Chapter 359: Uber Rex (4)
The militia of the village where Eugene was staying kept the outer gate open. Compared to other villages’ entrances, it was harder to open and close, and guests kept arriving without rest.
For convenience, they had sacrificed security, but almost no one was worried.
“Shouldn’t we close it? If a monster gets in…”
“Let them come. Right now, our village could skin alive any beast in the forest.”
“Look—another group approaching.”
The quality and quantity of warriors who had come to the village as guests were extraordinary. Even an ogre or an ettin wouldn’t last long.
-Did these guys really get crushed by the dragon?
-Did they maybe not fight and just run?
The high-elven groups arriving were numerous and appeared mostly unscathed, and the reason soon became clear.
These were villages that either had never joined Ostir’s army in the first place, or had only passively sent supplies or scouts.
This was possible not through Valda’s power alone. It was because Eugene stood beside her.
“As the hub of exchange, the villages associated with Elenost know your name quite well.”
“That the last remaining princess is already married was surprising news. Naturally, they would be curious about who her spouse was.”
Even though they were isolationists, Elenost was a national capital. Only there was external information gathered comprehensively. Knowing the situation outside made it easier to protect one’s own backyard.
The high elves knew in considerable detail what kind of ruler Eugene was and how powerful an enemy he had defeated as a knight. This gave the elves what they needed most—hope.
“But it’s unexpected. In the outside world, my adventure tales are often dismissed as nonsense, yet the elves receive them seriously. They should have been the ones to scoff the most.”
“Because I am your wife.”
Eugene provided the capability, and Valda provided the guarantee—a peculiar partnership.
“If you had been an elf adventuring in the outside world, they would have been less interested. But the fact that you are human carries… various forms of significance.”
An elven-elven union held no special meaning. It was simply a noble bloodline marrying another, a common match based on compatible conditions and fate.
But a union between a human and an elven royal was the most special kind of destiny. The human who founded a half-fey family was always a hero among heroes.
“In these dangerous times, they may have been even happier that my partner is human.”
“Because you are more reliable than Ostir against the dragon?”
“Yes. And perhaps…”
Valda twisted her hair between her fingers.
“They may be seeing the future beyond the dragon’s defeat.”
“What do you mean?”
“Though they may not want to admit it, the elves know. That their civilization, which once encompassed the world, continues only on a path of decline.”
“That’s elves for you—the world’s greatest traditionalists. Knowing they’ll decline, they insist on going straight.”
Valda smiled bitterly and shook her head.
“There are many who face their noble demise with dignity. But those who look to the future and harbor hope for reform are not few either. To them, Ostir and his ilk were despair itself.”
Elven society was a place where people lived, after all. Naturally, various factions and ideals were mixed together.
“They call themselves the Avarim.”
“The resistors?”
“Those who refuse their destined decline, who find the ways of their ancestors stifling. They dream of venturing outside the world and achieving prosperity. For the sake of their race’s future.”
Eugene, as a military commander, had many other duties, but Valda spent the entire time engaging with the high-elven chiefs. In doing so, she could update her understanding of elven society.
“The Avarim respect your valor but don’t wish for you to fight the dragon recklessly. They say there are far greater things you can do.”
“I wish they had told me directly. It would have been a good opportunity for us to get closer.”
“There’s a saying—’If you want to bring down a general, shoot the horse first.’ And having no prior connection to you, they judged it better to convey their intentions through me, a fellow elf. In any case, I share their view.”
“That elves must break free from isolationism? Or that you don’t want me to fight the dragon?”
“Obviously both.”
Valda believed without doubt in her husband’s strength. Yet she still wanted to dissuade him from fighting the dragon.
Waking up in the morning and embracing her husband right beside her. Warming her body with his heat, savoring the softness and scent of skin pressed together.
A world without that brief routine. Nothing could fill that emptiness. Naturally, Eugene felt the same.
“As I’ve said repeatedly, I have no intention of being reckless. The main force for this subjugation has been decided as the Lantzheim artillery, after all.”
“That’s a relief, then.”
“And I’m also interested in the Avarim. I still feel a distance from other elves, but with those people, I think we could have a good conversation.”
If both parties wanted something from each other and their worldviews were similar, exchange was naturally enjoyable.
