Helios Orb Chronicle – Chapter 90

Side: Prim

It was 10 AM. The Alliance was finally departing for Mylight. To my surprise, not only us and guild members, but also many people from Feel had come to see us off. The formation of the Alliance had been publicly announced, and considering the possibility of needing to evacuate, their presence was understandable. Still, I never expected so many people to see us off.

“Certainly, that would be the case for a normal Alliance. However, this Alliance includes two Ancient Classes. Furthermore, given your track record, the people of Feel have a great deal of trust in you, which is likely why they’ve come to see you off,” Faris said.

While the people of Feel knew what we had done, I still felt it wasn’t necessary for such a large number of people to see us off. If we succeeded, it would be fine, but if we failed, it would be terribly embarrassing.

“To launch an attack on a settlement with a King and Queen with an Alliance of this size is typically a recipe for failure. In fact, you’re still in the process of gathering more members. It’s precisely because you are here that this number is sufficient. Also, when you talk about ‘if’ and ‘in case of,’ doesn’t that mean you have no intention of failing?”

Faris’s retorts were sharp, and indeed, I had no intention of failing. Both the Orc King and Orc Queen are P-C Rank Monsters. While it’s true they will both be present, they won’t be at the forefront immediately. Therefore, the main force will likely be the higher-class Grand Orcs, joined by the rare Giant Orcs.

Grand Orcs are B-U Rank, but High Classes can defeat them normally. With Alloy weapons added to the mix, numbers will be our only concern.

However, Giant Orcs are S-R Rank Monsters and, with their nearly 5-meter stature, are tougher than their rank suggests. We’ve hunted several of them ourselves, and their attack power, defense, and endurance befit their massive size, making them quite troublesome opponents.

If we continue to defeat them, the King and Queen will eventually emerge, spurred by impatience. However, the Queen will be using her magic and stamina for childbirth, so there’s a possibility she won’t appear until the very end.

“If there’s any concern, it’s the increase in the overall number of monsters, not to mention the rare species. It’s fortunate, though, that Holy Grave took care of the Orc Princess, so that portion hasn’t increased,” Iris said.

Iris is absolutely right. Demi-human Queens and Princesses can give birth multiple times a day, and their offspring mature into adults in less than a day. Therefore, it’s not surprising for settlements with Queens or Princesses to have more monsters than anticipated. Furthermore, with a King present this time, we must consider that both the quantity and quality of monsters will be higher, or we will suffer immense casualties. After all, it is said that Kings can sire rare species.

“Even for High Classes, facing Giant Orcs is challenging. However, this time, the Orders have been equipped with swords made of Jade Silver. From what I’ve heard, this will significantly strengthen your forces, making it possible to defeat Giant Orcs even in small numbers,” Muse chimed in.

Depending on the monster, it’s not impossible for a High Class to defeat an S-R Rank Monster alone. In fact, the Sky-Dive Shark we recently defeated, an S-R Rank Monster, was handled without trouble by Holy Grave’s High Classes. However, Giant Orcs, due to their massive size, possess attack power, defense, and endurance superior to the Sky-Dive Shark, making them difficult even for G-Rank Hunters to defeat individually. I’ve always felt that the Monster Rank system is somewhat ambiguous, and perhaps it’s time for a review.

“Honestly, Glass Wolves are always so quick to attack.”
“Even so, the numbers should have decreased.”

While I was thinking, Yamato and Rex had already taken down a Glass Wolf. I knew they would attack, but with this many people, I doubted a mere Glass Wolf would be a problem, and currently, Yamato, Rex, and Cliff were on monster patrol duty, so we didn’t need to intervene.

“Order’s Master, how are the Jade Silver swords?” Riala asked Rex for his opinion on the swords forged from Jade Silver.

“These are amazing. I used them with the same feel as always, but even Magic Silver creates some stagnation in the flow of magic. However, this Jade Silver has none of that.”
“Isn’t that incredible? Even a new Magic Silver sword develops stagnation once magic flows through it.”
“Ah. To think these will eventually be officially distributed. It’s a great help.”

This is Rex’s first time defeating monsters with Jade Silver swords, I presume. I’m glad he’s happy.

