Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight

Rune dismounted.

His boots crunched in the blood as he strode toward the fence.

Chapter 56 The Human Circle

Rune walked through the blood-soaked mud toward the thick wooden fence.

The sticky feeling from the soles of the boots permeated the air, carrying a strong smell of rust mixed with an indescribable sour, rotten odor, as if something had been fermenting in the sun for a long time.

Behind them, a group of soldiers had already skillfully dispersed into various parts of the village.

Two young soldiers kicked open the nearest courtyard, from which came the screams of orc women and the cries of cubs.

A moment later, they came out dragging a bag of grain and two sheep, followed by several orc children huddled together.

"Hurry up!" an old soldier waved his hand. "Take only the food, don't touch the junk."

An orc woman tried to pounce on the food, but was gently pushed away by a soldier with his shield, causing her to stumble and fall to the ground.

Her eyes were filled with fear and anger, but her lips trembled, and she dared not utter a single word.

Several orc cubs surrounded her, some crying, others staring intently at the soldiers' silver-white armor with their still-childish eyes.

But soon, these orcs were taken away by another group of soldiers.

Rune was already used to this situation.

He had already given orders to only collect a few days' worth of rations and not to exterminate the incapacitated orcs. Deep behind enemy lines, the supply lines were too long, so they had to deal with the situation locally.

Besides humans, the beastmen also raise other livestock, and the soldiers collect normal food.

The food stored in the orc village was just enough to replenish the troops' supplies.

He continued walking towards the "circle of people".

Gehrman and his adjutant followed behind him, one on each side.

The veteran's gait remained nonchalant, but his hand rested on the hilt of his sword, and his eyes warily scanned the surrounding stone houses and alleyways.

The outline of the human circle is getting closer and closer.

The thick wooden fences cast parallel shadows in the sunlight, like the ribs of a cage. Through the gaps between the fences, one could vaguely see huddled figures, almost blending into the ground.

Just then.

A series of hurried footsteps came from the side.

"Halt!" the adjutant shouted sternly.

A small figure rushed out from the alley between the two stone houses and headed straight for Rune.

It was the orc boy Dasha, his light brown skin covered with fine short hair, and the tiger stripes on his forehead still had the blurry look unique to cubs.

He held a fist-sized stone in his hand, raising it high.

"You damned bandits!"

The boy's voice was hoarse, choked with sobs, and the last syllable was off-key.

"You killed my father and tried to plunder our property! Die!"

He hurled the stone at Rune with all his might.

The stone traced an arc in the air.

Almost simultaneously, the adjutant drew his sword, the blade blocking the attack. With a crisp clang, the stone was sent flying, shattering into pieces that landed on the muddy ground beside him.

Gehrman's expression changed instantly.

The slight leisurely air that had been on that scarred face vanished completely, replaced by a cold sternness born of offense.

He suddenly drew the long sword from his waist, its blade gleaming coldly.

"court death!"

He strode toward the orc boy, the tip of his sword pointing directly at his youthful face.

The boy's body was trembling, but he did not back down. His eyes were fixed on Gehrman, and tears slid down his cheeks, leaving two white streaks on his face.

"Child! My child!"

A woman's voice came chasing from the alley.

A female orc stumbled over, her face contorted with terror.

She threw herself in front of the boy, using her body to shield him from Gehrman's sword.

"Please! Sir! The child doesn't know any better, he didn't do it on purpose! Please, please let him go!"

Her hands waved wildly in front of her, her tiger eyes were full of pleading, her tail was tightly tucked between her legs, and she huddled up in fear, desperately protecting her child behind her.

Gehrman looked down at the mother and child in front of him, a cruel smile spreading across his face.

"Improper?" Gehrman chuckled, unfazed by the pressure. "If he's so immature, you'll have to teach him a lesson in your next life."

As he spoke, he slightly raised the sword, aiming it at the woman's body.

The merciful man planned to kill both of them with one sword, sending the family to reunite.

The boy let out muffled sobs behind his mother.

The woman's body trembled violently, but she did not flinch; she simply closed her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering incessantly.

“German”.

Rune gently placed his hand on his shoulder, such a slight movement that it made Gehrman freeze in mid-air.

The veteran turned his head to the side, his scarred face filled with resentment.

"grown ups……"

Rune's gaze lingered on the mother and child for a moment.

"That's not their punishment."

Gehrman paused for a moment, his expression slowly shifting from confusion to a sense of realization.

The curve of his lips turned into a smile with a certain wicked humor.

"Yes, my lord."

He sheathed his sword, then raised his foot and kicked the woman in the shoulder, causing her and the child behind her to fall to the ground.

"Take them away." Gehrman waved to the soldiers behind him.

Two soldiers stepped forward and roughly dragged the mother and child up from the ground.

The woman struggled briefly, but a soldier pressed a scabbard against her throat, and she immediately fell silent. The boy thrashed about in her arms, letting out muffled screams.

Gehrman stepped forward, bent down, and got close to the boy's face.

At that moment, a kind of almost morbid pleasure gleamed in those eyes.

“You naturally evil orc imp,” he said, his tone somewhat enigmatic. “Hell awaits you.”

He then ignored the mother and son and quickly caught up with Rune, who had already walked away.

When Gehrman walked to Rune's side, his expression returned to its usual nonchalant manner.

The fence of the human circle was right in front of us.

Those thick wooden stakes were driven deep into the ground, their tips sharpened and their surfaces rough.

The fence was bound together with thick hemp rope, and the gaps were large enough to allow a clear view of what was inside.

Rune stopped, drew his sword, and the silver blade sliced ​​through the air, snapping the lock on the human circle door.

The interior of the human circle was completely exposed.

Rune stood still, his gaze fixed on the area enclosed by the fence.

Thirteen people.

To be precise, there are thirteen living bodies.

They huddled on the filthy ground, naked, their skin covered in dried mud and excrement.

Several people were leaning against the fence, their heads tilted to one side, their mouths slightly open, and murky liquid hanging from the corners of their mouths.

Most of them just curled up, like an unformed fetus in the womb, shrinking their bodies into the smallest possible ball.

No one looked up.

Rune's gaze swept over them one by one.

Chapter 57 Mission

There was not a trace of emotion in these people's eyes.

There was neither fear nor expectation.

It was hollow, as if someone had dug it all out from the inside.

They are still breathing, their hearts are still beating.

But Rune knew they were dead.

The core elements that constitute "human beings"—self-awareness, the will to survive, and reactions to the outside world—have all been completely worn away.

These humans are different from the citizens of the former Dragon Kingdom who have been kept in captivity by the beastmen in the border cities for a relatively short time.

They are an "excellent breed" that the beastmen have bred for countless generations.

docile, plump, and unresisting.

Generation after generation, from birth to death, have spent their lives in this small space enclosed by a fence.

They didn't know what the outside world was like, what freedom was, or even that they were "human beings".

All they knew was eating and reproducing. The swill thrown in by the orcs was their daily meal.

Rune's fingers tightened slightly; he had already reached a conclusion.

'It's hopeless.'