Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint - Chapter 541



The Story Left Behind, Master and Dog

The hero who saved Ende had left the city, but Ende had no time to notice. For a moment, they were lost in the sweetness of victory, yet the city was in a state of too many wounds. As the anesthesia wore off, screams and chaos echoed from every corner of Ende.

The same was true for Oberli.

From noble mtl dot com

“Kill them! Kill them!”

If Ende’s beastfolk had learned anything from Okma, it was this picket protest. Rebellions could be suppressed, petitions ignored, but this protest was truly difficult to handle. If they pushed back with force, that very number could incite a riot, heralding Okma’s return. Yet to ignore it would only give rise to more sympathizers. The guard dogs of Oberli and the peacekeepers could only watch, twiddling their thumbs.

The emboldened beastfolk of Ende raised their placards and shouted in front of Oberli.

“Where is the place that gives good beds and food to intruders and treats them!”

“If they were beastfolk, they would have already been hanged! Are you sparing them because they are human?”

“Bring them all here and execute them!”

“Let’s offer them as food for the tiger!”

Thanks to this, Oberli was also a cauldron of chaos.

The Wolf King had been defeated, but the conflict was far from over. Ende, having consumed many resources and food due to the continuous strife, had no choice but to stoke the flames of hatred to maintain their fighting spirit. Thus, Oberli revealed the cowardice of the vassal states to all of Ende, inciting their anger.

Unfortunately, their operation succeeded. The problem was that it succeeded too well.

In the meeting room of Oberli, separated by a single wall from the crowd of protesters gathered like clouds, a human shouted.

“Mayor Triver. Does this even make sense? A beastfolk calling for the execution of humans?!”

To the north of Ende lies a river that never runs dry and a wide plain blessed by it. Unlike the hot and humid south, where drought and flood alternate, the north, with its temperate climate, seems to be a land born for agriculture.

Three vassal states stretch across the territory, and with that comes much strife. Floods can erase borders, and it is even more common for lords to change hands.

Among them, the loyal subject of the Lilac Vassal State, Baron Eton, who governs the southern path leading to Ende, visited upon hearing the news. Though he claimed to be there to help Ende, everyone knew he was merely a herald of the vassal state.

Hearing the sounds from outside, he shouted.

“I have come here to assist with the tragedy that has befallen Ende. Yet, the proud Black Tiger Army of the vassal state has not only fallen to this state but is also being oppressed by beastfolk! How am I to report this sight?”

“Shut your mouth, human!”

It was a very ‘human’ statement, but the beastfolk, who had been entangled in the series of events, could no longer tolerate it. The clan leader of Oberli did not tear Baron Eton apart not because he was human, but because the clan leaders were relatively composed.

The clan leaders revealed this and shouted.

“It was you who invaded first! We were ambushed while tending to the wounded after defeating the Wolf King! You should be grateful we spared your lives, not threatening us!”

“Shall I turn you into tiger food as well?”

Fierce cries echoed from all around. In such a violent atmosphere, one could easily feel intimidated, yet Baron Eton brazenly lifted his head and replied.

“Do you have any evidence?”

“What?”

“Do you expect me to believe that the Black Tiger Army attacked you first? What on earth would the elite unit led by the Coal Sword gain by attacking you? You should at least come up with a plausible excuse!”

The audacity of the response left the beastfolk speechless. The wounds on the backs of those directly attacked had yet to heal, yet Baron Eton began to ramble on without restraint.

“The Black Tiger Corps came to aid Ende, and in the process, they were met with betrayal! You must take responsibility! Who do you think you can shift the blame onto?”

In truth, this was news as shocking as a bolt from the blue for Baron Eton as well.

Just days ago, the elite forces of the vassal state, the Black Tiger Corps, had been annihilated by betrayal. The vassal state had unwittingly become a disfigured entity. One could only wonder where the fury of the vassal state, which had gone to remove a thorn and lost an arm instead, would be directed, and whether Baron Eton’s neck would remain safe in the process.

The only way for him to maintain his title, territory, and life was to shift the blame onto Ende.

“If you’re going to die, it should have been you who died instead of the Black Tiger Corps! Why is it that only Ende remains unscathed after the onslaught of the mountain lord?”

The enraged beastfolk snorted in indignation. Although the beastfolk of Obeli were relatively dignified and older, they were still beastfolk. If those robust beings set their minds to it, they could turn Baron Eton’s limbs into toothpicks.

In this tense situation, a low voice interjected.

“Because they dared to insult the mountain lord.”

The voice of the old, wrinkled dog beastfolk was calm yet resolute.

“The Black Tiger Corps… well, they were quite rude. More so than Baron Eton. They referred to beastfolk as beastly creatures and assumed we should naturally cooperate with them. And that thought quickly manifested into action… But who could have known? That the mountain lord was quietly watching among the beastfolk.”

“The mountain lord was among you?”

