Chapter 156

The desolate wasteland at the southern edge of the continent, linking the Empire’s South and the Great Jungle. In this place long abandoned by human footsteps, a rare crowd had appeared.

“Never in my life did I think the day would come when I’d head to the Great Jungle on my own two feet….”

“They say His Highness the Fifth Prince is there, don’t they? Then of course we have to go!”

“Right! Exactly!”

They chattered as if on a picnic. Even as they headed toward the Great Jungle of their own accord, smiles filled their faces, as though something about it delighted them greatly. Of course, among them were a few with grim expressions. Hastings was one of them.

“Ha….”

The man leading the crowd from the very front was none other than Hastings. Unlike those following behind, his face was heavy with worry.

‘I feel like I did something unnecessary….’

At that moment, Renania suddenly appeared beside him.

“Why the sigh? Don’t tell me you’re thinking this was unnecessary or something like that?”

“….”

Hastings answered with silence. The prime instigator behind this whole affair was Renania herself.

“It wasn’t unnecessary. You saved the lives of all these people—you did well. I honestly thought you wouldn’t step in until the very end, Viscount, but as expected, you couldn’t just overlook an injustice.”

“If war breaks out, conscription is unavoidable. That means what happened back then wasn’t an injustice but… ha… never mind. Why did you say something like that back then? Because of that, things turned out like this.”

Even though Renania understood the intent behind Hastings’s question, she deliberately widened her eyes and pretended not to know.

“What did I say?”

Sensing instinctively that she was feigning ignorance, Hastings narrowed his eyes and glanced sideways at her.

“You know perfectly well that’s not a genuine question. Why did you step forward there, reveal your identity, and say things like people would live if they went to the Great Jungle?”

At Hastings’s reproachful scolding, Renania immediately retorted without backing down.

“It’s not like everyone followed just because I said that. The ones who could flee already went north, and the ones who followed are serfs who couldn’t flee, or people who had nowhere else to go for various other reasons. Do you really hate that so much?”

“Hoo… once a civil war begins, whether it’s the South or the Great Jungle, it’ll turn into a battlefield in no time. Once war is joined, able-bodied young men will be conscripted whether they follow us or the Empire—that’s unavoidable. We can’t give them what they want. Surely you don’t think a war that decides the fate of the Empire can be sustained on the blood of the Great Jungle alone?”

This time, even Renania couldn’t simply let Hastings’s words pass. She twisted her fair face and replied as if genuinely angered.

“What do you take me for…? That’s not it. I don’t know if you heard, but I made it clear to them as well. Even if they followed us to the Great Jungle, they would someday stand on the battlefield. And yet, they still chose to follow us. So don’t speak carelessly about them. If they’re going to stand on a battlefield anyway, they’re people who resolved to stand on the right side.”

Renania’s sharp reply. Hastings avoided answering and instead turned around to examine the faces of the crowd following behind.

‘It sounds nice… but they’re not troops. They’re a burden.’

It was truly a mix of all ages. Among the crowd of roughly a hundred were the elderly, children, and serfs who looked as though they hadn’t even had a proper bowl of gruel.

Because there were many family groups, young men and adult males could be seen here and there, but nine out of ten were tenant farmers who had never held even a spear shaft in their lives, let alone a sword.

“Hoo… I’m grateful that they chose our lord over the Empire, but… war isn’t fought with gratitude.”

Knowing that Renania would refute whatever he said, Hastings cut himself off.

“…Enough. His Highness will start wondering why there’s still no word, so let’s hurry.”

About an hour passed after the conversation between the two ended. Hastings, who had been leading the group from the front with a sullen expression, suddenly sharpened his gaze.

“…!”

Though he was not on Yuwon’s level, Hastings had already far surpassed the human realm. His keen senses caught the presence of an uninvited group trailing behind them.

‘Enemies?!’

Without panicking, Hastings moved positions and climbed to higher ground. Since it was already common for him to scout from elevated positions, no one in the group found it strange.

‘About half our numbers… roughly forty or so.’

Standing atop a sand dune and enhancing his vision, Hastings observed the approaching figures in the distance.

‘Hmm…? There’s more than one or two, but how are they all wearing such expensive things….’

All of them were clad in gleaming armor that looked expensive at a glance.

In the southern desert, where the midday sun scorched people alive and the nights turned bitterly cold as if nothing had happened, wearing armor in such perfect condition meant only one thing—their gear was all costly magic armor.

And it wasn’t just the magic armor. Even from afar, the refined air they exuded was something only nobles could possess.

“Ah…! They’re sons and daughters of noble houses. But why are they here…? Did they follow us?”

It was too early to conclude whether they were enemies. Hoping they weren’t, Hastings nonetheless prepared for the possibility of battle.

‘If I wait until they get closer, it’ll be dangerous. We outnumber them, but if they attack at close range, I won’t be able to protect everyone.’

They were like dead weight, but they were people who had followed Yuwon and Hastings in trust. Before the distant group could approach any closer, Hastings decided to move toward them first.

