The Ogre tribe is excellent as combatants due to their large bodies, and they tend to live in colonies with hunting often serving as the foundation of their livelihood. However, when interacting with other races, they are employed as construction workers.
Similarly, the Dwarf race, which excels at power, specializes in blacksmithing and craftsmanship. In cities, this leads to a division where Dwarves handle metalwork while Ogres take on building projects. Agriculture, fishing, and livestock farming fall under the domain of humans and Elves.
While they are highly suitable as construction workers, their architectural skills can only be improved through collective accumulation and cooperation.
Therefore, in each city, there are several construction unions made up of Ogres.
Given that these unions involve organizing a large number of inherently warlike Ogre tribes, their organizational nature tends to be muscular, or one might even say mafia-like.
If an organization is adept at channeling the overflowing energy through work, events, and shared ideals, it can function well. However, depending on the charisma of its leaders and management practices, such organizations could also have a negative impact on local governance. This presents a challenge for Celesta's mercantile state, which prides itself on tolerance towards races but strictness in matters of profit; these unions are not easy to control.
Fortunately, in Oasis City Tark, there are several well-controlled construction unions.
The two most powerful ones are:
"Trident," composed mainly of three-horned Tricorno Ogres;
and "Tower Emblem," mostly consisting of one-horned Monocorno Ogres.

Each of them had their fingers in finance, sake brewing, and retail to some extent, giving them enough clout to be among the top ten in Tark's Chamber of Commerce.

Their headquarters were on opposite sides of Central Street, symmetrically positioned, and since they competed in several businesses, they often fought over dominance. This rivalry had become something like a local attraction in Tark, with their underlings frequently brawling at street corners.

The fact that the boss of the "Trident" side was a middle-aged woman was well-known among Tark's citizens.

“Boss, wouldn’t it be better to send some young guys out?”

“You don’t know about Sieg Becker, do you?”

The second-in-command, Ogre, nodded in agreement with the female boss.
“I’m not familiar with the world of soldiers. I’ve heard that he’s become something of a hero.”

She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly and put on a thin sun-shielding cloak.
“Swift, unpredictable, cunning and deceitful. If I sent out people to search for him, they’d just get caught in his tricks and waste time. It would be better if I went alone.”

“But the young men of the Tower Emblem are rather reckless. If one of them were to find you wandering around the back alleys…”

"Goodbye. I’ve waited ten years for this… Don’t follow me. That man is sharp."

The female foreman of the trident, Rose Alderia, brushed aside her worried second-in-command and left the estate with a brisk stride.

Her character—once she sets her mind on something, nothing can stop her—was an excellent trait to manage the rough orcs, but it also made her dangerously reckless. The second-in-command held his head in his hands and prayed that everything would be all right.

"Still… lightning-fast, unpredictable, sneaky, and cunning… those traits make him seem like a petty person."

"Well then. That’s quite an interesting number of them."

Before Sieg stood a growing crowd of one-horned orcs, numbering around twenty. They were dressed in shabby work clothes, some with hammers slung at their waists—clearly young members of the construction guild.

It wasn’t unusual for construction guilds to lend money and even more common for them to handle debt collection on the side. So it was within expectations, but still, while two or three might be manageable, twenty was a different matter altogether. Especially since he had someone to protect; outnumbering him would not be wise.

"Enough now, sir."

Ariel tugged at Sieg’s sleeve with a tense face and whispered, "They won’t take my life. I’m their money cow, so it’ll be fine… but the customers will have to be replaced." “Yeah, you look like you’re ready to replace them.” “So hurry up and run away. I don’t know where you came from, but if you’re alone, you should be able to get away. And leave the south as soon as possible.” Sieg laughed. "I’m not in a hurry to leave until you agree to spend some time with me." "When things cool down, come back to my shop and I’ll give you two hours for forty coins, whatever your fancy is." “Ah, that’s quite professional of you.” Sieg pressed on, “Forget about the forty coins for two hours; I want you to manage all my money.”

“…”

Ariel rolled her eyes. “You’re a hundred years old and you get hot for a prostitute from another race? Don’t you think that’s embarrassing?”

“I admit it’s just a little bit, but I’m a centurion so I make pretty good money.”

“You can’t trust someone who picks such a cheap inn in the morning. ”

“Just a bit unlucky, though to meet someone as nice as you is lucky enough.”

“I don’t get what you’re saying.”

Ariel sighed and tried to push Sieg into an alley.

Sieg poked Ariel’s ear.

“Eek!?”

“Back in the day, I was a Dark Elf’s subordinate. …I know all about ear expressions. You just got excited, didn’t you?”

“You’re so annoying! Stop acting like you know everything!”

Ariel’s expression hit the nail on the head; she looked resentful.

She had quite a bit of confidence in her ability to read women’s expressions.

Sieg lightly hugged Ariel and then let go before picking her up in his arms.

“What are you doing?!”

“By trade, it burns more when I’m with someone than if I were alone.”

“What kind of job is that?!”

“A princess rescue business.”

“…Sieg Becker… wait, could it be?”

"That's Sieg Becker."
Sieg jumped.
He could easily carry a girl and climb onto the roof of a single-story house. While he couldn't completely vanish from sight even if he ran at full speed, he was confident that he could shake off an ogre’s wide strides.

"Let's go!!"

Sieg Becker.
His heroic ballad sung by wandering minstrels had become popular several times.
The third time it became a hit was during his great adventure in the Lapar Islands.
The second time was when he saved the noble princess who’d been kidnapped by bandits.
And the first time, it was due to his tragic love story with an enemy spy.

Depressed, I had drunkenly blabbed about a terrible breakup at Quica’s tavern, and the bard there turned it into a poem. Thanks to that, Celesta became famous as an intelligence agent. Well, even if they wrote a ballad about me, my face isn’t going to get broken or anything; besides, I always use a pseudonym so it’s not really a big deal.

That bard still occasionally hears stories of my exploits at Quica and turns them into poems. He adds tall tales now and then for dramatic effect. For example, the girl who was kidnapped by bandits wasn’t actually a noblewoman but an ogre boss’ daughter. And that parting didn’t happen like in the poem, where I left her under a tree with a lingering kiss as if it were a dream. It turned out she was cuter than expected, and after almost getting intimate—she looked strangely happy about it—I remembered my first love’s bad memories and ended up throwing my waistcloth at her face while half-naked before running away.

I think I’ll keep that part from Ariel.

“Wait, you bastard!”
The ogres were chasing me through the streets as I ran across the rooftops.

But running around was exactly what Sieg had in mind.

“Found you… uooh!!”

An Ogre fell into a simple pit trap made with a thin board over the sewer drain.

“Running around on top of roofs… I can’t take it anymore, dohwaah!?”

Another Ogre tried to jump onto a roof that couldn't support its weight and got stuck halfway down.

Because they were only looking up, an Ogre ran into a rope stretched between two palm trees and fell over, kicking a beehive in the process and getting stung badly.

The pursuers were quickly dwindling.

“…Wow, you managed to trap all of them with such pranks.”

