Chapter 176. The Tiger Clan (1)
Having secured a massive reward from Akan, Caron wasted no time in reaching out to Azureocean Castle and the Pajar Sultanate.
Sir Zerath, bound by the promise of that reward, had no choice but to accept, albeit reluctantly. The Pajar Sultanate, on the other hand, welcomed the proposal with open arms.
There was only one reason the Pajar Sultanate had so readily agreed to Caron's request—to use the dwarven liberation as a pretext to absorb the forces of the noble families executed in the rebellion into their central army.
And finally, there was the Magic Tower.
"An ancient weapon? If that turns out to be a lie... You do know what'll happen, right?" the Magic Tower Master asked.
"Oh, come on, Magic Tower Master. Have you spent your whole life being deceived?" Caron replied smoothly.
"It just so happens I was getting bored. Let me guess—you want support from the Magic Corps? And on top of that, you've got the Oceanwolf Knight Order and the Pajar Sultanate's elite soldiers in on this... What is this, preparations for war?" the Magic Tower Master asked.
"Two long-standing rival nations setting aside their differences in the face of the dwarves' tragedy—now that is a justification worth fighting for, don't you think?" Caron replied.
Caron was settling matters directly with the Magic Tower Master. The two were communicating via a secure channel, a direct line connecting them. As expected, the Magic Tower Master was more than willing to get involved.
"Titan... Others might not know much, but I know it well. It was an ancient weapon, wasn't it?" the Magic Tower Master asked.
"Oh, that's correct," Caron answered.
"And it was quadrupedal, wasn't it?" the Magic Tower Master continued.
"No, it was bipedal," Caron corrected him.
"...Whatever. The point is, I know about Titan. Which means there's no force better suited to support this than our empire's Magic Tower. So, if we're going to participate..." the Magic Tower Master said, but was cut off.
"This conversation is happening in the Plains of Rest, you know? If you're planning to lowball me, I might as well take this straight to the Red Magic Tower," Caron interrupted.
The Red Magic Tower was a long-time rival of the empire's Magic Tower.
Unlike the empire's Magic Tower, it wasn't affiliated with any nation—it was an independent institution formed by mages who valued absolute freedom.
"Tsk. As if those guys would even understand what they're looking at. I, a man with the blood of dragons, am the one—" the Magic Tower Master started, but was cut off again.
"I should at least hear them out. Who knows? Maybe they have an expert on ancient magic," Caron interrupted again.
The key to any negotiation was having competition.
Caron knew perfectly well that the empire's Magic Tower was the best fit for this job. But that didn't mean he was going to hand them control. This was an operation led by his family. For Caron, the Magic Tower was just there to assist—and to share in the rewards at his discretion.
Mages, when it came to ancient magic, were insatiably greedy. Which meant Caron had to establish the rules right from the start.
"Tsk tsk. Do you really have to shake down an old man's pockets like this?" the Magic Tower Master asked.
"And do you have to snatch food out of the hands of a promising young man?" Caron countered.
"You're just as greedy as your grandfather. Fine. But promise me one thing," the Magic Tower Master said.
"I'm listening," Caron responded.
"Any research on the ancient weapon must be conducted alongside our Magic Tower. You don't understand what ancient magic truly is. It was a power strong enough to end the world. If it fell into the wrong hands, the consequences could be catastrophic," the Magic Tower Master explained.
"...Honestly, Magic Tower Master, you seem like the weirdest one here," Caron said.
"Says you, you conniving little bastard. Whatever. Alright then, I'll assign two battalions of battlemages to the Oceanwolf Knight Order. That should be enough, right?" the Magic Tower Master asked.
"That's what friends are for, isn't it? Lending a hand in times like these," Caron said.
"Ugh, that mouth of yours... I'm ending the call," the Magic Tower Master said.
With that, the negotiations with the Magic Tower Master were complete.
Now that everything was in place, Caron flashed a satisfied smirk and turned to Akan and the dwarves. He said, "Before long, my friends will be arriving to rescue your kind."
"...Do you truly think it would be possible?" Akan asked hesitantly.
"Of course," Caron answered.
The Oceanwolf Knight Order, the mages of the Magic Tower, and the Pajar Sultanate's elite soldiers—all of them were moving in. There was no way their enemies would even dare to resist.
All that remained was for his friends to do the work while Caron reaped the rewards.
"How could I ever repay this debt...?" Akan murmured, overcome with emotion.
"Oh, please. It's only natural to help those in need. For now, just focus on rescuing your people. Everything else... can be discussed later," Caron said.
The longer he delayed talk of compensation, the more he could squeeze out in the end. That was how the game was played.
