Chapter 183 : Chapter 183

Chapter 183: Resurfacing

While ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the guide and the knights remained unconscious, the half-wit went in and out of the cave where the bastards were sleeping quite often.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍leader seemed deeply displeased by that, but he did not stop the half-wit either.

Whether ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that was because he had also been caught secretly peeking at humans, or because there was some other reason, I did not know.

“Just ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍watch quietly. Don’t touch them for no reason, and don’t make any noise. They must not realize you’re beside them.”

When ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍I spoke to the back of the half-wit’s head as he headed to the cave again, apparently not tired of it, the bastard nodded without looking back.

Well, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it should be fine.

All three of them had their eyes covered anyway, so unless the half-wit caused a fuss, there was no reason for anything troublesome to happen.

Besides, two of them were not even conscious at all.

Thinking that I could not understand what was so fun about looking at unconscious humans in the first place, I approached Ratel and the others, who had settled near the entrance.

“Has the young orc gone there again?”

Jing asked after noticing I had come alone.

“Yes. He isn’t doing anything, only watching, but it seems he finds it fun.”

“That is how children are, is it not? They sometimes become obsessed with one thing adults cannot understand.”

It was not easy to imagine the young Little Duke Flinn acting so stubbornly, but it seemed that image still remained vividly in Jing’s memories.

I could tell from the smile that drew itself on his mouth without him realizing it.

I had no intention of disturbing his happy recollection for no reason, so I turned without a word and stepped out of the cave.

No, I tried to.

“Where are you going alone?”

But Jing, who had somehow finished his recollection, caught me without fail again this time.

“I’m going to loosen up my body a bit. I can’t stay carried around on Jing’s back forever, can I? I’m not a newborn baby.”

“Even so, would it not be dangerous to wander through the forest alone? If you meet a fierce animal......”

Then I would be the person who met a fierce animal.

And we would each go our own way.

Or maybe exchange awkward greetings.

But Jing, who still did not know the details of my ability, could not erase his worry.

It really seemed that destroying one holy object was not enough to fully escape the brainwashing.

“As you already heard, I can transform into an orc too. And unless something unusual happens, animals don’t attack me.”

I could even receive help from them.

“If you’re that worried, I’ll take a weapon with me.”

I approached the pile of dry leaves that stood in for our sleeping place.

Then I picked up the holy object that was still beneath it.

It had become a worn-out sword, but this much could still be counted as a weapon, right?

“Even with a weapon, you might collapse alone. I will just go with you.”

There was no need to give the somewhat rude answer that he would be better off lying on the floor.

While my eyes rolled busily, searching for either an excuse or a pretext, what entered my sight was the half-wit, fortunately.

Whether he had grown tired of watching humans, this was the first time I had ever been so glad to see the bastard come out early.

“Then I can go with the half-wit. Even if I collapse, he should be able to carry my body easily enough.”

“Kkwek?”

The half-wit, suddenly called out, failed to understand the situation and tilted his head.

“I’m saying let’s go hunting together.”

“Kkwek! Hunting! Good!”

The bastard, who had readily bitten the bait I offered, rushed out of the cave.

Leaving Jing behind with a face that did not look reassured at all, I quickly followed after the half-wit.

***

Ever since learning that the holy object had not been destroyed, there had been one thing I felt uneasy about.

The unease that, unless the holy object itself was destroyed, perhaps the power that brainwashed people remained as it was.

What proved that this unease was merely my excessive worry was Jing.

To be precise, the change in his attitude.

The fact that he no longer stopped me as I took Sierra’s Sword, which no longer had any power left, and came out as if running away was great progress.

Yes, that was normal.

The fact that his abnormal behavior of overprotecting a grown adult...... well, not right now, but at any rate, a man who looked healthy to anyone, had stopped was fortunate.

This change in him, who had been focused on my words and actions to a burdensome degree, ultimately meant that the brainwashing held by the holy object had been undone at least a little.

“Kkwek. By the way, are you human?”

The half-wit, who had been walking ahead while looking around the forest, suddenly spoke to me.

“Me? I’m human. For now.”

“Kkwek. For now? Kkwek. Does that mean there are times when you aren’t human?”

“Yes. As you saw, I can turn into an orc, and well, I can turn into other animals too.”

So calling myself human was a little ambiguous.

