There Is No World For ■■

“It’s been a long time since we’ve had guests, so the chieftain has prepared a special meal,” said the young orc guiding them.

Yeomyeong remained completely silent as they followed the orc to the chieftain’s tent.

Instead, he kept scanning the tents and occasionally spread out his mana—like he was searching for something.

Seti, walking beside him, didn’t bother to ask what he was looking for.

She trusted him to handle it.

That, and the things she glimpsed between the tents had her too distracted to question him.

Stacks of Spam boxes piled like towers. Tables and chairs made from recycled Spam cans.

It was undeniable proof—just like Yeomyeong said, Spam really was the orcs’ staple food.

‘...So it wasn’t a joke?’

Still processing the cultural shock, Seti suddenly realized they’d arrived at their destination.

The chieftain’s tent.

It was massive—large enough to comfortably fit twenty orcs—and decorated with bright red cloth and animal hides.

It was so luxurious that it hardly seemed like it belonged in a desert nomad’s camp.

“The guests have arrived!!”

While Yeomyeong was briefly admiring the tent, the orc guide shouted and flung the entrance open.

The first thing to greet them inside was warmth.

Thick carpets covered the floor to block the cold, and the air was heated by large, crude metal braziers.

“Ah, so these are today’s honored guests.”

The next greeting came from the ten orcs seated in a circle, led by the one occupying the seat of honor.

“Welcome, travelers. I am Boldugu, chieftain of the Kiran Clan.”

Boldugu introduced himself, pounding his chest in a gesture of strength.

Yeomyeong mirrored the motion and replied.

“...Cheon Yeomyeong of the Incheon Clan. I greet the clan’s leader as a guest.”

Was it his formal tone or the gesture?

The tension among the orcs visibly eased.

Boldugu, in particular, looked intrigued.

“You bring water and know our customs. Impressive. But forgive me—this Boldugu has never heard of Incheon. Where exactly is it?”

“...It’s a place on Earth.”

“Earth, you say? Then you’ve come from quite far.”

Boldugu brushed it off like it was nothing, but the other orcs weren’t as composed.

The moment they heard the word “Earth,” their expressions shifted.

Suspicion. Curiosity. And greed.

Yeomyeong had expected humans to be unwelcome beyond the dimensional gates, but this reaction was worse than he imagined.

—Why is an Earthling in the Demon Realm?

—They must be worth a fortune.

—Look at that smooth skin.

Fortunately, it didn’t last long.

Just as Yeomyeong was about to frown, Boldugu slammed his fist against the floor, snapping the others back to order.

“A guest is a guest, no matter where they’re from! Anyone with a problem can leave!”

No one argued.

Some coughed awkwardly or turned away, but none dared speak further.

A brief silence.

Once the mood settled, Boldugu spoke again.

“Welcome to our clan, Cheon Yeomyeong of Earth.”

“...Thank you for your hospitality.”

Yeomyeong bowed slightly and took a seat on one of the cushions the orcs had left empty.

Meanwhile, Seti lingered awkwardly near the entrance, debating how to introduce herself.

‘Should I say I’m from the Hamheung Hong Clan? Or the Incheon Cheon Clan?’

The latter seemed better, but it didn’t matter in the end.

The orcs completely ignored her.

No greetings. Not even a glance in her direction.

It was like she didn’t exist.

‘What the hell?’

Confused, Seti blinked at the bizarre situation until Yeomyeong waved her over.

“...Why are they acting like that all of a sudden?”

She sat beside him and whispered, keeping her voice low enough that the orcs couldn’t hear.

Yeomyeong gave her a wry smile.

“Orc nomads don’t speak to women—especially not ones who are ‘taken.’”

“....”

“...Sorry, I should’ve mentioned it earlier.”

Seti couldn’t help but laugh quietly.

“No need to apologize. I mean... I am a taken woman, aren’t I?”

She teased, poking Yeomyeong in the side.

