Hugo

"U-uuhhh…"

"Here you go. Drink it all up, alright? I've made it sweet just for you."

I watched as Felicia slowly poured the liquid inside her mouth. And from the corner of my eyes, I could see Orluk doing the same, though a lot more intensely, for a lack of a better term.

She really is an expert on this, isn't she? Just like with Leila.

When she finished, the alchemist carefully moved her head back on the pillow, giving her head a gentle pat in the process.

"T-thank you, Miss…"

A smile formed in my lips as the young girl opened her eyes. It wasn't just me either. Looking at Orluk, the normally stoic ogre could barely contain his tears. And Felicia, she had never looked happier.

“Shh, don’t talk too much,” Felicia replied. “Your treatment isn’t over yet. I need to run some tests on your blood and see what the problem is. What I gave you was just a medicine to soothe the pain."

"U-uuhhh… uhhhhhh…"

Tears escaped her amethyst eyes as the girl began to sob.

"W-what's wrong?" Felicia went straight into panic mode.

"I-I'm sorry! It's just that… it's just that… you remind me of Mother… uwaahhhh!"

She was now full-blown crying, sending the redheaded mage even further into turmoil.

Welp, guess it's time for me to play Father.

I scooted over to her (we were all sitting down inside the tent) and lifted the crying girl into my arms.

"Hey, it's okay," I whispered. "The bad guys aren't here anymore. They're gone. I've taken care of them."

This was how I did it with Erika. The spoiled little princess would always cry at the littlest things.

The crying soon died down (but not before making my right shoulder damp). Releasing my grip, I let her straighten herself as she sat on my lap.

"Really? The bad guys are gone? I… won't be whipped anymore?"

"Whipped?"

I glanced at Felicia and Orluk. They looked like they could kill someone at any second.

...Ah, of course.

Well, all the more reason why I'm glad I killed those bastards.

"I worked hard for them. I pulled their big wagons just like they wanted. But when I got sick, I couldn't work as hard. So they said I was lazy and worthless and they whipped me until it hurt. Big Brother Orluk tried to stop them, but he… he…"

Uh oh, her voice is shaking. She's going to cry again.

"That's enough! You don't have to cry anymore!"

It was Felicia. She was now standing, tears streaming down her eyes.

"Milord has vanquished all those awful humans! Me and him, we are all your allies! You have no reason to be afraid anymore!"

The last time I saw her being this emotional, it was back then when Leila died.

She really is a good person.

Giving the kid my brightest smile, I wiped the tears from her eyes. "My name is Hugo Greenwood and the lady standing over there is Felicia Myne. We're a pair of humble traveling adventurers."

"Adventurers?" Her eyes lit up with fear. "B-but I don't have any money to pay you two!"

I laughed. "It's free of charge. Seeing you smile like this is already a good enough reward for me."

...Wait, why did that sound like a pick-up line?

It's true though. My heart is all light and fluffy now, knowing I did something right for once.

The little girl laughed as well. The term "angelic" couldn't even come near to describing it.

"Thank you very much, Big Brother Hugo. Big Sister Felicia." She smiled at the alchemist. "I swear, I'll pay your kindness one day! That's what Mother always says! 'You have to repay another's kindness with your own!'" She mimicked her voice.

"I'll look forward to it." I ruffled her hair. Ah, being called a Big Brother. From an elf loli no less. It's like a dream come true.

And then, all of a sudden, her smile vanished.

"M-Mother? Mother… no… Mother… everyone… they're all… they're all…" She grabbed her ears with both hands as her entire shook terribly. "No… nononononono!"

"H-hey, get a hold of yourself!" I hugged her tightly once more, ignoring the loud scream directly entering my ears. "I'm here, remember! We're all here!"

And then, silence.

She had lost consciousness.

"Master Hugo. Mistress Felicia." Orluk spoke with a grave look. "I'll explain."

