Bundling the Ultimate Prize
The doljabi itself was ridiculous enough, but the items laid out for it were downright ferocious. Swords, spears, arrows—what the heck is that? Some kind of drink?
"Oh dear, be careful now. That's poison, you know."
"Eek!"
Is it really okay to just leave stuff like that out? Yeah, no touching anything near the poison bottle. We'd killed hundreds, but they were just monsters in the end, so nothing really valuable caught my eye. I skimmed over the long line of trophies as I walked. Rippling Earth Serian stuck by my side, tempting me with nonsense like "A sword would be good," or "A dagger's not bad for a kid," none of which appealed to me in the slightest.
"No. I mean, why the hell are things like that even in a doljabi...? Huh? What's that...."
Deeper in, there were things on a red cloth that looked good at first glance. The red cloth was a flag from the demon king's army. On top of it sat a dented but still appealing suit of armor, a stylishly huge greatsword, and amid some unidentified junk, a few sparkling gems.
"Whoa~ Check this out? All the good stuff's right here, huh?"
"Oopsie! Busted. Hohoho."
I'd hoped for a flustered look from Serian, but she just laughed it off with exaggerated cheer. She'd probably expected this from the start. Lame.
"So, what're you gonna pick? I'll let you in on it—these are the most valuable things here."
Yep, demon race possessions for sure. They had a totally different sheen from the other trophies. Monsters wouldn't carry gems around, right? I examined the items on the red cloth one by one. First, the armor—pass. Dented and the wrong size anyway. What the heck smashed it like that? Next, the greatsword. Just looking at it stirred up that classic male fantasy (even if I'm a girl now...)—a massive, badass blade. Cool, but not practical for me. Too unwieldy; not my style. Oh, a whip too. I could guess its use—probably for driving chariots. Nothing usable in the weapons pile.
Miscellaneous junk next. Leather pouch. Empty. Pass. Gaudy wooden trinket. Not my taste. Pass. Something that looks like a cigarette. I'm a non-smoker now, but keep it for now. Leather coin purse. Peering inside, something shiny. Is that money?
"Serian. Is this money?"
"Yep. Gold coins used by demons. Hell's currency."
These guys have a monetary system? The whiff of civilization for the first time got me a little excited. Beastkin tribes are communal, so no real concept of money. But since Serian knew about it, maybe they had the idea but no need for it. Wait, did she just say hell?
"Hell?"
"Where the demons live. The Northern Mystery."
Demons from hell, huh. So hell actually exists in reality? I recalled the demon I'd glimpsed from afar yesterday. Purple skin, horns on the head—straight-up devil material. And they really came from hell. But even hell needs money, apparently. Makes sense; money's the scariest thing out there. Fits right in.
Another name for that hell: Northern Mystery. The plains are the Western Mystery, right? So are there Southern and Eastern Mysteries too? What's the reference point for directions? Curiosity piled on endlessly. But Serian didn't seem keen to elaborate. Focus on the doljabi.
Hell's money was gold coins—heavy-looking pouch full of 'em. Not a small amount. But money only good in hell, right? Demons are mortal enemies to beastkin, and vice versa. Can't spend it right now. Still, gold's gold—tempting. They say grabbing money in doljabi is lucky, yeah? Keep it.
Finally, the gems. Various sizes, all glowing purple. Roughly cut, not polished.
"Serian. What kind of gems are these?"
"Ah, not gems. Mana stones."
Mana stones? Classic fantasy novel trope. Did they pull these from the demons we killed? Looks like they shattered way more than these four to get 'em.
"Mana stones are versatile ores for all sorts of things. Process 'em specially, and they unleash special powers. Even raw, they're great—burn 'em as fuel, lasts way longer than charcoal; use in laundry, stains come right off; as material for shamanism or druidism, way less strain."
Sounded like some wasteful uses in there, but overall, a true all-purpose energy source. Demons have these in their hearts?
"Mana stones come from veins in mountains or deep underground. Size matters, but quality's key for efficiency."
Nope, not in hearts then—buried in the earth.
"How good's this one?"
"Not an expert, but from a demon? At least mid-grade. Hell's full of high-quality ones—that's why they fight nonstop over 'em. Pathetic, right?"
Serian glared sullenly at the mana stone. Anything demon-related rubbed her wrong.
"You seem really into the mana stone. Gonna pick that?"
"...Isn't coaching during doljabi cheating?"
"What's wrong with it? That's how it goes."
True. Back in my old life, I worked a doljabi event as a student part-timer, and everyone interfered like crazy whenever a kid reached for something. What to pick? One stands out, but they're all tempting. Gold's useless right now. Most bang for buck here? Mana stone, hands down.
As I leaned toward it, I caught Serian smiling at me. Rippling Earth Serian. One of the seven beastkin elders, the youngest at under forty—a grand druid at the pinnacle of deer beastkin. No idea what feat earned her "Rippling Earth" or made her elder, but no one dismissed her. Other tribesmen respected her, even Bear Elder. If anything, she downplayed herself with her light attitude. She had hidden depths I didn't know.
Think it through. She knows the most valuable item here—her casual vibe proved it. Maybe just enjoying my choice innocently, but more likely waiting to tease if I picked wrong, then reveal the best one. Why? I'd teased her plenty before. Perfect revenge timing. Damn, shoulda faked excitement at the hair-tying demo. Reading her face was pointless—she just grinned. Missing something? I paced, pondering, but mana stone was still best.
Sigh. Give up and grab the mana stone. Let her have her stress relief.
I looked up, decision made. "...!"
While pacing, she'd backed off unnoticed. That's when I saw it. A bright red flag, visible even from afar...
Rippling Earth Serian was in a great mood. All because of the adorable little bear cub bouncing in front of her.
'Aww~ So cute.'
Ursa, the bear beastkin girl, had been agonizing for thirty minutes straight. Staring holes into the trophies, sneaking peeks at her—irresistibly cute.
'Should I just chomp her?'
Nah. Might get counterpunched. That tiny thing packed insane strength unlike her looks; she'd probably win in a fistfight.
What was she fretting over? She did weird stuff often, but this time her thoughts were especially intriguing. Obvious she was weighing value. But why the glances? She'd already given hints—skimmed other items, detailed the mana stone. Most valuable trophy? Mana stone, obviously. And Ursa knew it; her eyes changed during the explanation. Yet still hesitating, like something better existed.
Maybe it did? The kid was special. Might uncover value even an elder missed.
Their eyes met. Her red eyes reflected Serian. Red eyes, black hair—an impossible combo. Beasts or beastkin with red eyes always had white fur. But this kid ruffled her black locks in frustration. Other suspicious points galore: unknown origins, unexplained knowledge, bizarre speech and trivia. Just asked about money—what's that? We don't even use it.
A walking enigma. But no urge to solve it. Good kid. Everyone has secrets. Not all elders agreed—Bear Elder treated her like a daughter; Snake and Hawk elders intrigued. Tiger and Wolf? Indifferent, self-absorbed. But Wolf and Tiger Elders suspected—Timing's off~ Suspicious~ Without seeing her themselves! Once warriors returned after settling, how would Wolf and Tiger act? Not kindly to Ursa.
Oh well. She'd mediate then. Bear Elder wouldn't handle them well; kid might get hurt. No parents...
Stop. Not helpful, and she'd decided anyway.
Whatever she thought, Ursa returned confidently, head high. Adorable.
'Mana stone for sure.'
Ursa stood before it. Correct. Impressive for her age— so cautious. Other kids would've snatched entrance junk or that flashy greatsword ages ago. Loved her thoughtful, optimal choice.
"Serian."
The kid spoke up.
"Yeah?"
"Doljabi's just grabbing and lifting one item, right?"
"That's right."
"So everything under what I lift is mine?"
Aha. That's the dilemma. Mana stones sat on a cloth. Grab one stone, get one. But grab that cloth...
Serian hadn't considered it. Smart kid. She nodded proudly; Ursa beamed.
"Decided?"
"Yup."
The kid reached—not for the stone cloth, but the larger red one beneath.
'Ah...!'
That red was the army flag—huge, visible afar, big enough for two people lying down. Ursa gathered both ends with both hands.
Rumble rumble.
Items slid together. She shifted, gathered the other side.
Rumble rumble.
All flag items piled in one spot. Now a bundle. She slung it over her shoulder.
Aw~ Bear Elder must be thrilled. Why wasn't she a deer?
"Hup, cha-cha-cha."
Doljabi done. In hand: one massive red bundle.
"How's that, Serian? Counts, right?"
Heh.
"Ah, ahahaha! Hahaha!"
Can't hold it. Too hilarious. That smug face—so lovable?
"Yes, Ursa! Perfect answer! Ahahaha!"
Aw~ What'd she say earlier? Mediate when elders returned? Cancelled! Screw mediating. If taking sides, go all in. Who else would back her? Not dopey Bear Elder. Tiger? Wolf? Touch her kid, and she'd bury 'em.