《Orc Hero Story - Discovery Chronicles》 Chapter 0 Prologue Once upon a time, the continent was at war. A war for the ages. A war that would forever go down in the history books. An immense, long, drawn out war. The entire continent of Vastonia turned into a battleground, prey to a war that had no end in sight, a war of attrition that dragged the fighters through the mud. No one remembers how the war started ¨C what ignited its flames. According to old Elven lore, it began when a Daemon prince kidnapped a Human kingdom¡¯s princess. Or, according to Dwarven tales, it was when a Human king attacked and destroyed a Daemon village. History agrees without a doubt that either the Humans or the Daemons began the war, but anyone that believed that either party was guiltier than the other was long dead. All anyone knew at this point was that the war lasted more than five thousand years. All twelve races of Vastonia were involved. Everyone thought that this war was going to last forever and ever. Everyone alive today was born during the ongoing conflict. Just like how their fathers, mothers, grandfathers, and grandmothers were. Everyone alive had a similar circumstance. Nobody had lived through or could even remember what peace was like. Even the Elves, with their 500-year lifespan, couldn¡¯t even remember when the war started. All anyone knew was how to fight ¨C conflict was simply a fact, an immutable aspect of life. They believed their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren would be fighting too. No one knew how the war began, and no one knew how it would end. One day, however, the war ended abruptly. No one remembers how the war started, but everyone remembers how it ended. Gediguz, the Daemon king. His appearance changed the course of the war. Daemon King Gediguz was an outstanding individual. He was the most charismatic of all the Daemon Kings. During his 100-year reign, he united seven races: the Ogres, Faeries, Harpies, Succubi, Lizardmen, and Orcs, into a Federation, with the Daemons at its head. He came up with a new joint military organization that included all the coalition¡¯s different species and created new, never before seen, strategies and battle doctrines. The Federation overwhelmed the Human led Four Tribe Alliance and greatly expanded their territorial influence. It was a nightmare for the Four Tribe Alliance. Up until that point, the seven races of the Federation had only fought alongside each other ¨C they had never truly cooperated. However, this was also an opportunity for the Alliance. The army assembled by the Demon King Gediguz was a monolithic force in a way that the Alliance had never been before. Because of his leadership, strength, and charisma, he had become both the pillar that held up the Federation ¨C and its biggest weakness. Without Gediguz, everything would crumble. Of course, this was not something that the Four Tribe Alliance knew about. But they could easily conclude that if they did not defeat Gediguz first, they would be beaten. And so, Gediguz was defeated. In the decisive battle of the Lemium Highlands, a death squad led by the Human prince Nazar, the Elven Archmage Sonia, the Dwarven Warlord Dorado Banga, and the Beastkin Hero Leto penetrated deep into the Daemon-led army and vaquished Daemon King Gediguz. The operation was a bloodbath for both sides. The Dwarven Warlord Dorado Banga and the Beastkin Hero Leto lost their lives in the final battle against Gediguz, and more than half of the death squad¡¯s soldiers were slain by Daemonic forces. During the retreat after slaying the Daemon King, the Human Prince Nazar also sustained serious injuries. Drastic changes occurred after Gediguz¡¯s death. After losing their King, the Seven Race Federation rapidly spun out of control. They became incredibly fragmented. No one had been prepared to take Gediguz¡¯s seat. Their organization was so centralized that there was no one to issue even rough instructions, and the chain of command of the Seven Race Federation was left in tatters. The Seven Race Federation¡¯s armies had no choice but to wander aimlessly across the battlefield, waiting for orders that never came, and were swept away by the Alliance¡¯s forces. If the Kings of each race had not taken command themselves, entire nations of the Federation might have disappeared. The Seven Race Federation, previously led by the Daemons, scattered, and began to fight each other as they had before Gediguz¡¯s reign. The Ogres allied with the Harpies, the Succubi with the Lizardmen, and the Orcs with the Faeries. There was cooperation, but only on a tactical level. They suffered defeat after defeat. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Five years after Daemon King Gediguz¡¯s death. In only five short years, the Seven Race Federation had lost all its land. All the territory they had acquired over the past 100 years. From the Seven Race Federation¡¯s perspective, these were circumstances where they could be face complete annihilation. That was how much stronger the Four Tribe Alliance was at this point in time. However, they came up with a proposal ¨C a peace treaty. The Prince of the Humans, Nazar, brought up this idea at a meeting of the Four Tribes. Let us give them one last chance. Let us offer them peace. Nazar spoke for the people. He gave them a voice ¨C the voice of the people who had been exhausted and fatigued by the endless war, particularly after the last 100 years of fierce conflict. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience The people of the Four Tribe Alliance had reached their limits. Over the past 100 years, the Human, Elven, Dwarven, and Beastkin populations had dwindled. The average life expectancy had dropped so much that even their ability to properly raise children was fading. Everyone wanted to rest. Everyone wanted a break. What would happen if the cornered Seven Tribes Coalition were to unite again for a final showdown? Sure, the Four Tribe Alliance would win. But what then? What comes next? Or perhaps a new leader would rise in the nick of time, and they would just fall together? Would it be mutual destruction? Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience [Let us steer the ship toward peace while we still have a chance to do so.] That is what Nazar proposed. The leaders of the Four Tribe Alliance were convinced that their enemies would never agree to a peace treaty, but much to their surprise, none of the Seven Races of the Federation turned down the offer. Even the Ogres, with whom the Alliance was not sure they could even communicate, and the Orcs, who thought that combat and rape were sacred, accepted the disadvantageous conditions and readily agreed to make peace. And thus, the war was over. The long, drawn-out war had finally come to an end. Three years later. Three years have gone by. Three years have passed since then ¨C the third year of the new calendar, aptly named ¡°Anno Pax¡±. As the towns that had been destroyed during the war began to recover, merchants began to trade with other races, children were born, and the population began to increase. Everyone gradually became aware of the peace and began new endeavors. As the towns and cities grew, the populace came to terms with the newly acquired peace and the endless opportunities it brought. Education, art, commerce, and entertainment, all the disciplines that had been neglected in the past were brought to the limelight, and the common sense of every race began to change. A new era had just begun, and a new act was about to commence. This story begins in such an era, in the land of a certain race. In the land of the Orcs. Chapter 1.1 A Heros Departure Orcs. An aggressive race with green skin, long tusks protruding out of their mouths, and gifted with strong bodies that are immune to poison and disease. However, their most remarkable trait is their insatiable sexual appetite. For Orcs, reproduction is not only a biological imperative, but also a daily pastime. They fight, they eat, and they rape. For Orcs, the worth of child birthed from a woman, any woman, is equivalent to the worth of a head taken off an enemy¡¯s shoulders. To leave many descendants and to lose their life in glorious combat. That is the path all Orcs seek. A strong body and powerful fertility. They have the best of both worlds, but these benefits do not come without their drawbacks. A single drawback, in fact: Orcs can only be born male. They cannot reproduce within their own race ¨C only with the ¡°help¡± of another. During the war, they would capture enemy female soldiers alive and force them to bear their children until their bodies were broken. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that ¡­¡­ the Hero over there?¡± Bash. Even among the battle-crazed Orcs, Bash was an outstanding warrior with incredible power and strength. He rushed to the battlefield faster than anyone else, remained on the front line long after everyone else had left, and slew more enemies than anyone else. Many Orcs owed him their lives, and the tides of many battles were turned by his mere presence. The manner in which he faced and defeated any enemy, no matter how powerful, was the very embodiment of the Orc ideal. In recognition of his achievements, he was bestowed the title of ¡°Hero¡±. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Hero. In other words, a champion among champions. This title was the greatest of honors, it marked the individual possessing the peak of Orcish strength. Naturally, this made Bash the object of admiration for most, if not all, Orcs. ¡°Damn, the Hero is so cool!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to hear the story of how he defeated the Black Skull ¡­¡± After earning his Hero title, Bash had everything he could ever want. A humongous residence. Splendid weapons and armor. More food than he could ever eat. More privileges than he could ever use. And the respect and trust of all orcs. Anything and everything a young orc could want. ¡°¡­ Oi, I¡¯ll be back in a bit, I¡¯m going to talk to him.¡± ¡°You dumbass! Can¡¯t you see he¡¯s having a quiet drink? He doesn¡¯t want to be bothered.¡± ¡°Eh, shit¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ yeah, you¡¯re right. He¡¯s not the kind of person we should be talking to casually.¡± Bash had a problem. People around him believe he has everything, but in fact there is something he has yet to acquire. Updated from novelhall[.]com Rather than something to be gained, it would be better put as something that he shouldn¡¯t have and hasn¡¯t been able to get rid of. Just like an ancient ring that could only be destroyed in the fires of a specific volcano. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯d love to hear about the heroes, too. I, for one, want to hear stories about my heroes and what they prefer in a woman!¡± ¡°The Hero¡¯s taste in women ¡­ Humans, maybe?¡± ¡°Humans? The Hero? Humans and Elves are a common breed of women, and he must be tired from tasting them so much during the war. Also, it seems that they haven¡¯t even been appearing in the breeding grounds these days.¡± ¡°Man, I don¡¯t know¡­ perhaps, the legendary Dragonewts?¡± ¡°For a Hero, even breeding with a Dragonewt isn¡¯t too farfetched!¡± Sitting alone at the bar, Bash was mulling over his issues over a glass of fire wine. Just how on earth could he get rid of this thing? No, if he just wanted to throw it away willy-nilly, he could do it right now. But here, in Orc Country, Bash attracted a lot of attention. If he threw it away, word would get around quickly. And they¡¯ll all know that he had it this whole time. As an Orc Hero, no, as an orc, he couldn¡¯t let that that fact be known. If word were to get around that he still owned it, Bash¡¯s pride would be shattered like glass in an instant. All the respect he had received from his fellow Orcs would immediately turn to ridicule. Bash¡¯s fragile self-esteem would be torn to shreds, and from the next day on he would have to live the rest of his life wearing a mask to hide his shame¡­ No, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to live. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask him!¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience ¡°Hey, sit down! Don¡¯t be disrespectful.¡± ¡°What? What¡¯s disrespectful about asking a man about the best woman he¡¯s ever been with?!¡± Bash stood up. He was just over two meters tall. Although he was small for an orc, the scars on his body were definite proof that he had fought many battles, and his tight and toned muscles were denser than anyone else¡¯s. And of course, his stoic demeanor was flawless and his whole body gave off an oppressive aura. He was unapproachable. He glared at the man who was on his way towards him. ¡°¡­¡± With a single glare, the Orc stopped. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir! He¡¯s a bit of a dumb, weak, idiot, and I¡¯ve been trying to tell him to not bother you¡­¡± The other man quickly bowed his head. It is a shameful act for an Orc to bow to another Orc¡¯s glare. However, this time, the other party was not just any Orc. He was the Hero. In fact, it would be shameful to NOT bow. ¡°Hmph.¡± Bash snorted. He walked towards the exit. ¡°Wow ¡­ cool ¡­¡± The orcs around him let out a squeal of admiration at the sequence of events. His presence was overwhelming. He was truly a strong man. If an ordinary Orc were to be approached by an admirative young man like Bash had just been, his composure would have broken down and devolved into never-ending bragging. [What is it, young man, you want to hear my story? Gahaha, take a seat, I¡¯ll tell you all about it. It was during a battle in the plains of Arkansas (?), where I strode bravely towards the horde of incoming enemies and tore them apart one by one. Then one of them said¡­] Of course, that¡¯s fine, too. Machismo and braggadocious behaviors are part of Orcish tradition and values. What¡¯s wrong with boasting about your achievements on the battlefield? It was a natural thing to do ¨C the right of the strong who had survived the war. Or perhaps, if he had been in a bad mood, he would have punched the young man. ¡°You¡¯re an eyesore! Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy drinking here!?¡± That¡¯s fine, too. It was up to the veterans to show to youngsters what it¡¯s like to be a true, fierce warrior. It¡¯s very likely that this young man would love nothing more than to be ¡°taught a lesson¡± by Bash. He may even consider it a lifelong treasured memory and keep it near and dear to his heart. But what Bash showed him was better than all of that. It transcended common sense. What he showed was exactly what he meant when he said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to deal with a weak orc like you. That¡¯s right. This is how a truly strong Orc should be. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience This is the true path of the most powerful of warriors. A Hero shouldn¡¯t even have to look at a small fry like him. They were drinking in the same space as Bash the Hero. For the youngsters, that was enough. Bash¡¯s behavior was just that cool. It filled their hearts with joy and contentment. ¡°Damn, I wish I could be like him¡­¡± ¡°Dumbass, you¡¯ll never even come close!¡± ¡°I know that! I get it! But man, I really did want to hear about how many women he conquered¡­¡± As he listened to the voices coming from inside the tavern, Bash let out a small sigh. The thick back of the man on his way home looked smaller than ever. His shoulders slumped, his posture degrading ever so slightly. His stride was a little shorter, and he even looked somewhat frightened. Yes, the young man earlier was directly addressing Bash¡¯s concerns. The rude Orc¡¯s question struck at the heart of his issues. The girls he¡¯d been with? The best woman he¡¯d ever had? If he was ever asked those questions, he wouldn¡¯t be sure how to answer Because of his one and only worry. His singular concern. The one thing he still hasn¡¯t gotten rid of, even though he had anything any Orc could ever want or need. It¡¯s¡­ ¡°I wonder how many women he¡¯s fucked and impregnated. I wonder how many women he¡¯s raped and knocked up in his life¡­¡± [It¡¯s¡­ zero.] He was a virgin. Psst, enjoying my translations? Appreciate our favorite Orc¡¯s adventures? Consider throwing a coin my way through KO-FI. Chapter 1.2 A Heros Departure Bash first saw the light in the middle of the war. A chubby green orc baby who had crawled out of the bowels of a human woman who had been captured and raped during the conflict. Yup, that¡¯s him. When he turned five, he was given his first sword. At ten, he waded into battle and took his first life. Even for an Orc, having your first taste of live combat at ten years of age was early. Ten years old Orcs were too young, weak, and small to be considered proper warriors. The lives of most of the Orcs who have their first battle at the age of ten or earlier are scattered in the wind like leaves. However, thanks to the battle doctrine devised by the Daemon King Gediguz, even young, ten-year-old Orcs were able to have a moderate survival rate on the battlefield. And while ¡°moderate¡± wasn¡¯t good, it was good enough. Fortunately for him and the Orc race, Bash did not die. In his first year after he had his first taste of blood, he narrowly avoided death countless times. In his second, he became a full-fledged warrior. During his third, he became a first-class warrior. In his fourth, he became one of the best warriors. And finally, during his fifth year, he became the strongest warrior in the Orc Country. The peak of Orcish strength. Yes, he was the epitome of power. The perfect specimen of a fighter. No matter how many opponents he faced, Bash always emerged victorious. Any battlefield he was on became a storm of human, elf and dwarf guts. The ground was stained with their blood. No matter the enemy, Bash fought, and Bash won. He brought victory for the Orcs wherever he went, defeating even famed swordsmen, berserkers, and warlords. And even before his comrades had realized that Bash had won them the battle, the Hero was already on his way to the next battleground. Battle after battle after battle. The strongest warrior fought tirelessly day and night. He only rested once every three days, sprinkling his body with Faerie Dust Elixir and sleeping for a few precious hours. There was not a shred of doubt in Bash¡¯s mind that this was what he was destined to do. As an Orc warrior, this was the path he was born to walk upon. Bash¡¯s combat power was overwhelming. He was feared by many countries as ¡°The Insane Orc¡±. The rare ones who had fought him and survived were struck with lifelong trauma. Some even said that he was the incarnation of the God of War, Guda-Goza. After the war ended, a Human General was recorded mentioning that, ¡°If that Orc had appeared on the battlefield just five years earlier, we might have been the losers of this war.¡± However, Bash was only an individual. Just a singular soldier, a strong pawn with an unreasonably good sword-arm. Although he could bring victory to induvial battles, he did not have the power to change the big picture, to change the course of the war. Ten years after Bash entered the war, the Daemon king Gediguz was defeated. The war ended during his 15th year as a soldier. Although his side lost the war, Bash was granted the Hero title and gained a great deal of rewards. He had a massive home, more food than he could ever eat, fine armor. He was envied by every Orc in the land. But it was then that he realized. Orcs don¡¯t usually do anything but fight, fight and fight. When any battle the Orcs took part in concluded, generally, they would take home any female captive and have them ¡°help¡± with Orcish procreation. One the war was over, there wasn¡¯t a single virgin Orc left. Every single one of the warriors that had fought at Bash¡¯s side had wet their dicks at least once. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to admit it now. It was too late. He couldn¡¯t admit that he had no experience. He didn¡¯t know that he was a virgin back then. Hell, he was so absorbed in combat and bloodshed he never ever learned what a virgin was until after the war. He found out too late. If they were still in the midst of the war, this whole ordeal would have gone differently. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Just like he always did, he would have run down and destroyed the enemy forces and taken any surviving female captive. However, this time, with his newfound knowledge, he would have taken away any woman that suited his fancy and gloriously lost his virginity under the shade of a tree. Then, after having a few rape practice runs, he would bring back the woman he thought was a suitable vessel for his children and give them the privilege of bearing one or two of his offspring. But that wasn¡¯t possible. Not anymore. He was an Orc. The Seven Race Federation, which included the Orcs, were the losers of the war. The Orcs had signed on to the peace treaty. They had agreed to an unconditional surrender, giving up many sacred Orcish practices. The treaty included the prohibition of sexual intercourse with other races without their consent. In other words, it prohibited rape. To the other races, including the ¡°no-rape¡± clause in the treaty was a given, but the Orcs found it hard to believe. If it were banned, they would not be able to reproduce. Rape was as natural to Orcs as breathing. Without rape, they would go extinct. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but they had no choice at this point. Extinction tomorrow was still better than extinction today. Some Orcs would rather have died in combat than give up their sacred practice of rape. Some suggested that they fight until the last Orc, but the Orc King disagreed, and put down his name on the treaty¡¯s dotted line. Fortunately, the other races were kind enough to cooperate with the Orcs and establish a system mutually beneficial system that would ensure Orcish survival. They would send over ¡°servants¡±, female felons, murderers, and thieves. The Orcs would have a source of female bodies, and the other races would get rid of their criminals. These ¡°servants¡± would be tied up and constrained to the breeding grounds. Where they would be condemned to bear Orcish offspring until their body could no longer hold up. So, frankly speaking, Bash could lose his virginity at any time. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience All he had to do was go to the breeding grounds and take one of the ¡°servants¡± under his care It was that simple. There was a priority system for the use of servants based on the individual¡¯s achievements during the war, but Bash, the Hero, was an exception. He had a fast pass to rape town and could get on the ride whenever he wanted to. He would soon lose his virginity. But if Bash went to the breeding grounds, his admirers, which included nearly every Orc in the nation, would come in droves. They would come to bear witness to their Hero¡¯s glorious mating ritual, to see the majesty of his hip thrusts, the force of his crotch geyser, the thickness of his¡­ There was no way a virgin like Bash could live of to their expectations. It was impossible for him to put on a performance like that. The only thing that would happen is a primitive, faltering, clumsy, ridiculous and shameful attempt at breeding that was only seen in virgin orcs. Yes, to lose one¡¯s virginity in the Land of Orcs also meant to be exposed as a virgin. Bash had to avoid that at all cost. He couldn¡¯t reveal himself, to expose his ego to such a terrible shame. As a man, Bash was embarrassed. Unfortunately, Bash was more than a man ¨C he was a Hero. And there is only one Hero. To be a Hero is to be proud. To be a Hero is to be honorable. If word got out that the Orc hero was a virgin, the pride of the Orc race as a whole would be wounded beyond repair. The fact that Bash was a virgin had to be hidden for the rest of his life. On the other hand, he had no intention of remaining a virgin for the rest of his existence. Bash was a still a relatively young orc. He had a strong desire to push a woman down, unleash his animal desires into her loins, pour his seed into her womb and impregnate her with a child. But his desire was not the only force driving him forward. A strong warrior also has the duty to leave behind many children. The Orc King had previously strongly requested that he impregnate the females in the breeding grounds and have offspring as soon as possible. Oh, but he was embarrassed to be exposed as a virgin. For orcs, being a virgin was shameful. Although Bash was a virgin, he was proud to be an Orc Hero. He didn¡¯t want to disappoint the young Orcs who looked at him with envy when he stopped by the tavern to have a drink. Bash¡¯s guts were churning, as his emotions were being torn apart by his worries. For the whole first three years of the Age of Peace, Bash was stricken with nothing but stress. But now, he¡¯s 28 years old. He had turned 28 this year. If he remained a virgin for two more years, he would become a wizard. He would be able to harness the sheer forces of nature with the strength of his virginity. Yes, a literal wizard. Orcs could use innately magic without special training. Though, there was caveat ¨C only 30 year old virgin orcs would be able to gain this power. Orc Mages were a valuable asset. For the Orcish race, most of whom are warriors, having individuals who are able to use magic is an invaluable boon. They were raised in isolation in a special environment, separated from all sources of females. When their 30 long years of chastity came to an end, they gain the ability use magic and a crest materializes on their forehead. The Orcs bearing the crest were respected throughout Orcish society. It was a mark of honor, a scar that represented their 30 years of struggle and sacrifice in order to better serve their country. Updated from novelhall[.]com But that only applied to Orc Mages. It was said that it was a disgrace for an Orc Warrior, or soldier, to have this emblem. As the old Orcish proverb went, ¡°Orcish Magic Warriors are worthless garbage! Shit! Shameful!¡± For Orcs, defeating a female soldier on the battlefield is synonymous with bringing her home and raping her. Meaning that, an Orc Magic Warrior is a warrior who was so weak and cowardly that even though he has been on the field for more than a decade, he has never won a fight. They were a disgrace. For Bash to become a Magic Warrior was unthinkable. He would much rather die on the battlefield with his honor intact than expose himself to such shame. Anyway, he had two years left until he reached that ripe old age of 30. At that point, even if Bash didn¡¯t vocally reveal his secret, everyone would find out anyways. ¡°Alright.¡± And so, Bash made a decision. Psst, enjoying my translations? Appreciate our favorite Orc¡¯s adventures? Consider throwing a coin my way through KO-FI. Chapter 1.3 A Heros Departure When Bash woke up the next morning, he picked up his beloved sword, and slung it over his shoulder. It was a well-built sword, gifted to him by a Daemon General as thanks for rescuing a Daemonic unit on the battlefield in his sixth year participating in the war. The blade was imbued with magics. It was thick, sturdy, never rusted, and never dulled. Thanks to its ruggedness, Bash was able to keep on fighting without ever needing to replace his weapon. It was his one and only true partner. With the sword securely strapped to his back, he started to don his leather armor. As Orcs rise in military rank, they are permitted to wear progressively heavier armor. As a Hero, Bash could wear full-body steel armor, the highest quality and heaviest ensemble of equipment the Orcs had access to, but he preferred the lighter leather suit he was more familiar with. Either way, to Bash, the type of armor was a moot point. He thought material bodily protection was near useless anyways since it would be broken, destroyed and unusable after a single day of fighting. After getting himself ready, he briefly cleaned his home. Updated from novelhall[.]com Surprisingly, many Orcs have neat and tidy lifestyles. This stems from the fact that on the field of war, there are many situations where a soldier needed to cover his tracks. And a good warrior is a warrior that leaves not even a single footprint behind when tricking the enemy. Bash himself is pretty good at cleaning up. Though, this time, he did not intend on making everything shine. After a moderate amount of cleanup, he left the house. As he walked out of his home, he turned around and looked up at the building that he used as a residence. His house was the second largest in the Land of Orcs. It was nearly a mansion, and far too big for a single man like Bash to live in by himself. If Bash had the temperament of a regular Orc, he would have guests over every day and night to awe and entertain them tales of his conquests. Not that Bash didn¡¯t want to do this, of course, but telling stories of himself during the war meant taking on the risk of revealing his greatest secret. Wanting to keep his virginity under wraps, Bash could never allow himself to throw or even attend such a party. If he were prompted to talk about his saga, he would have to open up about his experiences with women, like any Orc would. Bash turned around and began walking down the road, heading towards his destination. ¡°Oh, look, there¡¯s Mr. Bash¡­¡± As Bash walked down the path, orc warriors that were idling around gave way, letting him through, their cheeks turning red in admiration. Were it any other Orc coming through, those proud warriors would have reacted differently, ¡°What? You want me to clear out the way for you? Over my dead body, dumbass!¡± ¡°Man, the Hero is looking as good as he always does today¡­¡± ¡°Hey, doesn¡¯t this street lead to the Chief¡¯s place? What do you think he¡¯s going to do in there?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­ could it be that they¡¯re talking about who will take on the leader¡¯s mantle?¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience ¡°Whoa¡­ Mr. Bash as the next Chief, huh. I swear, if this is serious, I¡¯ll be the first to pledge allegiance!¡± ¡°Yeah right idiot! I¡¯ll be the first to give him my loyalty!¡± As he listened to the voices of the awe-struck Orcs around him, Bash finally came to a stop in front of a humongous structure. It was this Orc Village¡¯s landmark. Built out of gargantuan bones and millennium-old tree logs, it stood as the largest building in the town. Inside was a large hall with several lit bonfires. At the far end, several Orcs were sitting on the ground, eating together. ¡°Mr. Bash!¡± ¡°Dad, it¡¯s Mr. Bash!¡± ¡°Mr. Bash, would you like to join us for dinner?¡± Updated from novelhall[.]com The people sitting on the ground warmly welcomed Bash into their home with open arms. They were all the same age as the Hero, but without exception, they all admired him. Some of them had disliked Bash when he first started to be active on the battlefield, jealous of a new rising upstart, but now everyone was trying to emulate him. Bash is the Orc Hero. ¡°Bash¡­¡± In the center of all this cacophony, there was a man glaring at Bash. He was a huge orc sitting on the only luxurious chair, his throne, at the far end of the room. He was an elderly orc, a thick white beard adorning his chin. Despite his advanced age, he was almost twice as big as Bash. A warhammer as tall as he was rested at his side. Nemesis was his name. Orc King Nemesis. He was a resolute, stoic, and brutal man. A true Orc among Orcs, he kept swinging his hammer on the frontlines until the last seconds of the war. He was a father figure to all Orcs and recognized by all as their King. Bash had immense respect for him and had previously given him his allegiance. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Nemesis¡¯ gaze was intense. Were it directed at a normal Orc, the poor victim would froth at the mouth and faint on the spot. ¡°¡­¡± But Bash was no ordinary orc, and he remained steadfast and unfazed. Updated from novelhall[.]com He looked straight back at Nemesis, his eyes burning with determination. Seeing Bash¡¯s strength and composure, Nemesis broke out in a deep laughter. ¡°My sons, excuse us for a moment.¡± Nemesis he sent his children, who were eating seated around him, into the room next door. The sons hurriedly picked up their food and left without complaint. A conversation between a King, and a Hero. As much as they wanted to stay and listen in, they were also orc warriors who had fought during the war. It was a warrior¡¯s code to obey when a superior ordered. They looked reluctant to leave but walked out all the same. ¡°¡­¡± Once the two of them were alone, Bash sat down in front of Nemesis. A few dishes were left between them, remnants of the King¡¯s son¡¯s hurried retreat, but none of them would be touched. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± For a moment, they stared at each other in silence. The emptiness lasted longer than one would expect from two Orcs, who usually enjoyed being loud and outgoing. But it didn¡¯t last forever. At the same moment the bonfire crackled, Nemesis started speaking. ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve made your decision. I can see it in your eyes.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve made up my mind¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me otherwise. I know what I need to do.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m aware of it. I know it all.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve rarely been seen at the breeding grounds¡­¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t hard to conclude that you¡¯re leaving to look for it,¡± he said, shooting a sharp look at Bash. ¡°You¡¯re going to go look for your wife, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°!¡± Orcish society is a never-ending orgy. It was common for many Orcs to share a single woman, and for her to bear multiple children from different men. However, to preserve the best blood and ensure the continuity of the strongest Orcish lineages, warriors who have distinguished themselves in battle are given the right to take wives. A wife is a woman that is dedicated to a single man. A woman that wouldn¡¯t be shared. A wife is a woman who takes care of her own personal needs and gives birth to only her husband¡¯s children. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that obtaining a wife is the ultimate goal of an Orc¡¯s life. Having a wife was an exclusive privilege for Orcs. It was an honor that only a few orcs were permitted to have. Therefore, only the finest, most exquisite women were sought out as wives. Only a princess hailed as the most beautiful woman in three different nations, or a female Knight Commander, or a one-in-a-thousand-years genius female mage would deserve to be selected as a wife. The more exceptional the wife is, the more desired she becomes. In Orcish society, it was said that the more extraordinary the wife, the more powerful the Orc that would become her husband/ And Bash, Bash was a hero who has left an indelible mark in Orcish history. If any woman were to be his wife, she had to be a woman of incomparable beauty and talent. She could not be a slave or a foreign criminal who had been locked up in the breeding grounds. If Bash, the Hero, were to take someone of such low stature as a wife, it would be a blow to the pride of Orcs everywhere. Which is why Bash was saying that he was going to leave on a journey and find a wife himself. He was doing all that in order to avoid damaging the Orc¡¯s pride. That was the Orc King¡¯s thought process. He had seen this coming from a mile away. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience All and any Orcs would praise him for having a good eye. For his amazing insight. Though the reality was that Nemesis was a bit¡­ slow ¨C a bit of an idiot. ¡°You¡­ did you see this coming?¡± Bash turned down his eyes in shame. He could feel his face burning up. His cheeks turned a deep red. He had no idea that the King would see through him like this. That his esteemed leader would know that he was a¡­ a virgin. And that wasn¡¯t the end of it. The King even mentioned Bash looking for a wife. [No way, the King¡¯s wisdom is incredible. He knew¡­he knew that I was planning on leaving this village and secretly lose my virginity elsewhere. That I ideally wanted another virgin as my first partner, and even make her my wife to have a regular practice partner. He saw straight through me¡­] How could Bash not be ashamed? The Hero of the Orcs, the strongest man in a thousand miles, was leaving on a journey with such beta male goals. And to top it all off, to have the father of all Orcs know all about it. It wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if the King condemned him on the spot. That he would be slandered and accused as being a disgrace to all Orcs. Though, the fact was that the King knew nothing about Bash¡¯s virginity issues. It was all in Bash¡¯s head due to his warped perception of Nemesis as a wise old ruler. ¡°My King, please don¡¯t try to stop me, I have to¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not gonna stop you.¡± Nemesis held up a hand to interrupt Bash¡¯s excuses. He smiled warmly, closed his eyes as if in deep thought, and said: ¡°Go.¡± ¡°You may go. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± Nemesis had always felt sorry for him. If only the war was still going on, or at least the peace treaty didn¡¯t forbid non-consensual sexual intercourse with other races, as chief, he could have given Bash a chance to find himself a wife. He could have given the Hero a life that was truly worthy of his accomplishments. But now, the war was over, and the Orcs lived under the treaty¡¯s laws. Under these circumstances, it would be no small feat to find a woman of the highest caliber to be his wife. Orcs, without exception, have never embraced a woman outside of rape in the last 5,000 years¡­ ever since beginning of the war. It was going to be a difficult ordeal. A true test of grit and determination. But Bash is a Hero. The Hero of the Orcs was embarking on a quest to become a legend. He could live comfortably in his own land alongside other Orcs, but he has decided to go on a journey. He wanted to prove that, even though they lost the war, the Orcs have not lost their pride. What kind of King would Nemesis be if he stopped him? ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Bash quietly bowed his head. Even though he was now a Hero and the world¡¯s strongest Orc, he still didn¡¯t feel like he could defeat the king. Perhaps he was more powerful than him. If they fought, he would most likely win. [He would instantly see through my shallow thoughts, yet he would never ridicule me. He would give me the opportunity and time to regain my honor.] No other Orc was so thoughtful, considerate, and kind. [He is truly the Orc King, the only man worthy of that title. I will be loyal to him until he dies.] Bash thought once again. And thus, Bash set out on his journey. He embarked on a long and arduous quest to finally lose his virginity. Psst, enjoying my translations? Appreciate our favorite Orc¡¯s adventures? Consider throwing a coin my way through KO-FI. Chapter 2.1 Faeries Bash was making his way through a forest. The woodland was dense with thick trees and foliage, and devoid of any man-made roads. There was only the occasional animal path, lined with sharp and thorny shrubbery. However, his thick and hard Orcish skin was impervious to the prickle of the thorns, and his sharp instincts, refined through more than a decade of warfare, acted like a compass, keeping him on his path. His destination was eastward, towards the Human Country that neighbored the Land of Orcs. Among the victors of the war, the Humans were the most successful. Out of all the nations of the Alliance, they held the most territory. Furthermore, the Humans had also conquered most of the previously Orcish territory. Of course, the Orcs held no grudges against them for that. It was only natural ¨C in a war, the winner takes all. Why was he on route to the Human lands? To an Orc, there was only a single, simple, and obvious reason. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience As the old Orcish proverb went, ¡°If you want to breed, you have to start with humans!¡± Humans were fertile, very easy to impregnate, had a strong constitution, and generally weren¡¯t bad looking ¨C though there were exceptions, of course. This made them very suitable prospects for Orcish breeding. Bash followed that adage without hesitation. [Ah, I missed this¡­ this sure takes me back¡­] As he steadily made his way through the woods, Bash reminisced about the last time he was here. Just three years ago, this forest was a bloody battleground. The last Orcish stronghold was situated deep in this exact forest, and the bulk of the Human forces had launched a desperate, all-out assault in a bid to finally break the Orcish defensive bulwark. Back then, Bash was swiftly running around the trees, blitzing human formations, and mowing down any that stood in his way, all to defend the fort. Thanks to his efforts, the fort stood strong and avoided destruction up until the end of the war. In the end, unfortunately, even though the Federation had won that battle, they had lost the war, and the fort was eventually torn down. During that same battle, Bash had taken out a number of human troops that ranged in the triple digits. Among those soldiers he defeated, there wasn¡¯t a lack of women. If only he had known back then. If only he had taken a few, or even only one of those women with him for a ¡°good time¡±, he wouldn¡¯t be in this predicament. He wouldn¡¯t be a virgin. In which case, the fort would have fallen, but if either way the war would have been lost and the fort torn down, Bash would have been okay with it. Ironically¡­ If that had happened, Bash would have never been hailed as the strongest of the Orcs. He would never have become a Hero. ¡°Hmm?¡± As Bash was weighing the pros and cons of his past acts, a faint smell of blood, coming from the distance, drifted into his nose. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Was there an injured animal nearby? Or maybe packs of wolves competing over territory? ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Whispered Bash as he ran off without hesitation. This wasn¡¯t just to satisfy his curiosity, but also to satisfy his hunger¡­ mostly his hunger. Catching a wild animal wasn¡¯t an easy feat ¨C but if it was wounded, it would quickly lose its strength. And even better, if it was bleeding, it would be a breeze to track its smell. A cornered beast can sometimes put up a fierce fight, but for Bash, that wasn¡¯t anything to worry about. During the war, he had caught and sustained himself on wild game countless times. Bash ran through the forest like a fierce gale. Orcs were thought to be a slow, lumbering race, but that did not apply to him. It was said that Bash not only had the strongest arms out of any Orc, but also the quickest legs. His tough skin was unscathed by thick bushes and protruding branches, and his build-like-a-brick-shithouse body barreled through the uneven terrain, never slowing down. Bash hurried towards the smell of blood at ludicrous speeds. Following his nose, Bash reached the scene. The battle unfolding in front of him had just reached its climax. An overturned carriage laid on the edge of the narrow, rutted dirt path, its axle dangling, broken. The ground was strewn with foodstuffs and furnishings, and nearby laid a pair of eviscerated horse carcasses, still leaking blood out of their open guts. Two Humans were standing in the center of the path. Covering each other¡¯s back, they were confronting their enemies, swords at the ready. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Surrounding the pair was a pack of bipedal, bear-like magical beasts ¨C Bugbears. There were six Bugbears in all, each growling and drooling over their prospective meal. [Ah, a merchant got attacked by a pack of Bugbears, huh¡­] Is what Bash concluded from what he was seeing. This wasn¡¯t something particularly unusual. Even though the world has been of peace for several years thanks to the peace treaty, beasts did not follow the laws of the civilized. The beasts were still around, and still attacked people. Outside of cities and towns was the wilderness, and the wilderness was a true dog-eat-dog world. Or in this case, a orc-eat-bugbear world. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Grrrrr!¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Bash made his entrance, pushing through the foliage, rustling the leaves, and drawing the Bugbears¡¯ attention. Three of them kept their sights on the humans, while the remaining three turned their eyes on Bash. They let out an intimidating roar as their fur stood on end. Not even slightly flinching, Bash stared right back at the Bugbears. And without skipping a beat, replied in kind, letting out a booming shout. ¡°GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!¡± The warcry. A pre-fight ritual common to all Orcs. They would yell their lungs out before engaging in battle. Bash¡¯s warcry was so loud, so powerful, that it made even ground shake, as if in fear. Birds flew out of the trees in unison, and the bugbears shivered, their teeth clattering. ¡°Guu¡­¡± With that cry, Bash sent them a message. They understood that this Orc was an apex predator, that he was higher on the food chain, and there was no way they would win this fight. Losing their will to fight, they fled back into the depths of the forest with their tails between their legs. Magical Beasts are always sensitive to the presence of those stronger than them. ¡°Now then¡­¡± Once Bash was sure that the Bugbear¡¯s were a good and safe distance away, he turned his attention towards the Human pair. [Ho¡­ this is¡­] Both of them were women. They were standing on shaky legs, faces still pale from fear. They looked to be in their early thirties. They had a light complexion, but their bodies still looked healthy and full of life. It was commonly said within Orcish circles that if you wanted a human woman to bear your children, you had to pick out the ones who were just the right ripeness ¨C in their late teens to early twenties. If they were any younger, they wouldn¡¯t be able have children yet. Any older and they wouldn¡¯t be able to bear the burden of pregnancy that often. Of course, this didn¡¯t mean that you should disqualify every human over thirty ¨C as long as the individual in question is still fertile, they were fair game. [She¡¯s quite a beauty!] The reality was that these two girls weren¡¯t that attractive, even according to Orcish standards. It¡¯s just that¡­ Bash had hardly ever seen any women in his lifetime. No, that would be wrong ¨C he had seen plenty of them, but never from up this close. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience This was truly the first time he saw a human female in such detail. The gentle curve of her chest, the slow sway of her hips¡­ he had to make a conscious effort to keep the drool from dripping past his lips. They were both candidates to be his first wife. Bash admired the two ladies in silence for a while, his heart almost beating out of his chest, gathered his courage, and decided to speak to them. ¡°Ahem¡­ Would you¡­ would you m¡¯ladies like to¡­ bear my children?¡± For an Orc, this would have been a standard proposal. Unfortunately¡­ ¡°GYAAAAAHHH!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to get raped!¡± It all happened in the blink of an eye. It all went by so quickly Bash was left wondering what he was even nervous for. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience The two women, still tightly holding on to their swords, abandoned everything and fled like rabbits. Bash, taken aback, was too surprised to move. He froze, hand outstretched towards where the pair was standing up until just a second ago. ¡°Huh? ¡­Why?¡± Bash couldn¡¯t figure out why someone would turn down his advances, let alone run away. And he even helped them out¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t get it¡­¡± But that¡¯s alright. Bash knew that finding a wife wasn¡¯t going to be a straightforward or easy process. There was no way he could find the perfect woman that would become his spouse this quickly, this early after starting his quest. With that in mind, Bash turned around and went back on his way. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Just as he had originally planned, he would head for the Human town. ¡°Hmmm?¡± Just as he was about to leave, Bash¡¯s keen hearing picked up a sound that was out of place here in the forest. A small, nearly inaudible tapping noise. He put his hand up to his ear and began walking around, looking for the source. For soldiers, it was of utmost importance to stay aware of even the smallest, tiniest sounds coming from your surroundings. On moonless nights, he would rely on his ears and nose to notice ambushes or approaching beasts. ¡°This way?¡± The sound was coming from inside the carriage. Its wheels were completely shattered, and its body had been tipped over. Bash followed the sound and began to rummage through the wreckage. ¡°¡­¡± There wasn¡¯t much inside the carriage. There was only dried food the two merchant women most likely used as provisions, and other items and furnishings whose use Bash didn¡¯t understand. There were no weapons or armors of any kind either, Bash couldn¡¯t help but think that even female slaves would have more to their name. This was rather pitiful¡­ ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Just as he was about to pack up and leave, Bash¡¯s ears picked up the tiny tapping sound once again. Apparently, he had missed something. Bash began carefully moving the provisions and rubble out of the way, one by one. After moving some of the larger objects, a faint light seeped out from a crack between the debris. Bash let out a small sigh at the familiar light and reached into the gap, grabbing its source. Chapter 2.2 Faeries Translated by BAD MACHINE. Last edited: 20/04/2020 What Bash pulled out was a jar about the width and height of his hand. It was topped off with a thick steel lid on top of which was glued a skinny paper tag adorned with a magic circle. Inside the bottle was what seemed to be a miniature human being. Emitting a faint glow from its body, it was about thirty centimeters tall. A pair of small translucent wings adorned its back. It was a Faerie. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re¡­¡± The faerie seemed surprised to see Bash. She grimaced, seemingly struggling to speak. Apparently, the magical tag not only prevented them from escaping, but also kept them from expressing themselves vocally. Updated from novelhall[.]com With a sharp jerk of his hand, Bash ripped the tag off the lid, and forcefully twisted the jar open. As soon as it was freed, the Fairy flew out of the jar at full tilt, circled around Bash a couple of times, and finally ran straight into his face, giving him a big open-armed hug. ¡°~Mister~! Long time no see!¡± Bash delicately grabbed the squirming Faerie with his fingertips, making sure to not crush them, and pulled them off his face. The Faerie, caught between Bash¡¯s thick fingers, kept struggling to rush back at his head, her arms open in a wide embrace. ¡°Hey Mister! Oh, thank god! I thought I¡¯d be in there forever! Trapped in a jar for the rest of my life! I really thought I¡¯d never get out of there if you hadn¡¯t saved me. You¡¯re always there to help me out, you know? Huh? Mister? What¡¯s wrong with your face? Did you forget about me?¡± ¡°Ha, how could I forget.¡± They were acquaintances. This Faerie¡¯s name was Zell. Or at least that¡¯s what Bash called her. He was pretty sure she had mentioned her actual name once, but he didn¡¯t remember. During the war, the Faeries and Orcs had allied together. Faeries were quick, nimble fliers, and the dust that fell off their bodies had restorative properties. But they were also small and vulnerable, with wind magic being their only means of offense. They weren¡¯t suited to be soldiers. And so, the Faeries were sent to work with the Orc Nation and took on the roles of messengers, agents, and healers. Zell was one of the Faeries from the intelligence department dispatched to the Orc Nation as a messenger, and she often came in contact Bash to relay orders and inform him of the war¡¯s current state. Incidentally, the Faeries initially joined the Seven Race Federation led by the Daemons because they were being oppressed by the Humans. Faeries are highly prized in human lands for their ornamental and therapeutic properties. After the war, the Faeries also took part in signing the non-aggression pact that ended the conflict. Despite the treaty, the capture and illegal trafficking of Faeries still went on to this very day. There was no lack of imprisoned Faeries who would spend the rest of their lives in captivity. Out of all the races, Faeries may have very well been the most oppressed species post-war. ¡°Well, mister, how did you know I got captured?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t. I just ran into this situation while on my way.¡± ¡°Huh, a coincidence ¡­¡­?¡± As soon as Bash loosened his grip on the Faerie, Zell sped out of the carriage and began taking in the surroundings. Preferring to see things with their own eyes rather than trusting words. Must be a scout thing. And as soon she saw that the pair of dead horses, she rushed back at breakneck speeds, catching Bash¡¯s ear on the way back and tugging on it. ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa! Mister! This isn¡¯t good! You can¡¯t attack a human carriage! It¡¯s against the treaty! It¡¯s against the treaty!¡± ¡°Hey, hey! It wasn¡¯t me! I didn¡¯t attack anyone. It was a pack of Bugbears.¡± ¡°Would you believe me if I told you that!? They¡¯ll see a busted carriage and an Orc right next to it! Those simple-minded humans will jump to the immediate conclusion that this was an Orc attack! Orcs destroyed the carriage! Come on, let¡¯s get out of here! If anyone else were to see you like this, they¡¯ll get a strike force ready in a jiffy and send them on a subjugation mission with destination : YOU!¡± [A fight? Bring it, I¡¯ll take them on!] Is what Bash would have liked to say, but that would be counterproductive given that he was about to head out in search of a wife in Human lands. He decided to do just as Zell suggested and quietly left. ¡°So, how¡¯d you get caught?¡± Once they were far enough away from the carriage wreck, Bash questioned Zell again. Zell was supposed to have returned to Faerie Country after the war concluded. Sure, the Faeries were being hunted down by Humans, but their homeland was surrounded by steep cliffs and was impossibly hard to navigate ¨C unless you were a Faerie, of course. And even if they were to get the drop on her, Zell was one of the quickest and swiftest Faeries around. There was no way any ordinary Human could ever catch up to her. ¡°Yeah, well that¡¯s the thing. I got bored, so I left. There isn¡¯t anything to do back there in Faerie Land. I¡¯m curious! And adventurous! Even though I¡¯m small! And that¡¯s why I¡¯m always on the lookout for something new and exciting.¡± ¡°Ok, ok, all right.¡± ¡°Awh, that¡¯s the boss for ya~! I knew you¡¯d understand me!¡± They most likely left the country out of sheer boredom, were found frolicking in a flower garden somewhere on the outskirts of a Human town, or were caught either sniffing a potion out of curiosity, or were hit with sleeping magic¡­ It wasn¡¯t hard to see how an ephemeral creature like a Faerie could be caught by a dull, slow Human. ¡°Ahh, I¡¯m kinda glad I got caught though. I¡¯m so lucky to be reunited with my boss here~¡± Said Zell, flitting around Bash. Updated from novelhall[.]com Faeries are a cheerful race, and they were especially fond of mischief. They were known to jitter and move around excessively when their emotions got the better of them. ¡°Well, Mister, why are you here? Oh, I heard that you finally got named a Hero in Orc Country. Congratulations on earning the Hero title! And if you¡¯re the Orc hero, you¡¯re second only to the Chief, aren¡¯t you? I thought you¡¯d be living it up nice and easy, having earned the respect of all Orcs and all that, you know? Just chilling out in your big house, you know? You have a big house now right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Or maybe¡­ did you maybe kill the Chief out of jealousy, and now you¡¯re on the run? No, no, you wouldn¡¯t do that¡­ Oh! Did someone frame you with his murder? Out of jealousy because you¡¯re the Hero? And you had to make a desperate escape from your jail cell, leaving your village behind and fleeing into the night! What a tragedy! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you get revenge! Just tell me where they are and ill go ~zipzip~ and slit all of their throats!¡± ¡°Nobody is jealous of anybody here. The Chief is alive and well.¡± No Orc would be jealous of someone that had earned the right to be called a Hero. A Hero is someone who has left their mark in history through their achievements. Jealousy? No, all Orcs would admire their hero. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience There were exceptions, of course, but generally, Orcs don¡¯t feel envy towards those with more merit ¨C it was simply the natural order of things; you accomplish more, you earn more. ¡°So why?¡± Bash suddenly felt at a loss for words. He couldn¡¯t admit that he was on a journey to lose his virginity. He wasn¡¯t sure what to answer. ¡°Ah, if you don¡¯t wanna tell me, that¡¯s fine. But I¡¯ve always helped my boss, both during the war, and even just now. Do you remember? The first time we met? I got captured by a human soldier, and he was going all: ¡°Ehehehe, you don¡¯t need arms or legs to give off your Faerie dust, do you? Ehehe.¡± And I really thought it was over! But then you came dashing in and went: ¡°You don¡¯t need arms or legs to go to hell, do you?¡± And then you tore off both his arms and both his legs! Gosh, that was exhilarating¡­ I fell in love with you right then and there! Seriously! And that¡¯s when I decided I would follow my boss for the rest of my life from that day onwards. Anyhow, that¡¯s why I want to help you in any way I can¡­ Sigh, I wonder if my clumsy boss can really understand this Faerie¡¯s delicate and wholesome feelings¡­¡± With a brush of his hand, Bash waved off Zell, who was striking a cheery pose in front of him. When he thought about, Bash really didn¡¯t have any real-world knowledge about any races other than Orcs. All he knew was which species were suitable for breeding, and which were not, and even that information was hearsay that came from other Orcs. Zell, on the other hand, used to be a messenger and intelligence officer, so she knew a lot about the lifestyles and characteristics of the world¡¯s various other races. She is also pretty good at information gathering. There was no doubt that she would be a great help to Bash¡¯s current endeavours. ¡°I¡¯m on a journey to look for a¡­ wife.¡± ¡°A wife, huh¡­¡± Zell suddenly stopped flying around and came to a complete standstill. She kept on looking inquisitively at Bash¡¯s face, her brows furrowed as if in deep thought. Embarrassed, he averted his eyes, thinking that this was it ¨C that he was about to be exposed as a virgin. Zell paused for a couple of seconds, and suddenly clapped his hands. ¡°A wife, huh! Wives are a super-duper-special thing for Orcs, right? And if you¡¯re a Hero, like my boss right here, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if you already had a wife¡­ But with the whole situation going on in Orc Country right now, after losing the war and all, you can¡¯t find a wife that lives up to your standards, right? And so, that¡¯s why you left on your own on a journey to finally find the one¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ that¡¯s about right.¡± Zell¡¯s interpretation of the situation was almost identical to the Orc King¡¯s. Obviously, if you knew Bash and how he¡¯s a Hero and all, that¡¯s what you¡¯d think. Yes, this was the insight of ¡°Zell the Wise(self-proclaimed title)¡±! ¡°Gosh, I¡¯m so smart! If only I wasn¡¯t a Faerie, I¡¯d be down to be your wife too!¡± Faeries were physically tiny, so much so that it was impossible for them to reproduce with other species. In the first place, they were an odd race that didn¡¯t even properly distinguish between their male and female members. And this was one of the reasons why they were able to form a common front with the orcs¡­ Anyway, she was more than inadequate as a wife candidate. ¡°All right!¡± Zell looked deep in thought for a moment, rubbing her tiny chin with her tiny fingers. And then struck her fist into her chest. ¡°Okay! You want a wife? I gotchu, just leave it all to me! These days there aren¡¯t many women out there who are down with being wed to an Orc¡­ But if it¡¯s you¡­ If it¡¯s you, I¡¯m sure you could find 10, no 20 candidates in no time! After all, even I want to be your wife! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you find ¡®em!¡± Bash was well aware of Zell¡¯s abilities and her wartime prowess. She had risked her life countless times, infiltrating deep into enemy lines to collect and return with valuable intel. When it came to gathering information, even amongst the Faeries, she was one of the best. But he also knew that she had been captured and nearly killed quite a few times¡­ Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience But they weren¡¯t at war anymore. If all Bash was doing was looking for a wife, there would be little danger. It wouldn¡¯t be an issue to rely on her. ¡°If you¡¯re sure of yourself, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± ¡°Yup, just leave it to me! Let¡¯s hurry and get to the town! Not like we¡¯ll find any beautiful ladies in these woods anyways. Let¡¯s go, go, go!¡± And so, Bash was reunited with his old comrade-in-arms, Zell. Orcs and Faeries, together once again. And with that, the pair set out towards the Land of Humans. Psst, enjoying my translations? Appreciate our favorite Orc¡¯s adventures? Consider throwing a coin my way through KO-FI. Chapter 3.1 The Fortress City of Krassel Translated by BAD MACHINE. Krassel, the Fortress City. A settlement located smack-dab between Orcish and Human territory, Krassel was the at the forefront of the conflict between the two races. Most of the architecture was basic and frugal, yet sturdy. The buildings were mainly constructed out of stone. Plumes of black smoke rose into their air, coming out of the towns many smithies. There weren¡¯t as many soldiers stationed here ever since the war ended, but even so, burly, rugged warriors outnumbered merchants and civilians. The town was built on top of a small hill ¨C an easily defendable position, and protected by a pair of concentric walls. Within the walls were countless cannons, catapults and other artillery, and the tall watchtowers offered a birds-eye view of the neighboring forest ¨C previously under Orcish control. Krassel was a true defensive bastion, worthy of its name. Orcs and Humans had repeatedly clashed over control of the Fortress City during the war. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience For thousands of years, they had fought over possession of Krassel, and it had changed hands countless times over the course of the conflict. The Humans desperately wanted to retain and secure this settlement. If this fortress were taken, nobody would be able to stem the Orcish tide. The men would be killed and the women¡­ the women would be taken back and enslaved as breeding stock. The Humans were well aware of what would happen were they to lose ground. This fear was deeply ingrained within those living in this region, and even now, three years after the end of the war, they are still wary of the Orcs. However, the war had also taught many things to the races of Vastonia. It was now a well known fact that Orcs weren¡¯t mindless evil creatures. They didn¡¯t rape because they wanted to hurt and shame their enemies. No, they were simply driven to rape by their survival instinct ¨C because it was necessary for the continuity of their race, and for the whole of their long history they have known no alternative. Orcs also had emotions, values, rules, and pride. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience And if you took the time to understand and converse with them, negotiation was possible. Thanks to this new knowledge, Humans were finally able to broker peace with the Orcs and convince them to sign the treaty. To start, they appealed to Orcish pride, honoring them as true warriors. After that, they sent out a female knight who was strong enough to be recognized by the Orcs as a valiant fighter as the Human side¡¯s representative in the negotiations. With this, the Orcs were finally convinced that foreign women were also worth of respect and agreed to sign on to a peace treaty that prohibited non-consensual sexual intercourse with other races. However, that clause on its own would have led to an eventual Orcish extinction and may have even backfired. Faced with inevitable destruction, they might have chosen to go out fighting than slowly die out. Alongside the ¡°rape ban¡±, many of the treaty¡¯s signatories came up with a new policy: they would round up female criminals that had committed grave or unforgivable offenses and send them off to Orc Country to be used as breeding slaves. With that, the Orcs were deprived of any reason to fight till their deaths. Thanks to this, Orc-Human relations were now relatively stable, and trade has between the two races had begun, albeit in small volumes. There were still, however, many Humans who believe to this day that Orcs are irrational, brutish monsters. There would always be ignorant people, regardless of the race they belonged to. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Not to mention that, in the grand scheme of things, the war had only ended recently. It was a given that the scars left by the wanton bloodshed wouldn¡¯t heal in just three years. The fighting took an untold number of lives, and it was inevitable that those who had experienced the war itself or who had lost loved ones to the cruelty of the conflict would hold personal grudges against the Orcs. Furthermore, exiled Orcs who had been expelled from their communities sometimes drifted into Human controlled land to loot and rob. In many ways, they weren¡¯t wrong to be cautious. ¡°Hmm¡­ I didn¡¯t think it would take that long to get finally get into town.¡± ¡°Really? Aren¡¯t all of Human¡¯s towns like that?¡± It had been three hours since Bash had arrived in Krassel. A whole third of that time was spent arguing with the two guards at the entrance. The mere mention of the word ¡°Orc¡± put them on edge and Bash quickly found himself at the wrong end of a pair of spears. Frightened and confused, they were nearly impossible to reason with. If Zell had not intervened and explained in detail that Bash just a traveler and not a dangerous stray Orc, they would have been turned away at the gate. Up until the very end, the gatekeepers seemed reluctant to give Bash and Zell permission to enter, even though they eventually relented. After all, in Human Lands, there were laws in place dictating that travelers should be treated with courtesy, and no laws that forbid the admittance of Orcs. ¡°Whoa¡­ so many women¡­¡± ¡°Of course! It¡¯s a human town.¡± Bash gazed out the inn¡¯s window, down at the passersby going about their business and was amazed at the number of women present. Even back during the war, the only time he had seen such this many females was when he was collaborating with the Succubus forces. Well, calling Succubae ¡°women¡± wasn¡¯t quite right, but¡­ As Bash was taking in the sights, a lady walking by noticed him peeking out of the window and quickly scurried off, horrified by his Orcishness. ¡°With this many women around, I¡¯ll have my pick of the litter! I¡¯ll get as many as I want!¡± ¡°Oh, no, no! Look! Look over there! That lady! Look at her hand!¡± Zell pointed at another girl passing by, carrying her groceries in a large paper bag. Following the Faerie¡¯s finger, Bash¡¯s eyes landed on her hand. There was something shiny on it. ¡°She¡¯s wearing a ring. What about it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how humans tell each other that they¡¯re already married. Humans marriages are exclusively one-male-one-female pairs, so you can¡¯t go after women like that.¡± ¡°Looks like most women around here are wearing one.¡± ¡°Humans aren¡¯t considered full-fledged members of society until they¡¯re married. Apparently, nearly all of them get hitched when they reach a certain age.¡± ¡°Hitched?¡± ¡°Oh, uh¡­ that¡¯s just another word Humans use for marriage.¡± Unlike Orcs, in Human society, nearly everyone got married and took a single spouse for the rest of their lives. This made Bash quite uncomfortable and confused, given his Orcish sensibilities. However, he was quickly persuaded that likely, given that the ratio of Human male to females was more or less equal. In any case, this was a good thing ¨C it was convenient that Human women didn¡¯t have an innate aversion to marriage. ¡°So! First of all, we¡¯ve got to find a lady who isn¡¯t wearing a ring!¡± ¡°Oh¡­ The woman I approached on the way were was wearing a ring, wasn¡¯t she? So that¡¯s why¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Right before reaching the inn, Bash had seen a woman and tried to talk to her. Within seconds, she was running away, screaming for help. He hadn¡¯t even gone so far as to call out to her. He hadn¡¯t even had the time to say hello. She had fled as soon as Bash had come within three steps of her. ¡°Looks like there¡¯s still a lot of prejudice against Orcs, huh.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± ¡°You know what they say about you guys right? That Orcs will assault then murder any men they come across, and will not only assault, but also kidnap, rape and forcefully impregnate any women they see.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not wrong. That¡¯s exactly what we did during the war.¡± But all of this was now forbidden thanks to the laws enacted by the Orc King. Only stray Orcs would indiscriminately attack someone. Ordinary Orcs are proud, honorable warriors who all swear allegiance to the Orc King. Luckily for Bash, not everyone was so short-sighted regarding Orcs. For instance, the guards that had rushed to the scene after hearing someone yell out for help. Most of them weren¡¯t as judgmental as Bash had expected. Once he had given his side of the story, their expressions softened, and they lowered their weapons. They even went as far as recommending an inn to him in an unexpected act of kindness, telling him, ¡°If you¡¯re travelling, you should rent a room at an inn¡±. Thanks their goodwill, he had found a place where he could relax. ¡°The Humans all remember what the Orcs did during the war. Pretty sure they¡¯ll be kinda spooked for still a few more years, though I didn¡¯t expect someone would outright run away from you like that¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re wary of us? Hmmm¡­ I guess so. Just before I got you out of that jar, I met a couple of women and tried to approach them, but they ran away.¡± ¡°Huh, weird¡­ Well, how¡¯d you hit them up? What did you ask them?¡± ¡°I asked them if they would bear my children.¡± As soon as Bash said that last sentence, Zell smacked her tiny forehead in exasperation, saying, ¡°Oh no¡­¡± under her breath. ¡°Bash! That¡¯s not the way to do it!¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t?¡± ¡°Bash, for Humans, pregnancy and childbirth is a very, very, VERY important ritual with a LOT of religious significance!¡± ¡°Oh, wow.¡± Hearing ¡°ritual¡± reminded Bash of the Orcish ceremonial prayer to the God of War. It was a tradition that was carried annually only once, but it was unbelievably important to Orcs. They were convinced that the success of the ceremony would determine the outcomes of all the following year¡¯s battles. No Orc would downplay the practice. ¡°You know, for Humans, marriage and childbirth is something super, super exclusive. Something you only do with someone you¡¯re REALLY in love with. They would never want to have a child with someone they don¡¯t know well, or in your case, at all!¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know that¡­¡± Bash was slightly taken aback by the culture shock. It made sense that most human females would be reluctant to mate with an Orc, let alone marry one. It wasn¡¯t just because the two races were enemies. Orcs weren¡¯t only murdering Humans and trampling on their, they were also desecrating their religious beliefs. ¡°So! If you want to take a Human as your wife, you have to make her fall in love with you first!¡± This way of thinking was slightly off ¨C a uninformed judgment in of itself. Not all Humans were in loving, fulfilling marriages. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience But according to Zell¡¯s limited knowledge, this was a fact. ¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t know how to make a Human fall in love with me though¡­¡± Orcs had no concept of love. To them, women are supposed to be beaten into submission and violated. That¡¯s just the way things were. Now that rape was forbidden and told that he had to make a woman fall in love with him before even considering marriage, Bash was stumped ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just leave it to me! I know a lot about Humans, even though I don¡¯t look like I do!¡± Declared Zell, thumping her chest. Faeries, who specialized in espionage and reconnaissance, certainly did know a lot about other races. And their knowledge wasn¡¯t limited to Humans ¨C they were well versed about Elves and Beastkin too. Although, this information was mostly combat related matters, like their tactics, habits, dropping patterns, footprints, the particularities of their physique, whether they could see in the dark, etc.¡­ Any advice they had concerning love was based on rumors, hearsay, and tavern gossip. ¡°I¡¯m glad I can count on you. I guess it isn¡¯t for nothing that fate let us meet right as I started my journey. So, what exactly should I do?¡± ¡°Yup, yup, alright! Let¡¯s do this!¡± Letting out a smug chuckle, Zell landed on the table. Holding up a finger, she began her lecture. ¡°First of all, Human women like their men beautiful and clean! Being dirty and smelly is absolutely out! A real no-no!¡± Lesson 1: Be clean. ¡°I see. So I should bathe before going out looking for women.¡± ¡°Yup! And after you¡¯ve cleaned yourself up, you should do that thing you do before fighting the Beastkin! You know, the perfume!¡± ¡°That¡­uh¡­ Really? Isn¡¯t it kind of smelly?¡± ¡°What are you going on about? It smells wonderful!¡± Bash looked down at his own body, thinking back on the last time he used the ¡°war scent¡±. During the war, the Orcs fought all kinds of races, including the Beastkin, who had a particularly good sense of smell. The Orc¡¯s strong body odor could be picked up from far away, and they were frequently ambushed before they finally found out the reason they were so easily detected. Therefore, the Orcs implemented measures to mask their strong odor ¨C such as applying perfume right before any engagement that might involve the Beastkin. The smell of the grass and flowers would mislead the Beastkin¡¯s senses. The perfume, by the way, was manufactured by Faeries and was now a popular export to Humans and Elves. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll lend you mine! ¡°Mhm¡­¡± Lesson 2: Smell nice. The overwhelming smell of perfume was generally unpopular among the Orcs. Which is why some of them obstinately refused to wear the scent, even while fighting Beastkin. None of those stubborn Orcs were alive to complain anymore. As for Bash, he was different and open-minded. He was a fighter who had survived multiple engagements against the Beastkin. He knew firsthand the horror of the Beastkin coming at him from the depths of the night. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Back then, he could hardly sleep when he knew that they were nearby, that he could potentially get his throat slit without even being able to lift a finger. However, just by applying some perfume, he could peacefully get some shut-eye. Sure, it wasn¡¯t pleasant, but putting up with a strong smell was better then dying in your sleep. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s do this. I¡¯ll take a bath right away! I¡¯ll leave it up to you to scrub my back!¡± Zell, delighted by Bash¡¯s go-getter attitude, pirouetted through the air, soared to the room¡¯s door and proceeded to pound on it as hard as her tiny fists could afford. ¡°Innkeeper! INNKEEPER! My boss is going to take a bath! I want a tub! And fill it with hot water!¡± A few moments after Zell called out, the door opened a bit as the owner peeked in, his forehead wet with terror-sweat. ¡°Orcs bathe? In a tub? With water¡­?¡± ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong with an Orc bathing, huh? You Humans are always so quick to judge! You all think that Orcs are dirty and smelly, but a proper Orc can appeal even to Human sensibilities! When in¡­ uh, a Human town, do as the Humans do¡­ or something like that. You know the saying right? You know what I mean?¡± ¡°All right, all right, I get it, stop yelling. I¡¯ll get you one. That¡¯ll be one copper.¡± ¡°Sure thing!¡± The shopkeeper looked shocked, but his surprise didn¡¯t last long. As soon as he had the money in hand, he quickly headed out went to ready the bath. ¡°Now, while we wait for the water, I¡¯ll give you a few more pointers!¡± ¡°Please do.¡± And so, as Bash bathed, he learned more of the ¡°Faerie¡¯s Guidelines for Attracting Humans 101 ¨C Seducing for Dummies¡±. Psst, enjoying my translations? Appreciate our favorite Orc¡¯s adventures? Consider throwing a coin my way through KO-FI. Chapter 3.2 The Fortress City of Krassel ¡°If you follow these easy-peasy rules, you¡¯re almost sure, no, you¡¯re ABSOLUTELY GUARATEED to make at least one Human woman fall for you!¡± ¡°Keep yourself clean, smell nice, stand up straight, be cool and aloof and talk¡­¡± After finishing up in the bath, Bash was sitting on the edge of the bed, counting on his fingers while dwelling on the rules that Zell had just taught him. He was completely determined ¨C utterly dead serious about his endeavors. Back in the war, if he was ever asked to come reinforce a position or to come aid in a battle, he would rush over no matter what ¨C even if he hadn¡¯t slept for three days and three nights. At this moment, he expressed that same level of diligence. He sat and listened unquestionably to the na?ve Faerie¡¯s teachings. ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, Bash froze up, his expression hardening. His keen sense of hearing had picked up a strange sound coming from outside their room. Straining his ears, he noticed that it was getting closer and closer. ¡°Well, looks like I¡¯m not the only one eager to hear your advice. We¡¯ve got ourselves an audience.¡± Zell was totally shocked, seeing Bash draw his humongous sword out of its scabbard on his back. ¡°What?! What¡¯s happening? Are we getting attacked? Are you attacking someone?!¡± Zell panicked, hurriedly pulling out a staff the size of a toothpick from her waist.¡± And that¡¯s when she also noticed. The grating sound of metal-on-metal and the creaking of the floorboards from heavy footsteps was audible from all around them. They were completely surrounded. How could they have been thoroughly encircled and not notice? ¡°Soundproofing magic¡­¡± Recalling the familiar magic, Bash¡¯s level of vigilance went through the roof. It was often used during Human ambushes to hide their presence. Soundproofing magic quite literally muffled all sounds originating from those it was casted on. However, it had a limited range of effect. It only decreased, not eliminated noise. If the user got too close, the other party would be able to pick up the sounds. This particular type of magic was frequently employed by Human heavy infantry forces, which were equipped with full body plate armor. By the time your ears picked up on their presence, they were either messing up and getting too close, or their encirclement was set up and they were closing in¡­ In this case, it was likely the latter, given the attacker¡¯s level of coordination. ¡°Mister, what should we do? If you want to kill everyone, it¡¯d be better to start from those on the window side and then go around the entrance to get those by the door. I¡¯m not sure what you think our next move should be, but if there¡¯s only this many of them, we¡¯ve got some leeway.¡± Zell calmly made her assessment. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Despite her youthful and cute appearance, this Faerie was a true, experienced veteran. She was able to instantly see through the enemy¡¯s formation and determine which direction would be easier to attack from. Bash and Zell have been cooperating for a long time. During the war, they had broken out of ambushes magnitudes more threatening than this one. If you truly wanted to kill Bash, you¡¯d need a hundred times more men than this paltry attack. This was a challenge he could easily take on. But Bash shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re not here to kill me, are you? Let¡¯s hear what you have to say.¡± Announcing himself loudly, he let go of his greatsword. He wasn¡¯t aware of why they were here to get him, but he did know that he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. ¡°Uh¡­ I think they¡¯re just going to give you a hard time for being an Orc and run you out of town. You¡¯re probably an eyesore to them.