78 - I Became a Guy Who Got Caught Up in the Summoning of a Hero

Title: Caught Up in the Hero Summoning - Chapter 78 The Gathering of Exchange The harbinger of the Demon God's month was marked by a moon reddened in hue. The moonlight, once a cool, tranquil blue in the night sky, gradually turned to crimson. Thus began a New Year's night wrapped in silence. "Did it... work?" Every resident of the territory had been evacuated to the lord's castle, its gates firmly closed. Watching anxiously, I couldn't spot any signs of transformation among the beastfolk encamped in the lord's mansion courtyard. After observing for about an hour, I shouted from the outer wall towards the courtyard. "Is everyone okay!!? Are you all alright!!?" My voice carried clearly through the still night, prompting cheers from the direction of the gathered beastfolk, affirming that the magical suppressants had taken effect. With the outer gates swung open, I approached the beastfolk outside. Tears of joy streaked their faces as they embraced one another in relief. Just as I was feeling grateful to witness their joy, they suddenly surrounded me, tossing me into the air. Each lift and fall made my heart race with fear rather than joy, a sentiment the beastfolk seemed unaware of. Once order was restored, each was sent back to their homes, including instructions to reassure any children they'd hidden away. Left alone, a profound sense of fulfillment overcame me as I stood watching the place they had departed from. "Are you happy?" Benny asked, to which I nodded and replied. "I thought it was possible, but experiencing success makes my heart ache in a strange way." "I'm really happy too." The beastfolk were a persecuted race with a tumultuous history. There were tales that their curse was absent when they followed the Demon God. Reflecting on the vengeful curse placed upon their kind by the god they once served, a sense of disdain for the Demon God began to grow within me. Though I'd benefited in various ways from the Demon God, the awareness of their malevolence had firmly taken root. While perhaps it was a preconceived notion, one certainty remained—the god was a source of endless vexation for me. In preparing for this event, it became clear that should the number of beastfolk increase in the future, at least a month's supply of medicine should be prepared in advance, binding me to this place indefinitely for at least that period. Though this was a discontenting revelation, there was no immediate solution, so I could only swallow my regrets. "Make sure everyone knows to head home and rest, Benny. You should rest too. I need to check a few more places." "Where are you planning to go?" "I need to visit those with strong magical powers too." The feline people remained within their domain, not venturing outside today. They were sheltering using methods they had trusted till now, and having confirmed the effectiveness of the suppressant on other beastfolk, I intended to verify the impact on those with strong magic and then rest. Making my way towards the forest behind the lord's castle, I glanced at the crimson-stained moon above. 'Could there be another cause?' The phenomenon of the moon turning red like this was peculiar to the Demon God's month. Considering it might be a natural occurrence, nothing in my knowledge of pharmacology offered an explanation, so I abandoned the thought just as I spotted Weisel standing in the clearing, arms crossed facing a torch. He appeared unchanged, not transformed into his beast form, reassuring me as I invoked protective spells and approached him with a question. "Weisel, are you alright?" His head slowly turned to meet mine with a calm gaze. Smiling, he spoke. "I never doubted it, but experiencing it firsthand is astounding." Weisel spoke as he drew closer, and with relief, I too approached. Complaining of the cold, I joined him by the torches, warming myself as I continued to inquire. "What about the other beastfolk?" "If they're fine, they should start coming out." Curiosity piqued as, one by one, they emerged from small openings, casting disbelieving glances at the red moon. I wondered what lay inside their burrows, but it was fascinating that each of them was amazed at the visible moon. Weisel followed my gaze skyward and remarked. "The red moon, which we call the Demon God's Moon, has always been invisible to us. Yet today, witnessing it feels unreal, doesn't it? They must feel the same way." "Well... if you're saying it, Weisel... there aren't any beastfolk that live for 300 years, are there?" "There are indeed those who live that long by the coast. By now, they might have retreated to the deep sea." "...So, there are beastfolk in the sea too? Like fish people, perhaps?" Weisel merely chuckled at my incredulous question, prompting me to resolve to investigate further someday. Then, unexpectedly, the beastfolk approached, forming a circle around me. Starting with Weisel, they knelt with one knee, declaring solemnly: "The sin of doubting the emissary of a god, a sin too great to atone for even with death. We vow to follow the words of the god's emissary for as long as this life endures." "We swear!" Utterly baffled, I asked. "What's with this act?" "It's no jest. Oh emissary of a god, our skepticism is laid bare. Yet, proven beyond doubt, no