Chapter 1: The Youngest Ruu Son’s Little Adventure
Group Performance
Chapter 1: The Youngest Ruu Son’s Little Adventure
1
It was the second day of the ashen month, two days after the dinner party to foster friendship between the leading clan heads of the forest’s edge and the nobles of Genos.
The wicked nobles Cyclaeus and Ciluel had both been arrested for their crimes, but there was still an air of unrest hanging over Genos. The reason was because the bandit group that those nobles had manipulated from the shadows, known as the Winds of Black Death, still hadn’t been apprehended.
According to Cyclaeus’s confession, apparently they were the ones who had once infiltrated the Zaza settlement, and also dressed as hunters of the forest’s edge and attacked the Dabagg plantations. The lord of Genos put out a warning to stay on guard until those dangerous outlaws were all arrested, so Ai Fa and Asuta of the Fa clan were still staying at the Ruu settlement.
Asuta had been unable to resume business with his stalls, so he had instead been spending his time holding study sessions for the women under the Ruu. As for Ai Fa, she had been riding off on her totos to go hunt around the Fa house every day, then once she finished her work as a hunter, she would return to the Ruu settlement. That was how the two of them were currently spending their time.
Of course, the hunters of the Ruu were also carrying out their own work. No matter how dangerous the Winds of Black Death might have been, they couldn’t exactly go sneaking into the settlement while the sun was high in the sky, and besides, they had no reason to go after the people of the forest’s edge now that the nobles giving them orders had been arrested. Even Ai Fa and Asuta were only staying at the Ruu settlement just on the unlikeliest of off chances that anything might happen.
And so, despite the uneasy feeling in the air, the days at the forest’s edge had been quite peaceful of late. But on this second day of the ashen month, there was at least a little bit of a stir.
◇
“Hmm? What’s the commotion about?”
It was currently around sunset at the Ruu settlement. Ludo Ruu had been on a casual stroll after finishing his hunting work, until he came across a group making a stir off in a corner of the plaza.
The trio consisted of Lala Ruu, Shin Ruu, and Mida. As Ludo Ruu approached, Lala Ruu turned his way with an angry glare.
“Ah, Ludo, you tell them too! You can’t suddenly become a great hunter by acting all reckless, right?!”
“Man, you’re noisy. What in the world is going on here, Shin Ruu?”
It seemed like the only one actually kicking up a fuss here was Lala Ruu. Unlike her, Shin Ruu’s eyebrows were drooping as he stared at Ludo Ruu, as if asking for help.
“It’s nothing, really. I was just trying to do some training as a hunter with Mida.”
“Like I said, it’s reckless to go training like that right after finishing up your hunting work! Dinner’s soon anyway, so why not just rest a bit till then?!”
“But...” Shin Ruu murmured, a brooding look in his eyes.
“Hmm...” Ludo Ruu pondered, scratching his head. “Hey, usually Lala’s wrong about everything, but this time it looks like you’re at fault. I told you before, didn’t I? Letting your body rest is an important part of our work as hunters.”
“Yeah, I’m trying to keep that in mind, but still...”
“What if you wreck yourself through training and then screw up on the hunt tomorrow? I’m sure my old man and Ryada Ruu would tell you the same.”
Shin Ruu didn’t have anything to say in response.
“Besides, the hungrier Mida is, the weaker he gets. When he’s starving right before dinner like this, you could probably take him down in no time flat just by sweeping out his feet,” Ludo Ruu continued while giving Mida’s protruding belly a thump. But after feeling the impact, he furrowed his brows a bit. “Mida, did you lose a little weight again?”
“Hmm...? I’m not really sure...” Mida absentmindedly replied from high up above. He didn’t seem to be paying any attention whatsoever to the commotion down by his feet.
However, his round little eyes buried under fat looked sort of listless. Perhaps he was concerned about Zuuro Suun, who was being held in a prison in the castle town. The man who had once been his father would soon have his crimes judged, after which he would be sent off to some unknown location.
“Right...” Ludo Ruu murmured, thumping that belly again. “You may not look very different, but it seems your fat’s been getting replaced with muscle. I still definitely won’t let you beat me at the next festival of the hunt, though.”
“Yeah...”
“At any rate, picking a fight with Mida is dangerous. Whether you win or lose, if this belly of his falls on you, it could easily break a bone. So wait till both of you are in top condition first.”
“Got it...” Shin Ruu replied, the look in his eyes growing even more broody. “Was I unable to choose the right path forward because I’m still so immature?”
“Hmm? What are you on about now? If you’re immature, then that would go even more so for the majority of the other hunters around your age, right?”
“But I can’t beat you or Mida in a contest of strength, and back then...I couldn’t protect Asuta either.”
