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Chapter 242 ~ Shame

Disgust, shame, regret, all mixed like lumps of tar and mucous within her heart. 

“What would he think…? If he knew my petty, unnecessary retort was to make an innocent girl’s life so miserable… Dammit!’

When Lakyus received word about what Prince Barbro was doing to an innocent girl for the crime of “Looking enough like Lakyus”, she locked herself up in her room and refused to come out. 

“Bastard… Bastard! Bastard!!!”

She gritted her teeth, tears threatening to overflow her eyes. 

Outside, she could hear her sisters calling for her to “open the damn door”, but her sense of shame was far greater. 

She stared down at the table, her fists shaking with abject rage. 

The day Prince Barbro had tried to flirt with her, she turned him down flat. The memory came back easily because, up until yesterday, it had been a point of humor for her. 

”They say women are attracted to strong men… What do you say, Lakyus?” 

Prince Barbro had said, staring down directly at Lakyusʼs chest with a wide grin. 

The radiant blonde adamantite-ranked adventurer, beautiful and strong, placed her luscious pink lips to the her glass, took a sip of wine, and smiled demurely. 

“I’d stay that’s probably true, Prince Barbro. However, I have never met one before stronger than myself. I’ll have to let you know when I meet one.”

The implication of her words was not missed on the prince, proven by how dark red his face turned from the insult. 

“You never really know a man’s strength until you test it. And strength comes in many forms. A prince is born to more power than most adventurers ever have. The power to… reward those who “please” them or “punish” those who don’t. “

“I’m sure that’s true. But then… a powerful adventurer who is so offended by said prince that she leaves his kingdom. Then… say tells everybody that she left because a Prince with a tiny manhood made offensive, perverted suggestions and veiled threats to her and her family… may quickly find that he is a prince of nothing. I wouldn’t even be surprised if he lost all chance at the throne.”

“Yes… That would be a shame. Thankfully, there are no such Princes in Re-Estize…”

The way Prince Barbro blushed and stammered before scurrying away in a hurried manner. made her laugh a little.

When she met the leader of Providence, Alexander Kyrielight, she had once again recalled the exchange. He was an extremely strong man. As a warrior herself who had gone through countless life and death situations and a veteran adventurer, she could tell how vast the disparation between their strength was. 

But that alone wouldn’t captivate her attention. 

He was also a man with strong principles, a firm character, fearless yet cautious, brilliant, and most of all, kind-hearted at core. 

It was the first time she had ever met such a man who embodied every single ideal she had for a partner. It was as if he was created by the Gods to be her soulmate. 

Even if he was already betrothed to Lilith, she had decided to pursue him, even if she needed to be his second wife. 

Unlike the prince, who had nothing to boast besides his birth-right as crown prince, Alexander was the strong man women, including her, would be attracted to. 

She remembered ridiculing the prince once again and even laughed at the memory. 

But now…

‘I didn’t know he’d make someone else pay for it… I didn’t know…’

Rumors had it that she’d been beaten black and blue, and violated while being made to apologize and beg for forgiveness, all under Lakyus’ own name. 

And she knew… Those weren’t just rumors, and soon everyone else would too. He would know too. 

The pounding on her door grew worse. But suddenly, the pounding stopped. And before long, the unlocking sound of her door’s locks resounded, and it swung opened.

“What the…”

Lakyus looked up and saw someone she did not expect to see.

“Ms. Lilith…?”

“Fufu~ Is it a bad time for a visit? You seemed quite distressed~?”

Behind her, Gagaran stood with a deep frown with her thick, burly arms crossed in front of her muscular chest. The twins and the masked magic caster of her party were also present. 

“What… are you…?”

“I just came here to see if you were affected by the rumors~ After conversing with you in the past, I could tell that you hid a soft heart within all your armor. Though, I did not expect you to be affected this much.”

“...”

Lakyus shifted her gaze away, evading the knowing look the immensely beautiful woman before her was giving from beneath her fox’s mask. 

“It is not your business…”

“Oh, but it is~”

Lilith skipped over and sat down on the opposite chair and crossed her long, milky white, slender legs. 

“The crown prince had bought and abused a citizen of his kingdom that had been sold off into slavery illegally by a well known criminal organization to insult and degrade a well known Adamantite ranked adventurer. That is equivalent to the Kingdom, itself, insulting an Adamantite ranked adventurer. What do you think we, Providence, and other adventurers think of it?”

