Chapter 3 (1/2)
Chapter 3. Kidnapped (2)
TL: Warriormonk
Editor: Obelisk
Kurotan, oblivious to Luke’s plan, continued to spew out tribal secrets.
“Kueeek, the Pushan eventually betrayed us. Countless Pushan warriors ambushed and ma.s.sacred the females and young.”
Rage lit up a light in Kurotan’s eyes.
“They used the fact that we wors.h.i.+p different G.o.ds as an excuse.”
“Religious differences exist even amongst the Orcs?”
Luke smiled bitterly. The history of humanity was fraught with wars and crusades fought over the wors.h.i.+pping of different G.o.ds. He did not know that it was that way even for the Orcs.
“How did you find out though? You said that the Pushan annihilated everyone.”
“Kueeek, one of the warriors we a.s.signed to the females and young for security was barely able to escape. Only then did we find out about the Pushan Tribe’s despicable act.”
Luke couldn’t help from showing interest.
‘I am probably the only human to ever hear so closely about the relations between Orc tribes.’
Luke still did not know why Kurotan was telling him all of this, but since the knowledge was not something easily gained, Luke constantly encouraged Kurotan to continue speaking.
“Ok, Kurotan. The b.a.s.t.a.r.ds of Pushan ma.s.sacred your female and young. Why does that put your tribe in danger of extermination?”
Kurotan stared blankly at him.
“I just told you. All the females and young have been killed. All that is left of the Latilla Tribe are the warriors left here. All males.”
Luke frowned. The ‘danger’ faced by the Latilla Tribe was not a problem from the perspective a human.
“I don’t understand. Why do you not just kidnap some female Orcs from a different Tribe?”
“Kidnap females?”
“Yes. Kidnap some female Orcs to carry on the Latilla Tribe.”
“Kueeek. Impossible. Latilla Tribe members do not have relations.h.i.+ps with anyone that does not wors.h.i.+p Maal. Furthermore, the females that wors.h.i.+p Katia would never choose us as mates.”
Luke turned stupid for a moment.
“So, the choice of mating is up to the females, not the males?”
“Yes. Amongst Orc Tribes, only the females get to choose their mating partners. A healthy female can even take many male partners.”
Luke couldn’t stop his mouth from dropping. The Orcs practiced polygamy?
“I have heard that it’s the opposite for humans. In our Orc society, however, all the power lies in the hands of the females. The positions of Tribal Chief and Priest are all held by the females. Only the position of Great Warrior, who commands soldiers, is allowed to males.”
Kurotan explained that for every five males, there was only one female. This perhaps necessitated the polygamy system used by the Orcs.
‘How surprising, I might turn into a scholar specializing in Orcs if this continues.”
Kurotan’s explanation, however, raised another question for Luke.
“If there are so few females, how can Orcs reproduce so fast?”
The answer was simple.
“Females usually give birth to between nine to twelve young at a time.”
Luke could not close his mouth, which had opened in surprise.
“I… it’s not like you’re livestock but… I suppose that explains the polygamy system. And also why females are so valued…”
“That is why the Latilla Tribe faces extermination. Only our males are left.”
Luke asked with s.h.i.+ning eyes.
“So just tell me why you are telling me your tribal secrets then.”
Kurotan’s story finally entered its main point.
“The Latilla Tribe wishes to exact vengeance upon the Pushan Tribe.”
The Orcs could be said to be at the epitome when it came to battle and vengeance, so Luke simply nodded his head.
“We have not been able to break through the formation of the humans. Additionally, the Pushan Tribe remains too strong for us to exact vengeance. Their warriors number in the several thousands.”
Luke understood from Kurotan’s explanations that the Pushan Tribe was most likely the largest tribe that lived in the dead lands of the neighboring Tranbel Kingdom.
Again, Luke was most likely the only human to be aware of the Tribal name of the Pushan Tribe. Luke retorted.
“It was merely our duty to prevent the Orcs from escaping the mountain range.”
“I understand. When it comes down to it, we were only doing our duty as well, pillaging to feed our tribe members.”
“So the reason you’re telling me all this?”
“I will speak now.”
Kurotan stared at Luke with s.h.i.+ning eyes.
“A couple days ago, I received a divine message.”
“Di-divine message?”
Divine messages usually came in the form of the wors.h.i.+pped G.o.d appearing in dreams or as a sign, delivering messages of their will.
Even amongst humans, only priests or nuns with deep divine power were able to receive divine messages. Luke had a hard time believing that the simple and almost stupid Orc, Kurotan, had received a divine message.