Volume 8 Chapter 25 Forming the Partisans
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Yeah. No problem.”
Klock walked through the ruins of the old city streets, debris crunching underfoot. He froze, spotting a familiar voice, and ducked into the shadows.
”It’s fine. We’re way off schedule, but… I can handle my role,” said one of the women, her voice calm yet assertive.
Two stunning Merfolk women lingered in the shade of a crumbling building. One had orange hair that shimmered with translucent fins—Primlena. The other was unfamiliar, yet the pointed ears, the fin at her waist, and her scant attire marked her as a Merfolk too.
The stranger raised her hand in farewell and departed. Timing seemed perfect; Klock could hide without being noticed. Yet Primlena’s gaze swept directly toward him. Sharp senses, Klock remembered, weren’t just a Beastkin trait—Merfolk could detect far more than humans realized.
”You needn’t eavesdrop. There’s nothing here that would trouble you,” she called out, her tone measured.
Leaning against a fallen wall, Klock attempted to retreat, but she appeared before him. His eyes involuntarily traced the sway of her modest bra as she moved.
”That girl is one of my kin. The High Priest sent her to check on me all the way here,” Primlena said.
”Must’ve been quite a trek. Merfolk venturing inland… must be family-minded. Good thing I didn’t have to tell them you got cut down,” Klock quipped, earning an arched brow and a scowl from the Merfolk princess.
She already knew the chain of events with Cianie. Despite Hero’s anger, reconciliation with the Merfolk was underway. Her compatriots would surely relay this to Primjune, and the Merfolk queen’s thoughts? That remained a mystery.
”You’ve trapped me between returning to the priesthood or marriage. Thank Hero you’re her spouse. Otherwise, I’d kill you outright,” she hissed.
Klock lifted his hands quickly, under the weight of her sharp glare. Their past clash left lingering tension, though its origins lay in her leading the army’s assault—a nuance easily lost in the heat of their exchange.
”Ah, sorry. You really wanted to marry me that badly?” he teased.
”Not a chance!! Inferior land-dweller, don’t get cocky!” she snapped.
Orange-haired Primlena leaned close, fiery and accusing. Klock, unfazed, whistled casually, prompting Primlena to turn away, indignant. The rule of thumb—first strike bears blame—was a natural law. Life thrived by asserting dominance; her actions and the men’s, though extreme, were species survival strategies.
Thus, in the absolute sense, neither Klock nor Primlena were at fault. Yet, in a primate world, cultural context mattered. They needed reconciliation—not mere survival—to function as allies.
”…Anyway, we should reconcile,” Klock muttered. “We’re on the same side now.”
She remained calculating, not the type to forgive easily. Past hostility justified caution, and any improvement in rapport required patience. Yet collaboration demanded it. Waiting for anger to fade wasn’t an option.
”…By the way, I’m starting recruitment in town… you in? I figure you probably don’t like me, but we can’t stay like this forever,” Klock said cautiously.
Showing weakness wasn’t always wise; it could backfire. Cross-species differences meant misunderstandings were inevitable.
”I refuse,” she answered, eyes narrowing suspiciously. “I serve Hero, not you.”
”Oh, got it,” Klock replied, shrugging.
”Otherwise, Hero might suspect unnecessary treachery,” she added, turning her back. The wind lifted her dry, finned waist, orange hair brushing across her shoulders.
”I’ll handle my tasks. Don’t worry,” she said, moving on, leaving Klock with no foothold to argue. A quick glance back, then she disappeared.
”…Guess that’s that,” Klock sighed. Best not to provoke suspicion; she was wary for good reason. After all, she was a survivor, cautious of untrusted males—especially those she’d once attacked. He counted himself lucky to escape unharmed. From now on, fate would have to play out.
* * *
”Boston! Found you!”
”Mr. Klock!”
After parting ways with Primlena, Klock arrived at the square before the old city streets. Here, refugees from Rushelora gathered, forming small enclaves to protect against theft and banditry.
