Chapter 498: The Spring of Ende - Finale
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 498: The Spring of Ende - Finale
The Obelisk was apprehended and thrown in prison. The Officials were placed under house arrest, and Obeli became a place where only beastkin could roam. Among them, the most numerous were the pig beastkin, who had succeeded in their revolution.
Considering that not a single pig beastkin had been in Obeli before this, the world had truly been turned upside down overnight. The only ones with new complaints about the current state of affairs were the few remaining humans; the further down the social ladder one went, the more joy and satisfaction abounded. From a utilitarian perspective, Ende had become a paradise.
Of course, there were some negligible exceptions among the humans. Lord Erectus, who had somehow managed to escape in the chaos, was one. Another was me, walking around confidently as a contributor to the revolution, and the Regressor, who was a guest.
So, what were the Regressor and I doing?
“You said you were the Magician! You said you'd nip the troublemakers in the bud! So what the hell is this mess?!”
Hmm. It seemed I had reached the greatest hurdle: convincing the Regressor, who was flustered by this unexpected turn of events. If I failed to persuade her, she would try to ‘normalize’ Ende, even if it meant using somewhat forceful methods.
But as they say, it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. What could be done about something that had already happened?
“Shei, I originally intended to help Ende. That’s why I acted as the Magician and dismantled the pig beastkin's conspiracy from its very foundation.”
“Dismantled? But in the end, it looks like you helped them, doesn't it?”
“That’s because the pig beastkin didn’t give up. Look. Think about the protest they held back then.”
If Okma’s desires had been solely for power and privilege, they should have despaired and fled the moment I interfered. But the pig beastkin’s wish was not so easily stopped. On the contrary, once all other means were lost, they resorted to the most primal form of action.
“Even after I cut off Okma’s limbs, choked their funding, and pulled out all their teeth, they still marched out to protest with their bare bodies. This wasn't me instigating a division. It was already divided from the start; the cracks were just hidden.”
“And you weren’t aiming for this from the beginning?”
“Even if I had been, it would have been impossible if thousands of people hadn't risen up. I don’t have the ability to control that many people.”
“Hmm…”
He has a point. The issue of discrimination between beastkin and humans has always existed. Ende was always at the forefront, weathering that wave. Whether things in Ende went well or not, the discrimination itself never disappeared…
I was almost forgiven. The old sayings were never wrong. If I had tried to confess and ask for permission first, I would have missed the golden opportunity.
“And there’s a more important reason.”
“What is it?”
“Looking at the state of Ende, I figured this would make it easier to catch the Wolf King.”
The Obelisk, composed mainly of Qi Practitioners from the vassal states, was certainly powerful. But in the end, they were just the security force of a single border city. Against an Arcane like the Wolf King, a single enlightened master like Grul was more important than the entire Obelisk.
“That’s true.”
I might seem reckless, but could I compare to the Regressor? For her, a mess of this scale was on the smaller side. She was only questioning it because I was the one who had caused the change.
The Regressor agreed with my words.
“With me here, we can kill the Wolf King if we just take the standard route. That’s why I wanted to avoid creating any variables… But well, the city’s strength is still intact, so I guess this is fine.”
“In any case, all we need to do is catch the Wolf King.”
“As long as you remember that, I don’t care.”
Whether the inexperienced pig beastkin can lead the city well, or if the vassal states will just stand by and watch this situation… The aftermath is a problem, but…
There were a few issues, but the Regressor wasn't the type to dwell on consequences for long.
If things go south, I can just regress!
With the average mindset of a Regressor, she coolly went along with it.
I am the Magician. A vigilante who, for a brief time, drove Okma to the brink of collapse and restored order to the city.
Not every pig beastkin knew of me, but those from Okma knew me to their very bones. However, their reaction was quite different from the jealousy or anger they had shown the Officials.
It was mostly fear, terror, and bewilderment.
“The Magician?”
“What the hell is he doing here?”
Urukfang, the top contributor to the revolution; Bonkrak, who had unlocked Obeli’s gates to welcome the pig beastkin; Gulta, who had immediately secured carriages and horses to seize control of Obeli’s logistics; and Halpana, who had converted the plaza and city hall into living quarters for the pig beastkin.
The Magician was the one all these contributors acknowledged as the mastermind of this revolution.
“Hello~. May I come in, too?”
I waved and approached Urukfang, who was guarding the front of the plaza with Bonkrak and Gulta.
The reaction was intense. Bonkrak’s face turned pale as he fled, and Gulta deliberately ignored me, pretending to fix a carriage. Wasn’t that a bit much? It’s not like I was a ghost.
Only Urukfang, who had never met me face-to-face, greeted me with a slightly wary expression.
“…Hmph. Welcome, Magician. Come this way.”
“Is anyone inside?”
“Grand Chieftain Grul, the elders, and the clan chiefs of Obeli have gathered. It’s to sort out the situation.”
Urukfang snorted loudly and said, as if taking credit for it:
“There was some talk that it wasn’t appropriate for you, a human, to be here. Everyone from Okma was more wary of you than expected, so it took some effort to persuade them.”