---------

Once, there was a young dark elf girl named Fia Yarlethu. She used to be part of a nomadic dark elven tribe, moving from place to place in the Demon Continent. One day, however, that tribe came into conflict with an orc horde, and they were defeated. The survivors were captured as slaves, including her and her mother. However, they ended up being separated,  and she had been a slave ever since, sold from place to place until she ended up with the merchant.

When Orluk finished his story, there was only one thing I had in mind.

Orcs making elves their slaves? Yeah, her mother is done for. The orcs must have used as a breeding stock, raping her one by one in one of their so-called mating room. In this world, orc females are awfully rare, and so, to keep their population number, they have to subdue other races' females. And they have no qualms whatsoever on rape, viewing it as a natural thing to do with females. In that way, they really are not that different from goblins.

Or so I learned from that Demon Continent Encyclopedia book I bought before coming here. Dunno how truthful it is.

Even if she survived, her mind would be gone. Just like the elves in all those doujins I used to read.

"You two must have been close, for her to tell you this without breaking down like she just did." I smiled.

"I couldn't just leave her alone," the ogre replied. "She could barely keep up with the convoy when she was healthy. That merchant was cheap enough to use her instead of purchasing another slave." He gritted his teeth. "Still, I didn't exactly learn it directly. She… would have nightmares about it. Of her being separated from her mother, of her father dying to defend them."

Nightmares, huh? Oh dear. This girl's trauma — It will stay with her for years.

Just like Felicia's. Or mine for that manner.

I would say this world is messed up, but it's not like tragedies like this don't happen on a daily basis back at modern Earth. You're just lucky enough not to see them.

"Those orcs… they have been unruly of late," Orluk continued. "Before I was betrayed and made a slave, I used to hear rumors about how the various orc hordes are being united by a really strong warlord. They even say he's giving himself the title of Demon Lord."

"How does a demon get that title anyway?" I asked.

"Simple." He gave a small smirk. "You just have to be a really strong demon."

"How strong are we talking here?" I asked further. "How about me? Can I be a Demon Lord with my level of strength?" I grinned. I knew it was a cheeky question but I just had to know how strong they really were compared to me.

"I don't know. They say that a Demon Lord can take entire armies on their own. Can you do that, Master Hugo?"

I chuckled. "Never had the chance to try." If it's just a bunch of ordinary soldiers, I think I can handle them just fine. Even if there are tens of thousands of them, I can just blast them with hurricanes and thunderstorms and there would be nothing they can do to stop me.

But, if they have mages or clerics amongst them, they can cast counterspells and barriers. Just by sheer mana alone, they should win. After all, I remember Marina telling me about those so-called War Spells—spells that are intended to be cast together by hundreds if not thousands of mages.

…

Hmm? This sensation…

“Hey, is it just me or the ground seems to be trembling?"

"...No." Orluk stood up. "They're coming."

An unholy screech entered my ears, clearly coming from the outside. The ogre bolted, not giving me another chance to say a word.

"H-hey, wait!" I stood up as well. Before I could chase him, however—

"Kyaah!"

I crashed right onto Victoria, who had tried to enter the tent right as I tried to exit it. Like a classic harem anime protagonist, my face landed right on her ample bosom, but this was no time to enjoy the bouncy sensation. I quickly stood up and asked her what in the world was happening.

"G-giant worms! Six of them! They popped out from the ground and surrounded the camp!" The knightess answered, still laying down on her back.

Giant worms?

Oh shit, it's a monster attack!

"Milord! What is—"

"You stay here and guard Fia!" I yelled at Felicia who had left the tent as well. Not wasting any more precious seconds, I flew upwards with Wind Step.

There!

Sure enough, there were indeed six giant worms surrounding the encampment. And "giant" wasn't even close to describing their size. They were massive, easily the size of the frost dragon I once fought.

I had heard of them before. Titan Worms. An S-rank monster that could swallow entire platoons of soldiers.

...Wait, why aren't they attacking? They're just sitting there, not moving in the slightest.

...Hold on. Are those… there are people coming out of them!

