As Verc arrived in front of the wooden gate that was built by the orcs and the others, he pulled on the reins of Bong. The tall wooden walls loomed over the caravan, looking sturdy and imposing against the dark backdrop of the forest trees.
The two orcs standing guard outside immediately straightened their backs. Their eyes widened as they recognized the figure leading the group.
"THE LORD HAS RETURNED!!!"
The two orcs standing guard outside exclaimed that as loud as they can. Their voices were like booming drums that echoed through the clearing and vibrated against the wooden logs of the wall.
Their message reached everyone inside the wooden walls instantly.
"Huh...?"
Verc then heard hurried steps behind the wooden gates. He can sense a lot of footsteps inside gathering. It sounded like a small army was rushing toward the entrance.
And in a matter of seconds—CREAAAK!
The huge wooden gate started to move. The heavy wood groaned as it swung open, revealing the bustling interior of the settlement.
And as soon as it opened—
"WELCOME BACK, LORD VERC!!!"
Verc and the others were greeted by 50+ orcs, 30+ gnolls, and the remaining beastmen-vampire kids that were left behind. They were all lined up, filling the space just past the entrance.
"..."
Pwyll, Bernia, and the others were stunned seeing so many orcs in one place. In the human lands, stories were told about the terror of a single orc. One orc is said to be able to destroy multiple villages, or even a whole city on its own if it was strong enough. But there are dozens of them in here, standing in organized ranks.
And what’s more—they’re all bowing their heads to Verc!
Not just the orcs, they also saw the gnolls. Among the common folk, gnolls are known as one of the smarter monsters that can be a huge danger if there are a lot of them because they hunt in packs and use actual tactics. Here, they were standing alongside the orcs, showing the same level of discipline.
And then, the five beastmen; Ashley, Maya, Moro, Neit, and Jai. They stepped forward with bright eyes.
Pwyll and the group noticed them immediately. They didn’t look like normal beastmen. They had a certain aura—a sharpness in their gaze and a stillness in their bodies. They immediately knew that they were the same as Tatum and Jed; they’re vampires as well.
"..."
Pwyll and the group looked at Verc’s back. The man they had followed out of the slave shop seemed to grow even larger in their eyes.
Just as when they thought they knew how dangerous he was—they saw something like this. He wasn’t just a powerful lone vampire. He was a leader of dangerous monsters.
’Is he actually a demon king...?’
That question appeared in their head. It was the only logical explanation they could come up with for why such aggressive and powerful monsters would show such absolute submission. But nobody dared to actually say it.
They just stood there, their mouths slightly open, trying to process the scale of the power Verc held.
*****
Verc was slowly getting used to being the "Lord" of the territory.
The constant bowing and shouting of his name still felt a bit much, and so, although feeling uncomfortable, he wasn’t really surprised by how the others greeted him. He had expected some sort of welcome, though maybe not a full military parade.
He stayed on Bong for a moment, looking over the crowd of faces that looked up at him with such intense loyalty. He just nodded his head and thanked the others for greeting him.
"I am back."
He said simply.
"Thank you for working hard and protecting the base while I was away."
Then he thanked their hard works while he was gone. He could see that the walls were taller, the ground was cleared better, and new structures were being built in the distance.
And lastly—
"Good job."
He told them that.
Hearing those words made the others happy. The orcs let out low grunts of satisfaction, and the gnolls wagged their tails slightly.
A simple compliment from Verc seemed to be the greatest reward they could receive.
But before they could even say anything—Verc turned around to look at Pwyll and the others behind him. He gestured toward the group of former slaves, who were still looking around with wide, nervous eyes.
"They will be a new part of our family. Treat them well."
Verc declared that.
His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a weight that made it clear this was an absolute law.
Pwyll, Bernia, Nara, and everyone else who was brought by Verc from the slave shop—they were touched when Verc called them family. After being treated like objects and cargo for so long, the word hit them harder than they expected.
To the world, they were slaves or monsters. To Verc, they were people... family.
Anyway, after this--
"Come here."
Verc called for Ashley and the other kids. The five approached them quickly, their faces full of excitement.
First thing they did—was greet Verc, Tatum, and Jed.
"Welcome back, Lord Verc! Welcome back, Tatum, Jed!"
