43 Finally, the forest is not so bad
«...» spreak
"think"
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___POV Hecate___
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« Who is asking for me? » asks the chief, loudly and proudly while puffing out his chest.
« The person who is blocked by your tree. Can you remove it before things escalate? » I say as calmly as possible given the situation.
« Do you really think I will let you go and that you will continue on your way as if nothing happened after what you did, kid?! Do you really think anyone can come to our queen's lands uninvited, especially with your dirty paws! Anyone who has not received a personal invitation from the queen is not welcome! » he replies with far too much anger.
And you know what invites anger? More anger, especially concerning me. I get worked up quickly, and this guy just made me go from irritated to very angry.
« I ADVISE YOU TO LOWER YOUR VOICE IF YOU VALUE YOUR DAMN LIFE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?! » I yell at the stupid chief while making large movements with my hands.
Following my forceful response, the chest-puffing chief quickly loses his bravado and shrinks a bit. I imagine it's the first time someone has yelled at him and even threatened his life. Or he's just all talk. I'm leaning towards the latter.
« NOW, YOU'RE GOING TO REMOVE THAT DAMN TREE FROM MY VEHICLE, LET US LEAVE, AND TELL US WHERE THE SEA IS! GOT IT?! » I shout.
Now, the rest of the troops are shrinking. I can even see fear in their eyes, and some are trembling. I know it must be scary when someone with completely new and unknown equipment yells at you as if they're going to kill you, but still. They are far more numerous than us and are trained soldiers. It's really weird.
Especially since some are trembling. Usually, when people tremble in my presence, it's because they're weak enough for my title to affect them. But these soldiers weren't trembling at the beginning. The only explanation I can think of is that the power of my title is related to my feelings. Like, when I'm angry, it's more powerful, but when I'm calm, it's less powerful.
That's the only reason I see, and I'm going to take full advantage of it. But before I can enjoy it, I see the chief straighten up and try to puff out his chest like he did before, but less effectively. He doesn't want to lose face in front of his team, and I deduce that he must have drawn on all the courage he had left to take these actions and speak.
« Wh… How dare you speak to me like that, kid! » he declares, stuttering the first part of the sentence which betrays his fear behind his mask.
« YOU! YOU! WHO ARE YOU CALLING A KID! THE FIRST TIME, I LET YOU DO IT, BUT NOW, I'M GOING TO PAINT THIS FLOOR WITH YOUR BLOOD! CHIYOKO, TURN HIM INTO SWISS CHEESE! » I yell at the stupid chief.
« NO, you're going too far, Hecate. I'm taking over, go inside and wait » says Chiyoko, her upper body emerging from the gunner's hatch.
« WHAT?! But… » I start before Chiyoko interrupts me.
« There are no 'buts'. Go inside and wait, please. »
Without another word, with my pride swallowed, I duck down and close the hatch.
I feel like a child scolded by their parents in front of the whole family for eating too many sweets. And like a child, I mumble under my breath about "unfair" or "he started it".
After an interminable time, which is actually only 10 minutes, I hear a hatch close and see Chiyoko come back and sit next to me.
I dare not look her in the eyes, still humiliated but also ashamed. I know I let myself get carried away, but it's not my fault I'm like this! I don't let myself be walked over, that's all.
« Well, I managed to calm things down and find common ground » begins an exhausted Chiyoko.
From her voice, the negotiation must have been draining, and I'm probably to blame.
« He's not going to attack us, and he's even going to remove the tree. But in return, we have to go see the queen» she continues.
« What? But why? » I ask, gathering my courage and lifting my head to look into her eyes.
« Because we ventured into her territory and because of the scene you made »
« But..But he insulted me! »
« And you want to declare war on an entire kingdom just for an insult? »
« What? No, but… »
« There are no 'buts'. You should have restrained yourself and shown that you are more mature than that idiot who thinks he's above everyone else. »
Even more ashamed, I break eye contact with her and lower my head again.
« Come on, stop making that face. Look at the bright side. He wanted you to apologize to him in front of everyone, but after asking him how the queen would react if she learned how he cowered in front of a 'kid', he quickly changed his tune » she says, clearly trying to cheer me up. Which works a little.