“If I could use instant-death traps it would’ve been easy. But even though they’re just gangsters, setting up traps for citizens isn’t right.”

“…Instant-death traps?”

"Explosives, blades, vital points, poison. Those things are very effective when you take your opponent off guard and strike them down."

"That's scary."

"There are missions that require such actions."

I changed direction to shake off the remaining few orcs completely.

Then I gently put Ariel down in a secluded alleyway and looked into her eyes as I confessed earnestly.

"Well, anyway. I want to be with you... You see, I have some trust issues. But you just now made me feel better somehow. Even though it might seem simple... I want to spend more time with you."

Of course, there were other reasons too. Her willpower reminded him of Diane, the goddess of his heart, and she was a dark elf.

There was also the fact that she felt good in his arms.

But for Sieg, who was sinking into self-loathing, her smile and way of living were worth falling in love with at first sight.

"Liar. There's no one who can fall in love so easily. You just want something from me, don't you?"

But Ariel was also distrustful of people.

More accurately, she distrusted men.

She had fallen in love with someone who deceived her and made her a prostitute.

So it wasn't surprising that she couldn’t be moved by such an easy confession from a man who came to her as a customer and started talking about love.

“Of course I want you for free.”

“I see.”

“And I want you to go on a date with me for free, live in my Quicksand house, and if possible, have my child.”

“...Ah.”

But she was intimidated by Sieg’s relentless assault. Fundamentally, dark elves were not good at being alone. And Ariel ended up falling easily for a bad man who got her into debt, proving that she was still an innocent girl.

"I want a free kiss, I want you to hold me in your lap for free, and I want you to wear an apron for free. And I want us to bathe together and cuddle like this! Is that so wrong? I’d rather be a lovesick old man than just let my life go by without ever getting close to girls! I want to dote on each other in love, dammit! Preferably with someone as cute as you!"

"...U-Ugh..."

Ariel drooped her ears and looked up at Sieg. The scruffy forty-something man was desperately confessing his incredibly uncool and naked desires.

But he was just so...
She felt like a liar for thinking it, but there was something about him that made her feel cowardly.
In truth, even Ariel thought that strong, dependable Sieg who wanted everything from her was someone she liked. And to Ariel, who had been driven away by her family due to debt and lost the man she loved, his warmth was incredibly attractive.

"Ugh..."

She was torn between resisting this pressure or giving in when...

The three-horned crown-like shape was visible beyond the wall on both sides of Sieg’s face, where his arms were pinned.
For a moment, he flinched at the sight of an ogre, but it was shorter than he expected. Though short for an ogre, it towered over Ariel at nearly 170 centimeters—still quite small compared to others of its kind.
“Finally found you.”
“…Ugh!?”
Sieg jumped in surprise and looked up to see the ogre beside him.
The petite female ogre tossed her cloak aside and dashed forward, diving into Sieg’s chest before he could react. At that distance, a knife would be deadly.
For an instant, they locked eyes.

“You bastard!!!”

Her uppercut sent Sieg flying through the air.

“...Ow, ow... I thought my jaw was broken.”

“That it didn’t break is a miracle. Even though I’m not one to lose in strength to any young man.”

After floating above the houses for an instant, Sieg landed safely in the alleyway. Rose, the female Tri-Headed Ogre, stared at him with narrowed eyes... or so it seemed, her face slightly flushed as she did so.

“...So you remember me... Wait, ughhhhhh!?”

Once he finally got a good look at Rose, Sieg retreated backwards in a way that was reminiscent of an insect, still sitting on his butt. It was quite uncool.

“You seem to have remembered me, spineless man.”

“...Y-You... Rose!!”

“Sieg Becker, I won’t forget the humiliation you caused me back then.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

He bowed down in full force, looking truly uncool.

Ariel was stunned.

“W-What...?”

“…Well, it’s something I’d rather not talk about. Anyway, Rose, could you please just let me beat her up and not touch her yourself?”

“You have good intentions, but kissing me to get my attention only to throw the sash at me while seriously trying to seduce this girl is really pissing me off.”

“Sorry, sorry, I’m really sorry!”

Sieg knelt down in a groveling apology.

“What should I do with you?”

Rose grabbed Sieg’s collar and her face was contorted with veins popping out. She had an absolutely beautiful smile on her face.

Sieg thought that this must be what a predator looked like when it saw its prey.

“O-Oh, Leon, Davis, I found them.”

“!!”

Sieg immediately brushed off Rose’s hand and shielded Ariel with his back.

At the entrance of the alley, there were two people—a lion-human hybrid and a human man—followed by an ogre with one horn.

“They’re after us,” Sieg muttered in a low voice that couldn’t be heard from far away.

The human man’s head snapped to the side, and he grinned.

“The Tower Emblem youngsters are causing a ruckus, so we guardsmen came to support them… If I had known it was you, Sieg Becker, Lieutenant of Special Troops.”

“I’ve seen you before. Might Gehrlein?”

“Do you remember me?”

“If I didn’t have a good memory, I wouldn’t be able to do my job,” Sieg replied with a click of his tongue.

The human man is Mait Gehrren. The lion beastman is Leon Rex. And the one-horned individual... Davis Dougout.

I pull their names from my mental database of military information.

“And there’s even the master craftsman of Trident.”

Mait tilts his head to the side and grins more widely, causing the long pole he's carrying to slip off his shoulder, revealing a sword without a crossguard inside it.

“Who are these guys? Are they new vagrants from the Tower...?”

As Rose prepares to throw a punch, Sieg stops her with his hand.

“Ariel, stay as far back as you can.”

“Becker...?”

“These men are all ace knights.”

Carlos Manor.

The lunch proceeded without Sieg. Andy was eating a large amount of green vegetables with great difficulty.

Diane looked at him with a worried expression, yet still smiled warmly. Aurora suddenly spoke to her.

“Lady Diane… may I ask you something?”

“Hmm?”

“What is Becker’s true strength? The special duty captain…”

“You’re an ace knight too. Just spar with him and get a feel for it.”

“No, but I don’t really know his true strength.”

Aurora clenched her hand into a fist then opened it again.

“He doesn’t have many offensive moves as a swordsman, so I doubt he’s particularly strong in that regard. But when he defends or lets go of the sword… it’s at those moments that I feel how deep and incomprehensible his abilities are. His evasion is efficient with no wasted movements, and even my brother, the Master Knight, would be hard-pressed to match him in terms of mobility. And sometimes, the source of his killing intent is perplexing as well. It makes me wonder… if he were to use any means necessary, not just swords…”

“Well, yeah, I don’t really get that guy either… but even a Master Knight would have trouble stopping him when he’s serious.”

"Is that so?"

"A few years ago, Overnite said this. 'You can defend against a dragon's flames, but you cannot defend against Sieg Becker.'"

"...Overnite!? Wh-which one?"

"The iron one. The lightning one agreed as well."

"......What do you mean?"

Diane muttered under her breath that it wasn't the kind of thing to talk about during mealtime.

