CHAPTER 12: THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG

***The Cauldron, in one of the villages of the Fox tribe***

Chief Kashca Telis of the Fox stood at the sidelines as she watched the houses before her burn. Corpses of its inhabitants were either left off at the front doors or were burned along with their homes. It had to be done. This village had to be destroyed, as a warning to other foxes who were thinking of siding with Lady Konka.

“…”

Telis’ hand tightened around the grip of her sword. She didn’t want to kill her kin; however, some of them were endangering the life of her liege, and so she had to act.

“Yes, my sweet Telis,” it was the Saint, who went down from her cave-palace to watch Telis comply with her orders. “these are not your people, for the Fox tribe is known for their devotion to their saint. They deserve this cruel fate.”

“Even the children, Your Holiness?”

“I’m really sorry for that, Telis,” Ruro embraced her, “However, though it is horrendous, know that your loyalty will be remembered by the one who will come after me. Someone greater and more powerful than your Saint…”

“Yes, milady…my sword is yours, and my tribe will follow you everywhere.”

Ruro smiled and gave her a pat on the head, “Thank you. Your reward in heaven will be great.”

While the both of them were talking, another group of Beastmen came and gave respects to their Saint. All of them wore golden clothes, much like the one being worn by Ruro. They were from various tribes, scattered around the land of Cherwind, but their leader was a woman who had the tongue of a snake, and legs covered in colorful scales. She stepped forward and bowed…

“Greetings, oh Holy One! We heard what happened to you, and we’re glad that you are well.”

“Yes, all is good, Sebastenerva of the Serpentinus! And thank you for gathering here.”

“Your Holiness?” Telis stared at her liege with curious eyes. Ruro was quick to read what she had in mind.

“Ah yes, Telis. I called all the High Priests to this place, for I have something important to tell them.”

“Indeed, Holy One! We’re prepared to do your bidding!” the High Priests answered.

Telis had a vague idea of what’s going to happen, yet she tried to push it off her mind. However, as her thoughts continued to disturb her, she asked, “And what is it, Your Holiness?”

“What you have in your thoughts is the very reason that I called the High Priests to this island,” the Beastman Saint smirked, “I’m ordering an Inquisition. Every Beastman who professes their faith against me shall die. The Grand High Priest, Sebastenerva, will lead them.”

----------

**Kuro**

“Alright guys, get ready for battle! Send those blood bags flying!”

Using the primitive catapults that we built, we hurled the harpy blood we collected (from my previous battle) towards their own nests and watched those monsters come out to search for it. When they were utterly distracted…

“Charge!” I gave the thunderous order for the attack. However, it’s not a classical ‘charge’ as one would’ve thought. I specifically instructed the chicken tribesmen to march as a compact group to our targets; their wooden pikes were aimed against our enemies.

“Guooooh!”

When the harpies realized what was happening, it was too late for them to dodge the forest of spearheads pressing on their flesh. Soon, a good number of them were skewered by our weapons.

“Don’t let your guards down!” I cried out, “Circular formation!”

The chicken tribesmen quickly reformed their ranks, with some pikes pointed upwards to deflect the diving attacks of the harpies, while the rest remained forward to defend themselves from the ground attacks.

“That’s good! Hold your ground, Chickens! We’ll conquer!”

“Yaaaaaarrrrrrggggghhh!!!”

Even though some of the wooden pikes that we made were soon broken, the harpies stood no chance against our ‘circular schiltron’ formation.

----------

With our lopsided battle against the harpies, the chicken tribesmen were slowly convinced to fight for their survival.

“Human chief! Human chief!”

The cheers of the chicken tribesmen were deafening. Inspired by my foolhardy demonstration that we could fight—and win—against harpies, even though I was only a single, ‘weak’ human, soon the entire village could summon their long-lost courage to tackle the impossible.

Using the observation notes I made about the harpies, we taught the villagers how to counter the monster’s attacks effectively.

However, such theories will not be useful if it’s not applied in practice…

“…”

So our answer was to do ‘patrol’ missions with the chicken tribesmen. As we were lacking in iron weapons, the early patrols were armed with wooden pikes and clubs. The first weapon was designed to meet the harpy’s ‘diving attacks’, while the second was for countering the monster’s charge, just like what I did with my matchlock gun.

And one of the results was the battle we fought earlier.

