Praise the Orc! Chapter 68:
Chapter 68 – Season of Hunting (3)
“Why is it impossible?” Crockta asked .
The man suddenly looked at the sky . It was towards the north .
“There is no time . ”
“What…?”
He packed the skin and heart of the Manticore into a sack and then he tore off the wings . Crockta and Tiyo helped harvest the Manticore’s body parts before the man, whose name was unknown, started to turn around .
Crockta and Tiyo stared blankly at his back . The man stopped moving .
“Come along . ”
He started moving again . Crockta and Tiyo exchanged glances before following . The man spoke in a tone that seemed to be mocking them, “The Manticore is dead, but others will come . ”
Tiyo grumbled, “Then why did you help us instead of leaving us to die?”
“I didn’t want to . ” The man glanced at Tiyo with emotionless eyes . The cool gaze caused Tiyo to flinch . “But Skolla was whining . ”
“Skolla? Who is that?”
He didn’t answer .
They headed to the hunter’s home .
The landscape when they were returning was different, and even the distance seemed to have increased . They hadn’t walked that long but now it was taking a long time to get back . The direction had also changed . The compass was still pointing in one direction .
“I think the forest has changed…” Crockta muttered .
The man laughed, “This is the Forest of Creatures . ”
“Is the forest constantly changing?”
“You didn’t know? You really entered without thinking . ” The man adjusted the sack he was carrying . The blood of the Manticore dripped out of the bag . “Why are idiots who don’t know such things going to the north?”
“I want to find my father dot,” Tiyo replied first . “Do you know the adventurer Anato? My father was a great adventurer who went to the north dot . ”
The man laughed at Tiyo, “No . I’ve never see a person go to the north . ”
“Hrmm, I guess you arrived late and didn’t see him! Since when have you been here?”
The man replied in a natural tone, “For 50 years . ”
“……!”
Crockta and Tiyo’s eyes widened . The man looked like a normal middle-aged man . If he had been here for 50 years, how old was he now?
“I came here when I was 40 years old . ”
“Then you are now…” Tiyo didn’t say anything else . That was already the end of the human lifespan .
“Are you perhaps a mixed race?”
“A human . ”
“I can’t believe it . ”
It was impossible for a 90-year-old human to be so healthy . The man added, “I am from the Shakan Clan . ”
“Shakan…”
Now Tiyo nodded . Crockta didn’t understand so he looked at Tiyo, who explained, “The Shakan is an old hunter clan . I heard that they had died out . ”
“Do they live that long?”
“I don’t know . Not much is known…maybe he is lying but…” Tiyo lowered his voice, “The Shakan are those who never forget a grudge dot . ”
The hunter clan Shakan, those who never forgot a grudge . After hearing Tiyo’s explanation, the man’s back looked bleak .
“But he said 50 years, so he must’ve seen my father . That must be a lie dot . ”
“Maybe they just didn’t meet each other . ”
“Still…”
Tiyo stared at the man’s back with suspicious eyes . This time, Crockta was the one to ask a question to the man, “Do you know about the Temple of the Fallen God in the north?”
The man shook his head as he looked ahead . The silence continued .
Crockta spoke again, “Let me know your name . ”
“……” The man paused for a while before replying . “I am called Shakan . ”
“Your name . ”
“Shakan . ”
The man was from the Shakan Clan, and his name was also Shakan . There seemed to be a story behind it .
They quietly followed Shakan .
They reached Shakan’s home within a short time . The moat and thorny fence were wrapped around it . They passed through the shallow part of the moat and through the small hole in the fence, just like when they followed the cow .
Crockta realized that the fortress had no entrance and this was the only doorway . An artifact hid the presence of this place . The moat and the fence were both strong . Even so, the entrance was concealed to minimize risk .
He was a thorough hunter .
The cows gave a long cry as they returned, “Moooooo…”
Then Shakan laughed out loud . It was a clear laugh that was unimaginable for the man who acted coldly towards Crockta and Tiyo . Shakan approached a cow and hugged it .