“Indeed. However, the mountain lord is a noble and dignified being. He felt no reason to tolerate a human who dared to treat him with disrespect. He only ceased after killing the Black Tiger Corps and slaughtering the resisting Black Tiger Corps.”

Had he been inclined, he could have wiped out Ende’s beastfolk as well, but Mayor Triver chose not to mention that. It was better to let them misunderstand that the mountain lord was on the side of the beastfolk.

“So he merely watched!”

“Would you dare to oppose the mountain lord, Baron Eton?”

“Of course! I would never submit to a barbaric beast…”

Baron Eton abruptly shut his mouth. After all, he was also a lord of the Enger Plains.

The saying that a tiger appears when it is spoken of holds true when it comes to the king of beasts. Thus, the mountain lord was not a being to be summoned lightly, even in jest.

He had too much to lose to muster the courage. Instead of daring to call upon the mountain lord, Baron Eton seized on another point.

“Do you think their actions of killing prisoners can be excused?”

Mayor Triver found it difficult to respond to that.

The Black Tiger Corps had attacked first, and Ende’s beastfolk were taken aback by the sudden betrayal. They were enraged upon realizing the true intent of the Black Tiger Corps to drive the beastfolk out of Ende.

However, that was merely an unofficial stance. If they denied it, that would be the end of it. Even if they did not deny it, the anger of the beastfolk would be hard to justify. The perception that beastfolk were, after all, the lower class was deeply ingrained.

“Killing prisoners brutally is something that both the Empire and the Holy Court have prohibited since the fall of the tyrant! Are you planning to create a second abyss? The Holy Court will condemn your atrocities!”

And if the lower class were to kill prisoners barbarically, it would become an act of tyranny that even the Empire could not overlook. This was especially true for an Empire established to hold accountable the sins of the tyrant who had slaughtered hundreds of thousands of prisoners.

Mayor Triver replied.

“…I have no intention of killing them.”

“Hmph! The beastfolk gathered like clouds do not seem to think so! Well, they wouldn’t know the history before their birth!”

Once again, Baron Eton, filled with bravado, leapt to his feet and shouted.

—

“I don’t know what kind of ‘accident’ happened, but release the prisoners immediately and hand them over to me! Otherwise, I will personally hold those beasts accountable for their crimes!”

The beastmen, who were already treated as savages, would surely be criticized if they tried to break the order established by the fall of the tyrant. If Ende, who cannot stand alone against the vassal states, were to be condemned by the Empire or the Holy See, the only path left would be downfall.

As Mayor Trevor was in a difficult situation.

“It’s noisy. Hasn’t Obel been quiet lately? I can’t sleep.”

A familiar but unwelcome voice was heard. Duke Erectus, who had been driven out by Orkma and barely returned, appeared in the conference room in his usual manner. He yawned widely, as if he had just woken up.

Baron Eaton recognized the face of the nobleman.

“Duke Erectus! Finally, someone reasonable has arrived. These beastmen are making a fuss…”

“I said it was noisy, and I meant you, Baron Eaton.”

Duke Erectus replied irritably, picking his ear.

“Even though I’m a water duke, I’m still a duke, right? Ende is my territory. You come here without notice and cause a ruckus? Baron Eaton, is this the etiquette you boast about?”

“The situation is urgent, so I came suddenly! Besides, this is not the time for that! What about the beastmen outside?”

Baron Eaton pointed beyond the barrier. The beastmen were still protesting outside, shouting to kill or execute the prisoners. It was clear that this was the sentiment of Ende’s people.

However, Duke Erectus replied indifferently.

“Oh, that? Just leave it.”

“Leave it?”

“What can you do when a pet barks? You have to understand. What do you want?”

“Understand? The beastmen are demanding a public execution of the prisoners!”

“If your pet dog barks fiercely, would you punish it for attempted murder? There are limits to nitpicking. Who would acknowledge complaints about a beast’s cries?”

What? He doesn’t even treat the numerous beastmen protesters as humans? Baron Eaton was at a loss for words. If it were any other excuse, he would have found a way to argue, but Duke Erectus’s statement went beyond the realm of understanding.

“They were betrayed by the Black Tiger Army. It’s like whipping a sensitive beast after a fight. Naturally, they would be startled and bark at humans.”

“Do you not know the story of the fallen tyrant?”

“I know. But it’s natural that those uneducated ones don’t. I don’t have a hobby of teaching history to dogs.”

It was a clear statement treating the beastmen as mere animals. Baron Eaton wanted to argue but couldn’t come up with a suitable logic.

Are beastmen human? Some might say yes, but if asked if they are equal to humans, most would shake their heads. Baron Eaton was among the majority. The reason was largely economic; treating the numerous beastmen workers as equals would reduce profits.

But Duke Erectus treated them as mere animals, leaving Baron Eaton speechless. It was also strange to advocate for beastmen’s human rights here.

