RPG chapter 62

62　 Wild wolf’s arrogance

Feril

 

I remembered hearing that name somewhere, or did I……!?

 

No, right

It was used by Forte when she introduced herself, wasn’t it?

『Forte, daughter of chief Feril of Lobos tribe』, I think

 

Then, the quarrel just now……

 

　……was a parent-child quarrel!?

 

For some reason, I am nervous about butting into other family’s affair, so I keep watching from the hiding spot

 

「Our relationship as parent and child……!? Why!? Until now, I have always acted decisively for Lobos tribe……!」

「That is none of your business. Certainly, our Lobos tribe was defeated. We were overpowered by the empire from a distant land. Even our power which was said to be unrivaled on the grassland or the large army that can completely covered the grassland was no match」

 

Perhaps she was remembering the frustration from that time, mother-san’s tone is trembling

 

「My husband, the previous chief was killed in action. You should have remembered it too」

「I am aware of that time……！」

 

Bitterness gushes out from Forte’s voice

 

「Father, being carried in while having crossbow’s arrows all over his body, said 『It’s futile to fight anymore. Save the Lobos tribe』 before his death. Rather than losing and getting destroyed, surrender to let our tribe continue to exist. Those were father’s last wish, wasn’t it? That’s why I……!」

「…took the initiative to wag your tail and serve the empire? How shameless. You don’t understand the words of the previous chief at all」

 

The Twelve Apostles’ debut party is a big event, even all the leaders from foreign countries were invited

All people with certain status in the empire will be forced to participate

 

That is why I and Grey Ryuuga were dispatched when the empire lost contact with Irunne town

 

That means even the chief of a colony territory would be called

 

「Lobos tribe is the strongest tribe on the grassland. Our power is comparable to the fang of the wolves, overpowering other tribes living on the grassland. Wolves are aloof beings. They follow no one and rely on nothing, they walk on their own path」

 

And yet……, mother-san continues

 

「You, as a hostage, moved arbitrarily, buttered up to the empire to receive an official rank, and you are proud of that? That is not an act of a wolf, that is an act of a pet dog that already lost its fangs」

「I wholeheartedly tried to fulfill father’s last wish……!」

「It seems like you even altered the dying wish of the previous chief. That person said 『Save the Lobos tribe』. Do you think the tribe is saved if we save our people and the land?」

 

It is true, isn’t it?

 

「Wrong. There is something more important that people and land. That is pride. The pride as the strongest wolves of the grassland. Losing it to continue Lobos tribe is just make-believe」

「I……, I don’t intend to throw away our pride……!」

「No, you caused our pride to fall. Your pride as a wolf of Lobos tribe has become a pride of a dog. A dog that vigorously flatter its owner. From a wolf’s point of view, you are absurdly pathetic. You are not worth to refer yourself as Lobos tribe!」

「……!?」

 

Forte’s heartbreaking expression reached me

I can’t just stay here and watch anymore

 

「That’s why I will serve our connection. I cannot treat a foolish child who has fallen from being a wolf of Lobos tribe to just a pet dog as my own family anymore. It was unpleasant to be called to this place today. I will return to our tribe as soon as possible」

「…………」

 

Forte couldn’t say anything

There could be hundreds of counterarguments she can use to talk back, but she held back because it was her blood-related mother and the chief of her tribe

 

If she can’t do it, someone else has to

 

「Please wait」

 

I left the hiding spot

 

「Ji, Jira!?」

「Forte has been trying her best in the empire. Everything was for her own tribe. Can’t you acknowledge such endeavor?」

 

Not knowing I was lurking nearby, Forte is trembling in despair

 

After receiving the beast piece, her sense should have sharpened. The words of her mother were such a shock that she couldn’t pay attention to anything else

 

「Forte’s action, as a hostage, was extremely respectable」

 

Presenting an important to another country in an alliance-like relationship, if they betray then that person will be killed

An insurance to make sure the other side won’t betray. That is the meaning of a political hostage

 

However, other than that, the high-ranking hostage also has the role to study and grow on the land of the other side, establish a certain position there to act like a bridge between two sides

 

