Chapter 9: Idle Chatter on the Wall

  Just as both sides were secretly preparing their own calculations, the most important festival of the beastmen, the War God Festival, finally began half a month later.

  On the back of the mountain behind the city of Gnasher, a giant statue of Pherys, the war god, is carved on the top of the mountain. The half-human and half-beast war god opens his arms wide, majestically overlooking the northern wilderness below, showing the beastmen's reverence for him.

  On this festive day, the gigantic statue of the god was newly decorated. The neck and body of the war god were hung with red silk symbolizing glory. Below, a row of twelve large braziers also ignited fierce flames. Countless beastmen who came to pay homage surged towards the temple at the foot of the statue, worshiping their most revered deity.

  Unlike the solemn and religiously-colored mountains below, the city of Kraga was a different scene. The entire city was immersed in the revelry of sacrificing to the war god, countless beastmen crowded the streets, drinking strong liquor, eating raw meat with blood, everywhere were various beast languages cheering and shouting, from time to time there were terrible roars echoing through the sky.

  If it's said that the capital of Dinah's kingdom is famous for its grand parades, solemn rituals and carnival performances from all over the continent. Then, the Beastmen's War God Festival has a bloody and barbaric style unique to the Beastmen.

  Due to their extreme devotion to the War God, the Beastmen believe that blood is the best offering to Firis. Therefore, in the temple of the War God on the mountain waist, many fanatical believers will mutilate themselves, using knives to cut wounds on their bodies, making wishes to the War God while spraying blood at the feet of the god statue, the scene is extremely frightening with blood flowing everywhere.

  In the city, however, drunken beastmen would often engage in fistfights and even draw weapons over the most trivial matters. Unlike during peacetime, no one intervened to stop them, and injured beastmen could be seen lying on the streets while others continued to revel and drink around them, their blood and spilled liquor seeping into the floorboards and walls.

  On the day of the festival, the city of Kiba was ignited like a fire pit under the feet of the god of war, fueled by fresh blood and madness, burning fiercely. However, that scorching heat is only enjoyable for beasts.

  This is the Beastmen's Carnival, a bloody and meaningful festival. In the eyes of other races, there may not be a more brutal and savage side than this, but in the hearts of the Beastmen, this is an extremely sacred moment.

  So there's nothing to blame them for, as they are just paying their respects to God in their own way.

  It was at this time that Raymond sat cross-legged on the city wall, indifferently watching the revelry below.

  The beastmen's roars and laughter, like waves, poured into his ears, but never had Raymond felt so out of place among the "brethren" below. From childhood to adulthood, every War God Festival had given him this strange sense of detachment, and this time, it was even stronger.

  "Maybe I'm just a weird guy after all." As a beastman, he couldn't seem to fit in with the festive atmosphere, and even Raymond couldn't help but think so.

  "Young master, what are you thinking?" Suddenly, Bast's head popped out from behind his shoulder: "Why not participate in the festival?"

  The cat girl gazed enviously at the carefree beastmen below, her beautiful pupils having an irrepressible urge. After all, she was a hundred percent beastman, infected by the atmosphere in front of her, and her heart had already been ignited.

  However, her loyalty to Raymond made her choose to stay by his side.

  "Anyway, nothing's going on, if you want to go, just go ahead."

  "No, if you're not going, I'll stay here too." The cat girl shook her head firmly.

  Hmph... This idiot is really helpless, Raymond couldn't help but shake his head and smile, but at the same time, he felt a warmth in his heart. Compared to those of his own kind who had blood ties with him but treated him as an outcast, this silly cat girl who had been picked up by chance had always stayed by his side.

  The master didn't want to move, so Bastet could only rest her head on Raymond's feet and gaze listlessly at the white clouds in the sky. But after a while, she couldn't bear it anymore, rolling back and forth on the ground: "Meow, how boring is this? Are we just the two of us here?"

