Chapter 117
Chapter 117
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: Alliance Proposal
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"…An alliance?"
Hatan, Arges, and Brontes—who was being supported by Arges as they moved.
Traveling with just these three, I made a bold proposal straight to Arges.
'Let's join hands.'
"Yeah, exactly that. Let's join hands with us."
"Chwiik! What nonsense is this, Jerome! Do you have any idea how many of our kin have died under the merciless hammers of the Cyclopes?!"
Hatan leaped up as if he'd heard something outrageous at my suggestion.
"We're no different. Countless Cyclopes have fallen to the orcs' ruthless blades. Suggesting we join hands now is simply absurd."
Arges shook his head, equally appalled.
"Hmm…"
But Brontes, lying behind Arges, remained silent, saying nothing.
'That one's the key.'
Let's start with the basics.
"Do you really plan to keep this war going? You've all felt it over these past six months. No matter who wins, the losses will be devastating."
"…Chwiik!"
"Well…"
Neither Hatan nor Arges could refute that. Of course not—the ones who'd actually fought knew it better than I did.
"And Hatan, you were on the battlefield today, so you know. If Brontes had joined from the start, the orcs never could've won against the Cyclopes."
Hatan said nothing in response. He knew it too. One-on-one might be debatable, but facing both Arges and Brontes at once was impossible.
"And Arges, you Cyclopes held Brontes back for a reason, didn't you? Say, to keep an eye on the humans beyond the mountains."
"…!!"
Arges reflexively glanced at Brontes upon hearing my guess.
"…Yes, my king. I told him."
"Brother! Why would you…!"
Brontes squeezed his eyes shut at Arges's protest.
"…I had no choice. With my defeat, if the lord falls too, the humans beyond the mountains will learn the Cyclops tribe still stands strong. I had to prevent that."
'Just as I thought.'
That story Brontes had told when he collapsed earlier—it held the answer.
'These guys… they're afraid of humans.'
It was unexpected.
In the past, even when the Holy Empire conquered the entire continent, the only demonic realm they couldn't breach was the Dragon Mountains.
Yet here were the Cyclopes—one of the pinnacle races atop those very mountains—wary of humans.
"Surprising. Cyclopes of all races, fearing humans."
"…Ha! You're human yourself, yet you have no clue how terrifying they are."
Brontes flicked his ear as if I'd said something ridiculous.
"Humans number in the tens—hundreds of millions. You're right, most couldn't stand against us. But every now and then, monsters pop up among you. Like, for example."
Brontes pointed at me with a finger crusted in blood and snot.
"Guys just like you."
"…Me?"
An evaluation I hadn't seen coming.
"Don't tell me you haven't realized it yourself? I'm the king's guard, the strongest warrior among the Cyclopes. Sure, if His Majesty grows further, I wouldn't stand a chance."
Brontes lifted the hilt of his shattered twin swords.
"By human standards, I'm a master—at the very least. But a young human like you surpassed me."
Brontes's gaze shifted to Hatan.
"Hatan, that's why we stopped you. You're strong, no doubt. You probably have talent on par with that human. You could inflict massive damage on the humans beyond the mountains."
"Chwiik! Inflicting damage is just the start, chwik! We'll conquer the lands outside the mountains. Chwik!"
Hatan rejected Brontes's words, but Brontes let out a scornful chuckle, as if it were preposterous.
"Ha! You have no idea of the humans' power beyond the mountains. The ones guarding their walls are on another level entirely. Maybe even stronger than the Elf Queen."
"…!!"
Elf Queen.
Hatan froze at Minerva's name, his rebuttal dying on his lips. He'd witnessed her power firsthand too.
"If our lord and you grow much stronger, maybe. But as we are now, pushing through us would only bring annihilation to your orc kin. We've been protecting not just ourselves, but every race in these mountains."
Brontes stared straight into Hatan's eyes and asked.
"So, Orc King, tell me. Is your dream conquest… or extinction?"
"Chwiik. Stagnant waters rot. You lot give up before even trying out of fear. You'll avoid extinction, sure—but you'll never breach the human walls."
"Better than extinction."
"Chwiik. Cowering in fear is extinction itself. Your souls are already dead."
As their debate heated up, I clapped my hands to lighten the mood.
"Alright, alright. There's a path that makes everyone happy, so let's talk it out."
All three heads turned to me in unison.
"To sum up, Hatan. You want to conquer lands beyond the mountains."
"Chwiik, yes."
Hatan affirmed it. Then I turned to the Cyclopes.
"Arges, Brontes. You're afraid of losing to the humans beyond and seeing the mountains fall. Right?"
"…Right."
"Then the answer's simple."
I ticked off my fingers as I spoke.
"We start conquering beyond the mountains—and win without letting them crumble. Problem solved, no?"
"If it were that easy, we wouldn't have stopped Hatan! But…!"
"We'll help you."
I cut off Arges's outburst.
"What?"
