During the second day of travel, they could see a mass of tents off in the distance. There were thousands of tents set up, with smoke dispersed throughout the tent village.
Ken estimated at least 10,000 people living in the tent village. He wondered how they could keep the entire people fed with so many people, but those thoughts left when he noticed a group of a dozen or so tribesfolk riding towards them on boars.
Each of them was quite brutish, large and muscular, even the women. They were built like the boars they rode. Each of them wielded a spear as well as a second weapon, though the second weapon was something which wasn’t uniform. One had a short sword, another an axe, and one even had a chain around her arm.
“State your business!” The man in front shouted loudly, so loud that he spooked the horses.
The Twin Spears, who usually rode upfront, trotted a little closer towards him, letting him know that they were prepared to fight.
The man who had shouted, who had long hair which was braided down his back, grinned like a savage beast. He was about to shout something when he was whipped on the back of his head by a chain.
“Shut up, you damned fool! Can’t you see Asha from Clan Tigervale?” The woman, who was definitely the man’s wife, shook her head.
“Oh?” The man squinted his eyes. “So it is! Sorry Niece Asha! My sight isn’t what it used to be.”
“Have you been well, Uncle Fang?” Asha asked, smiling politely up at him.
“I’m doing well. I have another child on the way. What about you? Found yourself a man yet?” He was whipped across the back of his head again.
“Just who said you can go and tell everyone I was with a child?” The woman rode forward and grabbed the man’s ear, tugging on it. “We haven’t even confirmed it so why are you spreading such nonsense?”
“W-well, if it’s not confirmed, can’t we just confirm it toni-AAAI!” He wailed as his wife tugged his ear harder.
Asha cleared her throat. “What kind of decent man can I find in a town anyway?” She looked to the side, ignoring the fact that he was being disciplined by his wife. “Anyway, I have a smart client with me this time.”
“A smart client?” The man looked at the carriage, one eye still wincing until his wife finally let go. “Someone’s brought a gift for the Chief?”
“Yes, and he isn’t a cheapskate either.” Asha smiled a greedy grin.
“Oh?” The man rubbed his chin. “Can I meet this fine gentleman first?” He wanted to see just how fine of a gentleman he was.
“It’s… a little awkward. We should probably head in to meet with the Chief first.”
“You know I can’t just let anyone enter…” The man winced, ready to be hit by his wife, but for once he said something smart so she let him off.
"It's just that it's difficult for him to get in and out of the carriage so..." Asha smiled at him innocently.
The man looked at Asha and that innocent smile. It either meant she was here to cause trouble, or she was here to…
[She’s only ever here to cause trouble.]
“Since you’re the one saying it…” He made another smart choice in not declining Asha, so his wife let him off again.
“Niece Asha, if you haven’t found a good man yet, why don’t I introduce you to someone?” The woman smiled at Asha, tightening the chain around her arm.
“I don’t want to get married,” Asha said bluntly. “What happens if I get pregnant and then I can’t make any gold by assisting people through the plains?”
“Then should I find someone with some wealth?”
“You’re speaking my language, Aunt!” Asha giggled with the woman. “He has to have at least a thousand gold!”
Ken’s ears perked up. If he hadn’t bought all those weapons for his escorts, he would have had that much in coin.
He looked to Emerald, who was narrowing her eyes suspiciously at him. Ken smiled innocently towards her and reached up to brush her cheek.
Emerald continued to glare suspiciously at him, and he quickly looked to the side.
[There’s no way that she can hear my thoughts right? Otherwise, wouldn’t she know just how much I adore her? My sweet Emerald…]
Emerald wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in close.
[Wait! Can she really read my mind?]
[No, but you’re easy to read, master~]
The tribe escorted the carriage towards the centre of the tent village, where there a few large tents, which houses several families, and a few smaller tents, which would be enough for a single family.
The people all around were watching the carriage with wide eyes. Somehow the paths were large enough to allow a carriage, which meant that they received quite the number of carriages and so had planned the layout to accept such visits.
The Chief stepped out of his tent, looking at the carriage. He was a large, fat man, with wounds all over his body. His face looked as though it had been kicked in repeatedly.
Since Asha had been leading the conversations thus far, Ken left it to her.
"Oi, you old bastard! Hurry up and accept the gifts!" Asha shouted at him.
Ken vomited blood.
“???”
[???]
"Is it you, you damned Tigervale brat? Who do you think you are coming into my village and screaming at me?" He waved a clenched fist at Asha.
"What? You think I want to come here and smell your ugly ass? If it wasn't because you and your Clan are so good at navigating this region, I would never come here!"
"What? You think complimenting my clan is going to stop me from beating your ass?” He smiled at her, having accepted the compliment even if he was pretending as though he hadn’t. “Your client better have brought me something good, otherwise I’ll spank the pair of you!"
