Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: 21. Black Dog (2)
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Cory looked flustered, but Graham knew it was a joke and let out a low chuckle.
"I've been rude."
"Yeah. So can I ask you something too?"
"Of course."
"Why were you demoted to a white-clad attendant?"
"Well..."
Yuri had a rough idea already.
Graham was a knight who stuck to his principles. He wouldn't bend to power or commit unjust acts.
He'd probably refused an unacceptable order—or something along those lines.
Graham lowered his gaze.
"It's nothing. I just stopped something I thought was wrong."
Yuri pressed for more specifics.
"What exactly was it?"
"I can't say."
"What's there between us that you can't tell me?"
"..."
"You can't?"
"No."
"Fine. How about this, then? Who was it that sentenced you to white-clad duty?"
"That's..."
"Sir Graham."
Yuri patted Cory's back and shot him a warning glance.
"Our Cory here..."
Cory jumped in to defend Graham, flustered.
"Whoa, Your Highness. Sir Graham just came to ask about the orcs..."
"It's fine. Besides, if I really wanted to, I could find out who gave the order anyway."
He might not know the full details, but digging around would reveal who'd sentenced Graham.
Graham gave a wry smile.
"Understood. I'll tell you."
He looked up at the sky as he spoke.
"It was Princess Ekaterina Ivarna Grangzaiyen."
Yuri thought to himself.
Why the hell is she popping up here again?
As they reached the hills, the stench of orcs hit them.
This wasn't some metaphor.
Along the allied forces' path, human corpses with slit bellies were impaled on stakes.
Chopped into pieces—likely what the orcs had left after feasting—maggots writhed in the spilled guts everywhere.
Ragnar burst out laughing instead.
"Amusing. Is this how the orcs welcome us?"
Yuri stepped forward.
"Your Grace. I'll go burn them."
"Do it."
Yuri led the knights to dispose of the visible corpses as they went.
As he stroked his horse's mane, watching the bodies burn...
"Orcs leave the corpses they've eaten until they rot."
"Why?"
"It's like how humans decorate with animal hides."
That was orc culture.
They just did it that way.
What humans found repulsive was a point of pride for them.
The closer they got to the orc settlement, the more barren the land became. Cracked earth, withered plants.
"Feels like a desert."
"What's wrong with this place?"
"I heard orc waste pollutes the soil."
"These guys have all kinds of tricks."
The knights chattered as they set fire to the corpses. The smell of burning flesh filled the air.
Further on, they reached a spot littered with especially many bodies.
A steep wall enclosed a pile of corpses, and the path ahead for the allied forces led into a ravine surrounded by low cliffs.
Yuri halted there.
"Hold."
"Pardon?"
"Stop."
He called back two knights who'd advanced without thinking.
"Dyke! Guinness!"
"Yes?"
"Fall back!"
"Got i—"
An arrow whistled through the air.
They swung their swords on reflex, but it was too sudden to block properly.
An arrow lodged in Guinness's arm.
"Damn it!"
They scrambled back. Yuri pulled the entire knight order rearward.
Orcs stood on the cliffs overlooking the allied forces, bows at the ready.
"You alright, Guinness?"
"Yes..."
"Don't let your eyes wander on the battlefield."
"My apologies."
He lowered his gaze.
No need to press further—he'd feel the most shame himself.
"Don't keep worrying me."
Yuri delivered warm words in a cold tone.
Guinness bowed his head even deeper.
"I'm sorry..."
"Simon, Dyke."
"Yes."
"Guard Guinness."
"Understood."
Since blocking that night raid, the three young knights had leaned on each other.
Yuri half-rose in his saddle to scout the cliffs.
"This isn't good."
The path was vulnerable to attack. They could rain down strikes from above anytime.
At least the cliffs weren't that spacious, so the orcs up there probably weren't too numerous.
"A ravine, huh..."
He'd fought something similar in his past life.
The mercenaries' response had been straightforward: climb the cliffs and eliminate the enemy. Yuri's unit, always stuck with the riskiest jobs, handled it.
Yuri rode back to Ragnar and reported the situation.
"What should we do?"
"Climb up and clear them out."
"Confident?"
"Yes."
With Yuri having scouted the terrain first, it was only natural he'd take the job.
The allied forces halted at a suitable spot and loosed arrows upward. The orcs holding that point scattered.
Yuri lightened his gear and led the knights to the cliff base.
"Follow me."
"Yes!"
Once more, Yuri took point.
He activated his Mana Circulation Method and scaled the cliff. The rock held firm—good grips.
Yuri ascended without hesitation.
"Be careful!"
A shout came from below.
A massive boulder tumbled from above.
The allied forces fired arrows again.
Amid falling rocks and rising arrow volleys, Yuri pressed himself flat against the cliff.
The boulder grazed past, barely missing. Yuri moved again without pause.
The summit drew near.
The moment his fingertips touched the top...
He paused, grabbing Guilty from his back with his other hand.
An orc face popped out.
Yuri swung Guilty as if he'd been waiting. The orc's severed head rolled down.
Orc blood splashed over Yuri.
"Ptoo."
He spat blood and saliva, then leaped up.
More orcs atop the cliff than expected. Their shields bristled with allied arrows like porcupines.
They spotted Yuri and scowled fiercely.
"Come on, you lot."
The orcs dropped shields and raised weapons. Yuri leveled Guilty ahead.
"What're you waiting for?"
Yuri glanced down briefly.
"These bastards..."
The knights were still far below. Slower climbers than anticipated. Waiting would take time.
He needed to buy it.
