Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Orc Onslaught
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"Damn it, damn it!!"
Clang!! Boom-!
"You bastard! Cut it out! I don't want to fight you, you prick!"
"Каçпаңыз!"
"What the hell are you saying!"
The massive knight Aaron, swinging his great sword, was in agony.
He'd already been tricked by some crazy old man, picked a fight with the wrong guy, nearly died, and lost his armor. Now, after entering the forest and wrestling with magical beasts, orcs had ambushed them out of nowhere!
"Die! Die! Die, you fucker!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The great sword and axe clashed without respite.
But the battle wasn't going as it appeared.
While the orc cautiously blocked Aaron's attacks, Aaron was on edge from the unknown magical beasts and other orcs that could charge at him from anywhere.
And perhaps because of that.
Twing!
"Arghhh!"
He lost grip of his great sword, and the orc's razor-sharp axe sliced across his chest.
The wound was shallow, but Aaron foresaw his death.
In a life-or-death duel, dropping your sword meant death.
That green monster wouldn't wait for him to grab another.
'Damn it...!'
Aaron squeezed his eyes shut and collapsed in an unsightly heap.
But for some reason, the orc's axe didn't embed into his body.
Wondering what was happening, he looked up.
Grrrk.
He heard the sound of foaming blood.
Snapping his eyes open in shock, he saw a jagged, ugly sword piercing the orc's heart.
Thud. Behind the fallen orc stood a figure with jet-black hair and ash-gray eyes gazing at Aaron.
"Hm? You..."
"My armor's nemesis!!"
He was from House Jerban.
It was that Jerban he'd seen at the tavern.
"Nemesis?"
"Ah, to think I've met my lifesaver! Thank you! Thank you!! Savior!!"
Scrambling to bow his head, Aaron noticed the cold gaze shift elsewhere.
Wondering where he was heading in such a hurry, Aaron realized he was stabbing orcs in the back while other knights fought them.
No, he was saving the knights.
Aaron tilted his head but didn't dwell on it.
Right now, survival was what mattered.
"Brans! This guy's hurt!"
"Yes sir! Brans is on it!"
"Hm? You... haven't I seen you somewhere?"
Aaron bowed his head hastily.
"Not sure... ugh, it hurts so much."
"Goodness. Let me staunch the bleeding."
Fortunately, Brans didn't seem to remember the face that had punched him.
Considering it a relief, Aaron asked about the Jerban man ambushing orcs.
"What's that gentleman's name?"
"He is nobility among nobles, a man among men, direct blood of House Jerban, yet unsatisfied with that, he became a pilgrim—the iron-blooded sword ghost, yet harboring warmth in his heart..."
"No, what's his name!"
"He is Kallias von Jerban!"
Kallias von Jerban!
"I am Emily von Jerban. Your wound is shallow, so grab your sword again. Fight alongside that wastrel. You owe him your life—don't let him die even if you do."
"..."
"You would've died without Kallias! It was certain!"
"That's true, but..."
"That wastrel is throwing himself into saving them and killing orcs without a thought for his own life! You're bigger than him! Do something with that bulk!"
Aaron, swallowing his tears like mustard, dragged his aching body after the man in the fluttering red cape.
A smile crept across Emily's lips as she watched.
The number of knights following Kallias was growing.
When he'd first charged at the orcs, she'd thought he was mad.
But he was effortlessly killing orcs fighting knights and saving their lives.
Even though he must be struggling himself.
Even though orcs could swarm him from anywhere at any time, he kept saving knights.
"Thank goodness."
She didn't know what exactly she meant, but that's how it felt.
"Nia."
"Yes, Young Lady."
"Kallias will be fine, right?"
Knights were at his side now.
Not one without wounds, yet they dragged their injured bodies to follow him.
Mostly riffraff, but surviving orc axes even briefly proved they had some use.
"He'll be fine. Plenty doubt him, but he's still of House Jerban. And..."
The maid named Nia looked at Emily with bitter eyes.
"He is the Young Lady's..."
"Enough. He's just a wastrel. I'm worried only because if he gets hurt, we're done for. That's all."
The maid gazed sadly at Emily, who turned away deliberately.
* * *
'I saved that guy for nothing.'
He was the one who'd interrupted his meal at the inn. A knight relying solely on his size and strength to act tough.
If he'd known it was him, he wouldn't have bothered.
Kallias clicked his tongue.
-Killed Orcs: 12
-Killed Magical Beasts: 27
-Saved Lives: 15
<Reward> [C]-???
But the quest was progressing smoothly. The final question mark would be measured by saving knights ambushed by orcs in the White Forest.
So Kallias targeted orcs battling knights.
A bit sneaky, but ambushing from behind made killing orcs easy, and joining saved knights boosted survival.
To raise the reward grade, saving people scored higher than killing orcs.
And kills by saved knights counted as his own, so he had to hustle before they died.
Slash-!
Leaving the blood-spraying orc behind, Kallias turned and yelled at a fallen knight.
"Don't just lie there—pick up your sword."
"Y-yes! Ugh, right away!"
Time was tight.
Saving knights while slowly exiting the forest was harder than expected.
One body, but so many to save and kill.
Ten bodies wouldn't suffice.
'If only I could use Will-Driven Swordsmanship.'
Even the lesser Eonki Dong Swordsmanship would help.
What good were multiple swords without scabbards? Hanging a bunch from his belt would get cumbersome.
