Chapter 14 Orc Settlement
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
After a pleasant night with Lisha and Charlotte-just the three of us-Lisha left for work. She told us to treat the house as our own while she was gone.
”Charlotte, you were listening yesterday, right?” I asked.
The town wasn’t responding to requests for help. No one was hunting the monsters, so the population around the perimeter was reaching a breaking point.
”Yes. You mean the monster count, right?” Charlotte replied.
I nodded. I wanted to level up, and more importantly, I wanted to ensure Lisha was never in danger of being ambushed. I suggested we head out and see if we could thin the herds using my traps¹.
”If that is what you have decided, Ibuki-sama. I am of little use on my own, but please… let me stay by your side,” Charlotte said.
”Charlotte-kun, stop that. Honestly, it’s a bit of a turn-off. Try to find some middle ground,” I said.
She looked bewildered. I sighed and tried to explain.
”Look, as long as your heart is in it, that’s enough for me. I know you’d give me everything you’ve got if things turned south. You cook, you take care of me-hell, you even seem happy to give me a morning b**job. I love you, so obviously everything you do makes me happy. So why keep insisting you’re useless?”
”But…” she whispered, looking up at me with a pained expression.
”No ‘buts’! I’m not letting it slide today. And this isn’t an order. I want your feelings for me to catch up to mine!”
”Uuu… is it really okay? You won’t look at me later and think I’m just some girl who acts spoiled and does nothing?”
”There’s a limit, sure. But right now you’re swinging way too far the other way. It’s actually better if you act more spoiled,” I said.
”I-If you tempt me like that, I really might just depend on you for everything!”
”That’s exactly what I’m telling you to do! Are you even listening?”
”Ibuki-samaaa!! I love you so much!! ♡” Charlotte cried, lunging at me. I caught her and squeezed back.
”Alright, finally got some fire in you. Now, consider this your training session on how to be spoiled!” I announced. Charlotte froze. “Okay, Charlotte-chan, you can be as much of a pain as you want. Tell me, what do you want me to do for you?”
”Eh… anything?”
”You bet. Within reason, I’ll make it happen.”
”Then… for today… please hold my hand the whole time. Is that… too much trouble?”
”How are you this cute!?” I teased, immediately interlocking our fingers. “We’ll take this slow. I’m not letting go until your ‘spoiled-meter’ is full.”
”Eeeeeeek!?”
Don’t underestimate a former virgin. I’ve got a lifetime of romantic fantasies backed up, and I am perfectly fine with a messy, codependent relationship. If I’m the one who made her this way, I’ll gladly take responsibility.
I held her hand while I locked up Lisha’s place and headed for the guild. Since Lisha was the only one at the desk, I called out to her.
”Hey. We’re heading out to hunt, so I locked the place up. Here’s the key.”
”Ah, yes. Um… please don’t do anything reckless, Ibuki-san,” Lisha said.
”Don’t worry. I’m a cautious guy, despite how I look.”
”Geez. It’s always the ones who say that who end up in over their heads.”
The “I’m not drunk” logic, huh? Maybe she had a point. But I’d be fine. Knowing I could come back and hold two beauties like them again… there was no way I was letting myself die.
”Anyway, we’re planning to stay out overnight. Is it cool if we crash at your place again the night after next?”
”Y-Yes! ♡ Of course!”
”Sweet. We’re off!”
As we left the guild, I noticed a worker in the back staring at us. I didn’t recognize him. I brushed it off and, still holding Charlotte’s hand, made my way toward a different habitat than the one we had scouted two days ago.
I’d done my homework. This area was Orc territory. They weren’t the strongest out there, but they were a powerful subspecies. Slow, but with high attack speed and massive physical strength. Kiting them with long-range attacks was the standard strategy, but if they grabbed you? Game over.
That won’t matter if the traps work, I thought.
I explained the plan to Charlotte as we walked. I pulsed my Sensing skill, but pings were scarce. Only two signatures within ten kilometers.
”That’s definitely strange, isn’t it?” Charlotte asked, tilting her head.
”Alright, change of plans. Time for aerial recon. The wind is stable enough for a flight.”
”Ah, yes! I’ve been waiting for this!”
I leveled a patch of ground, summoned the plane, and we took off. We pedaled together and engaged the magic tool, hitting our cruising altitude in seconds. Once we leveled out, I saw it-a primitive-looking village.
”Uh oh… that’s an Orc settlement. Is that even supposed to be there?”
Charlotte went pale beside me.
”Is it that bad?” I asked.
