Chương 19: Phew, That Was Exhausting
Uta flopped onto the bed in an exaggerated motion, letting out a long, drawn-out sigh.
"Ahhh, walking really takes it out of you."
He was in a small village, nestled along the road to the magical city of Alden. The name of the village? He had already forgotten. Something like "Welcome to [Insert Name] Village!" had been mentioned at the entrance, but it was far too trivial to remember.
The sun was setting, painting the sky in warm hues. Uta had checked into the local inn and was now luxuriating on the soft, albeit slightly lumpy, bed.
"Ahh, there's something so satisfying about tired legs after a long walk."
For someone who could teleport anywhere in the world with a thought, traveling on foot was a refreshing change of pace. The mild ache in his calves from walking all day felt oddly rewarding, like playing an old-school retro game after being spoiled by cutting-edge tech.
"We're about halfway to Alden now, huh? Everything's going so smoothly."
By Uta's standards, the journey had been uneventful so far. Sure, there had been some minor interruptions—rescuing a knight, defeating some bandits—but he didn't consider those to be "events" worth remembering. In fact, most of what had transpired had already faded from his memory.
"Travel really is the best! Oh, and tonight's dinner is supposed to be beef stew. I can't wait—"
His musings were interrupted by the sound of raised voices outside. Curious, Uta got up, opened the window, and peered down into the street. Villagers were gathered in small clusters, their expressions tense and anxious as they exchanged hurried words.
"Did you hear? They showed up in the forest!"
"Yeah, no doubt about it. The girls gathering wild vegetables got taken!"
"What are we supposed to do? Are we going to try and save them?"
"How? We need to hire adventurers!"
"How long's that gonna take? We don't have time! My daughter's one of them!"
"…Huh?"
The snippets of conversation sounded dire. Intrigued, Uta teleported to the center of the group, appearing beside the villagers mid-discussion.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"Waah! Where did you come from!?" one of the men yelped, nearly jumping out of his skin.
"Details," Uta said, brushing aside the man's surprise. "Something happened?"
The group exchanged uneasy glances before one of them spoke up. "It's the orcs. They showed up in the forest near the village."
"Orcs?" Uta's mind conjured up an image of a brutish, pig-faced creature.
"Yeah, those orcs. The kind that abduct women, do… unspeakable things to them, and then eat them afterward."
"Ah, those kinds of orcs," Uta muttered, recognizing the archetype from countless other fantasy settings. In grimdark fantasy worlds, orcs often served as vile symbols of every imaginable depravity.
"And two women from the village were taken?" he asked.
"Yeah," said the innkeeper, stepping forward. "My daughter and her friend went into the forest to gather wild vegetables. We thought it was safe; no wolves or dangerous animals are usually around. We never expected… this."
"Hmm. Tough break," Uta replied, sounding remarkably detached.
His disinterest wasn't malicious—he genuinely didn't feel connected to the situation. It was, after all, someone else's problem.
"We're organizing a search party," the innkeeper continued. "But until we figure this out, dinner service is canceled."
"Wait, what?" Uta froze, his casual demeanor evaporating. "No dinner?"
"No stew tonight. We'll refund part of your lodging fee. You can get bread or something from the market—"
"That's not the point!" Uta exclaimed. "I was looking forward to that beef stew all day!"
The innkeeper hesitated, taken aback by Uta's sudden intensity. "Look, kid, I've got bigger problems than your dinner."
"Fine!" Uta declared, pointing dramatically. "I'll go save your daughter and her friend. But you'd better have that stew ready when I get back!"
"What—"
"Hold that thought. 'Shuwaaaatch!'"
Before anyone could respond, Uta disappeared in a flash, leaving the villagers gaping at the empty spot where he'd just been.
Uta reappeared high above the village, standing on thin air as though it were solid ground. The darkened landscape stretched out before him, lit only by the brilliance of countless stars—a breathtaking sight, even to someone like him. Below, the dense forest loomed ominously.
"That's the one, right? All right, let's do this. Time for some exercise before dinner!"
With that, he teleported directly into the forest.
The shadows of the trees were thick and oppressive. Moonlight barely filtered through the canopy, leaving the undergrowth in near-total darkness. Uta's eyes adjusted quickly as he surveyed his surroundings.
A faint, unmistakable stench hung in the air—a pungent mix of sweat, rot, and something feral. Orcs.
"Yup, definitely here," he muttered. Closing his eyes, he focused on the faint traces of life in the distance. He could sense them—several large presences clustered together, their auras radiating aggression and lust.
"Gotcha," he whispered, teleporting again.
He appeared on the edge of a crude encampment. Torches illuminated the area, revealing a ragtag band of orcs lounging around a fire. They were as grotesque as Uta had imagined—massive, boar-like creatures with tusks, leathery skin, and cruel eyes.
Two young women were bound near the center of the camp, their faces pale and tear-streaked.
"Wow," Uta muttered. "Classic villain behavior."
The orcs hadn't noticed him yet, engrossed as they were in their revelry. One particularly large orc stood, gesturing wildly as he barked orders in guttural tones. The others laughed and jeered, their voices a cacophony of malice.
"This feels like a side quest," Uta mused, stepping into the clearing without a hint of caution.
The nearest orc turned, its beady eyes narrowing. "Who're you, runt?"
"Oh, just your friendly neighborhood... exterminator," Uta replied cheerfully.
The orc snarled, lunging forward, but Uta simply extended a hand. "Touch."
In an instant, the orc disintegrated into a fine gray dust.
The laughter around the fire died abruptly. The remaining orcs scrambled to their feet, weapons drawn, as panic spread among them.
"Intruder!" one bellowed.
"Yep," Uta said, dusting off his hands. "And you're all evicted."
What followed was a blur of chaos. Orcs charged, only to crumble into dust the moment Uta so much as brushed against them. The clearing filled with their agonized roars and the hiss of disintegrating flesh.
Minutes later, the camp was silent. The last of the orcs lay ashen remnants scattered across the dirt. Uta stood unharmed in the center, looking more bored than triumphant.
"Okay, that's done. Time to—oh, right. The damsels in distress."
He turned to the two women, who stared at him in shock and disbelief.
"All right, ladies, you're free to go. Chop-chop, I've got stew waiting!"
Without waiting for thanks, Uta teleported back to the village, his thoughts solely on the dinner he'd just earned.
As he reappeared outside the inn, he shouted toward the kitchen, "I saved them! Now, where's my beef stew?"
The bewildered villagers stared at him, some muttering prayers to whatever god they thought had sent him. For Uta, it was just another day's work—because dinner, after all, was sacred.
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