Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Ogre
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"No word from you all this time... I even thought you might show up in this war... *sob*... I'm so relieved..."
"Sorry, Elysia. You've been through hell, haven't you?"
I tried to say it coolly from the arms of the beautiful elf woman named Elysia...
But was it the height difference? With my face buried in her chest, it didn't come off as cool at all.
Still, the elf woman nodded faintly, tears streaming down her face at my words.
How the hell does this guy not miss a single woman?
Word from the Grand Duchess's palace was that he had five or six women there already.
And now he's seducing an elf woman from the enemy side?
What a total scumbag.
Jin peeked his head out from Elysia's embrace and said,
"Oh, Elysia? There's someone I want to introduce you to."
"Huh? Who?"
"Over there... that's my superior, Secretary Aiden."
At Jin's words, Elysia wiped her tears and scanned me up and down.
"Sorry for the circumstances. I'm Elysia."
She spoke coldly, then looked up and hugged Jin again.
"*Sob sob*... No contact at all... You're awful."
"Sorry... I'm a squire of the Grand Duchy, remember?"
Elysia gently loosened her embrace and gazed deeply into Jin's face, stroking his cheek.
"Idiot. Your face is filthy. Forget this place—let's go to my tent."
Jin's face lit up at her words.
"You think?"
"Yeah! Come on... It's cold and dirty here. We can finally take a bath together..."
I cursed inwardly as I watched Elysia blush faintly.
What about me, stuck here twiddling my thumbs?
No way my subordinate's ditching me in a cell to bathe with that elf?
"Secretary Aiden... Sorry about this. I'll be right back."
"You punk!"
Before I could even speak, Jin and Elysia slipped out of the prison area and left the tent.
"That bastard's a minor, isn't he?!"
My roar filled the tent...
But Jin never came back that day.
He didn't return until lunchtime the next day.
Look at that glow on his face?
Honestly, in prisoner life, this was ridiculous. I gave him a wistful look...
"Elysia and I just held hands and slept last night."
You expect me to buy that?
"It's true."
I prodded him as he smiled innocently.
"Anyway, what's the deal with that elf?"
"She's the girl I'm seeing. Pretty, right?"
Absurd answer. I pressed,
"Just how many girlfriends do you have? And why the hell are you dating an enemy nation's woman?"
Jin scratched his head.
"Uh... well. Two years ago during the reclamation? I got captured as a POW back then too."
Oh really? You turn POW into dating opportunities?
His explanation defied common sense.
"Elysia had lost a comrade and was about to torture me, so I played pitiful and chatted her up... and it turned into this?"
That's it? Seriously?
You reeled in that elf with just that?
So it really is all about the face in this damn world?
As I radiated negativity, seeing Jin grin made me irrationally angry.
It was pure inferiority-fueled rage.
I spat it out.
"Even so, that's too much! Isn't this straight-up espionage? Dating an enemy woman?"
"But she likes me—what can I do?"
"Forget that—you're barely out of diapers! Aren't you a minor? Living this playboy life already?"
"Huh? I'm 24."
"What?"
His unexpected words left me flustered.
"W-wait... 24?"
Same age as me? With that baby face?
I stared hard at Jin's youthful features.
"Yeah, I'm 24."
As I stood speechless in shock—
-Rustle.
Someone entered the tent.
"Elysia?"
"Hey, Jin."
She greeted Jin with a bright smile, then fixed her blue eyes coldly on me.
"I heard about you from Jin. You're the one who built the earthen rampart?"
"Yeah? So?"
She eyed me up and down.
"No matter how I look at it, it sounds like he exaggerated."
Her skeptical gaze irritated me a bit.
"Elysia, what're you saying? You don't believe me?"
Jin stepped in, and her face flushed as she twirled an innocent strand of hair.
"N-no... it's not that... I was just... surprised?"
"Heh heh, how amazing is our secretary? He has the Grand Duchess's favor and's developing the Grand Duchy beyond recognition day by day."
"Really?"
I felt her sapphire eyes pierce through me chillingly.
"Anyway, that's beside the point. I came to tell you something."
"Huh?"