"He’s a man who could probably come up with a thousand different ways to kill someone if he was asked to. You might be able to defend against flames by carefully considering magic, engravings, and materials, but there is no way to stop Becker's killing methods. ...If you become his enemy, it may be worse than facing a Master Knight."

Sieg straightened up suddenly, wiping the smile off his face.

The smell of burning began to permeate the air, signaling the start of battle.

Might tilted his head backward and grinned as he drew his sword.

“Special Agent Captain Becker. Ever since I was in the army, I’ve wanted to fight you to the death.”

“Oh? Well, I don’t want that. I try not to kill people if I can help it.”

Leon, the lion-human, spoke up.

“You’re arrogant.”

“No no no. Because when we fight, someone’s gonna die, right?”

Davis, with his single horn, muttered,

“Even one death is acceptable… ”

“One death? Is that all you care about?”

Sieg looked at them three with a pitying expression.

“After all, you’re the ones who’ll die.”

The three fell silent for a moment.

“I don’t know…”

“We can’t tell…”

“It’s three against one. If we win, you become Master Knight…right?”

Sieg silently drew his knife. The blade was only fifteen centimeters long, an absurdly small weapon.

Then he crouched down.

The three Ace Knights charged forward with murderous intent... but at that moment, the lead knight, Mait, stumbled and fell.

“What!?”

“Hey!?

Leon fell next, tripping on oil that had pooled at his feet.

Davis leaped over the two of them. A needle pierced his nose.

“!?”

Davis convulsed on the ground and lay still.

“If poison and oil are allowed in a match, then I’m definitely a Master Knight too.”

He stabbed needles into the fallen Ace Knights with quick motions.

“Y-you…that’s cheap…”

“I could kill you seven times if you give me even an instant of opportunity.”

Saying that coldly, he picked up Mait’s sword and snapped it in half.

“And I’m the type who won’t feel satisfied unless I make things work to my advantage from the start. …It’s a lesson I learned in life.”

Really, it was in the blink of an eye.

Before Ariel and Rose even realized what had happened, he had already defeated three Ace Knights.

“…Anesthesia. I care about my people.”

With a wave of his hand, Sieg returned to his smug grin.

Rose and Ariel let out relieved smiles at him.

“…Indeed. Well, it’s Sieg Becker after all; I wasn’t worried.”

“Sieg-san…”

Changing the location, Sieg turned back to them.

Then Rose pressed something wrapped in cloth into Sieg’s hands.

“I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. …It’s a present.”

“What?”

“Open it. …I’ll say this first, I’m not doing this out of gratitude or obligation.”

“Huh?”

When Sieg opened the package, he found a jewel knife inside.

“I wanted to have something matching yours after that, so I went through great lengths to get one too. It wouldn’t make sense if you didn’t have it.”

“…Th-thanks…”

Sieg’s eyes welled up with tears.

“Thanks, Rose! I don’t really understand why but I love you, damnit!!”

“I-I see. That’s good then.”

And while he was crying, Sieg wiped his cheek on the jewel knife before suddenly remembering something and handed it to Ariel.

“...Huh?”

“You could get a lot of money for that... You have debts, right? If you sell it and use the money to pay them off... Then maybe I’ll go out with you...?”

“......”

“Sieg Becker...”

Rose shook her head.

Ariel hesitated uncertainly whether she should take it or not, but eventually accepted it.

Sieg wept blood internally. But that was okay. He would make her his woman.

“Yes. Understood.”

Ariel’s cheeks flushed red.

“I-I’m a simple girl, but please...take care of me.”

(...Huh?)

Something feels like it was skipped over.

Then, Rose erupted.

"...Don't you realize that proposing to someone with a gift meant for another person is the lowest thing a guy can do--!!"

"Ah...!?"

In this colony, giving away knives free of charge has special significance.

(to be continued)

Due to their massive physiques, Ogres excel as combatants. While their colonies tend to base their lifestyles on hunting, they undergo a complete transformation when interacting with other races, utilizing their strength as construction workers.
Dwarves, who also possess great power as a defining trait, excel in iron forging and craftsmanship; thus, the division of labor in towns typically sees Dwarves handling smithing and Ogres handling architecture. Agriculture, fishing, and livestock are the domains of Humans and Elves.
However, no matter how high one's aptitude for labor may be, architectural technology cannot be advanced without the accumulation of knowledge and the cooperation of a collective.
Consequently, it is common for each city to host several Ogre construction unions.
Given that Ogres are inherently a bellicose race, these organizations possess a decidedly "muscular" character—to put it bluntly, they have a mafia-like quality.
An organization that can effectively channel its overflowing energy through work, events, and shared philosophies is one thing; however, depending on the charisma of the leaders or the state of management, they can sometimes have a negative impact on local governance. This is one of the difficult aspects of the Celestia Merchant Nation—a nation that is "tolerant of races, but strict with profit"—and it is an element that is difficult to control uniformly.
Fortunately, the oasis town of Talc is home to organizations with a reasonable level of control.
There are two particularly powerful construction unions:
The "Trident," formed by a union of three-horned Tricorne Ogres.
The "Tower Emblem," composed mostly of single-horned Monocorne Ogres.
Both have significant interests in finance, brewing, and retail, possessing enough influence to rank within the top ten of the many industries represented by the Talc Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Furthermore, because their headquarters are positioned symmetrically across the main street, and because they compete in several businesses in a constant back-and-forth struggle, the two groups have become a sort of local attraction in Talc, characterized by their subordinates frequently brawling on street corners.
It was well known among the citizens of Talc that the leader of the "Trident" side was a woman of mature years.

"Mistress, wouldn't it be better to have the youngsters search for him?"

"You clearly don't know that Sieg Becker."

The Ogre second-in-command nodded toward the female leader.

"I do not understand the world of soldiers. I have heard that his exploits are being turned into epic poems and such, but..."

The female leader nodded grandly and threw a light sunshade cloak over her shoulders.

"Godspeed, whimsical, underhanded, and cunning. If we search by numbers, he will only evade us, wasting even more time. It is better if I search alone."

"But the youngsters of the Tower Emblem are undisciplined. If they happen to find you wandering an alleyway alone, then..."

"I know. I have waited ten years. ...Do not follow me. That man is sharp."

Rose Alderia, the leader of the Trident, brushed off her worried subordinate and strode out of the manor.

Her temperament—unyielding once she had made up her mind and unstoppable once she set out—was an excellent quality for a woman leading a group of rowdy Ogres, but it also made her twice as reckless.

The second-in-command clasped his head, praying to the heavens that nothing would happen.

"Still... godspeed, whimsical, underhanded, and cunning... honestly, that sounds like nothing more than a small-fry."

"Well, well. That is quite a crowd, even for me."

Before Sieg, a herd of single-horned Ogres was steadily increasing, though it was unclear how he had summoned them. There were perhaps just under twenty of them.

Judging by their uniform, crude work clothes and the occasional hammer hanging from their waists, he surmised they were youngsters from a construction union.