  Compared to the boisterous scene of the beastmen drinking and quarreling below, only their city wall had a different kind of quietness, despite the constant noise coming from below, but instead there was an even stranger sense of silence.

  "Alright, someone's coming with something interesting." Suddenly, Raymond slapped Bastar.

  "Where?" Bastert immediately jumped up excitedly.

  But as soon as she saw who it was, she slumped her head and sat back down: "It's just this guy, he's not interesting at all."

  But not far away, Rudes was walking towards this side with his characteristic steady footsteps.

  Looking at Basster's innocent appearance, Raymond smiled and rubbed her little head, then stood up to welcome Rud.

  "How's it going? Is everything ready?"

  Rudolf bowed respectfully to Raymond: "Everything is ready, the pontoon bridge on the Hafdan River has also been set up. I used some small tricks to hide it and it won't be discovered."

  In the past half month, Raymond went to Xichengmen several times to check on preparations and had several exchanges with Rudes, whose stability and skill left a deep impression on him.

  Especially excellent is that, due to the previous adventure career, Lutz is not as rigid as most beastmen, but has a flexible mind that does not match his appearance, and his command ability is also good, really is a quite excellent general.

  Someone like that has been mistakenly stuck in the position of city gate guard captain for so long, it's really a waste of talent. It seems that whether the ceremony goes smoothly or not, I have to recommend this person to my mother anyway.

  Just as Raymond was thinking this, he heard Lutz say: "However, in case of an emergency, more manpower is needed to guard the city gate. Your Highness, can you send some more people to me?"

  "Any movement of the troops cannot be hidden from their mothers, but I don't want her to know about these things. Also, I'm not sure if there are any spies in the army, so it's better not to take risks."

  Upon hearing this, Rudes didn't show any signs of disappointment, but instead calmly nodded: "Understood, I'll think of another way."

  "Tonight's festival night is very important, I have to accompany my mother, so everything over there is handed over to you." Raymond stretched his waist deeply: "Ah, I really hope we're all busy for nothing."

  Lutz didn't respond, but instead walked to the edge of the city wall and quietly looked down at the cheering and laughing beastmen below.

  Raymond walked up to his side and also looked down like Rutz. Suddenly, he asked: "Rutz, I'm a guy who is disliked by other beastmen, what about you? Why are you willing to do things for me? Is it because of loyalty to the royal family or do you want to get another promotion from me?"

  Lutz calmly said without turning his head, "During the civil war, I also led a force of over a thousand people, but after all these years, I found that what I miss the most is still the days when I was an adventurer."

  He turned to Raymond and said, "As an adventurer, I have the most contact with humans. Your appearance will not be a problem for me. The reason I helped you is that I think what you did is the right thing, it's my duty, so I must do my best."

  Raymond looked at Rutz, a brilliant smile spreading across his face: "Good heavens, I've never seen anyone more eloquent than you. Is this also something you learned when you were an adventurer?"

  At Raymond's words, Rutz was taken aback for a moment and didn't know how to respond.

  Suddenly, Raymond felt that making such a steady guy flustered was really an extraordinary achievement. For a moment, his heroic spirit rose, and amidst the loud laughter, he put his arm around Rud's shoulder and beckoned to the cat girl who was lying on the ground with her limbs spread out in boredom.

  "Bastard, let's go, we'll go downstairs too."

  "Huh?" Bastet was taken aback at first, then flipped over and jumped up excitedly: "Meow, is it really true?"

  "Yes, because I suddenly want to drink."

  "Your Highness, I still have to guard the city gate at night, it's really not suitable..." Luz said with difficulty.

  "Cut the nonsense and get straight to the point. Let's just say you're starting over as an adventurer right now."

  Raymond dragged Luz away without another word. Luz was about to say something else, but upon hearing this, a hint of nostalgia flashed in his eyes, and he said no more.

  Then, with Basset bounding ahead, the three of them gradually blended into the revelry of Kraga City...