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Chapter 261

It turned out that Nessa, the Elken chief and leader of the Seven Fangs, had come with her guard, Panz, for the very reason expected by Gwandan.

Gwandan would not have been inclined to listen in to the conversation of the two if the arrangements had been less careless. Yet, there was clear sincerity in their words to the refugees from the last settlement who had settled in, and there was no pretense in their concerned attitudes.

The Seven Fangs were in a rather pressing situation themselves, yet Nessa and Panz did not seem the slighest bit flustered or anxious as they walked about among the refugees from the last settlement whom they had taken in and listened to their concerns and comments one by one.

The defeat of over 500 members of the 4th Battalion of the Black Lotus Knights must be of great significance, and they would be expecting a large-scale battle with the Romal Empire in the near future.

Dusk was already approaching when Nessa and Panz finished their rounds around the refugee camp and made their way over to Gwandan. Smoke was already beginning to rise in the air from cooking fires.

Nessa was the leader of the Seven Fangs and the Elkens. Time was like gems to her, yet she still made allowances to interact with Gwandan and his companions.

Nessa and Panz walked over to Gwandan just as he was explaining his golems and their uses to the refugees. Once the refugees had finished settling in, these golems would also assist with preparing ingredients for dinner.

There was the sound of babies crying and the gentle voices of mothers and family members soothing them; the groans of those in pain or suffering from fevers; the complaints of those who were starving; the thuds that came with wood chopping and cutting of ingredients for cooking; and the crackling from fires. This was the bustle of joy from a group of people who had finally found a safe refuge.

Amidst these sounds, Gwandan faced Nessa and Panz.

「Is it all right for us to speak now?」

Gwandan responded to Nessa’s cheerful smile by putting down the bundle of firewood that he had just picked up.

Nessa’s smile revealed no signs of fatigue despite the immense amount of stress she faced every day. Her hands held the fates of tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people as the chieftain and an important member of the rebel army. Gwandan was honestly impressed by this strong woman.

「Yes, if it won’t take too long. Besides, your time is far more precious than mine.」

「I didn’t expect you to be concerned about that. Got it, and everyone else won’t be able to rest comfortably if I stay here for long. Mr. White Dragon, we’ve heard about your rampage against the Romal Empire in the plains some distance away. We’ve come to ask for your help, but we can only get into the details at another time.」

「Well, that’s the only reason possible reason for coming over, and I thank you for your consideration. Since I’m already under employment, shall I bring my employer and colleagues to speak with you? There’ll be seven of us.」

「Sure, it’s no problem since we’re the ones extending this invitation to you, though I didn’t know you’re under employment. I’ll be available tomorrow afternoon, so you can come over at any time. How does that sound?」

「Sure, but please excuse me. I doubt I’ll be able to meet your expectations.」

「I never bore any expectations to begin with, and we can’t live our lives just banking on luck anyway. If I receive a rejection, then I’ll just have to grapple with that. You don’t have to take this too seriously either. Sorry for taking up your time.」

Panz, Nessa’s guard, remained silent throughout the exchange, though he did not take his eyes off Gwandan for a moment. He was a warrior who had trained to spark the rebellion against the Romal Empire, and he instinctively understood a fact with just one glance at the dragonian before him. This was a monster that would not be defeated even if all the warriors of the Seven Fangs, including himself, took him on in battle.

There seemed to be gripping fear within Panz that once this dragonian who was speaking so rationally right now bared his fangs, the entire Elkeney and the rebel forces would be crushed to pieces. Whatever Panz was feeling was in no way as exaggeration as he remained struck by terror.

Gwandan waited until Nessa and Panz were out of sight. Only then did his usual “Fumu” hum out. Just as the Romal Empire was divided into two factions, the rebel forces were not monolithic either. The latter, too, was split into several factions.

The Seven Fangs, including the Elkens, were tightly knit, and their cooperation with other rebel forces were going well. However, the friction between rebel groups deepened the farther south one went, exacerbating in areas farther from the battlefield of the Romal Empire. There would soon be a need to check on the status of the forces involved in these conflicts.

「Are these rebel forces we first meet the best of them all?」

As Gwandan muttered to himself, he returned to help with the preparations.

