Chapter 118

“The price for giving us your land… is the friendship of the Giants? Is that all you want?”

Barut asked me back, cautiously yet dubiously. As if he couldn't believe I would say such a thing.

I immediately nodded my head.

“Yes. That is all I ask of the Giants.”

“…….”

“However, as long as you live in the kingdom, you must fulfill the responsibilities of a citizen. You will have to pay taxes and follow the law. It may be inconvenient, but I will recognize the differences between our races and provide accommodations where possible.”

“I too have lived in the human world for a long time, so I know that well. But… is our friendship truly enough for the Giants to live in your land?”

“Yes, the friendship of the Giants is enough. Because I know that is the greatest gift and price the Giants can give me.”

“Friendship is the greatest gift and price the Giants can give.”

Barut repeated my words to himself and then smiled faintly.

“You know our Giants precisely. And… you speak just like your father. Philip, that fellow, also said the same thing as you. 「“All I want from you is friendship.”」”

“…….”

“Even if you say that, you must have something you want from us. You are too excellent a king to purely desire only ‘friendship’ from us. I imagine in your heart, you desire our labor. Not only that, but if the monster army truly attacks, you must have a desire for us to fight for the Plank Kingdom.”

“That is—.”

I was about to make some excuse.

But rather than making an excuse, I decided to just speak honestly.

“That’s right. As someone responsible for the kingdom, I have many things I desire from the Giants. But it is also true that as an individual, I desire friendship with the Giants.”

“I like your honesty. And that is a wise statement as well. If you gain the friendship of us Giants, everything else you could possibly gain from the Giants is just a byproduct that follows.”

Finishing his words, Barut extended his hand to me. It was a hand literally the size of a ‘pot lid.’ Meaning it was large enough to completely envelop my head with room to spare.

“There are just over a thousand Giants left on the entire continent now. Some of them I can contact, and some I cannot. But as the Elder of the Giants, I want you and the Giants to become friends. The other fellows will also take your hand when they hear my words.”

“Thank you.”

Grasping Barut’s hand, I smiled back at him.

‘The purpose of this journey was just to get the Giants’ help to conquer the Minotaur dungeon… but I gained something much greater.’

To be honest, I still don't quite know what ‘friendship’ means to the Giants. I know that ‘friendship’ has a very significant meaning to them, but I don't know its true meaning.

Perhaps a human can never know. What it means to be a 'friend' to a Giant.

‘Anyway, as Barut said, becoming ‘friends’ with the Giants means I can receive their absolute help and support, so it's a huge gain.’

Now that the Giants had decided to immigrate into the kingdom.

It was time to check the conclusion of the Future Diary.

‘In the original ending, there was no mention of the kingdom's army receiving help from the Giants. It just said the kingdom's army was brutally crushed by the monster army, and most of the army disbanded and fled.’

In other words, from now on, since I could receive the Giants’ help, the ending could change.

Although the number of Giants wasn't huge, considering their combat power, they could be a—so-called ‘game-changer’ that could alter the tide of battle.

As I was having such hopeful thoughts, Barut released my hand and continued speaking.

“However, we cannot move our home to the Plank Kingdom right away. I need to go back to the village, explain the situation to the other Giants, and prepare to move. And it will take quite some time to contact the Giants from other villages.”

“If it takes quite some time, how long would that be?”

“Hmm. To bring all of them to the Plank Kingdom, it will probably take 1 to 2 years. Unlike humans, even an ‘Elder’ among Giants doesn't have absolute power. Of course, all Giants respect me, but we have an equal relationship through friendship, not a hierarchical one. Therefore, even as the Elder, I cannot give orders to other Giants.”

The fact that it would take 1 to 2 years for the Giants to move to the kingdom was fine. The monster army would only start moving in earnest in 4 to 5 years anyway.

But the fact that even the Elder couldn't give orders to other Giants could be a bit of a problem.

‘If the Elder can’t give orders… does that mean not all Giants can be mobilized in the war against the monster army?’

“There’s something I don’t quite understand, so may I ask one thing? If the Elder cannot give orders—.”

Before I could finish my question, Barut shook his head as if to tell me not to worry and smiled faintly.

“I can roughly guess what you're worried about. But do not worry, young king. The fact that I cannot ‘order’ other Giants simply means there is no hierarchy among us Giants; it's not because I lack authority.”