”It’s an old legend… they say several towns were wiped off the map before a hero finally destroyed a settlement like that…”
Well, that was officially a problem. Lisha would be right in the splash zone. I wasn’t about to let that happen.
”Maybe we should report this immediately?” Charlotte suggested.
”No. If the people running this town are competent, sure. But if they’re like the last kingdom I saw, reporting this will just cause a panic or a cover-up. It won’t help Lisha.”
Plus, I had my own secrets. If I reported this now, they’d realize how fast I’d traveled and start asking questions I didn’t want to answer. I didn’t have the combat power to fight my way out of a government interrogation yet.
Charlotte nodded. “…You’re right.”
”So, I’m going to handle this myself. If it gets too dangerous, we’ll pivot to an evacuation. You still with me?”
”Always! But please… don’t push yourself. If I lose you, Ibuki-sama, I’m following you straight to the grave,” she said, her voice trembling.
”Haha, don’t say that. If you’re coming with me, I might actually start thinking dying isn’t so bad.”
”I am not joking!” she snapped.
”Yeah. Neither am I. Let’s just make sure we both make it back, okay?”
We landed a safe distance away and I used my skills to tunnel underground, approaching within two kilometers of the settlement. I picked my spot and started building.
Assuming there were high-tier variants, I reinforced the spikes, tripling the thickness and pumping them full of mana. I dug the pit even deeper; if they survived the fall, the climb back up would buy us time. I rigged a hatch system using my Storage to flick the lid open and closed, dropping them in batches.
Finally, I prepped the “Hail Mary”: a massive four-shot ballista loaded with metal spears the size of logs. I installed it at the far end of our escape route.
”Alright. We’re as ready as we’re going to be,” I said.
”This is just a ‘test run’?” Charlotte asked.
”Yeah. I want a perfect victory. But you never know what’ll happen until the first orc hits the spikes.”
I took a deep breath and used my pickaxe to breach the surface. I slapped a lid on it immediately. I could feel a cluster of signatures-Orcs-gathering above the disturbance.
”Dropping them,” I whispered.
I flicked the lid into Storage. A dozen Orcs plummeted into the dark pit. The second they hit, I triggered Storage again, sucking the corpses and gear into my inventory.
”It works. Let’s keep it going.”
”Y-Yes!”
I felt the heat of a Level Up, but I ignored it. I cycled the lid again, but this time I tossed out a mana-infused cocoon ball.
CRACK!
A chorus of metallic, guttural shrieks erupted from above.
BOOM!
The ground shook as the lid was pulverized from above. Sunlight flooded into our tunnel.
Tch… they broke through already? I didn’t panic. I sucked the wreckage into Storage, fused it with the rest of my iron using Synthesis, and manifested a plate twice as thick to seal the breach. Orcs were raining down past me now, and I kept the vacuum running to clear the way.
I’d made the spikes longer, but it would be a disaster if the corpses piled up so high they stopped being effective.
Looking down, however, I saw monsters that had escaped being sucked into my Storage². Finally, a few survivors were coming into view.
”Crap,” I muttered, starting to sweat. I summoned a massive boulder-large enough to completely plug the pitfall path-and sent it hurtling down. There was no escape. They were caught in a lethal vice between the spikes and the stone. Under that kind of pressure, they had to be dead.
Once the tremors from the impact died down, I pulled the boulder back into Storage to inspect the damage. The spikes were absolutely trashed, but there wasn’t a single soul left alive.
”Alright. Time to fix the trap and reset,” I said.
While I was repairing the mechanism, the lid above was under a rhythmic assault-CLANG! CLANG!-warping under the force of the blows.
They were about to break through again, but that was actually a stroke of luck; it meant the big ones were gathering. This time, I’d time the drop perfectly with another boulder. Now that I knew the repairs were necessary, I could restore both the spikes and the lid in an instant using Processing³.
Despite the tension, I felt a wave of relief at how calmly I was handling the situation.
”If this works, we might actually be able to brute-force our way through… but if even one thing goes sideways, we’re out of here,” I told Charlotte. “When I give the signal, crouch down and hold onto the minecart for dear life. You felt that kick-off earlier-don’t let the G-force throw you off, okay?”
”Yes. Absolutely. We’re in this together ssu, Ibuki-sama. I couldn’t live with myself if you died because of me,” Charlotte replied.
She was right. I’d used a robe to tether us together. It was three meters long, giving us enough room to run side-by-side, but I wanted us linked now in case we had to take flight the moment we hit the surface.
If it got in the way, I could just zap it into Storage.
