Chapter Two: The Difference Between a Kettle And a Brain (Pt.9)

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Anyway, I finally threw the last one over. The last one didn't feel uncomfortable at all, and it almost seemed to enjoy the flight. Although it asked me to let it face the front, so it can see the view clearly, that could be too dangerous, so I still pointed its feet in front, and then threw it over. So even if the guys couldn't catch it, it would only get its ass hurt.

While I was throwing these monsters over, the people around me were watching the scene nervously. They murmured: "Uh... There you go!" "Uh... Nice!" kind of things. Iruril held her own hands and watched, when an Urc arrived the other side safely, she would then relax a bit. The Urcs were also the same, after I threw theses guys over, until they caught their companions, they were all clamorous  They are now even laughing happily. The one who looks like it's their chieftain(because it was the last one thrown over, so I guess so) went to the cliff and said:

"No matter what happened, I have to say thank you! Oink!"

"I'm very glad to be able to help."

"I will not chase after monsters like you anymore! Oink! We are Urc Fighters! We will not expect to, oink, keep receiving forgiveness from enemies!"

"Okay? Thank you. But how about the Orcs' request?"

"Those weak guys! Oink! Not request, they begged us! Oink! We will just refuse them!"

I shrugged. If it is a conservation between humans, people may feel very unhappy about the words. But if it's between Orcs, how do I know how they would think? I waved my hands and then turned around.

Iruril said to me:

"Seems that you simply ignore the meaning of this bridge. I hoped them to cooperate with other races to cross the bridge, so that they would be able to learn the meaning of cooperation and reconciliation. Although we came over after a battle, I believed if they could learn these things after that, that could still become a good thing."

"Is that so?"

Iruril doesn't look like that she's blaming me. She is just simply saying those words.

"But Huchi, in fact you are the one who exemplified the meaning of this bridge the most. The Urcs who were trying to kill us are now actually saying thank you to you. Now even if the creator of this bridge found that the bridge becomes useless, he would not be angry too."

"If that is the case, it would be great."

"You seem to become a friend of those Urcs."

This elf seems to be so stubborn on certain parts that people can't stand. Maybe I do look like someone who can become friends of all races, but I don't understand those things. I am just a future candle maker of Heltant Fief, the Knight Nedval of the Noble Lady Jamini.... What! How come I am admitting this thing? I'm dead! Axelhand came up to me with a very worried face.

"Didn't you worry that you could miss once?"

I smiled and nodded.

"Yes. And because I missed all, so they could all arrive safely!"

"Ha ha ha! Thanks to you, today I saw a rare scene. Thank you! Hope your journey will be blessed by Karis •Numen."

Karis •Numen... I managed to recall that Karl mentioned it's the deity of the dwarves. But what should I answer? I glanced Karl, and Karl finally helped me to make an appropriate answer.

"May You Grasp the Essence of the Sparks between the Anvil and the Hammer."

Axelhand looked at Karl with a surprised face, smiled and then picked up his luggage. He put on a great backpack, covered his blade with a holster, and then inserted it into the belt. I guess he can't walk easily in this way, but he seems to feel well. Then Iruril started looking at us. Time for her farewell? But then I found that Sanson is showing a "I have great courage now!" face.

Sanson, although with a bit hesitant, said in an upright manner (I don't know how he did it, it's too amazing):

"Where is Miss Iruril going next?"

"Is that necessary?"

Well, what a strange answer. Although it sounds like "Is it necessary to let you know where I am going", this could mean she was upset, but in fact she is just asking purely out of curiosity.

"Can we travel together?"

"Didn't I mention in the morning... I don't have a horse."

Sanson seemed to be waiting for these words for a long time, he answered:

"I can ride the same Huchi with horse!"

I instantly looked at Sanson with a confused face. What did he say? What did he want to do on me? Karl is also looking at Sanson with a smile. And Axelhand is beginning to laugh loudly. Sanson was confused for a while, and then changed his words:

"No, I mean, I can ride the same horse with Huchi..."

