Chapter 204: Subjugation Battle of the Church of Love, Summoning a Storm (6)

"What is your ulterior motive?"

The moment we took our first step onto the plains while receiving the send-off of the barracks personnel, James asked me in an arrogant tone of voice, as if he were my superior. I stared at James without a word. Meeting my gaze, James did not bend his force, befitting the child of a warrior.

"I asked what your ulterior motive is. Do you really think I will come to like beastfolk? High Priest. I understand that you are a really good person. But, but once you witness the people who were attacked by beastfolk in the plains region, your entire thoughts will change. You should have seen those gruesome corpses. Could you tell that bereaved family to get along with beastfolk too?"

"We do not attack innocent people. What we want is a wide open field to run around in and a reed field where arrows don't fly at us."

"Why do you get to decide who is an innocent person or not? Do you think you beastfolk have the qualification to do so?"

"If you want to discuss qualifications, bring it on anytime. The Marimba Tribe never backs down from a challenge."

As Elsi replied, James spoke even more sharply. The argument between the two showed signs of turning into a bloody situation. It was only the entrance to the plains, but the war of nerves was already sharp. I intervened between the two and spoke.

"Now, calm down, and first of all, James. Could you look at me for a second?"

"What is it?"

I lightly slapped his cheek. Since we were already far away from the barracks, no one would know even if I killed James right here. Having been struck abruptly, James stared at me with a flustered face.

"H-High Priest? W-What is this......!"

"But why the fuck are you using informal speech. Do you want to die?"

"No, what...... A person who is an Archdeity Church High Priest is righ...... Oof!"

When I smacked him with another slap, the trap that had been about to spout clichéd threats like a flowing river quieted down. His face was quite a sight to behold, with both cheeks swollen up like Heungbu after being struck by Nolbu's wife. I grabbed James by the collar and spoke.

"Keep quiet and follow me. Got it? "

James looked like he had a lot to say, but he also didn't seem too keen on turning back. He held onto his cheek and grumbled in a small voice. Just in case the inside of his mouth had burst, I cast heal on James's face.

"This is an action you shouldn't do as a High Priest of the Archdeity Church......"

"Formal speech."

"......sir."

Action, sir? Is this formal speech? I pondered for a moment, but since he attached a 'sir', I decided to let it slide just this once. James's tone of voice was sharp and like a thug, but his behavior was surprisingly not that bad. Even just a moment ago, for someone who had a lot of personal feelings pent up against the beastfolk in the Eastern Plains Region, he had treated Elsi quite like a gentleman.

Upon reaching the middle of a hill on the plains, I asked Elsi.

"Elsi. The path to the Marimba Tribe isn't a secret or anything, right?"

"It is not exactly a secret. We just established about three sites and lived while moving locations depending on the weather. Because it is windy and the weather is clear right now, it is this way."

"If you move every time the weather changes, you move incredibly often."

"We do not move that strictly. The weather changing is entirely a matter of seasons. If it snows or rains, we move our dwelling towards the forest, on days when the wind is cool, to the middle of the plains, and on days when the sun is blazing, we move near the river."

"If you move to the forest, were there no clashes with the elves?"

"They were frequent. The beasts we drove through drive hunting would sometimes escape into the forest, and fights broke out a few times because they claimed this ruined the forest."

"Who won?"

"I do not know. Because I am here right now. I think I will be able to find out when we go to the village this time. It would be nice if they accepted me back into the tribe."

Elsi's face was full of an expression of anxiety. James looked like he had a lot to say about Elsi, but he had maintained his silence ever since getting slapped by me a moment ago. We walked for a long time and entered deep into the plains. This place was closer to a wasteland than plains. Dry grass filled the yellow-tinted land, and far away, blue-colored trees grew naturally, clustered together in their own groups.

Elsi pointed to the spot where the trees were gathered and spoke.

"That is a place the Dogville Tribe frequently comes and goes from."

"Dogville Tribe? Are they dog beastfolk by any chance?"

"That is right. They are dog beastfolk, and they have quite a bit of a relationship with us. At this time of year, they should probably be settled near those trees, so I think it would be good to ask to impose on them for the evening today."

"As expected, it was a good idea to bring you along, Elsi. Your experience is of great help to us."

Elsi was noticeably embarrassed by my praise. She wagged her tail gently and leaned her body against me.

"Not really...... It is nothing that great."

"Ugh......"

From behind, James let out a small sound of retching and shook his head back and forth. Then, he took the pendant out from inside his shirt, looked at the picture inside it once, and caught his breath again. I stroked Elsi and spoke.

"Do not hate it too much, James. Because you too will come to like beastfolk soon enough."

"Stop spouting nonsense......"

I raised my fist again to show him.

"......please."