'Floating swords in the air with Will-Driven Swordsmanship, or artifacts/relics to hold multiples— that'd be ideal.'
Swords would only increase.
Number needed depended on unique abilities.
In the game, he'd had over twelve.
Even then, he needed artifacts, relics, or traits for multiples.
No such traits, and mastering them was absurdly high-level.
Artifacts and relics were hard to get, so he endured for now.
But as swords multiplied, this wouldn't do.
'No choice now.'
Slash-!
After felling another orc, Kallias yelled at the dazed, panting knights.
"If one-on-one is too much, fight two-on-one, three-on-one. If your skills suck, make up with numbers! Your skills are street pebble level, but pebbles become weapons when thrown!"
"Got it! Raaah!"
"Die, you monster!"
These weren't proper knights; they'd lose one-on-one against orc warriors.
Mostly wandering knights drawn north to become Jerban knights.
Some experience and swordplay, but unrefined blades.
"Damn, stress makes the wastrel trait pop out."
Stab-!
'Getting easier now.'
As knights increased, it eased up.
No matter how many orc warriors, knights engaged while Kallias struck vulnerabilities—easy kills.
-Killed Orcs: 32
-Killed Magical Beasts: 54
-Saved Lives: 21
<Reward> [B]-???
After frenzied takedowns, reward hit B-grade.
Spotting a young, gasping knight after another orc fell, Kallias thought:
Three years ago, he'd have been gasping too.
'Even slicing orcs here now proves...'
The last three years weren't wasted.
"Pilgrim sir! This area's nearly cleared!"
Kallias eyed the nameless knight reporting.
'Why report to me?'
Under his stare, the knight realized and introduced himself.
"I'm Allen!"
"I didn't ask your name."
"Sorry!"
Battle was wrapping up.
Grouping saved scattered knights simplified things.
But no relaxing.
Orcs still swarmed the forest.
Secure retreat while exiting slowly, grabbing gains.
"Tend wounded, exit forest. Kill orcs if spotted, beasts too. Check and take any surviving knights."
To raise rewards.
"As expected... Understood!"
"We'll follow the Pilgrim!"
"Just give orders!"
Kallias's eyebrow twitched. Saved knights' eyes sparkled annoyingly.
Too burdensome.
* * *
Orphin and the knights hurriedly exited the forest with Rivan and Rini.
They'd left quickly, but the orc ambush had been sudden, costing two of five knights—now three guarded the young Jerbans.
"You must hurry and evade."
"Orcs are the north's enemies. Why not fight? Orphin? I can fight too! Sword broke, but... this'll reach those black northern bastards!"
"Orders from Lord Killaban, next family head."
"Father..."
At Killaban's name, Rivan's mouth clamped shut.
Who wouldn't know?
Born Jerban meant bound by duty and pride to defend the north.
Orphin hadn't inherited Jerban blood but as a long-time northern knight, she yearned to charge in and behead orcs.
"Not yet."
But she was a knight.
Knight before swordsman.
Orders first.
"Brother, what happened to Fork?"
It was Rini.
Unlike belligerent Rivan, Rini had an enigmatic side.
Both kids, but Rini wasn't as straightforward.
"Hmph, idiot charged deep into the forest—probably orc chow already. Skilled or not, can't escape the greenskins blanketing White Forest."
"Maybe he fought well with the fork?"
"...No one fights with a fork in this world."
"But he fought you with a fork? So maybe orcs too. So curious. Wish I could fight like that with a fork!"
Rivan's face flushed red-purple.
Rini chattered in her unknowing-teasing way.
Whether she knew or not, most teased Rivan.
"Rest here a bit."
A small cave just outside White Forest.
Killaban ordered the kids wait here; Orphin had to guard young Jerbans till he arrived.
"Orphin, Orphin! Knights escaping over there."
"Is that so? I don't see..."
Nothing visible.
Just massive White Forest trees faintly. Too far for details.
Jerban blood indeed.
Ash-gray eyes saw distant details like clairvoyance.
"Yes. Quite a few survivors..."
"Hey! It's Fork!"
At "Fork," Orphin's ears perked.
'As expected...'
Alive.
With that skill, of course.
Orc axes strong, but not enough for easy kill.
"No way!"
"No, brother. Red cape for sure. Huh? He's with our group."
"With us?"
Rivan startled, squinting.
Rubbed eyes to see better, but couldn't.
"You sure? I can't see!"
"Of course. I can."
Rivan nodded.
Rini's eyes were special, better than his.
"Then what... a Jerban? Which uncle?"
But for that, the fork-fighting was too... brutal.
"No, new face. Wow... handsome. Never seen a face like that."
"That much?"
"Ah! I know! The wastrel!"
"Wastrel?"
Jerban's wastrel.
Even young Jerbans knew the infamous tale.
Worst dullard in centuries of House Jerban.
Noble disgrace.
Kicked out, yet church's black sheep—trash with widespread infamy.
Kallias von Jerban!
"So I lost to history's biggest Jerban dunce!?"
"Seems so."
Rivan tore at his hair; Rini stared mesmerized afar.
"Leading tons of knights... chased by orcs. Fights well. Other knights dumb, but wastrel—no, Kallias fights really well."
Yet still.
"Too many orcs."
Knights emerging from snowy white forest.
Chased by dark green horde. Ant-like orc numbers too vast, even to her young eyes.
And soon.
"The border..."
"Br, breached! The border...!!"
The north's border dyed green.