"Muhaha ha ha!"

I am almost rolling on the ground.

Iruril shook her head.

"No thanks. You are going to visit your king. You should be in a hurry, but I'm not. I don't want to cause you troubles."

Poor Sanson made a mistake again. So from Iruril said goodbye to Karl, until she silently disappeared in the woods, Sanson didn't say a word, he was just blushing while standing still. I find myself and Axelhand are patting each other's shoulders and laughing. Axelhand is almost losing his breath.

"He said, said, said what riding you with a horse...... Ha ha ha ha!"

"Do I have run with a horse on my shoulders? Ha ha ha ha ha!"

Axelhand separated with us, walked a few steps and stopped to laugh, walked a few steps and stopped to laugh again. Because we are riding, so we got ahead after seconds. The hearty laughter of Axelhand came behind from time to time.

Whenever the laughter came, Sanson would make a face that he wants to die.

I started talking with Karl. Sanson is still not recovered to the state that can listen to me.

"Karl! What do you feel about the Bridge of Dozen?"

"While it was built with good intention, I don't really like to force races to have reconciliation through such an inconvenient way."

"But in order to to make all races which are difficult to have peace to cooperate, you must create this kind of situation right? A person with this ability should be able to build a normal bridge easily. But he chose to build the bridge this way..."

"Right, Nedval. This way is a way that if you don't cooperate, you can't pass. That's the good intention. However on this bridge, the so-called cooperation has turned into a mean only. In my opinion, a real cooperation doesn't need any reason, it comes out naturally."

I repeated the words three times before I understood it.

"That is too idealistic."

"Is that?"

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Chapter Two: The Difference Between a Kettle And a Brain (Pt.8)

Four Urcs and three of us, plus Iruril and Axelhand, we all went to the edge of the cliff. After all twelve of us stood still, Iruril began to whisper:

"In accordance with the convention, we gathered twelve individuals. Please let us cross the river."

Sanson and I stepped slightly forward in order to view the whole scenario, and we almost fell. Once Iruril finished her speech, the floating raft began moving towards us slowly. After a while, that raft reached the edge of a cliff where we are quietly. I looked at the thing with frightened eyes.

Axelhand ran up first without any hesitation. The raft didn't move. After Karl went up, I started to step out one foot on it carefully, and then slowly moved another foot on it. Won't this thing fall? But this raft is still floating in the air not even with a little bit shaking. I try hard not to look down, so I have been staring at the sky. Sanson is also having a frightened face, trying to pull our horses over. The horses tried to resist, after they suddenly stopped, Sanson finally managed to get them on.

After the four Urcs got on the raft, Iruril handed a bottle of medicine to the Urc staying on the cliff.

"This is not difficult, as long as you feed them the right amount. If the wound is very serious, you should also pour a little on that wound. But I have treated the most serious ones, so just feeding them would be fine."

The Urc did not answer, snatched the bottle with one hand, and ran to its fallen companions. Iruril looked into her backpack for a while, and then got on the raft.

Because Iruril has got on, there are twelve people now. The raft began to move slowly. I am a little nervous, so I am grasping the railing firmly and looking at the sky. When the raft began to move, even the horses seemed to be excited.

"Hee hee! Heeee hee hee! Pooffff!"

Sanson wanted to appease the horses, but it seems to be not very easy.

"Hey, Hey! Listen, it'd just be a short while!"

Although the horses are all stamping heavily, the raft doesn't even sway a bit. But the other passengers are all frightened. There is just a kind of feeling that the raft will be capsized. Then Iruril walked towards the horses.

Iruril put her cheek on the middle horse's face, her hands are stroking the faces of the other two horses. So she is now like hugging three horses at once. Then she whispered:

"Calm down. Calm down. We will be fine."

Surprisingly, the horses are beginning to calm. Karl is watching this scenario with a amazed face, and Sanson is staring at her with his over-admiring eyes. Although I am very surprised, I am still nervous, so I don't have a thought to say any words of praise. After this scene, I looked down.

