#2 How to Handle Heroines (Maid - Naked Human Chair) (3)
Deep into the forest, a place they had never reached before. Noa and her soldiers finally arrived.
The deeper they ventured into the woods, the thicker the poison grew. The Holy Light Kingdom's scouting party had naturally kept pressing onward in the direction where the toxin intensified. And yet...
What is this...?
In the heart of the forest, where the poison should have been at its densest, the air suddenly thinned out the moment they stepped in. Instead, a pure, pristine flow of air washed over them—refreshing, even invigorating. The shallow stream trickling across the ground was crystal clear at a glance. The trees, which had all been twisted and grotesque up to now, took on normal shapes. Lush leaves sprouted abundantly, and fragrant flowers bloomed along the tree bases.
The poison-choked forest had transformed, as if some invisible boundary had been drawn, into an entirely different landscape.
"Reisi... what do you think?"
"There are no records of this in the accounts from the surviving forest explorers."
Her adjutant Reisi answered immediately. No records meant some anomaly had occurred.
"Everyone, draw your swords. Get ready to fight at any moment."
The clank of blades leaving sheaths and the rattle of armor filled the air as the scouting party assumed formation. The pure energy enveloping them felt almost sacred, like a divine presence had descended—contrary to Saintess Lemon's worries. But until they identified the source, danger lingered.
With that, the scouting party tensed and pushed deeper, toward where the holy aura grew stronger.
"What business brings armed humans here?!"
And then, a booming voice echoed, and orcs appeared before them. Armed orcs. Noa had heard that their attire and decorations revealed their tribe, but she hadn't studied that far.
"Answer us, you females! What brings human bitches reeking of cunt to this place?!"
"......"
"Our king desires parley! Drop your weapons and agree to talk, and we won't stop you! Any other business? Get the fuck out now!"
Orcs talking about parley? And a king? Noa knew little of orcs, but they lived in tribes—no such thing as kings among them. An orc king? Or perhaps some higher entity commanding even the orcs.
"Knight Captain, what are your orders?"
"...The Church views orcs as enemies, right?"
"Yes. According to the recently promulgated Enforcement Decree Article 1673."
The Holy Light Kingdom had officially designated orcs and certain other heteroraces as targets for extermination. The recent large-scale orc subjugation was part of that. Even setting aside the edict, she couldn't drop her weapons with unknowns ahead. Nor could she turn back now.
Only one choice remained.
"We'll break through. Everyone, follow me."
"Understood. —Scouting party, engage!"
Already battle-ready, the scouts' weapons glowed faintly at Reisi's command. Noa, her sword sheathed in the brightest light of all, charged at the front.
The orcs countered, thrusting their weapons forward.
* * *
The orcs greeting the Holy Light Kingdom's squad were far too powerful for mere scouts. But orcs were still orcs. To Noa, a [Lv.2] holy knight blessed by the goddess, they were no match.
The result: orc rout. Two of the five were cut down in seconds; the remaining three, wounded, fled deeper into the woods. Noa could have pursued, but some strange pressure had dulled her condition since entering this land, and bizarre phenomena—sinking or rising ground—let them escape.
Slash—!
She cleaved through the oddly twisting trees blocking their path with her holy sword, pressing on. Noa stayed at the lead, not straying too far from her soldiers, urging them forward.
It didn't take long to burst from the forest into a wide clearing.
"...This is...!"
The revealed sight stunned her. In the midst of the dense woods lay an open plaza. At its center stood a towering, ornate building of unfamiliar design. No empire or kingdom boasted such architecture. And building that high—even hidden in the forest—was unheard of.
The strange tower was the only standout; the rest were ordinary wooden structures and huts. Beyond the paved road snaking between them...
There they were. About twenty orcs. One orc general, visibly stronger than the rest. A figure in a black robe, identity unknown—likely a mage. A girl with long ears, draped in ominous energy like a cloak... probably a demonkin.
Ugh...?!
And at their center. Deeper in.
'He' stood there. Some unknowable 'something'.
A holy knight's eyes pierced distance as if up close. Even to Noa's gaze, the man's looks seemed ordinary. A somewhat kind face, an innocent expression turned their way.
But his aura overshadowed all that. Just looking brought an eerie pressure, an overwhelming sense of 'do not approach'. An urge to kneel welled up unbidden.
Indeed, gasps and staggering came from the scouts behind her.
But Noa didn't kneel. Didn't bow. Her strong will as a Church holy knight, and above all, the unmistakable ruin aura emanating from him.
The culprit behind this sacred zone had hoped for something equally holy.
That hope was in vain.
That's him.
The hideous light Saintess Lemon had foreseen. That man was surely the prophesied 『King of Ruin』..!!
Groooan—!
Behind them, the forest that had lured the scouts twisted grotesquely, blocking retreat. The sudden lack of interference? Perhaps to draw them in.
Finding an exit now would just expose their backs.
The enemy showed no intent to let them leave peacefully.
Judgment was swift. She locked eyes with Reisi, then faced front. Her sword glowed brighter than before.
"Nameless 'King of Ruin'! Holy Knight Noa of the Goddess Church hereby subjugates you on this spot! Steel yourself!!"
* * *
—This doesn't look like a situation for talking.
I was flustered by the sudden declaration. I'd heard from Maid #2 that an armed group was heading our way, so I sent an orc scouting party to greet them.
Of course, as gently as possible. Best case, [Persuasion] them like the orcs. But these humans rejected negotiation and insisted on barbaric combat.
I used [Command Voice] to pull back the orcs, but two died in the process. My precious manpower!
Thinking differently, maybe sending orcs was the issue. Docile workers to me, but terrifying monsters to normal humans. No wonder they fought on sight.
If it were me, I'd yell "what the fuck" and bolt, or fight if I could.
First impressions matter.
So this time, I showed myself. Obviously human-looking me. Lete, with her slightly pointy ears but pretty human-ish face. Seeing us might calm them for talk.
Mea, being a skull, hid under a hood.
With that faint hope, I revealed myself.
"Nameless 'King of Ruin'! Holy Knight Noa of the Goddess Church hereby subjugates you on this spot! Steel yourself!!"
The lead woman suddenly shouted that, then charged with a sword blazing so bright it hurt to look at. Her female soldiers followed.
Chaos ensued. Barosy and all the orcs charged; metal clashed everywhere, blood and flesh sprayed.
I let out a deep sigh.
"How'd it come to this..."
"Beats me. What now, Gaon? Why'd you stop me from joining? Orcs can't win."
Lete, beside me, spoke in her blank but itchy tone.
Feeling down, I poked my fingers into the pussy of Maid #2, serving as my naked chair below, and pondered.
Maid #1, naked as my backrest, leaned in to comfort me with a kiss. This one's training paid off.
It lifted my mood a bit. Conclusion came quick.
"No choice. Have to make them open to talk, like with the orcs... —Lete, help me out again?"
"Of course, my king, my Gaon."
With Lete's cheerful agreement, I summoned the now-familiar status window before my eyes.
> Status Window Activated