In the four outskirts of the continent, monsters dwell.
Unlike the central continent where the human king roams, the four monsters of the outskirts were barbaric and violent. With cruelty, they hunted and devoured their fellow humans. In the monsters' domain, humans suffered and trembled in fear, and more often than not, those who could bear it no longer and tried to escape were killed.
It was at a time when the king's nation was gradually expanding its reach. Humans who had luckily managed to escape from the monsters' domain heard of the human king and came clinging to a single thread of hope. They denounced how cruel and terrible the four monsters were, spewing out their pent-up fury.
And 'Nuna' gave a short reply.
"Me? Why?"
The time before Year One was an era without hesitation to fight and kill one another. Those not of one's own group were no different from wild beasts, and if one were to kill, it was better to exterminate entirely.
Transitioning into an agrarian society and transforming into territorial animals merely reduced conflicts; such cruel rationality still resided in the human heart.
The autumn of humanity had arrived, and though a different wind was blowing now that the nation prospered, the wind of change had not yet seeped in sufficiently.
"They haven't done anything to me? They didn't try to take me, nor did they attack my pack. I don't even know who they are, should I go find them and kill them?"
'Nuna' asked with pure puzzlement. The king's warriors also expressed difficulty and answered.
"No, that is not so. Your Majesty's words are correct."
"There is no reason for Your Majesty to intervene in a petty dispute."
"Besides... the outskirts are too far."
Though it is said that the human king wanders the world, even that is done according to her mood. When the weather was too hot, she would pitch a tent near the river and spend time bathing; when it was too cold, she would layer on clothes and sit by the bonfire, languidly warming her body.
When she spotted a village, she would sometimes peek in, and she would impart teachings to those who came seeking her. The places where she mainly stayed thus became the foundation of the 'nation.'
The human king is like a moving capital. Though the king's warriors are said to follow the human king, they too are people who came from the nation's major villages to serve the king. To them as well, the outskirts were too distant and unfamiliar lands.
"It is well over a thousand li. Even moving light, it would take a year. Besides, how many fierce and fearsome beasts must there be in that unfamiliar land. Though there is no chance of Your Majesty being defeated, if that monster is as powerful as the rumors say, there is no reason to fight them."
To send the human king to such a place, and 'Nuna' who had led the most brilliant era at that. The king's warriors, who had already experienced losing the previous king to the mountain ruler, vehemently opposed it.
"Your Majesty. Please reconsider. I beseech you thus."
Even Nevida, who upheld 'Nuna's' will, stepped forward in genuine opposition, so it seemed this matter would be settled as is.
"You must punish them."
However, the Keeper of Traditions spoke, requesting that 'Nuna' punish them.
"The four monsters are not beasts. They are all human. Humans who, while being human, devour and lust after and violate other humans."
The Keeper of Traditions, kneeling before 'Nuna', took out four dark, crimson scrolls. Inauspicious scrolls of taboo containing the traditions regarding the monsters of the outskirts. The Keeper of Traditions recited the traditions of the four monsters of the outskirts.
"Ankra who eats a thousand. He eats a thousand people a year, and hunts more than twice that number. Humans are livestock to him. Food to fill his and his subordinates' bellies, nothing more than ingredients to gluttonize their lives. The taboo of gluttony that devours everything will cross the jungle and covet this land."
Southeastern continent. A monster living by eating people in the endlessly spreading jungle. Ankra who eats a thousand.
"The Demonic Beast Bahmet. Master of the black waters. As the mother of demonic beasts, she handles the black mud brimming with life, giving birth to beasts that have never existed before. When humans and beasts are cut and thrown into the black spawning pools, monsters mixed with all kinds of beasts are born. The taboo of grafting that joins lives together will push out the beasts and cover the world."
Southwestern continent. A land with black water across the desert. The mud creator who mixes the remains of life to produce monsters, Demonic Beast Bahmet.