Shit! It's so scary!

The cliff is far away and blurred. From here we can see that at the bottom there is a rapid stream flowing between the cliffs. I started to feel that the world is spinning. The waves go up and then go down blithely, beating the cliffs. I lifted my sight with a frightened face, tried to look around. Then I saw Iruril.

Iruril's black hair is fluttering. Is that wind? Iruril closed her eyes, as if she is feeling the wind with her cheek.

The wind is blowing.

Sasasa......

The Autumn Leaves started flying over from the woods on both sides of the cliffs.

They are the red maple leaves, and yellow ginkgo leaves. The leaves are flying, like a group of frightened birds flying at the same time. The leaves are riding on the wind blowing to the valley, falling while dancing. As far as we can see, the leaves are fluttering everywhere.

As if flying in the rain of Autumn Leaves.

Fly, Dance, Spin, Fall, they are falling without any fear. When you are dancing with the wind, does it matter even you fall? I seem to be able to hear the laughter of the leaves. Sha la la la la. Sha la la la la.

After a while, the last leaf continued to hover in the air. This is the only one left in the air. Moments before it was a performance of a group of flurry leaves. Now it's its solo time. This leaf is small, but it has a bright red color, dancing under the blue sky. Floating, flying, spinning, falling, falling without any fear.

"Are you coming down?"

After Sanson patted my shoulder, I finally got off the raft. Ah, I really want to make a song. The fear in my heart not long ago has completely disappeared. I suddenly want to take a ride again.

I helped Sanson to pull the horses down. Over the opposite side, those Urcs who have taken the medinces have all stood up, they are staring at us ferociously. I thought they were going to shout at us, but surprisingly, they are very quiet. Oh, is it because we have four Urcs as hostages? That being said, they have one more thing different from Orcs. They seem to care about companions. Didn't they say they are Urc Fighters? Hum.

The Urcs came across the river with us got off the raft,  and immediately ran away from us to a little distance. Iruril is watching the scene quietly. Axelhand is again raising his tomahawk to the front of his face, began feeling the blade.

Losing all of their arms, listening to our orders, will the Urcs really come to attack us? I feel like that it is worth to observe, but Iruril spoke.

"Please wait here until the other travelers come, then go back to meet your companions. If you plan to do so, then you should follow the convention, don't fight, Okay?"

"Mind your own business! Elf! Oink!"

It's really not easy for them to go back to meet their companions. This Bridge of Dozen although was built with good intentions, it's very inconvenient. The builder seemed to want to place all races in this inconvenience, and yet not to fight. I suddenly have an interesting idea at this moment.

"Oi! You can't wait to join your companions? We also don't want to leave you guys behind after we left, getting ready to ambush us."

The Urcs are looking at me nervously. I smiled and said:

"You want me to take you back?"

"You, what do you mean? Oink!"

I didn't answer, looked towards the opposite cliff and shouted:

"Hey! Focus! Ready to catch them!"

The Urcs couldn't understand what I was saying, and put on scared faces. I grabbed the Urc next to me, then lifted it up. The Urcs above my head began screaming.

"You, you, Oink! What do want to do?"

"Don't worry,the first one is the toughest one. Hey! You there! Wake up! Don't step back!"

Then I threw the Urc over. But I didn't throw with a single thought that if it fall down it would have nothing to do with me. I was aiming very carefully before I threw, so that the Urcs there could catch it. As the distance is about 60 cubits, I pointed its legs forward, and threw almost horizontally, that even if the guys opposite can't catch it, its neck won't break.

Although I tossed easily, Urc's body is not something small. The flying Urc is making strange screams, struggling to move its body. Then it fell correctly on the target location I set, where the remaining five Urcs are. The six guys rolled into a ball. I took a look whether they are injured or not, but they seem to be alright.

I laughed, looked at the remaining three Urcs here. They are all scared with their blue faces on and start running around.  I should make them feel easier.

