After finishing the job at the 《Cryptic Venerable Inn》, we headed to the 《Big Tree of the South Inn》 next.
The 《Cryptic Venerable Inn》 was located rather far from the stone-paved street and was in the middle of the residential zone. So we had to make our way through a narrow alley.
Not much time had passed since noon. Most of the people were working in the shops along the street or in the fields to the south, so there weren’t many pedestrians.
I shouldn’t act too excited in front of the moody Vena Wu, but I couldn’t help whispering to Ai Fa: “We got plenty of great news today. The new dish was well received, we bought cheese, and someone is willing to buy fresh kiba. This is perfect.”
“That’s great. But you still need to make another dish to be sold at that inn, correct?”
“Yes, but we have Gilulu now, so the journey to and fro Post Station Town is shortened. I can delegate the preparation jobs to Leina Wu and the others, so I have more time now. I will figure something out.”
“… You will just keep feeding me dishes made from that red berry though.”
“No, like I said, Ai Fa’s portion will be less spicy.”
“I’m a little peeved that you did that.”
Ai Fa pouted from an angle that Shin Wu and the others couldn’t see.
“Don’t pout. I will make you some hamburg steak with cheese for taste testing too.”
“… You think that will make me happy?”
“Ah, you look blissful when eating hamburg steak.”
I was kicked.
I need to restrain myself from going overboard.
Anyway, Neil is not an ordinary person. He lives in the western kingdom, but his mindset is closer to the people from the east. Not many people will accept kiba that easily though.
But this was still a meaningful step.
Naudiz from the 《Big Tree of the South Inn》 might be thinking about cooking kiba himself, and I had a chance to work with the 《West Wind Inn》 too. If I could convince Milano Mast, I would be able to sell kiba dishes in the 《Kimyusu’s Tail Inn》.
Things felt stagnant just a few days ago, but there had been so much progress in just one day. It was at times like this that I needed to be cautious and take things slow and steady… With that in mind, my strides turned lighter.
This is the fourth day of the fourth contract; there are still six days before the contract is up. Why don’t I rest for two days to research my cooking?
I could only think about all this after on a day off after twenty odd days. Was I a workaholic?
I thought quietly when Ai Fa suddenly grabbed my right arm. Vena Wu and the others behind us also stopped because of that.
Before I could ask her the reason, someone appeared on the path we were heading down.
“Asuta, what coincidence. What you do in a place like this?”
He spoke Western a little awkwardly.
That person pulled back his hood, showing his long brown hair and a smiling dark face. He was Sangjura who visited our stall yesterday.
“Ah, hello. What a coincidence, we are heading back after finishing our work.”
“Work, place like this?”
Sangjura approached us slowly.
Ai Fa was very wary for some reason, but Sanjura was smiling gently like yesterday.
“That’s right. I’m actually catering for an inn. I still need to rush to another inn later.”
“Inn. Could it be…《Cryptic Venerable Inn》?”
“Huh? Yes, it’s the 《Cryptic Venerable Inn》.”
“As I suspect. That inn, serve kiba dishes.”
He continued smiling as he squinted his light colored eyes.
What a charming smile.
“Ah, are you lodging in the《Cryptic Venerable Inn》, Sangjura?”
“Yes. I born in west but like eastern cuisine. So I always choose, inn catered for easterners.”
Aside from how he didn’t conceal his emotions, Sangjura looked just like a Semu. It was only natural for him to lodge in 《Cryptic Venerable Inn》.
A mixed-blood between the east and the west, huh. He probably has a complicated family history too.
I wasn’t that wary of Sangjura, but there was a strange air about him. He felt a little unnatural… and was similar to Shumimaru’s charm and Kamyua Yost’s suspiciousness in a sense. I was drawn to him for some reason.
Maybe it’s because he shows his emotions despite being a Semu.
In any case, I felt good will towards him.
So I bid him farewell with a smile:
“Alright then, I still have work to attend to, may we meet again…”
“Wait. Don’t move, Asuta”
Ai Fa pulled my arm again.
I turned back and was shocked. The rage of a hunter was burning in Ai Fa’s blue eyes.
“W-What’s the matter? He didn’t do anything, right?!”
“It has nothing to do with this man. Someone is watching us.”
Ai Fa said in a soft voice.
“It’s different from yesterday, this gaze is like poison needles. There isn’t anyone around here; I might be able to trace it back. Pretend to know nothing and don’t panic.”
I swept the place with my eyes.
There weren’t signs of anyone else here, much lest a presence.
Sangjura tilted his head a quizzingly.
“What is it? I, don’t sense anything.”
After saying crudely: “Sorry, please don’t talk for now.”, Ai Fa looked at Shin Wu.
Shin Wu nodded and walked calmly to Ai Fa’s side.
“How is it? Did you notice?”
“Yes, faintly. But… this feels like a hunter who is masking his presence.”
“Yes. The townsfolk can’t hide themselves so well… Anyway, the presence is ahead of us, to the right.”
Ai Fa glanced at Sangjura and then whispered to Shin Wu:
“I want to stay here to protect Asuta and the eldest daughter of the Wu clan. Can you go if we find the source? It might be a little dangerous.”
“Understood. To the right… in front of us. Correct? Isn’t that between those two houses?”
“Maybe. Let’s walk on ahead slowly.”
Ai Fa looked towards Sangjura after saying that.
“Easterner… I have a favor to ask.”
“Okay, do what?”
“I hope you can leave immediately, if you have nothing to do with the presence over there.”
Sangjura furrowed his brows puzzledly.
“I don’t understand. But Asuta, you have job later? Then, I go.”
“Yes, sorry about that. I hope you won’t mind.”
I couldn’t grasp the situation myself, so I just apologized vaguely.
Sangjura showed me a refreshing smile before putting on his hood again.
“Tomorrow, I go your stall. I eat Asuta food just now.”
“Ah, is that so? Thank you for your patronage.”
“You welcome. Tomorrow I come early.”
Sangjura made a conscious effort to not go near Ai Fa, as he headed down the way we came from— towards the 《Cryptic Venerable Inn》.
“Alright, let’s go. Asuta and eldest daughter of the Wu clan, continue walking and pretend to not know anything, and slowly go around to my left. Just walk down to the fork road there. Don’t do anything unnatural.”
Ai Fa half closed her hunter’s eyes and led the way.
Aside from her dangerous gaze, her movements were no different from usual.
Was someone really watching us?
Just what is going on here? Things have been strange since yesterday’s morning. If Pyschkurewuss is involved, his men should only be making their moves after the conference…
My heart started to race.
I moved my legs that were growing stiff and slowly drifted towards Ai Fa’s left.
We were less than 5 meters from the road leading to the right. When I noticed, Shin Wu was already on Ai Fa’s right, while Vena Wu was right behind me.
The place was still barren. We will reach the streets in a few more minutes, and the surroundings were still as quiet as a ghost town.
This wasn’t a well-to-do residential area. The closely packed houses were built mostly with wood, which wasn’t too different from the Forest’s Edge settlement. When we were almost at the alley between two houses, Shin Wu suddenly jumped.
Someone who was walking normally disappeared suddenly from my sights.
Shin Wu dashed into the depths of the alley, with his hunter’s cape fluttering behind him.
I yelled “Ahh!” on reflex.
A pebble flew towards Shin Wu from the shadow of a house.
But Shin Wu continued to run at the same speed after tilting his head to evade that attack.
Ai Fa pulled out her saber with a flash to deflect the pebble flying our way.
At the same time, a petite figure jumped out from the shadow of the house.
The figure sprinted down the road with his back to Shin Wu.
It was a child-like figure that was wearing a leather cape that differed from a kiba cape.
“Wait!”
Shin Wu shouted as he grabbed the shoulders of that mysterious person.
In that instant, Shin Wu’s body suddenly flew up into the air.
I couldn’t tell what happened.
When I realized it, Shin Wu’s body had spun in the air and fell down with his back to the ground.
Shin Wu groaned and the assailant turned towards us.
An unfamiliar face.
He wore his hood deep like a Semu.
His stature was short, shorter than Ai Fa and Shin Wu.
Under his yellow leopard-spotted cape were plain clothes.
His skin color… was ivory? He looked tanned and a little dirty, so I wasn’t sure. However, he definitely wasn’t a Semu or a Jaguar.
The small assailant looked at the groaning Shin Wu on the ground and us who were standing 5 to 6 meters away.
He then slowly reached for the weapon by his waist.
On his child-like and girlish waist was a crescent-shaped scimitar.
“Stop!”
Ai Fa roared shrilly.
“You can’t draw your blade in town! Why are you targeting us!?”
Ai Fa yelled as she braced her sheathed blade.
She then said quietly to us with her eyes locked onto the assailant: “Stay behind me.”
The assailant held the hilt of the scimitar as he stared at us.
Shin Wu struggled to get up beside his feet.
The assailant then kicked Shin Wu’s face.
Blood splattered, and Shin Wu collapsed again.
“I told you to stop! You dare lay your hands on a denizen of Forest’s Edge? I will be your opponent!”
That wasn’t something I expected Ai Fa to say.
But Ai Fa probably thought that she couldn’t save Shin Wu if she didn’t say that much. With this distance, no matter how fast Ai Fa was, she couldn’t beat the swing of the assailant’s blade.
The assailant swayed his head a little hesitantly.
Should he turn and run, or stab the enemy by his feet to take down one enemy? That was probably what he was thinking about.
After a short silence in this dangerous atmosphere, the assailant made the third choice.
He charged towards Ai Fa.
“Get down!”
After shouting at us, Ai Fa ducked down.
The assailant covered several meters in an instant, drew his scimitar, and leapt with a yell… and then swung his blade towards Ai Fa.
But their blades didn’t touch the other parties’ body.
A second before they would collide, the assailant vanished.
I couldn’t understand what was happening before me.
In the place of the petite assailant who disappeared was a tall cloaked man.
He was wielding a sheathed blade just like Ai Fa and was facing diagonally from us. It was Sangjura.
“Butting in, sorry. I was worried, so I came back.”
He said calmly with the sheathed blade in his left hand, as he straightened his slightly crouching body.
“Hurt, are you? Probably, safe now.”
I sighed in relief and looked to my left.
Ai Fa was already looking my way.
The assailant who got attacked from the flank by Sangjura held his left shoulder as he rolled on the ground.
Sangjura took three steps forwards and stepped on the scimitar rolling on the ground.
Ai Fa continued bracing her blade warily and said softly: “… Thank you for your help.”
Sangjura looked at the assailant who was writhing in pain and said with a smile: “You are welcome.”
“Maintain peace, responsibility of townsfolk. Hand him, to guards.”
Sangjura then flicked his sword.
The tip of the sheath hooked the hood of the assailant, revealing his face.
Bright red filled our sights.
The assailant’s hair was as red as Lala Wu’s.
Sangjura said quietly: “Please, no struggle. Bandit, are you?”
The assailant who was lying prone got up with his hand on his left shoulder.
“Don’t be absurd! You are calling me a bandit!?”
His voice sounded more childlike than I expected.
But his face was scary.
His messy flame-like hair hung over his cheeks, and yellowish feral light shone out from his bangs.
His brows were furrowed from rage, and he bared his fangs like a carnivorous feline. I couldn’t imagine how he actually looked because of how twisted his face was from rage.
“Damn Semu… If you dare treat me like a bandit, I will kill you…”
“Drawing blade in town, attacking innocent townsfolk. If not bandit, then what?”
Sangjura replied to the youth calmly… then observed this assailant who was a far cry from being calm.
“But your attire… Instead of bandit, like Marsala hunter.”
Ai Fa commented quietly: “Hunter?”
The enraged youth glared at Ai Fa.
“Filthy denizens of Forest’s Edge… I will never forgive you.”
“What are you talking about. If you have any grudge, let me hear it. If you bare your blade at me, I can only respond in kind.”
The youth swung his right arm and yelled: “Shut up!”
A silver flash cut through the air. Ai Fa and Sangjura parried his thrown daggers at the same time with their sheaths.
