Chapter 77 – Orcheim (2)

Chapter 77 – Orcheim (2)

Once he heard about Caburak’s return, Caburak’s father and the Orcheim chief Gorit came running. He was a sturdy orc carrying a huge battle axe.

Caburak was still laughing while surrounded by pink flower petals.

The eyes of the two orcs met. It was a welcome reunion after a long time. There were all sorts of emotions in Caburak and Gorit’s eyes.

“Father!”

Gorit was also thrilled. The son he hadn’t seen for a long time had returned!

Crockta and Tiyo, who accompanied Caburak for a while, felt warm in their hearts as they watched the reunion. They quietly slipped back. Caburak and Gorit walked towards each other like they were going to hug passionately.

The petals created by Caburak’s magic streamed through the air. And…

Peeok!

“Huuk!”

Gorit grabbed Caburak’s collar and launched him into the air.

“F-Father?”

“This guy disappeared without a word and now you are back?” It was a serious punch. “And what about the Constellation Staff?”

“I-It was destroyed, Father…”

“You…!”

Gorit tried to hit his son again, but the orcs around him stopped it. It wasn’t easy to stop the big Gorit, so many orcs had to hold onto him tightly. Gorit kept yelling wildly.

“Villagers! Listen to me! This son of mine suddenly disappeared with the treasure of my house, only to reappear and say that it is broken! Villagers, isn’t this nonsense..!”

“If you hit him anymore then he might die.”

Caburak muttered, “My life has been saved three times…”

“I’ve lost my patience a long time ago! Now I will kill you!”

“Uhuh!”

Crockta and Tiyo watched the disturbance from the corner.

“Cough.”

“It must hurt dot…”

They were the guests but they didn’t receive any attention because of Caburak. No, if it was known that they were Caburak’s guests, Gorit might be furious at them as well.

Crockta asked the dark elf Yanura standing next to him. “What happened?”

“I don’t know. Gorit had a son that was a brilliant shaman…then I heard that he disappeared one day with the artifact of his house.”

One of the orc warriors in the village found them and sought their understanding. “It looks like you are friends of Caburak so I’m sorry. It is because Gorit is hot-tempered. It might be dangerous now, but he will welcome you later.”

“Thank you.”

“My name is Marak. It is a pleasure.”

“Crockta. Stay alive,” greeted Crockta.

“Hoh. I didn’t know I would hear that from an outsider. Stay alive!”

He smiled and replied. Crockta’s eyes widened. There weren’t many orcs who knew this greeting in the north, and the orc warrior even extended his fist towards Crockta. Crockta bumped it with a sincere heart.

Marak laughed again. “It looks like you’re not an orc of the Great Clan!”

In the end, Caburak used this as an opportunity to escape from Gorit. He opened his mouth, “Now, now. Crockta isn’t from the Great Clan. Rather, he defeated people from the Great Clan and saved me. It was a big deal!”

The orcs’ eyes opened. “Hoh, the warriors from the Great Clan.”

“It wasn’t just one but multiple warriors!”

“You must be a great warrior.”

Gorit discovered Crockta, Tiyo, and Yanura.

Gorit swallowed down his anger and approached Caburak. Caburak looked into his eyes. Caburak flinched as Gorit reached out, but Gorit just placed a hand on his head. Caburak looked like a little kid.

Caburak spoke with narrowed eyes. “These are my guests.”

Crockta greeted politely, “We came here after receiving Caburak’s invitation. I am the orc warrior Crockta. Stay alive.”

“Hoh.”

Gorit looked Crockta up and down. “Are your parents from Orcheim?”

“No.”

“I’ve never seen anyone outside of Orcheim say this greeting. Are you really not from here?”

Crockta laughed bitterly.

Then Caburak said, “Listen to my story! I traveled a long way…but…that…”

Caburak’s voice gradually trailed off at Gorit’s stare. He avoided eye contact. Gorit kept staring at Caburak and nodded.

“I understand but you’ll have to explain it properly. We are being rude to the guests. Follow me.”

They said farewell to Yanura who was continuing her mission, then Crockta and Tiyo were guided to Gorit’s house. As the chief, Gorit’s house was a large log cabin. It was built up so that there was a second floor. Crockta and Tiyo were taken to a guest room.

They felt the accumulated fatigue as they set down their belongings. Crockta sat on the floor with Ogre Slayer, a weapon he always carried with him. He leaned back against the wall and a sound came out.

“Ohu…”

“……”

From then on, Tiyo stayed quiet. He was thinking about something with a sullen expression.