"Hey, didn't you see that? The first one is the toughest one. After that, you have more and more people to catch you there, you will then be more safe."

Once I finished my words, the Urcs began to argue who to be the last one.

Chapter Two: The Difference Between a Kettle And a Brain (Pt.7)

"Ahhhhhh - !"

What was that? Before I got the answer, Sanson simply rushed forward. He actually directly rushed into nine Urcs, what is he thinking? Actually, not directly. His target is the rightmost one. So what? I threw away my worries, and rushed to the left. The Urcs quickly gathered to each sides.Then Karl also raised his longbow and began shooting.

I didn't raise my sword, just running forward. My upper body is hence exposed. A Machetes is coming to my head. Fool, I just hoped you to do so, you have been trapped!

"The Unaware Slash!"

The machete of the Urc is bounced away, because of the reaction force, the Urc's arms are lifted, its chest is completely exposed. I flipped one more time, swinging my bastard sword upward. Huh?

The Urc jumped back a bit, made an empty space from me. Look at this guy! I finally realized the weakness of my move because I'm flipping on the same spot. This time it's my arms lifted, my chest exposed. The Urc is now swinging its machete over. Uh ah! I'm dead!

"Reverse!"

I ignored the momentum of my arms and waist, brutally struck my sword downward. I thought my waist was broken, then managed to parry the machete to the ground. That Urc because of the impact kneed down. I made a flip and then struck downward again, chopped that guy's helmet in half. But I have feeling that my waist is also cracked. The images in my eyes are looming, there is even flash.

"Wow, that's bad!"

I temporarily retreated to the back. But the other guy's machete wouldn't allow me time to rest, is immediately coming over. This guy really wants to kill me? But speaking of that, I have also already killed an Urc. I picked the easiest way I can think of.

"Ah, ah -!"

I raised my right leg, spinning the tip of my sword and stabbed out. I came up with a name of this move immediately. I am really smart.

"Grease Stirrer!"

I am moving like how I stir the grease when I make candles, spinning my sword to attack. The machete was blocked away, once I felt that the spinning tip hit something, my right foot stepped on the ground heavily, stabbed forwards according to the momentum. Ga! It feels differently from using the Unaware Slash, the feeling inside the Urc's body is transmitted from the sword to my fingertips. I suddenly got goose bumps on my whole body.

"Uh, damn. I'll just screw you up!"

I drew a huge 8 with my arm, and then began to retreat. Because the sword is spinning so fast, it became a very powerful defense. The Urcs are hesitant to get closer, I managed to retreat to a distance that I can take a breath. But once my arm stopped, a machete was coming over again. Huh? It actually ...

That machete feebly fell to the ground, the Urc which held it now has an arrow on its back. It was shot by Karl.

Then near my waist, there is a small thing rushing forward.

"Your move was so cool! Ha ha ha!"

It's the dwarf. He put his tomahawk on his shoulder, and lowered his body charging forward. Even if he didn't lower his body, he was short enough, now he is really very short. Two Urcs slashed with their machetes at the same time. But the dwarf struck with the tomahawk on his shoulder with a unbelievable speed, he hit two machetes at the same time.

Surprisingly, the two machetes are broken. Then something suddenly jumped on the back of the dwarf.

"What!"

That's Iruril. Iruril ran behind the dwarf, at the instant the dwarf hit the machetes, she stepped on the back of him and jumped forward. Then she used the two swords on her hands stabbing the vulnerable Urcs. Wow, that is really nice teamwork. But probably only Iruril thought it was a teamwork.

"Where did you step on!!"

Iruril showed a face like she didn't hear that, immediately rushed to the Urcs nearby. An Urcs stabbed with its machete crudely, but Iruril just made a spin, stretched out her right leg backwards. Then the piercing sword in her right hand broke the machete, then made another spin smoothly. Once the Urc realized that Iruril is now behind its back after the dancing-like elegant moves, it screamed almost like choking.

"Oink!!"

