Chapter 527: The Hound That Caught the Wolf
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 527: The Hound That Caught the Wolf
Okma had once conquered Obeli. However, they failed to deal with various problems in time and eventually collapsed. It seemed as though Okma would simply fall apart.
But the existence of Grul rallied the boar beastkin. After negotiating with Sapien, he absorbed Okma’s organization as it was and used its structure for the war against the Wolf King.
Grul was a master who had reached the Axiom, and at the same time, the glory of the boar beastkin. Not only the members of Okma, but even ordinary boar beastkin who had no connection to the organization admired him. He was the only one who protected them from the officials and various powerful figures of Obeli, so even Okma had no choice but to follow him.
Grul sought out Urukfang. Having marched out with his mercenaries and the warriors of the Beast Faction, Urukfang was panting, exhausted from the arduous trek. Despite his worn-out state, Grul approached him without a second thought.
“Urukfang! You’ve worked hard fighting the wolves with us, but I need you to work a little more!”
“Hah, haah… Not at all, Sir Grul. It was an honor to fight alongside you!”
“Of all the people I haven’t taught, your Qi Art is the most outstanding. And to think no one taught you. It’s reassuring to have an orc like you around.”
“Not… at all…! Sniff. Truly… the honor is all mine…!”
Overcome with emotion, Urukfang sniffled and went off to clear away a boulder.
People thought of Grul as a violent savage, but one could not claim the title of Great Chieftain of the Beast Faction with strength alone. Grul was also skilled at handling people.
Sometimes with praise, sometimes with threats. Holding the leash, he soothed and cajoled them, and the boar beastkin worked without rest.
“I hear a voice from inside here! Everyone! Gather ‘round!”
“One, two, heave!”
The boar beastkin were numerous. And numbers, in themselves, were a brute force. Countless boar beastkin carried stones, sniffed out people by scent, and cleared debris, rescuing those who were buried.
“We’re saved! Thank you for rescu—…”
“…Get out of my way.”
The Obeli guard dogs, who had been trapped in the darkness for hours, felt a disgruntled sense of gratitude as they looked at the boar beastkin who had rescued them. Just as Grul had hoped.
An external enemy unites the inside. Though resentment might remain, the memory of facing each other on the battlefield would endure.
“I’ve mixed the Okma and the other boar beastkin well enough. Now it’ll be hard to tell who’s who.”
Even while acting, he was always assessing the situation and considering his next move. Grul’s demeanor was less like a warrior and more like a businessman. Looking to see if anything else was needed, Grul spotted some workers struggling with a massive boulder.
“Alright. I suppose I should make a show of helping out, too.”
Grul cracked his stiff shoulders and began clearing the rubble.
In the process, he spotted a boar beastkin boy who looked familiar. It was the boy he had encountered in the junkyard when he first came to Ende.
He had accepted volunteers regardless of age or gender for the fight against the wolves, but he never imagined they would drag in a boy from the slums like him. Grul approached the boy.
“Son.”
“Huh? Ah, Lord Grul…”
The boy, who had been rolling a rock, didn't know what to do when he saw Grul. Grul examined the boy’s attire. Seeing the quilted leather armor and the spear he was holding, it was clear he had been brought along as a soldier.
“Who brought you to the battlefield?”
This was a boy who had been trying to eke out a meager existence in the slums. He would never have stepped forward unless someone had forcibly conscripted him. Thinking this, Grul asked the boy, but the boy avoided his gaze as he answered.
“I, I volunteered.”
“I see. Who told you to answer like that?”
“It’s true. I went and said I would fight myself. Okma asked me to fight for the boar beastkin.”
“Okma?”
“Yes. Okma… gave me meat.”
The boy’s face turned red at the thought of being swayed by mere meat. Grul waited silently. The boy struggled to continue.
“It was the first time in my life I’d ever eaten something like that… And they said if things went well, my family could taste it too. So I followed them.”
“You refused my offer, yet you’d risk your life for a piece of meat? And you believed a promise made by Okma?”
“…Yes.”
If the boy had courage, he would have accepted Grul’s offer. If the boy had been wise, he would not have participated in this battle.
