Chapter 5 (1/2)
Chapter 5. Rescue
TL: Warriormonk
Editor: Obelisk
Ch. 5 Rescue
Luke continued to ponder after Kurotan left the cabin. He could not have imagined in a thousand years that he would receive such an offer from Orcs.
“What should I do?”
Luke pondered until his hair fell out, but an answer did not come so easily.
Should he accept Kurotan’s offer, he could return safely to his House. Marry his fiancée Isabelle, and start a happy family.
Of course, he would have to help the Orcs, in the shape of humans, adjust to the world of humans should he accept.
Luke frowned.
“I probably won’t be alive to worry about this should I refuse his offer.”
He did not know where to start. Should he attempt to educate the Orcs to fit in when the Orcs had a completely different mentality?
Orcs also had a tradition of eating humans. Should there be food shortages, they would consume the corpses of dead soldiers.
They would also not be knowledgeable about anything that pa.s.sed as commonsense to humans.
“What should I do?”
Luke seriously pondered for the entire night, however, he did not get the chance to make a final decision.
“What’s that noise?”
Luke frowned at the sound of weapons clas.h.i.+ng and screaming. He could also hear the characteristic snuffling screams of Orcs. Luke’s face paled.
“The a.s.sault must have been pulled ahead of schedule.”
It must have been his kidnapping that forced the top bra.s.s of the army to pull the a.s.sault ahead of schedule.
“Now that it’s like this, I won’t have to stress about making a decision.”
Luke took a couple of deep breaths and relaxed. All he had to do now was wait.
If the figures that entered the cabin next were Orcs, his life would end. If the figures were human, he could return to his House alive.
While Luke grimaced and waited, the footsteps gradually approached the cabin. Luke held his breath.
“Search along this area. There might be survivors.”
A voice that was sure to be human rang through the cabin, and Luke held back his tears. The G.o.ddess of good fortune had finally grabbed his hand.
A few moments later, three soldiers kicked open the door and entered.
“There’s someone here, sir! It’s not an Orc, but a human.”
“Report your affiliation, soldier!”
“I am Centurion Luke Estaban of Fort Potellan. As for cla.s.s, I am Third cla.s.s.”
The leader of the soldiers flinched at Luke’s words, and became more courteous. It seemed as though his rank was lower than Luke’s.
“Ah, sir! The commander that was kidnapped last night. How wonderful that you are safe.”
However, the soldiers’ gazes towards Luke were not entirely friendly. It was due to Luke’s kidnapping that they had been hounded so much by their superiors to lead an a.s.sault in the middle of the night.
“I have been lucky enough to avoid torture until now. Of course, I would not have told them the time of the final a.s.sault until the end.”
“Of course, sir!”
The commander that had been smiling at Luke motioned to the soldiers.
“Release Centurion Luke!”
Luke staggered up after the ropes binding him were cut. The lack of blood flow to his feet made him unsteady. The commander immediately supported Luke before he fell.
“I will escort you to the headquarters, sir. The General has ordered for you to be escorted there should you be discovered alive.”
“Let’s go.”
Luke nodded, kneading his sore arms and legs.
Luke was escorted to the headquarters, but unlike his expectations, the commander of the extermination army was not Count Pilona, who was affiliated with Fort Potellan.
A young general in his early thirties, dressed in uniform with many medallions, was the one to greet Luke. A general at such a young age was sure to have many connections.
“Welcome, Centurion Luke. I am cla.s.s three thousand-man commander Viscount Max.”
Luke saluted.
“Many thanks for the timely rescue, Viscount Max.”
“Going by your state, it seems you have not been tortured yet.”
“It was my good fortune.”
“I have something to ask you first.”
“What would that be, Viscount?”
Max frowned slightly.
“Was there anything extraordinary that you noticed within the Orc hideout? Or anything you may have heard?”
Viscount Max gazed intently at Luke’s face after he asked his question, a.n.a.lyzing his facial expressions.
However, Luke had experienced many things as a member of a n.o.ble House, and his face remained calm and unrevealing.
“What could I have seen? I was merely knocked out and awoke in a cabin. I was tied to a chair and unable to move, and did not see or hear anything.”
“Is that so?”
“It seems that the Orcs tortured the other prisoner first. It was my good fortune but his bad fortune.”
“That is good to hear.”