The Holy Orc Knight
A short while later, we had settled the situation, tidied ourselves up, and stood before the summoning facility. The Tentacle Drasil had tucked Amur away securely, and Gremory had finally merged back into her main body, absorbing the slime-covered clone into herself.
"Alright, let's summon."
I was handed the dark, murky egg. My subordinates were already whispering among themselves, debating whether the child would be a warrior like its mother or a priest like its father. They were locked in a heated disagreement: some argued that a warrior was necessary to manage Lancelot’s unit while she was pregnant, while others insisted that even an orc priest would need to be someone capable of using spells.
"Well, we won't know until we crack it open."
Gugugu.
The summoning circle began to glow with a violet hue. The rank of my children or grandchildren didn't matter, no matter how low it might be. My only wish was for them to grow up healthy and enjoy a happy Las life. I wouldn't be disappointed even if the circle stayed purple.
"Hmm... looks like a 2-star... well, 2-star isn't bad."
No sooner had I spoken than the light of the summoning circle began to flicker. It was the distinct effect of a 3-star summon, and I found myself clapping instinctively.
"That’s it! At least a 3-star, that’s what I’m talking about!"
"Master, your tone changed awfully fast."
"If they’re going to be born anyway, it’s better if they come out with an extra star!"
Huh? The state of the summoning circle is...?
Wooooong.
The violet mist began to fade from the circle, replaced by a shimmering rainbow aura. Gold dust swirled like fog—an effect I had never seen before in my life.
"...Was it like this when the 4-star Percival hatched?"
"I don't think so...?"
Fwoosh!
The rainbow and golden lights stopped moving simultaneously. The radiance sank into the floor, spreading across the entire circle, and soon, it began to erupt like a vortex. In the very center, an orc appeared, shrouded in white light.
"......Hm?"
He was just under 160 centimeters tall. His skin was green, but his hair was black. But what caught our eyes more than anything was his black suit. The orc was dressed in a black gentleman’s suit, the kind you’d see on a modern salaryman, topped with a black trench coat. His tie was a deep green, with a cross emblem embedded in the center.
"......Greetings, Legion Commander."
The orc made the sign of the cross and bowed his head to me. His voice was so refined it was almost hypnotic.
"My name is Galahad."
The gentleman pushed up the glasses perched on his face and grinned.
"I am a servant of the Goddess."
".......I see."
It seemed I had summoned someone truly extraordinary; the chemistry between Lancelot and Guinevere was clearly top-tier.
"Let me ask you one thing. What do you think of honor?"
"Honor..."
Galahad toyed with his tie, touching the cross pattern, and grinned.
"I believe honor is what makes an orc."
* * *
An orc paladin. We spent some time debating who exactly he served and the nature of his holy power.
"Master. Even if Galahad is your own flesh and blood, if he claims to be a servant of the Goddess, as demons, we have no choice but to be concerned."
"Holy power is lethal to demons. The weak ones die just from a graze. You said you experienced it yourself with Luna, didn't you?"
Shaitan, Gremory, and the other demons were actively expressing their discomfort with Galahad’s "Paladin" job. Having felt the Goddess's power firsthand while dealing with Luna, I was in a difficult position myself. A member of the Demon King’s army, a member of the Las army, praising the Goddess and using her power against humans? Would the Goddess even allow that?
But where there is opposition, there is always support. Naturally, his closest kin, Lancelot, stepped up to defend him.
"What are you talking about?! Are you saying my son has to leave this dungeon because of that?! Dad, if that happens...!"
"I'm not kicking him out, so don't jump to conclusions."
"...Right. But Dad, the mothers are already saying things like that."
"The mothers..."
Shaitan had been lumped in as a "mother" as well, but she didn't say a word. I didn't point it out either. I understood perfectly well that their concern for Galahad’s power was really a concern for the entire dungeon.
"But is that really what bothers you most?"
For me, there was something even more confusing than the source of his power. Galahad looked like a gentleman, but his facial features, his build, and everything about him made me doubt his gender identity.
"Is Galahad really a man?"
"Dad, what are you... hmm..."
At my question, everyone fell into deep thought. The issue of using the Goddess's power was pushed to the background.
"...Is he really a man?"
"He's so short. Compared to other orcs."
"Didn't you hear the Master? The system says he's a man."
"But that... face..."
<Galahad> Gender: Male
That's right. Male. My orc kin were all creatures that carried a "rage pouch" between their legs. But confirming it myself was... a bit awkward. No, to be honest, I was incredibly self-conscious about it.
"Heh."
Galahad only offered a troubled smile despite the suspicious gazes surrounding him. That smile was more pure and beautiful than most women's, like a single fallen petal.
"......."
Lancelot’s beauty, arguably the greatest in the dungeon, had mixed with Guinevere’s boyish appearance to create a being who claimed to be male but looked like anything but. Was this a man, or was this an otokonoko?
"Ah. I see. So this is what they call an otokonoko."
If he wore even slightly androgynous clothing, people would mistake him for a woman, and the moment he cross-dressed, he would capture the hearts of many orcs—no, many men. Since he was even wearing a suit, his charm was easily worth the 5-star rating.
"Galahad. May I verify your 'rage' myself?"
"If it will prove my honor."
Galahad didn't hesitate. But my other subordinates blocked me.
"Master! Even so, checking that yourself is...!"
"Yeah, Dad! If you're going to check, I'll do it, as his mother!"
"I'm afraid I must decline, Mother. Your eyes are dangerous."
"......."
