Chapter 177
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 177
Chapter Title: Dancing with Orcs
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ㅡSplash.
The valley stream flowed vigorously. Sure enough, monsters gathered near valleys. They needed water to survive, after all.
Orcs were smart enough to use their heads, so if they had fled, they were probably hiding somewhere along the valley.
"Katt. Reminds me of the old days, huh?"
"Hm? The old days?"
"Yeah."
"What about... oh."
Heat rushed to my face.
I'd done it once with Claudy by a lakeside after following a stream like this. My one and only outdoor romp, the first time civilized me shed a layer of propriety and stepped into barbarism.
That experience had shaped who I was today.
"What're you thinking about?"
Winia picked up on the heated vibe between me and Claudy and asked.
This was tricky to answer.
"It's nothing. Back when I first met Claudy, something like that happened by a valley... Anyway, let's get searching."
"What'd you do with Sis by the valley?"
"Something a bit hard to talk about."
"Hard to talk about? Don't tell me you did it outside?"
What the...?
Was Winia actually Gungye in disguise, not a mage? She'd mastered prying into things so creepily. Next thing you know, she'd be pulling out a staff to lecture me.
Winia immediately made a disgusted face and clicked her tongue.
"Fucking horny bastard. Even for you, that's too much."
"Oh? Such harsh words."
"Yeah. Back off, Sis. Not now."
She even heroically shoved away the approaching Claudy. Her defenses were ironclad. Claudy's ears drooped. Winia's breast defense had leveled up big time.
I awkwardly approached Kobson, who was peering into the stream.
"Anyway, Kobson. Time to show off our tracking skills. We're the experts at this, right?"
"True enough... Damn. Why does it feel so awkward? Let's follow the water's flow downstream for now."
The orcs were probably holed up in a small cave or hiding in the brush. Even if orcs were clever, they were still monsters—about that level.
"But didn't they say a hundred? Aren't they lumped together nearby?"
I walked while discussing with Kobson.
"Who knows. I heard they got smashed by Baron Dodens' army and fled. Some probably rejoined the group, others went solo. Groups leave bigger traces anyway. If they gathered, they'd head home. The ones we'd spot are likely stragglers."
"What, what? Why do you suddenly sound so smart?"
"I've always been smart. Unlike some barbarian. That's the difference between civilization and savagery, heh."
Kobson's explanation seemed reasonable.
"Don't laugh, you rascal."
He'd grown up in this world, left his hometown, and lived as an adventurer. He knew more trivia and this-world lore than me.
ㅡRustle.
Other monsters appeared now and then, but they all fled into the brush. Claudy didn't sense anything unusual either. With the forest so dense and teeming with life, her desert-honed hearing had limits here.
"Shall we take a break?"
"Sure."
We searched till around noon, then found a spot to settle. Quick meal, then back to hunting. I scanned the area and pulled out our rations.
"Winia. No magic to detect monsters?"
I asked the gracefully seated Winia.
"As if."
"Would be handy if there was."
"That's the problem with you blackies. Think magic does everything."
"Isn't that what magic's for?"
Honestly, it seemed plausible.
"Yeah. Our blackie's dumb side is kinda cute. C'mere."
"Okay."
She fed me a piece of hardtack like a mother bird. Being fed tastes better. No wonder baby birds beg.
ㅡRustle!
"Hm?"
The bushes shook violently. I drew my sword to charge, but Claudy was faster. ㅡWhoosh! Her thrown scimitar pierced the foliage.
ㅡTchaaa!
A familiar scream erupted.
"Tchaa?"
Pushing through, I found a gremlin sprawled with a scimitar in its forehead. Blood-red tears streamed from its crimson eyes—it hurt bad.
"Gremlin. Been fucking ages."
I pulled the blade, wiped off blood and brains, and handed it to Claudy. Gremlins: familiar green small fry. Grotesque, like bipedal lizards.
Something tugged at my memory.
"Hm, gremlin. Common around here. Useless even dead."
"Yeah, no value."
As we dragged the corpse aside for lunch, Winia spoke.
"Blackie. Bring it here."
"Hm? The gremlin corpse?"
"Don't talk back."
