Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight

His prestige has been severely damaged after this crushing defeat.

The Orc King originally wanted to completely destroy the Dragon Kingdom because he was getting old and frail and his fighting power was waning.

He wanted to use this great achievement to maintain his rule and at the same time smoothly complete the transfer of power to his son.

To simply accept the treaty of defeat and return home.

Those tribal chiefs would be the first to oppose him; they would unite and drag him off the throne.

and then?

His son, his family, and all those close to him will be purged.

His head would be hung on a tribe's flagpole as a sacrifice for the new king's coronation.

His defeat will become the most shameful page in the history of the Orc Kingdom, repeatedly mentioned and cursed by later generations.

The Orc King took a deep breath to calm his thoughts.

Another path.

Give it a go.

Capture that human nobleman and use him to blackmail the dragon.

If he succeeds, he will get back everything he lost, and he will gain even more.

He will use the dragon's power to his advantage, and he will become the greatest king in the history of the Orcs, or even... perhaps more than just the king of the Orcs.

But what's the cost?

If it fails...

The Orc King closed his eyes.

The entire nation's orcs might be buried alive with them.

He was silent for a long time.

The night wind blew in from outside the open space, making a mournful sound. The flames of the campfire grew weaker and weaker, and the firewood was about to burn out.

at last.

The Orc King opened his eyes.

There was no longer any hesitation in his eyes, only an almost insane determination.

"Someone come here."

The captain of the personal guard strode out of the darkness.

"His Majesty."

The Orc King's voice was unusually firm.

"Go and summon Gazok, the chief of the [Fang] tribe. He's all alone."

The captain of the personal guard was taken aback: "Your Majesty, you mean...now?"

"Now."

"As ordered."

The Orc King watched as the other's figure disappeared into the night.

'If we take this gamble now, there's still hope of turning things around.'

When the Orc King's own interests no longer aligned with the interests of the entire Orcish nation, he chose to gamble with the lives of all his people.

He sat on a rock, his gaze passing through the flickering campfire and looking out at the dark night sky.

The endless darkness seemed to be waiting to devour something.

Chapter 89 "Surrender"

The next day.

The sky was overcast and gray, as if its original color had been covered by a layer of filth that couldn't be washed off.

The remaining high-ranking members of the orc kingdom gathered again for a meeting.

The makeshift tents were much smaller, and the tribal chiefs were crammed inside, creating an unusually oppressive atmosphere.

[Fangs] Tribal chief Gazok is not here.

His boar head was not among the crowd, clearly indicating his absence from the meeting.

"Where is Chief Gazok?" A tribal chief looked around and spoke first. "Why hasn't he come?"

The Orc King sat in the main seat, his golden lion mane somewhat disheveled, and he looked rather listless.

His voice was a bit hoarse than usual.

"The Fang tribe is responsible for covering the rear and defending against the Dragon Kingdom, and their strength has not been damaged."

The Orc King paused slightly.

"The Orc Kingdom is currently in dire straits. If the Dragon Kingdom's forces were to launch a counterattack, the situation would become even more dangerous. I have already dispatched Gazok to lead the [Fang] tribe to defend against the Dragon Kingdom."

Upon hearing this, all the leaders nodded in agreement.

A few people whispered among themselves, saying things like, "His Majesty has thought things through thoroughly," and "We really can't be careless."

No one asked any further questions.

After a brief discussion, the atmosphere suddenly fell silent.

This is because the next issue is quite sensitive.

Everyone knew this was an issue that had to be discussed, but no one wanted to be the first to speak.

The Orc King's gaze swept across each face.

He understands.

They were waiting for themselves to become the sinners.

The Orc King's figure appeared even older, revealing an expression that was hard to decipher—whether it was anger or sorrow.

But soon, the complex emotions completely dissipated, leaving only a resigned calm.

"I have decided..."

The Orc King's voice rang out.

"surrender."

There was a moment of silence in the tent.

Then came a chorus of sighs, and the leaders relaxed their shoulders with a sigh of relief.

No one objected.

Given such a huge gap in strength, admitting defeat is indeed a wise move.

These tribal leaders, though warlike, were not fools. They had already witnessed the dragon's power firsthand; if the fighting continued, the entire orc kingdom would be lost.

“Since His Majesty has made his decision…” an older leader spoke first, “then let’s act quickly. The longer we delay, the more likely that dragon might change his mind…”

What if that dragon is no longer satisfied with the previous conditions and decides to completely wipe out the orc kingdom...

No one dared to think any further.

"Then," the Orc King's gaze swept over the crowd, "who is willing to act as an envoy and negotiate with that dragon?"

An even quieter atmosphere than before swept through the entire tent.

When it comes to defeat, surrender, and signing a treaty, it's definitely appropriate to send someone of high rank.

But no one wants to do something so humiliating.

What if that dragon is in a bad mood and kills the envoy with a single punch? Even if it doesn't fight, signing a treaty of defeat would be a permanent stain on one's reputation.

The leaders looked at each other, none of them willing to take on the task.

The atmosphere inside the tent grew increasingly oppressive, like a stagnant pool.

The Orc King looked at them and sneered inwardly.

These guys only rush to the front when it's time to divide the spoils.

His gaze swept around the tent and finally landed on a figure.

【Steel Teeth】Tribal Chief.

He is also one of the leaders of some of the most powerful tribes in the Orc Kingdom.

The tiger-headed orc was looking down, pretending to examine the iron axe at his waist.

"Chief Balzer," the Orc King addressed him.

The tiger-headed orc's body stiffened slightly.

He looked up and met the eyes of the Orc King, whose eyes showed only reluctance.

The Orc King looked at him, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

"I would like to ask Chief Bazel to act as an envoy to sign a peace treaty with that dragon."

The tiger-headed beastman's pupils suddenly contracted. He opened his mouth, preparing to find a reason to refuse; he was not one to be manipulated.

"I am utterly exhausted by this misfortune."

The Orc King interrupted him, his voice weak and weary.

"From now on, all the important affairs of the Orc Kingdom will be entrusted to Chief Bazell. I hope Chief Bazell will give us much encouragement."

As soon as he finished speaking, a low murmur arose inside the tent.

The tribal leaders all turned their gazes to the tiger-headed beastman, their eyes filled with complex expressions.

Bazel himself was stunned, and his tail twitched unconsciously behind him.

The Orc King was relinquishing power to him in public.

Although he was also a tribal leader in the past, his influence in the orc kingdom was far less than that of the orc king.