Chapter 364: The Path of Penance
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 364: The Path of Penance
My mind was a tangled mess. Even with the Land of Glory right before my eyes, the confusion remained. Lapura and Laveua, sensing the unusual atmosphere, kept glancing between me and our surroundings. Hark and the other elite Orc swordsmen were the same. Since I was on edge, they too were on high alert.
What was interesting was that the Goff Clan was in the same state. The Ogres of the Goff Clan, having realized their chieftain was in a foul mood, were cautiously watching him.
You couldn’t say our conversation had gone well. Goff had vented his feelings at me and stormed off, and I hadn’t given him a firm answer. Still, this wasn’t the kind of atmosphere I enjoyed, so I forced a smile as I stepped onto the Land of Glory.
“Woooooow!”
Laveua, whose feet were a wreck from the long march, let out a cry of wonder. After crossing the desert, a lush forest appeared, and beyond that forest lay a vast, green plain.
‘The Land of Glory.’
Giant palisades stood tall on the green plains, and tents and structures built in the unique Green Skin architectural style came into view.
“So this… is the Land of Glory.”
“That’s right.”
Lapura replied calmly before turning her gaze to the massive structure that was a fortress, yet not a fortress.
“It feels different from the Brother’s Land! Dad!”
It was certainly different. The Brother’s Land, for instance, was built with human architecture as a reference. We adopted what was necessary and discarded the rest. If the Land of Glory felt like it was preserving tradition, the Brother’s Land definitely felt newly built.
I glanced at Goff, and it was only natural to feel a little hurt that he wouldn’t even meet my gaze. It seemed he had no intention of speaking to me until this matter was settled.
“It’s so vast and grand. It’s magnificent.”
“It’s a place where history is alive. Just like I heard! Right, Lapura?”
“Yes. Even more so than I imagined. Sis, you’re too close.”
“Ah! O-Oh. Sorry.”
Laveua’s plan to share the emotional moment of seeing the Land of Glory with her younger sister failed spectacularly. Lapura could have been a little more receptive, but her reaction made it seem like she found her older sister’s over-eagerness burdensome.
“Alright, let’s go in.”
I nodded, and Lapura and Laveua nodded in unison. Just as we were about to move, someone behind us began to speak.
“To think Storm Shadow is already retiring. It’s unacceptable. We must formally protest!”
I didn’t remember his name, but he was a Green Skin who had arrived long before us. His martial strength was by no means great, but he was a Green Skin who had lived in the same generation as Agar, Sand Glave, and Storm Shadow. From his perspective, Storm Shadow’s sudden retirement was naturally a source of discontent.
In fact, he wasn’t the only one. Even among those who supported Goff and me, there were some who did not welcome Storm Shadow’s retirement. Electing the next Great Tribe Leader was, after all, a secondary option.
As soon as his voice rang out, like the roar of an angry mob, chieftains and clan members from all over began to voice their own opinions.
“Storm Shadow is still healthy and able to fight!”
“That’s right! We can’t let him step down from the front lines!”
There were those who simply didn’t want Storm Shadow to retire, without any particular reason.
“To step down at a time like this is certainly… irresponsible. A lot has changed. Storm Shadow must take responsibility for what he has done before he retires.”
“Especially now that Sand Glave has returned to the earth, he is a great pillar of Green Skin society.”
The same went for the smarter ones, armed with their own logic. The chieftains who had visited Goff and me were quietly observing the situation. They likely didn’t want Storm Shadow to step down either, so they didn’t seem to have any intention of stopping the others.
“Open the gates! Announce that the chieftains of each region have arrived!”
They had been talking amongst themselves on the way here, but it seemed their patience had run out the moment they set foot in the Land of Glory. They looked ready to storm Storm Shadow’s tent before they were even assigned tents for their own clans.
When the gatekeepers hesitated, a few Minotaurs took matters into their own hands and forced the gates open themselves.
“We must formally protest.”
“Aye! That we must.”
They must have known we were coming, but this felt too rushed. Still, Storm Shadow not retiring was quite advantageous for me as well. It would eliminate the need for useless worries.
It seemed he had already made up his mind, but who knew if they could sway him. I began to quietly watch the situation unfold.
“We must go to the Great Tribe Leader’s tent at once and express our feelings.”
“Aye!”
The one leading the charge was the same one who had started it all. He stomped toward Storm Shadow’s tent, breathing heavily, and the other Green Skins followed close behind. Of course, the Green Goblins, Earth Wave, and I moved with them, as did Goff, Big Ogre, and Silver Fang.
“Great Tribe Leader Storm Shadow, we have come with the other chieftains who do not wish for your retirement!”
The impatient Green Skin roughly yanked open the tent flap. The sight that met our eyes was quite unexpected.
It might have been the first time the other chieftains were seeing her, but it was a familiar face to those of us who had gone on that dungeon expedition together.
‘Park… A-jung?’