In due time, and after countless fights against the harpies, we cleared the nests in the vicinity of the hill where the village stood. Honestly, I’m glad that the harpies were mindless monsters, who only moved according to their instincts. It’d be a different scenario if these creatures could adapt against our battle tactics, which was only a circular ‘schiltron’ formation.

“…”

While initially, the chicken tribesmen were reluctant to go out of their village without me leading them, the more we successfully returned from ‘patrols’, the more they gained the courage and initiative to venture out of the village and into the nearby hills on their own.

After that, I was slowly relegated to planning and directing our strategies. The chicken tribesmen soon didn’t want me on the frontlines.

“Human chief, we cannot afford to lose you in our battles,” the captain of the Chicken tribe army, Ruja, told me, “Please stay behind.”

“But…”

“He’s right, Kuro,” Ursura reiterated, “Let them fight their battles now.”

“Chief Kuro…” it was Rumia, “Please allow me to lead the Chickens to battle. Luka will be my assistant.”

I turned to the dog-boy upon hearing that. He said nothing; he just nodded and went outside our ‘war room’.

“Yes, human chief.”

“The Dogs could lead us as well as you; please stay in the village and await our victorious return.”

“Well…” I gently patted Rumia’s head, “…take care of each other, and remember your training. See you later!”

With that, Rumia, Luka, Ruja, and the rest of the chicken tribe army left to clear another nest in one of the trade routes.

----------

As for the orphans, they became more proficient in their own roles. For example, Rishnu took charge as the village’s doctor; she was assisted in that role by her fellow Insetus, Yufa, and one of the rabbit-boys, Taro.

“Taro’s helping in the hospital?” I asked the mantis-girl one time when I visited them.

“Yes, Chief! Basically, he’s the one bringing in patients to us,” Rishnu replied with a smile, “He’s handful at times, but Taro’s been helpful.”

“Oh, so he’s like an ambulance…”

“Huh? An ambu—what?”

“Excuse me, coming through!” Taro’s screams could be heard outside as he rushed down the streets of the village on the way back to our hospital.

“Hmm…you should make a cart to put the patients in so that Taro can transport them easily.”

“A cart, huh? Alright, Chief, I’ll note that!” the mantis-girl winked at me before she went to see her new patient.

I wonder if I should heal that guy who just arrived? Just to help Rishnu for a bit…

Anyway, Senna and Gero became the village’s official scouts. They were the ones who were busy with mapping and reconnoitering areas we wanted to clear. Their contributions helped form my strategies, and their experiences helped teach the other tribe members the ‘art’ of reconnaissance.

They also formed their own group of fellow scouts, which I refer to as the ‘rangers’.

The dog-children, Rumia and Luka, became involved in taking the leadership of the Chicken tribe’s army after me. Think of them as my generals, along with the chief’s son, Ruja. Also, they were keen to train the new ‘recruits’, eventually implementing a sort of ‘regimental system’, which they developed all on their own.

The tigers? Well, I don’t know what happened, but ever since that time I fought the harpies on my own, they were always around me. Colheen, Yufos, and Teviki never left my side…unless I’m taking a bath, or doing my business at the lavatory.

“If Teviki leaves Chief Kuro’s side, you’ll attack the harpies alone again!”

“I told you, I won’t do that stupidity again!”

“Teviki won’t leave the Chief’s side! It’s Teviki’s promise!”

“I’d love it if you’d just break that promise of yours.”

“Our apologies, Chief Kuro, we can’t do that,” Colheen bowed for a bit, “We promised the bear-woman to protect you at all times, and we Beastmen don’t break our oaths.”

“Tch. It’s that Ursura again,” I could imagine her sticking out a tongue against me.

“Well, Chief, it’s not that we don’t like it as well,” Yufos explained, “To us, you’re an important person, so we’re willing to give our lives for you to be safe!”

“Please don’t, kid. You’re still young; you got a good life ahead of you.”

Colheen and Yufos just cast a weird stare on me. I guess they didn’t understand what I meant by what I said, and little Teviki just bit my arm through my clothes. Well, it’s her way to play around; plus, it didn’t hurt, so I let her gnaw on it for a while.

But seriously guys, I don’t need bodyguards…moreover, child bodyguards.

----------

Though slow and methodological, our ‘hill-hopping’ strategy soon bore fruit.