"Join us. Orcs, Cyclopes, and even Lycanthropes, Elves—other races too."
I thumped my gauntleted fist against my chest.
"We'll rally support from all the kingdoms south of the mountains too. So."
Grinning brightly despite my battered body, I extended a hand to Arges.
"Let's pool our strength. Conquer the Empire."
Three months earlier. The war between the orcs—lords of the Dragon Mountains' southwest—and the Cyclopes—lords of the northeast.
Unknown to humans, this clash drew the eyes of every demi-human and monster in the Dragon Mountains.
It was a war between the mountains' true dominators.
But after six months, that grand conflict ended more anticlimactically than expected.
A truce.
Both lords gravely wounded, they compromised on no further fighting.
Though it ended in truce, the mountain races saw it as an orc defeat.
For relentless, savage orcs to choose truce meant they lacked the strength to continue.
The Cyclopes rarely ventured beyond their territory anyway—if left alone, there was no reason to fight.
Thus, the battle for mountain supremacy ended with the orcs' de facto loss.
"Chwiik! I hate this, chwik!"
An orc astride a massive white wolf—its fur spotless like fresh snow—grimaced in endless dissatisfaction.
"I'm with you. Sparing the invaders has bred dissent among our kin against the lord."
A Cyclops across from him, twin swords crossed on his back, grumbled in agreement.
"Enough already?"
I mediated these two chronic complainers as we headed northwest through the mountains.
"It was the best choice. Revealing our alliance would only weaken your positions within your tribes."
"…Chwiik!"
"…Hmph!"
Hatan and Brontes turned away, displeased.
'Not kids anymore, geez.'
Still, credit where due—they'd accepted it.
Three months ago.
"…Tempting. But that's problematic."
Cyclops Lord Arges had rejected my outstretched hand.
"Too much blood has been spilled for peace now. Families who've faced their kin slaughtered by orcs won't forgive it."
"Chwiik! Same for us, chwik! Compromising again with those who blocked our great march? Many tribes following me would turn away, chwik!"
Hatan reacted the same, unwilling.
'Naturally.'
That's why I'd changed venues.
"Fine then. One of you dies here outright, the other left half-dead to be devoured miserably by other mountain monsters—mutual destruction it is."
"…"
"…"
The lords fell silent again at my words.
I drove the point home firmly.
"Don't forget—you're kings leading your races before you're warriors."
I spoke earnestly, looking at Hatan and Arges.
"Immediate discontent is inevitable. But stack up achievements to silence the opposition."
"…Achievements?"
Arges's single eye sparkled with interest.
"We'll conquer the lesser dragons."
"…!!"
"You Cyclopes are hardy warriors and master craftsmen. Don't you want to work those scales?"
"…"
"Slaying the lesser dragons you couldn't touch before? It'll solidify your lordship."
Arges and Brontes both swallowed hard.
The Dragon Mountains brimmed with rare continental treasures, but lacked ores the Cyclopes could forge.
That's why Brontes's twin swords shattered so easily under me.
Wyvern and drake hides rivaled mithril—priceless materials.
Flood the Cyclopes with them, and Arges's position would be unshakeable.
"…Chwik! Fine for them, Jerome. But what do I gain?"
Hatan, who'd listened quietly, glared suspiciously.
"Chwik! You asked me to help hunt wyverns in exchange for aiding against the Cyclopes. But like this? Chwik! I get nothing!"
True enough.
He had every reason to think so.
I looked not at Hatan, but Arges and Brontes.
"Supply those weapons you craft to the orcs."
"…Chwiik?"
"…What?"
Both reacted slowly, caught off guard.
"Hunt wyverns, Cyclopes forge weapons. Arm the orcs with them. When the time comes, clear a path for them—and strike beyond the mountains together."
I grinned, lips curling up.
"Everyone wins, right?"
And now, three months later.
With wounds healed, we marched to hunt wyverns.
Saladin's group with me, Lycanthrope packs, orc riders, and Cyclopes.
Plenty of force to hit the lesser dragon northwest territory.
'Good. Keep it up.'
Success in recruiting the Dragon Mountains' southwest and northeast lords—orcs and Cyclopes.
And the Lycanthropes in the southeast, small though they were.
The northwest—harsh even by mountain standards—didn't overlap human lands.
One major threat to our family and kingdom, neutralized.
Weaken the wyverns next, harvest scales for dispel weapons.
Smooth orc and Cyclops integration, and western prep against the Holy Empire is set.
'Even Ibarella won't suspect orcs or Cyclopes invading the Empire.'
Orcs dominating the Dragon Mountains was gossip among mountain races—most continental humans were clueless.
Succeed here, and alongside dispel weapons, I'd gain another hidden dagger against the Empire.
Then, finally.
'One-third of my grand design complete.'
Dragon Mountains.
Kingdom Alliance.
Punish Archipelago.
First piece done, and I relaxed a bit unconsciously.
But soon.
I'd learn why the lesser dragons ruled the northwest peaks.