Building A Human Empire By Creating A Clan [EN]: Chapter 25

Baguku frowned as he looked up at the human male before him.

Unusually tall for a human, he was looking down on Baguku.

He clenched his fists at the sight of a member of an inferior race daring to look down on him.

Normally, he would have ripped his head off without a second thought.

But he felt an indescribable pressure from the man’s eyes.

‘This human is unsettling.’

A sensation of suppressed breath, a rapidly beating heart, and a body stiffening.

Instinct warned Baguku that this human was dangerous.

The only other being who had made him feel this way was his father, Ugdhash.

It was hard to believe that a human could possess the same presence as Ugdhash.

But his instincts screamed it, and Baguku did not ignore his instincts.

“What do you mean by ‘master,’ human?”

He unclenched his fists, exhaling sharply through his nose as he stepped back.

As he created distance, the oppressive aura that had been pressing down on him seemed to dissipate slightly.

“Exactly what it sounds like. This place is mine. I am Edar, the lord of Olympus.”

Baguku’s eyes flashed.

The name was strongly etched in his mind.

“You… are you the monkey who deceived the Council [a governing body of various races]?”

How could he not know? The only human who had screwed over the Council.

The elven prince had his direct territory seized, and Ugdhash was driven beyond the mountains.

Baguku, Ugdhash’s son, also suffered and had to hide like this.

“What kind of deal are you here to make?”

“That’s none of your concern. Bring your father. Ugdhash of Baguku.”

Gnash…

Baguku gritted his teeth at Edar’s disregard.

His neck trembled as he made a phlegmy sound, expressing his discomfort.

“Ugdhash is not here. And this is my land. If you have something to say, say it to me.”

“You think you’re qualified to negotiate with me?”

“Of course.”

Edar chuckled.

Baguku once again felt the surge of anger rising within him.

If it weren’t for the oppressive aura he felt when he met his eyes… he would have killed him countless times.

“If so, then lead the way. You’re not so ignorant as to discuss a deal in this spot.”

Baguku snorted and turned his back.

There was a separate space for entertaining human slave traders.

Considering their tastes, the spacious room was filled with gold.

Upon entering, the sunlight reflecting off the gold would momentarily blind them.

Baguku assumed that Edar, like other merchants, would cover his face.

And that he would reveal his greed for the gold and lower himself to Baguku.

‘Humans are simple. They like anything big and shiny.’

A common trait among all the humans he had met in his short life.

Would the human who deceived the Council be any different?

Anticipating a surprised expression, he smirked and looked at him.

“……”

But Edar remained unfazed.

Even after seeing the room filled with gold, his expression didn’t change.

Rather, Baguku was taken aback by that reaction.

“Aren’t you surprised?”

“What are you talking about?”

Edar retorted, catching the question that had slipped out unintentionally.

Baguku flinched, hesitated for a moment, and then answered.

“You no like shiny rock?”

One of the reasons Baguku considered humans an inferior race was this.

Instead of trying to become stronger despite their weakness, they clung to worthless things.

With strength, one could seize anything, but he couldn’t understand their obsession with that soft metal that had nothing to do with strength.

“I don’t dislike it.”

On the other hand, this human didn’t seem to care about gold, unlike other foolish human merchants who pretended to be uninterested in order to sell breeding slaves at a higher price.

His eyes didn’t hold hatred, but they were indifferent, as if looking at a stone.

“But does that matter? The value of gold is determined by others, not me.”

Edar picked up a necklace made by a craftsman slave, examined it, and then dropped it on the floor.

He strolled around the reception room with light steps, admiring the treasures, and then picked up a box smaller than his palm.

Inside the golden box were several tobacco leaves woven together.

He took one out and put it in his mouth.

“This is not bad.”

“That. Good stuff. Council buy much.”

“I see.”

Baguku summoned a human slave to light the tobacco.

The red-tipped tobacco was deeply inhaled in sync with Edar’s breathing.

As his lips curled up with the exhaled smoke, Baguku reached out his hand.

He placed the artifacts he grabbed onto the table.

An incense burner depicting the afterlife, a cup engraved with a dragon ascending…

“Make because you human like.”

Next to it, he poured out handfuls of gold coins.

Edar, with the tobacco in his mouth, picked up a gold coin and flipped it over.

The human’s head and a star pattern were stamped on both sides of the gold coin.

“Pinto, Ugdhash’s friend.”

Edar read the inscription above the head and smiled blandly.

“He asked for it.”

“Wants to promote his name and friendship?”

Baguku nodded.

“You want, I carve your name.”

“What about Pinto? Your friend will be upset.”

Muttering the word ‘friend,’ Baguku snorted.

How could a human be a friend? That was his honest feeling.

The reason he bothered to engrave the word ‘friend’ on the gold coin was because he had received a slave worth that much.

Because the monkey named Pinto had given him pleasure beyond displeasure.

“Yeah. That’s what you guys think.”

Baguku tapped the floor with his foot at Edar’s cynicism.

“You different. Council recognize.”

