Episode 270 – A Sooner Than Expected Reunion

“Heuung… Well, I don’t really care, but yeah, you’d have to be.”

“But hasn’t there been anyone so far?”

Even if we’re hostile to each other, I couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t have any interest in the information of the challengers I’d be facing during the peaceful month declared under the name of God.

The Chieftain-nim, who was chewing on a date, answered my question as if it were nothing.

“Mumble mumble… Well, the guys who participate pretty much all know each other, and it’s better to train and get stronger than to wander around with such trivial thoughts, that’s why.”

“Well… I guess that’s true.”

“Anyway, I roughly understand. Looks like you’re worried about your wives?”

“….. There’s that too.”

The Chieftain-nim, yawning leisurely, threw another date into his mouth and gestured for me to leave.

“Mumble mumble… I understand, so go find them. Ah, if you need someone to guide you, talk to my daughter and she’ll find someone for you.”

“Thank you. Then I’ll be on my way.”

“Yeah, yeah, mumble mumble…”

Leaving the Chieftain-nim, who was stuffing dates into his mouth again, I stepped outside and was greeted by the scorching sun.

“You’re not really worried, are you? See, I told you it was okay for me to just go. Sigh, you scaredy-cat.”

“Ahem, still, I can’t just leave without notifying the chieftain of a tribe.”

“Yeah, yeah, sure you wouldn’t~ Anyway, hurry up and come on. The sun is already high in the sky, you need to leave now to arrive before sunset.”

“… Thank you.”

“Heu-heung! You’re welcome!”

As I smiled gently and expressed my gratitude, Se-a-ssi grinned and took energetic steps.

Following behind Se-a-ssi, we arrived at a place located on the outskirts of the village.

I saw stables where horses were tied up. Is this a place that sells horses?

There were too few horses to be a place like that.

… Well, whatever.

Se-a-ssi looked around the stables and the tent that was standing alone next to them, then suddenly strode towards the tent. And she went inside without any hesitation.

“Hey!! Is anyone in there?!”

Shaking my head at her appearance of looking for the owner after already going inside, I followed her and saw an Orc lying on the floor, snoring.

Se-a-ssi, seeing the stench of alcohol and bachelor odor that stung her nose, plus the bottles scattered on the floor, walked towards him without hesitation, looking annoyed.

Thwack!!

“Keok!”

“Hey, you bastard! Get up now!”

And without hesitation, she kicked the Orc’s side with her foot, right in the gut, while he was sleeping.

“Kuluk! Kuluk! You son of a bitch!! What bitch, eeee….!!”

The Orc, who was making a fuss while clutching his side, probably because it hit him just right, turned his head with gleaming eyes and soon trailed off when he saw Se-a-ssi.

The fiercely rising tone of his voice subsided like calm lake water, and the Orc spoke in a trembling voice.

“… Why are you here?”

Seeing his reaction, I could tell how Se-a-ssi was treated in the tribe.

An untouchable executioner with absolute power.

What title could be more fitting than this?

She raised one eyebrow and growled.

“Why? Can’t I be here?”

“… No, it’s not that…”

The Orc, who immediately lowered his eyes and scratched his head, looked like a frightened baby goat.

Slap!!

“Enough! We’re going to see the Galqui bastards, so prepare the horses, you bastard!”

At Se-a-ssi’s words, who smacked the back of his smooth head, the Orc frowned and grumbled as if he was overcome with annoyance again.

“No, seriously, what wind has blown into your ass to make you go to those bastards…”

“You little shit… Shut up and prepare them, you bastard. If you keep running your mouth, I’ll tell them to only give you low-grade alcohol from now on, got it?”

“… I guess I could go… Ahem! Can’t even make a joke. Wait a minute, haa… I thought I could rest during the preparation period.”

“Then hurry up and prepare!”

As she snorted and kicked the Orc’s butt, urging him on, the Orc scratched his head and went outside.

Following behind him, I came out of the tent and Se-a-ssi turned to look at me.

“Ah, we’re going on horseback. You know how to ride a horse, right?”

“I wouldn’t have been able to come this far if I didn’t.”

“Heung- Well then, it’s okay to pick up the pace a bit, right?”

As Se-a-ssi snorted as if she found it ridiculous and her eyes sparkled playfully, I became slightly uneasy.

… Those eyes, somehow I’ve seen them a lot on Grace too…

But what could I say?

“Please take it easy on me. Hahaha…”

I didn’t know what she was thinking, but I could only hope for mercy.

* * *

Dagudak! Dagudak! Dagudak!

The Orcs’ race across the wasteland was more grueling than I had imagined.