“By the way, Yamato, aren’t you going to the Royal Capital in five days?”
“Yes. I’m scheduled to report to His Majesty and the Grand Crafter’s Master. It’s not the main reason, but I also plan to pay a visit to the Fallheight family.”
“Meena mentioned that too. Father and Mother must be looking forward to it.”

The conversation has shifted from Jade Silver to Meena’s marriage, but for Yamato, this is more important, and Rex is also involved, so it’s fine.

“Ah, speaking of which, Yamato, since you’re marrying Meena, you’ll become the Order’s Master’s brother-in-law. Won’t nobles be envious of such a connection to an Ancient Human?”
“That may be true, but it wasn’t something I was aiming for. While Meena was practically love at first sight, Yamato back then was still, to put it strangely, a High Human.”
“That’s certainly true, but Order’s Master, you didn’t realize Meena was in love with Yamato until they announced their engagement, did you?”
“Th-that’s also true, but…”

Elena’s retort made the Order’s Master flustered. However, if that’s the case, Yamato isn’t much better. Like me, he was oblivious to Meena’s and Flam’s feelings, and even with Rika. Yuri, on the other hand, never tried to hide his feelings from the start, so it would be strange if I hadn’t noticed. It’s practically a done deal, so I suppose I’ll have to accept it.

“Yamato. A level 67 Ancient Human and a P-Rank Hunter. I heard that as a reward for saving Feel, he was bestowed a Knightly Title, and a marriage with H.R.H. Yuriana is also being considered.”
“Is that so? A Knightly Title, and marrying a princess, that’s amazing!”

Muse already knows so much, even though she’s not from Feel’s Order. Gram probably let it slip.

“The Knightly Title aside, marriage to Yuri isn’t decided yet. I’m prepared to accept it, but Yamato seems more concerned about the Knightly Title.”
“Why… oh, I see. That makes sense, he would be concerned.”
“What do you mean?”

Muse of the Order immediately understood the reason, but Faris, being a Hunter, didn’t quite grasp it.

“It’s no wonder Faris doesn’t know. Faris, do you know how to rank up in Order Rank?”
“C-rank is level 21, B-rank is level 31, S-rank is High Class, and G-rank is a Knightly Title, right?”

That’s common knowledge, so many people know it, not just those in Orders.

When you register with the Guild, you become T-rank, and after a year, you become I-rank. However, you are only considered a squire until then, and cannot even call yourself an Order if registered with the Order’s Guild. Upon reaching level 21, you are promoted to C-rank and can officially call yourself an Order. Then, at level 31, you are promoted to B-rank Order, which is said to be the most common. However, evolving into High Class is a prerequisite for further advancement. Evolving into High Class leads to S-rank promotion, but the conditions are so strict that there are only a few individuals in each branch. Therefore, most people get stuck here. However, those who are bestowed a Knightly Title can directly ascend to G-rank. When appointed to Royal Order, which corresponds to the Royal Knights, you are promoted to P-rank Order. All Royal Orders consist of High Classes, thus ensuring the Royal Family’s security. I recall hearing that the Sub-Order’s Master is also P-rank. Upon being appointed Order’s Master, you are promoted to M-rank Order, and I’ve heard that even if you later become a Royal Order, you will not be demoted. And beyond that, for A-rank Order, currently, only the Grand Order’s Master exists. You must receive the title of Sky Knight from His Majesty, and there are very few instances of anyone other than a succession of Grand Order’s Masters becoming Sky Knights. Thus, it can be said that it currently refers to the Grand Order’s Master. And the highest rank, O-rank Order, requires evolution into an Ancient Class. Looking back at history, there have only been a few Ancient Orders, so naturally, there are none currently.

A Knightly Title acts as an Order’s title, so Yamato being bestowed one means he will also be registered with the Order’s Guild. However, since Yamato is a Hunter, he will be registered as an Outsider Order, a collaborating party. He can continue to be a Hunter and use Knight Magic except in emergencies, so Yamato seems interested. In that case, Yamato would normally be a G-rank Order. However, since he has already evolved into an Ancient Human, he also meets the requirements for O-rank Order.

If a G-rank Order is appointed Order’s Master, they are promoted directly to M-rank, skipping P-rank. Also, if you exceed level 21 or 31 during the T-rank period, you can be promoted to C-rank or B-rank, skipping I-rank. Therefore, it is entirely possible for Yamato, who has already evolved into an Ancient Human, to become an O-rank Order.