“Hey, Shin Ruu!” Lala Ruu shouted, looking even angrier. But Ludo Ruu held out his hand to silence her.
“Umm, Shin Ruu, about that... Hrmm, what was it again? My old man and brother have something they say at times like this...”
Shin Ruu just looked confused.
“Imprudent! Right, that’s imprudent! It’s only natural not to accept your own mistakes and want to improve. But if you rush things and make poor choices, you’ll end up getting weaker rather than stronger, right?”
Shin Ruu didn’t respond.
“That day’s going to be a lifelong shame for me too. Even with Asuta being held hostage, if my old man had been there he might still have been able to do something about it. When I think about that, it makes me so angry that it makes me want to get stronger and stronger too.”
Shin Ruu hadn’t been the only one guarding Asuta when that Lefreya noble had him abducted. After all, Ludo Ruu had been on the job too.
However, Shin Ruu had been right by Asuta’s side, while Ludo Ruu had been standing sentry outside the building. That was likely why the young hunter had ended up lamenting his own powerlessness all the greater. Ludo Ruu could understand just how he felt to a painful degree.
“That’s exactly why we need to train properly, isn’t it? If you go down the wrong path, then I’ll end up getting stronger all on my own.”
“Hey, try thinking about how Shin Ruu’s feeling at least a little! Don’t you think you could phrase that a bit better?” Lala Ruu retorted, now shooting Ludo Ruu an angry glare.
“You sure are a hassle... Isn’t it tiring being angry like that all the time?”
“I’m only angry because you two keep doing stuff to make me mad!”
“I didn’t do anything at all. This is such a pain... You two should just hurry up and get married already. Ah, but Lala’s still thirteen... Ugh, so that means this’ll keep going on for two more years?”
At that, Lala Ruu’s fists came flying. But Ludo Ruu just dodged, circling around behind Mida.
“What, you’re gonna get married, aren’t you? There’s no way you’re gonna settle down with someone else at this point, right?”
“Shut up, Ludo, you stupid jerk! You’re always saying stuff you shouldn’t!”
Lala Ruu persistently tried to follow, but Ludo Ruu kept circling around so that Mida was left standing there aloofly between them. And as he watched on, Shin Ruu’s face was even redder than Lala Ruu’s.
“Y’know, you’re always teasing everybody else about it, but what about you?! You’re fifteen now, so you could take a bride, couldn’t you?” Lala Ruu retorted, panting after having finally given up on her pursuit.
“What about me? Are you saying there’s some woman I’d want to marry?”
“You should be asking yourself that, not the people around you! The Ruu have a ton of related clans, so you must at least have a couple girls you’re interested in, right?”
“Hmm, nah, can’t think of anyone whose face would get all red just from a bit of teasing.”
Once again, Lala Ruu’s fists came swinging.
And as Ludo Ruu avoided them, Shin Ruu finally spoke up.
“Still, it’s a fact that folks under the Ruu are worried about how the members of the main house have been waiting so long to marry. That might mainly be Vina Ruu and Darmu Ruu’s fault, but eventually it’ll be your problem too, won’t it, Ludo Ruu?”
“What’s it really matter? Even if you just leave things be, folks who are meant to be together will be together. You two should know that better than anyone.”
In the end, Shin and Lala Ruu were the only ones whose faces were left red.
It was then that a figure came wandering over from the other side of the plaza.
“Ah, so this is where you were, Ludo Ruu? Dinner will be starting soon.”
“Huh? Hey, Morun Rutim. What have you been up to?”
“I’ve been getting in plenty of cooking practice since midday. But we went so long, it looks like I’ll be borrowing a bedroom in the main house tonight.”
Morun Rutim was the youngest daughter of the main Rutim house. She had a bit of a plump build resembling her father’s, and was also fifteen just like Ludo Ruu. Ultimately, she was a gentle-featured woman with a very charming smile.
“Ooh, sounds like you’re pretty fired up.”
“Yeah, well, you see, when the Ruu clan reopens their stalls for business, I’m going to end up taking turns with Ama Min to help out. So until then, I’ll be studying at the main Ruu house.”
The Ruu clan was also planning a grand reopening for their stalls once those outlaws from the Winds of Black Death were apprehended. At first, the Rutim couldn’t help out with that work since they were shorthanded on women, but since they had welcomed Tsuvai and Oura into their clan, they were finally able to spare the personnel.
“Gotcha. So, what’s for dinner tonight? Asuta’s been thinking up all sorts of new dishes again, hasn’t he?”
“Hee hee, you’ll just have to wait and find out.”
“I see. Well then, let’s hurry on back! Shin Ruu, Mida, see you tomorrow. And Lala, don’t go causing too much trouble at Shin Ruu’s house, all right?”
