Ch.255Division and Conflict

As we received no response from the Water King Tribe by the time we reached our limit for staying outdoors, we had no choice but to retreat to Westend Sevens. We left a wooden sign saying “Will return in a few days” in case we missed each other.

Since we had given them a large amount of supplies when we last parted, I can only hope that our goodwill will be returned with a positive answer.

Upon arriving at Westend Sevens, we met with Editor-in-Chief Geronimo and informed him about our contact with the Water King Tribe and the possibility that the ancient ruins remaining there were a seal for a dangerous entity called a “Spirit Lord.”

The Pioneer Project Branch staff bombarded us with questions about how we so easily discovered the secret of the ruins that they couldn’t find any clues about. We vaguely explained that we happened to hear such information from an elderly elf we met during our adventure.

After all, we couldn’t exactly tell them we asked the Grand Sage’s ex-wife, who happens to be the Queen of the Succubus Tribe.

Meanwhile, during the few days we were away, a small commotion surrounding the Water King Tribe had erupted in Westend Sevens.

Benjamin Hawkins, father of Josephine Hawkins who owned Hell’s Garden, had apparently hired adventurers to carry out large-scale retribution. To make matters worse, the bereaved families of those who died in the Kasim incident came out in support of Benjamin, and public opinion calling for thorough punishment nearly gained significant momentum. However, when it was revealed that the Hawkins father and daughter had been using Kasim as a slave for the past 20 years, Benjamin Hawkins’ position became awkward…

“The spectators of the underground arena testified about Hell’s Garden’s fraudulent actions in trying to interfere with the matches by breaking slave contracts, resulting in the Hawkins family being blamed for the murder case…”

“Well, if they had gone to the tenth match, they would have faced the unrestrained Water King Tribe anyway.”

“Hell’s Garden has been collecting substantial entry fees and betting commissions using the Box of Stopped Time as bait. To think that what awaited at the end was a scam targeting challengers’ lives—I imagine past participants and gamblers who lost money won’t stay quiet.”

Indeed, not just the Western Morning I’m currently reading, but the front pages of various regional newspapers were filled with stories about Hell’s Garden’s fraudulent activities, responsibility for the serial killings, and how Benjamin Hawkins, an associate of Hell’s Garden, had become embroiled in a massive damages lawsuit.

As a result, there seems to be some sympathy emerging for Kasim, the Water King Tribe youth who had been simply labeled a serial killer. While his acts of serial murder are still condemned, voices arguing that the blame should not be directed at the “Water King Tribe” as a whole are gaining strength.

“I don’t know how much influence Chief Geronimo exerted, but it seems we’ve been able to guide immediate public opinion in the direction we wanted.”

“I don’t quite understand. Isn’t public opinion the common thoughts or views of many people? How is it possible to guide it without using hypnosis…”

“It’s surprisingly simple, Phyllis. For example—’Let’s not forget that Iris is a Dark Elf but is friendly to the pioneers’ versus ‘Let’s not forget that Iris is friendly to the pioneers but is a Dark Elf.’ Do you see the difference between these two sentences?”

“…The latter makes it sound as if Sister Iris might betray the pioneers at a critical moment.”

“Exactly. Just by changing the order of the same words and sentences, the impression of Iris changes completely. Similarly, depending on how you arrange Kasim’s past, the serial murders, and Hell’s Garden’s actions, and which aspects you focus on, people’s perspectives on this incident can change 180 degrees.”

Perhaps money changed hands between Chief Geronimo and journalists, or political pressure was applied to guide public opinion in this direction, but that’s not my concern, so let’s quietly move past that.

In any case, the calls for “thorough punishment of the Water King Tribe” related to Kasim’s serial killings have significantly diminished, adding some momentum to the long-term goal of improving relations with the Water King Tribe.

We directly felt the effects of this just two days later.

“Water King Tribe—!!”

‘Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-!’

Just as I was thinking that the dark magic accumulated in my body had been purified and the Water King Tribe’s position would be settled, so we should visit the ancient ruins once more, the bell at the entrance guardpost rang violently, and rifle-bearing guards rushed in to establish a defensive position.

“The Water King Tribe has come all the way here?”

“Don’t tell me they’ve chosen all-out resistance and are launching a preemptive attack?”

“No. It’s just one person. And that one is…!”

Looking through binoculars in the direction Phyllis was pointing, I saw a familiar figure.