“I see, so that’s how Order Ranks work.”
“That being said, it will be His Majesty who decides whether Yamato becomes an O-rank Order or a G-rank Order with a Knightly Title.”
“That must be a headache for both His Majesty and the Orders.”

Indeed. He’s requesting to be a G-rank Order despite being eligible for O-rank, and it’s simply a matter of meeting the conditions, not a guarantee that he can become an O-rank Order. Ah, perhaps O-rank Order also requires the title of Sky Knight. As the highest rank in Order Rank, it’s not unreasonable to require both Ancient Class and Sky Knight. However, it’s the King who decides, so I suppose it can wait until then.

“It’s time. Next up are Prim, Faris, Muse, and Elena.”
Ah, it’s time for our shift change. We equipped ourselves using Ee-quipping to switch with Yamato, Rex, Cliff, and Dart, who were on monster watch. Using the Statering operator allows for casting without incantation, so there’s no risk of misspeaking, which is a great help.

“This Ee-quipping magic is really convenient, isn’t it?”
“I agree. Even though it’s Magic Silver, armor is heavy, and once you take it off, it’s a hassle to put back on, so we normally wear it continuously during marches. But Ee-quipping allows for instant donning and doffing, so we can put it away in storage when not in use, which also reduces the burden on the Battle Horse.” Muse mumbled, and Elena seconded her. Simply retrieving weapons and shields is sufficient with storage, but that’s not the case with armor. Armor cannot be easily removed, and once removed, it cannot be put back on quickly. However, with Ee-quipping, this hassle is eliminated, and it can be put on and taken off in an instant. This allows us to wear armor even during marches and live comfortably and lightly during breaks. It also conserves stamina, so the benefits of using this magic are significant. For High Class’s Physicalling, it doesn’t consume that much stamina.

Side: Yamato

It’s currently past 7:30 PM. We encountered some monsters, but they were only Goblins, Glass Wolves, Glass Boars, and Forest Bees, which were easily dealt with by the Alliance. We found a suitable spot for camping and just finished dinner. For dinner, the Trader’s Guild provided us with Blue Lake Bull stewed in red wine. The wine was a high-class item, so I never thought it would be used in a dish like this outside of this world, but learning that it was a dish brought by a guest made me understand. The meat was tender and incredibly delicious.

“For guard duty, I think we should split into five teams of three.”
“What’s the reason for that?”
“It’s because we have numbers, and everyone here is capable of fighting a hundred on their own. More importantly, tomorrow we plan to attack an Orc settlement. The less time we have to rest, the better.” Rex, the Alliance leader, discussed guard duty allocation with Faris, the Hunter’s leader. I’m aware that my night-camping experience is limited to once, and that was with Prim, so I don’t know how to organize night-watch duty. I might be able to divide it, but managing it with balance would be impossible.

“I see. You’re right. If we start guard duty at 8 PM, and it’s a two-hour shift, we have until 6 AM.”
“It feels a bit too long, but since we’re not planning a surprise attack first thing in the morning, and we’ve asked Yamato and Prim to scout from the air, I think the attack should happen after lunch. Eating a bit earlier, before the Orcs have their meal, would be ideal.” Of course, demi-humans also eat. Mylight is rich in berries and has plenty of monsters, so they don’t lack food. As for demi-human eating habits, like humans, they eat three meals a day. Humans can tolerate some deviation in meal times and sometimes skip meals, but demi-humans seem to eat at fixed times, making them perhaps more punctual than humans. It’s simply a matter of their ecology.

“Let’s go with that. Now, regarding the guard duty rotation, what’s your proposal, Faris?”
“It’s best to pair those who are accustomed to working together, but we must also be prepared for potential midnight raids. Fortunately, as an Alliance, minor monster incursions won’t be an issue, so deciding the time slots by lottery or something similar might be a good idea.” I agree with that. Even if we’re assigned the middle shift, we should still get enough sleep so we don’t carry fatigue into tomorrow.

