513 – Time Of Dogs And Wolves – 1
“…It was the most humiliating day of my life.”
Sapien’s words were not an exaggeration, but rather an understatement. Grull snorted and retorted.
“Losing to Suin?”
“Suin, who defeated me, is ruining this city.”
Ende is a city where Saint Enger planted his flag and cultivated the land. Over the years, it has had many names, such as Dawn Fortress, Pioneer Village, Border White Ridge, and Free City, and has undergone as many changes as its names.
Obelisk Sapien, a descendant of Enger Border White and a public figure of Ende, said, suppressing his humiliation.
“This city is a land that Saint Enger himself named. Not only is this city being taken away by Suin and the barbarians, but it is also abandoning the pride and duty of the city. It was so humiliating that I wanted to bite my tongue.”
“You talk a lot for someone like that. Your tongue must be a little sore.”
“I can’t close my eyes until I return this ruined city.”
“You talk well for someone who has never died. Of all the dead men I’ve seen, there was only one who couldn’t close his eyes. The one whose eyelids were eaten first.”
The conversation between the two was like a duel, only without weapons. Of the two who had been glaring at each other, Sapien was the first to back down. Not because his courage was small, but because he had already lost once.
“Don’t act like you’re a king just because you beat me, Grull. I’m just a mediocre person who would be trampled underfoot in the Principality. As a craftsman, you wouldn’t even be in the top five in the Principality. If you include magicians, there would be even more. If you don’t want to be branded as a national, you’ll have to work harder.”
Despite Sapien’s warning, Grull replied leisurely.
“What’s that? In our tribe, we have to call our parents by their names when we’re over ten years old. We can’t use the words mother and father.”
“What’s the difference?”
“It means that even a ten-year-old doesn’t whine about going to Mom and Dad. Do you get it now?”
Sapien’s face flushed for a moment at the open insult, but he soon counterattacked with style.
“My apologies. I thought that was a saying that came from parents dying early. I apologize.”
“…Ugh.”
Grull, who had been hit by an unexpected blow, made a sound that could have been laughter or a groan. It was probably not a deliberate remark, but the tradition was indeed born out of the fact that parents died early.
‘No, it hurts more that it wasn’t a deliberate remark. Death must be much rarer in the Principality.’
Just when they had both been wounded and were in a slight lull.
The confrontation between the two ended with the sound of hooves. Suin, who had galloped in with the breeze, waved cheerfully at Sapien.
“Sapien! You’ve been cursed! But I’m glad your body is okay!”
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“Teia.”
Teia, a member of the Obely and the honorary director of the Pabal Clan Friendship Association, approached Sapien without hesitation and spoke. Grull was taken aback by the way she treated a public figure like a friend, but Sapien replied as if he were used to it.
“Have you caught the horse Suin who caused the looting in Ende?”
“Yes! I may not be good at guarding the stables, but I’m good at bringing back horses that have gone out!”
“I’m sorry. You must be recovering.”
“If you know, then praise me!”
“Thank you. Good job.”
“What, just with words?”
“…Maybe we can have a running match later. I’m sure I’ll lose.”
“Ehehehehe! Okay! No backing out!”
Teia winked and walked out with a plump gait. She seemed to be walking lightly, but by the time she noticed, she was already far away.
Grull was secretly surprised by her swift movements.
‘She’s fast.’
It’s common knowledge that horse Suin is fast, but she was faster than any horse Suin Grull had ever seen. Grull asked.
“What is that?”
Sapien frowned and replied.
“Be careful with that horse. It’s a racehorse from the Empire.”
“A racehorse?”
“Horse person. Horse Suin.”
Feeling that he needed to explain a little, Sapien explained before Grull could ask any more questions.
“Horse racing, a sport where horse Suin who have mastered ki compete, is still a popular sport in the Empire. And she was the best racehorse of her time. She’s retired now due to an injury, though.”
“Is an Imperial racehorse on par with a public figure?”
“Of course not.”
As if to say that there should be no misunderstanding, Sapien replied quickly, almost urgently.
“I should be the one showing respect. She’s just a very outgoing person, so we talk openly.”
Grull was stunned and asked back.
“What? To a horse Suin? The Empire is very discriminatory, if not less so.”
“That’s right, Grull. There’s no one in the Empire who believes that racehorses and humans are equal. But there are countless people who would choose the latter without hesitation if they had to choose between killing a racehorse and a human. Some people would even choose the latter over a hundred times.”Obelisk Sapien had seen enough of the wilderness. The savage land where the law of the jungle prevailed, where beasts armed with horns, teeth, and claws enforced the logic of the survival of the fittest, was cruel enough.
But when he turned his head and looked at the pinnacle of civilization, the empire. Was it really the opposite of savagery?
