Chapter 3: The Seed of a Hero

Wait a minute. Wait. Hold up. Pause. I won’t let that slide. Griffin, did you just...

Did you just say that Rooney has companions?!

“That’s strange,” Elyas murmured. “He’s been acting independently all this time, yet he’s accompanied by comrades now?”

“They are two human children, and they are mages, but...” The griffin hesitated. “I admit that it is rather difficult for me to judge whether they could be deemed his comrades.”

“Hey, Eagle Eye!” I cut in. “You saw everything, right?! Tell me what the hell happened there!”

“A lowly orc jutting into our conversation?” the griffin muttered with distaste. “Know your place.”

“I don’t mind, Eagle Eye. Please answer him.”

Damn, wow. Oh boy, just like Oinkus said, it’s a haughty monster! What, does it think I’m incompetent just because I’m an orc?!

The griffin spoke up slowly. “A few days ago, two human children entered Huzak from Daryth. From the information I garnered from reports, I do not think they are Daryth soldiers or experienced adventurers. The pair did not raze residential houses, nor did they attack monsters as adventurers would. The motive for their infiltration is unknown. While I hesitated, trying to come to a decision, a worm monster ended up attacking them, but...that man saved them, and they’ve been together ever since.”

“That demon, who massacred so many humans, is now saving others? Very peculiar,” Elyas muttered.

“Could you tell me about any distinct features of the two children?” I asked.

Silence.

“Eagle Eye!” Elyas exclaimed, vexed. “I said to stop being mean!”

“It’s a red-haired boy with a transparent crystal ball and a girl with golden-blonde hair.”

I took a sharp intake of breath.

“Slobe? What’s wrong?” Concern was evident in Elyas’s voice. “You look pale.”

That’s not it, Elyas. The demon doesn’t have companions. There’s no way he does. He’s a solitary existence who doesn’t believe in anyone other than the Great Spirit Nanatrij, whom he idolizes. That man would never ever make comrades.

“Eagle Eye, please continue. Where are the demon and his comrades heading now?” Elyas asked.

The conversation between Elyas and Eagle Eye after that went in one ear and out the other.

After all, the characteristics Eagle Eye mentioned matched with the pair I was very familiar with. Shuya and Alicia are... They’re traveling with the Dustour soldier.

“Lady Elyas, what shall we do about this?”

“Hm... It’s a difficult problem...”

I was currently standing in the place where those two should have been, all because I took the initiative to twist fate.

I did expect that my actions might cause ripples and change things up somewhere. But why are they in Huzak? Did they choose this country as a shortcut to Zenelaus just like they did in the anime? No, that’s ridiculous. Right now, Shuya doesn’t have a reason to head to Zenelaus in the first place.

“Eagle Eye... In that case...”

“...demon and the children...before they recognize...possible, but that...”

After all...Shuya, the reason why you sought out power in the anime was because of that, right?

When you snuck out of Kirsch with Alicia, you were attacked by monsters, and Professor Loco Moco saved you from your crisis by a hair’s breadth. The school holidays started before that event could even happen, so there’s no need for you to trace the professor’s footsteps and test out your strength in Zenelaus!!!

“...rather extreme...from the skies...with the demon...”

And Shuya, the person you’re currently with is your enemy, you know?! True, in the anime, Rooney took a liking to you, but... How in the world did you end up as traveling companions?!

Inwardly, I took a deep breath. Phew. Now that I’ve mentally yelled at Shuya to my heart’s content, my mind is clear.

“Elyas,” I spoke up. “Please don’t attack the people accompanying the demon.”

“Orc, do you think you’re in a position where you can order us around?” the griffin hissed. “You’ve been insolent during this entire meeting. Who do you think you are? Sure, you defeated the hydra, but don’t let it get to your head.”

A mere orc was talking to the pixie that ruled Huzak and one of her supporting pillars as if they were equals. Moreover, he was even daring to give them orders! That was probably what Eagle Eye was thinking as it visibly showed its revulsion, but I didn’t have the heart to care. The words I was about to speak would decide the pair’s fate. I couldn’t mess this up.

“That man didn’t just kill human soldiers, he even slaughtered adventurers. There’s no way he would let two burdens join him as his allies, considering all he has done. Also, just because they’re together, it doesn’t mean they must be comrades. Just like how you don’t think that I’m your comrade since I’m an orc, Eagle Eye.”

The griffin hummed, seemingly with slight amusement. “Indeed, you make a good point. I commend you for noticing.”

“You’re an unpleasant fellow,” I muttered at length. “But if you’re telling the truth, that demon is bringing the human children towards the Freedom Union, right? If we lay low and just watch, they will likely disappear from these lands on their own in a few days. Now that the werewolf clan has been eliminated, you shouldn’t waste any more lives. If you attack him, he’s going to turn the tables on you.”

“Orc mage...” The griffin trailed off. “You seem to be very well-informed about that demon, I see.”

“Yeah. After all, I came to this country to defeat him,” I declared.

After that, Eagle Eye ignored me altogether, as if I were beneath its attention. However, I could say that the conversation mostly went in the direction I wanted it to.

Among the monsters, Eagle Eye was the most knowledgeable about how terrifyingly powerful the demon was. After all, it was the only one that had survived after making an attack on the man.

The griffin reported to Elyas about how foolish it would be to fight the demon and once more suggested returning to the north temporarily. However, Elyas refused to budge, saying that she had no intention of forsaking the orc village. Elyas said that as long as they were able to amass more monsters, they could win against the demon. She decided that Eagle Eye would resume monitoring the demon from the skies.

“The werewoofs were all crushed, oink...”

“Werewolves, oink. But if even they can’t win against that demon, then us orcs would only get killed by him no matter what we do. At this point, I don’t care anymore, oink.”

