Volume 3 Chapter 157 The Messenger Of The Alliance Arrives 2️⃣
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Umar’s message had been clear. Jibril’s intervention, while subtly mentioned, was intricately concealed within the report. It laid out the sequence of events with clinical precision: Barghest had fled to Azrael, carrying Glen’s body, and if the gate were to be forced open, the barrier that held back the swarm could collapse—unleashing an even greater disaster.
”Currently, the gate’s management falls under our jurisdiction—Izerland,” Umar stated calmly.
He paused to cover his mouth with a handkerchief, coughing softly. After regaining composure, he continued.
”You’re already aware of the sharp decline in the number of Bloodsucking Kind. We have no intent to interfere with your military operations. A retreat from Ramsey should carry no more danger than navigating an ordinary swamp.”
”So you’re with Izerland,” a gruff voice growled.
It came from a tiger Beastman—Marcomanni—his fangs bared, thick fur bristling with tension.
”That means you’re working with Ramsey’s commander, right? And you expect us to believe you won’t stab us in the back?”
”Marcomanni has a point—nya.”
A cat Beastman named Kakaka chimed in, swirling a silver goblet in his paw.
”In short, we’re being boxed in by Izerland—nya. Strategically, we’d be fools not to eliminate a potential threat while we have the chance—nya. Arminus, Fraus, what do you think—nya?”
”As I’ve said repeatedly, we’re here to confirm the facts,” Arminus replied, arms like tree trunks crossed tightly.
He was as large as the tiger Beastman beside him, his massive frame dwarfing the chair suited for someone like Kian.
”Our primary mission is to investigate the gate firsthand. We want to see the crystallized form of Silverwooloo as shown in the crystal. If possible, we’ll eliminate the cause of the Bloodsucking Kind stampede. Destroying Izerland’s base isn’t something the Alliance has ordered.”
”Tch! You geezers won’t lift a finger without a direct order, huh?”
Marcomanni slammed a heavy paw on the table, rattling the cups.
”If we let them go now, they’ll ambush us on the return! After we take Ramsey, there’s no way we’ll be able to retreat safely. If they hit us while we’re scattered, even your tribe’s finished.”
”Nya. Letting them go is pure stupidity. What’re you gonna say to the chieftains when your unit’s wiped out? That you didn’t stop them ’cause no one told you to? What will you say to the women whose husbands won’t come home—nya? I couldn’t face them.”
”In regard to that,” Sarah interjected, rising as Umar quietly took medicine from Demete.
She began handing out written proposals to each of the Beastmen.
”We would like to propose a temporary ceasefire for this year’s conflict. No looting permitted. In return, Izerland will pay four hundred gold coins, one thousand kilos of wheat, and five hundred gold coins worth of precious metals.”
”One thousand kilos of wheat?! That won’t even last through winter!”
Marcomanni rose again, slamming the table harder than before. His sharp eyes glared down at Sarah.
”Keep spouting nonsense, and I’ll crush you, woman.”
”We can’t agree to this.”
The voice came from a black panther clad in deep blue armor—Fraus, the son of Arminus. Calm and cold, he spoke with authority.
”Do you understand how many families are in the black panther tribe? Divide one thousand kilos of wheat among us, and you’ll start a civil war. Even if you brought three times that amount, it wouldn’t be enough. And regardless, no amount of goods can replace what’s earned through looting.”
Fraus clasped his thick-furred hands on the table.
He looked almost like Arminus—but bulkier, resembling a black-furred bear more than a panther.
”For us, the Ramsey expedition is tradition—almost sacred. Through combat and spoils, our warriors earn the right to be called men. From youth, they train in sword, bow, and magic. For some, this year is their first battle. To ask them to turn back with only wheat is an insult to their pride.”
”…Just to confirm,” Kian asked, “This agreement would mean no attacks on us?”
”Correct. Ramsey will not pursue you. We’ll take care of the Bloodsucking Kind in the marshes. You’ll be free to return to your forests and the Great Ice Wall unharmed.”
”If you offer three thousand kilos of wheat, matching precious metals, one thousand bags of wine, one thousand barrels of beer, and five hundred kilos of medicinal teas—like western fruit and southern flower—we, the cat Beastmen, would agree to withdraw—nya.”
”Kakaka, you fool!” Marcomanni barked.
”They’re offering freebies. Might as well take the year off—nya,” Kakaka grinned. “No need to get stabbed over pride—nya.”
”If we have enough tea, even the tribes in the snowy plains and grasslands won’t fall ill. With wine, beer, and barley, they’ll survive winter. No need to gamble lives recklessly.”
