Shame of despair

Kano walked slowly through the camp, lost in his thoughts. He didn't notice the orcs, who parted silently as they saw him, clearing the way. His mind was clouded with doubt, and his heart felt heavy, like a stone.

And then, something strange caught his eye.

The orcs weren't just parting ways.

They were bowing their heads before him.

Kano stopped, looking around in confusion.

— "What the...?"

His gaze shifted to the old chief standing off to the side. The elder nodded quietly.

— "It's a sign of respect, my chief."

Kano flinched.

— "Wait, wait... I didn't" — But the old chief was already turning, making a sweeping gesture with his hand.

Kano felt a chill run through him.

Before him, on a small clearing near the fire, the orcs had built something resembling a throne.

It was made of sturdy branches and the hides of wild beasts. Clumsy, rough, but at the same time... symbolic.

Kano felt his throat go dry.

— "Oh, no..."

Laughter came from behind.

— "Well, congratulations, chief," a familiar voice drawled.

Kano spun around sharply.

Elgot stood there, arms crossed over his chest, a self-satisfied grin on his face.

— "This isn't funny," Kano muttered.

— "What? I think it's quite funny," Elgot replied, a mischievous glint in his eye.

Kano looked back at the throne.

He felt the weight of dozens of gazes on him. They were waiting. Waiting for him to act.

And the old chief, standing nearby, pointed to the seat.

— "Sit."

Kano wanted to protest. He wanted to say that he wasn't a chief, that this was a mistake. But when he looked at the orcs again, saw the look in their eyes... he understood.

This wasn't just a ceremony.

It was acceptance.

He had already become what he never wanted to be.

Kano slowly approached the throne and looked at it skeptically.

— "This... for me?"

The orcs burst into laughter.

— "Yes, chief!"

Kano raised his head, scanning the faces of all those present.

The old chief stared at him in silence. His eyes expressed something more than mere submission.

He truly believed that Kano could be the one they were waiting for.

Kano sighed and sat down.

And at that moment, it felt as though a mountain had fallen on him.

He felt like this throne wasn't just a seat.

It was a burden.

A burden of responsibility.

The camp fell silent.

Everyone was waiting for him to speak.

Kano swallowed hard.

— "What does the chief usually do at a time like this?"

The old chief raised his hand.

A young orc woman, with long white streaks in her dark hair, stepped forward and presented Kano with a wooden platter of meat.

Kano looked at her.

She bowed, then stepped back.

Kano stared at the food, then turned his gaze back to the old chief.

— "I... what, am I supposed to eat this?"

— "Yes. The chief begins the feast, then others eat."

Kano felt his throat dry up.

He wasn't hungry.

He didn't know what to do.

He felt awkward under the watchful eyes of the orcs.

And then, something clicked inside him.

Kano exhaled deeply, stood up, raising his hands.

— "Eat with me."

Silence.

Everyone froze.

Even the old chief hadn't expected this.

The orcs exchanged looks, as if they couldn't believe what they'd just heard.

Because never in their history had they eaten with their chief.

Kano tensed.

But then, one of the orcs roared:

— "The chief commands!"

And the horde erupted in joyous cries.

Kano finally relaxed.

He took the first step.

He didn't know yet how to be a chief.

But he knew for sure that he didn't want to be like those who ruled through fear.

He would be different.

He would be what he felt was right.

For now…

He just began to eat.

The night descended on the camp. The fire crackled, scattering sparks into the darkness. Orcs sat in groups, eating, speaking loudly, occasionally bursting into laughter. It was a peaceful, even homey sight.

Kano sat on his new "throne," observing it all, unsure of what to think.

He wasn't used to this.

Just yesterday, they had been his enemies. And now, they were eating together.

It was... strange.

— "You look like someone who's been handed an explosive crystal and has no idea when it's going to detonate," a familiar voice suddenly called out.

Kano turned his gaze.

Elgot stood off to the side, calmly watching the scene before him. He held a mug in his hand, and judging by his expression, it wasn't water.

— "And you seem to be feeling just fine," Kano mumbled.

