His plan to release the antidote as soon as he finished the ritual, cure everyone, and become the hero of Balak had been derailed from the start.
He had hoped to earn everyoneâs respect, but it hadnât worked out that way.
Most of Balakâs warriors looked at him with disdain.
ââŚâŚ?â
But he was still puzzled.
He didnât know how the Red Death had been cured, but should he be receiving such hostile stares just because the shamanâs ritual hadnât worked?
It didnât help, but the reactions were too cold for that.
But.
Ahhemanâs questions were answered by Aquilaâs next words.
âNone of that is necessary. I want to see whatâs in that sack at your waist.â
For a moment, his heart sank.
Ahheman barely held on to his mind, which was slipping away.
What could it be? Why would the chief want to see the sack at his waist, and at this time?
Itâs hard to say unless you know something.
ââŚâŚDid you even notice?â
As the person responsible for spreading the red death in the waters, it was bound to make his stomach burn.
Turning to Ahheman, Aquila urged him on.
âWhat are you doing? Get that sack out of my sight.â
The chiefâs authority is absolute. Once the order is given, there is no appeal.
But the old shaman was so flustered that he denied the chiefâs authority.
âI canât show you this, I canât show you this!â
He was so flustered that he didnât know what he was talking about.
But the consequences were heavy.
Before he could finish, the faces of all the warriors stiffened.
The younger warriors sighed and shook their heads, and the older ones furrowed their brows.
The warriorsâ respect and loyalty to their chieftain runs deep, regardless of generation, so there was no way Ahheman could look good.
âHeâs a creep, and Iâm going to take this opportunity to make him pay!â
An impatient Aiyen stepped forward.
âOpen that sack at once!â
Someone stepped forward before her.
Ahun. Ahmanâs grandson, he was the first to step forward and open his palm in front of Ahheman.
While Aiyen stood stunned by the unexpected sight, Ahun turned to Ahheman and spoke firmly.
âThere can be no disobedience to the chieftainâs word, and if you do not open that sack immediatelyâŚâŚ.â
Ahun said, pulling an arrow from his waistband and nocking it.
Then Ahhemanâs thick eyebrows shot up.
âYou rascal!â
ââŚâŚ.â
But Ahunâs eyes never wavered.
Something must have changed in his mind as he watched helplessly as his sister Ahul died of the Red Death.
Soon, many of the warriors were booing at Ahheman.
âGive us the sack now!â
âShow us whatâs inside!â
âYou traitor, youâre the culprit!â
As the accusations poured in, Ahhemanâs face contorted more and more horribly.
Then.
âCome on, look! Look whatâs inside!â
He snatched the sack from his waistband.
Then he flung it into the river that flowed beside the fire.
Many of the warriors paused for a moment.
An eerie silence.
Ahheman looked back at Aquila with a triumphant smile.
âOops! This old man had tremor, so he dropped his sack into the river⌠⌠?â
He stammered out an excuse, then paused.
Something was about to go wrong.
As if on cue, the warriors chattered amongst themselves and glanced to one side.
There was Vikir, arms crossed and mouth closed.
Aquila looked back at him and said.
âIndeed. You were right. You really are throwing the sack into the river.â
ââŚâŚwhat?â
Ahhman opens his mouth in disbelief.
Just then.
âChief, I found it!â
Suddenly, someoneâs head pops up from the surface of the river.
A Balak warrior, who had been lurking in the water earlier, quickly scoops up the leather sack that Ahheman had dumped.
The sack, though waterlogged, was still half full.
âHuh! No!â
Ahheman jerked, but the sack was already soaked by the time he reached Aquilaâs hand.
ââŚâŚ.â
Aquila peered into the sack.
It was half-floating in the water, but full of white powder.
Aquila turned to Ahheman.
âThis is the antidote for the Red Death.â
ââŚâŚ.â
âWhy is this coming out of your hand?â
Ahheman mouthed the words, but didnât answer.
Then Aquila nodded again.
âIndeed. You were right again.â
This time, she looked back at Bikir.
When Ahheman shook his head, Aquila threw the white powder on the ground.
âItâs just flour, it doesnât do anything.â
âWhat!â
âI told you that you would believe this to be an antidote, and by the looks of your surprise, Iâm right.â
Ahhemanâs expression turns to disbelief as he realizes that the powder heâs holding is just flour.
âThat canât be right, that must be the antidoteâŚâŚ.â
âYou have been deceived by the Leviathan family.â
Vikir said, stepping forward.
The Leviathans had used a foolish native spy to spread the plague without an antidote.
I saw through his power lust and ambition.
The mood of the warriors grew somber as everything Vikir had said before came true.
Ahheman made a desperate plea.
âI, I donât know, itâs just flour, just like he said!â
âThen why did you hesitate earlier when I asked you to show me the sack, and why did you come to this water source where the Red Death first began?â
âShut up, why should I tell you that!â
Vikir demanded, and Ahheman raised the lump in his throat.
But the situation wasnât going to get any easier for him.