But the boy was neither courageous nor wise. He had been foolishly tempted by a mere piece of meat and a promise from Okma, and had rashly volunteered.
But how could anyone blame or mock the boy? A boar beastkin, no, any slum boy of this age was bound to be foolish and impulsive.
Not everyone could be as strong as Grul. Not everyone could afford to have a broad perspective.
But the boy didn't need many reasons to pick up a weapon and stand.
“You will get what you desire. I promise you that.”
Grul clapped the boy firmly on the shoulder and stood up. His resolve, already as hard as rock, became even firmer after meeting the boy.
It was then that Sapien approached him, bearing rather unpleasant news.
“Grul. I have something to say.”
“Speak.”
“It’s about Okma. It seems you intend to grant them merits to erase their crimes.”
“And?”
He didn’t deny it. His tone was asking, What you’re thinking is correct, so what are you going to do about it? Sapien understood the implication and spoke bluntly.
“That’s not possible. They have grossly violated not only the rules of Ende but also the laws of the vassal state. They can’t just get away with it as if nothing happened simply by fulfilling their duty.”
“What about me?”
“You are an outsider, not a citizen of Ende. The same rules cannot be applied to you. And you have the merit of defeating the Wolf King.”
“Then you can banish Okma. I will take them in.”
Sapien shook his head at the proposal to lump merits and demerits together.
“The whole world knows that’s just a deception. If you want to resolve this amicably, choose a few from Okma’s leadership.”
“To kill them?”
“I will try to see that it doesn’t come to that.”
“You intend to hand them over to the vassal state. To say you’ve captured the leaders of a rebellion.”
“…”
That he would try meant it was an area where even Sapien, an official of Ende, had no influence. In other words, he meant to hand them over to the vassal state. Grul let out a smirk.
“Tell them you tried to capture them. The vassal state isn’t so pathetic as to force you to do something beyond your capabilities.”
“Everyone knows we cooperated with you. Words won’t solve this.”
Politics was a battle of justifications. Grul understood that. But Grul intended to take responsibility for the boar beastkin.
Grul stretched his muscles and rose to his feet.
“Then I’ll show you with my actions. Let’s fight. I’ll beat you just enough so you don’t die. The vassal state should understand that much.”
A fighting spirit erupted from Grul’s entire body. Realizing he was serious, Sapien took a step back.
“You would defy the vassal state? Do you intend to nullify all the merit you gained from fighting the wolves?”
“It’s not nullified. It’s proven.”
“What?”
As Sapien stood speechless, Grul recalled the past and muttered.
“It’s proof that we can go further.”
Grul was originally from Ende. Like other orcs, he grew up rummaging through the junkyard.
But what set him apart from the others was that he struggled to escape his circumstances.
Southeast of the Enger Plains, in the lands of the old Manguo, lay the treasures of a fallen nation. Adventurers seeking these treasures passed through Ende to reach the ruins of Manguo. Though the harsh environment, perilous beasts, and the evil remnants of the fallen kingdom lurked there, it was also a land of opportunity, hiding all sorts of elixirs and treasures.
Grul decided to use his status as a boar beastkin to his advantage. He contacted the boar beastkin of the Beast Faction, the descendants of the old orcs who roamed the plains, and earned their trust. To them, Ende, which bordered civilization, was a land of both curiosity and envy. Grul acted as a mediator, providing them with information about Ende and introducing them to his contacts.
He then helped adventurers by using the Beast Faction as guides. Adventurers who arrived in Ende and sought guides through word of mouth were guaranteed a much safer journey with the guidance of the local nomadic tribe. Grul and his tribe were sometimes attacked for being too different from their original ways, but they prospered greatly with Grul at the center. After all other candidates for chieftain either died or fled, Grul eventually became the chieftain.
He learned Qi Art from adventurers and consumed elixirs found in the ruins of Manguo. Overcoming countless dangers and greedily making them his own, he eventually reached the Axiom.
Though after the wolf pack gained power in the Enger Plains, his business dried up and he became a fugitive.