Unlike his appearance, James was a very honest man in the face of violence. I opened my fist again and moved forward following Elsi's guidance. I asked Elsi another question.

"Elsi. If we are only this far away from the border region, there must be a lot of clashes, so are the people of the Dogville Tribe not hostile towards humans?"

"They are not hostile towards humans. However......"

Elsi trailed off.

"However?"

"They are also favorable towards the Church of Love. When the Dogville Tribe clashed with the soldiers here, people from the Church of Love jumped between the two, saving many of the young tribesmen. So the chieftain there really likes the Church of Love."

If there were circumstances like that, it would be difficult to do anything about it. I frowned and spoke.

"It will be hard to persuade them."

Elsi nodded her head and answered.

"I think it is better not to bring up the story of the Church of Love here. I do not know about you, a cleric, but the knight right here is not welcome anyway. But if you even bring up the Church of Love here, they will try to kick us out."

"What, then can I go back...... sir?"

James expressed his intention to return immediately, as if seizing an opportunity. I resolutely shook my head. James also seemed to have just said it without any actual thought of going back, quietly understanding without showing any particular reaction. In fact, because we had walked across the plains until it became evening, James could not go back alone.

The plains were vast, and it was too dangerous of a place for James to go back alone. We headed towards the oasis, lush with trees, following the direction Elsi indicated.

The place where the Dogville Tribe was located was aptly described as an oasis. Just like an oasis in a desert boasts a unique scenery of trees growing in the middle of it. The place where they stayed was the only space where green grass grew in the desolate and dry plains. A few beastfolk confirmed us approaching and shot stones with a slingshot. The stones, flying with a sharp momentum, smashed into the ground like bullets. I took a step back, and Elsi stepped forward while twitching her ears.

James looked at the stones embedded in the ground and let out an exclamation of admiration.

"Who goes there!"

"It is me. Elsi. Elsi of the Marimba Tribe."

"Elsi? Who is Elsi?"

"Anyone know who Elsi is?"

"What is an Elsi?"

I bit my lip tightly to hold back my laughter. Elsi wagged her tail gently and opened her mouth.

"I am the daughter of Amori."

"Aah!"

"I know who that is! I know who that is! But who are the bastards behind you? Why did you bring a human and an elf? Were you captured by them by any chance?"

"I was not captured."

Seeing them raise their slingshots again, Elsi urgently shouted. Hearing Elsi's shout, the beastfolk lowered their slingshots again and asked Elsi.

"Then why are you with them? In particular, why is that knight behind you here? There are many problems because of knights these days, so send him back immediately. We do not converse with knights."

"This person is not just a knight! You see, he is... a knight who likes beastfolk very much! He even says he wants to marry a beastfolk!"

"What are you saying right n... Oof! Oof!"

I blocked James's mouth to stop him from voicing his counterargument in his fluster.

"Fuck, just agree with it. Got it?"

"Oof... Oof...! Phew...... Ah, yes! Yes! That is correct!"

James shouted loudly as if he were annoyed. Did James's booming response bring persuasiveness? The group of beastfolk guarding the front of the oasis lowered their slingshots and opened the path. We entered the inside of the oasis following the sentries.

"This is the village of the Dogville Tribe."

The scale of the beastfolk's village was more massive than I thought. Tents large enough for ten people to go inside and sleep in were lined up haphazardly in all directions, and the people coming and going inside the village were bustling enough to be compared to any downtown area. At the same time as we entered, a beastfolk with a giant build was approaching this way from the opposite side. Elsi spoke in a small voice.

"It is the Dogville Chieftain. I do not remember his name."

"A human, an elf. And Elsi. Why have you come to Dogville."

"Hello. I am Peta Lucius, a High Priest of the Archdeity Church. On our way to the Marimba Tribe, the hometown of my wife Elsi, it got late so we unavoidably stopped by. Could you let us stay for the night?"

According to Elsi's suggestion, I decided not to reveal our purpose here. Because from what I had heard, the chieftain of Dogville here was an adherent of the Church of Love. He was not a beastfolk who could be persuaded abruptly.

"Marriage with a beastfolk? Hah, fascinating for an elf. Elsi. You are fascinating too. How did you end up marrying an elf."

"He pulled me out of my social standing as a slave."

"To pull you out of your social standing as a slave. Is he a person from the Church of Love?"

"He is a person from the Archdeity Church."

"Is that so. If he is Elsi's husband, he is our guest. Everyone! Open the barrels!"

The tribesmen cheered. I thought to myself. To persuade the Marimba Tribe anyway, I would have to go through a process like today's, so wouldn't it be good to turn James into a beastfolk fucker starting from here? With my eyes lit up, I began to scan the aspects of the rejoicing beastfolk. Let's see. Who among here is a master of copulation?