She was wearing an apron and making something in a corner of the tent. It looked like she was trying to make breakfast. She must have known we would be arriving, but she probably hadn’t expected us to storm her tent the moment we got here. She was completely defenseless.
“Honey! You have to eat breakfast. Or, we have plenty of time before the guests arrive… Would you like to eat A-jung first?”
I didn’t know if she was saying that knowing full well that Green Skins could actually eat humans, but her character had changed quite a bit from the last time I saw her. She used to have the air of a female knight, but now she seemed to have transformed into a hopeless romantic.
The problem was that she was wearing nothing but the apron. The Green Skins who saw her nodded their heads.
“Looks like they were in the middle of mating. No, perhaps they were just about to start.”
“Mating is important. It would be best to give them a moment.”
“Our apologies.”
The nameless Green Skins muttered, and an exclamation I felt I hadn’t heard in a very long time escaped someone’s lips.
“Hmph! Hah! Eh!?”
*
It didn’t take long for a red-faced Park A-jung, now properly dressed, to slowly open the tent flap.
“S-Sorry. Please, come in.”
It seemed they hadn’t been able to share their morning love as Park A-jung had hoped. She had just thrown on some clothes before immediately opening the tent. Judging by the time that had passed, I was fairly certain of it.
Storm Shadow’s expression was quite composed. Green Skins weren’t particularly ashamed of such things, so it was to be expected. Park A-jung, however, looked like she was searching for a hole to crawl into. If not for her position as the Great Tribe Leader’s wife, she would have surely shrieked and bolted from the tent.
Still, she seemed to be handling her duties quite well. Funnily enough, I thought her showing up like that might have been a good thing.
It had served to cool down the overly heated atmosphere.
As the chieftains slowly took their seats, Park A-jung began to serve simple tea. She must have expected the meeting to be in the evening. Normally, she would have served alcohol, but since it was morning, she seemed to have prepared something simple. Her skill at hosting guests was quite impressive.
“I-I’m sorry we don’t have much prepared. Please, I hope you can speak comfortably.”
It was, of course, surprising to see her not even using a Translation Bracelet.
In such a short time, she had completely mastered the Green Skin language.
“Mm. Thank you.”
“We’ll drink it gratefully.”
She smiled faintly at us and then sent a smile toward Storm Shadow, as if she wanted to be praised. If I were in Storm Shadow’s position and she were Mev, I would have undoubtedly patted her on the head.
Sipping a cup of tea in the now calm atmosphere, instead of one filled with angry voices, made me feel a little more at ease.
The ones who had been shouting were now quietly sipping their tea as if nothing had happened. They were waiting for Storm Shadow, who was looking our way, to speak first.
He seemed to have healed all his previous wounds; his arms and legs were properly attached, and the hole in his chest was filled. I couldn’t say there were no lasting effects, but I was relieved to see him looking healthy for the most part.
Park A-jung quietly took a seat next to Storm Shadow and observed her surroundings. She seemed to be checking if anyone needed anything, but her service was perfect. If not for that initial shriek, that is.
As the chieftains finished their tea and stared silently at Storm Shadow, he slowly opened his mouth.
“Thank you all for coming. I know why you’ve come to my tent the moment you arrived in the Land of Glory, but I have no intention of reversing my decision.”
“Storm Shadow, you!”
It was only natural that one of them shot up from his seat. It was the same one who had spoken first and opened the tent flap first.
“Brave Sword, the valiant Orc, my old friend. I know your heart well. I know why you are so agitated.”
“…”
“But my decision is firm and will not change.”
“All those who fought alongside the Great Tribe Leader Agar do not wish for your retirement, Storm Shadow. You are the root and the center of this race. Especially now that Sand Glave has returned to the earth…”
“That is precisely why I wish to step down from this position, my old friend. There are not many of us left.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Few of those who established this Land of Glory together remain. Earth Wave, the Minotaur of the plains; Silver Fang, the Werewolf of the North; Red Rex of the South; and you, Brave Sword. That is all. The rest have either fallen in honorable battle or passed their clans to their successors and stepped down from the front lines.”
“Even… so…”
“This is a decision I have made after deep consideration, Brave Sword. The time we have left and this continent no longer exist for us. We laid the foundation for a great shelter in this land. But it was not our generation that built it to what it is today. The generations that followed are the ones who truly built it up. I simply believe it is time to yield to the new generation.”
“…”
“I am old and weary. My complacent choice led to an irreversible outcome. This body of mine… is now too heavy to wear such a great crown…”
He didn’t say it outright, but he was clearly thinking of Sand Glave. At those words, the Orc named Brave Sword bit his lip. He seemed unwilling to admit that their era was over, but the expressions on Silver Fang’s and Earth Wave’s faces seemed a little different.
They understood Storm Shadow. After a brief silence, Storm Shadow spoke again.
“I will take it that there are no further objections. We have much to discuss regarding the new Great Tribe Leader, so I hope you will all rest your weary bodies from the long journey. Let us meet again after the sun has set.”