“Yes, I brought them, Skolla, so don’t complain anymore . Yes, yes . ”
It was like he was having a conversation with a cow . Crockta and Tiyo tilted their heads .
Shakan turned towards them . His hard face had relaxed . His eyes curved as he gave a gentle smile .
“My first son, Skolla . ” He stroked the cow’s head .
“This one is Penando, and the other one is Achilles . ” He pointed to the cows one by one . “They are Shakan like me who will become great hunters . Say hello . ”
Crockta and Tiyo bowed at the innocent expression on his face . They couldn’t tell if he was joking or if he just had affection for the cows . Shakan quickly fed the cows again . The cows waved their tails .
“It is the Shakan law to take care of guests,” Shakan said with a mock-stern tone .
“…What is this Crockta?” Tiyo poked Crockta’s side . Crockta didn’t know either . He stepped forward and said, “That cow called Skolla is smart . ”
“Huh?” Shakan looked up from where he was patting Skolla .
“Even knowing the paths in the forest…”
“The cow?”
“That cow . You called it Skolla . ”
“Huh?”
Shakan stared blankly at Crockta and then looked at Skolla again . He blinked and alternated looking between Crockta and the cow . He gazed straight at Crockta .
“Ah…yes, cow…”
Then his expression changed . The traces of the man singing to the cow couldn’t be seen anymore as it returned to the same cold expression from when he first met Crockta and Tiyo .
“Yes . Cow . A cow . Is this cow smart?”
“Yes . ”
“That is strange . A cow is just a cow . I just raise them for the milk . ”
Crockta got goose bumps at the sudden change in attitude . It was a hard conversation .
“You introduced it as your son . ”
“What?” But Shakan was still confused . “What are you saying?”
“Huh?”
“My sons are all dead . ”
“You said Skolla…”
He blinked in confusion . Crockta spoke again . “You said that the cows were called Skolla, Penando, and Achilles . ”
“Me?” The man was confused . What was with this expression? Then he shook his head . “…I just named the cows after my dead sons . There is no meaning . The dead are dead . ”
Then he entered the log cabin . The cow called Skolla let out a long cry, “Moooooo…”
“……”
Crockta felt a chill .
The man had spent 50 years in this place . He lived alone in the Forest of Creatures where no one came . It was natural to turn strange after enduring such lonely and dangerous times .
“Crockta…” Tiyo called his name from behind . “Is it okay to stay here…?”
Tiyo seemed reluctant after seeing Shakan’s behavior . Crockta placed a hand on Tiyo’s shoulder .
“I don’t think he is a bad person so let’s hear more about the forest . ”
Crockta and Tiyo entered the house after Shakan .
As soon as they entered, the skull of a creature could be seen . A giant head . It was like a human but the skull was much bigger, the mouth protruded and the teeth were as sharp as saw blades . An ogre’s skull . But there were two of them . The two skulls were placed side by side like they were linked .
“Twin head ogre…?”
It wasn’t just that . All types of skulls were displayed, testifying to Shakan’s past . In addition to skulls, things such as hands, teeth and shin bones acted as his hunting record . It seemed like a bones museum . He hunted all these things alone in the Forest of Creatures . Hunting tools were hung in a corner . He had everything from a long bow, knives, axes and anything else that a hunter would need .
“Is stew made with vegetables and eggs okay?” Shakan’s voice was heard from behind .
“Thank you . ”
“Just wait . ”
The smell of food filled the room . Crockta and Tiyo entered the kitchen . Steam was coming up from the pot that Shakan was boiling . Crockta and Tiyo sat down at the table .
“Can I do anything to help…?”
“No . ”
It was a cold reply . Tiyo pouted .
Within a short time, the hearty stew was finished . Shakan scooped plenty of stew into the bowl . Shakan’s face seemed softer in the warm light of the house .
“Why were you going to the north again?” He asked as he passed by . Tiyo replied .
“I want to find my father dot . Crockta is searching for the Temple of the Fallen God dot . And also…” Tiyo drank the stew and continued, “Of course, it is also to go on an adventure . I want to see new places dot . ”
“Adventure…”
Shakan looked down at his fingers . “Are you curious about new places?”
“Of course dot . I can see the way that civilizations have evolved dot! Challenge and response!”
“Challenge…” He laughed . “My sons also did that . ”
Crockta and Tiyo became quiet as the word ‘sons’ came out again .
Shakan got up and brought out warm milk . “My sons would’ve become great Shakan hunters . The Shakan are the best hunters . ”
Shakan took a posture like he was pulling a bowstring .
“Hunters must be cautious, bold and patient . My first son, Skolla hid in the mud for over a month to catch drakes . In the end, he shot an arrow into its mouth . Isn’t that great patience? It was the first time in Shakan history that someone caught a drake . Huhuhuhu . ”
Crockta and Tiyo’s spoons slowed down .
“We are the last Shakan, but I believed that my sons would spread the name of Shakan again . ”
“The last Shakan…?”
“They all died . Now those who remember the Shakan have disappeared, and Shakan has become an old name . So my first son Skolla planned something huge for the resurrection of Shakan . He planned to open up the north to let the entire continent know the name of Shakan . ”
“What do you mean by opening the north?”
“He said he would get rid of the Forest of Creatures with his own hands!”
Tiyo’s eyes shone .
“So he left for the Forest of Creatures . So, the source of the Forest of Creatures…that…what happened…” Shakan scratched his head . His face became confused . “Ahh…”
He grabbed his head . “What is today? Wait…my head hurts . Wait a bit…”
He left the room .
Crockta and Tiyo ate the vegetable stew in a heavy silence .
***
‘Father, I will open the north!’
You can’t . It is too dangerous .
‘I can do it . We are Shakan . ’
The Shakan are hunters, not heroes . That thing is too scary .
‘The founder of the Shakan hunted a dragon and took its heart to open the Shakan bloodline . I’m not scared at all . We were born with dragon’s blood . ’
You are obviously an exceptional hunter . Maybe even better than me . But Son…
‘I can do it . It is a mission for the last Shakan . ’
Shakan chewed on the meat . His teeth grabbed onto hard muscles . He endured it . His esophagus shook as the blood rushed down his throat . He opened his eyes . Vivid memories appeared everywhere around him .
‘Father . A Shakan never forgets his enemies . ’
You can’t . It is too dangerous .
‘This is my brother’s will . ’
It isn’t something you can hunt .
‘There is nothing that the Shakan can’t hunt . And we are Shakan . ’
My words…
‘A Shakan can’t let their enemies live!’
Reality and memories mixed together, causing his head to become heavy . The past memories weighed down on his shoulders . His breathing was painful but he endured it .
“It is that season again…”
He chewed on the last piece of meat . His spirit cleared . The iron taste of blood reminded him of arrowheads and blades . His body was tense and his muscles swelled .
This was the last chance . Maybe these visitors were the last blessing given to him .
His end wouldn’t be lonely . His sons . And…
‘I can’t live any longer . ’
His wife .
***
Shakan returned . He looked cold like when they first saw him . This wasn’t the man excited when talking about his sons .
There was something around his mouth .
“Your mouth…?”
“Um . ”
Shakan wiped at his mouth . It looked like a bloodstain to Crockta .
Shakan looked at both Crockta and Tiyo . “Do you really want to go to the north?”
“That’s right dot . ”
“Yes . ”
Crockta and Tiyo replied at the same time .
“Despite the dangers?”
Crockta nodded . They had been prepared for danger the moment they started .
“Then I will let you know . There is only one way to go to the north . ”
Shakan sat down . His face became solemn . Light shone on the wrinkled face .
“You must kill the evil ‘beast’ . ”