Free Web NovelChapter 306: City-State of the Paragon Troupe
A smile touched Evangeline’s lips, but she lowered her gaze nonchalantly. "I’m sorry, Elias Moretti, but I don’t plan on adding any more trouble for myself."
Whether it was Julian or Elias Moretti, it was all the same to her—trouble outside the scope of her mission.
’Once the mission is over, during my retirement, I could find a few young, handsome Beastmen to have some fun with, no strings attached. That would be more like it. However, most males on the Beastman Continent are devoted to one partner for life, so they aren’t suitable for casual flings.’ freewebnσvel.cѳm
Elias Moretti’s lips formed a straight line as he stared at Evangeline. "I’m not trouble. I can help you!"
He considered himself a smart person, someone who wouldn’t be a burden to a female. He could even help her solve many problems. But when he thought about Evangeline’s capabilities, he felt like he was only embarrassing himself. Was there anything she couldn’t do?
Elias Moretti’s face paled. His lips moved, but he couldn’t utter another word.
He took a deep breath, turned, and walked away. As he left, he tossed out one last sentence: "I won’t cause you any trouble."
’Even if, in your eyes, my very existence is trouble.’
Evangeline watched Elias Moretti leave, then headed out of the fortress. She was going to greet them personally.
*
When she arrived outside the fortress, the Beastmen on both sides of the long street cowered in the shadows, cautiously peeking out.
None of them dared to take a single step out. No one knew the final outcome of the Sharp Teeth Judgment. If the Otterhaven City-State fell to the Anaconda City-state, then lower-class citizens like them would become slaves, or even be traded and sold like goods to other city-states.
Just then, they suddenly saw a female appear at the fortress gate.
She was dressed in magnificent Beast Skin Clothes, one hand resting on her swollen belly. With the other, she tucked back a strand of hair that had been loosened by the gentle breeze. The morning light bathed her in a soft glow, and her stunningly beautiful face wore a gentle smile. Her serene gaze was fixed on the distance, as if she were waiting for something.
The Beastmen of Otterhaven City-State found themselves unconsciously drawn to her, their gazes frequently landing upon her.
Seeing her tranquil expression while they all awaited the outcome of the Sharp Teeth Judgment, the fear that had been clinging to their hearts quietly dissipated. Their taut nerves gradually relaxed, and it felt as if even their breathing became less heavy.
At that moment, the thundering sound of iron-shod hooves in the distance suddenly reached them.
The Beastmen all held their breath and focused their attention on the distance, where a cloud of dust was rolling toward them, carrying the final verdict of the Sharp Teeth Judgment.
Would they be safe, or would they be reduced to slaves?
They were getting closer.
Closer still.
When they saw the figure at the very front, riding on the back of a Tusked Beast, the Beastmen’s eyes widened.
They rubbed their eyes, looking in disbelief at the several valiant-looking male Beastmen.
’Where’s Commander Aiden Atwood?’
While the Beastmen were still confused, the group of male Beastmen seemed to spot something and immediately spurred their Tusked Beasts into a gallop toward the fortress. Their urgent manner was like that of a young man who had just caught sight of his beloved female.
A female?
The Beastmen gasped, their eyes turning to the female standing at the fortress gate.
The most brilliant smile lit up her face, and she waved a slender arm gently in the air, as if in response.
Chase Thorne was at the very front. As he drew near, he yanked the chain on his Tusked Beast’s neck, leaped off the Wild Beast’s back, and strode over to Evangeline. He pulled her into a tight embrace and took a deep breath of her sweet scent. "Eva, I’m back. The Beastmen from the Anaconda City-state have retreated, and we’ve captured everyone from the Otterhaven City-State. Look—"
As he spoke, he stepped back slightly and pointed to the iron chains attached to the Tusked Beasts. A line of Beastmen, their hands bound, stumbled along behind them like prisoners, disheveled and covered in grime. Aiden Atwood was shockingly among them.