”Looks like last night was quite the chaos,” someone remarked.
”Yeah. Spies ran amok with the Demon Lord’s Army pushing in. We were up all night chasing them,” Klock replied, hands raised in mock surrender. The men nearby stiffened.
”What happened?”
”We repelled the Demon Lord’s Army. Hero cleared them out. As for the spies summoning monsters across town, we handled them,” he added, though he alone had taken down one; the rest fell to Suzette and Meina. Unknown bodies would surface soon, eliminated quietly by Kispe.
”Truly a testament to Hero’s party. But… won’t this draw attention? Soldiers have been asking around since dawn for anyone resembling Hero,” Boston said.
”Barreith’s soldiers?” Klock asked, surprised. This was news to him. He hadn’t expected Hero’s presence to be noted yet.
Meina was currently surveying the streets and would likely bring back reports.
”Anyway, I came to talk about what we discussed. I want to officially hire you all,” Klock said.
”You mean for the scouting team?”
”No. We need warriors. Plan is to assemble a force and face the Demon Lord’s Army head-on. Push them out of the Human Continent.”
”Really… fight under Hero’s banner?”
Technically, Hero was no official. Divine oracle and historical record had elevated her to that title, but she remained an adventurer at heart. Klock’s initiative—to raise a partisan force—was a bold one.
And that was exactly what he intended: forming a partisan army to resist invasion, starting here and now.
The citizens would form an irregular army, resisting the invaders themselves. Klock’s recruitment call wasn’t just for scouts; these soldiers would take up arms against the Demon Lord’s Army.
”I know it sounds insane, sending civilians to kill each other,” Klock admitted, voice low, “but we can’t just stand by. Hero alone can’t hold the line forever.”
Hiring them was a gamble, but a necessary one. From Cianie’s perspective, these extra hands might be redundant—her power could overshadow them, and allies might slow her down. Yet Hero couldn’t be tasked with everything. Some enemies might require her touch, others could be handled by ordinary soldiers. Should the Demon Lord’s daughter match Cianie’s strength, victory would depend on strategy, circumstance, and condition, not just raw power.
From now on, the war would be fought without relying solely on Hero. Cianie would face only the generals; the rabble would be handled by humans. That was the purpose of recruitment—and Klock’s role in it.
”Your help would be greatly appreciated,” Klock said sincerely.
”Straight talk, huh? Just so you know, this isn’t a safe gig. Being with Hero doesn’t make it easy,” Boston warned.
Hero wouldn’t be shielding them—they would shield Hero. The burden on new recruits would be immense, perhaps even heavier than Klock’s own responsibilities.
”The situation isn’t looking good. I suspected as much. I don’t know the full state of the western front, but rumors say we’re losing ground. We knew the day would come to rise, but the real danger is missing that opportunity,” Boston added.
Missing the moment to act had cost Rushelora dearly. Before they knew it, the city had fallen under enemy control. Boston and the others could barely move under the watch of spear-bearing soldiers. The memory still stung.
”Thanks. But there’s one more thing to tell you—the liberation of Rushelora,” Klock said.
”Liberation?” Boston blinked.
”Yeah. The Demon Lord’s Army has withdrawn from the port. It’s safe to return—for now,” Klock explained.
”Can we really go back to Rushelora?” The question came from a man cutting into the conversation. His voice stirred the crowd; murmurs rose as the refugees reacted.
”Seems the enemy navy pulled out. But Rushelora is strategic—they might come back,” Klock cautioned.
The crowd’s excitement swelled. Many had been desperate to return home. Though most had only recently arrived in the town, the longing for their former lives was natural.
”Those wanting to go home can leave. Anyone willing to fight with us, we need your strength,” Klock said. “And we’ll share a drink after. Cianie and Suzette have already gone to Beast Country to fetch supplies. If we’re welcoming people into this new force, a little celebration is in order.”
”Alcohol? Really? I’d love some!” a voice cheered.
”Wait—there’s booze? You’ve been hiding it?” another shouted.
