Chapter 46: Darang Dream Garden Is Safe

A tense, hair-trigger situation filled with foreboding.

The archers of Darangdae have their bows drawn, arrows aimed in our direction.

The swordsmen of Darangdae brandish their blades, growling menacingly.

And a short distance away…

“Uh, uh, uh…?”

Renatel begins to stutter like a broken machine.

I decided to push a little more boldly.

“Heroes? Stand down. Don’t provoke anything.”

“Ok……”

“Arc, isn’t this dangerous……?”

“I’ve already explained everything. This is the best course of action.”

I walk calmly, step by step, toward Renatel.

Everyone’s eyes are on me.

“Renatel, please accept this. It’s my heartfelt offer.”

How about we call it a draw?

You guys were in the wrong too.

Feeding me that garbage food……………!

Renatel hesitates, staring at my outstretched hand of reconciliation (feat. contract).

“Is this… a contract…………?”

As the leader of Darangdae, it seems hard for her to accept this easily.

But as a hero candidate, she knows she must agree to the contract.

Her emotions are in conflict, and she seems slightly confused.

But in the end…

Sharak.

A dazzling light envelops me and Renatel.

A silver cuff—no, a bracelet—with the authority of a high-ranking official clicks into place around each of our wrists.

At that moment…

“Ugh…”

Renatel lets out a slight moan.

“Renatel?!”

“Is something wrong?!”

“Grrr, grrrrr……………!”

The wolf-like friends behind Renatel bare their fangs at me.

“…It’s fine. I was just startled by an unfamiliar sensation.”

Soon, Renatel’s face regains its composure.

Then, step by step…

She approaches me.

Wait.

That’s too close.

Excuse me?

Lick—

“?”

Suddenly, Renatel licks my cheek, leaving a trail of saliva.

This feels oddly familiar.

“That, that girl……!”

Behind me, Rumi growls angrily.

What? 

You licked my face too, didn’t you?

As if hearing Rumi’s words, Renatel’s gaze shifts to her.

“I see. So it was you, the canine tribe, who left your mark on him. It’s not so different from us wolf tribes sharing males. Why are you so angry?”

“Grrrr……..!”

What are you talking about? Sharing what?

But before I can process my confusion, Renatel changes the subject.

“As a hero who has received the goddess’s revelation, it’s only natural to serve the Revelator. But the damage you’ve caused to our Darangdae won’t just disappear. How do you plan to address this?”

Tch.

I thought taking down the leader would be enough.

Looks like I’ll have to play my trump card after all.

“I deeply apologize for that. As a gesture of goodwill, I’ve prepared a feast for you. Could you spare some time?”

“A feast? Unlike the canine tribe, we wolf tribes aren’t driven by gluttony. Are you trying to bribe us with food?”

“Grrrr…”

Why are you saying that while staring at Rumi?

“Ah, come on. We’re all family now, right? Just wait a little. I’ll make this a day you’ll never forget.”

“What, what…!”

I’m not sure what part of that surprised her, but…

I calmly begin preparing the field meal.

Trace, on.

…Wait, no. I open my inventory.

I take out everything I’ve prepared.

A frying pot, oil, frying powder.

And various seasonings for making sauces.

To the climax…

Not a croaker… but…

Minotaur meat!

A declaration of war in the form of a hellish byproduct.

I’ll show you the taste of army-style sweet and sour pork.

A short while later…

“Darangdae pledges loyalty to the Revelator!”

“The Revelator is the best!”

“Sweet and sour pork is the best!”

As expected, there’s nothing better than food to tame wild animals.

Instant subjugation complete!

“Hey, Tina! I told you not to pour the sauce directly. Serve it in a separate dish.”

“Eeek.”

After scolding Tina, who tried to commit an atrocity with the food despite being in charge of serving, I wipe the sweat pouring down my face.

Even with a body trained for mass catering, frying all this alone is exhausting…

Next time, I should bring Renela if something like this happens again.

I need a junior, a junior is essential.

“…I had no idea food could be this delicious.”

Oh, geez.

You scared me.

Without me noticing, Renatel had approached me, her wild eyes fixed on me.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

I don’t know why she’s drawing out her request for so long, but…

Looking around—

“Ah, that thing? It’s called soy sauce. The wolf tribe probably hasn’t tried it before.”

“That’s not how you eat that! That’s ‘chili powder.’ It’s spicy if you eat it like that!”

Rumi is happily barking and bouncing around, playing the role of the otherworldly hero.

She’s really enjoying herself.

For some reason, it seems she’s taking out her frustration from earlier on Renatel by venting it on the Darangdae members.

***

After the wild sweet and sour pork feast…

“Revelator! That was delicious! Please do it again!”

“No! Tomorrow! Do it again tomorrow!”

“The day after too!”

“Of course…”

The Darangdae members, whose favor I’ve maxed out with just one meal, keep thanking me as they happily leave.

Easy, too easy.

At this rate, I might conquer the tower with cooking.

With a proud expression, I massage my overworked wrists and arms.

Meanwhile, the leader of Darangdae, who had devoured two extra-large plates of sweet and sour pork by herself, approaches with an awkward expression.

Her tail, which had been stiff the whole time, now wags gently, signaling that she’s been sufficiently tamed.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen the Darangdae members smile so brightly.”

