Chapter 55. The Last Beast-kin (3) >
“You dare show your shameless faces here, and now you expect us to trust you?”
When Enoch returned to the operation vehicle.
Elsyde mages were already in a standoff with the warriors of the Beast-kin village.
“Elsyde. Surely, you wouldn't claim to have forgotten what the Empire and you did to us?”
The surroundings were chaotic with crowds.
Beast-kin warriors, carrying stone axe-like magic gears on their shoulders, surrounded the operation vehicles.
“…….”
On the other hand, the family mages stood before the operation vehicles, maintaining calm expressions without a word as they confronted them.
‘Seems they can't act recklessly since they came on an official family mission.’
One male Beast-kin at the forefront shouted loudly.
“I’m asking why you came here!”
One of the Elsyde mages answered curtly.
“We merely visited to conduct official duties.”
“Official duties? Ridiculous. Who was it that abandoned us after not even treating us like people until now…!”
Just then. Another voice cut off the male Beast-kin's heated words towards the Elsyde mages.
“Indeed, who?”
Enoch.
The gazes of the family mages focused on him all at once.
“L-Lord Enoch!”
However, most of the mages, who had been calmly watching the Beast-kin until moments ago, now looked troubled upon seeing Enoch’s sudden appearance.
For the direct descendant, the one most needing protection in the family, to appear right in the middle of a touch-and-go situation.
But they seemed unable to move as other Beast-kin warriors were blocking their path.
Just then.
“Enoch, then you must be Elsyde’s direct descendant.”
One of the Beast-kin warriors, carrying a magic gear, approached Enoch menacingly with large strides.
A male with canid animal ears atop his head. A muscular build, and tall, similar in height to him.
“I am Coyotl, leader of this village’s warriors.”
The Beast-kin calling himself Coyotl seemed to be the highest-ranking among the tribe’s warriors.
He stared intently at Enoch for a while, then said.
“Young direct descendant of Elsyde. As War Chief, I wish to ask one thing, why exactly did you come here?”
To Enoch, who consistently maintained a calm demeanor, Coyotl spoke in a tone laced with anger.
“Long ago, even before the Beast-kin were pushed into the southern Elsyde domain, the Imperial citizens persecuted us!”
He took a step closer to Enoch and said.
“And Elsyde ignored our repeated requests for help after being pushed into the south, teeming with Magical Beasts, and simply stood by! Surely you wouldn't claim to have forgotten!”
Enoch tilted his head nonchalantly.
“So?”
“Direct descendant, we will solve our village's problems ourselves. For Elsyde, who abandoned us, to intervene now. Anyone can see there must be some other calculation…!”
At his words, Enoch tilted his head and replied calmly.
“There is a separate calculation, of course.”
“What…!”
“But whether there’s a calculation or not, if help is offered, you should gratefully accept it. Still haven't grasped your situation?”
Even the family mages' eyes widened at Enoch’s bombshell statement made right before the Beast-kin.
Words unthinkable to come from a direct descendant representing the Elsyde Count family, a pillar of the Empire.
Even Coyotl seemed momentarily taken aback, likely not expecting to hear such words to his face.
“At least you should resolve things amongst yourselves without harming unrelated people. The Beast-kin exiles attacked and harmed civilians living nearby and even mages belonging to our family.”
Enoch spoke in a low voice.
“Yet, lacking the strength to resolve it, does bringing up past wounds automatically solve the problem?”
Coyotl opened his mouth as if to retort, but ultimately couldn't utter a single word.
“Didn’t you say earlier, that Beast-kin were treated like beasts in the Empire before?”
Enoch laughed lowly before the group of warriors whose expressions grew increasingly grim, and added.
“At least your actions now are no different from beasts strong only in pride.”
Coyotl’s face momentarily contorted.
As if anger surged instantly, he raised his magic gear and took a threatening step towards Enoch.
“You bastard…!”
At his sudden action, other family mages hastily tried to step forward from behind Enoch.
But Enoch moved one beat faster than they did.
And the next moment.
A sight that made all the family mages doubt their eyes unfolded before them.
“Kuh, keok!”
Coyotl, who had stepped forward aggressively.
A pained cough burst from his throat.
Grip.
Enoch Elsyde had reached out with one arm, grabbed the Beast-kin warrior Coyotl by the neck, and subdued him.
- ……!!!
