Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint-Chapter 510: The Hunter Can Be Fired Too

Wolves are powerful. But in the end, they are just a pack of wolves. If a nation puts its full strength into dealing with them in a timely manner, they can be eliminated without much trouble.

However, a nation is a vast collective of millions of people, and it is difficult to keep constant attention on a pack of beasts whose movements are unpredictable. Furthermore, the King of Wolves is intelligent—if there is no reason to fight, he knows how to avoid conflict. Without a King of Dogs, fighting the King of Wolves itself becomes a challenge.

Even the Military State lost hundreds of soldiers during its maritime reclamation project, and the Allied Nations could not settle in the mountains due to fear of wild beasts. Even the Empire only utilized a small portion of the sea, dreading the monsters of the Mediterranean. Beasts were a significant nuisance that even nations could not ignore.

That was why the Principality established Ende.

A few years after the Holy Crown Church exterminated the wolf packs, a new pack appeared in the southern Enger Plains, where the King of Wolves was believed to reside. However, for various political, geopolitical, and administrative reasons, the King of Dogs had been abandoned or exiled for several generations. After the kingdom fell to rebellion, the King of Dogs vanished without a trace.

Meanwhile, the wolf pack steadily grew in numbers, roaming the southern Enger Plains. Eventually, even the Principality began to feel threatened. Thus, the Principality of Lilac, which had the closest ties to wolves, decided to raise its shield.

Ende and the beastfolk—disposable entities that could be abandoned at any time.

“Ende... is a shield?”

“Yes, we are the Principality’s meat shield. But by becoming that shield, we gained freedom.”

Mayor Treavor swept his gaze across the plaza. Beyond it, countless houses and people. Tens of thousands of beastfolk living in Ende. As he took in the city he had built from the ground up, he spoke.

“This entire city enjoys freedom. They earn money, work, receive fair treatment, and form organizations. These are things that are difficult to achieve in a human nation. This proves that beastfolk are no different from humans.”

He gazed at the beastfolk with a moment of deep emotion before quickly shifting to a desperate plea.

“The wolves. We only need to overcome the wolves. Then we can eliminate the threat and gain full autonomy. We beastfolk... must show the Principality that we are capable!”

“So you're telling us to become the wolves’ meat shield.”

“The wolves are strong, but they are not invincible. We can fight and win. And by doing so, we beastfolk will earn the right to make demands of the Principality and the world!”

Sacrificing Azzy? No, they were sacrificing all of Ende. Trying to expel Azzy here was no different from pushing another sacrificial offering onto the altar first. It was utterly laughable.

Of course, for the beastfolk who had never realized they were being used as sacrifices, even this would be difficult to accept.

“We don’t need this! We weren’t born to be meat shields!”

“But thanks to that, we have escaped the Principality’s interference and gained freedom!”

“We don’t need interference that involves ruling over others and sending them to die! We will live our own lives! Ende’s future will be decided by Ende!”

“And yet, driving out the King of Dogs is as good as treason!”

Alright, alright. Since time is short, you can argue among yourselves later. I have things to do.

I picked up the loudspeaker I had prepared in advance and calmly stepped onto the podium. Standing between the two who were shouting—whether it was a debate or just pointless bickering—I cleared my throat. Then, bringing the loudspeaker to my lips, I spoke loudly.

“I understand your sentiments. You don’t want to fight the wolves. It’s surprising to see your stance change so suddenly, but if this is the conclusion Ende has reached after careful deliberation, I will respect it.”

A murmur of discontent rose from the Orcma faction. It seemed they had expected me to be outraged and demand answers. Unfortunately for them, this was exactly the reaction I had been hoping for.

“Wolves harm humans, and dogs follow them. Wolves are evil, and dogs are good. To surrender to evil and abandon good is truly disappointing... But as someone who leads a city, I can fully understand. People praise sacrifice as noble, but when they themselves are asked to sacrifice, it suddenly becomes much harder to accept.”

Feigning regret, I sighed before breaking into a bright smile.

“It is what it is. So, we have no choice but to head north and request aid from the Principality directly.”

A perfectly reasonable decision, just as the orcs had made. If they refused to help, we had no choice but to leave. This was the logical response to an unavoidable situation.

However, now that I understood the relationship between the Principality and Ende, this was something I could not accept.

Poina, her face drained of color, asked urgently.

“Wait. Then... to the Principality of Lilac...?”

“Of course. They are the closest Principality.”

“No, no, we can’t do that!”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

‘We already drove out the official envoy, and if word spreads that we drove out the King of Dogs to avoid the King of Wolves... the consequences will be on an entirely different level...!’

Exactly. That would be no different from treason. Thanks to Mayor Treavor’s earlier explanation, I didn’t even need to spell it out for them. With an exaggerated look of regret, I turned my gaze away while still holding the loudspeaker.

“We have no choice. The King of Dogs must fight alongside humans. That is the oath he is bound to. But since you refuse to fight, we must seek help from the nearest nation.”

It couldn’t be helped. Just like them, I had no choice but to act accordingly. Pressing my point further, I delivered the final blow to my speech.