“Shut up! I’ll be back after dinner, okay, Morun Rutim...?”
“Right. We’ll have lots of time to chat in the bedroom.”
Lala Ruu was once again set to eat today’s dinner at Shin Ruu’s house. It was an arrangement that had been put in place to allow Shin Ruu’s older sister Sheera Ruu to get plenty of instruction from Asuta in the main house’s kitchen. So on days like this, Sheera Ruu would eat dinner at the main house, while Lala Ruu would head to Shin Ruu’s house in turn.
Though they were both members of the Ruu clan, it was quite rare to get the opportunity to eat dinner with the main family if you were a member of a branch house, like Sheera Ruu was. Plus, Asuta and Ai Fa were staying at the Ruu settlement, so adding Morun Rutim on top of that made things feel sort of like a banquet. Looking at it that way got Ludo Ruu pretty excited.
“Ugh, I’m starving! I’m really looking forward to seeing what dishes are waiting for me!” Ludo Ruu proclaimed on their way to the main house, to which Morun Rutim offered him a smile from beside him.
“Hey, Lala Ruu and Shin Ruu seem to be getting along as well as always, don’t they?”
“Yeah, that’s true. I can’t help but wonder if they’re going to go and get married the day after Lala turns fifteen or something.”
“You’re overexaggerating,” Morun Rutim retorted with a smile. But then in the next moment, her expression grew clouded.
“What’s the matter?” Ludo Ruu asked as they walked along through the plaza.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“You had a sad look on your face just now, didn’t you?”
“I-I don’t think so.”
“You totally did. Do you have a guy you like or something?”
At that, Morun Rutim turned just as red as Lala Ruu had before.
“W-Why are we talking about men all of a sudden?”
“Because we were just talking about Lala and Shin Ruu. Doesn’t it make sense to assume that?”
“Ludo Ruu, you can be pretty goofy, but you really do keep a careful eye on people, don’t you?”
“What? I may be goofy, but I just see what I happen to see.”
“I’d say that’s amazing, though. Plus, you’re really kind too.”
It didn’t exactly feel that way to Ludo Ruu. In fact, he had just a little while ago been running his mouth and getting chased around by his little sister.
But at any rate, Morun Rutim’s face was extremely red, and she had a very serious look in her eyes.
“U-Um, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you, Ludo Ruu!”
“Go ahead, just throw it on out there.”
“I’m serious here, so could you listen seriously too?”
“I’m being serious. You’re a precious member of the clans under ours, and we’ve been close since we were little,” Ludo Ruu replied, stopping and facing Morun Rutim.
The girl fidgeted and stared down at the ground. Though Ludo Ruu was small for a boy, Morun Rutim was even shorter than he was.
“It looks like...I’ve found a man I have feelings for.”
“Yeah, I figured out that much.”
“But I don’t know what to do... It’d definitely just cause trouble for him...”
“There’s no way that’s true. Anybody out there would love to have you for a bride.”
“Th-That’s not true at all. I look just like my father Dan, after all...”
“I wouldn’t really say you look just like him. Well, except for how you make the same exact face when you’re angry.”
Morun Rutim didn’t reply.
“But you only get mad when you have a good reason, so what’s the issue? If someone can make you angry, they’re gonna be in the wrong anyway. And you’re so cute when you smile that I can’t imagine anyone having a problem with marrying you.”
“It’s really not a problem?”
“Of course not.”
Upon hearing that, Morun Rutim timidly looked up.
“Then just let me say...this is sure to surprise you.”
“No it won’t. If you’re okay with telling me, just come out and say it.”
In response, Morun Rutim whispered something so quietly it was impossible to pick up.
“Hmm?” Ludo Ruu questioned, moving in closer.
“...om...”
“I can’t hear you. What’d you say?”
“It’s Deek Dom...”
Ludo Ruu had declared he wouldn’t be surprised, but now his eyes opened wide in shock.
“Umm, isn’t Deek Dom about the same age as my old man?”
“Of course not! Haven’t you met him before, Ludo Ruu?!”
Deek Dom had also come along on guard duty during the meeting with the nobles. And they must have met at least briefly at the clan head meeting...but the only impression that came to mind was the giba skull over his head, the searing gaze of his black eyes underneath, and his burly limbs coated in scars.
“Hmm, I can’t really remember too well... But where exactly did you get a chance to meet him, Morun Rutim?”
“Just like you, it was on the day of that meeting with the nobles. My father Dan and brother Gazraan went along, so all the members of the Rutim clan gathered at the Ruu settlement. And we had a chance to talk a bit.”
“Did you seriously fall for him just like that...?”
“Yeah... Is that weird?”
