Karim gathered thirty Orcs of the Blue Axe tribe and continued his passionate education.
Without a single movement, the thirty Orcs focused on Karim’s words. They were all particularly skilled craftsmen within the tribe, selected by Karim as architects.
“Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes, I do.”
“We’ve understood.”
“Good. The establishment of the ground where we will live in the future depends on your hands. So, I hope you will diligently learn the architectural skills left by our ancestors.”
The Orcs nodded in unison. Their expressions were resolute.
“Our proud warrior and shaman, Syrsir, have been entrusted with a very important task.”
The Orcs nodded.
“We heard he will specialize in breeding monsters.”
Breeding monsters!
They must have been so surprised when they first heard that. Frankly, they thought it was absurd.
But now, it was different. They were actually looking forward to it. Just thinking about it made their hearts swell. The fact that their ancestors raised those ferocious monsters like livestock was something to be proud of, and now it felt so satisfying that they would do the same.
So, they were honestly envious of Syrsir. They thought, ‘I want to take on a heavy responsibility for the future of the Orcs like Syrsir.’ That’s what they thought.
And they did think that…
“You are also like Syrsir. If Syrsir has been entrusted with the heavy responsibility of our future sustenance, you have been entrusted with the heavy responsibility of building the foundation for our future.”
They really were entrusted with it.
Just now, didn’t the chief clearly say so?
That they were the key personnel responsible for designing and building the future foundation of the Orcs.
“Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes, we do.”
“We’ve definitely understood.”
The Orcs nodded with determination.
It was heard that the Orcs were making copies of the ancestral architectural knowledge for themselves.
They devoted themselves to it for days without even training for themselves.
The Orcs thought that they should work hard even for those who were like that.
“We’ll memorize everything.”
“I’ll study through the night.”
The Orcs expressed their aspirations without hesitation. Karim nodded with satisfaction at them.
Karim’s Orc faction underwent a significant change.
[A new possible Class Evolution Path is emerging for the Blue Axe Orc tribe!]
[The members of the Blue Axe Orc tribe are granted eligibility for a new class, ‘Orc Architect’!]
[The members of the Blue Axe Orc tribe are granted eligibility for a new class, ‘Monster Keeper’!]
It was the possibility of the emergence of a new class.
And not just any combat class. It was a non-combat class. In the current situation of the Orc faction, the emergence of a non-combat class was truly like rain in a drought.
Even though it might not be specialized in combat, there was no better class for strengthening the foundation.
‘Being named by the system means being able to receive adjustments to abilities from the system.’
If they were to advance to the above two classes, they would have a high chance of receiving the system’s help and obtaining monster breeding abilities or construction-related skills.
“Impressive.”
It was Taehyung’s honest sentiment.
The Orc village was bustling. Everyone was dreaming of a bright future. Every single one of them had a lively spark in their eyes. It seemed so to Taehyung.
The difference between when Taehyung first saw the Orcs of the Blue Axe tribe and now was like night and day.
On the other hand, another excursion to the human world was decided. Because there were many items necessary for development.
The great warrior Chaku once again took charge of this excursion. He led fifty skilled warriors who were proficient in Aura. Since there were barely twenty warriors on the last excursion, the number of people was much greater this time.
They were all doing their best in their respective roles.
But Karim’s heart was uneasy.
And Taehyung noticed his uneasy state sensitively.
“What’s wrong?”
“I feel like I’m standing still too much.”
“Standing still… But you’re clearly working hard, aren’t you?”
“I am trying to. But the road ahead is too long.”
“Um.”
“My Lord. As you’ve seen, the legacy left by our ancestors is truly immense.”
Taehyung nodded in agreement.
Indeed.
The achievements of a once prosperous race contained in the legacy of an era were truly immense.
If one were to peruse the contents of that vast encyclopedia, even renowned scholars in each field would surely be amazed.
‘Who would think of compiling all the knowledge from each field into one book?’
But the High Orcs of the past had done it, and it had come into Karim’s hands.
That’s probably why.
Karim felt such urgency.
Compared to what the ancestors had achieved, the current state of the Orc faction was incomparably meager.
“To achieve the tremendous empire depicted in the legacy of our ancestors, we must work even harder than now. We can’t afford to stand still for a moment. But I’m in a state of indecision right now. There is much to be done, but there is no progress.”
“Do you really feel that way?”
“Yes.”
“Really? But I don’t think that way.”
“Then, Lord, how do you feel?”