The acceleration on the minecart was brutal, so I felt better keeping her close. We braced against the sides with every limb just to stay upright. We were moving fast-really fast. We’d stop before hitting the far wall, but considering I’d tunneled nearly two kilometers, the momentum was staggering.
I’d set up a ballista at the destination. As we slowed down, I’d seal the path behind us with stone walls. If they managed to break through those, I’d fire the ballista to blow them to kingdom come. After that, we’d run, sealing the path as we went, and then take to the sky. That was the plan. The ballista was just a distraction-if we were forced to use it, the mission was already a failure. Safety first. Still, I wanted to see if the monsters could actually breach a reinforced stone wall; it was valuable intel.
Then again, if they could survive being crushed by a boulder, a wall probably wouldn’t stop them…
Either way, whether we’d need that emergency exit depended on the next few minutes. If we could hold this position, there was no need to launch the cart yet.
The lid was at its breaking point. I threw it open, used Processing to mend it in a flash, slammed it shut, and followed up with the massive boulder. I cycled it back into Storage, fixed the spikes, and reset the trap.
”Phew, we actually did it!” I said.
”Incredible… This felt like a battle out of the myths…” Charlotte whispered.
”Hardly. At best, this was hero-class stuff,” I replied.
”R-really? But that attack… it felt like the world was ending…”
The ground definitely shook, but the whole world? Charlotte was exaggerating a bit. That said, it had gotten quiet upstairs. I cranked up my Sensing⁴. There were no signs of high-mana signatures moving. There was one particularly nasty presence, but it hadn’t moved an inch since we started.
”Wait, did they stop?” I asked.
”Um, I can only tell vaguely, but… maybe the cocoons ran out?” Charlotte suggested.
”That’s it! God, am I an idiot? It couldn’t be anything else!”
That was a relief. It wasn’t that they’d changed tactics; they’d just run out of steam.
”Alright. Let’s call it a day and head back,” I said.
”Eh!? Wait, really?” Charlotte asked.
”Look, if they were still trying to break the lid, we’d have to stay. But if things have stabilized, I want to do more prep. I can use Sensing when we come back to make sure it’s still safe.”
”Ah, good point. Let’s go home!”
To get some practice in, we triggered the minecart. We went flying down the track with a massive WHOOSH, leaving the dungeon behind.
”Man, this cart is the real deal,” I muttered.
”It’s even faster than flying…” Charlotte said.
”Yeah, I can make the plane faster eventually, but our flight is mostly muscle power, even with the magic tools.”
Charlotte just stared at me, dazed and adorable. “Wooooow…”
But I couldn’t get distracted. Priority one was extraction. We scrambled out of the hole, I hauled the airplane onto the runway, and I pedaled like a madman until we soared into the sky.
Even in a mess like this, Charlotte looked down at the world with wonder. She had nerves of steel. With that thought, we made it back to the village.
We landed nearby and I stowed the plane. At the guild, I gave Lisha a heads-up that the orc situation was getting hairy. I handed over twenty carcasses for butchering and, in exchange, she gave me the key to her house. Guildmaster Lisha told me to wait there while she finished up with the paperwork and the gold.
That night, Lisha came home. And she wasn’t alone. She brought the girl from the butcher shop with her.
While I was wondering what was up, we all sat around the table.
”Orc steaks tonight!” Lisha chirped.
Charlotte jumped up to help her. That left me alone with the butcher girl, Collet.
”So,” Collet said, her expression turning somber. “Lisha told me things were bad. If you’re saying that even after bringing in those high-ranking species, then how serious is it?”
”Serious,” I replied. “There are plenty more where those came from. I plan on chipping away at them, but I don’t know how far we’ll get.”
”Y-you two are going back in alone!?” Collet asked.
”If we can’t handle it, we’ll run. If we die trying to be heroes, nobody wins,” I said.
”I mean… you could just run now, couldn’t you?”
”True. But Lisha’s been good to us. I figured the least I could do was give it a shot.”
”I see… Was Lisha that good to you?” Collet asked, her face flushing slightly.
”Oh, you want the details? She was amazing. So… fresh and innocent,” I teased.
”I-Ibuki-san!? I can hear you!” Lisha shouted from the kitchen. “Collet, you’re going to pay for that later!”
”That’s funny! Lisha was the one bragging about it earlier! What was it you said again-?”
”Stop! Shut up! Please!” Lisha cried out.
The tables had turned. I laughed as Charlotte and a bright-red Lisha brought out the food. Orc steaks, salad, soup, and fresh bread.
I reached for a piece of meat, but Lisha beat me to it, carving a slice and holding it to my lips.
