Emperor of Steel [EN]: Chapter 43

5. Orc Hero

1

Avignon, the capital of the Duchy of Navarr, was in an uproar due to the monster wave.

While there had been frequent instances of monsters threatening the border fortresses in groups, it was unprecedented in the Duchy of Navarr’s history for such a large number, reaching tens of thousands, to cross over.

In the grand hall, deep within the royal palace, a fierce debate raged among the nobles, each blaming the others for the current crisis.

“What on earth was the military doing that they were unaware of such a large-scale monster surge?” a gray-haired noble demanded.

A general from the military, standing opposite him, retorted angrily, “Are we the only ones who were unaware? Wasn’t it the noble faction that repeatedly ignored the requests for support from the border fortresses?”

“No, when did we ever do that…” a noble sputtered.

“Count Coke did! Because of that, Baron Caseron was killed in action. How can a marquis, who is supposed to be a border lord, repeatedly refuse the support requests of the border fortress commander? Does he even have a brain?” the general accused.

The old noble, flustered by the general’s rebuttal, subtly shifted his gaze and began to make excuses. “Ahem, Count Coke was originally a royalist, not a noble.”

“That was until ten years ago. Ten years ago, your gang persuaded him to switch to the noble faction, didn’t you?” the general countered.

“What? Gang? Watch your mouth!” the noble snapped.

“Why? Are you going to draw your sword?” the general challenged.

“Hmph, you think I can’t draw it? The number of monsters I’ve taken down in my younger days…” the noble boasted.

“Everyone, shut your mouths!!” King Henri III, who had been observing the nobles’ squabble from the head seat, could no longer restrain himself and shouted loudly.

“What time is it to be arguing about who’s responsible? Shouldn’t we be coming up with countermeasures immediately?”

Due to the monster invasion, more than ten fortresses guarding the western border had fallen.

And that wasn’t all.

The western territories, including Count Coke’s, had been devastated, and the monster army’s relentless advance had now reached within four days’ distance of Avignon.

At this rate, Avignon was in danger of being captured.

Yet, these irrational nobles were too busy fighting amongst themselves to devise any countermeasures.

The only thing they could say was that the empire, their suzerain state, had sent reinforcements, so the monster disturbance would soon subside.

As the nobles just looked at each other, keeping their mouths shut, Henri III sighed deeply. “Haa, is there really no one with a solution?”

“I am sorry, Your Majesty,” a noble mumbled.

“Ugh, I don’t want to see any of you! Get out of my sight!” Henri III exclaimed.

After dismissing all his retainers, Henri III went to the palace garden to clear his head.

Then, he spotted someone, and his eyes lit up.

A girl with red hair braided into two pigtails.

She was as cute as a doll, but her slender and curvy figure exuded a seductive aura that did not match her appearance.

She was so engrossed in looking at something on the ground that she didn’t even notice the king approaching.

“Ahem, what are you doing here?” the king asked.

“Father, you’ve arrived,” the girl said, turning around and bowing politely, holding the hem of her skirt.

“Yes, what are you looking at so intently, Princess?” the king inquired.

The girl was none other than Princess Margareta, the daughter of Henri III.

Outwardly, she looked like a girl in her late teens, but her actual age was close to 30.

She had stopped aging at some point, and although she had been married twice, her husbands had died young, leaving her childless.

Because of this, there was much talk about her both inside and outside the palace.

Regardless, she had been sharp and intelligent since she was young, and she would often give appropriate advice whenever the king was struggling.

“I was watching the ants fighting,” she replied.

“Ants?” the king asked, puzzled.

Margareta pointed to the ground. There, two types of ants, black and red, were fighting over food.

The red ants, which looked bigger and stronger, seemed to have the advantage, but surprisingly, the black ants were winning.

As the king watched with curiosity for a moment, Margareta explained, “The reason the black ants are winning is because they have a queen ant, which the red ants do not. Under the queen ant’s direction, they are moving in perfect order, pushing back the red ants.”

