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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The Tiger Clan.
Known for their valiant and ferocious nature, they were distinguished by yellowish skin marked with black wrinkles.
Their inherent charisma, martial prowess, and haughty demeanor captivated many, yet the Tiger Clan rarely reciprocated such admiration.
Hoback, the clan’s patriarch, radiated a domineering aura of killing intent.
It was so heavy and sharp that even his allies felt a sense of dread in his presence, and the intensity showed no sign of diminishing with time.
‘Horan…’
Hoback’s father, Horan’s grandfather, had incessantly proclaimed that Horan, a half-beast-kin female, would bring ruin upon their clan. Unable to bear the constant barrage of criticism, the young girl eventually ran away.
He knew she had joined the Tudogs, a notorious organization, but their elusive nature made them difficult to track, and his repeated attempts to find Horan had failed.
His long-awaited reunion with his beloved daughter tragically occurred only after her death.
He knew.
He knew how wicked the Tudogs were. He also knew that Horan had played a crucial role in their operations, causing harm and taking lives, not only of beast-kin, but also humans, dragon-kin, elves, and dwarves.
In truth, Hoback understood that she had received the punishment she deserved.
“Patriarch! King Lyger is currently meeting with the prisoners!”
“……”
“They haven’t emerged from the dungeon for a considerable time, so it seems our request for execution has been denied.”
“Is that so?”
The message came from a spy planted within the palace. It appeared that King Lyger had chosen to spare the lives of those who had murdered his daughter.
It was a wise decision.
Executing Jaegua Backflin of the Secret Claws was one thing, but executing Master Hatsim Bellok, the dwarf Maester, and Eris Anen Seriere, Guardian of Yggdrasil, would be a difficult decision even for the Beast King.
He respected that.
Lyger was truly a wise king who cared for his people. That was precisely why he, Hoback, had lost to him in their final duel for the throne.
He led from the front, while Lyger embraced his people. He inspired through fear, while Lyger led through virtue, character, and strength.
Their approaches were fundamentally different.
“If you have made your choice as king…”
Hoback slung his spear over his shoulder and stepped outside.
“Then I shall make my choice as a father.”
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After defeating King Lyger, we were greeted not with weapons, but with warm food and a comfortable bed.
I gently stroked Rin’s hair as she lay there, drenched in sweat. Her breathing was shallow, and I could do nothing to ease her pain.
‘The goddess isn’t answering either.’
Rin had been calling out to the goddess repeatedly, but there was no response.
Frustrated, I paced around the room, and just then, Adriana entered with King Lyger.
“I would appreciate a moment alone.”
“Very well.”
I had expected him to leave immediately, but they continued their conversation as they walked, eventually reaching the room.
Lyger glanced at me before exiting.
“What did he say?”
I replaced the damp cloth on Rin’s forehead and asked Adriana. She rubbed the back of her neck, as if the tension had finally eased.
“He asked us to wait. It’s fortunate that Jaegua Backflin is on our side. Because of him, Lyger believes we didn’t kill Horan.”
“I never imagined that name would come up again.”
Horan, the sole survivor of the Tudogs.
I still remembered vividly how their leader had sacrificed himself to save her, urging her to live because she had somewhere to go.
‘So she died after all.’
Her life had ended at the claws of Kurika, who had come to the Tudogs’ final laboratory to erase all traces of their existence. I had suspected she might become a threat in the future, but I hadn’t anticipated this.
“But the Tiger Clan is convinced we murdered their daughter. In fact, they were the ones who captured and transported us here after we were knocked unconscious by Kurika.”
“If their daughter was so precious, they shouldn’t have let her join the Tudogs.”
I grumbled, feeling the need to express my frustration towards the one who had caused this mess.
“The Tiger Clan is demanding the execution of their daughter’s killers. They claim to respect the king’s judgment, but if the verdict doesn’t go their way, they’ll resort to force.”
“A rebellion?”
I questioned whether they could so easily decide on such a drastic measure, but Adriana just shrugged, expressing her own confusion.
“Yes, they’re openly threatening rebellion. It’s a lost cause from the start, but the real concern is how far the damage will spread.”
They were already setting themselves ablaze, ready to charge forward. It wasn’t a fight for victory, but a battle fueled by twisted conviction.
