ALL NOVEL 98. The General and Her Army
Because of the efficiency of the Orcs’ language blessing, I sometimes just hear what people mean to say instead of what’s actually being said. Things like language, word choice, and proper grammar become inconsequential. Still, I always use whatever language I'm speaking properly as a principle, and since I made it somewhat popular, many of the other Orcs do the same. Ever since I was born, though, momma is the only one to spend so much time around me and still speak lazily. Since I know how high her intelligence is, I figured it was deliberate for one reason or another.
Of course, I’ve never known for sure what that reason was. It isn't something I want to waste energy caring about either. But if the situation suddenly changes, of course I would be curious. And, actually, since this morning, momma had been speaking properly. Did something change?
Mmm, I could go ask her, but I also don't want to bring it up.
Wouldn't it be offensive if I confronted momma about this as if speaking normally was something strange? I kind of wish I hadn't noticed.
I'm not going to do anything about it, but I’m already too wound up to go to sleep. Leaving the clay house I had holed up in, I think it would be good to take a simple walk for a change. I'm already used to the sight within the walls, so this time I step outside to walk the perimeter. I'm always doing specific tasks and traveling to specific destinations, and while I don't think it’s bad to have and pursue goals, I thought I should make use of this rare day off and relax a little.
“Ah, chief. Did Lord Rigdam force you to take a break?”
“Eh? Fiara?” Willingly taking a break? Isn't that impossible for her?
“Um, chief, why are you looking at me like I sprouted a second head?”
Wasn't I just warning myself about treating normal behavior as if it’s strange? Mm, but I can't help it if I'm surprised.
“Sorry, sorry. Did those glasses get enchanted properly?”
Fiara grinned and tapped the wire frames. “They’re fantastic! It’s convenient that I don't even have to blink if I just put in some magic power.”
But, when you say things like that, that’s why I'm surprised to see you take a break.
“Of course, even I have to step away from my research when nature calls.”
So it’s a bathroom break.
“Shall we walk there together, chief?”
“No, I don't have to use the bathroom. I just felt like taking a casual walk for a change.”
Fiara blinked twice and then opened her eyes wide. “Chief, you mean, you're taking a break? On your own judgement?!”
Hello pot, my name is kettle.
“Would you believe me if I told you I was a lazy person in my last life?”
Her blue pig face twisted into a complicated expression. “Well, I trust you, chief, but it’s hard to picture.”
“Someday, when there isn't so much to do, and when the standard of living has improved, I'll probably become lazy again.”
“That makes it sound like you're doing all of this because you're bored.”
“Well,” I laughed slightly. “Anyway, I was hoping to spot one of those cat-like things in the trees. Besides that, I had no goal in mind. It should be fine if we walk in the same direction.”
Back in the west forest, where Orcs rule, the foliage was so thick that there wasn't any designated area for people to do their business. What I mean is, even if you stepped in something, you wouldn't even get your hooves dirty because there would be at least an inch of leaves between them and the ground. The strategy was to spread some foliage apart and aim for the dirt. It was quite good for privacy as well.
Here in the south forest, the trees are tall and spaced widely apart. The ground is mostly covered in a thin layer of brown pine needles, with some skimpy plants growing here and there. It’s nothing in comparison to the west forest. From what I've heard, the north and east have areas that are practically desert. It’s enough that I wonder if it’s really fine calling all four regions forests.
Anyway, in a place like this, it’s easy to step in something unpleasant, and it would be hard to find a private place outdoors that hadn't already been polluted. The people who stayed in Babylon the whole time came up with their own solution while I was away. They designated an area, along the outside of the south wall, where they would do their business. At least that way, they didn't have to watch where they stepped all the time. It was affectionately introduced to me as the poop pile. I still have trouble saying a name like that out loud. Those who are like me tend to call it “that place.”
Of course, “that place” offers almost no privacy, but for the Orcs who lived day to day in their birthday suits before I arrived, it doesn't seem to matter much. I've only used that place twice before. Besides those times, the urge only came to me while I was away from the city.
“What the hell?”
And somehow, it looks a lot different than it did last time.
“Chief, you startled me.”
“Sorry, Fiara. By the way, is that that?”
“Hm? Yeah. Were you surprised that it’s become nice-looking?”
Before me was a mound rising up from the earth, proudly sprouting thick green grasses and ferns. There are even a few berry bushes and saplings trying to grow from it.
“Could we have swallowed a lot of high-vitality plant seeds from the west forest?” I wondered out loud.
“Chief, these are clearly plant species from the south forest. Although I'll admit they look a little different when they're this close together.”
“What? Really?”
Looking closer, they really are plants from this region. Why are they growing so much--?
Fiara tilted her head and frowned. “Chief?”
Without looking at her, I created a clay wagon with
“Don't mind me. Just do your business here. I have to put the Goblins back to work.”
***
“Lord, what is this?” the Goblin representative, Giji stared at the wagon I had brought over with an incredulous look on his face. “I mean, I know what it is, but why are you presenting a wagonload of it to me?”
“About that, please mix this into the soil where the crops are growing.”
