Not the End (2)

    Not the End (2)

    Thinking about it, it was something that could have been noticed quickly, but no one realized it.

    Berbaria was originally huge, so as soon as he appeared, he would be clearly visible from below.

    But no one noticed this, and thanks to that, as soon as Berbaria descended, dark clouds suddenly gathered and an ominous atmosphere was created, causing both the Meadow Gill tribe and the Azrami tribe to completely change their mood.

    As Berbaria slowly revealed himself, silence fell over the Azrami tribe’s camp, followed by cheers that shook the earth. For the Azrami tribe, it was like gaining a heavenly army, as the very Berbaria they had served since ancient times had appeared on this land.

    “Don’t panic—!”

    “We have Lord Catsy on our side!”

    “Even if Lord Berbaria is there, we are also watched over by our god, so don’t be afraid—!”

    “Anyone who shows fear will have the name of Meadow Gill stripped from them—!”

    Although the atmosphere in the Meadow Gill tribe became unsettled, their command structure desperately tried to maintain morale with encouraging voices echoing throughout.

    And looking down at this scene, Yona frowned.

    “Can’t you appear a bit more quietly? Why do you have to make such a commotion when you show up?”

    “Isn’t that more godlike? We need to appear dignified.”

    “Talking about dignity…”

    It was already too late, and Yona clicked her tongue while looking at Berbaria, then called Catsy again.

    【I understand… Just do what needs to be done…】

    Catsy revealed his true form, his divine aspect.

    Catsy, who had looked like a small neighborhood cat, gradually grew larger until he became even bigger than an ordinary carriage, slightly smaller than Berbaria, and lowered his body in front of Yona, rolling his sharp golden eyes that gave off a sleek and keen image.

    【Hurry and get on.】

    “Alec, help me.”

    Thanks to Catsy lowering his body almost to the ground, it was at a height where Yona could climb up by grabbing onto Catsy’s fur.

    But instead of doing that, Yona deliberately called Alec, who approached her with an awkward smile.

    Alec’s face gradually turned red, but so did Yona’s.

    For Yona, the memory from that illusion remained so vivid, and every time she looked at Alec, the overwhelmingly intense time that lasted for three whole days kept spinning in her head, exciting her. And in fact, Alec felt the same way, but Yona didn’t notice that much.

    “Here, I’ll lift you up.”

    “Okay.”

    Alec wasn’t unaware of Yona’s intention in calling him specifically. It had been nearly 4 years since Alec started sticking close to Yona, so it was just the right time when he could understand what she was thinking even without words or eye contact. So Alec came behind Yona and firmly grasped her waist to lift her onto Catsy’s nape.

    “Hiiik—?!”

    At that moment, Yona let out a strange cry and twisted her body. Alec, who was holding Yona’s waist to lift her, almost lost his grip, and Yona, feeling as if the sensation from the illusion where he had firmly held her waist and thrust relentlessly was being recreated, twisted her body to shake off Alec’s hands.

    “Stay still!”

    Alec unknowingly shouted at Yona. He was flustered, realizing what he had said right after, but surprisingly, Yona’s struggles stopped abruptly at that moment.

    That voice.

    That tone.

    That intonation.

    Mercilessly pressing down on Yona’s body,

    Crushing Yona’s will to resist.

    Alec’s voice—

    “O-okay…”

    Although Alec’s hands were still holding her waist, Yona accepted his touch as if under a spell. Of course, the faint trembling felt in her body clearly proved that Yona was nervous, but still, until Alec placed her on Catsy’s nape, Yona remained still, accepting Alec’s touch.

    “Princess Amira, come here.”

    At Alec’s call, Amira also approached him hesitantly. From Amira’s perspective, Alec, who had instantly quieted the Saintess of the great and supreme Lord Berbaria, must have seemed like no ordinary person.

    “Now, I’ll lift you up.”

    “Y-yesss—”

    Amira’s voice trailed in her characteristic way.

    Hearing her response, Alec grabbed Amira’s waist and easily lifted her onto Catsy’s nape, and Catsy finally stood up from the ground.

    “Berbaria, bring that cart down carefully!”

    【To treat the great Berbaria like a picnic basket, how lamentable.】

    “Want to say something strange again?”

    At Yona’s words, Berbaria closed his mouth.

    Then he took the cart filled with the Meadow Gill tribe’s Lizardmen who had fallen into the illusion in his mouth and slowly rose into the air.

    “Now, run! Catsy! Run!”

    【…Berbaria, may you receive divine punishment…】

    With Catsy’s resentful voice, the two Demon Archdukes began to move—one cutting through the sky and the other galloping on the ground.

    The presence of a cat as big as several carriages combined was surprisingly impressive.

    Moreover, the presence of the giant snake coiled on the ground alongside the cat was also remarkable.

    Faced with this unexpected situation, silence fell over both tribes.

    Both the Azrami tribe serving Berbaria and the Meadow Gill tribe who received Catsy were shocked not only by the simultaneous descent of the two gods but also by their appearance together.

    ‘…Now that I’m standing in front of them, I feel a bit nervous.’

    Berbaria and Catsy descended between the two tribes.

    And Yona standing between these two gods.

    Yona looked alternately at the two tribes lined up in front and behind her, organizing her thoughts.

    “…I am Yona, the master of Berbaria and Catsy, and the Saint of the Demon Realm. You are the Meadow Gill tribe and the Azrami tribe, correct?”

    There was no answer.

    She hadn’t expected no answer at all, but when there actually was none, Yona tried to hide her slight embarrassment.

    “A descendant of the current imperial family of the Katus Empire and the Azrami tribe’s…”

    ‘What is she to the Azrami tribe?’

    Thinking about it, she knew Amira was a princess, but didn’t know her position within the tribe.

    “…The beloved daughter of the Azrami tribe, Amira Al Azrami’s earnest prayer reached me, and thus I have descended to the human realm. Tell me, why are these two tribes engaged in such mutual destruction?”

    Yona spoke with what she thought was considerable dignity.

    However, it was difficult to simply believe the words of a girl who suddenly appeared on such a battlefield, so both tribes just glared at Yona without saying anything.

    “This person is indeed the Saintess of Lord Berbaria. I, Amira Al Azrami, a descendant of the Katus Empire’s imperial family and beloved daughter of the Azrami tribe, will vouch for this fact.”

    Amira came to Yona’s side and spoke.

    Placing her hand on her chest and looking at where her kinsmen were with a serious expression, Amira truly looked like a princess in that moment.

    “I suppose I need to prove that I have subju— no, that Berbaria and Lord Catsy are aligning their will with mine.”

    Still, since they were gods, it might be good to preserve their pride a little.

    Yona added honorifics when addressing Berbaria and Catsy, and nodded towards Berbaria.

    【These are your tribesmen who did not believe in this Saintess.】

    Berbaria took the cart he had placed on the ground in his mouth and pushed it towards the camp where the Meadow Gill tribe was.

    Without any particular interference, the cart slid smoothly and stopped near the entrance of the camp, and the Meadow Gill tribe warriors who peered into the cart cried out in shock.

    “It’s Lord Adinimu! Lord Barikian is here too!”

    “L-Lord Catsy…! Are you abandoning our tribe!? Have you killed them!?”

    【They are breathing, aren’t they? I haven’t killed them. I have merely entrusted my will to this Saintess. I understand your wishes, but I have chosen the path for everyone’s peace.】

    Catsy spoke to the Meadow Gill tribe with a purring sound.

    Purr, purr.

    That strangely familiar sound.

    Yona was looking at Catsy with a peculiar gaze.

    But Catsy ignored Yona’s gaze and looked around at the Meadow Gill tribe.

    He felt a bit sorry since he had made a promise at first.

    But Catsy, who was originally a god, had no desire to get involved in the conflicts of humans—though they were beastkin.

    Even though he had promised to help Adinimu, it was only out of interest. He didn’t want to get more deeply involved in their conflicts.

    That is the nature of a god.

    Promises with created beings, in fact, don’t hold much meaning.

    A deep silence fell over the Meadow Gill tribe.

    But as if there was nothing more to say, Catsy was scratching his nape with his hind leg, and Yona stepped forward in his place.

    “If you really can’t believe me, try attacking me. The gods on either side of me, Berbaria and Catsy, will not stand idly by. I’m saying, attack if you’re confident you can deal with the consequences.”

    Yona looked around with her arms crossed.

    Amira was facing her tribe, and instead, Yona was glaring at the Meadow Gill tribe with a fierce aura.

    Silence fell.

    There was no one else reacting, and no one actually rushed at her.

    If that’s the case, it was time to wrap things up.

    “Catsy, release them.”

    【Understood.】

    Catsy blinked a few times.

    Then, the Lizardmen loaded on the cart started to wake up, groaning sounds could be heard, and soon voices calling out to Lord Catsy, asking what was going on, began to be heard.

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