Well, that’s to be expected.

“It’s not exactly a comfortable living environment. Opportunities to eat meat to your heart’s content are rare.”

“Why is that? I saw plenty of animals in the Great Forest earlier.”

“Some could be someone’s ancestor, or someone’s child. So hunting is prohibited in the Great Forest, except for a few species.”

Ah.

So that’s why…

“I’ve seen wild boars being hunted.”

“Wild boars are one of those exceptions. Have you ever heard of a wild boar beastman?”

Do they exist?

Do they not exist in this world?

Renatel gives me a look that says, “Is that your type?”

It was insulting.

“…Probably not.”

I had no choice but to agree.

“Hey, Renatel? I noticed some injured wolf tribe members earlier. Would you like me to heal them?”

“Ah, the ones who got hurt while subduing the rampaging Pocorongs? That would be appreciated, human saint.”

“…”

Johanna, who had unintentionally played both the aggressor and the healer, blushed deeply and quickly fled, clinging to Ari’s arm.

After that, we sat at a makeshift table and chatted leisurely.

Unlike the other heroes gathered in Celestia, Renatel had spent her entire life in the Great Forest, so sharing more information and knowledge was necessary to communicate with her.

The demons?

They’re a different story.

Even now, Tina, bored with the conversation, is braiding Rumi’s hair while yawning.

Besides, anything related to the demon realm seems to be under a gag order, so they’re of no help as a source of information.

“Bruise.”

It’s a harsh environment, but it’s also a natural fortress. If it weren’t for Rumi, we wouldn’t have found it either.

“Woof!”

Rumi barks with an expression full of pride.

“Compared to the entire wolf tribe’s military strength, Darangdae is relatively small. That’s why we have to hide our base well to carry out guerrilla operations.”

“I see.”

While the knight commander and the Darangdae leader continue their tedious discussion about city defense and patrols…

Why isn’t this ending?

Haven’t we already established a cooperative relationship with Darangdae?

Since the area clear notification hasn’t popped up yet, I frown while looking at my smartphone.

Did I miss something?

How does the story progress after this?

“Hehe. You can rest easy and focus on your work. Only a handful can track down Darangdae Forest. It’s safe, you could say.”

As I ponder this…

Renatel’s voice, reciting a line similar to “Did we win?” reaches my ears.

Oh no.

You shouldn’t say that line…!

Sure enough.

“Renatel! The wolf tribe is approaching!”

“What.”

Renatel’s face fills with panic.

Wow.

That flag was raised quickly.

“You’re not going to run away or anything, right?”

“Who do you think I am…! The wolf tribe never shows their backs!”

At least she’s not running in her underwear.

Or is she? Isn’t that the usual trope?

I give Renatel a slightly awkward look.

But somehow, she interprets it differently.

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you so you won’t be kidnapped again.”

She declares this while blushing slightly.

“Grrrr…!”

Rumi growls beside me, but…

“She meant it in a good way, Rumi.”

“…”

We shouldn’t be fighting each other at a time like this.

Love and peace!

Unity and cooperation!

Sickle and hammer!

…?

For a moment, a red revolutionary spirit rises in my chest, which I quickly shake off.

The stream of consciousness is a scary thing.

“It might be dangerous, so wait here. …Hero, friends, you too.”

Renatel struggles with the word “friends.”

What, don’t you have any friends?

“We’ll help too.”

“My Black Flame Dragon is hungry…! Mhuhu.”

But our grooming machines, obsessed with blood, meat, and tail fur, simultaneously arm themselves and prepare for a show of force.

Renatel looks flustered.

“Th-that’s not necessary…”

But…

“Don’t worry, Renatel. You’re one of my heroes now. Helping my heroes is the Revelator’s role.”

“Rumi will help too, woof!”

Under the pressure from me and Rumi…

“W-well then…”

Renatel finally relents, her face red.

“Let’s go.”

The moment the decision is made…

[★★★: Help Darangdae repel the wolf tribe’s attack.]

The victory condition changes in real-time.

I see.

Forming a cooperative relationship with Darangdae was the mission for the previous area.

Now, the trigger for clearing the area has finally been activated.

But it doesn’t matter.

We just have to crush them.

There’s no time limit for this area anyway.

***

“An unexpected harvest.”

I thought it was just outsiders reclaiming their stolen goods, but who would have thought the Darangdae would be hiding here?

Enya smiles faintly.

Darangdae, the rebels.

How dare they defy the great cat overlords—no, ugh, my head, ugh…

…Refusing the rule of the great cat overlords.

Not only did they rise up in rebellion, but they also kidnapped their own kind and brainwashed them with strange ideologies.

They plundered the crops we worked so hard to grow.

They even lured female Pocorongs to seduce and kidnap the males.

But their reign of terror ends here today.

“Prepare for battle.”

Given the circumstances, they must have brought in outsiders.

Using a male as a honey trap to seduce me is also their doing.

I’ll capture them all and shave off all their fur.

And right in front of them, I’ll claim the male for myself.

Hehe.

Hehe…

“Um, Your Majesty? You’re drooling.”

“Ah.”

Enya wipes the drool that had unknowingly dripped down her chin and quickly regains her composure.

“They must have caught our scent. It’ll take a while for reinforcements to arrive, but we’ll strike now while we have the momentum.”