Ancestral teachings… What kind of Divine Kin’s ancestral teaching would dictate unconditional trust and help for humans?
While there were certainly kind and simple souls among humanity, once they experienced hardship, most found it difficult to return to their original intentions.
The greatest advantage humans had over other Divine Kin was that they possessed their own set of principles.
In other words, humans were smarter than other creatures. This could be considered a human strength, but it was also a human tragedy.
As the saying went, a thousand people had a thousand faces.
If the ancestors of this Divine Kin did not want the Ratman race to go extinct, they probably wouldn’t have issued such a command.
Thus, there had to be more to this matter than met the eye.
However, as a traveler who had simply happened to fall into misfortune, Reliel obviously had no need to know that much.
“Actually, humans are divided into good and bad! Uncle Jerry, you have to learn to distinguish them!”
Although Reliel had no intention of saying much more, Holly couldn’t help but offer a reminder.
Even though they hadn’t known each other for long, Holly considered herself a righteous person who always repaid a kindness—a good person!
“Ah… we know that, but whether they’re good or bad, aren’t they all just humans? Hehehe…” Jerry shook his head, the smile on his face remaining kind and gentle.
“But—” Holly wanted to say more, but she was stopped by a wave of Reliel’s hand.
This belief had perhaps been maintained for hundreds of years, passed down through countless generations.
In such a situation, what kind of humans had they not seen?
Did they really need the two of them to remind them?
Since these Ratmen had survived until now without being wiped out, they naturally had their own way of judging people.
“Mm…” Holly scratched her head, seemingly realizing this point as well.
The atmosphere suddenly fell into silence, leaving only the pop and crackle of the campfire.
“Though it’s abrupt, I have one more thing to ask of you all.” Reliel was the one to break the silence.
With a not-so-smart fellow and the silent Xiao Yaba by her side, she was the only one who could speak up.
“Please, speak. If we can help, we certainly won’t refuse,” Jerry said, nodding at Reliel with a smile.
Reliel then told him about their other companions and provided a detailed description of their appearances.
“I see… the Underground River Cave is indeed intricate and complex. I will send my tribesmen to search for the companions you mentioned. Please, rest easy.”
“Wait! Can we go with you?”
Holly, who had just eaten her fill, seemed to have instantly regained her vitality. She stood up quickly and pointed at herself.
“This… Hehehe, didn’t the two of you just escape death? It’s better if you go and rest…” Jerry smiled helplessly, looking at Holly as if she were a mischievous junior from his own village.
At this moment, Reliel also agreed with Jerry’s words. It was better for this girl to catch up on some sleep here.
Of course, she hadn’t completely lowered her guard against this elderly Ratman, but as things stood, she could only rely on these kindhearted Ratmen if she wanted to reunite everyone.
“Ah~ you two actually got here before me. Incredible.”
While Reliel was thinking this, a somewhat familiar voice suddenly came from beside them.
“Huh?”
The two of them turned their heads in confusion, only to see a Ratman holding a wooden staff.
Standing beside him, walking shoulder to shoulder, was none other than—
“Lady?!” Holly blurted out, her expression looking foolish and her teeth still stained with a bit of green vegetable leaf, making Ileya chuckle.
“It seems you’re being treated quite well here~”
As she spoke, Ileya looked at the fish bones on the ground, then glanced at her sister, whose hair was still not quite dry, sitting by the fire.
She hadn’t expected these two to end up together.
While Reliel wasn’t weak, she was only “not weak,” making them a less than ideal pairing.
Still, seeing that both were safe, Ileya felt relieved.
The reason she had arrived here was simple.
While carrying the Foolish Goddess along the riverbank, she had discovered a Ratman hiding in the shadows.
After a normal exchange, she had been led here.
‘It seems this Ratman wasn’t lying. At least for now, they appear to be a friendly race.’
While Ileya was contemplating this, Reliel looked at her sister with a slight sense of unease.
Originally, she had been worried… but now it was clear the Lady didn’t need her concern.
Furthermore, Reliel currently had a very strange feeling in her heart, almost as if she had done something to betray the white-haired girl in front of her.
After the previous period of quiet, Reliel, sitting by the fire, had gradually recalled what happened when her consciousness was fading… specifically, the process of Holly saving her.
She knew that Holly had done everything to save her and was deeply grateful, but for some reason, her heart was beating quite fast now. She didn’t even dare to look her sister in the eye.
“Mmm… huh?”
Right then, a confused voice, tinged with the nasality of someone who had just woken up, drifted from behind Ileya.
“Everyone… is here…”
The moment she heard that voice, Reliel, who had been avoiding Ileya’s gaze, snapped her head up!
Her pale blue eyes locked onto her master. Or rather, she looked at the small head that had just peeked out from behind Ileya.
It was a certain Goddess Young Lady, her hands wrapped around Ileya’s fair neck and her upper body pressed tightly against the other woman’s back.
Her sleepy face rested lazily on Ileya’s shoulder; she looked exactly like a kitten curling up in its owner’s arms to act spoiled.
In an instant, the guilt and sheepishness that had just risen in Reliel’s heart vanished without a trace!
An unknown fury flooded her brain, making her want to leap up and tear Veil away from Ileya!!
“Reliel?” Ileya clearly noticed the sudden change in the other girl.
Those eyes, which looked so much like their mother’s, were not suited for such an expression. This caused Ileya to frown slightly.
“…” But Reliel’s emotion only lasted for a few seconds before she silently averted her gaze, refusing to look at Ileya again.
‘What happened now? Did I offend her again?’ Ileya scratched her cheek in confusion.
“Hey! Senior Veil! How did you all get here?”
Holly, ever the one to misread the atmosphere, hurried forward to ask after seeing Veil’s somewhat disheveled state.
Regarding this senior, although Holly had previously viewed her as the team’s mascot and thought she was just a cute little thing, she was now completely won over after seeing the Goddess Young Lady “in action”!
She was quite interested in the power Veil possessed.
“We… er… we just went kachink! Splash! And then we were up~”
Veil was initially dazed, but seeing the admiring gaze of her junior, she could only spout a bunch of nonsense.
Before Reliel, who looked suspicious, could ask anything, a commotion suddenly broke out from the side of the village!
“What’s happening?!”
Jerry and the Ratman with the staff both frowned. After nodding to the group, they ran toward the source of the disturbance.
However, the Lady was clearly quite interested in this foreign race’s village as well.