Chapter 225: High Orc Army (2)
Chapter 225: High Orc Army (2)
“The High Orc army.”
At the Fifth Elder’s words, Matthew, who was listening nearby, asked, “High Orcs, you say?”
“Yes. Their bodies have grown larger overall, and both their strength and speed have increased.”
“I see.”
“Furthermore, the Fighting Spirit used by these Orcs has become even more potent. According to the records, Orcs that have evolved a step further like this are called High Orcs.”
“I see. Then, just how much stronger are they compared to regular Orcs?”
“One must assume they are at least twice as strong, wouldn't you say? But what is important is not their current strength, but the fact that their potential has expanded significantly.”
“Does that mean they can become much stronger in the future?”
“Indeed. According to the records of the Roman Empire, the strongest warrior of the Orc race at that time was said to be capable of rivaling an 8-Star Knight.”
“8-Star… That is incredible.”
“Yes. Truly incredible.”
The Fifth Elder and Matthew nodded in admiration.
High Orcs were indeed such formidable beings. However…
Thwack! Bam! Crack! Crunch!
“Kwek! B-Big brother! Stop!”
“You little green bastard! You dare try to overtake your big brother? Huh?!”
“I was wrong… Keuk!”
“Die! Die! If you know you were wrong, then just die!”
What did it matter how incredible they were?
Everyone was equal before a devil.
Patrick didn't even draw his sword against Tutan.
He had simply started pummeling him with his bare hands, and now he was mounted on top of him, beating him to his heart's content.
Tutan had tried to attempt something resembling resistance at first, but it didn't last long.
“Die! You son of a bitch!”
Patrick Schneider.
High Orc or whatever, he was the name of the man who made everyone equal.
* * *
With Patrick suppressing Tutan’s rebellion, 2,000 sturdy Orc laborers joined the pioneering city.
Patrick immediately mobilized them to begin clearing the forests along the Moana River basin.
Uprooting trees, smashing boulders, leveling the ground…
It was a grueling and arduous task that would have taken humans an unknown amount of time, but when Orcs were put to the task, the story changed.
“Wooooooh!”
“Blow it all away!”
The stone blades of the powerful Orc warriors felled trees and ripped out roots.
Boulders, unearthed in their entirety, were shattered into pieces and moved far away.
Normally, if one suddenly ordered Orcs to reclaim land, the chances of them following submissively were slim.
Why must we, warriors, reclaim the forest?
We are warriors.
You are not an Orc.
There was plenty of room for them to act out like that. However…
“Big brother! You’ve come?”
“Yeah. Is the work going well?”
“Yes. I will definitely have it done within the period you ordered, big brother.”
“Good, good. That’s how it should be. Our Tutan has finally come to his senses.”
“Hehehehe.”
Seeing his "younger brother" grinning foolishly—or rather, Orc-ishly—while holding both his hands, Patrick became even more convinced that physical therapy was indeed the best cure.
“I brought some booze, so take some breaks while you work.”
“Yes, big brother. Thank you.”
High Orc Tutan’s waist bent in a ninety-degree bow. Seeing that sight, the other Orcs shuddered inwardly.
‘As expected of a great warrior. Resistance is dangerous.’
‘He is a crazy and dangerous warrior. I will never resist.’
‘Mom, that crazy human is scary.’
All the Orcs here were those who had knelt before Tutan’s strength.
To them, resisting Patrick—who had utterly crushed Tutan and turned him into a submissive puppy—was unthinkable.
In the end, Tutan’s rebellion had worked in Patrick’s favor. And…
“Everyone, rest! The great warrior has brought booze! There is also whole hog barbecue!”
At those words, the faces of the hard-working Orc warriors transformed instantly.
“Booze?”
“It’s booze! Booze!”
“There’s food too. Delicious food made by humans!”
“Woooooh! Let’s finish this quickly!”
“Oooooh!”
There were also "carrots" like this that Orcs would go crazy for.