Ashley said, her voice filled with energy.
Tatum and Jed greeted them as well with a huge smile on their faces. They jumped down from the carriages and started talking to their friends, finally relaxing after the long, tense journey.
Verc greeted them back as well with a small nod. Then after that, he told Ashley and the others to lead the group behind him into the castle.
"Take them inside. Give them whatever free room that they want."
Verc instructed.
He also told them that they’re from a long journey so they should let them rest and feed them. He knew that the former slaves were exhausted, both physically and mentally. They needed a hot meal and a safe place to sleep more than anything else.
Ashley, Maya, and the others saluted with a smile on their faces and told Verc that they got it.
"We will take care of them, Lord Verc!"
The five of them quickly went to the new group. They started talking to them, guiding them through the gate with friendly gestures. Nara looked at Ashley with curiosity, sensing that she was safe here.
Meanwhile, Verc looked at Tatum and Jed again. The two boys were still standing near him, waiting for more orders. Their clothes dusty from the road and the fights they had along the way.
So with his lips parting—
"You two, rest as well."
He said that.
Tatum and Jed were about to say that they’re fine, their loyalty making them want to stay by his side until every task was done.
But before they could even speak—
"You both did well accompanying me. Spend some time with the others now."
Verc added that.
The two were silent at first, feeling the warmth of Verc’s praise. They nodded their head and thanked Verc afterwards.
"Thank you, Lord Verc."
Then they left and followed after Ashley and the other four, heading toward the castle.
Verc then turned to the six orcs that were left with him—Groo, Mamon, Jagan, Pol, Don, and Epona. They were still waiting patiently, their massive forms towering over the empty carriages.
He just told them to store the carriage and the horses near the barn at his castle.
Mamon and Groo said they’ll handle it.
"Leave it to us, Lord Verc!"
And with that—Verc was done.
Tap-
He dismounted Bong and entered past the gate. He walked through the central path of his settlement, watching the orcs and gnolls go back to whatever they were doing.
He was really back in his territory now.
*****
Verc headed straight to the barn to let Bong rest. The barn was a large structure built near the base of the stone castle by Ashley and the others. Inside, it was clean and filled with fresh plants.
"Good work today."
Verc muttered as he unsaddled Bong.
He gave him fresh fruits as well before leaving. Bong happily munched on the fruits, looking content to be back in his stable.
Then with Onyx in his hands, Verc entered the castle. The stone walls were cool, and the interior was quiet.
Tap- Tap- Tap-
He ignored everything around him—the piles of building materials and the empty halls—and went straight to the fifth floor.
That was where his room was. It was the highest point of the castle, giving him a view of the entire forest.
... ... ...
And as soon as he got there in his room, he put down Onyx.
-Arf!
The little puppy quickly hopped on the bed that was in there and started stretching, letting out a tiny yawn.
"...?"
Verc stopped and stared. He didn’t remember having a bed before leaving. When he left, his room was mostly empty stone and a few crates.
So he was surprised, but then he realized that it must have been made by the gnolls while he was away. He walked over to examine it.
It was made from the tree that was cut down to expand the clearing. The wood was dark and polished smooth. The mattress wasn’t made of straw; it was from a monster with a soft, thick fur. It looked incredibly comfortable and much better than sleeping on the ground or in a carriage.
Verc looked at it--
"I’ll try it later..."
Then he muttered that to himself.
For the first time in a while, he actually felt a bit of fatigue. He wants to sleep.
But before that—FWIP.
He took out his spatial pouch. He had gathered a lot of things during his time in the cities and on the road. The small bag felt heavy with magical energy.
And after turning it upside-down—F W O O O S H—!!!
All the things he stored inside of it came out like pouring water!
Gold coins clattered onto the stone floor, forming a small mountain that glinted in the dim light. Weapons he had taken from enemies, rare herbs he had bought, and various supplies he had looted spilled out in a chaotic pile. There were sets of armor, rolls of silk, boxes of high-quality food, and books.
The pile grew higher and higher, spreading across the floor of the large room. It looked like a dragon’s hoard.
’I’m glad I made my room big.’
Verc thought to himself, seeing the items continuously come out of his small pouch.
He stood in the middle of the room, surrounded by his wealth and his pup, listening to the quiet sounds of his territory outside.