Chapter 166

Chapter 166

***

Looking from the outside it was not much different from other forests. If there was a different point it was an unfamiliar sense of incongruity to the point of being bewildering.

When entering the Forest of Demonic Beasts, the feeling of having left the boundaries of humans was transmitted through the skin. Telling them that this was not a place they should be. The fine hairs all over their bodies stood up softly.

Rickart originally intended to catch Broken Fang with just Roy and Ray, the three of them, but the help of local guides was needed no matter what. That role was undertaken by none other than Count Ceska and his escort knights.

The personnel of six people, crossed the boundary of humans and walked the forest full of that sense of incongruity.

Even though it was still broad daylight, the shaded forest was a good place for predators to hide their bodies. Behind nearby thickets and large trees, it felt as if something was waiting aiming for them.

Whether they couldn't feel that anxiety, or were trying hard to hide it, the personnel of six shifted their steps slowly, but surely.

Then the sense of incongruity emitted by the forest changed into a sensory form and was transmitted. It was precisely the smell.

At the disgusting and fear-lurking smell exactly like filth and semen mixed together, the party's steps stopped.

Count Ceska said while examining a tree nearby.

"From here on. It is the territory of Orcs."

Even without examining closely, the tree was full of clear scratch marks. Even just looking at the scratch marks the ruthless violence could be clearly felt.

"There must be a group looking around the territory."

Rickart said.

"So if we are to return here is the last place. What will you do?"

What will they did, when they came to catch Broken Fang. Was he asking his intention of whether he himself wanted to return, or whether they would truly did it at the very last moment.

Rickart recalled the memories of his previous life and said.

"Let's set bait, lure it, and kill it."

"Bait? Do you mean goats or pigs?"

Count Ceska asked back. Naturally but livestock like goats or pigs were not at this place right now.

"Orcs are ignorant but on the other hand meticulous and cautious. It's useless to try and fish them clumsily. We become the bait."

"......"

Not only Count Ceska but all the people present kept silent. That silence seemed to contain a certain meaning, it was asking whether they really had to did that much.

"How about placing a hideout at a place far away from here, reconnoitering nearby and taking turns standing guard, and ambushing when the enemy passes by?"

Count Ceska presented an opinion. But Rickart shook his head.

"That is exactly what I am saying. But, the smell can never be hidden. This is the territory of Orcs. Therefore, we must premise it on the fact that Orcs will definitely notice our existence. And then hit them in reverse."

"Perhaps they might have already noticed it."

Roy chimed in. The boy was carrying various camping luggage together with Raimund.

"No. Not to that extent. The territory of Orcs differs per the scale of the pack, but the territory is extremely wide. Still, noticing it would be a matter of time."

"How do you know so well, Commander?"

"Let's say I have this kind of experience. Setting up a hideout and digging traps around it. If we know they will come in advance rather than suffering an unexpected ambush, it would be less scary right."

Like this everyone decided to follow Rickart's opinion.

Each and every person was no ordinary person. Skill was skill but should it be called boldness, or should it be called courage. Among them especially Roy looked the most incredible. Even though he was young in age.

Rickart and his party set up a hideout at a place quite far from the scratched tree. It was a small clearing but nearby the thicket was dense and large trees were thick. So it was even more shaded and dark.

The party first put down the luggage bundles and pitched a tent. Because the burning smell could spread they hadn't lit a fire yet, and for meals they just put grain powder in cold water and stirred it to make it thick and then drank it.

Even doing this they couldn't stop the smell from spreading. But thinking like that on the other hand they were also a bit scared. That they didn't know but the enemies could know them.

Rickart drew and examined his sword that never betrayed his trust, and the other people also checked equipment like nets, spears, harpoons, and crossbows. It was like tools for hunting. Tools for catching a large beast, that was.

After passably setting up the hideout they decided to divide the personnel and take turns to reconnoiter the surroundings.

It was composed of Rickart and Roy, Count Ceska and one escort knight, and Raimund and another escort knight into 3 teams.

However, even before going out for reconnaissance, the day rapidly darkened. Even looking up and examining the sky because of the densely overgrown branches they couldn't tell if it was late afternoon or evening.

The party lit a fire. There was one campfire, and there were six men sharing that warmth. Because the season wasn't that cold yet they didn't have to light multiple campfires.

The sound of crackle, crackle was heard. It was like a lullaby, or like a sound leading to a comfortable death.

Everyone laid down their own spots and were resting sitting comfortably or lying down, when Count Ceska said.

"It feels like waiting for an unavoidable death."

Rickart broke twigs snap snap and threw them into the fire while continuing his words.

"But was there a need to follow me all the way here and do this?"

"It is a bit funny that you, Commander, say it like that. Shouldn't your proof be directly verified with my two eyes? Since you staked your life, it would be right that the one watching it also stake their life."

"Do you have an heir?"

Rickart asked. Count Ceska glanced at Roy who was adjusting an ax and said.

"There is a child about his size. If I die my son will succeed me."

"Isn't he still young?"

"Then why did you bring your disciple to this dangerous place even though he is young?"

"I will protect my disciple no matter what happens, but it's because without taking risks you cannot gain anything."