At that moment, Boldugu clapped his hands and shouted.

“Now then, let’s begin the feast! Bring out the food!”

The tent flaps burst open, and orcs carrying trays of food poured inside.

True to the chieftain’s word, the dishes were plentiful.

Flatbreads made from fermented flour and roasted Spam.

Spam fritters—fried after being coated with mashed beans.

Goat meat grilled with Spam grease.

Blood sausages stuffed with mashed Spam.

And finally, Spam pancakes, lightly fried with grain flour.

Even the yogurt brought out at the end wasn’t spared.

Yeomyeong checked—there were tiny chunks of Spam floating in it.

‘...At this point, isn’t this less of a staple and more of an obsession?’

Seti swallowed her initial reaction.

Food culture was relative, after all.

Koreans ate kimchi fried rice with kimchi on the side, didn’t they?

And it wasn’t like the dishes looked rotten or poisonous.

They were just... Spam-heavy.

Closing her eyes, she forced herself to take a bite.

To her surprise, it actually tasted good.

Maybe it was the hunger from wandering the desert all day, but the food seemed well-seasoned and expertly prepared.

‘...Did orcs really cook this? Or was it humans?’

As Seti quietly enjoyed her meal, Yeomyeong and Boldugu continued chatting.

“A dimensional accident left you stranded in the middle of the Demon Realm?”

“...An unfortunate event. But meeting the chieftain may have been fate’s blessing.”

“The Black God is harsh yet merciful. But you must have no way to contact allies?”

“No. Everyone likely thinks we’re dead. We need to reach them as soon as possible....”

Their conversation and the smell of Spam-filled dishes lingered for a long while.

When most of the food was gone, the orcs brought in a massive pot.

Maybe... stew?

Seti peeked inside and immediately regretted it.

It wasn’t stew.

It was a thick, green broth.

Floating in it were chunks of Spam, goat heads, and unidentifiable green meat.

The smell alone—pungent, like a three-year-old corpse—was enough to make Seti gag.

“Ugh—!”

She retched involuntarily, clutching her stomach.

4o

Вы сказали:

это не дословно

ChatGPT сказал:

ChatGPT

“It’s been a long time since we’ve had guests, so the chieftain has prepared a special meal.”

Following the young orc’s lead toward the chieftain, Yeomyeong didn’t say a single word.

Instead, he quietly looked around, scanning the tents—or blatantly releasing mana.

It was as if he was searching for something.

Seti, walking beside him, didn’t ask what he was looking for.

Partly because she trusted him to figure it out, and partly because of what she saw between the tents.

Stacks of Spam boxes piled like towers.

Tables and chairs made out of recycled Spam cans.

Proof that orcs actually did eat Spam as their staple food—just like Yeomyeong had said.

‘...It wasn’t a joke?’

While Seti was still processing the cultural shock, they arrived at their destination.

The chieftain’s tent.

Large enough to fit twenty orcs with ease, the tent was adorned with rich red cloth and animal hides.

It was so extravagant that it hardly looked like it belonged to desert nomads.

“The guests have arrived!!”

As Yeomyeong stood there examining the tent, the young orc yelled and pulled open the entrance flap.

Warm air greeted them first.

The ground was covered in thick carpets to block the cold, and crude metal braziers radiated heat throughout the tent.

“Ah, the honored guests have finally arrived.”

Next, ten orcs seated around the room turned to look at them, and the one in the seat of honor spoke.

“Welcome, travelers. I am Boldugu, chieftain of the Kiran Clan.”

Boldugu pounded his chest as he introduced himself.

Yeomyeong returned the gesture and spoke.

“...Cheon Yeomyeong of the Incheon Clan. I greet the chieftain as a guest.”

Whether it was his formal greeting or his composure, the orcs visibly relaxed.

Boldugu, in particular, couldn’t hide his curiosity.

