I lay down onto my pelt, alone under my stone tent. My body really feels very tired. A shaky sigh escapes my lips, and I actually think about my old home for the first time in weeks.

Mom… Sister… Grandma…

Small tears well up, but I don't run away this time. After a while, I start to feel somewhat warm in my chest, and I smile while wiping tears from my eyes.

Someday… If you guys ever come to this world, I promise I'll make it a good place to be.

And I slipped off to sleep.

***

[[Conditions met. User Vyra is able to evolve into… error. Desired evolution does not exist in the options pool. Beginning construction of new race model. Estimated time until completion: 144068]]

***

Morning came. At a time when birds and insects are happily being noisy, and the sun begins to warmly shine, I'm confronting Varoon with a serious expression.

“I'm sorry about last night,” I say firmly. “I'd like to start over.”

“Hmph…” Varoon snorted and stood still for a moment. I hope he can forgive me for the things I said. Even if he just forgets about it, that’s fine. The memories from my old life, my old family, are precious and can't be replaced. But this life is important too, and in this life, I have a brother. I should try to get along with him if it's possible.

Our bad start… is completely my fault. I can see Fiara off to the side, silently cheering me on as I try to make amends.

“...I be honest,” Varoon started, making a complicated face. “I also doesn't want to accept that I has a younger sister.”

“Eh?”

What? Really?

Fiara and the boys look somewhat tense. I wonder wh-- ah. Come to think of it, I've been known to overreact in the past, haven't I? I don't actually remember it clearly, though… Let’s give them a little wave as reassurance.

It looks like Varoon noticed their expressions, and was waiting to gauge the situation before continuing. He continues where he left off.

“You knows it too… Momma is strong. I is momma’s first son. I is also want to be strong. I want for she to be proud of me. That why I left to become War Orc.”

Ah, so that was why.

“So, you felt like she replaced you with me while you were gone?” I hazarded a guess.

“Mmph, no,” Varoon shook his head. “I knew momma wanted to having another child. I knew already… she not expected much from me.”

Whoa, ouch.

“But, maybe she just wanted to have another kid. Why do you think it's because she wasn't satisfied with you?”

“My dad was chief in momma’s home village. She find strongest man at that time and have me. Later, my dad is beaten by stronger Orc, and replaced as chief. My dad turn out not to be strongest in village. I also not near as strong as momma. Even after I work hard, I not near her.”

“The year I leave, I know she is going to chief battle. I overhear her talking late at night about it. She plan to force winning chief--strongest Orc--to make child with her. Then I know for sure, I is not good enough.”

“Wait, then who exactly would that make my father be?”

I didn't want to know before, but now that I'm coming to terms with my family in this life, I feel like I should at least speak to my father once.

“I just say, right? I not there, but it be whoever win last chief battle. Strongest Orc… before you.”

The last chief battle… last chief battle…

Rigdam?! Rigdam is my father?! Ah… I'd better verify it with momma before I get carried away, but… No, that makes that cute little sister of his my aunt, right? There are a lot of strange things here!

But… I guess it isn't so bad if it is Rigdam. He was perfectly nice when I spoke to him last time. And he’s got a good, down to earth personality.

Ah, I shouldn't keep interrupting Varoon so much.

“Sorry, please continue.”

“Hmph… Anyway, I is coming to visit momma. I fail to become War Orc. And I find out you is my sister. You is… a little strange, but you is strong. You is already strongest chief, and you is not even a year old. I feeling like… there no way momma will ever notice me, since she is having you. There no way I can ever compete with you.”

Um… wow. What do I say to that?

“Ahh…” Irsha who had been standing to the side this whole time let out a sigh. “I drag him out to see her, so we maybe find out he overreacting. I thinking it was a mistake now.”

“That’s… I mean…” Oh good. Stumbling over my words like this will make him feel better. “If becoming a War Orc isn't working for you, maybe you should try something else? I know momma is partial to strong guys, but what she looks for in a mate isn't necessarily what she looks for in a son… right? … The village has changed a bit since I became chief. You can always come take a look and see if you like it there.”

“Haa…” Varoon sighed. “I can at least introducing her to Irsha. Maybe she be satisfied since I find strong mate.”

Eh? These two are together? I thought they were just close friends.

Anyway, we’ve stood around talking long enough. I promptly flatten the camp with earth magic and teach Varoon and Irsha the hand signals we use. Then I head the formation as we begin walking back home.

***

“Fiara… I hear another one of those coming.”

I don't know why, but I really thought they wouldn't follow me out of that part of the forest. It's another of those Torment Curses. My line of view is blocked by the foliage, so I'm only able to kill it when it gets very close. Somehow, I manage to keep my cool.

Naturally, Varoon and Irsha can't see the Torment Curses. They're staring at me, who just fired a spell into the empty air, as far as they can tell, like they've confirmed my insanity.

