Chapter 2: The Society of Saving the World

A large number of half-orcs poured into Mando. Although the mines in the Mando region were operating at full capacity, they were clearly unable to accommodate such a massive workforce. The half-orcs had no choice but to head south along the roads into the Caucasus, putting immense pressure on Muscat. Dragumo had already sent urgent requests twice to the lord who had returned to his domain—his 1,000 self-defense soldiers were utterly incapable of dealing with this influx of migrants. Seeing that Mando also offered no jobs, these half-orcs, desperate for survival, continued southward, heading straight for Muscat.

Fortunately, thanks to the early warnings from Neptune and Dragumo, Puber had already ordered Bauling to lead 300 elite guards to station in the fortress of Muscat. Though they couldn’t stop the half-orcs from pouring in, it could at least serve as a strong deterrent to those who had fled from the lawless region of Leon, making them realize the difference between the Caucasus and Leon—and that breaking the laws would result in punishment.

San Diego, located at the southern foot of the Volt Mountains, faced the same problem. Half-orcs and mortals from the Izmel region kept crossing the Volt Mountains into the Caucasus via paths created by their own kind. The coal owners in San Diego were struggling with a lack of labor, so they welcomed these skilled workers eagerly. Not only did they fail to report them to the local troops, but they also concealed their presence by recruiting them directly into their mines. It was only after other locals worried that these refugees from Leon, lacking official status, might cause trouble that Ugru learned that refugees from eastern Leon were also sneaking into the Caucasus through the Volt Mountains.

Komer returned just at a time when Puber was deeply troubled. With a large number of half-orcs flooding in, over 30,000 half-orcs and more than 2,000 mortals had entered Muscat and San Diego during Komer’s absence of just over a month. Puber had no choice but to accelerate the construction of the canal from San Diego to Matdan to ease the pressure from these refugees. These idle half-orcs, unable to find work in the Caucasus, still needed food. If their hunger wasn’t satisfied, it could lead to unrest. Rather than let them rely on others, it was better to have them work in exchange for food. However, Puber and Komer had hoped that this massive project could be funded by multiple parties, but now it had to be borne temporarily by the lords of the Caucasus.

While this reduced employment pressure, it also had a negative effect: the news that the Caucasus lords were recruiting laborers to build a canal from Santiago to Matdam quickly reached Leon, attracting even more half-orcs who had already lost faith in Leon to migrate southward in large numbers. It was under such circumstances that Komer returned to the Caucasus.

Mahagumi knew his master did not want a large number of Leon’s half-orcs to migrate south. Perhaps some of them moving south could ease the shortage of skilled labor in the Caucasus’s burgeoning mining industry, but in the long run, the Caucasus could not accommodate Leon’s more than 300,000 slave miners, and the abandonment of Leon was also not something the lord desired. At first, Mahagumi was not quite clear about his master’s plans for Leon—whether to let things take their course or turn it into a vassal state dependent on the Caucasus. But after returning from the Great Swamp region, the lord seemed to have made up his mind, and his instructions to Mahagumi became much clearer.

Entering the lord’s mansion, Mahagumi acted like a gentle lamb. The half-orc guards on both sides of the gate still stood there with fierce expressions, their chests puffed out and bellies protruding. Their shiny armor made their already tall and muscular frames appear even more imposing. Their giant axe-spears, over three meters long, were planted in the ground, making one wonder if the bluestone slabs could bear their weight. The beast-head masks covered half of the guards’ faces, revealing only their eerie wolf-like eyes, creating an invisible pressure that made one feel suffocated even as they passed through the otherwise spacious entrance.

Even for someone like Mahagumi, who frequented the lord’s mansion, the half-orc guards remained unfriendly, their fierce gazes lingering on him for a long time before allowing him to enter.

Sitting across from them, Mahagumi always felt insignificant. Although the other person did not seem particularly strong—far less so than those half-orc guards—Mahagumi always felt a profound sense of awe toward them, as there were too many secrets hidden within them. Mahagumi felt he might never be able to understand their thoughts.

