In the tense atmosphere, Ke Xiu Si finally spoke:
"I see that you have extraordinary bones, and are exceptionally intelligent. You are a talent, no, a magical talent. Are you willing to become my retainer?"
Lang Pu breathed a sigh of relief, stopping the Fireball he was constructing.
He replied rather ingratiatingly, "From the perspective of submitting to the strong, I am certainly willing to become your retainer, after all, you are a powerful Red Dragon."
But before the Red Dragon could reply, he tentatively raised his head again and whispered:
"But I also want to know, what are the benefits for me, and for my tribe, if I become your retainer?"
"This Ogre is really not easy to fool, he's a Big Head. If it were any other Red Dragon, he would have been incinerated by a breath of fire long ago. Only I have the discerning eye."
Ke Xiu Si couldn't help but inwardly grumble.
However, given the scarcity of spellcasters, the Red Dragon still decided to treat this Ogre with "courtesy to the humble". He adopted the tone of a leader giving a speech in his previous life and slowly began:
"I can see that you are different from ordinary Ogres. You are very intelligent, pursuing knowledge and wisdom."
Lang Pu nodded, clearly pleased.
Who could understand the bitterness of living among a group of Ogres who only knew how to eat?
"But are you willing to spend the rest of your life eating and sleeping in this narrow valley every day?"
"Are you willing to associate only with these kin, and one day be turned into a bounty by adventurers who break into the valley?"
Seeing the Ogre somewhat moved, Ke Xiu Si continued to intensify his efforts, enticing the Ogre like a demon from hell:
"Don't you want to control more powerful forces, see a wider world, and have your name sung by bards?"
"Submit to me, and I can provide you with endless food, unimaginable power, knowledge as vast as Fan Xing, allowing your talents to truly flourish. I will establish a great empire."
The Red Dragon paused, "Imagine, you will be a part of my great blueprint."
Ke Xiu Si's promises grew grander and grander; since he was boasting, the more the merrier.
"I, I…"
The Ogre was too excited to speak.
Lang Pu pondered, a hint of hesitation still in his eyes.
These words had a profound impact on him, making him, as an Ogre, for the first time begin to consider whether life had any meaning beyond eating.
Meanwhile, his Ogre kin had already gathered around. They were afraid of their boss getting angry and dared not disturb him, but upon hearing the word "food," they couldn't help but cheer:
"Submit! Submit!"
"Food!"
Although they didn't understand anything else, they understood "food."
"Now, I need an answer."
"Are you willing to become my retainer?"
Ke Xiu Si's tone was passionate and surging.
Finally, Lang Pu's eyes became firm. He raised his head, and his corpulent body knelt down, solemnly declaring:
"Witness, Gods, I, Lang Pu, Lord of Gluttony Valley Ogres, the smartest Ogre in the world, am willing to become your retainer and conquer this world for you."
The Red Dragon was not moved by this rather "magnificent" scene of allegiance; he only felt somewhat parched.
He secretly thought that this Big Head had been in the mountains for too long and hadn't experienced the harsh realities of human society. Even with 17 points of intelligence, he was still easily fooled.
"Ke Xiu Si, your master, remember this name firmly."
"Yes, my noble master, I am willing to be your sword in hand, your shield before you, charging into battle—"
The Ogre's tone was fervent, and he wanted to continue his lines, as if he had already fallen into the illusion of the "great blueprint."
"Don't talk like that."
Ke Xiu Si interrupted Lang Pu's improvisation.
It sounded utterly strange for an Ogre, three meters tall and weighing a ton, to speak in such a bard-like tone.
"Yes, Master."
The Ogre Mage wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Oh! Oh oh oh!"
The Ogres cheered again, waving their assorted bludgeons, wooden mallets, and large bone clubs.
In truth, they didn't know what was happening, only vaguely that they seemed to have a new boss.
And according to Big Head, the second smartest Ogre in the tribe, they would get to eat more, which greatly delighted these gluttonous creatures.
"We have a new boss!"
Big Head, the "smart one" among the Ogre troupe, cheered.
Lang Pu sternly corrected him: "Not a new boss, but Master, or His Majesty."
"Alright, old boss."
Lang Pu reached his limit and raised the large club in his hand again.
"Old boss, why are you hitting me again?"
"Ouch!"
...
Leading the Ogres to relocate into his territory, the Red Dragon curiously asked the Ogre Mage:
"Where did you learn your spells, and where did those books come from?"
Lang Pu stroked his head, recalled for a moment, and then replied:
"A few months ago, I ate a mage who was in a carriage. He had tender skin and tasted really good. There were many books in his carriage."
As he recalled, the Ogre couldn't help but lick his lips, and an expression of ecstasy appeared on his ugly face. It seemed that even wisdom could not change the inherent gluttonous nature of these Ogres.
"Under my command, you'd best not eat humanoid creatures anymore."
"Yes, Master."
Lang Pu looked a bit disappointed. Those mages with tender skin were clearly delicious, but for the sake of the "great blueprint" in his heart, he had to accept this demand, which was quite harsh for an Ogre.
However, for Ke Xiu Si, this was a necessary demand. Not out of pity, but because he planned to recruit a large number of Players in the future. If his retainers still retained their cannibalistic habits, there was no guarantee they wouldn't be wiped out by the Players.
"Right, take me to see that carriage."
The Red Dragon's expression was a bit odd; he had already guessed what had probably happened.
Following Lang Pu to a hidden spot in the valley, Ke Xiu Si saw the dilapidated carriage.
Although it had been left idle for a long time, the exquisite gilded patterns still exuded an air of luxury, and on the inner wall of the carriage, a gilded medal was embedded—the pattern was an eye representing true knowledge and two crossed staffs.
"As expected, it's the Arcane Hermitage, and a senior member's medal at that."
"Tsk tsk, what a waste."
Ke Xiu Si secretly sighed.
The Arcane Hermitage, this was a famous mage organization in later generations, founded by the renowned Great Mage Trafalanlo.
Members would regularly gather to share spell knowledge, exchange research findings, and sometimes take the opportunity to seek help and eliminate evil. Its branches were spread throughout Erezergai, and there seemed to be one in Anzetta.
Ke Xiu Si lamented how unpredictable the Goddess of Fortune was.
A promising noble mage apprentice, an internal candidate for the Arcane Hermitage, bearing the hopes of countless people, yet without much magical skill, fell victim to the arrogance of mages.
He defied orders, refused his family's help, and stubbornly ventured out alone, perhaps having uttered impulsive words like, "My fate is my own, not heaven's."
He wanted to establish himself in the wilderness, kill monsters, rescue princesses, seize treasures, gain merits, and create his own legendary adventure story.
As a result, this poor apprentice, before he had gone far, was knocked unconscious by a foraging Ogre and swallowed whole.
In the end, not only the valuable box of books he carried, but even the expensive magical equipment passed down by his family, all ended up benefiting someone else.
And then, by a strange twist of fate, the very killer, a crude and ugly Ogre—Lang Pu—became a rare Ogre Mage.