“Hmm...” Ludo Ruu pondered.
It might well have been true that there were plenty of folks at the forest’s edge who fell in love at first sight. As far as Ludo Ruu could see, his sisters Vina and Reina Ruu had been quite taken with Asuta ever since the day they’d met.
“I guess it may not be weird at all. I mean, apparently giba start making kids then and there when they meet.”
“Umm, could you please not lump me in with giba...?”
“Ah, yeah. Still, I can get why you’ve been so worried. It’d be one thing if we were talking about a clan under the Ruu, but he’s subordinate to one of the other leading clan heads, which makes things tricky in a bunch of ways.”
“Right... Plus he’s the head of the main Dom house, while I’m the youngest daughter of the main Rutim house... Both of us are members of the main houses of the next biggest clans under the Ruu and Zaza, so it’s not like we can just go acting as we please...” Morun Rutim lamented with a deep sigh. If it was possible, she looked sadder than Dan Rutim did when he finished off all the ribs.
“Hmm...” Ludo Ruu pondered again. Before he could think of anything sensible to say, though, Morun Rutim cut him off in a fluster.
“Umm, thanks, Ludo Ruu. Just talking to you helped calm me down a bit.”
“Eh? But nothing’s been resolved at all.”
“Yeah, but it was impossible from the start. Besides, it’s not like there would be a chance for the Dom and Rutim clans to meet in the future anyway, so there won’t even be an opportunity for us to form a bond...”
“In that case, why not discuss it with Gazraan Rutim? He’s good at handling troublesome stuff like that.”
“No, I think I’d just trouble Gazraan if I brought it up to him,” Morun Rutim replied in an oddly decisive tone.
Well, it was true that if Gazraan Rutim really were skilled with that sort of thing he probably wouldn’t have stayed single until he was twenty-three and worried everyone around him.
“So it’s fine... I probably won’t want to marry anyone else for the time being, but I’m sure eventually those feelings will settle down,” Morun Rutim said, now wearing her usual bright smile. “Thanks for listening. Now then, everyone’s waiting, so let’s hurry on back.”
With that, Morun Rutim took off running for the house awash in twilight. And as he watched the small roundish girl take off, Ludo Ruu once again pondered, “Hmm...”
2
It was now just before evening on the following day.
Currently, Ludo Ruu was riding the totos Ruuruu toward the Dom settlement.
A lot of giba had fallen prey to traps this time, so they had finished up work early.
The big catch was a good thing, but the bounty of the forest still hadn’t grown back all that much around the Ruu settlement just yet. And so the only giba to be had at times like this were generally crappy ones that lost fights elsewhere and wandered over, or ones that were on the verge of starvation. They were all either covered in scars or wasting away. It really left Asuta at a loss as to how to use them to make tasty meals, considering how little fat they had.
Well, guess manning the stove brings its own sorts of hardships, Ludo Ruu thought to himself as he rode Ruuruu along the path. The totos seemed happy. This was the first chance it’d had in a while to really run full speed.
The wind whistling past felt very pleasant. And the unfamiliar members of other clans he passed occasionally looked really surprised.
Ludo Ruu loved riding on the back of a totos. It hadn’t even been two months since Ruuruu had come here to the settlement, but he felt like he had been a rider for a long, long time.
It was commonly said that the people of the forest’s edge shared blood from the south and east, and furthermore, easterners supposedly rode totos across grassy plains. Asuta had once joyfully suggested that meant that maybe memories of riding across the plains were still sleeping away in their blood even now.
But at any rate, Ludo Ruu loved to ride totos. And he would love to do it a whole lot more if he had the time.
Should I go and buy my own totos like Rau Lea did?
It had been decided that once the Ruu started getting serious about doing business in the post town, they would purchase a wagon. That was because it seemed wrong to keep imposing on Asuta’s kindness to help transport everything.
But if that happened then Ruuruu would be in the post town during the day, and wouldn’t be available for the purpose of sending emergency messages. In that case, it would be good to get another totos for the Ruu settlement.
Should I try talking to my old man about that tomorrow?
He passed the somewhat nostalgic path to the Fa house, the ones to clans whose names he didn’t even know, and even the way to the Suun settlement...and then around when the sun was setting to the west, the northern settlement finally came into view.
This was the end of the long path leading through the forest’s edge, the true northern extreme of their community. Ludo Ruu pulled back on Ruuruu’s reins, slowing the massive bird’s pace as they entered the grounds.
Considering the time, it was no surprise that there wasn’t anyone wandering about outside. But as he approached the nearest home, a shadowy figure leapt out from within. It was a hunter from either the Zaza or Jeen, with a giba pelt worn over his head.
“Who are you...?”
