《Orc Eiyuu Monogatari Sontaku Retsuden》 CH 1.1 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¡±. 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. 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!¡± ¡°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. 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. CH 1.2 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. For more, 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. For more, 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. 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. CH 1.3 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. 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. 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. 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. For more, 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. CH 2.1 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. 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. 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. 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!¡± 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. 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. 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. 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. CH 2.2 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. 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. ¡°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¡­ 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. CH 3.1 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. 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. 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. For more, ¡°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. 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. 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. CH 3.2 ¡°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. 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. 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!¡± For more, 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!¡± For more, 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. CH 4.1 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. CH 4.2 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. For more, 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. CH 4.3 ¡°¡­¡± 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¡­¡± For more, 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. CH 4.4 ¡°¡­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. CH 5.1 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.¡± 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. CH 5.2 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. For more, ¡°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. CH 5.3 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. ¡°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. CH 5.4 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. 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. 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. 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?¡± ¡°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. 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. 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. 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. 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. CH 6.1 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. 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. 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. For more, ¡°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. 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. 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!¡± ¡°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¡­ CH 6.2 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. ¡°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. 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.¡± ¡°¡­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. CH 6.3 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.¡± 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. CH 7.1 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. 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. 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. 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. 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¡­ 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. 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¡­ 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. CH 7.2 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. For more, ¡°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!! CH 8.1 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?¡± For more, 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?¡± For more, 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! CH 8.2 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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? 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!¡± 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. 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. 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. 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. CH 9.1 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?) (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. [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¡­] 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. [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¡­¡± CH 9.2 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. 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. 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. CH 9.3 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. 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. ¡°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. 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. 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. CH 9.4.2 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. For more, 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. 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. CH 9.4.1 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. 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. 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¡­ CH 9.5 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!¡± For more, But even among Orcs, there were exceptions, thought Judith before walking off. CH 10.1 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. 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%. 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! ¡°¡­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¡­?¡± 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 : CH 10.2 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. 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?¡± ¡°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. 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!¡± CH 10.3 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. 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. ¡°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. ¡°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. 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. CH 11.1 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. 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. 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¡­¡± 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. CH 11.2 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. ¡°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?¡± 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. CH 12.1 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. For more, 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 CH 12.2 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¡­¡± 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. 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. ¡°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 CH 12.3 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.¡± CH 12.4 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. 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. 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. CH 13.1 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. For more, 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¡­] 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 ¡­¡± ¡°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¡­ CH 13.2 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. ¡°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?¡± For more, 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. CH 13.3 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. 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. CH 13.4 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. 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. 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!¡± 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. 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. CH 13.5 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. For more, 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. For more, 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. 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!) (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. 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.¡± ¡®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 CH 14.1 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. 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. 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. CH 14.2 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. 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. 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.¡± ¡°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. 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. CH 14.3 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?¡± 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. 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. CH 15.1 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. 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. 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. 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. CH 15.2 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. 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!¡± 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. 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. ¡°nOrRThaNiNgUH IzZuH tHrUrUe, EEeArVriEtIng IrStT pARmNittThEdD¡± ¨C Zombie Orc Assassin¡¯s Creed, year unknown CH 15.3 ¡°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. 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. 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. 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¡­ CH 15.4 ¡°¡­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. 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. For more, 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. CH 16.1 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. 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. 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. For more, 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. ¡°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.¡± ¡°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. CH 16.2 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. 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. 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. 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?¡± When Azalea finally recovered from her confusion and opened her eyes, Bash was already long gone. CH 16.3 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. 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. 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. 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 CH 16.4 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!¡± 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? 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¡­ 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. 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. CH 17.1 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. 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. 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. 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. CH 17.2 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. CH 17.3 ¡°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. 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. 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. 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. CH 18.1 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. 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. ¡°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.¡± 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?¡± CH 18.2 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. 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. 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. ¡°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. ¡°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. CH 18.3 ¡°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. 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!¡± 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?¡± ¡°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. 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¡­¡± 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. CH 19.1 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. 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!¡± ¡°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. 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!¡± ¡°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. 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 CH 19.2 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.¡± ¡°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. 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.¡± 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. IT¡¯S OKAY GUYS, SHE JUST LOOKS LIKE A LOLI BECAUSE SHE¡¯S A DWARF, I SWEAR SHE¡¯S AN ADULT I SWEAR WAIT PUT THOSE HANDCUFFS AWAY AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH 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! CH 20.1 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¡±. CH 20.2 ¡°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. 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?¡± 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.¡± 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. CH 20.3 ¡°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 too 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 empathize 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 thought 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. CH 21.1 ¡°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 eminent 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 realised 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. 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.¡± Turning away, Bash stepped into the arena. CH 21.2 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. 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. ¡°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. ¡°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?¡± 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!¡± CH 21.3 ¡°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. CH 21.4 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. CH 22.1 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. CH 22.2 A few hours later, Bash was visiting a tavern in town. Fortunately, no one in Do Banga¡¯s Pit paid particular attention to him. Perhaps it was due to the multiracial makeup of the city, or perhaps it was because Dwarves didn¡¯t consider Orcs their enemies. No matter what the reason was, the Orc Hero was glad he could calmly sit down and sip a drink without being looked at with hostility, as he was subject to in Human Country, nor confusion, like in Elf Country. His purpose in being here was, of course, to continue gathering information. ¡°Oh, so the people you call mother and father right now aren¡¯t your real parents?¡± ¡°Of course they are! They¡¯re as real as it gets! Yeah, they¡¯re not my birth parents, but I love them just as much¡­ or maybe even more! You know, they went out of their way to adopt a dying war orphan and raised me to where I am today! It¡¯s all thanks to them!¡± ¡°How wonderful! This must be the Dwarven filial piety I¡¯ve heard so much about! Most Dwarves are pretty loyal to their families and benefactors, but you¡¯re on a whole other level! I¡¯ve never seen anyone like you! And you¡¯re beautiful to boot! There must be a lot of men wanting to woo you, aren¡¯t there?¡± ¡°Aw, you flatter me too much you silly Faerie¡­¡± The pair¡¯s current target was this bar¡¯s ¡°mascot¡±, Pauline. Quietly enjoying his drink at the bar, Bash was watching his companion from the corner of his eyes, all the while monitoring the surroundings. It was not yet his time to enter the stage. Zell was many times more adept at gathering information than he was. Even now, she was prying into Pauline¡¯s deepest thoughts with the artistic finesse of the veteran spy she was. The barmaid¡¯s feelings were laid bare for the Faerie, and thus Bash, to see. If he was victorious in the Armament Festival, he could have any woman he desired. But was far as the Hero knew, he could only pick a single one. If that was the case, it became imperative that he knew who to select. Truly, for Bash, any one of them was fine, but if he had the power to choose who he wanted, then he might as well get the best as to not have any regrets. To do so, he needed to know more about his potential mates than just their names and occupations. From the list the pair had made the day prior, he had carefully selected those with good looks, and from those, he was now trying to find out their personalities. All Bash needed to do now was to wait for that information to fall into his lap, pick which woman he wanted, and win the Armament Festival. It was just that easy. In terms of looks, as most were Dwarven women, they wouldn¡¯t hold a candle to Judith or Sonia ¨C but it was a small price to pay for a sure-fire way to lose his virginity. ¡°¡­¡± Bash¡¯s mouth slackened at the thought of intercourse after his victory. Pauline was taller and slimmer than most Dwarven women. Her typically Dwarven red hair was tied back into a ponytail, and she served the bar¡¯s customers with a bright smile on her face. Her looks were¡­ nothing impressive. If Bash had to sort a hundred women of all races gathered at random by their beauty, she wouldn¡¯t even break the top 20. The Hero¡¯s heart was not stirred as it was when he had met Judith or Sonia. She was, however, leagues better than the other Dwarven women. Furthermore, she beat out Judith and Sonia in one aspect ¨C her generous bosom. The though of ripping off her shirt and freeing those massive milkers made the Orc reflexively stir his drink. The traditional Dwarven way of enjoying alcoholic beverages was to hold a cup in both hands and to drink out of them alternatively, as the cleanse the palate between each gulp. Bash himself was holding a strong spirit in his right, and a dark beer in his left, tasting them one after the other. The spirit was delicious, as expected from a Dwarven made liquor. Every time the liquid would touch his lips, a mild sweetness would gently spread through his mouth, escaping through his nose. As he swallowed, the warmth and numbness pleasantly stung his throat. The beer was not Dwarven ¨C probably imported from Human lands. The Hero could taste the characteristic bitterness and aroma of barley, with a refreshingly sour aftertaste. It was easy to drink. There was no way he could fail to get himself a woman now, lest an act of divinity throw his plans off course. And the alcohol here was exquisite. What more was there to want? Bash looked towards Zell and Pauline, feeling both relief and anticipation ¨C perhaps the most he had since he began his travels. ¡°So, what kind of man do you like?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I like strong men. A strong man that can live a long life by my side, who won¡¯t get sick, and who will protect me when danger comes knocking. Preferably someone who won¡¯t die before I do¡­ I hate seeing my loved ones die¡­¡± "" Bash met these qualifications to a tee. Zell subtly gave her partner a thumbs up. As the Hero tried to nod in return¡­ ¡°Oi.¡± A shadow suddenly obscured the Orc¡¯s face. Pauline¡¯s amble breasts disappeared, replaced by a muscle-bound torso. As Bash slowly looked up, he saw beard. And more beard. And a little bit more beard. And finally, the gnarled Dwarven face that was attached to said beard. He had climbed up on the stool next to Bash, as to look down upon the Hero. ¡°Oi, what the hell are you lookin¡¯ at?¡± ¡°Her.¡± "" Bash answered honestly. He was only looking ¨C there was no reason for anyone to believe he was doing something wrong. ¡°Haaanh?! You¡¯re ogling our idol?!¡± ¡°What was that? An orc is aiming for Pauline?!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m hearing!¡± Chairs and tables rattled and squeaked on the hardwood floor as a rowdy bunch of Dwarven men surrounded Bash in an instant. However, the Dwarves were not as tall as the seated Orc. From afar, it would look like a bunch of children gathering around their teacher. ¡°Hm? I was just looking at her.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to be snarky ye damned Orc, we know what yer up to!¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°You better give up buddy boy, or I¡¯ll send ye to your ancestors!¡± Bash couldn¡¯t quite grasp the flow of the conversation ¨C but he knew what they wanted. This was a common scene in Orcish taverns. An Orc would enter, get shitfaced, get into a fighting mood, make up some kind of dispute with another Orc, and then both would leave the bar. They would then proceed to beat each other to a pulp right outside the door. In other words, they were looking for a fight. This bunch was drunk, emotions were high, and they wanted to show off their prowess to the people around them. ¡°¡­Hmm¡­¡± Bash hadn¡¯t come here looking to brawl. Just like when he was in the land of Elves, he hadn¡¯t provoked or even answered to provocation. But right now, Bash was both inebriated and in a good mood, not to mention the other party was also on board. If he didn¡¯t step up to the plate when his potential opponent was this motivated, it would bring shame to Orc everywhere. Had it been beautiful women surrounding the Hero instead of brawny, bearded men, he would have had an out ¨C but alas. Bash¡¯s goal wasn¡¯t to increase his renown ¨C he had plenty of that already. But who wouldn¡¯t accept an invitation to a fight when the women he desired was right there, and had explicitly said that she wanted a ¡°strong man¡±. ¡°Alright.¡± Bash picked up the sword that was propped up on the bar by his side, throwing it over his shoulder. Of course, it wasn¡¯t to use it in the fight. He just wanted to put it somewhere safe and out of the way so it wouldn¡¯t get stolen while he was busy. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Wait, it that¡­?!¡± ¡°No¡­no way! That¡¯s the¡­the Indestructible Daemon Sword!¡± The moment they saw the weapon, all color drained from the Dwarves¡¯ face. From a deep drunken red flush to a pallid white. The Dwarves¡¯ gazes went from Bash to the sword, then back Bash. ¡°You¡¯re¡­are you Bash? Bash the¡­H-Hero of the ¨C ¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was then that reality dawned on the Dwarves ¨C they had picked a fight with the worst possible opponent. Anyone who had taken part in a battle against the Orcs during the war knew of Bash. His face was as ordinary as an Orcish face could get, but there was no way the craft-savvy Dwarves could fail to recognize his weapon. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kiddin¡¯ me¡­¡± ¡°What is it we¡¯re fightin¡¯ for again? Is it really worth my life?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the harm if he was just looking, right¡­? Right, guys?¡± The Dwarves spoke to each other in hushed voices, their previous determination nowhere to be seen. As Bash casually made his way to the door, the Dwarves moved aside, opening up a path in front of him, none daring to stand in his way. Orc quarrels went down similarly in that the parties would settle their differences outside, but there was an unspoken rule that the one that initiated the fight would leave first and wait. Perhaps the Dwarves did things differently? Trying to be mindful of cultural differences, the Hero left the bar. The main street was as hustling and bustling as ever. As he looked towards the establishments along the side of the road, he could see two other brawls underway. Bash laughed, crossed his arms, and waited. He waited for ten seconds. And then thirty. And then a minute¡­ ¡°¡­?¡± Yet, the Dwarves did not come out. How was he to fight if he didn¡¯t have an opponent? How could he show Pauline that he was a strong man? Was there maybe a rule stipulating that the party that initiated the first had to prepare something? Just as he began thinking about what was going on, he saw someone coming out of the store. They were too small to be a Dwarf, and as far as he knew, Dwarves didn¡¯t have wings. It was Zell. ¡°Hey Zell, we¡¯re about to have a fight. Do you want to join us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯d need my help, mister¡­ but I don¡¯t think it matters any more. All of them just ran out of the back door.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Maybe they were too scared of you, mister.¡± An utter and thorough disappointment. Bash uncrossed his arms and walked back into the bar. Sure enough, the people who had tried to fight him earlier were nowhere to be seen. In fact, even Pauline was gone. ¡°Where¡¯s Pauline?¡± ¡°Looks like she was done for the day. What should we do? Should we follow her?¡± ¡°No¡­ we¡¯ve gathered the information we needed, right?¡± ¡°Affirmative!¡± ¡°Then the job is done. Let¡¯s move on.¡± The whole sequence of events left Bash rather confused, but a man as magnanimous as the Orc Hero did not care about such trivial things. It was unsatisfying, but if the other party had fled, then Bash had won by default. And either way, he hadn¡¯t come to this town looking for a fight. The pair began making their way towards the next tavern to achieve their original goal. CH 22.3 Somewhere else in Do Banga¡¯s Pit¡­ Doradora Do Banga had more than a dozen children. Titled the ¡°Heirs of Do Banga¡±, they enjoyed the privileges of being part of the legendary figure¡¯s bloodline, possessing authority, strength, and influence. With the blood of a nigh-mythical Dwarf coursing through their veins, all of them were talented. Many of them were cream-of-the-crop warriors, blacksmiths, or even both. Barabara Do Banga. Commonly just called Barabara. All of Heirs of Do Banga looked up to him. He was Doradora¡¯s first child, and had actively participated in the war, earning more than enough merit to warrant his splendid reputation. As the eldest son, he took it upon himself to be the reliable figurehead of the family, helping and leading his siblings whenever they needed support. On top of that, he never slacked off when it came to his skills, always seeking to improve himself, whether it be in blacksmithing or combat. Just like his great father, Doradora Do Banga, did before him. In fact, he had won the Armament Festival just last year, and intended to win it again this year. All of the other Heirs of Do Banga looked up to and relied on him. All except one ¨C his youngest sister, who was born of a Human mother. ¡°What?! Primera was captured by Orcs?!¡± ¡°No! No. Listen to me properly. I said that Primera took in an Orc, not that she was captured by one.¡± That day, it was one of his younger sisters, Carmela, who had come to visit him in the isolated location where he was training for the Armament Festival. Carmela Do Banga was the second daughter of their family, but she took such good care of her younger brothers and sisters you wouldn¡¯t be faulted for believing she was their mother. The other siblings, who weren¡¯t in Do Banga¡¯s Pit, had become intimately familiar with her cooking. Naturally, as an Heir of Do Banga herself, she was also a first-class blacksmith, though her skills as a warrior weren¡¯t as good. Her latest worries concerned her youngest sister, Primera Do Banga. The Heirs of Do Banga were a symbol of hope for the Dwarves, and thus, heavy expectations were placed upon their shoulders. Of course, they studied and trained hard to live up to said expectations, all of them growing up strong and skilled. All except for Primera. Her fate was different from her siblings¡¯. She was the only one for which the Dwarves held no great faith. The girl was born weak, her Human blood running deep in her veins. Her body was soft, and her arms were thin¡­ a girl like her could not possibly make it to the top as a blacksmith, much less as a warrior. Everyone who was anyone had come to that conclusion. Even among the other Heirs of Do Banga. But even so, she studied hard as to not bring shame upon herself and the Do Banga name. "" Primera was hopeless when it came to fighting, but she firmly held on to the belief that she could make it big as a blacksmith. However, her skills in the craft were still immature, and her results were sub-par. She was all talk. Obviously, no one acknowledged her. Carmela, ever the worrier, advised her again and again. ¡°At least stop boasting so much. You¡¯re still inexperienced, and you have to build up a good foundation. Practice your basics. And if it doesn¡¯t work, just quit and do something else. You aren¡¯t tied to the Do Banga fate like the rest of us. You can become great doing something else.¡± But Primera, hungry for results and recognition, did not listen. Eventually, Primera even began to announce that she was going to participate in the Armament Festival. Carmela was firmly against this. ¡°Primera, don¡¯t do this. You won¡¯t just embarrass yourself, but you¡¯re also risking the honor and dignity of the warriors who are willing to help you.¡± But the younger girl did not listen. She had heard these same lines a hundred times before. There was no convincing her. Both Barabara and Carmela knew of her attitude. She was immature in the ways of blacksmithing, but above all, she lacked awareness¡­ Awareness that a warrior entrusts the armor he dons, and thus the blacksmith, with his life. Which is why none of the warriors within Dwarf country were willing to aid her. But even after all that, she had managed to rope in a na?ve Orc who didn¡¯t know of the circumstances¡­ ¡°I¡¯m worried. Orcs aren¡¯t attracted to Dwarven women at all, but she¡¯s half Human¡­ I hope she doesn¡¯t get in trouble¡­¡± ¡°¡­I wouldn¡¯t be worried. Orcs have a law forbidding them from having non-consensual intercourse with other races. The civilized ones among them abide by it.¡± ¡°Ha, you only say that because you¡¯re a man. Consent can be obtained after the act, you know? Coercion exists.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Barabara listened to Carmela as he practiced his sword swings. Although she came here seemingly looking for his counsel, the fact was that she just needed to rant. It has always been like this. She didn¡¯t care about her brother¡¯s opinion on the matter. ¡°Even if she¡¯s safe, there¡¯s no way she could win with the weak armor she creates. Wasn¡¯t there an incident last year where a warrior lost due to his equipment failing in the most crucial of moments, and the blacksmith nearly got beat to death? And now we¡¯re dealing with one of those demented Orcs. Not to mention he¡¯s got a lying, scheming Faerie following him around. What a mess¡­¡± And Orc accompanied by a Faerie. The moment his brain processed this information, Barabara halted his swing mid-air. ¡°Wait, you weren¡¯t talking about one of the local Orc slaves?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, I thought you knew they were travelers. They arrived at the border while I was trying to stop the girl from leaving the country. I spoke to him briefly and he didn¡¯t seem like a stray Orc.¡± ¡°An Orc¡­? A travelling Orc¡­ with a Faerie?¡± Barabara Do Banga had fought in more battles than he could count. Among those were many engagements in which he had to face Orcs. They were rather clumsy and simple-minded, but they were in no way incompetent. As soon as they began cooperating with the Faeries, their tactics and strategies became many times more efficient. ¡°Who were they? Why are they here?¡± ¡°No idea. Didn¡¯t get to hear the details. They said they were looking for something. Must be important, given that they came all the way here from Siwanasi Forest.¡± ¡°¡­¡± This whole thing smelled fishy. Barabara had never heard of a travelling Orc, much less of one travelling with a Faerie. There must be a deeper reason behind this whole sequence of events. And he had an idea of what that might be. ¡°What is this Orc¡¯s name?¡± ¡°His name? What was it again¡­ ah, a bunch of guys who reported his actions to me told me he was a famous warrior named Bash? Apparently, they picked a fight with him, but ran away. What a bunch of cowards, always bragging about their war stories but they¡¯re scared of a single Orc.¡± Barabara¡¯s expression froze, chills running down his spine. He briskly turned around, grabbing Carmela by her shoulders. ¡°Bash?!¡± ¡°Yeah. What about it? Do you know him?¡± Bash. Hero of the Orcs. The Dwarven scourge that had earned himself nickname ¡°The Destroyer¡±. Any and all Dwarves who had been on the Orcish front knew of this name. The warriors who were loyal to the Do Banga clan were willing to follow Barabara and Carmela. All of them were mighty fighters in their own right. On the battlefield, they bravely strode forward no matter their opponent, staring down death straight in its cold, dark eyes. Proud and fearless Dwarves all, with the indomitable resolution to crush anyone that dared speak ill of them or their leaders. But courageous as they may be, they knew their limits. Veteran warriors knew that there were gambles they could not win. When it was better to live and fight another day. Many of them had lost their lives after courting death one time too many. It was thanks to them that the survivors understood¡­ They understood that on the field of battle, there were opponents that could never be beaten. Bash was one such opponent. And right now, he was right here, in Do Banga¡¯s Pit. Hearing this, Barabara couldn¡¯t help but shudder, ¡°Anyway, brother, please do something about this. Try talking some sense into the girl. She was born as a half-Human, looked down upon, struggled her whole life, and she¡¯s both impatient and irascible ¨C but that¡¯s still better than being an Orc sex slave, right?¡± ¡°Hrmm¡­¡± Barabara Do Banga groaned as he crossed his arms. His thoughts were no longer focused on Primera. Rather, he was thinking about the wickedness that his own people were committing right here, in Do Banga¡¯s Pit. Those greedy pigs had gone overboard, doing as they wished in the wake of the post-war turmoil, all in the name of profit. Only a few people, including Barabara, knew about these facts. The eldest of the Heirs had plans to remedy the situation, and so he had left them alone for now, but if the Orc King had sent Bash of all people to resolve this¡­ ¡­the tunnels of the city might soon be drenched with blood. ¡°What¡¯s the Orc doing now?¡± ¡°Looks like he¡¯s gearing up for the Armament Festival by teaming up with Primera¡­ ah, an Orc¡­ I¡¯m sure he¡¯s having his way with the girl, letting his lust loose on her poor, skinny body¡­¡± Participation in the Armament Festival ¨C Barabara was relieved to hear this, the weight on his heart lightening just a little. It meant that the Orc Hero would try to smoke out Do Banga¡¯s Pit¡¯s rats in a fair and legitimate manner. The Dwarf had his own reservations about this ¨C but at the very least, it was better than filling the streets with corpses. ¡°¡­Then so be it.¡± ¡°Huh?! What do mean, ¡°so be it¡±?! Don¡¯t you think your poor, pitiful littlest sister needs your help?!¡± Barabara resumed swinging his blade. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t care about his sister. But Bash was at her side ¨C the Orc Hero, who was most likely here under secret orders from the Orc King. If he was trying to do his thing subtly, then it might not be so bad. This meant that the Orcs as a whole were trying to resolve this peacefully. ¡°As for Primera, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be a big deal. You¡¯re just overprotective is all.¡± Even if Primera really was in trouble, this would be a valuable lesson for her. She was always talking herself up, boasting about impossible feats and claiming the infeasible. For her to be beaten down, realize her helplessness, and even so pick herself back up and strive to truly improve her skills ¨C that might just be the thing she needed. Otherwise, she would just keep going down the same vicious spiral. In other words, Barabara was thinking about his younger sister¡¯s growth. However, Carmela did not take it that way. ¡°Oh, fine! I get it! I won¡¯t ever ask you for help again! It was stupid of me to come here in the first place! To you, she¡¯s just a failure, the trash of the family! You don¡¯t care at all if she gets hurt or goes away!¡± ¡°That not¡­¡± Barabara turned around to retort, but his sister was already gone. ¡°Well, at least that¡¯s done¡­ so the Orcs finally made a move, huh¡­¡± For the past three years¡­ These evils have continued unabated. There were those who opposed these acts ¨C among them a warrior as strong of spirit as Doradora Do Banga was strong of body. One who might finally rise up to face them. ¡°I hope his efforts were not in vain¡­¡± All Barabara Do Banga could do was to pray for that warrior¡¯s fortune. Fortune for the warrior that kept struggling and fighting, even though his situation seemed hopeless¡­ CH 23.1 23.1 - Armament Festival Preliminaries ¨C Main Round, Opening Ceremony I¡¯M BACK BITCHES (ok just somewhat, but not really). Will be trying to put out a couple more releases today. Ko-Fi contributions will be listed on the last release of today. Much apologies folks, work has been absolutely draining, as usual. Not to mention my responsibilities at the University Org. Had a Thanksgiving party to organize that nearly ended up in disaster. Anyway. Here¡¯s the chapter. The Armament Festival¡¯s preliminary rounds were strictly organized and conducted, as typical of Dwarven tidiness. Each participant was assigned a number. The matchmaking in these early matches was random ¨C two numbers would be drawn from a lot, and the two fighters who were assigned those numbers would have to face each other. The winner would then go on to fight the winner of the neighboring bracket ¨C the so-called tournament method. Contestants had to fight a mandatory two matches per day, and the festival continued until there was a single participant left. Entry was open to all until the top 64 were decided. "" In some cases, the number of contestants would keep growing, never reaching the breakpoint, making the festival last for months on end. This year¡¯s Armament Festival had already attracted an unprecedented number of fighters. And as such, the festivities had been steadily progressing for days. ¡°Winner, number 566!¡± Bash had made good progress in the preliminary rounds. After five days of non-stop fighting, he had accumulated a record of 10 wins, 0 losses. He had no trouble defeating his opponents, but nonetheless, they weren¡¯t easy victories. The Armament Festival featured very particular rules ¨C there were two conditions that would spell defeat for a participant during the tournament. The first was either loss of consciousness, loss of will, or loss of life. The second, was non-usability of the equipment. In other words, if a fighter¡¯s weapon or armor was rendered ineffective due to damage sustained during the fight, no matter the damage to the actual person using the gear, that participant is declared the loser on the spot. The armor built by Primera¡¯s amateur hands was as brittle as glass for Dwarven blacksmithing standards. Even though it didn¡¯t seem that way. The plate-mail, tightly fitted to Bash¡¯s body, looked thick and heavy, while the sword he held was akin to a solid lump of iron. By all accounts, the armor was a well-crafted piece of equipment. Neither 5 days ago, nor today, was there even a scratch on its polished surface. But the sword¡­ The sword was a different story. After every one or two fights, it would come out bent and chipped. So far, every one of his opponents had been taken care of in a single blow, but had Bash been forced into a prolonged engagement, there would have been a fair chance of defeat. ¡°¡­¡± The Orc Hero silently looked at the blade that could no longer slip into its scabbard. In the arena, other fights were still ongoing, yet there was nearly nobody in the stands. Most of the local Dwarves would enter the tournament to participate as either a warrior or a smith. If an ongoing match didn¡¯t involve them, they wouldn¡¯t bother coming to the arena. After all, why waste precious time watching the preliminaries when those moments could better be spent polishing up on your skills or perfecting equipment. The current audience was mostly comprised of tourists and warriors who had already been defeated. All around the Hero, the remaining fighters were celebrating their respective victories, raising their weapons and shouting to all that would hear them, as to cement their strength and prowess within the crowd¡¯s mind. In Orc society, gloating after a hard-won victory was one of the most enjoyable aspects of battle. However, this was only true if the fight had been somewhat fair. It would be majorly disrespectful ¨C to himself, his opponent, and the whole of Orc-kind, to show off right now, given how easily the Hero had won his matches. That was the way of the Orc. Thus, Bash had no intention of basking in vain glory after beating an enemy of vastly inferior caliber. His objective in entering the tournament was not to show off his strength, but to obtain victory, and subsequently, a wife. No need to do anything unnecessary. And yet, Bash raised his blade, pointing it towards the open sky. Primera was in the audience. This was not an appeal to the crowd, but to her personally. The young Dwarf had previously instructed him to show her the sword after every fight, so that she could ascertain its condition. Upon seeing the bent steel and chipped edge, her face scrunched up as she bit her lip in frustration. Her work had not stood up to the rigors of battle this time either. Oblivious to Primera¡¯s frustrations, Bash, having fought his mandated matches for the day, left the arena and returned to the waiting room. ¡°And I said, ¡°Get your filthy hands off of me! Watch it or I¡¯ll blow you away¡±¡­ But there were five huge ogres surrounding me. No matter how strong I was, there was no way I was going to get out of there in one piece. I thought I was done for. But the very instant I lost all hope, I saw one if those lumbering oafs fly past my field of vision! Anyone here ever seen an Ogre fly? Yeah, me neither¡­until that day! And guess who was standing there, fist in the air? Of course it was my incredible boss, Bash, whom I respect and adore with all my heart!¡± ¡°Umu.¡± Zell was, as usual, bragging, when Bash stepped into the room. ¡°Ah! Speak of the devil, here he comes! Welcome back boss! How was your match? Oh, why do I even need to ask. You¡¯re you after all! You beat your opponent up in a single, ruthless, brutal strike and came back completely unscathed, right? Of course, you did. Anyways, good work out there! Oh, I¡¯ve prepared some drinks for you. Please, have one! Would you like a shoulder massage as well?¡± ¡°Umu.¡± The seat Bash had taken for himself on this day was covered with soft, luxurious cushions, and there was cold beer on the small table next to it. The Hero did as the Faerie told him to ¨C he sat down, letting his weight fall onto the cushions, grabbed a mug, and downed its contents in a single gulp. Immediately, Zell flew up to his shoulders and began rubbing them. However, Bash could not even feel a tickle, even with Zell putting her full weight into her tiny hands, though the dust that fell of the Faerie¡¯s body somewhat relieved the stiffness in his joints. ¡°Oh, um, Mr. Bash?¡± One of the fighters who had been listening to Zell came up to the Hero. Equipped with a plain, unadorned steel armor and wearing wide sword at his waist, he was one of the more modestly equipped warriors in the waiting room. His body was covered with tiny round scales, and his large eyes had vertical pupils ¨C a Lizardkin. CH 23.2 ¡°¡­what is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet your sir! My name is Tydonile, warrior of the Piles River Gecko Tribe!¡± ¡°I see.¡± The Hero recalled neither his face, nor his name. Looking at Tydonile¡¯s positive attitude, it didn¡¯t seem like he was a previous enemy either. ¡°Do I know you?¡± Bash, concluding that it would be rude to blow off a possible acquaintance, decided to inform himself further before blowing off this Lizardkin, to which the latter happily nodded. ¡°Yes! You saved my life when I was a mere hatchling. It was during the Battle of the Piles River.¡± ¡°Ah, that battle. I remember it well.¡± The Battle of the Piles River ¨C a fight that had left a lasting mark on the Orc Hero. It began when a Succubus company found itself isolated after being outmanoeuvered by the Elven Army¡¯s tactics. The Elves struck at the Succubae relentlessly, coordinating with the Dwarves in an effort to completely eradicate them. The natural move for the Succubae would have been to break through and retreat, even at the cost of few of their lives. And yet, they stood their ground, resolute to fight until the last. They had no other choice¡­ ¡­because a small riverside Lizardkin village was located nearby and would become the next victims if the Alliance troops weren¡¯t stopped here. The able-bodied men and women of the village had already left. All that remained were the young, sick and elderly. Refusing to abandon the non-combatants to a fate likely worse than death, the Succubus company made their last stand. Luckily for them, a messenger had been dispatched right before the Elves and Dwarves surrounded the village, and the request for help had reached Bash in the nick of time. When the Hero finally reached the village, the Succubae were nearly all dead, the Lizardkin¡¯s homes had been looted and ransacked, and the Lizardkin themselves bound and shackled. The Orc rushed straight into the fray as soon as he assessed the situation, saving what remained of the Succubus company and rescuing the prisoners. There were indeed many youths among the captives ¨C Tydonile must have been one of them. ¡°Yes. If it weren¡¯t for you, Sir Bash, I might be fighting in this very arena as a slave rather than a free man today¡­ No, I might not even be alive¡­¡± ¡°I see.¡± The sight he encountered upon arriving at the Lizardkin village that day would forever be engraved in Bash¡¯s mind¡­ ¡­that sight¡­ ¡­was the exposed skin and generous bosoms of the injured Succubae¡­ ¡°I heard that a powerful Orc had come to attend this year¡¯s tournament. My curiosity got the better of me, and I couldn¡¯t help but inquire about your identity. That¡¯s when your Faerie companion told me it was you, Sir Bash! I am beyond honored to meet my life¡¯s savior, sir!¡± It was then that a voice rang out from outside the waiting room¡¯s entrance. ¡°Next, number 409!¡± Turning towards the sound, Tydonile raised his hand in acknowledgement. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s me.¡± As he begun to leave, he suddenly stopped, turning back towards Bash. ¡°Sir¡­ I do not mean to be impertinent, but can¡­ can I shake your hand?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Incredible! Such strong and powerful palms! Such thick fingers! Oh, how I aspire to be a man of your caliber. I will devote myself to become a warrior like you, sir!¡± With that final statement, the Lizardkin rushed out towards the arena. ¡°What a kind young man. So, he¡¯s training to become a strong warrior, huh? Choosing mister as his idol¡­great decision!¡± Zell, who was floating next to Bash¡¯s head, nodded in satisfaction. ¡°So, mister, what¡¯s next? You¡¯ve already fought your two mandatories. Are you gonna go for a third finally?¡± ¡°No. My sword is¡­not doing great. Let¡¯s back off for today.¡± As soon as Bash uttered those words, he was suddenly surrounded by muscular men, their mouths tightly knit and their eyes full of resolve. Humans, Beastkin, Dwarves¡­ all of them rugged, rough, and bearing deep battle scars. ¡°What do you want?¡± Of course, they wanted a fight, thought the Orc. But even if he knew what their answer would be, Bash asked just to be sure. When he thought about it, he¡¯s been tangled up in a lot of strange trouble since arriving in Do Banga¡¯s Pit. Nowadays, whenever he went to a bar, all the strong-looking Dwarves would step over each other trying to reach the exit, screaming things like ¡°withdraw!¡± and ¡°shit, run!¡± and ¡°my wife is waiting for me at home, sorry boys I needa¡¯ go!¡±. Even if he wasn¡¯t actively looking for a brawl, it was frustrating, even for a calm, level-headed Orc like Bash. He thought that Dwarven warriors would be more hot-blooded, but the truth was disappointing. Now, however, they were in the arena¡¯s waiting room. Fights between participants within the arena¡¯s premises outside of officially sanctioned matches were explicitly forbidden. They would have to leave before throwing down¡­ ¡°Bash! Hero of the Orcs!¡± A Dwarf standing at the head of the group shouted. Bash¡¯s eyes narrowed in anticipation. ¡°Would you¡­¡± The Hero tensed, preparing himself for a potential surprise attack. ¡°Would you¡­ please shake my hand as well!¡± ¡°Is it true that you defeated the dragon in the decisive battle at the Lemium Highlands? Please, tell me about it!¡± ¡°Could you please take a look at this sword that I made? Please? Oh, and if you would be so kind to give me your impressions of it¡­¡± The group of men began to squirm like little girls in embarrassment as they each made their pleas to the Orc Hero. ¡°Yes, yes, mister is amazing, yes, yes¡­ Now all of you, line up! Mister Bash doesn¡¯t have all day!¡± As soon as those order left Zell¡¯s lips, the burly fighters, who would in any other circumstances beat each other black and blue to obtain what they desired, hurried formed a neat, double-file line in front of the Hero. ¡°¡­¡± CH 23.3 Meanwhile, Primera was patiently waiting for Bash at the arena¡¯s entrance. Leaning on a nearby pillar, arms crossed, she listened in to the passerby¡¯s conversations all the while shaking her head in frustration. ¡°What do you think of that Orc? Number 556?¡± ¡°Oh man, he¡¯s a piece of work.¡± ¡°We¡¯re pretty far from him in the brackets¡­but what if we meet him in the main event?¡± ¡°I want to drop out¡­¡± ¡°Hey, seriously though, think about it. If you win here, you¡¯d go down in history!¡± ¡°¡­Then maybe¡­maybe I¡¯ll target his armor. Bash is tough. So tough that he¡¯d probably win against ten Ogres and get out of there without even a scratch on his face. His equipment though¡­ it looks pretty basic. And did you see his sword? It gets busted after every fight. Maybe, just maybe if I focus on it, I¡¯d have a chance¡­¡± ¡°Yosh! Let¡¯s show him that the Armament Festival isn¡¯t just about killing each other!¡± Bash¡¯s armor ¨C the armor that she made, with her sweat and tears, was ¡°basic¡±. Hearing those words made had her fuming, but she kept her composure at best she could. In the past days, Primera had learned that Bash wasn¡¯t just any ordinary Orc. Five days, ten matches, ten wins ¨C every single one of them easily won. Many of the Hero¡¯s opponent knew of his reputation and were prepared to lay their lives on the line. Others broke down in tears, wetting themselves before the match even started. Many well-known festival participants showed up every time Bash had a match to scout out their potential next adversary. The crowd would grow in size every time the Hero was slated to fight. While the audience was still sparse, there were still more viewers than usual. ¡°I doubted my ears when I first heard he was here but looks like the rumours were true!¡± ¡°Yeah! Isn¡¯t the way he nonchalantly walks out of the arena after his wins amazing? Relaxed, as if everything was within his expectations.¡± ¡°He¡¯s awesome!¡± The audience was singing Bash¡¯s praise as they left the Colosseum. But mixed in with their awe at the Orc¡¯s performance¡­ ¡°Oh, but his weapons are kind of¡­bad, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yeah, I saw. His sword was crooked today again.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll fly during the main event.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll go far, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll win¡­¡± ¡­was criticism of Primera¡¯s armor and weapon. [He should just use my sword better¡­] The young Dwarf grit her teeth. Apparently, Bash was more than just a well-known warrior. He was a fierce combatant that had left indelible marks on the hearts and minds of both his allies and enemies through his matchless martial prowess. But if that was the case, then he should wield her weapons with more care. It should be obvious that a sword would break if used like a club. A bladed weapon, whether a saber or an axe, should be used to slice into the target by aligning the edge. If instead the wielder were to haphazardly swing it with all their might, it was natural that the blade would chip and bend. Even Primera, with her total of zero experience on the battlefield, knew as much. Line the sharp side up with the target and slash. What kind of ¡°famous warrior¡± were you if you couldn¡¯t do as much? ¡°I kept you waiting.¡± Primera raised her eyes in response to these words. There stood the dumb Orc who didn¡¯t seem to realize anything was wrong with the way he fought. In his hands was the sword she painstakingly forged¡­ or what remained of it. She had seen the weapon¡¯s poor condition from where she sat in the stands but observing the extent of damage from up close made her heart sink. ¡°Hand it over!¡± Primera snatched the sword out of Bash¡¯s hands, bringing the blade¡¯s edge up to her eyes. She grit her teeth even harder. The originally straight sword had become a scimitar. Once again. And the direction in which it bent¡­ It curved along the thick, wide side of the blade instead of the weaker, thinner side. And yet, it didn¡¯t break. What kind of usage could possibly make a blade arc in such a manner? The girl had no idea. Nor did she know how to remedy it. And so, she took out her frustrations on the only other person around. ¡°You suck! How did this happen again!? How many times do I have to tell you to cut with the edge! It¡¯s a sword! Not a club!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to do.¡± ¡°Hah? Then stop trying and do it!¡± Faced with Primera¡¯s tirade, Bash seemed genuinely apologetic. She knew for a fact that he was making an effort, so she relented. Originally, she believed from the bottom of her heart that she could team up with any warrior and show her skills in the Armament Festival. That even the weakest of fighters could obtain victory if they wielded her weapons. Therefore, it was wrong to blame it on Bash. She was just frustrated at the thought that she might not be as skilled as the thought she was, but could not bring herself to admit it. ¡°I¡¯m going home! The main event is about to start, and I have to reforge this thing all over again.¡± Primera turned and walked away, anger in her step, Bash slowly following behind her. Then, the Faerie whispered something in the Hero¡¯s ear. The Dwarf couldn¡¯t make out what was being said, but she was more than sure than sure that Zell was badmouthing her. ¡°Damn it!¡± She blurted out, no longer being able to hold back her irritation. Three days later, the opening ceremony for the Armament Festival¡¯s main event finally begun. However, the proceedings were wrapped in a strange atmosphere. The audience seats were packed to the brim, and their trepidation was palpable. The fighters, on the other hand, stood silent and still. Normally, these warriors would be clamouring to the crowd, raising their weapons to the sky, all the while listening to the Dwarven organisers announcing the beginning of the main attraction. Inwardly, they¡¯d be pumping themselves up, getting ready to lay it all on the line for honor and glory. They would picture themselves standing victorious in the center of the arena, being granted their deepest wishes and desires. Anticipation in their hearts and glory in their minds. This year, however, that didn¡¯t happen. More than half of them had a dozen Dwarven anvils in the pit of their stomach ¨C nervous beyond belief. They stood quietly, like a frightened mouse hiding from a cat. Some were even quivering, their fear having gotten the better of them. Others were so pale they looked like they might pass out at any moment. Others were also shaking, but not from fear. These warriors were breathing heavily, the corner of their lips turned up in a restrained smile. They had not worry in their souls, but joy ¨C overwhelming happiness and pride for being able to stand on the same stage as him. Some of them were so overcome with emotion that they could barely hold back their tears. All these warriors cared about only a single thing. At the back of the file stood a single man. A single Orc, generously exposing his muscular physique for all to see. The Armament Festival was a celebration of martial prowess. Many may participate, but only the strongest of warriors made it through to the main event. And among them, there was nobody who didn¡¯t know of his identity. Even those who rose to prominence after the end of the war or were lucky enough to have never faced Orcs on the battlefield knew of his reputation. The Mad Warrior, The Destroyer, Slayer of Men, Raging Bull, Strong Arm, The Nightmare of Siwanasi Forest, The Green Calamity, The Dragon Decapitator¡­ Those who didn¡¯t know of his appearance would, at the very least, know of his reputation. Hero of the Orcs, Bash. With the air heavy with both fright and excitement, the opening ceremony proceeded without a hitch and eventually came to an end. None of the participants dared to even utter a word as they slowly returned to the waiting rooms. In contrast to the solemn fighters, the audience was positively buzzing with anticipation. ¡°They¡¯re so quiet this year. Did the rules change or something?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? That Orc over there, at the back of the line. They say he singlehandedly killed more than 100 000 enemy soldiers during the war¡­¡± ¡°What?! Nonsense.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s a fact. That¡¯s just what I heard. Anyways¡­¡± Rumours went around fast, and soon, everyone in Do Banga¡¯s Pit, whether they be affluent mining oligarchs or destitute beggars knew of Bash¡¯s presence in the city. But all were left wondering ¨C why was he here? ¡°Shit¡­ is this about that thing?¡± ¡°I guess it is. I knew the Orcs wouldn¡¯t let is fly forever, but¡­¡± ¡°To think they¡¯d send the Hero¡­ The Great Merchants have gone too far.¡± ¡°This year¡¯s tournament is going to be a disaster¡­¡± But some among them had a hunch, although they were powerless to act upon it. All they could do is knowingly nod at each other while nervously waiting for the first match to begin. Of course, nobody knew the true reason behind Bash¡¯s presence in Do Banga¡¯s Pit. CH 24.1 Just before the beginning of the main even, within Bash¡¯s waiting room, Primera was facing the Orc, frustration visible on her face. ¡°Here, I put a lot of effort into making this weapon for the main event, but it still won¡¯t last very long with your strength. I won¡¯t be able to make any more swords, and I don¡¯t have any time left to make it any stronger. It¡¯s up to you to make it last until the end.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± During the main event, the fighter and smith pairs are each given their own waiting room, which featured a furnace and anvil so that rudimentary smithing could be done. While the tournament was under way, the smith was allowed to perform repairs and upgrades on the armor whenever the warrior was not required in the arena. However, the time available to them was limited. As soon as a match concluded, the next begun near immediately. The initial round went on for a couple of hours, for a total of 32 fights, but as the tournament progressed, the time between a fighter¡¯s matches became shorter and shorter. Naturally, a blacksmith wouldn¡¯t have the opportunity to completely overhaul a piece of equipment or creating new gear from scratch. Of course, the matches weren¡¯t all scheduled on the same day. The three rounds that determine the top-eight were all fought on the first day, with the three more to determine the final winner fought on the second. Yet these final fights were the most intense of all. The blacksmiths needed to make the best of the sparse time they had available. They could perform simple repairs at most ¨C just like during a real conflict, where they might have dozens or even hundreds of weapons to fix up. ¡°Anyways, if we make it through today¡¯s three matches, winning won¡¯t be a far-off dream anymore¡­¡± Primera was far from confident. Even though she had spent the whole night hammering away at molten steel, and her newly upgraded sword was her best work yet, the events of the preliminaries weighted heavily on her mind. Sure, she was proud of this new blade, but she had been just as proud of the one she had prepared previously¡­ How could she possibly be reassured when the weapon she had spent countless hours crafting kept bending, and she had no idea why? ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out.¡± Said Bash as he grasped the sword¡¯s handle and gave it a couple of test swings. At the Hero¡¯s side, Zell nodded contently, as if to say that she approved of this new and improved weapon. Then, Primera looked at the Faerie. ¡°Zell, how much longer are you going to hang around here?¡± ¡°Eh?! What¡¯s up with you all of a sudden? Am I not allowed to be in here?!¡± ¡°Of course not. Stop messing around.¡± ¡°Haaaanh?! Why not?! Why am I being excluded?!! Am I not good enough for you?! The three of us have been working so hard, hand in hand, and we¡¯ve made it so far! Why?! Did I do something wrong?! I¡¯m innocent, I swear! Oh, look at you, you poor thing. You must have worked so hard all night, right? Ah, your hand! You burned yourself! Lemme see that for a second¡­ and¡­done! All healed! See? Seeeee?! I¡¯m useful! I healed you! I¡¯m healping! Heh!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Thanks, I appreciate it. But according to the rules, only the warrior and blacksmith pair is allowed in the waiting room.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Okay.¡± The waiting rooms were, in fact, off-limits to all but the fighters and the blacksmiths. No matter how much Zell begged and pleaded, rules were rules. Not to mention a Faerie¡¯s dust¡¯s healing powers. If it were discovered that Bash and Primera were essentially doping, they could say goodbye to their potential victory. ¡°Eh¡­I get it. Well then, I¡¯ll watch over mister¡¯s valiant figure from the audience. Boss! Fighting!¡± ¡°Umu.¡± As she left those parting words, Zell swooshed out the waiting room, leaving the Orc and Dwarf on their own. Now without the floating, shining, distraction vying for his attention, Bash¡¯s gaze naturally gravitated towards Primera. The girl was dressed lightly in anticipation of blacksmithing work. Her slightly exposed cleavage sent Bash¡¯s virginity induced arousal into overdrive. ¡°What it is? You¡¯re looking at me like you¡¯re goi-¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m just looking. In the name of the Orc King, it is forbidden to have non-consensual intercourse with an individual of another race.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ well, look all you want¡­ oh, I¡¯m not that pretty anyways, am I?¡± ¡°You¡¯re very attractive.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m ug-¡­ huh? You must have terrible taste in women.¡± Primera didn¡¯t feel any particular way about Bash¡¯s words. She had lived her whole life in a society that didn¡¯t find her appearance aesthetically pleasing. Some even thought she was repulsive. No man had ever found her attractive, and the Orc Hero was the first to have ever made a pass at her. ¡°Anyways, as I said earlier, our match is coming up. I¡¯ve had a look at the brackets, and our first opponent is a powerhouse. Gorgor the Ogre. Do you know of him?¡± ¡°Of course. We¡¯ve fought side-by-side in the past.¡± ¡°Then you know how strong he is.¡± ¡°A reliable man indeed.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got to get past him¡­¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Bash nodded. He wore the same, calm expression that he always had, but Primera couldn¡¯t read his Orcish emotions. She projected her own feeling onto him, and assumed he was just as tense as she was. ¡°It¡¯s going to be pretty tough, isn¡¯t it¡­?¡± ¡°No, not at all. I¡¯m aiming for complete victory.¡± Primera¡¯s eyes widened as she looked back at the Hero. The latter¡¯s eyes were still fixed on the young girl¡¯s chest. Yet they had no trace of hesitation nor fear. This was a man that was wholly confident in himself. She nearly forgot about her own doubts, seeing how sure of himself he was. For just a second, all those bent and chipped swords, and her frustration, all her anger, slipped out of her mind. ¡°¡­victory, huh?¡± But the girl quickly came back to her senses. Realistically, winning would be a night impossible endeavor. Bash¡­ As a swordsman, he was sub-par, and he barely had any brains between his thick shoulders, she thought. Had she paired up with as more able warrior ¨C one who swung her painstakingly crafted swords with technique rather than brute force, she might have been able to win. But she had made her bed, and now she had to lay in it. It was her own fault for agreeing to partner with a bad warrior. Primera had no hope in winning the entire tournament. But¡­ there was a single opponent she wanted to emerge victorious against. ¡°At least. At the very least¡­ we need to make it through the third round of today. We need to get at least that far! Is that clear?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± On the third round of the first day, if everything went as planned and there were no unexpected upsets, the pair would most likely face-off against a Beastkin warrior by the name of Koro. He had a poor reputation and known to be crude, rude, and prone to violence. But his skill with the sword was the real deal. However, the person Primera was after was not Koro himself, but the individual that had crafted his armor. A person that had looked down upon her for years. Even though she felt down from having a warrior as stupid as Bash as her partner, her grudge was as strong as ever. ¡°Sir Bash! Please get ready, your match is about to begin!¡± It was then that the Coliseum attendant came to notify the Orc. ¡°Alright then, go on!¡± Primera gave Bash a small smack of encouragement on the shoulder. The Hero stopped for a second to savor the touch of her bare palm, which was by no means soft, but more than pleasant enough for the virgin Orc. ¡°YOSH!¡± With that last spirited shout, he began heading towards the arena. CH 24.2 Round 1 ¨C Bash vs Gorgor Two men stood facing each other in the center of the arena. One of them stood over four meters tall, his reddish-brown skin gleaming under the sunlight. His abnormally developed shoulders were akin to small moons, and his immense chin was like a sturdy clay brick. He was an Ogre. He was covered from head to toe in thick, still armor, and in his hand, he held a sword as long as himself and as wide as an average Dwarf was tall. As a participant, he was one of the favorites to win the whole tournament ¨C at least according to the bookmakers. Gorgor the Ogre. During the war, he was known as the ¡°Iron Giant¡±, a warrior that made both the ground and the Alliance troops tremble with every single one of his thundering steps. The reason behind his presence at Do Banga¡¯s Pit was a Dwarf he had met during the war. Although said Dwarf was a prisoner of war and the two were on opposing sides of the conflict, they managed to kindle a friendship that outlasted the bloodshed. Having first hit it off over small talk, they kept deepening their relationship, and now participate in the Armament Festival together every year. In terms of raw skill, he was one of the best in the tournament. His opponent stood over two meters tall. A nondescript Orc, his skin a nondescript green. However, despite his unremarkable appearance, he was even more well-known than Gorgor. Hero of the Orcs, Bash. The mightiest of all Orcs. Though not all might know of his appearance, none were ignorant of his name and reputation, his countless nicknames each relating a tale of disaster and destruction. ¡°Oh, hey, looks like we¡¯re starting off with a pretty interesting matchup.¡± ¡°Gorgor is one of the best out there. His strength is the real deal. Even an Orc wouldn¡¯t have a change against him head-on.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see if Bash manages to get pass Gorgor¡¯s range. That¡¯s the deciding factor here.¡± The crowd was excited to see a good card kicking off the main event. But among the spectators, some were trembling. ¡°Man¡­this¡­really¡­?¡± ¡°Oh man, I do not envy Gorgor¡­ he must have been cursed with bad luck, to meet him so soon¡­¡± ¡°Good lord, this isn¡¯t a fight. This is a one-sided execution! An execution I tell you!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pray for you, Gorgor. You¡¯re a good man. Please come home alive¡­¡± While the normies and armchair analysts who were unaware of who Bash truly was were trying to predict how the fight might proceed, the true veteran warriors in the crowd looked towards the battle-hardened Ogre with pity and sadness in their eyes. Because they knew. They knew that against The Destroyer, Gorgor was nothing more than an oversized punching bag. A hapless sheep, sent to the slaughter. They knew, because that same fate had befallen their now dead comrades. Amor? Irrelevant. Size? Don¡¯t make me laugh. No matter how big the fighter. No matter how thick the armor. No matter the smith¡¯s skill. No matter how sharp the sword. Nothing mattered in the face of overwhelming strength. Bash¡¯s moniker of The Destroyer didn¡¯t only apply to city infrastructure. It applied to everything. ¡°Bash, it¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t Gorgor.¡± Whether he knew of the audience¡¯s fear or not, Gorgor smiled, and called out to Bash. The Hero returned his greeting, though with not as much enthusiasm. They were but acquaintances, after all. Not close friends. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of you since we last fought together at the Battle of the Remium Highlands¡­ Have you been well?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What are you doing all the way out here? Did the Orc King let you out of the country?¡± ¡°Mhm. He is magnanimous, compassionate, and benevolent. In his generosity, he has given me the permission to leave.¡± ¡°Fuu¡­¡± Gorgor snickered at Bash¡¯s description of the Orc King. The only being in the world that could possibly say that the Orc King, said to be the incarnation of violence itself, was benevolent, with a straight face, was the Orc right in front of him. ¡°Well then¡­¡± Following their short exchange, Gorgor raised his weapon. The sword¡¯s tip pointed straight towards the open sky, casting an immense shadow on Bash. The Ogre¡¯s contorted expression was filled with both anticipation and fear. His teeth were tightly clenched. The immense warrior, though twice the size of his opponent, wore the face of a man ready to die. The face of a man gathering all his courage to challenge an opponent he knows he cannot beat. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°Umu.¡± The air cooled instantly the moment Bash held up his sword. It was a simple, rudimentary stance. Something a beginner would learn when they first picked up a blade. But there were no gaps. No openings. It was then that everyone, from the most ignorant child to the most veteran of warriors, understood that the match had been decided. Every single member of the audience collectively gulped. Bash¡¯s stance oozed absolute strength. Gorgor, who was facing him, looked pathetic in comparison. ¡°Mrrrhn!¡± Gorgor made the first move. He swung his giant sword straight down. A smooth, clean blow with no flourish. A straightforward strike that even though easily seen through, would obliterate any that would dare defend against it. The roar of steel rang out through the arena, blowing dust and clods of earth through the air, obscuring the audience¡¯s view of the proceedings. Just as the crowd was about to wonder what went on, something few out of the dust clouds. Some believed it was a piece of Gorgor¡¯s flesh. Especially the veteran warriors who had had the privilege of witnessing Bash in battle. Because that was what had happened to any and all that had faced the Orc in the past. The storm of bloodshed that the Hero left in his wake was forever engraved in their minds. But no. It was neither a lump of flesh, nor a spray of blood. That something flew, whistling through the air before landing with a loud thud, digging itself into the arena¡¯s soft ground. Soon, the true nature of that something became clear. It was a chunk of iron. Sharp and pointy, all the Dwarves in the audience realized what it was ¨C the tip of a sword. As the dust cleared, all could see Gorgor still standing having followed through with his strike till the end, yet the weapon he held was missing its upper half ¨C the upper half that would have cut into Bash¡¯s flesh. As soon as the referee saw this scene, he announced: ¡°Winner, Bash!¡± It all happened in the blink of an eye. Did Bash smash Gorgor¡¯s blade apart? Or did the Ogre slip up, shattering his own sword after slamming it into the ground? Both explanations were ludicrous ¨C but there was no way that a weapon that had made it all the way to the main event would break just from hitting dirt. That meant¡­ There were no cheers. No one really understood what had happened. What had The Destroyer done in those fractions of a second? Bash quietly sheathed his sword, and walked back towards the waiting room, leaving Gorgor to watch his shrinking back in dismay. But after a moment, the Ogre closed his eyes, got on his knees, and put his fists on the ground. An Ogre¡¯s traditional bow of defeat. Though humiliated, he was expressing both his respect and gratitude towards an overwhelmingly stronger opponent. Nobody understood the events that had transpired. But they could see that Gorgor had admitted defeat. In last year¡¯s tournament, the same Gorgor had refused to acknowledge his loss after his weapon broke, continuing to rampage. The same Gorgor that, covered in blood and held down by a dozen warriors, he had kept on shouting that he had not yet lost. That same Gorgor, today, had lost his will to fight after just a single blow, despite not having even a scratch on his body. This fact gradually permeated the audience¡­ and one-by-one, they rose in roaring applause. CH 24.3 Round 2 ¨C Bash vs. Geddon ¡°¡­¡± Bash had been standing idle in the center of the arena for more than a minute now, and his opponent had still not arrived. Sword in hand, the Hero patiently waited. He waited for another minute. And then another¡­ Yet the other party was still nowhere to be found. The audience was growing angrier by the second, erupting in boos and protests. Eventually, the Dwarven official that was responsible for calling out the participants walked out into the arena. Was he the opponent this time? Bash began lifting his weapon and shuffling his feet into a stance, but quickly noticed that his potential foe was unarmed. Instead, the Dwarf drew a small, red flag from under his belt, and waved it for all to see. The jeers and boos grew even louder¡­ ¡°Winner, Bash!¡± Geddon had forfeited the round. Round 3 ¨C Bash vs. Koro The second round came and went, and the third round was now upon the Orc Hero. Bash had again arrived before his opponent, who was still absent. Taking this time to reflect, Bash closed his eyes and recalled the conversation he had just had in the waiting room a few moments ago with Primera. The Dwarf was pleased that they had won the second round and had given him a few sparse words of encouragement. ¡°The next round¡­ everything is going down on this one¡­ this one is the important one¡­¡± Though it sounded more like she was addressing those words to herself. Not like it mattered much to the Orc anyways, as the sight of the girl, who was then wearing nothing but a leather apron, boosted Bash¡¯s motivation to heights never seen before all the while erasing all other thought from his mind, his disappointment at his opponent¡¯s absence vanishing into thin air. After the first round, Primera had taken the time to fix up Bash¡¯s armor at the furnace. From where he had stood, Bash¡¯s eyes had been riveted to her voluptuous figure, accented by the light of the blaze. Her breast swayed with every swing of her hammer, and her armpits were in plain sight every time she would wipe the sweat off her brow. It took all of Bash¡¯s Orcish discipline to resist his primal urge to pin her down and unleash his lust, and yet there was a part of him that wanted to do nothing but respectfully admire her figure. ¡°Entering now from the Tiger Gate! Warrior Koro!¡± A man finally entered the arena and walked up to Bash. His nose was bestial, and his fur was as dark as night. A Beastkin, probably a few years younger than the Hero. Koro. Bash had heard of that name. A youth that had once been appointed captain of a Beastkin suicide squad ¨C a particular brand of Beastkin combatants famous for recklessly charging into their enemy¡¯s ranks, sacrificing their own lives in exchange for the opponent¡¯s head. But even after putting his life on the line time and time again, Koro made it out alive. His abilities were well known, even among the Federation. In fact, he was even decorated with the most prestigious of awards after returning from one especially life-threatening mission. The Wolf Fang Medal of Honor ¨C a medal given to only the bravest and strongest, and whose efforts without which it would have been nigh impossible to win. [Hmm¡­] But Koro¡¯s life from then on was a mystery to most outside of Beastkin country. Why was a man that had made it out of the war with not only his life and limbs still intact, but also with honor and glory wasting away in a place like this? Why was a decorated veteran that could comfortably live in retirement now fighting in a Dwarven arena? Following the signing of the peace treaty, Koro had at first calmly settled down, content to live a life of peace and quiet. But habits die hard, and it was difficult for a man that had lived his life on the edge to return to normalcy. No longer could his issues be settled by tooth and claw. His violent tendencies that had made him an exemplary warrior during the war were now a liability. After one too many run-ins with the law, he had lost his place in Beastkin country. Scorned and exiled, he was forced to wander for a time, before finding himself in Do Banga¡¯s Pit. Naturally, his attitude did not change. However, Do Banga¡¯s Pit had something no other city had. Do Banga¡¯s Pit had the Colosseum. The Beastkin, who spoke better with his sword than his tongue, had finally found a place for himself in the peaceful post-war world. His first attempt at the Armament Festival was less than stellar. Last year, he had dropped out during his second round. While it was arguably a decent performance for a first timer, it was extremely disappointing for the former soldier. He went back to the drawing board, humbling himself and going back to polishing his skills. But, due to his short temper and poor attitude, he still couldn¡¯t attain the one deciding factor to win the Armament Festival¡­ Yes, it was decent equipment. It was then that a Dwarf came to him. The Dwarf light-heartedly chastised Koro for his ill-temper. ¡°I know you¡¯re a Beastkin, but that doesn¡¯t mean you have to act like an actual dog,¡± they said, ¡°Have some dignity and respect.¡± But the headstrong warrior didn¡¯t listen. After all, who was this Dwarf to tell him what to do? And yet the very next day, the Dwarf came back again. ¡°Come on Koro, listen to me just once. Just once! And I won¡¯t bother you again.¡± And the day after that as well. And the day after¡­ One day, after finishing his opponent in one of his arena matches, on a whim, Koro decided to follow the Dwarf¡¯s advice. The Beastkin, instead of belittling and kicking his downed enemy, instead helped them up. It had been a hard-fought battle, and he was fatigued. He just didn¡¯t have the energy to think of appropriate insults to throw, so he reasoned that he may as well be honorable for a change. The very next moment, cheers erupted from the audience. The entire crowd showered him with praise, chanting his name. Koro was elated. Since that day, little by little, the Beastkin¡¯s behavior changed. Though his rude demeanor was a lost cause ¨C he still berated anyone that crossed him, he had stopped abusing his downed opponents. His fanbase grew exponentially, the Dwarves of Do Banga adoring his heel-face turn. After all, who doesn¡¯t love a good redemption arc? Koro, seeing that his benefactor had some obvious goodwill, asked the latter if they would make him some equipment for the Armament Festival. The Dwarf, though taken aback, immediately agreed. Over the next few months, they went through countless trials and errors, finally forging a blade and armor perfectly fitted to the Beastkin¡¯s physique. With a smith at his side and steel on his shoulders, Koro was now perfectly prepared for this year¡¯s tournament. The dwarven blacksmith who lent him their strength? Her name was Carmela Do Banga. ¡°¡­¡± The crowd expected Koro to be up to his usual antics ¨C what kind of insults would he hurl towards his opponent? Would he point out their diminutive size for an Orc? Would he insult their parents? Their skills? But unexpectedly, the rowdy Beastkin did none of the above. As the match began, the dark-furred warrior curled his tail and bowed deeply towards Bash ¨C a Beastkin gesture of gratitude and submission. Never in his entire arena fighting career had he done such a thing. Intimidation was the norm, but a bow? The entire audience was speechless. Those in the know were aware of the significance of this act. A Beastkin warrior would only bow before a fighter that was plainly superior to himself. In other words, Koro was outright admitting for all to see that he had a slim to zero chance of coming out victorious from this match. The warrior lowered himself into stance, adopting to use Beastkin Army¡¯s martial arts instead of the lax, mocking posture he would usually take. His body was turned sideways, his hips low to the ground. Holding his sword by his side, every muscle in his body were coiled up like a spring, ready to pounce. ¡°I am honored to face you in combat. Thank you for this opportunity.¡± Koro himself didn¡¯t expect to act this way. Even if the Beastkin Hero Leto was his opponent, he would have loudly claimed to be stronger, and that he would prove it. But even so, he had inadvertently, yet naturally, thanked the Orc Hero. The warrior quickly cleared his mind of such thoughts, however. This was the third round of the Armament Festival ¨C the furthest he had ever gotten. A place he had reached with the help of his Dwarven partner. And his opponent was none other than Bash, the Orc Hero. Everyone who was anyone on the battlefield knew how deadly this man was. This was not a fight when he could afford to think about frivolous things. ¡°Umu.¡± Bash nodded and raised his sword. The fight began with little fanfare. Gliding soundlessly over the dirt, Koro quickly positioned himself to Bash¡¯s right, swinging out his blade. But it was a feint. The Beastkin wanted to draw out the Orc by striking his dominant side. His feet dug deep into the ground as he lowered himself and sharply turned instead toward the Hero¡¯s left side, further away from the latter¡¯s sword. The dark-furred warrior swung his sword out again, this time fully intent to land a hit. FLASH In an instant, Bash¡¯s arm turned into a blur. And in the next, Koro was flung away like a dead puppy. Before anyone knew it, the Beastkin¡¯s limp body had gone over the arena¡¯s walls and crashed into the stands. Fortunately, there was nobody sitting in the spot of the collision. But unfortunately, that meant there was nothing to cushion Koro¡¯s landing. He did not get up. ¡°Winner, Bash!¡± The match was over in the blink of an eye. Bash had won. As many of the spectators had expected, Koro had suffered a crushing defeat. However, nobody mocked him. Instead, he received applause, albeit sparsely, for having the bravery, just like Gorgol before him, to even cross swords with the terror that is the Orc Hero. Thus, Bash¡¯s spot in the tournament¡¯s semifinals was decided. CH 25.1 25.1 - Immaturity and Slavery To make it through the 3rd round of the Armament Festival was a great achievement for any warrior-smith pair, serving as irrefutable proof of the former¡¯s strength and the latter¡¯s skill. Especially in Do Banga¡¯s Pit, even if they weren¡¯t the final victors, the semi-finalists would earn fame and bragging rights for at least a couple of years. ¡°¡­¡± Had any other smith been in Primera¡¯s position, they would have been overjoyed. However, it was hard, even for the young girl herself, to determine whether she was happy or sad. Certainly, she had achieved her objective ¨C a warrior using equipment she had painstakingly forged had defeated the warrior that was using her sister¡¯s equipment. How do you like that, huh?! I¡¯m better than you! I won¡¯t ever let you talk down on my mother or me ever again! She thought that with this victory, she would have felt vindicated. Redeemed. And yet¡­ why did it feel so hollow? [¡­] After the day¡¯s fighting was over, Primera had returned to her workshop, carrying with her the armor and sword Bash had used. Her gaze darkened as she looked at the equipment laying on her workshop¡¯s table. Picking up the sword, the girl brought it up to her eyes to have a closer look. This was a weapon Bash had used in three different fights, and yet¡­ Yet, it looked the same as the day she had given it to the Hero ¨C straight and sharp, with a dull shine on the cutting edge. It hadn¡¯t warped like her previous attempts did during the preliminaries. In fact, it had barely even a blemish on the steel, let alone a bend. Had she improved her skill over that short period of time? Had her perseverance and efforts finally paid off? That wasn¡¯t it. Primera lowered the sword, looking back one of the gauntlets she had laid out on her workbench. It was crumpled up like a piece of paper. A gauntlet, naturally, was designed to protect the user¡¯s hands and wrists. The young smith had forged them especially thick to match up with the strain Bash would put on them. During the preliminaries, the metal fittings came loose, but there had been no real damage to the actual material. But now, the iron sheets that made up the gauntlets were cracked and torn, as if they had been run over by a horde of Dwarves rushing to a bar during happy hour. [He hit his opponents with the gauntlet¡­] Bash hadn¡¯t used the sword. Primera recalled that after the first round, she had to fix up not his weapon, but his gauntlets. The Hero had earned victory during his fight with Gorgol by smashing apart the Ogre¡¯s gigantic sword with his fist. [I told you to be creative, but¡­] To beat up an opponent using armor¡­ Rules-wise, it was as gray as it got. In the Armament Festival¡¯s tournament, the only allowed weapons were swords. The purpose of this was to keep a semblance of a level playing field between the participants and keep the focus of the celebrations on the warrior¡¯s prowess and the smith¡¯s skill. After all, if the rules were slackened, how long would it take until a crafty Dwarf brought in a cannon, calling it a riff on a bow and arrow? As such, using armor as a weapon was technically a foul. However, there are many cases where it became impossible for a fighter to exclusively use his sword in battle. Elbow strikes, kicks, punches and headbutts were all standard fare in the arena. Dwarven officials were not so stingy as to call out all of these as fouls. In other words, performing barehanded techniques using a limb that just happened to be covered in armor was, in practice, allowed. Of course, if the armor in question was obviously designed to be used as a weapon, as in the case of spiked shoulder pads or steel-clawed gloves, that was grounds for disqualification. Primera¡¯s gauntlet design was nothing out of the ordinary, so there was nothing to worry about on that end. Still, it remained that armor ¨C equipment made to protect, was used to attack. These gauntlets were not intended to be used in this manner. They could be repaired, but never completely restored. The materials would eventually reach their limits and break down. An unused sword. A repurposed gauntlet. As a blacksmith, nothing was more humiliating. Bash¡¯s actions were essentially telling her that the sword she had painstakingly crafted was so weak that he had to resort to using armor as a weapon. Primera was not so foolish as to be proud of this victory. ¡°?¡± At that moment, someone knocked on the workshop¡¯s door. Three knocks resounded through the otherwise silent room. Was it Bash and Zell? No, they had gone out to the taverns to celebrate their victory. It was still too early. Orcs were well known to love liquor almost as much as Dwarves did and would drown themselves in alcohol until daybreak if given the opportunity. Primera¡¯s body stiffened. Among the eight participants of the next day¡¯s battles was Barabara Do Banga, eldest son of the Do Banga clan. Could the clan have possibly sent some thugs to intimidate her to make sure he won ¡­? But the young girl quickly rid herself of that idea. [No, if that were true, why would they knock?] The Do Banga clan and its affiliates were not known for their subtlety. If they wanted to scare Primera, they would have done it overtly ¨C like kicking down her door, smashing up her equipment, and waltzing out triumphantly. That¡¯s what they would have done. With that in mind, Primera slowly opened the door, just enough to peek out. ¡°¡­!¡± An unexpected visitor. No ¨C calling this individual¡¯s presence here unexpected would be a lie. Primera had been daydreaming about this moment for years. She had imagined beating this individual in the Armament Festival. She had imagined defeating them publicly, humiliating them, and to see them cry, kneel and apologize. ¡°Sis¡­¡± ¡°Yo¡­¡± There stood Primera¡¯s sister, Carmela Do Banga. But far from being on her knees, or even in tears, she simply stood there, arms crossed, wearing an awkward expression. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡­wanted to tell you something, now that the results are in.¡± Bash¡¯s opponent in today¡¯s third round ¨C Koro, the Beastkin warrior, had been defeated in a single blow. Carmela had not made it past the second day. Primera did. The younger Dwarf had proven her elder sister wrong. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything I said. I underestimated you.¡± With those words, Carmela unhooked a bottle of liquor from her waist, presenting it to Primera. Both congratulations and apologies were best paired with alcohol, as per Dwarven custom. Accepting the gift meant she had forgiven her sister. [¡­] But Primera could not bring herself to reach for the alcohol. ¡°You¡¯re not going to forgive me, are you?¡± Carmela gave her sibling a bitter smile, withdrawing the drink. Primera¡¯s fingers twitched as she restrained her conflicting feelings. ¡°¡­¡± She had desired this for so long. She had imagined herself standing triumphant over her older sister, grabbing that bottle of liquor, and, telling her, ¡°Don¡¯t you ever badmouth my mother again!¡± And yet she couldn¡¯t bring herself to reach for it. ¡°Anyhow, congratulations on reaching the top eight.¡± ¡°Mhm¡­¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d be happier about this, but you look terrible.¡± It was a fact that Bash had beaten Koro ¨C Carmela¡¯s warrior. Even so, was this truly Primera¡¯s victory? Her sword had bent. Her armor had crumpled. She could tell from how Bash was quickly mowing through his opposition. He was holding back. In order to win the championship, the Orc was trying his best to keep his strength in check ¨C a delicate balance between beating the enemy and preventing damage to the equipment. Armor was meant to protect the user, not vice-versa. Primera was ashamed of herself. Where in the world would you ever find a warrior trying to protect his armor? ¡°Leave already¡­¡± ¡°¡­Haaaah¡­ are you being sulky again? This is why I keep telling you you¡¯re immature. Making armor for a first-class warrior isn¡¯t an easy task. I don¡¯t know how famous that Bash character is, but I can certainly tell from the way he fights that he¡¯s very strong. Just like how father was never satisfied with the work of other blacksmiths, you can¡¯t just give the finest fighters average armor and call it a day¡­¡± ¡°Just go already!¡± ¡°This is why you¡¯re¡­!¡± Carmela held back her words, swallowed her anger, and took a deep breath. Tears were spilling out from the corners of Primera¡¯s eyes. Her younger sister was never someone who often cried, thought Carmela. Even as a child, no matter what was said to her, she would just either grit her teeth and endure it, or get angry and defensive, but she never cried. ¡°¡­alright, I¡¯m leaving.¡± Carmela said, as she about-faced and began walking away. She took a few steps, before turning back around. ¡°But Primera, you¡¯ll only be hurting yourself if you don¡¯t admit it soon¡­¡± And with those parting words, she was gone. Without bothering the watch her sister leave, Primera returned to her workshop and stood, once again looking at the equipment she had made for the Orc Hero. There laid a shattered right gauntlet and a left gauntlet bearing marks of repair, along with a wide sword that would most likely bend if Bash ever swung it. ¡°What am I supposed to do¡­?¡± Primera muttered to herself, sniffling. CH 25.2 25.2 - Immaturity and Slavery While all of that was happening, Bash and Zell were over at a nearby tavern. The pair were celebrating the Hero making it through the first day of the main event. As a warrior, celebrating victories was nearly as important as the victories themselves, and took precedence over all other responsibility. For Orcs, this would usually include violating the captured women to their hearts content¡­ But that could be saved for when he won the entire tournament. After all, if he won tomorrow, Bash would legally obtain a bride and a complementary all-you-can-eat sex buffet. ¡°¡­was then that mister came rushing in! There he was, using his sharp, piercing eyes to assess the situation. To his left, a fallen comrade. To his right, countless, cunning enemy soldiers! In front of injustice, mister just couldn¡¯t stay still. He shouted! Graaah! And charged! Hooah! Front and back! Left and right! Enemies being sent flying everywhere! The Hero¡¯s passion is inextinguishable!¡± ¡°Ohh~!¡± Zell had turned the pair¡¯s table into her own little stage. The Faerie, wielding a knife in each hand, lunged to the right, slashing off a chunk of beef thigh, and then to the left, stabbing a smoked pork belly. The surrounding men erupted in applause, delighted by the show. But their focus was not on Zell herself, but rather her story. Their eyes, full of awe, lingered on her figure for a moment before drifting towards the Hero. Throughout the millennia long war, many significant personages had lived and died, but Bash was special even amongst them. He was not only a legend, but a still living, breathing, legend. To be able to share a drink with such an individual was an unprecedented privilege. The Hero¡¯s fandom went above cultural and geographic differences, and people from all races had been enraptured by Zell¡¯s storytelling. This included both Gorgol the Ogre and Koro the Beastkin, both of whom Bash had defeated not long ago. The ¡°enemy¡± within Bash¡¯s saga could have been the relatives or friends of the people in this very tavern, but none of them seemed to care. It was war, and the war was over ¨C no point in dwelling on it. And either way, if anyone were holding grudges, they most likely wouldn¡¯t be here anyways. ¡°¡­¡± Bash himself kept quiet, seemingly content to let his partner speak for him. And yet his face was strained, his expression betraying his emotions. Deep inside, he was breaking out in cold sweat. The reason? The Hero was deathly worried about the inevitable moment he would be asked about his experience with women. Were this an Orcish party, that same question would have been asked ten times over already. Incidentally, there were little to no members of non-Orc races that cared about a warrior¡¯s sexual experience. Of course, there were weirdoes everywhere, but generally, not even Succubae would care about something as trivial as sex when presented with the opportunity to spend time with the Orc Hero. To the audience, Bash¡¯s current attitude was that of a true man ¨C humble, stoic, silent. When it comes to war ¡°celebrities¡±, most of the prominent ones would constantly brag about their accomplishments. Of course, many truly did perform admirably during the conflict, but their exploits were a dime a dozen in the grand scheme of things. ¡°If anything, I deserve just as much glory. They were just in the right place at the right time to be seen,¡± is what many thought when listening to these veterans¡¯ stories. Today, however, sitting in front of them was an individual that was completely and utterly head and shoulders above anyone and everyone ¨C and it was clear as day to everyone that had witnessed his battles that his skill was no mere boast. And yet, he was calm and reserved. Occasionally, he would answer Zell¡¯s questions and even interject to correct her exaggerations. "" ¡°There were more than 500 men, ready to jump on mister!¡± she would claim, and Bash would correct her, ¡°No, they were around 50.¡± Every now and then, a someone that was aware of an event in Bash¡¯s saga would comment, ¡°oh, I was there,¡± or, ¡°hey, I¡¯ve heard that story before,¡± contributing to Zell¡¯s credibility. The small audience was convinced that they were sharing a drink with an incredible being. ¡°Oops, look at the time! It¡¯s getting late mister; we better go home. I know that you can stay awake for a whole year, but there¡¯s another match tomorrow. You need to be in perfect physical condition!¡± ¡°Right.¡± Bash answered Zell¡¯s words by standing up. Sure, he didn¡¯t hate being fawned upon, but the Hero couldn¡¯t afford to forget his purpose. It would have been a different story had there been a couple of beautiful women in the tavern ¨C unfortunately, there were only men, and winning tomorrow¡¯s battles was much more important than entertaining this crowd. Would he win? Or would he lose? The difference between the two was heaven and earth. This challenge was a zero-sum game ¨C either he got a wife, or he got nothing at all. The Orc had never lost due to lack of sleep before, but still, he wanted to make sure all factors were in his favor. ¡°Hey! Mr. Bash is leaving!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of his bill!¡± ¡°Hell no, idiot! I¡¯ll be the one to pay for Mr. Bash!¡± ¡°No! I wil-¡­!¡± While the men fought over the honor of footing the Hero¡¯s bill, Bash wordlessly left the tavern. It was late into the night. Though it was dark, the streets were still full of activity, with hawkers promoting their wares and tourists going back and forth ¨C there was still a festival going after all. Bash began making his way back to Primera¡¯s workshop, deftly weaving his way through the crowd. He was in a good mood. The sweet victory liquor had lifted his spirits and put a pep in his steps. But true victory had not yet been achieved ¨C that was for tomorrow. Tomorrow¡­ If he wins tomorrow, the Hero will finally have a wife. His mind was entirely occupied with the myriad of things he would do to his would-be woman. A little more and he would be skipping in joy down the road. Nevertheless, Bash, ever disciplined, quickly regained control of his senses. Gathering himself, he began hurrying back¡­ ¡­when suddenly, something grabbed him by the arm¡­ ¡°?!¡± ¡­and yanked him into a nearby dark, damp alley. However, Bash is Bash. Despite being taken by surprise, the Hero quickly assessed the situation, going with the flow as to not lose his balance, before planting himself and confronting his unknown assailant. ¡°Who are you!¡± A man with a hood pulled tightly over his eyes was holding on to Bash¡¯s arm. By the way he carried himself, the Hero knew in a second that he was dealing with a veteran warrior. His arms were as thick, or perhaps even thicker than Bash¡¯s. He kept himself low and balanced, yet light on his feet. But that wasn¡¯t the only thing that caught the Hero¡¯s eye. A Human-head-sized iron ball was attached by a chain to the mysterious man¡¯s leg. He was a slave. ¡°I thought I saw you at the opening ceremony! I didn¡¯t believe my eyes, but it really is you, Bash!¡± The hooded man exclaimed while slowly revealing his face. His appearance¡­ ¡­was very similar to Bash¡¯s ¨C green skin and upturned fangs. An Orc. He was a common green Orc. The tone of his skin was slightly darker than the Hero¡¯s, highlighted by the severe burn marks that scoured his face. His left hand, which was holding on to Bash, was missing its ring and pinky finger. That face¡­ That hand¡­ But even beyond that, Bash was familiar with the man¡¯s voice¡­ There was no doubt about it. CH 25.3 25.3 - Immaturity and Slavery ¡°No way¡­Donzoi, is it really you?