After pausing for a moment, Margareta subtly extended her foot and stepped on the queen ant, killing it.

“But if the queen ant disappears, they will be helpless like this,” she said.

As the one giving orders disappeared, the black ant swarm wandered aimlessly, eventually losing strength and scattering in all directions.

Turning her head, Margareta looked at the king’s dark face and asked, “It seems things aren’t going well?”

“Huu, I’ve been holding meetings with the nobles every day, but they’re all as silent as clams,” Henri III lamented.

Margareta smiled faintly and replied, “I have a plan, would you like to hear it?”

“Yes, I will listen carefully,” the king said.

As if this was not the first time, Margareta began to explain the plan she had already devised. “We will use the reinforcements sent by the empire as a shield to buy time.”

“And then?” the king asked.

“I’ve heard that the empire’s reinforcements are only numerous in name, and their actual combat power is not that great. I don’t think they can stop the monster army at all. So, I think we should bring in the Volga Duchy,” she stated.

“Th-that’s not possible!” Henri III exclaimed, jumping up. Bringing in the Volga Duchy was tantamount to betraying the Baroque Empire, their suzerain state.

Moreover, they were republicans who did not recognize the monarchy.

He could not ruin the future to avoid the immediate crisis.

At Henri III’s outcry, Margareta spoke with a cold and resolute face. “But the fate of the country is in danger right now. Moreover, the Baroque Empire, which boasts of being our suzerain state, is not providing proper support. We must survive first before we can plan for the future, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Hmm,” the king pondered.

“And the empire may seem strong on the outside, but it’s already a setting sun. You can see that from the war with the republic before,” Margareta added.

Henri III had also heard about the war between the Baroque Empire and the Volga Republic last time.

The empire had mobilized its army and acted as if it would conquer the republic in no time, but it was the Volga Republic that launched the first attack.

They had infiltrated the empire’s territory by surprise, defeated the northern army, and devastated many territories in the north.

Some of the imperial forces had repelled the enemy forces that had invaded through another route and advanced into the republic’s territory, eventually resulting in a draw, but the empire had suffered much more damage.

Moreover, the conflict between the emperor’s faction and the noble faction had become extreme after the war.

‘As Margareta says, the empire may be a setting sun. But the reality is that it’s still a sun in the sky,’ the king thought.

The king could not easily make a decision.

After walking around the garden for a while, pondering over and over, he finally came to a conclusion. “Alright. I will do as you wish. But will the commander of the Baroque Empire’s reinforcements just stand by and watch us join hands with the Volga Republic?”

“That’s something we can easily deceive them about. Using a honey trap would be a good method,” Margareta replied.

“Are you confident?” the king asked.

Margareta smiled seductively and nodded. “I have good helpers, so please trust me and leave it to me.”

Princess Margareta of Navarr.

She was the successor of a magic tower not well known on the continent.

That magic tower, composed only of female mages, had continued to use magic not commonly used on the continent.

Having learned those magics since she was young, and now having reached her full potential, Margareta was confident in seducing the commander of the imperial army.

‘Whether it’s Baroque or Volga, they’re just pawns to me. Once the Orc Hero is dealt with, then… Hehehe,’ she thought.

A smile of ambition appeared on Margareta’s lips.

2

When Luke arrived in Avignon leading the reinforcements, the king and nobles welcomed him greatly. They even mobilized the citizens of the capital to hold a very grand welcoming ceremony.

The imperial army, entering the city like a victorious army, stopped marching in front of the royal palace.

In front of the palace, the king and dozens of high-ranking nobles stood and faced Luke’s group, who had come forward.

“I am Marquis Luke de Rakan,” Luke introduced himself.

At Philip’s introduction, they looked surprised.

They were surprised first to see that the commander of the reinforcements was a young man, and second to learn that his title was a marquis.

Finally, and most of all, they were most surprised to learn that he was a descendant of the famous hero Rakan.

‘Wasn’t he on bad terms with the Baroque imperial family?’ Henri III wondered, but he did not show it outwardly and gave compliments.

