Volu 4, Chapter 26 – A Clash of Hearts
"I hope you understand, we Beastn don’t like owing debts for too long," the Beastman chieftain said slowly, his eyes locked on Teresa.
"If you don’t wish to owe a favor, then I do have so questions I’d like answered."
"Ask away. As long as I know the answer, I won’t hide anything," the chieftain’s expression softened slightly.
"You are Green Beastn, correct?"
"I think you already see that clearly."
"Then why are you killing your own kind?"
"You're of the sa race as the Dark Elves, aren’t you? So why did your people oppress and reject them?" The chieftain didn’t answer Teresa’s question—instead, he asked his own, with an unmistakable edge in his voice.
"…"
Teresa was at a loss. Perhaps it was due to her fragnted mory—or maybe she truly didn’t know. She couldn’t even be certain if the so-called oppression by High Elves against the Dark Elves really happened. All she could do was remain silent.
"Can’t answer? Or don’t want to?"
"Actually, it’s not hard to answer at all. Judging by your appearance, you must be a Wood Elf, yes?"
Teresa was surprised that the Beastman knew so much about the elves.
Could a Beastman living deep in Ruglian have access to such knowledge? What source could possibly teach him?
"Don’t be so shocked. Most Beastn can’t speak the common tongue either. I’m just… a bit more 'special' than most. But in the end, we’re all the sa—oppressed beings."
"Now do you see? In every group, there's always a portion—no, it’s usually the majority—that becos expendable. And the value they generate doesn’t serve the group, but a small handful of parasites."
"Those despicable leeches, who act high and mighty while draining every last drop of our blood," the chieftain’s tone grew agitated.
"This is especially severe among Beastn. You probably don’t know this, but Beastman society is based on slavery. Slaves are treated as re property by those in power."
"Whether we live or die depends solely on their whim. Whippings and starvation are routine. If not for the cost, they wouldn’t even consider us living beings."
"Now do you understand?" His voice gradually cald. "If we don’t resist, even the dignity of our lives will be trampled upon."
"Just like when your people were overthrown by the Dark Elves."
"…How do you know about the Dark Elves?" Teresa frowned slightly.
"It’s no secret, Elf. Maybe Beastn aren’t that smart, but we aren’t stupid. In the deeper parts of Ruglian, this isn’t sothing hidden." He spoke with the tone of soone who had seen too much.
Teresa hesitated. Could it be… that the one who opened the gates to the demons back then—was a Dark Elf?
Had the mutated Dark Elves colluded with the demons beyond the forest to destroy the Elven Forest?
If so, then did the High Elves really oppress the Dark Elves?
And if they did, just how intense was that oppression—to make a race known for peace and kindness beco the very destroyers of their holand?
"Save your reflection for later. Any other questions, Elf?"
"Forgive for asking, but… were you all once slaves?"
"There’s nothing shaful about it," the chieftain grinned, though the curve of his lips was stiff. "Every Beastman here bears the brutal marks of slavery. So yes, we were all slaves."
"Then how did you break free?" There had to be a trigger. Otherwise, it would all seem too coincidental.
"Heh. Funny enough, we owe it all to this disaster." He gave a cold chuckle. "I don’t know how much you know about Ruglian, but know this: once, the land beneath your feet was solely inhabited by Beastn. Beyond that, deep inside, was a terrifying forest we couldn’t enter."
"Then one day, thanks to so 'great force,' that forest vanished overnight—uprooted completely."
"With the path to new lands suddenly open, do you think those greedy chieftains would just sit still?"
So it really was like this… Teresa listened closely.
"Those warlords, long constrained by limited land and unable to expand, were overjoyed. They imdiately sent elite forces to seize new territory and enslave more people."
"But this ti, they failed. Their armies were attacked by the demons lurking behind the forest and scattered in defeat."
"With insufficient soldiers, they were forced to deploy slaves as replacents—using massive numbers of slave troops to wage their wars."
"And I bet you can guess what happened next. Slaves, beaten and abused for centuries, finally got weapons. And the first thing they did wasn’t listen to speeches about racial unity or noble missions."
"They beheaded their officers and shattered their chains."
"Once one group rebelled, every other slave in every tribe followed suit."
"Now, those chieftains are on the decline. Sure, they can still suppress slave uprisings with brute strength. But don’t forget—they still need to fight a war on the outside."
"When the flas of rebellion ignite, no one can put them out. Fighting on two fronts is the perfect opportunity for us to rise. And we won’t let it slip."
"Then what will you do after you succeed?"
"Punish the greedy chieftains and establish a new order," he replied without hesitation.
"I don’t know whether the new system will be better, but at the very least, it can’t be worse."
"As for the rest… that’s none of your concern. This is a matter for Beastn."
“…What do the demons behind the forest look like? Are they powerful?" Teresa asked the question she cared most about.