The daggers fell harmlessly by their feet.
Their reaction was incredibly fast.
However, the youth achieved his goal.
Sangjura left a gap when he adjusted his posture to swing his blade, and that youth snatched the scimitar from under his feet.
That youth was as nimble as a beast.
“I will definitely get my revenge! I swear on my name of Geta, son of Red Beard Goram!”
“What?”
The youth had already turned and left when Ai Fa said that.
The next moment Sangjura who wanted to give chase kept his sheathed sword with a sigh.
“Fast, he run. I can’t catch.”
Ai Fa clicked her tongue and kept her sheathed blade too.
She could probably catch up, but she couldn’t just leave us behind. That youth in a leopard-patterned cape disappeared between the buildings in no time.
“Red beard Goram… Ai Fa, isn’t that the bandit boss that was mentioned yesterday?”
The boss of the “Red Beard Gang”, Goram… Kamyua Yost talked about him before.
In order to find his significant other and child, Kamyua left Genos together with a few hunters of Forest’s Edge.
“What’s going on here? Did Kamyua just miss them? W-What should we do now…”
“Don’t get flustered. Tend to Shin Wu’s injury first.”
Ai Fa glared at me.
“So is bandit after all. Broad daylight, in town. Rare.”
Sangjura smiled leisurely.
He wasn’t fazed at all; I felt the need to change my first impression of him being the type to not get into trouble.
“But I feel, his shoulder blade, fracture. In short time, won’t do crime. Best, leave to guards.”
“… Yes, thank you.”
I answered with a sigh. We couldn’t hand him over to the guards.
Kamyua Yost was searching for the wife and child of Red Beard Goram, they were important witnesses. And the town patrol in the Post Station Town seemed to be members of the Towns Guards commanded by Pyschkurewuss’ brother. We had to find that youth before the guards did.
He can’t forgive the denizens of Forest’s Edge because his father was executed on trumped up charges? Then… the only option is to clear up the truth.
If that youth still hates the denizens of Forest’s Edge… it would be troubling.
I suppressed my urge to sigh over this complicated matter.
This was definitely a trial the Forest’s Edge had to go through. The wrongdoings of Zattsu Tsun, and the denizens who didn’t stop him. Not all the townsfolk thought that the slate was wiped clean when Zattsu Tsun was executed.
A child younger than me, huh; he actually hates us so much… This isn’t normal.
Please appear before us again. Please have a talk with the new tribal chiefs… I murmured in my heart as I looked at the street where the red-haired youth fled.
4
“Shin Wu! What happened to you!”
After finishing our work, we linked up with the group that stayed with the stall. Lala Wu rushed to the pale-faced Shin Wu immediately.
Shin Wu had a bruise under his right eye and his lips were chapped and bleeding. He answered expressionlessly: “I was careless.”
“What do you mean by careless!? Were you assaulted!?”
“Don’t be so loud. You will frighten the town folks.”
Shin Wu remained calm.
Lala Wu leaned onto Shin Wu’s chest and glared at Ai Fa.
“How did Shin Wu get wounded even with Ai Fa around!? Isn’t Ai Fa able to deal easily with any opponents!?”
“That’s enough. Ai Fa performed her task. I failed at mine, so it’s my incompetence at fault; Ai Fa is not to be blamed.”
Ai Fa remained silent.
Ai Fa was probably wary of Sangjura, that’s why she didn’t leave Vena Wu and me alone.
But if she said that, it would be as good as saying Shin Wu wasn’t capable of stopping Sangjura. So Ai Fa didn’t say anything until the end
Shin Wu glanced at Ai Fa and then grabbed Lala Wu’s shoulders.
“Tis but a scratch. I will continue to train so I can do my job properly.”
“But…!”
“Annoying. What’s the use of talking about all that? Instead of getting mad, won’t you be cuter if you cry?”
“You are the annoying one!”
Lala Wu turned towards Ludo Wu, with watery eyes.
“What, so you really are crying. Well… Shin Wu didn’t do too great just now too. At a time like this, you should tell her that you’re sorry for making her worry and then give her a hug.”
Shin Wu didn’t say anything and started to blush.
And, of course, Lala Wu’s face started turning red, and her mouth started gaping because she was too angry.
Ludo Wu started giggling and then showed a sharp gaze in his eyes.
“It’s fine, Asuta and Vena-nee are still alive and kicking. Something must have happened for Shin Wu to become like this. Let’s discuss the details on the way back, Ai Fa.”
“Yes, I don’t want others to hear us.”
“Okay, let’s hurry back to Forest’s Edge…”
Before Ludo Wu could finish, a group of cloak men walked over.
And, of course, they were the Silver Vase.
The person walking at their fore stood before me and Vena Wu and pulled back his hood. Vena Wu almost averted her face, but steeled herself and glared at them with angry eyes instead.
“Asuta, Vena Wu, late I am, sorry. Bid farewell, I come.”
“Thank you, Shumimaru. I’m glad to have met you.”
My feelings were a mixture of anxiousness and relief, but I still answered him with a smile.
Ludo Wu scratched his blonde hair and said: “Ahh, I forgot about you guys.”
“What a hectic day. But… If we stay here, people might call the guards on us?”
Things weren’t that serious, but we were already very prominent. Nine denizens of Forest’s Edge, ten easterners, two Totos and a wagon, a massive group. Even though the stone-paved road was ten meters wide, we were still obstructing normal traffic.
“Why don’t we go around the back of that building? The road leading back to Forest’s Edge has an open space nearby.”
Everyone accepted my proposal unquestioningly and then started moving.
I took the reins from Shela Wu and then headed south along the street.
Shela Wu who had just moved to the back took out something from the wagon and came to me again:
“Asuta, I handed the jerky to the southerners. The remunerations are safekept together with the earnings from the stall.”
“Ahh, thank you. Erm… The special jerky I prepared…”
“They accepted it happily.”
Shela Wu smiled brightly… and showed a brilliant smile.
“Their leader Balan told me to hold on to this.”
“Huh? What is it…?”
“It looks like fruit wine. Seems to be expensive.”
Shela Wu opened the bundle, and there was a rarely seen bottle in it.
It wasn’t the fruit wine that the denizens of Forest’s Edge frequently bought for one red copper plate. These two were like the bottle Kamuyua Yost gifted me in the past and contained smooth and high-quality wine.
“They said… gifting something like this isn’t a custom in Genos or Jaguar. But since Asuta gave them a present too, they will call it even.”
The image of Pops Balan’s angry yelling face appeared before my eyes.
“He also said that he will come back to Genos after a year at most and to not get into any trouble.”
“… I understand, thank you.”
Shela Wu nodded and then went to the back to keep the fruit wine.
Ai Fa then leaned in.
“Asuta, are you crying?”
“Who’s crying, stupid!”
I was careless and answered her a little too loudly. Ai Fa pouted and said: “Why did you call me stupid?”
I apologized and then cast my gaze towards Shumimaru who was walking diagonally ahead of me.
I will be bidding farewell to Pops Balan, Arudas, and Shumimaru today. The emotions in my heart started to well up.
Who’s crying, stupid…
I didn’t even know myself who I was calling stupid, and just walked along in a daze.
We followed the stone-paved path southwards, passed through an alley between two inns, and our field of vision suddenly opened up.
It was a vast empty space. On the opposite side was the looming forest.
Buildings to our back and forest to our front. There was a small worn path leading into right into the Forest’s Edge in the woods.
This was the border between the forest and the Post Station Town.
Which was also the place where the people opposing and supporting our business gathered.
Our two groups faced each other here.
The denizens of Forest’s Edge stood with their backs to the forest, and the easterners had the town behind them. We stood in two rows representing different camps.
“Thank you, let us taste, delicious food.”
Shumimaru made a gang sign and bowed.
The people standing on either side of him also pulled their hoods back.
The only faces I recognized belonged to Shumimaru, the deputy band leader Radajiddo who visited this afternoon, and a young man whose name I didn’t know.
I think he was the one standing at the left edge of the row.
After trying a 『Kiba burger』 sample, he called his brethrens from the caravan over. For my stall, he was the second patron after Tara.
Shumimaru’s first visit of my stall was on the next day.
When the Pops was hollering that this meat tasted nasty and was inedible, the Silver Vase visited my stall. Pops’ mates also came over, causing quite a scene.
That was a month ago.
And now, Shumimaru walked up to me.
Ai Fa was between Vena Wu and me.
But Shumimaru stood before me.
“Asuta, farewell, late, sorry.”
“No, it’s fine…”
“Entire day, in city.”
“Huh?”
“Collect information, about Pyschkurewuss. Investigate, truth, of rumors.”
I was surprised beyond words.
Shumimaru squinted apologetically.
“Butt in, sorry. But help Asuta, I want. How dangerous Pyschkurewuss is, want know… But, truth, no find.”
“But… But why, Shumimaru…?”
“But someone who knows truth, I meet. Help Asuta, that person can. One day, visit 《Cryptic Venerable Inn》, he will.”
A person who knew whether the rumors about Pyschkurewuss were true.
However, the rumors Shumimaru heard were probably not directly related to the denizens of Forest’s Edge.
But that didn’t matter anymore. I was just happy that Shumimaru was so worried about me… as well as angry.
“Shumimaru, why did you do something so dangerous? Aren’t you the one who told me not to go near Pyschkurewuss, Shumimaru?”
“Why Asuta angry, I understand. But help you, I want.”
Shumimaru lowered his gaze depressedly.
“Sorry, restrain myself, I can’t.”
I couldn’t bear a grudge against him after seeing how sad his eyes were.
“I never expect Shumimaru to be so reckless. Even though he looked so steady and calm.”
“Yes. Brethren, say often.”
Contrary to how Shumimaru looked, he was very enthusiastic about chatting.
I smiled even though I felt like crying.
“… But, I’m happy that you are so worried about me. Thank you.”
“Welcome. That man… Michael of Turan, be of help, definitely.”
One of the members of Silver Vase who were listening to us quietly walked up to us slowly.
“Meet that man, you need, denizen of Forest’s Edge. Stars, last night, I read.”
He was an elderly Semu.
His stature was tall, but his dark face was filled with deep wrinkles, and his neck and arms were covered in veins. He had serene eyes, the kind I imagine Shumimaru would have when he gets old.
“Denizens of Forest’s Edge, gain power when meet him. And denizens of Forest’s Edge, own path, will find.”
He was the Semu astrologist.
This was the astrologist who prophesied that the malefic star Zattsu Tsun would fade… He even said that he couldn’t read my star.
I felt my back stiffened.
The elderly man kept his face emotionless, and after looking at me for a while, he shifted his gaze towards Ai Fa.
“You are… star of the cat.”
“What?”
“Malefic star gone, Forest’s Edge, fate, change, revolution. Three-headed lion awaken, lead, Forest’s Edge, future. Star of three-headed lion, flanked by, star of cat, star of monkey, star of hawk. Future, shining brighter.”
“Sorry, I don’t understand you at all. What’s a cat?”
“Forest’s Edge, no cats? Eastern kingdom, have. Animal, sacred. ”
I thought she was a cat-like woman too.
I shifted my gaze back onto Shumimaru.
“… I understand. I will trust Shumimaru’s judgment. If Micheal of Turan shows up, I will speak with him.”
“Yes, help you, he will.”
Shumimaru sighed in relief.
He then showed the right hand that was behind his cloak.
His smooth and dark arms were holding a beautiful bundle.
“Gift, I have, for Asuta.”
“Oh, what is it?”
“Wineglass.”
I tilted my head and opened the bundle.
Inside was a couple of simple transparent cups… the beautiful wine glasses I saw at the Silver Vase’s shop some time ago.
The wine glasses came in a pair.
“Ai Fa, it’s for you…”
I turned back and said.
Ai Fa also widened her eyes in surprise.
“Blessing for meeting Asuta, I want give. What to give, I no know… Radajiddo tell, Ai Fa, Asuta, this wine glass, curiously looked.”
