else?”
“Even if that time comes, it won’t be any different from now. No, I would be the same. My claims and my clan’s claims would clash, and I would end up leaving. “Just like my father did.”
At that moment, a deep sigh came out of Kuchar’s mouth. As the leader of a clan left, the incident of former Kushan Thor leaving the clan at the time was not an unusual event. The giant who most strongly opposed and tried to stop him was Kuchar. In other words, Kushan’s words were like a bombshell declaration that he would repeat the incident.
“Umm… .”
Kuchar crosses his arms and quietly closes his eyes, as if he is deep in thought. Kushan continued to stare at the head of the table, clenching her trembling hands tightly.
When so much time has passed.
“… good night.”
Kuchar muttered softly and slowly stood up. Kushan’s eyes widened. She just couldn’t believe her ears, wondering if she heard wrong.
“Godfather Kuchar?”
“If that is truly what you mean, let’s listen to the story.”
“Really? “Really?”
“okay. “As long as it’s just a story.”
Then Kushan’s face suddenly turned bright red. Then she raised her right hand and held out her little finger.
“Promise me!”
“hmm?”
When Kuchar gave him a puzzled look, Kushan laughed and scratched his head.
“Ah, this means a promise… . If you hook her little finger like this and match her thumb… .”
“… “Is this a human custom?”
Kushan nodded his head cautiously. Kuchar let out a dry laugh.
“Nothing bad. … but! “If I promise, you promise too.”
“yes? me too?”
As Kushan tilted his head, Kuchar looked on with a solemn look.
“okay. First of all, you will be left out of this story. Wait here. And you will never say that you are leaving the clan again.”
A look passed through Kushan’s eyes.
“Joe, okay. “I’ll just wait here and never say I’m leaving again.”
“good night. “Then let’s make a promise.”
Soon, Kuchar approached with great strides and held out his right hand, just like Kushan. Hook her little finger and match her thumb. And so the promise between the two giants was fulfilled.
“lol.”
“Guy, are you that good?”
Kuchar, who was laughing along with Kushan, who was laughing heartily, suddenly said, “Ah.” She let out a weak exclamation. As if there was something I forgot or couldn’t talk about.
“Kushan. Come to think of it… .”
Kuchar paused for a moment, looked around with a thoughtful eye, and continued speaking in a low voice.
“Beware of Hachar.”
Kushan tilted his head at the sudden remark. Hachar was the oldest giant of the clan. It was also the giant who lightly protected Kushan earlier.
“Why did he suddenly… .”
“He’s been acting strange these days. “The look in your eyes is unusual.”
“… yes? but.”
“What I said earlier could have been to gain your favor for some purpose. Think about it. Wasn’t Hachar originally the brother who hated humans the most?”
Now that I think about it, a puzzled look flashed across Kushan’s face, as if there was something strange. When Kushan checked her complexion, Kuchar immediately smiled in a husky voice and lightly placed his hand on Kushan’s shoulder.
“But there is no need to be too serious. I’m just telling you to be vigilant. “There’s no harm in being careful, right?”
“Bright, border?”
“okay. Anyway, don’t worry too much. As long as you have me and my brothers, nothing wrong will happen to you.”
“… … .”
Suddenly, Kushan stared at Kuchar. Thinking about her actions earlier, she suddenly felt sorry. If you think about it, Kuchar was like a real father to you, not only caring for you, but always giving you appropriate advice and helping you.
‘But I…’ .’
At that time, Kuchar’s hand on Kushan’s shoulder slowly fell.
“Then I guess I’ll just go. “You didn’t forget your promise earlier, right?”
“Well, of course. I will wait quietly here. “It’s a promise.”
Even as he said the word promise, Kushan felt like his heart was being stabbed. However, Kuchar, who was looking at Kushan warmly, said, “Then, I will come back,” and with her last words, she walked towards where her clan was waiting.
Kushan, who was staring helplessly at Kuchar’s back as he gradually moved further away, soon lowered his head after confirming that Kuchar had completely disappeared. His gaze was directed towards his own shadow.
Kushan opened his mouth.
“excuse me… .”
“Hehehe.”
At that moment, someone suddenly appeared. It was Hachar, one of the giants standing around Kuchar earlier. As Kushan looks away in surprise, Hachar walks in with a grin on his face.
“Hachar?”
“Is this surprising?”
“… … ?”
“I thought you would be downcast because you got scolded so much. “Your face looks brighter than I thought.”
Kushan didn’t know what to do with Hachar’s sudden appearance. She was worried about what would happen if she heard what she said earlier.
“I’m glad you look okay.”
However, fortunately, Hachar, who had not heard, came closer and smiled kindly.
“Ahaha… . thank you “The story worked out well to some extent.”
“Oh my. Is that really true? “Then that is also very fortunate.”
“Are you glad?”
“huh? Little master. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“But Hachar…” .”
“… ah.”
Hachar seemed to have realized the cause of the reaction only then and laughed empty-handedly.
“I don’t know what the little master will think… .”
Then he shortened the distance even further and whispered in a soft voice.
“I don’t really object to the little master’s thoughts.”
Kushan couldn’t believe his ears again.
However, without any time to organize his thoughts, Hachar continued.
“Of course, that doesn’t mean I completely agree. However, I just thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to listen to the story as the little owner said. “Hehehe.”
“is that so… . “I’m happy too.”
By the time Kushan had barely agreed. She saw Khachar take a couple of steps back and she looked at Kushan with that same smile on her face.
“hmm… . I don’t know how this will end… .”
“… … .”
“After you’re done, why don’t you come over and have some fun? “There is something else I want to say about this incident and something else I want to show you.”
“yes?”
Kushan questioned. However, Hachar, who did not continue speaking, turned without hesitation and walked away.
‘What I said earlier could be an attempt to gain your favor for some purpose.’
‘Think about it. Wasn’t Hachar originally the brother who hated humans the most?’
In the past, Kushan would have been excited, but after hearing Kuchar’s words, Kushan became instinctively wary. Maybe that’s why I wasn’t particularly happy even though I met a fellow countryman who took my side.
Kushan stared at Hachar silently until he disappeared, and only then did he bow his head in a panic. The gaze turned towards the shadow again.
This time, after confirming that there was really no one around, Kushan quietly crouched down and stared at his own shadow. Then she pressed the center of the shadow with her index finger and quietly opened her mouth.
“excuse me… . It’s all gone now… .”
And at that moment, something rose up from the shadows. The thing stroking the top of my head was none other than a human head. Soon after looking around, the user confirmed that no one was there and completely stepped out of the shadows. And after making eye contact with Kushan, he took out something round from his pocket. It was a crystal ball for communication.
Eventually, a man came up from the shadows and tapped the crystal ball as if to take a good look, then gently placed his hand on it. Soon, as the user begins to pour in magical energy, the communication crystal ball suddenly begins to glow. Kushan swallowed his saliva and stared into the crystal ball.
And after a while.
Ugh!
At the same time that a faint vibration sound was heard, a landscape of a meadow appeared in the center of the crystal sphere.
It was a meeting place between humans and giants.
—————————= Review of the work ——————– ——-=
Let’s go right to the next episode.
fantasy,