”Ibuki-san, say ‘ahhh’ ♡”
”Ahhh-wow! This is incredible!”
I’d expected dry, gamey pork, but this was a revelation.
”Well, it is a high-ranking species,” Collet noted. “And even with Lisha’s amateur cooking, it’s hard to mess up.”
”Collet! No steak for you! Hey-stop eating that!” Lisha yelled.
While they squabbled, I dug in. I could tell who made what immediately. Charlotte did the soup; Lisha did the steak and salad. The steak was honestly on par with the best meals I’d had at the royal castle.
”Man, that was perfect. Thanks for the meal, girls!”
”You’re very welcome! ♡” Lisha said.
”Fufu, I’m so glad you liked my soup too! ♡” Charlotte added.
They were beaming at each other when Collet spoke up, looking stunned. “Oh my… so it really was true.”
”What was?” I asked.
”Lisha said you two… loved each other. I laughed it off as a lie, and she got so mad she dragged me here,” Collet giggled. She looked at me with a longing gaze. “Must be nice…”
”Well, a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do,” I said, glancing at Lisha. “I don’t mind.”
”R-really!?” Lisha stammered. “Even if she’s a smart-mouthed girl like this?”
”Lisha! What a way to talk about me!” Collet yelled.
”It’s your own fault for being so annoying!”
They started bickering again, but you could tell they were close. I just shook my head.
”Before we go any further, I have to ask one thing,” I said.
”Yes? What is it?” Lisha asked.
”Is there a catch?” Collet added.
”Look, if the orcs have enough power to wipe out several towns, what will you two do? If it’s just the two of you, I can help you get out…”
”I’m out,” Collet said. “I can’t leave my mom. If we have to run, we’ll figure it out ourselves.”
”Um, I… I don’t know…” Lisha said, her face falling.
”Just tell me how you feel, Lisha. I’ll listen,” I said softly.
”I… I want to go with you more than anything. But I’m the guildmaster. Can I really just throw away that responsibility? But I really, really want to be with Ibuki-san. What do I do!?” Lisha started to sob.
This was a problem. A real problem. Because I realized I genuinely wanted to take her with us. Lisha was honest, sweet-maybe a bit transparent, but that was part of her charm. But she felt the weight of her duty. I didn’t want to take someone who would just abandon their people, but I couldn’t stand the thought of her dying here. I’d regret it for the rest of my life.
”Charlotte,” I said. “Is it okay if I decide this?”
”Are you even asking me? Of course. Whatever Ibuki-sama decides, I’m with you,” Charlotte replied.
”Thanks. Lisha, listen to me. When this is over, quit the guild and come with us. Let’s stay together forever.”
”Wh-what!? Are you serious!?” Collet blurted out.
”Yes! ♡ If Ibuki-san says so, then yes! ♡” Lisha cried.
”Lisha, wait! What about the guild? You’re going to dump all that work on me!?” Collet yelled.
”Oh, didn’t you say when the last guy left that anyone is free to quit whenever they want?”
”Well, yeah, but-wait, are you for real too, Ibuki?” Collet asked.
”I don’t joke about this. Consider that a proposal,” I said.
”Ibuki-san! ♡♡♡” Lisha lunged at me.
”If you can get along with Charlotte and keep taking care of me, I’m going to cherish you for the rest of my life,” I told her.
”Ehe… ehehe… I’m so happy I could cry…”
”You already are, you dummy,” Collet sighed. “Fine. You caught him. I’ll settle for just getting some attention tonight.”
And so, another wild night began. This time, it was the dream scenario: all three at once. In the bath, they all scrubbed me down, and I spent the whole time admiring the view. Large, medium, and small-a perfect variety. Lisha was the big one, Charlotte was in the middle, and Collet was the petite one. I’ve always had a soft spot for small chests, so I spent extra time teasing Collet’s sensitive n**ipss until she came right there in the water. She looked annoyed at losing her composure, so I gave her a smug look, which earned me a playful bite on the shoulder in bed.
”I’m not losing! I’m going to make you beg!” Collet hissed.
”Be my guest. I’m looking forward to it,” I replied.
”Muuu!” She huffed. Lisha and Charlotte weren’t happy about her marking me and jumped into the fray.
Collet started getting a little too bossy, telling Charlotte to stay quiet because she was a “slave,” which annoyed me. I decided it was my turn to take control and showed Collet exactly who was in charge.
”No! I’m gonna… I’m gonna! Noooo! Stop! ♡”
After Collet finally finished throwing her little tantrum, I held her gently and finished deep inside her⁵. She completely melted, her attitude doing a full 180 as she clung to me.
