“Such modesty… if it’s you, Sir Bash, even if your opponent was completely healthy, you would have won by a comfortable margin, right?”
“Even if he could have defeated me, he would not have come out unscathed.”
“…”
Bash thought of a battle that once took place. The battle in which the Demon King Gediguz died, the battle that ended the war.
It was a fierce battle. So fierce that no one could tell what was going on anywhere. In the midst of such a huge battle, Bash heard a report that the Demon King was under attack and rushed to the camp. He rushed to protect the supreme commander. But he did not arrive in time.
By the time Bash arrived, the demon king Gediguz was dead. And next to the corpses of the king and his entourage were two men and a woman who had just finished fighting and were about to escape from the enemy camp. The human prince Nazar; Thunder Sonia, the Great Elven Archmage and Leto, the Beastmen Hero.
Thunder Sonia had already exhaust all her magical powers and was carried on Nazar’s back. The only way to break through the enemy lines was to eliminate Bash.
Bash had no idea that the three of them were heroes in their respective countries. He didn’t even know their names. But he wanted to kill them all together. No one had ordered him to do anything, but he was sure he had to. But he failed. Nazar continued to carry Thunder Sonia on his back and managed to escape from Bash. Why was this possible? It was because Leto, the Hero, got in front of him. He was covered in blood, howling furiously, and using all of his strength to challenge Bash to one-on-one combat. Of course, there was no way he could defeat him in that state, and Leto died.
“He fought to the death to let his friends escape, and even though he had no strength left to stand, he got up again and again and fought until the end without giving up. He was a true warrior. I am proud to have fought him and to have won.
“So… why just leave the body there?”
“It’s obvious.” Bash said as if it were a matter of course. “Because the Demon King’s aide told me to do it as a dying wish: ‘We can’t let the others see the King’s corpse’.”
At his ally’s last words, Bash obeyed. Bash was an orc, but also a warrior who had survived long battles. He understood that if the Demon King’s body were found, the morale of his allies would plummet. It could be said that he put the victory of the entire army ahead of his own honor. Therefore, although he knew it was unbecoming of warriors who had fought to the death, he gave priority to the Demon King’s corpse and left Leto’s unattended. Then he brought the Demon King Gediguz before the demon generals. In the end, it was a meaningless act, because the human prince Nazar also reported that Demon King was dead, and when Bash tried to return to the front, the battle was already decided and they were defeated.
There was nothing to regret. It was obvious what would happen once Gediguz was dead. When Bash defeated Leto and shouted victory, the end was still the same.
“I see.”
Silviana’s answer was the smallest she had given so far. When Bash turned around, she was still smiling softly.
◆
While they were window shopping, the day had turned to dusk. People were returning to their homes or lodgings. Some entered the inns, perhaps as lovers, huddled together.
It was evening. Public time was over, and it was time for them to use the remaining time for personal things. Time to do those things. Silviana, perhaps sensing this, leaned on Bash’s shoulder and smiled a little shyly. Bash saw this and asked her:
“Did you have fun today?”
“Yes, Sir Bash. It was like a dream.”
“Then…”
Bash looked in the direction of the inn where he was staying. Of course, Silviana also turned her head in that direction. As if she knew where they would go and what they would do together. As if she expected it. Then Bash said:
“I guess this is where we said goodbye.”
“Sorry, what did you say…?” Silviana froze with a smile.
“Next time I’ll take you to a better place. See you later.” Bash said and hurried away. In the twilight, with long shadows, he was gone. And soon he was out of sight. The Orc Hero retreated quickly.
“…”
And then Silviana stood alone at the roadside.
“…Excuse me…? “
The muttered words faded into the twilight.
■
“Mister…” When Bash returned to the inn, he was greeted by a grim-faced Zell. She had her arms crossed and her fists clenched and was shaking for a while, but finally, poof, she looked up and hugged Bash’s face. “It was perfect!”
“Yeah!” Bash echoed Zell’s words with a happy voice. The first date. The feeling of contentment was obvious. Silviana was in a good mood the whole time and in the end she was still in love with Bash. Even Bash, who was not very familiar with interracial relationships, could tell that she had a good impression of him.
“According to my observations, the princess is already in love with you, Mister. You could have brought her to the inn and slept with her tonight! The signs were everywhere!”