It seemed like he was still shocked by Yanura’s words. Tiyo was proud of gnomes. He firmly believed that gnomes were the wisest and most rational species. The magic engineering developed by the gnomes could be called the essence of civilization.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine dot…” There was no strength in his voice.

“You don’t know the situation, so don’t become too frustrated yet.”

“I don’t need to hear the situation… gnomes should absolutely never hold hands with those selling slaves dot…”

Crockta laughed, “So it seems like both you and I will need to hunt our own species.”

“That’s right dot…”

“You should sound more assertive when saying this.”

Tiyo smiled as he got up. “Thank you Crockta. But please don’t worry. I was only thinking for a moment dot.”

“About what?”

“How to slay those guys!”

Crockta nodded. Problems of the heart could only be solved by oneself. Tiyo would soon return to the Tiyo that Crockta knew.

“I’m going dot! Ohhhhhhh!”

It seemed like he had already returned.

Then the door opened and Gorit appeared. He stared down at Crockta and Tiyo. The duo became nervous due to his fierce eyes.

“Let’s go.”

He spoke curtly, “Go where?”

“Where?” Gorit cried out in a large voice. “Isn’t a bath necessary for men to know each other? To the hot springs!”

***

The fatigue was resolved after soaking in the hot water.

“Ohhhh, good dot…”

“The best,” muttered the duo.

Gorit was sitting on the other side. The strength of his body was further emphasized by the hot spring. Despite his age, his chest muscles were bulging. Gorit scanned Crockta with a similar expression. His body was muscular and covered with tattoos. The flesh tempered from wielding his greatsword was magnificent.

“Hrmm.”

Crockta moved his gaze towards Caburak. He was a small orc. If it wasn’t for his skin color, it wouldn’t be strange for Caburak to be mistaken as a human. Caburak dropped his eyes at the gaze that seemed to rebuke his lack of a muscular body.

“It has been a long time since I’ve come to the hot spring to relieve fatigue dot! Thank you Gorit! Men need to bathe together!”

The most surprising one was Tiyo. He had the face of a cute gnome but his muscles were like Bruce Lee. It felt like the face of a bird being placed on a tiger.

“Huhut!”

A six pack appeared on Tiyo’s stomach! Crockta and Gorit had body fat as well as muscles, so they didn’t have such clear abs. Tiyo stretched out and posed in front of everyone. The gnome showing off his muscles in front of orcs!

“Cough!”

Gorit opened his mouth, “That gnome friend over there is good.”

“The guards of Quantes don’t neglect their training! Ohhh!”

“Quantes?”

It was an unfamiliar name. Caburak explained, “Father, they came from the south.”

“The south, do you mean the wilderness?”

“Even below that.”

Surprise appeared on Gorit’s face. There was only one place beyond the wilderness. And nobody had come from that place in a long time.

“Perhaps?”

“That south.”

“Hah…” Gorit looked at Crockta again. Unlike his previous erratic behavour, it seemed like he was pondering something. “Somehow it seems correct. You said that you were alive.”

Crockta nodded. “Yes.”

“Do all the orcs in the south say this?”

“Of course.”

“Then you must remember the saying.”

Crockta understood what he was saying. Crockta opened his mouth and they both spoke at the same time,

“Bul’tar!”

“Bul’tar!”

The voices of the two people combined. Gorit got up. Crockta also got up. At the same time, the two bumped fists.

“Nice to meet you, Warrior Crockta!”

“Likewise, Gorit!”

Crockta finally met a real orc in the north.

Gorit asked Crockta about the south. Crockta replied carefully and sincerely. Gorit nodded at the story of the orcs on the continent. He especially formed a fist after hearing about Crockta’s mentor, Lenox.

“The orc’s soul still lives on in such a wonderful place.”

“I think so as well.”

“The north has forgotten all of this…hah…I am ashamed.”

In the north, the only place that still followed the orc’s traditions was Orcheim. Now even Orcheim was being threatened by the Great Clan. The orc who had become the great chieftain was really mad for war. He wanted to make the entire north the territory of the orcs.

“The events in the north will also affect the south.”

“What do you mean?”

“Once the southern wall is opened, that crazy chieftain won’t leave the continent alone.”

Crockta realized something.

The north would become completely opened in 10 years. The remnants of the creatures were still in the forest, but any army could go against them. Then the continent and the north would go to war.

“Maybe the great chieftain is already thinking about it. The Great Clan has recently been heating up their war preparations.”

Gorit hit the surface of the hot spring. Ripples spread out.

“You mean…”

“The time that the Great Clan started to hunt slaves and invade other tribes on a massive scale was around the time you opened the north.”