“You bring water and know our customs. Impressive. But forgive me—this Boldugu has never heard of Incheon. Where exactly is it?”

“...It’s on Earth.”

“Earth? Then you’ve come from quite far.”

Boldugu didn’t seem fazed, but the other orcs clearly were.

The moment they heard the word “Earth,” their eyes glimmered with greed and curiosity.

—Why is an Earthling here?

—They must be worth a fortune.

—Look at their skin.

But their murmurs didn’t last.

Just as Yeomyeong’s expression began to harden, Boldugu slammed his hand down, silencing the room.

“A guest is a guest, no matter where they’re from! Anyone who objects can leave!”

No one dared to argue.

Some coughed or looked away, but that was it.

After the silence settled, Boldugu spoke again.

“Welcome to our clan, Cheon Yeomyeong of Earth.”

“...Thank you for your hospitality.”

Yeomyeong bowed and sat on one of the cushions left for guests.

Seti, meanwhile, hovered awkwardly near the entrance, unsure how to introduce herself.

‘Should I say I’m from the Hamheung Hong Clan? Or the Incheon Cheon Clan?’

The latter seemed better, but in the end, it didn’t matter.

The orcs didn’t even look at her.

No greetings. Not even a glance.

It was like she didn’t exist.

‘What’s going on?’

Confused, Seti blinked as Yeomyeong motioned for her to sit beside him.

“...Why are they ignoring me?”

She whispered softly, low enough for only him to hear.

Yeomyeong gave a faint smile.

“Orc nomads don’t talk to women—especially not ones who are ‘taken.’”

“....”

“...Sorry, I should’ve mentioned it earlier.”

Seti snorted.

“No need to apologize. I am a taken woman, aren’t I?”

She teased, poking him in the side.

Boldugu suddenly clapped his hands, cutting their conversation short.

“Now! Let the feast begin! Bring out the food!”

Orcs carrying trays poured into the tent, each one loaded with dishes.

Just as the guide had said, the chieftain had spared no effort in preparing the meal.

Flatbreads made from fermented flour, served with roasted Spam.

Spam fritters coated in mashed beans and fried to a crisp.

Goat meat grilled with Spam grease.

Spam-stuffed blood sausages.

Spam pancakes dusted with grain flour and pan-fried.

Even the yogurt at the end wasn’t spared—Yeomyeong spotted diced Spam mixed into it.

‘...Is this a staple or an obsession?’

Seti swallowed her initial reaction.

Food was cultural, after all.

It wasn’t like the dishes were rotten or poisonous—they were just packed with Spam.

She closed her eyes and took a bite.

To her surprise, it wasn’t bad.

Maybe it was hunger after walking the desert all day, or maybe the food was just well-made.

‘...Did an orc really cook this? Or was it a human?’

As Seti focused on her meal, Yeomyeong and Boldugu continued talking.

“A dimensional accident left you stranded in the Demon Realm?”

“...An unfortunate event. But it seems fate led us here.”

“The Black God can be merciful at times. But I take it you have no allies to contact?”

“No. Everyone likely thinks we’re dead. We need to let them know as soon as possible....”

Their conversation and the smell of Spam lingered until most of the food was gone.

Then, the orcs brought in a massive pot.

Maybe... stew?

Seti peeked inside and immediately gagged.

It wasn’t stew.

It was a thick, green soup.

Chunks of Spam, goat heads, and unidentifiable green meat floated in the murky broth.

The smell—pungent, like a rotting corpse—made Seti retch without thinking.

“Ugh—!”

Seti suppressed her retching the moment she felt the weight of the orcs' stares.

Their leader, Boldugu, along with the others, wore expressions of clear discomfort.

No matter how bad the smell or taste, gagging at the sight of food was more than enough to be seen as disrespectful.

And as a guest of the clan, it wouldn’t be surprising if they took it as a slight against their honor.

“Hmm... this is...”

