Chapter 180 : Chapter 180

Chapter 180: The Half-wit and the Leader (1)

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍power held by the first holy object had safely disappeared, and Ratel had obtained power.

That ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍meant Ratel’s group had achieved all their initial objectives.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍problem was that my plan, on the other hand, had gone completely off course.

Now ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍I had no choice but to admit it.

That ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍I had come too far to remain a bystander, or an observer, in this world.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍moment the small power created in the cave passed to Ratel, no, perhaps long before that, I had become someone who could no longer break away from the protagonist’s journey.

“It feels like we ended the first battle of a war with a victory. It feels good, but I’m worried about the fights ahead, and though what we gained is good, what we lost is no small thing either.”

I reassured him as he tried to stop me and raised my body.

“What did you lose in this fight, Jing?”

A troubled look mixed into his smile.

“To be honest, I’m not sure. I don’t know whether to say I gained this, or lost it.”

Only after carefully examining me, as if checking whether I was in a state where we could talk, did Jing begin to continue.

“While I was eaten by the holy object, I saw strange sights. I think they were memories of the past. They were very familiar scenes.”

“They must have been scenes you read somewhere.”

Probably a scene from one of the history books he had read until he was sick of them since he was young.

At my calm answer, Jing’s eyes widened.

“......Did you see them too, Lord Ran?”

“For now, Ratel and I also read memories of the past. I don’t know if they were the same scenes...... but I think the people who appeared were the same.”

“So that was it.”

Jing nodded with a bitter face.

There was no need to wonder who the Imperial Family member slaughtering the orcs in the cave had been.

There were already countless books in the world praising his battle, and his story was passed from people’s mouths.

But none of those books would have described the scene we had confirmed with our own eyes.

“That was definitely Sierra Abalan.”

Because no one would have imagined him vilely breaking his promise with monsters.

“This isn’t the first time the common sense we knew has been overturned, is it? Besides, I suppose we now know whom his descendants took after to be so damn unpleasant.”

When I spoke lightly to him, who looked serious, Jing let out a small laugh as if to say that was true too.

“Yes, that is truly correct. Ah, and inside the cave...... Hrk!”

Jing, whose expression had eased a little, was about to finish the rest of the story when a sound came from him as if his breath had caught in his throat.

The cause of the sudden breathing difficulty was the protagonist, who had sat bolt upright without warning.

“Are, are you all right?”

Jing hurriedly asked, though he looked more likely to lose his breath at any moment than the bastard who had sprung upright like a coil.

Ratel, who had looked back and forth between me and Jing, opened his mouth.

“Yes. I’m fine.”

Yes, he looked at it.

Seeing how the bastard stood up without so much as blinking.

Perhaps because he was the protagonist, his recovery ability really was different.

It was stamina that could not even be compared to mine, as I lay there unable to move even a finger and could only look up as the bastard came thudding toward me.

“Now tell me. What gamble did you make?”

That is the first thing you say after waking up?

Instead of answering, I turned my head toward Jing.

“Are we the only survivors?”

At my question, Jing, who had been looking worriedly between me and Ratel, suddenly shook his head as if he had only then remembered.

“There are more. A little while ago, he went out saying he would find something to eat...... Ah, there he comes.”

“K-kwek......! You woke up?!”

The moment Jing finished speaking, a familiar voice came from not far away.

Judging by Ratel’s expression as he turned his head toward it, I could tell the winner of this gamble was me.

While the bastard stared blankly, the sound of the ground rumbling violently grew closer and closer.

“Kkwek!! If you’re awake, let’s go! Kkwek. There’s something I have to show you!!”

The half-wit’s face as he looked down at me seemed brighter than the sunlight he was blocking.

***

“Not yet. If you truly want to get up, I will carry you on my back.”

Jing’s face was firm as he stopped me from standing.

“The floor and Jing’s back are both hard anyway, so I think I can just crawl there.”

“That kind of stubbornness will not work.”

As if he would not yield even an inch, Jing pushed his back toward me and continued speaking.

“Either be carried, or lie down for another half day. Choose one of the two.”

I disliked both.

The pain was something I could endure, so I did not want to borrow someone else’s back, especially the back of an injured person, and I also did not want to wait for half a day.

