Ogres, due to their massive stature, excel as combatants. While many colonies tend to base their livelihood on hunting, they often utilize their strength in civil engineering when interacting with other races.
Similarly, the Dwarves, who also pride themselves on their power, are skilled in blacksmithing and craftsmanship. As a result, the division of labor in towns typically falls along these lines: Dwarves as smiths, Ogres as builders. Agriculture, fishing, and livestock raising remain the domain of Humans and Elves.
However, even with a natural aptitude for manual labor, building techniques can only be refined through collective accumulation and cooperation. Thus, it’s common to find several Ogre construction unions in each city.
Given that Ogres are inherently bellicose, these organizations tend to be quite… muscular in their nature—let’s just say they have a mafia-like edge. While some groups manage to channel their overflowing energy through work, events, and shared ideals, others, depending on the charisma of their leaders or their operational state, can negatively impact local governance. This is one of the trickier aspects of Celesta’s Merchant Kingdom, which preaches “tolerance for races, strictness for profit”—a balance that’s difficult to control outright.
Fortunately, Oasis City Taruk has a relatively stable lineup of organizations with some degree of control.
The two most powerful construction unions are:
- Trident, led by the three-horned Tri-Cone Ogres.
- Tower Emblem, dominated by the one-horned Mono-Cone Ogres.
Both have diversified into finance, brewing, and retail, making them among the top ten most influential factions in Taruk’s Chamber of Commerce.
Their headquarters are positioned symmetrically across Central Avenue from each other, and they compete fiercely in several ventures—resulting in a constant back-and-forth. This rivalry has led to a rather infamous local tradition: underlings from both sides routinely brawl in the streets.
It was common knowledge among Taruk’s citizens that the leader of Trident was a strikingly beautiful woman.
“Boss, shouldn’t we have the young ones search?"
"You don’t know Zeek Becker, do you?”
The underboss Ogre nodded solemnly to his female boss.
”I can’t fathom the world of soldiers. I’ve heard tales of him being something of a hero, though.”
The woman boss nodded regally before draping her thin sunshade over her shoulder.
”Swift, capricious, cunning, and devious. If we search by numbers, he’ll only slip away, wasting more time. I’ll find him myself."
"But the young ones from Tower Emblem have loose reins. If they spot you alone in an alley…"
"Enough. I’ve waited ten years for this… Don’t chase him. The man’s sharp.”
Trident’s female boss, Rose Alderia, brushed off her worried underboss and strode out of the mansion with purpose.
Her impulsive nature—once she set her mind to something, there was no stopping her—made her a good leader for these rough Ogres, but it also made her recklessly brave.
The underboss buried his face in his hands and prayed to the heavens for nothing bad to happen.
”But… swift, capricious, cunning, and devious… He sounds like a small fry.”
“Now that’s interesting.”
Before Zeek stood a growing horde of one-horned Ogres—how they’d gathered, he wasn’t sure—but there were easily twenty of them.
All wore tattered work clothes, some with hammers slung around their waists. Judging by their attire, they were likely young members of construction unions.
It wasn’t unusual for construction unions to dabble in money lending, and many even handled debt collection on the side. So it was within expectations—but two or three? Twenty was a problem. More importantly, fighting a crowd while protecting someone wasn’t wise.
“Enough, customer.”
Ariel tugged at Zeek’s sleeve, her face stiff with concern.
”They won’t take my life. They’re my bread and butter. …But you’ll get buried."
"Yeah, you’ve got that ‘buried’ look. Maybe scattering them all at once was a mistake."
"That’s why you need to run. I don’t know where they came from, but you can outrun them alone. And get out of the South quickly.”
Zeek laughed.
“I wouldn’t mind hitting the road, but not until I’ve had you as my companion.”
“Once the heat dies down, come back to my shop. I’ll entertain any hobby of yours for two hours and forty sheets.”
“Ah. Good professional spirit.”
Zieg, now completely unfazed, pushed forward relentlessly.
“Not just two hours and forty sheets—I want you to manage all my assets jointly.”
”…”
Ariel wore an exasperated expression.
“You’re old enough to know better, getting hot for a half-elf businesswoman in one go? Don’t you think that’s kinda pathetic?”
“Just a little. But I’m still earning pretty well as a hundred-man leader, you know.”
“I can’t trust someone who picks a cheap inn like that so early in the morning.”
“Bad luck, just bad luck. Though, hey, maybe it’s lucky I met a good girl like you.”
“No idea what you’re talking about.”
Ariel sighed and tried to shove Zieg deeper into the back alley.
