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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“I caught some monsters! Dinner and breakfast!”
Lua announced cheerfully, skipping into the cave. Cluna and Clara’s faces twisted into grimaces, but they quickly masked their expressions.
‘He must have been through a lot these past three years. Taking in an orphaned child… it’s understandable.’
They forced themselves to think positively, desperately trying to preserve the fragile peace of their reunion. They plastered on smiles and welcomed Lua.
Oblivious to their inner turmoil, Lua beamed, basking in their attention.
Hans watched from a distance, then sighed and stood up. It was time to get down to business.
“Do you know if the others are alive?”
“Yes, I had the fairies keep an eye on them.”
“Fairies?”
“They probably noticed, but…”
“If they didn’t say anything, it means they approved.”
Hans was relieved.
They weren’t completely estranged. And he was grateful that things were going relatively smoothly.
He nodded.
“So, where’s the most urgent situation?”
“Urgent… well…”
“I wish I could visit everyone at once, but that’s impossible. We need to prioritize.”
Perhaps it was the influence of the Dragon Heart, or perhaps it was simply his experience as Commander. Hans was thinking clearly, choosing the most practical course of action.
If he had arrived even a little later, he might not have been able to save Clara. Time Regression was a power that transcended death, but it was still imperfect. It was the first time he had used it, and his skill was lacking.
He could improve with the Dragon Heart’s power, but that would take time.
So, he chose to prioritize the comrade in the most immediate danger. Cluna’s expression turned troubled.
“…There is one member who’s in a dangerous situation.”
“Who? Helia? Ruby?”
“Bayard.”
“Bayard? That Bayard?”
The name surprised Hans.
Bayard, in terms of raw strength, surpassed even Yuren.
‘How could she be in danger?’
It was unexpected, but not impossible. He needed to hurry. If Bayard was in trouble, the situation must be dire.
“What happened?”
“To put it simply, Bayard overthrew Yuyoung and became the new leader of the Twelve Tribes.”
“…?!”
Hans thought he had misheard. He looked at Cluna, searching her eyes for any sign of deception. But she held his gaze. It was true.
“Bayard is the leader of the Twelve Tribes? What are you talking about?”
“Exactly that. She’s the chieftain of the Rat Tribe, leading all twelve tribes.”
“The Rat Tribe? Not the Bear Tribe?”
Hans frowned.
The Rat Tribe were notoriously shady. The thought of timid Bayard leading them filled him with anxiety.
“Do you know what they call her now?”
“Her title?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know.”
He racked his brain, but he couldn’t think of anything.
Vanguard of the Royal Knights, maybe?
Cluna answered,
“They call her the Tyrant.”
“The… what?”
He couldn’t keep up with the unexpected turns of events. Bayard, the Tyrant, chieftain of the Twelve Tribes…
Hans sighed.
“I can’t believe it. But you’ve never lied to me, Cluna.”
“Thank you.”
“So, what do you mean by ‘dangerous’?”
“That’s why they call her the Tyrant.”
Three years ago, when Hans was officially declared missing, the Beastkin had been the first to react. They had relied on Hans’s mediation to establish peace with the Orcs.
With Hans gone, their relationship with the Orcs had deteriorated, and they had lost their advantage in the war against the demons. It meant falling behind the other races.
Bayard had returned to the Beastkin with a solution, prove her strength through overwhelming force. And so, she became known as the Tyrant.
“Of course, it’s a nickname given by the Orcs, so take it with a grain of salt.”
“They haven’t gone to war, have they?”
“Not yet, but they’ve clashed several times.”
“At least they’re keeping their promise.”
Hans was surprised.
The Orcs and the Twelve Tribes had a treaty, but with Hans gone, there was no one to enforce it. They could have easily gone to war.
Yet, they had somehow managed to prevent a full-scale conflict. It was a surprisingly civilized response, considering they were essentially two groups of glorified animals.
The Twelve Tribes had resorted to political pressure, while the Orcs had staged armed protests, encroaching on Beastkin territory.
The conflict was simmering just below the surface. Hans clicked his tongue.
“They haven’t crossed the line yet. That’s something, at least.”
“True.”
“But why do they call her a tyrant?”
This was another mystery. If they hadn’t gone to war with the Orcs, there was no reason for Bayard to be called a tyrant.
Cluna sighed.
“There was a major clash between the Orcs and the Twelve Tribes. That’s when she earned the nickname.”
“What happened?”
“I’m sorry, I don’t know the details.”
“That’s enough.”
He was grateful for the information Cluna had provided. And now, it was time. Time for the unpleasant but necessary conversation.
Cluna and Clara looked at Hans, their expressions somber, sensing his shift in mood.
Lua, who knew what they had done, remained silent.
“I know what you did to me.”
“…”
“Why?”
He had spent three years thinking about it.
Had he failed them somehow? Was there another reason? He had reached a conclusion, he couldn’t understand.
“We’re sorry, Commander. We didn’t stop her.”
“That’s the same as condoning it.”
“I’m asking for a reason.”
“We were certain you would leave.”
“Certain?”
“Yes.”
Cluna spoke for both of them.
Watching Hans from the sidelines, they had all felt it, the underlying fear that he would leave someday. They had all sensed it.
“There’s no excuse. We’re truly sorry.”
“We sincerely apologize, Commander.”
“Clara, that…”
“Yes.”
Cluna and Clara bowed their heads simultaneously. They knew there were no excuses. To atone for their actions, they began to remove their clothes.
… What?
“Wait.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Why are you taking your clothes off?”
He thought they might be joking, but their expressions were too serious. They looked at him as if he was the strange one.
He had been so flustered that he hadn’t stopped them until they had half-removed their shirts.
Was that even the issue? Wasn’t it natural to be flustered when someone suddenly started undressing in front of you?
As he struggled with this utterly reasonable dilemma, Cluna nodded, as if understanding his confusion.
Hans felt a flicker of hope.
“It must seem strange to you. It’s an elven tradition.”
“An elven tradition? To undress?”
“No, undressing is just a part of it.”
“?”
“You undress, assume the lowest possible position, and beg for forgiveness. It’s a form of apology reserved for the most heinous of crimes, like betraying one’s own kind…”
‘It’s just a naked dogeza!!!’
He couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud. He just stared at them, flustered.
How had things come to this? He had intended to forgive them, but… this was a bit much.
Oh, right.
He had been so focused on their situation that he had forgotten.
This was an erotic game.
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[Your Text Here]
When he said “you never lied to me before” I was worried, like fid he really just forget it? Glad he didn’t. That’s a weird apology tho
I totally forgot that this world is based on erotic game
Too much utsu for ero to exist
That escalated quickly
And man I forgot that world was an erotic game