Spending My Retirement In A Game

Chapter 772: Xenophobia

The Skald looked at Eisen with a concerned expression, "And you say that this is going to be enough to protect me from that man?"

The old man shrugged and shook his head, "Honestly, I don't know. But Xenia told me about it, so it should certainly help you fend him off for at least a little while longer, until we managed to figure out a more permanent solution," Eisen explained. Since Xenia had said that she was going to take a closer look at the isolated meeting room in prototype, that was totally protected from Samuel's view, they should be able to figure something out at some point that should protect not only the Skald, but all other potential, or actual, targets of Samuel's possessions. But he didn't want to say something along those lines yet – if it wasn't possible to transfer the concept to something that could be used by individuals in that way, or if it was something that Eisen and Xenia weren't able to create yet, then he didn't want to make any promises that he couldn't keep.

"I see..." the Skald muttered, placing his hand in front of his mouth. If it was anyone else, Eisen would have assumed that they were trying to think about what to do, but since it was a cloud giant, the old man knew that the Skald was trying to stop himself from throwing up at the idea of what he had to do.

According to Xenia, the best way for the Skald to be protected for now was to hide himself better. Right now, the Skald had formed an area that Samuel wasn't able to access, a specific place right around his body that would simply block him out. That being the case, it was easy for Samuel to figure out exactly where the Skald was. He just had to find the spot that he couldn't access, and he would know exactly where the target was. Then, all that had to be done was for him to break through that, and he would be alright.

Now, what Xenia suggested instead was that the Skald hide himself amongst other people – instead of completely blocking a specific area out, he should form a slightly weaker sort of mirage around himself while mingling amongst other people, mixing his own presence with theirs. That way, he would be able to stay hidden more easily, since it was harder to pin-point exactly where the Skald was, meaning that Samuel wouldn't have a chance to attack the protection around the chieftain in the first place.

However, if the Skald simply hid himself amongst other cloud giants, it would still be all too simple to find him, and even easier for Samuel to break through the protection. So instead, the Skald had to hide himself in the presence of other people – other races. A place that Samuel wouldn't instinctively expect, and where it would be harder for him to pinpoint exactly where the Skald was. So at the end of the day, the Skald had two choices – either he had to stay here, just waiting for Samuel to break the protection and take his body over for the possibly final time, or he had to mingle with the 'lesser folks' that he despised so much that it made him sick just to think about it.

"Now, what are you going to do?" Eisen asked with a grin on his face, and the Skald raised his head a little to look at the man standing in front of him. Eisen wore a slight grin, as if he was enjoying the expression that the Skald was showing him right now. Well, he was, to be completely blunt. The cloud giants' blatant xenophobia was absolutely disgusting, and if it weren't for the fact that it would most likely make the other clans' opinion of himself turn sour, he would sink this flying island right this second. He didn't even particularly feel like helping the Skald out, but it was better than simply handing Samuel a powerful tool like that. Even if they didn't mingle with the others, the cloud giants could be considered amongst the most of the giants in terms of political influence.

"...I will do it. How bad can it be? If a great being like you can stand being in the presence of those so much lesser than himself, then I shouldn't have a reason to complain, right?" the Skald pointed out, slowly pushing himself off his throne. He walked past Eisen with shaking legs, but the old man couldn't help himself any more. Eisen ground his teeth and grabbed the Skald's neck, squeezing it so tightly that it was more than possible that the cloud giant's spine was going to simply shatter at any moment. The skald wasn't even able to react.

"To make it clear, from my position, even if you think otherwise, you, and all other cloud giants, are lesser than even the maggots crawling through a rotting corpse, alright?" The old man said in a growling voice, before pushing the Skald forward angrily, "I have no clue where you all even got the idea that you're better than others, but at the end of the day, you're just disgusting in every single way. You don't deserve the blood flowing through your veins," the old man said, staring deep into the Skald's eyes. The already mentally shaken cloud giant simply flinched at the words of his idol, and Eisen could pratically see his heart sinking into his stomach, "Bu-but they-"

"Be quiet, before I throw up in your pristine fucking castle," Eisen interrupted the cloud giant, walking past him angrily, "I had hoped that maybe you were a little different with the way that you treated me until now. But no, you simply deify me, so you chose to make an exception. Now get moving, before I make sure that Samuel doesn't even get the chance to take over your body again."

The Skald, influenced by Eisen's voice strengthened by both his royal and demonic abilities, slowly turned around and walked toward the throne room's large entrance. He slowly opened his mouth to call for the guards to open the door for him, but before he could, Eisen walked past him and placed his hand onto the huge metal door. He pushed his fingers into the grooves meant to be held onto, and with a single swift motion pulled the door open. It swung open so quickly that it soon hit its limit, nearly flying off its hinges and causing cracks to form in the wall that the door was installed in.

Not only the Skald, but the guards eagerly waiting outside of the door were in disbelief. This was something that multiple cloud giant guards had to push open and closed together with clear strain, but Eisen moved this monument with ease as if he pulled open a flimsy wooden door. The guards stared at Eisen, as if they thought that he was trying to attack them. However, the old man stood there with a surprised expression himself, "That was easier than I thought. After watching you earlier, I expected it to be much heavier. Rather... aren't you all a bit too weak?" Eisen asked blatantly, moving his head to look at the giants in front of him.

The old man clicked his tongue and started to walk through the halls of this castle once more. It was clear that the cloud giants wanted to oppose Eisen's obvious attempt to anger them, but none of them were able to even utter a single word. All they were able to do was follow Eisen and the Skald outside of the castle silently. As more and more giants gathered in the halls of the castle after hearing the ear-shattering sound of Eisen swinging the throne-room's doors open, all they were able to see was Eisen walking forward confidently, veiled in the aura of a ruler, while their own lord was walking behind him nervously with a lowered head. To this proud giant clan, this was nothing short of insulting, as if someone had just tried to stab each and every one of them individually, but still, not a single one of them was able to voice those thoughts.

Earlier, Eisen walked through this floating city with his own head down, trying not to bother or insult the cloud giants – he was still trying to gage the situation at the time, but now, he showed his own feelings for this place, and this clan as a whole, very clearly. The ones that glared at him with so much hatred and spite earlier, throwing things or spitting at him, now had no choice but to accept the fact that there was nothing they could do against him anymore.

And just like that, Eisen and the Skald made their way to the same city-gate that Eisen had entered through, "You know what you have to do exactly, right?" Eisen asked, it being the first time he had spoken since his comment upon leaving the throne room. The Skald looked at the old man with a clear undertone of nervosity, which he was obviously trying to hide from his subjects, and slowly nodded, "Yes, of course. We will make our way to the capital city immediately."

"Good," Eisen replied, taking a few steps toward the Skald. He leaned forward, grabbing the back of the Skald's head, pulling the chieftain's head into his shoulder, letting Eisen whisper into the giant's ear, "Remember my words from earlier. The only reason I'm, regrettably, letting you be like this for now, is because you're useful to me. The moment that this isn't the case, letting yourself be possessed by some random asshole is the least of your worries. Understood?" 

Slowly, the Skald nodded his head, and Eisen formed a large smile on his face as he let go of the Skald's head, "If that's the case, then we're good."