It was not particularly rare for construction unions to act as moneylenders, and it was not uncommon for them to handle debt collection as a side business. So, while it was within his expectations, dealing with twenty people was quite different from dealing with two or three. Above all, when one has someone to protect, being outnumbered was not a sound strategy.

"That's enough, customer."

Ariel tugged on Sieg's sleeve, whispering with a strained expression.

"They won't take my life. You're a source of income, so it's fine... But they could bury you."

"Yeah, you have exactly that look in your eyes. Was blowing them away so suddenly a mistake?"

"So just run, quickly. I don't know where they came from, but you can surely escape if you're alone. And get out of the southern district, fast."

Sieg laughed.

"I'm not quite ready to set off until I can take you with me."

"If you come back to the shop once the heat has died down, I'll indulge any of your whims for 40 coins per two hours."

"Ah. That's some impressive professionalism."

Having made his decision, Sieg pressed on.

"Forget 40 coins for two hours; I want you to manage my entire fortune for me."

"......"

Ariel wore a look of exasperation.

"You're old enough to know better, yet you fall for a demi-human merchant at first sight? Don't you think that's pathetic?"

"Just a little. But for what it's worth, I'm a Centurion, so I make decent money."

"I can't trust the words of someone who chooses to stay in a cheap inn like that first thing in the morning."

"It was just a stroke of bad luck. But, well, I suppose I should call it good luck, since I got to meet a good girl like you."

"You's making no sense."

Ariel let out a sigh and tried to push Sieg deeper into the back alley.

Sieg reached out and gave her ear a little poke.

"Hyah!?"

"I used to have Dark Elf subordinates, you see... I consider myself an expert in reading ear expressions. You just felt a little flutter of excitement, didn't you?"

"S-shut up! Don't get cocky just because you're human!"

Hit right where it hurt, Ariel glared at him resentfully.

He had a fair amount of confidence when it came to reading a woman's expression.

Sieg gave Ariel a light embrace, then let go only to scoop her up into a bridal carry.

"W-what do you think you're doing!?"

"In my line of work, things are more exciting with two people than running alone."

"What kind of line of work is that!?"

"Rescuing captive princesses."

"...Sieg... Becker... Wait, could it be you!?"

"The one and only Sieg Becker."

Sieg leaped.

Carrying a single woman was easy; scaling the roof of a single-story building was a breeze.

While he couldn't exactly vanish into thin air even at full sprint, he was confident he could shake off a pursuit by something with the long strides of an ogre.

"Here we go!!"

---

Sieg Becker.
His name had appeared several times in the heroic ballads of traveling bards.
The third time he became a trend was during his great adventure in the Lapal Islands.
The second time was the tale of his rescue of a noble princess captured by bandits.
And the very first time was the tragic tale of his star-crossed love with an enemy spy.
While moping in the Kuika Tavern, he had poured his heart out about a terrible heartbreak—forcing himself to swallow booze he couldn't even handle yet—and a bard present at the time had turned it into poetry.
Thanks to that, he had become the most famous spy in Celesta.
Well, being the subject of an epic poem didn't exactly out his face, and since he always used an alias, it wasn't a huge problem.
That same bard continued to occasionally hear of Sieg's exploits in Kuika and turn them into verse, though he occasionally wove in lies for the sake of drama and flair.
Ah, the one captured by bandits wasn't a noble princess, but the daughter of an ogre chieftain.
And their parting wasn't quite like the poem described—vanishing like a daydream after leaving a kiss in the shade of a tree.
Since she was cuter than expected, he had tried to make a move during a parting that was meant to be permanent; she had looked at him with such strangely happy eyes that it stirred up his unpleasant memories of his first love, resulting in the absolute worst kind of breakup: he had half-undressed her, thrown his waistcloth over her face, and fled into the clouds.
I think I'll keep that part to myself from Ariel.

"Wait! Get back here, you bastard—!!"
The ogres were racing through the streets, chasing after Sieg as he sprinted across the rooftops.

However, running around was exactly what Sieg had intended.

"I found yo—Waaah!!"

An ogre fell straight into a simple pitfall trap—a single thin plank stretched over a drainage ditch.

"Always scurrying around on the rooftops... I've had enough, guh—!?"

An ogre leapt onto a rooftop that was never meant to support its weight, and its lower half promptly got stuck.

Because it was looking only upward, the ogre tripped over a rope stretched taut between two palm trees, only to be met with the sting of a kicked beehive.

Before long, the number of pursuers had dwindled.

"...I can't believe you managed to trip that many ogres with just that much mischief."

"Well, it would be easy if I could use instant-death traps. But even for a thug, setting those on civilians is a bit much."

"...Instant-death traps?"

"Gunpowder, blades, vital points, poison—if you can get them distracted by something like that, it's incredibly efficient to just stab them while they're preoccupied."

"That's... terrifying."

"Sometimes, you're on missions that require it."

With a sudden shift in direction, Sieg successfully shook off the last few remaining ogres. Then, in an inconspicuous back alley, he gently set Ariel down, looked into her eyes, and made his full confession.

"Anyway, setting that aside... I want you to go out with me. It's just... I struggle with trusting people. But you saved me a little bit just now. I know I probably sound simple, but... I found myself wanting to be with you more."

Of course, that wasn't the only reason. There was also the fact that she was a dark elf with a strength of will in her eyes that reminded him of Diane, the woman he had regarded as the goddess of his heart. And then there was the simple, purely physical matter that she was wonderful to hold.

But more than anything, for Sieg, who had been sinking into an abyss of self-loathing, the smile and the way of life she had shown him were enough to make him fall in love at first sight.

"Liar. ...No one can fall for someone that easily. Don't you just want me for nothing?"

But Ariel, too, struggled with trusting people. Or rather, trusting men. She had fallen in love with someone, been deceived, and ended up working as a prostitute. There was no way she could be moved to pure admiration by a man who made such a cliché confession—a man who had come to her as a mere customer.

"Of course I want you for nothing."

"I knew it."

"I want you to go on dates with me for free, I want you to live in my house in Quica, and if possible, I want you to bear my children."

"...Ugh."

However, she falpered under Sieg's relentless onslaught. Fundamentally, dark elves do not fare well with loneliness. And in the end, Ariel was a good-natured girl who had easily fallen for a bad man and ended up in debt.

"I want to kiss you for free, I want you to let me use your lap for free, I want you to wear nothing but an apron for free, I want us to bathe together and flirt for free—damn it, is that so wrong?! Rather than growing old alone, I want to be all over a girl! I want to be lovey-dovey and cling to each other! And if possible, with a girl exactly my type like you!"

"...Ugh... hnn..."

Ariel’s ears drooped as she looked up at Sieg.

A scruffy human man in his late thirties, desperately confessing his incredibly uncool and nakedly honest inner thoughts. Yet, there was an intensity to him. It was so powerful that it made her feel cowardly for even considering lying to him.

In truth, even from Ariel's perspective, Sieg was her type: strong, dependable, tall, and above all, someone who wanted everything about her. For Ariel, who had been tormented by debt, forced to sever ties with her family, and left all alone after the man she loved ran away, that warmth was incredibly alluring.

