Chapter 24: Disparity

Near Normans, we decided to search the place where the elf disappeared in earnest. Before exploring the forest, we prepared one thing.

“Master, what is that?”

“Magic Control Robe.”

Over the clothes I bought at Cospaco’s salon, I bought another robe that covered my entire body and put it on.

“With this, nothing is exposed except my face, hehehe.” The grace of the Goddess of the Moon was only needed by adventurers who were exposed to danger. Why would those who did not need the influence of divine power need to expose themselves? Especially those who did not want to be influenced by other powers.

“I heard that this is the clothing that the magicians at the Magic Tower wear when conducting experiments. What do you think?”

“It’s white, so it looks like it will get dirty easily.”

“That can be fixed with cleaning magic. Even though it looks like this, it’s quite sturdy.” The white robe that looked like a gown was worth the price of one gold coin. “This has the power to prevent anything from leaking out. Hehe.” The magic control robe I got from the Adventurer’s Guild has the power to prevent mana from leaking out.

“The Adventurer’s Guild said that exposure is defense. But I’m not like that. Right?”

“That’s…”

“Undead cannot receive the power of the Moon Goddess Church. Look.” I rolled up my arms and stretched them out to the side, holding the dagger and lightly pressing the back of my hand.

“What the hell. Master!”

“Don’t be so excited.” It was just a dagger, but it wounded me. I covered my hand just enough so that blood—or rather, mana—wouldn’t leak out, and then reached out to calm the flustered Lucius.

“There’s no blood. I just pressed it lightly. In the first place, I don’t even heal or heal magic, so why would I hurt you like that?”

“That’s true.”

“Right? So don’t be so excited. I know my body best.” Mana is spread throughout my entire body, and based on that mana, I can control my entire body.

“I’m a wizard too. Even though I can’t restore my body with divine power, I can regenerate my body with magical power, right?” Even if my muscles are torn, I can force my body to move with the power of mana, and even if my body is damaged, I can recover with the power of mana.

“Furthermore, since I found out that this body can be strengthened because of you, I should be able to regenerate at the basic level.”

“Because of me…?”

“I found out that this body can move because I worked out with you.”

“Ah.”

Aside from the fact that blood flows through his body, he is no different from a human. A human who cannot receive help from divine power.

“I can even build abs later. Look at this. Right now, it’s just a skinny stomach with nothing on it.”

“Master…”

“What? You’re the only one here, so you can’t even peel your stomach? No one’s watching.”

“Aren’t I watching?”

“You just peeling it for me to see?” Lucius froze. “Look carefully. Don’t forget. I work out really hard, so how will it change later? Will this body be able to do everything a human can do…”

At that moment.

“Ah.”

I realized one important thing.

“Why are you doing that?”

“Then will I be able to get pregnant?”

“…” Lucius didn’t say anything.

“Ugh, I don’t like that.” At least I won’t have to run. The magic that is cast on a woman once a month won’t come true. How will I pour out blood when there’s no heart to make the blood that needs to be poured out? What flows through my body is magic power, and at best, magic power will reside within my body.

“……Hmm. Wait a minute.” Goo-ah. I placed my hand on my lower abdomen and generated magic power.

“What are you doing?”

“Quiet. I’m adjusting it so that the mana doesn’t leak out of my body.” Mana is my life force. You can’t just throw that out once a month just because it’s a woman’s body.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that? Are you so surprised because I’m pregnant?”

“I’m embarrassed because it came out of the blue.”

“I understand you’re surprised because it came out of the blue, but I’ve never done it before, so I don’t know what will happen.”

“Pregnant… You’ve never had a child?”

“Of course.”

How could a man like me have a child?

“I’m crazy and get pregnant?”

Even among the demons, women get pregnant, and men only perform the functions of males.

Although there are hermaphrodites, I am clearly a male.

“Ah. Was that too provocative a topic for a virgin, Lucius? Hehe.”

“Master.”

“I’m joking. But it’s also related to the situation we’re about to see.”

This wasn’t a topic I brought up to joke around.

“Lucius. Do you know that orcs kidnap elves?”

“Aren’t they just to eat them?”

“Yes. They’re to eat them. Elves… Hehe.”

When I made a sinister expression, Lucius’s expression darkened in an instant.

“Oh, are orcs really like that?”

“What? It feels real because you’re reacting like that.”

“T-then….?”

“That’s just a stretch.”

“…..Huh?”

“Buffoonery. Don’t you know? Hey, these days…”

“Don’t they have a word for lying?”

“Okay. I was going to make a joke, but it didn’t work.”

I tightened my magic control robe and drew the shapes of an orc and an elf with the tip of my staff.

“Orcs and elves are enemies. They can never coexist. It’s because the orcs are unilaterally targeting the elf land. In other words, the orcs are trying to eat the elf land.”

500 years ago.

The reason the orcs belonging to the Demon King’s Army and the elves belonging to the Human Alliance fought the most fiercely was, of course, ‘land.