Somehow, the topic of Shuya and Alicia had managed to conclude peacefully. The biggest contributor was the fact that Eagle Eye, who monitored the demon, didn’t really wish to attack him in the first place. The griffin had been constantly monitoring the man and knew his strength better than anyone else.

Phew... That really made me panic. Actually, especially since I know what happened in the anime, I understand how abnormal their actions are. This is Huzak, you know? Huzak!!!

Even after all the time I’ve spent here, I haven’t spotted a single human. Trying to infiltrate such a place is just asking to be killed! This isn’t the place for a picnic, you know!

“Master Slowe, look... The orc village is...”

“It’s as if we’re at a wake,” I observed.

Even though everyone said that they hated monsters from White Castle because of how violent they were, somewhere in their hearts, they had probably placed their hopes on the werewolves. They had hoped that those monsters just might defeat the demon for them.

However, the werewolves’ campaign had ended with the worst outcome possible: complete annihilation.

“Wouldn’t it be better if we ran back to the north, oink?”

“This isn’t a paradise at all, oink!”

News of the destruction of the werewolves was so devastating to morale that even such comments were being made. A miserable gloom had been cast over the whole village.

Despite all that, on a certain morning a few days later...

Bang bang! Bang bang bang!

“Slobe! Wake up, oink!”

The loud banging continued. This time in two consecutive, staccato trios.

“Someone’s injured! Oinpigus, your neighbor three houses over, has strained his back! We aren’t able to do anything about it! Please use your healing, oink!”

The banging was obnoxious, loud, and had a rhythm to it now, a slight variation from the earlier pattern.

“Wake up, Slobe! It’s morning, oink!”

Someone pounded on the door as they snorted, and they were so loud. What the hell? Are you planning on exploiting and wringing out this orc mage until my mana runs dry?! And it’s not morning, mind you! It’s still nighttime! Also, don’t you go around changing up the rhythm of your knocks! You’re an orc, damn it!

“Ugh, those guys...” I muttered, exasperated. They had just been all gloomy because of the Lupus clan’s defeat, but now they’re like this again. Whenever something happens, they come calling for me. Thanks to these guys, I’m sleep-deprived.

Getting up, I noticed that Charlotte was groaning in her sleep in the bed next to mine. For the past few days, Elyas had been running around Huzak busily as if this were an optimal chance to gather comrades, and Charlotte had returned home late as well.

I was worried about them, but Elyas had mentioned that there had been a large shift in the balance of power around White Castle due to the loss of the Lupus clan. Because of that, there seemed to be a realistic chance of the remainder of the monsters in that area cooperating.

Once I left my house, I found the Orc King standing alone in the darkness, just as noisy as usual.

“Hey! I told you to be quiet at night, remember?! Charlotte’s sleeping!” I hissed.

“Slobe! Gramps fell over and skinned his knee! It’s an emergency, oink!”

The weary and drained look on his face couldn’t be ignored. This guy...he hasn’t been sleeping, has he? Pretending he’s fine, huh? He must be deliberately putting on a cheerful facade because he’s the Orc King who looks after the village.

“Yes, yes,” I replied at length. “I’m coming.”

That was why I decided that I would go along with the orc who was trying to stay in high spirits.

A crowd of orcs lined up, each one of them asking me to use a Heal on them. That didn’t necessarily mean that everyone in the queue was sick or injured. The healthy ones were probably just reminiscing on the pleasant days before the Lupus clan was crushed.

“Heal feels real nice and it’s amaaazing, oink.”

“Slobe! The pain’s gone, oink!”

“Slobe is an orc mage, oink.”

“Slobe is an orc doctor, oink!”

Still, I’m amazed. They cried and wailed so much just a little while ago, and now this. These suck-ups sure recover fast! Not only that, but even more and more of them are coming out from the other houses, with no end in sight... It’s like they’re zombies or something.

They’re so attached to me, but it’s not like it’s anything to write home about. I mean, they’re just orcs, you know?

There was a loud, deafening roar from somewhere past the crowd. “Cast a Heal on me too!”

I took a look. “That guy’s...a new face.”

It seemed that rumors about me had been spreading across Huzak, and more and more monsters were rapidly coming to gather in the village. And in very large numbers, no less. Ah, is that an actual zombie I see over there?

Wait, a Heal spell on a zombie? Is that really okay? Doesn’t healing magic typically hurt those guys? But, well, it’s the zombie’s turn now, so I guess I’ll cast it for the time being... Ah, it looks pretty comfortable with it.

In the end, the destruction of the werewolves had also affected monsters that had once lived independently like lone wolves. Here and there, I could spot monsters that I definitely hadn’t spotted in this village before like zombies and skeletons. There were even monsters here that obviously looked down on orcs, like gremlins and goblins.

“Ah, the skeleton cut into the queue! Hey you, go to the back of the line, oink.”

“Butting in is bad, oink.”

“Is it really okay for a zombie to receive a Heal, oink?”

“I dunno, oink.”

Wait a minute. Isn’t knowledge of my existence a little too widespread among the monsters in this country?

This continued on and on, and before I knew it, it was noon.

“Slobe’s first to arrive at a meal again, oink,” an elderly orc muttered.

“Slobe’s a mage, so it’s fine. My grandson caught a cold and Slobe also helped heal him. May the deities bless him, oink.”

“Please cast a Heal on me agaaain!” A roar followed.

Still, I really didn’t think I’d have a class change from orc mage to orc doctor!!! All right, all of ya, get outta my way!!!!!!!!

Is this meat poultry? Pork? Nah, it’s probably not pork. No matter how I think about it, I can’t help but feel like it’s cannibalism for orcs. But well, as long as it tastes good, anything goes, I guess.

Being able to eat until we were full in a place like this with no human presence at all was a tremendously luxurious thing. In fact, food had been the thing Charlotte and I had been most worried about for our time here in Huzak. While I had been obsessing over the Transformation spell back at the border with Daryth, Charlotte had her head stuck in books about edible wild plants, just in case.