“The glory of the boar beastkin. It’s a funny thing to say, but I too thought of myself as their glory. That’s why I used to be arbitrarily disappointed in my kin who couldn’t seize opportunities like I did. But, after coming here, I’ve decided to think a little differently.”
“About what?”
“That I will become their opportunity.”
He wouldn’t be foolish like Okma. If so, he would do it in Okma’s place.
As Grul made his confident declaration… Sapien replied with a darkened expression.
“Grul. Have you never failed?”
“I can’t recall any.”
“I thought as much. But remember this. Fate will not always smile upon you.”
Sapien’s abilities might be inferior to Grul’s. That was why Sapien had learned resignation much faster than Grul. Sadly, when it came to knowing one’s place, Sapien was far superior to Grul.
“Absurdity can strike at any time.”
*
“The Five Tiger Generals? Who are they?”
Trust is what sustains the Guardian Trading Company. The steward of a company does not speak falsehoods. Though some say deception is the basis of business, those who faithfully adhered to that principle all burned out like flames and vanished. Only the seven companies that shone steadfastly like the Big Dipper in the sky have kept their positions.
“The Black Tiger General, Marquis Raphaeno of the Ebon Blade. It is the Black Tiger Army he leads, and the Royal Mercenary Corps. The specific numbers and strength are confidential and cannot be disclosed due to our contract.”
“Raphaeno…? The one who uses a rapier? Why is he here?”
“The military objective cannot be disclosed due to our contract.”
Steward Moore answered curtly. But the fact that he couldn’t disclose it meant he knew. The Regressor could at least make a guess.
“It must be because of the Wolf King. From the vassal state’s perspective, they probably weren’t sure if Ende could handle him properly. The fact that they called in the Royal Mercenary Corps means it must have been urgent.”
‘They didn’t even glance this way when the rebellion happened last time. I guess they have some breathing room since this is before the rebellion. And yet we’re the ones who caught the Wolf King on our own.’
If the Wolf King had won, there was a high chance he would have threatened the vassal state as well. In that case, it was better to dispatch an army to defeat the Wolf King before Ende completely collapsed. It was a very rational and normal assumption.
However, Steward Moore said nothing.
It seemed the world wasn’t so rational and normal.
“The Violet Trading Company will guarantee your identity. However, I must inform you in advance that the execution of the contract may be slightly delayed depending on the judgment of the Five Tiger Generals.”
“Got it. But did you come all this way just to tell me that?”
Steward Moore didn’t answer, instead turning a bracelet on his wrist. At that moment, a wind blew from somewhere, and his cloak spread like a sail, carrying him along. Steward Moore skimmed across the ground like a swallow and flew away.
“A wind sail. He’s wearing something expensive.”
“He’s the steward of the Violet Trading Company. He probably has things far more expensive than that. More importantly, Marquis Raphaeno…”
“Do you know him?”
“He’s a Master who’s reached the Axiom. I know a little. Raphaeno of the Ebon Blade. He won a hundred consecutive victories in the colosseum, earned the title of Master of Dueling, and is famous for mastering the twenty-four movements of the Vulcan Combat Manual.”
He must be someone incredible. A Master who has reached the Axiom and is also one of the vassal state’s Five Tiger Generals. Everyone knew that much.
“What about his personality and character?”
The Regressor rested her chin on her hand, thought for a long time, and then spoke.
“Uh… Arrogant? But that applies to other Masters too.”
“Aha. So you’re saying he’s particularly arrogant, even among the arrogant Masters.”
“Is that how it comes across? Still, he’s a general. His personality shouldn’t cause any problems… right?”
The lack of conviction in the Regressor’s voice was probably because she’d seen many people ruin things due to their personalities. Including herself, of course.
“Hmm. I have a bad feeling about this.”
“It does feel a bit… off, doesn’t it?”
The Regressor is beast-like in a good way. She can be foolish, but it means she judges situations with her intuition rather than reason first.
The fact that the steward came without a clear reason, and that Marquis Raphaeno was marching to Ende at such an ambiguous time. The Regressor was feeling a strange sense of unease.
And the Regressor’s intuition was correct.