The situation was not in his favor, however, because Vikir provided even more incriminating evidence.
From Vikirâs arms came two letters.
There were two handwritings on them, one in terrible cursive and unrecognizable, the other in a fairly neat typeface.
Vikir opened his mouth to speak.
âThese are the letters between the Leviathans and you.â
The evidence was conclusive.
One of the two letters was unmistakably written in Ahhemanâs handwriting.
The eyes of all the warriors alternated between the letters and Ahheman.
Ahheman shouted in frustration.
âItâs a lie! I never wrote that letter!â
But no one believed him.
Several old elders testified that the handwriting on the letter was indeed Ahhemanâs.
But Vikir, the target of the scolding, just laughs quietly to himself.
Because the accusation is true.
âAnd here I am, thanks to my Chihuahua.â
Vikir recalls an incident from two years ago.
âMr. Chihuahua writes very well.â
âNothing. Since I was born, I havenât seen anyone who handles handwriting better than me. Every time the archons ask me to sign it, so Iâm good at imitating other peopleâs handwriting⌠⌠.â
âCanât I learn to do that?
âOf course I can teach you, it would be my honor!
âThank you. Then Iâll ask you whenever I have time.â
It was rewarding to learn the art of handwriting forged from him diligently when I was a deputy magistrate in Underdog City.
It was a skill that would come in handy when it came to propaganda.
âOriginally, agitation is easy and explanation is difficult.â
Vikir stared at Ahheman, who was genuinely pacing in frustration.
Meanwhile, Aquila spoke up.
âWe should see if anyone in the Leviathan family has this handwriting.â
But that would be a tall order. It would be impossible to investigate one of the seven great houses of the Empire.
So, naturally, the mood within Balak turned toward denouncing Ahheman.
âTraitor!â
âYou almost got my wife killed!â
âAnd my children!â
âKill him, hang him!â
Public opinion was turning very badly.
Even Ahun, his grandson, was giving him the cold shoulder, and there wasnât a single person here who was on his side.
Ahheman gritted his teeth.
There was no proof anyway.
If the white powder in the sack turned out to be just flour, there was no point in executing him if he insisted on denying it until the end.
Holding out, however dirty and deadly, was the only way to stay alive.
That was the mood before Chief Aquila opened his mouth.
Every warrior turned to look at him. Ahheman did the same.
Aquila coughed a few times before speaking.
âIf you look closely, there is no evidence. Everyone, I hope that this will no longer harm the shamanâs honor. Isnât he a public servant who has been dedicated to the tribe for a long time.â
Then there was a murmur from all around.
Aiyen spoke up in exultation.
âMother, no, Chief, do you mean to tell me that youâre going to sweep this under the rugâŚâŚ?â
âEnough! Respect the shamanâs authority! He has far more years of experience and dedication to the tribe than you do! Be polite!â
At Aquilaâs stern words, Aiyen clamped his mouth shut.
Many of the warriors looked disgruntled, but the chieftainâs words were absolute, and none of them spoke.
Ahheman, the one being defended, looked dumbfounded.
Why would the chieftain, who had so much disliked him, take his side?
But since this was the only way out, he could only bow flat to Aquila.
âI can only be grateful for your kindness and wisdom.â
âIt is nothing. It is only natural if you honor the traditions of your ancestors.â
Ahheman nodded, as if impressed.
Just then, Aquilaâs eyes glowed deeply once more.
âHow dare you allow young things who know nothing to tarnish your high honor?â
âYes, thank you, Chief.â
âYou have nothing to thank me for. You have a reputation to uphold, not only in our tribe, but in the entire Dephts.â
âYes. WhatâŚâŚ.â
âThe honor and pride you carry on your shoulders must be very heavy, Cancer.â
âYeahâŚâŚ?â
âSo today, you were framed for something without evidence, so the wounds in your heart must be very great. No wonder. Because that supreme pride has been damaged.â
ââŚâŚ?â
Ahheman felt a little uneasy at the thick coating of gold.
As if on cue, Aquila turned to face him.
âI am about to give my friend of many years, my valued colleague, the spiritual teacher of all the young men gathered here, the opportunity to defend his innocence, his honor, his pride! Do any of you have any complaints!â
âNone ah-!â
Everyone who has guessed Aquilaâs intentions cries out at once.
Vikir, who had heard it all before, stepped forward with a calm expression.
ââŚâŚ?â
Aheman stumbles backwards as Vikir steps in front of him.
He looked like he didnât know what was going on.
Finally, Aquila spoke firmly to him.
âIf you are truly innocent, use this opportunity to defend the honor and pride you have earned. After all Iâve done for you, you wonât take it away from me, will you?â
â âŚâŚAnd you say opportunity?â
Anxiety flickers in Ahhemanâs eyes as he asks cautiously.
Then, Aquila spoke.
âI command the Illiad.â
The Illiad was Balakâs unique way of resolving disagreements, using force to end the conflict in the winnerâs favor.
The color drained from Ahhemanâs face as he heard this.