Even though they are monsters, they really eat well! These guys... Apparently, they ate preserved foods left in abandoned houses and that changed their perception of the world, making them snort in awe of the super delicious food. That experience opened their eyes to the wide world of cuisine.

To add to that, recently, all kinds of monsters have been bringing me offerings because I’ve helped them a lot, so my food intake has been pretty rich in variety lately.

“I’ve been wondering for a bit, what are those guys making?” I asked.

So, uh... For some reason, there was a huge clay statue being constructed in the heart of the village. Elderly orc grandpas gave out instructions to younger orcs. On top of that, monsters that weren’t even orcs were helping out too. The one thing they had in common was that they were all monsters I had helped, either by casting a Heal spell or solving other various troubles.

At first, I thought the monsters were starting off yet another random project to pass the time. But after a few days of work, the lump of clay finally began to take on a shape, and I figured out what everyone was making at last. A statue.

“It’s a statue of Slobe, who appeared in our orc village, oink!” one orc chirped.

“You helped clean up the spring, so this is our thanks! Everyone’s really grateful, oink.”

“This is really embarrassing, ya know...?” I mumbled. “I haven’t done anything that significant...”

Huzak’s reputation as a land of respite for the monsters had already begun to crumble. It was almost as if they were trying to find a creative outlet for their frustrations. The monsters engrossed themselves with making a statue modeled after me. What will Charlotte think when she sees such a misshapen statue? This is so embarrassing... Ack... But I can’t tell them to stop making it either.

I groaned to myself, snorting, and right at that moment...

“Alert! Li’l Charlotte Warning is in effect now, oink!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Tension rose in everyone’s bodies with a snap, sharp and rapid like lightning. All the orcs looked down at once with grim looks on their faces. I also remembered what I ought to do. I turned to the ground and motionlessly waited for it to pass.

Whenever Charlotte flew in the skies of the orc village, we were told that we must not look up. That’s because if we did...we’d see her panties. It can’t be helped. Perhaps due to days and days of intensive training, Charlotte was now able to fly. Well, very sluggishly, but still.

A kobold who had come here from outside to receive food was very shaken by our actions. “What are these guys even doing, woof?”

“Just like I thought, orcs are fools, woof...” another kobold muttered. “If we eat some orc’s food right now, they might not find out. They’re looking down and are so dumb, they won’t even realize it.”

A long, insistent roar rang out. “Still no Heal for me yeeet?!”

Hey, I can hear you all loud and clear! And if you snatch and steal someone else’s food, you’d be banned from this village, ya know? The nearby orcs also seemed to have heard the kobolds, and they began to tremble with worry that the plates of food before them might be stolen. Of course, I was one of them.

The fidgeting in everyone’s legs became rather fierce, and even Oinkus, who was next to me, seemed quite highly strung because of the movement. Please, hurry up and end, Charlotte Warning! At this rate, this could be detrimental to the orcs’ health.

I glanced up a little. I witnessed an incriminating moment when the pair of kobolds were just about to pinch up food from an unfamiliar orc and stuff it into their mouths.

“I-I’m just joking, woof.”

“That’s right, woof...”

“Li’l Charlotte Warning is lifted, oink!!!!!!!!!”

Phew, finally! Just like the others, I stood up with a groan and lightly stretched my limbs. Here and there, I spotted monsters talking to each other with hushed voices.

“My back hurts, oink,” an elderly orc complained.

“I suppose I’ll get Slobe to cast Heal on me again, oink.”

Thanks to the Charlotte Warning, the gloom hanging over the village had been blasted away. Probably because there are so many monsters that act so impulsively like this in this village, the monsters around White Castle look down on the village’s residents as pitiful creatures.

But at the same time, to me, this village has started to become a cozy place.

“We’re going to resume work on the Slobe statue! Everyone, gather ’round, oink!”

But that’s the one thing I wish they’d stop!

“Slobe. So here you were.”

My name was called with a slightly funny pronunciation and I turned around. There, I found a forest fairy with a smaller body than mine; in other words, a pixie.

“Elyas, welcome back,” I greeted her. “Any luck out there?”

“Yeah. The goblins finally said they’d join us.”

“Those timid goblins? That’s amazing.”

“Apparently, the purification of the lake was their main reason for holding back. So, it’s all thanks to you, Slobe.”

“Nah, you’re giving me too much credit. You’ve been constantly on the move lately though, right? Shouldn’t you rest for one day at least?”

Weariness laced Elyas’s features. She was trying to gather the monsters of Huzak and band them together to work for a common cause. It was a feat not unlike trying to herd thousands of cats. She probably had a mountain of mental exhaustion weighing her down. Apparently, the presence of her kin, Charlotte, soothed her worries to a certain extent, but Elyas had been crammed with work lately.

“I don’t have the time to spare... After all, the monsters of White Castle have agreed to hear me out at last.”

White Castle was an important base in the south which even Rooney wished to obtain. It was also the stage for a major battle in the anime.

Finally, the time had come. Those big shots over there stopped dragging their feet and made a decision, huh? No matter which world you’re in, the higher you go up the ladder as the boss, the slower you are to act. And in that case, someone like me, who has transformed into a monster to move around in secret, would probably be the most insignificant of small fries.

“So, Elyas, would you bring me along with you?”

“Yes. They look down on us, and that’s all the more reason why I want skilled monsters with me.”

“Leave it to me. At last, huh...?”

“The destruction of the Lupus clan affected them deeply, as one would expect. Even though their opponent was one single human, those guys around White Castle were treating him with as much caution as they would have against the might of the Dustour military forces.”

“You’re going to bring a lot of skilled monsters with you to White Castle, right? Will the orc village be safe during your absence? Where is the demon right now, anyway?”

According to Eagle Eye, the demon and his two human children companions were currently very close to the border with the Freedom Union.