"I am the same. Even if I thoroughly prepare for the heir problem, there is no guarantee that it will definitely work out properly. I too, my father died when I was young and I succeeded him and came up to here. Sometimes a father's death becomes a great teaching to the son. The heads of our family do not run away in front of death. We merely stand and face it. My father died like that, I too have lived like that, and my son will also live like that."

"I didn't know there would be such a prestigious family in such a remote place. Whether they do it openly, or hide it behind, everyone puts honor forward and is busy satisfying their thirst for power behind."

"Hahaha...... People like you, Commander, or me just hate things like that."

"Have you tried killing an Orc?"

"I've caught them a few times when those culled from the pack prowled around the territory. When I first encountered that madness-filled anger I couldn't even sleep properly for a while. Even though I was young in age then so there was no need for me to step forward and the vassals caught them. That gleaming gaze couldn't be forgotten is what I mean. That's right. I am a coward."

"But actually Orcs are cowards too. Cowards more than anyone. They are just covering it with madness and anger, if that fades there is nothing as weak as them. Just like humans."

"Humans and Orcs huh......"

Looking at the habits or way of living of Orcs, it did vaguely remind one of humans. It was merely that compared to humans they were very explicit.

Like that the night deepened. The party took turns standing guard at night, and when the day brightened they made traps around.

Because there was no time and no proper tools either they just dug the ground and camouflaged it with fallen leaves on top.

But even with just this if one's body suddenly fell in it was easy to stab them to death with a spear, and if there was a large number of Orcs they were bound to tangle with each other as they fell.

Some labored and some reconnoitered while examining around the scratched tree they saw the day before. But this was no ordinary exhausting work. Campfire or whatever, first of all they couldn't hide the body odor produced while sweating.

However, even if dog poop was needed for medicine there was none, even as two days, three days, four days, a week passed not even the nose of an Orc was seen. Only the roar echoing from afar was heard occasionally.

Sleeping outdoors was only for a day or two, doing that and only eating, sleeping, working, and reconnoitering in a forest where monsters lived, the mind was hard to endure. Actually enduring a week was an incredible feat.

They were tired but also their nerves were sharpened. As if there was some demonic energy or something in the air.

Even so the party didn't get annoyed with each other or fight. Merely, the number of words gradually decreased and later they wouldn't say a single word during the day.

It was when a week and a day had passed. It was the point when Rickart's hair was matted and grime flowed on his face.

While grasping his mind together with Roy and heading to the scratched tree holding his sword, even before reaching there they discovered a corpse. It was an Orc corpse.

"Hiiik!"

Roy was startled. He had followed along uneventfully over the meantime, but seeing it with his own eyes his heart sank at the indescribable hideousness.

First of all its size was ridiculously large, and the skin was green. But such a body was torn indiscriminately and crushed and sprawled out. Fallen body parts tumbled around here and there.

The even more terrible point was that exceptionally the lower body was even more destroyed. There were many traces of liquid that were hard to say, for reference the corpse was a male.

Rickart tightly grabbed Roy's shoulder and embraced him while examining the corpse closely.

However even without examining closely, one could clearly know that it was something committed by some overwhelming power.

It wasn't a troll. If it was a troll they would have heard the sound of that large body moving even from the hideout. Then was it the deed of the same Orcs? Even so they would have heard it. Even if other people couldn't notice, it made no sense that he himself couldn't notice.

Then the answer was one. It meant it happened at another place, and they dragged it and tossed it here. What was the meaning of that? No matter how he thought about it, it was a warning. A warning sent to whom?

Especially what happened to the lower body was close to being humiliated on purpose rather than relieving desire. That was a kind of punishment, and showing off how scary they were.

Rickart coldly repeated inference upon inference. Killing their kin, humiliating them, and dumping them at the boundary. It was clear that was not a warning against humans. Probably, it looked like a warning to another pack.

"It seems a war broke out."

"Pardon?"

"Roy, look carefully. And think. Why this would be sprawled out here. A war broke out among the Orcs. Or something equivalent happened."

"Before that, it is too big compared to thought."

"Right. That's why generally fighting Orcs the fight itself doesn't establish. The most powerful weapon humans can defeat Orcs with is wisdom."

"But then what do we do now?"

"Let's bring the people first."

Rickart and Roy stopped reconnoitering and immediately returned to the hideout. And after telling the people exactly what they saw, they returned together with them and examined the corpse.

The people's reaction was also similar to Roy's. It was disgusting, scary, and they wanted to get out of here quickly.

However Rickart was resolute.

"Let's cross the boundary."

"Here is the last land humans can step on. Beyond this will be hell."

Perhaps because they were mentally exhausted too from camping for a week, Count Ceska also expressed disapproval.

"If we don't accurately find out what is happening here, we might pay a greater price. If Orcs are fighting among themselves it is a welcoming thing, but if it is a single unified war the next turn will be the Ceska County."

The words were correct words, but seeing this right in front of their eyes and saying he would enter the Orc's territory didn't look sane.

But sometimes there were times when one had to just throw oneself rather than a great decision or resolve. Like whatever I don't know type of way.

"Then let's go while there's time since the day is short."

Count Ceska finally said exactly as if acting annoyed. Exactly as his ancestors did, and exactly as his son would did.

The credo regarding death of the Ceska family might not be courage but annoyance.

Rickart smiled at his annoyance and said.

"Do not worry too much. The light of God touches even hell."