Chapter 5: Enemies Across the World

"Personnel losses are ten times what I had anticipated..." Theodorus sighed as he looked out the window. The wrinkles on his face seemed deeper than three months ago. In the setting sun, his short silver hair and beard appeared dimmer as well. "And these were all elite troops… even Krolin was the chief of his clan."

This was the highest and most central room of Orford's grand city hall. The spacious room was clean and tidy, with only a few bookshelves filled with books and scrolls, leaving no room for decoration or unnecessary items. Theodorus' desk was positioned beside the window. From there, he could see the central square below. A group of orcs stood in the square, their faces showing signs of exhaustion, indicating that even standing there was a struggle for them. They had just returned from the Saundfest Mountains after a forced march. After more than ten days of nearly no supplies in the wilderness, even the orcs were at their limits.

"I'm sorry. It was my mistake," Asa sighed. In truth, if they had strictly followed the map drawn by Grutt and Theodorus' meticulously crafted plan, such losses wouldn't have occurred.

Theodorus sighed as well. After briefly examining the raw ore brought back, he nodded. "However, the yield far exceeded my expectations—by twentyfold... The gemstones embedded in these raw ores are of exceptional purity and quality. And the quantity is astonishing. Even Orford, a city historically disconnected from magic, could rival the likes of Dehya Valley or Celeste in this field now." He smiled bitterly. "But unfortunately, this is long-term potential that takes time to realize. At present, where can Orford even find enough mages capable of utilizing these? And those two Beamons..." He sighed again, the wrinkles on his face deepening, his bitter smile growing even more strained.

Asa asked, "Did something happen to the young Beamons?"

Theodorus shook his head with a wry smile. "No, they're perfectly fine. In fact, one of the orcs who brought them back was bitten. Beamons are remarkable creatures—born capable of consuming meat and digesting it efficiently, which makes them relatively easy to rear. I've already assigned several of our most experienced beast-taming half-orcs to raise them in a secure, undisclosed location. I'm also personally overseeing the training plan. If used properly, ordinary armies would stand no chance against such creatures. They'll undoubtedly become Orford's unparalleled force on the battlefield. But..." Theodorus' expression was a mixture of hope and helplessness, a complicated contradiction of emotions. He looked like a desperate man who stumbled upon a priceless artifact he couldn't immediately convert into cash. "That kind of combat power won't materialize for at least another five years. Beamons only barely reach maturity at that age and develop the size and strength needed for battle. In the meantime, their meat consumption alone could pile into a small mountain. Right now, we can barely secure enough basic provisions, let alone that much meat."

"The potential gains are massive, but the key lies in whether we can sustain the investment," Theodorus lamented.

"Has something happened recently?" Asa noticed that the elder, usually brimming with vigor and ambition, had sighed far more than usual today.

Theodorus nodded helplessly and said, "Three months ago, Pope Magnus casually expressed dissatisfaction with Orford during a sermon. He said that barbaric beasts daring to establish a nation and claim equality with the children of God was blasphemy against the divine. Beasts, after all, are merely beasts."

"Just that? It shouldn't pose too big a problem. The Church can't directly order a nation to attack Orford, can it?"

"Of course not. But two months ago, an Alrasian merchant caravan came here for trade. When they left, three orcs escorted and protected them. Near the Alrasia border, those three suddenly slaughtered almost the entire caravan. Two merchants escaped, claiming the massacre happened because someone in the caravan made an inappropriate joke that enraged the orcs. However, according to a patrol of orcs who discovered the scene first, the three orcs not only tore the people, horses, and even a kodo beast to pieces but also ripped themselves apart."

Asa thought for a moment and sighed. "A joke capable of such high-level psychic magic effects… the one who made it must be no ordinary person."

"That incident hadn't even spread widely before a half-orc official sent to Alrasia's capital killed a revered priest during a dispute over religious matters. He then defiled the church statue by covering it with feces and urine. These two events have thrown Alrasia into an uproar. In addition, an ogre and several half-orcs infiltrated a Tatalian border village, assaulting and killing several women. The enraged villagers and soldiers teamed up to kill them. On top of that, in a small town along the border of Einfast, children had been disappearing one after another. The investigation revealed the culprit to be an ogre. The children's skins were stripped and carried by the ogre, with their skulls strung together and hung around its neck. The evidence was so damning that I didn't even bother sending anyone to defend us."

"I see." Asa also gave a bitter smile. "No wonder even you are so worried."

"Alrasia has already ceased trade with Orford, and it seems that it's only a matter of time before other places like the Einfast Empire follow suit. While the situation hasn't deteriorated to the point of outright war yet, I believe it's only a matter of time," Theodorus murmured, looking westward. "After all, the pope wouldn't have made such a statement without reason."

"You mean..." Asa frowned. "But I don't think the pope could be manipulated by the Necromancers' Guild..."

The pope—the spiritual leader of millions of followers across the continent and the highest authority of the Church—was undoubtedly one of the most powerful mages on the continent. Beyond his own capabilities, he had countless priests, dozens of paladins, and a number of temple knights and cardinals in Celeste. While the Necromancers' Guild was undoubtedly formidable, there was no way they could treat someone as powerful and influential as the pope like a puppet to be toyed with.

"I've said it before: the most frightening thing about Dehya Valley is not their combat strength but their ability to manipulate from the shadows. If it were just a dozen necromancers, they wouldn't be hard to deal with. But those dozen are also exceptionally brilliant minds with unparalleled influence and status. They don't need to control—they only need to influence. Besides..." Theodorus paused for a moment, then turned to Asa with a bitter smile. "Besides, the Church itself would never permit Orford to exist. That's why I said it's only a matter of time."

