Praise the Orc! Chapter 11:
Chapter 11 – Intern Stella
“I can’t see the rumored rookie . ” An orc remarked to Lenox as they stood at the training grounds .
It was a shaman wearing animal skin and holding a staff . Lenox nodded .
“I sent him to Hoyt . ”
“Hoyt… I haven’t heard that name in a long time . Has he been doing well?”
“He’s gone away this time because he became friends with a human . ”
“Human…”
The shaman touched his chin .
“It isn’t good to become entangled with them . ”
“I hope the human he called friend is a man of honor . ”
A few warriors greeted the shaman .
“Tashaquil! Are you alive?”
“Oh, I’m alive . Bul’tar!”
“Tashaquil!”
Tashaquil smiled and nodded .
“Hey, everyone’s alive . ”
Just like Lenox was the instructor for the warriors in Orcrox Fortress, Tashaquil was the teacher for the shamans .
Beginner orcs often met with either Lenox or Tashaquil . The system determined the user’s alignment and suggested the way best suited for them . They were the two NPCs that could be called the starting point of the **** species .
Lenox stared at a collapsed warrior who jumped to his feet and started moving again .
“I see you’re still strict . ”
“I’m treating them as warriors . ”
Lenox laughed .
“Grant sent me a letter . ”
“Grant? Didn’t he become a farmer?”
“He did . ”
“I was expecting him to give up . ”
“He selected that life for himself . ”
At the time the Mutant Hunt quest was received, the system said that the compensation would depend on their performance . Ian and Grom didn’t know it, but the letter Grant wrote to Lenox resulted in a far bigger reward .
Tashaquil waved his staff and a blessing covered the orcs practicing at the training grounds . The warriors shouted their gratitude to Tashaquil .
“That blunt person wrote a letter . What does it say?”
“He gave me his regards and talked about the rookie . ”
“He met the rookie?”
“Yes . I told them to help the orc farmers as a whole, but they ended up meeting Grant instead . ”
“What’d he say?”
“That he’ll be a good warrior . ”
“A good warrior…”
Tashaquil started thinking .
“I have seen many warriors . Good warriors as well . But not all good warriors go the same way . ”
Tashaquil smiled and nodded .
“So you sent him to Hoyt?”
“That’s right . ”
“Hoyt is an honorable man . ”
“It’s enough as long as the rookie doesn’t forget the path of honor . ”
“That is your answer, Lenox . ”
At that time, an orc appeared in front of Lenox’s eyes . With a lousy rushing gait, it was Grom . Lenox laughed bitterly .
“There’s another rookie . ”
“This one?”
“He isn’t reliable, but he’s coming along well . ”
Lenox called out to Grom . Grom jumped . He became tense as he discovered Tashaquil, who had a fierce atmosphere similar to Lenox, standing on Lenox’s other side . Tashaquil waved his staff .
“I am alive . I am Tashaquil . ”
“I am alive! Are you the shaman instructor?”
“You know me . ”
Grom initially worried about whether he should become a warrior or a shaman . In fact, the system had proposed becoming a shaman, and told him to go to Basque Village to find the shaman Tashaquil . However, Grom himself chose to become a warrior .
Lenox told Grom, “The mission to help Grant turned out well . ”
“Thank you . ”
“But I’m still not satisfied . Are you satisfied?”
“Ah, no!”
“Yes . Never be satisfied with the present . I will give you a mission . ”
“Alone…?”
“That’s right . ”
Grom had learned through a whisper that Ian was on a solo quest . This would be the first quest that he proceeded on alone without Ian . In fact, it was thanks to Ian that Grom had made most of his progress as an orc . If it wasn’t for Ian, then he would’ve already quit .
The orc really was a **** species! What quest would he have to do alone? Grom gulped .
“I understand . ”
“These days, a group of goblins are threatening the orcs . Go with the warriors to clean them up . Fight together . ”
“Uh, when?”
“Now!”
