Unable to react at all, the man took a direct blow to the head.
The enhanced strength of the red orc arms bisected the man’s body cleanly.
The area was filled with the stench of blood as the man’s body split in two, his sword still unraised.
Making a face at the sloshing internal organs, Todd planted the sword in the ground.
“…”
The mountain tribesmen were struck speechless at the death of their chief, while the knights were dumbfounded it was settled so quickly.
Eerie silence filled the battlefield.
Todd’s still unbroken voice pierced the quiet.
“Starting today, the Gil clan will join my forces! If you object, come fight me! Choose submission or death!”
The members of the Gil clan uniformly discarded their bows and cleavers, and raised both hands.
Whether their chief was unpopular or they folded before overwhelming power, there was no resistance.
And so the mountain tribesmen Todd first contacted, aside from the late Gil, all joined under Todd’s banner, becoming his clan from that day forth.
There was a mountain of information he wanted, like each clan’s territories and details about his target Tottila. And now Todd had a new source of intelligence in these mountain tribesmen who had become allies. It would be foolish not to make use of them effectively.
After deliberation, Todd decided to advance no further for now and focus on gathering intel.
By the time he was guided to the tents where the newly minted Todd clan mountain tribesmen lived, the sun had already begun its descent.
He instructed Haruto and Renge to investigate the aptitudes of the mountain tribesmen, while he entered the prepared tent with Raienbach.
Needless to say, Renge shrieked while Haruto shouted joyfully in response.
They had brought along a certain number of enhancement gears,
considering lending them out to any mountain tribesmen with suitable qualities.
Haruto and Renge would probably do a good job assessing that.
(And there’s that bow Haruto used.)
It was a certain weapon he had prototyped with Haruto while bored. Honestly they were at a loss with it since bow skill was required to use it and none of them had that skill.
(It might be interesting to hand it over to someone with aptitude.)
Inside the tent, Todd took off the Shiranui, leaving it nearby in case he needed to equip it quickly.
Meanwhile his escort Raienbach continued wearing his magical plate armor.
Thanks to his presence, Todd had no unease and could relax.
The battle was over with an optimal outcome. He had avoided any particularly psychologically difficult states, not getting overly excited or agitated, maintaining his usual composure.
So by all rights he should be delighted, yet Todd was strangely crestfallen at the moment.
The cause was the mountain tribesmen who had suddenly entered his tent after becoming his clan.
“Chief, this liquor is made with select mare’s milk…”
“Sorry, I’m underage so I’ll have to decline alcohol…”
“It’s unthinkable for a chief to be without women! If you would accept Gil’s concubine, I could prepare one tonight…”
“Again sorry, I’m underage! That’s even more of a no!”
When Todd called in some mountain tribesmen to get a grasp of the terrain here, they had for some reason come smiling into his tent with liquor and women prepared.
While it was likely hospitality in the mountain tribe fashion, it was a bit too stimulating for the still only twelve-year-old Todd.
After shooing out the women, he let in only the middle-aged man named Hammerm.
He had looked surprised to find the person inside the Shiranui armor was a young boy, but showed no signs of disrespecting Todd. I was honestly grateful he didn’t care about age or appearance.
In the might makes right world of the mountain tribes, it was vital he not be looked down on.
“Were the women from earlier not to the chief’s liking? Some younger maidens may be…”
“I don’t need any women, seriously. Oh, but…you can send them over to my companions if you’d like.”
“I see, while inferior to the chief they are quite virile men. Understood.”
“Thanks. Also, call me Todd instead of chief. Todd will do.”
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Lacking sexual desire himself, he felt no aroused elation after battle.
But he didn’t know if the adult Royal Guards felt the same, and if left excited they might make a move on Renge.
He wanted to avoid that, plus completely refusing the mountain tribes’ hospitality seemed like it would leave a bad impression for them.
He could understand their desire to do something for Todd and the others who held overwhelming power over them. The Royal Guards might not receive any proper reward for this mission.
So he thought it was fine for them to gain some benefits.
What Todd told Hammerm was a comprehensive judgment based on various considerations.
“Just meals is fine for me. And if you could talk to me and provide a map of this area. I’d like to get a grasp of the terrain.”
“A map? What’s that?”