That was over twenty days ago. Ai Fa and I visited the Silver Vase’s shop in order to buy the Semu kitchen knife and the necklace that could ward off misfortune.
Speaking of which, a very tall easterner tended to their shop when Shumimaru wasn’t around.
“Accept please. Thanks, for Fa house dinner.”
With an unhappy gaze in her eyes, Ai Fa said formally: “… This is too expensive as a return gift for treating you to a meal.”
Shumimaru looked at Ai Fa calmly.
“Price, no matter. Gift make Asuta and Ai Fa happy, I want. If you happy with rock, I also give rock. Price, no matter.”
“I can’t beat a cunning linguist like you after all.”
Ai Fa replied, and I felt really hyped up.
I turned to the wagon to fetch my gift for them, and Shela Wu was already handing me that bundle.
I thanked Shela Wu and then handed it to Shumimaru.
“Shumimaru, this is a gift from the Fa house for the ‘Silver Vase’. It is jerky made with a special method; please consume within seven days. It’s more tender compared to normal jerky and can be eaten without any preparation.”
Shumimaru squinted happily and accepted the bundle with thanks.
His gaze alone was a good enough answer for me.
The nine Semy behind him also lowered their heads.
Shumimaru handed the bundle to his companion… then stood before Vena Wu.
“… Vena Wu, much sorry, for two days ago, sudden visit.”
Vena Wu looked at Shumimaru wordlessly.
Shumimaru looked at Vena Wu with a peaceful face too.
“Leave Genos, I, tomorrow.”
“…”
“Half year, back, Genos. Work Genos, one month, back, Semu. That, ‘Silver Vase’, way of life.”
“…”
“Then, half year, rest home. Then, one year, journey. Continue, until old, can’t travel. Journey, we love. Plainsmen, we are, life is journey.”
Vena Wu muttered softly: “… You spend more time traveling than at home… I think that’s a nice way of living too… I yearn for the world outside of Forest’s Edge and am envious of such a life… But, I’m… still a denizen of Forest’s Edge…”
Vena Wu didn’t show any expression on her face.
But that didn’t mean there weren’t any ripples in her heart; she was probably working hard to not show her wavering feelings.
“I can’t abandon my family… The souls of the denizens of Forest’s Edge must return to the mother forest…”
Shumimaru nodded gently as he gazed into Vena Wu’s eyes.
“Right way to think, that is. But… think two days, I. Make up mind, I did.”
“…”
Shumimaru said with conviction: “I, to Vena Wu, propose marriage.”
Lala Wu and I held our breaths…
Vena Wu shook her head gently.
“Didn’t you hear what I said…?”
“I hear.”
“… You want me to abandon the Forest’s Edge and my family…?”
“No.”
“Then, you want to give up on the traveling you love…?”
“No.”
“Then what do you want…? I don’t understand what you are saying…”
“Give up work in caravan, I can’t. But in Semu, no family. For me, nine brethrens of ‘Silver Vase’, my everything.”
Shumimaru said calmly:
“So, abandon Semu, become denizen of Forest’s Edge, I will. As… denizen of Forest’s Edge, continue work in ‘Silver Vase’.”
Emotions appeared on Vena Wu’s face for the first time.
She looked at Shumimaru with her light colored eyes, as if she was seeing something she couldn’t believe.
“But… Abandoning Semu means disavowing your god… Your companions will no longer be your brethrens…?”
“Yes. But forgive me, everyone did. Continue work, they allow. Work as friend, not brethren.”
“… Things won’t be so easy…”
Vena Wu hugged herself as if she was feeling cold.
Shumimaru looked at Vena Wu calmly as he always did.
“Only, bad thing, two. I, be westerner, ‘Silver Vase’, no go Mahildra. I, no stay Semu. But… brethren say, fine. No brethren, still friend.”
“But…”
“Give up, business in Mahildra. Procure goods, my brethrens, in Semu. Radajiddo… said. Radajiddo, take over, bandleader. I, as westerner, and denizen of Forest’s Edge, work in ‘Silver Vase’.”
“…”
“People from plains, soul, return to plains. I, to Forest’s Edge, offer soul. Give up, plains, my home, painful. But, nine friends, and Vena Wu, I blissful.”
Shumimaru’s voice was as calm as his eyes.
But he tried his best to express himself with his limited grasp of the western language.
“Like I explain, leave home, one year, rest home, half year. But Semu, far. Semu, Genos, come and go, two months each. Aside from journey, away from home, about 8 months. Also, do work Genos, two months. If Genos is home, only leave, for half year. Leave Forest’s Edge, six months, rest of time, I want, be with Vena Wu.”
“But… You can’t hunt kiba, right…?”
“Cannot. But, I travel western kingdom. Get knowledge, all kinds. Get weapons, all kinds. Give Forest’s Edge, hunt kiba, new techniques. What I can do, that is.”
“… My father is the tribal chief of Forest’s Edge, you know…? He will never allow a foreigner to marry into the family…”
“Convince Donda Wu, I will. Make Vena Wu happy, I swear. Half year, when I back Genos, show power, to him.”
Shumimaru took off the accessories on his hand calmly as he spoke.
It was a silver bangle with small pink stones embedded in it.
“Vena Wu, peace be with you. Accept my gift, will you?”
“I…”
She stopped mid-sentence.
After a moment of silence, Vena Wu looked up into Shumimaru’s eyes.
“… I don’t know how to interact with an unfathomable person like you…”
Shumimaru tilted his head quizzingly.
And then…
He suddenly smiled:
“Become denizen of Forest’s Edge, I work hard, show feelings. Embarrassing. But, necessary, I think.”
He had a pure, warm smile that was just like Sangjura’s.
Vena Wu furrowed her brows troublingly.
“I trouble, few days… I trouble, one month. Worry I am, when Vena Wu injured. I know. Vena Wu, I need. Vena Wu, I want to be with.”
“But…”
“Vena Wu, worry for me, I happy. Half year, before I back Genos, can you consider? Half year, if reply, I happy.”
Shumimaru reached out his hands timidly and took Vena Wu’s hand.
He put the silver bangle in Vena Wu’s hand.
“This half year, I swear, think of Vena Wu, nightly. I love… Vena Wu.”
Vena Wu held that bangle tightly and lowered her head. I couldn’t see her facial expressions.
After Shumimaru looked at her one last time, he turned to me again.
He was still smiling gently as usual.
“Well then, back, we go. Next meet, half year after. Asuta, Vena Wu, Ai Fa, Ludo Wu… and friends names I no learn yet, peace be with all you. May Forest’s Edge, bright future.”
“Yes, take care… I look forward to seeing you again.”
Shumimaru nodded and turned around.
His brethrens did a simple bow and then turned too.
I silently watched the backs of ten tall and cloaked easterners.
This was goodbye.
No matter how short half a year was, we wouldn’t be able to meet again until that time passes.
It had been two months since I came here.
In half a year, I might see them again.
I might meet Pops Balan and company a year later too.
However, it wouldn’t be a surprise if I just disappeared for good.
Anyone could die anytime, even me, but I still couldn’t break myself free from the feelings of unease.
This could be goodbye for forever.
I wouldn’t be able to hear that gentle voice and those warm eyes.
Could I bear witness to Shumimaru and Vena Wu’s future?
My chest started hurting as if it was being crushed.
Ai Fa asked: “… Asuta, are you crying?”
I answered: “Who’s crying, stupid.”
Ai Fa didn’t respond.
I hoped she would brush the corners of my eyes gently, but she just ruffled my hair violently.
And so, after meeting all kinds of people, the Green month where I bid farewell to all kinds of people ended.
Mid Meal Snack~ The Architects from the Southern Kingdom
Asuta of the Fa house is a queer man… Balan thought mindlessly on the wagon pulled by a Totos.
He had finished his work in Genos and was on his way back to Nerva. On the first day of the White month, they set off from Genos first thing in the morning. It was almost noon now. The stone-paved road was smooth, so the wagon didn’t shake too much, and his companions yawned a little drowsily.
Balan and company who worked as architects stayed in Genos from the middle of the Green month to the end of the Blue month. It took them one and a half months to finish their work. The buildings in the Genos Post Station Town were mostly Jaguar style, so Balan and company headed to the Post Station Town annually to perform maintenance work.
And they met the strange youth from the Fa house, Asuta, at that place.
He was a madman.
His appearance looked like a normal westerner, with an uncommon combination of dark hair and dark eyes. His had yellowish skin and a normal face and body. Even though he wasn’t from this continent, there was no way to prove that. No one would have suspected that he wasn’t a homegrown westerner.
So the strange thing about Asuta wasn’t his appearance, but what lay inside.
For unknown reasons, Asuta became a denizen of Forest’s Edge and opened a business in a stall.
The denizens of Forest’s Edge were people who had once betrayed Jaguar.
However, they weren’t true Jaguar people in the first place and had secluded themselves in the ‘Dark Jungle’, shunned by others since ancient times. Terrible man-eating beasts known as black apes dwelled in the Dark Jungle, so sane Jaguar people never ventured into it.
The Dark Jungle disappeared eight decades ago. No one could be certain, but it seemed to have been burned down during their war with the enemy Semu nation. Balan’s hometown was located in the peaceful western side of the country, so he wasn’t involved with all this.
Anyway, the denizens of Forest’s Edge lost their homes and moved to the Morga Forest’s Edge of the western kingdom Selva. They neither started to cultivate the land like real Jaguar people nor engaged the Semu in war; instead, the tribe chose to flee to the remote western kingdom.
Changing one’s faith was a serious taboo in this continent. So not just Jaguar, even Selva ostracized the denizens of Forest’s Edge.
And of course, Balan was cold towards the denizens of Forest’s Edge.
But it wasn’t because of what happened in the past, but due to his present feelings.
The denizens of Forest’s Edge pissed him off.
Their light tanned skin reminded him of the Semu, and many denizens of Forest’s Edge resembled the Semu too. Just like the Semu people, he felt that they couldn’t get along with the Jaguar people.
And the denizens of Forest’s Edge also avoided others in Genos. They occasionally visited the Post Station Town to sell the tusks and horns of kiba and buy salt and vegetables, but they didn’t interact with others. For the Jaguar who thought of forthrightness as a virtue, this was the part that displeased him the most.
The youth named Asuta colluded with this group.
Which was why their first meeting was such a disaster. He felt pissed off right after meeting Asuta, who was peddling food from the symbol of disaster, kiba, with a group of pretty Forest’s Edge girls. Such foolishness enraged him. And the kiba he tried had a weird mushy texture, which was hard to accept, contributing to the idea that Asuta’s actions were retarded.
In the end, I went out of my way to buy kiba jerky. He must think of me as a laughingstock.
He thought distractedly as he looked at the sack at a corner of the wagon.
Balan was only opposed to kiba in the first few days. After Asuta started selling the new dish made with myam, Balan’s stubbornness was shattered.
It was unbelievably delicious.
So good that he couldn’t imagine that it was made from the same kiba used in the last dish he tried.
After eating kiba for some time, the unique taste of the kiba grew of him, and Balan even bought kiba jerky.
The meals Asuta catered at the inn were also fantastic.
That dish served in the 《Big Tree of the South Inn》, where Balan was lodging in, was an even bigger shock.
The food made with Tau sauce was so incredibly good that his eyes almost popped out. Tau sauce was a seasoning from Jaguar. He had not eaten something so delicious back at home.
There was scantly any chance to eat such a high-class cuisine in the Genos Post Station Town.
Generally speaking, the food from his hometown Nerva was better. Genos was a prosperous city, and the quality of the fuwano and fruit wine were excellent, and there were plenty of fruits and vegetables too. However, the meat and seasoning were crude.
Only a few inns served food made from Tau sauce while sugar and honey were completely absent. Genos wasn’t too far from Jaguar, but all these ingredients were sold in the city, so Balan and company who could only visit the Post Station Town had no chance of eating them.
