Oz, the Magic City of the Sky Empire.
It was a city of dreams, a “New World” brought to life by the continent’s most advanced magi-tech. The imperial citizens living here enjoyed conveniences and novel experiences found nowhere else. However, to the young Orc Beben, the Magic City of Oz was nothing but a bore.
“Chwee, chwee! I want to go back!”
There were no plains to sprint across, no beasts to beat to death, and he wasn’t allowed to challenge just anyone to a duel the moment their eyes met. How could such a dull place exist in this world? To an average Orc like Beben, this city was no different from a prison. An Orc was born to trade blows at least ten times a day and run until the metallic taste of blood filled their throat.
“Ugh. This is no fun at all!”
However, young Beben was a talent born with the gift of Shamanism. For the sake of his future, the tribe elder had entrusted him to their kin in Oz. The Orc Shamans had taken Beben on as an assistant, and as a result, he spent every day in agonizing boredom. He felt like he was going to catch that “depression” thing humans were always whining about lately.
He had tried to escape several times, but the Orc Shamans here were all monster-like old fogies. There was no way they would let go of a young assistant who handled all the chores and was actually fun to teach. Thus, while Beben was enduring his hellish routine, the door suddenly burst open while he was cleaning. A guest at the Green House—a place so fearsome it was said to make crying children stop? A startled Beben turned his head, broom still in hand.
Ah… she’s so cool.
And just like that, the young Orc fell in love.
“There’s a young Orc here. Greetings. I’d like to see the elders; could you guide me to them?”
Even the Goddess of Beauty, said to be the fairest of the nine goddesses, surely couldn’t possess such looks. Faced with a radiant beauty that felt like it would blind him, Beben nodded stammeringly. Her way of speaking wasn’t very Orc-like, but even that felt charming. It was nauseating when human nobles did it, but had that manner of speech always been so lovely?
“I-I’ll bring those old geezers right away. Just trust me. Beben, Son of the Eternal Plains, w-will grant your request.”
“Thank you.”
“B-By the way, do you have a partner? A-Ah, no. Of course you do. My apologies. D-Do you happen to need a slave? I’m fine with being a pet, too. I-I’ve fallen for you! W-We just met, but you’re beautiful!”
“I’ve heard that far too many times. I’ve had enough of tiresome compliments; could you please lead me to the elders?”
“O-Of course. M-My apologies for saying something so tiresome.”
Damn it!
He usually spoke just fine, so why was his voice hitching now of all times? Beben fought back tears and walked as majestically as possible. The eyes of the other Orc Shamans researching near the entrance all turned toward them at once. These were Shamans who cared for nothing but sorcery and knowledge! Even they couldn’t tear their eyes away from this peerless beauty.
Beben suppressed a smirk.
In this moment, he felt as though all the terrible times he had endured were being compensated. Perhaps he had been born just to catch a glimpse of this beauty. It was an honor just to have spoken with her. Right now, Beben was the happiest Orc in the world.
*
“…Just how does Sherizik look to other Orcs, exactly?”
“Well, Orc aesthetics differ from other races, but… my father once said that if I had been born human, I might have conquered the continent with my beauty alone. He said it was a beauty that would make even the nine goddesses jealous. He once encountered the Goddess of Beauty in the spirit world, and he said she felt rather bland because he saw my face every day. At least by Orc standards, I am more beautiful than the Goddess of Beauty.”
“…….”
Is that for real?
If it was, that was terrifying. I felt a fresh wave of relief that Sherizik had been born an Orc. Beauty that surpassed a goddess?
I can’t believe Orcs can be this docile.
From what I knew, Orcs were crazy bastards who insisted on a duel the moment eyes met, and they wouldn’t listen to a word you said unless you crushed them in combat. But Sherizik’s beauty solved everything. Not only did every Orc here shut their mouths and stay quiet, but I could practically feel the heat from their gazes.
“Anyway, thanks to you, this is quite easy.”
“Beauty is a weapon in its own right.”
She wasn’t wrong.
