Chapter 890 (2/2)

The tang of fear was soon palpable on the air. As the distance between them continued to shrink, many of the Frogpeople visible flinched. Which made Randidly wonder what Neveah had done in order to keep them so perfectly in line.

As he approached, Randidly slowed. Then he looked back and forth at the camp before them. Rather than tents, these would be closer to longhouses. They were made with mud and pitch, permanent enough for now, but overall extremely fragile buildings.

Randidly also couldn’t notice any difference between the frogs aside from small variations in size and coloring. Overall, they seemed completely ethnically similar. Neveah had said these groups came from two Toad Lords, but Randidly couldn’t draw any distinction between them with most of the ways humans differentiated people.

He supposed he would need to talk at length with his guide about just such issues. The more information that Randidly had, the quicker this process would go.

“W...w-who are you!” A rather large frog at the front eventually said. The mood had eased somewhat when Randidly had arrived before them and not approached, but everyone that Randidly could see continually glanced up at his Crown.

Hiding his grimace, Randidly announced, “I am… the Demon Prince.”

After giving it a second for that news to sweep through the ranks of waiting frogs Randidly followed up with, “And I am looking for a guide to take me South. I have heard… of Toad Lords don’t believe that this world will soon belong to the Demon Lord.”

Randidly bared his teeth. “I will teach them the error of their ways.”

There had been whispers among the frogs previously, but that statement silenced them completely. Awkwardly, those nearest to Randidly just stared at him with steadily growing fear. For almost ten seconds, nothing happened.

The rain continued to fall on them, all standing and looking at him. Randidly waited, while the frogs just goggled at him. They were frozen, unsure of how to respond. Then someone in the back audibly gulped.

“Ah? I heard a volunteer,” Randidly said lightly, stepping forward toward the group. Immediately there was a panic in the crowd of frog people. It was clear that those at the front, who held sheathed swords, didn’t want to allow Randidly to walk through into their lines. Yet they were seized with a deep fear. And it seemed obvious that Randidly was only there for one person: that fool who gulped.

Randidly could see the conflict in their eyes as he strolled forward. Was defending the honor of their people more important? Would they protect one of their own from this external threat and risk exposing them to his ire?

Always, their eyes would return to the Crown that floated above his head.

Yet as Randidly was only a few meters away, the Frogpeople at the front looked at the ground and shuffled to the side. Fear had won in their hearts.

How easily we are divided, Randidly reflected as he moved through the nervous bodies of the frogpeople. It made him sad. Not just because this happened here, but because Randidly knew that humans would do the same if put under similar circumstances.

Some things were the same amongst all people.

When the frog had made the noise, Randidly had locked onto it with his Perception. So even as the frog attempted to creep deeper into the press of bodies, the other frogs fearfully retreated away from that singled out individual. It seemed that the people deep within the crowd had made the same decision that those at the front had made.

So very quickly, Randidly arrived before a trembling Frogperson who stood quite a bit shorter than those around it. Likely, this frog hadn’t even been able to see Randidly as he was speaking. The press of body was too thick. Even now, Randidly only had about two meters of space around him. Aside from that, the Frogpeople crowded around and stared fixedly at his Crown with dread in their posture.

Believing itself to be anonymous, the Frogperson hadn’t suppressed its natural reaction. Which was all the excuse that Randidly needed to approach. A small tragedy, in a world driven toward so many massacres by the System. Slowly, Randidly extended a hand toward the short and trembling frog person. “We are leaving immediately. Thank you for your support.”

“Wait!”

A thin voice cut across Randidly’s own. He slowly turned to find another rather squat Frogperson forcing itself up through the press of bodies to stand near to Randidly. Then the Frogperson paled and took several steps back, as though it suddenly realized how close Randidly was, wearing that baleful crown. But the people behind it would not give space, and it found itself pushed back toward Randidly.

“Yes?” Randidly asked.

“I… I volunteer. To be a guide,” The Frogperson managed. “Please… don’t take my spawn mate-”

“Fine,” Randidly extended his hand once more, this time using his metallic left arm. It gleamed coldly as it was bathed by the strange half-light Randidly’s Crown produced. “All you need to do is take my hand.”