“At least I was born human.”

When I vaguely glossed over my identity, which was difficult to define, the half-wit looked me over with a confused face.

“Is that so important? No matter what I turn into, what’s inside is the same anyway.”

“Kkwek! True! Kkwek! No matter what you become, you’ll always be unlucky!”

When insults were eaten this brightly, the will to fight disappeared.

Besides, this was less malice and more......

“Are you copying the way the leader calls me that right now?”

“Kkwek! Am I?! Kkwek. It does seem like you hear that you’re unlucky a lot!”

Perhaps he had not been conscious of it himself, because the bastard tilted his head and moved forward.

The half-wit, who had been leading with steps too energetic for someone hunting, suddenly stopped in place.

I had been walking while glaring at the back of the bastard’s head, and fortunately, I was able to stop before colliding with him.

“What is it all of a sudden?”

Instead of answering my question, the bastard only stared straight ahead in silence.

What is he staring at so blankly?

To check what had stolen the bastard’s attention, I turned my eyes to the scenery spread beyond the half-wit’s shoulder.

Past the dry leaves, far in the open view, I saw the cabin half submerged in water.

“Kkwek. It used to be visible from the entrance too, but a lot of grass has grown.”

“Did the leader observe the humans that often?”

“Kkwek. The leader liked it. Kkwek. The leader says he hates humans, but he actually likes them. Kkwek. So I tried copying them, but he didn’t like it much.”

The bastard, who had been muttering blankly, turned his head and looked at me.

“Kkwek. You’re human, but you’re like us too. Kkwek. So if you stay here, the leader will like it too.”

He was saying something that would make the leader’s blood pressure spike and collapse.

“Idiot. The leader didn’t just like humans. If he liked any human at all, he wouldn’t have hated Ratel that much.”

“Kkwek. That human isn’t! No, he’s different! Kkwek. That human is too strong to be called human. Kkwek. You, you’re human and like us too, so......”

“You said it yourself. Even when I was an orc, the leader called me an unlucky bastard.”

“Kkwek. That is true, but...... Kkwek. Then why did the leader watch the humans so hard?”

“Well, ask him yourself.”

I could not be certain what the leader had wanted.

I only had the vague guess that the target of his observation was not simply humans, but the relationship between humans.

Well, that was not something I should meddle in and define.

“Ask your leader directly, and think directly. You don’t have to pretend to be stupid anymore, do you?”

“Kkwek. Right! Kkwek. I’m smart!”

The bastard struck his own chest and shouted excitedly.

“Kkwek! The leader said I’m all grown up now! Kkwek! He said I’m smart, so I’ll learn quickly!”

Perhaps it made him feel good even remembering it again, because the half-wit was thoroughly excited.

That leader bastard, now that there was nothing holding him back, was happily fussing like a doting parent.

“Is that why you came hunting alone this time? Did he tell you to practice what you learned by yourself?”

At the word hunting, the half-wit, who had clearly forgotten his original purpose, hurriedly looked around.

Soon, the bastard picked up a few thick tree branches rolling on the ground, settled down, and sat.

Thus, a small makeshift trap was created in the half-wit’s hands.

The half-wit looked down at it proudly, then dragged me along and put distance between us and the trap.

“Kkwek. The leader said he trusts me now. Kkwek. He said he trusts me, so we’ll live together from now on! Kkwek. It’ll be fun!”

Perhaps he was having a hard time controlling his excitement, because the half-wit’s voice grew louder and louder.

If he spoke that loudly, all the animals would run away, but well, he would learn that too, bit by bit.

“Yes. Forget me and the other humans and live happily together from now on.”

“Kkwek. I won’t forget even if you leave! Kkwek! I’ll never forget, and I’ll keep being grateful!”

Do as you please with that too.

After answering roughly, the moment the half-wit stopped walking, I slipped free from the bastard’s hand.

Then I turned in the opposite direction from where the half-wit was trying to hide.

“Kkwek? Where are you going? Kkwek. We have to hunt.”

“I didn’t come here to hunt.”

“Kkwek?”

Leaving the bastard making a puzzled cry behind, I examined the surroundings.

At this distance, we were suitably far from the cave, the sun was up, so there was no danger of being attacked by other orcs.

More than anything, there was no protagonist bastard to interfere with what I was doing.

