Chapter 25: Their Little Soldiers Are On Retreat

Luna took a long breath before she continued, her tone becoming slower, heavier, as if she were laying out a truth too absurd even for herself.

“Honestly…” She began. “The reason they left us isn’t anything as complicated as some great human conspiracy. There wasn’t any mastermind behind it, no secret plan or magical compulsion. It wasn’t trickery or manipulation.”

“The males of our race, they just…” She hesitated, her eyes narrowing bitterly. “…they went to the human side on their own.”

“What?” Luca blinked.

“They just…left.” Luna said, her voice filled with both disbelief and exhaustion. “One morning, they took their boats, packed what little they needed, and set sail for the human lands.”

“They didn’t fight, they didn’t argue—they just declared that they were on the human side now. And within days, before we could even react, every last one of them was gone.”

Luca’s brow furrowed in disbelief before slowly saying,

“That’s…impossible. There has to be something behind that. Some kind of manipulation, some spell—mind control, maybe? A potion? No one just abandons their people like that.”

But Lulu snorted angrily, crossing her arms and glaring off into the forest.

“Oh, they did. Those idiotic bastards actually did. All on their own. No spells, no brainwashing. They just decided we weren’t worth staying for and left! Every time I think about it, I want to punch a tree—or better yet, one of them!”

“But…why?” Luca frowned, confusion knotting his brow. “That doesn’t make any sense at all. Who in the world would abandon their own women, their flesh and blood and hand themselves to the enemies.”

Luna hesitated for a moment before continuing, her tone thoughtful, almost scholarly.

“It’s…complicated. The roots of it go far deeper than you’d think—back to the very structure of society across every demi-human race.”

As Luca’s expression hardened in concentration, she explained.

“From the dawn of time, one thing was constant across all demi-human species: males were usually stronger than females. Not physically, but magically.”

“They carried larger mana reserves, processed energy more efficiently, and cast spells with greater output. That imbalance shaped everything about how our societies were built.”

“Among elves, for example…” She gestured lightly as she spoke, as if lecturing. “…wind and nature magic come naturally to us.”

“But our males always possessed far more mana capacity—they could summon gales, control currents, and shape the air itself with ease.”

“Female elves, though capable, could never match that scale.”

Luca listened carefully, nodding slightly.

“It was the same everywhere.” Luna continued. “The beastfolk males used mana to fortify their bodies and sharpen their senses, moving faster and hitting harder than their female counterparts.”

“Some could channel that power into their claws, slicing through steel like it was paper.”

“And the merfolk—their males could swim faster and dive deeper by infusing mana into their tails and lungs, while the females struggled to keep pace.”

“And because of that difference, society evolved around it.” Her tone darkened like she was talking about the dark history of their race. “The males grew arrogant, entitled.”

“They saw themselves as superior—not by law, but by habit and power. They became the decision-makers, the warriors, the scholars.”

“And the females, despite working just as hard, were left to manage homes, raise children, gather food, and guard the villages in their absence.”

“It’s not that they abused us, exactly.” She gave a wry smile. “But there was an unspoken hierarchy. The males lived comfortably, basking in their status, while the females carried the burden of keeping life running.”

Luca’s expression grew thoughtful, his eyes distant.

“So even here, it was the same.” He murmured softly.

“The same?” Luna looked at him curiously.

“In my world…” He said, not caring that he was mentioning another dimension. “…there was a time when women were openly denied rights, freedom, and education.”

“Men dominated everything and it took centuries for things to change. I knew about it but…I never expected to find the same imbalance in another world.”

“Then you understand.” Luna gave a small nod. “That’s how it was for us too—for eons.”

“The females themselves weren’t happy, of course, but there was little they could do. The difference in strength was undeniable. They worked harder, did more, but could never truly challenge the system. So they accepted their place.”

Her eyes suddenly brightened with an odd gleam.

“Until the day everything changed.”

“Oh, this is the best part!” Lulu leaned forward excitedly.

Luna smiled faintly and continued,

“When mana began to vanish from the world, the foundation of everything the males relied on…disappeared.”

“The very thing that made them powerful was stripped away overnight. Suddenly, the males could no longer outmatch us with their magic, because their magic was gone.”

Her tone shifted, tinged with satisfaction.

“And without mana—without that advantage—the balance flipped. Physically, we were equals. In some races, the females even surpassed them.”

“Beastfolk women were naturally hardier. Elf women, more agile. Mermaid women, more enduring underwater. Without mana, the difference in our biology favored us.”

“You should’ve seen their faces!” Lulu grinned fiercely. “All those arrogant idiots who strutted around like kings suddenly realized they weren’t so special anymore!”

“It caused chaos.” Luna gave a slight shrug. “Entire societies broke down. Roles reversed. The males lost their dominance, and for the first time, the females had strength and independence in equal measure.”

“And because of that many took charge of their clans and began restructuring communities around equality—or, in some cases, around female leadership.”

Luca leaned forward slightly, fascinated.

“So the fall of mana didn’t just weaken your magic—it rewrote your civilization’s hierarchy.”

“Exactly.” Luna said with a nod. “But the males…they couldn’t accept it.”

“They were used to being at the top. The loss of power shattered their pride. Many refused to adapt, refused to live in a world where they were no longer the stronger ones.”

She took a slow breath, her eyes reflecting the faint glow of the forest canopy as she continued.

“At first, they didn’t do anything drastic. They just…complained.” She said, her tone edged with a bitter laugh. “Grumbled about the old days, about how things used to be, how they were better than us, how we’d never understand ’tradition’ and ’honor.’ They clung to those words like they were sacred scriptures.”

And honestly?…We didn’t care. We let them talk. We let them vent.”