Even in the anime, Rooney took a liking to Shuya, so I supposed there wasn’t any need for me to be worried about them since they’d come so far. They probably had an opportunity to get on each other’s good sides or something.

Those guys haven’t got any clue about Rooney’s identity all the way to the end, huh? For a guy with an overflowing sense of justice like Shuya, he’d probably be pretty obsessed with catching Rooney if the cat ever got out of the bag...and if that happened, that might have been the worst-case scenario.

From that perspective, the fact that they never questioned Rooney’s real identity is probably a silver lining in all this mess. I took a deep breath. Okay. When I meet those guys again after Kirsch is reconstructed, I’ll indirectly scold them about following a suspicious stranger. I swore this in my heart.

“Slobe, we intend to leave for White Castle while the humans are far away.”

“I guess that means that these few days are our chance?”

“Indeed. However, according to Eagle Eye, when the demon was attacked by the werewolves, he seemed to have noticed that we were trying to rally our forces... I haven’t even told this to the orcs yet, but that man declared that he was going to attack us soon. A big fight is right on the horizon.”

Rooney was a human who sought out pleasure in battles. Thinking that nothing could match him in Huzak right now, he would probably attack this village after letting it ripen for the picking. To be specific, I thought he’d attack us right as we would meet up with those guys from White Castle.

I considered it many times, but I knew that an ambush would never work on a guy like him. That guy towered over me in terms of battle experience. Unlike Sepith, who specialized in defense, and No Face, who mainly did the work and sabotage of a spy, Rooney was a professional fighter. If possible, I didn’t want to face him head-on.

Thus, I was a little relieved that I was able to get into the good graces of the monsters in this village. If everyone continued to pressure Rooney with their presence during a conflict, it would make things much easier for me.

This might have been the first time Charlotte and I could eat dinner with just the two of us ever since we came to this country. Trying to lighten the atmosphere, I told her funny stories about just how much of a scaredy-cat the orcs were, but Charlotte didn’t let out a single chuckle.

“Charlotte, are you really nervous right now?”

It took Charlotte a long while before she could reply. “I am.” Her face was tense with anxiety, and it seemed that those words were all she could say.

Still, being able to reach White Castle without any problems... Frankly speaking, it would be a miracle. The most belligerent races of monsters have taken up residence in that deepest part of Huzak, and it’s a place where even veteran soldiers and adventurers wouldn’t be able to reach. If I remember correctly, before we left, Marco insisted many times that I mustn’t go near there.

Even if she’s a villain, it was very much worth borrowing the magical artifact from No Face.

“It’s all thanks to you, Master Slowe. I...I’m glad I came here as a pixie.”

“Huh? That’s not the case at all. It’s because you worked hard, Charlotte.”

“I was only following Miss Elyas. I didn’t actually do anything,” Charlotte argued. “And I was only able to be with her because you turned me into a pixie, so... Yeah, the reason why I was able to come so far was definitely thanks to you, Master Slowe.”

Well, I suppose you could say that’s the reason why Elyas showed an interest in her. If Charlotte was something other than a pixie, Elyas probably would have thought of her as just another new monster in the orc village.

After that, Charlotte told me about what she had been doing up until now. I heard about it from Elyas every night after Charlotte was sound asleep, but as I thought, it was different from hearing Charlotte talk about it herself.

It was just a casual conversation. There wasn’t anything special about it. Before I had revealed the truth to her back at Kirsch, we had shared such a moment every day, and it had been the norm.

It felt both nostalgic and fresh. While savoring these two contrary emotions in my heart, I listened to her talk. Suddenly, I was reminded of a similar scene that happened a while ago.

It was...that’s right. It was back when we first entered Kirsch Mage Institute. Charlotte came to my room every night, talking in detail about work and other events she experienced that day. I was someone who didn’t have any friends, but she still told me everything. I relished such a memory as I listened to Charlotte talk until she couldn’t keep her drowsiness at bay any longer and let out a yawn.

Even now, she probably felt conflicted about me in her heart because I hadn’t told her the truth for such a long time. Yet, when I looked at her retreating form as she headed to the bedroom, she seemed somewhat reluctant to part.

“Slowe.”

“Ah, it’s you, the Great Spirit of Wind. You’re awake for a change. Did you sleep too much today and now you feel too awake to sleep or something?”

“It’s not ‘for a change.’ Today, like all days, I worked hard to protect Charlotte the whole time, meow.”

I had to take a moment before I could reply. “Well, you’re such a great help. So, what is it?”

“If you were to strain yourself, Charlotte would be sad. That’s all I wanted to say, meow.”

With that, the spirit returned to the bedroom again. The Great Spirit had been idling about the whole time. They always went to sleep earlier than everyone else, and even Charlotte treated them as a pet and nothing more.

I hesitated. “If you really would work hard, Great Spirit, then I wouldn’t have to strain myself, you know?”

But I would. I would work myself hard, regardless. Right now, I was at a critical moment that determined whether or not I could change the future.

In the future that the anime had shown, many people perished and many towns were destroyed. One of the most significant losses was Zenelaus, which was attacked by one of the Three Musketeers, who were hailed as heroes in the north. In the anime, that city was completely wiped off the map.

If I was going to change such a future, how would I do that if I wasn’t even able to put in this much effort?

Rooney, I know exactly when you’re going to attack us. And then, you’re most likely going to use that spell, just like you did in the anime. The spell that has earned you the moniker of the “demon who steals light” from the orcs.

And that precise moment when you lift that spell... That will be my golden opportunity.

However, there are still some things that I’m worried about. Just in case, I set up a fail-safe to check what his goal is, but it’s not perfect at all. If I want to win for sure, I absolutely need her cooperation.

...I know that. I have known that from the very beginning.

I woke up at daybreak, just when the sun was about to announce its presence at any moment.