Ken was assisted out of the carriage by Nana and Chandi, who placed him in his wheelchair, and Ken looked up at the Chief.
The Chief looked away from Ken, sweating nervously. It was a little awkward to be an asshole to a cripple…
"Good evening, I am Arrayist Ken."
"Good evening, I'm Chief Ban Boarhill." The man bowed his head. "..." He looked at Ken, squinting his eyes. "Did you say you were an Arrayist?" His eyes were doubtful.
Ken held out a high grade earth talisman, one which would be used to take a blow from a Martial Expert, and a high grade earth pill, which would allow someone to cultivate quicker.
"Oh? It's rare we get someone who is so sincere!" The Chief grinned wide. "Welcome to our village, Arrayist Ken!" He raised his arms up, happily welcoming the cripple. “Put on a roast for the Arrayist!” He roared towards someone nearby.
"Chief! Chief!" Someone tumbled forward onto their knees, panting for air. He was a younger man, quite thin as well, which was different to most of the Boarhill Clan.
"What's the matter?" The Chief looked down at the man with a raise brow.
"It's Jita!" the man cried out, clutching at his chest, still barely able to breathe.
"Jita?” The Chief clenched his fists. “What happened?" His voice became so dark and deep.
"It's a Giant White Serpent! It woke up and Jita remained behind to deal with it!"
"Boar’s whore! A Giant White Serpent?" The Chief cursed, clenching his fists harder. He roared so loud, that the tents around them shook. “Six Spears! Get your asses on your damned boars!”
The small tents nearby flapped as six people stepped out, four women, and two men. Each of them had spears made of bones on their back, and each were as big and as ugly as the Chief.
“We’re hunting a bastard snake!” The Chief roared, holding his own spear up. It wasn’t just a spear, but something which was like a work of art. It was made of bone, but was engraved with all kinds of markings. “Arrayist, I have to go and save my Jita.”
“Don’t mind me,” Ken said, nodding his head at the Chief. Then he looked to Asha. "It seems that there's an issue?" Ken had never heard of a Giant White Serpent before.
Asha was biting her lower lip, and her eyes were looking up, but at nothing in particular. “A Giant White Serpent…” She shook her head. “Seems like we’ve come at a bad time. If that thing is awake, that means…”
“What?”
“I should have charged more.” Asha frowned, and that’s when Ken realised she was looking at the gold she should have made.
During the second day of travel, they could see a mass of tents off in the distance. There were thousands of tents set up, with smoke dispersed throughout the tent village.
Ken estimated at least 10,000 people living in the tent village. He wondered how they could keep the entire people fed with so many people, but those thoughts left when he noticed a group of a dozen or so tribesfolk riding towards them on boars.
Each of them was quite brutish, large and muscular, even the women. They were built like the boars they rode. Each of them wielded a spear as well as a second weapon, though the second weapon was something which wasn’t uniform. One had a short sword, another an axe, and one even had a chain around her arm.
“State your business!” The man in front shouted loudly, so loud that he spooked the horses.
The Twin Spears, who usually rode upfront, trotted a little closer towards him, letting him know that they were prepared to fight.
The man who had shouted, who had long hair which was braided down his back, grinned like a savage beast. He was about to shout something when he was whipped on the back of his head by a chain.
“Shut up, you damned fool! Can’t you see Asha from Clan Tigervale?” The woman, who was definitely the man’s wife, shook her head.
“Oh?” The man squinted his eyes. “So it is! Sorry Niece Asha! My sight isn’t what it used to be.”
“Have you been well, Uncle Fang?” Asha asked, smiling politely up at him.
“I’m doing well. I have another child on the way. What about you? Found yourself a man yet?” He was whipped across the back of his head again.
“Just who said you can go and tell everyone I was with a child?” The woman rode forward and grabbed the man’s ear, tugging on it. “We haven’t even confirmed it so why are you spreading such nonsense?”
“W-well, if it’s not confirmed, can’t we just confirm it toni-AAAI!” He wailed as his wife tugged his ear harder.
Asha cleared her throat. “What kind of decent man can I find in a town anyway?” She looked to the side, ignoring the fact that he was being disciplined by his wife. “Anyway, I have a smart client with me this time.”
“A smart client?” The man looked at the carriage, one eye still wincing until his wife finally let go. “Someone’s brought a gift for the Chief?”
“Yes, and he isn’t a cheapskate either.” Asha smiled a greedy grin.
“Oh?” The man rubbed his chin. “Can I meet this fine gentleman first?” He wanted to see just how fine of a gentleman he was.
“It’s… a little awkward. We should probably head in to meet with the Chief first.”
“You know I can’t just let anyone enter…” The man winced, ready to be hit by his wife, but for once he said something smart so she let him off.
