The marching horde of piggies shouting at the top of their lungs while holding pickets bewildered the returner. Once by their numbers, and twice by their actions. After reading the words written on the pickets, the returner quickly returned to my side.
"What the hell is that?!"
I replied calmly.
"It's a peaceful protest."
"A peace protest?"
"Yes. They're not even using weapons, just marching with pickets and shouting. How peaceful is that?"
"Bah!"
The people around also muttered with bewilderment or complaints, but it didn't get too heated. With no conflict, Azi also looked relieved.
The one person, the returner, was making a troubled expression.
"Why now, when the Wolf King is about to attack?"
"Isn't it because of that timing that they're protesting? To fight the Wolf King, isn't it better if there's no other commotion in the city? Now that Ende is in a hurry, it's the optimal timing."
"It's unexpected, so it's bewildering."
Literally, from the returner's perspective, it was only bewildering. Frowning, the returner scratched the back of his neck and muttered.
"Honestly, we can fight without them. Pig beastmen are useless except for Grull."
However, more allies are always better. Even if they're not immediately useful to me, it's better than them going to the enemy.
"But if they muddy the waters too much, it'll be troublesome. If any accident happens, both Grull and the other beastmen will split. If we respond poorly and the pig beastmen side with the werewolves, it'll be annoying. Let's resolve this."
Having made up his mind, the returner drew Jizan and Cheon-aeng and stepped forward. Unable to read his thoughts until right before he acted, I hastily grabbed the returner's shoulder.
"You startled me! Why?!"
"Why?! How exactly are you going to resolve this?"
"Just show them our strength roughly and tell them to back off."
"Suppress them with force? Such a peaceful protest? If you do that, the backlash will be even fiercer!"
The returner didn't not know that either. He just had an obsession with needing to resolve this situation. The returner asked back.
"Then what do we do? Leave them to cause a ruckus all day?"
"Even if we hit them in the back of the head later, for now we need to promise them interests and coax and persuade them to go back!"
"...Hit them in the back of the head?"
"Of course. Isn't it the easiest way to overcome this situation? Buy time first and think about the aftermath later."
Pretending to listen to the other party's demands, stalling for time and postponing the problem is the most basic political skill. The more urgent the situation, the more effective it is.
*...You say such things so openly. How cowardly.*
Cowardly? That over there is cowardly too! They're taking hostages and threatening right away because Ende's situation is urgent! Politics is inherently cowardly!
*...But it's true. Suppressing them by force would also cause problems.*
"Alright. What are you going to do?"
"Why ask me? The side that needs to promise interests is Obeli. Shei, go to Obeli and bring someone to negotiate."
"What will you do?"
"Huh? Do I have to do something too?"
"Of course! Don't think it's someone else's business! Fighting the Wolf King is your and Azi's job!"
Azi and I looked at each other and tilted our heads. That's true, but still. The city's political situation moves regardless of my intentions, so it's ambiguous. Honestly, they're not helping me and Azi, they're fighting for themselves separately. It does help me, though.
Complicated, so complicated.
"Alright. I just need to stop this commotion, right?"
"Can you do it?"
"There are many ways. The problem is which one to choose."
I straightened my collar and pulled my robe down low over my head. Even suspicious attire is just individuality in Ende. Moving toward the crowd full of people, I waved my hand to the returner.
"Shei, go to Obeli and bring some personnel. I'll disperse the protest rally here."
"Uh, really? Can you do that?"
"When you tell me to do it that's one thing, but when I say I'll do it you ask if I can. Do you have a split personality?"
*I don't really trust you, but I am curious how you'll resolve it. Does the King of Humans have a way to resolve this situation?*
It's not because I'm the King of Humans. I'm just curious myself. Whether this situation will be resolved or not.
A march is a massive flow. A path opens beside that flow. The march of the Orkma protest rally was creating long walls of crowds on both sides. Whether positive or negative, a wall made of Ende's citizens watching the beastmen's protest with interest.
I seeped into that wall.
A march has a destination, and destinations usually aim high. Naturally, the destination of the Orkma protest rally was Obeli.
"It's not a matter of livelihood. For pigs, living itself is the problem!"
"Beastmen are humans too!"
"Give us the right to be proud too!"
As if pouring out all the pent-up grievances accumulated until now, the Orkma piggies marched while screaming at the top of their lungs. The wave of pickets surged, displaying slogans written over and over. The letters drawn in black and red all displayed their grievances.
While there may be various opinions about accepting their claims, no one could deny that what was written there was true. Having gained their own legitimacy, they continued marching amidst the attention of Ende's citizens.
"Chief of Security, what should we do?"
"How about it. Do they look like they'll stop?"
"Not at all!"
"Damn it. Fall back for now!"
The security force, which had been confronting them, faltered and retreated at their momentum. Ende's security force was nothing more than errand boys mediating disputes. They lacked both the strength and authority to handle such a large-scale matter.
"We need the Obelisks! What happened to the guy we sent earlier?!"
"Well, most of the Obelisks are absent!"
However, with the Obelisk unit currently out to meet Grull and the Beast Faction. There was no one to stop the Orkma protest rally now.
When the security force, pushed back to the beginning of the hill leading to Obeli, was in trouble. A messenger brought welcome news.
"It's a substitute, but someone has come from Obeli!"
"Who?"
"Lord Erektus, the Minister!"
"Oh, really?"
The Chief of Security's face brightened.