“Perhaps. But we can’t let our guard down. We read in the magazine that you can get rejected at the sex stage.”
“That’s true! So far we’ve followed the instructions perfectly. Then we’d better follow them from now on!”
So close to Silviana, Bash’s desire was about to explode several times. But his strong spirit, which had survived many battlefields, kept it at bay. All for the early graduation of his virginity. To win a wife and proudly return to his hometown as the Orc hero. This was his ultimate test. If he, the hero, did not pass it, who would?
“I’ll try my best, Mister! I’ll check what’s next on the ‘Dating Course’.”
“That would help me!”
“Of course!” Zell flew to the window. This fairy would certainly bring Bash the most detailed information, covering the entire dating course in the magazine. She would check the streets, the layout of the shops he should go to, and even negotiate with the shopkeepers to make sure they would accept Bash when he arrived. And the result would be victory.
…It was a bummer, but that’s the way to win….
Bash looked up at the night sky, remembering the journey so far, and his mouth relaxed wistfully.
◆
The next day, Bash started waiting again. He would say it was a lot, but he didn’t really have to wait that long. The next day, and the day after that, Silviana came again.
Bash took the hint and went ahead with his dating plans, and each time he did, Silviana melted. Bash’s rationality reached its limit many times, but he never crossed it. This was because things were going exactly as he had planned. If Silviana had rejected Bash during the process, or if Bash had rushed things, this might not have happened. Silviana’s seduction was so intense. It began with physical touches, sweet words, and distant but tantalizing hints of mating and pregnancy. By all accounts, she was in love with Bash. She wanted to marry him and have his children. Everything was going exactly as the magazine said it would. How could a human like Bly predict the future so well? So it was obvious they were going to lose the war. That was what Bash thought.
■■■
However, it could also be said that when someone’s doing well, someone else is doing badly.
“…”
It was midnight. In a corner of the Lycant Palace, a woman was pounding her fist against the wall. She was biting the nail on the thumb of her left hand and hitting her right hand again and again.
“…”
As if she was mentally deranged, she kept hitting it over and over again. Her face was expressionless. But if anyone had made eye contact with her, they would have seen the hatred and anger behind her eyes.
“Such modesty… if it’s you, Sir Bash, even if your opponent was completely healthy, you would have won by a comfortable margin, right?”
“Even if he could have defeated me, he would not have come out unscathed.”
“…”
Bash thought of a battle that once took place. The battle in which the Demon King Gediguz died, the battle that ended the war.
It was a fierce battle. So fierce that no one could tell what was going on anywhere. In the midst of such a huge battle, Bash heard a report that the Demon King was under attack and rushed to the camp. He rushed to protect the supreme commander. But he did not arrive in time.
By the time Bash arrived, the demon king Gediguz was dead. And next to the corpses of the king and his entourage were two men and a woman who had just finished fighting and were about to escape from the enemy camp. The human prince Nazar; Thunder Sonia, the Great Elven Archmage and Leto, the Beastmen Hero.
Thunder Sonia had already exhaust all her magical powers and was carried on Nazar’s back. The only way to break through the enemy lines was to eliminate Bash.
Bash had no idea that the three of them were heroes in their respective countries. He didn’t even know their names. But he wanted to kill them all together. No one had ordered him to do anything, but he was sure he had to. But he failed. Nazar continued to carry Thunder Sonia on his back and managed to escape from Bash. Why was this possible? It was because Leto, the Hero, got in front of him. He was covered in blood, howling furiously, and using all of his strength to challenge Bash to one-on-one combat. Of course, there was no way he could defeat him in that state, and Leto died.
“He fought to the death to let his friends escape, and even though he had no strength left to stand, he got up again and again and fought until the end without giving up. He was a true warrior. I am proud to have fought him and to have won.
“So… why just leave the body there?”
“It’s obvious.” Bash said as if it were a matter of course. “Because the Demon King’s aide told me to do it as a dying wish: ‘We can’t let the others see the King’s corpse’.”
At his ally’s last words, Bash obeyed. Bash was an orc, but also a warrior who had survived long battles. He understood that if the Demon King’s body were found, the morale of his allies would plummet. It could be said that he put the victory of the entire army ahead of his own honor. Therefore, although he knew it was unbecoming of warriors who had fought to the death, he gave priority to the Demon King’s corpse and left Leto’s unattended. Then he brought the Demon King Gediguz before the demon generals. In the end, it was a meaningless act, because the human prince Nazar also reported that Demon King was dead, and when Bash tried to return to the front, the battle was already decided and they were defeated.