“……!”

“There are many shamans in the Great Clan. It isn’t unusual for them to read this happening in the sky.” Gorit said with a firm expression, “The great chieftain wants to unify the north and then invade the continent.”

“……!”

“Something strange…”

The butterfly effect.

Crockta was well aware of this. Any action he did would bring about tremendous changes that he couldn’t predict. As Jung Ian, Crockta had assassinated many people and sometimes changed the situation of the world. In the permanently sealed secret records, Jung Ian was probably the wildest butterfly in the world.

Crockta’s expression hardened. Tiyo’s face became serious. Only Caburak had an unknown smile on his face.

Gorit hit his son in an attempt to alleviate the atmosphere.

“This guy, Caburak. What were you doing all this time?”

“I did some traveling.”

“What type of trip…!” Gorit shouted. His eyes shook as he became angry again. He swallowed back his anger and whispered, “All your power has disappeared…”

“……!”

Crockta and Tiyo looked at Caburak. Caburak just laughed while revealing his broken teeth.

“You can’t deceive me. You had much stronger blood than your mother, who is a shaman. But…”

Gorit had been very glad when Caburak came back. It wasn’t simple because Caburak was his son, but because a strong tribe member had returned. Caburak was a mighty shaman so they could resist the great chieftain threatening the north.

But now the power felt inside Caburak was at the level of a mere shaman, maybe even less.

The power of his son Caburak, who had been called a genius shaman, had almost disappeared. His magic power that was like the ocean, faded like the bowl had broken and only faint pieces were left behind.

“……”

Caburak just smiled instead of answering. Gorit shook his head with a dark expression. Then he spoke again, “Cough! No. Something must’ve happened. I won’t ask anymore! It is enough that you came back safely.”

“Thank you.”

“Aish!” Gorit shook his head and sprang up. “I need to meet the mayor of Dejame so please enjoy this slowly.”

Then he left the hot spring alone. Crockta and Tiyo couldn’t say anything as they watched Gorit put on his clothes.

They didn’t know anything about Caburak. At first, they thought he was just an optimistic orc but he turned out to be a genius shaman. Now he was an unfortunate man who lost all of that magic power.

But Caburak’s face still looked casual. “Father is right, I lost too much. Should I tell you? Kyulkyulkyul.”

“Caburak…”

“I don’t care so don’t worry about it.”

Caburak slowly lowered his body. His body was submerged under the surface of the water, leaving only the area above his nose revealed. His eyes flashed through the vapor of the hot spring. Despite saying he was broken now, Caburak’s eyes were calm and straightforward.

A strange sensation was coming from him. His eyes seemed like he was looking into the distance. Then his shoulders suddenly trembled. He was recalling the past.

Within a short period of time, Caburak’s body rose up again. His pronunciation became clearer.

“I said I would show you Orcheim’s Holy Land.”

Crockta nodded. They stopped by here because of that in the first place.

“I couldn’t tell my father but before showing you the Holy Land, I want to tell you why I lost my magic power.”

“You don’t have to explain…”

“No, I heard Crockta’s words about the gods and realized something. That is why I have to tell you.”

The two people couldn’t say anything. Caburak raised a hand to the surface of the water. He stared at his hand soaked in water like it was burning.

“I saved the world.”

What did that mean? Crockta and Tiyo cocked their heads in confusion.

Caburak looked at them and laughed. Then he said once again, “I risked my life to kill a demon and saved the world.”

“……!”

His eyes were shining. Crockta realized that Caburak was serious.

A shaman who saved the world.

Crockta nodded. Caburak had his own story. Crockta wanted to know more about this orc.

“I understand. Tell me more.”

“It is a long story so…I will tell you on the way to the Holy Land. Let’s leave. It is hot.”

“I see.”

Crockta and Caburak left the hot spring. The tough bodies of the orcs emerged from the water. But one person wasn’t seen.

“Huh?”

Crockta looked around and found Tiyo. He hadn’t risen from the hot spring where he was soaking himself.

“Tiyo?”

“Um…”

Tiyo winced. This wasn’t the dignified gnome proud of his physical appearance. “Get up first…I…slowly follow…”

“What…?”

A shy attitude like he had lost all confidence! What had made him so timid?

Crockta followed Tiyo’s gaze.

Tiyo was looking at Crockta and Caburak’s bodies and slowly lowered his gaze. He moved past the orcs’ solid chest and abdomen. Then the part of the orcs that was shrouded by steam…

That…

Tiyo dropped his head. Crockta couldn’t say anything…

“I’ll go first…come slowly…”

“Thank you dot…”