Iruril stabbed her left-handed dagger towards her right armpit, hit the Urc behind. Then her body spin again in the opposite direction, pulled out the dagger, and then stabbed from her left shoulder after towards the Urc's back. Then the Urc fell down.

So, I got two, Karl got one, and Iruril got three, then there should be one or two left. Where are those guys? Don't know when, Sanson has finished three and he is wiping his sword. The Dwarf took one look around and murmured:

"What the hell? Are you monsters? I didn't even get one."

Iruril took out her handkerchief and began wiping her swords without any expression. Like Balrog, this action seems to show that things just happened didn't affect her emotion at all. So...... She wouldn't get excited due to a combat? It appears that she was like doing some daily activities like eating or washing face, without a trace of emotion. Hmm.

Maybe she really had fought too many times, getting already numb now. Say, if I am 120 years old, even if there is only once a year, I would have fought more than 100 times. Compared with her, I am leaning against a tree, suffering from my low back pain. Not cool.

But so what? I am just a candle maker who got OPG accidentally.

Sanson with a sorry face is watching me rubbing my waist.

"Although you lad can do some moves that other people can't, it doesn't mean that you won't get hurt. No matter how strong you are, you would need basic skills."

"Have I ever learnt how to use a sword?"

"In fact, there is no much difference between a sword and a fist. Because you focus too much on that sword, thinking of chopping with the blade, or stabbing with the tip, so strange moves would appear. When you are fighting with your fists, would you flip around? Would you spin your fists? "

"Oh, so?"

"When you are using a weapon, the weapon is only an extension of your arm. It easy to notice when you are using a spear, which should be similar to sword. Fight by your common sense!"

I heard the words of Sanson, suddenly felt very frustrated. So I am really lack of common sense? But then I recalled Iruril last move.

"But Iruril just back-stabbed from her armpit. Anyone punches from the armpit?"

"That can only be done after you are skilled with the basis, getting very familiar with the sword itself. Only to that extent, you will be able to perform combos, or perform moves while rolling like you did."

Hmm. Is that true? Anyway, my waist seems better now. I quietly moved away from tree, then stood up. I looked at Iruril, she is searching something from her backpack. And the Dwarf is still muttering.

"What was that! Ridiculous! I wanted the fight the most, but didn't even kill one in the end!"

Karl smiled to the Dwarf.

"Because of the situation just now, we didn't introduce ourselves. My name is Karl."

"Axelhand • Eindelf."

"Ah, Mr. Eindelf. Thanks for your help."

"Help? I didn't kill even one."

Karl embarrassingly smiled, in order to rescue him from the situation, we walked over with the same smile, each introduced ourselves. Iruril is still searching her backpack like before, looks like she completely forgot us. Until she found something, she walked away to another direction. Axelhand got angry.

"Hey! Are you not willing to deal with a dwarf?"

Iruril raised her head, looked at Axelhand.

"Huh?"

"Why didn't you introduce yourself, or greet?"

"These gentlemen know my name, I thought they would help me to... "

Axelhand sharpened his eyes.

"Why wouldn't you come to talk to me directly? Are you bothered to talk to me?"

"I'm a little busy. My name is Iruril Sereniel."

Then Iruril turned away, walked to the Urcs who have fallen down. Axelhand walked towards Iruril angrily, we would also like to know what's going on, so we ran to her. Iruril is holding something like a little vial and feeding the Urcs something, once they swallowed, they exhaled a long breath. Those are the guys who got stabbed by Iruril in the back, Iruril poured some medicine on their backs also. Surprisingly, the wounds on their backs are now gone.

Axelhand is shocked and said:

"You, what are you doing? Why did you heal them?"

"Don't you want to cross the river?"

Axelhand is surprised and widened his mouth. That's right. Because it's the Bridge of Dozen, so we still need 4 more people to cross the river. So to say, Iruril is going to cure four, and then ask them to cross the river with us? Really surprisingly calm. Iruril said to me:

"Throw their weapons down the cliff. Sanson, please give me a hand."