“I’m the youngest son of the main Ruu house, Ludo Ruu. I have business at the Dom settlement.”
“The main Ruu house... Do you have some sort of urgent news? Were those outlaws finally captured?”
“No, seems like things are still the same as always over in Genos. I came today to handle a personal matter. Of course, I’ve got no intention of picking a fight with the clans of the north, so you can relax.”
At that point, a remarkably huge figure exited the house. He wasn’t especially tall, but he was incredibly wide. And if Ludo Ruu wasn’t misremembering, he was the head of the main Jeen house.
“The youngest Ruu son, eh? Long time no see. What’s this about you having business with the Dom clan?”
“Ah, I’ve just got a bit of something to discuss with Deek Dom. I did technically get my old man’s permission too.”
The Jeen clan head fell silent for a bit, and then he pointed to the west.
“The Dom settlement is at the end of that path. Giba can still show up around this time, so we’ll lend you a candle.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
Back when the Suun were still the leading clan, it never would have been possible to come this far into the northern settlement. And if they had found out he was a member of the Ruu clan, they might have all ganged up on him and beaten him to a pulp no matter what he said.
Sure feels strange, somehow...
Common sense had been flipped on its head in a lot of ways since Asuta had come to the forest’s edge. Meals had become so delicious it was shocking, the Suun clan had fallen, there were now three new leading clan heads...and the Ruu clan was doing business in the post town.
If anyone had somehow predicted such a future before Asuta showed up, nobody would have ever believed them. The people of the forest’s edge were in the middle of a period of upheaval as major as when they had decided on Morga as their second home eighty years back. Ludo Ruu really was grateful from the depths of his heart to have been born into such an interesting era.
Compared to all that, the thought of a Dom and Rutim wedding seems almost quaint, doesn’t it? Ludo Ruu thought as he held the candle borrowed from the Jeen clan and continued down the path. Ruuruu’s footsteps had grown a bit heavier, so it might have sensed all sorts of beasts squirming about in the forest.
Ludo Ruu didn’t sense anything as big as a giba, but there could still be snakes around that were as big as young madarama, or carrion-eating mundt looking for prey.
The northern clans sure picked a dangerous spot for a settlement.
With things like this, the women working on the outskirts of the forest couldn’t let their guards down either. Maybe this was why it was said that the northern clans lived the harshest lives of any of the people of the forest’s edge.
As such thoughts ran through Ludo Ruu’s head, his destination finally came into view. There were just five houses nestled together, in an open space that wasn’t really especially large. And so he went up to the biggest of the houses, then hopped down from Ruuruu.
“Sorry for bothering you so late! I’m the youngest son of the main Ruu house, Ludo Ruu! I have business with the Dom clan head Deek Dom!”
A heavy silence was all he got back.
Just as Ludo Ruu was getting ready to shout again, though, the door opened.
“You called yourself the youngest son of the main Ruu house, correct? What business do you have with my clan head?”
Ludo Ruu was seriously taken aback by the fierce air about the woman.
She looked to be a bit older than Ludo Ruu. And since she was so tall, she probably had around a half a head on him. On top of that, her chest and rear were large and her waist was tight, but her arms and legs had plenty of muscle on them. In terms of appearance, she might have looked more like a female hunter than Ai Fa did.
“Umm, it’d take a while to explain. I realize I’m here late thanks to my hunting work, but I did at least bring a gift, so would it be all right if I talked to the clan head?”
“Hmph... We’re about to eat dinner, though.”
“Ah, I brought along something to eat, so you don’t need to worry about me.”
“That’s not what I meant...”
With her arms crossed, she looked down on Ludo Ruu. And as she moved, the giba ribs adorning her hips jangled.
Her long black hair was worn high up, pulled back well clear of her eyes staring down at him, her prominent nose, and her plump lips. She was more than pretty and sensual enough, but her face had a rough manliness to it too.
No matter how attractive she may be, I wouldn’t ever want such a strong-willed woman as a wife... Ludo Ruu rudely thought, until a man’s muffled voice sounded out from inside the house.
“What are you doing, Lem? If it’s not something you can deal with by yourself, then let him through.”
That fierce yet beautiful woman then shrugged her shoulders and stepped back.
“Well then, I’ll take charge of your steel. You actually are a member of the Ruu clan, aren’t you...?”
“There wouldn’t be any point to lying, would there? Is it all right if I bring my totos into the entrance?”
With a seriously annoyed look in her eyes, that Lem Dom woman replied, “Go ahead.” After handing over his sword and hatchet, Ludo Ruu stepped inside along with Ruuruu and closed the door.
“The youngest Ruu son, Ludo Ruu, eh? What brings you here so late?”