“You must have had a hard time coming here,” the king said.

“It’s nothing,” Luke replied.

No sooner had the two exchanged greetings than the nobles standing behind them grabbed Luke’s sleeves.

“Hahaha, we have prepared a modest banquet for Your Excellency and the knights who have had a hard time coming here,” one noble said.

“Although it may not be as good as the empire, we have done our best, so please come with us,” another added.

“No. I have no intention of attending the banquet…” Luke began to refuse, but he stopped talking. The knights, including Philip, were staring at him with blazing eyes from behind.

Their eyes were filled with a burning desire.

That desire was so intense that it seemed it might turn into resentment if it was not fulfilled.

‘What is it?’ Luke wondered.

At first, he looked puzzled, but after hearing the grumbling of a few female knights, including Anna, he looked dumbfounded.

“Ugh, men…” Anna muttered.

“They’re going crazy because they heard there are many beautiful women in this country,” another female knight grumbled.

Even these female knights, who were grumbling, were no different. They were gaping at the servants who had come out to greet them.

In fact, the Duchy of Navarr had no special products to boast of, but it was famous as the country with the most handsome men and beautiful women on the Rodisia continent.

‘Oh, well, I can’t help it,’ Luke thought.

Unable to ignore his subordinates’ desires, Luke eventually agreed to attend the banquet.

With a hollow laugh, he followed the nobles of the Duchy of Navarr, with the knights grinning behind him.

Splendid decorations and expensive food.

The banquet was so lavish that it was hard to believe that this was the Duchy of Navarr, which was suffering a national disaster due to the monster wave.

But Luke was just so-so.

Unlike his subordinates, who were diligently roaming the banquet hall like bees looking for flowers, he was stuck with the older king and nobles, so he was very bored.

After listening to flowery diplomatic rhetoric and flattery about the empire and the imperial family for more than two hours, Luke excused himself, saying he was going out for some fresh air.

“Huu! I thought I was going to die of suffocation,” he said.

He went out to the palace garden and moved to a secluded place.

Then, a fluffy, mottled cat and a black bat appeared from within the flower bed.

It was Sebastian and Belpar.

In fact, the reason Luke had made the excuse of going out for some fresh air was to meet these guys.

“Have you gathered the information for sure?” Luke asked.

“Yes! Of course, Master,” Sebastian replied.

Sebastian began to report first. He laid out the information he had gathered while traveling around the duchy for the past five days.

“…And, currently, the duchy’s army is gathered at a place called Akbar Fortress, which is three days away to the west,” Sebastian concluded.

“Akbar Fortress?” Luke asked.

“Yes, it’s named after a famous general of the duchy, and when I actually went there, it was a very large and solidly built castle,” Sebastian explained.

There were about 50,000 troops and 120 Gigants [large, powerful war machines] at Akbar Fortress.

“That’s less than I thought?” Luke said.

Sebastian answered Luke’s question immediately.

“After the monster wave began, they engaged in direct combat a couple of times and completely depleted their forces.”

The nobles, who initially underestimated the monsters, recklessly charged in and suffered near-total annihilation.

The prime example was Count Coke.

He scraped together the forces from his western territory and threw a staggering 20,000 troops, 60 Gigants [large, powerful war machines], and 300 knights into the monsters’ jaws.

Because of that, the Duchy, with its already small number of troops and Gigants, was placed in an even more disadvantageous position.

Luke clicked his tongue and asked again,

“What about the movements of the Duchy’s army at the fortress?”

“They seem completely terrified and have no intention of moving an inch.”

It seemed they intended to hold off the monster horde by relying on the high fortress walls.

It wasn’t a bad choice, but it wasn’t a good one either. The path to the capital couldn’t be the only one.

It would take time, but there would surely be a way to bypass the fortress.

“What about the western plains?”

Luke turned his gaze to Belpar and asked. Belpar quickly lowered his head and began to report.

“Many monsters have moved out, so it’s relatively quiet. However, there are still quite a few monsters remaining, and if these join up, the Duchy will be in even greater danger.”