I collected the machetes and thrown them down the cliff. A huge noise issued from the bottom, and the machetes got swept away by the rapid stream quickly, all are disappeared completely. I went back and took a look, Iruril has already cured five Urcs. Huh? Why five? Urcs have lost their weapons, Sanson is holding his sword standing in front, Axelhand is still murmuring "I didn't even kill one. Should I try it now?" kind of things, the whole situation makes people so uncomfortable.

Iruril said:

"I do not know what happened between you and the humans, I just want to cross the river. I have cured you, so that you can also cross the river. But if you refuse to, this thing will become very troublesome. '

Why is she speaking with such a solemn tone? Almost the same as the tone she talks to us. Although this is not a bad thing, she attacked them coldly, now the speech is still such calm, I can now really feel that she is different from humans. Does she have no feeling? Or her expression is different with us?

"That's my suggestion. Please help us to gather the number. If you agree, then I will give you the drugs to heal your mates here."

All the Urcs widened their eyes.

"Oink! Is that true?"

"Yes."

"Oink Oink, when we arrive there, you will not kill us? Oink!"

Iruril said without any change on her face.

"Anyway, if you do as I say, it will be good for you. If you don't want to help us, then I don't need you too, I'll hand you over to that dwarf. But if you are willing to cross the river with us, I will give your companions medicines. Think about it calmly, then you will know what to do. "

I guess even so, they can't think calmly right?

"Oink! But after we crossed the river, how can we come back? Oink! If we can't come back, what's the use of that medicine?"

"Didn't I cured five of you? Leave one here. I will give the medicine to that one, then we cross the river. Then he can heal the others."

Wow..... Really defeated by her. Her mind is really clear. Axelhand is also too surprised, now is just standing there with his mouth opened. The Urcs calculated the number, and then nodded.

"So be it, Oink. Fine, we don't any other choice. Oink Oink Oink!"

Iruril also nodded. Then she said to the Urcs.

"So we are friends now!"

Uh! I nearly fainted. Although only I know the meaning behind this sentence, other people with the dwarf  and even the Urcs are totally stunned. The Urcs with a speechless face are looking at Iruril, then shouted rudely:

"Oink Oink Oink! What are you talking about! Now we are disarmed, so we have no choice! Oink! We will definitely revenge!"

Iruril tilted her head and looked at me. Please... Don't look at me with those eyes, OK?

"They are different from you, Huchi?"

"...Yeah."

Chapter Two: The Difference Between a Kettle And a Brain (Pt.5)

Huh?

We stopped moving forward hurriedly. Sanson moved his hand towards his waist, and I moved mine towards my shoulder, we are ready to pull out our weapons. In front of us there are nine Orcs, one Dwarf and one Elf.

Why are these Orcs wandering round during the day? Anyway, the Orcs are staring at the Dwarf. And the Dwarf is holding a huge tomahawk, stroking the blade and staring back at the Orcs. It reminds me of the tomahawk of Minotaur. The length is not that long, but size of the blade is similarly big.

However, even with such a big ax, the Dwarf can stand in front of nine enemies proudly, he is really amazing. Moreover, these Orcs compared with those we fought against, their bodies are larger, and they look more violent. The Orcs are staring at the Dwarf with angry expressions because of his provocation, but the Elf is actually not looking at any of those two parties, but standing in a distance from those guys and looking at the sky. We actually know this Elf.

"Iruril?"

Because the noise of the stream covered the hoofs beat, they didn't notice us until we got close. Sanson and I immediately jumped off from the horses. Sanson said to Iruril:

"Are you okay?"

Iruril tidied up her hair which got blown by the wind in the valley, and then said:

"We separated just now, and we immediately meet again."

"Don't worry, I will protect you."

"Huh?"

