However, Lycantos were not the same as werewolves.
Besides the obvious fact that they were all a species, not a type of curse, Lycantos had more pointed ears with thicker skin and sparser fur on the back. Their faces were slightly more elongated, as if their noses wanted to become snouts but didn't quite complete the task.
This caused Lycantos, both male and female, to frequently have almost permanently irritated expressions. This was one of the reasons they were not well-regarded by most humans, in addition to the smell they exuded.
Even so, they were "valued" as soldiers, with a greater predisposition for teamwork due to their almost instinctive pack mentality, better senses of hearing and smell, and a regenerative capacity better than that of humans.
Nothing supernatural like a werewolf, but still faster than an ordinary human. This would lessen their need for medical resources, but not eliminate it.
The other person was a woman with grayish-black skin, pitch-black sclera, and silvery irises, but incredibly, that wasn't her most striking feature; it was her veins. Visible even beneath her dark, almost marble-like skin, they shone as if lava were flowing through them instead of blood, and that was almost exactly the case.
Zanili watched with a certain amusement as his master interacted with the messenger, but still focused on the warmth the fireplace provided.
Like all *Pahoedino, Zanili had an extreme affinity with the energy of fire, in addition to pyrokinesis. This was inherited from his ancestors who, supposedly, had interacted with fire spirits when they assumed a physical form.
How was this kind of thing possible?. Nobody knows, or even if this was truly the origin of his species.
What is known is that they are a species with great forging ability, capable of withstanding extreme temperatures (way more than the dwarfs) and shaping iron and glass with their bare hands. As well as having a great facility with fire magic, becoming powerful beings capable of burning entire cities if they wished.
Conversely, this same ability makes them undesirable to most people, along with their intimidating appearance.
It was said that their mere presence could cause the risk of sporadic fires. The fact that didn't help was that, sometimes, this actually happened. Usually with the younger ones, lacking experience or the ability to properly control their emotions, causing them to... explode, when they got angry.
This forced them to be a predominantly nomadic race, with a few rare groups establishing semi-permanent camps in areas of volcanic activity. But these were few, as these locations were often controlled by orders of mages specializing in fire.
They weren't exactly mistreated by anyone, especially given their highly valued metallurgical skills and inherent magic. But they weren't exactly well-treated either.
With most of the population anxiously awaiting their departure, and if they didn't, being "convinced" by some prominent mages skilled in the art of water or ice.
Valued, but still forced into a precarious life on the road, they continued like this for several years until they met a certain Baron who needed help in his forges and furnaces, massive help.
–Tell me, what do you know and what do you think of this 'Trial'?. – the Marshal asked after the messenger managed to calm down slightly. There was still fear in his eyes, along with admiration and astonishment.
–W-well, sir, I have to confess that I don't know much, only rumors I've heard on the roads, conversations between merchants. But if they are true, then I think it would be a great place to do business if it were possible to create a shop inside. – the messenger finally managed to utter a complete sentence.
–Yes, certainly. But that's not what I asked.
–S-s-sorry sir!!!. I know it's a lucrative place with many resources and risks!! I know it has many unknown monsters and that there are several groups targeting the place!! I know that–
–Ahhh~ calm down again, I'm not interrogating you. I just want to see what the position of ordinary people is regarding this.
–Ah!, W-w-well... I believe most people don't believe these stories, but if they're true, it's not surprising that many will move to the region. After all, it would be a place where ordinary people could find a way to use Aether without having to depend on some order or temple. – the messenger replied, now much calmer.
–Huuuu, well, that's to be expected. According to the report, the area used to be just a small village with a few dozen inhabitants. Now the population has more than quadrupled in months. – Alexandre looked at the report the messenger had brought.
–Thank you for your service. You're dismissed. Go and rest.
–Thank you very much, sir. – the messenger replied promptly with a salute and military style, and withdrew from the Marshal's presnad, partly happy and partly sad to do so.
–What are you thinking about, sir? – Tales asked after confirming that the man had moved far enough away to be overheard.
"Spies in the room?". Forget that, Tales would heard the sound of them trying to hold his breath.
–Someone wants me to stay far away from this Trial. This report has been going on for months, but only now has it been given to me, and only now is it going to the king.
–Before the expansion, something like this would take a maximum of two weeks to be reported, even if the roads were in poor condition. But to take months, starting from a border point with good road infrastructure, where there should be a rapid response team in case of an intrusion?.
–Are you really surprised by this? – Zanili asked without opening her eyes. For any other nobleman, this would be considered disrespectful and immediately punished, but Alexander didn't care about that kind of implicit rule for several reasons.
–Obviously not. What surprises me is that they did this even knowing what the consequences would be when they were discovered.
–Is it simply because this place is so important to them that they are willing to irritate the lord? – Tales asked. He wasn't exactly involved in power games. But he knew that for anyone in the kingdom to risk irritating their lord, the rewards would have to be worth more than three times as much to compensate.
–Of course it's possible, but I feel there's something more here. And I'm not referring to this dun–Trial, I'm not referring to this Trial. – Alexander almost used the most common word to refer to that place according to his previous life. But here, dungeon would just be another name for private prison.
Tales ignored this small slip-up; he was almost used to some of his master's eccentricities since they met years ago. Zanili, on the other hand, opened one eye wide to look at her master, but quickly decided to ignore whatever it was and return to her thoughts while feeling the heat of the fire literally entering his veins.
–Who was responsible for this territory again? – Alexandre asked. Even though he was a transmigrant and had an excellent memory, he couldn't remember the names of all those responsible for the more distant provinces. This slightly contradicted what he had said before about the rapid response groups.
–A baron who acquired his title with money obtained by doing business with an order of intermediate-level mages. He's already in his third generation. – a butler who had entered shortly after the messenger left replied, notebook in hand.
–And they didn't try to increase their position?.
–Apparently, most of the profits obtained are given as 'gifts and incentives' for the research of the order they associate with. What's left over is mostly spent on themselves, in addition to the annual tribute to the kingdom. – the butler said after quickly flipping through the notebook.
–And the population? – Zanili asked, emerging from his relaxed state and paying close attention to what the butler was saying.
–A portion is self-sufficient and can largely manage on their own, as is the case with the village where this ordeal occurred. The rest…
'Is in a deplorable situation.'
Everyone thought the same when the butler didn't answer.
–How bad is the situation?
–..... 30 hectares of arable land were lost in the last year due to an attack by Zorgongs, at least 100 wounded and incapacitated in 3 villages. 20 head of cattle were killed by packs of qvkrabu in the last 8 months. And the number of people who disappeared due to an attack by the mist specters rose to almost 3 out of 10 in all the villages of the barony, except in the village where this ordeal appeared, Trememe, and in the Baron's village.
This wasn't exactly unusual, even more so for a barony on the edge of the kingdom and near a neighbor, but still. The loss of 30 hectares of land wasn't something that could be easily replenished where 10 hectares took almost a year to get into good condition to produce stably.
The fact that the number of sightings of the mist specter had almost tripled, when any sighting of a specter should be reported immediately, was also not good. Horrible, in fact.
–How long has it been since the sightings increased? – Alexander asked, not wanting to hear the answer but knowing he needed to.
–About 10 months, as far as we could verify.
A shadow fell over Alexander's face, Tales practically growled, and Zailin's eyes immediately froze.
–And yet the Baron buys the annual quota for the capital? – Alexander asked, narrowing his eyes.
–...it seems so, sir.
Alexander leaned back, massaged his temples, and thought.
'Looks like I'm going to be quite busy.'
*Pahoedian: my alteration of Pahoehoe, fluid lava with a smooth, wavy, or glassy surface.