“Yeah, they kept whining about how the ’glory days’ were gone. Boo-hoo. Poor them.” Lulu huffed.

“Yep.” Luna nodded. “And in return, we didn’t demand anything from them.”

“No revenge for centuries of condescension. No retribution, no punishment. We didn’t even ask them to apologize…We just wanted equality.”

Her expression softened slightly, a trace of melancholy in her voice.

“All we asked was to be treated as equals. To start over. To forget the old hierarchies and build a new world together. That was all. No vengeance, no bitterness.”

“Just a chance to move forward.”

But then she smiled wryly, the corners of her lips pulling tight.

“Sadly, they couldn’t accept it. They couldn’t stand the thought of equality—of being on the same level as the women they once ruled over. And day by day, things got worse. The tension kept building, little by little.”

“Skirmishes started between clans. Husbands left their wives. Brothers abandoned their sisters. Little children refused to look their mothers in the eye.”

Luca’s brows furrowed deeply.

“Even the little ones?” He asked, genuinely surprised. “I thought it would be more of an adult problem—older men unable to let go of their pride.”

“…But the children too?”

Luna nodded with a grimace.

“Yes. Even the children. It’s as if the arrogance was etched into their blood. Even those who were born after the mana faded—who never knew the time when males were dominant—still grew up with that instinct.”

“It was almost…natural to them, that belief that they were meant to be on top. And when they weren’t, they grew resentful.”

Her tone dropped, carrying quiet sorrow.

“Mothers couldn’t control their sons. They treated them like strangers, even enemies. Families shattered everywhere. And what used to be a unified people turned into two separate worlds.”

“It was…heartbreaking, really.”

Lulu sighed, her usual playfulness dimming.

“It was awful. Every day, we drifted further apart.”

Luna sighed again before saying, “And then, two years ago, it finally happened. The unspeakable.”

Luca looked up sharply, while Luna’s gaze grew distant.

“After hearing that the humans were approaching the continent—that they’d found ways to breach the ocean barrier and might invade soon—panic spread.”

“The males of every demi-human race gathered in secret. Elves, beastkin, dwarves, fae—all of them. They decided they couldn’t win. That their survival depended on siding with the humans instead of fighting them.”

Her voice trembled faintly, though her expression remained composed.

“And so, they fled. They left us behind. They claimed it was for the sake of survival, but everyone knew it was for pride—for comfort. They couldn’t stand living in a world where the women didn’t look up to them anymore.”

Lulu clenched her fists on Luca’s shoulders.

“They ran away like cowards. Said they’d be safer with the humans, that they’d ’rebuild civilization’ with them. Hah! More like hide behind their walls and cry about how they used to be powerful.”

Luna sighed.

“Many went to the human continent. Others settled on a smaller island that lies between our lands—a kind of neutral territory. They still live there even now, forming new settlements.”

“And some stayed behind, but separated from us entirely. Entire sections of the demi-human continent are now divided between male and female sections.”

She gestured vaguely toward the forest ahead.

“Our world used to be simple, demi-humans versus humans. But now…it’s chaos. The lines are blurred.”

“It’s the female demi-humans versus humans and their own kind…the males. The whole continent is fractured. New alliances, new hostilities—everything’s in disarray.”

Luca took it all in silently, the weight of her words pressing down on him like a mountain. He didn’t speak for a long time, his mind racing with what he’d just learned.

’The goddess never mentioned any of this.’ He thought bitterly. ’Not a single word. If I’d known this before coming here, I would’ve prepared differently. This isn’t just a cultural divide—it’s a complete societal collapse.’

He frowned deeply, uncertainty flickering in his eyes.

’Should I try to reconcile them? Bring the males back to their clans? Or would that only spark another war? Or…do I fight them? Leave them be?’

The questions swirled endlessly in his head, each heavier than the last.

But before he could sort his thoughts, Lulu suddenly perked up on his back, her ears twitching mischievously.

“Ah, Luna, Luna!” She said, grinning wide. “You forgot the main thing! The biggest, juiciest reason why they left us in the first place! The real reason they couldn’t even stand to stay here anymore!”

Luna instantly stiffened. Her face turned bright red.

“Lulu! There’s no need to bring that up here. That’s— that’s completely unnecessary!”

Lulu waved her off with a smug smile.

“Unnecessary? Are you kidding? It’s the best part of the whole story!”

Luca blinked, looking between the two of them in confusion.

“Wait, what are you talking about? What reason?”

Lulu leaned down from his back, lowering her voice conspiratorially and giving him a mischievous glint.

“You really want to know?”

“Yes, I think I need to know everything at this point.” Luca sighed, rubbing his temple.

Her grin widened like a cat who’d cornered its prey.

“Alright then, human…I’ll tell you. The biggest, most humiliating reason they left us is because…”

She paused for dramatic effect.

“…they couldn’t produce babies anymore.”

“…What?” Luca froze, wondering if he has heard wrong.

But Lulu ignored his shock and nodded, utterly serious, though her tone carried evil amusement.

“That’s right! They lost their functionality, if you know what I mean. The great, proud males who used to boast about their virility and dominance—completely useless now.”

“They can’t produce offspring with any of the females of their races anymore.”

Luna covered her face in embarrassment. “Lulu, please stop saying it like that—”

But Lulu only grew louder, grinning ear to ear.

“Oh, come on! It’s true! They were so humiliated they couldn’t even look at us anymore! All that talk about ’being superior’—and then boom! The universe took away their most precious pride!”

“And the best part?” She crossed her arms smugly. “The females of every race can still bear children perfectly fine. It’s only the males who can’t. That’s why they ran to the humans—out of shame!”

“You really have no restraint…”

Luna groaned softly, shaking her head…

…not realising that the human next to her was having the shock of a lifetime.

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