It was one of the trio who first appeared before us when we visited the ancient ruins—the female warrior with a lioness head.

It’s hard to distinguish Water King Tribe members by face alone, but judging by her wearing the same clothes as before, it must be her.

“What’s this? She’s covered in wounds!”

“Eek!? Has something happened to the Water King Tribe village?”

The lioness warrior, panting like an exhausted marathon runner, had blood all over her body and carried no weapons, not even the bow she had used last time.

By all appearances, she wasn’t here to commit hostile acts against the pioneers but to urgently seek help.

“One enemy! Everyone, prepare to fire!”

“Hey, stop! Stop! I know that Water King Tribe member!”

As I shouted while blocking the guards who were taking firing positions, the commander momentarily looked perplexed, but when Seti and Iris nodded, he ordered his subordinates to stand down.

He probably thought that while a party of only human adventurers might not know any Water King Tribe members, our multi-racial party might.

“The city atmosphere isn’t bad right now, but we can’t just let a Water King Tribe member in suddenly. Let’s get her into the carriage, treat her wounds, and hear what she has to say.”

“OK. Let’s go, Ancestor!”

‘Neeeigh~~!’

The lioness-headed Water King Tribe warrior, who had been staggering forward in the distance, was startled when she saw us approaching in the carriage and took a fighting stance with bare hands, but she relaxed immediately upon recognizing me as the driver.

“You people…!”

“We’ll treat you, so get in the back of the carriage quickly! We’ll talk afterward!”

“Ah, understood!”

The Water King Tribe warrior grabbed Seti’s outstretched hand from the passenger compartment and lightly climbed into the carriage. I slowly moved the carriage away from Westend Sevens and went over to the passenger compartment.

Jessica treated her wounds with Heal Touch, and Mina handed her a water canteen. The Water King Tribe warrior seemed to finally catch her breath, calming her breathing as she thanked us.

“Phew… thank you. If I hadn’t met you first, I might have been killed by them.”

“What happened? What occurred in the five days since we last met that made you run all the way to the western city in such a mess?”

“What happened to the Water King Tribe village?”

In response to Seti’s and my questions, the Water King Tribe warrior hung her head and answered in a devastated voice.

“…It’s a rebellion.”

“A rebellion?”

“Great Mother Marinda decided to talk with the pioneers as you suggested, but warriors who opposed that decision rebelled, imprisoning and assaulting the Great Mother and her supporters, and began preparing for war.”

“So it’s a conflict between hardliners and moderates…”

“Strange. Water King Tribe tradition dictates absolute obedience of the entire tribe to the representative’s decisions. Even if there were dissenting groups, imprisoning the representative should be impossible.”

“…Great Mother Marinda is not our tribe’s rightful representative. She’s only acting as proxy since Betem, the original Warrior Chief, fell ill. The one who started the rebellion is Betem’s son.”

“Oh…”

So a conflict of opinion arose between the proxy of the former representative who fell ill and the heir of the former representative, and without finding common ground, it led to civil war.

The division seems serious enough that they’re imprisoning and assaulting their own kind rather than the pioneers, whom they once considered mortal enemies.

“I never thought things would turn out like this.”

“What should we do? With your skills, you could win even against the hardliner Water King Tribe members, but if that happens…”

“Ah, regardless of resolving the civil war, Marinda’s proxy position would become even more precarious. It would mean she brought in outsiders to harm her own people.”

No matter how much the moderate faction of the Water King Tribe desires improved relations with the pioneers, blood is thicker than water, and charity begins at home.

If we were to wipe out the hardliner Water King Tribe members, even the surviving moderates would likely turn into hardliners themselves, angered by the killing of their kin rather than considering reconciliation with the pioneers.

But we can’t ignore the moderates’ request for help either, so to resolve this situation amicably…

“Under the pretext of rescuing the imprisoned and assaulted moderates, we need to crush the hardliner friends without killing a single one of them.”

“Sigh… just hearing that makes my head spin. How many hardliners are there?”

“About 30. No matter how excellent your skills are, that’s not a number you can be careless about.”

“Hell difficulty level, I see…”

Subduing 30 Water King Tribe members fighting for their lives without killing a single one.

It will be no small challenge, but we have no choice but to succeed.

Even as I thought this, I couldn’t help but let out a deep internal sigh.