Reincarnated To Evolve My Bee Empire - Chapter 269

Chapter 269: Allies everywhere
FARINI MA MICHKA HETSHA ALMOST SANK INTO DESPAIR BY NOW, BUT WHEN HE HEARD THE WORDS OF HIS GUARDIAN, HOPE AROSE WITHIN HIM.

Until now, his guardian only spoke empty platitudes that made Farini wonder if this voice truly belonged to a divine being and not to a trickster spirit, or his own fractured mind.

But now he heard not only the guardian’s words but also footsteps coming toward his cell. Farini gathered his body, weakened by hunger, and prepared to act.

He had his own ideas of escape plans. If the guards gave him one chance, just one chance…

There was a jingling of keys, and the cell’s door opened a fraction. In the dim light of an oil lamp, Farini saw a cloaked figure.

“Come. The guards are asleep, but an alarm will rise soon enough.”

Farini didn’t need to be asked twice.

“Who are you? Why are you helping me?” he asked in a hushed voice as the cloaked person led him down the hallway.

The cloak made it impossible to discern even the gender of the figure, and their voice also could belong to a man or a woman. The smooth way they spoke made Farini think they were someone educated.

“I’m just another person who follows the divine will,” the person replied. “I know you can be trusted, but my name won’t tell you much, anyway. Just know—you have allies in your cause.”

‘My cause? What *is* my cause? Protecting Upper Grazahmich?’ Farini’s heart froze with fear when he realized what the figure spoke about.

The person must’ve thought Farini rebelled against the High King for real! And since they supported Farini, this meant that they wanted to rebel, too.

‘But the High King imprisoned me. I have no other option but to rebel!’ Farini thought. ‘Yes. This must’ve been the path the divine guardian told me about. The path I must walk with determination to achieve victory. This is the divine will—the gods themselves want the High King gone!’

With this, a sense of calm fell upon Farini, and he even widened his jaws in a smile.

“Thank you, kind stranger,” Farini said. “I won’t ask your name, but I will pray for your health, anyway.”

“This is all I need. This, and the death of the tyrant,” the cloaked person said.

Together, they snuck out of the prison, past the snoozing guards who drank wine with a sleeping draught, and down the servants’ passageways to a hidden exit out of the palace.

Outside, the stranger gave Farini another cloak to hide himself, and explained some things that happened while Farini was imprisoned.

“Your personal guards, who all swore loyalty to you, were also imprisoned or killed for aiding a rebel. I’m afraid saving them isn’t possible right now. As for Upper Grazahmich, the High King declared your entire family to be traitors against the crown. He gave the future lord of Lower Grazahmich the full authority to punish them and the province. However, the High King wants your province for himself.”

It was all as Farini expected, but his mood still soured. He pulled the cloak of his hood lower to hide his face.

“Then I must travel back as quickly as possible… Thank you once again, kind stranger.”

“Take this, too,” the stranger passed Farini a leather wallet of coins. “I wish I could give you a horse, too.”

“I will find one myself,” Farini promised.

***

Farini rode away from the capital city and the High King on his stolen horse, stopping only to rest and avoid guards, who were actively searching for him.

It was a stressful and a hard journey, but Farini’s guiding light—his divine guardian—stayed with him through all of it.

‘Keep faith, Farini,’ the guardian would say. ‘The hardships unite people, and so does divine will. You don’t even know how many allies you have. But now that you lived through hardships, you can see more.’

Once, Farini’s heart was doubting, so he replied,

‘I know my subjects are faithful and all visit the temple at least once in a dozen days. But priests always tell people that the High King rules with divine permission… And this isn’t the will of gods. How can common people know the truth if they only listen to the priests?’

‘They hear the voice of gods, just like you do. They see the world just like you do.’

This brought Farini even more peace. He knew he wasn’t alone now in his fight.

A few times, the guardian said more mysterious things. Like,

‘When you return, some allies you fight might be very unexpected. But they carry the true will of the gods, and you must respect them as you respect gods. No, your eyes aren’t open enough to know more yet, Farini. Be patient and keep faith.’

Farini did.

***

Seven days later, he finally reached his palace in Upper Grazahmich. Upon seeing a cloaked, wretched figure of Farini, the guards tried to apprehend him—only to gasp in shock when he took off his hood.

Despite being about to fall on the ground from exhaustion, he held his back ramrod-straight and stared at the guards with the imperiousness of someone sitting on his throne.

“Are you ready to give up your homes and your lives to the will of the High King and lord ma Ruchish of Lower Grazahmich, or are you still willing to fight together with your lord?”

In an instant, the shock on the guards’ faces changed to elation.

“Welcome back, my lord!” they shouted. “We swore to fight for you, and you swore to treat us and our families fairly. You didn’t break your oath, and we won’t break ours!”

Farini smiled with only tips of his jaws.

Soon, he was welcomed in his palace, where everybody was just as happy to see him. His wife almost cried her eyes out by now—the news of Farini’s imprisonment has long reached the province.

Everybody had something to tell Farini that day. Reports about enemy armies, about his own people, about traitors who sided with the High King…

And in the evening, when Farini prayed, he heard his divine guardian again.

‘Farini, your faith and determination are strong. But you must prove them one more time before you can know the full truth and lead all who are united by the divine will.’