“We’re only moving to the cave entrance, so you’re worrying too much. I’m saying I can just crawl there.”

“It seems you do admit you are not in a state to walk on two feet.”

“Why am I outside in the first place? You said Ria is resting in the cave.”

“It was to dry you in the sunlight.”

“What am I, laundry? Why are you drying me in the sun?”

“If you remain wet, your condition will worsen even more. Even now, you are limp like a wet rag.”

When I glared at Jing, who was persistently picking at my words today, the half-wit standing nearby cautiously watched our reactions, then offered one suggestion.

“K-kwek. Then I’ll carry you. Kkwek. I’m good at carrying too. Kkwek. I don’t drop things much anymore.”

I decided to just borrow Jing’s back.

Yes, safety was originally better overprepared than underprepared.

When I awkwardly climbed onto Jing’s back, my eye level became similar to when I had transformed into an orc.

“Kkwek!! Hurry and come!!”

Perhaps excited that our eye levels matched, the half-wit began leading us.

The gaze of Ratel, who followed at the very back, stung the back of my head, but I did not speak first.

Perhaps because I felt a little nervous too.

The half-wit’s steps as he excitedly guided us were light.

Before long, a large tree with a rotten base that had broken off began to appear.

Perhaps having found his target, the half-wit’s steps quickened.

His fast walk soon turned into a run.

“Hey, wait!”

Perhaps unable to run while carrying me on his back, Jing hurriedly shouted, but the half-wit seemed not to hear such a thing and only grew faster.

What stopped the bastard, who had been happily running ahead, was a tree root jutting up from the ground.

His leg caught on the hook-like root that had been staying still, and he fell forward spectacularly.

“Kkwek!!”

The half-wit rolled several times with a scream and plunged into a hole hidden in the gap of the broken tree.

No, he almost plunged in.

Two arms suddenly popped out from inside the burrow and caught the half-wit.

“Kkwek!! How many times is this now!! Kkwek!! How many more times do I have to tell you not to run when you come in, and to just walk!!”

At the familiar and powerful voice coming from inside, a small sigh of relief escaped me before I knew it.

The leader had returned alive.

Together with the body part that had been severed.

***

The leader greeted us while sitting on a floor covered with dry leaves.

A short distance away, Ria was curled up and asleep on a similar floor piled with dry leaves.

Seeing how he was not particularly surprised even after seeing the three humans who had followed the half-wit inside, the bastard seemed to have completely recovered his health.

No, was it more than simply recovered?

When I was scanning the bastard’s right arm and turned my head, my eyes met Ratel’s, who had been looking at the leader just like me.

The eyes that had widened a little in surprise returned to their original state when he saw me.

“Is that what your gamble was?”

“Yes. I had calculated that the bastard might survive. It was the place where the first Emperor’s original promise was fulfilled, and my role was to twist that contract.”

“How did that save the leader?”

“Do you remember how I mixed into the mist midway?”

Perhaps it was not a very pleasant memory, because the bastard’s brow crumpled.

“And you probably remember that when I came out again, I had returned to my original body. So, you can think of it as pushing the substance that makes up monsters out of the body. By borrowing Sierra’s power.”

You could also say I made it move toward the side with higher concentration.

The black mist was a substance that appeared to fulfill the contract.

I still did not know the original contents, but one thing was certain: the result was that orcs were made.

Since I had overwritten it with my power, I thought I might be able to move the black mist as I wished.

Fortunately, the black mist seemed to have properly carried out my command to stitch the leader’s body back together.

“Why didn’t you say so beforehand?”

Ratel asked in a low voice.

Since I did not feel any large emotion like resentment or anger in it, I opened my mouth without much burden.

“Because it was literally a gamble. I wasn’t sure whether I could really save the bastard, or whether it would all be wasted effort.”

I had simply judged that it was better for them to think he would die and have him survive than for them to think he might live and have him just die.

In other words, it meant not planting useless hope.

The bastard looked at me with a sickened face.

“At any rate, everyone survived.”

So don’t ask any more.

Ratel obediently accepted the omitted suggestion.

***

The half-wit, who had been watching the humans talk among themselves about unpleasant matters, could not take his eyes off the leader, who had become healthier and quieter than before.

