Traces Beyond the Forest
An Encounter in Orc Territory
The sun hung high overhead as Noah's wagon rolled along a narrow trail through Terrania Forest.
The wooden wheels creaked softly over the leaf-covered ground. Every so often, the wind stirred the towering trees, causing their branches to rustle and fill the quiet forest with a soothing chorus.
According to Lee's estimate, they had already traveled more than halfway to the hidden settlement she had once heard about.
She pointed toward a small fork between two ancient trees.
"See over there? A few years ago, I rescued a group of hunters around that area."
She scanned the surroundings for a moment.
"But I'm worried there might be a bandit camp nearby."
Noah nodded thoughtfully.
"If there really is a bandit camp, then this road must see regular traffic."
"That also means our chances of finding a human settlement are much higher."
He glanced at the tiny Rabiba resting on his shoulder.
"Lucia."
The little creature opened her eyes.
"Do you sense anything?"
Lucia closed her eyes briefly, quietly feeling the area around them.
"There are several presences nearby, my Lord."
"But they don't seem to have any killing intent."
Noah nodded.
"Then stay alert."
"Yes, my Lord."
The wagon had barely started moving again when—
Six armed men leaped out from behind the bushes.
They wore simple armor and carried a variety of weapons.
Swords.
Axes.
Spiked hammers.
Bows.
The one who appeared to be their leader stepped forward with a grin.
"Hey!"
"That's a pretty nice wagon you've got."
"Climb down."
"Hand it over!"
Lania calmly brought the wagon to a stop.
Without the slightest trace of panic, she stepped down alone.
Noah simply watched.
What is she going to do?
The bandit smirked as Lania approached.
"A beautiful woman like you belongs with us."
"Come here..."
His hand had just begun reaching for her arm—
Whoosh!
His body flew several meters before slamming into a tree trunk.
"Urgh!"
The remaining five bandits stared in shock.
"She's no ordinary woman!"
"Attack!"
They immediately surrounded Lania.
But the fight didn't last long.
Bang!
Crash!
Within seconds, one bandit after another collapsed.
Some clutched their stomachs.
Others held dislocated arms.
Realizing they had no chance of winning, they fled into the forest.
Noah blinked several times.
Didn't I only ask Astra to create a diplomat?
He quietly asked,
"Astra."
"Why is Lania this strong?"
Information.
No matching data found.
However, every being created to serve you is automatically granted exceptional survival capabilities.
"I see..."
"So they're not completely helpless outside their specialties."
Noah felt relieved.
At the very least, everyone he created could protect themselves.
"Lania."
"Are you alright?"
She gave a respectful bow.
"I am unharmed, my Lord."
"We may continue."
The wagon resumed its journey.
Not long afterward, something caught Noah's attention.
Beyond the dense trees stood a pale, whitish rock face that contrasted sharply against the surrounding greenery.
"Wait."
"Stop the wagon."
Lania immediately pulled on the reins.
Lee looked over in confusion.
"What is it?"
But Noah had already climbed down.
He hurried toward the rock wall.
Placing a hand against its surface, he scraped off a small fragment with his fingertip and examined it closely.
A faint smile appeared.
"This is limestone."
"Astra."
"Record this location."
"Name it: Limestone Quarry."
"Confirmation accepted."
"Coordinates recorded."
"This location can now be accessed under the marker 'Limestone Quarry.'"
Noah nodded with satisfaction.
"Excellent."
"If I ever build stone houses, a fortress, or paved roads..."
"...this place will be invaluable."
Lee, who had been quietly watching, finally asked,
"What caught your attention?"
"What's so important about those rocks?"
Noah simply smiled.
"I'll explain later."
Before they could return to the wagon—
ROOOAAARRR!!
A deafening roar shook the entire forest.
The ground trembled.
Dozens of monsters emerged from the trees, surrounding Noah's group from every direction.
Lucia immediately prepared to transform.
But Noah raised a hand.
"Wait."
"I don't think they're your opponents yet."
Lania stepped forward.
The pen tucked at her waist slowly changed shape.
A faint light enveloped it.
Moments later...
It had transformed into a triple-bladed spear.
Lania charged.
The clash of weapons echoed throughout the forest.
Lee remained beside Noah, forming a defensive magic circle around them.
But more monsters kept arriving.
There were far more than anyone had expected.
Then, from the center of the horde, a giant appeared.
He stood nearly as tall as the surrounding trees.
A massive battle axe rested in his right hand.
His fierce gaze locked onto Noah.
"You..."
"...have defeated my subordinates."
Only then did Noah realize something.
In the distance, the six bandits who had escaped earlier stood laughing.
"So..."
"They work for this monster."
The giant raised his axe.
"I am Orca."
"This is my territory."
"You will become my slaves!"
The enormous axe came crashing down.