— "Me? No. Just amazed. You're making history, boy. A chief who eats with his people. Never been done before."

Kano grimaced.

— "I wasn't trying to make history. I just… don't want to eat alone."

— "Well, well," Elgot took a sip from his drink. "But that's what separates good leaders from tyrants. They don't want to rule. They just do what they think is right."

Kano sighed and turned his gaze back to the orcs.

They were different than he had imagined.

Yes, they were rough, loud, sometimes too emotional. But in their eyes, there was no cruelty like the kind he had encountered in other places.

On the contrary...

They laughed, told stories, reminisced about old battles.

One of the warriors gestured wildly, describing an old victory of his. Another one argued that he had killed the largest bear in the mountains, showing off scars on his shoulder.

And Naira...

She sat with a group of orc women, smiling for the first time in a long while.

Her voice rang out clearly, and the women around her listened with interest to her stories about the city, the guild, her adventures.

Kano hadn't expected this.

— "Do you see this, Elgot?" Kano said quietly.

— "Yeah. And it scares me more than you think."

Kano looked at him, surprised.

— "Why?"

Elgot finished his drink and sighed.

— "Because if you really accept them as your horde, there's no going back."

Kano paused.

And damn it, the mage was right.

He still hadn't made a final decision, but his heart was already leaning toward an answer.

A sudden shout interrupted his thoughts.

— "Chief!"

Kano looked up.

One of the orcs, a massive, burly warrior, stood up and pointed at him.

— "You've listened to our stories. Now we want to hear yours!"

Kano froze.

— "My story?"

— "Yes! Where did you come from? How did you become so strong? How did you defeat us?"

The orcs around him instantly fell silent, focusing their eyes on Kano.

Naira tilted her head, intrigued, Lianel smiled, and even Selina stopped whispering to the old orc woman.

Elgot savored the moment, smiling to himself.

Kano felt his throat tighten.

What could he tell them?

That he was just an ordinary guy who ended up in this world and was simply trying to survive? That he didn't even understand how all this happened?

That his victory was more luck than skill?

He swallowed the lump in his throat.

— "Well…"

Everyone waited.

Kano exhaled.

— "I just… never gave up."

The orcs exchanged glances.

— "Is that it?" the burly warrior asked, surprised.

Kano nodded slowly.

— "I'm not the strongest. Not the fastest. But I always got back up when I fell. I didn't let myself break. And that's why I'm standing here."

For a moment, there was silence.

And then…

The orcs erupted in approval, pounding their fists on the ground, roaring.

— "That's good, chief!"

— "You're a real fighter!"

Kano relaxed a little.

He hadn't told them the whole truth, but…

This was what he truly believed.

And so, it wasn't a lie.

Elgot smiled again.

— "Well played. But now they respect you even more."

Kano turned his gaze to him.

— "Is that… good or bad?"

— "You'll find out tomorrow, boy."

Kano suddenly felt uneasy about the tone in Elgot's voice.

But for now…

He just watched as his horde laughed, as Selina told stories to the children, as Lianel showed off her archery skills, and as Naira talked to the orc women about the guild, battle tactics, and even the clothing of other races.

He watched.

And realized that he was starting to get attached to these people.

And that scared him more than any battle.

The night in the great orc camp was calm. The huge bonfire crackled, casting shadows on the tent walls and lighting up the faces of the orcs, who still couldn't believe they now had a chief. Kano, exhausted and worn out, almost fell asleep sitting on his makeshift throne. His eyes were heavy, his body aching for rest, but his mind wouldn't let him sleep.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps. In front of him stood Naira. Her hand rested on the handle of her battle axe, and her gaze was oddly thoughtful.

— "Great chief, would you like to walk with me to the tent?" she said softly, but loud enough for everyone around to hear.

Kano, still not fully awake, nodded absentmindedly:

— "Yes, of course, let's go."

Silence.

And then…

— "THE CHIEF HAS CHOSEN A WOMAN!!!"

Explosion! The orcs sprang to their feet, their roar shaking the air. Men beat their chests, women clapped their hands joyously, and even the smallest children started jumping with excitement.