I glided towards the nearest worm, right outside the encampment. Landing down, I was greeted with the sight of ten to twenty ogres, wielding either clubs or axes. Noticing my appearance, they surrounded me in an instant.

"Hello, kiddo! Nice wind magic you got there!"

An ogre woman was the first to greet me. She was the very picture of an amazoness—a tall, big chested woman with abs and muscles that rivaled those of men. She also wore extremely skimpy clothing, as it was common for her type, wearing only a pair of bikini top and loincloth bottom. Her weapon of choice was the spiked steel club she held casually over her shoulders.

Too bad such a rough woman wasn't really my type. Though I can imagine how my fellow virgins back home at a certain message board would salivate at the sight.

Grinning, with teeth that looked as sharp as a shark's, she continued.

"We are the Fangwyrm Bandits. And we're here to rob your employer's belongings. So be a good boy and fly away. I really don't want to slam this club on that cute face of yours."

Cute face? Is she coming onto me?

Hell no, I'm not going to get raped like all the shotas in those doujins!

"You're too late, Big Sis Bandit." I smirked, folding my arms. "I already killed them all."

"Huh?" She raised her eyebrows.

"It's true. They've displeased me, you see, so I took their lives as compensation. So why don't you and your band of bandits go back inside those worms and leave? Unless you want a fight?"

Sorry, Miss Bandit. Felicia will still need those medicine wagons. I'm not going to let you take them.

"Oh?" She licked her lips, her scarlet eyes peering at me with lust. "Just so you know, I'm searching for a husband right now. I like them to be strong, but I want them to look young like you as well. If you fit both—" She slammed her club to the ground. "—then I'm taking you back with me, whether you want to or not."

Yep! This is a development straight from those doujins!

Too bad I'm not the defenseless shota lead that she wants.

"That's enough, Karla. I will not let you harm Master Hugo."

It was Orluk. He arrived just in time before I cast a Boom Cannon straight to her face.

“Well, look who’s here. My dear younger brother.” The ogress grinned as her subordinates made way for Orluk. “And here I thought you had become a slave in need of a rescue.”

“There’s no need for that anymore,” he replied. “Master Hugo already saved me from that fate.”

“Oh? This kid?” She looked back at me. “So it really wasn’t a bluff then.”

“Not at all. He really did kill those humans on his own.”

Whispers broke amongst the other ogres. None of them seemed to believe I was capable of doing such a thing on my own.

“You two are brothers and sisters?” I asked Orluk.

“That’s right! He’s my little brother!” The ogress answered before he could. “And I reckon’ I should thank you for saving him, even though we’re here to do that in the first place.” She grinned again, showing her shark-like teeth.

“Why are you here, Karla?” Orluk frowned. “Don’t tell me you’re the bandits that have been robbing those human merchants recently.”

“Bingo! I see being caged up has done wonders to your brain, little brother!” She laughed. “I am here to liberate any demon slaves, as by the pact our clan had made with the Demon Lord of Wisdom. You ought to have heard how Father had entered an alliance with him, back when you were a gladiator in his capital."

Orluk's stare turned cold. "You should know I don't have anything to do with our clan anymore. And after that incident, I had nothing to do with that man either."

"Ah, yes, that incident where you raped one of his daughters. I'm surprised he didn't kill you on the spot." The ogress smirked.

"It wasn't rape!" Orluk yelled back. "She was the one to come to my room and offered her body! I would be the utmost fool to reject a girl as beautiful as she was!"

"Oh? So you were framed then? Why would she do that though?"

"How should I know?! Go ask her yourself!"

I could only sigh in silence as I listened to their banter. So he was a victim of a false rape accusation. And it came from a girl he was infatuated with nonetheless. Yeah, I can't imagine how painful that will feel, especially since he became a slave thanks to it.

And the accuser is a daughter of a Demon King, a really strong demon who's also the king of his own nation. No wonder no one will listen to him.

The ogress, instead of sympathizing with her little brother, laughed at his face instead.