First, we secured control of the hill where they get their water. The second was the iron and coal mines, which were accomplished by the growing army of chicken tribesmen. The veterans would teach the young how to fight the harpies, and our methods soon spread across the lands of the Avinus.

With the iron and coal mines safely in our hands, I taught the chicken tribesmen the basic principles of smelting and smithing, which led to a boon in their village’s economy. And with the chicken army clearing out the trade routes, the Eagle tribe kept their word about resuming the caravan trade.

“Greetings!” the captain of the Eagle tribe’s army was all-smiles when she met us once again, “True to our chief’s words, we escorted the caravans to your village!”

Chief Habu was ecstatic as the first of the caravans passed through the palisade gates. It was led by the members of the Raven tribe, who were also out to get some iron ores, tools, and weapons the village was producing.

“Chief Habu of the Chickens!” one of the Ravens came to us and bowed in respect, “We are pleased to return to your village, but we are surprised to know that you’re already making iron tools and weapons! How did you learn about it?”

“Ah, we got someone helping us,” the chicken-elder laughed and grabbed me, “This is the human chief, Lawrence. He taught us the knowledge of smelting and smithing!”

“A human, and a chief?” the Raven was bewildered, “How is this possible?”

I could only scratch my nose, “Haha…it’s a long story, err…”

“I’m Riha of the Ravens,” the Raven reached out a hand, which I shook.

“Nice to meet you, Riha!”

“Likewise, Chief Lawrence! Are you interested in coming to our village and teaching us smelting as well?”

I fell silent when I heard that, quickly turning to Chief Habu. This guy sure knew how to make a situation awkward…

“Well, if you’re willing to send us your yellow stones, then we could consider teaching you how to smelt iron!” was Chief Habu’s reply.

“Yellow stones?” I asked.

“Ah, yes, the yellow stones!” Riha explained, “It is our village’s product and primary trade item. We use that for our medicinal baths, and it makes your skin and feathers healthy! It’s kind of stinky, though, so you have to be careful in handling it.”

“Yellow stone? Stinky?” I was thinking of something familiar, “Can you show me a sample?”

“Of course, we brought some in our caravans!”

The Raven tribesman then called an assistant and soon he appeared with a basket. He put it down before us for me to examine. And much to my shock…

“This is Sulphur!” I cried out, noting the ‘rotten-egg’ smell and the yellow color of the stones.

“Ha? What? Sul…fur?”

“Where did you get this?”

“We have them in our village. There’s a mine there, and some hot springs.”

Heh, not only for medicinal baths, Sulphur is one of the primary components for gunpowder! And to think that this place had them as well…

Goodness, the Avinus is sitting above a rich land of untapped resources!

And so, upon my insistence, we agreed with the Raven tribe to supply us with Sulphur, while we provided their men with the knowledge of smelting, as well as supplies of iron ores and coal.

Meanwhile, the construction of the aqueduct and the terrace farms also begun. Although I didn’t notice it at first, the chicken tribe’s population grew even further and they expanded to the nearby hills. Everything happened so fast that the former hilly landscape transformed into what looked to me as a small city, as if in a blink of an eye.

The chicken tribe survived their predicament.

----------

Many ‘long sleeps’ later, the chief of the Eagle tribe visited the…err…I guess this place could now be called a town? Anyway, Chief Gislaine came to the Chicken tribe’s town.

“Really, Chief Habu, when I was flying with my kin, I didn’t recognize your village from the air at all!” she narrated, “The Ravens did say that the Chickens transformed, but I’m not prepared to see such huge changes.”

“Ah, it’s all thanks to the human chief!” the elder of the Chickens pointed to me, “His ideas really helped us; he’s even willing to die just to show me and my kin that we could fight and defeat the harpies.”

Chief Gislaine stared at me; her eyes were sharp as if trying to melt my soul. “Indeed. His ideas are helpful; his companion taught us the knowledge of fishing, isn’t that right, Chief Lawrence…or should I call you Chief Kuro?”

“Ahehehehe…” I could only scratch my head, “I guess the cat is out in the bag, eh?”

“Err…what?” it was Yatoi and Minahaba. I guess they were not familiar with that idiom, eh? Well, this is another world, so…

“It means I was caught lying.”

