146. All monsters are equal
We can’t keep talking in the market, so we first entered a nearby cave with only the core of the demonstrators.
The representative of this protest is a humped ogre and an orc demagogue. Our representatives are the mercenary army commander and the chieftain of Skoltiros.
“Drere…”
By the way, Drake, who was talking pathetically, was squashed in a corner after receiving a glare from Cream. Crouching down on his rugged back, Cream glanced at the other monsters.
Cream’s youthful appearance is hidden because she is wearing a pitch-black robe, and a sense of mystery and intimidation is added with the darkness I gently sprinkle. As a monster that has become human, there is no choice but to be nervous.
I could clearly see the orc demagogue’s eyes rolling back and forth. He came out with the justification of paying for the blood of a slain tribe member. But a monster is a monster.
[Tell me again.]
Unlike Choco, who was leisurely teasing Drake by tapping his nostrils, his body stiffened like a log. Tsk tsk. It should have been moderately good.
All the low-level monsters that will be on his side are outside the facility. Except for the Orc agitator, all of them here are high level monsters or higher.
It is said that the humped ogre protects him, but the current orc agitator was practically worth the life of a mosquito. Never disrespect him. How tricky it is to catch that whimper.
“That……. I······.”
But it’s just a bit annoying, there’s nothing you can’t catch.
The same goes for orc demagogues. It’s easy to cook something that’s already in the palm of your hand. Due to my subtle pressure, he was unable to speak properly and was at a loss.
No matter how intelligent they become, the nature of monsters that obey the logic of power has not disappeared. Are you lacking in verbal skills? Well then how about There is a universal body language.
[I expected it myself, but it’s disappointing.]
Exudes momentum and presses the area. Even the high-ranking monsters wagging their tails unwittingly rolled their tails, and the orc agitator, who was far short of them compared to them, looked as if he would lose his mind at all.
[Are Orcs just Orcs?]
Until I spit that out.
Even though I’m still radiating momentum, the orc’s face has changed noticeably. The firm expression was the same, but the emotion inside it was different from before. Anger.
However, there was no sudden dramatic change in the situation. Anyway, it’s an orc. I caught it easily even in my human days. Needless to say now that he has become a sword.
Still, he slowly removed his lips.
“Have you come to humiliate me?”
As he continued to speak, I slowly lost my temper. The orc agitator, who had been squeezing at first, finished his speech with a relaxed expression at the end.
There was still ferocious rage in his eyes, but his tone was still polite and calm. Huiyu, this is a gag.
[No, it’s true that I was negotiating. I just tested whether you deserve to sit in the same seat as me.]
“Are you passing…?”
[Yes.]
The atmosphere became much lighter. I watched the orc demagogue straighten his back and nodded his head inwardly.
There is a clear motive of being the same people, and there is also ambition. Certainly, even among monsters, Orcs had a strong sense of camaraderie. Even after annihilating his opponent’s tribe, he didn’t kill the cub, but took it and raised it.
Of course, you can’t just get ahead of your heart. However, he proved his ability by instigating other intelligent monsters as well as non-intelligent monsters. OK, passed.
It’s good to play with it until you reach your destination.
[Then, what do you want?]
“As I said before, we request improvement in the treatment of lower level monsters. Compared to higher level monsters, lower level monsters suffer from excessive labor and abuse. We need a break too.”
[If I did, I wouldn’t be able to maintain the Legion? Don’t you know The reason why the gathering place can be maintained is because of the blood and flesh of low-level monsters.]
“It is not fair that we alone have to sacrifice.”
[Well, maybe it’s unfair, but it’s equal. In the first place, we have proven ourselves through strength. You should blame yourself for being born weak.]
My coherent words made the orc agitator gasp. In effect, twisting it is tantamount to a declaration of ramming, so what eloquent person could refute that statement?
It’s fortunate if the pot doesn’t break. Looking at the speechless orc agitator, I lowered my voice and whispered secretly.
[Well, there is no way to improve your treatment while maintaining this corps.]
“·······! What do you mean?”
[Calm down. Because not all lower level monsters can be released.]
I grinned as I looked at the young orc, who was burning with longing for his people.
[But, aren’t all lower classes the same?]
*
The protesters, which had the desired result, were dispersed. The low and mid-level monsters that had gathered noisily scattered, and the high-level monsters also hid what they had revealed.
And the Legion began marching again. Swallowing the forest that will be their home, small beasts and disadvantaged humans, and low-level monsters still struggling with heavy roles.
From noble mtl dot com
It looks like nothing has changed, but everything has changed.
“Chwiik! Chwiyiik!”
“It can’t be helped. We cannot stop the invasion here.”
“Chwieek…”
“Yes. I am well aware of your merits. Do not worry. The day we set foot in the human city, I promise you the vanguard.”
The skinny orc cries out, and the fat orc comforts him with gentle gestures. At least on the surface it is.
When the skinny orc made a sound of protest, the fat orc still smiled and squeezed the arms of his kind. The one who suffered from harsh labor and the one who ate well and slept soundly. Of course, the power of the latter is bound to be stronger.
In addition, dark stigma was shining brightly on the fleshy orc’s forehead. In the end, the orc, who was pushed back by his own people in terms of strength and intelligence, trudged back to his seat with a very skinny body.
[What is the meaning of this action?]
We sat at the top of the moving procession, the head of a humped ogre riding a drake, looking down in all directions. Cream only.
