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18. High Risk, High Return 053 – High Risk, High Return #2
━ M-Master, please calm down. The scar will widen! Isn’t that the dude who kicked the bucket hundreds of years ago? I distinctly saw his bones rolling around in the valley just yesterday!
The sparrow flew overhead, zooming past Lao-Hoo’s head.
━ A-Ah, Dad! There’s bl**d everywhere!
Mao hopped onto Lao-Hoo’s head, thumping his forehead with his front paw.
Lao-Hoo held his breath with a grunt and let out another deep sigh.
【Heeee…】
Lao-Hoo raised a front paw to stroke the scar on his face.
As his ragged breathing began to calm, the scar that had widened was slowly healing.
‘Is a scar supposed to hurt like that before it heals up?’
Lao-Hoo continued to stroke the now-healed wound.
【Anyway, it’s been ages since the Forest Master suffered so many injuries at once. It’s not like that anger couldn’t spill over to us. We need change. Those who can’t change and adapt will be culled from this forest.】
━ So you’re planning to make that white dude a Champion… isn’t that a bit too much of a gamble?
The sparrow Pepe perched atop Lao-Hoo’s head cocked its head at me.
【I’m just offering an opportunity. What he does with it is up to him. It’s a big gamble for us too, but there could be big rewards.】
━ I get your lofty intentions, but it’s not every day we accept an outsider as a Champion, is it? Other critters are gonna raise a ruckus.
【That’s a fair point. Some might not take too kindly to giving an outsider a chance. But so what? It’s this Lao-Hoo giving the green light.】
Lao-Hoo snorted.
He had such unwavering confidence in his power and authority that it bordered on arrogance.
Yet somehow, that arrogance felt more like a fancy crown or high-end cape, courtesy of his massive size and the unique pressure it exuded.
━ Still, Master, there’s a chance the order you’ve carefully built up might fall apart. If word gets out that you readily accepted an outsider, critters from other forests might crash the festival and throw everything into chaos.
【That makes sense. So, Pepe, what do you think we should do?】
After pondering Lao-Hoo’s question, the sparrow Pepe chirped.
━ Asking Salome might be a good idea. She’s a descendant of the clan that has overseen the summer festivals for generations, so she should know a lot.
【Right, that sounds good. Salome! Come here!】
Lao-Hoo looked up toward the sky and bellowed, his voice booming like thunder.
It was a sound I could never get used to, no matter how many times I heard it.
‘Wow, that’s one loud roar. It’s like he’s trying to wake up the entire forest.’
As a beast now, my sensitive ears couldn’t help but feel how painful such loud noises could be.
Mao and the sparrow Pepe seemed unfazed, not even twitching a feather.
Flap! Flap!
After a while, I heard a whoosh of large wings flapping from the sky.
━ You called, Master?
Harpy Salome emerged through the raindrops. She saw me and jolted, quickly turning her head away.
I flinched too at her gaze, though I was anxiously praying she wouldn’t blurt out anything embarrassing.
“Great, just what I needed to worry about.”
I wondered if people involved in secret affairs or scandalous romances felt this kind of anxiety.
Sure, some might twist it into a thrill, but it was clear I was not that type.
【Salome, sorry for summoning you on such a rainy day when you’re not feeling well.】
━ Uh-huh, I’m fine now. I feel much lighter. But why did you call me?
【I have something to discuss with you. I want to send that white beast over there to be one of the champions.】
━ What!?
Harpy Salome trembled in disbelief.
━ W-Why him…?
She flapped her wings, brushing over the tiny scar on her abdomen.
It was a faint mark, but I could clearly see three prominent lines etched into her skin.
Those were scars made by none other than my own claws.
【Is there a problem? Is there a rule that says the white fur beast can’t be a champion?】
━ N-No, it’s not that. But does Mao know that he’s becoming a champion?
The harpy raised her gaze to look at Mao, who was sleeping soundly atop Lao-Hoo’s head.
Rose-tinted in boredom, Mao had dozed off, bobbing gently.
【Yeah, recommending him as a champion was Mao’s idea. I mean they just met, but apparently, they hit it off. Though, not my favorite—how dare…】
Mumbling like a disgruntled old man, Lao-Hoo sounded more like a soggy cat.
Harpy Salome furrowed her brow and cautiously inquired of Lao-Hoo in a hushed tone.
━ Isn’t the winner of the champions’ duel rewarded in a conventional manner?
【Yes, that’s correct. I can’t keep him in my claws forever, after all.】
━ Hmm… If by chance that beast wins, it would trigger an unprecedented situation. That should not and cannot happen, but…
【So, is there a way to send him to the festival? Using your clan’s ability, “Return,” could you see if there’s a precedent for this?】
━ That’s no trouble at all.
They continued their seemingly private conversation, detailing points only they could understand.
It felt like they were talking about me, but I was stuck as an uninvolved spectator, like a straw doll left behind in a field.
━ Then I’ll read my memories. Let’s find something that might help.
With that, Harpy Salome rolled her eyes back and began to shake her head intriguingly, almost like she was having a seizure.
I got chills from the unexpected display and instinctively frowned.
━ What the heck is she doing?
In response to my question, Pepe, who had also been quietly listening, answered nonchalantly.
━ She’s reading the memories of our ancestors. Her gift from our beloved World Tree allows her to browse through countless events from ancient times.
‘Reading ancestral memories, huh?’
If I understood correctly, her ability allowed her to access memories of ancestors etched in her bl**d or soul.
It felt akin to fidgeting with the internet to sift through valuable information.
‘Now that’s a life-saving ability.’
Identifying edible plants versus poisonous mushrooms must be a trivial task for her.
