Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World-Chapter 665: The Orcs Arrive

TL: Rui88

Watcher’s Fortress.

The north wind howled, and dark clouds filled the sky.

The dense orc army outside made the air incredibly oppressive.

Yesterday, the fortress received a warning from scouts that a large orc army was approaching.

Today, as soon as the sun rose, a dark mass of orc troops surged from the depths of the distant plains.

Not only were there their own cavalry, but also infantry phalanxes sent by the human vassal states they had conquered.

These human auxiliary troops carried advanced siege weapons: ladders, shielded carts, battering rams, catapults, ballistae… everything was there.

On the fortress walls, the legion’s commander, Duke Morton, frowned tightly.

When he received the news that the orcs and the Gabellans had made peace, he realized that the orcs’ attention would turn to the west.

The Grand Chieftain Abal’s ambition for the human world would certainly not stop at a few small oasis kingdoms in the desert.

The vast plains and forests were his true goal.

The knight Arthur ran over. “My lord! There are two letters for you. One is from the orc envoy, and the other is… from Count Grayman of Northwest Bay.”

Duke Morton took them, first opening the orc’s letter and quickly scanning the text.

He could recognize that the letter was written by Abal himself, showing the importance placed on him.

The Grand Chieftain was proficient in several human languages, including the Ordo script.

As the commander of Watcher’s Fortress, it was inevitable that he would have dealings with this king of the plains, and both were familiar with each other’s handwriting.

“What do the orcs say?”

“They are advising us to surrender.”

Arthur was furious. “This is a clear insult to us!”

But then he asked with some worry, “What… what do you think?”

Duke Morton gave a bitter smile.

Abal had already written him several similar letters, some threatening, some enticing.

“What are you thinking? Send a message back with the orc envoy. I live and die a Duke of Ordo!”

Arthur breathed a sigh of relief.

“As for this one!”

Duke Morton opened the letter from Northwest Bay.

“I don’t think I know any Count Grayman!”

Arthur scratched his head. “I seem to have heard that surname from somewhere! Uh, right…”

He had a sudden realization and remembered an old matter. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

“A few years ago, when Sir Duke and I went to Northwest Bay, we met a Count Grayman. It must be him.”

“Is that so?” Duke Morton finished reading the letter, a look of surprise on his face.

“He’s actually warning us that the orcs are about to attack! How did this count, so far away in Northwest Bay, know?”

Of course, Duke Morton had no time to think about it now. The orc attack was imminent.

If only this letter had arrived a little earlier.

Arthur turned to find the orc envoy to deliver the message. Just as he left, the fortress’s deputy commander, Sir Duke, walked over.

Morton sighed. “From the look on your face, it seems you haven’t brought back the results I wanted?”

Sir Duke nodded sadly. “The lords gave me some soldiers, but they are either old, weak, sick, and disabled, or ruffians and criminals.”

“Alas, something is better than nothing. I hope they can show their worth as men of Ordo in battle.”

“Wooo—!”

A dull horn blast came from the distance. The orc army began to move, slowly advancing towards the fortress.

The attack was about to begin.

—

Northwatch Town, a town in the northern part of the Nerodan Corridor.

At the town gate, two knights reined in their horses and looked to the north.

The majestic Rocky Mountains lay like a giant dragon.

And the people they were waiting for would come from those mountains.

“Are we… really going to do this?”

Langfellow asked his companion hesitantly.

Boyle shook his head. “It’s not that we want to do this, it’s that Grand Duke Bradley wants to do this.”

“This is dishonorable!”

“Executing the master’s command is the greatest honor for a knight.”

The two’s argument stemmed from their mission—to welcome the orc army into the Nerodan Corridor.

This was personally instructed by their master, Grand Duke Bradley.

Inspired by Jars and Viburen, Grand Duke Bradley, who was enfeoffed in the kingdom’s northeast, also developed other ideas.

But his strength could not compare to the previous two, not to mention the Watcher’s Legion, loyal to Crystal Shrine, was stationed right under his nose.

Borrowing external force became Grand Duke Bradley’s choice, and the King’s Tent on the plains opportunely extended an olive branch.

In fact, the Grand Duke’s family had long established a friendship with the plains forces.

Under the cover of the Bradley family, large quantities of goods controlled by the kingdom were continuously transported to the plains, and in return, fine horses, gold, silver, and other precious items were brought back, all falling into the hands of the Bradley family.

This cooperation had lasted for several generations.

“They’re here!”

In the distance, an army flying an unfamiliar banner gradually appeared in their field of vision.

Orcs!

“So many people, it’s an entire army!” Langfellow was both shocked and puzzled. “Unbelievable, how did they cross the great northern mountains!”

“I guess there must be an easily passable valley in the Rocky Mountains, and the orcs found it.”

Boyle was terrified. “It’s chilling to think about it now. The existence of these passages makes Watcher’s Fortress a joke. It turns out we are under the threat of the orcs at all times. Fortunately… we are their allies.”

“Are we allies?” Langfellow’s face was bitter. “Before their main army arrived, small bands of orcs coming down from the mountains had already been ravaging the northern villages for a long time.”

That army gradually approached, and Langfellow and Boyle identified the figures of the orcs one by one.

They looked similar to humans, but each was tall and martial, with a fierce look in their eyes.

Under the sunlight, a fine layer of fur could be seen on their exposed skin.

The two urged their horses forward and awkwardly performed a knight’s salute.

The orc leader at the head of the column was tall, outstanding even among orcs.

He returned the salute in a similar fashion and said in a booming voice, “Humans, we come for the friendship with Bradley.”

Langfellow found it somewhat ironic, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

Boyle first introduced himself and then asked the orc leader’s name.

“Kalem!”

“Welcome, but the plan has changed slightly. My master hopes you will station yourselves here for now and not advance towards Watcher’s Fortress yet.”

Kalem’s round eyes opened wide. “Our clansmen are fighting a bloody battle. I cannot stay here for long!”

“But…” Langfellow explained to him, “Crystal Shrine has sent an army to ‘support’ us, and it is led by Her Highness Princess Catherine herself!”

“Oh? Is it that Princess Catherine? I have heard of her. The Grand Duke wants us to annihilate this army on the way?”

“It’s better than letting them smoothly join forces with the Watcher’s Legion, isn’t it? But… regarding Her Highness the Princess, the Grand Duke hopes not to harm her and to ensure she remains unharmed.”

Kalem laughed heartily. “To be concerned about this even when you’re rebelling. I can only promise not to harm her proactively. If she wants to kill herself, that’s not my business.”

Boyle smiled awkwardly. The real reason was—the Bradley family wanted a descendant with royal blood.

He changed the subject. “Chief Kalem, you truly have courage, to come with your army yourself without even sending a vanguard to scout.”

But the other party’s face showed disdain. “My boys have long since memorized every blade of grass and every tree here.”

Boyle was speechless.

Indeed, with the indulgence of their master, small units of the orc army had long been conducting large-scale activities in the northern part of Nerodan.