Chapter 54 Rather Be The Vice President Than The President
According to the books Maeve was able to read back at Aeltherra, Orcs were a mountain-dwelling defined by physical power, emotional intensity, and communal instinct.
They were larger and denser than humans, built for endurance and impact rather than speed or finesse. An adult orc possessed several times the raw strength of a human, with bones thicker, muscles heavier, and joints adapted to sustained strain in strenuous environments.
Their strength was not only just biological too.
Orcs grew stronger under emotional pressure like anger, fear, loyalty, ritual, and collective energy amplified their physical output. In other words, they were devastating in battle they believed was right and difficult to suppress, but also volatile when their emotions were mishandled or ignored.
Orc culture valued tradition, hierarchy, and visible strength. Authority was respected when it was demonstrated, not declared.
Orcs also responded poorly to deception since they could not fully identify it but were deeply loyal once trust was earned. They also did not— contrary to popular belief, enjoy causing violence. They were just happy people who believed many things could be settled with a punch or two.
Which was how Maeve knew all of this would get to this moment.
She could feel nothing but at the same time, everything. It was like an entire galaxy was buzzing through her bloodstream, like she was on… drugs, or for better audiences who can relate more, pure black coffee. “But we don’t have to—”
Kazh charged at her, the speed at which he moved being so ridiculously slow. She dodged it easily, like she was one with the wind which was currently howling now around her. He toppled, almost falling but she reached out to catch him— and the second she did so, felt her hand wrap around his wrist and squeeze.
It popped out of place.
Maeve waited for the horror of what she had just done to hit. That didn’t happen. Instead, a strange pleasing sensation filtered through her head as she heard him hold back a scream and shoved him to the floor.
Behind her, Maeve could sense the Orcs growling, each of them ready to come and separate her from harming their chief’s son but right before they could do anything serious, Adrian appeared behind them, swinging a large chain while Thomas had returned to his full height, and was actively growling at them.
No one was going to be let through.
“Really? Again?” Her own voice surprised her. The calmness in her when she felt like a thousand storms were brewing through her chest. “Okay. Try one more time,”
Kazh did try again.
He came in lower this time, smarter, teeth bared, one good arm swinging while the other hung uselessly at his side. He aimed for her legs, clearly thinking if he could just knock her off balance, maybe—
Maeve stepped on his foot.
He yelped, and she used that opportunity to kick him hard but not too hard, of course— away, causing him to fly through the snow and swallow in more snow.
Thunder rumbled somewhere as tiny drops of rain fell over her skin. She sighed and crouched down, watching as he tried to move further away. “You remind me of this cat I fed when I was younger. Very violent, very anti anything that he did not understand—”
He snarled and tried to headbutt her.
She leaned back casually and thumped him hard on the forehead with her index finger.
The rain had increased in its intensity, this time falling hard enough for her to realize that this had to end soon because the last thing she needed to do was catch a cold.
Maeve rose from the floor. “It’s why I know that simply making you understand that even with all the kindness I have shown towards you, I will still be regarded as an enemy. So forgive me— or yourself anyway for this,”
Her hand moved over his head, hanging over it for only a second, but within that time frame, everything that bore a shadow had suddenly moved all at once towards him, covering every inch of his body in darkness.
Kazh suddenly shot up, his body kneeling upright with his head forcefully staring up at her. Maeve’s hand didn’t waive for a second as the rain worsened, her yellow eyes staring back at him.
He wanted to fight more. For his people, for his family. He couldn’t— he couldn’t let her win. He couldn’t—
“I spent many years of my life trying to do things on my own too,” Kazh’s thoughts stopped attacking him for a second as he stared at Maeve. Her eyes never left him, softening with each moment. “And I lost myself… trying to be the righteous, kind person who would do anything for my family… so I understand where you’re coming from. And it is precisely because I understand that I don’t want to rule over your clan,”
“W-What?”
She let her hand fall, the shadows instantly leaving him as she sighed and plopped right beside him. Maeve faced the people in front of her. They looked so tiny now. So… far away. “Oh, come on, not to be offensive but every orc there acts like they’re thirteen years olds. Not sure I can handle them all the time. Not even sure how you’ve done it all these years. You’re clearly built for this role so be the leader. Have at it,”
Kazh realized that the rain… it had not rained since the first night they arrived here… and it was slowing down so he could turn to look at her. “Then… then what do you want?”
“Honestly? Protection. For my… family back at Aeltherra, but if anyone asks, you have other jobs which you’d find out there. Here. You’re smart so you can go through this before you sign it,” Maeve took out the contract from her pocket without turning to look at him.
“We… leave here?”
“Yes. You all will die here eventually if you don’t leave. The cold…” She sighed and scratched at her head. “It’s a long explanation. Look. Go through the contract. My family’s estate will do anything to make sure you all are well fed and taken care of… and if you need anything extra, you can always let me know. I’m sure I covered everything but if not, eh,”
“You’re… bleeding,”
“Ah. That explains the weird taste in my mouth,”
Maeve didn’t know she was falling until her back hit the wet snow floor, the world above her blurring slightly out of focus as she realized her breathing was getting shallower as NACE’s screen flashed in front of her, \[SKILL: REPUTATION OF A DEMON KING DEPLETED\]
That was quick.
\[THE ORC TRIALS HAVE ENDED. DO YOU ACCEPT BEING THE LEADER OF THE ORCS? YES OR NO?\]
What? No, no. No leader. She didn’t want it.
She heard Adrian’s voice above her, pulling her up to his chest. She couldn’t move or speak— because if she did, she would be yelling at Kazh and demanding why she was being asked if she wanted to be the leader but the poor woman passed out.
And NACE’s screen blinked back a, \[YES. YOU HAVE ACCEPTED THIS TITLE. ENJOY YOUR MOTHERING ROLE\]