Tom arrived at the inn Ellin spoke of.
"You'll go to the casino tomorrow, right?! Don't go by yourself, mister! 'Cause I'll steal everything you leave at this inn if you do!"
After her brazen declaration, Ellin left for her room. Tom watched her leave with a blank look. He walked into his own room a few moments later, where he organized his things and opened the window. There, he found a peculiar looking crow with golden eyes tilting its head, sitting on the window-sill and gazing up at him.
Tom wiped away the leftover mirth from his face and began to speak to the crow, emotionlessly.
***
"Damn! Do humans not have to sleep? We may be nocturnal, but this ain't right! Let us close our eyes some, too!"
"Raise your shields!"
"Oi! First Division! You're too slow! Lift up your shields already!"
"Bloody hell, what is that sound?! What's exploding?!"
"They're called magic bullet guns! A magic weapon made by humans!"
Dark clouds brewed over the battlefield. Holy Knights donned with shining plate armor advanced across the burning earth. They stood in line and raised one-meter long, iron cannons. The compressed mana within exploded as the runes activated along with the magic stones embedded in the handles, causing the cannons to fire. The wooden palisades set up like fangs in the dug-up ground shattered as the mana projectiles blasted through them. The exposed orcs who had been partially visible over the low fortifications either crouched down or raised their shields. The ones who chose to defend against the projectiles with their shields scowled.
"It's heavy!"
"But it's not to the extent of being dangerous… is it?"
"Oi! Third and Fourth Divisions! Get your asses over here!"
"What?! I can't hear you! You need to be louder!"
The orcs bellowed at one another, but their voices struggled to be heard over the explosions of the human weapons.
Close to two hundred Holy Knights in a line drew a step closer, and while they discarded the used magic stones to the ground and reloaded their guns, another line of two hundred Holy Knights behind them raised their guns and fired. They gradually advanced in this manner while the orcs scrambled in order to stop them without being given the time to even aim their crossbows.
"Damn. Oi, are there no archers instead of crossbowmen?! Shoot towards the sky! It should be able to make a dent in those damned defense-enchanted armors, no?!"
"… You know it too; our archers are pathetic. It takes several years to learn how to properly wield bows… They'd do better if they charged in and swung them around like clubs."
"Curses!! That's why we're called ignorant orcs!"
They were at the very front line of the Demon Kingdom, a significant distance from the Holy Kingdom. The newly dispatched Hero Alliance was making an attempt to invade their lands, so the orcs needed to fend them off.
"Are you telling me to wait until they come?"
The iron plated shield of an orc exploded with a boom and became bent.
"Wow, how heavy! It's like the punch of a Baby Ogre!"
"Ahh, we can take a hit without dying if it's at that level."
"The problem is that it hurts! What happened to Captain Karakul?! Where's the captain?!"
"… In the middle of a call."
"Whaah? In this situation? With who? Her Demon Majesty?"
"Damn it. Oh shit! They're coming closer! Everyone get ready!"
The orcs raised their swords, axes and maces, and their eyes turned red with excitement as the Holy Knights approached while firing their magic bullet guns.
"Ahh, come!"
"A little closer…!"
"Oi, wait a bit more! We can enjoy ourselves in a bit!"
"Fuck. Scaredy cats, you're no better than walking meat. Why aren't you getting over here already?! I'll gobble you all up!"
"Hey now, what are you thinking? Do you really want to eat something like that? You'll get a stomach ache I tell you."
The orcs turned their heads to one another, conversing leisurely instead of being tense. As the Holy Knights entered into close proximity, one opened his mouth and bellowed.
"My warrior brethren—! Let us fight!"
Hearing this, the orcs cried out as one. "Charge—!"
The orcs raced over the palisades, shields in hand, using them to knock down the Holy Knights. They climbed atop them, and struck down with their axes. A Holy Knight could be seen sent flying by the swing of a mace, rolling across the ground, while another Holy Knight was impaled by a long spear and then tossed away.
"For the glory of God—!"
"Bring down the hammer of punishment to these vile demons in the name of His Holiness, Salem Gottshuranche—!"
"Glory be to Lord Artarrk—!"
Holy Knights on horses charged, aiming their lances. They held no hesitation despite many of their allies laying on the ground before them.
The orcs cried out orders at the sight of the incoming cavalry.
"Oi, pikes! Fifth Division! Pikes!"
Pikemen quickly ran over with their long, pointed weapons, but the Holy Knights that were collapsed on the ground grabbed their legs.
"What's with this guy?! Let go I say!"
"All hail S-Salem Gottshuranche—!"
"All hail my ass! You'll be crushed under those hooves too!"
The Holy Knight smiled despite the orc's words, his eyes bloodshot as he gazed at the orc repeating the same line.
"All hail Gottshuranche! Glory be to His Holiness Salem—!"
The orc sent the Holy Knight flying with a punch to the face.
"This is why I hate Holy Knights! What the hell? So scary…! Are all humans like this?!"
"Argh! We're late!"
Due to the delay of the pikemen, some Holy Knights were able to leap over the palisades.
"Damn, you can't do it right even with all that training?!"
"Stop them!"
"Oi! They're going over there, where Captain Karakul is!"
"Damn it! The captain's spacing out at the front line again!"
The orcs rushed over to where a tent was set up. The Holy Knights ignored those floundering infantry, instead keeping their eyes on the open tent with an armored orc inside.
"That's the captain!"
"Kill him! Full speed ahead—!"
The Holy Knights sped up, lifting their lances.
The captain of the orcs, Karakul, was inside the operations tent. A table with a strategic map drawn on it was placed before him, on top of which was a black crow. He was looking at it, murmuring something.
"Die! You vile demon—!"
A Holy Knight thrust his lance forward, the knight's bellow causing a vein to pop on Karakul's forehead.
"Who…" he turned his head, all too easily dodging the lance, and grasped the giant mace beside him that was over two meters in length, "… dares to interfere—?!"
And he immediately swung down, crushing both the Holy Knight and his horse.
The earth vibrated as dirt sprayed everywhere and the curtain of the tent flapped violently as if exposed to a typhoon, while the other Holy Knights that had been charging reined in their horses out of shock. The Holy Knight that had charged first no longer had a face or a body. All that remained beneath Karakul's mace was a horrifying mess of minced meat and limbs twitching like those of an insect.
"… M-monster!"
"Retreat!"
The terrified Holy Knights hastily turned their horses around.
"Who gave you permission to leave here?!"
"Get 'em!"
But they too were caught and killed by the other orcs. The orcs stared at the first Holy Knight that had been crushed along with his horse.
"… Whew."
"Looks like the captain's mad for some reason?"
"… Strangely enough, he only gets touchy like that when he's with that black crow."
"Mm, you're right. When we had a drinking party going on the other time, the Fourth Division made a senseless racket and ended up being made to roll in the dirt for the whole day."