I could faintly sense it beyond my heart. Humanity was stirring. New knowledge was flowing into them.
'Grow well.'
First Dungeon cleared. 200 points invested.
It had been a pretty good day.
That was when it happened.
DING!
A new window appeared before my eyes. It was not a system message.
It was a screen.
'...What is this?'
In front of the cave, the Primitive Humans had gathered to make something.
A wooden pillar. They were carving it with stone axes.
Little by little, its shape emerged. A familiar build, and a familiar face.
'...Me?'
It was me.
The Primitive Humans were making a statue in my likeness.
Stones had been piled around the statue. In a circle. A ring. Inside it were dried grass and flowers.
It was an altar—no, a temple. Primitive, but unmistakably a temple.
'Are they worshipping me?'
Goosebumps rose across my skin.
What was I to them? A being who descended from the heavens. The one who brought them fire. A god who bestowed knowledge upon them.
The Awakened appeared on the screen.
He knelt before the statue. He clasped his hands together. He bowed his head.
The meaning was obvious. Prayer, supplication... No one had taught them, yet they were doing it because they wanted to.
The other Primitive Humans followed him to their knees. One, then two... until all of them were kneeling.
'......'
I was speechless.
DING!
[Faith Emerges]
The Primitive Humans have begun worshipping their Ruler as a god.
A temple has been built.
New function unlocked!
▸ Descent (once per day)
― Descent to the planet without spending points
― Maximum duration: 1 hour
― Cooldown: 24 hours
'Descent.'
It was only once a day, but I could go there without spending points.
It was a function that had never existed in the game.
The Primitive Humans on the screen were still praying. To me. Desperately.
DING!
[Notification]
Humanity wishes to see you.
'......'
I laughed.
'I guess I have no choice.'
[Descent]
Transferring to the planet.
HUM.
My heart reverberated. It was a familiar sensation. Light poured down.
I closed my eyes.
I opened my eyes again.
I stood before the cave, in front of my statue.
The Primitive Humans all raised their heads at once. Their eyes widened and their mouths fell open.
Their god had descended.
"Uwaaaaah!"
The Awakened shouted. It was a cheer. The other Primitive Humans joined him, then ran toward me. Crying. Laughing.
'...What is with these guys?'
I was flustered. But it was not a bad feeling.
No. It felt good.
When I looked around, the scenery had changed considerably.
More than ten primitive huts had been erected, and pottery was being fired off to one side. Smoke rose from clay vessels set over a fire.
Elsewhere, they were making bows. They were bending branches and fastening strings to them.
'...That was fast.'
I could not help but marvel.
Only a few hours had passed in the real world since I transmitted the knowledge. Yet they had already come this far.
Then.
"...Thank you."
'?!'
I doubted my ears.
"What did you say?"
"Thank... you."
The pronunciation was clumsy, but unmistakable. It was my language.
'How?'
I had not transmitted any language technology. The system had assigned only agriculture, animal husbandry, pottery, bows, and construction.
Yet he was speaking.
'Because he's Awakened?'
Perhaps his selection as an Awakened had not been a coincidence.
Could he have been chosen because he surpassed the others in both body and mind?
I swallowed my questions and patted him on the shoulder.
"I'm counting on you from now on too."
The Awakened nodded vigorously.
Then.
DING!
[Warning]
Approaching hostile race detected.
A group of Orcs is approaching your territory.
Direction: Northeast
Distance: Approximately 500 m
Scale: Small (5–10)
'Orcs.'
I immediately issued orders and mustered a fighting force.
Five with bows. Three with spears. I took nine people in total and headed northeast.
Once we crested the hill, our view opened up.
In the distance, seven green-skinned Orcs were slowly walking toward us.
'......?'
Something was strange.
They were in terrible condition. One was limping. Two had arms drenched in blood. The rest did not look healthy either.
Every arm holding a weapon hung limp. They did not seem to have the strength to swing them.
Small Orcs were visible at the rear of the group. Two young ones.
'Did they flee from a fight?'
Maybe another tribe had driven them out. Or a large monster had attacked them.
It was unfortunate for them, but it was a good opportunity for us.
I raised my spear and approached the Orcs with the other Primitive Humans.
The Orcs soon spotted us.
But their reaction was strange. With wounds like those, one would expect them to flee, yet they slowly approached us instead.
'What are they doing?'
I watched them warily.
The Orc in front was holding something. A pole. A piece of hide hung from its end.
The white hide fluttered like a flag.
Then, with about 20 meters between us, the Orc in front slowly went down on one knee.
'......'
The other Orcs followed suit. They set their clubs and stone axes on the ground.
The meaning was clear. Surrender.
At that moment.
DING!
[Diplomacy]
The group of Orcs wishes to negotiate with you.
Do you accept?
▸ Accept
▸ Decline
'Negotiate?'
Orcs? With Primitive Humans?
That had never happened in the game. Orcs were simply enemies. You killed them, or they killed you.
Yet they wanted to negotiate.
