After Retirement, Living a Stud Life in Another World - Chapter 239: The Orc’s Child

Chapter 239: The Orc’s Child

It seemed nearly impossible to rescue all the captured female adventurers.

According to the women we saved, many of those impregnated by the orcs were kept in separate rooms, essentially “bred.” The ones who hadn’t been impregnated yet included the leader of their party, a light-attribute user and the most beautiful among them. She had been taken away by the Orc General, the leader of this horde, as his favorite.

For now, the four women who had been assaulted were purified by Tseri’s cleansing magic to prevent unwanted pregnancies. We sent them to the guild forces guarding the hall. Then, using wind mage Helga’s assistance, we explored more of the branching paths. After wasting time on a couple of dead ends, we finally made progress.

“There are twenty or so human signatures ahead, and five orcs.”

Hearing this, the frontliners charged silently. With one swing of Gretel’s axe, two of the sentries were down. The remaining two, who weren’t armed, were quickly dispatched by the adventurers.

“There’s no resistance. Everyone, we’ve come to rescue you!”

“Can we really go home?” “Oh, Supreme God…” “Th-thank you!” “It’s like a dream…”

Cheers of relief filled the air at Gretel’s words. For now, things seemed fine. But… it was hard to ignore the fact that all the women had orc children in their wombs. Unfortunately, those unborn children would likely have to be cleansed with light-attribute magic.

As these thoughts swirled in my head, something clicked.

“Wait a second. Didn’t you say there were five orcs?”

That’s right. Helga clearly mentioned five. Yet, Gretel and the others only defeated four. What happened to the last one? I glanced over at Helga again, and she was pointing at a woman who had her back hunched toward the wall.

“Huh? Is she… oh.”

I understood immediately. The red-haired woman was desperately trying to hide something. And that something was likely…

“The orc’s child. Hand it over. We can’t let it live.”

The guild branch leader’s voice was cold and resolute. What the woman was clutching was unmistakably her child—born from an orc. But in human society, a hybrid child with a monster is regarded only as a monster. Such children, born under similar circumstances, are almost always taken from their mothers and killed.

“N-no! Please, I beg you… This child is… even though I was forced, this is still my baby!”

“Monster children must be killed. Please understand.”

“No! Look! Her face—it’s entirely human…”

Indeed, the child’s face was nothing like an orc’s pig-like features. It was refined and human-like. Apart from the large pig ears perched atop her head, she looked no different from a human child. No, she was more than that—she was undeniably a beautiful little girl.

“How can her face look so delicate?”

“Nena was impregnated by the Orc General. Unlike the lower orcs, the General doesn’t have a pig face but a strong, masculine human face.”

One of the rescued women answered my question. So, the mother’s name is Nena.

“A child of the General, huh? That makes her even more dangerous. We absolutely cannot let her live. Hand her over!”

“No! Please, I’ll do anything—just spare my child!”

Nena clutched the child tighter, shielding her protectively. It was a heartbreaking sight. However, a child with monster bl00d would never be accepted in this medieval-like society.

“I understand you want to protect the child you carried, but at the end of the day, it’s an orc’s child. If she grows up and hurts innocent people, will you take responsibility?”

“I…”

Nena faltered. It was true. No one could predict how a child born with the bl00d of a high-ranking monster would turn out. If the Orc General’s violent tendencies awakened in her, there was no way Nena, an ordinary adventurer, could control her.

“That’s how it is. I know it’s hard, but if you want to return to human society, you must give her up. The only alternative is to live in the demon forest with your child. If that’s your decision, I won’t stop you.”

Nena hung her head. Surviving in the demon forest, teeming with monsters, would require abilities on Gretel’s level. It was impossible for someone like her.

“Now, hand over the child. We’ll make sure she doesn’t suffer…”

“…”

“Come on, don’t be stubborn!”
“Wait!”

As the branch leader pressed closer, a high-pitched, girlish voice—Gretel’s—cut him off.

“If the child grows up and her monstrous nature awakens, that’s a real risk. But then we should just have someone capable of controlling her raise her, right?”

“That’s absurd! Who in the guild could handle that?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m right here.”

My childhood friend pointed to her modest chest with a smug grin.

Ah, of course… It always ends up like this.