"Jotun, King of the Giant Tribe. Living in the snow mountains, he violates hundreds of women, and kills all but the largest and healthiest of the born children. Having selected and raised only superior seed for hundreds of years, they are much larger and stronger, befitting giants. The taboo of copulation will trample and violate other humans besides themselves."
Northeastern continent. Giant tribe leaving large footprints in the cold snow mountains and kidnapping people. The chieftain of that giant tribe, Jotun.
"...And. The place where I first opened my eyes. In those mountains where madmen distort the world as they please and spread twisted minds. The taboo of heresy will fascinate our minds like demons."
And northwestern continent. In the lonely mountain forest of Yullim, the cult leader of a mad cult who revered above the heavens and burned his own eyes. Guangming Tianzun Beel.
The Keeper of Traditions, having recited all four traditions, pleaded with an endlessly sorrowful and pitiful face.
"Your Majesty. These beings are extremely dangerous, and harmful. If demons who continue the chain of sin reign with mighty power, they will slowly taint like paper left beside ink. They will lead humans astray. Eating others will become common sense, boasting of how many were eaten will become a virtue, and the weak will become livestock, endlessly spitting out agonizing groans."
A cold wind arose. The Keeper of Traditions' cry was desperate but lonely. In the autumn of humanity, a dry, cool wind brushed past like a single thread.
"Please consider the circumstances of the wronged, until your feet blister, until your heart bursts, until you vomit blood. In Your Majesty's name, please punish all such taboos."
Who dares to command the King. Urging a journey of over a thousand li, requesting to behead their own people.
Who dares to use the human king as a mercenary.
A fierce wind blows heralding winter. A blade-like wind that seems to tear the skin swirls inside the tent. As if ready to tear someone apart at any moment.
The king's warriors step forward. Against that movement, the Keepers of Traditions block the way. A tightly pulled thread is dangerously close to snapping at any moment.
However, even in the midst of where conflict would soon ignite into a spark, 'Nuna' was free.
"I'll go see."
Nevida cried out.
"Your Majesty!"
"I'm curious. They came even while dying to leave a single word. They must have run because they didn't want to die, but then they ended up dying after coming all this way. I want to know what they tried to leave behind."
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What does a beast live for. The most foolish question. Life is not a means but an end. All beasts struggle to maintain life even for a single moment longer.
Therefore, the human king felt curiosity recalling that human who met death before her.
"I'll go and come back!"
A journey that would take a few years at the shortest, and over ten at the longest. Even the warriors who swore to serve the king could not easily follow the long journey across the continent. The line of dropouts would stretch long like shadows meeting the twilight.
Over a mere Keeper of Traditions' request, the 'nation' lost both its king and the Keeper of Traditions. While some looked at the Keeper of Traditions with hateful eyes.
Young and healthy warriors including Nevida prepared to serve 'Nuna' on the long road.
"I shall serve you."
"Do as you please!"
'Nuna' answered without refusing or accepting.
It was a long and rough road. Beasts never seen before ran before their eyes, and majestic scenes never witnessed until now allowed humans their evaluation. The Keepers of Traditions wrote on scrolls to capture even a fraction of the emotions they felt. Seeing, hearing, and touching newness, 'Nuna' and the warriors steadily walked toward the snow mountains visible in the distance.
'Nuna' and the king's warriors were the most outstanding group among humans. For now, they still had the leisure to enjoy the journey itself.
Until they approached the giant tribe's territory.
Why the giant tribe was called the giant tribe was immediately apparent upon seeing them. Giants with heads three sizes larger than normal humans, and hands and feet as thick as pot lids were wandering about carrying clubs.
Dragging people around tied with rough and thick ropes was exactly the appearance of giants. Upon seeing 'Nuna', they muttered.
"Female."
"Small."
"Pretty."
"Looks sturdy."
"Let's take her."
The giants' language was primitive and unfamiliar. None of the king's warriors could understand their words. However, seeing a giant approach with long strides and reach out a hand, there was no one who wouldn't feel threatened.