The Beast-kin and the entire Elsyde family dispatch personnel watching from behind froze solid at the sight.
Even the mages from both sides, who were about to move to help their respective war chief and direct descendant, stopped abruptly.
Impossible.
Beast-kin, possessing physical abilities incomparable to ordinary humans. Coyotl belonged to a warrior group particularly skilled in combat even among them.
Of course, he might have been briefly careless due to rising anger, but even so, the Beast-kin's overwhelming physical abilities should remain intact.
Yet, to subdue him head-on like this?
Beyond the dumbfounded expressions of the Beast-kin and family mages.
Enoch, holding the guy's neck, spoke lowly.
“…If you can’t bite, don’t bare your teeth.”
Then, with his other hand, he took something out from his pocket and threw it before the eyes of all the Beast-kin.
Flutter.
A single document falling from the sky.
On it, along with the Chieftain’s seal, the matters Enoch had promised support for were written down without omission.
Naturally, including the content acknowledging the Elsyde family’s extraterritoriality as per Enoch’s demands.
“To all mages of Elsyde.”
Through the crowd, already silent as mice, Enoch’s low voice echoed.
“From this time forth, I permit autonomous response to conflicts arising in the Beast-kin village.”
Instantly, the Elsyde mages looked at Enoch with disbelieving, dumbfounded expressions.
Clearly before their eyes was the black-haired direct descendant, once considered nothing short of the family’s shame.
Enoch Elsyde.
Although he recently gained fame by succeeding in various missions, until just recently, the direct descendant called Elsyde’s incompetent.
For him to show such a side.
But amidst those stiffened mages.
Askel was the first to respond to his command, holding his magic gear upright before Enoch.
“I obey the command.”
The posture of accepting an order taken by Askel.
Other Elsyde mages too, as if snapping back to reality, one by one lowered their guard and their magic gears.
Confirming this, Enoch turned his gaze towards Coyotl, whose neck he held in one hand.
“…Keh, keok!”
Coyotl struggled as if trying to resist.
But the moment his eyes met Enoch’s, who held his airway, he inhaled sharply.
-Dark blue eyes.
Eyes deep as obsidian held Coyotl’s airway, watching him, speaking lowly.
“You understand the situation now.”
Coyotl, caught by the neck while meeting his gaze, unknowingly lowered his head, avoiding his eyes.
“Good.”
Confirming that, Enoch finally released the strength in his grip, letting him go.
“Consider us reconciled.”
Enoch smiled brightly towards the remaining Beast-kin warriors staring blankly this way and said.
“Let’s get along from now on, shall we?”
The fortress assault operation was decided for that night.
This was based on the judgment that if the exile forces were monitoring the village from somewhere, they might realize the Elsyde family's arrival and prepare defenses.
The sunset was already cooling down before long.
Enoch sat in the seat of the family operation vehicle, watching the scenery as dusk fell outside the window.
Since the distance from the village to the fortress was considerable, they would travel by vehicle to match the nighttime operation schedule.
‘The operation will begin soon.’
Outside the window, the few mages selected for the fortress attack operation were gathering, preparing to board.
Sleek metal magic gears, and modern, chic black operation robes they wore.
A cold strength resided in the sophisticated monochrome appearance of those Elsyde-affiliated mages.
Just then, a familiar voice echoed in Enoch’s ears.
“…That was a dangerous action just now.”
Turning his head, he saw the familiar female knight dressed in a black uniform.
“Sir Teano.”
It was Teano, who had agreed to accompany the fortress assault. She pointed to the empty seat beside Enoch and asked.
“May I sit?”
Enoch nodded.
She slowly sat down beside him.
Amidst the empty seats of the yet unoccupied vehicle, a subtle atmosphere momentarily flowed between the two.
“……It was somewhat surprising.”
Teano was the first to break the silence lightly.
“To clash head-on with the Beast-kin warriors without any consultation.”
“Was consultation necessary?”
“No. It’s not that kind of problem, but……”
Teano turned her eyes, hidden by the shadow of her formal cap, slightly towards Enoch and said.
“If things had escalated wrongly, not only the direct descendant’s safety, but this mission might have been jeopardized.”
“On the contrary, it was to prevent that from happening.”
Enoch replied simply, looking out the car window at the Beast-kin conversing with the family mages.
“If we leave the Beast-kin’s animosity unchecked like this, it might explode in a worse way someday.”
