Chapter 160

The vast open clearing of the Great Jungle. On the ground that Yuwon had packed down to spar with Terrien, new faces had appeared. They were imperial noble sons who, carrying a single burning resolve, had thrown everything away and come seeking refuge in Yuwon’s embrace.

“From this early morning, what could be going on?”

“Do you think His Majesty is finally planning to give us some kind of task…? Isn’t that likely?”

“I was expecting the same.”

Recently, Yuwon had been so busy with matters inside and outside the Great Jungle that he had scarcely had time to breathe. Because of that, he could not deny that he had been somewhat neglectful toward his guests—but now, at last, Yuwon had personally summoned them.

The gathered noble sons busily chattered away, reminiscing about the days when they had run laps around the training grounds early in the morning during their time at the Royal Academy. Not long after, Yuwon appeared together with Terrien.

“Shh. He’s here.”

At Yuwon’s appearance, the young lords instantly ended their small talk and, without being told, checked the formation they were already standing in, aligned neatly in rows.

‘Their discipline is decent… Well, they are people who abandoned their families and came all the way here.’

Yuwon, who had not particularly expected much, felt quietly impressed and opened his mouth as he stood before them.

“Everyone’s here. We don’t have much time, so I’ll speak plainly. The reason I called you all here is to send each of you back to your respective hometowns.”

At Yuwon’s bombshell declaration, the clearing went cold. At the unexpected reaction, Yuwon quietly sharpened his gaze.

‘I thought it would get noisy…?’

Though the noble sons’ skills were shallow, their resolve and determination seemed genuine. With unwavering eyes, they waited for Yuwon to continue.

“I understand why you came to me, but it was far too reckless and dangerous. Because of that single choice, your families are likely facing a crisis where they can neither advance nor retreat. I appreciate your feelings, but I advise you to return.”

This was not some trivial test—this was Yuwon’s genuine sentiment. Their families might try to hush up the fact that their sons had run away, but Gion would never have missed it. Before long, the houses they belonged to would surely suffer harsh ordeals.

Despite Yuwon’s refusal, not a single one of them took a step back. Instead, the son of a certain territory, who had been leading them, raised his voice as if representing them all.

“Your Majesty. These are steps we took after resolving ourselves to everything. How could there be no pain in following a greater cause? Count Valaris staked everything he had without sparing his life. Though each of us is weak, and all we possess is the empty title of ‘heir of our respective territories,’ we stand here prepared to offer everything before Your Majesty. Please, accept us.”

“Please accept us!”

Forty voices followed as one. At their resolute spirit, Yuwon gave a bitter smile.

‘…So they’ve already prepared themselves this far.’

He felt not only gratitude, but even apology, wondering who he was that they would endanger their families and come all this way for him. Since they had chosen Yuwon, he too had a duty to embrace them.

‘In that case….’

After a moment of silence, Yuwon called out to Terrien, who stood beside him, and issued an order.

“Terrien!”

“Yes! Your Majesty.”

“I’m entrusting them to you.”

“T-These people, you mean…?”

Terrien turned his gaze toward the southern noble sons standing neatly lined up before Yuwon. With their eyes sparkling as they looked at Yuwon and Terrien, they almost resembled squires standing before a knight.

“I didn’t think anyone who came all the way here would actually choose to return, and as expected, there’s no one who wants to go back. So what choice do I have? They trusted me, abandoned everything, and came here—I have to take them in. That’s why I need your help. While I’m away, you’ll be in charge of their training.”

“You mean all of them?”

“Yes. All of them. You can see it yourself—they’re far from sufficient as they are now.”

Suddenly tasked with training such precious individuals, Terrien’s mind went blank. He had only ever focused on his own cultivation, and the only time he had taught anyone was long ago, when he first met Yuwon. Even so, he could not defy Yuwon’s order.

“Yes, I will do my utmost.”

“You all should recognize him. This is Terrien Calmodet, a valued subordinate upon whom I personally bestowed a knightly title. While I’m away, he’ll assist with your training, so I expect you to devote yourselves wholeheartedly.”

“Yes!”

At this point, it was time for Yuwon to step back. Everything that followed was Terrien’s responsibility.

“Then I’ll leave the rest to you.”

Lightly patting Terrien on the shoulder, Yuwon excused himself.

“Whew… For now, does this at least put out the urgent fire?”

Left alone for the first time in a while, Yuwon quietly closed his eyes, savoring the brief calm. He then borrowed the sight of the serpents and surveyed the Great Jungle in all directions.

The first view came from a giant lizard that was helping build homes for the refugees. Through the lizard’s eyes, as it waddled along carrying heavy timber in its mouth, Yuwon saw orcs and southern natives bickering.

“Hey! What are you doing over there? Hurry up and help! Teach farming? What’s the point of teaching if there’s no will to learn? Come plow the field at least, you lot!”

“Krwoong—krwoong!”

The orcs, who had only swung farming tools around and broken a few, approached with dejected expressions, whining indignantly.