¡± ¡°Even so.¡± In any case, he couldn¡¯t just start swinging without beforehand identifying his opponents and figuring out their objectives. Bash was an Orcish hero. If he were to kill a human soldier, it would become an issue of national security and would involve the Orc¡¯s Country. He had set out on this journey out of shame. He didn¡¯t want to cause any more trouble for his homeland. As he was mulling over the potential ramifications of him murdering a foreign assailant, the door to his room was kicked in, swinging wildly on its hinges. ¡°Nobody move! Especially you, Orc!¡± Three individuals barged into the room. Two of them were equipped with simple, basic equipment, while the third wore a much more ornate set of armor, complete with a full-faced helmet decorated with a crest. From his long years of experience on the battlefield, Bash recognized the crested helmet as the symbol of knighthood. Furthermore, he knew that a Human knight was the equivalent of an Orc warrior chief. In other words, this knight was this group¡¯s leader. ¡°I¡¯ve already stopped moving. What do you want, human?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The knight took a few steps towards Bash and pulled off their helmet, revealing the face underneath. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience The knight turned out to a beautiful girl, her shiny, platinum blonde hair tied up in a ponytail. The moment Bash laid his eyes on her, something sparked inside of his mind. A sweet, yet sour, but very, very pleasant sensation took over his brain. [She¡¯s¡­ so pretty¡­] Sharp dignified furrowed eyebrows, soft pink lips pursed in frustration, downwards slanted eyes that seemed a little out of place, clear pale skin¡­ Her body was hidden behind her armor, but it was obvious from the way she carried herself that it was well-built, toned, and strong. She was several tiers above the women he had come across in the forest and the one he had tried to approach in the street, The thought of potentially mating with such a wonderful woman, to see her in the nude, to have her bear his children, sent a surge of erotic lightning through Bash¡¯s whole body, starting from his brain¡­ ¡­and ending at his crotch. But thanks to his sturdy leather underwear, nobody noticed his¡­ stiffness. Completely unaware of Bash¡¯s current mental state, she glared at him and shouted: ¡°We¡¯ve received a report of an Orcish attack on a nearby carriage! You¡¯re the culprit!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Zell whispered to him, but Bash couldn¡¯t care less about what the Faerie had to say right now. All he wanted at this moment in time was to earn this pretty knight¡¯s favor. He wanted her to like him ¨C to fall in love with him. This was the first time Bash had encountered a truly beautiful woman ever since he had left Orc Country. If his compatriots back home were to discuss among themselves about what kind of woman they would ideally like as a wife, she would assuredly be nominated. As a virgin, there was no way Bash wouldn¡¯t be excited. In his mind, marriage was already on the horizon. They would have at least three children. He recalled that the Elves had a secret method to breed non-orcs even if the conception was due to mating with an Orc. He¡¯d be happy with a single human child. However, all of them should preferably be male. The first child would be named after him ¨C Ash, inspired by his own. And he would take him under his wing and teach him how to fight, and how to hunt, and¡­ ¡°Hey! What¡¯s wrong?! Answer me!¡± The knight¡¯s voice expelled Bash from his dream world, scattering his delusions. Now back to reality, he Bash assessed the situation and considered his options. To begin, he couldn¡¯t just ask her to be his wife. He would be turned down. Zell had taught him this earlier. So, what should he do? At times like this, he had to be careful and first look at her left hand. If there was a ring on her ring finger, she was already married and couldn¡¯t be his. ¡°¡­¡± The female knight wore a pair of gauntlets that entirely covered both her hands. Even while straining his eyes to the peak of his ability, Bash couldn¡¯t discern whether she had a ring or not. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Unable to put Zell¡¯s teachings into practice, Bash stopped, a little disconcerted. But he wouldn¡¯t let this stop him. He was a Hero. There were a lot of things in this world that couldn¡¯t be overcome with brute force alone. Like the time he fought the Behemoth, the Beasts¡¯ message carrier. Their battle lasted just over fifteen hours, from the break of dawn till the fall of night. Sometimes, just like that fight, it was better to implement a long-term solution. Bash didn¡¯t need to woo the knight right then and there. He would bide his time. ¡°Hey, answer me! You¡¯re getting on my nerves you Orcish freak!¡± ¡°I apologize¡­ I did come across the carriage and its passengers, but I wasn¡¯t the one who attacked it. I called out to them, but they ran away. So, I left.¡± The first thing Bash did was calm down and give a firm, unyielding answer ¨C as a true Orc warrior should. It was one of the rules for being popular with Humans that he had learned from Zell¡¯s ¡°Faerie¡¯s Guidelines for Attracting Humans 101 ¨C Seducing for Dummies¡±. Lesson 3: Be an honorable man. ¡°Lies! You¡¯re lying!¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. By the time I got there, the carriage had already been attacked by bugbears. I just happened to be passing by, and I chased the bugbears away.¡± ¡°Do you have any evidence!?¡± ¡°I do not. But I swear on the name of Orc King Nemesis that what I say is true!¡± ¡°Guh¡­¡± The knight faltered as Bash made that last declaration. Swearing on the name of the Orc King meant that the one making the statement was prepared to accept the death penalty if it turned out not to be true. In Orcish society, only a handful of warriors were ever allowed to use the Orc King¡¯s name ¨C those who had reached the rank of Great Warlord and above. It was the manliest, most macho of oaths. He was putting his honor and status on the line. Orcs who could proudly declare this were looked upon with envy by all young Orcs. This vow was taken extremely seriously. Bash looked at the flinching knight and inwardly thought: [That¡¯s it. It¡¯s decided.] Incidentally, the female knight had no idea what swearing on the Orc King¡¯s name really meant. It was just that Bash¡¯s brazenness and confidence made it harder for her to retort. ¡°The victims reported that the Orc approached them, telling them to bear his children!¡± ¡°Non-consensual sexual intercourse with other species is strictly forbidden by edict of the Orc King. I only spoke to them to get their consent.¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t ever work!¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t know until I tried, so I did. I only later learned that, according to Human practices, asking for sexual intercourse right out of the gate wasn¡¯t exactly the way to go about it.¡± The knight was further taken aback at this very cavalier reply. It was the first time she had ever seen an Orc be so open and honest. The only Orcs she had ever dealt with were stray Orcs that had been kicked out of their country. The first time she had come across a stray Orc, the instant he noticed she was female he immediately went off on vulgar tirade about raping and impregnating her. If she tried to question him even a little, he would get angry and throw himself at her in an attempt to attack. This conversion she was having with Bash was the furthest she had even progressed in talking to an Orc. ¡°Gah, damn it! You filty Orc, even IF, and I mean IF you were just passing by, you probably stole something from the carriage anyways!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Bash found himself at a bit of a loss for words following that statement. It was true. He did technically take something with him out from the carriage. Though it wasn¡¯t exactly something, but someone. ¡°Yes, I did take something.¡± ¡°Ha! I knew it! You¡¯re under arrest, thief!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Hey! Hey! Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!¡± Zell jumped between the Bash and the knight as she cried out. ¡°That¡¯s me, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m the ¡°something¡±, right? Poor, little old me, getting caught and bottled up by some Humans and loaded up in a wagon on its way to who knows where! Faerie trafficking is illegal isn¡¯t it! It¡¯s prohibited! He was helping me! You can¡¯t charge him for theft just because he was helping a kidnapping victim, right!? Wouldn¡¯t that be weird?!¡± ¡°Huh¡­? Uh¡­wha¡­?¡± After hearing Zell out, the knight¡¯s frustration turned into confusion. Faerie trafficking was, as a matter of fact, a criminal act ¨C utterly and completely illegal. The carriage was peddling illegal goods, and the Orc was helping out a victim. Was this still theft, even if the goods weren¡¯t acquired by its original owners through ¡°proper¡± means? Or did this mean that the Orc was now in possession of contraband? From the looks of it, the Faerie seemed to be following the Orc of its own free will. Updated from novelhall[.]com But was the Faerie telling the truth, or was she just making things up as she went? The Faeries were known to be sporadic and unpredictable and would spew out odd things as often as they breathed. ¡°Urg¡­ Grr¡­¡± This whole thing was getting more complicated by the second. The knight seemed to be in deep thought, eyes darting from Bash to Zell, and then back to Bash. Finally, she said: ¡°Either way, you¡¯re coming with us!¡± ¡°Sure, lead the way.¡± Bash responded without missing a beat. Hearing him answer, it was Zell¡¯s turn to be surprised. Confused, she glanced back at Bash with a puzzled expression on her face. She flailed her arms and legs and pointed at the female knight. And the knight was just as confused as Zell was, faced with Bash¡¯s unexpected cooperative attitude. ¡°Huh? Are you sure this is okay? Hubby, she¡¯s trying to screw you over isn¡¯t she? You know that, right?¡± According to Orcish values, there was no reason for Bash to ever listen to the knight, even less follow her just because he was ordered to. If a young Orc back in Orc Country had said the same thing to Bash, he would have drawn his greatsword on the spot, bared his fangs and said: ¡°Try me.¡± However, Bash had a specific purpose on his trip. He wanted to lose his virginity. He wanted to get laid. Preferably a with beautiful woman of his choice. Another virgin would be even better. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s alright!¡± This woman in front of him. A beautiful blonde female knight with a willful, headstrong attitude. A lovely lady of his choosing. He didn¡¯t know whether she was a virgin or not, or even if she was married. Even if she did look at him in disgust, at the very least she didn¡¯t run away screaming. That was a win in his books. A woman like that was asking him to follow her. If he did, he would have a slim chance of talking to her. On the other hand, if he didn¡¯t, that was it. It was over. If he went wild and got kicked out of town, he would never see her again. When he thought about it that way, there was no reason for him not to follow. In battle, it is wasn¡¯t uncommon to find yourself in situations where there was only one way out. Miss your shot, and you¡¯re done. Bash was willing to take this risk. To jump on this opportunity. He made his decision. ¡°Alright! Cuff him! I¡¯m taking you in!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± And thus, only four hours after arriving in Krassel¡­ ¡­Bash was taken into custody. Chapter 4.1 Knight Commander Houston Houston, Knight Commander of the fortress city of Krassel. He had a long and storied background. 20 years ago, at the young age of 13, he first joined the army as soldier-in-training. On his first deployment, due to a severe lack of manpower, he was sent straight to the front lines. In that same battle, the Alliance faced a gruesome loss. While his comrades lay dead, guts strewn across the bloodstained dirt, Houston was fortunate enough to live and see another day. After almost ten more years of being ferried from battlefield to battlefield, he eventually accumulated enough merit and experience to be become a Company Commander. And as fate would have it, the battle he fought in right after getting promoted was a hellish retreat. It was a horrific battle. Every superior officer, from the General all the way down to the Battalion Commanders were either killed or fled. The chaos left by ever-changing chain of command left the army confused and frustrated. When nearly 60% of the troops hard died, the role of Commander-in-Chief fell into Houston¡¯s lap, even though he was just a measly Company Commander. When a medic came to him, reporting that the last superior officer above him had died from his injuries and that he was now in charge, Houston, completely incredulous, thought this was all a bad joke. But Houston, ever the soldier, kept his head down and did his job. He rallied the remaining 40% of the forces and managed to retreat safely, taking almost no further losses. His talent blossomed. He had a knack for commanding large armies. Nevertheless, the success of that retreat was thanks to an insane stroke of luck. The opposing Orcish forces had recalled their forward troops to another position that was under assault and had determined that chasing down the remaining Humans wasn¡¯t worth it. In any case, his performance was highly praised within the military, and Houston earned a fast-track promotion to Second-in-Command of the Anti-Orc Army ¨C an army that mainly fought against the Orcs and their Faerie allies. Five years after becoming Second-in-Command, the main Commander fell in battle, leaving his position up for grabs. Being the next in line, Houston was the obvious choice to replace him. As Commander, Houston kept on fighting the Orcs for a whole decade. When facing the Orcs, he pulled out all the stops, and held nothing back. He gathered every single scrap of intel, strained his wits to their limit, and even went as far as going to the front lines himself risking his life to kill even a single additional Orc. As result, among the Humans, nobody had taken the life of as many Orcs as Houston. [Houston, the Swine Slayer.] Even post-war, he was merciless towards Orcs. He was especially ruthless towards stray Orcs. No matter how much they cried, yelled, prayed, and begged for their lives, he never paid them any mind. They were sent to the gallows without a second thought. He inspired both fear and respect in the men and women who enlisted after the war. In fact, however, even despite his gruesome nickname, Houston didn¡¯t have any particular ill-feelings towards Orcs. He was neither prejudiced nor discriminatory. He didn¡¯t really hate Orcs. He just knew a lot about Orcs. And his knowledge ran deep. When Houston first became Second-in-Command, in order for him to perform his duties adequately ¨C to better kill Orcs while minimizing casualties, he needed to know as much as he could about his opponents. Diving headfirst into his studies, he soaked up any information he could get his hands on. He observed Orcs, documented their behavior, scoured past literature, and sometimes even spoke to prisoners of war. And thus, Houston had come to a realization. He figured out that Orcs, even though they seemed like band of roving murder-rape monsters, were conscious, living beings just like Humans were ¨C they just had an entirely different set of values, morals, and common sense. It was impossible to judge Orcs using Human standards. Of course, Houston feelings towards the Orcs weren¡¯t all roses and rainbows. He still held a grudge, albeit a small one, towards them for the unnumerable death¡¯s they¡¯ve caused. For the thousands of men and comrades he¡¯d lost to their swords. But ever since the end of the war, he gradually stopped unnecessary animosity towards them, and even grew to respect them. The reason he was so harsh on stray Orcs because they embodied the worst sides of Orcish society. They weren¡¯t even able to follow Orcish laws, let alone Human ones. Letting a stray Orc anywhere near Humanity was a recipe for disaster. Better safe than sorry, as they say. In this case, being safe meant ridding the world of stray Orcs before they could cause any harm. Those who couldn¡¯t conform to civilized society were no better than vermin. And just like vermin, they should be exterminated. In the years following the signing of the peace treaty, his thorough attitude and end-justify-the-means way of doing things finally got him knighted and appointed as the Knight Commander of Krassel. Thanks to his empathy towards the Orcs, the chances of a conflict sparking up again were slim, and if war ever did happen again, he was the best man to protect Krassel. ¡°What? You caught the suspects of the highway attack case?¡± That day, he received a particular report from one of his subordinates. ¡°Yes, sir. Looks like it was an Orc.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that you didn¡¯t need to report to me for matters concerning stray Orcs? You don¡¯t need to tell me everything, just kill it¡± Houston shook his head as he answered. According to agreements made with the Orc King, any Orc that was exiled from their country was fair game and could be killed without repercussion. Houston would have preferred the Orcs deal with their own issues, but they had their own laws too, so he resigned himself to the fact that he had to clean up after them. ¡°But sir, we¡¯re not sure if it¡¯s a stray. He was well dressed, and his answers held up to questioning.¡± ¡°In that case, just let him go. It¡¯s a pity, but we can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± ¡°But sir, Judith said there was something off about him¡­ that he was suspicious¡­¡± ¡°Gah, that stupid girl. How does she intent to bear the responsibility if this whole thing starts a war with the Orcs¡­¡± Judith was the knight in charge of the case involving attacks in the forest. She had recently been knighted and had been at this post for nearly a year. She was finally getting used to her tasks, so Houston entrusted her with a case. At first it was supposed to be an easy open-and-shut case, but whether because the perpetrator was unexpectedly cunning or Judith was spectacularly incompetent, it had yet to progress. Recently, she had been getting impatient and frustrated with her lack of results. She wanted to do everything she could to earn merit and respect, all in order to prove that she wasn¡¯t inept. ¡°Well, what¡¯s your opinion?¡± ¡°Well, there are certainly some suspicious aspects to the whole things. He didn¡¯t want to talk about why he was here, and he had a Faerie friend accompanying him. He was also¡­ very calm when we surrounded him. It was pretty unsettling. He may be a¡­ spy.¡± ¡°Pffft¡­!¡± Houston couldn¡¯t help but laugh. This particular recruit was still young and hasn¡¯t known war. Which is most likely why he didn¡¯t know much about the Orcs. If he had any idea what Orcs were truly like, he would have never even considered using ¡°Orc¡± and ¡°Spy¡± in the same sentence. ¡°Sir Houston, this is no laughing matter! They may be trying to get inside information by deliberately getting caught by us!¡± ¡°No Orc is that clever you dummy. If anyone wanted to spy on us, they¡¯d have only sent Faeries.¡± The Orcs that Houston knew so well wouldn¡¯t bother with something as complicated as getting purposefully captured. If that Orc was able to and wanted to beat Judith and her subordinates, he would have already done so. He would have killed the men, and then proceeded to interrogate and rape Judith ¨C at the same time. Orcs weren¡¯t capable of sophisticated intel gathering maneuvers in the first place, let alone gather information by infiltrating the enemy. They could do some minor reconnaissance at best. Tracking the enemy¡¯s position, their number, the composition of their equipment, how many swords, if they had bowmen¡­ that sort of thing. Anyhow, the fact that he went along and let himself be arrested without a fight suggests that he isn¡¯t a stray Orc. He was most likely a regular, civilized Orc just trying its best to get along with Humans and respect the laws set by the Orc King. Orcs had a strong sense of community and belonging, and seldom travelled alone, so it wasn¡¯t common to hear about an Orc making his way through the world on his own¡­ but just like Humans, there were many kinds of Orcs. It wouldn¡¯t surprise Houston if there was an individual like that amongst them. Judith most likely just got impatient and jumped the gun¡­ ¡­is what Houston decided. [But the fact that he had a Faerie companion is certainly curious¡­] Back during the war, seeing Orcs and Faeries together meant something was up ¨C that an operation was underway. Even though they were now at peace, Houston¡¯s warrior instincts nagged at him from the back of his mind. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take a look,¡± Said Houston as he stood up. Chapter 4.2 Knight Commander Houston Last edited: 21/04/2021 The prison was located deep below the knight¡¯s quarters. Up until three years ago, it was a dreary, somber place, where prisoners of war were held and tortured. By the end of the war, it was so dirty, so filled with disease and sickness that Houston had refused to even take a step inside of it, even when asked. Nowadays, the place had been cleaned up and functioned as a detention center for petty criminals. You could smell a faint scent of fresh citrus drifting through the air. ¡°That¡¯s enough! Tell me why you¡¯re here! What¡¯s you purpose? Why were you going through those woods? Why¡¯d you come to Krassel? What¡¯s up with the Faerie?!¡± As he went down the stairs to the prison, he could hear Judith¡¯s voice echo through the stone-lined walls. The way she expressed herself, nobody could have guessed that she was just rookie knight. No Orc would respond to threats. They were extremely averse to being looked down upon ¨C even more so by a woman. Either way, this wasn¡¯t exclusive to Orcs either. Many men with nothing to hide would refuse to answer out of pride ¨C they wouldn¡¯t admit they were intimidated by a woman. Thought Houston as he laughed bitterly. Soon, the Orc would explode in anger, and say something along the lines of, ¡°If you want me to talk, then let¡¯s talk with our fists!¡± And given that that was very likely to happen, what¡¯s the point of even talking in the first place? Low-level intel was the most you could ever get out of an Orc. ¡°The purpose of my journey is private. To keep it brief, I¡¯m looking for something. I walked through the forest because it was faster. I¡¯ve come here, to Krassel, because I think what I¡¯m looking for might be here. The Faerie is an old friend. She knows why I¡¯m travelling and she¡¯s helping me out.¡± What he heard, however, was a firm, resolute, yet polite response. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Houston breathed out, Young, hotheaded Orcs were the ones who got easily riled up ¨C it also happens that most Orcs that found themselves on the wrong side of the law were young and hotheaded. True Orcish veterans, however, wouldn¡¯t care much for intimidation. To them, compared to the hellish cacophony of the battlefield, threats made during peacetime might as well be just regular conversation. Which begs the question¡­ Why would such a battle-hardened Orc be out here, out of his homeland, looking for something¡­? ¡°What are you looking for? Why are you looking for it?!¡± ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t tell you that.¡± ¡°Why not? That¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it? What the fuck are you hiding?!¡± Was it something that might be coveted ¨C and even stolen if people knew it existed? Or maybe was it something that would spell trouble if people knew that it had been lost? Houston thought of two possibilities. As he reached for the jail door¡¯s handle, he suddenly had a bad, bad feeling about all this. His guts churned, and the acidic stench of bile hit the back of his throat. [This voice¡­ it¡¯s¡­ familiar¡­] Houston¡¯s premonitions were always right. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that he had survived the war because of his gut instincts, [Maybe¡­ maybe I just won¡¯t go¡­] His heart felt heavy as he debated whether to open the door, but finally, his loyalty towards his duty won over his intuition. Even if he was conflicted over this whole thing, they were at peace now. It wasn¡¯t likely he¡¯d lose his life. And if he left Judith alone, she¡¯d only keep up a time-wasting charade of unanswered questions and useless answers. Houston hated waste. Making up his mind, he opened the door to the interrogation room. ¡°Judith, calm down. Don¡¯t overdo it, if this becomes a diplomatic issue, you¡¯ll be in troub¡­b¡­ble¡­ HYAAAAAAH!!¡± Houston unintentionally let out a silly, high-pitched screech. A shudder ran down his spine, his heart raced, and his legs screamed at him, telling him, no begging him to run away. His mind drifted back to a battle he had fought during the war, shortly after he had been promoted to Commander of the Anti-Orc Army. They were supposed to have won that fight. They outnumbered the enemy, and their strategy was flawless. However, the Alliance spearhead was unable to break through the enemy lines, and their troops were split up by subsequent flanking attacks. When they sent the reserves to the front, their headquarters were struck. Back then, he had wondered if the enemy had seen through their tactics, or if it was all just a coincidence. The group that attacked the headquarters was small in numbers, but they were well-trained elites. Houston could never forget one Orc in particular ¨C the Orc that had led the charge against them that day, who wielded a sword as wide as Houston¡¯s head was tall. That same Orc had easily snuffed the life out of his second-in-command ¨C a skilled swordsman himself. While is second-in-command was being ripped to shreds, Houston ran off as fast as his legs could carry him. When he finally made it back to base, in mostly one piece, he thought that maybe, just maybe this whole thing was just a nightmare. It was such a terrifying experience. But it wasn¡¯t a dream. Because dreams have an end. This hell did not. After that, he encountered the Orc many times on the field of battle. From Houston¡¯s point of view, the Orc always seemed to be aiming at him, trying to kill him. In fact, this was probably exactly what he was doing. If Houston, the Commander, could be taken out, it would be a huge hit to the Alliance army¡¯s morale. Houston had never even crossed swords with that Orc before. Every time he showed up, Houston just fled with all his might. After so many close calls, it was nothing short of a miracle that he was still alive. That Orc appeared no matter how unfavorable the battle was for his side. No matter how large the army, no matter how many powerful allies they fielded, he always showed up and fought like a madman, as if he didn¡¯t know the meaning of ¡°retreat¡±. Even when the Human Sage came to the battlefield, bringing along his dragons and turning even Daemons and Ogres in charcoal, that Orc stood his ground, gripped his sword tight and charged the scaled creatures without a second thought. Houston even grew to admire him. At some point, he even began to think that among the Orcs, who were supposed to be hideous, this particular individual was¡­ beautiful. Which is why Houston remembers it all so clearly. His conventionally green skin. His frame, which was on the smaller side for an Orc yet covered with dense, firm muscles. His hawkish, sharp eyes. His deep purple-blue hair. At first glance, he looked like any other Orc ¨C but there was no mistaking it. The only time Houston had come this close to him was during the signing of the peace treaty with the Orcs. No, back then, he wasn¡¯t even this close ¨C no, back then, he was about 20 meters away. Right now, he was at most five meters away. Houston was within his reach. Inside of his range. The Orc didn¡¯t seem to have his sword at the ready, but Houston knew¡­ He knew that this Orc could move as fast as the quickest Beast. That he could tear apart Dwarven blacksteel armor with his bare hands. He had seen all of it with his very own eyes ¨C there was no mistaking it. Back then, nobody believed him. But Houston¡­ Houston knew. That was how the former Commander of the Anti-Orc Army had met his end ¨C torn apart in a flurry of fists and steel. This Orc had earned himself many nicknames over the years: There were many more¡­ but all these terms ¨C all these names described a single man. And in Orc Country, his homeland, he was called: Bash, the Orc Hero. Sitting right there was the most dangerousYABE of all Orcs. Psst, enjoying my translations? Appreciate our favorite Orc¡¯s adventures? Consider throwing a coin my way through KO-FI. Chapter 4.3 Knight Commander Houston ¡°¡­¡± Looking closely at the situation, the Faerie that used to accompany Bash on the battlefield was there too, bound and tied up in a padded bag, laying on the table. Houston was familiar with this Faerie. After being taken deliberately taken prisoner by the enemy, she would use some kind of strange magic to inform Bash of her, and thus her captor¡¯s, position. Faeries were prized for the restorative properties of the dust they gave off, so they were rarely killed, even when captured. Taking advantage of the Humans¡¯ behavior, she would intentionally get trapped, giving her would-be-jailers a nasty green surprise. ¡°Zell, the Master Baiter BOOBYTRAP-BAIT ¡± is what they called her. ¡°Ju¡­ Judith¡­¡± His sense of duty towards his subordinates, who were attentively watching him, was the only thing holding Houston back from succumbing to his trauma and run away screaming. He was the Knight Commander of Krassel. He was the one at the head of all the knights and soldiers of the city. He was their leader. Moreover, he was proud of the fact that they looked up to him ¨C that they admired him. He didn¡¯t want to betray their trust. Besides, if you paid close attention, you would notice Bash didn¡¯t seem angry towards Judith. Those weren¡¯t the eyes of a murderous Human slaughtering monster. His expression was more akin to that of a good-natured old man listening to his grandchild¡¯s selfishness. It was incredible that an entity that brutal could make a face that gentle. He couldn¡¯t always be filled with an unquenchable thirst for blood just like he was on the battlefield, right? Yes, because the war was over. There was peace now. That was the impression that Houston got from Bash¡¯s eyes. But none of that changed the fact that they were dealing with Bash ¨C THE Bash. Taking a deep breath, Houston spoke to Judith with the utmost caution, mulling carefully over each of his words. ¡°Hey! What are you doing?¡± ¡°Oh! Sir, I was informed that an Orc attack had been reported in the Western Forest, and upon investigation, I found out that a suspicious Orc had recently entered the town. We immediately tracked him down to the inn where he was staying and put him under arrest. We¡¯re currently interrogating him.¡± ¡°Ah, I see¡­ Hmmm.¡± Houston immediately understood the situation ¨C there was no way this was a legitimate arrest. Bash wouldn¡¯t leave any witnesses. If he really wanted to not get caught, he would have already escaped. Even a hundred men wouldn¡¯t have sufficed to capture him ¨C let alone the Judith¡¯s tiny squadron. Why did Houston believe that? Because he had tried it before. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten him to give up most of his information, now all we need is to find out the goal of his journey! Hey! Spit it out, you fucking pig!¡± Grabbing Bash by his collar, Judith got all up in his face, threatening him. A chill ran down Houston¡¯s spine. ¡°Oh, no, no, no, no, none of that! Don¡¯t be violent!¡± His tone and attitude were absolutely pathetic. Why was that? Even in times of peace, there were situations that would definitely make someone angry. Like, for example, if you were taken to jail for no good reason, grabbed and jostled by a little girl who had never known war, who then proceeded to arrogantly threaten you. In other words, now was the time. He should be angry. ¡°I have nothing more to say.¡± But Bash was not angry. Rather than looking upset, his face was relaxed, his nostrils twitching once in a while. The citrus scent wafting in from various parts of the prison must have soothed his soul. Orcs were omnivorous. They would eat nearly anything but had a particular preference for fruit. Houston inwardly thanked his men for implementing the use of citrus scented oil in the prison, thinking about giving them a pay raise. ¡°Ahem¡­ Judith, please take your hands off of him, slowly back away, and come stand next to me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter sir? What¡¯s wrong? I can¡¯t believe Sir Houston, the Swine Slayer, would be so.. so timid!¡± ¡°AHHHH, no, no! Don¡¯t use that nickname!¡± Houston¡¯s nickname was of¡­ particular interests to the Orcs. Mentioning it while arresting a stray Orc would inevitably end up with him glaring at you, hatred burning in their eyes, cursing you, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re Swine Slayer! I¡¯ll kill you! Fuck, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± That¡¯s how much the name ¡°Swine Slayer¡± riled up the Orcs. Well, maybe they were just angry at being called pigs. ¡°What are you going on about, Sir Houston? Now listen carefully, swine. Let me tell you about Sir Houston¡¯s feats, you fucking pig. This right here, standing right in front of you, is the man who has slain the most Orcs during the war ¨C Commander Houston of the Anti-Orc Army! He could take care of a little porky Orcy like you with a hand behind his back and a finger up his nose. And¡­¡± ¡°Now listen here, you little pork! I¡¯ll have you know that Sir Houston was promoted to the position of Commander of the Anti-Orc Army and has been involved in numerous secret raids on Orc Country, and he has over 300 confirmed kills. He is trained in Dwarven molerat warfare and is the top swordsman in the entire Alliance armed forces. You are nothing to him but just another target. He will wipe you the fuck out with precision the likes of which has never been seen before on Vastonia, mark my fucking words. You think you can get away with hiding information from us? Here? In Human territory? Think again, fucker. As we speak he is contacting his secret network of spies across the country and your footsteps are being traced right now so you better prepare for the storm, maggot. The storm that wipes out the pathetic little thing you call your life. You¡¯re fucking dead, orcy boy. He can be anywhere, anytime, and he can kill you in over seven hundred ways, and that¡¯s just with his bare hands. Not only is he extensively trained in unarmed combat, but he has access to the entire arsenal of the Alliance combined military and he will use it to its full extent to wipe your miserable ass off the face of the continent, you little shit. If only you could have known what unholy retribution your little ¡°clever¡± I-have-nothing-to-say attitude was about to bring down upon you, maybe you would have told us what we wanted to hear. But you couldn¡¯t, you didn¡¯t, and now you¡¯re paying the price, you goddamn idiot. Sir Houston will shit fury all over you and you will drown in it. You¡¯re fucking dead, pig. Houston shouted. It was a cry for help, for mercy. A prayer, a wish for all of this to end. A plea, coming from the depths of his soul. ¡°Shut up! If you don¡¯t shut up right this instant, I¡¯m going to smack you! Now get your ass over here!¡± Judith was stunned by Houston¡¯s threat, and proceeded to hesitantly back away. Confused and embarrassed, she didn¡¯t get why she was being reprimanded all of a sudden. He¡¯d have to explain it to her later. But right now, he had to focus on Bash. ¡°Su¡­Haa¡­¡± Houston took a deep breath and looked towards Bash. As Judith stepped back, the Orc¡¯s eyes returned to their sharp, hawkish look. Houston¡¯s mouth quivered. ¡°Allow me to apologize for my subordinate¡¯s irresponsible actions. This idiot is in charge of solving the highway attack cases, but there¡¯s been a lack of progress lately, so she¡¯s in a hurry to produce results¡­ Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Houston Gayle.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Bash.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve known about you for¡­ quite some time.¡± ¡°You have?¡± ¡°It was only a couple of times, but we¡¯ve crossed paths during the war¡­¡± Hearing that, Bash started paying close attention to Houston¡¯s face. The Knight Commander wondered if he would suddenly recall who he was and strike. [No, he¡¯s supposed to be a rational Orc.] [Trust your judgment.] [If he really wanted to hurt us, my men would already be dead, laying in a pool of their own blood. Judith would have already been beaten and raped into unconsciousness, leaking a¡­ cloudy white substance from between her legs.] While mentally reassuring himself, Houston forced himself to smile. A wide, radiant smile. For the whole of his thirty years of life, he had never smiled at any Human like this, much less an Orc. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ oh, a Human Warchief?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I guess you could call me that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve missed you. It¡¯s been a while. How have you been?¡± Bash bared his fangs, his mouth open in a menacing snarl. But Houston, the Orc scholar, knew better. He knew that this ferocious expression was just a smile. Feeling some the tension leave his body, he finally relaxed a little, glad that proper conversation might be possible. ¡°This all happened because of my lack of oversight. I hope you can find it within yourself to forgive me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry.¡± Said Bash, seemingly irritated, regretfully looking over to Judith. Seeing this, Houston concluded that Bash was ¡°angry at Judith, but not enough to warrant murdering everybody.¡± That was the extent of his anger, even after being treated so poorly. He truly was a generous man ¨C a person with such immense patience couldn¡¯t be judged by the same standards as regular Orcs. Any other Orc would have already torn Judith to pieces. But! You never know when you might step on the tiger¡¯s tail. Houston spoke out in order to end the conversation as soon as possible. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to ask you a few questions. I promise this will be quick!¡± ¡°Again? How many times do I have to repeat myself?¡± ¡°Please just bear with me a tiny bit longer. Just one more time, please¡­!¡± Hearing that Judith had pestered the Orc warrior with the same questions over and over again and made him repeat himself, Houston glared at her with a bitter expression. Judith¡¯s face reddened, and she turned away, embarrassed. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Houston then asked Bash about the incident on the road in the western forest that Judith had reported. The answer, of course, remained the same. The carriage had been attacked by bugbears, and Bash had just walked by and chased them away. He had approached the woman, but only to get her consent for intercourse. The reason he didn¡¯t attack her was because in the name of the Orc King, sexual intercourse with another species without consent was strictly forbidden. Bash intended to abide by that law, so the notion that he had attacked anybody was nothing but a misunderstanding. Hearing his story, Houston nodded. Had it been a stray Orc saying this, or any other Orc for that matter, he wouldn¡¯t have believed it, even for a second. But this was Bash, the Orc Hero. And if he said he was just passing by ¨C he was just passing by. Honestly, Houston had been expecting this to be the case. If Bash had really attacked that carriage, there wouldn¡¯t be anybody left alive to even report on it. Houston knew better than anyone that running away from the Orc Hero was a life-threatening endeavor. If someone really wanted to escape from Bash, they¡¯d have to be both blessed with godly luck and prepared to sacrifice all their allies ¨C assuming those allies were heavily armed and armored. So, ¡°Alright, just one more thing¡­¡± This next question was of utmost importance. ¡°This¡­ thing you¡¯re looking for¡­ does the Orc King know about it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Houston put two and two together and drew a conclusion. It all started to make sense to him. Why was Bash here? What was the purpose of his journey? It was by command of the Orc King. Orc King Nemesis had given Bash some kind of order. And following that order, Bash set out on his journey. And the essential element of this mission was to ¡°search for somebody, or something¡±. ¡°Ah¡­ this is troublesome. I might need to involve the higher-ups in the government if it¡¯s of national concern.¡± ¡°This is a personal matter. I don¡¯t mean to cause you any trouble.¡± Apparently, this secret absolutely had to be hidden from the Humans. To warrant sending out a Hero like Bash, it had to be important. Was it something that would being many benefits to his nation if he could obtain it? Or something that would greatly harm them if left unchecked? At the very least, it was definitely a big deal to Orc Country. If it weren¡¯t, they wouldn¡¯t have sent out the Hero all on his own. It was most likely because of that same mission that Bash didn¡¯t cut down Judith and Houston right where they stood. If he killed Humans and caused an uproar, it would interfere with his mission. The problem was what that mission entailed¡­ ¡°I understand.¡± Making up his mind, Houston stopped thinking about Bash¡¯s quest. Maybe what he was looking for would be harmful to Humanity. ¡°That¡¯s all for now. I apologize for the inconvenience.¡± But this had nothing to do with him. He didn¡¯t want to put his life on the line by unnecessarily getting involved. Life was the most essential, yet fragile thing on the battlefield. Bash¡¯s arrest was all due to a gross misunderstanding. He then cooperated without making a fuss and explained his side of the story. That was that. Case-closed. In the meantime, or perhaps tomorrow, Houston would send a report back to the capital, saying, ¡°Bash, the Orc Hero, came to Krassel. He seems to be looking for something.¡± And then he would let the intelligence department deal with this whole thing. ¡°Hmm.¡± Bash nodded deeply, stood up, and began to untie Zell. ¡°Be careful on your way back. Oh, and don¡¯t forget anything.¡± Houston said, relieved that it was all finally over. A massive weight had been lifted off his shoulders. It was the first time he had ever spoken to Bash from up this close ¨C the Orc warrior turned out to be a heroic man with a big heart. But even though he was kind, Houston knew better than to stretch the limits of the Hero¡¯s patience. Houston knew a lot about Orcs, and thanks to his extensive knowledge, he also knew that there were innumerable aspects of Orcish life he was ignorant of. The best thing to do now was to send them home as quickly as possible, before anyone blundered and woke up a sleeping dragon. And after that, he would pray that the Orc-Faerie pair wouldn¡¯t cause any unnecessary commotion in town. [I¡¯m not even going to send soldiers to escort them.] [The lives of my men are important.] [I¡¯ll just stay out of it.] That¡¯s what Houston decided. He hadn¡¯t survived this long and endured so much hardship just to get killed during peacetime. Why would he go around courting death when the war was over? ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± However, Bash looked reluctant to leave as he was meticulously untying the Faerie. His gaze kept wandering towards Judith, who was watching him from afar. [Oh¡­?] Seeing the look on Bash¡¯s face, a sudden thought appeared in Houston¡¯s mind. Bash hesitated when he was told to go. Why? Why look at Judith? Was he angry with her? No, just a second ago he said that he wasn¡¯t. So why? What information did this Orc have on her? She¡¯s a knight¡­ She¡¯s in charge of a case in the Western Forest¡­ The highways¡­in other words! Houston let his hyperactive mind run at full throttle and made a conclusion. Hello everyone, BAD MACHINE here! Whew this chapter is a grind to translate. One part left, coming up tomorrow. This chapter will be the last release before next year, after which I¡¯ll be taking a long, well deserved break from translation. Hope you all enjoy! And as always, thanks for reading, and happy holidays! BAD MACHINE, out! P.S. pls gib money if you like my translations, KO-FI link is in the novel description. Chapter 4.4 Knight Commander Houston ¡°¡­Do you think the highway attacks have something to do with what you¡¯re looking for?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Bash froze. He looked puzzled, as though he hadn¡¯t understood what the Knight Commander had said to him. However, when Zell, who had been freed from her constraints, flew up to his ear and whispered something, he suddenly perked up. Then, with a mysterious smile on his face, he turned to Houston and nodded softly. ¡°Hmm¡­ Maybe so.¡± ¡°I knew it!¡± Houston grinned, overjoyed that his assumptions had been proven correct. His brain had never felt bigger. He had just come up with way to not only keep himself out of harm¡¯s way, but also avoid any turmoil in the city and ingratiate himself to the Orc Hero. Houston was no saint. He would readily let his greed take over if he could get obtain benefits ¨C especially if those benefits involved the deadliest Orc on the continent. ¡°Then let¡¯s have Judith cooperate with you. She¡¯s the one responsible for solving the highway attacks. If you want to investigate the case, it¡¯s best to let her help you.¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± Judith, who up to that point had been silently standing by the doorway, sulking, suddenly cried out. ¡°Wait, Sir Houston! Are you really going to make me work with this¡­ this creature that thinks only of raping women?¡± Stepping forward, Judith pointed at Bash. Looking at her finger, Bash gently replied, ¡°Non-consensual mating is forbidden by the treaty. I won¡¯t rape you.¡± Houston¡¯s was excited to hear that. As he recalled, Bash had never kidnapped a woman, even after slaying the rest of her comrades. The other Orcs would ignore orders and start raping women on the spot. As Orcs, there was no way that they wouldn¡¯t want to drop everything and copulate. It was just the way they were. But Bash¡­ Bash was going to obey to rules set by the Orc King to a fault. ¡°It¡¯s as he says.¡± ¡°No, no, no! This isn¡¯t right! You should know better than anyone, Sir Houston! Orcs are a disgusting species of repulsive creatures that hold no regards for other! You can¡¯t take the drivel that comes out of their mouths seriously! He¡¯s bound to reveal his true colors as soon as I¡¯m alone with him!¡± Hearing this, Houston grabbed Judith by her collar. ¡°That¡¯s enough out of you! This man here isn¡¯t some scummy stray Orc. He¡¯s the Orc Hero, Bash!¡± ¡°Huh? Who¡¯s that? Is he related to the Orc King or something?¡± Houston¡¯s head was spinning. Nobody who had ever served in the Anti-Orc Army was ignorant of the ¡°Orc Hero Bash¡±. But Judith only became a knight after the end of the war. It wasn¡¯t a surprise that she didn¡¯t know about him. ¡°¡­¡± The frustration rising inside of Houston made him want to scream. It¡¯s been three years since the war has ended. Nearly all of those who served during the conflict have retired from active service and returned home. They had moved on, content to live in peace. Most of the soldiers in this town hadn¡¯t experienced the war either. Many of them are aware of the existence of an Orc King but have never heard of Nemesis. Furthermore, there wasn¡¯t much trade between the Krassel and the Orc Country. Whether it was Judith or the soldiers under her command, they had only ever seen stray Orcs. And those rats were nothing more than spiteful criminals who had no intention of being civil¡­ It was no wonder that they didn¡¯t know of Bash. ¡°Listen, you might not know this, but this man right here is one of the most renowned and prominent Orcs out there. In normal circumstances, you wouldn¡¯t even be able to talk to him.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ eh? Really? Even though he¡¯s an Orc?¡± ¡°We¡¯re lucky that he seems to want to keep a low profile, coming here in secret, but if he got really angry, you¡¯d be mincemeat faster than you could say ¡°Orc¡±.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± Judith didn¡¯t seem to be getting the idea. Seeing this, Houston decided to change his approach. ¡°If you¡¯re the reason for a war breaking out with the Orc Nation, you¡¯ll be held accountable and sentenced to death. Do you really want to be guillotined right now? While we¡¯re at peace?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ but¡­ but, he¡¯s an Orc¡­ and¡­¡± Houston considered himself a coward and an opportunist. This self-assessment was based on the fact that he spent the entire war running away from Bash. Preserving his life was his number one preoccupation. His subordinates and comrades however, had a slightly different perception of him. To Judith and her team, Houston was the most ruthless and frightening man in the world. Therefore, his good-willed advice felt more like a threat than guidance¡­ Judith, still a relatively new recruit, couldn¡¯t help but tremble in fear. ¡°Hey.¡± But Bash didn¡¯t know that Houston meant well. The Orc Hero, who had stayed relatively quiet for most of the whole affair had just raised his voice for the first time, looking straight at the Knight Commander. ¡°Get your hands off of her.¡± Houston pulled his hand away and took a step backwards. It was as if nothing had ever happened. ¡°Yes? What is it?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Bash spent a moment, mulling over his words, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you ever get embarrassed ordering a woman around?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Houston¡¯s heart jumped as he heard those words. He had been illegally detained and interrogated endlessly. Even after the arrest was shown to be a mistake, the attitude of the female knight who had taken him into custody didn¡¯t change in the slightest; she still looked at him as if he were trash. There was no room for interpretation. There was no way he wasn¡¯t angry. Even so, he didn¡¯t show any sign of the rage that must have been boiling inside of him. If it were any other Orc, Houston would have laughed. It didn¡¯t matter if she was a woman or not ¨C she was his subordinate; it was none of his business, so he should stay out of it. Or he would have ignored their words completely. That was something a criminal would say after he had gotten caught but got full of himself after the circumstances took a turn for the better. But no. This Orc could kill everyone in the entire knight quarters in the blink of an eye. There was no need for him to ever try to communicate with words. If he wanted something, he could take it by force. He could make them see how vulnerable human beings are. Yet, he did not. Even though he had been this humiliated, and this mistreated, he kept his cool. Why was he going to such lengths? What drove him to suppress his fury? He could most likely see the bigger picture. His every move was calculated, all for the greater good of the Orc race. If he were to antagonize the Humans, he would be disobeying the orders issued by the Orc King. If Bash disobeyed the Orc King¡¯s, the bloodthirsty Orcs would imitate him. If that happened, it would start a war. By the signing of the peace treaty, the Orcs were already nearing extinction. If another conflict broke out, they would truly be wiped off the face of the continent. That is why he was so disciplined. Bash was a warrior willing to sacrifice his dignity for the sake of his mission, for the future of the Orc race, He had such immense strength, yet he was using it not only to his benefits, but for his people. What a tremendous man. The Orc Hero was more generous than he could have ever imagined. He was truly worthy. Bash¡¯s sheer magnanimity made Houston feel small and pitiful¡­ Certainly, from the point of view of such a noble individual, it¡¯d be shameful for anybody to treat a woman like that. As the Knight Commander of Krassel, but even moreso, as a man, he should be better than this. And so, Houston made up his mind. He steeled himself and got ready to step on the tiger¡¯s tail. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right¡­ I understand. In that case, I¡¯ll accompany you on the forest investigation.¡± Right at that moment, Bash¡¯s face twisted in annoyance just for a second, but Houston, too caught up in his admiration of the Hero, never noticed it. There it is everyone, the last release of the year! Whooo! Hi, BAD MACHINE here. Gosh I¡¯m glad to finally be done with this chapter, and I can¡¯t wait to get started on the next one! Some spicy developments coming up! Thank you all my readers for commenting and encouraging me, know that I really appreciate it. But most of all, thank you for reading! And with that, I¡¯ll see you all next year, Happy Holidays! P.S. pls donate if you enjoy my translations. You can click right HERE. Chapter 5.1 Tracking Before we start off this chapter, I¡¯d like thank my FIRST KO-FI supporters! Whoo! Thank you to an anonymous supporter and Boomhauer! I was dreaming. It was a memory from when I had just entered the war. Back when I was still fresh and inexperienced. That day, I was hiding in some bushes on the side of a dirt path. We were laying in ambush. I knew right away that this was a dream. This scene from my past has been coming back to me in my sleep a lot lately. ¡°Hey, guys, what kind of woman would you like to marry? To take as a wife?¡± Bullfit asked us while we were hunkered down behind the shrubbery. He had a deep, gnarly scar on his neck, stretching from the bottom of his left ear all the way to the edge of his right clavicle. He had been severely injured in a prior battle. Had his head been split from his shoulders, there would have been no way he¡¯d be here right now, fighting alongside us. But thanks to his hard Orcish skin and thick muscles, he got off with only a torn carotid artery. Even for an Orc with boundless vitality, the wound would have proven fatal if not properly treated. However, even grievously wounded, his fighting spirit hadn¡¯t been extinguished in the slightest. He kept on fighting, squeezing out every last ounce of his strength, turning the situation around and getting revenge on the one that had sliced his throat. But most importantly, he made it out alive. He told this story over and over again in the village¡¯s taverns, painting it as a heroic tale of hardship and survival. Well, it wasn¡¯t that far from the truth. He was a brave man. A true Orc Warrior. ¡°A strong-willed woman.¡± Big Den was amongst the largest of us. Orcish recruits tended to fight more with brute force and less with skill. And when it came down to a fight, size equaled strength. The bigger you are, the more wounds you can take and keep on fighting. The bigger you are, the heavier the weapons you could handle. The way he rampaged, swinging around his gargantuan two-handed club was the embodiment of Orcishness. He was the most promising of our generation, having gone through several battles without even a scratch. ¡°Yeah, a strong-willed woman would be nice. Ah, a female human knight would be good! Someone like the Great Warlord¡¯s wife.¡± Donzoi was missing the ring and pinky finger on his left hand. Wide, dark splotches of scar tissues covered his body from head to toe, remnants of severe burns. His first ever time on the battlefield, he had the misfortune of running into a wizard, who promptly sent torrents of red-hot flames his way. Had there not been a pond nearly, he would have died, incinerated. He¡¯s carried a water bag everywhere he went ever since, hanging it on his left wrist, behind his shield. Out of all the warriors our age, he was the most prepared. He thought of and prepared various countermeasures based on the enemy¡¯s race, and often kept various knick-knacks attached to his belt, like smoke bombs and fire bottles. More than once, his ingenuity and creativity saved the troops¡¯ lives. ¡°I getcha. The Great Warlord¡¯s wife has already given birth to three children, hasn¡¯t she? And she stills resists him. How nice. I still remember when he raped her in front of all of us¡­¡± Boulder was our captain. He was a Red Orc, his face bearing a cross-shaped scar. His arms were a size thicker than the other Orcs¡¯, which made him monstrously strong. He was extremely proud of his superorcish strength. Born from a Dwarven woman, he was dexterous and used a bow in battle. Composite bows designed for Orcish strength were monstrously powerful, so much so that an arrow launched from one could impale a horse to a tree or take down a flying wyvern. He got promoted to Captain thanks to his smarts, but just because he was born a Red Orc, he thought he was different and special. I thought he was kind of an arrogant asshole. ¡°I really want to get ahead in life and find myself a wife¡­¡± And me, I was the most skilled swordsman among us. At the time, I wasn¡¯t anything special. I was the smallest out of all of us. A plain, green, regular Orc. Sure, I wasn¡¯t the best out there, but I wouldn¡¯t hold them back either. ¡°Yeah, no shit. We all want a wife, idiot.¡± ¡°Huh? You wanna go?¡± ¡°Shh, they¡¯re coming¡­ Everybody quiet.¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience At Boulder¡¯s command, everyone fell silent. After a while, I heard hoofbeats coming from the distance. They seemed to be marching at a fairly slow pace and trying to silence their footsteps, but they couldn¡¯t fool or sharp Orcish hearing. We waited patiently for them until they were close enough. Until we could hear the horses¡¯ ragged breath. And then¡­ ¡°GRAHHHH!!¡± It was time. We sprung our ambush and charged down at them. The enemy had 5 mounted knights and 30 men on foot. It was a whole company. 35 of them and only 5 of us. We were completely and utterly outnumbered. But the thought of retreat never once crossed our minds. A fierce battle ensued. ¡­Big Den lost his life that day. Psst, enjoying my translations? Appreciate our favorite Orc¡¯s adventures? Consider throwing a coin my way through KO-FI. Chapter 5.2 Tracking Got absorbed in translating and managed to grind out another part. Next release coming next week. For real. no jokes this time. When he woke up, Bash found himself in an unfamiliar room. [Where am I¡­?] As the grogginess wore off, the previous day¡¯s events gradually came back to him. After the whole ordeal in the prison, he and Judith had agreed to work together to find out the truth about the highway attacks. However, the sun had already set by that point, so Bash was escorted to a private room in the fort, where he was to stay the night. [Krassel, huh?] He breathed a sigh of relief. At the same time, his mind was preoccupied, ruminating over the contents of his dream. [Ah, that did come up in our conversations back then, didn¡¯t it¡­] It was probably because of Judith, whom he had met yesterday, that he had dreamed about the war. A woman who came out of the blue. She had great talent and manners, and her body was toned and well built, most likely from many years of regular sword training. Her voice was so pleasant to his ears that he just wanted to hear her speak all the time. And best of all, she was a knight. Female knights were popular among Orcs. They were stubborn and had an unyielding spirit. Even when beaten and bruised, they never gave up. Orcs got off on the idea of forcibly impregnating such noble women, who has the mettle to resist long after being captured. ¡°If you wanted a bride, it has to be either a knight or a princess!¡± Or at least that¡¯s what they said back in his company. To Bash though, it didn¡¯t really matter whether his wife was a princess or a knight. From his perspective, it made no difference what the other party did for a living, so long as he could rid himself of his virginity. However, Judith was the very embodiment of the female knight that every Orc dreamt of. A part of him couldn¡¯t help but feel energized at the thought of losing his virginity to her. [Judith, huh¡­? Ah¡­ I¡¯m so lucky that fate brought us together¡­] ¡°Ah! Good morning, mister!¡± While Bash was all up in his feelings, Zell, who was sitting on the table grooming her wings, looked at him with a grin. ¡°You¡¯ve been pretty agitated all morning. Are you already thinking about impregnating that woman?¡± ¡°Well, yeah.¡± ¡°You know mister, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen your hard-on. It¡¯s pretty impressive!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Bash felt proud hearing that. For Orcs, there was no shame in being seen with a boner. On the contrary, it was a symbol of one¡¯s virility and should be actively displayed. To them, the second most satisfying compliment they could receive was admiration towards their size. The first, of course, was praise for their strength. ¡°That Judith girl is definitely a virgin! I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll squeal when you guys get into it!¡± Zell said lightheartedly, but she looked a little bashful. She was looking at Bash, smiling, yet her eyes her darting back and forth. ¡°But are you sure you¡¯re okay with that girl?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she a little too cocky? I mean yeah, she didn¡¯t know who you were and all, but still! She grabbed you, threatened you, and even looked down on you! You know, I¡¯m a pretty forgiving person, but even I got annoyed!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I like about her. She¡¯s got attitude.¡± ¡°Do you like strong-willed women, mister?¡± ¡°Yes. All orcs do.¡± Having said that, yesterday was the first time Bash had been so close or even talked to a resolute woman. Sure, he¡¯d probably met some before, during the war, but back then it was strictly business ¨C stabby, slashy business. Incidentally, the idea that a strong-willed woman was positive and a thing to be desired was just information he¡¯d gleaned from the gossip he¡¯d overheard among his Orcish compatriots. All the Orcs around him always said that they wanted a strong-willed woman. Bash just sort of followed along, and decided he also wanted a strong-willed woman. ¡°Hmm, is that so¡­?¡± Zell replied absent-mindedly as she collected the dust that had fallen from her body during the night and put it in a small bottle. Faerie dust had mysterious magical properties. If sprinkled on a wound, it would heal the injury, and if dissolved in water and drunk, it would revitalize you, restoring fatigue. If taken regularly for a few days, it would cure most diseases, and it would even clear up your skin. It was a so-called panacea. The Faerie Nation was also actively exporting this dust to the other races, should they want to purchase it. It was one of the Faerie¡¯s main industries, yet it was also the driving factor behind Faerie trafficking. Faeries were physically minuscule, and the amount of dust that could be harvested from a single one didn¡¯t amount to much. Furthermore, the dust lost its potency over time, so there was no shortage of Humans trying to poach Faeries in order to secure a source of fresh supply. ¡°Here you go, mister.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°It¡¯s thanks for saving my life! Oh, but when you uh¡­ use it, please do it somewhere I can¡¯t see¡­¡± Zell blushed as she handed the bottle over to Bash. Faeries were rather reluctant to give away their dust to others. To them, the substance was the same as bodily waste. Even thought they were a fairly easygoing race, they¡¯d couldn¡¯t help but get disgusted seeing others smearing their excrement on their wounds, and even worse, drinking it. Incidentally, most of the inhabitants of Faerie Country who weren¡¯t involved in the war have no idea where and how their dust is used. They¡¯d say, ¡°I heard that Humans use their own poop to grow crops? What a bunch of weirdos, right?¡± while laughing. Of course, Zell is a Faerie who had not only survived, but actively contributed to the war effort on the Federation¡¯s side. Sure, it was embarrassing to some extent, but she¡¯d come to terms with it. ¡°Alright.¡± Bash nodded and took the bottle. ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s saved my life many times.¡± Back when Bash was still a fresh-faced recruit, he¡¯d get injured in nearly every battle. He owed his survival to the Faerie dust¡¯s healing properties. And even in the latter stages of his participation in the war, when he was skilled enough to get out of every enemy encounter with barely a scratch, he¡¯d drink the dust to replenish his stamina and keep on fighting for days on end. He¡¯d most likely not need it any time soon. But to Bash, it was reassuring to have the Faerie dust at his disposition, just in case. ¡°Okie-dokie, let¡¯s go! We have a knight to seduce!¡± ¡°Yosh!¡± As soon as they were done getting ready, the pair left the room. Chapter 5.3 Tracking We¡¯re Sunday, so it¡¯s technically next week right? Here¡¯s a brand new release! The forest West of Krassel. A long highway ran between the trees. It had been built back during the war to improve the movement of troops and supplies from the Fortress City towards the frontlines and was named the ¡°Brixus Highway¡± after the general who ordered its construction. Further Westward, it split in two, one path leading to the Elf Nation and the other towards the Orc Country. It was a relatively narrow path, barely wide enough for two carriages rolling abreast, but as it was rarely used, it had never necessitated an expansion. Not many people ever had business in the Orc Country, and if anyone wanted to go to the Elf Nation, there were better, faster routes. Incidentally, Orcs generally didn¡¯t make use of roads and other similar transportation infrastructure, which is why Bash didn¡¯t go through this highway on his way to Krassel. Their sharp senses allowed them to retain their bearing even without clear landmarks, and their sturdy constitution allowed them to traverse rough terrain. Why would they need roads if they could navigate straight through the woods just as quickly? It was here, on the Brixus Highway that the first incident had occurred. A wagon was attacked by bugbears, and the merchant on board was killed. Getting assaulted by wild creatures was a common enough occurrence that it could be overlooked. Even though the war was over, it didn¡¯t mean that the creatures that attacked people had disappeared. Low-intelligence magical beasts still roamed around and occasionally targeted travelers and merchants. However, the frequency of the attacks in this area was strangely high. Which is why Houston, the Knight Commander of Krassel, had asked hunters to cull the local bugbear populace. Most of the time, these incidents occurred when the forest¡¯ magical beast population got too high and could no longer be sustained by natural food sources. Out of hunger, they would attack passersby to hopefully feed themselves. In which case, the solution was to simply bring the population back down to manageable levels. The hunters had gone out and eradicated a decent number of bugbears. It wasn¡¯t feasible to completely exterminate them from the Western forest but taking out several large herds would help in decreasing the intensity of the raiding. Usually, the matter would end right then and there. The assaults wouldn¡¯t disappear entirely, but they would happen less frequently. However, that wasn¡¯t the case. The attacks continued at the same pace even after the bugbears were culled. This was awfully irregular. Houston thought something was fishy about the whole thing, and sent Judith, a relatively new knight, to investigate. Although she was a newcomer, she had been knighted nearly a year prior. The Knight Commander thought she was ready to be entrusted with some real work. Judith was eager to start her investigation. He made some decent headway into the case, even though she was going in blind, and had gathered some rather interesting information. First, there weren¡¯t that many bugbears inhabiting the western forest. Even if the bugbears that were subjugated by the hunters were added to the total, there weren¡¯t enough of them to justify such a high frequency of attacks. Second, some of the freight belonging to the trader who had been attacked had vanished. The amount was small enough that the major merchant associations with whom the merchants were affiliated had to check their inventory lists to figure out that something was missing. Bugbears and other wildlife might steal goods out of curiosity, but in this case, it had happened too frequently to be a coincidence. From these two facts, Houston inferred that this was a man-made attack. Someone was raiding the merchants, making it appear as if bugbears were the perpetrators, and then making off with the merchandise. However, the culprit was never caught. The raids kept happening. But no matter how they looked at it, the trail kept leading straight back to the bugbears. Bugbears were intelligent and usually wouldn¡¯t approach caravans and carriages that had armed escorts, but it¡¯s been three years since the war ended, and there were now many new up-and-coming merchants traveling the land, not all of whom can afford guards. The only thing anyone could gather from the clues was that the robberies were caused by bugbears. With human lives at stake, the were no way she could use her men as bait in order to observe the attacks in real-time. Judith¡¯s investigation was at a standstill. Information she couldn¡¯t gather, a truth she couldn¡¯t see, a culprit she couldn¡¯t catch¡­ these were all making her feel troubled and frustrated. The fact that this was her first mission only added to her impatience. While Judith was racking her brains, pouring over the case, a report came in. A merchant had been attacked by an Orc in the forest. She narrowly escaped, but if she hadn¡¯t, she would have been raped. Judith pounced on the only lead she has had for days, yelling out, ¡°This is it!¡± and began looking into it. She discovered Orcish footprints at the scene, followed the trail and found that they led back to Krassel. After asking around for witnesses, she received intel that an Orc had entered the Fortress City. Further investigation revealed that the Orc was staying at an inn. At this point, she should have realized it was highly unlikely that this Orc was the criminal she was looking for, but she was blinded by her mounting frustrations. How she interpreted it was, ¡°What the hell, the highway bandits were in town this whole time! No wonder I didn¡¯t notice! It¡¯s always darkest under the lighthouse! Alright, I¡¯ll use this opportunity to round up all the thieves in town!¡± And so, she gathered up her men and went too to the inn, which led to Bash¡¯s mistaken arrest. ¡°So that¡¯s it. What do you think, Mister Bash? Bash was observing the scene of the crime. What he saw was a broken-down carriage and a dead draft horse, harness still attached, whose decomposing carcass was covered in flies and maggots. Going to-and-fro the area were various footprints, clearly indented in the dirt. There were three different types of footprints: the merchant¡¯s, Bash¡¯s¡­and countless bugbear tracks. ¡°¡­It¡¯s a bugbear attack.¡± Bash concluded after taking a look at the site. During the war, this happened often. Most of the time, the perpetrators were enemy soldiers, but occasionally, supply lines would get struck by wild creatures. Orcs, who were nearly all warriors, usually had no trouble fighting them off, but even then, if the monsters were numerous enough, they could be caught with their pants down. The scene in front of him looked just like that. ¡°Hmm, yeah, you¡¯re just an Orc after all. Are you still looking?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Judith snorted goadingly. Bash was a warrior. He was good at making things more deader, not¡­ this. All he could do was say it as he saw it. Still, he wanted to prove to himself and Judith ¨C mostly Judith, that he could find a lead. ¡°Yes, well¡­ First, there were no traces of any civilized races left behind except for the merchant¡¯s. The cargo was almost completely untouched. Even if the enemy was trying to cover this up, it¡¯s unlikely that they would take so little of the merchandise¡­ They also left the food and water behind. Were we still at war, we¡¯d dismiss this as a bugbear attack.¡± ¡°Right. So?¡± Bash kicked his brain into high gear. The only time he had used his noggin this much was when he had nearly been buried alive by the Dwarven army in the Alyosha Cavern. Back then, he had to use every resource, every scrap of knowledge and information at his disposal to get out of there alive. ¡°¡­If Humans did this, then they must have a purpose.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you; the whole point is to rob the merchants without leaving any traces that it was done by Human hands. If the authorities don¡¯t figure it out, then the perpetrators can prolong their banditry career. Gosh, Orcs are so stupid¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Bash glanced over at his Faerie partner. Back in the war, it was commonplace for Orcs to ask for advice from their Faerie allies, who usually had a wider worldview. Zell, who had been floating around the scene and taking in the clues, shook his head when he noticed Bash¡¯s gaze. ¡°Well, from this, all I can say is that it¡¯s a bugbear attack.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s it? Of course, that¡¯s it. Even a child could have figured that much just by looking. Listen, no matter how much we looked into it, we couldn¡¯t find anything else.¡± Judith was proud that the pair couldn¡¯t figure out more than she had, but also slightly disappointed. If a Faerie like Zell of all people couldn¡¯t reach a different conclusion, surely Bash wouldn¡¯t be able to. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s track it down.¡± ¡°Yeah! Good idea! Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go? What are you talking about?¡± Still pridefully puffing her chest out with her hands on her hips, Judith looked at them quizzically. ¡°What do you mean, tracking down? Track down what? The bugbears?¡± Judith asked, confused, a question mark hovering over her pretty head. ¡°Track them? What are you going on about? Bugbears are cunning, conniving creatures. Even our best hunters can¡¯t track them down.¡± Bugbears couldn¡¯t be tracked. That was the consensus among Humans. The beasts would cleverly cover their tracks and only defecate when they return to their nests. And when travelling to and from their homes, they would cross rivers and even through the treetops to hide their footprints. When Human hunters needed to kill bugbears, they would first need to lure them in with a special incense. The incense was made from bugbear blood and entrails, and when burned, it made them believe that their territory was being invaded, and they would swarm over to repel the intruder. Of course, you had to spread the scent in bugbear territory in the first place. ¡°¡­Huh? What do Humans do?¡± But that was just Human common sense. It didn¡¯t necessarily apply to the other races. ¡°What? Do Faeries do things differently?¡± ¡°No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Why would we Faeries do something as barbaric as tracking and hunting? Really? Bugbears? We don¡¯t even have those in Faerie Country. I mean, sure maybe some of us might chase after them for fun, but I don¡¯t personally know anyone who does¡­¡± Bugbears were magical beasts that did not originally inhabit Human controlled lands. They only began appearing here after the war. Why? Did the bugbears migrate? Even though they were fiercely territorial, and usually settled in a single area? No, no. It was because the Humans had seized a certain race¡¯s territory. Bugbears were only naturally occurring in that specific area. So, in which race¡¯s territory could the bugbears originally be found? ¡°If you¡¯re going after bugbears, you should go see an Orc. We¡¯ve been doing this for hundreds of years.¡± Yes, they were native to Orcish lands. Chapter 5.4 Tracking Woke up to not just one, but TWO of you crazy bastards throwing your money at me. Huge, HUGE thanks to my Ko-Fi supporters Reni2425 and Felipe. I hope I¡¯m properly conveying to you guys how much these donations mean to me. This shit is like pure motivation pumped straight into my veins. I got so motivated in fact, that I managed to grind out another damned chapter. Here it is! Magical beasts are vermin. Even if they were completely exterminated, they would still return if left unchecked, sometimes attacking fields and livestock. And if their numbers increased past the point that natural food supplies could sustain, they would even seek out and attack people. There weren¡¯t many differences between normal beasts and magical beasts ¨C just a single distinction: magical beasts would seemingly appear out of nowhere, naturally occurring in a set yet still not well understood cycle. In the past, magical beasts were classified differently. Any creature that actively attacked people unprovoked would be considered a magical beast. Which is why prior to the war, Orcs, Daemons and many other races that are now said to be ¡°civilized¡± were considered monsters. This information could be gleamed from ancient Human texts. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Bugbears are a species of magical beast, but to the Orcs, they were no different from any other wild animal. They didn¡¯t taste great, but they were big and numerous, and so they were an easy source of fresh meat. Therefore, Orcs often hunted bugbears. Hunting usually started at dawn, just before sunrise. They would return just in time for breakfast, bringing back some juicy bugbear steaks to toss on the fire. During the war, Bash regularly hunted bugbears. ¡°¡­¡± Bash was silently tracking the bugbear. It had been a long time since he had hunted, but habits die hard. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Bugbears were cunning, and rarely, if ever, left visible trails. They did, however, leave nearly imperceptible signs of their presence ¨C particularly the smell of their saliva on nearby trees. Orcs had a particularly sharp sense of smell. Their noses were especially sensitive to the odor of magical beasts. They could pick up on minute traces that Human hunters could never detect. When it came down to chasing down magical beasts using only their scent, it was said that Orcs were even better than Beastkin. Conversely, without an Orcish nose, it was near impossible to track down a bugbear. They were incredibly shrewd, carefully making sure to cover all signs of their presence. And even if you did find their traces, they were often unreliable. They would purposefully loop around and away from their nest, leaving footprints that would lead any would be tracker astray. ¡°I knew that orcs had an excellent sense of smell when it came to monsters, but this¡­¡± Houston marveled at Bash, who was nonchalantly leading them through the forest, hot on the bugbear¡¯s trail. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. Unlike the Beastkin, we¡¯re easy to fool. You would know.¡± ¡°Ha¡­Well, well¡­¡± Houston chuckled hearing Bash¡¯s reply. Sure, Orcs had an excellent sense of smell, but it wasn¡¯t all that precise. They could tell whether a particular odor was there, but they had a hard time distinguishing between similar scents. Taking advantage of this, during the war Humans had lured Orcs and led them into waiting ambushes. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience It was Houston, of course, who had originally come up with this strategy, and had even used to on Bash to try to trap and kill him. ¡°Anyhow, it looks like we¡¯ll be reaching the bugbear den pretty soon.¡± With Bash in the lead, the eight of them walked in unison, not including Zell, who was flying. Houston, Judith, and five other soldiers followed behind him. Those men were all Houston¡¯s close aides. They had been working under the Knight Commander even before the peace treaty, and of course, knew about Bash. Though, they were only low-ranking rank-and-file, and weren¡¯t as well versed in Orcology as Houston was. Sure, they had heard of Bash before, and even knew that he was the Orc Hero, but they weren¡¯t aware of the title¡¯s real importance. All they knew was that he was a scummy, extremely dangerous Orc that had previously rampaged through the battlefield. Right before their departure from Krassel, Houston had warned them, ¡°Look, I know he¡¯s an Orc, but he¡¯s got an official position among them. Think of him as¡­ an ambassador or something. No need to be too vigilant. He won¡¯t hurt us.¡± However, that didn¡¯t change the fact that Bash was still just as mysterious to them. They kept an eye both on their surroundings and Bash. Rather than feeling fear towards him, they were curious, wondering why Houston was so lenient towards an Orc. ¡°What¡¯s going on with Sir Houston¡­? He usually despises Orcs¡­¡± ¡°Man, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­Maybe something happened with that Orc during the war.