Deek Dom was awaiting them there at the head of the main room, sitting cross-legged. Ludo Ruu sat himself down, still holding the leather bag with the present and his meal in it.
“I’ve got a little something to discuss with you. By the way, where’s the rest of your family...?”
“Our family is just me and Lem.”
“Huh? The main house is just the two of you?”
“There are fifteen members of the Dom clan. Of them, my younger sister Lem and I are the only ones in the main house.”
Comparing them to the clans under the Ruu, fifteen people put them at around the same size as the Lea. Still, it was surprising to learn that the main house of the famously dauntless Dom clan had just two people in it.
“Diga and Doddo are in the charge of the branch houses, which have more men. So, just what do you want with the Dom rather than our parent clan, the Zaza...?” Deek Dom asked, staring at Ludo Ruu as he sat with one knee up in the air. He seemed calm, but there was a very intense light shining in his eyes.
Since the man wasn’t wearing the usual giba skull on his head, Ludo Ruu was able to see his face clearly for the first time. Sure enough, he actually didn’t seem all that old. His rugged, scarred face didn’t sport a mustache or anything, and the bridge of his nose was surprisingly shapely.
Still, his lower jaw was firm and square, and the scars on both his cheeks were seriously imposing. Just like his little sister, his hair and eyes were both black, and his limbs had an unusual amount of muscle on them. His frame was even bigger than that of Gulaf Zaza or Ludo Ruu’s old man Donda Ruu. He might have still been a bit smaller than the largest man under the Ruu, Ji Maam, but still...if you were considering who seemed stronger, Deek Dom would easily win.
He may be stronger than not just Ji Maam, but even Gulaf Zaza...
In other words, he could be a match for Donda Ruu, someone even Ludo Ruu couldn’t compete against. As he thought that, an antsy sensation ran down the boy’s back.
If I ever get the chance, I’d love to have a contest of strength with him, Ludo Ruu thought as he reached into his leather bag.
“Before all that, let me hand over my present. It’s nothing much, but I prepared some fruit wine and jerky.”
He wanted to share Asuta’s cooking with them too, but it was against the customs of the forest’s edge to eat a dinner prepared on a distant stove. And since there were supposed to be a lot of hard-headed guys up north when it came to such old-fashioned rules, Ludo Ruu figured it was best to err on the side of caution.
“Fruit wine and jerky, huh?”
“Yeah. That jerky’s proudly made by our own Ruu clan,” Ludo Ruu replied, holding out the two bottles of fruit wine and a block of jerky to Lem Dom, who was closer. After seeing her clan head give a nod, she then accepted them. “I’d feel bad for interrupting your dinner, so if you don’t mind, could we talk while eating? I’ll go ahead and eat what I brought too.”
The familiar smell of poitan stew was wafting from the pot simmering over a stove in a corner on the right-hand side of the room. And after once again getting the clan head’s approval, Lem Dom headed over that way.
As he watched her movements out of the corner of his eye, Ludo Ruu pulled his own meal out of the leather bag. It was bundled up in a suurub leaf. And when he undid the vines holding it shut, the baked poitan inside came into view.
If he wasn’t careful, he could easily let his grin slip out. After all, his meal was a croquette sandwich Asuta had prepared for him.
“I’m thinking of offering either a croquette sandwich or a giba cutlet sandwich once we reopen the stalls for business. So if you don’t mind, could I hear your impressions later?” Asuta had asked, but his impressions were already almost set in stone even before eating it. After all, between those two bits of baked poitan was a giba and chatchi croquette, which Ludo Ruu felt was the tastiest food in the world.
As he sneaked a glance inside the poitan, he spied the faint brown coating of the croquette. That Worcestershire sauce thing Asuta made with tau oil was smeared on top, and there was also finely-sliced tino between the croquette and the poitan.
And further in the bag was a deep plate sealed in a suurub leaf. When he carefully unwrapped that one while taking care not to spill anything, he found a stir-fried dish made with giba meat, aria, and chatchi.
“I think it’ll impact the taste some when it gets cold, but you wouldn’t get enough nutrition from just the croquette sandwich,” Asuta had explained.
The meal on the dish had used a heaping helping of aria. And the powerful aroma of myamuu and tau oil was only making him feel all the hungrier. As he laid those dishes out by his feet, Lem Dom looked seriously anxious to pick her own plate back up.
“We offer our gratitude to Lem Dom, who manned the flame and gave us our life for this night...” Deek Dom stated, his solemn voice echoing throughout the sparse room.
Unsurprisingly, it seemed that Lem Dom had made the poitan stew on her own. But, well, if she was just cooking for two, it wasn’t all that big of a task.