“What does it mean for the Council to recognize?”

“All races in Council. Council represent all races. Human animal not recognize by Council. But you human recognize by Council. Can have same honor as us.”

“Honorary Orc or Honorary Elf, that kind of thing.”

Baguku answered that it was.

Then, he brought a leather pouch that was carefully placed on one side of the room and opened it.

From the pouch, he took out a bracelet with a harmonious blend of purple and silver.

Edar received the bracelet.

A different look in his eyes than when he looked at the golden artifacts.

Baguku smiled, noticing that his eyes showed favor.

‘Elves and dwarves like this too. You won’t be any different.’

After reading the inscription on the bracelet, Edar raised his head.

“You’re giving this to me?”

“Yes. You. Me. For deal.”

“Not friendship.”

“Friendship okay too.”

Friendship, Edar whispered the word and asked.

“You must have given it to Pinto, who shares friendship with you.”

“Never give.”

Baguku said firmly.

A faint memory whispered that he might have.

But Baguku didn’t bother to recall the memory.

It wasn’t that he was trying to deceive Edar.

It was because he didn’t see any reason to recall such a trivial thing as friendship with a pathetic human.

Edar met Baguku’s gaze for a moment and nodded.

“I see.”

“Take as much as you want.”

“You speak as if it’s yours.”

“What you mean?”

Edar put the bracelet on his wrist and replied.

“Aren’t I the owner of this place?”

Baguku made a choked laughing sound.

“Human. Don’t talk nonsense. Mine before you come to this land.”

“Does the Council think so too?”

“……”

Flinch.

Baguku’s movement stopped for a moment.

The silence was so profound that the sound of the tobacco burning could be heard.

“The Council guaranteed that I am the owner of this land. You are ignoring that.”

“Council recognize me as owner.”

“That’s old story. Not anymore.”

Bang!

A thick palm slammed down on the table.

The wooden table split in half with that one blow.

The artifacts and gold coins on the table spilled out.

“You! Say do deal! Talk like deal!”

The murderous intent spewing out filled the room.

Baguku’s eyes were bloodshot, and the muscles all over his body twitched.

The slave, who had been standing idly by to serve, let out a whimper and prostrated himself.

The slave knew that blood would surely spill when such anger boiled over.

The slave lowered his head and glanced at the human who had angered Baguku.

Edar was simply smoking his tobacco, inhaling deeply and exhaling.

Baguku’s anger didn’t seem to affect him at all.

“Give elf instead of human.”

One of Baguku’s eyebrows twitched.

“Elf?”

“You guys like elf most. Reason prefer human because look like elf. If can get elf, why need human?”

The distorted expression slowly relaxed as Edar continued to speak.

The curiosity took root in the emotionless face where anger had subsided.

“Method to enslave elf. Not curious?”

“……”

“Reason you guys not covet elves because of Great Wall [a magical barrier protecting elven lands]. I know loophole to cross there. If you accept this offer, I tell you.”

The elves called the fortress that stretched along their borders to protect their territory the Great Wall.

The Great Wall was not simply a long extension of the wall, but a mystery itself, adorned with magic.

The only race that could break through it was the dwarves, who had achieved the same level of civilization.

Races of lower status, such as orcs or goblins, who belonged to the Council, couldn’t even dare to approach.

‘Elf… elf slave.’

The appearance of the elves, whom the gods were said to have created directly, flashed through his mind.

At that moment, an unstoppable desire arose, and his body trembled with excitement.

That was what elves were to orcs.

Beings in a high place that they wanted to possess but could never possess.

An opportunity to take such an elf was given?

“This is deal I offer. You have mind to accept?”

Baguku breathed heavily, flaring his nostrils.

His expression changed frequently, revealing that he was deeply troubled.

“···No have.”

Edar inhaled the tobacco.

Without surprise or anger, he asked with a look, why?

“Elf strong. If catch, must revenge.”

“Coward.”

Baguku erased his smile at Edar’s ridicule.

“I smart. Not do stupid thing.”

Baguku believed that his intuition was wisdom.

The reason why he, the youngest of Ugdhash’s children, was the strongest was because he followed his intuition, and his intuition was always right.

Detecting danger, avoiding the detected danger, finding and catching the weak, and even feeling Edar’s presence and making him back down were all instructions from his intuition.

And this intuition warned him that he should not touch the elves.

“Elf good. But dangerous. Human inferior to elf, but weak.”

“No retaliation either.”

“Human sell own kind. No revenge either.”

Baguku grinned, revealing his teeth.

Watching the smile, Edar also gave a futile laugh.

“As expected.”

He took the half-smoked tobacco from his mouth.

He let out the smoke from the tobacco as if sighing.

“I had hoped, but even after several iterations, a monster is a monster.”

“Monster?”

A humiliation that he had never dared to hear from a human in his life.

At that moment when Baguku was embarrassed by the unexpected insult, Edar raised his hand.

“Calliope.”

The human knight in full armor, who had been standing behind him like a display stand, reacted.

“Tear him apart.”