The delicious food and alcohol made by humans were a feast for the Orcs.
The Red Rock Tribe was already quite used to it from their time in the Schneider Territory, but the other Orcs were literally losing their minds.
If you gave them a bottle of strong liquor and a well-seasoned pork barbecue, it was heaven for them.
With their motivation soaring, they were thoroughly destroying the forest and reclaiming the Moana River basin at a visible speed.
Watching the scene, Aaron marveled.
“Incredible. It’s almost beautiful.”
“You think so too, Leader?”
“How could I not?”
“As expected, Leader, we really are on the same wavelength.”
“Haha. Wouldn't anyone feel the same?”
Then, the two of them spoke at the same time.
“Low-wage, high-efficiency labor is truly beauti—huh?”
“Seeing everyone come together across racial barriers—huh?”
A moment of silence followed.
Patrick was the first to speak.
“Ah, I meant that too. That’s what’s beautiful.”
“…….”
Patrick avoided Aaron’s gaze and fanned himself with his hand.
Man, why is he staring so hard?
It’s embarrassing…
“Ahem, anyway, the important thing is that the reclamation of farmland in the Great Forest is progressing rapidly.”
“Yes. That is true.”
“If possible, I’d like to sow seeds before summer. Is that feasible?”
“It’s difficult. Even so, summer isn't the time to plant wheat.”
“Think carefully. There must be something we can plant in the summer.”
“If it’s vegetables, it might be possible…”
“Nothing but greens?”
“Root vegetables like carrots or sweet potatoes should work.”
“Mmm… Well, I suppose those are edible too.”
He wanted to fill this vast farmland with wheat and barley, but Patrick knew that the farming seasons weren't something he could throw a tantrum to change.
“Can’t be helped then. Send some seeds accordingly. And send more farming tools too.”
“Understood. Ah! And on my way here, I saw some land suitable for raising sheep or horses. Would you like to give it a try?”
“Livestock in the Great Forest… Well, let’s try it for now. If it doesn't work, we’ll just stop then.”
Aaron gave a satisfied smile at Patrick’s blunt response.
It wasn't a new realization, but the boy truly had an outstanding talent as a merchant.
A merchant who is overly cautious and fears failure is limited to running a small firm.
To become a truly great merchant, one had to be able to challenge things boldly without fearing failure.
Even if one failed, the guts to use the experience gained for the next venture was necessary.
At first, Aaron’s involvement was strongly motivated by the fact that Patrick was his son’s friend, but now…
‘He is well worth betting our entire merchant group’s future on.’
He didn't know how much this man would eventually achieve, but he would go with him until the end.
“Ah, by the way, how are things in the Yuzef Kingdom?” Patrick asked in passing.
He had instructed Red to constantly gather information, but the information network of the Elvador Merchant Group was also not to be ignored.
That was why he had asked them to keep a steady eye on the movements of the Yuzef Kingdom.
“They won the war against the Flame Kingdom and are smoothly annexing the country.”
“Merging countries shouldn't be that easy, though?”
“That’s true. However, they say he took Princess Catherina, the descendant of the Spirit Royal Family, as his queen and is implementing non-discriminatory policies even for the citizens of the occupied Flame Kingdom.”
“…….”
“He isn't just putting on a show, either. They say he’s actually lowering taxes and paying subsidies to those who lost family in the war. Furthermore, there was an incident like this.”
“What incident?”
“It happened while the Overlord was on an inspection tour…”
* * *
It happened not long after the Overlord, Sierion, had occupied the Flame Kingdom.
He was inspecting the streets to gauge the public sentiment.
A large crowd had gathered to see him, and the knights who came out for protection were sweating as they controlled the crowd. Then…
“Vengeance for my father!”
With that cry, a young boy lunged toward the Overlord’s chest.
And immediately after…
“Your Highness!”
“No!”
By the time the escort knights shouted, the deed was already done.
The dagger held in the hand of the boy who had burrowed into Sierion’s embrace was buried in Sierion’s abdomen, and the King’s blood dripped onto the ground.