"No idea. We slave soldiers never saw them ourselves. But they must be strong—strong enough to unite the chieftains and still leave them scrambling. They’ve been forced to shift only so troops to suppress us. So yes, they must be very strong," the chieftain comnted.
"Then again, if they were truly that powerful, they would’ve invaded by now."
"The demons behind the forest are starting a counterattack?"
"What else? We've already struck their holand. You think they’d just sit there and take it? The path was opened, after all. They have no reason not to take interest in our land." He shrugged.
"One more thing, Beastman. I have a question."
"Go ahead."
"You say the forest separated you from the demons, preventing conflict. Then why haven’t you attacked Caleburn, beyond the Coleman Forest? There’s no barrier there, right?"
The Beastman shook his head. "You don’t understand demons. Or Ruglian."
"Demons cannot remain outside of Ruglian for long."
"Just like how you can’t stay inside Ruglian for too long—our environnts are incompatible."
"Besides, the Demon King issued a law: no demon may enter the Coleman Forest."
"Demon King…?" Teresa suddenly rembered. There was a Demon King once. But she couldn’t recall much—or maybe she never knew who he really was.
"Have you ever seen the Demon King?"
"Elf, your imagination is wild. Of course not. Beastn don’t live much past a hundred. Ruglian’s been here over 400 years. Even if I were older, I’d never have seen the Demon King. I’ve never even left this cursed land."
"What I know was passed down from my father, and his father before him. Oral traditions. That’s how we rember our history."
"For other demons, I can’t say. But for Beastn, recording history is aningless. Give it a few generations, and we forget how we even got here—let alone how to leave."
"Thank you for your answers," Teresa said, deep in thought.
"If there’s nothing else, you should leave now. Your companions are getting anxious."
Sure enough, when she looked outside the camp, she saw Felicia and the others in a tense standoff with the Beastman guards.
"Excuse , then. Until we et again."
"Elf, for your own safety, don’t let today’s events happen in another Beastman settlent," the chieftain said aningfully. "Whether it's the greedy warlords or the slave rebels, stay away."
"The forr are ruthless, and the latter are… a mixed bag. They might not be as polite as we are."
"I understand. Thank you for the warning." Honestly, eting a rational, well-mannered Beastman had been quite a rare experience.
"Take this—it’s a map of the Beastman territories. Might co in handy." The chieftain told Teresa to wait outside as he went back in, took a map off the wall, and handed it to her.
"Thank you."
"A small favor."
With that, Teresa left under the escort of several Beastman warriors.
Outside, Astrid and the others watched in surprise as their companion returned—surrounded by towering Beastman escorts.
Astrid’s expression turned strange.
She'd read plenty of those illustrated stories, where elf girls and Beastn... well, the situation looked exactly like that.
She couldn’t help imagining things again.
"Teresa."
"I’m fine. Just gathered so intel from their leader." Teresa waved to the Beastn, bidding farewell.
"This was too risky. They’re Beastn," Felicia said with a frown. She didn’t even know why—but elves and Beastn together always seed... risky.
"Teresa-sis, could you actually communicate with them?" Wenfu poked her head out from behind Felicia’s legs, wide-eyed.
"Yes. Their leader spoke the common tongue. Quite rational too. I learned a lot about Ruglian from him."
"But… They're still Beastn. Who knows if their words can be trusted?" Wenfu was still uneasy. Maybe it was instinct—or maybe the trauma from their last visit still lingered.
"Little Wenfu, all life has its aning. As they say: everything has a soul, no?"
"Even Beastn?" Wenfu pouted.
"Even grass and trees," Teresa said gently.
"As long as hearts can touch, I believe nothing is truly unreachable." She looked back at the wooden fortress.
"Even if cultures and beliefs differ across species, emotions are the sa. Through genuine connection, we can build understanding and trust." The wind brushed her golden hair, lifting a few strands.
From humans walking the land to insects buzzing through the trees—if she could connect with them, she believed everything could be understood.
"The key is emotional and spiritual dialogue."
"Really...? Hmm..." Wenfu looked confused. She still didn’t really understand what ‘a eting of hearts’ ant.
"Then… What if the other side refuses to listen? What do we do then?" she asked.
"Beat them up~" Teresa replied with a smile, raising her slender fingers as if stating sothing completely normal.
"If they won’t listen to reason, a little beating will calm them down—and then they’ll be ready to talk."
"Uuuh... m-ow..."
"I also got a map from them." Teresa unrolled the scroll the chieftain gave her.
It clearly marked their current location, nearby Beastman settlents, and which were ruled by warlords—all marked in red.
Upstream, a forest was marked in charcoal—it must be the Gluttony Forest.
But that forest had now been destroyed. It was nothing but an open plain—and the main battlefield between the Beastn and the demons beyond.
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