"Males, kill."
"Females, take."
The king's warriors drew their respective weapons against them. Though warriors with outstanding skills, the giants were too large and powerful. Pushed back by overwhelming strength, the king's warriors were driven back.
"Hm?"
However, 'Nuna' looked at the reaching hand and reached out her own hand in return.
"Uwaaaaaaaaah!"
The giant's wrist was snapped as it was. The giant, with hands as massive as pot lids, was pushed by the strength of 'Nuna' who didn't even reach his waist, fell to his knees and crawled on the ground.
The giants who ruled the snow mountains submitted to a mere young girl. The king's warriors who had been pushed back by strength also felled the giants in the manner of hunting beasts.
Witnessing this sight, the captives came while still bound and bowed their heads.
"Please save us! Please, we can't be dragged away like this!"
"Please, just our lives...!"
Though the language they used was different, the human king could understand their words. 'Nuna' understood and replied.
"Huh? I'm not going to kill you though?"
The human king does not need anyone's recognition. Even when meeting other nations and other tribes, the human king is their king. The reason the 'nation' could be united as one was this:
Words carry weight. Instinctively realizing that this was the truth, the captives felt relieved and entrusted themselves to her.
Caring for the starving and exhausted, 'Nuna' and the king's warriors heard about what customs the giant tribe had.
The highest mountain in the world, Mount Bulak. The giants who settled at its foot gathered in groups of three and five, roaming various parts of the snow mountains, and sometimes descending to the plains to raid villages. Men were eaten on the spot, and women were kidnapped and dragged to their stronghold.
What awaited there was a life of endless breeding. Becoming pregnant, giving birth, until wearing out and dying, while watching the 'failures' be killed before their very eyes. Creating birth and death from the womb.
Repeating the cycle of birthing and discarding countless times, they kept only the children who grew larger and healthier. That was precisely why the giant tribe grew so large and strong.
"Good heavens..."
It was a repulsive and cruel fact, enough to make even the king's warriors gag. Even the warriors who had been displeased with the Keeper of Traditions could somewhat empathize with what she had said.
The captives, watching for an opening, harbored a ray of hope and prostrated themselves before 'Nuna' to appeal.
"...Passing traveler. P-perhaps. Could you... save those who were captured...?"
However, 'Nuna's' reaction was a bit different.
"No."
"...Pardon?"
"They're humans too, aren't they?"
'Nuna' is the king of all humans; the atrocities committed by a few humans are no more than ripples spreading across the sea. Would a storm change the height of the sea?
For the human king who represents all humans, attacking and taking other humans was a perfectly natural thing. She felt no reason or need to stop it.
"Abandoning newborn babies happens often too. If that means I have to kill them, then I would have to kill other humans as well. Every time, whenever they abandon their children."
Even if the giant tribe was somewhat more extreme and cruel. Similar things must be happening all over the world.
The human king is special. That specialness bound everyone together, but that everyone included the cruel and barbaric giants as well.
This was a matter of essence. An axiom that could never be reversed as long as 'Nuna' was the human king.
The Keeper of Traditions did not attempt to say anything.
Instead, sitting at the head of the captured giant. She merely whispered something in the giant tribe's language.
"Kahahahahahahaha! The female human king has come!"
Some time after that. Hundreds of giants approached, shaking the ground, toward 'Nuna' who was preparing to depart. At their forefront was the giant tribe's chieftain whose head was one size larger than the other giants, Jotun.
"How timely! The soil to receive my seed has been barren! If it's the human king, she might bear healthier fruit!"
Jotun leered at 'Nuna' with obscene and primal desire. So blatant that there could be no misunderstanding.
"I shall impregnate the king and bear the supreme fruit!"
Seeing Jotun approach, 'Nuna' did not refuse the challenge and gripped her hand axe.
The ten-thousand-year snow that had never lost its pure white was stained red.