The Allied Army was marching toward the hilly region beyond the lake, where a massive orc settlement was known to exist.
Throughout the unit, whispers about Briol spread.
They had taken the vanguard in the last battle and won the scouting competition. They were achieving the most outstanding results within the Allied Army.
Envious glances followed them.
"Your Highness, lately, the other nations have been keeping a close eye on you."
"What now?"
"They're grumbling about how you eat the same food as the soldiers…"
"If they say that again, bring them to me."
"Understood."
"Anyway…"
Yuri led Briol's knight order ahead of the Allied Army to scout the path.
From time to time, groups of orc cavalry watched the army's movements. Each time, Yuri led the knights in pursuit.
To hinder the Komodo dragons, which were as fast as horses, the knights fired arrows.
"Getting real sick of this."
Yuri slung his bloodied sword over his shoulder.
"These bastards just keep flickering around."
"I like it. The more bastards to kill, the better."
"Jared, you've gotten a lot rougher. You're finally looking like a real knight."
"Who do you think I learned it from?"
Jared answered with a grin. They had just wiped out a group of orc scouts.
"I'm starting to get used to fighting orcs."
Thanks to Yuri's uncanny ability to sniff out orcs, Briol's knight order continued gaining combat experience.
"That necklace is quite something."
"Not sure…"
Jared looked at the gem in Yuri's hand.
"What did that shaman say back then?"
"I don't know."
"He was creepy enough to stick in my memory."
While collecting orc ears under Ragna's orders, Yuri had encountered a group led by an orc shaman.
The orcs tried to flee the moment they saw the knights, but when Yuri infused mana into the jewel, they went into a frenzy and charged.
However, the orc shaman was different. He retreated and resisted the red gem's power.
The shaman had his eyes covered with a black cloth, yet he shouted something in Yuri's direction.
As if he knew something about the jewel.
But there was no way Yuri could understand what he said.
"You should've asked Cory properly."
"He didn't know."
"He just kept going 'Akuak,' you know…"
"Hmph, maybe I should've kept him alive."
"He was a shaman. Better off dead."
When the orc shaman tried to form a seal with his hands, Yuri beheaded him on the spot.
"Should I start learning Orc Language…"
Yuri recalled the conversation he had with Cory.
'Akuak? Akuak means 'black,' but that alone doesn't tell us much.'
'He said something after 'Akuak,' but I can't remember what it was.'
'Should I accompany you next time?'
'No, it's too dangerous.'
Cory had grown quite brave.
Yuri cleared his thoughts and looked around.
"And…"
An orc sat crouched on the ground.
It wasn't dead yet.
It trembled, then suddenly began screaming at Yuri.
"Akuakkai! Akuakkai!"
"Akuak?"
It was a word he had heard somewhere before.
"You, that word…"
The orc continued shouting at Yuri.
"Akuakkai!"
"Right!"
Yuri ran up and kicked the orc in the jaw. The orc stuck out its tongue and passed out.
"Ugh, damn, he's gonna die. Keep his tongue from rolling back."
Jared cursed under his breath as he shoved his hand into the orc's mouth.
"What about the Komodo dragons?"
"Kill them."
They had tried using the Komodo dragons, but they never obeyed humans. If released, they'd just return to the orcs. So, any they captured were simply killed.
"We're taking this one. I've been curious, and this is a good opportunity."
The captured orc was small enough to be put on a horse.
Yuri brought it back to Briol's camp during the march.
"Cory."
"Yes!"
Cory quickly appeared, riding a small pony.
"Need a translation?"
"Yeah."
"Leave it to me."
Cory had brightened up a lot lately, learning magic from Ernando.
"To start…"
Every orc that met Cory reacted the same way. They'd go berserk and shout, but after taking a few hits, they'd quiet down. Then, while still grinding their teeth, they'd answer Cory's questions obediently.
"Ask him what 'Akuakkai' means."
"Akuakkai? That's…"
Cory tilted his head and asked the orc. The orc glared at Yuri and replied.
"Akuakkai means 'black dog'…"
"Black dog?"
"They call you a black dog, Your Highness."
