Elianora doesn't really seem interested in talking. I don't know if she’s feeling guilty over what happened or if she’s just in shock.

We’re taking our time on our way back. When night falls, we set up a simple camp. The Expansionist Orcs are in rough shape, but at least there's no shortage of food. We, on the other hand, still have to forage. Well, I’m just going to send some boys to do it, so it isn't a big deal.

I keep a guard posted by Elianora to make sure she doesn't kill herself or something. They rotate shifts so they can still get some sleep. By morning, the most interesting thing that happened was my Magic Power slowly recharging.

I don't usually bother healing my scars, but the damage this time is too excessive. After a minute of using , my skin is smooth again. My hair has also grown down to my chin in all this time. Fiara’s has reached her shoulders. Even Varoon started growing hair overnight. He’s a blonde, though, which surprised me.

Actually, I saw a lot of weird things in his status, but there’s something more pressing for me to attend to.

I believe the Will stat is malleable, because when I appraised the depressed Elianora,

Will: 30%

But, that’s good news for me.

[[ has produced a synergistic effect with unique skill . If a creature within the has a lower Will stat than the user, verbal commands will manifest as Law.]]

Let’s make this quick so I don't draw a bunch of Magic Beasts to us.

“Elianora, listen to me.”

She looked up, her eyes mostly dull, but a small flicker of light focused on me.

“Rudan tried to fight a Demonic Beast alone in the woods. You came to try to help him, but he was killed. We couldn't recover the body. My hunters and I coincidentally showed up and managed to save your life. Now we’re guiding you back out of the forest.”

I deactivated my .

“Now, can you tell me what actually happened when you and Rudan came to the forest this time?”

The girl’s eyes teared up, and she rubbed them with her hands. “Rudan wanted to get stronger, so he could be with his family without worrying. He said he wanted to come here to train.”

“He wanted to come “here”?”

“Yeah, to the Black Mountain forest. He thought it would prove his strength if he slayed a Demonic Beast.”

“I see. What happened after that?”

“I came along to support him, but he didn't want to put me in danger. When I wasn't paying attention, he ran off on his own. I tried to follow him right away, but I was too late.”

“What did you see?” I asked the sniffling Magic caster. She started to shiver and cry.

“He was dead! A Demonic Beast ripped his leg off, and he bled out right away. I couldn't even try to help him, because the Beast was coming for me. Chief, if you hadn't jumped in to protect me, I… I,” she wiped her wet face with the sleeve of her robe, “I would have died too. I can't thank you enough, honestly.”

“Don't mention it. But what happened to Rudan? Where is his body?”

As I ask that question, I have Rudan’s frozen corpse sitting on the ground right beside me.

“It was swallowed by a Vulture Plant before we could recover it. All the blood leaking on the ground must have woken it up.”

“Is that so? And what is this here?” I tapped the ice block beside me.

“That’s Rudan’s frozen corpse.”

“Did we recover it from the Vulture Plant?”

“No. We couldn't recover his body.”

I tilted my head. “And does anything seem strange to you?”

She tilted her head back. “What would be strange?”

I nodded my head in understanding. “Then, do you remember anything about Fomors?”

“Yes, that’s what you were fighting, chief. Otherwise you wouldn't have been close enough to save me in time.”

I stood up and left the girl alone. Varoon stopped me while I was walking away.

“What have you done to her?”

I glanced up at him from the corner of my eye. “Isn't it obvious? I brainwashed her. That Human boy was the son of a family of royal knights. If they think I had any responsibility regarding his death, it could be bad.”

“What if they lead in an army to subjugate the Demonic Beasts?”

“They're welcome to. Our tribe will be relocating to the East to wage war against the Fomors, anyway.”

His eyes widened in surprise, “What about your village? You've built so much.”

“It’s not good for an advanced Monster village to be so close to Humans, anyway. Not to mention, its location might have been leaked by now. We’ll cart all of our supplies and build a new village, and I'll raze the old one to the ground.”

“You’ll leave the other Neutral Orcs in the path of an army of knights?”

“It isn't like they're guaranteed to die. But I can't take them all with us from the start. If there suddenly aren't any Orcs in that part of the forest, it might draw attention to us. But, I'll design the new town so they can join us later. Actually, I desire the Fomors’ wide, flat land. It's a good place for construction. Any other questions?”

Varoon hesitated, scratching his short gold hair. “Are you okay?”

I flicked my ears and tipped my head. “Do I seem unstable?”

“No, the opposite. But I don't recall you being like this before.”

“Oh.” I looked off into the trees, fondly remembering my childish life after my death and until now. “I grew up.”

Varoon looked at me, but he didn't ask anymore, so I just smiled and gave the order to move out.

While we walked, I conjured a stone tablet. On one side, I wrote in New Orcish the actual events surrounding Rudan Sartiella’s death. On the other, I wrote the story Elianora had told me. If I lose track of what was said, it could backfire on me. While I'm at it, I start to catalogue the conflict with the Fomors. The amount of tablets required would be too many, so I walk beside Fiara and we try to brainstorm a special sealing Spell. It's inspired by the one Elianora’s mom used to hide the actual Indigo text under her notes. Something to allow you to pour Magic Power and “flip the page” to read something different.

Fiara also wants such a thing, so I'm leaving it to her for now.

We reach the village around sunset. Dinner is a little lacking with so many extra mouths to feed, but nobody starved. I make an announcement to the village in New Orcish when the food is gone.

“We are relocating the village.” Of course, they were surprised. “I intend to go to war with the Fomors. For that reason, we will rebuild the village farther East. If anybody doesn't want this, they can stay behind, but they will need to find a different place to live. Everything from this village will be moved over, and all the buildings will be destroyed.”

“We’re becoming an Expansionist tribe?” One of the Orcs called out. I can see reluctance on many of their faces. Actually, I see several High Orcs have appeared in my absence.

“This time, the Fomors likely would have destroyed the Expansionist tribes if I hadn't stepped in. There were five Small Baphomets in that group, and the elites from our village here, with Irsha, killed three. My brother’s group killed the other two.”

“But what about next summer? What if there are even more of them? Do you think they wouldn't come here if they finished off the War Orcs? I want to kill them while they're weak. We will use their land to build a great Orcish city. We can use whatever technology we want, because the Humans will likely never come that deep into the forest to see. But before I continue, I would like to know what objections people have.”

I was expecting hushed murmuring and people jumping ship. But they just sat there and waited for me to continue.

I chuckled self-deprecatingly. “What? Nobody’s upset that I'm forcing them to abandon their homes and fight a war?”

“Well,” one High Orc started quietly, “we want to see you build that city.” The other High Orcs nodded in agreement, and many Orcs nodded as well.

Honestly, this is the best response I didn't dare to hope for.

“In that case, Durghan, tomorrow morning, leave with Elianora and make sure she gets out of the forest safely. Then come join us for the migration. I'll start preparing wagons tonight, and we’ll begin loading everything in the morning. The things that need transporting are pelts, textiles, any important tablets, preserved food, and healthy plants, as well as weapons and armor. Leave behind any baskets or earthenware that aren't helping to carry things, and any decorations without significant sentimental value. That’s all.”

Tomorrow is my last day in this village. My heart is pounding.