Elves were elves, dark elves were dark elves. Each had something to contribute to the utopia Eugene envisioned.
“I’m certain of it. The Avarim have been diligently spreading your achievements among the high-elven chiefs.”
“That is truly appreciated.”
This was another reason why elven cooperation had been so swift, separate from Ostir’s defeat.
*
“Hahahaha!”
“I’ve missed this taste.”
Amid the thick smell of blood, roasting meat, and boisterous voices, Ostir opened his eyes.
‘I was definitely…’
As if proving he hadn’t risen to the throne for nothing, the moment his consciousness cleared, he immediately began assessing the situation.
‘I’m alive?’
Ostir remembered the last moment before he lost consciousness.
-Your Majesty!
-It’s dangerous!
At the critical moment when the dragon charged, the royal guard had stepped forward. That courageous backsight was beautiful beyond compare, but utterly reckless—attempting to stop a natural disaster with human bodies.
The tail hammer that could crush even a giant in one blow swept the royal guard away in an instant. Immediately after, a powerful impact struck Ostir.
Yet that he was still alive was naturally not because the dragon had shown mercy. The royal guard had cushioned the blow, and by sheer luck, he had survived.
But celebrating his survival was difficult given how bad the surrounding situation was.
“This one looks really delicious.”
Orcs were smacking their lips at him from right in front. Around them, dead elves lay in various states of dismemberment and burning—a scene from hell.
“Bring the bones here. The bones are mine.”
Before the orc shaman holding a skull-topped staff, a mountain of bones too numerous to count was piled high.
Crunch.
Squelch.
Orcs who had cleanly stripped the flesh from the bones tossed the bones aside one by one as they passed.
“Aaaah! Aaargh!”
“Huuuh…”
A small number of captured elves, driven half-mad, screamed. Given that they had been stripped naked with grotesque tattoos covering their bodies, their future did not look promising.
The orc shaman held a ritual dagger, evaluating the prisoners.
Huuuh!
A twisted, ugly nose brushed Ostir’s neck.
“This one has only eaten and drunk the finest things. I can tell from the smell.”
Not satisfied with just the smell, a gray, disgusting tongue licked his cheek.
“Mmph!”
Ostir trembled with revulsion but had no means of resistance. His mouth was gagged and his body bound tightly with rope.
What saved him was a fight among the orcs. Specifically, it was a dispute between two subspecies that had diverged during their evolution.
One side was the smaller creatures simply called orcs. The other was the larger breed known in some regions as desert orcs or orc warriors.
“Why do we always have to eat only male meat? Give us female meat too!”
“I missed breast soup so much. You need elf or human breasts for that savory flavor. They have fat pouches attached.”
The orcs voiced their complaints.
Orcs, mentioned alongside goblins as the twin pillars of lower monsters, surprisingly held a solid position in the ecosystem. They possessed decent combat power, excellent reproductive ability, and incredible immunity and digestive strength—never getting a stomachache in their entire lives.
However, their resistance to desire was virtually nonexistent, and they were impulsive in all things.
“We are strong, and you are weak. We eat the delicious things, and you eat the disgusting things.”
“Back off, you orc filth!”
The orc warriors, by contrast, each possessed combat power surpassing that of humans. Despite being man-eating monsters, they understood the concepts of training and restraint—a powerful species.
More importantly, they possessed the intelligence to form plans.
“You! Step away from that elf!”
An orc warrior shouted at the orc licking Ostir’s cheek.
“What? This one is male. We have the right to eat male meat too.”
“That’s not food! That’s a charm!”
“A charm?”
“The corpses scattered around him, the clothes he wore, the crown on his head—this one is clearly the elves’ king. Keeping him alive will have many uses.”
“What uses? It’s just meat.”
“When we attack elf villages and a subjugation force comes, we can use him as a hostage. We can trade him for many more cows and sheep. Our boss ordered that he be kept alive at all costs.”
The wise orc warrior delivered an impassioned speech, but the orcs showed no emotion.
“King’s meat… I’m going crazy.”
Instead, their expressions grew even more greedy as they smacked their lips. An ear protruding right in front of them caught their eyes.
Sniff.
Whether human or elf, the scent near the ear was strong. The orc extended its tongue toward the rich fragrance.
Slurp.
Suckle. Suck.