Should add cliff-scaling drills, he thought, charging forward.
"Brioll!"
"Akuak kai! Akumetum!"
Several orcs rushed him at once.
Through repeated battles, Yuri's senses had sharpened.
He perceived all incoming blades simultaneously.
Dodging outward, he swung Guilty.
Heart-Soul Severing's mana thrashed like a living thing. The sword aura sliced through orc leather armor and tough hide alike.
"Graaack!"
The orcs' eyes turned to Yuri as he sidestepped.
He took a few more steps.
From above, the battlefield layout was crystal clear—like looking down from on high. He could easily see how to avoid encirclement.
Yuri slashed the legs of an orc turning toward him. It lost balance. Its aimless axe buried in the ground.
He went for the kill, but other orcs charged. Yuri retreated without regret.
The fallen orc got trampled and crushed by its own kind.
Yuri yelled toward the cliff.
"When the hell are you climbing up?!"
Even stalling had limits.
Realizing Yuri was buying time, some orcs bolted back to the cliff.
"We're here!"
Two finally arrived.
Rolang and Jared.
They hit the summit and clashed with orcs, swords flashing.
Metal rang out.
More knights followed. Melee erupted.
"Tight space! Use the terrain!"
Brute force wouldn't beat orcs. Knights grappling weapons were getting pushed back.
Yuri aided a knight in peril.
"Watch it."
"Thank you!"
"Like this."
The orc roared at Yuri. He parried as if to counter—then deflected the blow. Momentum carried the orc stumbling to the cliff edge.
Yuri roundhouse-kicked its back.
The orc plummeted, its scream echoing before cutting off with a thud.
"Orcs have big swings. Exploit the openings."
"Y-yes, sir!"
Yuri looked up.
Brioll was traditionally a land of knights. Their prowess shone.
The knight order, adapting to orcs, gained the edge—sending more over the cliff.
With the fight wrapped, Yuri signaled to press on.
Ragnar approved gladly.
"Not done yet. Weapons up."
"Yes!"
No time to rest.
Yuri led the knights charging ahead.
The cliff-top orcs couldn't react properly to the sudden foes.
Brioll knights clearing the way sped up the allied advance.
Yuri reached the cliff's end—no further to go.
They'd fully seized the high ground.
"Whew..."
His view opened wide. The orc settlement stood clear in the distance.
Kurui's fortress—the one they'd smash next.
Already fortified: sharpened logs densely packed between barricades.
"Impressive scale. Matches the allied forces."
"Think you can handle that many orcs?"
"I'm not fighting alone."
"True enough."
Brioll knights tied ropes to rocks and rappelled down. Eyes turned as they hit the ground.
The Holy Kingdom was marching past.
"Aren't you stealing too much glory?"
Sibylla approached with a word.
"Any wounded knights? I'll send priests."
"Hm..."
Yuri glanced back. No deaths, but a few knights limped.
"Yeah. Thanks."
Hernando and Jermaine were around, but building ties with Holy Kingdom priests wasn't bad. They were valuable assets.
Clear of the ravine, the allied forces were setting up camp.
"See you later."
"Good work."
Yuri returned to the Brioll camp, where tents were rising.
Sunset.
He entered his already-pitched tent. A messenger followed with a report.
"Commanders' meeting tonight. At the supreme commander's tent."
"Got it. And the Holy Kingdom's sending priests later—treat them well after healing."
"Understood. Shall I bring dinner here?"
"Nah. I'll go."
"Yes."
Yuri perched on his cot.
Real battles started tomorrow. He caressed the hilt of Guilty leaning nearby.
"Hm..."
The lantern light inside flickered faintly.
"Weird."
Yuri muttered. The lantern shook again, shadows swaying.
"Why are you here?"
Yuri looked up. Asana had appeared out of nowhere.
She leaned against the table, eyeing him.
"I tracked the outsider."
"And?"
"Over there."
Asana pointed at the wall—the direction of the orc army.
"The outsider's an orc?"
"Not an orc, but with them."
"Working with orcs?"
"Opposite."
Asana spoke calmly.
"They're a prisoner."
"Prisoner?"
Yuri tilted his head.
Without Okua stepping in, one of the Ten Strong wouldn't end up a mere captive.
"Probably after something."
"What's their angle?"
"Tried infiltrating, but allied forces tightened security. I could attempt it. What now?"
"Stand by."
Yuri shook his head.
"Perfect. I'll ask them myself."
"Seems like they're faking captivity for some goal. Might get mad if the allied forces mess it up. Be careful."
"Can't be helped..."
Yuri scratched his head.
Dealing with Ten Strong level meant risks.
"Anyway, the outsider wants Okua."
Even the prisoner bit seemed part of that.
So he'd just help the outsider with the allied forces.
Enemy of my enemy...
"Just in case, when battle hits tomorrow, slip inside and confirm the outsider."
Asana stared blankly instead of answering.
"What?"
"I'll guard you instead."
"I didn't hire you as a bodyguard. I protect myself."
Asana blinked. Then nodded.
"Got it."
"Good."
Yuri stood.
"Wanna eat while you're here? The cooks make good grub."
"I'm fine."
"Today's menu is..."
He buckled on Guilty and looked up—Asana was gone.
Yuri scanned the tent and chuckled.
"Impressive."
He stepped outside.
The moon was rising.
Mess rations were underway at the distribution point. Yuri headed there.
"Huh?"
He stopped.
Something stood there.
Yuri looked up.
"You..."
It made no sense.
"What the...?"
A pitch-black orc stood there.