“…….”

“We are Giants who live by friendship and die by friendship. The one with the deepest friendship with all Giants becomes the Elder, and that is me. If it is my suggestion and request, every Giant will roll up their sleeves and step forward. Trust me, your ‘friend.’”

There was confidence in Barut’s voice.

It wasn't a bluff; it genuinely felt like he was saying, 「“Just trust me!”」.

Since he went that far, it seemed pointless for me to worry any further. So I just nodded my head.

“I understand. Then I will be waiting for the day you, Lord Barut, lead the other Giants to my kingdom.”

“Mm. Then should we part ways here? You seem to have much to do upon returning to your kingdom, and I have things to do upon returning to my village.”

“That sounds good. Since it's late today, we could camp here together for one night and then—.”

As I was speaking, Grondar, who had been listening to our conversation with sparkling eyes nearby, chimed in.

“Brother, Brother! Can’t I just not go back to the village and go with you to the kingdom, Leo-bro?”

“You want to come right now?”

“Yeah! And since all the Giants are going to move to your kingdom, brother, I thought it would be good for me to go first and understand human culture! Then when all the Giants move to your kingdom, I can explain things to them!”

…It was an surprisingly good opinion, hard to believe it came from Grondar.

Since the cultures of Giants and humans are bound to be different, it would indeed be helpful for Grondar to experience human culture before the full-scale immigration.

However.

“Hmph, this punk?”

Barut frowned slightly and spoke. It didn't seem like he was genuinely angry.

“You’re just trying to go comfortably by yourself without moving any luggage, aren't you.”

“……Busted.”

…So that was his intention.

To confess like that, I didn't know whether to call him naive or foolish.

“And even if you don't learn about human culture, I can explain everything just fine.”

“S-still! It was a long time ago when you were in the human kingdom, Father, so things might have changed a lot now! Right, brother?!”

“Haha……. I don’t know how different the kingdom is now from when Lord Barut was there. Sorry.”

When I took a step back and apologized, Barut answered instead.

“It probably hasn't changed much from when I was there. And that rascal just wants to go to the kingdom as soon as possible to see human civilization, so there's no need to feel sorry.”

“……Busted on that too.”

Grondar said weakly and then glanced at me. He didn't say anything, but his eyes were sending infinite signals of 「“Please take me with you!”」.

It was the same look as a puppy—a large dog I saw when I volunteered at an abandoned dog shelter as a child.

It wasn't that I was swayed by that look, but I decided to side with Grondar.

“Lord Barut. Still, I would like Grondar to come with me. As Grondar said, the Plank Kingdom you know and the kingdom now could be different. If Grondar comes to the kingdom first and sees and learns various things, it will be helpful when the other Giants come to the kingdom later.”

“!”

Grondar's head shot up. It felt like he was saying, ‘As expected, brother! I believed in you!’.

The fact that I could feel such things without him speaking made me think he was a naive fellow, and on the other hand, it also made me think that Grondar didn't hide his emotions from me.

Perhaps that was what Giants thought of as a ‘friend.’ A being you simply trust purely, without complex calculations.

“If the King says so, I can’t refuse.”

Barut smiled lightly and nodded.

“But Grondar. You can't just go there and laze around and play. You are the King’s friend, so you must develop the responsibility and ability that comes with it.”

“Develop responsibility and ability… you mean become stronger?”

“Yes. To humans, a ‘King’ is an extremely lofty being, so to be by his side, you must be a Giant of that much worth. At the very least, you must be stronger than me.”

Barut, who had been speaking lightly, looked Grondar straight in the eye and finished his words heavily.

“That is, if you do not wish to see your friend die before your very eyes as I did.”

“…….”

“Do you understand?”

At that heavy remark, Grondar, who had been showing a cheerful and playful mood, nodded his head seriously.

“Yes, Father. I will become stronger than you so that such a thing will not happen.”

***

After finishing my conversation with Barut.

The sun was gradually starting to set. Perhaps because we were on a mountain, it felt like the sun was setting particularly fast. It was chilly.

We decided to spend one last night here. I suffered through Grondar's and Paras' chatter during dinner and was finally able to enter my tent alone.

