BXBX NOVEL Chapter 128: | 128 | Liberation Front
Well, it was not like she was expecting the girl to fail. On the contrary, she expected the human rebel leader to prevail and recruit the two tribes of this island. Though, when she would arrive was a question she\'d ask beforehand.
Now, however... It seems that she didn\'t have to wait long for them to reap the fallen fortress of the Colonial Armory Depot.
"Hermona actually manage to recruit them, huh?" She muttered to herself, bringing about the attention of her men. They noticed where her eyes were pointed at and gave their remarks.
"Oh, the human girl actually manage recruit them. It seems that she\'s a quarter of what the humans in the United Navy are."
"I heard that they were stubborn tribes. I guess they weren\'t as stubborn as the rumors portrayed them to be."
"Well, Sir Espada was with her during the recruitment process. His presence must have ease a lot of complications in the recruitment process."
The opinion of her men were fairly simple. They were astonished by the fact that Hermona recruited two beastfolk tribes to her cause. This signified that she had a charm that was akin to the United Navy.
However, compared to them, there were aspects she was lacking at.
At any rate, Hermona and her entourage soon arrived in the western entrance of the Colonial Armory Depot. They gazed at the fallen fortress in shock and noticed its war-torn appearance. It was as though they had step into some battlefield of some sort.
Nonetheless, they couldn\'t continue sight-seeing in the fallen fortress. After all, there was something they needed to do for their liberation.
"Espada, it seems that you and Hermona have succeeded in your respective tasks." Mercedes stepped forward and grinned at the giant Minokin. Seeing her expression, Espada looked at the silver wolf and smirked.
"With me around, it would be difficult for anyone to hurt her. The completion of my task is natural." When uttering such words, it was as though he was arrogant. But it was the truth.
Regardless of the numbers the tribes had, the moment they try to attack Hermona. He wouldn\'t hesitate to dispatch them from their status of being alive.
"I guess you\'re somewhat, right. Are the two of them the chiefs of the two tribes?" Mercedes turned her attention to the two beastfolks behind Hermona. Their appearance attract attention. It was fairly clear that they were the chiefs of their tribes.
"The Tigris guy is Tora, and the big Leo is Leonidas. Hermona worked hard to recruit them, so give them some slack." Espada explained while pointing at who was who.
Mercedes merely chuckled after hearing Espada\'s last words. She wasn\'t someone who\'d unnecessarily bring pressure for no reason. But as she had said, it entirely depends on the person at hand.
"Tora and Leonidas, huh? The two of you are quite strong compared to the usual beastfolks." She remarked while staring at the two men behind Hermona.
"Eh..." Hermona stepped sideways as though avoiding being the crossfire between Mercedes and the two chieftains of the beastfolk tribes. After all, she didn\'t want to be at the end of whatever they throw at each other.
"From the way you are speaking, it sounds as though you\'re not working for Hermona." Tora questioned with raise eyebrows since he had noticed the tone of Mercedes when talking about Hermona. It was the tone of a superior.
"Don\'t mind my tone, and you\'re correct. Hermona is working with us, the United Navy." Mercedes uncaring tone resounded throughout the western entrance. She didn\'t hesitate to announce that she was part of the United, bringing tension in the surroundings.
It was better for them to be aware of the truth than stay ignorant of their circumstance. At the very least, these guys wouldn\'t have the gal of accusing the United Navy about lying to them.
"So, it\'s true... The United Navy, the heretics of humanity, has come into the archipelago." Leonidas stepped forward and calmly uttered. Mercedes looked at him and aloofly nodded. "Yes, you\'re right."
"What has brought the United Navy into our islands?" Leonidas questioned, making Mercedes squint. On the other hand, the beastfolks and Minokin beside her glanced at one another before chuckling at the big Leo.
"Dang, what a delusional one, kekekeke!"
"I wish I had that confidence..."
"I wouldn\'t even speak like that even if you paid me to!"
"I believe that you are misunderstanding something, Leonidas. You don\'t have the right over these islands. At the moment, all of you are riding the coattails of the United Navy." Mercedes coldly expressed as she had never heard such arrogant words coming from an enslaved beastfolk.
