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Chapter 102: A Conversation with Fiona

“Reiner, my lord, I happen to need you; could you come with me for a moment?” Fiona said respectfully.

Reiner nodded, greeted Nora and the others, and followed her.

After they had walked a short distance, Fiona suddenly stopped, bowed to Reiner, and said, “Reiner, my lord, please allow me to thank you.”

“Thank me for what? I’m just a translator.”

“You are too modest; the chieftain of the Black Wolf Clan was very powerful, he slaughtered many of the Rocky Ridge Clan, and if you hadn’t stepped in and killed him, we would probably have faced an even tougher enemy.”

Reiner fell silent and studied Fiona’s expression.

He still had no idea what she was really up to.

He was so used to eavesdropping on Nora and Martina’s thoughts that he instinctively wanted to listen in on Fiona’s heart as well.

“You didn’t bring me here just to say thanks, did you?”

Fiona nodded emphatically, hesitated for a moment, and continued, “I want to ask you for help.”

“Help?”

“That’s right; you are the strongest human I have met so far, and I hope to gain your assistance.”

“I want to unify the orc tribes in this forest; now that we’ve absorbed the members of the Black Wolf Clan, our tribe is stronger than ever, and I wish to strike while the iron is hot and bring the other clans under us one by one.”

Reiner lifted his chin, signaling her to go on.

“Several clan chiefs are standing in our way; I need to remove them so the tribe can develop further.”

So she wanted to hire them for dirty work.

With Nora’s stealth, assassinating an unsuspecting orc chief would not be difficult.

Although Fiona’s tribe was currently allied with Aidan, the treaty could be torn up at any moment.

Helping her might create a future menace.

Although Reiner said not a word, Fiona seemed to read his thoughts, so she whispered, “Relax; for at least the next 40 years we will not invade human territory, so you need not fear becoming an accomplice, Reiner, my lord.”

“I believe peaceful development and open trade between the races is the trend of the times, which best serves the interests of both orcs and humans.”

“If we unfortunately clash with outsiders, even if I have the upper hand, I would still prefer to resolve the issue through peace, cooperation, and negotiation.”

“War is always the least efficient means to achieve a goal; no one wants needless bloodshed.”

Reiner narrowed his eyes and said, “Words are wind; I can’t just take you at face value.”

Fiona lowered her posture and asked, “What would it take for you to trust me?”

“We humans have a master-servant contract spell; you’ve heard of it, haven’t you?”

Fiona nodded, understanding his meaning, and said, “I have a basic idea; once the contract is branded, not only is one’s life controlled, but one also cannot defy the caster’s will…”

“We’ve only met a handful of times, and if you want me to trust you, at minimum you’ll need to accept a spell of that level,” Reiner said after a brief hesitation, “Of course, I won’t restrict your freedom, but your actions will be under my supervision.”

“It does carry the risk of being controlled by me, but you would also gain my help from now on; care to gamble?”

Fiona lowered her head, struggled internally for a long time, and finally said, “For the tribe’s future, I am willing to trust you.”

“But to be sure you are not deceiving me, you need to do a few favors for me first…”

Reiner chuckled, leaned against a pine tree, and said, “No problem, so you really intend to hire me to assassinate them?”

“If negotiations break down and no consensus can be reached, that will be the only path left; our worsening living conditions these past years are inseparable from those stubborn, war-loving chieftains. Of course, Reiner, my lord, if you do help, I will not only sign the contract with you but also give you appropriate payment.”

“As for payment… I hear you orcs excel at dark magic and blood magic; could you teach me that?” Ever since witnessing Elyanna’s spells, he had become deeply interested in the magics of other races.

Fiona laughed and said, “Reiner, my lord, you are human; even if you know the incantations, you can’t use dark magic.”

Reiner waved his hand. “Don’t worry about that; I have my ways.”

He would simply copy the form later and let Fiona guide him through the basics.

The system would surely unlock a new spell for him.

“Fine; if Reiner, my lord, can master dark magic, that would be nothing short of a miracle, and I’d be happy to witness it,” Fiona said, and burst into laughter.

She simply didn’t take Reiner’s words seriously.

“I’m not joking; want to bet on whether I can learn dark magic?”

“As you like; I doubt I’ll lose, since there’s never been a precedent for this, and as a priestess I know the basics of magic.”

“That confident? What if I really manage to learn it?”

Fiona shrugged indifferently. “Then do with me as you please.”

When he heard those four words.

Reiner looked her up and down.

To be honest, she had an amazing figure.

After thinking for a moment, Reiner asked, “Do you have a man?”

The question seemed to hit a sore spot for Fiona.

Her expression darkened slightly, and she forced a wry smile and shook her head. “I’m ugly; no male would want me, and bearing offspring is none of my concern. I have a more important mission: I must think of our clan’s future.”

“Ugly how? Among orcs your looks are top-tier; they just don’t know how to appreciate you.”

Fiona asked half-believingly, “Really? I heard humans don’t like slender women either; my tribesmen respect me, but that’s all.”

Slender?

She called this twig-thin with luscious fruit, which to him was exquisite.

Yet because of different aesthetics, a body like hers might indeed be unpopular here.

Take Connor as an example; he liked women who were big-shouldered and thick-waisted…

If Fiona could remove the small fangs at the corners of her mouth, she would surely be a beautiful human woman.

Reiner said sincerely, “You are very feminine.”

Fiona scratched her head with a silly smile. “This is the first time anyone has praised me like that, Reiner; you don’t have to lie just to spare my pride.”

“I’m only telling the truth.”

Perhaps realizing that their conversation was going off track, Fiona scratched her head and stopped revealing her thoughts so freely.

She turned sideways and looked elsewhere; seeing the orc convoy carrying tribute getting farther away, she quickened her pace and chased after them, saying, “Let’s leave it at that for now; I’ll come find you again in the next few days.”

“See you.”

Reiner waved goodbye to her.

After Fiona left, a nearby thicket suddenly rustled.

Nora poked her head out, with two golden leaves stuck in her hair.

“Why did you follow me?”

Nora replied with a blank face, “I need to ensure Master’s safety.”

She said it aloud, but that was not what she was thinking at all.

(Master really can stomach anything; he’s even interested in an orc, though that female orc is indeed pretty. Junice, Elyanna, and that female orc…)

Reiner plucked the leaves from her head and rubbed her cat ears hard. “What kind of nonsense are you thinking about?”

“Nothing.” Nora suddenly opened her mouth, bit his hand hard, and then bolted away.

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