"Why not stay in our village, then?"

Benimaru's enthusiasm was palpable. The Ogre Tribe was known for their loyalty and pride, disdaining deceit or scheming.

They were deeply grateful to Damien and Ogerpon for saving their lives.

And, of course, there was the matter of their strength.

If Damien, such a powerful spellcaster, joined the village alongside Ogerpon, an A-rank Oni, the Ogre Tribe's power would skyrocket.

"Well, we'll need to think it over."

Damien didn't agree immediately, feigning hesitation.

"Onii-sama, you're being rude!"

Seeing Damien's reluctance, Shuna quickly took over from Benimaru, suggesting they not rush things and first offer proper hospitality.

Whether they stayed would depend on seeing the village.

"Right, right, my apologies for being hasty."

Yet to face the tragedy of their clan's destruction, Benimaru was still a brash, straightforward guy.

"Alright, then."

With the Ogre Tribe's warm invitation, Damien saw no reason to refuse.

After all, he had his own plans to recruit the Ogre Tribe.

Damien held a fondness for them, knowing their future from the original story and wanting to prevent their demise at the hands of the Orc Lord.

Three hundred ogres, averaging B-rank.

Such a formidable force, if under Damien's command, would allow him to establish a firm foothold in the Jura Forest.

Moreover, the Ogre Tribe had great potential, capable of evolving into Oni, or even Divine Onis or Soul Onis.

An army like that was not something Damien would pass up.

And so, Damien joined the Ogre Tribe's group, preparing to return to their village.

Before that, the ogres needed to collect the remains of their fallen kin.

They didn't blame Damien's magic for obliterating some of their tribesmen's bodies, leaving many reduced to ash.

Their sentiment was, "Being buried in the Jura Forest isn't so bad."

"And with so many bugs to accompany them…"

The Ogre Tribe viewed life and death with acceptance.

In such dire circumstances, Damien's intervention was already more than they could've hoped for.

Cleaning the battlefield was mainly to check for survivors.

As expected, there were none.

The bugs' claws carried a potent toxin that even the Ogre Tribe's resilience could only resist briefly.

Shion's survival was nothing short of a miracle.

"Rest in peace, everyone…"

"Lord Damien and Lady Ogerpon have avenged you."

Soon after, led by Benimaru, the ogres held a simple memorial.

Damien and Ogerpon watched silently from the side, not participating, waiting for the ceremony to conclude.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"No trouble at all."

"Please, follow us."

Benimaru led the way toward the village, with Damien and Ogerpon trailing behind.

Along the way, Shuna and Shion kept glancing back.

They were very curious about Ogerpon.

But with Ogerpon sticking close to Damien to protect him, the two girls couldn't find a chance to thank her.

"We're here."

"Welcome to the Ogre Tribe's village!"

Emerging from the dense forest, Damien saw a quaint village.

It was small, with a distinct Japanese architectural style, featuring wooden structures lined along streets in a grid pattern.

Damien knew the reason for this.

The grandfather of the ogre elder, named Byakuya Araki, had crossed over from Japan 300 years ago.

His influence led the Ogre Tribe to wield swords and value loyalty even more than human knights in this world.

The Ogre Tribe bowed to no one.

But once they pledged allegiance, their loyalty was unwavering.

"What happened?"

The village's ogres had noticed Benimaru's return early on.

The families of the fallen were stricken with grief, women and children weeping uncontrollably.

But sorrow held little weight in the monster world, unlike the self-pity of humans.

Perhaps they'd long accepted life and death.

Those who lost kin claimed their loved ones' remains or belongings, burying them in the village's nearby graveyard.

Throughout, Damien showed no impatience, offering basic respect.

"Father!"

After handling the fallen, Benimaru finally had time to introduce Damien to his father, an older red-haired ogre.

"Thank you for your aid."

"Please accept our heartfelt gratitude!"

Led by Benimaru's father, the ogres bowed in unison to Damien.

"No need for that."

Damien waved it off. "I was just passing by and had a score to settle with those bugs, so I lent a hand."

"Even so." The ogre leader said sincerely, "in such a dire situation, without your intervention, my son, daughter, and the others would likely have perished."

"Father, how long are you going to keep Lord Damien and Lady Ogerpon standing here?"

Shuna interjected, "Both lords fought fiercely and traveled far with us. They must be exhausted."

"Right, right!"

Like his son, the ogre leader chuckled awkwardly. "My oversight."

"Honestly!"

Shuna turned to Damien and Ogerpon. "Please wait a moment, my lords. I'll have hot water prepared for a bath."

"Uh…"

Damien wanted to say it wasn't necessary.

But seeing Shuna's earnest gaze, he exchanged a look with Ogerpon and relented. "Alright, thank you."

Shuna was right.

After trekking through the forest, with the sun nearly set, claiming they weren't tired would be a lie.

Shuna's perceptiveness showed a sensitivity rare among the Ogre Tribe.

***

Bonus Chapter:

100 Power Stones = 1 BC

300 Power Stones = 2 BC

500 Power Stones = 3 BC

700 Power Stones = 4 BC

1000 Power Stones = 5 BC

***

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