“The orcs living in the wasteland wanted to settle down in the forest. They wanted to live by cutting down the forest, burning the trees, and building large fortresses. Where would be the best place to do that? Where the elves lived.”

They fought fiercely.

The arcs had very distinct individual differences compared to the elves, but they used their strong will and determination to attack the elves. – Demon King.

I’m ready. Ready to pluck out their ears.

Is the Elf Forest this large?

Yes.

Then set fire to the forest.

In a circle…….. No, if you set fire to the forest, then we can’t fight here, right?

I can’t do such a cowardly thing against those punks! Rather than having such a cowardly victory, I’d rather die, kekekeke!

Talking back.

Threaten to set fire.

Trying to protest… Hey, hey!

Who would really charge with fire, oh really!!

For the Demon King!!! – Victory to the Demon King!!!

Let’s capture the Elf Queen and offer her to the Demon King!!!…

Oh, those loyal bastards.

With the Demon King’s innate strategy added to that, the elves had no choice but to surrender quickly.

In the process, I provoked a huge backlash from the elves, and they became elves who unconditionally killed the Demon King’s army, which was a bit of a defeat, but I learned something important.

“Orcs are stupid. That probably hasn’t changed much in 500 years, has it?”

I could tell from the goblins.

The demons hadn’t changed much since 500 years ago.

“… They can still be dangerous. We should approach with caution.”

“Yeah. They’re coming right over there.”

Orcs.

No different from 500 years ago, t-

“What are they?”

“They’re orcs.”

We held our breath.

Lucius held his breath as the enemy stood before his eyes, and I was speechless at the sight of the orc, who clearly looked like one, but completely different from what I knew.

“Is that…an orc?”

“Kurup, kup, pahuu.”

“… How is that an orc?”

Before my eyes was an orc with its upper body exposed, its lower body roughly covered with leather like a goblin’s, its vital parts, and its huge belly that looked like it could be covered with its bulging belly without the need for a lower body cover.

Victory or death!

-Kaa Bin Mok Tazak Cha!!

“… The Orcs I knew…?”

Where did the elite Orcs of the Demon King’s army go? Where did all the warriors of the wasteland who valued war and honor, and swore to follow the strong after losing to me in battle, disappear to?

“That’s not an Orc, it’s a walking pig.”

“An Orc. Even though they look like that, their strength is.”

Really?

Lucius. If we go and fight, can you win?

“If we hunt from a distance.”

Lucius is a hunter. Although he has become the master of the Holy Sword, his swordsmanship is still inexperienced.

“I don’t think I can do it without the Holy Sword in a head-on confrontation?”

“Should I try?”

“No. You might get hurt. Why would you take the risk…”

At that moment, I saw Lucius clench his fists.

“How stubborn.”

He could do it with one Orc…. I felt a little sad that I was calling that thing an Orc, but even mountains and rivers change in 10 years, so the Orcs themselves may have changed in 500 years.

Just as camels in the desert accumulate fat on their humps, those guys must have accumulated fat on their bellies.

“…They look dull at first glance.”

Even though they may be strong, if their attacks don’t land, they’re meaningless.

“Well, there’s no way our Lucius would lose to a pig like that, right?”

“Of course.”

“But I’ll try to avoid their attacks as much as possible.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“If I can capture him alive, try to capture him. And…” I breathed magic into Lucius’ sword.

“What is this…?”

“Endure. The power of wind is something that you really have to use at crucial moments, so in the meantime, fight with this.”

“Is this… flame?”

“Yes.” Fire and wind are polar opposites.

The one who wields the power of flame is the owner of the Holy Sword of Wind? Even if someone were to suspect Lucius’ true identity, they would simply think of him as a swordsman who uses the “Sword of Flame,” not the owner of the Holy Sword of Wind so easily.

They would just think of him as a flame that the Crimson Magician infused into him.

“Of course you can threaten him with this, but…”

“I’ll capture him in no time. Just watch.”

Lucius grabbed the sword soaked in flames.

“I’m going..!”

He ran towards the orc in one breath.

“Chwi, chwiik…!!”

As soon as the orc saw Lucius, he took something out.

“…A whip?”

I was truly flustered by the appearance of a weapon that was so uncharacteristic of an orc, no, it didn’t suit his appearance—but did it?

But Lucius calmly dodged the whip’s trajectory and swung his sword in one breath.

Crunch, crunch!

“Kweeek!!”

Indeed, with the sound of a pig’s throat being slit, the orc fell to his knees with blood pouring out of both shoulders.

Lucius aimed his sword at the orc’s neck, and the bastard’s skin began to turn red.

“……”

Although he tried to look calm, Lucius’s eyes sparkled and he seemed genuinely satisfied with his achievement.

Chuck.

I gave him a thumbs up and smiled, then changed my expression and stood in front of the orc…

“Loktar?”

“……Taramra?”

I was sure of it. These are not orcs.