Whether human or beast, it's law to attack when the opponent seems weak.
“We need to draw the line first, so they don't cross it.”
Establishing an equal relationship first is the starting point for proper dialogue and relations.
Having done this, the Beast-kin, unless they are fools, wouldn't easily touch the Elsyde mages, whose extraterritoriality was even acknowledged with the Chieftain's approval.
“…By the way, during the conversation with the Beast-kin warrior earlier, you mentioned a separate calculation.”
Teano looked at Enoch and asked.
“As far as I know, there was no such directive for this mission. What intention was behind those words?”
“Well. It’s difficult to say right now, but.”
Enoch answered simply.
“If things work out well, it’s a calculation that will greatly benefit the entire Elsyde domain and everyone.”
“……?”
Teano, looking this way, showed slightly puzzled eyes.
He had no intention of revealing the big picture he was drawing beforehand.
Anyway, by the latter half of this mission, both the Beast-kin and the Elsyde family would come to know it.
Meanwhile, Teano, hearing the ambiguous answer, watched Enoch for a moment, then said.
“Honestly…… I was somewhat surprised by Lord Enoch.”
Surprised?
Enoch tilted his head.
“Is that so?”
“Yes, in many ways.”
Teano answered only that.
Just then, her gaze incidentally turned towards the seat opposite Enoch’s.
Her eyes, hidden beneath the shadow of her formal cap, shone with slight curiosity as Teano opened her mouth.
“…By the way.”
Beside Enoch sat the maid with calmly flowing silver hair, as usual.
“Is it alright to bring a maid along for this fortress attack operation?”
Teano’s eyelashes lowered slightly, looking at the girl in a maid outfit completely out of place here.
‘Come to think of it, was that silver-haired girl the maid who served him within the family?’
Though she had only seen her a few times, her appearance was so eye-catching that Teano remembered her well.
Meanwhile, Enoch glanced sideways at her and answered.
“It’s fine. As a contact person for emergencies, someone needs to remain with the vehicle.”
“Is that maid the contact person?”
Enoch nodded calmly and said.
“Since I still have no Follower Family, I wish to entrust it to the one I can trust most.”
Teano nodded as if somewhat convinced.
As long as she wasn't directly deployed on site, it wouldn't matter if a simple contact person was a maid.
Above all, Enoch, who had lived a life thoroughly secluded within the family, likely wouldn't easily trust anyone.
Teano looked at Lien for a moment, then said.
“…You trust her quite a bit.”
“Yes.”
Enoch answered, glancing sideways at Lien.
“Considerably.”
Of course, Lien wasn't just a contact person, but a trump card and lifeline prepared for emergencies.
‘I still can’t show Lien in direct combat where other family members can see, but…’
At least if Lien was near the fortress, he could receive her help in critical situations, like back in Leopold.
Clunk.
The vehicle had started moving quietly before he knew it.
Inside the large, empty operation vehicle sat the elite personnel fitting for the fortress assault.
A tense silence flowed ahead of the operation.
But among those accompanying personnel, just one person had a completely opposite atmosphere.
A pair of wolf ears popping up from the front seat of Enoch were already twitching excitedly.
“Woah! This thing really moves!”
Sirocco.
As soon as she boarded the operation vehicle, she seemed extremely fascinated, excitedly patting here and there with her hands.
Enoch watched her quietly for a moment.
‘…So she had this side too.’
Enoch suddenly felt a strange emotion at her curious and innocent appearance.
‘Such an innocent appearance couldn't be found in the Sirocco of the original work.’
Sirocco’s genuine bright smile, looking this way excitedly, curious about everything.
However.
Over Enoch’s eyes watching her, the image of the original Sirocco overlapped.
After the destruction of the Beast-kin in the original work.
How she changed 5 years later. He knew that better than anyone else.
「…Get lost, I don't need wound treatment.」
Her eyes, once shining like rubies, lose their vitality.
A dark shadow falls over her once bright expression.
Bandages covering self-inflicted wounds, as if in self-reproach, are wrapped around her wrists and various parts of her body.
Licking the blood from her wrist, seeped from her own wounds and those of the enemies she felled, as usual.
5 years later. The matured Sirocco looks this way with a somewhat broken smile, tears streaming down her bloodstained cheeks.
Enoch closed his eyes for a moment.
The original work, 5 years from now.
Her predetermined fate there was so darkly shadowed.
