Volume 6 Chapter 51 The Rebellion’s Signal, Lit by the Hero’s Hand
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Did you learn something?” asked Cianie, stepping into the reception room where she had heard visitors had gathered. Suzette followed closely at her side.
At once, everyone turned to look at them. Among those waiting were Cattleya, the lord of Boorinel, her sister Charlotte, Silke of Belandi, and several Beastkin—some strangers to their eyes.
”Hero,” Charlotte said firmly. “Sir Klock’s whereabouts have been discovered.”
Cianie’s eyes flew wide. For a heartbeat she froze, as if the world itself had halted. Then, in the blink of an eye, she crossed the room, seized Charlotte by the shoulders, and demanded, “Where?! Where is he?!”
”The Bastili Hundred Pits,” Charlotte replied. “A desolate mountain region to the east.”
For days Cianie had withered like a flower starved of sun, yet at those words she blazed to life like a fish cast back into water. His location was at last known—waiting was no longer necessary. She spun toward the door, but was stopped by urgent voices.
”Please wait. The Bastili Hundred Pits are one of the most dangerous domains of the Beast Country. Alone, even you would not be able to rescue Sir Klock,” Charlotte warned.
”That is why we have come,” added a white-haired, white-eared Beastkin, his beard long, his body large, and his voice rasping with age. He was one of the rare male Beastkin, spared from conscription, an elder hound who still carried dignity in his bearing. “Calm yourself, Hero. Do not let haste make you err.”
The old warrior spoke of the past week’s search. “We of the beast-tribes sent word everywhere, seeking aid while we hunted for signs. We chased rumors of suspicious cats and Humans, sightings of the so-called Nyan Law Corps.“
”But they are the hidden claws of this nation. They leave no trail. Our efforts met stone walls.”
Cattleya added, “Eight days have passed since Klock’s disappearance. All that time, we waited for word from the Emperor of the Hundred Beasts while scouring the land. Yet nothing came—no message, no progress.”
Cianie had endured the silence in torment. Beast Country’s refusal to reach out even once shattered any trust. Though she knew Cattleya’s faction searched earnestly, their results were barren. More than once she had resolved to act herself, only for Suzette to still her. If Klock was held hostage, the risk of her moving alone was too great.
But a week had bled away. If he had been denied food, his very survival was waning.
”Then, one of our kin in the east stumbled upon a pack of kobolds,” the elder continued. “When asked, they recalled seeing cat Beastkin a week ago hauling a great box—large enough for a man to fit inside. From their garb, we judge them to be the Nyan Law Corps. We believe they are the kidnappers.”
At the word box, dread struck like a spear. In Cianie’s mind rose the image of a coffin.
”They were heading east,” the elder said grimly. “Which leaves only Bastili as their destination. The Bastili Hundred Pits—this nation’s prison, where rebels are caged by the town, by the tribe, until all voices are silenced.”
Even Cianie knew the name. Not for the Emperor’s glories, but for its darker truth: once it had been the nest of giant centipedes, Abyss-born creatures that clawed for the surface.
”That prison cannot be infiltrated,” another Beastkin declared. “Its walls strengthened by Dusselhelm Empire’s magic, no one may sneak in or break out. But if one does not creep, if one attacks—then matters change.”
”What do you mean?” Cianie asked sharply.
”War,” the elder said, baring his fangs in a grin. “That is why we are here.”
Around him, Beastkin warriors nodded. Their conviction burned bright.
”We have heard of the cowardice of laying hands upon a warrior’s kin,” said one. “The people of Scythia are enraged.”
”The cats’ tyranny has gone too far. Hero, what they require is a hammer of justice,” another declared, clenching his fist.
Cianie frowned. “I don’t understand… Even if I cannot slip inside, I can go alone—”
”There is no need to bear this alone,” the elder interrupted. “If you raise your banner against the Beast Country, we will follow. We are sick of feline despotism. If you command it, we will become your fangs, and rip out their throats.”
Suzette’s calm presence steadied the air, but Cianie felt the spark of rebellion flicker bright. These were no strangers—they were chiefs, warriors, allies answering Cattleya’s call. She had sought aid while feigning only a search.
Cianie asked, her voice hard, “To take Klock back—if it means turning the Beast Country into our enemy—you will stand with us?”
Charlotte nodded without hesitation. Cattleya’s eyes gleamed, urging her to choose. Time was gone. Klock’s fate was in the balance.
Bastili Hundred Pits was a prison controlled by the state. If Klock truly was there, then there was no excuse to delay investigating. Time had already slipped away; his safety had to be confirmed without a moment’s hesitation. By rights, the proper path would have been to petition the government and proceed with official sanction.