Komer stood thoughtfully with his hands behind his back, gazing out the window. It had been a week since he returned. This guy didn’t know where he had been and only came to see him now. But judging from his determined expression, he must have gained something important.

“Mahagumi has met with His Lordship and wishes him success in his mission to the Great Swamp.” After kneeling on one knee in salute, Mahagumi returned to his seat. He knew his lord didn’t place much importance on such formalities—so long as his work brought tangible benefits to the realm, the lord wouldn’t care about these superficial rituals.
“Hmm, there seems to be some gain. At least we won’t be choked by that guy, Philip, anymore.” Komer smiled faintly and turned around. “Do you have any good news for me?”
“Your Lordship, Mahagumi dares not disappoint your expectations. This trip to Leon also yielded some results.” Mahagumi never needed to hide his emotions in front of this lord. His brownish-yellow eyes shone with pride, showing his satisfaction with the outcomes of his mission.
“Oh? Have you figured out the background of that guy, Murey?” Komer became alert. The so-called knight, Murey, had managed to gain a foothold among those half-orcs and even earn their respect and trust, which was quite unexpected for Komer. If that guy was indeed sent by the royal court, he would need to be cautious.
“Well, we have some clues. It seems he comes from an organization called the Salvation Society. It’s said to have some connection with the Light Church. As for the exact relationship, Mahagumi isn’t sure.” Mahagumi hesitated before continuing.
“The Salvation Society?” Komer’s brows immediately furrowed. He was familiar with the Salvation Society—a secret organization spread across the Blue Continent. It originated over a hundred years ago from dissidents within the high ranks of the Light Church who were dissatisfied with its corruption and darkness. They advocated for reforms to the church’s doctrines and rules but were later declared heretics by the church’s Inquisition. Several high-ranking members who supported the Salvation Society also faced persecution and eventually left the church to form the Salvation Society with other reform-minded believers. From its inception, this organization had been a top target for the Inquisition, which pursued them with even greater intensity than it pursued those of the Dark faction.

This Society of Salvation, derived from the Church of Light, despite being pursued and suppressed by the Church of Light, was able to gain some supporters across the continent—both in cities and rural areas. They always had supporters, and at one point even showed signs of growth. However, in the end, they gradually declined under the combined pressure of the Church of Light and the secular forces of many northern countries. Yet even with the power of the Church of Light, it was not possible to eradicate this movement. Most members of the Society of Salvation came from good families and were highly respected individuals, enjoying a good reputation locally. Before they were discovered, they appeared to be devout followers of the Church of Light. It was precisely their subtle methods that prevented the Church of Light from eliminating this force, and despite many generations, they still failed to do so.

“Are you sure?” Komer didn’t ask much about the source of information. Mahagumi’s earlier achievements had proven his abilities, but on this issue, Komer wanted a more reliable answer.

“There shouldn’t be much of a problem. Someone noticed that when he prayed secretly at night, he wasn’t using the ‘Book of Atonement’ commonly used by Church of Light believers, but rather a strange scripture—the ‘Gospel of Redemption.’ I asked Mr. Mihajevic and Mr. Pober, and they said it was an interpretation of the Church of Light’s founding doctrines, but it was later abolished because the Society of Salvation used it to spread their beliefs. This should prove his background.” Although Mahagumi used very cautious wording, his tone was confident.

Leaning back in his chair, Komer believed the other person’s judgment. He had also read the ‘Gospel of Redemption,’ which was the society’s founding document. Though he admired their good intentions, he didn’t think they could be realized, nor did he believe people could achieve such things. Yet the believers in the Society of Salvation were willing to influence the world through their actions. They didn’t have any special organizations or force others to believe, but instead practiced their beliefs through their own deeds. Saving those unfortunate half-orc slaves seemed likely to be part of their efforts to accumulate good deeds.

Komer didn’t object to the Society of Salvation’s principles or their efforts to gain followers in their own territories. But now that they were directly interfering in Leon’s situation, it might hinder his own plans, which was unacceptable. Fortunately, he still held the initiative. Without a source of food, they would eventually have to turn to him. It seemed he still had some work to prepare.