“You mean by hand, right? Lord, did we do something displeasing?”
“No, I also had to bring it here, you know? I wouldn't do that if it wasn't important.”
She thought back to a conversation she had had with one of the High Orc men. She hadn't paid much attention to it then. At least, she hadn't looked beyond the surface information.
“Say, during fall, the land becomes abundant, right? Why is that?”
“Why, Lord-Chief? Um, I guess the plants are giving it their all right before winter hits?”
“Is it only plants that increase?”
“Yeah, but it’s not insignificant. The plants mostly produce fruits and nuts all summer and fall, but around the time the babies are born, they suddenly grow a lot more! Lord-Chief, your first fall is coming soon, right? It might be hard to picture now, but you'll see a scene where there are so many acorns and berries that we can't eat them all!”
The plant life in the west forest is far more abundant than in the other regions of the Black Mountain forest. It increased even more around the same time that the women would give birth. Moreover, the sparse and scraggly South forest plants had suddenly started growing in abundance in a certain place. Lastly, the effects of the
I suspect it’s because of that last part, “all nutritional value gained from foods is increased.” Even if that isn't the case, my current hypothesis is that Orc manure is an extremely powerful fertilizer!
“Look,” I sighed and tried to explain my thoughts to Giji without over complicating things for his poor Goblin head. “I think that that stuff makes the plants grow more than they normally would. No, it’s almost certain. So I want to use it to make the plants in these fields grow more abundantly.”
“Will that really happen?”
I'm not a hundred percent confident, but I nodded my head like there was no doubt.
“It really will. The only thing is, other plants might grow. You and the other Goblins will have to watch closely and pull any weeds that appear. Otherwise, they'll take over the fields. If you run out of this stuff, just gather more from that place.”
“Ah, we’ll take care of it, Lord.”
Good job, Giji. If it’s too difficult, just pass if off to subordinates, like I did, I secretly cheered for him in my head.
My Magic Power hasn't fully recovered from this morning. I think I'll go on a little flight and then hang out with the villagers while I wait.
***
Far deeper in the Black Mountain forest: South, a fierce battle was raging.
Fomors are large and intimidating. Even though there were many Magic Beasts with unreasonably large bodies, this fact wouldn't change. Powerfully built War Orcs looked like children in front of a Fomor’s eleven foot frame. These powerful Monsters were even herbivores. Besides War Orcs and the Orc Lord, few would consider waging a war against them.
The Orc Lord is really just one step above, huh? To actually try to drive a disagreeable race out of existence, Irsha thought.
The goal of these battles wasn't to win or to pillage. All Fomors were to be either killed or enslaved. Those were the only two choices they would be given, even if they surrendered and threw away their weapons. Varoon had even asked her once early on, just to be sure he understood her intentions clearly. What if there were sick, elderly, or children among them? What if they offered to willingly follow orders? What if there were those that tried to escape?
“I said it clearly, right? Enslave or kill every Fomor--every last one of them. There’s no point if you don't finish a job once you've started it. If it’s hard, pass it on to somebody else. If nobody is willing to be heartless, then I'll take care of it personally, but it really has to be all of them. I'm not fond of leaving seeds of hatred to grow their roots.”
Irsha interpreted those words as, “Be thorough. War is not for the weak-hearted.”
Until today, Vyra had overseen every battle personally. Today, she had stayed in the city. Command had been temporarily transferred to herself, Varoon, and Durghan. They would not take any slaves today, with Vyra absent; they suspected she wouldn't consent to such risks. Even though it was cruel, they had already resolved to kill every inhabitant of the target village.
Even with that, it was easier said than done.
Ahh, forgive me, Vyra. Please don't think of your brother’s mate as an incompetent woman.
In the village they had attacked was a Fomor Priest, forty Fomors, and three Fomor Spearmen. Those three weren't just soldiers in name, but an evolved form of Fomor different from the Priests or the Small Baphomets.
Varoon was holding back those three while Irsha and a small group of High Orcs worked to take down the priest. Durghan lead the rest of the troops to battle the ordinary Fomors, but their numbers were not enough to cover the 6:1 advantage necessary for Orcs to fight Fomors toe to toe.
***
“Haah… Haah…” Irsha breathed heavily and pulled her forearm across her forehead to wipe away the dripping sweat. “Alive… We,” she gasped, “we won.”
Although Varoon didn't use a weapon, he was an extremely powerful fighter. Durghan as well, despite just being an Orc, really understood how to wield his axe. Irsha, as a War Orc, was at her best in battles like these, and had a naturally powerful body. Everybody put out all of their effort today, exterminating every last Fomor in this village.
“Twenty-seven dead,” Irsha counted while she recovered her breath. They had lost a significant number of forces in this battle. Two of them were High Orcs, the rest were Orcs. Thanks to the blessings of the spirits, Orcs enjoyed every meal they ate, but a meal where they ate their fallen tribe members was never a happy one.
“Everyone fought well!” Irsha shouted, grinding her teeth between breaths. “Let us bring the spoils to Babylon and feast to honor our fallen comrades!”