I Reincarnated as a Noble Bastard, So I'm Seducing All the Villainess-Chapter 112: Don’t Mess With This Cute Orc!

This settlement is quite pleasant, with normal people walking back and forth and most of them looking like a bunch of civilians living their own lives. This is good, because I'm not really keen on running into people who think they own the place just because they have authority.

I let out a yawn, sliding down the snowy hill with my feet as if I had a ski board on, with a trail left behind as I finish setting my feet on the ground. Ragna does the same, but instead of leaving a thin trail, she seems to have two plows attached to her feet judging by the amount of snow that went flying sideways.

What can I say? Nothing, right, this is the consequence of walking with a colossal titan beside you.

At the entrance of the settlement, there are men dressed in coats, holding what look like spears and guarding the entrance. I can already predict that it's going to be a pain from here on out.

I stop at the edge of the settlement. The place looks like a quiet village, maybe an outpost, with wooden houses covered by heavy layers of snow. It is a relief not to see ostentation, probably no noble lives here.

"Alright. Let's do this fast. I don't want to spend too much time in this slow cooker."

I advance, and Ragna, my "two-door closet", follows me, swinging her arms and serving as a natural barrier against the frost, which is impressive in itself.

Two men with cheap looking fur coats and iron spears block the way, both seem to find it a hassle just sitting there at that entrance waiting for outsiders.

They look me up and down with suspicion, but their gaze locks onto Ragna. Her presence is a punch to the stomach of tranquility, as expected.

"Stop right there!" The guard on the left, with a nose red from the cold, raises his spear, trying to look menacing. "This is an outpost. Strangers are not allowed without prior authorization from the Lord."

I roll my eyes, adjusting my sloppy cloak. Obviously there would be a son of a bitch to mess with our quiet, peaceful advance.

"Oh, come on? Authorization? We just need provisions and a place for the big one here to rest for a day. I am Darius, son of Duke Moonlight. I'm not here to steal your potato stock... it's not like I need, anyway."

The guard on the right, younger and paler, swallows hard and looks at the emblem, but immediately doesn't show a very confident expression. Is this bastard thinking I'm lying? It has to be a joke...

"Duke or not, rules are rules, sir. The Lord was clear: movement is restricted. Go back the main road."

I let out a theatrical sigh, resting a fist on my hip. The mere movement makes them think I'm going to pull out some ancient extra destroying weapon from my pocket, but actually it was more to scratch a part of my hip.

"Ugh. You have no idea how much I hate the bureaucracy these old farts put around my neck."

I take a step forward, and the older guard tenses, pointing the spear at my chest.

"One more step and I will be forced to use force!"

Seriously? Don't you see the situation YOU are in, bro? I point with my thumb over my shoulder, indicating the colossal green-skinned warrior right behind me. Ragna, who was observing the houses with a child's curiosity, notices the focus of attention and tilts her head slightly.

"I don't doubt you'd use force, partner. But... are you sure you want to mess with her?"

The two guards turn again toward Ragna. She is easily three times wider than both of them combined. Even without any armor, her muscles alone would likely snap the tips of their spears, while the huge axe on her back would sweep at least both of them so high they would disappear from view. I was only crazy enough to pick a fight because of the Leonhardt situation, otherwise, I would never go near this horse of a woman.

The older guard's spear visibly trembles, I think he's going to need diapers after leaving here.

"She... she is your..." he stutters.

"She's my bodyguard. To be honest, she's having a bad day. If she has to jump over you guys to get inside and isn't fed soon, I think she might end up confusing you with a meat snack."

The younger guard drops his spear, which falls onto the snow with a muffled thud. The older one, however, maintains his posture, but it's clear he's never been so scared.

"No... no need for violence, sir."

That's what I like to hear. I flash a genuine smile and shake the old man's hand.

"Glad we reached an agreement! You don't even need to worry about the expenses, I won't spare any money for what we consume! Just tell us where we can find a place to eat and rest, and I promise this 'colossal titan' will be the quietest guest you've ever had."

The poor guy lowers his spear and points with a tremor in his voice.

"Go... go straight. The main inn is the third house on the right, with the tallest chimney. Please, control your... friend."

"Of course. Pleasure doing business with sensible people."