The night before, I had ended up thinking about a lot of things. This was a little out of character for me, and I couldn’t sleep. However, after yet another loop of questioning myself and searching for the answers in my own mind, I had come to a conclusion.

My head was still foggy, but I moved carefully so that I didn’t wake her and headed outside.

I opened the door, feeling the fresh air on my body. Outside, there was another world before my eyes. Well, more like an orc village.

Even when we had first arrived, there hadn’t been just orcs here, and we had been surprised by the variety of monsters. However, now, there was a whole melting pot of monster races here.

...And they were all afraid.

The assassins from White Castle had been killed, and it was their turn next. Everyone knew in their gut that a confrontation couldn’t be avoided. At first, the demon had attacked humans, and now adventurers and soldiers from various countries had disappeared from Huzak. Only monsters were left here, and yet the demon still prowled about these lands.

Very soon, this orc village would probably become a battlefield. Their fears were correct.

“Is Elyas around?” I asked.

“She is right ahead,” the monster standing guard replied.

“You’ll let me through? Thanks.”

“Lady Elyas has told me to grant all wishes of the orc mage at any cost. That’s why I am letting you in.”

Elyas’s bodyguard told me her whereabouts without a struggle, which I honestly didn’t expect.

These guys have also realized what’s happening. Nobody knows how things will turn out, but today, fate is going to change.

Her bed was in the forest. They say that pixies, who had lived in hiding and in fear, always made sure that they were prepared to make a run for it at any moment. Indeed, just like what I read in the book, she rested her tiny body on the branch of an extremely tall tree.

I looked up. Just like I had thought, she didn’t seem like the type who had the capacity to lead a country. However, she had slowly collected bits and pieces of trust from others over time, and the culmination of that led to the monsters of Huzak recognizing her as their leader.

I watched her face, deep in sleep, for a while. Then, she opened her bleary eyes.

“Good morning, Elyas.”

There was silence for a moment. “Slobe. How long have you been there?”

“Since just now.”

“They must really trust you. I told them not to let anyone pass because I’m not a morning person... So, what business do you have with me?”

“I came here to say thank you.”

At first, she didn’t seem to understand what I meant, but it seemed to click immediately. “You two were able to make up?”

“We took a step in the right direction, at least. I have you to thank, so I thought I’d come here to express that.”

She gave a small chuckle. “I haven’t done anything.” She smiled peacefully.

She’s so humble that it’s a crime. The way she was willing to be friendly with Charlotte, the fact that she’d bring us to White Castle... I also knew that Elyas had done a lot to try to be helpful so that Charlotte and I could fix our relationship, like telling Charlotte that even though I was an orc, I had much promise.

Elyas’s kindness had really saved us in many ways.

“More importantly, Slobe. The time is finally here.”

“Hm?”

“I’m talking about Charlotte. She was happy, wasn’t she? She’s finally able to head to the place she has wanted to go.” Though her words were ones of celebration, Elyas looked lonely.

She murmured, “That’s why...I’m a little wistful.”

“Wistful? Why?” I asked.

“I mean... You’re going to leave soon, aren’t you?”

On reflex, I froze.

“You don’t have to be so guarded. You know, I also had a lot of fun because you two came here. Plus, because a very rare pair of pixie and orc like you two showed up, everyone learned that even races that weren’t too friendly with each other could cooperate. I’m really thankful to you, and if possible, I want you two to be here forever. But that’s me being selfish. After all, you two are very different from us.”

“You—”

The possibility that Elyas had realized our real identities...

She had been so considerate and caring for us that this thought had popped up in my mind before, but...she really did notice.

“I was with her all this time, remember? But I don’t think your companion Oinkus noticed. That guy’s pretty oblivious.” She giggled. “Isn’t he?”

“Yeah. Oinkus is thickheaded, and that made things easy for me. If I had to go up against you though, I don’t know whether I would have been able to fool you until the end.”

I had also talked about this with Charlotte last night. After we accomplished our goals, we would swiftly leave Huzak...and this orc village. Like I thought, you saw right through us. But even if that’s the case, that’s fine. Actually, that’s the best-case scenario.

She went along with our make-believe because we were convenient variables that helped her gather monsters in this village. It had been a calculated risk on her part.

And yet, even now, she was gentle and peaceful. Seeing her like that... Yeah. I can proudly declare that my conclusion was right.

“Then, well... I suppose I can,” I muttered to myself. “From what I’ve seen from you now, I can trust you. No, I want to trust you.”

“What is it?”

“Elyas, there’s something important I want to tell you.”

“Something important? Are you possibly going to talk about you two’s... No, Charlotte’s past, and why she wants to head back to White Castle?”

Charlotte’s past was probably important to Elyas, who had realized that we were humans. Her choice of words suggested to me that she might also have an idea about who Charlotte was.

However, I clearly shot that down. “No. It’s something way more important than our identities. Elyas, even if you group up with the monsters in White Castle, you guys can’t win against the demon. There is only total destruction lying ahead.”

“I’m surprised... You’re saying the exact same thing Eagle Eye did.”

“Yeah. Though it pains me to admit it, we have the same opinion on this.”

“But I think differently. If everyone joins their hands together, we can win. Even if we lose, I think that this fight would be very meaningful. That’s why...” She hesitated. “Even though I realized you two had a big secret, I kept my silence. You know, Slobe, I love this village, so I could never run away alone. That is who I am. Are you telling me to throw away Huzak, just like all the others say?”

“Not at all, Elyas.”

On top of being a professional fighter, Rooney was also a slaughterer. In order to get the most enjoyment out of crushing the village and its inhabitants as he finished his mission in Huzak, he would likely target the orc village she had built up after monsters had gathered here in masses.

If I fought against that guy head-on, my chance of winning was no better than a flip of a coin. It wasn’t bad for going against a guy that would be a certain loss in the anime, but it was way too low for a fight that would decide the future.