¡± ¡°Yes, it is I! The great Donzoi!¡± ¡°I thought you were dead!¡± ¡°Sorry to disappoint, but I¡¯m still kickin¡¯!¡± As far as any Orc knew, Donzoi had died during the Battle of Do Banga¡¯s Pit. However, his body had never been found. At that time during the war, the Federation had just suffered a series of defeats. Bash and the rest of the army were constantly retreating, losing comrade after comrade. It was then that Donzoi suddenly disappeared, not returning from one of the company¡¯s excursions. Even after the conflict ended, there were no news of him. For Orcs, going missing in action was synonymous with death. After all, it was inconceivable for a brave Orc warrior to desert. They might flee, they might hide, they might run, but never would a true Orc abandon the Orcish cause. ¡°Oh! Mister Donzoi! It¡¯s you! Long time no see!¡± ¡°Haha, Zell! You¡¯re here too!¡± For all their brutality, Orcs had the quickness of mind to adapt in all matters of war. If a lost Orc was found by a clan that wasn¡¯t his own, he would seamlessly be adopted into that new clan¡¯s troops. Later down the line, when they would bump into their original comrades, both parties would be overjoyed, bantering as if it was no big deal that someone had disappeared, ¡°oh, you¡¯re still alive?¡±, ¡°how have you guys been? Looking good!¡± Given these facts, Doizoi was either dead or captured ¨C and as he hadn¡¯t returned after the prisoners of war were freed, he must be dead. ¡°Ahh, you both look fine and healthy. Bash, oh wait, no Hero Bash is what they call you now, right? It suits you!¡± ¡°Oh, no, um¡­¡± Bash then remembered the chains on Donzoi¡¯s legs. Not to mention the thick iron collar clasped around his neck. He was unmistakably a slave. There was no lack of Orcs that left their country, committed crimes in foreign lands, and were enslaved after being caught. The Hero recalled the Orcs that he saw fighting in the arena the other day¡­ no, now that he thought about it again, that was Donzoi, wasn¡¯t it? And at that time, Bash had concluded that that was a fitting end for stray Orcs. His feelings hadn¡¯t changed. But Donzoi wasn¡¯t that kind of man. He was always well-prepared and ingenious, sometimes bordering on paranoia, but it remained that he was undoubtedly a brave warrior who was proud to throw himself into battle nonetheless ¨C not the kind of fool that would dare defy the orders of the Orc King. ¡°¡­Why are you in this state? What happened?¡± ¡°Oh, this¡­I¡¯m pathetic¡­this is due to our¡­no, my lack of power.¡± As he answered Bash¡¯s question, Donzoi¡¯s expression was apologetic and full of regret. However, he soon got himself back together. ¡°But this year¡­ this year I¡¯ll fix all of it. Rest assured; I will no longer tarnish the pride of the Orcs. In the name of the Orc King.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bash didn¡¯t quite understand what his former comrade meant by those words. But Donzoi had mentioned the Orc King. The Hero was sure that whatever the now-slave had done to get himself in this situation, he regretted it deeply and had reflected on it. If so, then he intended to forgive him. After all, they were comrades who had gone through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows together and had saved each other¡¯s lives countless times. If need be, Bash was intent on returning home and interceding with the Orc King on his behalf. ¡°But why are the two of you here? Ah, wait, forget about me asking, that¡¯s none of my business. Sorry.¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t bother me¡­¡± ¡°Ah! I knew you would say that! You¡¯re truly the pride of our Boulder¡¯s Company! As expected of a generous Hero!¡± Donzoi praised Bash¡¯s attitude, but then he looked apologetic once more. ¡°Bash, I¡¯m sorry for asking this of you after you came so far, but¡­ tomorrow¡­tomorrow, if things keep going the way they are, we¡¯ll end up fighting each other in the finals.¡± "" ¡°Right. What about it?¡± ¡°This¡­is hard to say¡­¡± Donzoi seemed unsure about whether he should keep speaking. But he raised his eyes towards Bash, clenching his fists and making up his mind. ¡°Could you lose tomorrow¡¯s match?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No, scratch that. There¡¯s no way I could let you, the pride of the Orcs, lose to me. Please, just don¡¯t show up and forfeit the fight.¡± ¡°¡­Why? Why would I do that?¡± ¡°Why? Hey, do you really want me to personally say this? Please man, give me a break¡­ I¡¯m not as strong as you are, but I¡¯ve got my own pride too, you know? I¡¯m already ashamed enough¡­¡± Donzoi replied with a wry smile without giving a true answer. To lose on purpose¡­ To no-show the match¡­ Bash wasn¡¯t entirely unwilling to do either. However, the Hero was preoccupied about his reputation ¨C he didn¡¯t want anyone to believe he was a coward. But as this was the heartfelt request of a former comrade, Bash had enough heart to tolerate a little shame. ¡°I have my own purpose for being here.¡± ¡°Oh, of course you do. I know. But please¡­ we won¡¯t ever tell anyone that you ran away because you were scared. All of us will protect your pride, and we¡¯ll even make sure you¡¯re praised later¡­ right! I can even give you a woman. What about it?¡± ¡°¡­Wait a second, you¡¯re a slave, and you have a woman to give me?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. She¡¯s also a slave. Her name¡¯s Elindy. She¡¯s a good woman. Plenty healthy, and she¡¯s already given birth to three kids¡­ I was going to make her my wife if I ever made it out of here in one piece, but I¡¯ll give her to you if I have to.¡± Bash¡¯s face went blank. Even though he was a Hero, he was also both an Orc and a man. As all Orcs did, he desired women, and as man, he wasn¡¯t immune to jealousy. Though he tried to hold back his thoughts, he couldn¡¯t help but feel upset at the fact that a stray-now-slave Orc that had disobeyed the Orc King had a wife, and he was still a virgin. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± However, it remained that it was an attractive proposition. A true Orc does not lie. If Donzoi stated that she was a good woman, then it was a fact that she was a good woman. Bash would be able to obtain a good woman without having to go through the effort of winning the Armaments Festival. This was objectively positive. Donzoi would get whatever it was he wanted, and Bash would get a woman ¨C it was a win-win situation. The Hero was still ignorant of what his former comrade was planning, but as far as he could tell, he had nothing to lose. Not to mention that Primera herself seemed to be fully satisfied after Koro¡¯s defeat. But¡­ ¡°I know its insolent of me to come here and ask this of you, but please¡­ I want to finish this with my own two hands¡­¡± With those parting words, Donzoi turned around and slowly walked away into the depths of Do Banga¡¯s alleyways. Soon, the only thing left was the sound of the iron ball grinding on the stone road. ¡°¡­what are you going to do, mister?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bash did not answer his companion¡¯s question, silently gazing towards the darkness Donzoi had disappeared into. CH 26.1 Chapter 26. Main Event Semifinals, Day 2 In the waiting room, Primera stood in front of Bash with a tense look on her face. The orc was wearing the repaired armor, holding the sword he had been given and looking at Primera. Primera could not make out the emotion behind his expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t prepare proper armor.¡± Primera was not confident. Even more so than yesterday, before the first round began. The last few days had shown her how inexperienced she was. Last night, without sleeping a wink, she went back to reconditioning Bash¡¯s sword and armor. But even so, she could not match the Hero¡¯s beloved sword. Compared to that mighty sword, hers was but a twig. If Bash were to wield it, it would surely break easily. ¡°No, in fact, it¡¯s easier to hold than yesterday.¡± Bash said as he lightly swung the sword. ¡°Re-Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Primera celebrated with her fist subtly. But she immediately shook her head and hid her clenched fist behind her back. The fact that the sword was easier to swing didn¡¯t take away from the fact that it was still unrefined. ¡°¡­¡± Bash, for his part, was more attentive to the dwarf¡¯s chest, which now stood out more thanks to the fact that Primera had hidden her hands behind her back. Primera was aware of that look. She didn¡¯t know what was good about looking at her there, but she still didn¡¯t feel bad about it. ¡°But, still¡­¡± Primera looked at Bash again. When she first met him, she didn¡¯t really understand who he was. He asked her to have his child and she refused. She thought he was just talking nonsense. But now she saw him a little differently. He¡¯s an orc, but he¡¯s a good guy. He was honest, strong and manly. He used the sword she gave him, and even when Primera insulted him, he never complained. And in the end, he made her realize how immature she was. Being an orc, his common sense and hers differed. For one, he hadn¡¯t attacked her. But the reason he kept looking at Primera¡¯s cleavage and not touching her was because he felt lust for her, but had sworn by his loyalty to the Orc King. He was a man who was loyal, patient and also strong. Such a man was courting her. Reconfirming this fact, Primera felt her cheeks heat up. Then the words escaped spontaneously from her mouth. ¡°Well, goddammit! If you win, I¡¯ll think about it!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll think about it? About what?¡± ¡°You idiot! Don¡¯t make me say it! That!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bash became inwardly impatient. He didn¡¯t understand what it meant. What was the point of her saying that now? What was she thinking about? Even if he wanted to ask someone, there was no fairy he could trust here. Bash¡¯s keen intuition now felt a tremendous ¡°hunch¡± about something. Whether this ¡°hunch¡± was good or bad, he did not know. He had not had such a hunch since the decisive battle of the Lemium Highlands. It had been a bad premonition. Bash did not believe it and continued to fight on the spot, and when he received the order from the Orc King to come to the spot, it was too late. And the Demon King Gediguz died. What would it be this time¡­? ¡°Sir Bash. It¡¯s time for the 4th match!¡± And then there was a knock on the door of the anteroom. ¡°¡­! Th-There¡¯ll be time! Go on, go!¡± ¡°¡­Sure.¡± He didn¡¯t know what kind of hunch it was. He didn¡¯t even know what he should do. Bash went to his first match with an inexplicable feeling. CH 26.2 Fourth match, Bash vs. Amond. ¡°Winner, Bash!¡± In the next match, Bash also won with a single blow. The opponent was by no means weak. He was a dwarven warrior and the captain of the 3rd Engineer division. One of the top five warriors in Do Banga¡¯s Pit. He fought cleanly. He charged head-on at Bash and was finished off with a single blow. To the casual observer, it would have looked silly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see Bash¡¯s fight on the first day?¡± Some must have thought they did. But that was the way of the dwarves. They believed in the armor they had forged and relied on it to break through head-on. To the dwarves, evasion was the act of a coward. The brave dwarf was defeated, but was cheered with applause. Bash moved on to the semifinals. ¡ô¡ô¡ô His opponent in the semifinals was the previous winner. Barabara Do Banga. The eldest son of the dwarf hero Doradora Do Banga. ¡°¡­¡± Primera was trembling with nervousness when she saw Bash in the waiting room. Barabara Do Banga. He was the strongest and most skilled blacksmith of the Do Banga clan. Now that Doradora Do Banga was dead, he was the symbol, the pinnacle, the aspiration and the hope of the clan. He had participated in the festival with his self-made weapons and had won the tournament three times. Especially last year, he had been a relatively consistent winner, and this year he was the leading contender to win the festival, which implied that it was more than enough for him to win this time as well. Until yesterday, Primera thought she could be better than Barabara Do Banga if she put her mind to it. But now she didn¡¯t. She could see how diligent and good her stubborn brother was as a blacksmith. Sure he wasn¡¯t far behind her father, Doradora Do Banga, but he was still at a level Primera couldn¡¯t even come close to today. She wondered if she could compete against such an opponent now. She, who had only won because of Bash¡¯s strength. ¡°I assure you I won¡¯t lose. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Bash¡¯s words were encouraging. No matter who he was, there was no one who couldn¡¯t believe in his words. Even on the battlefield, these words were absolute, and every soldier will feel confident. But Primera thought, will he be able to win? ¡°Yes.¡± At least, when he won, she would not claim that victory for herself. Primera swore to herself. ¡ô¡ô¡ô The semifinal. Barabara was waiting for his opponent in the center of the arena. He was the previous winner. Before the tournament began, he thought he could win no matter who his opponent was. If it was an opponent like the one he had fought last year, he could win with a comfortable margin this year. He thought he had trained hard over the last year and had put on the perfect armor. But his opponent was Bash, the Orc Hero. Barabara knew his name because he too had fought as a dwarven warrior when the war had come to an end. And he knew that he had been able to survive because he had not encountered ¡°them¡±. They were the best warriors fighting on the battlefield. Just like Bash, just like his father Doradora Do Banga. The luck of not having met those warriors is what allowed him to survive. Once the war was over, they got the positions they deserved in their respective countries and continued to work for them. Both Nazar, the human prince, and Thunder Sonia, the elven Archmage, continued to work for their countries. He was sure that his father, who was called the War Fiend, and Leto, the Hero Beastman, who was a good friend of his father, would have done the same if they were alive. They would not have participated in the festival. Or, they would have sat in the seats of the guests of honor. But they would never be in the arena like that. The opportunity to challenge them was gone forever. Yes, it was a challenge. Barabara Do Banga was the king of this arena. But now, at this moment, he was the challenger. He wanted to thank God. For giving him the opportunity to challenge him. But I have to consider more carefully why he came¡­ The reason Bash, the Orc Hero, came to this country, to Do Banga¡¯s Pit, was obvious. The slaves. There were orc slaves in this country. And there were quite a few of them. They were captured as stray orcs that appeared near Do Banga¡¯s Pit. But in reality, they were not. Most of them were prisoners captured during the war. When the 12 races agreed on peace and this came, all prisoners of war held in each country were released. This treaty became official. So all female captives in the Orc Country were released, and all male captives in the land of the succubi were released. The captive fairies in the land of the humans and the captive ogres of the beast people were also released. Why, then, were the orcs still captive in Do Banga¡¯s Pit? Why were they not released at the end of the war? No lengthy explanation was needed to tell this story. Because of the merchants of the Do Banga¡¯s Pit. Those who ran the city after the death of Doradora Do Banga. They hid the existence of the slaves just before the end of the war. The dwarves were stubborn and cunning. But not all of them were good people. Many, by the way, liked to accumulate wealth. The profits from the arena and low-cost slaves were enormous. The merchants, who considered it too good to give them up, thoroughly concealed the existence of the enslaved orcs. During the first year, they locked them in the depths of the earth and made them fight in the subway fighting pits; from the second year on, they revealed their existence and made them fight in the arena, claiming that they had caught stray orcs. Many used that deception. It was only recently that Barabara Do Banga learned the truth. Inheriting Doradora Do Banga¡¯s pride, he immediately wanted to free the enslaved orcs. Then he met Donzoi, the leader of the orc slaves. Donzoi was a proud man. Throughout his captivity, he had tried to break the status quo with his own hands. And he had found a way. A surefire way to win the Armament Festival and break free. Barabara Do Banga knew this and thought: ¡°I should face them as an enemy. This would protect their pride¡±. He did nothing but secretly arrange for the enslaved orcs to receive the equipment he had made. As a result, last year Barabara won the championship and Donzoi was runner-up. It was a heartbreaking result for Barabara, but Donzoi did not give up. So Barabara sent Donzoi again this year, this time with armor and a blacksmith who could repair Barabara¡¯s armor. Anyone could understand Barabara¡¯s actions upon hearing them. But he believed that, if he deliberately lost or gave up the fight, it would be an insult to orc pride. He believed that, if he did not fight and lost, the pride of the orcs, tarnished for more than three years, would not recover, and Donzoi¡¯s suffering would be in vain. But this year, Bash had come. An orc, a man even called Hero. To save his enslaved friends. With a fairy, just the two of them. CH 26.3 But this year, Bash had come. An orc, a man even called Hero. To save his enslaved friends. With a fairy, just the two of them. The fact that he had shown up just now suggested that he was waiting for the situation to stabilize, or that word had finally gotten out after Donzoi had been runner-up last year¡­ Either way, Barabara Do Banga felt it was admirable. It must have been difficult for orcs to travel through other countries. To get to Do Banga¡¯s Pit, one had to pass through the Siwanasi Forest. That forest was controlled by Thunder Sonia, the Great Archmage. The nightmare of the Siwanasi Forest was famous among the dwarves. In the long war, Thunder Sonia went through insufferable humiliation. Combined with the insidious nature of the elves, even merely traversing the forest must have been a source of embarrassment. In fact, rumor had it that there had been riots. And that was not all. When the Orc Hero left his country, not even Houston, the wise general of Krassel, was silent. Houston, the Pig Killer, was famous for his exploits and his title. That man, who had an extraordinary hatred for orcs, would make moves if Bash left the country. But Bash was here now. He was here now, after overcoming hardship and suffering. The orcs were not an intelligent race, but they had survived to the end of the war without being destroyed. This was surely due to their sense of unity. Today, many of the dwarves who were more or less aware of the situation had probably changed their perception of the orc race. But¡­ Barabara Do Banga heard the joyous cheers. Opening his eyes, he saw an orc walking from the anteroom. If this man does all this, what will become of Donzoi¡¯s pride? Bash was strong. He was stronger than anyone in this arena. No matter where one looked in the world, there was no one who could beat this man. It didn¡¯t matter if his power was somewhat suppressed by his modest armor. He was certain that he would easily win this year¡¯s tournament and free the orcs from slavery. But Barabara Do Banga did not think this was a good thing. Donzoi had been a slave for the past three years. No, he knew that Donzoi had been working for that many, wanting to free the orcs from slavery. He didn¡¯t want it all to have been for nothing. ¡°Sir Bash.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I will defeat you.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± You say the obvious and you get the obvious answer. But this was a sign of Barabara Do Banga¡¯s determination. He would defeat this man himself. He would defeat this opponent who could never be defeated. If he did, Donzoi¡¯s hardships would not be in vain. That is what Barabara Do Banga thought and he pointed his sword at Bash. Stubborn and rough, skilled with his hands, but clumsy and blunt with words, the man challenged the Orc Hero. ¡ô¡ô¡ô Semifinals: Bash vs Barabara Do Banga Barabara knew Bash¡¯s weakness. Though of course, Bash had no weaknesses. Orcs were generally said to be weak against fire and lightning magic, but it was obvious that this was not true when it came to Bash. After all, he had already defeated Thunder Sonia in single combat. Even if he was vulnerable to fire and lightning magic, it couldn¡¯t hurt him much unless it was very powerful. But knowing that, magic was forbidden in the tournament. Bash¡¯s weak point. That was his equipment. As most contestants in this tournament knew, the blacksmith who forged Bash¡¯s equipment was inexperienced. In other words, if he targeted the equipment with the goal of destroying his armor, he would have a chance of winning. Even that was only a slim chance, as if by a thin thread. But Barabara was convinced he could do it. Because Bash was holding back. If Bash moved with all his might, his weapon, or even his armor, would be destroyed and shattered to pieces. As a blacksmith¡­ he did not intend to belittle Primera. Not even Barabara Do Banga was confident that he could forge a weapon that could withstand the full might of this man. If anyone could make a weapon worthy of the orc, it would be Doradora Do Banga, the legendary War Blacksmith, or Salmon, the famed Demon Blacksmith. Therefore, Bash was forced to take it easy. He had to restrain his physical strength and move his body slowly, as if he were carrying an egg on a spoon. And yet he had managed to defeat all the famous participants in one blow, which could only be described as a divine feat. Everyone might think so, but the reality was a little different. Bash had to win in a single blow. He was wearing armor that would break the more he moved, so he had no choice but to choose a short battle. Therefore, Barabara Do Banga chose to humble himself. CH 26.4 ¡°Wow, what does this mean, Barabara Do Banga is running away? What a disgrace for someone so brave and bold!¡± Voices of surprise could be heard from the audience, and the place was filled with boos. He knew what it looked like. He had come to the Arena of his own free will, and now, in the semifinals, he was running like a rabbit. How pathetic he was. What a coward. Barabara himself had never thought he would run away like this. He had intended to face any opponent fairly and squarely. But that was not the best thing to do. That would not be enough to win. With that he could not protect Donzoi¡¯s pride. ¡°Huh!¡± As he ran, he aimed for Bash¡¯s joints. Joints, shoulders, armpits. The armor wasn¡¯t carved from a single block of iron. There were always fastenings. There were fragile parts. He aimed there. Or so he intended. ¡°Mmm!¡± Then Bash counterattacked with precision. A mass of murderous intent passed over Barabara¡¯s head. A shiver ran down his spine, if he had taken another half step¡­. The strength of the armor was great enough to keep him from death. But if it had hit him in the head, he would have been knocked unconscious. In any case, it was an attack with a lot of strength. Every time he took a step forward, he must have been constantly applying load to the ankle supports. That would constantly wear out them. If the hardware around the feet could be worn down, the next step was the shoulder area. Finally, if the hardware around the torso could be destroyed, destruction of the armor would be inevitable. He would take his time, carefully provoke his attacks and invite the opponent to self-destruct. He would attack alone at the end. He would slowly destroy the armor first. This was not a dwarven way of fighting at all. This plan could be ruined by a simple mistake. If he failed to evade a blow. Or when Bash realized he wasn¡¯t serious in his attacks. But Barabara was confident it would work out. With the next step, the ankle braces should break. His confidence was born of his own assessment. Primera¡¯s smithing skills and his own physical strength. He weighed the two and was confident he could go all the way. ¡°Mnh!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± With a metallic clang, the sword grazed his helmet. Bash¡¯s sword was trying to overcome Barabara¡¯s evasive movements. It was natural. The opponent was a superior warrior. Besides, Barabara was not so good at evading his opponent¡¯s attacks. No matter how much of a safety margin he thought he had, there was no way he could keep running. But there won¡¯t be a next time. Barabara thought so. Because now Bash¡¯s ankle braces couldn¡¯t take any more load and would break. In other words, they wouldn¡¯t hold as well as before. But Bash was still forced to attack. In this tournament, if a stalemate occurred and neither could continue to fight, the winner was determined by the damage to the other¡¯s armor. All parts of Barabara Do Banga¡¯s armor were still intact. With only one part damaged, even if it was that small piece of metal at the ankle, Bash would be defeated. Forced to attack, but without much force, Barabara Do Banga countered Bash by aiming for the shoulder area. ¡°Mnh!¡± ¡°Ngh!¡± By the time he realized it, it would be too late. Bash had gone deeper than ever. It was as if he was saying, ¡°Oh? I think I can step a little deeper today¡±. The mass of iron approached Barabara Do Banga¡¯s head at tremendous speed. Barabara watched it as if in slow motion. He realized there was no way to avoid it. He put his strength into his stomach, trying to stay conscious at least. He took the blow. ¡°¡­¡± Barabara Do Banga¡¯s consciousness flew away in an instant. But just before it did, he saw it. Bash¡¯s ankles. The metal fittings that should have been broken were good and intact. Primera, you¡¯ve grown¡­ That was Barabara Do Banga¡¯s miscalculation. That his unsuccessful sister had improved her skills in this tournament. As expected of the Orc Hero¡­ Barabara Do Banga fell to the ground, praising Bash for bringing his foolish sister, who hadn¡¯t changed her mind no matter how much Carmela tried to convince her, to this level of maturity. ¡°Winner, Bash! Advance to the finals!¡± There was no applause. CH 27.1 Chapter 27. Main Event Finals, Day 2 The finals. The crowd was buzzing with anticipation, as expected. The two fierce semifinalists would face off and bring the long tournament to an end. Nothing could be more exciting. But this year¡¯s final was unusually quiet. In the semifinals, Barabara Do Banga put up a terrible fight. Most spectators knew how he used to fight. Like a dwarf, he would stand on his armor and defeat any foe head-on. He fought in a manner reminiscent of the Doradora Do Banga of old. That was Barabara Do Banga. That man, as if he were a rookie, was on the run and yet, unable to escape, he lost as if self-destructing. No one applauded, and the crowd was annoyed and bewildered. But a portion of the audience saw beyond that. I don¡¯t think Barabara Do Banga was awash in the waters of cowardice, they said. For he was the champion of the Armament Festival. They recalled how he bravely defeated all his opponents last year. And even this year, except for the fight with Bash, he had fought decently against all of them. Surely he had some plan. Everyone wanted to think he did. That, in order to win, he had to put on that pitiful show. But even after all that, he still couldn¡¯t achieve victory. And now the one who would face Bash was also an orc. The orc who had won second place in the last tournament despite being a slave. Donzoi. He was the most skilled slave orc. He was the most popular slave fighter, and he skillfully manipulated the buckler equipped in his left hand. Many people knew his strength. They did not know where he had gotten his weapons from, nor who his waiting room blacksmith was, but there was no doubt that he was one of the contenders for this year¡¯s championship. But still, his opponent was Bash, the Orc Hero. Comparing the two fighters so far, no one believed Donzoi could win. Well, the stronger one would win. That was fine. But those who witnessed Bash¡¯s strength and those who knew his title all thought so and shut their mouths. This is not mature on his part. Then. It was as if an adult had gotten mixed up in a child¡¯s game. Of course, there was no rule prohibiting Bash from participating, not even an unwritten rule¡­ At this moment, Donzoi was the only one in the arena. In a little while, Bash, whose equipment was being finished repairing, would appear. ¡ô¡ô¡ô When Bash arrived at the arena, Donzoi was standing with his eyes closed and his arms crossed, not moving in the slightest. But when he saw Bash approaching him, his expression clouded over. ¡°Bash, why¡­?¡± Bash then replied to the confused Donzoi. ¡°I know what you want.¡± Of course, Bash had no idea why Donzoi entered this tournament, or why he asked him to hold back. But even him could understand. Donzoi entered this tournament because he wanted something. And to win the tournament, he wanted to keep his opponents away. What did Donzoi want? Bash guessed that it would probably be honor. The orcs were proud of their strength and prowess. He had abandoned his country, had been captured and enslaved, and now he was deprived of his honor. He wanted it back. The best way to do that would be to win this tournament. Bash thought so. Well, one could say that in the big picture he wasn¡¯t wrong. He was far from right, though. ¡°But there¡¯s something I also want¡­ if I win, I¡¯ll get a woman.¡± At these words, Donzoi¡¯s countenance changed. His face was one of doubt at Bash¡¯s words. He promised him that he would get him a woman, didn¡¯t he? He looked toward a corner of the bleachers, and there stood Donzoi¡¯s wife, a dwarf woman, looking at him with bated breath. Bash looked in that direction as well. ¡°Why¡­ What do you mean, Bash?¡± Bash turned his attention back to Donzoi. To put it bluntly, Donzoi¡¯s wife was not to Bash¡¯s liking. She might have been a good woman, but that wasn¡¯t the point. If Donzoi¡¯s wife had been a very beautiful woman, Bash might have changed his mind at this point, but she was not. There were two reasons. First, Bash was the Orc Hero. In fact, he thought any woman would do, but if he was going to take her home, he would prefer a woman who would not embarrass the title of Hero. If he took the slave of Donzoi, a stray orc, and took her home, he would not be able to show his face to the orc king. And one more thing. This was the most important thing. ¡°Donzoi, if you have the pride of an orc, fight and take what you desire.¡± ¡°¡­!?¡± With these words, Donzoi¡¯s heart was struck as if by lightning. CH 27.2 With these words, Donzoi¡¯s heart was struck as if by lightning. That¡¯s right. It was true, why was he trying to avoid fighting Bash? After all, his goals were the same. Because he wanted to make the final decision with his own hands and declare their emancipation with his own words. That was also the case. But that was not all. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Donzoi had a thought: ¡°I can never beat Bash.¡± That was why he gave up even before the fight. In the past it was different. When all the members of Boulder¡¯s company were alive, he thought he was stronger. In fact, he used to be stronger. For a while they were evenly matched, and then he was outmatched. But even after that, he thought that, if they were to engage in combat, he would not lose. One day, Bash became the best warrior in his unit, and another day he became one of the best warriors in the country¡­ And he was the Hero while Donzoi was a slave. Now, he no longer even questioned whether or not he could beat Bash. ¡°¡­Orc pride, huh?¡± Pride. Yes, it was pride that Donzoi wanted to regain. It was that feeling of pride that was lost when he became a slave. After being made a slave, he remembered the words of his owner, a dwarf who said some time later: ¡°An orc is fine as long as he has someone to fight with and a woman.¡± Donzoi and his men were valuable slaves. As of recently, the slaves were dragged into the arena to fight each other and let the spectators decide whether they died or not. When they fought in the underground arena, they were forced to use poor quality weapons and wear flimsy armor. If the armor broke, the match was over. The rules were equivalent to those of the Armament Festival. They were forced to continue endlessly in a playful duel in which they would never die. How could it be a battle between orcs? Orc dueling was more about leaving one¡¯s soul in the fight, something tremendous. ¡°That¡¯s right. I was wrong.¡± Perhaps at some point Donzoi had become weak-minded. Maybe he was so anxious to get out of this difficult situation that he asked the Hero to do the worst thing he could ask him. ¡°Let me show you dwarves what a real orc duel is like.¡± Fight and take what you want. Women, freedom. It was not give and take. Orcs fought and took. If you were proud to be an orc, you had to fight and win and take the spoils, even if your opponent was Bash. Bash taught him that again. Thinking about this, Donzoi readied his sword and shield. Bash also prepared his great sword. And then¡­ ¡°Graaahhh!¡± Vibrations ran through the arena. It trembled. Silence fell. At the same time, they remembered. The dwarves remembered. It was not the mournful pig roar they had heard in the arena. It was the roar they had heard during the war against the orcs. The trembling of their bodies and the fear they felt on the battlefield. A true war cry. ¡°Graaaahhhhhhhhhoou!¡± The second vibration was even louder. The war cry shouted by the Orc Hero terrified all the spectators in the arena. At the same time, it made their hearts dance. Now that they thought about it, Bash had not uttered a single war cry in this tournament. Even in that fight against Barabara Do Banga he wasn¡¯t serious. But this was different. In this final, the orc himself, he was serious. The man had been the object of envy and admiration of all the Heroes of the past, all the veterans kept their mouths shut and their faces pale. The place erupted in excited groans and shouts. At the same time, the orcs took a step towards each other. Two or three steps, and then they started running. They rushed forward without thought of defense. As soon as they collided, a heavy metallic sound echoed in the arena, as if coming from the bottom of a well. The final began. CH 27.3 Everyone thought it was over with a single blow. Bash¡¯s divine strike was thrown against Donzoi, and Donzoi was dragged back several meters from where he stood. The fight was not over, as Donzoi landed on his feet. With the momentum of the blow, Donzoi made a furrow with the soles of his feet for about two meters and stopped. He withstood Bash¡¯s blow. As soon as they recognized it, the arena buzzed. Those who knew the weight of Bash¡¯s blow exclaimed in admiration. As they saw in the battle against Barabara Do Banga, there was no armor that could withstand a blow from Bash. If that were the case, Donzoi must have resisted the blow with the shield in his left hand. But who could stop a blow that could defeat a dragon? It was a tremendous feat. ¡°I heard that guy, Donzoi, was in the same unit as Bash during the war.¡± When someone said that, the audience got even more excited. There was a man who could fight Bash on equal terms. The tournament, which they thought would end easily, with Bash snatching the championship without much fanfare, was getting confusing and interesting. ¡°Graaaaahhh!¡± Donzoi shouted and lunged in for a punch. It was an onslaught that could be described as barbaric, as was typical of orcs. Bash also responded to his challenge. He readied his greatsword, stepped forward, slashed and strike at Donzoi in a way that seemed to leave time behind. The shockwave sent a cloud of dust billowing around them. A metallic sound reverberated in the air. Donzoi was blown away through the air, leaving another furrow in the ground. Bash was no longer holding back. This was the final fight, and he no longer had to think about the consequences, for Donzoi¡¯s battle cry had erased the words ¡°hold back¡± from Bash¡¯s mind. What was taking place now was an orc duel. Dignity with dignity, pride with pride clashed. Bash, the Orc Hero, was not taking it easy. That¡¯s why Donzoi also rushed in. He shifted his shield to his right hand and gripped his sword in his left. Why, they all wondered. Everyone knew that Donzoi was right-handed, for all the dwarves who frequented the arena had seen him. But they could all guess why. The bones in Donzoi¡¯s left arm was already shattered. Orcs did not throw their weapons. Especially if it was a duel. Even if they did, they would throw their shields first. The weapon was always held with the dominant hand. But Donzoi would go with his shield. He would use the shield he was good at. With his shield at the ready, he rushed forward recklessly, approaching Bash. ¡°Graaaahhhoou!¡± Bash readied his stance and approached. ¡°¡­!¡± But for a moment, his movement slowed down. The next moment, Donzoi slipped into Bash¡¯s opening. Inside the opening between Bash¡¯s greatsword and Donzoi¡¯s. Donzoi used that pause to attack with the one-handed sword. The sword he thrust with his mangled left hand pierced the flesh of Bash¡¯s neck, splattering fresh blood. Immediately, a kick with Bash¡¯s knee pushed Donzoi away. Again, the distance opened up several meters. The shield looked quite nicked. The thick, curved steel plates were dented to the point where they were no longer useful. It had blocked Bash¡¯s attack three times. No matter how many he had parried, it didn¡¯t negate the impact of all of them. With two slashes, the bones in Donzoi¡¯s left hand shattered. The bones in his right hand also crunched from the first single blow he delivered. But even so, the hands wielding the sword and shield did not lose strength. He felt pain. Donzoi¡¯s hands were in extreme pain. But the warrior who let out a war cry did not let the pain slow down his movements. ¡°Baash!¡± ¡°Donzoi!¡± Bash got into position. He adopted a different stance from before, holding the sword in his opposite hand, bringing it to his shoulder as if he were going to throw it, or as if he were going to thrust it straight into the enemy. Donzoi did not change his stance. As before, half hidden behind his shield, he went straight for a blow. The cross was instantaneous. The sound echoed for a long time. Bash and Donzoi had stopped, still in their shock positions. Donzoi did not pounce any further. Bash did not move. Everyone understood that it was decided. But no one could tell who had won. CH 28.1 Chapter 28. Proposal While the finals were going on, Primera was in the waiting room praying to God. Maybe what she was praying for was for Bash¡¯s luck, but she had no specific wishes about what she wanted to happen, but she was just praying. For a while, the anteroom was silent. There was no buzzing of the arena. Unknown to Primera, even the arena itself was not very noisy. A few moments later, a hiss of cheers told her that the fight had begun. There were a few more cheers. It didn¡¯t last long. But with each cheer, Primera¡¯s shoulders shook. Soon, she heard a loud cheer that shook even the waiting room. She knew immediately that the fight was over. Primera folded her hands and prayed. She still didn¡¯t know what she was praying for. Had her prayer been heard or not? The door to the waiting room opened with a bang. In the doorway stood Bash. The orc stepped into the anteroom. ¡°Huh¡­¡± He let out a small voice. At the same time, with a clang, his shoulder pads fell off. The fastenings had popped off. Whether it was because his greaves had broken, or perhaps because they had fallen off somewhere, one of his legs was bare. But that was not the end of it. The sword in Bash¡¯s right hand was also broken in half and had lost its blade. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Primera looked at Bash with a sense of relief, but also of apology. He had lost. Because of her inexperience as a blacksmith. ¡°You lost, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Bash nodded with a tone of disappointment that she had never seen him do. However, Primera thought this was for the best. He had no use for her due to her lack of experience. Her weapons and armor were not only far from perfect, they were toys compared to what the other fighters were wearing. There was no way she would have won. There was no way she would have received such an honor. Second place was by no means an appropriate result for Primera, but it was still better than winning. She was relieved. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s nothing to be sorry about. Donzoi¡¯s spirit was real. If I hadn¡¯t attacked him in earnest, my pride would have been hurt too.¡± At the same time, she felt frustrated. If only she had been able to forge better equipment¡­ If only she had been able to forge better armor, the kind that could withstand the real power of Bash¡­ She couldn¡¯t help but think about it. If she had been more skilled, she could have prevented Bash from having to say something like this. ¡°What are you going to do now?¡± ¡°Right¡­ we¡¯ll probably go to another town.¡± As for Bash, he could continue his search for a wife in another town. This was a dwarven town, that was the truth. However, he had just wasted the biggest and surest opportunity of all: The Armament Festival. So there was no reason to stay in this city. After all, most of the people here were dwarves. Some of the women weren¡¯t bad, but they were basically not to Bash¡¯s liking. ¡°I¡­ I see¡­¡± Primera bit her lower lip when she heard that. He couldn¡¯t win because she wasn¡¯t good enough. If that was the case, the promise she made before the match couldn¡¯t be kept. Primera had mixed feelings. She felt relieved while disappointed at the same time, but she felt it would be strange for her to renege on the promise she made if he won the tournament. ¡°Will you be leaving soon?¡± ¡°Yes, I have nothing more to do in this place.¡± Bash said, and turned on his heel. After this, he would probably retrieve the sword left in Primera¡¯s house and embark on another journey. ¡°Hey!¡± Primera called to Bash behind his back. Something in her was screaming at her not to let him go so easily. So she shouted with determination. She was aware that she would skip a few steps, but she said it. ¡°Let me¡­ let me be the person who fixes your equipment for the rest of my life!¡± It was a proposal in the manner of the dwarves. Make weapons for the warrior you would spend the rest of your life with. ¡°I want you to be my life companion on the battlefield¡±. These were the words of the dwarves in times of war. If times of peace continued, different words would be born, but it had only been three years since the war ended. Primera knew only those. ¡°Until that time.¡± And of course, Bash didn¡¯t know those proposal words either. Although if there had been that pesky fairy here, she¡¯d make a fuss and tell him ¡°Now! It¡¯s what you¡¯ve been waiting for!¡±¡­ Unfortunately, there was no Zell here. ¡°I see¡­ you¡¯re right¡­ someone as good as you, I¡¯m not¡­¡± Primera¡¯s shoulders slumped and she nodded weakly, making Bash feel somewhat uncomfortable. It was natural for the beautiful girl to be depressed by his defeat. What should he do, should he say something to comfort her? ¡°If my sword breaks, I will come to you for help.¡± After much deliberation, what Bash uttered were these words. ¡°I will! Until then, I will make sure that I can forge a sword that you will be satisfied with!¡± Primera looked up and nodded repeatedly. She wasn¡¯t quite sure what Bash had said, but she believed he had shown her that there was still a chance. Then¡­ ¡°Yes¡­¡± And so, Primera watched Bash¡¯s back. The back of a great man who put up with her selfishness, but never complained until the end, and taught her what was really important¡­ ¡°Thank you¡­ I won¡¯t stop trying¡­¡± In the lonely waiting room, Primera renewed her determination. CH 28.2 ¡°Mister! Thanks for your hard work! Wow, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d lose! But, if we¡¯re talking about strength, you dominated! But that¡¯s the rules of this arena, so it can¡¯t be helped! And it looks like Mr. Donzoi has fought quite a bit under these same rules! If that¡¯s the case, then it was a matter of luck! That being the case, mister, it¡¯s no wonder that sometimes you win and sometimes you lose!¡± When Bash left the waiting room and went outside, he was attacked by a monster sycophant. The sycophant used her advanced technique of circling around Bash, praising and comforting him, and finally hugged him on the shoulder. It was Zell. ¡°But it¡¯s a pity. If your equipment had been a little stronger, you could have won¡­¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. But I¡¯m sure Donzoi¡¯s honor has been restored by emerging victorious over me. He can return to our country with a big smile on his face.¡± ¡°Mr. Donzoi was stunned, probably because he didn¡¯t believe he could win¡­¡± Zell was watching the fight from the spectator stands. By the way, she was the one who told them that Donzoi was in the same unit as Bash. ¡°What are you going to do now? Are we going to continue the search for a woman in this city?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re going to go to another one.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Zell also knew that Bash¡¯s hopes of finding a woman in Do Banga¡¯s Pit were not the highest. At least, when he was in the human city or the elven city, he used to look at people (women) on the road with eyes more full of expectation, hope and lust. Even when he was looking for a potential wife here, there were subtle looks on his face that said, ¡°not bad, but¡­¡±. If she had to be honest, She¡¯d say he was happiest when he was looking at Primera¡¯s cleavage. She supposed dwarves weren¡¯t his favorite. Thinking about it, he didn¡¯t seem so disappointed after leaving the arena after the defeat. She thought that because his expectations were lower than usual, his disappointment was also lower. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± If that was the case, they¡¯d better get out of the city as soon as possible. There were many more women who would be suitable for Bash. ¡°But where should we go now?¡± At that moment, a shadow stepped in front of Bash. ¡°Sir Bash!¡± Metal armor and a broadsword. A slightly different appearance among many similarly dressed people. A young man with the head of a lizard. He was Taid Nail. He took Bash¡¯s hand, tears in his eyes. ¡°Just now¡­ just now, all the slaves were freed¡­!¡± ¡°¡­? I see¡­¡± ¡°I, uuh¡­ sniff, I-I am deeply moved¡­ why, uuh, someone like Sir Bash would participate in such a festival, that¡­ that¡­ I, I almost became a slave¡­ I was there, so yes¡­ even the last battle¡­ sniff¡­¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Taid Nail was sobbing too much for his story to be minimally understandable. But, apparently, the young lizardman had figured out what Bash wanted to ask for when he won. But he must have been disappointed. He must have been disappointed to discover that the Orc Hero had no luck with women. ¡°Um, Sir Bash, what are you going to do after this?¡± ¡°Hm. I¡¯m thinking of leaving this city for now. I have no clue where to go next, though¡­¡± ¡°You have no clue where to go next!? If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯d like you to come to my town! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be welcomed by everyone!¡± Taid Nail said this cheerfully, but Bash made a sour face. The Lizardmen were a race that got along well with the orcs. Unlike with the Faeries, he had not teamed up with them during the war, but the Lizardmen, who were good at fighting in watery areas, often participated in operations. Bash himself did not have a bad impression of them. He thought it was reliable to stand shoulder to shoulder with them as comrades-in-arms. ¡°No, this is not a sightseeing trip. We can¡¯t take a detour.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ true¡­¡± However, considering the purpose of this trip, he couldn¡¯t agree. For the Lizardmen were an ugly race to the orcs. Even more so than the dwarves. At the very least, only the most daring would consider them fit for sexual relationship. Bash, for his part, did not want a Lizardwoman for a wife, and did not want to procreate with one. Even if there was a woman who would accept Bash¡¯s marriage proposal. (Frizcop: There won¡¯t be the sultry Argonian maiden for us.) CH 28.3 If something like here happened, then I might think about going there?¡± ¡°Something like here¡­¡± Taid Nail cocked his head to one side. Unfortunately, he had never heard of enslaved orcs. However, the word ¡°festival¡± came to his mind with the words ¡°something like here¡±. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think this has anything to do with you, Sir Bash.¡± ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°I heard that the engagement between Inuella, the third princess of the Beastmen Nation, and Aconite of the Elf Nation has been officially decided, and the Beastmen Nation seems to be in a festive mood. ¡°I see.¡± It was really irrelevant. Bash¡¯s shoulders slumped. But he was the only one who thought so. Zell had an idea, though. ¡°Mister¡­ that¡¯s it!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Lend me your ear a little.¡± Zell whispered to him. It was a fairy whisper. ¡°When you see something good in someone else, don¡¯t you get a little jealous and want to copy it?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± He thought back to the incident in the elven land. After Bash¡¯s failed marriage proposal, ¡°Last Breath¡± had gotten an elven wife. And he felt envious. He would be lying if he said he didn¡¯t want to imitate him. Elves were monogamous, therefore, he gave up¡­ ¡°Perhaps something similar would happen in the land of the Beastmen.¡± ¡°And by that you mean¡­?¡± ¡°How clueless, mister! Listen, if the princess will marry, that means there will be a boom of marriage activity with different races in the Beastmen Nation!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± There would be a boom in interracial marriages in the future. It certainly wasn¡¯t impossible. Bash looked at Zell. The fairy had a smug look on her face. Never before had he thought that this fairy¡¯s ability to gather information and detect enemy targets from it was so reliable. ¡°Zell. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re with me on this journey.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t get so sentimental!¡± Zell patted Bash on the shoulder. Bash thanked Zell again and turned to Taid Nail. ¡°Thanks for the information. I think I¡¯ll head for the Beastmen Country¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Taid Nail nodded. However, in light of the current secret talk, he took the liberty of guessing that there must have been a reason for it. Because the one he was talking about now was Bash. He was a true hero who freed the dwarven nation¡¯s captive orc slaves and defended their pride. ¡°I see! I¡¯m glad my information was useful to you!¡± ¡°Someday, when this journey is over, I will visit your nation.¡± ¡°Yes! I will welcome you with open arms!¡± ¡°See you later!¡± ¡°Good luck!¡± And so, Bash set out on his journey. A journey to the Beastmen Country. ¡ô¡ô¡ô Over the next few days, the dwarven nation of Do Banga¡¯s Pit buzzed with talk of the Armament Festival. Orc slaves had been held captive since the war. A slave warrior fought to regain his freedom and his pride. The Orc Hero came to his rescue. The Hero, with the help of the War Fiend¡¯s daughter, ascended through the Armament Festival and confronted the slave warrior. The Hero put the warrior to the test, and the warrior passed it. Thus, the warrior regained his freedom and pride and returned to his country¡­ Such verses were sung throughout the taverns, and the dwarves toasted the manhood and pride of the orcs and their wondrous battle. The merchants who had enslaved the orc warriors were exposed for their wickedness and fled from Do Banga¡¯s Pit. The Arena was deserted, but the dwarves, who liked to make money, would eventually bring it back to life. ¡°But¡­¡± Now, when the dwarves in the tavern were talking about it, two questions came to mind. One is what happened to the Hero. After granting victory to the Warrior in the arena, he stayed behind and disappeared. He did not send the liberated warriors back to his country, nor did he stay in the Do Banga¡¯s Pit. However, by then, the Siwanasi Forest incident had also reached the Do Banga¡¯s Pit, so they thought: ¡°He is a Hero. He probably went to the next place to protect the pride of the orcs¡±. ¡°The War Fiend¡¯s daughter is that Primera, isn¡¯t she? I don¡¯t think that snooty little girl could have been of much help to the Hero.¡± The other one was about Primera, who helped the Hero. ¡°No, it was Bash, the Orc Hero, who put Primera in her place. The story is that Primera changed her mind after being scolded by a Hero as great as him.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. The proof is that Primera became Barabara¡¯s apprentice, whom she hated. No, she¡¯s more than just his apprentice. She works quietly without a word of complaint, even though she gets yelled at every day. Her enthusiasm is so great that the other day, in a bar, Barabara said, ¡°I can¡¯t afford to rest on my laurels either¡±. It was that Barabara Do Banga, you know?¡± ¡°Ha¡­ I guess the Hero must have taught her a good lesson?¡± Yes, to keep his promise to Bash, Primera became an apprentice to Barabara, the foremost blacksmith in the Do Banga¡¯s Pit. She was working on her training as a blacksmith without complaining, without comparing herself to others or making herself look bigger than she was, as she had been doing until now. There were still those who said that her blood, her mother¡¯s blood, was no good. However, there were fewer who slandered her, now that she had lent her strength to the Hero and was still working hard. ¡°Oh, and speak of the devil.¡± She visited the tavern once every three days. The dwarves were supposed to drink every night and go back to work in the forge after drinking, but she didn¡¯t. She never came alone. She always brought a woman with her. ¡°Oh, and she comes with her sister Carmela?¡± ¡°Only recently.¡± The first time Primera visited Carmela was the day after the Armament Festival ended. Primera visited Carmela¡¯s workshop with a bottle of wine in her hand. No one knew what words she exchanged with Carmela afterwards. However, seeing them together at the bar and drinking merrily, no one would have thought that they had had a long-standing grudge. ¡°So, the Orc Hero ended the Do Banga sisters¡¯ quarrel after all.¡± ¡°Can that be done?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. He did it because he is the Hero, and it is a thing only the Hero can do.¡± The two dwarves laughed and held their beers in their hands. They raised their cups in their right and clinked them against each other¡¯s cups. ¡°To the Orc Hero.¡± They raised their glasses in their left and clinked them together. ¡°For the sons of Do Banga.¡± They raised the last two cups and struck them against each other. ¡°Cheers!¡± The night in the Do Banga¡¯s Pit was still full of bustle and noise. CH 29.1 Chapter 29. The Gong Rasha Mountains Moving northwestward from Mount Lind along the mountains, there were the Gong Rasha Mountains. The range consisted of Mount Gongor, Mount Gurat and Mount Alyosha, and reached a height of 4000 meters. The Beastmen country was beyond this mountain range. The Gong Rasha Mountains was part of the dwarf territory, but not every mountain had a hole leading to the other side, such as the Do Banga¡¯s hole. Even if there was a route through the Beastmen Country, not everyone knew about it, and of course there were no maps either. Therefore, if a traveler wanted to pass from the dwarf lands to the Beastmen Country, they had to take a long detour through the mountain range, as a steep mountain range was not a place normally used for passage. ¡°The fog is getting thicker and thicker.¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Bash was on such a mountain. He was the Orc Hero. He was used to harsh battlefields, and sometimes ran through steep mountain paths like this, deep forests and battlefields full of magic. With his strong orc body and his inexhaustible physical strength, it was easy to cross a mountain range of this magnitude. ¡°Can you see your feet?¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t, but that¡¯s no problem.¡± Bash was now climbing a precipice in thick fog. He was clinging tightly to the steep slope, but he was moving so fast he looked like a giant spider. Anyone who didn¡¯t know it would have looked twice and pinched their cheeks to see if they were being tricked by a magical beast that created illusions. But it was a sight that anyone who did know him would be relieved to see, saying ¡°Oh, even standing on a cliff like that, Sir Bash doesn¡¯t fail to do justice to his title of Hero¡±. ¡°My, my? Mister, I see you¡¯re in a good mood. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I was just thinking about the beastwomen, you know?¡± Bash was all smiles. He was thinking about the Beastwomen he had seen during the war. They were all fearless warriors with lithe, beautiful bodies. The Beastmen. If they could be described in one word, they would be bipedal beasts. Agile and fierce. Relentless and cruel. They could see in the dark with their night vision and used their keen sense of smell to find their enemies, even in dense fog. They used a special cry that only they could understand to maintain close communication between their troops, and their brilliant siege battles to hunt down the enemy were a real spectacle. They were far behind the other races in terms of magic, but they didn¡¯t let that bug them. For they were a race of warriors. However, there was one more important fact for the orcs. The Beastmen sired many children. A single pregnancy could produce three to seven children. Moreover, during the annual mating season, they did not refuse to mate with orcs, but approached them passionately. Therefore, they were extremely popular among some orcs. They said that beastwomen were the best at bearing children. The appearance of the Beastmen was not to the liking of all orcs, but to Bash, they fell into the category of his preference. At least compared to the dwarves. The thought of encountering one of the Beastwomen he had not yet seen naturally made his mouth relax and his steps lighten. ¡°Next time, I want to find a wife.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! So far I have not been able to offer perfect support, because I have been fooled by half-informed people. But next time, I will find a perfect wife giving you perfect support and bring you a perfect proposal!¡± Three unsuccessful proposals. This made Bash, a veteran warrior, a little impatient. CH 29.2 There was still time until he turned thirty. But time was flying. The time would come in the blink of an eye while he was still talking about it. If that happened, Bash would be over. He wouldn¡¯t be able to live outdoors for the rest of his life. The engagement of the Beastmen royal family; the Beastmen Nation would be cheering for this. What kind of Hero or warrior would he be if he couldn¡¯t seize this opportunity? This time, the two were more passionate than ever. ¡°Which way is it?¡± After stepping over the cliff and being able to stay on the ground with his two feet, Bash looked around. Despite being excited, he was in the middle of the fog. He only vaguely knew which way was up and which way was down. ¡°This way! This way! The Red Forest is definitely this way! Trust me and follow me!¡± ¡°Sure!¡± However, with him there was also a Fairy who was a good scout. Or, if one did not know her well, one would have felt uncomfortable at her untrustworthy words and actions, and would have taken the wrong path. But Bash had known Zell for a long time. Whether in a strange forest under a thunderstorm, in a swamp of corpses, or on a battlefield where angry shouts and sword fights resounded, he had survived by trusting and following Zell¡¯s guidance. That¡¯s why he believed in her and followed her. Sometimes she strayed, but he knew they would reach their destination. The air was thin and cold, and if it was the season, it would be covered with snow. It was a harsh environment in which a human being would freeze to death in an instant. However, Bash¡¯s steps were light. For the Beastmen Nation, the ¡°Red Forest¡±, was just around the corner. ¡°Oh? The fog is lifting!¡± At that moment, a strong wind blew. And as if blown by the wind, the fog began to clear. Light shone through the clouds that covered the sky, and the clear sky spread out. It only lasted a minute or so. The fog around Bash had lifted, the sky was clear, and the sun was shining brightly. ¡°It¡¯s the ¡°arrival in the sky¡±, huh.¡± On the continent of Vastonia, the weather sometimes changed abruptly. When a heavy rain or storm suddenly ceased and the sky cleared, it was called ¡°arrival in the sky¡±. These events had often occurred in the midst of great battles and had changed the course of history. Bash, too, had memories of experiencing a few Arrivals in the Sky. Even in that unforgettable decisive battle in the highlands of Lemium, there had been one. But that one was not the product of nature¡­ ¡°Oh, there! There is the Beastmen¡¯s Forest!¡± Zell shouted, just as Bash was about to remember a certain someone. Zell pointed in the direction. Just behind. Just below the cliff they had just passed, they could see a red forest. A big forest with bright red leaves, the ¡°Red Forest¡± of the Beastmen. ¡°Let¡¯s go down the mountain!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Bash nodded oblivious to the fact that they almost missed it. This was what always happened when you let Zell lead. In the end, as long as they could get there without so much delay, there was no problem. If Bash was alone, he would never arrive or, when he did, it would be too late. They started down the steep slope, slipping and sliding. Orcs who knew Bash well would be relieved and disappointed at the same time. ¡°Mm?¡± As they descended the slope, Bash suddenly felt a presence and looked back. ¡°¡­¡± Behind him was the peak. In the distance, even with Bash¡¯s eyes, was the peak of the mountain range. There, something was glowing and reflecting light. It was backlit and hard to see, but if you strained your eyes, it looked like someone was there. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Nothing. It seems there were other travelers besides us who got lost in the fog.¡± Bash, however, was an orc. He wasn¡¯t the type to worry about details. He doesn¡¯t care where if at the top there was also someone standing. ¡°Hmm. I see.¡± Zell wasn¡¯t one to care about details either. Still it couldn¡¯t be. The name of a certain person came to Bash¡¯s mind for a moment, but he quickly denied it. That person was not someone who would be in a place like this at this time, and even if he was here, it was none of Bash¡¯s business. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go to the checkpoint first! Vamos!¡± ¡°Sure!¡± And so, the two descended the mountain. CH 29.3 ¡°A stray orc! There¡¯s a stray orc!¡± ¡°Draw your weapons! In the name of the ancient Heavy Dog Squadron, don¡¯t let him escape alive!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let him ruin the princess¡¯s day!¡± As Bash approached the border, it suddenly became noisy. Bulldog-faced soldiers, who had fought and won dozens of fights, surrounded Bash baring their fangs. ¡°Wait, I¡¯m not a stray orc. My name is Bash, and I¡¯m traveling in search of something.¡± ¡°Yes! Where else would you find such a noble-looking stray orc? His skin, polished by daily baths¡­ is a bit dirty today from our trip through the mountains¡­ but his fragrant perfume¡­ well, that one is gone from the trip too¡­ he even stinks a bit¡­ no¡­ but his face, yes, his face! Look at those pretty fangs!¡± The bulldogs looked quizzically at the fairy, who was screaming and flying at super speed, but did not give up their swords. Rather, when they heard the name ¡°Bash¡±, their faces became even more intense. ¡°Bash!? The ¡°Orc Hero¡± Bash!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Hey, a?s?s?h?o?l?e?! What do you want here?¡± ¡°I heard that the third princess of this country is getting married.¡± As soon as he said that, the soldiers in front became furious. They showed their murderous intent like demonic beasts. With bloodshot eyes, they raised their swords to attack. ¡°How dare you!¡± ¡°I will not let you pass¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, even if it costs my life!¡± Normally, it was only one stance that Bash would take before an opponent with bloodshot eyes and a sword pointed at him. He would accept the fight. He would pull the sword out of his back, take it all down and cut through the center. He would just keep going. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± But Bash didn¡¯t draw his sword. He knew that, if he drew his sword here, he wouldn¡¯t achieve his goal. ¡°What the hell? This is crazy! Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re not going to let him through just because he¡¯s an orc! That¡¯s nowhere in the treaty! Rather, the armistice says that any traveler can get through! Or won¡¯t you change your mind!? So it¡¯s okay for the Beastmen to renege on the agreement? Doesn¡¯t that put you in a bad position?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t give a damn about treaties!¡± Zell¡¯s persuasion didn¡¯t change their minds. They all looked at Bash with hostility and murderous intent. They were ready to pounce at any moment. From the looks of it, they were warriors who had fought many battles. They also seemed to know Bash. Although Bash didn¡¯t know them¡­ but he had probably met them in battle before. And maybe he killed one of their own. He could feel it in them. These were peaceful times. Everyone was trying to be peaceful. Even those who held grudges thought that, even if they resented the war, they shouldn¡¯t resent the races that were their enemies. But there were some who did not see it that way. And if the murderer of their parents or siblings actually appeared in front of them, it was possible that they might not be able to restrain themselves. But they knew Bash, too, and that¡¯s why they didn¡¯t attack. They knew that, if they jumped on him carelessly, they would become pieces of meat. ¡°Hmm¡­ let us through.¡± Bash was worried. Thinking about it, there had been times when he had been turned away or questioned, but he had never been refused passage across the border. He had seen some who really didn¡¯t want to let him through, but he had never seen such thinly disguised murderous intent. ¡°¡­¡± Bash had no intention of fighting. However, if they were really serious about wielding their raised swords against him¡­ As for Bash, he couldn¡¯t afford not to fight. For a proud orc warrior, running away from a fight was not an option. Especially if the other side was really coming at him with pride in their hearts. Bash did not move. If he took a step forward, they would attack him. If he put his hand on the sword on his back, they would attack him. Or even if Bash turned around and started walking back the way he came, they might see an opportunity and attack him. At that point, Bash¡¯s plan to find a wife in the Beastmen Nation would vanish into thin air. He also had no backup plan. His plan to find a wife would take a big step backwards, and his virginity would stay with him for much longer. He would end up a magical warrior. As soon as he got the symbol of dishonor, Bash would lose everything else. He was doomed. Looking back, there had probably never been a greater annoyance in Bash¡¯s life. ¡°Tatara tatata ta ta ta ? Ta rarara~ ? Ta rarara tata~ ? Ta rarara tata~ ? Ta rarara~ ta rarara~, ta rarara~ ?.¡± That¡¯s when it happened. From somewhere, he began to hear a humming. And at the same time as the humming, he heard the sound of a stringed instrument. It was a cacophony, somewhere between a Gigi and Bibi, like the cry of a hellbird, but it was definitely the sound of a musical instrument. Behind Bash. ¡°¡­!¡± Bash, to be honest, was already expecting it. Looking back, the border was a place of encounters. In the Siwanasi forest, he encountered Thunder Sonia, and in the Do Banga¡¯s Pit, Primera. Both had turned down his marriage proposals, but they were beautiful women with whom he had no complaints. So he thought, ¡°What if this time too?¡±. ¡°Tatara tata~, ta~, ra ra~, tatara tata~, ta~, ra ra ra~, tata~? Very well!¡± The owner of the humming song headed straight for the distant Bash and spun between the soldiers and the orc. With a shout, he pointed his finger to the sky. Bash felt disappointed. It was a man. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± He pointed his finger at the guards and asked as if he were talking to an old friend he had known for over a decade. He was unreserved. ¡°¡­¡± Bewilderment was something that was passed down regardless of race. Bash looked at Zell and then at the Beastmen soldiers. Do any of them know him? No, I don¡¯t know him. They exchanged thoughts, though without using telepathy, and then looked back at the humming man. His race was probably human. He was a man. He was holding a stringed instrument that humans used to play, and he wore a mask that looked like a woman¡¯s mask. It was really suspicious. ¡°I¡¯d like to come this way, but they won¡¯t listen to me¡­¡± Bash said for the time being. For now, answering the question. The man turned to Bash with a grunt. ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He then turned to the soldiers. ¡°What he says is true?¡± ¡°We¡¯re former members of the Heavy Dog Squad. We won¡¯t let this guy¡­ the ¡°Orc Hero¡± pass while our name and honor is on the line.¡± Hearing this, the human man spread his hands even wider and launched an appeal to the soldiers. ¡°I understand your feelings!¡± He turned around with his hands raised and said in a theatrical tone, ¡°I too lost my loved ones in the war! I would be lying if I said I had no resentment towards those who killed them! But still! In this time of peace, that¡¯s the wrong way to think!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You may have lost people in the war! But think about it. We, the Alliance of the Four Races, have made peace. Why? Because all those who have been fighting so fiercely thought, ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose any more of my loved ones!¡± Don¡¯t you have other loved ones now? Don¡¯t you have a family at home? But,¡± said the man with a theatrical gesture as he raised his stringed instrument and let out a raspy sound. It was a dirty sound, as if something had been exposed that was not supposed to come out. The soldiers wondered how such a sound could come out of an ordinary stringed instrument. ¡°This gentleman here is also a Hero who has fought in many battles in the past! If you fight now, there may be one or two casualties among you. Or you may even be annihilated completely. Of course, I don¡¯t want to underestimate you ¨C war is always like this! And if even one of you loses your life, those who await your return will grieve. The thoughts and wishes of those who brought us peace will be in vain.¡± The stringed instrument emitted a sound that made ¡°boro, boro¡±. The sound was so unpleasant that some even began to cover their ears. ¡°That is not something that I, as an emissary of peace, can overlook! So forgive him and let him pass, as I have a face!¡± Said the man and held out his hands again. The soldiers looked at each other. The man¡¯s face was covered by a mask, even though he had said to spare him by his face. ¡°¡­You¡¯ve got to be kidding me¡­ who the f?u?c?k? are you, anyway?¡± ¡°¡­Oh, that¡¯s right. Sorry it took me so long to say it.¡± The man cleared his throat. He pulled out of his pocket something that looked like a letter and handed it to the soldier. ¡°What¡¯s¡­ this!¡± The change in the soldier¡¯s expression when he saw it was dramatic. ¡°You¡­ no, Sir, you are¡­!¡± Then the man gently placed his hand over the soldier¡¯s mouth. He felt his breath coming out from between his teeth. ¡°But why the¡­ mask?¡± ¡°To protect the peace of the world¡­ I am a messenger of peace, after all.¡± With that, the man lifted his stringed instrument and strummed it again. The soldier frowned, but not forcefully. Bash and Zell could not see the details of the paper in the man¡¯s hand, nor his true identity. But they could tell that he appeared to be a man of high status, to the extent that the soldier began to use more formal language with him. ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but you¡¯re saying that you don¡¯t want to be greeted by big welcomes?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± The soldier first returned the permission and was reluctant. ¡°But now, this country is celebrating for the Princess¡­ we cannot let the ¡°Orc Hero¡± pass¡­¡± ¡°I understand your concern, but¡­ is it really justified?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He won¡¯t do anything. The fact that he didn¡¯t draw his sword when you pointed it at him is proof of that. That orc, eh? I can assure you. He will not harm the Beastmen. He would never think of it.¡± he said, ¡°wouldn¡¯t you?¡± And he looked at Bash. ¡°Never, never, would you?¡± ¡°Indeed. I won¡¯t cause any trouble.¡± Bash nodded. He had no intention of causing trouble to begin with. He had never done so in any of the towns he had been to, nor did he intend to do so with the Beastmen. ¡°See? He just said so.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t trust the word of an orc¡­ but if you say so, Sir, we¡¯ll take your word for it.¡± The soldiers weren¡¯t worried about Bash causing trouble. They had a very different reason. ¡°But if something happens, we¡¯ll do our best to hunt down and kill that orc.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope, too, that it doesn¡¯t come to that.¡± The man, the messenger of peace, nodded in satisfaction as he said this. CH 29.4 ¡°You helped me there. I appreciate it.¡± Bash said to the Messenger of Peace as they passed through the checkpoint. If he hadn¡¯t come, it would have rained blood in that place. Of course, entering the country at that point would already be a dream. On the contrary, in the worst case scenario, another war could have broken out. ¡°But that¡¯s all right! Since I am Errol, the messenger of peace¡­ no¡­ of Love and Peace!¡± ¡°Errol, Messenger of Love and Peace,¡± he said, and sounded his stringed instrument. The sound seemed somewhat similar to the moaning heard when an orc warlord r?a?pe?d? a woman in his hut. Bash knew nothing about music, but it sounded like hope. The kind that made him want to make someone moan like that in the future, hopefully. ¡°And you should come¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing! Ahahahaha!¡± Errol suddenly burst out laughing and trotted off. ¡°See you soon!¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll pay this debt sooner or later!¡± ¡°Haha, I¡¯m counting on you, Bash, the Orc Hero!¡± Errol laughed and ran down the road that led to the village. His destination was the same as Bash¡¯s. If that was the case, there would be another chance to see him again. ¡°He was quite a talkative fellow, wasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Yes, he was.¡± Errol would probably find it curious to say the least that it was Zell who said so, but Bash agreed. He was the kind of guy he hadn¡¯t seen much of in his travels so far. But then Bash suddenly showed a thoughtful expression. A look that orcs didn¡¯t usually show, as if he was searching the depths of his memories. ¡°Hm? Mister, is something bothering you?¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve seen that man somewhere before.¡± ¡°Maybe you met him on the battlefield?¡± His movements were precise, which was hard to imagine from his frivolous demeanor. At first glance, he appeared to be full of openings, but Bash and Zell discovered that he didn¡¯t actually leave any. It was obvious that he was a warrior¡­a man of some renown. But they didn¡¯t recognize the name Errol, his title ¡°Messenger of Love and Peace¡±, or the mask he wore. Not to mention the stringed instrument. ¡°This time we¡¯re going to do everything we can to find you a wife!¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right!¡± If they didn¡¯t know, then they didn¡¯t know. Bash and Zell were the type of people who didn¡¯t care about the details. Instead, they were excited to get to the Beastmen Nation. CH 30.1 Chapter 30. The Monthly Bly The Red Forest, Beastmen Country. It was a beautiful place. Trees with lush red and yellow leaves grew in clusters, and a variety of animals nurtured the wildlife. There was a mother earth that gave peace to all who stayed here. In the center of the forest was a giant tree that had existed since before the war broke out. The Beastmen race called it sacred to both the tree and the land in which it resided. To them, this place was a special place. It was about 100 years ago that the Beastmen lost their sacred place. And it was only a few years after Gediguz ascended to the throne as Demon King. At that time, they were being persecuted by the newly ascended Demon King. Many races were on the brink of extinction during the war, and Beastmen were no exception. After Gediguz ascended, he concentrated his efforts and tried to annihilate them. He attacked them with ferocity, suppressing the other races, and tried to root out their power. They believed that, if they succeeded in destroying even one of the four alliance races, they would win the war. They deprived the Beastmen of 80% of their territory and population and drove them into the remote Blue Forest. Without the support of the elves and dwarves they ultimately received, the Beastmen might have perished as it was. They reconquered their Sacred Land several years before the fall of Gediguz. It was done by an army of Beastmen who had amassed forces in the Blue Forest. The man who accomplished this was Leto River. He was a River clansman of the Beastmen¡¯s royal family. He held the title of the strongest man of his race, and led a strong army of Beastmen to invade the Red Forest and take it over. For his achievements and courage, the king awarded him the title of Hero. From then on, he was known as Leto, the Beastman Hero. The recapture of the Red Forest was spread among the Beastmen race as the only battle in which they dealt a heavy blow to Gediguz. However, the opinion of the other races was that Gediguz simply gave up the Red Forest because it was of no strategic value to the Seven Races Federation, which had already concentrated on the Gong Rasha Mountains, and was no bother to him. Not that it would have happened just like that, however. For, with the reconquest of the Red Forest, the Beastmen completely regained their fighting spirit. They, who for 100 years had been like a cornered kitten, transformed into a tiger defending its territory. ¡°I¡¯ve missed this place, too.¡± ¡°Yes, I know how you feel.¡± And Bash was in that battle too. It was a bitterly lost battle when Bash was still a young orc still green in combat. There was the smell of thick blood, enemy soldiers everywhere and fighting at all hours of the day. It was a miracle that Bash, who was still weak at the time, did not die. Looking back, it was no exaggeration to say that Bash¡¯s battles began in this forest. Although it¡¯s not like his first battle was really here, but it was the first time he lost a battle. ¡°To be honest, I think I might pee my pants just remembering it. Beastmen eat fairies.¡± ¡°Because of ¡°Gordon, the Fairy Devourer¡±?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! That man! I get goose bumps just thinking about it! That hungry bastard wrapped me up in a mat, smeared me with honey, and then poured spicy mustard on top! Mustard on top of honey! He licked it and said, ¡°Oh, boy, it doesn¡¯t taste good¡±, and turned around! Then he passed out! Passed out! That¡¯s why honey and mustard don¡¯t mix! Don¡¯t you think!?¡± Zell had had a long life. She had been a warrior since Bash was a recruit, and had been captured many times, and had earned the nickname ¡°Zell, the Beggar of Life.¡± Gordon the Fairy Devourer, on the other hand, was a beastman warrior. As his name indicated, he was a ruthless devourer who was famous for capturing and eating fairies. Zell was once captured by that man. Why wasn¡¯t she eaten? The reason was simple. Before eating something, Beastmen would lick it with the tip of their tongues to make sure it wasn¡¯t poisonous. According to Gordon, fairy skin tasted sweet, like honey from a flower. But that day, Zell ¨C the fairy he wanted to eat ¨C had been through many days of fierce battles. She was a fairy among fairies. After one lick, Gordon¡¯s tongue went numb, his vision flickered, his consciousness flew like a harpy and he passed out. The next day, he awoke amid vomiting and diarrhea. The Beastmen race, in whom the fairy diet had become popular because of the forager Gordon, shuddered. At that moment, a second nickname was bestowed upon her: Zell, the diarrhea-ridden. It was a dishonorable nickname for Zell, but for the fairies of the time it was the name of a champion. After that day, the number of fairies eaten by Gordon decreased drastically. ¡°But the Red Forest is pleasant in times of peace. The air is clean, it¡¯s quiet, peaceful, and the sunlight filtering through the trees stimulates my fairy nature to the max, so it feels good.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± They had only known the red forest as a fierce battlefield. At the time, they couldn¡¯t distinguish between these autumn leaves and the color of blood. Most of the trees were burned black, the ground was never so dry and was always stained with blood. They even though the red forest was named after the constant rain of blood. They had no idea it was such a serene and sacred forest¡­ ¡°Mm?¡± As the two were deep in thought, they suddenly heard a crunching sound under their feet. ¡°Is it garbage?¡± When Bash lifted his foot, something stuck to it fell with a crunching sound. It was a pile of dirty paper. CH 30.2 ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to throw this stuff around just because we¡¯re at peace! How many heroes do you think are resting here? It¡¯s not good for the Beastmen, and it¡¯s not good for the spirits who fought to take this place back¡­ oh¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Well, this magazine¡­ this is it!¡± Zell raised the magazine as high as she was and read the article. ¡®The six methods to conquer the man of your dreams!¡¯ ¡®How to choose a marriage partner you won¡¯t regret for the rest of your life.¡¯ ¡®The 100 common sense tips that will make you irresistible to girls!¡¯ ¡®Beastmen¡¯s take on love and marriage that you won¡¯t hear anywhere else.¡¯ ¡®Coordination for a marriage-oriented relationship (men).¡¯ Yes, it was a magazine. ¡°The Monthly Bly.¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know? It¡¯s a magazine published after the war by Bly, a major human trader.¡± ¡°A magazine?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bunch of papers with news from all over the world, and things that interest people.¡± ¡°Is there such a thing?¡± Naturally, there was no such thing in the Orc Country. There weren¡¯t even any paintings of any kind for orcs. ¡°And this is a special issue about love and marriage!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°How dense you are, Mister! That means it contains a lot of information about love and marriage gathered by Bly, a great trader!¡± ¡°Is it reliable?¡± ¡°Of course! Bly is a former member of the elite human intelligence department!¡± ¡°You mean that Bly¡­!?¡± The human race was of weak constitution compared to the Beastmen and Dwarf races. They also had no great aptitude for magic like the Elves. Despite this, they were the main allies of the Four Races Alliance. Why? Because they were wiser than the Elves. They valued wisdom and knowledge above all else, and were skilled at gathering information. The information gathering ability of humans was so great that it would be impossible to account for how many times they overcame their inferiority. Both Houston, the ¡°Pig Killer¡±, and ¡°Last Breath¡± Breeze Kugel, provided Bash with great information. Yes, human information was valuable. And then there was Bly, the great trader. The title ¡°great trader¡± didn¡¯t ring a bell, but everyone knew him as ¡°Bly, the Press Wizard¡±. He would get important information about the enemy army out of thin air, and place the location of ambushed soldiers on the military charts on his desk. The result was victory. Although Bash, as an orc, didn¡¯t understand it, he had heard the Demon generals grumble about ¡°losing to Bly again¡± on more than one occasion. Although he never appeared on the battlefront, he was the man who reigned over the human race, a race adept at handling information. That was Bly. There was no one in the Seven Races Federation who could have outwitted this man, except Gediguz, the Demon King. However, it was also Bly who sent the human prince Nazar and his death squad against Gediguz, the Demon King. In the new era of peace, the business he started was to provide information that people wanted. In particular, special issues on love and marriage sold well. It was that kind of era. ¡°Bly was the man who came up with the perfect strategy to gain victory against us orcs.¡± ¡°In other words, if you follow the information in this magazine written by Bly¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find a wife easily!¡± Bash took the magazine. With trembling hands, like a magician who has found a grimoire with forbidden arts written in it. ¡°I didn¡¯t think there was such a thing¡­¡± The magazine. It was a special issue on marriage and love. Beastmen¡¯s take on love and marriage that you won¡¯t hear anywhere else. It was exactly what he needed right now. And it was stuff he wasn¡¯t going to hear anywhere else, too. That information was now at his fingertips. There had been many times when I was sure of victory even before the battle began¡­ Bash had lived through a lot of fights. When he was a new recruit, he didn¡¯t know what the outcome of the battle would be. But as he gained experience, he gradually began to see which side had the advantage and which side did not. Of course, just knowing the trends was not enough to know which side would win, but it was possible to identify when the tide of battle would turn. There were times near the end of the war, before the battle even began, when he could more or less know which side was going to win. That was exactly what he felt now. ¡°I am deeply moved. You¡¯ve been through a lot, but I see we¡¯re close to the day when you¡¯ll have a wife, Mister.¡± Zell was in the midst of that feeling, too. ¡°Right.¡± Bash snorted. Since leaving the Orc Country, they had traveled through Human, elves and dwarf¡¯s countries. This was the Red Forest. They had come a long way when they thought about it¡­ ¡°However, you can never be so careful as when it looks like you are going to win. Let¡¯s be cautious.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! No matter how many winning tactics you use, if you¡¯re not careful, you can lose the battle!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But then, why would they throw this magazine in a place like this? And it¡¯s a human magazine¡­¡± There was no particular reason to throw it away. Whoever had finished reading the magazine had thrown it away without giving it much thought. But they didn¡¯t see it that way. They would never have thought to throw away such a valuable thing for no reason. And they would never have thought that they were for sale for the price of an hour¡¯s work. ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­ was it the guy from before?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right, I¡¯m sure of it! He was a human, and it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he had a human magazine!¡± They remembered the man they met near the border. Errol, the messenger of love and peace. He was a man with a mysterious atmosphere. Perhaps he heard what Bash and Zell were saying and took the trouble to leave them the magazine. Because he was a messenger of love and peace. CH 30.3 ¡°We¡¯ll have to thank him the next time we see him.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± They were grateful to him not only for having helped them at the border, but also for having organized something like this. Although he would surely be puzzled. Since, of course, he didn¡¯t drop the magazine. ¡°Well, what does it say?¡± ¡°Uh, what does it say, what does it say¡­? Let¡¯s see, the Beastmen¡¯s takes on love and marriage that you won¡¯t hear anywhere else¡­ Coordination for a marriage-oriented relationship¡­ Oh, this is great information! With this information, finding a Beastwoman as a wife will be like wringing a baby¡¯s hand!¡± ¡°Really?!¡± The two were excited to get their hands on a magazine they found before entering the city, which arguably contained the answer to all their problems. It was full of exactly the kind of information Bash wanted. ¡°Let¡¯s see, first of all, what is the current trend of beastwomen?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± They read the information in more detail. Their expressions were serious, and if an uninformed person had seen them, they would have compared them to military strategists thinking of a way to reverse a desperate situation in the military council. With the magazine in hand, Bash¡¯s future was bright. ¡ö¡ö¡ö Lycant, the capital of the Beastmen Country. Although it was called the capital, it was a relatively new city. After the war, it took a year to dismantle the old fortress and rebuild it so that people could live in it. It took two years for people to move in and start new lives. Everything was new and everything was clean, but the city still felt somewhat empty. Beastmen wanted to live in such a city. The royal species set up their residences, followed by the upper class, the aristocracy of the Beastmen race. The middle-ranking species, who worshipped them, and the lower-ranking species, who had lost their homes, followed. The Beastmen¡¯s higher species who remained in the Blue Forest offered generous support to those who wanted to live on Lycant and helped them. Why did they insist on staying here? It was because this was a sacred place to them. It was the cradle of the Lycant religion, which they believed in, and the place where the Sacred Tree stood. It was a special place for the Beastmen. As those were their circumstances, they were relatively tolerant of outsiders. Although it was a sacred place, Beastmen burned with passion to restore their people. The wedding ceremony of the third princess, Inuella, was part of this. The capital, Lycant, had become a wonderful city in the three years after the war. It had become a place worthy of being called the Beastmen¡¯s Holy Land. The ceremony would serve to unveil such a place. Royalty and nobility of each race were invited, and publicity was widely disseminated to the public in each country. On the occasion of the wedding of the third princess, those who were homeless were offered free lodging, those who were hungry were offered free food, and those who were unemployed were offered something to do. All there was to do was celebrate. It was a party. So the guards guarding Lycant were sensitive to the commotion in the city, but tolerant of those who came. Humans, elves, dwarves, lizardmen, harpies, fairies and even succubi and demons were invited into the city unconditionally. Except for the orcs. ¡°H-Hey¡­¡± A soldier standing at the entrance to the city almost shouted when he saw a green-skinned man with long fangs in the crowd coming from the street. But he could not utter another word. This was because the orc was dressed in impeccable attire. First of all, it was an open kimono, a garment usually worn by the inhabitants of the Beastmen Country. It was not made of cloth, but of fur, probably of aoshima wolf, but it seemed strangely to match the orc¡¯s green skin. In addition, the bark of a kuten tree wrapped around his waist like a sash, and the sword on his back was wrapped in the skin of a scaly rabbit. And on his feet were shoes woven from the vines of the great eater plant. That was not all. He also had a flowery scent, though only faintly. He did not have the smell of orcs. He was bathed in water and scented. This was Beastmen¡¯s formal attire. They usually dressed in materials such as hemp and cotton, but during important ceremonies, they dressed their entire bodies in animals as a sign of thanks to the Hunt God. ¡°H-Hey, you¡­¡± The soldiers were speechless. Don¡¯t let the orcs through. In the name of our ancient corps of heavy dogs! But had they ever seen orcs so perfectly dressed? Had orcs ever adapted so well to the Beastmen¡¯s culture? No. On the contrary, not even humans or elves cared to wear the Beastmen¡¯s formal dress. Not that there was anything wrong with that, but it was certainly a source of joy to Beastmen that the leading figures of each country adapted to the culture of their race. Such was the attire of this orc. It was obvious at first glance that he had come all the way from orc country to participate in the Beastmen¡¯s ceremony. He even wore perfume, in consideration of the excessively efficient Beastmen¡¯s nose. ¡°May I come in?¡± ¡°Ah, y-yes!¡± The orcs would not pass. This was a feeling shared by the soldiers, though it was not said publicly. Even the soldiers on guard at the gate were willing to defend the place at the cost of their lives if orcs came. But when they were so perfectly dressed, when they showed such care¡­ The soldier could do nothing, could say nothing, and had no choice but to salute the orc. CH 31.1 Chapter 31. A great atmosphere! A place with lots of people and drink! The Lycant capital was overflowing with people, probably because it was just before the wedding of the third princess. There were several races in the city, but the largest number of people made up the Beastmen, who are the citizens of the city. It could be said that the Beastmen were unique from other races. Some looked like beasts that had begun to walk upright, while others were humans with beast ears. Their characteristics also varied. Some resembled dogs, some resembled cats, some resembled rabbits, some had horns like deer, some had a bear-like physique, and some had several of these characteristics¡­ From the Beastmen¡¯s own point of view, it was as if some had a large nose, long eyelashes, or quirky hair, but to those unfamiliar with them, the variety of their appearance would seem strange. It was said that these features were not present in the early days of the war. At that time, they were all completely bestial in appearance. However, as the war intensified, Beastmen mixed with humans, elves, dwarves and other races. As a result, their strongest characteristics were disappearing. There was a great shadow walking among these people. The people on the street rolled their eyes wide when they saw it, and then turned and looked twice as it passed. ¡°On the other hand, there are all kinds of beastmen out there.¡± ¡°Right.¡± It was a party. He was walking around town dressed exactly as the magazine had described it. In Bash¡¯s mind, there was no outfit more perfect than this one. Making operational moves based on information was an act that had been repeated many times in times of war. Especially when the Demon King Gediguz was still alive, the maneuver was a fine-tuning of the details. If they followed the strategy, they would be victorious, but if they made the slightest mistake, they would be defeated. After the death of Gediguz, or around the time of the decisive battle in the Lemium Highlands, Bash himself had become so strong that he no longer needed to follow strategies to the letter, but he still knew the importance of having it executed to perfection. So he did everything according to the magazine. And since the magazine said, ¡°The most popular costume of the moment!¡±, he ran through the Red Forest trying to hunt beasts, though he happened to run into a traveling merchant who was being attacked by a demonic beast, and rescued him. The merchant thanked him repeatedly and gave Bash the exact same outfit that appeared in the magazine. In fact, he even worked through the night to re-tailor the garments that didn¡¯t fit. Therefore, his clothes were perfect. ¡°What kind of girl would you like, mister? I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d want one with a very animalistic appearance, would you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any preference.¡± Bash had no specific preferences with beastwomen. He had no problem with them looking more like humans or elves, nor with those that looked like dogs or cats, as long as they were female. However, if he had to make an exception, he would not prefer someone who looked like a dwarf or a lizardman. ¡°But I¡¯d still prefer someone who had a more human or elven resemblance.¡± Bash spat. He remembered when he met Judith in Krassel, when he met Thunder Sonia in the Siwanasi Forest and Primera in the Do Banga¡¯s Pit. They were all beautiful and charming. Even now, he would like to marry all of them and have five children with each. You don¡¯t realize what you have until you lose it. ¡°I knew it! Beastmen with very beastly features are barbaric! Their breath stinks and they try to eat you right away! Oh, look, did you see that? That one won¡¯t stop staring at me! Wipe that spittle off your snout!¡± When Bash looked in the direction mentioned by Zell, he was sure he saw a drooling Beastmen. However, his eyes were riveted on the back of Zell¡¯s place, a roast beef store. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not the one getting married! Come on, mister. First of all, let¡¯s go to a bar with a good atmosphere, just like the magazine said!¡± ¡°Right!¡± They were going to the most popular bar in the Lycant capital. Why were they going there? It was because of a sentence written in the magazine. It said: ¡°Great atmosphere! Let¡¯s go for a relaxed seduction in a place with lots of people and drinks! Special on late-night bars.¡± It said that Beastwomen preferred to be seduced in the presence of a large number of people than to be alone with them. That¡¯s why, after Bash entered Lycant and looked for accommodation, he immediately went to the place of the battle. Yes, to the most popular bar in the Capital, and that was written in the magazine! ¡°¡­Mmm?¡± ¡°Oh, that sound¡­¡± And then, they heard an unpleasant sound in their ears. A cacophony of sound similar to that of a pig and a cow. A boro-boron, a noise that seemed to come from something you wouldn¡¯t want to see. ¡°Hey, hey~~! Yey, yey ? Yeah, like that~, that¡¯s good~? Guys~, let¡¯s get along~?.¡± And a terrible song too. Everyone on the street was walking past him with their ears plugged and frowns on their faces. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t Errol!¡± It was their benefactor. It was Errol, the messenger of love and peace who helped them at the border and gave the magazine to Bash. He was sitting on the side of the street, looking utterly charming, and reveling in his song. ¡°Errol!¡± When Bash called out to him, he looked up and his eyes widened. ¡°Oh? Oh!¡± Then he immediately stood up and walked over to Bash, looking him over from head to toe. ¡°Why, it¡¯s Bash! You look different!¡± His voice was full of surprise and joy, although his expression was not visible because he was wearing a mask. It was as if a person he didn¡¯t expect to see had exceeded his expectations. ¡°I was saying it was strange not seeing you before, but you went to get those clothes! As expected of the Orc Hero! You¡¯re so thoughtful that it¡¯s hard to believe you¡¯re an orc! No, more than that, you¡¯re more than I expected!¡± CH 31.2 ¡°You helped me. That saved me.¡± ¡°With the border? Well, well, it was only natural! Come on! I¡¯ll show you around.¡± Errol said, happily taking Bash¡¯s hand and pulling him along. ¡°Wait, where are we going?¡± ¡°Where¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that I have to go somewhere.¡± ¡°Really¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, to a place where there are a lot of people and a lot of alcohol.¡± When Bash said that, Errol looked puzzled for a moment, but then he laughed as if he had come to a point. ¡°Haha. That¡¯s an interesting way of putting it. But don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re going to the same place!¡± ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re here, isn¡¯t it?¡± How did this man know where Bash was going? The question was answered by Zell, who came up to the Orc Hero¡¯s ear. ¡°Mister, if you think about it, this is the man who brought us that magazine, so it¡¯s only natural that he would have an idea where you were going.¡± ¡°Hmm, right.¡± ¡°In fact, there¡¯s even a chance he might take us to a better place than the bar written in the magazine.¡± ¡°I see!¡± Satisfied with Zell¡¯s words, Bash turned to Errol. ¡°I understand. So, could you show me the place?¡± ¡°Sure, leave it to me.¡± Bash was accompanied by Errol as they made their way to the center of Lycant. ¡ö¡ö¡ö Bash was led into the courtyard of a huge palace in the center of the Capital. It was the most beautiful space Bash had ever seen. In the garden of the palace courtyard there was a large table and a mountain of food was laid out. The people there were also dressed in colorful cloth costumes and adorned with gold, silver and jewels. Just looking at them, one almost had to look away because of the glitter. When Errol brought Bash over, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll go and give my greetings. You guys should relax and get something to eat,¡± and then he quickly went off somewhere. Bash and Zell were left alone. ¡°What are we going to do? This isn¡¯t where we want to be, is it?¡± ¡°But the conditions are just right.¡± This wasn¡¯t the place described in the magazine. It wasn¡¯t even a bar. But there were a lot of people. Apparently, they had all the alcohol they could drink. ¡°So there¡¯s only one thing to do.