Speaking of Ministers, they are the highest tier of Obeli, power holders born as nobles of vassal states. Lord Erektus, among them, was the head of the Flame Heat Department, which supplied the city's charcoal, coal, and magical incinerators. A being who held the city's interests in his hands.
If it's him, he has the authority to resolve this situation. Relieved by that fact alone, the Chief of Security shouted.
"Bring a megaphone! You guys attend to Lord Erektus, and you deliver to the piggies' representative! Tell them the Minister has come to listen to your words!"
He used to curse while being oppressed by power every day, but when it came to incidents beyond his control, nothing could be more welcome. The Chief of Security hastily attended to Lord Erektus.
"Not necessary."
"What?"
"I said there's no need to summon. I didn't come to listen. I came to speak."
However, being merely Ende's Chief of Security, he didn't know.
What kind of person Lord Erektus was.
Lord Erektus, having snatched the megaphone, didn't even start with an introduction. He didn't even draw their attention.
He just spoke annoyedly.
"What the hell is your complaint? What do you want us to do?"
Accompanied by escorting Obelisks and his attendants, he stepped forward confidently and frowned as he read the words written on the pickets. After seeing the phrases written about the grievances and problems of the pig beastmen, he tilted his head.
Z2dKbDJFSCtSbEo3WFlpUEN0eDQxUmpOTlNFakpPekVCUytMVnhKaE5JbENkbGsvWlhvQWdjWEFwdHFYN1paRw
"Well written. You all know your place well. But why? You know it, but now you want to exceed your station?"
The Orkma protest rally also recognized the Minister who appeared before their eyes. Even the protest rally that hadn't cared about the security force paused for a moment before the Minister.
He was a bigger figure than expected, but they had anticipated someone would come out. The pig beastman who had led the protest stepped forward and spoke.
"Lord Erektus! We..."
"I'm speaking! Don't interrupt!"
However, Lord Erektus had not come for dialogue. Lord Erektus, having dismissed the protest rally's words, shouted using the megaphone so everyone could hear.
"Then what do you want us to do? Use you as deliverymen when your feet are slow? Should we entrust beauty services to you with your short, rough hair? When you lack both strength and endurance compared to oxen, all you do is ask for things?!"
It seemed like he had no intention of listening to the other party, but it was still a chance to convey Orkma's will to Obeli. The pig beastman who led the protest desperately expressed his opinion, taking advantage of the gap when the megaphone paused.
"That's not it! But we're being discriminated against even in areas unrelated to that! Look at Obeli, not a single pig beastman has become the head of a clan!"
"If you were that capable, at least one would have made it to Obeli! Someone like Grull, we invited even when told not to come! You can't even manage that!"
Grull, he was mentioned again. The glory of the pig beastmen, often used to criticize pig beastmen. At the surging sense of inferiority, some orcs bristled and spat out curses, but the ununified voices became meaningless noise and scattered.
Lord Erektus, reading the other party's sense of defeat, scoffed and stepped forward once more.
"The other beastmen of Obeli at least have merits they can boast of! Your only merit is being delicious!"
Silence descended on Ende, which had been full of commotion.
It feels as if the world suddenly froze. The passionate wind holds its breath for a moment, and a chilling imagination creeps into the mind.
Ende is a city of beastmen. An uncomfortable truth that everyone knows and everyone is a party to.
That was why the overt taboo that should never have been brought up flowed from the Minister's mouth.
Lord Erektus continued speaking without caring about this reaction.
"Ah, now even that is gone, isn't it? Because the Saintess took in you pitiful creatures as well. You should be grateful that your one remaining merit has disappeared. Instead of whining here!"
To utilize your merit, there was no choice but to kill and eat you. Be grateful just to have escaped that.
Even the pig beastman who had led the protest raised his fur in anger and trembled at those words.
"You... cruel..."
"Cruel? Just because it comes out of a mouth doesn't make it the same word. I am a certified human. Unlike you!"
Lord Erektus's words and actions are rough and reckless. But it's hard to say he's impolite. When dealing with humans like the returner or Sapien, he listened to opinions in his own way. He has the ability to lead the Flame Heat Department and is not foolish.
Even such a person hurls abuse toward beastmen.
Because, to him. Beastmen are truly not human.
"Cruel is a word to be used toward humans! You beasts created from the Empress's womb!"
*******
Long ago, long ago. A very long time ago.
The Queen of All Nations, Empress Agartha, fell into contemplation with a pig before her.
Pigs grow quickly, eat anything well, and above all, are very delicious livestock. The meat is soft and fatty, becoming a delicacy no matter how it's cooked. Agartha, who personally tasted hundreds of recipes, smacked her lips in regret.
Pigs are delicious.
But, they are useless.
It's already a wasteland lacking water and food. If the Enge Plains could be cultivated it might be different, but humans hadn't prospered to that extent yet. To raise pigs on Agartha's land, humans would have to give up their own food.
They're hard to handle, useless, and can't even work properly. Compared to oxen, sheep, horses, or dogs, they are far too inferior a creature. Already, some priests were spreading teachings to neither raise nor eat pigs.
If only there were a beast that could work like a human while producing delicious meat, how wonderful it would be.
Suddenly, an idea came to the mind of the murmuring Agartha. So pure that it was instead demonic, in a way that committed dozens of sins simultaneously.
The unfortunate thing is just one.
That she had the ability to do so.
Even if not known now, when it first began.
Beastmen were not human.
They were just slightly improved livestock.