179 Pooh’s Gift
***[Heroine Oscar]***
This winter is quite cold.
There was less snow than usual, but the coldness of the air hurt as if it were cutting the skin.
There is nothing to block the wind outside the city where it is open on all sides.
I hunched my neck and hid my skin under the fur cloak that draped over my back.
“Duke, how about going into the carriage? This wind is cold even for me, who has been training for a long time.”
The escort captain said worriedly.
“It’s okay. Goruka will arrive soon, so we’ll have to wait.”
I gave my gaze to the endless expanse of land.
In midwinter, the land was bare of vegetation, and the view was wide open.
The light from the sun high in the sky spread in all directions, occasionally glinting on the frozen ground.
Beyond that, I suddenly saw a small group like ants.
“coming!”
One magician shouted loudly.
“Oh! It’s finally here.”
“Wow, the numbers are huge this time.”
As the magicians, who were close to each other after meeting the steppe warriors several times, buzzed as if they were excited, Pooh, who had followed them arbitrarily, seemed to be somehow happy.
Boom, boo, started making noises and poking around all over the place.
The large body waddled and moved wildly.
“He’s a free guy.”
When I laughed, Pooh must have been happy about that, so he flapped his ears in all directions and cried again.
Even the wind that bites the skin is like a spring breeze to Ppou-woo, but he doesn’t seem to be cold at all.
It looks so happy and fun.
Whenever Pooh moved, the soil under his feet made a loud noise and collapsed, leaving deep footprints.
The escort captain saw it and murmured.
“That guy seems to be getting heavier and heavier. It seems he’s still getting bigger, but he’s already bigger than any rhino beast I’ve ever seen. I’m a little afraid.”
“…”
Maybe it’s because I keep giving it magic.
At first, it was a way to save life, but soon it became a way to give magic power to Pooh.
Like a child begging for snacks, he begs for my magic.
I don’t think it’s bad, so I gave it little by little, and it covered it like that, and now it’s a bigger beast than anyone else.
‘Is it time to stop?’
While thinking about that for a while, the images of Gorukawa and the steppe warriors gradually drew closer.
Thousands seem to be well over.
‘More than expected.’
My heart jumped in an instant.
He already knew the number of warriors in his tribe.
Martin checked carefully and gave me a fairly accurate number.
As far as I know, it’s far short of a thousand.
There were several major tribes in the grassland, and among them, the number of Red Hawk warriors was very large.
It will be less than a great shortage.
However, the Red Hawk tribe excelled in the ability of each individual warrior.
They are a tribe made up of the best warriors in the grasslands, who train their bows while riding horses since they were young.
Gentle but strong, they were not pushed back at all by tribes with more warriors than them.
‘I wonder if all those warriors… have all come.’
If you look at the number of red hawk warriors, there must be warriors from other tribes mixed in.
But looking at those numbers, most of the Red Hawk Warriors came here.
It is a grassland tribe that values family.
Naturally, I thought that some of the warriors would have left them in the meadow to protect women and children.
‘But they all came.’
In an instant, several thoughts rushed through my heart.
With so many warriors coming, a sense of relief followed at the thought of whether the Red Hawk woman and children would be okay or not dangerous.
It’s a pity that even one of them wields magical arrows.
thank god.
Those thoughts were mixed.
Seeing the steppe warrior running towards us, Pooh suddenly jumped forward.
Waddling, showing his big butt on this side, he runs.
It was the first time Pooh met the steppe people.
He probably didn’t think the enemy had appeared.
He didn’t seem hostile towards Pooh.
However, there was a hint that the bull in the bullring got excited when he saw the red cloth.
I was afraid that Pooh might bump into the steppe people and fight, so I quickly shook my reins.
The horse leaps forward.
However, Pooh was quite fast even for his large size, and was already running far ahead.
“Puuu!”
As if warning, Puu cried for a long time.
In a way, it seems to be exciting.
Puu immediately rushed towards Goruka, who was running in front of him.
At a glance, the steppe tribes looked flustered.
No, if you make a mistake, Gorukawa’s warriors and allies will die under the feet of the Demonic Beast.
“Stop it, Pooh!”