“You’re very kind, even though all I did was break you out of jail once.”
“Hmph. A debt of gratitude is not left unpaid. That’s the iron rule of a mercenary.”
If he’s that dangerous, we should keep him closer to watch him. Hmph, they’re all just cowards.
Averting his gaze from me, Urukfang glanced sideways at the Regressor and thought.
Anyway… as long as she’s around, it’ll be hard to cause any harm. What is that monster? Her Qi is one thing, but her very presence feels alien. It’s like all my fur is standing on end. Could Lord Grul even beat her?
As his thoughts lingered, the Regressor shot Urukfang a sharp look and said:
“What are you looking at?”
“…I wasn’t looking.”
Flinching, Urukfang quickly turned his head away and gestured for me to hurry.
“The meeting is about to start. Go in, Magician.”
“Yes. Thank you for your hard work~.”
I offered a friendly greeting and entered the plaza with the Regressor and Azzy. Behind me, I could read Urukfang’s indignant thoughts.
Wait a minute. I’m a guard, so it’s not weird for me to look at people coming in. Why did she get mad at me for looking?
The Regressor and I headed into the plaza of Obeli.
I had visited this place once before, but the atmosphere was completely different.
Stone seats, nothing but slabs without armrests. In the center of the plaza, which formed a circle with a slight elevation change, was a podium for the speaker. It was designed to make the audience focus on the speaker.
Last time, the atmosphere had been calm and focused, if a bit bustling. Now, the plaza was filled with excitement and a palpable thrill.
The pig beastkin were snorting with excitement just from sitting in this plaza they thought they would never enter in their lifetime. In contrast, the other beastkin who had been in Obeli felt anxious about the sudden change in atmosphere, their ears and tails held stiffly as they remained silent.
“…We have many guests today, so it seems this will be a long meeting.”
Amidst the commotion, Mayor Triver, standing on the podium, continued the meeting with the calm voice characteristic of the elderly.
“First, I would like to extend a warm welcome to the Grand Chieftain of the Beast Faction, who has come all this way to Ende. We intended to prepare a grand feast, but…”
Mayor Triver’s gaze fell upon an empty seat. The cow beastkin, the only member of the Beast Faction participating in the meeting, crossed his arms and said:
“The Grand Chieftain will not be attending.”
“Will that be alright?”
“We are the Beast Faction; we have nothing to do with Ende's internal affairs. Just give us some food, sort things out amongst yourselves, and let us know the results… That is his message.”
It was Grul’s message, drawing a clear line with Ende. The pig beastkin grumbled with some dissatisfaction, but Mayor Triver nodded.
“Understood. Then I will now yield the floor to the next speaker.”
Mayor Triver stepped aside for a young pig beastkin standing next to him. The pig beastkin, who strode confidently to the podium, looked around with a face full of emotion. Although they had taken it by force, what harsh trials had they endured for the pig beastkin to finally arrive in Obeli?
“I am Poina, chief of the Redhammer Tribe! I am the one who initiated this march! Thankfully, I stand here today representing the various chiefs of Okma.”
The female pig beastkin, standing on the podium as the representative of Okma, began her speech with a confident expression.
“First, the purpose of our march is to end the rampant discrimination and hatred against pig beastkin in Ende. We had no intention of attacking the Officials, nor do we intend to turn our backs on the vassal states. As fellow beings who believe in the same god and live on the same land, this was not an act of predation! It was merely a resistance to stand on equal footing!”
“…A bit too violent for that, wouldn't you say?” a dog beastkin from Obeli muttered, but he quickly hunched over under the glares of several pig beastkin. Poina smiled in satisfaction at the sight of his cowering form.
“Some might say that. However, this would not have happened if not for the deep-rooted hatred in the first place. Erectus… If that cruel Official hadn't provoked us, this march would have ended without any bloodshed.”
Poina continued with a sneer.
“No. Perhaps I should thank him for giving us a reason to be angry.”
Chuckles echoed from various parts of the plaza. Now the victors, the pig beastkin freely expressed their emotions.
“Okma has no intention of ruling or exploiting Ende. Ende and Obeli will continue to live as they always have. We will only take a few measures to stop the hatred and discrimination. Other than that, your lives will be no different than before.”
Poina, who had been speaking, bit her lip for a moment before continuing.
“…With the sole exception of Lord Erectus.”
“Let’s put a bounty on him!”
“Form a tracking party and hunt him down!”
“Give all his wealth and power to whoever catches him!”
Whew. He must have really provoked them. That mouth of his, destined to bring disaster, couldn't have been stopped by the Regressor or the enraged pig beastkin.
It was a good thing I kept him alive. If the Regressor had properly disciplined him back then, this fire would never have been lit.
“In any case. All clan chiefs of Obeli, please tell your clans not to panic and to continue with their livelihoods. For now, this concludes my speech…”
“What about the Wolf King?”
The Regressor cut in with a sharp voice, though Poina hadn't called on her.