“Hmm, it won’t be easy.”

If Luke didn’t have a separate plan, this expedition would have a higher chance of failure than success.

The war situation was that bad.

However, Luke never thought he would lose.

“Did you happen to see the Orc Hero?”

At Luke’s question, Belpar looked somewhat serious and said,

“On the way back, I saw him from afar. He was the most flamboyantly decorated among the orcs, and he was definitely not an ordinary orc. I was so tense that I couldn’t approach any further.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Although he was a low-ranking demon, Belpar’s swordsmanship was close to that of a Sword Master.

If Belpar felt threatened instinctively, he must have been quite skilled.

“To have that much power and the intelligence to manipulate human armies… Did you happen to find out anything more detailed?”

“I am sorry, but no more than that…”

“I understand. There’s still time, so if we look more calmly, we can learn more. Continue the investigation until I go to the front lines.”

It was when Luke had finished this conversation.

With a sweet and fragrant smell, Sebastian and Belpar sensed a presence and disappeared into the darkness.

“What are you doing here alone, Marquis?”

When Luke turned around, a beautiful young woman in a flamboyant and revealing outfit approached with a refreshing expression.

‘It’s Princess Margareta.’

Luke recognized her as he had greeted her at the banquet earlier.

“Everyone was in a panic because you weren’t there, Marquis. Did you perhaps get lost?”

“I was just standing here because the night breeze was nice.”

“You must have felt very stifled. Well, it’s a boring and tedious place, even if it’s fancy.”

Margareta moved closer to Luke. At that moment, the fragrance from her body became even stronger.

Luke’s eyes flashed sharply as he smelled it.

‘This is definitely… the perfume used by the Arachne witches?’

500 years ago, there was a magic tower made up of female mages.

The tower, founded by a female mage named Arachne, was outwardly known as a place where medical mages conducted medical research, but in reality, it was a harmful tower that researched aphrodisiacs and the sinister magic of stealing others’ mana.

With the drugs and magic they developed, they gave the powerful and their wives the precious gift of ‘youth’ and corrupted their minds with aphrodisiacs.

Thus, they received the protection of the powerful and eventually came to control a country.

‘Eventually, the Elkasel Order stepped in, declared them a heretical force, and punished them. They were called witches and became targets of criticism, forced to hide in the shadows.’

When Luke was at the height of his infamy as the Demon King Seymon, the Arachne Tower had approached him.

The Arachne Tower tried to use the Demon King’s army to achieve their goals, but Luke was not so corrupted as to be tempted by aphrodisiacs or youth, so he expelled them.

‘I thought they had disappeared, but it seems they somehow maintained their lineage.’

Margareta, who had no idea what Luke was thinking, took out a bottle of wine and two glasses from her sleeve.

“It’s a Chardonnay from Bord Mountain. It’s only served to distinguished state guests, but it will help you feel less stifled if you drink it.”

‘Of course, it will. This is to trigger the drug’s effects.’

The Arachne Tower very cleverly intoxicates its targets.

First, they make them smell the perfume, then they make them drink the drugged wine. The two substances absorbed into the body mix, dulling reason and, conversely, igniting instinct.

Once activated, the effects last for quite a long time, and even withdrawal symptoms appear.

And in this situation, if they are caught by the ‘Charming’ magic, they will be reduced to mere puppets.

‘I don’t know what their intentions are, but I’ll teach them that things don’t go so easily in this world.’

Luke, inwardly sneering, took the glass Margareta offered and drank it in one gulp.

Margareta smiled faintly at his unhesitating action.

‘Yes, it’s going according to plan!’

But for some reason, even after drinking the wine, there were no particular signs in Luke.

She expected his eyes to become hazy and for him to be restless like a dog in heat, but he was calmly admiring the stars in the sky.

“The stars in the Chariot constellation are particularly bright. It is said that when the radiance of that red star is strong, wars often break out.”

“I-Is that so?”