“Kkwek. If you didn’t come to hunt, why did you follow me out?”

“There was one thing I wanted to test.”

I took out Sierra’s Sword, which I had brought out of the cave under the excuse of hunting.

It was fortunate that Ratel and Jing had let me leave with the sword without suspicion.

The fact that no one cared even though I was taking out the Emperor’s holy object, no matter how much of a piece of junk it had become, was also a good sign.

Because it meant the Imperial Family’s status in Jing’s unconsciousness had fallen that much.

“Kkwek. I don’t like that. Kkwek. Just throw it away.”

The half-wit, who had somehow come close, furrowed his brow and muttered.

It seemed he felt aversion toward the sword that had cut off the leader’s neck.

“I was planning to throw it away anyway.”

After checking whether my assumption was right.

Swallowing those final words, I recalled the sensation of creating the crystal of power inside the cave.

“Wh-what are you doing all of a sudden?”

Perhaps I looked strange, silently holding onto the sword, because the half-wit anxiously waved his hands.

“If I collapse, pull the sword away from my hand. I’ll come to my senses on my own after some time passes.”

“Kkwek. What? Kkwek. Is it dangerous?”

It probably would not be dangerous, but that did not mean it would be easy enough for me to expect success in one try either.

Because I intended to tear off a small piece of my power and place it into the holy object, just as someone from a thousand years ago had first begun.

In a word, it was practice.

The holy object and the power remaining in the cave were fragments of Sierra Abalan’s power, from when he had first broken the contract.

It seemed I could pull that out or put it back in.

If so, would it not be possible for me to infuse my power into something that was not alive, this sword that had become junk?

There was no point in imagining running before even taking the first step.

“Kkwek. Y-you’re not d-dying, right?”

The half-wit drove my first step toward death.

I said I won’t die.

Ignoring the bastard’s fussing, I focused on the hand holding the sword.

Then I tried to gather the power spread throughout my body into my fingertips.

Judging from my previous experience, what waited for me after this was pain like my hand burning away.

Looking at the light slowly gathering at my fingertips, I swallowed my breath and prepared for the coming burning sensation.

“......”

There was astonishingly no pain.

What wrapped around my hand instead of burning agony was softer, heavier, and most of all, not hot.

At the sensation better described as warm, I lowered my eyes.

The sword absorbed the light very slowly.

Even though the power was gathering in my fingertips, a languid sensation, as if my whole body had been submerged in warm water, wrapped around me.

Is the intensity lower because my power is weaker than Sierra’s power?

Whatever the case, being slow and leisurely was not a bad thing.

Because I could focus on the power more than when I had hurriedly shoved power into Ratel’s body.

Around the time I had grown somewhat accustomed to the feeling of dividing and inserting power, I stopped the power from moving.

Sierra’s Sword, which had been glowing brightly, also slowly lost its light.

That did not mean it had returned to being merely an old, ordinary sword like before.

When I lifted the sword, Sierra’s Sword gleamed under the sunlight.

At least it no longer looks like an ordinary, worn-out sword.

“This ended more easily than I expected.”

Together with the words that we should stop hunting and go back now, I turned my head toward the half-wit.

But the half-wit did not react to my words and simply stood in place.

I had thought he was strangely quiet for someone who had made a fuss out of fear.

“What? What’s wrong?”

I approached the bastard, who was standing calmly unlike himself, and realized that he had not heard my words from the beginning.

No, would it be more accurate to say he could not hear them?

The bastard’s eyes, staring blankly into empty air, seemed to be looking at something I could not see, or else looked as if he had completely lost his mind.

To wake the vacant bastard, I firmly grabbed the half-wit’s shoulder.

Only then did he seem to come to his senses, blinking several times.

“What are you doing right now? Are you sick somewhere?”

At my question, the half-wit rolled his eyes and quietly looked at me.

After I watched the suddenly sunken bastard in silence for several minutes, the half-wit slowly opened his mouth.

“Kkwek. I remembered something I had forgotten.”

“What suddenly came to mind?”

“Kkwek. In the cave. Kkwek. What was promised. Kkwek. I remember. Kkwek. Right now, I can tell you.”

His certain eyes and complicated-looking expression showed me that the story would be long.

Because the memory he said had resurfaced was probably a memory from a thousand years ago, passed down through the leader’s position.