“Kkwek. What are you staring at like that?”

Even at that pointless scolding, the half-wit did not lose heart.

Right now, it felt as if nothing in the world could sink this feeling that seemed about to make him fly.

***

In truth, it had been quite a long time since he started hearing the leader’s words.

No, was hearing the wrong word?

So...... understanding. Yes, it had been quite a long time since he started understanding.

He did not remember very well, but, so, so...... it had been that day.

The day he had been too hungry.

It was only natural that an unremarkable one like him could not eat enough, so being hungry was nothing special either.

His hunting skills were terrible for filling his starving stomach, and the one thing he had barely managed to catch......

But there was one reason he remembered that day, which had not been very different from the other days.

It was the first day the leader spoke to him.

And it was the day the leader, who had been staying in the same place to an almost frightening degree, first moved his body and left his place.

-Kkwek. What are you peeking at?!

And it was the day he was immediately caught watching that sight.

He drew his body back at the instinctive fear that he might die, but it was not a very good choice.

While stepping back, he tripped over another bastard’s foot and fell flat backward.

-Kkwek!!

As he fell over with an unsightly scream, pity spread through the leader’s eyes as he looked at the half-wit orc.

-......Kkwek. Pathetic bastard.

After muttering that, the leader turned his head away as if he had lost interest.

The half-wit, who had thought a fist or kick would immediately fly at him, tilted his head at that lenient reaction and slowly retreated.

As far as the half-wit remembered, the leader was always angry.

No, was he not angry, but just naturally foul-tempered?

At any rate, there was no day when he did not shout.

If shouting did not work, he would swing his fists at whatever was nearby.

Even so, the half-wit was on the obedient side within the group.

He had been timid since birth, and the orders the leader gave were not that difficult either.

When the sun sets, go out and hunt.

Pile the things hunted in the lower room as the leader said.

Kill humans on sight.

Simple orders with nothing difficult about them, and nothing to think deeply about.

So, there had been no occasion for the half-wit to share something called a conversation with the leader.

Listen to orders, kill if he could bring them down, and if he became leader, he would do the same as the leader.

Aside from the instincts engraved in his head from birth, there was no reason for any emotion toward the leader to form.

If there was one, it was only fear.

And all of that was the story of what would have happened if the half-wit had not followed the leader as he left the cave.

***

The half-wit orc learned for the first time that day that there was another path outside.

Because he had always moved by following the orcs born before him, he had never once thought about the existence of another path.

The half-wit orc’s head, which had never received new information, could not keep up with the excessive amount of information and spun dizzily.

But there was no time to organize something called thought.

The leader’s steps were fast, and even secretly following him was difficult.

The half-wit instinctively felt that if he lost the leader here, he might be lost forever.

But the distance from the leader grew farther and farther.

It was around the time the panting half-wit belatedly began to regret following the leader.

A sparkling light began to appear in the distance.

No, was it not light?

Did light have arms and legs?

Light had arms and legs......

When he came to his senses, the light he had been chasing had disappeared at some point, and he saw a light in the distance that did not move.

Right. The leader walked that way, didn’t he?

The half-wit erased the stray thoughts in his head and carefully walked toward the light.

Though the moment he realized its true nature was sunlight, he immediately stopped walking.

Orcs could not stand beneath sunlight.

No, to be precise, standing under sunlight was painful, but at any rate.

Just like him, who stopped walking reflexively, the leader also stopped advancing for a moment.

But after a brief hesitation, the leader stepped outside.

As if bewitched, the half-wit headed toward the entrance of the cave where he had been standing.

It was pre-dawn, when the sun had not fully risen yet.

Even those small crumbs of light stung as if burning his skin.

Nevertheless, the half-wit did not draw his body back.

Because he could not take his eyes off the leader, who stood as if nailed in place a few steps ahead.

As if he had forgotten the pain, the leader did not move at all, his gaze fixed somewhere far away across the river.

The half-wit’s gaze followed him as well.

Contrary to his expectation that there would be something very impressive there, since it had caught the leader’s gaze, there was nothing special there.

There was only a small box.

The half-wit knew what lived in that small place.

Humans.

It was a box where humans lived.