Wolves of Hader

Chapter 93

I entered the Dran elder council.

There were more humans out on the streets, but inside the council, only Dran were present.

It seemed that the area around the council marked the boundary between the general streets and the autonomous district of the Dran.

Walking down a wide corridor past rows of Dran statues, I entered through a large door and found myself in an incredibly spacious chamber.

It resembled a conference room filled with countless statues and paintings.

Elderly Dran were seated, all with heads of white hair.

They muttered among themselves as soon as they saw us.

It was because there were so many Dran with us.

"Sit over there."

Our entire group sat at the long table.

Even Urald and Wundbark, who never seemed intimidated anywhere, appeared to be mere youths in this place.

The elder who had brought us whispered into the ear of the elderly man at the head seat.

He seemed to be the council chief.

"Which ones are Urald and Wundbark?"

"We are,"

Urald replied.

"Sir".

The council chief looked over at the two of them.

Then he looked over each of the ten Dran in turn.

"You all have suffered greatly. I hear there are still many of our kin on the eastern continent?"

Wundbark answered.

"Yes. Approximately two thousand remain."

"It'd be disastrous if they're all struggling. You all—can't you think of a way to help them?"

The chief asked, but the elders couldn't answer.

It seemed not only were there no methods, but also little will among them to help.

"How pitiful. Even among the ancestral tribe, we've become divided, and now, even our few remaining kin are left to fend for themselves."

"Chief elder, at present, there is no way. With the sea routes blocked, how could we even get there?" one elder said, and the others nodded in agreement.

It appeared the council chief had not involved himself in politics for a long time.

"Renbo, you still dislike humans, I assume?"

"I simply cannot bring myself to like them,"

Renbo replied.

"Then why is it that now you resemble them?"

The elder named Renbo did not reply and just looked at us.

The council chief continued.

"Though humans have always been prone to division, the saying that all Dran are family seems now to be a thing of the past."

"My apologies, elder."

The chief turned to me and asked,

"Then do you believe you have a way to save our kin?"

"I do."

"What is it?"

"If we assist by ship, Dran warriors can safely land on the eastern continent. That's the beginning—no matter how distant or difficult the road."

The chief looked at the elders. There was a hint of playfulness in his face, as if to say, 'Did you hear that, you lot?'

Elder Renbo seemed to have a different opinion.

"Elder, we cannot unite with humans. The ancient war proved that. Why do you think Elin placed a barrier on the sea?"

"So we should live in perpetual enmity with humans, for a thousand or ten thousand years?"

"Have you forgotten the humiliations endured when our tribe migrated here? Humans were the same then as now."

The council chief scanned the elders.

"There was a time when our Dran numbered over twenty million. But now, across the continent, we don't even reach fifty thousand. Do you want our people to go extinct?"

"It was greedy humans who drove our tribe from our homeland—tribal superiority was never the cause."

"Nor is it about superiority. Humans advance with each day, yet you elders stubbornly cling to the old ways and ignore the younger generation's changes."

Elder Renbo's face reddened.

"Today's youth are tainted by human society and obsessed with profit. Few wish to learn our native skills or start families—do you not see this?"

"And have you ever accepted any of the technology developed by those young people? Who do you think invented the generator in this city? Was it you?"

The chief elder gave a wry smile.

"Even living here was made possible because the younger generation negotiated with humans. All you've ever done is object. Yet now you use the young people's inventions. I'm really curious what you think about that."

Renbo could not answer.

The chief turned to me.

"Since I haven't many days left, I withdrew from the front lines—and see what's become of our ancestral tribe."

"Chief elder!"

"What? Are you embarrassed to be chastised in front of the younger generation?"

"If you disagree with council policy, call a formal meeting or speak separately. You haven't been involved for 28 years—why appear now and carry on like this?"

The chief grinned.

Then, looking at me:

"I saw the prophecy of 28 years ago fulfilled. Would you have stayed in a corner licking sweets if you were me?"

"A prophecy?"

I was surprised to hear there had been a prophecy.

But Eilin and I were more concerned with not laughing. The image of the head licking candy was just too funny.

"Do you mean the vision at the monster cave?"

"You heard the name Roger Hader and it didn't make you think of anything?"

"What?!"

Elder Renbo and the other elders all stared at me in shock.

Finally, it seemed the events of 28 years ago came back to them.

But the most surprised person was myself.

I'd suspected there was something at the ancestral village—but never imagined it was a prophecy.

The council chief continued.

"When monsters overran the ancestral village, three knights helped us. They risked their lives to defeat the monsters but became ensnared by a mysterious power."

Eilin was listening, forgetting even to breathe. Her father had come to the ancestral village too.

"Those three knights saw a vision long sealed away. As if an unknown power showed them the future."

No one could speak.

"At that time, sir Hader told me—young heroes would be born in the same era and open up a new world. And he said that among these heroes—"

The chief looked at me.

"That one would be his own son."

It felt as if a storm was raging in my mind.

The fact that my father had come to the Dran's ancestral village shocked me, and even more so that he had seen a vision of the future.

Did he keep some truth hidden from me, right up to his passing, believing the future might change if he told me?

Elder Renbo asked,

"Then what is this new world?"

"I don't know that either. But the three knights all said the same—the heroes must choose their own path. If not—"

All waited for his next words.