“The thing is, I didn’t come here to tell you to run away.”

“Then why?”

In the end, until this very moment, I had never trusted her fully from the bottom of my heart. Elyas was a monster. I never thought she could trust me wholeheartedly.

But now...I felt as if I was finally able to know her true feelings, and thus, I said this.

“I’m here to ask that you lend me your life to change the future.”

●

Elyas led the charge, and she looked very on edge.

Since there were a ridiculous number of monsters in the village, I thought that we might head to White Castle as a giant group, but it turned out we had way fewer monsters than I expected. At the very back of the group, Charlotte and I walked slowly.

In the front, Elyas had an entourage of skilled bodyguards with her, and they spoke to each other in low voices. They were probably talking about gruesome topics that they didn’t want us to overhear.

“All the way at the back...?” I complained.

“It can’t be helped. We’re the newest of the bunch in this group. But there are very few monsters here... I thought she might bring a lot more with her, but even in the skies, there’s only Eagle Eye.”

Like Charlotte had said, I could spot the prideful griffin in the sky.

That griffin would sometimes twist only its head around, seemingly looking somewhere specific. Wait, is it still monitoring the demon from here? No way, right...?

Apparently, Eagle Eye had the ability to see far into the horizon. Very convenient power, that one. With that ability, it makes sense that the Demon King of the North made use of it and chose the monster to be Elyas’s bodyguard. It looks like it butts heads with Elyas in terms of opinion sometimes, but it’s a realist that insisted we shouldn’t engage the demon until the very end of the debate.

“I never thought I’d really be able to come back to White Castle... This isn’t a dream, is it?”

“It’s not a dream. But we were only allowed to accompany them to White Castle because you tried really hard and gained everyone’s approval. Elyas often said that too.”

“I’ve nearly never seen you together with Miss Elyas though, Master Slowe. When did you speak with her?”

“Uh, that’s, well...” In the evenings after you were already sleeping like a log, was what I thought, but I hesitated to put it into speech.

Yeah, that’s right. I asked Elyas every day about how Charlotte was doing. I’m a worrywart. It’s Charlotte we’re talking about, you know? That should explain everything.

“Ah, speaking of which, Charlotte! After we arrive at White Castle, there’s something I want to give you!”

Charlotte hesitated. “Me?”

“It’s something perfect for you right now. Please look forward to it.” I heard from Elyas that Charlotte wanted her own exclusive wand, and I came up with an idea for a present.

There was a certain item hidden away in the treasure room of White Castle. Something passed down to the kings of Huzak from generation to generation...the Seed of a Hero.

It was one of a kind in this whole world, an incredible weapon that could change into all kinds of forms depending on the traits of its owner, whether it be a sword or a wand. If it ever got out into the market, it could fetch a price that could build a small castle.

Originally, it had a great power that would have been bequeathed only to S-class adventurers, the strongest powerhouses of the Adventurers’ Guild. If I gave it to Charlotte, I thought that it would evolve into a wand for sure.

When I spotted the very tiny outline of White Castle ahead of us, I became a little excited about how elated Charlotte would be.

Accepted by monsters as one of their own and granted permission to come along, she had finally managed to reach this place. The tremendous amount of hardship she had faced would surely mean that her happiness would be just as great...

However, that thought didn’t continue for long. We advanced down the path that led to her childhood home, and our view gradually opened and allowed us to see it better. Charlotte spotted giant trees growing wildly at the end of our path, some of which seemed as tall as the tip of White Castle, and the sight suddenly stopped her in her tracks. The trees climbed high into the skies, almost as if they were reaching for the sun, and Charlotte was stunned into silence as she looked at them.

“Huh? Wait, really?” I asked.

“These definitely weren’t there! I would definitely remember there being such giant trees, even if I was really young back then!”

“That’s strange,” I muttered, considering.

Personally, I didn’t feel it was off in any way. Sure, the area around White Castle was bizarre, like a natural disaster had occurred to cause it to sit jarringly against the normalcy of everywhere else, but it seemed just fine to me. After all, I had seen it in the anime.

“Master Slowe, how could trees grow to such extreme heights in only ten years? Is that even possible?”

“There’s the chance that a dryad might have inhabited the trees, but...” Even though I was the one who had brought it up, I knew there was no way that could be true. Dryads were monsters that couldn’t cohabitate with other living things, and they wouldn’t allow there to be anything else alive around them.

“Other than that, well... I don’t really want to think about this case, but... If the Seed of a Hero fell onto the ground, I guess? If that touched the earth, it could really mess up the ecosystem.”

“Wha...”

“Charlotte? What’s wrong?”

Charlotte’s mouth opened wide, closed, and opened again as she looked down, much like a goldfish. Her face only grew paler by the minute, and I had a very, veeery bad feeling about this. Whatever your intuition tells you at times like this tends to be right.

“I want you to be honest with me. Do you happen to know anything about what’s happening?”

To sum it up...

The tree situation was Charlotte’s fault.

In the past, when she had run for her life after the vampires attacked Huzak, her father had given her the Seed of a Hero, which had been passed down through generations of the royal family. However, just after she had slipped out of White Castle and entered the forest, she had dropped it. Thus, the biggest reason why she had wanted to go back there was to find and recover the Seed of a Hero.

It took a while before I could speak back up. “Sorry, Charlotte. Please pretend you never heard anything about a present from me.”

“Um, wait, was the present you were talking about...”

“I thought...that the Seed of a Hero might have been left lying in the treasure room of White Castle. If it was, I wanted to give it to you. I heard from Elyas that you wanted your own wand, so... Ah, h-hey, Charlotte! Personal space!”

“Master Slowe, by that, you must mean... It’s what I think it is, isn’t it?! My own wand would mean that I have permission to use magic!”