It did not seem to be a trick. The system was explicitly vouching for them.
I looked at the Orcs again.
The one in front raised its head. There was no hostility in its eyes. Only fear, exhaustion, and desperation.
'......'
If I wiped out these Orcs now, I would surely gain some easy points. But...
'Accept.'
My instincts told me this deal would definitely benefit me.
DING!
[Negotiations Begin]
[Negotiations with the group of Orcs have begun.]
"Uturakatar-ga!"
The Orc in front spoke. It was a language I could not understand. A rough, low voice rang out.
[Translation]
*"Please accept us into your tribe. We have nowhere else to go."*
'They want me to accept them into the tribe?'
It was an unexpected request. I thought for a moment.
Accept the Orcs? It could be dangerous. I had no idea when they might betray us.
But our fighting strength would certainly increase. Seven adults and two young ones. Nine Orcs would join the tribe.
It was an impossible choice in the game. Orcs had always been enemies.
I turned to the Awakened.
"They want to join our tribe. What do you think?"
The Awakened stared intently at the Orcs. His sharp gaze swept over them one by one. It was the gaze of a warrior, assessing the threat they posed.
After a moment, the Awakened answered in the primitive language.
[Translation]
*"I will watch and control them closely. If they cause trouble, I will deal with them."*
'Reliable.'
When had he grown so much? It had not been long since he trembled before a bear.
I nodded and turned back to the Orcs.
"I'll accept you."
The Orcs' eyes widened. I could see hope spread across their faces.
"But on one condition."
I pointed at the Awakened.
"Obey not only me, but him as well. The moment you defy him, you die. Do you accept?"
The Orc in front looked back. It exchanged glances with the other Orcs. A silent conversation passed between them. After a moment, it faced forward again.
It placed its right hand over its chest, its fist clenched tight, and bowed its head deeply.
The other Orcs all assumed the same posture at once. Even the young ones. It seemed to be the Orcs' posture of oath-taking.
[Diplomacy Successful]
The group of Orcs has joined the tribe.
Population Change
▸ Previous: 100 (Primitive Humans)
▸ Added: 9 (Orcs)
▸ Current: 109
Racial Composition: 100 Primitive Humans, 9 Orcs
"Follow me."
At my gesture, the Orcs slowly stood. Limping, clutching their arms, and supporting one another. It was a pitiful procession.
***
I had the Orcs sit in an empty space inside the cave.
Their condition looked even worse up close. Pus seeped from their wounds, and the flesh beneath their scabs was festering.
Some of them looked likely to die within days if left untreated.
'I need to treat them.'
I decided to do it myself. I could have entrusted it to the Primitive Humans, but I did not want to.
They had just joined the tribe. First impressions mattered. If the Ruler tended to them personally, it would show how much I valued them.
"Bring me fire. And some clean cloth."
Soon, one of the Primitive Humans returned carrying a torch and a bundle of hide cloth.
I carefully raised one Orc's arm. It had been cut by something sharp. Yellow pus showed beneath the scab.
I drew the dagger from my clothes and heated it in the flame. I waited until it glowed red-hot.
"This will hurt. Endure it."
It could not understand my words, but had my meaning come across?
The Orc gritted its teeth and nodded.
SIZZLE.
I pressed the heated dagger to the wound. The smell of burning flesh assaulted my nose.
"Grrrgh...!"
The Orc groaned. Its entire body trembled. But it did not struggle or try to flee. It gritted its teeth and endured.
"You did well."
I took out a clean cloth and wrapped it around the wound. Tightly, but not enough to cut off the blood flow.
Now all that remained was repetition. Cauterize with fire, then wrap with cloth. The Orc groaned, endured, and held on.
I treated all seven adults that way. I did not overlook the two young ones either.
By the time I finished, my back was soaked with sweat. It felt like it had taken a good two hours.
I raised my head.
The Orcs were watching me. All nine of them.
Their gazes had changed. There was none of the desperation from the negotiation, nor any wariness. They held a different emotion.
Reverence.
And gratitude.
They belonged to a race that had been our enemy. Ordinarily, we would have killed one another. Yet the Ruler had personally knelt and treated their wounds. They understood how much that meant.
The Orc in front placed a hand over its chest again. This time it bowed even deeper than before, until its forehead nearly touched the ground.
The other Orcs all followed suit.
This oath was different from the one before. This was not conditional obedience, but heartfelt loyalty. I could feel it.
'Not bad.'
And so, the first nonhuman race joined the tribe.
That was when it happened.
A new window appeared before my eyes. Its golden border shone brilliantly.
[Achievement Accomplished]
★ First Harmony ★
You have secured the submission of another race for the first time in history.
A group of Orcs has joined your tribe.
▸ Reward: +100P
▸ Current Points: 102P
A new function has been unlocked.
'There was even an achievement?'
It was an achievement I had never seen before. Naturally. It had been impossible to make Orcs submit in the game.
Another window appeared.
[Point Shop Expansion]
A new category has been added.