Episode 63 The hero of the slaughter festival (3)
When Bikir is sitting in the barracks and lighting the stove.
“……anybody home?”
A thin voice came from outside.
As Bikir walks out of the veil made of leaves, he sees a girl with dark hair and dark eyes looking up at Bikir with a shy expression.
It was the girl who woke up at dawn the other day and stood in line in front of the chieftain’s barracks.
“The chief is looking for you. I’m here to deliver the message.”
It seems that he has come to run errands.
Bikir immediately moved his steps toward the chieftain’s barracks.
at that time.
“Ah, over there!”
The girl summons Bikir and stops him.
As Bikir turned her head, the girl blushed and hesitated.
“Thank you for grilling the meat the other day! It was delicious and cool!”
It seems to be referring to the roasting of meat in the scavenger hunt.
Bikir gave a rough nod and turned around. The chief called, so I need to go quickly.
* * *
Balak’s warriors, who roam freely in all areas of the jungle, cannot act recklessly right here in front of Chief Aquila.
As Bikir walks through the curtains and enters, he sees a stuffed eagle at the far end of the barracks.
Beneath it sat Chief Aquila in a large chair.
A cold impression The scars that ran through the whole body.
Although she wasn’t very tall, she felt as if she were facing a giant because of her plentiful eagle feather cape and the sense of intimidation she exuded.
In particular, the large scar on one eye made the viewer feel intimidated.
Nicknamed the ‘Night Fox’, she is the leader and strongest warrior of the current Balak.
The heroine who won successive victories over Hugo Les Baskervilles, the head of the Baskerville family and sword master, and Morgue Adolf, a member of the House of Morgue and the 6th class master.
The reason why Balak, who has only about 300 people in total, is feared by the Empire and is known as the strongest warrior tribe in the jungle is probably because she is holding on to this position.
“Meet the Chief.”
Bikir knelt down on one knee and bowed his head according to the manners he had been taught.
Aquila, the fox of the night, is the most outstanding archer since Adonai, the legendary archer who led Balak’s heyday hundreds of years ago.
She raised her only one eye and looked closely at Bikir.
Unlike the empire’s speech technique, which hides its purpose in greetings and good wishes, Balak’s dialogue is direct and raw.
“Did you catch an ox bear this time?
Unlike the first impression, Aquila said with a gentle smile.
The voice was as majestic as Hugo’s, but not sharp, but rather warm and soft.
“No Chieftain. I just did what I had to do.”
“There’s nothing to be humble about. A good job is a good job.”
Aquila smiled even warmer at Bikir’s modesty.
Vikir was genuinely surprised that the fox of that terrifying night had been such a laughing stock.
Eventually, Aquila opened her mouth.
“Considering yesterday’s merits, I will abdicate your status. You are no longer a slave, but our family.”
From this moment on, Bikir was not a slave, but officially became a member of Balak’s family.
at that time.
“……Kuhm.”
A cough filled with disapproval is heard.
Bikir glanced sideways to see a lanky-looking old man staring at him from the side, mouth tight.
‘The old man used to put ashes on the faces of young hunters.’
Balak’s shaman Ahheman.
He was the most powerful in the village except for Chief Aquila.
He was not very popular among the young people who hated old customs and superstitions, but all the fairly old and seasoned hunters had their trust in Ahheman.
‘There are no atheists in the trenches’ is apt.
Those who have gone through life’s ups and downs are always looking for something to lean on spiritually, and Ahheman understood exactly that.
‘Come to think of it… did I say that Ahun was the son of that old man?’
Ah-hun, a young hunter who always reveals his teeth to himself. Come to think of it, Ah-hun’s feeling overlaps with Ah-heman’s face, which seems to be making an uncomfortable expression over there.
Apparently, he doesn’t like Aquila’s approval of Vikir.
And there was no way that Aquila didn’t know that Vikir also noticed.
“Hey Shaman.”
Aquila turned her head to look at Ahhemman.
“……Yes Chief.”
“Don’t you like that I accepted that boy as a member of the tribe?”
Aquila asked openly.
Even if Ahhemman’s power is strong, the chieftain’s authority is absolute.
He immediately noticed that Aquila’s words were low-key, and bowed his head deeply.
“I can’t believe it. However, I’m just a little concerned about the transfusion of imperial blood into the tribe.”
“That’s not something a shaman should worry about. You just have to pray for rain when rain is needed, pray for prayers when warriors go hunting, pray for peace during war, hold memorial rites for the dead, and ward off exorcism during plagues. It will happen.”
Hearing Aquila’s sharp words, Ahhemman bowed his head deeply.
Behind him, Iyen can be seen sticking out his tongue.
well anyway
Aquila recognized the exploits of the plunder and raised Bikir’s status to a full member of the tribe.
Aquila looked down at Bikir’s prostrate body.
“Your body seems to have recovered a lot in a while. It’s amazing. It’s so fast.”
“Thanks for taking care of me.”
“It’s done. What have I taken care of? If there’s virtue, it’s for my daughter.”
Aquila glanced away and looked at Iyen, who was standing against the wall.