“...”

Lakyus lowered her head. 

“I know that… I know this is bigger than me… But emotionally? If I’d just been nicer about turning him down, made some excuse, maybe he wouldn’t have hurt that one…”

Lakyus dug her nails into her palms.

“It’s infuriating. It’s humiliating. It’s degrading. And I’m sure that’s exactly what that slime wanted, even if he didn’t want it to be known to the public. And I’m sure it’s even worse for her, whoever she is. I bet she hates me for just existing… Because of my pleasure in taunting that bastard, she got turned into somebody’s living doll to abuse.”

Aika let out a sigh and leaned back on her chair, crossing her arms to support her massive breasts from underneath. 

“Well, I could understand how you feel. It’s good that he never saw me. Or things wouldn’t be good for him nor his kingdom.”

A chill went down her spine. 

Lakyus instinctively looked up and saw Aika sitting on the chair, relaxed. The sensation she felt was no longer there, as if it had never existed in the first place.

‘What was that…?’

Lakyus glanced at her sisters, and saw them acting normally. 

Perhaps, it was her imagination…

“You know this isn’t on you, right, Lakyus? It’s still just on him. He made his own choices.”

Evileye nodded in agreement to Aika’s words. 

“And now we know why an Eight Fingers takedown was never a job that got funded. Prince Barbro, and a lot of the other houses too, must’ve prevented it from happening. 

“That’s true, but still… it isn’t enough. I won’t be satisfied with just a scandal for the Prince.”

Lakyus shot back. 

“I don’t know what will satisfy me… But when I know, so will they. Perhaps, the guild masters can start by a general strike on monster jobs within Re-Estize. No more support for any mission in any province of Re-Estize until they do something to make this right.”

“Agreed. Darling is also upset when he heard about this. I’m sure he’ll support you and demand answers from the castle.”

“Alexander is…?”

Aika’s liips curled into a grin.

“Oh, he’s livid~ You know, he respects you quite a bit since we first met. So when he heard of such a thing, he almost take all of us out of Re-Estize. After all, who’d want to protect a kingdom where its crown prince would do such a thing~?”

“I see…”

A sense of relief filled her heart for the first time since hearing about the rumors. Perhaps, even a tiny bit of happiness. 

‘He thinks of me highly… and he’s upset in my place… What a kind man…’

A faint smile flashes across her visage, before a solemn look replaced it. 

“I’ll go talk with Ainzach and see what they’re doing. But if something doesn’t satisfy me, I’m doing the same thing. I’m taking Blue Rose out of this kingdom.”

Lakyus declared and looked around at her sisters with a silent question.

“And we’ll go with you.”

They answered immediately.”

“Good.”

Lakyus felt a bit better, forming a weak smile of thanks to her beloved sisters. 

“Lilith, we’ll be going to the guild now.”

“Oh, I’ll come with~ Darling’s also there, after all~”

“I see…! Then, let’s go!”

--------------------------------X--------------------------------

Queen Enri rode at the center of her staff. Jugem held up her flag at her back. Ninya at her right. Nfirea at her left. And the Goblin Strategist on the outside to Ninya’s right. 

“What can you tell me of our unfortunate enemies, oh summoner?”

“The one we’re facing now is an idiot.”

Enri said with clear poison in each and every word. Her hands clenched the reins of the horse, and behind her column there lay wagons upon wagons loaded with capture armor for the recruits she intended to raise. 

“Also, he has to die. Painfully.”

Ninya said through clenched teeth. Memories of the suffering that her long-lost sister surfaced in her mind. 

“Very well.”

The old goblin kept stroking his long, white beard that came to a point near his chest. His long, white garb and general’s hat fluttering in the wind. 

“If what the wolfriders say is accurate, he has another force coming this way. He’ll come straight for us.”

“What if he doesn’t? Or if he keeps running?”

“Then we move to intercept him if he tries to get around us to encircle. Or, we start taking villages and towns if he runs. We’ll force them into a fight.”

The Goblin Strategist explained to his summoners. 

“This is going to get very bloody, very quickly.”

Nfirea frowned deeply, regret apparent in his voice. But still, there was determination in his eyes. 

“The nobility treated us like animals. Like whipped dogs. It’s time for them to remember something they’ve forgotten.”

“What’s that”?”

“That a dog is just a wolf that hasn’t chosen to turn on you.”