Sapien knew that it was not. That was why Sapien did not ignore or harass the pigmen even though he reigned as a public figure.
Humans were not equal in the first place. That’s why he had no qualms about discriminating against the pigmen.
‘Discrimination’ was natural.
“If they were not citizens of the empire, but commoners of a vassal state, it would not be worth worrying about. Grull, you should rather be grateful that I have kept you locked up. If you had attacked her, the empire would have introduced a new sport called beast hunting. Not that she is someone who can be caught by anyone.”
“…There’s a lot of everything.”
“You need to know everything to rule a city. The downfall of the pigmen was a foregone conclusion. They have never ruled a city before.”
Since Obelisk’s return, the city had been creaking, but it had gradually become more organized. It was not because Obelisk was an outstanding human being, but simply because they were more familiar with it.
But the difference was too great. Grull, an outsider, and even the pigmen who had lived in the city did not know what means were available where and could not even access them.
If it hadn’t been for the help of Triber, the market master, who helped them in both material and spiritual ways, they would have collapsed in a day. Grull realized this fact after watching the city for a few days.
Of course, other facts as well.
“But it doesn’t seem impossible.”
“What?”
“What Obelisk does so proudly, at best, is to borrow and bring in the power of other clans. The sheepmen make military supplies, the smallmen till the land and set traps, and the horsefolk gather and move people. What do you do? Growl? Oh, that’s what the dogmen do.”
“As a public figure of Ende, we coordinate everyone and show our strength…”
“Triber, the market master, coordinates everyone, and strength?”
Sapien’s Obelisk was able to reign, not only because of his authority as a public figure, but of course, because of his strength. If he could have persuaded the free and violent pigmen with words alone, the proverb “reading scriptures to a deaf ear” would not have been born.
So now that a stronger force exists openly, its significance is bound to fade considerably. Even more so if you have experienced defeat once.
“Isn’t it too much for your strength? That’s why you’re borrowing our hand.”
Grull shrugged, pointing out the fact.
No matter how strong Obelisk’s force is, his hands are short and his feet are slow. Moreover, now that his authority has fallen and his power has been reduced, Obelisk alone could not solve the chaos that was happening everywhere and prepare for war. Grull, who had completely controlled the pigmen and taken over the city, was a force that Ende desperately needed.
‘If only we had Obelisk’s know-how, would the pigmen be able to run the city on their own? Hmm, is that really possible….’
The biggest administration in the city was being done by Triber, the market master, a dogman. If Grull had managed Ende from the beginning instead of Oakma, the results might have been different. Sapien fell into contemplation.
‘It’s fortunate that the pigmen are not causing any trouble, but it’s scary how they all follow orders in unison… It’s convenient. I have to admit it. The pigmen’s community is much more cohesive and systematic than I expected. It’s helpful now, but it could be a threat to Ende later….’
However, in a situation where he is facing the wolf king, a small threat that may come later is too trivial. Sapien chose his words and replied.
“…I wouldn’t have had to borrow it even if I hadn’t fought the wolves.”
“Whether you like it or not, you’re destined to fight the wolves? You must have borrowed it.”
“Aren’t you the same?”
Of course, the beastmen who were competing directly with the wolves were in a more urgent situation than Ende. Grull nodded coolly.
“Let’s help the dog king and get rid of the wolves first. Until then, let’s put our complaints aside for a while.”
“…Yes. Let’s see if we can defeat the wolf king.”
In the end, the conclusion came down to one thing.
The wolf king. Let’s see after we defeat the evil that threatens humans.
Suddenly, Grull looked around and said.
“By the way, where is the wizard?”
“Why?”
“He said he had a plan.”
Looking for an outsider in front of Ende’s top military authority. It’s an overreach. Sapien replied with displeasure.
“We have a plan if it’s a plan.”
“My clan also came up with a boring plan to set up a lot of traps. I know because I’ve done it, but it’s not an option. The wolves will either avoid the traps or dismantle them altogether.”
Sapien, who had not heard any news while he was in confinement, asked in astonishment.
“Dismantle? Wolves?”
Sapien was rational and tended to accept the given situation, but that was all. He, too, was a public figure with deep-rooted prejudices.
The moment he realized that, Grull felt like letting it all go.”Huh. You and I. We don’t know much about each other. You don’t even know that wolves can use qi.”
“What. How could a beast possibly imitate such a sophisticated technique created by humans.”
If you just gain enough experience, even a pig-human can rule a city. It was just something I said in passing, but Grull seriously considered the possibility.
There wasn’t much difference between humans and pig-humans. Just like the magician said.
Grull asked again.
“So what about the magician?”
***
“Huh? What?”
Luckily, I ran into Teia and told her, who would be the main character of this war, about the plan.
“I mean it. Teia. You have to become the bait to lure out the wolf king.”