“Mmph!”
Ostir thrashed in agony at the horrific sensation of an orc sucking and licking his ear. At the sight, the orcs’ eyes turned predatory.
“Move aside, you maggot-like creatures!”
Orc warriors charged with weapons drawn. The orc that had been sucking Ostir’s ear turned hostile—determined to take at least one bite before being driven off.
Chomp!
The orc’s sharp teeth bit down hard on the ear.
“Aaaargh!”
The long ears—the pride of the elves—were torn away, blood gushing forth. The orc, savoring the chewy flesh filling its mouth, was ecstatic.
“You son of a bitch!”
“Kill them!”
The most important hostage and commodity had been damaged, and the orc warriors were furious. Thus began a knife fight between the two tribes.
“Stop! Stop!”
After five orcs and two orc warriors fell, the fighting ceased. They faced each other with weapons drawn, in a standoff.
Shaaaah—!
Grrrr—!
While orcs made threats similar to a cat’s hissing, orc warriors produced sounds reminiscent of a lion’s growl. It was a stark illustration of the gap in martial status between the two species.
The one who mediated the fight was the leader of the orc warrior tribe.
“There are others besides us scavenging scraps from the dragon’s path. If we fight among ourselves and weaken, we won’t be able to eat scraps going forward.”
A concise yet irrefutable logic. It was the reason two groups from different genera in the biological classification had temporarily united.
“Stem the bleeding.”
At the leader’s words, Ostir was roughly hauled upright. The sight of tongs—used for turning dismembered elf meat—approaching made Ostir scream.
“Huuuh!”
From inside the gag.
Chiiii.
The scream grew louder as the severed ear’s raw end was cauterized.
*
Srrr.
The Last Autumn blazed brilliantly in the morning sun. Countless eyes turned to Eugene as he drew the Royal Guardian Sword.
“March!”
At his declaration, the second subjugation force began to advance. For the first time since the first era, a combined human-elven army had formed.
“Bring down the dragon!”
“Long live Valda!”
“Glory to the greatest union!”
The sight of each unit cheering with their own rallying cry was brimming with morale. Even the remnants who had returned in shreds had forgotten their fear of the dragon and were reigniting their fighting spirit.
Scribble. Scribble.
And today, the court chronicler’s hands were busy as ever.
-‘His Majesty declared “March.” Knights and elven chiefs followed behind, their appearance recreating the glory of the first era.’
As always, Eugene’s words and actions were transcribed faithfully, but the illustrations took some creative liberty.
“The joining elves have brought large quantities of dried provisions. Resupply routes secured by elf patrols will allow additional supplies to be transported safely…”
In reality, Hind was beside Eugene reporting the march plan and logistics, but in the illustration he was edited out, replaced by Valda.
The human king and the elven queen stood side by side, hands clasped, with the combined army of both races cheering before them.
The chronicler’s records required speed. The sketch was completed in an instant, and would later be finished by the era’s finest painters.
Once the precise description and coloring were complete, it would adorn a page of history in museums and historical records—allowing even those not present to vividly experience the moment.
“Hmm!”
After the sketch was completed, the chronicler nodded with satisfaction.
“The helmet covers too much of the face. Wearing a crown looks much better.”
Well, strictly speaking, it was about 98% accurate.
*
“A new report has come in. The dragon was sighted near the Gold Sea. Local residents reported it to each other, so it should be reliable.”
During the march, a high-elven chief reported to Eugene.
“The Gold Sea? Is there a salt lake in the Great Forest?”
“It’s not a lake—it’s a small plain within the forest. One of the extremely rare places where farming of this scale is possible.”
Wheat cultivation was difficult, but barley and other grains could be harvested in bulk—a precious piece of land.
“Why would it go there?”
“The defenders of the plain have all withdrawn, so various animals should be roaming there by now. There’s plenty to scavenge. Those who prey on such things will also converge for the hunt. For the dragon, it’s essentially a banquet.”
“I see…”
It was good news. On open ground, operating ballistas would be far easier. Moreover, Eugene’s own range of weapons would be more freely available.
‘A predator against a predator.’
The weapons he had abandoned due to the constraints of forest combat flickered in Eugene’s mind. A giant-slaying war machine capable of overwhelming the opponent regardless of weight class.