'Something is wrong with these people!! Something worse than the disease!'
Levi observed the man standing on the elevation beside the giant. He had short black hair, with three black lines fanning out on his forehead. A sleeveless, vest-like cloth covered his chest, while a skirt-like garment hid his legs and feet. He stood tall with his hands behind his back.
A familiar figure stood beside him. This memorable person donned a black cloak, covering every inch of their body.
"Don't misunderstand."
"Huh?" Levi looked at the man.
"Kneeling is a form of mutual respect; A welcoming gesture."
"I see-"
"But seeing as you are from one of those four kingdoms, only you will kneel. Tribe leader will not welcome you."
"..." Levi kept silent.
'This bastard...'
"... Excuse my interruption but, is this truly what your leader wants to convey? I haven't heard a word from him since the initial few." Aria took a deep breath. Peeking through the crack between her fingers, she spoke.
"Indeed, tribe Leader has said only one word. But what I am doing now is called 'reading between the lines'. As a person with knowledge on the history of the four kingdoms and us of the tribes in the wilderness, I naturally also know the opinions and intentions of my people and our leader." The man said.
"Your words hold some truth. But even if you know your history well, it is not up to you to make discussions. Suppose you were to offend someone who should absolutely not be offended, could you take responsibility? For the damage it would cause?... For the lives that could be lost?" Aria lowered her tone as she spoke.
'She's quite good at this kind of thing.' Levi thought smilingly.
"..." After a pause, the man turned his head to the giant tribe leader. They spoke shortly before he turned his head and addressed Levi and Aria once more.
"My name is Eljha. During this time, I will translate everything the leader of the 'God-slaying Bear tribe' wishes to convey to the letter. To start with, our tribe leader has 'requested' that you kneel before him to show your respects. As you are not deserving of respect, our leader will not kneel to you. If you do not kneel, we will 'return your vessels to the earth' to nurture the forest." He said.
"You-!" Levi cut Aria off.
"Shh." He pressed a finger to his lips.
"My knees have been bad since a young age, so I hope this much will do?" Levi sat cross-legged while Aria almost burst a vein.
"... Wait a moment, please." Eljha turned to speak to the man.
"'Why is the woman still not on her knees', is what my lord would like to understand."
"Be good, Sit." Levi glanced at Aria. He pointed at a spot beside himself as a cushion formed from his water-like Qi.
"Humph... Young master, are you going to accept this kind of treatment?" Aria kneeled. The cushion squished under her weight as she whispered.
"Don't worry, don't worry." Levi comforted with a smile.
After a brief silence, Eljha opened his mouth, relaying his leader's words.
"We will now begin your hearing."
"Hearing?"
"From the moment of your arrival, both of you have committed various crimes. Therefore, now, you will be tried to decide your fate." Eljha said expressionlessly.
"What crimes? What gives you the right to judge us!?" Aria exploded.
"..." He glanced down at her.
"What crimes have we committed?"
"Besides stealing heavenly herbs, you have also committed murder; Killing multiple forest animals. Including, but not limited to, the sacred 'shadow hawk'."
"Sigh. Where I come from, when something attacks you, either you or it dies. I didn't know about your 'rule' of not killing mutated beasts, and I know even less about this 'sacred' hawk of yours." Levi scratched his head.
"Are you denying your crimes? I plucked this feather from the corpse of the sacred bird myself. But even without the corpses, our shaman has been watching your every action from the moment of your arrival. Even..." He paused.
A fluffy head popped out of Aria's collar.
"... The kidnapping of an 'Earth Wolf's cub." Eljha glanced at the shrunken creature.
"... You keep talking about stealing and murder. Am I to believe that everything in this forest belongs' to you? Haha, how funny." Aria sneered.
"And on the topic of 'murder', you have a countless number of heads hanging from ropes. Not to mention your bloodthirsty attitudes. Where do you get off condemning us for protecting ourselves?"
Eljha kept silent.