“Yes, it’s not just superstition. The change in starlight is due to changes in the mana flowing in the atmosphere. If there is a change in mana, the weather is bound to change, and that will affect the harvest… Ah, would you like another glass of wine?”

At Luke’s request, Margareta unknowingly poured him another glass.

In fact, she shouldn’t let him drink more. If the drug’s effects become too active, side effects could occur.

However, Luke showed no signs of side effects, let alone the drug’s effects.

The reason he could do that was because of his past experiences.

During his time as the Demon King, he was plagued by attacks from assassins sent by kings and nobles from various countries. Among them, there were quite a few attempts at poisoning using various methods.

So, Luke had to find a way to neutralize the poison, and thanks to that, he gained additional knowledge about drugs.

‘If it’s something that works by mixing, then all I have to do is prevent it from mixing.’

From the moment Luke realized that the princess’s perfume was from the Arachne Tower, he subtly accelerated the Black Circle and used magic to expel the drug that had seeped into his body.

That’s why the drug that entered his body mixed with the wine had no effect.

“Anyway, I should go back now. Even if it’s a stifling place, I shouldn’t be away for too long.”

“Ah, yes…”

Luke left Margareta, who was anxiously waiting for the drug to take effect, and returned to the banquet hall.

‘What on earth went wrong?’

Margareta, who had been pondering over it several times, lightly snapped her fingers. Then, the maids who had been waiting nearby approached her.

“Did you call for us?”

“Did you get the herbs and make it properly?”

Margareta asked the maids, who were bowing politely, in a nervous tone.

In fact, they were not maids of the royal palace. They were female mages from the Arachne Tower disguised as maids.

“Yes, without a doubt, as you wrote down, Princess…”

“Then why isn’t it working!!”

Thud-! Clang!

At the same time as Margareta’s venomous shout, wine bottles and glasses flew and hit the maids’ heads.

Blood flowed profusely, but the maids did not dare to scream or stagger.

If they showed any more weakness here, they would immediately become Margareta’s test subjects or sacrifices to maintain her youth.

“To think I have to use these things as mages…”

At Margareta’s sarcastic remark, the female mages of the Arachne Tower could only bow their heads.

“I think I need to change my approach. I’ll make a special elixir, so follow me.”

“Yes, Princess.”

Even though she didn’t know what went wrong, she was determined to enslave them with an unimaginable method of seduction next time.

Margareta was inwardly determined, but she was completely unaware that two demons were watching her from the shadows.

Luke, having thwarted the princess’s cunning plan, set off for Akbar Fortress the next day, leading the Imperial Army.

However, just before the departure, an annoying extra was added. Princess Margareta had disguised herself as a man and followed them.

“Why are you following us, Princess?”

“My father sent me as a liaison officer. And I’ve also trained as a mage, so I’ll be of help to the Marquis.”

‘Oh, this girl!’

Luke knew that she was following him to seduce him on the battlefield.

However, he couldn’t openly refuse a liaison officer sent by the King, and since he had another plan, he just let her follow.

‘Hehehe, I’ll definitely wrap him around my finger!’

Margareta, looking at Luke’s back as he turned away, was burning with fighting spirit.

The opponent was a descendant of the hero Rakan.

Not only was his lineage good, but he had also revived his declining family and become a prominent great lord in the Empire.

Margareta, who had no intention of ending her life as a mere princess of a small, insignificant border country, was determined to make Luke her slave and use him as a bridgehead for her advance into the Empire.

‘Tonight won’t be like last night.’

Margareta held the newly made elixir and smiled wickedly.

But she didn’t know.

That Luke was planning to slip out of the camp unnoticed tonight.

As the sun set, the Imperial Army stopped their march and prepared for camp.

Perhaps because of the forced march, everyone except the soldiers on guard duty fell into a deep sleep after dinner.

Two suspicious shadows infiltrated the silent camp.

They quickly evaded the guards’ gazes and slipped into the commander’s tent.

And just as they were about to approach Luke, who was lying on the field bed,

“Have you come?”