「She has played that role perfectly. Now that she is a member of the Twelve Apostles, everyone in the empire will acknowledge your tribe’s superiority」

「Jira!? Why are you here!? No, leave that aside, stop! This is between us parent and child……!?」

 

I also think poking my nose into other family’s affairs is not good

 

「But even so, I will say it」

「Jira……?」

「Because you are an important person to me」

「Jira!?」

 

You have taken care of my sister Selen while I was away after all

I must repay you a little here

 

「Hmm, who are you?」

「The Imperial Guardian’s Twelve Apostles, twelfth rank Jirat」

 

For the time being, let’s use my executive name

Hearing that, Forte’s mother laughed scornfully……。

 

「The same empire’s pet dog as that foolish daughter?」

 

No, I’m a mouse

 

I couldn’t see her from the hiding spot a while ago, but Forte’s mother, Feril-san, really resembled each other

 

It’s like Forte but with more adult’s sex appeal

The crude attire of a remote tribe that let you catch a glimpse here and there added even more sexiness

 

「Either way, it’s useless to interfere. As my daughter said, this is the affair of us Lobos tribe. We don’t need outsiders’ opinions」

「That Lobos tribe is now a part of the empire」

 

Having the truth thrust before her, mother-san knits her brows

 

「It was settled the moment you guys fought against the empire and lost. Since then, you guys were allowed to continue as a tribe by obeying the empire. Do not forget it」

 

Well, I apologize in advance for eavesdropping, but……

 

「The wolf’s pride that you have been saying repeatedly since a while ago, perhaps it was already lost the moment you lost against the empire」

 

If the wolf’s pride is about aloofness and indomitability……

 

「Hearing you, who survive while surrendering and obeying the empire, talking about pride of being aloof is ridiculous. You couldn’t see the truth. The truth that you are a loser」

「Ji, Jira, wait……!?」

 

Forte was unable to keep watching as my tongue gradually got sharper

But let me do it a bit more

Forte withdraws after looking at my eyes

 

「More than you, Forte is looking at the truth. She thought about her tribe which was incorporated into the empire and did her best to reconcile both sides. And the result of it was her position in the Twelve Apostles」

 

As Forte became the fourth rank of the Twelve Apostles, the position of Lobos tribe in the empire would skyrocket from now on

 

They will be treated politely as 『The tribe lady Forte came from』

They will never be looked down upon as a colonized tribe

 

「If you say Forte’s blood-spilling achievements are meaningless then you don’t have the qualification to be a tribe’s chief. A pet dog is better than a loser dog. You, who can’t accept the defeat after being defeated, are not even a loser dog. You are worse than that」

 

Because you cant accept the defeat, you keep babbling about unrealistic things like aloofness or indomitable

 

「Shut up, man of the empire……! Don’t insult my Lobos tribe anymore……!」

 

As I kept talking without mercy, mother-san snapped, huh?

Her voice trembled with anger

 

「When did we lose to you lot!? Even if we lost the war, our hearts haven’t yielded yet! We continued to sharpen our fangs for the revenge some day!!」

「Hou……」

 

Does she understand?

How dangerous her statement just now is?

 

「Then why did you send Forte as a hostage? Isn’t it the proof of surrendering from the bottom of your heart?」

「That is the hidden claw of the wolf! Eventually, we will stop hiding and bare the fang of revenge, at that time the empire will kill Forte! But that is fine!」

「What?」

「People of Lobos tribe are willing to die for their own tribe. That is more true for the daughter of the chief. Forte was sent to the empire to die from the beginning! It’s to throw the empire off guard!」

 

It was harsh, but possible

 

For their tribe, death are meaningless, they are existences whose life are only for protecting their tribe

If they call themselves battle tribe, such cruelty should be natural. The Spartan or Mongolian from my previous life should be the same, I’m sure of it

 

However, there is a distinct difference between those historical evil tribes and the woman before my eyes

She is foolish

 

「That remark just now……, it means Lobos tribe is having treasonous intention toward the empire, right?」

 

With this, Lobos tribe will be ruined

What is the meaning of showing off the fang of revenge before actually doing it?

 

It is just a weak dog’s barking