Ch.192Someone’s Memory(?)(2)

# 192. Someone’s Memory(?)(2)

[This is an ultimatum, beasts. If you don’t surrender quietly, we will exterminate everyone—men, women, children, and the elderly. Since even beasts can think, I’ll generously give you half a day. If there’s no answer, I’ll consider it a refusal.]

“These damn pointy-eared bastards!!!”

“Radaniya! Surely you’re not thinking of surrendering!”

“We fight to the death, no matter what. There’s no future for us even if we surrender.”

The smallest yet most radiant girl standing at the center of the round table calmly put down the ultimatum that reeked of arrogance and said:

“Of course we won’t surrender, so everyone please calm down.”

“Radaniya! How can you be so calm after seeing this…!”

“Save that anger for when we fight the pointy-ears. Shouting at each other only hurts our ears. Don’t you agree?”

“Ngh…”

Though they were all older and larger than the girl, they obediently followed her words. To them, the girl, Radaniya, was an Ayor worthy of such respect.

She was the pioneer who gathered their scattered kin to lead the struggle for freedom from slavery under the pointy-ears, their greatest warrior and an exceptional commander.

That’s why Radaniya was a great Ayor, reverently called the Unifier.

“Our personality shows in our words and actions. Just from this letter, we can see how arrogant the pointy-ears are and how much they look down on us. We need to use that to our advantage.”

“Do you have a plan?”

“The pointy-ears are skilled with bows and spirits. We’re not good at either. While we can’t master spirits no matter how hard we try, we can learn to use bows with effort. So we’ll diminish their strengths while choosing a battlefield that maximizes our advantages.”

Radaniya continued, pointing at the map.

“This is likely where the pointy-ears have set up camp, and this is where we are now. And here—there’s a forest and a ravine nearby.”

“You want to enter the forest and ravine?”

“Correct. According to our scouts, the forest is quite dense, and the terrain around the ravine is rough. We’ll hide the non-combatants in a good spot and use the terrain to harass them as much as possible. Especially here—if we secure this high ground first, we can torment them effectively even with bows and arrows.”

“Are you saying we should use the cowardly weapons that the pointy-ears favor!”

“Don’t be stupid. Just because the pointy-ears favor bows doesn’t mean they’re exclusively their weapons. The bow has done nothing wrong. And right now, are we in a position to be picky?”

The Ayor who had briefly flared up backed down at Radaniya’s sharp rebuke.

“We only have half a day. We need to quickly hide the non-combatants and make sure all fighters understand the plan.”

“Then we should evacuate first.”

“Yes, let’s do that. I’ll assign the scouts to it.”

*

“Hahaha… HAHAHAHAHA! I expected this, but how is it so predictable to the letter?”

“Radaniya! Please, for the future—GACK!”

“How dare a beast interrupt while its master is speaking? This is why you’re beasts. Hey, dispose of it.”

“NOOOOO!!!”

Tears of blood streamed from Radaniya’s eyes.

The plan had been good. The non-combatants were all hidden, and the fighters were well-positioned. Though everyone was exhausted from constant fleeing and battles large and small, they remained strong. She thought if they could hit and run effectively this time, they might have some respite for a while.

It was clearly the best they could do, but in hindsight, Radaniya had been too complacent.

Who could have predicted that the Alves’ fury and irritation toward escaped slaves—slaves who had dared to bare their claws—would far exceed expectations?

Who would have thought the Alves would burn down the dense forest that served as natural silver cover?

What had been a peaceful forest for the Ayors turned into hell in an instant. The multi-layered ambush they had planned became useless before they could even attempt it. No, it would have been fortunate if it had merely become useless.

Many burned to death.

After setting the forest ablaze and controlling the wind with spirits to gradually close in, the Alves “hunted” the Ayors who fled from the fire in all directions.

Radaniya and her warriors tried to salvage the situation, but having already suffered the devastating attack of “Alves setting the forest on fire,” they had to abandon much.

Combat-ready fighters.

Non-combatants who represented the future of their race.

