Chapter 22.1 Dance With The Orcs (3)
After the farce was over, we decided to move on immediately. It's because the more time you delay, the worse it gets.
“Tsk, we don't even have anything to eat.”
“Here's your food.”
I handed the beef jerky pickled in garlic juice to Howl.
Howl was disgusted and shook his head readily.
“Wait, how did Cloud-sama brought that?”
“I carried it in a pouch tied around my waist. It's a little wet, but it's better than nothing."
“N, No, thanks. I have been eating it for days… I can't consume any more.”
“Um, as you say. Well, it looks like we don't have anything else to pack, so let's get going."
"Guys, follow me well, and if you discover something along the way, please tell us.”
We started moving.
Me and Howl, who were the most powerful of the batch, both led the group from the front and the back.
"Hot…"
As we continued to advance further, the people following behind started murmuring one by one. I glanced around and saw that everyone was drenched in sweat, muttering ‘hot' over and over again.
If we keep going like this, many will be left behind.
I decided to announce a short break.
Howl came up to me while everyone was sitting down and resting.
“How much further does Cloud-sama think it will take us to get out of here?”
“That’s what even I want to know.”
“…Cloud-sama doesn't know? Then, you just told them to come together without knowing which way to go?”
“Do you really want to make me say it now? It was the only way I could see.”
“It’s like that… haa, so there's nothing we can do?”
Howl sighed and looked around.
The surrounding was dotted with dried up trees, barren land, and occasional scorpions. There was nothing other than that.
“So that's what the land of orcs look like. If it hadn't, they wouldn't had the need to loot others.”
The territory of orcs is located on the western side of the continent.
The sun is hot enough to remind you of a desert. In the dry land, there is no moisture to be found, and the soil structure is so loose that it crumbles with every step that one takes.
Naturally, the land is not suitable for farming. Because of which, the Orcs were always struggling with food shortages.
The method they choose to survive was—looting.
Once a year.
During the harvesting season, the warriors of all the orc tribes gather to create a powerful integrated army.
And the great army tours the kingdoms, demanding that some of the harvested grain to be given away if they don't want a war.
This is the so-called rip-off.
It's a very outrageous request, but all the kingdoms grant it anyway. Anyone would be reluctant to take severe damage by fighting against a large orc army.
‘In the first place, it's questionable if they can even win in a war against orcs.’
If it wasn't for the intervention of the Empire, the three kingdoms would have long fallen in the orcs' hands, the NPC in the game once said that.
‘But this guy is a vampire, he doesn't even knows about the territory of orcs?’
Seeing that he is still alive even after eating so many of my garlics, he seems to be of a fairly high ranking. Then he must have lived for quite a long time, and so, of course, he should must have visited the orc's territory at least for once.
That said, the appearance I see now is just acting.
‘These smelly vampire bastards. I need to get rid of this one sooner or later.’
Unfortunately, I can't kill him with this body right now. It would be very simple if I used my old techniques, but he's not the kind of guy who can compel me to use my real moves.
Simply—not worth it.
But, he is a man that can be used in many ways.
‘I’ll have to ask Lina to make a stronger garlic concentrate later.’
If you can still eat it and endure it, then there's nothing more. I'll have no choice but to acknowledge your tenacity and give you a better and stronger food next time.
As I was thinking about it, Howl opened his mouth with a serious expression.
“Then what now? First, we still don't know how we are going to get to the border. Second, many will starve to death before that."
“Oh, don’t worry about that. I already have something in mind.”
* * *
“Are you sure this matches with the ‘something' in your mind?”
Howl looked at me with an expression that said that he was already astonished enough and couldn't be stimulated anymore.
“Intrusi Kah Kah!”
Orcs riding on camels or large scorpions were pointing their spears at us.
I spoke to him in a low voice so that only Howl could hear.
“Did you actually think we could get to the border without ever getting caught by the orcs?With more than twenty people? Really?”
We're not the FBI, how do we do that?
“Seguire Balah Tuk Fuke!”
The orc, mounting on the largest scorpion, cried out and began to move.