"And stealing? Really?! Don't pretend to be righteous. You live in this forest, deluding yourselves into thinking that everything here belongs to you. So when a person from the outside takes something, you react as if something of yours has been taken without permission, then bring them back for a 'trial' to kill them. Tell me, who's the actual thief here?"
"... Shut your mouth! Don't pretend you understand anything! You dragon kingdom people have no conscience! You come here, pillage, kill, and force people into slavery! What right do you have to criticize us?! What, we were born to serve because we cultivate our bodies instead of Qi?! We're only smart enough to be slaves because we live in a forest?! You people trample on others' customs like they're nothing without even trying to understand! And you have the guts to criticize this trial? If It was up to me, I would have slit your throats before throwing you out to feed the boar!!" Eljha spoke through gritted teeth.
"You-"
"Calm down." Levi shot Aria a glance.
"How am I supposed to be calm when we are being unfairly accused?!"
"... Trial aside, I came here with a purpose." Levi sighed.
"Ha, see what I mean?! 'Trial aside'? How long are you people going to disregard the things important to others just because you don't grasp their significance?!" Eljha pointed.
"I think there's been some kind of misunderstanding? I'm not from this continent or the kingdoms. We came from-"
"Does it matter where you're from? In the end, the only thing that draws people here is greed." Eljha sneered.
'... Who's disregarding who now? Can't say I hate the smell of hypocrisy in the morning.' Levi snickered softly.
The tribe leader began speaking to Eljha.
'Well, he's got me in regards to coming here due to greed.' A grin hung on Levi's face.
"... Cough. Back to your trial. You claim that both of you are not from here, correct?" Eljha cleared his throat before speaking.
"Yes." Levi nodded.
"..." Aria's face darkened.
'Something feels off...' She thought.
"Humph." Eljha's face twisted as he sneered.
"So you claim that neither of you originates from this continent, but this just proves that your words are not trustworthy..."
"What nonsense are you spouting?! You-"
"Because, just a few days ago, proof of your lies appeared... in the form of a person." Eljha ignored Aria completely.
"Tsk. Young master, we should just leave. What person? We haven't been here for over 2 days, so I don't know what this fool is talking about." Aria turned to Levi. She rose to a half-kneeling position while speaking.
"..." Levi Kept silent.
"The name of this person?" Eljha's eyes narrowed.
"Young master?" Seeing that Levi didn't react, Aria looked at him strangely.
"..."
"Nerezza."
"?!" Aria whipped her head.
"... I'll ask once. How do you know that name?" A blistering heat spread through the area.
"... Humph." Eljha gave her a fleeting glance.
"You claim that you aren't from this continent? Humph. All you people know is how to lie. Just a few days ago..." He paused as if recalling something.
Eljha began his recount of the incident.
A few days ago, "God-Slaying Bear Tribe".
"... NO!!"
"Why are you acting like a child? As a five-year-old, now is the time to start acting like a man."
"You! Stay away!" The somewhat high toned voice of a young boy echoed through the void.
"She has been marked. Our God is punishing her, you can't protect her. If you keep overly associating yourself with a marked one like that, you will be punished too." A man's deep voice sounded.
"What marked? What god?! Isn't she supposed to be your partner?! Joined by the shaman, aren't you supposed to be two halves of one whole?!" The boy cried as he shielded a woman. She panted lightly, hidden by the darkness in the small corner.
The man opened his mouth, then closed it. His arm swept through the air as a slapping sound rang out. "Don't get in my way, boy."
"Your child, my brother or sister is in her stomach right now! Don't you care if they die?! Stop! Leave her alone!!?" The boy bit the man's heel, stopping his advance.
"... What must be done, will be done." Saying this, the man disregarded the boy. He dragged him along as he advanced toward the woman. Lifting her gently, the man walked to an opening, all the while dragging the wailing youth with him.
"You! You're just scared! Scared that you might get sick! What god?! You've never believed in gods from the beginning! Lying bastard! I'll kill you!!" The boy chomped at that foot. Salty tears ran into his mouth as he roared. But no matter how hard he bit, it wouldn't break the skin.
