Chapter 136

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After confirming the details with Yuyeong, Hans departed immediately.

The Orcs traditionally resided in the mountains. However, as he flew across the sky on his wyvern, Hans easily spotted something unexpected.

The Orcs, who had previously used the mountain passes and wyverns for travel, had descended to the ground.

Not only that, they had constructed a palisade, and even built rudimentary houses. It was a full-fledged settlement.

Hans tilted his head.

It had only been three months since he had passed the Warrior’s Festival. In that short time, the chieftain had changed, and they had built a village?

“I can’t believe they came down from the mountains and built a village.”

“Indeed…they usually adhere to their traditional ways.”

“We’ll have to speak with the chieftain.”

Changing one’s way of life was a difficult undertaking, especially for the Orcs, accustomed to living on the mountain slopes.

Yet, in such a short time, they had undergone a complete transformation.

Was this even possible?

Hans swallowed, a nervous lump forming in his throat, and descended on his wyvern. He and Helia landed without difficulty.

The Orcs, spotting them, rushed forward in greeting. The one who had conquered the Warrior’s Festival. They held his achievement in high regard.

Hans, upon arriving in the village, immediately surveyed his surroundings.

He couldn’t locate the Rusted Overlord.

Just then, someone approached.

“It’s been a while, Sir Hans!”

“…?”

She was an Orc, but unlike the others.

While typical Orcs were green-skinned, muscle-bound warriors, this one was a petite young girl.

She was far from muscular, her slender frame looked as though it might collapse at any moment.

Despite this, she wore a revealing outfit that barely concealed her breasts and genitals.

He questioned whether it could even be considered clothing. It looked like little more than scraps of animal hide stitched together.

She possessed the characteristic green skin of her kind, but her hair was black.

Her hair reached all the way to her ankles. This was due in part to its length, but also to her small stature.

[T/N: Oh boy… ]

Hans wracked his brain.

‘Have I met this girl before?’

No, that couldn’t be right. If he had, he would surely remember.

‘But she’s more than just a child.’

The moment she appeared, the atmosphere among the Orcs shifted.

‘Just like when I met the Rusted Overlord.’

In less than a second, Hans pieced together the clues. He concluded that this girl was the new chieftain.

It wasn’t an easy deduction. Who would imagine the leader of the Orcs to be such a young girl?

But Hans thought flexibly.

This was due to his experience as Commander, but also to his familiarity with fictional tropes. The frail young girl possessing incredible strength, the ancient, childlike sorceress. 𝙧𝙖ɴỗᛒĚᶊ

“So, you’re the one who ousted the Rusted Overlord and became the new Orc chieftain.”

Thinking flexibly was a difficult skill to master. Even Helia, standing behind Hans, was stunned by his words.

This frail little Orc girl? The chieftain?

‘Hmm, he saw through me at once. I felt it before…but he’s far more perceptive than I imagined.’

The chieftain was also surprised.

She had only observed Hans from afar before. She had approached him as a test, a playful challenge.

Could he truly discern her identity?

She had, of course, concealed her power.

To any observer, she appeared to be nothing more than a child. Even Helia had been fooled. But Hans had seen through her disguise.

This demonstrated his keen insight.

He had observed her movements, her demeanor, and pieced together the truth. The chieftain finally smiled, a genuine smile this time.

“I’m impressed. Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Sharaka, the eldest daughter of the Rusted Overlord, and chieftain of the Orcs.”

“I don’t see the Rusted Overlord.”

“Ah, he’s dead. He died fighting the demons last time.”

“Dead? The Rusted Overlord?”

“…”

Helia was shocked by Sharaka’s casual announcement.

To her, the Rusted Overlord had possessed strength comparable to Bayard, one of the strongest members of the Royal Knights.

The members of the Royal Knights were among the strongest individuals on the continent, rivaling even the Vampires and Dragons.

Unless they were facing someone like Yuren or the Dragon Lord, few could defeat Bayard in a direct confrontation. And the Rusted Overlord was her equal.

Yet he was dead?

“How could such a thing…?”

“Hmm! He died in battle! Defeated like a dog!”

“What? Your own father died, and you speak of him that way?!”

“Calm down, Helia.”

“Teacher…”

Perhaps Helia saw a reflection of her own past in Sharaka’s words. Her reaction was excessive.

Hans quickly intervened.

He glanced at Sharaka.

The girl tilted her head, a puzzled expression on her face. It wasn’t mockery. She seemed genuinely confused.

Hans sighed.

This was the Orcish way. Victory meant everything, defeat meant death. There was no room for sentimentality, no distinction between family and foe.

They were truly a warrior race.

Hans spoke softly.@@novelbin@@

“One can know the depths of ten rivers, but not the heart of one man. And these are an entirely different race. Complete understanding is a difficult goal.”

“Hmm! True. Just as you cannot understand us, we cannot fully understand you.”

“Nevertheless, through even a small amount of dialogue and understanding, we can achieve coexistence.”

“Indeed. And that is why I seek your aid.”

Every word carried weight, pressing down on Helia’s shoulders. She rarely felt overwhelmed, but she felt it now.

This was the presence of a leader.

The Human King, Yuyeong, the Dragon Lord.

All the leaders she had met possessed this quality. Could she ever hope to stand against them?

Helia’s hands trembled.

Those who stood at the top were like this. Without any overt action, their words alone could subdue their opponents.

The only one who could withstand such pressure was someone of equal standing.

Her teacher.

Indeed, Hans had exchanged words with Sharaka as an equal. Perhaps sensing Helia’s distress, Hans stepped in front of her, as if to shield her.

Helia, feeling a sense of relief, composed herself.

Simply hearing those words imbued with power had been overwhelming. Such charisma was necessary to lead.

“Then, let’s hear the details.”

Hans himself was unaffected.

He was simply oblivious to such nuances. But more importantly, he felt protected by something else entirely.

Sharaka was impressed.

It had been a while since she had encountered someone so steadfast, so unmoved by her words. Worthy of the Royal Knights.

The warrior her father had acknowledged.

“To put it simply, we were defeated and lost half of our territory.”

“Defeated and lost your land?”

“Yes. The Orcs were nearly annihilated, but my father’s sacrifice allowed us to survive.”

“…”

She spoke of such devastating events with unnerving calmness.

The Orcs, led by the Rusted Overlord, defeated and driven back? From their mountain stronghold? How was that even possible?

“Were you fighting dragons or something?”

Hans’s words were laced with sarcasm, an incredulous exaggeration.

Yet, to his surprise, it was the truth.

Sharaka’s eyes widened.

“How did you know?”

“What?”

“Just as you said, we lost our land to a dragon.”

“Lost your land to a dragon?”

“That’s right! We were defeated and driven back!”

She admitted defeat without hesitation.

Defeated by a dragon? Was that even possible? Confusion flooded Hans’s mind. Dragons, the benevolent race. Attacking and seizing territory? Why? A demon-controlled dragon? No, that couldn’t be.

Countless possibilities clashed within his mind.

But Hans quickly reached a conclusion. Not everyone loved puppies or kittens.

Among the dragons, there were bound to be exceptions.

There was only one thing Hans could do.

“Tell me more about this dragon.”

He had to understand the problem and find a solution.

Quickly.

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[Translator Notes]

The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!