¡± It was the same on the battlefield. During the transfer, there were many times when they were taken to places other than the battlefield they had heard about beforehand. Bash had survived all these battlefields. So he was thinking now: The objective was still the same, what we had to do had not changed, even if the situation is somewhat different from what we had expected. ¡°What did the magazine say about what to do when you got to the bar?¡± ¡°Drink red berry wine at a nice bar and wait for a woman to ask you out¡­ that¡¯s what the magazine said to do, right?¡± ¡°I see.¡± Bash looked around, saw the liquor he was looking for on one of the tables and took it. A small glass of fruit wine. It was an amount he didn¡¯t feel like drinking, but this time his goal wasn¡¯t to get drunk. Bash held it in his hand and settled in the corner of the room, literally taking small sips. ¡°This is great! I¡¯ve been to a few human parties before, but I¡¯ve never seen anything this spectacular! I¡¯ve heard rumors that Beastmen don¡¯t have money, but I guess they spend it at places like this. Maybe that¡¯s why?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t care about the money! Come on, let¡¯s go get some gals!¡± Bash and Zell said and looked at the people around them. There was a wide variety of races, especially beast people and elves. He saw the occasional human. There weren¡¯t that many dwarves. They all looked at Bash and sent him questioning glances. They wondered if it was okay to have an orc here. ¡°Hmm. Looking at it this way, it seems like there are a lot of high status people here.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Their clothes are so shiny.¡± From the looks of it, many of the Beastmen were dressed similarly to Bash. However, many of the Beastwomen, elves and female humans wore cotton or silk kimonos with elaborate embellishments. They glittered in the sunlight. Of course, Bash could not tell the difference in their clothing. However, it was obvious that this was a party place, and the men and women were chatting amicably with each other. The men surrounded the women with provocative smiles on their faces. The women also responded with smiles of satisfaction; their clothing often exposing their cleavage and thighs. The eyes of men, especially humans, were glued to their breasts, and Bash¡¯s eyes were naturally drawn to them as well. His nose was also active. ¡°With so many women, it¡¯s hard to take your eyes off them.¡± All the Beastwomen looked attractive. The reason they looked so good was probably because they wore clothes that were very open at the chest. Since their skin was visible, he couldn¡¯t help but notice them. ¡°No, mister. This time we have to wait. You¡¯re not a new recruit, and if you ignore the order to wait and rush in, the Orc Hero¡¯s name will be muddied!¡± ¡°I know.¡± But this time, he wasn¡¯t going to go talk to them himself. The magazine said to wait patiently. So he would wait. By the way, there was a reason for this, something Bash didn¡¯t quite understand. The Beastmen Country was a country where women were the top priority. Their ruler was a woman, and many important positions were held by women. Since ancient times, in their history and culture the pack leader was female. They also had a system of polygamy. The Beastmen¡¯s love life was very different from that of humans. The most notable difference was in the male¡¯s approach to the female. To demonstrate their strength, they hunted outside the city, dressed in the materials of their prey and waited for a female to approach them. During the war, many of them wore the fangs of fallen orcs or the horns of Demons. It was said that the woman who married the strongest men became a better leader of her pack. CH 31.3 ¡°It is not easy to be called.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re restless, Zell. Ambushes take time.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m the fairy among fairies. I¡¯m not good at sitting still. When I sit still, my inner fairy whispers to me: What are those wings on your back for if not to be flying? Want to hear it again? My time in the Valley of the Centaur¡­¡± That¡¯s when Zell was about to tell an epic from when Bash was not yet on the battlefield. ¡°??Kyaaaaaaaaaah!!¡± A scream was heard. ¡°W-What, what¡¯s going on!?¡± Zell shouted and looked around. The eyes of the people around her were staring directly at Zell. It was no wonder. Zell was a superstar of the fairy society. When she¡¯d get around to telling an epic, everyone would scream with excitement. ¡°An orc!¡± But that wasn¡¯t why. One of the Beastwomen, dressed in silk kimono and tiger skin like a bandit, was pointing at Bash. Everyone¡¯s eyes focused on the Orc Hero. Bash was also a superstar of the Orc Society, so it was no surprise¡­ ¡°What on the world is an orc doing here?!¡± ¡°Hey, there¡¯s an orc attacking the women!¡± ¡°Guards! Where are the guards!?¡± ¡°Get him out! No, you¡¯d better beat him together!¡± The women¡¯s screams set the place in an uproar. Some tried to get away from Bash, others tried to call the guards, and others rolled up their sleeves and approached him. Although it varied, even Bash, as expected, understood that he was not welcome. ¡°Wait a minute! This man is no ordinary orc! He is the most powerful orc in the land, the only orc given the title of ¡°Hero¡± thanks to his exploits in war, and he was even brought here! The masked man who brought him here¡­¡± Zell tried to plead for Bash, but no one would listen. Next thing she knew, the Orc Hero was surrounded. Unfortunately, all the men were surrounding Bash. ¡°What¡¯s all the noise, what¡¯s all the commotion?¡± Then, from the back of the room, a voice was heard. Bash turned his head and saw three beautiful women who made him swallow saliva. Each had a different degree of bestial features, but all had ample breasts and plump thighs. And they wore more colorful clothing than everyone present. When the girls saw Bash, they stopped their movements with a start. ¡°You see, princesses¡­¡± ¡°For some reason, there¡¯s an orc in this room.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll get him out of here right away.¡± Princesses. Hearing that word, Bash¡¯s mind unlocked a memory. The Six Princesses of the Beastmen. Six beautiful princesses born by the Beastmen¡¯s Queen. All six were rumored to be immensely beautiful, strong and wise. ¡°¡­They are beautiful.¡± In fact, the three before him were also the most beautiful women Bash could imagine. There was one princess who had fur like that of a black cat, golden eyes and a lithe body. Another had fluffy fur, dark eyes and a buxom figure. And the last princess had slightly stiff fur, blue eyes and a stocky body like a hunting dog. All three different from each other. They were sisters with varying degrees of beastly features, but all would agree that they were beautiful, just as the rumors said. But the three had heard no such words. They looked at Bash and their eyes widened. The smiles that had been on the faces of all three had disappeared, and their pupils dilated. ¡°You¡­¡± The moment one of the three said that in a whisper, the noise stopped. All those who stopped were of the Beastmen Race. The elves and humans, though confused and bewildered, were not making as much noise as beastmen were. And in the Beastmen¡¯s eyes, whose confusion had subsided, there was another emotion swirling in them. They all turned their gazes toward Bash. Looks of hatred. ¡°There are many who do not know your appearance, but there is no one here who does not know your name.¡± The princesses advanced to Bash¡¯s front. At the same time, strong men who appeared to be their guards also stepped forward to protect them. Their faces were also lined with expressions of hatred. At the same time, they also seemed to realize that they were provoking someone they should not be fighting, and they also seemed to be afraid of death. ¡°Bash, the Orc Hero! The one who killed our uncle, Leto, the Beastmen Hero!¡± ¡ô Leto, the Hero. He died in a battle in the Lemium Highlands. He fought the Demon King Gediguz and died with honor. That¡¯s how it was supposed to happen. But the truth was a little different. In fact, Leto, the Hero, did fight the Demon King Gediguz. The human prince Nazar; Sonia, the Archmage; the Beastman Hero, Leto; the dwarf Doradora Do Banga, the War Fiend. Together with more than a dozen others, they infiltrated deep into enemy territory, fought the Demon King and defeated him. The sacrifices were heavy. Almost every member of such a suicide squad died in battle, including Doradora Do Banga, the War Fiend. But when Gediguz died, Leto was still alive. He did was alive, although his entire body was covered with wounds. If anything, he had more energy than Thunder Sonia, who had fainted when her magical powers were exhausted. But then, a lone orc appeared. A single orc. The green demon that was rumored on the battlefield at the time. Bash, the future ¡°Orc Hero¡±. Nazar and Leto tried to fight. But their opponent was Bash. It didn¡¯t matter that they were the Beastmen Hero and the Human Prince, there was no way they could win with wounds all over their bodies, and they were defeated in an instant. But if Thunder Sonia had been awake, if Doradora Do Banga had been alive, the story might have been different, but Nazar was wounded and Leto¡¯s strength was at its limit. And there, right in the middle of enemy lines, they knew that, if they fought for too long, another enemy would probably emerge. So Leto, the Hero, said, ¡°Leave this to me¡±. CH 31.4 Nazar heeded his words. Someone had to come back. If someone did not return and tell them that Gediguz had been defeated, his death might be concealed, and the news would simply be that the fierce men of the Four Races Alliance had died in battle. If this happened, the effort of the Alliance would be affected and the war situation would deteriorate. They would be pushed to the brink in an instant. By the time Gediguz¡¯s death was discovered, it would be too late and the four races would have been destroyed. That had to be avoided. With Thunder Sonia at his back, Nazar broke through enemy lines and complied to report. As a result, the Four Races Alliance won the decisive battle of the Lemium Highlands. Later that day¡­ Leto¡¯s corpse was found at the site of the battlefield. The corpse, with his weapons shattered and his torso cut in half, was a cruel sight. Leto, the Hero. Leto Rivergold. The Beastmen Queen Rivergold¡¯s brother. A man who was loved and respected by the entire royal family¡­ His name should have been known throughout the continent, but his head was not even taken. For the Beastmen, defeat was no shame. A famous and fierce man was honored by those who defeated him. They believed in the Hunt God, and fed on the prey they defeated. They also took pleasure in being defeated by their prey and used as food. Although thousands of years had passed since Beastmen stopped eating humans, they felt no shame in being defeated in battle, having their heads cut off and being honored for their exploits in combat. Rather, it was an honor for them to be proud to have an enemy defeat them. However, Leto was not beheaded. He was not even considered a war hero by the enemy. He was treated lightly, as if he were a common soldier. The Hero, who should have received honor from the one who defeated him, was left to rot like the garbage that could be found lying around. Because of this, the Beastmen royalty resented Bash. They hated him for taking Leto¡¯s death lightly. From the bottom of their hearts. From that day on, Bash became an enemy of the Beastmen royalty. Everyone knew it. All the Beastmen. And the warriors who survived the Lemium Highlands, too. ¡ô Such a villain had appeared, and there was no way for the situation to calm down. The princesses were in a fit of rage, and lashed out at Bash with their tremendous anger. ¡°Why are you here?!¡± ¡°I heard that the third princess was getting married.¡± ¡°And you dare to appear here to attack and r?a?pe? my sister, Inuella! You, enemy of the Beastmen!¡± ¡°I have no intention of¡­¡± ¡°You are a fool! Don¡¯t think we¡¯ll forgive your misdeeds! I¡¯ll flay your corpse and bring peace to our hearts!¡± One of the princesses said, and drew a sword from a bag. ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s your fault for showing up here!¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t do it now that we have you here, who will!¡± The other two also followed suit. Bash was instantly surrounded by the three beautiful women. A single fairy flitted among the four. ¡°H-Hold on a minute! True, the mister could have killed Leto, but the battlefield was chaotic, so it can¡¯t be helped! Those things happened all the time. We all know that, don¡¯t we! Even I passed out before I realized it, and when I woke up, I thought I was in the afterlife. In fact, many of my comrades-in-arms died¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn!¡± No one could stop them now. The princesses held their swords at their waists, ready to attack Bash at any moment. ¡°My wish is not to fight¡­¡± He didn¡¯t quite understand how it had all ended like this, and he had no intention of killing the beautiful women before him. But if the Beastmen wanted to attack him with honor and pride, he had to fight and win with the honor and pride of the orcs. Bash put his hand on the sword on his back. ¡°M-Mister, are you really going to do it? If you kill the princesses, there¡¯ll be another war!¡± ¡°I know, but it¡¯s also true that I killed Leto, the Hero.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± It was at that instant. Some of those present stiffened as they watched the proceedings. The war was over. Everyone was trying to forget their resentment and move on. The marriage of the Beastmen Princess and the elven soldier should have been part of that. So why were the Orc Hero and the Princesses trying to start a fight in a place like this? If one of them died, it would be back to war. The Orc Hero did not seem very enthusiastic about the idea. If you looked closely, you could see some confusion among the princesses¡¯ guards and the beastmen surrounding the Orc Hero. They were drenched in cold sweat and their gazes were darting from side to side as if wondering if they were really going to fight. Only the Princesses were serious. They were about to stab Bash at any moment, not even trying to hide their murderous intent. ¡°¡­!¡± The princesses¡¯ legs were tense and they were about to peel off the ground, when the next moment¡­ ¡°Umm, could someone explain to me what¡¯s going on here?¡± A bell-like voice echoed around them. ¡°¡­Tonight is a happy day, why is there such a dangerous atmosphere when we are celebrating our sister Inuella¡¯s wedding?¡± Bash saw this and swallowed saliva. How¡­ charming¡­ She was another beautiful girl. A bit petite, but with ample breasts. A waist that any man would want to taste. Her face was human, or perhaps more like that of an elf. Her face had long slitted eyes and a small mouth, and she had fox-like ears. Her manner and demeanor gave off a sense of purity, like the flowing of a stream. ¡°Silviana¡­ you are here. Although on that happy day, there are those who are not happy¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That man was the one who killed Sir Leto.¡± ¡°Really? So this is the ¡°Orc Hero¡±, Sir Bash¡­?¡± Silviana. The girl who went by that name fell silent and looked at Bash with a puzzled face. Then she bent her eyebrows quizzically and said sadly. ¡°But, sisters. The war is over. Indeed, we have lived with hatred against the orcs, against the one who has shamed Uncle Leto. But so we have restored our Holy Land, and our sister Inuella is to be wed. These are peaceful times.¡± ¡°I never thought that such words would come from you¡­¡± ¡°Since Sir Bash has also traveled far to come to celebrate Inuella¡¯s marriage and the Beastmen¡¯s glory, should we not also be generous enough to forgive him?¡± ¡°How can you tell?¡± ¡°Looking at his clothes.¡± When she said this, people looked at Bash¡¯s clothes. Indeed, he was dressed in an unusual manner for an orc. He wore the Beastmen¡¯s formal attire and was holding a glass filled to the brim with liquor as he tilted it. The glass was full, indicating that he probably hadn¡¯t drunk a drop yet. He was being restrained in his drinking, as orcs tended to be violent when drunk. Everyone could see that. He was only here to celebrate the marriage of the third princess. ¡°Or are we Beastmen royalty so petty that we won¡¯t even allow it?¡± The princesses seemed somewhat surprised by Silviana¡¯s words. She laughed at the sight of them. ¡°And so¡­¡± She narrowed her eyes and looked at Bash. She quickly approached him, who was puzzled, not quite understanding the development of the conversation. ¡°I expected a much uglier man when I heard he was the orc who killed Uncle Leto, but he seems to be a manly and sincere man.¡± Then she put her hand on Bash¡¯s muscular arm, leaned in gently and said, ¡°I fell in love with him at first sight.¡± Luck was smiling on Bash. CH 32.1 Chapter 32. The most popular bar in the Lycant Capital Hours had passed since the chaos in the palace. ¡°For the love I feel for him, let him stay here with us.¡± With these words from the princess named Silviana, the turmoil ceased. However, Bash was still resented by the Beastmen royalty, and it was time to leave. As he was told before he left, the place he was at was the Lycant Royal Palace. Apparently, it was the place where the wedding of the third princess, Inuella, was being held. Nobles and royalty from all over the world gathered there, and banquets were held almost every day. Why did Errol take Bash there, and why was he allowed in at all, just because of the man¡¯s ¡°face¡±? No one questioned it. Because only two people, Bash and Zell, knew that Errol had taken them there. Orcs and fairies were not the type to sweat over details. Instead, Bash was both grateful and impressed. He dressed like the magazine said, went to the place like the magazine said, and charmed the most exquisite woman like the magazine said. Silviana River, the fifth princess of the Beastmen Nation. She was a beautiful woman with a human appearance, and she told Bash that she had fallen in love with him at first sight, pressing her ample breasts against his arms. As she escorted him out of the palace, she put her mouth close to his ear and said in a tone that would melt your heart just listening: ¡°We must meet again.¡± And she kissed Bash on the cheek. This brazen act was enough to raise his hopes. This exquisite Beastwoman wants to have a love affair with me, he thought. Thanks to her, the mini Bash was now very excited to have finally found an opportunity. It was no exaggeration to say that he was already counting the days to make this magnificent Beastwoman his wife. Had the search for a wife ever gone so well? No, he couldn¡¯t remember anything like it. It wasn¡¯t that easy with humans, nor with elves, nor with dwarves. It was all thanks to Errol, who had provided him with the magazine and taken him there. He was going to have some problems, but looking at the results, he would say they were minor. ¡°Errol. We have him to thank for this.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. I never thought you¡¯d get this close to the Beastmen Princess¡­¡± Bash was at the bar he had originally planned to go to. There, he was drinking and celebrating today¡¯s success. ¡°I can¡¯t thank him enough. I had heard that humans were good at gathering information and planning operations, but I hadn¡¯t expected them to be this good.¡± ¡°I may have misunderstood the human race a bit. I thought they were an intelligent race, but I didn¡¯t know there were people who could go to such lengths to help others¡­¡± They both praised Errol. In their minds, the masked man had been deified and was about to be elevated to an object of faith. Now, in the bar, there were several Beastmen who looked like Bash. They were all drinking red fruit wine. It was as if they were saying that this was a sign that they were ready to be chosen. In fact, there were Beastwomen sitting next to some of the Beastmen, talking. Some of them were like this before Bash arrived, and some of the women approached the men who were drinking alone after Bash arrived. It was just as the magazine had described. Bash, however, had no intention of going girl hunting. After all, he had just met the best of the Beastwomen. Because of the Beastmen¡¯s polygamous system, it was not acceptable for one man to pursue a large number of women. Like the elves, it would be best to limit the number of wives to one. As for whether it would be a good idea for the Orcs¡¯ pride to settle for only one woman as a concubine, Bash hadn¡¯t given it much thought. ¡°She said you had to meet again, but when?¡± ¡°It would be soon.¡± Orcs did not lie, and they did not use subterfuge. Of course, they did not know the meaning of social courtesy. Therefore, he took the words ¡°We must meet again¡± literally. ¡°However, one can never be too careful. Like the magazine said, you have to be careful!¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯ll check the magazine again when we get back to the inn.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The magazine also described what to do if you decided to go out with someone. It called it the Beastmen¡¯s Winning Attraction Technique, and carefully described the mating process. Bash wanted to follow this process. It was impossible for there to be any mistake in what was written in the magazine. Bash took a sip of his fruit wine. He swirled it in his glass, sniffed it, and sipped it. It was not the bold Orc way to drink, but it was a winning gesture he had read about in the magazine, so he practiced it. Then some time passed. It was a quiet time. No one tried to talk to Bash, and Bash talked to no one. He and Zell talked about old times and drank slowly. Or maybe one of the Beastmen warriors overheard Bash and Zell¡¯s conversation and wanted to talk too, but this was a bar for meeting people. It wasn¡¯t a place for men to talk to men, so they seemed to keep to themselves. ¡°Oh my?¡± Zell had just finished her third glass of fruit wine and was about to start a duel with a peanut snack for her almond lover when she heard a voice from behind the bar. ¡°¡­?¡± Bash turned to see a beautiful woman. She was dressed in an unfashionable, oversized, dark brown robe, and her face was hidden by a hood and a mask that covered her eyes. The only part of her face that was slightly exposed were her eyes. They were soft and captivating, her eyebrows thin and well shaped, and her skin white. Her mouth was covered by a mask and her hair was tucked into the hood. Even through her robe, one could see that her breasts and buttocks had feminine curves, but that was all. CH 32.2 But everyone present was sure. Not only the men who were waiting to be chosen, but even those who already had a woman sitting next to them looked at her and thought: ¡°The most beautiful woman in the world has arrived¡±. The whole place began to get restless, and the men adjusted their hair, straightened their postures, and adjusted their sitting positions so that they could be seen at the angle from which they would look best. Some even began to wonder if they should get up from their seats and approach to speak with her. ¡°It is rare to see Orcs in this country¡­¡± It was a woman¡¯s voice, a lovely voice. A sexy voice, different from Silviana¡¯s melted voice. But like Silviana¡¯s, it was a voice filled with the kind of magic that made Bash¡¯s heart flutter. And this voice was aimed at him. ¡°You, where did I¡­ hmm?! No, no way, you, no, sir¡­¡± The owner of such a voice looked at Bash seriously and approached him with a somewhat surprised look. ¡°Um, are you by any chance Sir Bash, the ¡®Orc Hero¡¯?¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± Bash remembered as soon as he heard the voice. ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°You remember, don¡¯t you?¡± The beautiful woman¡¯s face clouded over. She was sad, but it couldn¡¯t be helped, she was just garbage from Bash¡¯s point of view¡­ ¡°I remember you: ¡°Carrot, the Hissing Voice.¡± ¡°Oh! I¡¯m so glad! You remembered!¡± The beautiful woman, Carrot, smiled like a flower. She looked happy. Very, very happy. Her eyes, like steel blades, narrowed to an unimaginable degree. If a man looked at her, he would be 100% sure that he liked her. But Bash¡¯s expression was rigid. ¡°I was surprised. I didn¡¯t know you were in this country¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were here either¡­¡± Bash said, looking at Carrot out of the corner of his eye. A black tail with a pointed tip peeked out from the hem of her tunic. If you looked closely, you could see that the hood was also unnaturally raised. She had horns. ¡°I thought succubi were forbidden to leave their country.¡± ¡°No, we are only forbidden to show our skin and hair in other countries and a few other things, but we are not forbidden to leave the country¡­¡± Carrot. She was a succubus. The ethnic costume of the succubus was basically thin and exposed a lot of skin. In some cases, areas considered shameful to other races were very exposed. Carrot, however, was dressed in a way that covered everything. ¡°I never thought I would meet Sir Bash in a place like this¡­ why a great man like you¡­ no, excuse me. In fact, it is obvious from the place and the way you are dressed¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯m in a similar situation¡­¡± Carrot said and her eyes narrowed. She smiled. Because she hid her face, Bash could only see her narrowed eyes. Even so, she was so sexy that he could almost smell her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m not the person you¡¯re looking for, but can I join you for a drink?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to be disrespectful to a fellow soldier.¡± Bash nodded in response to the sex appeal, suppressing the swelling of his crotch and keeping a poker face. Carrot nodded cheerfully and sat back in the chair in one fluid motion. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, hasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Since Lehner¡¯s desert retreat?¡± ¡°Oh yes, you¡¯re right! It has been a long time¡­¡± ¡°Carrot, the Hissing Voice. Her character was cold, calculating, brave and brutal. She was a master of physical and magical combat, and had once fought Thunder Sonia. She was a succubus who always fought on the front lines and was considered one of the strongest in the succubus army, which was full of fierce warriors. Her name was well known in other countries as well, especially in the elven army, where she was feared and hated as the one who had captured the most elven men. ¡°Hehe, I feel very honored, Sir Bash.¡± Carrot said and clinked her glass with Bash¡¯s. There was a cool clink. ¡°Me too.¡± Bash said, trying as much as possible not to look at Carrot. If you weren¡¯t familiar with the relationship between orcs and succubi, you would have wondered why the masculine Bash was like that in front of such a feminine woman¡­ But that was inevitable. Succubi could not bear children of other races. To them, men were nothing more than food. They caught them with their beautiful looks and fed on them with their lower mouths. What other races called mating was just a meal to them, not sex. Of course, they could not have children from other races. When succubi had children, they kissed. For them, the mouth is not only an organ of eating, but also an organ of reproduction. If they could not bear children, they were not suitable as wives for the orcs. However, as our diligent readers know, Bash¡¯s real purpose was to get rid of his virginity. If he could get rid of it that way, why not? But it wasn¡¯t that easy. To illustrate this, let me tell you an old story. From a long time ago. Long before Bash was born. There was an Orc. He was a red-skinned orc, physically fit from birth, and he had a promising future, having defeated an orc two years his senior when he first wielded a sword. In his first battle, he brought one of these women with him. He and the succubus hit it off on the battlefield, destroyed the enemy together, spent the night together, and returned home still in love. The man took the succubus as his wife. For an orc, sex with a succubus was the height of futility, as it was impossible to have a child with them, but it happened and it was, and it felt great to be with her. He showed his naked wife to the other orcs and showed them a fierce mating. It was not easy to marry a succubus, so he spent his days with a proud look on his face. The other orcs envied the man who could do as he pleased with the beautiful succubus. CH 32.3 Frizcop: I realized that I would be a very bad person if I left you with such a cliffhanger. Next chapter this monday. But this happiness came to an end one day. As husband, the orc man was walking through the village with the wind at his back, as usual, when he noticed a strange sensation. The people who had been treating him normally were now treating him with surprise, mockery, reserve, and contempt, as if he were a monkey with a painted face. The man wondered and asked one of his friends, who, with a somber look, brought out a well-polished mirror. When the orc looked into the mirror, he saw a familiar face. But there was something strange on the man¡¯s forehead. No, he had seen it before. If anything, he had pointed at it, laughed at it, mocked it, even scorned it. The moment he realized it was on him, the man¡¯s blood drained from his face in fear. It was the mark of an orc wizard. The mark of a magical warrior. The emblem of virginity protruded from the man¡¯s forehead. That day was his 30th birthday. No one knew where the man and his succubus wife went after that. In Orc society, it was considered shameful for an ordinary warrior to become a magical warrior. No matter what the circumstances¡­ So he probably left the village and died somewhere because he could no longer bear it. The story would be told to the orcs for a long time. For some reason, no matter how much sex you had with a succubus, it didn¡¯t mean you lost your virginity. On the contrary, once you lose your virginity to a succubus, no matter how many other people you sleep with afterwards, the emblem of virginity will still appear on your body. ¡°¡­¡± Then Bash decided not to woo Carrot. If Bash wanted a one-night stand, he was sure she would be happy to oblige. But that would mean the end of Bash the warrior and the beginning of Bash the magical warrior. For Bash, it would be the end of the world. ¡°Ironic, isn¡¯t it? I, the strongest succubus soldier, and you, the invincible Orc Hero, have defeated all enemies and eaten the fruits of victory, and now we have to be ogled by our opponents in a place like this¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± On the other hand, Carrot didn¡¯t get any closer to Bash than necessary. She did not put her arms around him, or press her breasts against him, or whisper in his ear. Succubi could consume all men for food. But for that very reason, their culture considered it disrespectful to consider respectable men as food. ¡°Wartime was a good time. I could get a man of my choice and eat him as much as I wanted¡­ now I¡¯m like a rat scavenging for scraps¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I want to go back to those days, to those days when we were free to live and die, even if it was hard and painful¡­ don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bash did not answer. If all treaties were broken and war broke out right now, Bash would easily lose his virginity. He would probably go after Judith, whom he met in the human country, and enjoy his life to the fullest. But this was just a dream and nothing more. The Orc King Nemesis wanted peace and the survival of the Orc race. If war broke out at this time, the orcs would be easily destroyed. Bash could not wish for that. ¡°Heh, just kidding¡­¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°But if we ever have the chance to fight together, would you give me the honor to fight shoulder to shoulder with you again?¡± These words reminded him of a battle that once took place. The Battle of Retreat in the Lehner Desert. In this battle, the succubus army was cornered. The Lehner Desert was now part of the beastmen¡¯s territory, but it had once been the lizardmen who lived on its sandy soil. The battle that led to the loss of this territory was an invasion by a mixed army of dwarves and humans. The succubi, who had fought alongside the lizardmen, fought to the death to protect their people. However, most lizardmen, who lived in swampy areas, did not like deserts very much. Succubi were also not good at fighting in deserts where they could be easily seen. Originally, a mixed force of ogres and harpies was supposed to defend the Lehner Desert, but after the death of Gediguz, both races had their hands full defending their own territories and retreated. They took advantage of the situation. The orcs came to the aid of the lizardmen and succubi, who were being pursued by the elves. However, the front line had already collapsed, and the mixed forces of lizardmen and succubi in the sands were completely surrounded and in danger of being destroyed. The battle until they abandoned the Lehner Desert and retreated¡­ that was the Battle of the Lehner Desert Retreat. In that battle, Bash showed his usual valor and saved the succubi and the lizardmen. And it was the woman before him who commanded the succubus army at the time. Bash remembered it well. After the fierce battle was over, there was still someone at his side, and it was her. Few words were exchanged. Two or three at most. He didn¡¯t even remember them. But on the battlefield Bash remembered as a fierce battle, there were few people who stayed by his side until the end. Most couldn¡¯t keep up with him and dropped out, got lost, or died in the battle. If you could keep up with Bash, it meant that you were a top-class warrior who had a lot of power and could be counted on. That¡¯s why he remembered her so well. And he also remembered her breasts that swayed with every fight, but Bash shook off the memory of them. It was something he shouldn¡¯t remember now. At least, if he was going to remember it, it would have to be after he had lost his virginity, then surely he could have a relationship where they both won. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll ask you the same thing then.¡± ¡°¡­Hehe, thank you¡­¡± Carrot smiled. Most of her face was hidden, so he couldn¡¯t see it, but he could tell that it was a beautiful and charming smile. If he hadn¡¯t known that Carrot was a succubus, Bash would have proposed to her. Succubi always gave off pheromones. Pheromones that attracted and fascinated men. But even Bash could put on the brakes if he knew that was the case. ¡°You were brave. I still remember. Gordorov, the fierce dwarf warlord, came at you from the flank, and while everyone thought you were doomed, and the succubi and lizardmen screamed in terror and panic, you alone intercepted him calmly.¡± ¡°And you did not run away.¡± ¡°Hehehe, I am honored by your praise¡­ but the truth is that I was just like everyone else. I wanted to run away and not stop, I was so scared. I just didn¡¯t show it because I decided to be responsible¡­¡± For a while, Bash and Carrot reminisced about their war years. At first, Bash was nervous about being asked about his history with women, but gradually he began to talk about his exploits and battles more eloquently than ever, even in the bars of his homeland. Carrot was very easy to talk to. She drank comfortably and talked comfortably. If this woman wasn¡¯t a succubus¡­ in fact, if he wasn¡¯t a virgin, he would have jumped on her right away. Even if he was nothing but food for her. He wanted to be with her all the time, he understood that. If a human prostitute had seen her, she would have understood that it was a trick to make him feel that way, but it was impossible for a virgin to understand. By the way, Zell was sleeping at the bar table with her nemesis, Almond, in good company. They¡¯d fought, beaten each other at the river, and now they were sweethearts. What about the Peanut? The magic was over. ¡°There¡¯s a lot to talk about, but let¡¯s leave it at that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± If Carrot had really wanted to flatter Bash, she wouldn¡¯t have said that. She would have leaned over Bash¡¯s shoulder, pressed her breasts against his arm, and told him with wet eyes that she was drunk. She would have whispered something that would have made Bash want to take her home, and she would have caught him. Or, if Bash wasn¡¯t a virgin, he would have said a few words himself to take Carrot. Succubi couldn¡¯t have children, but that was that, this was this, what was the point of not sleeping with a woman who was willing? ¡°Hehe, some other time then.¡± But it didn¡¯t happen. Carrot remained an educated succubus to the end, and Bash remained a virgin. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Bash took his leave, his nose perked up by Carrot¡¯s sweet, lingering scent, and his hair bristling from the conversation with the woman he had enjoyed so much. CH 33.1 Chapter 33. Aurantiaca, the Masked Saint In the center of the capital of Lycant, in the royal palace. The gardens, buildings and interiors were new and beautifully decorated with gold, silver and jewels for the third princess to be married. It wasn¡¯t just the outside. A month after the grand announcement of the third princess¡¯ marriage, the preparations did not stop. The wedding of Inuella, the third princess of the Beastmen, and Colonel Aconite, an elven soldier. It was an event of great celebration, even from a global perspective. It was not only a celebration, but also a marriage of great political importance that would strengthen the bonds between the two countries and serve as a check on other nations. As such, the elven and beastmen royal families staked their respective prestige on the wedding, planning to make it the most extravagant of the postwar period. They lavishly spent their ample resources on the festivities, spreading the word around the world and inviting dignitaries from every corner of the globe. Of course, there were those who were not amused. They were the human nobles who did not want the elves and beastmen to gain power, the dwarven merchants who were shut out of the opportunity to make money, and the elven nobles who were hostile to the faction to which Aconite belonged. ¡ô ¡°¡­So with this trick they wanted to have a person whose alibi did not exist at the time of the alleged poisoning. I see.¡± A room in the Lycant Palace was boiling. Dignitaries from various countries who had gathered for the ceremony had crowded in to hear the words of a woman. Judging by her long blonde hair and long pointed ears, she must have been an elf. However, her true face was hidden behind a mask, and her identity was unknown. Everyone present knew who she was, but¡­ they pretended not to. There was an unspoken agreement. ¡°Bougainvillea.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± And the masked woman cornered another woman. Short blonde hair, long ears. A large earring was in one of her ears, but only one of them. The other was in the masked woman¡¯s hand. ¡°Hey, why did you try to do that? Aconite is your childhood friend, right?¡± Bougainvillea. The woman she called ¡°Bougainvillea¡± was dejected and trembling for a while. But then she looked up and exclaimed: ¡°What¡­ what would you know! You¡¯ve been a virgin for hundreds of years!¡± ¡°Hey, stop it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve loved Sir Aconite for a long, long time! Our encounters between the fierce battles were the bulwark that held my heart firm! I dreamed that I would be with him when the battles were over. But to think that he would marry a hairy brute in such an unseemly palace! I could not allow it!¡± ¡°What has that got to do with being a virgin?¡± ¡°I would have endured any hardship for Sir Aconite¡¯s sake! I would have killed elders or children if he¡¯d ordered me to! And after we were married, I was to serve him! I love him! I would not be out of place in his family! And yet I was told that it wouldn¡¯t look good for the captain of an assassination squad to marry a member of royalty, and that I had a dirty body because I had been captured and raped by orcs during the war! You can¡¯t understand how I feel after being forced to resign by everyone around me!¡± ¡°No, I understand, you know? Even I¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say you understand! You¡¯re a virgin who doesn¡¯t know what love is!¡± ¡°No, but I mean that you also understand my feelings, that when I was defeated by an orc and not raped, they said it was because I stank¡­¡± ¡°But at least you redeemed yourself when that orc proposed to you!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Mmm¡­ oh yeah. Mm. Then I guess I don¡¯t understand your feelings¡­ sorry¡­¡± The masked woman coughed as she apologized, breaking into a cold sweat. ¡°Whatever! So you let your feelings be used by the anti-Aconite faction to do this as a mere lackey.¡± The masked woman said, touching the earring with her fingertips. A drop of liquid spilled from the tip of the earring. The liquid was an eerie purple color. It was poisonous no matter which way you looked at it. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You know, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s possible that maybe he doesn¡¯t know how you feel?¡± Bougainvillea cast a worried glance at the masked woman speaking to her. But she had reached a point where she could no longer go back. Here was no Aconite, but she had been caught trying to murder a Beastman noble and force them to call off the wedding. Her future had already been decided. ¡°Since we¡¯ve come to this¡­¡± Bougainvillea pulled a dagger out of her pocket. A dagger with a sinister curve. A dagger of honor, given to those who had distinguished themselves in the assassination squads of the elven army. Bougainvillea, the most skilled member of the assassin squad, was brimming with murderous intent. ¡°He-Hey, stop! Don¡¯t do anything crazy!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill them all! Inuella and Sir Aconite! Y-You too! I-I won¡¯t accept this marriage! I¡¯ll ruin it!¡± The place was in an uproar. Some drew their swords, others put magic power into their hands. Although she was the leader of an assassination squad, Bougainvillea was alone. All those present were fierce warriors who had survived the war. There were a number of people in this room who were as good or better than Bougainvillea. ¡°Hey, Bougainvillea, I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t know how you feel. But I¡¯ve known you and Aconite since you were little kids. I didn¡¯t know you liked him, but I know you¡¯re not a bad person. You¡¯ve always been strong, and you protected that weakling Aconite from the bullies¡­¡± Bougainvillea¡¯s eyes flickered at the masked woman¡¯s words. ¡°I think it¡¯s a pity that your love was never fulfilled. I¡¯m going to give those people who called you impure a hard time just because they want to do what¡¯s best for the elves. If you wish, I can personally and publicly congratulate you on your accomplishments. Yes, I should have done that in the first place! I¡¯ve been busy with a lot of things¡­ no, actually, that¡¯s just an excuse. I¡¯ve been so busy with myself lately that I haven¡¯t paid much attention to you. Forgive me.¡± The sound of the masked woman¡¯s voice was nostalgic for Bougainvillea. In the past, when she fought with boys her own age and made them cry, the Masked Woman would come to admonish them in this way. For elves who lost their parents in the war, this person was a mother, a teacher, and an object of protection. ¡°So how about we find you a new loved one, okay? Yes. For example, how about Cymbidium? He¡¯s in the same assassination squad. He¡¯s still single, right? He may be unreliable from your point of view, but he¡¯s not a bad guy, so why don¡¯t you look at him that way? If you want, I can help you. What do you say?¡± The masked woman said that and slowly approached her. She tried not to provoke her, but to take the blade out of her hand if she had the chance. But her words were sincere. She was truly worried about Bougainvillea. ¡°¡­!¡± But Bougainvillea realized. She realized that she was now pointing her blade at someone she should never have pointed it at. ¡°So, hey, please. Can you give me that dagger?¡± Then the masked woman gently touched Bougainvillea¡¯s cheek. At the gentle touch, Bougainvillea relaxed. With a clatter, the dagger fell. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± With a lot of tears and snot, she uttered those words. That was the end of an incident and a love story. CH 33.2 That night, the masked woman was drinking fruit wine in one of the guest rooms of the Lycant Palace. ¡°¡­¡± She thought about the events of the day. Today, one of the wedding guests had almost been poisoned. It was only an attempt, but if he had died, the wedding might have been canceled. Or there might have been a war between the Beastmen and the Elves. ¡°Damn¡­¡± The culprit was someone the masked woman knew well. Bougainvillea. She had known her since she was a child. Well, the masked woman remembered the names, faces and backgrounds of most elves. She was nothing more than a lackey, but with the Masked Woman¡¯s persuasion and pleading, she would be spared the ultimate punishment. She would be punished accordingly, but it had to be done. The masked woman thought about the words of the cornered Bougainvillea. Honestly, they worked on her. They still stung her heart. ¡°Aconite, why are you so popular¡­?¡± She blurted out the question as she took a small sip of her drink. She was sloppily dressed, sitting in a chair with her belly wrapped in her nightgown, which lacked any hint of sex appeal. ¡°Hmm?¡± There was a knock on the door. At the faint sound of the knock, the masked woman¡¯s voice rose. ¡°Who is it? It¡¯s open!¡± ¡°It¡¯s me. Sorry it¡¯s so late.¡± It was a man¡¯s voice. A man she knew. The masked woman grabbed the doorknob with a swiftness she had shown only a few times on the battlefield. ¡°Oh? It doesn¡¯t seem to be open.¡± ¡°Sorry, I just closed the door. Wait a minute. I¡¯ll open it right now.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± From there, the masked woman moved quickly. She took off her favorite nightgown with super speed and stuffed it into her bag. She put on a slightly sheer undergarment she had prepared for the guests of honor, muttered, ¡°No, this is a little embarrassing,¡± pulled a cardigan from her bag and put it on. She looked at herself in the full-length mirror and confirmed that she looked sexy enough not to be embarrassed. Nodding in agreement, she sat back in the chair she had just occupied and picked up the glass of fruit wine. ¡°O-Okay, you can come in now, okay?¡± ¡°Oh, wasn¡¯t it closed?¡± ¡°It¡¯s open now.¡± The masked woman didn¡¯t know why, although there was a hint of a wry smile from behind the door. She was nervous because it was the first time a man other than one of her relatives had come to see her at this time of night. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°Oh, what¡­ what brings you here?¡± The masked woman was speechless for a moment. She knew from the voice who was on the other side of the door. In fact, it was the same person who had entered the room. But on his face was a mask in the shape of a woman¡¯s face. ¡°What¡¯s with the mask? Are you joking?¡± ¡°You too, don¡¯t you want to take off the mask in your room?¡± ¡°Whoa, you idiot! Shhh! Now I¡¯m Aurantiaca[1], the masked saint. It wasn¡¯t Thunder Sonia who came!¡± ¡°Can you tell me again why you¡¯re doing this?¡± ¡°Well, if Aconite finds out I¡¯m here, it¡¯ll make him uncomfortable, won¡¯t it? I couldn¡¯t bother him by having them give me a different seating arrangement, or a better private room for the guests of honor¡­ Even if these are still preparations for the wedding, I don¡¯t want to make him any busier than he already is.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The masked man nodded with a wry smile. Thunder Sonia originally wore a mask during the war. It was a mask that enhanced her own magical power. So it was more natural for her to wear a mask when she wasn¡¯t with her people. Even if she wore a mask and disguised herself, no one would think she was really disguised. If she said she didn¡¯t want people to call her ¡°Thunder Sonia¡± because she was an important person and it would complicate things, everyone would agree with her. ¡°Now you speak, why the mask?¡± ¡°I have similar reasons. Now I go as Errol, the messenger of love and peace¡­ otherwise you did a great job today. I was watching you from the side¡­¡± ¡°Hmm, that was mismanagement on the part of my people. What would have happened if I hadn¡¯t taken charge?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that happens in many places.¡± ¡°There are too many of my people who are mismanaging things just because the war is over.¡± The masked woman¡­ or Thunder Sonia, snorted as she said this. She came from the Siwanasi forest and had been looking for a good man in several places. First she went to the human country, and from there to the elven country, and in both places she ended up empty-handed. Apparently, the elves had behaved badly in many places since the end of the war. In particular, the struggle between Prince Aconite, who was seen as the future king, and Prince Erigeron (of the anti-Aconite faction), who was plotting to take the throne from Aconite, was fierce, not only within the land, but also in terms of the allies they were able to gain outside of it. Thunder Sonia would intercede whenever she saw them, and as a result, it was rumored that she traveled the countries alone to judge the misdeeds of her own people. (T/N: Haha, as they say about Bash now xD). However, she was only looking for someone to marry. ¡°What do you want, Errol, messenger of love and peace? What¡¯s the point of hiding your face and going to a maiden¡¯s bedchamber at this time of night when you can¡¯t help but be the subject of strange rumors? If a strange rumor comes to light, you will be hunted down by the elven intelligence, forced to remove your mask and take responsibility.¡± [1] I think an explanation is in order. It turns out that the author of the novel used plant names to name the elves. And so, knowing that, it is strange that she is called Thunder Sonia. Well, the thing is that the name Thunder Sonia comes from a plant (sort of), this one to be exact. The full name of the plant is Sandersonia Aurantiaca. CH 33.3 It was fine if he was willing to take off his mask, give his real name, and take responsibility for his actions, all so he could go to her room at night. And she would be willing to meet him not just tonight, but every night. But that was a little too implausible. ¡°¡­How right you are. It is true that I should have considered visiting the bedroom of Saint Aurantiaca, a pure maiden, at this time of night. As soon as I have finished my business, I will leave immediately.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see. Right¡­ so be it then¡­¡± Unable to take back her own words, Thunder Sonia shrank back in her seat. She had expected the man to jump on her and then say, ¡°As long as I take responsibility later, it¡¯s okay, right? No sane person would have a one-night stand with Thunder Sonia, a leading figure among the elves. ¡°I have some things I want you to hear.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I think ¡°you know who¡± is still on the move.¡± Thunder Sonia frowned at these words. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°They may have already infiltrated this country.¡± ¡°What about the wedding? Shouldn¡¯t it be called off?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to say without knowing what they¡¯re after, but it seems the queen intends to go through with it anyway.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect anything less from her. She has a strong will. She¡­ so what should I do?¡± ¡°For now, we will only provide information and warnings to those who seem to be able to move.¡± ¡°I see. Thank you for the information. I¡¯ll be careful¡­ anything else?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Well, then¡­¡± Sonia¡¯s brain whirled at super speed. This man, Errol, the messenger of love and peace. Thunder Sonia knew that his true identity was that of a single man. She also knew that he was a handsome man behind the mask, his family background, his spectacular achievements on the battlefield, and many other things. He was not a bad catch. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a wedding to celebrate. I hope it goes off without a hitch! Right! We¡¯ll be backstage to help!¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°By the way, how are you doing on your end, huh? Hmm? If you got married, a lot of people in this world would be overjoyed, wouldn¡¯t they? If you don¡¯t have a partner, well, let¡¯s just say¡­¡± ¡°I have my eyes on a woman.¡± When he said he had his eyes on a woman, Thunder Sonia stopped talking. She hesitated to ask who the woman was. If she asked, she might suffer irreversible damage. ¡°I¡¯m glad you do. Yes.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯d better go.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. You certainly have. I¡¯m sorry to have delayed you¡­¡± ¡°Yes. Thunder¡­ No, Lady Aurantiaca, please take care of yourself¡­¡± ¡°Of course. I am Thunder Sonia, the great elven archmage. I will be careful. We¡¯ll talk some other time.¡± Errol bowed and turned to leave. Thunder Sonia looked at him with a feeling of regret, wondering if she should stop him or not. And then Errol stopped. ¡°Oh, right.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The ¡°Orc Hero¡± has come to town.¡± ¡°Bash?¡± ¡°He¡¯s here to celebrate the princess¡¯s wedding.¡± ¡°I-I see¡­¡± Thunder Sonia was annoyed when he suddenly told her about the Orc Hero. But when she thought about it, it wasn¡¯t that strange for Bash to come here. Considering creating a friendship between orcs and beastmen, this wedding was the perfect opportunity. ¡°Perfect formal attire, modest demeanor¡­ He didn¡¯t even drink alcohol, lest he get out of control. He must be well aware of how he is viewed by the Beastmen royalty. No other Orc could go so far.¡± ¡°I suppose. When he came to propose to me, he was dressed in full elven regalia. Of course I turned him down! Of course!¡± Normally, an orc would not bow to the family of someone he had killed on the battlefield. Orcs were a race that mocked you, telling you that they would kill you too and wipe out your clan. But Bash, for the pride and honor of the deceased¡¯s family, would bow his head like it was no big deal. Of course, Bash¡¯s actions were anything but an apology. He appeared at the solemn occasion, dressed in the formal attire of another race, and offered his congratulations in a dignified manner. It was a gesture of respect and friendship from the orcs to the other race. ¡°However, it seems that the Beastmen royalty are not as intelligent as he is, and while I was out of the room, he was greeted in a bad and violent manner¡­ If that was going to happen, I should have stayed close by.¡± ¡°What¡­? Are the royals of this nation idiots? I know how they feel, but of course they shouldn¡¯t do this. They have too many grudges. The war is over, everyone¡¯s trying to get along, so they can¡¯t be so hostile to the orcs. What are they, children?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ but if they had killed you in ¡°Siwanasi¡¯s Nightmare¡±, I¡¯m sure the elves would have done the same.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ well, we¡¯re all a bunch of naughty children.¡± Errol laughed. He was amused by Thunder Sonia¡¯s insistence that an elf who had lived for several hundred years could still be a child. ¡°I hope the Hero doesn¡¯t hold it against them and isn¡¯t thinking of revenge?¡± ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t think he is. Even after I rejected him, he just moved on to the next city without a care in the world. But it wouldn¡¯t be like that if it was any other orc¡­¡± ¡°I hope so¡­ but I¡¯m also worried about the movements of You-Know-Who. Lady Thunder Sonia, be very careful.¡± ¡°I am sure of it. I would never be careless.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have bothered you. Well then¡­¡± Errol bowed again and left the room. Thunder Sonia, who remained in the room, swallowed the fruit wine in one gulp and plopped down on the table. She¡¯d be lying if she said she wasn¡¯t worried about You-Know-Who and Bash. But what surprised her even more was something else. ¡°Haah~.¡± Thunder Sonia sighed heavily, dropped down and muttered under her breath so no one could hear her. ¡°Being the way he is, he would have plenty of other women by now¡­¡± For who knows how long since her journey began, Thunder Sonia sighed heavily. CH 34.1 Chapter 34. A man who can wait is a popular man ¡°It¡¯s morning already.¡± Bash awoke at the inn, stretched, and got ready. He washed with hot water, sprayed on some perfume, and put on the formal clothing of the Beastmen. He ate his meal on the second floor of the inn and returned to his room. He sat down on his bed, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes. He felt very good. He knew he had to follow the plan of action devised by the wisest of the information gatherers. Looking back, it was a good time when Gediguz, the demon king, was alive. They could win any battle just by following the orders from above. Without the king, Bash would not have become as strong as he was now and would have died somewhere. ¡°Will she come today?¡± Zell munched on almonds for breakfast and filled a jar with fairy dust. There was also quite a bit of food left over. Today¡¯s fairy dust would undoubtedly be almond flavored. Bash didn¡¯t move. He didn¡¯t go out, he didn¡¯t exercise, he just stood still. He didn¡¯t go looking for a girl, and he didn¡¯t go to the bar. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but it¡¯s nice just to wait.¡± He waited. But for what? For a chance. For the moment to come. Bash waited. He was sure that Silviana, that exquisite beastwoman he had met the other day, would visit him. Because the magazine had said so. ¡®If a girl says she wants to see you again, don¡¯t push. Don¡¯t be pushy. A smart man is a popular man.¡¯ The secret to the Beastmen¡¯s love life was ¡°to wait¡±. That was what the magazine said. So Bash decided to wait. Having run all over the world on all kinds of battlefields, he thought he was good at frontal attacks, but he was also good at ambushes. If necessary, he could wait in the bushes for 10 or 20 days. If the enemy didn¡¯t come, he wouldn¡¯t even think twice. And what he was waiting for now was his future wife. It shouldn¡¯t be difficult for him. It was waiting all that time that made the love burn hotter. ¡°¡­¡± So Bash kept waiting. From the uproar in the palace until today. From dawn, even when the sun was directly overhead, he didn¡¯t move a muscle. Even when the sun began to show signs of setting, he did nothing. When the sun was already setting, he would go back to eating, but after that, he would remain still again. When the whole village went to sleep, he and Zell took turns watching and waiting. A few days passed. Today, Bash would wash again, eat, and wait patiently in his bed at the inn. After waiting so long, you¡¯d think he¡¯d know she wouldn¡¯t come even if he kept waiting, but Bash had waited longer than that before, and even succeeded. When he defeated the Sweeping King, Coudelant, he did so by ambush. So Bash would wait. He would wait forever. Forever and ever, for days and days, forever and ever¡­ And then, before he knew it, the wedding ceremony of the third princess would be over, the spirits of all the people would have died down, and the emblem of virginity would appear on Bash¡¯s forehead, and he would finally realize it. The woman¡¯s words were a lie, she would never appear¡­ But that was not what happened. ¡°She came¡­¡± That afternoon. A certain person visited the inn. Bash, who had sharpened his senses as if he were in a battlefield ambush, recognized her immediately. He heard strange footsteps entering the inn. The source of the footsteps exchanged a few words with the innkeeper, then headed straight for Bash¡¯s room. Judging by the footsteps, it was a woman. Her footsteps were soft, but not deliberately muffled. It was the characteristic walk of a noblewoman. There was no doubt. It was her. ¡°Mister, you can¡¯t afford to make a mistake when we¡¯ve come so far!¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯ll make sure I succeed.¡± Princesses were among the most popular women among the orcs. When they talked about who they would like as wife, a princess always came up. The princess was a close second to the knight. However, it was hard to get them. Unlike knights, they were few and far between and had little chance of appearing on the battlefield. Another characteristic of royalty was that if they fought orcs and were outnumbered, they would quickly retreat. Even if they were pursued, desperate resistance awaited them from the knights escorting them. Even when outnumbered, many princesses would rather commit suicide than be r?a?pe? by orcs. They wer a rare and precious flower, visible but unattainable. Such was the existence of a princess. As far as Bash knew, there were only a few orcs who could marry a princess. Most of them were from old fairy tales. During Bash¡¯s lifetime, only one orc had been able to marry a princess: the orc king Nemesis. Silviana, the fifth princess of the Beastmen. She would be a suitable wife for the Orc Hero Bash. Such an opportunity might not come again. With that in mind, he was more excited than ever. ¡°¡­Hm.¡± And then there was a knock at the door of Bash¡¯s room. ¡°Come in, it¡¯s open!¡± At Zell¡¯s words, the door opened. There stood a person dressed in an expensive, plain, but instantly recognizable silk robe with a hood covering her face. The face peering out from behind the hood was the same beauty they had seen only once, just the other day. She was the fifth princess, Silviana. The person he had been waiting for had arrived. It was time for a successful ambush. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± She looked at Bash and smiled softly. ¡°I seem to have startled you with my sudden visit.¡± ¡°No, I was expecting you.¡± ¡°Eh¡­¡± Silviana stiffened at Bash¡¯s words. Indeed, if one looked closely, Bash was dressed in a formal suit. It was the formal attire of the Beastmen, as if he was going to a ceremony. It was as if he was receiving an important person¡­ ¡°Ehehe, so you couldn¡¯t wait any longer?¡± ¡°Actually, I could wait quite a while.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Silviana seemed to shudder a little in response to these imposing words. The conversation was not going well. However, she quickly calmed down and sat down next to Bash, who was sitting on the bed. Then she rested her body on his shoulder. Bash¡¯s arms were pinned to her ample breasts. ¡°Oh, Sir Bash! Darling! I adore you!¡± ¡°Mm. Me too.¡± Silviana dropped to the bed and closed her eyes. As if waiting for something. As if she wanted to say: ¡°Come on, I¡¯m ready¡±. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± But Bash got up. ¡°Eh, where to?¡± ¡°That¡¯s obvious.¡± Bash said to the confused Silviana. One of his fangs gleamed. ¡°Let¡¯s go on a date.¡± That was the winning strategy he had read in the magazine. CH 34.2 ¡®Does it look like a woman is asking you out? That¡¯s just a misunderstanding of men! You should get to know each other first and build a stable relationship!¡¯ ¡®The days of women taking the lead are over! Now it¡¯s up to the man to lead the date!¡¯ According to the magazine, romance among the Beastmen seemed to test the patience of the men. There was no harsh pressure to marry or force intercourse. Even if a woman made a gesture that looked like an invitation to a man, it was a trap. If she then covered herself and told him, ¡°Of course I didn¡¯t mean it¡±, she would get angry and reject him. To get to sex, it was necessary to go through a series of stages smoothly. The first stage was the meeting. That is, a date. Dating also had stages, and at least five dates were necessary, all in different places and with different words. And if he proposed to her on the sixth date, all his work would be rewarded. The Beastwoman would become a woman and belong to the man. To be honest, Bash would have been wrong by now if it weren¡¯t for the magazine. When Silviana leaned against him a few minutes ago, he thought he could just propose and there wouldn¡¯t be a problem, and then they would move on to sex. That would have had her gone in no time. But now Bash had the magazine. And Bash was a man who knew the folly of front-line warriors acting on their own judgment in a precise operational maneuver. If it was a strategy devised by a clever strategist, the secret to victory was to follow it to perfection. Bash had seen this firsthand. He remembered, yes, the battle on the plains of Kiang, when he was getting stronger and stronger, and when he himself was beginning to get a little carried away. Bash was following orders as usual, fighting east and west, destroying the enemy. Then he received another order. The order was simple: ¡°Ignore the enemy you are currently facing, move south and go after another enemy¡±. At this point, Bash was in a good mood. He was furious at the thought of ignoring the enemy in front of him, so he stayed where he was and continued to fight. As a result, the demon forces that had been his allies were trapped and destroyed, leaving Bash¡¯s company alone and under siege. In the end, Bash and his men were not killed, but were severely mistreated by the Demon commanders. The humiliating defeat provided Bash with wisdom and lessons. Since then, Bash has been faithful to his orders. After a certain point, however, there were few who could give him orders¡­ Anyway, since Bash was obedient, the plan for the first date was perfect. Just like the magazine said. ¡°Um, this is¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner here. Or should we go to another restaurant?¡± ¡°Haa, well, this is fine, but¡­¡± Bash took the hand of the confused Silviana and entered the restaurant. It was a place recommended by the magazine, but it was nothing more than a place for commoners, and there were a lot of people inside. At least it wasn¡¯t a place for a princess. But Bash had no way of knowing that. ¡°They recommend a meal called ¡®Special Meatloaf¡¯.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know what meatloaf is, do you, Sir Bash?¡± ¡°No. We don¡¯t have it in the Orc Country.¡± ¡°I see.¡± As far as ambience went, the place wasn¡¯t that great. But Silviana laughed, sat down next to Bash and put her arms around him. Then she gently stroked and rubbed his thighs. ¡°How dirty¡­ does that mean I¡¯m the dessert after dinner?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bash was taken aback by Silviana¡¯s actions, but he persevered, stubbornly following the teachings of the magazine, which told him not to touch her until he had reached a certain point. Bash was a man of patience, which was rare among orcs. And he had deployed Zell as a deterrent in case he got out of control. She was still there, glowing and glowering in the corner of the shop, keeping an eye on Bash. ¡°Hang in there, Mister, the future is bright!¡±, she reminded him. And so the meal ended without incident. Afterwards, Bash took a look at the weapons shop mentioned in the magazine. Beastwomen liked strong men. But now that the war was over, they were hard to find. So the idea was to show that he was different from the other men by finding out if the weapons in the store were good or bad. Bash would go around the weapons shops and talk about the good and bad of the weapons in the windows. Occasionally he would mention that he had used that weapon on the battlefield, but that was all he knew. To be honest, his knowledge of weapons was undeniably shallow. Bash didn¡¯t choose his weapons, so he didn¡¯t really know if they were good or bad. Silviana, however, was always smiling. She nodded and shook her head, especially when Bash shared his memories with her. ¡°This weapon is one of the Beastmen¡¯s favorites, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s called a katana, right? It¡¯s sharp.¡± ¡°Yes, it is. Beastmen have been practicing with katanas since childhood.¡± ¡°The most memorable katana user is probably the man I met at the Lemium Highlands battle.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you have to be a fierce warrior to be remembered by you, Sir Bash. Who was he?¡± ¡°Leto, the Hero.¡± Bash wasn¡¯t looking at Silviana¡¯s face when he said these words. He was looking at the pattern on the blade of the katana, as if the distant past was reflected in it. So he didn¡¯t know what she looked like at that moment. ¡°He was a great warrior. A man worthy of the title of Hero in terms of strength, skill, and speed, with a magical phantom sword whose trajectory I couldn¡¯t read. If he hadn¡¯t been injured as badly as he was, I would have lost.¡± CH 34.3 ¡°Such modesty¡­ if it¡¯s you, Sir Bash, even if your opponent was completely healthy, you would have won by a comfortable margin, right?¡± ¡°Even if he could have defeated me, he would not have come out unscathed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bash thought of a battle that once took place. The battle in which the Demon King Gediguz died, the battle that ended the war. It was a fierce battle. So fierce that no one could tell what was going on anywhere. In the midst of such a huge battle, Bash heard a report that the Demon King was under attack and rushed to the camp. He rushed to protect the supreme commander. But he did not arrive in time. By the time Bash arrived, the demon king Gediguz was dead. And next to the corpses of the king and his entourage were two men and a woman who had just finished fighting and were about to escape from the enemy camp. The human prince Nazar; Thunder Sonia, the Great Elven Archmage and Leto, the Beastmen Hero. Thunder Sonia had already exhaust all her magical powers and was carried on Nazar¡¯s back. The only way to break through the enemy lines was to eliminate Bash. Bash had no idea that the three of them were heroes in their respective countries. He didn¡¯t even know their names. But he wanted to kill them all together. No one had ordered him to do anything, but he was sure he had to. But he failed. Nazar continued to carry Thunder Sonia on his back and managed to escape from Bash. Why was this possible? It was because Leto, the Hero, got in front of him. He was covered in blood, howling furiously, and using all of his strength to challenge Bash to one-on-one combat. Of course, there was no way he could defeat him in that state, and Leto died. ¡°He fought to the death to let his friends escape, and even though he had no strength left to stand, he got up again and again and fought until the end without giving up. He was a true warrior. I am proud to have fought him and to have won. ¡°So¡­ why just leave the body there?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious.¡± Bash said as if it were a matter of course. ¡°Because the Demon King¡¯s aide told me to do it as a dying wish: ¡®We can¡¯t let the others see the King¡¯s corpse¡¯.¡± At his ally¡¯s last words, Bash obeyed. Bash was an orc, but also a warrior who had survived long battles. He understood that if the Demon King¡¯s body were found, the morale of his allies would plummet. It could be said that he put the victory of the entire army ahead of his own honor. Therefore, although he knew it was unbecoming of warriors who had fought to the death, he gave priority to the Demon King¡¯s corpse and left Leto¡¯s unattended. Then he brought the Demon King Gediguz before the demon generals. In the end, it was a meaningless act, because the human prince Nazar also reported that Demon King was dead, and when Bash tried to return to the front, the battle was already decided and they were defeated. There was nothing to regret. It was obvious what would happen once Gediguz was dead. When Bash defeated Leto and shouted victory, the end was still the same. ¡°I see.¡± Silviana¡¯s answer was the smallest she had given so far. When Bash turned around, she was still smiling softly. ¡ô While they were window shopping, the day had turned to dusk. People were returning to their homes or lodgings. Some entered the inns, perhaps as lovers, huddled together. It was evening. Public time was over, and it was time for them to use the remaining time for personal things. Time to do those things. Silviana, perhaps sensing this, leaned on Bash¡¯s shoulder and smiled a little shyly. Bash saw this and asked her: ¡°Did you have fun today?¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Bash. It was like a dream.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Bash looked in the direction of the inn where he was staying. Of course, Silviana also turned her head in that direction. As if she knew where they would go and what they would do together. As if she expected it. Then Bash said: ¡°I guess this is where we said goodbye.¡± ¡°Sorry, what did you say¡­?¡± Silviana froze with a smile. ¡°Next time I¡¯ll take you to a better place. See you later.¡± Bash said and hurried away. In the twilight, with long shadows, he was gone. And soon he was out of sight. The Orc Hero retreated quickly. ¡°¡­¡± And then Silviana stood alone at the roadside. ¡°¡­Excuse me¡­? ¡° The muttered words faded into the twilight. ¡ö ¡°Mister¡­¡± When Bash returned to the inn, he was greeted by a grim-faced Zell. She had her arms crossed and her fists clenched and was shaking for a while, but finally, poof, she looked up and hugged Bash¡¯s face. ¡°It was perfect!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Bash echoed Zell¡¯s words with a happy voice. The first date. The feeling of contentment was obvious. Silviana was in a good mood the whole time and in the end she was still in love with Bash. Even Bash, who was not very familiar with interracial relationships, could tell that she had a good impression of him. ¡°According to my observations, the princess is already in love with you, Mister. You could have brought her to the inn and slept with her tonight! The signs were everywhere!¡± ¡°Perhaps. But we can¡¯t let our guard down. We read in the magazine that you can get rejected at the sex stage.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true! So far we¡¯ve followed the instructions perfectly. Then we¡¯d better follow them from now on!¡± So close to Silviana, Bash¡¯s desire was about to explode several times. But his strong spirit, which had survived many battlefields, kept it at bay. All for the early graduation of his virginity. To win a wife and proudly return to his hometown as the Orc hero. This was his ultimate test. If he, the hero, did not pass it, who would? ¡°I¡¯ll try my best, Mister! I¡¯ll check what¡¯s next on the ¡®Dating Course¡¯.¡± ¡°That would help me!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Zell flew to the window. This fairy would certainly bring Bash the most detailed information, covering the entire dating course in the magazine. She would check the streets, the layout of the shops he should go to, and even negotiate with the shopkeepers to make sure they would accept Bash when he arrived. And the result would be victory. ¡­It was a bummer, but that¡¯s the way to win¡­. Bash looked up at the night sky, remembering the journey so far, and his mouth relaxed wistfully. ¡ô The next day, Bash started waiting again. He would say it was a lot, but he didn¡¯t really have to wait that long. The next day, and the day after that, Silviana came again. Bash took the hint and went ahead with his dating plans, and each time he did, Silviana melted. Bash¡¯s rationality reached its limit many times, but he never crossed it. This was because things were going exactly as he had planned. If Silviana had rejected Bash during the process, or if Bash had rushed things, this might not have happened. Silviana¡¯s seduction was so intense. It began with physical touches, sweet words, and distant but tantalizing hints of mating and pregnancy. By all accounts, she was in love with Bash. She wanted to marry him and have his children. Everything was going exactly as the magazine said it would. How could a human like Bly predict the future so well? So it was obvious they were going to lose the war. That was what Bash thought. ¡ö¡ö¡ö However, it could also be said that when someone¡¯s doing well, someone else is doing badly. ¡°¡­¡± It was midnight. In a corner of the Lycant Palace, a woman was pounding her fist against the wall. She was biting the nail on the thumb of her left hand and hitting her right hand again and again. ¡°¡­¡± As if she was mentally deranged, she kept hitting it over and over again. Her face was expressionless. But if anyone had made eye contact with her, they would have seen the hatred and anger behind her eyes. CH 35.1 Chapter 35. The dark side The fifth princess, Silviana River, was the tenth princess of the Beastmen royal family. The Beastwomen were fertile, and the royal family was no exception. Her mother, Leona River, had given birth twice, the first time to five children and the second time to six. She was the fifth of the six. Her birthplace was the battlefield. It had been two years since the first litter had been slayed, and though they were long-awaited babies, they were not very blessed. At that time, Demon King Gediguz was at his peak, and the Beastmen were in dire straits and could have perished at any moment. Their number of vassals was so small that it would not take long to count them, and they all had anxious glances at the grim future of their newborn princesses. Among them, there was only one person who gave his blessing from the bottom of his heart. Leto River. Only Queen Leona¡¯s younger brother celebrated the birth of his nieces, the six princesses. By the time the six were born, their father was gone. Taiga River, the royal husband, had long since died in battle. The princesses¡¯ childhood was not a happy one. Battles and defeats. Shouts and screams. There was never a day of peace. To the princesses, Leto was their big brother. He always protected them, and when they were old enough to remember things, he began to teach them fighting skills and knowledge. He may even have been a father figure to them, since they never knew their real father. All the princesses worshipped, respected, and admired him. What brought all his people back to life was Leto¡¯s ¡°Reclaiming the Sacred Land¡±. He then became ¡°Leto, the Hero¡± in the Beastmen¡¯s greatest and final counteroffensive, one that would be remembered for generations to come. It was one of the few victories over the Federation of the Seven Races when they were under the rule of Gediguz. In that battle, Leto became a hero. To the Six Princesses, he became the most irreplaceable hero in the world. At that time, the young princesses dreamed of becoming Leto¡¯s wives in the future. One day, that dream was shattered. It was during the decisive battle in the Lemium Highlands. Leto, the hero, joined the squadron to kill Gediguz, the demon king, and died. But the six princesses survived the long war. It was sad, but they could resign themselves to the fact that this was a common occurrence and could not be avoided to die with honor. This was the life of those who fought bravely and were defeated. For those who believed in the Hunt God, defeat was no disgrace. ¡­If only it had been an honorable death in battle. Leto, the hero, was left behind. The most honorable being in the history of the Beastmen was left behind as a common soldier. Such an act could not be forgiven. Each of the six princesses honed their specialties and prepared for revenge. They vowed that when they finally met on the battlefield, they would surely slay such a villain, the orc warrior Bash. But the opportunity never came, and the war ended. Most of the princesses left their anger behind when the war ended. The first princess, Princess Rhys, as the next queen, felt that war should be avoided and that she should not hold a grudge against the orcs. The third princess, Inuella, also began to think that she should think of the future, now that she was to marry a man she had admired since childhood. The second princess no longer harbored hatred. The third princess still had hatred in her heart, but she had a role to play. The sixth princess, Fleur, as heir to the abilities of the hero Leto, saw her role as preserving them for future generations. The second princess, Lavina, was a woman who, in her position as assistant to the next queen, was theoretically not supposed to go to war with the orcs. The fourth princess, Quina, as the next head of the judiciary, believed that if orcs appeared in the country, she should be fair with them. But three of them discriminated against the orcs, and they also believed that if the object of their revenge appeared, they should destroy it, but they were rational enough to stand aside if someone stopped them at the last moment. They knew that they were the princesses of the beastmen, responsible for the next generation of their race. Only one. Silviana, the fifth princess, was different. Silviana was the apple of Leto¡¯s eye. Since she was the most sensitive child and the most tearful, she often cried in Hero Leto¡¯s lap. There were many reasons for her crying. Being bullied by her sisters, being bitten by a dog, being stung by a bee¡­ Of the six princesses, she was the most daring and reckless. She would come up with an idea, carry it out, and then receive a painful setback that made her cry. Most of the time she brought it on herself, but Leto would pat her on the head and comfort her every time she came to him in tears. As she grew up, she learnt and aspired to become an operations strategist. Her dream was to lead the hero Leto to victory with her own strategies. When she became a member of the general staff, she learned from Leto: ¡°A chief of staff is not a job for a gentle girl. Do you know why? Yes, that¡¯s right. Because you shouldn¡¯t feel sorry for your enemies or your friends. A chief of staff sometimes sends his friends to die and sometimes kills unarmed enemies. You must be ruthless to the end. In addition, you must understand the consequences of your strategy in advance. This may be difficult for you, but can you do it?¡± Silviana nodded vigorously. She took his words more seriously than Leto had expected and began to train herself to be less emotional. Before she acted, she began to think carefully about the consequences. Thanks to this, she stopped crying and became more cautious. As a result of this training over a long period of time, she became the coldest, most cunning and ruthless of the six princesses. Except when she learned of Leto¡¯s death. She cried for days and her days were filled with grief. However, it was the last time she was emotionally involved in such an event. The day she stopped crying, she put on the mask of a smile and began to speak only rationally. Her sisters felt sorry for Silviana who had become like this and decided to be more considerate of her. But they also trusted her. Her ability to speak rationally, without being swayed by emotions, was a great blessing to her sisters, who were easily swayed by their feelings. But let me repeat. The fifth princess, Silviana, was the apple of Hero Leto¡¯s eye. She was the child who adored Leto the most. She was the most emotional child. She was the princess who took Leto¡¯s death and crushed pride more seriously than anyone else. And the most courageous child. She had not given up her feelings. In fact, she had not given up her heart. She just hid them deep inside. So when an orc appeared in the royal palace and she learned that it was Bash, the orc hero, who had killed Leto, she immediately made a plan. She didn¡¯t think twice. CH 35.2 ¡°¡­¡± The moonlight illuminated the room in total darkness. Silviana took off her silk robe, revealing her voluptuous body. Had Bash been here, his rationality would have been shattered in an instant. He was fragile for a hero. Silviana¡¯s face suddenly turned to the side. There was a mirror in front of her. It was a gift to the royalty of each country, made in cooperation with the Alliance of the Four Races to celebrate the end of the war. It had several magical engravings on it and would not lose its luster for a hundred years. Even if it was destroyed by a club, it would be restored in an instant. A fist struck the mirror. There was an unpleasant wet sound, and the mirror cracked. The cracks healed as if time rewound. Silviana struck her fist again and again. The cracks healed instantly, but the surface of the mirror was left with red marks from the fist. Still, she didn¡¯t stop hitting the mirror. The wet sound intensified and sounded sticky, but it continued. Finally, without warning, the strange behavior came to an end. Silviana suddenly stopped and carefully wiped the mirror with a cloth she had placed beside it. Then she silently threw the cloth into the wastebasket and whispered a healing spell to heal the wound. ¡°¡­¡± Silviana took her nightgown from the closet and put it on, then stood by the moonlit window and opened it. She looked towards the inn, the way Bash had gone. The icy whiteness of her face crumbled. The reflection behind her eyes was one of intense hatred. She bared her teeth and let out a low growl. ¡°What are you proud of, huh?¡± A murmur escaped the growl. The murmur was not only one of anger, but also of some confusion. It was as if what she had believed was actually something else. But there was no one there to hear it, and her voice only faded into the dark night¡­ ¡°¡­¡± Silviana stared for a while, but finally gave a small sigh and turned back to her room. A smile crossed her face. A smile she didn¡¯t know to whom she wanted to show it, nor to whom it was addressed. But in the next moment, that smile froze. ¡°Haa, good evening.¡± Before she knew it, a woman was in the room. She was sitting comfortably in a chair in the room, looking at Silviana with her bright red eyes. When did this happen? Yes, actually, before she realized it. She wasn¡¯t there a few moments ago when she moved from the closet to the window. She couldn¡¯t see who it was because she didn¡¯t have the light on. Silviana realized immediately that she was a ¡°bad person¡±. ¡°I don¡¯t remember inviting anyone.¡± Silviana put her hand over her mouth as she said this. She put her index finger in her mouth and inhaled. It was a means of communication, she was going to use ¡°whistling¡±, transmitted by the Beastmen. It had been used since ancient times as a means of emergency communication. They had all been trained since childhood to be able to produce the sound even if they could not hear it themselves. However, just before the sound was heard, the ¡°bad person¡± opened her mouth. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know how to set a trap for the orc hero?¡± Silviana¡¯s movements stopped. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve gone to a lot of trouble to get Bash under your control¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I know, right? Most orcs are nothing but a bunch of mindless ruffians, but the one they call ¡®Hero¡¯ doesn¡¯t fall for temptation or flattery. Even if you were alone, he would never attack the princess of a country.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Silviana smiled again. A smile that calmed everyone who saw it. A poker face called a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t have to tell you. You want to get back at Bash for killing Leto, the hero, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you were so exposed, you¡¯d say it was r?a?pe?¡­ and tried to start a war with the orcs, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± She said it in a joking tone. But what she said was true. In fact, Silviana had planned to do just that. She went to where Bash was staying, seduced him, and offered herself to him on a platter. When he attacked her, she would later say, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to. I only approached him because of the friendship between orcs and beastmen¡±. No matter what happened to her, she would accuse Bash, claiming that she had only the best intentions. She knew it wasn¡¯t the best of plans, but she had no choice. She never expected Bash to come to Beastmen Country. But she might never get another chance like this. It was an improvised plan, but she had to do it. Even if she couldn¡¯t get the charges against him, it would be enough if she could create a rift between the Beastmen and the Orcs, or make the elves and human dignitaries here think badly of them. If she could do that, it wouldn¡¯t matter what happened to her. She didn¡¯t even think about it. ¡°So?¡± Silviana didn¡¯t even flinch when confronted with the truth. She was trained for that. Since it was an attempt, there was no need to report it. She could have said that she only interacted with him for the sake of the friendship between the Beastmen and the Orcs. ¡°You¡¯ve always admired Sir Leto, haven¡¯t you? It was him who taught you the rudiments of war, and he saved you when you were captured and about to be killed as an example, so it¡¯s only natural that you worship him. Sir Leto was the embodiment of Beastmen pride.¡± A smile appeared on Silviana¡¯s face, but it faded back to an expressionless, steely face. It was Silviana¡¯s ruthless expression that the other five princesses feared. ¡°I heard that even after the war was over, you still insisted that the orcs must be destroyed.¡± CH 35.3 ¡°Sometimes people change their minds¡­¡± ¡°Resentment doesn¡¯t go away that easily. We are the same. Bash. That damned Orc¡­ you can¡¯t forgive him, can you? He left Sir Leto like a piece of garbage, and yet he¡¯s still alive, and he even wants to celebrate Lady Inuella¡¯s wedding¡­ he¡¯s too selfish¡­¡± As if attracted by her words, Silviana¡¯s expressionless face melted. What emerged from beneath her iron mask was a look of hatred and indignation. Yes, yes. That¡¯s right. She was right. She couldn¡¯t forgive. She could not forgive Bash, the orc hero. There was no forgiveness for that villain. ¡°¡­So what do you suggest?¡± ¡°Hehehe¡­ Lady Silviana, Fifth Princess of the Beastmen. I¡¯m sure you could have thought of that yourself¡­ do you still want to know?¡± ¡°If you talk nonsense, I will kill you too.¡± ¡°Oh dear. How frightening.¡± Silviana moved toward the two red lights that had somehow formed in the room. Her steps, filled with hatred and anger, did not falter. ¡°The method is very simple.¡± ¡°The simpler the operation, the better.¡± ¡°Call Bash to the wedding ceremony, you seduce him, and I will ¡®charm¡¯ him. Then he¡¯ll be nothing more than a puppet. I can have him attack you as you¡¯ve planned so far, or you can kill him with your bare hands¡­¡± ¡°Charm him¡­ that¡¯s succubus magic, so you¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, as you can see¡­¡± The moonlight illuminated the room. The figure of the woman, which had only been faintly visible before, was revealed. She wore a leather suit that clung to her body, covering only the bare minimum, had wavy purple hair, bright red eyes, and a long tail. ¡°I am a succubus.¡± The ¡°Charm¡± of a succubus. It was a spell that caused tremendous fury during war. Once the charm was applied, the victim¡¯s actions were completely blocked, and it could even cause them to attack their allies. Although there was the limitation that it had almost no effect on women, on the contrary, if the opponent was a man, he would become a puppet of the succubus, unless he had a very high resistance to magic or defended himself with some kind of magical tool. In reality, the percentage of male elves who continued to fight succubi head-on was much lower than that of females, but this was believed to be due to the succubi themselves. This was one of the magics that was banned after the war. On the other hand, if it was used, no matter how strong an Orc Hero Bash was, he would not be able to resist. ¡°What do you want in return?¡± ¡°I want to touch the Sacred Tree.¡± ¡°The Sacred Tree? That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s important to me, okay? The Beastmen are not the only ones who believe in the Hunt God.¡± Hearing the word ¡°believe¡±, Silviana was convinced. Every race believed in its own god. But in the course of the long war, there were those who changed their religion. There were those who were elves but believed in the spirits of iron and fire, and there were those who were lizardmen but believed in the sun god. It was not uncommon for a succubus to believe in the Hunt God. If this Succubus had lost the object of her faith long ago, like the Beastmen once did, it made sense that she would want to get it back and help eliminate Bash. ¡°Hey, please, okay? When I asked for permission, I was denied.¡± You couldn¡¯t go near the Sacred Tree without permission. The administrator of the Sacred Tree who granted permission would not grant it to a completely unknown succubus. And since she was a succubus, a woman had to talk to her, but there was still a strong prejudice against succubi, even among the Beastwomen. ¡°Succubi are an inferior race who only think of sucking men¡¯s sperm¡±, and it was no wonder that they would not allow such a being to approach their precious Sacred Tree. Even if they were ordinary believers, they would not be allowed near the tree without some special reason. Silviana was not without prejudice against succubi either. But her hatred for orcs was even greater. ¡°Okay, I understand. We¡¯ll follow your plan.¡± ¡°Hehehe. We have a deal.¡± Silviana nodded to the succubus, who smiled enchantingly. ¡°I¡¯ll be back on the day of the wedding. Don¡¯t betray me¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s my line.¡± The succubus moved the wings on her back and floated out of the window. Looking at her back, Silviana suddenly realized. She hadn¡¯t heard some information. ¡°By the way, you¡­ what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Carrot, that¡¯s what they call me.¡± The ¡°Hissing Voice¡± Carrot. If you were a warrior, you would know her name, the strongest succubus warrior of all time. Why would such a famous warrior do this, she thought, but on the contrary, Silviana was convinced. If she was such a famous warrior, it should be easy for her to sneak into her room and evade the guards. ¡°I would be delighted if we could work together. I¡¯m counting on you, Carrot.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady Silviana.¡± Carrot beamed an enchanting smile and flew out of the room. Darkness returned to the place. ¡°¡­?¡± In the darkness, Silviana felt something strange. It was as if something had happened to her, as if she had forgotten something. But at the same time, there was a sense of clarity, as if a fog had lifted from her head. So she shook herself. The most important thing now was not to lose the unique opportunity to avenge Leto¡¯s death. ¡°Let the orcs perish¡­¡± Her mutterings faded into the dark night. CH 36.1 Chapter 36. The wedding place ¡®If a girl invites you to a fancy place on the fifth date or later, it¡¯s a good opportunity! Take this chance to push her!¡¯ That day, an envelope arrived at Bash¡¯s door. The envelope was made of well-tanned leather and embroidered with the Beastmen royal family crest in gold thread. Inside was a thick sheet of paper covered in gold leaf. It was a letter. The letter read as follows: ¡°Tomorrow is the wedding of Inuella, the third princess and my sister. I envy her because everyone has given her their blessings. I hope we can do the same, but all my other sisters hold a grudge against the orcs. Even if you and I were to marry, we would not have their blessing. Therefore, I would like us to meet at least on this joyous day under the full moon. Only the moon will surely bless us. Please let us meet under the Sacred Tree when Inuella makes her speech. I wish only prosperity for the orcs and beastmen. ¡ªSilviana.¡± Had Bash and Zell acted as they normally would, they would not have understood the meaning of this letter. At best, they would have thought there must be something to talk about under the Sacred Tree. But now they had the magazine. Yes, the magazine also contained information about the Beastmen¡¯s special phrases. ¡°Mister¡­¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°The day has finally come, hasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± Among all the Beastmen phrases, there were two that were key: ¡®The moon will bless us.¡¯ ¡°The full moon¡± was slang for mating season, and ¡°the moon¡¯s blessing¡± meant pregnancy. In other words, the literal translation was that she was in heat and wanted to give birth to his child. It was an invitation to have sex. There was no question about it. That was what the magazine said. ¡°Mister, I¡¯m going to check it again.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°According to the magazine, it¡¯s foolish to let your guard down just because a beastwoman in heat makes such invitations. The chances of getting a woman are pretty high right now, but it also mentions the chance of being turned down at the last minute. That has to be taken into account.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Also¡­¡± And then Zell looked at the last page of the magazine. There was something disturbing written there. ¡­No, they couldn¡¯t help but think about that now¡­ But Zell deliberately ignored it. What it said was that in terms of targeting, there could always be one incredibly strong man who, like Bash, could take on an entire army, even if he acted with sufficient force. They should have been aware of the possibility that such a person existed, but it made no sense for those who had no countermeasures to worry about it in vain. Bash had also read the statement on the last page. And he would fight bravely, even if this unexpected man stood in front of him. ¡°So, let¡¯s go through everything before tomorrow! First, page 22: ¡®Manners are important when you¡¯re in a classy place!? And now you tell me! A Beastmen etiquette course!¡± ¡°I get it!¡± ¡ö In the center of the capital of Lycant, the Royal Palace. People of all races from all over the world gathered. Beastmen, humans, elves and dwarves. Lizardmen, succubi, harpies, ogres, fairies and even demons. The only ones who were not invited were the orcs. But even so, one of them was present, looking as dignified and proper as could be expected. It was Bash, who introduced himself with an invitation. ¡°Hm, I see that even Sir Bash, the Orc Hero, is here.¡± ¡°Knowing the Beastmen, I thought they would eliminate any Orc who showed up for the celebration.¡± ¡°That is only natural. They would have no problem with any other orc, but I can¡¯t imagine how they would eliminate a hero like Sir Bash.¡± ¡°I would like to greet him¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°However, it wouldn¡¯t be right to talk to him so casually¡­¡± Still, only a few people approached Bash. Especially the members of the Seven Races Federation were uneasy, watching Bash from a distance. Bash¡¯s war results were so great that even the leaders of each country were reluctant to talk to him. Or maybe it was because there were so many big shots. If it had been a small bar, or if it had been right after a battle in the arena, they would have been happy to approach him and ask to tell them about his exploits during the war. But this was not the case. This was the royal palace of the Beastmen. This was the wedding hall of the Beastmen¡¯s third princess, Inuella. In other words, they were in a diplomatic position. They could not act like the hero¡¯s fanatics. The beastmen¡¯s royal family was hostile to the orcs. If anyone at the wedding of the Beastmen royal family were to be friendly with him, it might cause unwanted animosity. ¡°Hm, what¡¯s wrong¡­?¡± A shadow approached Bash. When it stopped beside him, he could see that the figure also had an assistant. ¡°Hmm?¡± It was an elf. It was the elf they all knew. And then tension flared among those who knew the connection between the elf and the orc. ¡°Do-Dou af!?¡± (¡°Y-You are!?¡±) This voice came from the elf. If you looked closely, you could see that she had a mouth full of something. The tables in the room were full of food, and the elf was chewing on every morsel. Her cheeks were as full as a squirrel¡¯s. It was fitting for a glutton. But many of the elves who knew the famine 400 years ago were like that. They knew that food was not always available when they wanted it, and that if they did not eat when they could, they would invariably starve. There was only one elf who knew what happened 400 years ago. ¡°Thunder Sonia.¡± ¡°She seems a bit confused, what is she doing?¡± ¡°I think she¡¯s eating.¡± CH 36.2 The elven woman, Thunder Sonia, was gulping the food in her mouth at great speed, her eyes rolling. Another elven woman beside her wiped her mouth and quickly wiped the remains of the food from her clothes. Thunder Sonia didn¡¯t seem to know that it was Bash and approached him; she just went through the tables of food in order and ended up at the one near Bash. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Bash¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he saw the elf next to Thunder Sonia. Even though he was in the middle of attacking another woman, elves were still Bash¡¯s favorite, and it was inevitable that his eyes would turn to her. ¡°Oh, the orc hero!¡± The elven woman was also very beautiful, much to Bash¡¯s liking. However, her head¡­ had a small hair ornament in the shape of a white flower. It was an accessory of smoky silver and white jewels. It was not a white flower per se, but it resembled one. Bash was convinced it meant she was married. By the way, unbeknownst to Bash, the shape of this hair ornament was inspired by a flower called a snowdrop. In the language of flowers, it meant ¡°I wish for your death¡±. It was the emblem of the Elven Army¡¯s assassination squad. ¡°W-what¡¯s wrong?¡± She looked at Bash, a tense expression on her face. Her hand was reaching into her pocket, clutching a dagger. She was completely bent over. If the orc in front of her did anything, she would fight. She would fight, but¡­ she didn¡¯t think she could win, what to do? These were her thoughts. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t look at my subordinates too much. I know you¡¯re wary of the assassination squads, but she won¡¯t do anything to you. The war is over. And you know what? I¡¯ve got her under surveillance for a little mess she made the other day. So she won¡¯t do anything.¡± Thunder Sonia¡¯s words made Bash look away from her. He had no use for a married woman. ¡°Coff. Long time no see, Bash, how have you been?¡± ¡°Right, since Siwanasi Forest.¡± ¡°Uh-huh. After all, it¡¯s my nephew¡¯s wedding, Aconite! You see, he¡¯s the one you saved in Siwanasi Forest. At first I thought I should keep my true identity a secret, as my arrival would be too much of a distraction for him. But, well, there was a little incident and he found out right away. When he arrived, he came up to me and said, ¡°Lady Sonia, you don¡¯t have to do anything, do you? Please make yourself at home¡±. Don¡¯t you think he could be a little more considerate? Do you know how many times I¡¯ve had to clean up his messes since I first changed him? Damn it¡­¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And by the way, I find out that you¡¯re here too. But I don¡¯t mean that in a bad way. In fact, I thought I should meet you. The Six Princesses may not like it, but you were the last warrior to fight the hero Leto. It means a lot that you¡¯re here.¡± Bash was confused. Thunder Sonia was talking to him like they were old friends, but they had never been that close in the first place. He had proposed to her, yes, but she had turned him down. The relationship should have ended there ¨C or were elven women supposed to get close to people they rejected? Of course, Bash being the way he was, he didn¡¯t feel bad. Thunder Sonia had a face to his liking. She was as beautiful and delicate as ever. If she could make him lose his virginity, Bash wouldn¡¯t mind sleeping with her alone for the rest of his life. He didn¡¯t mind talking to her. In fact, it was kind of funny to him because he had never seen her speak so eloquently. ¡°I¡¯m surprised she¡¯s such a talkative person.¡± ¡°Surprising. I thought she was always grumpy.¡± ¡°Hey, I hear you. But I forgive you. It¡¯s a happy day for me too. Of course, I can be chatty sometimes, can¡¯t I?¡± Thunder Sonia turned to Buganvilia, the elf beside her, but she was confused. The Thunder Sonia she knew was always like that. She was more concerned about how she could talk to Bash with such habitual frankness. ¡°Um, Lady Thunder Sonia, are you close to Sir Bash?¡± ¡°No, not very, you know, but well, the war is over, there¡¯s nothing to make me hate him, so we¡¯ll just have to get along from now on!¡± Thunder Sonia patted Bash¡¯s arm. The casual physical contact lit a fire in Bash¡¯s virgin heart. If she hadn¡¯t rejected him before, and if he hadn¡¯t been on a mission, Bash might have set his sights on Thunder Sonia again. He fell in love with her just because she was a little open with him. A virgin was such a sad creature. ¡°¡­¡± Now, however, Bash had a different focus. His target was not Thunder Sonia, but another woman. He could not afford to lose sight of his target, distracted as he was by a woman who had already shattered his illusions. But the feel of her body was indescribable. Thunder Sonia¡¯s palm was cool and soft. He wanted her to keep touching him, to keep talking to him. But not all the time. Bash had to leave this ceremony at the right time and go to Silviana. And there the glorious loss of his virginity at the hands of the princess¡¯s voluptuous body awaited him. ¡­But, please, let her keep touching his body. No matter how great the reward, the temptation before him was always great. He wanted to go, but at the same time, he didn¡¯t. Bash¡¯s expression twisted with bitterness at such conflicting feelings. Seeing this, Bougainvillea hastened to bow her head. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. Lady Thunder Sonia was rude!¡± ¡°He-Hey, but I didn¡¯t hit him that hard, just a little tap on the shoulder¡­ Are you still upset about the Siwanasi Forest? I¡¯m sorry. I was mean to you back then. But I had no choice. You know what I mean, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes. You don¡¯t have to apologize.¡± Bash didn¡¯t really understand what she was apologizing for, and even though he said he did, he shook his head and told her not to worry about it. ¡°Now that I think about it, it sounds like you had a hard time with the Six Princesses the other day¡­ If they say anything to you again, let me know. I won¡¯t let them kick you out this time. I¡¯ll take care of it. I may not look like it, but I don¡¯t keep quiet for anyone.¡± Thunder Sonia stuck out her slender chest. Bash¡¯s eyes bored into the thin, but certainly present bulges, and his mouth relaxed naturally. It was as if he was listening to Thunder Sonia¡¯s boastful chatter with a wry smile. The people around them also said, ¡°How friendly Thunder Sonia and Bash Masters talk,¡± and bite their fingers in envy. The atmosphere in the room was indescribable, but not bad. ¡°I know it¡¯s a little late for that, but it¡¯s a good time to tell them about the time you fought Hero Leto. I¡¯m sure it will make them feel better¡­ hmm? ¡° As Thunder Sonia was about to suggest this, there was a whisper in the back of the room. ¡°Oh, looks like it¡¯s time for the speech.¡± ¡°What? Is that Princess Inuella?¡± ¡°Yes? Well, I suppose it will be Inuella. But Aconite and the Queen will also be giving their speeches.¡± Princess Inuella¡¯s speech was beginning. Bash came to his senses. The letter said, ¡°Please meet me under the Sacred Tree when Inuella gives her speech¡±. He couldn¡¯t stay here any longer. ¡°In fact, I helped write the Queen¡¯s speech. Leona was very concerned about it, so I made some minor changes. I¡¯ve had many opportunities to give speeches at these ceremonies, so I didn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°He-Hey? Where are you going? The speech is about to begin. Well, it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to hear it, but¡­ oh, you¡¯re probably going to the bathroom! Have you been holding it in? Sorry about that! Be back in time for the toast!¡± Bash started walking quickly towards the back of the building, towards the large Sacred Tree. He couldn¡¯t afford to be too far from the tree in case it was too late. Frizcop: I hereby declare my love for Thunder Sonia. CH 37.1 Chapter 37. The Seed of the Sacred Tree Beastmen were forbidden to enter the precincts of the Sacred Tree. Royalty was the only exception. They were allowed to approach it without asking permission. So Silviana had come to the Sacred Tree with Carrot, whose skin was completely hidden. On the way she met some guards, but none of them said anything to her. At that moment, Silviana saw Carrot praying to the Sacred Tree. It was the first time she had ever seen a succubus praying. Succubi had the image of being uninhibited and lascivious. Actually, it wasn¡¯t bad. Most succubi, when they saw a man, would approach him with their whole face flushed, their crotches wet, and sleep with him. To other races, they were nothing more than s?l?u?t?s?, irrational and lascivious. However, this did not seem to be the case when it came to faith. Carrot knelt before the Sacred Tree to which she had been led, undressed, and kissed its great trunk. This was not the way the Beastmen prayed. Had one of the Beastmen priests who presided over their faith discovered this, they might have accused her of being a pagan. However, her appearance was so innocent and reverent that she could not have imagined it from the image she had of the succubus race. The Sacred Tree was once closed to the public. Only royalty could approach it without permission. The reason was nothing special, just to prevent unauthorized people from damaging or cutting it down. As for Carrot, she seemed to have no ill intentions. Silviana could see that her respect for the Sacred Tree and her prayer were sincere. It seemed to her that she had really turned to her to pray to the Sacred Tree. She said it had been a long time since she had prayed, so it would take some time, but she sincerely wanted to get it over with and wait for Bash. With that, Carrot stood up. ¡°Are you done?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s enough. Thank you.¡± But when Carrot turned around, there was something in her hand that Silviana didn¡¯t recognize. A translucent red ball. Something Carrot hadn¡¯t had before. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡± The expression on Carrot¡¯s face when she said that was something like making fun of Silviana. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that face?¡± ¡°My face?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very unpleasant.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry? It¡¯s the way I usually look.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care how you look, but since I granted your wish, you must grant mine.¡± ¡°Hehehe. Yes, of course. Look, it seems like he¡¯s coming soon.¡± Carrot chuckled charmingly and looked towards the entrance of the Sacred Tree¡¯s enclosure. There was a big shadow there. A shadow so large that it could not be that of a human or a beastman. But it was smaller than an ogre. It was an orc. But Silviana noticed something. Something was wrong. The Orc seemed to be a bit taller than Bash. The orc hero was a size bigger than beastmen, and any of the beastmen wouldn¡¯t hesitate to call him a giant. But this Orc was even taller than Bash. And there was something strange about it. The color. The orc had a bluish tint, more so than Bash¡¯s. The hero¡¯s skin should be green, like most orcs. No, it wasn¡¯t Bash. It was another Orc. ¡°Carrot¡­?¡± Silviana looked back. But Carrot just smiled charmingly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Silviana¡¯s heart filled with anxiety. Something was wrong, her spine told her. ¡°¡­!¡± Silviana tried to run as fast as she could. But it was too late. When she came to, she crashed face first into the floor. ¡°Well, well¡­¡± Carrot tripped her, and by the time she realized it, she had twisted her hands behind her back and put her knees on her hips. ¡°What the¡­ Let go of me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just on top of you. I see you can¡¯t get me off on your own. You¡¯re not athletic enough, are you?¡± ¡°Somebody! Guards! Guards!¡± ¡°No one is coming. All the guards I¡¯ve met now are under my ¡®charm¡¯.¡± At his obviously mocking tone, Silviana put all her strength into her body, but her elbow joints were completely locked. She finally grunting and shook her legs. ¡°But I gave you what you wanted!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, and thanks to you, I was able to get close to the Sacred Tree. I was also able to get my dear servant inside. And the seed of the Sacred Tree, you see¡­¡± Carrot played with the red orb as if it were a trick and grinned an enchanting smile. ¡°Have you betrayed me?¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯re a fool who thinks you¡¯re smarter than you are.¡± At being called a fool, Silviana¡¯s face turned red and then gradually blue. In fact, she thought she was in control. She thought she had chosen the best way to fool Bash. ¡°But you must not blame yourself. For I am Carrot ¡®of the Hissing Voice¡¯. My ¡®charm¡¯ can make even women bend.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Not as much as I can use it on men, but enough to amplify their desires, to make them lose their minds, to create an opening in their hearts. If they feel charmed by me and trapped by the bait in front of them, it¡¯s not just because they¡¯re stupid. So don¡¯t beat yourself up too much.¡± Charm magic that worked on women, too. There should be no such thing. But if it weren¡¯t for that, she was sure that under normal circumstances, she would have been able to make a more sober decision. The most important thing was that she should have at least prepared herself for such a situation. She knew that she had a tendency not to think about the future, but from the beginning she felt that this woman was a ¡°bad person¡±. ¡°What are you going to do to me?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything to you. I just want you to die¡­¡± ¡°Damn it¡­!¡± Silviana began to struggle more. But she couldn¡¯t free herself. Before she knew it, the blue orc stood before her. Empty eyes, drooling from his mouth. CH 37.2 ¡°Stop it! Let me go!¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve changed my mind. I don¡¯t want you to just die.¡± ¡°What¡­ no way¡­¡± ¡°Ehehe.¡± At these words, the blood drained from Silviana¡¯s face. Was she going to let that blue orc r?a?pe? her? Unable to take revenge on Bash, she would be r?a?pe?d? by a complete stranger, humiliated to the max, and then lose her head. She didn¡¯t want to die that way. It would be a complete and utter waste of her life. ¡°Why did you do this to me, what did I do to you!?¡± ¡°Sir Bash¡­ the orc hero is a benefactor of succubi. No, not only succubi, but all races of the Seven Races Federation have been saved by him at least once. He is not someone a girl like you can play with for revenge. Do you understand?¡± Slowly, Carrot¡¯s tone changed. It was deep and sharp, full of hate and anger. ¡°I will never forgive you for treating him so rudely and trying to trick him. I will never forgive you. I will not let you die so easily, and you will be punished accordingly. A punishment that will make you want to die.¡± Silviana finally realized that she had been burned playing with fire. Bash, the ¡°Orc Hero¡±. A battlefield demon, feared by all veterans, respected by all, with anecdotes from around the world and several nicknames. He was feared and respected by the fiercest of all races. This meant that he had fought, won, and saved someone on every battlefield. Just as all beastmen worshipped the hero Leto, all warriors of the Seven Races Federation worshipped Bash. The succubi were no exception. ¡°But that¡¯s just like Sir Bash, isn¡¯t it? Even if he came to a foreign land and had a date with a princess, he was able to escort her in a proper and gentlemanly manner. Yes, it¡¯s true that the manners of going on a date felt like something that could have been written in a magazine, but since there are no dates in Orc culture, he must have studied for it. Unlike other orcs, he is a serious student.¡± Carrot¡¯s cheeks colored and she spoke in a girlish tone. Silviana looked around in horror. She had to get out of this situation somehow. She couldn¡¯t free herself. Carrot¡­ Carrot ¡®of the hissing voice¡¯. A powerful veteran warrior who had made a name for herself in the war. At first glance, she was nothing more than a w?h?o?r?e?, but her skills were well documented. There was too much physical difference between her and Silviana. Even if she could break free, Silviana had no way to take on the strong blue orc next to her. All she could do was use words to get out of the situation. ¡°And you¡¯re going to make this orc r?a?pe? and kill me for it? Th-That would only make Bash angry!¡± ¡°Wow, and why would that be?¡± ¡°He was careful not to touch me! He was trying to prevent a war between Orcs and Beastmen. Then your actions go against his intentions!¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Yes, if you kill me, there will be a war! You will be destroyed! Orcs and succubi!¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Isn¡¯t that what you want? But, yes. Of course, he might get angry.¡± ¡°Very well, let me go now and I¡¯ll let you go too.¡± Silviana said, laughing to herself. A thin smile tugged at her lips. As soon as she was released, she planned to tell everyone in the wedding hall that she had been captured and almost r?a?pe?d? by the succubus and the orc. ¡°But he¡¯s an orc too¡­ when he hears my story, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll take my side. Because it¡¯s impossible for an orc not to get angry when a girl like you just played with him.¡± ¡°Y-You expect me to believe you?¡± ¡°Yes, because we are comrades-in-arms.¡± Carrot blushed and held up the red ball. ¡°And it¡¯s not just about getting Sir Bash on my side, you know?¡± The red orb. Something like sacred vibrations seemed to emanate from it. Now that she thought about it, Carrot didn¡¯t have it before she kissed the Sacred Tree. Maybe she got it from it. ¡°¡­!¡± Silviana was horrified at the thought. She wondered if she had made some kind of irreversible mistake. She had intended to achieve her goal by any means necessary, but she might have ruined something more important than her own pride. ¡°This is what they call a Sacred Tree Seed, and it has tremendous power. Normally, it can only be taken when the Sacred Tree is replaced, but if you use the Succubus Energy Drain, you can get it. ¡°The seed of the Sacred Tree? What is it for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a secret, but I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Carrot put her mouth close to Silviana¡¯s ear and whispered. It was as if she shared a bed with her lover. As if she wanted to tell her that she utterly loved her. ¡°I will revive Gediguz.¡± The demon king Gediguz. Because of him, the Four Races Alliance was almost destroyed. And when he died, the Seven Races Federation was defeated. With his death, he ended the war. He was the embodiment of war. The most twisted, the most outstanding, and the most meritorious man in the history of the war that lasted thousands of years. If he were to come back to life, it would be¡­ ¡°It can¡¯t be, if you do that, the world¡­¡± Silviana remembered the time when she was a child and had to live in fear of everything. The screams coming from the darkness. That the maid who greeted her in the morning was gone the next night. One day that was over for Silviana. With the help of elves, humans, and the hero Leto, the Beastmen rebuilt their civilization. From then on, Silviana had the life she deserved as the princess of the Beastmen. But this time it was not to be. This time, the demon king Gediguz would not be defeated. There was no way a man like him would make the same mistake again. This time, the Beastmen would be destroyed, cornered like before, but single-handedly. Unable to recover. Because Hero Leto was already dead. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll give you a special place to see what¡¯s going on in the world. As the wife of the orc you hate and despise the most¡­¡± ¡°Y-You can¡¯t expect Bash to¡­¡± ¡°What are you talking about? How could a twisted b?i?t?c?h? like you be a suitable wife for Sir Bash?¡± Carrot¡¯s eyes glowed red and the blue orc began to stir. ¡°Ehehe, I¡¯m so proud to be able to give my servant a wife¡­ Gagan. Make her yours as you wish¡­¡± Silviana was suddenly freed and tried to get up as fast as she could, but she didn¡¯t much. The orc grabbed her immediately. His eyes were empty, but his crotch was swollen. As if he wanted to hint at Silviana¡¯s future. ¡°No! Let me go! Stop it!¡± ¡°Ehehehehe, Gagan looks so happy. Oh, by the way, before I made you my servant, you said you dreamed of r?a?ping princesses and making them bear many children¡­ The Beastmen are fertile, so she will. Good for you, your dream has come true.¡± ¡°Somebody, somebody help me!¡± ¡°They can¡¯t hear you. This is the back of the palace, and all the guards here have been turned into my servants. I don¡¯t think Sir Bash is coming either¡­ oh? Or is it possible that you are a virgin? If that¡¯s the case, I should have saved you for Sir Bash¡­ but I shouldn¡¯t worry about that, should I? I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll have enough virgin princesses during the war¡­¡± ¡°Somebody, anybodyyyy!¡± ¡°Shut up now, like I told you, no one will come¡­¡± Carrot laughed, and then¡­ ¡°That¡¯s not true. I¡¯m here.¡± The words came from the entrance. Carrot, Silviana and the orc named Gagan looked up. A man stood at the entrance. Carrot smiled as if to say that she had been waiting for him. ¡°Oh, you arrived too soon, Sir Bash. Let me explain the situation to you now that¡­¡± But the words died mid-sentence. The man wore a mask that looked like a woman¡¯s and carried a musical instrument. His skin was so white and his physique so small that he looked like a human. In short, a human. It wasn¡¯t Bash. ¡°Who is that?¡± Carrot¡¯s and Silviana¡¯s voices were simultaneous. The man heard them and struck his instrument. ¡°I am Errol, the messenger of love and peace, and here I come.¡± He made an incredibly discordant strumming sound. CH 38.1 Chapter 38. The Succubus¡¯ Cries Frizcop: Sorry about the problem with chapter 37.2. I¡¯ve already contacted with one of the novelupdates staff, so I¡¯m hoping an answer to fix it. The sudden appearance of the man caused the air in the place to become still. It was mainly Carrot who made the air flow again. ¡°¡­Haa? Is he a clown brought in to liven up the wedding? This is not the place for the ceremony¡­¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m not a clown, although I¡¯m aware that I¡¯m doing something crazy.¡± Errol cleared his throat and let out an ¡°ahhhhh¡± sound, then went back to playing his instrument. He made a bogii, the sound like the scream of a dying pig flowing through the air around him. He braced himself as if he was about to begin playing, but it wasn¡¯t. ¡°Carrot ¡®of the hissing voice¡¯. I followed in your footsteps.¡± ¡°Hmm? So you¡¯re a dedicated fan? I guess there are those who want me to devour them¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time, more or less since I found out that the forces that wanted to resurrect Gediguz were going to stage something at the wedding. If I hadn¡¯t realized that the guards near the Sacred Tree were charmed, I might not have thought to come¡­ I¡¯m glad I got here in time.¡± ¡°¡­Tell me the truth, who are you?¡± Carrot returned to Silviana¡¯s side, becoming more alert. Errol stepped in front of her. ¡°Carrot. As a Succubus Hero, you must have earned a place according to your position in your country¡­¡± ¡°Aha yes, but you didn¡¯t answer my question. Although I don¡¯t dislike men being overbearing.¡± ¡°Why are you trying to resurrect Gediguz in this time of peace and return it to a time of chaos?¡± Carrot, who had been smiling calmly, stopped in her tracks when she heard this. ¡°Peace? You call this peace?¡± Carrot laughed and held out her hand. Errol¡¯s eyes took in her beautiful body. Her clothes were truly breathtaking. If he didn¡¯t know she was a succubus, any human male would be attracted to her. ¡°Do you think I look good in this outfit?¡± ¡°Yes, very. It¡¯s almost a sight for sore eyes.¡± ¡°Do you think so too? I like it too. But¡­ you know what? Treaty of Lunias, Article XVI.¡± It was a famous treatise. ¡°¡­Succubi shall not expose their skin in other countries.¡± ¡°Yes, thanks to that law, we were forbidden to even wear the clothes we liked.¡± ¡°But this law only forbids you to expose your private parts.¡± ¡°Ha, where does it say that? When it says skin, it means all skin. Breasts, shoulders, arms, back, legs, hair, and even fingertips, if you look closely! If you¡¯re in another country, you have to cover your hair and face! And then there¡¯s Article XVII of the Treaty of Lunias! ¡°¡­Succubi shall not needlessly seduce men in public places.¡± ¡°Hey, and you know what? Even a fucking ¡®Hello!¡¯ is considered seduction!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This is our life! We are forbidden to even talk to a man of another race in public!¡± Carrot¡¯s voice grew louder and louder. Finally, it became a scream, and it came out loud from her mouth. ¡°Everyone¡¯s life is at stake! Not just the old and the young. Children born after the war are also dying because they don¡¯t have enough to eat! And don¡¯t tell me I¡¯m lying! All because our food now depends only on you.¡± ¡°But that was because¡­ you treated the criminals too harshly in the first year after the war and ended up killing them.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t kill them because we wanted to! It was because we didn¡¯t even have enough to feed ourselves satisfactorily from the semen slaves back then! And none of your countries supported us!¡± ¡°It¡¯s because no country could afford it!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me those stories! From the beginning, you didn¡¯t want to send them because we were criminals rejected by your prissy countries! You didn¡¯t care whether we lived or died!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And so, even though we adhered to the status quo and went along with your unilaterally determined code, you continued to treat us with contempt and discriminate against us just because we were succubi!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What peace is there in that? This peace was not meant for you alone, all members of the Four Races Alliance! Succubi are on the verge of extinction!¡± ¡°I understand, then I will contact the higher-ups in my country and find out who is willing to go to your nation to serve¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡± Carrot¡¯s shouts echoed through the Sacred Tree compound. Errol struggled for words as tears welled in Carrot¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve been all over the world this past year. I went to each country and asked them to share some people with us. I bowed my head and asked with all my heart. But¡­ hey, human, you know, Errol, I think that was your name, what did they tell me when I went with them? What do you think they did?¡± Errol did not answer. He did not know the answer. But what he did know was that succubi were not well regarded by either humans or elves. In particular, women hated them as much as they hated the ugliest cockroaches. They hated them as much as they hated orcs. To make matters worse, succubi were forbidden to speak to men in public. The higher echelons of each country had appointed an officer in charge of dealing with succubi. And the officer in charge on the human side was a woman known for her hatred of succubi. He didn¡¯t know what she had said to her, nor did he know what she had done to her. But it was more than possible that her dignity had been shattered on the ground. ¡°I am truly sorry. Let me bow my head on their behalf.¡± ¡°What is it to me? Your bowing doesn¡¯t fill my stomach. Besides, it¡¯s not just your country. The dwarves were a little better, but the elves were just as bad as the humans¡­ and the beastmen too.¡± Carrot said and put her hand on Silviana¡¯s head, which was carried by an orc. Though her arms were thin, succubi could strengthen their bodies with magic. She could crush Silviana¡¯s head with ease. ¡°I came to ask them openly to let me see the Sacred Tree first, you know, I¡¯m a succubus who believes in the Hunt God. ¡®Please let me pray to the Sacred Tree just once¡­¡¯ and guess what they said.¡± Carrot¡¯s hand tightened. ¡°¡®It¡¯s disgusting that someone from such a disgusting race as yours would believe in the Hunt God, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ As succubi, we can¡¯t even worship our faith!¡± CH 38.2 ¡°Stop it!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to kill her, not yet¡­¡± She never got to squeeze Silviana¡¯s head. ¡°Now I know what¡¯s going on with the succubi. I¡¯ll work on it so we can do something about it now, so¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha! It¡¯s too late! I don¡¯t have time to play your games! Oh, I know, if you insist, why don¡¯t you come to Succubus Nation? You¡¯ll find that we¡¯ll all be as nice to you as possible.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t do that. I have responsibilities. But I will do something. I promise. Sure, it may be late, and it may seem like I¡¯m just fooling you, but I mean it when I talk about wanting world peace.¡± ¡°If you had told me that a year ago, I would have fallen in love with you and become your lover, but¡­ now it¡¯s too late¡­¡± said Carrot, releasing Silviana¡¯s head and pushing it back under her foot. ¡°We¡¯re done here.¡± ¡°And now that you¡¯ve got what you wanted, what are you going to do? Do you think you can escape from here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy to escape. I just have to walk out that door and walk through with dignity.¡± ¡°You think I¡¯ll let you do that?¡± ¡°How dramatic, you really won¡¯t let me through? If you can¡¯t forgive me this time, I¡¯ll just have to force my way through.¡± ¡°Do you really think you can handle me?¡± ¡°Haa¡­ Gagan, get this cocky guy out of my way.¡± At Carrot¡¯s words, the blue orc moved. He advanced on Errol, axe at the ready. Gagan. Gagan the Blue Lightning. A warrior with a long history, who shouted his battle cry and ran across the battlefield before anyone else. His blue skin was so radiant that it lowered the temperature of everything he touched, even if he wasn¡¯t a magic warrior. He was an orc with a body that boasted a strong resistance to cold and a strong resistance to fire. He was one of the eight great chieftains who survived until the end of the war. ¡°Well, that¡¯s too bad.¡± Errol put his hand on the sword at his hip. At that moment, flames burst from the sword. The cloth covering the metal burned away, revealing its true form. ¡°That sword!¡± Carrot swallowed. It was a sword everyone had seen before. A golden hilt, engraved with the pattern of a sun and a red jewel embedded in the center. The blade gleamed white and silver, and bright flames surrounded it. The beauty of the sword, its divinity, was a spectacle to all who saw it. The name of the sword was Sun: The Solar Treasure Sword. It was one of the most precious tools of the human royal family. Its cut burned everything and brought victory to its wielder. ¡°Let me introduce myself again¡­¡± Errol pointed with the Solar Treasure Sword. At that moment, the world changed. The cloudy weather that covered them disappeared in an instant. It cleared. Clear weather dominated the sky. Errol removed his mask. What emerged was a human man with an attractive face. He had fine features and slanted eyes. His immaculate appearance revealed that not a single sword had reached his face on the battlefield. Then he spoke his name. ¡°My name is Nazar Liscia Gainius Grandorius! Second Prince of the Human Royal Family and heir to the Solar Treasure Sword.¡± Nazar. Prince Nazar of the Humans. Also known as the Prince of the Rising Sun. The strongest human swordsman and the hero who defeated the Demon King. His path was lit by the clear sky. ¡°And with it, I will crush your ambitions and bring true peace to this world!¡± ¡°No! Don¡¯t go, Gagan!¡± Carrot¡¯s words came too late. No, or perhaps not too late if he had been an ordinary opponent. Gagan was an excellent warrior. He could have retreated after being told to do so. But his opponent was Nazar. And in his hand was the Solar Treasure Sword. As ordered, Gagan tried to step back with his right leg, to retreat. But only the right half of his body moved back. The left half stayed where it was. The blue orc¡¯s massive body was split vertically in half. Flames engulfed the body as it lost its balance and began to fall, instantly cauterizing the wounds and charring the blue orc¡¯s body. When the body collapsed completely, there was no one left to identify the blue-skinned orc as the owner of the corpse. ¡°Gagan!¡± Carrot¡¯s painful scream echoed through the air. The orc did not react. The blow of the Solar Treasure Sword would almost certainly kill you unless you had a high magic resistance. It was an overwhelming force that did not even allow the use of healing or resurrection magic. It was the sword that killed the Demon King Gediguz. ¡°Carrot, give up. Don¡¯t make this worse.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Carrot did not answer. Instead, with an indifferent expression, she stepped on Silviana as she tried to crawl away, blocking her movement. ¡°I¡¯m not going to give up now.¡± ¡°You know it¡¯s me, and you¡¯re still going to fight?¡± ¡°I was surprised to learn that Errol was the prince, but¡­ you know very well that I have no reason to run, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well, I wonder.¡± ¡°You¡¯re acting all relaxed, but I bet you¡¯re trembling inside, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re not going to be protected by your sister who¡¯s as kind and strong as you were back then, are you?¡± ¡°I am stronger than I was then.¡± Nazar said, readying his sword. He lowered his hips and tried to take a deeper step¡­ Carrot¡¯s eyes glowed red. ¡°¡­!¡± Nazar¡¯s movement stopped. ¡°So you used¡­ the charm¡­!¡± ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s a lot of magic resistance. And look, I really tried.¡± ¡°I have faith in my innate magic resistance, you know¡­¡± Although his tone was light, Nazar could not move. On the contrary, his expression was distorted by fear, and greasy sweat appeared on his forehead. CH 38.3 ¡°It is true that I am surprised that Gagan is dead, but I can always use the human prince Nazar. When I look at it that way, it¡¯s not so bad¡­¡± ¡°¡­Do you think I will fall into your hands so easily?¡± Men and succubi were a bad combination. And when your opponent was ¡°Carrot of the Hissing Voice¡±, you could count on one hand the number of times you could win¡­ ¡°You¡¯re going down. There¡¯s not a man on whom my ¡®charm¡¯ won¡¯t work¡­¡± Carrot¡¯s gaze intensified. At the same time, the Solar Treasure Sword in Nazar¡¯s hand became brighter. At the same time, the jewelry around Nazar¡¯s neck, his shoes, and his bracelets also began to glow. Carrot¡¯s red light was repelled. ¡°How much sturdy equipment did you bring? You are very well prepared.¡± ¡°I thought there might be a situation like this¡­¡± Nazar didn¡¯t let go of his sword despite his desperation. If Carrot tried to get close enough to strengthen her charm, or if she tried to sneak past him and head for the exit, he would use all his strength to unleash a deadly slash. Carrot had no confidence that she could dodge the blow he was ready to counter with. If it were up to her, the prince would have died in the war long ago. But Nazar could not move enough to strike a blow himself. Time passed in a fraction of a second. ¡°We¡¯re in a stalemate. That¡¯s a problem.¡± There was no impatience in Nazar¡¯s face as he said this. He wasn¡¯t worried about Silviana being killed, but if the situation continued like this, the people in the palace would eventually find out about the anomaly. There were several people with good instincts today, and Thunder Sonia was one of them. She was Carrot¡¯s natural enemy. In the war, he even heard that Thunder Sonia had won every battle in which she faced Carrot directly. If he could buy time, victory would be assured. With that in mind, he vowed to wait. ¡°I see, you¡¯re thinking that if you buy some time, Thunder Sonia and the others will notice and come to support you,¡± Carrot chuckled. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean that the next one who comes along will be on your side, you know?¡± The moment after Carrot said this, Errol noticed a presence approaching from behind. A powerful presence. With every step they took, the fear grew stronger, as if a predator a dozen times his size was approaching. A step, and then another, and another. They were not slow at all. They were light and fast, as if they couldn¡¯t wait to attack their prey. The tension grew, whether he liked it or not. Everyone present, except Silviana, recognized the sound of those footsteps, their presence. And that presence now showed its face¡­ ¡°Ah, Mister, here she is!¡± And then a fairy appeared. For a moment he was distracted. So it was just a fairy, he thought. But the next moment, everyone was attentive again. Everyone present knew the fairy. Whenever this fairy appeared as a scout, this person also appeared. Sometimes the fairy was so easy to catch that she was called ¡°Zell, the bait¡±. And if you took the bait, he would always appear. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Slowly he appeared. Green skin, small for an Orc, but with a muscular body. His body was wrapped in the formal attire of the beastmen, and he didn¡¯t carry his trademark greatsword, but he still had the air of an overwhelmingly strong man. Bash, the orc hero. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding¡­ were you in on it too?¡± Errol¡¯s mutterings were accompanied by cold sweat. CH 39.1 Chapter 39. The Messenger of Peace Nazar Gainius Grandorius. The third son and second prince of the human royal family Grandorius. He was the strongest human swordsman and the prince of the celestial realm who defeated the Demon King Gediguz. He was undoubtedly a hero. Though his life was not always so glorious¡­ The first act of his life began with his defeat. Nazar had a sister. Liscia Gainius Grandorius. She was his twin sister. She was brilliant. Ever since Nazar was a baby, she had always defeated him. First, at birth, since Nazar was born after Liscia. She was the first to suckle her mother¡¯s milk, the first to crawl, and the first to stand on two legs, all of which she did first. When she began to wield a sword, the differences began to show, so clearly that those around them could undoubtedly see them. In swordplay, in speed of foot, in learning. Nazar could not surpass his sister in anything. But that did not mean the prince lacked talent. Had Liscia not been born, Nazar would have been the strongest human in history. The human king of the time, the man who was Nazar¡¯s grandfather, ordered his father to raise the two without separating them. He firmly believed that these twins would change the course of the war. The promise was kept, and Nazar and Liscia were raised in the same way, becoming the most powerful twins of all. Liscia inherited the Thundercloud Treasure Sword, and Nazar inherited the Sun Treasure Sword, both treasures of the human royal family. ¡°The Princess of the Descending Heaven¡± and ¡°The Prince of the Coming Heaven¡±. When they heard their names, even the most famous enemy generals trembled. It would be a lie to say that Nazar did not feel inferior. However, the war situation at that time was so bad that he could not afford to worry about such things. Rather, he was comforted by the presence of his sister, whom he could trust completely. They were not distant from each other. They were always together, eating the same food, watching the same things, telling the same jokes, laughing at the same things. Nazar knew all about Liscia. So they never had any problems because of his inferiority complex. But that didn¡¯t last forever. Liscia was a woman who was always one step ahead of Nazar. She would enter the battlefield one step ahead of him, kill one more enemy than he did, and save one more ally than he did. And she died before Nazar. She stayed behind with a few suicide squads to let his allies escape on the fierce battlefield, and she never returned. Not that they saw the body. Everyone said Liscia was a smart girl and must have escaped and is still alive somewhere. But then the enemy forces shouted that they had ¡°defeated the human princess Liscia¡±, and the enemy command rose up as well, and everyone despaired. Liscia was undoubtedly the hope of the humans. Nazar internalized that he would probably die on the next battlefield. It had always been that way. He was one step behind, but there was nothing he could do that Liscia could not. There was nothing that had happened to Liscia that hadn¡¯t happened to him. That was why he would die. That was the way it was. With that in mind, he went into the next battle. And he survived. In the decisive battle in the Lemium Highlands, they defeated the Demon King Gediguz. From then on, the battle was like a dream. Victory after victory. There were a few defeats, but in the end they did not affect the outcome. In a short time, Nazar had earned his reputation as a human prince and a hero for killing Gediguz¡­ Liscia¡¯s name had all but disappeared from people¡¯s memory. No, most people remembered when they heard of her, but they would say, ¡°Oh, there was such a person¡±, and nothing more. The heroes of each country were left in the past when they died, and then the next hero would appear. Sometimes, like Hero Leto, they were remembered for a long time if the next hero did not appear, but most of the time they remained only in the memory of those who killed them, and only in poems in their honor. But Nazar remembered. The days when he talked with Liscia. The wild story she told him the day before she died. The story of a dream world that Nazar could not imagine and listened to with a blank stare. A world where all races held hands and there was no conflict. Then, when the war tipped completely in favor of the Four Races Alliance, Nazar decided to do something. He decided to make what Liscia had said come true. To bring peace to the world. That¡¯s why he came up with the idea of peace before anyone else. That¡¯s why Nazar would be ¡°Nazar Liscia Gainius Grandorius¡±. He was Nazar, he was Liscia, and he was also a world peace planner. CH 39.2 And so it had been for three years. Nazar had continued to work hard for world peace. He traveled to every country and intervened in conflicts. At first he used Nazar¡¯s name in a big way. But this caused an unnecessary stir. Some used Nazar¡¯s activities as a cover to line their pockets, others began to move secretly behind the scenes to avoid his ears, and others began to ridicule the prince for traveling from country to country for fun. As a result, he changed his name to Errol, the Messenger of Love and Peace. Still, there were many occasions when he had to use Nazar¡¯s name. But like Errol, he didn¡¯t attract people. He also managed to gather more information and the speed at which he could move was better. So he usually acted as Errol, but only when necessary as Nazar. Nazar was always moving, morning and night. If he could solve a problem with words, he would; if he couldn¡¯t, he would use force. Frankly, it was more a matter of force. When the Four Races Alliance had won the war, it had exploited the nations of the Seven Races Federation, and those who had gained interests did not want to give them up. And Nazar, who wanted perfect peace, tried to correct the situation and was hated and driven away by the human powers. He knew that the situation was getting worse in every country, but he had more and more information, even with Nazar¡¯s name. He came close to being assassinated several times. Those who hated Nazar tried to kill him, and he had no choice but to fight back. But killing them only led to the next problem. The war was supposed to be over, but Nazar¡¯s hands were still stained with blood. He began to lose sight of what peace was. All he knew was war. He didn¡¯t know what to do to achieve peace. It was all trial and error. And it made him tired. Somewhere in his heart, he was about to give up, thinking that what Liscia was talking about was nothing more than dreams disconnected from reality. Then a piece of information reached his ears. ¡°There are those who want to resurrect the Demon King Gediguz and bring back the war.¡± Gediguz, the Demon King. Nazar knew his strength well, for he had fought against him. But no matter how strong he was as an individual, there were many people of that caliber. What was scary about the Demon King Gediguz was everything else. If Gediguz was resurrected and the war resumed, this time the Four Races Alliance would be destroyed. Or conversely, it would be the Seven Races Federation that would lack members. As a result, there would surely be peace. The world would be united under the rule of Gediguz. But it would not be the real peace. The peace Nazar Liscia Gainius Grandorius intended was a world where all races could live in laughter. That was what Liscia had said. That was why Nazar wanted to prevent it. That was why he intended to crush the plans of his enemies with all his might, even if it meant minor conflicts. Even if he could never proudly say that this was an action that would lead to true peace, he was confident that he could do it. ¡ö Nazar was a human prince. He was recognized by himself and others as the strongest human swordsman. However, even he had several opponents whom he had little chance of defeating. First of all, there was ¡°Carrot of the Hissing Voice¡±. He faced her three times during the war. Nazar was defeated all three times and was saved by his sister, Liscia. She overpowered Carrot and forced her to retreat early. There was such a difference between Liscia and Carrot that she had no chance of losing. Although Liscia was stronger than Nazar, she was at most one move or one step ahead of him. If that were the case, Nazar could probably win if he fought Carrot properly, but the existence of her ¡°charm¡± would not allow him to do so. Nazar and Carrot would not even be able to compete. It would just be a one-sided predatory battle. Therefore, the prince and the human royal family had been planning countermeasures against the succubi for a long time. To the extent that it would be a match in a one-on-one battle. But¡­ ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding¡­ were you in on it too?¡± Bash, the Orc Hero. Nazar had met him twice. The first time, he didn¡¯t find it so surprising. That was because they had not fought seriously. At that time, the human army was in retreat, and Bash was just one of many threats they encountered. And there were many more threats than Bash at the time. Although he would later say, ¡°I remember there was a strong green orc at the time. Was that Bash?¡±. He would never forget the second time. Right after they defeated the Demon King Gediguz. He appeared; his figure covered in blood, with an overwhelming presence, and with an overwhelming sense of despair. Immediately after defeating the Demon King Gediguz, Nazar was deeply wounded, Thunder Sonia was fainted, and Dora Dora Do Banga was dead. The Hero Leto was the only one who could fight, and even he was in no condition to do so. Nazar retreated, and Leto died. Later he learned that the Orc was a monster with many nicknames. He learned that he was the brave warrior who had defeated the dragon in the decisive battle in the Lemium Highlands. And after Gediguz¡¯s death, for a few years until the end of the war. Every time he heard rumors about him, he thought that in the end they would undoubtedly settle the score. He didn¡¯t feel capable of winning, but he knew that if they had to face each other, this would be the only way, because at that moment he had retired with Thunder Sonia in his arms. But before he could do that, the war was over. Nazar ended it. He attended the peace talks with the orc nation, listened to Bloody Lily¡¯s speech near the hero, and signed the treaty with him while Bash watched. During the talks, Bash looked especially elegant and fierce among the other orcs, and did not seem to be someone who wanted peace. That day, however, he thought he would never have another chance to fight him. He thought so. CH 39.3 ¡°In on it, you say¡­?¡± But now, when he saw Bash¡¯s terrifying face looking between Nazar and Carrot, he denied that thought. For one, it was an impossible dream. Peace was just a joke. As he heard from Carrot¡¯s complaints, the current situation was still difficult for the defeated nations. While the powerful victorious nations were getting fat, the hated races among the defeated nations were being emaciated and oppressed. And the situation worsened every time those who were dissatisfied with the status quo left their country to commit evil deeds in other nations. It seemed that Carrot had tried to improve the situation, but to no avail. If she had been able to meet Nazar when she arrived in the human country, they might have been able to do something about it. It might have been a very small amount, but if she had met Nazar, he would have been able to provide them with at least some food. However, there was no way an influential human would be foolish enough to allow a succubus to meet with the hero Nazar, and the complaint was suppressed before it reached him. The prince traveled all over the world, but he still did not know that the succubus nation was in trouble. Nazar was not an expert on the current situation in the orcish lands. He had no more information about the orcs, who rarely engaged in diplomacy, than he did about the succubi. However, without Nazar¡¯s knowledge, the Seven Races Federation was rapidly declining. The orcs were even worse at diplomacy than the succubi. It was no wonder that they had fallen prey to many races. As proof of this, ¡°Gagan the Blue Lightning¡± was sought after as a twisted stray orc. In fact, even the few surviving battalion commanders were not happy with the current situation in their country and had fled to become strays. Frankly, he was horrified when he heard that Bash had left on a journey. He knew that if the Orc Hero had become a stray, he could expect the orc nation to collapse. However, he was relieved to learn that Bash was eliminating stray and troublesome orcs in several countries. He was glad that the elves, humans, and dwarves had changed their minds and understood the pride of the orcs, thanks to the Orc Hero. It was only a small part, but he was glad that those who had been so prejudiced against the orc race now remembered that orcs were also people and a proud group of warriors. It was heartening to hear that Bash was doing this to restore the orc pride. He knew that what he was doing and what Bash was doing, though in slightly different ways, were going in the same direction. So when Bash appeared in the beastmen¡¯s land, he cooperated with him. He led him across the border and into the royal palace. Even though he knew that the Beastmen royal family held a grudge against the Orcs for the murder of the Hero Leto, he thought that if the Orcs sincerely celebrated the marriage at this feast, the Beastmen would change their minds, and he could think of no one better suited for the task than Bash. This was for the best, Nazar hoped. But Bash was thrown out. The Beast Princesses never stopped hating the orc race. Later, when he asked the princesses why they had expelled Bash, who had so sincerely come to the aid of the beastmen, they laughed at him. They laughed and said that anyone from the Four Races Alliance could have changed their clothes and adopted an auspicious posture. But they had no idea how difficult and unusual it was for the orcs. Hearing this, Nazar thought of the suffering Bash had endured on his journey. How many merciless words had he received on his journey from the beginning to this point? How many tears of humiliation had he shed? How many times had he felt like he was going to fall apart? What if¡­ what if he had had enough? What if he accepted an invitation to bring back the war? What if he found out that Gediguz had returned? What if he knew that there would be another war and that he would not have to suffer that humiliation again? If Nazar were Bash, he would jump on the boat. He had heard from his comrades, and especially from one of the human soldiers he trusted, about the orc race¡¯s emphasis on fighting and procreation. War was the only way for the orcs to regain their pride. They had agreed to peace because it was an unwinnable battle, so if Gediguz was back and it was a battle they had a chance to win, so much the better. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± They were ¡°Carrot of the Hissing Voice¡± and ¡°Bash, the Orc Hero¡±. Humans were a race of wisdom and knowledge. Even if their opponents were inferior in strength, they planned countermeasures, prepared weapons and armor, and carefully prepared for the challenge in order to achieve victory. That was why he had brought the best equipment to the royal palace. Whether it was against Carrot or Bash, Nazar thought he could do it. But when it came to both at the same time, it was a different story. He would never win. Carrot was still possible, but Bash wasn¡¯t. Even a one-on-one victory was unlikely, but with Carrot¡¯s ¡°charm¡± holding him back, there was no way he could win. Now, even escaping in this situation would be impossible. Even if Thunder Sonia were to appear here and take on Carrot, he doubted that he would be a match for him¡­ ¡°Carrot.¡± Bash¡¯s voice was deep and calm. There was nothing confused about it, as if he had already decided what to say. As if he knew that he was expected. ¡°Yes, I was waiting for you, Sir Bash.¡± And Carrot¡¯s cheerful reply to him. It was no longer a secret that they were partners. Unknown to Nazar, Carrot had finished recruiting Bash. CH 39.4 Nazar was determined. Even if he couldn¡¯t win, there would be times when he would have to fight. He had always been protected because he was the prince. To save his life and ensure the victory of the humans, many generals had fought and died in battles they could not win. I must escape somehow. Even if I have to leave Princess Silviana behind¡­ But it was not yet his time. For there was no one to carry out his will after his death. The world was full of people who thought only of themselves. If he died, the defeated nations would be swallowed up immediately, and the next war would be between the Four Races Alliance. No, before that, Carrot would resurrect Gediguz, and the Alliance would be destroyed. At this thought, Nazar¡¯s body suddenly felt light. The equipment he wore all over his body glowed for a moment, and then the light faded with a chill. But Nazar could not move. He could not move because he saw the huge back of the orc in front of him. ¡°Lift your foot.¡± Nazar lifted his own foot as quickly as he could. He thought he had told him to. But there was nothing under either of his feet. He didn¡¯t seem to have stepped on anything. It¡¯s due the ¡°charm¡±¡­ When his feet moved, Nazar understood that the ¡°charm¡± had risen. At some point, Carrot¡¯s eyes stopped glowing red. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Carrot looked stunned for a moment, but her lips moved immediately. ¡°No, I won¡¯t move it.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°As you may have noticed, Sir Bash, this woman was deceiving you. She planned to approach you so that when you touched her, she would make a fuss that you had forced her to sleep with you, and she planned to involve the entire orc race in it.¡± ¡°¡­Mm¡­¡± ¡°The Orc Hero has the Beastmen princess in his claws. Even if it¡¯s just a lie from the princess, the Beastmen royalty will vouch for her. Because they hate Orcs. And they want to exterminate them if they can.¡± Nazar heard this and thought about how possible it was. There would be no way to defend him. Princess Silviana¡¯s bad feelings towards the orcs were well known. Rumors had circulated that she had changed her mind after the riots in the royal palace, but it was impossible for such a radical change in attitude to happen so quickly. If she was approaching Bash, it was probably for this purpose. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it?¡± Carrot grabbed Silviana¡¯s hair, lifted her face and asked. The princess¡¯ face was contorted with pain, but she smiled wryly. ¡°It¡¯s a lie! Sir Bash, I profess nothing but admiration for you! It¡¯s just that this woman is in love with you and is jealous that we get along so well!¡± Her eyes darted from side to side, her voice quavered, she was dripping with cold sweat, and even out of the corner of her eye you could see that she was somehow trying to escape with any excuse she could think of. Everyone could see it was a lie. Bash looked a little confused, but when the fairy whispered something to him, he seemed convinced. ¡°I see.¡± Bash¡¯s words sounded like a sigh. It was as if he knew it was a lie all along. ¡°How can you tell a lie so blatant and so easily discovered? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, or are you angry because I hit the nail on the head? Look, Sir Bash, this is the proof! This whore is trying to deceive you!¡± Silviana¡¯s words were incoherent, desperate and painful to watch. Finally, Carrot sighed and turned to Bash as if she could no longer deal with her. ¡°Sir Bash, don¡¯t listen to her. She¡¯s just a lying princess who wants to play with the hero of another country and tried to trick you, and there¡¯s also the human prince who thinks the others are toys¡­ after all, no one in the Four Races Alliance considers orcs and succubi as people. That¡¯s why they play with us like this.¡± Carrot said and held out her hand to Bash as if asking for a handshake. ¡°Sir Bash. I intend to fight to restore the pride of all the races of the Federation. Please take my hand and fight with me.¡± She begged Bash with sincere words. When Bash nodded, she continued her words by revealing the plan she believed in so much. ¡°To tell you the truth, we don¡¯t have much time. So I¡¯ll give you a detailed explanation and strategy later. First, let¡¯s kill this lying woman and this joke of a prince and get out of here.¡± Apparently, Carrot hadn¡¯t finished recruiting Bash, but that was just for now. No matter what Nazar said, Bash wouldn¡¯t change his mind. His words would have no effect on him. From Bash¡¯s point of view, he was humiliated at the royal court for following someone who claimed to be called Errol. He would be furious if his true identity was that of a human prince. It would not be surprising if the Beastmen and Humans were in cahoots to overthrow Bash. It was too late to say that they had no intention of doing so. He should have identified himself as Nazar from the beginning and gone to apologize when he heard about the commotion in the royal palace. But he was looking for those who planned to resurrect Gediguz, and this was not the time¡­ The deciding factor would be Princess Silviana¡¯s last lie. She lied when she should have at least apologized. She even made fun of Carrot. From Bash¡¯s point of view, she treated him politely, even if he felt humiliated and betrayed by the princess. ¡°¡­¡± Bash was silent for a few seconds, then looked at Nazar. ¡­There is nothing more that can be done¡­ At that moment, Nazar was ready to die. He thought about getting away from this place somehow, but he didn¡¯t feel like he could escape. Bash, the Orc Hero. His intimidating presence was unlike any other warrior he had fought in many battles. Recognized by himself and others as the strongest human swordsman, Nazar had the ability to see the difference between his own strength and that of others. He was ready to die. He was ready to fight. But that was all. He didn¡¯t feel that he could win, and he didn¡¯t feel that he could escape. He thought of that moment right after he had defeated Gediguz. The feeling of despair when Bash appeared. CH 39.5 ¡°That¡¯s something I can¡¯t do.¡± But Bash no longer looked at Nazar. ¡°Huh?¡± Carrot¡¯s stunned voice sounded very loud. ¡°Why? But you said the other day that we would fight shoulder to shoulder again!¡± ¡°I owe this man a debt.¡± ¡°A debt¡­!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So you accept it!? You accept the current status quo!?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the status quo?¡± ¡°The succubi are starving now, even our children are! It¡¯s the same with the orcs! In fact, after the war, many warriors left the country because they were dissatisfied with the Orc King¡¯s rule! Many proud warriors! Even Gagan, who had reached the rank of Greatchief, left the country because he couldn¡¯t stay there, because he couldn¡¯t even sleep with a woman! He told me that he would be willing to become my slave if he could only sleep with one! A succubus like me! And this is the result!¡± Bash saw Gagan¡¯s body. From where Nazar was standing, it was impossible to read Bash¡¯s expression. But he looked somewhat sad. ¡°I understand Gagan¡¯s feelings, but¡­¡± Bash said and was silent for a while. It was as if he was choosing his words. After a while, Bash said softly, ¡°This is what it means to be defeated.¡±* Frizcop: Damn, that line hit hard¡­ Hearing this, Carrot made an astonished face and then fell silent. ¡°I see. You are the usual Sir Bash, and you have come all this way with determination¡­¡± Carrot said and stood up slowly. Her face looked as if she was about to cry. It looked like she was dismissing a warrior who was going into a battle they could not win. ¡°No matter what I say, will it be impossible to change your mind?¡± ¡°That is true.¡± ¡°Even if I tell you that the Demon King Gediguz will return?¡± ¡°Even with that.¡± Carrot slowly closed her eyes and exhaled with a snort. ¡°I understand¡­ even though we follow different paths, I respect you as a warrior.¡± ¡°I also consider you a warrior worthy of respect.¡± Carrot¡¯s cheeks colored slightly and her mouth relaxed at the words. But her shy smile faded quickly. She hardened her expression. From a woman who longed to be a hero to the face of a warrior. ¡°Even if I have to defeat you, I will not abandon my path.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Carrot stepped in front of Bash and prepared her fists. The two warriors needed no more questions. ¡°Former Commander-in-Chief of the First Battalion of the Queen of the Succubus Nation, Carrot of the Hissing Voice.¡± Carrot said her name. She tousled her hair and spoke her name in a bewitching manner. ¡°Former warrior of the Boulder Company, Orc Kingdom. Bash, the Orc Hero.¡± Bash spoke his name as well. It was an impressive name, but there seemed to be some hesitation in his voice. Perhaps he was hesitating to fight her because he could empathize with the succubus¡¯ current situation. ¡°¡­¡± Bash glared at Carrot and readied his fists. They had no weapons. Both Bash and Carrot had left their weapons behind when they entered the royal palace. The only person who had a weapon here was Nazar, who had brought his own sword with his prior permission. So he did not move. It was a perfect opportunity to escape, but he didn¡¯t. Well¡­ that¡¯s about it¡­ I¡¯m incredibly impressed. How wonderful¡­ Nazar didn¡¯t know about their relationship. Since he hadn¡¯t seen them, he didn¡¯t know what kind of conversation they¡¯d had before. But at least the conversation Carrot suggested couldn¡¯t have been bad for Bash. If war broke out, he could throw himself into the fray as much as he wanted. There would be no lack of women. Not only would there be no shortage, but succubi would be willing to serve them. And if Gediguz were resurrected, victory would be assured. He could have it all. But Bash objected. He owed it to Nazar. And all Nazar did was allow him access to the border. He also took him to the royal palace, but he felt bad about it, considering the problems that arose afterwards. Normally, no one would have been grateful. It would not be surprising if he felt that he had been tricked. But Bash took it as a debt. No, more than a ¡°debt¡±, a ¡°duty¡±. That was why he rejected Carrot. Nazar¡¯s heart burned. He tried to protect the pride of the orcs while accepting defeat. He believed that the orcs should change with the times. Or perhaps it was reprehensible in the eyes of the orc race as a whole. What did it mean to accept defeat? They had no other choice but to fight. Fighting, capturing, and raping women was the orcish way of life. But Bash refused, choosing instead to follow what he believed to be the right path. Nazar thought that Bash¡¯s goal was similar to his own. He thought they were going to the same place, just in different ways. But no. His destination must be farther away than Nazar¡¯s. Surely the Orc Hero was looking to the future. The future where the era of peace would continue as it did now. Something even he could not see. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have said that he was indebted to Nazar, who couldn¡¯t help him much and hid his true identity from him. Houston, now I understand why you praised Bash so much in your letter. There was no way for him to escape this situation. Nazar was determined to see the election, the battle, and the pride of the Orc before him. CH 40/1 Orc Hero Story Chapter 40. The Hero vs. Carrot of the Hissing Voice He had no idea what was going on. He received the letter and arrived at the Sacred Tree just as the speech was about to begin. He thought he wasn¡¯t late. But for some reason, someone other than Silviana was under the Sacred Tree. For some reason, Carrot was holding Silviana by the leg. For some reason, Gagan had been cut in half and was dead. For some reason, Nazar was hiding his true identity and calling himself Errol. The three of them seemed to be fighting, but there was no way for Bash to understand what was going on. He didn¡¯t understand anything. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ but from the looks of it, it¡¯s probably a lovers¡¯ quarrel.¡± They spoke in hushed tones. But Zell seemed to have a feeling. After all, he needed his trusted companion. ¡°A lovers¡¯ quarrel?¡± ¡°I read about it in a book I saw a long time ago. It said that humans and beastmen duel when they compete for those they love.¡± ¡°You mean Carrot and Silviana fought a duel? If so, why are Nazar and Gagan here?¡± ¡°Probably Carrot likes you, mister. That¡¯s why she challenged Silviana, who was on good terms with you, to a duel. Of course, Carrot won, but then Gagan, who likes Carrot, and Nazar, who likes Silviana, showed up and they dueled! Nazar won. The other two are still fighting for their lives. There¡¯s no way a man can beat sister Carrot, though, so the winner is decided.¡± She was a master at deducing what had happened just by looking at the scene. People called her ¡°Zell the Detective. Truth be told, though, in her hands, every case became even more convoluted. Of course, a lovers¡¯ quarrel didn¡¯t fall into that category. ¡°I see.¡± But Bash was convinced by her argument. It was so complicated that he only understood half of it, but it was common knowledge that if two orcs wanted a woman to be their wife, they would kill the other and take her. If such lovers¡¯ quarrels occurred even among humans, then such a situation would not be uncommon. ¡°But Nazar is being ridiculous. The princess loves you, mister.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not surprised, she¡¯s a very attractive woman.¡± Normally, he would have been angry with Nazar for trying to mess with the girl he was trying to woo, but Bash owed him a huge debt. A huge debt in the form of a magazine, a human treasure. Without this magazine he and Silviana would never have reached this point in their relationship. Besides, tonight he would sleep with Silviana and make her his wife, so he could put all this aside in a relaxed and mature manner. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Rescue Silviana and pay my debt to Nazar.¡± It would kill two birds with one stone. If he could get rid of Carrot, he could make himself look better to Silviana, and he could also pay off his debt to Nazar. So Bash moved. He moved to the front, protecting Nazar, who was trapped by Carrot¡¯s charm and just waiting to die. ¡°Carrot.¡± ¡°Yes, I was waiting for you, Sir Bash.¡± As she said this, Carrot was dressed in an outfit that was deadly poison to Bash¡¯s eyes and life. It was the most popular succubi costume. Underneath that folkloric costume was a body that would make anyone salivate. If Bash hadn¡¯t been a virgin, he would have been sucked into her, giving the victor what she wanted. But this was not the time. Bash broke his gaze with an iron will and turned to Silviana. ¡°Lift your foot.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Carrot had a startled expression on her face, but immediately turned her sharp, strong gaze. ¡°No, I won¡¯t move it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°As you may have noticed, Sir Bash, this woman was deceiving you. She planned to approach you so that when you touched her, she would make a fuss that you had forced her to sleep with you, and she planned to involve the entire orc race in it.¡± ¡°¡­Mm¡­¡± ¡°The Orc Hero put his claws on the beastmen princess. Even if it¡¯s just a lie from the princess, the Beastmen royalty will vouch for her. Because they hate Orcs. And they want to exterminate them if they can.¡± Carrot grabbed Silviana¡¯s hair and lifted her face. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it?¡± Silviana smiled wryly as she put on a distorted expression of pain. ¡°It¡¯s a lie! Sir Bash, I profess nothing but admiration for you! It¡¯s just that this woman is in love with you and is jealous that we get along so well!¡± Then Zell whispered in Bash¡¯s ear again. ¡°I guess my hunch was right after all.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The power of the magazines was a frightening thing. It attracted not only Silviana, whom he had targeted, but also Carrot, whom he had not intended to target. It was the same in war. With a magic sword or magic tool that you couldn¡¯t handle, it would also harm your allies without you knowing it. ¡°How can you tell a lie so blatant and so easily discovered?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, or are you angry because I hit the nail on the head? Look, Sir Bash, this is the proof! This w?h?o?r?e? is trying to deceive you!¡± ¡°Sir Bash, don¡¯t listen to her. She¡¯s just a lying princess who wants to play with the hero of another country and tried to trick you, and there¡¯s also the human prince who thinks the others are toys¡­ after all, no one in the Four Races Alliance considers orcs and succubi as people. That¡¯s why they play with us like this.¡± It was a pathetic behavior¡­ Indeed, Silviana¡¯s attitude left much to be desired. This was not the attitude of a loser. It was an act that would not be surprising if it led to her death, for she was undermining the winner with falsehoods. The fact that Nazar had called himself Errol was also disrespectful as a suitor. CH 40.1 Chapter 40. The Hero vs. Carrot of the Hissing Voice He had no idea what was going on. He received the letter and arrived at the Sacred Tree just as the speech was about to begin. He thought he wasn¡¯t late. But for some reason, someone other than Silviana was under the Sacred Tree. For some reason, Carrot was holding Silviana by the leg. For some reason, Gagan had been cut in half and was dead. For some reason, Nazar was hiding his true identity and calling himself Errol. The three of them seemed to be fighting, but there was no way for Bash to understand what was going on. He didn¡¯t understand anything. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ but from the looks of it, it¡¯s probably a lovers¡¯ quarrel.¡± They spoke in hushed tones. But Zell seemed to have a feeling. After all, he needed his trusted companion. ¡°A lovers¡¯ quarrel?¡± ¡°I read about it in a book I saw a long time ago. It said that humans and beastmen duel when they compete for those they love.¡± ¡°You mean Carrot and Silviana fought a duel? If so, why are Nazar and Gagan here?¡± ¡°Probably Carrot likes you, mister. That¡¯s why she challenged Silviana, who was on good terms with you, to a duel. Of course, Carrot won, but then Gagan, who likes Carrot, and Nazar, who likes Silviana, showed up and they dueled! Nazar won. The other two are still fighting for their lives. There¡¯s no way a man can beat sister Carrot, though, so the winner is decided.¡± She was a master at deducing what had happened just by looking at the scene. People called her ¡°Zell the Detective. Truth be told, though, in her hands, every case became even more convoluted. Of course, a lovers¡¯ quarrel didn¡¯t fall into that category. ¡°I see.¡± But Bash was convinced by her argument. It was so complicated that he only understood half of it, but it was common knowledge that if two orcs wanted a woman to be their wife, they would kill the other and take her. If such lovers¡¯ quarrels occurred even among humans, then such a situation would not be uncommon. ¡°But Nazar is being ridiculous. The princess loves you, mister.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not surprised, she¡¯s a very attractive woman.¡± Normally, he would have been angry with Nazar for trying to mess with the girl he was trying to woo, but Bash owed him a huge debt. A huge debt in the form of a magazine, a human treasure. Without this magazine he and Silviana would never have reached this point in their relationship. Besides, tonight he would sleep with Silviana and make her his wife, so he could put all this aside in a relaxed and mature manner. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Rescue Silviana and pay my debt to Nazar.¡± It would kill two birds with one stone. If he could get rid of Carrot, he could make himself look better to Silviana, and he could also pay off his debt to Nazar. So Bash moved. He moved to the front, protecting Nazar, who was trapped by Carrot¡¯s charm and just waiting to die. ¡°Carrot.¡± ¡°Yes, I was waiting for you, Sir Bash.¡± As she said this, Carrot was dressed in an outfit that was deadly poison to Bash¡¯s eyes and life. It was the most popular succubi costume. Underneath that folkloric costume was a body that would make anyone salivate. If Bash hadn¡¯t been a virgin, he would have been sucked into her, giving the victor what she wanted. But this was not the time. Bash broke his gaze with an iron will and turned to Silviana. ¡°Lift your foot.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Carrot had a startled expression on her face, but immediately turned her sharp, strong gaze. ¡°No, I won¡¯t move it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°As you may have noticed, Sir Bash, this woman was deceiving you. She planned to approach you so that when you touched her, she would make a fuss that you had forced her to sleep with you, and she planned to involve the entire orc race in it.¡± ¡°¡­Mm¡­¡± ¡°The Orc Hero put his claws on the beastmen princess. Even if it¡¯s just a lie from the princess, the Beastmen royalty will vouch for her. Because they hate Orcs. And they want to exterminate them if they can.¡± Carrot grabbed Silviana¡¯s hair and lifted her face. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it?¡± Silviana smiled wryly as she put on a distorted expression of pain. ¡°It¡¯s a lie! Sir Bash, I profess nothing but admiration for you! It¡¯s just that this woman is in love with you and is jealous that we get along so well!¡± Then Zell whispered in Bash¡¯s ear again. ¡°I guess my hunch was right after all.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The power of the magazines was a frightening thing. It attracted not only Silviana, whom he had targeted, but also Carrot, whom he had not intended to target. It was the same in war. With a magic sword or magic tool that you couldn¡¯t handle, it would also harm your allies without you knowing it. ¡°How can you tell a lie so blatant and so easily discovered?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, or are you angry because I hit the nail on the head? Look, Sir Bash, this is the proof! This w?h?o?r?e? is trying to deceive you!¡± ¡°Sir Bash, don¡¯t listen to her. She¡¯s just a lying princess who wants to play with the hero of another country and tried to trick you, and there¡¯s also the human prince who thinks the others are toys¡­ after all, no one in the Four Races Alliance considers orcs and succubi as people. That¡¯s why they play with us like this.¡± It was a pathetic behavior¡­ Indeed, Silviana¡¯s attitude left much to be desired. This was not the attitude of a loser. It was an act that would not be surprising if it led to her death, for she was undermining the winner with falsehoods. The fact that Nazar had called himself Errol was also disrespectful as a suitor. CH 40.2 ¡°Sir Bash. I intend to fight to restore the pride of all the races of the Federation. Please take my hand and fight with me.¡± Carrot said and extended her hand. Her ample breasts trembled and shook, which was very painful to the eyes. Maybe this was the succubus¡¯ way of proposing. When she asked him to fight with her the other day, was she proposing to him as well?. ¡°To tell you the truth, we don¡¯t have much time. So I¡¯ll give you a detailed explanation and strategy later. First, let¡¯s kill this lying woman and this joke of a prince and get out of here.¡± But Bash¡¯s response was obvious. He regretted having raised her expectations, but he was going to marry Silviana, and he owed Nazar a great debt. He could not kill her. ¡°That¡¯s something I can¡¯t do.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± It was hard for Bash to see Carrot¡¯s surprised expression. Was that the look he got every time he was rebuffed? ¡°Why? But you said the other day that we would fight shoulder to shoulder again!¡± ¡°I owe this man a debt.¡± ¡°A debt¡­!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So you accept it!? You accept the status quo!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the status quo?¡± It was an honest question. ¡°The succubi are starving now, and even our children are! It¡¯s the same with the orcs! In fact, after the war, many warriors left the country because they were dissatisfied with the Orc King¡¯s rule! Many proud warriors! Even Gagan, who had reached the rank of Greatchief, left the country because he couldn¡¯t stay there, because he couldn¡¯t even sleep with a woman! He told me that he would be willing to become my slave if he could only sleep with one! A succubus like me! And this is the result!¡± Bash bowed his head slightly at the sudden change of subject. It might be true that the orcs were poorer than in the past, compared to the time of the war. If you asked him if the children were starving, he would not deny it. But the children had starved before. It had been like that since the war. It was also true that many warriors became stray orcs because they regretted the current situation. Many left the land of the orcs because they could not follow the decisions of the orc king and could not accept their defeat. ¡°I understand Gagan¡¯s feelings, but¡­¡± He knew how Gagan felt. The blue orc was one of the first to become a stray orc and leave the country. He didn¡¯t ask why, but he knew that orcs left either for battle or for women. Even Bash would want to be Carrot¡¯s slave if he weren¡¯t a virgin, or if he weren¡¯t in a position of responsibility like being a hero, or if Carrot weren¡¯t a succubus, so that if he lost his virginity to her, he wouldn¡¯t become a magical warrior. And Gagan fought, lost, and died to possess Carrot. It was an act of disobedience to the Orc King¡¯s rule, but it was a very Orc-like act, and a fitting end for an Orc. ¡°This is what it means to be defeated.¡± ¡°I see. You are the usual Sir Bash, and you have come all this way with determination¡­¡± Determination. Yes, Bash had come here today to f?u?c?k? Silviana. Her position as a princess was perfect for a hero¡¯s wife, and he could return to his country with dignity. When he arrived in his homeland, Silviana would be pregnant with a son. As a Beastwoman, she should be able to bear five or six children. And Bash would be able to sleep with her without shame. ¡°No matter what I say, will it be impossible to change your mind?¡± ¡°That is true.¡± ¡°Even if I tell you that the demon king Gediguz will return?¡± ¡°Even with that.¡± It was a strange way to put it, but even if Gediguz was here and now, Bash¡¯s determination would remain the same. He would defeat her and keep Silviana. ¡°I understand¡­ even though we follow different paths, I respect you as a warrior.¡± ¡°I also consider you a warrior worthy of respect.¡± ¡°Even if I have to defeat you, I will not abandon my path.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± As for Bash, it was a simple process. If an Orc wanted a woman, he would fight for her and get her. If Carrot wanted Bash and challenged him to a fight, Bash would fight her and win the fight. ¡°Former Commander-in-Chief of the First Battalion of the Queen of the Succubus Nation, Carrot of the Hissing Voice.¡± ¡°Former warrior of the Boulder Company, Orc Kingdom. Bash, the Orc Hero.¡± Bash said his name, he said it with the greatest of pride. Then he shouted, ¡°Graaaaaaaaaaaooo!¡± Bash¡¯s war cry began the battle. CH 40.3 A one-on-one between an orc and a succubus. Nazar honestly believed that Bash had no chance. As strong as Bash was, and even though he was considered the strongest of all races, a man was a man. Besides, Carrot¡¯s charm was so powerful that a man as resistant to magic as he was couldn¡¯t even move, even if he used every possible countermeasure. Being charmed in an instant by Carrot, he was already imagining how she would ride him, draning his energy and leaving him dry on the spot. Nazar intended to save Bash if it came to that. He was willing to watch until the end, but he couldn¡¯t let him die. But that didn¡¯t happen. What the hell is going on¡­? Bash had started to fight, not slowing down, let alone stopping his movements. Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s completely undone the charm¡­! It didn¡¯t look like Bash was affected by anything. Nor did he seem to be wearing any special equipment. But it would be impossible for him to move with such agility without doing something to nullify it. ¡­Anyway, we might be able to win if he keeps it up¡­ By the time Nazar had swallowed saliva, Bash was very close to Carrot and threw a punch at her beautiful face. It hit with an overwhelming force that would shatter a large boulder if it hit well. ¡°Hmph!¡± Carrot countered with her own fist from the side, and the two collided. And then, without the force of the previous clash, she unleashed a scythe-like body blow. Carrot¡¯s fist, thin and small but tightly clenched, slammed into Bash¡¯s side. Anyone who saw it could tell how powerful the hook was. The hook lunge of the succubus¡¯ martial arts could pierce skin and muscle, shatter bones, and pierce internal organs, and a single strike could be fatal. Not to mention that she was ¡°Carrot of the Hissing Voice¡±. She was the ultimate succubus. If an average person was hit by her, the upper half of their body could be shattered. That¡¯s how strong her body-strengthening magic was. ¡°Groaaaaaaaah!¡± However, Bash didn¡¯t care. No matter how much body-strengthening magic she used on her fists, the damage to Bash was negligible. ¡°Haaaaaaaaah!¡± Carrot may or may not have been aware of this, but she continued to throw her fists at Bash¡¯s body with precision. Fists forward, fists back, spinning kicks, elbow strikes, knee kicks, jumping kicks, heel drops¡­ She continued to attack Bash with fluid combinations. But if that was all, it wouldn¡¯t have been called succubus martial arts. Carrot jumped. She flapped her two wings, scattering dust around her. Double jumping kick, wing strike, inverted heel drop strike¡­ The continuous attacks, which would be impossible for not only humans and beastmen, but also orcs and ogres to replicate, easily hit parts that were normally difficult to aim at. If a human martial artist had seen this, they would have exclaimed in admiration, wondering why they had not been born a succubus. ¡°¡­!¡± It was some pretty fancy martial arts, but the only thing that connected well was the first hooking blow. Bash¡¯s guard was solid, and every hit to his vital points was blocked, and every time he launched a counterattack. Although he looked like he was swatting away a fly, these random counterattacks were precise and accurate. And Carrot predicted that if she received them directly, her bones would take such a beating that they would most likely suffer almost irreparable damage. The only option was to parry each one, but even that required the finesse of a bomb disposal. Bash overwhelmed Carrot, both offensively and defensively. The Succubus was quickly backed into a corner.| ¡°Ggh!¡± Soon, Bash¡¯s fist penetrated Carrot¡¯s defenses, striking deep into her abdomen, and she was thrown toward the entrance. ¡°Gebohaa¡­¡± A large amount of blood and vomit splattered everywhere. Carrot¡¯s legs shook and she fell to her knees. She never let her guard down. She had also used a magical barrier. But still, her bones broke and she finally threw up everything in her stomach. ¡°¡­Ehehe.¡± How many years had passed since she had vomited blood from an attack? Nazar hadn¡¯t seen her do it since the time she fought Liscia. ¡°So you really beat me, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Carrot stood up at Bash¡¯s answer. Nazar looked at her and envied her. She must have been full of pure emotions. After all, the Orc Hero didn¡¯t fight for fun or in a bar fight, but for real. As a warrior, there was no greater honor than that. ¡°But it¡¯s really a pity¡­ it seems that time is running out.¡± Carrot muttered. ¡°¡­!¡± When did that happen? Well, it was more appropriate to say ¡°before he realized it¡±. So, before he realized it, a woman was standing next to the succubus. ¡°¡­¡± She was dressed in a deep black robe that seemed to consume even the darkness, and she had a goat skull on her head, a tall, pale woman. She looked around, saw Bash clenching his fists and Carrot kneeling, spitting blood, and cocked her head. ¡°Sir Bash will be our enemy too?¡± ¡°Yes. I couldn¡¯t convince him.¡± ¡°I see. Too bad¡­ if your tricks didn¡¯t work, we won¡¯t be able to do anything¡­¡± ¡°Forgive me. I am a proud succubus. Therefore, I would never use my charm on someone I hold in such high esteem.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The woman had two horns on her head and black circles under her eyes. In her hand was a sticky staff; darkness dripping from the tip like mud. Everyone in the place recognized her appearance. Nazar spoke her name. The name of the mage who, as a close associate of the demon king Gediguz, had cast all his enemies into the shadows. ¡°Poplatica, the Shadow Vortex¡­!¡± She was a demon mage. ¡°So, did you get it?¡± She asked Carrot without looking at Nazar and Bash. ¡°Yes. I was interrupted though¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how you survived the fight with Bash without the charm.¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s because I¡¯ve always been this good, huh?¡± ¡°How funny.¡± Poplatica dropped her eyes to the ground with a half-smile. ¡°Still, I¡¯m sorry you had to go through that.¡± He noticed the shadows on the floor growing larger. As if something was approaching from the depths, the shadows moved and covered them. ¡°But there¡¯s still a chance.¡± ¡°Good.¡± And then, with a snap, the darkness swallowed them both. ¡°Wait!¡± Nazar yelled and ran, but it was too late. When the darkness vanished, there was nothing. It happened in an instant. But it was to be expected. Carrot said she didn¡¯t have much time, but there was no sign of her moving, nor did she show any signs of heading for the exit. Although her natural enemy, Thunder Sonia, was also in this royal palace. She was probably planning to use Poplatica¡¯s Shadow Crossing to escape from the very beginning. ¡°So there¡¯s no way to follow them?¡± Nazar paused and muttered to himself. Shadow Crossing was a magic that could be considered the secret of Demon magic. They moved from shadow to shadow in an instant. It couldn¡¯t transport a large number of people at once, and there seemed to be many restrictions on setting up entrances and exits, but it was unrivaled when it came to sending a small number of elite people into a local area. It was the pinnacle of magic that only a handful of demon mages could use. The distance to travel would normally be shorter, but the Poplatica¡¯s Shadow Crossing was different. The episode of the ogre ¡°Gardner the Berserker,¡± who had been trapped deep inside a Beastmen stronghold, escaping outside the castle walls was well known. It was not unreasonable to assume that Carrot had already escaped beyond their reach. Then it would be best to explain the situation to those who might have heard the commotion and come here. In some cases, Bash would be suspected of something else. Nazar thought about that and relaxed his shoulders. ¡°Sir Bash, first of all, I will tell everyone about¡­¡± Nazar turned and saw the two, a man and a woman, staring at each other. CH 401 Orc Hero Story Chapter 40. The Hero vs. Carrot of the Hissing Voice He had no idea what was going on. He received the letter and arrived at the Sacred Tree just as the speech was about to begin. He thought he wasn¡¯t late. But for some reason, someone other than Silviana was under the Sacred Tree. For some reason, Carrot was holding Silviana by the leg. For some reason, Gagan had been cut in half and was dead. For some reason, Nazar was hiding his true identity and calling himself Errol. The three of them seemed to be fighting, but there was no way for Bash to understand what was going on. He didn¡¯t understand anything. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ but from the looks of it, it¡¯s probably a lovers¡¯ quarrel.¡± They spoke in hushed tones. But Zell seemed to have a feeling. After all, he needed his trusted companion. ¡°A lovers¡¯ quarrel?¡± ¡°I read about it in a book I saw a long time ago. It said that humans and beastmen duel when they compete for those they love.¡± ¡°You mean Carrot and Silviana fought a duel? If so, why are Nazar and Gagan here?¡± ¡°Probably Carrot likes you, mister. That¡¯s why she challenged Silviana, who was on good terms with you, to a duel. Of course, Carrot won, but then Gagan, who likes Carrot, and Nazar, who likes Silviana, showed up and they dueled! Nazar won. The other two are still fighting for their lives. There¡¯s no way a man can beat sister Carrot, though, so the winner is decided.¡± She was a master at deducing what had happened just by looking at the scene. People called her ¡°Zell the Detective. Truth be told, though, in her hands, every case became even more convoluted. Of course, a lovers¡¯ quarrel didn¡¯t fall into that category. ¡°I see.¡± But Bash was convinced by her argument. It was so complicated that he only understood half of it, but it was common knowledge that if two orcs wanted a woman to be their wife, they would kill the other and take her. If such lovers¡¯ quarrels occurred even among humans, then such a situation would not be uncommon. ¡°But Nazar is being ridiculous. The princess loves you, mister.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not surprised, she¡¯s a very attractive woman.¡± Normally, he would have been angry with Nazar for trying to mess with the girl he was trying to woo, but Bash owed him a huge debt. A huge debt in the form of a magazine, a human treasure. Without this magazine he and Silviana would never have reached this point in their relationship. Besides, tonight he would sleep with Silviana and make her his wife, so he could put all this aside in a relaxed and mature manner. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Rescue Silviana and pay my debt to Nazar.¡± It would kill two birds with one stone. If he could get rid of Carrot, he could make himself look better to Silviana, and he could also pay off his debt to Nazar. So Bash moved. He moved to the front, protecting Nazar, who was trapped by Carrot¡¯s charm and just waiting to die. ¡°Carrot.¡± ¡°Yes, I was waiting for you, Sir Bash.¡± As she said this, Carrot was dressed in an outfit that was deadly poison to Bash¡¯s eyes and life. It was the most popular succubi costume. Underneath that folkloric costume was a body that would make anyone salivate. If Bash hadn¡¯t been a virgin, he would have been sucked into her, giving the victor what she wanted. But this was not the time. Bash broke his gaze with an iron will and turned to Silviana. ¡°Lift your foot.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Carrot had a startled expression on her face, but immediately turned her sharp, strong gaze. ¡°No, I won¡¯t move it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°As you may have noticed, Sir Bash, this woman was deceiving you. She planned to approach you so that when you touched her, she would make a fuss that you had forced her to sleep with you, and she planned to involve the entire orc race in it.¡± ¡°¡­Mm¡­¡± ¡°The Orc Hero put his claws on the beastmen princess. Even if it¡¯s just a lie from the princess, the Beastmen royalty will vouch for her. Because they hate Orcs. And they want to exterminate them if they can.¡± Carrot grabbed Silviana¡¯s hair and lifted her face. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it?¡± Silviana smiled wryly as she put on a distorted expression of pain. ¡°It¡¯s a lie! Sir Bash, I profess nothing but admiration for you! It¡¯s just that this woman is in love with you and is jealous that we get along so well!¡± Then Zell whispered in Bash¡¯s ear again. ¡°I guess my hunch was right after all.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The power of the magazines was a frightening thing. It attracted not only Silviana, whom he had targeted, but also Carrot, whom he had not intended to target. It was the same in war. With a magic sword or magic tool that you couldn¡¯t handle, it would also harm your allies without you knowing it. ¡°How can you tell a lie so blatant and so easily discovered?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, or are you angry because I hit the nail on the head? Look, Sir Bash, this is the proof! This w?h?o?r?e? is trying to deceive you!¡± ¡°Sir Bash, don¡¯t listen to her. She¡¯s just a lying princess who wants to play with the hero of another country and tried to trick you, and there¡¯s also the human prince who thinks the others are toys¡­ after all, no one in the Four Races Alliance considers orcs and succubi as people. That¡¯s why they play with us like this.¡± It was a pathetic behavior¡­ Indeed, Silviana¡¯s attitude left much to be desired. This was not the attitude of a loser. It was an act that would not be surprising if it led to her death, for she was undermining the winner with falsehoods. The fact that Nazar had called himself Errol was also disrespectful as a suitor. CH 33 Chapter 33. Aurantiaca, the Masked Saint In the center of the capital of Lycant, in the royal palace. The gardens, buildings and interiors were new and beautifully decorated with gold, silver and jewels for the third princess to be married. It wasn¡¯t just the outside. A month after the grand announcement of the third princess¡¯ marriage, the preparations did not stop. The wedding of Inuella, the third princess of the Beastmen, and Colonel Aconite, an elven soldier. It was an event of great celebration, even from a global perspective. It was not only a celebration, but also a marriage of great political importance that would strengthen the bonds between the two countries and serve as a check on other nations. As such, the elven and beastmen royal families staked their respective prestige on the wedding, planning to make it the most extravagant of the postwar period. They lavishly spent their ample resources on the festivities, spreading the word around the world and inviting dignitaries from every corner of the globe. Of course, there were those who were not amused. They were the human nobles who did not want the elves and beastmen to gain power, the dwarven merchants who were shut out of the opportunity to make money, and the elven nobles who were hostile to the faction to which Aconite belonged. ¡ô ¡°¡­So with this trick they wanted to have a person whose alibi did not exist at the time of the alleged poisoning. I see.¡± A room in the Lycant Palace was boiling. Dignitaries from various countries who had gathered for the ceremony had crowded in to hear the words of a woman. Judging by her long blonde hair and long pointed ears, she must have been an elf. However, her true face was hidden behind a mask, and her identity was unknown. Everyone present knew who she was, but¡­ they pretended not to. There was an unspoken agreement. ¡°Bougainvillea.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± And the masked woman cornered another woman. Short blonde hair, long ears. A large earring was in one of her ears, but only one of them. The other was in the masked woman¡¯s hand. ¡°Hey, why did you try to do that? Aconite is your childhood friend, right?¡± Bougainvillea. The woman she called ¡°Bougainvillea¡± was dejected and trembling for a while. But then she looked up and exclaimed: ¡°What¡­ what would you know! You¡¯ve been a virgin for hundreds of years!¡± ¡°Hey, stop it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve loved Sir Aconite for a long, long time! Our encounters between the fierce battles were the bulwark that held my heart firm! I dreamed that I would be with him when the battles were over. But to think that he would marry a hairy brute in such an unseemly palace! I could not allow it!¡± ¡°What has that got to do with being a virgin?¡± ¡°I would have endured any hardship for Sir Aconite¡¯s sake! I would have killed elders or children if he¡¯d ordered me to! And after we were married, I was to serve him! I love him! I would not be out of place in his family! And yet I was told that it wouldn¡¯t look good for the captain of an assassination squad to marry a member of royalty, and that I had a dirty body because I had been captured and r?a?pe?d? by orcs during the war! You can¡¯t understand how I feel after being forced to resign by everyone around me!¡± ¡°No, I understand, you know? Even I¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say you understand! You¡¯re a virgin who doesn¡¯t know what love is!¡± ¡°No, but I mean that you also understand my feelings, that when I was defeated by an orc and not r?a?pe?d?, they said it was because I stank¡­¡± ¡°But at least you redeemed yourself when that orc proposed to you!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Mmm¡­ oh yeah. Mm. Then I guess I don¡¯t understand your feelings¡­ sorry¡­¡± The masked woman coughed as she apologized, breaking into a cold sweat. ¡°Whatever! So you let your feelings be used by the anti-Aconite faction to do this as a mere lackey.¡± The masked woman said, touching the earring with her fingertips. A drop of liquid spilled from the tip of the earring. The liquid was an eerie purple color. It was poisonous no matter which way you looked at it. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You know, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s possible that maybe he doesn¡¯t know how you feel?¡± Bougainvillea cast a worried glance at the masked woman speaking to her. But she had reached a point where she could no longer go back. Here was no Aconite, but she had been caught trying to murder a Beastman noble and force them to call off the wedding. Her future had already been decided. ¡°Since we¡¯ve come to this¡­¡± Bougainvillea pulled a dagger out of her pocket. A dagger with a sinister curve. A dagger of honor, given to those who had distinguished themselves in the assassination squads of the elven army. Bougainvillea, the most skilled member of the assassin squad, was brimming with murderous intent. ¡°He-Hey, stop! Don¡¯t do anything crazy!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill them all! Inuella and Sir Aconite! Y-You too! I-I won¡¯t accept this marriage! I¡¯ll ruin it!¡± The place was in an uproar. Some drew their swords, others put magic power into their hands. Although she was the leader of an assassination squad, Bougainvillea was alone. All those present were fierce warriors who had survived the war. There were a number of people in this room who were as good or better than Bougainvillea. ¡°Hey, Bougainvillea, I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t know how you feel. But I¡¯ve known you and Aconite since you were little kids. I didn¡¯t know you liked him, but I know you¡¯re not a bad person. You¡¯ve always been strong, and you protected that weakling Aconite from the bullies¡­¡± Bougainvillea¡¯s eyes flickered at the masked woman¡¯s words. ¡°I think it¡¯s a pity that your love was never fulfilled. I¡¯m going to give those people who called you impure a hard time just because they want to do what¡¯s best for the elves. If you wish, I can personally and publicly congratulate you on your accomplishments. Yes, I should have done that in the first place! I¡¯ve been busy with a lot of things¡­ no, actually, that¡¯s just an excuse. I¡¯ve been so busy with myself lately that I haven¡¯t paid much attention to you. Forgive me.¡± The sound of the masked woman¡¯s voice was nostalgic for Bougainvillea. In the past, when she fought with boys her own age and made them cry, the Masked Woman would come to admonish them in this way. For elves who lost their parents in the war, this person was a mother, a teacher, and an object of protection. ¡°So how about we find you a new loved one, okay? Yes. For example, how about Cymbidium? He¡¯s in the same assassination squad. He¡¯s still single, right? He may be unreliable from your point of view, but he¡¯s not a bad guy, so why don¡¯t you look at him that way? If you want, I can help you. What do you say?¡± The masked woman said that and slowly approached her. She tried not to provoke her, but to take the blade out of her hand if she had the chance. But her words were sincere. She was truly worried about Bougainvillea. ¡°¡­!¡± But Bougainvillea realized. She realized that she was now pointing her blade at someone she should never have. ¡°So, hey, please. Can you give me that dagger?¡± Then the masked woman gently touched Bougainvillea¡¯s cheek. At the gentle touch, Bougainvillea relaxed. With a clatter, the dagger fell. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± With a lot of tears and snot, she uttered those words. That was the end of an incident and a love story. CH 41.4 Silviana was in prison when Bash left. She knew from Nazar¡¯s testimony that she had been manipulated by the enemy, but she herself had asked the queen to punish her. She did not believe that a simple prison sentence would redeem her for what she had done. She thought the real way to take responsibility was to join the strike team immediately and cover her own ass. Still, she needed to be punished to set an example and to think about what she had done. ¡°¡­¡± In the dark, damp cell, Silviana meditated with her legs crossed. She had many regrets in her mind, but also many questions about the future. She often wondered what the enemy would do, what the seeds of the Sacred Tree were, how they would be used and, depending on how they were used, what countermeasures could be taken and, if so, what their future moves would be. Then a woman visited her. ¡°Silviana.¡± Silviana looked up at the woman¡¯s voice. And her eyes widened as she saw her face. Among her sisters, her face was characterized as the one with the strongest animal-like features, with the head of a dog, but the whole face radiated an atmosphere of gentleness. ¡°Sister!¡± It was the third princess, Inuella. She was the protagonist of the wedding ceremony that had been canceled due to the recent commotion. Silviana uncrossed her legs and prostrated herself like a dog. ¡°I apologize for ruining the celebration with my superficial behavior.¡± ¡°Yes, I know. I¡¯m a little disappointed.