Chapter Twelve: Orcs

“Magic Crystal Mines?!” This news caused a huge stir. Not only Komer but also Fran, who had been sitting silently beside him, couldn’t help but exclaim in shock. It was truly astonishing news. If magic crystal mines really existed in the Caucasus, wouldn’t it attract craftsmen and magic practitioners from Homer region, even the entire kingdom and continent? After all, magic crystals were extremely rare on the continent. Even the Kingdom of Nicossia had never heard of any deposits of such ore. It seemed that across the Blue Continent, only small amounts were found in the Hudson region in the south and the Somta Mountains in the north. Even their own country could hardly meet its needs, let alone export them.
“Uh, this is just a preliminary guess. That dwarf went crazy after drinking alcohol. I’m not sure how much credibility his words have. But there’s a high possibility of iron ore there, because people tried to explore that area over a decade ago. Unfortunately, they ran into ghost monkeys, who drained their blood and killed them. Plus, it’s near the barbarians’ territory, so ordinary people dare not go there, which is why no one has gone back since.” Pube scratched his head, looking troubled.
“Boss, that iron ore area is also problematic. Last time I went there with that dwarf to investigate, we encountered an orc. It seems that area is that guy’s territory. If it weren’t for my quick reaction, the drunk dwarf would have become his dinner. But that orc was also very agile. Even with my great sword enhanced by high-speed internal energy, I couldn’t hurt it. If we hadn’t escaped fast, we might have met the same fate. I’m also worried that there might be other orcs living in the vicinity.” Ilot licked his lips, still shaken by that experience.
“Orcs?” Komer asked in surprise. “Are there orcs in the Caucasus too?”

Orcs are evolved variants of magical beasts, said to have originated from the advanced magical beast, the Gorilla. Gorillas prefer to eat rotten human flesh, while orcs prefer fresh flesh, especially the internal organs of humans. They are quite terrifying magical beasts and are not common in the Land of Azure. The most fearsome orcs differ from ordinary magical beasts; they are highly intelligent, agile enough to climb swiftly through forests, and can also walk upright. With thick skin and flesh, ordinary weapons cannot cause them much damage. Both male and female orcs are lustful, and captured humans are often raped before being eaten, which is why orcs are listed as one of the most terrifying magical beasts in the Land of Azure.

“Hmm, the male orc I encountered with that dwarf—I’m worried there might be several female orcs nearby. That’s probably why no one dares to go to that area, which isn’t that remote after all.” Eirwen showed a hint of fear, recalling how his sword only managed to pierce the orc’s muscles without causing real damage. If it weren’t for the lightning magic scroll left by Komer that struck the orc, he and the dwarf would likely have become food for it.

“Hehe, orcs… interesting. I wonder how much stronger they are compared to the Purple-Whiskered Wolves?” Komer instinctively narrowed his eyes and asked with interest.

“Boss, they’re not even in the same category. Although the wolves are fierce, we can at least fight back. Those orcs emit such a foul stench that it makes people dizzy. Just their exposed fangs are enough to scare ordinary people to death. Moreover, their muscles are elastic, making it hard for my sword to get a grip. Don’t take them lightly.” Seeing his boss eager to try, Eirwen quickly warned, “One orc is at least equivalent to ten Purple-Whiskered Wolves. Relying solely on weapons, without combat energy, it’s very difficult to deal with them.”

“Good. I’d like to take some time to give it a try too. Orc skin is excellent material for war drums. It’s said that drums made from their skin produce a mesmerizing sound. I wonder if that’s true. Maybe my guard needs such a drum,” Komer said with a light laugh.

“Oh, by the way, during your time in seclusion, Mr. Hes also came to look for you. Additionally, the Ram Knights have arrived in the Caucasus,” Eirwen added.

“Oh? Are they Knight Green and Knight Mare?” Komer frowned slightly. These guys really were persistent, chasing him from Cyprus all the way here—clearly determined not to give up until they achieved their goal.
“No, it’s Knight Green and another knight. That Knight Mare seems to have disappeared,” Ilot explained. “They stayed here for two days. Seeing that you were constantly in seclusion practicing, they didn’t disturb you. But I noticed that Knight Green sometimes wandered around the farm—I’m not sure what his intentions are.”
Komer smirked coldly. That guy must be trying to take advantage of his time in seclusion to see if he was practicing dark or necromantic magic. Fortunately, he had mainly focused on mental training lately and hadn’t delved into magic. Otherwise, if those guys discovered the truth, he would be in serious trouble. Though Komer was confident in his current strength, he had never considered fighting Knight Rema—or even the entire Church of Light—alone. That would be foolish. It was better to stay low-key and wait for a better opportunity.
“So where are they now?” Komer asked casually.
“I told them that a monstrous dragon was haunting the eastern coast, harming the local people, and asked Knight Rema to eliminate it. They couldn’t refuse, so they agreed to go take a look. They’ve been gone for two weeks. Hopefully, they won’t return,” Ilot replied with a smile. “If they really manage to kill that dragon, shouldn’t they share some of the treasures with us?”
“Good idea, kid. Knight Rema always takes it upon themselves to protect the world. I’m sure they won’t turn down a request from ordinary people. It’s also a good thing if they can rid the Caucasus of some threats,” Komer praised with a smile. “By the way, Puber, you’ll need to hurry up with the identity verification. Contact your friends—such a big deal, I’m sure they’ll be interested. Also, invite their representatives here so we can discuss things properly. Once the identity issue is resolved, I think they won’t need to stay in the wilderness anymore. They can move out. Besides, if our iron mine really starts operating, we’ll need skilled workers, and the roads need to be repaired—all of which require manpower. My guard also needs more members. Fran, see if there are suitable candidates. We can recruit some and start training them early. Although we don’t need them now, we’ll definitely need them later. It’s better to prepare in advance.”

“Boss, I’m afraid those people already hate the mines deeply; they probably won’t work for us,” Pupber said anxiously.
“No, I’m not forcing them. I can recruit them as free workers, pay them salaries, and improve their working conditions. The hours won’t be as long as at Leon’s place. I think they’ll consider it—after all, they’re all miners by background, so these jobs are familiar to them, and making money is much easier than in other trades. It’s not easy to make a living these days,” Komer said, shaking his head. “But the top priority is to develop the iron ore, and those orcs are the first problem we need to solve.”
“Boss, be careful. Orcs aren’t as easy to deal with as wolves,” Eilot worriedly said.
“Hehe, how can there be no risks in doing business? In this miserable place, there are no people and scarce land. If we want to get rich quickly, developing mines is probably the fastest route. Of course, there are risks—orcs are one issue, and we probably also need to dispel the barbarians’ suspicions to avoid unnecessary trouble,” Komer said with a confident smile. “By the way, how’s that dwarf? Is he really reliable? We can’t afford to put in so much effort only to end up disappointed.”
“Don’t worry, boss. Though he’s obsessed with alcohol, he does have a good eye for things. But to get him to work, we first need to drown him in liquor. He’s picky—he won’t settle for ordinary wine. I’ve already spent a lot of money on wine at One-Eyed Bill’s. If I’ve made a mistake, that old drunkard really deserves to go to hell,” Pupber said, quite confident about this.