Yet at this point, Beast Country could hardly be called an ally. They had promised cooperation, and then vanished into silence for an entire week. Their absence reeked of hostility, of a shifting alliance slipping into enmity. Suspicion had become the only emotion left to feel. Seeking permission from them now was a useless luxury.
”Suzette—”
”We have already set our top priority,” she said.
Her smile was gentle, and with it the anxious fog lifted. It was as though a button had been fastened tight inside her chest.
Within the old hero party, decisions had usually been Hermine’s domain. When doubt lingered, it was Tiet’s words that lent courage. And when hardship struck, Oriana would always be there, thinking alongside her, lifting her spirits.
But none of those friends were here now. Three months ago, after the battle in the Empire, they had spoken together one last time with the black prophecy book before them. They parted on good terms. Tiet’s face had been conflicted, Hermine exasperated, and Oriana tearful yet cheering.
Back then, the party’s choices had been taken as Hero Anna’s decisions. Hero Anna had accepted most things hollowly, without ever choosing for herself. Disinterested in everything, she had simply gone along with what pleased her friends. Only now did she understand: her heart had remained lodged in her former life.
But not anymore. Hero Anna had reclaimed herself as Cianie. From here forward, she would decide. She had chosen to leave her companions and reach for his hand by her own will.
”—I will fight,” she whispered.
”I will bring him back. Whoever tries to stop me, I will cut them down. Please… help me.”
As Cianie spoke, Charlotte bowed and Cattleya rose immediately to her feet.
”You have chosen well. We are grateful for your resolve,” Charlotte said.
”This burden lies heavily on me also. I will see him returned,” Cattleya declared.
The two Beastkin women gave their vows, and Silke with the others followed. Suzette nodded. The old dog Beastkin grinned wide.
If Klock had been here, what judgment would he have made? The thought flickered and she forced it aside. To lead them now was to risk more than Klock’s rescue—it was to ignite a rebellion. Beast Country’s fall was their true prize.
This decision, made in a humble inn room, would swell into a war consuming the continent.
”Come,” the old Beastkin urged.
Cianie and Suzette stepped outside, only to halt in shock. A tide of Beastkin had gathered, circling the inn and waiting for the hero to appear.
Boorinel’s bazaar had begun the day before. Stalls crowded the streets, races from every land bartered goods unique to their kind. Buyers and sellers endlessly replaced one another; even emptied stalls were swiftly claimed. The avenues bustled without pause.
Had Klock been here, perhaps they would have strolled the town together. Instead, Cianie had remained inside, weighed down by despair, blind to what was taking shape. Cattleya and her allies had been flying ceaselessly, gathering rebels beneath the cover of the bazaar.
”It’s the Hero!”
”Lady Anna, our savior!”
As soon as Cianie appeared, murmurs surged like a wave.
”Where’s the Hero? I want to see too!”
”Me too! Riko, lift me up!”
”There—there she is! Gods, she’s beautiful!”
The noise was deafening, far beyond any whisper. If Klock had been here, he would already have scowled, retreated, and barred the door.
”Hero, our savior!”
”Guide us—please, grant us a future!”
From young women to aged Beastkin, mothers, and even children, all eyes shone with expectancy, with envy, with prayer. Unlike the Human Continent, here were no daggers of jealousy or hate.
”Belandi, Scythia, Deremorant, Fwavlotz—nearly all the Central Continent has gathered,” one said.
”Tens of thousands at least,” another added. “They will fight at your side.”
Whether they had foreseen her decision or forced her hand by arranging this, the truth was clear: they were already prepared for war. None of them soldiers, and yet none looked cowed.
They had been sharpening their claws for years, awaiting only the missing piece—the leader to unite them.
The weight of countless eyes pressed on her. Even a hero was still human. For the first time, she wondered if she had chosen something beyond bearing. The pressure was immense. Yet when she summoned his face in her mind, calm returned.
Perhaps Klock was waiting for her, shut away in cold iron, eyes hollow, awaiting her rescue. She rekindled her inner fire. She could not repeat the farewell of her past life. Exhaling deeply, she raised her voice.
”Beast Country holds someone precious to me. Please, lend me your strength.”
Cianie’s voice was soft, never one to shout. But the quiet appeal carried. For a breath, silence smothered the crowd. Then, a single arm rose—
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
The roar crashed like thunder through Boorinel.
”The Bastili Hundred Pits hold our kin! Free the prisons—save them all!”
”We have the Hero to guide us! Drive out the treacherous cats!”