But before it could reach Noah, one of Lee's defensive magic circles intercepted it.
A powerful shockwave rippled across the ground.
Meanwhile, the monsters continued pouring in.
Even Lania began to lose ground.
Noah let out a slow sigh.
"That's enough."
"Lucia."
"Now."
The tiny Rabiba on his shoulder leaped into the air.
Golden light flooded the sky.
In an instant, the Goddess of War stood before them once more.
Every monster froze.
Even Orca, who had looked so fearless moments before, stared in horror.
"The..."
"...the Goddess..."
Lucia slowly raised her sword.
A gigantic golden hand appeared high above the battlefield.
From its palm extended dozens of radiant chains that shot toward every monster.
Orca's face instantly turned pale.
"Please forgive us!"
"Stop!"
He dropped to his knees.
The other monsters immediately followed their leader.
"Lucia."
"That's enough."
Noah's calm voice echoed across the battlefield.
Lucia immediately withdrew the golden chains.
The enormous hand slowly faded into the sky.
Silence returned.
Orca remained kneeling.
"We will never trouble you again, my Lord."
Noah walked toward him.
Lee instinctively reached out.
"That's dangerous."
"No."
Noah shook his head.
"If they intended to attack again..."
"...they wouldn't be kneeling."
He stopped directly before Orca.
"We didn't come here to wage war."
"We're simply passing through."
Orca slowly lifted his head.
He explained that an Orc settlement lay nearby.
For generations, they had survived by enslaving humans and robbing travelers who entered their territory.
Noah didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he turned to Lania.
"Lania."
"From here on, you'll handle the negotiations."
She stepped forward.
Calmly, she discussed the possibility of peaceful relations between their two groups.
She also asked about the limestone cliffs within Orc territory.
Orca looked puzzled.
"Those white rocks?"
"They're worthless."
"If you want them..."
"...take as much as you like."
Noah smiled.
"Excellent."
"One problem solved."
The negotiations continued for quite some time.
In the end, both sides agreed not to interfere with one another.
Before parting, Noah asked about the hidden settlement they were searching for.
Orca shook his head.
"I've never seen it."
Although they hadn't found the settlement, the journey had not been wasted.
They had discovered a limestone quarry...
...and forged Noaterra's very first peaceful relationship with another race.
The wagon once again rolled away from Orc territory.
During the journey, Noah noticed a long tear in Lania's sleeve.
A thin stream of blood seeped through the fabric.
"Lania."
"You're injured."
She smiled gently.
"It's only a scratch, my Lord."
But Noah was already opening the bag containing his herbal guide and the plants they had collected.
Following the instructions from the book he had purchased in Araris, he carefully crushed several leaves and roots into a simple medicinal paste.
A few moments later, he gently applied it to Lania's wound.
She looked slightly surprised.
"Thank you, my Lord."
Noah smiled.
"I don't want to lose anyone."
Across the wagon, Lee silently watched the scene unfold.
Not long afterward...
The wagon continued onward.
New Members of Noaterra
By dusk, Noah's group finally emerged from Terrania Forest.
The sky was painted with shades of orange that gradually faded into the coming night. Behind them, the towering trees of Terrania stood like a natural fortress, while ahead stretched a vast grassland leading toward Herkalus Forest.
Throughout the journey after parting ways with Orca, Noah had asked Lania to stop the wagon several times.
Each time, he carefully marked locations he believed would be valuable in the future.
Sand deposits.
Clay deposits.
Rock formations suitable for construction.
Everything was neatly recorded in his notebook.
"Little by little..."
"...Noaterra will have everything it needs."
Yet another question surfaced in his mind.
What about hidden resources?
Metal ores, coal, and other minerals won't always be visible on the surface.
"Astra."
"Do you know the locations of every natural resource in Magnora?"
Astra answered in its usual calm tone.
Information. Negative.
I only possess data on several mining sites located near the Kingdoms of Primoterra and Omniterra.
Noah let out a quiet sigh.
"So I'll still have to explore on my own."
"That's fine."
"This world is far too vast to understand in just a few days."
While he was lost in thought—
Grrr...
The sound of someone's stomach growling broke the silence.
Noah turned around.
Lee covered her face with an awkward smile.
"I think..."
"...I'm hungry."
Noah chuckled.
"Me too."
At that moment, Lucia stopped the wagon.
"My Lord."
"This area is safe enough for us to camp."
Noah surveyed their surroundings.
They had arrived at a high plateau overlooking an endless sea of grass. Nearby, the gentle sound of a flowing stream echoed through the evening air.
The terrain was open, making it difficult for anyone to stage an ambush.
"Alright."
"We'll camp here tonight."
Before long, a simple tent had been set up.
A campfire crackled warmly.
Beside it flowed a small, crystal-clear stream.
"Lania, Lee."
"Go wash up first."
"I'll prepare everything here."
