Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: 15. Uninvited Guests (3)
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"I'll stake my life to protect this orc."
"Hey, I told you not to. Your safety is what matters."
"Yes!"
Yuri flashed a grin before leading the remaining two knights away.
The explosions and clashing of weapons were gradually dying down.
"Let's hurry."
As they pressed on, Yuri noticed the other two knights, Guinness and Dyke, giving off strange vibes.
Was it because he'd paid too much attention to Simon? The pair seemed gripped by jealousy and rivalry.
Yuri clicked his tongue.
Why were these grown men, well past adulthood, acting this way toward an eighteen-year-old boy?
But he didn't want to blame them. Having thrown themselves into battle risking their lives, they probably craved some sense of meaning.
Yuri spoke up.
"You two."
They both looked at him with eager expressions.
But Yuri wasn't so indiscriminate as to praise them the same way as before.
Every man needed his own fitting approach.
Yuri's voice sharpened.
"Tired already? Panting like that? You think this is a training ground?"
"W-Well..."
"I mean..."
Their faces darkened rapidly.
Just as their steps began to drag sullenly...
"Here."
Yuri stopped abruptly and handed over the pouch at his waist.
It was a water skin filled with water.
The two stared at Yuri.
Without looking at them, Yuri glared ahead and muttered,
"D-Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not giving it to you because I'm worried about you."
To a lowly scribe like Simon who'd been pushed around, he had to be the "kind big brother." And to pampered young lords like these, the "man they wanted to be."
They stared blankly at Yuri before finally taking the water skin.
"Th-Thank you."
"Hmph. No need to thank me. I'm just handing it off before leaving."
"Yes..."
"I'm only a little worried about you two."
"Huh?"
Not "not worried at all," but "a little worried."
Something flickered in their eyes.
The moment they drank, Yuri slapped their backs. One choked and coughed.
"If you're snapped out of it, let's move!"
"Yes!"
"Kuhk, yes!"
Yuri dashed toward the nearest skirmish.
Three knights were facing off against a single orc.
He jumped right in, swinging his sword. The orc startled and fell back.
"What are you doing? Get over here."
"Yes!"
"Pin it down!"
Guinness and Dyke joined immediately.
Six knights surrounded the orc. It couldn't resist and was hacked apart.
"You can't beat numbers. Beat it down. Everyone, follow me."
"Yes!"
And so Yuri led the knights around, lynching every orc in combat one after another.
There were occasional explosions, but the fire-resistant cloaks kept the damage minimal.
"Whew..."
Yuri wiped the sweat from his brow.
The results were satisfying.
Without the fire-resistant cloaks—or if he hadn't prepared the knights—the army's rations and supplies destined for Valshar would have gone up in flames.
"Clear the dead ones. Bring the live ones to my tent."
"Understood."
Yuri clutched his throbbing shoulder and returned to camp.
Hernando was warming himself by the bonfire. Spotting Yuri, he waved.
"Handled it well?"
"Of course."
"Any injuries?"
"Shoulder."
"Come here."
A healing spell manifested from his hand.
"Shoulders are prone to injury. You need to stretch properly. Do you do rotator cuff exercises?"
"Just got hit by an orc."
"Sigh. You go around getting smacked?"
"This guy..."
"All done."
Hernando pulled away, and Yuri rotated his shoulder.
The pain vanished like it was washed away. Better than most priests.
"Where's Cory?"
"Sent him on an errand. Ah, here he comes."
Cory was waddling over, carrying something.
"Sir Hernando, got it."
"Good work."
It was a large wooden chair.
Beast faces were carved into the backrest and armrest ends, wrapped in dark leather—like something a bandit chief would use to flaunt his power.
"A commander needs dignity, after all."
Cory placed the chair behind Yuri.
"Where'd you get this?"
"Get it? Asked a carpenter among the soldiers."
"Well, I'll be..."
Yuri plopped down into the chair.
"Good job."
"Heh heh heh..."
The backrest rose high even after cradling Yuri's frame.
The leather wrapping around his back felt nice.
Yuri rested his hands on the armrests and waited leisurely.