Karim hesitated. It was a much different appearance from his usual dignified demeanor, always trying to appear as the ruler.
Taehyung chuckled as he saw Karim like this.
At times like this, he thought of the Karim who was weak and clumsy when they first met.
“The truth is, shall I tell you a story?”
“What story?”
“Well, it’s quite old, but I feel like telling you this story. It’s about a country on our Earth. It’s a small country called Bhutan, which was once known as the happiest country in the world.”
Taehyung continued the story.
Bhutan. A small country with less than a million inhabitants. It was once a country that achieved the top spot in the happiness index, but due to the development of the internet and social media, after realizing their own situation, their happiness index plummeted rapidly.
There were several reasons for that, but one of the clear reasons why a country that was once ranked first in happiness fell to the 90th place was ‘comparison.’
Because they realized that everything was lacking compared to the advanced countries. They felt it keenly.
That’s it.
Comparison with others.
It could be a great tool to motivate and boost morale if used well, but if used wrongly, it could become a harmful tool that gnawed at oneself.
The reason why Taehyung suddenly remembered that story was probably because he thought that Karim was just like that.
“So that’s it. Comparison with others… I understand what you mean. I was comparing myself to our ancestors.”
“Okay, I see. You keep comparing yourself to the illustrious ancestors and your current self. It weighs heavily on you, doesn’t it? That’s why you keep feeling impatient. It feels like you should be doing more, like you’re just standing still.
The weight of responsibility is indeed a heavy burden.
Though all orcs may think of Karim as the perfect ruler, Taehyung knew better. Stripping away the physicality of a High Orc, Karim was just like any other orc.
In the end, he was just one orc. The weight of responsibility could crush him. Once doubts crept into his mind, crumbling was almost instantaneous.
Taehyung hoped he wouldn’t succumb to it. He wished he could shake it off and find his original determination.
“Well… it’s difficult. A truly challenging issue. But I understand the concern weighing on you.”
“Well, it’s not that difficult.”
Those who only look forward can’t see what’s behind. Karim was likely the same. He probably didn’t even realize his current state.
“Just ease your mind.”
“Huh?”
Karim tilted his head. Taehyung chuckled.
Taehyung summoned Karim to Earth. Casually, he tapped Karim’s shoulders as he stood bewildered in the living room.
It was Taehyung’s way of comforting him.
Looking at Karim flustered, Taehyung spoke.
“Just ease your mind. Think about it. What’s there to be impatient about? Time is plentiful, and there are plenty of possibilities. Nobody is scrutinizing the orc race, nobody is constraining them. Where could there be a better environment than this?”
“…”
“Am I wrong?”
Karim’s eyes wavered.
“No, to be frank, what could possibly make you feel anxious? You’re the only High Orc in this world. You’re remarkable. You have that ability. So, don’t get too caught up in the traces of the past like ‘ancestral heritage’.”
“…”
“Have confidence in yourself. Just like you used to.”
Karim’s eyes trembled even more.
He looked at Taehyung with uncertain eyes.
Taehyung looked back with a playful expression.
Though it might seem exaggerated, strangely, it eased his mind.
“Just like I used to…”
“Yeah. Just like you used to.”
“…”
“Easy, isn’t it?”
“It’s easy.”
Karim nodded vigorously.
“Really easy.”
“Hehe. That’s right.”
“My lord.”
Thud!
Karim suddenly dropped to his knees. His posture seemed devout.
“You truly are my salvation.”
“Oh, what’s with the kneeling?”
“My lord, you are my savior.”
“Ugh, why are being dramatic?”
Taehyung felt a bit embarrassed, to be honest.
But he didn’t show it. It felt good, after all.
“Hey, get up quickly. You haven’t cleaned the floor. Your knees must be covered in dust.”
Taehyung waved his hand casually and promptly helped him up.
“Let’s stop here and go eat. I’m hungry.”
Coincidentally, Karim’s stomach growled.
“There’s something as amazing as pig trotters. Want to try it? It’s called chicken.”
“Alright.”
A smile crept on Karim’s lips.
The next day.
Karim woke up early in the morning. His expression looked much more refreshed than yesterday.
“He seems remarkably refreshed.”
The heavy burden of worry that had firmly settled in the depths of his mind seemed to have vanished, as if washed away. Thus, he felt incredibly good.
It was all thanks to the Lord. Once again, the Lord had comforted him. He had corrected himself, who could have veered off the wrong path.
“Yeah. No matter how remarkable the ancestral heritage is, it’s just an object. It’s merely a means.”
