The orcs wore battered leather armor, with hatchets and Warhammers hanging from their waists. They had once been enemies on the battlefield, but now they had been incorporated into Prince Yuriko's army as the "loyal warriors" he had subdued.
The crowd began to stir. Some of the civilians who had been cheering by the roadside now retreated one after another, and some even pulled their children beneath the eaves of the nearby buildings.
Several elderly women clutched their chests tightly, murmuring prayers to the gods. A few vendors hurriedly packed up their stalls, afraid that these "savages" might come near.
The orcs walked along Crystal Radiance's streets, their steps heavy and hesitant, yet their gazes swept constantly across their surroundings as though drawn by invisible strings.
To them, this human city seemed like a miracle built from stone and magic.
Towering spires that reached into the clouds, rooftops covered in colorful glazed tiles, orderly shops lining both sides of the streets, and exquisitely carved fountains—everything left them dumbfounded.
Sunlight streamed through the tall arches and spilled across the flagstone roads, reflecting shifting patches of light. It was as though the entire city were breathing. They had never seen a place like this.
"Is this... the dwelling of a god?" a young orc muttered, his voice filled with awe.
"No, it's the humans' nest," another replied, though his eyes glittered with excitement. "But they built it sturdier than our tribes."
Their eyes greedily swept over every detail by the roadside—the well-dressed citizens, the exquisite tapestries, the utensils made from materials they could not understand, and even the street vendors' stalls filled them with wonder.
"Their food... smells even better than ours." One orc sniffed the aroma of roasted meat and spices drifting through the air, unable to stop himself from swallowing.