Ch.141Preparation #1

As they eyed each other warily, with everyone thinking to trample the weakest first, earth-shattering news swept across the entire Beast Kingdom.

The Western Rat Tribe, who had been barely hanging on and seemed destined for elimination, had defeated the strongest Tiger Tribe.

When those once dismissed as “mere rats” managed to bite the tiger’s neck, the remaining tribes grew tense and fearful. Some scoffed, claiming it was just a baseless rumor, impossible to believe.

But once those arrogant heads were crushed, the same skeptics suddenly switched sides as if they had supported the rats all along.

This had been the trend over the past two months, and riding this momentum, the Western Rat Tribe now had the throne within reach. They only needed to eliminate the Rabbit Tribe, which was still stubbornly holding on, and it would all be over.

“When the finish line is in sight, that’s when you must be most vigilant. Not so tense that your body freezes up, but still…”

“Wise words indeed.”

Skevin nodded with a smile that mixed relaxation with tension. Having eliminated competitors, he had gained confidence and maintained just the right level of alertness.

After that, a brief silence followed before Skevin was the first to leave. Despite the Western Rat Tribe’s newfound strength, their paper-thin bodies remained a vulnerability, requiring careful planning.

Since Skevin had gone to attend to his duties, I decided I should do the same and headed to the kitchen. There, I prepared a sizzling grilled pork dish that filled the air with its savory aroma, then made my way to a secluded prison cell.

Carlton, whom we had captured as a trophy, was imprisoned there.

Killing an imperial noble would be problematic, and torture was equally difficult. We couldn’t risk provoking a kingdom with no prior grievances against us into taking action. This was different from hiding one’s identity behind a mask.

It was troublesome, but we couldn’t just release a captive without getting any information. So I chose a relatively peaceful form of torture: starvation. When we captured the Tiger Tribe member, time had been of the essence, requiring the use of a blade, but now we weren’t in such a hurry.

“Ugh… uuugh…”

Clank. As I entered the cell, Carlton Miller, the imperial count who had grown gaunt from days of starvation, stared at me with wide eyes—or more precisely, at the plate in my hands and the aromatic grilled pork it held.

“It must be quite uncomfortable to barely survive on the minimum amount of food.”

I sat down in front of him as he gazed at the pork in a trance-like state, and slowly moved the plate from side to side. Carlton’s eyes followed the movement, and saliva pooled in his mouth. The smell of pork on an empty stomach must be driving him mad, with his stomach audibly growling.

“What you… have done…”

His deflated appearance and hoarse voice made him look pitiful rather than threatening. Even if he had been in normal condition, his threats wouldn’t have been particularly frightening, but in this state, he looked downright pathetic.

“Yes, I did it. Now, shall we start talking? Or would you prefer to continue this endless hunger?”

“Do you really… think… you’ll get away with this…?”

“Before we discuss whether I’ll get away with it or not, you look like you might die soon. Anyway, wouldn’t it be better to get comfortable? Look.”

I brought the plate right up to Carlton’s nose and smiled. With both arms chained, he couldn’t do anything rash, and having the meat so close must be absolute torture.

Sniff, sniff.

Carlton, who had been maintaining his dignity until just a moment ago, suddenly began sniffing like he’d never had any pride at all. With his dust-covered clothes and deteriorating mental state, he truly looked like a beggar.

“Whoa!”

Suddenly, Carlton lunged forward with his mouth wide open, trying to bite off a chunk of the pork in one go. His speed and transformation were so swift that he resembled a wild animal. I’d heard he was a civil official, but his behavior made me wonder if he had some secret combat training.

If I hadn’t been trained in my household and under Helena, I would have lost the meat without even having time to react.

But the reality was that I had honed my skills through rigorous training, allowing me to quickly pull the plate back.

“Y-you…! Give me… give me the meat…!”

“I see you’re still not ready to talk. I’ll see you next time. I hope you’ll have a better answer then.”

Seeing Carlton’s desperate struggle, I realized we still had a long way to go and turned my back on him as he shouted with his hoarse voice. The grilled meat on the plate remained fragrant and warm.

Therefore, Ive and I enjoyed the remaining meat ourselves.

.

How much time had passed since I started giving him just enough water to survive and minimal food? Between the Rabbit Tribe’s attack plans and his attempts at persuasion, I lost track of time, only realizing that warm spring had arrived.

“It’s over.”

One day, Skevin muttered these words as we sat in the house built above ground, having left the underground bunker. In his hand was a document bearing a signature and the tribal seal.

It was a surrender document from the Rabbit Tribe, who had finally lost the will to continue the Selection Ceremony.

“We won! We finally won!”

“Our Western Rat Tribe, our tribe…!”

Upon hearing the news, the Western Rat Tribe members who had gathered in what resembled a town hall shouted with joy. Many wept with emotion, while others embraced, sharing their happiness. Throughout their long history, the Western Rat Tribe had never once claimed the throne.

“Thank you, thank you so much!”

When they saw Ive and me, they knelt down as if they had been waiting for this moment, bowing their heads. Every one of them expressed gratitude with sparkling eyes. Ive seemed uncomfortable with the attention and fidgeted before hiding behind my back.

