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“No way…Donzoi, is it really you?”
“Yes, it is I! The great Donzoi!”
“I thought you were dead!”
“Sorry to disappoint, but I’m still kickin’!”
As far as any Orc knew, Donzoi had died during the Battle of Do Banga’s Pit.
However, his body had never been found.
At that time during the war, the Federation had just suffered a series of defeats.
Bash and the rest of the army were constantly retreating, losing comrade after comrade.
It was then that Donzoi suddenly disappeared, not returning from one of the company’s excursions.
Even after the conflict ended, there were no news of him.
For Orcs, going missing in action was synonymous with death.
After all, it was inconceivable for a brave Orc warrior to desert. They might flee, they might hide, they might run, but never would a true Orc abandon the Orcish cause.
“Oh! Mister Donzoi! It’s you! Long time no see!”
“Haha, Zell! You’re here too!”
For all their brutality, Orcs had the quickness of mind to adapt in all matters of war.
If a lost Orc was found by a clan that wasn’t his own, he would seamlessly be adopted into that new clan’s troops.
Later down the line, when they would bump into their original comrades, both parties would be overjoyed, bantering as if it was no big deal that someone had disappeared, “oh, you’re still alive?”, “how have you guys been? Looking good!”
Given these facts, Doizoi was either dead or captured – and as he hadn’t returned after the prisoners of war were freed, he must be dead.
“Ahh, you both look fine and healthy. Bash, oh wait, no Hero Bash is what they call you now, right? It suits you!”
“Oh, no, um…”
Bash then remembered the chains on Donzoi’s legs.
Not to mention the thick iron collar clasped around his neck.
He was unmistakably a slave.
There was no lack of Orcs that left their country, committed crimes in foreign lands, and were enslaved after being caught.
The Hero recalled the Orcs that he saw fighting in the arena the other day… no, now that he thought about it again, that was Donzoi, wasn’t it?
And at that time, Bash had concluded that that was a fitting end for stray Orcs.
His feelings hadn’t changed.
But Donzoi wasn’t that kind of man.
He was always well-prepared and ingenious, sometimes bordering on paranoia, but it remained that he was undoubtedly a brave warrior who was proud to throw himself into battle nonetheless – not the kind of fool that would dare defy the orders of the Orc King.
“…Why are you in this state? What happened?”
“Oh, this…I’m pathetic…this is due to our…no, my lack of power.”
As he answered Bash’s question, Donzoi’s expression was apologetic and full of regret.
However, he soon got himself back together.
“But this year… this year I’ll fix all of it. Rest assured; I will no longer tarnish the pride of the Orcs. In the name of the Orc King.”
“…”
Bash didn’t quite understand what his former comrade meant by those words.
But Donzoi had mentioned the Orc King.
The Hero was sure that whatever the now-slave had done to get himself in this situation, he regretted it deeply and had reflected on it.
If so, then he intended to forgive him.
After all, they were comrades who had gone through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows together and had saved each other’s lives countless times.
If need be, Bash was intent on returning home and interceding with the Orc King on his behalf.
“But why are the two of you here? Ah, wait, forget about me asking, that’s none of my business. Sorry.”
“No, it doesn’t bother me…”
“Ah! I knew you would say that! You’re truly the pride of our Boulder’s Company! As expected of a generous Hero!”
Donzoi praised Bash’s attitude, but then he looked apologetic once more.
“Bash, I’m sorry for asking this of you after you came so far, but… tomorrow…tomorrow, if things keep going the way they are, we’ll end up fighting each other in the finals.”
“Right. What about it?”
“This…is hard to say…”
Donzoi seemed unsure about whether he should keep speaking.
But he raised his eyes towards Bash, clenching his fists and making up his mind.
“Could you lose tomorrow’s match?”
“What?”
“No, scratch that. There’s no way I could let you, the pride of the Orcs, lose to me. Please, just don’t show up and forfeit the fight.”
“…Why? Why would I do that?”
“Why? Hey, do you really want me to personally say this? Please man, give me a break… I’m not as strong as you are, but I’ve got my own pride too, you know? I’m already ashamed enough…”
Donzoi replied with a wry smile without giving a true answer.
To lose on purpose…
To no-show the match…
Bash wasn’t entirely unwilling to do either.
However, the Hero was preoccupied about his reputation – he didn’t want anyone to believe he was a coward.
But as this was the heartfelt request of a former comrade, Bash had enough heart to tolerate a little shame.
“I have my own purpose for being here.”
“Oh, of course you do. I know. But please… we won’t ever tell anyone that you ran away because you were scared. All of us will protect your pride, and we’ll even make sure you’re praised later… right! I can even give you a woman. What about it?”
“…Wait a second, you’re a slave, and you have a woman to give me?”
“Oh, yeah. She’s also a slave. Her name’s Elindy. She’s a good woman. Plenty healthy, and she’s already given birth to three kids… I was going to make her my wife if I ever made it out of here in one piece, but I’ll give her to you if I have to.”
Bash’s face went blank.
Even though he was a Hero, he was also both an Orc and a man.
As all Orcs did, he desired women, and as man, he wasn’t immune to jealousy.
Though he tried to hold back his thoughts, he couldn’t help but feel upset at the fact that a stray-now-slave Orc that had disobeyed the Orc King had a wife, and he was still a virgin.
“…Hmm.”
However, it remained that it was an attractive proposition.
A true Orc does not lie.
If Donzoi stated that she was a good woman, then it was a fact that she was a good woman.
Bash would be able to obtain a good woman without having to go through the effort of winning the Armaments Festival. This was objectively positive.
Donzoi would get whatever it was he wanted, and Bash would get a woman – it was a win-win situation.
The Hero was still ignorant of what his former comrade was planning, but as far as he could tell, he had nothing to lose.
Not to mention that Primera herself seemed to be fully satisfied after Koro’s defeat.
But…
“I know its insolent of me to come here and ask this of you, but please… I want to finish this with my own two hands…”
With those parting words, Donzoi turned around and slowly walked away into the depths of Do Banga’s alleyways.
Soon, the only thing left was the sound of the iron ball grinding on the stone road.
“…what are you going to do, mister?”
“…”
Bash did not answer his companion’s question, silently gazing towards the darkness Donzoi had disappeared into.
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