Chapter 67: New Tribe Members
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 67: New Tribe Members
“I see.”
If Jung Hayeon said so, it was probably true. I could trust her judgment, as she possessed a greater will to live than anyone else in the Blood Dagger Clan. As I recalled the face of the man I had just seen, I realized his eyes did bear a certain resemblance to Jung Hayeon’s in the past.
‘The will to live.’
It was a powerful weapon for surviving on this continent. Personally, I considered it more important than the desire for battle or any other useless greed. But I soon stopped thinking about him.
Because the will to live alone was obviously not enough to survive. The greatest weakness of Hakajin’s group was their lack of action and resolve. We were in a hurry to expand the settlement, so we needed to accept anyone we could get, but I wanted to avoid them if possible.
“Mev. Let’s go to the next one.”
“Okay.”
“Where to next?”
“A tribe made up of almost all women. They should be larger than the last group.”
We set off in a different direction. Our clan members, who had departed with such confidence, seemed a little down, perhaps disappointed by Hakajin and his followers. But I thought this was actually better. A subdued mood could create a more profound impression than an overly excited one.
After riding Ibar for quite some time, their settlement came into view. Composed almost entirely of women, it looked a bit cleaner than the last one.
They were even standing out front, as if they knew we were coming.
“Welcome, honorable warrior Blood Dagger.”
The one who greeted me was a female chieftain, a rare sight. She was a Troll with long, protruding fangs. The interesting thing was… she was beautiful.
Like the Goblin Three Sisters who were eager to please me, she had a more human-like appearance than a typical monster.
“It seems you knew we were coming.”
The female chieftain wasn’t alone. The way they welcomed us, as if they had been waiting, gave me the feeling they had known of our approach for hours, if not longer.
“Yes, that is correct. We happened to find the tracks of someone who visited this area. There have been rumors stirring up this region lately about the Blood Dagger Clan, and among them, a tale of a fairy archer who is Blood Dagger’s most favored companion. We thought you might pay us a visit.”
“…”
I couldn’t help but look at the female Troll with a bit of surprise. She was far more intelligent than I expected. When I glanced at Mev, she looked frustrated. She wouldn’t have left footprints, so it was likely that powder from her fairy wings had fallen to the ground.
“Impressive…”
“You flatter me.”
“Then do you also know why we have come here?”
The female Troll answered with a faint smile.
“Of course. But first, please come inside and we can speak.”
“Very well.”
Following her lead, I slowly entered the settlement, looking around. It was a small settlement, home to about forty individuals. Quite similar in size to our own. If asked whether its members were strong, I couldn’t answer with certainty, but they were clearly building their foundations, step by step. The reason was that I could spot Orcs and even a few Trolls scattered about.
What was strange was that quite a few of them had human-like features.
They had a similar feel to Jung Hayeon and the Goblin Three Sisters. As we entered, the members of the group placed their hands on their chests and began to greet us. In response, our own members seemed to stand a little taller, their shoulders puffed out with pride. Soon, we were led into a massive tent. It was likely the chieftain’s.
It obviously wasn’t large enough for everyone, so only Jung Hayeon, Mev, the loyal Five Siblings, and I went inside, while the others waited outside. They were even considerate enough to let Ibar come in, so I could lean my back against his belly and get comfortable.
Grrrrr.
Inside the tent were the women of their group. The female Troll who appeared to be the leader remained quite composed, while the other women around her watched her for cues.
Soon, edible food began to be served, and among the dishes was, surprisingly, a human.
“So you hunt.”
“Yes… It’s nothing to brag about, but…”
Seeing their evolved members, I had expected as much, but it seemed they were indeed hunting. They appeared to be a fairly independent group. For some reason, I still had no desire to touch human flesh, so I picked up some fruit and ‘liquor.’ As the atmosphere warmed, the conversation flowed naturally.
“You asked if I knew the reason for the Blood Dagger Clan’s visit.”
“I did.”
“Is it not to increase the size of your tribe? Your numbers are dwindling due to continuous brave and honorable battles, and with a high ratio of males in your tribe, you cannot expand through reproduction. Is that not why you have come?”
“You’ve hit the mark.”
I was honestly surprised. That fellow Hakajin had seemed a bit smart, but this woman was also exceptionally sharp. Among Green Skins, who generally have low intelligence, simply speaking so articulately was enough to be considered intelligent. To be able to grasp our intentions and state them so clearly meant she was likely one of the smartest in this area.
