Raising the Northern Grand Duchy as a Max-Level All-Master-Chapter 109.2

“What about the barbarian druids?”

“After driving out the orcs, the allied druids have lost much of their momentum. They’re seeking reconciliation.”

“Reconciliation, huh… Well, unlike the orcs and monsters, they are human, just like us. As much as I hate to admit it, our roots are the same.”

“Doesn’t it bother you?”

“What?”

“That we’ve severed ties with the barbarian druids entirely.”

“Not at all. It was a decision made during my grandfather’s time, and I have no regrets. The moment the Great Nature they worship turned into the White Serpent, the answer was already clear.”

“Still, it’s a shame. Their beast transformations and magic resistance were tempting.”

“In return, we’ve been able to freely utilize the construction and metallurgy techniques passed down since the Golden Age.”

Rune Renslet pointed to the massive wall and his armor forged from Northern Cold Iron.

“Is there no way to use their beast transformation at all anymore?”

“They say it became impossible the moment we chose civilization. Nature rejects us now, or so they claim. However, their mana affinity and strong physiques remain unchanged.”

“I see.”

“When you gain something, you lose something else. We simply chose civilization over nature and barbarism.”

“Well, we couldn’t keep living without metal tools forever.”

My comrades and I were deeply curious about the druids’ various mystical arts.

In the ancient Golden Age, there had been a Nephalem school of naturalists, and the Northern druids were their direct descendants.

Their beast transformations and magic resistance were rarer even than the witches’ elementalism on the continent.

“I suggest restricting the druids’ territory to the northernmost end of the Manus Mountain Range.”

Swallowing my regret and silently hoping to one day obtain the druids’ arts, I made the recommendation to Rune Renslet.

“Agreed. Anyway, good work. Did you find any trace of the White Serpent?”

“No, we didn’t.”

The White Serpent was the ruler of all Northern monsters.

The primary reason the North fought so fiercely against savagery was largely due to its presence.

The White Serpent ruled the monsters with brutality and dominated the orcs and druids with cunning.

As long as it remained, Northern monsters would continue to flourish.

“Hmm… If we could capture that creature, the North would finally find peace…”

“We’ll keep looking for it.”

“No, it’s fine. I can’t have valuable magical forces wasted on that. Focus on the fortress construction with the witches.”

Rune Renslet gestured toward the Great Wall, which he had seen countless times.

“Isn’t it magnificent? A wall built in just three years by fewer than fifty witches. Those Southerners don’t know how good they have it, persecuting such talent.” ℞αΝ∅ᛒΕș

Though unintended, his words stirred an unwarranted sense of inferiority in us.

“We excel in battle.”

“Why bring up battle all of a sudden?”

“You told me to build a fortress just now, but we lack talent in that field. At best, we can handle dark spirits that manipulate emotions.”

I deliberately said this while keeping an eye on the witch standing next to Rune Renslet.

“Besides, aren’t witches rigidly disciplined? They can’t even converse properly with other magic users.”

Meanwhile, Isabelle looked at me like a cow staring at a chicken.

Back then, I didn’t know much about the Curse of Haran, so I found the witches’ behavior deeply unpleasant.

“Now that you mention it, that’s true. It can’t be helped. Stay in Haven, then.”

“…Alright.”

“Though the Extreme North now has the Great Wall, it’s not a sanctuary, is it? Manage the Demon Realm from there.”

“Fine. As always, we’ll stay there and research monsters.”

“Isaac, it’s an era of stability now. I’d recommend the Devil’s Den also focus on magic beyond combat.”

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“…Of course.”

Slowly but surely, the Devil’s Den and I drifted out of Rune Renslet’s focus.

In recent years, with the decline of barbaric forces, Northerners had grown more favorable toward the witches than us.

Necromancy, curses, and experiments—our specialties—were vastly different in utility compared to the witches’ elementalism, which was immensely practical in everyday life.

“This land was hard-won. We must solidify our position!”

My comrades and I trembled with unease, unanimous in our concerns.

At the same time, we regarded the witches with suspicion and envy.

“Those who can’t even fight properly! Always flying off on their brooms at the first sign of trouble!”

“It’s us who bled the most after the warriors in this North!”

“Does it make sense for latecomers to receive founder-level honors just for building a few structures and helping with farming?!”

“If they’re mages, they should compete with magic! Using cheap seduction tactics—like that hussy Isabelle!”

While the witches didn’t excel in battle, they more than made up for it with elementalism, healing magic, and sorcery.

We, on the other hand, specialized in necromancy, poison magic, and curses.

“Are you looking for a mage?”

“Well… um… we were hoping for a witch…”

“Speak. If it’s within our power, we’ll help.”

“It’s… for farming.”

“We know alchemy is related to farming.”

“Do you mean using fertilizer made from monster and human corpses?”

“Correct.”

“Ah… I’m sorry.”

“Why?”

“Crops fertilized with human corpses feel unsettling. Maybe in the past it wouldn’t have mattered, but now, with witches around…”

“Is that so? Understood.”

The era of savagery was reaching its twilight.

And the sunset of this age brought changes, directly or indirectly, to the North.

When it came to magic users, Northerners now favored the witches’ Council, which provided practical benefits, over the ominous Devil’s Den.