Savior Legend #1

 

“Jonathan, are you sure?”

“Of course!”

“Jonathan, I’ll bet you money. If you lose, I won’t let you down.”

“Walk as far as you want! It’s a chance to make a lot of money.”

News had already spread that Jonathan and the human girl were challenging the slave village champion brothers.

As we walked down the street, our every move attracted the attention of the orcs.

Some showed interest, and there were even orcs who cheered Jonathan on.

“Huh, you stupid orc who doesn’t even know your place! You’ll regret it.”

“Wapa and Betdi are the strongest. Wapha and Betdi are immortal orcs. How can someone like you, Jonathan, win?”

There were quite a few orcs who gave threatening looks as if they were displeased.

They will be the subordinates of Wapha and Betdi.

They seemed to find Jonathan, who challenged the established order, to be a thorn in their side.

“Just wait and see! The power dynamics in this village will soon shift. I’ll change it. You just watch!”

Jonathan kept on bluffing.

When Jonathan and I were left alone, Jonathan quickly turned pale and began to complain.

“⋯Estelle, we’re in trouble. Are you really sure you can win? We can’t lose. If we lose, we’ll be in trouble.”

“What, you were so confident earlier.”

“That’s because, among the orcs, if you look down on them once, it’s over, so there was nothing I could do.”

“Don’t worry. Just trust me and follow me. I’ll make you the new Orc Champion.”

“Ugh… I want to drink. I’m so anxious I can’t stand it. I can’t even sleep at night these days.”

“Refrain from drinking alcohol. It’s bad for your health.”

Jonathan bit his nails nervously.

“But why are you going to see the elder? He’s not helpful at all. He’s just an old, crazy orc.”

“Hey, but you’re an elder, what are you talking about? Don’t you even know the will of the elders?”

“But the truth is, the elder did nothing while we were reduced to Kamula’s slaves. He simply stood by and watched.”

Jonathan’s eyes flashed with repulsion. Most young orcs would think the same.

The older generation doesn’t lead the charge into battle. Even if they wanted to, their bodies simply won’t listen.

All they can do is offer advice behind your back, or nag you under the guise of advice.

Young people don’t understand these circumstances. Powerless elders, like the elders, are reduced to mere objects of ridicule.

“Here we are. Here we are. Old man! Are you alive?”

Jonathan growled, kicking the rotting tent with his foot.

The other buildings in the slave village were equally shabby, but the elder’s quarters were even more shabby.

Ugh— Ugh—

A gurgling sound could be heard in the darkness. A haggard old orc slowly poked his head out.

“⋯Winston’s son, Jonathan. What’s the matter?”

“Nothing’s wrong. It wasn’t me who came to see you, it was this human woman.”

“Human⋯?”

The elder looked at me with suspicious eyes, his eyes scanning me up and down.

“Is your grandfather an elder?”

“That’s true for now. Well, it seems the other orcs don’t think that way anymore….”

The elder laughed bitterly and mocked himself.

Knock knock, knock—

The laughter was followed by a dry cough. The elder coughed repeatedly, his body trembling so much that it was painful for me to watch.

“Hey, old man! You’re croaking like you’re about to die.”

Jonathan clicked his tongue and patted the elder on the back.

I don’t know if patting my back would be effective, but…

Anyway, the elder stopped coughing after a while.

“Pfft. Don’t make a fuss, Jonathan. It happens all the time.”

“I told you not to eat strange mushrooms or grass. When you’re hungry, come and tell me! You won’t hear any nice things, but I’ll at least give you something to eat.”

“Okay, I understand. Okay, then…”

Jonathan clicked his tongue with a look that was half pity and half pity.

The elder raised his head and looked up at me.

“Human, do you have any business with me?”

“Uh. Here, train Jonathan a little.”

“what!?”

Instead of the elder’s answer, Jonathan shouted in surprise.

“What do you mean training? I have nothing to learn from this old man!”

“Keep quiet. Elder Grandfather, do you remember the orc fighting techniques?”

“⋯How could I forget? But how would you know that?”

“I had the opportunity to fight warriors who used orc combat techniques. But if you knew them, why didn’t you teach them to the other orcs? Gauss, Wafa, and Betdi, they all fought without any orc combat techniques, just whatever they could.”

The orc elder licked his parched lips. He tried to say something, but the words wouldn’t come out.

At the elder’s gesture, Jonathan clicked his tongue and poured water from the pitcher next to him.

“⋯Phew.”

The elder, who had barely cleared his throat, continued speaking.

“Even if I tell you, you won’t listen. Well, even warriors who were masters of combat were defeated so easily by Camula that it’s understandable they didn’t feel the need to learn…”

“So you’re saying you’re the only orc in the village who knows how to use orc fighting techniques?”

“That’s what it is.”

I looked back at Jonathan.

“You heard? Now that this old man is dead, the lineage of orcish combat skills will be forever lost in your village. Are you okay with that? Do you want to be reduced to a bunch of baseless bastards?”

“You idiot! How dare you say that!”

“Excellent combat techniques have been passed down, but no one has learned them. If you put them into practice, you’ll be called a fool. Jonathan, stop complaining and learn from your grandfather. And when you learn well, teach the other orcs. Got it?”