Kano's eyes snapped open.

He lifted his head, blinked once, then again. He stared ahead, as if he couldn't understand what had just happened. His brain was trying to process the situation, but everything felt distant and unreal. He simply stood up and silently followed Naira, like a machine. His mind was a fog.

The orcs danced around the fire, shouting:

— "The chief has chosen! The chief has chosen!"

The echo of those words further tore apart Kano's reality.

His legs moved on their own. He couldn't feel the ground beneath him, couldn't hear anything except the roar around him.

Only when he entered the tent and saw the makeshift bed made of soft hides in front of him did his consciousness begin to return. He finally heard Naira's words:

— "You idiot… Now we're a couple!"

And then…

— "HOW THE HELL DID I GET INTO THIS?!"

Kano screamed and began to panic, running around the tent, clutching his head.

Naira rolled her eyes.

— "You could've just said 'I'll go alone!' and none of this would've happened!"

Kano stopped abruptly.

— "What?! How was I supposed to know?!"

Naira slapped her palm against her face.

— "Oh Gods, just kill me now…"

She took a deep breath and then clenched her fists.

— "Sit down. I'll explain!"

Kano, even more confused, lowered himself onto the bed, though his body refused to relax.

Naira sat across from him, arms crossed over her chest, and stared at him intently.

— "In our people, everything is simple. A chief isn't just a leader, he's the pillar we lean on. His strength is our strength, his decisions are our decisions. But the chief can't be alone."

Kano blinked.

— "And?"

— "And he must have a woman," Naira cut in. "It's the law!"

Kano almost fell off the chair.

— "What?! Why?!"

— "Because a woman isn't just a wife. She's a symbol that the chief has heirs, that his line won't be broken, that his people won't be left without a leader."

Kano scratched his head.

— "But… you… You weren't planning this yourself!"

Naira rolled her eyes.

— "Obviously not! But now it's happened. And that means, either we pretend everything's fine, or I lose everything."

Her voice grew angry, but not at Kano—at the situation. She scowled, her fists clenching.

— "If you had refused, if you had said 'I'll go alone,' no one would've suspected anything. But now, every orc saw you agree to go with me to the tent. That means one thing: I'm your woman. And if you say that's not the case…" She sighed and looked away, "…it won't just be an insult to me. It will be treason to the entire clan."

Kano fell silent. He still hadn't fully realized how serious the situation was.

— "So if I say it's a mistake…?"

— "They'll either kick me out of the clan or kill me," Naira answered coldly.

Kano froze.

— "What?!"

— "Traditions, Kano," she exhaled. "For orcs, the chief's word is law. You've already made your decision in front of everyone, and now there's no turning back."

Kano grabbed his head again.

— "God, why is every day like this for me..."

Naira smirked.

— "Get used to it, chief."

Kano took a deep breath and finally tried to logically assess the situation.

— "Alright… What can I do, and what can't I? Tell me more about the traditions."

Naira was momentarily surprised that he asked this question, but then nodded seriously.

— "Alright. Listen carefully."

She began listing:

— "The chief has the right to everything. He can eat first, command, take as many women as he desires…"

Kano flinched.

— "But…" she continued, "he can't take married women. That's taboo."

— "Alright. What else?"

— "The chief must always be first in battle. If you run or hide behind your people — you're a disgrace."

Kano nodded.

— "Makes sense."

— "The chief cannot take food from the hungry. He must share. If someone is starving while you chew on a piece of meat — that's grounds for rebellion."

Kano thoughtfully ran his hand across his chin.

— "That's even… reasonable."

— "And the last thing. If the chief starts giving unreasonable orders, becomes weak, or if the orcs start doubting him — they'll rise up. And then the only way out for you is to defeat them all or die."

Kano silently looked at her.

— "So you're telling me that I took on the responsibility of the horde without even knowing these rules?"

Naira grimaced.

— "Yes."

Kano covered his face with his hands.

— "Well, you're a fool, Kano…"

Naira patted him on the shoulder.

— "Welcome to the world of the orcs, chief."