Zieg nipped at her ear.
“Eep!?”
“I used to be a dark elf underboss, you see… I know all about reading expressions in ears. You’re kinda blushing, aren’t you?”
“Ugh, shut up! Don’t get too cocky, human!”
Cornered, Ariel glared at him with resentment.
He was pretty confident about reading women’s expressions, after all.
Zieg lightly embraced her, then released her and swung her into a fireman’s carry.
“W-what are you doing?!”
“Business is business—better to have two burning than one.”
“What kind of business?!”
“Rescuing princesses in distress.”
”…Zieg Becker… wait, are you…?”
“That’s right, I’m Zieg Becker.”
Zieg jumped.
Carrying a single woman was easy, and leaping onto a house roof was a piece of cake.
He couldn’t exactly vanish from sight while running at full speed, but he was confident he could shake off an ogre’s wide strides.
“Let’s go!!”
Zieg Becker.
His name had become a popular ballad among wandering bards.
The third surge in popularity came during his great adventure in the Rapal Islands.
The second came from rescuing a noble princess held captive by bandits.
And the first? A tragic love story with an enemy spy.
He was sulking at the Quieca Tavern, forcing down liquor he wasn’t even old enough to drink while ranting about his terrible breakup. A wandering bard who happened to be there turned it all into a poem on the spot.
Thanks to that, he became one of Celesta’s most famous spies. Well, even if they sang an epic about him, it wouldn’t exactly ruin his face—he always used a fake name anyway, so it wasn’t much of a problem.
That bard still occasionally catches wind of Sieg’s exploits at Quieca and turns them into poems, though he sometimes weaves in some embellishments for dramatic effect.
Ah, the noble princess kidnapped by bandits? Nah, it was actually one of the Ogre chieftain’s only daughters.
And that tearful farewell where they kissed in the shade before vanishing like a daydream? Not exactly. She was cuter than he expected, and when he tried to get handsy during what he thought was a farewell that wouldn’t lead to heartbreak, she gave him this weirdly happy look—and suddenly, all his bad first-love memories came flooding back. So, half-dressed, he chucked his loincloth at her face and vanished into the clouds. The absolute worst possible way to end things.
He figured he’d keep that part from Ariel.
“Hey! Stop—!”
The ogres were tearing through the streets chasing Sieg across the rooftops. But running was exactly what Sieg had in mind.
“Gotcha… whoa!!”
An ogre falls right into a shallow ditch covered by a single thin plank—a simple pitfall trap.
“Always lurking on the roofs… my patience is wearing thin, duh-wah!?”
Another ogre leaps onto a roof not built to support an ogre’s weight and gets his lower half stuck.
Too focused on looking up, another ogre grabs a rope strung between two palm trees and faceplants—kicking over a beehive in the process.
The pursuers were dwindling fast.
”…Huh, how did they only get caught in so much mischief?”
“Well, it’d be easy if we could use instant-kill traps. But laying those for civilians—even thugs—is out of the question.”
”…Instant-kill traps?”
“Gunpowder, blades, pressure points, poison. It’s way more efficient to distract them with that before finishing them off.”
“Y-you do scary things.”
“Some missions require it.”
He casually changed direction and completely lost the last few ogres. Then, in a back alley where they wouldn’t be noticed, he quietly set Ariel down and locked eyes with her before making his full confession.
“Well, that’s beside the point. I want to go out with you. …I’ve got a bit of trust issues with people. But when you helped me just now, it felt… good. I know it sounds simple, but… I want to spend more time with you.”
Of course, there was more to it than that. There was also the fact that she had a similar strength of will to Diarne—the woman he’d always seen as his heart’s goddess—and that she was a dark elf.
And then there was the simple, physical fact that she felt good in his arms.
But for Sieg, who was on the verge of drowning in self-loathing, her smile and the way she lived were more than enough to make him fall head over heels.
“Liar. …No one falls for someone that easily. You just want something for free, right?”
But Ariel had trust issues too.
More specifically, she distrusted men.
She’d fallen in love once, been betrayed, and ended up as a prostitute.
So when some guy who came to her place as a customer suddenly confessed his love, she couldn’t possibly be genuinely touched.
“Of course I want something for free.”
“Seriously."
"I want you to go on dates with me for free, live in my Quieca house, and if possible, even make me some kids."
"…Ugh.”
But she flinches at Sieg’s relentless assault.
Essentially, dark elves aren’t strong against loneliness. And Ariel, in the end, was just a soft-hearted girl who easily fell for bad men and got herself into debt.