From looking at it, it seemed to be the same dish they used to make at the Ruu house, produced by just boiling meat, aria, and poitan together. The Ruu clan had added in a variety of different vegetables to change things up each day, but there was no sign of such steps here.
“I offer my gratitude to Asuta, who manned the flame and gave me my life for this night,” Ludo Ruu chanted, at which Deek Dom’s eyebrows twitched.
“Youngest Ruu son... Should you not be eating that in the same house as the chef who prepared it?”
“Hmm? That custom is supposed to show that you place your life in the hands of the chef and they do the same in turn, isn’t it? In that case, I don’t think where you actually eat it is all that important.” Asuta had also been concerned about that fact, but Ludo Ruu was prepared to explain it in his own way. “Both Asuta and I have plenty of resolve on that front. It would be Asuta’s responsibility if this dish were to injure my life or soul, while I have absolute trust that would never happen. And you two were witness to my oath to the forest, so there shouldn’t be any issue at all.”
He didn’t seem all that convinced, but Deek Dom silently went ahead and picked up his own plate. And with a little smirk pulling on the corner of her mouth, Lem Dom did the same.
Looks like this is going to be pretty difficult.
With a slight shrug of his shoulders, Ludo Ruu bit into his croquette sandwich.
The poitan and the fuwano coating had both softened a little, and the fluffy chatchi and finely-minced giba meat was now a bit cooler than body temperature. But even so, the croquette sandwich was still delicious.
“There’s no question that it’s tastier when freshly cooked, but a lot of the time people back where I came from would eat it after it cooled down too,” Asuta had mentioned when they parted ways.
It was true that the fuwano coating had pretty much entirely lost its crisp crunchiness. But the way the Worcestershire sauce had seeped into the coating and made things just the right amount of moist and soft gave it an entirely different sort of texture that was still plenty satisfying for Ludo Ruu.
That Worcestershire sauce thing had a pretty strong taste to it too, and it paired really well with the nearly flavorless poitan and tino. But more than anything, chatchi really was just plain delicious. As he vaguely wondered in the back of his mind just why it was that he loved chatchi so much, Ludo Ruu vigorously chowed down on the rest of the croquette sandwich.
On top of that, there was another croquette sandwich wrapped up in the leather bag. The thought that he would get to enjoy even more of that flavor made Ludo Ruu so happy he could hardly stand it.
“Hey, what exactly is it that you’re smiling about, youngest son of the Ruu...?” Lem Dom asked, sounding suspicious.
“Huh? I was smiling? Well, this meal is so delicious that I guess my mouth just moved on its own.”
“Hmph... So that’s that ‘delicious cooking’ brought about by the Fa house?” As she sipped down some goopy white poitan stew, Lem Dom once again gave him a lopsided smile. “Out of the clans under the Zaza, the only ones who have tasted that are the ones who participated in the clan head meeting, and the Deen clan to the south. I would like to give it a try as well sometime, to see how extravagant it really is.”
“In that case, why not just stop by the Ruu settlement sometime?” By chance, that happened to hit on the topic Ludo Ruu wanted to discuss. “Hey Deek Dom... What I’m about to say didn’t come from my old man directly as leading clan head. It’s just something that’s been talked about here and there in the Ruu clan, so please keep that in mind. But do you northern clans have any interest in learning how to make delicious meals?”
The intense glare in Deek Dom’s eyes turned toward Ludo Ruu.
And yet, the boy just kept on talking as he unwrapped the second croquette sandwich.
“I’d say there’s incredible strength in Asuta’s cooking. When you eat his dishes, more power than ever before starts filling you up inside. And that’s been acknowledged not just by the clans under the Ruu, but also by Dari Sauti and the folks from the Fou and Sudra clans.”
“I’ve heard as much from our leading clan head Gulaf Zaza too...”
“Ah, really? Well, making delicious meals requires just a tiny bit of practice. But learning how to bloodlet meat and bake poitan can be done in a single day. For distant clans like the Sauti, we’ve handled things by swapping clan members for a bit to get in the proper training.”
“So you’re saying the northern clans should do the same...?”
“Yeah. As long as you end up with the same number of people on each end, it shouldn’t have any impact on other work, right? I think this is something that will bring greater strength to us people of the forest’s edge, regardless of whether or not you approve of the business being done by the Fa and Ruu clans.”
Deek Dom silently held out his wooden plate toward Lem Dom.
It must have been empty, as the woman stopped listening to Ludo Ruu’s words with a faint grin and instead headed over to the stove with a shrug of her shoulders.
Now that he thought about it, this house had the stove inside the same building as the living space. Normally with houses the size of the Ruu one, the main house and the kitchen were kept separate.
“The value of delicious cooking has been a matter of discussion even here in the northern settlement...”