The important thing was how he used it.
Everything depended on how determined he was.
Now, he had no doubt in his heart. With firm conviction, he planned to push forward with his work.
“It’s been a while since I stretched my body.”
It was still too early for many. He left the village with a refreshing feeling.
Summoning a wolf, he moved north. This time, he intended to really stretch his body, so there might be some noise.
There would still be many orcs asleep, and it would be troublesome if he disturbed their sleep.
“Friend, shall we spar after a long time?”
“Growl!”
A positive response. Karim smirked.
“It’s been a while since we sparred.”
“Growl!”
Karim often sparred with his companion, the wolf Hwan-su.
Of course, Karim was stronger, but the wolf was not to be underestimated. They usually engaged in fierce battles. Of course, Karim always won.
“I won’t go easy on you this time.”
“Growl! Growl!”
“You think you’ll win this time? Haha. I hope you do.”
Karim laughed loudly as he wielded his axe. Despite his relaxed demeanor, a fierce aura emanated from Karim’s body.
“Alright, let’s go.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Karim rushed forward. He swung his axe. The wolf agilely avoided Karim’s attack and fiercely struck with its front paws.
Swish!
Avoided.
A merciless spar ensued. And someone was watching their fight.
It was Kim Gyohun, a man in leather armor.
“Karl. I seem to have found your tracks faster than I thought.”
He muttered to himself.
“An orc using aura. It’s really interesting to see it with my own eyes.”
Good. Decided.
He was a subject for research. He wouldn’t kill him immediately. He would capture him alive and take him away.
“Well, just attach a life to him and take him away.”
But it seemed quite challenging. ‘Strength’ was not ‘immortality’. No matter how strong you were, if your throat was cut, you died, and if you were stabbed in the vital spot, you were seriously injured.
He thought carefully about how to deal with that orc and continued to watch their fight.
“A silver wolf? That’s interesting too. Was such a wolf inside this forest?”
He continued to mutter comfortably, like an audience watching a play.
He didn’t think his position would be exposed. His class, “Dark Tracker,” specialized in stealth. Even if that orc was strong and handled aura, the chances of him noticing were extremely low. Especially during such intense fighting.
But he didn’t know. Sometimes beings appeared that defied common sense.
Karim gathered thirty Orcs of the Blue Axe tribe and continued his passionate education.
Without a single movement, the thirty Orcs focused on Karim’s words. They were all particularly skilled craftsmen within the tribe, selected by Karim as architects.
“Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes, I do.”
“We’ve understood.”
“Good. The establishment of the ground where we will live in the future depends on your hands. So, I hope you will diligently learn the architectural skills left by our ancestors.”
The Orcs nodded in unison. Their expressions were resolute.
“Our proud warrior and shaman, Syrsir, have been entrusted with a very important task.”
The Orcs nodded.
“We heard he will specialize in breeding monsters.”
Breeding monsters!
They must have been so surprised when they first heard that. Frankly, they thought it was absurd.
But now, it was different. They were actually looking forward to it. Just thinking about it made their hearts swell. The fact that their ancestors raised those ferocious monsters like livestock was something to be proud of, and now it felt so satisfying that they would do the same.
So, they were honestly envious of Syrsir. They thought, ‘I want to take on a heavy responsibility for the future of the Orcs like Syrsir.’ That’s what they thought.
And they did think that…
“You are also like Syrsir. If Syrsir has been entrusted with the heavy responsibility of our future sustenance, you have been entrusted with the heavy responsibility of building the foundation for our future.”
They really were entrusted with it.
Just now, didn’t the chief clearly say so?
That they were the key personnel responsible for designing and building the future foundation of the Orcs.
“Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes, we do.”
“We’ve definitely understood.”
The Orcs nodded with determination.
It was heard that the Orcs were making copies of the ancestral architectural knowledge for themselves.
They devoted themselves to it for days without even training for themselves.
The Orcs thought that they should work hard even for those who were like that.
“We’ll memorize everything.”
“I’ll study through the night.”
The Orcs expressed their aspirations without hesitation. Karim nodded with satisfaction at them.
Karim’s Orc faction underwent a significant change.
[A new possible Class Evolution Path is emerging for the Blue Axe Orc tribe!]
[The members of the Blue Axe Orc tribe are granted eligibility for a new class, ‘Orc Architect’!]
[The members of the Blue Axe Orc tribe are granted eligibility for a new class, ‘Monster Keeper’!]
It was the possibility of the emergence of a new class.
