Chapter 45: Lizard Swamp (Part 3)

However, amidst this grand ambition, there seemed to be a slight sense of regret. No matter how large, magnificent, or powerful Orford ecame, there were still some things it couldn't compare to the small town of Bracada. Lord Borugan sighed deeply, feeling a pang of disappointment.

"My lord, what's wrong? Is there something amiss?" The half-orc adjutant immediately noticed his lord's unease.

The city lord's assistant sighed again and said, "A great man once said: 'Eternal women guide us forward.' While this statement isn't entirely accurate, it holds some truth. No matter how great our achievements or how fulfilling our work, without a beautiful companion to share and appreciate them with, there will always be a sense of regret..."

Indeed, no matter how strong or large Orford became, no matter how much Lord Theodorus valued him and allowed him to wield power within the city, Orford was still a city of orcs. The number of humans here was pitifully small, and among the young people Lord Theodorus had taken under his wing, there wasn't a single woman. No matter how much admiration the half-orcs showed or how imposing the arc guards were, they couldn't replace the charming, understanding, and equally disrobing barmaids in the taverns of Bracada. Not to mention finding a kindred spirit to share and discuss his achievements and work with.

Hmm, sometimes I really envy that guy... Even though he's being hunted everywhere, he still has a smart and capable girl like the Duke's daughter who likes him. Oh, he's already become the Prime Minister of Einfast. During my brief stay in the capital of Einfast, I was too exhausted to have a proper chat with the Prime Minister. That's the biggest regret of this year...

"Haha, so that's what's troubling you, my lord? Don't worry, don't worry." The half-orc adjutant immediately laughed in a very understanding manner.

"Oh, do you have any good suggestions?" Lord Borugan's eyes lit up. He understood that, despite being of different races, as males, some basic resonances could transcend racial boundaries.

"I know many beautiful, smart, understanding, and gentle girls. I can introduce them to you, my lord." The adjutant smiled mysteriously.

"Oh? Girls?" Lord Borugan's eyes lit up again, like a bonfire suddenly doused with oil, but then he paused. "The beautiful girls you know... are they from your own race?"

"Of course." The adjutant's eyes also lit up, his face glowing with the same enthusiasm. These resonances truly transcended any racial boundaries. "Their skin is as green as water lily leaves, making you want to take a bite. Their facial features are as delicate as small buns from a human bakery, with two long, white teeth at the corners of their mouths. Their body hair is as fine as the softest brush, their muscle lines are well-defined, and their buttocks are as firm as an ogre warrior's muscles. Each of them can crush three walnuts with their buttocks in one go, and they have these charming little bumps all over their bodies..."

"Oh." Lord Borugan's enthusiasm was extinguished like a bonfire doused with a bucket of water. He felt goosebumps rising on his own skin. "Truly enchanting girls."

"Hehe." The adjutant felt as if he had just reclaimed hundreds of acres of new land and harvested millions of pounds of grain, achieving a great merit. He continued reporting proudly. "I also have two arc friends who know many beautiful arc girls. Their fur is said to be as beautiful as the snow on the Saundfest Mountains. And there are the lovely ogre girls, whose breasts are so large they can be used to..."

"Enough, enough." Lord Borugan waved his hand repeatedly, stopping his subordinate's report. Although the sun was shining brightly, he suddenly felt a chill running down his spine. It seemed that while some resonances could indeed transcend racial boundaries, aesthetic preferences could not. He sighed unconsciously, lamenting, "I never felt this way before... Life is truly lonely..."

Just as the city lord's assistant was sinking into melancholy, a sudden inspiration struck him.

Ah, that's right. I heard that among the mages invited from the Tooth Tower this time, there's a woman, and she's the tower master... Probably an old woman... But from a distance, she didn't look much like an old woman... However, a woman who can lead a group of old mages must be quite formidable...

After hesitating for a while, he finally decided to go and meet this tower master. If possible, he would try to communicate and exchange ideas with her. Even if she herself wasn't easy to talk to, her disciples might be more approachable. As the assistant to Lord Theodorus, it was entirely appropriate for him to visit the Tooth Tower. It would also help foster understanding and prepare for more opportunities for cooperation...