¡± The soldiers whispered between themselves, interpreting Houston¡¯s strange new attitude in their own way. ¡°Something? What does something mean? Did he befriend him? An Orc?¡± Updated from novelhall[.]com ¡°Well, we¡¯re talking about ¡°Houston the Swine Slayer¡± here, right? I can¡¯t read minds, but if the ruthless Knight Commander of all people is buddy-buddy with an Orc, something special must have happened.¡± ¡°I mean, there are good guys among the Harpies and Lizardmen too. It wouldn¡¯t be that strange if there were nice Orcs out there, would it?¡± ¡°I guess so¡­ Yeah, that Orc does seem to be different, doesn¡¯t he?¡± The soldiers were gradually warming up to Bash, all except one: Judith. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± She was the only one was still disdainfully looking at Bash, staring holes into the back of his head. ¡°!¡± Bash suddenly turned around. Judith hurriedly tried to avert her gaze, but then realized she had nothing to feel guilty about. Thinking that she would lose in this battle of wills if she looked away, she kept her eyes firmly on the Orc. Bash looked straight back at Judith, his stern face not betraying a single glimpse of emotion. For a moment, the pair looked deep into each other¡¯s eyes. Judith squinted, furrowing her brows, as if she was challenging the Orcish Hero to a staredown. She thought that if she showed any sign of weakness, Bash would get full of himself. ¡°Huh.¡± But unexpectedly, as if he saw straight through her shallow emotions, Bash looked away. As he turned to look straight ahead, he was smirking as if to say, ¡°Good grief¡­¡± [What!?] Judith understood. She was being made fun of. Bash must have been thinking that this was childish, and not worth his time. [He¡¯s making fun of me!] Of course, Bash had no such intentions. Faerie¡¯s Guidelines for Attracting Humans 101 ¨C Seducing for Dummies¡±, lessons 4 and 5. He was applying his recently acquired skills: the ¡°Smoldering Gaze¡± and the ¡°Enigmatic Smile¡±. As Zell put it, Human woman were vulnerable to the male gaze. They were especially weak to mysterious men. Updated from novelhall[.]com Even better would be a man who was both enigmatically smiling while looking at her with a sexy stare ¨C that would be sure to make her heart skip a beat! However, this didn¡¯t seem to apply to Judith. ¡°What is it, Sir Bash?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­We¡¯re getting close.¡± At these words, Houston put on his game face and raised his fist. At his signal, all the soldiers halted in unison. The clattering of steel-on-steel rang out once, and then nothing. Even with their heavy armor on, Houston¡¯s soldiers were able to maintain a silent, upright posture. These were men who had survived for years on the battlefield, where sometimes making a sound would mean their death. ¡°Alright. Judith, silence us.¡± ¡°¡­Yes sir.¡± Houston ordered, and Judith reluctantly unsheathed the wand at her waist. She chanted a spell and cast soundproofing magic on each soldier. In order to cast this kind of auxiliary magic, you had to physically touch the target. Naturally, Judith hesitated when it came time to apply the spell on Bash. But she couldn¡¯t show any lack of determination in front of her boss. Her first assignment had nearly been a terrible failure ¨C she couldn¡¯t afford to lose anymore of his trust. She couldn¡¯t let her emotions get the better of her. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Her face contorted with disgust, she put her hand on Bash¡¯s bare shoulder. ¡°Ohfu~¡± At that moment, Bash involuntarily let out a peculiar sound. Judith shuddered at his sudden outburst. ¡°Eh¡­?¡± ¡°Ah, sorry, it¡¯s nothing. Your hands were cold.¡± Bash managed to come up with a reasonable reply. Of course, what truly happened was that he was overcome by emotion, feeling the softness of a woman¡¯s hand for the first time. He wanted to embrace her on the spot, to hold her in his arms. Updated from novelhall[.]com But he held back. He didn¡¯t need Zell to tell him that Human women wouldn¡¯t appreciate that. This is especially true for strong-willed women. During the war, he had seen his Battalion Captain carrying a woman around with him, and she had gone half-crazy and wildly flailed around when he had done nothing more than grab her. He most likely didn¡¯t intend to mate with her at that time, and the hug was just for fun. The Orcs around him laughed at it, but judging from her frenzy, that probably wasn¡¯t the way the Humans saw it. If anyone did that in today¡¯s world, it would be considered non-consensual sexual relations. Therefore, Bash sharpened his mind, focused on his controlling his instincts and held back his snorting. Lesson 6: Men who snort too much are unpopular. Orcs got excited prior to a battle or when near a woman and expressed themselves by snorting, but Human females didn¡¯t appreciate that. To them, it looked barbaric and savage. As he repressed his urges to sniffle, his body began emitting a dark glow. It was the sign that the magic had taken hold. ¡°All right, let¡¯s scout out the area first.¡± As soon as Houston suggested this, Zell flew out with a whoosh. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the reconnaissance! I¡¯ll even dive into Mount Buffer¡¯s crater!¡± She said as she whirled off into the depths of the forest, not even waiting for a reply. ¡°I¡¯ll be back before sunrise!¡± she yelled, flying away. ¡°¡­Well, if we leave it to Zell, everything should go just fine.¡± Houston knew about Zell¡¯s capabilities. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience That Faerie could instantly find the enemy camp, no matter how well hidden it was. She would then penetrate deep into enemy lines and proceed to call Bash, who would show up and destroy everything. She was a true expert in reconnaissance and infiltration. The Knight Commander fully acknowledged her skill. ¡°So¡­ it¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait here for now, until Miss Zell returns.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Bash nodded, yet he looked slightly bitter. He knew. Zell would almost always manage to find the enemy. But at the same time, there was a 50-50 chance that the enemy would notice and catch her in the act¡­ ¡­And sure enough, Zell never came back. Bash trying to use the ¡°Smoldering Gaze¡± and ¡°Enigmatic Smile¡± ¨C circa 3 Anno Pax, colorized. Chapter 6.1 Booby-Trapped Bait Zell Merry Tuesday ya beautiful bastards! I know I said two chapters a week, but uhh¡­ just consider that last one a bonus, alright? coming next week. For real this time. I promise. First, big, BIG thanks to my latest Ko-Fi contributors, Ever, kirindas, first last, and¡­ the #1 Zell fanboy himself, 50% chance of hotglue! Second, more thanks to my fellow Foxaholic translators chocolala and barebones, for always being there and helping me out with some of the harder translations! If you¡¯re on the Discord, please send some love their way (tell them I sent you), or better yet, check out their work right here on the site! Our favorite Faerie has a lot of screen time this chapter, hopefully she doesn¡¯t get covered in adhesive. Enjoy! Faeries, being so small and nimble, made for the best scouts. At least it would seem like it, but truth is, they weren¡¯t that great. They physiologically had a tendency to faintly glow. It was fine in the daytime, but at night or in dark forests ¨C like the one they were in right now, they would stick out like sore thumbs. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Generally, it was fine even if they did stand out ¨C they flew quickly and were agile enough to slip away from any would-be pursuers. The largest issue was that Faeries, being the airheads they are, tended to forget their very own nature. It was like hiding your head without covering your ass. Faeries would try and use the cover of darkness to sneak around, blissfully unaware that they themselves were a source of light and end up being spotted and caught. Fortunately, Faeries were rarely killed, even when captured. Most people kept any Faeries they detained alive to harvest the dust their bodies gave off, while other more superstitious individuals thought that killing a Faerie would earn you a one-way ticket to hell. Truthfully, Bash didn¡¯t have much hope for the Faerie¡¯s reconnaissance operation. If she came back safely, then good, that was that. When it came to Zell, she wouldn¡¯t be caught if the only thing she was dealing with was bugbears, and if she got caught by a person, then she definitely wouldn¡¯t be killed. If she ended up getting captured, Bash would just have to follow Zell¡¯s trail, just as he had done during the war. And, as expected, she didn¡¯t come back. ¡°Looks like she got caught.¡± Bash and the others had followed Zell¡¯s scent to a small densely forested area. In front of them was a cave whose entrance was cleverly camouflaged with vines, leaves, and roots. If they hadn¡¯t been told that there was a cave right there, Houston and the other Humans wouldn¡¯t have noticed it. ¡°This looks like a man-made operation. Seems someone is controlling the bugbears.¡± ¡°A beast tamer?¡± One of the many applications of Daemonic Secret Arts was controlling magical beasts and monsters. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Initially, only the Seven Races Federation had access to this technique, but over the course of the long war, it was analyzed, and its use eventually spread to all nations. It became so well-known and studied that a Human Sage managed to use it in order to control a gigantic Dragon. With the end of the war and the signing of the peace treaty, many former soldiers found themselves unemployed and either unable or unwilling to abandon their former profession and skills. It wasn¡¯t hard to believe that some ex-military Beast Tamers had turned to banditry to earn a living. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s go in right away! We¡¯ll rescue the Faerie, kill all the bugbears, and arrest the Beast Tamer! Isn¡¯t that right, Sir Houston?¡± Judith insisted. If someone was trapped, they should rescue them ¨C it was just the natural thing to do. ¡°No, we should wait until nightfall.¡± But Houston was having none of it. ¡°We don¡¯t know the layout of their hideout. We don¡¯t even know how many of them there are in there. If we go in unprepared, we¡¯ll all be killed. At the very least, we should wait until it gets dark, so we have some cover.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The target was a cavern. A location that might possibly be the enemy¡¯s home base. Going by the book, the right thing to do should be returning to the city and calling for reinforcements. With 20 to 30 men in tow, they¡¯d surround the cave and smoke them out ¨C literally, and capture or kill them once they inevitable try to flee to avoid asphyxiating. At least that¡¯s what Houston would have done were it a normal situation. But right now, one of their allies was being kept captive. Nobody knew how the robbers would treat prisoners. They had been extremely careful up until this point. If they found out about the assault team coming their way, they¡¯d first think about ridding themselves of any ¡°unnecessary baggage¡±. That said, it was unlikely that Zell would be killed right away. Zell was a single Faerie, seemingly travelling solo. Unless she slipped up and confessed, the assailants wouldn¡¯t be aware that she had comrades nearby. And she wasn¡¯t just any Faerie either. She was a seasoned veteran. She wouldn¡¯t let them know any important information that easily. In which case, it was reasonable to assume that the robbers would bottle her up and keep her as a supply of Faerie dust. Of course, if it were up to Houston, he would have operated differently. He would see the Faerie wandering in as a sign of things to come, promptly kill her and immediately flee the cave. But the robbers seemed to be doing pretty well for themselves. When things are rolling along nicely, it was difficult to take the slightest roadblock as a warning that you need to drop everything and run. However, they couldn¡¯t remain optimistic. If Zell¡¯s flippant and light-heartedness was anything to go by¡­ She might go, ¡°Screw you guys! My friends will come save me in no time! Krassel¡¯s tip-top bestest security! You guys are going to get caught and chop-chop! Off with your heads!¡± If that happened, then it would be a different story. At first, they would probably snicker at that statement. After all, those were just the words just a dumb, overly talkative Faerie. Nothing more than a walking (but mostly flying) medicine cabinet. But that would only last until tomorrow¡¯s dawn. After sleeping on it, they would realize the gravity of the situation. And when the sun was finally high in the sky, Zell¡¯s life would be gone, and the raiders would have long since fled. These bandits were meticulous and careful enough to have avoided detection by Krassel¡¯s troops up till now. That¡¯s what they¡¯ll do. To be honest, Houston would be fine with this conclusion. The highway incidents would cease, and Krassel¡¯s peace would be restored. Only, right now, he¡¯s was in front of his men. Zell wasn¡¯t his subordinate, but it wouldn¡¯t be a good look to abandon a prisoner right here, right now. And even more importantly, he was in front of Bash. Houston didn¡¯t have the courage to just turn his back on the Orc Hero¡¯s precious friend. Therefore, he was going to conduct a rescue mission with his currently available forces. It would be even worse if he wasted his men¡¯s lives, so he decided to conduct a night raid to increase the mission¡¯s success rate. If Zell hadn¡¯t kept her mouth shut, the bandits would start getting nervous. They¡¯d be bracing themselves for an enemy attack right about now. But their tension wouldn¡¯t last forever ¨C they had to sleep eventually. By waiting a few hours, Houston and the others would be able to catch them off guard. If the Faerie was still alive, doing this should increase her chances of making it out in one piece. ¡°Is this alright, Sir Bash?¡± Houston decided to ask for Bash¡¯s opinion. He had the strength to rush in alone and annihilate all the enemies inside. Updated from novelhall[.]com In which case, Houston and the others would not even need to participate. If that was the case, why not just go in right away? Houston was a caution man. He didn¡¯t want to rely on an uncertain factor. Of course, if Bash disagreed with Houston¡¯s plan and wanted to go in, he would follow along. ¡°¡­It¡¯s alright.¡± But Bash replied after a moment of silence. Judith voiced her displeasure at his response. ¡°Huh¡­? What are you waiting for? Your friend is being held captive! Aren¡¯t Orcs supposed to be brave warriors that fought with courage no matter the odds?!¡± ¡°Yes, we fight no matter how disadvantageous the battle. But Orc warriors also obey orders. What the Commander decides, I follow.¡± It was only in the early stages of the war that the Orcs would repeatedly launch themselves into the fray, without a plan and with only the strength of their arms to rely on. After a while, they began using ambushes, nigh raids, divide and conquer, battlefield assassinations, scorched-earth tactics, striking at the supply lines, and even flooding frequently used paths and roads. All these actions were in accordance with a commander¡¯s orders. Ironically, it was the Humans who taught military organization to the Orcs over the course of the hundreds of years of war. Although they couldn¡¯t move as sophisticatedly and precisely as Humans, Orcs could still think and act. Otherwise, military hierarchical ranks such as Platoon Leader, Company Commander, and Battalion Captain would never have been created. Moreover, Orcs had a law: ¡± When in another clan¡¯s village, obey that clan¡¯s leader.¡± In other words, Bash was a true Orc warrior, and he was going to think of Houston as his commander. ¡°Besides, Zell will be fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re basing that on¡­ Argh, we don¡¯t have time to talk about this! Sir Houston, please, give me the order. I¡¯ll lead our soldiers, and the six of us will go in and kill everyone inside!¡± Houston stroked his chin as both Bash and Judith looked to him. ¡°Hmm ¡­¡­ Judith is right, I do fear for Lady Zell¡¯s life. Sure, it¡¯s often said that Faeries won¡¯t be killed, but that¡¯s not an absolute. Do you have any reason to believe this?¡± ¡°She survived the war.¡± Houston mulled over Bash¡¯s brief words. Even Faeries die when they are killed. But Zell was a Faerie that had been caught a tremendous number of times during the war And yet, she survived. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience At first glance, it would seem like she was just incredibly lucky. But¡­ Houston didn¡¯t think so. You can find a lot of people who have been caught by the police. The Knight Commander was aware of multiple instances in which the Human forces had taken her captive. Now, if you included the times she was captured by the other factions in the Alliance, it would amount to quite a large number. An ordinary Faerie would most likely have died a hundred times over. But Zell was still merrily flying around to this day. This wasn¡¯t just chance. ¡°I see¡­ Yes, she¡¯s ¡°Booby-Trapped Bait Zell¡± after all. I¡¯m not entirely convinced, but let¡¯s hope for the best.¡± Zell¡¯s was famous in her own right. She had even earned herself a nickname ¨C that¡¯s how active she had been in the war. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Regardless of if she truly lived up to them, she definitely had a modicum of skill. ¡°Alright, everyone standby on my orders. We¡¯ll keep an eye out on the cave from outside the ineffective range of the soundproofing magic, and strike when they¡¯re asleep.¡± Houston had decided to wait and see. Judith was still not convinced. ¡°Please, Sir Houston!¡± ¡°Hmm? Yes?¡± ¡°One of our allies is being held captive right now!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, which is why I¡¯m taking every possible precaution. We don¡¯t have time to go back and call for backup, so we¡¯ll mount a night attack with everyone here.¡± ¡°We should go in now!¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience ¡°No, it¡¯s too dangerous. Stand by.¡± Houston sternly replied. Judith¡¯s shoulders slumped as she backed off. But she still looked dissatisfied. Her boss was putting more weight on Bash¡¯s words than her own, and if things kept going this way, he¡¯d take all the credit for solving this case. Houston thought that she was probably unhappy about that. [I guess it can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s her first real mission after all.] Although he felt that way, he was now in command. The moment he had announced that he would accompany her, it was no longer Judith¡¯s mission alone. Although he had taken command of the case halfway through, he would make sure that all his men returned alive and the case was solved. These were Houston¡¯s intentions. ¡°Okay, so one of us will be on watch duty while the rest of us get some sleep¡­ Bash, is that alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll follow the commander¡¯s orders.¡± Bash replied, leaning his back against a nearby tree and closing his eyes. ¡°Alright, then. Jet, You¡¯re the lookout. If anything happens, wake me up.¡± There were five hours left until sunset. At which point he would let the sentry go to sleep and assign another soldier to guard the entrance. Those two would be backup. The rest would go in. He would left those two behind just in case he needed a messenger to go back to town and tell the deputy commander what had happened ¨C for example, if enemy reinforcements arrived in the middle of the night or if Houston and the others were wiped out. Normally, it would be Houston himself who would take on this role. Judith was the field commander. As the chief executive, Houston had to play it safe. However, in front of Bash, he couldn¡¯t afford to stay safely in the rear. He had to join in on the assault. ¡°¡­¡± But Houston had forgotten. The soldiers, however, hadn¡¯t failed to remember that Judith was still a novice, having been knight for only a year. She was knighted after the war and had only worked as one in times of peace. And he didn¡¯t notice. He didn¡¯t realize that his subordinates were trying to give that a new knight a good boost ¨C a kickstart to her career. They were a little frustrated with Houston, who was careful and cautious, putting a lot of weight on the Orc¡¯s words¡­ Chapter 6.2 Booby-Trapped Bait Zell Whew, been a rough couple of days hasn¡¯t it? News cycle has been abuzz with all kinds of shit, good and bad. Don¡¯t worry peeps, BAD MACHINE here to deliver you your weekly dose of Orcish goodness. Take your mind away from all the hustle and bustle and enjoy this new release. BEEEEG thanks to my most recent Ko-Fi supporters, anijam and the man, the myth, the legend himself, Chad Orc-san! Thanks for reading everyone, and stay safe! Conclusion to chapter 6 coming tomorrow. Meanwhile, Zel was desperately begging for her life. ¡°Really, I was just passing through! While I was traveling alone with just the clothes on my back, I found a cave that looked nice. I had no idea it was your home, and I apologize from the bottom of my heart for intruding. I¡¯m really, really, really, really sorry that I disturbed you. I¡¯m a Faerie, so I can make powder. Powder! Everyone likes powder, right? Fairy dust!¡± Just as she entered the cavern, naturally, Zell got caught, and had kept on saying similar things the whole time while surrounded by vicious looking criminals. The bandits looked puzzled. They had noticed an eerie glowing light flitting around the cave, and when they finally caught it, it began begging for its life for a whole hour. The bandits, who were used to hearing captives beg for their lives, couldn¡¯t help but pity her as she was bound in a tiny bamboo mat and crawled around like a caterpillar, and even kissed the bottom of their feet. While it wasn¡¯t very well known, but prior to teaming up with Bash, this Faerie was known as ¡°Zell the Beggar.¡± She had also been caught by the infamous ¡°Faerie Eater Gordon¡±, who ate all the Faeries that entered his grasp, and made it out alive. Her begging induced pity in all that heard it. It was one of the many techniques that had allowed Zell to survive the war. ¡°Well, I guess we don¡¯t really need to kill Faeries, do we?¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess¡­ there¡¯s the dust too.¡± ¡°No way I¡¯m doing it. Don¡¯t wanna get cursed.¡± The bandits looked to each other as they said this. These hairy, burly, unkempt men were all humans. It was said, since long ago, that taking a Faerie¡¯s life would curse both you and all your descendants. Considering the fact that the dust emanating from their bodies cured disease and injury and that she posed little to no danger on her own, there was no real reason to kill her. ¡°So, hey, how about you untie me and let everyone shower in my dust, huh? Doesn¡¯t that sound good? Happy, happy powder for everybody!¡± ¡°Are you stupid? No way I¡¯m freeing you.¡± Unfortunately, Zell remained as locked up as ever. Faeries are ephemeral creatures. The members of this gang weren¡¯t idiots. They knew she would flee the instant the ropes came off. When a Faerie was caught, it was kept in a cage or a jar, their dust collected for years to come. That was the usual way they were treated. Updated from novelhall[.]com ¡°No, really! You should untie me! The dust comes out better when I¡¯m not all bound up like this! Seriously, I produce so, so, so much of it, that back home, they used to call me ¡°Powder Blower¡±! I swear!¡± Zell was aware of this. Which is why she was desperately trying to appeal to them and not be restrained any longer than necessary. Well, most of the time, it didn¡¯t work out. ¡°Hey. What¡¯s going on here?¡± A loud, baritone voice echoed out from behind the bandits. They all turned around in unison. ¡°Boss!¡± They sounded happy. As a few of the brigands gave way, this ¡°Boss¡± figure came into Zell¡¯s sight. The bandit they called ¡°Boss¡±. She had wondered what kind of nasty man this ¡°Boss¡± was, and sure enough, he was one vicious looking motherfucker. He had thick, muscular arms, a wide, toothy mouth, and sharp, piercing eyes. He wore a worn-out leather vest and a necklace adorned with skulls hung around his neck. A macabre ensemble with no sense of cohesion nor fashion. And amongst all of this, his most distinctive feature was the color of his skin. Green. And to top it all off, two long, sharp fangs protruded upwards out of his lips. Yes, this ¡°Boss¡± was an Orc. ¡°Ah¡­ah!¡± As soon as Zell saw this Orc, she felt a glimmer of familiarity tugging at her from the back of her mind. A foggy, fuzzy memory. She couldn¡¯t recall his name. But the fact that she remembered anything at all meant that they had met during the war. ¡°Chief! Hey Chief! It¡¯s been a long time! It¡¯s me! I¡¯m Zell! Zell the Faerie!¡± As a side note, Zell wasn¡¯t very good at remembering people¡¯s names or faces. The only Orc she could identify without fault was Bash. The others she could only vaguely put a name to. Of course, she couldn¡¯t remember the name of the Orc in front of her. Updated from novelhall[.]com As so, she called most of them either ¡°Chief¡± or ¡°Big Bro¡±. ¡°Huh? You¡¯re one of Bash¡¯s buddies, aren¡¯t you? What are you doing here?¡± And Zell was famous. Nobody was unfamiliar with the Faerie that followed Bash the Hero throughout the battlefields, especially among the Orcs ¡°Oh, no, no, no, listen to me Chief! After the war was over, I got bored and started travelling around the world. And then I came across this cave. And I told myself, ¡°wow, what a nice cave!¡±. And it smelled like treasure! And then I went in, but it turns out it wasn¡¯t the smell of treasure, just the stench of stinky, unwashed thieves! Please help me Chief!¡± Zell jumped up and down, flopping like a minnow out of water, struggling to come closer to him. She looked absolutely miserable, but from the perspective of this ¡°Boss¡± Orc, she was also a comrade-in-arms. He couldn¡¯t even count the number of times he¡¯d been saved by Bash and this tiny Faerie. ¡°Alright, alright¡­ untie her, I know her.¡± ¡°Are you sure? Faeries are known for being loudmouths. We can¡¯t let anybody know we¡¯re here¡­¡± The Orc¡¯s ugly face twisted as he looked at the reluctant bandits. Bringing his face closer to Zell, he slyly whispered. ¡°Hey, us being here is a secret. Don¡¯t tell anyone, okay?¡± ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t tell anyone! Don¡¯t worry! Have I ever told anyone any secrets before?! Nobody has ever made me crack! Nobody! I¡¯ve got the stiffest lips around! If I was that much of a blabbermouth, Mister Bash would have already died a thousand times over and they¡¯d have build a nice memorial statue for him back in Orc Country!¡± This was technically the truth. She often divulged things that weren¡¯t secrets. But then again, which pieces of knowledge were considered secrets, and which weren¡¯t were up to her own discretion. Which is why she¡¯s never leaked a secret. ¡°Hey, free her.¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± The bandits seemed to have some reservations about the Boss¡¯ words, but finally, they relented and untied Zell¡¯s bindings. The instant the Faerie was freed, instead of making a mad dash for freedom, she fluttered midair in front of the Orc brigand. ¡°Thank you so much for helping me out! That¡¯s the Chief for ya! But hey, Chief, what are you doing out here with a bunch¡¯a Humans?¡± Her task was to gather information. No matter how free-spirited she was, she hadn¡¯t forgotten her job. ¡°Eh, what the hell, I¡¯ll tell ya. Nemesis wants to be buddy-buddy with the Humans. And I thought, ¡°what good is an Orc if he can¡¯t fight?¡±. Fuck that. So, I left on my own. And then I met these guys, and we hit it off.¡± The bandits chuckled as the Orc looked around, ¡°At first I thought that this wouldn¡¯t work. I¡¯m an Orc, they¡¯re Human. But turns out there are people from other races that feel the same way.¡± ¡°Whoa, so all these people here are just warriors looking for a fight, huh! Do you guys kill everyone you see? A Destroyer Army?!¡± ¡°Yeah! Well¡­ that¡¯s what we¡¯d like to do, but it wouldn¡¯t work. Right now, I¡¯m slowly accumulating power so that nobody, neither Orc or Human, can find out. And when I¡¯m strong enough, I¡¯ll begin the full scale activities!¡± ¡°Ohh! That¡¯s the Chief for ya!¡± While pretending to be impressed and surprised by the Orc¡¯s declaration, Zell floated around, pondering on how to get out of here now that she got what she needed. She then noticed several large silhouettes, deep in the darkness of the cave, their eyes glinting in the shadows. ¡°Hey! There¡¯s something down there!¡± ¡°Heh, it¡¯s not a thing. Did you forget? I¡¯m a Beast Tamer!¡± His words reminded Zell of the Daemon¡¯s Secret Arts. A strange technique, slightly different from standard magic. A dark power that could be utilized even by non-mages. A method to cloud one¡¯s consciousness and bend them to your will. Which you could use to, for example, manipulate low-intelligence magical beasts¡­ ¡°You¡¯re controlling bugbears!¡± Right at this point, the Orc¡¯s identity tumbled out from the depths of Zell¡¯s tiny brain. This Orc¡¯s name was Boggs. One of the eight surviving Battalion Captains. Boggs the Beastmaster. The hundreds of bugbears he controlled have sent thousands upon thousands of Humans to their grave. Of course, controlling bugbears wasn¡¯t the only thing he could do. All Orcs were warriors in their own right. In addition to his Tamer skills, Boggs himself wielded a steel mace and had personally crushed hundreds of enemies. He was a veteran who had spent more than 40 years of his life on the battlefield. ¡°Well, their numbers have dwindled down quite a bit¡­¡± Boggs looked fondly over at the bugbears lounging in the cave¡¯s corner. During the war, the Beast Tamer had over a hundred of these creatures under his care. Out of any Orc, he was the one who could control the most. But by the end of the conflict, his bugbears had been devastated and their numbers reduced to single digits. Today, there were only a dozen or so left. A couple of them were large, muscular, and scarred ¨C veteran beasts bearing clear signs of battle. The rest, however, looked like adolescents. Their bodies were significantly less built that the more experienced ones. Boggs¡¯ bugbears were an Orcish trump card. They were stronger than Ogres and quicker than Lizardmen. ¡°Well, that¡¯s just for now¡­ I¡¯m steadily increasing their numbers. And then I¡¯ll train them up and assemble the strongest army this land has ever seen!¡± Looking back at the pack, Zell noticed that a few of them were still incredibly small, about the same size as her. Bugbear cubs. It took about half a year for a newborn bugbear to grow into a full-grown adult. They were rarely seen as juveniles. ¡°When that happens, I¡¯ll take over as the Orc King, and I¡¯ll conquer the world!¡± The human bandits applauded, commending Boggs for his great ambition. There were cries of praise and approval. But to Zell, the brigands didn¡¯t look all that motivated. They seemed to be satisfied with a life of leisure and petty crime and were just paying lip service to the Orcish veteran. ¡°Garurururu¡­¡± Suddenly, one of the bugbears roared. Hearing this, Boggs and several other bandits stood up, weapons in hand. Chapter 6.3 Booby-Trapped Bait Zell Here it is everyone! The long awaited conclusion to chapter 6! Thanks to Chad Orc-san once again for his generous Ko-Fi contributions! ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± ¡°There¡¯s an intruder! Come on guys!¡± Grasping his steel mace, Boggs ran off towards the cave entrance. The bugbears and bandits followed behind him. As individuals that had gone through years of war, they were quick to act. Moments later, the lights went out. Only the dim glow emanating from Zell illuminated the surroundings. She had been left utterly alone ¨C this was her chance to escape. However, the fact that the brigands had referred to an ¡°intruder¡± bothered the Faerie. There was something¡­ off about the way Bash had decided to rush in. ¡°Damn it! Where the hell did that come from?¡± ¡°Hey, there¡¯s a woman here! There¡¯s a girl!¡± ¡°Somebody get some light over here! Gahhh!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s down! Hey!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s so dark! Aah!¡± ¡°So get some light over here!¡± For a while, the cacophony of battle echoed out through the cave. But there was no clashing of metal on metal, only dull thuds and shouting. People were fighting. But Bash wasn¡¯t there. If it were him, the sounds coming from the combat would have been much louder and flashier. Sensing that something was up, Zell decided to stay put. This had happened before during the war. In cases like these, it was often better for her to stay still than to immediately look to escape. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Zell took off with a flick of her wings. When things were uncertain, reconnaissance became the priority. She couldn¡¯t see that well in the dark, but at least it would be something. This was her line of thought as she darted through the stone corridors, but when she had finally arrived, the battle was already over, and the lights had been restored. The dim glow of the torches revealed wounded soldiers, crawling on the dirt floor. At their center was Judith, rolling painfully on the ground, her head bleeding and her hands tied. ¡°¡­What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Oh, Zell¡­ well, I think you can figure it out. Looks like the local knights are here to take us down.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Judith looked towards Zell. For a second, the Faerie was worried Judith would reveal her identity as a scout. Zell was masquerading as a ¡°bad guy¡±, and anything the knight said might have blown her cover. The female knight looked surprised for a moment, but then quickly shot a hateful glance at Zell. The meaning behind her change in expression wasn¡¯t clear to Zell. But she was the female that Bash has his eyes on. Whatever it was, she couldn¡¯t let her die. ¡°Hehehe¡­ Hey, Boss, can I get the woman?¡± ¡°Dumbass, she¡¯s for all of us.¡± ¡°Yeah, you can¡¯t keep her to yourself.¡± ¡°All right, put the girl in jail, kill the men and throw their corpses outside.¡± Judith¡¯s face went pale as she heard this. ¡°Kuh¡­ urgh¡­ just¡­ kill me¡­¡± She spoke brave words, yet her face was distraught with fear. Her eyes were wet with tears, and her teeth were clattering. A quiet sob occasionally escaped from the back of her throat, as if she was about to break down and cry. [Whoa, this is good.] Zell thought this was the perfect opportunity. A female knight in desperate straits. If Bash could save her, his stock would go up exponentially. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that Judith¡¯s heart was already in the bag. ¡°Hey! You can¡¯t kill her right now you know! You¡¯ve been incognito this whole time, do you want to ruin it? Listen, if anyone finds the body, the knights will swarm over this place. They¡¯ll come in droves!¡± The bandits shot disdainful looks at Zell. Who was this little Faerie to tell them what to do? But she didn¡¯t even flinch. Mostly because this particular Faerie had a knack for being absolutely incapable to read the atmosphere. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right! Let¡¯s execute these guys outside, tomorrow morning! Then, we¡¯ll set it up to make it look like the bugbears did it! We¡¯ll find a nice little clearing in the woods, and spray blood everywhere. Then we set up a couple of bugbear corpses around and pretend that it was a hard-fought battle that the knights unfortunately lost. Whew, like, if I put myself in Human shoes, even I would be fooled! And Humans are smart! Listen, guys, you got a nice thing going on here, right? Nice little business venture, robbing people, right? It¡¯d be a shame to let it all go to waste. Oh! And tomorrow, it¡¯ll be nice and bright, and you¡¯ll kill them while being able to clearly see their faces, right! They¡¯ll be in despair and fear and all. Yeah, killing them like that would definitely feel nice, right?¡± Zell¡¯s words came out like the bolts of a repeating crossbow and fell on the bandits like a hail of arrows, gradually changing their attitude towards the whole thing. [Huh, I guess that¡¯s true.] [We can always kill them, right? No need to do it right away.] [Yeah, I guess we can afford to do that.] Zell¡¯s words had enough charm within them to make them think over their potential actions. In some corners of Vastonia, she was also known as ¡°Zell the Flatterer¡±. There¡¯s no one who wouldn¡¯t be tempted by this faerie¡¯s coaxing. ¡°Ah, that sounds good. Alright, take all the men and lock them up¡­ And you, my dear knight, I¡¯ll take you to cloud nine right in front of your subordinates, hehe¡­¡± Finally, Boggs made his decision. He grabbed Judith by her hair and dragged her into the depths of the cave. As she was being pulled away, the knight glared at Zell with despair and the pain of treason in her eyes. [Yes! Alright Mister, I¡¯ve got this all set up. I¡¯ve done all I could. If this doesn¡¯t work, nothing will! All you gotta do now is show up at the right time and save this poor damsel in distress!¡± Though Zell¡¯s perspective was¡­ slightly different. When Bash woke up, he found Houston nervously holding his own head and pulling at his hair. ¡°Seriously¡­ this can¡¯t be true¡­ no way¡­¡± And there was no sign of Judith and the others. ¡°What happened to the other men?¡± Hearing Bash, Houston looked towards him, his eyes hollow and sullen. ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed to say that they seem to have cast a sleep spell on us and gone in ahead of us¡­¡± Sleeping magic. They were spells that put the target into a state of deep sleep for around an hour. ¡°Did you order them to rush in?¡± ¡°No¡­ they went against my commands¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Humans disobey orders?¡± ¡°Sometimes¡­ If they don¡¯t agree with it.¡± Bash was in culture shock. In Orcish society, anyone who disobeyed an order was immediately killed or banished from the country. Orders were sacred and absolute. ¡°What do humans do when that happens?¡± ¡°Well, mostly you get lectured and your pay gets docked¡­ possible house arrest, or even revocation of knighthood, if it applies.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ so it¡¯s not that severe of a crime, is it?¡± ¡°We¡¯re at peace¡­ and humans have a lot of incompetent commanders. There¡¯s a strong argument to be made against dying due to orders coming from inept superiors¡­ I¡¯m ashamed of myself¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Whether Houston was qualified or not didn¡¯t matter to Bash. He was surprised that violation of orders wasn¡¯t that serious an offense to Humans, but that didn¡¯t matter right now. What mattered was the stench of blood wafting out of the cave. Judith, the exquisite female he was trying to wed, might be in danger. ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± ¡°If they cast a sleeping spell on us and still haven¡¯t returned after its effects wore off, its very likely that they¡¯re all dead. The best thing to do right now would be to return to Krassel and get a proper strike force together¡­¡± ¡°Is this really the time to be thinking things over that deeply?¡± Bash glared at Houston. He couldn¡¯t withdraw now. ¡°You¡¯re in command. I¡¯ll follow your orders.¡± Orcs obeyed their commanders without question. But they could still voice their opinions. Though it wasn¡¯t considered a very commendable act. ¡°We Orcs are not cowards. We will follow any orders and fight till the end.¡± Houston looked back at Bash. Green skin, two tusks, tight muscles. He was a small, nondescript orc. But he was unmistakably the man from whom Houston had been running away during the war. The usual Houston would have abandoned Judith without thinking twice. He¡¯d already be on his way back to town right now. She had it coming. It was the price she had to pay for violating his orders. He couldn¡¯t risk it all for some idiot like her. Even if he was criticized, even if he was called a coward, he wouldn¡¯t have cared. His life was his number one priority. But right now, he was in front of Bash. The man Houston feared most of all. The man whose strength he recognized above everyone else¡¯s. The Knight Commander was proud of the actions he had undertaken during the war. Yes, he ran away from Bash because of fear. But it was also necessary to ensure victory. To his point, Houston survived, the Humans won, and the Orcs lost. He didn¡¯t want the Orc Hero to believe that he was just fleeing due to cowardice, and things just managed to work themselves out for the best. ¡°¡­I see. We¡¯ll raid the cave, rescue the prisoners, and kill all the bandits.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The Orc Hero smiled, baring his fangs. Chapter 7.1 Judith Got one hell of a spicy chapter this week. Some delicious backstory incoming! Huge, huge, HUGE thanks to my most recent Ko-Fi supporters, Calypso, pizzapicante27, and CPT Anon. I have an older sister. I was proud of her. She was about ten years older than me, but for as long as I could remember, she¡¯s always been carrying the family expectations on her shoulders. She had excellent grades, and perfect manners and etiquette. A role model to look up to in every way. I grew up admiring her. My sister always was very kind to me, even though I was younger. It seemed like she didn¡¯t get along that well with her classmates, so she was happy that I was so fond of her. I liked having her tie up my hair. She was good at nearly everything she put her mind to, but she was a little clumsy. Whenever she would do my hair, it would slant a little bit either to the left or the right. But I liked it that way. It was proof that my sister had tied my hair up. She became a knight after graduating from school. My family had been knights for generations, and my sister had always intended to be one. Our country was in the middle of a war at the time, and they needed manpower. My sister was talented, and after she became a knight, she kept rapidly rising through the ranks. In just a short few year, she was able to lead a company. Once every year, she would come back to our home to see us and tell us about the latest news coming from the warfront. The Alliance had just slain the Daemon King and secured victories in many major battles. Victory was in their grasp. ¡°The war will be over soon.¡± ¡°Once I come back, I¡¯ll help you with school.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to be a knight, aren¡¯t you? Of course, you are. I¡¯ll give you some sword practice.¡± ¡°Hmm, maybe you¡¯ll be assigned as my underling.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be as nice as I am at home if that happens! I¡¯ll be strict! You better prepare yourself!¡± My sister used to say, laughing. But a few months later, my sister¡¯s unit was destroyed. Unfortunately, luck wasn¡¯t on her side that day ¨C in more ways than one. She had to face a fate worse than death. She had been taken captive by Orcs. When the messenger knocked on our door delivered the report, my father fell to his knees on the spot, while my mother sat down and buried her tear-stricken face in her palms. My family was in despair. Both my parents acted as if it was the end of the world. They even said that they would have preferred she had died. Back then, I didn¡¯t understand. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience How could they say such a thing? She was my sister. My one and only sister than my mom and dad were so proud of. ¡°How can it be better for her to be dead!¡± I shouted, as I retreated to my room. After that, I didn¡¯t speak to my parents for a while. A few years later, at long last, the war came to an end. The Four Tribes Alliance, led by the Humans, was victorious, while the Seven Races Federation, which the Orcs were part of, was defeated. The prisoners of war who had been captured by the Orcs were all freed, including my sister. She could finally come home. And I ultimately came to understand what it truly meant for a woman to be captured by Orcs. My sister¡¯s spirit was completely broken. Her previously bright eyes were now dull and devoid of life, and her luscious, long hair had become sparse and shaggy. She used to walk proudly, with her head tall and back straight, but now she would barely walk at all. And when she did, she skulked around while hunched over, as if hiding from some invisible enemy. She rarely spoke, and when any man came remotely close to her, she would scream and cower in fear. Even towards our father. I only later found out that my sister had become the wife of an Orcish Battalion Captain, and by the time the war was over, she had already given birth to six of his children. The repeated pregnancies and childbirths had ravaged her body and mind, and she was in no condition to return to her knightly duties. Furthermore, she could no longer be a bride. No man would take a ¡°tainted¡± woman as his wife. My sister¡¯s life was ruined. Her future, stolen. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience I couldn¡¯t forgive the Orcs. Yes, I knew. Even though I knew¡­ I knew that Orcs were a race incomparable to Humans. They had an entirely different set of values, morals, and common sense. They couldn¡¯t reproduce without rape. Just like how cats preferred dark, confined spaces, or how dogs urinated on trees to mark their territory. It was just the way they were. The Orcs weren¡¯t doing this out of malice. But my understanding of the facts and my personal feelings were two different things. I wanted to exterminate the Orcs. Every single one of them. And so, I became a knight. That was always the plan, but my redoubled my efforts. I worked harder than ever before. After the war, the armed forces were significantly downsized, and the demand for knights decreased. It took longer than expected, but I still managed to work my way to knighthood. I wanted to be assigned to the Fortress City of Krassel. The settlement closest to Orc Country. The town that would become the bulwark were a war with the Orcs ever break out. The city led by Houston, the Swine Slayer. My wish was granted. Many of my teachers and peers warned me, telling me that women should never, ever go anywhere near Orcish territory, but I ignored them. Houston the Swine Slayer lived up to his name He held no mercy towards the stray Orcs that occasionnaly drifted in from Orc Country. After ascertaining that they were, in fact, stray Orcs, he would ask no further questions. He didn¡¯t need to know who they were or even the reason for their exile. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience No matter how much they begged and pleaded, he sent them to the gallows without a second thought. It didn¡¯t matter if they hadn¡¯t done anything in Human lands, or even if they claimed innocence. His policy was, ¡°Stray Orcs are, in essence, already convicted criminals in Orc Country. Whether here or there, they¡¯re scum, right? Better be safe than sorry and get rid of them before something happens.¡± Impressed by his ruthlessness, I decided to follow him. After the peace treaty was signed, inter-race interactions rose exponentially. Tolerance was gradually becoming the norm as every race became more aware of each other¡¯s customs. Among all this rosy buddy-buddy atmosphere, Houston¡¯s deadly, no-nonsense attitude towards the Orcs was a breath of fresh air. This person would help me enact my revenge. I truly believed that with him on my side, I¡¯d be able to exterminate the Orcs. I¡¯d heard about exceptions. Orcs who weren¡¯t hadn¡¯t been exiled. In other words, proper Orcs who were simply traveling or acting under orders from their nation. Those Orcs, we were supposed to let go. I¡¯d only ever heard of that situation occurring. The whole time I¡¯ve been in Krassel, I¡¯ve never even one come across an Orc like that. So, I had forgotten about them. But then he appeared. An Orc calling himself ¡°Bash¡±, completely different from any other Orc I¡¯d met before. He was small for an Orc, but his body was more toned and imposing than any other of his kind. It wasn¡¯t only his body that was different, but his face as well. Stray Orcs generally had this sly perverted sneer on their lips. Whenever they saw me, they would unashamedly stare at my chest and hips. I despised the way their eyes would linger on my body, undressing me in their minds. Bash, at the very least, didn¡¯t wear that same, sickening expression. Sure, he did look at my chest and hips¡­ but then again, so did most Human men, so it wasn¡¯t that bad. It was still pretty uncomfortable, though. The real issue arose when I saw Houston¡¯s attitude towards this Orc. Honestly, I was disillusioned. What the hell was this?! Where¡¯s the Swine Slayer?! Apparently, this ¡°Bash¡± was a bigwig back in Orc Country. I mean, yeah, sure, give him some respect, but you don¡¯t need to go this gaga crazy over him. He¡¯s just an Orc. A single, dirty little Orc. After that, we started a rather strained cooperation, yet Houston seemed to always be paying attention to Bash¡¯s mood. Even I could see that he was more interested in keeping this Orc happy and satisfied rather than solving the highway robbery case. My distrust just kept growing and growing. So, I violated the order. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience It was an emotional, spur of the moment decision A childish rebellion, to protest my boss¡¯ preferential treatment. But there was more to it than that. This situation brought back unpleasant memories of my sister. Her long stint as a prisoner of war, or rather¡­ a sex slave, left her broken in both spirit and body. It was inevitable that she would have been defiled the moment her side lost the battle, but had she been rescued earlier, she might not have suffered as much. I was impatient and frustrated. Captives should be saved as soon as possible, shouldn¡¯t they? Sure, the prisoner was a Faerie to which I had no real personal connection, but still¡­ Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience The other soldiers, who knew what I had gone through, agreed with me. Yeah, I¡¯d violate a direct order, and even though I probably won¡¯t be able to avoid a pay cut and a short stay in a cell, there was peace now, and they¡¯d eventually forgive me, All is well that ends well. To be honest, I wasn¡¯t taking this whole thing seriously. I had no real plan charging in here, no idea what Houston¡¯s orders really meant¡­ but most of all, I wasn¡¯t aware of the enemy¡¯s capabilities. ¡°Gehehe¡­ I¡¯m looking forward to tomorrow¡­¡± And as a result, my life and the lives of my soldiers hung in the balance. ¡°Guh¡­¡± ¡°Urgh¡­¡± All of us were now laying on the ground. Some with open, bloody wounds, others with broken bones, other fainting. No one was dead ¨C yet, but from the growing pool of blood on the stone floor, I wasn¡¯t sure if they would make it through the night. We were all lucky to be alive after that fight. As soon as we rushed into the cave, we were met with an ambush. They first targeted our light sources. With our vision suddenly gone, we couldn¡¯t even discern the number of enemies, and they proceeded to systematically wipe us out, one by one. Standing around us were a dozen or so Humans and bugbears. And a lone Orc. Updated from novelhall[.]com An Orc. He was a Beast Tamer, and he stood there flanked by his magical beasts. I shot him a scornful glare, and he replied by licking his lips and looking right back at me, disdain in his eyes. I was terrified. ¡°First, we get a Faerie, now we get a lady. Gehehe¡­ looks like it¡¯s our lucky day.¡± ¡°Hehehe¡­ Hey, Boss, can I get the woman?¡± ¡°Dumbass, she¡¯s for all of us.¡± ¡°Yeah, you can¡¯t keep her to yourself.¡± ¡°All right, put the girl in jail, kill the men and throw their corpses outside.¡± As soon as I heard this, I knew what would follow. ¡°Kuh¡­ urgh¡­ just¡­ kill me¡­¡± I could hear my voice shaking. I knew deep down that I didn¡¯t truly want to die, despite putting on a brave front. I haven¡¯t even achieved anything yet! I don¡¯t even know why I became a knight in the first place¡­ I don¡¯t want to die. Please. Please¡­ Updated from novelhall[.]com Suddenly, a high-pitched voice echoed out from the darkness. ¡°Hey! You can¡¯t kill her right now you know! You¡¯ve been incognito this whole time, do you want to ruin it? Listen, if anyone finds the body, the knights will swarm over this place. They¡¯ll come in droves!¡± Out from the shadows, a small, flying, glowing orb came darting out, shouting. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right! Let¡¯s execute these guys outside, tomorrow morning! Then, we¡¯ll set it up to make it look like the bugbears did it! We¡¯ll find a nice little clearing in the woods, and spray blood everywhere. Then we set up a couple of bugbear corpses around and pretend that it was a hard-fought battle that the knights unfortunately lost. Whew, like, if I put myself in Human shoes, even I would be fooled! And Humans are smart! Listen, guys, you got a nice thing going on here, right? Nice little business venture, robbing people, right? It¡¯d be a shame to let it all go to waste. Oh! And tomorrow, it¡¯ll be nice and bright, and you¡¯ll kill them while being able to clearly see their faces, right! They¡¯ll be in despair and fear and all. Yeah, killing them like that would definitely feel nice, right?¡± It was Zell. At the same time, another thought popped into my head. I thought we had been outmaneuvered, but no¡­ This little¡­thing, was in cahoots with them the whole time. We were ambushed because he told them about our plans¡­ ¡°Ah, that sounds good. Alright, take all the men and lock them up¡­ And you, my dear knight, I¡¯ll take you to cloud nine right in front of your subordinates, hehe¡­¡± The Orc said to me as he grabbed me by my hair and dragged me into the depths of the cave. Upon hearing this, the surrounding brigands also let out a sneaky chuckle. Chapter 7.2 Judith And here ya go folks, second release of the week and the other half of chapter 7. Enjoy! They took me to an isolated room, deep within the cavern, and tossed me on the dirty straw rug laying on the ground. Looking around, I saw only a single Orc. The rest of them were all Humans. They were unshaved, unkempt and had mean looking mugs ¨C a typical bandit get-up, but they were Human. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Humans, yet you¡¯re in leagues with an Orc?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Orcs? Hey, that¡¯s pretty racist of you. The war is over, girlie. If our interests align, we should get along, right!¡± Said one of the bandits, prompting the others to laugh and hit the Orc¡¯s shoulder. The Orc also joined in on the merriment and hit the Humans right back. I was even more stunned than I thought I¡¯d be. I would have never imagined that an Orc of all people would be working closely with Humans. But thinking about it again, it wasn¡¯t that strange. First, while it wasn¡¯t obvious that Orcs were involved, I should have considered the possibility that Daemonic Secret Arts had been used. I was taught about them at the Knight Academy. And I knew that some Orcs could use those techniques. I should have concluded that an Orc was involved, given how close we are to Orc Country. However, Orcs didn¡¯t have the delicate wisdom required to come up with a plan to steal from merchants yet only take a small amount of goods in order to stay undetected. Whenever Orcs raided¡­ well, anything, they would take as much as their hands could carry. The Humans were lending him their wisdom. It was so simple; how could I have missed it? ¡­I know why. This is all because I thought that the Orcs didn¡¯t have the social skills necessary to work with other races. I thought they were dumb, lumbering brutes, only good at swinging around a sword. I was so caught up in my pride as a Human that I thought there was no way a race as¡­ savage as the Orcs could have partnered up with anybody. My shallowness brought about this situation. ¡°So¡­ who goes first? Boss, right?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s alright, go ahead boys.¡± ¡°Are you sure Boss? Aren¡¯t female knights an Orcish favorite?¡± ¡°Orcs enjoy treating their underlings properly, alright?¡± ¡°Well then, us Humans like to suck up to their superiors. It¡¯s all thanks to your bugbears that we¡¯ve made it this far. She¡¯s all yours, Boss.¡± ¡°Hey, hey, hey, just the other day, you guys said you didn¡¯t give a shit about your leaders.¡± ¡°Except for the ones we respect, Boss. You¡¯ve got our respect.¡± ¡°Hehe, in that case, don¡¯t mind if I do¡­!¡± While they spoke, the Orc reached out towards me. He was going to rape me. The moment that thought entered my mind, I felt the blood drain from my face. My hands and feet were cold¡­so cold¡­ I was shaking. ¡°No¡­ Please¡­ I don¡¯t want this¡­ Please stop¡­¡± ¡°Hey, hey, that¡¯s not right, Miss Knight. At times like these, you¡¯re supposed to show your spirit and tell us to kill you! Death before dishonor and all that jazz, you know? Now let¡¯s try that again¡­¡± ¡°Wha¡­ please¡­stop¡­STOP!¡± Memories flashed through my mind. I remembered my sister¡¯s lifeless, sullen eyes as she looked at us when she finally came home. I remembered her fear, the way she howled and screamed when her own father tried to approach her. I remembered her story, the tale her suffering through six pregnancies and giving birth to six Orc children. I was boiling with rage. Orcs. This was all the fault of those damned Orcs. Orcs did this to us. I¡¯ll kill them. I¡¯ll kill all of them. This¡­ I¡¯d only ever thought of myself as the attacker. I thought I¡¯d the one that would be out there, killing Orcs. I¡¯d never even considered the possibility that I might become a victim. ¡°Get away from me! No, no, no, no!¡¯ ¡°Hey! Stop freaking out! Stay still¡­¡± They clumsily ripped off my armor, fumbling with the pieces. With my hands tied behind my back, I could do nearly nothing to resist. The only thing left for me to do was scream and protest. After they¡¯d gone through my armor, they shredded my clothes, exposing my underwear and bare skin. The men¡¯s eyes lit up with lust. ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore!¡± ¡°No!¡± The Orc stretched out his hand and hooked his grimy fingers under my underwear, and then ripped it off with one swift pull. He was now drooling, his spit dripping onto my thigh, and the sounds of the bandit¡¯s ragged breathing suffocated me. ¡°¡­Hey, guys, you hear that?¡± One of the brigands interjected. ¡°Huh? What do you mean¡­?¡± The men¡¯s rapid panting stopped for a moment, as silence fell over the room. Sure enough, I heard the sound of struggle, coming from outside the walls. This wasn¡¯t exactly the clings and clangs of combat but rather¡­ a muted cacophony of wild destruction. Then, another man came stumbling in. ¡°Boss! We¡¯re under attack!¡± ¡°Huh? So, there were more of them¡­ How many?¡± ¡°Urgh¡­ how many? Argh¡­two¡­just two.¡± ¡°¡­What? Then just calm down and go deal with them. Don¡¯t let them get away.¡± You couldn¡¯t possibly do anything significant with just two people. Rather than paying attention to this new disturbance, the men kept their eyes pointed towards me. But suddenly, they did a double take, noticing something about the bandit that had come in to warn them. His face was drenched in blood, and his ghastly complexion was nearly white. He shouted some more. ¡°Deal with¡­? I¡¯m¡­I won¡¯t make it¡­ Run! Get out of here, quick¡­¡± Before he could finish, the stone wall was blasted inwards. Everyone was stunned, covering their eyes to repel the incoming rock debris, before looking towards the rubble. A faint light flew through the dust and smoke. ¡°Bingo. Just in time. I was expecting you, Mister.¡± This time, the Faerie¡¯s voice was calm and collected. Meanwhile, the dust settled, revealing what was behind it. A hole. Where the wall used to be, there was now nothing but a huge hole. And through that hole, a man solemnly stepped into the room. At this sight, I could feel my desperation growing ever stronger. Green skin, long fangs. An Orc. Another Orc had just come in. I couldn¡¯t control my body anymore ¨C the trembling just kept getting more intense. I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what would happen to me now. My limbs were going numb, and I could barely put any strength into my legs. I couldn¡¯t even stand up. I was crying. The tears just wouldn¡¯t stop. That was it. I was done for. I give up¡­ ¡°¡­¡± But after this new Orc looked around, his gaze stopped on me. He was looking me straight in the eye. Not at my exposed skin And then he spoke. It was a voice I had grown familiar to in these past few days. ¡°I¡¯m here to help.¡± He declared. Mother. Fucking. HYPE!! Chapter 8.1 Hero vs. Demon Beast Battalion Captain Humongous thanks to my latest Ko-Fi supporters! Words cannot convey how grateful I am to you all! Thank you to Chad Orc-san, Reni2425, 50% Chance of Hotglue, Makeiks, Soloinsanity and an Anonymous Kofi Supporter! Thank you for your patience everyone. Here it is, the moment you¡¯ve all been waiting for¡­ The cave was cramped. This specific room was just shy of three meters tall and two meters wide. For Orcs, it was a rather tight fit, but it was just right for Humans. Perhaps this cave had even been used as a forward base for Orcish operations in the past. Though even Bash, a veteran warrior, had no idea this cavern existed. Considering that, it was fair to assume that it had been abandoned more than 20 years ago, before the Orc Hero joined the war. After which the bandits found it and made it their home. The pair that had been left behind reached Judith much quicker than expected. As soon as Bash entered what could be called the hideout¡¯s ¡°lobby¡±, and defeated the brigands that were standing guard, Zell came out flying as fast as she could, saying, ¡°Mister! Come on, come on! This way! Hurry! That female knight is in big, big trouble. She¡¯s going crazy! This is your time to shine, Mister! Time to make your dashing entrance and save that damsel! Let¡¯s go, go, go! We¡¯ll never make it if we don¡¯t hurry! Oh, if you want you can take a shortcut. This wall right here. No, this one! Just break that down and we¡¯ll be there in a jiffy!¡± Houston volunteered to stay back in the lobby to bring up the rear, secure their exit route and deal with any possible reinforcements. From Bash¡¯s perspective, Houston was an exemplary knight. If more bandits were to arrive, it would be unlikely he would be beaten. And now, right in front of Bash, was the female he had been eyeing these last few days, her upper body stripped naked and exposing her bare breasts and toned waist. Bash Jr. went into a frenzy, ¡°Dad! Let¡¯s do it! Now, now, now!¡± but the Orc Hero, using every sliver of focus and self-control he had, managed to suppress his primal instincts for the time being. Had Houston been here, he would have surely been surprised. An Orc of all people was able to retain his senses while in front of a halfway nude woman. But Bash wasn¡¯t any Orc. He was the Orc Hero. Of course, Judith wasn¡¯t the alone in here The Orc and six other bandits were also standing around, slightly dazed. ¡°Eh? An Orc? Do you know him Boss?¡± ¡°Help? What do you mean, help? We¡¯ve already dealt with the knights.¡± The bandits gave Bash a puzzled look but didn¡¯t seem too alarmed. But they seemed to be curious about the identity of the intruder who had suddenly burst through the wall and questioned the orc in the back. ¡°Hey, Boss, who is guy?¡± ¡°What the¡­ what the hell? Why¡­?¡± The bandit Orc¡¯s face went from green to blue to nearly purple. He recognized the newcomer ¨C how could he ever forget? He was a personage that everybody who was anybody within Orc Country would know about. ¡°Boggs?¡± ¡°Eiihiic¡­.!¡± Boggs. Bash was familiar with this Orc. He was a warrior that had served the Orc Country. Furthermore, he was the only Orc to ever earn the title of Beast Master. During the peace treaty¡¯s negotiations, he disagreed with the Orc King¡¯s plea for a ceasefire and refused to stand down and was subsequently banished from Orcish lands. ¡°Boggs, it is forbidden for an Orc to forcibly have sexual intercourse with a woman of another race.¡± ¡°No¡­no, nobody¡¯s forcing anybody here! She agreed!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­? Doesn¡¯t look like she agreed.¡± Judith¡¯s face was smeared with snot and tears as she desperately wriggled around on the ground in an attempt to hide her body. If this was consensual, then Bash would have already lost his virginity the day he headed out of the Orc Village, with those ladies he had crossed paths with in the forst. ¡°Hey Boggs sir, looks like you know each other¡­ The way he¡¯s speaking to you, he¡¯s not your buddy, isn¡¯t he?¡± While making this assessment, one of the thieves drew a short sword out of his waist. He let out a sinister chuckle as he glared at Bash. His eyes were full of murderous intent. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Bash answered honestly. He had neither the intention nor the need to lie. ¡°Ha! Then die!¡± The bandit was quick. In one swift motion, he lifted his blade and thrust it. It sped straight towards Bash¡¯s eyes. He might be a lowly criminal these days, but he was still a warrior who had survived the war. He knew how to fight in tight, enclosed spaces, and was skilled with a sword. ¡°I bet you can¡¯t swing that huge hunk of steel freely around in here, can you!¡± A thrust that carried certain death. The sword¡¯s point pierced straight through Bash¡¯s eyes, all the way into the back of his skull, and he collapsed to his knees, his upturned face squirting blood like a macabre fountain. Or at least, that¡¯s the image the bandit had in mind. As he extended his arm to murder this new invader, his head exploded, sending shards of bone and bits of brain flying onto his comrades. His headless body fell to the ground, listless. ¡°Eh?¡± None of the other bandits could understand what had happened. They just heard a crack, after which their companion, which was mid-stab, lost his head. Their comprehension couldn¡¯t catch up to the reality of the situation. They couldn¡¯t make sense of it. ¡°Wha¡­that?¡± However, some of them noticed a change. The humongous sword that Bash had been casually holding at his side was now raised, as if he had just finished a slash. It used to be on his right, but now was on his left. There was no way he could have swung it in in such a tight space. Seconds later, the walls surrounding Bash exploded with a deafening boom. A single, deep, rough fissure had been gouged out of the stone. As if a sword had gone through it. ¡°Whoa!¡± The bandits shrank back. They still couldn¡¯t understand what had happened. Bash had swung his weapon, cleaving through the rock and obliterating the offending bandit¡¯s head. That was the answer. The falling rubble was the only clue to what Bash had just done. But the bandits never came up with the answer. They were just stunned by their friend¡¯s sudden death. While the wall was blasted apart, all they could do was cower. Not knowing what had happened, they stopped moving. They didn¡¯t notice that they were within his reach. Without saying a word, Bash unleashed a second slash, this time, from left to right. This time, the remaining bandits¡¯ torsos were grotesquely bisected, guts, gore and blood sent flying through the air. They didn¡¯t even have the opportunity to protest. Forever ignorant of the cause of their own deaths, six people lost their lives in an instant. ¡°Damn¡­Damn it¡­¡± The only one left standing was Boggs, who was familiar with the way Bash fought. He was the only one who knew that it didn¡¯t matter whether Bash had space to swing his sword. He was the only one who¡¯s eyes could even follow the slash that had killed the first bandit. He was the only that understood Bash¡¯s range and could successfully move out of the way. ¡°Why, why are you here¡­!¡± Boggs yelled as he ran out the room¡¯s entrance. Bash immediately tried to follow him but stopped dead in his tracks when Zell flew up to his ear and whispered something. The Orc then slowly turned towards Judith. He was sniffing and snorting. Of course he would be ¨C there was a half-naked woman in front of him, tied up and vulnerable. ¡°¡­Hiiiiii.¡± Judith¡¯s throat was swollen and sore from her crying. All she could do was hiss. She had no more strength. The only people left in this room were Judith and Bash. A bare-chested woman and an Orc with a boner. Well, that wasn¡¯t exactly right. There was also a Faerie here, silently glowing next to the Orc¡¯s head. That Faerie. Apparently, she wasn¡¯t with the bandits. But Judith couldn¡¯t be sure that she was on her side either. No, the only side Zell was on was Bash¡¯s. Right now, she¡¯s whispering something into his ear. Seeing this, the knight believed that they might be plotting something, that the Faerie was saying, ¡°Hey, this is your chance! Let¡¯s rape her now!¡± Perhaps this pair had planned this the whole way through. Judith¡¯s situation was so dire and her mind state in such disarray that she felt that everything was a conspiracy. Bash slowly reached out to Judith. ¡°No¡­ stop it¡­eh?¡± But Bash never touched her skin. He had taken off the cloak he was wearing, and had just draped it over her pale, white skin. ¡°¡­Eh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to help. I¡¯ll untie your ropes. Here, take this and go pour it on the wounded soldiers that are locked up further in. It¡¯s Faerie dust.¡± He then untied Judith and put a vial in her hand. Judith was familiar with Faerie dust. It was precious. She had heard that only a small amount of it could be obtained per day from any single Faerie. It most likely came from the one that was fidgeting in embarrassment near Bash¡¯s face. Only then did Judith understand. The Orc in front of her had truly come to help her. She was saved. She made it out of that desperate situation. She didn¡¯t end up like her sister. ¡°You should be grateful! If it weren¡¯t for my pl¡­ Mister¡¯s plan to have me go in as a spy, you¡¯d be the bandit¡¯s plaything right now!¡± ¡°Ah! Thank you!¡± Judith¡¯s face turned red as she thanked her saviors. This wasn¡¯t just lip service, but heartfelt, sincere gratitude. At the same time, she was quite surprised. This Orc was doing absolutely nothing even when faced with a naked woman. For a moment, she wondered whether Bash had any sexual appetite at all, but a quick look at his crotch answered that question. Despite the tough leather underwear, there was a very noticeable and impressive bulge between his legs. In other words, he was suppressing his urges and treated her with courtesy. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong? The prison is just to the left of the hole I made.¡± ¡°Yes, I get it! But that¡¯s not¡­ why don¡¯t you attack me?!¡± ¡°Should I?¡± ¡°No, no!¡± Judith pulled the cloak tighter around her shoulders. She shivered as the remembered the horror she had just gone through. ¡°B..but Orcs love to kidnap and impregnant women from other races¡­ don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yes. But by edict of the Orc King, it is forbidden for Orcs to engage in non-consensual sexual relations.¡± She had heard these same words many times over these last few days. He repeated them again and again, like a nagging wife. Judith had thought that they were just that ¨C words. Empty, vapid words. But at this moment, they struck at her heart. She understood. It finally dawned on her. This was true ¡°Loyalty¡±. That strength she had just witnessed. The power to slash through solid stone like a hot knife through butter, while eviscerating six people in the same instant. With that kind of strength, he could take any woman he wanted. Back when she had him surrounded at the inn, he could have slain every single soldier, and then proceeded to rape Judith. There would have been nothing she could have done. Yet he didn¡¯t. He restrained himself through his loyalty to the Orc King. Yes, that¡¯s right. That¡¯s why Houston had recognized him. He was a heavyweight in the land of Orcs ¨C the equivalent of a knight. No, she thought, he was more than just a mere knight. He was equal to the Captain of the Royal Guard. As soon as Judith calmed down, Bash stood up. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To chase after him.¡± Bash was trying to faithfully carry out Houston¡¯s order to ¡°Kill all the bandits¡±. While the Knight Commander wasn¡¯t his King, it remained that he was his current commander. And Orcs always obeyed their leader¡¯s commands. ¡°So, that¡¯s why you¡¯re¡­¡± Judith, however, interpreted Bash¡¯s actions differently. She understood Bash¡¯s loyalty. His chivalry. And as such, she had an inkling of an idea as to why he was here, in Human lands. Why he came to a foreign country, why he put up with all the abuse, why he accompanied the knights into the forest, why he didn¡¯t abandon a single, stupid, childish knight that ran off on her own, why he was going to leave a half-naked woman behind to pursue his enemy¡­ ¡­Why he was chasing after an Orc! Now that she knew, Judith could no longer interfere with his actions ¡°Hm? Yeah?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I understand¡­ I¡¯ll pray for your good fortune.¡± ¡°Yosh!¡± And with those last words driving him forward, Bash headed out. BOOM BITCHES! Whew, hope it was worth the wait. It sure was for me! Chapter 8.2 Hero vs. Demon Beast Battalion Captain Here it is folks, the second half of the most awaited installment of this series ever! Enjoy! Bash found Houston fighting in the main hall as he entered it. The Knight Commander was fending off a dozen bugbears. Even though this place was set up to be a sort of lobby, they were still in a cave. Houston wanted to take advantage of the space in order to line up the beasts and fight them one by one, but he was having trouble, seeing as he was surrounded. ¡°Move, move! Bugbears! Box him in! Kill him! Move it!¡± Boggs shouted, mace in hand. In a half-crazed frenzy, he controlled the bugbears and tried to corner Houston. The latter, on the other hand, was skillfully outmaneuvering the beasts while defending himself. The Beast Tamer wanted to leg it out of here as soon as he could and had originally planned to just ignore Houston and run. But the Human¡¯s deft footwork and dexterous sword skills just kept getting in the way of his escape. There was only one way out of the cave. The entrance that Bash used was now Boggs¡¯ ticket to survival. Bash was familiar enough with Boggs¡¯ abilities to know that he could easily defeat an average Human knight without even breaking a sweat. But he was having trouble. This could be chalked up to Houston¡¯s skill¡­ But more than that, the Orc was in a hurry, and his impatience disturbed his control over the bugbears. ¡°Boggs!¡± ¡°B-Ba-Bash?!¡± Boggs¡¯ did an about face when he heard his name. Standing there was the man even exiled Orcs recognized as the mightiest of them all. That same man was now slowly walking towards him, his beloved sword resting on his shoulder. ¡°Kuh¡­ Bugbears, to me!¡± Boggs shouted, feeling his blood boil. The bugbears that had been swarming Houston instantly turned around and formed ranks around the Beast Tamer. ¡°Why?! Why are you here?!¡± Asked Boggs while being protected by his beasts, As solemn and stoic as ever, Bash answered. ¡°Because I was given an order. An order to kill you.¡± ¡°Ku¡­ so that¡¯s what it was¡­!¡± Boggs understood. Why was Bash here? Why did a man who was supposed to be living a leisurely life as a Hero back in Orc Country come all the way out here to kill him? With only those few words from Bash, he understood everything perfectly. Even though he had been exiled from Orc Country, it remained that Boggs was a warrior. He had gone through many battles and hardships as a Beast Tamer. He was proud of his accomplishments. Of his prowess. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience He believed that this was the ideal all Orcs should aspire to. That combat and sex were a quintessential part of the perfect Orcish lifestyle. But the Orc King betrayed his expectations. His orders went against everything Boggs held dear. Don¡¯t rape women? Lay down your arms? Bullshit! What would the Orcs be left with if they were deprived of fighting and women! And so, he rebelled and was banished from the Country. He became a bandit, but he did not abandon his pride. Rather, he was eager to embody the Orcish ideal in his own way. However, those actions were sure to be an eyesore to those trying to foster positive relations with the Humans. So, an order was given. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Kill them. Kill those who would drive a wedge between the Orcs and the Humans. Who gave that order? There was only one man alive in the whole of Vastonia that could order around the Orc Hero, Bash, mightiest of the Orcs. The Orc King. That bastard Nemesis sent Bash over here to ¡°take care¡± of Boggs. ¡°Gah! You¡¯re all so annoying, we¡¯re Orcs! We shouldn¡¯t be hiding in our small corner of the world waiting for the other race¡¯s charity!¡± Boggs knew he was no match for Bash. His instincts were screeching at him to immediately throw down his weapon, get on his knees, put his head to the dirt and beg for his life. But no. Boggs still hadn¡¯t lost his pride. He hadn¡¯t abandoned his ideals. To him, Orcs were meant to be proud, unyielding warriors. And a warrior does not beg for his life at sword point. ¡°Grr¡­ I am Boggs! Former Captain of the Orc Kingdom¡¯s Magical Beast Battalion!¡± Faced with near certain death to the hands of the Hero, the Beast Tamer declared his name. ¡°Ohh¡­ I am Bash! Former warrior of Boulder¡¯s Company and Hero of the Orcs!¡± They declared their respective names and titles, shouted at each other, and fought to the death. This was an Orcish dueling tradition, passed down through countless generations. Boggs threw down the gauntlet, and Bash accepted it. A venerable form of mano-a-mano combat between veteran Orc warriors. Even Houston, the expert on Orcish history and sociology had never seen anything like it. ¡°GRAAAAAHH!!¡± Boggs¡¯ war cry echoed through the cave. In response, the bugbears began to move towards Bash in unison. ¡°ORAAAAAAAAA!!¡± Bash replied with his own war cry. He fearlessly stepped forward without a shred of hesitation, diving deep into the surging bugbear wave. In just one step, Bash had the bugbears within his range. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience As soon as the leading beast¡¯s paw hit the ground, a flash of light erupted. ¡­Three bugbears were turned to mincemeat in an instant. ¡°ORAAAAA!!!¡± Letting out another shout, Bash advanced. With every stride he took, another bugbear was put through the grinder. One stride, one kill. Faced with the Hero¡¯s ferocious sword blows, these beasts were nothing more than walking, growling training dummies ¨C who also happened to be made of flesh. There were now only five bugbears left alive. These were the elder beasts, left over from the Tamer¡¯s time in the war. They were Boggs¡¯ trump card. Stronger than Ogres and quicker than Lizardmen. ¡°GUURRRAAAA!!!¡± With a shout, Bash stepped in once again. A storm of steel erupted around him. All Orc warriors knew that Bash was the strongest. They wouldn¡¯t say it out loud, but many thought he could outmatch even the Orc King in a straight up fight. Even the proudest, most egotistical of Orcs understood deep down that they couldn¡¯t hold a candle to the Orc Hero. Nobody could see Bash¡¯s sword strikes. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience His blade was just too swift. Even Boggs could perceive nothing but it¡¯s afterimages. But the bugbears had not only their superior eyesight, but also their wild instincts. They could feel the sword¡¯s edge coming towards them. And with their strength that surpassed that of Ogres and their agility that surpassed that of Lizardmen, they tried to fend it off. To avoid it. Unfortunately, Bash was their opponent. Even the Human Hero, Lord Athis the Titan Toppler, who could even crush Ogre skulls with his bare hands, could not defend against these blows. Even Dragons, armed with their tough scales, were knocked down by his strikes. The Orc Hero, who defeated any opponents head on and was feared by all. The true Orcish trump card. Nobody could face his slashes. Five more bugbears were sent to meet their maker. ¡°Urk¡­ Ugh¡­!¡± The deaths of Boggs¡¯ comrades were reflected in his eyes. Though they were magical beasts, he had spent years, both inside and out of the battlefield with his bugbears. They had shared countless moments of pain, suffering and joy together. He was fond of them. So why? Why couldn¡¯t he charge at Bash alongside them? Why couldn¡¯t he bring himself to die with then? Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Why didn¡¯t he at least take one more step forward? Regret filled his soul for a moment, but his grief quickly turned into fighting spirit. He was afraid of Bash. He wanted to run away in fear. He, who believed that fighting was all that mattered. He, who even betrayed the Orc King and fled the country to pursue his ideals. And yet, here he was, cowering in the face of the Hero. He was angry at himself for being so weak. ¡°Aahh!¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Clenching his fist, Boggs brought down his hand, hitting his thigh hard. He was punched the fear out of his body out of frustration towards himself, pumping himself up. ¡°BASSSSHHH!!