Danton dismounted from his Tusked Beast, the chilling aura of the battlefield not yet faded from his light blue eyes.
"Let me go! You Savage Beastmen, how dare you make a move on the Otterhaven City-State! When the Lion-Salt City-state finds out about this, you’ll all die! All of you will die—" Aiden Atwood’s face was covered in blood, his expression crazed.
He never would have imagined that the savage brutes he had intended to use to fight for the Otterhaven City-State would turn around and bite their master!
’These lowly brutes! Just as the Dragon God said, those who believe in the Beast God are nothing but a bunch of ignorant Beastmen!’
As Aiden Atwood cursed viciously in his heart, a rock suddenly smashed into his forehead with a loud THWACK. His head spun, and if he weren’t a Beastman, he would have been dead.
"You!" Aiden Atwood snarled, turning his head to see the young, black-haired Beastman with a mocking sneer on his lips. He was tossing a rock up and down in his slender palm, his rainbow-colored eyes watching Aiden with great interest.
Aiden Atwood’s curses died in his throat. He knew all too well how vicious this Beastman could be.
These Savage Beastmen, despite not having had a bloodline awakening, possessed extreme combat prowess. Almost every one of them was a Warrior capable of fighting a hundred men. Their reckless madness sent a chill down the spine of even a war commander like him.
What was even stranger was that they seemed immune to injury, as if they possessed some kind of divine power!
’But is that possible? They aren’t the Dragon God!’
At that moment, he understood. It was their female, that utterly mysterious Druid! Her ability might not be foresight, but the power to create an invincible army of un-injurable warriors! An army that could never be defeated!
The thought terrified him, and he couldn’t quite believe it. But aside from that, he couldn’t think of any other possibility.
Seeing his state, The Everwake grew bored and snorted. "Is that all you’ve got? And you call yourself a Commander?"
He casually tossed the rock aside and turned to Evangeline. His savage, handsome features held a mix of tenderness and nonchalance. He walked closer, looked her up and down a few times, then swept her up into his arms and planted several kisses on her pale neck. "Miss me?"
Thorne, watching from the side, frowned deeply. ’This guy is so annoying!’
Evangeline raised a hand to touch the tattered Spiritual Armor on his body. Looking up at his ruggedly handsome and wild features, she curved her lips into a smile. Instead of spoiling the mood, she replied readily, "I did."
Hearing her response, The Everwake’s rainbow-like eyes filled with satisfaction, and he planted another hard kiss on her lips.
Thorne’s eyes narrowed, his dark green pupils filled with displeasure. "Hey! We still have matters to deal with here."
The Everwake raised an eyebrow. With an arm around Evangeline’s waist, he glanced at the trembling Beastmen of Otterhaven City-State and shrugged. "What’s there to deal with? If they don’t obey, just kill them."
The Swarm was brutal and excelled at procreation. They never lacked for numbers, so they naturally wouldn’t sympathize with other clans of Beastmen on the verge of extinction.
Aiden Atwood’s face was as pale as paper, his lips trembling. He didn’t know whether he should speak up and beg for mercy.
At the side, Drake’s expression shifted slightly, his calm, gold-and-red-flecked eyes assessing the situation. "The city-state is in a period of expansion. We’re short on manpower. Keeping them alive is more advantageous than not."
The Everwake pursed his lips but said nothing.
Evangeline looked at the Beastmen of Otterhaven City-State, at their terrified expressions, and said lightly, "You heard him, didn’t you?"
The Beastmen looked at each other. Soon, someone from the crowd asked in a small voice, "Will... will you make us slaves?"
If it was just a matter of changing city-states and still serving as Beastman Warriors, they wouldn’t be unwilling. After all, their lives would be spared. Being able to stay in a familiar place and do a familiar job was better than being dead.
Evangeline’s face broke into a smile. She blinked her long, narrow eyes, her voice like a lingering breeze. "Of course. Our ’City-State of the Paragon Troupe’ treats all its citizens equally. There will be no talk of slaves."