“Hey! What are those looks? I'm shooting at evil spirits, you know? I'm just the only one who can see them because only I have the Holy attribute.”

“Orcs can't born with Holy attribute,” Varoon countered skeptically.

“She killed a Holy Beast for her hunting ceremony.”

Thank you, Fiara. Without a stable person like you backing me up, I'd long since have lost all credibility to these two.

“And I just used in front of you, you know?”

“Does these evil spirits appearing often?” Irsha asked.

“I only started seeing them after entering Fomor territory to examine the War Monkey nest.”

“Th-they is evil spirits from Fomor territory?”

Ah? It looks like maybe she believes me.

“Yeah. Is there a precedent for evil spirits appearing there?”

“The summer tribute Fomor do is for summoning artificial spirits of Demonic attribute. They thinks they can return to true demons if they souls corrupted enough. I never seen the Demonic spirit before.”

“Eh? I hope they don't keep following me around after this…”

“They should stopping when gateway close. Just a little longer.”

I'd rather that that be the last one of them, though. They make me uneasy.

Well, we should arrive at the village just before dinner time if we pick up the pace a little. I give the order to move out again and we continue as before.

***

“Hey, Kirk!”

“I got it!”

A redheaded man with plate armor and a large shield quickly moved to intercept a swinging branch. Armin used the opening to aim his sword at the thickly furred chest of the War Monkey. It brought a large hunk of bark it had over to defend, but a short figure in black cloth and leather armor quickly jumped up from its blind spot and dragged their blade along a nerve in the beast’s shoulder. It lost strength in that arm, and Armin’s attack managed to break through.

It was good that none of them let their guards down, because they had to quickly defend against an attack dealt in the beast’s death throes.

“Not deep enough,” called the short figure in a feminine voice.

“I got it!” Armin returned, quickly finding an opening to attack the beast’s neck.

“Haah…” he let out a sigh, wiping the blood off his blade so it wouldn't rust.

“If you're getting tired, we should probably take a break,” said a man in a white robe who hadn't fought at all. He was armed with a staff, decorated somewhat at the top, but it seemed more for self defense than active combat.

“We did fight around seven of them today,” the armored man, Kirk, said, turning over the War Monkey corpse with his boot. “The ones near the edge of the forest must be just about cleared by now.”

“If possible, we should move a little farther in,” the short girl said, tidying up her black ponytail which had gotten messy during the fight. “If we only eliminate the ones at the edge, they might just get replaced by the next wave.”

“That's if there is a next wave,” Kirk retorted.

Armin sheathed his sword. “Either way, we’ll have to investigate the area once again. If the War Monkeys here are cleared, we’ll take a look further in.”

“Understood.”

The black-haired girl ran off into the forest to investigate while the other three took a break.

“Samael, is your magic power supply still good?”

The fair-haired man in the white robes smiled warmly. “Yes. I can easily provide full blessings for another two battles. You all make things easy for me because I almost never have to use healing magic on top of that.”

“Hm… I don't plan to fight again today. If we make another move, let’s leave it until tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I think that's a good call,” Kirk nodded.

After half an hour or so, the black-haired girl returned.

“How’s it look, Runa?”

“The perimeter is clear,” she reported, accepting the water pouch that Samael offered her. “If it’s like this, the Guild wouldn't complain much even if we went back now.”

“Ahh… Like you said, we really should check a bit inward.”

“I understand. Please give me a moment.” Runa was about to run off again, but Armin stopped her.

“Hang on. I know I said that, but it can wait until morning. We should all just set up camp and get some rest.”

“... Alright.”

Everybody pitched in to setting up camp. Runa gathered firewood and Kirk set up the fire pit. Armin and Samael set up the tents. Once the fire was going, Samael prepared dinner with Kirk helping cut up some ingredients for the soup.

The rations that could be brought along on a mission like this weren't much; just various dried meats and hard breads, with a bit of cheese or some dried fish. Mixing in a bit of wild game and herbs and turning it into a soup made those ingredients far more delicious and filling.

“Tasty,” Runa muttered, tipping her wooden bowl back to drink the soup.

“I wish I had more vegetables to put in though,” Samael complained shyly.

“This is already a good meal, considering we’re in the Black Forest right now,” Kirk muttered, helping himself to a second serving.

“We got lots of materials, too.”

Kirk heard Runa’s words and chuckled. “It will be a good trip as long as Armin doesn't get himself kidnapped by an Orc.”

“Hey...” The veins in Armin’s temple swelled up as he sent the shieldsman a glare.

“Well, that obviously won't happen. We’re here this time, so you can't make any stupid mistakes,” Kirk just ignored the hostile air and grinned. “Ow!”

Armin pulled back his sheathed sword which he’d brought down on Kirk’s head.

“Alright, everyone just finish eating and get some rest. We’re going back at it again early tomorrow.”

“Yes!” came two voices and one gloomy moan.