Iruril tilted her head. Sanson tensed up. Then I found that the situation is a bit strange. The Orcs have a overwhelmingly advantage number, but they didn't attack. And the Dwarf is not afraid at all, majestically staring at the Orcs, so it even seems like that the nine Orcs are afraid of the Dwarf. Iruril looked at me and said:

"Huchi, which side will you help?"

Uh... This is really a difficult question.

"I have to find out who needs help first."

Then the Dwarf put down the tomahawk and said:

"Fine now. Plus three, there are fourteen now."

But the Orcs' expression became very strange. One of the Orcs shouted:

"Oink! Then who will be left here?"

The Dwarf giggled with his gruff voice:

"I will kill two of you, how about that?"

"Oink! You and the Elf should be killed!"

Then Iruril stood out.

"No one should undermine the convention."

After she said, both the Orcs and the Dwarf looked at Iruril with unhappy faces. Sanson and I don't know what to do, we got confused. They actually didn't fight. But I don't understand what they are saying.

Karl asked calmly:

"Miss Sereniel, please explain the situation to us."

"Is it the first time you come here? "

"Yes."

"On the Bridge of Dozen, no matter what races you are, you can't fight."

"Can't fight?"

Sanson widened his eyes. Iruril nodded and said:

"It is the wish of the person who made this bridge, so he made the bridge that it will only move when there are twelve."

"Huh?"

Iruril pointed at the valley. We are startled.

The two cliffs are separated by about sixty cubits. However, in that the middle of the air there is a boat floating. No, I shouldn't say that it's a boat, it's just a large square which looks like a raft, there are railings on it, the structure is very simple. The most surprising thing is, it is not supported by any rope or other things, it's just simply floating in the air.

I ran to the cliff with Sanson and looked around, there can't be any hidden device. The thing is really floating in the air. There is just a circle painted on the bottom of the raft, as well as many complex patterns. That should be Magic Patterns... It's Magic!

Iruril continued to explain.

"Regardless of what races, there must be 12 individuals gathered in order to cross the bridge. As long as you can't fly, you have to comply with this rule no matter who you are. So everyone here would not fight."

Karl tilted his head and said:

"Uh... Does it work with twelve of the same race?"

"This doesn't matter though. So human businessmen or Orcs usually come with a team of twelve. But for other races it's not easy to have twelve of them traveling together. So no matter which races of them, they will be waiting here, and then cross the bridge together, and only because of that there won't be any fight here. "

Wow. Absolutely no fight? Well, it really is an amazing place. Karl nodded and said:

"That... The intention was good, but it's a bit inconvenient. If there is no twelve, the bridge is absolutely useless."

"Yes. But here is a busy place, so if you wait for a little while, gathering twelve is actually very easy. Also because of that we met again."

Aha, I know what's the problem.

Originally the Orcs, the Dwarf and Elf had a total of eleven. Therefore, in order to cross the river, although they didn't feel comfortable with each other, they didn't fight, and were waiting for the next person. But now we have three people. So the major problem is that two people must be left behind, and wait again for the next ten people.

During Iruril's explanation, the Dwarf continued roaring, shouting at each other with the Orcs.

"You disgusting jerks! Your should thank that you are on the Bridge of Dozen! Elsewhere, you would have destroyed by me!"

"Oink! How could there be such an ugly, long bearded short dwarf!"

In fact Orcs and Dwarves are impossible to take each other's size to make fun of. But these Orcs are so big that they are unlike Orcs, so they can point at the nose of the Dwarf and call him shorty. On the other hand, the Dwarf can't attack the Orcs in front of him, so he seems like going crazy. He hasn't got any foaming at his mouth, which is very amazing.

"But how can these Orcs walking around during the day?"

Probably heard me talking to myself, Iruril said:

"They are Urcs."

"Urcs?"

"They are known as a kind of Orcs. And it's the name of this branch... They are quite large aren't they? Although they also hate the sun like the other Orcs, they are still able to endure it. So the situation now is very strange. Usually Orcs won't come out during the day, so there wouldn't be any problem and you would be able to cross the river. But now Urcs and Dwarves, the two rivals, meet here."

