Chapter 390 – King of the Storm.
“I’m running out of time.”
Those were the words of Gideon as he inspected the huts where people lived together.
“I guess so. I’m surviving with the food you brought, but at this rate…”
It is Jeremiah who agrees with him. They were still hiding in the ruins underground, avoiding Jude’s gaze. However, there was an absurd shortage of food for human consumption. The only thing that lit up this place was the glow stones on the ceiling and walls of the cave. Since it was not a land suitable for farming in the first place, the food supply could only decrease and not increase.
“But if you go outside, the wizard will catch you.”
“But there is only one wizard. If you sneak out…”
“Wizards aren’t the only problem. He’s taken over most of the Cattsie.”
Nausicaa spoke at Lenny’s worried words, but this time Kane shook her head. He had already returned from being captured by Jude along with Usher, so he had some idea of the current situation in Parz.
“…Like the SS guys?”
“It’s not just the SS. He was winning people’s favor by accepting even those who had decided to remain on the outskirts.”
“Oh my god.”
Lenny lamented at his words. Even if they remember, there were more people who decided to stay in the outskirts than those who decided to leave like them. It wasn’t that I couldn’t understand their thoughts.
Basically, the guild, which has to travel a long distance, is not only at formidable risks along the way, but even if they are accepted, there is no guarantee that other countries will accept them. But getting them inside was a whole different story.
“What the hell is that wizard thinking?”
Wouldn’t she have thought of that? But that was too far from reality.
“It seems that everyone was tricked into saying that everyone can live well.”
“How can everyone live well! That’s the only way we can’t live together!”
Lenny gritted his teeth and shouted as if something he had been holding back in the end exploded when Kane continued. Why have the Cattsy so thoroughly distinguished the inside from the outside despite so many complaints? It has a limited size inside, but the important thing was because of security, resources, and roles.
It’s safe inside, and water is easy to get, but getting food and other resources like trees is tough. The outskirts were unstable due to Pacitilla’s raid, but it was easy to obtain food and trees, and it was easy to interact with the outside and explore.
Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of these areas, rather than recklessly eliminating or excluding them, the Cattsy have cultivated them by leaving them alone and allowing people to interact and circulate the resources they need. In Parz, inside and outside were the pendulum and balance that balance each other.
“That’s why I was able to get permission from my uncle to start a company.”
“That’s probably because we’ve settled down, too.”
“That’s the correct answer.”
When Gideon responded to Lennie’s near mumble, she nodded her head. Originally, Parz had a balance between inside and outside, but recently unexpected variables have arisen. The harpies who were kicked out of the Holy Land about 20 years ago had suddenly migrated.
It was very embarrassing for the Catsy. Somehow, they were controlling their influence without losing their influence in the outskirts, but out of nowhere, harpies came and told them to accept them. I would normally have refused, but they brought something I could never refuse.
“It was a fish that had already become extinct in ancient times and only existed in the Holy Land.”
“Nya, who would have known that such a thing would have been brought as a bargaining chip?”
It would have been the case in other countries, but it was an even more irresistible temptation for the Cattsy. The fish, which can live in a very small space as long as they have food, have adapted very quickly to the environment of Parz. However, after accepting the good things for a while, the power of the outskirts has grown to the extent that it is difficult to handle.
In a situation where the inside is split between Catsy and the outside by Harpies, they wouldn’t be happy that Aison’s nephew, Lenny, would lead most of them. Besides, Lenny is a threatening enemy who could become their successor.
“But it’s strange. Why are the Cattsy so reluctant to make you their successor?”
Now, the crown prince, who can be said to be a direct descendant, has returned, but before that, Lenny, the only remaining heir, would have had the highest right of succession. It was hard for Gideon and others to understand that he left her alone, even when her prince would return. Then she smiled bitterly.
“It’s because I don’t have the power of royalty.”
“Lenny, that’s…!”
It was Catsy named George who was standing behind her who Lenny responded rather quickly to what she had to say. As he watched their conversation with Helena, Usher remembered that he was the guard he and Krikaliev helped infiltrate the Cattsy’s castle.
“George, I’m fine.”
Lenny stopped him with a light gesture and continued.
“Do you know what a black neck disease is?”
“If it’s blackneck…”
At those words, Usher trembled. That was the reason he left Lantua and came all the way here.
“I know it’s a disease that’s prevalent in Parz.”