Contrary to the rumors that Orc Shamans were the most eccentric of all, the ones who saw Sherizik’s face practically flattened themselves against the walls to clear a path for her. There was even one fellow who shed tears, thanking the heavens that she had been born. Sherizik handled this bizarre sight with practiced ease, saying that Orcs seeing her for the first time often reacted that way.
Just what do they see when they look at her? Now that I keep looking, she does seem somewhat charming… No, what am I saying? Am I going crazy too? Has the Orc Shaman’s curse already begun?
While my head was spinning, we quickly reached the deepest part of the Orc Shamans’ hideout with the young Orc’s help.
“It’s right here!”
The young Orc pointed proudly at a dilapidated door that looked like somewhere you should absolutely never enter. The door, which reeked of mustiness, was covered in faint cobwebs, black scorch marks, and mold. It looked like the entrance to a haunted, abandoned house.
“I feel like I’ll get cursed just by touching it.”
“That’s right. If anyone other than the old geezers touches this door, they get cursed. Not long ago, some Shamans who were officially researching here touched it by mistake, and their bodies rotted away instantly, sending them to join the ancestors. They were fairly skilled Orcs, but they died in less than a second!”
“…….”
How incredibly reassuring.
And then.
“Don’t worry. If Beben, Son of the Eternal Plains, calls for them, the old geezers will open the door! I-I might look like a young Orc, but I’m quite well-regarded here! Now, if I call out loudly, they’ll all come running—Oof!”
With a loud bang , the old door swung wide open. The young Orc, struck by the opening door, was sent flying pathetically, tumbling across the floor before slamming into a wall. He fainted with his tongue hanging out. Amidst the brief silence, a hunched old Orc walked out from behind the door.
“Quiet, assistant. Why are you making such a fuss when a precious guest has arrived…?”
The old Orc shuffled out slowly. Raising his head, he looked at us and spoke.
“It has been a long time, Sherizik, Daughter of the Star.”
“Yes, it has been quite a while, Elder.”
“Are you going to use that bizarre, un-Orc-like way of speaking for the rest of your life?”
The old Orc chuckled.
“If I speak like this, won’t other Orc men get tired of me and lose interest?”
“Not a chance! Sherizik, even when you are as old as I am, the marriage proposals will never cease. Ke-ke. How is it that you don’t resemble your hideous father in the slightest?”
The old Orc laughed in a peculiar way while patting Sherizik’s head. Then, he slowly scanned Sherizik and me.
“So, for what reason have you brought the Successor of Steel before this old Orc?”
*
Following the old Orc into the room, I found four more old Orcs inside. They all looked similar, each holding a staff of a different color. The old Orc who led us in plopped down on a worn carpet and listened to our story.
“You want us to act as a stepping stone so you can receive help from the Witches?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“That is not a difficult request. I hate talking to those spiteful things who chirp away relying on their husbands, but if it is your request, I can grant it as many times as you like.”
“Indeed, is there anything we wouldn’t do for our Sherizik? Kul-kul. I’d even risk my soul scattering to kill three or four of those witch hags! We’re family, aren’t we? Family.”
“Sherdic. I never imagined that ugly bastard would have such a beautiful daughter. We’ve raised you since you were a babe, so we’re practically your uncles. Ki-hehe.”
Eccentricity practically oozed from the five old Orcs. After talking with Sherizik for a while, they turned their attention to me. I saw eyes gleaming with interest.
“But the protagonist today isn’t our beautiful Sherizik.”
“The Successor of Steel.”
“How long has it been since we’ve seen a descendant of Caravan?”
“We thought they had vanished completely from the world.”
“Then again, how could the bloodline of Steel disappear so easily!”
The snickering Orcs continued.
“He doesn’t resemble that man at all.”
“The power I feel is the same!”
“If he did resemble him, we wouldn’t have even been able to meet his eyes.”
“True. We would have run away the moment we saw him.”
One of the old Orcs, who had been chatting amongst themselves, beckoned to me.
“Successor of Steel.”
“Yes.”