“Haa haa haa”

The inside of my thighs felt numb, as if I had muscle pain, and my butt ached as if it were bruised.

I’m not even running myself, but I’m out of breath.

Even though I was riding the horse so hard, the two of them were still racing far ahead of me.

The Orc was riding listlessly, as if he was annoyed, and Se-a-ssi was…

“Hyah! Hyah!! Hahaha! So refreshing!!”

She was crossing the wasteland with a bright smile.

I was briefly captivated by her appearance, which shone as brightly as the sunlight in the sky, but soon I let out a long, exhausted breath.

I didn’t think it would be this hard.

I knew that the Orcs’ stamina was incomparably stronger than that of humans, but I thought that since Se-a-ssi was human, we could keep pace to some extent…

It was a big mistake.

Se-a-ssi, although she has the appearance of a human, has about half of the blood of an Orc, and that too, the blood of an Orc chosen by God, so she far surpasses ordinary humans in terms of stamina, durability, and strength.

Thanks to that, she’s frolicking as if she’s out for a walk on this forced march that even an adult man like me is struggling with.

At first, I chased closely behind her out of pride… but now, I was just struggling to keep them in sight.

“Hup, hoo hoo”

My lower body felt like it was paralyzed.

I can’t go on any longer.

That thought flashed through my mind, and I shouted loudly.

“Se-a-ssi!!!”

It seemed like my desperate voice reached her, but her speed didn’t decrease at all. She just turned her head, grinned, and asked back.

“What!!!”

Her playful voice was heard from afar, but I was too exhausted to read the emotions in it.

“Let’s!! Take a break!!”

“What?! A man already tired?!”

“Yessss!!! That’s why! Let’s! Rest!!”

I shouted while screaming, but I tried to keep up with the two people who weren’t slowing down at all, but the distance gradually widened because of the incredibly smart horse that seemed to recognize its owner’s condition and slowed down.

Se-a-ssi, who noticed my appearance, naturally burst into laughter and turned her horse around.

When I saw her and the Orc turning their heads, I felt the tension release, and at that moment, the horse slowly began to stop.

“Haa… Haa… Haa…”

Seeing them coming back, I felt sweat pouring down like rain.

To rest, I took my foot out of the stirrup, turned my body, and was about to get off onto the ground.

Ping-!

“Ugh…!”

My strength gave out from my waist, and I collapsed on the spot.

I barely straightened my trembling legs into an 11 shape, and with a dizzy head, I lay down as I was.

It was more than I imagined, really…

As I blankly stared at the sky, which seemed higher than usual, and breathed heavily, I soon heard the sound of hooves approaching nearby.

“Keuk keuk keuk, what’s this? You collapsed so quickly after confidently following us?”

I was too exhausted to react to her mischievous tone.

“Hoo… No one can run for hours without resting… Besides… I didn’t know it would be such a forced march.”

“Heung, you said you didn’t care… Well, whatever, seeing your condition, I don’t think you can go any further anyway.”

“… But is this usually a day’s journey?”

“Huh? It is, isn’t it?”

The Orcs’ concept of distance seems to be on a different dimension from that of humans.

I don’t know how many hours we’ve been running, but looking at the sky, it seems like at least 3 or 4 hours have passed. Anyway, we’ve been running and running for hours, and we’re still not even close to seeing it…

The Orcs’ stamina is beyond imagination, but…

“….. What kind of horses are you using? They don’t seem ordinary…”

“Of course we use Shinma horses. Don’t you guys have them?”

“Shinma…?”

“Yeah! They’re horses born from the Sex Goddess mating with wild horses that grow here. They don’t have the intelligence of centaurs, but they’re as smart as most humans and their stamina is no joke.”

“…. I see.”

It seems the Goddess-nim was quite popular, seeing as how her traces are left wherever I go.

She’s been giving birth to children everywhere… Well, I guess that’s why she’s the Goddess of Love…

Feeling the strength drain from my body, I blankly stared at the sky again.

And as I listened to Se-a-ssi nagging the Orc to start a fire, I suddenly felt like retaliating against Se-a-ssi’s pranks.

Come to think of it, didn’t Se-a-ssi lie and say it would only take a day, even though she knew it would be this hard?

Feeling slightly sulky, I looked at Se-a-ssi, who was sitting on the ground yawning, and then at the Orc, who was approaching a bare tree and gathering branches, grumbling.

… That person is off today, but he’s working hard… After all, that person also needs something to relieve his boredom, right?

A meaningful smile spread across my lips as I muttered to myself.

Still, I’m glad that person came along, otherwise such interesting things wouldn’t have happened.

Harboring sinister thoughts in my head, I said to Se-a-ssi.

“Se-a-ssi, wait a minute, come over here.”