”Kakaka, your tribe may be satisfied with that,” Fraus interrupted, glancing at Arminus, who remained with eyes closed. “But our tribe lives differently. For us, combat and honor go hand-in-hand. We don’t fight for grain—we fight to become warriors.”
”And what about you, Juji?” Umar asked, brushing aside Demete’s hand.
The wolfmen had kept their silence so far, but now Juji turned toward Fraus.
”Is this even our decision?”
”You don’t get a say, you mangy mutts!” Marcomanni roared.
”Enough, Marcomanni.”
”But Malbodous—my brother died because of these Izerland fools! A horde of Bloodsucking Kind—”
”Juji didn’t know,” Malbodous, the smaller tiger beside Marcomanni, interrupted. “That mess was hidden by Glen Silverwooloo and Barghest. Because of the ‘Storm Herd’ rule, we couldn’t interfere. But Juji and his unit didn’t run. They took responsibility and chose to clean up the mess. That kind of resolve deserves respect—even from outsiders.”
”They’re just mercenaries for hire! Wagging tails for the pampered nobles!”
”We are more than that,” Juji growled, icy blue eyes locked on Marcomanni. “We have honor, too. I won’t demand an apology, but I won’t accept mockery.”
The Silverwolf warriors behind Juji followed his lead, each one placing a hand on their falchions.
(The Steel Tiger Tribe—enhanced physically—have fur and hide tougher than most monsters. They’re naturally aggressive, but poor at magic defense. They also don’t coordinate well with the Wolfmen.)
Kian watched Marcomanni’s face as he drank from his goblet.
(Makes them hard to deal with in mixed forces.)
Marcomanni half-stood, then clicked his tongue and dropped back into his seat. “Is there any booze!?” he shouted.
Umar merely shook his head.
”Juji,” Fraus said, “we’d like to hear your stance.”
Juji leaned forward.
”If what’s owed is paid, we will withdraw. We’re not here to kill—we’re here for business.”
”You heard that!?” Marcomanni shouted in disbelief.
”That said,” Juji continued, “we must take responsibility for the Bloodsucking Kind incident. If you refuse to cooperate with our investigation, we will destroy your base.”
”We will cooperate,” Umar replied. “But we cannot surrender the temple area unconditionally. We are its guardians.”
”Then allow us to inspect the gate and the crystallized individuals. Also, we request Colinna Silverwooloo’s custody. She was involved.”
”What about Serena Silverwooloo?” Umar asked. “If necessary, she could be handed over too.”
”No,” Juji shook his head. “She’s no longer considered part of the group. There is no law that punishes an entire family. Our target is Colinna only. Once in custody, we cannot promise her return. She must face judgment—even if she avoids stoning, the group’s rules require a punishment.”
”What kind of punishment?” Kian asked.
Juji’s cold gaze fell on him.
”That’s not for you to know.”
”She is a member of my party. If we hand her over, I’ll need to explain it to her.”
”She will face the tear punishment. Bound by ropes, her body will be torn apart, piece by piece. Even if she dies beforehand, her corpse will be quartered and left for the raptors of the plains. That is our law.”
Juji’s face never changed.
”I see,” Kian replied softly, falling silent.
”So, the black panther tribe and Steel Tiger tribe will remain in Ramsey. The cat tribes and wolfmen may retreat under the right conditions. Is that accurate?” Umar confirmed.
Malbodous, beside Marcomanni, raised a hand slightly.
”The Steel Tiger has yet to reach consensus.”
”Brother!”
”Marcomanni, your side of the family is full of war-hungry brutes. Ours is not. Give us wheat, ale, tea for illness, and some jewels—that’s enough.”
”What!?”
”Ramsey’s merchants are allies in timber and pelts. With the Sun Knights gone, if we plunder it mindlessly, the land will be ruined. In the end, we suffer. Let Ramsey recover, like leaving a field fallow. In that sense, this deal is fair. It aligns with our survival.”
”You… Where’s the pride of the tiger warrior!? We honored your soul by accepting your family’s blade when you still breathed!”
”────”
”Say something, damn it!”
”It appears even the Steel Tiger Tribe isn’t united,” Umar muttered, exhaling heavily.
”For now, there will be no attack. Please rest tonight. Reconsider tomorrow. If you wish to send word to the chieftains’ alliance, we’ll lend you one of our birds.”
”Lord Umar.”
At last, Arminus opened his eyes.
”May I begin the temple investigation now? Including the gate. If denied, I’ll proceed by force.”