The tent lit up, and Luke got up from his bed.

“Yes, Master. What should I do?”

The identities of the intruders were revealed under the magic lamp. They were Luke’s servants, Sebastian and Belpar.

At Sebastian’s question, Luke smiled faintly and replied,

“You’ll have to act as my double, just like last time. I’ve organized the plan for the time you’ll be acting as my double here, so make sure you understand it.”

At those words, Sebastian quickly transformed into Luke’s appearance and received the bundle of papers.

Sebastian, having tucked the bundle of papers into his bosom, looked at Luke and spoke cautiously.

“Master. I have one wish.”

“A wish?”

“Yes, I hope you will acknowledge my loyalty and please grant it.”

“Let’s hear what it is first.”

At those words, Sebastian pointed to the tent right next to where Margareta was staying and said,

“May I devour that girl?”

“Devour? Do you mean it literally, or metaphorically?”

Luke was puzzled because Sebastian had never used such an expression before.

Moreover, if it was the latter meaning, he thought that Belpar, a vampire, would have been more eager.

Anyway, at Luke’s question, Sebastian licked his lips with his tongue and replied,

“It’s neither appetite nor lust. What I want are the twisted desires and negative emotions that girl possesses. She’s one of the most outstanding humans I’ve ever seen.”

What Sebastian wanted was not her body but her emotions themselves. So, he said that he would approach her every night after she fell asleep and absorb them.

“It doesn’t really matter, but if that girl dies or gets sick, it’ll be a hassle for me.”

“You don’t need to worry. There won’t be any problems with her life or health.”

“Well, if that’s the case, then it’s fine.”

With Luke’s permission, Sebastian bowed deeply in gratitude.

However, Luke had no idea what would happen later because of this decision. If he had known, he would never have allowed it.

“Then, while I’m away, make sure you act like me properly.”

After firmly instructing Sebastian, Luke quietly left the encampment with Belpar.

His plan was as follows:

While Sebastian, disguised as him, led the Imperial Army and held off the monsters at Akbar Fortress, he and Belpar would cut off the monster army from behind.

After reducing their forces, they would strike the main force where the Orc Hero was and eliminate the leader.

It was a simple plan, but it was a daring operation that could never be attempted if Luke and Belpar’s power were insignificant.

Using flight magic, he went to the western territory of Garen, where monsters were rampant, and took out the golems from his subspace bracelet [a magical storage device].

“Lord in Dimension!”

Whooosh!

With a flash of light, 100 golems appeared.

When he went to the Rakan territory because of Reina’s incident, he had taken the golems made in the Demon King’s underground workshop instead of handing over the captured Gigant [a large, powerful monster].

“Master, are you going to start here?”

“Yes, it seems perfect since there’s a group of monsters nearby.”

At Luke’s answer, Belpar drew his sword and grinned wickedly.

Although he had become a human’s slave, his true nature was that of a demon, a vampire.

He loved slaughter and bloodsucking, and he had been restrained by Luke for a while, so his stress was no joke.

So much so that he was even starting to lose hair from his lush head.

“There’s no need to leave even one alive, so feel free to go wild.”

As soon as Luke’s permission was given, Belpar spread his bat wings wide and flew towards the monsters.

Then, he unleashed a thick killing intent from his entire body and shouted with joy.

“Kekekekek! Offer your fresh blood and flesh to me!”

Like a fish in water, Belpar jumped into the monster horde and began a merciless massacre.

“Squeak! An attack!”

“Don’t run away! Do as Shaikhan ordered!”

The monsters, suddenly attacked, were flustered and tried to scatter.

In response, the orcs who were controlling the groups hurriedly tried to reorganize their ranks.

However, before the ranks could be fully reorganized, the golem legion charged in. Luke, who had activated marionette magic, had invaded.

As the golems wildly swung their limbs, dozens of monsters fell, spraying blood.

“Squeak! Ogres, fight!”

“Break the stone giants!”

Some orc shamans tried to counter by using large monsters.

