“I heard you are liberating the Beastman Slaves.”
“To be precise, it’s all the Ain slaves, but most are Beastmen.”
At Kanak’s probing words, I nodded.
Come to think of it, the organization known as the Beastman Resistance Army seemed to have some interest in freeing their enslaved kin, or maybe not.
To prevent any potential loss of human resources, I added a preemptive warning.
“I’ll say this in advance: if you ask me to take in the Beastmen, I’ll refuse.”
“Of course. I am not so bold as to make such an shameless request in front of the leader of a rising power that has brought down the Bertica Kingdom.”
Quite cooperative. I suddenly realized that manners stem from power.
Perhaps judging that the surrounding vigilance had eased a bit, Kanak’s gaze shifted quietly.
His eyes quickly scanned the room as if to lightly measure our strength, and suddenly stopped at Eleonora.
“That Dragonkin… is she the girl from three years ago…?”
“Yes, that’s Eleonora. Look how she’s grown!”
Feeling pride like a parent showing off their well-raised child, I shrugged my shoulders.
Perhaps wanting to show a more solemn demeanor than in the past, Eleonora had an unnecessarily stiff expression, yet her tail, writhing like an eel after being salted, drew attention so much that honestly, I couldn’t see anything else.
Still, seeing how the girl I once ordered around had completely grown up was heartwarming in its own way.
Unexpectedly, Kanak, who had been unable to take his eyes off Eleonora for quite a while, finally seemed to gather his determination and opened his mouth.
“I have a question. May I ask?”
“That depends on the question. Go ahead.”
“Why did you accept the Ain slaves? For what purpose?”
Ah-ha.
I was beginning to see what Kanak wanted from our meeting.
He wanted a clear answer.
A guarantee that I wouldn’t betray them if the Resistance Army surrendered, and a guarantee that I wouldn’t abandon the Beastmen.
In the past, the Resistance Army had failed to bring down even Pahera while hiding in the shadows of the Elves.
They succeeded in occupying a small town in the kingdom’s southwest amid the chaos, but Kanak knew that if the Vampires moved their army to quell them, they would have no chance of fighting back.
“I will not forsake those who follow me, no matter what their race may be.”
That’s why Kanak opened the Castle Gate before he lost it in battle and dedicated the city he fought so hard to conquer.
If I were willing to accept the Resistance Army, which had sheltered from human sight since the fall of Albresia, it was necessary to create the justification and merit for them to be accepted.
Realistically, maintaining an independent faction was deemed impossible; thus, they chose which power to affiliate with.
“By the way, I doubt that’s all you came to ask.”
Kanak sought a clear reply and was already half convinced.
If this cautious Beastman thought there was even a slight chance of an unfavorable outcome, he would never have brought the entire Resistance Army to the Royal Capital.
Kanak remembered Eleonora.
This meant he also recalled the bond we formed that transcended our races during our time in the Mist Labyrinth.
In other words, he hoped that the Resistance Army would be accepted without prejudice, just like Eleonora.
“That’s right. To get straight to the point… I, Kanak Deivalt, leading the Beastman Resistance Army, wish for our integration into your forces, Progenitor.”
See, I knew it.
This was news I was glad to hear.
To be frank, in terms of combat strength, the Beastman Resistance Army holds no value.
It’s a bit harsh to say, but after failing to fully conquer even Pahera despite the cover of the Mist Labyrinth, what could this Resistance Army do against Knights or Imperial troops?
But the same goes for the Beastmen, once slaves, under my command.
Despite their insufficient power, there were places where they could be utilized.
For instance, in maintaining public order within the city, they could serve as a very useful workforce to fill the gap left by the Vampires who have restrictions on daytime activities.
“No need to worry about the Beastmen’s defection either.”
By my standards, accepting a not insignificant scale of armed group, even if they weren’t a powerhouse, seemed favorable.
The number of Beastmen following me might still be small in relation to my overall power, but with the addition of the Resistance Army, it could no longer be labeled an exception.
At that point, my forces would no longer be a group comprised mostly of Vampires with a few exceptions, but rather a true multi-racial collective.