Charlotte’s face lit up like the sun, and she was just so cute! The circumstances that had led to House Denning barring her from having a wand had completely slipped my mind and I promised one to her.

“Yeah...” I muttered dejectedly. “After we return to Daryth, let’s find a wand that’s only for you.”

What I didn’t know was that this promise would end up triggering a gigantic problem later on.

“Ah! Elyas and the others are already so far away! Let’s catch up!” I exclaimed.

We ran quickly towards the group of monsters with a great deal of effort. As we caught up, we saw monsters lined up on either side of the road, and they had appeared without us noticing.

Many eyes drilled into us at once. Whoa, they’re all looking at us. Is that because I’m the only orc? Being a famous guy’s pretty tough.

Compared to the monsters in the orc village, these ones obviously had a different air to them. The fact that their comrades had fallen was already common knowledge. Their bloodlust radiated off of them, almost as if they wanted to fight the demon immediately if it were at all possible.

Meanwhile, on the path that led to White Castle, I spotted a remarkably large monster. So that’s their boss, huh? A demonic monster was the one who led these folks here. They were probably measuring the worth of Elyas and her group, judging whether there was any merit in joining hands with them.

There were only around a few hundred monsters here. In terms of pure numbers, the orc village significantly outnumbered them. However, in terms of individual power, the monsters here had the advantage.

“You’ve come a looong way, Elyasss. The spokesssperson of the Blue Light, the Demon King of the North,” the demonic monster said in a somewhat distorted voice.

When Elyas finished talking with that demon, an all-out war between Rooney and the monsters of Huzak would probably begin.

If we had this many monsters, it was possible to recreate what happened in the anime. All that’s left is...whether she’ll trust me.

I tried talking to her. “E-Elyas, uh, about what we were talking about earlier—” Her bodyguard glared at me. “Ah, it is nothing. I am very sorry.”

In the moments just after we made our departure, Elyas looked our way from time to time, but her mind seemed to be fully occupied with the discussion about the alliance now. Just how much did she remember about our conversation just before we left? I didn’t know whether Elyas had believed what I had said in the first place.

“Charlotte, while Elyas’s talking, we—”

Charlotte was staring ahead blankly.

“Ah,” I muttered. “I guess she’s preoccupied too, huh?”

White Castle was her homeland. Even if she knew that her aim, the Seed of a Hero, wasn’t there, she only had eyes for the area in front of her. I guess that’s to be expected. It’s her childhood home, after all. She tried so hard all this time so that she could stand here today.

While Elyas is talking about complicated stuff, I guess I’ll journey out to make memories with Charlotte, who looks like she’s itching to go.

I mean, I managed to make up with Charlotte, and we were also able to come here like this. I guess from what she said that the present I wanted to give her isn’t here, but I don’t need to rely on it anymore.

I thought that everything had been smooth sailing.

Until a very specific sound rang out.

Charlotte wasn’t the only one who suddenly froze like a statue. The monsters who had been going ahead of us also stopped dead in their tracks.

It was a low-pitched sound, one that rumbled through the whole forest.

“This is...” I muttered.

The sound of a bell ringing traveled through the forest. I recognized it. When have I heard that before? Orcs had found a bell in an abandoned church and brought it back. When they had tested ringing it once, many monsters had made complaints against it, so Elyas had ordered that it must never be used again.

However, it was useful. We decided that it could be used as a signal when the human attacked.

And that bell was ringing, many times at that. Almost as if it were a plea for help. There was only one thing that could mean. The orc village is under attack!

And Elyas was the one who reacted faster than anyone else.

“Master Slowe, that sound just now was...! Is the orc village—”

“They aren’t idiots! We told them very firmly to never ring it! And now they’re doing it so much!” I paused. “Elyas, wait!”

The real pixie sprung up into the sky. She shot straight towards the heavens above, where the griffin was waiting. Elyas flew into the world of the azure skies, one that I couldn’t reach.

The monsters of White Castle didn’t understand what was going on, and they lost their composure, restless.

In the sky, Elyas was shouting angrily at the griffin, who was keeping a steady position in the sky in a composed manner.

I had never seen her like that before. Usually, she was perfectly calm and composed, never showing any hint of anxiety.

“But Master Slowe! Earlier, Eagle Eye said that the human was far away!”

“You can tell by looking at it! That damned bird deceived us!” I hissed.

Elyas was ghastly pale, but the griffin did not even twitch.

The bell continued to ring and ring.

I didn’t know what they were saying above us. But Elyas...is going to leave.

That was why I screamed towards the sky, in a loud voice that didn’t fit the orc mage, who had a reputation for being calm and collected:

“Don’t go, Elyas!!! We made a promise, didn’t we?!”

I reached out my hand to the sky, but I could only grasp the air there. My fingertips were too far to catch anything.

The monsters that came from the orc village made their way back one after another. Chasing Elyas’s trail, they retraced the path they came here on.

Finally, the monsters under the larger demonic one began to move too. They probably also realized that the orc village was attacked. However, these guys could do whatever they wanted. I didn’t care.

But Elyas has...left.

“Master Slowe! Don’t just stand there! If the orc village is under assault, then let’s go back!”

“...It’s useless. It’s already too late.”

“Why?!”

“We can’t catch up to Elyas. There’s no way we could. Pixies are fast when they’re using their real strength.”

“But if it’s you, Master Slowe...!”

“...Pixies are monsters that managed to escape the pursuit of humans for many years. Once they’re riding the wind, nobody can catch up.”

Though we weren’t able to exchange any words with each other...she had probably heard my voice. At the last moment, she had looked at us from up in the sky and seemed to whisper something. However, the tolling of the bell that had yet to stop ringing completely blocked out whatever she had said.

Use a spell to catch up to Elyas? It’s no use. Using light magic to buff my speed somewhat wouldn’t make up the difference between us while she’s flying above.

I laughed. Oddly enough, I couldn’t help but laugh.