“The most urgent matter right now should be the Wolf King. That’s why the Beast Faction is here, too. Do you have a plan to deal with the Wolf King?”
The excited atmosphere turned cold for a moment as it faced an unavoidable reality. When the Regressor threw a wrench in the works, a few pig beastkin shot her sharp glares, but she wasn't the type to care about such things.
As if she hadn't even noticed me or the Regressor until now, Poina finally realized there were humans present and asked with a frown:
“Who is that human?”
The elders of Obeli, upon hearing Poina’s question, silently exchanged glances. In place of their reticence, Mayor Triver answered.
“That is the man from the mansion on the outskirts. The human who brought the Dog King on the recommendation of the Violet Merchant Guild. He possesses immense wealth and is also a champion acknowledged by Grand Chieftain Grul. He is staying in Ende to fight the Wolf King.”
“Ah, the one from the rumors…”
The Violet Merchant Guild was the patron guild of the vassal states. Realizing his status was not ordinary, Poina answered with a slightly more deferential tone.
“The Wolf King is indeed an important matter. However, we have a mountain of issues to deal with today. It hasn't even been a full day since the revolution. We need time to calm the chaos.”
“The Wolf King won’t wait for you.”
“We haven’t even managed to get a single meal yet. Let’s eat first, and then we can discuss it with the military commander. Where is Obeli’s military commander?”
This time, too, Mayor Triver answered.
“That would be Lord Sapien. He is currently receiving treatment in prison.”
“Ah.”
At the mention of the Obelisk’s leader, Poina found herself in a difficult position.
Sapien, the most powerful Official and authority figure in Obeli, was a very burdensome opponent. Given enough time, he could defeat all of Okma with his bare hands, and he had many beastkin loyal to him. Letting him go even slightly could lead to a disastrous escape, but they couldn't kill him because of the vassal states. He was a hot potato they could neither hold nor drop.
All Poina could do was stall for time, waiting for the potato to cool down.
“Hmph. Once he recovers… we will summon him and resume preparations.”
“I suppose we’ll have to.”
Regardless of Poina’s true intentions, demanding an immediate plan from the pig beastkin who had just seized power today was unrealistic. The Regressor decided to let it go for now. Not because she was generous, but because the Obelisk’s plan hadn't been anything special to begin with.
As the Regressor sat down, Poina’s expression brightened again. It was partly because she had dodged a difficult question, but also because she had caught the scent wafting from outside the plaza.
“It seems our meal is arriving…”
Led by Matriarch Halpana, strong orc workers entered carrying large pots and huge cuts of meat. A savory aroma filled the plaza. The mouths of the pig beastkin, who had been starving since morning, began to water.
The beastkin of Obeli, who weren't as hungry, wore uncomfortable expressions.
“Eating in the plaza?”
“Why don’t you try finding a place for this many orcs to eat? Are you going to lend us the dining table in your house?”
Poina retorted venomously, then called the pig beastkin over and piled food onto their plates. The hungry pig beastkin pushed and shoved each other, trying to get their food. A few of them, jostled in the crowd, spilled their food on the ground.
Someone more fastidious might have considered food that had fallen on the ground inedible. But to a pig beastkin, the ground was just an extra plate. Grunting, they unhesitatingly used their hands to sweep the food from the ground back onto their plates. As if it were a precious treasure.
“You don’t need to pick up what’s fallen! Get more on a new plate!”
Poina shouted, but old habits die hard. After the pig beastkin had moved on, there was nothing resembling food left on the ground. Only a wet patch showed that something had been there.
In any case, the pig beastkin, having secured their portions, buried their heads in their food and began to eat. Poina raised her plate as if in a toast to them, who had already forgotten about the meeting.
“Kurul ta luk. To a better tomorrow in Ende.”
“Kurul, munch, ta luk!”
Few pig beastkin responded to Poina’s toast. They were all too busy stuffing meat into their mouths.
Should I call it pitiful, or filthy? Perhaps the two are one and the same.
Come to think of it, I haven't eaten either. As a contributor to Okma’s cause, I suppose I have the right to eat, right?
“It’s free food. Want some, Shei?”
“No.”
“Woof! Woof woof!”
“Alright. I’ll get yours, too.”
The Bountiful Table would make a more delicious meal back home, but for some reason, it felt like a waste not to eat free food. I quickly approached Matriarch Halpana and held out my hand. She, too, grimaced and flinched upon seeing me, but perhaps because she was a woman who had seen it all, she kept her mouth shut and piled a generous portion of meat onto my plate.
Whew. It’s crude, but the portion is huge. A stark contrast to the Bountiful Table. A person has to eat like this sometimes; it’s not good to only eat fine things. Returning to my seat, I handed a large piece to Azzy. Then I tore off a big chunk of meat and put it in my mouth.
Hmm, this tastes a little different from what I had at Kitchen Gluta. The recipe seems similar, so what is it?
Tilting my head in confusion, I read the thoughts of a nearby cow beastkin and realized.
This…
was the taste of beef.
The spring of Ende had arrived with the taste of beef.