Published: September 4, 2025
This is not from Satou’s perspective.
Correction of typos made on 9/15.
I am Ga Hao, an ancient, dying race—the Orc.
A descendant of the fools who, hundreds of years ago, followed the Demon King, turned the world against them, and were ultimately destroyed. Even now, a few of us lurk scattered across the world, but no race would accept us. More than 600 years have passed since the fall of the Orc Empire, yet the world has not forgotten the atrocities committed by the Orcs. Though our long lifespans grant us wisdom and skills to scrape by in some corner of the world, we can no longer stand openly on the stage.
“Ga Hao.”
“Lu Heu, what is it? Did a customer come to the shop?”
“Yeah, the usual masked customer.”
This place is in the lower town outside the great wall of the Duke's Capital, a place where humans rarely come. It’s near a sewage filtration facility, so the stench is terrible, and even beastmen with keen noses seldom approach. Still, without this filtration facility built during the Orc Empire’s time, the Great Mother River would be much dirtier. Thinking that way, I can forgive the smell—no, sorry, I really can’t stand it. I put on my usual scented mask, pull my hood low, and head toward the storefront.
“How long do you intend to keep me waiting?”
“S-sorry! This here is the—requested—quick-acting sleeping potion!”
Whenever I speak with customers, I always stammer and adopt a strange accent. If they look down on me, then that’s a success.
Why does this man always get so angry every time he visits the shop? I think he should relax a bit more, but there’s no need to advise him. If I did, he’d only snap back. No point in wasting effort.
I place small bottles on the counter while explaining their usage. Even if he probably won’t listen, I don’t want to forget my professional ethics.
“One small bottle costs six silver coins. What about three bottles?”
“Hmph, barbarian, can’t even do the math? That’s three gold coins.”
Hmm, he didn’t haggle much. If he had bargained down by about three silver coins, I’d have let it slide.
“Well, as expected of a noble. Your calculations are quick, aren’t they?”
“Hmph, as a noble of the Shiga Kingdom, this is nothing.”
He was supposed to keep his noble status secret, but he admitted it so easily. Well, seeing the family crest engraved on the metal fittings of his wallet, there was no need to test him. Since he thinks he’s hiding his identity, I’ll keep silent.
The man laid three gold coins on the counter, took the leather case with the bottles, and left. He probably won’t use them for anything good, but I stopped worrying about that 400 years ago. Maybe I’ll give these gold coins to the Lo Han settlement. Living in the city’s sewers, they don’t need money.
â—‡
“Ga Hao, look there.”
Lu Heu pointed, and indeed, there was a suspicious group just as she said. I recognized their clothes. They were the ones in the lower town square who made the outrageous claim that “to avoid being destroyed by the Demon King, one should become a demon race.” A cult called the Wings of Freedom.
Beyond them is supposed to be the labyrinth’s ruins. The labyrinth is completely dead, and the underground labyrinth’s teleportation facilities should be sealed off. They’re protected by high-difficulty cipher seals that ordinary humans could never break. They shouldn’t be able to enter easily.
I left Lu Heu there and approached the group.
Using my appraisal skill, I found one person with the status ailment: demon possession. I don’t know the demon race’s strength, but I’m not good at fighting. Better to retreat here.
Before my invisibility skill’s effect wore off, I left the scene.
â—‡
“Hide me, Ga Hao.”
A blood-covered Lo Han stumbled into the shop.
He had been harassed by a werewolf tribe man. As an Orc, that’s shameful. To be taken advantage of by some youngster who hasn’t even lived fifty years is truly lamentable.
It’s currently the time of the triennial martial arts tournament. Hot-headed people roam around, so those unskilled at fighting should avoid being seen outside.