Orc Hero Story: Discovery Chronicles - Chapter 54.3

“Oh, I understand now. I see. I’m sorry. However, this is why I came here.” Nazar didn’t understand the distress such a sight caused for the succubi. But he began to explain with his usual distant expression. “The other day, I learned from someone that the Succubus are currently suffering from a severe food shortage, so I came here with relief supplies.”

“From someone…?”

“Yes, I can’t reveal their name, but from this person, I heard that you are in extreme need. Therefore, I hurried to come here after requesting volunteers.”

Curly Kale had an image of a man in her mind. The man who arrived in the Succubus Nation just a few days ago and inspected the food situation…

Sir Bash, not only did he eliminate the villains… but he even gave us food…

Obviously, there was no time for Nazar to gather volunteers to come here after Bash left the country, but Curly Kale didn’t mind. This was because she believed that Bash was here for that reason. Well, with his legs as the Orc Hero, he could barely make it in time… but it was actually because of Carrot’s actions.

“I appreciate it, Prince Nazar.”

“No. The original reason behind all this is because some of us harbored hatred towards the succubi. And now that the war is over, we must support each other.” Nazar looked out the window. He saw the ‘eateries,’ the pride of the succubi. “I heard rumors, though, that the succubi have trouble managing their food supply. I didn’t know if it was right to send volunteers to such a deathtrap, even in this kind of situation…”

“That’s…” Curly Kale’s forehead broke out in a cold sweat.

“By the way, the other day, I had a known secret agent of mine secretly inspect the place.”

“…”

The words also brought a man to her mind. That man was inspecting the eateries and was treated terribly and scandalously by the succubi. She couldn’t lift her face to this anymore.

Bash’s report must have been terrible. She was sure that Nazar came to complain about it. He probably prepared the feast to declare, “You lack discipline, so I’m going to take this food.” Humans liked that kind of thing. If he wanted to, he could even take away the “food” they had now.

“…”

Even so, there was no excuse for what they did to Bash. That’s why Curly Kale looked at Nazar with a desperate expression. She had to beg him, in the human way of bowing, to at least allow them to continue having the “food” they currently had. It might hurt the succubi’s pride, but considering it was the last task for the inadequate queen, it wouldn’t be so bad. With that thought in mind, Curly Kale tried to get up from her chair.

“In a word, it seemed wonderful.”

“Huh…?” Upon Nazar’s words, she sat back in her chair.

“The food is sumptuous, the beds are warm, and the treatment is not what one would expect for a prisoner. They are slightly overweight, which is concerning, but they also exercise properly. You seem to be well educated on how to handle a disease that has recently become a problem in the human country.”

“Y-yes. Of course. We don’t want our precious food to die, right?”

“The other succubi also seem to be well-mannered. I thought we might be attacked by some people when we entered the country, so I thought of bringing an escort, but it wasn’t necessary. I have heard that the past few days have been a bit noisy, but from what I can see, the succubi are rational enough.”

“Of course they are. We are proud succubi. We would never attack our guests,” Curly Kale said, wiping off the cold sweat running down her neck. It was calm now, but just before the riot, there were many chances that it could have happened.

“To be honest, I was worried until I arrived here. Because I, as a male, did not take part in the battle against the succubi. I have only heard people talk about you… I have heard that you are like the female version of orcs…”

“…I see. And you’re not wrong.”

“The other day, I also learned that orcs are a much prouder race than I had imagined, and I decided to visit them myself, thinking the same would be true for succubi, and I was right.”

“…” Normally, she would have been angry with him for comparing them to orcs. But the other day, not only did they try to eat their beloved Orc Hero, but he even saved them. How could she even contradict him? Today’s succubi were no better than orcs. “Even if we preach our pride, it doesn’t mean that every last one of us will follow it. You’re lucky, young man. If they had caught you on the way, they would have torn you apart, you know?”

“That’s what the guards are for. If those ‘weak’ people have no pride, it won’t be difficult to get rid of them.”

“But I don’t see that escort.”

“If I show myself, I usually cause trouble, so I hide in a room and wear a mask as usual.”

“Hmm.”

Curly Kale nodded nonchalantly. It seemed he had learned the art of protecting himself properly, although she hadn’t received any reports due to the recent conflicts. If that was the case, she looked at the men lined up behind Nazar. If they adhered to the current conversation, these men were…

“So, those children over there are the ‘relief supplies’?”

“Yes. These twenty are the ones who volunteered to be ‘food’ for the succubi.”

“You mean, we can eat them without hesitation?”

“Yes. However, they are volunteers, not condemned. Please promise me they will be treated accordingly.”

“I don’t know what you mean by ‘accordingly.’ What kind of special treatment do they want?”

Upon hearing these words, one of the twenty stepped forward. A bald man with a face full of scars. His appearance was such that it was evident at first glance that he had lived through war. Furthermore, his facial features weren’t very pleasing by human standards; on a scale of one to ten, he was the worst by far. But by succubi standards, he was a good lad who would serve well.