Chapter 27
Chapter 27
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: The Orc Breeding Ground
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The orcs' habitat was probably connected to the capital's underground sewers.
But I had no intention of heading down there right away. Who knew what lurked in those depths?
It was better to gather the minimum evidence needed for persuasion and follow proper procedures.
The plan was simple.
First, report it to the Capital Guard. They'd probably dismiss it as pie-in-the-sky nonsense.
Then, use that dismissal as leverage to get Valerius or the princess to step in.
And so, I arrived at the Guard headquarters.
"Loyalty! Researcher Uphills, what brings you here?"
The guards on sentry duty snapped to attention and saluted crisply.
I was dumbfounded. Since when had I earned this kind of treatment?
It seemed my speech had given me some recognition after all.
"Loyalty."
I returned their salute. Medal recipients under imperial law received officer-level honors.
"The reason I'm here is..."
I explained the situation to them.
That I'd spotted orcs, and based on their location, the sewers seemed suspicious.
This was the point where they should brush it off as nonsense...
"Is that true?"
"Damn... We should've been searching the forests instead!"
To my surprise, they took it seriously.
"We'll report to the superiors right away..."
"No, better to take you straight to see them..."
"Yeah, that makes sense."
The guards huddled briefly, then began leading the way.
"The captain's office is this way!"
Somehow, I ended up being escorted to the Guard captain's office.
'Good thing I brought evidence just in case.'
The moment the door opened, I couldn't believe my eyes.
Inside the office, a familiar golden-haired princess was grilling the Guard captain.
"So you're saying you still haven't identified the cause after weeks?"
"My apologies, Your Highness. But with no traces of mana, tracking has been difficult..."
I wondered if I'd walked into the wrong place and started backing away, but the princess spotted me and beamed.
"Oh, Isaac! Perfect timing. Come sit."
Escape was impossible now. Might as well report everything here.
I cut straight to the chase.
I'd encountered orcs that morning on the city's outskirts, and my guess was they were moving through the underground sewers.
After hearing me out, the princess rested her chin on her hand, smirking.
"So, you took out that orc in a flash?"
"Something like that, but let's focus on the incident."
"I was just about to assign it to you anyway."
She handed me a request form: [Investigation of Abnormal Orc Activity Near the Capital].
My name was already on it, so it looked like she really had planned to commission our school.
She eyed me.
"Did you investigate ahead because you knew I'd hand you this request?"
"No way."
"Liar."
"..."
The princess had already made up her mind. Arguing further seemed pointless.
Time for business.
I pointed to the capital map spread on the desk.
"It seems the Guard has been assuming there's an undiscovered orc habitat somewhere near the capital... but I see it differently."
I pulled out a few sheets of parchment from my pocket and overlaid them on the map.
"This visualizes the orcs' sighting paths, and this marks the sewer outlets."
The princess's eyes narrowed.
"They overlap quite a bit."
The Guard captain objected.
"Orcs in the sewers? Orcs eat a ton... They couldn't survive down there."
"Captain, shut your mouth."
The princess's icy tone silenced him.
If I didn't back him up here, my relationship with the captain might sour.
So I addressed him.
"You're right. Orcs aren't suited to living underground."
"...So you're agreeing with me?"
"Yes. You and I both."
"What does that mean?"
"Some organization is breeding orcs underground and releasing them to the surface for a specific purpose."
"..."
The captain was speechless again. After a moment, he spoke.
"We need to deploy the troops immediately."
I nodded.
"That's one option. There's a risk they'll flee, but it would resolve the incident."
"...You're implying there's a better way. Speak."
I told them.
"We need a sewage hydrology survey."
The next day, Guard Marcus was racking his brains over a mission unlike any he'd faced before.
In his hands were sewage samples scooped from manholes all over the capital, reeking disgustingly.
They were meticulously sorted by time and location.
"What the hell are we supposed to do with these...?"
His comrades answered.
"It's the hero's orders. He'll handle it."
"Right?"
Just follow orders. The brass would sort it out.
The Guards carried the samples up to the Magic Tower.
They arrived at the research lab of the Magic Tower's Water Element Magic School.
The young 'hero' had borrowed their facilities for some investigation.
The moment Marcus entered, he sensed the tense atmosphere.
There was palpable friction between Isaac and the lab's resident mages.
"Mr. Uphills, we've told you a dozen times: mana detection came up empty!"
A senior researcher shouted, but Isaac didn't flinch.
"We're looking for biological markers, not mana. This is by Her Highness's command. Cooperate."
At the mention of the 'princess,' the lab staff reluctantly stepped aside.
They muttered as they passed Marcus.
"Damn it. If this fails, he's done."
"..."
No guts to say it to his face, huh.
Marcus ignored them and handed the samples to Isaac.
"Please take care of it, Mr. Uphills."
Isaac replied.
"Must've been tough collecting these. Thank you."