"I've decided. I will go and pay a visit to the tower master of the Tooth Tower." Taking a deep breath, Lord Borugan felt the world was beautiful again, and the sunlight was so bright. At this point in life, taking one more step forward would leave no regrets.

Feeling full of ambition, Lord Borugan shook his head and suddenly froze. He noticed a crow on a tree not far away.

A crow on a tree was usually the most ordinary thing. But this was the Lizard Swamp, where crows had no place to survive. In the territory of wyverns, such massive creatures, no other birds could exist.

"Strange, why is there a crow here?" Lord Borugan muttered, curiously watching the bird that shouldn't be here. The crow on the tree also stared at him with the same curious gaze.

The orc adjutant also slapped his head and said, "Huh. Now that you mention it, my lord, I hadn't noticed. There shouldn't be crows here. But I've been seeing this thing a lot these past two days."

With a loud caw, the crow seemed to understand that it wasn't welcome. It flew up from the tree, circled in the air, and then flew deeper into the swamp.

Lord Borugan watched the small creature fly away with suspicion. Under the bright sunlight, the small black dot seemed like a tiny shadow, but it was undeniably real.

In Celeste, in a large secret chamber specially opened by the Pope, the newly appointed cardinal was laughing. He hadn't laughed like this in a long time.

"Haha, so even a barbaric place like Orford has such interesting characters. It's a pity I can't meet them." The Marquis looked at the crystal ball in front of him, which displayed the unique scenery of the Lizard Swamp.

Not just the one in front of him, but in this sizable secret chamber, there were dozens of similar crystal balls. Each crystal ball showed different scenes—some of the Lizard Swamp, some of vast wilderness, and others of the rugged, massive stone structures of Orford .

"If they continue to develop at this scale for another two or three years, I really won't be able to do anything about these beasts." Besides the Marquis, the Pope was also in the chamber, but his expression wasn't as cheerful. He didn't smile at all. For people like them, lip-reading wasn't difficult. While the arc's mouth movements were hard to decipher, the conversation between the dwarf and the half-orc was clear. Naturally, the Pope wasn't interested in the latter part of the conversation; what concerned him was the earlier remarks.

The "Puppet Eagle Eye" spell, for a single mage or a small group like the Dehya Valley, was merely a sophisticated detection method. But in a war like this, its role had been magnified to a decisive level.

Over the past two days, the Pope had used these crystal balls to scrutinize almost every corner of Orford in detail. However, he dared not approach the vicinity of Lord Theodorus's city hall. The eagle-eye puppets couldn't escape the notice of true masters.

But even this was enough. The Pope's expression had been grim for the past two days. He understood the significance of those vast fields, pastures, and beast-training grounds. And the words that had just come out of the dwarf's mouth made him even more uncomfortable.

If Knight Tamik were still here, the Pope would have immediately ordered him to bring back the head of the man the Marquis found so interesting. Only when such a person was dead might the Pope find him amusing.

After the formal severance of ties with the Magic Academy, the Tooth Tower had become a place where the church's influence couldn't reach. As a mage himself, the Pope understood the allure of the high-quality magic gems from the Saundfest Mountains. He knew the Tooth Tower would accept Orford 's employment. If these two forces gradually merged, the outcome was self-evident.

"Orcs with magical abilities... Does Theodorus plan to equip every orc with a magic jade ring? Does he want to drive all the mages on the continent insane? Hehe..." The Pope, perhaps feeling extremely frustrated, actually laughed. "Akibard was right. All changes begin from the central lands. How foolish I was to dismiss it before."

The Marquis smiled faintly and said, "Your Majesty, there's no need to worry too much. This isn't something that can be achieved in the short term. And our plans should be ready soon."

"Yes. The Dark Star is in Agrenel's hands, so we can't concern ourselves with it for now. But it seems Orford is more deserving of our attention. If we don't intervene and let them develop at this rate, in ten years, the continent will be ruled by orcs. With such a powerful force gathered..."

The Pope suddenly paused and looked at the Marquis. "Akibard said that the one who gathers the power will take up the Dark Star and begin changing the world from the central lands. That is both destruction and a new beginning, the turning of fate's gears, unavoidable. Is that correct?"

"Exactly as Your Majesty said. Those were Akibard's words." The Marquis nodded.