reprimand or penance you decree would be undeserved, and we shall embrace a life of repentance wholeheartedly." This was quite a perplexing situation. Yet, knowing the beastfolk often did things that defied understanding, I simply agreed, which seemed to leave Weisel unsatisfied. "Will you accept our pledge?" "So, you're saying you'll listen well from now on, right?" "Well... yes, but..." "In that case, I accept. Let's work well together." It wasn't like they didn't already listen well, so their promise to listen even better seemed to only warrant a casual "Sure." Weisel appeared unaware of my nonchalant attitude. However, it turned out that the events of that day were not as inconsequential as they seemed, as subsequent days revealed. On the following morning, I was greeted with another surprise. As soon as I happily opened the terrace window of the lord's mansion: "Good morning!!" Their voices resonated clearly as the beastfolk greeted me with enthusiasm, causing initial bewilderment. The second surprise came when, in the workshop where they usually focused solely on their tasks, they would kneel respectfully whenever I entered. Although I enforced a policy of skipping formal greetings during work through persistent discussions, having experienced it once made those old feelings resurface. Even Gaemung and the others, who usually spoke to me impolitely, now treated me with the utmost respect, rendering me speechless. "Change is good, but..." Deminah, upon hearing me, asked, "Since they've pledged loyalty to you, wouldn't it be better to acknowledge their respectfulness?" Even Deminah avoided my gaze, bowing her head whenever we made eye contact. I once tried forcing sustained eye contact with her, only to watch her practically bury her face on the floor, prompting a specific order to maintain eye contact with me. Now, although they obeyed that order and met my gaze, their trembling eyes were unmistakable. I questioned how such a dramatic transformation could occur overnight. The reason became apparent later on. The fear instilled by the Demon God’s moon among the beastfolk was immense. Losing all they held dear—children, loved ones—was a common devastation during the Demon God’s moon, turning neighbors and distant relatives into distant memories. Hence, the gratitude and appreciation the beastfolk felt were beyond verbal expression. Deminah eventually clarified this for me, revealing an irony: despite being able to produce a magic suppressant that lasted half a day without personally making it. Having experimentally tried making the suppressant using ingredients from the Forest of the Magma Dragon, Benny confirmed its effectiveness when Hare used it, rendering his magic unusable for precisely six hours. Despite this, the beastfolk lived under the shadow of persecution. 'If I considered that I alone knew the recipe...' Someone might possess that knowledge. Yet, realizing that its production relied on significantly more expensive components than typical herbs—and only worked with plants from the Forest of the Magma Dragon—I speculated that existing knowledge might have fallen into disuse. "It's unfortunate, but I'll need to find further improvements or alternatives..." "What are you talking about?" Benny, overhearing my muttering while working in the lab, queried. I advised him to focus on his tasks and turned my thoughts toward future challenges. Potentially influential implications came with being able to command the beastfolk. While I doubted whether the empire could sway them against my directives, they retained the authority to demand something from me, couched as taxes. Though doubling the tribute could nullify such demands, ignoring them indefinitely seemed unsustainable. Preparing for unforeseen future circumstances felt urgent. There's no reason to fall out with the imperial family. The princess presently trusted me immensely, and the pharmacy bearing my name, which she managed, couldn't function without the herbs sent from this land. Moreover, she proposed a business venture: 'Suggesting we go into the liquor business...?' She meant producing and supplying liquor, not selling it alongside female companions. The primary products were aphrodisiac and vitality-boosting liquors—intended to enhance strength and vigor—and the production involved refining the formulas to eliminate any bitterness, resulting in deliciously sweet and fragrant spirits. The vitality liquor, in particular, was a matured spirit infused with restorative components, ranking as the most popular drink within the territory. 'Hirna took some samples of both liquors to try...' The sight of a pale Deevik the next day revealed the potential risks, leaving me uninterested in sampling them personally. Yet, Princess Liana was persistent, visiting our territory throughout the week, insisting that limiting such liquor production to the Inglad Territory was wasteful. Though I eventually agreed to her proposal, the supply demands were a challenge. "Do herbs grow well in the Forest of the Magma Dragon even in winter?" "That's what you're curious about? Yes, herbs thrive there even during snowfall. It's quite extraordinary, isn't it?" The mystery of how the magma dragon ensured plants grew even during harsh winter in the wilderness puzzled me, making me curious to eventually see it firsthand.