“How did you obtain that object? The one imbued with the power of a Spirit King. There’s no way the prideful Gaia would have granted her blessing to a descendant of Caravan; she’d sooner have seen him extinguished.”
“Ah, this—”
The Orcs were interested in my sword, which held the blessing of the Earth Spirit King. I kindly explained the circumstances of how I obtained the sword and the functions it possessed.
Then.
“That won’t be the end of it.”
“Indeed. A part of the Earth Spirit King herself is dwelling within it.”
“Just being a bit sturdy and receiving the protection of the earth? There’s no way that’s all. As expected of a swordsman, you don’t know the value of your own treasure. You have no idea what it means to harbor a part of a Spirit King. Kul-kul, you’re just like the foolish young Orcs.”
“……Then, are you saying this sword has other functions?”
“Of course it does. It possesses power far more formidable than such simple things.”
The old Orcs laughed.
“But it’s no fun if we tell you in advance.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’ll find out someday. When the time comes, kul-kul.”
“…….”
Dammit. Everyone involved in the world of Mystery is exactly like this. They never just tell you anything straight. While I was grumbling internally, one of the old Orcs spoke.
“Successor of Steel.”
“Yes.”
“Among the souls you have devoured, a connection—a thread of fate that should have crumbled—is faintly linked to this city. You must feel it too, don’t you? A single gust of wind that cannot leave and lingers here.”
“…….”
“The wind will bring that connection to you. The wind, carrying something new, will become stronger than before and will be able to swirl more violently than ever.”
The old Orc smirked.
“Well, I don’t know if a swordsman who doesn’t know the first thing about Shamanism can grasp that connection. If fate allows, you will seize it.”
“What on earth does that—”
“Enough small talk—!”
Just as I was about to ask something, the old Orc spoke up forcefully. Amidst his booming voice, the old Orc raised his staff. He struck the ground with the tip of the staff, and a faint tremor rippled through the room.
“I have granted your request. It has been done as you wished. The stepping stone has been laid, so proceed without hindrance.”
“…….”
“Sherizik, tell your father how we are doing. There’s no need for that fellow to come here, so you should visit occasionally to keep us company. I’m satisfied just hearing news of that gloomy old Orc without having to see his face. There’s no need for old men to make a special occasion to meet. The world belongs to the young.”
“Yes, elders.”
“And Successor of Steel.”
The faint tremor gradually grew stronger. As even the forms of the old Orcs began to waver, they grinned, baring their fangs.
“Witches are cunning. They will try to bewitch you to take what they want while giving you nothing of what you desire. It is the specialty of those spiteful women. Do not fall for it. Remember who you are. Do not forget whose blood flows through your veins.”
“…….”
“Steel needs not bow to anyone.”
His voice rang out with gravity.
With that, the surroundings shook violently as if an earthquake had struck. Simultaneously, the ceiling and walls collapsed, and darkness surged out, swallowing Sherizik and me. As my vision was dyed completely black, the voices of the Orc Shamans echoed loudly. Their eccentric laughter, ku-hel-hel , rang in my ears.
And then…….
*
“Kyaaa!”
When I opened my eyes, Sherizik and I were sitting on top of several frail women. Looking down with a dazed expression, I saw that the women we were sitting on all had bandages or cloth wrapped around their faces. They were thoroughly covered so that no skin was showing. They looked just like Audrey.
“W-What is this?”
The moment I saw those prominent features, I knew exactly who they were.
Witches.
The most noble ladies on the continent.
“Get off! Right now! Immediately—!”
“A man! A man has invaded the Witches’ domain!”
“Kyaaaaaaaak—!”
The noble ladies were currently shrieking at the top of their lungs.
I could see the Witches’ eyes through the gaps in their bandages and cloth. They looked at me with contempt, as if I were some shameless scoundrel. It was a gaze that made me feel like a high-level criminal in an instant. I turned my head to the side with a blank face. Sherizik was there, looking sheepish.
“The elders are quite the pranksters.”
“…….”
This… is a prank?
“But it was fast, wasn’t it?”
“…….”
Are you kidding me?
