Chapter 554: A Desperate King (2/2)
”I'm the scout,” he explained. ”Zero wanted to know the situation. He's currently in the middle of some important business when he received your message. I saw the city a little, what's going on in Lycantopia? Also, you said Indra Seagloo was attacking, I don't see any signs of war yet.”
Monoman sighed and invited Bob down to the burrow with him. In the underground passageway, Bob was amazed by how homey the moles have made this place. If war truly broke out, this might just be the safest shelter in all of Lycantopia, not that anyone else knew.
”You're here!” Jermine beamed when she sensed a familiar magic presence. ”Here, have a seat! Let me introduce you to my family.”
Bob awkwardly greeted Jermine's parents and siblings when he was introduced as her travelling buddy in Derby Desert.
”I didn't come here for chit-chat,” he told the mole girl who looked a lot happier than he remembered her to be despite being trapped in Lycantopia.
The seriousness in Bob's voice made everyone but Jermine stiffen. The mole girl only told her parents to prepare some water for the guest while she explained the situation to Bob briefly.
”King Gaon has forbidden anyone to enter or leave Lycantopia because too many tried to flee the war. Currently, the carnivores are battling it out with Indra Seagloo by the shores and are losing badly. Every day they will return with dead and casualties. I don't know why King Goan insists on all the werebeasts staying in this country when some of us are simply useless and deadweight. I think he is afraid that Lycantopia would no longer need a king if he failed the war.”
The more Bob listened to the stories Monoman and Jermine told about how the Lion werebeast king fought the sea dwellers, the more Bob was convinced that he was both a foolish but desperate leader.
”You have beastfolks who can fly, right?” Bob asked carefully. ”Why don't King Goan enlist their help to get the carnivores over the water? This way he can avoid smashing more ships and losing more men. It's ridiculous to send those who can't swim out in the first place.”
Jermine sighed. ”King Gaon is very conservative. The hierarchy of werebeasts follows the natural hunting order. Carnivores are at the top, most well respected and considered capable. Omnivores are next and the bottom of the food chain are herbivores. While the herbivores are tasked to work in the fields and low menial tasks, they aren't expected to fight or defend territory. It's a carnivore's job. Those who cannot do their assigned tasks properly are considered outcasts and often will be disowned by their clan.”
Bob nodded. Sounds like stereotypical chivalry. While it was admirable that King Gaon wants to stick to tradition, now was probably a bad time for it.
”Just curious,” he asked. ”What do mole people do for a living? Are you a carnivore, omnivore or a herbivore?”
Jermine smiled. ”We're omnivores by nature but because we're blind and have no magic abilities, they class us on the same level as herbivores. For generations, mole folks are tasked with mining and digging. Most of my family are gravediggers. We're not that poor during the war because there are plenty of graves that need digging and we get paid in food from the families of those who need graves dug.”
Bob didn't know what to think about her optimism. However, as far as he could tell, Jermine and her family were doing relatively ok for now. They could last for a week without issues and maybe longer if Zero needed more time.