The Orc Lord's Ultimatum
Piria stared at the ridiculously ordinary sky, so unchanged from before, then slowly closed her eyes. Was this a blessing amid the misfortune? At least she hadn't plummeted to her death. She felt something warm and soft enveloping her body. Could Randel have caught her? It was a ridiculous thought, but Piria imagined it anyway as she cautiously opened her eyes.
"..!"
Her imagination was only half right. Someone had indeed caught her mid-fall and cradled her in their arms—but it wasn't Randel. It was Nerka, the orc slave she'd just slapped across the face.
"Y-you... ngh..!"
Piria couldn't finish her sentence, a groan escaping as pain shot through her side. She'd clearly been hit by something the orcs had thrown. Luckily, it didn't seem like a deep wound or broken bones, but for Piria, who had zero tolerance for physical pain, it was more than enough to shatter her focus.
"..."
Nerka said nothing, simply holding her and staring ahead with an impassive expression, as if she meant nothing to him at all. Without thinking, Piria followed his gaze.
"Ah..."
There was Randel. He was a battered mess, forced to his knees. Two massive orcs pinned his shoulders down, rendering him immobile. In peak condition, he'd have shrugged off such restraint with ease, but now his stamina and mana were utterly depleted.
Still, Randel was alive.
"Randel... Randel..!"
Piria struggled to break free from Nerka's arms. He set her down without resistance, but two other orcs quickly approached and seized her arms. Her staff was already gone, vanished somewhere.
"Ngh..! You filthy beasts! Let me go! Release Randel!"
"Woman."
"..!"
For some reason, that single word from Nerka filled Piria with an inexplicable unease. Was it because this mere orc slave was addressing her so casually? Or... because he'd called her woman, stirring a vague dread?
Only then did the full situation sink in. Countless orcs encircled her and Randel, glaring at her like they wanted to devour her alive—but none approached beyond a certain distance. It was like a well-trained army under strict command.
And right now, only one orc was speaking freely.
Piria eyed Nerka suspiciously. "Who... the hell are you..?"
"..."
Nerka didn't answer, just stared at her with the same blank expression. After a brief silence, he spoke—but not to her question.
"Choose, woman."
"..What?"
Choose? Choose what?
"I'll give you two options. Pick the first, and I'll let you leave here unharmed. But that man dies immediately. The other option saves him. In exchange..."
"You'll... kill me?"
"No."
Piria's face drained of color at Nerka's next words.
"I'll use you as a breeding slave until you die."
...
"Ho... so this is the empire's capital, Imperial Town."
Minwoo marveled as he looked around. It was clearly superior in quality and scale to the villages he'd passed through so far. Not that he'd seen much—only Roswell Village and the Selton Viscountcy—but the difference was undeniable.
Aisha chimed in. "Well... it's been decades for me too, but... doesn't seem much has changed."
Like country bumpkins visiting the big city, Aisha and Minwoo gawked at the streets. The teleportation magic circle was placed on the capital's outskirts, far from the imperial palace to prevent any misuse, so they had some walking ahead.
Aisha could have taken a carriage with her status, but she deliberately didn't. Unlike with Viscount Selton, the palace was off-limits without permission, and Minwoo needed a place to stay for a few days while sorting that out.
"Hmm... how about that one? Close enough to the palace, and the facilities look decent."
Aisha pointed to a three-story stone building. Compared to the inn in Roswell Village, it was like night and day—not quite a luxury hotel, but it blended upscale comfort with a welcoming vibe. The structure was familiar: ground floor a restaurant-pub, upper floors lodging.
"I'm clueless, so you pick, Aisha."
"Then let's go. I'll cover the room and board, no worries."
"Haha... I'm really freeloading here."
"Freeloading? Between us?"
Aisha hooked her arm through his and dragged him inside. "Haha..."
Between us? Did she even know what that implied? Minwoo just smiled.
Aisha booked his room, handed him plenty of cash, and headed straight to the palace. She'd contact him in no more than five days, she said. Not that it mattered much to Minwoo, who had zero intention of returning to his old world.
But gaining palace access was a huge perk. He might run into the heroes, and a palace meant beautiful women galore—princesses, imperial daughters, and more.
Yet the first target Minwoo encountered in the capital wasn't a princess or noble lady.
...
"Why even offer such choices?"
Piria's question was valid. Nerka had no reason to give them options in this situation. He could kill or spare them at will—why force a decision?
"It's more fun that way."
Nerka answered with a completely unamused face.
"Fun...? Ha... just for that...?"
"Just for that?"
As Piria gaped in disbelief, Nerka countered.
"Then what lofty ideals drove you humans to enslave us for a thousand years?"
"What're you...?"
Piria faltered, and Nerka continued flatly.
"In the past, we lost to you humans. We've been slaves ever since. No grand reasons, ideologies, or principles. Winners enjoy the spoils; losers lose everything."
"..So? What're you getting at?"
"Nothing. No complaints here. But you humans love dressing it up—like we're savage brutes who deserve enslavement."
"..."
"So I got curious. How noble are the ones who treat us like beasts? Go on, choose. I'll respect whichever you pick."
As Nerka finished, Randel—still pinned down—suddenly roared in protest.
"Miss Piria! Don't listen to him! Orcs never keep promises like—gahk..!"
Before he could finish, Nerka flicked his hand. One orc slammed a fist into Randel's solar plexus. He went limp, unconscious.
"Easier to choose now?"
"..."
"It's fine. Everyone wants to live. No shame in it."
Ignoring Nerka's mockery, Piria spoke up.
"One question."
"Ask away."
"Even if I... choose to save him, he's badly hurt. Even if you don't touch him, there's no guarantee he makes it back safely."
Monsters roamed these barren plains. Fine for a healthy Randel, deadly for him now.
"I'll allow basic first aid. Can't spare much."
Surprisingly generous. Piria double-checked one last time.
"..You brought up all that nobility crap first... so you'll keep your word?"
"No way... you're actually thinking of saving him?"
"..."
Piria gazed at the unconscious Randel, head bowed. She'd never truly loved anyone in her life. She and Randel hadn't even confirmed feelings—it'd been so short a time. No obligation to sacrifice everything for him.
'If you hated being called by your name, you should've said so from the start.'
'No, the opposite.'
The opposite of what? Piria stared at Randel's slumped form. Her eyes trembled wildly. Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly. She bit her lip hard.
"I..."
"..."
She made her choice.