Belatedly, the knights rushed in, subdued the boy with the dagger, and checked the King’s condition.
“Your Highness! Are you alright?”
“I will call a doctor immediately.”
To the knights hurriedly checking the wound, Sierion calmly raised his hand and said, “I am fine. More importantly, let the child go.”
“Your Highness. This child pointed a blade at the King’s body.”
“It is fine, so let him go. It is an order.”
At Sierion’s words, the knights released the boy they had subdued. Then, Sierion approached the boy and spoke.
“Did you lose your father because of me?”
“…….”
The boy did not answer.
He simply gnashed his teeth and glared at Sierion.
Sierion looked at the boy with pity and said, “I am sorry. All of this is my sin.”
He then ordered the knights to set the boy free.
The knights protested, but Sierion was firm.
“Do you intend to make me a cold-hearted King who kills a young child?”
In the end, the knights released the boy, and the boy looked at the King with an expression of disbelief.
He had done it prepared for death, but the King had forgiven him.
Then Sierion spoke.
“Right now, there will be those on this land who have lost family because of me. This boy has shown courage to represent the resentment of them all. Therefore, I shall not punish this boy.”
The people stirred.
This was an extraordinary act that defied common sense.
If it were an ordinary King, that boy would have been miserably burned at the stake, and at least hundreds of people would have died as they rooted out those involved.
Blood flowing from a King’s body carried that much weight.
But Sierion forgave the boy and embraced the wounds of the occupied nation.
Because of this incident, the hearts of the Flame Kingdom’s people swayed significantly.
Watching the back of the Overlord as he walked away with dignity despite the dripping blood, people whispered.
“Has our previous King or the nobles ever cared for us like that?”
“Never. They were the kind of people who wouldn't give a penny in condolence money even if you were trampled to death for blocking a noble’s carriage.”
“Perhaps the Overlord is a good person.”
“Indeed. He lowered taxes, and with the knights patrolling more, the crime rate has dropped.”
“It certainly feels better to live now than before.”
And so, public opinion in the Flame Kingdom following Sierion formed rapidly.
Furthermore, the number of knights and nobles from the Flame Kingdom—not just the commoners—who swore loyalty to the Overlord began to increase.
* * *
“…That’s what happened. But why do you look like that?”
“No, just… it’s disgusting.”
Patrick had an expression of utter disillusionment. At that, Aaron spoke as if he didn't understand.
“Why? To me, it seems the Overlord showed mercy and handled the occupied nation well.”
“…….”
Patrick pressed his hand to his forehead and let out a sigh.
If the kid’s going to put on an act, he should at least make it believable. It’s so obviously a play, isn't it?
A guy who had even realized the Aura of Death allowed a surprise attack from a nameless boy and got a hole in his gut?
Does that even make sense?
Patrick realized that all of this was a show. In fact, many others probably realized it too.
But what mattered in times like this wasn't the truth.
It was the reality that the beautiful tale of the Overlord’s virtue was spreading.
Wasn't there a saying, "Three men make a tiger"?
Even a lie, if it has a bit of plausibility and people diligently spread it, becomes the truth.
“So this is why Liu Bei threw his own kid in front of Zhao Yun.”
The Flame Kingdom would likely find it hard to escape Sierion’s rule.
If Sierion actually implemented good governance and added such virtuous tales on top of it, the people of an occupied nation would quickly accept their new ruler.
Patrick let out a sigh and said, “Please keep a close eye on the border between the Decatur Kingdom and the Yuzef Kingdom to the south. If even a minor dispute seems to be happening, let me know immediately.”
“Do you perhaps think the Yuzef Kingdom will invade the Decatur Kingdom? The war has only just ended.”
“Commonly speaking, it makes no sense. It doesn't, but…”
Looking at the world, there were occasionally bastards who defied common sense and acted recklessly.
“He’ll do it.”
“…….”
“Definitely.”
Patrick was certain.