"What a fool you are, Orluk! She's a succubus! You know their kind can't be trusted!"

"She's nothing like them!" Orluk roared. "She's an innocent girl who would never seduce men on her own volition!"

"Aha… ahahahaha! Stop it! You're making my stomach hurt!" The ogress held her abdomen. "You think all succubi are your typical big-breasted seducer? How naive! There are a lot of succubi out there who would pretend to be sexually innocent to attract stupid virgins like you!"

Wow, this big sister sure is heartless. At least show some sad expression instead of just laughing in his face. Is this just how ogre culture is?

I really am lucky I had Marina, who's pretty much the ideal big sister. Well, discounting her teasing. Or not. It wasn't like I didn't enjoy it. I'm a filthy, degenerate pervert after all.

...Heh, I should've been a better brother to her. She doesn't deserve a screwup like me, that's for sure.

Orluk fell silent, his shoulder drooping and his eyes staring at the ground. He looking like he was about to cry at any second.

"Now that I have scolded you enough, come. Let's have a little chat with the big guy."

Orluk looked up, his resolved look making a return. "No. I am no longer part of the Menet clan. You have no obligation to—"

"What? Just because you got into a fight with Father means you're no longer my baby brother? Think again. You're coming with me whether you want to or not!" She slammed her club to the ground once more.

"No. I have a new purpose now. I am going to repay Master Hugo for his kindness so I cannot just—"

"I think you should go with her, Orluk."

I walked closer to the ogre, putting up my best smile in the process.

"And take Fia with you. To be honest, I much prefer travelling only with Felicia. I'm sure you know the reason."

The ogre turned to face me. "M-Master Hugo! If you're concerned about me disturbing your nightly pleasures with her, then please don't! I promise you, I would not—"

"No, it's not just because of that." Heh, as if. The furthest I ever got was fondling her boobs. "We have plans to go to the most dangerous locations on the continent. If we bring Fia and you along—I'm sorry to say this—you two would just be a burden." Truth is, I just don't want them to get dragged into our mess. "And Fia needs you. She looks up to you as her big brother. So bring her along and raise her as well as you could. I'm sure you can do it, with how kind you have been to her."

"Wait, wait, wait, Fia? What in the world are you two talking about?" The ogress walked closer as well.

"Oh, it's a dark elf girl your brother saved. You should be proud, having a brother this honorable."

"Honorable, perhaps, but a fool as well." She threw a short glare at him. "As for you, Hu-go," she said my name in a mocking tone. "You should come with me as well." Her grin resurfaced once more. "I wasn't lying when I said I was looking for a husband. How about it?" She winked. "You're cute and strong. Wanna be mine? You'll get to bed this hot ogress every night. I promise, I'll never run out of stamina before you do."

"I'll pass. Already have two girls I plan to marry. Unless you're fine in being the third, that is."

This time, it was my turn to grin. That's right, Hugo. Establish yourself as an alpha male. No getting all flustered just because a woman teases you.

"Hmph." She huffed. "I have no interest in sharing my mate with other, weaker women. If you’re going to make me your third, then no thanks."

Weaker, huh? I wonder if Sherry now is stronger than her.

"Master Hugo." Orluk interrupted. "If you truly think that is best, then I won't object. I will take Fia with me and protect her as if she was my flesh and blood. However, please, promise me you will let me repay you one day in the future."

"Hmm… Now that I think about it, there is something you can do for me. You ever heard of the Izurd?"

"The Izurd?" He raised his eyebrows. "Can't say I have."

"That's because you never listened on your history lessons, you stupid meathead," Karla interrupted. "The Izurd was an extinct Demon race that used to dominate the continent half a millenia ago. Empowered by rage, they were a much more bloodthirsty predator than we ogres are. What do you want with them?" She looked back at me.

"It's simple. I want to find their hidden village." I smiled.

"Hidden village?" This time, it was her eyebrows' turn to furrow. "What? You think they're still out there somewhere?"