“Oh…”

“Lying…indeed, Chief Kuro,” Chief Gislaine had a nasty smirk on her face. “And here I thought you’re someone insignificant. As it turns out, I’m mistaken!”

“Well, the human chief is someone dear to us,” Ruja proudly declared, “He saved us a lot of times, so he’s not someone you can call ‘insignificant’.”

“No!” the elder of Eagle tribe countered, “It’s not what I meant! You see, some fox-men visited me before.”

At the mention of the ‘fox-men’, I could feel my heart missed a beat. Ursura put her hand on my shoulder; her face also had the same concerned expression on them.

“Ah, don’t worry, Chief Kuro. I understand that you’re running away from them, so I gave the wrong directions.”

“Thank you for that, Chief Gislaine,” the bear-woman sighed in relief.

“And they told me something spectacular about you, Chief Kuro.”

“Err…please stop—” Ursura was quick to cover my mouth and restrained my hands. This stupid bear-womaaaaannn!!!

“I could see that you don’t want them to know about it,” the Eagle’s elder chuckled, “But well…this is really interesting!”

“Hmm? Chief Gislaine, sorry to intrude, but I wanted to know more about our Chief!” Minahaba excitedly told her, effectively drowning my protests. “Please tell us!”

Even Yatoi was curious. Chief Habu and Ruja were laughing.

With a triumphant look on her face, Chief Gislaine dropped the revelation, “Did you know? Chief Kuro is the human hero called the ‘Commoner General’, see?”

I think my spirit left my body upon hearing that.

----------

I guess the cat was really out of the bag.

Chief Gislaine’s revelation of my true identity to the elder of the Chicken tribesmen and his family caused them enough shock to keep silent for a good while. But the one that was affected the most was Minahaba. She fainted when she learned about me.

“Come on, Kuro. You know that you’ll have to tell them about yourself at some point,” Ursura was trying to convince me to apologize to Chief Gislaine for hitting her head after her revelation.

“Yeeesssh, and you really have to restrain me back there!” I snarked at her, “What if the Chickens kick us out of here? Where do you think we’ll go?”

“Err…Chief Kuro?” Chief Gislaine stood at the door of my hut, with her head still sore from my fist earlier.

“Ah! Speaking of the troublemaker herself!”

“My bad. I didn’t know that it would shock them that much!” the elder of the Eagle tribe bowed profusely, “Though, if I may say, you improved their lives greatly that they won’t banish you.”

“Ugh…I had enough of people betraying me, see?” I could only sigh in exasperation.

“Sorry…” the eagle chief apologized once again by kneeling, “But, if they do kick you out, you’re always free to come to my town!”

“Heh, you still have ulterior motives, eagle-girl!” Ursura interjected, “But in any case, we’d gladly take on your offer!”

“‘We?’” I jokingly cast a bewildered look on the bear-woman, “Fuck you! After betraying me earlier, you think I’d let you come with me again?”

“Heh! What you gonna do if I say yes, crybaby?”

“But really, our problem is the Chief Habu and his children,” Chief Gislaine reiterated, “We should convince them you don’t mean any harm to their people.”

“After all that we did for this pathetic town, we still mean harm?” irritated, the bear-woman raised that question.

“And who’s fault do you think it is if they did think of me that way?” I returned the issue to Chief Gislaine.

“Ahehehe…” was all the Eagle chief could say.

“Uhm…C-Chief K-Kuro?”

“!!!”

Every one of us turned around to see the falcon-woman, Minahaba, at my door. Compared to her usual, carefree self, the falcon-woman who stood in front of us was meek and there was a strange, yet vague, redness on her cheeks.

Why are you getting embarrassed? My title isn’t that important nowadays.

“So, uhh…C-Chief? I-Is it alright…i-if I call you ‘Chief’?”

“You’re calling me that already.”

“Oh…right! Haha!”

Strange silence floated inside the hut, as Chief Gislaine and Ursura discreetly let themselves out. Yep, what a good time to leave me, you fuckers.

“Chief?” Minahaba broke the ice, “Do you still remember that time when I told you about my reason for leaving the chicken village?”

“Uh, well, yeah…” I was looking for any dagger on the falcon-woman’s hands, “I’m the ‘Commoner General’, alright. One of the human heroes you want to kill!”

“N-No…it’s not that…”

“What is it, then?”