”I want to kiss you for free, I want you to give me a knee pillow for free, I want you to wear a naked apron for free, I want to bathe together and cuddle for free, you damn bitch! I wanna get super clingy with a girl instead of turning into some old geezer! I wanna be all lovey-dovey and spooning! And if possible, with someone as cute as you!"
"…U-ugh.”
Ariel drooped her ears and looked up at Sieg.
A middle-aged man with scruffy stubble desperately confessing his embarrassingly raw inner thoughts.
But still…
There was such an overwhelming presence that it made her feel like a coward for lying.
In truth, Ariel actually liked Sieg—strong, reliable, tall, and above all, someone who wanted everything about her.
Struggling with debt, forced to cut ties with her family, and abandoned by the man she loved, leaving Ariel alone… for her, his warmth was incredibly appealing.
”Uuuu…”
Torn between resisting that pressure or giving in…
She noticed the three horns like a crown poking out from behind Sieg’s arm against the wall.
An Ogre. She flinched for a moment, but it was short. Short, but still taller than Ariel. Almost 170cm, but even for an Ogre, it was quite small.
“I’ve finally found you."
"…Whoa!?”
Sieg also looked up in surprise and saw the Ogre next to him.
The petite Ogre woman threw off her cloak and dashed forward. Before Sieg could even get into a defensive position, she dove onto his chest.
Knife range.
They locked eyes in an instant.
“YOU, THE WORST MANNNN!!!”
She delivered an uppercut that sent Sieg flying.
”…Ow, ow… thought my jaw was broken."
"It’s a miracle you didn’t crack. I’m not outmatched by the younger guys when it comes to punching power, even if I am just a tricorn Ogre.”
After floating completely above the rooftops for a moment, Sieg landed safely in the alleyway, only to be met with Rose’s glare… or so it seemed—her face was slightly flushed.
”…So, who are you…? Whoaah!?”
Finally properly noticing Rose, Sieg retreated backward from his crouching position in a frantic, scuttling motion. It was incredibly uncool.
”So, you remember me after all, you gutless wonder."
"…Y-you… Rose…!!"
"Sieg Becker. I won’t forget that humiliation."
"I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”
A full-force prostration. Utterly pathetic.
Ariel stared blankly.
“W-what…?”
”…Uh, this is kinda hard to explain, so don’t ask. Or rather, Rose, I’ll take care of her with everything I’ve got, so you just stay out of it.”
“That’s a good attitude. But pretending to kiss me while throwing your loincloth at me, then seriously hitting on this woman… that really doesn’t sit well with me.”
“Seriously, sorry, seriously, sorry, seriously, sorry!”
Zig groveled with a deep bow.
“What am I gonna do with you?”
Rose grabbed Zig by the collar, her face twisted into a genuinely delightful smile as she glared at him, veins popping in her neck.
Like a beast eyeing its prey, Zig thought.
“O-oh! Lion, Davis, I found them!”
”!!”
Instantly, Zig shook off Rose’s hand and turned to shield Ariel with his back.
At the entrance of the alley stood two figures—a lionkin and a human man—followed by a one-horned ogre.
“Reinforcements.”
Zig muttered in a voice that carried an indeterminate size, and the human man tilted his head slightly, then grinned.
“The Tower Emblem’s young bucks were making a fuss. We’re bodyguards sent to back them up… Who would’ve thought it was Sieg Becker, Special Captain?”
”…I think I’ve seen you before. Might Gahlen?”
“You remember me?”
“Can’t do the job if I have a bad memory.”
Zig clicked his tongue.
The human man was Might Gahlen. The lionkin was Lion Rex. And the one-horned… Davis Dagout.
He dredged their names from the military intelligence stored in his mind.
“And to top it off, even Trident’s foreman is here.”
Might tilted his head the other way, his smile widening. The long pole he carried shifted, revealing a tassel-less longsword at its end.
“What are these guys? The Tower’s crew… new vagrants?”
Rose tensed to strike, but Zig stopped her with a hand.
“Get down with Ariel as much as you can.”
“Becker…?”
“They’re all Ace Knights.”
Carlos Estate.
Lunch proceeded without Zig. Andy munched on a mountain of green vegetables with a strained expression.
Diane watched him with a troubled yet endearing look when Aurora suddenly spoke.
“Diane-sama… may I ask something?”
“Hm?”
“Special Captain Becker… how strong is he, exactly?”
“You’re the Ace Knight, aren’t you? Just spar a bit and figure it out."
"No. I do not truly understand His capabilities.”
Aurora clasped her hands together, spreading them slightly as she spoke.
