Another thud, the final one.
All that was left on the scene were corpses and trembling orcs. Some trembled out of fear and others trembled from excitement.
"Ed… Ed, Ed!" One of his allied orcs even began to chant with pure admiration in their eyes.
"""ED! ED ED!""" The others next to him also followed up and chanted Ed's name, each with fervent gazes.
Ed however didn't have time to relish on their festive atmosphere.
'Get together and stay' Ed transmitted to them before reaching out for one of the lifeless bodies. He took it into the storage. The orc body disappeared like some sort of magic as if it had warped out of existence. The sacred tribe orcs shuddered on reflex after watching the unbelievable sight.
"""ED- WOAH!!!""" His cheerleading party had their eyes widen.
The spectacle couldn't be repeated however, his storeroom became full.
'That's troublesome…' It meant that he wouldn't get nearly enough experimental subjects.
'Well, if the story on the cathedral is to be believed then the bodies should still function' They wouldn't rot away or be taken by the dungeon but the orcs could still die of starvation or dehydration.
'Now that I think about it… Can they starve in the system space?' Ed's thoughts began to wander but he was forced back to reality by the sound of someone struggling to make their way over behind him.
He turned and saw Sharog surrounded by a couple of orcs with awkward expressions. It seemed they had intended to help but Sharog stubbornly refused.
"Ed…" Sharog with downcast eyes. She still felt that the situation was somewhat surreal. To have someone come and save them like that, it was timely and fortunate. What would she have done if Ed didn't come around? Die?
Ed was arguably tactless but he still picked up on this. He felt it was natural to doubt oneself after suffering from such a catastrophic defeat.
"Sharog, you've done a good job" Ed said in consolation. In a way, Ed was right.
Everything that Sharog did, Ed would have done. If the thunder cry tribe needed assistance he would have provided it. Unfortunately, they would have different outcomes. Sharog was not a one-man army. Ed was that and maybe even a little more.
"But…!" Sharog could not accept that though, she looked dejected. Tears were threatening to well out of her eyes but she held them in check. From a young age, she was trained to become the chieftess.
She learned from her master that orcs adored and followed the strong. She thus opted to adopt such a personality. She braved all sorts of dangers for her tribe to the best of her ability but it still almost fell to ruin.
In a desperate attempt to recoup their numbers she created a plan of infiltration that would leave the tribe without a leader. It was risky, and in the end, she gained nothing. Thanks to Ed however it didn't matter.
"Di- Did you know? I- I- stood by as Vorgarag fought the human…" Sharog confessed half weepingly.
Even as Vorgarag blew himself to bits in front of her, she mustered up the courage to deal a lethal blow to the human who clung to live. She adopted a strong personality.
"I- I've failed you… I've failed..." No, her whole life was a huge failure. Not once had she succeeded in anything.
She didn't bring her tribe to prosperity, her plan had failed. She didn't help as was required of the alliance, she stood by and watched. She didn't take good care of Sancturay, over half of their force had been eliminated. And now… She was crying. She was crying when she had no right to.
Ed made an uncomfortable expression. What was he supposed to do now?
The other orcs maintained their silence watching the two, some felt that Ed was blowing it, however.
"It seems God is indeed benevolent..." One muttered in the background referring to Ed's lack of social and/or romantic skills.
"Sharog… yo- you didn't- " Ed said with uncertainty before cutting off his own words and his uncomfortable expression being changed for one more carefree.
"No, actually you did." Was he supposed to mince his words? Sharog was a horrible tribe leader! Never again would he leave things in her care!
Sharog paused her small sobs and hiccups to look up at Ed's face.
"You are a complete failure" Ed added while looking Sharog right in the eye.
Suddenly, Sharog started bawling. Well, it was actually kind of expected.
"Right now, you are a complete failure" Ed repeated not comforting her in any way.
"And mark my words, you WILL continue to be a complete failure." Ed ascertained while nodding as if trusting this verdict. Sharog's sobbing momentarily stopped, she was at a loss. She only looked at him with a flabbergasted expression.