There was nothing to regret. It was obvious what would happen once Gediguz was dead. When Bash defeated Leto and shouted victory, the end was still the same.
“I see.”
Silviana’s answer was the smallest she had given so far. When Bash turned around, she was still smiling softly.
◆
While they were window shopping, the day had turned to dusk. People were returning to their homes or lodgings. Some entered the inns, perhaps as lovers, huddled together.
It was evening. Public time was over, and it was time for them to use the remaining time for personal things. Time to do those things. Silviana, perhaps sensing this, leaned on Bash’s shoulder and smiled a little shyly. Bash saw this and asked her:
“Did you have fun today?”
“Yes, Sir Bash. It was like a dream.”
“Then…”
Bash looked in the direction of the inn where he was staying. Of course, Silviana also turned her head in that direction. As if she knew where they would go and what they would do together. As if she expected it. Then Bash said:
“I guess this is where we said goodbye.”
“Sorry, what did you say…?” Silviana froze with a smile.
“Next time I’ll take you to a better place. See you later.” Bash said and hurried away. In the twilight, with long shadows, he was gone. And soon he was out of sight. The Orc Hero retreated quickly.
“…”
And then Silviana stood alone at the roadside.
“…Excuse me…? “
The muttered words faded into the twilight.
■
“Mister…” When Bash returned to the inn, he was greeted by a grim-faced Zell. She had her arms crossed and her fists clenched and was shaking for a while, but finally, poof, she looked up and hugged Bash’s face. “It was perfect!”
“Yeah!” Bash echoed Zell’s words with a happy voice. The first date. The feeling of contentment was obvious. Silviana was in a good mood the whole time and in the end she was still in love with Bash. Even Bash, who was not very familiar with interracial relationships, could tell that she had a good impression of him.
“According to my observations, the princess is already in love with you, Mister. You could have brought her to the inn and slept with her tonight! The signs were everywhere!”
“Perhaps. But we can’t let our guard down. We read in the magazine that you can get rejected at the sex stage.”
“That’s true! So far we’ve followed the instructions perfectly. Then we’d better follow them from now on!”
So close to Silviana, Bash’s desire was about to explode several times. But his strong spirit, which had survived many battlefields, kept it at bay. All for the early graduation of his virginity. To win a wife and proudly return to his hometown as the Orc hero. This was his ultimate test. If he, the hero, did not pass it, who would?
“I’ll try my best, Mister! I’ll check what’s next on the ‘Dating Course’.”
“That would help me!”
“Of course!” Zell flew to the window. This fairy would certainly bring Bash the most detailed information, covering the entire dating course in the magazine. She would check the streets, the layout of the shops he should go to, and even negotiate with the shopkeepers to make sure they would accept Bash when he arrived. And the result would be victory.
…It was a bummer, but that’s the way to win….
Bash looked up at the night sky, remembering the journey so far, and his mouth relaxed wistfully.
◆
The next day, Bash started waiting again. He would say it was a lot, but he didn’t really have to wait that long. The next day, and the day after that, Silviana came again.
Bash took the hint and went ahead with his dating plans, and each time he did, Silviana melted. Bash’s rationality reached its limit many times, but he never crossed it. This was because things were going exactly as he had planned. If Silviana had rejected Bash during the process, or if Bash had rushed things, this might not have happened. Silviana’s seduction was so intense. It began with physical touches, sweet words, and distant but tantalizing hints of mating and pregnancy. By all accounts, she was in love with Bash. She wanted to marry him and have his children. Everything was going exactly as the magazine said it would. How could a human like Bly predict the future so well? So it was obvious they were going to lose the war. That was what Bash thought.
■■■
However, it could also be said that when someone’s doing well, someone else is doing badly.
“…”
It was midnight. In a corner of the Lycant Palace, a woman was pounding her fist against the wall. She was biting the nail on the thumb of her left hand and hitting her right hand again and again.
“…”
As if she was mentally deranged, she kept hitting it over and over again. Her face was expressionless. But if anyone had made eye contact with her, they would have seen the hatred and anger behind her eyes.
