The Silly Alchemist

“Alright, take me to your tribe. Doesn’t it get confusing since you both share the same race and name?” asked Ye Lang, letting Tigress go.

“What’re you talking about? We’re not from the same race at all! She’s from the feline race and I’m from the tiger race. I can’t believe you can make such a mistake!” retorted Tigress immediately.

Feline race? Up until now, Ye Lang had assumed that Taeya belonged to the tiger race. Upon hearing Tigress’ words, Ye Lang looked at Taeya, and then Tigress, and then opened his mouth…

“It can’t be! That’s almost the same thing!” blurted Ye Lang.

“The same? You said you’ve met my people, and they looked like her people. If that’s the case, why aren’t my people over there, by her side?” Tigress asked while pointing towards Taeya. She was certain that Ye Lang had seriously mistaken the current situation.

“They’re really all the same…” Ye Lang mumbled while meekly nodding.

“Everyone over there belongs to the feline race. You seriously can’t believe that we’re of the same race! Just look! How exactly are we alike?” Tigress was flabbergasted. Where Tigress was pointed, in the middle of the red legion were warriors from the tiger race. Although the two races indeed looked similar in terms of physical features, the tiger race’s solid physique and menacing aura were significantly different from the feline race’s smaller and weaker physique.

It was from this observation that Ye Lang realised he had seriously mixed up the two races. He had unknowingly acted as a double agent for the two races.

But still, he had felt that he wasn’t responsible for this mix-up. If there was someone to be blamed for this, it was Tigress.

“You can’t blame me… you guys really do look similar…” mumbled Ye Lang.

“……”

Tigress was speechless. Since Ye Lang’s childhood, Tigress was the only individual from the tiger tribe he’d ever known. So naturally, he’d assume that everyone else from the tiger race would’ve looked like Tigress.

Furthermore, it was true that Tigress’ physique and height had more or less fit the feline race’ description. No wonder Ye Lang was mistaken!

“Fine, I guess I’m the odd one out for looking almost like a member of the feline race. But we do have some very obvious differing traits, like our ears and tails. Surely you could’ve noticed that?” continued Tigress.

“Oh yeah, I’ve noticed that. I just thought that changed once you grow older,” explained Ye Lang.

“But I wasn’t expecting your height to remain the same. Say… I’m a head taller than you now, Tigress,” continued Ye Lang, gesturing with his hand.

“……”

Tigress was annoyed at his words, she was tempted to bite him for it.

“So what if I’m short like that, you got a problem with it?” pouted Tigress, making herself appear more adorable.

Although she wasn’t the only one from her race that was rather short, Tigress looked especially youthful in her short stature. She had not grown much after her thirteenth birthday and she still retained her youthful, adolescent-like looks.

“I can protect you, not a problem!” replied Ye Lang, with a mock salute.

‘I’m always the one looking out for you, dummy. The day when you’ll be the one protecting me will be the day when pigs fly,’ Tigress thought to herself.

Still, she was happy with Ye Lang’s words, and she replied with an eager nod.

“Alright! Now that you’ve cleared things up, let’s get down to business! Since your little tigress had surrendered, blue has won the war!” Athena interrupted, who wanted to remind the pair that they’re in the middle of a war zone.

“Your presence alone is already an advantage, so we’ve basically lost,” retorted Tigress. Without Tigress, the red legion would have descended into the same old scenario and the outcome would have been obvious.

Had Athena not been in the battle, there was still hope for the reds. But with Athena’s presence, this battle had resulted in a checkmate.

“……”

The whole battlefield was silent. Everyone was looking at each other awkwardly. This was not the outcome they were expecting.

Without Tigress,  the battle would be one-sided and the red legion would definitely lose…

“Wait hold up, are you guys really fighting for real?” asked Ye Lang, who was squatting and observing the fallen soldiers.

Ye Lang couldn’t help but notice that the ‘fallen’ soldiers looked funny…

“Hey, it’s over!”

Suddenly some of the ‘fallen’ soldiers had jumped to their feet, seemingly resurrected.

“Hey look, they’re alright! What kind of battle is this? No one’s dead,” exclaimed Ye Lang while pointing at those soldiers.

“This is a war, it’s just the kind that no one dies,” Athena and Tigress replied in unison.

“Huh? Is this all just acting? No wonder, everyone here looked young!” said Ye Lang, who had wondered why so many aspects of this battle looked so weird.

Most glaringly, although it was a war, it was relatively muted, and everyone within the war zone still lived life normally.

Furthermore, there wasn’t a single adult warrior among the crowd, which was definitely unusual. Every war always had its fair share of adult warriors.

Everything happened exactly as planned on the sand table but Ye Lang had expected some accidents to occur. However, the actual battle had gone a little too smoothly.

Although Tigress had injured Thomas’ ear that time, it wasn’t personal. Had it been a matter of life or death, Tigress would have definitely speared Thomas dead. To be merciful to the enemy, would be unfair to yourself.

Although Tigress was an adolescent, she is still, after all, a member of the tiger race. To be vicious was in their nature.

Her warmth for Ye Lang was only meant for him, and no one else. Even her initial attitude towards the other members of the Ye family was rather cold as compared to her attitude towards Ye Lang.

Looking at the situation, it was no wonder Tigress played such an important role in this battle. This was also a good opportunity to gain some experience, hone her skills, and command some troops.

As everyone knows, it’s easier to talk, strategise, and come up with scenarios. But when a real war happens, it’s every man for himself and it’ll be an all-out slaughter!