Shockingly, they did not make maps.
They just used rocks and trees as landmarks to vaguely understand the surrounding areas.
Their primitive, almost sub-human territorial awareness made Todd want to clutch his head.
“But you know what tribes are in the vicinity right? At least the nearby ones, and probably the famous farther tribes too.”
“Yes, well for the most part. We have a grasp on almost all the nearby tribes, and most of the well-known distant ones as well.”
“You know where to strike them?”
“Before Your overwhelming might, all will bow their heads in submission.”
” …… “
It seems the mountain tribes had no concept of strategy or efficiency.
Whether due to cultural differences or fundamentally divergent mindsets…Todd barely held back the urge to grab his head as he patiently listened to Hammerm.
The tribes who had become Todd’s clan lived on the grasslands separated from the mountain range. The peaks where the mountain tribes believed their gods resided and the foothills were apparently where the most powerful tribes gathered.
In other words, Todd’s clan was quite low in the pecking order for now.
The few dozen who had joined Todd’s clan were all apparently problematic individuals.
Outcasts driven out and those who left their tribes over disputes had gathered and formed the clan led by Gil.
Most of the clans on the kingdom side had members, regardless of size, who bore scars on their legs.
If so, rather than immediately battling powerful tribes, absorbing the clans in this area to expand Todd’s clan was prudent.
After asking about nearby tribes and thanking Hammerm, Todd exited the tent.
Before Hammerm brought the women, Raienbach who had silently stood behind the entire time smiled slightly and relaxed his stance.
“Did it go well? You’ve turned twelve, so isn’t it about time Your Highness learned of worldly pleasures?”
“Oh stop teasing me. I don’t have time for that nonsense right now.”
“No, it’s best for royalty to gain experience early. If you have none when you come of age, it will be trouble. Of course I don’t believe Your Highness would let lust corrupt you.”
“No one’s going to marry me anyway, so I won’t have trouble. What about you Rai? Getting any action?”
“I’m content with my wife alone, thank you. But I believe it would make fine reward for Randon and the others. While I’m already half withered away, their blood must be boiling from battle.”
They had never had such vulgar talk until now. And Todd was just now learning that the ever loyal Raienbach was a family man.
(Come to think of it, Rai is married.)
While impossible in the game, he would make sure Rai spent his life with his wife in this world.
Learning this new side of Raienbach left Todd feeling strangely.
Perhaps because they were both men, thanks to this vulgar talk he felt they had grown a bit closer.
The next morning, Todd groggily opened his eyes after sleeping on simple bedding that seemed to be made of some animal pelt. What roused him was loud voices coming from outside the tent.
Thinking it might be an enemy attack, Todd immediately rushed to get into the Shiranui.
But Raienbach, somehow still standing at attention in the exact same posture as yesterday, stopped him.
“It doesn’t seem to be enemies, likely tribesmen. If inside this tent, I can take their heads faster than they can harm Your Highness. Please relax and remain still.”
“Yeah…thanks.”
Todd used magic to draw water into a bucket and washed his face.
After waking up his mind, he sat cross-legged on the fur.
Feeling reassured by Raienbach behind him, Todd wondered why Rai was still standing at attention without even taking off his armor, same as yesterday.
But before he could ask, the voices from outside grew loud enough to hear.
“Hey, wait a minute! His Highness just woke up, isn’t that soon enough?”
“Yes, you really should settle down…”
“There’s no time left! If I have talent, lend it to me now!”
There were three voices, two belonging to Haruto and Renge.
The one they were talking to and holding back was likely the mountain tribesman who had caused this commotion.
“Let him in.”
“Oh, good morning, Your Highness. Is it really alright to enter? If there’s a girl I can come back later.”
“No kidding, just come in normally.”
“Pardon my intrusion then.”
Haruto, Renge, and a boy they had brought entered the tent.
The boy had Mongoloid features and thick eyelids.
He seemed around Todd’s age.
Though it wasn’t his place to say, he was too young to be on the battlefield.
But his eyes themselves were large and shone fiercely, with canine teeth protruding from his mouth despite his eyes being closed.
His eyes were bloodshot, as if he were agitated.
Haruto turned slightly away in response to the unspoken look that seemed to say, “Why did you bring this guy here before calming him down?”
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