Chương 86: Chapter 85 A New Capital by the River

Karath's first order after becoming both Grand Chief and Grand Shaman was to relocate the capital. More than four hundred orcs were currently gathered inside the settlement, with the total population falling slightly below four hundred and fifty. The original Bloodclaw Tribe numbered a little over one hundred and sixty. Warriorhearts and Doubleaxes each contributed roughly another hundred. The surviving members of Bearclaw and Hellsong numbered approximately forty apiece.

The settlement had exceeded its capacity by an absurd margin. Construction of additional earthen houses had continued while the Warriorhearts Tribe was moving in, but the arrival of three more tribes brought that work to a complete halt. There was barely enough room for the orcs to move, making further construction almost impossible. Houses originally meant for four or five occupants now contained ten. Even then, there was not enough space, forcing many orcs to sleep outdoors.

The weather was still mild in early autumn, so they could endure it for now. Once winter arrived, the situation would change. If the tribes remained packed together like this, half the population might die before spring. Karath had worked too hard to gather this many people to lose them so easily. They could expand the settlement by moving the stone wall and building more earthen houses without relocating. However, that would not solve the true problem. They did not have enough water.

A single well could never support four hundred and fifty orcs. Karath therefore decided to move the settlement somewhere with an abundant and reliable water supply.

"You intend to build the new settlement beside the Huge River?" The plan was to relocate to the river. A large river flowed slightly more than half a day from the current settlement, approximately four or five hours away. Because of its great size, the local orcs simply called it the Huge River.

"There are two reasons," Karath explained.

"The first is water. The village well cannot provide enough for every tribesperson."

"That is certainly true."

"What is the second reason?" The advisers gathered inside the temporary house of the Grand Chief tilted their heads. The group included the chiefs of the individual tribes and several orcs Karath had personally selected, such as Dagon, Krog, and Kaden.

"Food. The hunting grounds around this settlement might sustain us for the moment, but the situation will become increasingly difficult as winter approaches."

"Will moving there give us more food?" Parker asked. There was no rebellion in his question. Since his defeat, the forthright orc warrior had obeyed Karath's commands without hesitation. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it. Rather than answering immediately, Karath examined the gathered orcs. As both Grand Chief and Grand Shaman, he could issue an order and expect them to carry it out without objection.

There was another reason he insisted upon explaining the thinking behind every command.

"Ah!" While the others remained confused, Krog suddenly released a cry of understanding.

"Animals and monsters must gather there because of the flowing water!"

"Correct, Krog!" Karath almost wanted to stamp the young orc's hand with a mark of approval. There was a purpose behind explaining his decisions and allowing the others to reach the answers themselves. It was all for the future. The same had been true on Earth. The higher someone climbed within an organisation, the more responsibilities they carried, yet the number of matters they could personally handle remained limited.

At that level, the capabilities of one's subordinates became more important than personal efficiency. A leader needed to develop competent people or attract capable individuals and place them beneath him. Karath did not want mindless followers who moved only when given instructions and could make no decisions for themselves. He needed subordinates who could judge situations and act correctly on their own.

Years of working in companies and eventually running one had taught him that he did not possess enough hands to manage everything personally.

"When will construction of the new settlement begin?" someone asked.

"Tomorrow. During today's meeting, we will select the warriors and women who will depart and begin work."

"Who will oversee the project?" According to everything Karath had just explained, it seemed like a task he should entrust to someone else.

"Karath will lead it personally." Every orc in the room reacted with shock. Relocating an entire settlement was a massive undertaking none of them had ever experienced. Karath needed to demonstrate the process the first time. Once they understood it, he could entrust similar work to them in the future.

"That cannot be allowed, Grand Chief!"

"You intend to leave the settlement? How can that be?" Every adviser in the meeting objected. A chief guided the village and served as its final line of defence. That was why Karath had originally refused to become chief of the Bloodclaw Tribe. The position would have made it difficult to travel beyond the settlement and pursue further development. That restriction no longer applied.

"Karath may be the Grand Chief, but he is also the Grand Shaman who follows the will of the ancestors. The ancestors sent him to guide our people. If Karath does not stand at the front and carry out the works they taught him, then who will?" The room fell silent. Karath was both Grand Chief and Grand Shaman. If he declared that he was acting according to the ancestors' will, how could anyone stop him? The ancestors were truly useful.

"Th-then you must at least take courageous warriors capable of protecting you!" Grild exclaimed after realising he could not prevent the journey.

"Krahahaha! Then Parker must naturally go!"

"Krahahaha! Then Kaden must naturally go!" Two warriors stepped forward at precisely the same moment, like mirrored copies of one another. They turned their heads with equal speed and glared. Their appearances were similar, and apparently so were their minds.

"Krahahaha! Can a mere eighteen-year-old brat truly protect the Grand Chief?"

"Krahahaha! What does age matter? Skill is what matters!" Kaden had landed a surprisingly sharp blow. Karath himself was the youngest person in the room. Only seven months had passed since his coming-of-age ceremony, making his age absurd for a ruler. Considering that fact, Kaden's remark could have been interpreted as a clever criticism.

"Krahahaha! Brother Kaden is entirely correct! Then shall we compare our abilities right now?"

"Gladly, Chief Parker! Kaden has wanted to speak with your body ever since meeting you!" No one in the room understood the exchange as sarcasm. Neither warrior had intended it that way, and both accepted the words literally.

"Wait!" Karath shouted before the two could begin trading punches inside the meeting room.

"Parker already fought Karath today. It would not be fair for him to enter another duel immediately. Construction of the new settlement also begins tomorrow. If Parker insists upon fighting again now, he will remain here instead of joining the expedition."

"Grand Chief! Parker is not so weak!" Whether he was asking Karath to trust him or merely expressing frustration was impossible to tell. Parker struck his chest repeatedly with both fists. Karath had not invented the reasons merely to stop them. Everything he said was true. Still, forbidding orcs from fighting, their greatest source of enjoyment, would be foolish. Rather than ending the contest, he needed to change its form.

"Then the rules will be different. During the relocation work beginning tomorrow, the two of you will compete to see who hunts the most monsters." Their rivalry could be redirected toward something useful.

"Krahahaha! As expected of the Grand Chief! Parker will obey!" Parker laughed heartily, clearly satisfied.

"Grand Chief! That is unfair!" For some reason, Kaden looked displeased.

"What is unfair?"

"Kaden's weapon is made from drake bone, but Chief Parker carries weapons made from weak stone and wood that would crumble from a single strike! The contest would be far too unfair to him!" Karath stared at him. Kaden was not angry because he was disadvantaged. He was angry because Parker was. Apparently, Karath had not completed his transformation into a proper orc. He had failed to predict that.

"Kaden desires a fair contest against a mighty warrior like Chief Parker!"

"What do you propose?"

"Please lend Chief Parker your weapons, Grand Chief!" Karath fell silent. Why would he do that for this madman?