"Ugh... hnn..."

As she wavered, torn between resisting that pressure and surrendering to it...

Beyond Siegfried’s arms, which were pressed against the walls on either side of his face, he saw three horns like a crown.

An ogre... He flinched for a moment, but the figure was short. Short, but still taller than Ariel. Even though it stood nearly 170 cm, it was quite small, even for a female ogre.

"I've finally found you."

"...Whoa!?"

Startled, Siegfried looked up to see the ogre that had appeared beside him.

The small female ogre tossed aside her cloak and charged. Before Siegfried could even shift into a defensive posture, she had lunged straight into his chest.

At knife range, it was a lethal distance.

In that instant, their eyes met.

"You... YOU ABSOLUTE SCUMMMMMM!!!"

Siegfried went airborne from the force of her uppercut.

---

"...Ow... I thought my jaw had shattered."

"It’s a miracle it didn't. Even though my punching power is superior to most youngsters around here."

Rose, the tricorn ogre woman, stared down at Siegfried with eyes that looked—well, almost—disdainful, though her face was slightly flushed. Siegfried had landed safely in the alleyway after briefly hovering completely above the rooftops.

"...So, who are you... Whoa, AAAAAAH!?"

Having finally taken a proper look at Rose, Siegfried, still stuck on his backside, began to scuttle backward like an insect. It was incredibly uncool.

"It seems you do remember me, you coward."

"...Y-you... Rose...!!"

"Siegfried Becker. I will never forget the humiliation of that day."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

He went into a full kowtow. Truly pathetic.

Ariel stood there, stunned.

"Wh... What is happening...?"

"...Look, it's hard to explain, so please don't ask. More importantly, Rose, you can beat the hell out of me all you want, but please don't lay a finger on her."

"That is a noble sentiment. However, considering you pretended to kiss me only to throw a waist-wrap throw at me, while simultaneously trying to seriously woo this woman, my impression of you remains terrible."

"I am seriously sorry, seriously sorry, seriously sorry!"

Siegfried continued to grind his forehead into the ground in apology.

"And how do you intend to make amends?"

Rose wore a truly lovely smile as she grabbed Siegfried by the collar, her veins bulging with rage.

A beast facing its prey looks exactly like this, Siegfried thought.

"Whoops. Leon, Davis, I found them."

"!!"

In an instant, Siegfried shook off Rose's hand and shielded Ariel behind his back.

At the entrance of the alleyway, a duo consisting of a lion beastman and a human man had appeared, followed by a single-horned ogre.

"Pursuers?"

As Siegfried muttered in a voice too low to be heard by others, the human man tilted his head and grinned.

"The youngsters of the Tower Emblem are making quite a stir. We bodyguards are just here to support them. ...Well, look who it is. Special Centurion Siegfried Becker, I presume?"

"...I recognize you. Might Galen?"

"So, you do remember me."

"I can't do my job if I'm bad at remembering faces."

Siegfried clicked his tongue in annoyance.

The human man was Might Galen. The lion beastman was Leon Rex. The monoceros was... Davis Dugout.
I dragged their names from the military information accumulated within my mind.

"And what's more, we've even got the leader of the Trident here."
With a sudden tilt of his head to the side, Might's grin deepened. The long staff he carried shifted over his shoulder and slid down, revealing a guardless longsword.

"What are these guys? Has the Tower sent some new mercenaries...?"

As Rose prepared to raise her fists, Sieg held her back with a hand.

"Fall back as far as you can with Ariel."

"Becker...?"

"Every single one of them is an Ace Knight."

---

The Carlos Estate.

Lunch continued without Sieg. Andy was painfully munching through a large amount of green vegetables.

Aurora, watching Diane gaze at him with a troubled yet fond expression, spoke up.

"Lady Diane... May I ask you something?"

"Hmm?"

"Special Centurion Becker... just how much strength does he truly possess?"

"You're an Ace Knight yourself. Just spar with him and get the gist of it."

"No. I cannot truly grasp his level of skill."

Aurora spoke while clasping and releasing her hands.

"As a swordsman, his offensive repertoire is not vast, and I cannot say he excels in raw attacking power. However, when he goes on the defensive, or when he lets go of his sword... that is when I feel his unfathomable depth. His lack of wasted movement and his efficiency of motion both possess elements that far surpass even my brother, who is a Master Knight. And sometimes, the inexplicable origin of his killing intent worries me. I often wonder... what would happen if this man were to use every means at his disposal, not limited to the sword..."

"Well, it's true he's hard to read. ...But even for a Master Knight, it would be difficult to stop him when he's serious."

"Is it that much?"

"A few years ago, Overnight said, 'You might be able to block the dragon's flames, but you won't be able to block Sieg Becker.'"

"...Overnight?! Which one?"

"The Iron one. The Thunder one agreed as well."

"......What do you mean by that?"

Diane muttered, "This isn't exactly the time for such talk, but..."

"If you told him to find a thousand different ways to kill, he could probably do it. You might be able to block fire through magic, sigils, and specific materials, but there is no way to block a killing blow from Becker. ...If he becomes your enemy, he might be more terrifying than a Master Knight."

---

"Well then."

Sieg straightened his spine, his smile vanishing.

He began to radiate the scorched, heavy atmosphere of a battlefield.

Might tilted his head sharply to the side and took a combat stance with a smirking grin.

"Special Centurion Becker. Ever since I was in the military, I've wanted to try killing you."

"Is that so? I'm not keen on it. I'd prefer to avoid unnecessary deaths."

Leon, the lion beastman, spoke up.

"How arrogant."

"No, no, no. I mean, if we kill each other, someone's gonna die."

Davis, the monoceros, muttered in a low voice.

"It's not like it matters if one person dies..."

"Just one person?"

Sieg looked at the three of them with eyes full of pity.

"Because you're the ones who are going to die, aren't you?"

The three of them fell silent instantly.

"I wonder."

"Who can say?"

"Three against one. If you win, you're a Master Knight... you know?"

Without a word, Sieg drew his knife. With a blade only fifteen centimeters long, it was a flimsy weapon that looked almost like a joke.

Then, he crouched low.

The three Ace Knights surged forward, filled with bloodlust—but in that very instant, Might, who was leading the charge, tripped.

"What!?"

"Hey!?"

Leon followed, collapsing. Oil had pooled at his feet.

Davis leapt over the two of them, only for a needle to pierce him right in the face.

"!?"

Davis tumbled to the ground just like that and stopped moving.

"If poison and oil are allowed in a match, then I suppose I really am a Master Knight."

Stab, stab. He drove needles into the fallen Ace Knights one after another.

"T-That's... dirty..."

"If you show an opening for even a second, I could kill you seven times over."

He spoke in a cold voice, then snatched Might's sword and snapped it in half.

"Besides, I'm the type who can't rest until I've secured an advantage for myself. ...It's a life lesson."

It truly happened in an instant.
Before Ariel and Rose could even comprehend what had transpired, he had defeated all three Ace Knights.

