The Squirrel Kingdom's Caste System
At the very moment Carpe's group entered the magic squirrel kingdom of Tamia.
The three others, including Cheonma who hadn't been allowed entry, dove straight into an emergency meeting near the rocky mountain where Tamia lay.
Hmm. So that's how things turned out. As you heard, we're splitting off from Carpe starting now. I'll lay out the action guidelines.
"Understood, Strategist. With our lord absent, you're naturally the second-in-command. We'll follow your orders."
Heh heh heh! If it's the Strategist's judgment, I can trust it blindly.
My splendid appearance owes much to you. Anyone with your eye for beauty wouldn't make a wrong call. I'll follow you.
The three homunculi accepted Cheonma's orders as a matter of course.
It wasn't just that they weren't at max loyalty like with Carpe—this was proof of the sky-high trust between Cheonma and his retainers.
Good. Our basic directive from here is 'reconnaissance.'
While Carpe tackled Mukhyang's evolution quest, they'd scout outside the kingdom for anything that might help or hinder.
Most evolution-related stuff is probably inside the kingdom... but you never know.
They'd also hunt for the cooking quest's target monster or clues on the Spirit King's Tear.
And if easy pickings popped up along the way, they'd snag 'em all.
Alright, so where do we head first?
"Strategist, I have one suggestion."
A suggestion? What is it?
"How about we take a route where we can snag some skill cards? Magic skills, if possible..."
...You still haven't given up?
I'm more interested in magic metals. As long as it doesn't interfere with Master's goals, please.
Fine. Fine. We'll look for that too.
That was when Cheonma's group was hashing out their next moves.
Rustle.
"...Kyuk."
Something small rustled nearby.
They turned toward the sound and spotted a magic squirrel that had appeared out of nowhere, staring intently at the group.
A magic squirrel?
"Indeed... Ha! Now that entry's been approved, maybe it's a messenger inviting us back in?"
Tina lit up and approached the squirrel, but it startled and backed away.
No.
Doesn't look like it.
"......"
Tina feigned a blank expression, but her ears were red.
"Kik."
The squirrel had startled, but it didn't flee far.
It kept its distance warily, yet lingered as if it had something to say.
Someone talk to it. I would, but it can't see me.
"I'll go, Strategist."
Tina stepped forward, eager to make up for her blunder, and approached the squirrel cautiously.
Unlike the kingdom guards earlier, this squirrel looked old and ragged.
Its leather armor was worn, its fur matted, and faint wounds peeked through.
Tina addressed it.
"Great successor of Akram. I am Tistania, knight in service to Lord Carpe. Magic squirrel of Tamia. If I'm not mistaken, you have something to say. What is your business?"
A tone both dignified and considerate—the model of knighthood.
And perhaps that appealed to the squirrel.
It glanced around warily, then spoke.
"Thank you for the courteous introduction. I am Zenon. But human knight, you've one error in your words."
"What might that be?"
"I'm no magic squirrel. I can't use magic."
"Does that matter? You look the same species to me."
"It matters a great deal. In Tamia, nothing ranks above magic. You lot couldn't enter the kingdom without it, right?"
"......How did you—?"
"Kik. Day whispers reach birds, night whispers rats—but I, Zenon of the 'Bright Ears,' hear everything!"
The squirrel calling itself Zenon boldly admitted to eavesdropping!
Hmm. Eavesdropping skill? Or Ear of a Thousand Miles? Rare stuff—and a squirrel mastered it.
That meant Zenon had overheard their rejection and approached knowingly.
Zenon lowered its voice like it was sharing a grave secret.
"I was once the lowest slave in that Tamia kingdom. But I couldn't take the endless beatings and exploitation—I risked my life to escape."
"......Beatings? Exploitation? Why would they do that?"
"No reason. Well, there is one. Noble squirrels with two or more magic affinities can do whatever they want to magic-less trash like me, 'unmages.' That's all it took for me to get pummeled."
Zenon showed its side.
Fur patchy, bruises and scars everywhere.
Tina, rarely one to show raw anger, seethed.
"Unacceptable. Exercising violence for such an unjust reason!"
"That's Tamia for you—where the absurd is routine. A society where innate magical talent defines your status. That's Tamia."
Magic squirrels rarely learned magic later in life.
Birth status stuck till death.
Unmage forever an unmage. Slave forever a slave.
And since talent was mostly genetic, status passed down generations.
Zenon's family had been slaves for five generations. He'd endured until he couldn't and fled.
"Slaves dying to noble 'pranks'? You couldn't count 'em."
"......I had no idea Tamia's kingdom harbored such injustice."
"Human knight. Do you truly find it unjust?"
"I do. A knight serves their lord and protects the weak. As a knight, I can't abide a society that oppresses the vulnerable."
"Then I judged you right!"
Zenon turned.
"Follow me. Zenon of the Bright Ears will guide you."
"Follow? To where?"
"Tamia's history is long, long. Think I'd be the only escapee?"
Sometimes one, sometimes dozens—they'd fled and formed new groups outside.
"The resistance 'Regis'—that's us. Come, I'll invite you to our hideout."
Zenon led the group to the hideout.
A cave far from the rocky mountain kingdom.
"Here we are. But your bodies are too big to enter together. No miniaturization fruits here, sadly—I'll fetch the executives outside."
"That's fine."
Tina, Gillian, and Royard shrank to doll mode on the spot. Zenon jolted.
"......Humans trending mini-magic these days?"
"Not really. Just our specialty."
"I see. Lucky then. This way."
Cheonma shrank too and followed into the cave. He pondered en route.
Hmm. Squirrel kingdom caste system, huh.
Status by magic affinities? What a ridiculous setup.
And resistance forces. Nice. Quest outline's coming into view.
Team up with rebels, free the slaves—classic story. With hints like this, anyone would see it coming.
Tina and the others were already fired up.
"As the ancients said, seeing justice and not acting is cowardice. A knight can't stand idly by."
Mmm! Well said. Rulers must govern for the people. Citizens aren't for exploitation.
Protecting the weak, shielding comrades—that's why I was made.
Coincidentally, all three—Tina included—were 'loyal' and 'chivalrous' types.
They couldn't ignore this.
But that was their nature. Not Cheonma's.
We'll move for maximum gain.
Cheonma didn't love the squirrels' slave system, but he was the temp leader and strategist.
The retainers spouted justice and protection, but he had to stay cool-headed, not swept by emotion.
Can't waste retainers on nothing.
He wasn't soft enough to help out of pity alone.
But he wasn't worried.
A big revolution quest? Gotta have rewards.
The issue was how much it'd benefit Carpe.
If less than hunting cooking ingredients... pity, but he'd pull the retainers and bail.
"Wait here. I'll notify the chief. Rest easy."
Zenon guided them to a room, then left.
Soon after, it returned with another squirrel.
"Welcome to our hideout. Zenon filled me in. I'm Hoilro, chief of Hideout 5."
The new squirrel was a sword-bearing warrior type.
A deep scar over one eye—tough vibe, even for a squirrel face.
"Not one for beating around the bush—hope you understand. Straight up: we need your help."
The unmage resistance 'Regis' opposed the kingdom's system.
And they planned a 'revolution' soon.
"Not asking for free, of course. Zenon said you're after primordial squirrel lore. I have a lead."
"You know about the primordial squirrel?"
"Not us— a certain sage does."
"A sage? Where is he?"
"Captured."
The group's expressions shifted oddly.
"Charged with plotting treason, he's in the kingdom's max-security prison. Well? Rescue him, and it'll help you, right?"
Tsk. Knew it'd come to this.
That instant, a quest window popped before Cheonma's eyes.
Prison Raid
📍 Requested by: Resistance Force Regis
🎁 Objective: Raid the prison and rescue the sage
⚠️ Will you accept?
History proved it: prison raids sparked revolutions.