“Neither do I.”
“Because Uncle Yoff was making money with it…”
As Gideon, Rachel, and Nausicaa talked in order, she sighed lightly as if trying to shake off her tension before speaking to George.
“George, can you go out and look out for someone?”
“…Okay.”
Leni took another deep breath as he perked up her ears anxiously as he left the large hut where they were meeting and heard footsteps moving around.
“I’m sure you know that it’s a disease the Cattsy spread.”
People didn’t spread it widely, but it was a fact that people who knew it would know. Even if only Usher hadn’t he been infected with the Black Throat because of his contact with Catsy? Then she shook her head.
“Actually, it’s a little different. To be precise, it’s something that the royal family of Cattsy can spread.”
“Royalty…”
Usher bit her lip. If you think about it, it was. The Cat Si they had brought to Lantua alone was also a member of the royal family, the Crown Prince. That’s why the Cattsy kidnapped Belka. Just because her guy wants her.
“I guessed that much. Usually those who come out or die like that are their enemies.”
But is that the power of royalty? Gideon asked, Lenny hesitated with her head down as if she was guilty of something, then took her breath in again and continued her words.
“The black neck bottle wasn’t originally intended for that purpose.”
“Isn’t that what it’s for?”
This time, Nausicaa looked at her as if she were curious. Yes, she had seen time and time again that Krikaliev brought a man with black throat and entrusted it to Jeremiah. As the name suggests, those who suffer from black throat disease develop black spots all over their bodies, and eventually die in agony after being dyed black.
“It’s not a human disease in the first place, so it can be treated, so it’s just like that.”
“Only…?”
This time they were taken aback. I took it for granted that the Cat Sis were using the Black Throne to kill their political opponents because it was widespread in Parz, but I couldn’t understand the word that it was only that much. After all, it was killing people without any use of hands.
“I’m asking just in case, but so far, has there been at least one catsy among those who got black throat and were driven to the outskirts?”
At that, everyone was silent and looked at each other.
“No way. At least the Cattsie’s never been kicked out like that while I’ve been here.”
These were Gideon’s words.
“Neither do I. I’ve never heard of it from Mr. Yoff or any of the other mortician men.”
Same with Nausicaa. The last thing their gaze reached was Jeremiah. Perhaps, except for Catsy and the Harpies, he was a human who had lived the longest in Parz, and he was even curing black neck disease. Then Jeremiah smiled and raised her head.
“Yeah, it wasn’t. At least on the ground.”
“On the ground?”
For a moment, Usher remembered. Before she came to this place, she encountered unpleasant monsters called gargoyles in a place called Under the Dungeon. Also, like Jeremiah, the figures of Kamenshik who were wearing bone armor.
“”Gargoyles?””
At that time, Usher and Kane’s voices overlapped. It wasn’t long before they met eyes.
“You, how do you know that?”
Lenny looked at them in amazement, her eyes wide as lanterns.
“Haha, no surprise. They came all the way through the Underground thanks to the Wizard’s use of Cattsie’s prison.”
“…Then.”
“Yes, I saw it. The true form of the Black Neck.”
Usher realized it belatedly even though he said it first. Kane’s words, which he originally assumed were Cattsy, and Kamenshik’s words, who shouted that they were the blood of those who made them this way.
“Then all those monsters…”
“Monster…, Yes. Originally, the Black Neck Bottle is a bottle that turns Caitsy into a monster.”
It is because such power is passed down through the royal lineage that the royal family of the Cattsi are respected and feared and served as objects of reverence among their fellow Cattsi. Because if you hate them, you don’t know when you’ll turn into a monster.
“But that’s why it’s even weirder. It’s a secret even among the Cattsy.”
Cattsy are also reluctant to let other races know that they may turn into monsters at any time, so even close friends tend to keep it a thorough secret.
“Those two came through the dungeon, yes, but how does a human like you know about that?!”
Lenny snapped at Jeremiah, and he replied, rattling the mask of her bones with his hand.
“Well. If you saw me, I think you would have known it a long time ago, right?”
Looking back, it was like that. He had never thought or even attempted to hide himself.
“Kamencik.”
What Kane muttered was the religion of the Apostle who was adorning himself with armor made of bones. Upon hearing the name, Jeremiah shows white teeth under her white bone mask.
“Yes, the 12 apostles leading Kamenshik.
