“You are really a battle maniac.”

“Don’t praise me like that, I will get embarrassed.”

Zenberu ignored the stunned Crusch and requested something from her.

“Oh right, plant monster, can you help me convince him? No matter how I beg him, Zaryusu still wouldn’t become our tribe chief.”

Zaryusu also showed a resigned and fatigued expression.Crusch could tell from that tired look that when Crusch wasn’t around, this question had been repeated countless times.

“It is impossible for him to take this job. He is from a different tribe and is a—” Crusch wanted to say traveler, but she remembered that Zenberu was a traveler too, so she changed the topic: “Why did you became a traveler?”

“Huh? Oh, losing to the owner of Frost Pain was a huge blow to me, so it was only natural for me to want to leave and visit different places and become stronger right? So I became a traveler.”

Zaryusu who was beside him drooped his shoulders tiredly. Crusch remembered Zaryusu talking about his travels too.

When Zaryusu became a traveler, he was motivated by his determination, resolve and sense of duty to his tribe. Zenberu who was a traveler must had similar thoughts… But that wasn’t apparent from the way he was behaving.

Crusch placed her hand gently on Zaryusu’s shoulder to console him, conveying to him the message that he is he, you are you.

To the bystander, Crusch’s action must seemed like that of a lover. When she became aware of that, Crusch’s tail started to panic. Zaryusu’s tail was also thrashing intensely.

The two of them looked at each other’s eyes and smiled shyly.

Zenberu pretended to not see all that and continued saying happily:

“I thought that there must be powerful guys in that mountain since it is so big, learned a lot from the dwarf I met in my travels and got that war scythe. I didn’t want it at first, but since he said that was a momento of our meeting, I had no choice but to accept it.”

“... So that happened, that’s great.”

Crusch answered coldly.

“Yeah, thanks.”

— Sarcasm didn’t work.

With the nice atmosphere ruined, Crusch picked up a cup and drank it all. She felt her throat heating up, a warmth spreading from the wine in her stomach to her entire body. Zaryusu did the same.

At this moment, the sound of a soft query came. The feeling was totally different than before, making it hard to discern who was asking immediately.

“So, do you think we can win?”

Zaryusu answered softly.

“... I don’t know.”

“Yeah, I guessed as much, there are no guarantees in war. If someone assured victory without knowing the strength of the adversaries, I want to beat him up and ask him not to bullshit.”

Crusch didn’t say anything more to Zenberu who was laughing softly.

“But… our enemy is careless, this might affect our chance of winning.”

Crusch explained to the baffled Zenberu in Zaryusu’s stead.

“Do you remember what that monster said?”

“Sorry, I was napping then.”

“... Someone must have heard it right?”

“Hmmp, I forgot because it is a hassle. Anyway, the important is they attack us, we hit them back, right?”

This guy is hopeless— Crusch gave up explaining with such a face while Zaryusu explained with a wry smile.

“... They said, ‘Resist stubbornly, mortals’.”

A dangerous expression appeared on Zenberu’s face, his features scowled into a sneer.

“How maddening, looking down on us from the very beginning.”

Zenberu roared angrily.

It hinted strongly of wrath and displeasure.

“That’s right, they are looking down on us. To be that confident… means they have the forces to overwhelm us easily… But we will crush the arrogance of our foes. We will unite the five tribes and show them the largest force we could assemble. We will strike them down head on, and tell them we are not defenceless weaklings.”

“Hmmp, not bad, that’s a simple way of putting it. I like that.”

As the two male lizardmen was discussing passionately on how to fight, Crusch poured cold water onto their plans.

“It won’t do us any good to wound their pride too much. We just need to show them our worth, correct? If they knew we are of use, they might refrain from wiping us out.”

“Hey hey, you want us to bow our heads to those annoying people?”

“Zaryusu… I understand the danger in evacuating, but I think keeping our lives is more important than losing our freedom.”

Crusch said her piece softly.

The other two didn’t rebuke her thoughts or mock her about this.

No one wants to be dominated, but being enslaved has more future than losing their lives. If they have a future, there will be endless possibilities.

For example, if they taught the fish farming technique to everyone, they might be able to abandon their current homes and run away.

If one was to give up on this possibility and order everyone to die, he has no right to be a leader.

“Listen to this.”

After hearing what Zaryusu said softly, the three of them perk up their ears and listened to the laughter from the banquet being carried here by the wind.

“We might not be able to have fun like this after being dominated.”

“Maybe we could, right?”

“Really? I don’t think so. I don’t think an existence that is amused by our death would be so charitable. If they had any mercy at all, they wouldn’t attempt to wipe us out with such a playful attitude.”

Crusch nodded in agreement.

Even so—

“What I want to say is… please don’t die.”

“— I won’t, not before I hear your answer to that question.”

“— !”

Crusch and Zaryusu gazed into each other eyes under the cool night sky.

And made an oath.

— Completely ignoring the disgruntled Zenberu.

Intermission

The conference room behind him should have started discussing a different topic.