"Our fleet is blocking the sea surrounding the colony of Eisenberg. This means that its surrounding islands are losing their colonial influence. This island is merely a part of our operations."
"So, I hope you take care of whatever you say in front of us." While Mercedes wanted the liberation of every beastfolk, she wouldn\'t hesitate to put a hole in the heads of those that mock the United Navy.
She also hated the ones who think of their ownership of the land as a privilege. Naturally, it was not. Owning a land was never a privilege of some tribe. It was instead an ownership reinforced through strength.
That was how colonies were built, and it should have been a logic deeply ingrained into the minds of every beastfolk in the archipelago. She didn\'t think that some would be delusional enough to think it was a right.
There was nothing free in this world. Just like the State of Minos, the liberated archipelago would have to be united after regaining their freedom. Afterward, whether it be an economic and military benefit. The United Navy could reap what it sowed.
"I see... I apologize for my disrespectful words." Leonidas lowered his head while the female Leo guards beside him were preparing to fight. He glanced at them and coolly ordered. "Don\'t attack them. It was my fault."
"We haven\'t fought for our land yet, so it doesn\'t belong to us at the moment." He wasn\'t ignorant of the logic Mercedes was trying to expound. And he wholeheartedly accepted such logic, so he accepted his disrespectful words.
"Nevertheless, the United Navy will be giving you a chance to fight for your land, tribe, and freedom. We don\'t do handouts, so you must fight for what you want." Mercedes covenant was the freedom of all sapient life.
But they simply couldn\'t waste resources for such a lofty goal. Instead, they needed to balance their rationality and ideals. The current strategy was the result of such balance.
The United Navy wouldn\'t hesitate to liberate the slaves scattered throughout the world. However, the enslaved ones must also fight in their liberation and regain freedom from their oppressors.
"The weapons, supplies, and armors behind us will be the fuel of your rebellion." Mercedes glanced at the gigantic wooden crates behind her and continued. "Don\'t waste the resources invested into your liberation. I hope you use our gifts well."
She then turned her gaze towards Hermona, who instinctively flinched from her scrutinizing eyes. The edges of her lips rose as she remarked. "Hermona, take care of your rebellion."
Hearing the words of Mercedes, Hermona raised an eyebrow as she wondered whether or not the reconnaissance team of the United Navy planned to leave the rebellion. She was a bit disappointed as she previously thought they would be with her until end.
"Are you planning to leave?" Hermona asked, wanting to hear it from the mouth of the silver wolf beastfolk. "Yes, the situation has become complex. The fleet has called for my return as our home might have become compromise."
"That\'s unexpected, First Lieutenant Mercedes." Espada furrowed his eyebrows since he was also surprised by the unexpected retreating orders from the high command.
"The reconnaissance team is the only one returning from the archipelago. The Storm Fleet will continue blocking the seas surrounding Eisenberg." Mercedes clarified and returned her attention to Hermona.
"Now that you would become independent from us. It\'s time for you rebels to conjure your own name. After all, there must be a name for your oppressors and allies to call you." She suggested to the silent Hermona.
Hermona, who was in silence, got out of her trance after hearing the suggestion of Mercedes. Her eyes regained clarity as she thought of her words with utter seriousness.
A name wasn\'t something she had thought of since the beginning of the rebellion. After all, placing a name in the rebellion seemed utterly foolish in her eyes. But after thinking about it through the lenses that Mercedes had given her, Hermona understood the need for identity.
With this in mind, Hermona became determined, causing Mercedes to slightly smile at the human girl. Hermona had grown a lot in the eyes of the first lieutenant. At any case, after gathering her courage, the rebel leader finally uttered the name she had conjured inside her mind.
"Our rebellion is the Liberation Front, the vanguard of freedom."
"Oh? How intriguing. But to call yourself the vanguard of freedom. We\'ll treat that as a direct challenge to the United Navy." Mercedes chuckled, causing Hermona to be agitated and clarify. "I wasn\'t making a direct challenge!"