”As a swordsman, his offensive techniques are limited, and I would hesitate to say he excels in raw attack power. However, when he adopts a defensive stance or lets go of his sword… it is then that one feels the unfathomable depth of him. His efficiency in evasion, his mobility—both surpass even my brother, the Master Knight. And sometimes, the source of his killing intent is inexplicable. I often wonder—if he were to employ methods beyond the sword… what then?”
“Well, yeah, that guy’s a mystery. …But even the Master Knight would have trouble stopping him when he’s serious."
"That much?"
"A few years back, the Over Knight said, ‘One may deflect the Dragon’s flame, but not Zeke Becker.’"
"…Over Knight!? Wh-which one?"
"The Iron one. The Thunder one agreed as well."
"…What does that even mean?”
Diâne muttered, not something you bring up during dinner, and continued.
”If you told him to kill a thousand people in a thousand different ways, he’d probably manage it. You might be able to block his flames with magic, runes, and the right materials, but there’s no way to stop Becker’s killing. …If you make him your enemy, he might be scarier than the Master Knight.”
“Alright then.”
Zeke straightened his back, erasing the smile from his lips.
A burnt, battlefield scent began to emanate from him.
Mait staggered backward, grinning as he drew his sword.
”Becker, Special Centurion. Ever since I was in the army, I’ve wanted to kill you."
"Oh? I’d rather not. I prefer to avoid casualties.”
The Lionman, Leon, spoke.
”How arrogant."
"No, no, no. Because if we kill each other, one of us dies, right?”
The Horned One, Davis, added in a low voice.
”Let one person die… what’s the harm?"
"One person?”
Zeke looked at the three with pitying eyes.
”Because you’re the ones who’d die, aren’t you?”
The three fell silent instantly.
”How about it?"
"I don’t know."
"Three against one. If you win, you’re Master Knight… right?”
Zeke silently drew a knife. A pathetic thing, only fifteen centimeters long.
Then, he crouched down.
The three Ace Knights tensed with killing intent and lunged forward… but the moment they did, Mait stumbled and fell.
”What!?"
"Hey!?”
Leon went down next. Oil had pooled at his feet.
Davis leaped over the two of them—and a needle pierced his nose.
”!?!”
Davis crumpled to the ground, motionless.
”If poison and oil are allowed in the match, then yeah, I guess I am Master Knight.”
Sak, sak, he drove needles into the fallen Ace Knights.
”C-cowardly…"
"If you even blink, I can kill you seven more times.”
His voice was cold as he snatched Maito’s sword and snapped it in two.
”And, I’m the type who needs to get an advantage first… It’s a lesson for life.”
Truly, in an instant.
Before Ariel and Rose could even figure out what was happening, three Ace Knights had fallen.
”…Anesthesia, too. I value my citizens.”
He waved his hands around, his grin back in full force, and Rose and Ariel breathed sighs of relief.
”…Honestly. Well, it’s Zeke Becker, so I wasn’t too worried."
"Zeke…”
Changing the subject, Zeke turned to them again.
Then, Rose suddenly shoved a wrapped package into his hands.
”You made me wait a long time for this opportunity… It’s a present."
"…What is it?"
"Open it… First, let me say, this isn’t gratitude or obligation."
"O-okay?”
Zeke unwrapped it to find a Jewel Knife inside.
”Ever since then, I wanted one just like yours, and I worked hard to get it. It’s no good if you don’t have one too."
"…A-alright…”
Wuh-wuh, Zeke burst into tears.
”Thank you, Roseeee!! I don’t know what’s going on, but I love you, dammit!!"
"I-is that so? Good.”
Then, still crying, he rubbed his stubble against the Jewel Knife before suddenly—
He handed it to Ariel.
”…Huh?"
"That thing sells for a crazy amount of money… You have debts, right? If you use that to pay them off… then, um, maybe you’d go out with me?"
"…………"
"Zeke Becker…”
Rose shook her head back and forth.
Ariel hesitantly considered whether to accept it or not… but ultimately, she did.
Zeke shed blood-tears in his heart. But it was fine. He’d become someone’s boyfriend too. Or so he told himself.
”…Yes. I understand.”
Ariel’s cheeks flushed slightly.
“F-For such an unworthy person as myself, please treat me well…”
(…Huh?)
He felt like he’d missed something.
That’s when Rose erupted.
”…How can you not realize you’re using a proposal gift from one person to propose to another? You’re the worst—”
”…A, ah!?!”
In this colony, the free transfer of blades carries a special meaning.
(To be continued)