No matter how big an ogre’s head is, it’s not big enough for two people to sit side by side. Choco, who had been sitting on Cream’s lap for a while, soon lost interest and jumped off to another place.
Cream and I were still adhering to the good spot, watching the wave-like crowd of monsters. The Holy Sword, which does not understand our sensibilities, murmured.
[Apart from temporarily commanding monsters to attack other gathering places, spreading the status system among monsters is useless, isn’t it?]
[Ugh, the status system. Be careful what you say, friend.]
Such scenery was happening everywhere. The number of low-level monsters working has decreased, but strangely, the corps are more abundant with supplies.
Low-level monsters wearing the stigma of darkness were wiping out their own people. The low-level monsters who suffered from harsh labor became weak, and they could not resist the people who suppressed them with words and force.
Still, unlike high-level monsters that didn’t interfere if they only fulfilled their quota or threw a single scapegoat, the monsters of the same group formed a herd, so they had to suffer all day long.
[And, it’s not that these actions are meaningless.]
In the end, nothing has changed. There was only one more layer between the exploiters and the exploited.
A fleshy orc coming up to us, ripping off what he savagely harvested from his kin. He held a handful of raw meat and vegetables in his hands and held them high as if offering them to God.
But how fine would it be to be touched by a monster? Cream, who was looking at it from above the ogre’s head, immediately shook his head. It meant rejection.
“Take it away.”
“Dre!”
Ogres and Drakes, who ate stuffed up like names leading the corps, also refused the offering. Drake shook his head violently, and the wind from his nose knocked the food out of the orc’s hand.
Originally, monsters don’t care if their food has dirt or not. However, the orc with human intelligence looked at the things that fell on the floor as if they were a waste, and he immediately turned around.
Drake proceeded at a leisurely pace, and the food that fell on the floor was left unattended. When we got far enough away, a monster cautiously approached it.
“Cheuk, Chwik!”
It was a skinny orc that had been harassed by its own people earlier. After looking around for a while with anxious eyes, he began to hurriedly stuff dusty and disheveled food into his mouth.
From that appearance, there was neither the pride of a warrior nor the fighting spirit of a monster. There is only one slave who ate the rain. No matter how strong the monsters were, they were also living beings.
[What is the meaning of this bad taste?]
[It’s interesting.]
To the holy sword’s words, I gave the same answer as always. Fun. Yeah, that was all that moved me.
As a sword, I can feel sensations, but I cannot derive meaning from them. Looking at beautiful scenery, smelling sweet scents, or craving delicious food, none of them inspire me.
There was only one thing that could cause ripples in my heart. Pain. When others, other than myself, struggled in the swamp of despair, I felt joy welling up from the depths of my heart.
It doesn’t have to be physical pain. It doesn’t have to be me who is the subject of the pain. If only I could look at the struggle from the side and reach out my hand to add even a handful of weight.
[Do you know you’re really evil?]
[Something new.]
I laughed. Well, the words are grandiose, but in fact, I don’t put that much weight. I just do it because I can do it and it’s fun.
When I was a human, reading novels and playing games, and becoming a sword to steal souls and inflict pain on others all held the same weight in my heart.
The only difference is that you don’t have to worry about making a living now, unlike back then? There is even a sponsor who absolutely helps me, so there is no problem even if I change my life into my hobby.
[You’re not easy either. The noble and kind Holy Sword is not angry anymore while watching this scene.]
[······Because the hero doesn’t say anything. I can’t say anything.]
Speaking of that, it sounds like you’ve had quite a few seizures so far? FYI, Cream has never touched my hobbies.
I don’t think it’s too much of a cotton excuse. As I stabbed the Holy Sword with my mind wave, she gave a brief burst of her irritated feelings and fell silent. When I was playing around again, a white hand was lightly placed on top of me.
[Huh?]
“Is that fun?”
I’m surprised. I thought it was a fight for a moment. However, Cream’s face was shining with pure doubt as ever, so I decided to answer honestly.
[Uh, totally.]
“Why?”
Well, this is another difficult question. Just do something fun
Originally, I don’t think I had this kind of personality. Anyway, I remember that I belonged to the rather good axis when I was a human. Oh no, the past doesn’t matter that much.
[Just! Not everything needs a reason.]
“Yes, yes.”
At my excited tone, Cream nodded slowly.
At least from my current point of view, all of this was interesting. A small society that divides classes and exploits the weak. The monsters here were much more human than at the ball in the Sunset Mountains.
All those scenes aroused an inexplicable feeling in me. Cream, who was staring at the same spot as me while I hummed her, spat out.
“I am not fun.”
······What? Has my child finally reached puberty? It was the first time Cream had expressed displeasure with my behavior, except when I was in someone else’s hands.
But Contrary to what he just said, Cream reached out. There was no need to sing, the magic was activated just by lightly flicking a finger.
“But, Karbali, if it’s fun.”
The pranks of the spirits exploded at the orcs who hurriedly ate food. The orc, who had been gulping down the food, grabbed him by the neck as if he had swallowed something wrong, and began to choke.
Soon it poured out the undigested food along with the gastric juices. The food that had not been eaten yet was mixed with the vomit and became muddy.
“Me too, with that, good.”
[Whew, you were surprised. I thought you changed again.]
We watched as a wretched creature hunched over, licking his vomit.
Cream was still cream. The darkness that was spread around her to deceive the monster’s eyes flowed with the divine protection that enveloped her body, neither repulsing nor harmonizing with it.
We are like that too.