“If you understand, sit down. Stop diverting the point. Sometimes, I don’t understand the nobles of the vassal states. If you treat beastmen as animals, then treat them as animals. You treat them as animals but demand human responsibilities. What do you want?”

“Well…”

“If you have something to denounce, it’s me. So, what were you talking about? Speak to me.”

A subdued Baron Eaton poured out a series of defensive statements, claiming he had no responsibility for the situation. His words were incoherent and lengthy, but his desire to distance himself from the unprecedented annihilation of the Black Tiger Army was clear. His wish for Ende to be the villain for his own safety was blatantly evident.

Mayor Trevor felt a complex mix of emotions as he watched.

—

He was born a beastman. Despite his father being a distant branch of the imperial family, he was abandoned and cast out, unable to remain in the empire. The vassal states, where the imperial bloodline was sold at a high price, became his weapon, and Triver seized a portion of power with it.

As the mayor of Ende, Triver dreamed of an ideal world. A dream where all beastmen lived peacefully. A dream where they enjoyed the same opportunities as humans.

He wished for a world where everyone could share a meal at the same table, and no one would find it strange.

Yet perhaps, Triver was under a great delusion.

Being human did not make one superior, nor did being a beastman make one inferior. In hoping for the absurdity of others to be the same, the truly unfortunate faced real absurdity and vanished.

From the very beginning, humans and beastmen had sat at the same table. Instead of smiling harmoniously, they struggled grotesquely to snatch each other’s plates.

Perhaps the very dream of wanting to sit at the table with humans stemmed from an inferiority complex. After all, being human didn’t guarantee good relations with one’s neighbors.

As he said, humans were also beastmen.

Just as Triver sank into bitter thoughts.

“Welshi!”

Prince Erectus sprang up. Spotting his loyal dog, Welshi, who had been lurking near the conference room, he immediately stood and strode over.

“I told you to lie down, didn’t I? Your wounds aren’t fully healed yet!”

His tone sounded scolding, but his expression and actions were gentle, as if directed toward a beloved pet. Welshi, who had been waiting to avoid interrupting the meeting, had no choice but to follow Erectus as he pulled him in.

Welshi, feeling burdened by his owner’s constant scrutiny, pushed him away.

“The king took care of your wounds. You’re fine now.”

“Internal injuries take time. Rest without moving until you’re fully healed.”

“I’ve learned healing techniques, so any further treatment would be ineffective. The doctors have gone back to see other patients.”

“What? Those quacks left on their own accord?”

“It wasn’t on their own. I told them I was fine.”

“Is that all it takes? You lot. Who do you think can live off the city without humans, pretending to be a doctor? I’ll….”

Welshi spoke firmly.

“Master, I know my body best.”

“…That’s true. Tch! You’ve learned healing techniques, so fine.”

That was the end of his owner’s fussing. Welshi let out a small sigh.

After Welshi nearly died saving him, Prince Erectus completely changed his attitude toward him. He had never been stingy, but now it felt as if he would give up his own gallbladder for him, and the time he spent by the injured Welshi’s side increased.

It was a natural treatment, given that he had saved his life, but Welshi felt a heavy burden from the luxury he had never received in his life. Thus, he tried to return to his original duties as quickly as possible.

“Worry about yourself, Master. It’s dangerous to wander alone in this chaotic situation.”

Facing such a Welshi, Prince Erectus looked distinctly strange.

He was the same Erectus who had relentlessly shot barbs at Baron Eaton. If he had silenced his opponent, he wouldn’t keep talking himself, yet here he was, hesitating in front of Welshi. After a long pause, he finally spoke.

“I don’t want to be guarded by you anymore.”

—

Welshi looked up at him in surprise at the news of her unexpected dismissal.

“Did you find another companion besides me?”

“Of course not! You’re my only companion. It’s just… you’ve suffered a lot while guarding me. I just want you to stop the guarding now.”

Though the words clearly held intentions beyond mere dismissal, unfortunately, Welshi lacked the subtlety to grasp it. One couldn’t blame her, really. If anything, it was the consequence of Erectus’s habit of whipping her whenever he felt bored.

Welshi drooped her ears and tail slightly as she replied.

“…So, am I dismissed now? I guess I’ll have to find another job.”

“No, it’s not a dismissal! Just listen!”

She didn’t care about the gazes of others. Welshi and Erectus were looking at each other, despite the creaking tension between them.

Triver felt a complex mix of emotions watching them.

Perhaps he had been mistaken from the start. Instead of creating a world where humans and beastfolk could share the same table and eat the same food without issue, it might have been wiser to find those who needed each other the most, just like those two.

Triver felt as if he were crumpling the years past and tossing them into the trash. Yet, rather than feeling regret, there was a refreshing sense of clarity.

Though his time left was not long, there was much to be done. Triver felt grateful for the opportunity to move forward and do something.