"It's just that it's difficult for him to get in and out of the carriage so..." Asha smiled at him innocently.
The man looked at Asha and that innocent smile. It either meant she was here to cause trouble, or she was here to…
[She’s only ever here to cause trouble.]
“Since you’re the one saying it…” He made another smart choice in not declining Asha, so his wife let him off again.
“Niece Asha, if you haven’t found a good man yet, why don’t I introduce you to someone?” The woman smiled at Asha, tightening the chain around her arm.
“I don’t want to get married,” Asha said bluntly. “What happens if I get pregnant and then I can’t make any gold by assisting people through the plains?”
“Then should I find someone with some wealth?”
“You’re speaking my language, Aunt!” Asha giggled with the woman. “He has to have at least a thousand gold!”
Ken’s ears perked up. If he hadn’t bought all those weapons for his escorts, he would have had that much in coin.
He looked to Emerald, who was narrowing her eyes suspiciously at him. Ken smiled innocently towards her and reached up to brush her cheek.
Emerald continued to glare suspiciously at him, and he quickly looked to the side.
[There’s no way that she can hear my thoughts right? Otherwise, wouldn’t she know just how much I adore her? My sweet Emerald…]
Emerald wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in close.
[Wait! Can she really read my mind?]
[No, but you’re easy to read, master~]
The tribe escorted the carriage towards the centre of the tent village, where there a few large tents, which houses several families, and a few smaller tents, which would be enough for a single family.
The people all around were watching the carriage with wide eyes. Somehow the paths were large enough to allow a carriage, which meant that they received quite the number of carriages and so had planned the layout to accept such visits.
The Chief stepped out of his tent, looking at the carriage. He was a large, fat man, with wounds all over his body. His face looked as though it had been kicked in repeatedly.
Since Asha had been leading the conversations thus far, Ken left it to her.
"Oi, you old bastard! Hurry up and accept the gifts!" Asha shouted at him.
Ken vomited blood.
“???”
[???]
"Is it you, you damned Tigervale brat? Who do you think you are coming into my village and screaming at me?" He waved a clenched fist at Asha.
"What? You think I want to come here and smell your ugly ass? If it wasn't because you and your Clan are so good at navigating this region, I would never come here!"
"What? You think complimenting my clan is going to stop me from beating your ass?” He smiled at her, having accepted the compliment even if he was pretending as though he hadn’t. “Your client better have brought me something good, otherwise I’ll spank the pair of you!"
Ken was assisted out of the carriage by Nana and Chandi, who placed him in his wheelchair, and Ken looked up at the Chief.
The Chief looked away from Ken, sweating nervously. It was a little awkward to be an asshole to a cripple…
"Good evening, I am Arrayist Ken."
"Good evening, I'm Chief Ban Boarhill." The man bowed his head. "..." He looked at Ken, squinting his eyes. "Did you say you were an Arrayist?" His eyes were doubtful.
Ken held out a high grade earth talisman, one which would be used to take a blow from a Martial Expert, and a high grade earth pill, which would allow someone to cultivate quicker.
"Oh? It's rare we get someone who is so sincere!" The Chief grinned wide. "Welcome to our village, Arrayist Ken!" He raised his arms up, happily welcoming the cripple. “Put on a roast for the Arrayist!” He roared towards someone nearby.
"Chief! Chief!" Someone tumbled forward onto their knees, panting for air. He was a younger man, quite thin as well, which was different to most of the Boarhill Clan.
"What's the matter?" The Chief looked down at the man with a raise brow.
"It's Jita!" the man cried out, clutching at his chest, still barely able to breathe.
"Jita?” The Chief clenched his fists. “What happened?" His voice became so dark and deep.
"It's a Giant White Serpent! It woke up and Jita remained behind to deal with it!"
"Boar’s whore! A Giant White Serpent?" The Chief cursed, clenching his fists harder. He roared so loud, that the tents around them shook. “Six Spears! Get your asses on your damned boars!”
The small tents nearby flapped as six people stepped out, four women, and two men. Each of them had spears made of bones on their back, and each were as big and as ugly as the Chief.
“We’re hunting a bastard snake!” The Chief roared, holding his own spear up. It wasn’t just a spear, but something which was like a work of art. It was made of bone, but was engraved with all kinds of markings. “Arrayist, I have to go and save my Jita.”
“Don’t mind me,” Ken said, nodding his head at the Chief. Then he looked to Asha. "It seems that there's an issue?" Ken had never heard of a Giant White Serpent before.
Asha was biting her lower lip, and her eyes were looking up, but at nothing in particular. “A Giant White Serpent…” She shook her head. “Seems like we’ve come at a bad time. If that thing is awake, that means…”
“What?”
“I should have charged more.” Asha frowned, and that’s when Ken realised she was looking at the gold she should have made.