After a few hours, Amria had finally returned from rushing about among the refugees. Wide smiles hung on the faces of Yachiyo and Fuuko as they returned from their chats with adventurers they were acquainted with. They had informed these adventurers of their own well-being and learned of the happenings in Elkeney ever since they were last here.

Dinner consisted of vegetable stew, porridge made from assorted grains, and smoked freshwater fish prepared with food supplies provided by Elkeney. After they finished eating and were ready to head to bed, Gwandan began speaking.

A lamp was placed in the center, and the stars shined brightly and steadfastly in the night sky, worlds apart from the struggles of the mortal world. The three maid sisters had finished cleaning up the dishes, the dog and fox were patting their swelling bellies with satisfaction, and Amria’s face was slightly clouded over with gloom. All of them were listening to Gwandan as he spoke.

「I have something to tell all of you. Elken Az Nessa, the chieftain of the Elkens, came to greet me with a specific purpose of speaking to me.」

「While I was speaking with my old friends, I heard about her. She seems to be a very respectable person.」

「By the way, when Hachi and I were captured by traffickers, Lady Nessa seemed to be the woman in the other prison cell. I don’t know if she’s reckless or fearless by playing the bait herself…」

「For someone of such personage to speak with Gwandan… There can be only one thing she wants of you.」

Yachiyo’s thoughts were often scattered when she even had them, but she was not that dull to miss the proposal at the tip of Gwandan’s tongue.

「I told them that we were not in the best situation to speak calmly when they approached me, so I requested for a meeting with all of you tomorrow afternoon. I’m truly sorry that I made such arrangements before informing you, but I think this is a good opportunity for us to speak with a leader of the rebels. She’s likely to propose our allegiance to her forces. Despite my short chat with her, she’s not a person who would cause us any harm if we refused her offer or refrained from going to her. Ana, I’ll leave the decision to you.」

Amria did not doubt Gwandan’s evaluation of Nessa’s character in the slightest. Despite Gwandan being a commoner in Arkrest Kingdom, even the ignorant Amria was certain that there was more to him than met the eye. More than anything, Amria trusted Gwandan and Dran with all her heart.

「I understand. I would certainly like to speak with the leader of the Seven Fangs and grasp the thoughts, ideals, and circumstances of Nessa.」

「That’s the spirit. Besides, they mean us no harm, so there’s nothing to fear. Gundeus and Kyrlinne, you don’t have to be so on edge. That being said, you’re not hoping that they go on a rampage, are you?」

The expressions that appeared on the faces of the two when Gwandan called them out for their thoughts are not to be mentioned to preserve their reputations. However, Lynette certainly held her head as if she was suffering from a headache.

The next morning, Gwandan and his companions worked with a pulsing drive to finish that afternoon’s work in the morning as well. After a quick lunch, they made their way to the former Governor-General’s office.

Just a few months ago, the building had been a symbol of the Romal Empire’s rule over Elkeney. It had now been transformed into the headquarters of the Seven Fangs, and the soldiers who once guarded the restored main gate had been replaced by Elken men and women, as well as beast and insect races.

The perimeter of the former Governor-General’s office made up the final stronghold of Elkeney. Even within the entire Elkeney, the air was prickly with tension due to the knowledge of the upcoming decisive battle with the Romal Empire.

The refugee camp and living area for non-combatants had probably been distanced from the former Governor-General’s office to avoid excessive anxiety from the tense atmosphere of the battlefield.

Gwandan gazed upon the former Governor-General’s office, where all the flags and emblems of the Romal Empire had been changed to those of the Seven Fangs. Nostalgia crept into his mind of the time when he, Dramina, Selina, and Diadora had secretly assisted in the attack on the Governor-General’s office.

When Gwandan informed the gatekeepers about his arrangement with Nessa from yesterday, they let him in swiftly. These guards had probably lowered their guard as well since Gwandan and his companions had not brought any weapons with them.

Just by entering the former Governor-General’s office, it was clear that a battle was imminent. People were rushing about to confirm and arrange the supplies and manpower for combat.

The Raider Battalion that had been attacking the Romal Empire’s supply lines at sporadic moments were back, and the Seven Fangs had finished reorganizing their formation. They were currently paying close attention to the Romal Empire’s stronghold—Karplau Castle.