"You should know too, Jin. Once we take this fortress... the three races will divide the spoils. We've agreed the elves take Jin... and you, Aiden? The orcs get you."
Her words hit, and Jin and I blurted in shock.
"Huh?"
"What? What does that mean?"
Elysia blinked at Jin's stunned expression.
"Once we capture the fortress, we divide the spoils, right? You're not regular soldiers—you're officers. So no prisoner release for you."
"Then what happens to us?"
She answered my question simply.
"Jin comes with me, and you go with the orcs. I hear they're short on male breeding slaves anyway. You'll probably get good treatment."
One new term in Elysia's words.
"Breeding slave? Elysia?! You're making Secretary Aiden do something that cruel?"
But before I could speak, Jin shuddered in horror.
"No choice. I can't just send you off."
Jin slumped weakly at her soft tone.
"Yeah... I get that..."
"Um... what's a breeding slave? That bad?"
They both stared at me blankly.
What? Their looks made me feel like an idiot, irritation building—
Jin explained.
"It means a human slave specialized in impregnating female orcs."
"Huh?"
I couldn't process Jin's words.
Female orcs? Why? What? Impregnate?
"Human genes make mixed breeding with other races easier. Plus, humans are smart with good dexterity, so orc-human hybrids are valuable artisans to orcs."
"W-what the...?"
Breeding humans with orcs?
"You're high-class human talent, from what I hear. You'll get decent treatment there—as an elite breeder."
"W-wait! You want me rolling around with those green pig bitches?! That make any sense?!"
I never curse, but this crossed the line!
No wonder those female orcs kept peeking into the tent and giggling lately!
That was why?!
"No choice. I have to save Jin."
Elysia stroked Jin's head as she said it.
"Sorry, Jin. The orcs wanted you too, so we had to pick one. You get it, right?"
Jin beamed at her.
"Yeah! Of course! Elysia... thank you, I love you so much!"
"Hey! You bitch! I'm about to be sold to orcs for forced breeding, and you two are gonna have a happy time?!"
I snapped at Jin, who gave an awkward smile.
"But what can we do? I couldn't bring myself to roll with orcs..."
"So you can?!"
Jin grinned wide at my retort.
"I'm sure you can satisfy hundreds of female orcs, Secretary Aiden! I believe in you! And usually, after reclamation, negotiations bring you back, so don't worry too much."
"No! I have zero confidence! I hear they're like beasts in heat! How am I supposed to satisfy them?!"
My cries filled the tent, but Jin just shrugged.
"Nothing we can do."
"Oh yeah? Jin, wanna take a walk? It's been ages."
"Sure?"
Jin and Elysia left the tent.
Fuck, what do I do now?!
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Damn it! Fire the ballista!"
General Joseph urgently ordered as a massive troll charged the fortress...
-Screee!
A metal projectile over 2 meters long pierced the troll's body.
Too big for an arrow.
It looked more like a spear.
A metal chain attached to its tip.
-Roooar!
The troll thrashed in agony, and Joseph commanded,
"Mages, hit it with lightning magic—now!"
Blue sparks danced along the chain at his shout...
-Gyaaaah!
The troll convulsed and exploded.
"Kill all the humans!"
As orcs pushed siege weapons toward the fortress, Joseph ordered,
"We hold this place at all costs! If we fall, everyone falls! Fight like your lives depend on it!"
-Swoosh!
A hail of arrows rained from the sky.
But unlike ordinary arrows...
-Crack!
They shattered shields with brutal force.
"Argh!"
"My arm! My arm!"
The battlefield ran red with blood.
Joseph bit his lip, deep in thought.
'Where did they get all these troops from?'
The other species had targeted this fortress since the Grand Duchy built it.
Capturing a sturdy fortress meant massive casualties...
But cut the reclamation army's supplies, and they'd have no choice but to retreat—the war would end.
They could make such a bold move because they'd learned the reason.
The Grand Duchy's poor economy forced them into this reclamation push.
Fail this, and the economically strained duchy would collapse.
Then the enemy commander Michael shouted,
"Trolls and ogres, smash the gates! Smash the gates!"
As ogres and trolls thundered toward the fortress, shaking the ground, Joseph sensed this was his end.