Soon the orcs were dragged in.
Some regained consciousness and resisted but quieted after kicks from the knights.
These guys who could barely move in front of orcs at Haime's castle had grown a lot.
Yuri smiled contentedly.
He'd ordered Orcbal brought last.
"Kneel them one by one."
"Yes!"
The first orc was slammed down before Yuri.
Surrounded by knights, it slumped by the bonfire and growled at Yuri.
"Cory, relay my words."
"Yes."
"Who ordered the night raid?"
Cory asked in orcish.
The fallen orc's gaze locked onto Cory. Its face twisted.
The orc bellowed in a guttural voice.
Cory flinched for a moment.
"What'd it say?"
"It..."
"Threats, right?"
Obvious.
It was threatening the half-orc Cory who spoke orcish.
Yuri stood.
"Prince?"
Raymond, standing nearby, called out. Yuri ignored him and approached the orc.
No time to drag this out.
Torturing regular orcs was just prep to instill fear in Orcbal.
"Wh-What should I relay?"
"Forget it."
The threatening orc happened to have long hair. Yuri grabbed its topknot.
He shoved the orc's face into the bonfire.
A horrific scream echoed.
Yuri held it until the face melted. As it flailed, he dislocated both shoulders.
"Gaaaaah!"
Flames poured into its open mouth.
Even its screams crumbled to the fire. Vocal cords burned out—it convulsed then went limp.
Yuri dropped it to the ground.
Not quite dead. Heart still beating amid the ruined face.
"Drag it away."
Yuri nodded curtly.
The knights hesitated, then Jared stepped up and hauled it off.
"Next."
Yuri jerked his chin at the orc group and returned to his seat.
Silence fell all around.
The chair that seemed a bit comical moments ago now looked terrifying.
The knights tensed at the unexpected brutality.
Soon another orc was flung before Yuri.
"Cory. Ask the same question."
"Y-Yes."
Cory repeated verbatim.
This orc didn't spew curses right away. It just glared, teeth clenched.
Yuri stood again.
The orc belatedly tried to say something.
"W-Wait, Prince. The orc says..."
"Forget it."
Yuri waved him off. Cory shut up.
"These bastards get one chance."
Yuri felt no pity for orcs.
They were innately hostile to all life. Not just another culture's异種族, but a plague polluting the world.
As Yuri approached, the orc dragged its broken legs and lunged.
Yuri swung Guilty, severing its wrist. The hand flew through the air.
He kicked the body into the bonfire.
Flames engulfed it.
As it thrashed, ash scattered and embers flew. Yuri drew a dagger from his bosom and stabbed it into the orc.
One of the four-element swords Guillermo procured—the Crystal Sword of Water.
The water aura protected Yuri and the orc's body. The flames died down, steam billowing.
Yuri pulled the orc from the fire. It oozed pus from burns everywhere.
"Ugh, gross."
He dragged it over and tossed it by the first orc. Both half-dead, writhing on the ground.
"Next."
Yuri sat back down. The mood was solemnly tense.
In the knights' surrounding silence, another orc was forced to kneel before him.
Yuri gestured.
Cory asked again. The orc answered.
"Doesn't know."
"Doesn't know?"
"Yes. Ask more?"
Yuri checked the remaining orc prisoners. Two left, including Orcbal.
"Jared."
"Yes."
"You do it."
"Understood."
Jared got the idea and approached. The orc gave up resistance, bowing and begging.
But it met the same fate—face shoved into the fire, tossed half-melted to the ground.
Yuri propped his chin.
"Now, it'll have to spill info quick and simple."
The next orc spoke fast. Cory tilted his head, listening closely.
"What'd it say?"
"Doesn't know. Says Orcbal knows the mission details. Begs for life—says just follow orders, interrogate Orcbal instead."
"Shows effort."
He left that orc intact, standing aside.
Finally, Orcbal was brought out.
Cory glanced at Yuri. This time, Yuri changed the question.
"Did Oqua order it?"
Cory asked Orcbal, cocking his head. At "Oqua," Orcbal's eyes sharpened.