"...It's just anesthetic. I care about my citizens, after all."

As Sieg waved them off, his silly grin returning, Rose and Ariel let out sighs of relief.

"...Honestly. Well, you are Sieg Becker, I suppose. I shouldn't have expected anything else."

"Sieg..."

Moving to a different spot, Sieg faced the two of them once more.
At that moment, Rose firmly pressed a cloth-wrapped bundle into Sieg's hands.

"You've kept me waiting a long time for this opportunity. ...It's a present."

"...What?"

"Open it. ...And let me tell you something upfront: this isn't out of gratitude or obligation."

"O-Oh?"

When Sieg opened it, a Jewel Knife lay inside.

"Ever since then, I wanted a treasure that matched yours. I went to great lengths to obtain it. It wouldn't be right if you didn't have one too."

"...I... I see..."

Sieg burst into tears.

"Thank you, Roseeeee!! I don't really understand what's happening, but I love you, dammit!!"

"I... I see. I'm glad."

After wailing and rubbing his stubbled cheek against the Jewel Knife, a sudden thought struck him.
He handed it, just as it was, to Ariel.

"...Eh?"

"That... if you sell that, you'll get a huge price for it. You're in debt, aren't you? If you use that to somehow fix things... then, um, if you'll stay with me... right?"

"............"

"Sieg Becker..."

Rose shook her head vigorously.
Ariel hesitated, wavering on whether or not to accept... but ultimately, he accepted.
Sieg wept tears of blood in his heart. But it's okay, he thought. I'm finally going to have a girlfriend.

"...Yes. I understand."

A flush crept into Ariel's cheeks.
"I-I'm inexperienced, but... please, look after me...!"

(...Wait?)

He felt like he had skipped something.
At that moment, Rose erupted.

"Don't you realize you're proposing to someone else using a gift meant for a proposal from another person, you absolute scum--!!"

"...Ah, auugh!?"

In this colony, the free transfer of a blade carries a special meaning.

(To be continued)

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 Diane—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 Sieg 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."

Sieg 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?"

Sieg 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?"

Sieg 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 Sieg Becker, so I wasn’t too worried."

"Sieg…"

Changing the subject, Sieg 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?"

Sieg 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, Sieg 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?"

"…………"

"Sieg Becker…"

Rose shook her head back and forth.

Ariel hesitantly considered whether to accept it or not… but ultimately, she did.

Sieg 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)

The Ogres, owing to their immense stature, excel as combatants. While they typically base their colony-level livelihoods on hunting, when interacting with other races, they readily shift roles and leverage their strength as construction laborers.

Similarly, the Dwarves, who also draw power as their hallmark, specialize in forging iron and intricate craftsmanship. Urban occupational segregation has thus evolved into a clear division: Dwarves dominate blacksmithing, while Ogres claim the field of architecture. Agriculture, fishing, and livestock herding remain the domain of humans and elves.

Though highly suited for manual labor, construction techniques cannot be refined without collective accumulation and collaboration.

Consequently, it is common for each city to host several Ogre-led construction unions.

Given that Ogres are inherently warlike, organizing them in large numbers inevitably imbues these groups with a muscular, mafia-like character.

Ideally, an organization capable of channeling their boundless energy through shared work, events, and guiding principles would thrive. Yet depending on the charisma of their leaders or the stability of their operations, they can sometimes exert detrimental influence on local governance. This remains one of the more challenging aspects for Celesta Mercantile Nation, which prides itself on "tolerance toward races but strictness regarding profit," making such groups difficult to control outright.

Fortunately, the oasis city of Tark possesses organizations with considerable capacity for management.

Notably, two construction unions hold particularly strong sway:
The "Trident," formed by three-horned Ogres united in purpose;
And the "Tower Emblem," dominated largely by single-horned Ogres.

Both have expanded into finance, brewing, and retail sectors, wielding influence among Tark's top ten merchant guilds.

With headquarters positioned symmetrically across Central Street, and locked in a perpetual cycle of rivalry over shared business interests, these two factions have become something of a local spectacle—street-corner brawls between their foot soldiers are now considered a hallmark of Tark itself.

It is well known among Tark's citizens that the Trident's leader is a woman of prime age.

"Perhaps we should send the younger recruits to search?"

"You know nothing of that Siegfried Becker, do you?"

The Ogre second-in-command nodded respectfully at the female leader.

"The world of soldiers escapes my understanding. I've heard rumors of him becoming something akin to a hero in ballads, but..."

The woman smiled broadly, draped a sheer sunshade mantle over her shoulders with a sharp motion.

"Too swift, too capricious, too cunning and deceitful. Sending more men would only prolong the chase. Better for me to go alone."

"But the younger recruits of Tower Emblem are loose-lashed. If they spot you wandering alone on an alleyway—"

"Enough. I've waited ten years already... Do not pursue him. That man is sharp."

The Trident's female leader, Rose Alderia, brushed aside her concerned second-in-command and strode decisively toward the estate gates.

Her nature—impulsive, relentless, unyielding once set in motion—is well-suited to leading unruly Ogre men, yet it carries risks far greater than most.
The second-in-command clutched his head, silently praying that nothing untoward had occurred.
"Still... 'too swift, too capricious, too cunning and deceitful'... Sounds like the kind of talk one uses about petty scoundrels."

"Well, well. Quite a crowd for such a man."
Before Siegfried stood a growing throng of single-horned Ogres—roughly twenty strong, judging by their rough work clothes, some with hammers slung at their waists. They were clearly young members of a construction union.

Construction unions often engage in lending and debt collection; it's not uncommon for them to handle collections alongside their primary duties. So while this development was within expectations, having two or three individuals would be manageable—but twenty? That posed a serious problem. Moreover, being outnumbered where others needed protection was hardly a wise strategy.

"Enough already, sir."

Ariel tugged Siegfried's sleeve, her face tense as she whispered urgently.

"They won't take your life. They're after your earnings. You'll be fine... but you might get buried alive."

"Ah, I see that look of impending burial. Perhaps blowing them away too hastily was a mistake?"

"So hurry and escape. I don't know where they came from, but if you're alone, you can outrun them. And leave the southern district as soon as possible."

Siegfried smiled.

"I don't really want to set off until you'll stick around with me."

"Once the heat dies down, come back to my shop. Two hours for forty coins, and I'll go along with whatever hobby you've got."

"Aaaah. What a professional attitude."

Zieg, having shaken it off, pressed forward.

"Forget two hours and forty coins—I want joint management of all my assets."

"…………"

Ariel made a face of disbelief.

"At your age, getting hot over a cross-species sex worker in one shot? Don't you think that's uncool?"

"Just a little. But I'm still a Captain of a Hundred Men, so I make quite a bit."

"I can't trust anyone who picks such a cheap inn and checks in from morning."

"Nothing but a bit of bad luck. Still, meeting someone nice like you makes it lucky, I suppose."

"I don't get it."

Ariel sighed and tried to push Zieg deeper into the back alley.

Zieg gave her ear a gentle tap.

"Hyaan!?"

