Chapter 30.1
Orc Hero Story
The Red Forest, Beastmen Country.
It was a beautiful place. Trees with lush red and yellow leaves grew in clusters, and a variety of animals nurtured the wildlife. There was a mother earth that gave peace to all who stayed here. In the center of the forest was a giant tree that had existed since before the war broke out. The Beastmen race called it sacred to both the tree and the land in which it resided. To them, this place was a special place.
It was about 100 years ago that the Beastmen lost their sacred place. And it was only a few years after Gediguz ascended to the throne as Demon King. At that time, they were being persecuted by the newly ascended Demon King. Many races were on the brink of extinction during the war, and Beastmen were no exception. After Gediguz ascended, he concentrated his efforts and tried to annihilate them. He attacked them with ferocity, suppressing the other races, and tried to root out their power. They believed that, if they succeeded in destroying even one of the four alliance races, they would win the war. They deprived the Beastmen of 80% of their territory and population and drove them into the remote Blue Forest. Without the support of the elves and dwarves they ultimately received, the Beastmen might have perished as it was.
They reconquered their Sacred Land several years before the fall of Gediguz. It was done by an army of Beastmen who had amassed forces in the Blue Forest. The man who accomplished this was Leto River. He was a River clansman of the Beastmen’s royal family. He held the title of the strongest man of his race, and led a strong army of Beastmen to invade the Red Forest and take it over. For his achievements and courage, the king awarded him the title of Hero. From then on, he was known as Leto, the Beastman Hero.
The recapture of the Red Forest was spread among the Beastmen race as the only battle in which they dealt a heavy blow to Gediguz. However, the opinion of the other races was that Gediguz simply gave up the Red Forest because it was of no strategic value to the Seven Races Federation, which had already concentrated on the Gong Rasha Mountains, and was no bother to him.
Not that it would have happened just like that, however. For, with the reconquest of the Red Forest, the Beastmen completely regained their fighting spirit. They, who for 100 years had been like a cornered kitten, transformed into a tiger defending its territory.
“I’ve missed this place, too.”
“Yes, I know how you feel.”