¡± But Bash was unperturbed. He stepped forward once again. This was all he had to do. This was what he was best at. Keep looking ahead and kill the enemy. ¡°BOGGS!!¡± The moment the Hero called out Boggs¡¯ name, memories of the Beat Tamer came flooding back. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience They had initially met on the battlefield. It wasn¡¯t too long after his first battle ever, when he was still too small and thin to properly wield a sword. That day was the first time Bash had ever seen Boggs and his bugbears. He remembered how reassuring it was to see the Beast Tamer and his magical beasts on his side of the war. He remembered how overwhelmingly powerful Boggs looked, wildly swinging his mace in the midst of his bugbears. He was utterly convinced he would never grow to be as strong as Boggs. That¡¯s how distant their levels were. Yet at some point, Bash caught up with him, overtook him, and even stopped admiring him. And now, they were facing each other down. ¡°GRAAHHH!¡± ¡°GUAAAAHHH!¡± A flash of steel. A deafening clang of metal on metal. The two warriors crossed weapons. The older veteran¡¯s mace sparked, bent, and broke underneath the combined strength of both Orcs. The Daemon forged greatsword, however, never strayed from its path. It slammed into Boggs¡¯ skull, just as Bash intended. ¡°Gut¡­¡± Boggs¡¯ head was reduced to nothing, his headless neck left spouting blood like a morbid fountain. ¡°¡­¡± Boggs¡¯ decapitated body fell to its knees, and then collapsed completely. Never to move again. He was not only a Beast Tamer, but also a Beast Master. The most brilliant bugbear manipulator among the Orcs now laid dead. ¡°Fu¡­¡± Bash exhaled and looked around. There were no enemies left in the hall. Updated from novelhall[.]com Fourteen bugbears had been slain in an instant. There were no bandits left either. And even if any had survived, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep up their operations like they had when Boggs was still alive. ¡°Boggs¡­¡± Bash looked down at Boggs¡¯ corpse, and remembered a treasured memory from the war. As a veteran who had been fighting even before the Hero was born, he was a well-known warrior and Beast Tamer. In one battle, he had taken Bash aside, and said, ¡°Bash, you are our pride. You are the very embodiment of the Orc ideal.¡± The Hero also recalled honestly saying to the Tamer, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, we wouldn¡¯t have survived. Thank you.¡± He was a fine warrior. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Bash had thought Boggs had died in the war¡¯s final battle. He had never expected to find him roaming around as a stray Orc in a place like this. Something must have happened. Something Bash was ignorant of. For that matter, Bash didn¡¯t even know the meaning of the last words he had yelled out. He didn¡¯t dislike Boggs. In fact, he even respected him. ¡°Is it over?¡¯ While prodding at his wounds, Houston spoke to Bash. The cuts had been inflicted by the bugbear¡¯s filthy claws. They were already beginning to swell, most likely from the bacteria. ¡°Yes. I killed all the bandits in the back.¡± ¡°What about Judith and the others?¡± ¡°I left them behind. They¡¯re probably tending to their injured in the prison. I¡¯m sure none of them are dead.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good to head. Well then, let¡¯s go fetch them and head back.¡± Said Houston, as he rubbed his bruises. Bash had just singlehandedly resolved this whole case without any casualties. The Knight Commander knew that the Orc Hero was capable, and with that in mind he prioritized securing exit, but this was even more impressive than he had imagined. A gang of thieves, a dozen bugbears, and a veteran Orc warrior, all taken out with minimal effort. He was truly worthy of being called the mightiest Orc. [¡­How the hell did I ever manage to run away from this man¡­] Thought Houston as he breathed a sigh of relief. Chapter 9.1 Proposal Here it is folks, the last WN chapter of Vol.1. After this comes the LN Epilogue and Side-Story. Big thanks to my regular Chad Orc-san and Prognar for their generous Ko-Fi contributions! After the battle, Bash and the team members that could still walk explored the cave and fond what appeared to be stolen goods. The recovered loot matched the list that Judith had made from gathering information from the merchant guilds. From this, it could be finally concluded that these ¡°bugbear bandits¡± and the highway robbers were one and the same. Furthermore, with this proof, they could also round up all the trading companies that the brigands used to fence their goods. This case¡­ ¡­was closed. Carrying out the evidence, Bash and the others left the cave. ¡°It¡¯s so bright¡­¡± As they left the shade of the forest, the sunlight shone brightly upon them. It was dawn. Bash squinted as he looked around. The soldiers battered and bruised, but they would live. They Faerie dust had healed any fatal injuries, though they still couldn¡¯t walk without lending each other a shoulder. Judith was a little depressed as she looked at the men. Her beautiful white skin and clear blond hair were smeared with dirt and blood. Her eyes were swollen, and tear trails were still visible on her cheeks. However, she seemed happy and relieved. And Bash thought every part of her looked beautiful, despite her ragged appearance. ¡°¡­¡± Judith suddenly looked back at Bash, as if she had noticed his gaze. Yet, she didn¡¯t say anything. She just pouted and turned away. Were it just a day ago, she would have cursed him out without question. She would have aggressively glared back. But right now, she even looked somewhat embarrassed. ¡°Mister! Mister!¡± As he was staring at Judith, Zell whispered in Bash¡¯s ear. (Listen Mister, if you make a move right now, she might really fall for you!) (¡­Is that so?) Updated from novelhall[.]com (You saved her while she was in trouble! She even got to see how big you were! I¡¯m not 100% sure this is going to work, but you won¡¯t get a better chance than this one!) A chance¡­ Hearing this, Bash remembered how vulnerable and filthy Judith looked back in the cave. Her pale, white skin¡­ Her supple, bare breast¡­ Her tears, gently streaming down her face¡­ His breathing became ragged, his nose turning upwards, preparing to snort. He¡¯d put up with all this trouble, for all this time. He¡¯d been told he wouldn¡¯t be able to get with a Human woman by just demanding it, so he applied perfume, he listened to her in silence, and even held back his lust in front of her naked form¡­ All his efforts had led to this very moment. This was do or die. He could finally obtain this female knight. Bash clenched his fist and fired up his spirit. ¡°Judith!¡± Bash spoke out, his tone raspy due to the snorting. ¡°¡­What is it?¡± Judith turned around, looking slightly embarrassed. Noticing Bash¡¯s uncontrollable snorting, her face contorted in slight disgust. The Hero grabbed Judith by the shoulders, unconcerned about her reaction. And said. ¡°Would you bear my children?¡± A standard Orcish proposal. ¡°¡­!¡± Judith¡¯s eyes widened. For a moment, a hint of anger flashed across her face. But it quickly disappeared, her expression softening. She emotionlessly stared at Bash for a few seconds, and then laughed. Updated from novelhall[.]com [Alright, this is good!] Thought Bash. But just as the Orc was about to get lost in his delight, Judith said. ¡°You don¡¯t need to test me. I won¡¯t misunderstand you anymore. ¡°Non-consensual sexual intercourse with another species is strictly forbidden in the name of the Orc King¡±, right?¡± She replied with neither a yes, nor a no. Bash¡¯s excited nose came to a standstill, retreating and sputtering out. Bewildered and confused, Bash asked his brilliant assistant, Mr. Brain, for his opinion. [Mr. Brain, what does she mean by that? Yes? No?] [Hmm¡­] Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Mr. Brain crossed his arms and mulled over the meaning of Judith¡¯s words. Yes? No? In Bash¡¯s miniscule brain, a gremlin bearing the word ¡°Yes¡± and another gremlin bearing the word ¡°No¡± began to duke it out. It was a fierce fight, as fists and feet flew through the air, but in the end, there could only be a single victor. Seeing the results, Mr. Brain looked disappointed. [Hmm¡­ I suppose it was a roundabout way to put it, but this means we were rejected, right?] Within the arena of Bash¡¯s mind, the ¡°No¡± gremlin had it¡¯s hand raised by the referee, and blew a kiss to the crowd. It was a close, nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat victory. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience [So, I was rejected¡­that¡¯s a no, huh¡­] [That¡¯s right] [Then, what should I do next?] [Remember what the Faerie said: It¡¯s courtesy to give up gracefully and move on to the next woman if you¡¯re rejected. If you keep chasing after her, she might perceive it as a non-consensual sexual act] [Nuu¡­is that so¡­?] Apparently, it didn¡¯t work out. [Well, it is what it is.] However, Bash was not too discouraged. In war, no matter how much effort Bash put in on his own, a loss was still a loss. Getting an opportunity different from victory. There are times when you didn¡¯t win. And that¡¯s okay. If he were to get depressed every time he lost, he wouldn¡¯t have survived on the battlefield. A strong warrior is a man who can pick himself up and move on to the next fight. [But¡­] Still, Bash had some regrets. After all, this was his first battle. He wanted to have something to show for his efforts. To stand out a bit more. Sure, it wasn¡¯t healthy for recruits to be impatient for results, but¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that¡­ I liked you.¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re very good at flattery, for an Orc. What is there to like about a woman who humiliated you as much as she wished, and then proceeded to get caught by the enemy, cry her eyes out, and then saved?¡± ¡°Your face.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Judith laughed. She thought he was joking. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take that as a compliment.¡± Judith said as she brushed her disheveled hair. From Bash¡¯s perspective, it wasn¡¯t flattery. He was just stating the facts. Even now, just seeing her run her fingers through her hair was making him smile. Judith, completely oblivious to Bash¡¯s thoughts, said. ¡°Anyway, thank you for your help. If you hadn¡¯t come along, I would have ended up like my older sister.¡± ¡°You have a sister?¡± ¡°Yes. She was taken prisoner by Orcs, and raped until there was nothing left of her originally joyful spirit¡­¡± ¡°Muu¡­¡± Chapter 9.2 Proposal Part 2/3 of Chapter 9. Big thanks to sir Boomhauer! Thanks for donating again brother! God it makes me feel good to know I¡¯ve got regulars who keep coming back. Bash shut his mouth. Judith¡¯s sister. The Orc Hero knew nothing about her, but he imagined her appearance. If she was Judith¡¯s sister, she must have been just as beautiful. Another beautiful female knight¡­ It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine what the Orcs did to her. Back then, no one batted an eye at rape. For Orcs, it was just standard procedure to violate female captives. When the peace treaty, which included the rape ban, was signed, the Human representative, Blood-Stained Lily, beat down one of the Orcs and announced. ¡°You spit on our pride by raping the females of other races. Orcs! You are proud warriors, are you not! Every woman that has ever stepped on the field of battle is just as worthy and proud a warrior as you are! They come prepared to die! Do not insult them! Let them die with honor!¡± Even after they understood the gravity of their actions, there were many whose sexual desires prevailed, those who wanted to keep things the way they are, and those who feared for the continuity of their race. Not all Orcs, though. ¡°I¡¯ve always hated Orcs. I hated those Orcs who broke my sister. My wonderful, dignified, intelligent sister. The sister that I looked up to¡­¡± Judith¡¯s face twisted with hatred, just at it had when she first met Bash. She loathed the Orcs. She wanted to kill them. To exterminate them. Her hatred was so intense that you could nearly hear her thoughts. However, her expression soon softened. ¡°But I¡¯ve changed my mind. Now I know that there are good Orcs out there. Like you.¡± Her hatred would never disappear. But this experience was able to soften her heart a little. Judith¡¯s expression said as much. Her story didn¡¯t resonate much with Bash, but Zell seemed to pick up a sign from it. She flew up to his ear again and whispered. (Mister, this is definitely not going to work.) (¡­No? She thinks I¡¯m a good man, right? It should be fine.) (No, no, no, no, it¡¯s not about you being a good man, it¡¯s about you being an Orc. This lady here would never agree to get with an Orc. Even you, Mister, you have races with which you would never mate, right?) Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Certainly, there were also races that Bash wouldn¡¯t even consider mating with. For example, Lizardmen. He didn¡¯t want to have sex with a reptile. It was hard to even distinguish if one of them was male or female. Not to mention Killer Bees. They¡¯re literal Bees, and only gave birth to other Bees. Not even the strong Orcish genes could overtake their genetics. Furthermore, once one of their females got pregnant, she would eat her mate. Bash didn¡¯t want to have sex only once in his life. There were plenty of other races which just weren¡¯t suitable for sex. If to Judith, Orcs were one of those, then marrying her would definitely be impossible. (Listen, Mister. You can¡¯t get her as a wife, but she still thinks you¡¯re a good guy! You¡¯ve still got an opportunity here. Human women keep in touch with other Human women, you know? Maybe she can introduce you to another girl that doesn¡¯t mind being with an Orc!) (I see!) A lineup of female knights just as beautiful as Judith appeared in Bash¡¯s mind. He liked every single one of them. It was a shame that it didn¡¯t work out with Judith, but if he could still get a good-looking female knight, then all is well that ends well. (Oh, but you can¡¯t just outright ask for an introduction. Human women don¡¯t like being used just to get at their friends. They don¡¯t like playboys.) (So, what should I say?) (Ah! Uhmm¡­ Oh, I know! Maybe something along the lines of ¡°I¡¯m looking to meet people¡±.) Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Bash nodded. He could always rely on Zell, after all. Were he on his own, he would never have had the wisdom to get this far. ¡°Judith, I have a favor to ask of you.¡± ¡°A favor?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking to meet people like I did here in Krassel. Do you have any ideas?¡± Judith tilted her head, confused as to the meaning of his words. However, she immediately looked at Houston, surprised. The Knight Commander, who had been listening to the pair¡¯s exchange while standing just off to the side, had just nodded. ¡°If so, I might be able to help you.¡± ¡°Mu¡­ you can?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the Knight Commander of Krassel, you know. Being aware of worldly happenings and collecting information is one of my responsibilities.¡± As Knight Commander, Houston¡¯s rank was equivalent to an Orcish Great Warchief. And a good Great Warchief will always look out for his warrior subordinates. Conversely, a man who could not support his subordinates would never become a Great Warchief. Orcs may be a simple race, but they weren¡¯t stupid. They were well aware of the qualities that made up a good commander. A strong sword arm, like Bash¡¯s didn¡¯t necessarily translate to good commanding skills. With that in mind, the Hero understood that the Knight Commander must be very familiar with the female knights that were working under him. ¡°You should head to the Land of the Elves, to the Forest Town of Siwanasi. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find what you¡¯re looking for there.¡± ¡°Oh, Elves, is it?¡± This was not the introduction he had imagined. Bash had been hoping to meet another female knight. But Elves were good too. They weren¡¯t as fertile as Humans, but it was possible for them to conceive with Orcs. Furthermore, their children would have considerable magical potential. They were a good match. They were popular due to their longer lifespans, stronger bodies, and they had many beautiful individuals among them. On the other hand, some Orcs disliked them. They though Elves were too skinny. Though¡­ Bash wasn¡¯t one of them. There weren¡¯t any Elves back in the breeding grounds. It¡¯ll feel special and exclusive if he were able to take on home. He¡¯d be able to save his dignity as a Hero. (Elves, huh? That¡¯s not bad Mister!) (Yosh! Well, let¡¯s head there as soon as possible.) Satisfied, Bash turned on his heel. Seeing this, Houston was surprised. ¡°Wait, where are you going?¡± ¡°To the Siwanasi Forest.¡± Updated from novelhall[.]com Yes, the Siwanasi Forest wasn¡¯t far away. From where they were right now, it was in the opposite direction from the Fortress City of Krassel. There was no need to return to Krassel. ¡°¡­Why don¡¯t you stay the night in Krassel? You¡¯d be welcome!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time for that.¡± Bash wanted to lose his virginity as soon as possible. If the Forest of Siwanasi was where he could find his next opportunity, then he had to go there as soon as possible. ¡°I thought we could celebrate our victory at the tavern tonight.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too soon to celebrate. I haven¡¯t achieved my goal yet.¡± Houston seemed to want to insist a little more. But he then gave Bash a defeated smile. ¡°You¡¯re right. I understand. Then I won¡¯t hold you back.¡± The other soldiers who hadn¡¯t taken part in the conversation looked at Orc with curiosity. They eyes full of slight worry, they were wondering whether it was really alright to let him leave just like that. But neither Houston nor Judith protested. They silently looked at Bash¡¯s back as he walked away¡­ Until Judith stepped forward. ¡°Sir Bash.¡± Bash paused. Updated from novelhall[.]com He was expecting something. ¡°I¡¯ll pray for your good fortune.¡± It was nothing but a faint expectation. He looked back over his shoulder towards Judith. And he nodded. The Orc Hero slowly walked away. His destination: Siwanasi Forest. Chapter 9.3 Proposal Here it is folks, the last official release of volume 1. I¡¯ll be taking a couple of week off before the next release, so thank you in advance for your patience! I hope to see you all back soon! Coming up next is LN exclusive content, the epilogue and a side-story, and then onto volume 2! ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear your conversation¡­ so what did he come to Krassel for, finally?¡± As they neared the town, one of the soldiers spoke up. ¡°Hmm? You don¡¯t get it?¡± ¡°Ha, I was hoping you¡¯d explain it to me, if you could.¡± At these words, Houston turned to Judith. He shot her a knowing glance, as if to say, ¡°you understand, don¡¯t you? You can clear it up for him.¡± Judith sighed as she began her explanation. ¡°After the war, the Orc King made the decision to lay down his arms and chose to submit to their demands. You already know this right?¡± ¡°Yes, I do. You also were also present at the treaty¡¯s signing ceremony, weren¡¯t you, Sir Houston?¡± ¡°I was. Some of the Orcs there didn¡¯t look particularly happy about the situation.¡± ¡°Not particularly happy? You mean some of them were against brokering peace with the Humans?¡± ¡°Precisely. Orcs are a warlike race by nature. ¡°We¡¯ve been fighting since we were born, and we like it that way! Peace? Fuck peace! I want violence!¡± is what many of them thought. Well, many would be an understatement. There were a lot of dissident Orcs.¡± One of the soldiers gulped. ¡°And those dissatisfied with the newly instituted state of things left Orc Country and scattered around the world¡­ And they keep causing trouble, rampaging to their hearts content. Just like the one we met today.¡± Judith had learned quite a bit about Orcs from Houston. After all, she had a whole year¡¯s worth of watching him hunt stray Orcs. She knew what a stray Orc was truly like. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Most of them were third-rate and mediocre, both in the aptitude as men and their skills as warriors. They wouldn¡¯t obey the Orc King¡¯s orders. However, she had also heard that there were stay Orcs who broke the mold. They were first-rate warriors. Fierce men that had experienced many a battles and slain hundreds of enemies. They were strong and cunning. And they knew how to survive. ¡°Yeah, this whole case was due to a stray Orc¡­ but what does that have to do with Sir Bash¡¯s journey?¡± ¡°You still don¡¯t get it?¡± Judith shrugged. Updated from novelhall[.]com ¡°To put it simply, Sir Bash is attempting to find and destroy these Orcs that bring shame to their people.¡± Judith understood. She likened Bash to an honorable knight. He was disciplined and faithfully obeyed the lord that he served. Which is why he had repeatedly mentioned the Orc King¡¯s name. And the thing that the Orc King, and by extension, the Orc Hero, Bash, were trying to protect¡­ ¡°They want to restore the pride of the Orc race.¡± Most other races thought of Orcs as savage and barbaric. This was a correct assessment. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience But that didn¡¯t mean that they weren¡¯t also proud warriors. This is what Bash, the one and only Orc Hero, was trying to convey to the world. They have committed mistakes in the eyes of the other races, yet they did not lose their will and pride. They were warriors that had the ability to repent. To repair their bad karma. ¡°Well, after all this, I think my opinion of the Orcs has changed for the better. Just a little bit, though.¡± Judith hated the Orcs. She loathed the Orcs that broke her sister. They were a race that didn¡¯t treat Humans, especially women, as being deserving of respect. They only though of them as tools to enable procreation. A walking, talking baby factory. There was no way she could ever like them. However, she now realized that even amongst such an abominable people, there were individuals worthy of respect. And as a knight, she had even found someone who she could look up to. The fact that she had found this out was surely of great significance. Judith thought so. ¡°But Sir Houston, you knew about this from the beginning, didn¡¯t you? Why Sir Bash came to Krassel? ¡°Hmm¡­ Well¡­¡± Houston gave her a toothless smile. He was terrified and distraught at first. But he soon realized that Bash was actually on a mission. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience The only reason he had been able to come to this conclusion was due to his extensive knowledge on Orcs. Observing and studying Orcs was what he did for a living. And thanks to his skills and experience, he was able to help out a Hero and avoid any cultural faux-pas. The Knight Commander was proud of himself. ¡°If we¡¯re going to call ourselves Knights, this is the least we should be able to do. ¡°Ha¡­ I¡¯ll do my best to become as honorable as Sir Bash in the future!¡± Judith was determined to burn the events of the last few days into her memory. She would never forget her meeting with him. To forever remember his proud deeds. And hopefully, one day, she would become just as worthy¡­ ¡°But first things first, you¡¯re getting suspended and getting a pay cut. I won¡¯t take away your knighthood out of respect for Sir Bash. Take some time to reflect on your actions. All you guys too! ¡°Yes. sir, I understand!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± And with that, Houston and Judith made they way back to the Fortress City of Krassel, thanking their good fortune for having met Bash. Chapter 9.4.1 Epilogue (LN content) Bash was walking through the woods. His destination was Siwanasi Forest, within Elven territory. The dense, root covered forest ground would have been a challenge for anyone to thread through, but Bash¡¯s steps were light. Following the Faerie¡¯s lead, he leisurely walked towards his goal. One step after another, full of confidence. ¡°Siwanasi Forest is pretty close by, so let¡¯s move quickly!¡± ¡°Yosh!¡± Bash and Zell. Two individuals that came to prominence during the war. The pair had survived countless battles at each other¡¯s side. Although they had tasted defeat several times, their victories outnumbered their failures. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience This chance at love ended in a loss, but surely, there was light waiting just around the corner. And even if that failed, there will be more opportunities waiting. That¡¯s how it¡¯s always been. With this feeling is their hearts, they headed towards Siwanasi Forest. There, they will find Bash¡¯s wife. They firmly believed that this journey would end right there. However, they didn¡¯t know it yet. They weren¡¯t yet aware that this journey would be long and arduous. Around that same moment, an Elf was attending a Human celebration. A luxurious gathering of Human nobles. Left and right, gorgeously dressed ladies and gentlemen were leisurely chatting away, smiling and laughing. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience In their midst, an Elf was chatting away with a Sergeant from a noble family. They were discussing the future of Humanity. ¡°Hmmm. If that¡¯s the case, the future of Humanity will depend on the development of commerce, learning, and the arts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Which is why I¡¯m thinking of building schools all over Human territory. Unfortunately, the lot of us are nothing but warriors and knights, good only at fighting. We don¡¯t have much of an education. So few among us have the qualifications to become teachers¡­¡± ¡°The ones with an education are already off doing their own thing, huh.¡± ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m currently trying to convince them to help create some sort of guide for training teachers. I¡¯m hoping the Elves might assist me with that.¡± ¡°Ah, a drill manual for teachers! I¡¯ve been thinking about making coming up with something similar for a while now as well. How about we discuss all this education business together this evening?¡± ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m glad to hear you want to entertain this idea further, but won¡¯t there be rumors if a man and a woman spend time together in the same room?¡± ¡°Hm? Since when does Sir Merz ¡°The Battering Ram¡± care about what people say about him?¡± ¡°Just trying to cover my bases.¡± ¡°Really? I wouldn¡¯t mind, you know?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t test me. No man, no matter how foolish, would want to make an enemy out of all Elves.¡± ¡°Hahaha, of course, of course¡­¡± The Elf also laughed along, but hers was empty and dry, unlike that of the partygoers around her. She wasn¡¯t yet aware. She did not yet know that one day, the Orc Hero¡¯s goal would line up with hers. A Dwarven girl was sharpening her sword within a workshop. The room was quiet except for the sound of steel grinding on stone. After a while of working on the blade, she dipped it into a vat filled with red fluid that was sitting beside her. A black, powdering substance floated to the surface. Looking satisfied, she pulled out the sword and brought the edge close to her eyes. ¡°Nice!¡± ¡°What¡¯s nice?¡± ¡°!¡± The girl turned around in a jolt, and finally noticed a Dwarven woman standing there, observing her. ¡°I told you not to enter my workshop without knocking¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s your fault for not locking the door. So, what¡¯s this process? What¡¯s that red liquid? Are you dipping your sword in paint?¡± ¡°Trade secret.¡± ¡°Ha! You think you¡¯re good enough to have trade secrets worth stealing? If you have the time to make up these strange methods, you¡¯d be better off working on your fundamentals.¡± ¡°Tsk! You¡¯re always looking down on people. Did you come here just to say that?¡± The woman sighed at the girls agitation. ¡°I really came in here just to take a look. But then I saw your work and¡­I just couldn¡¯t help but comment on something so¡­shoddy.¡± ¡°Yeah, save your breath. You¡¯ll need it to yell in anguish when I wipe the floor with you at the next Weapons Festival.¡± ¡°Pft! Sure, you will.¡± The woman muttered a few words in mockery as she walked out of the room. The girl, now alone, looked down at her sword and grit her teeth in frustration. She wasn¡¯t yet aware. She didn¡¯t know that one day, the Orc Hero would wield one of her creations. The Beastmen Princess was looking out from the window of her room. From there she could see the newly erected town. I had been built in the three years that had followed the end of the war. Everything was new and vibrant, yet the old traditions still persisted. A settlement that was as lively as it was rife with inequality. The Beastmen Royal Family was doing it¡¯s best to fix this place up and revitalize it, pouring in tons of ressources. Leto, the Beastmen Hero, reclaimed this territory. Everyone who is anyone was proud of their Hero. He was a brave man who valiantly died in battle against the Demon King Gediguz, sacrificing his own life to wound the enemy. He was the pride of the Beastmen Tride, and was considered their greatest Hero. ¡°If you¡¯re really proud of our Hero¡­If you were truly proud of him, why would you lie like this?¡± But the common populace wasn¡¯t aware of the truth. It was true that Leto was the pride of the Beastmen. But the facts about him had to be¡­embellished, somewhat, as to not tarnish the honor of the race. And so, the princess thought: ¡°Looks like I have to erase all of it.¡± The princess looks out the window with hatred in her eyes. However, her gaze is not directed at the town. It was directed at the sordid feelings within her heart. ¡°I need to get revenge. I need to redeem Uncle Leto.¡± She was not yet aware. She still did not know that her own facts were also untruths, and that the lies would eventually be exposed by the Orc Hero. Asanagi sure as hell delivers, doesn¡¯t he¡­ Chapter 9.4.2 Epilogue (LN Content) Here ya go ladies and gents, second part of the LN Epilogue. Side-Story coming up next! A girl looked at her twin brother. She observed him as he swung his sword, going through the motions and slashing at imaginary enemies with all his might. They¡¯d been together since forever, and as much as she liked him, it was impossible for her not to admit that he had no talent with the blade. Or perhaps he did have talent, but just hasn¡¯t been able to make it flourish with self-study. ¡°Haa¡­Ha¡­.¡± ¡°Brother, here, have some water.¡± ¡°Oh, thanks.¡± The brother gulped down the water with gusto, and promptly got back to swinging his sword. The twins had a powerful enemy they wanted to defeat. They had to kill him at all cost to avenge their father ¨C and that was not going to be easy. That was the driving force behind the boy¡¯s frenetic training. He wanted to use that very sword to avenge his parent. ¡°Brother, the sun is setting¡­¡± ¡°Just a little more.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll go back first.¡± The brother did not reply any further, and just kept on swinging. Seeing this, the girl let out a small sigh. She had given up. Her brother would never be a match for their enemy, even if he trained for months. Even years of practice might not be enough. As much as she wanted to enact justice for her father and mother, she didn¡¯t want to lose her brother, her last living relative. Yet she just couldn¡¯t bring herself to ask him to stop. ¡°I wish someone, somewhere, would just kill him¡­¡± She wasn¡¯t yet aware. She did not yet know that the Orc Hero would bring an end to their quest for revenge. A Succubus stood in the wilderness, under the night sky, A human city was in the horizon, illuminated by the pale light of the stars, yet her eyes did not pay attention to it at all. She simply looked up, caught up in her thoughts. Being here brought back memories for her. Memories of the past, of the war. She recalled all the comrades and friends that fought alongside her. [Those were the days¡­ We fought without a superfluous thought, slept like the dead when we were tired, and just as we were falling into deep sleep, we would be woken up by the blaring alarms announcing an attack¡­] She was constantly exhausted back then but fighting felt fulfilling. Like she was serving a greater purpose. [Ah, why am I thinking about this¡­] She couldn¡¯t help but think about the circumstances that brought her to this dump. That made her camp in the wild. Due to her being a Succubus, she wasn¡¯t allowed to stay in the town and was chased out. ¡°Peace¡­peace really is¡­¡± There was no lack of lords and leaders who looked down on Succubi, and most people didn¡¯t even try to hide their disgust when faced with a Succubus. Contempt and ridicule was the standard reaction. The war was over now. There is peace now. These were good times. At least, that¡¯s what most people said and believed. Unfortunately, the benefits of peace weren¡¯t equal for all races. ¡°Peace is a stinking pile of horseshit¡­!¡± The Succubus gazed at the stars. She recalled that she once looked at these same stars, standing alongside an Orc, in the desert. She wasn¡¯t yet aware. She did not yet know that the Orc Hero would one day bring true peace to the world. There were two Dragons. Let¡¯s call one of them ¡°Bones¡±. Bones was an odd Dragon. He was often curious about the life of ¡°people¡±, and often went down the villages to give them a fright. The other Dragon weren¡¯t exactly sure why Bones was doing this. They believed that people were just small, not yet eaten food that most of the time should just be left alone. But Bones had always been interested in ¡°people¡±, and even shapeshifted to mate with them. He had even born their eggs. Not like there weren¡¯t Dragons that defied the norms during the long history of the world, but it was still strange. Dragon society as a whole didn¡¯t really ostracize weirdoes. To Bones, ¡°people¡± stories were interesting and fun. He wasn¡¯t interested in the stories themselves, but he enjoyed the enthusiastic way the ¡°people¡± talked about them, full of joy and life. Then, one day, Bones died. Previously, a tiny being visited and had convinced him to leave him them. And thus, Bones truly became bones. He had participated in a war between the little people and ended up getting killed. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Bones corpse was taken away by the ones who had defeated him. Apparently, for ¡°people¡±, Dragon bodies were full of valuable materials. The puny people could only bring back his skull to his fellow Dragons. They were profusely apologizing to Bone¡¯s friend. And for the first times, that Dragon felt sorrow. It was not the first time it had experienced the death of its own kind, but the person¡¯s apology was so sincere that he understood something irreparable had happened. The Dragon spent a whole year in mourning. It flew around from time to time, killing and eating people. It could simply not understand why Bones had taken part in the people¡¯s war. When all this was over, the Dragon suddenly felt an emotion it had never felt before. Interest. The dragon became interested in humans. It wondered how such a small, weak beings, who could only run away when a Dragon came, could kill Bones. It still was not aware. It still did not know that it was the one the Orcs called ¡°Hero¡± that had slain Bones. That last part about the Dragons was confusing as all hell to translate. The whole thing might be wrong, and might lead to some continuity errors further in the story. I¡¯ll come back and fix it if need be. Chapter 9.5 Side-Story: Judith, afterwards (LN Content) And here it is, the real, final, last piece of content from volume 1. Now we start volume two for real! It had been eleven days since Judith¡¯s encounter with Bash. On that particular morning, the Knight had been ordered to patrol the streets along with her men. The highway incident case had been closed, but she had been instructed to keep an eye on the premises, just in case they had missed any stragglers from the cave bandits. The same people that had just ¡°solved¡± the case had been given a useless, boring task. In other words, it was a punishment. Houston was rational above all else. He needed to punish them for violating his orders, but he also thought house arrest was a big waste of time and resources. Two days of house arrest, and a single day of useless, menial work. ¡°I won¡¯t be admonishing you any further in this aspect. The true punishment is hard work every single day from now on.¡± That was what Houston was trying to say with his actions. Judith and her men knew this, which is why they solemnly accepted their mission, and headed to the highway. Everyone thought the mission would end without a hitch. Alas, it was not to be. Almost as soon as Judith and the others arrived at their destination, an Orc crawled out from between the trees. A regular looking green Orc. I wielded a battle axe in its right hand and carried a thick stick on its back. If this came down to a fight, it would probably fight with a weapon in each hand. ¡°An Orc¡­ Hey, you there, what are you doing here?¡± Before she had met Bash, she would have detained him without a word. Now, had it been any other day, perhaps she would even have let Orcs pass her by without batting an eye. Unfortunately for the green fellow, she and her men were on the job. They had to guard the forest, and everyone that came out of it was suspicious. After all, she was still a Knight of Krassel, and had responsibilities to live up to. ¡°I am Judith, a Knight of Krassel, and I am currently guarding this path. Identify yourself!¡± ¡°Hrm?! That voice¡­that name¡­a female knight¡­¡± On closer examination, this particular Orc was thick and muscular, but unlike Bash, there was only hunger and lewdness in his eyes ¨C not the sheer intimidating aura put out by the Hero. The Orc flashed a vulgar smile. The kind of grin that screamed ¡°I am going to beat you into a pulp and rape you until you¡¯re unconscious¡±. ¡°¡­Are you a stray Orc?¡± ¡°Heh, what else would I be?!¡± ¡°Just asking. I just want to ask you why you guys don¡¯t follow the Orc King¡¯s edict and leave your country.¡± ¡°Ha, it¡¯s obvious! I left ¡®cause I can¡¯t stand being with those losers. The Orcs are done. Finished. Our pride is gone, and everyone is living with their heads down like cattle! You Humans¡­I heard you call us pigs¡­ I can¡¯t even be mad, ¡®cause you¡¯re right!¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you left the country out of your own volition?¡± ¡°Hell yeah I did! And I¡¯m going to teach the rest of those pussies a thing or two about Orcish pride! I¡¯ll be a Hero! And lucky you, you¡¯re going to be my first trophy. I¡¯m going to fuck you and fuck you and fuck you, and you¡¯ll give birth to my child!¡± Judith frowned deeply. She thought back to the face, words and actions of the Orc she had met for just three days a while ago. ¡°There¡¯s a difference between being a Hero and being¡­you ¨C a stray. ¡°Hero? What the hell would you know about Mr. Bash!?¡± ¡°I met him the other day.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°He wasn¡¯t a stray. He wasn¡¯t desperate. He was truly trying to restore Orcish pride. Unlike¡­you.¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience ¡°Mr. Bash was trying to restore our pride¡­?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Judith politely conveyed to him the events of a few days ago: how Bash had been nothing less than the perfect gentleman, how rude she had been to him as a Human, and how he hadn¡¯t cared. She told him how foolish she used to be, and how Bash had inspired her to change. She spoke about the Hero¡¯s ambitions and his goals. Her monologue was a mix of truth and embellished speculiation, ¡°Impossible¡­there¡¯s no way Mr. Bash would have acted like that¡­to not even take a female knight, even though she was right there¡­¡± ¡°Sir Bash is wise. He follows the rules set by the Orc King. He suppressed his instincts and tried his best to redeem his people. He is the reason why even¡­fools like me have changed and recognized Orcs as a proud race.¡± ¡°Ah¡­Mr. Bash¡­this is why I haven¡¯t seen you these last few days¡­¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t stay within the boundaries of Human rules when in Human territory, I will have no choice but to arrest you. Why don¡¯t you follow in Sir Bash¡¯s footsteps?¡± Judith said, as she drew her sword. No matter how much he seemed placated, a stray Orc was still a stray Orc. He was more than likely to take Judith¡¯s words as nothing more than provocation ¨C some dumb bitch¡¯s last words before she gets inevitably raped. Up until Bash, this has always been the way things have gone. Judith had very limited experience with stray Orcs, but in all the cases she had to handle, this has been the norm. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± But the stray Orc had just turned around and started walking away. ¡°What are you doing? Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going home, obviously.¡± ¡°Huh¡­weird. All the stray Orc I¡¯ve met have gotten angry and attacked as soon as they saw me¡­¡± ¡°Geh, I don¡¯t like backing away while you mock me, but¡­ if Mr. Bash is fighting to regain our pride¡­and if he let you go un-raped, then I will too. I¡¯m as much an Orc as he is, and I¡¯ll fight by his side. For our pride. Doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t fight back if you try to stop me right now though.¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t stop you if you try to leave.¡± The Orc snickered as he headed back into the deep foliage as Judith just looked on, somewhat taken aback. Until now, stray Orcs were considered impossible to reason with, and Judith treated them as such ¨C furthermore, Houston¡¯s orders to kill them immediately still stood. Even this Orc just now had the same attitude as the rest of them. But then his mood changed on the spot. As soon as she had mentioned Bash¡¯s name, his eyes turned from that of a predator to those of a warrior, and he left. The ¡°Orc Hero¡± ¨C Judith was deeply reverent of the influence his name held. His peers must have an extremely high degree of trust in him. ¡°Even stray Orcs will straighten up with the mere mention of his name¡­ looks like we met someone way more important than we thought he was¡­¡± The soldiers were in a daze. Judith felt the same. Compared to stray Orcs¡­no, even compared to most Humans she knew, Bash was the true embodiment of generosity and heroism. ¡°The man even Houston was afraid of, huh.¡± ¡°How about you Judith, you¡¯re probably going to hide in fear next time you meet him, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°The next time he asks her to bear his child, she might not be able to refuse!¡± She still hated Orcs. Even just looking at one made her disgusted ¨C although a little less now. ¡°Alright, enough joking around. Let¡¯s go back. I¡¯m sure Sir Houston has some more hard work lined up for us tomorrow. You¡¯ll have to work your ass off to pay back your rudeness towards Sir Bash.¡± ¡°Pft, Judith, you¡¯re the one who was rude.¡± ¡°Shut up. Let¡¯s go.¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience But even among Orcs, there were exceptions, thought Judith before walking off. Chapter 10.1 Siwanasi Forest HERE WE GO BOYS AND GIRLS, VOLUME TWO : KNIFE EAR BOOGALOO! Siwanasi Forest. It was located southwest of Krassel, in the opposite direction of Orc Country. Other than the gigantic Siwanasi Tree at its centre, it was nothing more than a common forest. But for Bash, this was a place rife with old memories. During the war, Siwanasi Forest was a savage battleground. It was where the strongest Orc clan had set up their headquarters and was the last Orcish line of defense. If it fell, the Orcs would no longer be able to safely link up with the Faerie stronghold to their North. And thus, the Elves fiercely attacked this place, and the Orcs and Faeries defended it with just as much fervor. Bash himself had fought here more times than he could count. Updated from novelhall[.]com He had run himself ragged in these woods so much that he knew exactly where all the trees and plants grew, and every single details of the terrain. Thanks to their efforts, the Orcs were successful in defending Siwanasi Forest, though they had to sacrifice many of their own to do so. The Orcish clan leader of Siwanasi Forest was killed, and most of the fortification were burned down after the repeated battles. Even through the damage and deaths, Siwanasi Forest belonged to the Orcs until the end of the war. Had this place been destroyed and taken, the Orcs and Faeries might have not survived until the signing of the peace treaty. Unfortunately, war was a cruel mistress. As part of the peace treaty¡¯s stipulations, Siwanasi Forest, which the Orc bled and died to protect, had to be turned over to the Elves. And not just Siwanasi Forest either ¨C 60% of all land owned by the Orcs became Elven land. The Humans took a 20% slice for themselves, and the remaining Orcs were left to live in squalor in the remaining 20%. Though in the end, this was hardly a problem in matter of space, as most of the more than 30 Orcish clans had been destroyed¡­ ¡°Ah, how nostalgic¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, it really is.¡± Bash was steadily walking towards Siwanasi Forest. The pair was getting further and further away from the Orcish homeland, but it couldn¡¯t be helped ¨C the quest took precedence above safety and familiarity. ¡°Mister, mister! Do you remember this spot? Look! It¡¯s the hole where you bunkered up when you were busted up and bleeding and bruised!¡± Zell pointed towards a nearby cave opening. It used to be a bear den, where the animal would hibernate through the winter, and it was also where Bash had once holed up to escape from his pursuers while he was grievously wounded. ¡°I¡¯ll never forget that day. If it wasn¡¯t for you, I would have died.¡± ¡°No, no, no, how could you say that? No way you would have died from just tiny scratches like that, Mister!¡± It was the dead of winter back then, and there was a whole family of bears living in the cave. And so, as a matter of course, Bash killed the bears, ate their meat, covered himself in their pelt, smeared his body with their feces and guts, and pretended to be a bear to throw of the Elves who were trailing him. However, his wounds were deep and his blood loss severe. Furthermore, he had been separated from Zell during the previous engagement. Left alone, he would have eventually died. Had the Faerie not desperately searched and found him, we might not have had an ¡°Orc Hero¡± today. ¡°We should be there soon.¡± As soon as Bash said so, the sea of trees opened up into a wide river. A large, rapid current about 20 meters in width. This was the Ammet River, which marked the border between Human and Elven territories. Crossing this river would mark their entrance into Siwanasi Forest. Incidentally, if you go North following this river, you will reach its confluence with its tributary, the Berg River. Sandwiched between the Berg River and the Unmet River was the current Orcish territory. ¡°Now then¡­¡± Without hesitation, Bash stepped into the river. There were several areas in the water that were shallow enough to be crossed safely on foot. During the war, most of this kind of information was classified, but nowadays, it wasn¡¯t particularly kept under wraps. Even Lizardmen maps containing detailed information on various bodies of water were now freely available for sale on the market. Even so, only a few people in the knew by heart the location of these river crossings. Bash was one of them. Therefore, he began zigzagging through the water, threading on only the shallowest and safest parts of the riverbed. ¡°Huh? Are you crossing here, Mister?¡± Zell stopped him. ¡°Is there an issue?¡± ¡°No, not really a problem¡­¡± The world was now in a period of hard-earned peace that followed the longest of wars, and everyone was preoccupied was their own affairs. So far, no countries were thinking of invading another. The Elves weren¡¯t an exception. Right after the signing of the peace treaty, they vigilantly guarded their borders, staring at the Orcs with bloodshot eyes, but once they realized that the Orcs had no intention of coming out, they loosened up. Of course, this didn¡¯t mean that they didn¡¯t have any guards at all, to keep out the occasional stray Orcs. The Ammet River, being the border between Humans and Elves, was particularly lax in terms in protection. They were allied with each other and were both rather well off in terms of quality of life. Bash and Zell could probably enter Siwanasi Forest without being spotted, even if they didn¡¯t try to hide themselves. ¡°You know, if you have a house, and someone entered through the window, you¡¯d be mad, right? The Elves have checkpoints we need to go through! We need to politely knock at the front door!¡± ¡°¡­They have checkpoints?¡± ¡°Yes! That¡¯s how it works now!¡± No matter how relaxed their guard, borders were borders, and laws were laws. Not to mention that Elves were particularly wary of Orcs. It would probably already be hard for the pair to lawfully pass through a checkpoint, not to mention illegally entering through the river. ¡°Well¡­ what should we do?¡± Bash had lived his entire life with very little experience navigating mainstream roads and entering cities the ¡°right¡± way. He had always traveled through the wilderness, using animal trails and hidden passaged. Naturally, he instinctually tried to take a path that was out of sight. ¡°There¡¯s a bridge a little bit further South. We¡¯ll go in from there.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Bash nodded, returned to dry land and started to head South along the river. If Zell said so, it must be right! Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience ¡°¡­This place has changed a lot, hasn¡¯t it?¡± After a short while of walking, Zell spoke up. Bash looked around as well. The trees were lush and full of life. The river was crystal clear, and the only sounds they could head were the running water and chirping of birds. This would be a perfect place to sit down, fish and take a nap. ¡°It has.¡± However, the Ammet River that Bash and his friends knew was nothing like this. In order to curb the flow of Lizardmen reinforcements, the river was dammed upstream, and the volume of water was less than half what it was now. The water used to run black and cloudy with ash, and bodies would float down once in a while. The trees too, were withered, burned and broken. There was always a hellish cacophony ringing through the forest. Orcish warcries, Elven incantations, explosions and the clanging of metal. There was no way to hear the murmur of the running water back then. ¡°It hasn¡¯t changed. It¡¯s back to normal.¡± ¡°Oh! Mister, you¡¯re feeling poetic today, huh? But you¡¯re not wrong! This is how forests should be! Bright, green trees! Ah, except for the dead ones. But dead trees are normal too! And I can see the rocks at the bottom of the water right there! And flowers! There are flowers now too! And the sun is nice and warm. Just the right temperature! Way nicer than fireballs! Ah, it¡¯s nice to fly around in a forest like this!¡± ¡°Heh, so you do act like a normal Faerie sometimes.¡± ¡°Wait, what? Mister, that¡¯s not true! You say that as if I¡¯m not a normal Faerie! I¡¯m definitely a Faerie! The Faeriest of Faeries! If I¡¯m not a normal Faerie, than who is! Well¡­I am here because I¡¯m tired of living like a normal Faerie though¡­¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­?¡± Updated from novelhall[.]com As they were conversing, Bash¡¯s sensitive nose picked up an unpleasant smell. It was the smell of flesh. Not just ordinary flesh though. It was a scent he was familiar with, but definitely not one that evoked pleasant memories. The stench of carrion ¨C rotten, putrid carrion Here¡¯s a highly detailed map of the area : Chapter 10.2 Siwanasi Forest ANOTHER big thanks to Chad Orc-san and an Anonymous Supporter for their generous contributions! Thank you so, so much for supporting me! Orcs had strong stomach, and if need be they could even eat rotten meat. However, there was one thing that even the least picky of Orcs would never eat. People flesh. Of course, the term ¡°people¡± didn¡¯t apply only to Orcs ¨C it also included the flesh of other civilized species. Orcs, no matter how savage they may seem, do have a sense of ethics. It was said history books and records that prior to the war, they did not mind eating them, but after fighting and getting to know each other, they became aware that they were all thinking, conscious beings that deserve a modicum of respect. ¡°¡­¡± As Bash surveyed his surroundings, he noticed something moving across the river. Looking at it more closely, he realized it was a hunk of flesh. A whitish mass of rotten tissue, strewn with purple and black veins, so decomposed it seemed to be melting under the sun ¨C yet strangely, it retained its shape. A humanoid shape. It was a walking hunk of rotten flesh shaped like a person. ¡°Zombie.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, it¡¯s a zombie.¡± The zombie took one look at Bash, and it¡¯s eyes started glowing a bright red as it leapt towards the shore. It then proceeded to sprint towards the Orc. Zombies, for some reason, hated the living. Nobody knew the true motive of their actions. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Was it jealousy towards the living that still possessed the ¡°life¡± they once had? Or was the god of death commanding them to bring him more worshippers? The zombie followed its instincts and kept on moving closer and closer to the Orc Hero¡­ And then its right leg got caught in a nearby root, tripping it and sending it flying back into the water. Not being able to swim and not being able to get its legs back under it, it was swept away downstream. ¡°So, there are zombies out here, huh.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± During and even after the war, the undead appeared in various areas, especially in the deadliest battlefields, where zombies and skeletons were commonplace. It was commonly believed that those with strong grudges or unfulfilled desires were more likely to become undead after death. And the front was filled with these kinds of people ¨C many battles, after all, were fought with the combatant¡¯s nation¡¯s very existence at stake. The warriors dying in fight they could not afford to lose would be filled with regret. And therefore, there would be more undead in these places. Siwanasi Forest happened to be a former battlefield on which the fate of an entire people depended. So, it wasn¡¯t unusual for zombies to pop up here. In fact, zombies could even be considered commonplace in the world of today. They were present within the borders of Orc Country. Not only could undead Orcs be found there, but also Human and Elven undead ¨C revived from the corpses of the attackers. Those same undead could be found in Faerie Land, albeit much more rarely. Finally, of course, they also cropped up in Human and Elvish territory, Incidentally, no Faerie zombie has ever been seen so far. It was believed that Faeries, who lived carefree, died without leaving any regrets. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Ah, right.¡± Quickly putting the encounter with the zombie behind them, the pair hastened towards the official border entry into Elven Country. The bridge was now only a couple of steps away. This particular bridge had been build just two years ago. Being the link between Elven and Human nations, it was appropriately named the Elman Bridge. The name represented the hope that trade and friendship between these two parties would flourish in the future. It was built out of sturdy stone and was wide enough for two carriage abreast to cross. In fact, trade between Humans and Elves was thriving to such a degree that merchant coming through with wagons and caravans passed at least once an hour. Once every whole hour. Which, objectively, wasn¡¯t all that much. But relatively speaking, in time when every single country out there was trying their best to revitalize their economy and commerce, it was definitely flourishing. Given the infrequent traffic, there were only two guards on duty at any time. Originally, there should have been a tariff or price for entry, but the terms for such stipulations were still being discussed by the Four Tribe Alliance. The war had lasted so long that no one clearly knew what was done before the conflict, and what to do in the future. Of course, during the war, there were no such things as taxes or tariffs on supplies coming in from allied nations. Had they existed, the Beastmen, whose nation had very little coin to spare, might have collapsed under the financial burden. Most leaders just agreed to let things play out and plug in the holes in the system as they come. Incidentally, the same loose and easy-going diplomatic relations that went on between the Elves and the Humans also extended to the rest of the Four Tribe Alliance ¡°You there! Yes, you! The Orc! Who are you? Why are you coming from Human lands? State your purpose! Speak, now!¡± The Alliance did not, however, extend the same courtesy they had among themselves to the Seven Race Federation. They were especially on edge towards Orcs due to the sheer savagery and violence of any clash involving that race. Not to mention the stray Orcs that occasionnaly flowed out of Orc Country. Wild and lawless, stray Orcs were a constant nuisance to other nations. And so, naturally, Bash found himself on the wrong end of a pair of arrows, nocked into the respective, pulled back bowstrings of their respective bows. ¡°My name is Bash. I am on a quest to look for something. I came here on the recommendation of Houston, the Human General, who told me that the object of my journey might be here.¡± ¡°Bash? General Houston sent you¡­?¡± The two Elven men stared at Bash. They must be on the younger side. Either they only entered military service near the signing of the peace treaty or didn¡¯t participate in the war at all. Otherwise, they would have been trembling at the mere mention of Bash¡¯s name, and had they recognized him from afar, never let him get within striking distance in the first place. Elven veterans, when encountering an unknown entity, would blend and become nearly invisible within the forest, hiding themselves and never coming within fifty arm¡¯s reach, using their magic to project their voices and interrogate any intruders from afar. Only fresh-faced recruits would act this recklessly. ¡°Hey, did you hear what he said?¡± ¡°Shut up, let me focus, an Orc is coming this way.¡± ¡°He said he was just a traveler.¡± ¡°So, you think we should let him through?¡± ¡°Not sure. We were told to not let stray Orcs pass¡­ is he a stray?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. Not like I can tell the difference.¡± The two of them were flustered by Bash¡¯s dignified attitude. If he was a stray, he would have already attacked if they had stopped him like they did. Or perhaps they wouldn¡¯t even have had a chance to stop him, as stray Orcs were also known to instantly deal with any potential obstacle by yelling out their Warcry and charging into battle. The fact that this Orc in front of them had done neither made them think that he was maybe not a stray¡­ However, it was also possible that he was lying. Decisions, decisions¡­ ¡°Hey, you two! This mister here isn¡¯t a stray Orc!¡± And then Zell stepped up to the plate. She flew up to the Elve¡¯s faces and began her speech. ¡°Hello, la¡­uh¡­ gentlemen and gentlemen! Let me introduce you to the Hero of the Orcs, the one and only Bash! He is the savior and greatest warrior of the Orc Country! A representative of all Orcs! A real VIP! And if a great man like him is travelling, then its obvious that he has the permission and blessing of the Orc King! Do you get it?! If you call him a stray Orc, then all the Orcs in Orc Country are strays! Now then, I¡¯ll forgive your little blunder of not recognizing an incredible personage like him and let this slide. You both look pretty young, and the young make mistakes! Clear the way now, chop chop!¡± And finally, to follow up on her little monologue, she rattled off a litany of praise for Bash. The strongest, invincible, fierce, mighty¡­The two young Elven guards frowned at the Faerie¡¯s endless blabbering that could only be matched in scale by an Elder Elf telling a story about themselves. ¡°You know any of this?¡± Updated from novelhall[.]com ¡°I don¡¯t know of any Orc celebrity. You, you¡¯re lying, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Suspicious¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, really suspicious. I don¡¯t believe a word that comes out of any Faerie¡¯s mouth anyways.¡± The Elves had a saying: ¡°A Faerie¡¯s instruction causes great destruction¡±. The story behind the saying went as such: There once was an Elven traveler. In the midst of his journey, he noticed there was a hole in his canteen. He quickly plugged the hole, but the water was already long gone. Thirsty and lightheaded, he wandered through the forest in search of a source of water, when a Faerie appeared and said: ¡°This way, this way! There¡¯s water over here! There¡¯s 100% water if you follow me!¡± The Elven traveler, being desperate, trusted and followed the Faerie, and sure enough, after a while of walking, they came across what appeared to be a pond. Overjoyed, the Elf jumped into the water. But moments later, he let out a shriek. In his excitement, he hadn¡¯t realizer that this was a hot spring. And all the Faerie did was laugh at the poor man¡¯s misfortune and scalded face. In other words, Faeries are born pranksters whose words are full of misdirection, and you shouldn¡¯t rely on them to give advice when it comes to important decisions. However, it was only recently that this saying has become widespread. During the war, the citizens of Elf Country didn¡¯t have the time to travel like the man in the story did ¨C not that they had much contact with the Faeries anyways. It was more than likely that the saying was born to warn Elves from Faeric deception during the war, and the story was only made up afterwards to make it more palatable. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Anyway, the two Elves did not seem convinced. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you won¡¯t let us through?¡± ¡°Exactly! No dirty Orc like yourself will enter Elven lands!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± If they couldn¡¯t make their way in, Bash would be troubled. If the pair were just wandering around without a real destination, they could have easily just turned around, shrugged it off, and say, ¡°Well, let¡¯s go to another country¡±. But right now, he was working off information given to him by ¡°Houston the Swine Slayer¡±. Bash thoroughly believed that there must be a beautiful Elf within Siwanasi Forest that would be willing to become his wife. Given the end goal of his journey, there was no way he could pass up on this opportunity. Of course, this was just some minor, individual purpose ¨C not some grand quest. There was no real reason to force his way through. However, if he was going to be denied entry simply because of his race ¨C because he was an Orc, then Bash could not back down. There were no laws in place that stated that Elven nations would not admit entry to Orcs. There was no fault on the Hero¡¯s side. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the hold up over here? Stop blocking the road!¡± Chapter 10.3 Siwanasi Forest MIDTERMS ARE OVER LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND I¡¯M NEARLY DONE WITH CORRECTING EXAMS. Welcome back to your regular programming. During the short argument between the Orc-Faerie pair and the Elven guards, a carriage had made its way onto the bridge and was now right behind them. It was on its way towards the Elven nation from Human lands. The carriage stopped just a couple of steps away from Bash, and the coachman had called out to protest the blockage. He was a man with a full head of silky, long blonde hair, and a pair of pointy ears on each side of his head ¨C an Elf. He wore a uniform similar to that of the two Elven guards watching over the bridge, albeit slightly less armored and more formal ¨C most likely a public official. ¡°I want to enter this country, but they won¡¯t let me through the checkpoint.¡± ¡°Hmm? An Orc¡­?¡± Realizing that Bash was, in fact, a pointy tusked green Orc, the coachman shot a suspicious glare at him, before turning towards the guards. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience He had judged that of the two parties present here, his brethren were far more trustworthy. ¡°You over there, explain what¡¯s going on!¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± The coachman was apparently higher in the hierarchy than the border guards. The two Elven soldiers stood at attention and began to explain the situation. An Orc had suddenly popped out of nowhere, saying he needed to enter the country because he was looking for something. Furthermore, he had a suspicious looking Faerie as a companion. He claimed to be a legitimate traveler ¨C not a stray Orc. No matter the way they looked at it, this whole thing was suspicious, and so they had blocked the pair¡¯s passage. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience ¡°You there, Orc, are what these two saying correct? Are you truly not a stray Orc?¡± ¡°They¡¯re correct. And no, I am not a stray.¡± ¡°Do you swear on it?¡± ¡°By the name of the Great Orc King Nemesis, I swear that my words are true.¡± Hearing those words, the coachman let out a sigh of relief ¨C it looked like the Orc really wasn¡¯t here to cause trouble. He knew the significance of that Orcish oath ¨C that only a handful of warriors could invoke the name of the Orc King, and that the one swearing the oath was ready to face death if his words were found to be lies. In other words, this individual in front of him was an eminent personage from the Orc Nation and had the approval from the Orc King to go out of the country. Yet, that raised another question¡­ Why was he here? What was he looking for? However, this raises another question. If he didn¡¯t understand this Orcs motives, then it might be better to not let him pass¡­ ¡°It¡¯s fine, let him through.¡± These were not the coachman¡¯s words. This remark came from a passenger ¨C from inside the carriage. It was a woman¡¯s voice. ¡°The war is over, and the Orcs have been keeping their word and stayed quiet. Sure, we get stray Orcs coming around ever so often, but all of our countries have bad apples, right? Anyways, if he¡¯s a legitimate traveler and even has the Orc King¡¯s stamp of approval, let¡¯s not give him a hard time.¡± The unexpected help made Bash¡¯s heart skip a beat. The crisp, clear voice of Elven women had always fascinated the Orcs, and the Hero was no exception. ¡°But¡­ Lady Sonia, I¡¯ve never heard of travelling Orcs.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been three years. Just because they¡¯re Orcs doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re completely uncivilized. I¡¯m sure some of them travel. And listen, if that old man Nemesis gave it the go-ahead, it should be fine.¡± ¡°So we should believe in them without any proof?¡± ¡°Proof? You do know what it means for an Orc to mention the name of the Orc King, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I do, yes¡­ but stray Orcs don¡¯t fall under the Orc King¡¯s authority anyways, so there is still the possibility that they are just talking out of their as¡­ ahem¡­ mouths.¡± ¡°Of course there¡¯s a possibility! But think about this for a second. If an Orc really wanted to enter the country, they could just sneak across the Ammet River. That¡¯s what all the stray Orcs we¡¯ve come across have done so far, right? But these two, they came right up to us, mentioning the names of both the Orc King and Houston? You know, that Houston. Houston the ¡°Swine Slayer¡±. If they were lying, they¡¯d come up with better names to drop, wouldn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­ alright. If Lady Sonia says so. Hey, you two, clear the way!¡± At these words, the Elven soldiers promptly lowered their bows and moved aside. The coachman, satisfied, whipped the horses, driving the carriage forward onto the bridge and passing by Bash. The Hero gave way to the vehicle, looked up, and said in a stoic voice. ¡°Thank you.¡± An answer came back, but not from the driver. ¡°Hmm, don¡¯t worry about it! We have peace now, let¡¯s get along.¡± A beautiful Elven woman had sat up on her carriage seat and looked out of the window. She had a high, slim nose, narrow sky-blue eyes, a sharp chin, and long ears. She had a petite stature and very modest breast ¨C a typical Elf. A pointy wide-brimmed hat held back her silky blonde hair, and she wore a deep green robe ¨C a caster¡¯s outfit. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience ¡°Well, it¡¯s to be expected of me to be magnanimous after all, I¡¯m amazing¡­. So, you¡¯re ¨C ah!¡± The woman whose figure had just appeared through the carriage window jumped in surprise as soon as she noticed Bash¡¯s face. She then bumped her head on the top of the window frame, falling backwards into the carriage with a groan. A dull thud rang out as she hit the ground, but the sound was lost in the rattle of the wagon¡¯s wheels rolling on the uneven stone and never caught the coachman¡¯s attention. The lady had most likely fainted within the carriage, without anyone noticing. Well, under normal circumstances, Bash, with his super-orcish senses would have realized it. Unfortunately, he was lost in his own little daydream. ¡°How beautiful¡­¡± It had been a while since he had seen an Elven woman. And this particular Elf wasn¡¯t just a regular beauty ¨C she embodied the peak of Elven aesthetics itself and had fully captivated Bash with her looks. Updated from novelhall[.]com Oh! How sublimely marvelous were Elven women! Bash had never truly looked at them in a mating point of view, as they were his enemies back then, but they truly were the ideal women. Human women had a certain pleasant plumpness to them, which Elven women didn¡¯t have, but the latter had a different sort of charm ¨C sharp, angular traits and slim, modest, attractive bodies. The Hero had a hard time deciding which was the best type of woman. But he had to conclude that in terms of sheer beauty, the Elves easily won out. Houston was saying the truth after all. Bash¡¯s goddess was here. ¡°That was¡­? Huh? That Elf just now, haven¡¯t we seen her somewhere before?¡± Zell tilted her head, puzzled by this foreboding sense of familiarity. But Bash didn¡¯t even register those words, as he followed the carriage in front of him like a lost puppy. Chapter 11.1 Elven Town oopity, poopity, poop, thank you all my readers, and EXTRA SPECIAL thanks to all those that donated during my time I was busy with exams. What a bunch of crazy bastards y¡¯all are. Thank you to Ryan, Chad Orc-san, Reni2425, Makeiks, Boomhauer, 123321, and an Anonymous Supporter! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Anyways, here it is ladies and gents, chapter 11. Siwanasi Forest Town, within the land of Elves. As soon as Bash stepped foot into the gate, he was immediately surrounded by guards. However, when he announced himself by name, one of the guards piped up: ¡°We have been informed that Lady Sonia has given this Orc her explicit permission to enter the country, lay down your arms¡±, after which the Elven soldiers backed off, whispering to each other is hushed voices: ¡°That¡¯s Lady Sonia for you! She¡¯s so generous¡­¡± And without anymore trouble, Bash entered the town proper, thanking the beautiful Elf that he had just met at the border. Unlike Human settlements, whose architecture blended wooden frames and stone walls, Elven buildings were exclusively built out of wood. Near the entrance were located a slew of inns and souvenir shops, ready to welcome any weary travelers and tourists, just like a Human town. The main difference came from what laid at the center of the city ¨C instead of a fortified position, like a castle, the centerpiece of Siwanasi Town was a humongous tree as thick as thirty Bashes holding hands at arm¡¯s length in a ring. High up on its branches were the living quarters of high-class Elves. This was the Siwanasi Tree ¨C the namesake for both the forest and the town. As Bash and Zell walked through the main street, they were greeted by colorful red and yellow houses. ¡°This Elven town has changed a lot, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Bash muttered as he took in the sights. During the war, Bash had struck at Elven settlements more times than he could count. The Elven buildings in his memories had always been covered with a net of branches, brambles, and leaves, and covered with splotches of green and brown cloth. At first glance, it was difficult to determine the exact size and number of the buildings, and sometimes it was nearly impossible to discern if there was a building at all. ¡°Uhya! Look over there! It¡¯s a flower garden! Wow¡­ I wonder if the Elves have awakened their sense of fashion and beauty now that the war is over.¡± ¡°I guess they don¡¯t need to hide their towns anymore. These homes were probably this bright color the whole time underneath the camouflage.¡± ¡°Mhm¡­ Anyways, there are a lot of other races here, don¡¯t ¡®cha think?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± As Bash walked down the street, he noticed that there were many non-Elf people going about their business. From the familiar Humans, to Beastmen with thick fur and distinctive noses, and even short and bearded Dwarves¡­ most, if not all these foreigners came from a nation that was part of the Four Tribe Alliance ¨C even taking in consideration ethnic enclaves, it was uncommon to see this many other races. Incidentally, the most common foreign species were Humans. Moreover, for some odd reason, there were a strangely high number of Elves hovering around Humans of the opposite sex. This was truly a rare sight. The xenophobic, isolationist Elves were cozying up to Humans? Bash¡¯s finely honed combat instincts were telling him something strange was going on here. ¡°Something¡¯s not right.¡± ¡°Yeah, somethings fishy. Aren¡¯t Elves much more¡­uptight?¡± Elves were known to be ethnocentric, exclusionary and outright hostile towards outsiders. There were rumors that during the war, they would even try to eliminate allies that mistakenly stumbled into their territory. Before the last decade, they had even refused to allow any other races to station troops within they territory, even if they were also from the Alliance. Yet now, the town was full of outsiders. I was no wonder that Bash had been able to enter Siwanasi without much trouble. Had it been any other time, no matter how influential a personage, it would have been difficult to let an Orc enter Elven lands¡­ ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a festival! I¡¯ll go check it out!¡± Without missing a beat, Zell flew towards the couple. Bash made no move to stop her, instead gazing longingly at the people walking by, To him, the sight of all these Elven women was a true feast for the eyes. As he shamelessly gawked at the passerby, Bash noticed something. Nearly all the Elves that he saw were female. There were a male Elves here and there, but they were few and far between. That being said, it wasn¡¯t as if the streets were overwhelmed by women. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Most of the non-Elven people around were men. Moreover, these foreign men were often arm-in-arm or held hands with Elven women. All these couples were wandering and talking wearing nothing but joy on their faces. A picturesque scene that would perfectly represent the word ¡°happy¡±. Some of the Elven women that walked alongside these men seemed to have a bulge on their midsection ¨C they were pregnant. And the men that were accompanying them were just as jolly as the ladies ¨C an interspecies relationship that resulted in pregnancy. Yet this gaiety was limited to those who were paired up. The single female Elves stood around listless, eyes glazed over like dead fish. Stagnant eyes filled with resentment and hatred. It was the same eyes that Bash had seen so many times during the war. Updated from novelhall[.]com But the conflict was over¡­ why were there still people like this in a town with such a peaceful atmosphere¡­? ¡°¡­¡± The more Bash observed his surroundings, the more questions he had. The Orc kept on moving down the street, wondering what was going on. Eventually, he reached a small park-like arrangement, where he spotted three Elven women courting a Human man. ¡°I¡¯m a good cook! And everyone says I¡¯m the sweetest woman they know. Really! I swear it¡¯s true!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who loves you the most! I¡¯ll even worship the ground you walk on! Pick me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the type of woman who will do anything for you¡­ Marry me, and I promise you won¡¯t regret it.¡± In response to these heartfelt pick-up lines, the man responded: ¡°Please, ladies, give me some space. It¡¯s so hard to choose¡­¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience A truly enviable situation. From Bash¡¯s perspective, all three of these Elven women were top tier beauties. They were all slender, with fine, narrow eyes and beautiful blonde hair. One of them had a gruesome scar on her face, another was missing two fingers on her right hand, and the last¡¯s left eye was permanently shut, yet to Bash, these weren¡¯t negatives. Quite the contrary actually ¨C the Orc believed that these were nothing more than trophies; proof that they had fought and survived a savage war and pride in the warriors that they were. Their bodies were also strong and sturdy (for an Elf), and they were likely to give birth to healthy children. No matter which one became his wife, he would not regret it. Bash put himself in the Human man¡¯s shoes ¨C if it was him, he would quickly choose one, lose his virginity, and life happily ever after with his family. Unfortunately, all this wishful thinking was in vain. ¡°¡­Ah?¡± One of the Elves noticed Bash¡¯s gaze. ¡°What are you looking at, punk!?¡± Immediately, her eyes went wide, and her pupils shrunk, The next second, all three of them turned to face the Orcish Hero. The air was suddenly filled with a hostile, murderous atmosphere. Chapter 11.2 Elven Town Here¡¯s part 2 of chapter 11. ¡°What are you looking at, greenie?¡± ¡°You trying to pick a fight with the Elfdom¡¯s 31st Independent Division? How did you get in here anyways? You don¡¯t look like a stray.¡± ¡°Hey, haven¡¯t I seen you somewhere before?¡± ¡°Yeah I have this gut feeling that I¡¯ve met this guy before¡­ Not like I can tell the difference between these pigs anyways.¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s a battalion commander or something? Nah, he¡¯s not wearing the right armor though.¡± Bash was somewhat confused by their change of attitude when it came to talking to him. But it was rather typical of an Elven warrior, he thought. That¡¯s right ¨C after all, this is what Elves should be like. They¡¯re aggressive and xenophobic. It¡¯s only right that they bite at other species when they meet them. He had no recollection of what the Elfdom¡¯s 31st Independent Division, but he guessed it was a group of hardened warriors that had fought during the war. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience ¡°Excuse me, I was just wondering about something.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why are three Elves competing over one Human?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The three Elven women looked at each other, incredulous. But after a few seconds, they stood up straight, their faces flushing from both rage and embarrassment, and stared holes into the poor confused Hero. ¡°You¡¯re really trying to pick a fight with us, aren¡¯t ¡®cha¡­¡± ¡°You think we looks like a bunch of hyenas, huh? You think we¡¯re scavengers, squabbling over scraps?¡± ¡°You looking to die today, Orc?¡± Bash nearly fainted, as his heart tightened under the pressure. It took all of his willpower to not keel over clutching his chest. ¡°No¡­¡± He just couldn¡¯t bear the unbelievably pleasant smell the Elven women gave out. Moreover, they were wearing clothes that exposed a fair bit of skin ¨C their shoulders were uncovered and Bash could swear he could see a little bit of cleavage, courtesy of his height granted vantage point. If they got any closer, his greatword might just become a little too big for its scabbard¡­ Taking a step back to compose himself, the Hero answered their questions. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way. If I wanted to fight, I would have said so clearly.¡± ¡°Huh? I don¡¯t know about you but that sure sounded like you were lookin¡¯ for trouble.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I really wasn¡¯t. I just arrived in this country and there are just so many things I don¡¯t understand yet. I was just curious to know why there were so many foreign men walking around with Elven women¡­¡± At Bash¡¯s seemingly honest and innocent response, the Elven women once again looked at each other, as if to say ¡°Really?