The Rat King's voice brimmed with confidence, and Little Smo's approving gaze made him positively giddy.
For a moment, he felt as clever as his older brother.
"Exactly. You came to the Northern Frontier just as the Orc Father and Son went to Free City," Little Smo continued, guiding him. "Imagine yourself as the Orc Father and Son, and those difficulties as demons, the McKennan Ratfolk, and the destruction of your clan... Only by overcoming them can you finally reach Free City and enjoy a new life."
Demons... McKennan things... brother... Free City...
The Rat King's eyes flickered. He was trying hard to think, but nothing came to mind. Having no goal made him restless. He wanted to smash something.
Then Little Smo's words hit him like a bucket of icy water. "All right, you've done enough thinking today. Relax and watch Cat and Mouse."
"Yay!"
No Ratfolk could resist Cat and Mouse. The Rat King imagined Jerry as his older brother—and Jerry's immensely strong older cousin as himself.
As the Rat King settled down to watch Cat and Mouse, as obedient as an enormous child, Little Smo stepped out of the tent.
"How did it go?" Maria asked him.
"If I'd started teaching him when he was young, I'd be confident I could make him a Blade of Freedom warrior." Little Smo sounded regretful. The Rat King's way of thinking was already set, and all his ideas rested on what he had known before. Changing that would be difficult.
The Rat King's strength was grotesque, just like his appearance. Standing upright, he reached twenty meters—taller than an Adult Dragon was long from head to tail.
A full-grown Frost Giant stood only eight or nine meters tall, not even reaching the Rat King's belly.
But this was no natural gift.