But what really works is when she puts her hand on my head. That instantly lifts my spirits.
Unconsciously, I move closer to her for more caresses.
« Come on, we have to follow them if we want to get out of this » she says cheerfully.
With a nod of my head, I turn away from Chiyoko and start following them. This time, our vehicle moves.
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___Time jump___
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« So, these are the intruders with strange equipment and a carriage? » asks the elf queen.
« Yes, Your Majesty » says the elf chief, kneeling with his head bowed.
« It's true, I've never seen equipment like this. Tell me, where did you get this equipment? » asks the queen.
« My friend here is a great inventor. She made them » replies Chiyoko, in the same position as the chief.
« I see. Why did you make them? From my analysis, your equipment is completely useless. Our equipment is much better » asks the queen.
« It's because... » begins Chiyoko before the queen interrupts her.
« I'm not talking to you but to your friend » says the queen.
"Shit."
Why am I swearing? Because Chiyoko and I had agreed that only she would speak. Why?
To avoid another scene that would cost us our heads.
But, I guess that agreement is out the window.
« Our equipment is not for protection. It's more for camouflage in the dark night and for ergonomics while providing minimal protection. Our equipment can be adapted to the wearer's needs and makes accessing certain items, like knives, easier. This equipment is designed for versatility » I declare, in the same position as the chief and Chiyoko.
« A risky choice. If an enemy touches you, you have no chance » she replies.
« That's why I prevent enemies from getting close to me » I retort.
« Are you a mage then? Or an archer? I can't tell since you lack magic»
« I'm a rifleman »
« A rifleman, never heard of it. What is their role and how do they fight? »
« It's like an infantryman but armed with a rifle instead of a sword. They fight both at a distance and in close combat » I finish.
« Units of rare versatility. But tell me, what is their power? You, who are devoid of all magic, how far can you eliminate? »
"I feel that if I answer this question, it's going to be hell afterward "
And from Chiyoko's look and small head gestures meaning "No, don't say anything," my thought is confirmed.
But the temptation to see the shocked face of the queen is so strong. But it will worsen the situation and, and, …
« Look at me and answer my question » demands the queen calmly.
Following her order, which I hate but keep quiet about, I raise my head and look the queen in the eyes. I can finally see what the queen looks like, and I'm not disappointed.
She has mid-length violet hair styled in a bun with a few rebellious strands falling to her shoulders. She's also quite young, but if manga and novels have taught me anything, it's that you should never trust appearances to judge age. She has eyes the same color as her hair. She is slender and tall. Her long, pointy ears betray her elf nature. Her skin can be compared to porcelain. Her nose is small, and just below is a smile that perfectly matches her appearance. All this, on an oval face. In short, she can be summed up as a beautiful person.
As for her outfit, it's very simple. Just a long green, brown dress. Despite its simplicity, one can clearly see that the fabric is very expensive. Next to her, I feel dressed like a bumpkin.
Fortunately, I still have my hood to hide my face of shame. And I think I took a little too long to look at her, as she gives me a look that clearly says, "You like what you see."
So, I waste no more time and launch my response.
« If I have the right weapon, I can eliminate anyone, even an SS rank »
Following my statement, I can see the shocked face of the queen, I can hear the various murmurs of incomprehension, I can feel the eyes on me, and above all, I can hear Chiyoko swearing under her breath. With all these reactions, I can only think,
"It was worth it."
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___author's note___
Hello there, how are you? I hope you didn't miss me too much
To begin with, Happy New Year everyone, I hope your holidays went well!
Sorry for the delay, exams are coming and I have less time to write.
I don't know if you saw but I put pictures of what the creatures look like in the previous chapter (thanks IA). I even put the queen's photo too (in this chapter).
I will probably like other authors and make a chapter just for the images.
Anyway, if you have a review (good or bad) don't hesitate! In addition, comments are a great source of motivation for authors. So don't hesitate to write comments. With that, see you soon.
PS: If you have ideas for vehicles or concepts, write them down :)
