At the sa ti, Orion also laid out new terms for Kraken.
If Kraken failed to kill that broodmother in its evolving form, he would then have to help Orion keep tracking it, granting Orion the next opportunity to strike.
Kraken agreed without hesitation.
Currently at the peak of Legendary rank, if he couldn't manage to defeat the broodmother evolution now, it would be a long ti before he could—so letting Orion have the next shot was a smart choice.
After all, so long as the broodmother evolution lingered in the sea, Kraken's ability to gather resources and build up his faction would be severely hampered.
…
Stoneheart City, mysterious tavern.
On the third floor, there was only one guest: Aldous.
He sat on the floor. Beside him stood a wooden table laden with food and drink that Delilah had prepared especially for him. Since he was Orion's friend, Delilah was treating him with utmost care.
"Lord Aldous—and Lord Bluehide—can I be of any further service?" Delilah asked with a slight bow. She dared not be careless around a Legendary-level being.
"I want to see Orion. I'll wait right here."
"Also, half of the trinkets I brought are a gift for Orion; the other half, I'd like to trade for grain."
It was quite a sight: one of Aldous's hands held a hunk of roasted at, which he was using to feed the larger of his two heads, while the other hand clutched a huge mug from which he kept guzzling alcohol.
"As you wish. I'll gather the grain you need right away."
Delilah turned and left the third floor. She'd never expected this powerful ogre lord to show up in Stoneheart City without any prior notice.
With Orion away, she couldn't place Aldous in the castle, so the best she could do was have him stay on the third floor of the mysterious tavern.
Thankfully, Aldous's only request was to see Orion; as long as there were food and drink, he seed content enough.
Returning to a secret location in the inner city, Delilah made sure to shoo her subordinates away. Then, pressing her hands together, she activated the will projection residing between her eyebrows.
"What's going on?"
Orion sounded half-asleep. Ordinarily, unless there was sothing pressing, this sliver of his will projection remained dormant to conserve ntal energy.
"The ogre chieftain just arrived in Stoneheart City, asking to see you."
Delilah kept it brief to avoid wasting too much of the projection's energy—sotis, that energy could be a life-saving trump card.
"Do you know why he's here?"
"No. He won't say, and I can't glean anything."
Delilah was curious. People generally assud ogres were brutish and reckless, but this ogre lord hanging around the mysterious tavern didn't co across as mindlessly violent at all.
"I see... Go back to the mysterious tavern. I'll ask him myself."
Monts later, Delilah reappeared on the third floor of the mysterious tavern.
"My friend, welco to Stoneheart City—to the giants' territory."
No sooner had she stepped onto the third floor than the will projection at her brow took the form of a blurred silhouette, drifting toward Aldous. After a mont's pause, Delilah stopped walking. She chose to wait by the staircase and let Orion and Aldous finish their conversation in private.
"My friend, Aldous brought you a gift—he gave it to your succubus subordinate."
Orion's will projection gestured to Delilah at the stairway. She took a large jar of aromatic wine from her storage ring.
Leonidas had once given Orion a generous amount of this vintage, and Orion had handed a few casks to Delilah to enrich the mysterious tavern's stock.
The wine's strong bouquet instantly caught Aldous's attention, prompting him to set his goblet aside and sniff eagerly with his broad nose. Even the second, larger ogre head stopped gnawing its roast and stared intently at the wine jar drifting toward them.
"Try so. This was ho-brewed by a top-tier powerhouse."
With a pop, the clay seal ca off, intensifying the rich aroma. Aldous's eyes lit up as he took a heavy swig.
Urgh!
He hiccuped, his face swiftly reddening. Even Bluehide, the bigger head beside him, lapsed into a tipsy daze. After a few monts, the flush on Aldous's face began to fade, and he looked imnsely satisfied, whereas the larger head was still drifting in blissful drunkenness.
"He's never tasted anything this good, so let's leave him be. My friend, Aldous loves this return gift."
Orion's will projection nodded. As Aldous drank another mouthful of the fine liquor and savored it, Orion began:
"Trouble in your territory?"
It was a guess, an easy way to steer the conversation toward the main issue.
"My friend, Aldous has been bullied!"
Hearing Aldous's complaint, Orion's will projection stayed silent, sensing there was more to co.
"That damned insect betrayed us—said we're no longer allies."
"Lokiviria?"
"Yes, that wretched insect."
The will projection waited, listening.
"For so reason, Lokiviria has tead up with a lizardfolk chieftain from the central region."
"Together, they invaded my domain, demanding I cede the eastern side of my territory."
"I refused—we fought."
Aldous started the story still sowhat drunk, but at the ntion of battle, he sobered quickly as though recalling a deep humiliation. His inebriation vanished at once.
"The lizardfolk chieftain is also of middle Legendary rank, stronger in combat than that cursed insect. Aldous was no match for them."
"My friend, Aldous needs your help. Aldous wants to smash that lizardfolk's head."
He waved his fists enthusiastically, sloshing a good bit of liquor onto the floor. The room was once again awash in the potent fragrance.
Realizing he'd wasted quite a bit, Aldous sighed and simply chugged down what was left in the jar, letting out several hearty belches.
A mont later, he shook off the lingering buzz.
"So, my Giant friend, will you help ?"
Orion's will projection nodded. At the sight of Aldous's delighted expression, Orion spoke calmly:
"But right now, I'm tied up with other matters. You'll have to wait a while if you want revenge. It's spring; at the earliest, I won't be able to help until autumn."
Aldous froze at Orion's words, then quickly composed himself.
"Don't worry. Aldous has learned to wait a long ti ago. So long as I can get my revenge and wipe out this sha to the ogres, it doesn't matter how long it takes."
With that, Aldous picked up the roast Bluehide had dropped, not minding that it had hit the floor, and tore into it unabashedly.
"All right. If you have nowhere to go, feel free to wait in Stoneheart City."
"Mmm…"
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