"I used to be under a dark elf once... so I know quite a bit about how ears express emotion. You're blushing a little, aren't you?"

"Eeek! Shut up! Humans, don't get cocky!"

Caught red-handed, Ariel glared with a resentful look.

She was fairly confident in her ability to read women's expressions.

Zieg lightly embraced such an Ariel, then let go and held her sideways.

"W-what are you doing!?"

"Since I'm in the business, two people burn hotter than one trying to run away alone."

"What kind of business is that!?"

"Rescuing captive princesses."

"...Zieg Becker... wait, could you possibly be...!?"

"That's right, Zieg Becker."

Zieg leaped.
He could easily carry a single woman or scale a one-story roof with ease.
Of course, he couldn't vanish completely from sight even if he ran at full speed, but he was confident he could shake off an ogre's wide-strided pursuit.
"Let's go!!"

Zieg Becker.
His name appeared in bards' heroic ballads and occasionally became a popular tune.
The third surge of popularity came from his great adventure on the Rapal Islands.
The second was the drama of rescuing a noble lady imprisoned by thieves.
And the first? A tragic love story with an enemy spy.

In the tavern of Queika, a bard turned my terrible breakup into a poem while I was awkwardly trying to drink a beverage I wasn't even allowed to consume yet.
Thanks to that, Celesta became one of the most famous spies in the realm.
Well, having an epic sung about me won't split my face open, and since I always use a pseudonym anyway, it's not much of a problem.
That bard still occasionally hears tales of Sieg's exploits at Queika and turns them into poems, but he sometimes weaves exaggerations in for dramatic effect and pacing.
Ah, the thief who was captured wasn't a noble princess, but the only daughter of an ogre guildmaster.
Their parting wasn't like what's sung in the ballads—leaving a kiss beneath the trees before vanishing like a daydream.
She turned out cuter than I expected, so halfway through their farewell, I made a move, and seeing her strangely happy eyes brought back unpleasant memories of my first love; half-naked as she was, I threw my loincloth at her face and vanished in a cloud of smoke—a truly despicable ending.
I'll leave that part unspoken to Ariel.

"Hold it right there—!!"

The ogres chased Sieg across rooftops, sprinting through the streets.

But running around was exactly what Sieg wanted.

"I've got you... Ugh!!"

An ogre fell straight into a simple pitfall covered by a single thin plank over a water drain.

"Just skittering on the roofs... I can't take it anymore! Doo-uh?!"

Another ogre leaped onto a roof not built to support their weight and got stuck halfway up with its lower body trapped.

Because it kept looking only upward, it tripped over a taut rope strung between palm trees, stumbled, kicked over a beehive, and ended up in a terrible mess.

In no time, the pursuers were dwindling.

"...Wow, only ogres fell for such elaborate pranks."

"Well, if I could use instant-death traps, it'd be easy. But even though they're thugs, setting them off on civilians is just wrong."

"...Instant-death trap?"

"Gunpowder, blades, vital points, poison—stuff like that. If you distract them with something like that and then strike when they're caught off guard, it's super efficient."

"That sounds scary..."

"We have missions where we have to do things like that."

He suddenly changed direction, scattering the remaining few ogres completely.

Then, in an inconspicuous alleyway, he gently lowered Ariel down and locked eyes with her before confessing seriously.

"Anyway... I'd like to date you. ...Look, I'm a bit distrustful of people. But just now, you saved me a little. It might seem simple on my part, but... I've started wanting to spend more time with you."

Of course, that wasn't all. There was also the fact that she possessed a willpower reminiscent of Diane, whom he once regarded as his goddess of the heart—a dark elf whose strength shone in her eyes.

There was also the simple, material issue that she felt good to hold.

But for Sieg, who had been drowning in self-loathing, her smile and way of living were enough to make him fall in love at first sight.

"Lies... No one falls in love that easily. You're not just saying this because you want something free, right?"

Yet Ariel was also distrustful of people.

Or rather, distrustful of men.

She had fallen for someone, been deceived by them, and ended up working as a prostitute.

So when such an impulsive man—one who came as a customer and suddenly confessed his love—did so to her, she couldn't possibly be genuinely moved.

"Of course, I just want something free."

"Of course."

"I want you to date me for free, have Queeka live in my house, and if possible, bear my child."

"...Aaah!"

However, Sieghard trembles under Ariel's relentless assault.
Fundamentally, dark elves are not strong against loneliness. And Ariel was, in the end, a kind-hearted girl who easily fell for a bad man and ended up drowning in debt.

"I want to kiss you for free, have you rest your head on my knee for free, see me naked in an apron for free, bathe with you for free, and cuddle with you for free! Damn it, isn't that bad?! I'd rather be a pervert with a girl than grow old like this! I want to dote on each other lovingly! And if possible, with a girl as lovely as you!"

"...Uu, uu..."

Ariel droops her ears and looks up at Sieghard.
It's an incredibly awkward, brutally honest confession from a scruffy forty-something man with a lazy beard, desperately exposing his innermost thoughts.
But... strangely...
There's such compelling force that it makes me feel ashamed of lying to myself.

In truth, Sieghard—who is strong, reliable, tall, and above all, seeks everything in her—is exactly the type Ariel finds appealing.
For Ariel, who was forced to cut ties with her family due to overwhelming debt and had her beloved man flee, leaving her alone, that warmth was undeniably charming.

"Uu...!"
As she hesitates between resisting his pressure or submitting to it...
She notices three horn-like protrusions resembling a crown visible beyond Sieghard's arms pressed against the walls on either side of her face.

An ogre. She flinches for a moment, but he's short. Even so, he's taller than her—nearly 170 cm. For a female ogre, that's quite petite.

"I finally found you!"

"...Whoa!?"

Sieghard also jumps, looking up to see the ogre who has suddenly appeared beside him.
The petite ogre woman tosses aside her cloak and dashes forward. Before Sieghard can get into a fleeing stance, she leaps straight at his chest.

If it were a knife, this would be killing distance.
In an instant, their eyes meet.

"Damn you, lowest scum man!!!"

Her uppercut sends Sieghard flying through the air.

"...Ouch... I thought my jaw was broken."

"That's actually more of a miracle that it wasn't. Even with this, I don't lose to any random youngling in terms of punching power."

After hovering completely above the rooftops for a moment, she lands safely in an alleyway. Trihorn ogre woman Rose stares at Sieghard with narrowed eyes... and a slightly flushed face.

"...So, who are you... uh, waaaaah!?"

Only after finally confirming Rose's identity does Sieghard, still sitting on his rear, begin retreating backward like an insect—zakazakaza. It's quite undignified.

"I seem to have been remembered by you, cowardly man."

"...O, oh... You... Rose...!!"

"Sieghard Becker. I will never forget the humiliation from that day."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

He performs a full-body prostration. Truly undignified.

Ariel stood stunned.

"N-n-nothing... what?"

"...Well, it's awkward to ask, but please don't press me on that. Look, Rose, just let me take care of them with everything I've got—I won't lay a hand on her."