Radaniya chose the latter with a heavy heart. She made sure not to flee toward where the non-combatants were hidden. Instead, she led the Alves away. From the looks of it, the Alves knew they were being lured but followed anyway for “entertainment”… Meanwhile, the fighters continued to die.

Now only about 30 remained by Radaniya’s side.

This small group of Ayors, essentially a “suicide squad,” confronted the Alves’ pursuit team once more.

“We’re not beasts! We’re not slaves! We have the right to live freely by our own will!”

“I don’t know where this mutant came from, but a beast is still a beast. We’ll kill most as punishment and keep a few alive to retrain and breed.”

“How can you call yourselves people!”

“It’s a mistake to think you’re people just because you can speak. People act humanely only toward other people. Kill them.”

The Alves were merciless. Dialogue was impossible. They truly regarded the Ayors as beasts.

The Alves openly drew their bows.

It was an action filled with arrogance—what can you mere beasts do about it?

The Ayors knew this, but they couldn’t approach rashly. They knew all too well that the slow drawing of bows wasn’t for careful aiming but to deliberately instill fear and mockery.

These vile pointy-eared bastards would shoot immediately at the slightest sign of movement.

So.

The Ayor suicide squad members began to subtly shield Radaniya.

“Go, Unifier. Our people need you.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Without you, our people will scatter again. The future needs you.”

“But I—”

“It’s a perfect day to die, isn’t it, brother?”

“Indeed. Shall we bet on how many pointy-ears we can turn into earless ones before we go?”

“Oh, that’s good. They’ll be perfect to tear apart as snacks.”

“No… this can’t be…”

The Ayors refused to give up.

If only Radaniya survived.

The great girl who had awakened the wildness and pride in their kin who had resigned themselves to lives of slavery.

It was worth gladly, smilingly sacrificing their lives.

“Are the beasts done with their final licking?”

“Yes, pointy-ear. This elder boasted he would tear off your ears as a snack, and would you believe it, my son defied me for the first time, saying they were his. HAHAHAHAHA!”

“How dare you beasts…”

WHOOOOOSH—— LALALALALALALALALA——!

“FIRE!!!”

Faster.

More ferociously.

More spectacularly.

They would engrave it clearly—that the Ayor’s claws were still sharp, and the Ayor’s teeth were still terrifying.

So, future of our kin.

Don’t think of it as fleeing, but please survive.

No one will blame you.

*

“Great Mother, please grant permission.”

“Didn’t I say I wouldn’t grant it?”

“That’s why I’m asking again.”

“Why are you so desperate to devour your own kin? Are you dissatisfied with the new rules I’ve established?”

“To be honest, yes. Leaving claws and fangs unused, resolving issues through words? This isn’t the Ayor way. It goes against tradition.”

*You think resolving issues through words instead of using claws and fangs is ridiculous?

Tradition? Tradition?

Have you ever properly wielded those claws and fangs?*

Recalling the heroic end of the suicide squad members who tore out the ears and throats of dozens of pointy-ears before dying gloriously, Radaniya admonished the young, inexperienced chieftain before her:

“I have never forgotten the end of your grandfather and father.”

“Great Mother.”

“This peace was achieved with their blood. How can you, their young descendant, seek to draw new blood from your own kin! We are not beasts! We are people! I’ve emphasized this repeatedly!”

The young chieftain reluctantly bowed his head, but his expression showed he wasn’t convinced. Radaniya felt dizzy.

*This peace for our kin that we worked so hard to achieve.

How can it change so much after just a few decades?*

Lately, she had often felt disillusionment and emptiness.

Nevertheless, because Radaniya still loved her kin, because she couldn’t forget the many who died entrusting her with their future—

She continues to wear the ill-fitting garment of Great Mother even today.

**

“Wow. Life is really strange, huh?”

“Who are you?”

“Curious who I am?”

“…Treating someone else’s memories as a spectacle—that’s devilish.”

“Oh ho.”

Eventually, someone wearing a brightly smiling mask suddenly appeared in midair.

“I wonder when your destined one will realize you’re floundering here in memories like this?”

“What do you want?”

“What do I want? Pfft.”

The mask smiled even more grotesquely.

“To torment you.”