¡±, before turning their eyes back towards him. Their passionate gazes made Bash¡¯s heart thump hard in his chest. Even back when he was fighting for his life in barren battlefields, he would rarely be this riled up. His heightened blood pressure was starting to make him light-headed. ¡°Damn, you really don¡¯t get it, do you?¡± ¡°Tsk¡­fuck off.¡± One of the shrugged, another sighed in exasperation. The last shooed Bash away with a wave of her hand. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll let you off the hook this time. Get out of here before I change my mind.¡± ¡°¡­Understood, please excuse me.¡± Bash regretfully backed off and left the scene. He desperately wanted to have just a little more time to talk with these Elven ladies. He wanted to know why the three of them were competing over a single Human, and more importantly, their voices were like music to his ears, though these particular women had a rather raspy throat. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t help but listen to them and leave. Had he stayed any longer, it would have undoubtably ended up in a fight ¨C his Orcish warrior instincts told him as much. Of course, Bash was the Orciest Orc there was, and would never turn down a fight so long as he lived. But that would be unproductive ¨C after all, he was here to look for a bride, not a brawl. And his brief stint in Krassel had taught him that even if he won the fight, it wouldn¡¯t end up in marriage. Unexpectedly, it was the Human man that spoke up next. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience ¡°Listen, uh, girls¡­no, ladies¡­ I don¡¯t think we¡¯d be a good match. We¡¯re just so different from each other. Really! It¡¯s not you, it¡¯s me¡­ and frankly I¡¯m kind of scared, so I¡¯m just going to take my leave now, hahahaha¡­.¡± ¡°Wait, wait, wait! No, no, no, don¡¯t leave! I swear we¡¯re not usually like that! I swear!¡± ¡°Yeah! She¡¯s right! That was an Orc! An Orc! They¡¯re all violent brutes who want to beat up anybody they don¡¯t like! I¡­uh¡­ I was trying to protect you!¡± ¡°Pft you¡¯d protect him from an Orc? I¡¯d protect you even from a Dragon! I¡¯ll serve you and coddle you and protect you for the rest of your life.¡± Bash could hear the conversation devolving into desperate pleas sprinkled with speciesism as he was walking away, but he did not look back. If he didn¡¯t want to fight, it was only polite to leave without looking back, no matter what was said. For Orcs, turning back after one agreed to walk away from an argument was synonymous with saying: ¡°I was ready to drop the conflict and leave, but you¡¯ve provoked me one time too many!¡± Incidentally, it would usually be the party that was looking for a fight that would repeat provocations to rile up the other. ¡°Fu¡­¡± After putting a decent amount of distance between himself and the Elven trio, Bash leaned against a tree on the side of the road, arms crossed. There were still so many questions left unanswered. For some odd reason, men from other species were going about their business in an Elven town. Yet there were nearly no Elven men to be seen. And as for the Elven women, they were flocking to these foreign males¡­ As Bash took a closer look at the women, he noticed that most, of not all of these ladies were former soldiers. They carried themselves with the confidence of seasoned warriors, and several wore remnants of injuries on their bodies. Was this a military festival? ¡°Mister! Heyyy! Heyyyyy!¡± As Bash was deep in thought, a glowing object suddenly launched itself through the air and landed straight onto his face. ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa! Mister! Mister! This is wild! This is outrageous!¡± It was Zell, of course. Not like there were many daring flying creatures that would go through the trouble to sticking their nose onto Bash¡¯s own. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I found out what was going on! It¡¯s crazy! Absolutely insane!¡± Bash gently pulled the Faerie off his face as he questioned her. She had an unusual expression on her face, something between anger and sadness. But there was no doubt that she was terribly upset. Yet at the same time, she seemed very excited. It was rare for this Faerie to be so disturbed. Zell, who was usually optimistic and carefree, was panicking and spazzing out as she stuck to Bash¡¯s face. During the long years the pair had been cooperating, she had only shown this degree of distress a handful of times: once was in a battle that occurred right where they were, in Siwanasi Forest. The time before that was during the battle of Sandrion Hill, and the time before that was the battle of Honey Forest. In any case, Zell was only ever this agitated when something truly serious was going on. Like when Orc Chief Baraben met his end, staking his life in an unwinnable battle, or when Demon King Gediguz was slain by the Alliance death squad, or when the traitorous Killer Bee Queen was eaten by her daughter¡­ All of these instances involved shocking, depressingly bad news. What could possibly have happened this time? ¡°Calm down.¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Bash grabbed the spazzing Faerie out of the air, calmed her down, and focused all his attention on what she was about to say. What was she about to tell him? Not that it truly mattered in the end. Bash was the Orc Hero. No matter how heavily the odds were stacked against him, he was always ready to fight. Even if it was a hopeless battle, he was prepared to struggle until the end and give his life up in combat, as a true Orc should. However, if this case had nothing to do with battle, it would be a different situation. His heart sunk as he thought of the possible scenarios¡­ Could it be¡­no, don¡¯t tell me there¡¯s something wrong with Orc King Nemesis?! Was there a crisis in the Land of Orcs? Bash concentrated his hearing, anxiety gnawing away at his guts. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Listen to this! Listen to this! Right now, in the Elf Country¡­¡± Trembling with excitement, the Faerie revealed what she had found out. The shocking truth. The answer to all his questions. ¡°It seems that interspecies marriage is booming!¡± This was a piece of unbelievably good news. Chapter 12.1 Useful Information New chapter, new chapter! Here we go! Elves. A race with a life expectancy of around 500 years. They were mainly located in the forests in the southwestern side of Vastonia, but there were settlements sparsely spread over the southeast and northwest. As a people, they were exclusive, aggressive, and prideful beyond belief, and extremely quick to eliminate any other species that intrude on their territory. Overall, their total population was not very large, but they were excellent at wielding both swords and bows, water and wind magic, were amazing at stealth, and due to their longevity, the accumulated experience of their warriors made them ferocious opponents. This¡­was the perception the other races had of the Elves during the war. This information remained generally correct. There was only one difference ¨C they were no longer as isolationist as they used to be. With the end of the war, a new wind had begun to rise in the Land of Elves. Particularly, their relationship with their former allies ¨C the Humans and Dwarves, has been flourishing. Not only in matters of trade, but also movement of people. The volume of tourism and travel had exploded. Nowadays, even the eldest Elves had been born after the beginning of the war ¨C that is to say, even the most senior of their population were relatively young when compared with their long history. The de facto stance of the Elven population had always been that, as a long-lived and knowledgeable race, they were the betters of the short lived and ignorant species. After the war, however, it became apparent that despite their longevity, they still had a lot to learn from the other nations. Not to mention that the never-ending conflict had all but wiped out the Elves¡¯ accumulated wisdom and knowledge ¨C their vast archives had been burnt to the ground, the books used as tinder and the shelves as fortifications. There was now nothing to back up the haughty and prideful attitude of the Elves. As such, the Elves were now in the process of transitioning into a more diverse and tolerant nation, abandoning their backwards traditions and embracing foreign cultures. In a thousand years, which was no more than two Elven generations, they would have rebuilt their vast stores of knowledge, and their pride would be restored¡­ But that was a question for the future ¨C as of right now, their top priority was to rebuilt their devastated country. In order for a country to recover, there was a single resource that was of the utmost importance. Most countries were lacking this particular resource, and the Elven nation was no exception. Yes, it was people human resource ¨C population. And thus began a marriage-boom¡­ that would soon be followed by a baby-boom. The phenomenon began at the very top of Elven society ¨C the so-called high Elves, and then trickled down to the common populace. Marry. Give birth. Proliferate. However, the war had reduced the already small Elven population. The blame could be firmly placed on their repeated head-on confrontations with the Succubus armies, resulting in an enormous amount of mostly male casualties and a slew of widows. Were Elves polygamous, like the Dwarves were, this wouldn¡¯t be as big an issue, but Elven traditions dictated that Elves should be strictly monogamous, loving only their spouse until either party dies. Therefore, the Elven King North-Pole came up with a policy. Called the ¡°Half-Elf Measure¡±, it provided men from other species subsidies and nationality, provided that they were wed to an Elf. It was meant to encourage foreigners to come and marry Elven women. The plan was a huge success. Humans in particular, who had become infatuated with Elven beauty during the war, came in droves to the Elf Country. But what would happen if the policy was too successful, and the whole nation was filled with nothing but half-Elves? There were some who voiced their worry, but most understood that the urgency of the situation necessitated an emergency measure, and the problems of tomorrow could be left for later. The more astute of the Elves had thought even further. Being a long-lived race and patient race, they would simply cut off the policy when the immediate issue was resolved. Eventually, half-Elves would have children with full-blooded Elves more and more, diluting the blood of other species until it becomes negligible. This was the reason why the country was currently filled with foreign men and local women, both searching for a chance at love. There were now marriages everywhere. The circumstances made it so that interspecies marriage was not only accepted but promoted. This was a great opportunity for Bash. ¡ª ¡°¡ªand that¡¯s why there¡¯s a marriage boom in the country right now! Tons and tons of lonely Elven women in stock! You¡¯ll definitely find yourself a woman, mister!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Bash and Zell were currently having a strategy meeting at a nearby inn. The Hero had always wondered what the reason behind Houston sending him this way might be. He came here ignorant ¨C but now he was convinced that this marriage boom was why. Now that he thought about it, the events surrounding his entry into Elf Country were pretty strange. When he first arrived in town, Bash was looked at strangely. This was to be expected, of course. After all, Orcs rarely traveled outside their own nation ¨C only stray Orcs did. Naturally, the guards had accosted him immediately, and had questioned him. However, those same guards immediately backed down, saying: ¡°Well, sure, he¡¯s an Orc, but looks like he¡¯s just a normal traveler,¡± and ¡°If Lady Sonia says so¡­¡± Were these normal times, this would have been impossible. Even though three years have passed since the end of the war, the Elves wouldn¡¯t have changed into tolerant multiculturalist in such a short timeframe. But if there were measures in place that encouraged welcoming foreigners, then it wasn¡¯t unreasonable for the Elf Country to be so¡­ different. ¡°Hey, mister, listen. When it comes to Orcs and Elves, you two are like cats and dogs. Or water and cats. Or cats and anything really. With how much bad blood you have between each other, even though interspecies marriage is exploding, you might not have much of a chance¡­¡± ¡°I know. What should I do?¡± ¡°Well, there are many steps to take, but the basics are the same as when you try to seduce Humans. Elves are kind of similar to Faeries. They¡¯re the guardians of the forest ¨C they love nature and are loved by nature in return! That¡¯s how Elves are, so it¡¯s important to respect their traditions and culture! First things first, we need to make sure the perfume you use smells like flowers. I like flowers, and I¡¯m a Faerie! And if Elves are like Faeries, they like flowers too! Oh, and one more thing, you need to wear clothes that aren¡¯t too revealing, because showing skin is something only reserved for your special someone when it comes to Elves!¡± Bash looked down at his attire. He wore the same thing he always did ¨C a typical Orcish outfil¡­ but Elves didn¡¯t like showing their skin. He supposed it would be a good idea to hide as much of his skin as he could. But¡­ if that¡¯s the case, why were the three Elves that he had met earlier wearing such¡­ revealing outfits. The Hero concluded that that Human must have been special in those women¡¯s eyes. And so¡­ if you become an Elf¡¯s ¡°special person¡±, they would show you their body. Bash¡¯s chest swelled ¨C he was about to burst with anticipation. ¡°I see!¡± ¡°Alright, just leave it to me! Let¡¯s go and get you dressed to the nines right away! Onwards to the clothing store! I¡¯ll take care of it all! I¡¯ve even looked up the store¡¯s location! And thus, led by Zell, Bash headed to a nearby clothing store. Yes, this Elf King dude¡¯s name is literally North Pole. Portrait of the Elven King ¨C Year 3 Anno Pax, colorized Chapter 12.2 Useful Information Here we go folks, part 2 of chapter 12! Long chapter on our hands, about 2 more parts to this one. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Anyways, here we go! The store was really close by ¨C right next door, actually. As soon as he passed through the doorway ¨C by crouching, as it obviously wasn¡¯t designed with Orcish stature in mind, he saw racks upon racks of clothing that did not exist within Orc Country. The main colors in vogue seemed to be the typical Elven green, brown and yellow, but there were also clothes styled for more Human fashion tastes. ¡°So, anything catch your eye, mister?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about Elf clothes. It it were armor¡­¡± ¡°Oh! Look! Looks like this shop has clothing for various races! Must be a recent thing, with all the foreigners coming in to visit. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find something that fits you perfectly!¡± Just like Zell put it, the store was lined with Elven styled clothes adjusted to fit Human and Dwarven physiques. Nonetheless, there didn¡¯t seem to be any Orc-sized apparel. The size range went up to XXXL-Human at most, which was appropriate of a two meter tall individual. ¡°Tsk, an Orc¡­¡± As the Faerie and the Orc pondered on what to do next, the owner walked out of the back store. He was an Elven man of an unknown age wearing a grass circlet around his forehead. The he noticed Bash, he flinched and stood on alert, eyes filled with hostility. However after he observed the Hero for a while, he seemed to notice something. His face went snow white as he began to tremble incontrolably. ¡°Y-y-you¡­ who let you in here? D-d-did someone allow you in?¡± ¡°Hmm. I¡¯m not sure who it was exactly, but I met a lady at the checkpoint that vouched for me.¡± ¡°Tch¡­ what a generous person¡­¡± After a while of standing still, shaking in his boots from in shock and horror, the shopkeeper breathed in deeply to calm his nerves, and sighed as if he had given up. ¡°So, what can I help you with?¡± ¡°I came to buy some clothes. I heard that Elves don¡¯t like exposed skin.¡± ¡°Exposed skin? I suppose that¡¯s correct. Well in terms of style, anything I sell should be appropriate, but I don¡¯t think I have anything in your size¡­ wait¡­maybe I do, give me a second.¡± The owner got closer to Bash, examining him from head to toe while stroking his chin, and headed to the back of the store. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t accommodate you entirely properly if you come in last minute, but I¡¯ve got this right here. What do you think?¡± He had returned with a dark green Elven styled suit with black trim. However, it was very clearly not meant for Elves, being sized for a much larger individual. As the shopkeeper spread out the outfit to better show it off, it completely obscured his figure. ¡°Some big Beastkin man came in here once and ordered a custom made outfit, but he ended up not liking it, and just left it here. You¡¯re on the small side for an Orc. I¡¯m not mocking you, but there are many larger Orcs out there aren¡¯t there? ¡­ Oh, sorry, no offense, ¡°None taken.¡± ¡°Right, right. Great. So, how about you try this on?¡± Bash did as the shopkeeper said and grabbed the clothes. He then promptly removed his Orcish leather armor and put on the new suit. The clothes were unfamiliar to him, but it wasn¡¯t like he was a complete idiot. Male clothes all work more or less the same after all. Unfortunately, the flaws became apparent rather quickly ¨C this was a garment meant for Beastkin after all. With difficulty, Bash squeezed himself into the attire, only to notice that the shoulders and thighs were too tight, and the front buttons around his chest couldn¡¯t be closed properly. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The shopkeeper looked rather apologetic when he saw how it fit. He was the proud and latest owner of a tailor that has been passed down for multiple Elven generations. Recommending clothes that didn¡¯t properly suit the customer hurt his pride ¨C a lot. ¡°Oh¡­hmm¡­It looks like it might need some, uh, tailoring, after a-¡± ¡°As expected from you, mister! It looks great! A man as great as you are would look good in any clothes! You know what they say! The clothes make th-¡­ uh, the man makes the clothes! How gallant! How manly! You truly look like hunter, ready to take on the fiercest of forest monsters! No, even more then that, you look locked and loaded to go hunt for love! You look so good the forest itself might come over and ask for you to watch over it!¡± His disappointment was cut short by the Faerie¡¯s sudden barrage of praise. It would be regrettable for him to say that it didn¡¯t suit the Hero after he had been complimented so much by another party. ¡°Wait, now that I look at it again, it looks¡­surprisingly good?¡± But the more he listened, the more his opinion began to shift. Sure, the outfit was a little too small, but it was definitely less barbaric looking than the Orc styled armor he was wearing earlier. In the first place, this wasn¡¯t the first time the shopkeeper had felt discomfort when another race wore Elven clothing ¨C he felt it when Humans and Dwarves wore them too. Perhaps it was the way how different the attire looked on a non-Elven race, but if he left his gut reaction aside, it didn¡¯t look that bad. The tiny bit of exposed skin at the front of the shirt accented his thick chest, and the tight shoulders and thighs accented his race¡¯s natural characteristics. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you like it.¡± ¡°Hm. I¡¯ll take it.¡± ¡°Perfect! It¡¯ll be this much¡­¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Before the merchant could name his price, Bash had taken a package wrapped up in brown paper out of the bag he was carrying and presented it to him. The shopkeeper received it and untied the string tying it together, revealing the contents. It was fur. A wide piece of fur, as large as Bash, maybe even bigger. The original owner of this pelt must have been a truly magnificent creature. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°A Bugbear¡¯s pelt.¡± ¡°Oh, pretty impressive. Did you kill it yourself?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s also a keepsake from one of my old war comrades.¡± ¡°Huh? You sure you want to trade this away?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± The shopkeeper shrugged. He didn¡¯t know anything about Orcish values and didn¡¯t intend to understand them. He had recently realized that interacting with other races didn¡¯t necessitate understanding cultural cues anyways. Well, unless you were trying to court them, but that¡¯s another story. ¡°This fur is great, but there are large gashes in it. It¡¯ll be just enough to pay for the clothes. No change.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Bash grabbed his newly bought outfit and turned on his heel. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience His business here was concluded and he felt no need to interact with this Elven man any more than necessary. His business, after all, was with Elven women. ¡°¡­¡± The owner simply watched the duo leave and dashed off behind the counter to put away his payment. After Bash left, the store was filled with nothing but silence. There was no one else in the store, and the shopkeeper felt as if he had just woken up from a dream, yet the soft, sturdy fur in his hands showed that his last customer was definitely real. ¡°Hey, honey, who was that?¡± It was the owner¡¯s wife who had just come out from the back store. She was still young, an Elf from a generation that had never known the true horrors of war. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience ¡°Oh¡­ he was much nicer than I thought he¡¯d be.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you what kind of person he was. He was an Orc, right? Did you know him?¡± ¡°No, not really. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve seen him on the battlefield before¡­ Anyways, I think it¡¯s better to contact Mr. Aconite. I¡¯ll be going out!¡± ¡°Hey! Wait a second!¡± When the owner had gathered himself, he left the store and headed down the street. Bash in his new outfit Chapter 12.3 Useful Information Here¡¯s the last release for the day. Goodnight everyone! After returning to their room in the inn with his newly bought clothes, Bash steadily prepared himself for his outing according to Zell¡¯s instructions. He took a bath, scrubbing himself thoroughly, sprinkling on some of the flower-scented perfume that the Faerie had brought with him, and slipped into his brand-new outfit. He massaged his hair with a nice-smelling pomade and slicked it back. As to why he did this ¨C all Elven men wore their hair like this. Bash¡¯s hair wasn¡¯t very long, and rather unsuited for this style. During the war, most if not all Orcs shaved their head to avoid accidentally leaving any traces of their presence, lest the Beastkin track them down. This made him look a little awkward, but still managed to somewhat adopt the look. Finally, he went to a flower field right outside of town and prepared a bouquet, which Elves apparently enjoyed. His appearance was perfect. All that remained was just the execution, which would come with practice. Bash, accompanied by Zell, went out into town. ¡°All right mister! You¡¯ve got the basics down, but there are still a couple of things to keep in mind! So, you know how Elves stay with only one person the until one of them dies, right? Well, you can¡¯t go around asking everyone to marry you! It¡¯ll just make you look like a hungry playboy, and that¡¯s no good! So don¡¯t talk to anyone unless I give you the go-ahead, okay? Anyways, I¡¯ll go talk to people and find a girl who looks like she¡¯s single!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± It was dusk now. This was around the time most people with day jobs packed up and headed home. They were still in the post-war period, and there were many soldiers returning to the city in their respecting groups, carrying weapons and armor. Of course, his potential wife¡¯s occupation didn¡¯t really matter to the Hero. It might be important to the honor of the Orcish people as a whole that their representative, their Hero, took an Elven warrior as his wife, but not to the man himself. It didn¡¯t matter what she did for a living. She could be unemployed, or even a NEET for all he cared. So long as she was willing to become his wife. So long as he could graduate from his virginity. So long as he didn¡¯t end up as a magic warrior. Elves were usually beautiful, and he wasn¡¯t about to be picky about it. Just about anyone was fine. Anyways, with this many Elven women around, he was hoping at least one of them would be open to marry him. ¡°Oh, how about that girl over there!¡± Following Zell¡¯s suggestion, Bash immediately approached a woman walking on her own. She was a tall Elf with shoulder-length blonde hair pulled back in a bun. She wore a standard issue red leather armor, holding a bow in her hand and a full quiver on her back. There was a rather large burn mark on his face, but that didn¡¯t matter to the Orc. She was walking brisky, her face wearing a tired, yet content expression. Bash felt it in his gut ¨C this was going to be the one. ¡°Good evening, m-m-m¡¯lady.¡± ¡°Hm¡­huh? An Orc?¡± The Elf¡¯s eyes narrowed as she saw Bash, all her senses going on alert. However, she loosened up, and raised an eyebrow when she noticed the man accosting her was nervous, dressed up, and holding a bouquet. She realized something. ¡°Ah, um, hm¡­ Uh, actually, I was wonderin¡ª¡± ¡°Whoa hold on a second! I¡¯m really sorry, Mr. Orc, but I can¡¯t accept your feelings!¡± The Elf interrupted Bash, turning him down before he was even done talking. Her expression was full of smugness, as she blushed slightly and puffed her chest. From the Hero¡¯s point of view, it was rather endearing ¨C cute even. But if another Elven woman were to see this, it would likely make them seethe and sick to her stomach. It was an expression that seemed to say, ¡°Kah! Good grief, it¡¯s so hard being so beautiful! Ah, my life is so tough! I¡¯m just so popular that I¡¯m getting so much attention wherever I go!¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like you, Sir Orc. Here, take a look at this.¡± She pointed towards her head, leaning down slightly so Bash could have a better view. There was a white flower adorning her hair. Incidentally, Bash had picked some of these same flowers to make his bouquet. ¡°You might not know this, as an Orc, but Elves that are engaged wear white lilies on their head just like this. Those who are married also wear white flowers, though not the same type. It¡¯s just like how Humans wear rings on their left ring finger to show that they¡¯re taken.¡± Hearing this, Bash took a look around him, noticing that most of the Elves walking home were wearing white flowers on their head. They came in different forms ¨C individual flowers, brooches, crowns and circlets. And in retrospect, he remembered that the three Elves he had met earlier during the day did not have any flowers in their hair. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Orcs find beautiful or ugly¡­ but, whatever the reason might be, I¡¯m glad you approached someone like me. I¡¯ll take it as a compliment!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Honestly, just a few days ago, I was so desperate that I was ready to marry damn near anyone, even an Orc! But then my wish got granted and I got a proposal! I¡¯m sorry Sir Orc, I¡¯m already taken, so I can¡¯t accept your proposal. I hope you understand.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± When Bash backed off without an issue, the Elf looked surprised. ¡°Uh, you know, I was wondering¡­ I heard that Orcs would never give up pursuing a woman they liked.¡± ¡°Non-consensual sexual intercourse with other races is forbidden in the name of the Orc King.¡± ¡°Oh, I get it. So, you thought that if you just kept insisting after I turned you down it would have been considered non-consensual, huh¡­¡± ¡°Hm? Was I wrong?¡± ¡°No, no, you¡¯re right. You¡¯re pretty wise, for an Orc.¡± Chapter 12.4 Useful Information Just kidding, this is the last release for the day. Or first, depending on where you live. Goodnight for real this time! The Elf nodded. Were this just a few days ago, she would have been enraged at his statement, screaming, ¡°Orcs don¡¯t keep promises! They can barely keep it in their pants! Come here! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± But now, she had mellowed out enough to not do so. She was engaged now, and happier than she ever was. She felt invincible and her heart was full of kindness and generosity, so much so that she was she was willing to let wartime bygones be bygones and even help out a strange Orc. ¡°Wise Orc, I have some advice for you.¡± ¡°Advice?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re looking to get hitched, go straight down this street to a tavern called The Great Eagle¡¯s Nest. Unmarried people meet there everyday to try and find a partner. The women are¡­ well, they¡¯re the people who haven¡¯t managed to find a partner yet, even after all this time, so they¡¯re kind of problematic¡­ Maybe you can find someone over there that thinks ¡°eh, sure, this is fine¡± just like I did.¡± ¡®Oh, thank you for the information.¡± ¡°Alright! Well then, I¡¯ll be off. My darling future husband is waiting for me at home! Good luck!¡± And the Elf turned away and headed down the road. She hopped and skipped with so much joy it seemed as though she might just fly away. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± ¡°Oh yes I did!¡± Bash looked at the Elven woman happily leaving, and then back to Zell. He had struck out in his first attempt, but in return he had obtained two useful pieces of information. First of all, if an Elf wore a white flower on their head, his proposal would be rejected. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience This was extremely helpful for any future attempts he would make. As long as he kept that in mind, he could greatly decrease the times he failed. Furthermore, there was a place where unmarried people gathered to look for a potential partner. If there really was a location like that, it was only a matter of time before Bash found a spouse. Although he was at a disadvantage, as an Orc, the Elves were now almost mandated to marry other races. Humans, Beastkin and even Dwarves, who, despite being allies, used to be scorned by the Elves, were not welcomed here. The odds weren¡¯t good, but they were good enough. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Their destination was The Great Eagle¡¯s Nest. Bash was almost shaking, steeling his nerves as his prepared to embark onto the battlefield of love. Suddenly, the Elf looked back. She could see Bash walking towards the tavern. He was headed towards The Great Eagle¡¯s Nest, just like she suggested he do. ¡°Huh¡­ How surprising. I heard that Orcs were dumb brutes that were only able to kidnap women and rape them, but I didn¡¯t know some of them could adapt to foreign cultures¡­¡± Up until the end of the war, she had been exclusively fighting against the Succubi armies, and had little to no experience fighting Orcs. She had faced them once or twice during major battles, when both sides had allies on the battlefield, but most of what she knew about them came from hearsay. They were violent, savage creatures with no sense of civility that didn¡¯t see females as people. That was what Orcs were to most of the world ¨C and they¡¯d be mostly right. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Yet the Orc she just met could not be further from what she had pictured them to be in her mind. ¡°¡­I guess that just goes to show that everyone can change¡­ just like I did.¡± Her name was Azalea. She was known throughout the Elven Kingdom as a battle maniac, though Bash and Zell weren¡¯t aware of this. She was even nicknamed ¡°Azalea the Merciless¡±, due to her, well, mercilessness, and how she laughed as ripped out the tails of her Succubus victims bare-handed. Her name would spread fear among the Succubi, who were afraid of her sheer brutality and lack of humanity. Until just a few days ago, she was a bloodshot-eyed, marriage-hunting warrior from hell. She looked like a starving magic beast. Her favorite proposal technique was the ¡°Noose Courtship Ritual¡±, in which she would grab a man by the throat, lift him up, and ¡°ask¡± him to marry her. Naturally, its success change was zero. One of her colleagues, upon learning that Azalea was getting married, told her, ¡°Huh? You¡¯re getting married?! No, no, no, no! There¡¯s no way you could get married before I did!¡± A collective cry of despair echoed among the unmarried Elves when they heard that Azalea of all people had managed to nab herself a man. ¡°Heh, I hope he finds a partner that suits him, just like I found my beloved darling.¡± Azalea changed when she finally landed herself a man, Love softened her toughened heart. Her soul was rejuvenated, recovering from the years of damage the war had inflicted on it, and she began to smile. She stopped sitting cross-legged, scratching her crotch, and even talking and laughing with her mouth full. She even stopped actively picking fights. And even when she did get into a fight, she stopped knocking the teeth out of her unconscious opponents. The Elven warrior went from being an insatiable carnivore to an ordinary Elf. ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s hurry home. I¡¯m looking forward to darling¡¯s cooking!¡± With a grin on her face, Azalea began happily walking down the road towards her home. Chapter 13.1 The Great Eagles Nest Here it goes people, volume beginning to pick up the action, though maybe not in the way you¡¯re expecting it might. ¡°The Great Eagle¡¯s Nest¡± As soon as Bash stepped into the tavern, he felt as if he had just wandered into a battlefield. There was a strange tension pervading the atmosphere all around him. It wasn¡¯t a hostile, murderous air, yet somehow very close to it. The Hero found it similar to the early stages of a large-scale battle, where both sides hadn¡¯t fully committed to close combat and were just probing each other¡¯s strength. ¡°An Orc¡­? Ah, yes, I heard that one of you had entered the country¡­ Welcome to The Great Eagle¡¯s Nest.¡± The tavern¡¯s owner greeted Bash, pointed at a table, and suggested he took a seat at a suitable spot. There was a counter, yet no seats were lined up along it ¨C guests could only sit around a series of long tables. For a moment, the Orc wondered what the owner meant by a ¡°suitable¡± seat, but he figured that out quickly. Updated from novelhall[.]com On one side of the table were men, and on the other, women. Bash pulled out a chair adjacent to the already seated men and sat himself down. Sitting right in front of him was a female Elven warrior who¡¯s left eye was completely glazed over, most likely due to the same injury that left a long scar running diagonally across her face, and right through said eye. Her remaining eye was filled with so raw violence and desire that shoe could probably kill a child just by looking at them. She wore her hair in a short bob that and curled inwards. On her shoulders hung a relatively simple dress that exposed a fair bit of skin, but Bash could tell at a glance that this woman was a fierce warrior. She was probably just as strong as an Orc Platoon Chief. As soon as Bash got himself seated, she looked at him in panic for a second, before noticing his attire. She looked over to the woman next to her as if to make sure this wasn¡¯t some kind of Orcsish ploy, before turning back to the Hero and giving him a slight nod. ¡°Hi! You look like a wonderful gentleman. I¡¯m Hembbit! Nice to meet you!¡± Her voice was akin to a tiger trying to imitate a cat ¨C a pale, grating mockery of cuteness carrying a slight tone of hostility. After just hearing her once, Bash didn¡¯t really feel like talking to this woman. It was as if he was a piece of fresh meat, being sniffed and prodded at by a great predator. Were he truly against a beast, he would have just fought it off. Unfortunately, in front of a woman, he wasn¡¯t sure what to do next. This whole thing felt rather strange to him, but it remained that this was technically the warmest reception he¡¯d ever received from a female ever since he began looking for a wife, so he decided to stay and at least try to converse. ¡°What¡¯s your name, Orc?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Bash.¡± ¡°Bash! Oh, that¡¯s a nice name! Orcs all have such great sounding names. And I¡¯m out here stuck with a lame name like ¡°Hembbit¡±!¡± ¡°Ha¡­ha¡­¡± Her voice was so shrill that it made his head pound, and he was beginning to get dizzy. Could this be¡­ some kind of spell? ¡°Oh, are those¡­ sword scars? Looks like you were a warrior. Where were you deployed?¡± ¡°Nowhere in particular. I moved around a lot, but last time I was around Siwanasi Forest I was fighting a defensive battle to protect my country.¡± ¡°Of course you were! I should have know! Silly me~¡± ¡°And you? Where were you deployed?¡± ¡°Ah, I was in a division assigned to attacking the Succubus Nation! 32nd Assault Division represent! So I don¡¯t know much about Orcs¡­¡± The female warrior, which Bash now knew was named Hembbit, hacked and coughed into her hand before taking a large gulp of water and turning back to face the Hero with a wide smile. ¡°This is the first time an Orc has traveled to Elven lands as far as I know¡­ Tell me more about yourself ~! What brings you here?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I came here in search of something. Well, it¡¯s more like I¡¯m trying to lose som ¨C ¡­¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Bash was halfway though explaining his reason for being here when Hembbit leaned forward and put a finger on his mouth, shushing him. He stopped speaking. ¡°Shh, no need to explain yourself. If you¡¯re in here, you¡¯re trying to get married, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­Hm.¡± Being seen through so easily, Bash gulped. Of course, if he¡¯d come to a place known to be a hotspot for unmarried men and women to meet, it¡¯d be obvious what he was looking for. Well, it wasn¡¯t as if he was trying to hide it ¨C the only thing he wanted to keep under wraps was the fact that he was a virgin. ¡°But¡­¡± Hembbit shook her head while whining ¨C probably trying to appear cute by sounding like a baby. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience ¡°You know, I don¡¯t really want to be an uh¡­ what do you call them¡­ ¡°servant¡±? You know, an Orcish breeding slave. Yeah, sure I want to have children, but I want to raise a family AND be respect as a woman too, you know?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve got status back in my country. If you become my wife, you¡¯ll be treated differently from the other slaves. I promise.¡± Status. The moment that word came out of Bash¡¯s lips, Hembbit¡¯s eyes seemed to light up. ¡°Hey! Are you maybe a big deal among Orcs? What¡¯s your rank? Could it be¡­ a Great Warchief? A Warlord?¡± ¡°My rank? I¡¯m just a regular warrior, but ¨C¡­¡± ¡°Pfft, you¡¯re at the bottom of the barrel!¡± Hembbit spit out a glob of phlegm onto the tavern floor. Following that, her voice changed into a deep, thick, nearly growl-like tone, like a warrior taunting her enemies. This would have come as a shock to anyone else, but when Bash heard the changed feel of her voice, he was relieved. Up until now, he wasn¡¯t sure if he was dealing with a kitten or a tiger. But now he knew ¨C he was dealing with a tiger. And he had a wealth of experience in dealing with tigers. ¡°My rank is warrior, yes, but I served in the war and m ¨C ¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wanna hear a fucking grunt bragging about anything. How much money ya got?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You heard me. How much money ya got? Dosh. Cash. Moolah. Gold. You know, money.¡± ¡°Money? I don¡¯t have any money, bu ¨C ¡­¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience When it came to objective wealth, Bash was one of if not the richest person in his country ¨C not counting the King, of course. Not like he had much to spend all his riches on anyways. Most Orcs would bend over backwards to be able to somehow be of service to the Hero, let alone sell him something. However, bartering was the main way of conducting business in Orc Country, and liquid currency was almost non-existent. It was used exclusively to trade with foreign countries and wasn¡¯t used in their daily lives at all. However, Hembbit wasn¡¯t aware of these cultural differences. ¡°Hah~¡­ None at all¡­ Next!¡± Hembbit said with a huge sigh, after which she promptly got up and left. ¡°¡­?¡± Bash didn¡¯t understand what she meant by this. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Confused, he decided to just wait and observe Hembbit. He watched as the Elven woman walked towards another table, took a seat, and began talking to another man. ¡°Zell, what should I do¡­?¡± Bash looked over at the Faerie, deciding it would be wise to heed her counsel before doing anything else. Unfortunately, Zell wasn¡¯t in any condition to answer, being completely and utterly smashed from drinking a whole mug of honey wine. ¡°So I told him, ¡°That¡¯s why flower reading should be done with red flowers, and ONLY red flowers!¡±. And you know what he said? He said, ¡°Which red flowers?¡±! Yeah! Imagine being that much of a dummy! You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me¡­ I mean, it¡¯s not hard. Red flowers means red flowers! What do you mean what red flowers! Oh, hi mister!¡± Bash¡¯s love counselor was now rambling about anything and everything to a half-drunk glass of beer. She was useless right now. [What should I do¡­] Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Should he go and accost Hembbit again? Or¡­ ¡°Hello! Good evening, mister Orc! I¡¯m Lilac! Wow, it¡¯s so rare to see an Orc that I just had to call out to you!¡± As the Hero was wondering what his next move should be, another lady came up to him. This time, it was a female warrior that sounded like a gryphon imitating a hummingbird. ¡°I¡¯m Bash.¡± ¡°So, Mr. Bash, do you own some land or something?¡± [For the time being, let¡¯s forget about that other lady and focus on this one.] Is what Bash decided to do as he turned to face Lilac. ¡°I don¡¯t own any, but the territory of Orc Country is ¨C ¡­¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience ¡°Oh, okay then, bye-bye.¡± Lilac just waved at him and left. It all happened in the blink of an eye, so fast that Bash could swear he could still see her afterimage where she once stood. What just happened? What was she going to do next? As Bash was once again caught up in his thought, the next woman came up to him. ¡°Good evening! I¡¯m Spathiphillum! Sorry for bothering you, but are you an Orc Master?¡± ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m ¨C ¡­¡± Once again pushed out of his contemplation, Bash began to answer the questions, remaining as honest as he¡¯d always been¡­ Chapter 13.2 The Great Eagles Nest After that, Bash talked to woman after woman, one after the other. Put like that, it might sound like he had one hell of a great time, but that wasn¡¯t the case. The Elven women came up to the Orc, asked him one or two questions, and proceeded to quickly leave. When the number of people he had been spoken to exceeded ten, Bash finally managed to put together the bits and pieces of their strange behavior using his Orcish genius and finally understood how this gathering worked. The men took a seat and stayed seated. A woman would sit in front of a man she found somewhat appealing and asked him some questions. If the man¡¯s answer meets the woman¡¯s requirement, then good, that¡¯s that. If not, then the woman would leave for the next man. That¡¯s how mafia the system worked. Most of the questions were similar in nature, but yet, when he answered honestly, the women just picked up and left. Apparently, this was a buyer¡¯s market, and Bash was the merchandise on display. From the Hero¡¯s point of view, all the women he saw around here were fine marriage and breeding material. He¡¯d be okay with anyone of them¡­ However, even without Zell¡¯s help, it didn¡¯t take a genius to realize the reason behind his repeated rejections. Money. The questions were worded in many different manners, but the Elven women here were essentially all looking for money. Sure, they asked about status, position and prestige, but in the end, it all came down to cold hard cash. No matter how much Bash insisted he was a person of eminence within the Land of Orcs, the ladies didn¡¯t listen. And when they found out he didn¡¯t have any money, they simply gave up pretending to be cute, cleared their throat, spit on the floor and disappeared. Elven women were good at spitting. After around ten failed ¡°interviews¡±, all feminine presence around Bash vanished. It seemed that the Elves shared their gathered intel, and figured out that this Orc was flat broke and that it was a waste of time to approach him. [Unlike the Dwarves, Elves shouldn¡¯t be this interested by money¡­ so why?] He didn¡¯t understand. For the time being, women no longer approached him, and some even glared at him with outright disdain. Bash couldn¡¯t just up and leave right, his companion still being passed out drunk, so he decided to have something to eat. He remembered that the Elven Country¡¯s diet was mainly composed of nuts and fruits, but he noticed that braised bear meat and grains had been added to the menu, probably to be more welcoming towards other races. The seasoning was light, as is typical of Elves, but Orcs weren¡¯t picky eaters. The food was delicious, and Bash thoroughly enjoyed it, yet a question still remained¡­ ¡°Why is it money¡­?¡± Then, perhaps having heard Bash¡¯s mutterings, a man came up to him. Updated from novelhall[.]com ¡°Why is it money?¡± He was a Human dressed up in a dull, nondescript outfit. His face was flush with drunkenness, and his eyes red with desperation. He walked up to the Hero on unsteady legs, plopped himself down ungracefully on the neighboring seat, and threw his arm around the Orc¡¯s shoulder as if greeting an old friend. Bash didn¡¯t mind, but if this were Orc Country and the youths that admired Bash were to see this scene, the poor Human would have been beaten up to the brink of death of his perceived insolence. The man was completely and utterly drunk. ¡°Shall I tell you?¡± Without even waiting for Bash¡¯s reply, the man began. ¡°Alright, so you know how all the Elven ladies here are survivors from the units that fought against the Succubus Nation, right?¡± According to the man¡¯s tale, this is how things went down. After the end of the war, there was a marriage-boom amongst the Elves. The first to get married were the upper-class Elves ¨C the rich, the noble, and the powerful. After all, there was now a great surplus of Elves who were single. This was a buyer¡¯s market, and all the unmarried Elves were being bought up like hotcakes. At the time, it was said that the number one desire of a common-folk Elf was to be discovered by a nobleman and marrying into wealth. Following in the steps of their ¡°betters¡±, the common people soon began to marry as well. But truthfully, most of these marriages were between people who already had ties with each other. By ¡°bonds¡±, he meant survivors from the same unit or childhood friends that had stayed behind. ¡°Now that the war is over, and the government is giving out subsidies, why don¡¯t we get married? Everyone else is doing it!¡± That¡¯s how it went. Then, before they knew it, the soldiers who were fighting against the Succubae were left behind. The soldiers who were deployed against the Succubae were all women. Taking into account the fact that the Succubae were a race that innately brought to the surface the deepest most carnal desires of men, yet at the same time preyed on them, it wasn¡¯t hard to see why. At first, the units fighting against in the Succubus front were of mixed genders, but that changed quickly as the Elves adapted. Of course, the Succubae were also capable of flexible thinking, and changed their tactics in return. They began organizing their troops as to avoid the women and strike only at the men. The women-only troops would be sent on rescue missions over and over again to save the men being assaulted by Succubae. As a result, the number of men in Elf Country decreased slightly. The ratio of women to men increased from 6:4 to 7:3. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience And thus, the survivors of the Elf-Succubus conflict were left with little to no close male acquaintances, and the remaining men were fiercely fought over for. Even so, they didn¡¯t lose hope in finding a partner, and made their way towards Siwanasi Forest, where there were many single men from foreign nations, and began hunting looking for a potential spouse. They were, for a lack of a better word, ¡°leftovers¡± ¨C the ¡°problematic¡± ones; undesired women who were left with extensive scars from the war, both physically and mentally. Still, Elves were innately attractive and a real treat for the eyes. There were countless men all over the world that would love to take an Elf as their wife, especially among the Humans. Therefore, these ¡°leftovers¡± hung on to this last shred of hope. After all, the entire town was in the middle of a marriage-boom, and there were plenty of opportunities. But then, they thought about this whole marriage thing long and hard. Due to the marriage-boom, many of the men whose asses they had to wipe during the conflict had found themselves a partner. And so, these ladies came to a decision. They would not accept any compromise. Chapter 13.3 The Great Eagles Nest Bul¡¯tar! Praise my latest contributor, the serial donator and numbers man: 123321, who I¡¯m really beggining to think is trying to get his username on as many chapter as possible! Big, big, BIG thank you! ¡°¡­So¡­ why the money?¡± ¡°Because those same young men they had to babysit during the war have found themselves rich Human women to marry and are living in such comfort and luxury that even the richest of Elves would be shocked!¡± ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s why¡­¡± ¡°They won¡¯t be satisfied until they can live a better life than the ¡°loser men¡± that they had to protect. They want to marry into aristocracy, or even royalty! They want a husband who has enough money to let them live a true lifetime of opulence! ¡­I don¡¯t belong here¡­ I¡¯m pathetic¡­¡± Incidentally, this man was as penniless as Bash in terms of liquid currency. By the end of the war, he had already lost his hometown and had no place to return to. With nowhere to call home and not much in the way of family, he lived in a small, ramshackle house and worked as a daytime laborer to scrape by day-by-day. Back then, marriage was nothing but a far-off dream. What was he fighting for? Why did he survive? In the midst of his self-questioning, he heard rumors about Elves taking foreign men as their husbands. Those beautiful Elves he had witnessed in battle during the war. If one of them became his wife, he might finally be able to turn his life around. He might finally have a place to call home. To return to. With that hope firmly implanted in his mind, he rushed over to Siwanasi Forest to marry a beautiful Elf. ¡°And yet¡­¡± But reality wasn¡¯t that convenient. The remaining single Elven women were all money-grubbers. No matter how much he bragged about his achievements on the battlefield, no matter how much he touted his varied skills, no matter how many times he promised he would protect them and lay down his life for them, as soon as he revealed he was flat broke, they just laughed at his face and walked away. ¡°Ahhhhh¡­geh¡­uhuh¡­am I really such a loser?¡± With memories of his past failures resurfacing in his mind, the man began to cry. Bash just sat there in silence, not knowing how to react to the Human who had just burst into tears. The man just cried and cried and cried. And then between sobs, he took a sip of beer, before sobbing again. Then suddenly, he looked up. In his eyes, he saw the Elves that had just turned down Bash. ¡°Look at them, man¡­ look at those Elves¡­ Gosh, they¡¯re so beautiful, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°¡­Ah, yes.¡± Bash could do nothing but agree. The Elves he saw from a distance were indeed beautiful. They had silky, exquisite blonde hair and fine, slender limbs. They mannerisms were sharp, and their well-developed muscles were reassuring. Sure, they might not have the best personalities, but if he could just have one of them for himself and hold her in his arms every single day, he would forever be satisfied. ¡°If only I had money¡­ ahhh! Money¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, money¡­¡± Money. For Bash, who had spent his whole life among Orcs, money was something he knew very little about. He had no idea how to obtain money nor where to start looking for clues. Zell, who would probably be knowledgeable about the topic was now waist deep in a cup of ale. She was washing the back of her good friend the saltshaker while laughing at inaudible jokes. Ah, the beauty of friendship¡­ ¡°When you say ¡°rich¡±, what do you mean by that? How much money do I need to be ¡°rich¡±?¡± ¡°How much¡­? Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t know! But I heard that a long time ago, the first millionaire that married an Elf wooed her with a huge emerald necklace. Not to say it only had a single emerald on it ¨C that was only the centerpiece. It¡¯s said that that necklace was a chain made out of solid gold, with precious gemstones inlaid in every single link! So, uh, about that rich. Yeah!¡± Unbeknownst to Bash, this was an old Elvish fairy tale. A Human man had fallen in love with an Elf at first sight. The Human asked for the Elf¡¯s hand in marriage, but the proud Elf naturally refused. However, the Human did not relent, and persisted in asked the Elf to marry him. Fed up, the Elf thought of a plan. She promised to marry him if he could fulfill a near impossible quest: to bring her a clear green emerald. Only then would she marry him. But still not giving up, the man traveled all across the world, searching for the precious stone. He ended up not only finding the elusive emerald itself, but also a wealth of various treasure, with which he made a necklace. With the necklace in hand, he returned as once more asked for the Elf¡¯s hand in marriage. Impressed by the Human¡¯s dedication and fortitude, she finally agreed to his proposal¡­ While the story might be a complete fabrication, it remained that a large portion of Elven women longed to be proposed to with an emerald necklace as a gift. To them, it was the peak of romance. Emerald necklaces were so popular in fact, that Elven jewelers made sure to keep them in stock at all times. ¡°Hmm¡­ a shiny golden necklace¡­¡± ¡°Eh, well, neither of us losers should worry about that, right? Ha!¡± ¡°¡­So, what are you going to do now?¡± ¡°Me? Eh, no idea. Probably try my luck another day. How about you? You gonna join in on the zombie hunting tomorrow? ¡°Zombies?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know? There a whole zombie outbreak going on near this town. No idea why though. But hey, they¡¯ll give you a little bit of money for every zombie you kill.¡± ¡°You get paid?¡± ¡°Hm? Yeah, of course we do.¡± That was useful information. Perhaps this man was planning on saving up his money through zombie hunting and using that to buy a shiny gold necklace, thought Bash. Which would be completely off the mark. The Human was actually just trying to make a couple of quick bucks ¨C just enough to pay for the food, rent, and his next round of drinks. ¡°Anyways, looks like we¡¯re both out of luck today. Let¡¯s have a drink. I¡¯ve never drank with an Orc before.¡± ¡°Ah, well I¡¯ve never drank with a Human before.¡± ¡°Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself. I¡¯m Breeze.¡± ¡°Bash.¡± The moment they heard each other¡¯s names, both parties tilted their heads. Their respective names were familiar to the other party. But the Human quickly dropped the matter, saying, ¡°Oh well.¡± He had lived on the battlefield for ages and had made it out alive. Over the years, he had heard so tales and rumors about so many distinguished warriors that he had lost count. Probably nothing to worry about, he thought. And perhaps the alcohol had something to do with helping him forget the fact that he was sitting right next to the deadliest orc the continent had ever known. ¡°To the unwanted men!¡± ¡°To the beautiful Elves!¡± ¡°¡°Cheers!¡±¡± That day, Bash drank for the first time in a long time. First time in a long time? I¡¯m pretty sure he was drinking back in like, chapter 1¡­ and that definitely wasn¡¯t that long ago timewise. Chapter 13.4 The Great Eagles Nest Whew, this is quite a long chapter. ¡°Ughh¡­ Ohh¡­ I drank too much¡­¡± A few hours later, Zell, finally conscious, got up while holding her tiny, aching head. She looked around, trying to make sense of her still swirling surroundings, before realizing that she was still in the familiar bar. More often than not, whenever she woke up from a drunken binge, she would find herself trapped in an unfamiliar jar or bottle, miles away from where she went unconscious. Of course, she was safe this time ¨C because Bash was with her. She even fuzzily remembered taking a bath with him right before everything went black. ¡°Hrrggh!¡± Zell pinched her nose and put some strength into her body, her cheeks puffing up and her face reddening. The natural light emitted by her body brightened for a second, before a mote of light rose up from her head, floated into the air and finally faded away. Faerie-style: no booze no jutsu! Just by putting their mind to it, Faeries could near-instantaneously eliminate all toxins from their body. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s better. So, what happened to boss?¡± Zell looked around, searching for the Orc Hero. The only thing that caught her eye nearby was a saltshaker whose contents were, for some reason, soaked with ale. While she would have loved to spend some time pondering on why that was, there were more pressing matters. ¡°Oh¡± And then she noticed him. Just like he often did back in Orc Country, Bash was slowly sipping his drink in the middle of the tavern. ¡°Did you find yourself a good match, mister?¡± Zell asked as she fluttered over. Bash shook his head. ¡°No, but I did get some good information.¡± ¡°Whoa! Is it going to rain pigs tomorrow?! Boss, you managed to gather some intel?!¡± ¡°I might not be as good as you are, but even I can do this much.¡± ¡°Of course, you can! You¡¯re my boss, aren¡¯t you? Even when I¡¯m passed out, you can do it all by yourself! Ah, boss¡­ don¡¯t you need me anymore? Please don¡¯t take my job away¡­ I¡¯d lose my reason for living! And! Uh¡­ and I¡¯ll¡­uh¡­I¡¯ll throw myself off a cliff and go poof! Yeah!¡± Zell playfully whined while wiping away invisible tears. Elevating the other party while bringing pity to herself. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience She was truly living up to her nickname as ¡°Zell the Beggar¡±, as well as her other, lesser known nickname ¡°Zell the Cheerleader¡±. ¡°So, what kind of information did you get? Maybe¡­ a list of single Elven women?¡± ¡°No, not a list, but I did find what Elven women were looking for in a partner ¨C and I¡¯m going to obtain it for myself.¡± ¡°Oh! So your research was successful! That¡¯s the boss for ya! Well, what is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s gold.¡± ¡°Gold!¡± Zell got the idea. She was a Faerie. Most Faeries weren¡¯t interested in money. But not all Faeries were uninterested in gold. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Some were completely and utterly obsessed with it, dazzled with its warm brilliance. One of Zell¡¯s acquaintances was someone like that. They had a room filled to the brim with gold nuggets, and spends days at a time just lazing around, gazing at them with fascination. She figured that the Elves might be similar. ¡°Gold, huh¡­? But there are a bunch ¡®a different types of gold. Is it gold ore? Or gold coins? Or¡­¡± Bash had the answer to that question as well, which he had learned from the man who was now passed out, resting his head on a table further way, mug still in hand. ¡°Hm. Apparently, the first rich Human to marry an Elf won her over by giving her a shiny gold necklace with a huge emerald at its center when he proposed.¡± ¡°Oh! I see! So, if you go and buy a shiny gold necklace ¨C ¡­¡± ¡°¨C I can get an Elven wife!¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Which wasn¡¯t true at all. The Orc Hero was so close, yet so far from the true answer. His short-tracked mind was under the impression that the root cause behind the Elven women¡¯s desire for wealth was to acquire gold. Sure, for an Elf, receiving an emerald necklace as a gift was quite the romantic event. But in truth, what they wanted to accomplish through marriage was an improvement in their standard of living. They wanted to live the life of the rich and famous ¨C lavish meals, luxurious clothes, huge mansions, servants lined up to cater to their every whim¡­ the list goes on. However, Zell herself wasn¡¯t familiar with the concept of ¡°buying¡±. She was just as versed in matters of money as Bash was. Which meant not very much. ¡°Buy a gold necklace, huh¡­ You need money to buy things, right? How are you gonna make money?¡± ¡°Hm. It seems that the town is lacking manpower to deal with an abnormality in Siwanasi Forest.¡± ¡°Abnormality?¡± ¡°Zombies. There¡¯s been a massive outbreak and they¡¯re having a hard time getting rid of them.¡± ¡°Oh! Yeah, like the one we saw on the way here!¡± ¡°And it looks like they¡¯ll give us money for every zombie we kill.¡± ¡°Ah! That¡¯s pretty straightforward!¡± And thus, the Orc Hero picked up a part-time job putting the undead back where they belong. These zombies¡¯ (un)lives were not just in jeopardy. No, they were already double dead. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill some zombies right now! Zombies are more active at night, so I¡¯ll be right on time¡­ I need to go back to the inn and get my gear! I can¡¯t get these nice new clothes dirty.¡± ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s go!¡± By the time Bash got ready and left the bar, heading towards the inn, the sun had completely disappeared behind the horizon and the town was shrouded in darkness. However, thanks to the moonlight and the magical lights regularly placed along the streets, it wasn¡¯t too hard to see where he was going. In the old days, there were no such lights. Elves were able to see perfectly in the dark using magical vision. There were many places within the forest that stayed as black as night even on the brightest day, and the Elves usually stuck to those areas. They never used any lighting, not even fire. [Elves are all sneaky, skinny rats that lived in the dark.] That was what Orcs thought of the Elves. But Bash now realized that that was never the case. The Elves enjoyed the light just as much as Humans did. It was the war that forced them to adopt that lifestyle. The proof was all around him ¨C the Elves, who all seemed like sadistic killers back then, were much friendlier to him than he expected them to be. During the war, this would have been inconceivable. They used to be as bloodthirsty as they come, preferring swords, arrows and magic to conversation. This all changed in just three short years after the signing of the peace treaty. Reflecting on these developments warmed Bash¡¯s heart. ¡°That¡¯s why ¨C ¡­ what!¡± ¡°But however ¨C ¡­¡± ¡°What?! You, my ¨C ¡­¡± Suddenly, Bash heard what sounded like an argument coming from somewhere nearby. No, rather than an argument, it seemed as if one party was complaining, while the other tried to soothe them. Bash turned towards the origin of the voices. There was a pair ¨C a man and a woman, waking towards him. ¡°Listen, I just don¡¯t know why they can¡¯t just figure it out themselves?! You think so too, right?¡± ¡°Lady Sonia, this is because you once told them to follow your guidance.¡± ¡°¡­Okay, yeah, I did say that. But I mean, you should at least be able to make some decisions on your own, right? What, do they want me to tuck them into bed and read them a bedtime story too?! Are they kids?!¡± ¡°¡°If one does not respect the order defined by the hierarchy, there is only chaos¡± ¨C those were your own words, Lady Sonia.¡± ¡°Urggahhh¡­¡± The man wore a standard issue Elven army uniform. The woman wore a dark green robe and a pointed hat. But it wasn¡¯t their outfit that Bash was concerned about. ¡°Hm.¡± And that¡¯s when the woman noticed Bash. ¡°You¡­!¡± Note that Zell calls Bash ¡°danna¡±. I¡¯ve been trying to find something appropriate for that term, ¡¯cause ¡°master¡± just doesn¡¯t seem like it fit, and ¡°mister¡± doesn¡¯t work every time. So I¡¯ve decided to alternate between ¡°boss¡± and ¡°mister¡± depending on the context. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Also, the Elves are all named after flowers. Sometimes, the Japanese name is the same as the English name, other times it isn¡¯t. I¡¯ve decided to translate all the names into English. You probably remember the shopkeep from last chapter saying he needed to go see someone called ¡°Aconite¡±. Well the actual Japanese name is ¡°Torikabuto¡±, which, in my opinion, just doesn¡¯t sound that great. Chapter 13.5 The Great Eagles Nest Here we go, chapter 13 finale! She immediately got into a fighting stance, her hand laying on the wand at her waist. In response, Bash crossed his arms. That was the Orcish way of telling a potential opponent he had no intention to fight. ¡°¡­¡± She was a beautiful Elf. Her nose was tall, her eyes a magnificent blue, her chin as fine as they come, and her ears long and slim. She was on the short side when it came to height, and her chest was modest, as was typical of Elves. Her silky blonde hair shone in the moonlight, flowing down all the way to her waist. Of course, Bash was familiar with this Elf. She was the one who helped him out when he was on his way into the country. In addition, the man next to her was the coachman back then. A beautiful Elven woman. Of course, as much as Bash was interested in her looks, something else was attracting his attention. (Mister! Mister!) Zell whispered into the Hero¡¯s ear. (Look! Look at her head! She¡¯s not wearing a flower! She¡¯s single!) (Oh yes, I saw!) What truly caught Bash¡¯s attention was the top of her head. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Had she been wearing a flower, it would have meant she was married or otherwise taken, but there was nothing there except her hat. This beautiful Elf. She was unmarried. (What¡¯s our next move?) (Alright, alright¡­phew, calm down. You can¡¯t be rash. Let¡¯s stay on the safe side here¡­ How about you start by thanking her for helping you enter the country?) (Got it.) Bash nodded in response to the Faeries advice, and then bowed to the woman, who seemed rather confused by this turn of events. ¡°You took care of me when I was trying to enter the country. Thank you once again.¡± Bash kept his eyes on the potential target of his quest, even while he was quietly convening with Zell. The woman had witnessed the whole silent conversation as well. Although the Hero had indicated he didn¡¯t want any trouble, she was still on alert, not averting her eyes for even a second. The Elven woman was confidant in her abilities, and yet she didn¡¯t dare relax. There was no way she would let her guard down. ¡°Hmph! That¡¯s only natural! Orcs are welcome in Elf Country. The war is over, you know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s she says, sir.¡± The man accompanying her bowed his head in return. However, he kept his gaze firmly on the Orc, watching for any sudden moves. A stare that wordlessly said: ¡°do anything suspicious, and I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Of course, Bash was used to being looked at in this manner, so he barely noticed. To him, it was no different from being looked at normally. ¡°But I am a little curious!¡± The woman¡¯s words made Bash¡¯s heart skip a beat. ¡°You¡¯re curious? About me?¡± ¡°Yes, about you!¡± Bash¡¯s heart nearly beat out of his chest. Even on the most dangerous of battlefields his heart had never beaten this quickly. Hearing a woman tell him she was curious about him nearly made him faint. Then, he quickly glanced at Zell. (This is it! That¡¯s the sign! She¡¯s definitely interested!) The Faerie gave him two thumbs up. ¡°What are you curious about?¡± ¡°I want to know what the hell you ¨C ¡­ ahem. I want to know what you came here for.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Uh-huh, yeah, keep playing dumb. I already know who you are. You¡¯re the Orc Hero, Bash, a real major figure among Orcs. What are you trying to do, leaving your country and coming here, huh?! What¡¯s your goal here!¡± That last sentence was an outright threat. Unfortunately for the Elven woman, Bash was an Orcish warrior and completely desensitized to the suggestion of violence. Whether it was an attempt at intimidation or just normal conversation, it was all the same to him. Rather than fear, the Orc Hero felt outright bliss at the idea that a woman would be this interested in him. ¡°Hm, that¡¯s¡­¡± The other party was not only interested in him, but even showed signs of being attracted to him. There was no need to hesitate. He wanted to propose to her right this second, and bed her as soon as possible. However, Bash knew better now ¨C it was too early for something like that. He had just been rejected by ten Elven women due to his lack of money. It was blatantly obvious that proposing out of the blue right here would not go well. Updated from novelhall[.]com So how should he answer¡­? (Psst, hey, mister, mister.) Zell whispered to the uncertain Orc. (What is it?) (Hey, so I was thinking, how about you target only this girl here?) (Only target? What do you mean?) (So, you know how Elves are monogamous, right? A woman can only be with one man. Naturally, she wants the man to be completely devoted to her as well.) (What are you trying to say?) (Starting right now, instead of calling out to a bunch of girls, you just keep chasing after this single girl, who looks like she might like you a bit! You¡¯ll definitely have a better chance if you do!) Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience (I see!) The Elven woman in front of him was unmarried and had even shown signs of liking him. The conditions were more favorable than ever. It would make sense to increase the success chance of a proposal with this person as much as possible. (Alright! But It¡¯d be better to not ask her to marry you right now. You don¡¯t have a shiny gold necklace yet. First of all, you should let her know you¡¯re also interested in her, but don¡¯t say why. Then, you¡¯ll save up the money, buy a shiny gold necklace, and then when you¡¯re all set, you¡¯ll propose!) (Got it!) [That¡¯s Zell for you.] Thought Bash. On the battlefield, Zell¡¯s quick thinking had saved his life more times than he could count. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Of course, she had gotten him in trouble just as often, but the Orc Hero was a forgiving man, and he didn¡¯t care about such minor, trivial things. ¡°My goal¡­¡± ¡°Yes, your goal!¡± ¡°¡­I will just say one thing.¡± He needed to let the other party know that he was interested in them. But how? Bash¡¯s brain was firing on all cylinders the cylinders of a magic powered carriage, duh, cars don¡¯t exist here, trying to find a solution. Making use of the lessons he learned during his short stay in Human lands, he choose his words carefully. ¡°I¡¯ll come back for you. Expect me.¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience ¡®Huh, wha ¨C ?! You¡¯re coming ba ¨C? ¡­ for me?!¡± The Elf¡¯s eyes widened at these words. ¡°What?!! What do you mean?!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough¡­¡± Then, he about-faced and silently walked away. Faerie¡¯s Guidelines to Attracting Humans Elves 101 ¨C Seducing for Dummies : To be both mysterious and dignified. That was what he had learned in the Fortress City of Krassel within the Human Country. On top of that, he showed her his interest in her without revealing his true purpose. (Nice! Mister, that was excellent!) His execution was pure, unadulterated seduction perfection. Bash thought so. And so did Zell. The pair, feeling good about their encounter, hurried on their way back to the inn to prepare for the zombie hunt. The woman watched Bash disappear into the darkness, and then spoke, her voice tinged with fear. ¡°What the¡­¡± She didn¡¯t understand. The woman just couldn¡¯t wrap her head around what just happened. It was frustrating. She clenched her fists and stomped on the ground, digging her heel into the dirt to let out some anger. ¡°What the fuck was that?! What the hell is going on?! Is he really up to something? Then he should have hid it properly, right?! Why did he have to say it like that?! He could have just said he was just here to travel! Lie properly! Hey, you think so too, right?¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­ but given that the Orc Hero is moving incognito, he probably has a reason why he couldn¡¯t reveal what he was doing. But the way you asked him¡­ he most likely felt like he couldn¡¯t just dismiss you. And so, that roundabout answer was the best he could come up with. Orcs aren¡¯t known to be good liars.¡± ¡°What? Are you saying this is my fault?!¡± ¡°No, no, of course not.¡± The man shrugged, trying his best to bear the woman¡¯s stare. ¡°Anyhow! Now that we know he¡¯s planning something, you better keep an eye on him!¡± ¡°Hah, I understand. But realistically, if he were to come back, wouldn¡¯t it be to kill you, Lady Sonia? You¡¯re the only one that knows anything about his plans. Well, me too, I guess¡­¡± At those words, the woman¡¯s face went pale. The Orc Hero, Bash. Anyone who knew of his nightmarish strength would go white in the face knowing he was so close. But she shook her head to clear her thoughts and clenched her fists to strengthen her resolve. ¡°But I can¡¯t just run away. After all, I¡¯m Thunder Sonia, the Elf Hero¡­¡± Said the woman ¨C Thunder Sonia, as he looked at her fist in the moonlight. Orcerdyne Systems Model 101 ¨C Ready for duty Chapter 14.1 Thunder Sonias Troubles Here we go boys and girls, chapter 14! It had been seven days since Bash first arrived at Siwanasi Forest. In the upper branches of the Great Siwanasi Tree, in a room located on the topmost floor of the tree, was an Elf. She had long, blonde, waist-length hair. She wore a dark green robe and a wide-brimmed, pointed hat. She was sitting by the window, looking outside with melancholy in her eyes. From her vantage point, she could see the sprawling cityscape below. The magical lights spread all over the town were not so bright as to light up even the depths of the forests yet were just bright enough for people to carry out their activities. For her, this soft, mild brightness was a true symbol of peace. During the war, she and the rest of the Elven people lived in a world of extremes. It was always either too bright, the forest lit up by flames and magical spells, or pitch black, as to better hide in the shadows. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience However, she was not basking in the pleasure of hard-earned peace. Nor was she enjoying the sight of her faint reflection in the window, though she was quite lovely. What truly preoccupied her were the potential events that would transpire the day after tomorrow. But apparently, she was not looking out the window and basking in peace. On the other hand, she was not looking at her reflection in the window and taking pleasure in it. What he was looking at was the direction of the day after tomorrow. ¡°Huuu¡­¡± Her name was Thunder Sonia. Called ¡°Lady Sonia¡± by those who knew her, she was one of the great heroes who dealt the killing blow against the Daemon King, the Elven Archmage Thunder Sonia. The greatest individual military power available to the Elf Country and Hero of the Elves. This woman was lacking in nothing. She had it all: rank, honor, status, noble titles, territory¡­ yet she seemed to be troubled. ¡°I was rejected¡­ once again¡­¡± Yes, she was single. ¡°Come on, grandma, you got too excited. You were expecting way too much out of that meeting, hitting on a Human nobleman who came all the way here just to establish friendly relations¡­¡± The man who said these words was another Elf, standing in the doorway leading into the room. His name was Aconite. Named after a poisonous flower, he was a Colonel within the Elven Army, as well as Sonia¡¯s grandnephew ¨C her niece¡¯s son. His official assignment as a Colonel was to be an escort ¨C he was charged with protecting the person said to be the Elf Country¡¯s most potent combatant. Even though he was a military man and a bodyguard on paper, in practice, his job was more akin to being a manservant or a squire. ¡°What am I supposed to do then?! No Elf would even entertain the idea of getting with me! And don¡¯t call me grandma!¡± Thunder Sonia. She would turn 1200 years old this year. The eldest of the Elves. And Elf¡¯s lifespan averaged around 500 years. Yet Sonia had lived more than twice as long ¨C there was a reason behind her longevity. It happened 900 years ago. The Elven Nation had been beaten into a corner and had no way out. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Their villages were burned, and their territories were conquered. Lives were taken from their soldiers, and smiles were stolen from their children. Sonia, the daughter of the chieftain at the time, realized that the Elves would face their inevitable extinction if things kept going this way. She was a prodigy. Every citizen of Elf Country had great expectations for her, a blessed child loved by the Spirit of Thunder. And she lived up to these expectations. On the battlefield, she was nigh invincible. Her overwhelming lightning magic could turn even the toughest of foes into burnt-black charcoal and make even the largest of armies think twice before attacking. She alone was the backbone of the Elven front. However, at that point, she was already 300 years old. It was said that an Elf¡¯s prime years were between the ages of 100 and 200, after which their physical strength and magical prowess began to decline. At 400 years old, they were considered frail and elderly. Sonia¡¯s heyday was far behind her now. She was well aware of her weakening power. If she were to fall, Elf Country would be unable to maintain its defensive line, and what awaited them was nothing but destruction. Foreseeing this inevitable end, Sonia decided to perform a great ritual. Using secret techniques and spells handed down through millennia of Elven history, she cursed herself with eternal youth and longevity. As a result, she turned back the hands of time, permanently rejuvenating her body back to its 100-year-old form. Having regained the magical power she had in her prime, Sonia took on the mantle of leader of the Elven Army. Under her command, the Elves spent the next 200 years rebuilding their forces and pushing back the enemy. Then, near the end of the war, she returned to the front lines and eventually joined hands with the other Heroes of the Alliance in order to defeat the Daemon King. She was truly an exemplary Hero. Yet, for all her super-elven prowess, she was still a woman with needs. Witnessing the marriage-boom happening in the aftermath of the war, she thought: [Now that we have peace, it¡¯s time for me to find a husband!] Unfortunately, at 1200 years of age, she was positively ancient. Not only that, but Sonia was also an acclaimed Hero and an imminent personage in Elven society. No Elven man would dare even consider dating her. She was both too great and too old. Furthermore, she had missed the Elven marriage boom. There were no men left in the Elf Country that could measure up to her. But that wasn¡¯t all. In fact, there was another, much more insidious reason behind why she couldn¡¯t find a marriage partner. ¡°Shit, this is all his fault¡­¡± ¡°You mean The Nightmare of Siwanasi Forest?¡± ¡°Yeah! If it weren¡¯t for that damned Orc¡­¡± The Nightmare of Siwanasi Forest. An unprecedented disaster that no Elf would ever be able to forget. After the fall of Daemon King Gediguz, the Elven army coordinated with the Humans in order to launch a two-pronged attack on the Orcs. However, a single, lone warrior stood in their way. Bash, the Orc Hero. Following in the footsteps of the Elf Hero, he also fought on the front lines, defeating both Elves and Humans with his overwhelming power. Siwanasi Forest could not be taken without defeating this man. His strength was so formidable that 90% of those who faced him would die, and the 10% who survived would be left with mental trauma for the rest of their lives. There seemed to be no hope of overcoming him. Then, the Elven Archmage Thunder Sonia finally took action. She challenged him to a duel as if to say: ¡°Only a Hero can fight a Hero.