Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World - Chapter 629

Chapter 629: Change of Heart

TL: Rui88

Imar returned to his temporary camp and dove headfirst into his tent.

Someone was already waiting for him inside…the old orc, Eugene.

“Oh, welcome back, noble prince of the Mason Clan! Might I ask how your trip went?”

In truth, he had already guessed the outcome from Imar’s expression.

“Hmph!”

Imar snorted heavily and did not answer immediately. Instead, he walked over to a crate, pulled out a bottle, uncorked it, and began to drink greedily.

Eugene waited quietly for him.

Only after he had drunk the last drop did Imar wipe his mouth.

“The usurper has accepted my challenge!”

Eugene’s eyes lit up. “Congratulations, Your Highness!”

Imar said again, “The old fool is dead!”

His eyes were filled with complex emotions…sadness, but also resentment.

“He has returned to the embrace of the earth, and the usurper has inherited his power.”

“This is sad news.” Eugene shook his head. “Please accept my condolences!”

“No!”

Imar roared, “This is good! If he were still in this world, I would have been in a difficult position, but now the one sitting in the chieftain’s seat is a complete usurper! That makes things much easier!”

Imar smashed the wine bottle to pieces, his hands clenched into tight fists. “I will return all the humiliation to him, just as I received it! No, I will return it double, triple, quadruple!”

The dwarf’s expression was savage. “Eugene, from now on, you will address me as Chieftain! The Chieftain of the Mason Clan!”

Eugene’s expression turned solemn. He bent his body and bowed to him. “As you command, great prince… oh no, great Chieftain!”

The corner of his mouth curled into a subtle smile, which he then suppressed as he straightened up solemnly.

“Lilac Valley!”

Imar looked at Eugene, his expression serious, his gaze审慎, as if he were already a true chieftain.

“Let me confirm one more time, will there be any problems with your men?”

Eugene placed a hand on his chest and assured him, “There will be no problems at all! The warriors sent by the King’s Tent to assist you are all elites. Moreover, the terrain in Lilac Valley is flat and connected to the outside, which will be advantageous for our cavalry to maneuver.”

“Good!”

Imar nodded.

For a moment, Eugene had the illusion that the Imar before him and the Imar from before were two different people. The former Imar, even just a moment ago when he entered the tent, was arrogant, reckless, and unable to hide his emotions. But the current Imar was dignified and cautious.

‘Has he already stepped into the role of chieftain? Interesting.’

“Eugene, go and rest. There are many things I still need to think about.”

Eugene bowed to him. “As you command, Chieftain Imar.”

The old orc walked out of the tent, and an orc guard immediately approached him.

“What is it?”

“Lord Eugene, the Grand Chieftain has a letter for you.”

The guard took out an envelope.

Eugene knew that the great Abal was leading the army in battle against the Gabellans. This letter must be to inform him of the latest military situation.

Eugene tore open the envelope and took out the paper inside.

The envelope and paper were human-made, and the writing on it was also human, specifically the script of Ordo.

Grand Chieftain Abal had given a strict order that the high command of the King’s Tent must be able to read and write the human language.

Of course, he had also tasked the orc shamans and the humans he had recruited to collaborate on creating the orcs’ own written language.

Eugene carefully read the letter the Grand Chieftain had sent him. In the end, his brow furrowed slightly.

Eugene learned of Abal’s negotiations with the Gabellans, but he was not entirely satisfied with the result.

It seemed the only gains from the orc army’s southern campaign this time were a few human city-states and some plundered wealth, which fell far short of Eugene’s envisioned goal of carving out a large piece of territory from the Gabella Empire.

Gabella would assist the orcs in taking the Nerodan Corridor?

But in Eugene’s view, only tangible benefits were real benefits. Who knew if this was just a stopgap measure by the Gabellans, like an empty promise in human society.

But what was done was done, and there was no use in Eugene complaining.

The old orc pondered for a long time, his gaze falling upon Imar’s tent.

‘Great Chieftain of the Mason Clan, perhaps I should recoup my losses from you.’

Two days passed like this. In one more day, it would be the appointed day of the challenge.

“Hah!”

Imar gripped his axe tightly and swung it fiercely at a humanoid training dummy in front of him. The sharp axe blade embedded itself deeply into the wooden post. Beside him, several other dummies already lay in a state of ruin from his attacks.

For the past two days, Imar and his followers had been training desperately. Although he had secured the orcs’ help, he wanted more than anything to kill his enemies with his own hands.

“Chieftain!”

Eugene appeared quietly beside him.

“What is it? Can you not see I am training intensely? Tomorrow is the day of the challenge!”

“I have a small matter to discuss with you!”

Imar frowned. This old orc really knew how to pick his moments. He could have come at any time, but he chose to disturb him now.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead and followed Eugene into his tent.

“Why here? Could it not be discussed outside?”

Imar grumbled with dissatisfaction.

“In fact, the matter I wish to discuss with you may cause you some regret!”

“Regret?” A bad feeling rose in Imar’s heart.

“Ahem!” Eugene put on a troubled expression. “The warriors of the King’s Tent may not be able to provide you with assistance!”

The old orc’s words were like a sudden clap of thunder in a clear sky!

Imar was completely stunned.

“Eu… Eugene! Wh… what did you say?”

He suspected his ears were failing him.

“I said, the soldiers of the King’s Tent may not be able to provide you with assistance!”

The old orc confirmed it again in a slightly regretful tone.

“Oh no!”

Imar first let out an angry roar, but then his voice suddenly dropped.

“Eu… Eugene! My friend!”

The dignified Chieftain of the Mason Clan vanished, replaced by the exiled wanderer from before.

“We had an agreement! You… you cannot do this!”

“Yes, we had an agreement! And I deeply regret this! However, our previous agreement was based on the condition that the Mason Clan’s territory could provide assistance to the army of the King’s Tent.”

Eugene shook his head with an expression of sorrow, grief, and pity.

“That is correct!”

Imar’s voice rose slightly. “As long as I can become chieftain, I will allow the orc army to pass through my territory. Not in small bands like before, but a full, complete army!”

“Listen, how tempting is that? Imagine! The expressions on the humans’ faces when they discover a powerful orc army has suddenly appeared in their territory will be absolutely priceless!”

Eugene showed a slight smile, giving Imar a glimmer of hope.

“Haha, my friend, I knew you were joking with me!”

“Oh no, my friend.”

Eugene shattered the hope he had just kindled.

“The situation has changed! Dear Imar, the army of the King’s Tent no longer needs your territory!”

“We have found other ways to enter Ordo! The routes are flatter, faster, more efficient, and can accommodate a much larger army!”