Chapter 35

11 A PROPOSAL Bash woke up in his room at the royal palace. A windowless room prepared for him by the succubi. The door was heavy and had a strong lock. “…” Bash sat up in bed and took a deep breath. A sigh of relief. Venus had come to save him just in the nick of time after he’d been charmed. All the rioters had been slain, and the battle ended in victory. But though he had been lucky, one insurrection would lead to more. War was ever ongoing. More personally, though… “I lost…” It was Bash’s first defeat in a long, long time. The succubi were so incredibly powerful against male opponents. After being held at the mercy of those young succubi, mere whelps too young to have ever tasted battle… Bash realized again how terrifyingly strong the succubi are in battle. And he wondered a lot about what he should have done. He should have killed them when he had the chance. He’d always done that on the battlefield. On the battlefield, there were only two types: comrades and enemies. And all enemies could be killed. If he had climbed up to the roof, closed his eyes, held his breath, and swung his sword in a wide cross section, he would not have been defeated. If he was fighting seasoned warriors, it would be a different story, but pups like those… He should have been able to win with his eyes closed. But he had not been able to bring himself to slay them. They were pups, children. Even orcs do not kill the young. This was a time of peace, and succubi were not the enemy. That was how Bash felt. “It was hardly a defeat, Boss. I bet you coulda taken them if it was just you. I got captured and made things worse…” “Zell…” Zell was depressed. It wasn’t the fairy’s first defeat, and protective fighting was not their forte. Zell had flown low to get between the enemy and Bash, and had flitted about to distract their attention. That plan should have been solid. But the end result was that Zell had been outmaneuvered by those young succubi. Unlike with orcs, succubus charms don’t work on fairies. So they don’t have that huge disadvantage that males do. “…” “…” The two veterans were depressed by the defeat. It wasn’t a first defeat for either of them, but it was galling all the same. “Um…” When Bash looked up, a girl was standing next to his bed. Luca. “Are you all right?” “Ah. Luca, you saved me. If it wasn’t for you, I would have been eaten by a succubus.” “But, I mean, they overpowered me right away…” “Those who are less powerful in battle just need to buy time until those with more power arrive. You fulfilled your role well.” If Luca hadn’t come, Zell might have died. Or maybe Bash would have lost his virginity. Getting rid of his virginity was what Bash wanted, but if his first partner was a succubus, all the joy of it would be short-lived. He’d end up a wizard warrior with zero future. And his honor as an orc would be dashed into the mud. Venus had ultimately saved him, but she’d been doing it for the succubus reputation. Luca was different. “You are my savior. In the name of the Orc King, I swear to you that I will repay you. If there is anything you would like me to do, just say it.” “What…?!” When Bash said that, Luca blushed and looked down. “Um, in that case…!” Luca’s head came up as if she’d just made up her mind about something, and she grabbed Bash’s hand. Her hands were small, like a child’s, and warm. “P-please, marry me!” It was a proposal. “…Why?” Bash, unable to follow what was happening, grunted in surprise. Luca’s face turned bright red as she squeezed Bash’s hand. “Um, Lord Bash… you’re traveling in search of a wife, right? And your conditions for a wife are that she must be able to give birth to a child and that she needs to have a worthy title that an orc could be proud of back home. I’m still just a kid, so I can’t have children, but I am the daughter of the great warrior Rularula! I’m sure the other orcs would approve!” “But I’m asking you why.” Even Bash was thrilled to be proposed to. On closer inspection, Luca had quite a beautiful face. And Bash was aware that ogre women were gorgeous. No doubt she’d be a stunner when she grew up. …When she grew up. Orcs get a bad rap, and people say they attack any woman, but it’s not true. The reason orcs attack women with their desire is because of their instinct to procreate and produce children. Therefore, basically, the orcs do not desire bodies that are so young, they are clearly unable to bear children. There were one or two orcs with those kinds of proclivities back in the orc country, but they were considered deviant. In other words, Luca wasn’t on Bash’s radar like that. In a few years, she might grow up to become Bash’s type. But for now, she was but a child. And Bash didn’t have a few years. Wizardry loomed. He could not wait. Therefore, Bash was able to avoid giving an immediate answer. If Silviana had approached him like this, Bash would have already leaped on her. “You… Want to know why?” “Right. Why propose to me out of the blue like this?” Luca was silent for a while, thinking. “My reason…” She seemed at a loss as to how to begin explaining. But eventually she whispered something. “Um, the thing is, Rularula wasn’t actually our real mother.” “Indeed?” “No… She raised us and made everyone recognize us as her children, but actually another woman gave birth to us.” Bash felt a sense of culture shock. Ogres had fake mothers and birth mothers? “Of course, I care about my mom, Rularula. But we also had a real father and mother. My memory of them is hazy now, though.” “What happened to your real father and mother?” “They were killed.” “Then are you planning to take revenge for them, instead of for Rularula?” “…No. That was our plan, when we set out on our journey of vengeance, but… After finding out more, it seems like our father and mother got what they deserved.” “They…got what