‘…Well, Sirocco was the sole survivor of the Beast-kin destruction in the original work.’
Having experienced such things, it would be stranger if her personality didn't darken in the original work.
‘Feels somewhat strange.’
She was very different from the her of the original work.
But looking at her cute and bright appearance now, he somehow felt it wasn't bad.
‘This side is better to look at than the original version.’
Just then, Sirocco’s clear voice reached Enoch’s ears.
“…Hey!”
Turning his gaze, she was peeking her head out from the front seat, turned around, looking this way.
Sirocco, wagging her tail vigorously behind her back, stared intently this way with eyes seemingly full of pure curiosity and continued speaking.
“You said you’re Elsyde’s direct descendant. Does that mean you’re also the heir to your family’s leader?”
“Yes.”
“Woah!”
Sirocco’s expression looked intriguing already. Enoch looked at her, slightly puzzled.
‘Sirocco showing interest in me first is good in many ways…’
He needed to build a relationship with Sirocco to recruit her as a Follower Family anyway.
‘But, why is Sirocco showing interest first like that?’
“Hey, I have something I’m curious about!”
Just then, Sirocco half-stood up on her knees from the front seat, leaned her upper body forward over the backrest, and asked abruptly.
“How can I lead a pack well like your families?”
…Ah.
Instantly, Enoch realized.
Now he knew why she had shown such great interest in him from before.
A sense of kinship felt towards a similar position as heir, just like herself.
Honestly, this was unexpected.
Meeting Sirocco’s eyes sparkling like rubies in the sunset, Enoch smiled inwardly.
‘Lucky?’
He hadn't actually done anything yet, but to think he captured Sirocco’s interest in such an unexpected way.
Enoch first continued the conversation naturally.
“What do you mean by leading a pack well?”
“Um, Mom said Elsyde is a really strong pack. You’re the heir of such a pack, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then, being the heir of such an amazing pack, aren’t you being taught how to lead the pack well?”
At Sirocco’s words referring to the family as a ‘pack’, Enoch felt somewhat amused and shook his head.
“No, haven't learned separately.”
“Huh? Really?”
“Haven't had the chance yet.”
Sirocco’s widened eyes looked at Enoch, perhaps surprised. And the next moment, she laughed.
“Ehehe, what the.”
Swish.
Sirocco rested her cheek slightly on her arm placed on the seat headrest and said with a smile.
“You’re more similar to me than I thought.”
Enoch also nodded.
Well, maybe they were similar. Both being heirs at a young age was the same, after all.
‘Come to think of it, heir.’
Enoch Elsyde was indeed a direct descendant with succession rights. But he hadn't paid much attention to that until now.
Naturally, surviving first was important.
‘Besides, just surviving isn’t the end.’
Furthermore, after that, he had to resolve the ‘incidents that would occur in the original work’.
If he couldn't, then surviving by struggling so hard as Enoch would be meaningless.
Enoch’s eyes deepened.
‘What happens in the original world… I know better than anyone else.’
The massive incident starting 5 years from now.
He had to prepare for that.
‘Otherwise, even if Enoch survives the immediate death, it would be meaningless.’
Overwhelming spec improvement was the only way to change the future predetermined for Enoch, and furthermore, the future predetermined for the world he would live in.
Just as Enoch thought that far.
-Screech.
The tires of the operation vehicle, having entered the canyon of sheer cliffs, slowly reduced speed and stopped.
He slowly raised his head.
Beyond the vehicle window.
The massive rocky canyon, draped in the night curtain just beginning to fall, soared as if piercing the night sky with overwhelming size.
“We’ve arrived!”
Sirocco popped her head out the vehicle window and leaped straight out.
“All members, arrived at operation site.”
Beside Enoch, Teano also stood up from her seat, giving glances to the other mages.
“Proceed according to plan.”
Other family-affiliated mages also quietly stood up from their seats, holding their respective magic gears.
Over their modernized black robes, the white Elsyde crest engraved on them rippled once.
And lastly, Enoch slung the cloth bag, which had been leaning against the seat behind them, onto his back.
‘Anyway, what needs focus right now is finishing this mission and sweeping up the rewards.’
Since this Allied Mission's scale was quite large, there were mountains of things to obtain and resolve.
Amidst such chaos, he had to keep his eyes wide open and snatch everything that could potentially improve his specs.
Especially elements related to the Sword Saint.
And that started right now.