Asa nodded. For those who didn't follow the faith, the Church could attempt to convert or influence them. Even heretical organizations could be dealt with—eliminate the heresy, and the lost sheep might still return to the embrace of their god. But orcs, in every respect, were as far from being "sheep" as one could imagine—more heretical than any heretic, and utterly impossible to picture them embracing a god who didn't even recognize their existence. In the past, these half-human races had merely wandered the wilderness like beasts, which was tolerable. But now they had become a nation—a non-human, heretical state. To the Church, this was naturally an eyesore.

As for whether the pope's statement and the subsequent chaos caused by the Necromancers' Guild were connected—whether one was exploiting the other, or who was the puppet and who the master—that was anyone's guess.

"So, in other words, Orford is simultaneously facing both the Church and the Necromancers' Guild," Asa sighed. "To put it bluntly, it's as if we're enemies of the entire continent."

"Exactly." Theodorus nodded helplessly. He leaned out of the window slightly, standing atop the tallest building and gazing at the sunset over the surroundings.

This was the very heart of Orford. From the high vantage point, much of the city was visible. Outside the square, humans and various races of orcs mingled, talking and shouting. Some led horses, mules, cattle, and kodo beasts laden with goods, moving back and forth. Dwarf craftsmen worked alongside young orc apprentices, hammering away at iron outside their workshops. Half-orcs called out to human passersby from their market stalls. Many of the once-rough, simple buildings had either been expanded or entirely rebuilt into taller, more refined structures. Ogres moved heavy stones and logs, constructing under the direction of architects.

Everything seemed vibrant and full of life, yet at the same time, incredibly fragile. The brewing turmoil was enough to turn this place back into a desolate wasteland.

The golden light of the setting sun illuminated every wrinkle on Theodorus's face and every strand of his silver hair, revealing him for what he was—an old man in his sixties. Yet this same man, whose life might not last much longer, had single-handedly built this unprecedented city in the wilderness and was now struggling to defend it. Though the challenges he faced were nearly insurmountable, and his wrinkles had deepened and his hair whitened further, his back remained straight, his expression and eyes still radiating confidence and vitality.

"I rarely admire anyone, very rarely," Asa suddenly said, looking at Theodorus. "But right now, I do admire you a little."

"Oh? Admire me for what?" Theodorus turned his head and smiled.

"In many legends, there are people who become so strong that they are invincible. But I think you are even more impressive. You are not invincible; instead, the world is full of enemies stronger than you. Yet, it seems like you have no intention of being afraid or surrendering. So in a way, I admire you. Having enemies in the world is more admirable than being invincible."

"Hahahaha..." Theodorus laughed loudly, looking at Asa. "Having enemies... Well, speaking of this, it seems you're actually the more impressive one. There are at least a hundred times more people who want your head than those who want mine."

Asa smiled. "But I don't try to do anything in particular. I'm just walking my own path, doing things my own way."

Theodorus smiled as well, and his wrinkles seemed to come alive as he murmured, "Actually, I'm the same..."

Asa asked, "Do you think Orford can win this battle? After all, it's a battle between the two most powerful organizations on the surface and behind the scenes."

Theodorus nodded and said, "The battle is just the last resort. Politics, economy, diplomacy, strategy, weighing pros and cons—those are the real contests. Even if it comes to a battle, it won't just be a simple fight. So we still have a chance. And I've prepared a little in advance for this situation. General Grutt and Lord Borugan have already gone to Tatalia and Alrasia respectively."

"They went for what?"

"Naturally, for diplomacy. Orford's most urgent need now is time, so I sent Lord Borugan as my special envoy to Alrasia to try and ease the situation. At the same time, he will investigate who controls Alrasia's attitude toward Orford—basically, find out who our enemies in Alrasia are and what kind of abilities they have. We need to see if the situation is beyond saving..."

"Let him go?" Asa frowned. If there is indeed a necromancer hiding there, even Borugan, with his sharp mind, would be no more than a bug in the hands of a necromancer. "Isn't that too dangerous? Why not send General Grutt instead?"

"Because he has something more important to do in Tatalia. In a situation where enemies are everywhere, we desperately need an ally."

"Tatalia?" Asa became even more confused. Tatalia, although not a religious nation, was certainly unaffected by the Church. However, it was located in the barren highlands to the northwest, and the fact that it had not been annexed by the powerful Alrasia showed how impoverished it was. Regardless of what kind of help this ally could provide, just getting a country like that to openly help Orford was already difficult enough. The key was, if it came to diplomacy, it was a profession that required finesse, but General Grutt was definitely not skilled with words—he was better with his fists.

Relying on one's fists to gain allies? Only a madman or a fool would believe that. But Theodorus was neither. He smiled at Asa and said, "You can rest assured about these two matters. In extraordinary times, we must use extraordinary measures, and extraordinary measures will definitely have extraordinary effects."

Asa smiled and said, "Of course, I'm not worried. Since the toughest tasks have been assigned to them, I'll have an easy time for now."

"Not at all. I've been waiting for you to return and take on the most important task," Theodorus said, grinning slyly.

"I knew it," Asa sighed. He took a few items from his waist and threw them onto the table. "Take a look at this and tell me what it is."

"What's this?" Theodorus glanced at it. It was a pair of boots, a necklace, and a set of wrist guards.

"I picked up some junk. I don't know if it's useful, what it's for, or how to use it."