496 – Ende’S Spring – 4
Around the same time, on the outskirts of Ende.
Saphien, who had been waiting for someone with his arms crossed, turned his head at the sound of approaching footsteps. It was the few pigmen who had gone to find Grull returning after completing their task.
The warriors of the Beast Party were rough and were showing sharp reactions towards the obelisk that was monitoring them. The obelisk, which had been unresponsive at first, was also becoming increasingly sensitive.
Even though Saphien was a general, he was also a noble and a public figure of the Principality. He had to exert considerable patience to not take issue with the insults being hurled by the savage and pigman warriors of the Beast Party.
Fortunately, Grull returned before his patience ran out. Saphien greeted him, saying.
“Chief Grull. Welcome to Ende…before you disappear again. I would like to convey that it would be troublesome if you were to leave without a word.”
Grull, who had roughly gauged the atmosphere, replied indifferently.
“What’s so troublesome about it? I just arrived a little early and was taking a walk.”
“The time of the appointment is set so that we can meet without any discrepancies, not just so that you can show up whenever you want.”
“Hmph. You civilized people sure do like to beat around the bush. Don’t you just want to keep an eye on me in case I cause trouble?”
“If that’s how you’re going to take it, then I have nothing to say.”
“Hmph.”
Grull snorted loudly and strode forward. At that moment, his body seemed to leap through space as if he were using a shrinking technique. Grull, who had approached Saphien’s nose in a single step, growled lowly.
“Be careful. We are barbarians, and if we are treated like troublemakers, we will really cause trouble. If you called us because you need our help, then don’t make us bristle.”
It’s not necessarily true that someone who understands the principles is highly skilled in martial arts. It is something that relies solely on talent and temperament, so there can be martial artists who understand the principles but are still lacking in some way.
However, Grull was not one of them. Having learned the method of ascension from an excellent teacher, his movements were impeccable, even to Saphien, who had honed his martial arts to the extreme of geon, gon, and gam.
The difference was not so great…but that was probably because Grull was not showing his true strength. Saphien felt a slight inferiority complex towards the pigman as he replied.
“Do not forget that we have gathered here to help ‘each other’.”
“That’s what I’m saying. I hope you don’t just talk a big game and then leave us to die.”
Although they had engaged in a great deal of psychological warfare, thanks to the fact that the leaders had had a good talk, the subordinates were able to suppress their emotions relatively easily. Saphien led the way for Grull.
Relieved in his heart.
‘Fortunately. It seems that the orcman or whatever hasn’t approached Grull.’
In fact, the reason Saphien had gone out to meet him in person and was paying attention to his movements was because of the orcman.
He had known that the pigmen had been causing trouble lately, but he had not known that they were operating in secret by organizing a secret group. It was not something he could help, as the pigmen caused problems as easily as they ate. It would be too much to ask him to pay attention just because the pigs were eating a little more than usual today.
‘I don’t know who it is, but I should thank the magician. If they had joined forces with Grull, the negotiations would have been even more disadvantageous.’
Saphien thanked someone who was not there in his heart and headed towards the obelisk with Grull.
…Unaware of the disaster that had occurred in his absence.
Also around the same time. A prison in Obely.Urkfang, the first fang and leader of the Orcish mercenary group, was with the other prisoners.
The wizard’s trickery had led to the capture of several key figures in the Orcish army. Urkfang the First Fang, Elder Shaman Halpana, Locksmith Boneclack, and Wagoner Gultha, among others. They were not many, but they were all important links who played specific roles.
Those imprisoned in the dungeon were not all of the Orcish army, but they were one of the reasons why the Orcish army had chosen to protest instead of resist. With the Orcish army’s organized functions in ruins, they had no choice but to resort to simple means such as protests.
…And this was also the reason why a mere pig like him was imprisoned in the luxurious prison of Oberi.
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“It’s quite luxurious for a prison.”
Urkfang crossed his arms in dissatisfaction. The manacles, which were tightly bound by chains, struck the wall and sparked. He could break them if he used all his strength, but his wrists would be crushed at the same time. And the obelisk guarding outside would crush his head and put him back in chains.
It was a strong restraint, but considering that Urkfang was a skilled swordsman, it was a considerate one. It was absurd to even think of trying to escape.
Urkfang realized this and grumbled.
“The bed is soft and the food is delicious. It’s heaven compared to rolling around outside. Ordinary orcs would want to be locked up for life.”
“Tsk, tsk, useless talk… If it weren’t for that Grull guy, would they have put us in Oberi? They would have thrown us into the underground dungeon of Ende.”
Elder Shaman Halpana, the oldest of the orcs, replied in a still voice. Then Locksmith Boneclack answered with a chuckle.
“Sniff, sniff. It’s not like that. I heard when I was being transferred that they were afraid that if they put the Great Mother in the wrong place, she would just disappear. Of course, would they treat us well just because Lord Grull is coming? From their point of view, we’re just dirty, ugly pigs? hehehehe. Thanks to the Great Mother.”