¡± Silviana¡¯s forehead broke into a cold sweat. Her sister had been looking forward to this wedding for a long time. Even if she apologized, she couldn¡¯t expect it to be enough. ¡°But it¡¯s okay. A wedding is only an external thing.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m happy to be with the one I love.¡± Inuella laughed happily. ¡°Rather, you seem much calmer now that I see you.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess.¡± ¡°Yes, you seemed a little tense before, even when you were talking to us.¡± Silviana touched her face. Even she didn¡¯t know why, but she had an idea. ¡°I always thought that I would avenge Uncle Leto. That I would restore the trampled pride of the Beastmen, that I would make the Orcs pay¡­¡± ¡°You loved Uncle Leto more than anyone¡­¡± ¡°But after meeting and speaking with Bash, the Orc Hero, I realized I was wrong. Sir Bash did not abandon Uncle Leto by his own choice, not that he was not proud of his victory.¡± ¡°But it was the war, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes. And the war is over. Sir Bash understood that better than anyone, and I, a fool, didn¡¯t¡­ but it¡¯s clear to me now.¡± He had taught her. Silviana felt strangely satisfied with her own words. Yes, she felt that the Orc Hero was being patient with her. Normally, when Silviana approached him, it would not have been unusual for him to apologize and leave. But he didn¡¯t, instead he told her casually that he was proud of his fight with Leto. As if he was explaining something to a child who didn¡¯t want to hear it. Like Leto, who once patiently taught Silviana, a child without much of a future, many things. ¡°I saw Sir Bash at the wedding, and he seemed to have a similar vibe to Uncle Leto.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hehehe, I can¡¯t believe you nodded so clearly¡­ I wonder if the next wedding will be a friendship wedding between the orcs and the beastmen?¡± ¡°P-Please don¡¯t make fun of me.¡± She remembered Bash¡¯s proposal. She told herself it was to admonish her, but as she remembered, it was very passionate. Without meaning to, her cheeks grew hot, ¡°Bash, the Orc Hero, is a great man. A shallow little girl like me is not worthy to be his wife.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± ¡°Yes, I do.¡± Silviana turned her head as if to say, ¡°Is that all you have to say?¡± It was uncomfortable to be seen blushing, even if she was in the middle of a punishment. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay. I was a little worried about you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I caused you trouble.¡± Silviana apologized, but she was thinking. She thought that if she became a little less shallow, a little more balanced, then¡­ Frizcop: Tomorrow, we start a new arc. CH 42.1 Chapter 42. Heavy rain Frizcop: We¡¯re starting the new arc: Arc 5. Succubus Country, Vengeful Siblings It was raining. The sky was lit up by lightning, and large raindrops fell to the ground in response. A strong wind blew so hard that a normal warrior would not be able to stand. For Bash, it was like a shower after training. ¡°It¡¯s not going to stop, is it?¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± It had been a few days since Bash left Lycant, the capital of the Beastmen Nation. The rain that had begun to fall during the journey seemed to stop soon, but it grew heavier and heavier, eventually turning into a storm. The storm showed no signs of abating and continued to shake the forest for days. ¡°The outlook is a bit bleak.¡± Zell climbed to the top of the forest several times to scout, but the rain made visibility so poor that she couldn¡¯t see a hundred meters ahead. However, Zell was an experienced fairy, and she was able to determine the direction of the target using PRV, or ¡°probably,¡± ¡°roughly,¡± and ¡°vaguely.¡± It was perfect. ¡°The land of demons is that way! The weather is bad, but we can¡¯t let it dampen our spirits!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The heavy rains had caused the rivers to overflow, flooding all parts of the forest and filling the supposedly passable roads with muddy water. Bash, sometimes waist-deep in water, continued in the direction Zell led him. The Demons. This race was the one the Alliance feared the most, for it was the strongest of all and the leader of the Federation. So when the Alliance made peace, they decided to push the Demon Nation to the edge of the continent. The land was barren and surrounded by steep mountains and cliffs in the northwestern part of the continent. They gave the Demons the land of least strategic value and enclosed them. Therefore, to enter the country, one had to cross a large valley. Argadia Valley. It was extremely deep and wide, with a river flowing at the bottom. The river flowed so violently that even a low-level warrior would have difficulty crossing it without using a bridge. There were several bridges across the valley indeed, but there were always checkpoints. The bridges were fortified and operated under the control of the Four Races Alliance. That¡¯s how much the Demon race was feared. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that the border?¡± Standing high in the forest, she began to see something faintly in front of her. It was a familiar stone structure from the time of the war. It was a Human fortress. ¡°It¡¯s impressive.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very dangerous area. Borders are also made to be strong. Maybe¡­¡± This was the checkpoint that separated the border with the Demon Nation. Turned into a fortress, the checkpoint was incredibly imposing. Every part of it was painted with resistant paint, and magic circles had been painted at key points. Human architecture, dwarven resistant paint, and elven magic circles. This was Beastmen territory, but each race had worked together to build a place that would serve as a lookout for the Demon Country. Of course, Bash and Zell had no way of knowing this. The entrance to the checkpoint was locked with a thick iron gate, a human specialty. It only opened when someone with a legitimate pass showed up. Yes, like Bash, for example. ¡°They¡¯re being careless, aren¡¯t they? They left the doors open.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± But the gates of such a fortress were open. The thick double doors shook with a creaking sound as they were blown by the violent wind. ¡°¡­Something happened.¡± Bash unsheathed the sword he carried on his back. His lifelong battle instincts had sensed a dangerous presence. ¡°I don¡¯t smell blood¡­¡± ¡°No sign of people either.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll scout around first.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you¡­¡± Zell entered the fortress. Bash followed, not letting his guard down. ¡°What is this?¡± What was spread out there was an eerie scene. A desk with papers on it, a collapsed chair. Smashed bookshelves. Letters in pieces on the floor. There had been a fight here, Bash decided. He knew well that this was the kind of scene left behind when someone suddenly attacked a place no one expected. But something was missing: bodies and blood. If there had been a fight, they would undoubtedly be here. The furniture and letters were too messy for anyone to have cleaned up the bodies and bloodstains. ¡°¡­Mmm.¡± There was no trace of anyone or anything that could have created this scene. Bash walked across the room, staring blankly, but on guard for anything he saw. Bash passed through the creepy place and reached the end of the passage, the entrance to Demon Country¡­ in other words, the exit from the fortress. At the end of the passage, which was wide enough for carriages to pass, a large doorway swung out into the storm, just as it had at the entrance. Looking inside, through the storm-shattered door, he saw that the stone bridge over the valley was soaked from the heavy rain. The stone bridge was also crumbling. There was no doubt that there had been a fierce battle. ¡°Mister¡­¡± And then Zell came back. She flew around the fortress and informed him of the situation with her body language. ¡°The inside of the fortress is empty. I don¡¯t even know what happened. But I¡¯m sure someone made a fuss in here and made the bodies disappear.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Bash relaxed his shoulders. He would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t curious about what had happened here. But it probably had nothing to do with him and his partner. ¡°But this is a problem. If there¡¯s no one at the door, we could be suspected of sneaking into the country.¡± ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Zell looked around at the scattered papers. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Humans usually write orders on a piece of paper. So, Mister, why don¡¯t you write on a piece of paper that you were here?¡± ¡°I see, we can do that, can¡¯t we?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll write it down then. ¡®The Orc Hero, passed this way¡¯.¡± CH 42.2 A note. It was an act rarely used by orcs and fairies alike. There were only a few orcs and fairies who could write. Zell, however, could read and write. There were only a handful of fairies who could read, and even fewer who could write. And if they could write in a handwriting that other fairies could recognize, they could be counted on one hand or less. Therefore, Zell had earned the title ¡°Zell the Writing Prodigy¡± in the fairy land. ¡°I think this will be enough¡­ although I¡¯m a little worried about this situation.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you know if I run into any human soldiers.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± If it had been wartime, the two of them would have sensed the danger from the state of the fortress and returned to their homelands to inform them of the situation. But now they were not at war, and they had a purpose. With that in mind, they could not make it a priority to tell anyone that the fort was empty. ¡°So, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Aye, Captain!¡± Bash sheathed his sword on his back and walked into the storm. The rain, which had picked up speed due to the storm, pounded Bash¡¯s body, but it was only raindrops, nothing more than a drizzle compared to the water magic he had been subjected to during the war. Still, the rain was enough to blur Bash¡¯s vision. ¡°Hm!¡± When he felt a sensation of discomfort, it was too late. Was it caused by the rain, or was it caused when someone attacked the fortress? There was a large crack running across the stone bridge. And the crack widened with a crackling sound the moment Bash put his foot on it¡­ The bridge collapsed. ¡°Mi-Mister!?¡± Bash heard Zell¡¯s cries and fell helplessly into the river. ¡õ Bash was a warrior of many battles. He had fought and defeated all sorts of enemies. But he was neither invincible nor immortal. This is not good¡­ The river, which had grown in size due to the storm, had turned into a river of mud, spinning Bash¡¯s body violently and slamming him helplessly against the rock wall again and again. Was he weak against the water? No, he was not. Orcs were forest people, but during the war there were many battlefields near water. There were few warriors who could not swim. However, when he was swallowed by the muddy water in a place where he could not stand, even Bash could not free his body. My breath¡­ Orcs could hold their breath many times longer than humans. Among the many orcs who could hold their breath, Bash was one of the best. Whether it was in a place where the oxygen had been severely depleted by fire or in water, it was the same. Holding one¡¯s breath in this way was also an important quality for an Orc warrior. But there were limits. ¡°Gwabo¡­¡± Soon, a puff of air came from Bash¡¯s mouth. His eyes widened and strength left his stiff body. Bash¡¯s body, which had been kicking at the bottom of the river at every opportunity, trying to get up even a little, sank under the weight of the sword and began to roll along the bottom of the river. Bash would never float on the surface again. Or so he thought. ¡°¡­?¡± Suddenly, Bash¡¯s body stopped spinning. In his fading consciousness, Bash saw something. Something was moving in the water. Though he strained his eyes, he could not make out its shape. Was it merging with the water, or was it the water itself? But the presence gently enveloped Bash. Breathing, which should have been painful, suddenly became easier. His stance stabilized, and he no longer hit the river bottom or the rocks. Was it¡­ a spirit¡­? Was it from the river, the clouds, or the storm? He didn¡¯t know what it was, but he knew it was a spirit that belonged to the water. Bash had never seen spirits, but he had heard of their existence. They were all over the world, free and unrestrained, sometimes helping people, sometimes taking revenge. Whatever it is, I should be grateful. Bash thanked the spirit as he was swept through the water of the dreamscape. It laughed, though he didn¡¯t know if the spirit had received his words or not. For some reason, Bash thought the spirit was trying to tell him something. The nature of spirits was capricious. They did not help people willingly. Except for those who were loved by the spirits, even those people had interacted with them repeatedly from a young age. But Bash had never had this experience. But even those who were not loved by the spirits might have to grant them a wish. Those who disregarded this wish were doomed to great misfortune. Such a legend existed in the land of the orcs. So Bash tried to listen to the Water Spirit¡¯s words. What does it say? How could he understand it? Only those who had repeatedly interacted with spirits since childhood could understand their language. Or if it was a wind spirit, Zell would have heard it. The fairy was not afraid to say that she was a friend of the wind spirits. Guh¡­ Bash¡¯s consciousness faded. The spirit in front of him made movements as if it wanted to communicate, but he still couldn¡¯t understand it. Was this really reality, or was it just an illusion he was seeing on the brink of death? Without knowing it, Bash¡¯s consciousness fell into a deep darkness. CH 43.1 Chapter 43. Proposal ¡°Screeee!¡± A sudden cry echoed through the air and Bash jumped to his feet. Grabbing something nearby, he stood up, dropped to his knees, and drew the sword at his back. ¡°Geho¡­ gabo, gahah¡­¡± He spat out a large amount of water, coughing unconsciously. Bash wiped his mouth and looked around. The owner of the cry, the creature that made Bash jump, had to be there. The place was probably on the edge of a cliff. The river¡¯s growth limited visibility, but the water had risen to where the cliff had once been, and Bash was trapped in one of the trees growing on the edge. The forest stretched out in front of him, and three beings were visible. Two humans with their backs to him. The humans were facing a demonic beast. It was a demonic beast of about 5 meters, with the head of an eagle, the body of a lion, and huge wings: a griffin. Its cry should have frightened Bash. The water spirit was trying to tell Bash something. He didn¡¯t know what it was. Or maybe it was a dream he had while dying. Maybe it had nothing to tell him and was just saving him on a whim. But Bash thought about the connection. What had happened in the water had a meaning. It was intuition, so to speak. And that intuition had saved him many times before. Bash quickly surveyed the situation. Two people with their backs to him. One on their knees, bleeding. The other holding their shoulder to help them up. Bash had seen this scene many times before. They had fought and lost. To the griffin. And now they were about to die. Are you asking me to help these two¡­? Bash came to this conclusion immediately. Otherwise, it would not have led him to this place. ¡°Graaaaaaaaaaaaoooou!¡± He let out a war cry. It was the griffin that moved the most in response to his sudden roar. It lifted its head, which it had kept low in the direction of the two humans, and spotted Bash, the owner of the war cry. A second later, it had Bash in its sights. Perhaps it saw Bash as the biggest threat here, or perhaps it thought its prey was about to be captured by another, and with a flap of its huge wings, it soared into the air and swooped down on Bash in a straight line. It had to be a young griffin. If it had been a cunning griffin, it would have fled without looking as soon as it saw Bash. But either way, as long as Bash was ready to attack, the result was the same. Bash struck from above. ¡°Gugeh¡­¡± The griffin was sliced in half with a single blow. The beast fell into the muddy stream behind Bash, uttering a horrible scream that was hard to believe came from a griffin. ¡°¡­¡± Bash looked back after making sure the griffin did not come out of the muddy stream. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°What-what was¡­?¡± There were three stunned people. The one kneeling with wounds all over his body was a boy. He had reddish-black skin and a horn sprouting from his forehead. He had the features of an ogre, but his body was small and thin for an ogre. Or perhaps he had a strong mixture of human blood. Crouching beside the boy was a girl. She was an ogre, too, and probably still young. Her horns sprouted from her forehead, but they were still small, and her body was a size smaller than the boy¡¯s. If he had to guess her age, he¡¯d say she was ten. And there was one more. There was a woman who had been hiding in the shadow of the griffin. ¡°What a great surprise. An Orc has emerged from the muddy waters.¡± Despite what she said, the tone of her words was indifferent, no surprise in her voice. However, it was a beautiful voice, like the sound of bells, that made Bash¡¯s heart tremble. ¡­What a beautiful voice. The woman, who was probably human, stood with a sword. ¡­What a beautiful body!!!! And what was most striking was her body. She had a slim silhouette. The contours of her buttocks and breasts were the most beautiful he had ever seen. The curves, neither too small nor too large, seemed to convey her natural grandeur, and the proportions made him want to embrace her. She was sexually attractive, but that wasn¡¯t all. She was strong. From the shape of the muscles in her body, he could tell that she was a talented warrior. Beautiful muscles. Not too many, but well developed. Muscles every warrior would want. She was comparable to the human prince Nazar or the hero Leto. Or even better than Bash. A great body. The child she would have would definitely be strong. Orcs desired female knights because they knew that strong women bore strong children. It was their instinct to be intensely attracted to strong women. All that was needed was an attractive face. But the face of the woman in front of him was hidden. A white cloth was wrapped around her face, covering everything but her eyes. This made it impossible to see what this woman with the best body looked like. But that probably didn¡¯t mean much to Bash. ¡°Beautiful¡­¡± He realized that these words came out of his mouth spontaneously. Or maybe it was his recent experience with other women that made him say such flattering words. It was the result of training. ¡°Beautiful¡­?¡± The woman looked around and pointed at herself in case he meant her. Bash nodded his head. There was no other woman. There was an ogre girl, but she was too young to be a woman. ¡°Hahaha, Orc. How do you know I¡¯m beautiful without looking at my face?¡± The woman laughed, but her tone was still indifferent. It was as if she had been told an unfunny joke. CH 43.2 ¡°I¡¯m sure of it, even if I can¡¯t look at your face.¡± ¡°Wow, you¡¯re quite the ladies¡¯ man, Orc.¡± The woman laughed this time. Then she put her hand to the cloth on her face. ¡°Even with this ugly face hidden under the cloth?¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡± What appeared under the mask was a face with ugly scars. Half of her face was covered with burns or something, and on top of that was a large sword wound. The only part of her face that was intact was near her left eye. In fact, the ogre children groaned and shuddered at the sight of her face. The wound was that bad. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, wounds are the pride of warriors.¡± He could have said that, maybe because of his recent seduction trip. If the first thing he had seen on his journey had been that burned and scarred face, he would have frowned. After all, the face was an important factor in finding a wife. But Bash had seen all kinds of beautiful women on this journey. Starting with Judith, a human; to Thunder Sonia, an elf; Primera, a dwarf and Silviana, a beastwoman. All of them had beautiful skin and no scars on their faces. But that was not the case with all the other beautiful women. For example, the elf women he saw in Siwanasi Forest had large scars on their faces. However, their beauty was not marred by their scars, and Bash did not hesitate to propose to them. That¡¯s right, beauty had nothing to do with scars. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m glad to hear you say that, even after seeing this face.¡± The woman¡¯s tone was indifferent, but her mouth was relaxed. ¡°Anyway, what do orcs do with a beautiful woman in front of them? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll try to throw me to the ground and r?a?pe? me, won¡¯t you? Well, well, you¡¯ve just come out of the muddy waters, aren¡¯t you too lively?¡± ¡°No, sexual intercourse without consent is forbidden in the name of the Orc King.¡± ¡°Oh, then why the war cry?¡± Bash looked at the ogres. Seeing this, the woman nodded her head as if she understood. ¡°Oh, so¡­ even orcs help people, huh? So, what you just said was just a compliment to soften my attitude¡­ haha, I never thought I¡¯d be flattered by an orc again¡­ that¡¯s really disgusting. I¡¯m going to kill you.¡± ¡°When I said you were beautiful, I meant it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it. You just show up out of nowhere and say things that don¡¯t make sense? I mean, what are you up to?¡± The woman nodded. But Bash had no intention of contradicting her. So he answered truthfully. ¡°I want to make you my wife.¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± The woman laughed out loud. It was not an indifferent laugh, but as if something that had been held back was about to burst forth. ¡°Ah, forgive me. I laughed at your sudden proposal, but I wasn¡¯t making fun of it. When my face ended up like this, I gave up on the idea of becoming someone¡¯s wife. In fact, no one has made a pass at me since then. So this is a first. I¡¯ve never been courted with such a serious face.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And I liked it more than I thought I would. I was amused at my own reaction.¡± It was the most positive impression Bash had had so far. Because, in a way, it was an answer that could be taken as accepting. ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°But, Orc, you can¡¯t help people and suggest something like that at the same time. Especially in this situation. ¡° The woman looked to the side. The two ogre children were at the other end of her gaze. They looked at Bash with anxious faces. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re an orc. You can throw me down while you help them and r?a?pe? me as you please.¡± ¡°As I said, sexual intercourse without consent is forbidden in the name of¡­¡± ¡°The Orc King. Yes. You seem to be a well-educated Orc who faithfully obeys the rules set forth by the Orc King. I can¡¯t make out your orc face, but if I look closely, you¡äre handsome. No, is it the flattery from earlier? Anyway, Orc, it¡¯s good to be serious, but it¡¯s not good to be too strict. I basically said, ¡®If you win, you can do whatever you want¡¯. Doesn¡¯t that mean I agree?¡± It was a difficult question. If Zell had been here, he would have discussed it with her right away. And Zell would have given him a clear answer. ¡°So, come on.¡± The woman turned her palm up and signaled him with a small gesture. ¡°Why are you provoking me?¡± ¡°Because you killed my beloved griffin. After that I have to go home. And of course I would want to kill you for that, too, wouldn¡¯t I? But, well, I also have a troublesome personality, and I can¡¯t just jump on the bandwagon and swing my sword at someone who took the trouble to tell me that I¡¯m beautiful now. So if you come at me, I¡¯ll have no choice but to swing my sword.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, I mean it. Oh, and don¡¯t worry too much about the griffin. I was attached to him, but not that I care. We had a brief relationship. You don¡¯t have to take it so seriously, like I¡¯m out to avenge him or something.¡± Bash, however, was confused. He didn¡¯t know what the woman meant or where the conversation was going. What was she trying to do? He still wasn¡¯t sure what he should do. ¡°What do you want to do now? Orc, if it¡¯s okay with you, I think I¡¯ll leave. I wanted to kill those two because they were too much trouble, but if you stand in my way, I¡¯ll give up. If you stand there and tell me I¡¯m beautiful, then I really have no choice.¡± Finally, the woman forced Bash to make a decision. ¡°¡­Nnngh.¡± Bash thought, confused. He had two choices: Continue to propose to the woman and take her as his wife, or give up his proposal, grant the water spirit¡¯s (possible) wish, and save the children. I don¡¯t get it! Or, if there had been someone here, say Houston ¡°The Pig Killer¡±, he could have told him not to be fooled. There had to be a way to have both, and what the woman said about agreeing to ¡°throw her down and r?a?pe? her¡± and save the siblings. You can do it, he¡¯d told him. If only he knew what was happening. But Bash was the only one here, and with his options limited by the woman¡¯s arguments, he couldn¡¯t think of anything else to do. There were two options. Normally, Bash would have chosen the first; the woman herself said she was fine with it. He didn¡¯t have Zell¡¯s support here, but she could still be his wife if he just said the right words. He had had many chances before, but this was the greatest of them all. After all, she had accepted his proposal. The purpose of Bash¡¯s journey was to find a wife. If he achieved that goal, the lives of these ogre children he didn¡¯t even know would be a small price to pay. However, it was also true that the water spirit had saved his life a few minutes ago. The water spirit was trying to convey some kind of wish to Bash. It wanted Bash to do something. It was just a hunch, but there was no doubt about it. Otherwise, there would be no reason for it to save him in the first place. Bash had never been loved by the spirits in his life, so it wasn¡¯t possible that he had been brought to this place to take a suitable wife. If that was the case, it must have been because of the spirit¡¯s desire to save the children¡¯s lives. If he disobeyed the spirit¡¯s wish, great misfortune would befall him¡­ If that was the case¡­ ¡°I will save these two.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave this place. I¡¯m still a busy woman, and I have things to do.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then, goodbye. If you two have learned your lesson, you can go home.¡± The woman said this and started walking in the downpour. Without getting her feet buried in the mud, she disappeared deep into the forest in an instant. She had very long legs. After all, she was a worthy warrior, as Bash had first noticed. ¡°Oh, wai¡­!¡± The boy reached for the woman¡¯s back, but his hand fell effortlessly. The hand fell into a puddle of water created by the heavy rain and was held up in frustration. The boy looked up slightly to see Bash. ¡°Thanks for saving us¡­¡± Bash nodded at the boy¡¯s words. But he also thought it might have been unnecessary. The boy was trembling as he looked down. The girl crouched beside him, looking at Bash with a disgusted expression. Like the orcs, many ogres were warriors. It was not uncommon for them to seek battle, or even a place to die in battle, like stray orcs. Maybe he was interrupting them. But the next moment the boy stood up and spoke. ¡°I was impressed by your swordsmanship just now! Please make me your student!¡± The sudden words were drowned out by the sound of the rain and did not echo. But they certainly reached Bash¡¯s ears. CH 44.1 Orc Hero Story Chapter 44. The first apprentice The heavy downpour continued. Bash and the Ogre siblings took shelter in a nearby cave, not wanting to stand outside talking in the rain. The three of them now faced each other around a campfire. ¡°I want to thank you again. I am Ludo, son of the great warrior Lula Lula. This is my sister Luka.¡± Ludo, son of Lula Lula, the Ogre Great Warrior. Luka, daughter of Lula Lula, the Ogre Great Warrior. This was how the twins introduced themselves. ¡°I¡¯m Bash.¡± The moment he said that, the younger sister, who had been looking at Bash with curiosity, looked up with a start. ¡°Bash!? You don¡¯t mean that Sir Bash who became the Orc Hero after the war, do you!?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Your prowess has been passed on to the Ogres as well! It¡¯s an honor to meet you!¡± Noticing her attitude, Ludo turned to look at her. ¡°Eh, so he¡¯s someone famous?¡± ¡°My brother has yet more to learn. If we¡¯re talking about Sir Bash, the Orc Hero, he¡¯s a great hero on par with our mother! Without Sir Bash, we would have lost many battles!¡± Luka¡¯s eyes sparkled as she looked at Bash. She was like a child looking at a hero from a fairy tale. From Bash¡¯s point of view, it was a familiar look. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re the real one?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can you swear by the Orc King that you are the real one?¡± ¡°I swear it by Nemesis, the Orc King.¡± ¡°He is the real one!¡± Normally, swearing by the Orc King Nemesis was not something that could be done so easily. But for a child it was okay. It was normal for Orcs to lie to children. Of course, it was not a lie that Bash was Bash, nor that he was a warrior who could swear by the Orc King Nemesis. ¡°But you are the son and daughter of Miss Lula Lula?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°How is she now?¡± Lula Lula, the Great Warrior. She had many titles, but the most famous was ¡°Frozen Eyes¡±. Lula Lula of the Frozen Eyes. She was a famous warrior. She was a three-eyed ogre. Three-eyed ogres were not that rare. However, her three eyes were born with a blue glow, and from them came ice spears that impaled all of her enemies. Of course, that wasn¡¯t her only strength, for she was a warrior known as a Great Warrior. Bash had also seen her on the battlefield several times, holding a metal club in each hand and lunging forward. He remembered seeing her turn several human soldiers into pieces of flesh with a single blow, using her tremendous physical strength and ogre-like agility. During the war, she was said to be one of the candidates to become the next Chief. And even if she did not become the Chief, they were sure that she would be one of the leading figures of the ogre race. Besides, her appearance was more than beautiful. She was a favorite. If she had not died or gotten married, Bash might have attacked. However, the ogre race held a higher rank in the Alliance than the orcs. It was considered the greatest humiliation for an ogre woman to be impregnated by someone of a lower rank. No matter how much of an Orc Hero Bash was, he would never be taken seriously. Of course, Bash had no intention of making a move on the younger sister. In another 10 years, or at least 5, she would grow up to be a beautiful ogre woman, but right now she was not to Bash¡¯s liking. The orcs did not consider a woman who was not old enough to bear children to be a woman. ¡°She is dead.¡± It was Ludo who answered. ¡°I see. Was it an illness?¡± ¡°She fell in battle.¡± ¡°A warrior of that caliber¡­¡± Bash grunted. In his memory, she had been a particularly strong warrior. Very strong indeed. ¡°That¡¯s the thing. By the end of the war, anyone could have died.¡± However, Bash knew several warriors who were better than that. For example, Thunder Sonia, the Great Elven Archmage, or Leto, the Hero, would have been able to defeat even Lula Lula. Or even if not, they were outnumbered at the end of the war. Even if their troops were not as strong as Lula Lula in a one-on-one fight, they would be able to defeat her if they gathered a thousand or ten thousand men. ¡°No, sir. My mother was killed after the war.¡± ¡°In a duel?¡± Ogres, like Orcs, were a warlike race. They were stoic and strong-willed, unlike the orcs, who were drunkards and womanizers. When they weren¡¯t drinking or mating, they trained, and duels were fought to test the results of their training. ¡°No, she was killed by foul means at the hands of a despicable person.¡± ¡°What? How could they have killed her?¡± ¡°Well, we don¡¯t know how they actually fought¡­ but I don¡¯t think my mother, who was so strong, would have lost in a hand-to-hand fight. And her body was left there. Of course, with dirty methods. That¡¯s why we went on this journey to avenge her death.¡± Today, the world as a whole strives to remain peaceful. In this peaceful world, ¡°revenge¡± was not encouraged. War was a thing of the past. Even though there were some hard feelings, the leaders of each country had decided to put the past behind them for the time being. However, not everyone was in favor of this development, as some orcs became wanderers as they could not agree with the Orc King¡¯s decision. Some traveled across the continent to avenge their parents killed in the war. But Bash didn¡¯t know that. ¡°Is this about the woman from before?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bash remembered her. A swordswoman with the best body, her face marked with the honor of a warrior. He couldn¡¯t even ask her name¡­ At the very least, she must have been a fierce fighter who eventually made a name for herself. Even without having fought, he could tell with a single glance that she was an impressive warrior. CH 44.2 ¡°Will you challenge her again?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­You can¡¯t win.¡± The boy before him, on the other hand, was, in a word: inadequate. He might have trained well, but he was far from being strong enough to fight the swordswoman. If the woman felt like it, she would chop off his head in a heartbeat. ¡°Tsk¡­ I know!¡± Ludo bit his lower lip in frustration, but he looked at Bash and told him clearly. ¡°But I¡¯m going to challenge her and win next time.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Bash didn¡¯t feel like stopping him. Sometimes a warrior had to face an opponent he couldn¡¯t beat and win. And if he lost, he died. That was it. ¡°¡­¡± Ludo then drew his sword and held it out in front of Bash. Bash did not move an inch. If it had cut him, he would have counterattacked, but there was no sign of it. ¡°That¡¯s why! I beg you one more time! I know it¡¯s impolite to ask such a thing of you, Orc Hero. I beg you one more time! Please make me your apprentice!¡± If this were a bar in the orc country, the place would have been in an uproar. First of all, everyone would have stood up and threatened the boy. ¡°Who the hell do you think you¡¯re talking to?¡±, ¡°You¡¯re being rude!¡±, ¡°Get in line. I¡¯m going to be Sir Bash¡¯s first apprentice.¡± ¡°No, me. I¡¯ll be first.¡± ¡­And from then on it would be a fist fight. When all was said and done, all that would be left would be the destroyed bar, dead orcs, and only Bash standing. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Had it been Bash back then, he would have refused immediately. A veteran¡¯s duty was to nurture young warriors, but now Bash was a man traveling for another purpose. He had no time to worry about the boy. ¡°Brother, you are being rude. That you would ask such a thing of Sir Bash¡­¡± ¡°But Luka, you saw what he did before. If we learn from his sword, we¡¯ll definitely be able to defeat her¡­¡± However, there was one thing that bothered him about the twins in front of him. There is also the water spirit¡¯s desire. The water spirit was trying to tell him something. Bash guessed that the wish would be to save the twins. And that wish had just come true. But would a spirit go to the trouble of telling an orc with whom it had no relationship? By nature, a spirit would never reveal itself to someone with whom it had no connection. If that were the case, he felt he should do something else. What did the spirit want Bash to do with the twins? If Zell were here, she could explain its intentions to him¡­ ¡­ Spirits were demanding and capricious beings. When they were angry, even the fairies who were close to the wind spirits were scared to death. He had heard many anecdotes: A dwarf village that angered a fire spirit was destroyed by a volcanic eruption; a human village that angered a water spirit was wiped out by a terrible storm; a lizardmen village that angered an earth spirit was swallowed by a fissure in the ground; a fairy who offended a wind spirit was once swept away by a sudden tornado, only to be spared after a night on her knees in the air. Spirits were not to be offended. Everyone who lived on this continent understood that. For example, if Bash had left the place and said, ¡°I saved them, that¡¯s enough¡±. If that was not what the spirit wanted, it might get angry. Wait¡­ no, so that¡¯s it? Suddenly, Bash remembered Lula Lula of the Frozen Eyes. She was a beloved of the spirits, he remembered. She was an ogre with little aptitude for magic, but the fact that she cast ice magic with such vigor was proof of that. It would not be surprising if the water spirit was allied with the twins and wanted to help them get revenge. Or maybe one of them was loved by the water spirit. Either way, it was possible that the spirit wanted the twins to succeed in their revenge. Bash made this judgment based on the little information he had. ¡°Very well. But only until the rematch with this woman. I have my own goals, too.¡± He didn¡¯t know how much he could help. But thinking about the future, he couldn¡¯t not do what the spirit asked him to do. ¡°Really, thank you very much!¡± Ludo bowed his head. If this were the orc country, the other orcs would have cheered. They would be disappointed that they had not been chosen, but if Bash had recognized him as his apprentice, that was something to celebrate. He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he even jumped into the air. ¡°So, Bash¡­ no, what is your purpose, Master?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°I see. I understand.¡± Ludo wasn¡¯t interested and didn¡¯t pursue the matter. Bash was grateful. It was hard to explain when you were asked to get to the root of a problem. ¡°Anyway, this will be very helpful. I look forward to working with you in the short time you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if you will defeat her, but I¡¯ll train you somehow.¡± ¡°Yes, please!¡± So Ludo became Bash¡¯s apprentice. The de facto number one apprentice. That was what young men in Orc country said when they talked about their dreams, rubbing the bridge of their noses, stammering and a little embarrassed. It was a more than dignified position. Ludo was delighted, and Luka, on the other hand, had a worried look on her face. But neither of them noticed. CH 44.3 The rain did not let up. Bash stood in front of Ludo outside the cave in the middle of the huge storm. It was raining terribly, but rain of this magnitude was a regular occurrence on the battlefield. Bash had nothing to worry about. Ludo, however, was struggling to stay on his feet, nearly blown away by the wind. Ludo¡¯s target was Bashe¡¯s sword. And he had two swords in each hand, as if he had learned from Lula Lula of the ¡°Frozen Eyes¡±. The way he held them in his hands was quite regal. ¡°Come whenever you want!¡± Bash said loudly so that his words would not be drowned out by the sound of the rain, and Ludo nodded his head. ¡°Uooooooooh!¡± With Ludo¡¯s yell, he let out a powerful blow. Bash met it with his great sword. ¡­This is it! Bash¡¯s eyes widened at the weight and sharpness of the blow. It was the son of Lula Lula of the Frozen Eyes, and it was the one who wanted to avenge her death. If they had killed Lula Lula, even with dirty methods, then it had to be a very good warrior. Even in Bash¡¯s estimation, the swordswoman was quite skilled. Ludo assured him that he would be able to defeat such an opponent ¡°next time¡±. If that was the case, Bash braced himself for the impact of a blow that, contrary to his appearance, would be quite heavy. But¡­ ¡°Oops, as expected from you, Master! Not even with all my strength in one blow could I drive you back!¡± Bash did not back down. ¡­¡­ He just leaned forward against the swords that were so light. And with such a trivial movement, Ludo was repulsed. ¡°Then I will continue!¡± Hearing these words, Bash braced himself again. Ludo¡¯s speed seemed to have increased slightly. What came next was probably a barrage of blows. Yes, Lula Lula had great physical strength, but her speed was also tremendous. The continuous blows from the two metal clubs overwhelmed even Dandelion, the great elven swordsman of ¡°quick decision and quick blood¡±. Therefore, he imagined that Ludo was also a kind of warrior who did not compete for his physical strength, but for his speed. There were many warriors who stood out for their speed. However, Bash had never fallen behind against this type of warrior. Often considered a warrior with superior strength, Bash¡¯s speed was also above average. The hero was not only a man of strength. Those who fought the Orc Hero and survived would remember his sword and say: ¡°His sword? I tremble just remembering it¡­ Anyway, don¡¯t even try it. I have no doubts. For example, I could cast three spells while you wield your sword, right? I¡¯m pretty fast, if I do say so myself. There are at most three people I can think of who can cast magic at that speed¡­ Bash would make three slashes at the same speed that I cast my three spells. That¡¯s how fast he is. Of course, Nazar and the others are faster. But Bash¡¯s sword is heavier. Even a single strike would break a magic barrier, and the impact is like being hit with a club. My barrier, you ask? I, the Great Elven Archmage Thunder Sonia, have seen my own barrier shattered, and moreover¡­¡± I¡¯m going to cut it in half because it¡¯s too long, but she¡¯d say something like this. Let¡¯s continue. I could have killed him three times¡­ Bash had this impression when he received Ludo¡¯s sword without any problems. The Orc Hero usually didn¡¯t comment on others. It made no sense for him to judge those below him. However, there were times when he looked at an enemy in front of him and judged whether he was strong or weak, whether he could be defeated or not. Based on this experience, if he had to judge Ludo¡­ Whether in strength or speed, he was below average¡­ he was weak, too weak¡­ Bash looked around, as if worried. In front of him was a cave. At the entrance of the cave was a girl. Ludo¡¯s sister, Luka, was it? She looked at Ludo with a worried expression, but when she caught Bash¡¯s gaze, her expression changed to one of sadness, and she returned a look of apology. He was sure that she knew. Even if Ludo was trained a little from now on, there was no future where he could defeat the woman. ¡­ He would have to train him in a short time to the point where he could defeat the one who had killed Lula Lula of the ¡°Frozen Eyes¡±, even if she used dirty methods¡­ The difficulty of this training made Bash feel dizzy. Even when the human knight ¡°Sir Assis, the Giant Killer¡± hit him in the head with full force, he had never felt so dizzy. What should I do? Thirty minutes later. Bash, in front of Ludo, who was lying on his back, panting breathlessly and saying ¡°wow¡±. He was his apprentice now, but he didn¡¯t know what to teach someone so weak. Orcs did not train, except in infancy. They were born with the instinct to fight, and without being taught anything, they grew up to be warriors naturally. If they were not, they would die, so they were naturally eliminated. But even these orcs had a desire to improve. Bash had never taught anyone how to use a sword. Although it was the duty of the veterans to train their successors, he had never been asked to be a master. Almost every young man wanted to be Bash¡¯s apprentice, but no one could say it out loud, so it didn¡¯t happen. However, in the orc country, he had been asked to ¡°fight¡± several times, especially by the king¡¯s sons. They would look at Bash with bright eyes and say, ¡°Excuse me! Can I have a fight with you?¡± and if Bash agreed, they would be very happy. Then, of course, they would get beaten, but they seemed to know that would happen from the beginning and would ask him hopefully, ¡°How are my sword skills? Bash was the one winning, so he wouldn¡¯t just praise them, he¡¯d point out what they were doing wrong. ¡°Your feet aren¡¯t fast enough. If you¡¯re not a coward, you should come with the intention of approaching,¡± he would tell them. The king¡¯s sons would say, ¡°Wait, I couldn¡¯t do that. If Sir Bash¡¯s sword hits me, I will not only lose my leg, but also the whole lower half of my body. Then I won¡¯t be able to go to the breeders.¡± Anyway, that was the ¡°training¡± in the orc country. CH 44.4 If Ludo¡¯s swordplay had been a little better, even Bash might have offered some advice. Is he too advanced or too delayed? Does he swing his sword out of habit, or does he not watch his opponent¡¯s movements? Does he have strange habits, or is he too basic and easy to read? These things could be discovered in a match. But honestly, as far as Ludo was concerned, it was difficult. All he could say was that everything was bad. In battle, it was common for four or five enemies to die at the same time when Bash swung his sword. Rarely, however, would an idiot die crushed by corpses. Ludo would be one of those idiots. In retrospect, all of the king¡¯s sons were first-class warriors. They were still young, but that was to be expected. They had survived the fierce battles at the end of the war. Hmmm¡­ Bash thought with all he had. What should he teach Ludo, who had collapsed in front of him? He had never seen such a weak ogre, what should he do, what did young orcs, ogres and warriors do on the battlefield? The least he could say was that those who collapsed from exhaustion died without exception. On the battlefield, the first to die were those who could not move. The inability to move forward or flee meant that you were just a target. So the least you could do was avoid it. ¡°Get up.¡± ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­ no, I can¡¯t get up anymo¡­ guhah!¡± Bash kicked Ludo over. Those who said they could not stand on the battlefield were often able to get up after this was done to them. At least that was the case with the Orcs. And apparently the ogre Ludo did too, for he stood up, eyes wide. ¡°Run.¡± ¡°Run where? It¡¯s almost dark and the sun is settin¡­ Oogh!!!¡± Bash kicked Ludo away. Those who said they could not run on the battlefield were often able to run after doing this. Now that he thought about it, this was common to all races, not just Orcs. If you kicked them or slashed them with your sword, if you attacked them, they would all run frantically. He kicked Ludo away again, Ludo dropped the sword and stood on all fours, covered in mud, looking at Bash. Why, you ask? Bash gave him a piece of his mind when he saw his look that said, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Do you want to see your mother¡¯s killer with that look?¡± When Bash said this, Ludo stood up slowly, biting his lip, and broke into a run. In the pouring rain, as if running away from Bash. The composure he had before his training had completely vanished from his face. Bash gave chase. He deliberately extended his murderous intent, intending to kill him when he reached him. But slowly, so as not to reach him. It was a technique he normally used to exhaust his opponent when hunting prey he couldn¡¯t reach. ¡°Bash knew that it was in the moments before death that a person showed his greatest strength. This was true of himself, as well as the fiercest men Bash had defeated. Moreover, Bash grew stronger through repeated battles to the death. Drawing strength from one¡¯s limits was what pushed a warrior to a higher level of existence. ¡°Hah¡­ ah¡­ ah¡­ gwah¡­ hah¡­¡± Ludo ran well. If he could run so far, he wondered what had caused him to fall earlier. In the rain, he got stuck in the muddy ground and fell many times, but he ran desperately. It was hard to tell from the side if he was afraid of Bash or if he really wanted revenge from the bottom of his heart. Or maybe Ludo himself did not understand. The ogre boy continued until he could no longer get up, even though Bash kicked him. ¡õ The rain did not stop. But Bash and the others started moving the next day. Ludo said they had to keep going. He said that if they didn¡¯t follow, the advantage of the enemy they wanted to take revenge on would be too great to follow. His sister Luka had a slightly negative look on her face, but did not mention it. As for Bash, he was inclined to stay in the cave and train until Ludo was more capable. However, he also had a strong desire to finish with their revenge and go to the Demon country as soon as possible. Time was always limited. Training took place even when they were on the move. Ludo would hit Bash with his sword, sometimes defending himself from his blows, and when the orc felt that the boy had reached his limit, he would make him run until he collapsed. That was it, although it was too crude to call it training. Ludo was a little frustrated, but for the time being he complied. Bash saw the speed with which Ludo got up and the distance he could run increasing day by day, and he felt he was making steady progress. Luka just stared at him. She didn¡¯t say a word, just watched. With a slightly sad expression on her face. CH 45.1 Orc Hero Story Chapter 45. The Succubus Nation Two days had passed. The rain had not stopped. Though it showed signs of weakening from time to time, it continued to pour for most of the day. Bash and the children slowly made their way through the rain. However, it was unclear if they were moving in the direction they wanted to go. Luka led the way. As a sorceress, she could magically determine the direction of the target of their vengeance. However, it seemed that she was somehow unable to find the exact location, and they even had the feeling that they were circling around the same place. Ludo¡¯s training didn¡¯t seem to go very well either. But that was to be expected. If he could suddenly become strong in just two days, no one would die in battle. Ludo worked hard. Every day, he was beaten by Bash, chased and made to run, but it wasn¡¯t something that could be called training. For him, every day was a confrontation with his own incompetence. It was humiliating, no doubt. But he never complained. So Bash didn¡¯t give up on him and patiently trained him. He made him charge at him, kicked him, stood him up, kicked him, made him run and kicked him. Thanks to his efforts, the time it took for Ludo to fall became longer, and the time he spent standing and running increased. Of course, this did not show that he was getting stronger. But he didn¡¯t care. You didn¡¯t get strong that fast. Even a man of Bash¡¯s caliber took a year to become a full-fledged warrior. An ordinary soldier would need several years of hard fighting to become a renowned warrior. Despite the similarity in name, ogres were a more battle-ready race than orcs. While orcs were a race unrivaled in their ability to adapt to their environment and breeding, ogres excelled in everything else. Whether it was simple strength, endurance, agility, senses, or wisdom, on average, ogres was far superior to orcs. Therefore, even though they were fewer in number than orcs, they were among the best in the Seven Races Federation. Consequently, Bash believed that this training would eventually pay off. He didn¡¯t know what Ludo and Luka thought, but they were very attached to Bash. Even at meals, they were eager to hear his stories from the battlefield. When they were sheltered from the rain, Bash would tell them about the fierce warriors he had met on the battlefields of the past, and their eyes would light up and they would ask for more. However, when he told them an anecdote about Lula Lula of the Frozen Eyes, they were a bit sad and angry. Thinking back, Bash had not encountered many youngsters of other races before. During his journey, he had seen them from afar, but had never approached them or spoken to them. He saw no use for them since they could not bear children. However, seeing the children in front of him, he found them quite pleasant. It awakened a desire to protect them, something different from sexual desire. And so the days of repeated training and travel came to an end. The rain suddenly stopped. ¡°¡­?¡± Bash looked at the sky with a doubtful look, palms up, when the rain suddenly stopped. The sky was dark, covered with thick clouds. If he strained his eyes, he could see that it was still raining. But for some reason, no raindrops fell around Bash and the children. Ludo and Luka also looked around with curiosity. When they looked closely, they could see a clear line on the ground along the path they had just walked. The area beyond the line was wet, but the area on the side where Bash and they were standing was somewhat dry. ¡°A barrier?¡± At Luka¡¯s soft words, Bash and Ludo knew that they had jumped onto a barrier that someone had put up. A barrier to keep out the wind and rain. And it was a pretty big one. The kind of barriers that are erected during wars, when cities are exposed to large-scale magic¡­ ¡°Ehehehehehehe¡­¡± Suddenly, a voice was heard. When Bash turned around, he discovered that a mist had been gathering around him for some time. It had a slightly pinkish appearance, something unforgettable to those who had run through the battlefield. ¡°This is bad¡­¡± Bash quickly covered his mouth and held his breath. That mist, that sweet smell. When orcs smelled it on the battlefield, they were excited to have a reliable reinforcement. But at the same time, they had to leave quickly. For a man who inhaled the mist would inevitably become useless. Succubus Charm Mist! It was the secret of the succubi that continued to rage in the war, and until the end, no perfect means could be found to resist it. It was an invincible magic that melted men¡¯s minds and made them do the bidding of the lower half of their bodies. ¡°Ehehehehehe¡­¡± Deep in the mist, there was a woman. Pale pink hair pulled back in two tails. She was small, with a face and body that still looked childish. Yet there was a glamour that clearly identified her as a woman. Dressed in a black leather suit that covered only her private parts, her skin was white and slightly sweaty, and she was so glamorous that any man would have swallowed saliva. The owner of such a body licked her fingers with an enchanting expression. She was a succubus. She had no tail and only one wing, but she was still a succubus. ¡°Bad boys, where do you come from on such a rainy day¡­?¡± She slowly moved her licking fingers to her lower belly. Then, opening them wide in her crotch, she stroked her lower belly and waved at Bash with her remaining hand. At the same time, the succubus¡¯ eyes glowed red. ¡°Hey, guys, didn¡¯t you know? Any child who enters the Succubus Nation without permission will be eaten.¡± CH 45.2 Bash felt dazed. By the time he realized he was being ¡°charmed¡±, it was too late. His eyes were already glued to the succubus¡¯ body, and his feet were unsteady as he walked toward her. ¡°What a strong Orc stud. Come, come. I will give you the greatest pleasure¡­ Come, look me in the eyes, ehehe, how brave you are¡­ and how handsome too¡­ you are just like the man of my dreams¡­¡± Bash¡¯s vision was blurred by the succubus¡¯ red eyes. Half of Bash¡¯s brain told him he was in great danger. Don¡¯t touch her. If you touch her, it will be the end of everything. A virgin Orc who touches a succubus, even if he sleeps with another woman afterwards, will become a magical warrior. If the Orc Hero becomes a magical warrior, the Orcs¡¯ pride will fall to the ground. It could not be forgiven. There was no way to let it happen. He had to resist with all his might. But when the succubus¡¯ red eyes glowed, the alarm bells went off. It was okay to be a magical warrior, too. If he drowned in her body, it would definitely feel good. Her skin was white and thin, her breasts were moderately sized, but they still aroused his desire, and every time she moved her hands, the sound of sparkling water echoed around her. Every time the sound reached his ears, his will faded and his body relaxed. On the other hand, the mini Bash was rigid and took control of Bash¡¯s body. His hand reached out on its own. To the succubus¡­ ¡°¡­Huh?¡± But the next moment, freedom returned to Bash¡¯s body with a thud. The fog in his vision lifted, and a disheveled succubus stood before him, looking at him with a blank expression in her eyes. ¡°¡­He-Hey, could it be that you¡­¡± The succubus slammed her legs shut. Then she slowly rose to her feet and stood up straight. She raised herself a little higher and looked into Bash¡¯s face. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to be Sir Bash, the Orc Hero?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± The moment he said that, the succubus staggered in surprise. Then she immediately picked up some cloths from behind a tree. They were some carefully folded clothes. The succubus quickly put them on. A quick change of clothes. He realized that the things he wanted to keep looking at, touching if he could, and owning were kept in the drab military uniform. Her hair, which had been in two tails, was now in three braids, and thick glasses were placed on her face, giving her a more normal appearance. The succubus then raised her hand to her forehead. It was a salute. ¡°I¡¯m Venus, and you once saved me on the battlefield!¡± Then she bowed deeply on her knees. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about before. It is an honor to meet you, Sir Bash, the Orc Hero.¡± ¡°I-I see¡­¡± Bash nodded when she told him that. He couldn¡¯t quite understand the situation, but the crisis seemed to be over. ¡°I understand if you are angry! It¡¯s not right for a proud succubus to charm their benefactor and hero! Sir Bash, please, I beg you to forgive me!¡± ¡°I am not angry. I¡¯m grateful that you stopped.¡± ¡°How magnanimous of you! Thank you so much!¡± Although he was disappointed that he could no longer see Venus¡¯ overly erotic body, he was certainly relieved. If things had gone on like this, Bash wouldn¡¯t have been able to resist her charm and would have thrown his virginity where it didn¡¯t belong. As a result, the magical warrior Bash would have been inevitable. On the contrary, he would have become a slave to the succubus. If the Orc Hero had become a slave with the mark of a magical warrior on his forehead, the pride of the orcs would have fallen to the ground. They would not remain silent after their Hero had been disgraced. There would be no doubt that war would break out between the succubi and the orcs. The orcs would not be able to fight the succubi. It would be a lopsided defeat that they could not win. ¡°So, Sir Bash, what business brings you to the Succubus Nation? Had you announced your arrival, our country would have welcomed you with open arms.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit hard to explain¡­¡± Bash looked behind him and saw Ludo being stopped by his sister. ¡°Haa, eh, what the hell was that¡­?¡± Perhaps Ludo had fallen under the same spell as Bash. When he stood up, he looked confused. ¡°I see, so it¡¯s a complicated situation!¡± Venus snorted and put her hand to her chin. ¡°So the fairy¡¯s words are true?¡± ¡°The fairy?¡± ¡°Yes, a fairy named Zell came by the other day. She told us that Sir Bash was swept down the river and came to this area. She said that if we tried to hide you from her, she¡¯d get us into trouble, so she spent half the day yelling at us.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We proud succubi would never do such a thing to our benefactor, Sir Bash. It would be an insult¡­ So everyone was up in arms, and she was captured.¡± The scene seemed to come alive in his mind. ¡°In fact, I indeed slipped off the bridge, fell into the river, and got separated from Zell.¡± ¡°Well, can you go get her then? She¡¯s been screaming all night, and the soldiers on guard had a mental breakdown.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Bash thought. The succubus nation. Of course, there were only succubi there. All individuals of the succubus race were incredibly beautiful. Sometimes bewitching, sometimes innocent, sometimes cute. Some orcs even dreamed of befriending a succubus. Even if they couldn¡¯t have children, it didn¡¯t matter. Succubi, however, were one of the highest races in the Seven Races Federation and were rarely seen as rivals to orcs. To them, however, they were nothing more than a source of food. Without exception, they were always looking for an opportunity to eat a man. CH 45.3 Bash had no ill feelings toward the succubi. They could chase him as much as they wanted. They might not be able to have children, and he might not have to become their slave, but if it was just a one-night stand, it was a win-win situation for both parties. But that was after he lost his virginity. Not now, of course. And as had just been demonstrated, Bash was unable to resist their charm. At the slightest whim of one of the succubi, the worst future Bash feared would come true. It was a dangerous place. He could not go to such a place after being unable to resist the charm a moment ago. ¡°The whole country will welcome you with open arms! How nice, everyone will be thrilled¡­!¡± ¡°No, bring her here.¡± ¡°Oh, please! I beg you! As our benefactor, if Sir Bash comes all the way to the border, refusing you will bring great shame to our race! We will be scolded by the Queen!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Bash was the Orc Hero. He couldn¡¯t honestly say that he didn¡¯t want to enter the country because he was afraid of losing his virginity to a succubus. He looked at Ludo and Luka, a little worried. ¡°I have companions with me and we¡¯re in a hurry to move on.¡± ¡°Huh? I see¡­¡± Ludo listened and seemed to be lost. Luka, on the other hand, shook her head. As someone who had just experienced Charm, it was not surprising that he felt a sense of personal danger. ¡°That good-looking boy over there¡­ huh? Excuse me, who are they?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my apprentice.¡± ¡°Oh, you are his apprentice! How envious to be taught by Sir Bash¡­ I would like to be trained in the art of sleeping in the bedchamber¡­ cough!¡± Venus undressed in the cold, so she must have caught a cold, coughing several times, but finally returned to her serious face and looked at Bash. ¡°Anyway, you seem to be on guard. But rest assured, Sir Bash is the benefactor of the Succubi! We have nothing but respect for him! Therefore, no succubus will try to touch him or his apprentices. Even if one or two loses control at the sight of Sir Bash and his excess of virility, neither I nor any of the others will let them touch you. I am a succubus whose life was saved by you during the retreat in the Lehner Desert, so don¡¯t doubt it! Even if I have to sacrifice my life to do so!¡± Venus¡¯ words carried great weight, and they could feel her determination. ¡°So please! Please, I beg you! Just a little! Just a little salute to the Queen! Please! For the sake of our honor and pride, please!¡± Bash could not refuse when she asked so insistently. ¡°That¡¯s fine¡­ but we won¡¯t stay long. We too have a purpose for our journey.¡± ¡°Of course, don¡¯t worry! Come in!¡± So Bash and the ogre children entered the Succubus Nation. ¡ö The capital of the Succubus Nation was deserted. The city, normally shrouded in a thick pink mist that would have shattered the consciousness and rationality of men of all races, was empty. There was no such mood and the streets were almost empty. The succubi were one of the high-rankers of the Seven Races Federation, along with the demon and ogres. In addition to their superiority over the males of the Four Races Alliance, they were also superior in physical and magical abilities. The succubi Bash knew always had an enchanting smile on their perfectly made-up faces and always showed a sense of serenity¡­ The few people on the street did not have that aura. They had sunken cheeks and a look of not feeling well. ¡°It¡¯s so deserted.¡± ¡°It is a defeated country¡­ there is hardly any food, and it is impossible to ask them to cheer up. The orcs are in a similar state, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°The orcs have no shortage of food, and they are a bit more animated.¡± No food. Immediately after hearing these words, Bash suddenly felt a glance and turned his head. He looked and saw several succubi in an alley. They looked at Bash with bloodshot eyes. Drool was dripping from the corners of their mouths. They were all beautiful and bewitching women, as succubi were. Their bodies also made one want to swallow saliva just by looking at them. If a human woman wanted to have a body like that, it would take a lot of effort. However, upon closer inspection, their arms and legs were slender, their ribs were marked on their sides, and their cheeks were sunken. They probably weren¡¯t eating enough. He also noticed that their lips were chapped, as they were not wearing lipstick, probably because they had not been in battle. ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t Cucumber. She¡¯ll want to¡­¡± ¡°Venus, you brought someone very tasty with you, didn¡¯t you~?¡± Just as Venus was about to say something, one of them approached Bash and the others, licking her lips. Standing in front of Bash, she thrust her hips out and put her index finger to her lips in an enchanting pose, watching Bash intently. The woman¡¯s eyes were glued to Bash¡¯s crotch. She was looking at him as if he would disappear if she took her eyes off him, even for a moment. Bash wondered if he should cover his crotch. No, it wasn¡¯t particularly exposed, but he wondered if he should leave it unprotected when the enemy was aiming at his vital spot. It was a very powerful look. ¡°Oh, so strong¡­¡± ¡°This boy here looks good, but¡­ I think Mr. Orc is better. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll give us lots of thick, strong meat.¡± The other succubi also surrounded Bash and the others with vulgar, barely bewitching grimaces and smiles. But though they approached and stared at them, they did not touch them. Bash did not know it, but that was because the succubus race had a rule: ¡°Never touch another person¡¯s charmed prey without permission¡±. CH 45.4 ¡°Kuskus, hey, look, this little girl here is trying hard to protect her older brother¡­¡± ¡°So sweet. Then I¡¯ll make you a special offer to show me how good you can make your brother feel.¡± ¡°Kyahahahaha, what an idiot you are!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me that, you like it too, right? A desperate woman from another race.¡± The succubi circled around Bash and the others, saying whatever came to their mind. Ludo turned red and looked away, and Luka held out her arms menacingly to protect him. ¡°By the looks of it, they¡¯re idiots for crossing the border, aren¡¯t they? It¡¯s nice for the border guards to have a little fun once in a while. We¡¯d like you to share some of that with us. Venus, you and I are friends, right? Aside from the little kid, we can get a lot out of the big guy, can¡¯t we? Huh? He¡¯s not too charmed, is he? Perhaps your charm isn¡¯t strong enough. I¡¯ll charm him too, just to make sure¡­¡± ¡°Cucumber. Look at his face, not just his crotch. You¡¯re being incredibly rude right now.¡± Instead, Venus¡¯ words were merciless. The woman she was talking to, Cucumber, looked her in the eyes and shook her body. ¡°Rude? What do you mean by that? I didn¡¯t exaggerate either¡­ I even¡­¡± Cucumber turned her gaze to Bash¡¯s face as if to apologize. The other succubi did the same. They stood there for a few seconds. ¡°Um¡­ it can¡¯t be, it can¡¯t be that you are Sir Bash, the Orc Hero, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The moment Bash nodded, Cucumber and the others¡¯ postures straightened to the point where they almost made a crunching sound. Their hips, which had been bent like a cat¡¯s, straightened like a large tree; their faces, which had been tilted slightly to the side and held at a confident angle, straightened; their chins tucked back; and their right hands moved to the sides of their faces. It was the formal greeting of the succubus army. However, their clothing was a bit provocative. ¡°Forgive us!¡± ¡°No, um¡­¡± ¡°Hey!¡± At Cucumber¡¯s words, the other succubi hurried to the back alley. What they brought out of the alley were cloths for three people. When Cucumber and the others put them on, they hid their skinny but gorgeous bodies. As for Bash, he was a little disappointed but relieved at the same time. ¡°My name is Cucumber! You saved all of us during the defense of the Pyles River! Sir Bash, the Orc Hero! I¡¯m so sorry for our attitude!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Cucumber then pulled out a dagger. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, sir! Not only that, we even tried to eat you! That¡¯s a disgrace to the proud succubus race! I will pay with my life here and now!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡± ¡°However, these two are still inexperienced! I beg you to spare them with just my life! Then enjoy the scattering of this fool¡¯s life! May my blood splatter the spirit of the remaining warriors! I really sorry!¡± Bash grabbed her arm and stopped her from stabbing herself in the heart. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t mind.¡± Succubi never charmed someone they really respected. It was a bit disappointing from Bash¡¯s point of view, but the current situation was also convenient for him. Regardless of Bash¡¯s abilities, he was not immune to the succubus¡¯ charm. However, despite Bash¡¯s feelings, succubi were unusual. ¡°How generous of you!¡± ¡°He even took her hand and stopped her. He didn¡¯t hesitate to take the hand of an ugly woman like Squadron Captain Cucumber¡­¡± ¡°I suppose watching Captain Cucumber die would spoil his eyesight. After all, she¡¯s just a woman lusting after her benefactor.¡± ¡°You two were like that too, weren¡¯t you?¡± Anyway, the succubi¡¯s gazes changed from those of boiling flesh to those of envy and respect. Their eyes, which had been heart-shaped, became star-shaped and shone. ¡°However, Sir Bash, we are glad that you have come to our country, but please be careful.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Now this country is forgetting its pride. When you walk its streets, please don¡¯t be alone, and let Venus be by your side as much as possible.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­?¡± At these words, Bash bowed his head slightly. The gesture was casual. But to the succubus and the others, it was a very tender gesture, and it made their hearts pound and race, which they had just tried to stop. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen, but I don¡¯t plan on staying that long. As soon as we pick up Zell and greet the queen, we¡¯ll leave.¡± ¡°I understand! Well, Sir Bash, thank you for talking to us! It will be a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life and be proud of for generations to come!¡± ¡°Thank you very much!¡± Their heads bowed in unison. Neither their beautiful hair nor their magnificent bodies were visible. Dressed in cloth, the veteran warriors looked like three caterpillars from above. Their appearance seemed to symbolize the succubi of today. CH 46.1 Chapter 46. The Succubus Queen Curly Kale, the ¡°Succubus Queen,¡± was one of the most bewitching succubi. For a succubus, being bewitching meant being a woman who was a veteran heroine. Before she became queen, her thunderous name was known throughout the world as the ¡°Succubus Princess¡±. Her former nickname was Curly, the Boner. She was so named because she sucked men until they were nothing but bones and skin, and pulled out the spines of women. She was such a woman, but her actual appearance was different than during the war. She had large breasts, huge buttocks, and scars over her eyes and cleavage. These were still intact, but she had a large burn scar from her collarbone to her chest. It was a scar like a tree branch, an electric shock wound. She had been defeated by Thunder Sonia in the final battle between elves and succubi. Though she survived, her body was badly scarred and one of her legs was permanently injured. After the war, she decided to step down as queen, but all of her successors were dead and there was no one to serve as queen, so she continued to reign to this day. Just a few days ago, she received a formal letter of protest from the Beastmen Country. The attack by Carrot, the former general of the Succubus Nation, and the subsequent withering of the Sacred Tree. Was her action a consensus of the Succubus Nation or not? If so, they would not hesitate to go to war¡­ The letter of protest, with such a few sentences, surprised Curly Kale. They had had no contact with Carrot for almost a year. Worried that she might be injured or sick somewhere, she decided to send out a search party, even though she knew that other countries would criticize her. On the one hand, she wondered why she was doing this, but on the other hand, a part of her was convinced that she was right. She had been put through a lot of hardship. She had been left with all the foreign negotiations. Carrot didn¡¯t want to talk too much about what had happened there, but it was clear how she had been treated. Still, she didn¡¯t show it in front of Curly Kale, just apologized to her for not succeeding. Carrot cared about the succubus race more than anyone else. She was a very reliable person, but she was also prone to melancholy. Curly Kale feared that she might explode with despair at any moment. So she said, ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Then Curly Kale stopped to think about Carrot¡¯s behavior beyond that. If she, the proudest succubus of all, had exploded, any other succubus would have ended up the same way. Neither Curly Kale nor the people of the Succubus Nation had the right to blame her. It was not the way they had been treated that those left behind should think about. But because of her actions, the Succubus Nation was now under suspicion. If what she had done was true, a war with the Beastmen was very possible. The Succubi, as they were now, did not have the strength to go to war with another country. If they fought, they would surely be defeated, and they would surely be slaughtered, even their babies. Extermination. Extinction. The succubus race was greatly hated. For the survival of this country and the succubus race, she could not be wrong in her response. So she immediately sent a letter of apology. Carrot had disappeared and had nothing to do with her country¡¯s intentions. If she returned, we¡¯ll put a rope around her neck and hand her over. She thought how ungrateful this was to Carrot, who had worked so hard for the good of the country¡­ The reply to the letter of apology had not yet arrived. What if this letter was a false accusation from the Beastmen and they were just trying to start a war so suddenly, what should she do? Could she protect her people¡­? Curly Kale¡¯s mind kept running through these thoughts. Curly Kale was a warrior queen. A warrior better at war than diplomacy. But she had to do the best she could. It was one disaster after another. Lately, in addition to these events and chronic food shortages, it had rained. The city was protected by barriers, so they didn¡¯t have to worry about flooding, but the day would come when the production of ¡°fodder¡± could no longer be sustained. At the same time, they received a letter from Nazar offering to send them new food, which pleased her, but she wondered how much she could trust him¡­ As these troubled days continued, something worse happened. The fairies attacked. ¡°Uooooh! Misteeer! Where¡¯s Mister Bash? Succubi, if you¡¯re hiding him, you¡¯re in big trouble! No matter how good Mister is, there are some things you can do and some things you can¡¯t! Kidnapping and imprisoning the Orc Hero and sucking him dry is the height of dishonesty! Even if Mister Bash was happy about it, I, Zell, won¡¯t allow it! Come on! Bring him in now! Or I¡¯ll kill you all! Mister, Misteeer! Answer me, Misteeer!¡± When the attacking fairy was brought before Curly Kale, she was wrapped in a bamboo screen. She was the famous fairy: ¡°Zell the Deceitful.¡± Of course, she wasn¡¯t famous for being a liar. This fairy was the companion of Bash, the orc hero to whom the succubi owed a great debt of gratitude. However, it was still not very clear why this fairy was here. She said that Bash had fallen into the river, or that he could come here, or that the succubi had captured him, or something else she could not understand. Normally, she would have replied, ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the proud succubi¡±. Succubi were a race that valued gratitude above all else. No one would be foolish enough to treat Bash as food, let alone deprive him of his freedom. If they had found him, they would have told the queen immediately and welcomed him as an honored guest. ¡­That¡¯s what she¡¯d like to say, but it was true that the Succubus Nation was in shambles. Everyone was starving, and the entire race was losing its pride. It was a shameful thing, but one could never be sure that it wouldn¡¯t happen. Of course, it was supposed to be impossible. If anyone in the Succubus Nation was foolish enough to charm Bash, kidnap him, imprison him, and feed on him, they could not allow it. They had to be publicly executed in the Queen¡¯s name. ¡°Nio, I know you don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible, but at least investigate. Also, be sure to inform the border guards.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± So she had her entourage secretly investigate the country. At this point, however, Curly Kale was optimistic. First of all, there was no reason for Bash to come to this area. It was probably that fairy¡¯s prank¡­ Some might scoff at this judgment as naive, but that was the way things were. A fairy suddenly bursting in and shouting things, you had to assume it was a lie or a prank. A long history proved it. Two days passed, and she received a report from her assistant saying, ¡°I checked for suspicious persons, but everything was clean¡±. She was furious. After all, it was a lie from the fairy, and she could show her no mercy just because she was Sir Bash¡¯s former companion. She would tear off her limbs and make an example of her¡­ ¡°Your Majesty. It seems that the border guard, Venus, has spotted Sir Bash and is on her way here. The report came in. CH 46.2 At that moment, an orc stood in front of the succubus queen, Curly Kale. With green skin and a huge sword on his back, he radiated the aura of a strong man. Bash, the orc hero, was sitting there. ¡°I welcome you, Sir Bash, the Orc Hero.¡± The Succubus throne was made to be horizontal. It was customary for the queen to look at her guests in the audience as she reclined languidly. The throne was like a couch-bed where she could sleep if she wished. If you were wondering why this was so, it was because if the person she granted audience to was a man, she was always ready to eat. However, if it was a man who was respected and to whom they owed a debt, this was not the case. Curly Kale sat with her back so straight that they thought they heard a creak. ¡°He was about to be charmed by Venus and Cucumber, respectively, but they stopped short of doing so.¡± ¡°What¡­! Please forgive us. They will be severely punished¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I don¡¯t feel bad about being wooed, even if it¡¯s a succubus.¡± It was taboo for a succubus to court a respected benefactor. Bash said he was okay, but Venus and the others still had to be punished. That was what Curly Kale thought, but when she saw Bash, that feeling disappeared. ¡°¡­Sir Bash.¡± Firm arms that made you want him to hug you, hips that made you think he was inviting you, a toned lower half that looked like it could give away a lot¡­ He¡¯s too naughty! She wanted to strip him naked and eat him right away. No, no! Control yourself, Curly Kale! Sir Bash is the benefactor who saved the Succubus Nation! If he hadn¡¯t gone to the Lehner Desert, the succubi would have died long ago! Don¡¯t look at him like he¡¯s food. If she wasn¡¯t the queen, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to resist. She was glad that Venus and the others had kept their cool. Both Venus and Cucumber were soldiers who had served their country well. They should know the meaning of pride. They should not be punished for a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Normally we would give you the warmest welcome, but I¡¯m ashamed to say that our country is also poor, and we¡¯re up to our necks at the moment.¡± ¡°No problem. Thank you for your concern.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± In front of Bash, who was sitting cross-legged, there were numerous dishes. A whole roasted cow, a pile of bread, hors d¡¯oeuvres, various soups and desserts. He drank a glass of wine made to imitate human wine, and the succubus sitting next to him immediately poured him another glass, smiling with satisfaction. Such a drink had been made because they had heard that other races liked this kind of food, and even though Curly Kale didn¡¯t know the pros and cons of the taste, Bash drank it with a charming smile. ¡°I heard Zell was in trouble here.¡± ¡°Oh, that fairy. She¡¯s a real nuisance. Will you take her away?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then¡­ Nio!¡± Curly Kale clapped her hands and a cart was brought in. On top of it was Zell, of course. She had been wrapped in a bamboo screen, a tag with a magic circle, and then thrown into a bird cage. All these precautions were taken to make sure she would not escape. ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t Mister! Do you think my suspicions have been confirmed? Or will there be a duel for this lovely fairy? But that¡¯s not fair, is it? With the charm, Mister doesn¡¯t stand a chance, and without the charm, the succubi don¡¯t stand a chance. I don¡¯t recommend it! Could you untie this rope? If I¡¯m in a cage, there¡¯s no need to tie me up, right? Ouch! Be more careful! Fairies are as fragile as they look! If our limbs are torn off and our heads removed, or if we¡¯re set on fire, we¡¯ll die.¡± Nio, the member of the retinue who had brought her in the cart, opened the lid of the cage, turned it upside down and shook it, and Zell fell to the ground in tears. The succubus silently extended her long fingernails, and the rope that bound Zell was cut, freeing her. Immediately, Zell began flying at super speed. ¡°Yaaaay! Freedom! After all, a fairy is only a fairy when they¡¯re free! The moment you feel the wings, the moment you feel the speed, is the moment you feel freedom! The wall of air you hit! The gasp of breath! The rush of air! The air is so good! Ah, this is the other side of speed!¡± Feeling exaggeratedly free, the fairy flew around the deserted palace for a while, then landed with a thud on Bash¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Wow, you always save me, Mister! I thought I was going to help you this time, but then you just go and save me. This is my life! You saved it. Verily, I shall ensue thee till the end of my days, and with all mine ability shall I requite thee!¡± ¡°That is not true. Your knowledge always helps me.¡± ¡°You bet! If I weren¡¯t a fairy, you sure as hell wouldn¡¯t be looking for a wife!¡± Zell wiggled as she spoke. Bash wished Zell was a human or an elf, but alas, she wasn¡¯t. It was only because she was a fairy that she was able to get along with the orcs. Any other race would be an outlet for the orcs¡¯ sexual desires. ¡°I¡¯m very proud of you, Mister, I¡¯m surprised you survived these murky waters! Of course, I didn¡¯t expect you to die in that muddy stream. But I thought you might get a little exhausted from the current. And then the succubi caught me and did this and that¡­!¡± ¡°Silence, fairy! We proud succubi would never betray our Sir Bash, to whom we owe so much! Don¡¯t underestimate us!¡± CH 46.3 Curly Kale said in a dignified voice. Her voice was filled with a mysterious power that made Zell¡¯s entire body freeze. Bash caught her with his palm as she was about to fall off his shoulders. ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯m really sorry, Sir Bash, I ended up screaming.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s okay. Zell was rude too.¡± ¡°We-Well, yeah, even though I was in a hurry, I¡¯m sorry too¡­ I apologize¡­¡± Zell apologized. She was one of the few fairies in the world who could apologize properly. ¡°So, Sir Bash¡­¡± Now then, from Curly Kale¡¯s point of view, they were in trouble. If Bash came to this country, they would welcome him as an honored guest, no doubt about it. And that was exactly what he had done. If an orc as desirable as he was was in the country, people would be hungry, and some might not be able to contain themselves before him, so even if he was an honored guest, he would be greeted privately. That was fine. The problem was not there. Anyway¡­ ¡°What business brings you to our country?¡± He was a man who should never have come. A person who should be living a comfortable life as a hero in the land of the orcs. And more importantly, he was a person who was much talked about in the Succubus Nation. Why would such a person come all the way to this country? More specifically, who sent him and what did they want? The story he told was that he slipped and fell into the river and got lost, but those who had fought with him knew that this hero named Bash was not that stupid. There was no doubt that he was visiting the Succubus Nation for some purpose. Since it was an undercover job, he had Zell enter the Succubus Nation before him and intentionally let her get caught so that he could have a good excuse to infiltrate the country himself. It was more natural and logical. Even though it was a crude and unclear strategy, it was too clever for an orc to have thought of, though a fairy might come up with it at the last minute. ¡°I¡¯m just here to pick up Zell. There is no other reason. I¡¯ll leave immediately.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± If Curly Kale were still young, she might have believed those words. But she was a queen who had fought in many battles. She was the leader of the succubi, trying to hold on to her nation, which was sinking in the aftermath of the war. ¡°So where are you going?¡± ¡°To the demon nation.¡± Those words sent a chill down her spine. She heard Carrot, the former Succubus General, talking about resurrecting Gediguz. Gediguz, the demon king. Curly Kale remembered him as an extraordinary man. If he were to be resurrected, the war would be reignited. But the succubi did not have the strength to fight a war. ¡°And what is¡­ your reason for this?¡± ¡°Aah, well, I¡¯m¡­ looking for something.¡± Bash was silent for a moment, but finally said that. Curly Kale knew immediately that he was hiding something. ¡°Is it something we don¡¯t have in our country?¡± ¡°I¡¯d have to look for it, but probably not.¡± So it exists, thought Curly Kale. At the same time, she thought it was a roundabout way of getting around. There was nothing he couldn¡¯t get in the Succubus Country if he asked for it. Curly Kale was a very rational succubus, but if Bash was willing to give her a chance, she would probably even offer her the national treasure of her country. After all, a night with the hero was far more valuable than a national treasure¡­ No! No! Get a grip on yourself, Curly Kale! You¡¯re the succubus queen! This is no time for such girlish fantasies! We¡¯re on the verge of a crisis that could wipe out the succubi! Curly Kale shook her head to clear her mind of the fantasies. A man with thick strength coming and rubbing up against her, telling her she could do whatever she wanted to him during the night¡­ that was a fantasy even a little girl didn¡¯t have these days. But it was the nature of a succubus to think of a possibility, just in case. ¡°Do you think the thing you¡¯re looking for is in the demon land?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what Nazar said.¡± ¡°Nazar, you mean the Prince of the Coming Heaven?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There it was, Curly Kale realized. Speaking of Nazar, it was he who had sent a letter to the Succubi earlier. It said that he had heard that the Succubi were running out of food and that he would send more. To be honest, she didn¡¯t think it was true, because it sounded too good to be true. Did he know how many times Carrot had traveled to other countries and complained about food shortages over the years? She hadn¡¯t forgotten how her clothes were stained with dirt when she temporarily returned home. Did the humans send him? Curly Kale¡¯s eyes narrowed. A little more of the other side of the story was revealed. Maybe Bash was an auditor, checking to see if the Succubi really were in a food shortage situation, and if the food they were going to bring in was going to be handled properly. That had to be it. Humans had been sending in their countrymen as food. In fact, right after the war, the succubi ate many of their compatriots and killed quite a few of them. There was probably some disagreement among the humans as to whether or not they should send their people to this place again. In fact, many were against it. That¡¯s why they sent an investigator to see if it was safe. If you think about why Bash was chosen, it was easy to see that he was the right person for the job. If the food was eaten in the Succubus Nation, they would probably try to hide the fact that they were sending an auditor. So it had to be done in secret. However, if they were told that they were sending a human, they would realize that that person was the auditor. That¡¯s where Bash came in. Earlier, the wedding of the third princess had taken place in the Beastmen Kingdom, and Bash had to attend. Orcs, like succubi, were not to the liking of the Four Races Alliance. It would not be surprising if he was suspected of Carrot¡¯s rampage and ordered to infiltrate the succubus nation to prove that he had not betrayed them. He could infiltrate by pretending to have nothing to do with the humans, and since he had the respect of the succubi, a visit to the feeding grounds would be easy. If Bash himself was devoured, the humans would not feel it as a loss. That seemed to be a clever idea of theirs. ¡°I¡¯d like to know if you¡¯re interested in the ¡®eateries¡¯ of the Succubus Nation.¡± ¡°Eateries? Well, I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t.¡± I knew it! With that somewhat hard-to-express answer, Curly Kale was convinced that she wasn¡¯t so far off the mark. If that¡¯s the case, it would be a bad idea to refuse him so abruptly. Sir Bash will be in trouble¡­ I wouldn¡¯t want to cause him any trouble, but¡­ Curly Kale shook her head and took a deep breath, thinking inwardly. No, I have nothing to hide! We have been trying to cope since the first slaves died. Besides, if Sir Bash is the auditor, I don¡¯t have to worry about him lying. We¡¯ll just show him things as they are. Curly Kale looked up and stared at Bash with determined eyes. Then she spoke confidently. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, would you like to take a tour of the ¡®Eaterie¡¯ before you leave?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but no, I have to leave immediately.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. It¡¯s pouring rain outside the barrier¡­ it will be difficult to reach the Demon Country. Please protect yourself from the rain for a while, and visit our nation while you are there. It¡¯s a country that¡¯s still green, but it has things worth seeing¡­¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Bash seemed a little worried, but Zell whispered something in his ear, and they started talking quietly, but eventually he nodded. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll do it.¡± So Bash decided to stay in the Succubus Nation. ¡°The Succubus Queen was really scary. She looked at you with those big eyes.¡± ¡°Orcs are an inferior race to succubi. I don¡¯t think they usually want to let us in the country.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it? When I met the queen during the war, she despised me. She called me a dirty servant and told me to stay away from her.¡± ¡°How nostalgic. I should be grateful to be treated like the Orc hero.¡± CH 47.1 Orc Hero Story Chapter 47. Eateries Bash was given a room in the royal palace of the succubus kingdom. This was partly because the succubi had little concept of gender, but the more important reason was security. In this country, a man sleeping alone in a room was an ¡°eat me¡± sign. Therefore, the room was guarded, and even now, three succubus soldiers stood guard in front of it and outside the window. ¡°And that¡¯s why.¡± Inside the room, Bash told Zell what had happened so far. ¡°I see, a water spirit¡­¡± Zell nodded knowingly and looked at Ludo and his sister. ¡°Are you two friends with this water spirit?¡± Ludo and Luka looked confused. ¡°Water¡­ spirit?¡± ¡°No, neither Luka nor I have ever heard of a water spirit, let alone seen or heard one.¡± ¡°Or maybe it was because your mother, Lula Lula, was a beloved of spirits.¡± Bash said, but Luka shook his head. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. My mother was an expert in ice magic even though she was an ogre¡­ but I heard that the spirits only love one person?¡± ¡°Well, spirits are fickle, you know, I often tangle with wind spirits too, but they usually just ask me for favors or give me incoherent sermons, but when the time comes, they¡¯re quite helpful¡­ Oh, maybe this one likes to help people! It might even help some little kids it doesn¡¯t know.¡± Zell¡¯s words convinced them of the nature of spirits. They were capricious, so they couldn¡¯t do much to them. It was like a disaster: One could only rejoice when they did something on a whim, and accept it when it was taken away. ¡°So what are you going to do now?¡± ¡°Outside the barriers that cover the country, the rain is terrible. If it were just us, it would be fine, but it will be difficult to take them with us. We have no choice but to stay in the country until the rain stops.¡± ¡°Even you fell into the river, Mister¡­¡± The words made Ludo¡¯s mouth tighten. ¡°We just found her and now we have to lose her again?¡± ¡°She¡¯s also lost her griffin, and it¡¯s raining. She can¡¯t get very far on her human legs. We have to assume that she¡¯s stuck as well.¡± ¡°I see, that was to be expected, Master.¡± Humans moved slowly in bad weather. In war, humans were the most vulnerable of the twelve races to terrain and weather. There were no conditions that gave them an advantage like Lizardmen, and they had many weaknesses. ¡°So, while we¡¯re at it, let¡¯s train as much as we can! I want to get stronger! I don¡¯t know about you, but I don¡¯t want to disappoint that great spirit!¡± ¡°Right.¡± As for Bash, he would like to leave right now. The time to become a Magic Warrior was running out. No matter how many letters he had received for the Demon General, he could not be sure this time. Impatience was always in his heart. But it was also true that Curly Kale¡¯s words had made him a little more interested in this country. ¡°Oh, Mister, what is it?¡± ¡°Well, earlier the queen said they would show us the eateries. I was thinking about that.¡± ¡°I see! Succubi are famous for their beauty! I wonder if you, Mister, being an Orc, find it uplifting to see such beautiful women! It¡¯s a pity, because it seems that many succubi respect you, and if they could have orc children, we could have easily found a wife for you.¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡± Bash nodded, but even if succubi could give birth to an orc child, he couldn¡¯t propose yet. After all, he had to avoid becoming a magic warrior. So Bash was uneasy for another reason. The succubi¡¯s ¡°eateries¡±. In other words, it was a place similar to the orc breeding grounds; a place where men and women mated day and night. The difference was that for the succubi, it was a meal and not for the purpose of having children. In other words, it was not ¡°intercourse¡± per se. However, the act itself was no different than intercourse. Although Bash was an orc, he had never observed others having sex. During the war he did not have the time, and after the war he did not go to the breeding grounds. Of course, he had never slept with a woman. When he was a novice warrior, he had seen the Chief Warrior make a show of raping a woman from a distance a few times. If he had gone to the breeding grounds, he could have seen what kind of sexual relations the orcs were having these days. At the same time, he was sure that they would have begged him to show them an example. But they would not ask him to do so in the land of the succubi. They apparently had no intention of charming Bash, and he could safely watch the mating. It was very important to watch and observe. If he saw how the succubi ¡°ate,¡± he could avoid making a big mistake when it came time to lose his virginity. That was why Bash was so worried. Succubi were different from orcs, but he had heard that they could suck a man off with rough sex. This was definitely a learning experience. ¡°A wife, right?¡± It was Luka who asked with a pouty voice. ¡°Um, Sir Bash, do you take wives, like ogres and demons? I heard that orcs share women?¡± Those unfamiliar with orcs often asked such questions. It was Zell, of course, who answered them. ¡°That¡¯s right! If you are an ¡®Orc Hero¡¯, you are allowed to have your own wife! But with the current situation in the Orc Country, it¡¯s impossible for Mister to find a wife who meets his standards. So he set out on his own to find a wife!¡± ¡°And are there any conditions?¡± ¡°He is an orc, so his wife must be able to bear children! So succubi are out of the question. Also, lizardwomen are out of the question because they are a no-no to Mister¡¯s liking. He is a very demanding Orc, so I think the best would be an Elf or a Human, followed by Beastwomen. Dwarves are not Mister¡¯s favorite, but if they¡¯re human half-breed it¡¯s fine! However, Mister is a great man, and his wife must be of a certain caliber. They can¡¯t be ordinary villagers, or someone of unknown origin like you! That¡¯s how I feel! Yes, we want at least a title like ¡®Noble Knight¡¯ or ¡®Daughter of the Chief¡¯!¡± ¡°A half-breed¡­ well, how about an ogre?¡± ¡°An ogre? What do you think, Mister?¡± The question made Bash think of Ludo and Luka¡¯s mother, ¡°Lula Lula, the Great Warrior¡±. Male ogres had a huge body, much bigger than an orc¡¯s, and they had a body like a rock. Females, on the other hand, were more like humans and demons, a bit more muscular, but still good looking. ¡°Not bad¡­ but I don¡¯t think they would accept me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true~. Basically, the demons and ogres, along with the succubi, despise orcs, so even if Mister wanted to, it would be impossible¡­¡± ¡°However, if I were to take a woman from one of those races as my wife, I¡¯m sure I could return triumphant with my head held high¡­¡± At Bash¡¯s words, Luka muttered ¡°with his head held high¡­¡± and thought about it. After that, Zell shot words of praise for Bash like a machine gun, but the conversation went nowhere because Luka was silent. If you took away the BGM Zell was playing in the background, you could say that the place was shrouded in silence. Knock-knock. And then there was a knock at the door. ¡°Good evening, and excuse me! It¡¯s Lieutenant Venus!¡± ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming, then!¡± Then a succubus entered the room. She had pink hair in a braid and a childish appearance. Her thick glasses and drab military uniform enveloped her, but everyone present knew that she had a glamorous body. Ludo, for example, just remembered her and started rubbing his knees. ¡°I, Venus, have been assigned to show you the city!¡± Her high, sweet voice showed a certain nervousness. Her respectful and compassionate attitude towards Bash was also favorable in his eyes. If she were not a succubus, he would have sworn that he would have dared to propose to her that very day. ¡°Shall we go now or do you want to sleep a little longer?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± She nodded, as if she knew he was going to say that. CH 47.2 Bash and his party were led to a large building. It was a rectangular structure that appeared to be as large or larger than the royal palace. Several guards stood around the building, indicating that it was heavily guarded. ¡°This is the eatery of our succubus nation.¡± ¡°It is quite large.¡± ¡°During the war, we ate outside, but after the war, it became necessary to keep the food alive as long as possible. We built this kind of building so that they could live without any inconvenience.¡± As Venus approached the building, one of the guards approached with a ¡°no way¡± look on her face. ¡°Lieutenant Venus, is this man an additional food source? What a magnificent Orc! He alone could fill the bellies of fifty people a day.¡± ¡°Negative! A message should have come by now!¡± ¡°Hmm? Right, I think it was supposed to be an inspec¡­ I mean, a tour! Is that him?¡± ¡°Yes, this is Sir Bash. So don¡¯t look at him like that.¡± ¡°Bu-but¡­¡± The guard looked at Bash and swallowed saliva. Her eyes were bloodshot, her long tongue was licking her lips, and her hands and wings were flapping. ¡°If you want to fight us, I won¡¯t stop you, but I value my life, don¡¯t you?¡± Venus¡¯ tone was very different from the one she had used to address Bash. It was filled with an overwhelming confidence in her own fighting abilities and an eagerness to crush any filthy cat burglar. ¡°Excuse me!¡± The guard recoiled and looked away from Bash like she was looking at the most disgusting thing. Venus turned to Bash and bowed with a straight face. ¡°I am very sorry. I have shown you my shameful side. Shall we go?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After such an exchange, they entered the building. ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful.¡± The inside of the building was bright, and the walls and floors were polished to a shine. It was comparable to the royal palace they had been in until a few minutes ago, no, on the contrary, the building materials were more luxurious than those of the royal palace, and it looked as if it had been carefully cleaned. ¡°The slaves said it was easier for them to live like this.¡± ¡°Did they really?¡± ¡°Yes. At first it was a hut with a bad draft, but we listened to the slaves¡¯ wishes.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± It reminded him of an orc breeder ground. Humans and elves had little physical ability, so they had some soft beds. It would be hard to say that they were clean, though, since the orcs dropped by day and night. Of course, Bash had never been inside to take a closer look, so he didn¡¯t know the details¡­ Now that he thought about it, something he had heard before his journey, that people were getting sick and dying because of the brood slaves. ¡°I suppose the orcs were also supposed to prepare these buildings for their brood slaves?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what the orc brood slaves are like, but at least the food here has started to live longer since these buildings were built. However, it seems that the succubus ¡°diet¡± is still very exhausting, and the number of people getting sick or dying does not stop¡­¡± Venus said as they climbed the stairs. When they reached the second floor, they found themselves on a balcony overlooking a room. There were many succubi lined up in the room. It seemed that most of the succubi in the country were here. Each of them was dressed in the light clothing typical of succubi, and the contours of their bodies were clearly visible. Some had large breasts, some had large hips, and for Bash, it was a sight to behold, but most were slender, with only their eyes shining. ¡°They¡¯re all so thin.¡± ¡°Food is scarce¡­ many of them haven¡¯t eaten in a month.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t they eat the same food as the other species?¡± ¡°We can, but without men food we will die¡­¡± Venus said bitterly as they walked along the balcony and up the stairs to the third floor. The succubi noticed Bash and drooled, but Bash didn¡¯t care and decided to follow his guide. ¡ö They were led into a single room. There stood a single succubus dressed in a military uniform. A large piece of glass was glued to the floor, its edges etched with spell patterns and glowing with light. ¡°I am Lieutenant Venus. As I informed you, the orc hero Sir Bash has arrived for a visit. Proceed with your mission.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± The succubus looked at Bash with wide eyes, but quickly returned her gaze to the floor crystal. ¡°From here you can see the ¡®food¡¯ being served. Don¡¯t worry, they can¡¯t see us from the other side.¡± ¡°Why is it like that?¡± ¡°Some people kill the food by absorbing too much of it, so this is a countermeasure.¡± ¡°They can¡¯t control themselves?¡± ¡°It¡¯s instinctive, so anyone can do it, even if they don¡¯t want to. And someone has to stop them.¡± ¡°I see.¡± For all species, being a predator meant taking the life of another. Succubi, however, could eat their prey without killing them. They squeezed semen from men, just as humans squeezed milk from cattle. The difference with cattle was that if they squeezed too much out of the men, they would die easily. Unlike war, killing humans would not be without consequence. They would need more cattle. If they killed the cattle, they would be the next to die. Succubi had to manage their ¡°food¡± with the utmost care. But¡­ ¡°What a joy. The food seems to be healthy again today. Under the glass was what appeared to be a human male. Naked, of course. Ah, is he really human¡­? His appearance, however, was unlike any human Bash had ever seen. Had his skin not been milky white, he might have looked more like a fat orc than a human. No one, not even orcs, were that fat. He was more like a troll, a magical beast that appeared in the northern forests. Trolls were creatures that stood on two legs, but most of their bodies were made of fat, and their mouths were always dirty because they ate everything, and they emitted a stench that would make even orcs frown. The human in the room looked like one of those creatures. CH 47.3 ¡°We feed them well and let them sleep. They are as fat and healthy as you can see.¡± The ¡°food¡± shook his heavy body with a sense of languor and he walked over to a table set up in the room. Then he began to eat all the food on the table. When he finished eating, he lay down on the bed in the middle of the room and began to doze off. Lying on his back, the figure looked strange to Bash¡¯s eyes. Although his body was white, his face was generally reddish-black and he had dark circles under his eyes. He was huffing and puffing, as if he was tired or perhaps having trouble breathing. Really healthy, huh? During the war, many of those who were able to gain weight lived long and healthy lives. On the other hand, those who were thin tended not to live as long. If you were thin, you got sick easily, and your wounds were hard to heal. Since their physical and muscular strength was less than that of the fat ones, they were more likely to die in battle. So Bash also thought that ¡°being fat is a sign of good health¡±¡­ But the man below him didn¡¯t look like that. In fact, he looked like he could see death coming. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s almost time to eat.¡± He looked up to see someone enter the room. ¡°¡­!¡± It was an incredibly attractive woman. She had a lot of exposed skin, as was typical of a succubus, long wavy hair, large breasts, and a great ass. Any man would have wanted to throw her to the ground and sire his own offspring. Bash looked at the man. This was the important part, how was this man going to sleep with this attractive woman? As food, he would be a man who slept with women every day. And many times a day. He must have had a lot of experience. This time he wanted to observe and use it as a reference. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The ¡®meal¡¯ was over in a few minutes. The succubus unilaterally touched the man who lay like a corpse. The man didn¡¯t even move his face. Even when Bash watched intently as the succubus undressed herself, the man did not even look at her, just stared at the ceiling with vacant eyes. The ¡°job¡± was done by the succubus and finished before Bash had time to ask, ¡°Why isn¡¯t the man moving?¡± The succubus was very excited, and so was Bash, but the lying man did not seem to be as excited, and did not move at all, not even changing color until the end. ¡°The man never moved, did he?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. There were some who cooperated at first, but after a month, they all became like that. After all, being ¡®eaten¡¯ is hard work, so I guess it can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°I guess the succubi don¡¯t use the ¡®charm¡¯ either?¡± ¡°¡­? Of course we don¡¯t. We don¡¯t need to use it to get our food.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°It is impolite to use the charm. It would be disrespectful to those who provide our food.¡± Venus said, looking at the glass again. Inside the room, a second succubus had just entered and was approaching the ¡°food¡±. Bash watched him closely, but the man did not move, and the succubus ended up sucking his semen without him being active. To be honest, Bash was disappointed. But when he thought about it, that was to be expected. Men didn¡¯t come here because they wanted to. No woman in an orc breeding ground would want to have orc children, but it was the same thing. There was no way anyone would actively try to have rough sex with a succubus. ¡°As you can see, the food spends its days in comfort. What do you think of that?¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± He was sorry to hear that, because what Bash wanted to see wasn¡¯t exactly that. ¡°A-Are you unhappy with anything?¡± ¡°No, not particularly.¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll continue to do everything we can! For example¡­ hmm?¡± Venus raised her eyebrows. There was something unusual in the room under the glass. Another succubus, who had entered the room to have her turn with the man and was eating, was agitated for some reason. The man lay on his back with white eyes, foaming at the mouth and convulsing. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, was it too much suction?¡± Venus quickly asked a nearby succubus who was about to do something about it. ¡°No, it was her first suction. He hadn¡¯t reached his daily limit, or maybe he¡¯s sick¡­¡± But the succubus was just as confused. ¡°He could he¡¯s sick, or worse! Follow me!¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Venus said and ran from the room. As Bash looked down, Venus jumped into the room and began to cast some kind of spell on the still convulsing man. Probably some kind of healing magic. But it was too late, Bash knew. The man was going to die for sure. Thinking back, there was a hint of death coming from the man for some reason. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Maybe someone poisoned him.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s how they die, isn¡¯t it?¡± Orcs rarely died of poisoning. They had strong stomachs that could digest most poisons. However, they had seen enemies die of poisoning during the war. They would die rolling their eyes and going into convulsions. ¡°Could you cure them him your powder?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but let¡¯s try! Come on!¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Zell said, and they went downstairs to follow Venus and the others. CH 47.4 It turned out that the dying man was saved by Zell¡¯s dust. The slave was currently being held in the facility¡¯s infirmary for observation. Bash and the others were taken to another room by the security succubus. There they were seated on a soft couch that resembled a bed, and the succubus who claimed to be the director of this facility bowed her head to them. ¡°We have shown you something incredibly embarrassing. But don¡¯t worry. I assure you that the ¡®food¡¯ has been well fed and this will not happen again.¡± The succubus who called herself Nion was still poison to Bash¡¯s eyes. She, too, was dressed in the same drab succubus uniform as Venus and the others, but surprisingly, even in her uniform, her chest and buttocks were out of proportion. Even in such trivial things as walking, sitting, or tilting her head, one could see the huge mass in motion. However, Bash had an idea for the name of this succubus. ¡°Nion, the Smothering.¡± The pink mist she emitted was so thick that it caused opponents to run out of oxygen and slow their movements. He had never talk to her properly, and had only seen her once on the battlefield. At that time, Bash was not yet famous, and Nion looked at him and laughed, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t stare at me, Orc.¡± Of course, Nion did not remember. Bash couldn¡¯t stand to have someone like that bow down to him. ¡°Even if you apologize to me¡­¡± Bash said, but Nion did not raise her head. She just said ¡°please¡± and ¡°humbly¡±. Only Zell would say ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± or ¡°I don¡¯t know what you would have done if I hadn¡¯t been there!¡± but Bash didn¡¯t know what to do. He crossed his arms for a while, waiting for her to raise her head, but it didn¡¯t seem to do any good, so he let his eyes wander. Then his eyes met those of Ludo and Luka, who were sitting next to him. ¡°Um, Bash.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°If they give them such good food, I think something like this will happen again.¡± When he said this, Nion looked up with a start. Her face was filled with strong anger and resentment, as if telling him not to talk too much. ¡°I thought you were Sir Bash¡¯s apprentice, but I have doubts how much you have learned to behave?¡± ¡°Nothing, I haven¡¯t learned any of that.¡± Bash didn¡¯t teach him either. ¡°Really? Then explain to me why you think the same thing would happen.¡± I¡¯ll kill you if you say anything out of line. It was written in her eyes. Anyone who knew her on the battlefield would have stopped talking at that moment. But Ludo could not see that. He put his hand to his chin, as if remembering, and began to speak. ¡°Something similar happened in the Ogres country. After the war ended, the people who had been important during the war threw down their swords and started to live a comfortable life¡­ eating, sleeping, having sex, drinking¡­ The ogres weren¡¯t treated as harshly as the demons and succubi, and we didn¡¯t have to worry about food. So we could have a good life.¡± ¡°Hmm? It¡¯s an enviable story, isn¡¯t it? I wish I could live like that.¡± ¡°Then, about two years later, I think it was¡­ a person collapsed and died while drinking at a festival. I was nearby, so I noticed it, but the body was kind of creepy¡­it was all swollen up like he¡¯d drowned, and people were talking about how he might have been cursed by someone. And if you looked closely, some of the generals looked similar too, and when I talked to them, they said they felt tired, they felt sleepy, and their knees were starting to hurt, so I thought it might be a curse after all.¡± ¡°And did you find the evildoer who did it?¡± Unnoticed, Nion had sat down on the couch, elbows resting on the armrests, in a rather lazy and sexy position, staring at Ludo. The deadly atmosphere became more intense than before, and Ludo, as expected, noticed it and looked away from her. Or maybe it was because his eyes were drawn to the large mass on the table. ¡°No, not at all¡­ In the end, it was decided that it was probably due to a lack of training, and the Chief said, ¡®It¡¯s because they¡¯re lazy!¡¯ and after that¡­ well¡­¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Nion chuckled through her nose, and a slightly sweet smell seeped into the room. Bash and Ludo rubbed their knees at the same time. ¡°How could a disease be cured with just a little training? It¡¯s really a problem that ogres are made of muscle, because they have more muscle than brains.¡± ¡°But no one died in the same way before we left the country.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s just that the one who died was sick, right?¡± Nion sighed and crossed her legs, elbows on her knees, chin resting on her hands. The gap between her crossed legs drew the eyes of Bash and Ludo. And then Nion¡¯s gaze returned. To Bash. She paused for a few seconds, then resumed a pose what seemed to make a squeak from her crotch. ¡°Excuse me. The brat interrupted me and I¡­¡± ¡°Never mind. I know very well that you are not a warrior to be taken lightly by a youngling.¡± ¡°I¡¯m honored that you think so.¡± ¡°But from the way you acted, this isn¡¯t the first time one of them has died like this, is it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Nion said, and then spoke as if she had come to her senses. The first year, they didn¡¯t know how to handle the ¡°food¡± and let them die from over-suction and malnutrition. For the next two years, they worked to provide a steady supply of ¡°fodder¡± and a comfortable environment. As a result of these efforts, the ¡°food¡± got fatter, they stopped complaining, and the number of people they could feed each day increased. This year, however, it was noticed that some of the ¡°food¡± had turned pale. The succubi thought that the daily meals were sapping the strength of the ¡°food¡±, so they decided to find a way to eat with them by moving as little as possible, but to no avail. The ¡°food¡± grew paler and paler, and sudden deaths like this began to occur, one after another. It was as if they were on the front lines of a plague, and yet the succubi were not catching it. There was nothing they could do, and they were stuck. ¡°If we could at least get some extra ¡®suppliers¡¯, I think the others could get enough rest?¡± She looked at Bash as if to suggest, ¡°If we increase the number of people, we can get out of the current situation.¡± But of course, there was no way for Bash to understand her intention. ¡°If we can¡¯t wait for reinforcements, then we have to make do with the forces we have.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± ¡°Orcs do not get sick. I don¡¯t know anything about diseases. But if this is how ogres are cured, why not try it?¡± ¡°Is it¡­ really? But if it¡¯s a curse, it won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Zell, who had been standing on the table nodding only a few times, looked back at Bash. ¡°It can¡¯t be, because my dust doesn¡¯t work on curses, you know? If he was healed, it was because he was hurt or sick.¡± Then what is it? Everyone there bowed their heads, and then there was a knock at the door. The one who entered was Venus, who had been making the rounds of the facility with the guards. ¡°Miss in charge of the facility Nion, the children who were sick¡­ ahem, when they were sprinkled with the fairy dust or made to drink it, they all showed a dramatic improvement when administered.¡± ¡°Tell me more.¡± ¡°Yes, first of all, they said their color had improved, their general discomfort and pain in their knees, hips and other joints had disappeared, and their vision was clearer. They said it was like being back in the old days. Some of them were so encouraged that they immediately offered to help with the ¡®meal¡¯.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Other staff members and myself tasted the food and it was as wholesome as if they had just arrived at the facility.¡± When she looked, Venus¡¯ face was quite radiant. Obviously, she had also participated in the aids. ¡°I see, but if the illness was only cured by the fairy dust, it¡¯s possible that it might come back.¡± Nion had a complicated look on her face, but finally she nodded as if she had made up her mind. ¡°I don¡¯t think it will work, but as long as we don¡¯t know the cause, it would be fun to try the ogre strategy¡­¡± Although she knew it was a desperate measure, she had no choice but to try it first, since she had no other ideas. Nion agreed and turned her head to Bash. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll stay here for a while, Sir Bash, and see how the results go.¡± ¡°No, I still have to leave the country¡­¡± As for Bash, he honestly wanted to leave soon. There was no reason for him to stay since it turned out that he wouldn¡¯t be able to see what he was looking for. ¡°Please! I¡¯ll make sure I get results! Please give me more time! Just give me another chance!¡± ¡°Well, I understand.¡± However, when a woman persuaded him and he was so close to her huge cleavage, he could not help but agree. CH 48.1 Orc Hero Story Chapter 48. Succubus Training Camp Lowayne ¡°Skillful Hand¡± was a former human soldier. He came from a farming village and, as his alias indicated, was unusually capable with his hands. During the war, he was a member of an engineering unit and was involved in all sorts of behind-the-scenes operations, from blowing up escape routes and disarming traps to setting up camps and building roads and bridges. Although he had participated in battles, he had never raised the head of an enemy general, partly because he was in the background. Perhaps because of this, the reward he was to receive for his war efforts was nothing more than crumbs. The village where he was born had long since been reduced to a pile of rubble. He was good with his hands, but not very polite, and he had trouble finding work, perhaps because he clashed too easily with his superiors. This was not uncommon in the post-war period for a human who had been a soldier. Some managed to find work and survive, others left the country and found work in other nations, while others turned to crime. Or, more accurately, they became so desperate that they had no choice but to turn to crime. Lowayne became a thief, breaking into houses that appeared to have money, stealing what he could, and selling it. He was probably one of the most profitable of the criminals who appeared in large numbers after the war. Unfortunately, one day, the house he broke into turned out to be the home of the mistress of a very important person. To make matters worse, the aristocrat was in the middle of making love to his mistress. The nobleman¡¯s guards were known knights, so they easily captured Lowayne. Normally, a thief caught in the act would be imprisoned for a few months. During that time, at least he would not have to worry about food and shelter. Prison was the last refuge for people like him. But not for Lowayne, who had seen something he shouldn¡¯t have. After a very long trial, he was sentenced to death. Luckily, the current death penalty law stipulated that he should be ¡°sent to the succubi¡±. So he would be taken to the Succubus Nation, where he would become ¡°food¡±. At that moment, Lowayne was desperate. He had heard of men captured by succubi on the battlefield. He had seen the bodies when he had to rebuild a fort that had been taken by the succubi. They were in a motley pile in the underground prison, and at first he didn¡¯t recognize them as corpses. They looked like dried pork or something. When he learned that they were desiccated human figures like mummies, he felt that succubi were a terrifying existence, along with the difference between their appearance and what they were capable of. He would die and be desiccated like the others. At the thought, his eyes darkened completely. In fact, he thought he would die for several months after he was sent to the succubus nation as ¡°food¡±. Every day, several succubi would hold Lowayne, whisper sweet words to him with glowing red eyes, and squeeze him over and over again. No doubt it was a pleasure that almost drove him crazy. But it was clearly hell. He thought he would die soon, and indeed some of the ¡°food¡± shipped at the same time as Lowayne died in less than six months. But eventually it became heaven. His room became so spacious that it looked as if it had been made for royalty and aristocrats, the bare cobblestone floor was replaced by a carpet so fluffy that it looked as if he could sink into it, the bed that was nothing more than a coarse linen cloth became a fluffy bed, the room was furnished with an expensive table and chairs, and on the table was more food than he could eat at once. The meals were sumptuous, with everything one could eat. The spices were a bit strong, but compared to the past when he could not eat much, there was no reason to complain. The succubi¡¯s ¡°meal¡± was now limited to one at a time, and they no longer used the ¡°charm¡±. With his mind intact, he was now the one who could pull them down and do whatever he wanted with them. These succubi were, well, other succubi. They were very helpful, but at the time he was very turned on by such a situation. Three years passed. He ate, slept, and his body was devoured by succubi who came at regular intervals. This life was good at first, but because it went on for so long, he got tired of it. He also gained a lot of weight and his health deteriorated. He was fattened up and squeezed every day. They were almost like cattle. No, they were cattle. As he was tormented by the unspeakable discomfort of his increasingly heavy and sluggish body, he remembered that this was a ¡°death sentence¡±. He was no longer human. When his chest suddenly became painful during the ¡°meal¡± of one of the succubi, he knew that time had come. But he survived. He found himself with several succubi and a fairy flying in a bed much more normal than the one he had been assigned. Apparently, the fairy had used her dust to save him. He did not understand the gist of what the fairy and the succubi were saying, but he learned that the ¡°Orc Hero¡± was in the country at the time, and that he had been saved only because of his words. Bash, the Orc Hero. He met him only once. He would never forget the decisive battle in the Lemium Highlands. Lowayne was in the human camp. There he saw a lone orc fighting a giant dragon. All present were stunned as they witnessed a battle beyond human comprehension. When the orc defeated the dragon, Lowayne felt an unspeakable thrill in his heart. He had seen something extraordinary. He felt this way even though it was the enemy who had won. CH 48.2 Such an orc had come to the land of the succubi, and the succubi were intimidated by him. They did not attack or seduce the orc, but rather look up to him. The orc even used the precious fairy dust to help the succubi with their ¡°food¡±. He thought that even stupid and smelly orcs were different when they were a ¡°Hero¡±. It was the day after such an incident. Lowayne and the other ¡°food¡± went outside for the first time in three years. Bathed in sunlight for the first time in a long time, he saw the other ¡°food¡±. They looked as fat and unhealthy as he did, and seemed blinded by the sun. He wondered why there were so many people there, not just him, but no one seemed to know why. But in the place where Lowayne and the others had been taken, another hellish scene was unfolding. ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­ owww¡­ coff, coff¡­¡± An ogre child was being kicked by an orc and running away from him. He didn¡¯t know what the boy had done, but it must have made the orc very angry. What clung to the boy¡¯s face was the fear of death. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s the Orc Hero.¡± Someone said something that made him realize the identity of the orc chasing the boy. That¡¯s right. The moment he thought that, the memory of the old battle came back to Lowayne¡¯s mind, and he felt a sense of dread as if a centipede had been thrown at his spine. And this monster was right there. And for some reason, it was angry too, kicking the boy to the ground. ¡°Could it be that we¡­?¡± This was something that everyone had been thinking about for a long time. Recently, they had lost strength compared to the past. They couldn¡¯t be ¡°eaten¡± as often as before, and more and more succubi had become dissatisfied with them. Yesterday, thanks to the fairy dust, they had temporarily regained their strength, but it was probably only temporary. What did the shepherds do with the cows that could no longer be milked? The answer was obvious. Succubi did not eat meat. But it was rumored that orcs did eat human meat. And they understood that. Ah, so that¡¯s why they fattened us up. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s take a few laps around the square, so please follow me.¡± The succubus who had brought the ¡°food¡± to the square explained. She sounded very apologetic. So he was convinced. This would be a test. If he couldn¡¯t keep up with it, he would be disposed of like an old pet. And then he would be made into dried meat or something and eaten by orcs. He didn¡¯t want that. He didn¡¯t want to die. ¡°You don¡¯t have to strain yourself. Come on!¡± Lowayne ran as fast as he could. His body was heavy, his knees creaked and his lungs screamed. Still, he managed to run, probably thanks to the fairy dust he drank yesterday. And then, perhaps inspired by him, or perhaps coming to the same conclusion, someone else began to run as frantically as Lowayne. If one person started running, two would start running; if two started running, four would start running. Someone sensed that they would be in trouble if they didn¡¯t, so everyone started running as fast as they could. No one thought deeply about why the ogre boy was being chased. However, the desperate form of him was enough to remind those who had been lazy for three years of a sense of danger and fear. There was no one who was not running. They all kicked their legs as hard as they could. When they fell down, they thought, ¡°I can still do it! I can still run!¡± And those who couldn¡¯t get up kept going, even if they had to crawl. They ate, slept, and had sex every day. They lived like nobles. They were happy. From the bottom of their hearts they were grateful that they were born men. Had they been born female, they would have become the orcs¡¯ brood slaves. But cattle were cattle. When they were no longer needed, they were culled. No one wanted to die. Having survived the battlefields, they wanted to live longer. As long as possible. Driven by this instinct, men kept running. ¡ö ¡°The ¡®food¡¯ was so happy! Today we were going to let them run for a while just to test them, but they all wanted to run more and more! Even after the training was over, I felt that they looked better than usual. They all seemed to have a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction on their faces.¡± ¡°Hmm, I wondered how effective it would be in preventing recurrence of the disease¡­ if they¡¯re happy, I¡¯d be happy for them to do it on a regular basis~.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m sure the others will be frustrated because they¡¯ll be eating less for the time we spend training.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to ask them to be strong because they¡¯ll be eating less~.¡± Curly Kale said as she listened to her subordinate Nion¡¯s report. After all, it was about the all-important ¡°food¡±, of which they had only a limited supply. She didn¡¯t want them to get hurt, but if it made them feel better, it was the best they could do. ¡°In the same place, Sir Bash was training his apprentice, and some of them were filled with excitement at the sight of him. Even though they were physically exhausted, they showed that they could still go on.¡± ¡°Sir Bash is a war hero, right? It¡¯s natural that even the soldiers of the Four Races Alliance would want to show off their good performance in training¡­ So what kind of training is Sir Bash giving his apprentice?¡± ¡°You¡¯re also curious, aren¡¯t you, my queen?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? I too would like to be trained by him.¡± Curly Kale laughed and Nion shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve seen him train the boy to develop his physical strength and endurance rather than his technical skills. Specifically, he kicks him and makes him run until he drops.¡± CH 48.3 ¡°Very practical, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, it is. On the battlefield, the first to die is the one who can no longer run.¡± ¡°It reminds me of the Lehner Desert. That was a real battlefield. There was no magic or martial arts involved, only those with physical strength and a strong will survived¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t participate in the retreat from the Lehner Desert, but the person who recommended the ¡®food¡¯ instructor said she was a survivor of the Lehner Desert, and she told me that she was drooling at the memory of how Sir Bash kicked the boy and ordered him to run.¡± ¡°You must be a naughty girl to think of Sir Bash as food. But I won¡¯t punish her. If I had been there, I would have done the same thing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very generous of you.¡± Nion, who did not suggest any specific punishment, was also aware of Bash¡¯s sex appeal. Although they had only met once in the reception room, it seemed to Nion that Bash¡¯s whole body was a whip. His thick chest told her to throw herself at him, and the way he sat with his big thighs spread wide, she felt completely invited to join him. If she hadn¡¯t ducked her head to look away from him, she might have lost control. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s not a good idea for Sir Bash to stay like this in the Succubus Nation. Someone will lose patience.¡± ¡°I agree. Although, as a woman, I would like him to stay forever¡­¡± ¡°I hope the queen herself will not try to overthrow the pride of the succubi.¡± The two smiled with indescribable bitterness and exchanged glances. Then Nion suddenly looked out the window. There was not a single star in the dark sky. It was hard to make them out because they were covered by the barriers, but it was still raining heavily outside. ¡°Now, my queen, let¡¯s move on to a slightly different subject.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°My subordinates are worried that this rain is not going to stop.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I know, I know¡­¡± ¡°Is there anything you can¡¯t tell me?¡± Nion and Curly Kale were close in age. They had been warriors on the battlefield together since before Curly Kale was called Queen. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that she was one of the succubi Curly Kale trusted the most. ¡°No, I really don¡¯t know what¡¯s causing it. However¡­¡± ¡°However?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if this has anything to do with it, but I can¡¯t contact the Shrine guardians.¡± ¡°Has any investigation been done?¡± ¡°Of course, I sent out a platoon just in case, but¡­ they didn¡¯t come back. They¡¯ve probably all been wiped out.¡± ¡°The whole platoon!? Was it Carrot¡¯s doing!?¡± ¡°No. Even if she had gone crazy, she would never touch the Shrine. She knows better than anyone how important the shrine is to succubi.¡± ¡°Then who?¡± ¡°The identity of these villains is unknown, but there is no doubt that the country is under attack.¡± Curly Kale¡¯s words contained a chilling coldness and murderous intent. Nion reacted with a feeling of nostalgia at the sound of her voice, but matter-of-factly. She was used to it. ¡°Your Majesty, if you are worried, would you prefer that I be the one to go? If the enemy is able to eliminate the Shrine Guardians, they must have some skill, right?¡± ¡°What about the eateries?¡± ¡°I can leave that to my subordinates.¡± ¡°Nion¡­ well, if you say so, can I leave the strike team to you?¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± There was no sound in the palace, protected by guards. It was a quiet night. CH 49 Orc Hero Story Chapter 49. A warrior in the rain Deep in the forest. Half a day¡¯s journey from the succubus capital. The barriers, repeatedly and cleverly placed, caused one to get lost in the forest, and most never reached the place. There was no doubt. One was always led in the direction of the capital. For this reason, even after the war, the succubi kept this place unknown to the other races. And even if they had known, they would not have done anything special about it. The succubi called the place ¡°Sanctuary¡±. They did not build a city around it like the beastmen, nor did they hold festivals nearby. It was hidden and protected by many barriers. People of other races would not even know that a succubus sanctuary existed, let alone the barriers. Not even young succubi knew of its existence. However, there was certainly something there that the succubi had protected and believed in for many years. In such a place, there was a woman. ¡°Hey, you¡­¡± The sanctuary still existed silently there. But the floor was soaked with blood, and all the barriers had lost their light, except for the last one. The bodies of several succubi lay around. ¡°Who the f?u?c?k? are you¡­?¡± The fallen succubi were all renowned warriors. They had chosen service to their country over freedom in a world of peace. These succubi lay on the ground in the most pitiful manner. The last remaining succubus stared at the one who had done such a thing outside the last barrier before the sanctuary, the kind of barrier that physically prevented entry. She was a woman. Probably human, but she had an unpleasant appearance. Eighty percent of her face was hidden, with only her eyes peering out. She stood aloof, but somehow did not leave any openings. She answered the succubus¡¯ questions in a light tone. ¡°I am not obliged to answer you, but I am impressed by your devotion, so I will tell you. I have already lost my name. I don¡¯t intend to use it either, so please, let¡¯s spare me that part. I just want to draw power from your sanctuary and use it for revenge.¡± ¡°Power¡­?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know? Well, even I didn¡¯t know until recently, but there are places to gather power all over this continent, and it¡¯s said that if you gather that power, you can perform miracles. Although miracles are a bit vague, it seems that anything is possible. For example¡­¡± The woman¡¯s distant tone softened a bit. ¡°¡­bringing the dead back to life.¡± The strong succubus warrior shuddered at these words. ¡°You¡¯re going to resurrect Gediguz, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You guessed right. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You¡¯re human, aren¡¯t you? Why would you do that? Aren¡¯t humans in charge now? Elves and dwarves are no better off than your race. Then why?¡± ¡°I told you it was for revenge, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m a human, but I¡¯m not on the human side.¡± ¡°A swordswoman of your caliber? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve done them a lot of good on the battlefield, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a funny story. Humans are idiots.¡± Shrugging, the warrior shook her head. ¡°Well, let¡¯s cut the small talk, succubus warrior.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Normally here I¡¯d say I¡¯d only spare your life if you break the barriers, but despite what I do, I love succubi. I won¡¯t do anything to hurt their pride, so I¡¯ll kill you like a warrior.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think this act in itself hurts our pride?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t. In any case, if my wish comes true, you will regain your pride. Now get ready.¡± The succubus reacted to these words. She brought her fists forward, red eyes blazing and a thick pink mist around her. Even though she knew it wouldn¡¯t work on women, the mist was meant to give strength to her fighting spirit. ¡°I am the second-in-command of the Succubus Queen¡¯s Second Battalion, Nion the Smothering.¡± ¡°I am very sorry, but I have no name to give you.¡± The woman raised her sword. It was as if she said, ¡°Just in case,¡± and it made Nion¡¯s nerves tingle. But considering the difference in power, that might not be an option. Nion knew that she wouldn¡¯t win. The woman was unbelievably strong. Not even the elite Nion had assembled could give her a scratch. ¡°So, goodbye.¡± A beam of light appeared in Nion¡¯s vision. Its path was invisible, and she could only feel the heat on her neck. ¡°¡­Curly, I¡¯m sorry¡­ Nio, Your Majesty¡­¡± Convinced she would die, Nion¡¯s mind filled with the image of her beloved queen and her sister who worked as her assistant. Nion¡¯s vision faded into darkness, ending her long life as a succubus. ¡°¡­Haa.¡± At the pile of corpses, the woman brushed her hair as she breathed. The blood stains on the sword she held were quickly washed away by the downpour. ¡°Well¡­¡± The woman pulled out a key. It was decorated with ornaments and a jewel that glowed with an ominous light, and it could be seen at first glance that it was an object filled with a great quantity of magical power. She inserted it into the last barrier. An ominous light emanated from the place where it was inserted. However, as if it collided with something, an unpleasant sound rang out. ¡°Oh, doesn¡¯t it open right away?¡± The woman said, shrugging her shoulders again, but glancing at the barrier. There were still a few succubi inside. They were the last mages holding the barrier. ¡°As expected from a succubus barrier. Even with the magic barrier-breaking key, it will take some time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°However, this magic key is absolute. After all, it is the national treasure of the demons. It is only a matter of time before it is broken. So, I have a suggestion¡­ why don¡¯t you just remove the barrier? You haven¡¯t been out for days. You must be going crazy with hunger. I think it would be better for all of you to go out and fight rather than continue to suffer.¡± The succubi locked within the barrier knew this. Those who died before their eyes were veteran warriors, all known and all who had fought in many battles. And they died brutal deaths. They were struck down by an overwhelming sword without being able to lift a finger against the woman. So they understood. The woman said, ¡°I will kill you without making you suffer, so come out¡±. The mission of the remaining succubi was to protect the Sanctuary. It was true that they were starving, but they would not abandon their duties. They had no choice but to hold out and wait for reinforcements. ¡°Are you waiting for the next reinforcements? Well, well, I thought the succubi would be braver than that, but I¡¯m disappointed.¡± They were not to fall for the woman¡¯s provocation. ¡°Perhaps the barrier will be lifted first, or the reinforcements will come first, but¡­ let me assure you. You won¡¯t come out alive. Right now you are wasting your time and suffering in vain.¡± The woman said, perhaps sensing the uneasiness spreading through the succubi¡¯s minds. But they did not move. There was no way they would move. ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine with me. I¡¯ve said it many times, it¡¯s only a matter of time¡­¡± The words reached the succubi, but they were drowned out by the sound of the rain as they disappeared into the forest. No one else heard her voice. ¡°Do you really think you can resurrect Lord Gediguz?¡± It was the one of the succubus inside the barrier who murmured these words. Hearing this, the woman laughed. ¡°Yes, I think so.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t it absurd to bring the dead back to life?¡± ¡°I think so too. In fact, it is said that to bring a dead person back to life requires enormous power beyond human knowledge.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°But this land has the necessary power.¡± The woman began to speak, in a tone as if trying to convince the succubi, though that was not her intention. ¡°This is a story that someone found in the writings of a certain archaeological site: it seems that this world was built over the corpses of ancient creatures, great creatures that fought each other in ways that mankind cannot even imagine today. Some of the corpses still have power and have been a blessing to those who inhabit them. Some people have praised and believed in the power that resides in the corpses as gods¡­ and your Sanctuary is one of them. Then perhaps it¡¯s time to use it, isn¡¯t it? Because believing in a corpse will not help us. If we resurrect Gediguz and start the war again, the Seven Races Federation will win this time. The demons, succubi, and ogres will be able to escape their current hard lives and enjoy the beauty of victory. Just like the filthy humans of today.¡± One of the succubi, unable to understand what the woman was saying, reacted to the last words. ¡°¡®Filthy humans¡¯¡­ don¡¯t you have any pride in your race?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There is no pride in such selfish and self-serving scum.¡± The sound of the woman¡¯s voice was cold to the point of chilling. ¡°That is why. I apologize for provoking you. So please lift the barrier. You will die, but it won¡¯t be so bad for the other succubi.¡± Some of them were impressed by the woman¡¯s words about resurrecting Gediguz. But after hearing the last thing she said, no one wanted to follow her. Her words were that scary and terrifying. CH 50.1 Orc Hero Story Chapter 50. Market Research Several days had passed since Bash arrived in the Succubus Nation. The rain seemed relentless. Ludo was steadily gaining strength, but showed no signs of getting stronger. During these days of stagnation, Bash trained for the first time in a long time, but he had too much time on his hands. However, he was not the type of person who appreciated days of doing nothing. He had a strategy meeting with Zell before he went into action. ¡°Sir Bash¡­ what did you just say?¡± Venus, who was accompanying Bash and the others as usual, inadvertently replied to the first words out of the hero¡¯s mouth. ¡°Tell me about the kind of man women like.¡± As soon as Venus heard this, she swallowed hard and looked around. Someone must be testing me, she thought. Otherwise, the charming man in front of her would never have made such a blatant provocation. ¡°But¡­ why do you ask?¡± Venus had to answer carefully. If she said, ¡°You, naked,¡± she might find herself under the hangman¡¯s rope the next day. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a wife.¡± ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve heard that orc wives never ¡®miss a meal,¡¯ but¡­¡± She replied calmly, hoping the answer would be something along those lines. Venus was a first-class soldier. If she were a little girl, she would have been executed long ago. Her head would already be saying goodbye to her body. On the other hand, if it meant what she hoped it meant, Venus would give him a ¡°yes¡± without a second thought. She would take off her clothes immediately and jump on Bash¡¯s chest. ¡°Sir Bash, are you thinking of taking a succubus as your wife?¡± But we were talking about Venus, who was very careful and cautious. She did not lose one of her wings and tail during the war because of carelessness and recklessness. ¡°Huh? Sure, if I took a succubus for a wife, I could brag about it when I returned home. But you don¡¯t like orcs, do you?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ yes, of course, that¡¯s true. We have a lot of respect for you, Sir Bash, but we don¡¯t think much of most orcs¡­¡± To be the wife of an orc was to be his sex slave. They treated you as an object and displayed you as a trophy, a completely inferior being. Most succubi considered orcs who were not Bash to be inferior creatures. It would be unthinkable for a proud succubus to subordinate herself like that. In this day and age, however, young succubi would gladly accept such a position¡­ This would not be good for the orcs, however. If they took a succubus as a wife, the orc husband would have to feed her every night. This might seem like a mutually beneficial relationship, but it was not good for the race in general. No new orc children would be born. If one or two, or even all, of those starving within the succubus nation were to invade the orc lands, the orcs would be easily destroyed. ¡°Of course, if Sir Bash wants a trophy to prove that he has brought a succubus to her knees¡­ I¡¯m sure there are many who would take that position, myself included¡­¡± Venus¡¯ gaze shifted to Bash¡¯s crotch. Even she didn¡¯t have access to food every day. And the condition of being Bash¡¯s wife wouldn¡¯t hurt the succubus¡¯ pride. If she could take that position, she would. ¡°¡­But that¡¯s not what you mean, is it?¡± Venus asked as if to confirm. For her pride was in an extremely high place. If she were a young succubus, she¡¯d probably be in heaven right now, happily devouring Bash. ¡°Yes, as much as I would like to have a succubus for a wife, I still need her to bear my children.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± Bash was the orc hero. Venus, who knew orcish values, correctly understood that a succubus was not a suitable wife for an Orc. ¡°Of course, if you weren¡¯t a succubus, I would have proposed to you when we first met, but that¡¯s not possible¡­¡± If Bash had the power to see sound, he would have seen the sound of Venus¡¯ chest pounding and heaving. However, no matter how Bash was, he didn¡¯t have that ability. ¡°Coff, Sir Bash. I am a proud succubus soldier. I have endured rigorous training, fought in fierce battles, and have a will of steel. But these provocations are too tempting. In the succubus nation, we are taught that it is an act of dishonor to our pride to look upon a respected man as food.¡± ¡°Hmm? Mm, I get it.¡± Bash¡¯s face was so cute as he nodded with a look of incomprehension, Venus exclaimed inwardly, ¡°How can I say no to that pretty face!¡±. ¡°So I¡¯m traveling around trying to find a human or elven woman who looks like she could bear a child to be my wife, but it¡¯s not working at all.¡± ¡°Since you are an orc, wouldn¡¯t it be enough to fight her, beat her, take her to safety, sleep with her, bring her back to your country, and declare her your wife?¡± ¡°The orders of the Orc King forbid intercourse without consent, so that¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°I see the Orcs are also under such restrictions?¡± Venus looked at Bash twice as she muttered this. Orcs were under the same restrictions as succubi. Succubi were starved by restricting their food supply, and orcs were prevented from increasing their numbers by restricting their reproduction. Bash, however, was determined to find a wife the human way. She was certain that he had suffered tremendous discrimination and oppression on his journey thus far. Just like Carrot, the succubus general who was now on a diplomatic mission. He was traveling with great determination. ¡°But I¡¯m going to Demon Country when I¡¯m done taking care of these children. I have a letter of introduction from the human prince Nazar to the demons. I have failed many times before, but this time I want to get myself a wife.¡± CH 50.2 ¡°I see!¡± Venus finally understood the situation. Bash wanted to know what kind of man women liked to have another chance. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll help you¡­ but it¡¯s complicated. I don¡¯t know much about women from other countries.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± ¡°However, I¡¯m sure the demons were helped by Sir Bash as well. If the ¡®Orc Hero¡¯ wants to take a demon wife for the sake of a future friendship, they won¡¯t say no.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°There are many conditions, but I think the demons are also going through a difficult time right now and would like to have a more direct relationship. Demons are too proud to say so¡­ and since the Succubi and we are under human surveillance and cannot conduct diplomacy freely, I¡¯m sure they would appreciate a compromise from the Orcs.¡± Bash¡¯s heart swelled with anticipation. But he was a veteran warrior. He had lost many battles on this journey. There was no way he could be optimistic in such a situation. ¡°It won¡¯t work like this.¡± ¡°¡­Maybe. Demons, like succubi, despised orcs, perhaps even more than us.¡± As Venus spoke, she thought of the demon women she had encountered in the past. They looked down on all kinds of opponents. It was especially bad when Gediguz was still alive. They even looked down on succubi and ogres, who were considered the superior species. It was a sad memory when she thought about it. But the demons were in decline now. She figured they wouldn¡¯t be as bad off as the succubi, but she felt a little better now that she knew they must be suffering. Just as she thought that, Zell, who had been unusually quiet and listening, raised her hand. ¡°Yes, demon women and the proud succubi are very much alike! How about we practice with Venus imitating a demon woman?¡± Venus tilted her head. ¡°What do you mean by imitating a demon woman?¡± ¡°You know, ¡®Lowly Orc, get out of my sight¡¯ or something like that.¡± Venus felt the blood drain from her face. ¡°I can¡¯t do it. I just can¡¯t. Please don¡¯t make me. Sir Bash is really my hero, I don¡¯t want to have to think of him as food, and I don¡¯t even mind if he uses me as food if that¡¯s what he wants! But please don¡¯t make me! Besides, if another succubus sees such a scene, I won¡¯t survive. After Sir Bash leaves the country, I¡¯ll be beaten to death in an alley.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I know I would. Because it¡¯s unacceptable for a succubus to treat Sir Bash like any other orc¡­ Or if the queen found out, she¡¯d put me to death.¡± Then Venus bit her lip. But, she thought to herself, I could do it. I could imitate a demon woman. I could imitate those haughty but capable warriors. Torn between pride and gratitude, Venus said with a sour face: ¡°But if Sir Bash understands and wants to use me for practice, I¡­ I¡­!¡± Blood flowed from her lips as she bit them. ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t want you to go that far.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Venus breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°But how have you been working so far?¡± ¡°I have followed the paths of humans and elves, worked to make them fall in love with me, and then proposed to them.¡± Venus¡¯ eyes widened and her gaze shifted from Bash¡¯s crotch to his face. It had never occurred to her that the Orc hero, the strongest warrior of the race, who r?a?pe?d and impregnated every woman they saw, would go around doing something so transgressive. But at the same time, she was impressed and convinced. Bash thought a lot about it. It was no wonder he had come to visit the Succubus Nation through human trickery, and even cooperated with them to improve the ¡°food¡± situation. ¡°So wonderful¡­ but yes¡­ as I said, I¡¯m a succubus, so I don¡¯t know much about women of other races¡­ Sorry I can¡¯t help you¡­¡± ¡°But you are also a woman, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No, Sir Bash. We are not women per se. We succubi are certainly feminine in appearance, and we have feelings for men, but that is to satisfy our appetites, unlike other species, which is to reproduce.¡± ¡°But you do reproduce, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a little different¡­¡± Venus nodded and put her hand to her chin a little, thinking. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s useful. We succubi focus on strength when we make a child. Stronger mothers produce stronger offspring¡­¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± If strength were enough to attract women, Bash would already have a human wife, an elf, a dwarf, and a beastwoman. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he had already lost his virginity in the past and taken a succubus as his fifth wife with a relaxed expression on his face. By now, Venus would have a full belly and a satisfied look on her face. Frizcop: I love how Bash think so high of himself. ¡°I am impressed by your attitude, Sir Bash. Yes¡­ indeed, in this day and age, we succubi must also strive to be liked by men. Without resorting to charm¡­¡± ¡°But aren¡¯t your usual words and gestures meant to please men?¡± ¡°Do you think so? I don¡¯t know myself, since we are all born that way¡­ But it is true that before the war I heard that charm was not as strong as it is now, and maybe they had to make men like them with their language and gestures¡­¡± ¡°Language and gestures, eh?¡± Thinking back, Bash had never worried about such things since he left the country. Of course, he spoke formally when necessary, but he didn¡¯t know anything about gestures. ¡°Venus, what gestures would you prefer from a man?¡± ¡°That would be him naked, of course, with his hands on his hips¡­ no, that¡¯s nothing. Forget it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯ll forget it.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know, but if succubi¡¯s gestures and habitual language are such that men like them, I think there¡¯s a clue there. Since we are like that, we resemble all races¡­ but what would you think of a woman like us in our usual state, Sir Bash?¡± ¡°Mm. I think she would be a good woman who would conceive a child immediately and without complications.¡± ¡°Even if you take away the Orc¡¯s point of view, as long as the person is alive, I suppose it would stimulate the reproductive instincts.¡± ¡°You mean it happens to women too?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s the same.¡± Next, Bash would go to the land of demons. He knew it wouldn¡¯t be an easy task, no matter how many letters of introduction he had. But here he seemed to finally see a glimmer of hope. ¡°But what gestures and language make a woman feel good? Especially demon women.¡± ¡°¡­Wh-Who knows. But for succubi, it¡¯s considered best for a man to be defiant or confident?¡± ¡°Much like what orcs want in a woman.¡± ¡°Succubi and orcs are races that r?a?pe? other races, so their tastes would be similar¡­¡± ¡°And what about demons? So I should be submissive and insecure?¡± ¡°No, demons do not see their submissive opponents as equals. You have to act in a way that makes them think you are their equal in a reasonable way.¡± ¡°What does ¡®equal¡¯ mean to a demon?¡± ¡°That would be¡­¡± But in the end, they never got to the answer¡­ The glimmer of light he thought he saw was all in his mind. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t help you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay, no problem.¡± He knew from the beginning that there were differences between the races. Bash had always tried to be flexible. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to carry on as usual, won¡¯t we?¡± Bash nodded and went back to thinking about the demon princess he hadn¡¯t seen yet. He was not discouraged. It had been the same during the war. It wasn¡¯t every day that a strategy or a secret weapon appeared that could turn around a difficult situation. In the end, they had no choice but to go their own way and become stronger. ¡ö One day, while Bash was spending his days like this, an incident occurred. Frizcop: You know? I love chapters like this, chapters were characters just stay sit, just talking casually, that¡¯s my s?h?i?t?. CH 51.1 Orc Hero Story Chapter 51. Disturbances The incident happened a few days after the ¡°food¡± started their exercises. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of noise.¡± He was training Ludo in the garden of the ¡°eateries¡± and decided to take a short break. Suddenly, on the other side of the wall, there was noise. A soft and sweet smell began to spread across the yard, and the ¡°food¡± that was training near Bash began to make noise. ¡°There¡¯s a large number of succubi gathered on the other side of the wall.¡± ¡°Is there a festival going on?¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t seem like that. It¡¯s as if they are trying to kill each other.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s not a festival after all?¡± Bash asked with a somewhat uneasy expression. He was a veteran warrior. He knew that there were many bloodthirsty succubi outside the walls. But fights came with festivals. Just because there were fights didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t a festival. It must have been absolutely delicious to drink alcohol while watching the beautiful succubi fighting each other, huddled and clinging to each other. ¡°Something is happening¡­ Sir Bash, please don¡¯t leave my side.¡± As Venus said this, she took some brass knuckles out of her pocket and put them on her hands. Succubi mainly used hand-to-hand combat, but sometimes some of them used this type of weapon. Then, several succubi came running from the eateries, and one of them ran towards Venus, who was near Bash. ¡°Lieutenant Venus!¡± ¡°What is all this commotion!?¡± ¡°Riots broke out! Everyone is unhappy about the decrease in food rations¡­!¡± Venus¡¯ face changed rapidly at these words. ¡°What about the food? Have they already started the evacuation?!¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. However, since the mob has already infiltrated the eateries, the food being trained must wait here.¡± He saw that other succubi had begun to surround the ¡°food¡± training. They seemed to intend to defend them here. He thought it was a good decision. As long as they didn¡¯t know who the enemy was, it made sense to stay here and defend until they got more information. Even more so if there were people to protect. A unit was more defenseless when it was on the move. On the other hand, the ¡°food¡± was not so docile, perhaps because they had just finished the exercise, or maybe because, perhaps attracted by the sweet smell wafting from the other side of the wall, they came to caress the buttocks of the succubi that protected them. ¡°Sir Bash, go with them. If they are young succubi, I don¡¯t think any of them can hurt you, no matter how many succubi we are talking about¡­ but if anything should happen to you, my head will roll¡­¡± Venus said this, but Bash didn¡¯t feel he could win against succubi. But this was nothing to be ashamed of. It was just the way it was. Succubi specialized in sucking men to death. If they seriously attacked him, not only Bash but also the male heroes of any country would not be able to defeat them. ¡°Wait, Ludo hasn¡¯t returned yet!¡± ¡°The young apprentice!? Where did he go?¡± ¡°He went to take a piss!¡± Yes, Ludo had just finished his training and went to the ¡°eateries¡± to urinate. Normally, he would have done it there, but this was the Succubus Nation, and it would mean death for a man to expose his genitals in a public place. Therefore, he had to move to the restroom in the eateries. The second floor was full of succubi who had come to eat, so he must have gone to the second or third floor. ¡°I¡¯ll go look for him!¡± ¡°Oh, wait, Miss Zell! I¡¯ll call the guards to¡­¡± Zell jumped away without hearing Venus trying to stop her. Bash didn¡¯t stop her either. When sudden events like this occurred, what was needed was not to blindly move, but information. And fairies, specialized in obtaining information, were the ones for the job. If Zell found Ludo, good. If she didn¡¯t, it would mean that it was already too late, no matter how quickly Bash rushed to find him. ¡­ Bash sat down, looked towards the eateries, and waited for the right moment. Meanwhile, the wall had been breached and the mob had jumped in. However, the guards, including Venus, were dealing with them. Most of the troublemakers seemed to be young ones who had barely participated in the war. On the other hand, the guards, who all appeared to be experienced warriors, were subduing them one by one. The mob outnumbered the guards by far, but still, the guards showed no signs of giving in. Bash turned around and looked back at the eateries. After a few moments, there was a bright light on the rooftop. It was a familiar light. The kind of light that fairies used to send an urgent rescue signal. Upon seeing this, Bash leaped towards it. He ran towards the building and jumped, scattering the fighting succubi. He stepped on the window ledge of the second floor and continued climbing. He struck the wall with his fist, finding a foothold, and climbed higher and higher. And in no time, he reached the rooftop. ¡°Mister!¡± Immediately, the fairy flew past his face. Before he could exchange words with Zell, the view of the rooftop came into Bash¡¯s sight. What he saw there was somewhat enviable. They were young succubi. They had small breasts, small bodies and slender arms and legs. All of them, with physiques that would be appropriate to be called young girls, were huddled around a boy. The boy was on his knees with a blank stare. His upper body was already naked. And so were the succubi around him¡­. ¡°¡­Uncle, who are you?¡± The eyes that turned to Bash were those of a predator. The rooftop was already covered in a thick pink mist, and the eyes of the succubi glowed bright red. Bash quickly closed his eyes and held his breath. Then he rushed towards Ludo as if it was nothing. CH 51.2 ¡°Kyaaaa!¡± ¡°What, what¡¯s going on!¡± ¡°That uncle comes running!¡± Bash heard the voice, grabbed Ludo¡¯s body and pulled him to his chest. He tried to leave the place, but became dizzy as he stood up and fell to his knees. A bestial desire welled up in his brain and he thought he should open his eyes and take a look at the skin of the succubi around him. Apparently, he had inhaled some of the thick pink-colored mist on his way up to the rooftop. Of course. Not only on the rooftop, but also all over the ¡°eateries¡±, the succubi were fighting while spreading the thick peach-colored mist. ¡°Wow, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, mister?¡± ¡°Are you tired?¡± ¡°Rest for a while, okay? We won¡¯t hurt you.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t close your eyes. Take a good look at me, ¡®kay?¡± The succubi¡¯s sweet voices tickled his ears. Bash curled up to hide Ludo and cried out, trying not to breathe. ¡°Zell!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The fairy responded to Bash¡¯s words. From his perspective, he could not see Zell¡¯s movements. But he could tell by the sound that the fight had begun. Zell was a warrior with a long history of battles. But the fairy was primarily a magical attacker, and succubi had a high resistance to magic. From the way Bash saw it, he could tell that these succubi were not great fighters, but still, five against one, while defending Bash and Ludo, she was slightly outnumbered. ¡°Kyaah!¡± ¡°What the hell, get out of the way, you pesky fairy!¡± ¡°You¡¯re just showing off! Come on, we¡¯ll finish you off in no time!¡± ¡°The queen and her Royal Guard are eating anyway! They won¡¯t mind if we eat a little.¡± Where were the sweet voices from a moment ago? The succubi were running back and forth, shouting impatiently. ¡°What kind of theory is that!¡± If it were up to Zell, she could fly free, unleash her magic and take care of the young succubi. But with Bash and the boy at her back, she couldn¡¯t. Fairies weren¡¯t fit to fight while protecting something. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got you!¡± ¡°Kill it! Tear her head off!¡± Bash¡¯s eyes widened as soon as he heard that. A man who lets his comrades-in-arms die cannot call himself an Orc Hero. Bash jumped up and swung his fist at the succubus holding Zell. The reason he was a bit more lenient was because he feared Zell would suffer damage to her grip, or perhaps because he was under the influence of the pink-colored mist. The succubus, whose upper body would normally have exploded, bounced and flew away, beginning to convulse and writhe on the edge of the rooftop. Zell slipped out of her hands and flew away again. But that¡¯s as far as it went. ¡°He got up! Look at me! Look me in the eyes! I¡¯m a succubus lady, look at me! Look here!¡± Just as Bash inhaled the pink-colored mist and slowed down, one of the succubi snuck in front of him. Her glowing red eyes intertwined with his gaze. ¡°¡­Uggh!¡± ¡°Hehehe, uncle, I love you. There¡¯s something I want you to give me, yes?¡± The succubus¡¯ sweet voice began to dominate Bash. A man would have no way of resisting this voice. It didn¡¯t matter what race he was¡­ ¡°No!¡± The next moment, a shadow blocked Bash and the Succubus¡¯ line of sight. It was Luka. She stuck her head between Bash and the Succubus as if she was going to headbutt her, blocking her vision. Yes, when it was a woman, the Succubi¡¯s unique abilities would have no effect. ¡°Curse of Thorns!¡± When Luka pointed her wand at the succubus, thorns curled around the succubus¡¯ body, blocking her movement. ¡°What the hell, girl! Get out of my way! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you touch Sir Bash or my brother!¡± ¡°Get the girl out of the way! Kill her!¡± ¡°I know!¡± ¡°Curse of Thorn¡­! Agh!¡± But just as she blocked the next succubus, she was caught by the hair and pulled down. Another succubus jumped on top of her and put her hand on her neck. Meanwhile, the succubi¡¯s red eyes appeared again in Bash¡¯s vision. He could no longer close his eyes. That option did not arise in his hypnotized brain. ¡°Blinding light!¡± Then Zell acted again. A flash of light struck the succubus¡¯ vision, which had been so focused hypnotizing Bash. The succubus inevitably closed her eyes and turned her face away. ¡°Aah!¡± Zell turned into a bullet of light and flew toward the other succubus. ¡°Don¡¯t move, fairy! Don¡¯t you care what happens to this girl?¡± She stopped moving when she saw Luka being held by the neck. Zell hesitated for a moment, would she comply with orders or continue with her attack? After some hesitation, Zell opted for the latter, because she wouldn¡¯t just do as she was told. She launched her trademark verbal attack. ¡°What on the world is this!?¡± Zell raised her voice. She was always loud. ¡°Succubi are forbidden to eat members of the various races without permission! And Mister Bash is a benefactor of succubi! Do you understand? The queen will be furious! Oh, what¡¯s going to happen! I hope it¡¯s just a reprimand, but in some cases, it¡¯s a death sentence! But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll apologize for you! I may look like I¡¯m not that good at bowing, but I do it better than anyone! If it were up to me, a queen or two¡­¡± ¡°We don¡¯t care! We¡¯re hungry! Yurine! Get up and charm the orc!¡± One of the succubi stood up, rubbing her eyes. The strong light had not yet restored her vision, but she was still trying to make eye contact with Bash, though her vision was blurred. Bash was unable to move, having inhaled even more of the thick pink-colored mist due to the almost charm, and his consciousness was fading. In contrast, the Bash between his legs was in full form, unable anymore to think of anything but plunging into the succubus before him. The succubus was standing in front of Bash, her eyes glowing red. There was no one to protect him anymore, no one. ¡°Stop, you idiots!¡± No, there was someone. A succubus was standing at the entrance to the rooftop. Peach-colored hair, small breasts. Their appearance could be described as childish, but compared to the succubi that had attacked Bash, it was much more bewitching and mature. A single wing and a torn tail showed that she had fought in past battles. ¡°Hii, it¡¯s Venus¡­!¡± ¡°What-What does it matter¡­ we¡¯re just¡­¡± Venus walked steadily in front of Bash, eyes full of despair and knelt before him. ¡°Sorry, Sir Bash¡­¡± She said a few words, but the mesmerized Bash just looked lustfully at Venus and did not respond. Venus averted her gaze with a pained expression and slowly looked back. Seeing the expression on her face, the succubi took a step back without realizing it. ¡°Hey, you guys. That man over there is the benefactor of us succubi. Without him, you guys wouldn¡¯t even be born, you know that? Of course, we know you¡¯re hungry. We know what you have to endure. We know. We adults are aware. But please. Please don¡¯t do that to him. Let me proudly say that the succubi he saved are a proud race.¡± Venus¡¯ words were desperate whoever heard them. It was a sweet tone, characteristic of succubi, but it was sincere and urgent. They knew she was in pain, and they knew she was still trying to tell them that they should listen to her, that they should hear her, that they should not cross that line. ¡°Shut up! I don¡¯t give a damn about pride!¡± But she couldn¡¯t get through to the young succubi. ¡°Of course you can talk about things like pride when you¡¯re not hungry!¡± ¡°You ate your fill by yourselves.¡± Venus seemed on the verge of tears, swallowed saliva, collapsed and slowly looked up. With desperate eyes, she said one word. ¡°Then¡­¡± A kick from Venus smashed into the succubus¡¯ face. There was a sound of Bogin and the young succubus collapsed to her knees. ¡°¡­!¡± Venus moved her wing and, from where another of her own would have lost balance, with a smooth, almost viscous sounding motion, she struck another succubus with her fist on their slender chest. A sploosh sound was heard and the succubus spat blood. The succubus that had been riding Luka saw this and rushed to get up, but not in time. A blade that came out of Venus¡¯ shoe stabbed her in the neck, she rolled her eyes and blew bubbles out of her mouth. The remaining two, the ones who had been deprived of their freedom by Luka¡¯s spell, paled at the sight of her. ¡°I-I, I didn¡¯t¡­ I was just¡­ I was just following Yurine¡­¡± ¡°Me too! I was following her too! I was even against¡­¡± Venus¡¯ eyes were dark as she looked at the two, and they were sunken in disappointment and anger. ¡°A succubus who uses her dead comrades as shields doesn¡¯t deserve to be a succubus.¡± Then she snapped their necks. CH 52 Orc Hero Story Chapter 52. Proposal Bash awoke in the room he had borrowed from the royal palace. It was a windowless room prepared by the succubi. The door was heavy and had a strong lock. ¡°¡­¡± Bash sat up in bed and snorted. It was a sigh of relief. He remembered when Venus had come to his aid, even though he was still under the charm. He also remembered that all the troublemakers ended up dead and that the battle ended with the veteran succubus winning. Even if it was only a matter of luck. If you survived, you had to make the best of it the next time. Because the war would go on forever. But on a local level, let¡¯s say. ¡°I lost.¡± It was his first defeat in a long time. It showed how strong the succubus race could be against men. To be treated like nothing by a young woman who had not even been on the battlefield, Bash understood once again. Then he thought about what he should have done. If he had killed her, he surely wouldn¡¯t have been in so much trouble. On the battlefield, he had always done that. On the battlefield, there were only friends or enemies, and there were no enemies he couldn¡¯t kill. If he had climbed up on the roof, closed his eyes, held his breath, and just let his sword slash from side to side, he would not have been defeated. If the opponent had been a worthy warrior, not of the caliber of those young succubi, he would have had more trouble winning the battle, but all he had to do was close his eyes. However, he knew that he should not kill them. The opponents were young girls. Young girls. Even Orcs were not allowed to kill children. It was a time of peace now, and succubi were not enemies. That¡¯s how he felt. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a defeat. I think you could have vanquished them if you¡¯d been alone, Mister. It was my fault for letting myself be captured¡­¡± ¡°Zell¡­¡± Zell was depressed. It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d been defeated, and she understood very well that she wasn¡¯t good at defensive fighting. She flew low, trying to keep Bash away from her, and moved to draw the enemy¡¯s attention. There was nothing wrong with this method. However, it was true that she was only captured by a few young succubi. Unlike orcs, fairies could not be charmed. However, they were not at such an absolute disadvantage against succubi as men were. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The two, both with a long history of battles, were saddened by their defeat. It wasn¡¯t the first time they were defeated, but that didn¡¯t mean they wouldn¡¯t be depressed. ¡°Um¡­¡± Bash looked up and saw a girl standing beside the bed. It was Luka. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I am. Luka, you saved my life. If it wasn¡¯t for you, I would have been eaten by succubi.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true, they even caught me right away¡­¡± ¡°It is good for those who are less powerful in battle to buy time until those who can fight arrive. You played that role well.¡± If Luka hadn¡¯t shown up, Zell might have died. Or Bash might have lost his virginity in a miserable way. Yes, Bash wanted to lose his virginity, but if it had been to a succubus, his joy would have been short-lived, and when it was over, he would have despaired at the future that awaited him as a magical warrior. The Orc¡¯s honor was about to fall, never to be recovered. As for Venus, well, she thought she had been no better, due to the ineptitude of the Succubus Nation, but not Luka. ¡°You are my benefactor now. In the name of the Orc King, I promise to reward you. If there is anything you want me to do, say so.¡± ¡°Eh¡­!?¡± When Bash said that, Luka blushed and stepped back. ¡°Um, so¡­!¡± Luka looked up as if she had made up her mind and took Bash¡¯s hand. Her hand was small and warm, like a child¡¯s. ¡°Please marry me!¡± It was a proposal. ¡°Why?¡± Bash asked, not understanding how the conversation had come to this. Luka¡¯s face turned red and she squeezed Bash¡¯s hand. ¡°Sir Bash, you are traveling looking for a wife, right? The requirements are that she must be able to bear a child and have a title that you can brag about to other orcs¡­ I am still a child, so I cannot bear a child, but I am the daughter of the Great Warrior Lula Lula! I am sure you will be able to brag about that to other orcs!¡± ¡°Tell me why.¡± Bash being Bash, was happy that someone was finally proposing to him. If you looked closely, Luka had a very pretty face. Bash knew very well that the ogre girl was beautiful. When she grew up, he was sure she would be a beauty. If she grew up at all. It was said that orcs attacked every woman they saw, but that was not true. Orcs attacked women because their instinct was to leave offspring. Therefore, they did not covet young women who were obviously incapable of bearing children. There were such orcs in his country, but they were said to have a special inclination. In other words, Luka was out of the question. In a few years, she might grow up and be exactly what Bash wanted, but for now, she was still a child. And in a few years, Bash would be a magical warrior. He couldn¡¯t wait. Therefore, even Bash couldn¡¯t give an immediate answer. If it had been Silviana who had said it, he would have jumped at her. ¡°You want a reason, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Exactly, why do you say that out of the blue?¡± Luka was silent for a while, as if thinking. ¡°A reason¡­¡± She didn¡¯t seem to know what to say or where to begin. But finally she opened her mouth as if in a murmur. ¡°¡­Um, Lula Lula is my mother, but she¡¯s not really my real mother¡­¡± CH 52.1 Chapter 52. Proposal Bash awoke in the room he had borrowed from the royal palace. It was a windowless room prepared by the succubi. The door was heavy and had a strong lock. AD ¡°¡­¡± Bash sat up in bed and snorted. It was a sigh of relief. He remembered when Venus had come to his aid, even though he was still under the charm. He also remembered that all the troublemakers ended up dead and that the battle ended with the veteran succubus winning. Even if it was only a matter of luck. If you survived, you had to make the best of it the next time. Because the war would go on forever. But on a local level, let¡¯s say. ¡°I lost.¡± It was his first defeat in a long time. It showed how strong the succubus race could be against men. To be treated like nothing by a young woman who had not even been on the battlefield, Bash understood once again. Then he thought about what he should have done. If he had killed her, he surely wouldn¡¯t have been in so much trouble. On the battlefield, he had always done that. On the battlefield, there were only friends or enemies, and there were no enemies he couldn¡¯t kill. If he had climbed up on the roof, closed his eyes, held his breath, and just let his sword slash from side to side, he would not have been defeated. If the opponent had been a worthy warrior, not of the caliber of those young succubi, he would have had more trouble winning the battle, but all he had to do was close his eyes. However, he knew that he should not kill them. The opponents were young girls. Young girls. Even Orcs were not allowed to kill children. It was a time of peace now, and succubi were not enemies. That¡¯s how he felt. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a defeat. I think you could have vanquished them if you¡¯d been alone, Mister. It was my fault for letting myself be captured¡­¡± ¡°Zell¡­¡± Zell was depressed. It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d been defeated, and she understood very well that she wasn¡¯t good at defensive fighting. She flew low, trying to keep Bash away from her, and moved to draw the enemy¡¯s attention. There was nothing wrong with this method. However, it was true that she was only captured by a few young succubi. Unlike orcs, fairies could not be charmed. However, they were not at such an absolute disadvantage against succubi as men were. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The two, both with a long history of battles, were saddened by their defeat. It wasn¡¯t the first time they were defeated, but that didn¡¯t mean they wouldn¡¯t be depressed. ¡°Um¡­¡± Bash looked up and saw a girl standing beside the bed. It was Luka. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I am. Luka, you saved my life. If it wasn¡¯t for you, I would have been eaten by succubi.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true, they even caught me right away¡­¡± ¡°It is good for those who are less powerful in battle to buy time until those who can fight arrive. You played that role well.¡± If Luka hadn¡¯t shown up, Zell might have died. Or Bash might have lost his virginity in a miserable way. Yes, Bash wanted to lose his virginity, but if it had been to a succubus, his joy would have been short-lived, and when it was over, he would have despaired at the future that awaited him as a magical warrior. The Orc¡¯s honor was about to fall, never to be recovered. As for Venus, well, she thought she had been no better, due to the ineptitude of the Succubus Nation, but not Luka. ¡°You are my benefactor now. In the name of the Orc King, I promise to reward you. If there is anything you want me to do, say so.¡± ¡°Eh¡­!?¡± When Bash said that, Luka blushed and stepped back. ¡°Um, so¡­!¡± Luka looked up as if she had made up her mind and took Bash¡¯s hand. Her hand was small and warm, like a child¡¯s. ¡°Please marry me!¡± It was a proposal. ¡°Why?¡± Bash asked, not understanding how the conversation had come to this. Luka¡¯s face turned red and she squeezed Bash¡¯s hand. ¡°Sir Bash, you are traveling looking for a wife, right? The requirements are that she must be able to bear a child and have a title that you can brag about to other orcs¡­ I am still a child, so I cannot bear a child, but I am the daughter of the Great Warrior Lula Lula! I am sure you will be able to brag about that to other orcs!¡± ¡°Tell me why.¡± Bash being Bash, was happy that someone was finally proposing to him. If you looked closely, Luka had a very pretty face. Bash knew very well that the ogre girl was beautiful. When she grew up, he was sure she would be a beauty. If she grew up at all. It was said that orcs attacked every woman they saw, but that was not true. Orcs attacked women because their instinct was to leave offspring. Therefore, they did not covet young women who were obviously incapable of bearing children. There were such orcs in his country, but they were said to have a special inclination. In other words, Luka was out of the question. In a few years, she might grow up and be exactly what Bash wanted, but for now, she was still a child. And in a few years, Bash would be a magical warrior. He couldn¡¯t wait. Therefore, even Bash couldn¡¯t give an immediate answer. If it had been Silviana who had said it, he would have jumped at her. ¡°You want a reason, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Exactly, why do you say that out of the blue?¡± Luka was silent for a while, as if thinking. ¡°A reason¡­¡± She didn¡¯t seem to know what to say or where to begin. But finally she opened her mouth as if in a murmur. ¡°¡­Um, Lula Lula is my mother, but she¡¯s not really my real mother¡­¡± CH 52.2 ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. She raised us and made everyone around her recognize us as her own children, but it was another woman who gave birth to us.¡± This was quite a culture shock for Bash. Apparently, there was such a thing as real or fake mothers in the ogre race. ¡°I like my mother Lula Lula, of course. But I had a real father and a real mother. Although my memory of them is a bit fuzzy now.¡± ¡°What happened to your father and mother?¡± ¡°They were murdered.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re going to avenge them, not Lula Lula?¡± ¡°I am not. That¡¯s what I thought when we started this journey to take revenge, but when I investigated, I found out that my father and mother deserved it.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°They were spies. Dad was an ogre and sold information to the Four Races Alliance, and Mom was human intelligence¡­ and they ran away together, had us, and were found¡­¡± Luka¡¯s face fell and her shoulders shook. Bash could no longer watch the girl¡¯s expression. Orcs had no concept of treachery. They were not clever enough to betray each other. The most they could do was disobey the king¡¯s orders. ¡°Among those pursuers was mom Lula Lula, who took in my brother and me, stunned by the death of our parents, and raised us.¡± Luka used a louder voice than usual when talking about her memories. ¡°Mom Lula Lula was a good person. She worked hard to become Chief and took care of others. She was a very, very admirable person. My brother and I respected her. But,¡± she continued, ¡°one day she was found dead. Lying in an alley, like a¡­ like a dog¡­¡± Luka had tears in her eyes, and she burst into tears remembering those days, shuddering and supporting herself with her thin arms. ¡°Mom, our strong mom, couldn¡¯t have lost so easily, she should have been defeated in a cowardly way and left out in the open¡­ She didn¡¯t deserve to die like that. I can¡¯t forgive them, and my brother can¡¯t forgive them either, there¡¯s no way we can¡­¡± As Luka said this, she tightened her grip on Bash¡¯s hand. Eventually, Luka¡¯s shaking stopped. ¡°We took an oath. Even if we die, even if Mom didn¡¯t want it, it¡¯s our duty as ogres to avenge ourselves¡­¡± ¡°Ogre duty, eh?¡± Bash had heard of such a custom among the ogres. If someone killed their father or their master, they had to take revenge, even at the cost of their lives. Otherwise, they would not be recognized as full ogres and would not even be allowed to have children. This was the same reason why orcs r?a?pe? women on the battlefield. It was why the ogres were strong. In the long era of war, there was no father or master who was not killed. The ogre race had continued to stand on those corpses. ¡°But¡­ um, from your point of view, Sir Bash, what do you think of my brother? And what do you think of me?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Could we beat her? That woman. Him and me against her?¡± ¡°It would be impossible.¡± The answer was immediate. Ludo¡¯s and Luka¡¯s abilities were very different from the woman¡¯s. They could try a hundred times and only inflict a flesh wound. ¡°I thought so.¡± Luka¡¯s shoulders slumped, as if she had given up. ¡°I know, too. I know that my brother probably won¡¯t win either. He will die in vain¡­¡± Luka said with a dejected expression. Again there were tears in her eyes. ¡°What will happen if we die?¡± ¡°Nothing. The only thing that will remain is the fact that Miss Lula Lula and you will be dead. Or maybe it will be a story that the woman in the bars will tell.¡± Bash answered naturally. Death was something familiar to him, who had been on the battlefield for a long time. Although he had no parents, almost all of his superiors, teachers, and comrades-in-arms had died. At some point, he thought, ¡°As long as he is with me, I can survive; if he leaves, I will surely die; but he will never die; we will always fight together¡­¡±. But even after they died, Bash survived, and nothing changed. Bash thought that even if Zell died, it would be sad, but nothing would change. There was no one he could take for granted who would be by his side. ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to die. I want my brother to live too.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°But I also want revenge. Even though I know we can¡¯t win¡­¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Not wanting to die was a normal emotion. And to have it, all races were inspired in every possible way. ¡°I want to avenge her, and my brother doesn¡¯t want to give up. He already knows that he¡¯ll never win, but he¡¯s forcing himself to be strong¡­ And I can¡¯t watch him anymore¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do anymore, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me¡­¡± Luka, suffering from the dichotomy, pleaded with both hands, shedding tears. Bash listened in silence, but finally asked. ¡°And why should this lead to marriage with me?¡± ¡°There is a rule that you are allowed to avenge the death of an ogre if you are a member of their family. Therefore, marry me and defeat this woman.¡± Bash thought. She would have a husband to help her get revenge. It wasn¡¯t something you heard much about, but it was understandable. If he had an orc in front of him, he would tell him that he should at least take revenge himself. Even if it was an ogre. But there was a child in front of him. ¡°¡­I will give birth to as many children as you wish, Sir Bash. Well, that may not be possible right now, but I will try my best! As the wife of the ¡®Orc Hero¡¯, I will work hard all my life to make you, Sir Bash, proud of me! So please, please¡­ help me¡­¡± CH 52.3 Luka begged desperately. This was no joke. This was no lie. If Bash had thrown himself at her right now, she would have accepted it without complaint. But Bash said: ¡°I can¡¯t take you as my wife.¡± Luka just sat there, looking shocked. Before she could ask why, Bash went on. ¡°But I will defeat the woman.¡± ¡°What? But that¡¯s against the code¡­¡± ¡°I will avenge Miss Lula Lula only for personal reasons. There is no Orcish law that says only relatives can take revenge.¡± It was the result of Bash¡¯s clever thinking. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s time we left this country.¡± The succubi had been good to him. He was willing to stay here for a while. But the succubus country was still a dangerous place. He had just been reminded of that, and to be honest, he really wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. Besides, when he thought about it, he had already spent too much time in places other than his original purpose. He spent too much time worrying about what to do so as not to offend the spirit. It was time for him to return to his original purpose. Bash didn¡¯t have much time left. If there was a condition to achieve the goal, he would choose the means, but this was different. Therefore, regardless of the means or methods, he had to solve the problem in the shortest time possible. In other words, Bash had to fight the woman and defeat her. That was the best and most accurate answer Bash could come up with. The spirit might get angry and kill him, but that was better than hanging around here and becoming a magical warrior. He would rather die than let the ¡°Orc Hero¡± become a magical warrior. ¡°I may not be able to keep your pride, but is that okay?¡± Besides, Bash himself said so. In the name of the Orc King, he would return Luka¡¯s favor. That she had asked for his help, and there was no way for him to take it back. ¡°You are very kind, Sir Bash.¡± Luka said with a smile and teary eyes. ¡ö Luka cried for a moment and left the room when she heard that Ludo had woken up. Apparently, Ludo was being tended to in another room because the charm had affected him more than Bash. Bash sat on his bed, checking his body and eating a meal prepared in his room. If he was going to go out and fight the person who killed Lula Lula, he needed to make sure his body was in good shape. If he still had the aftereffects of the succubus charm, he wouldn¡¯t be able to win an otherwise winnable battle. At first glance, she looked like an opponent that would require a lot of attention. Suddenly, Zell asked Bash: ¡°Mister, are you sure you don¡¯t want to do this?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°About little Luka, as I am sure she will be a beautiful girl in the future. I know. It¡¯s different when it comes to ogre beauty, but I know the kind of face you like, Mister, so I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll grow into a woman you¡¯ll be attracted to. So you could propose to her.¡± Indeed, Luka was a beautiful girl. She would surely become a beautiful woman in the future. But that hadn¡¯t happened yet. It would take five years¡­ or at least three years for her to grow up and become beautiful. If he waited that long, Bash would become a magical warrior. Or maybe he could lose his virginity if he got his hands on her before then, but he couldn¡¯t see young Luka as a woman to begin with. ¡°If you marry her now, no one will take her until she is old enough!¡± ¡°But it also opens up the possibility that I might not be able to get another woman.¡± Bash remembered the elves. The elves were limited to one wife per man. He didn¡¯t know what system the demons he wanted to visit used, but if it was the same as the elves, none of them would want to be his wife if he had one. If that was the case, he still had to be a free man. ¡°Sorry to interrupt¡­¡± The one who entered his room was a woman with ample breasts. ¡°Succubus Queen Curly Kale¡­¡± ¡°I am very sorry for the recent disturbance and for involving you, Sir Bash, Orc hero. As Succubus Queen, I apologize¡­¡± Succubus Queen Curly Kale said this in a dignified manner and sat down on the bed where Bash had been sleeping. Her big ass and her big breasts were very close to Bash, and he looked away. It was too much eye candy. Also, the hand touching Bash¡¯s arm was unusually warm, and the buttocks lightly touching Bash¡¯s thighs were unusually soft. Of course, there was no malice in Curly Kale. Succubi had a habit of sitting so close to each other when they were sincerely apologizing. It was a succubus gesture that was hated in other lands, especially in the human country. ¡°I cannot lie to the great Orc hero after all we put you through. I am ashamed to say this, but as you can see, the succubi are just trying to get by from day to day. It is terrible to ask the young to be proud of our situation.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But as you can see, the food is well managed and cared for.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As long as we have enough food, I think we can afford to teach the young what succubus pride is.¡± Curly Kale was still speaking in a voice that could be described as a bit high-pitched. But Bash could see that there was an unspeakable desperation at the bottom of her voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it has come to this, but all I can say is ¡®please¡¯. Sir Bash, ¡®please¡¯ save the Succubus Nation.¡± ¡°If you, the Succubus Queen, ask me, I will not refuse. I will help you when the time comes.¡± From Bash¡¯s point of view, he didn¡¯t know what she meant by ¡°saving¡± them. But the head of the Succubi, a species that considered itself one of the highest ranking members of the Seven Races Federation and had despised the Orcs for years, was asking the ¡°Orc Hero¡± for help. Bash could not simply refuse. In fact, he was proud. Orcs were always simple. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear you say that.¡± ¡°But, Curly Kale¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I know I said I would help you, but I can¡¯t now. I¡¯m thinking of leaving the country soon.¡± Because he had a prior engagement. And by the way, Bash was a little afraid of Curly Kale sitting next to him. So she wiggled her hips a little, used body language, and spoke. ¡°Well¡­ I guess¡­ after an event like this¡­¡± Curly Kale took it as a refusal and swallowed saliva. ¡°I asked too much of you. I apologize again¡­ and if necessary, you can have my head.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t be that ungrateful. The succubi were good to me. I know orcs are frowned upon by you, but you have made me feel very comfortable. I thank you.¡± ¡°You are too generous¡­¡± With these words, Bash stood up, as if the conversation was over. If he had stayed with Curly Kale any longer, he would have pushed her right onto the bed. Anyway, he had already decided what to do next. All that remained was to go to the next destination and fight. ¡°So, goodbye.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± With Curly Kale¡¯s muffled voice behind him, Bash left the room. CH 53.1 Orc Hero Story Chapter 53. The Hero vs. the Nameless Woman There was a gigantic shell. It resembled the shell of a turtle, a snail, or the remains of an insect¡¯s molt, but it was simply enormous. It was taller than a grown ogre man, and its edges were obscured by the forest trees, making it difficult to grasp the full extent of the shell. In the mossy forest, it had never been covered in moss or insects, and it emanated a faint light. Naturally, the rain poured around it, but the shell seemed to repel it, so it remained dry. If a human priest had seen it, they would have described it as divine. Or would they have described it as an ominous omen? A woman stood in front of the shell, gazing at it for a while before entering. The interior, with its rainbow colors, was an otherworldly spectacle, but she entered as if it were an everyday occurrence and easily reached the innermost part. At the back, there was a translucent stone like a jewel. The stone was connected to its surroundings by a glass tube, and somehow, it could be inferred that it was the core of that mysterious object. The woman carelessly took hold of it and pulled it out of the glass tube. There was a click, and the stone easily fell into her hands. At the same time, the glow faded from the surroundings. The divinity, the ominous omen¡ªthey disappeared. It was easy to perceive. The power had vanished. Over time, this shell would decompose and disappear into the forest. It would be a disheartening sight for those who had found divinity in this shell. So the woman murmured. ¡°I couldn¡¯t let Carrot do this¡­¡± The woman carefully wrapped the bundle in fabric and stowed it in her backpack. She exited the shell, looked up at the rainy sky, snorted, and stretched carefully. ¡°Hm¡­ hmm~ I didn¡¯t expect it to take this long¡­ it¡¯s been quite a hassle. The succubus barrier is not something to be taken lightly either¡­¡± The woman¡¯s field of vision was filled with countless corpses. They were the defending succubi who had attacked her as a last resistance after the demon magic key had broken the barrier. The corpses, covered in mud, all had a bewitching appearances. Even in death, the succubi remained enchanting. The woman gazed at their beautiful faces with a bored expression but suddenly felt a presence and looked up. ¡°Oh¡­¡± At the end of the pile of corpses, there was a figure. Two small shadows and one large shadow. They looked familiar. Anger surged within her. ¡°Orc! Why did you bring the children back?!¡± From the woman¡¯s perspective, it was inexplicable behavior. Surely, he would have come because of what they had discussed the other day. The orc had looked at her with lust but had restrained himself and saved the two children. He was a good man for an orc. Of course, being a sexually active orc, she had thought that after sending the two to a safe place, he would come for her to r?a?pe? her. Although there was also the possibility that the kids wouldn¡¯t give up and come for her. But it was impossible if all three of them were together. ¡°I have come to avenge Miss Lula Lula¡¯s death.¡± ¡°Eh¡­¡± The woman¡¯s anger was suddenly drained by Bash¡¯s words. Perhaps, upon hearing what had happened from the children, he felt such indignation that he decided to offer them help. She didn¡¯t know why the orc was there, but if she were in his place, she would have also offered her assistance to the two children she was supposed to protect. It didn¡¯t matter what purpose he had been traveling for; leaving the two children alone was not a good idea. ¡°¡­What a surprise. You¡¯re a surprisingly compassionate orc.¡± On her part, she never expected an orc to act like this. The only behavior she could have anticipated was that the orc, while rescuing the twins, would realize that one of them was a girl and then kill the boy, r?a?pe? the girl, and dispose of them. Of course, that came from her own prejudices, so she didn¡¯t say it. Anyway, it seemed that the orc followed a behavioral principle that was surprisingly understandable. ¡°But again, you¡¯re just an orc. You¡¯re not very intelligent.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because you didn¡¯t think you would lose, right? That¡¯s why you came with so much confidence.¡± Anyway, it didn¡¯t matter, so the woman drew her sword. Even if he approached her just as he was doing, she would kill him like the others. ¡°Orcs don¡¯t think about defeat when they fight.¡± Bash also unsheathed his sword. The massive sword faintly gleamed. For a moment, the woman thought the sword seemed familiar, but she quickly dismissed the thought. She didn¡¯t pay particular attention to swords, and besides, she couldn¡¯t remember it anyway. ¡°I come from the Orc Kingdom, my name is¡­¡± ¡°Oh no, you don¡¯t have to tell me your name. I can¡¯t tell you mine either. I¡¯m not a woman worthy of hearing it, and what¡¯s about to happen is not an honorable duel, it¡¯s just a slaughter. I don¡¯t even think it qualifies as a slaughter.¡± With that said, the woman took a step forward. Her steps were incredibly silent, natural, and imposing. An ordinary warrior wouldn¡¯t have noticed the woman¡¯s initiation, not even her pause. ¡°It¡¯s a shame. I didn¡¯t want to kill you.¡± In a flash. Then the woman saw the orc¡¯s head severed and rolling on the ground with a dull thud¡­ Yes, she was certain of it. ¡°Eh?¡± But before the woman¡¯s sword could reach Bash¡¯s neck, it was blocked by his thick sword. ¡°¡­!¡± The moment she realized her sword was pushed back with tremendous force, the woman turned around. She deflected Bash¡¯s strike, which came like a storm, with her elbow, spun around twice in reaction, and landed on her feet. She evaded the next blow as if she were dancing. The woman dodged five strikes and escaped Bash¡¯s range. The woman was aware of how her heart was pounding hard. She had been caught off guard. And she almost died. ¡°¡­Hey, orc, you¡¯re strong. I¡¯m impressed.¡± Bash¡¯s series of attacks were meant to completely finish her off. Each blow was extremely powerful, accompanied by a storm of wind and impact. If they hit her, she would lose a part of her body; if they grazed her, her skin would be torn and her flesh would scatter; and even if they passed near her, she would be thrown off balance. Especially her, being a lightweight woman. If she hadn¡¯t learned to dodge such attacks on the battlefield, she would have died. She didn¡¯t withstand the impact of the sword; instead, she spun her body to escape the blow. It was a trick that required a strong torso and agility. ¡°You too,¡± Bash also reaffirmed that the woman was as strong as he had imagined. ¡°This is the first time in a long while that my enemy doesn¡¯t die from a single blow, and also the first time in a long while that I can do nothing but dodge, if I recall correctly since Miss Lula Lula.¡± ¡°I feel honored.