Shepherd Wizard (Novel) - Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Discord
No nobles or even knights remaining in the city?
The city walls that looked so sturdy until just now seemed like sandcastles that could crumble at an invader’s breath.
In reality, cities without magician protection in this world were no different.
“Are… are you here to save us from another city?”
The guard’s face showed desperation and pleading as he asked carefully.
But Turan shook his head denying such expectations.
“No. As I said before, I’m just a passing traveler.”
The guard’s face twisted with frustration at the honest answer but he dared not argue.
How could mere commoners dare talk back to a magician?
Watching that face silently, Turan sighed lightly and spoke.
“But I’ll at least find out what’s happening. Is the city hall still functioning?”
“Yes, probably a few people remain!”
Turan’s reason for investigating this city’s situation wasn’t particularly to try taking over a masterless city, nor because he couldn’t bear their pitiful state.
Though masterless sheep were pitiful, how many such people existed in the world?
Even a noble’s hundreds of years of life would be too short to help every pitiful person encountered.
Turan just wanted to verify the truth of threatening rumors about non-human armies strong enough to destroy a family.
Though he only said he would look into the situation, not solve problems, the guard’s face brightened.
After getting city hall’s location from him, Turan entered Kalamaf City.
Contrary to expectations of chaos, the city interior was eerily quiet.
‘The atmosphere is… incredibly heavy.’
A quiet city wasn’t particularly special.
Even Murei visited before felt very busy then, but thinking now it was appropriately peaceful for a small city of thousand people.
But what made this city feel especially unique was the atmosphere of resignation permeating everywhere.
The people wandering streets with empty soulless eyes were mostly too old or young, and their clothes were shabby even by commoner standards.
Buildings that looked like shops were all closed, and some had broken doors as if robbed but no one cared.
Watching this city reminded Turan of the sheepdog he raised in childhood.
The one that couldn’t even lift its head from age, lying limp waiting for breath to stop.
This city had the atmosphere of such an aged beast.
‘Most young able-bodied people fled with families… only the weak without even that strength remain.’
His thin traveler’s clothes and black eagle were still eye-catching, but unlike the entrance guard, Kalamaf’s citizens showed no particular interest.
The misfortune before them seemed too heavy to have energy to look around.
Shortly after, Kalamaf’s city hall had the same quiet atmosphere.
Those appearing to be civil servants were shuffling through document-like things but their sluggish movements showed little enthusiasm.
Just then, a civil servant who cursed after accidentally puncturing parchment glanced sideways at Turan.
Looking at his attire, the civil servant reached the same conclusion as that guard earlier and shouted with wide eyes.
“C-could you be… one who inherited divine bloodline?”
When Turan nodded at the question implying magician, all civil servants’ faces brightened without exception.
An older woman hesitantly asked.
“I-if I may ask an extremely rude question, might I inquire whether you are one who has formed a family with noble blood, or not-”
Such roundabout way of asking if he was noble or knight suggested they rarely dealt with magicians normally.
Or perhaps this city’s noble family was excessively authoritarian to forbid such things.
“Turan. A wandering noble. Is anyone in charge of this city here?”
At his stiff informal speech, the civil servants finally showed expressions as if alive, like sheep finding a shepherd after wandering wilderness alone.
Some were so moved they even shed tears.
* * *
Shortly after, a plump elderly man introducing himself as temporary leader brought Turan to the topmost room of city hall.
His name was Daruk, originally not very high ranked but became representative as oldest and most experienced among remaining city officials.
“It pains me greatly to receive such an esteemed one in such humble place. Please forgive this rudeness-”
“I’d prefer if you spoke more concisely without excessive formality. Not sure if that’s the culture here, but it’s uncomfortable.”
Though smaller cities tend to treat nobles more formally, these people were extreme even among those.
Just listening to everything they said would take all day.
The old man Daruk, watching carefully as if checking if Turan was annoyed, answered quietly.
“Ah, understood.”
“I heard on the way that this city’s nobles and knights were all killed by dark elves.”
“Actually we don’t know the exact circumstances either.”
Daruk began thus and explained the situation.
About three weeks ago, some peddlers witnessed monster hunter corpses on the western road to the city.
With even iron weapons cleanly cut, clearly traces of monsters and powerful ones at that, they immediately ran to city hall to report.
While minor monsters were one thing, beast-type monsters were far beyond ordinary monster hunters.
Plus being just a day’s distance from the city wasn’t far, so two knights from Kalamaf went to eliminate it but didn’t return even after three days.
If two weren’t enough, more forces were needed.
The head of the family ruling this city sent his brother and son with ten knights to subjugate them.
‘Somehow reminds me of hunting that monkey monster before.’
Even the force composition was similar except Turan wasn’t there.
“Then? What next?”
“Well, none of them returned either…”
Loss of two nobles was an unbearable level of damage for a small family.
The family head abandoned even city defense and headed west with all knights except those too old or young to function, and days later only one knight returned mortally wounded.
He said all died, and to the question of who killed them left only the word “death spirit” before dying.
“Death spirits.”
“Just then rumors spread widely of dark elves in the west massacring countless humans to eat, and some scholar said if it involved death spirits it must be dark elves…”
Thus rumors spread that dark elf armies would soon swarm here to eat all humans, leading many citizens to flee resulting in the current state.
“Asked nearby cities for aid?”
“Well, we sent messengers several times but all refused. Said they didn’t want to split forces in this situation.”
Even families with blood ties to the dead lord refused, saying they’d send people after things calmed.