But it didn't speak easily.
Seemed lost in thought.
"Tell it to answer."
"Asks if you'll spare it if it does."
"Say yes."
"Doesn't believe it."
"Then it dies."
"Says it has lots of info. Will tell all if you give proof of mercy."
"Annoying for a soon-to-be corpse."
Yuri muttered. Cory skipped translating that.
"What proof?"
"Humans value oaths, so give that."
"An oath..."
Orcbal spoke again. Cory relayed.
"Oath in front of all its subordinates."
Yuri chuckled.
Fighting humans had taught it how to navigate shrewdly.
Enemy or not, breaking his word as commander would erode trust.
"Fine."
Yuri nodded and stood.
"We'll do that."
With Cory in between, Yuri and Orcbal exchanged oaths.
No attacks on each other. In return, Orcbal would share the info Yuri asked for.
Orcbal emphasized.
"'Attack breaks the oath. Honor falls to the dirt.'"
"An orc mouthing honor. Irks me."
Daring to utter that word grated.
Mercenary days taught Yuri orcs knew no justice or morality.
"Do it."
With the deal sealed, Yuri questioned Orcbal.
"Oqua's orders?"
"Yes. Specifically, this orc's chieftain sent it on Oqua's command."
"How'd they know about the Allied Forces?"
"Oqua has ways to get info. Doesn't know how."
"All steppe orcs follow Oqua?"
"Biggest tribes unified under Oqua. Rest is time. Power growing still."
Orcbal didn't know much—just what Yuri could guess.
Yuri asked a few more, then wrapped up.
"So orcs were prepping for war."
"Yes. Even without humans, war would happen."
He hadn't expected intricate details. Enough to grasp what Oqua, the foe ahead, was.
"That's all it knows. Low rank despite being Orcbal, unavoidable..."
"Fine. Good work."
Cory relayed. Orcbal scowled.
"Asks if it can go now."
"Hm..."
Yuri looked around.
The knights now knew who they'd face.
Oqua.
A monstrous entity.
By its death, Oqua's name sat on the continent's top ten power list.
"Nothing you want to ask?"
Yuri asked the knights. Silence, then one raised a hand.
"How strong is Oqua?"
Good question.
Yuri nodded; Cory asked Orcbal.
Orcbal burst laughing.
Not the wary attitude before.
"Dozens of Orcbals like it couldn't win. Guarantees stronger than anything in the world."
The mood sank.
Yuri nodded.
"Tell it to go."
"Yes."
"Take other orcs if it wants."
"No need."
Orcbal straightened, scanned the knights, grinned, and strode out of camp.
Like a victor, not vanquished.
"Really letting it go?"
Jared asked. Yuri nodded.
"I swore."
"Still..."
"I'm Brioll's prince. I don't break oaths."
He subtly flashed something from his pouch.
Jared's eyes widened, then he chuckled low.
"I see."
"Yeah."
The red gem necklace stolen from bandits.
It could enrage orcs into frenzy—power sealed now.
Hernando modded it to inject mana when needed.
Yuri circulated his Mana Method. The gem's power awakened.
Orcbal halted mid-stride.
"Hey, Orcbal!"
Yuri shouted.
"Farewell!"
He waved.
Orcbal turned.
Its eyes turned blood-red.
"Grrr..."
Its face contorted fully.
Nostrils twitching, mouth opening and closing.
"Works like a charm."
Orcbal seemed to fight the madness coiling around it.
But couldn't defy instinct.
It roared massively.
Knights raised weapons in alarm. Orcbal charged Yuri madly.
"Stop it!"
No need for Yuri to step up.
Camp knights swarmed, blocking it. Strong as Orcbal was, not against all of them.
Soon it collapsed, riddled by the knights, bleeding everywhere.
Still glaring at Yuri with crimson eyes to the end.
"Kill it."
Yuri said. Rolang beside him drew and severed its head.
The head rolled to Yuri's feet.
Yuri grabbed the ears and lifted it. Eyes still bulging in death.
The mysterious madness lingered in its pupils.
"Impale it on a spear and set it up."