At Cianie’s words, the town erupted. Like oil to flame, the spark became an inferno, setting the Beastkin ablaze with fervor. Their surge could not be checked, and already it turned east, toward the mountains riddled with holes—Bastili Hundred Pits.
Cattleya and the avian tribes shouldered the role of supply bearers, while the leaders of each street took command. Cloaked in the noble cause of serving the Hero, the first target of civil war became the rebel detention facility of the Beast Country.
No one could stop it now. The great rebellion had begun.
* * *
”Stellar Manifestation—“
At the mountain’s entrance, cages of pure magic barred the way, wards that allowed only certain emblems to pass. This magic had been gifted by their allies, the Second Empire of Dusselhelm—designed to clash opposing attributes until magic itself unraveled.
”Pulsar Rotation—“
To shatter it, one only needed overwhelming power—force, velocity, and weight beyond the wards’ unraveling. Cianie had heard it directly from the great mage, their ally and imperial princess. For one who knew the method, such jammers were nothing more than paper walls.
”—Flare.“
Atop Bastili’s peak, the land split beneath a scorching shockwave. Like a volcano’s fury unleashed, the cataclysm tore apart the prison gates, their ruins flung wide open.
* * *
”…No. This—this can’t be…” whispered the Fox Princess, stunned.
Klock silently agreed, his heart sinking.
”Hm. You dawdled so long I wondered what detained you,” came a mocking voice. “To think you’d score a strike against Princess Kuzuha…”
White hair streaked with black whipped in the air. She was small, almost childlike, her slight frame dripping wet as though she had just bathed. Water trailed down between her breasts, drawing the eye despite oneself. Barefoot, she strode across the sand, each step confident, imperious—her imprisonment already forgotten. Even stripped bare, she radiated dominance.
”The… wolf princess… you were in the cells…” stammered Kuzuha.
”Yes,” she said smoothly. “And as you see, I left. Touch the guards and freedom comes easily. The escape was no trouble at all.”
At her words, Kuzuha gasped. Klock understood as well: he was not the only one who held a key.
He recalled her howl. He had believed it the lament of one abandoned, a cry of sorrow. But it had been a lure. The guards, drawn by the sound, had been snatched through the bars, their keys seized, their freedom stolen.
The mole soldiers had been no obstacle for Kuzuha. For the wolf princess, stronger still, even an army would have been easy prey.
”What’s wrong? This is a reunion with your precious companions. Shouldn’t you rejoice?” The wolf princess’s face twisted into a wicked grin.
Klock and Kuzuha paled.
”Klock. You swore you would follow me. That makes me master, does it not? Before your master’s return, you have something to say… don’t you?” She stepped closer, each slap of her wet feet deliberate, her smile laden with threat. She seized his collar, pulled him close, and breathed in his face:
”Well? Say it.”
”W-welcome back…” he croaked.
She smiled gently, almost kindly—yet her eyes were void of warmth.
Klock’s lips trembled as he raised both hands in surrender.
Notes:
• Suzette – The older maid from Viscount Fennec. The head maid at the Viscount Fennec’s villa. She is confident, clear-spoken, and professional.
• Cianie – A noble girl with a fluffy white and light blue dress, indicating her high status. She has a hesitant and flustered personality but is kind and courteous. Her relationship with Klock begins as an accidental encounter and develops into a romantic interest. She has a fiancé but expresses feelings for Klock, complicating their relationship.
• Cattleya – The lord; resides in the town of Boorinel, east of Ryzan, past the Mesa; wants to confirm Klock’s humanity.
• Boorinel – A town east of Ryzan, where Lord Cattleya’s manor is located; said to be a long journey from Ryzan.
• Hermine – Daughter of the Emperor of the Second Empire of Dusselhelm. A companion and friend of Anna. The mage. She is pragmatic and encourages Anna to focus on her duties as a hero rather than her personal revenge.
• Oriana – A Princess. A companion who assists in explaining the situation to the kingdom. She is supportive and helps Anna navigate her responsibilities. Her appearance is slender, with dark hair and sharp features.
• Tiet – A companion and friend of Anna. A holy knight from the royal capital. She wears light armor and carries a shield adorned with a dragon holding a sword, indicating her affiliation with the National Military Police. She is concerned about Anna’s well-being and tries to support her emotionally.
• Anna – The legendary Hero, chosen to defeat the Demon Lord. Her past life is Sylvia Croce. She is described as a heavenly being with overwhelming skill and a merciless attitude.
• Riko – The village head’s granddaughter; has black hair and dog ears; interested in Klock romantically; 20 years old.
• Fwavlotz – A town beyond a mountain north of Rizan Village, it is an alternative location for Klock to verify his humanity.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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