Essentially a refusal.
“They’re scared.”
Well, what use is getting a free city if you die.
With rumors of dark elf armies arriving nearby, even one knight would be precious.
Turan nodded then sighed softly.
“I understand the situation. But I don’t think I can handle this city’s affairs-”
The moment he began refusing, Daruk sitting opposite Turan immediately stood and prostrated beside him.
“Please! Please become this city’s master!”
Even with such pleas, Turan couldn’t accept.
Becoming the city’s master meant being tied to the city.
Family heads couldn’t leave their main house except for wars with other families or equivalent major events.
Because unknown powerful enemies could invade and destroy the city anytime.
Turan recalled memories of riding the Blue Marlin.
The pressure felt then having to protect one ship and few dozen sailors’ lives…
Becoming this city’s lord meant taking responsibility for over ten thousand, or even thousands of lives considering those who fled.
He didn’t want to claim responsibility for what he couldn’t handle.
That wouldn’t be right.
As he tried conveying this, Daruk with tears flowing down his wrinkled face brought up unexpected words.
“These weak sheep need a shepherd. Please, show mercy!”
Comparing nobles to shepherds and commoners to sheep.
Words deeply embedded in one corner of his consciousness since hearing from mother in childhood, but never heard once while traveling various places until now.
Trying not to show his wavering, Turan asked.
“Is that comparison commonly used here?”
“Wh-which one do you mean…”
“That nobles are shepherds and commoners are sheep.”
“Having lived here my whole life I don’t know about other regions, but it’s a common comparison in the grey zone. Nobles are shepherds, knights are sheepdogs, and commoners are sheep – sheep obediently graze following where sheepdogs lead, and sheepdogs obey shepherds and protect sheep…”
The grey zone had many sheep farmers using scattered pastures among rocky mountains unsuitable for farming as the name suggested.
So naturally this comparison emerged sometime.
Hearing this far he could be half certain.
Turan’s mother was from this region, or at minimum had visited and stayed here.
This was an expression he’d never heard even exchanging with nomads raising many sheep in the Enril Desert, let alone around Hisaril Hill where he grew up.
“Then, have you perhaps seen this person? Name is Bije. Might not be real name. Would have been late teens to early twenties about twenty years ago.”
Turan took out his mother’s portrait carried in his bag and asked but Daruk looked carefully before shaking his head.
“I’m not sure. I’m sorry. But if you wish we can spread this same picture throughout the city to check.”
The old man looked up at Turan with moist wrinkled eyes.
The meaning of that gaze was clear.
To do what he wanted, this city needed to at least survive…
Turan hesitated then sighed.
“As I said before, I can’t become this city’s master. But I can be its protector.”
“Protector meaning?”
“I’ll stay temporarily and protect this city. Only until the western threat disappears or a suitable master appears for the city.”
* * *
“A savior has come to our city! We are saved!”
“The noble descendant of gods is with us so fear not-!”
Within an hour, notice spread in Kalamaf City that a new noble had come to protect them.
The ambiguous nuance of savior rather than lord coming aimed to reassure citizens by not revealing this measure was only ‘temporary’.
A welcoming ceremony was even held in the square before city hall, and despite surely lacking time and resources it looked quite proper as civil servants must have prepared desperately.
Meanwhile none dared try determining if Turan was really noble, and if so how powerful.
Besides having no way to judge, they thought even attempting to verify his abilities would displease him.
But citizens watching from afar naturally had different perspectives.
“Is he… really?”
“Doesn’t look much different outwardly.”
“Well he’s handsome like the Frea gods.”
“What good is that, do monsters run away seeing his face?”
At the hastily arranged welcoming ceremony, Turan felt gazes of citizens watching him with doubtful expressions.
Perhaps thinking they wouldn’t be heard from the distance, some openly spoke mockery without hesitation.
Unlike such cynical words, their eyes held anxiety and defensive instinct.
The citizens didn’t want to be disappointed anymore.
With their protecting lord already dead, if this unknown youth was a fraud or died too they would feel double the despair.
“H-hey! Why is everyone so quiet!”
Beside him Daruk and other civil servants fidgeted and needlessly pressed the citizens but cheers didn’t grow.
Watching this, Turan suddenly recalled the tremendous lightning storm shown by Arabion’s family head.
Though it seemed impressive but meaningless then, now he saw it was actually very meaningful.
Who would have thought directly feeling why nobles were nobles and how powerful their protectors were was so important.
‘Should I try too? Perfect timing with no magicians here…’
Turan recalled knight actors seen at theater while staying at Berk family.
Though having magic power like dust compared to nobles, they acted as powerful magicians creating brilliant flames.
How was that possible?
When flames rose above his hand, the square instantly went silent.
Some feared the noble might use magic angrily hearing criticism, some rejoiced realizing this young man really had power to protect them.
But Turan’s performance was just beginning.
First task was lowering the fire’s temperature.
Too low and flames become invisible so maintaining proper balance was important.
Having practiced before, this passed easily.
Next was spreading those temperature-lowered flames upward.
Flames with temperature lower than even commoners’ torches, that even knights would laugh off dismissively.
But with no magicians among ceremony participants, none knew this fact.
“Ah…”
“O-ohhhhh!”
“Fire, fire!”
Turan’s magic power now ranking among top nobles combined.
The result of that power focused on increasing quantity not quality of these faint flames was truly tremendous.
Breaking through the howling snowstorm, hundreds of meters of sky above the square burned red.