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67. Rupture

After receiving the ear of rice from Koe-san, I presented it to Duke Abik.

「I heard that this land was once a rich forest. However, that richness has been snatched away, and now only barren land remains. The werewolves are working hard to bring back the richness of their birth land.」

Lord Abik listened to my story while staring intently at the rice.

「Those are the people who chose me to be their king. They are the ones who have decided to live in this land, even if it means drinking mud water. I have decided to become the king of those who have been robbed.」

「King of those who were robbed, huh. I understand your position. But to avoid any regrets, let me ask you this just once.」

「Go ahead.」

「Become my subordinate. I will grant you a title and eventually give you half of the territory.」

I could tell from the duke’s eyes that this was not a joke nor honeyed words. “Becoming a noble…!?”, Altora muttered from behind. But for me, it wasn’t even an option.

「I decline. You of all people should know best that if I won’t be able to protect the demi-humans if I become a noble.」

「You do not allow room for a counter argument even. Even though we have only talked for a short while, I feel like I have met an acquaintance of 10 years and an old rival of 20 years at the same time.」

「I understand that it is more than what a failed adventurer like me deserves. I apologize for the disrespect, but I can’t accept it.」

Duke Abiku lowered his gaze and took a deep breath.

When he raised his head again, he had already returned to the face of a lord protecting his country and territory.

「King of those who were robbed. But you are still missing one thing to rule the people.」

「What’s missing?」

「This.」

Lord Abik crushed the fresh rice ear in his hand. The moment we were captivated by that act, the Duke pulled out the sword from his waist. The blade, which could not be caught by the eye, cut into Shizuku’s ear and stopped.

「Lord Abik doesn’t like fighting, that’s what I heard. But I’ve never heard that he can’t fight, I suppose.」

He was fast. If we do not consider skills, his sword speed was higher than Altora, an active adventurer.

Lord Abik did not even sheath his sword and proclaimed in a voice that could be heard by his entire army.

「Demi-humans and their leader, do not ever forget this! If you bare your fangs at us even once, the elite soldiers of the Abik territory will destroy you!」

An “enemy”.

Duke Abik was saying that’s the one thing I’m missing. Pretty words are not enough to unite the people. Bitter enemies create the unity needed to face difficulties.

We are enemies. We protect each other by hating each other.

「Then our response is this. —[God Blade/Three Moon Sword], activate.」

I destroyed Lord Abik’s sword with a single flash. I then turned on my heel and started walking down the icy road, accompanied by Koe-san and Shizuku.

「I-I…?」

「I told you, didn’t I? There’s still something I need you to do.」

Altora, who was brought here to take responsibility for this battle, will be left here. He will receive appropriate justice from the part of the duke.

As I was about to leave, the Duke’s voice came from behind.

「Laugh at me as incompetent. What you accomplished in three months, I couldn’t accomplish in twenty years.」

「When you laugh at someone as incompetent, you become disillusioned that you have become great. The result of that corruption is the man over there, O’ Duke.」

Where did we go wrong?

Those were the last words I heard.

◆◆◆

In this way, the wolf’s hidden village became known throughout the territory. Even now, the exact location is kept secret, and supplies and information continue to be exchanged through Kinui.

After about a month, unexpected visitors came to the village. No, perhaps I should say that they returned?

「Um…」

「…Bellman?」

They were part of Duke Abik’s private army, and members of the Bellman Squad who were once kept in the village as prisoners of war.

The three have already been returned to Lord Abik as promised. The three should have returned to society after their death certificate was withdrawn, but they were standing at the entrance of the village again for some reason.

「I was wondering if it would be possible for us to live here too…」

Even Asagi, who was sent by the villagers to receive them, was confused by their humble attitude.

「But Bellman-dono, I am sure you all have homes and workplaces to return to.」

「……No.」

「No?」

「There’s no way we can return home! We’re suddenly the center of attention as the outcasts who tried to feed Miss Shizuku to monsters!」

「…I suppose so.」

「We can bear the voices that chide us. However, we receive mountains of letters every day from radical demi-human eradicationists telling us that we have done a good job and that we should do more… Unbeknownst to us, we were infected with such fiendish ideas. We were keenly made aware of that…」

According to him, it seems that Shizuku’s popularity outside the village has skyrocketed. The anecdote about her success in Kinui and how she destroyed a cannonball seems to be spreading.

It is easy to imagine the shame from having attempted to use such a hero as food for monsters. Her father, Asagi, also had a sour look on his face.

「Hmm, even if you say so…」

「No, we understand. We reap what we sow. We should be grateful enough that you let us live. But we have no other job except in this place! Please!」

「It’s fine. We don’t have enough miners for the Farthest Ends of Blue.」

「Marge-dono?」

Seeing that it would be difficult for the villagers to respond, I lent out a helping hand.

「But of course, I’ll work you guys to the bone. That’s fine, right?」

「O-Of course! We haven’t inherited Mello’s will yet!」

And so, the Bellman squad joined the village. They brought in detailed information about the situation outside the village.

It seems that Duke Abik had been wary of the country labeling him as a pro-demihuman faction. But it is said that by displaying his opposition to the demihumans in this case, he is less likely to be interfered with.

When the White Phoenix Knights Order blamed them for retreating mid-way, the fact that the Knights Order in question suffered heavy losses proved the enemy’s strength and actually supported the duke.

「Things seem to have finally settled down for the moment.」

After listening to their story, Asagi looked up at the picture frame on the wall and muttered with a mysterious expression on his face.

The rice that Duke Abik had crushed was stored there like an emblem on a flag.

「The one who sympathizes with us the most is also our enemy. This must be karma.」

「I don’t mind if it protects the village.」

According to Bellman, there is also a broken family heirloom on display in the duke’s residence – that sword seems to have been an ancestral item. I still don’t know if the day will come when rice and sword will intersect.

With that, another half a month passed.