“Well, I do worry about how you’ll handle being pressured from below by the King of Wolves and from above by the Principality of Lilac... But I trust that ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) your wisdom will lead you to make another excellent decision for the city!”

In other words, I was telling them I would report this to the Principality and leave them to deal with the consequences. This was unacceptable to both Mayor Treavor and Orcma.

Poina shouted angrily.

“Stop! We can’t let the King of Dogs leave!”

Finally, the response I was waiting for. I leisurely halted my steps and asked indifferently.

“Oh? Then what do you want me to do? If you’re not going to fight and just abandon Azzy here, that’s the same as letting him die.”

“...That’s none of your concern. The King of Dogs exists to protect humans.”

“Wow! Now that sounds familiar!”

Strip away the surface, and everyone is the same underneath. They keep trying to wrap it up in pretty words, but in the end, humans act like humans.

Beastfolk don’t need to try to become human. They don’t need to shout that they are equals to humans. Because they always have been.

“Everyone. Let me acknowledge something. You are already truly excellent humans! You break treaties, ignore promises, and abandon the King of Dogs. And now, since things won’t end well if you let him go, you’re planning to just leave him to die? Incredible! Has there ever been a more perfect display of humanity?”

There was no need to blame just the beastfolk. After all, it was humans who had been driving out and killing the King of Dogs all along—no, even imprisoning him in the abyss.

So naturally, the beastfolk made the same choice. Everyone was the same in the end.

“Humans are nothing special. They’re just beasts, no different from wolves. They bow their heads to those stronger than them and try to devour those weaker. They scheme, hoping to live a little more comfortably, a little more luxuriously. That’s all they are—a pack of beasts. Just like you!”

If you flipped the perspective, the Principality sending the beastfolk to Ende as a shield was no different from the beastfolk trying to use Azzy as theirs.

“The Principality thought the same way! ‘Ugh, those bastards from the Empire act like they’re so strong and tell us to do the same. How disgusting. Let’s just use the beastfolk. It’s fine. That’s what they exist for anyway.’”

Mimicking the Principality’s voice, I spread my arms wide and shouted.

“Well, beastfolk? Now that you’re in this position, do you see things from a human’s perspective? Do you understand how they felt when they sent you to the front lines against the wolves? Congratulations! If you’ve realized this, then you’re no different from humans!”

“...!”

I sincerely congratulated them. This was the realization they had long sought, and so I gave them my heartfelt applause.

Not that I actually felt it in my heart. Because I already knew their so-called dream wasn’t noble at all.

They just wanted to live well. To eat delicious food, to wield power, to be treated with respect. They attached all sorts of grand justifications to it, making themselves look like ideological warriors, but at the core, they were simply people who wanted a better life.

Bitter with resentment, but ultimately just that.

“...You understand well, magician. If you’re so empathetic, then surely you’ll understand why we can’t let the King of Dogs leave.”

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“That’s right! It’s a reasonable decision! Of course, I understand!”

But the pie they wanted was already in someone else’s hands. Unless they baked a new one, they would have to steal it from someone else.

And when things reached this point, only one rule remained: the law of power.

“Well, we don’t have to follow it, do we? Just like you refuse to follow the Principality’s orders.”

Whether it’s money, power, respect, or consideration—you have to seize it through strength.

Isn’t that just like beasts? I quite like this kind of desire.

What I hate is when people pretend this simple, primal hunger is something grander than it actually is.

“This is about survival. Now, you and I are in the same situation. Ende or us—one of us has to die. Sorry, but I’d rather not be the one.”

I cheerfully lifted the loudspeaker to my lips and shouted.

“Sorry! But all of you, please die in my place!”

“Seize them!”

Urukfang and the mercenaries surged forward, intent on stopping me and Azzy from escaping. But at that moment, a massive slash tore through the air between us.

A stunned orc staggered back as a figure slowly stepped forward, gripping Tianying.

The regressor.

Maybe my words had lightened their mood just a little, because their presence was slightly less razor-sharp than before. But only slightly. They were still as fierce as ever.

“W-We’re not trying to kill you! You just need to abandon the King of Dogs!”

“Why? Azzy is better than you. If someone has to be abandoned, it should be you.”

The regressor lifted Tianying and added,

“It’s not because you’re beastfolk. It’s just that you’re worse than a dog. Unlike Azzy, abandoning you wouldn’t be a big deal.”

Wow. Did they just come up with that on the spot? I intentionally pick my words to provoke people, but they managed to do it naturally. A true talent.

“You...!”

“There’s nothing left for me in Ende. Do whatever you want. Because I will too.”

Scoffing, the regressor flicked Tianying.

Heavenly Blade Art – Rising Dragon.

A whirlwind of sword energy engulfed me and Azzy. A powerful gust shattered the podium, kicking up a storm of dust and debris.

Dirt, wood shards, and fragments of the stage swirled violently. The beastfolk crouched, shielding their faces from the raging wind.

And by the time the dust settled, we were already gone.