Boldugu furrowed his brow, and some of the orcs began fiddling with their tusks—clearly irritated.

But before things could escalate, Yeomyeong stepped forward, bowing slightly as he spoke.

“My apologies. My wife is pregnant....”

What? Pregnant?!

Seti screamed internally at the sudden lie, but outwardly, she quickly averted her gaze and pretended to be embarrassed.

It was the only excuse that could defuse the situation.

“...Ah, morning sickness? You should’ve told me earlier. I would’ve avoided serving dishes with strong aromas.”

“My apologies. It’s still early, and we thought she could manage.”

“Ah, I understand completely. My wife had the same issue when she was expecting our first child.”

Boldugu and the other orcs seemed to buy the excuse, no longer pressing the matter.

However, their gazes toward Seti changed.

They didn’t mention it aloud, but the glint in their eyes was unmistakable.

Not suspicion this time—but greed.

It felt like they were looking at gold coins rather than people.

Their glances were quick, like they thought they were being subtle.

But for someone with heightened senses like Seti, the predatory stares were almost tangible.

Yeomyeong had to have noticed too—so why wasn’t he doing anything about it?

As Seti wrestled with the thought, the orcs began spooning the foul green stew into their mouths without hesitation.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gagged like that....”

After leaving the chieftain’s tent with Boldugu’s permission, those were the first words out of Seti’s mouth.

She felt guilty, thinking she’d forced Yeomyeong to lie on her behalf.

But Yeomyeong waved it off like it was nothing.

“No, you did fine. Thanks to you, we avoided eating that disgusting slop and left without any trouble.”

Seti pouted.

“...Don’t just flatter me.”

“It’s not flattery. I was seriously wondering how we’d get out of there.”

She checked his face, half-expecting him to be joking, but his expression was dead serious.

“Seti, you’ve noticed something’s wrong, haven’t you?”

“...Roughly.”

Yeomyeong glanced back at the orc trailing behind them, lowering his voice so only Seti could hear.

“Scan the area with your mana.”

Seti did as instructed, spreading her mana outward to sweep the camp.

Countless tents, orc nomads, and endless stacks of Spam boxes.

The more she searched, the stronger the unsettling feeling grew.

But she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was wrong.

...What is it?

Seti gave Yeomyeong a questioning look, and he provided a hint.

“Children and women.”

“....”

Children and women?

That’s when it clicked.

Seti’s eyes narrowed as she scanned the area again.

She expanded her senses further, but no matter how much she searched, she couldn’t find a single woman or child.

Not one.

“...How is that possible?”

Seti looked between Yeomyeong and the camp, her disbelief plain as day.

A proper settlement—yet only able-bodied men?

It wasn’t an army camp or a gang of bandits. How could this place lack families entirely?

As Seti struggled to process the absurdity, Yeomyeong stared at the tents with a dark expression and spoke.

“Remember what I said before we left?”

She nodded.

“I mentioned that if we were lucky, we’d run into nomads or slavers, right?”

“Yeah, you did.”

“Well, it turns out we met both—nomads who are slavers.”

“....”

Nomads and slavers—so they really were bandits.

Thinking back, the orcs’ attitudes suddenly made perfect sense.

They’d assumed Yeomyeong and Seti were easy targets, clueless about their true strength.

And no wonder they’d lit up at the mention of Earthlings and pregnant women.

“...Yeomyeong, what now?”

Seti flexed her fingers, itching to grab her hammer and start swinging.

Honestly, they didn’t even need weapons. She and Yeomyeong could wipe this camp out barehanded if it came to that.

“I’m leaving it up to you,” Yeomyeong said.

“...Me?”

“Do we take out just enough to grab some mounts and leave? Or do we hunt them down to their base, clean them out, and... pick up some ‘travel funds’ while we’re at it?”

“....”

The decision wasn’t hard.

Seti’s lips curled into a fierce grin.

“The second one, obviously.”