And not just any combat class. It was a non-combat class. In the current situation of the Orc faction, the emergence of a non-combat class was truly like rain in a drought.
Even though it might not be specialized in combat, there was no better class for strengthening the foundation.
‘Being named by the system means being able to receive adjustments to abilities from the system.’
If they were to advance to the above two classes, they would have a high chance of receiving the system’s help and obtaining monster breeding abilities or construction-related skills.
“Impressive.”
It was Taehyung’s honest sentiment.
The Orc village was bustling. Everyone was dreaming of a bright future. Every single one of them had a lively spark in their eyes. It seemed so to Taehyung.
The difference between when Taehyung first saw the Orcs of the Blue Axe tribe and now was like night and day.
On the other hand, another excursion to the human world was decided. Because there were many items necessary for development.
The great warrior Chaku once again took charge of this excursion. He led fifty skilled warriors who were proficient in Aura. Since there were barely twenty warriors on the last excursion, the number of people was much greater this time.
They were all doing their best in their respective roles.
But Karim’s heart was uneasy.
And Taehyung noticed his uneasy state sensitively.
“What’s wrong?”
“I feel like I’m standing still too much.”
“Standing still… But you’re clearly working hard, aren’t you?”
“I am trying to. But the road ahead is too long.”
“Um.”
“My Lord. As you’ve seen, the legacy left by our ancestors is truly immense.”
Taehyung nodded in agreement.
Indeed.
The achievements of a once prosperous race contained in the legacy of an era were truly immense.
If one were to peruse the contents of that vast encyclopedia, even renowned scholars in each field would surely be amazed.
‘Who would think of compiling all the knowledge from each field into one book?’
But the High Orcs of the past had done it, and it had come into Karim’s hands.
That’s probably why.
Karim felt such urgency.
Compared to what the ancestors had achieved, the current state of the Orc faction was incomparably meager.
“To achieve the tremendous empire depicted in the legacy of our ancestors, we must work even harder than now. We can’t afford to stand still for a moment. But I’m in a state of indecision right now. There is much to be done, but there is no progress.”
“Do you really feel that way?”
“Yes.”
“Really? But I don’t think that way.”
“Then, Lord, how do you feel?”
Karim hesitated. It was a much different appearance from his usual dignified demeanor, always trying to appear as the ruler.
Taehyung chuckled as he saw Karim like this.
At times like this, he thought of the Karim who was weak and clumsy when they first met.
“The truth is, shall I tell you a story?”
“What story?”
“Well, it’s quite old, but I feel like telling you this story. It’s about a country on our Earth. It’s a small country called Bhutan, which was once known as the happiest country in the world.”
Taehyung continued the story.
Bhutan. A small country with less than a million inhabitants. It was once a country that achieved the top spot in the happiness index, but due to the development of the internet and social media, after realizing their own situation, their happiness index plummeted rapidly.
There were several reasons for that, but one of the clear reasons why a country that was once ranked first in happiness fell to the 90th place was ‘comparison.’
Because they realized that everything was lacking compared to the advanced countries. They felt it keenly.
That’s it.
Comparison with others.
It could be a great tool to motivate and boost morale if used well, but if used wrongly, it could become a harmful tool that gnawed at oneself.
The reason why Taehyung suddenly remembered that story was probably because he thought that Karim was just like that.
“So that’s it. Comparison with others… I understand what you mean. I was comparing myself to our ancestors.”
“Okay, I see. You keep comparing yourself to the illustrious ancestors and your current self. It weighs heavily on you, doesn’t it? That’s why you keep feeling impatient. It feels like you should be doing more, like you’re just standing still.
The weight of responsibility is indeed a heavy burden.
Though all orcs may think of Karim as the perfect ruler, Taehyung knew better. Stripping away the physicality of a High Orc, Karim was just like any other orc.
In the end, he was just one orc. The weight of responsibility could crush him. Once doubts crept into his mind, crumbling was almost instantaneous.
Taehyung hoped he wouldn’t succumb to it. He wished he could shake it off and find his original determination.
“Well… it’s difficult. A truly challenging issue. But I understand the concern weighing on you.”
“Well, it’s not that difficult.”
Those who only look forward can’t see what’s behind. Karim was likely the same. He probably didn’t even realize his current state.
“Just ease your mind.”
“Huh?”
Karim tilted his head. Taehyung chuckled.
Taehyung summoned Karim to Earth. Casually, he tapped Karim’s shoulders as he stood bewildered in the living room.
