The Record of Orc Civilization

Chapter 360  Activities in West Fortress

"Hey! Don't just put it anywhere; there are dangerous explosives inside! Do you want to blow this place up?" a supervisor in military uniform scolded his subordinate, who was carrying a box containing explosives.

"Ah, I'm sorry!" the sweaty subordinate apologized, but the smile on his face didn't fade.

"Hurry, load it up! Load it up! We don't have much time before the other caravans arrive!!" the supervisor commanded with enthusiasm.

"Hey! Arion guys are coming again; make space for them to put their stuff!!" a mage ordered the soldiers at work.

Swiftly, they cleared the space, and before long, a horde of tall, green-skinned men appeared, carrying large boxes on their shoulders. The boxes looked very heavy, requiring more than two people to lift them. However, for the arion species, the boxes were relatively light, with each of them carrying three boxes at once without breaking a sweat.

"These are the supplies we can spare today. Apologies for the lesser quantity than yesterday, but the construction of the fortress wall is proceeding quite tightly," one arion girl approached the mage and explained.

She was the only arion who could speak the human language without the need for a translation spell. Her presence was not unusual as she was assigned as a liaison between West Fortress and the Human Alliance. However, her beauty and allure still managed to momentarily halt human activities.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! What are you doing, get back to work!!" the mage reprimanded his subordinates who were gazing at the beautiful woman in front of them. The soldiers resumed work before the mage became truly angry and executed them on the spot. However, seeing no more disturbances around him, the mage's face immediately softened.

"Ah... Ah... it's okay, Ariana. You don't need to bother reporting it; we're very grateful for your help... hahaha... Ah... Are you not tired? How about we take a short break? I have good wine in my tent... hahaha..." the mage said nervously.

"Thank you for your offer, but I have to get back to my post. Goodbye," Ariana, the arion girl, turned briefly and walked away with the other arion. The mage could only longingly gaze at Ariana's departing figure (ass). This brief encounter happened every day, and the soldiers would simply laugh at the mage before returning to their work.

The hustle and bustle echoed through West Fortress like a market during a massive discount sale. Arion and humans worked shoulder to shoulder, loading various supplies into the carriages of mutated beasts. Prince Moku didn't retract his words; he truly gave half of West Fortress to the Human Alliance. As a result, the supply caravans no longer needed to take the risk of camping in the dangerous Bog Forest.

The life-and-death journey to the front lines felt like a leisurely outing. Soldiers preparing for battle could rest their heads for a moment on warm beds. At least they could calm their nerves before heading into battle.

Artur and Robert walked side by side through the bustling scene. A wide smile adorned Robert's face, in stark contrast to Artur's furrowed brow. Today, they had a meeting scheduled with Anna, or perhaps she should now be called Nevare – an honorary title among the arion species for a queen.

"I really have to commend Prince Moku for his generosity. I can't fathom the breadth of his heart when he gave us half of this fortress," Robert nodded with a satisfied smile.

"Hmm…"

"Even though we didn't manage to get the arion to fight alongside us, at least with the help from Prince Moku, we don't have to worry about supplies for the front line," Robert continued, taking light steps.

"Hmm..."

"You know, maybe after this, the Human Alliance and Wilwatikta Kingdom can become closer. Who knows, there might be some political marriages in the future... Hmm... If that happens, count me in. These arion women are truly beautiful, and their bodies... Uuuu... 'Hot' doesn't even begin to describe it," Robert didn't forget to wave his hand to greet one of the arion girls they passed. The arion girl responded with a smile and a nod, leaving Robert staring at her for an uncomfortably long time.

"Hmm..."

"Ah, wait for me... Why are you in such a hurry, Artur? Don't you want to chat with her? Ugh... I want to know her name... Hmm... Maybe Prince Moku has a sister... Do you think I'm worthy of proposing to her? Hehehe... that way, maybe we could become brothers-in-law," Robert chuckled joyfully.

Artur suddenly stopped, nearly causing Robert to bump into him. With a very grim expression, Artur turned and looked at Robert with menacing eyes, "Do you not find this strange?"

"What's strange about it?" Robert asked, taking a step back when he saw Artur's face, as if ready to pounce.