Lancelot’s expression turned fierce instantly. She looked like a criminal caught in the act of a wicked desire, and Galahad backed away from her.
"I don't mind the others, but I must decline you, Mother."
"Whyyyyyy!!"
"Because you are looking at me with the same eyes you use to look at Father."
I immediately turned and blocked Galahad’s front. The other subordinates also subtly took up positions to protect him, and even Guinevere shook his head while linking arms with Lancelot.
"N-no! Dad, would I really touch my own son?!"
"Of course. You wouldn't touch the son you birthed yourself. But your eyes just now were quite strange."
"That's right. It was the same look you had when you were trying to devour the Master."
The only one standing by Lancelot was Guinevere. But even Guinevere was just trying to calm her down.
"J-just leave the son alone... take me instead..."
It might be strange to call it priestly, but Guinevere had made up his mind to sacrifice himself. Lancelot pursed her lips and hugged Guinevere like a doll.
"I swear. I won't do anything strange to my son."
"But you do it to your husband."
"He's my husband, so this much is fine!"
"Right. Galahad, you can come out now."
Only after Lancelot was pulled far away with Guinevere did Galahad adjust his clothes and catch his breath. Even if his rank was high, he was lagging in level, so it would be best to have Eila train him.
"I'm sorry, Galahad. I shouldn't have said that."
"It is fine, Legion Commander. However, I do not wish to be mistaken for a woman any longer. For the sake of my honor, I am prepared to prove myself."
Galahad grabbed his belt buckle, his will burning. But I had to be considerate of him. If the genes of both his father and mother had combined to influence him, I couldn't ignore Guinevere’s size.
"Galahad, let's just go somewhere quiet and check, okay?"
"I cannot. Legion Commander, if I don't, my honor as a man will be trampled into the dirt."
"Ugh... why did I even bring it up..."
"I am confident. I am sure of myself. Please, trust me."
As everyone swallowed hard, I finally found a way for Galahad to prove his honor. Since showing it directly might be shameful, I wondered if there was another way...
"Ah."
I revealed the idea that had popped into my head to Galahad. He looked a bit overwhelmed, but soon nodded and turned around.
"Rasil-aaaah!!"
The Tentacle Drasil, which had been stuck to the wall like a decoration, began to move. It shuddered, its wriggling body trembling, and raised one of its roots.
"Dad! What are you doing to our son right now!!"
"...I see. I understand your intention, Master."
At Shaitan’s overly serious voice, everyone’s gaze shifted to her. She even pulled out a notebook and started taking notes.
"The Master’s seed has quite active energy, but if it’s the seed of a natural 5-star, we’ll be able to mass-produce an incredible unit."
"That’s not the intention! Just watch."
I instructed the Tentacle Drasil to extend two tentacle branches. Both looked identical to my own, and they tapered in thickness from the root, clearly showing the form.
"Now, this is what I look like when I'm fully enraged."
I grabbed the tentacle branches and swung them left and right. As the dildo-like tentacles swayed, my subordinates swallowed hard, their eyes darting between the branches and my own crotch.
"...Seeing it like this, Master is really..."
"It is disgustingly huge. Son of a... ahem."
"I’m not trying to brag, but the Tentacle Drasil can perfectly replicate anything linked to my roots. Rasil. Can you make this strand look exactly like Galahad’s?"
Kkeureureuk.
The Tentacle Drasil curled its branch into a circle. Its root was already positioned in front of Galahad, wide open, waiting for him.
Rustle, rustle.
Before I could even say a word, Galahad’s pants dropped to his shoes. His lower body was hidden by his coat, showing only his calves. Galahad lowered his hands, and everyone swallowed hard.
Gulp.
The Tentacle Drasil’s root swallowed Galahad’s "rage" as well. It wasn't to take his essence, but the insertion for measurement quickly proved his fury.
While the tentacle branch that looked like mine stayed the same, the one next to it began to change shape slowly.
Glug, glug.
"...Wow, as expected of a ★★★★★."
Even I could only marvel at the size. The shape, the thickness, the length—not a single thing was inferior to mine. Was this what they called atavism?
"As expected of a Paladin."
No one could deny Galahad’s masculinity anymore. Galahad smiled brightly with his girl-like face.
* * *
A short while later. After wiping off the Tentacle Drasil’s root fluid with Lime’s help, Galahad sat back down with an unbothered expression. Since everyone had finished verifying his masculinity, it was time to decide on the "Servant of the Goddess" issue.
"We have confirmed that he can use holy power. Galahad is only an orc by race; in truth, he is no different from the Holy Knights of the Goddess’s order."
Shaitan and Guinevere had verified Galahad’s holy power. It was time to decide if it was truly appropriate to have someone who used the Goddess's power in the Las army.
"It’s definitely an attractive power, but if we get caught, we’re screwed."
"The other demons will have the biggest objections. They might think he’s colluding with humans."
"They’d jump at the chance, wouldn't they? If Galahad is caught using holy power, he’ll become a public enemy of the Demon Realm."
Solomon might be happy if we used the Goddess's power to collapse the Human Alliance, but would the other demons just sit by and watch? Or did we have to restrict Galahad purely to defensive roles?
"There must be a way... Ah."
A good idea crossed my mind.
"Galahad."
"Yes."
"You said you were a follower of the Goddess, right? Then it’s certain you can use holy power?"
"Of course."
"...Then, tell me."
I told my subordinates the hypothesis that had just flashed through my mind.
"He’s an orc, but can’t he use a Holy Sword?"