"Gah! Just shut up! What do you know?! And stop biting! If we fall from here, with her weakened like this, who do you think between us will-" A loud boom drowned out the man's voice. "Huh?"
"Wha-What is that?" The boy shakily pointed.
In the sky, blue flashes rippled out every few seconds, accompanied by the roaring of thunder.
"... Wait..." The man squinted.
"!!!... Ki-Ki..." He seemed to have lost his breath for a moment. "Kingdom dwellers!!! Wake up!! They are coming!!!" He roared.
"W-Wha? What's happening?!" The boy feebly tried to get up.
"What are you-Koff!"
"Get inside, boy!!" The man grabbed the boy's arm, before throwing him back into the treehouse they had just exited.
"Did he say kingdom dwellers..."
"Those bastards!"
"Hide your children! Those lizard kingdom bastards are here to kidnap again!!"
One after the other, both men and women emerged from their houses, weapons in hand as they cursed.
"Come, come, come then! You'll become food for the trees!"
"What kind of garbage are you trying to feed the forest?! Better to feed them to the animals, 'cause even shit is better fertilizer than the bodies of slavers and rapists!!"
Boom!!
As they spat their insults, a brilliant blue flash hit the ground, kicking up a large dust cloud. After the electrical crackling died down, the panting of a person sounded.
"Huff! Huff!" Nerezza looked up at the sky as sweat poured down her face.
"Huff! They'll be here soon-Huff..." She looked around.
The peoples' expressions twisted as they shouted things in their language. Killing intent weighed the air down, stifling Nerezza slightly.
"Huff...!" She looked around.
"Huff... listen..." She said.
The people continued to roar as they pleased.
"Tsk... SHUT UP AND LISTEN."
The forest went quiet.
"Sh-She, did she just..."
"Y-Yeah, she can understand us? But more importantly... she can speak our language!?"
"Could it be that she's one of the kidnapped children?"
"That would make the most sense..."
"But wait, it looks like she's wounded. Her wrists are bleeding..."
"In a few days! Huff!" Nerezza began speaking. "A boy with red hair! Huff! And an eyepatch-wearing woman will come here! Huff!"
"What's she saying?"
"I don't have time to explain! Just! Huff! Remember my name... Nerezza!!" She shouted.
"... Enough, woman. You need to come with us." The man who led the group that 'escorted' Aria and Levi walked up to Nerezza.
"... nsess! You cannot run!" A voice echoed from the sky.
"Tsk." Nerezza clicked her tongue.
"Remember my name!!" She pointed at the people. A loud boom echoed as she shot into the sky.
"This is going too far, even for a joke! The lady will not be pleased with this behavior, princess!!"
"If you come back now-" A loud boom drowned out the man's voice.
Stomping on a cluster of lightning, Nerezza shot through the air.
'I've done what I promised. Now I just have to lead these pests away.' She thought.
"Cough!" She suddenly coughed, losing her footing.
"Princess! You're at your limit! Stop this!!"
"Tsk! I hope they don't pin her death on us." One man mumbled.
Multiple men in white flew behind Nerezza.
"... They called her princess..."
The people below all froze.
"B-But if she's a princess... how does she know our language?"
"... I'll tell you how..." A man's words caused silence to fall.
"As royalty, she would naturally have access to any of our enslaved people. All she had to do was make them teach her."
"C-Come to think of it..."
"Tsk! Those bastards! Who do they think they are?!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill! The next time any kingdom dwellers appear here, kill them all!!!!"
"Ouuuu!!!!!"
The people roared.
Present.
"Now, will you still say that you have nothing to do with any of those four despicable kingdoms?" Eljha looked down, his gaze cold.
"..." Levi opened his eyes slowly.
"Even if what you say is true, for someone so thoroughly involved with the royalty of one of those kingdoms, what have you come here for? To steal from us? To enslave more of our children?!
"Speak!"