King Lyger’s concern was the harm the Tiger Clan would inflict upon the citizens.
“He wants to evacuate the citizens, but any sign of such action would provoke an immediate attack.”
“That’s a difficult situation.”
“That’s why he asked us to wait. He said he’ll try to find a compromise with the Tiger Clan.”
From our perspective, as long as Eris was released, it didn’t matter. Or so I thought.
Crash!
“Whoa! What was that?!”
Suddenly, a large beast-kin and a white-haired girl burst through the window. They made a dramatic entrance, but my eyes were drawn to the shattered glass on the floor.
Cleaning that up was going to be a pain.
I wondered why they were in such a hurry, but Kurika spoke urgently.
“An army is marching on the capital from outside the city. Their numbers are small, but they are elite forces.”
“What?”
How could they have arrived so quickly?
Adriana’s expression darkened as she realized the implications.
“It’s because of us.”
She tapped her staff on the floor, running her fingers through her hair in frustration.
“Of course the Tiger Clan would have spies in the palace! They might not know the details, but they saw King Lyger spending so much time in the dungeon. They assumed he was negotiating with the prisoners and decided to attack!”
“……Sigh.”
It seemed I had unintentionally set a larger conflict in motion.
“Do you understand the situation?”
“We were waiting outside, so we don’t know what’s going on. Explain it to us.”
We briefly explained the current situation to Kurika and Sen.
Kurika, who could be considered the true culprit in this incident, looked troubled.
“I never imagined that my actions back then would lead to this…”
“It’s okay. We would have killed Horan even if we had found her.”
Adriana tried to comfort him, but Kurika took a deep breath and said,
“I’ll go to the king. I’ll take responsibility.”
He turned and walked out the door.
Adriana and Sen looked at me, questioning whether I should stop him.
“I have a responsibility in this too.”
Although reluctant, I followed Kurika, hoping it might bring a swifter resolution to the conflict.
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King Lyger sat on his throne, issuing commands in rapid succession.
“The evacuation of the citizens is our top priority. Shelter as many as possible within the palace, and for the rest…”
The news of Hoback’s advance on the capital with his army had thrown the palace into chaos. Not only the Tiger Clan, but also other allied clans were mobilizing their forces, joining Hoback’s cause.
They were fanatics, blindly following Hoback’s charismatic leadership.
‘This might be for the best.’
Considering the social standing of the prisoners, and the unexpected strength of Daniel McLean, a conflict with Hoback was inevitable.
He had initially regretted spending so much time in the dungeon, but now he saw it as a blessing in disguise.
Lyger, a pragmatist who understood the power of strength, was prepared to resolve this conflict the way he knew best.
“W-Wait a moment!”
“Who dares interrupt so rudely?!”
Two men pushed their way through the crowd of nobles in the audience chamber.
One was Daniel McLean, the human he had crossed swords with earlier. Frankly, the prospect of facing him again was unsettling.
The other was a beast-kin, his face hidden beneath a deep hood.
‘I don’t recall him having any beast-kin companions.’
Lyger stroked his mane, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes.
“What brings you here? I told you I would consider your request, so I asked you to wait.”
He had shown them mercy, acknowledging their innocence and his own victory in their duel.
However, if this human continued to act so presumptuously, Lyger would not hesitate to respond in kind.
He would face him not as a warrior, but as a king. The surrounding soldiers tightened their grips on their weapons, but…
It wasn’t Daniel McLean who spoke.
“You have prospered greatly. As I walked through this city, I felt a deep sense of pride in being your foundation.”
No one understood the hooded beast-kin’s words.
Yet, a strange pressure filled the air, compelling them to listen.
The beast-kin extended his hand, and the earth twisted, yielding a sword. It was the unmistakable Sword of Kingship, a weapon no beast-kin could fail to recognize.
“I have heard of the crisis that has befallen you, and that the responsibility lies with me. Therefore, I have broken my long silence to once again become your shield.”
He slowly pushed back his hood.
The moment his face was revealed, everyone stood frozen in shock, unable to utter a word.
But one, the most noble beast-kin in the land, sitting upon the throne, alone reacted in a manner befitting the moment.
He knelt, bowing his head low.
“K-King Callius!”
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