they deserved?” “They were spies. My father was an ogre who sold information to the Alliance of Four, and my mother was in the Human Intelligence Department… They eloped, gave birth to us, and were then discovered…” Luca lowered her head, her shoulders quaking. Bash simply stared at her, confused. Orcs have no concept of betrayal. Orcs aren’t smart enough to double-cross. The worst thing they can think of to do is to disobey the Orc King’s orders. “Among the pursuers was Rularula, who took in my brother and me, orphaned after our parents died, and raised us as her own.” As Luca spoke of her memories, a seldom seen smile tugged at her lips. “Mom… Rularula was a splendid person. She did her best to become the chief ogress and take care of others. She was a very, very splendid person. My brother and I respected her very much.” But Luca continued. “One day, her dead body was found… In a back alley… Killed like a dog…” Luca’s eyes filled with tears, and as she spoke about that dark day, she began to shake and hugged herself with her slender arms. “There was no way Mom… So strong! Could have lost so easily. She must have been taken by surprise, tricked by cowardly means… Then left in the dirt… She didn’t deserve to die like that. Neither my brother nor I can accept it. We can’t move on from something like that…” As Luca spoke, her grip on Bash’s hand tightened. And her trembling ceased. “We swore an oath. Even if we die, even if Mom wouldn’t have wanted us to, it’s our duty as ogres to avenge our enemies…” “An ogre revenge pact…” Bash had heard of this ogrelike custom. If someone killed an ogre’s parents or mentor, the ogre must avenge them, even if it meant risking their life. Otherwise, they would not be recognized as full-fledged members of society, and would not even be allowed to have children. The same motivations behind why orcs defiled women on the battlefield. That was why ogres were so strong. In the age of the long war, almost every ogre had a parent or mentor killed. The ogres were the race who continued to stand highest on a heap of corpses. “But… Um, Lord Bash… What do you think about my brother? And me?” “Eh?” “Can we win? Against that woman? What if both of us take her on?” “It’s pointless.” Bash didn’t hesitate to give that response. Ludo was so, so inferior to that woman in terms of skill. The best he could do would be to inflict one shallow cut in a hundred strikes. “I… I figured.” Luca’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “I guess I knew that, too. Maybe my brother can’t win after all. He’ll just die in vain…” Luca looked horribly depressed. There were tears in her eyes again. “What will happen if we die?” “Nothing. You both, and Rularula, will simply be dead. Maybe that woman will brag about it at some tavern or other.” Bash’s answer was brutally frank. Bash, who had been out on the battlefield for a long time, was familiar with death. Though he had no parents, most of his seniors, mentors, and comrades had died. Bash had had people in his life who seemed sure to survive, who seemed sure to never die, who seemed sure to always be fighting alongside him, whose presence and survival reassured him. But when they’d died, Bash had still remained, and after that, nothing much had changed. So Bash’s thinking was this. If, for example, Zell died, Bash would be sad, of course, but nothing would change. There was no such thing as a guaranteed comrade for life. “I—I don’t want to die. I want my brother to live, too.” “Hmm.” “But I also want to take revenge. Even if I know I can’t win…” “Hmm.” Not wanting to die is a normal emotion. All races use every means possible to inspire themselves to keep living. “I want to take revenge, but my brother… He’s never going to give up. He must know that he can never win, but he still forces himself to fight… I can’t bear to watch him.” “…” “I don’t know what to do anymore… I don’t even know what it is I want…” Suffering from this conundrum, Luca covered her face with both hands and wept, fat tears rolling down her face. Bash listened in silence, but then he asked again. “How did that bring you to the idea of marriage?” “There’s a rule when it comes to ogrelike revenge… Family members can assist. “So please! Marry me and destroy that woman!” Bash thought it over. She wanted a husband to help her take revenge. Not something you hear very often, but it was understandable. Most orcs would say you should take revenge on your own. Even for ogres. But the person in front of him was a child. “…I will give birth to as many children as you desire, Lord Bash! It may not be possible right now, but I’ll do my best! As a wife of an Orc Hero, I’ll make you proud! I’ll devote my life to it! So please, please help me…” Luca was desperate. This was no joke. No trick. If Bash was to fling himself on her right now, she would accept him without a single scream. But Bash said this: “I cannot make you my wife.” Luca sat down on the spot, looking shocked. Before she could ask why, Bash continued. “But I will help you take down that woman.” “Huh? But that’s against the rules…” “I will personally avenge Lady Rularula. There is nothing in the orc rules that says only relatives can take revenge, after all.” It was a very Bash-like way of thinking. “Besides, I was thinking of leaving this country soon.” The succubi had been good to him. Bash had thought he wouldn’t have minded staying a while. However, the land of the succubi was still a dangerous place. Recent events had proved that. Honestly, he’d rather leave sooner than later. Also, come to think of it, he’d spent far too much time doing things that were unrelated to his quest. Concerned about offending the spirits, he’d allowed himself to get distracted. It was time to get back to business. For Bash, there wasn’t much time left. If all this had some purpose for his