139 - The Freed S*aves Became Obsessed

In Lake Fortress, there are two prominent events. One involves friction with other tribes, and the other is the subjugation of beastly creatures. The former happens on its own if you wait, while the details of the latter can be heard through Darka's accounts. Karami knew these events well but had no intention of interfering of his own accord. This was a story Darka told to Ashies, so he reckoned it best to stay quiet and patient. "But you can never truly stay idle, can you?" The heart of a master longs to assist a troubled slave. He was ready to provide at least the minimal connecting bridge they might need. As Karami smoothly entered the chief's tent under the guise of a friend's son, he introduced Ashies to Darka. "Chief, this is Miss Ashies. Miss Ashies, please say hello." Ashies merely inclined her head slightly. Darka leaned her face forward, staring intensely at Ashies, tilting her head left and right as if observing a curious creature. Her wide-open eyes radiated an atmosphere different from usual. "You are…." "Why do you ask?" "You are…." Darka, who had been staring at Ashies for quite some time, finally spoke. "What an incredibly beautiful young lady!" She uttered such a cliché remark. "It's as if I’m looking at my younger self!" "Haha, you must be quite out of your mind." "Crazy? How dare you! Do you have any idea how beautiful I was in my youth? How many men from other tribes clamored to marry me?" "Oops, my mistake. I deeply apologize. I thought perhaps you had lost a bit of your mind." "You cheeky rascal." Darka clicked her tongue. She looked at Ashies again. "A truly intriguing young lady. As I look at her, memories from the other side seem to vividly resurface." "What kind of memories?" "When I was young! My grandmother often shared old tales with me. While others found them tedious, I adored them. I would sit by the fire, nibbling on snacks as I listened." "Interesting. Would you share those stories with us too?" "Of course! I've needed someone to talk to, and as expected, Karami was the only one who understood! Other scoundrels raise a fuss if I try to tell a story." As she said this, Darka glanced at Yorn, who was watching Karami’s group from the corner of the tent. Despite her senility, she still remembered enough to feel slighted. Yorn, who had dedicated half of his life to assisting the chief, averted his gaze. With Karami's entrance, he suddenly turned into an adversary. "Where do I begin…. Ah, I should start with when our tribe was first established. The first chief of our tribe was my great-grandmother." Darka began her tale of old. She was visibly excited. As elders are wont to do when launching into, "Back in my day" stories. "Of course, I never met my great-grandmother, but I'm aware of her greatness. The chiefs of our Lake Fortress have always been shamans, and she was no exception." A being also known as a sorcerer. Practicing shamanism from a young age, they protect the tribe and pray for the village's safety. Though it might seem trivial, this is a significant role among the northern people, who place great importance on tradition. "But she wasn’t an ordinary shaman." "What do you mean?" "She was a magician of an entire kingdom! She foresaw the future. She read the future where an evil dragon invades the kingdom, and she escaped in advance to found our tribe!" "Did she escape alone? Leaving others to perish?" "Silence!" Darka's rebuke rang out. "It was no escape! It was for the greater good! If she had not escaped, this story would not be passed down to future generations!" "Oh, of course. She was truly outstanding." "She didn't just escape; she brought something very important from the royal family. It’s this magical stone!" "Theft…." "Silence!!!" Darka abruptly stood up. Perhaps Karami's voice had invigorated her with magic. How else would such a haggard old woman suddenly be full of vigor? However, Karami shut his mouth. If Darka regained too much vigor, the staff might find itself blazing over his head. Darka, who had been huffing angrily, plopped back down. "A cheeky brat, you. I should have realized when you were playing with Baskal. Phew… Where was I?" "You were talking about the magic stone." "Yes, the magic stone. This is the magic stone my great-grandmother brought." Darka presented a necklace adorned with a piece of lazurite. "What effect does it have?" "If you hold this, you won’t feel cold." "Is that all?" "In fact, there’s one more secret hidden within…." Darka looked around cautiously before whispering. "This stone can rid Aisengar of its cold. It can break the dragon’s curse." "Is that really true? Isn’t it a lie?" "This cheeky brat dares claim an elder speaks falsehoods! This is what my great-grandmother said, you insolent boy!" "Then why haven't you lifted the curse?" "The time hasn’t come yet. Plus, it's not my task to lift the curse." The will handed down from the royal magician and Darka's great-grandmother. "She told us someday a hero would appear. That person will bring spring to Aisengar, and when the hero arrives, we must pass the stone on. That is the role of our chief." The obligation passed down from chief to chief. Darka unmistakably remembers this, even with her disarrayed mind. If no hero arrives during Darka's time, then she must pass the stone and the accompanying duty to the next generation, just as