Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World-Chapter 442: The King of the Prairie

TL: Etude Translations

The appearance of the porcelain caused a sensation at the banquet.

The chieftain of Assoye generously passed the bottle around for everyone to admire, but he forbade removing the bottle from its box to prevent it from being shattered.

His son Gunther, upon receiving the porcelain, carefully felt it with his hands for a long time. After passing it to others, his gaze towards Stanford was flickering and uncertain.

“So, you plan to cross the Rocky Mountains. Oh, I must say, brave humans, it’s a bold and somewhat foolish decision,” the Assoye chieftain remarked, holding his drink and striking up a conversation with Captain Stanford.

“Yes, after all, I am an adventurer. The impulse to explore the unknown always flows in my blood, regardless of the danger it poses,” Stanford replied.

“A toast to your courage!” The orc chieftain gulped down a large bowl of wine, wiping his mouth carelessly with his arm.

“In that case, you’d better wait for the dwarves in the mountains to come out and make contact with them. Perhaps those stubborn folks could take you across.”

“Thank you for the suggestion, that’s what I was considering too.”

On his way here, Stanford had also planned to make initial contact with the dwarves to seek their assistance. If the dwarves were amenable, that would be great. If not, they would have to sneak into the Rocky Mountains and ‘smuggle’ themselves across.

Soon, the highlight of the banquet began. The leader of the caravan, Eugene, loudly announced the goods they had brought: salt, fabric, tea, and various iron pots and pans—items that were scarce in the Blood Bull Tribe, deep in the forest.

Each item announced by old Eugene brought smiles to the faces of the tribal leaders present. They then engaged in loud discussions and even disputes, either vying for their family’s share of the goods or haggling with the caravan members.

The Blood Bull Tribe paid mostly with animal fur, medicinal herbs, livestock, and a small amount of metal coins that had flowed in from human territories.

The banquet, which started in the evening, continued until around 9 p.m. The guests gradually dispersed, and Stanford, supporting the somewhat dizzy Matthew, returned to their lodging.

…

Deep into the night, the chieftain’s longhouse was still brightly lit.

The fire pit in the center of the room blazed, heating the spacious house and casting the tall figures of two orcs on the wooden walls decorated with various animal furs and skulls.

The chieftain of the Blood Bull Tribe, Assoye, held the porcelain bottle from the banquet in his hands. The smooth surface of the bottle shimmered dazzlingly.

“What a splendid object!” Assoye exclaimed once more.

“My old friend!” Eugene, sitting opposite him, huffed, “Has your heart reached the age of being fascinated by trinkets?”

“Oh, Eugene, that’s a bit harsh. Shouldn’t beautiful things be appreciated more?” Assoye countered his old friend, then added with a reflective tone, “Humans are truly an incredible race! Cunning and wise, greedy and ambitious. Only they could invent such beautiful… beautiful porcelain.”

“Hmph!” Eugene said disdainfully, “Perhaps humans are superior in intellect compared to us orcs, but if it comes to bravery, ten humans are no match for one orc.”

Assoye helplessly replied, “If you mean unarmed combat, that’s indeed the case. But what if humans don armor, mount horses, and wield spears and swords?”

Eugene retorted, “That was in the past. Now, we have also learned to forge iron and make stirrups. Orc warriors can also wear armor and wield swords.”

Assoye was about to continue the debate with his old friend, but Eugene waved his hand, cutting him off.

“Enough, my old friend. Stop beating around the bush with me. The great chieftain Abal didn’t send me here to discuss racial characteristics. Let’s get straight to the point. How have you considered it? When will you pledge your loyalty to the great chieftain?”

Assoye narrowed his eyes: “Are you insisting that I make a choice?”

Eugene shook his head: “This isn’t about forcing you, but about following the inevitable trend. The orcs have been scattered for too long, like sand spilled on the ground. The prairie needs a king to unite all once again!”

“But this is the depths of the forest.”

“As long as you acknowledge yourself as an orc, you will always be a child of the great prairie.”

Assoye stared at Eugene: “Old friend Eugene, we orcs have our traditions, deeply embedded in our nature. For many years, we have lived joyfully in this way.”

He hesitated for a moment before adding, “But I have heard a lot about the great chieftain Abal. It’s said that he keeps human pets, imitates human kingdoms by inventing official titles, and even meddles with orcs script, pushing for etiquette and rules.”

“I’ve heard that tribes loyal to him can no longer migrate freely, that disputes between tribes must be adjudicated by him, and that each tribe must annually provide their strongest warriors to form an army loyal to him.”

“I don’t understand. Is this still being an orc? Where has our freedom gone? Why should we be bound by these new rules? What I understand even less is why, despite your unkind attitude towards humans, you are so loyal to a chieftain who strives to imitate them.”

Eugene hesitated for a moment before countering, “I may not like humans, but doesn’t that prevent me from learning from their strengths? And don’t I also admire those human warriors who come across the sea?”

“Those things Abal imitates, are they strengths?”

“Yes! Assoye, you only see freedom but fail to see the bloody conflicts many tribes fall into annually over pastures and water sources, the heartbreak of countless fine warriors lost in meaningless battles. This strife and the resulting hatred pass down through generations, keeping us orcs forever divided!”

Eugene stretched out his hand, grasping only air in the bright firelight.

“Therefore, we must restrain our people with rules and regulations. Establishing these regulations requires an authority. Under the rule of this authority, within the constraints of these regulations, tribes can fairly distribute pastures and water sources, avoid pointless strife and vendettas, unite against common enemies!”

He stated unequivocally, “And this authority must and should be the great chieftain Abal!”

Assoye asked, “Why must it be Abal?” but he did not counter Eugene’s previous statements.

Eugene stood up, his face showing a hint of fanaticism, “Because he is the descendant of ancient heroes! The Zalg family once led the children of the prairie to resist the invasion of the Gubera people! Today, thousands of years later, this bloodline’s descendant will continue to lead the children of the prairie to conquer.”

“Conquer?” Assoye asked in confusion.

“Conquer!”

Eugene nodded emphatically!