Lee immediately pointed a finger at Noah.
"And don't even think about peeking."
Noah laughed.
"Don't worry."
"I still have my dignity."
Lee snorted before heading toward the river with Lania.
A short while later, they returned.
A full moon now hung overhead.
The campfire chased away the night's growing chill.
At last, they opened the packed meals Amira had prepared.
Lee had just taken her first bite when she suddenly froze.
Her expression changed.
"...This taste..."
She took another bite.
Her eyes widened.
"The Elf Kingdom..."
Noah looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
Lee stared at the food in her hands.
"I'm certain I've tasted this before."
"It's a traditional dish from the region where I was raised."
She looked genuinely confused.
"How does Amira know how to cook this?"
Noah quietly considered the possibility.
Amira learned from her mother.
Could her mother have had some connection to the elves?
But it was far too early to draw conclusions.
It could just be a coincidence.
Lee slowly nodded, though the curiosity in her eyes remained.
Once silence settled over the campsite again...
Lania suddenly stood.
In an instant, the pen at her waist transformed into a spear.
She pointed it toward a nearby thicket.
"Come out."
Her cold voice immediately made Noah and Lee turn toward the bushes.
"P-Please spare us!"
Six men slowly emerged with both hands raised.
Noah recognized them immediately.
The bandits they had defeated earlier that day.
"Lania."
"Lower your weapon."
She obeyed.
The men visibly relaxed.
Noah pointed toward the campfire.
"Sit down."
"You look hungrier than you do dangerous."
The six exchanged uncertain glances before cautiously approaching.
After a few moments, the apparent leader finally spoke.
"We're not really bandits."
"We're escaped prisoners from the Kingdom of Omniterra."
Noah carefully studied each of their faces.
There was no hatred.
Only exhaustion.
"After escaping..."
"...we were captured by the Orcs."
"They forced us to rob anyone who passed through their territory."
The man lowered his head.
"We couldn't keep living like that."
"We even tried convincing the other human slaves to escape with us."
"But they were too afraid."
Noah silently reflected.
So...
Even these bandits are victims.
Lania slowly stood.
She walked past each of the six men.
Her expression remained calm.
Occasionally, she asked a brief question.
Several minutes later, she returned to Noah's side.
Speaking quietly, she whispered,
"My Lord."
"Based on my assessment..."
"Four of them possess excellent physical strength."
"The other two are better suited for farming."
Noah smiled.
She assessed them remarkably quickly.
He looked back at the six men.
"Before I make my decision..."
"You've already seen the people standing beside me."
"If any of you ever betray Noaterra..."
"...the outcome won't be any different from what you witnessed today."
All six immediately dropped to one knee.
"We swear we will never betray you."
Their leader spoke firmly.
"My name is Luk."
"If anyone betrays your trust..."
"...I'll personally deal with them."
Noah nodded.
"Luk."
"I have a question."
"What do you know about the Kingdom of Alpaterra?"
Luk's expression darkened instantly.
"That kingdom..."
"...is closer to a kingdom of demons."
Even Lee turned to listen.
Luk continued,
"King Alex XI cares only about the nobles."
"Omniterra is strict as well, but King Arus IX is still far more humane."
"In Alpaterra..."
"The people are exploited."
"The villages are impoverished."
"Anyone who disobeys the law is imprisoned..."
"...or sold into slavery."
"...Sometimes they're simply executed."
He let out a weary sigh.
"That's why so many people run away."
"I heard these stories from prisoners who escaped Alpaterra."
Noah remained silent for a long moment.
The night breeze swept gently across the grasslands.
"So..."
"Both Omniterra and Alpaterra have serious problems of their own."
"This world is far more complicated than I imagined."
At last, he stood.
"Very well."
"You may join Noaterra."
The six men's faces immediately brightened.
"But..."
"You'll stay with us until this journey is over."
"After that, we'll return to the Orc settlement."
"I want to try freeing the other humans still living there."
Luk's eyes widened.
"Negotiate with Orca again?"
Noah glanced toward Lania.
"This time..."
"...I'm much more confident."
Lania answered with nothing more than a faint smile.
Luk smiled as well.
"In that case..."
"We'll follow you, my Lord."
He pointed toward the open field behind them.
Six Horsias stood waiting there.
"We brought them with us when we escaped."
Noah nodded with satisfaction.
"Additional transportation."
"Excellent."
The night grew deeper.
Eventually, everyone fell asleep.
Everyone except Noah.
He quietly watched the six newest members of Noaterra sleeping on the bare ground in their worn clothes.
They looked utterly exhausted.
Yet their expressions were far more peaceful than when they had first appeared.
A faint smile crossed Noah's face.
Four of them can help in the mines someday.
The other two will work in the fields.
Little by little...
Noaterra is finally beginning to gain its first true citizens.