"Because instead of helping your tribesmen after a calamity you broke down to cry. No, not only did you break down to cry, but you also had the gall to come give me your sorrows. Just because you found the free time to laze around doesn't mean I can afford to." Ed's words left not only Sharog flabbergasted, but even the spectators from both tribes were also left staggering. Why did it feel like Ed didn't want to help anymore?
"Because you think you are a failure, you are a failure and will continue to be a failure." Ed said in conclusion. Earlier, he had been uncomfortable and unsure before coming to a realization. Did it really matter?
[Eloquence has leveled up]
No, it wasn't that he didn't care about Sharog and her feelings but rather that he didn't care to comfort her. Why did that fall upon him? If she wanted to insist she was a failure then… so be it!
He had his own troubles, they all did. There was a doomsday clock ticking down the life of every single inhabitant in the dungeon. It was a doomsday clock with an unknown timer that could ring at any moment.
"You- You are right…" Sharog said in between sobs. She had to admit she was acting rather pathetic but after letting the dam burst she still needed the water to settle.
Having heard a positive response, Ed turned his gaze away from her.
"Gather up the survivors and keep watch on them, I'll be right back" Ed said solemnly. He planned on running over to the ogre cavern to fetch some herbs. The Alivio potions were easy to make and the ogre cavern was actually rather close based on his thoughts.
"Yeah, leave it to us" One of the orcs replied.
'You all better not even think to run away' Ed also transmitted his message for extra intimidation. The sacred orcs did not even think to do so before but with such a clear and direct warning they couldn't feign deafness now could they?
Seeing their defeated expressions, Ed no longer wasted any time dashing away from the cathedral.
***
"Ah! Why?! Why!?" The frustrated cries of an aged man could be heard from a certain office alongside furious scribbling.
The door to the office opened and the courteous Miller appeared.
"Sir, another one is on the line" Miller didn't even bother to address the evident anger that Khal held at the moment as he informed him of another call.
"Damn it! Aaah!" Khal stood up abruptly from his chair reaching down for a bottle and taking a quick swig of alcohol.
"Who the f*ck is it this time?" Khal Lansworth as the one in charge of the Union branch in Arbor town was bound to be busy giving the spreading rumors.
"It's from the Liberty Association" Miller responded.
"The what?! Who the hell even are they!?" Khal who was planning to answer the call suddenly stopped and ask before starting to ponder if he should take another sip of alcohol. Who answered calls while sober anyway?
"Sir, they are an organization from the bordering country" Miller promptly replied while wondering if he needed to drag Khal away.
"The- the bordering country? Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down!?" Khal was pissed. He didn't actually care where they came from but the mere fact that they didn't come from the Bosque Kingdom pissed him off. What business did these people have with his quaint Arbor town? No one even bats an eye if he drunk all day at a bar! What bliss!
"Sir Please hurry, the magic line is both expensive and inconvenient" Miller said with a tinge of exasperation. The fact that so many organizations were willing to use it meant a lot.
"Fine! But you better help me sign the papers!" Khal said before promptly storming off past Miller who made a way out of the office. The magic line was created by a large magic device, it couldn't be placed in an office.
Miller watched Khal retreating for a bit before heading to the desk and taking a look at the papers. They were about adventurers who intended to temporarily lodge themselves in Arbor town.
Miller quickly signed it and placed the paper aside. He quickly read through the next one.
"Please allow… Hm... " The next document was a bit more tricky. It was from a foreign adventurer.
The Freedom Union was one of many. It just so happened to have a large monopoly in the Bosque Kingdom. Outside of it? They were nobodies. At most, they'd have a branch in key capitals.
Adventurers were always logged, they weren't as free as one might suspect. It was especially so for those that worked for these organization. They would be treated as a sort of foreign agent.
"They all want the mana forge potion…" Miller muttered wryly. The main ingredient was a small bone that could be held in one's hand. The bone was only found in the nearby dungeon.
Miller found it somewhat surreal that he had held such a valuable thing twice but soon regained focus and carried on signing papers.. He didn't need to muse on that thought for too long as his life had long since been bought over.