she received them. "But Baskal is still far from ready…." Afraid that her forebear’s legacy might end with her, Darka muttered with a solemn expression. Should they fail to fulfill their duty, even in death, their soul will not find rest and will become a wraith. They will wander aimlessly in the harsh North. This is what Norsgard feared the most. With trembling hands, Darka fidgeted with her necklace. "Take it all with a grain of salt. It’s just the ramblings of an old woman." Yorn, unable to listen any longer in silence, interjected. "What is it that you call nonsense?" "All of it. The tale of the first chief being a sorcerer. Dragons leaving curses. How could a mere stone end this cold? A hero, they say? It’s laughable." "It's not nonsense, Yorn!" Ignoring Darka, Yorn continued with his cold rationale. “Do you know why fairy tales are just that? Because they don't happen in reality. There are only two kinds of people who believe in such tales: those who are naïve or those who are unwell.” "Hmm, is that so?" Karami tilted his head, thinking. "Therefore, pay it no mind…." "There's one more kind." "What?" "Those who believe fairy tales can be real." Yorn narrowed his eyes, glaring at Karami. His eyes, focused on Karami, wavered subtly with unease. “…Who might that be?" "Residents living inside the fairy tale." With a deliberate smile, Karami glanced at Ashies, then locked eyes with Yorn. "Whether this is a fairy tale prolonged by false hope or an unfinished essay, it’s not for you or me to decide. It's a decision left to the reader once the story concludes." "……." "Until then, we must perform our roles as characters in the story. You, as the Norsgard chieftain. Me, as my slave's master, waiting for the hero to play their part." Yorn clicked his tongue internally as he watched Karami's sly smile. Is this what they call a merchant’s high-level tact? Whenever he spoke with Karami, he felt as though he was being led wherever Karami wanted. Even Yorn, with his steadfast nature, found himself momentarily deceived. "What nonsense are you two spouting? Now, where were we?" "You were talking about passing the stone to the hero…." "Ah, right! I should tell you about when our tribe was first formed." "You already mentioned…." "My grandmother’s story. In fact, my great-grandmother was a renowned magician of the kingdom." The conversation looped like a hamster wheel. Karami squinted his eyes shut, while Ashies listened without much change in expression. Telling her story to the two made Darka appear more joyful than usual. *** Days passed with Ashies assisting in hunting and listening to Darka's tales. Despite repeating the same stories multiple times, Ashies never once complained and quietly listened. It would be easy to think Ashies listened absentmindedly, but there was a subtle difference. Ashies paid close attention to Darka's stories, stories some considered delusions or fairy tales. The tribespeople seemed to let it slide. They used to take turns conversing with the lonesome Darka, despite having heard the same tale repeatedly until their ears could fall off. Now, Ashies voluntarily took on that role, sparing them from responsibility if they stirred the beehive. They tacitly permitted Ashies to come and go from Darka's tent. “Oh, my, is that how you build a house? This method would be much more energy-efficient.” “Oh! Such utilization! The craftsmanship of a dwarf artisan is truly peerless!” A handful of dwarves who came with Karami were the type who couldn’t just stand by and watch shoddy construction, even though they typically didn’t share their expertise with just anyone. Without being asked, they stepped forward to help. When praised by the Northerners, they acted as if it was no big deal while twitching their beards in pride. ‘How is it that dwarves have the inherent trait of being tsundere?’ Well, thanks to the dwarves, it helped earn the favor of the Northerners significantly. Tying in an underdeveloped Northerner with a top-tier dwarf in technology was all part of the plan. Had they been like elves, who belittle others while flaunting their skills, the Northerners’ pride would have caused them to refuse, but since they were dwarves, it worked out. Despite the initial concerns of the Northerners, peaceful days continued after Karami’s group arrived. “Oh…. What a truly beautiful woman. Would you consider selling her to me? I’d pay a handsome sum.” Until the traders came to visit the village. The translation for the latest updates on the web novel reflects a mix of reader interactions and narrative previews, which can vary quite a bit. Here’s a brief setup: A user with the handle "관장초6학년해달" cheekily comments, "ㅋㅋㅋㅋ 사긴 뭘 사 이놈아" which humorously translates to, "Haha, what do you mean buy her, you fool?" This section points out readers' reactions to the unfolding story and communal engagement around the series 'Obsessive Freed Slaves,' which seems to have a dedicated following. The series is popular because of its intriguing development, as indicated by its high placement in the weekly bests and active reader comments. Simultaneously, story updates and reader commentaries continue to evolve, displaying an interconnected literary community that offers recommendations, shares new chapter alerts, and discusses narrative twists and requests within various fantasy or adventure genres recently added to the platform.