“…”
Iyen quietly avoided her mother’s gaze and acted different.
Eventually, Aquila opened her mouth.
“Now that you’ve officially become a member of Balak, tell me what you want. You’re a member of the same family, but since I’ve never been able to give birth to you and raise you, I’ll give you something in return.”
Having finished speaking, Aquila quietly urged.
“There are many beautiful wives in the village. If you want, I’ll find one of them and make you your spouse. If you don’t need a spouse, slaves are fine. There are quite a few women from other tribes who have been captured as prisoners of war.”
Then, for a moment, a murmur was heard outside the tent.
It was the sound of the village women who had been standing in a row in front of the chieftain’s barracks since dawn.
But Bikir shook his head.
“Thank you for the words, but the partner is fine.”
A proposal to increase the birth rate for both wives and female slaves.
When Bikir rejected the offer, Aquila seemed to ponder for a moment.
“Hmm. I don’t need a woman, is it? That’s unusual. Among the outsiders, most men want a woman.”
In fact, most of Balak’s tribesmen were pretty and beautiful.
Unlike other tribes, the physical beauty that has been strengthened through hunting and training is exceptionally healthy and lively eyes and hair.
Balak’s warriors must be exceptionally attractive externally compared to other tribes in the sea.
This is because genetic diseases caused by incest have not developed thanks to blood transfusions from outside.
Maybe that’s why most of the intruders from outside often targeted the virgins of Balak.
……Of course, most of them are just turned into wolf food by their arrows.
Meanwhile, Aquila wrinkled her nose a little. It is a sign of concern.
“Yes. Then what shall I give you? Half the fur of the Oxbear you caught?”
Oxbear fur is a very valuable treasure.
Hearing that he would cut it in half, he almost jumped out of his place the moment he moved away.
The moment an animal’s fur is cut in half, its value drops to 1/10, which is something that people who know the value cannot bear to see.
Right then.
“……!”
Bikir felt a gaze from the side.
Iyen was winking hard.
‘Didn’t you forget what I said?’
That expression that seems to speak with the eyes.
Aquila glances to the side with a look that is strange to see such a daughter.
Ayen was still diligently sending signals to Vikir, probably not knowing that he had been caught by Aquila.
In the end, Vikir opened her mouth as Iyen had asked before.
“Material rewards are fine. However, could you possibly soak yourself in the ‘Brave Fountain’?”
Before responding to Aquila’s call, Ayen had asked Vikir to tell him this as the reward he wanted.
Sure enough, Aquila expressed disapproval for the first time.
“……Hmm.”
Even Aquila, who was quite friendly to Bikir, would have reacted this way, but what about the others?
Most old people swallow their silence with disapproval.
The sorcerer Ahheman, who was in the front row of them, yelled out loud.
“Yes, you bastard! Who dares to be so arrogant in front of you!”
As if he could not stand it at all, Ahheman strode forward and knelt in front of Aquila.
“Chieftain! Only the proud warriors of Balak for generations have been able to bathe in the fountain of the brave!”
Then the murmurs around them grew louder.
Ahhun, who was standing near the entrance of the barracks, sneered.
“Only the brave who has proven his superior power can enter the fountain of heroes. He dares not even know the fountain.”
Then Iyen, who was on the other side, answered in a fit of rage.
“Bikir has already proven his strength. Didn’t you catch Oxbear and submit him in this scavenger hunt!”
“Huh. The captain must have been at the level of throwing stones from behind when hunting.”
“Then, is your back shaped like that because you were hit by a stone?”
As Iyen pointed out the bandages and bandages wrapped around Ahhun’s waist, Ahhun’s body began to tremble.
At Aquila’s question, Vikir nodded after pondering for a while.
“…The hero’s spring water. Do you know what it is?”
It is a small hot spring that flows deep in the waters of Balak’s Holy Land, and is located among the tombs of the brave, where only the bravest and strongest of Balak’s former warriors are buried.
It is said to heal all internal and external injuries just by entering and soaking in it, as it is blessed with the blessings of great ancestors.
However, the water level is very low and it takes a long time for the water to gather, and the effect is halved if several people enter, so only warriors who have made special contributions from generation to generation are allowed to enter.
“Chief! That’s an excessive demand compared to the achievements made! How can you send an outsider to the Holy Land…!”
“Still, if you’ve caught Oxbear, you’re a promising kid. Maybe once in a while, it’s not bad to motivate him.”
“This is nonsense! Since when did the spring of the brave become a spring that anyone can go into!”
“Huh, but that child’s body doesn’t seem to be in good shape. Now that we are part of the family
, shouldn’t we treat them well?”
The elders around them are also arguing
. It was true that he wanted to grant Bikir’s request, but it was true that he was a bit weak to claim Oxbear hunting as a justification
. Aquila wanted to listen to her daughter’s petition as much as possible, but
it was a bit embarrassing because the shaman and her guardians were so strongly opposed. Just
then
.
Suddenly, a loud bell rang from the watchtower on the border,
and at the same time a sentry shouted,
“Outsiders have appeared!”
It seemed that something strange had happened to the village.