"Me?"
Yuri tilted his head.
"Why am I a black dog?"
"They say your hair is black, and you sniff out orcs like a hound…"
The knights watching the interrogation burst into laughter all at once.
"Son of a…"
Yuri glared at the orc.
The orc flinched at Yuri's gaze and muttered something again.
"He says it's an honor among orcs to give a nickname to an enemy. So you should be thankful."
Jared agreed.
"That's right, Your Highness. Count Sadeur is called the Scarred Wolf. It means you've become a figure of fear."
"Then call me a wolf. Why a dog, of all things?"
"You can't expect to start off as a wolf. Someday you'll be a lion. Keep at it, and maybe you'll rise to a black dragon."
"Sounds like you're mocking me?"
"Perish the thought. Hahaha…"
Yuri stepped toward the orc. The orc recoiled.
Judging by its reaction, it clearly feared Yuri.
"Who came up with the nickname 'black dog'?"
"No one knows who started it. The rumor's just spreading among the orcs. They say the Emperor's black dog is coming to attack Okua…"
"The Emperor's black dog?"
Yuri frowned.
The prince of Briol had become the Emperor's hound. A disgraceful misunderstanding.
"If I listen any longer, I might just kill this thing."
"Please endure it."
"Jared, you take over."
"Understood."
Jared moved closer to the orc.
Through Cory, he asked many questions.
They got some useful information.
The orc tribe in the hills had long been assimilated into Okua, and they had already finished preparing for the Allied Army's arrival.
They were essentially the first line of defense.
"Kurui, Okua's subordinate and the chief of the hill tribe, is said to be an incredibly powerful warrior. The Allied Army won't even get to Okua. They'll be stopped by Kurui."
After extracting enough information, Yuri brought the captured orc to Ragna.
Ragna split the orc's head open on the spot. As his sword swung, a thunderclap rang out.
Ragna handed the bloodied sword to his adjutant and said,
"There was even a translator? Briol truly has many talents."
"Thank you."
"Kurui, huh…"
Ragna curled his lips into a grin.
He looked like he was truly looking forward to war.
That confidence was certainly reassuring, but in his past life, the Allied Army had failed.
Yuri opened his mouth to speak.
"It won't be easy. We must prepare."
What Yuri regretted was his lack of detailed knowledge about the Allied Army.
He knew they had been defeated, but didn't know the specifics of why. So all he could do was exercise maximum caution.
Ragna looked at Yuri and smiled.
"I thought you were reckless, but you're surprisingly cautious."
"It's war, after all."
"You're right, Yuri."
At some point, Ragna had begun calling him by name in a friendly manner.
"It won't be easy. You've done well. Take a rest."
"Yes. I'll be going."
"Ah, wait."
Just as Yuri was turning to leave, Ragna called out to him.
"Yuri."
"Yes."
"Do you have a girlfriend or fiancée?"
At the sudden question, Yuri's eyes widened.
"Where is this coming from, all of a sudden…?"
"Answer."
Though it was a personal question, Ragna exuded imperial majesty.
Faced with that dignified expression, Yuri couldn't say anything else.
"I don't."
"Your age?"
"Eighteen."
"Surely you don't have any defects, right? From the way you fight so valiantly, it doesn't seem that way. Good. Yuri, you're a man, so of course you like beautiful women, right?"
"What are you even saying…"
"I have a niece, you see…"
Ragna trailed off.
"No, this isn't something to be discussed in the middle of war."
"Wait, what you just said… could it be…"
"Forget it. Go on."
But Yuri had heard it all.
He clearly said niece. And among Ragna's nieces, there was only one he might call a beauty.
He wanted to grab Ragna's shoulder and shout that he would never accept that woman.
"Something's seriously wrong."
As he returned to the unit, Yuri muttered to himself.
"I'll have to take measures."
If things continued like this, once the war ended, Ragna might actually try to match him with that woman. That was something Yuri absolutely wanted to avoid.
But refusing Ragna's favor wasn't an option.
So, there was only one way.
Maybe he could find someone suitable to fool Ragna's eyes.