“If we pair those who are accustomed to working together, that would mean Raid and Orders. In that case, Wing Crest only has two members; would that be a problem?”
“That’s true, but on the contrary, I feel these two should be separated. Our combat strength is too concentrated.” I feel it myself, but I can’t deny it. “My proposal is: Burks, Salina, and Clarice as one team; Muse, Riala, and Dart as another; Gram, Iris, and Cardina as a third; Order’s Master, Elena, and Prim as a fourth; and finally, myself, Cliff, and Yamato. We have five members, and with Wing Crest having two, it means an Order will be paired with someone from either group, no matter how we divide it.” That’s indeed the case. If Yamato and I are in the same group, Faris and Cliff will each have one Order member. However, for Faris and the others, they’ve only recently come to Feel, so they don’t know the Orders well. While disputes during guard duty are unlikely, they aren’t impossible, and it might prevent them from resting peacefully. So, I understand that pairing those who know each other well is best.

“Indeed. Then, let’s go with that rotation. As for the order, should we use a lottery?”
“I believe that would be the fairest. Frankly, I’d prefer Yamato and Prim, as they are our main combatants, to get as much rest as possible. But if that were the case, it would extend to myself and the Order’s Master, which would then lack fairness.” I appreciate the consideration, but I have more than enough stamina, so a few less hours of sleep won’t be a problem for me.

By chance, the lottery results placed the team of Gram, Iris, and Cardina first. Next was Prim, Rex, and Elena. Following that was my team: myself, Faris, and Cliff. Then came Burks, Salina, and Clarice. Finally, Muse, Riala, and Dart. I was the one who drew the lottery, and I must say, my luck is terrible.

“Since the order is decided, let’s get ready to sleep.”
“Yes. I’m sorry, Faris, Cliff.”
“Don’t worry about it. Compared to our usual duties, this is much easier.” Faris and Cliff have apparently stood watch without sleep several times before, so this is no problem for them. That sounds tough in itself.

“Ah, I need to get out with the Beast Carriage.”
“Please do. I never thought its first use would be for something like this.” I agree. I was thinking of having Jade and Fluorite pull it, but they decided to use it as lodging instead, which feels a bit like misusing the Beast Carriage.

“It’s a lovely Beast Carriage. But I heard the Hippogryphs are still growing; won’t the young ones be unable to fit in this?” Clarice praised it; its exterior is comparable to those used by nobles. But I understand her concern. Its height, including the wheels, is about 2.5 meters, so it would be difficult for Jade or Fluorite to enter.

“I’ve considered that. We use this extendable door here.”
“I see.” So, the stored door automatically deploys and opens. It’s large enough to accommodate not only Jade and Fluorite but even an Evil Drake.

“This Beast Carriage was completed just yesterday. I could have had Jade pull it, but then Fluorite would get jealous, so today it’s serving as lodging.”
“Isn’t that expensive?”
“It was quite a bit.”
“Just ‘quite a bit’ wouldn’t be enough to make such an amazing Beast Carriage. Surely Divine Gold coins were spent, right?” Burks and Salina questioned the price, and indeed, they were. I didn’t compromise much on the cost.

“Given its size, couldn’t it have carried the entire Alliance?”
“I think so, but we decided to use it first with the Union.”
“Given how grand this Beast Carriage is, I can understand that decision.” As Salina said, it could have carried all fifteen members of the Alliance, and considering safety on the road, it would have been better. Like a normal Beast Carriage, it has blind spots at the rear, but we’ve equipped it with mirrors enhanced with Mirroring as a countermeasure. It’s similar to the rearview and side mirrors on a car. This is also Mirroring, but its purpose is purely for the mirror itself, not for storage. Since it doesn’t reflect anything unless magic is channeled from the driver’s seat, it’s not constantly a mirror, which is convenient. The glare from the sun can be quite blinding, so Jade and Fluorite might get startled.

“Well then, let’s get some sleep until our shift.”
“Yes. You seem to have had bad luck with the lottery, so I’ll comfort you.” The bedroom is shared, so we’ll naturally sleep together, but this is actually the first time Prim and I have been alone like this. During our first night, Prim’s mother, who will become my mother-in-law, Apricot, barged in under the guise of giving guidance. The next day, I got engaged to Meena, and the day after that, to Flam. It couldn’t be helped. Prim has her guard duty in two hours, and tomorrow is another important day, so I’ll take it easy today. After bathing with Prim, we went to the bedroom and spent our first time alone together. Prim was very affectionate, but when her time came, she left for her guard duty with a forlorn look. I was disappointed too, and I hope we can spend time together like this again if the opportunity arises.