”Nope! Just had to fetch it elsewhere. Anyone joining us, wait until tomorrow night,” Klock corrected.
Laughter bubbled through the Rushelora refugees. The word “alcohol” seemed to brighten the atmosphere. Perhaps not everyone would join, but many were warming to the idea.
* * *
”Hey, why do you look so happy?” a small voice piped up.
A young girl approached a sword-bearing man. Despite the crowd, it felt as though all other sounds had faded. She tilted her head, smiling.
She was short, childlike in height, yet had Beastkin ears—so she wasn’t quite human.
”Actually, I was forced from my home, but now I can return. Sorry if I seemed strange. Oh, you little lady, I don’t usually see you around… are you from this neighborhood?” the man asked gently.
”No. I came from Crimson Spire,” she replied.
The man frowned, unfamiliar with the district’s name.
”I am Six Noble Ladies. Lady Kispe’s delicate little pinky… forever a child in Alice Lau’s room,” she said cryptically.
”…Uh… some shop girl?” he guessed, though the words barely made sense. It felt as though his brain slowed just trying to parse them.
”Same here—Six Noble Ladies. Lady Kispe’s fragile pointer finger… Celestina of the playful chamber,” came another voice from behind.
Suddenly, the man was surrounded by two girls. One childlike, the other taller than a typical adult, yet still with Beastkin ears. They towered over him, grinning mischievously.
”Talking to that man earlier? What did you say?” the taller one asked.
Caught off guard, he stammered, “Uh, something about gathering soldiers to fight the Demon Lord’s Army. That is—”
”Sounds fun! We want in too,” the shorter chimed, flashing a devilish grin.
Looking down at him from their height, both girls revealed Beastkin tails, twitching like arrow tips. The younger smiled at the sight.
”Hero is recruiting, assembling forces against the Demon Lord’s Army. Make sure to report properly. And once the child switches out, tell them I’ve already infiltrated ahead,” the taller girl instructed.
”Got it. If there’s a good guy, send him to Crimson Spire,” the smaller added.
”Eh? But Seres likes strong men, right? I want a weak, pathetic adult like me. Lady Kispe always kills them carelessly, so I’ve been bowing and scraping forever,” she said with a wink.
”Alright, just try not to get caught by Hero,” the taller teased.
”Will do! Bye!”
The two Beastkin girls vanished into the crowd, leaving the man both bewildered and strangely invigorated.
Notes:
• Primlena – Orange-haired merfolk priestess, fierce yet elegant | First v8c3 | Sister of Sea General Primjune, subordinate to Primrity | Once captured and violated by Klock, now obsessed with reclaiming honor | Commands Obsidian Riders on giant fish, fights with trident | Seeks to drag Klock to Seabed Temple for marriage trial or execution | Unique note: revenge-driven siren bride who masks fury under ritual grace
• Primjune – She is one of the Four Heavenly Kings, appeared as a scaled and finned figure, known for executing the saint’s kidnapping plan.
• 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.
• Boston – Adelina’s father, who holds a position of power within the church hierarchy. He has a dark secret regarding the death of his wife, Adelina’s mother.
• Rushelora – A port where demons are allowed to stay at embassies under special circumstances. It is a location where humans and demons have trade relations.
• Suzette – The older maid from Viscount Fennec. The head maid at the Viscount Fennec’s villa. She is confident, clear-spoken, and professional.
• Meina – She is a golden-haired catgirl employee of the beastman (Larana the cat woman) Inn, appeared performing fellatio, desperate and tear-streaked, with an inexperienced yet earnest approach to her work.
• Alice Lau – Child of Kispe household, ceremonial noble from Crimson Spire, appears during partisan recruitment, innocent and fragile, symbolic figure of Six Noble Ladies, pale skin and delicate stature, meets Klock and Hero while conveying household status
• Celestina – Another child from Kispe household, playful and mischievous, shows up with Alice Lau in recruitment scenes, frail but lively appearance, beast-like ears marking heritage, meets Klock while teasing adults
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply