After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World

”You got injured,” Baku said, sharp eyes on Gochi, who immediately looked down in shame.

A half-orc getting injured because of beasts with similar levels was an embarrassment—even if they were not fighter orcs!

”It wasn’t his fault!” Maomao said, pouting. She got a little careless jumping around, kicking monster mobs’ heads, and failed to notice two Leapards right behind her.

Gochi was able to swipe them both down, but one was able to injure him. Gochi’s defense equipment had already given way then, and the attack created such a deep gash. It still broke her heart.

”It doesn’t matter,” Baku said, voice low and gruff. ”Those monsters would’ve attacked you regardless—no, they would have attacked even more relentlessly.”

Beasts were afraid of orcs and intimidated by half-orcs, but their fluids could cause them to run toward them. This was not just piss, it also included blood.

An orc and half-orc getting injured inside a mob was not only a shame, it was also particularly dangerous. So… while he did allow the two to enjoy the festivities, sparring with them reminded Baku that he needed to teach them a few lessons.

Anyway, Baku lifted his clawed fingers to taunt them. ”Come,” he said. ”Show me you’re no weaklings.”

Before they could begin another round though, a loud noise came from the town proper. ”HEY, ALTERRA! Now that karaoke session is over—we’re jumping to the next one!”

The speakers from a distance resounded with the new announcement, and the trio could hear it well due to their sharp hearing. They could even hear those thuds heard when the mic was being passed around.

They blinked, turning in the direction of the square, listening to the host’s words. It seemed like a new portion of the program had begun—something about stand-up or something.

Maomao immediately lost interest in the spar.

She didn’t know what would be so fun about standing up, but it didn’t seem like something they had seen before.

”Can we go?” she asked, and the two male orcs looked at each other.

They also wanted to see.

And so, after hurriedly cleaning up their litter and taking their friends’ candles, the trio sprinted to the other side of the mountain for a better view.

Midway there, they could hear a new voice talking to everyone.

”HEYYYYOOOOO! IT IS ME! ALTERRA’S FUNNIEST BLOKE!” he said. ”So… I’m sorry I’m late, I got a little drunk and got lost.”

”Ended up in the Gugu bird farm,” he said. ”They remind me of my own love life, you see—they take one look at me, and they run.”

They arrived just in time to see it was just starting. They were a bit far from the stage—with several neighborhoods in between—but they could hear the audio loud and clear.

Interestingly, from their viewpoint above eye level, they had a pretty good view of the entire plaza.

The square was still packed with activity. People flowed in and out to go to the stalls and restaurants outside the square, but there was still a large stagnant crowd just sitting or standing in front of the stage.

There were also plenty of people just hanging around on the platforms or even having a picnic on the roofs. Similarly, the trio sat down and took out a couple of snacks to eat while they watched as well.

It seemed like the current performance was a comedy skit of sorts, written so locals like them could understand.

Like many of the singing performances, the performer was among the masses, also very drunk. Some jokes didn’t really hit because they didn’t get it, but they could hear the distant laughter, hoots, and wheezes all over and they couldn’t help but smile regardless.

They also laughed occasionally, and especially when the joke landed.

”HAHAHAHA!” Maomao giggled as she heard a silly joke about a Gugu Bird. ”Hahaha! Gug—Gogo Birds! Hahahhahah!”

The ”comedian” made a quip about the flighty nature of the birds and did a play of words on it. It was cheesy for some, but it made others laugh out loud.

Baku also smiled as he ate. It was just that when he laughed, he let out a low grumbling creepy sound that would make humans run for their lives.

Gochi though was focused on Maomao, golden-green eyes looking warmly at her. He was glad she had let herself go so that she could laugh so carelessly again. This was in stark contrast to how careful she was a couple of months prior.

He was just staring at her, not really listening to the jokes. He was pulled back when the performer made a joke about marriage life.

”I may be single, but I made a lot of observations—” he paused, hiccuping.

”You know how the people with the best love advice are the single ones? Yeah, that’s me—hic!”

”You know some things I saw? It’s a pattern, really, particularly for married couples living together.”

He paused, and his voice squeezed as if mimicking a female’s voice.

”Before Marriage: Honey! You take my breath away!”

”After Marriage: Why are you breathing so loudly!?”

Maomao laughed, apparently loving the joke. ”I don’t know how they make these up…” she said, body shaking from laughter.

Then she suddenly turned to look at Gochi, making him flinch.

”Good thing you don’t snore loudly….” she mumbled, taking a bite off her jerky as she turned back to watch the rest of the performance.

Maomao started laughing again at the next joke, while Gochi blinked, staring at her side profile in thought.

The host then said another joke about Broats and Maomao laughed again, loudly but still very cute.

She ended up choking though and Gochi quickly patted her back and wiped the bits that ended up in the side of her lips.

Maomao smiled and embraced him tightly. ”So nice… I love it here…” she said, rubbing her small face on his wide uninjured shoulder. ”I’m so happy, Gochi!”

Gochi hugged her back. ”Hmn, me too.”

They stayed like that for a few moments and Maomao ended up just relaxing on him.

Gochi gulped, her earlier words still lingering in his mind. ”Maomao…”

”Hmm?”

”Should we get married?”

Maomao blinked and parted from him, wondering if she heard it right. Baku, who was happily eating his blob of meat, almost dropped it in shock.

Almost.

He then proceeded to eat it again, but this time his attention was not on the show on the stage hundreds of meters away from them, but the one right next to him.

Maomao gaped, while Gochi felt a bit awkward under her stare.

Marriages weren’t something found in orc cultures. When they fell in love, they would just be together. Even now, he and Maomao shared the same bed.

But seeing so many weddings done in the past couple of months—and being invited to quite a few—he thought it’d be nice to have a ceremony with her, too.

”Hmn…,” she said, nodding, hugging him again. Gochi let go of the breath he had been holding and smiled, hugging her back. They stayed like that for a while.

Baku, on the other hand, angled himself to give the couple some more privacy, though for the most part he just kept enjoying his meal like a turd.

The peace lasted even after the program ended. It was just that the three of them decided to stay there for a little while longer.

The humans required less sleep, and it was truer with them. To let citizens rest, even the lighthouse was slightly dimmed, so more and more stars became visible to them.

Amazingly, there were not just stars this time.

”Ah, it’s a shooting star!” Maomao yelled, grinning happily. She turned to Gochi. ”You know… I read something from a book in the library.”

”Oh? What is it?”

After many months, Maomao had also learned how to read. She could only read simple children’s book, but she was fascinated with each and every one of them. ”It is said that, when a shooting star appears, one should make a wish.”

Gochi smiled, nodded. As the person who taught her to read, he naturally knew which story she was referring to. ”Make a wish then,” he said.

Mao nodded and separated from him. She faced the shooting star and brought her hands together.

”I wish we can find all our friends so we can all live happily together in Alterra,” she paused, her ears twitching cutely. ”And… I hope to build a big happy family with Gochi.”

Gochi’s tail stiffened for a moment before it relaxed, swinging back and forth again.

At the side, Baku thought deeper as he chewed:

Should they reinforce the flooring of their new house?

Long chapter~ hehehe

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