Lenox pointed behind Grom . There were a series of warriors holding weapons . They grinned as they gestured to him . It was a fearsome sight to behold . Grom seemed like he was about to cry .
“I understand… Uhh…”
Tashaquil laughed as he watched Grom walking away .
“That guy’s going to be a warrior?”
“Anyone can become a warrior . ”
“Kulkulkul . Indeed…”
“Tashaquil, a warrior isn’t born, but made . ”
“You are still a romantic . ”
“I just believe . ”
Lenox grinned .
“I believe in the possibilities of all orcs . ”
***
Ian walked around Anail .
Once he became recognized as an orc warrior someday, he would leave Orcrox Fortress and meet various other species . Just like he admired Orcrox’s scenery, Anail was overflowing with NPCs with their own intelligence and personality .
In addition to the merchants at the market welcoming customers, he also saw the mercenaries of Elder Lord who would do anything for money . Orcs were rare in Anail, so Ian gladly bumped fists with them every time he met one .
“Hey, are you alive?”
“I’m alive!”
“This is the first time I’ve seen you . A warrior?”
“I’m still an apprentice . Shaman?”
“No, no, no . I am the much cooler warlock compared to a shaman . ”
“Ohh… This is the first time I’ve seen an orc warlock . ”
“Don’t reduce the honor of the warlocks . I am a warlock . ”
“Kulkulkul . I’ll be careful . ”
“It is nice to meet you, Warrior . Warriors can be called the pride of the orcs . Become a warrior who knows honor, young man . ”
“I understand . Bul’tar!”
“Bul’tar!”
The citizens glanced over at the two big orcs saying goodbye on the street .
Ian’s childhood memories returned as he wandered around the market . It was fun to follow his parents around at the market when they were alive . When they saw the young Ian, the adults at the market would give him something to eat .
“Purchase radish! Selling radish! Purchase radish! Purcha… . eh?”
A woman screaming while holding a radish in both hands noticed Ian and her eyes widened .
“…?”
Ian looked at her as well . There was a white star in the middle of her forehead . A user . It was the first user he met apart from Grom .
“A user?”
“Yes . ”
“Whoa, this is the first time I’ve seen an orc user . Wah, wah . ”
She examined Ian with amazement . As she reached out to touch Ian, she realized that she was holding radishes in both hands and stopped .
“Do you want to buy a radish?”
“Kulkulkul . It’s okay . ”
She laid down the radishes with regret-filled eyes .
“This is really the first time I’ve seen an orc user . Have you been playing for a long time?”
“Not that long . I’m a beginner . ”
“I see . You should try a different race . I have friends who tried being an orc, and they all ended up quitting . ”
“Kulkulkul . ”
“You are like a real orc . ”
A woman was selling a variety of vegetables on her own, with a sign saying ‘Anail Branch of the Blacksmith Company’ in front of her . Her eyes widened as she noticed where Ian was paying attention .
“Ahem, I am the successful applicant for the intern position at Blacksmith Company . ”
“Intern?”
“Don’t ignore the interns . The Blacksmith Company is a large business in Elder Lord . ”
Even in games, the preference for large companies remained .
“I’m going to become a legend of the business world and appear in [Elder Lord Times] . ”
[Elder Lord Times] was a program that talked about news in Elder Lord, as well as the rankers . Ian had watched videos of Elder Lord through this program before starting Elder Lord .
“Orc, what is your profession?’
“A warrior, although I am still an apprentice . ”
“Truly an orc . How tough . ”
The woman sighed, “It’s good that I don’t have to worry about fighting . But I have to sell all of this today…”
She glanced at Ian .
“Are you busy?”
“I’m not busy but…”
Now was his free time . Hoyt told Ian to explore the city .
“Then please help me . ”
[Stella has suggested a quest . ]
[The pay will be according to the results . There is a base salary of 5 silver and you will receive 30% of Stella’s dividends, depending on the sales performance . ]
Stella’s quest! This was the first time he discovered that users could grant a quest . Ian looked at the woman, Stella, who was gazing at him earnestly .