When he shouted out loud, his ears twitched almost simultaneously and his tail gained strength.
Like a car suddenly braking, the heavy body stopped and the thick legs were half buried in the ground.
It would not have been easy to stop for a moment while running at a high speed, but without knowing it, the word came out that it was amazing.
“fart!”
Pooh cries in a low voice as if he is dissatisfied.
Maybe it was just that he was happy that someone to play with appeared.
Anyway, it took ten years.
I rode next to him and lightly rammed his big head.
“This guy, what are you doing in front of precious guests!”
The steppe warriors approaching me murmured and looked at me in turns.
“oh my god!”
“As expected, I am the child of the moon.”
“It’s like a legend.”
“A horse with horns…”
Not long ago Katrin said.
The rhino beast is said to be the horse that the goddess used to ride.
It is said that the priest told the story.
It is not well known to the public, but I heard that such a story remains in several temples.
‘Did there be a story like that in the grasslands too?’
It’s not a bad trend, but I think I misunderstood Pooh because he was accidentally saved and raised.
Looking at the Gorukawa warriors, I spoke in the language of the steppe.
“Gorukawa, everyone, thank you for coming.”
“Oscar.”
Goruka glanced at Pooh and smiled, then looked at me.
His expression was not very bright.
“The grasslands will lose some tribes, but almost all will participate in the war. This war will not be easy.”
“…”
I nodded.
I was guessing what number it would be.
The exact number of steppe warriors is unknown.
However, it is said that in the past, when Genghis Khan led the Mongolian army to war, it was a large army of over 100,000.
It will be about that much this time.
I looked around the faces of the Gorukawa steppe warriors.
“I’m guessing. Goruka knows that, but I’m also preparing for it. Today I’m planning to hold a welcome banquet, but from tomorrow I want to guide you. I’ll be busy for a while. I need you to meet the other commanders… .”
As I said, Pooh shook his body and stepped forward.
It sniffed Goruka and the other steppe warriors with its large nose wide open.
The Gorukawa warriors looked at Puu in trouble, but put their nose under the saddle of an unridden horse.
As he smells it, he looks at me as if he’s begging for something.
Goruka narrowed her eyes and smiled.
“There’s beef jerky under the saddle. He’s drying the meat he caught on the way. It looks like he wants to eat it.”
He lifted the saddle and gave him the half-dried meat, which Pooh swallowed in one gulp.
Then, as if happy, he looks into the void and cries loudly.
When the other warriors took the jerky out of his saddle, Pooh began to walk around and eat it.
‘I bet that guy didn’t run after smelling the meat from afar.’
It’s amazing.
Perhaps thanks to Puu, the atmosphere of the steppe warriors suddenly became lighter.
Perhaps, the innocent look of Pwoou relieved the depression that they had to fight with their own people.
The magicians of the dukedom were greeting the red hawk warriors they knew.
The red hawk warrior introduced the warriors of other tribes, and the noisy time passed for a while.
After getting beef jerky from people for a while, Pooh came back to my side as if he wanted to eat it, but he didn’t mind anymore.
Taking that as an opportunity, I spoke to the warriors.
“It’s cold, so let’s go into the city first.”
This place is far from the city.
I deliberately came all the way here to greet the steppe people, but there was nothing around and it was very cold.
It seems that the cold has frozen even the bones.
As I turned my horse’s head, the steppe warriors also moved their horses with a smile.
After running for a while, the high walls of the city of Eldoni came into view.
There were many people who had never been to the Kingdom and Duchy, so it seemed a bit unfamiliar.
The eyes of the warriors became round when they saw the walls that were exceptionally taller than other places.
Puu followed me as far as the city walls could be seen, but did not enter the city.
He seems to want to go to the nearby forest.
Maybe he’s trying to hunt.
Since he has already been in and out of the city several times, his appearance is familiar even to the soldiers guarding the gates.
You won’t have any problems getting in and out.
There was no danger that such a large Pooh would be hurt by other monsters.
You can leave him alone enough, but he’s probably worried because he’s been raised since he was young.
“Come back before it’s too late.”
When I warned her, Pooh shook her body as if she understood and cried.
In a way, it seems to nod.
This is a trick to make them think that they are talking to each other.