“You are intelligent. You are a wise Green Skin.”
“You are too kind.”
“I haven’t decided to accept this group into the clan just yet, but your intentions are what matter most.”
“…”
For Green Skins without their own banner, being able to join a new group was a great stroke of luck. Though a bit different from humans, Green Skins are social creatures. They want to heighten their honor, they want to fight, and they want to be with their comrades. No matter how much their group grew or how well they hunted on their own, it was only natural that they would want to join. Just as I expected, she slowly began to speak.
“If Blood Dagger wishes it, we too hope to lend our strength to the Blood Dagger Clan. We are prepared to endure any hardship if it means we can reclaim the honor we have lost—no, the honor that has vanished completely.”
“Hmm…”
As I stared intently at the female Troll, she continued.
“Even if what you desire is merely a partner for breeding…”
It was a somewhat shocking statement. While Green Skins have a more liberal view of sex than humans, they are by no means favorable toward rape or forced relations. Her words meant she would grant our wishes without question if we let them into the clan.
“I… I heard you have a preference for human women.”
I didn’t know when such a rumor had started, but it was true.
“That must be why the Alraune next to you, and your favored fairy, have human-like appearances. I apologize to you both, but the fact that you still have no children must mean… there is an issue with fertility…”
After glancing nervously at Mev and Jung Hayeon, the woman continued.
“I… I can bear Blood Dagger’s child.”
Before the Troll could even finish, Mev shot up from her seat. She didn’t usually show jealousy, but hearing something like that seemed to have set her off. It pained me a little to see tears welling up in her eyes. The loyal Goblin Three Sisters of the Five Siblings were also enraged. Before Mev could even open her mouth, the three sisters raised their voices.
“No!”
“Our Chieftain said he is not having children yet!”
“Insolent Troll! How insolent! You can’t say that to Mev!”
“How dare you!”
Seeing how genuinely agitated they were, I quietly raised my hand, and the tent fell silent once more. I had never actually said I didn’t plan on having children, so I wondered how they knew, but for now, it seemed best to preserve Mev’s authority. Seeing their furious reaction, it was clear that the matter of pregnancy was extremely important among female Green Skins.
“As they said, I have no intention of having children yet.”
“I see. I apologize if I was presumptuous.”
“It is not me you should apologize to, but Mev.”
Only after the female Troll expressed her apology to Mev did Mev sit back down, but she was still fuming, unable to calm her anger. Since there was a chance we could become one tribe, I had hoped they would get along, but it seemed their first impression was thoroughly ruined. I sighed and spoke again.
“No. Aside from that, your resolve is quite interesting.”
“Yes. I still regret fleeing the Warrior’s Exam. If I could turn back time, I would, but the fact that I cannot is an eternal regret. I cannot express how grateful I am for this opportunity.”
“Hmm…”
The female Troll and I spoke about various other things, and I was able to get a decent grasp of her group. The more I talked with her, the more anxious Mev looked, and Jung Hayeon beside her was the same. We still had other places to visit, so I thought it was about time to leave. Just as I was about to get up, the female Troll spoke to me.
“The night is late. Why don’t you stay the night before you go?”
It wasn’t a bad offer, but with Mev looking so genuinely distressed, there was no way I could accept.
“I appreciate the thought. I will return again.”
“Yes. We will be waiting.”
And with that, we left their settlement. The entire way back, Mev was unusually quiet, which felt strange.
“Um… Chieftain.”
“Yes?”
“Are you going to accept that Troll woman’s group?”
“I’m thinking about it. It’s better to grow our numbers slowly rather than merging with too many people at once. That is the right way for our settlement to grow. I think it would be best to decide after visiting the last settlement.”
“Right? That’s what I thought, right?”
“Yes.”
My words brightened her mood considerably, but contrary to Mev’s opinion, I had a strong desire to accept that group. The woman was undeniably intelligent, and her group was strong. I had been looking for a smart individual to assist me, and to be honest, she fit the bill perfectly.
Since they were already hunting, choosing the female Troll’s group was the most logical choice if I was thinking about an immediate increase in our strength. She was far more clever than the Hobgoblin Hakajin we met first and was quick to understand our intentions.
Mev seemed to know this as well, as she appeared to be pinning her hopes on the third and final settlement. Though it was late at night, we finally arrived at our last destination.