“I’m an intern . If my performance isn’t good then I can’t switch to being a full-time employee!”
It was the sad reality . Anyway, it seemed fun so Ian nodded .
“I understand . ”
“Did you see my name in the quest window? I am Stella . Orc, what is your name?”
“I am Ian . ”
“That isn’t an orc-like name . ”
Thus, Ian started to help Stella with her business .
“Purchase radish! Buy carrots! Selling cucumbers!” Stella yelled loudly . Unbecoming of her slim figure, she yelled like an amazon, but nobody looked back .
Ian watched Stella .
“Excuse me, Mister! Do you need a radish? This is a radish, a delicious radish! You can boil it, cook it, or even sell it! Buy it!”
“I’m not buying, not buying . ”
“The aunty over there! Carrots! It’s great for your body! Good for your eyes, and rich in beta-carotene . Even children like them! Carrots are great, Aunty!”
“My kids hate carrots . ”
“The pretty sister over there! Elf sister! Sister, do you like green peppers? Sister, how about a basket of green peppers?”
“…Step aside . ”
Ian shook his head . Stella looked over at Ian with tearful eyes .
“What? You’re just watching and not helping . Do you think you’ll be better than me at this job?”
“Isn’t it just selling?’
“Yes, I went to a private school in order to pass the interview to enter the Blacksmith Company . ”
“School?”
“There are many special schools for Elder Lord . ”
If there were private schools for games, it would surely be in South Korea .
“I’m broke because I used my salary to pay for the private school’s fees…”
He was reminded of Yiyu when he saw Stella . Ian sighed and said, “Okay . I will lend you my strength . ”
“Bah, will Ian’s strength make a difference? Will it turn carrots into beef? You would be a wealthy merchant . ”
Desperate words poured out of Stella’s mouth as she started talking . Ian placed a dirt-covered carrot in her mouth . She tried to speak while spitting it ot .
“Wha for?”
“Stella, please remember this . ”
Ian puffed up his chest . He was a dignified and honourable orc .
“If you want to grab the mind of a person, be aware that 70% of communication is through non-verbal behaviour, not words . ”
Ian moved Stella out of the way and sat down . The people passing by looked at the orc sitting in front of a vegetable shop like he was a spectacle . Ian didn’t say anything .
“……”
At that moment, he caught the eyes of a passerby . The man flinched at Ian’s intense gaze .
Green skin, grim expression, protruding fangs, and the huge size . It was a scary appearance . The man became nervous as Ian paid strong attention to him . An orc acting as a substitute in the market, what the **** was this? The moment that they locked eyes, the terrible orc started to lift something up .
Dagger? Axe? Hammer? Was he staring because he was going to do some act of violence? The man swallowed his saliva . Should he run?
The orc lifted something up . It was nothing other than a radish . An orc holding a radish, it was an unusual sight . Was he an orc who would throw everything around him if he got upset? Would the radish fly over right now?
His eyes looked down . As the man tried to bow his head, something unbelievable happened .
The orc placed the radish near his face and gently smiled .
“……!”
Then the orc spoke in a loud voice, “Radish . ”
“……!”
“Do you need one?”
Did he need a radish? The man didn’t understand . However, he felt a type of strange trust from that short question . A pride that didn’t need long, flowery words! The warmth that spread from a gentle smile .
The man nodded like he was spellbound .
“I need…”
There was nothing more to say . The man paid the money and the orc handed over the radish . One radish was sold . Stella couldn’t understand why the man bought the radish and what this whole thing meant for her .
After the man bought the radish from the orc, people started to show interest . Another man walked up to the orc and said, “This is the first time that I am seeing an orc vegetable dealer . Orc, how much is this onion?”
“……”
Ian looked at the man with blank eyes . It was a deep look .
“…What will you do with the onion?”
The man rolled his eyes at the sudden question .
“Huh? That…I don’t know . My wife will take care of it . ”
He was a patriarchal man who knew nothing about cooking . Ian shook his head .
