Chapter 99: Whispers of Resistance

Words : 1013 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 99: Whispers of Resistance Stuart was about the same size and build as Louis. Sitting side by side, they looked like two bears in a room. His short-cropped yellow hair and rough stubble added to his rugged appearance and a sly grin crossed his face. His big round brown eyes gave him a playful look. He seemed like someone who would get along well with Louis. "It’s been twenty years since the military took over the government and every year things get worse," Stuart began. "All they do is grow their military power to protect their own factions. They never cared much for internal affairs to begin with. All they want is to keep eating up rights and profits however they like. Sure, the monarchy wasn’t perfect either, but it was better than this mess." That matched what Amal had mentioned earlier. Things must really be bad. "The bigwigs in the castle are all cozy with the military, trying to get what they can. The nobles who should be speaking out are too afraid, so they keep their mouths shut and only care about protecting their own lands. That’s why this town is falling apart. Most able-bodied men either join the army or turn to banditry. The capital isn’t much different. The streets are dangerous. You’ll see for yourself when you get there. And whatever you do, don’t go against the soldiers—they’re worse than thieves." It was worse than Dominic had imagined. Was it really okay to bring Shiao Yi into a place like that? The thought filled him with worry. "There must be anger among the people. Is no one doing anything?" Dominic asked. "There are whispers of wanting to bring back the monarchy," Stuart replied. "But the current government is watching everything so closely, it’s hard to act openly. If anything even slightly suspicious is noticed, they’ll arrest you on the spot, no questions asked. Everyone’s just holding their breath and trying not to be noticed." "That’s why the taverns are the only places packed with people," Louis said. "Drinking is the only way they can blow off steam. Well, about half the crowd is made up of soldiers, so no one dares to speak badly out loud. Still, the alcohol tastes awful." He looked at Stuart as if asking for agreement and Stuart nodded with his arms crossed. "They’re probably watering it down. With poor distribution, there’s a shortage of alcohol too," Stuart added. "These days, there’s even talk about how no matter how much you drink, you can’t get drunk. It’s been getting a bad reputation." As Louis and Stuart went on grumbling about the tavern and its poor drinks, Rex returned. He bringing along a man none of them had seen before. The stranger wore a dark dusty cloak with a deep hood, like a traveler from northern Dalmasca. His mouth and nose were wrapped in gray cloth. The lands from the northwest of Lynn’s Village up to the northern mountain ranges were known for fierce winds kicking up sand and small stones. He looked like someone familiar with such terrain. From under his hood, the man glared sharply with piercing green eyes, alert and cautious. "This is Captain Dominic, He’s of the leader of the Rosaria’s Knight Order’s Second Division," Rex said, introducing the man without hesitation. "And this," Rex continued casually, "is Tenby, a member of the group working to restore the monarchy in Dalmasca." He revealed both sides’ identities so bluntly, without a trace of concern. "Hey!" Tenby snapped, eyes wide in shock. But Rex only gave him a mischievous grin, completely unfazed. "There’s no point in dancing around each other with empty guessing games," he said. "I trusted you enough to leave Amal behind. You’ll have to trust us now, too." "Amal’s originally from Dalmasca," Tenby said, trying to keep his guard up. "Yeah, but he’s our trusted comrade now. And we left him with you," Rex replied firmly. It seemed Amal had offered himself up as a form of collateral to prove their trust. Dominic felt Shiao Yi shift slightly in his arms clearly focusing. He was probably using telepathy to communicate. "Have a seat," Dominic said. Then, turning to Rex, he asked, "Did you eat already?" "I had a little something with them," Rex replied, walking toward the door. "But I’ll go order some food now." Just as Rex reached for the door, Louis raised his voice. "Oh! Order something for me too! And for Stuart—just get like three servings!" "You’ll get fat," Rex replied. "No worries. That much won’t make me fat," Louis said while patting his stomach with a grin. "Got it. I’ll get something easy to carry. Tenby, you’re eating too, right?" Rex asked without really waiting for an answer, and stepped out of the room. ... About five hours earlier. The setting sun painted the sky red as it sank toward the horizon. Tomorrow looked like it would be clear too. This season was known for sunny days like this. And from the mountains, through the rough wastelands, freezing northern winds would blow strong. From now until the first signs of spring, the dry winter would continue, bringing a deep chill. The streets were packed with people finishing their work and heading home. Food stalls lined the square, selling prepared dishes and warm meals, drawing crowds of people buying dinner. Among them, Amal was walking against the flow of the crowd. He glanced around nervously, constantly checking his surroundings. When he spotted soldiers or members of the town guard, he would quickly duck out of sight. He kept peering into the faces of people passing by, as if searching for someone. Some gave him suspicious looks, but when the friendly-looking Amal gave them a sheepish smile, most of them just laughed awkwardly and moved on. Staying a little ways off from the clearly suspicious Amal, Rex let himself be pushed along by the crowd while keeping a close eye on the surroundings. His ordinary, unremarkable appearance helped him blend into the masses—perfect for this kind of work.

Chapter 99: Whispers of Resistance

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