In contrast, this readily available karon meat that couldn’t be found in Jaguar was normal. But it was seasoned with salt and spices since there wasn’t any Tau sauce and sugar. The quality of the fuwano and fruit wine might be good, but since there wasn’t a large quantity of vegetables, the food here wasn’t really sumptuous.
Hence, Asuta’s cooking tasted exceptionally good.
The dishes made from aria, tarapa, and myam at his stall were great, and his ability to make dishes with Tau sauce, which was the taste of home to Balan, made this impeccable.
And kiba wasn’t really a high-class ingredient either. Balan couldn’t accept it when it was minced and melded, but if it was sliced normally, the kiba tasted better than kimyusu and karon meat.
The taste was a little strong, but it was fine if strong seasoning like myam and Tau sauce were used. After getting used to it, the flavor grew on him. The meat was fatty and the texture was impeccable, and he never criticized kiba dishes ever again.
It is a little infuriating.
Balan felt as if he had lost for some reason.
Originally, Balan didn’t want anything to do with Asuta and the denizens of Forest’s Edge.
But Asuta went out of his way to invite Balan to try his new dish.
Back then, Balan grumbled that he would never visit Asuta’s stall again. But even so, Asuta still asked someone to pass the message: “ Please come and try this new dish.”
And so, Asuta’s dark eyes sparkled with a smile when he saw Balan being surprised by the delicious 『Myam-roasted meat』.
Asuta said: “When you complained that the 『Kiba burger』 tastes bad, I was really frustrated. And thanks to you, I did all I could to think up a solution. I’m very grateful.”
He seemed to have made a lot of effort to convey his thoughts.
Jaguar people would say whatever came to their mind, while other people wasted effort on conveying their thoughts.
From that moment on, Balan visited Asuta’s stall every day.
That was when the Green Month was ending and the Blue Month was beginning, so he ate Asuta’s cooking for one month.
During this time, Balan and the other denizens of Forest’s Edge also got to know each other. Aside from the girls helping at the stall, he also got to meet the fearsome looking hunters of Forest’s Edge.
That was because a villain from Forest’s Edge was threatening the safety of the Post Station Town. In the middle of the Blue Month, the villain of Forest’s Edge was executed in the town.
Ever since then, Balan got to know the denizens of Forest’s Edge even better.
Some of them were more forthcoming than a Semu and could even match a Jaguar.
They might be stubborn and keep to themselves, but the Jaguar had no rights to accuse Forest’s Edge denizens about that either. The denizens might be quiet, but they believed they were doing the right thing and took pride in their every move.
The girls with cold attitude at the stalls gradually warmed up to others with the passage of time. Not only did they look good, they were hardworking too. Balan even had the foolish thought of letting his son marry a girl from Forest’s Edge.
But as Balan and company slowly got to know the mysterious denizens of Forest’s Edge, the Blue month was over.
The wind from the window brushed Balan’s hair and beard, and he grunted.
One of his companions sat up uneasily, probably disturbed by Balan’s actions.
“Huh, Pops, you still awake? You sure are lively so early in the morning.”
He was the deputy of the group, Arudas. He was old friends with Balan, and they had worked together for more than ten years.
“Ah, my head feels a little dizzy. I drank too much yesterday.”
“Fufu, I was worried about you spending all the money you earned in the Post Station Town in just one night.”
“You are exaggerating too much. Just ten or twenty bottles of fruit wine won’t deplete the money we earned.”
Arudas leaned against the wagon and laughed heartily.
Amongst the short southerners, Arudas was very tall. His hands were nimble, making him a great member of the architect group.
“After working for a month and a half, partying hard on the last night isn’t too much. But… Asuta’s cooking is really great. I think we ate all the kiba dishes in the inn last night.”
“… Hmmp.”
“Ah, just thinking about it makes me hungry. It’s almost noon, right? We don’t need to rush today either, so let’s start a fire and make a good meal.”
Without waiting for Balan to reply, Arudas called out to the driver: “Hey! It’s time for lunch! How about finding a good spot to start a fire?”
“Alright, this area should be safe.”
The young driver answered energetically.
The wagon stopped in a short while.
“Hey, time to get up! Get up or you will miss out on lunch!”
Arudas yelled, and the rest of the people got up slowly.
They got off the wagon, with a barren desert to their right and thick vegetation to their left.
The dark Morga mountain loomed over them to the northeast, deep within the woods. It was as foreboding as ever.
There was a barren land on the left, probably the result of excessive tree felling. The ground was cracked from the lack of water, and nothing was growing there.
“What’s happening, taking a break? What a leisurely journey.”
A voice came from up top. It was an escort who was riding on his personal Totos. The journey from Genos to Nerva was fraught with danger, so the hired two guards to escort them.
“We should reach the next Post Station Town by nightfall. So everyone will want to eat a good meal now, right? I will forage for branches, just wait here.”
“Get some guys to go with you. There might be munto here.”
One of the escorts got down his Totos and followed Arudas and his group into the woods.
The two wagons joined together and parked by the side of the woods, allowing the Totos to feed. The Totos took their time to eat the leaves on the trees.
“Hmm, this place sure is quiet. The bustling scene in Genos is just like a dream.”
The young man who finished tending to the Totos stretched his back.
It was quiet indeed. By this time, the travelers would have started to rest, and there were no other wagons in sight. Birds flew in the clear sky, and the soft caress of the wind felt really soothing.
“But this trip was really enjoyable. This is the first time I didn’t want to leave Genos.”
“You can’t party so hard at home, right?”
“Yup, but the thing I will miss the most is the kiba dishes.”
The young man sighed depressedly.
“Even if it is kiba, the taste won’t be too different from karon after getting made into jerky, right? Sigh, we can’t eat kiba in Jaguar, right?”
“… Even Nerva which is the closest to Genos is half a month away by wagon. If you don’t like jerky, want to try bringing a kiba with us?”
“Ehh, forget it.”
As they were chatting, Arudas came back. Aside from the escort, all six men carried branches in their arms.
“This much should do, right? Hey, bring out the pot!”
A young man handed a pot from inside the wagon to his companion outside.
“This is the sack of kiba jerky, right? What about this small sack?”
“Oh, that’ the special jerky Asuta prepared for us. He said we have to finish it within seven days. Let’s eat it first.”
They piled the branches on the ground and then surrounded it with rocks. A pot was stacked on top of the rocks, and water was poured inside.
Aria and poitan were thrown right in. Arudas then opened the small sack and said: “Hmm?”
“By the way, he said the jerky can be eaten directly. It will be a pity to boil it together with the poitan.”
“The gooey poitan soup will overwhelm the taste of the meat. But if we don’t add jerky, the poitan soup won’t be palatable either.”
“Add in half a meal of normal jerky into the pot and then give out half a meal portion of this special jerky.”
The others nodded after hearing Arudas words, and started cutting the normal jerky with their knives.
After the jerky was tossed into the boiling pot of water, the others added in diced myam. Poitan soup was a bland tasting dish, resembling mud water. It was difficult to eat it without adding strong seasoning like Tau sauce.
One of the escorts asked puzzledly: “Hey, you guys were talking about kiba earlier; is that thing kiba jerky?”
He was a skilled swordsman introduced to them by someone in the 《Big Tree of the South Inn》. This westerner from another city had brown hair and yellow skin. He claimed to be a former mercenary and had a leather chest plate, a sword, and an elegantly designed sheath. He looked completely different from the ruffians in the Post Station Town.
“Hey, you have stayed in Genos for quite some time. Haven’t you heard about the kiba dishes? We patronize that stall every day.”
“I have heard of that before, but I can’t eat that thing. I will be fine with the jerky I bought for myself.”
“Huh? You are not from Genos, so why do you hate kiba so much?”
“That’s because kiba and the denizens of Forest’s Edge have a bad reputation.”
Balan got mad when he heard that.
“Have the denizens of Forest’s Edge and kiba caused you any trouble before? If not, aren’t you fearing kiba dishes because of baseless rumors?”
“That’s not the reason. I don’t avoid kiba out of personal preference. It’s just that I can’t work properly if I eat something my stomach isn’t used to.”
“Hmmp! Can you work properly as escorts with such a frail bodies? How unreliable.”
It was the two men’s turn to get angry.
Arudas mediated and said: “Hey, relax.”
“No need to force yourself to eat kiba. After the job is done, I will include the cost of the jerky into your remuneration… Pops, don’t get so worked up.”
“Hmmp! I’m just saying the truth, what’s wrong with that? Given how much they fear kiba, can they really fend off munto and bandits?”
“Hey, that’s going too far.”
“Just shut up and try a piece of kiba! You will be surprised by how good it tastes.”
Balan grabbed some special jerky from the sack Arudas was holding.
However, he was shocked by the slimy sensation. It was thick and rich in fats, just like fresh meat.
The inside of the sack was protected by the smooth fake rubber tree leaves. The jerky had so much fats that the sack had to be protected in such a way.
“This is jerky? But it isn’t dry?”
“This is special jerky! It can only be kept for seven days, but retains the original taste!”
After saying that, Balan took a bite. It was tender, and he could bite through it without cooking it in the pot. The toughness was on par with charbroiled meat.
And… the taste left Balan speechless.
It was salty and spicy and had a strong taste of spice. After removing moisture with salt, this jerky was grilled with spice.
However, the taste of the kiba had been perfectly retained.
Not just that, the delicious taste had been condensed. As he chewed, the oil within gushed out, bringing indescribable joy.
Despite the strong saltiness, the taste of the meat was still there. Only the strong taste of the kiba could rival the taste of the salt and spice. Even if karon and kimyusu were treated in the same way, it couldn’t replicate this texture.
“What’s the matter Pops? Does Asuta’s special jerky taste bad?”
“Ahh… Of course it’s good! Hey, make way!”
Balan pushed aside the young man tending the fire and squatted down. He then stuck the meat he had taken a bite of onto the tip of his knife and held it over the fire.
The fats from the meat dripped down slowly.
A fragrance spread out with the sizzling fire.
One of his companions gulped and said: “Hey, the fragrance from grilling it is incredible.”
Balan pulled back his knife, blew on the grilled jerky, and sent it to his mouth.
As he suspected, it was more delicious than eating it directly.
A jerky made from salt and spice was actually as tasty as normal cooking. Pops Balan took a deep breath and didn’t know what to say.
“Pops! Don’t just eat it by yourself, let us have a try too!”
“Hey, someone, bring out the skewers!”
The architects started scrambling for the jerky.
The pot was moved aside, and numerous skewers were set up by the fire. The escorts were shocked by this scene.
“Ah, this tastes really great!”
“It’s good enough to be sold in the Post Station Town. Ah, I want to drink wine.”
“Hey, you are eating too much! You want to finish all of it on the first day?”
Arudas lectured with a satisfied smile on his face.
Balan snapped out of it and snatched back the sack of jerky. He looked at his companions who were behaving like kids and then walked to the escorts.
“… Sorry for shouting at you just now. Please take this as an apology for the bad temper of a Jaguar man.”
“Ah, I don’t really mind…”
“Can I invite you to try this again? As you can see, this will get gobbled all up by tomorrow, so now is the only chance. I think this is worth a try.”
The escorts glanced at each other with troubled expressions.
Balan looked at them and laughed heartily in a southern way.
“The denizens of Forest’s Edge are westerners too, so they are your fellow citizens, correct? Your fellow citizens made something so delicious for us; you will be fools to turn this down. You can get mad at me if you find it nasty, but just think of this as me tricking you, and just try it.”
“…”
“I really envy you. After escorting us back to Nerva, you will be heading back to Genos, right? You will know what a blissful thing that is after trying this.”
Balan put the sack before the two men and then turned back and looked at his companions.
“Hey, after you are done, put the pot on top of the fire! There’s kiba in there too, so finish it all!”
His companions answered loudly with a wave of their arms.
Before visiting Asuta again next year, Balan and company won’t forget the delicious taste of the kiba. Just how much would that young Asuta improve in a year? That was the only thing Balan and company could do as they drank the kiba poitan soup.
Volume 9 End
After finishing the job at the 《Cryptic Venerable Inn》, we headed to the 《Big Tree of the South Inn》 next.
The 《Cryptic Venerable Inn》 was located rather far from the stone-paved street and was in the middle of the residential zone. So we had to make our way through a narrow alley.
Not much time had passed since noon. Most of the people were working in the shops along the street or in the fields to the south, so there weren’t many pedestrians.
I shouldn’t act too excited in front of the moody Vena Wu, but I couldn’t help whispering to Ai Fa: “We got plenty of great news today. The new dish was well received, we bought cheese, and someone is willing to buy fresh kiba. This is perfect.”
“That’s great. But you still need to make another dish to be sold at that inn, correct?”
“Yes, but we have Gilulu now, so the journey to and fro Post Station Town is shortened. I can delegate the preparation jobs to Leina Wu and the others, so I have more time now. I will figure something out.”
“… You will just keep feeding me dishes made from that red berry though.”
“No, like I said, Ai Fa’s portion will be less spicy.”
“I’m a little peeved that you did that.”
Ai Fa pouted from an angle that Shin Wu and the others couldn’t see.
“Don’t pout. I will make you some hamburg steak with cheese for taste testing too.”
“… You think that will make me happy?”
“Ah, you look blissful when eating hamburg steak.”
I was kicked.
I need to restrain myself from going overboard.
Anyway, Neil is not an ordinary person. He lives in the western kingdom, but his mindset is closer to the people from the east. Not many people will accept kiba that easily though.
But this was still a meaningful step.
Naudiz from the 《Big Tree of the South Inn》 might be thinking about cooking kiba himself, and I had a chance to work with the 《West Wind Inn》 too. If I could convince Milano Mast, I would be able to sell kiba dishes in the 《Kimyusu’s Tail Inn》.
Things felt stagnant just a few days ago, but there had been so much progress in just one day. It was at times like this that I needed to be cautious and take things slow and steady… With that in mind, my strides turned lighter.
This is the fourth day of the fourth contract; there are still six days before the contract is up. Why don’t I rest for two days to research my cooking?
I could only think about all this after on a day off after twenty odd days. Was I a workaholic?
I thought quietly when Ai Fa suddenly grabbed my right arm. Vena Wu and the others behind us also stopped because of that.
Before I could ask her the reason, someone appeared on the path we were heading down.
“Asuta, what coincidence. What you do in a place like this?”
He spoke Western a little awkwardly.
That person pulled back his hood, showing his long brown hair and a smiling dark face. He was Sangjura who visited our stall yesterday.
“Ah, hello. What a coincidence, we are heading back after finishing our work.”
“Work, place like this?”
Sangjura approached us slowly.
Ai Fa was very wary for some reason, but Sanjura was smiling gently like yesterday.
“That’s right. I’m actually catering for an inn. I still need to rush to another inn later.”
“Inn. Could it be…《Cryptic Venerable Inn》?”
“Huh? Yes, it’s the 《Cryptic Venerable Inn》.”
“As I suspect. That inn, serve kiba dishes.”
He continued smiling as he squinted his light colored eyes.
What a charming smile.
“Ah, are you lodging in the《Cryptic Venerable Inn》, Sangjura?”
“Yes. I born in west but like eastern cuisine. So I always choose, inn catered for easterners.”
Aside from how he didn’t conceal his emotions, Sangjura looked just like a Semu. It was only natural for him to lodge in 《Cryptic Venerable Inn》.
A mixed-blood between the east and the west, huh. He probably has a complicated family history too.
I wasn’t that wary of Sangjura, but there was a strange air about him. He felt a little unnatural… and was similar to Shumimaru’s charm and Kamyua Yost’s suspiciousness in a sense. I was drawn to him for some reason.
Maybe it’s because he shows his emotions despite being a Semu.
In any case, I felt good will towards him.
So I bid him farewell with a smile:
“Alright then, I still have work to attend to, may we meet again…”
“Wait. Don’t move, Asuta”
Ai Fa pulled my arm again.
I turned back and was shocked. The rage of a hunter was burning in Ai Fa’s blue eyes.
“W-What’s the matter? He didn’t do anything, right?!”
“It has nothing to do with this man. Someone is watching us.”
Ai Fa said in a soft voice.
“It’s different from yesterday, this gaze is like poison needles. There isn’t anyone around here; I might be able to trace it back. Pretend to know nothing and don’t panic.”
I swept the place with my eyes.
There weren’t signs of anyone else here, much lest a presence.
Sangjura tilted his head a quizzingly.
“What is it? I, don’t sense anything.”
After saying crudely: “Sorry, please don’t talk for now.”, Ai Fa looked at Shin Wu.
Shin Wu nodded and walked calmly to Ai Fa’s side.
“How is it? Did you notice?”
“Yes, faintly. But… this feels like a hunter who is masking his presence.”
“Yes. The townsfolk can’t hide themselves so well… Anyway, the presence is ahead of us, to the right.”
Ai Fa glanced at Sangjura and then whispered to Shin Wu:
“I want to stay here to protect Asuta and the eldest daughter of the Wu clan. Can you go if we find the source? It might be a little dangerous.”
“Understood. To the right… in front of us. Correct? Isn’t that between those two houses?”
“Maybe. Let’s walk on ahead slowly.”
Ai Fa looked towards Sangjura after saying that.
“Easterner… I have a favor to ask.”
“Okay, do what?”
“I hope you can leave immediately, if you have nothing to do with the presence over there.”
Sangjura furrowed his brows puzzledly.
“I don’t understand. But Asuta, you have job later? Then, I go.”
“Yes, sorry about that. I hope you won’t mind.”
I couldn’t grasp the situation myself, so I just apologized vaguely.
Sangjura showed me a refreshing smile before putting on his hood again.
“Tomorrow, I go your stall. I eat Asuta food just now.”
“Ah, is that so? Thank you for your patronage.”
“You welcome. Tomorrow I come early.”
Sangjura made a conscious effort to not go near Ai Fa, as he headed down the way we came from— towards the 《Cryptic Venerable Inn》.
“Alright, let’s go. Asuta and eldest daughter of the Wu clan, continue walking and pretend to not know anything, and slowly go around to my left. Just walk down to the fork road there. Don’t do anything unnatural.”
Ai Fa half closed her hunter’s eyes and led the way.
Aside from her dangerous gaze, her movements were no different from usual.
Was someone really watching us?
Just what is going on here? Things have been strange since yesterday’s morning. If Pyschkurewuss is involved, his men should only be making their moves after the conference…
My heart started to race.
I moved my legs that were growing stiff and slowly drifted towards Ai Fa’s left.
We were less than 5 meters from the road leading to the right. When I noticed, Shin Wu was already on Ai Fa’s right, while Vena Wu was right behind me.
The place was still barren. We will reach the streets in a few more minutes, and the surroundings were still as quiet as a ghost town.
This wasn’t a well-to-do residential area. The closely packed houses were built mostly with wood, which wasn’t too different from the Forest’s Edge settlement. When we were almost at the alley between two houses, Shin Wu suddenly jumped.
Someone who was walking normally disappeared suddenly from my sights.
Shin Wu dashed into the depths of the alley, with his hunter’s cape fluttering behind him.
I yelled “Ahh!” on reflex.
A pebble flew towards Shin Wu from the shadow of a house.
But Shin Wu continued to run at the same speed after tilting his head to evade that attack.
Ai Fa pulled out her saber with a flash to deflect the pebble flying our way.
At the same time, a petite figure jumped out from the shadow of the house.
The figure sprinted down the road with his back to Shin Wu.
It was a child-like figure that was wearing a leather cape that differed from a kiba cape.
“Wait!”
Shin Wu shouted as he grabbed the shoulders of that mysterious person.
In that instant, Shin Wu’s body suddenly flew up into the air.
I couldn’t tell what happened.
When I realized it, Shin Wu’s body had spun in the air and fell down with his back to the ground.
Shin Wu groaned and the assailant turned towards us.
An unfamiliar face.
He wore his hood deep like a Semu.
His stature was short, shorter than Ai Fa and Shin Wu.
Under his yellow leopard-spotted cape were plain clothes.
His skin color… was ivory? He looked tanned and a little dirty, so I wasn’t sure. However, he definitely wasn’t a Semu or a Jaguar.
The small assailant looked at the groaning Shin Wu on the ground and us who were standing 5 to 6 meters away.
He then slowly reached for the weapon by his waist.
On his child-like and girlish waist was a crescent-shaped scimitar.
“Stop!”
Ai Fa roared shrilly.
“You can’t draw your blade in town! Why are you targeting us!?”
Ai Fa yelled as she braced her sheathed blade.
She then said quietly to us with her eyes locked onto the assailant: “Stay behind me.”
The assailant held the hilt of the scimitar as he stared at us.
Shin Wu struggled to get up beside his feet.
The assailant then kicked Shin Wu’s face.
Blood splattered, and Shin Wu collapsed again.
“I told you to stop! You dare lay your hands on a denizen of Forest’s Edge? I will be your opponent!”
That wasn’t something I expected Ai Fa to say.
But Ai Fa probably thought that she couldn’t save Shin Wu if she didn’t say that much. With this distance, no matter how fast Ai Fa was, she couldn’t beat the swing of the assailant’s blade.
The assailant swayed his head a little hesitantly.
Should he turn and run, or stab the enemy by his feet to take down one enemy? That was probably what he was thinking about.
After a short silence in this dangerous atmosphere, the assailant made the third choice.
He charged towards Ai Fa.
“Get down!”
After shouting at us, Ai Fa ducked down.
The assailant covered several meters in an instant, drew his scimitar, and leapt with a yell… and then swung his blade towards Ai Fa.
But their blades didn’t touch the other parties’ body.
A second before they would collide, the assailant vanished.
I couldn’t understand what was happening before me.
In the place of the petite assailant who disappeared was a tall cloaked man.
He was wielding a sheathed blade just like Ai Fa and was facing diagonally from us. It was Sangjura.
“Butting in, sorry. I was worried, so I came back.”
He said calmly with the sheathed blade in his left hand, as he straightened his slightly crouching body.
“Hurt, are you? Probably, safe now.”
I sighed in relief and looked to my left.
Ai Fa was already looking my way.
The assailant who got attacked from the flank by Sangjura held his left shoulder as he rolled on the ground.
Sangjura took three steps forwards and stepped on the scimitar rolling on the ground.
Ai Fa continued bracing her blade warily and said softly: “… Thank you for your help.”
Sangjura looked at the assailant who was writhing in pain and said with a smile: “You are welcome.”
“Maintain peace, responsibility of townsfolk. Hand him, to guards.”
Sangjura then flicked his sword.
The tip of the sheath hooked the hood of the assailant, revealing his face.
Bright red filled our sights.
The assailant’s hair was as red as Lala Wu’s.
Sangjura said quietly: “Please, no struggle. Bandit, are you?”
The assailant who was lying prone got up with his hand on his left shoulder.
“Don’t be absurd! You are calling me a bandit!?”
His voice sounded more childlike than I expected.
But his face was scary.
His messy flame-like hair hung over his cheeks, and yellowish feral light shone out from his bangs.
His brows were furrowed from rage, and he bared his fangs like a carnivorous feline. I couldn’t imagine how he actually looked because of how twisted his face was from rage.
“Damn Semu… If you dare treat me like a bandit, I will kill you…”
“Drawing blade in town, attacking innocent townsfolk. If not bandit, then what?”
Sangjura replied to the youth calmly… then observed this assailant who was a far cry from being calm.
“But your attire… Instead of bandit, like Marsala hunter.”
Ai Fa commented quietly: “Hunter?”
The enraged youth glared at Ai Fa.
“Filthy denizens of Forest’s Edge… I will never forgive you.”
“What are you talking about. If you have any grudge, let me hear it. If you bare your blade at me, I can only respond in kind.”
The youth swung his right arm and yelled: “Shut up!”
A silver flash cut through the air. Ai Fa and Sangjura parried his thrown daggers at the same time with their sheaths.
The daggers fell harmlessly by their feet.
Their reaction was incredibly fast.
However, the youth achieved his goal.
Sangjura left a gap when he adjusted his posture to swing his blade, and that youth snatched the scimitar from under his feet.
That youth was as nimble as a beast.
“I will definitely get my revenge! I swear on my name of Geta, son of Red Beard Goram!”
“What?”
The youth had already turned and left when Ai Fa said that.
The next moment Sangjura who wanted to give chase kept his sheathed sword with a sigh.
“Fast, he run. I can’t catch.”
Ai Fa clicked her tongue and kept her sheathed blade too.
She could probably catch up, but she couldn’t just leave us behind. That youth in a leopard-patterned cape disappeared between the buildings in no time.
“Red beard Goram… Ai Fa, isn’t that the bandit boss that was mentioned yesterday?”
The boss of the “Red Beard Gang”, Goram… Kamyua Yost talked about him before.
In order to find his significant other and child, Kamyua left Genos together with a few hunters of Forest’s Edge.
“What’s going on here? Did Kamyua just miss them? W-What should we do now…”
“Don’t get flustered. Tend to Shin Wu’s injury first.”
Ai Fa glared at me.
“So is bandit after all. Broad daylight, in town. Rare.”
Sangjura smiled leisurely.
He wasn’t fazed at all; I felt the need to change my first impression of him being the type to not get into trouble.
“But I feel, his shoulder blade, fracture. In short time, won’t do crime. Best, leave to guards.”
“… Yes, thank you.”
I answered with a sigh. We couldn’t hand him over to the guards.
Kamyua Yost was searching for the wife and child of Red Beard Goram, they were important witnesses. And the town patrol in the Post Station Town seemed to be members of the Towns Guards commanded by Pyschkurewuss’ brother. We had to find that youth before the guards did.
He can’t forgive the denizens of Forest’s Edge because his father was executed on trumped up charges? Then… the only option is to clear up the truth.
If that youth still hates the denizens of Forest’s Edge… it would be troubling.
I suppressed my urge to sigh over this complicated matter.
This was definitely a trial the Forest’s Edge had to go through. The wrongdoings of Zattsu Tsun, and the denizens who didn’t stop him. Not all the townsfolk thought that the slate was wiped clean when Zattsu Tsun was executed.
A child younger than me, huh; he actually hates us so much… This isn’t normal.
Please appear before us again. Please have a talk with the new tribal chiefs… I murmured in my heart as I looked at the street where the red-haired youth fled.
4
“Shin Wu! What happened to you!”
After finishing our work, we linked up with the group that stayed with the stall. Lala Wu rushed to the pale-faced Shin Wu immediately.
Shin Wu had a bruise under his right eye and his lips were chapped and bleeding. He answered expressionlessly: “I was careless.”
“What do you mean by careless!? Were you assaulted!?”
“Don’t be so loud. You will frighten the town folks.”
Shin Wu remained calm.
Lala Wu leaned onto Shin Wu’s chest and glared at Ai Fa.
“How did Shin Wu get wounded even with Ai Fa around!? Isn’t Ai Fa able to deal easily with any opponents!?”
“That’s enough. Ai Fa performed her task. I failed at mine, so it’s my incompetence at fault; Ai Fa is not to be blamed.”
Ai Fa remained silent.
Ai Fa was probably wary of Sangjura, that’s why she didn’t leave Vena Wu and me alone.
But if she said that, it would be as good as saying Shin Wu wasn’t capable of stopping Sangjura. So Ai Fa didn’t say anything until the end
Shin Wu glanced at Ai Fa and then grabbed Lala Wu’s shoulders.
“Tis but a scratch. I will continue to train so I can do my job properly.”
“But…!”
“Annoying. What’s the use of talking about all that? Instead of getting mad, won’t you be cuter if you cry?”
“You are the annoying one!”
Lala Wu turned towards Ludo Wu, with watery eyes.
“What, so you really are crying. Well… Shin Wu didn’t do too great just now too. At a time like this, you should tell her that you’re sorry for making her worry and then give her a hug.”
Shin Wu didn’t say anything and started to blush.
And, of course, Lala Wu’s face started turning red, and her mouth started gaping because she was too angry.
Ludo Wu started giggling and then showed a sharp gaze in his eyes.
“It’s fine, Asuta and Vena-nee are still alive and kicking. Something must have happened for Shin Wu to become like this. Let’s discuss the details on the way back, Ai Fa.”
“Yes, I don’t want others to hear us.”
“Okay, let’s hurry back to Forest’s Edge…”
Before Ludo Wu could finish, a group of cloak men walked over.
And, of course, they were the Silver Vase.
The person walking at their fore stood before me and Vena Wu and pulled back his hood. Vena Wu almost averted her face, but steeled herself and glared at them with angry eyes instead.
“Asuta, Vena Wu, late I am, sorry. Bid farewell, I come.”
“Thank you, Shumimaru. I’m glad to have met you.”
My feelings were a mixture of anxiousness and relief, but I still answered him with a smile.
Ludo Wu scratched his blonde hair and said: “Ahh, I forgot about you guys.”
“What a hectic day. But… If we stay here, people might call the guards on us?”
Things weren’t that serious, but we were already very prominent. Nine denizens of Forest’s Edge, ten easterners, two Totos and a wagon, a massive group. Even though the stone-paved road was ten meters wide, we were still obstructing normal traffic.
“Why don’t we go around the back of that building? The road leading back to Forest’s Edge has an open space nearby.”
Everyone accepted my proposal unquestioningly and then started moving.
I took the reins from Shela Wu and then headed south along the street.
Shela Wu who had just moved to the back took out something from the wagon and came to me again:
“Asuta, I handed the jerky to the southerners. The remunerations are safekept together with the earnings from the stall.”
“Ahh, thank you. Erm… The special jerky I prepared…”
“They accepted it happily.”
Shela Wu smiled brightly… and showed a brilliant smile.
“Their leader Balan told me to hold on to this.”
“Huh? What is it…?”
“It looks like fruit wine. Seems to be expensive.”
Shela Wu opened the bundle, and there was a rarely seen bottle in it.
It wasn’t the fruit wine that the denizens of Forest’s Edge frequently bought for one red copper plate. These two were like the bottle Kamuyua Yost gifted me in the past and contained smooth and high-quality wine.
“They said… gifting something like this isn’t a custom in Genos or Jaguar. But since Asuta gave them a present too, they will call it even.”
The image of Pops Balan’s angry yelling face appeared before my eyes.
“He also said that he will come back to Genos after a year at most and to not get into any trouble.”
“… I understand, thank you.”
Shela Wu nodded and then went to the back to keep the fruit wine.
Ai Fa then leaned in.
“Asuta, are you crying?”
“Who’s crying, stupid!”
I was careless and answered her a little too loudly. Ai Fa pouted and said: “Why did you call me stupid?”
I apologized and then cast my gaze towards Shumimaru who was walking diagonally ahead of me.
I will be bidding farewell to Pops Balan, Arudas, and Shumimaru today. The emotions in my heart started to well up.
Who’s crying, stupid…
I didn’t even know myself who I was calling stupid, and just walked along in a daze.
We followed the stone-paved path southwards, passed through an alley between two inns, and our field of vision suddenly opened up.
It was a vast empty space. On the opposite side was the looming forest.
Buildings to our back and forest to our front. There was a small worn path leading into right into the Forest’s Edge in the woods.
This was the border between the forest and the Post Station Town.
Which was also the place where the people opposing and supporting our business gathered.
Our two groups faced each other here.
The denizens of Forest’s Edge stood with their backs to the forest, and the easterners had the town behind them. We stood in two rows representing different camps.
“Thank you, let us taste, delicious food.”
Shumimaru made a gang sign and bowed.
The people standing on either side of him also pulled their hoods back.
The only faces I recognized belonged to Shumimaru, the deputy band leader Radajiddo who visited this afternoon, and a young man whose name I didn’t know.
I think he was the one standing at the left edge of the row.
After trying a 『Kiba burger』 sample, he called his brethrens from the caravan over. For my stall, he was the second patron after Tara.
Shumimaru’s first visit of my stall was on the next day.
When the Pops was hollering that this meat tasted nasty and was inedible, the Silver Vase visited my stall. Pops’ mates also came over, causing quite a scene.
That was a month ago.
And now, Shumimaru walked up to me.
Ai Fa was between Vena Wu and me.
But Shumimaru stood before me.
“Asuta, farewell, late, sorry.”
“No, it’s fine…”
“Entire day, in city.”
“Huh?”
“Collect information, about Pyschkurewuss. Investigate, truth, of rumors.”
I was surprised beyond words.
Shumimaru squinted apologetically.
“Butt in, sorry. But help Asuta, I want. How dangerous Pyschkurewuss is, want know… But, truth, no find.”
“But… But why, Shumimaru…?”
“But someone who knows truth, I meet. Help Asuta, that person can. One day, visit 《Cryptic Venerable Inn》, he will.”
A person who knew whether the rumors about Pyschkurewuss were true.
However, the rumors Shumimaru heard were probably not directly related to the denizens of Forest’s Edge.
But that didn’t matter anymore. I was just happy that Shumimaru was so worried about me… as well as angry.
“Shumimaru, why did you do something so dangerous? Aren’t you the one who told me not to go near Pyschkurewuss, Shumimaru?”
“Why Asuta angry, I understand. But help you, I want.”
Shumimaru lowered his gaze depressedly.
“Sorry, restrain myself, I can’t.”
I couldn’t bear a grudge against him after seeing how sad his eyes were.
“I never expect Shumimaru to be so reckless. Even though he looked so steady and calm.”
“Yes. Brethren, say often.”
Contrary to how Shumimaru looked, he was very enthusiastic about chatting.
I smiled even though I felt like crying.
“… But, I’m happy that you are so worried about me. Thank you.”
“Welcome. That man… Michael of Turan, be of help, definitely.”
One of the members of Silver Vase who were listening to us quietly walked up to us slowly.
“Meet that man, you need, denizen of Forest’s Edge. Stars, last night, I read.”
He was an elderly Semu.
His stature was tall, but his dark face was filled with deep wrinkles, and his neck and arms were covered in veins. He had serene eyes, the kind I imagine Shumimaru would have when he gets old.
“Denizens of Forest’s Edge, gain power when meet him. And denizens of Forest’s Edge, own path, will find.”
He was the Semu astrologist.
This was the astrologist who prophesied that the malefic star Zattsu Tsun would fade… He even said that he couldn’t read my star.
I felt my back stiffened.
The elderly man kept his face emotionless, and after looking at me for a while, he shifted his gaze towards Ai Fa.
“You are… star of the cat.”
“What?”
“Malefic star gone, Forest’s Edge, fate, change, revolution. Three-headed lion awaken, lead, Forest’s Edge, future. Star of three-headed lion, flanked by, star of cat, star of monkey, star of hawk. Future, shining brighter.”
“Sorry, I don’t understand you at all. What’s a cat?”
“Forest’s Edge, no cats? Eastern kingdom, have. Animal, sacred. ”
I thought she was a cat-like woman too.
I shifted my gaze back onto Shumimaru.
“… I understand. I will trust Shumimaru’s judgment. If Micheal of Turan shows up, I will speak with him.”
“Yes, help you, he will.”
Shumimaru sighed in relief.
He then showed the right hand that was behind his cloak.
His smooth and dark arms were holding a beautiful bundle.
“Gift, I have, for Asuta.”
“Oh, what is it?”
“Wineglass.”
I tilted my head and opened the bundle.
Inside was a couple of simple transparent cups… the beautiful wine glasses I saw at the Silver Vase’s shop some time ago.
The wine glasses came in a pair.
“Ai Fa, it’s for you…”
I turned back and said.
Ai Fa also widened her eyes in surprise.
“Blessing for meeting Asuta, I want give. What to give, I no know… Radajiddo tell, Ai Fa, Asuta, this wine glass, curiously looked.”
That was over twenty days ago. Ai Fa and I visited the Silver Vase’s shop in order to buy the Semu kitchen knife and the necklace that could ward off misfortune.
Speaking of which, a very tall easterner tended to their shop when Shumimaru wasn’t around.
“Accept please. Thanks, for Fa house dinner.”
With an unhappy gaze in her eyes, Ai Fa said formally: “… This is too expensive as a return gift for treating you to a meal.”
Shumimaru looked at Ai Fa calmly.
“Price, no matter. Gift make Asuta and Ai Fa happy, I want. If you happy with rock, I also give rock. Price, no matter.”
“I can’t beat a cunning linguist like you after all.”
Ai Fa replied, and I felt really hyped up.
I turned to the wagon to fetch my gift for them, and Shela Wu was already handing me that bundle.
I thanked Shela Wu and then handed it to Shumimaru.
“Shumimaru, this is a gift from the Fa house for the ‘Silver Vase’. It is jerky made with a special method; please consume within seven days. It’s more tender compared to normal jerky and can be eaten without any preparation.”
Shumimaru squinted happily and accepted the bundle with thanks.
His gaze alone was a good enough answer for me.
The nine Semy behind him also lowered their heads.
Shumimaru handed the bundle to his companion… then stood before Vena Wu.
“… Vena Wu, much sorry, for two days ago, sudden visit.”
Vena Wu looked at Shumimaru wordlessly.
Shumimaru looked at Vena Wu with a peaceful face too.
“Leave Genos, I, tomorrow.”
“…”
“Half year, back, Genos. Work Genos, one month, back, Semu. That, ‘Silver Vase’, way of life.”
“…”
“Then, half year, rest home. Then, one year, journey. Continue, until old, can’t travel. Journey, we love. Plainsmen, we are, life is journey.”
Vena Wu muttered softly: “… You spend more time traveling than at home… I think that’s a nice way of living too… I yearn for the world outside of Forest’s Edge and am envious of such a life… But, I’m… still a denizen of Forest’s Edge…”
Vena Wu didn’t show any expression on her face.
But that didn’t mean there weren’t any ripples in her heart; she was probably working hard to not show her wavering feelings.
“I can’t abandon my family… The souls of the denizens of Forest’s Edge must return to the mother forest…”
Shumimaru nodded gently as he gazed into Vena Wu’s eyes.
“Right way to think, that is. But… think two days, I. Make up mind, I did.”
“…”
Shumimaru said with conviction: “I, to Vena Wu, propose marriage.”
Lala Wu and I held our breaths…
Vena Wu shook her head gently.
“Didn’t you hear what I said…?”
“I hear.”
“… You want me to abandon the Forest’s Edge and my family…?”
“No.”
“Then, you want to give up on the traveling you love…?”
“No.”
“Then what do you want…? I don’t understand what you are saying…”
“Give up work in caravan, I can’t. But in Semu, no family. For me, nine brethrens of ‘Silver Vase’, my everything.”
Shumimaru said calmly:
“So, abandon Semu, become denizen of Forest’s Edge, I will. As… denizen of Forest’s Edge, continue work in ‘Silver Vase’.”
Emotions appeared on Vena Wu’s face for the first time.
She looked at Shumimaru with her light colored eyes, as if she was seeing something she couldn’t believe.
“But… Abandoning Semu means disavowing your god… Your companions will no longer be your brethrens…?”
“Yes. But forgive me, everyone did. Continue work, they allow. Work as friend, not brethren.”
“… Things won’t be so easy…”
Vena Wu hugged herself as if she was feeling cold.
Shumimaru looked at Vena Wu calmly as he always did.
“Only, bad thing, two. I, be westerner, ‘Silver Vase’, no go Mahildra. I, no stay Semu. But… brethren say, fine. No brethren, still friend.”
“But…”
“Give up, business in Mahildra. Procure goods, my brethrens, in Semu. Radajiddo… said. Radajiddo, take over, bandleader. I, as westerner, and denizen of Forest’s Edge, work in ‘Silver Vase’.”
“…”
“People from plains, soul, return to plains. I, to Forest’s Edge, offer soul. Give up, plains, my home, painful. But, nine friends, and Vena Wu, I blissful.”
Shumimaru’s voice was as calm as his eyes.
But he tried his best to express himself with his limited grasp of the western language.
“Like I explain, leave home, one year, rest home, half year. But Semu, far. Semu, Genos, come and go, two months each. Aside from journey, away from home, about 8 months. Also, do work Genos, two months. If Genos is home, only leave, for half year. Leave Forest’s Edge, six months, rest of time, I want, be with Vena Wu.”
“But… You can’t hunt kiba, right…?”
“Cannot. But, I travel western kingdom. Get knowledge, all kinds. Get weapons, all kinds. Give Forest’s Edge, hunt kiba, new techniques. What I can do, that is.”
“… My father is the tribal chief of Forest’s Edge, you know…? He will never allow a foreigner to marry into the family…”
“Convince Donda Wu, I will. Make Vena Wu happy, I swear. Half year, when I back Genos, show power, to him.”
Shumimaru took off the accessories on his hand calmly as he spoke.
It was a silver bangle with small pink stones embedded in it.
“Vena Wu, peace be with you. Accept my gift, will you?”
“I…”
She stopped mid-sentence.
After a moment of silence, Vena Wu looked up into Shumimaru’s eyes.
“… I don’t know how to interact with an unfathomable person like you…”
Shumimaru tilted his head quizzingly.
And then…
He suddenly smiled:
“Become denizen of Forest’s Edge, I work hard, show feelings. Embarrassing. But, necessary, I think.”
He had a pure, warm smile that was just like Sangjura’s.
Vena Wu furrowed her brows troublingly.
“I trouble, few days… I trouble, one month. Worry I am, when Vena Wu injured. I know. Vena Wu, I need. Vena Wu, I want to be with.”
“But…”
“Vena Wu, worry for me, I happy. Half year, before I back Genos, can you consider? Half year, if reply, I happy.”
Shumimaru reached out his hands timidly and took Vena Wu’s hand.
He put the silver bangle in Vena Wu’s hand.
“This half year, I swear, think of Vena Wu, nightly. I love… Vena Wu.”
Vena Wu held that bangle tightly and lowered her head. I couldn’t see her facial expressions.
After Shumimaru looked at her one last time, he turned to me again.
He was still smiling gently as usual.
“Well then, back, we go. Next meet, half year after. Asuta, Vena Wu, Ai Fa, Ludo Wu… and friends names I no learn yet, peace be with all you. May Forest’s Edge, bright future.”
“Yes, take care… I look forward to seeing you again.”
Shumimaru nodded and turned around.
His brethrens did a simple bow and then turned too.
I silently watched the backs of ten tall and cloaked easterners.
This was goodbye.
No matter how short half a year was, we wouldn’t be able to meet again until that time passes.
It had been two months since I came here.
In half a year, I might see them again.
I might meet Pops Balan and company a year later too.
However, it wouldn’t be a surprise if I just disappeared for good.
Anyone could die anytime, even me, but I still couldn’t break myself free from the feelings of unease.
This could be goodbye for forever.
I wouldn’t be able to hear that gentle voice and those warm eyes.
Could I bear witness to Shumimaru and Vena Wu’s future?
My chest started hurting as if it was being crushed.
Ai Fa asked: “… Asuta, are you crying?”
I answered: “Who’s crying, stupid.”
Ai Fa didn’t respond.
I hoped she would brush the corners of my eyes gently, but she just ruffled my hair violently.
And so, after meeting all kinds of people, the Green month where I bid farewell to all kinds of people ended.
Mid Meal Snack~ The Architects from the Southern Kingdom
Asuta of the Fa house is a queer man… Balan thought mindlessly on the wagon pulled by a Totos.
He had finished his work in Genos and was on his way back to Nerva. On the first day of the White month, they set off from Genos first thing in the morning. It was almost noon now. The stone-paved road was smooth, so the wagon didn’t shake too much, and his companions yawned a little drowsily.
Balan and company who worked as architects stayed in Genos from the middle of the Green month to the end of the Blue month. It took them one and a half months to finish their work. The buildings in the Genos Post Station Town were mostly Jaguar style, so Balan and company headed to the Post Station Town annually to perform maintenance work.
And they met the strange youth from the Fa house, Asuta, at that place.
He was a madman.
His appearance looked like a normal westerner, with an uncommon combination of dark hair and dark eyes. His had yellowish skin and a normal face and body. Even though he wasn’t from this continent, there was no way to prove that. No one would have suspected that he wasn’t a homegrown westerner.
So the strange thing about Asuta wasn’t his appearance, but what lay inside.
For unknown reasons, Asuta became a denizen of Forest’s Edge and opened a business in a stall.
The denizens of Forest’s Edge were people who had once betrayed Jaguar.
However, they weren’t true Jaguar people in the first place and had secluded themselves in the ‘Dark Jungle’, shunned by others since ancient times. Terrible man-eating beasts known as black apes dwelled in the Dark Jungle, so sane Jaguar people never ventured into it.
The Dark Jungle disappeared eight decades ago. No one could be certain, but it seemed to have been burned down during their war with the enemy Semu nation. Balan’s hometown was located in the peaceful western side of the country, so he wasn’t involved with all this.
Anyway, the denizens of Forest’s Edge lost their homes and moved to the Morga Forest’s Edge of the western kingdom Selva. They neither started to cultivate the land like real Jaguar people nor engaged the Semu in war; instead, the tribe chose to flee to the remote western kingdom.
Changing one’s faith was a serious taboo in this continent. So not just Jaguar, even Selva ostracized the denizens of Forest’s Edge.
And of course, Balan was cold towards the denizens of Forest’s Edge.
But it wasn’t because of what happened in the past, but due to his present feelings.
The denizens of Forest’s Edge pissed him off.
Their light tanned skin reminded him of the Semu, and many denizens of Forest’s Edge resembled the Semu too. Just like the Semu people, he felt that they couldn’t get along with the Jaguar people.
And the denizens of Forest’s Edge also avoided others in Genos. They occasionally visited the Post Station Town to sell the tusks and horns of kiba and buy salt and vegetables, but they didn’t interact with others. For the Jaguar who thought of forthrightness as a virtue, this was the part that displeased him the most.
The youth named Asuta colluded with this group.
Which was why their first meeting was such a disaster. He felt pissed off right after meeting Asuta, who was peddling food from the symbol of disaster, kiba, with a group of pretty Forest’s Edge girls. Such foolishness enraged him. And the kiba he tried had a weird mushy texture, which was hard to accept, contributing to the idea that Asuta’s actions were retarded.
In the end, I went out of my way to buy kiba jerky. He must think of me as a laughingstock.
He thought distractedly as he looked at the sack at a corner of the wagon.
Balan was only opposed to kiba in the first few days. After Asuta started selling the new dish made with myam, Balan’s stubbornness was shattered.
It was unbelievably delicious.
So good that he couldn’t imagine that it was made from the same kiba used in the last dish he tried.
After eating kiba for some time, the unique taste of the kiba grew of him, and Balan even bought kiba jerky.
The meals Asuta catered at the inn were also fantastic.
That dish served in the 《Big Tree of the South Inn》, where Balan was lodging in, was an even bigger shock.
The food made with Tau sauce was so incredibly good that his eyes almost popped out. Tau sauce was a seasoning from Jaguar. He had not eaten something so delicious back at home.
There was scantly any chance to eat such a high-class cuisine in the Genos Post Station Town.
Generally speaking, the food from his hometown Nerva was better. Genos was a prosperous city, and the quality of the fuwano and fruit wine were excellent, and there were plenty of fruits and vegetables too. However, the meat and seasoning were crude.
Only a few inns served food made from Tau sauce while sugar and honey were completely absent. Genos wasn’t too far from Jaguar, but all these ingredients were sold in the city, so Balan and company who could only visit the Post Station Town had no chance of eating them.