The future was written in stone. Even though I had gathered that many monsters in the village, it had all been for naught. In the end, I guess I must fight Rooney by myself.

And then, a single monster came down from the sky, watching all this unfold with the cold eyes of a bystander. Despite being Elyas’s bodyguard, this act seemed to declare that the situation didn’t involve it at all... I don’t even have to think about it. This bird lied.

Rooney had probably already been in the vicinity when we had left the orc village.

“Orc mage,” it addressed me. “Why are you laughing?”

“My bad, my bad. It’s just all so funny to me for some reason. All of my hard work just went poof, ya know? I really got hit hard.”

Because that’s how it is, isn’t it? In the end, I wasn’t able to save her.

“Eagle Eye. I thought that you had Elyas’s best interests at heart,” I said with an accusing tone.

“I prized Lady Elyas’s safety, and I did so more than anyone else. I attempted to persuade her plenty of times that we couldn’t beat the demon. However, Lady Elyas refused to listen. I thought that she’d obediently return to the north if the orc village was gone, but...who would have thought that she treasured the place so much? She is more headstrong than I thought.”

“Yeah. You monitored the demon the whole time, so you might not know this, but that village has a special place in Elyas’s heart. I dunno much myself, but she told me that with monsters, the different races didn’t usually get along, so that’s what made it special.”

At this rate, things were going to end up the same way they did in the anime. The fact that Shuya and Alicia were headed towards Zenelaus also added to that. In the end...fate really won’t change, will it?

I spotted Charlotte off to the side.

“I’m telling you to wake up! How long are you planning on sleeping?!” Charlotte yelled at the small creature.

She was desperately trying to wake the Great Spirit of Wind, who was fast asleep. Oh, I see. If Altanger takes this seriously, then it might still be possible to save the orc village, even at this point. Unfortunately, I knew just how difficult it was to convince the spirit to use their power.

There was one thing I didn’t understand, though. She’s right before her childhood home, and yet...she’s trying to go back to the orc village. Why? Your real homeland is right there. Your goal is right before your eyes!

“Jeez! You’re always sleeping! I’m going to punish you by making you skip meals from now on!”

And then, our eyes met. Her eyes were pleading with me, asking me whether I could do something about it all.

“Charlotte,” I said at length. “You’ve finally come back to your homeland. If you let this opportunity escape, then...I don’t know when you’ll have another.”

“I can come back here at any time. Even if it changes a bit, it’s always here. But...I haven’t even said thank you to Miss Elyas for becoming friends with me yet.”

...Pathetic.

Charlotte hadn’t given up yet.

I’m pathetic.

I was so worthless that I wanted to sigh.

Why did I even come to Huzak? Why did I go so far as to borrow the power of No Face and even change my appearance into a monster?

Was it to change the future? Well, that’s obvious. I don’t want that shoddy future.

I’ll definitely change that. I must. But is that all?

...No. I think...

I probably wanted to save her. Elyas.

“Orc mage, this was the last order from Lady Elyas,” the griffin said.

In the anime, she threw away her own life to let those two escape. So this time, it’s my turn to save her.

“I’ll help you two escape to Daryth. Get on my back.”

Even though her homeland was right before her, Charlotte wished to save Elyas, and to save the orc village.

What a coincidence. I had the exact same idea.

Plus, I hadn’t even heard what Elyas had tried to tell me in those last moments. Thus...

“Hey, Eagle Eye,” I muttered. “I’m talking about you. Your stupid move right there just sabotaged everything.”

The enormous monster before my eyes was Eagle Eye. It was the trusted confidant of the pixie hero of the north, the Untouchable Blue Light, and she had assigned it to act as her sister’s bodyguard. The Demon King of the North, who had despaired over her kin being killed in the future I knew.

“Bring me to the orc village,” I ordered Eagle Eye. “I’ll forgive everything if you do that.”

The problem was simple. If Elyas went, that meant I could just catch up to her. I wouldn’t make it in time with my abilities, but in that case, I could just ask someone to help.

Right now, the village was probably receiving devastating losses. However, this was the precise time when I must return my debt to them.

If Charlotte and I had stayed in the capital of Daryth, we definitely wouldn’t have been able to reconcile. I think that we were only able to make up because we met everyone in this special world full of monsters, and that’s why, I...

“You dull-witted orc mage...” the griffin muttered. “I already said that it’s all over.”

“You’re the one who’s dull-witted. I’m saying that I’m going to save the orc village and Elyas, all of them!”

“What can you do? That human is on a whole other level from a hydra. A mere orc—”

“How pathetic. Just because you failed at your ambush once... Ah, I see. So that’s how it is. Because the monsters put a coward like you onto such a high position on the ladder, you guys aren’t able to even snatch a sliver of territory from the Dustour Empire. But you can rest at peace now. In the place of someone like you, who always runs away with your tail between your legs, I will handle that demon, Eagle Eye.”

“Don’t be so full of yourself, orc mage,” the griffin snarled. “The human won’t do it, so I’ll be the one to tear you into shreds right h—”

My anger got to my head, and some of my true colors slipped. “Hey. What did you just say? Who will kill whom?”

Eagle Eye flaunted its sharp talons, edging back and preparing to take flight with a flap of its wings.

Just before it could, I forcefully tied it to the ground with magic.

“You filth! Like I thought, you’re not an orc at all!!!” the griffin spat.

“Huh? Didn’t I mention this?”

Even right at this moment, I could hear the sound that announced the outbreak of war. Wanting to get a clearer picture of what was going on from the heights of White Castle, the large demonic monster roared and changed its appearance, kicking off the ground in our direction.

Enough.

I’m at my limit.

Stop complicating things further.

“I’m the human from Daryth who took down the black dragon, Daryth’s Dragon Slayer.”

That was why...without thinking, those unexpected words spilled from my mouth.