The grassland tribes, who had been quietly watching what we were doing, faced each other.
I feel like I’m kind of thrilled.
I felt a little uncomfortable because the misunderstanding that I was the child of the moon seemed to be deepening.
Upon entering the city, officials in charge of hospitality were waiting for the steppe people.
They are people who have learned the language and lifestyle of the steppe tribes.
The officials greeted the warriors in the language of the steppes and guided them to their lodgings.
A couple of hours later, a banquet is held to welcome them.
It is different from the kingdom banquet.
Following the customs of the steppe tribes, it modeled after the banquet of warriors ahead of war.
He mixed the food he enjoyed in the meadow with the things of the kingdom.
Unlike the kingdom’s banquet, women do not attend the warriors’ banquet ahead of war.
There will be no opportunity to introduce Katrin to them, as steppe women do not appear in public.
After all the steppe people went to the inn, I quietly asked the official standing next to me.
“Have all the steppe tribes arrived?”
I’m not talking about the warriors who arrived this time.
It was about the grassland tribes who were brought as slaves.
Most of the grassland tribes who were sold as slaves were brought to the mansion after being informed that warriors were coming here.
“Yes, but it is said that steppe women do not face men from other tribes, even if they are of their own kind. So, while they are delighted with this meeting… I am a little subtle about the matter.”
The official in charge of rescuing the steppe people said as if he was having trouble.
Of course, I knew that the steppe women had no contact with outside men.
However, after being brought as a slave and suffering, this is a foreign land far from the grassland.
Even if they are not from the same tribe, they thought they would be happy to meet their own people.
So I brought everyone together in one place, but it seems that the reaction was a little different from what I thought.
“Then arrange a partition or curtain so that you can’t see them directly. Perhaps some of the warriors here have family members, and I think it’d be nice to have them meet too. Maybe if you see your own people nearby with your own eyes, you’ll feel better. will do.”
It is natural that customs and thoughts are different, and I have no intention of ignoring them.
However, no matter how different those things are, the creature called human is still familiar, and it is easy to feel relieved when seeing the same kind of people from outside.
I think so.
At my words, the official nodded.
“Yes, duke. I will arrange a meeting within the limits of their customs. Besides, the children and men seem to be happy too, don’t worry.”
“okay.”
After the banquet, Mr. Sven’s magic bomb must also be introduced.
The Red Hawk tribe already knows magic bombs and shotgun arrows, but in this war, they will also use rather powerful ones.
You need to check the range of the explosion, how much magic power you need to inject, and you will need to get used to the weight of the arrow.
I was careful not to change the weight as much as possible, but from the point of view of handling it, the subtle difference is also felt.
I checked the arrows and practice field once again and came back, but I saw Pooh.
“…”
He was holding a large stick in his mouth.
He resembles a wild boar.
After seeing me, Pooh came running vigorously wagging his tail.
Normally, when I hunt a monster, I eat it on the spot and come back, but what is it today?
Pooh, who had run up to me, dropped his demon beast to the floor and rubbed his head against my body.
Pooh’s strength was so strong that my body was pushed back a bit.
Puu rubbed his face against me several times and pushed the wild boar-like beast with his nose.
“Are you giving it to me?”
“Poo!”
Why am I suddenly receiving a gift from this guy?
It wasn’t me who gave the jerky, it was the steppe warriors.
I do not know.
Anyway, stroke the guy’s head.
“Thank you for the gift.”
“Poo!”
Puu cried proudly once, then turned around and ran somewhere.
If you look in the direction, you can see the mansion.
Maybe he’s going to brag to Katrin.
Even if I go and cry, Catherine has no idea what she’s talking about.
‘But I’m not sure either.’
I’ve never seen a human eat a demon before, so why did I suddenly receive something like this?
‘Maybe that beef jerky was the same beast as this one. Or it was a beast with a similar smell.’
It is possible.
Thinking of asking Goruka, I looked down at the wild boar beast.
The official standing next to him tilted his head.
“Duke, what should I do with this?”
“well.”
what to do
“Ask the chef. Maybe it will turn out to be a delicious dish unexpectedly.”
“… All right.”
The official replied with a puzzled face.