She had a plan. I grabbed its limp ankles and hauled it over. Blood dripped—ugly sight.
"Blackie, hang it on that tree."
"W-what? Why hang this on a tree?!"
The little monster's body had sparked her sadism. Decor for a refined meal? Its hollow eyes seemed to glare at Winia.
"Orcs have good noses. Blood scent might lure them. Just thought of it."
Surprisingly practical.
I nodded, and with Kobson's help, impaled it on a branch a bit above my height. The eco-friendly green body dangled. Blood pooled and soaked the dirt.
Fishy smell wafted.
Gruesome scene, but no one minded. In this eerie atmosphere, we resumed eating.
That's when it happened.
"Winia. Over there."
Claudy nodded. Before I stood, ㅡFwoosh! Winia's memorized Fire Bolt struck. Kobson and I bolted that way.
ㅡFsssh!
Flames spread on vines, devouring surroundings. Something moved behind—a familiar scream. Orc.
ㅡChwee! Chweeeek!!
"Orc!"
ㅡChweeeek!!!
The orc, engulfed in fire, danced to shake it off. "Came quick?" Claudy stood, cracking her neck.
Mages rule.
Violent idea worked instantly.
"Kobson! Get it!"
"Got it!"
ㅡChweeeek!!!
Claudy and Winia's reactions were top-tier. Kobson and I drew blades and closed on the flaming orc legionnaire.
ㅡChwee!
It looked in agony, dancing to express pain. Soul-baring flashy moves. Dancer career? Who knows.
Talent didn't matter.
ㅡChweeeeek!!!
"Die!"
It swung a fiery punch. ㅡFwhoosh! Arm trailed flames. Blind pain-fueled swing.
Easy backstep dodge, counterattack.
"Drop dead!"
"Whoa!"
Weapon long gone. Losing to a burning foe? Unthinkable.
We narrowed in, timed it, and stabbed torso and neck together.
ㅡChweek!
The orc flopped like a pirate roulette. Fire died quick. For good measure, we stabbed its broad back ten times.
ㅡStab! Stab!
ㅡStab stab!
It convulsed, then went limp.
"Dead?"
"Seems so."
Roasted meat scent wafted sweetly.
Green skin charred black. Kobson muttered something racist—ignore.
ㅡSlice!
Claudy approached, severed the head in one stroke, and held the leaping skull. Melted orc face looked pathetic. For 1 silver?
"Hmm... Katt. Kill nearby monsters, hang 'em up—might draw orcs? Do it?"
"Good idea."
Too easy.
Mage first strike, us double-teaming—obvious. Anticlimactic, but 1 silver earned. Bagged the head.
Bigger than expected.
"Ended quick. Mages make it easy."
"Agreed."
Kobson deflated from the ease.
"More importantly..."
I searched where the orc danced.
Had something—weapons, probably. Blacksmith would buy the knife back, so loot for profit.
"This?"
Orange rock fragment handaxe. Orange rock? Flint-like edge showed orc tech.
Stone Age?
"Barbarian. That?"
"Orc's weapon, looks like."
"Hmph... primitive junk."
Showed Winia and Claudy.
Claudy eyed it curiously—异族 gear. Winia shrugged.
"Orcs make these. Cinnabar stone—common rock, chipped, bound to wood. Collectible value, maybe."
Cinnabar stone?
Otherworld mineral, unheard of.
Blacksmith wanted it—bagged. Stone Age orc had nothing else. Burnt leather undies and vest worthless. Stripped for hidden loot—nada.
Bum.
Income meager.
Need 10 orcs to break even.
"Barbarian. Now what? Ruckus scared off locals... Resume search?"
"Yeah."
Orc noses good, 1 kill profit. Meal done—hunt on.
"Won't come easy now."
Claudy said. True—finding scattered orcs in vast area tough. Four-man party, but numbers issue.
We delved deeper.
Where hid the smashed orcs? Shiny trinkets motivated. Stone weapons meant silver dazzled them.
Adventurers same.
Asked Winia about orc bling en route.
"Feathers, hides. Flashy stuff. Imagine stupid shiny feathered hats—valuable. One such orc nets good pay."
We followed the valley, crested a hill, searched opposite side.