¡± Their battle lasted for three days and three nights. Sonia¡¯s lightning magic burned down the forest as incessant thunderbolts tore through the sky. Bash¡¯s blade cleaved through the trees as his shouts shook the earth. A duel as wild and chaotic as a natural disaster. One of the Elven Generals stayed in the vicinity to bear witness to this duel of the titans. Someone needed to report back, and as a leader of the Elven Army, he bore this responsibility. And what he saw would haunt him for the rest of his days. At the conclusion of the battle. When the lightning ceased. When the thunder went silent. When the dust settled¡­ ¡­It was Bash who stood victorious, Sonia having collapsed in a heap at his feet. What happened when an Elven woman was vulnerable, and an Orc was nearby? Any and all Elves that had ever fought an Orc knew the answer ¨C she would be taken away, turned into a sex slave, and made to bear children for the rest of her days. Their precious Lady Sonia was going to get captured. The Elf Hero. The Elven personification of strength and victory would become a slave, locked away to be defiled over and over again by swathes of horrid Orcs. There was no way the Elves could let that happen. If the troops saw Sonia enslaved and pregnant with an Orc child, their morale would plummet. The whole army itself might collapse under the weight of widespread depression. With this in mind, the Elven General jumped out, ready to sacrifice his life if only to give Sonia a few precious extra seconds to regain her senses and escape. However, to his surprise, the Orc turned around and simply walked away. He didn¡¯t even spare a glance at Sonia¡¯s unconscious figure. And it wasn¡¯t just that single General who saw this. Many of the soldiers, who had figured it was safe to approach now that the heat had died down, were watching as well. The General had no idea what was going on, but he wasn¡¯t about to dwell on it. He thanked his good graces as he retrieved Sonia¡¯s unconscious body, brought her to safety, and reported what he had seen to the top brass. The top leaders of the Elven Army were distraught ¨C they had to keep knowledge of the Elf Hero¡¯s defeat under wraps at all costs. Unfortunately for them, there were just too many witnesses. Soon enough, the news that the Orc Hero Bash vanquished Elf Hero Thunder Sonia spread throughout the entirety of the Elven troops. ¡°The Nightmare of Siwanasi Forest! Archmage Tunder Sonia defeated!¡± Having heard this, the soldiers were in utter despair. They could simply not believe that their Lady Sonia, a bastion of strength and the hope of their people, had been beaten. All of them knew what happened when a woman was vanquished by an Orc¡­ She was most likely on her way to becoming an Orc breeding slave right as they spoke! Even if they ended up winning this war in the end, this was¡­ This was a nightmare! Then, out of the blue, another piece of information reached their ears. Chapter 14.2 Thunder Sonias Troubles Anyways, here¡¯s the second part of chapter 14. This whole thing was a blast to translate and I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did! Apparently, Lady Sonia wasn¡¯t kidnapped. The soldiers were confused. ¡°What? Why not? What happened? Did her guards manage to rescue her? Did the Humans send reinforcements in the nick of time?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Huh? What? How come? Orc Hero or not, he¡¯s still an Orc. Orcs always, without exception, either rape the women they beat on the spot or took them away to enjoy later. Hell, it nearly happened to me just the other day! I¡¯m glad help came before that happened¡­¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it either.¡± ¡°Heh, maybe she smells older than she looks?¡± ¡°Hahaha, maybe! That¡¯d be pretty funny!¡± Similar conversations occurred nearly everywhere, and these rumormongering Elves came up with a theory: ¡°Although Thunder Sonia might look young¡­ she smells so old that even Orcs won¡¯t touch her!¡± And thus, Sonia became ¡°the woman whose stench would make even an Orc cringe¡±. She was seen as expired goods. Marriage? She could forget about that. Besides her age and power, this became the third and final nail in the coffin in which lay her potential as a spouse. Following this humiliation, Sonia sought a partner outside of the country, in Human Country. A Human¡¯s lifespan went up to 80 years-old at most. She believed that from their point of view, whether an Elf was 200, 300 or even 1200 years old, it would make no difference. She still looked young and fresh, after all. But once again, she was met with nothing but failure. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience The story of the ¡°Nightmare of Siwanasi Forest¡± had spread far beyond Elven borders and had reached even the Humans. Whenever the Elf Hero tried to steer a conversation with a Human in the direction of relationships, the other party was quick to change the topic. Of course, that was only what Sonia thought was the reason behind their evasiveness. The actual cause was something else entirely¡­ Anyhow, Thunder Sonia hated those rumors¡­ Naturally, she knew that whether it was the marriage boom among the Elves or the tale of the ¡°Nightmare of Siwanasi Forest¡±, both were just temporary fads that would eventually come to pass. Having lived for 1200 years, she had seen many generations of Elves live and die. Not to mention Human generations ¨C she couldn¡¯t even count how many she had seen go by. As generations changed, so did the trends. Even during wartime, there were fashions and crazes. In a short 20 years, a new Human generation would have grown up, and there would be people willing to marry her. And in another 100 years, another generation of Elves would have sprouted, and there would be even more people who would be willing to marry her. For an immortal like her, who would be remain in this world unless killed, those years would pass in the blink of an eye. But then again, thought Thunder Sonia¡­ If she gave up like this, right now, wouldn¡¯t she be admitting her loss? Wouldn¡¯t she be admitting to the fact that she smelled so ancient that even an Orc would turn up his nose at her? Of course, she wouldn¡¯t! That stupid rumor wasn¡¯t true anyways! Come here! Come closer and give me a sniff! These days, she even took the extra time to spritz on some perfume before going out. Not because she thought she stank! Definitely not! She just enjoyed wearing perfume. Yup. Definitely. Needless to say, no matter what she actually smelled like, rumors would be rumors. They wouldn¡¯t disappear overnight. And all of this was because of that man¡­ All her troubles were because of the Orc Hero, Bash. All due to him not taking her away when he had the opportunity to. Certainly, if it had actually happened, she would have lived a true nightmare, but¡­ Still, it would have been nice to have a word with him, she thought. The other day, even though they hadn¡¯t seen each other in a while, she didn¡¯t even get to say properly say hello. No¡­ they didn¡¯t have the kind of relationship where they¡¯d greet each other politely like that¡­ And how come he didn¡¯t react even when he saw her face? What does that mean? According to Aconite, when she passed him in her carriage, Bash just averted his eyes with a dumb look on his face. As far as she could remember, most Orcs, when encountering a woman, would get a hard-on and start sadistically licking and smacking their lips. But that was a long time ago. The last time any Orc adopted that kind of attitude towards the Elf Hero was when the Elves were on the backfoot, being brutally murdered wholesale by the Orcs, before she rose to prominence and rebuilt the army ¨C in other words, when she was still actually young. Later on, whenever they noticed Sonia, they either shuddered in fear or challenged her, with the determination to face certain death. She hadn¡¯t seen an Orc perversely leer at her in the last hundred years. However, the war was over now. Updated from novelhall[.]com The Orcs were said to be much more peaceful these days. The two races were no longer at each other¡¯s throats, so why didn¡¯t the Orc Hero freely express his desire? Could it be that she was really starting to smell moldy¡­? Bash¡¯s seemingly incongruous attitude made Sonia uneasy. But she couldn¡¯t let her anxiety be apparent. She was the Thunder Sonia, the Archmage and the Elf Hero. As the symbol of Elven victory, she couldn¡¯t let her subordinates see her in this vulnerable state. ¡°What the hell is he doing in this country anyways! I know you¡¯ve got some eyes on him. What¡¯s going on?!¡± ¡°The first day he spent here, him and the Faerie seemed to be gathering information. After that, the only thing he¡¯s been doing is hunting zombies in the forest.¡± Updated from novelhall[.]com ¡°Zombies? Why?¡± ¡°No idea. Maybe they¡¯re trying to raise money to fund they travel expenses until they reach their next destination?¡± ¡°Ridiculous! He said he¡¯d come back to see me, didn¡¯t he?! Why?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. From the reports, all he¡¯s been doing is killing zombies. No suspicious movements at all.¡± It had been seven whole days since Bash¡¯s arrival in town. On the first day, he seemed to be sniffing around, trying to unearth some kind of intel, but now all he did was go between the inn and the forest. He was being eerily docile. He hadn¡¯t caused any problems and was living his life like an ordinary citizen. It was as if he wasn¡¯t an Orc at all. ¡°To be frank, there¡¯s something else I should tell you. There are rumors going around about an Orc that came out of nowhere and was putting zombies back into the dirt at a staggering pace. He¡¯s doing pretty well for himself. In fact, I¡¯ve received reports of a dramatic decrease in the number of zombies in the last seven days. The military has even brought up the idea of assembling a cleanup taskforce to finally eradicate the undead.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give him too much credit¡­¡± ¡°These are their words, not mine. He has a lot of fans¡­¡± ¡°Idiot, that¡¯s not what I meant. Remember what Pole-boy said? Remember the dead but forget the killers. I just recalled that just now and¡­¡± North Pole, the current Elven King, had ordered all Elves to do one thing when the peace treaty was signed: to not hold grudges against their former enemies. Resentment would do no good except lay the groundwork for another conflict. The semantics of who-killed-who-first blame game were useless and unproductive. Tracking down the originators of the conflict was an impossible endeavor either way. The killing was mutual. Everyone was just as equally culpable. ¡°It might be difficult to let go of past grievances, but the chain of revenge has to be broken here and now¡±, said the King. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience The Elves, who used to be exclusionary, and now tolerant of other races due to this order. This was the chief reason why Bash was not treated as poorly as he was in Krassel when he entered Siwanasi Forest Town. That, and the fact that the people living here hadn¡¯t fought the Orcs much during the war. ¡°Lady Thunder Sonia, you¡¯re not making sense. So should I praise him or not?¡± ¡°Ah, shut up. I know, I know¡­ I¡¯ve got complicated feelings about this whole thing, you know¡­?¡± Sonia let out an exasperated sigh. Anyway, there was no way to skirt around the fact that things have turned out the way they have. ¡°Well, I guess things are fine for the time being. Thinking about it again, would he have been that brazen towards me if he was really planning something bad?¡± She was upset and impatient when Bash came to town, and even shuddered in fear when he said he was coming back to see her¡­ but now, she had somewhat come to terms with it. Sonia couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling in her gut, telling her that something wasn¡¯t right, but she couldn¡¯t do anything about it. And she didn¡¯t even really hate Bash. She just loathed the rumors that he inadvertently started. Not like she could blame anyone but herself for losing to him. She smells like fossil! Related video. Chapter 14.3 Thunder Sonias Troubles Last part of chapter 14 folks! Still, she wanted to somehow get rid of this disgraceful rumor about her smell. This was Sonia¡¯s most sincere desire right now. But what could she do? There was no way the rumors would just disappear even if she were to defeat the Orc Hero now. And it wasn¡¯t like she could beg Bash for a redo ¨C to ask him to ¡°take¡± her. ¡°And screw those Humans too!¡± Eventually, her ire turned towards the Humans as well. ¡°Look at them! Look at how many of them came to town to look for a partner! They¡¯re all so excited and giddy at the idea of marrying an Elf! But nooooo, when it comes to me, suddenly it¡¯s all about nobility and humility and diplomatic relations and business! None of them want to even talk about a relationship with me! I¡¯d be fine even with an affair! Just give me a chance! I just need one single Human to give me chance and I¡¯ll prove to everyone that that silly rumor is a load of bullshit! I¡¯ll stay by their side until they die! Fifty years? Sixty years? Bring it on! It¡¯s nothing to me! I¡¯ll take care of all their needs! Humans love a supportive woman, right? And who better than me? I¡¯m the best-of-the-best! I¡¯m perfect!¡± ¡°Really? The best-of-the-best?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m the best! Look at me! I¡¯m 1200 years old, but I look like I¡¯m barely 100! I can use nearly any kind of magic! Oh, and my knowledge! I can give advice on politics, economy, territory management, and even cooking! If that doesn¡¯t qualify me as the best-of-the-best, I don¡¯t know what does! Sure, I don¡¯t have any experience on the romantic side, but don¡¯t Human men love that?! They like pure girls, don¡¯t they?! I even remember that one time a Human General came over to our camp and had fun with a bunch of Elven girls, but he didn¡¯t even look at me! I was right there, and he didn¡¯t even LOOK at me!¡± As soon as Sonia felt she couldn¡¯t do anything about Bash, she began disparaging all the men she had been rejected by instead. Aconite had no choice but to just listen, smile and nod. To be honest, he was rather sure that if she were to beg as hard as she was now, at least one of the Human men would agree to date her. But there was no way that would actually happen. Sonia was rather reserved when out and about, and considering her position as the Elven Archmage, she did her best to behave with the appropriate level of decorum. In other words, she put on a mask. It didn¡¯t help that the Humans with which she fraternized would never be so stupid as to try coming on to the Elf Hero. If she got offended, it could lead to a war between Elves and Humans. Whenever she visited Human Lands, she was treated as a guest of honor and given the highest of respects. Thunder Sonia thought it was the rumors surrounding her ageing smell that kept Humans away from her, but that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°Oh, yes, Aconite. Let¡¯s talk about you. How¡¯s your love life doing?¡± At the sudden suggestion, Aconite¡¯s face tightened. ¡°Please spare me.¡± Aconite¡¯s oldest memory was the sight of Thunder Sonia changing his diapers. As she was cleaning him up, she proudly told his mother, ¡°Just leave it to me! I¡¯ve changed your diapers and your mother¡¯s diapers. Just consider me our family¡¯s nanny.¡± From that moment on, the Elf Hero had been his and his family¡¯s reliable caretaker. Needless to say, he had never harbored anything remotely resembling romantic feelings towards her. It was simply impossible. ¡°I¡­ have someone in mind.¡± ¡°What?! Since when do you have a girlfriend? What the hell! Why didn¡¯t you tell me?! Who is it? Do you guys get along? She¡¯s not some kind of vicious vixen, is she? I won¡¯t anyone to break my precious little Aconite¡¯s heart! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll use my authority and make arrangements for you to flee the country at night, and you¡¯ll be nice and safe and away from her. Just say the word, and I¡¯ll take care of everything for you, no questions asked. After all, I¡¯m the generous and magnanimous Thunder Sonia! So, what do you say?¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ It¡¯s Lady Inuela, one of the Beatkin princesses. She¡¯s the Beastkin King¡¯s third daughter¡­ We¡¯re still dealing with the specifics right now, so I can¡¯t tell you anything.¡± ¡°Huh? So, you actually like her? What do you mean by specifics? Are they giving you a promotion to give you a proper rank to marry royalty? What about an engagement date? How come I haven¡¯t heard anything?!¡± ¡°I told father not to tell you. Lady Sonia, with all due respect, you¡¯re rather¡­ loose lipped.¡± ¡°Huh? They why are you telling me this now! Don¡¯t they teach you to keep your mouth shut in the army? Don¡¯t you know the importance of confidentiality? Huh?¡± As Aconite sighed, giving up in the face of Sonia¡¯s barrage, an owl landed on the windowsill, hooted, and pecked at the window. Something was tied to its leg. ¡°Hmm? A message?¡± Updated from novelhall[.]com Sonia opened the window, put the owl on her arm, and took the object strapped to her leg. It was a letter. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s from lil¡¯ Cal.¡± ¡°From Lieutenant General Calendula?¡± ¡°Yup. Looks like he spotted a Lich among the zombies.¡± ¡°A Lich? Could that be reason behind the rise in zombies in the last few years?¡± ¡°No doubt about it. That would explain why they keep popping back up no matter how many times we exterminate them.¡± Undead were a naturally occurring phenomenon. The corpses of those who died with deep grudges or lingering regrets would reanimate and strike at the living. However, once they were defeated, that was that ¨C they would never come back again. It was said that the souls of killed zombies would be irreparably shattered, never to be reborn. But a Lich could turn that notion on its head. Liches were the highest level of undead and could innately perform necromantic magic to repair said shattered souls and reanimate dead zombies once more. In other words, so long a Lich was around, the undead would never disappear. ¡°It says here that there¡¯s a massive zombie cleanup operation planned five days from now, and he¡¯s like our help. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll make the necessary preparations.¡± ¡°Please do.¡± The Elven military was a well-oiled machine. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience After all it had only been three years since the signing of the peace treaty. Their combat know-how, accumulated over thousands of years, was still alive and well. Whenever they struck, they would blitz through with all the strength and speed at their disposal. The top brass, not wanting to underestimate their enemies despite them being just zombies, had decided to mobilize the entirety of Siwanasi Forest¡¯s 2nd Battalion. When attacking, they should use their maximum strength to attack in an instant. The elven military decided to mobilize the 2nd Battalion of the Siwanasi Forest Army, not underestimating the fact that it was just a zombie attack. This Battalion was composed of mostly magic capable soldiers ¨C ideal for the situation, as fire magic was deathly effective against the undead. They would take this opportunity to mop them up all at once. ¡°Though¡­ I¡¯m kind of worried¡­ With this kind of large-scale operation, I¡¯ll need to increase the number of eyes on the Orc Hero and his companion. They might take action while we¡¯re out.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Eh, well it should be fine. I just said that if they were really planning something bad, they wouldn¡¯t have bothered to come see me, right? I hate to say it, but they¡¯re not really doing anything suspicious right now.¡± ¡°Are you sure? Ah, no need to tell me explicitly. Don¡¯t worry, I can take care of it. I¡¯ll send some men to harass them. I know you want me to.¡± ¡°Hey! You¡¯re making it sound like I¡¯m some kind of vengeful woman trying harass all the people I don¡¯t like! No! Don¡¯t send anyone!¡± The owl, still sitting on the windowsill watching their silly exchange tilted its head. It was a peaceful night. Chapter 15.1 Orc Zombie Now some bad news. I¡¯ll be taking a break from translating until the 8th. Finals week is coming up and I¡¯ve got my hands full with watching over exams and correcting, not to mention my own projects that are nearing their deadlines. As much as I want to ignore all that and just immerse myself in something I actually enjoy, like translating ¨C duty calls. (P.S. if anyone has experience with the AnyLogic simulation software, hit me up on Discord. Any help is appreciated.) I want to thank you in advance for your patience everyone! Releases will resume at an even faster pace once the semester is over! Now then, on to chapter 15! It was a well-known fact that following the war, mass disarmament took place in all countries of Vastonia. Whether they were the victors or the losers, everyone adjusted their level of military down to an amount stipulated in the peace treaty in order to avoid sparking another conflict. Though the number of troops were predetermined, it didn¡¯t mean they were even. The nations of the ex-Federation had now far less strength than the nations of the ex-Alliance. The Siwanasi Forest Army was born from that reorganizing, set up in anticipation of a potential Orcish uprising or a Human invasion. The troops were divided in two battalions, one on the Orcish front, another on the Human¡¯s. The 1st Battalion was mainly made up of archers, and numbered around 700 soldiers, while the 2nd Battalion included mostly magical soldiers, and counted about 500 mages. Those who remained in the armed forces after the disarmament were either career soldiers, who had no marketable skill save for their talent on the battlefield, or the elites, who were kept in the military due to their superior abilities. In other words, the standing armies of every nation were composed of the cream-of-the-crop. This was even more true for the Elves, who, due to their long lifespan, did not have to spend time and resources training the next generation and took that opportunity to better themselves even further. Their army had nearly no new recruits ¨C only veterans who had fought up until the end of the war. And so, 500 elites who had lived through the fiercest battles set out towards the depths of Siwanasi Forest. This was a truly exaggerated number of boots on the ground for what should be a relatively easy zombie cleanup operation. Lich or no lich, a mere hundred Elves should have been more than enough. However, this was a choice born from experience ¨C the Elven army had learned that it was better to be safe than sorry. They would always be exceedingly cautious, never underestimate their enemy and attack with utmost ferocity when the opportunity presents itself. Arriving at the site of the zombie outbreak, Lieutenant General Calendula, the head of the 2nd Battalion, began his reconnaissance. Ten scout platoons were radially deployed around the main unit, engraving magic circles into the soft earth every 100 meters. These magic circles would alert the caster if it detected any movement within 50 meters of its location, though it would lose effective after a few minutes. If no threat were detected, the battalion would move another 50 meters forward and recall the scouts. After returning to resupply, the scouts would once again radially move out and engrave more magic circles. This maneuver was done until contact was made. ¡°Arrow Three reporting in. Enemy spotted. Five zombies, three skeletons.¡± ¡°Acknowledged. Destroy them.¡± The instant an enemy was spotted, the scouting party¡¯s role changed. They became a strike force, working in tandem with the main unit to surround, isolate, and take out the target ¨C divide and conquer. This sequence was called the ¡°Elven Arrow¡±, a traditional Elven tactic. ¡°Arrow Six reporting in. Enemy leader spotted. One Lich, over 100 skeletons!¡± ¡°Acknowledged! Regroup with the main unit. We¡¯ll destroy the Lich and annihilate the undead.¡± The Elven Arrow tactic had many weaknesses, such as a lack of flexibility. It was, however, the optimal strategy for eradicating zombies. ¡°Thank for coming, Lady Thunder Sonia.¡± ¡°Hmph, just leave it to me! I¡¯ve killed tons of Liches before. This¡¯ll be a piece of cake.¡± Thunder Sonia¡¯s confident voice echoed through the forest, her words raising the Battalion¡¯s morale. It had been just over three years since the Elven Army last fought a Battalion-sized battle. But nobody was worried. Updated from novelhall[.]com After all, they were only facing a bunch of slow, dumb, lumbering undead. Everyone here was a hardened veteran that had survived the war. Not only that, but they even had Thunder Sonia at their side. The Hero¡¯s power could turn even the most disadvantageous engagement into a splendid victory. The mission¡¯s success was assured. The Elves¡¯ initial anxiety had completely disappeared, replaced with the giddiness of getting to kill zombies. This operation would be a walk in the park. ¡°All troops, commence the attack!¡± ¡°Oooooh!¡± A battle cry rang out as the Elves charged into combat. The Elven Army had estimated that they had an overwhelming chance at victory. They had more than enough of both troops and skill. The commanding officer was talented in all manners of war and was both intelligent and stoic. Their morale was high, but nobody was foolish enough to recklessly rush towards the win. Slow and steady won the race. Their tactics were perfectly adapted to exploit the undeath¡¯s weaknesses. There was no reason for them to lose. However, they had made one single miscalculation. They had forgotten who¡¯s corpses lay dead under the dirt of Siwanasi Forest. Meanwhile¡­ In an unlit, far flung corner of Siwanasi Forest. Under the quiet shade of an immense tree. Behind the scouting lines. The ground suddenly swelled, slinging dust and dirt into the air. Something rose up from down under. As it lifted itself upright, wet soil fell of its body in chunks, hitting the earth with a dull thud. It stood at nearly three meters tall. A humongous shadow. The silhouette was humanoid in shape, and a dark red glow shone out of its eyes. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience It was a zombie. The undead¡¯s head perked up as turned to survey his surroundings before stopping, having noticed something in the distance. ¡°OH, HO, HO, HO! ¡­ Warriors! Do you see that!¡± Its voice echoed all throughout Siwanasi Forest ¨C a deep, raspy voice that sounded like it came from abyss of hell itself. ¡°I can see them now! A whole army of those wretched Elves! Look, men! See the back of the cowards who lurk in the darkness! See the scum whom we weren¡¯t able to spot that faithful day!¡± This zombie must have had a tremendous body before its untimely death. It had a huge physique, standing at nearly three meters in height. Its arms and legs were like built like logs, and its muscles, though rotten and torn, were still as tough as steel. Its left arm was gone from the elbow down, and its right hand held a massive steel hammer, more akin to a brutish chunk of raw ore than a proper weapon. The zombie laughed, making the rusty armor hanging on its shoulder rattle. ¡°Look, men! Behold! Don¡¯t you think this is a wonderful view, boys?¡± Then, a low rumble shook the earth. One by one, zombies broke through the dirt to stand behind him. Not one. Not two. Not three. Hundreds upon hundreds of zombies rose to answer their leader¡¯s call. A veritable horde of undead. Many of them were missing an eye, and some and none at all. But the mystical red glow emanating from the depths of their eye sockets allowed them to see. They were facing the same direction. All watching the same thing. The only thing reflected in their magical vision was the hated Elven Army. ¡°Rejoice, men! Laugh, as fate has granted us the opportunity to redeem ourselves! Laugh, as destiny has allowed us to avenge our humiliation!¡± The gigantic zombie raised his hammer as he shouted. In response, the others lifted their weapons as well. Broken axes. Shattered swords. Rotten spears. Relics of war that had long since been buried beneath the earth. However, therein said relics dwelled an eerie, crimson glow. ¡°And let us be grateful our benefactor! Let us give our thanks to the wily Gunda Guza for giving us all a second chance!¡± There was no response from the surrounding zombies. Updated from novelhall[.]com Most undead did not speak ¨C vocal cords were a privilege of the living. At most, they could moan or groan. Those that could vocalize their thought were either higher beings¡­ Either that, or they¡¯re very well-trained zombies. ¡°And let us repent! Let us be sorry for treating Gunda Guza so coldly, and not heeding his words until it was too late!¡± They understood now. They understood the importance of stealth. They understood that they should move quietly and slay their enemies without making a sound. Yes, just like the Elves once did to them. Their brains were rotten, and they had no ability to think. But their bodies. Their bodies remembered everything. They could still feel the agony of having their neck snapped in the dead of night. The torment of having their heart stabbed by icy steel. The pain in every breath from a punctured lung. Now, it was their turn. ¡°Onwards, warriors! March! Together, we will crush these abominable Elves once and for all!¡± On the giant zombie¡¯s orders, the horde began to move. Quickly, and silently. Chapter 15.2 Orc Zombie Jesus Christ boys I am FINALLY DONE. If any of your are in uni, please submit your assignments and test revision requests on time. We TAs are human too, you know? I just came out of a one and a half hour long meeting with a student at 10PM, and boy this must have been the most DREADFUL thing I¡¯ve ever went through. I¡¯m sorry friendo, I can¡¯t make points appear out of nowhere. Anyways, onto the Ko-Fis. Boys and girls, lemme tell ya, seeing the email popping up saying that someone had donated while I was completely buried in work was one of THE MOST motivating things ever, so thank you so much for contributing even though I wasn¡¯t putting out content. I am so, so, SO grateful for your patience and understanding. HYUUUUGEEE capital ship sized amounts of gratitude to the man of many numbers 123321 (TWICE), the ever so dapper The Gentleman (TWICE AS WELL), the beefiest of greenskins Chad Orc-san, the loud and boisterous Boomhauer, and last but not least, the very regular sounding yet just as wonderful Lukas!!! Thank you so much for your generous contributions! It¡¯ll take a couple of days for me to get back into the translating grove, so temporarily expect a little bit of a longer delay between the releases compared to last month. Now onto the content. ¡°It¡± was first noticed by a scout who had retreated to the rear to recover his magical power. His long ears and sharp hearing caught the sound of footsteps coming up from behind him. However, there shouldn¡¯t have been any allies at his back. Could it possibly be reinforcements joining them from Siwanasi Forest? Or maybe a messenger, carrying further orders? Believing there were incoming friendlies, the Elf looked back, only to see an Orc zombie barreling towards him, its rotten body moving at ludicrous speeds. This particular Elf was a reconnaissance expert ¨C a veteran scout with over 50 years of battle experience. He immediately noticed, even with the wear and tear of time, that the Orc zombie wore an attire typical of the rare Orcish Assassins. He could even confirm that its skin, despite being mostly missing, had a yellowish tint to it. And he understood that he didn¡¯t have the time to dodge the dagger coming straight for his throat. In a split second, he decided that informing his compatriots of the incoming threat was the only thing he could do to make his death worthwhile. ¡°Enemy att ¨C !¡° But he never managed to finish. The sharp edge tore through his throat, blood flowing out instead of words. Despite his fatal injury, the Elf desperately tried to find out more about the Orc zombie¡¯s identity. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience How did it ambush me? Where did it come from? Where was it hiding? ¡°¡­!¡± Feeling his consciousness fading away, the scout hurriedly scanned the surroundings for more information. And then¡­ He saw them. Following behind the undead assassin was a horde of countless zombies, slowly closing in. One of them held a flag, lifting it high. A ripped, tattered standard, hanging on its pole by a few rotten threads. And on the flag¡­ was an image he recognized. The symbol of the Orc General that once fell in Siwanasi Forest. ¡°Gen¡­Ba..ra¡­¡± But he never got to finish that thought, as the dagger¡¯s tip pierced into the bottom of his head, through the roof of his mouth, and into his brain. ¡°What?! The enemy is at our rear? How many?¡± ¡°There are reports of more than a thousand!¡± ¡°Give me the damage report!¡± ¡°Half of our scouts are dead¡­ Sir, this is bad¡­¡± Lieutenant General Calendula¡¯s eyes widened at his subordinate¡¯s report. A group of zombies had suddenly appeared at their rear. By the time the main unit got the news, most of the scouts who were recovering their magic laid dead, having not made it back in time. The zombies in front of them numbered around 300, and he was trying to figure out how to best approach them and defeat the Lich while minimizing his losses when news of this disaster reached his ears. It was too late now. He had been complacent, thinking that there was no way mindless undead could outmaneuver the living, and had neglected to watch his back. ¡°Damn it¡­ Where did they come from?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know sir. They just sprang out of nowhere¡­¡± ¡°Kuh¡­Shit!¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Lieutenant General Calendula was getting more and more frustrated by the second. There were too many enemies. He didn¡¯t even know where they came from nor how they got here. His men had been taken by surprise, and they had taken an enormous amount of damage. This was a situation where the textbook move would be to withdraw. There was no way around it ¨C retreat was the only right answer. ¡°¡­¡± Retreat. That was Calendula¡¯s decision. However, his sixth sense told him something was off. He felt that if he were to retreat now, everyone here would be wiped out. ¡°¡­¡± His thoughts wandered, bringing to the surface a 100-year-old memory. It was back when Calendula was not yet a Lieutenant General, only a Lieutenant Colonel. He remembered his father, Catalpa, who was a Lieutenant General back then. He had fallen into a situation not dissimilar to the one Calendula found himself in now. Said to be the swiftest leader among the Elves, Catalpa¡¯s troops were the most disciplined and organized, and their leader known to be most decisive and quick when it came to making tactical decisions. One day, he found himself caught in a pincer attack. Naturally, he promptly ordered a full retreat, leading his army through a gap in the enemy¡¯s formation¡­ Calendula lost his father that day. The now Lieutenant General had watched the whole thing play out from the top of a nearby hill. So, he understood. His father had not made a mistake ¨C his response, according to the common sense of warfare, was right. Considering the circumstances, Catalpa¡¯s decision was the correct one. However, the enemy moved into a perfect position to respond, as if they had read Catalpa¡¯s mind. As he watched from afar, Calendula shouted, ¡°Why are you running that way?!¡± over and over and over until his throat was sore. Eventually, his father fell, stabbed in the back as he tried to lead his remaining troops on one last dash to safety. The circumstances surrounding him felt similar. He absolutely had to retreat in order to survive. But if he ran the wrong way, everyone would be annihilated. So which direction should he go towards? The levelheaded and standard strategy would be to slow down the significantly larger enemy army at his rear with the minimal amount of troops, send most of the force towards the front to crush the Lich, and break through to safety. Search and destroy the Lich as quickly as possible ¨C this was the best way to permanently deal with the undead. However, the enemy came from behind them, meaning the Lich in front of them might be a decoy. So, was the Lich in front or behind them? They had to charge in the undead spellcaster¡¯s direction. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience If he didn¡¯t, they would be defeated. As long as it was alive, the undead would perpetually keep coming back to life, reanimated by its magic. It would be a fool¡¯s errand to attempt breaking through an infinite number of enemies. They would just fight an unwinnable battle of attrition, and even if they won, it would be pyrrhic victory at best, and complete annihilation at worst. Yes, they would end up just like former Lieutenant General Catalpa¡­ ¡°¡­¡± Calendula reflected on the situation. Who was commanding these undead in the first place? Obviously, it was the Lich. But wasn¡¯t the Lich supposed to be ahead of him? He needed to order a retreat ¨C but retreat to where? He didn¡¯t have enough information to work with. ¡°Lieutenant General! Please, give us your orders!¡± His soldiers pleaded. But Calendula stayed mute. He was at a loss, and time was running out by the second. If he didn¡¯t move right this instant, they would find themselves completely surrounded, and their last chance of escape would evaporate into thin air. Even if his decision ended up being wrong, he had to issue a command. He knew, yet he could not find the courage in himself to potentially send his men towards certain death. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience ¡°nOrRThaNiNgUH IzZuH tHrUrUe, EEeArVriEtIng IrStT pARmNittThEdD¡± ¨C Zombie Orc Assassin¡¯s Creed, year unknown Chapter 15.3 Orc Zombie ¡°Hey, Cal-boy!¡± A voice suddenly brought him out of the thoughts he was drowning in. There was only one individual in the world that would address him as if he was a child. As he turned around, he saw a mage standing there. An Elf donning a long green robe, her blonde hair fluttering in the wind. ¡°Lady Sonia¡­¡± ¡°The zombies were probably holing up under the dirt and surfaced after you passed by! Looks like the Lich has some brains left in him huh? They¡¯re pretty organized!¡± Knowing that Thunder Sonia was here, Calendula sighed with relief. The Elf Hero. Standing sternly at her side was Aconite, her nephew and bodyguard. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience He had always been known as a man of few words, but he seemed even more sever than usual. He probably recognized how dire the situation was. His furrowed brows and tightened lips revealed his unease. He was a civilian officer, and had very little experience on the battlefield, so he had most likely never faced similar circumstances. ¡°I know ma¡¯am, but I need to figure out a way to get out of this¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think too hard about this. You¡¯ll play right into the enemy¡¯s hands!¡± ¡°But ma¡¯am, this¡­ this is just like how my father died! If I don¡¯t make the right decision, we¡¯ll all die!¡± ¡°You dull child! Who do you think I am? Why do you think I¡¯m here!?¡± Thunder Sonia put her hands on her hips and puffed out her (nonexistent) chest. Hearing her admonishment, Calendula calmed down and remembered. Yes, this woman was Thunder Sonia. The Elven Archmage Thunder Sonia. A one-in-a-million sorceress who had mastered thousands of spells, and the one who led the Elves to victory in the war. The Elf Hero. The most powerful of wizards. ¡°I¡¯ll break though them, and I¡¯ll take care of the Lich too! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure you get home safe.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Think of your family! Think of your adorable wife! We have peace now. Do you really want to die here? You absolutely need to live and go home! And you have to make sure everyone else here stay safe too! Alright?¡± Calendula was nearly brought to tears at her words. Yes, that¡¯s right. Sonia had always been like this. Ever since he was kid. She had always thought of the whole of the Elven population as one big family. She remembered every single one of their names. And when the need arose, she would always take the initiative to stand tall and protect everyone. That¡¯s why she was a Hero. That¡¯s why she was respected by all, men and women alike. ¡°Oi, did you get that? Answer me!¡± ¡°Hoo-ah! Yes ma¡¯am! I, Lieutenant General Calendula, swear that I¡¯ll live and protect my men!¡± ¡°That¡¯s my boy! Alright, let¡¯s go!¡± The question of which way he should lead his men still remained, but that didn¡¯t matter now. Whatever choice he made, so long as the Elf Hero was here, they would be victorious. He steeled himself and made a decision. He needed to get home. ¡°Mages, relay my orders! All troops are to charge through the zombies at our rear!¡± ¡°Hoo-ah!¡± As soon as he gave out his orders, the army began running. Calendula no longer doubted himself. If the Lich was in fact in the direction they were going, they would defeat him. If not, they would break through the zombies, and return later with reinforcements to earn victory. Many would die ¨C that was a given. There was no doubt in his mind that he would, at the very least, be held responsible and demoted. At worst, he might be forced to resign. Even so, this was what he needed to do to avoid a complete wipeout. So long as a single Elf survived and brought back the information to the top brass, they would eventually win. The Elves would win. Losing to a bunch of zombies is unacceptable. ¡°CHARGE!!¡± The Elves¡¯ battle cry rang out as they threw themselves into battle. It was only shortly after the withdrawal began that Calendula noticed how¡­peculiar the enemy forces were. Yes, they were all undead ¨C that was rather clear. A nigh unending swarm of skeletons, zombies, and wraiths¡­ There were no high leveled undead like Vampires or Dullahan, but that wasn¡¯t exactly surprising when the horde was being led by a Lich. Sure, the Lich was a top-level undead itself, but it could only resurrect bottom-tier undead ¨C such as zombies and skeletons. But that wasn¡¯t the point. All the undead, whether they be zombies or skeletons, had a single thing in common ¨C the race of the original corpse. They were¡­ ¡°They¡¯re all¡­ Orcs?¡± Calendula muttered to himself as he stood as a vanguard to the retreat, hurling fireballs at the oncoming undying horde. Orc Zombies. Orc Skeletons. The undead army was made up nearly entirely of reanimated Orcish corpses. The occasional Wraiths looked like disembodied Faeries, but there were also a couple of Orc phantoms here and there. Then again, this was to be expected, to a certain extent. This was Siwanasi Forest ¨C the location of the final confrontation between the Orcs and the Elves. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience It was only natural that there were a lot of Orc Zombies. Still, Calendula couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that he was missing something important¡­ Siwanasi Forest¡­ An enemy that suddenly sprang up at their rear¡­ A force that was strangely well coordinated for a bunch of mindless undead¡­ As Calendula looked closer at one of the zombies who¡¯s head he had just reduced to ashes, he noticed that it¡­ no, that all of them were wearing similarly designed armor. It was hard to tell, their equipment being so worn and torn, but they were definitely wearing matching sets. Even their weapons seemed to have a sense of unity among them. Yes, Calendula had seen these outfits before, three years ago. There was no way he could forget it. ¡°Come on Cali¡¯boy! I think we¡¯re nearly through!¡± Thunder Sonia, who was next to him, didn¡¯t seem to notice anything wrong. She was rapidly tearing through the enemy lines and steadily advancing, using her greatest and most powerful magics. With every wave of her wand, a lightning bolt would erupt from its tip, turning zombies into charcoal, skeletons into dust, and wraiths into smoke. As expected of the Elf Hero¡­ But Calendula couldn¡¯t help but think that this Great Grandma was underestimating the enemy¡­ ¡°Hey, Grandma, there¡¯s something going on with¡­¡± ¡°What did you just call me? Don¡¯t call me Grandma! Do you want me to tell your soldiers about the last time you shit your pants? Huh? How about that time you didn¡¯t close your door and I walked in on you rubbing one out under your blanket? Who¡¯s name were you calling out again? You want me to tell her? You want me to expose you?! Watch your mouth!¡± ¡°F¡­forgive me, Lady Sonia, but please be careful. I have a bad feeling about this¡­¡± ¡°Hmph. Even if there were 10 000 more of these dumb corpses, I¡¯d still be able to fry them all. Right, Aconite?¡± ¡°Huff, huff, Lady Sonia, please slo¡­please slow down a bit¡­¡± Her nephew, following behind her, was completely out of breath. Were they not in a desperate struggle for survival, Calendula would have made fun of him for being so weak despite having survived the war. But that would be hypocritical ¨C Calendula himself was starting to tire out. It was no wonder. They were against a nigh endless horde of Orc zombies and skeletons. Sure, they might be dull, slow, reanimated corpses, but that didn¡¯t mean they had lost they Orcish strength. If there were only a couple of them, they could have used traditional Elven hit-and-run tactics. Unfortunately, they had already been surrounded, and there were way too many of them. The Elves were forced to fight them head on in order to survive. By the very nature of Orcish psychology, any battle the Orcs were involved in, whether they were winning or losing, would end up in them gradually dwindling in numbers as the fighting dragged on. Especially when they faced the beautiful Elves, many Orcs would suddenly disappear from the battlefield. It wasn¡¯t because they were cowardly and ran away. Nor was it because they were injured and had to recover. Neither was it because they were slain, though that might account for a few of them. No, it was because the Orcs would get distracted by the vulnerable women they had defeated, and would leave the front to ¡°enjoy¡± their spoils, even as the battle raged on. And so, one of the most common tactics used against Orcs was to drag them into long, timely battles of attrition. Some Elven women would have to be ¡°sacrificed¡± to the altar of Orcish lust, as the Elven warriors could not leave the field to save them, but it was better that they be violated once and then recovered once the battle was won, than be held as breeding slaves in perpetuity if the battle was lost. However, this did not apply to the undead. Calendula was fighting Orcs in name only ¨C the traditional anti-Orc tactics would not work here. On the contrary, the defeated undead Orcs would instead rise again after a while and rejoin the battle lines. All because of that Lich. Thus, Calendula was more tired than ever. The Orcs had not lost the war because they were weak. No, they were strong and resilient. So determined was their will that even when their strongest men left to partake in their female spoils, the remaining Orcs would still fight until their last breath. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Were it not for this fatal flaw of Orc psychology, the Alliance might have lost the war. As Orc zombies, they strength had diminished, which was why the Elves could still face them on equal footing. But they were utterly outnumbered, and the zombies would keep rising incessantly if the Lich was not killed. If the Elves took too long to break through¡­ ¡°Ohoh! Cal-boy! Looks like your bad feeling was right! We¡¯ve got a big shot over here!¡± Suddenly, Thunder Sonia shouted happily. Calendula looked in her direction, and noticed she was pointing to a specific individual in the crowd of Orc zombies. There was a distinctly unique undead figure there. A hunchbacked zombie wearing a tattered black cloak, leaning on a twisted cane of dead wood. Its eyes glowed a deep red, and green mucus was dripping down from its mouth. It gargles incomprehensibly as it limped around, using its cane to support its weight. Was the sound of the wind whistling through a hole in its decrepit throat, or was it throwing out curse magics? Nobody knew. It¡¯s warped face, weathered by rot and time, had become nearly unrecognizable. But to Calendula, it was unmistakably familiar¡­ Chapter 15.4 Orc Zombie ¡°¡­Great War Chief Gunda Guza!¡± Great War Chief Gunda Guza. He was an Orc mage, the right-hand-man and second-in-command to the Orc General Baraben, who was deployed to protect the then Orc controlled Siwanasi Forest. And he was a man that had lost his life on this very soil, during the final siege of Siwanasi. ¡°Huh¡­ well, looks like he¡¯s the only Lich around. We just need to beat him and the whole thing will be over, right? No problem, just leave it to me!¡± Liches were undead that had a natural talent in all death related magics. And Gunda Guza, in his life, was one of the most magically talented Orcs. Calendula and Thunder Sonia, who had fought him directly once upon a time, knew that he had more than enough qualifications to be a fearsome opponent, even in undeath. He was strong enough to be a General. Incidentally, no one outside of the Orcs knew that the reason behind the disrespect Orc Mages were subject to was due to their 30-year long stint of virginity. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Sure, this was balanced out by the fact that they had sacrificed their precious, virile youth for the benefit of their country, but even that didn¡¯t erase the stain of virginity. ¡°¡­¡± As Thunder Sonia was about to charge towards Gunda Guza, the latter stopped casting his curses, and turned towards her. His blood red eyes lit up as he muttered her name. ¡°Elven Archmage Thunder Sonia¡­heh¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± He smiled. And it wasn¡¯t just him. All the surrounding Orcish undead, zombies and skeletons alike, began to smile as they unnaturally turned their rotten faces towards her. ¡°Gehehe, hurhgehe, hUrhewhehehehEeeeE!!¡­ Well, well, well, looks like¡­you¡¯ve seen¡­ through my decoys¡­¡± His voice bubbled like a clogged drain; his throat still stuffed with moist dirt. As if a thousand souls tried to escape a bottomless swamp. ¡°Hmph, as if anybody would fall for your schemes!¡± Thunder Sonia looked back towards her compatriots. Aconite and Calendula nodded at her, telling her to keep going. The truth was that they didn¡¯t see through much at all. It was a coin flip that ended up being successful through sheer luck. Not that they would tell anybody, of course. Trap or no trap, if the commander-in-chief gave out his orders, everyone should follow. A demoralized army was its own worst enemy, after all. Of course, were they not in battle, that would be another story. ¡°Time to pay your dues, Gunda Guza. This time, I¡¯ll send you to the literal underworld!¡± ¡°GehehwaRgh, huhe, hyehihihi, stupid, StUuUPID, STUUUUPID THUNDER SONIA!!¡± ¡°Huh? Who¡¯s the stupid one here? Do you even have a brain left after being maggot feed for so long?¡± Her words were brash and arrogant, but she remained on guard, reminding herself that there might still be other cards the Lich could play. Turning around, she asked the pair behind her, ¡°Hey, do you guys see anything weird?¡±. Unfortunately, they both seemed to be busy fending off their own share of undead, and didn¡¯t hear her. She turned back towards the Lich. ¡°GeheHwahehe, you thought you could win if you saw though my little bait, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I could win even if I did fall for your dumb plan! Who do you think I am?! I am Thunder Sonia, Archmage and Hero of the Elves!¡± ¡°FoOooOol!¡± Gunda Guza stabbed the earth with the bottom of his staff. ¡°What are you¡­¡± Sonia wondered if he had begun some strange eldritch ritual, but she didn¡¯t sense anything being cast. However, her skin suddenly started to tingle. An oppressive aura permeated the air, and it was getting stronger and stronger. Something large and incredibly powerful was coming. She began to shiver as she tightened her grip on her staff. ¡°OH, HO, HO, HO, HOOOOO!¡± A booming, baritone voice rang through the zombie infested forest. The only sound among an the now eerily quiet undead horde. Trees fell as the voice¡¯s owner slowly approached Thunder Sonia. ¡°THUNDERRRR SOOONIIAAAAA!!!¡± His grimy voice bellowed out from his rotten vocal cords. As a couple of trees fell, a humongous Orc Zombie made its appearance. Its body was too big, even considering Orcish standards. It stood at nearly three meters tall. The zombie¡¯s corpse was rotten behind recognition, but it still moved with a vigor that made it hard to believe it had ever died. It wore a sturdy steel plate armor, adorned with forged metal spikes. In its right hand, it held a gigantic steel war hammer, more suited for to the much larger Ogres than Orcs. All of these characteristics were familiar to the Elf Hero. ¡°¡­Clan Chief, General Baraben¡­!¡± It was the reanimated corpse of the great General that had, once upon a time, united all the Orc clans of Siwanasi Forest. He was in charge of the last Orc stronghold¡¯s final line of defense and had fallen three years ago at the hand of the Elves. Known for his courage and determination, he was a warrior among warriors who was admired by all Orcs, no matter their clan affiliation. Some even considered him the second most accomplished Orc ever, losing only to the King himself. ¡°ORAAAAAHHHH! I will finally kill you and avenge my defeat!¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience The giant howled. Its voice reverberated through the forest, shaking the earth and rustling the trees. The undead reacted to this, their movements getting quicker, and the glow in their eyes shining brighter. ¡°Goo, geee, hakaragheeeeEeEE! This is the end, Thunder Sonia!¡± ¡°Huh? You think having a single zombie that¡¯s a little bigger than the rest is going to change things? How stupid are you?!¡± Sonia shouted as the waved her staff. ¡°Thunder Strike!!¡± . This was the Archmage¡¯s specialty ¨C chantless, near instantaneous lightning magic that was just as powerful if not more than a regularly cast spell. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Twelve electric spears materialized out of thin air and darted straight at General Baraben at tremendous speeds. A loud bang echoed as they landed, the explosion dying the surroundings a in pure white. Seconds later, the aftershocks swept through the air, the shockwaves blowing through the area. Static filled the atmosphere as Sonia¡¯s hair gently floated. ¡°How¡¯s that, huh?¡± Zombies were mainly vulnerable to fire. But that didn¡¯t mean that they were particularly strong against lightning. With magic as strong as Sonia¡¯s, even zombie dragons that stood over 20 meters tall could be reduced to charcoal in mere seconds. Her lightning spells were the strongest on the continent. ¡°ORAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!¡± ¡°Wha..?!¡± The Elf Hero deftly evaded the hammer that struck at her from behind the dust. It struck nothing but air, wedging itself in the ground where she once stood and creating a small crater in the dirt. ¡°How¡­?¡± Questioned Sonia as she looked at the spot where she shot her lightning. The zombified Baraben slowly made his way out of the smoke, with nary a scratch on him. Naturally, Gunda Guza was also unharmed. ¡°Gehe, hehe, hyARrHAHEHEhehe¡­ you won¡¯t be able to even bruise this Lich body with your weak magic.¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Liches had high magic resistance. Not only that, but Gunda Guza, a veteran mage himself, had mastered countless high level magic defense spells that specialized in blocking Elven magic. It was no wonder that Sonia¡¯s Thunder Strike would not finish him in a single blow. Of course, General Baraben would also have the same wards cast on him. In addition to that, there was his armor ¨C it was adorned with red and yellow patterns, meticulously painted on. ¡°Tch, magic resistant paint?¡± ¡°Guhuhuhuhu, gyehehARgHehehe!¡± Gunda Guza laughed. That armor had been decorated with the magic resistant paint that had originally been developed by the Dwarves. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience The paint¡¯s color corresponded with the element it defended against. Red for fire, yellow for lightning, blue for cold and green for earth. The manufacturing methods were kept highly secret and was only known to the Dwarves themselves. The finished product, however, was openly distributed to their allies. When they first introduced the paint, the Alliance quickly gained the upper hand during the war. It became so prominent in fact, that Nazar, the Human Prince, was famed for his blue-red-yellow tricolor armor with which he sent many a Daemonic Knights to their deaths. It remained however, that paint was just that ¨C paint. Once it was produced, anybody could use it. Somewhere along the line, the paint was stolen by the Federation and used by Orcs and Daemons alike. Updated from novelhall[.]com From that point on, this magic resistant paint became standard issue for both sides of the conflict. ¡°Hrrgh¡­¡± Thunder Sonia groaned. Zombies already had strong resistances towards cold and earth attributes in the first place. Combined with the fire and lightning resistances of the armor¡­ ¡°Okay¡­ this might be tougher than expected¡­¡± Cold sweat began to drip down the Elf Hero¡¯s forehead. Chapter 16.1 Elves In Trouble That day, Bash and Zell were cheerfully hunting zombies. ¡°Wow, there really are a lot of them today!¡± For some reason, the undead were more abundant than usual that evening. Typically, the pair would encounter only two or three zombies every hour, but right now, they were popping up by the second. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to call them a horde. ¡°With this many zombies around, you¡¯ll be able to buy a shiny gold necklace in no time!¡± ¡°Yosh!¡± Bash joyfully replied as he parted two more zombie¡¯s heads from their bodies. The blow from the Hero¡¯s immense blade cleaved through the undead, obliterating anything below its chest. He then swiftly ripped out the lower jaw from the now inert zombie and threw it into the cloth bag he was carrying with him. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Proof was required to obtain the rewards from the commission, and when it came to undead, it would generally be either the entire head or the jaw. Furthermore, whether skeletons or zombies, bringing back a piece of its head usually meant that the creature was dead for good. ¡°Man, it¡¯s going to be rough bringing all of this stuff back!¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s no big deal. We¡¯ll just make two trips.¡± Bash¡¯s heart fluttered as he stated his intention. The pair wasn¡¯t sure how many hours they had been fighting, but there were uncountable amounts of zombie ¡°debris¡± scattered about all around them. With this many undead, the moment he would acquire a shiny gold necklace was getting closer and closer. And with that, he would finally be able to marry an Elf. That beautiful, petite, gorgeous Elf lady. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience His chest swelled with anticipation and excitement. Incidentally, just of Bash¡¯s and his partner¡¯s sight, the zombies groaned and regenerated, their bodies reconstructing themselves through the Lich¡¯s necromancy. The pair, in their excitement, had completely missed this fact. They were simply too caught up in the prospect of a large amount of money coming their way. And even if they had noticed, they would have been delighted at potentially getting an endless supply of zombie mandibles. ¡°Oh, mister! Look, wraiths! Some wraiths are coming this way! Maybe killing them will net us some rewards too! It wouldn¡¯t make sense for the zombies and skeletons to merit a reward and not the wraiths, right? Let¡¯s get them too!¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave it to you!¡± ¡°You got it, boss! Fairy Shine!¡± Zell¡¯s entire body began to emit a blinding glow, the light seemingly disintegrating the Wraith. It was easy to forget that the happy-go-lucky Zell was also a veteran among veterans. She could handle herself more than adequately with her magic, not to mention that this matchup was in her favor ¨C wraiths, who were nigh-invulnerable to physical attacks, were also highly susceptible to light magic. All that remained was a thin, silk-esque piece of cloth. The Wraith¡¯s remnants. Zell swooped by, picking it up and tossing it in the bag. ¡°Oh, mister, looks like the bag is full!¡± As she did so, she noticed that they had completely filled up the sac they had brought with them. ¡°Muu¡­ should we go back for today then?¡± Bash said as he shouldered the bag. It was a bag much too large for even the imposing stature of an Orc, its weight nearly making Bash stumble. ¡°Ah! Go back? What do you mean, go back?! What if we only have this one chance? What if this zombie is gone by tomorrow?!¡± ¡°They¡¯re zombies, not migratory birds. They won¡¯t run away.¡± ¡°Yeah, okay, that¡¯s a good point¡­ but still¡­¡± The two kept going at it for a while, steadily cutting through the undead swarm while making their way back to the town to unload their loot. When suddenly¡­ ¡°Oi, oi, oi! What¡¯s up with this? Why are there this many of them?!¡± A Human voice rang out from nearby. As Bash looked over in its direction, he saw a man engaged in fierce combat against a pack of zombies. He wore a brown, mottled suit of armor, wielding a brilliant sword in his right hand and a flame engulfed shield in his left as he slashed through the approaching undead at blazing speeds. Of course, he wasn¡¯t as quick as Bash, but he was still exceptional. ¡°Whoa, ha, ha! This is great!¡± Considering the circumstances, the Human looked as if he was in trouble, yet he had a spring in his steps and a face full of joy. Given the full sac next to him, he had most likely also come to hunt zombies. And just like Bash and Zell, he was thrilled that there were so many of them around ¡°Hmm¡­ that guy looks familiar¡­¡± Bash had met this man before. Yes, he was the one that had graciously given the Orc top-grade information back at the bar. At that exact moment, their eyes met. ¡°Whoa! A non-zombified Orc?!¡± Updated from novelhall[.]com Holding his flaming shield out in front of him, he charged straight towards Bash. The latter drew his greatsword, holding it horizontally to meet the attack. Sure, he could have cut him down on the spot, but he wasn¡¯t a threat anyways, and the Orc owed him one. ¡°¡­¡± However, the shield never collided with its target, the Human skidding to a stop inches away from the Hero. As he stood there, immobile, his eyes went wide, and his knees went weak. Sweat began to bead on his forehead, and his breathing became ragged. ¡°O-o-o¡­Orc Hero?¡± Apparently, he was aware of Bash¡¯s identity. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience ¡°Ah, ¡°Last Breath¡±, it¡¯s you.¡± And Bash knew who this man was as well. He hadn¡¯t been able to recognize him the other day, but his signature set of equipment revealed who he really was. His blood-stained armor that had initially been an immaculate white. His burning shield and glowing sword through which he channeled with extraordinary magical strength. One of the rare Human magic warriors. ¡°Last Breath¡±, Breeze Kugel. ¡°What the hell is the Orc Hero doing here¡­?¡± ¡°I told you just the other day.¡± ¡°The other day? I don¡¯t remember meeting y-¡­¡± As he jogged his memory, Breeze suddenly recalled the events that occurred a couple of days ago. He had just been rejected by yet another Elf and had hit it off with an Orc. His recollection was fuzzy, though, as he was drunk out of his mind back then. The only thing he could dredge up from his brain were vague images of himself downing mug after mug alongside this Orc, all the while admiring the unattainable beauties from afar. But Breeze could read the situation. He saw the bag Bash was carrying and realized they were both here for the same thing. ¡°Huh¡­ and here I was wondering what an imminent personage like yourself would be doing here¡­ so that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ though I am ashamed to admit it.¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience ¡°Bah, there¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about. Just look at me¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bash examined Breeze in return. He looked as gallant as one could be, standing there with his magical sword and shield. A true heroic figure that could be relied upon. Humans could use magic regardless of their virginity, so a magic warrior should have no reason to be embarrassed, thought the Orc Hero. However, from what he had told him the other day, he was also a fellow bachelor. From Zell¡¯s teachings, Bash remembered that it was normal among Humans to get married when you reached adulthood. Perhaps Humans were ashamed of being single, just as Orcs were ashamed of being virgins? ¡°I suppose we¡¯re in the same boat, you and I¡­¡± ¡°Heh, thanks for trying to comfort me.¡± Breeze gave the Orc an awkward, meek, self-deprecating smile. He had been entirely overwhelmed by the imposing presence in front of him and felt like a kitten faced with a tiger. Yet Bash didn¡¯t understand why he was acting so uncomfortably. They were both out here trying to woo an Elf by getting money, weren¡¯t they? ¡°Hmm?¡± It was then that Bash¡¯s keen ears heard a sound coming from afar. A nearly inaudible cacophony of buzzing and crunching mixed in with pleasant yet familiar voices. ¡°Looks like some Elves are being attacked by zombies.¡± ¡°What?!¡± The Orc strained his hearing. He couldn¡¯t discern what precisely the Elves were saying, but he could tell from the sparse words and screams that they were in trouble. ¡°Looks like they¡¯re outnumbered¡­ and losing¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The moment those words left Bash¡¯s mouth, Breeze¡¯s eyes narrowed. His lips tightened, and his face became serious. ¡°Wait, we can¡¯t be talking like this when the Elves are in trouble! Which way?¡± ¡°There.¡± ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s go!¡± Exclaimed Breeze as he began running. ¡°What¡¯s he doing?¡± Zell cocked his head, confused as to why the Human had suddenly darted off. It wasn¡¯t like she knew who this man was in the first place. She had just become aware that he was Bash¡¯s acquaintance and quite a strong magic warrior. ¡°No idea, but it looks important. If he¡¯s going, why don¡¯t we go too?¡± And so, Bash followed closely behind Breeze. Chapter 16.2 Elves In Trouble As they arrived onto the scene, they were greeted with a hellish sight. A vast number of zombies bearing down on a sparse few Elves. The latter had grouped up into a formation and were mounting a valiant defense, but it was apparent that they were injured and quickly tiring. Several had already fallen to the ground, the others forming a living barrier around them to protect them. Others and already breathed their last, and a few more were quickly becoming insect feed. It was clear that it was only a matter of time before they were wiped out. ¡°Damn it¡­ we¡¯ve gotten so far¡­ just to¡­¡± ¡°Hah! I can¡¯t believe it! We, the 31st Independent Squadron! We made it through hell itself only to fuck up and die in a place like this!¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I didn¡¯t even get a chance to get married¡­¡± From their words, some of the survivors had resigned themselves to their inevitable demise. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience There were no fresh recruits among them ¨C they had gone on ahead. Only the veterans were left behind to close up the rear. However, whether they had a hundred, or even a thousand battles under their belts, no regular mortal being could perpetually defend against an infinitely regenerating zombie assault. One by one, they succumbed to fatigue and accumulated injuries. ¡°Take this, you brainless, rotten, fuck, ¡°Flare Bla-!¡±¡­ Shit, I¡¯m out of magic¡­ Ah, I¡¯d never thought I¡¯d die in peacetime. I guess I got soft and left my guard down.¡± ¡°First, we save the men during the war, and they leave us behind to get married. Now we save the recruits, and they also get to live on while we don¡¯t get shit! Fuck!¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I didn¡¯t even get a chance to get married¡­¡± Only a handful of Elves were even standing at this point. They kept on fighting valiantly, but they had no way out and no more energy to spare. Eventually, one by one, they fell and were set upon by hundreds of hungry, vile¡­ ¡°Sacred Edge!¡± Out of the blue, a blade of bright light swept away the approaching undead. It was a single warrior. Another zombie fell with every slash of his keen sword while the flames from his shield burned them into ashes. No, he wasn¡¯t alone. A bit further back, another warrior was wreaking havoc. With each swing of his massive blade, several zombies literally found themselves reduced to nothingness. ¡°¡­?¡± The dumbfounded Elves saw a flying, shining object erratically zipping around above them from the corner of their eyes. It flew down right above the fallen Elves and spun around in the air while scattering sparkling dust. They had no idea what it was, but it still quite an interesting sight. But due to how strangely creepy its movements were, they didn¡¯t know if it was a good or bad thing. Not like they had any strength to react either way. With this kind of backdrop, two fierce warriors burst onto the stage. One after the other, the zombies fell. It was as if they were casually mowing the grass on their front lawn. Their blades just kept moving and moving, as if they didn¡¯t know the meaning of fatigue. This kept going until all the nearby zombies were wiped out. ¡°Fu¡­.¡± Once he had confirmed the coast was clear, Breeze turned towards the Elves. While running his fingers through his hair, he spoke out. ¡°Are you alright, ladies?¡± The Elves, taken aback by the tides suddenly turning in their favor, nodded. At first, they hadn¡¯t known what to think about these newcomers, but they were nonetheless glad that they had been saved. However, the Big-Sword-Orc-Light-Blade-Human duo had them completely dumbfounded, and they were at a loss for words. Following alongside Breeze, Bash also approached the Elves. Until he noticed something at the edge of his field of view ¨C a person, lying on the ground grimacing while trying to speak. ¡°Hrk¡­!¡± A lone Elf slumped against a tree. Her eyes were closed, and her breath was thin. Bash had seen her before. ¡°Oi¡­ hey. Hey! Are you okay?¡± The Hero didn¡¯t know her name. But he remembered her. How could he possibly forget? If it weren¡¯t for her, Bash would have never made it to the Great Eagle¡¯s Nest. ¡°Ah¡­ah¡­ this voice. You¡¯re Sir Orc, from the other day?¡± ¡°Yes! Relax, you¡¯re not hurt. Your wounds are fine.¡± ¡°No¡­I¡­I can¡¯t see anymore. It¡¯s all black¡­ Ah¡­thank you for¡­¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s because your eyes are closed! You¡¯re absolutely fine!¡± Bash was correct. Her wounds had already begun to heal, and she was in no danger at all. Faerie Dust could quickly heal nearly any injuries. Perhaps she had been struck by a Wraith, and her thoughts were in disarray. While effective against nearly all body ailments, Faerie Dust was not all-powerful against mind damage. Not like the Faeries needed it to be. Their whole species¡¯ default mental state was akin to delirium anyways. ¡°Sir Orc¡­ please¡­ tell her¡­ tell Lady Sonia in the main force¡­ to the South¡­ tell her that there was no Lich here. It was a fake¡­ with this many zombies¡­ it was a trap¡­even she¡­ might be in danger¡­. please¡­¡± Sonia was in danger. As soon as Bash heard those words, his heart tightened. Sonia. That was the name of the beautiful Elf he was gunning for. She was in trouble. With this motivation pushing him forwards, the Hero had no choice but to stand up. ¡°¡­I got it. Thanks for the information.¡± Bash stood tall. He looked over to Breeze. The Human warrior had overheard the conversation and understood what the Orc intended to do. ¡°Go. I¡¯ll take care of things here. I¡¯ll bring your stuff back safely too.¡± Breeze held an Elf in his arms as he said this. Bash could hear her whisper to him, ¡°Please¡­take me home¡­¡±, as he looked over her with a face full of glee. The Hero could have sworn he even saw some drool dripping out of the corner of his lips. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± The Orc was insanely envious. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Perhaps if he had approached another Elf on the spot, instead of being distracted, he could be in Breeze¡¯s shoes right now. But the Hero had made up his mind. On that night he met Sonia, he had committed himself, following Zell¡¯s advice, to ask her, and only her to marry him. Even while he decimated zombie after zombie, she occupied every inch his thoughts. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll count on you.¡± Leaving behind those words, Bash ran off towards the depths of the forest. Breeze watched as his back shrank into the thick foliage. He too, was a warrior that had survived the war. He understood the sense of purpose that would drive a man to throw himself into battle. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience There was no way he could bring himself to even attempt to convince Bash to stay. ¡°Man¡­ real Heroes are different from us, huh¡­¡± Besides that, Breeze was now aware. Why was an Orc out here, traveling to Siwanasi? Why was he hunting Orc Zombies within the forest without rest for a while now? The actual reason behind the Orc Hero¡¯s presence. ¡°Ah¡­ I really wanted to¡­see my darling¡¯s face¡­one last time¡­¡± ¡°Oh, Captain Azalea, it¡¯s you. Seriously, get up. Your wounds are already healed.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience When Azalea finally recovered from her confusion and opened her eyes, Bash was already long gone. Chapter 16.3 Elves In Trouble BIG ARIGATHANKS to the ever dapper The Gentleman! Thank you for sticking with me and contribution so often brother! ¡°Haa¡­haa¡­huu¡­damn it¡­¡± A few dozen minutes had passed since the battle against the zombified General Baraben had begun. A mere few dozen minutes. During that time, Thunder Sonia had unleashed more than a hundred spells, the collateral damage from them scorching the nearby trees and turning the immediate surroundings into a wasteland. However, the thing at the center of it all was still standing. ¡°UUUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH!!!!¡± ¡°GeeeehhyEEeEEehee, gUuURghee, stupid, stupid, IDIOT, Thunder Sonia¡­¡± Baranben howled at the wind while Gunda Guza mocked her. They had been struck by the entirety of the Elf Hero¡¯s arsenal and were still alive and well. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Though calling them ¡°alive¡± wouldn¡¯t be quite right¡­ Baraben sprung forward, lifting his hammer high above. The gigantic zombie was agile, imbued with power and speed befitting of a former Orcish General. Even a nimble Elven warrior would be hard pressed to avoid his blows, let alone an ordinary person. ¡°You scummy Elf! You dumb, skinny, weak Elf! Elf, elf, ELLLFFF!! EAAAATTT THISSS!¡± A guttural string of insults emanated from the depth of his decrepit throat as he charged, readying his attack. As a matter of fact, Sonia had already been struck by quite a few of his strikes. The only reason she was alive despite her injuries was the powerful and sophisticated magical barrier she had erected around herself. She had to split up her magical energies between attacking and defending. Even her, the most eminent mage in Elf Country, wouldn¡¯t be able to last very long straining herself at maximum strength like this. But she couldn¡¯t be economical with her magic ¨C if she let up the pressure even for a second, her allies would be destroyed. At that very moment, more and more Elven soldiers were losing their lives every second. She needed to defeat the undead pair, and fast. She had no more time to spare. This was easier said than done, though, as she had no good way of striking an decisive blow. Not only had the effectiveness of her lightning spells been reduced, but they had also covered for the undeads¡¯ natural weakness to fire. Not to mention their innate resistance to cold and earth. If she were to take down the vanguard, General Baraben, Gunda Guza would immediately revive him. If she tried to aim for Gunda Gunza, Baraben would intercept her attack. And that was without considering the fact that the Lich had his own slew of magical barriers. ¡°¡­This is bad¡­¡± Thunder Sonia realized that if things kept going as they were, she would lose. During her 1200-year long life, she had experienced many losing battles. As the eldest of all Elves, there was no way any person could have gone that long without facing defeat at least once. And she had been the Elven Archmage and Hero for hundreds of those years. Eventually, her enemies would obviously come up with countermeasures against her abilities. Daemon King Gediguz was one of them, in fact. Years ago, he had completely negated her magic when he had previously laid waste to an Elven city she was protecting. She has faced death more times than she could count, and she only survived through sheer grit and will. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Like a cockroach. An indelible wine stain on the white carpet of life. Sonia just had too many reasons pushing her forward. Too many people counting on her. Too many to protect. If she died, the Elf Nation¡¯s morale would plummet. If she died, who would defend the citizens? If she died, who would guide the next generation? These feelings led her to seek survival above all else, and she kept on living, even if she had to quench her thirst with mud and her hunger with tree grubs. ¡°¡­¡± Thunder Sonia glanced back behind her. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience She could see Aconite¡¯s figure, valiantly defending himself. Calendula was no longer there. He had withdrawn, taking his troops with him. Listening to the Archmage¡¯s advice, he had done with best to retreat. Her nephew had stayed behind, as he was her escort and bodyguard. His duty was to protect the Hero. And so, he remained. But it was then that Thunder Sonia remembered. Aconite was about to get married, wasn¡¯t he? He hadn¡¯t made it public yet, but he had a fianc¨¦e, and they were in love ¨C or so he says. Ah¡­ how enviable¡­ However, her feelings of pride and joy towards him were stronger than her jealousy. After all, she was the one who once changed his diapers. She could still remember, clear as day, his tiny, childish figure waddling after her and pulling at the hem of her dress, saying ¡°Soni¡­Soniiiiiaaaa!¡± He was he cute little nephew after all. How could she possible dislike him? The war was long over now. That gruesome, painful conflict had ended before these kid¡¯s heyday. He shouldn¡¯t be the one to die here. This wasn¡¯t his responsibility. Dragged to hell by the ghosts of the defeated¡­ by a bunch of dirty, rotten zombies. If anyone were to face the netherworld today¡­ it would be her. So long as her sacrifice let the next generation flourish, she would be satisfied. ¡°¡­Good.¡± Tunder Sonia nodded to herself as she steeled her resolve. ¡°Oi, Aconite. Looks like it¡¯ll take me a while to deal with these guys! Let¡¯s stop wasting time! I¡¯ll hold them off, and you go on ahead and retreat first! I¡¯ll follow behind you in a bit!¡± This was the right decision. Sonia had not a single doubt in her mind. It was a fact that she was a wizard that could fight near indefinitely, but if the two of them stayed here at a standstill, it would still be a fruitless endeavor. It would be better to retreat, regroup, and counterattack. It was the most logical and legitimate option. But then he raised his voice to reply. ¡°Bullshit! There¡¯s no way I¡¯m leaving you here to die!¡± ¡°What?¡± Sonia exclaimed, surprised at his sudden outburst. ¡°What do you mean, die? I have no intention to die!¡± ¡°This is what you always say! ¡°Just leave it to me, I¡¯ll knock them down right away! What¡¯s with that face? Huh? You think I can¡¯t do it? Me? The Elven Archmage Thunder Sonia?¡± Stop shouldering everything on your own and trust us for once!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Did she really say that often? The Elf Hero asked herself. ¡­She had always felt that it was her responsibility to say those words. All she wanted was to reassure the Elves, which she saw as her children. Whenever there were many enemies, and her friends were in desperate straits. Whenever she played with the youth during the brief moments of respite between combat. She even remembered saying something along those lines right before going into the final battle against Daemon King Gediguz. She never held back her self-praise and arrogance. Not even a drop of modesty. Thunder Sonia had always acted as a true Archmage should. As a Hero. ¡°I¡¯m the strongest, so you should just leave it to me¡±, she would say. ¡°How can I let you die here! How would I face your mother after this!?¡± ¡°Why should you be the one to die, huh?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to die! Remember all those times everyone thought I was dead, but I eventually made it back alive?!¡± ¡°We¡¯re in a completely different situation! ¡­I¡¯ve got a suggestion¡­¡± Aconite nodded at Sonia, his lips pressed tight. He gulped, took a deep breath, and said. ¡°Yes¡­it¡¯s better this way. Lady Sonia, please go back to town and call for reinforcements. So long as you¡¯re alive, we Elves can fight as long as we need to!