“I just…want to thank you…for saving my village, you know?”

“Alright…and, uh, sorry for hiding the truth from you.”

“It’s okay Chief! After all, no one wants to get killed.”

“Yeah…” I chuckled, “You terrified me back then when you told us your reasons!”

“I understand…but you know, I still wanted to do it.”

“Huh? What do you mean—”

My words were interrupted when Minahaba stepped towards me, and—without a warning—drew her lips close to mine.

“…”

“Chief, you didn’t remember back then? The bear-woman asked me what will I do once I meet the ‘Commoner General’, right? Well, I said I’ll kiss him!”

----------

***The Holy Palatial Gardens***

The news of James Walter Reed’s capture spread like wildfire. Even before the Duchess of Henristone’s contingent returned to the Holy Palatial Gardens, every maid, paladin, nun, and templar working within its premises knew about the success of Maddie’s captain.

However, back in the Saint’s private chambers…

“Maddie, just so you know, Lady Henristone finally caught James,” Lily informed her friend, who was busy drawing another magic circle.

“Ah? Then it’s all good. At least Simon will be happy with that news,” she commented without even looking at the head maid.

“Well…where shall we keep him?”

“Just make some arrangements in some vacant palace nearby and post some companies of paladins for round the clock,” Maddie gave her instructions while her eyes were pasted on the paper she’s working on, “It’s for his safety anyway, and he should know that.”

“Right…”

“Your Holiness, how’s your magic circle?”

“Just one line left, Eris…hopefully it works this time.”

Natasha, who was listening to their conversation, looked at Maddie’s work and snatched the paper away from her hands. “Hmm…I think this would do.”

Maddie, visibly exhausted, asked, “You do?”

“Yep,” the Saint of Darkness nodded, “Well, if it isn’t, then you’ll have to draw another one.”

“Err, Your Holiness…” it was Lily, “I think Maddie should rest for the meantime. I mean, she’s been working on countless magic circles for several weeks now, with little sleep.”

“Of course!” Natasha answered, “It was only her who doesn’t listen to us, and would keep on staying up ’till it was late.”

“Can you just get to powering up that magic circle?” Maddie, who was getting irritated from the constant nagging on her, reminded them.

“Ah right,” the Saint of Darkness, however, gave her a condition. “But you should promise us once we’re done—whether or not it works—you would take a good rest.”

“Yeah, yeah! Just get on with it!”

At once, Lily took the shield she had brought inside the room and hid with Eris behind it. Maddie, as she was tired, never even bothered to distance herself, and just closed her eyes. In fact, she just lay down beside the paper, as Natasha chanted the spell that would make the circle work.

“Gods of the heavens, hear my cry; with this circle, make us fly! Open the portal to the other land; come guide us with thy hand!”

“…” There was only silence. Maddie knew they failed yet once again.

“Y-Your Holiness!”

“!!!” As Eris was notorious for her ear-splitting screams, it was kind of new to Maddie that she could only hear her muffled shouts. Curious of what happened, she opened her eyes…

“…”

…and what greeted her was the azure sky, with patches of white clouds passing overhead. Then she realized she was lying down in a grassy place. Sitting up, Maddie saw her room on the other side of the small, circular portal, with her maids happily waving at her.

“Your Holiness!” it was Eris, “You finally did it!”

The heavy feeling on Maddie’s chest vanished. Just to make sure that she was in the right place, she looked around.

“…”

Seeing those beautiful, snow-capped bluish mountain ranges, as well as some wandering groups of leviathans from afar, confirmed it was the land of Cherwind indeed.

“Maddie!” Lily’s face brightened up as she stepped into the portal, “Finally! You can save Kuro!”

“Yes! And it’s all thanks to Natasha!”

“That’s right! Your Holiness, you’re really a genius—”

“Huh?” Lily asked, as she saw the young maid was taken aback, “Eris, what’s wrong over there?”

“Uh…she’s gone!”

“What?” Maddie stood up to confirm what Eris had said. She peeked her head unto the portal, and much to her shock, Natasha was missing. Not a trace of the Saint of Darkness was left.

“Maybe she already left?” the head maid raised that point, “After all, her job is done here.”

“Well, maybe…” was Maddie’s answer. But deep inside, she was perplexed that the Saint of Darkness never even said goodbye to her.