“Lady Valaris.”

“Yes? Weren’t you going to call me ‘young lady’? Why all of a sudden—”

There was no time for banter. Hastings cut her off and quickly explained.

“There’s no time for a long explanation. You might not see them, but there’s an armed group following us from afar.”

“Gasp!”

“Shh! There are many eyes on us. Act calmly. If the people here panic, it’ll cause a commotion and they’ll notice us faster.”

“Do you think… they’re enemies?”

“I intend to find that out myself. It’s dangerous to let them get any closer. I’ll go ahead and judge whether they’re hostile or not. Until then, please take care of things here.”

Though she continued to grumble, she clearly was worried. Renania steeled herself and promised to protect them.

“Understood. I’ll guard this side.”

Prepared to kill them all if necessary, Hastings entrusted the rear to Renania and immediately accelerated away from the crowd.

“…Lady Valaris, where is that knight going?”

A few among the group, who trusted Hastings implicitly, asked about his whereabouts. Faced with an awkward question, Renania answered calmly, as if there were nothing to think about.

“No matter how much of a transcendent he is, he still needs to take care of personal business. Just pretend you didn’t notice. Even someone who looks like they wouldn’t bleed if stabbed can be surprisingly shy.”

“Ah… I see. Of course. Then let’s all pretend we didn’t notice.”

“Right! Let’s do that! When the knight comes back, nobody say a word, alright?”

Hastings had withdrawn from his position bearing the noble duty of protecting the group from danger. The price he paid for it was a bit bitter.

Around the same time. Yuwon was facing Mukwiam, the Great Orc Chieftain of the Great Jungle.

“Grrrr….”

From Mukwiam’s mouth, facing Yuwon, came a bizarre growl that could hardly be called language. And yet, for some reason, its meaning rang clearly in Yuwon’s ears.

“Human… what business brings you here?”

From a human who had once been an intruder in the Great Jungle, to the King of the River, and now someone seeking to become the king of the Great Jungle itself. Yuwon’s dominion over monstrous beasts grew stronger by the day, and that power now conveyed the words of monsters directly to him.

“Mukwiam. I came to ask for your help.”

“Help… how laughable. On what grounds do you think I would help you?”

“If you don’t, every living thing in this Great Jungle will be reduced to ashes. You don’t want that either, do you?”

At Yuwon’s subtle threat, Mukwiam snorted irritably.

“Are you threatening me?”

“That depends on how you choose to take it. I merely stated the facts. And I’ll say this now—I won’t just leave if you refuse.”

At Yuwon’s mad declaration that he would achieve his goal even by force, Mukwiam let out a scoffing laugh.

“Heh heh… I wondered why a human had fallen into the Great Jungle… so this is how it turns out. I doubt I’m the first. Have you already finished persuading the others, human?”

“Yes. Just as you expect. Two of the most prosperous factions in the Great Jungle have already pledged their cooperation. Another is the ones I lead… that leaves only you orcs.”

“Filthy humans… you never stray from expectations. I regret it. That I didn’t beat you to death back when you were far more human than you are now.”

Mukwiam bared his massive, chilling tusks through his lips and glared at Yuwon. A murderous gaze that could freeze countless creatures of the Great Jungle in an instant. Of course, it had no effect on Yuwon.

“If you want, we can fight right now. I’m more comfortable with that than just flapping my lips, anyway.”

Yuwon didn’t avoid the gaze and met it head-on. Mukwiam’s eyes and Yuwon’s eyes collided.

“You’d be wise not to drag us into a human war.”

“If I lose that human war you speak of, the Great Jungle is next. I’m sorry for dragging you in, but it would be best for you to decide quickly.”

“What if I kill you right here and hang your corpse at the entrance to the Great Jungle?”

“Then the Great Jungle will truly be erased from the map of the continent. Do you really think this will be resolved just by killing me?”

At Yuwon’s words, Mukwiam narrowed his eyes and stared him down.

“No, that’s not it. Even if I weren’t the target, the enemy aiming for me would start a war to solidify their position regardless. And if the targets were the monstrous beasts of the Great Jungle, all the better.”

“What if I refuse?”

“I became the King of the River in this human body. Do you think I couldn’t become the King of the Orcs as well?”

The most belligerent of the Great Jungle’s orc tribes, and Mukwiam, who stood at their apex, did not budge even at Yuwon’s threat.

“…That kind of threat might have worked until now, but not against me. Human. If you want it so badly, I’ll indulge you. Kill me and move on.”

“You’ll regret it.”

“Regret? That’s something humans do.”

“Judging by how well you talk, perhaps there’s a part of you that’s human after all.”

“It’s not that I have anything human about me—it’s that you’re a monster, human. Not even that shaman could truly communicate with me.”

When Mukwiam called Yuwon a monster, Yuwon nodded lightly as if in agreement.

“Is that so? Maybe you’re right. Either way, it doesn’t matter. Come. I’ll teach you what ‘regret’ truly is.”

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