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Many would grieve if Aconite were to lose his life. His parents, siblings, coworkers¡­ The Beastkin princess to whom he was bethrothed¡­ But that was it. He was a soldier. A cog in the massive machine that was the Elven army. The organization was set in such a way that even if a General were to be killed, another could immediately assume command. Soldiers were disposable and easily replaced. But the Elven Archmage and Hero Thunder Sonia? She was different. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience She was the living symbol of the entire Elven race. A guardian deity that had watched over them for 1200 years. ¡°You idiot! You¡­you¡­you¡­why?! Why am I¡­why should¡­¡± Sonia bit her lips in frustration as she held back her tears. As she though back on her long life, it had always been like this. Ever since she had turned 600, everyone had always tried to protect her life at all costs. Even though she had never been an official member of the army and the only legitimate authority she could claim was being a member of the former chief¡¯s bloodline, she was always the one whose wellbeing everyone prioritized. She had always made it out alive off the sacrifices of those younger than her. It was thanks to them that the Hero had made it out in one piece to this day. At the time, she accepted this as a necessary tradeoff. It was true ¨C without her, the Elves would have collapsed long ago. And so, she lived on, even if she hard to crawl through fire and brimstone to do so. But the war was over now, wasn¡¯t it? They had won. The Alliance had won. The Elves had won. So why did they need her to live any longer? ¡°You¡¯ve been fighting for us for 1200 years, and you made it out alive. It¡¯s time for you to leave all this violence behind and live happily ever after. Get the life you deserve. Get married. Experience love¡­¡± ¡°Well, if that¡¯s how you think, then you should be the one to get out of here!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I mean, I¡¯ve already experienced a fair share of what life has to offer. I even have a fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°That¡¯s another reason for you to be the one to live! What a shitty argument!¡± The second Sonia and Aconite were about to get carried away in one of their usual petty arguments, something came in barreling at thundering speeds. A massive stone impacted the young Elf. It sent him flying nearly a dozen meters away, into the upturned grass and dirt. He laid there for a second. And then another. Not a muscle of his moved, his eyes still wide, a dribble of blood dripping down the corner of his lips. Rip nephew Chapter 16.4 Elves In Trouble So, uh¡­ I¡¯ve injured my wrist. No, not by translating. No, not through an accident. You guys remember a couple chapters back when I mentioned I play Path of Exile? Yeah¡­shit was bound to happen eventually. PoE players, IYKYK¡­ Welp, lesson learned I guess. Next time I won¡¯t grind so hard, no matter how much I want to complete those challenges. I¡¯ll be taking a couple of days off to recover. Won¡¯t be too long. Anyways, here we go! ¡°Gyeeehehehehehe, graaaahACkhe¡­ this farce has gone on long enough!¡± Once again, she had been careless. She had taken her eyes off her opponent in the midst of battle. And now, one of her people laid dead. ¡°A-a-a¡­Aconite, you¡­ you¡¯re okay, right? Hey, get up! Aconite! Answer me! You wouldn¡¯t die in a place like this, right?! Hey!¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Thunder Sonia pleaded. But no one answered. ¡°Oi, Aconite, you dumbass! Get up! You¡¯re getting married, you idiot! You¡¯re going to marry that Beastkin princess, aren¡¯t you!? Remember how you¡¯ve always loved animals as a kid?! ¡­Wait, no, that¡¯s not right. Oh, I shouldn¡¯t say that. It¡¯s racist to call Beastkin animals, isn¡¯t it¡­ Oi, oi! Aconite! Answer me!¡± But once again, no one answered. The young Elf didn¡¯t move even a finger. History repeated itself once again. As strong as she is, Sonia was often distracted during battle, too caught up in her thoughts. As a result, she made mistakes ¨C mistakes that cost lives. But it wasn¡¯t entirely her fault, was it? Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Aconite should have listened. He shouldn¡¯t have argued like an idiot. He should have listened to his aunt and retreated as quickly as possible. Yet, even so, her heart was already full of grief. ¡°I¡­I absolutely¡­¡± And so, the Elf Hero flipped her switch. No matter how easygoing she might seem at times, she was most definitely a warrior. A veteran of a thousand battles. She went back. Back to the bloodthirsty warmonger she had to be during the war. The Elf Hero that burnt down everything in her path. ¡°I absolutely will never forgive you, you fucker! I¡¯ll burn your fucking corpse! I¡¯ll turn you into ash so thin even that fucking Lich won¡¯t be able to put you back together! Forget being a Zombie; there won¡¯t even be enough of you left to be a Wraith!¡± The Archmage held up her staff. She was furious, but through sheer force of will, she kept her mind clear and calm. Nothing would change if she succumbed to her anger, after all. Her magic was still useless, and she had no way to counter the undead pair¡¯s defenses. At the very least, she needed to buy enough time for Calendula or herself to escape ¨C ideally both. If the Elf Hero and an eminent Lieutenant General just up and died like this during a zombie cleanup effort gone wrong, the future of the Elves would become uncertain. The Orcs, who have been holding back, might rise and strike again in an attempt to claim back their previous land. Or perhaps the Humans, though allies on paper, might take the opportunity to expand their territory. War would begin once more. A war that would almost certainly spell certain doom for the Elves. If one of them was going to die, the other had to survive and hide that fact. But how¡­ ¡°EVERY, SINGLE, ONE OF YOU! I¡¯ll kill all of you! All the Elves! ALL OF YOU!¡± General Baraben¡¯s shout echoed through the forest. Strangely enough, his words reflected Sonia¡¯s feelings, in a way. She wasn¡¯t going to let even a single zombie escape. It was a shame she didn¡¯t have the power to do so right now. ¡°Shut up, you noisy corpse! Stay in the dirt and be quiet like a proper dead man!¡± And that¡¯s when it happened. Just as she was preparing her next spell, something suddenly floated between Sonia and the undead General. It was quick, jittery, bright, and ephemeral. The flying¡­ thing headed over on top of Aconite¡¯s listless body and began a strange dance. A triple axel, followed by a double toe loop. Then, what seemed like dandruff began to scatter on top of the young Elf. Its moves looked goofy and awkward ¨C a feeble attempt at gracefulness. But both parties couldn¡¯t help but be fascinated by the sight. Neither understood what was going on. But that wasn¡¯t what was important. Both Thunder Sonia and General Baraben were concerned about something else. Someone, or something was approaching them. A presence was rapidly closing distance, the cacophony of destruction it brough in its wake growing ever louder. Zombies flew and trees fell as it walked. A small, dense, terrifying mass of concentrated violence. And then¡­ Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience It slowly revealed itself, steadily walking out from the forest¡¯s shadows. Into the light. ¡°¡­¡± It was an Orc. A green Orc. He was rather small for his kind, but his body was covered in scarred, dense muscles. He had hawk-like eyes and dark blue, nearly purple hair. He held a massive blade in his right hand. A plain, regular, run-of-the-mill, green Orc. But Sonia knew. She knew that this Orc was more fearsome than anyone else on this world. ¡°Bash¡­¡± And she understood. Why was this man, the Orc Hero, here right now? Why had he come to Siwanasi Forest? Why did he say that night that he would be back for her? ¡°Oh! Hero Bash! How long has it been? It is good to see you alive and well!¡± Baraben shouted in delight. He spread out his arms, welcoming the Hero. ¡°With you here, we are a hundred strong! Let us fight together as we once did! Let us destroy these hateful Elves once and for all and reclaim what is ours! Let us take back Siwanasi!¡± The Elven Archmage despaired. She understood now. She understood why the Orc Hero had come to Siwanasi. Yes, this man had come to reclaim the Orc¡¯s lost land. He wanted to defeat her, the Elf Hero, to crush the Elves¡¯ morale and throw the continent into another war. She had no strength left to even think about beating Bash. And with General Baraben and Gunda Guza in the vicinity, even escape had become impossible. ¡°¡­General Baraben?¡± Bash looked around, his eyes full of suspicion. Then, the flying object came over to him. It was a Faerie, her body emitting the typical faint Faeric glow. It gently floated up and whispered something into the Orc Hero¡¯s ear. The Orc nodded as he listened, turned over towards Sonia, and gave her a wide grin. But to the Elven Archmage, that smile was a death sentence. ¡°Kuh¡­fine then! Come at me! It won¡¯t make a difference! I am the Elven Archmage, Thunder Sonia, and I won¡¯t give up until I¡¯m dead and gone!¡± Sonia held up and readied her staff, ready to fight until her last breath. She remembered the Nightmare of Siwanasi Forest. That battle¡­ It was the most humiliating and painful battle she had ever fought in her 1200-year long life. A battle where she could not win nor escape. A battle that she could never see herself winning, even if they were to do things over once again. ¡°Umu.¡± Bash slowly walked towards Thunder Sonia. But she knew. He might be moving slowly now, but he could become an unstoppable blur of violence on a dime. It was impossible to even hit the Orc Hero unless she baited him in, dodged his attack by the slimmest of margins, and exploited the fraction of a second he needed to pull back his sword. Could she do it? It was possible ¨C Sonia had successfully struck him multiple times during their first encounter. But even with that, she had ended up being the one lying on the ground by the end. But that was when it was only the two of them. This time, Bash had backup. The undead pair would most likely coordinate their moves to match with the Orc Hero¡¯s attack. She needed to both withstand his relentless assault, all the while suppressing Baraben and Gunda Guza. Could she do it? No, it was impossible. But she had to try. If not, the flames of war will spread once again. Would the Humans and Beastkin ally with them this time? The Dwarves would definitely not. Their disdain for the Elves was only matched by their love for smacking metal. And even the Humans might not join hands with them. Instead, seeing the Elves weakened, they might succumb to their greed and invade. Not to mention those who were defeated in the last war ¨C there was no way they would stay idle. The Succubae, Faeries, and Lizardfolk would undoubtedly side with the Orcs. Maybe she could run¡­ No, that wasn¡¯t an option. She had to do something about this, here and now. She was Thunder Sonia. The Thunder Sonia, Elf Hero, and Archmage. If she couldn¡¯t, what was she even alive for? Somehow, someway ¡­¡­. ¡°Haa¡­haa¡­¡± Thunder Sonia¡¯s heart was about to beat out of her chest. She was feeling light-headed and almost fainted due to the pressure. Even so, she began infusing her staff with magic. Her breath was ragged, and her arms felt heavy. Thunder Sonia¡¯s heart pulsed as if it was about to break. It¡¯s a good idea to have a good idea of what you¡¯re looking for. Bash was now right in front of her. He raised his greatsword, tip pointed to the sky¡­ And spun back, holding it threateningly towards General Baraben. ¡°I won¡¯t let them touch even a hair of yours, starting now. Stay here and watch. Just leave it to me.¡± ¡°Wha¡­?¡± Sonia froze, her staff still primed and ready. What did he just say? ¡°UOOOOHHH! BASH! You¡¯re siding with the Elves?!¡± ¡°Guuauahahhh!! Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?¡± Baraben and Gunda Guza bellowed in protest. A betrayal. It should have been impossible for the Orc Hero to point his blade towards his own people, let alone side with the hated Elves against them. But these zombies weren¡¯t aware. They didn¡¯t know the war was over now. And the Orcs were living according to new rules. ¡°By the edict of the Orc King, invading the lands of other species is forbidden.¡± ¡°You, you, you¡­ YOU BASTARD!¡± Baraben barked back. ¡°Nemesis?! Since when did he change so much!? Since when did he disagree with me?!¡± ¡°Guaarrh! Where is your Orcish pride, Hero!? Orcs that don¡¯t fight? Are you even still an Orc?!¡± Baraben roared. Gunda Guza howled. But their cried did nothing but fill Bash¡¯s body with further resolve and strength. ¡°General Baraben. I have great respect for you, but you are no longer an Orc. You are a zombie. Do not speak on our behalf.¡± ¡°Grrr¡­.GUUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHH!!!¡± The undead General was furious. As he rushed towards Bash, weapon high in the air, he let out a yell that seemed to come from the abyss itself. He was twice the Hero¡¯s size and swung a warhammer large enough to make Bash¡¯s already big sword looked like a toothpick. And he was closing in quickly. ¡°Come.¡± The battle between the Orc Hero and the Orc General had begun. MOTHER FUCKING HYPE Whew, what a place to take a short break, right guys? I definitely didn¡¯t power through my pain to purposefully leave you all hanging at the most exciting part of this volume. Nope. Definitely not. Chapter 17.1 Hero vs. General Told you guys it wouldn¡¯t be long. Bash¡¯s memories of General Baraben were still as vivid as the day he lived them. The now undead Orc was one of the most memorable figures in the Hero¡¯s life. From the day he was born, he had stood head and shoulders above his peers. He was a childhood friend and trusted confidant of the current Orc King Nemesis, and served as the de facto leader of all Orc clans that previously lived within Siwanasi Forest. A warrior whose name was known far and wide in Orc Country. He fought like a maniac on the battlefield; a humongous berserker who swung a massive war hammer with otherworldly dexterity and strength. All Orcs admired the way he expressed the core tenets of Orcish philosophy through his sheer savagery and courage. Bash was no exception. The first time Bash met General Baraben was shortly after he had begun actively going out to battle. He had faced death many times, and now counted among those considered fully-fledged warriors, but at the time, he was no better than any other ordinary Orc that had lived through similar experiences. Back then, Bash¡¯s unit had been assigned to Baranben¡¯s army. It was following a fierce battle. The Orcs managed to eek out a victory in the end, but most of Bash¡¯s comrades were killed in action. It was then that the General appeared before the now Hero, who was eating in front of a bonfire, tending to his wounds. As soon as he saw him, he said: ¡°You! You¡¯re truly a sight to behold!¡± He let out a hearty, cheerful laugh, roughly patted Bash on his back, and left. The latter felt rather awkward, being put in the spot like that, but he was also overjoyed. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Gereral Baraben ¨C the General Baraben had just told him he was impressed by his actions. How could he possibly not be happy? The second time they met was when Bash was beginning to make a name for himself among the Orcs. He had cemented his reputation as an exceptional warrior, but he was nowhere near the top just yet. Even so, he was selected as one of the General¡¯s direct bodyguards. Though a lofty sounding position, his actions and orders did not differ much from what he usually did as a regular foot soldier. Just like he always had, Bash took part in the battle and rampaged near the also rampaging Baraben. Right before that fight, the General had gathered his men to give them a speech. It was a compilation of tales from his life that he often told to get his troops and himself pumped up before battle. Yet, it was also a summary of Orcish warfare history. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience He recounted how he had been fighting alongside Nemesis ever since they were children. Sometimes he had helped, and others he had been helped. As the King¡¯s companion, he had always been there, fighting to protect the Orcs¡¯ pride. So went the story. That was the day Bash decided. He wanted to be just like Baraben. The third and final time the two met was during the final defense of Siwanasi Forest. That day, the General did not cheerfully smile the way he usually did. All the signs pointed towards the Orcs losing this confrontation. But nonetheless, he was ready and willing to fight until the end, no matter the outcome. Elves bearing down from the West. Humans sieging from the East. Pincered between two major forces and with a sparse few troops remaining, the situation looked dire. Yet he did not lose his will to fight. Bash did not speak to General Baraben on that night. He just gave him a silent look, nodded, and calmly went to the front. There, he encountered the Elven Archmage Thunder Sonia, and the two fought. Although having won, the Orc Hero had sustained grievous wounds and would have to flee for several days, holing up in the depths of the forest in an anemic daze. Had Zell not found the cave he was hiding in, he might not be alive today. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience By the time Bash managed to get back to headquarters, the battle had already concluded. It was a moonless night, and the Elven army had exploited the darkness to take the Orcs by surprise. Were this a straightforward battle, considering each parties respective manpower, the conflict should have not been this one-sided. However, the Elves were thorough in their deception, entirely robbing the Orc army of their vision. All light sources were extinguished. Darkness magic was employed, alongside black clothes to better help them blend into the shadows. The whole thing was topped off with a heavy layer of illusion magic. Normally, General Baraben would not have fallen for these tactics alone. Orcs had a many thousand-year long history of combat and warfare. The had extensive experience in dealing with all kinds of magics and tricks, and had countermeasures prepared for all of them. There was no way the Elves¡¯ strategy could have been the decisive factor on its own. The reason behind their defeat¡­ Bash later heard it was due to the General discriminating against Orc mages. His second-in-command, Gunda Guza, an Orc mage himself, had preemptive intel indicating that the Elves were planning a nighttime strike. He had suggested the Orcs do as the Elves did and lay in ambush underground. However, Baraben would not have any of it. Stubborn and hardheaded, he retorted that as true Orc warriors, his men would not stoop down to the level of those puny Elves ¨C even less so when the plan involved trickery and was proposed by an Orc mage of all people. So determined was he to fight a straightforward battle, in fact, that he went through the trouble of installing extra torches around the area, even knowing that it was futile. And thus, General Baraben and his second-in-command Gunda Guza were soundly defeated. The main force led by Nemesis himself immediately rushed over to Siwanasi as soon as they received news of the defense falling, but it was too late. Though the territory hadn¡¯t been completely conquered, the King, seeing the writing on the wall after having lost his best Orcish General, agreed to the Alliance¡¯s demand of surrender. As for Bash himself, he had neither regret nor grudges against the Elves. He was the Orc Hero, and he had done as the Hero should. He had taken a powerful enemy out of the picture and had returned alive. If the battle was lost despite his best efforts, then so be it. But he couldn¡¯t help but think¡­ What if he had come back in time to support General Baraben during his last stand? What if the relationship between the commander-in-chief and his second-in-command had been better? Would the battle of Siwanasi Forest ended differently? Then today, his idol had reappeared in front of his very eyes. General Baraben, standing next to his second-in-command Gunda Guza. The man that had publicly stated he would never fight alongside an Orc mage was now actively cooperating with one. And he had said to Bash. ¡°With you here, we are a hundred strong! Let us fight together as we once did! Let us destroy these hateful Elves once and for all and reclaim what is ours! Let us take back Siwanasi!¡± The Hero would be lying if he said this didn¡¯t make him happy. Ever since that loss, the events that transpired during the defense of Siwanasi had from time to time resurfaced in Bash¡¯s mind. He couldn¡¯t help but think that this might be his chance to obtain a glorious victory for his people. The circumstances were different. The Elves were on the back foot now, and it was prime time to strike. But Bash was an Orc. Updated from novelhall[.]com And Orcs are warriors. As a warrior, he must be graceful in both victory and defeat. There was an old saying among Orcs. A curt sentence meant to keep them from veering off the righteous path in times like these. It was short and simple, and went like so: ¡°Zombies are not Orcs.¡± Those who were not able to let go of their lingering regrets. Those that could not admit defeat. Those that would crawl out from the depths of the earth to seek revenge. They were not true Orcs. The Orcs had been defeated. That was a fact. They had lost the war, brokered for peace, and were now heading down the path towards a different future than the one they had envisioned during the war. Their progress had been slow and tedious. But still, Bash followed the decision of the Orc King Nemesis. It was his duty as the Hero of the Orcs. A bunch of former Orcs, now zombies, were fighting with the Elves with whom the real Orcs were trying to establish friendly relations. It was obvious that the right choice would be to side with the Elves, no matter the reason behind their conflict. Moreover, the female Elf he was gunning for was in trouble. There was no need to hesitate any longer. (Mister! Mister! Now¡¯s your chance! You saw that Elf that was hugging Breeze just a few moments ago! Wouldn¡¯t you like that? She liked him because he was cool! If you can show this girl right here how cool and reliable you are, she¡¯ll definitely fall for you! This is your time to shine! This is your shot!) Is what Zell was whispering into the Hero¡¯s ear. Chapter 17.2 Hero vs. General BOOM. Double release motherfuckers. And thank you all for your well-wishes about my wrist! It¡¯s not fully recovered, but the pain has subsided enough for me to function normally. Now here! We! GO! Thunder Sonia couldn¡¯t wrap her head around what was going on. Why was Bash standing there as if he was protecting her? And why was he pointing his sword towards General Baraben, who was supposed to be his ally? Did she interpret the situation wrong? Or was there some kind of internal conflict going on? Or perhaps, was Bash, just like most Orcs, so dazzled by her Elven beauty that he wanted her in one piece in order to take her home? But if that was the case, why didn¡¯t he kidnap her the first time they had met, during the events of the Nightmare of Siwanasi Forest? No way¡­ could it be true that she really smelled ancient? If that was the case¡­ she wanted to be anywhere else but here right now. ¡°I am Bash, warrior formerly from the Orc Country¡¯s Boulder¡¯s Company, and Hero of the Orcs!¡± But one thing was clear: the Orc Hero was about to fight General Baraben. ¡°I am Baraben, General of Orc Country, Head Commander of the Orc Army¡¯s 2nd Division, and Clan leader of Siwanasi Forest!¡± ¡°I am Gunda Guza, Great War Chief of the Orc Army¡¯s 2nd Division!¡± Back during the war, Sonia had heard Orcs announcing their names countless times on the battlefield, their voices resonating alongside the clings and clangs of swords and spears. Their self-introduction was the bell that signaled the start of combat. Updated from novelhall[.]com After that, the Orcs would either win or die. Her opponent this time was General Baraben. This man was famous enough to be known to even the Elves ¨C they all knew how essential he had been to the success of the Orcish war effort. In the past, the first thing a new recruit would learn about the Orcs was the name of the Orc King, Nemesis, followed by the Great General, Baraben. A fierce warrior that had led his people to victory many-a-times and had fought bravely until the end. Among the Orcs, he was considered just as influential as the King himself. Moreover, Gunda Guza, the Orc¡¯s most outstanding mage, was fighting alongside the General. He was the most dangerous element in this battle. If the Lich were not defeated, Baraben would rise again indefinitely. Updated from novelhall[.]com However, reaching the undead mage would be challenging, to say the least. He was constantly on his guard, keeping his distance and hiding away behind the giant zombie¡¯s humongous body. [But¡­] Thought Thunder Sonia, as she looked at Bash¡¯s well-defined deltoids, his bulging trapezius, and hard-as-rock latissimus dorsi¡­ [What¡­what a reassuring and reliable back!] ¡°ORAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!¡± ¡°UUUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH!!!¡± The combatant¡¯s warcries rang out, sending echoes through the trees; a palpable wave of violence and intimidation imposing enough to make small rodents keel over in fright. General Baraben was a hair quicker, stepping in ahead of Bash. The head of his war hammer, a condensed mass of barbarity so massive it seemed unstoppable, came rushing down at the Hero like a meteorite. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience But Bash moved in response with such speed that it was hard to believe he was an Orc. It was not to evade. He resolutely strode forward widening his stance and priming his hips as he brought his greatsword in line with the incoming war hammer. ¡°DING!¡± The most deafening metallic sound Sonia had ever heard reverberated throughout the forest. The echoes lingered on, ¡°ying¡­.iiing¡­.iiinngg¡­¡± Bash¡¯s blade had successfully repelled Baraben¡¯s hammer, launching it away. Though the undead General did not lose his grip on his weapon, he was pulled by its mass and had to take a step back, his foot landing heavily and digging into the dirt. But he wasn¡¯t the only one affected by the blow¡¯s recoil. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Bash¡¯s sword was also repelled as his arm was sent reeling back along with his weapon. Yet his stance¡­ ¡°ORAAAA!!!¡± His stance remained unbroken. The Hero¡¯s muscles bulged as he used every iota of his strength to not lose his footing. Just what kind of freaky superorcish leg strength did one need to achieve that?! thought Sonia. Striding forward once more, Bash swung his greatsword down at Baraben, who was still trying to regain his balance. The blade cut through the air at speeds beyond mortal comprehension, slicing cleanly through the General¡¯s chest. It left a deep, gouging injury into his flesh, lacerating his heart and lungs. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience The strike was nothing short of brilliant ¨C a perfect blow. A fatal wound¡­ ¡­had the other party been a living person. ¡°UUOOOOOHHHHH!!!¡± Baraben replied with a flurry of blows, attacking with even more fervor, as if to say that his wound didn¡¯t matter. His onslaught struck like a hurricane. And yet, Bash did not back down even for a second. Sometimes he dodged. Sometimes he struck back. Other times he parried, and other times he snuck in a stab in the gaps that presented themselves. His moves were rough and devoid of grace, but they were effective. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience And sure enough, the Hero eventually found an opportunity, carving out a wide gash into the zombie¡¯s guts. However, General Baraben did not stop. Though his heart was mangled and arteries severed, he kept on trudging forward. Because he was a zombie. Zombies needed to be, at the very least, decapitated in order to stop them from moving. Some individuals may even be able to move despite having lost their head, but this usually wouldn¡¯t last long. But the circumstances were different right now. So long as the Lich was still around, any wounds inflicted on the General would be immediately regenerated, and he would be able to fight indefinitely. Bash completely outmatched Baraben. Were the General still alive, he would have died many times over already. In addition¡­ ¡°Hyehegegege, ¡°Earth Bind¡±!¡± ¡°Hmm?!¡± Bash¡¯s suddenly lost his balance as Gunda Guza cast his spell. The Hero¡¯s ankles had been caught by the animated dirt. ¡°UUOOOHHHH!!¡± Bash¡¯s actions were delayed for a split second, and the undead General did not miss this opportunity. Though the smaller Orc managed to guard against the incoming attack with the broad side of his sword, the strike still sent him barreling through the air as he spun twice before crashing into a tree. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Of course, this wasn¡¯t something the Hero couldn¡¯t handle. He immediately bounced back up, charging back into battle as if nothing had happened. But that didn¡¯t mean he was unharmed. Sonia was reminded of their previous battle. The Orc had come at her as if he were immortal, always standing up again no matter how many magical attacks he endured, but by the end, he was definitely slowing down. Bash had monstrous strength and endurance, but neither were limitless. ¡°Gege¡­guhu¡­you dumb, stupid man¡­Hero Bash¡­¡± Not to mention Baraben wasn¡¯t the only opponent. His second-in-command, Gunda Guza, was also providing support from the rear. No matter how many times Bash successfully struck at Baraben, he had no chance of winning if the Lich wasn¡¯t taken out of the picture. With the Orc Hero Bash on Sonia¡¯s side, victory was definitely more than possible. She was intimately familiar with his strength, after all, having experienced it firsthand. However, Orc warriors generally had little to no knowledge of magic. Did Bash even know that this battle would never end if he didn¡¯t defeat the Lich? Bash ¡°the Quadfather¡±, not skipping leg day. Chapter 17.3 Hero vs. General Forgive me for the delay guys. I had a pretty important job interview that was scheduled last Friday, but due to certain circumstances it had to be moved to this morning. I was planning on finishing up the chapter over the weekend, but the nerves just got to me and I just couldn¡¯t translate at all. Now I left a comment in the mentioning spoilers. Let me clarify one thing ¨C I¡¯ll postspoilers by the end of this volume (which ends on the ) concerning where the story is headed in volume 3 and 4. I didn¡¯t mean that significant development would happen this volume (though there is some development). I¡¯ll leave them behind a spoiler tag in the comments of the final part of chapter 18. Now onto the BASHING! ¡°Hrnnnnmm~~¡­.¡± Thunder Sonia was lost in her thoughts for a moment. But she quickly came to a conclusion. ¡°¡­Bash! I¡¯m going to help you! This whole thing was our problem in the first place, and with me, it¡¯ll be two-on-two, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it being cowardly!¡± Bash glanced over at Sonia for a second before quickly turning his eyes back towards his opponents. ¡°I accept your assistance.¡± ¡°Alright! If the both of us team up, we¡¯ll be invincible!¡± The Orc Hero¡¯s mouth twisted in an awkward smile. The Elf replied with a bitter chuckle of her own, though not for the same reasons. To her, the absurdity of the situation warranted a laugh. Him? He was holding back a blissful grin. ¡°ORAAAAAAAAAAA!!¡± Bash¡¯s bellowed out his war cry once more. Taken aback by the sudden shout, Sonia covered her ears as she thought. [Ahhh! What the hell¡­how noisy¡­my poor eardrums. Strange, usually Orcs don¡¯t war cry twice, do they?] The Elf Hero silently held her staff at the ready as she assessed her new circumstances. With the strongest of all Orcs by her side, she now had a lot more room to maneuver. ¡°Look, General Baraben is going to get resurrected again and again if Gunda Guza isn¡¯t taken out. So how about this: I¡¯ll draw the big one¡¯s attention while you deal with the Lich.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She quickly suggested, but Bash didn¡¯t acknowledge her words. Not even a nod. Instead, he went forward once more, evading General Baraben¡¯s war hammer and delivering a strike of his own. Another attack that would have been fatal had it been inflicted on a living, breathing being. Unfortunately, the now undead General was neither of those things and completely ignored his injury. ¡°Hey! Are you listening to me?! It¡¯s useless!¡± ¡°General Baraben was an honorable warrior in life. Even in his death, we both called out to each other and announced ourselves! The least I could do for him is to give him the fight he deserves!¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for all that honor this, honor that nonsense!¡± is what Thunder Sonia was about to blurt out, but she held herself back. Updated from novelhall[.]com For Orcs, to live was to fight. The only thing they prided themselves in was the number of women they had raped and the number of battles they had won. While she didn¡¯t understand the former, she could emphasize with the latter. Bash was ready to risk his own life and limb to offer General Baraben, a great man in his own right, a proper send-off, deserving of his stature and station. Sonia understood this feeling somewhat. After all, she was the Elf Hero. Had an important Elven personage been zombified without being given the proper rites nor mourned, she would want to take it upon herself to properly offer them the Elvish honors before sending them back to heaven. ¡°¡­I get it. Alright, I¡¯ll suppress Gunda Guza¡¯s magic then.¡± ¡°I owe you one. Thank you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank or owe me anything! Just defeat him quickly! I¡¯m nearly out of magic¡­.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Bash rushed towards Baraben once again. Deftly whipping his greatsword as if it were nothing but a dead branch, he deflected the zombie¡¯s war hammer before returning with his own blow. Sonia couldn¡¯t help but admire the beauty in the Orc Hero¡¯s swordplay as she observed him. Of course, as it was Orcish swordplay, his moves were far from elegant. Back when that same blade was pointed towards her, she had felt fear and horror. But now that it was on her side, it was gorgeous. Its edge was always perfectly aligned, its tip always taking the shortest, most effective path towards its target. Whenever it seemed that the greatsword¡¯s massive weight would pull Bash into a compromising position through its centrifugal force, he would roughly redirect it through sheer strength of arms. And it was blindingly quick. Speeding from left to right in a blur, it drew a fatal half-moon with every swing. But that wasn¡¯t all. Every attack was heavy and brimming with power, and his parries accurately repelled General Baraben¡¯s war hammer. It was unbelievable how an object with that much mass and offensive power could be used to strike so precisely at every opening his opponent presented. The Elf was afraid just looking at it. Nobody with a sound mind would ever want to face something like that. ¡°Oi! Not on my watch!¡± Thunder Sonia twirled her staff before pointing it at Bash¡¯s feet. Updated from novelhall[.]com The earthly magical power that had been gathering near him underground was dispersed in an instant. ¡°Guh¡­gye¡­guh¡­ stupid, stupid Thunder Sonia¡­¡± ¡°You just love hearing the sound of your own voice, don¡¯t you? Huh? No, you! You¡¯re stupid! Stupid Gunda Guza!¡± ¡°G¡­gu¡­.gegugu¡­!¡± Stopping Gunda Guza¡¯s magic in its tracks wasn¡¯t difficult for Sonia. After all, she wasn¡¯t called an Archmage for nothing. She was at the pinnacle of Elven sorcery and had unmatched magical aptitude. Though his magical skills had improved after his transformation into a Lich, the Orc mage¡¯s baseline was still Orcish. When it came down to magical duels, Gunda Guza didn¡¯t stand a chance. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience It needs to be said that with Baraben busy fighting the Orc Hero, Sonia was entirely able to singlehandedly beat down the zombie mage. It wouldn¡¯t be instantaneous, but her 1200 of magic study and extensive experience told her that using spells alone, she could checkmate him in 5, and finish him off in 6. And yet she didn¡¯t. ¡°Hey¡­if you¡¯re really an Orc at heart, just sit back and watch. This is your General Baraben¡¯s last fight.¡± ¡°Foolish! Foolish! Stupid! Foolish! Victory is worth more than all that foolish honor! Victory! Victory is all that matters! Victory over you hateful Elves!¡± ¡°¡­This is why Baraben treated you so coldly¡­¡± She had decided to hang back and watch Bash¡¯s fight. Had anyone asked her why, she wouldn¡¯t know how to answer. It was the rational and obvious choice to defeat the zombies as quickly as they could. Even now, the Elven army was still embroiled in the throes of battle. There would doubtlessly be more victims. But somehow, Sonia felt that she shouldn¡¯t interfere with this duel. However, it seemed that she was worried for nothing. Bash was utterly overwhelming the undead General. Baraben was neither slow nor unskilled. He was using the momentum of his weapon to precisely swing his hammer at the Orc Hero¡¯s vitals. A regular individual wouldn¡¯t even be able to take a step within that range and get out unscathed. Luckily, the smaller Orc was far from regular, repelling the incoming attack and countering with his own. Baraben avoided the slash aimed at his neck ¨C a zombie¡¯s weak point, by the doubly non-existent skin of his teeth. But it was only a matter of time. They had performed this macabre tango a dozen times now. It had taken the pair less than a minute. During this time, Gunda Guza had five times fruitlessly cast his spells towards Bash, and five times had Sonia repelled him. In this short moment, the Hero and the General had traded countless blows. And then it happened. The whistle of a sword slicing through the air. The crack of wood, bone, and iron. At that exact moment, the head of Baraben¡¯s war hammer flew. Everyone nearby watched as it drew a shallow arc across the air, taking three unwitting zombies along with it before disappearing into the forest. Even Gunda Guza stared, incredulous. A loud boom resounded from afar. When Sonia finally regained her senses and look back, the matter had been settled. A humongous, headless zombie corpse, holding a humongous, headless hammer, collapsed in a heap. Moments later, something fell from the sky, hitting the ground with a dull thud. It was a zombified head. The zombified head of a magnificent Orc, snarling and exposing his two magnificent fangs. Slowly, it rolled towards Gunda Guza¡¯s feet. ¡°¡­Gugu¡­geh¡­.G-G-Gerneral¡­¡± Thunder Sonia grasped her staff tight and loaded it with magical power. If the Lich was about to resurrect Baraben again, he needed to be stopped. At the very least, she had to interrupt his chanting, else all of their efforts would have been useless. And yet, Gunda Guza did not do so. He glanced at the General¡¯s decapitated head for a few seconds, before using his staff to straighten himself up. He turned to face Bash. Not the General, but the Hero. He looked at him, the remaining flesh of his face betraying his emotions. Mourning and grief. ¡°Bash¡­foolish Bash¡­Hero¡­please¡­by an Orc¡­¡± ¡°I know.¡± Gunda Guza let out a hearty laugh just as his body was sliced vertically in half. Chapter 18.1 Proposal HERE WE GO BOYS And thus, the zombies within Siwanasi Forest were wiped out. There would be sporadic undead outbreaks from time to time for a while, but it was safe to assume that they would be on a much smaller and manageable scale. The Elven Army even sustained fewer casualties than expected. It was partly due to their skills as elite troops and their tenaciousness, but also thanks to Bash mowing through the horde of undead while Zell healed the Elves along the way as she followed him. ¡°There I was, fatally wounded by a zombie and bleeding out when an Orc appeared out of nowhere and saved me.¡± ¡°Looks like that Orc broke through the undead lines to reach the Lich and also saved Lady Thunder Sonia¡¯s life.¡± Similar rumors were circulating among the troops of the Elven Army. Others disagreed, saying, ¡°Nah, no way Lady Sona had trouble with the Lich,¡± which was patently false, but since it was their beloved Hero that had previously said she would deal with the whole situation, it became a truth that permeated into the soldiers. ¡°We have the Orc Hero to thank for this. What should we do? Shall we write a letter of gratitude to the Orc Nation?¡± ¡°Hrm¡­¡± When asked this by Aconite, Sonia crossed her arms and groaned. She was grateful; that was a fact. Her nephew, who was standing in front of her, also counted among those saved by the Orc and Faerie pair. Following the battle, as the Elf Hero approached her seemingly deceased family member, he suddenly jerked up, still wearing a small mound of shiny white dust on the top of his head. She still clearly remembered the prideful look on the Faerie¡¯s face, as if she was fully satisfied after a job well done. ¡°Hmmmmm¡­.¡± They had rescued her precious nephew. Not to mention that she herself might not have made it out had it not been for the Orc Hero¡¯s help. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Of course, she was grateful. So, what should she do¡­? ¡°Wait, so why did he come to this town in the first place?¡± ¡°Why? What do you mean, ¡°why,¡± Lady Sonia?¡± ¡°You heard what I said.¡± When she repeated herself with all the seriousness in the world, Aconite gave her a condescending, sideways look that wordlessly said, ¡° Good grief, do I really have to spell it out for you, you senile old lady?¡± ¡°Stop giving me that attitude. And stop with that stupid face. Geez¡­¡± ¡°Wait, you really don¡¯t understand why he came here?¡± ¡°Do you?¡± ¡°Of course, I do.¡± Sonia¡¯s lips twitched in frustration as she lifted her chin to signal him to keep talking. ¡°He came here to stop the massive outbreak of zombie Orcs in Siwanasi Forest.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°In a way, his former countrymen were causing trouble in another country. Of course, the Orcs couldn¡¯t let that go unpunished, you know, for their Orcish pride and all¡­.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that all make sense? The first day they arrived, they gathered information. On the next, they began hunting zombies. As soon as they realized that the now zombified General Baraben had arisen, he charged through the horde of undead, unbothered by their numbers, and took his former superior¡¯s head. I was barely conscious at that point, but I still saw how he challenged Baraben to an honorable, one-on-one duel and showed us all that Orcish pride was still alive and well! Truly the acts of a Hero!¡± ¡°Well¡­I guess¡­¡± The Elf Hero slowly nodded. It certainly made sense. Back when she was in the middle of that battle, she caught herself having those same thoughts. She also somewhat believed that that was why he had come here ¨C to save his former compatriots from the hatred, shame, and resentment that they were subject to as zombies. But a few questions remained. Some aspects of this whole debacle were still bothering her. For example, if she were in the Orc King¡¯s shoes, would she have let Bash go out into the world on his own in the first place? And in terms of escorts¡­ a single Faerie? So technically he wasn¡¯t alone. If she were to go outside of Elven territory¡­Aconite would always be by her side, right? So, what was so incongruous about the situation? Thought Sonia as she cocked her head. ¡°Apparently, in Human Country, there was a band of bandits that were exterminated in a similar fashion.¡± ¡°What was that all about? I didn¡¯t hear anything about it.¡± ¡°They were just rumors I picked up here and there. Nothing too important, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°You should tell me about those kinds of things. But there¡¯s still something bugging me¡­¡± Replied Sonia. She recalled the events of the day of Bash¡¯s arrival in Siwanasi. That faithful night they crossed each other¡¯s path in the town. ¡°Why did he tell me that he¡¯d ¡°come back¡± to see me? It¡¯s funny. There¡¯s no way he would have known back then that I would be fighting General Baraben, would he?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°And he even followed that up with ¡°you¡¯ll find out soon enough¡­¡±! Huh?! Haaah!? How the full was I supposed to find out anything?! Or was he saying that me facing off against that undead duo was completely orchestrated by him?! That can¡¯t be possible¡­ I didn¡¯t see nor feel any magic coming from him. There¡¯s no way he could have manipulated or created a Lich.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Aconite stroked his chin. Indeed, his aunt was right to point out that Bash¡¯s behavior that day was strange. His words insinuated that he was planning something. However, looking at how he reacted when faced with General Baraben, it didn¡¯t seem like he was a mastermind working behind the scenes to bring about this disaster. Instead, his acts were more than befitting of his responsibilities as a Hero. ¡°Lady Thunder Sonia.¡± Then, there was a knock on the room¡¯s door. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Milady, you seem to have a visitor.¡± ¡°Who is it? Is it lil¡¯ Cal? Tell him it¡¯s my day off today. I worked so hard yesterday, and I¡¯m completely burnt out. Completely and utterly exhausted. He can do the clean-up on his own at the very least¡­¡± ¡°No, Milady, it¡¯s an Orc.¡± Sonia and Aconite silently looked at each other. The gargantuan tree where Thunder Sonia resided was also inhabited by other individuals of importance. Therefore, there was a lobby at its base, staffed with receptionists and guards. Further back, a crowd of onlookers had gathered, curious to see what the visitor would do. Incidentally, whether it be the staff or the rubberneckers, all were wearing happy, friendly expressions on their faces. And at the center of all this hubbub was a single man. His skin was green, and his face was stern and rugged. He wore an Elven-styled suit, in which he had somehow managed to squeeze his bulging muscles. Yes, Elven clothes. His outfit was dark green and accented with black stripes ¨C the kind of attire an Elven man would wear on formal occasions. The large greatsword he was usually seen with was noticeably absent. And right next to the Orc was a Faerie, arms crossed and legs shoulder-width apart, pompously floating in the air. It was Bash and Zell. [Formal wear¡­? What are they planning?] Thunder Sonia stepped up in front of the Orc Hero, shooting him a quizzical look. Awed ¡°Oh¡¯s¡± and ¡°Ah¡¯s¡± rose from the crowd. [Do they want to discuss the relaxation of the treaty we established with the Orcs¡­? That¡¯s silly¡­they¡¯re really trying to get credit for a problem that was their fault in the first place, aren¡¯t they? Man, Orcs are trickier than I gave them credit for¡­ Still, considering how much this guy helped us out, I¡¯ve got to reply¡­ Damn it!] The Archmage put her hands on her hips and looked up at Bash. He wore the most resolute of expressions. But she could feel that he was nervous. ¡°So? What do you want? Are you sure this is the right place for this?¡± ¡°Yeah, here is fine.¡± ¡°Alright, just hurry and tell me your demands. I¡¯m a busy woman.¡± ¡°Umu¡­¡± For the first time ever, Thunder Sonia took a close look at Bash. When she thought about it, she hadn¡¯t truly had a chance to observe him carefully ever since their first encounter during the Nightmare of Siwanasi Forest. She had her own preconceptions about Orcs. Bash, the Orc Hero. At the very least, he hadn¡¯t caused any trouble from his arrival until now. There wasn¡¯t any lack of female Elves in Siwanasi, and she hadn¡¯t heard reports of any of them being attacked. On the contrary, his actions seemed to all be to the benefit of the Elves. And even in that battle, they had both just gone through, he had been admirable. A Hero. This man was a true Hero. That¡¯s what he was called by his countrymen. Just like her, the Elven Archmage Thunder Sonia. In other words, his goal was to further protect Orcish pride and ensure the best possible future for his people. In which case, wasn¡¯t it natural for him to want to ease the treaty between the Elves and the Orcs? Being bound by so many restrictive sanctions, they would inevitably fall far behind the rest of the continent in terms of rebuilding their nation. ¡°Elven Archmage Thunder Sonia.¡± ¡°Umu.¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Bash pulled something out from his pocket. It was a small object that shone with a metallic glint. The guards tightened their grips on their weapons, but Sonia didn¡¯t move. Would this man use a weapon small enough to fit in his pocket in the first place? He would be faster and more effective striking with his bare fist than any dagger or short sword. ¡°Here.¡± What he had taken out was a necklace. An expensive, brilliant, glamourous, luxurious, and shiny necklace. It was something an Elven man would gift to a woman as he asked for her hand in marriage. ¡°What¡¯s this? What¡¯s this all abo-¡­¡± ¡°Thunder Sonia, I have been attracted to you from the moment I first laid eyes on you. Would you marry me and bear my children?¡± Chapter 18.2 Proposal Here we go! At that moment. In a fraction of a second, the surroundings fell deathly silent. That included Sonia herself, who understood nothing of what was going on. [Huh? What? What does he mean by marriage? Why is this guy trying to give a necklace?!] For a second, her mind went utterly blank, after which she finally came to the took in what was happening. [Haaah?! Is he really asking me to marry him?!] Her brain, now recovered from its unexpected stalling, begun firing on all cylinders. [Is¡­is he really asking me to marry him? Is this really a real proposal?! Wait, calm down, and think¡­ there must be something deeper¡­a nefarious intention, hidden behind this gesture¡­wait, yes! He told me that he¡¯d be back! So, this must be why! To ask for my hand in marriage! Wait, wait, wait, wait, no, no, no¡­ that¡¯s stupid. Absolutely ridiculous! Why would he ask me to marry him?! And ¡°at first sight?! I mean¡­ that¡¯s kind of romant ¨C ¡­ No! No, no, no! I can¡¯t let myself be fooled! This guy left me lying on the ground back then! He left me even though I was right there, vulnerable and ripe for the picking!] Though Thunder Sonia was impulsive and brash, she was far from dumb. Updated from novelhall[.]com As the Elven Archmage, she always prioritized the well-being of her people, and constantly planned ahead. He was an Orc she had only met once before. There was nothing between them that would make him fall in love with her. And if it really was ¡°love at first sight¡±, Bash would have taken Sonia home on that faithful night of the Nightmare of Siwanasi Forest and eaten her as his three o¡¯clock snack. By now, she¡¯d already be a mother of three. So, he was obviously lying. Then why was he doing this? What was the truth? Incidentally, she had heard about how the Orc Hero had been going around gathering information. He was notably looking for intel concerning Elven marriage activities. In which case, he must have stumbled upon the sad tales of the Elf Hero¡¯s celibacy. These included shameful stories of her being fed up with being a bachelorette, trying to woo a Human and subsequently failing¡­ [Wait¡­ does he think that¡­that I¡¯m easy!?] As soon as that thought crossed her mind, blood rushed to Sonia¡¯s face. ¡°Absolutely not! I refuse! Who in their right mind would want to bear your child!?¡± The moment she blurted out her response, the surroundings erupted in a wave of ¡°Oh¡¯s¡± and ¡°Ah¡¯s¡±. The Archmage could almost feel the wave of whispers propagating through the crowd. [Geez¡­ what kind of dumb rumors are you guys spreading this time¡­ please stop¡­] Sonia fidgeted as she angrily glared at Bash. At the very least, she wanted to show him and everybody else that she wasn¡¯t some common whore you could just pick up whenever. On the other hand, Bash was all smiles and as calm as a lake on a windless night. ¡°I understand. That¡¯s too bad¡­¡± He then returned the shiny golden necklace to his pocket, turned around, and silently crept off. Just like that. It happened so unexpectedly that Thunder Sonia almost thought about stopping him. For some reason, his shoulders were hunched over, and he looked distraught and depressed. ¡°What was that all about¡­?¡± She mumbled. Thunder Sonia, Archmage and Hero of the Elves, would never know the entire truth. Bash was slowly trudging down the path back to the inn. ¡°What went wrong¡­? It was all set up perfectly! You arrived in the nick of time and saved her when she was in trouble! And just when she was probably thinking about you, you showed up and proposed! With the shiniest goldiest necklace they had on sale at that¡­! From what I read in that ¡°Elven Romance Weekly¡± magazine, this ranks third among situations during which you¡¯d like to be confessed to!¡± ¡°Thunder Sonia is the Elven Archmage after all. She must have her own circumstances.¡± It wasn¡¯t that Bash didn¡¯t remember meeting Sonia during the Nightmare of Siwanasi Forest event. During that last Orcish stand of Siwanasi, while General Baraben was being overwhelmed, the Orc Hero had been fighting a mysterious Elven sorceress who had ended up seriously injuring him. But he hadn¡¯t seen her face, and even less heard her name. During that battle, Thunder Sonia was wearing a mask. Unbeknownst to the Orc, it was a piece of equipment that amplified her magical strength and enhanced her senses. In addition to that, the Elf Hero was wearing an entire treasure trove of Elven enchanted gear to help her keep the Orc Hero at bay. Not to mention that they had never introduced themselves to each other. Back then, Bash had heard of the title of ¡°Elven Archmage¡± in passing but had never known their name. Therefore, it was correct to say that Bash had only learned of her name and saw her face for the first time during their meeting on the Elven border. His claim that he had fallen in love at first sight was not a lie. The battle between the two heroes had taken a heavy toll on Bash. During the war, he had had countless close encounters with death. But as the end of the conflict neared, this happened less and less frequently. The siege of Siwanasi was among the final battles of the war, and it had been a long time since the Orc Hero had been wounded so severely. He was so dazed by the end of his fight that he couldn¡¯t remember how it ended or how he had escaped while surrounded by hordes of Elves. All he could recall was how he had holed up in a bear den and how Zell had saved his life. The ¡°Elven Archmage¡±. The Orc Hero had heard of this personage. An immortal and ancient 1200-year-old High Elf. She was the Elves guardian deity. It was said that she had been blessed by the god of wind and thunder, and that this power was related to her chastity ¨C if she ever lost her virginity, her magical gifts would be revoked. If her virginity was truly the source of her strength, then there was no way she would agree to marry. Bash wasn¡¯t very hopeful that his proposal would succeed in the first place. Nonetheless, he was still extremely disappointed. ¡°I saw it all!¡± Someone called out to Bash. As he turned around, he saw a female Elf. She was enviably entwined arm-in-arm with a Human man. The Elven woman, who looked like a first-class warrior, was familiar with the Orc. Yes, she was the one that had told him all about the ¡°Giant Eagle¡¯s Nest.¡±. ¡°You are¡­¡± ¡°You have the guts to propose to Lady Sonia! Color me impressed! I never would have thought that Orcs could be so bold!¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± It was Azalea¡­whose name Bash had completely and utterly forgotten. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience She looked very excited. ¡°It¡¯s a shame you got turned down, though. No matter if you¡¯re the Orc Hero or not, she¡¯s out of your league.¡± ¡°I suppose so¡­ but there are always more fish in th ¨C ¡­ more Elves in the forest.¡± ¡°Haah?!¡± Azalea¡¯s expression turned murderous. Bash instinctively clenched his fists in response. However, the Elf immediately calmed down and laughed. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re an Orc after all¡­¡± ¡°Is that an issue?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean. Orcs might not know this, but Elves don¡¯t appreciate it when a man goes around trying his luck on women willy-nilly. And after proposing to Lady Sonia so flamboyantly, asking for another Elf¡¯s hand in marriage would be¡­ not well seen, to say the least.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s hopeless to try and get another Elf as a wife?¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°Umu¡­.¡± Bash groaned. He had never thought that he¡¯d be able to use the shiny gold necklace only once. But it was the same on the field of battle. Opportunities only showed up once. It was only when you missed your shot that you realized that it was a once-in-a lifetime chance. ¡°If so, it can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel too bad about yourself! I¡¯m sure a man of your stature will find someone soon!¡± ¡°I hope so¡­¡± Even though Bash was as stoic as stoic warriors got, he couldn¡¯t help but lose heart. He had come prepared to fail, but now that he knew that all the Elves who had witnessed his proposal now disqualified him as a potential mate, he felt even worse. No matter how steadfast the Orc Hero was, he was beginning to feel pangs of regret. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be going now. I¡¯m having dinner with my darling to celebrate our victory!¡± ¡°Um, excuse me¡­¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be going now. I¡¯m having dinner with my darling to celebrate our victory. Updated from novelhall[.]com ¡°Um, excuse me, ¡­¡­. Said Azalea as she walked off, dragging a skinny, shabby-looking man in tow. He was most likely this ¡°darling¡± person ¨C one of the weakest looking individuals Bash had ever seen, and he didn¡¯t seem to be a sorcerer either. In Orc culture, marriage was considered the epitome of success and honor. The Orc Hero needed every scrap of information he could get. ¡°Just a second, I have something to ask that man.¡± Hence, Bash called out to them. Azalea slowly turned around. Her eyes were full of unfettered fury, like a dragon watching over its treasure. ¡°Touch my darling, and you¡¯re dead meat,¡± her look seemed to say. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience ¡°How did you get this woman?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As soon as Bash asked this question, the Elven woman¡¯s eyes darted towards her partner. The man flinched, and hesitated for a couple of seconds, his face going through a litany of emotions: fear, surprise, confusion. Taking a deep breath, he answered. ¡°Azalea once saved my life during the war. Back then, I got caught by a Succubus, and my body and mind were in tatters. If it weren¡¯t for her, I would have died, just like that, having my life sucked out of me¡­ So, after the peace treaty was signed, I came to Elf Country to repay her kindness. At the very least buy her a meal, or a drink. And it turned out she was looking for a husband. So, I thought that that was my chance! Never in my wildest dreams would I have hoped to even get close to a woman as beautiful as Azalea, but with the circumstances, I believed I had a shot. So, I gathered my courage and took the plunge. One thing led to another and¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I see.¡± Bash was ashamed of himself. In the back of his mind, he had thought that perhaps this man had used some cowardly tactic to woo Azalea. But that wasn¡¯t it. He had a single, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And he had grasped his only chance at victory and held on to it with all his strength. This man may not have been a warrior, but he understood this and dove head-first into the fray. That was why he was able to win. The difference between him and Bash was that while the latter knowingly took it upon himself to fight an unwinnable battle, the former took a chance while knowing he had a chance at victory. For Orcs, there was no shame in throwing oneself into an impossible conflict. But if he wanted to emerge victorious, he shouldn¡¯t have used his only chance to fight a fruitless fight. It was hard to say who was correct. Yes, just like General Baraben and Great War Chief Gunda Guza¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll take your story as a reference and keep it in mind. Thank you.¡± ¡°Oh, no problem¡­ good luck.¡± The man bowed before following Azalea and leaving. The Orc felt that the Elven woman¡¯s steps were even lighter than before, and the couple were even closer. Bash enviously looked at the shrinking backs as they walked away, hearts aflutter. Let me do this preemptively before the negative Nancys get on my case in the comments. Ahem¡­ Commenter-san : REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE BAD MACHINE : Yes? Commenter-san : BUT BAD MACHINE-SAMA YOU SAID THERE¡¯D BE DEVELOPMENTS HOW COULD YOU LIE TO US! REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE BAD MACHINE : Relax buddy boys, there¡¯s another part left to this final chapter. Just sit tight. Chapter 18.3 Proposal (Vol.2 End) ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t Sir Bash!¡± Someone called out to the Orc Hero. As he looked towards the voice, he noticed a Human man and an Elven woman walking towards him. It was another of his acquaintances, the ¡°Breathless¡± Breeze. And the person next to him seemed familiar as well. Bash could faintly remember her boasting about her loyalty and servitude towards a potential husband¡­ was she the one that boasted she would even fight a dragon to protect her man? ¡°¡­It seems you¡¯ve successfully found yourself a match.¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks to you.¡± Breeze wore a dumb, borderline creepy smile as he patted the Elf¡¯s hips with his hand that was wrapped around her waist. Her cheeks flushed, but she said nothing. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Seeing as how the Orc Hero¡¯s nose could pick up faint notes of ¡°breeding ground¡± smells coming from the couple, they must have gone to town on each other last night. Though he hated to admit it, Bash was jealous. Marrying an Elf was now utterly impossible for him, after all. ¡°Well then, sir, what are you planning to do after his?¡± ¡°Right¡­ Looks like there¡¯s nothing more for me to do in this town. I have no information on where to go next.¡± ¡°Ah, the reason you came here in the first place is gone, isn¡¯t it?¡± Now that the Lich had been defeated, the looming threat of an unstoppable Orc zombie invasion has disappeared. Moreover, Bash had aided the Elven Archmage directly in slaying the zombified Orc General, and thus, the pride of Orcs everywhere had been successfully preserved. Therefore. Sir Bash¡¯s work here is done. Breeze inwardly concluded. ¡°In that case, there¡¯s this rumor I heard¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know all the details, but¡­¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°No, really, I don¡¯t know much about it¡­ But I heard that something similar to what happened here is occurring in Do Banga¡¯s Pit, in Dwarf Country. Something similar. As soon as Bash heard those words, a single sentence popped up in his mind. ¡°It seems that interspecies marriage is booming!¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Here, in Elven lands, both the frail-looking man he had just met and Breeze, who was as monetarily destitute as the Orc Hero, had managed to nab themselves a partner. Bash was now one step closer to marriage, though he had missed his only chance. His failure was due to him approaching an unreachable opponent in Thunder Sonia, but he had felt a response that he hadn¡¯t back in Human Country. He had gone one step further ¨C that was how he felt. Hence, if the circumstances were similar, he may have an even better chance of finding himself a wife. ¡°Got it! Thanks for the information.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re welcome, you¡¯re welcome. Well, it¡¯s going to be pretty tough, I¡¯m sure. But I¡¯m rooting for you! Good luck!¡± Breeze left while waving and giving the Orc Hero his best wishes. ¡°Dwarves?¡± Updated from novelhall[.]com ¡°Do Banga¡¯s Pit is straight-up Northwards from here.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yosh! Yessir! Wherever you go, I¡¯ll follow!¡± His quest for a wife within Elf Country had ended in failure. But Bash, the ever-stoic warrior, quickly put it behind him as he set his eyes ¨C and hopes, on this new clue. That day, a tremor ran through the Land of Elves. An absolutely shocking piece of information had come to light. Had this been Human Country, this news would have made headlines, the newspapers hurriedly printing an extra dedicated issue. Elves weren¡¯t as culturally prone to rumormongering as Humans but seeing as how this gossip was about their Hero and idol Thunder Sonia, it was a different story. It spread quickly, from mouth to (long) ear. The word on the street was¡­ ¡°Lady Sonia wasn¡¯t raped during the Nightmare of Siwanasi Forest thanks to her gorgeous looks! Her beauty was so overwhelming even Orcs were awakened to true love!¡± This information gained momentum at breakneck speeds, and within a few days, it had reached even the most remote regions of the Elven Nation. Hermits, farmers, and even the deaf had heard of their Lady Sonia¡¯s achievement. A few days after Bash¡¯s proposal. ¡°No way¡­ I didn¡¯t realize that Sir Bash¡¯s true objective this whole time was to restore Lady Sonia¡¯s honor¡­¡± Thunder Sonia¡¯s smelly notoriety was quickly fading. Apparently, it wasn¡¯t due to her aging stench that the Orc hadn¡¯t kidnapped her. Instead, it was thanks to her scent distracting Bash long enough for reinforcements to arrive that she wasn¡¯t taken away. In other words, the Elf Hero smelled really, really, really? good. Such rumors began to circulate, and she often found herself surrounded by young Elves trying to catch a whiff of her body odor. So much so that in her embarrassment and fear of disappointing her people, she even began spritzing perfume on herself before going out. ¡°Thanks to Sir Bash, all the issues involving Orcs that have been plaguing Siwanasi Forest have been resolved. The zombies have been exterminated, and your honor has been restored, Lady Sonia.¡± ¡°Why are you calling me an issue¡­?! But yes, I¡¯ll have to formally thank the Orc Nation for sending their Hero over and helping us out with the undead. I don¡¯t want the Elves to think I¡¯m shameless!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure no Elf thought any less of you for being smelly. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s shameless for you to ignore the fact that he restored your honor?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an issue! Geez¡­¡± Sonia exclaimed as she turned to gaze out the window. Below, she could see the entirety of Siwanasi Forest, the homes and shops spreading outwards from the roots of the great tree. The serene and peaceful sight of red, fire-resistant tiled roofs sprawling far and wide. The peace she had been endlessly striving for during the war. Had she been defeated by the zombies, all of this might have gone up in flames. When she thought about how much she had to lose, she couldn¡¯t thank Bash enough for his noble actions. Not to mention her gratitude for the vials of perfume that were sitting on her end table. ¡°Eh, what the hell¡­ I guess I was suspicious at first, but he turned out to be a fine man! Most Orcs are stupid, and mean, and selfish, and never think about others! But it looks like those who earned the title of Hero are a different breed.¡± ¡°Lady Sonia, you¡¯re a breed of your own.¡± ¡°Haah?! What does that mean?!¡± ¡°But Lady Sonia, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit of a wasted opportunity that you turned down his proposal?¡± ¡°Are you stupid?! If I hadn¡¯t refused, everyone would still think that I smell¡­that I smell ancient!¡± ¡°But you¡¯d finally be married.¡± Yes, that was right. Bash¡¯s proposal had entirely wiped out Sonia¡¯s poor reputation. Instead, she now had a little too much positive renown. ¡°Thunder Sonia¡¯s chastity is sacred to the Elves and must not be violated by anyone!¡± Rumors like this had already begun to spread both domestically and internationally. It was easy to see that the number of people within Elf Country who would even dare to approach the Elf Hero would decrease even further, and foreigners who had hopes of wooing her would hesitate to even shake her hand while the ¡°protect Lady Sonia¡± sentiment was prevalent. It had become evident that the Elves would be whipped up into a fury if anyone dared to make a move on her, and it might even lead to a war breaking out. Her hopes and dreams of marriage have become even more distant. To top it off, everyone now knew she was a virgin. Aconite had even sarcastically pointed out that she ¡°was good at changing diapers, even though she had zero experience.¡± ¡°Hmph! Harrrumph! Who would want to marry an Orc?! When their wives get pregnant, they strip her naked and parade them through their village to show her off! Are you sure you want that to happen to me?! Do you not care about me, your precious aunt Thunder Sonia?!¡± ¡°I suppose that wouldn¡¯t be easy on your belly, stretch marks and all. And it wouldn¡¯t be great for the baby in your womb either. But the weather is warm all year round over there. Isn¡¯t that great for raising children?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant! I¡¯m saying that it¡¯s shameful for an Elf to¡­to be exposed like that!¡± ¡°Lady Sonia, are you insinuating that it¡¯s disgraceful for an Elf to have lived through such things? Many of our people, your people, have gone through experiences just like those. Saying that it¡¯s shameful¡­ Do you mean what you said? Are you discriminating against those who fought bravely for our country?¡± ¡°Huh¡­? Wait, wait, no! That¡¯s not what I meant! I¡¯m not Orc-shaming any Elf! It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s just that it¡¯s embarrassing¡­ to be naked in front of so many people¡­ you know? The only person I want to¡­expose¡­myself to is my husband¡­¡± Thunder Sonia blushed as she squirmed, rubbing her hands together. She desperately desired to get married. But it wasn¡¯t like she could just marry anybody. Her standards were sky-high. Well, not exactly her standards ¨C she needed someone befitting of her title as the Archmage and Hero of the Elves. ¡°I¡¯m sure they would have done that if we were still at war, but the treaty forbids acts like that nowadays. Sir Bash seems to be a kind person and acted like a near-perfect gentleman. I¡¯m sure he would have taken good care of you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly!¡± Thunder Sonia crossed her arms and turned to face the wall, pouting angrily. However, she couldn¡¯t completely hide the slight smile on her face. She recalled her battle with General Baraben. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience At first, she was in utter despair, believing that the Orc Hero had come to aid his zombified brethren. She was ready to die, fully believing that it was all over. But then Bash spun around and pointed his blade towards the undead pair. The Elf Hero could still see his back, now forever imprinted in her mind. His wide, broad, strong, robust and sturdy back. And she had never felt so safe. So secure. So relieved. ¡°I won¡¯t let them touch even a hair of yours, starting now. Stay here and watch. Just leave it to me.¡± In the long, 1200 years that she had walked this earth, she had seldom heard anyone declaring that they would protect her. It had been a long time¡­ It didn¡¯t feel bad to be taken care of; to fight alongside an individual she could fully trust to have her back. No, it didn¡¯t just not feel bad. It felt good. There more the Archmage though about it, the more the Orc in her memories looked attractive. Right now, in the world of her inner thoughts, Bash was flashing a gallant smile, his fangs shining a silvery white. ¡°Well¡­well maybe if he insists, I might think about it!¡± ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°We Elves live a long time, you know? Not to mention I¡¯m quite literally immortal. It wouldn¡¯t be that long, in the grand scheme of things¡­ and when it comes to that¡­ maybe just at night, and if we¡¯re both on the same page, and if it¡¯s only him and I¡­ I don¡¯t suppose it would cause that many issues for the world, right? Just so long as I¡¯m not dragged around the city naked¡­ And also, if I become the Orc Hero¡¯s wife, I can build friendly diplomatic relations with the Orcs! Yeah! It¡¯s all for the sake of the Elves. Yes, yes, it can¡¯t be helped if it benefits the Elves, right? Yeah!¡± Aconite shrugged as he listened. He was intimately familiar with his aunt¡¯s attitude. Sometimes, she would stubbornly refuse, but inwardly, her feelings said otherwise. She simply couldn¡¯t say yes and follow her own selfish desires without justifying her decision using a couple of external factors. ¡°So? So? Where is he? Where¡¯s Bash? Not that I¡¯m agreeing to his proposal or anything, but I think we should thank him once again, don¡¯t you think? I¡¯ll be acting as the representative of the Elves this time! Yeah!¡± ¡°He left the day after you rejected him, Lady Sonia.¡± ¡°Huh? Wait, really?¡± ¡°Did you think he would stick around and chase after you?¡± ¡°Uh¡­n¡­nuuh-uh¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you asking for a little too much? Did you forget that he¡¯s the Orc Hero? He¡¯s a man that must have conquered a veritable mountain of women. Not to mention that he once decisively defeated you, Lady Sonia.¡± ¡°Guh¡­nu¡­¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Truthfully, Bash had conquered many things, but none of those were women. Though nobody knew this. Of course, being the Orc Hero, everyone naturally assumed he had captured and raped countless women during the war. The only reason the other species weren¡¯t actively spiteful about this was thanks to the Orc Nation being sanctioned, and the fact that they had so far abided by the terms of the treaty. There was peace now, and it was time to let bygones be bygones and be relatively tolerant of other cultures. That being said, Thunder Sonia¡¯s face was now bright red. She didn¡¯t think that she was that perfect of a woman, but when it was directly pointed out how full of herself she was and how hard she was to deal with ¨C by her own family at that, she couldn¡¯t help but get upset. ¡°I¡­I¡­I¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Thunder Sonia shouted. ¡°I¡¯m going on a journey!¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°A journey! I can¡¯t stay in this country anymore! I¡¯m leaving and I¡¯m going to find myself a good man somewhere where the rumors haven¡¯t reached!¡± ¡°¡­Haaaah¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t stop me! Don¡¯t even try! I¡¯m leaving right now! I swear I am!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Aconite took a serious look at the Elf Hero, who had suddenly announced she was going on a trip. He knew for a fact that she would sometimes blurt out strange statements. She didn¡¯t mean what she said but would still yell it out with gusto. This was most likely another one of her fits. Aconite reflected for a second¡­ and laughed. He wouldn¡¯t go along with her this time. ¡°I won¡¯t stop you, Lady Sonia.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it! You can¡¯t keep m ¨C ¡­ wait, you¡¯re not going to stop me?¡± ¡°Of course not! You¡¯ve done so much for the Elves already. We¡¯ve been relying on you too much. It¡¯s high time for you to live a life of ease and comfort, without any worries. But I know how much you take your responsibilities to heart, and if you stay here, you¡¯d end up involving yourself in the nation¡¯s issues and carrying all of our burdens by yourself. I think it¡¯s a wonderful idea for you to take a vacation in another country for a while and enjoy this hard-earned peace.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Thunder Sonia kept her mouth shut. She fully believed her nephew would insist on her staying. There was so much work to do, after all. ¡°No¡­but¡­ummm¡­ well, if you say so. But¡­ are you sure you¡¯ll be alright? Even without me?¡± ¡°Of course. Please leave the rest to me. No, not just me, but all of us Elves. We¡¯ll take charge and be responsible for protecting our country!¡± ¡°Ah¡­okay¡­¡± Faced with such a clear, steadfast declaration, the Elf Hero couldn¡¯t bring herself to reveal that it was just a spur-of-the-moment remark. That she didn¡¯t really mean it. ¡°Yeah¡­okay¡­well, I¡¯ll be off then.¡± ¡°Please take care, Lady Sonia.¡± And so, Thunder Sonia embarked on her journey, setting off on her own quest to find a spouse. Though she would rather call it a world tour, or a vacation. Meanwhile, Bash was steadily making his way North. Across the streams, between the trees, through the bushes, he resolutely moved towards his next objective. He had received a hint from Breeze that might lead him towards his next goal. Apparently, the situation in the Dwarven Mine City of Do Banga¡¯s Pit was similar to that of Siwanasi Forest. Dwarven women were not exactly the favorites for an Orcish palate. Bash was definitely not as fond of them as he was of Human or Elven women. But following Houston¡¯s advice, he was able to meet such a beautiful Elf. The Orc Hero thus put his trust in Breeze¡¯s words, believing that his next encounter might be the one. ¡°This attempt was a failure, but it¡¯s time to get back on track. I¡¯ll do my best again next time!¡± ¡°Yosh!¡± And so, Bash continued his journey. Accompanied by his loyal Faerie companion. Chapter 19.1 Not a Proposal Here we go boys, volume 3! We¡¯re now in WN exclusive territory, so no more illustrations unfortunately. Do Banga¡¯s Pit. So was called the gargantuan sky-facing crater found at the peak of Mount Lind, which was geographically located straight northwards from Siwanasi Forest. It was created when Mount Lind, a dormant volcano, was awoken by the shockwaves that spread deep beneath the ground during the duel between the Ogre Warrior Gugugora and the Dwarven Prince Bongo Bongo. Bongo Bongo was caught up in the eruption, and Gugugora ended up being the victor of their fight. The Ogres subsequently seized this newly created crater as their territory, building fortifications and shelter, and used it to spearhead their operations. Back then, it was called the ¡°Lind Fortress.¡± The Seven Race Federation used this newly erected fortress as a basecamp in order to launch an invasion deep into Alliance territory, winning many battles as a result. However, the fortress eventually fell. The individual that laid his claim to the Ogrish bastion was a stupendously skilled warrior who would later be nicknamed the ¡°War Fiend¡±. Leading a small band of Dwarven Warriors, he struck the Ogres straight on, fast, hard, and without any tricks nor cunning. In the penultimate battle for the fortress, he faced the Ogre General in singular combat and decisively defeated him, occupying the castle. The Dwarf who managed to capture the Ogrish fortress beating all odds¡­ ¡­His name was Doradora Do Banga, the ¡°War Fiend¡±. More and more Dwarves settled within Lind Fortress, in due course building a city within its natural walls. Eventually, the crater formally became part of Doradora Do Banga¡¯s domain and was aptly named ¡°Do Banga¡¯s Pit.¡± Bash and Zell were currently on the path leading to said Do Banga¡¯s Pit. ¡°There it is.¡± White plumes of thick smoke rose over the horizon, all coming from the peak of Mount Lind. Updated from novelhall[.]com It seemed as if the entire mountain was a boiling cauldron, steam floating upwards from its wide mouth. Though one might assume this was due to the settlement being located on a literal volcano, none of this billowing smog was natural. This town was inhabited by a majority Dwarven population. Nearly all Dwarves were blacksmith ¨C as a hobby if not by trade, and every family had their own workshop. The smoke floating up from the mountain was due to their forges and furnaces. ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve missed this place. I used to get lost all the time in here.¡± Dwarven cities were built like anthills. These short-statured people would settle on (or rather in) hills and mountains, tunneling through the earth to build their homes. As a result of every inhabitant hollowing out the land at their leisure, their towns usually became sprawling labyrinths and nigh unnavigable natural defensive positions. Security through obscurity was still security, after all. Bash had participated in several battles within Do Banga¡¯s Pit, but all he could scrounge out from the depth of his mind were his memories of being lost. Once, he hadn¡¯t been able to leave for three whole nights and days. He had no way of contacting the outside world, and the allied troops had been scattered by the sporadic battles. The Orc Hero had no choice but to keep fighting on a battlefield where he didn¡¯t even know whether his struggling comrades were still alive. It was a rather painful memory. ¡°Huh?! Mister, you got lost in there?