”We intend to cooperate fully. However, we must limit those who enter. If too many cross the barrier, the risk of losing our base is too great.”
”How about eleven: myself, Fraus, Malbodous, Juji, Kakaka, and three magicians from each of the black panthers and silver wolves?”
”I would prefer you or Fraus, and only three magicians total.”
”Fraus?”
”No problem,” Fraus replied. “I’ll lead the investigation with our mages. Father, please be ready if anything happens.”
”Understood.”
”We’ll go too,” Malbodous said.
”Don’t mess it up, brother,” Marcomanni grunted.
”Shut up. I’m not your errand boy.”
Kakaka and Juji agreed as well. Thus, the tense negotiations with the Beastmen delegation concluded.
* * *
The investigation team led by Fraus entered the ancient temple.
Meanwhile, Kian, Sarah, and Linca waited outside, near the edge of the marsh. Staying out of the temple meant avoiding being pulled into conflict—especially if Umar or the others turned the situation violent. Their distance was deliberate. Until the danger passed, they would remain completely uninvolved.
The Beastmen investigation team, sixty strong, prepared to set up camp within the barrier Linca had created. After lending Vahid’s bird messenger to them, Kian sent Wing and Cain off to Owl with a report on their progress.
”How should we explain this to Ms. Serena?” Sarah asked, sitting on a large rock embedded in the dark soil of the slope. She nibbled thoughtfully on the Eastern-style rice balls Linca had made.
Across from her, Linca sat on a fallen tree, tearing small pieces from a dried trout. She looked up calmly.
”Ms. Serena is still bedridden because of the poison I gave her, isn’t she?”
”That’s right, but sooner or later, we have to tell her,” Sarah replied.
”If she finds out, she will definitely try to rescue Lady Colinna,” Kian said, standing nearby and nibbling on his own dried fish.
”She’ll probably beg me to help. And if I refuse, I can see her leaving the party.”
”Ah, if she leaves, then we won’t have to worry about her anymore,” Sarah said with a sly grin.
”Hey, hey… don’t joke like that,” Kian warned her.
Though he suspected Sarah was serious, he didn’t want to argue. Instead, he pushed the conversation forward.
”If Lady Colinna is executed, then maybe telling Serena the truth is the right call. She should be recovering enough to get up by tomorrow, right?”
”Yes. She’s conscious, and I’ve given her medicine to help her heal.”
”Keeping it quiet might be an option, but that would betray her. If we respect her as a party member, we owe her the truth.”
”What if she asks for help?”
”Of course, I’ll refuse.”
If they helped Lady Colinna, Kian and the others would have to fight Juji—and possibly all of Arminus. It would be a deadly battle. Serena was still too weak to keep up in combat, and though Linca’s power was formidable, Kian and Sarah could be killed. The only reward would be Serena’s gratitude—and that of the lady they’d save.
They would also have to secure a safe place far from assassins like Izerland for the Silverwooloo mother and daughter, providing them with jobs and shelter. The cost and risk were immense.
Kian felt sorry for Serena, but the situation offered no clear benefit and too many dangers. As party leader, he couldn’t drag Sarah and the others into such a hopeless mission.
The circumstances were nothing like when they rescued Maribel and Christy from Oswald.
”So the decision is clear. We tell Serena everything honestly and respect her choice. If she chooses to face death, then so be it.”
”Of course, I intend to do everything possible to stop her from leaving,” Kian continued. “But if she insists, there’s nothing we can do. I feel sorry for Natra and Rufna as well. No matter her choice, I will not expel Serena from the party. I will pay the fine the Guild imposes when a party member dies.”
”Money can be dealt with later. It’s wrong to force someone to leave just because of a fine when they’re risking their life for family. At the very least, we should support her fully before she leaves so she can focus on the rescue.”
”But the Guild’s fines are heavy… Points deductions are worse, and we will get a harsh warning.”
”That law exists to prevent adventurers from killing comrades to increase their share. Given the circumstances, the penalties should be lighter for us. Even if I receive the maximum penalty, I won’t expel Serena. There’s nothing sadder than being cast out from the community you belong to.”
”…Kian, you’re right,” Sarah said, nodding firmly as if convincing herself. Linca looked at Kian.
”Will Lord Owl send three thousand kilos of wheat, a thousand bottles of wine and beer, and tribute of tea?”
”He informed them by letter for now. But this can’t be settled through correspondence alone. Mr. Owl will want to discuss things in person.”
”Well, considering the amount, that tribute is quite significant.”