"Yep! After all, my other lover is one. And she's now in that village. I want to find her."

I figured there was no reason to hide the truth from them. They weren't human. Even if they knew about all that I did, they wouldn't rat me out. Demons were a lot more forgiving on murders than humans after all.

"Y-your lover is an Izurd?! Tch, then I really can't compete with her!" The ogress slammed her club yet again. “Damn it! First time I actually found a mate that’s both cute and strong and he’s already taken by an Izurd! I can never be the alpha wife with her around!”

“Do not worry, Master Hugo.” Orluk replied with a fully determined look. “I promise, I’ll find those Izurdians, even if it takes me my entire life to search for them.”

“Y-yeah, you do that.” Does he have to be so extreme?

“Is that all? Anything else you want me to do?”

“No, that is all.” I’m not dragging you along with my fight with the Magocracy or the Church many years from now. You should live in peace with Fia instead.

-----------

With our talk over, Orluk and I returned inside the camp while Karla told her men that their attack was not to happen. On the way, the ogre gave me a bit more explanation on just who he and Karla were. It turned out that they belonged to the Menet clan, one of the more prominent ogre clans on the Demon Continent. And their father was the leader of said clan.

Now, I would ask why he left, but I felt that was a bit of a rude question, so I decided not to. Besides, a son having a feud with his father happens all the time. Who am I to poke and prod on his family troubles?

"Oh, I forgot to ask, since when can you control Titan Worms like that? They're S-rank monsters, you know."

"S-rank?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Oh, right, you were never an adventurer. S-rank is what we adventurers use to denote the strongest monsters out there."

"But they're nowhere near the strongest."

"Well, above them, there are SS rank monsters, like elder dragons and such. But back in the human continents, that worm is pretty much amongst the top tier monsters."

"Really? The human world really is weak. No offense intended of course, Master Hugo. You're a lot stronger than your kind." He corrected himself. "But to answer your question, they're gifts."

"Gifts?"

"Yes, gifts. Given to us by Lady Echidna three centuries ago."

Echidna, the Demon Lord of Beasts. It was said that she could control any monsters that existed in this world, no matter how strong it was. She was mentioned in that encyclopedia in the Demon Lords chapter. The book said she hadn’t been active for over a hundred years.

“I don’t remember the details, but our clan back then helped her with something. In exchange, she gave us six of those worms,” Orluk continued.

“I see. So your clan doesn't really know how to tame them.”

“If we knew how to tame monsters, we would’ve conquered the continent a long time ago.” He chuckled.

Makes sense. With how many strong monsters there are in this world, anyone that can make them do their bidding would have unrivaled power for sure.

Which begs the question. Why is Echidna content on staying out of the spotlight? Knowing how Demon Lords usually are, doesn't she want to assert her authority and expand her dominion?

...Oh well. Maybe she's just a peace-loving Demon Lord.

"So, your clan only had six of those but your sister brought them all this far into enemy territory? I don't think that's smart of her."

The ogre smiled. "She's our clan's strongest. And, as our war chieftess, she has been granted permission to deploy our warriors as she sees fit. In your human terms, she would be our clan's supreme general."

"Really? She's that strong?!" Don't tell me she's even stronger than I am! I just dodged a bullet then!

“Once, she killed fifty orcs on her own, going back home with her club fully crimson. It was actually thanks to that incident that Father accepted her as our war chieftess.”

Orluk’s smile was now brimming in pride. He clearly was proud of what her sister was able to achieve.

“But,” He turned his head towards me. “You are still stronger, Master Hugo. The soldiers here number to the eighties after all.”

Fifty orcs, huh? I mean, it doesn’t say much unless I know how strong those orcs are.

...No, Hugo. This is your cowardice talking. Why are you afraid of her when you don’t even know how strong she really is? And even if she’s stronger, that doesn’t mean you should just surrender and give up the fight. This is exactly why you failed to save Leila back then.

I gritted my teeth as bile entered my stomach.

When will you stop being a coward?