“I won’t sell you the onion . ”
A declaration of refusal! The eyes of everyone watching grew bigger . What merchant would refuse to sell an item? Had the orc applied a quota to the onions? He was a mysterious orc vegetable seller .
“Each ingredient has a value . An onion is the ultimate vegetable that can be used for all dishes . It can be used in stir-fry, steamed soup, soup, fried dishes, or as a nutritional or taste supplement . It is the guardian of the home . ”
“T-Then why…?”
“I will only sell it to those who understand the value of this ingredient . ”
The pride of the seller who would judge the buyer’s qualifications! It was a first for the market . The orc vegetable seller folded his arms and didn’t say anything more .
The rejected man looked between the orc and the onion with devastated eyes .
“T-Then…”
A woman came forward .
“Hrmm, he doesn’t know the value of the onion at that age because he depends on his wife instead of cooking for himself . It’s shameful!”
She was a middle-aged woman wearing a headband . She lifted a potato and said, “Orc, I want to buy a basket of potatoes . ”
“Hoh…”
“What do you think I will make with this?”
“A basket of potatoes…”
The orc vegetable seller touched his chin with a troubled expression, “Hrmm…potatoes… Thinking about the health of the family…how about a boiled potato salad…?”
The middle-aged woman waved her fingers and said with a smile .
“Wrong . ”
“Then what…?”
“The dish I will create…”
She said firmly . Everyone was surprised by her answer .
“Fried potatoes . ”
“Fried…? Frying…?”
“Crispy potatoes fried in oil . ”
“Fried… Oil… Isn’t this the enemy of health that causes hypertension, myocardial infarction, or obesity…?”
Didn’t their parents and elders always tell them to boil instead of frying?
“Yes, Mister is correct . That is possible, but they are just words . ”
The middle-aged woman laughed at the orc vegetable seller’s puzzled expression .
“Isn’t it good to risk your health if you can know the taste of fried potatoes?”
“……!”
“I would rather live today freely than tomorrow in caution . That is the value of the potatoes to me . ”
“That…!”
It was big . This woman…big . Her thoughts were bigger than his . She was someone who walked the path of a gourmet without any prejudice or self-righteousness .
The orc vegetable seller stood up in amazement .
“…Rather, I have learned something from you . ”
“The world is wide, Mister Orc . ”
“To you…I will sell three baskets instead of just one . ”
“I’ll willingly accept . ”
Thus, the middle-aged woman left with three baskets of potatoes . The people who witnessed the encounter came up to the orc seller and started conveying their beliefs .
“I will make a soup with the carrots . The color will hide the identity for my children who don’t like carrots . It is my small consideration for the dark knight at the table . ”
“Give me an onion . I’ll serve it with a great steak . The people of the world only look at the heroes, but the protagonists are the performers who do their part in silence . ”
“Please give me garlic . I’ll eat it raw . It’s my gut feeling that I have to try the original taste of the ingredient and confront the world . ”
Truly a great success! The vegetables started to quickly sell . The orc vegetable seller looked around at the empty store .
Sold out! It was a clean sweep .
He declared it to the customers, “Today, I left the land of the orcs for the first time and had a thought as I saw the various species in Anail . Do they really know the honor of the ingredients? Do they take vegetables seriously? Are they pursuing the path of cooking with their own beliefs?”
“……”
“I was skeptical, as I figured it wouldn’t be the case . But now I have realized it . I was wrong . I’ll acknowledge my misjudgment . There are a lot more gourmets than I first thought there were in this world . ”
Everyone nodded . The orc bowed .
“This orc! Today I have learned from the humans, dwarves, elves and gnomes!”
“Um!”
“Ohh!”
Clap . Clap . Clap .
An enthusiastic applause began . Everybody who watched him cheered and clapped . This day became a legend at the Anail Branch of the Blacksmith Company and would be circulated throughout the city for years .
The legendary witness, Stella, who had been watching this scene from the beginning, made a rotten expression .
“…What on earth?”