The black-haired hero extended a handshake to Marcus.
His hands were filthy from handling the samples... Marcus tried to pull back subtly.
But Isaac grabbed it firmly.
"They're dirty."
"Hands are supposed to be dirty. Filthier than a toilet."
"..."
Marcus didn't get it, but it was oddly touching.
'Definitely not some pampered scholar.'
The hero would've fit right in with the army.
Marcus asked Isaac.
"When should we come back?"
"Less than an hour. You can watch."
"Got it."
Isaac vigorously swirled each sample to filter the sediment.
Then he dropped mysterious reagents into the test tubes.
Several turned a vivid green.
"As expected. Underground it is."
"What magic was that?"
"Not magic. Reagents that react to orc waste."
"...Oh, clever."
A murmur of admiration rose from the Guards.
"But aren't you a proper mage, not an alchemist?"
"Autonomous major. Learned most fields in undergrad."
"Huh...?"
"It's a thing."
The 'grad student' mages, outdone by undergrad knowledge, fell silent.
Isaac spread the map and marked the green-sample sites.
"Back-calculating from concentrations, the most suspicious spot is underground sector D-7."
"Understood. We'll report now..."
"Hold on."
Isaac lifted another tube. This one had turned dark red.
"We need to prep for deployment too. Heavy armor."
Marcus asked.
"What's going on?"
"Sample 7 detected human hemoglobin. Concentrations vary periodically by time."
"S-sorry, Mr. Uphills. In simple terms, please."
Uphills said.
"Someone's dying down there."
"..."
An icy silence gripped the lab.
Marcus asked.
"How many?"
"About one a day. Hurry, or there'll be more victims."
At Isaac's words, Marcus and his comrades rushed to gear up.
Something horrific was unfolding beneath the capital.
Deep underground in the capital, in a damp, dark natural cave linked to the sewers.
Anna Uphills lay on the cold stone floor, filled with regret.
She never should've trusted the promise of a good job for an orphan. The place they'd led her to was hell.
Here, they were 'livestock.'
She and the other orphans were periodically dragged out to have their 'blood and mana' drained.
Some kids died in the process.
Whose turn today? When would this end?
Right then.
Creeeak.
The back door of their prison cell opened cautiously.
In the pitch darkness, the silhouette of an armored man emerged.
"Eep...!"
Anna clamped a hand over the screaming child's mouth.
She whispered hoarsely.
"Are you... here to save us?"
Guard Marcus was startled by the girl before him.
Skinny frame, eyes terrified yet sane.
Marcus nodded.
"Sharp kid. Yeah. Everyone, follow quietly."
The Guard's plan was straightforward.
While he, a knight-class fighter, led the kids out, the main force—including Field Mages—would assault from the front.
No underground gang could beat the Capital Guard, so his job was just to escape safely.
But after a few steps with the kids, a chill ran down his spine.
"Where are you off to in such a hurry?"
A sinister voice echoed from the darkness behind.
Marcus said.
"You're..."
"Malakai, owner of this livestock pen."
Beside him loomed a monster twice the size of a normal orc.
"And this one's 'Blood Ghost.'"
"Surely... the others went that way?"
Malakai chuckled.
"Ah, those noisy ones? See back there? Fed them to my darling as a treat."
As Malakai explained, Marcus signaled Anna with his eyes.
She and the kids caught on and slipped out the back door quietly.
Now it was his turn to buy time.
"You... bastard! For my comrades!"
Marcus shouted loudly and charged Malakai.
He needed to draw attention to boost the kids' survival odds.
Of course, his sword never reached Malakai.
Thud!
One blow.
The orc's massive fist slammed into Marcus's gut, smashing him into the wall.
Crack.
"Guh...!"
Heh heh heh. Malakai laughed.
"You swordsmen are all the same. Think you win up close. No idea how strong 'Blood Ghost' is."
Malakai muttered down at the fallen Marcus.
"Skin with maxed magic resistance, strength to crush steel."
Marcus glared up, thinking.
'Are mages always this chatty...?'
On the northern front, that mage would've been dead by now.
But this wasn't the north. No comrades to aid him.
'Damn...'
Marcus inwardly lamented it.
Even as his vision blurred, Malakai's monologue continued.
"And human-like judgment too. The perfect bioweapon. Soon the capital will be at my feet..."
Before he finished.
Krunch!
Hot blood splashed across Malakai's cheek.
"...Huh?"
Malakai turned dumbly.
"What the..."
'Blood Ghost's' head was gone without a trace.
Snap! Crunch!
Explosive sounds followed as its arms burst like watermelons.
Thud!
The massive body collapsed without a final cry.
In Marcus's fading vision, a man's figure appeared.
"Mr. Uphills..."
Dozens of steel balls floated around him as he advanced.
Step. Step.
The capital's hero, Isaac Uphills, said to Malakai.
"What a nauseating sight. Makes me want to puke."