[2/4]
-In the southern border of the Dragon Nation.
Unlike the prosperous and advanced northern human cities, this area is the underdeveloped, “primitive” South, home to most of the demi-humans.
The South is divided into three major regions: the Tribal Forests, the Beastman Plains, and the Wild Marshes.
Using the power of the Hearthstone Tears for teleportation, Renji and the Revolutionary Army from the Sealed City find themselves in a corner of the Tribal Forests of the South.
Escaping from the human cities to their familiar homeland, surrounded by the jungle under the night sky, smelling the damp earth in the air, and hearing the indistinct chirps and calls of insects and birds – all these give the Demi-Human members of the Revolutionary Army a deep sense of familiarity, allowing them to finally breathe a sigh of relief.
However, of course,
Many Demi-Humans, ordered to set up camp, still steal glances at the group of leaders around the largest bonfire in their camp, especially focusing on a human nobleman and a clueless black-eared Catgirl.
The reason was simple.
It’s not because of the series of conspiracies and tricks of Roca being resolved by Renji. Most Demi-Humans don’t tend to overthink; they prefer something more straightforward.
Like…
The young man takes out a “Relic” and gives it to Ashe, and under the young man’s power, Ashe, a Demi-Human, actually manages to activate the power of the “Relic”!
This is shocking for the members of the Revolutionary Army.
After all, it has been centuries since the last Demi-Human Relic user.
So,
Has Ashe become the first Demi-Human “Relic User” in centuries?
Jiu, who is closest to the Catgirl, was excitedly grabbing Ashe, wanting to thoroughly examine her.
It’s only after a glare from Nozomi that Jiu reluctantly lets go of the blushing Catgirl.
Now gathered around the fire were Renji, the three members of their group, and the four remaining high-ranking members of the Revolutionary Army – with Leng deceased.
As the leader, Nozomi takes a deep breath. This is her first face-to-face meeting with Renji, the nobleman who has been supporting Ashe from behind. She starts with gratitude:
“Mr. Renji, we will never forget the kindness you have shown to our Revolutionary Army.”
“Forgive my rudeness, Mr. Renji, but the strength of you and your companions is far beyond our reach. Receiving help from someone as influential as you, we are not only grateful but also apprehensive. So, may I ask, what is your… purpose with us?”
Nozomi, the sharpest mind among them, needs to clarify this. She already has a guess, one she dares not imagine.
However, as the young man speaks under the flickering firelight, her guess becomes reality.
“I want to join the revolution. It’s that simple.”
Watching Renji’s straightforward response and his open, sincere gesture, Nozomi, who had prepared many responses, finds herself at a loss for words. The fox woman, probably in her thirties and the oldest among them, finally decides to convert her myriad thoughts into one sentence, which seems to be their only choice.
“Is that so?”
“I understand, Mr. Renji. From now on… you are the new leader of our Revolutionary Army.”
“I, Nozomi, I am ready to follow you.”
The fox woman stands up, and under the dancing flames of the bonfire, she performs a bow and chest thump, a gesture among their Demi-Human races to express obedience and respect for the emergence of a new leader.
Following her was Shan, the bear man, usually reserved in speech. Standing up with his big body. he respectfully salutes Renji, their new leader.
It’s worth mentioning that Shan, who was half-crippled due to an ambush involving explosions and thunder hammer attack, now has his arm fully healed, thanks to Renji’s Divine Healing. So, it’s quite natural for Shan to be the second to rise without hesitation.
Seeing Nozomi and Shan making their stance clear, Jiu left with no other option, stands up too and bows her head in loyalty to Renji.
As for Ashe,
The Catgirl claps her hands in celebration, completely oblivious to her duty as a member of the Revolutionary Army to perform the salute. This leaves the other three Demi Human leaders somewhat speechless. In her heart, she probably pledged her loyalty to the young man much earlier than any of them.
“Let’s call it a night then. After everything we’ve experienced today, everyone should rest early. I’ll discuss the specifics with you tomorrow morning”
“But I can give you a glimpse of our general direction and goal. Let’s not shout grand slogans but start with a small, practical target. For instance, in three months, let’s aim to unify the South and bring together all Demi Human races.”
Nozomi, Shan, Jiu: “…”
Ashe: *Clap, clap, clap!*
The group then disperses to their respective tents within the camp. Nozomi and Shan are still stunned by Renji’s “small goal” likely in for a sleepless night.
As for Ashe, still hesitant about which tent to choose, Jiu makes the decision for her, forcefully pulling Ashe into her tent for a long-overdue heart-to-heart talk.
Eileen, yawning, prepares to return to her tent with 86. Observing the emotionless, tireless mechanical maid, Eileen can’t help but comment:
“86, doesn’t your body need to sleep?”
[As long as the power supply is sufficient, we can continuously work day and night without rest] says 86, scoring another point for the mechanical side in the debate of mechanics versus flesh.
“Ugh, then you’re missing out on a lot of fun.”
[Puzzled. Is sleeping a form of pleasure?]
“Of course! Haven’t you heard of ‘dreams’? In dreams, we can do whatever we want, fulfilling all the regrets and unattainables of our reality. Like recently, I often dream about that old… cough, cough, never mind! You wouldn’t understand. Since you robots don’t sleep, you can’t enjoy dreaming. It’s a pity~”
[Smirk*. Maybe it’s because you’re always having silly dreams that you’ve become what you are now] 86 adds another point for the mechanical side.
“I swear, even if I don’t sleep tonight, I’ll— dismantle you!”
The long night seems to finally welcome the silence it deserves.
Renji, too, yawns as he returns to his tent.
As a leader and a noble, his tent was quite impressive, large enough for three or four people and isolated from others, affording him his own private space.
Renji was still thinking about the Sealed City, wondering if leaving the rest of the mess to Karl and Nova will be okay. He can already imagine Nova’s furious expression upon realizing he’s gone.
‘Sigh…’
‘No choice but to wait, Nova. It’s not yet safe for us to meet…’
As Renji ponders, he pulls back the curtain of his tent. 𝘪.𝑐ℴ𝘮
Then,
Renji: “…”
???: “…”
Whoosh!*
He quickly closes the tent curtain again.
‘Could it be a mistake in the way I opened it? A hallucination at night?’
Shaking his head, Renji opens the tent curtain a second time, only to find the scene inside remains unchanged.
A figure with two symbolic, towering angry horns on her head, a tightly fitted military uniform accentuating her gigantic chest, and resilient legs in a kneeling position, with the calves bent under her buttocks. The white stretch of skin from the boots to the skirt’s hem was particularly eye-catching.
The red-haired dragon empress, Nova, sits straight, hands neatly on her thighs, positioned right in the center of Renji’s tent. It seems she hasn’t just arrived but has been there for a while.
When her eager purple eyes finally meet Renji’s outside the tent, a familiar yet rarely heard trembling voice emerges from the typically dominant dragon lady.
“Master Ashen”
“Nova finally… found you”
.