"All of this is very strange! Think about it. Since when does a sovereign simply hand over half of his territory to a stranger he just met?" Artur retorted.

"Wow, wow, wow, easy, boy! What are you saying? Was your voice not loud enough? Don't talk like that," with fear, Robert glanced around to make sure no arion was near them.

"And the resources he gave us, don't you think the amount is too much? Where did he get all those mana organs? Did he eradicate every mutated animal in the Bog Forest?" Artur continued, ignoring Robert's anxiety.

"Hey! The Bog Forest is much larger than you think! It's the second-largest forest in the continent after the Lawsii Forest. However, unlike the Lawsii Forest inhabited by warbeasts, the Bog Forest is a Mana Field. So, it's reasonable to assume that the resources here are much more abundant," Robert presented his argument.

"Okay, then how can you explain why the Bog Forest still remains a Mana Field even though the arion species live in it? Isn't it common knowledge that a Mana Field cannot form if there are Mana Species living nearby?" Artur continued as his forehead furrowed.

"Hey, didn't you see the structures of their buildings? They have Mana preservation technology far more advanced than ours. Maybe they have a way to keep the Mana undisturbed so they can maintain the natural state of the Bog Forest," Robert said, pointing to the buildings around them.

Each of these buildings was made of Mana Organs emitting an aura similar to mutated animals. Although the buildings appeared to have only one floor from the surface, in reality, they had three or four floors underground. Some mages had tried to study the secrets behind these buildings, but none had been able to unravel them.

The problem lay in how the arion species processed Mana Organs. Although humans had found technology to turn Mana Organs into weapons, turning them into building materials was something entirely new. It was one of the intriguing secrets to be solved, aside from the mysterious Mana control techniques of the arion species.

"Ugh..." Artur could no longer respond, but he didn't give up so easily. "Then what about my first question? What caused that guy to willingly hand over half of this fortress to us?" Artur put on a smug face as if he had won this debate.

But Robert just shook his head and casually replied, "Isn't this an easy answer? Of course, it's because he loves Consort Anna! Didn't you see the doting look he gave her at the meeting a few days ago? I've never seen a prince smile when his wife falls asleep during such a significant meeting. Gupita also explained to us that Prince Moku is willing to defy the Arion King to marry Consort Anna. So, perhaps to win Consort Anna's heart, Prince Moku is facilitating things for humans, the species of woman he loves!"

"Ugh... I can't believe that's the reason. Haven't you heard that guy has other women besides Anna? I even heard he's already married to four other women!" Artur retorted, still unable to accept it.

"Hey, Prince Moku is a king's son! Don't you think it's strange if he only marries one woman? I understand if you're still new to nobility, but know that a noble sometimes can't choose whom to marry. Connections, stability, and the security of the kingdom must also be considered! Although he's not the only prince in the Wilwatikta Kingdom, he still carries out his duty as a ruler's son," Robert responded firmly.

"Huft!" Artur just snorted before turning around and walking faster.

Robert grabbed Artur's shoulder forcefully and stared into his eyes, "Hey, Artur! I understand that you're a siscon. But you have to control those feelings and be professional! Don't let your feelings and foolish fantasies ruin our relationship with Prince Moku! Your behavior only hurts Consort Anna; do you understand what I'm saying?"

Artur sighed deeply and shook his head. "I understand what you mean. But believe me, if this has nothing to do with Anna, I just can't trust that guy! I always sense danger from him that keeps me on edge!"

"Well, isn't it natural to feel that way? After all, Prince Moku is a Level 5 Constellation Mage; Uncle Gathjee even suspects he might have reached Level 6. Even Uncle Vate, let alone you, feels fear when around him," Robert said.

"Sigh... I hope it's really just that," Artur nodded, trying to accept Robert's explanation.

"Let it go; don't dwell on it too much. Put on a cheerful face; we're meeting Consort Anna. We're starting the operation to rescue the slaves, and I don't want your sour mood to spoil the atmosphere," Robert said, patting Artur's shoulder.

"I understand," Artur nodded and resumed walking with a more cheerful expression. Nevertheless, he couldn't shake off his worries and suspicions.