“What is he saying?”
“He is asking us to follow. Everyone, don’t be afraid and just follow along.”
“Hey, this crazy bastard is driving us to our death! After all, I shouldn't have followed you idiots. Actually, I should have been in control… huh?!”
A sharp spear blade was aimed at the nape of the bickering Callios, who let out a frightened scream.
“Tranq Uilla Mente!”
“Gulp. W, What is he saying?”
“Shut up. Well, Mr. Callios, let's shut up, as the orc friend here says. Kindly, you too. Guys, all of you have to be quiet to get things done. Ah, Mr. Callios, I hope this time you don't do anything crazy. Come on, let’s go.”
I followed behind the scorpion riding orc. Howl followed me, and the others hesitated for a moment and then followed us.
The orcs moved in a state of siege as if they moved while surrounding us.
“What are they going to do now?”
“Well, like I said before, we should settle the matter amicably through peaceful negotiations.”
“Is that possible?”
As Howl said so, he glanced at the orcs, as if he couldn't understand how to converse with these ignorant bastards.
I couldn't even laugh out loud because of the situation though it was so ridiculous. As expected, vampires are still vampires. Seeing how easily they ignore, or more specifically— disregard other races, vampires are vampires anywhere one goes.
“The orcs aren’t as stupid as they may seem to you. They know how to measure the situation. Otherwise, they would have been long annihilated by the Empire.”
“Um… that’s right.”
Howl nodded his head with a trembling expression. The status of the Empire is just so great, even a vampire would have to admit it.
To be more precise, it should be said that it was the status of the Platinum Knights, the Templar Knights under the Empire.
Platinum Knights.
The sharpest sword of the Empire.
It is an armed force capable of destroying a kingdom on its own strength without any need of other support troops.
On the day they draw their silver swords on the vampires, that will be the day when the vampires will disappear from the continent, unless the Blood King comes forward.
“So don’t worry, just walk.”
Howl nodded helplessly.
* * *
Hot sun and dry earth.
With only these two, no matter how hard they plundered, the Orcs would not have been able to survive.
But the orcs survived.
Because there was something that allowed them to survive.
Oasis.
It is a large pool of water that can be found all around this dry land.
However, there are big differences from the ordinary oasis back on Earth. Both in size and effectiveness. Aside from the fact that it is much larger than what a naked eye could measure, it is said that the water in the oasis of this world is safe to consume.
The quality of the water is so good that you can drink it even without boiling.
It is a very fantasy type setting, but it is said that this is the key to the orcs's present day survival.
The water of the oasis can solve drinking problems and the surrounding land is farmable.
Of course, that alone is not enough, so they loot.
“Hey there. Are you sure we will be okay?"
As I was yawning, someone pulled my shirt's hem with a worried face.
The orcs have brought us to the center of their tribe while still surrounding us from all sides, so its normal that there is a lot of anxiety mixed in the air.
I smiled at her and calmed her down.
"It's okay. Trust me.”
“I want to believe it, but…”
She looked around herself with a face full of fear. I followed her gaze and looked around, and besides the orc warriors who surrounded us, other orcs were gathering one by one.
But it didn't seem like there was a need to worry too much.
Compared to the orc warriors, the energy they exuded was too poor.
It was no different from a slightly larger human being.
“Is it you people? Humans who fearlessly invaded our tribe’s territory?”
A thick voice came from inside the large tent. The orc that emerged from the tent was way larger than any of the other orcs.
He was 2.5 m tall with thick muscles.
He also has a hideous black tattoo on his right shoulder.
The energy emitted by this orc was far exceeding those normal orcs as well as those orc warriors.
“Hey, the orc knows our language.”
"Scary…"
“Indeed…”
Those who were still very nervous were terrified by the appearance of the larger orc.
After calming them down, I asked the orc.
“Are you the chieftain of this tribe?”
"Yesh. I am Lugar, the son of Roxar, and the chieftain of the Wolftooth tribe.”
“I am Cloud. Lugar, the son of Roxar, I—challenge you to a duel.”
* * *
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