“Let me make it clear: I don’t forgive traitors. Do you remember when your subordinate tried to sell Eleonora in the Mist Labyrinth? If something similar happens again, it won’t be as gentle next time.”
This part definitely needed to be addressed.
Yet, Kanak nodded, as if he expected this response.
“I already confirmed the will of everyone before coming here. All the Beastmen I brought today are those who accepted integration into the Vampire forces, while those who didn’t have stayed in the west. There’s nothing to worry about, and if there is, please dispose of them without mercy.”
“Why the need to prostrate yourselves like that?”
I asked purely out of curiosity.
From what I remembered, Kanak was uncompromising when choosing his methods, yet rather steadfast regarding his goals.
Just look at how he pounded on Pahera like hitting a rock with an egg, knowing fully well that the Resistance Army couldn’t bring it down, nor could they protect it from being retaken.
Well, it would have been easier for them to have some less prejudice towards the Duchies, given that Vampires and Beastmen have coexisted in a non-cohabitative way, but even considering that, I couldn’t understand why they would lower themselves and abandon their identity as a group of Beastmen.
“Currently, the continent is dominated by four forces: the fallen Elves, the silent Dragonkin, the Luminous Kingdom, the Empire, and the Beastmen under your leadership. For the weak to survive, they must adopt suitable survival tactics. The Resistance Army has always been an organization made up of oppressed Beastmen and has never enforced a singular identity as a Beastman-only faction. Isn’t it better to enter under a powerful faction than to live a life in hiding?”
So they understood they had no chance on their own.
Hearing this sounded like a classic Kanak decision. Ultimately, they would still be fighting on the opposing side of humanity.
But that meant there was another option aside from coming under my leadership.
“Then wouldn’t it be easier to go to the Suwong Kingdom?”
“Just as the Sahelrn Duchy and Helraig Duchy have been at odds, Beastmen, though of the same race, do not form a single faction. Of course, in the case of the Resistance Army and the Suwong Kingdom, it is not that they have a bitter relationship like the Duchies, but rather simply have no common ground and no geographical means of contact. However, I know for a fact that you, Progenitor, do not betray loyalty, as I have experienced it myself. That’s why I deemed this place better compared to the unknown Suwong Kingdom.”
It didn’t sound like he was just making this up on the spot.
Well, now that they had reached this point, handling their level of trouble wasn’t really difficult.
‘Now that I’ve heard everything I need to hear.’
To check if I had missed something, I scanned the group for confirmation.
Judging they saw no harm in accepting, Martini was the first to signal.
Eleonora and Lavina slowly nodded as if to say, “Isn’t this fine?” and even though Plona seemed a bit reluctant, she left the decision to me.
“Alright. I’ll accept you.”
“…I will never forget this grace.”
Kanak’s shoulders tensed up.
However, the relief on his face seemed like someone who had just laid down a heavy burden and felt light-hearted.
It was quite an unusual feeling.
Even though in the end I had escaped with victory three years ago, the once serious and strong-looking Beastman now looked just like any other ordinary person in my eyes.
Well, yes. Thinking back, it is only natural for him to feel tired.
At first, he might have burned with the desire to genuinely win, but there are no endlessly burning flames.
In a situation where they could not promise victory, they merely swung their swords on instinct, engaging in a futile fight all this time.
Being the commander of the Beastman Resistance Army must have felt like both a powerful title and a heavy shackle for him.
After all, Kanak wasn’t the founder of the Resistance Army, but someone who inherited it.
“Okay, take your time to prove it. As long as you don’t betray me, I will definitely lead you to victory.”
I willingly decided to take on the burdens they had carried.
“Well then, it seems the time has come.”
With Kanak kneeling down on one knee, Martini stood up and spoke.
Her demeanor was different from her usual laid-back smile; she looked somewhat excited.
I asked, intrigued by this rare sight.
“What’s the occasion?”
“What else would it be but Lady Aria’s coronation?”
Ah, now that you mention it, has it already reached that time?
I had postponed officially receiving the crown when we conquered the Bertica Kingdom and physically connected the two Duchies, but it seemed the time had come at last.
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