━ So you can read ancestral memories? That’s a skill from your talent?
━ Salome is a descendant of the ancient gods, so it’s a special case.
Pepe seemed ready to say more, but then clamped his beak shut.
Salome was shaking her head anxiously, and painful sounds began to escape her slightly parted lips.
Additionally, she intermittently winced as if suffering from a headache, indicating that retracing those memories might be a painful ordeal.
I wondered how much time passed by like this.
━ Hoo.
A faint sigh escaped her slightly parted lips.
Salome’s previously white-blue irises regained their clarity.
━ I’ve seen a total of one hundred thousand events and memories from the past.
【Well, what did you find? Was there anything helpful?】
Under Lao-Hoo’s impatient gaze, Salome instead bent her wings like fingers.
Among them, a protruding feather looked like a finger raised triumphantly.
━ Well, there was one occasion. About twelve hundred years ago, an outsider beast participated in a festival.
【Oh, so it hasn’t happened that long ago. If it happened once, it can surely happen again.】
Lao-Hoo grinned, his large mouth twisting into a satisfied smile.
However, Salome’s explanation wasn’t over yet.
━ But the backlash from the other beasts was intense. The pig clan was particularly resistant, acting as if a war would break out.
At the mention of pigs, my ears perked up.
‘So there are pigs in this forest.’
I imagined the rotund little piggies with their squishy backsides.
Maybe this time I could finally taste real samgyeopsal or juicy pork belly!
I could feel my mouth watering.
Suddenly, a dissatisfied grumble rumbled from the enormous tiger.
【Ugh, those stubborn piggies will be no different this time around. So what happened next?】
━ The chief of the boar clan set a rule. He said if the outsider beast could prove its courage and bravery, it could participate as a warrior. That promise still holds, so if this guy showcases enough valor, everyone will be convinced and let it slide.
The calm and articulate explanation from Harpy Salome made Lao-Hoo nod in understanding.
━ Is that all…?
At that, Mao, who had been dozing on Lao-Hoo’s forehead, briefly woke but quickly fell asleep again.
【It must be true, coming from you, the priestess of the Western Forest. So proving it through valor is key, right? They say this guy defeated the Stalker, so that should be sufficient proof, don’t you think?】
━ This little brat actually took down the Stalker!?
Harpy Salome squawked, completely startled. She gazed at me with a serious expression, her brows twitching.
━ This small child took down the Stalker? The cruel henchman of Laplace?
Salome leaned in closer, her face inches away from mine.
Memories of earlier moments flashed before me, igniting heat in my cheeks.
━ If that’s true, it really is impressive, but… it might not be enough on its own.
Salome couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away from me.
She muttered softly, “I think I’ve seen this moment in a memory somewhere.”
【Then we should speak with the Elder of the Deer; he would appreciate this news.】
━ That sounds like a wise idea. In the past memories, the Elder recognized his worth too.
‘Hmm.’
While observing their conversation, I felt a pressing question arise.
When the dialogue seemed to hit a lull, I spoke up.
━ Aren’t I technically the master of the forest? Why can’t I just push my opinion forward? Why do we have to go through all these procedures?
The conversation sounded less like a group of beasts and more like a society of communicators.
With my eyes closed, it’d be hard for anyone to think these creatures were animals.
Even with my eyes open, they’d hardly resemble your average stack of fur, what with a tiger the size of a house and a half-human beauty.
Upon my inquiry, Lao-Hoo blinked sleepily.
【That’s exactly something a southern beast would say. Unlike the savagery of the south, the west holds traditions and rules. That’s why the west managed to harvest the fruit of the World Tree more than any other forest.】
━ Huh, I see.
I nodded along appropriately.
‘Didn’t he just say we need change?’
Although I pretended to agree, hearing a massive tiger talk about traditions and rules made my spine tingle uncomfortably.
‘The Western Forest doesn’t seem to align with me. It’s nice that they aren’t struggling for survival, but it feels awfully rigid for beasts.’
The Southern Forest was a wild place, teeming with all kinds of creepy-crawlies and venomous snakes.
Having been reborn and grown up there, it was possible I had developed a mindset closer to that of the southern beasts.
‘Does it mean I’d have to live tied down by rules if I became the master of the West?’
The image of a Joseon king popped into my mind.
I couldn’t help but think that while their lives seemed extravagantly rich, they must have been tormented by all sorts of restrictions and rules.
━ Then I’ll take you to the Deer Clan right away. We need to get ready quickly since we’re short on time.
【Yes, please do. Salome.】
With Lao-Hoo’s permission, Salome flapped her wings and quickly took hold of my shoulder, soaring high into the sky.
━ Wait, why the rush? Are we leaving right this second?
━ Yes, exactly. The festival kicks off tomorrow, and this relentless rain will clear up by then, leaving nothing but blue skies.
Salome flapped her wings again and zoomed upward.
I tried to say something, but I was rendered speechless by the swift change in my surroundings.
Though the rain fell heavily under the thick clouds, the view of the forest from above was vastly different from what I had seen from the treetops.
My previously claustrophobic view of the canopy opened up, filling me with exhilaration.
An endless sea of trees stretched endlessly below me.
At the center stood the World Tree, so magnificent it made me feel like a mere insignificant speck.
━ This is amazing.
An involuntary gasp escaped my lips.
Salome chuckled softly before continuing.
━ Isn’t it beautiful to you? Normally, I wouldn’t show this sight to anyone. And since it’s just the two of us now, I must ask: You really plan to become a champion and participate in the festival?
━ Is there a problem with that? By the way, I never got to hear what the reward for winning is.
━ Ah, right! The reward for this festival is the everlasting snow plant that grows in the garden!