Karl nodded and then walked away far enough from the Urcs, hesitated to say:

"Excuse me, please listen to me for a few words. Because we are latest, so we'll leave two people here and wait. Is that Okay?"

But the dwarves seems totally not willing to do according to Karl's words. He is swinging his tomahawk rudely, forcing Karl to step back.

"What do you mean? Come on! You leave two people here! Those left here can stay alive. But after crossing bridge, I don't know what will happen to me!"

After listening to the words of the Dwarf, I discovered another problem.

It's the proportion of all races after crossing the bridge. Iruril said very clearly that, no one should fight here. However when the destination is reached, will we still follow the rule? So the Dwarf is calculating a good proportion of races. If we leave two Urcs here, three human, an elf and a dwarf together we have a total of five people, and seven Urcs can cross the bridge. If there will really be a fight, we still have a chance. But if only one of us cross the bridge, the number will be three to nine, we can be in great danger. Although I unconsciously put Dwarves, Elves and Human in the same team, the idea seems to be correct.

Sanson's idea is probably the same as mine. He frowned, pulled Karl over. Although he is whispering with Karl, he's so loud that even I can hear.

"We don't know what the situation will become after crossing the bridge. Three of us have to go together."

"But... Didn't you hear that, no one can fight here?"

"Orcs can't be trusted."

Karl frowned. Then Iruril said:

"Mr Dwarf, excuse me. Did you count these horses?"

Huh? The horses are counted? Well, sure. This is a matter of course. No matter what races should be counted. So, we have seventeen here waiting to cross the bridge? The Dwarf shouted excitedly:

"Right, five of you Urcs can come with me! Which one want to stay?"

"Oink! Nonsense! Human, you are the latest.You stay here with your stink horses, wait here! No, you have to give one horse to us!"

Ah. Everyone is speaking their own language now. Iruril said:

"Absolutely no fight is allowed. That way no one can cross the bridge. We must follow the rule. You have to promise this first, then we can decide who will be staying here."

I think this sentence is absolutely right. However, such a right thing, for the excited Dwarf and Urcs, it looks non-sense.

Headache. If any one of us go with them, that man will be in danger. After we cross the valley, if the Urcs change their mind, he is likely to be attacked by them. I really want to suggest that the six of us (including our horses) must pass together, but we came late, it seems a bit unreasonable.

The Dwarf is very excited, and keeps shouting: "I will take five of your lives, tie the rest with a rope to go over it!" Kind of thing. The Urcs are squeaking, asking us to give up one horse.

What the Urcs thinking is obvious. Which horse is not a problem, as long as they can cross the river, they can deal with the Elf and Dwarf easily.

Although all races are shouting at each other, there is no fight. If we really fight, regardless of who win, they can't cross the river. Because there is no twelve in the same races, in the five races here (Horse is a race too!) we need at least two races to go together. Well.... The man who built this bridge probably had thought of such a scenario! Although we are in this kind of situation, I decided to satisfy my curiosity first.

"In the end who built this bridge?"

Iruril looked at me and said:

"Strange. You actually ask an Elf about human stuffs."

"You make us the three most lack of knowledge men then. Who?"

Iruril smiled. I saw that, and realized that this was the first time I saw her smile.

"A human wizard. Called Tyburn Highseeker."

Then we, the three human's expression became very weird. Karl asked me:

"Nedval, what is last name of Tyburn? "

"Huh? Even Karl doesn't know? I don't know."

Sanson kept blinking with a confused face, and after a while, his eyes again fixed on Iruril's body. Stop staring at her! Really want to kick his leg. I don't know whether Iruril understands that kind of vision or not. She said to me:

"Do you know him?"

"We know someone who is called Tyburn, but we don't know his last name..."

Iruril tilted her head.

"I've never heard human life can be that long. The bridge was built two hundred years ago."

Two hundred years? Then it's impossible. Karl shook his head.

"Sounds that the builder should be another man."

"Maybe."