‘Grondar, Paras… they are both good people, but they talk too much. Grondar is young, so I can understand, but Paras, an old man… really.’

For someone like me who liked quiet, it was a bit overwhelming to match their vibrant energy.

Shhk—.

In any case, I now had time to myself. So I decided to check the conclusion of the Future Diary right away.

‘Since I can get help from the Giant race, it must have changed.’

I had high hopes. A conclusion where we defeat the monster army with the alliance of the Giants, not one where we are miserably defeated in the war against them.

I opened the Future Diary.

The last part of the diary, the conclusion.

…….

Four months have passed since the war with the monster army began.

My army fought bravely. At first.

But after the defeat of the human & Giant allied forces led by Jereuth, my army lost hope.

However, in that fierce war, the damage suffered by the monster army was also considerable.

So if my army had not lost its courage, we could have put up a good fight. Probably.

But… the absence of the hero Jereuth was too great.

I could not replace his presence.

In peaceful times, the soldiers were loyal to me, who governed for them, but in a situation where their lives were at stake like this, the soldiers did not trust me.

Because I had never shed blood, sweat, and tears with them. During the preparations for this war, I was just a person who sat on the throne and worked busily. Most of the soldiers had never even seen me, so it was only natural that they did not trust me.

‘The remaining soldiers… is this all.’

The army that had lost its courage left me.

They each sought their own way to live, taking their families and leaving the royal capital.

I could not stop them. I had no means to hold back the deserting soldiers.

I couldn't even appeal to them to stay and fight with me until the end… no, to die with me.

But even if I could have stopped the soldiers from deserting.

What use would it have been to stop them?

They were an army that had already lost its courage, loyalty, and mission.

I repeat, I could not replace Jereuth.

Kyaaaaaaaaaaak—!

A swarm of Gargoyles, flying through the sky and screaming.

Although the might of the monster army had weakened considerably, those creatures were still going strong.

‘If there had been a way to deal with them… would things have been different? Jereuth wouldn't have been defeated either.’

Thump— Thump— Thump— Thump—.

Along with the monstrous cries of the Gargoyles, the sound of drums could be heard.

It was the sound of the monsters advancing. The sound beat against my heart.

“…….”

Watching the monsters that had occupied the land and sky before the royal capital.

I asked a soldier standing beside me, without any particular thought—truly absentmindedly.

“What is your name?”

“H-Hans, sir!”

“Hans.”

“Yes. And Your Highness, th-… thank you.”

“Thank you? For what?”

“Th-thanks to Your Highness, my siblings and I have eaten our fill for the first time in our lives.”

“…….”

“I’m staying here to buy time for my siblings to escape… but still, it is an honor to be able to fight alongside Your Highness.”

Hans smiled.

Hans, a very common name.

Still, I will try to remember it.

And so, I died. Along with the 600 or so soldiers who remained to protect their families, not the kingdom.

I accepted that moment calmly.

This was the newly written, or to be precise, the changed conclusion of the Future Diary.

And as soon as I read it, a deep sigh escaped my lips. As was to be expected.

Haaah—.

‘…So the Giants’ help alone isn't enough to defeat the monster army?’

It was certainly an annoying and desperate situation.

But still, it was much better than the previous conclusion. If the previous diary entry had been written as 'a hopeless defeat,' the content and nuance of this one seemed to suggest there was a chance of victory.

‘The biggest problem is that Jereuth fell in battle, causing the kingdom's army to lose morale.

That’s why they deserted, and the war couldn't be properly continued.’

Simply put, the problem would be solved if I could prevent Jereuth from dying in the war.

‘To prevent Jereuth from dying… should I stop him from going to war at all? But if I don't send Jereuth to the battlefield, who will command the army? Who can replace Jereuth?’

For one, it wasn't me. The other knights didn't have the charisma, skill, and influence of Jereuth.

It was even written in the Future Diary, wasn't it? That I, who had only reigned from the throne, couldn't earn the soldiers' trust like Jereuth did. That most soldiers didn't even know my face.

‘In the end… has nothing changed? Whether we fought well and lost, or fought poorly and were defeated, my death is the same.’

My head was a mess.

Hoo—.

I let out another sigh to calm my head.

Then, I decided to slowly examine the diary again.

‘There must be a way. Some way… that I missed.’