"They've confirmed they'll move immediately, so for now, let's wait somewhere else. By the way, where were you two headed?" Caron smoothly shifted the conversation.
At that, the beastfolk woman who had been quietly listening, Suya, hesitated before speaking cautiously, "We were on our way to the territory of the feline clan. If necessary, we were even considering stepping into the tiger clan's lands."
"Ah," Caron responded.
Perched atop Suya's dark hair were a pair of pointed, brown ears. Caron had thought they resembled a cat's, and as expected, she turned out to be from the feline clan.
Among the beastfolk, the feline clan was the most populous. And it seemed their territory didn't seem too far from here.
"But why were you considering entering the tiger clan's lands?" Caron asked.
"Because it's still better than being caught by humans. The tiger clan can be vicious, but at least they don't treat us like..." Suya trailed off, stealing a glance at Caron's face. It seemed she was hesitant to speak ill of humans in front of one.
Caron, however, let out a bitter chuckle and shrugged, then said, "There's no shortage of trash in this world. I do my best to clean some of them up, but there's only so much I can do. Feel free to speak your mind."
"...Thank you. The tiger clan... At least they don't treat us like livestock," Suya said.
It was clear she had endured terrible things in human cities. Caron didn't need to have witnessed it firsthand to know what happened to beastfolk slaves captured and taken there.
"So, the two of you met at the duke's castle?" Caron asked.
"...Embarrassing as it is, yes," Suya admitted.
"A love that transcends race, forged in a place no better than hell... That's incredible," Caron remarked.
Perhaps they had become each other's only solace in such a cruel place. Caron let out an admiring murmur, genuinely impressed.
Watching them with a pleased expression, Caron suddenly clapped his hands as if remembering something. He said, "Oh, right. Suya, I have something I wanted to ask you."
"Yes, please, go ahead," Suya replied.
"Do you perhaps know how to use this?" Caron asked as he pulled a horned flute from his pocket.
No matter how hard he and Leo had tried, they hadn't been able to make it produce a single sound. Perhaps another beastfolk would know the trick to it.
"This is..." Suya examined the flute curiously.
"I received it as a gift from a beastfolk I once knew. But no matter how much air I blow into it, it doesn't make a sound. All I hear is the wind escaping," Caron said.
"This is a horned flute from the tiger clan. Judging by the ornate engravings, it must have been a gift from someone of high status," Suya said.
She skillfully inspected the flute, turning it over in her hands before asking, "May I try blowing it?"
"Of course," Caron answered.
"If you look closely, you'll see that there are six holes on the flute. But to produce a proper sound, you need to cover this hole at the bottom with your finger," Suya demonstrated as she explained. "Here, I'll give it a try."
A moment later...
Bbbiiiiiiii!
A sharp, piercing sound rang through the air. All she had done was cover the hole and blow.
Caron and Leo turned to look at each other at the same time, utterly dumbfounded.
"The sound is perfect. Leo, what on earth have you been doing all this time?" Caron asked.
"...You didn't know either," Leo replied.
"You've lived longer than me. You should have figured it out first," Caron said.
"You bastard. Am I only your 'elder' when it's convenient for you?" Leo asked.
"Pfft. This family really has no sense of musical talent whatsoever," Caron said.
"...Forget it. I'm done talking," Leo said.
Caron sighed.
They wondered how they could have failed to figure out something so simple. It was almost laughable that all this trouble had come from not knowing how to play the flute properly.
"The sound is truly beautiful," Suya murmured, handing the horned flute back to Caron with a faint smile. "As expected, the tiger clan crafts their flutes well."
Caron gave her a small nod of appreciation and said, "Thank you. That took a weight off my mind."
"But... Do you know what the meaning of the flute holds?" Suya asked suddenly.
Caron shook his head and replied, "No, I don't."
"beastfolk blows that flute when they go into battle. It begins with the horn and ends with it. In other words, it's a rallying call—a signal to summon warriors. You might want to brace yourself," Suya explained.
"...Pardon?" Caron said.
"The tiger clan is the fiercest among the beastfolk. Ah, speak of the devil—there they are," Suya said as she pointed off into the distance.
Caron followed her gaze, and moments later, his lips parted slightly in awe.
"Wow," Caron reacted.
It looked as if dozens of tigers were charging across the plains. The sight was nothing short of breathtaking. Even just watching from afar, the sheer intensity of their presence was overwhelming.
The tiger clan warriors closed the distance at incredible speed, and before he knew it, they had arrived right in front of him. There had to be at least thirty of them.
That's the power of Beast Transformation, Caron thought.
They looked like a perfect fusion of human and beast. Their bodies were covered in fur, their sharp golden eyes brimming with primal energy. They were warriors in the truest sense of the word. Their gazes swept over Caron and the others standing behind him, assessing them with piercing intensity.