“Do you think I’m doing this because I want to teach farming to you idiots who can’t even understand me? I can shoot fire with my hands and cast weakening curses too, you know! Hah… being weak really is a sin.”

After the shaman’s self-mocking lament, the comparatively smarter orcs, selected from among the group, huddled together and began learning how to till the fields and sow seeds. Watching from afar through the serpent’s eyes, Yuwon smiled with satisfaction.

‘They’re doing well.’

When preparing for war, securing supplies was indispensable. In truth, if they simply made proper use of the fertile land the orcs had been occupying and leaving idle, there would be no shortage of food for those living in the Great Jungle. Above all else, Yuwon had prioritized this.

‘No matter how great or insignificant a living being is, none are free from the matter of eating. It may not seem important right now, but if we don’t prepare in advance, discord will surely arise during the war. Time is a bit tight, but securing food comes first. Well… it still looks like a long road ahead, but at least they’re working together instead of fighting… things should improve soon enough.’

Just as Yuwon was about to turn his gaze elsewhere, a southern refugee who had been quietly watching the orcs and shaman bicker gathered his courage and stepped forward to help.

“Uh, um… if you do it like that, not even half the seeds you plant will survive… You’re just digging holes and tossing them in roughly before covering them… That person doesn’t seem to know anything about farming either….”

Reptilian monstrous beasts like snakes, lizards, and crocodiles had been guarding the refugees ever since they entered the Great Jungle, so humans had grown accustomed to them. Orcs, however, were still frightening.

“Hey! That’s something you’re supposed to plant—why are you eating it!”

“Grruwoong….”

Perhaps because such strange scenes were unfolding right before his eyes and ears, the fear did not last long.

“E-Excuse me…! You shouldn’t do it that way! Let me take a look!”

“What’s this? From your appearance, you don’t look like a native. Are you one of those refugees from the South?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“Then what’s wrong with it?”

Even though his fear of the orcs had lessened, the shaman who could spew fire and cast curses was still frightening. Instead of saying, ‘It’s because you’re farming like a complete mess,’ the refugee tried to coax the shaman gently.

“Um… you’re a shaman, right?”

“Yes.”

“I’m just a man who’s spent his whole life digging the earth to survive in a small southern territory. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but I happened to overhear what you were saying while standing nearby, and I thought I might be able to help somehow….”

There was still a long way to go, but things seemed to be improving. Reassured, Yuwon turned his gaze away.

‘This side should be fine. The refugees… they’re doing their part quite well.’

Among the refugees who had chosen the Great Jungle instead of remaining in the Empire for various reasons, most were clearly former farmhands or tenant farmers. Yet, because their number exceeded a hundred, there were also a few craftsmen—stone masons, blacksmiths, tanners—who possessed skills desperately needed in the Great Jungle, and they were already contributing greatly.

Borrowing the sight of serpents busy with their respective tasks all over, Yuwon surveyed the Great Jungle as a whole. The Great Jungle was in the midst of large-scale construction for the first time in a while.

Clear wells had been dug wherever people once fetched spring water, and fields were cultivated around them. In place of crude tents sewn together from animal hides, proper wooden houses were quickly hammered together. As Yuwon looked on with satisfaction, a faint smile spread across his lips.

‘At this rate… they’re even better than those noble sons who came with nothing but boiling hearts. Well, once they pass through Terrien’s hands… they should become at least passable.’

For Yuwon, who stood at the center of the Great Jungle, choosing to leave his post was not a decision to be made lightly—yet he enforced it nonetheless. Marquis Carson was a man worth that risk.

“While I’m gone, I’m leaving things here to you, Terrien. Herran, Kahaad, and Lady Valaris are also present, so if anything happens, seek their help.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Terrien answered vigorously, as if he fully realized the weight of the responsibility entrusted to him. Yuwon, trusting him, gave a brief grin before turning his gaze to Renania standing beside him.

“There shouldn’t be anything particularly dangerous inside the Great Jungle. But we don’t know what might happen outside, so if anything does occur, please help Terrien.”

“…Yes. But, no—Your Majesty. Do you really have to go? If Marquis Carson were to change his mind… wouldn’t it be too dangerous?”

Concern was evident in her words. Yuwon responded calmly, pretending not to notice.

“That might be the case. Considering how long I misunderstood Marcellus… my judgment of people probably isn’t that reliable. Still, it’s something I need to confirm personally.”

Yuwon’s reply, already resolute, was gentle yet firm. Realizing she could not sway his decision, Renania could only pray for his safe return.

“I understand. If that is Your Majesty’s decision, there’s nothing to be done. I will wait for your safe return. And….”

“Don’t worry. Whether on the way there or back, I plan to stop by Valaris at least once. I’ll pass along your regards.”

“Ah…! Thank you.”

After settling the internal affairs of the Great Jungle, Yuwon personally set out on the path to meet Marquis Carson.

‘Marquis. I will come to you. Please… I hope you have not become my enemy.’

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