However, the large monsters could not move. This was because the Black Bind that Luke had deployed had them pinned down.

Squeak! Kkeueeeong!

The large monsters, their power sucked away by the Black Bind, screamed pitifully.

However, they could never escape the Black Bind, which was deployed with 5th circle black magic, and they met their deaths, leaving only bones and skin.

The orc shamans and other monsters who rushed to save them were also caught in the Black Bind.

And their power was absorbed by Luke.

“Heh, they say many a little makes a mickle…”

As expected, he was able to acquire a considerable amount of mana while hunting monsters.

Therefore, Luke focused more on dealing with them with Black Bind rather than trampling them with golems.

It didn’t even take half a day for the monster group occupying the Garen territory to be annihilated.

The storm that had risen to quell the monster wave had begun without anyone knowing.

5

“This is strange.”

The Orc Hero, Shaikhan, tilted his head as he received reports from his subordinates. Over the past few days, more than ten monster groups had lost contact.

Currently, the monster units in the rear were each gathering 2,000 to 3,000 monsters, clearing the western territories and increasing their forces.

But suddenly, they had lost contact, and he couldn’t figure out why.

“Could they have been defeated by humans?”

That didn’t seem likely.

The only humans left in the west were a few stragglers and civilians scattered in the wasteland.

And the monster groups also had many large monsters like ogres and trolls, so they wouldn’t be easily defeated even if they encountered a Gigant unit.

“What on earth happened?”

Shaikhan was tilting his head when it happened.

The orc shaman in charge of communication came running and shouted.

“Shaikhan! Human reinforcements have arrived at the fortress!”

‘Has the Baroque Empire’s army finally arrived?’

Shaikhan had also expected reinforcements from the Baroque Empire.

So, he had dispatched a few agile monsters near Akbar Fortress, and they had informed him of the fact.

“What is their size?”

“Squeak, the number of humans was as many as the rocks in Eagle Valley.”

“Then it must be about 30,000.”

Currently, the Akbar Fortress was under attack by a 40,000-strong monster army that had departed earlier.

Although the fortress was sturdy and they were not easily capturing it, their goal was not to capture it.

Their real goal was to distract the enemy and wear them down until the monster unit led by Shaikhan found a way to bypass the fortress.

But if 30,000 reinforcements were added here, the situation could be reversed.

“It can’t be helped. We’re moving to Akbar Fortress.”

If he had his way, he would have liked to find a detour a little more.

However, if the monster army attacking the fortress collapsed, this place could also become dangerous.

In that case, it would be a better choice to combine forces and push through Akbar Fortress.

“I have a place to stop by, so go ahead first.”

Flash!

The moment a violent aura flashed from Shaikhan’s body, he disappeared from the spot.

“Oh, great being! Please watch over us!”

The orc shamans and warriors, who had felt the violent aura emanating from Shaikhan’s body, prostrated themselves on the spot and begged and begged again.

The place where Shaikhan reappeared was a cave located deep in the western prairie.

He glanced into the cave and took off the mask he was wearing. Then, surprisingly, a human face appeared instead of the blue-skinned orc.

Was the Orc Hero Shaikhan a human?

The man in his mid-30s, who held a secret that would surprise the world, strode into the cave.

“Cough, cough! Your Highness, have you arrived?”

A gaunt old man lying on a crude wooden bed greeted him.

As he tried to get up, Shaikhan stopped him.

“Sir Stephen, greetings are enough, please lie down.”

Surprisingly, the look in Shaikhan’s eyes as he looked at the old man was not cold or violent, but warm.

It was definitely not the look he had shown when massacring the army and people of the Duchy of Navarr.

“Hoo, I don’t have much time left to live. So, you don’t have to worry.”

“Who says you’re going to die! You can never die unless I allow it!”

To Shaikhan, the old man was his parent who had raised him, his teacher who had taught him swordsmanship, and his only companion.

Stephen smiled faintly as he saw him get angry.

He was the one who had raised Shaikhan, or rather, the prince, directly since he was seven years old.