Jonathan still grumbled, but I ignored him.

“Start today. And bring Grandpa something to eat and make sure he’s okay.”

“Human girl, it’s okay. You don’t have to worry so much about it⋯.”

“It’s not that I’m cute, Grandpa. It’s just that it would be a problem if I died before I could teach you combat skills. Just take care of me and be obedient. Understood, Grandpa?”

“This human girl is really annoying when she talks⋯.”

“Yeah, that’s right! That’s so cheeky.”

Jonathan and the elder narrowed their eyes. It seemed like they were on the same page for the first time.

“Well, I don’t really have much time left, so I guess it’ll be okay to pass the time⋯.”

The elder picked up a thick branch that was rolling on the ground and threw it at Jonathan’s feet.

Jonathan stared blankly at the tree branch.

“Are you really going to do this, old man? Do you even know any of that fighting technique or something?”

“If you don’t feel like it, go away, Jonathan. I have no intention of forcing you to learn. Do as you wish.”

“Ugh⋯.”

Jonathan gritted his teeth and thought hard.

After a while, Jonathan sighed deeply and picked up the branch.

“I don’t know what kind of nonsense this is. Old man, keep it a secret from the other orcs. If they find out, I’ll be ridiculed for the rest of my life.”

Jonathan said, swinging the branch around.

Perhaps it was his imagination, but the wrinkled lips of the orc elder seemed to twitch into a smile.

***

Special training continued.

The elder seemed to struggle to stand on his own two feet. He barely managed to support himself with a thick branch as a cane.

“Huh! Even if I’m no good at fighting, I can still beat up an old man like you.”

Jonathan snorted. At first glance, it seemed like Jonathan and the elder wouldn’t fight.

“Can I really attack, Estelle? I don’t know anything about strength control. This old man, today could be his memorial day.”

“You talk too much, Jonathan. Fighting isn’t about talking…”

“What did you say, old man!”

Jonathan got angry, grabbed a branch, and lunged at me.

It was a sloppy posture. He looked more like a peasant conscript than a warrior.

But even this would be threatening to an old person who can’t even control his body properly.

“Shut up, huh-”

In an instant, the elder spun around in place, using his staff as an axis.

Jonathan’s attack didn’t reach the elder. He circled around him like a customer in a revolving door at a department store.

“Huh, what did you do!”

“Don’t ask every single question. You have two good eyes and a brain that can think, Jonathan. See and feel. Don’t try to find the answer right away. Understand the principles.”

“It’s noisy!”

Jonathan lunged again from behind. The same scene repeated itself.

The elder deflected Jonathan’s attacks effortlessly, flowing like water.

“Do you understand why rushing in without thinking is disadvantageous? Fighting isn’t about momentum.”

“Old man… you’re really chatting and having fun!”

Jonathan seemed to be getting more and more excited.

The sparring continued for about an hour. The elder’s stamina depleted, so we ended it there.

Jonathan ultimately failed to land a single attack on the elder throughout the entire sparring.

“What kind of magic is that old man using? Estelle, I don’t even know what’s happening.”

Jonathan tilted his head, covered in dust. He had fallen and rolled around on the floor, looking a mess.

“It’s not magic. It’s combat. It’s a time-honored fighting method your ancestors used. It’s something you’ve never even tried to learn about, and have ignored.”

“Uh⋯.”

“Grandpa’s right. Now that you’ve experienced it yourself, it’s no joke. Learn well.”

Jonathan lowered his head and sighed. It was a stark contrast to the air of confidence he’d displayed at the start of the sparring session.

The break that follows.

Since the elder’s physical condition was not good, it was decided to take a long rest.

Meanwhile, Jonathan had them gather wood and repair the old elder’s dwelling.

“I feel the protection of our orcs upon you.”

When only the two were left, the elder opened his mouth.

“Long ago, when we snowfield orcs were free, this power could only be felt from proud sorcerers. Let me ask you: have you ever met an orc sorcerer?”

“Oh. They’re not snowfield orcs, but wilderness orc shamans.”

“⋯!”

The elder’s nostrils flared. A sudden flash of excitement crossed the dying old man’s face.

“why?”

“⋯I can’t believe it. Was that legend really true?”

The elder looked up at the sky and said, “Looking at the weather, it seemed like it was going to snow heavily soon.”

“There’s a legend passed down among us snowfield orcs since ancient times. Although we’ve been reduced to slavery… this miserable reality won’t last forever. A hero will emerge who will unite us and free us from our slavery.”

“⋯.”

“We called that hero a savior. Now, I am the only one left who remembers the legend…”

“He is the Savior.”

“Yes. He’s a savior. He’s literally the one who will save the orcs. There’s a clue that will help us recognize him when he appears.”

The elder pulled his tattered robe up over one shoulder.

An intricate tattoo was etched onto his wrinkled skin. The colors were faded and faded, but it was clearly an orc tattoo.

“This is a tattoo that only orc shamans can give. The Savior also has this orc tattoo somewhere on his body. He is not an orc, but he has been recognized by the orcs and has been blessed by their ancestors. He is the Savior. Human girl, would you show me? Do you have an orc tattoo, too?”

The elder looked straight into my eyes.

In eyes where hope had long ago seemed to have vanished, a sharp light once again shone.