I walk past them, with Ragna accompanying me. Wow, it's so good to have a killing machine on hand, the intimidation factor is much greater than I thought!

Before we leave their field of vision, she takes a deliberate step toward one of the spears lying in the snow, looks at the object, then at the terrified guards, and then gives a growl, making both guards take half a step back and squeeze themselves against a wooden wall.

"Come on, Ragna" I call, looking over my shoulder. "They're just two men doing their job, don't even think about drooling to eat them. I'll give you something else besides bones to clean your teeth with later."

She obeys, but the look she gives the guards is enough to ensure no one bothers us for the rest of our stay.

The inside of the camp is cozy, with campfires scattered around and a whole bunch of people of different types. I can even identify mercenaries among them... how do I know? They tend to be the "most injured," full of scars and often wearing an eye patch.

"Daria, why did you say that?" Ragna asks, looking at me a little sadly. "I don't eat humans, I prefer mutton."

"It was just to get them out of our way. They wanted us to turn back, I can't accept such disrespect with you watching, right?"

The explanation is enough to ease any doubt in the Orc's head, who nods and lets out another grunt. Thinking in retrospect, it's actually kind of comforting to have a capable bodyguard... I mean, she's definitely better than Leonhardt, who only comes at me with bad ideas, while Ragna is shyer and more restrained.

It's so cute.

I ignore the curious, scared, and, in some cases, admiring glances that Ragna attracts. Mercenaries and travelers stop what they are doing, some even move away from the campfires to let us pass. It's almost like parting the Red Sea, only with a giant Orc instead of Moses.

The third house on the right, with the tallest chimney, is indeed an inn. It is rustic, but the thick smoke coming out of the chimney promises warmth and, more importantly, food.

As I approach, I see the three horses tied to a post near an old cart. Elizia is there, stroking her horse's muzzle, and appears to be checking the saddle brake and our supplies in the saddlebags. She raises her head and smiles when she sees us, a smile that makes my problems seem less urgent.

I nod back and spot something else out of the corner of my eye, a shadow hidden by the inn's roof, Victorian. The former general is talking to a figure I can barely distinguish.

The man he is talking to is hooded, and the cloak he wears is dark and smooth, seemingly absorbing the light from the nearby campfire. This guy's posture is also strange, with a desperate demeanor as he gesticulates quickly, as if he were relaying urgent information.

"What is that idiot doing...?"

Elizia waves for me to approach, but before she can say anything, I reach Victorian, lightly tapping him on the shoulder.

"Hey, troglodyte. I thought you were supposed to be taking care of the horses with Elizia, not making friends with hooded strangers."

Victorian turns around, showing an expression slightly different from what I expect. Ah, there's a worm in this apple, something must have gone wrong.

"Master Darius. This is... an acquaintance. He was just updating me on the situation in the North."

I look at the hooded man. He is tall, and the shadow prevents me from seeing his face clearly, but I can smell male sweat coming from him. The hooded man barely looks at me, gripping Victorian's arm.

"Is it something more interesting than knowing that it's still snowing up there?" I ask, holding back a sarcastic laugh.

The man releases Victorian's arm and finally looks at me. His eyes are wide, and he has stubble, indicating a long and difficult journey.

"You are the Duke... the son of Duke Moonlight?"

"I am, and don't call me Duke. It's just Darius. Spit it out, what's going on there?"

The man hesitates, looking from me to Victorian, then to Ragna, who approaches with the curiosity of someone who doesn't understand the delicacy of a conversation.

"The situation... has gotten worse, Lord Darius. Much worse." The stranger pulls his cloak closer, almost as if he were afraid of being overheard by the wind. "A third group has entered the war, formed by demons."

What? I read up to this point, there wasn't supposed to be an army of demons in this backwater? Besides, what do these idiots want here? They would gain more by forming contracts with others than by killing!

"What do you mean by a third group? Are their forces comparable to the rebel army and the Crown's forces?"

"Yes. They say they are being led by a greater demon named Karthak..."

Karthak? Isn't that... that beast who made a contract with Ravenna? The same one I tricked and almost died before Victorian saved me? What the hell did that bastard come here for?!?

My stomach sinks, now I'm truly screwed. If I get involved in this war, that horny demon will hunt me down in the middle of the battlefield just to steal my soul!