”He plans to return home when the chance comes, but with the ancient temple’s defense in question, he’s uncertain.”
”Isn’t it better to just abandon the temple? They’ll pay Ms. Serena’s death penalty anyway. The reward penalties for Mr. Rean and the others’ deaths won’t change.”
”If Rean and Ms. Ninini die, that’s a loss of six gold coins.”
”Only six? Hunting two or three Griffins feasting on battlefield corpses would more than cover that.”
Kian paused, surprised by Linca’s casual words.
Indeed, it was vastly different from three months ago, when they fought to the death at the windmill. With Windsong Blade, Natra, Sarah, Linca, and Rufna, a hunt that normally took a month could be completed in a single bound.
Using Linca’s Shikigami for detection, they instantly located enemies without relying on Wing, Cain, or the “glasses.”
Even a Griffin posed no real threat to Kian and the others now.
”I’ll see this job through to the end. Setting aside Ms. Vestacia and Ms. Ninini, I will safely hand over Rean. Adventurers from Ramsey are probably aiming to join him, and I want to contribute at least that much to society.”
”You’re serious in a strange way,” Sarah said. “But it’s your virtue, so it’s fine.”
Suddenly, Linca looked toward the campsite, stood, and placed the half-eaten fish on the fallen tree.
Kian and Sarah turned, sensing a powerful magic user approaching.
From the campsite came Arminus, accompanied by two warriors of the Black Panther tribe, a man named Malbodous from the Steel Tiger tribe, and five magicians who appeared to be his subordinates.
Arminus’s gaze fixed on Kian, radiating overwhelming killing intent.
Sarah and Linca silently took their battle stances.
Kian called out as Arminus closed to within ten meters.
”Please stop. Otherwise, we will have no choice but to respond.”
”I don’t want to fight. I only came to discuss the food during our stay.”
”So it was you, Lord Malbodous? At least you seem to think differently from the old general beside you.”
Arminus laughed.
”I can sense your hostility.”
”Lord Arminus, what are your intentions? Do you plan to ignore our discussion?”
”No, I do not. But that’s a different matter. How can I stay calm when my sworn friend’s enemy stands before me?”
Linca stepped forward silently.
The old Black Panther narrowed his yellow eyes and trembled his whiskers upon seeing her.
He was perceptive—he sensed something strange because the wind did not stir Linca’s hair or clothing.
He stopped walking and suppressed his killing intent.
”Lord Arminus, he is a Knight of Izerland and a blood relative of the Vahid family. It would be serious if you struck him.”
A tiger Beastman stepped before Arminus.
He was taller than Kian, but before Arminus, he seemed like a child. His physical power was likely similar, though the tiger excelled in close combat. Against Arminus, he would not last seconds.
(Did Oswald fight someone like this? Or Isthbaran?)
Kian sweated under the dense killing aura of ‘Silver Ice.’
Notes:
• Marcomanni – Male. Member of the Steel Tiger Clan. Known for his strength and tactical skills. Relationship: Part of the Beastmen Alliance’s delegation.
• Kakaka – Male. Top warrior of the Cat Beastmen Tribe. Known for his agility and precision in combat. Relationship: Part of the Beastmen Alliance’s delegation.
• Arminus – Male. Leader of the Black Panther Tribe. Possesses extraordinary physical abilities, enhanced by the tribe’s unique technique that repels energy and magic attacks. His speed and strength surpass those of High Warlord Isthbaran. Wields the magic sword Balmung, capable of cleaving through an ice dragon with a single strike. His black fur provides camouflage in low visibility, making him nearly undetectable. Relationship: Leader of the Beastmen Alliance’s delegation.
• Fraus – Male. Son of Arminus. Member of the Black Panther Tribe. Shares his father’s enhanced physical abilities and combat prowess. Relationship: Subordinate and family to Arminus.
• Demete – A male dark elf shaman and a servant in the Umar household.
• Juji – Male. Leader of the Wolfmen’s ‘Jinsou’. A skilled warrior with sharp senses and combat abilities. Relationship: Part of the Beastmen Alliance’s delegation.
• Malbodous – Male. Member of the Steel Tiger Clan. A formidable warrior with significant combat experience. Relationship: Part of the Beastmen Alliance’s delegation.
• Colinna – Serena’s mother.
• Serena – Wolfmen Girl
• Linca – Jibril’s favorite girl. High-ranking warrior monk woman from Shin, with strong abilities like ignoring attacks and poisons.
• Isthbaran – The High Warlord of the ‘Storm Herd.’
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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