In contrast, this readily available karon meat that couldn’t be found in Jaguar was normal. But it was seasoned with salt and spices since there wasn’t any Tau sauce and sugar. The quality of the fuwano and fruit wine might be good, but since there wasn’t a large quantity of vegetables, the food here wasn’t really sumptuous.
Hence, Asuta’s cooking tasted exceptionally good.
The dishes made from aria, tarapa, and myam at his stall were great, and his ability to make dishes with Tau sauce, which was the taste of home to Balan, made this impeccable.
And kiba wasn’t really a high-class ingredient either. Balan couldn’t accept it when it was minced and melded, but if it was sliced normally, the kiba tasted better than kimyusu and karon meat.
The taste was a little strong, but it was fine if strong seasoning like myam and Tau sauce were used. After getting used to it, the flavor grew on him. The meat was fatty and the texture was impeccable, and he never criticized kiba dishes ever again.
It is a little infuriating.
Balan felt as if he had lost for some reason.
Originally, Balan didn’t want anything to do with Asuta and the denizens of Forest’s Edge.
But Asuta went out of his way to invite Balan to try his new dish.
Back then, Balan grumbled that he would never visit Asuta’s stall again. But even so, Asuta still asked someone to pass the message: “ Please come and try this new dish.”
And so, Asuta’s dark eyes sparkled with a smile when he saw Balan being surprised by the delicious 『Myam-roasted meat』.
Asuta said: “When you complained that the 『Kiba burger』 tastes bad, I was really frustrated. And thanks to you, I did all I could to think up a solution. I’m very grateful.”
He seemed to have made a lot of effort to convey his thoughts.
Jaguar people would say whatever came to their mind, while other people wasted effort on conveying their thoughts.
From that moment on, Balan visited Asuta’s stall every day.
That was when the Green Month was ending and the Blue Month was beginning, so he ate Asuta’s cooking for one month.
During this time, Balan and the other denizens of Forest’s Edge also got to know each other. Aside from the girls helping at the stall, he also got to meet the fearsome looking hunters of Forest’s Edge.
That was because a villain from Forest’s Edge was threatening the safety of the Post Station Town. In the middle of the Blue Month, the villain of Forest’s Edge was executed in the town.
Ever since then, Balan got to know the denizens of Forest’s Edge even better.
Some of them were more forthcoming than a Semu and could even match a Jaguar.
They might be stubborn and keep to themselves, but the Jaguar had no rights to accuse Forest’s Edge denizens about that either. The denizens might be quiet, but they believed they were doing the right thing and took pride in their every move.
The girls with cold attitude at the stalls gradually warmed up to others with the passage of time. Not only did they look good, they were hardworking too. Balan even had the foolish thought of letting his son marry a girl from Forest’s Edge.
But as Balan and company slowly got to know the mysterious denizens of Forest’s Edge, the Blue month was over.
The wind from the window brushed Balan’s hair and beard, and he grunted.
One of his companions sat up uneasily, probably disturbed by Balan’s actions.
“Huh, Pops, you still awake? You sure are lively so early in the morning.”
He was the deputy of the group, Arudas. He was old friends with Balan, and they had worked together for more than ten years.
“Ah, my head feels a little dizzy. I drank too much yesterday.”
“Fufu, I was worried about you spending all the money you earned in the Post Station Town in just one night.”
“You are exaggerating too much. Just ten or twenty bottles of fruit wine won’t deplete the money we earned.”
Arudas leaned against the wagon and laughed heartily.
Amongst the short southerners, Arudas was very tall. His hands were nimble, making him a great member of the architect group.
“After working for a month and a half, partying hard on the last night isn’t too much. But… Asuta’s cooking is really great. I think we ate all the kiba dishes in the inn last night.”
“… Hmmp.”
“Ah, just thinking about it makes me hungry. It’s almost noon, right? We don’t need to rush today either, so let’s start a fire and make a good meal.”
Without waiting for Balan to reply, Arudas called out to the driver: “Hey! It’s time for lunch! How about finding a good spot to start a fire?”
“Alright, this area should be safe.”
The young driver answered energetically.
The wagon stopped in a short while.
“Hey, time to get up! Get up or you will miss out on lunch!”
Arudas yelled, and the rest of the people got up slowly.
They got off the wagon, with a barren desert to their right and thick vegetation to their left.
The dark Morga mountain loomed over them to the northeast, deep within the woods. It was as foreboding as ever.
There was a barren land on the left, probably the result of excessive tree felling. The ground was cracked from the lack of water, and nothing was growing there.
“What’s happening, taking a break? What a leisurely journey.”
A voice came from up top. It was an escort who was riding on his personal Totos. The journey from Genos to Nerva was fraught with danger, so the hired two guards to escort them.
“We should reach the next Post Station Town by nightfall. So everyone will want to eat a good meal now, right? I will forage for branches, just wait here.”
“Get some guys to go with you. There might be munto here.”
One of the escorts got down his Totos and followed Arudas and his group into the woods.
The two wagons joined together and parked by the side of the woods, allowing the Totos to feed. The Totos took their time to eat the leaves on the trees.
“Hmm, this place sure is quiet. The bustling scene in Genos is just like a dream.”
The young man who finished tending to the Totos stretched his back.
It was quiet indeed. By this time, the travelers would have started to rest, and there were no other wagons in sight. Birds flew in the clear sky, and the soft caress of the wind felt really soothing.
“But this trip was really enjoyable. This is the first time I didn’t want to leave Genos.”
“You can’t party so hard at home, right?”
“Yup, but the thing I will miss the most is the kiba dishes.”
The young man sighed depressedly.
“Even if it is kiba, the taste won’t be too different from karon after getting made into jerky, right? Sigh, we can’t eat kiba in Jaguar, right?”
“… Even Nerva which is the closest to Genos is half a month away by wagon. If you don’t like jerky, want to try bringing a kiba with us?”
“Ehh, forget it.”
As they were chatting, Arudas came back. Aside from the escort, all six men carried branches in their arms.
“This much should do, right? Hey, bring out the pot!”
A young man handed a pot from inside the wagon to his companion outside.
“This is the sack of kiba jerky, right? What about this small sack?”
“Oh, that’ the special jerky Asuta prepared for us. He said we have to finish it within seven days. Let’s eat it first.”
They piled the branches on the ground and then surrounded it with rocks. A pot was stacked on top of the rocks, and water was poured inside.
Aria and poitan were thrown right in. Arudas then opened the small sack and said: “Hmm?”
“By the way, he said the jerky can be eaten directly. It will be a pity to boil it together with the poitan.”
“The gooey poitan soup will overwhelm the taste of the meat. But if we don’t add jerky, the poitan soup won’t be palatable either.”
“Add in half a meal of normal jerky into the pot and then give out half a meal portion of this special jerky.”
The others nodded after hearing Arudas words, and started cutting the normal jerky with their knives.
After the jerky was tossed into the boiling pot of water, the others added in diced myam. Poitan soup was a bland tasting dish, resembling mud water. It was difficult to eat it without adding strong seasoning like Tau sauce.
One of the escorts asked puzzledly: “Hey, you guys were talking about kiba earlier; is that thing kiba jerky?”
He was a skilled swordsman introduced to them by someone in the 《Big Tree of the South Inn》. This westerner from another city had brown hair and yellow skin. He claimed to be a former mercenary and had a leather chest plate, a sword, and an elegantly designed sheath. He looked completely different from the ruffians in the Post Station Town.
“Hey, you have stayed in Genos for quite some time. Haven’t you heard about the kiba dishes? We patronize that stall every day.”
“I have heard of that before, but I can’t eat that thing. I will be fine with the jerky I bought for myself.”
“Huh? You are not from Genos, so why do you hate kiba so much?”
“That’s because kiba and the denizens of Forest’s Edge have a bad reputation.”
Balan got mad when he heard that.
“Have the denizens of Forest’s Edge and kiba caused you any trouble before? If not, aren’t you fearing kiba dishes because of baseless rumors?”
“That’s not the reason. I don’t avoid kiba out of personal preference. It’s just that I can’t work properly if I eat something my stomach isn’t used to.”
“Hmmp! Can you work properly as escorts with such a frail bodies? How unreliable.”
It was the two men’s turn to get angry.
Arudas mediated and said: “Hey, relax.”
“No need to force yourself to eat kiba. After the job is done, I will include the cost of the jerky into your remuneration… Pops, don’t get so worked up.”
“Hmmp! I’m just saying the truth, what’s wrong with that? Given how much they fear kiba, can they really fend off munto and bandits?”
“Hey, that’s going too far.”
“Just shut up and try a piece of kiba! You will be surprised by how good it tastes.”
Balan grabbed some special jerky from the sack Arudas was holding.
However, he was shocked by the slimy sensation. It was thick and rich in fats, just like fresh meat.
The inside of the sack was protected by the smooth fake rubber tree leaves. The jerky had so much fats that the sack had to be protected in such a way.
“This is jerky? But it isn’t dry?”
“This is special jerky! It can only be kept for seven days, but retains the original taste!”
After saying that, Balan took a bite. It was tender, and he could bite through it without cooking it in the pot. The toughness was on par with charbroiled meat.
And… the taste left Balan speechless.
It was salty and spicy and had a strong taste of spice. After removing moisture with salt, this jerky was grilled with spice.
However, the taste of the kiba had been perfectly retained.
Not just that, the delicious taste had been condensed. As he chewed, the oil within gushed out, bringing indescribable joy.
Despite the strong saltiness, the taste of the meat was still there. Only the strong taste of the kiba could rival the taste of the salt and spice. Even if karon and kimyusu were treated in the same way, it couldn’t replicate this texture.
“What’s the matter Pops? Does Asuta’s special jerky taste bad?”
“Ahh… Of course it’s good! Hey, make way!”
Balan pushed aside the young man tending the fire and squatted down. He then stuck the meat he had taken a bite of onto the tip of his knife and held it over the fire.
The fats from the meat dripped down slowly.
A fragrance spread out with the sizzling fire.
One of his companions gulped and said: “Hey, the fragrance from grilling it is incredible.”
Balan pulled back his knife, blew on the grilled jerky, and sent it to his mouth.
As he suspected, it was more delicious than eating it directly.
A jerky made from salt and spice was actually as tasty as normal cooking. Pops Balan took a deep breath and didn’t know what to say.
“Pops! Don’t just eat it by yourself, let us have a try too!”
“Hey, someone, bring out the skewers!”
The architects started scrambling for the jerky.
The pot was moved aside, and numerous skewers were set up by the fire. The escorts were shocked by this scene.
“Ah, this tastes really great!”
“It’s good enough to be sold in the Post Station Town. Ah, I want to drink wine.”
“Hey, you are eating too much! You want to finish all of it on the first day?”
Arudas lectured with a satisfied smile on his face.
Balan snapped out of it and snatched back the sack of jerky. He looked at his companions who were behaving like kids and then walked to the escorts.
“… Sorry for shouting at you just now. Please take this as an apology for the bad temper of a Jaguar man.”
“Ah, I don’t really mind…”
“Can I invite you to try this again? As you can see, this will get gobbled all up by tomorrow, so now is the only chance. I think this is worth a try.”
The escorts glanced at each other with troubled expressions.
Balan looked at them and laughed heartily in a southern way.
“The denizens of Forest’s Edge are westerners too, so they are your fellow citizens, correct? Your fellow citizens made something so delicious for us; you will be fools to turn this down. You can get mad at me if you find it nasty, but just think of this as me tricking you, and just try it.”
“…”
“I really envy you. After escorting us back to Nerva, you will be heading back to Genos, right? You will know what a blissful thing that is after trying this.”
Balan put the sack before the two men and then turned back and looked at his companions.
“Hey, after you are done, put the pot on top of the fire! There’s kiba in there too, so finish it all!”
His companions answered loudly with a wave of their arms.
Before visiting Asuta again next year, Balan and company won’t forget the delicious taste of the kiba. Just how much would that young Asuta improve in a year? That was the only thing Balan and company could do as they drank the kiba poitan soup.
Volume 9 End