ultimate quest, it would have been worth it, but it was wholly unrelated. So the issue he faced ought to be resolved as soon as possible, no matter what it took. In other words, Bash would fight, and defeat, that woman. It was the best plan Bash could think of. The spirits might get annoyed and kill Bash, but it was better than wasting time here and turning into a wizard warrior. It would be better for an Orc Hero to defy the spirits and die than to end up like that. “I may not be able to give you and your brother your due pride, but if that’s still all right with you…” And then Bash declared it. In the name of the Orc King, he would repay his debt to Luca. She had asked for his help, and he could not deny her. “Lord Bash… You really are a kind man, aren’t you?” Luca smiled, the tears still wet on her face. After crying for a while, Luca left, upon learning that Ludo was up and out of his room. It seemed that the effects of the charm had been stronger on Ludo than on Bash, so he’d been receiving treatment in a separate room. Bash sat down on the bed, checking his body for any irregularities and eating the food that had been brought in. If he was going to set out and fight Rularula’s enemy, he had to be in perfect physical condition. If any aftereffects of the succubi charm lingered, he would be compromised even in simple battles. And the opponent seemed quite formidable. Zell piped up then. “Ya sure about all this, Boss?” “What?” “That Luca girl, she’ll be a peach when she grows up. I can tell. I don’t know much about ogre aesthetics, but I know the boss’s type. She’ll be a home run of a woman one day.” “Then she can propose to me again, once she is one.” Yes, Luca was a beautiful girl. No doubt she’d become a beautiful woman in the future. But the future was not now. It would take her five years… Three, at minimum… To become beautiful in the way Bash needed. If he waited that long, Bash would become a wizard warrior. Okay, if he made a move on her before that, he might be able to lose his virginity that way. But Bash just couldn’t see young Luca in a romantic fashion like that. “If you marry her now, you can lock her down until she’s of age!” “But that would block me from being able to get any other woman.” Bash thought about the elves. One female elf per one male elf. Bash didn’t know what kind of social setup the demons he was about to visit had, but if they were the same as the elves, already having a wife would prevent Bash from wooing any other females. In that case, he had to remain a free agent. “…I apologize for interrupting your conversation.” A woman with voluptuous breasts entered their room. “Queen Curly Kale…” “I am truly sorry for getting you caught up in the recent riot, Orc Hero Bash. As the Queen of the succubi, I would like to apologize.” The succubus Queen, Curly Kale, spoke magnificently as she sat down on the bed where Bash was reclining. Her big butt and breasts jiggled before Bash’s eyes, and he had to look away. The sight was searing. The hand that touched Bash’s upper arm felt incredibly hot, the flesh of her thigh incredibly soft where it pressed against him. Of course, Curly Kale had no malicious intent. Succubi have a habit of sitting close when making a sincere apology. The sort of succubus gesture that’s despised in other lands, especially in the human country. “I won’t go so far as to lie about the state of things to you, Orc Hero. It’s embarrassing, but as you can see, we succubi are doing all we can right now to make ends meet. And yet we tell the young people to stand proud…” “…” “Still, as you can see, we manage our food subjects properly, treating our livestock, if you will, with the utmost care.” “…” “I think if we could only have enough food, we would be able to teach the young people what it means to be proud of being a succubus.” Curly Kale was still speaking in a voice that could be described as a bit high-handed. However, Bash could sense a tortured sort of desperation in her tone. “I know that after the things that have happened, I have no right to ask this, but please… Lord Bash, please, save the succubus nation.” “…If you, the succubus Queen, ask me to do that, then I can’t refuse. When the time comes, I will help you.” From Bash’s point of view, he wasn’t sure what she was asking him to save the succubus nation from. But a succubus, from the succubus nation, long considered the pinnacle of the Coalition of Seven, and superior to the orcs, was asking him, as an Orc Hero, to lend them his strength. There was no way Bash could say no. In fact, he was honored. Orcs have always been simple like that. “I’m so glad.” “However, Curly Kale…” “Yes?” “I said I would help you, but it’s not possible for me to do so right now. I’m thinking of leaving this country right away.” Bash had a prior commitment. Incidentally, Bash was a little scared of Curly Kale. She looked ready to devour him at any moment. So he shifted in his seat a little awkwardly and tried to sit up. “Yes, of course… I suppose it’s only natural after what happened…” Curly Kale held her breath, taking Bash’s words as an inherent rejection. “I apologize for pressing you. If it would please you, I am willing to offer my head to the chopping block…” “No, let us say no more about it. You succubi have been kind to me. Even though it’s natural for you to look down on orcs, you have made my stay most comfortable. I appreciate it.” “Your words are too generous…” Bash stood, as if to signal that the conversation was over. If he’d stayed sitting next to Curly Kale a second longer, he’d have ended up pushing her down on the bed. At any rate, Bash had already decided on his next move. All that was left was to travel to where he needed to go, and to fight. “Well, then. Farewell.” “…Right.” Bash left the room, oblivious to the tortured tone in Curly Kale’s voice.