"What a noble sentiment. But after pretending to kiss you and throwing your sash around my waist, only to seriously pursue this woman... it leaves quite a bad impression on me."

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!"

Zieg knelt down with a heavy thud.

"What can I do?"

Rose grabbed Zieg by the chest and lifted him up, her face twisted with veins bulging, yet wearing an utterly radiant smile.

"That's the look of a beast facing its prey," Zieg thought.

"Oh, uh... Lion, Davis, we've got them!"

"!!"

In an instant, Zieg shook off Rose's grip and moved to shield Ariel's back alongside her.

At the entrance of the alleyway stood two figures: a lion-beastman and a human man. Behind them emerged a one-horned ogre.

"Pursuers?"

Zieg muttered in a voice too deep to be called anything else, and the human man tilted his head sideways with a sharp kakun sound, breaking into a grin.

"The Tower Emblem's young ones are causing quite a ruckus. We're here as their bodyguards... and since I recognize you, it must be Special Lieutenant Zieg Becker?"

"...I've seen you before. Might Garen?"

"Did I make an impression?"

"You'd better not have a bad memory if you want to keep your job."

Zieg clicked his tongue sharply.

The human was Might Garen; the lion-beastman, Lion Rex; and the one-horned ogre... Davis Dagout.

He pulled their names from the military intelligence stored in his mind.

"And there's even the head of the Trident," he added.

With another kakun, Mait tilted his head to the opposite side, his smile deepening. The long staff he carried slipped slightly over his shoulder and fell away, revealing a longsword without a guard beneath it.

"What kind of fools are these? You Tower brats sending out some new delinquents...?"

Rose began to raise her fist, but Zieg held her back with his hand.

"Stay behind me as far as possible, along with Ariel."

"Becker...?"

"They're all Ace Knights."

At the Carlos residence.

The midday meal continued without Zieg. Andy was struggling to eat a massive pile of green vegetables, looking utterly miserable.

Diane watched him with a worried expression, yet still smiling warmly. Aurora suddenly spoke up.

"Lord Diane... may I ask you something?"

"Hm?"

"How powerful is Special Lieutenant Becker... really?"

"You're an Ace Knight yourself. Just play a match casually and figure it out somehow."

"No, I don't truly understand that person's strength."

Aurora said, gripping her hands together and then spreading them wide.
"As a swordsman, they lack many offensive techniques; their attack power seems questionable. Yet when they enter a defensive stance or release their sword... it is in those moments that I feel the unfathomable depth of their capability. Their evasion leaves no room for waste, and their movement efficiency surpasses even my brother, who is a Master Knight. Moreover, sometimes I find it perplexing where their killing intent originates. I often think: if this person were to employ any means whatsoever, not limited to swords..."

"Well, certainly, that guy is hard to read... but at least keeping a serious version of him in check would be difficult even for a Master Knight."

"Is it really that bad?"

"A few years ago, Overnight said, 'You can block the dragon's fire, but you cannot stop Siegfried Becker.'"

"...Overnight!? W-which one?"

"The iron one. The lightning one agreed as well."

"............What does that mean?"

Diane muttered to herself, though it wasn't a topic for mealtime conversation.
"That man—if told to kill in a thousand different ways, he'd probably be able to do it. While fire might be blocked by examining magic, runes, and materials, there's no way to seal Becker's killing methods... If he becomes an enemy, he could be more terrifying than a Master Knight."

"Well then."

Siegfried straightened his spine sharply, wiping the smile from his lips.

A burnt scent began to drift around him—the aura of a battlefield.

Maito tilted his head backward with a crack, grinned widely, and drew his sword.

"Special Forces Captain Becker. Since I joined the army, I've wanted to kill you."

"So? I'd rather not. I don't want unnecessary deaths."

Leon, the lion-beastman, opened his mouth.

"You're arrogant."

"No, no, no. Because if we fight to the death, one of us will die!"

Even Davis, the single-horned warrior, muttered softly.

"One or two deaths wouldn't matter..."

"One or two?"

Siegfried looked at the three of them with an expression full of pity.

"Because you're the ones who'll die."

The three fell silent instantly.

"How about it?"

"I don't know."

"It's three against one. If we win, you become a Master Knight...?"

Without a word, Siegfried drew his knife—a mere 15 centimeters long, a laughably small weapon.

Then he crouched low.

As the three Ace Knights bristled with killing intent and lunged forward... at that very moment, Maito, leading the charge, stumbled and fell.

"Wha—!?"

"Hold on!?"

Leon followed, taking a fall. Oil had pooled at his feet.

Davis leaped over the two of them, only for a needle to pierce his face.

"!?"

Davis immediately somersaulted onto the ground and went still.

"If poisons and oil are allowed in matches, then I truly am a Master Knight."

He drove needles into the fallen Ace Knights with a snap, snap.

"H-humbug... that's cheap..."

"If you show me even a momentary opening, I could kill you seven times over."

In a cold voice, he snatched Maito's sword and smashed it.

"Besides, I'm the type who can't rest until I've gained the upper hand from the start... it's a lesson life taught me."

Truly, in an instant.

Before Ariel and Rose could grasp what had happened, three Ace Knights lay defeated.

"...It was anesthesia. I value the people of this nation."

Rose and Ariel exchanged relieved smiles as Sieg waved his hands with a goofy grin.

"...Well, it's Sieg Becker. I wasn't worried in the first place."

"Sieg-san..."

The scene shifted, and Sieg turned his attention back to the two of them.

Just then, Rose suddenly pressed a wrapped bundle into Sieg's hands.

"I've been waiting for this opportunity for a long time... it's a present."

"...What is it?"

"Open it. Let me be clear: this isn't out of gratitude or obligation."

"H-huh?"

When Sieg unwrapped it, inside lay a Jewel Knife.

"Ever since then, I've wanted to own a treasure that matches yours. After much effort, I finally got my hands on one. It wouldn't do for you not to have it."

"...Ah, I see..."

Sieg began to weep softly.

"Thank you, Rose—!! Though I don't quite understand why, I love you too, damn it!!"

"S-so... that's good to hear."

Then, while still crying, he gently stroked the Jewel Knife against his scruffy beard before suddenly deciding on something.

He handed it directly to Ariel.

"...Huh?"

"If I sold this, it'd fetch a huge price... you're in debt, right? If you could pay off your debts with it... then, maybe you'd consider being with me...?"

"............"

"Sieg Becker..."

Rose shook her head, trembling.

Ariel hesitantly considered whether to accept it... and ultimately, she did.
Zieg felt tears of blood well up in his heart. That's fine, he thought. I'll get a girlfriend too.

"…Yes. Understood."

A blush suddenly colored Ariel's cheeks.

"F-forgive my inadequacy, but please take care of me…"

(...Wait?)

It felt like something had been skipped over.

Then Rose erupted.

"...You didn't realize that this gift, meant as a proposal from one person, was being used to propose to someone else? You absolute bastard—!!"

"...Ah, ah-ah!?"

In this colony, the free transfer of blades holds special meaning.

(TBC)