“This victory was possible because of your tenacity and determination. It wasn’t anyone’s special contribution.”

Although I had taught them suitable techniques and advised them on weapon crafting, it was their fierce resolve that led to victory. I emphasized this point repeatedly as I lifted each bowing person by the shoulder. This caused Ive to momentarily lose her shelter, but she quickly composed herself as if she had been calm all along.

“Anyway, this means the Selection Ceremony is completely over. I hope there won’t be any tribes harboring resentment and planning surprise attacks?”

“There won’t be. If they tried and were caught, half their tribe would be purged. Other tribes would despise them for disrespecting the law and cut off all relations. Plus, they’d be under surveillance to prevent any mischief. They would essentially wither away.”

I sighed with relief at Skevin’s confident answer. I had heard before that the winner would be respected and therefore safe, but the explanation had been too vague for comfort.

However, after hearing this clear answer about the consequences, I realized I no longer needed to worry about him.

“Congratulations. As much as I’d like to stay for the coronation ceremony, I should head back now that I’ve heard the good news.”

“What? What do you mean? You’re leaving? Right now?”

Skevin’s mouth opened slightly in surprise. It was natural for him to be shocked by my sudden announcement of departure. It might seem ungrateful for someone who had contributed so much.

But I had been held in this strange land for months, from the cold season until it turned warm.

Of course, if there was more to gain, I would have stayed longer, but I had already extracted all the necessary information from Carlton. There was no reason to linger.

“I can see that Skevin is disappointed, which weighs on my heart, but I’ve been away for months already. My wife must be terribly worried. Besides, I truly miss home.”

At the mention of homesickness, the surprise vanished from Skevin’s expression, replaced by calmness. The reference to Duke Krauser’s domain seemed to resonate with him.

“…Indeed. Now that I think about it, I forgot that so much time has passed.”

“Thank you for understanding. It might sound disappointing, but being away from home for so long has been quite difficult.”

Pfft. Skevin smiled at my joke, relaxing his previously serious expression. Since I was leaving, it was best to part with smiles, which I found both welcome and appreciated.

“If that’s the case, there’s nothing to be done. Are you leaving right away?”

“Yes. I’ve already made all the preparations.”

“You’re certainly eager. But… I understand.”

Skevin bowed first, and the other Western Rat Tribe members followed suit, giving us warm gazes. Having overcome fierce challenges together, they clearly felt reluctant to see us go. I felt the same reluctance.

In any case, Ive and I bowed in return. While nobles don’t typically bow deeply, there was no reason to be self-conscious about it in this situation. Moreover, the small man bowing to me would soon be king, so it felt natural.

“Please travel safely.”

“Thank you. I pray for blessings in all your future endeavors. Farewell.”

After exchanging final greetings, we mounted our horses with the wooden box wrapped in cloth that Skevin had given us, along with our original belongings. After confirming that the neutrality agreement was safely tucked away, I promised to maintain occasional secret communication.

.

The Selection Ceremony was over.

That meant Jion would be returning soon.

As soon as Helena received this news from her secretly dispatched spies, she ordered all contacts near Jion to withdraw—specifically, to return at the same pace as Jion. Meanwhile, she began planning preparations to welcome him back, calculating his arrival date.

“It’s over?! Really?!”

Ellen, who had just returned from an outing, exclaimed loudly upon hearing the news. Her expression and the trembling corners of her mouth revealed her excitement. She was overjoyed.

“Yes! It’s finally over!”

Even the usually composed Helena showed her excitement by bustling about her office. Her joy had blanked her mind like a clean sheet of paper.

“Ah, what, what should I do first! Ah! I should bathe first…!”

“…Calm down. It will take at least five days for the Duke to return. We can make preparations gradually during that time, don’t you think?”

Though Ellen was equally confused, seeing Helena’s unusual fluster helped her regain her composure. Witnessing someone else in a similar state of panic had a mirror-therapy effect on her.

That’s right! Helena took a deep breath and tried to calm herself after hearing those words. She realized that panicking now wouldn’t accomplish anything, as Ellen had pointed out.

“You there! Is anyone outside?!”

“Yes. You called?”

When Helena called out loudly, a maid quietly opened the door and entered. Someone was always stationed near the office in shifts, ensuring quick responses.

Helena looked at the maid briefly, then hastily grabbed a blank piece of paper, wrote something, placed it in an envelope, and spoke.

“Please deliver this letter to Andy.”

“Understood. To whom should it be sent?”

“To a man named Anderson Kloss. Andy will know if you tell him.”

Anderson Kloss.

A noble who governed one of the imperial port cities they had encountered on their way to the Holy Nation.

Andy knew the name because Helena had mentioned it to him, but the maid simply nodded obediently, not knowing who Anderson was. Had she known his identity, her reaction would have been quite different.

“Anderson? Why him?”

After the maid closed the office door and left, Ellen tilted her head and asked. In the current tense undercurrent between the Empire and their territory, it was difficult to understand why Helena would contact an imperial noble.

However, after hearing Helena’s answer, Ellen could only nod in agreement.

“I think it’s time to unravel that suspicious comment he made during our dinner that day.”