"What are we doing? Are we going to climb the slope by riding on top of the power animal again!"
Bookworm had mentioned a secret passage, but Hammerstriker confused this with the exit of Hueso's tunnel.
"If we try to do such a thing, we'll bite the dust along with the elemental attacks of the weapons on top of the walls starting at the end of the slope. The people inside the castle are in a state of war and all their defense systems are active. We aren't heading for the sky, we're heading underground!"
Moving his index finger from top to bottom as if drawing a half-moon shaped arc, Bookworm took a few steps, then made a cut on his right hand and dripped his blood onto the wet grass. First one, then two, and then the blood pouring drop by drop rested on the grass, but the purple-robed orc didn't seem like he was going to stop.
While everyone wondered what he was doing, a magic circle surrounding them began to appear on the ground. The circular area with Bookworm at its center glowed, and finally, after ten seconds had passed, it suddenly vanished along with everyone inside.
When those who had closed their eyes in astonishment opened them again, they saw they were inside a tunnel paved with thin-edged, rectangular, dark black stones. The tunnel's width was enough for at most two people to pass side by side, and as for its height, if Alyon wanted to walk comfortably, he might have to duck his head a little.
"We will advance in a single file! When we reach the end of the road, leave the talking to me!"
Following the extraordinary experience they had, they began to follow Bookworm without making a sound. It wasn't the right time to question the words of someone who had successfully managed to move them comfortably across an entire continent.
The tunnel was narrow, the air inside was limited, and the orcs were huge; no one was comfortable except for Bookworm. Fortunately, their walk didn't last long; before ten minutes had passed, they arrived in front of a door rusting from its hinges.
When Bookworm pushed it slowly, the heap of metal moved, crying out as if its flesh was being torn from its bones, and before two breaths passed, it came off its hinges and crashed onto the stone floor. The noise it made while opening was a drop in the ocean compared to its final stunt. Judging by the footsteps rushing in from all sides, more than one person was coming here.
When they exited the tunnel and raised their heads, the thirteen orcs trapped in a small circular area were seen to be surrounded by nearly a hundred soldiers, but they weren't the biggest threat. Right in front of them were two, on their right and left were four, and above their heads were five mechanical weapons, waiting ready to be fired at any moment.
If they tried to run back, it was impossible for them to fit into the tunnel all at once; if they wanted to fight, the soldiers on the walls higher than five paces could attack using their positional advantage, and most importantly, the barrels of mechanical devices, whose elemental attacks they didn't know, were pointed right at them.
The tension increased with every breath; neither side had made a move yet, but it didn't look like this was going to end well until Bookworm spoke.
"Is this how the Balsici family welcomes their guests?"
Upon the end of Bookworm's words, a new footstep emerged; it was obvious he was descending the stairs with slow but steady steps, and when thirty breaths passed, the orcs trapped in what could be called a pit were finally able to see who it was.
"Get our guests out of there immediately! My master is waiting for them in the Great Hall for dinner!"
With the command of the pale-skinned man who had tied his yellow hair into a ponytail starting from the nape of his neck, the soldiers lowered their weapons. An archer on the right side pulled a long lever to reveal the hidden stairs that would help the orcs come up, but when he turned his gaze to the pit, he saw no one was there.
"How nice of you to come greet us in person, Sasha. We'll enjoy your company along the way!"
The orcs who passed through the tunnel and got stuck in the pit weren't staying still out of helplessness, but because of what Bookworm had said earlier. The moment the danger passed, they went up to the others.
"The pleasure is mine, please, right this way!"
Sasha, complementing his white shirt with a slim-fit vest, took the lead, clicking the heels of his shiny shoes on the stone floor. Bookworm was right behind him, and the others followed without breaking the order they had kept throughout the journey.
"What's the status of the siege? You don't look like you're having a hard time."
Bookworm was the one who started the conversation. Throughout their association, which began the day Dimitri and Sasha came to the village where his father was born to trade with the orcs, the person they had the most contact with was none other than the purple-robed orc.
"The Golden Leaf Guild increases its troop reinforcements and attack frequency with each passing day, but thanks to the support you sent, we manage to hold out. Even though they want to put us in a tight spot by burning the fields around the castle and try every way to cut off our water supply, they haven't managed to pull it off yet without harming themselves."
The castle rose at the extreme northwest point of the Mercenaries' Lodge, and geographically, it was very similar to the chateau owned by the Blood Moon Principality. One side faced the land, two sides faced the sea, and the other side faced the direction the thirteen orcs came from. Rising at the tip of a piece of rock with cliffs on three sides, only the part of the castle where its massive gate stood was open to attack, and a fierce battle was ongoing there.
"So, they've exhausted what little luck they had! Let's eat our food, then we'll discuss how to fend off the pests swarming at your door!"
The shouts of the ten orcs trailing behind him complemented Bookworm's words full of self-confidence. Despite their appearance, they were only in their twenties, maybe late teens, and the situation they were in had caused their warrior attitudes to instantly surface.
"Great Chief Alyon, Hero of the Two-Year War Hammerstriker, after seeing you and the ten enthusiastic orc warriors beside you, your words have truly become a source of hope for me."
Sasha looked nothing like the merchant apprentice who once roamed the tribes on the Orc Steppes; with his attitude, voice, posture, and the words he chose, he showed everyone how much he had matured over the years. When they arrived in front of the mahogany door with gold-colored leaf engravings, he didn't let go of his courtesy and opened the door, giving priority for the others to enter.
Bookworm, who had been walking at the very front until then, also took a step back and cleared the way for his father to enter before anyone else.
The clothes Alyon chose when embarking on this journey were made of simple leather, and only the sleeveless black armor he wore had a striking design. Someone who didn't know him might mistake him for an ordinary orc on the Orc Steppes, but upon his entry through the door, someone who got up from the table and started running was welcoming him at the door.
"Great Orc Chief Alyon, what a great honor it is to see you again after many long years!"
When a tall person with neatly cut gray hair came before them, the ten orcs didn't understand what was happening, but Alyon knew this person very well.
"You're looking well, Dimitri!"
"Having you here makes me very happy. Please come in, don't just stand there!"
When they entered through the secret passage, they were in a pit and weapons were pointed at them, but before even ten minutes had passed, the owner of the castle was welcoming them at the door to invite them to the dining table. Alyon slowly bowed his head, which was mighty enough to shatter rocks in a single blow, and accepted the invitation, moving toward the ten-step-long table laden with food.
"We've been waiting for you for so long, Great Chief Alyon, we've been keeping an eye out for you!"
Dimitri wasn't the only human inside the dining hall adorned with curtains extending from the wall to the floor, golden candelabras decorated with brightly shining candles, and furniture that dazzled the eyes with its brilliance. Two more people were waiting for the thirteen orcs at the head of the table, and some among the arriving group were familiar with the faces of these two people.