Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters-Chapter 541 - 100 The Ball

Chapter 541: Chapter 100: The Ball Chapter 541: Chapter 100: The Ball On the first day of May, a rain mixed with small hailstones fell on the wilderness.

It was the first rainfall after a long drought, heralding the arrival of the rainy season.

From this day on, the Herder nomads would gradually take their livestock to higher terrain, which was cooler.

When the dry season arrived, they would lead their livestock back to the lower winter pastures.

In this manner, Winters followed the migration of the camp.

Little Lion often came to talk to him.

“When it comes to differences, the disparity between us of the Boya Clan and the Jin people is greater than that between the Venetians and the Paratu People. They worship cairns, we revere ancestral spirits. Going further west, tribes of Deer Herders don’t even speak our language.”

...

Little Lion spoke sporadically, “Hey, it’s only you outsiders who call all the tribes Herders, ‘Herder’ isn’t even a word in our vocabulary.”

Winters silently whittled wooden spikes, skill growing with practice, his control over the knife becoming ever more precise.

After setting up camp, he would erect a pulley to suspend his knee and perform simple rehabilitation exercises with Erhulan’s help.

While journeying in the ox cart, he constantly carved wooden spikes.

With more grass than trees in the wilderness, the people at the campsite collected wood for him when they heard he was carving.

Thick, thin, branches, trunks, regardless of quality, all of it was brought to Erhulan.

Seeing him whittle spikes all day long, Little Lion brought him a set of iron tools.

Winters began to do some simple carpentry. Though he lacked nails, he still managed to make a few folding stools.

Little Lion, as if only requiring an audience, casually said while chewing on a stalk of sweet grass, “You know? Most people on the grasslands have never seen the ocean, not even my brother. I don’t even know how to describe it to them.”

“Even if they try to imagine it, the ocean is just a big lake to them. To everyone, the mountains to the south and north, the snowfields to the west, the Paratu People to the east, and this grassland, that is the entirety of the world.”

“Sometimes I can’t help but think, it’s absurd and laughable that tribes and the Paratu People kill each other over such a small piece of land from birth to death.”

“And sometimes I wonder, why must we kill each other? For food and clothing? The grasslands have been blessed with good weather these years; everyone is at least well-fed and warm.”

“Is it for hatred? The Paratu capture tribesmen and sell them as slaves across the ocean. Tribes also capture Paratu People as ‘Tuotiqa,’ chaining them more cruelly than the master of Hongsong Manor.”

“Tribes and Paratu People hate each other, yet they don’t hate each other because everyone is used to it. My brother even served as a bodyguard to the Paratu chieftain, did you know that? Right after the man destroyed my father’s tribe.”

“Tribes also attack one another. We fought with you, then we have to guard against the tribes coming to attack us.”

“Even outside of the grasslands, aren’t you ‘civilized people’ also constantly killing each other? The wars between you Venetians and the islanders are even more brutal than those between the tribes and the Paratu.”

“Or is it because of greed? I do not know. I can’t figure it out, nor do I wish to live my life in a daze. Beyond the grasslands, there is an endless ocean!”

Little Lion spat out the grass, feigning nonchalance, “These words, only you in this vast grassland would listen to me. If I told others, they’d probably think I’ve gone mad.”

“By the way, did you know? I heard from a singer that beyond the west of the west of the west, beyond the tundra and snow, on the western side of the mountains, there is another land and ocean! Our ancestors migrated here from there. If I had the chance, I’d truly like to go see it, maybe even go with you.”

Winters stopped his work and looked at Little Lion thoughtfully, speaking softly, “You’ve grown up, much more than when you were on Red Sulfur Island.”

“What do you mean by that?” Little Lion retorted indignantly, “Are you saying that I was an idiot back at Hongsong Manor?”

“I want to meet your brother.”

“I want him to meet you too,” Little Lion sighed, “He’s been busy lately. The Zhuirqing people plundered our old camp during a recent battle. Took more than fifty pieces of clothing, killed a dozen people, and made off with quite a few livestock. My brother is leading troops to subdue the Zhuirqing people now.”

“You’re not going with them?”

“I’m minding the stove.” Little Lion remembered something else, “Oh, and the Shaman wants to see you. To be precise, he wants to see Hestas. Don’t worry, he’s a good man.”

“You call me Hestas,” said Winters, looking unsurprised, “It’s because of that ceremony, right?”

Little Lion nodded, explaining with distress, “Yes, the Kulxit ritual is a kind of… It’s hard for me to explain, but it’s a very important ceremony. Hestas chose you as his successor—though I don’t know why either, but now I’m starting to understand a little.”

“You’re not just inheriting Hestas’s name and title, but also the spirits of all the Hestases before him. They accompany you and protect you,” Little Lion continued, “To us, you are Hestas, the bridge connecting us to the ancestors and the myriad spirits—though you don’t quite look the part now.”

“Why me?” Winters pursed his lips.

“I’d like to know as well,” Little Lion said with a wry smile, “If you truly are Hestas, you should be able to ask the previous Hestas yourself. Let’s wait for the Shaman to come, he’ll explain it to you.”

Th𝓮 most uptodate nov𝑒ls are publish𝒆d on ƒreewebηoveℓ.com.