Reikart de Baroque.

That was Shaikhan’s real name.

Originally born as the third prince of the Baroque Imperial Family, he had been the favorite of the previous emperor since childhood due to his intelligence.

However, as the saying goes, good things often come with bad things.

The first empress, who was very jealous of him, had caused an incident.

When the third empress, Reikart’s birth mother, went on a visit to her parents’ home, she used assassins to attack her.

The third empress died, and many of the escort knights were killed.

Stephen, who was the captain of the escort at the time, tearfully carried Prince Reikart on his back and fled.

However, he could not return to the imperial capital.

In the meantime, the previous emperor had died mysteriously, and the first prince, Rudolf, had succeeded to the throne.

In the end, the old man had no choice but to go to a place where the empire’s reach could not reach, and that place was the western prairie, known as the world of monsters.

“Hahaha, now that Your Highness has awakened the blood of the Divine Dragon Tiamat, I can die in peace.”

The Baroque Imperial Family, like any other royal or noble family, claimed to be descendants of dragons.

Scholars considered this to be unreliable and actually regarded Dice de Baroque, who was a founding contributor to the former Kingdom of Lybia, as the de facto founder.

Contrary to this perception of the world, it was true that the bloodline of dragons had continued in the Baroque Imperial Family.

The Draconian, who was born from the Divine Dragon Tiamat, known as the last dragon, was the true founder.

However, as time passed, the bloodline became blurred, and it was regarded as just a legend.

But that legend was not easily erased within the family, and at some point, a secret prophecy was added.

“The one among the princes who awakens the power of Tiamat will look down upon the continent!”

Just when the prophecy was considered futile, Reikart was born. Surprisingly, he had something like fish scales attached under his armpits when he was born.

He was not only favored by the previous emperor because of his intelligence. He was expected to become a true descendant of the Divine Dragon.

However, unfortunately, it was only two years ago that Reikart awakened his power.

He had gone out to find a panacea to cure Stephen’s illness and was in danger of dying when he encountered a Twin-Headed Ogre.

Reikart had learned from Stephen since he was young and had quite excellent swordsmanship skills, but he was no match for the Twin-Headed Ogre.

In the end, he was hit by the Twin-Headed Ogre’s fist and fell into a near-death state, and at the moment when life and death intersected, the power, knowledge, and magic of the Divine Dragon, which had been engraved in his blood, awakened.

Thanks to this, Reikart was able to escape the danger of death and, of course, subdue the orcs and rise to the position of Orc Hero.

“I will save you no matter what.”

Reikart approached Stephen and cast a series of absolute recovery spells using dragon language magic.

Bright light repeatedly covered the old man’s body, but it could not restore him, whose life force had been completely burned out.

This was because it was the providence of God that a person whose life force had been completely burned out would die.

“Even if Your Highness is a Draconian [a descendant of a dragon], there is a limit to the amount of mana. So, don’t waste it on me.”

The old man, who had stopped Reikart, looked at him with stern eyes and opened his mouth again.

“When I die, collect my bones and plant them in the graves of the enemies who harmed the late emperor and the third empress. If I don’t do that, I won’t have the face to see the third empress and my colleagues who died unjustly… Please…”

The old man’s voice faded and then suddenly stopped.

Startled, Reikart called out his name.

“Sir Stephen! Wake up, Sir Stephen!”

Despite Reikart’s desperate cries, Stephen had left for a place from which he could never return.

After sobbing for a long time, Reikart closed Stephen’s eyes and vowed in a voice mixed with sadness and anger.

“I will surely avenge you. Even if I am cursed and pointed at as the king of monsters and torn to pieces, I will surely cut off Rudolf’s head and offer it to your spirit!”

A mysterious flame, created by dragon language magic, enveloped the body of the old knight, full of resentment.

Reikart, who had collected the remains of his parent, teacher, and friend, put on his mask again and returned to being the Orc Hero Shaikhan.

He had many things to do to achieve his goals, so he took another step towards the world.