Locksmith Boneclack was a security guard who made pig safes and repaired locks. When he was captured and the wizard broke into the safe, the pig people lost their trust in the safe. No matter how close they were, their own money was more precious than their own people. As they gradually withdrew money from the safe, the pig people’s funds dwindled.
All of the damage was passed on to Wagoner Gultha, the Orcish army’s logistics officer. Gultha, who was caught cheating in order to make up for the lack of funds, poured out his hatred for Boneclack, who was laughing contentedly.
“Are you laughing now?! What’s so good about being locked up?”
“hehehehe. Still, it’s easier on my mind here.”
“You don’t know what kind of hardships your people are going through right now?”
“That’s true, but what can I do if I’m outside? If the wizard shows up, everything will explode in all directions.”
At the mention of the wizard’s name, everyone present bristled.
The pig people, who were not the core of the Orcish army but played a major role, had one thing in common.
They were all related to the wizard.
They had met him, provoked him, tried to catch him, or tried to harm him.
Boneclack was the one who had tried to hide from the wizard.
“That human… is someone you should never mess with.”
Boneclack, who was a technician for the pig safe, hid from the wizard when things started to go wrong. He was already not very forthcoming with his whereabouts, but he went so far as to hide and protect his hiding place with dozens of locks.However, the magician laughed at him. He found his hiding place in an instant and walked towards him without hiding his footsteps. He unlocked the six iron doors and ninety locks one by one.
Click. Click. He broke the locks that he, a skilled locksmith, had made with all his might, not with the power of qi or magic, but with pure skill. Bonecrack’s heart sank as the footsteps approached. His pride crumbled, and fear filled the void.
He wished that the magician would break down the door and charge in, capture him in one breath, and crush him. Bonecrack shivered as he wished for this… and when he came to his senses, he was being arrested for illegal key duplication and was being transferred to Oberi.
Bonecrack, who was dragged to Oberi, was relieved when he was handcuffed. He smiled brightly, something broken within him.
“At least a magician won’t come in here.”
He wanted to scold him, but Gulda couldn’t blame Bonecrack. He was also one of the victims of the magician.
Orcma, who was running out of funds, attacked the clan of the horse people in order to distribute food. The attack was easier than expected, and he fled like crazy with his accomplice in tow. After escaping to a safe place through a pre-arranged route, he encountered a strange face in the flickering firelight as he tried to share the joy of victory.
A human who introduced himself as a magician.
He saw the magician’s face, but he didn’t have a chance to explain it. He fainted right away, and when he opened his eyes again, he was surrounded by angry horse people.
Gulda muttered, recalling the magician’s brazen face.
“…Yeah. Now that I’ve been caught, the magician won’t care about us.”
His muttering, whether it was relief or self-deprecation, echoed through the prison of Oberi.
A gust of wind blew in.
The pig people were puzzled. No matter how luxurious the prison of Oberi was, it was still a prison. The windows were not large enough for the wind to blow in. This wind was the kind that would blow when the prison door opened.
In that case, someone should appear… but strangely, there was no sign of anyone. The door opened by itself.
“What’s going on? Who’s out there?”
Bonecrack looked out through the bars and asked, but there was no answer. Instead, a thin card fell in the middle of the corridor like an autumn leaf carried by the wind.
A small key was attached to the back of the card.
I didn’t do anything. I didn’t manipulate anyone to move, and I didn’t kill or harm anyone.
I just made a slight change in the personnel arrangement.
“The pig people hope for spring. They hope for a time when they can escape the past where they were eaten, escape the days when they wandered in search of freedom, and a time when they will be recognized by all.”
The wind was already within them, and it was already blowing hard, moving something huge. Even if I hadn’t pushed them, Orcma would have accomplished something. Whether they succeeded or failed.
“Even the other people sympathize with them and agree with them.”
The other people are the same. They may have a place because they are more useful than pigs, but the memory of discrimination still fills them to the bone. They are cheering for the pig people’s riot rather than trying to stop it.
There’s nothing to worry about.”Well, what do you think? Don’t you think it’s okay to try once with that much wind? Some have relationships with pigs and give birth to pig-humans, so it’s not impossible for pig-humans to become the masters of the city, right? Pig-humans or humans, they’re all beasts anyway.”
The angry pig-human charged. He swung the picket sign that had been displaying the words as a weapon and charged at the enemy of their dreams. The peaceful protest had now turned into a riot, threatening to engulf the city.
The retreating security forces and the fleeing Erektus Palace under the escort of the obelisk. The furious pig-humans chased after the distant palace and attacked the obelisk.
“I’m more curious about what they’ll do in the spring that comes to them than the spring they’re looking for.”
With its high and sturdy walls and the powerful force of the obelisk, the obelisk will not fall so easily. The pig-human’s protest, which was carried out impulsively, will end as a riot, not a revolution.
Unless there are people who will respond from within, or there are strong reinforcements.
A dry spring wind blew in Ende.