It was Taehyung’s way of comforting him.
Looking at Karim flustered, Taehyung spoke.
“Just ease your mind. Think about it. What’s there to be impatient about? Time is plentiful, and there are plenty of possibilities. Nobody is scrutinizing the orc race, nobody is constraining them. Where could there be a better environment than this?”
“…”
“Am I wrong?”
Karim’s eyes wavered.
“No, to be frank, what could possibly make you feel anxious? You’re the only High Orc in this world. You’re remarkable. You have that ability. So, don’t get too caught up in the traces of the past like ‘ancestral heritage’.”
“…”
“Have confidence in yourself. Just like you used to.”
Karim’s eyes trembled even more.
He looked at Taehyung with uncertain eyes.
Taehyung looked back with a playful expression.
Though it might seem exaggerated, strangely, it eased his mind.
“Just like I used to…”
“Yeah. Just like you used to.”
“…”
“Easy, isn’t it?”
“It’s easy.”
Karim nodded vigorously.
“Really easy.”
“Hehe. That’s right.”
“My lord.”
Thud!
Karim suddenly dropped to his knees. His posture seemed devout.
“You truly are my salvation.”
“Oh, what’s with the kneeling?”
“My lord, you are my savior.”
“Ugh, why are being dramatic?”
Taehyung felt a bit embarrassed, to be honest.
But he didn’t show it. It felt good, after all.
“Hey, get up quickly. You haven’t cleaned the floor. Your knees must be covered in dust.”
Taehyung waved his hand casually and promptly helped him up.
“Let’s stop here and go eat. I’m hungry.”
Coincidentally, Karim’s stomach growled.
“There’s something as amazing as pig trotters. Want to try it? It’s called chicken.”
“Alright.”
A smile crept on Karim’s lips.
The next day.
Karim woke up early in the morning. His expression looked much more refreshed than yesterday.
“He seems remarkably refreshed.”
The heavy burden of worry that had firmly settled in the depths of his mind seemed to have vanished, as if washed away. Thus, he felt incredibly good.
It was all thanks to the Lord. Once again, the Lord had comforted him. He had corrected himself, who could have veered off the wrong path.
“Yeah. No matter how remarkable the ancestral heritage is, it’s just an object. It’s merely a means.”
The important thing was how he used it.
Everything depended on how determined he was.
Now, he had no doubt in his heart. With firm conviction, he planned to push forward with his work.
“It’s been a while since I stretched my body.”
It was still too early for many. He left the village with a refreshing feeling.
Summoning a wolf, he moved north. This time, he intended to really stretch his body, so there might be some noise.
There would still be many orcs asleep, and it would be troublesome if he disturbed their sleep.
“Friend, shall we spar after a long time?”
“Growl!”
A positive response. Karim smirked.
“It’s been a while since we sparred.”
“Growl!”
Karim often sparred with his companion, the wolf Hwan-su.
Of course, Karim was stronger, but the wolf was not to be underestimated. They usually engaged in fierce battles. Of course, Karim always won.
“I won’t go easy on you this time.”
“Growl! Growl!”
“You think you’ll win this time? Haha. I hope you do.”
Karim laughed loudly as he wielded his axe. Despite his relaxed demeanor, a fierce aura emanated from Karim’s body.
“Alright, let’s go.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Karim rushed forward. He swung his axe. The wolf agilely avoided Karim’s attack and fiercely struck with its front paws.
Swish!
Avoided.
A merciless spar ensued. And someone was watching their fight.
It was Kim Gyohun, a man in leather armor.
“Karl. I seem to have found your tracks faster than I thought.”
He muttered to himself.
“An orc using aura. It’s really interesting to see it with my own eyes.”
Good. Decided.
He was a subject for research. He wouldn’t kill him immediately. He would capture him alive and take him away.
“Well, just attach a life to him and take him away.”
But it seemed quite challenging. ‘Strength’ was not ‘immortality’. No matter how strong you were, if your throat was cut, you died, and if you were stabbed in the vital spot, you were seriously injured.
He thought carefully about how to deal with that orc and continued to watch their fight.
“A silver wolf? That’s interesting too. Was such a wolf inside this forest?”
He continued to mutter comfortably, like an audience watching a play.
He didn’t think his position would be exposed. His class, “Dark Tracker,” specialized in stealth. Even if that orc was strong and handled aura, the chances of him noticing were extremely low. Especially during such intense fighting.
But he didn’t know. Sometimes beings appeared that defied common sense.