¡± Zell remembered it differently. From her point of view, Bash had always been able to return to camp without any difficulty. ¡°Yeah. Constantly.¡± ¡°Whoa, you always managed to come back, and you never looked like you had any trouble, mister! I always thought you knew the whole layout by heart! Like the back of your hand!¡± Updated from novelhall[.]com ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯d be true.¡± Of course, Bash in no capacity knew everything about the Dwarven city¡¯s structure. Whenever he was lost, hungry, or in otherwise desperate straits, the Orc would break straight through the walls to escape. No matter where or how deep he was underground, he would eventually reach the surface if he dug diagonally upwards. Incidentally, this often led to catastrophic structural collapses, hence why the Dwarves had nicknamed Bash ¡°The Destroyer.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve renovated and improved it a lot recently, and they have easy-to-understand paths now!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ve only visited once since then, but it was totally different! It was super astonishing! I was really, really surprised at how clear the residential and downtown areas were separated from each other, when just a couple of years ago it looked like a complete mess! Mister, you should really see the downtown area, it was amazing! There was this spot where they had ten whole bars, all lined up in a straight row! And they were all connected to each other! I saw Dwarves come in at one end, drink their whole way through, and come out the other! And best of all, you don¡¯t even need a ladder to get around anymore! Hooray for urban planning!¡± ¡°How exciting. I hope they have some good booze.¡± Orcs also enjoyed drinking, though not to the extent that Dwarves did. Although they were a race that was said to live off exclusively of pillaging and theft, one product they made domestically was alcohol. However, when compared with Dwarven liquor, it wasn¡¯t much better than swamp water. Bash, as the Orciest of all Orcs, naturally enjoyed drinking. So much so that he went to the tavern every night to get his fix, despite his fears that the young Orcish men might ask him about his history with women. The prospect of drinking Dwarven wine was enough to make his heart race. ¡°I hope you can find a wife too!¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Though Zell was excited at potentially finding Bash¡¯s future wife here in Do Banga¡¯s Pit, the Orc Hero¡¯s similarly sized other partner, Bash Jr., wasn¡¯t of the same mind. Instead of being stiff, straight, and at the ready, he was sulking, limp, and sad. ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t look so good, mister. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Hm? You noticed?¡± ¡°Of course, I did! How much time do you think we spent side-by-side? Did you forget who I am? I¡¯m me! And I¡¯m proud to declare that I¡¯m the number one, best in the world at reading mister¡¯s emotions! So, what¡¯s up? I want you to tell me because even though it might not be a big deal, telling someone can make you feel better!¡± ¡°Umu¡­well, actually¡­¡± Just as Bash was about to confess his inner turmoil. ¡°You!¡± ¡°Let go of me! Let go!¡± The pair suddenly heard arguing right ahead of them. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience As they turned to see what was going on, they saw a bridge at the end of the road, and at its center, a bunch of Dwarves and Elves were glaring at each other. ¡°Wow, someone¡¯s in a bad mood¡­¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped.¡± Elves and Dwarves mixed like oil and water. Their cultural practices and beliefs were in complete and utter opposition: the Dwarves cut down massive swathes of forested land, gathering lumber to fuel their forges, while the Elves used those same forests as their homes, living in harmony with nature. ¡°Is it? Doesn¡¯t seem like they¡¯re fighting, though.¡± Yet, when Bash and Zell approached, they noticed that the situation was quite strange. Instead of the Elves and Dwarves fighting each other, the Elves were just standing there, confusedly watching as the Dwarves squabbled between themselves. ¡°Listen to me! It won¡¯t do you any good to try and achieve something by borrowing someone else¡¯s power!¡± Updated from novelhall[.]com ¡°What do you want me to do then, huh? Should I walk in there myself and fight with my own sword?! And don¡¯t give me that! You also hired a famous warrior, you hypocrite!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I said!¡± As the pair got even closer, they got a clearer look at the quarrel. There were two Dwarven women arguing with one another. One was grabbing the other¡¯s arm, trying to pull her back towards the Dwarven town. The other lady was defying her, tugging away, and stomping her feet. ¡°I¡¯m saying you need to hone your blacksmithing skills further!¡± ¡°My skills?! My skills are polished enough! I¡¯m confident I can make much better armor than you can!¡± ¡°Come back and say that after you¡¯ve made at least a thousand swords!¡± ¡°Hell no! I don¡¯t need to do any of that! I¡¯ll show you! I¡¯ll prove it to everyone at the Armament Festival!¡± ¡°Haaahh¡­ stop your whining¡­ You don¡¯t get it, do you? I¡¯m telling you that it¡¯s useless. It¡¯s impossible for you right now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true! If my sister doesn¡¯t get in my way, I¡¯ll win this thing hands-down!¡± The individual holding the other¡¯s arm was muscular but short, with a doughy nose and a fierce, intimidating expression. She had a broad face, a wide forehead, a large mouth, and thick hands ¨C a typical Dwarven woman, laughing hysterically as she sat cross-legged on a chair. ¡°¡­¡± Bash couldn¡¯t help but be disappointed as he observed her. [Dwarven women¡­after all¡­] The reason the Orc Hero only had hopes for good alcohol in the Dwarf Nation was due to the Dwarven women¡¯s appearance. They were¡­ not to his liking, to say the least. It needs to be said that Bash¡¯s standards weren¡¯t high at all. He didn¡¯t need his prospective mate to be a graceful beauty. But look at that figure. She looked like a walking, talking, laughing rock. What sane Orc would lust after a rock? Of course, so long as Bash could lose his virginity, he didn¡¯t care who it was. Sure, he didn¡¯t exactly favor the looks of Dwarven women, but they certainly weren¡¯t as bad as the Lizardmen or the Killer Bees. But then again, Bash was a man. If possible, he wanted his first time to be with someone he appreciated. ¡°Ah? Who the hell¡­an Orc?¡± The Dwarven woman noticed the Hero, perhaps feeling his gaze, turning to face him. She was blatantly scowling, not bothering to hide her distrust. ¡°I¡¯m a traveler.¡± Bash said nonchalantly. It was difficult to tell a Dwarf¡¯s age, but he wagered a guess that this particular individual wasn¡¯t all that old. Although she wore a fierce expression, the Orc Hero could barely feel any intimidation coming from her, nor were her mannerisms sharp and refined, like those of a veteran. He concluded she wasn¡¯t a warrior. Although looking at her arms, it was evident that she was working out to some extent. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience A young lady with a promising future, perhaps. ¡°You a stray Orc?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not a stray. My name is Bash. I am traveling in search of something. I want to enter Dwarf Country.¡± ¡°Something, eh¡­?¡± Dwarven woman in her natural habitat ¨C Photo taken by an Orcish zoologist, circa 2 Anno Pax Chapter 19.2 Not a Proposal ¡®Ere we go me Dwarvy boiz, let¡¯s get ourselves some stubby poon! The female Dwarf squinted, examining him from head to toe. She then burst out in laughter before pointing towards the town¡¯s entrance with her chin. ¡°¡­Alright, in you go then.¡± ¡°What?!¡± One of the Elven guards shouted, surprised. She was a beautiful woman. Though slender, she had curves in all the right places ¨C baby-making hips and a nice, perky butt. Her traits were fine and delicate, and her frightened face made the Hero want to comfort her. Bash could already imagine himself enveloping her in his arms from behind, burying his nose into her nape and running his fingers over her soft, supple skin. Her blonde hair was tied up in a neat French braid, and the Orc could even pick up a faint flowery scent from where he stood. It was a pity she was already taken, seeing how she wore a white flower on top of her head. The moment she saw Bash, her face tightened as she took a couple of steps back, ready and on guard. This Elf had probably previously fought against the Orcs, her past experience telling her to be careful. ¡°He¡¯s an Orc! Are you really alright letting him in just like that?!¡± ¡°Eh¡­ listen, I don¡¯t give a damn whether he¡¯s an Orc or not. I don¡¯t make the rules, and unlike you folks, we don¡¯t restrict entry into our country according to someone¡¯s race. Everyone is welcome! ¡­Unless you¡¯re a wanted criminal. Hey, you, are you a criminal? You planning to break the law in Dwarf Country?¡± In response to the Dwarf¡¯s question, Bash shook his head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s that! Come on in. You can look for your something as much as you like.¡± Updated from novelhall[.]com ¡°You¡­what¡­ you don¡¯t what kind of race¡­Orc are, do you¡­?¡± The Elf said, fearfully shivering, to which the Dwarf replied with a laugh. ¡°I do know. I also know that Orcs aren¡¯t interested in Dwarven women at all. Our guest here is looking at you, not me.¡± ¡°Wha ¨C that¡­!¡± The Elven soldier wrapped her arms around her body as she took another step backward. Bash slowly peeled his eyes off her. Indeed, this Elf was undeniably attractive. It was inevitable that his eyes would wander, drawn in by her looks. The Dwarven woman, on the other hand, looked like a boulder. Nothing about her appealed to the Orc Hero¡¯s gaze. Hugging an individual like that would be more akin to a contest of strength than a tender caress. On the battlefield, he¡¯d be glad to have her as an opponent, but never would he ever want to bring her home as his wife. ¡°Listen up! Mister here just came from a town absolutely full of Elves he loves and wanted to enter Dwarf country. He¡¯s searching for something important! Something so critical that it supersedes his desire for women! That¡¯s how important it is!¡± ¡°Uh¡­well¡­hm¡­.¡± Bash couldn¡¯t bring himself to correct his Faerie companion. It was objectively undeniable that his goal was to hunt for women. He had come to Dwarf Country because he knew for a fact that he could no longer find a wife in Siwanasi Forest. But then news reached his ears that something similar to the circumstances of Elf Country was happening here. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience And with the Elves, it was a marriage boom. If so, he had to try his luck in Dwarf Country, but all the Dwarves he had seen until now were far from his liking. However, Bash was a man of vast and extensive wisdom. In what could be called an eternity of battles, he had often fought against Dwarves. According to his experiences, he was positive that there were some good-looking women among these stubby folks, even by Orc standards. While they might be far and few between and not be as alluring as the Humans or Elves, they existed. Which is why he had to go, though he didn¡¯t expect much from this visit. ¡°Alright, alright, hurry up and get on with it. I¡¯m in the middle of something here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do just that.¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience Bash began walking past her as they concluded their conversation. And that is when he got a good look at the individual whom the guard was holding on to earlier. [Muu!] She was gorgeous. Her hair was red, as typical for a Dwarf, and her eyebrows thick and well defined, but her face was nothing like the woman next to her. She had a beautifully delicate, curved nose and clear sky-blue eyes. While she was curvy, and her limbs were graceful and slender, just like a Human¡¯s¡­ She was taller than the average Dwarf, and her breasts were large and bountiful. Bash was instantly starstruck. [I never would have thought there could be a woman this lovely among the Dwarves!] The Orc Hero stopped in his tracks. He didn¡¯t know what kind of ¡°boom¡± was going on within Dwarf Country. And if he had to be completely frank, he wasn¡¯t anticipating much. But if there were women as exquisite as this one, it was a different story. Bash immediately turned his head, prepared to strike. [Well then¡­when it was with the Elves, I believe I needed to¡­] Bash jogged, or rather sprinted, his memory, trying his hardest to remember what he should do to seduce her. In Human lands, he kept his body clean, acting masculine and mysterious. In Elven lands, he flaunted his wealth through his purchase of a shiny golden necklace and proposed wearing traditional Elven attire. Both attempts had failed, but the methods themselves weren¡¯t wrong. What about in Dwarven lands? What was the culturally appropriate way to woo a Dwarven woman? What was the proper etiquette? Ah, he should have asked Zell about this beforehand. He hadn¡¯t expected to discover such a beautiful woman so soon and had neglected to gather the necessary information. When he thought about it, nothing particularly awful ever happened to him whenever he failed to adequately prepare intelligence-wise. The same couldn¡¯t be said for his now dead comrade, Donzoi. In one of the battles in Do Banga¡¯s Pit, he was lacking in intel, got lost on the battlefield, and never came back¡­ Not to mention what happened during the battle of Zarico Plains¡­ ¡°You there! You¡¯re a warrior, aren¡¯t you? And a famous one at that!¡± The girl desperately shouted as she looked towards Bash with pleading eyes. ¡°I am. What about it?¡± Bash answered matter-of-factly. Hearing his response, the girl¡¯s face lit up in joy. And then she said them. Those faithful words that Bash had never even dared dream of. A sentence that the Hero had always wanted to hear. His mind lingered on every syllable as the girl spoke out in her pretty voice¡­ Yes, it was¡­ ¡°Please, be my warrior!¡± ¡­a marriage proposal. With this release, the first chapter of volume 3 is done. I¡¯m taking a well-deserved break to reset my brain after this mad translation rush, not to mention that I have exams coming soon as I¡¯m finishing my summer semester. A week or two at most. See you later friends, and stay healthy! Chapter 20.1 A Girls Humiliation Copied and pasted from my comment on the last chapter as to what¡¯s been going in my life: For everyone that didn¡¯t see my announcement on Discord, I¡¯ve been searching for an internship during my translation break and it¡¯s been taking a ton of my time and energy. For those who have read the announcement, here¡¯s an update: it¡¯s been a complete bloodbath. I suppose those among you who have gone through the same process understand the struggle. Covid hasn¡¯t been helping things out either. The field I¡¯m studying in generally involves a lot of in person work and being close to people. I happen to be immunocompromised, and the vaccine has limited effectiveness on me. For my safety, I¡¯m looking at work from home jobs in similar fields, which also happen to be positions that are usually looking to be filled by engineers. I am completely fucked. Out of over a hundred applications, only two replies. A total of three interview, two of which were with the same company. I had high hopes, cause shit, why would you interview me twice if you didn¡¯t like me, right? But nope, in the end I¡¯m still without an internship. I absolutely need one for my degree and I¡¯m pretty fucking devastated. I¡¯m still looking, but my energy and motivation to do anything are at rock bottom. Needless to say, I haven¡¯t been able to TL properly. For those who are still intent on reading this novel, thank you so much for your patience. For those who dropped, sorry for taking so long, and I hope you come back once a bunch of releases are out. Well, here¡¯s another update ¨C it took a while, but I¡¯m doing much better now! I¡¯ve regained some of my motivation, and I¡¯ve begun learning Java to try and earn a certification. At this point I don¡¯t have a choice unless I want to be unemployed until the pandemic is fully over, and who knows how long that¡¯ll take with the variants and all coming out¡­ I wish I had gone into engineering, but nooooo, teenage me didn¡¯t want to be just like my engineer dad and got a business degree instead and now I want to do engineering jobs and I ain¡¯t got no qualifications. Ffs. Kids, go into the more difficult fields. An engineer can always be hired to do a manager¡¯s job, but not vice-versa. Anyways, thanks for waiting so long everyone! I really, truly appreciate it! I¡¯ve got some of my groove back, so let¡¯s get back on this wife-finding journey! Short release, but hey, cut me some slack. Kofi contributors, I¡¯ll mention you on the next release. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want your name and thanks lost in this big wall of text. Anyways, here we go! Do Banga¡¯s Pit had changed a lot from when Bash had last seen the place. The first thing that jumped out to him was the entrance. A gigantic tunnel, whose mouth widened at its end had been cleanly dug out from the rock wall. It was nearly as tall as a three-story castle and wide enough for three horse-drawn carriages to pass side-by-side. This horizontal shaft extended all the way to the back of the Pit ¨C a Dwarven interpretation of a settlement¡¯s main ¡°street¡±. ¡°¡­I heard from Zell that the Dwarves had become much more open-minded and welcoming, but this is beyond impressive.¡± Dwarves were a generally anti-social people ¨C or so the other races thought of them. They preferred the damp, dark comfort of their caverns to the warm, crisp, surface air, and would choose to have material wealth and gold coins over any spiritual comforts. A Dwarf¡¯s daily routine would consist of spending all day in their workshop, followed by a night of drinking, drinking again, and occasionally, a little more drinking. And every so often, they would be blessed with the brawl. Unlike the Elves, the Dwarves weren¡¯t xenophobic, per se, but they were blunt, stubborn, headstrong, and selfish. So long as they were fine, the rest of the world didn¡¯t matter. From what he knew of Dwarves, it was astonishing to Bash that the Dwarves had enlarged the entrance to make their town more welcoming to foreign visitors. ¡°Open-minded? What are you going on about?¡± An answer came from the girl who just a moment ago was trapped in the grip of a gruff and tough Dwarven woman. Using Bash as an excuse and distraction, she had escaped her would be captor. ¡°This tunnel.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up with the tunnel?¡± ¡°Hm? Well, uh, everything is, well, nothing¡¯s ¡°up¡± with it, but¡­¡± Jumping in and interrupting Bash¡¯s verbal fumbling, his Faerie companion began her own monologue. ¡°This tunnel! Wow! It¡¯s as if the mountain itself was opening its arms to welcome us! It¡¯s so spacious and comfortable! Man, back then, there were times when I had no idea where the actual entrance to town was until I¡¯d stumble on a random pit and luck out! Ah, I remember those ¡°holes¡± being more like hungry, threatening abysses than an entrance.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what you mean¡­ well, it wasn¡¯t exactly built by us Dwarves. It¡¯s more a matter of making the best out of a nearly disastrous situation. Near the end of the war, the Daemons got reckless, and brought out ¨C ¡­¡± ¡°Ahah! I¡¯ve heard of that it! Do Banga¡¯s Pit ¡°Djinn Cannon¡±!¡± Back during the conflict, during the time Bash and the Orcs had their hands full defending Siwanasi Forest, another battle was unfolding right where the party stood today, in Do Banga¡¯s Pit. A Daemonic General, leading a combined army of Ogres and Harpies led an assault, aiming to reclaim the now Dwarven settlement. He had a scarce few troops left, his supplies had previously been exhausted, and he had no real hope for victory. It was a reckless endeavor by any metrics. However, the Daemonic General had an ace up his sleeve. A powerful armament called the ¡°Djinn Cannon¡±. This weapon was supposed to have been put to use in the decisive battle on the Lemium Highlands, but with Gediguz¡¯s death, those plans had been derailed, and the cannon found itself at Do Banga¡¯s Pit. The Djinn Cannon was a peculiar item ¨C a construct brough to life by the minds of the most genius engineers and mages. It used the souls of sentient beings as a projectile. A built-in sacrificial altar had been built into the weapon¡¯s rear-end. As more lives were given to the altar, the more powerful the cannon became. When it was fully loaded, it was mighty enough to be called a strategic weapon, a single shot being able to bore a hole straight through a mountain. Which was exactly what happened, though it didn¡¯t have the success the Federation¡¯s side was hoping for. Had the shot properly struck the Dwarven Army, Do Banga¡¯s Pit might still be under Federation control today. Or the war might have continued a little longer. Unfortunately for the Daemon¡¯s, the Dwarves had previously been informed of the Djinn Cannon¡¯s presence near their fortress and had made the wise decision to retreat. After narrowly avoiding the destruction brough forth by the weapon, they went on to the offensive and handily defeated the Daemon General and his troops. Though most would agree that the Dwarves decision was a wise one, it was also very unlike them to turn their backs to an opponent. Dwarven battle philosophy revolved around head-on fighting, using their innate resilience and sturdy armour to outlast their enemies. For them, to evade or retreat was equivalent to cowardice. However, Dwarves also had a long tradition of tinkering and engineering. From the intel they had, it wasn¡¯t difficult for them to understand the technology and concept behind the Djinn Cannon and estimate how powerful it was ¨C they knew for a fact that there was no way anything they could construct or prepare in a timely manner would be able to withstand a blast from that monstrosity of a weapon. Not even the most delusional among them dared to try. And so, though the Dwarves won the day, the gaping hole that would eventually become the entrance to Do Banga¡¯s Pit left an awkward feeling in their hearts and souls. Featuring this new impromptu corridor, the settlement was now in danger of collapsing. Prideful and not wanting to let go of this historical town that stood in defiance of the challenges they faced as a race, they reinforced the hole made by the Djinn Cannon, cleaned it up, and finally turned it into an integral part of the city. A town with a large, single main street slightly bothered Dwarven sensibilities, but this new layout was generally well received by the other races. ¡°Come on, follow me. It¡¯s this way.¡± The boulevard was buzzing with activity. With the clings and clangs of Dwarven hammers striking anvils accentuating the atmosphere, various races could be seen wandering around, going about their daily activities. Dwarves and Beastkin were especially prominent. Humans were far and few between, and Elves were even more uncommon. But that wasn¡¯t all ¨C some individuals hailing from the Federation were also present. Lizardmen, Killer Bees and others went around, browsing and shopping. ¡°Hmm.¡± It was then that Bash¡¯s eyes fell on an exceptionally large man. His skin was reddish-black, and he stood at least an arm¡¯s length taller than Bash himself. His bulging muscles matched the size of his frame, and his chin was wide and bulky. ¡°There are even Ogres here?¡± This man was familiar to Bash. Indeed, the two had fought side-by-side during the decisive battle of the Lemium Highlands. His name was Gorgon, nicknamed the ¡°Iron Giant¡±. Chapter 20.2 A Girls Humiliation Thank you so much to the ever virile Chad Orc-san! The probably suit wearing the Gentleman! Mister numbers that never leaves a comment but keeps contributing anyways 123321 (twice)! A man/woman who I can¡¯t think of a snarky comment for Thom! And the disco ape himself funkymonkey! Thank you so, SO much boys, I really appreciate it! I haven¡¯t had the time to send personalized thanks on Ko-Fi yet, but I¡¯ll get around to it soon! Just know that I read everything you send me! Just went through another interview too, though this one didn¡¯t go as well as I would have liked. Fingers crossed! Anyways, here goes! ¡°Oh yeah, it¡¯s almost time for the Armament Festival. This year¡¯s event promises to be bigger and better than ever before, so the artisans are really hustling to try and gather the best and fiercest fighters from all over the world.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The Orc Hero had never heard of this ¡°Armament Festival¡± before. But he did have some experience with festivals. Back when Daemon King Gediguz was still alive and well, there were celebrations every year to keep morale high and allow the soldiers to let loose some of the wartime stresses. During the Orc Festival, the heads of every clan would lead their men and gather for a great feast. Then, warriors specially selected from each group would assemble and compete to determine who was the strongest of them all ¨C in a huge fistfight. Many individuals from other races would also come to participate in the festivities, though they would stay out of the general melee. Bash guessed this ¡°Armament Festival¡± would play out similarly. ¡°Ah, right here, my house is this way.¡± Said the girl as she turned and headed down one of the town¡¯s alleys, beyond which laid an intricate network of steep stairs, dimly lit tunnels and winding paths. This was the kind of Dwarven urban organisation Bash was familiar with. As the group headed in ever deeper, the hustle and bustle of the crowd became ever more distant, now just a muffled whisper. The cacophony of iron hitting iron echoed from all around them, though there were very few visible people. Bash heart danced in anticipation as he admired the top of the girl¡¯s head from his Orcish vantage point. Some Dwarves could be beautiful. But this girl far exceeded every single one of Bash¡¯s expectations. When Breeze had first told him to head over to this Dwarven city, Bash hadn¡¯t thought much of it, looking forward to the food and drink offerings rather than the women. ¡°Be my warrior.¡± Moreover, he definitely did not foresee he would suddenly receive a proposal. As expected from a Human¡¯s well-informed advice. After all, Breeze hadn¡¯t earned his nickname from being stupid. Bash was almost embarrassed to have had assumed the worst. (Zell, I¡¯m really glad we came here.) (Same here! I never would have though you¡¯d find a wife so fast, mister, and for her to take the initiative herself! Amazing! I was confident that we¡¯d find someone for you pretty quickly, but I¡¯m almost disappointed with how easy this was.) (It is what it is. Looks like this is how I accomplish my goal.) (Awww, does that mean that this journey is over? ¡­ I wish I could have traveled with you more, mister.) (Hm¡­ me too. This was a fun experience.) Bash and Zell followed closely after the Dwarven girl, conversing in hushed voices. ¡°Here we are.¡± The girl walked into a small, Dwarf-sized door at the end of the alley. Given his definitely-not-Dwarf-sized stature, Bash had to crouch to enter. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a little cramped, but feel free to make yourself at home.¡± Her home featured a small but well-furnished smithy. Hammers of all shapes and sizes hung from wall mounted hooks while a stack of firewood laid next to a stout, sturdy anvil. Though the furnace was unlit, it was obvious from the wear and tear on the equipment that they were well-used. Looking closely, Bash could notice that the girl¡¯s hands were just as worn as the tools they often held, her fingers callused, and her nails stained black from iron dust. It was easy to conclude that she ran this workshop ¨C a blacksmith. However, her occupation was of no concern to the Orc. ¡°Ah¡­ I was planning on leaving town, but I guess all my preparation was for nothing¡­¡± The girl unstrapped her luggage from her back, dropping it to the ground, and removed her cloak, revealing her bare, muscular, toned arms, typical of Dwarves. Innately resistant against fire, Dwarves generally did not wear sleeved clothing while working the forge. Which meant that Bash was treated to an eyeful of the girl¡¯s bare, pale shoulders. Her skin was stained with soot and burns, as any blacksmith¡¯s worth their salt would be, but to the Orc, it was a flawless and lustrous ivory white. ¡°!¡± When he though about it, the last time he had seen a woman¡¯s bare skin was when he had saved a ragged Judith from the cave bandits. But unlike Judith, this girl in front of him had taken off her clothes of her own free will. This is it. Updated from novelhall[.]com That was the sign he was waiting for. ¡°Whoa!¡± Bash firmly grasped the girl¡¯s shoulders, his large palms wrapping around her petite stature. He could finally say goodbye to the looming horror of becoming a Magic Warrior. A mix of deep satisfaction and excitement rose up within him as he laughed in delight. ¡°Wha¡­? What are you doing?!¡± The girl, on the other hand, didn¡¯t look so happy, confused at the Hero¡¯s sudden actions. But Bash could no longer stop himself, his hands now firmly grabbing the girl¡¯s clothes. ¡°Wait, wait, eh?! What are you trying to do with my clothes?! Stop!¡± The girl shouted, as she hung onto and push away Bash¡¯s arms. She had some real strength. Though from the Orc Hero¡¯s point of view, it was no different than holding back a small child, this made him realise that she was rejecting him. ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong? Is it not a good time?¡± ¡°Not a¡­wha¡­? What are you even going on about?! Of course, it¡¯s not a good time!¡± Apparently, something was wrong. However, even for a wise warrior like Bash, there were times when he could not back down. No, he didn¡¯t want to back down. He had come too close to give up now. He could already taste the sweet nectar of a lost virginity. In a fight, there are moments when you have to play the odds, even if you are hopelessly outnumbered. After all, she had proposed to him first, and the Hero had agreed. What came next was, naturally, mating. It was high time to put an end to his years of shame and worry. ¡°But you asked me to be your warrior, and I agreed. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°Uh¡­wait¡­huh? Yes, I did, but¡­¡± The girl could barely respond, stunned at his statement. However, when she finally took in the situation ¨C the Orc, snorting and heaving in front of her, and her almost naked body, she understood what was going on. ¡°Ha¡­ so you¡¯re telling me that¡­ these were your intentions the whole time?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bash affirmed honestly, without missing a beat. As he always did ¨C after all, it was the truth, and he had nothing to be ashamed of. Mating was the whole purpose behind his travels ¡°Haha¡­ I¡¯m so stupid¡­Idiot! Dummy! Stupid!¡± Teardrops began to fall from the corner of the girl¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡­hic¡­I though you Orcs weren¡¯t interested in Dwarven women¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re an exception.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always the exception¡­! Hic¡­sorry¡­ugh, I¡¯m only half Dwarf after all¡­¡± Turning away from the Orcs, the girl shut her eyes tight and bit her lip, as if to strengthen her resolve. ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯ll do whatever you want, but in return, just keep your promise to fight for my as my warrior¡­¡± Her tears were now a torrent, streaming down her face, leaving small dark spots on the wooden floor. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do what you want¡±, she said. In other words, both parties had reached an agreement ¨C she was consenting to Bash¡¯s sexual advances. However, her body language said otherwise, as she turned away and bawled her eyes out. Orcs rarely shed tears themselves, but they could still understand the underlying significance of an individual crying. Was this really okay? The Hero, for all his wisdom, couldn¡¯t make head or tails of the situation. Luckily, he had his trusty sidekick Zell to turn to. And he did just that, looking up at the Faerie inquisitively. ¡°¡­¡± Zell was lost in thought for a few seconds, but eventually crossed her arms over her head, making an ¡°X¡±. It was a no-go. [I knew it.] Bash pulled his hand away, disappointed. ¡°Forgive me, I was in the wrong.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience The girl, now suddenly free from the Orc¡¯s embrace, looked up at her nearly aggressor, confusion in her eyes. ¡°Huh? What?¡± ¡°Non-consensual sexual intercourse with another species is strictly forbidden in the name of the Orc King. I thought you had agreed, and I got carried away. Forgive me.¡± ¡°Ah¡­well, I guess it¡¯s fine if you apologise¡­wait, but you¡¯re an Orc though? I though that Orcs couldn¡¯t control themselv ¨C ¡­ ah, it¡¯s because I¡¯m a half-breed, isn¡¯t it¡­¡± Nonetheless, whether or not it was a misunderstanding, Bash had to pursue his objective. This girl in front of him was definitely beautiful. And sometimes, warriors had to throw all they weight behind a last ditch effort, even though all hope was seemingly lost. ¡°Let me ask you once again; would you bear my children?¡± A typical Orcish proposal. The girl¡¯s face turned bright red as she shouted in reply. ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to have any kids!¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± A flat-out refusal ¨C there could be no confusion this time around, but Bash didn¡¯t let it bother him. It was to be expected. From the Land of Humans to the Land of Elves, despite his best efforts and careful preparations, both his proposals were met with failure. It only made sense for this proposal, prior to which he had made no plans, would end in a loss. Naturally, he must have made a mistake somewhere along the line, especially in thinking that the girl had proposed to him. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience But this was Dwarf Country. There were large cultural differences here compared to Human or Elf Country. Here, polygamy was widely accepted, and even encouraged. Unlike the fiercely loyal and monogamous Elves, no matter how many women he courted or proposed to, his chances in subsequent attempts would not decrease. Now it was only a matter of actually finding a woman that suited his tastes. Bash didn¡¯t exactly feel comfortable in dealing with Dwarven women¡­ But he trusted in Breeze¡¯s advice ¨C there must be a way for him to get some results here. Chapter 20.3 A Girls Humiliation I am now also on Twitter, which is the fastest way to get alerted for any new chapters! Follow me @BADMACHINETL ! BIG THANKS to the nigh incomprehensible, quick speaking Boomhauer and the soft Pillowbro! I somehow missed you guys when writing my thanks on the last release, so I¡¯m doing it here. Arigathanks bros! And MORE BIG THANKS to Deathsu, Marvinzum and TipsyCanoe. Last part of chapter 20. ¡°Wait! Wait¡­! Just¡­¡± Bash stopped in his tracks. But he didn¡¯t get his hopes up. The Orc wasn¡¯t the most intelligent man around, but he still had his warrior¡¯s wisdom. A good warrior was a warrior that doesn¡¯t make the same mistake twice. ¡°Haa¡­I¡¯ll ask you once again. Would you be my warrior?¡± Bash¡¯s face scrunched up, perplexed, as he heard her request. He could easily conclude that for this girl, a warrior and a spouse were two different things. And she definitely wasn¡¯t asking him for his hand in marriage¡­ So, what did it mean to be ¡°her warrior¡±? ¡°What does being someone¡¯s¡­ ¡°warrior¡±, mean in the first place?¡± It was Zell who had interjected herself into the conversation with this question. She had inquired about the same information Bash wanted to know, saving himself from any further embarrassment. It was the kind of thinking on one¡¯s feet (or wings, in this case) that only the Faerie, who was adept at reading the atmosphere, could do. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a long story¡­ where should I begin¡­¡± The girl nodded to herself, willing herself to her feet, before grabbing her cloak that was crumpled up at her feet and throwing it around her shoulders. Throwing a sideways glance at Bash¡¯s eyes, she spoke. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll start at the beginning.¡± And she began her story. In Dwarven city of Do Banga¡¯s Pit, a grand celebration called the ¡°Armament Festival¡± is held once every year. This celebration took the form of a tournament, meant to honor the brave warriors and pay tribute to the armors and weapons that aided them in battle during the war. It was formatted just like any other tournament would be ¨C participants would fight each other one-on-one and advance in their bracket, the final survivor being crowned the winner. It was important to note the ¡°pay tribute to the armors and weapons¡± part of the festival. During the tournament, the participating warriors would don armor and wield weapons made by a single blacksmith. Of course, when a warrior died or was otherwise unable to continue, he would be considered defeated ¨C but the peculiarity of this tournament was in its rules concerning equipment: if the weapon or armor worn by a warrior was broken or became otherwise unusable, the warrior would also be considered as having lost. At the festival¡¯s inception, the tournament¡¯s participants were mainly Dwarves who both forged their own armor and fought wearing it. However, as the war progressed, a new doctrine appeared among the Dwarves, first proposed by the famous Dwarven merchant Ah Dams Myth: division of labour. To maximise efficiency, the Dwarves decided to concentrate on the task they were best at, whether it be fighting or crafting. Hence, the tournament¡¯s format changed, allowing warrior-blacksmith pairs to participate together. Of course, a Dwarf who was skilled at both smithing and fighting could also participate alone if he or she so desired. One example of such an individual was Doradora Do Banga, the ¡°War Fiend¡±. He had singlehandedly won the tournament ten times in a row and had been inducted into the Hall of Fame. But bar the exceptions, most would participate with a partner. One warrior, one blacksmith. The blacksmith would toil for hours on end to make the sturdiest armor and weapon they could, and the warrior would fight wearing said armor and wielding said weapon, trying to become the last one standing. The Armament Festival was an event that celebrated both the blacksmith¡¯s pride and the warrior¡¯s honor and winning was the highest award a craftsman could ever hope for. But more importantly, nobody would ever dare to ridicule a victor of the Armament Festival or call them a half-wit. ¡°So that¡¯s why I was thinking of joining¡­but they¡­¡± ¡°They?¡± ¡°My sisters. They¡¯ve been sabotaging me and telling every warrior in the country to not pair up with me. They want to make sure I can¡¯t participate.¡± ¡°¡­Why would they do that?¡± ¡°They¡¯re afraid. They¡¯re scared that I¡¯ll beat them.¡± The girl declared as the spread her arms to emphasize her words. Her disproportionately generous breast swung from left to right, and Bash¡¯s heart swayed in unison. It was too bad he had to give up on this woman. ¡°They¡¯ve always made fun of me. Always mocked me, calling me a half-wit half-breed.¡± ¡°A half-wi ¨C ¡­? You? Why?¡± ¡°Oh, well as you can see, I¡¯ve got Human blood in me. My mother was a Human. I¡¯m half-Human.¡± Hearing this, Bash carefully observed the girl once more. To begin, her looks were way too suited to his sensibilities for a Dwarven woman. Furthermore, though she had some muscle on her, her body was way to lithe and delicate to be a Dwarf¡¯s. Yet she had some Dwarven characteristics, like her fiery-red hair. It would make sense for the Orc to be attracted to her if she was the offspring of a Human-Dwarf union. ¡°They keep telling everyone that a child between a Human and a Dwarf won¡¯t ever be able to become a proper blacksmith.¡± ¡°Hm? Really? Why?¡± His question was genuine. Nearly all Orcs grow up never knowing they had a mother in the first place. If the mother had high magical aptitude, a ¡°colored¡± Orc would be born. It was common knowledge among the older Orcs that choosing the mother of your children was important, as colored orcs were often innately stronger than ordinary green Orcs. However, Bash had never heard of an Orc growing up to be a poor warrior due to his maternal lineage, thus his confusion towards blood-related prejudice. ¡°Yeah! Those bastards¡­they¡¯re making fun of me and my mother!¡± The girl exclaimed as she slammed her fist down onto the table, making it rattle on its rickety legs and sending a mug and two pliers airborne for a fraction of a second. But from that outburst, Bash could now somewhat emphasize with her story. In short, she most likely wanted revenge because she was made fun of. Even within the relatively simple confines of Orc society, if you were insulted, it was only fair to strike back, whether verbally or with your fists. ¡°Then you should prove them wrong.¡± ¡°Hell yeah I should! That¡¯s why I wanted to participate in the Armament Festival in the first place! It¡¯d be a long shot for me to even think of winning the whole thing, but I don¡¯t need to. I just want to beat one of the fighters wearing the gear they made¡­just one victory, and I could get even! Sure it would be humiliating for them to lose to me, but they went too far, trying to keep me out of the entire tournament!¡± Tears were welling up in the corners of the girl¡¯s eyes. The shame and frustration she felt must have been overwhelming, thought the Hero. ¡°Then participate on your own.¡± ¡°Haa? With this arm?¡± The girl raised her right arm and flexed her bicep. While she was more than adequately muscular from a Human standpoint, for a Dwarf, she was as thin and brittle as a dead branch. ¡°I take after my mother, especially in my looks and body. I don¡¯t have what it takes to make it as a warrior.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°But when it comes to blacksmithing, I¡¯ve got both talent and determination. I put in so much work and effort¡­ which is why I though to look for a warrior outside of the country. My siblings have a lot of pull here, but their influence doesn¡¯t extend to foreign nations. But they wouldn¡¯t let that happen, so they chased me down to the border and caught me, telling me they wouldn¡¯t allow me to go abroad¡­ and then you came along.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± The girl raised her eyes, resolutely looking up at Bash. ¡°I need your help. Please. I want to win and show everyone that I¡¯m not¡­not what they say I am! That my mother¡¯s blood isn¡¯t something I should be ashamed of!¡± The Hero understood. She wanted revenge. She wanted to prove that her blacksmithing skills were up-to-par. Which is why she was looking for a warrior that was not under her opponent¡¯s grasp. However, he had no intention of accepting her request. He might be able to mate with this girl, but it wouldn¡¯t truly be intercourse with consent, as the Orc King decreed. Bash quickly came to a conclusion. ¡°I apologize, but I can¡¯t help you. I came here looking for something.¡± Bash wasn¡¯t here for leisurely tourism. Had he nothing better to do, he would have been more than happy to aid the girl. Unfortunately for her, he had a separate and much more pressing objective ¨C and time was running short. Had she asked for his help before rejecting his advances, he would have been more than willing to lend a hand, if only to increase his chances at a successful proposal and her likeability towards him, but it was too late now. ¡°Ah, well¡­ okay, I understand¡­¡± The girl was unable to hide her disappointment, looking down at the floor. But there was no way around it ¨C Bash didn¡¯t have any time to waste. ¡°Goodbye.¡± The Hero briskly walked out of the house, leaving behind the sobbing girl. Without looking back, he headed down the main street. That girl was undoubtedly beautiful. It was a shame he had to leave empty-handed, but gracefully giving up and leaving after being rejected was the right thing to do. Had he persisted, he might have ended up having non-consensual intercourse. ¡°No¡± meant ¡°no¡±, and a single ¡°no¡± was enough. Not to mention Bash¡¯s deadline was approaching. The Orc only had a couple of years left to avoid becoming a Magical Warrior. He couldn¡¯t let his defeats drag him down and waste his time. ¡°It¡¯s too bad, huh¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a reason Sir Breeze told you to come here! I¡¯ll do my best and look for a perfect match for you, mister! Let¡¯s find an inn and have our usual strategy meeting!¡± ¡°Yosh.¡± Nodding to each other, Bash and Zell headed down the main street, in search of lodging. Chapter 21.1 The simplest way to get a woman I am now also on Twitter, which is the fastest way to get alerted for any new chapters! Follow me @BADMACHINETL ! Whew, this has been a rock-and-roll two weeks for me. For those unaware, I managed to nap myself an internship in the nick of time! Congratulations me! I¡¯ve been super busy with the paperwork, so thank you all for being patient. I¡¯ll try to get two more releases either today or tomorrow to catch up, so sit tight! ¡°Oh, her! I like the look of that girl right there.¡± ¡°Alrighty! Let me go ask her for her name!¡± The very next day, Bash and his winged partner were hard at work ¡°hunting¡± for women on the Do Banga¡¯s Pit¡¯s main street. Though this wasn¡¯t the kind of ¡°hunting¡± the Orcs regularly did back in the day. The Hero would see a girl that struck his fancy, and Zell would go up to her to ask her for her name. She also questioned the prospective mate about whether she was married, and if she was a local. Afterwards, the Faerie wrote it all down on a sheet of paper that Bash was currently holding. The pair were gathering intel. Looking back upon their previous unsuccessful attempts, they realised their failures were mainly due to a lack of information. Both times Bash had proposed to women who were out of his reach no matter what he did. Judith had an indelible traumatic experienced caused by Orcs, and Sonia was a far too imminent a personage. However, had he proposed to any other Elven woman¡­ For example, a regular Elven soldier, as Breeze had done, she might have responded positively to his advances. He had to first determine who was truly in reach, and then ask for her hand in marriage according to Dwarven etiquette. That was the Hero¡¯s fool proof plan for this attempt. ¡°Alright, I got it. Her name is Pauline, single, commoner, currently works at a tavern a little further down the street. She quite pretty! But really mister, I think you should go for a woman of a higher tier.¡± ¡°We¡¯d have to find one first.¡± ¡°Of course! Have no doubt that your loyal companion here will track down your perfect potential wife! Anyways, the list is pretty long now, isn¡¯t it? Let¡¯s go and think of a plan to get all of these girls!¡± ¡°Yosh!¡± Collect names, gather information, and strategize accordingly. They had to figure out what kind of man the woman living here in Do Banga¡¯s Pit liked, and whether they were open to marrying an Orc. At the very least, the Hero didn¡¯t feel the overt hostility and fear that had been directed at him in Human Country. Even so, he couldn¡¯t lower his guard. It was essential to have a clear understanding of the situation, and only then proceed with a sure-fire tactic. Bash and Zell were both seasoned veterans. They had tasted defeat two times now. There would not be a third. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s ¨C ¡­¡± It was then that a familiar sound reached Bash¡¯s sensitive ears. The earth shook from the waves of a thousand shouts coming from afar. The choir of yells and cries that he had heard so many times during the war. ¡°Hm? What¡¯s up boss? You found another woman you like?¡± ¡°No. I hear¡­ celebration?¡± ¡°Oh! One of the ladies told me that there was a coliseum nearby! You wanna go check it out?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­sure.¡± Bash agreed as he turned to follow the sound of the cheers. The coliseum was easy to find. It was smack-dab in the centre of the whole mountain and was where the main street ended. From a distance, it looked like an enormous wall ¨C a sheer rocky cliff. But as Bash got closer, he could distinguish its details and realized it was a large, circular building. Approaching even further, he noticed the gaping hole in the town¡¯s ceiling directly above the construction ¨C the previous mouth of the volcano, serving as a natural light source highlighting the coliseum. An arena of solid stone, built according to Dwarven architecture. The cheers came from within it. But that wasn¡¯t all. Bash could also distinguish the familiar echoes of metal clashing metal. Two swordsmen were fighting, from the sounds of it. ¡°Looks like its pretty popular.¡± ¡°Sure does.¡± A seemingly endless throng of people were coming and going through the coliseum¡¯s entrance, likely to watch the match. ¡°Oh, seems like we need to pay an entrance fee.¡± ¡°No problem. I still have some money left from Siwanasi Forest.¡± As they were about to enter, something caught Bash¡¯s eye. It was a group of individuals, sitting idly near the arena¡¯s wall. They looked familiar. Orcs. For some reason, a bunch of Orcs were lingering nearby. Their hands and feet were shacked and tied down with thick iron chains. ¡°Oh, they¡¯re Orcs. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Strays?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± Bash hesitantly affirmed. Of course, he didn¡¯t know the names nor the faces of every Orc out there. Updated from novelhall[.]com Sure, he remembered nearly everyone whom he met within Orc Country in the last three years of peace, but even then he couldn¡¯t be sure, as a significant number of Orcs had gone rogue during that time. In other words, it was hard to determine who had died in combat, who had decided to simply not return, and who had decided to rebel afterwards. As for this particular bunch, Bash did not recognize their faces. However, he had the vague impression that he had seen them before, so they must have fought alongside each other at least once during the war. If that was the case, they must have run away from Orc Country right after peace was brokered. Seeing as they were now enslaved within Dwarven lands, he wondered if they had come here to wreak havoc and were subsequently caught. Had they been war captives, the Hero would have rescued them without a second thought. Unfortunately for them, stray Orcs were no longer Orcs. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Turning away, Bash stepped into the arena. Chapter 21.2 The simplest way to get a woman I am now also on Twitter, which is the fastest way to get alerted for any new chapters! Follow me @BADMACHINETL ! BIG THANKS to Boomhauer for his generous contribution! Thank you brother! The Coliseum¡¯s crowd was in a frenzy. There were three fighters and a single magical beast facing off against one another in the arena. A Manticore. A creature hailing from the far north-eastern forests, the Manticore sported the limbs and torso of a tiger. Its fur was crimson, and its head resembled that of a Human, though it was unable of speech. Its tail ended in a sphere of sharp, narrow stingers, like those of a sea-urchin. These spikes contained a deadly and extremely potent venom. If stung, the victim would be dead within seconds. And if luck would have it that the victim had been born as a member of a species with innate poison resistance, they would faint, foaming at the mouth ¨C though the end result would remain all the same, as Manticores were known to devour their prey, dead or alive. This horrific beast lived far beyond the borders of Orcish lands, but Bash had nevertheless fought members of its species many a times. Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Once, by the time the Hero had reached the battle, six Orc warriors had already been sacrificed, felled by its claws and tail. That was how dangerous Manticores were. As a matter of fact, two of the fighters within the arena had already collapsed, eyes rolled back in the back of their heads and foamy saliva dripping down the side of their mouths. With nearly half of their force dead, it would be easy to assume that the 5-man formation would quickly collapse, and that their chances at victory were thin. However, upon closer inspection, the Manticore¡¯s right eye had been crushed to a pump, and long lengths of chain were wrapped tightly around its legs. Of the remaining three men, two were positioned on the beast¡¯s left flank, and one was on the right. Working in tandem, the former would pressure the Manticore, and when it turned away, the latter would precisely strike from its blind spot. The two parties were evenly matched. Perhaps some of the remaining warriors even had some experience facing Manticores. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience ¡°They took out its legs and vision and are steadily wearing it down. Not bad.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If they keep this up, they¡¯ll win. The guy circling around on the right side is skilled.¡± Just as Bash predicted, moments later, the man on the Manticore¡¯s right thrust his sword deep into the beast¡¯s underarm, through its ribcage. A decisive, fatal blow. The monster thrashed around for a few seconds before wavering, coughing up blood, and collapsing. A sparse wave of applause broke out in the crowd. It was a skilfully executed magical beast extermination, but nonetheless, from the spectator¡¯s point of view, it was lacking in excitement. As a spectacle, it was mediocre at best, being more of a clinical operation than a show. Bash was of the same mind. After all, it wasn¡¯t particularly thrilling to watch five men do what he himself did alone on a regular basis. ¡°Oh, looks like a battle between people is coming up next.¡± As the Manticore and the fallen fighter¡¯s corpses were cleared away by the Coliseum¡¯s staff, two armoured men stepped out onto the arena. From where they were standing, Bash couldn¡¯t make out the newcomers¡¯ faces, but he could tell that their bodies were toned and well-trained. However, what truly caught the pair¡¯s attention was something else. ¡°Hey, mister, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The fresh fighters¡¯ skin was green. Just like Bash¡¯s. Visit novelhall[.]com for the best novel reading experience ¡°Graaaah!!!¡± ¡°Uraaaaah!!!¡± The participant¡¯s shouted out their respective warcries, yet they sounded¡­unmotivated. Even so, there was only one race that would scream out their warcries in this manner prior to a duel. Orcs. ¡°A duel between Orcs!¡± ¡°Now this is worth watching!¡± Bash almost though his eyes had betrayed him, but the audience had reached the same conclusion. For some reason, two Orcs were facing each other. With sword and shield in hand, they clashed in the centre of the ring. At first glance, it looked like an evenly matched, heated battle. With every strike, every swing of the blade, the crowd would erupt in cheers. However¡­ ¡°¡­what the hell is this?¡± Only Bash reacted differently. As not only an Orc, but the Orc Hero, he knew better than anyone what a true duel between Orcs looked like. An Orcish duel was a desperate affair, where both combatants would lay it all on the line. Whether young or old, veteran or untried, both sides would gather all their courage and immerse themselves in bloodlust, gritting their teeth and enduring agony to take just one more step. Just one more swing of the blade. One more thrust of the spear. Anything to be the last one standing. That was what a true Orcish duel was. But the mockery that was taking place in the arena was different. Completely and utterly different. It was more akin to a carefully rehearsed dance than actual combat. There was no bloodlust, no fear of death, no desperation, no killing intent, no desire for victory. This was no duel. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Mister, are you upset¡­?¡± Bash did not reply. He kept observing the fight in solemn silence. Eventually, the duel reached its climax. One of the two men seemingly found an opening and struck the other across his thigh. The victim of the slash fell to his knees, and the aggressor laid the edge of his sword on the back of his neck. The game was over. ¡°UOOOOHHHH!!!!¡± Raising his sword, he shouted, revelling in his victory ¨C this time even louder than his warcry. Spreading his arms and waving to the crowd, he circled around the arena, stirring up cheers and applause. ¡°What¡¯s he doing? Isn¡¯t he going to finish him off?¡± Visit novelhall[.]com for a better experience Zell curiously asked nobody in particular. Having seemingly overheard her question, a spectator on her right turned around. ¡°Hey Faerie, is this your first time at the Coliseum?¡± He was a Dwarf, completely red in the face from inebriation. Holding an empty mug in each hand, he let out a loud burp, filling the air with the stench of liquor. ¡°Alright, lemme explain it to ya. See the winner strutting around? He¡¯s pleading for the crowd to spare the loser¡¯s life.¡± ¡°Huh? Why would he do that?¡± ¡°Something about recognizing your opponent¡¯s strength and all that, talking with their swords, respect, yadi-yada¡­ But the audience makes the final decision on whether he lives or dies. Look over here, like that.¡± The Dwarven man concluded, gesturing at nearby spectators. True to his words, the majority of the audience had their arms raised, thumbs pointed up. The victor bent down, lending a shoulder to his downed opponent, and both retreated out of the back of the arena. ¡°If the fight was boring, they might vote to kill him, but if they think they can see another fun match like the one just now, it¡¯d be better to keep him alive, right? As for me¡­ well, I¡¯m tired of seeing death. War gave me enough of that, so I won¡¯t ever vote to kill anyone unless they¡¯re some kind of irredeemable scumbag.¡± ¡°Hmm. Even with peace, you have people here still killing each other every day, and they¡¯re making a show out of it? You Dwarves are surprisingly barbaric.¡± ¡°Haah? Nonsense. Killing is only allowed in fights between slaves.¡± Slaves. Yes, the Dwarves practiced slavery. In order to increase their production, during the war they had forced captives to work in their mines and forges. It was an ancient tradition of theirs to make them fight each other for entertainment. ¡°Psst, did you hear that, mister? Are you alright with this? Those Orcs were slaves¡­¡± ¡°A fitting end for a stray Orc.¡± Again, had this been wartime and they were prisoners of war, Bash would have jumped in and rescued them on the spot. But stray Orcs were no longer Orcs. He felt somewhat dejected that that travesty of a duel was being put on display for all to see, but it was a suitable humiliation for those who had defied the Orc King¡¯s edict. It would be shameful for the Hero to recognize this as a true Orcish duel. ¡°Kyaaa!¡± Chapter 21.3 The simplest way to get a woman I am now also on Twitter, which is the fastest way to get alerted for any new chapters! Follow me @BADMACHINETL ! Big thanks to Anon, Rabka and Bubblu for their generous contributions! Thank you so much for your support! ¡°Kyaaa!¡± Suddenly, Bash heard a shrill, feminine scream. Looking in the direction of the noise, he saw a Dwarven woman yelling her lungs out, eyes glued onto the arena. The Hero, in his immense wisdom and deep knowledge of social cues, immediately realized that she was not screaming out in fear from the wide smile plastered on her face. Yes, she was screaming out in joy. In the arena, the next duel was already underway. Once again, two Orcs were duking it out against one another. The action this time was even more intense than before. While it remained a make-believe duel with no desire to win nor kill, it was much more entertaining. One of the men, who was wielding a sword and shield, seemed to be particularly skilled at avoiding strikes by a hair¡¯s breadth and at feigning strenuous effort. For anyone who wasn¡¯t an Orc themselves, it would have truly looked like a heated exchange of blows. As he kept on observing the battle, Bash could not help but feel like that man¡¯s style and moves were familiar to him. ¡°Kyaaa! He¡¯s so cool!¡± ¡°Take me! Take me with your big strong arms!¡± But what he was truly interested in was the Dwarven woman¡¯s cheering. Apparently, that shield-wielder was rather popular. She even asked him to ¡°take her¡±. That was something Bash would love to hear at least once in his life. Not to mention that the shouting woman wasn¡¯t bad looking. ¡°Whoa, looks like strong Orcs are popular with Dwarven women, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Sure does.¡± ¡°Mister, maybe if you show women how strong you are, they¡¯ll fall for you! Now we just need to figure out the best way to do that¡­¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± In conclusion, strong Orcs were popular among Dwarven women. In other words, if Bash could show off his strength, it would increase his likeability with the women on his list. Bash was the Orc Hero. As far as strength was concerned, his dominance was guaranteed. The loss of his virginity was on the horizon. He could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. ¡°You¡¯re talking about that arena groupie? Eh, wait, you¡¯re an Orc, aren¡¯t you?¡± A drunkard on Bash¡¯s left exclaimed as he leaned in. His face was flush red. He held a mug in each hand, and a small keg of liquor laid at his feat. It was apparent to everyone that he was completely and utterly drunk. ¡°Hyuk, you really are an Orc! Listen, friend, I understand that you¡¯d want a woman¡­but unfortunately, its useless! Useless, useless, useless! Waste of time!¡± ¡°Waste of time?! Mister here is really, really strong! He¡¯s so strong he could beat up any of those guys down there with a hand tied behind his back! Those ladies will be falling head over heels begging for him to take them!¡± ¡°You¡¯d think that, but no, you¡¯re off the mark. Those groupies just want to see men busting each other up. They¡¯re not cheering because they like that Orc down there and want to sleep with him. They¡¯re cheering for the action! For the fighting! They¡¯re in love with the violence!¡± ¡°Mu¡­so that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± And just like that, the tunnel became dark once again. Discouraged, Bash¡¯s expression became somber, but the Dwarf kept on speaking as if nothing happened. ¡°If you really want a woman, you¡¯ll have to go to the Armament Festival!¡± ¡°¡­and then what?¡± ¡°And then you win! The winner of the tournament obtains the privilege of getting any one of his wishes granted!¡± ¡°Any wish¡­!?¡± According to the Dwarf¡¯s explanation, it went like so: The Armament Festival was the largest Dwarven celebration, organised by the Dwarf King himself. Its description was identical to what the girl had told Bash yesterday. But she had omitted the fact that the tournament¡¯s victor would have any one of his wishes granted, using the authority of the King himself. Naturally, it would only go as far as the King¡¯s authority could reach, but that in itself was quite a wide scope. Take, for example, the War Fiend Doradora Do Banga. When he emerged victorious from his first tournament, he wished for Do Banga¡¯s Pit and became its lord. On his next victory, he wished for more wealth than he could ever use. On the next, he wished to become a noble. And on his last, he wished to have the Dwarven King¡¯s daughter¡¯s hand in marriage. And thus, through sheer force of arms, a pauper who could do nothing but fight had obtained everything he could have ever desired. ¡°So that¡¯s it! All you need to do is win, and you can just wish for a wife!¡± Bash glanced over at Zell. Win, and obtain whatever your heart desires. And according to Doradora Do Banga, a wife was not out of bounds as a wish. This was a perfect set-up for Bash. ¡°I see! So, this is must have been what Breeze was talking about!¡± ¡°Oh! Of course! Ah, I can¡¯t thank him enough for that!¡± Truth was, Breeze hadn¡¯t mentioned anything in particular. Nevertheless, Bash and Zell profusely thanked him in their hearts. They were certain beyond any doubt that he had anticipated this exact situation and had led the pair here. As a Human who was that well-informed, he deserved his ¡°Breathless¡± nickname. ¡°Ah, so you want to join the festival, eh? That¡¯s great! But¡­most of the famous blacksmiths in this town have already found themselves a fighter. It¡¯s a real shame¡­¡± Yes, if one wanted to participate in the tournament, they needed a blacksmith to partner up with. ¡°Mister! That¡¯s it!¡± ¡°¡­Ah!¡± The Orc and the Faerie were of the same mind. They thought back about the girl they had met the previous day. Considering the facts they had just learned, their interests now aligned. ¡°We can¡¯t just sit here and wait. Let¡¯s go now!¡± Zell took off at breakneck speed. Her wings became a blur as she darted away, leaving a gust of wind in her wake. Bash followed closely behind, his strides sending shockwaves through the air. The impact sent the surrounding drunkards flying, but they only laughed as they fell on their asses. Chapter 21.4 The simplest way to find a woman I am now also on Twitter, which is the fastest way to get alerted for any new chapters! Follow me @BADMACHINETL ! By the time they had made it back to the girl¡¯s home, the sun had already set. She had said she was going away to search for a warrior, so she might already be gone¡­ Luckily, the pair had arrived just as she was stepping out of her front door. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Ah! This isn¡¯t what you think it is, sister! I¡¯m just going for a walk! I¡¯m not trying to run away, I sw ¨C ¡­¡± The girl yelped in panic as she spun around but sighed of relief when she saw it was just Bash and his companion. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just you¡­ What do you want? If you¡¯re here to ask me to have your children, it¡¯s still a definite, categorical no. No matter how many times you come back, or even if you beg on your knees. I¡¯ve got things to do, and finding a warrior is first on that list.¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯m here to become your warrior.¡± ¡°And if you¡¯re going to try and rape me¡­ think twice. This might look like a back-alley dump, but the guards pass by often. And this time, I¡¯ll be resisting for re ¨C ¡­ Wait. Say that again?¡± She blinked once. And then once more. Her eyes went wide as she looked up at Bash, incredulous. ¡°I¡¯m here to become your warrior.¡± The Hero calmly repeated himself. The girl, though she could understand the words, did not seem to be able to process them. After a few moments of confusion, she looked over to Zell, hoping the Faerie could help clarify the situation¡­ ¡­which is the last thing anyone should ever do. ¡°We¡¯re here to win! I¡¯ll do my best to support you both!¡± Luckily, Zell didn¡¯t go off on a tangent, and raiser her voice to help Bash. The girl was rather skeptical about their brazen attitude as she looked back towards the Hero. ¡°Are¡­are you sure about this? I thought you were searching for something. Did you find it? What were you looking for in the first place?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s¡­¡± Suddenly being questioned, Bash hesitated for a second, pondering on whether or not he should come clean about his goals. But the other party had already rejected him. Furthermore, Dwarves were polygamous. It wouldn¡¯t lower his chances at marriage if she were to be aware of his objective. So long as nobody found out he was a virgin, everything would be fine. ¡°¡­I¡¯m looking for a woman.¡± ¡°Wha ¨C ?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for a woman to take as my wife.¡± ¡°Huh, I see¡­ So, you want to win the Armament Festival and straight up wish for a woman?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The girl looked at Bash for a moment, contemplating his answer, her eyes still fearful that he might suddenly go back on his word and try to violate her. ¡°¡­Well, none of that matters to me. But are you really alright with this? My blacksmithing skills are top-of-the-line, but I¡¯m sure that they¡­ I mean, my brothers and sisters ¨C that they might try and sabotage me or something¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried.¡± Bash is the Orc Hero. During the war, he had accumulated countless victories and accomplished more missions than he could count. He was more than familiar with the snags that may appear when performing a task. But when faced with the juggernaut that was Bash, every and all obstruction fell to his overwhelming strength. No man or woman or beast could stand in the way of the strongest of all Orcs. ¡°¡­I see¡­so, you¡¯re¡­you¡¯re really willing to be my warrior¡­¡± It took a few seconds for reality to dawn on the girl ¨C for her to realise that a sliver of hope had finally shone through the wall of her desperation. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. It took her all of her will to not break down and bawl. She had given up. She had nearly come to accept, in her despair, that she would never be given the opportunity to show the world her strength. To prove everyone that doubted her wrong. That she would live the rest of her life in the shadow of her siblings. But now¡­ Now, right in front of her, was a real, flesh-and-blood warrior who was willing to fight alongside her. She finally had an ally. Though the girl still had no idea how skilled this Orc she had just met was, she at least had a chance to participate. A chance at victory. No matter how slim¡­ At last, she could show her brothers and sisters that she wasn¡¯t the failure they thought she was. ¡°Ok!¡± The girl agreed, beaming, as she wiped away her tears. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll be counting on you!¡± ¡°Yosh!¡± ¡°¡­by the way, what was your name again?¡± ¡°Bash. This is Zell.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Primera Do Banga. Just call me Primera!¡± And thus, that is how Bash, Hero of the Orcs, first allied with Primera to compete in the Armament Festival. Chapter 22.1 Swirling Conspiracies I am now also on Twitter, which is the fastest way to get alerted for any new chapters! Follow me @BADMACHINETL ! Action is picking up folks! Big thanks to Chad Orc-san, TheEngineer and an Anonymous Supporter for their generous contributions! Thank you so much! I¡¯ve started my internship, and man this is exhausting. I don¡¯t have much time between work and working on extra certifications to translate, but I¡¯ve managed to find some time here and there. Those of you in consulting, you¡¯ll understand my struggles. Good for you guys that I¡¯m just an intern right now, else I wouldn¡¯t have any time at all. Anyways, here¡¯s the content! The very next morning, Bash made his way out to the outskirts of Do Banga¡¯s Pit ¨C into the forest surrounding the dormant volcano. A square section of the surrounding woods had been cleared out, revealing the bare soil that would usually be hidden under thick foliage. Strewn about were what appeared to be unfinished and crude weapons and armors. This was a Dwarven garbage dump. Most Dwarves would reuse the materials from their failed attempts by melting them down, but as the craftsmen created way more junk than their smelters could process, the leftovers were thrown out here, for anyone to use. Primera stood at the centre of the clearing, her hands on her hips and her chin up high. She looked up at Bash, her face full of enthusiasm. ¡°I¡¯m really going out there to try and win.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Bash, on the other hand, replied distractedly. It couldn¡¯t be helped ¨C from where he stood, he was treated with an eyeful of cleavage, making thinking rather difficult. ¡°Any good blacksmith known that there is no perfect weapon, only a weapon that best suits the warrior it¡¯s made for. So, I¡¯m going to try to make a weapon that fits you.¡± Said Primera as she held out a sword, pointing the hilt towards Bash. It was a wide, thick, double-edged blade. At around a meter and a half long, its surface shone with a barely noticeable red glow, most likely due to the special alloys used in its making. A Human would need both hands to wield it, but for an Orc, one would be more than sufficient. ¡°This isn¡¯t the best sword I¡¯ve ever made, but it¡¯s up there. Here, try it out.¡± Bash reached out to grasp the weapon. Right then, his skin brushed up against Primera¡¯s, sending shivers down his spine. Images of the half-Dwarf¡¯s pale, bare shoulders flashed through his mind as he was reminded of how soft they were when he had grabbed her the other day. Despite already having been rejected, she was still a beautiful girl. The Hero couldn¡¯t help but feel aroused. Right now, she was wearing a thick dark cloak, hiding her figure, but just knowing her muscular yet slender and feminine limbs behind just a piece of cloth sent the Orc¡¯s imagination into a frenzy. Primera, on the other hand, was still unfamiliar with Orcs and was unable to read Bash¡¯s emotions. She was thus utterly oblivious to his thoughts. ¡°Fortunately, there¡¯s plenty of armor around here for us to use.¡± Declared Primera as she lifted a rusty breastplate and set it on a stand she had brought with her. ¡°Alright, first, just give it a swing and give me your honest opinion on it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± When Bash had confirmed that Primera had moved back to a safe distance, he raised the sword¡­ And he swung. It was a simple vertical slash. Bring the weapon up and bring the weapon down. A technique the Hero had practiced thousands upon thousands of times. The Orc struck the armor the same way he had always had, driving the edge into the thickest portion of the steel with overwhelming power. The blade whistled as it cut through the air. And when it finally reached its destination, a loud bang echoed out, more akin to the detonation of Dwarven explosives than the ring of metal hitting metal. Primera could not even see the sword move. ¡°Ah¡­¡± In the blink of an eye, the armor had been shattered into pieces, shards of metal strewn about everywhere. If anyone had seen this demonstration and knew of Bash¡¯s identity, it would reinforce their image of him, and confirm that the rumours they had heard. And even if they did no know who he was, anyone with a modicum of skill would have shuddered at the shockwave created by the attack, understanding the damage it could cause. Even wild beasts would have admitted defeat in front of such a feat of strength. That was the magnitude of this blow. But the girl did not run away, neither was she afraid. ¡°You idiot!¡± She angrily shouted at the Hero as she ran towards him. ¡°Why would you hit it like that?! Why would anyone hit it like that?! It¡¯s a sword! Not a stick!¡± She promptly ripped the weapon out of Bash¡¯s hands before bringing it up to her eyes to examine the damage. The blade was now sporting a pronounced bend at its center, as if someone had used it as a level to move stones from a quarry. ¡°Ah¡­ look at this¡­you bent it¡­¡± ¡°Muu¡­¡± ¡°What kind of reta-¡­ahem, absurd power is this¡­¡± Primera complained as she stroked the now curved blade with the tip of her index, sighing loudly. But she quickly regained her composure, shaking her heard before looking straight at the Orc. ¡°Okay, I see what I need to do now. This is going to be a challenge. You¡¯re thick-headed, and your skills with a sword aren¡¯t that great. I¡¯m going to aim for durability rather than sharpness.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Hearing Primera¡¯s assertions, Zell¡¯s eyes nearly burst out of their sockets. That was inconceivable to her. The Faerie had never in her storied career as a soldier heard anyone who had seen Bash¡¯s strikes and remain unconvinced of his skill. Any doubters were put either put down before they could speak, or gave up, looking up at the Hero as they kneeled, their faces filled with terror. ¡°What? Am I wrong?¡± ¡°¡­No, you¡¯re not.¡± Bash, on the other hand, didn¡¯t care. This wasn¡¯t the first time he had been told that his skills with the sword were lacking. As a matter of fact, he himself knew numerous warriors who were better at him at wielding a blade. So, he knew firsthand that his own expertise was nothing to brag about. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m using this guy here.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ better for you to wield something big, hard and sturdy than a half-baked conventional weapon¡­alright.¡± Concluded Primera as glanced over at the sword attached to Bash¡¯s back. ¡°I¡¯ve got an understanding of what kind of weapon I need to craft now. I¡¯ll be spending time in my workshop, so meanwhile, you guys can go and have fun in the city.¡± ¡°Do you mind if I watch you while you smith?¡± ¡°Huh?! No! No, absolutely not!¡± The Orc Hero raised an eyebrow, slightly taken aback by the intensity of her rejection. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°What? What do you mean why not?! I¡¯m going to be smithing! Smithing using secret Dwarven techniques! ¡° The half-Dwarf took a step backwards, hugging her own shoulders. It was then that Zell flew over, having realised what was going on. The Faerie could be strangely perceptive at times, which is why some even called her Zell, ¡°the Telepath¡±. (Mister, I think she¡¯s wary of you because you tried to assault her yesterday.¡± (Is that so?) (This isn¡¯t limited to Dwarves, but I¡¯ve heard that blacksmithing is a craft that is performed while nearly naked. Even though it was a misunderstanding, it can¡¯t be helped that she thinks that you might attack her again.) As soon as the words ¡°nearly naked¡± passed Zell¡¯s lips, Bash¡¯s desire to observe Primera as she worked, which was at first just pure curiosity, increased tenfold. How could he not want to look at her? Nonetheless, he could not push the issue any further after his request was denied ¨C after all, non-consensual sexual intercourse with other races was prohibited in the name of the Orc King. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll head to town.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be done with the prototype at¡­nightfall, probably. You can come over when the clock reads seven. You know how to read a clock, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± In this underground Dwarven city, there was no way to see the sun. Thus, it became of utmost importance that time-keeping tools be installed in various parts of the settlement. This was a cultural practice unique to Dwarf Country, and very few other races, especially within the Federation, could read the time from a clock. Luckily, Zell could ¨C she had picked up the knowledge during her time as an intelligence officer, as it was essential for spying on the Dwarven army. ¡°Okay! I¡¯m off to work then! Just watch, I¡¯ll make you an amazing, never seen before masterpiece. Just you wait!¡± And with that, Primera ran off towards Do Banga¡¯s Pit. Bash watched as her back disappeared into the distance, before turning towards Zell. The Faerie had her hands on her hips and pouted. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t believe the gall of that shorty.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°What is it?! That girl said that mister¡¯s sword skills weren¡¯t that big a deal! She called you an idiot! She said that to the Orc Hero! The same Orc Hero who has slaughtered countless enemies with that same sword!¡± ¡°She¡¯s right, you know. My sword arm isn¡¯t that great. The man who gave me this sword right here told me the same thing. Bash stated solemnly as he drew the enormous sword he carried on his back. It was too big to be called a sword. Massive, thick, heavy, and far too rough. Indeed, it was a heap of raw iron. Back when the Daemon General had first gifted this sword to a younger Bash, who kept breaking his weapons, he told him that ¡°this was the right sword for a warrior like you¡±. ¡°There were better swordsmen than myself even among us Orcs.¡± ¡°Really mister? For real? Don¡¯t you have a little too low of an opinion of yourself, mister? You¡¯ve never seen yourself in a fight, have you? To me, you¡¯re the best Orc in the world!¡± ¡°Victory is not determined by just a warrior¡¯s skill with his weapon.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s true! You can¡¯t be truly strong if you¡¯re just good at fighting!¡± Zell were more aware than anyone that there was more to survival in the battlefield than just a soldier¡¯s ability with a weapon, or their prowess in battle. Strength and power were multifaceted affairs, in which weapon proficiency was just a factor among others. History had no lack of matchless warriors who were handily killed by ordinary folks or who had died from one circumstance or another. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s hit the town! If we don¡¯t find someone who meet¡¯s mister¡¯s standards, you might not have anyone to select when you win!¡± ¡°Yosh!¡± Bash nodded in agreement as the pair began returning to the city.