Ninya said, hate thick in her throat. 

“Wolves… Yes. I think you’ve just picked the standard for the Army of Carne.”

His voice carried, and went from his lips to an ear, and became a whisper that went back, and back. Through ranks of goblins, monsters, to the natives of Carne and the vengeful ones who settled for refuge. 

“Wolf King! Wolf Queen! Wolf King! Wolf King!”

It became a chant that came with every step. 

For days it went, becoming a marching cadence. And at every village they passed, they warned of the rebellion. They had only to say the same thing. 

“We’ve rebelled! Do you think they will spare you? You’re dead anyway! Go down fighting for your families and your homes! No more of their tyranny!”

And in turn, dozens more suits of captured armor found their wearer. 

Village after village, with no hope to survive the wrath of nobility, had its young people join the ranks of the Army of Carne.

And so the sound of thousands of marching feet and slavering, hungry wolf riders got ever louder.

Until finally, they encountered their target. 

“My Queen, you were right. He’s a total idiot.”

Ninya pointed her staff at the idiot commander at the center of a new army. 

Enri nodded, acknowledging the fact. But there was no fear in her eyes. 

She turned and looked over her shoulders, addressing her troops. 

“If he wins, your wives, sisters, and daughters’ lives will be like Tuare, and your own will be like dust! If you win, you’ll have your own kingdom! Remember that, and go only forward!”

Enri raised the sword she could barely use. A magic sword with a green hilt and a gem imbued with protective and healing magic; a sword meant to protect, rather than wound. Her enchanted light armor with a white cape caught in the breeze. She stood up in her stirrups with her long blonde hair waving like her battle standard in the wind. An inspiring figure. 

”Wolf King! Wolf Queen! Wolf King! Wolf Queen!” 

The chant went as they strike the end of their halberds, spears, and pound their legs on the ground, shaking the very earth beneath them. 

Minutes passed as the two armies faced off against one another. From where she sat, and with her enhanced sight, Enri could see the idiot discussing something with a man at his side. 

And soon, what it was became evident when a white flag went up, and the idiot commander began trotting his horse forward. 

Nfirea smiled softly towards her. 

“I’ll go. You should wait here.”

Ninya felt her heart melt upon seeing him give her a braver smile than ever before. But she hardened it with her duty and her love.

“No, we’ll go together. Ninya, Jugem, come with us.”

Enri said, and without waiting, began to canter forwards as well. Nfirea and the others followed closely behind. 

They met almost precisely between the two armies. And without a moment of waste, Prince Barbro looked down at them with contempt as his face twisted with anger. 

“So, peasant trash, it’s been suggested to me that I let you go home without punishing you. That releasing you to your homes would end all this before it gets worse. I wonʼt do that. But if you give up your arms and armor, and go home, I will hang only one in every five of you.”

“We both know you won’t do even that, scum.”

Ninya said, and hocked a viscous loogie. She missed the prince, but struck his horse, and it was enough to turn his face dark with rising anger. 

“You’ll pay for what you’ve done to my sister. For everything you’ve done to her in your tent.”

Ninya hissed, but it only made the prince laugh when he looked down at her.

“You expect me to care? Girl, that isn’t why a man buys a toy.”

“No, worm. I wanted you to know, because when this is all over, that it was her sister that finally killed you. And I’ll make sure you beg for death twice more than her.”

Prince Barbro’s face twisted in anger and contempt. 

“You’ll do the begging, just like her, peasant!”

“She’s no longer a peasant.”

Nfirea pointed.

“She’s a general, and when we have our own Kingdom, she’ll be appointed with a noble title.”

The prince’s mouth fell open at the blasphemous statement. 

“...By what right”

“Because I am King Nfirea the first, and this is Queen Enri the first. We’ll ennoble her to the Kingdom of Carne. And you… We’ll feed you to the dogs.”

Enri had felt proud of Nfirea many times in their time knowing one another. That was until now, when her greatest pride had been at the moment of greatest danger. 

Her heart re-doubled in size until she felt her breast could not contain it, and released it with a laugh, crystalline and beautiful. 

The Wolf Queen of the Kingdom of Carne pointed at the prince. 

“You’ve got your answer. We’re not surrendering anything. Go, scurry along back with your tiny tail between your legs. We’ve got a Kingdom to tear apart, a kingdom to build, and no time for you.”