”Geez… be nicer to me… don’t bully me so much… Be gentle, okay? ♡ I love my gentle Little Ibuki… ♡”
She started pulsing around me, her technique surprisingly advanced as she milked me for everything I had. I was genuinely impressed by the control she had over her muscles. But then Lisha blocked her.
”Collet! You’re hogging him! It’s my turn!”
”No way! You get him forever. Tonight is mine! Right, Ibuki? ♡” Collet teased.
I couldn’t even get a word in. We kept going until I’d finished inside each of them twice. By the time we were done, I was the one who had no strength left.
—
Summary:
Ibuki and Charlotte decide to preemptively strike a massive Orc settlement to protect Lisha and their home. Using Ibuki’s Crafter skills and aerial reconnaissance, they set up a sophisticated subterranean trap system, but the chapter ends on a cliffhanger when the Orcs respond far more aggressively and powerfully than expected.
They manage to repel a high‑ranking Orc wave with a boulder‑drop trap and barely escape on a high‑speed minecart back to the village. Once safe, Ibuki proposes to Lisha and convinces her to leave her Guildmaster post to join his group. The chapter closes with a domestic dinner that slowly turns into an intimate encounter involving Lisha, Charlotte, and the visiting Collet.
—
Trivia:
- The mystery man at the guild watching Ibuki.
- Ibuki’s specific motivation for not reporting the settlement (avoiding government interrogation).
- The use of ‘Cocoon Balls’ as an offensive catalyst.
- The technical specifications of the escape route (minecart on high-tension rubber rails).
- Ibuki dug a 2-kilometer tunnel for the minecart escape.
- The ‘cocoons’ (summoning/spawning items) ran out, causing the monster attack to stop.
- Lisha gave Ibuki her house key before the dinner scene.
- Collet is the butcher shop employee who previously handled Ibuki’s kills.
- Ibuki actually prefers small chests, which is why he doted on Collet
—
Character Insight:
Ibuki is moving away from being a passive observer and is starting to actively shape the world to suit his desires and the safety of those he cares about. Charlotte’s extreme devotion is highlighted as bordering on codependency, which Ibuki is actively encouraging.
Ibuki demonstrates protective leadership by forcing Lisha to choose her own happiness over a burdensome guild responsibility. Lisha shows her vulnerability, finally admitting her desire to follow Ibuki despite her social standing. Collet’s sassy exterior hides a deep-seated desire for affection, as seen in her quick transition to a ‘spoiled’ state in bed.
—
Behind the Scenes:
The ‘I’m not drunk’ theory is a common Japanese trope (yottenai-riron) where someone’s denial of a state actually confirms it.
The author uses the ‘High-ranking Orc meat’ as a standard Isekai trope to justify the sudden luxury dinner and the subsequent stamina boost for the protagonist.
—
TL Notes:
Notes:
• Charlotte – Short, skinny late‑teen slave girl with messy brown hair, feline eyes, and a soft, slender body. Was an Ex‑Level 8 farmer, now Level 10 and bound to Ibuki, who she calls “Master” and calls herself his wife. Wears rags at first, then pretty clothes he makes, plus his bat‑wing hairband. Blushy, clingy, protective, and easily emotional, she follows him on runs, fights, and flights while always worrying if she’s useful enough.
• Lisha – Mature‑looking native woman with a soft “big‑sister” vibe, a big, bon‑kyu‑bon chest, and an hourglass figure. Polite, domestic, and secretly shy, she treats being with Ibuki as a blessing and quietly fixes the bedding after they’re done. A skilled cook, hot‑spring lover, and “doer” who melts when others take control. She’s the Guildmaster and receptionist/butcher for the Hasshi Subjugator Guild, good friends with Collet, and lets Ibuki and Charlotte stay at her place, worrying about his safety while torn between duty and her feelings for him.
• Ibuki – Broke high‑schooler from Earth who got tossed into another world with the “Crafter” class he first thought was useless—turns out it’s totally busted. Black‑haired, germaphobic, and low‑key bitter but sharp as hell. Uses Synthesis, Processing, and Inventory skills to survive, craft gear, and haul loot while exploring. Currently a Level 10 otherworlder, wielding a stone axe, traveling the frontier forest with Charlotte, and just trying to stay alive long enough to find a bit of peace.
• Collet – An employee at the butchery/slaughterhouse. Small-sized chest. Childhood friend of Lisha. Outspoken and provocative, she joins the household for a night after Lisha brings her home.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply