Volume 6 Chapter 14 The Shaman
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Gemini said
Chieftain Fedelate of the Spirit Clan ¹ sat in a heavy, brooding silence. His brow was furrowed, his expression a mask of political frustration. Did I get the Queen’s point across? I wondered, a knot of anxiety tightening in my stomach. Just as I started to second-guess my delivery, his voice thundered into my mind.
[“Karin… Truly, your Elf Queen is as sharp as a briar. She likely assumed I would simply roll over because the request came from you. But a matter like this requires the consensus of the Three Tribes Council ². It was the Demon Clan and the Elves who tucked Yggdrasil ³ away in a sub-dimension to begin with. To ask my people to bail them out now… it’s an audacious ask. My kin won’t be happy about such a convenient change of heart.”]
”I know it’s a lot,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “The Queen mentioned that even if the World Tree stops producing mana, it doesn’t really hurt the Spirit Clan, so it’s low on your to-do list. But for me? This is personal. Until I know why my mother is suffering, I can’t let my sister use the Gate to come home. I won’t risk her. Please-don’t look at this as a state request. Look at it as a favor to me.”
[“I see,”] Fedelate replied. [“A private debt, then? I seem to recall you already owe me a great deal, Karin. Are you really looking to add another line to your tab?”]
”Ugh, the right arm thing… you’ve got me there.” I bit my lip, then tried to deflect with a bit of snark. “Wait, Chieftain… you aren’t about to suggest I pay you back with my body, are you?”
[“Hmph. Rest assured, I have zero interest in your physical form.”]
He didn’t laugh, but I could practically hear the dismissive snort echoing in my skull.
”Wow. Okay. That was actually kind of a low blow.”
[“Hardly. You may have the silhouette of an adult now, but you haven’t changed a bit in ten years. Wait here,”] the Chieftain said.
He stood and swept out of the room. I was left in total isolation for nearly an hour, watching through the window as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the forest in bruised purples.
[“Sorry for the delay, Karin,”] Fedelate said as he re-entered. He wasn’t alone. Behind him trailed a petite figure draped in a heavy, midnight-black cloak. A square veil hid their face entirely. I couldn’t even tell if they were one of the Spirit Clan.
”Um, Chieftain? Who is…?”
Before I could finish, a psychic shockwave slammed into my brain. It wasn’t just a voice; it was a physical impact that made my knees buckle.
[“So you’re the insolent brat who thinks she can just demand a tour of Yggdrasil?!”]
”Wha-? No, that’s not… I didn’t…” I stammered, clutching my throbbing temples.
[“Fool! You want to ‘investigate’ the World Tree? What could a human, a Demon, or an Elf possibly hope to grasp?!”] The words thudded against my consciousness like a drum.
[“Peace, Honored Shaman. Please,”] Fedelate intervened, his telepathy acting as a shield. [“Your power is far too potent for a human. You’ll break her before the conversation even starts.”]
The pressure vanished instantly. I stood there, trembling and dazed.
[“Karin, allow me to introduce the eldest and most powerful Shaman ⁴ of our clan: Lady Kororon. I have consulted her regarding your plight.”]
”The eldest?” I gasped, trying to find my footing. “So she’s… older than you, Chieftain?”
[“It isn’t even a comparison,”] Fedelate said. [“Lady Kororon is a Primal Spirit ⁵-an original who has existed since we first manifested in this realm. She is, for all intents and purposes, a god. When it comes to Yggdrasil, even I cannot go against her will.”]
I felt a cold sweat break out. I had just been verbally backhanded by a deity. But if she was that old, she had to know the truth.
”In that case… Lady Kororon…”
[“Do not address me so casually, human. Karin, was it? Fedelate gave me the highlights. Honestly, the Demons and Elves are beyond help. I am now more convinced than ever that we must snatch Yggdrasil back from their clumsy grip and return it to our consecrated care!”]
”I get where you’re coming from,” I said, trying to steer the ship. “But what happens to the tree later is a different talk. Right now, I just need to know if it’s broken. I need to know how to get there.”
[“I haven’t a clue! If I knew where it was, I would have reclaimed it centuries ago!”]
”Of course,” I sighed, the weight of the dead end hitting me. “Well, that’s that. I should probably head back and tell the Queen we need a Plan B. Chieftain, I’ll head out at first light, if that’s okay with you?”
[“I understand. I’m sorry we couldn’t be more helpful, Karin. But look at the bright side-at least you don’t owe me any more favors.”]
Fedelate turned to call an attendant to lead me to the guest quarters, but Kororon stepped forward. Her telepathic voice was suddenly, jarringly soft.
[“…Karin. You are staying the night, yes? If you’re up for it, come talk with me for a while. I spend my life guarding this mausoleum; I rarely see the sun, let alone a fresh face. It might be nice to speak with an outsider-especially one who isn’t a preening Elf or a dull Demon. Don’t be shy. Come.”]
I froze, glancing at Fedelate for help. “Chieftain? Should I… do I have to? I’m a little intimidated here.”
[“Go ahead. Just a warning, though: the Honored Shaman is incredibly long-winded. Steel yourself.”]
”Is that all? She’s not going to… do anything weird, right?”
[“Hm? Oh, I wouldn’t worry. I don’t think she has the slightest interest in other races-or anyone else, for that matter. She’s far above such things.”]
”Wait, so… Lady Kororon is a woman?”
That caught me off guard. I’d never met a female Spirit before. My curiosity flared, overriding my nerves. I was a diplomat, after all; knowing nothing about the Spirits was a bad look. I decided to follow her.
A fifteen-minute trek deep into the woods led us to a stone mausoleum where the Shamans lived. Inside, it was pitch black, save for thin fissures in the walls that drank in the moonlight. Despite the chill of the forest, the interior was thick with a humid, welcoming warmth.
[“It’s dark, but find that fur rug and make yourself comfortable,”] she said. Her tone was completely different now-gentle, almost grandmotherly. I guess she was the type to leave her ‘warrior-priestess’ persona at the door.
”Thank you. Do you always live in here, Shaman-sama?”
[“Umu. But Karin, there are other Shamans here. You may simply call me Kororon. Are you cold?”]
”No, not at all. It’s actually really nice in here.”
[“Indeed. The mineral springs in the back keep us at a steady temperature all year. But… this cloak is getting stifling.”]
Kororon started fumbling with her heavy fastenings. In the dim light, her movements seemed small and awkward.
”Here, let me help you with that.”
[“Hmph! Don’t treat me like a frail old woman. I’ve got it!”]
I reached out to steady a sleeve, and the cloak slid away with a soft rustle, revealing the figure beneath. I don’t know who told me she was an ‘elder’-or maybe I’d just filled in the blanks myself-but the person standing there was a total shock to the system.
No matter how I looked at her, she appeared to be a little girl. Five, maybe six years old at the most.
”Ah… uh… Lady Kororon?”
[“What? Why are you staring?”]
”Well, it’s just… your appearance. You don’t really look like a ‘Primal Spirit’…”
[“Oh? And how do I look to you?”]
”Well… in human terms, you look like a small child.”
[“Hmph. Hah! You’re the first person to ever say that to my face. My own people all treat me like a withered hag… I see. So that’s how you see me.”]
I’d heard that Spirits are made of thought and energy, meaning their forms can change based on the viewer’s expectations. Calling the clan’s greatest elder a kid was probably a massive insult, but she actually seemed… pleased? I guess no matter the race, women like being told they look younger than they are.
[“Karin. The fact that you see me this way proves you view the world without distortion. I have carried the heart of a child for over ten thousand years. Others see a crone because that is what they expect. I like you, Karin. Tonight, I shall tell you the entire history of the Spirit Clan, from the first spark of creation. We shall talk until you can’t keep your eyes open.”]
”Wait! What about the location of Yggdrasil?”
[“I told you, I don’t know! Now, come closer. Tell me, girl… can you hold your liquor?”]
And that was how I ended up trapped until dawn, matching an ancient ‘child’ drink for drink while she droned on with the most long-winded history lesson of my life.
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Summary:
Karin attempts to negotiate with Chieftain Fedelate for help locating Yggdrasil to save her mother and sister. She is introduced to the clan’s most ancient Shaman, Lady Kororon, who surprisingly appears as a small child. Though Kororon doesn’t know the location, she takes an interest in Karin and keeps her overnight for a long history lesson over drinks.
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Trivia:
- Fedelate and the Spirit Clan have no inherent disadvantage if Yggdrasil dies, making them neutral parties.
- Karin already owes Fedelate a massive debt involving her right arm.
- Spirit Clan members’ appearances are subjective and based on the observer’s perception.
- Kororon has not left the mausoleum in a very long time and is guarding it personally.
- Karin is acting as an adjustment diplomat, but this specific quest is motivated by family
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Character Insight:
Karin shows her growth by managing to navigate a conversation with a god-like being without being entirely crushed by her aura. Kororon reveals a loneliness common to immortal beings, seeking conversation with an ‘unbiased’ outsider.
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Behind the Scenes:
The ‘young girl’ appearance for an ancient being is a common trope in fantasy light novels, often signifying a ‘pure’ or ‘original’ essence that transcends physical aging.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Fedelate – The clan leader of the Spirit Clan. He is kind, gentle, and shows a unique interest in Sofia. Fedelate is powerful, capable of using telekinesis and healing magic. He is intrigued by human emotions and experiences, especially love.
• Kororon – The oldest and most powerful Shaman of the Spirit Clan. Despite being over ten thousand years old, she appears as a young girl.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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