According to the information I gleaned from reading Steward Moore’s thoughts, Marquis Raphaeno hadn’t been dispatched to help Ende, but rather…
*
The era of waging war with numbers was over. A single Master who had reached the Axiom could easily face a hundred lesser opponents. That said, throwing a Master into a situation where they could be surrounded by a hundred men was foolish. Reconnaissance, mobility, supply, encirclement, and so on. The standard doctrine of war was to move with fast, functional units that could support the main force.
Marquis Raphaeno’s unit faithfully followed such doctrine.
The cavalrymen, all of whom had learned Qi Art, could ride for three days and nights without tiring, and the royal magic corps could perfectly handle supply and management with only a few members. Add a single mage and a single Master to that, and it becomes a strategic-level force in itself.
Even if its structure was a bit rough from being hastily assembled, its power remained the same. Marquis Raphaeno’s unit arrived in Ende as quickly as it had been formed.
They were a little late for the fight with the wolves, but that was a very minor issue.
“Hmm. So this is Ende?”
A middle-aged man with a strong impression and a stylish mustache entered Ende. The arrival of several hundred armed soldiers should have caused a commotion in the city, but with many citizens having left to prepare for the fight with the wolves, there was almost no reaction.
Marquis Raphaeno fiddled with the curled tip of his mustache and offered his impression.
“It’s as dirty as the rumors say, but not as noisy, eh? Hahaha. Still, I should find at least one person in this shithole who can hold a conversation.”
Fortunately, news of Marquis Raphaeno’s procession reached Obeli. And in Obeli, the officials who had barely managed to reclaim their power remained.
Among them, the one who stepped forward to greet Marquis Raphaeno was Duke Erectus, an official of Ende. Accompanied by a few attendants, Duke Erectus greeted the Marquis at the city’s main gate.
“It is an honor to meet the shield that protects the vassal state, the Five Tiger General, Marquis Raphaeno. I, Duke Erectus, greet you on behalf of all the citizens of Ende.”
“Ahem. Hmm.”
After a moment of choosing his words, Marquis Raphaeno nudged his adjutant and asked.
“Who is that man? I’m not familiar with the political landscape of the borderlands.”
Informing the general of the power structure to avoid any rudeness was part of an adjutant’s duty. The adjutant, who had studied Ende beforehand, informed Marquis Raphaeno.
“That is Duke Erectus.”
“A Duke? A Duke in a city this small?”
“Strictly speaking, he’s a bit different from a typical duke. After Saint Enger ascended, leaving behind three descendants, the Empire designated the Enger Plains as a margraviate to honor him. About two hundred years later, in the process of ceding the Enger Plains to the vassal state, a portion became territory of the Lilac Vassal State, but Ende alone remained a margraviate. Therefore…”
“Hmph. Enough. You’re saying he’s a duke in name only, right? This is why I hate the borderlands. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry has a ducal title.”
It was true, but he hadn’t studied up on it just to have the truth blurted out like that. To use such an expression in Ende, of all places. The adjutant cautioned him in a slightly lower voice.
“Still, this is the land where Saint Enger planted his flag. I ask that you be mindful of your words and actions.”
“Aha, mm.”
And their conversation was heard perfectly by Duke Erectus.
To speak aloud when they could have used Sound Transmission was a declaration that they had no intention of showing any courtesy at all. It was a rudeness that bordered on a declaration of war, but who would dare to stop him?
Marquis Raphaeno paid little mind to his own impoliteness.
“I heard the news on my way here. So. You defeated the Wolf King?”
“…According to the reports, yes.”
“Hmph. Well, to lose to a mere pack of beasts would be a waste of the name ‘The Human Regime’! Ah, do beast-ears live in this city? For beast-ears, they did well! They should be praised!”
“It was a result achieved by everyone working together.”
“Ah, right! To praise beast-ears, I misspoke! The credit belongs to the master who handled the beast-ears well! Hahaha!”
He laughed heartily as if it were a funny joke, then waved his hand dismissively.
“Well, whatever. That’s not what’s important. If the wolves are gone, let’s move on to the next matter of business.”
“The next matter of business, you say?”
The Marquis, now looking somewhat interested, smiled and asked.
“Where is Grul?”