Yuri tried to think of a woman who could go along with the act.
"Ah, Yuri."
Just then, he ran into Sibylla.
"They say you fought orcs again today. Impressive. Are you hurt anywh—"
As Yuri stared intently at her, she couldn't finish her sentence.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"No, it's nothing."
Yuri shook his head.
Sibylla's status was too high.
But on second thought, wasn't she a powerless puppet princess, checked by her older brother who was next in line for the throne?
In that case, she might be the perfect fit.
As Yuri looked at her face again, Sibylla furrowed her brows.
"Why do you keep staring like that?"
"Good."
"What is?"
"That you're not blushing."
It would be a disaster if real feelings started to develop. In that regard, Sibylla passed.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Sibylla. You haven't forgotten that you owe me your life, right?"
"Of course not…"
"Then that's enough. Just know that I trust you greatly."
"What are you going on about again…"
"Let's keep helping each other out from now on. Take care!"
Yuri patted her shoulder roughly and walked past her. His steps felt noticeably lighter.
"What the hell was that…"
Sibylla shook her head as she watched Yuri walk away. He was a man she couldn't figure out. She had no idea what he was thinking.
At that moment, someone approached her.
"Princess."
"Fenek?"
It was Fenek, who led the Holy Kingdom's knight order alongside Sibylla.
He had been silently observing their conversation from behind.
Fenek looked at Sibylla thoughtfully.
Her face twisted.
"Are you going to stand there and stare too now?"
Only then did Fenek clear his throat and open his mouth.
"It looks good."
"What?"
"For the future of the Holy Kingdom, I fully support the two of you. I'm sincere. I'll help however I can."
His intentions were transparent.
Fenek was loyal to Sibylla's brother, Larrson. If she were to be tied to the prince of another country, it would be like getting rid of a troublesome tooth.
"Well then, if you'll excuse me."
Like Yuri, Fenek said only what he wanted and turned away.
Sibylla wanted to grab both men and scream, but with soldiers from other countries watching, she held back.
"They're both insufferable."
***
Back at the unit, Yuri suddenly came across a strange sight.
"That's how it happened."
"I see."
Graham and Cory were chatting while sitting on a rock.
"Oh, Your Highness."
As Yuri appeared, Graham bowed his head. It wasn't excessive or rude.
Though he was now serving as a regular soldier, the nobility ingrained in his body couldn't be hidden.
"Sir Graham. Have you decided to accept my offer?"
"Please don't call me that. I'm just a soldier now. And I'm sorry, but I only came to talk to Cory."
"With Cory?"
Cory had his hood pulled deep over his head, as always. But Graham seemed to know who he really was.
"Have you met a half-orc before?"
"Yes. I also participated in the previous Allied Army campaign."
Yuri sat down beside Cory.
Caught between Graham and Yuri, Cory hunched his shoulders.
Yuri placed a hand on his shoulder and gently patted his head over the hood.
"You're learning magic well, right?"
"I'm trying, but it's hard. I'm sorry."
"Good. You should be sorry."
"I'll work harder."
"Not just harder. Do well."
Yuri glanced at Graham.
"Sir Graham, what did you ask Cory?"
Graham was about to speak, but Cory answered first.
"H-he asked if I could kill orcs. He asked other things too, but…"
It was rare for Cory to speak up without being prompted.
"And I said yes."
His voice was firm.
Yuri looked at Cory.
He had the hideous appearance of an orc, but inherited a human heart.
"I lived in an orc settlement until Count Sadeur took me in. And that's not a reason I can't kill them—it's the reason I can. Even if orc blood runs through me."
Yuri could understand what he meant.
In his past life, he had lived as a mercenary, wandering the most dangerous battlefields.
He had seen many things.
He felt no sympathy for orcs.
Yuri placed his hand on Cory's shoulder and gave Graham a mock glare.
"Why are you trying to crush our Cory's spirit?"
"Pardon?"
"Sir Graham, I thought highly of you, but I'm disappointed. How could you ask such a terrifying question? Cory is a precious talent who will become a great mage."
"Y-Your Highness?"