Chapter 127

Jack of all Trades – 127

And like that, through the efforts of Ness and Angelica’s valley team, we of the orc extermination group were able to set out for the orc settlement. Of course, it was towards the center of the valley. We had wrongly assumed it was towards the end of it, and this discovery was made with more than a little sacrifice made.

Virgil moved in the front as we made out way through the forest. There were still orc corpses lying around. The sharp stench of blood was in the air. Eventually, it would all return into the earth and disappear into the current of the dragon vein. But for now, it remained a scene from hell.

However, the sight that awaited us outside of the forest was even worse. Of course, it was the aftermath of our battle.

“Ahhh, it is so much worse under the light of the sun.”

“Worse. That is an understatement…”

It was my own reaction to seeing the remains of what I left behind. But Virgil now looked at me as if I was something to be feared. A little rude, to be honest. I didn’t do it all on my own. Maybe about eighty percent.

Passed the scene of carnage was the valley and the bridge made of several logs. It was all very visible during the day. The orcs had attacked us by crossing here. They likely hadn’t used something so eye-catching up until now, as they only needed scouts to cross it. That way, they only needed one log.

It was all orc territory once we crossed this bridge. Angelica and the others seemed to grow more cautious as we moved closer. In fact, we were attacked by orcs a few times while coming here. But it was a very hopeless battle for them, as we were well prepared. And we killed them without a single casualty or injury. If this was all a trick by the orcs to make us underestimate them, it was working very well. But in any case, we did not suffer any significant counterattacks until we reached the settlement.

“So this is the orc…”

The place was surrounded in a wall that had numerous sharpened logs jutting out of it. There was even a huge gate. If they had constructed this based on the orders of the abnormally evolved being alone, then it was incredibly impressive. But something was strange about all of it.

“Is it not too quiet here?”

Daniela muttered to no one in particular as she used Presence Detection. At the same time, Angelica peeked inside through a crack in the gate.

“…There is no one here. I cannot sense anyone through Presence Detection.”

“So the orcs have left?”

Virgil glared at the wooden walls and seemed to be deep in thought.

“Well, we might as well go and see.”

Gardo said. He was walking behind me with Ness. He was right. We wouldn’t know anything until we went inside and checked. Virgil thought about it and agreed that there was nothing else we could do. He turned around and gave the order.

“We will infiltrate the settlement now. We do not know what may be waiting for us, so be careful.”

The Adventurers all nodded.

First, Angelica went inside through a gap in the gate. Next was Lauria, Olive, Oregano, and Ness. After a few minutes, the gate opened from the inside. Then the rest of us entered, weapons in hand. I was expecting to fight in this settlement, and so this time I had left my great sword in the hollow bag. I intended to dual wield the armored demon sword and the Ashikirimaru.

There were rows of wooden houses inside of the settlement. It was a small village of sorts. On closer inspection, the houses were all very finely built. I had expected shacks that were practically wooden boxes with a board on top as a roof…

“This…is. Is this really the work of orcs…?”

Virgil said in disbelief. The others were also at a loss for words by what they were seeing. While we moved, I used Presence Detection to scan the houses around us. However, there was nothing to be detected in any of the houses. Angelica and her team tried entering each one and checking, but they found nothing. Though she did say that they appeared to be turned over. But it was hard to understand what had happened.

“Everyone, listen to me.”

Virgil turned to look at us.

“We will all help search, not just the valley team. But there is still a chance that we might be ambushed. So I want you to separate into teams and start searching!”

Human wave tactics, I suppose. Still, what a horrible thing for Virgil to say. ‘Now, team up with a buddy.’ That was what he was saying basically. You know, that’s how the loner dies.

Well, it’s not a problem for me. Because I have Daniela.

“Hey, Dani-”

“Now, Miss Daniela, let us go!”

“Indeed! Let us hunt these orcs together!”

“…Huh?”

“Ah…girls, there is no need to pull. Alright, alright…”

Uhhhh….Daniela is… Daniela is…

“…Huh?”

I looked around me frantically. Gardo…has left with Ness. Lauria is with Angelica…Olive is with Oregano. Virgil…is gone somewhere. The group of six have split up and vanished. And the rest of the spirited Adventurers have scattered.

No way…

Right then, something slapped my shoulder as I stood there in despair. Oh, so god was being merciful…! I turned around to see one of the magician girls standing there. Ahh, did she mean to pair up with me as I could not be with Daniela? …What a nice person…

“Hey. I’m all alone.”

“…”

That’s all I said. And the girl went running away.

With that finishing blow, all I could do was weep silently.

It only took me three minutes to switch gears and then step out of the settlement. Hey, I was all alone during my night shift too. Of course, that did end in me being stabbed to death by a thief, but I had the ability to fight back now. History would not repeat itself. And so I began to search on my own. If the others would search inside of the orc settlement, I would see what I could find outside of it. And so I started to walk around the wall. No, it had nothing to do with not wanting to be seen all alone. I didn’t come out here to wipe away tears or anything.

“Daniela… She really is terrible for betraying me like this…”

There was a very petty man there. He was not the most charitable man and felt bitter against the girlfriend who abandoned him for a lesbian harem. But thinking about that started to make him feel more pathetic and sad. He really was a wretched man. Yes, I mean me.

“Uhhh…hmph. …Hmm?”

I looked down at the ground then and saw a footprint. On further inspection, it wasn’t a single footprint, as there were many in the area.

“No way…”

Was this a coincidence…? How had so many footprints gone unnoticed?

I found out quickly enough. Because the footprints led right into the wall. There was some trick here. The wall hovered slightly above the ground. It moved a little when I pushed it. And then it opened when pushed hard.

“A hidden door…are we in a ninja house now…?”

After the battle, the orcs who were in the settlement had fled from here during the night. Such a sudden change could only have been by the order of the abnormally evolved being.

This time I followed the footprints away from the wall. There was dirt, grass and a few trees in the area. …This location looked somehow familiar.

“…I knew it.”

It was just like when that village had been attacked. There was a hole that had been craftily hidden. Of course, the footprints had kind of ruined it, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from far away.

But seeing the hole now, a certain question entered my head. There had been so many orcs… And not a lot of time. Would they really have been able to hide in there?

I turned back and retraced my steps. No matter how I looked at it, there were clearly fewer footprints than there should be. If that many orcs passed through here, then the grass would have probably been a lot more disturbed than it was. It was all too strange. I would have to go back and call Daniela. But then again, I did not want to meet her friends… Ah, I’m getting emotional again. Oh, the pain.

“…What to do…”

“Hm? You are not going to go then?”

“Whaaaa?!”

I turned around in surprise and saw that Daniela was standing there.

“Huh? Huh? What? Why?”

“Why? Why what?”

I wish she wouldn’t look at me as if she were staring at some idiot…

“Oh, I just thought you had abandoned me and were now working on a harem.”

“What are you saying? You really are a stupid idiot, eh?”

Apparently, while Daniela had been pulled away at the moment, she realized that she wouldn’t be getting very far with girls stuck on to her like that, and so she had left and searched for me with Presence Detection. I was hardly abandoned.

“Damn it…I really cannot leave you alone.”

“Uhh. Daniela… I love you.”

“Come now. Stupid idiot.”

Now that we had safely reunited, we made our way towards the hole, having absolutely no idea of the unbelievable thing that waited for us within.