¡± The woman¡¯s praise received a calm response. If he were an ordinary orc, it would have been more¡­ No, the woman wasn¡¯t an expert on orcs, so her racist attitude towards them would resurface again. Anyway, the woman guessed that the orc in front of her was much more impressive than she had imagined. At the same time, from her limited knowledge, a name came to her mind. ¡°For an orc to be able to do so much¡­ then you must be Bash, the ¡®Orc Hero,¡¯ right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± as soon as he answered, Bash¡¯s sword attacked. The woman barely managed to react, dodged it, and counterattacked with her own sword. The strike didn¡¯t reach him, and only the wind grazed his skin. The blatant lack of forward movement made it clear that the intention was to gauge Bash¡¯s abilities. ¡°I see, I apologize for not introducing myself to the glorious Dragon Slayer Hero¡­ but I no longer respond to any name.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°However, if I¡¯m going to face the strongest orc warrior, I¡¯ll have to get serious, won¡¯t I?¡± The woman said, and she readied her sword once again. In Bash¡¯s eyes, it seemed like a stance he had seen somewhere before. It resembled the posture of a human knight but was slightly different. A unique stance. Upon seeing this, Bash felt his hair stand on end. His instincts told him that the woman was a dangerous opponent. ¡°Graaaaaaaaaaaoooh!¡± To further intensify his emotions, he let out a battle cry. The battle had begun. CH 53.2 The battle had dragged on. The woman defended herself against Bash¡¯s stormy strikes. The battle continued under the pouring rain. Although the ground was muddy, neither of them faltered, and the battle continued without hesitation. Bash¡¯s blows didn¡¯t even touch the woman, and her counterattacks did reach him, but they only cut his skin, and no blood spilled. It was like a dance, but it wouldn¡¯t have been possible if either of them hadn¡¯t been skilled enough. If the woman¡¯s skill wasn¡¯t enough, Bash¡¯s sword would cut her, and if Bash¡¯s skill wasn¡¯t enough, her sword would sever his veins. The difference was that the first could win the battle with a single strike, while the second would take longer to finish him off, but if the result was death, it was the same. Although those strikes capable of ending her life in a single blow passed near her body many times, she remained composed. She repeated the same actions, unconcerned and mechanically. She adjusted her pattern by observing the beginning of each strike: she evaded if Bash swung his sword, she evaded after a while if she sensed a feint, and she evaded if the trajectory of the sword changed mid-strike after she had parried it with her own sword. If the trajectory of the sword changed during a counterattack, she used her own sword to block and evade it. Bash also evaded them. She knew that if he backed off any further, he wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid the next attack, and if she backed off too much, she knew that Bash, who had paused in his evasive maneuver, would launch a strike that would be harder to dodge. If she avoided the difficult-to-dodge strike, she would lose her position. If she tried to avoid another strike after losing her position, she would lose it even more. The end result was a ¡°deadlock.¡± If that happened, the woman wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. But she knew it. And her opponent knew it too. Bash was calm. He wielded his sword so calmly that it was hard to believe he was an orc. He always took the best step and made the best thrust. If he became impatient and faltered, the woman¡¯s sword would instantly pierce him. If he shed even a drop of blood, the tide of the battle would turn against him. The end result was a ¡°standstill.¡± However, if the situation continued like this, Bash would have the advantage. An orc¡¯s body was much larger than that of a human woman, and his endurance was still greater. It was almost certain that the woman would run out of stamina first. That¡¯s why the woman took a more offensive stance. ¡°So, this is the Orc Hero. No wonder everyone admires you,¡± the woman murmured a few words and took half a step back. Bash¡¯s next strike was stronger than usual, and then he delivered a slightly deeper blow. The strike grazed the woman¡¯s neck but didn¡¯t even become a superficial wound. The woman changed her stance and readied her sword. Bash retracted his sword and then delivered a strike that she couldn¡¯t avoid. ¡°But you¡¯re still an orc.¡± For a brief moment, Bash¡¯s strike was hindered by doubt. His gaze fell upon the woman¡¯s chest, his nose twitched, and his mouth relaxed. The tip of the sword passed from the woman¡¯s shoulder to her left hand, and the impact sent flesh flying and shattered bone. The woman took a step forward, but instead of being intimidated by the impact, she twisted her body and drove the sword in her right hand into Bash¡¯s neck. A gush of blood spurted out. ¡°¡­!¡± Bash¡¯s head didn¡¯t fall off. His carotid artery had opened, and blood gushed out like a fountain. It was a hemorrhage that could have been fatal if he had been human. ¡°I¡¯m glad it worked¡­ but I didn¡¯t expect you to be able to react to that,¡± the woman, on the other hand, looked in another direction, at her mangled and uncontrollably bleeding left hand. The chest of her clothes was torn, and her two large mounds protruded. ¡°Well, but now comes the hardest part¡­ I think my bones are about to break¡­ if they haven¡¯t already¡­¡± The woman prepared her sword again. She knew that the orc in front of her wouldn¡¯t stop even at the point of bleeding profusely from the neck. The orc¡¯s eyes hadn¡¯t lost their light, and his body was radiating heat, evaporating the cold rain. Not even the wounds that would despair a human would stop the orc warrior. He is stronger than expected¡­ this is the Dragon Slayer Hero¡­ Rather, the woman was impatient. If she hadn¡¯t carried out that plan, she would have been able to avoid Bash¡¯s sword at the last moment. Once, she had defeated an orc warrior in the same way she had just done. He was also a famous warrior, but she assumed that the one with the title of Hero would be even better than that. In this case, orcs and human women had different body structures. The woman was at a disadvantage. Although Bash had lost a greater amount of blood, it was the woman who first slowed down and ran out of strength. Therefore, she moved forward. She prepared her sword to sever Bash¡¯s neck like a great tree with another strike. But Bash, on his part, was not deceived this time by the woman¡¯s charm and delivered a strike to her head. ¡°Healing Wind.¡± Bash¡¯s sword cut through the air. The woman turned around, simulating taking a step in the air, and was enveloped by a magical wind. The wind, similar in color to fairy dust, instantly healed her wounds. The woman¡¯s wounds healed, leaving only Bash injured. The situation was reversed, but only slightly. ¡°¡­!¡± But Bash¡¯s strikes were fast. The speed that everyone talked about with a shiver had overwhelming destructive power, and the number of blows he unleashed was even excessive. Bash never missed the opportunity when his opponent recovered with magic. With one or two strikes, the woman¡¯s stance crumbled. The situation was exactly what would have happened if she had even taken a step back. The third strike crashed into the woman¡¯s torso. ¡°Nnnnghhhh!¡± The woman clashed her own sword with Bash¡¯s sword approaching in a more frenzied manner than ever before. A tremendous metallic sound resonated through the forest. The demonic sword, called indestructible, collided with the woman¡¯s treasured sword, creating an unusual impact. Even Bash¡¯s body moved smoothly with the impact and was sent flying several meters backward. When he looked up through a cloud of dust, he saw the woman flying through the air while spinning. The woman must have used magic because she regained her position in the air and landed on a tree branch. ¡°Haah! Haah! Haah!¡± The woman breathed heavily, and her exposed breasts rose and fell. However, it was probably more in response to the near-death experience than due to exercise. She had just experienced being on the verge of death. Bash¡¯s speed was greater than she expected, and she had no chance to recover. Bash¡¯s strike was also powerful. The woman¡¯s torso would have been cut in half if she hadn¡¯t compensated for it with a large amount of magical power in her sword. ¡°¡­!¡± She didn¡¯t have time to catch her breath. The woman immediately jumped from the tree branch. In the next moment, the tree she used as a foothold broke at an incredible speed and flew through the air, crashing into the surrounding trees. The woman landed smoothly and crouched down. Bash¡¯s sword passed over her head. The shockwave made her spin and change direction, driving her elbow into the ground. She redirected the rotational force to the sword and drove it into Bash¡¯s ankles, which were right in front of her. At the same time, a vertical strike from the Orc Hero landed behind the woman. In the sand and the dirt they were jumping, the woman felt a response and quickly moved away, crawling on all fours. Instinctively, she defended herself by brandishing her sword. The woman herself didn¡¯t know where the strike had come from, nor even in which direction she had defended. However, as she was launched away with a metallic ¡°ging¡± sound, she understood that she had not made a mistake. She had no idea that Bash¡¯s vertical strike had pierced through the ground and hit her from below as it passed behind her. ¡°Haaaah!¡± Despite the stroke of luck that befell her, the woman felt no pride and prepared her sword to launch a strike at Bash. CH 54.1 Orc Hero Story Chapter 54. Engagement The woman left and they spent the night. Bash had severe wounds, but fairy dust helped him recover without any incidents. Everyone remained silent until the next day. Zell and the twins reminisced about the fierce battle they had just witnessed. Bash thought about the previous battle and how he could have won. Not only were they silent, but none of them moved an inch. Bash and the group set off as soon as dawn broke. As they moved away, the excitement returned, and Ludo opened his mouth. He recalled the fight between Bash and the woman and said he believed he could defeat her in the future, but at the moment it would be entirely impossible for him. The good conversationalist fairy, who knew how to listen, was able to engage in a lively conversation by bringing up past cases, which made Ludo even more excited. Bash and Luka remained silent. There was no particular reason for the orc not to speak. However, there was no doubt that he was remembering the woman¡¯s breasts, which trembled every time she moved during the battle, and he had a smile on his face. Luka, on the other hand, had a worried expression on her face. Meanwhile, they had just crossed the forest. At the end of the open area, there was a valley with a river flowing beneath it. The river was wide enough to reach the bottom of the valley, and the sound of the water could be heard as it fell. It must have been due to the continuous rains. ¡°Oh, this must be the river where you fell, Mister! If we go upstream on this river, we can return to where we were!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Bash and Zell immediately started heading upstream. However, the two ogre children suddenly stopped. ¡°Master, this is where we part ways.¡± ¡°Part ways to whom?¡± ¡°We are going back to our homeland. The ogre country is downstream¡­¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Master, I really want to follow you and continue my training, but¡­ after yesterday¡¯s battle, I realized that I¡¯m not at a level where you can even teach me, Master¡­¡± Ludo had been smiling until that point. But then his face wrinkled, and he exclaimed, ¡°I was so frustrated. Not only could I not keep up with my master¡¯s fight, but I wasn¡¯t even qualified to participate¡­! Even though I tried to seek revenge, I wasn¡¯t even taken into consideration¡­! I finally understood!¡± Ludo looked at Bash with teary eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure you knew it from the beginning, Master. At my level, I¡¯m nowhere near learning techniques¡­ that¡¯s why you had to train me the way you did, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Normally, Bash would have assured him that it wasn¡¯t true, but this time, he understood. As expected, Ludo was too weak. It all came down to whether he could win or not. ¡°I¡¯ll train from scratch until I can defeat her¡­ or at least until the adults in my country recognize me as a man!¡± ¡°While you do that, she could be killed by someone else.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think someone who can fight on par with you, Master, would die so easily¡­ and¡­ well, I knew Mom was incredibly strong, so I was sure they would have killed her with sneaky tactics. I was absolutely sure, but after seeing the fight between her and you, Master, I know it¡¯s not true, so I¡¯m not in a hurry anymore.¡± ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t you stop seeking revenge?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s true that she killed Mom¡­ and besides, if I didn¡¯t have a goal, nothing would inspire me.¡± Ludo said and laughed, with the face of someone trying to force a smile after crying. And as if to push Ludo forward, Luka took a step forward. ¡°Um, Mr. Bash.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Thank you for everything this time,¡± Luka spoke a few words and bowed her head. Then she raised her gaze, fidgeted with her hands in front of her chest, and looked Bash up and down. ¡°Well¡­ setting aside the matter of revenge, in a few more years, when I grow up, would you take me as your wife?¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Bash pondered for a moment at those words. In a few more years¡­ in other words, they wouldn¡¯t get married right now. It was a so-called engagement, but Bash wasn¡¯t familiar with the concept. ¡°Of course¡­¡± Therefore, he nodded willingly. Since he would be free during those years, he calculated that even if he encountered an elf, he could get married. ¡°Such a joy! Thank you!¡± Seeing Luka smiling happily, Bash also smiled. With her being half ogre and half human, she would surely be a beautiful woman who would attract Bash. The idea of having such a woman as his wife was enough to make his heart swell with anticipation. But Luka was too young now to even imagine her like that. But if she was Lula Lula¡¯s daughter, even if she was adopted, she would be a perfect wife for Bash, the Orc Hero. ¡°If it¡¯s just for a few years, then I could go with you to the orc country, right? Even if I can¡¯t have children now, it wouldn¡¯t be bad to slowly grow up in your homeland.¡± ¡°No, because I¡¯ve received certain information. I¡¯m going to the land of the Demons as well.¡± Bash said this rather quickly. Because the important thing wasn¡¯t being able to have a wife, although it was a secret. The important thing was to lose his virginity on this journey. And by extension, not becoming a magical warrior. Therefore, it would be outrageous to stop traveling here. ¡°Well, I suppose that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± Zell nodded with a somewhat puzzled expression. However, Zell was a fairy and Bash was an orc, and as such, they didn¡¯t concern themselves with the details. ¡°Well, Mister can have many wives! Besides, if little Luka has to deal with Mister alone, no matter how much ogre blood she has, she won¡¯t last long!¡± ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Luka, who was still very young, didn¡¯t understand the meaning of those words. But ogres were not a race that had a monogamous marriage system either. When she heard that Bash needed many wives, she didn¡¯t question it particularly. ¡°¡­? I don¡¯t fully understand, but I will do my best to train to become your wife in my country and not embarrass you in front of others!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Bash nodded with an expectant smile. And so, Bash now had a fianc¨¦e. It was his first accomplishment since embarking on this journey. Although calling it a step was a stretch, and it had no relation to achieving the main goal. But it was undoubtedly a further step towards Bash¡¯s ideal. But Bash¡¯s journey continued. To reach his true goal, he would head to the Demon Country. Remembering the bouncing breasts of the swordswoman he fought along the way¡­ CH 54.2 6-7 minutes A few days after Bash¡¯s departure, the Succubus Nation was enveloped in a somber atmosphere. The long-lasting rain had ceased. What remained, however, were the remnants of the disturbances, the tarnished succubus pride, and the destroyed Sanctuary. The sanctuary was an important place for the succubi. For a long time, they had been taught to protect it, and they had obeyed. Although the details of its purpose had not been passed down, there were many succubi who considered it an object of faith. And that had been lost. Succubi were a relatively short-sighted species. Therefore, they could forget everything within a few years. But regardless, most of them now looked the same as the day they accepted peace after losing the war. Especially Curly Kale, the succubus queen, seemed particularly depressed. What the succubi had defended for so many years had been lost in her generation. She had even lost her subordinates, who had been with her for many years, due to her careless instructions. Remorse had made her feel blocked, and her fine wrinkles had increased. ¡°Haa¡­¡± She had let her guard down because the war had ended. They had been too careless. Somewhere in her mind, she thought they couldn¡¯t sink any lower. She was wrong. She knew that, didn¡¯t she? Defeat attracts defeat. It was because they had lost, because the present was painful, that the only thing they could do was accept it. She didn¡¯t know the details of why the sanctuary had been destroyed. According to a report from the scouts, who were sent back because the extermination group had not yet returned, it seemed that those who killed the succubi and devastated the sanctuary showed signs of having fought Bash. They didn¡¯t know how the battle ended. However, the only bodies found were those of the succubi guarding the sanctuary, and there were no corpses of Bash or his companions. In light of this, it was likely that Bash had unilaterally annihilated the enemy and either let them go or took them with him after r?a?ping them all. Normally, she would have wanted the heads of the perpetrators to be delivered to the Succubi, but it was customary for orcs to take defeated women back with them. It was inevitable. Rather, Curly Kale could only be grateful. If that perpetrator had been left unchecked, everything would have ended in a much worse way. Sir Bash left saying he couldn¡¯t do anything, but still took care of the villain who attacked the sanctuary¡­ Judging solely from the situation, it wasn¡¯t difficult to see that Bash and the invader could be accomplices. But Curly Kale¡¯s pride was not so shallow as to make such an inference. Even if that were the case, it would be a fair retaliation from Bash, who was almost devoured in the Succubus Nation. He would have to be forgiven. Well, aside from that, the current situation in the Succubus Nation after Bash¡¯s departure was terrible. It was fortunate that there had been no damage to the ¡°food¡± due to the riots, and the food supply had a little more leeway thanks to the decrease in the number of people who could afford to eat. However, it wasn¡¯t something they could rejoice about, and the fact that the food situation was desperate hadn¡¯t changed at all. ¡°Your Majesty, a messenger requests an audience.¡± At that moment, Nio, a close aide, arrived with such a report. ¡°A messenger? Who is it at a time like this? I¡¯ll eat them if it¡¯s some nonsense¡­¡± Curly Kale said, venting her frustration. Defeat attracts defeat. She thought that, under the current circumstances, there was no way any good request would reach her. ¡°Well, how scary. Should I go home then?¡± With these words, a young man entered the room. Queen Curly Kale knew his name. ¡°Prince Nazar Gainius Grandorius¡­!?¡± ¡°This is our first meeting, Succubus Queen Curly Kale.¡± Nazar said, but Curly Kale had already seen this man several times from afar. He was the most famous man among humans. How many times during the war had she dreamed of capturing him and devouring him to death while crying? If they were in the midst of war right now, she would have said, ¡°You¡¯ve delivered yourself on a silver platter,¡± and her charming magical eyes would have gleamed, and she would have sucked him dry and sent back his bones and sticky skin covered in saliva and the like to the humans. But not now. It wasn¡¯t the Curly Kale who didn¡¯t know what would happen to her if she messed with Nazar, the human prince. At least, that¡¯s what she said with a haughty tone. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s rude to enter like this, out of nowhere?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. To be honest, I¡¯m not even an official emissary yet¡­¡± Surreptitiously entering a succubus¡¯ room was like asking to be eaten. However, we were talking about Curly Kale. She wasn¡¯t a woman who would fall for such an obvious ploy. ¡°So, what do you intend to do? If you want to talk, we can go to the audience chamber.¡± ¡°This is what I came to tell you.¡± Nazar snapped his fingers. Then, more than a dozen men rushed in. Apparently, they had been traveling for several days and hadn¡¯t bathed, filling the room with a strong masculine fragrance. Nio, a member of the queen¡¯s entourage, smelled it and hurriedly asked Nazar. ¡°What!? What are you thinking?! Sneaking these men into the Succubus Queen¡¯s room¡­¡± ¡°Oh, excuse me. I was very rude to you ladies, wasn¡¯t I? But¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of being rude or not! But it¡¯s like bugs drawn to a flame! Keep them under control as long as we have patience. Oh, look, I¡¯m drooling¡­¡± Nio was also a proud succubus. However, since her beloved sister died the other day, she had lost her appetite due to grief. But when she was hungry and a feast was laid out before her, she couldn¡¯t hold back. CH 55.1 Orc Hero Story Chapter 55. Lesser Snowfield The Demon Nation. It was located beyond the Argardia Valley and two more mountains. Bash and his companion left the Succubus Nation, walked up the Argardia Valley after the flood subsided, and entered the country. Although they were entering illegally, they left a note at the border, so they thought they would be safe. A snowy field stretched before Bash and Zell. People called it the Lesser Snowfield. The Lesser Snowfield used to be an uninhabited area. Covered in snow most of the year, it was a barren land where no grass or trees grew. Shortly after Demon King Gediguz ascended to the throne, the demons established a fortress there. Neither humans, elves, nor even the demons under direct control knew the importance of it. What Gediguz, the Demon King, had in mind when he set his eyes on it was unknown. In any case, from a strategic standpoint, it was not a very significant base. It wasn¡¯t until after Gediguz¡¯s fall that the base became useful. After his death, the demons were in terrible condition. Under the strong attack from the Four Races Alliance, the battlefront kept retreating, and eventually, even the capital fell. The demons were driven out of their former lands and fled to this place. There, the fortress built by Gediguz gained great importance. The fortress, blocked by canyons and mountains, was surprisingly strong in defense and had no reason to be aggressively attacked since it lacked strategic value. The terrain was not conducive to an offensive. The leaders of the four races believed they couldn¡¯t do anything if they prepared their army at the only bridge over the Argadia Valley. In fact, the demons no longer had the power to push back the front. The war ended when they and the Four Races Alliance clashed in the Argardia Valley and the Lesser Snowfield. The demons were then confined to the snowy fields. Only a few of the higher species could enter and exit the area to carry out certain diplomacy, but the other demons were forbidden to leave. The only point of entry and exit was a single bridge over the Argadia Valley. The four races had built a fortress there, guarded by an elite force, and anyone who wished to enter or leave the land was subject to strict control. The demons were as isolated as the succubi, if not more so. Nowadays, few people visited the demons. But Bash and Zell were doing so now, two veteran warriors. ¡ö ¡°Damn, there¡¯s nothing here! And it¡¯s too cold!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°For a fairy like me, called a flying petal, this cold is poison to the body! Flowers are sensitive to the cold! Flowers bloom only with warm sun and soil! And when the time comes, they fly to the sky with the wind!¡± Zell wasn¡¯t flying around, which was unusual for her. She was wrapped in the skin of a beast they had hunted along the way, trembling on Bash¡¯s shoulder. On the contrary, she was coiled around Bash¡¯s neck, planning to absorb all his warmth. ¡°Uhhh, your neck is so warm, Mister~¡­¡± If Zell, the renowned fairy warrior, had seen this pathetic scene, she would have deemed it a ¡°disgrace to fairies,¡± ¡°pitiful,¡± ¡°you should be more aware,¡± and ¡°you¡¯re a disgrace to the local community.¡± But even she had no choice but to wrap herself in furs when she arrived in this land. Or Zell, the great warrior, would have denied it. She would have said that she was different and portrayed herself as a determined fairy. However, ironically, Zell herself proved it. Even she was no match for the cold. ¡°I see.¡± On the other hand, Bash was unaffected as he was an orc, a race that could withstand the cold. However, he was still covered in furs because he could feel it nonetheless. If fairies were flowers, orcs were weeds that grew in the gaps between the tiles. ¡°But damn, I can¡¯t find any. No demon city at all! I¡¯ve never been in this area, but I think it¡¯s about time we find some trace of people presence! It¡¯s really strange! I can¡¯t find a single human footprint! Demons haven¡¯t gone extinct a long time ago, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. They¡¯re tough to get rid of.¡± For the past few days, the two of them had been wandering in search of the demon city, but they couldn¡¯t find a single trace of it or even any sign of human beings. On the contrary, in this vast expanse of snow, there were hardly any creatures to be seen. At night, the only things visible were deer, foxes, and polar bears. And for some reason, there were very few of them during the day. There was no doubt that many creatures were nocturnal. However, the creatures they saw at night were also strange. Their movements were unusually slow, as if their vision was not as effective. It was as if the creatures were forced to stay awake at night, even though they were actually diurnal. ¡°¡­!¡± Surely it was due to the sense of unease he felt. That was the reason why he could move the moment he sensed that something was wrong. ¡°Wahu.¡± Suddenly, Bash dove headfirst into the snow. He buried himself in it, stirring it up, and after completely concealing himself, he made a hole with his finger and started looking outside with one eye. ¡°Uwah, the snow! It¡¯s cold! Wha-wha-what¡¯s happening all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Shut up and look.¡± Zell obediently closed her mouth and stuck her head into the hole Bash had made, peering outside. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Zell instantly pulled her head back. In the sky. It was swimming in the sky, peacefully, as if taking a leisurely stroll. If Zell had been flying as usual, she would have seen it earlier. Its red scales, shimmering in the sun, stood out even from a distance, and the sound of its enormous wings could be heard from far away¡­ Its appearance, which didn¡¯t hide any part of its being and even showcased its majesty, demonstrated that it had no natural enemies. ¡°I-It¡¯s a d-d-dragon¡­¡± The strongest creature on the continent of Vastonia was there. ¡°¡­¡± Even Zell was compelled to close her noisy mouth upon seeing the dragon. Instinctive fear took hold of her. The same happened to Bash. He looked up at the sky, buried in the snow, gritting his teeth and gripping the hilt of his sword. ¡°¡­It¡¯s gone.¡± Finally, when the dragon disappeared from sight, Bash crawled out of the snow. He looked at the sky two or three times and let out a sigh. ¡°I guess this area is the habitat of a dragon¡­¡± ¡°Seems like it¡­¡± ¡°Damn~¡­ I can¡¯t stop trembling¡­¡± Zell shivered with a chill that hadn¡¯t ceased since she saw the dragon. It might have been the cold, but well, it was probably because of the dragon as well. ¡°Right¡­¡± Bash, on the other hand, seemed like his usual self, although he was concerned about the dragon. ¡°I knew it, as expected of Mister, the Dragon Slayer! Does that mean you¡¯re not afraid of dragons?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that. I am afraid.¡± ¡°Even if you say that, you¡¯ve already killed a dragon before! Excessive modesty is poison to your health! Come on, I want you to say it! ¡®I¡¯m not afraid of dragons, in fact, if dragons saw me, they¡¯d be trembling and wetting themselves!¡¯ Say that! I want to be reassured!¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind saying it, but from a dragon¡¯s point of view, I¡¯m no better than a caterpillar. It wouldn¡¯t be afraid.¡± Bash didn¡¯t intend to lie or joke. Even brave warriors had fears. He wasn¡¯t a child to deny it. When it came to fighting, he charged forward with his battle cry, energizing his trembling body, but that didn¡¯t mean he could underestimate a dragon. Bash had killed one before, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that this creature was at the pinnacle of all creatures on this continent. That fact didn¡¯t change just because he fought and killed a single dragon. Just as it didn¡¯t change the fact that a dragon could decimate hundreds of orcs in an instant. Of course, Bash would fight and win if necessary. Just because he was prepared to do so didn¡¯t mean that terrifying things ceased to be terrifying. ¡°Could you still win if you fought?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. In this empty snowfield, there¡¯s nothing you can do against it flying around. Unless you have the means to bring it down.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even have those! But if that¡¯s the case, we have to make sure it doesn¡¯t find us.¡± It was too risky to walk through the snowfield unprotected. Dragons had keen eyesight. They had been fortunate that it hadn¡¯t found them in the past few days, but if it had, they would have been annihilated. ¡°No wonder there are no creatures during the day.¡± ¡°So the day is the dragon¡¯s domain¡­¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll wait for nightfall.¡± ¡°Right. It would be a bad idea to move and be discovered!¡± Zell nodded her head, still wrapped around Bash¡¯s shoulder. Neither Bash nor Zell were very good at covert nighttime operations. However, it was a fact of life that even if you weren¡¯t good at it, you still had to do it. During the day, they were even worse at it, so there was no need to worry. ¡°The first thing we need to do is quickly find a city, but if we can¡¯t find one after all this searching, I¡¯d like to find a nest of demonic beasts first. I think the ones around here will have nests in suitable places to hide from the dragon, so I¡¯d like to use that as a base and explore the surroundings.¡± ¡°So we¡¯re camping.¡± Bash pushed the snow around his body to make a snow cave and sat down with his legs crossed, paying attention to the direction the dragon had taken. Then, he closed his eyes. If they acted at night, they would be free for a while. Bash was a man who could act for days without rest, but he rested when he could. ¡°Mmm¡­?¡± But then a familiar sound reached Bash¡¯s ears. The sound of many people fighting: battle cries. Shortly after, a sound that he had only heard once before also reached his ears. A loud sound that made his whole body tremble. The roar of a dragon. The roar of breath that made the earth burst. In other words, the sound of battle. CH 55.2 When Bash arrived at the scene, the battle had already been resolved. There were many corpses. Around ten bodies were sprawled out. Half of them were charred, and the other half were dismembered. The figure of the dragon was far up in the sky, and Bash saw something in its mouth. It was a person. Alive. They waved their hands as their body was pierced by the dragon¡¯s teeth. But whatever they were now, their fate had already been decided. They would either be bitten in the air or taken back to the dragon¡¯s nest and devoured¡­ either way. Bash waited for the dragon to disappear from sight before cautiously approaching the corpses. Everything had been reduced to charcoal. The ground, which should have been covered in snow, was exposed, blackened, and charred, with remnants of fire. The bodies had assimilated into the charred ground. ¡°Only this many people fought against the dragon¡­?¡± Bash said, growling as he counted the corpses. There were many dismembered bodies, but even looking at the number of limbs, there were fewer than ten. However hard they had tried, they didn¡¯t seem to have the necessary strength to defeat a dragon. Would intelligent demons be foolish enough to fight a dragon with only a small number of men? It would be safer to assume that they were ambushed while on the move, but it was hard to believe that anyone living in this area would venture out without thinking twice. If the place were so safe, Bash and his companion would have encountered a demon or two long ago. ¡°Mister, the tracks come from the mountains.¡± Zell¡¯s words made him look in that direction, and indeed, there were clear tracks in the snow where they must have traveled. The tracks led towards the mountain. It would be more natural to assume that they originally fought the dragon with a larger group but couldn¡¯t win and retreated, only to be pursued by the dragon. ¡°Ah! Mister, only one of them is breathing!¡± Said Zell, who had been flying around the perimeter. When Bash approached her, he discovered that there was indeed a person who was breathing with a wheeze, although their entire body was charred. Their eyes were open, but the eyeballs were burnt, and it was hard to tell if they were conscious or not. He couldn¡¯t distinguish between male and female, let alone races. However, if the dragon¡¯s breath didn¡¯t instantly kill them, they must have had great magic resistance. If that were the case, they must be a demon or an elf. Although no elf would come this far. They must be a high-ranking demon. In any case, Bash looked at Zell and told her, ¡°Help them.¡± ¡°Roger!¡± Zell sprinkled her powder. The powder, whiter than snow but occasionally tinged with gold, was sold at a pretty insane price and was thrown in substantial amounts. However, the injuries were quite serious. As fairy-like as the powder was, it was not an instant cure, so the charred surface skin began to peel off in shreds. As expected, the whole body was charred. However, deep down, undoubtedly, new skin would have been created. ¡°Can they be saved?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. If it¡¯s a demon, well, they have a strong vitality and will probably survive somehow.¡± If they survived, the burns would eventually disappear, and their skin would return to normal within a week. However, it was also possible that they would die before their skin could regenerate. Fairy dust didn¡¯t cure corpses. If that happened, they would simply have to assume they had bad luck. It happened all the time. ¡°The rest of them are dead.¡± ¡°I see. Let¡¯s hide before the dragon returns.¡± There were no signs of the dragon returning. If it had killed its enemies and filled its stomach, there was no reason for it to come back. But it made no sense to try to reason with a creature whose thoughts were impossible to discern. What they needed to do was get out of there. ¡°Oh, Mister! There¡¯s a rocky area over there! It might be easier to find a place to hide there!¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming!¡± And so, Bash and Zell headed towards the rocky area, carrying someone who was dying. ¡ö¡ö¡ö Bash and his companion found a rocky place to hide from the dragon and killed one of the demonic beasts that lived there in a cave. And there they waited for the night to pass. The entrance to the cave, with its thick icicles, was visible from the ground but not from the sky. After all, the demonic beasts lived in this hole. Just like orcs and fairies, demonic creatures equally feared dragons. If they were native to this area, they would be even more afraid of the dragon. If that was the case, this hole would be hidden from the sight of the large scaly creature. After waiting for the sun to set, Bash and Zell crawled out of the hole and began to explore the surroundings. Bash carried the person they had just saved tied to his back. The environment was unexpectedly bright. A huge full moon made its presence felt in the sky. Its light reflected off the snow and faintly shone on their feet. Orcs were not a race with good night vision, but his eyes were accustomed to the darkness of the cave. Additionally, there was a nearby light source (the fairy), so they could see their surroundings well enough. If there were too much light, waiting for the night would have been futile, but dragons were not nocturnal. So, it was enough. ¡°It¡¯s lively, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, it is. This is what happens when dangerous creatures live in the forest. You know, forests with elves are peaceful at night. Because they go hunting at night.¡± ¡°I see now.¡± On the snowy and icy rocks at night, many creatures that were not seen during the day could be seen. There were feathered lizards, quadrupedal beasts covered in spikes all over their bodies, and ball-like creatures that could be either beasts or insects. When these nameless creatures saw Bash, they immediately fled. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll go take a look.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Zell left, and Bash watched her. It was quite risky for a luminous fairy to conduct reconnaissance at night. But neither Bash nor Zell cared about such things. They had done it many times since the war. Moreover, it was riskier to do reconnaissance during the day in this place. And one more thing. They were convinced that they would find something at night. For Bash and Zell, it was just a hunch, but in other words, it was an empirical conjecture. The dragon flew during the day. Bash hid, and Zell with him. Demonic creatures also hid. And the nocturnal demonic beasts saw Bash and Zell and ran to hide. This meant that there were hunters who hunted demonic beasts at night. Bipedal creatures similar to orcs hunted them at night. If that was the case¡­ ¡°Mister, there it is!¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Upon Zell¡¯s words, Bash began to move. After traversing a rocky area and climbing over a hill, he saw it. The structure built on the edge of the cliff looked like a massive castle. It was illuminated by fire, and the presence of people could be felt. It was a city. Indeed, there was a city, magically constructed in such a way that it couldn¡¯t be recognized in daylight. ¡°Is that the ¡®Gije Fortress¡¯?¡± The ¡°impregnable¡± Gije Fortress. There, a fortress that had never been attacked during the war stood. CH 56.1 Chapter 56. Gije Fortress The Gije Fortress. It was an incredibly mysterious fortress. Its location held little strategic value, and it was rumored that when Gediguz ascended to the throne and began its construction, some of the demon leaders opposed him and were purged. Because of that turmoil, he was called the Mad King, although for a very short period of time. It was still a mystery why he insisted so much on building it. The insignificance of this fortress could be guessed from the name it received during the war. The weakest fortress. A senseless and useless fortress. It was called ¡°impregnable,¡± but those who preferred to keep things to themselves called it ¡°completely vulnerable impregnable.¡± It was a fortress that even orcs often mocked. ¡­It is more solidly constructed than one would expect. Hence, Bash also assumed it would be weaker, but it was, by all means, a fortress comparable in construction to the other demon fortresses. It was a fortress built along the slope of a mountain, with three tall and thick defensive walls and a discreet entrance. The walls were reinforced with black rock and black steel, and they glowed faintly, as if by some kind of magic. Bash didn¡¯t know much about magic, but he had seen walls with similar protective magic before. It had nullified the massive siege magic of the elves and repelled battering rams like logs thrown by dwarven siege weapons. The fortifications he had seen then were only partially enchanted, but those of the Gije Fortress seemed to be completely covered by it. One could say it was the most solidly constructed fortress Bash had ever seen. ¡°Halt.¡± At the entrance of the fortress, there were two demons. Lesser demons with brown skin. Unfortunately, male demons. A checkpoint. For Bash, he always had to pass through one to enter countries, and it seemed no different in the Demon Nation. ¡°Orc. I knew you would come here. But what are you doing here alone?¡± He knew it. The words ¡°I knew¡± momentarily puzzled Bash. But this was always the case with demons. They claimed to know what other races were going to do and where they were going, and then they mocked them. Some orcs firmly believed that demons did have the ability of precognition. Though they laughed at them, saying that if they had such an ability, they wouldn¡¯t have lost the war. ¡°Boss, there¡¯s also a fairy. So, it¡¯s two of them.¡± ¡°Fool. I already told you not to count fairies as people.¡± ¡°Hahaha. If that¡¯s the case, then wouldn¡¯t they be two animals?¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting closer.¡± The two guards looked at Bash and Zell with a mocking smile. The atmosphere wasn¡¯t gloomy, but there was a hint of contempt. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, orc? What do you want in our dying last paradise?¡± ¡°Boss, it¡¯s impolite to ask a question like that.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t many reasons for orcs to come to a place like this. Most likely, he was driven out of his nests, pursued by all nations, and ended up here because he was desperate for food.¡± ¡°Oh, I see, but our country isn¡¯t a dump.¡± ¡°Because it wouldn¡¯t even reach that level!¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Bash ignored their jokes and placed the backpack on the ground. ¡°I already told you it¡¯s not a dump¡­ but what the hell is that?¡± ¡°We found it along the way. They¡¯re injured.¡± With these words, the guards lowered their gaze to something they hadn¡¯t even glanced at. It was too dark to see it clearly, but if they were told it was a person, it was easier for them to recognize it as such. It was a person who had turned into black charcoal. ¡°What, is it¡­ still alive!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And it was burned by a dragon in the snowy field on the way. There were several others, but this was the only one alive.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be, they were the suppression force¡­ that¡¯s ridiculous, they should have annihilated it¡­¡± The guard¡¯s expression changed. The composed expression he had before disappeared, and an urgent voice resonated in the air. ¡°They have been completely reduced to charcoal. We can¡¯t even identify them! Get a stretcher! Call the doctors! Hurry!¡± ¡°Yes, Boss!¡± One of the guards ran off to somewhere upon hearing those words. ¡°We sprinkled fairy dust on them. There¡¯s no need to rush, they won¡¯t die.¡± When Bash said this, the demon looked at both of them with a surprised expression. Indeed, if it was fairy dust, there was a possibility that they wouldn¡¯t die even in that state. That¡¯s how powerful fairy dust was as a recovery medicine. ¡°Ahem, it seems you have saved one of our compatriots. I thank you for that. I apologize for my rudeness earlier. You did well in saving one of our brave warriors. I would like to reward you, but unfortunately, I have nothing on me at the moment.¡± His words weren¡¯t much different from before. However, his voice lacked the blatant contempt from a few moments ago. Demons were a species that could be grateful when they needed to be. ¡°And I also thank you, fairy. You did well in saving my compatriot with your precious dust.¡± Upon hearing these words, Zell detached herself from her covering and perched on Bash¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Well, of course! As you can see, we are warriors who have been through many battles. When you see an injured soldier, you take them to a safe place, it¡¯s as natural as eating breakfast and taking a dump! But fairies don¡¯t take a dump, so it¡¯s quite amusing! I would like to see more sincerity in your attitude. In fact, who do you think you¡¯re talking to? You¡¯re in the presence of the incredible Achoo! Oh, oops¡­¡± Zell sneezed loudly in the middle of the sentence, causing her to wrap herself back in the beast¡¯s skin, trembling. She had said half of what she wanted to say, but the guard was already wearing a bitter expression. Demons had their own heap of aphorisms about fairies. The most famous one was: ¡°If you listen to fairies, first your ears get lighter, then your mouth, and finally your own head flies away.¡± In short, if he kept listening to this fairy, he would end up dead. So the guard turned to Bash. ¡°Apologies. Orc. Let me ask you again. Who are you? What is your purpose here? The reports say you didn¡¯t come from the bridge¡­¡± ¡°I am Bash, the Orc Hero. I am here searching for something,¡± Bash said, but he didn¡¯t really expect any reaction. After all, he was dealing with a demon. Brown-skinned demons were probably lesser demons, but even lesser demons were a superior race compared to orcs. When the demon heard the orc¡¯s title, he would probably laugh mockingly. ¡°The Orc Hero? Do you mean the ¡®Dragon Slayer¡¯?¡± However, the guard¡¯s reaction was more pronounced than expected. ¡°Don¡¯t go around spouting nonsense, stupid orc! Did you think you could deceive me? The Orc Hero is an important title for you! Even if you admire it, calling yourself Hero would damage even the last bit of your pride.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying. I swear it by the Orc King.¡± Upon hearing these words, the demon¡¯s eyes widened, and he looked intently at Bash. ¡°Do you¡­ do you really mean it!?¡± The demons didn¡¯t recognize Bash¡¯s face, but they knew the weight of swearing by the Orc King. Only a limited number of orcs could utter those words. It wasn¡¯t a lie that an orc could say lightly. Pretending to be the ¡°Orc Hero¡± wasn¡¯t a joke either, but at least it could still pass as a kind of yearning. ¡°So¡­ what is it that you¡¯re searching for?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you¡­ but I have a letter from the Human Prince Nazar for Sequence, the Dark General.¡± Upon hearing these words, the guard¡¯s body tensed. Even the name of the Human Prince came up. The prince who overthrew the Demon King Gediguz. His valor was proven in the subsequent battles between demons and humans. The prince was a symbol of fear for his kind, as he continued to kill his people and claim victory on numerous battlefields. Of course, the demons didn¡¯t fear their human opponents. So, while they were somewhat wary of him, they soon lost their fear. The reason was that it was the same prince who had ended the war and proposed peace. ¡°I see. Then I thank you. I will personally take you to Sir Sequence, the Dark General.¡± ¡°Mm. Thank you then.¡± Thus, Bash and Zell followed the demon who guided them and entered the city by night. CH 56.2 The demon fortresses were built for siege. They were all designed to survive for long periods of time inside. Unlike ogre fortresses, whose motto was ¡°short-term decisive battles,¡± or succubi and harpies, who had wings and didn¡¯t think much about defense, these fortresses were specialized in defensive battles. Humans, who built similar fortresses, would say that it was natural because that¡¯s how a fortress should be, but nonetheless, the fortresses built by the Seven Races Federation had their own characteristics, and the demons¡¯ fortress was notable for its defense. ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors too, but it¡¯s just an ordinary fortress, right? Why did Gediguz build it here? Maybe he planned to turn it into the Demon capital after the war ended?¡± ¡°Who knows. But there are houses. Maybe he intended to live here.¡± Inside the Gije fortress, there were rows of stone houses. Of course, this was normal for a demon fortress. The buildings were arranged in a staggered manner, and the space between them was extremely narrow. Barricades could be built there to create a simple maze and easily slow down the enemy¡¯s advance. The buildings could serve as obstacles for the enemy¡¯s advance too, but it was better to use the houses than just build walls. That¡¯s why the demon fortress could be called a city. Bash had visited them several times and remembered them as advanced, vibrant places full of life, making it hard to believe he was inside one now. But this Gije fortress was neither full of life nor vibrant. The houses were mostly dark and quiet in the evening, although there were some lights. Though there were signs of people inside the houses, hardly anyone was outside. Even those who passed by occasionally walked with hoods on to hide their faces. The city was dark and the air was stagnant. Although unlike the succubus nation, there was no sense of imminent doom. But there was something immobile, like mud, and a feeling of resignation mixed with sighs. ¡°Hm.¡± Suddenly, a woman passed by Bash and the others. A woman with blue skin and horns on the sides of her head. Her eyes were sharp, and her posture was not bad. Even through her winter clothing, her body was clearly visible and voluptuous. What caught his attention the most was her indescribable aroma, characteristic of demons. For demons, the scent was nothing out of the ordinary, but for orcs, it was the fragrance of a high-quality flower. The woman snorted. She glanced at Bash, looked away, and walked past him. Bash stopped and looked back at her. The woman also glanced back at him but quickly turned her face away and walked away. ¡°Look at that. And she didn¡¯t even say anything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± It was unexpected. If it had been during the war, crossing paths with a demon woman like he just did would have earned him a scolding, saying, ¡°Disgusting orc, stay away from me!¡± or sarcastically saying, ¡°Why is someone from such a humble race like you here? Who told you that you can look at me?¡± If she had been in a bad mood, she might have even sent him flying using magic. Or in Zell¡¯s case, she might have torn her limb from limb. Some demons treated fairies like vermin. That¡¯s how the demon race was. Noble and arrogant. High-born and pompous. When they saw someone from a race they deemed inferior, they couldn¡¯t help but abuse them. That¡¯s just how they were. They walked away without saying a word. Or if you called out to them, they might stop and turn around. But you could be sure that their response wouldn¡¯t be the gentlest. ¡°This might be what Nazar was referring to.¡± ¡°This is very promising!¡± What Nazar said. He said that even high-ranking demons would listen to the Orc Hero. They had been skeptical, but when he saw the demon woman pass by without cursing him, he felt that he could believe him. Of course, her not cursing him didn¡¯t mean she had smiled at him. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t expect her to stay silent.¡± ¡°¡­Demons are no longer as arrogant. We understand our situation.¡± The guard said grumpily and continued walking. Bash interpreted that as meaning ¡°even demons wouldn¡¯t be rude to the Orc Hero¡± and thanked Nazar. Indeed, the prince was right. With this, there might be a chance for him to get a demon woman as his wife. The possibility might be slim, but it was no longer zero. And if the chances of winning were no longer zero, then they should fight. Because Bash was a proud Orc warrior. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder they lost the war.¡± After all, it was the humans who were to be feared. Their ability to assess a situation was nothing short of impressive. Such sentiments were harbored within his words. ¡°What¡­?¡± Upon hearing Bash¡¯s words, the guard gritted his teeth and looked at him. ¡°Are you mocking us?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! There¡¯s no way Mister could mock demons! No matter how sarcastically and self-deprecatingly you treat each other, as an orc, there¡¯s no way Mister Bash would mock in such subtle ways! It¡¯s impossible! Not in a million years! Fairies, maybe, but if an orc mocks someone, it¡¯s not done so indirectly! It would be more direct! Are you an idiot!? Shouldn¡¯t you already know that!? And furthermore, the one you¡¯re looking at is none other than Bash, the Orc among Orcs, the Orc Hero!¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± The guard¡¯s spirits deflated with Zell¡¯s rapid-fire chatter. He knew it would be foolish to argue with the fairy. The first thing he did was turn to Bash and address the main topic. ¡°Why did you say it¡¯s no wonder we lost the war?¡± ¡°Because the demon woman looked just as Nazar said she would.¡± The guard looked back, but the woman was already gone. He didn¡¯t remember her appearance. He couldn¡¯t even guess it. Demons were usually so arrogant that even if they told him she looked different, he wouldn¡¯t be able to distinguish it from her usual appearance. All he could say was that it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if Nazar had predicted the woman¡¯s appearance. Among demons, Nazar¡¯s name was bigger than Bash had thought. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­¡± But the gate guard finally didn¡¯t say anything in reply, turned around, and continued forward. Unconsciously, his pace was faster than before. It was as if he didn¡¯t want Bash to see the current state of the Demon Nation. As if he was ashamed of himself. CH 57.1 Chapter 57. The Dark General The ¡°Dark General¡± Sequence was in the operations room, at the far end of Gije Fortress. ¡°¡­¡± He closed his eyes, rested his hands on the armrests, and drowsily pondered his life, his fallen comrades, and the fate of the demons. Sequence was an old man. Especially old among the demons, who lived as long as the elves. To be more specific, he was only surpassed in longevity by Thunder Sonia. His life had been marked by battle. Starting as a young man who knew nothing, going through the era of ¡°Resourceful General Sequence,¡± witnessing the rise of Demon King Gediguz, receiving the title of ¡°Dark General¡± for his achievements on numerous battlefields, leading the retreat in the defeat of the Lemium Highlands, and continuing to fight without dying, even though he had lost every battle since then. How many years had passed since they told him he was too old, that he could no longer fight, and that it was time to make way for the next generation? Sequence stayed on the front lines and continued to live. His comrades died one after another. He had many wives, but they all died. He also had many daughters, but only one remained. After the war, he had three left, but one died in the chaos of the post-war period, another left the country, and just yesterday, he received news that the other one was likely dead. The one remaining might also be dead, as nothing was known about her. His family had disappeared. In contrast, Sequence had no strength or time left. He could only use the little brain power he had left in this operations room. They would gather every few days to contemplate the future of the demons, for which no solution was in sight. Isn¡¯t it ironic? That¡¯s what Sequence thought. When Gediguz said he was going to build a fortress here, Sequence was the one who opposed it the most. What was the point of building a fortress in a place like this? He told him that he was wasting their limited resources. He didn¡¯t regret his opposition to Gediguz at the time, and he didn¡¯t believe he was wrong in anything he had said. But without the fortress here, the surviving demons would have been lost in their escape and would have been annihilated. Yes, it was also Sequence who decided for them to flee to this fortress at the moment of their defeat. He thought that there would be no pursuit here, and even if there were, they would be able to endure it. Gediguz didn¡¯t build this fortress with that in mind. Sequence knew that. That¡¯s why it seemed ironic to him. He had always said it was unnecessary, but now he had to rely on this fortress more than any of the demons. And yet, to this day, Sequence still wondered: Where would the demons¡¯ future be? It had been three years since the war ended. No, it had already been four. The demons had been trapped in this land for four years. The snowy fields had more animals than one would imagine, so they didn¡¯t have problems with food. They weren¡¯t abundant by any means, but it saved them from starvation, although there were a few who died of hunger. If they could survive, they could manage here. If it weren¡¯t for it. The champion of the skies. The most powerful creature on the continent: A dragon. This area was its territory. Therefore, the demons couldn¡¯t venture out during the day and had to remain in their fortress without lights and without protection. At night, they crawled like rats in search of food to survive. Noble demons, like rats¡­ People were also somewhat calm at first. ¡°Did they lock us in this place with only this?¡± ¡°They were confident enough not to enslave all the survivors and also give them land.¡± ¡°They should regret not exterminating us.¡± ¡°Foolish humans. They let their guard down with victory in sight.¡± Some even looked down on the winners. In any case, Sequence was also one of them. It¡¯s not that he underestimated humans, but he thought it would be possible to recover from this. Demon bodies were strong and resistant to the cold, they could go several days without eating, and their magical abilities were among the best of all races. As a superior race, they were capable of thriving in this deadly snowy field. After cultivating the land for about a decade, raising livestock, and working to increase their strength, it would be possible to fill the snowfields with demons. But then there was the dragon. Dragons were undoubtedly the most powerful creatures. They were not opponents that could be defeated with half-hearted efforts. That was the common understanding of all creatures in the continent of Vastonia. However, in the Lemium Highlands, a dragon had been defeated. When the dragon appeared in the Lemium Highlands, its majesty and overwhelming firepower terrified them. Everyone looked up in awe, saying, ¡°What are we going to do about that thing?¡±. However, once it was defeated, they could say that it was a trivial opponent. It even seemed weaker than they had expected. After forcing it to descend to the surface, a lone orc warrior delivered the final blow. Orcs were a race far inferior to demons. If an orc could do it, there was no reason they couldn¡¯t. They weren¡¯t as strong as they were in the Battle of the Lemium Highlands, and there would be casualties. But they would defeat it, and this snowfield would be theirs. That was the decision of the demons. Only after organizing an attack force and launching a battle against the dragon they did realize their arrogance. In the first battle, the attack force was annihilated. The commander was Limendia, one of Sequence¡¯s daughters. Furthermore, the dragon took an unexpected action. It flew towards Gije Fortress and retaliated. It was hell. The dragon¡¯s fire breath easily pierced through the magical barrier and turned the once powerful demons into charcoal in an instant. The demons¡¯ magic rarely reached the dragon, and when it did, it was repelled by its scales. CH 57.2 Fortunately, the fortress was sturdy. Due to its location on a cliff, the dragon couldn¡¯t descend to the surface, and the barriers surrounding it prevented the fire breath from consuming it completely. But perhaps because of that, the dragon wasn¡¯t satisfied. Every few days, it would fly to the Gije Fortress and unleash its breath from the air. So the demons established an isolation barrier around the fortress, making it invisible to the dragon. However, the massive creature still came. Although it couldn¡¯t see them, it must have remembered where they were and randomly attacked them with its breath. Yes, they were invisible, but nothing more. If the dragon found them walking outside the fortress, it would pounce on them and devour them as if it were natural. Therefore, the demons could no longer leave the fortress during the day. In fact, fear made them wear hoods and remain silent to avoid being seen or heard, even within the fortress. Although the dragons didn¡¯t attack at night, perhaps because they weren¡¯t nocturnal, it was enough to instill terror in them. This series of attacks broke the demons. They knew they couldn¡¯t win against the dragon. And now I am here, thinking about what we should do¡­ There wasn¡¯t a day when Sequence wasn¡¯t worried. How could demons escape this state and see the light of day? That was the question he asked himself every day. And he couldn¡¯t find an answer. Everyone hoped that at the very least, the dragon would lose interest someday. But they couldn¡¯t come up with any effective measures to deal with it themselves. Therefore, most of the demons had already given up. Trapped amidst all this snow and ice, they would perish. And he didn¡¯t know what else to do. Sequence was said to be the smartest general among the demons and had found answers on every battlefield. But even he, who had received the title of ¡°Dark General,¡± didn¡¯t know what to do. What was the answer? All he could do was worry. Today, just like any other day, he sat in his chair, his body covered in frost, and remained motionless¡­ ¡°Excuse me. Your Excellency, there¡¯s a guest for you.¡± But that day seemed different. A soldier stood at the entrance of the operations room. Sequence remembered his presence. He was a young man who had recently become a soldier. ¡°A guest? Who is it? I told them to come at the meeting time.¡± ¡°Yes, but they are from outside the country.¡± Upon hearing the words ¡°outside the country,¡± Sequence finally opened one of his eyes. He glanced at the soldier at the entrance. Then he looked at the person standing beside him and widened his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s you¡­!¡± Four eyes to the left and right, and four eyes aligned in front of him. He looked at the man with his eyes wide open. An orc. Just a green orc. One among the many. They were a common sight on the battlefield, dying like cannon fodder. There were a few good warriors among them, but even so, they were merely expendable units that could be counted in ¡°numbers.¡± Due to this perception, Sequence couldn¡¯t distinguish the orcs. And when one of his colleagues told him that one of these orcs had guts, he chuckled. But as soon as he saw him, he got goosebumps. He felt a shiver run down his spine. He had only seen this man once. But he would never forget him. There were no two orcs like him. Sequence barely remembered the name of the orc, but he was sure he would never forget him. ¡°It¡¯s you, Bash!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± Sequence involuntarily stood up. It had been weeks since he last stood. Sequence¡¯s hips and legs made a cracking sound, and the frost clinging to his body scattered onto the floor. Bash. The green orc was a warrior who had been notably active before and after the decisive battle in the Lemium Highlands. He was also the only person to whom Sequence¡¯s friend, the ¡°Strongblade General¡± Netherhanks, gifted his own sword while still alive. After Gediguz¡¯s death, the battle continued to be lost, but only the successes of this orc were known. He destroyed several positions where commanders were located in fierce human assaults, defeated the Great Elven Archmage, and saved the succubi in a desperate situation¡­ He was also the man who was present in Gediguz¡¯s final moments. And he was the man who slaughtered the Hero Leto. Sequence would never forget when this man came to his side with Gediguz¡¯s corpse. He didn¡¯t even want to remember the despair he felt at that moment. But there was one more thing that Sequence knew. Bash had two titles. This orc had many nicknames, especially among the demons. The Dragon Decapitator. The Dragon Slayer. Bash defeated the dragon in the decisive battle of the Lemium Highlands. He defeated a dragon. Now, this was exactly the kind of person the demons had been searching for. With this orc, the dragon that had terrorized them¡­ But Sequence wouldn¡¯t easily reveal his emotions. He understood that the orc before him couldn¡¯t have appeared for such a convenient reason, nor was it a time when he could turn him into a pawn on his chessboard. ¡°Why¡­ are you here?¡± Sequence calmly posed the question. If you thought about it calmly, there was no way Bash, the Orc Hero, would have come here. Orcs, like demons, should be in a position where their heads were held by the Four Races Alliance. Why would a national hero like him leave his country and come to a place like this? ¡°I received a letter from Nazar, the Human Prince.¡± Upon hearing this, Sequence closed four of his eyes. He inwardly nodded. It was impossible for orcs to come here on their own. The question was what the contents of the letter were. ¡°Let me see it.¡± The paper that Bash pulled out of his pocket was a testament to the harshness of the journey. All the corners had been crushed, and everything was wrinkled as if it had been soaked in water at some point. There was barely a seal of the human royal family, indicating that it was indeed from Nazar. CH 57.3 ¡°A letter from the young Human, huh¡­¡± He cut open the crumpled envelope with his sharp claws and pulled out the letter from inside. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± The letters were blurry and smudged. He had no idea what it said. That¡¯s what you got for letting an orc carry the letter. ¡°I see.¡± However, he could guess what Nazar, the human prince, wanted by asking an orc to deliver the letter. It would be about Sequence¡¯s daughter, Poplatica, and her conspirators. She had left, leaving behind the words ¡°we will resurrect Lord Gediguz¡± with a breath. She even stole the national treasure that Sequence managed to bring out from the Demon Nation. Many followed her and left. But there was no way to know what they were doing now. However, he had no idea how they were doing since they didn¡¯t receive much information here. ¡°So, what do you want then? Did you just come to deliver this letter? Has the Orc Hero become a dog for a little human boy?¡± Sequence said in his usual tone, but he knew there was no mistake in choosing Bash as the messenger. If it weren¡¯t for Bash, they probably wouldn¡¯t have made it this far. He would prefer to ask him over a drink how he had made it from the border to here, passing through the dragon¡¯s eyes, and how he had found the hidden fortress. Despite appearances, Sequence quite enjoyed listening to the sagas of the young ones. That was the correct decision to have Bash deliver the letter. Just by arriving here, Sequence could tell. However, demons had a habit of using mocking phrases. They couldn¡¯t help but underestimate their opponents, even if they themselves had lost. Now, if they did well in letting Bash deliver the letter, the question remained, ¡°Why?¡± Why was it Bash who came? Why would a proud, though humble, warrior Hero undertake such an insignificant task as delivering letters? ¡°I have no intention of being his dog.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t. I don¡¯t know how a simple errand boy could come this far. If you came to visit us at night, that means you must have seen it too, right?¡± ¡°The dragon. Yes, I saw it.¡± ¡°You saw it. So, what happened? Did you kill it?¡± ¡°No, I had no way to make it come down. I hid in the snow and waited for the night.¡± ¡°I see, it¡¯s like¡­¡± Sequence stopped himself from saying, ¡°Like you could defeat it if you had the means to bring it down.¡± It would be foolish to say that to someone who had already accomplished it once. ¡°I want to hear the purpose from you. Not from this piece of paper, not from a fairy hiding from the cold, but from your own mouth.¡± Sequence said this respectfully. It wasn¡¯t every day that a demon showed respect to an orc. It wasn¡¯t worth listening to their words. If there was someone else of his kind by his side, he would ask them why they were doing it. Orcs didn¡¯t have much to say when they opened their mouths. They just talked a lot and said foolish things. Although they were still better than fairies. However, despite that, the general waited for Bash¡¯s words. That¡¯s how highly Sequence held him. ¡°¡­¡± Bash stared at Sequence with a tremendous gaze. It was a gaze so intense that it sent shivers down Sequence¡¯s spine, who had fought many battles in his career. ¡°I want you to introduce me to your daughter.¡± ¡°Poplatica? I don¡¯t know where she is.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have another one?¡± ¡°Limendia is dead.¡± ¡°There was another, I think.¡± ¡°Ah, her! Asmonadia!¡± ¡°Then introduce me to her.¡± Sequence pondered. ¡°I want you to introduce me to your daughter.¡± In the common sense of demons, it meant ¡°I want to go out with your daughter.¡± In the normal language of orcs, it meant, ¡°I¡¯m going to r?a?pe? your daughter and impregnate her.¡± As a noble demon, this was an unforgivable statement. He should crush him and remind him of this. But in front of him stood Bash, the Orc Hero. Sequence didn¡¯t know much about what kind of person this orc was. His old friend once described Bash as ¡°a man with balls.¡± And his friend was a stubborn man who rarely praised others. In his lifetime, Sequence had only heard him do it once, and it was to gift his favorite sword. The human prince Nazar entrusted this man with a letter bearing his seal. A Human, to an Orc. Certainly, Bash would be the best bearer, but there were probably others who were better. There were many more trustworthy people than orcs. ¡°Do you¡­ know what Asmonadia is doing?¡± Therefore, Sequence began to probe the truth. ¡°No, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Right now, she¡¯s in charge of killing the dragon.¡± ¡°I see.¡± And the fairy moved. She was whispering something in the orc¡¯s ear. Sequence didn¡¯t know what they were plotting, but the interactions between orcs and fairies were a bit exaggerated. Fairies were more intelligent than orcs, but to demons, they were as foolish as orcs. ¡°Do you have a plan to defeat it?¡± Bash¡¯s words were, in a sense, an insult to demons. Such a thing didn¡¯t exist. If it did, the dragon would have already been reduced to bones, and they would have expanded their territory throughout the Lesser Snowfield. ¡°No. But we found its lair. It¡¯s in the mountains to the east. So, whether it¡¯s in the sky or if it has come down to walk on the ground, we have a chance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°In short¡­¡± If it had been an unknown orc, Sequence would have been irritated. Don¡¯t agree so easily. It won¡¯t be such an easy opponent. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy, but you already killed one once.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± But the orc in front of him was a man who was well aware of that. He was the only man in the world who could boldly say, ¡°I have slain a dragon crawling on the ground.¡± He was a man who could tell such a hilarious story. Well, one could say that this hilarious story had led the demons to almost their demise, but it was hard to say that noble demons, who were cornered, couldn¡¯t do the same as an orc. CH 57.4 ¡°My daughter left many days ago with a group of young people, saying that if there was a precedent, she could do it too.¡± ¡°Are you saying they are now in the dragon¡¯s lair?¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± According to the schedule, they should have already returned, but they hadn¡¯t. So, before the sun set, the leader of the reconnaissance unit told him that he had confirmed all the deaths. Since the number of confirmed deaths was apparently lower than the number of people who had set out, it didn¡¯t necessarily mean that they were all dead, and the corpses were so burnt that they couldn¡¯t be identified. Therefore, there was no chance she was still alive. Although she might still be hiding near the dragon¡¯s nest. But the possibility of victory had already vanished¡­ Sequence thought it was foolish. The opponent was a dragon. They weren¡¯t like demonic beasts. They were cunning, cruel, vengeful, and wise. There was no way they didn¡¯t have a way to deal with the threat to their lair. Even if they were able to hunt them down, there was always the possibility that they had some secret trick up their sleeve. He told his daughter and the young ones surrounding her, but they refused to listen, saying it was nothing more than a big lizard. So why didn¡¯t it land in Fortress Gije? Why did it only breathe its fire from the sky? Because if it landed on the ground, it wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat us, they boldly claimed. The result would be its complete annihilation. ¡°She¡¯s so foolish that I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s my daughter. If you¡¯re fine with a girl like that, I¡¯ll introduce her to you. So, do you want to marry her?¡± ¡°Are you sure? Is it okay?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have my blessing. If she¡¯s still alive.¡± The wife of an orc. For demons, it was an unforgivable existence. For a noble demon to become the wife of a foolish orc, to be collared, to walk naked and bear their children, and to be treated like a dog, it went against the honor and pride of a demon. If such a thing were to happen, the entire demon army would go to destroy the orcs. But it was also unacceptable for a brilliant noble demon to misjudge the enemy¡¯s strength and drag not only themselves but also their men into a battle they couldn¡¯t win and let them die. In the old days, honor would have taken priority¡­ Yes, in times of war, no matter how foolish the girl was, she wouldn¡¯t have been handed over to the orcs. But honor was only important in prosperous times. It was useless for today¡¯s demons, who were fighting against their extinction. His daughter wasted a tiger cub called ¡°human resources,¡± which they had to avoid losing if they wanted to fight against extinction, even if only a little. In that case, it would be an appropriately severe punishment to reduce her to the position of an orc¡¯s wife. Although the truth was, it seemed she had already suffered a small punishment called death. ¡°I¡¯m going to that mountain right now.¡± ¡°¡­Are you serious?¡± Sequence gave Bash an inquisitive look upon hearing these words. His daughter must already be dead. The orc must already know. Orcs could be stupid, but they had a surprisingly keen sense of smell when it came to battle. Many of them could somehow discern which battlefield was winning and which was losing. ¡°Mister, Mister¡­ pshpshpsh¡­¡± And then, there, the fairy whispered to him again. It was an unnatural behavior. There was no doubt they were planning something. Bash nodded with an ¡°mmm¡± in response to the fairy¡¯s words and looked directly at Sequence. ¡°If there are other survivors, not just your daughter, can they be mine?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Bash¡¯s eyes showed no smile at all. They were very realistic and, to put it bluntly, serious. Sequence had seen those eyes several times on the battlefield. The eyes of a man prepared to die. They were the eyes of someone who believed there was something more important than death. The words ¡°no way¡± came to Sequence¡¯s mind. To take the survivors as his own. Not all of the assault team members were women; in fact, most of them were men. In other words, this orc was after something more than obtaining a demon wife. He was going to do something that would unite the survivors of the dragon-slaying party. But what could it be? ¡°If you go now, you¡¯ll have to fight the dragon!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but that¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± That¡¯s why. To fight the dragon? And he came all the way here for that? Really¡­? Sequence, filled with questions, remembered the letter he had just received. It was wet and stained, rendering the letter unreadable. But perhaps there was a note to that effect? Reinforcements, in other words. The reinforcements were sent by Nazar to defeat the dragon. But why would he do that? There was no benefit in it. No, then he remembered. Who proposed the truce? The prince. He spoke with him once during the ceasefire talks, and he was a kind, natural, and well-intentioned man. Unlike other humans, he couldn¡¯t sense any faint intention to harm the demons for generations. However, he still thought that Nazar wouldn¡¯t gain any benefit from this. Humans were a race that prioritized profit over honor. ¡°Why would Nazar do this? Why did you accept?¡± ¡°¡­? No, this was my idea. Nazar is just helping me.¡± ¡°What¡­ did you say?¡± And Nazar had nothing to do with it. Did this mean that this orc came to this place of his own accord? Nazar¡¯s letter was at most permission to cross the border and a request to admit Bash as reinforcement. But why would Bash come all the way here to kill a dragon? Why try to help the demons? ¡°Are you trying to save the day? An orc, for demons?¡± ¡°¡­And if that were the case, wouldn¡¯t that make the demons see orcs in a new light?¡± Was he doing it so that the demons would think better of him? That was nonsense. Although the reason he couldn¡¯t laugh about it was because this man was called the ¡°Orc Hero.¡± And he lived up to his title. He appeared on the battlefield to help where he could and aided in overcoming a war in which they were outnumbered. Sequence, like others, hadn¡¯t recognized it at the time, thinking he was just an orc, but he knew. Thanks to him, the Lemium Highlands were saved. Thanks to his victory over the dragon and the Hero Leto, the Seven Races Federation could retreat, leaving their forces intact. His subsequent successes were also beneficial for demons as a whole. The same went for the succubus rescue. If the succubus had been destroyed, the strength of the elves would have been focused on the demons. If that had happened, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep fighting until the ceasefire day. It was all thanks to Bash. That¡¯s why Sequence held him in such high regard. First and foremost, he was an Orc Hero. No Orc Hero had been born for a long time. He had heard that it was because there were no warriors worthy of that title, but orcs were foolish. They used to talk about pride and honor, but if they found a woman on the battlefield, they were despicable creatures who would take her into the bushes without hesitation. They were a vile race that flattered the strong, but deep down, they believed themselves to be stronger than them. A group of such foolish people recognized Bash. They recognized him as their ultimate champion, the Orc Hero. They acknowledged that Bash was a warrior worthy of that title. So, it was no longer a matter of logic. This was a man who was willing to sacrifice himself for the honor of orcs. What more plausible reason could there be for him to want the demons to reconsider how they viewed orcs? ¡°I have just one question: Why do you take such risks?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious.¡± Bash turned his back to Sequence, and he only half-turned his eyes towards him. ¡°Because I want a demon woman to be my wife.¡± Sequence burst into laughter at such a joke. It was the first time he had laughed since Gediguz was alive. CH 58.1 Chapter 58. To the Dragon¡¯s Nest The Lemium Highlands. It was a dwarven territory located in the center of the Vastonia continent, bordering the Human and Elf countries. It was dotted with vertically steep plateaus and was characterized by its high-quality minerals. The dwarves perpetually mined minerals from this place and continued to supply the frontlines with high-quality weaponry. If this area were to be taken, the human and elven populations would be divided, and the supply of minerals to the main dwarven army would be reduced. The supply would be cut off, and many units would be isolated. It could be said that this was a critical point. That is why the Four Races Alliance made such an effort to protect it, and Demon King Gediguz chose it as the location for the decisive battle. The Orc forces were deployed in front of the center of the Seven Races Federation. In other words, the front line. It was a fierce battleground where the two armies were expected to clash with great intensity. Demon King Gediguz understood the orcs well. He knew that if they defeated a woman on the battlefield, they would immediately start raping her. However, they were incredibly brave in any battlefield. They were so foolish that they would charge forward regardless of how many enemies they faced or how many of their allies died. They were the most numerous of all the races. In other words, they were cannon fodder. However, at that moment, all races except Orcs had doubts. ¡°In such an important battle, why leave the most crucial place to Orcs?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to put the Ogres at the forefront, as always?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that make Ogres look better and their victory more successful?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it has always been. And as you can see, Ogres are not happy.¡± Gediguz replied, ¡°You will know in an hour when the battle has begun.¡± But no one had faith in Gediguz, and everyone was skeptical of his words. Indeed, an hour after the fight began, as the different races started to mix and the battle intensified, the Orc forces began pushing back the humans. No matter how strong Humans were, it wasn¡¯t so surprising considering the difference in forces at that moment. The orcs also saw the royal emblems visible in the rear of the human army and, thinking ¡°I¡¯m going to rape a princess,¡± charged forward with their loins held high. Their momentum was so great that it seemed only a matter of time before the humans would step aside. However, Ogres were not pleased. If Orcs could do it, Ogres could too. In fact, if they had been ogres, it would have taken less than an hour¡­ no, they might have pushed back half of the vulnerable Human army in the first encounter. It wasn¡¯t just the Ogres. The other races thought the same. Then the creature appeared: a dragon. Hell broke loose. In just a few minutes, half of the orcs were wiped out. Even those lucky enough to avoid its fiery breath found themselves surrounded by fire, with nowhere to run, and human magic flying towards them one after another. Before their eyes unfolded a hellish scene. Faced with such hell, the generals involuntarily looked at Gediguz. His expression did not change for a single moment; he had anticipated this development. Therefore, as soon as the dragon had breathed its fire several times from the air, annihilating hundreds of orcs, there was movement within the demon army. A massive magic circle appeared above them, and countless magical spears shot out. These were extremely powerful spears for siege battles, such as those used to bring down human fortresses and elven magical barriers. Like a guiding device, the spears fell upon the dragon, bringing down its enormous body to the ground. Then, as if flowing in a stream, the next movement occurred. It rained heavily, extinguishing the fires on the battlefield. As if they had been waiting for it. And so, the dragon fell to the ground. Not only Orcs but also Ogre and other races crowded in the midst of the position of the Seven Races Federation. Then, as a rear guard, an army of ogres leaped towards the giant beast. The leaders praised Gediguz, ¡°As expected from Master Gediguz. Using Orcs as bait was brilliant!¡± But that¡¯s when the real hell began. The dragon fell to the ground and went into a frenzy, ravaging everything. It had lost its wings and realized it couldn¡¯t escape. And no one was a match for such a monster. Not only Ogres but also Orcs remaining on the battlefield, Succubi, Lizardmen, and Harpies who had come to the battlefield as reinforcements, were torn apart without even a scratch on its scales. Whether Gediguz had foreseen this situation or not was uncertain. Unknown to those on the front line, a reconnaissance unit from the main demon camp was attacked at the same time, communications were cut off, and the chain of command was temporarily paralyzed. It was an attempt at sabotage by Beastmen to increase the success rate of Nazar and his unit¡¯s operation. Later, Gediguz was attacked by the Human Prince and his men, but let¡¯s set that aside for now. Meanwhile, the dragon began heading towards the human positions. It tried to escape. The frontline fighters saw this and grew impatient. If it reached the main human camp, they would heal its wings with recovery magic, and it would fly again. If it took off again, this time it wouldn¡¯t fall. On the contrary, it would attack the main demon camp and crush it completely. So they had to stop it, but no one could stop a dragon. What should they do, what was Master Gediguz thinking¡­? Yes, when those in command of the front line began to have those thoughts and grow impatient¡­ a warrior stood in front of the dragon. It was a green orc. Most likely, he had been on the battlefield in a sea of fire, and he probably ended up in a cloud of smoke and didn¡¯t understand what was happening. He would likely be devoured by the dragon in front of him or turned into charcoal by its breath. The moment of death, which reached all the warriors here equally, would also reach him. Everyone thought the same. But what happened was that they actually witnessed something completely unbelievable. CH 58.2 At that moment, Bash was on an ice wall of a mountain. He didn¡¯t know its name. But he had once heard a rumor that there was a tall mountain in the far north. He had also heard that a dragon lived in that mountain. So he thought it must be the mountain he was climbing. Actually, he didn¡¯t even care. Sequence had informed him that there was a dragon¡¯s nest in that mountain. And Bash had business to attend to in that place. Specifically, with the survivors of the forces that had gone to attack the nest. ¡°It would be great if at least three have survived!¡± ¡°Right!¡± There was a blizzard all around him. Nothing could be seen, and ice hailstones constantly struck him. Zell wasn¡¯t even flying around but hiding within Bash¡¯s chest. Just because maybe it was just a bit cold. They couldn¡¯t see what was beneath them, but if they were to fall, they would land headfirst in an instant. Zell would be there too, and although it probably wouldn¡¯t kill Bash, the pain he would feel wouldn¡¯t be light. Bash dug his fingers into the smooth ice wall and climbed. Perhaps due to the low temperatures, the ice wall didn¡¯t crack. It was a smooth ascent. ¡°But I have to admit, I never thought you would get such a good response!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true!¡± The encounter with Sequence was perfect. At first, the general, like any Demon, looked at him with suspicion, but as soon as he showed Nazar¡¯s letter, his attitude changed, and he immediately offered his daughter. In fact, he even offered to give the other demon women under his daughter¡¯s command. ¡°I thought he would say something like, ¡®If you want my daughter, go kill the dragon!¡¯¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have minded, as long as he told me where the nest is.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit, Mister! I expected nothing less! I missed your performance in the Lemium Highlands! Damn, I wish I had seen it! I wish I had seen you tear that dragon apart and then throw its body around! Although, knowing you, Mister, I¡¯m sure you finished it off in one blow!¡± ¡°No¡­ It was actually a fight to the death. You could have died. I was knocked out as soon as the dragon appeared.¡± Bash wasn¡¯t accustomed to sharing anecdotes about himself. When an orc boasted, it was because he had to include a story about the woman he r?a?pe?d as dessert. Fifty points for a fight anecdote and fifty points for a woman rape anecdote. The total score for both was 100 points. That¡¯s how the scoring worked. That was an Orc bragging. Bash¡¯s story could only earn him 50 points no matter how hard he tried. But not when it came to this battle against the dragon. An orc who faced a dragon and defeated it. It was an anecdote about a Dragon Slayer. Even though he was an Orc, the score for the story would be so high that even if the woman part was completely omitted, it would still earn him 100 points. After all, in the history of the Vastonia continent, the number of people who had killed dragons could be counted on one hand. More than half of those dragon slayers were fairy tales. Even the other half of the stories were difficult to determine if they really happened or not. But dragons were real, and there were warriors on the battlefield with weapons made from dragon bones. So, although they all had their doubts, deep down, they believed it. There were warriors who could defeat dragons. And Bash did just that. He was a legend. That¡¯s why it was exceptional. ¡°They knocked you out!? They knocked out the great Mister Bash!?¡± ¡°I could go into details, but it¡¯s a bit cold here.¡± ¡°Right! I¡¯d love for you to tell me in a warmer place, with some drinks if possible! Oh, I just came up with a great idea! I¡¯m going to tell that story to all the demon women we come across! They are in trouble right now because of the dragon threat! If I tell them the story of how you killed one, they¡¯ll instantly fall in love with you!¡± ¡°In that case, I¡¯m fond of the idea of killing dragons.¡± ¡°Wow, a new legend is emerging!¡± They already had Sequence¡¯s permission. Demons were a race with strict hierarchical relationships. If ordered by a high-ranking noble demon, they would have to become wives of an orc or whatever it may be. Just as Orcs were absolutely obedient to the orders of the Orc King. But it was also true that Bash wanted to be sure. Sequence said he could have one of his daughters and the women from the attack force for himself, but it was possible that they had already been annihilated. In such a situation, at least one or two of the ugliest ones would be left behind, but that was not certain. After all, they were dealing with dragons. So he would like to proceed with the same method as before. That is, the conventional method of ¡°make her fall in love with you and make her your wife.¡± Although the good thing now was that the method was clearer. Defeat the dragon and tell it to the woman. It was very easy to understand. If he couldn¡¯t even kill the dragon, it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that he could also give up trying to court demon women. For Bash, they were a stronger enemy than the dragon. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± With that thought in mind, Bash found a hole. In the middle of the ice wall, there was a hole large enough for a person to pass through. It was an unnatural hole. There was no doubt that it was artificial. ¡°Over here¡­¡± This hole was a direct path to the dragon¡¯s lair, created by the demon attack team. He had heard that the extermination team planned to enter through here and attack the dragon¡¯s lair. CH 58.3 The group that Bash saw on his way to the fortress entered through it, encountered the dragon inside, and withdrew unsuccessfully. It caught up to them, and it probably killed them with its fiery breath. ¡°¡­It¡¯s here.¡± Warm air was emanating from the hole. Furthermore, he felt the presence of some kind of powerful creature from its depths. Besides that, there were no signs of anything. No animals, not even demonic beasts. This was evidence that a powerful creature had built a nest. This was the territory of a Lord, as they called it. And there was only one Lord who would have a territory in a place like this. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Bash entered the hole, which was large enough for him to pass through, but the floor and walls were extremely slippery and difficult to tread on. Bash never slipped, but a human or demon might have at least once. ¡°I heard the hole was big enough for a person to pass through, but it¡¯s so big that you didn¡¯t even get stuck.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ well¡­¡± Bash replied, but he already had a bad feeling. The floor was very slippery, and its surface gleamed with reflections of light. He had seen this kind of floor before. Only once. Indeed, only once. ¡°¡­¡± As soon as he remembered, the tension in Bash increased undeniably. As he walked, he placed his hand on the sword he carried on his back. He gripped the cold hilt and tightened the pit of his stomach. Zell also sensed that signal, but forced herself to remain silent. Honestly, this fairy had noticed it too. This sound of wind that she had been hearing for a few minutes¡­ it seemed to be something different from the stomach growls of her spirit buddies. They were getting closer to their target. So, she stayed by Bash¡¯s side and quietly ended up serving as a source of light. Perhaps it was because he was very alert. That was the only way he could have dealt with the sudden appearance of a huge yellow eye in front of him. ¡°¡­!¡± Their eyes met. He saw it. As soon as Bash realized, he unsheathed his sword and swung it. He tore through the wall on his left side and squeezed his body into the created opening, then he drove the sword into the ground to hide his protruding body. Just before hiding, he glanced and saw that the yellow eye at the end of the passage had disappeared. Bash took a deep breath and huddled, concealing Zell in his chest. ¡­His vision turned white. Feeling the heat as if he had plunged into magma, Bash held his breath and counted slowly. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12¡­ On the count of 13, Bash pulled his sword from the ground and began to run. The cave was larger than before, but the walls and floor were melted, making it difficult to run. The sword glowed red-hot, and the skin of his hand emitted a crackling sound. A similar sound came from the soles of his feet, and a sharp pain gripped him. His clothes burned at the edges and turned to ashes. The burns all over his body didn¡¯t stop the intense pain, and he ran without breathing. Bash knew he couldn¡¯t breathe here. Even though he didn¡¯t understand the concept of oxygen, he knew it made no sense to breathe here and now. He knew because once, when he did so, he fainted for over ten minutes. And he also knew that crouching in place would get him killed. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8¡­ He counted again as he ran. And when he reached nine, he saw that yellow eye once again at the other end of the path. Without stopping, Bash drew his sword and struck. ¡°Growwaaaahhhhh!¡± A tremendous roar echoed. Bash heard it and rolled toward where the eye was. It was cavernous. The ceiling was so high that even if Bash jumped as high as he could, he wouldn¡¯t hit his head. On the contrary, it was tall and wide enough for larger creatures to live comfortably. Yes, for example, the giant lizard in front of them. A dragon with red scales. One of its eyes had been crushed by Bash¡¯s strike, and it was bleeding. But its will to fight hadn¡¯t diminished at all. It looked at Bash with its remaining eye and howled toward the ceiling. ¡°Gryyyaaaaoooooahhhh!¡± At the same time, Bash took a deep breath. Facing his natural enemy, he suppressed the trembling within him. As if to prove that Orcs were warriors who feared nothing, he shouted. ¡°Graaaahhhhhaoooouhh!¡± It was his war cry. The powerful noise shook the cave. The battle had begun. CH 59 Chapter 59. The Hero vs. Dragon Zell had always witnessed historical moments. If anything, it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that every scene Zell had seen had made history in itself, but none had been as important as this one. This would truly go down in history. It would be legendary. That¡¯s what Zell thought every time she saw Bash fight, but today she felt it more strongly than ever before. The Orc Hero. The Dragon. Zell watched from a distance as the two strongest beings on the continent clashed. ¡°Gyraaaaaaaooooooooaaaahhhh!¡± ¡°Gruaaaaaaaaooouuhh!¡± In terms of the intensity of their roars, one could say the dragon had a slight advantage. However, the dragon seemed somewhat taken aback by the loud noise coming from the small creature in front of it. Zell assumed it was normal because until now, when it raised its voice, its enemies would do nothing but flee in terror. It had never expected someone to shout back at it. However, this didn¡¯t change the dragon¡¯s behavior. The little creature in front of it could scream louder, so what? It would turn to charcoal when the dragon breathed fire at it, and its body would be torn to shreds if it were clawed! The dragon could bite and tear him apart in an instant to satisfy its hunger! And it wouldn¡¯t be any different with this creature in front of it! That must have been what the dragon thought. That¡¯s why it immediately lunged from its low stance and delivered a sideways slash with its thick right claw at Bash. It did so without warning. Very carelessly. As if to say, ¡°This is how I always do it.¡± But its speed was tremendous. As soon as the enormous body, which barely glanced at Bash, crouched down, it leaped forward like a cat. No one could imagine that such a massive body could move at such speed. Not even the most imaginative fairy. The moment the dragon moved, Zell let out an ¡°eek¡± from the depths of her throat and could do nothing but freeze, unable to escape. If a body as large as a dragon¡¯s were to collide with you at such speed, the fate of a mere mortal would be obvious. You would be crushed in an instant. That¡¯s how fast, heavy, and sharp it was. But Zell knew. The dragon was not facing a mere mortal. Kakkiiinnn! A metallic sound resonated. It sounded as if it had countered with a solid cannonball. It was the sound that occurred when two hard metals collided and one of them shattered. But it was as if the dragon had just stepped on a banana peel. Its right arm, with which it should have struck, slid along the ground. With a cloud of dust, its upper body slid and rolled, ending up propped on its elbow. ¡°¡ª?!¡± The dragon didn¡¯t immediately regain its position. It turned around and propped itself on its elbows, inspecting its claws. The claws, rumored to be harder than dwarven steel, were broken. Then it looked at Bash. An expression of astonishment on its face. Zell couldn¡¯t discern the expression on the dragon¡¯s face any more than she could with lizardmen, but she could still make it out. There was no one in the dragon¡¯s line of sight. Bash had already moved aside. That eye he had just crushed¡­ it was from its blind spot to its neck. Bash¡¯s full-force blow struck the dragon¡¯s neck. The grating sound, which could be described as a galing or a gaggle, was a sound that Bash was not accustomed to hearing in battle¡­ the sound of a sword blade being blocked by something solid and unable to penetrate properly. ¡°Ghi¡­!¡± Bash¡¯s strike definitely hit its mark. It was a deadly blow that cut through everything in its path. However, it didn¡¯t sever the dragon¡¯s head in two. On the contrary, it only dislodged a few scales and inflicted a shallow cut on the dragon¡¯s neck. Zell was taken aback by this fact. Bash¡¯s blow hadn¡¯t pierced through. So how could he defeat such a creature? ¡°Gryeeeeeaaaaahhh!?¡± The dragon roared. Perhaps it was the first time the dragon had felt pain in its life, as it had been enveloped in tough scales since the moment it was born and had spent many years with them. The dragon¡¯s eyes widened at the splatter of fresh blood, and it screamed in rage. Its movements accelerated. Breathing out its breath, swinging its cracked claws, and gnashing its teeth, the dragon charged with its massive body, in order to crush that small creature in its path. The movement of its giant body created wind, and a storm blew through the cave. Zell watched the battle, desperately clinging to a rock to avoid being blown away. The dragon was in what could be described as a half-frenzied fury. At first glance, it seemed like nothing more than chaos in the darkness, but Zell could see it. The dragon¡¯s movements were not reckless; it was aiming at Bash with great precision. Was it instinct, or was the dragon, despite appearing partially crazed, surprisingly calm? Bash, on the other hand, was simply composed. If a claw came flying at him, he countered the blow; if a breath came flying at him, he dodged it; if a fang came his way, he crushed it with his sword; if the enormous body came charging at him, he aimed for a joint and struck it with his sword. Every time he did so, the dragon¡¯s scales would scatter, injuring it and making it roar. There was an overwhelming difference. Dragons and orcs. As creatures, they were completely different, like comparing a rat and an elephant. Even Bash¡¯s strike, considered a monster among people, could only inflict a superficial wound on it. And surely a single blow from the dragon would kill Bash. Instinct told that people couldn¡¯t defeat dragons. But more than that, there was an overwhelming difference in technique. Bash was able to repel all of the dragon¡¯s attacks. He had received severe burns all over his body and had dodged every attack that would have killed him if he had been hit. Yes, Bash was overpowering the dragon, landing so many blows that one would wonder if this was truly real. And his objective was clear. CH 59.2 The neck. The neck that was cut with the first strike and still bleeding. Bash sought the opportunity to land another blow there amidst the attacks and defense. The scales on its neck were already shattered. If he struck another blow with all his strength, it would pierce the flesh, sever the blood vessels, or even shatter the bone. The dragon would be decapitated. Bash was on the verge of recreating his previous victory over a dragon. But the encounter was not yet decided. The dragon must have realized it. The blow to the neck was the deepest it had ever received. Another slash in the same spot would be fatal. Therefore, it continued to protect its neck. The dragon may not have known how Bash fought, but it sensed Bash¡¯s aim and took the right action. It must have been instinct. Dragons were strong and powerful creatures, after all. They were born to fight. If it were any other creature, the battle would have been decided long ago. But that would not be the case for much longer. With each movement, the dragon¡¯s strength diminished. Its beautiful scales fell off, and its body was stained with blood. It was already unable to exhale its fiery breath and was panting heavily with its tongue out. Bash, on the other hand, struggled to breathe, but he still had strength left. ¡°¡­¡± The dragon and Bash paused for a few seconds. During those brief seconds, they locked eyes with each other. Zell realized it. It was time to end the battle. At the same time, however, there was a hint of unease. Dragons were superior creatures. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if it had some kind of secret plan. As exceptional as Bash was as a warrior, there was no guarantee that he could evade tricks on the first try. Zell prayed that please, please, please Bash had seen through any plan it might have had from their previous battle. She had never heard of a dragon¡¯s trump card in the Battle of the Lemium Highlands, but still, please, she hoped it was something that Bash already knew. They both started moving. The upper body of the dragon slid to the left. Bash, on the other hand, began moving to the right, its blind spot. While maintaining a distance that allowed him to avoid the dragon¡¯s breath, he exerted all his strength to counter any attack that might come. The dragon bared its fangs ferociously, and steam emanated from its body as it looked at him, filled with spirit. Even if it were any other veteran orc warrior, they would be wetting their pants and begging for their life. Zell saw this and convinced herself that Bash would win. Bash was going to win. With his next strike, he would sever the dragon¡¯s head. And perhaps even the dragon knew it. Therefore, it turned the upper part of its body and came to a complete halt¡­ ¡°What?¡± And so, with a resounding thud that shook the ground, it ran toward the back of the cave. ¡°Eh?¡± It escaped? The dragon? The most powerful creature on the continent? Oh, so that¡¯s how it was. ¡°Dragons are living creatures too, aren¡¯t they?¡± Bash shouted when he heard Zell¡¯s casual words. ¡°Don¡¯t let it escape! Go after it!¡± ¡°Ah! Y-Yes, sir!¡± Zell¡¯s voice was unusually urgent to Bash, and she thought to herself, Oh, that¡¯s right. Her Mister had told her, ¡®If it¡¯s flying in the sky, we can¡¯t win.¡¯ If there was a way for the dragon to defeat Bash, it was that. To flee, fly, and strike hard from a safe distance. Yes, if the dragon escaped, they would be the next ones to be hunted. Just like the demon troop that fled from the dragon¡¯s lair and was annihilated when it couldn¡¯t reach the Gije Fortress. If it chased him through the snowy field, where he couldn¡¯t even hide his appearance, and it unleashed its breath from above, no matter how much of an Orc Hero he was, he would have no chance. But it was because Bash was overwhelming it that the opponent was fleeing. That¡¯s why he thought he had won, but it wasn¡¯t the case. This was a decisive moment. A critical moment. If he didn¡¯t finish it off, he would lose. ¡°Uoooooooh!¡± Zell soared. Like a hawk. But what Zell saw was a massive hole. All she could see was the mountainside ravaged by the blizzard and the footprints and bloodstains leading outward. Zell¡¯s bloodlust quickly drained from her veins. Oh no, it escaped, she thought. But then she realized. The footprints and bloodstains were faint, but they continued toward the snowy mountains. Apparently, it was fleeing while rolling downhill. ¡°Mister, it¡¯s not flying! Down! It ran downhill!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Bash caught up to her. Zell grabbed him by the shoulders, and they ran together. The blizzard battered their bodies. The piercing cold air made their heads ache. But Bash didn¡¯t stop. He followed the trail, not missing a single trace that remained. Zell knew it. Bash never lost his prey in these situations. Well, to be precise, he had lost a few times, but it was rare. Houston was almost the only one. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be known as the Orc Hero. It was a well-earned title. Bash slid down the slope. With the speed of the descent, if you hesitated even for an instant, you would slip and fall within seconds. But it was a blizzard. If you hesitated, the footprints and bloodstains would be instantly erased. If he was going to die anyway, it was only natural to bet on the possibility that would lead him to not die. ¡°¡­Mm.¡± At a certain point, the dragon¡¯s footprints disappeared for a moment. At the same time, they discovered something. ¡°¡­A cave?¡± It was a different cave from the one they had seen before. No, it looked more like a structure made by humans than a naturally formed cave. There were remnants of stone pillars that had been frozen in ice, and if you looked closely, you could see that the interior was also paved with stone. This was what they called ruins. But it didn¡¯t matter to Bash and Zell. What mattered was that there was enough space for a dragon to enter through the not-so-large entrance. CH 60.1 Chapter 60. The Demon woman of the finest quality The woman found in the dragon¡¯s lair looked at Bash and Zell with suspicion, her body trembling and shaking. ¡°Poor thing, she¡¯s completely terrified¡­¡± ¡°That seems to be the case¡­¡± It happened all the time on the battlefield. It was especially common among new recruits who had been lucky enough to survive a fierce battle. Amidst the screams, blood, and chaos, the guy to your right suddenly died engulfed in flames, the one to your left with an arrow piercing his eye socket, the one in front split in half, and the one behind was already gone by the time you realized it. You no longer knew what was happening. You ran and hid, trembling and praying not to be found, but you were so terrified that you couldn¡¯t move an inch. Even brave and insensitive orcs sometimes experienced that. Of course, if something like that happened to an orc, they would be laughed at for being cowardly. Bash didn¡¯t have that experience. But one of his fellow warriors did. He had seen a warrior cry and scream that he didn¡¯t want to fight anymore. At first, Bash, along with the others who were with him, felt indignant, saying, ¡°What a cowardly thing for an orc warrior.¡± But Bash had lived long enough on the battlefield. So he learned a few things along the way. They returned to the battlefield. They were not the kind of people who were allowed to leave the fight just because they had cried themselves to sleep, but they chose to fight the enemy again, instead of being executed deep in the village. And on the battlefield they returned to, they fought bravely and died. Not to die trembling and begging for their lives, but to die fighting bravely. Therefore, Bash had no intention of laughing or ridiculing the demon woman before him. After a while, this woman would return to her former self and fight bravely again. All the orcs who had fought in the past knew this. That¡¯s why, even if they laughed at a frightened guy and considered them cowardly, they didn¡¯t kill them on the spot for being a disgrace to the orcs. It happened all the time. Really. And the opponent was a dragon. It would be more unusual if this didn¡¯t happen. It was more important to get this frightened woman to do something about it. That¡¯s why he was here. ¡°Mister, this is your chance! No matter how demon this woman may be, you can¡¯t ignore her in a situation like this! You have to act like a gentleman.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± They whispered to each other. Bash approached the woman. The more he looked at her, the more beautiful she was. The same applied to her face and body, but her manners¡­ well, the presence emanating from her whole being was something that set her apart from the women he had seen until now. It was an indescribable presence. She had a different kind of elegance. Her magical power as well. If he had to venture a guess, he would say that this woman had something that could be called an aura. Even Bash felt a chill, as if an icicle had been driven into his back. Something inside Bash screamed that it would be great if he could get his hands on this woman. Is she a demon woman¡­? He had seen many demon women in his life, but when he thought about acquiring one, he hadn¡¯t been this nervous. But there was no need to be shy. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was in front of him. He was worried about the dragon that escaped, but the pursuit failed when it entered this cave and wasn¡¯t there. It had fled. It was better to take the woman in front of him than to chase more dragons, wander aimlessly through the mountains, and then be ambushed from the sky by a fully recovered dragon. The right choice was to first make this woman fall in love with him and then escape from the cave. He didn¡¯t defeat the dragon, but that wasn¡¯t his goal. ¡°H-Help, help me¡­¡± ¡°I will make sure to kill that dragon,¡± Bash said to the demon woman, who pleaded for help and assistance, as if to reassure her. When dealing with a frightened person, you had to first tell them that you were going to destroy the enemy in such a reliable manner. If the veterans were encouraged, the younger ones would be encouraged too. ¡°I have killed a dragon before. A dragon with red scales.¡± The woman swallowed nervously. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You won¡¯t have to suffer anymore.¡± Bash stared into the woman¡¯s eyes. What lesson number was this? Women loved to look into a man¡¯s passionate eyes. The lesson Bash had learned the other day was still fresh in his mind. The woman looked into Bash¡¯s eyes and saw her own palpitations gradually decrease. ¡°Hm!¡± And then, out of the corner of his eye, Bash suddenly spotted something moving. It was a spider. A striped spider with hair all over its body. Although they were in the snowy mountains, it was quite warm inside the cave. And if a dragon inhabited the cave, it was not surprising that there were creatures that fed on its excrement and waste. Of course, Bash didn¡¯t have such knowledge of creatures. What he did know was that most hairy and striped spiders were venomous. Spider venom was strong. Even for orcs, who were highly resistant to it, it could cause abdominal pain for a couple of days. It was said that demons were resistant to poison, but if she was as weakened as she appeared, a bite could be fatal. ¡°Hmph!¡± Therefore, Bash immediately struck the spider with his sword. The spider died with a single blow, and its purple bodily fluids splattered all around. ¡°Pii!¡± He heard some kind of strange sound, but now he felt that it was safe. The woman¡¯s body trembled as he looked at her, still pondering. CH 60.2 ¡°Hey¡­ Uh-oh!¡± The woman fell to the ground. Her eyes turned white, and bubbles formed from her mouth. ¡°Did she get bitten already!? Zell!¡± Bash exclaimed. ¡°Roger!¡± In response to Bash¡¯s words, Zell danced right above the injured woman, as usual. It was an act that would be frowned upon if performed among fairies, but if done over an injured person, it was an admirable medical procedure. The woman¡¯s body was quickly sprinkled with fairy dust, and her wounds healed in an instant. The torn fingers, scratches all over her body, large gashes on her neck, shredded wing membranes, and the cruelly crushed eye were all healed within seconds. Zell descended to the ground and circled around the woman. Then, when she saw that there was no trace of a spider bite on her external wounds, she turned back to Bash. ¡°Hmm. It doesn¡¯t seem like she was bitten. The wounds are a bit deep, but nothing serious, and it seems like she just passed out due to a nervous attack¡­¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± For Bash, this was the demon beauty he had finally encountered. He had Sequence¡¯s permission to keep her. He didn¡¯t want her to die in a place like this. ¡°Is she going to be my wife¡­?¡± But even so, she was hotter than a biscuit. She wasn¡¯t as voluptuous as a succubus, but she had a slender figure overall. Her arms and legs were quite large and plump in proportion to her body, and she had long, sharp claws. Some of her nails were broken, as if she had fought a tough battle. Her hair was as disheveled and unkempt as any of the women he had seen lately. Demons usually had beautiful hair, perhaps due to their motto of being elegant on the battlefield¡­ But it was normal for a warrior on the battlefield to have messy hair. She wasn¡¯t the type of woman who would worry about her hair even while lying on the verge of death. However, he perceived an ineffable elegance in her long hair, which reached down to her waist. She also had a tail. It was a fine and beautiful tail from her waist to her knees, similar to that of a lizard but with thick hair at the tip. She also had wings. They resembled those of a succubus, but they seemed more adorned. The flying ability of demons was probably greater. And then, Bash had a small question. ¡°Do any of the demon clans have wings like this¡­?¡± ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t recognize them either,¡± Zell replied. Bash nodded in response to Zell¡¯s words. But when he thought about it, it wasn¡¯t so surprising. ¡°But I¡¯ve never really looked closely at a demon before.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. Demons don¡¯t like being stared at.¡± There was something that demons always said when they saw someone looking at them for too long: ¡°There¡¯s one of those vulgar orcs staring at me so intently.¡± Demons looked down on orcs and fairies, but perhaps it was because they were a race that didn¡¯t like being looked at in the first place. It was said that individuals of some races would start fights if stared at for too long. Beastmen, for example, were one of those races. Many demons had special magical eyes, so it wasn¡¯t uncommon for prolonged staring to be considered aggression. Furthermore, as far as Bash knew, there were many types of demons. The most common was the lesser demon with brown skin, but there were also higher-ranking ones with blue skin and multiple eyes. Demon aristocrats, even though they shared the same family name, looked completely different from each other. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that there were as many different appearances of demons as there were names. It was not surprising that there were unknown subspecies among them. After all, Bash was not familiar with their appearances. The important thing was that the woman in front of him was extremely beautiful. Beyond her appearance, he felt a mysterious charm and strength emanating from her entire body. To the point of giving him chills. ¡­ He had Sequence¡¯s permission. Bash could keep the demon women who went out to defeat the dragon. In other words, the woman belonged to Bash at this moment. The day had come when his long and arduous journey would finally be rewarded. Bash would take the woman. It was now that his animalistic desires would be unleashed. But his hand stopped just before touching her. ¡°I have permission from Sequence, but not from the woman herself.¡± Sexual relations without consent with another species were prohibited by the Orc King. Yes, he had the general¡¯s permission, so he was allowed to do it. But could it truly be said so? Let¡¯s say the Orc King told someone, ¡°Yes, you can kill Bash.¡± If that person were to attack Bash, would he just let himself be killed right away? The answer is no. The Orc King hadn¡¯t ordered Bash to die. On the other hand, if this person were to attack Bash while he was sleeping, Bash would mistrust the Orc King. He would think that the Orc King didn¡¯t respect his honor. In other words, Sequence¡¯s honor might not be protected. If he slept with her while she was asleep, it could be considered unauthorized sexual activity. ¡°I will wait until she wakes up¡­¡± Bash decided. If he explained the situation to her after she woke up, she wouldn¡¯t say no. Demons, like orcs, obeyed the orders of their superiors. He would probably never have another opportunity to acquire such a fine jewel, so he had to be very careful. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we take her back? Demons are skeptical, so even if she hears that you have permission, Mister, she might not believe you.¡± Yes, demons were skeptical. If he told her that Sequence had given him permission, she could kick him out of the cave while calling him a fool. As an example, he would never forget the incident after defeating Leto, the Hero. He had the opportunity to tell the demons about Gediguz¡¯s death, and when he explained what had happened, they flat out refused to believe it, saying that a lowly pig like him could never have defeated Leto, the Hero. And he shouldn¡¯t have delusions of grandeur by claiming to have defeated the man who had killed Lord Gediguz. ¡°Mm, that¡¯s for sure.¡± Bash nodded at Zell¡¯s words, lifted the woman and placed her over his shoulder. When her rear end was near his face, he smelled something he had never smelled before. Her skin was soft and smooth. The idea of having this woman in his arms filled the symbolic orc part of Bash with a sense of anticipation and accomplishment. It was a climactic moment. Thinking back, every orc would bring home their defeated woman in this manner. All orcs must have lived with these same sensations. Bash was fortunate to be able to experience the same feeling after the war had ended. Thinking this, Bash walked straight to the cave entrance and stopped. ¡°It¡¯s dawn.¡± ¡°¡­The blizzard has stopped. That¡¯s not good.¡± The weather in the mountains was unpredictable. The sun was shining on the mountain where there should have been a blizzard just minutes ago. The sky was still cloudy, but beneath them were the base of the mountain and the snowfields at the foot. Bash¡¯s experienced eyes would immediately be able to discern if there were any creatures there. If it was the dragon that made this its territory, even more so. He wouldn¡¯t overlook an obvious enemy. ¡°We can¡¯t leave like this¡­¡± Bash immediately abandoned the idea of going back. He wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against a dragon flying in the sky. And even if he had just obtained an exquisite woman, it would mean nothing if the dragon killed him on his way back. ¡°It seems we¡¯ll have to wait here for a while.¡± ¡°I suppose so¡­¡± Zell said as well, looking up at the sky. ¡°At least we can wait until it starts snowing again. There¡¯s no rush.¡± They just had to wait for another snowstorm and then return to the fortress. Just in case, they had brought enough food to feed the woman as well. Orcs were a race with a voracious appetite, but even if they didn¡¯t eat for a long time, they wouldn¡¯t die. And if the need arose, they could give the woman the food that would be enough for Bash. And if the dragon returned, this time they could finish it off. As long as they fought in the cave, Bash would not be defeated. ¡°And then I will finally have a wife of my own¡­¡± ¡°About that, Mister¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Zell was one of the most cautious fairies, capable of considering the food for the day, even the snacks they would eat three days later. ¡°Demon women are proud, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°I feel like even if you make her your wife, she might not listen to you at all. On the contrary, she might immediately forget that you saved her and return to her country¡­ ¡®I became your wife, I got married, but I didn¡¯t say I would have children with you. I want a divorce!¡¯ Or something like that!¡± ¡°That¡¯s absurd¡­ or maybe¡­ it could happen¡­¡± Now that he thought about it, it wouldn¡¯t be strange coming from a demon. When demon troops saw that they were outnumbered, they would cheer when reinforcements arrived. In the midst of battle, they would say, ¡®We¡¯re saved!¡¯, ¡®Orcs are good at what they do!¡¯. But when the battle ended and they were satisfied, they acted as if such a thing had never happened. Orcs expected a ¡®Thank you for your hard work¡¯, but more often than not, they would be scolded with a ¡®What were you doing that you arrived so late?¡¯. That¡¯s why it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if this demon abandoned her duties as a wife and ran away. ¡°If you want a demon to be a proper wife, you have to treat her as an equal!¡± ¡°Equal to a demon, huh¡­¡± The woman seemed scared now, but it was possible that she would soon start looking down on Bash. If that happened, there would be no way for them to have a conversation. If that was the case, then he believed it would be better to establish a relationship with her while she was still vulnerable. Demons only listened when they were weak. ¡°Do you think we can do that?¡± ¡°Even if I can¡¯t, we¡¯ll find a way! This is our chance! I¡¯ll show her how manly you are and make her fall in love with you while she¡¯s still weak! You came to her rescue! She was saved! You¡¯re strong! The woman is weak! Demons can be imposing, but you have to let her know that she and you are equals, Mister!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I see.¡± ¡°Now, before she wakes up, let¡¯s think of a plan!¡± ¡°Right!¡± And so, with the sleeping woman in front of them, they began their strategy meeting. Frizcop: Lol, I understand what they are doing and what their goal is, but that way of saying it makes it sound really, really bad haha CH 61.1 Chapter 61. ¡°Eye¡± Based on the current knowledge about dragons in the continent of Vastonia, the following information is known: Or, if you were a certain wise human who was said to have interacted with dragons for a long time, you might know a bit more about them. But even that wise person only knew about one dragon he had interacted with. All creatures in the continent of Vastonia, from the fiercest beast to the most cowardly rat, feared dragons. They avoided them and lived to stay away from them. Even humans were not an exception. Currently, only one of these dragons resided in the continent of Vastonia. She used to live in a more distant continent but arrived on this continent during the war. She didn¡¯t have a name, but she was called ¡°Eye¡± by other dragons. She didn¡¯t remember how she came to be called like that. Although she was called Eye because she had better eyesight than other dragons and could spot prey from a distance. That was the process by which dragons obtained their names. Eye was an ordinary dragon. She was long-lived, liked the cold, had tough scales, fangs, claws, and wings, and considered other creatures nothing more than food. Born as a common dragon, she lived like a common dragon. She was a common creature, although she was one of the strongest and most feared by everyone else. It was the existence of her friend ¡°Bone¡± that made Eye interested in humans. Bone was a strange dragon. She was very interested in humans and enjoyed talking. Eye was always listening to Bone¡¯s stories, but she was more interested in Bone herself. You can be sure that Eye liked Bone very much. She had no interest in humans, but when she saw Bone talking about them, she felt happy. One day, a small human took Bone away and returned as literal bones. Dead. When Bone died, Eye became very sad. Unable to suppress her feelings of sadness, she went around killing and eating the humans who had been the cause of Bone¡¯s death with a strong desire for revenge. When the sadness and the desire to kill faded away, Eye had doubts. Why was Bone so interested in humans? What was so interesting about them? She felt curious. However, when she approached these people to observe them, they attacked her. Although she had no intention of killing them, it was natural since she had already killed hundreds of them. So, in the end, she roasted and ate them. Once she took one and played with it, but it wasn¡¯t particularly interesting. She had no idea why Bone was so obsessed with them. Eye was disappointed and fed up at the same time. Humans were not good enough for her, but they harassed her every day. When she hunted for food, they attacked her. When they offered her food to reconcile with her, she found it bitter, and when she frowned at the taste and put a strange net on her face. She killed them every time and set fire to their houses to scare them, but the harassment didn¡¯t stop. Lately, they had even invaded her nest. She thought she had had enough of humans and considered changing the location of her nest. But if she disappeared, they might think she had escaped. That would be a nuisance. However, trying to destroy the human nest was a hassle every time. They hid at the back of their nest. What should she do? Just as she was thinking about that¡­ A green human invaded her nest. CH 61.2 Dragons were the strongest creatures. That¡¯s why Eye had never once felt a sense of ¡°danger¡± since birth. This wasn¡¯t limited to Eye alone. Most dragons never felt threatened, not even once before they died. Their scales protected them from all kinds of attacks, and their strong stomachs could digest poison. Their lives were never in danger. If there was any danger, it would only be during territorial disputes with their kin. If dragons fought each other, they would get injured from the attacks of others. However, they usually didn¡¯t trespass into the territory of other dragons, and if they did, they rarely fought to the death. They typically reigned as the strongest during their long lives and then died of old age. So when that green human crawled in, Eye thought lightly, ¡°Here they come again¡­¡± However, it didn¡¯t matter if it was just one. When the others were in that narrow passage, when she breathed out her fire breath, it was over. Yes, as unlikely as it was, the humans had somehow created a small entrance to Eye¡¯s nest. They entered through the back of the nest via that passage and attacked her while she was sleeping. But when Eye woke up and became furious, they scattered like panicked rats and ran towards a narrow passage that she didn¡¯t recognize. That¡¯s when she exhaled her fire breath against them, and more than half of them died. Some were still alive and ran out through the narrow passage, but she pursued and burned them to death. It was a real nuisance. So she wasn¡¯t surprised that the green one was still alive after breathing her fire at him. Because he was only half alive before. But, anyway, he would probably come back through the narrow passage as before. If not, she could breathe her fire again. With that thought in mind, she peered out¡­ Suddenly, she became blind in one eye. She was confused. She didn¡¯t know what had happened. Only that one eye was burning, and a sharp pain ran through her body. Then, in her vision that was only 50% effective, she saw that the green human had entered the nest. She immediately knew that he had done it. ¡°Grroaaooooahhhh!¡± When was the last time she raised her voice in anger? When she screamed like that, all creatures fled in terror. ¡°Graaaahhhhhaoooou!¡± Without hesitation, the human growled back at her. With a start, she felt her body trembling. Looking down, she saw the green one holding a sword. The green human was serious. A tiny and arrogant creature like him was fighting her. Why? ¡°Gyaaaaaaaooooooooaaaahhhh!¡± ¡°Gruaaaaaaaaooohhh!¡± She put more strength into her legs than usual, restrained herself, leaped, raised her right arm, and swung it towards the green human. Then she heard a sound she had never heard before. Kakkiiinnn! As soon as she heard that sound, she realized that she had fallen. As she got up, she felt pain in her fingertips. She noticed that her claws, which hadn¡¯t been broken in hundreds of years, were cracked and bleeding. Huh? ¡®I have a feeling that something is wrong.¡¯ But years of experience had disproven that thought. There was no way she, a dragon, could be killed by a single human in this manner. It had never happened before, nor had she ever imagined it. So she never thought it could happen to her. She had no idea she was in danger. But after a few minutes, she finally realized. ¡­I can¡¯t win? In just a dozen minutes, her body had been devastated. Claws and fangs were torn out, her throat buzzed from exhaling too much fiery breath, scales were missing all over her body, her neck had ugly wounds, and the blood spilled around her had drained the strength from her body. The tiny green human was overwhelming. He had withstood all her attacks, shattering her claws, fangs, and scales. And now he looked at her with the most terrifying face she had ever seen. Will I die¡­? Those were the few instincts that remained in the dragon. The survival instinct that all living creatures possessed. A sense of danger, which she had never felt once in her entire life. When it took over her entire body¡­ ¡°¡­What?¡± Eye escaped. ¡°Don¡¯t let it escape! Go after it!¡± The green human pursued her. A smaller, brighter human was with him. They were very fast. It seemed like they were going to kill her. Their intent to kill was incredibly powerful. It didn¡¯t surprise her. This thing was here to kill her. There was no reason to let her escape. Eye fled. She felt pain in her chest, likely from exhaling too much breath. She couldn¡¯t run properly, probably due to her injuries. She couldn¡¯t even fly out of the nest, despite spreading her wings. Her wings had been pierced in the previous fight. The only way to escape was to roll down the slope. But it was better than being caught. She ran and ran, and she would keep running for as long as necessary¡­ At some point, Eye stopped. She found herself in front of the back door of the nest. She couldn¡¯t fly now. But if she kept falling, she would have nowhere to hide. So Eye decided to make one last gamble. Dragons had a final resource that no other creature knew. Few dragons had seen or used it. This was because it was believed that this last resource would never be used in their lifetime. Some dragons said it was a disgrace to use it. At least Eye thought she would never use it. But she knew how it was done. No one taught her how to use it, but her instincts knew how. CH 61.3 No one on the continent knew this magic. Not even among the dragons was there an established name for it like ¡°that magic¡± or ¡°that spell.¡± It was a human who gave a name to the magic. This human had a deep friendship with a dragon and was a man later called Sage among humans. The Sage was taught the secret by one of the dragons, who called it ¡°Newt.¡± However, they never told them what kind of magic Newt was. Therefore, no one knew about it. ¡°Haa¡­ Haa¡­¡± Eye, who used Newt, entered the cave through the back door and went straight back to her nest. Then, trembling in a corner of the cave, she prayed that the green human would go away through the snowy mountains. If you were to say she was bad at fleeing, you would be right, but there were no one good at fleeing. It was the first time Eye had escaped from something. ¡°Eeek¡­¡± Then, Eye saw the green human arrive shortly after and panicked. He found her quickly and brandished his sword at her. I¡¯m done for, she thought. ¡°¡­A woman?¡± But the green human stopped. Newt had worked! That¡¯s what Eye thought and, with all her heart, she uttered some words of humans that she didn¡¯t know very well. ¡°He-Help¡­ Help me. Please, don¡¯t kill me.¡± Those were the words she had heard the most in the past two years. She understood the meaning of them, of course. She hadn¡¯t practiced them, but they came out of her mouth easily. This must be the power of Newt. ¡°She¡¯s a survivor from the extermination squad!¡± Newt transformed her own body into that of another races. It was a perfect physical transformation that even made reproduction possible. In ancient times, when dragons were on the brink of extinction, this secret technique was developed to ensure the survival of the race. Nowadays, it was the magic of the defeated, used by dragons who were about to be defeated by other races to evoke sympathy by assuming the same form when pleading for their lives. No one knew this magic. But everyone knew the tradition. The ¡°Dragons¡± were a ghost race. ¡ö ¡°Poor thing, she¡¯s completely terrified¡­¡± ¡°That seems to be the case¡­¡± The humans didn¡¯t seem to have noticed that Eye used Newt and assumed she was of the same race as them. Apparently, Newt worked well. Those humans were foolish not to realize she was a dragon in such an obvious situation. Relieved by this thought, she opened her mouth to plead for survival. She wasn¡¯t sure if she could speak the human language well. But she knew what to say in such situations. She had heard it many times in the past years. ¡°H-Help, help me¡­¡± She believed she had said it correctly. The green human who heard this sat down beside her and said with a confident look: ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to kill that dragon.¡± His words were filled with such murderous intent that a sense of dread ran through Eye¡¯s entire body. Involuntarily, she swallowed her next words and her body shrank. Did they perhaps know? ¡°I have killed a dragon before. A dragon with red scales.¡± No, there was no hope. They definitely knew. Her heart pounded fiercely. It beat as if it were about to burst. Her chest ached. Ah, why did the human heart seem so fragile? When you thought about it, how could they not notice? Even she would notice, even if a human ran and hid behind a rock or something in a snowy field, she would know by the smell of blood. The fool was her. Why did she think they wouldn¡¯t notice if she just changed her appearance? But then, why didn¡¯t they kill her immediately? ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You won¡¯t have to suffer anymore.¡± Then Eye suddenly realized. Yes, it was true. Newt was not magic to deceive by disguising oneself. It was magic to evoke pity by assuming the same appearance as the other person. In other words, she was exposed, but Newt was still effective, right? Would it save her life with this? In the next moment, she thought it would. ¡°Hm!¡± The green human brandished his sword. The same sword that shattered Eye¡¯s scales, tore her claws and fangs, pierced her wings, and even weakened her heart. The object of horror. The symbol of death. The merciless object. ¡°Pii!¡± With a schlick sound, a discharge struck Eye. She lost consciousness as she heard her own pathetic death. CH 62.1 Chapter 62. ¡°Eye¡± and ¡°Bone¡± With a snap, Eye woke up. What? I didn¡¯t die¡­? She was supposed to be dead. The sword of the green human should have decapitated her. The body of a Newt was more fragile than that of a dragon. How is it possible that she didn¡¯t die? What? Are my wounds healed? She looked and saw that her body, covered in lacerations, was clean. Her claws were still in bad shape, but the wounds on her fingertips and the holes in her wings had disappeared. Furthermore, her crushed eye and the wounds on her neck had healed. ¡­Was it a dream? If so, it was a terrifying dream then. She dreamt that a green human suddenly came to her nest, beat her up, and was about to kill her. In the end, he cornered her and brandished his sword to finish her off. He was a terrifying human. Oh, her heart pounded just remembering it¡­ She was ashamed to say that she even used Newt in her dreams. She had never done such a thing. However, when she woke up, she realized that it was just a dream. Because it was impossible for such a human to exist. ¡°Hm, you¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°Biip!¡± Upon hearing that voice, Eye made a strange noise and tensed up. When she realized, he was right in front of her. It was the green human! It wasn¡¯t a dream! ¡°Are you cold? Are you hungry? Do you want to drink water?¡± The green human crouched right in front of the tense Eye and gently wrapped her in the fur he had been carrying, offering her warm water and what seemed to be food. She looked back and forth between the food and the green human, confused. She didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Won¡¯t you eat?¡± However, with those words, Eye immediately took a bite of the food. Maybe it was because she thought he would kill her if she didn¡¯t do what he said. ¡°¡­¡± The food was unexpectedly delicious as the green human watched her. Maybe it was because she was hungry, but Eye devoured all the food in an instant. The amount wasn¡¯t enough for a dragon, but it was enough for the smaller body of a Newt. ¡­Why? That question kept lingering in her mind. Why was this green human sharing his food with the person he was going to kill? Maybe he doesn¡¯t know¡­? Or was it possible that Newt was still effective? Was the sword she saw earlier pointing at something else instead of her? Did she get scared and pass out, even though he didn¡¯t intend to kill her? Just as she was thinking this, the green human sat in front of Eye and opened his mouth with a confident look. ¡°I will make sure to kill that dragon. I will crush its claws when it attacks with them. If it uses its fangs, I will crush its snout; and if it breathes its fire, I will come from behind and cut off its wings.¡± The green human explained in detail how he would kill the dragon. If the dragon did this, he would do that; if it did that, he would do this. And finally, he would tear off its head. This delusional battle fantasy was common among the young and arrogant. If someone who had seen a dragon, even just once, heard this, they would laugh. Even Eye herself would have laughed if a small human had said something like that in front of her. ¡®If you say you can, then try¡¯. She would have torn them apart with her claws, crushed them with her fangs, and burned them with her breath. As long as it didn¡¯t come from the mouth of the green human. Eye knew exactly what this human was talking about. In the battle a few minutes ago, exactly what he said happened. When she used her claws, he crushed them; when she tried to bite him, he hit her snout; when she breathed her fire, he surrounded her from behind and pierced her wings. It wasn¡¯t something to laugh about. Most of what the green man said, Eye had already experienced. Even if she changed her fighting style a little, it was clear that he would respond. ¡°This time, I will definitely cut off its head,¡± the green human said as he stared at Eye. He was going to kill her in one blow. She was convinced that he would have done it for sure if she hadn¡¯t escaped before. She still vividly remembered the horrible sensation when he cut her neck. But, I still don¡¯t know¡­ why didn¡¯t he do it? In the moment Eye thought that, the green human said with a gleam in his fangs, ¡°I won¡¯t let it escape this time, I will hunt it down and kill it.¡± No, he definitely knows! Eye felt her body trembling against her will. His words exuded determination. In fact, Eye was almost killed so easily and was being hunted right now. This green human would do it. Because he could. Even if she flew to her former home in another continent, this green human would surely go after her. She had no idea why he was so determined, but¡­ No, she did have an idea. When her friend Bone died, she was so devastated and angry that she went on a rampage. She, Eye, who had little camaraderie with other dragons. It was natural for humans, who acted in packs, to become angry. For humans, even those who would have died with a single breath from Eye¡¯s perspective, were cherished companions. But why didn¡¯t he kill me right away? Eye became increasingly confused and bewildered. The green human surely knew that she was the dragon he had just fought against. He must have known that she had used Newt to take the form of a small human. Otherwise, there would be no need for him to go through the trouble of declaring that he would kill her, spreading such a murderous intent. Why¡­ why¡­? She couldn¡¯t understand why he didn¡¯t kill her immediately. But at least, he wouldn¡¯t murder her soon. Eye¡¯s survival instinct began to kick in, trying to find a way out of the situation. I have to do something, somehow¡­ I don¡¯t want to die¡­ CH 62.2 To survive, she had to make this green human go somewhere else. But it seemed that he definitely intended to kill her. If that was the case, she had to somehow persuade him to give up on it. How¡­? How could Eye, who couldn¡¯t even properly hold a human conversation, persuade him? The countdown to her death was still ticking. Dragons were highly intelligent. Fortunately, thanks to her friend Bone, Eye could understand human language. She could even speak it a little. But she wasn¡¯t familiar with the intricacies of conversations. There was no way she could perform the complicated task of persuading him. But still, she had to try. But if she failed to convince him, she would have to face the consequences of what the green man said. She also mustn¡¯t say anything that would offend him¡­ Impossible¡­ She couldn¡¯t fight, she couldn¡¯t escape, she couldn¡¯t persuade him. If that was the case, all she could do was tremble and lower her head. Please, please spare my life, and if you are unaware of my true identity, please leave this place without noticing. As she remained silent, praying, the green human spoke. ¡°Just so you know, I have already killed a dragon before. And I will kill this dragon in the same way.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± Perhaps this green human was trying to torture her after knowing everything. Perhaps he had seen through Eye¡¯s magic and knew what she was¡­ Perhaps he was trying to enjoy the pitiful sight of the dragon for a little longer. She had heard that there were humans like that from Bone. And when she heard it, she tried to play with a deer that she was going to eat just to toy with it, and it was quite amusing. When she remembered that, fear engulfed her entire body. After all, there was no way she would survive, and she had no choice but to die. Because she had never let a prey escape once she had played with it. But then, in a corner of her mind, the words of the green man suddenly resurfaced. She remembered that he had said something similar before she passed out. ¡°Be-Before?¡± Her throat trembled with fear, but perhaps because she had become human, she was able to utter those words more easily. She felt an intense and chilling gaze descend upon her. She looked at the green man. Maybe it was because she was smaller, or maybe it was because she had transformed into a human with Newt, but his face looked terrifying, like that of a legendary evil dragon. But she was certain that she shouldn¡¯t say anything to offend him. ¡°Oh yes, I did. I have killed a dragon before.¡± The green man¡¯s fangs glistened. For a moment, she wondered if he had killed the dragon with those fangs, but she knew that wasn¡¯t possible. It was the sword he carried on his back. She was sure of it. ¡°How?¡± When she asked that, the green man made eye contact with the small human beside him. The small human nodded in response. ¡­Could it be? She believed that her identity had long been exposed and that the green man was trying to kill her. She was afraid of dying. Everyone feared dragons. But never in her life had she thought about her own death. Any dragon would cower in fear if they knew they had a sudden death before their eyes. Did this man kill Bone? But still, the desire to know prevailed. Or perhaps she should say that was the driving force. If she was going to die, she wanted to at least know beforehand. ¡°It happened in the Lemium Highlands.¡± And then the green man began to speak. He cleared his throat and slightly changed his tone and voice. ¡°In that battle, I was at the vanguard. We were the first wave. The orcs who were there will claim that they were the true vanguard. It was a very fierce battle. I¡¯m proud to have survived.¡± By the way, what Eye didn¡¯t know was that in the decisive battle of the Lemium Highlands, the surviving orcs who clashed with the enemy army wouldn¡¯t proclaim themselves as the vanguard. This was because those who were there knew who was truly the first to charge against the enemy lines. They also knew who was the first to take down the enemy¡¯s leader. The only orcs who would claim to be at the forefront of the vanguard were those who weren¡¯t present. ¡°We had the advantage. In no time, we crushed the human army and marched towards the royal standard in the distance. The first man to appear was Gerrit Beckle, the ¡®Mercy Knight¡¯.¡± ¡°He¡¯s famous for not taking prisoners! He was a true homicidal maniac who killed any enemy in his path! As you may know, many warriors have been slain by him!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. And he didn¡¯t even spare the horses. When I let out my war cry, his horse got scared and stopped. He, of course, took advantage of the recoil and came at me from above! I raised my sword and counterattacked!¡± ¡°A-And what happened!?¡± ¡°I cut him in half.¡± ¡°Of course! No matter how proud you are of your armor, the upper and lower parts of your body will end up separated when you fall under Mister¡¯s sword, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re mistaken about something.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I cut him vertically.¡± ¡°Hyuh!¡± Eye tilted her head as she listened to the story. Um, I thought he was going to talk about Bone, but she didn¡¯t appear. On the contrary, not even a dragon appeared. It was a story about skirmishes among humans. ¡°And the dragon, when does it come into play?¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk! Don¡¯t rush it! Speaking of the decisive battle in the Lemium Highlands, let¡¯s start with the clash between orcs and humans! Since there were so many famous humans, let¡¯s enjoy that part first! There¡¯s an order to the story! An order! ¡°¡­???¡± For Eye, this was a story she didn¡¯t understand. But anyway, Eye didn¡¯t think there was a reason for him to stop talking. Maybe it was a story that would make sense later on. Bone also told her many stories, but there were some that she wouldn¡¯t have understood without the preamble. It must be that. ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°Well, well, listen respectfully then! Alright, Mister, please continue!¡± ¡°Right, after defeating Gerrit¡­¡± And so, Bash began to boast endlessly about his accomplishments. If there were young orcs here, they would be envious of him. For the dragoness, it was a strange moment, unlike anything she had experienced before. CH 62.3 Every few decades, a dragon would lay an egg. The hatchling that emerged from the egg would be raised by the mother dragon until it was capable of flight. It was shortly after learning to fly that she met Bone. After leaving the nest and separating from her mother, she didn¡¯t know what was right and what was wrong. She had nowhere to go, but as a dragon, she flew eagerly through the sky. Dragons flew like that, and when they grew tired or found a comfortable spot, they would build a nest there. They did it instinctively, even if no one told them to. Eye was no exception. She found a comfortable spot and decided to make it her nest. But what was comfortable for a dragon was also comfortable for another. The place where Eye wanted to nest was Bone¡¯s territory. Dragons were territorial creatures. Normally, before entering another dragon¡¯s territory, they would detect their scent and avoid it. Eye was still young and didn¡¯t realize this. That¡¯s why a certain incident occurred. Accidents happened quite frequently to dragons, especially to young ones. When a dragon entered another dragon¡¯s territory, there were two possible outcomes. One was that it would lead to a territorial dispute. They would fight, and the winner would take control of the territory. The other outcome was that they would become mates. If the dragons were of opposite sexes, they would live together for a while and have offspring. Once they finished breeding, the male would leave the territory. Only these two things could happen. However, when Eye entered Bone¡¯s territory, neither of these situations occurred. To her surprise, Bone came to greet the foolish young dragon that had entered her territory. It wasn¡¯t a violent encounter but a gentle conversation. ¡°I have been living here for a long time. Let¡¯s get along.¡± Ignorant Eye listened to this and responded with a greeting, saying, ¡°Yes, I look forward to living with you.¡± She didn¡¯t have any other thoughts than that. Or perhaps Bone did nothing upon realizing that Eye wasn¡¯t hostile. In any case, they lived together for a while. Bone would often come to visit Eye. Sometimes with food, sometimes empty-handed. She would often arrive by flying, but sometimes she came from the ground. The only thing they had in common was that every time Eye came to see Bone, she would tell some kind of story. It could be a story about a human that Bone liked or the wisdom of dragon life¡­ It was what human society would call trivial chatter, but for Eye, it was a treasure trove of knowledge for survival. Eye learned from Bone the common knowledge of dragons that would have taken her several hundred years of self-education to acquire. Bone not only taught her common sense but many other things as well. She taught her about other creatures, about humans, about mysterious objects scattered throughout the world¡­ She must have known many things that other dragons didn¡¯t. Bone was a curious dragon. But Eye only half-listened. Mostly because she wasn¡¯t interested. However, she liked Bone. Whenever she felt like it, she would go play with her or leave space in the nest for her to come whenever she wanted. Although different from her mother and father, it was undoubtedly a feeling one would have for family in the human sense. It would have been like an older sister, a cousin, or an aunt. One day, Bone died. Easily. Murdered. By a small human. Her eyes filled with sadness and anger. She wanted to kill as many humans as she could. Especially when she found the person who had killed Bone, she wanted to enjoy torturing them. She had a strong desire to kill that she had never felt since she was born. That¡¯s how sad Eye was when Bone died. She even reached the point of attacking humans wherever she found them. It may have seemed like revenge¡­ but in the end, it was probably just a distraction. Soon, she grew tired of it. It¡¯s not like Bone would come back when she killed humans. First of all, most humans seemed to know nothing about Bone, and it was also annoying that they persistently retaliated against her. However, her interest hadn¡¯t died. Yes, she was interested. Not in humans as a whole, but in the human who had killed Bone. She wasn¡¯t actively searching for them, nor did she believe she would find them. But today, she had found him. And when she did, he proudly told her the story of how he had killed Bone. Eye couldn¡¯t imagine how she would feel upon hearing that story. CH 63.1 Chapter 63. Proposal ¡°I had just come face to face with Birmingham, the ¡®Black Chief,¡¯ when it appeared.¡± ¡°Somebody said, ¡®Look up there¡¯.¡± ¡°I looked up, and there was a majestic figure: A dragon with shining red scales, breathing fire and spreading fear and death.¡± ¡°No matter how brave the orcs were, there was no one who did not tremble in fear at the sight of it. I was no exception. It was the first time I faltered in front of the enemy since I was a recruit.¡± ¡°Perhaps it was because I tried to escape. When I thought, ¡®There¡¯s no way I can defeat that thing¡¯, the next thing I knew, I was on the ground, near the dragon¡¯s breath, and some kind of invisible poison or something was sprayed around.¡± ¡°I thought I was dead. That¡¯s what it means to die, but I couldn¡¯t afford to die yet. ¡®I have to fight¡¯, I thought, but I couldn¡¯t stay conscious.¡± ¡°When I woke up, not much time had passed, but the situation had changed. Because the dragon had descended to the ground and was rampaging through everyone.¡± ¡°I thought, ¡®How majestic, how immense, how overwhelming, how powerful¡¯.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t believe I could win. We were at vastly different levels.¡± ¡°But I took my sword and walked towards the dragon.¡± ¡°Why, you ask? It¡¯s obvious. I am an honorable warrior. I am a proud orc.¡± ¡°I thought I should not die running away, I should die facing it. That¡¯s how an honorable orc behaves.¡± ¡°When I stood in front of the dragon, I saw its eyes meet mine.¡± ¡°I raised my sword and let out a cry: a battle cry. I may never have shouted so much in my life.¡± ¡°From that moment, I focused solely on it. Its claws would tear my flesh and armor at the slightest scratch, and its fangs would split me in half with the slightest graze. Not to mention its breath. It was deadly.¡± ¡°I saw my chance to win when I struck its neck. When its scales fell off and blood spurted, I knew I could strike that spot.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think I could win. I just thought I could cut it.¡± ¡°The dragon must have noticed. The more I focused on its neck, the harder it became for me to approach the dragon.¡± ¡°If the orcs, ogres, and demons hadn¡¯t surrounded the dragon, I would have surely died, or the dragon would have escaped.¡± ¡°I crushed its claws, crushed its snout, dodged its breath by rolling¡­ and I stabbed my sword into its neck.¡± ¡°I remember the feeling when I did it. I remember the light in the dragon¡¯s eyes as it looked at me. I kept looking at it until the light went out of its eyes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what the dragon was thinking. But it seemed to me that there was a hint of admiration in it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s as if it was saying, ¡®You should be proud of yourself for defeating me¡¯.¡± ¡°At the same time, cheers erupted around me.¡± ¡°Not just orcs. All the demons, ogres, and everyone who fought with me showered me with praise. Those same proud demons and ogres.¡± ¡°I have never felt such a sense of accomplishment and honor. That is pride, that is honor.¡± ¡°If I had not been able to kill that dragon, I would not have been given the title of ¡®Orc Hero¡¯.¡± ¡°Fighting and surviving the dragon is my greatest honor.¡± Eye listened in silence to ¡°Bash¡¯s¡± story. The death of Bone, who was like family to her. Bash¡¯s story was about his deadly battle against a great dragon. Eye opened her mouth to look at Bash, who proudly boasted about defeating the dragon and earning great honor. ¡°And then?¡± Bash looked at Eye as if she was amused by his words. ¡°And then¡­ what?¡± ¡°And then what happened?¡± Bash looked at ¡°Zell¡± as if slightly troubled by Eye¡¯s comment. Zell whispered something in Bash¡¯s ear, and Bash murmured, ¡°Oh,¡± and continued talking. ¡°Then the human army charged at us, and the close-quarters combat began. Amidst all this, I heard this voice in my ear: ¡®The main demon camp is being ambushed¡¯, and when I heard that, I¡­¡± Eye listened to Bash. Even though the flow of the conversation had nothing to do with Bone, Eye continued to listen. She simply listened to what he was saying. She understood the words. She grasped their meaning and content. However, Eye keep listening to Bash. CH 63.2 ¡°I prepared to die in a hole in the ground. I was facing the Great Elven Archmage, but I was alone, and my enemy had friends on the other side. From outside the hole, I could see the lights of magic flickering, as well as the furious voice of the elf. I knew they would soon find me, and the elf would quickly heal her wounds, restore her magical powers, and hunt me down. But then a miracle happened. A fairy came to rescue me in the midst of the firestorm.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me!¡± Bash¡¯s story didn¡¯t end there. It went on and on. Eye urged him to continue. Every time Bash tried to finish his story, Eye would say, ¡°And then?¡± or ¡°What happened next?¡± and wouldn¡¯t let him finish. ¡°And then, after healing my wounds with Zell¡¯s powder, I broke through the elves¡¯ siege just in time and escaped.¡± Bash¡¯s boasting was not as extravagant as Orc Boasting. Orc Boasting was essentially a form of exaggeration. It was a common narrative technique to exaggerate one¡¯s own achievements and belittle the opponent. Orcs made themselves appear more grand by referring to small lizards as ¡°giant dragons¡± or calling hard-fought victories after clumsy brawls ¡°easy,¡± or declaring the female soldiers they acquired as the ¡°most beautiful women of all time.¡± But Bash didn¡¯t need to do that. Bash had already defeated a huge dragon or those hailed as heroes in many countries. While they may not have been the most epic battles, they were still formidable enemies that could hunt down a warrior like Bash. Speaking the truth made Bash seem even more impressive than he already was. There was no way to improve upon his general boasting techniques. Furthermore, Bash didn¡¯t have any ¡°episode where he acquired a woman¡± to reinforce his boasting. Therefore, when Bash spoke, he naturally focused on other things. In other words, the content of the battles. ¡°It is a great honor for me to have fought and survived Thunder Sonia.¡± And Bash always ended his story with these words. The deep emotion and pride in his voice sent shivers down the hearts of those who listened. Pride and honor. That was more than enough to make one realize how important it was to the orc race. His stories may not have been enough for orcs, but¡­ that didn¡¯t matter to the dragoness, Eye. ¡°And then?¡± Listening to Bash¡¯s story, Eye recalled. The way Bone spoke. The stories were simple and explanatory. They were so straightforward and explanatory that it was hard to see what was interesting about them. It was like a teacher talking to their students, the kind of story that made you sleepy and drowsy when you listened to it. ¡°Of course, the battle didn¡¯t end there.¡± ¡°Yes, what we saw upon our return after narrowly escaping the battle against the Great Archmage Thunder Sonia were not the reliable walls of that impregnable fortress¡­¡± ¡°It was fire. When we returned to camp, the main camp had already been attacked by the elves and was in a state of destruction.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Compared to Bone, Bash¡¯s tone of voice was filled with realism. He spoke as he saw, heard, experienced, and felt. Additionally, thanks to Zell¡¯s frequent interruptions, it was easy to understand the climax of the story. For Eye, it was the first time she was entertained. In summary¡­ Interesting! What¡¯s going to happen next!? Eye was having a lot of fun. ¡ô ¡°So, what happened next?¡± ¡°¡­This is the end. The war is over. We lost.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ we lost¡­¡± Bash¡¯s story continued until the end of the war. The last part of the story was a bit blurry, but Eye enjoyed it enough. She indulged in Bash¡¯s heroic tale to her heart¡¯s content. ¡°The end, huh.¡± Reaching the end was sad, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Bone also used to say that a story had to have an ending. But the story was good enough. Eye drew a conclusion from Bash¡¯s story. ¡°You are an honorable warrior, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Mm-hmm. I pretend to be.¡± ¡°You, all the warriors you killed, they were all honorable warriors.¡± ¡°Yes, they were. They were all honorable warriors.¡± Eye didn¡¯t know what honor was. But in Bash¡¯s story, she learned about it. Humans were creatures of honor, or so she thought. Honor was hard to explain in words. But you fought for honor, and you were proud to have it. And the stronger the opponent, the greater the honor. When you defeated an enemy who had a lot of honor, the honor you possessed became heavier. The greater the honor, the more valuable you were as a human. This law also applied to other creatures. For example, dragons could be said to have a lot of honor. A dragon could easily kill many humans. Therefore, killing a dragon meant gaining great honor. ¡°Honor, huh?¡± Bash had great honor by killing Bone. Bash said, ¡°I became what is called an Orc Hero because I killed Bone.¡± Honor. It was a concept that drastically changed Eye¡¯s values. She had always thought that death was meaningless because she herself had never been able to see meaning in the deaths of others. This was because Eye had treated the deaths of other living beings as something meaningless. Whether it was an insect, an animal, or a human, she only saw them as food. They had no value beyond that, and her heart was not moved by their deaths. That¡¯s why she was afraid to die. She didn¡¯t realize it, and she couldn¡¯t express it in words, but she didn¡¯t want her life as a dragon to be discarded as worthless, just like the rest. But when she heard Bash¡¯s story, she knew. Death had meaning. When a strong being defeats an even stronger one, they gain honor. Bash became an honorable warrior after killing Bone. He inherited Bone¡¯s honor. As long as Bash remained alive, her death would not be meaningless. Even if someone killed Bash, Bone¡¯s honor would continue to live on in that person. CH 63.3 That was something to be proud of. It was something to be immensely proud of. Such a strong man, such pride. This is pride, thought Eye. If Bash, while fighting Bone, had said in the end, ¡°Sure, I fought it, but that dragon was a weakling. Nothing more than a little lizard, gahaha¡±, then things would have been different. Without a doubt, Eye would not have been able to hold back. Dragons had no concept of pride or honor, but if Bone had been ridiculed by a tiny human, Eye could have felt indescribable rage. If she had been dragged to the ground and beheaded by a small human in a war she did not wish to participate in, and had her flesh and bones torn apart to be used as a tool in a trivial war, she would not have forgiven Bash. I have explained it in a difficult-to-understand way, but in reality, it is simple. Eye was so moved by the first heroic tale she had ever heard in her life that she couldn¡¯t help but let her heart dance. ¡°You killed a dragon and gained ¡®honor¡¯.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm. Yes.¡± Eye also felt proud seeing Bash confidently nodding. ¡°Then what about me¡­¡± And at the same time as she thought that, she wondered where that left her. She was the one who fled in the midst of the battle, transformed with Newt and hid, trying to survive. Where was her honor? She had never had the concept of honor in her life. But now that she knew it, she had to be aware of it. She had to be aware of her honor. ¡°Bash.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± When Eye called him, Bash turned his gaze toward her. It was a different look. It was very different from when they were talking. If she had to venture a guess, she would say it was a look similar to the one he gave her when he attacked her. Although it felt different¡­ Eye thought it was a look with killing intent. Eye was intelligent. So she knew. Bash was a first-class warrior who had been through many battles. He had broken through the disguise magic of a human mage, and had seen through the camouflage of a beast warrior. He had also defeated that Great Elven Archmage. Therefore, he must have realized it from the beginning. He must have seen through Eye¡¯s poor magic. In other words, that Eye¡¯s true identity was that of a dragon. That was the answer to the question of why he didn¡¯t kill her. In other words, Bash felt disappointed when Eye escaped and appeared in human form. He wondered if there had ever been such a dishonorable dragon. So, as he recounted the story of Bone and the many proud warriors, Eye would ask Bash. Is that enough for you? Does that protect your honor? ¡°Will you really protect your honor?¡± ¡°Hm? Yes, I will defend the honor of the orcs under any circumstances.¡± ¡°Would you kill the dragon to protect your honor?¡± ¡°Hm? Yes, I would. I will kill it for your sake.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to die¡­¡± ¡°Hm? I see.¡± However, Eye¡¯s true intention had not changed. She did not want to die. No matter how much they told her that her death would bring honor to Bash, she still feared death. She didn¡¯t believe she could become a brave and honorable warrior like Bash or the warriors in his stories. ¡°Before, the dragon fled.¡± In the first place, for Eye, the fight was already decided. She had lost and even used her magic Newt to plead for her life. Wasn¡¯t that the answer? ¡°You¡¯ve already won, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°The dragon is not an opponent who easily accepts defeat.¡± Even Eye was glad to hear Bash say that, but he was overestimating her. Eye was terrified of fighting Bash and would flee right now if she could. ¡°Honor¡± was certainly something she longed for, and she was interested in the idea of a proud death. But still¡­ ¡°Can you maintain your honor¡­ without killing the dragon?¡± Still, she didn¡¯t want to die. She desired to live so much that she wanted to cry at how pathetic she was. ¡°Protect my honor¡­ without killing the dragon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bash closed his eyes with an extremely serious expression on his face. The gesture was as if he was pondering something, and Eye couldn¡¯t hide her unease. Then, Zell leaned in and whispered something in Bash¡¯s ear. Eye¡¯s anxiety grew stronger. She must be saying, ¡°Let¡¯s kill this thing already.¡± There was a scene like that in the story he had just told her. ¡°¡­¡± Finally, Bash looked directly at Eye as if the conversation had ended. After all, was he going to kill her? Killing someone who had no honor wouldn¡¯t bring him much honor. But even though he had faced such opponents before, Bash had defeated them. She was sure of it because he had just said so. ¡°My honor¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If I take a beautiful woman like you as my wife, it will be protected.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Suddenly, a concept appeared that she didn¡¯t quite understand. Wife. What was a wife? ¡°Wife?¡± ¡°Yes, I want you to be my wife and have my children.¡± To give birth to a child. Then the wise Eye understood. The word ¡°wife¡± meant ¡°mate¡±. ¡°If you take me as your wife, and I become your mate, that maintains your honor, why?¡± ¡°No ordinary orc could take you as a wife, even if it meant risking their entire life. If I take you as my wife and you bear my children, I will be spoken of as the greatest of all orcs. Until the day when the orcs are annihilated.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Although it may be humiliating for you to be the wife of an orc¡­¡± I see, thought Eye. According to dragon tradition, after someone uses Newt, they usually conceive a child with the person who defeats them. The same happened with Bone. However, Bone didn¡¯t use Newt because she was cornered, and Bone herself didn¡¯t want to have a child with the human. But she did. Why did those who use Newt have a child with humans? Eye had been wondering about this for a long time¡­ But here it was. This word from Bash was the answer. It was required by the other party. For a human, taking a dragon as a mate was an act of great honor. It was probably more honorable than killing a dragon. And it was probably out of concern for Eye¡¯s honor that Bash didn¡¯t immediately offer to take Eye as his mate. Certainly, it would be dishonorable for a dragon to be taken as a mate by a tiny human. At the very least, the Eye from a few days ago would probably not have liked it. Even if dragons had no concept of honor, they probably wouldn¡¯t like the idea of having a child with a human. ¡°¡­¡± But Eye thought it was already too late to think about that dishonor. She even used Nut to plead for her life and now had the opportunity to defend her honor, but she threw it all away and clung to life. Dishonor or not, it didn¡¯t matter. What mattered was survival. Furthermore, Eye had learned about honor. Bash was an honorable warrior, much stronger than Eye. It didn¡¯t seem so dishonorable if it was him. As Bone had once said, it was common for a strong individual to join with another strong individual, even in the world of dragons. Eye didn¡¯t have that experience yet. But she was not bothered or disgusted by the fact of being with Bash for the first time, but she recognized that Bash was stronger than her, and she was sure it was because of what she had heard about honor and pride. Bash was now a hero whom Eye admired. The answer was obvious. ¡°I understand. You and I will be mates.¡± That day, for the first time, Bash¡¯s marriage proposal came to a successful conclusion. Frizcop: Yaaaaaay! Today is a day of happiness, ladies and gentlemen. Total happiness. And anyway, who is that half-dragon half-human child that was mentioned? Only questions remain! CH 64.1 Chapter 64. The first kiss Winning or losing a battle was something that could be determined to some extent during its course. The atmosphere started to change when the balance began to leaning one way or the other, towards victory or defeat. People were sensitive to the momentum of their allies and the fear in their enemies. And depending on the atmosphere they perceived, their strength would change. If they believed they were going to lose, they would shrink back in fear of death; if they believed they were going to win, they became more vigorous in their desire to claim the credit. And that momentum often led directly to victory or defeat. Bash also perceived the trend of battle on many occasions. Of course, there were times when he didn¡¯t, but he could usually tell when the battle seemed winnable. Of course, there were also occasions when he felt like he was going to lose. ¡°¡­And then?¡± That¡¯s what the woman said when he told her that he had defeated the dragon on the battlefield of the Lemium Highlands. The look of fear she had before speaking disappeared. What appeared instead was a cold expression. She had her eyes half-closed, lips slightly open, and was looking at Bash with a slight tilt of her head. It was a beautiful face, but her expression was heartrending in another sense. Bash had seen such expressions before. It was in the land of the orcs. When a warrior boasted about something that was too trivial to be true, the orcs looked at them like that. And then they said, ¡°And then?¡± As if asking, ¡°What¡¯s the end of your boring story?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The words spoken by the woman were exactly the same. He didn¡¯t expect such an indifferent reaction when he told her about how he killed the dragon. He had no idea how the demon woman would react, but he thought he could at least evoke some kind of emotion. He didn¡¯t know if that emotion would be astonishment or rejection. ¡°So, what happened next? ¡° Bash was impatient. He wanted to tell her the story about how he killed the dragon to reassure her that she would be safe when the other one came, but he didn¡¯t think she would think he was a braggart. In orc society, it was considered bad taste to exaggerate beyond belief. Indeed, orcs were known to embellish their boasting. Even if they exaggerated a little, the orcs were gullible and would simply believe it. In any case, most of the time, the one telling the story also believed it, so it wasn¡¯t deceitful. However, excessive exaggeration made even orcs suspicious. ¡°Eh? Is that really possible?¡± When they start to suspect, the enthusiasm of those listening to the story quickly cools. If that happens, it will be nothing more than a lie. An orc who tells a lie that does not correspond to their ability is exposed. Conversely, the fact that they think you are telling a lie, even if you are telling the truth, is evidence that they do not believe in your abilities. For orcs, for whom fighting is supreme, there is no greater humiliation. ¡°Then the human army rushed us and the close combat began. In the midst of it all, I heard this voice in my ear: ¡®The demons¡¯ main camp is being ambushed¡¯, and when I heard that, I¡­¡± Therefore, Bash recounted the story of his battle, following the story from the defeat of the dragon. Starting with his battle with Leto, the Hero, and the fierce battles that led to the end of the war. It was a boastful story that he rarely told. Zell ended up more excited than the other woman, marveling at what she didn¡¯t know and adding to what she did. Hence, it could be said that the boastful story had a very realistic feel to it. ¡°The end, huh.¡± But still, the woman¡¯s attitude was cold. ¡°You, all the warriors you killed, they were all honorable warriors.¡± A face that showed no emotion, words without intonation to which even an ogre who couldn¡¯t speak well would have put a little more expression. It wasn¡¯t a joke. There was no doubt that she saw Bash¡¯s story as completely inconsequential. ¡°All those warriors you defeated, they were honorable¡­ well, good for you, right? And? What¡¯s the end? Did you wake up then?¡± Yes, there was no end to Bash¡¯s story. The greatest climax of the story was missing, the r?a?pe? of a woman. After the ¡°And?¡± he couldn¡¯t say anything more. No matter how realistic the boastful story was, it still only scored 50 points. If the death of the dragon was given a perfect score of 50 points, the remaining battles would only give 40 points at most. Thunder Sonia would have given him 48 points. From the middle, it was difficult for Bash to talk about it. He was more than a little angry that his boasting had met such a cold response. Boasting was supposed to be a way to reaffirm self-confidence, but gradually, he was losing that too. The fact that he was a virgin weighed heavily on him. This was also the reason why Bash rarely boasted in the orc country. He feared that this would happen. ¡°Will you really protect your honor?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The demon woman¡¯s cold gaze made Bash flinch. The reason they were talking like this was probably because she was obliged by being rescued. If not, she wouldn¡¯t have spoken such emotionless words. ¡°Hm? Yes, I will defend the honor of the orcs under any circumstances.¡± ¡°Would you kill the dragon to protect your honor?¡± Otherwise, her gaze wouldn¡¯t be so unfriendly. She wasn¡¯t interested, interested in Bash. She didn¡¯t believe he was worth her disdain. ¡°Hmm? Yes, I would. I will kill it for your sake.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? I see.¡± The reason the conversation wasn¡¯t going well was probably that she wasn¡¯t really listening to Bash¡¯s words. CH 64.2 Bash didn¡¯t understand the subtleties of conversations, but he could feel them somehow. This demon woman was somewhat distracted, not even looking at him when she listened. No matter how much Bash and Zell tried to encourage her, she didn¡¯t give a single word of encourage. And the tense atmosphere emanating from the woman¡­ an air of intimidation. It was something he often felt when facing high-ranking demons or succubi. He supposed that she saw him as nothing more than a humble creature occupying that space. Internally, she must have been thinking something else. ¡°Before, the dragon fled. You¡¯ve already won, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°The dragon is not an opponent who accepts defeat so easily.¡± The woman seemed to think that Bash drove away the dragon to avoid facing it. It must be because she didn¡¯t trust Bash¡¯s strength. That if they fought, she would probably get involved and die this time. Nothing Bash had said before had resonated with the woman. She thought all those days of fighting, all those fierce battles, were completely false or inconsequential. It must be humiliating. ¡°Can you maintain your honor¡­ without killing the dragon?¡± ¡°Protect my honor¡­ without killing the dragon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bash felt like she was telling him to run away from the dragon and protect his honor in another way. If another orc in his homeland had said this, Bash might have gotten angry. He would never think of running away from a fight. Bash was an orc who valued battle and honor. He was proud of his strength and being called the Orc Hero. He wouldn¡¯t forgive his opponent for insulting him. First, he would kill the dragon as he declared, then he would beat the one who insulted him until they were unconscious. ¡°My honor¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± But what he had in front of him was a beautiful demon woman. Bash, of course, thought it was important to protect honor and pride. But more than that, there was something he wanted to protect¡­ or rather, get rid of. He wouldn¡¯t lose his virginity if he got too worked up here. First of all, if Bash, the Orc Hero, couldn¡¯t lose his virginity, the honor of the orcs would also be tarnished. That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t beat her. But what should he say in response to such an insult? What words would he need to turn this woman into his wife and have consensual sexual relations with her? Bash was an orc. Even if he wanted to express it in a thousand ways, he didn¡¯t have the words for such a situation. ¡°Mister.¡± Zell tugged at one of his ears and began to whisper. It¡¯s true. Bash had Zell. In moments like this, it was always this fairy who imparted wisdom. It was always this fairy who saved Bash from trouble. ¡°It¡¯s very likely that this is a no-no¡­¡± But the fairy shook her head, unusually weak. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for there to be someone who can remain so cold after hearing your story, Mister¡­ she¡¯s a Demon, right? Even if she¡¯s a woman, she¡¯s still a demon, and seeing her hear about your exploits without showing any emotion makes me angry. I think she already despises you from the bottom of her heart. Mister, you shouldn¡¯t take as your wife someone who disrespects you in this way¡­¡± Bash felt absolutely mortified by these words. He never thought Zell would say such things. He always thought she would just say, ¡°You can do it!¡± Even when things weren¡¯t going well, she said that, and it certainly encouraged him. But now Zell, such an optimistic person, said something like that with tears in her eyes. ¡°Oh, so this woman too¡­ won¡¯t work either¡­¡± Bash was convinced by Zell¡¯s words. He resigned himself to the fact that, no matter what he said, no woman would ever be his wife. At the same time, a terrible disappointment took hold of him. It wouldn¡¯t work again. Sometimes, in a battle, you knew the outcome halfway through. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. This time, it was a lost battle. He had lost again. He had climbed a snowy mountain, fought a dragon, and even boasted that he would kill the dragon to prove to the woman that he was good for her, but she didn¡¯t even accept his offer. Demons were supposed to have issues with dragons. If he had killed it, it might have been a little different, but the fact is that he let it go. There was no excuse. It seemed like a delusion of grandeur for a young man to claim that he could defeat an escaped dragon. ¡°¡­I guess having a demoness as a wife is nothing more than an impossible dream¡­¡± From the beginning, he supposed it was an impossible feat. It was not possible for a demon woman to become the wife of an orc. ¡°If I take a beautiful woman like you as my wife, my honor will be protected.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Thinking this, Bash spoke of his desires. The words he was going to say after making the perfect arrangements. Sometimes a warrior had to face the final blow with courage, even when they knew they were going to lose. The warriors Bash had defeated were all like that. Even though they knew they were going to lose, they shouted, ¡°We¡¯re going to win!¡± and charged at him with their swords held high. So, he too, as a proud orc warrior, would follow their example. ¡°Wife?¡± ¡°Yes, I want you to be my wife and bear my children.¡± It was a proposal. ¡°If you take me as your wife, and I become your mate, that maintains your honor, why?¡± That was what the demon woman asked. That was nothing but malicious. She would make Bash explain how shameless he wanted to be. ¡°No ordinary orc could take you as a wife, even if it meant risking their life. If I take you as my wife and you bear my children, I will be spoken of as the greatest of all orcs. Until the day when the orcs are annihilated.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Although it may be humiliating for you to be the wife of an orc¡­¡± He thought about the statement as he turned it over in his mind. Yes, it was true. ¡°Now, if you understand, you will escort me to the fortress at your own risk. If you do so, I will absolve you of the crime of harboring such foolish thoughts about me.¡± That¡¯s what he thought he would hear. But Bash had forgotten something. A lost battle is something that you feel throughout your whole body. The atmosphere, the low morale that surrounds you, tells you that you are going to lose. But there are times when it doesn¡¯t happen. ¡°I understand. You and I will be mates.¡± In those moments, ignorant soldiers accept the victory without even knowing how it happened. CH 64.4 And there they were, Bash and Zell, with puzzled faces. Outside the cave, the sky was blue. Apart from the occasional sound of the wind, everything was calm. The dragon was visible in the distance for a while but soon disappeared into the horizon. There were no signs of its return. ¡°What does all this mean?¡± It was Bash who spoke those words. He didn¡¯t ask Zell; he just couldn¡¯t help but say it about the strange event that had just occurred. ¡°Oh, well¡­ right. Huh? Let¡¯s see. I think I¡¯ve heard a legend that says dragons can transform into humans. When the dragon realized it couldn¡¯t win against you, Mister, it quickly disguised itself and deceived you into thinking it was a human, and then it managed to escape.¡± This was almost the same as what Bash had thought. ¡°Why didn¡¯t it kill me?¡± ¡°The dragon understood your words. It was listening to what you were saying, Mister, and I think it got interested in the word ¡®honor¡¯ towards the end. Even the last word sounded like ¡®honor¡¯. It sounded like it were saying something like, ¡®I will protect your honor.¡¯ So, as the person who cornered it was a first-rate warrior, the dragon respected your honor and let you live¡­ wait? Would a dragon do that? Really!?¡± ¡°I see. So, dragons are creatures that value honor too.¡± The dragon boredly listened to Bash¡¯s story from beginning to end. But it wasn¡¯t that it wasn¡¯t listening. ¡°¡­¡± Neither of them knew the truth. But the beautiful woman who had been there a moment ago was already gone, and so was the dragon. All that stretched before them were the cold mountains and the blue sky. Bash couldn¡¯t get his beautiful wife, nor the honor of being a dragon slayer, nor anything else. That was reality. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Without realizing it, a sigh escaped Bash¡¯s mouth. A sense of exhaustion overwhelmed the relief of having survived the dragon¡¯s threat, and a feeling of hopelessness seized his whole body. He had come all the way to the far north, to the deepest snow and ice of the mountains, marched up the mountain, fought against a dragon, failed to notice the dragon disguised as a woman, foolishly tried to seduce it, but it escaped. He gained nothing. What the hell had he been doing? Even being Bash, his whole body felt tired with a sense of exhaustion. ¡°What do we do now, Mister?¡± ¡°Now?¡± Bash was quite anxious to hear that question. He had gathered information and came here for better or worse. Starting from human cities, elves, dwarves, beastmen, succubi, and demons. There were no more people around here. There was nowhere else to go. ¡°We have no choice but to go back.¡± ¡°It¡­ it¡¯s true! Fortunately, the dragon is unlikely to return to this area anytime soon, so I suppose we should go back and report to the demons.¡± Bash thought about it. He wondered if going back to Fortress Gije¡­ would demons really be attracted to him? Sequence told him he could do whatever he wanted with the women in the team that went to kill the dragon. But there were no survivors. They didn¡¯t thoroughly search the cave¡­ but the dragon wasn¡¯t a dumb lizard. It was a cunning serpent that disguised itself as a human and deceived people. If there had been other survivors, it wouldn¡¯t have had difficulty finding them, and if the dragon had deliberately kept anyone alive, there would have been no need to become human. Sequence didn¡¯t allow him to keep anyone other than his daughter and her subordinates. If that was the case, he would have to go back to Fortress Gije and start from scratch to woo the demons. Considering if that would work, based on his previous experience and the temperament of the demon women¡­ ¡°No, I don¡¯t think a demon woman will be my wife because I¡¯m an orc.¡± ¡°Then what will you do? Go to the land of the ogres? Or go back to the Beastmen? You won¡¯t go with the Lizardmen or the Harpies, right?¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Bash thought. Where should he go? He had left the land of the orcs, traveled to many different countries, met many different women, and had been rejected. Where should he go to get what he wanted? Bash had no idea. Orcs were not known for being thinkers. He tried to remember what he used to do on the battlefield in the past¡­ but he couldn¡¯t find any similar cases. In the past, once a battle was over, he could move on to the next one. When he had no idea, someone would come up with something and give him an order. There was never a moment when he was alone and not directed on what to do next. Then Bash remembered: ¡°No.¡± There was indeed a moment when he thought and acted on his own. It wasn¡¯t on the battlefield¡­ but he had a guideline at that moment. When he realized it, he reached a conclusion. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to human lands.¡± When Bash left the orc country, he decided to take a Human as his wife and went to Krassel. Why? Because he thought a human would be better. So, he should go back. Bash also learned many things through his travels. In the human country, he learned about other races¡¯ perspectives on love; in the elven country, how to confess; in the dwarf country, the art of flirting; and in the land of the beastmen, the importance of dressing up and dating. Fighting was an accumulation of experiences. Just as some combat techniques that were familiar to elves were also familiar to beastmen, what he had learned so far would surely be effective in his dealings with other races. Then he could challenge humans again. At least he should have more hope than with demons. ¡°I¡¯ve come this far, so I suppose I should. I think it¡¯s for the best. There was a human enclave in the southeast, I think. Maybe we should head there for now.¡± His policy had been decided. ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Once the decision was made, it was swift. Bash and Zell nodded to each other and began to descend the mountain. CH 65.1 Chapter 65. The Demons rise again On that day, Cyrus, the ¡°Clairvoyant,¡± the chief of the reconnaissance unit of the Demon Army, was on the watchtower of Fortress Gije. His job was to detect the dragon that appeared daily and destroyed the city, urging for evacuation and intercepting the attacks. Many demons had special eyes. Cyrus was one of those who had eyes that could see exceptionally far. Like all members of his clan, he possessed a magical eye that could detect enemies hundreds of kilometers away at any time of the day or night. The reconnaissance missions of the demons never failed against an enemy. Even in comparison to flying races like harpies and succubi, the difference was obvious. Even before the death of Gediguz, Cyrus was the first to spot enemy forces with his superior vision and brought victory to the demon army. It was Cyrus who found the dragon¡¯s lair. Thanks to that, Sequence¡¯s daughter and her men rushed into the dragon¡¯s nest and were killed. Cyrus also witnessed the moment of their annihilation. The last, after being chewed in the air, splattering blood on the ground, he reported to Sequence, and the latter slept for a day. Of course, he continued with his reconnaissance. Partly because it was his job, but also because if he didn¡¯t, not very good things usually happened. So, on that day, he was one of the first to spot the dragon. As usual, the dragon flew out of its nest. Therefore, Cyrus rang the bell as always and prepared for an attack. But before doing so, he noticed something unusual. ¡°Where is it going?¡± The dragon flew straight into the sky to the southeast. The direction was different from the usual one. Normally, it would have circled the mountain twice, as if checking its nest, and then headed a bit south before returning to them. But now, it flew straight towards the southeast. ¡°Could it be a whim or¡­¡± Cyrus continued to observe. The dragon flew straight to the southeast, looking somewhat different from usual. It was flying at an incredible speed. There was something strange in its way of flying. It was like a maiden in love¡­ or running away from something. Then the dragon disappeared from Cyrus¡¯s sight, who was a member of a family with exceptional vision and was even known as the ¡°Clairvoyant¡±. It vanished from Cyrus¡¯s view, who could count ants from over a dozen kilometers away. Perhaps even from its very territory. It was gone. ¡°Why¡­?¡± Cyrus averted his gaze from the dragon that had disappeared from his sight. For now, he had to report what he had seen. He was the eyes, not the brain. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± And at that moment, he saw something. People. But demons didn¡¯t treat such beings as people. They were seen as pathetic inferior races, incapable of becoming people or demonic beasts. An orc and a fairy. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­!¡± Cyrus felt a stir in his chest, but then he remembered something. Just the other day, those two came to this fortress. It was undoubtedly Cyrus who confirmed that the two had entered the country. He didn¡¯t see what they did afterwards because he averted his gaze when he saw that the attacking force had been annihilated. He thought the dragon must have found them, and they would have died anyway, but it seems they gave medical treatment to one of the soldiers from the defeated troops who was annihilated and brought them to this fortress. They told they were going to defeat the dragon and left. Cyrus let out a chuckle upon hearing this. In any case, any demon would have laughed. How could they defeat a dragon? But this was the ¡°Dragon Slayer¡±. He had killed a dragon before. Some said it was because the demons brought down the dragon and attacked it in great numbers, which weakened it. They two were not heading towards the fortress. And the dragon was moving away from the mountain. Cyrus jumped down from the watchtower. There used to be a messenger, but not anymore. Cyrus had to deliver the report on his own feet. CH 65.2 ¡°Message!¡± As soon as Cyrus entered the operations room, everyone present stood up. These days, Cyrus coming to report meant a dragon attack. They had to go out and intercept it. Even though they knew they wouldn¡¯t achieve much, if they didn¡¯t show the will to resist, the dragon would ravage the fortress. ¡°The dragon took flight and disappeared into the southeast sky,¡± he reported. But when they heard the report, they looked at each other with suspicion. ¡°What do you mean? Southeast? Are you saying it was heading towards the border?¡± However, some eyes widened upon hearing the report. They belonged to Sequence, the ¡°Dark General.¡± ¡°And you saw an orc!?¡± Sequence had all his eyes wide open. Cyrus shuddered a bit at the urgent and high-pitched voice of the old general, who rarely spoke, but nodded. ¡°Yes, sir. The orc and the fairy headed towards the border sometime after the dragon. What does that have to do with anything?¡± ¡°Bash did it!¡± Sequence exclaimed, rising with a wide smile. The demons in the room were surprised. Sequence hadn¡¯t stood up in several months. In fact, there were many days when he didn¡¯t even move. It was almost as if the old man was dead. ¡°Sir Sequence, what the heck is going on?¡± ¡°Do you know that the other day, Bash, the Orc Hero, went out to kill the dragon?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be, no, it can¡¯t be possible¡­¡± Sequence¡¯s words left the demons gasping. Surely, they knew about it. The Dragon Decapitator. It was well-known that Bash had cut off a dragon¡¯s head in the battle of the Lemium Highlands. But that was only because the demons had brought the dragon down to the ground through magic and exhausted it with their hordes. Many demons believed this. They thought that an orc alone couldn¡¯t have won the battle against a dragon. It was only thanks to the power of the demons. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to believe it, don¡¯t. But Bash fought the dragon, as he declared he would, and he battled it, not killed it.¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t he return to Fortress Gije? Knowing orcs, he would already be boasting about his triumph!¡± ¡°It¡¯s because he hasn¡¯t defeated it yet. He went to pursue and finish it off.¡± Because that¡¯s what¡¯s proper, Sequence thought. The ecology of dragons wasn¡¯t well understood, but according to one theory, once a dragon left its territory, it never returned to it. This was only a theory¡­ but it was true that this dragon had left. It didn¡¯t mean it wouldn¡¯t come back, but at least they would be free to act at daylight for a few more days. ¡°In any case, the demons have been saved. By the hand of the orcs.¡± Sequence was sure that Bash had fought and won against the dragon. Most of the demons present, however, were skeptical. They had lived in fear of the dragon¡¯s threat for a long time and had tried to defeat it many times without success. No frenzy or drunkenness would make a dragon leave. And no one had ever entered the dragon¡¯s mountain and come back safe and sound. Bash had undoubtedly won. He achieved such a victory that the dragon fled with its tail between its legs. ¡°And nothing could be more humiliating.¡± The demons bristled at Sequence¡¯s words. They, the powerful demons, had not been a match for a dragon. They thought they could win because they had already defeated it once, but they failed, and still couldn¡¯t win after a serious fight. In the end, they realized that without the Demon King Gediguz, defeating the dragon in the Lemium Highlands would have been impossible. Then, a solitary orc managed to kill it. Bash, the ¡°Dragon Decapitator,¡± lived up to his title. So, what were demons? They acted so arrogantly for nothing, mocking orcs so haughtily. How long did they intend to claim that they were in the upper echelons of society? ¡­With a loud noise, one of the demons stood up. It was a woman. A tall demon woman with blue skin, white hair, and red eyes. Her body was toned but still feminine. If Bash had been here, he would have kneeled and proposed to her ¨C that¡¯s how impressive she was. ¡°The prestige of the demons has fallen to the ground,¡± the woman said clearly, and a somber atmosphere filled the room. They didn¡¯t want to admit it, but they had no choice. Demons had been defeated. They weren¡¯t as strong or imposing as they believed. Today¡¯s demons couldn¡¯t even defeat the orcs they had once mocked. ¡°Your Excellency, the Orc Hero, Sir Bash, has become our savior. If we send him away without gratitude, the pride of the demons will be damaged. And if we lose our pride, even our prestige, we won¡¯t be able to face Sir Gediguz in the afterlife.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± ¡°Sir Bash wanted a demon woman. That¡¯s what I heard.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. It¡¯s what he said, although in jest.¡± Bash never said anything in jest, but those were indeed his words. ¡°Then I will marry the hero and spend the rest of my life paying him homage.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± ¡°A demon being owned by orcs?¡± ¡°Do you know what that means? Do you know what it¡¯s like to belong to an orc?¡± The woman laughed at their words. ¡°Don¡¯t make the mistake of misunderstanding me. I am also a demon. I will not become the property of the orc. The orc will be my property.¡± ¡°You say that, but¡­¡± ¡°Orcs, and a demon marrying someone from that ugly and stupid race¡­¡± While the demons complained, only Sequence remained silent. But then he heard the words of everyone and spoke up. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again. We have always despised orcs as an inferior race, but now that they have defeated the dragon, the threat is over. After what happened in the Lemium Highlands, Bash, the Orc Hero, has saved us twice from our difficult situation.¡± CH 65.3 ¡°Mmm¡­¡± ¡°He eliminated one of the main culprits that had been tormenting us for the past few years. And he did it without anyone¡¯s help. If we are true demons, we should speak and act wisely towards those who truly have power.¡± The demons grumbled with complex expressions. It was difficult to acknowledge orcs just like this. But there was no doubt that Sequence was right. The crisis was over. The orcs had defeated an opponent that demons had been unable to defeat for the past three years, no matter how hard they tried. Of course, there was a possibility it could return, but for the first time in a long time, they could walk under the sun. ¡°Well¡­ not all orcs, but at least we must acknowledge the Orc Hero¡­¡± Demons were a noble race. They believed themselves to be supreme beings. But this was only because they were superior in power and wisdom. Because their existence was superior. But what was noble about not recognizing when others were superior? Sequence was satisfied with the answer and turned to the woman. ¡°Now, Asmonadia, my daughter.¡± ¡°Yes, father?¡± ¡°I have already promised to give you to Bash.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s convenient. But¡­ why?¡± ¡°Because I thought you were dead.¡± ¡°Though I could have died. If that hero hadn¡¯t saved me in the snowy field.¡± The woman, Asmonadia, thought of the events from the other day. It was when she had set out to defeat the dragon with a group of hot-blooded young demons. They believed they could win. Her companions, though young, were skilled. They had all survived the relentless persecution by humans. If they made a backdoor to the dragon¡¯s lair and ambushed it while it slept, they could defeat it, even if it meant a tough battle. That was what they thought. The result was a cruel defeat. The dragon easily noticed the intrusion of the demons, whose presence had been minimized by its magic, and turned several of them into mincemeat with its enormous body. Every time the dragon swung its claws, every time it sank its fangs, a person died, and then another. All the demons¡¯ magic was repelled by its scales. She realized how foolish she had been to think she could win, even though she was already fighting. Dragons were a special kind of beings. She decided to retreat when half of them had died. But it was not the right decision. Although she managed to escape the nest, she was trapped in the snowy field, where there was nowhere to hide, and its breath scorched her to a crisp. As a high demon, she managed to avoid instant death thanks to her high magic resistance, but it was nothing more than a thin layer of life. Filled with pity and apologies among the corpses of the young demons who had believed and followed her. She didn¡¯t want to die like this, but her eyes had melted, her lungs were burning, her muscles were charred, and she couldn¡¯t move, let alone express her will. Then Bash appeared. He sprinkled a bit of his precious fairy dust on Asmonadia and then carried her charred body on his back to Fortress Gije. Taking a risk with the dragon possibly still in the sky, all for her. ¡°However, sending him a corpse wouldn¡¯t be a token of gratitude. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alive,¡± Sequence said. She wouldn¡¯t forget it. She could never forget that moment of relief when Bash saved her life, nor the warmth of his broad back. She would never forget the debt of gratitude for avenging her friends. ¡°I will repay my apologies for my foolishness, father. The gratitude of the demons who were saved when he defeated the dragon, and the favor of my life that would have been lost to the dragon and was only awaiting death.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Sequence nodded deeply at his daughter¡¯s words. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll leave immediately.¡± Asmonadia, the last daughter of the general, Sequence, the Dark General, left the conference room. She set off in the same direction as Bash, the Orc Hero. It would be a tough journey. Because of the dragon, they had almost cut off relations with the rest of the world, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that humans were still too cautious of demons. And if the men from Poplatica, who had left earlier, were causing trouble, they could only shrug it off. But Sequence was confident that his daughter would pass the test and marry Bash. After all, Bash, the Orc Hero had already walked a similar path, and there was no reason why his future demon wife couldn¡¯t do the same. Their union would improve the status of orcs as a race. Just as the Orc Hero had hoped. Sequence looked around the meeting room again. The demons were perplexed to know that the dragon had flown away. They didn¡¯t know what to do with their good luck and the fact that they were much more vulnerable than orcs. And then they looked out of the window at the dragon-less blue sky. There were so many things they had planned to do once the dragon was gone. The demons would be busy from now on. ¡°We missed out on Bash¡¯s heroic tale,¡± Sequence¡¯s mouth curved up naturally as he thought about the anecdotes that would happen in the future to the hero who had left without a word of gratitude.