"The past would repeat itself."

"Ah...!"

The Dran elders let out sighs.

Only we didn't grasp the full meaning, and could only watch the old men.

Urald and Wundbark seemed to understand.

A new age would dawn.

But in other words, the world might be plunged into chaos. Perhaps that was needed to make it new.

The head went on.

"The vision the three knights saw had been long sealed away. All of you here surely know what that means for our Dran. So guard the words you've just heard closely. That's why I stepped forward today."

The hall was silent.

The Dran of the Vargar tribe had also predicted a new era. It had seemed odd at the time.

"Sir, may I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead."

"Do you know the names of all the ancient heroes?"

"I only know three—Ellendel, chief of Elin; Vargar, hero of Tak; and our own Dran hero."

They do not know Holy Knight Hanuk.

"We met the Vargar tribe. Their chief was a descendant of Tak's hero, Vargar."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. The Dran who travel with that tribe found it remarkable that I had met that descendant. Can you tell me why?"

Not only the head, but the elders too were surprised. Urald and Wundbark, who already knew, just rolled their eyes.

The chief elder said,

"For the same reason I cannot speak of the vision the three knights had. It's a taboo for our Dran."

I looked at Urald and Wundbark.

Both nodded.

The head gave a sly grin.

"Your father saw you in the vision. But whether you'll become the hero who brings peace, or the villain to plunge the world into chaos—who can know?"

Though he spoke that way, the head's tone was gentle.

"That's why seeing the future is dangerous. It tempts one to act, to change what should unfold on its own. Our Dran have already experienced this once—we do not wish to repeat it."

What could have happened to the Dran?

With nothing more to be revealed, I tried to push such thoughts aside.

"Then may I know the names of the three knights who came to the ancestral village?"

The chief elder smiled.

"Hader. Drian. And Elborn."

"Ah!"

Eilin and I looked at each other.

"Elborn is my father," she said.

"It's surprising our fathers were comrades,"

I said.

The head still smiling, continued.

"In those days, the three knights were on a training journey. They were hot-blooded—just eighteen, afraid of nothing. Only later did I learn Elborn was a prince of Robe."

"So they came to defeat monsters?"

"No. They witnessed the disaster while heading south and decided to help."

"Do you know why they were heading south?"

"That, we could not know. Things were too chaotic at the time."

When my father went to Robe, he most likely befriended the other two.

But after experiencing the strange vision at the ancestral village, his life took a different path.

Prince Elborn relinquished his claim to the throne, became a soldier, and moved to a fishing village.

Count Drian disappeared.

It seemed the events twelve years ago triggered it all.

Until then, perhaps, they did not believe what they saw would come to pass.

Maybe that's why, as the king of Robe suggested, Eilin's father settled in the fishing village—to wait for me.

He must have known I'd one day meet Eilin at that port.

Now that I think about it, Eilin had once mentioned,

Her father, grinning widely, had told her to go meet the handsome young man who had arrived.

He was smiling because he knew I was coming.

My father did the same.

When I had to go to the arctic cave to obtain the demon's essence, even though I was young and frail, he let me go without hesitation.

At that time, he had said,

'So it was you.'

He didn't know which of his two sons was the one he saw in the vision.

But when he saw how I'd changed, he was convinced.

The council chief struck the table with a 'thump'.

"Now, you didn't come here just for fun or to slay monsters, did you? There must be something you want."

I looked at the chief and the elders.

I realized why the chief had started this debate out of nowhere: he knew the elders would oppose, so he'd taken the initiative.

"We want the Gate of Magic."

"What did you say?"

"What are you talking about?!"

The elders all shouted at once.

The head, expecting it, chuckled.

"What's so special about a single magic spell that you all raise such an uproar?"

"Chief elder! The magic circle is the very essence of Dran magic! How can you give it to a human?"

"That's right! The magic circle is an ancestral secret, not even shared with all our kin!"

The head stared at the elders.

Then he clicked his tongue.

"The magic for that circle was given to us by Elin. For us to receive it was fine, but to give it is a problem?"

"That's different! Our ancestors built the vast castle of Elin, and it was given in exchange!"

"That's right! It was payment for thirty years of sweat and toil!"

He looked at me.

"These people have said they would restore our homeland. Do you value a single magic more than your home?"

"It's only been 28 years! The monsters will pass in time!"

"Even now, the monsters increase day by day. In fifty years, you'll have to leave this city as well."

"But elder!"

The head turned his gaze to Renbo.

"Renbo."

Elder Renbo, who'd been sitting with his eyes closed, opened them.

"Yes, sir?"

"Come close for a moment."

Renbo approached the head.

He whispered in Renbo's ear.

Renbo's eyes grew wide as he listened.

"Is it true?"

"It is."

Elder Renbo stared at the head in disbelief. The head wore an impish grin, while the other elders watched them in confusion.

Then Renbo, now grave, started whispering to the other elders, who each responded in shock.

Thanks to the head's whispered secret, the mood of the council changed.

Now it seemed Renbo was persuading those who opposed, and they appeared to be agreeing.

The head, smiling, concluded:

"All will be well, whatever world may come. We must not repeat the same mistakes again. So let's trust and watch—see where the young heroes appear, and how they grow."

The elders nodded.

It seemed things would work out.

Though I had no idea what was whispered.