Then, one of them stepped forward. Unlike the others, this warrior's fur was a deep orange, and he was cloaked in pure white.
"Humans, a dwarf, and a beastfolk. What an odd combination." The warrior spoke effortlessly in flawless imperial language. He asked, "Who blew the horn?"
"Well, this beastfolk woman here played it, but I was the one who asked her to," Caron replied. "By the way, you're quite fluent in the imperial language."
"I picked up a little from my younger sibling. Now then... You must be the famous Caron Leston. Am I right?" the warrior asked.
"Oh, are you by any chance Adina's...?" Caron asked.
"That's right. The one who gave you that horned flute is my younger sibling. Normally, it's our custom to tear humans to shreds the moment they set foot here... but I heard you were a savior who saved my sibling's life," the warrior said, his voice carrying an unmistakable confidence.
Caron could sense overwhelming mana radiating from the warrior, enough to make even him pause in admiration. The other party was a warrior of at least 7-Star caliber, and his confidence was backed entirely by his strength.
"I wouldn't call myself a savior," Caron said. "People just help each other out in life."
"I like that attitude," the warrior said. "And the human standing behind you is your companion, I presume... What about the dwarf and the feline?"
"A couple who miraculously escaped from the clutches of some despicable humans," Caron answered.
"Well, now that's quite the romantic tale," the warrior mused. "We can discuss the details on the way. Very well, Caron Leston."
He strode toward Caron with long, confident steps, flashing a broad grin that revealed sharp white fangs.
"Because you hold Adina's horned flute, that alone makes you worthy to be our guest. My name is Bataar Rugal, eldest son of Tauga, chieftain of the tiger clan. On behalf of my people, I welcome you," Bataar said as he extended a large hand.
Caron met his gaze, then smiled and clasped it firmly. He replied, "I am Caron Leston."
The mad dog had crossed paths with the tiger clan.
***
The tiger clan was exactly as Caron had heard—bold and straightforward.
Whoooosh!
"Caron Leston! How is it? Enjoying the ride?" Bataar asked.
"It's been a while since I've been carried on someone's back," Caron admitted.
"Hahaha! Consider it a privilege for saving my younger sibling. There aren't many who get to ride on the backs of the tiger clan!" Bataar said. His booming laughter echoed across the plains.
At the moment, Caron and his group were crossing the vast grasslands, each of them carried on the back of a beastfolk warrior. It was, without a doubt, the fastest mode of travel Caron had ever experienced. And yet, it didn't seem as if they were using any mana. That meant this was purely physical strength.
True to their reputation as the most formidable warriors among the beastfolk, the tiger clan had monstrous physical abilities.
Thinking back, Adina had been the same when Caron met her in Reben. Even with her injuries, she had torn through knights' armor as if it were paper.
"We'll be reaching the village soon," Bataar said. "Oh, by the way, I've been meaning to ask—do you know what it means when a beastfolk warrior gifts someone a horned flute?"
"Doesn't it mean they'll return the favor one day or something like that?" Caron asked.
"Hmm. That might be true if it were between two people of the same gender," Bataar mused. "But when given to the opposite gender, it holds a much deeper meaning. Simply put, it's a marriage proposal."
"...A marriage proposal?" Caron repeated surprised.
"Exchanging horned flutes signifies that two beastfolk warriors have become mates. Since Adina gave you hers, I'd say she must have taken quite a liking to you! How old are you this year?" Bataar asked.
"I'm seventeen," Caron answered.
"Since Adina is twenty-one... Ah, it's a perfect age gap! Do you happen to like older women?" Bataar asked. Despite his fierce appearance, he was surprisingly talkative.
As they continued chatting, Caron soon realized that they had arrived at their destination.
"Alright, from here, you can walk," Bataar said, lowering Caron to the ground. "It's been nearly a hundred years since a human last set foot in our village. The elders are going to lose their minds! Hahaha!"
Caron landed lightly and took a slow look around.
For a place that was referred to as a village, it was far larger than he had expected. A towering wall surrounded the settlement, and on top of the walls, guards stood watch. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call this place a city.
"Welcome to Yurth, the sacred land of the tiger clan, young hero," Bataar declared. "Open the gates!"
At his command, the massive doors, which had been tightly shut, began to creak open.
"Yurth is nothing short of a paradise for warriors," Bataar said.
"Now I'm really curious—" Caron began, but before he could finish his sentence, he stepped through the gates and caught sight of what lay beyond.
His eyes widened as he muttered in disbelief, "...What the hell is this?"
A shocking sight unfolded before him.