“Oh, really?”
“The Deen clan brought up a request. They asked to allow a member of their clan to assist in the Fa clan’s business, to determine whether or not they were correct in their actions... And for the next step, at the next wedding or festival of the hunt, that Deen clan member who learned to cook under the Fa will be invited to man the stove.”
A member of the Deen clan... Ludo Ruu had in fact heard from Asuta about how a girl from one of the Suun branch houses he had met at the clan head meeting was now a member of the Deen. Ludo Ruu’s little sister Lala Ruu seemed to have some sort of bond with the girl too.
“I see. So if she manages to satisfy you, then your people will learn bloodletting and how to cook too?”
“That is not the case. It’s simply about whether or not the Deen will be permitted to be involved with the Fa any further. However, the leading clan head Gulaf Zaza may in fact be thinking even further ahead...” Despite the firm glare in Deek Dom’s eyes, it had been impossible to read what he was feeling whatsoever, and now his gaze narrowed as if he was peering at something. “It was that dinner held at the Ruu settlement, when Zuuro Suun and the others were invited. Something about that night seems to have thrown Gulaf Zaza out of sorts... He did not directly state as such, but he implied that he ate something truly surprising...”
“Oh yeah, that dinner was seriously amazing! For me, it was the greatest meal I’ve ever had in my whole life! Well, at least up until then. That dinner in the castle town three days ago was every bit as incredible too, like some sort of banquet.”
“If it was enough to move the leading clan head Gulaf Zaza so greatly, then that delicious food you speak of is at least worthy of some consideration... I can imagine that much, even as someone who only had a brief brush with its power at the clan head meeting,” Deek Dom replied, slurping down his freshly-poured poitan stew before continuing on. “So...why exactly did you bring this matter to me, youngest son of the Ruu? You should be knocking on the door of the Zaza, not the Dom, wouldn’t you say?”
“Hmm? It’s better to leave the leading clan heads to talk among themselves, right? But I wanted to hear your opinion, as the head of one of the subordinate clans. And it felt like a good topic to add on.”
“Add on...?”
“Yeah. I really wanted to know just what sort of person you were, Deek Dom.” As Ludo Ruu gulped down the aria and chatchi dish, he searched for what to say next. And while thinking to himself that the dish really would be a lot tastier freshly made, he said, “Before that, there’s one question I’d like to ask. How old are you, exactly?”
“I am seventeen...”
“S-Seventeen...? You’re only two years older than me?!”
“The previous clan head passed away out in the forest two years ago, after which I inherited the role as the oldest son. Is there some issue with that?”
“Ah, no, it’s just definitely something, serving as clan head so young... Oh yeah, so that means you’re the same age as Rau Lea, Asuta, and Ai Fa...”
Thinking about it, Rau Lea and Ai Fa were clan heads too. For the former in particular, his Lea clan was also roughly the same size as the Dom.
Well, considering how they have so few house members to help them out, Ai Fa and Shin Ruu may have it tougher in some ways...
At any rate, what he was going to bring up next was what mattered most.
“By the way, you brought up wedding banquets before, but do you have anything happening on that front? If you’re seventeen and the head of the main house, you’ve probably got folks starting to pester you, yeah?”
“I wouldn’t particularly say anyone is pestering me. As long as I take a wife before I’m eighteen, that should be plenty. If I do not find someone I am attracted to before then, I simply need to get together with a similarly unwed woman,” Deek Dom replied in a tone that indicated he found the subject tiresome, grabbing hold of one of the bottles of fruit wine Ludo Ruu had brought. “My thanks for the Ruu clan’s kindness... We just ran out of fruit wine, so this is definitely appreciated.”
“Right, the northern settlement is far from the post town, so purchasing stuff is a pain, isn’t it?”
“Indeed. Though getting a hold of a totos has made things a lot easier.”
Deek Dom gulped down that fruit wine every bit as vigorously as Ludo Ruu’s old man. At this rate, those two bottles would be drained dry in no time flat.
“However, issues have developed in a way that means I cannot take the matter of marriage lightly. There are many under our parent clan who need to form new bonds of blood.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Up until now, our parent clan was the Suun. Our bonds of blood were forged with them as the source. With our central Suun clan abolished, that leaves some with no blood ties whatsoever. For example, the only bond the more southerly clans such as the Deen and Liddo had were from offering husbands or wives to the Suun, so they no longer have any blood ties to the northern clans.”
I see, Ludo Ruu thought in sudden recognition. There were six clans under the Ruu, but it wasn’t as if they were all tied directly through blood. Small clans like the Ririn and Maam were accepted as subordinate clans due to their blood ties with the Lea, Rutim, and Min.
But the Lea and Rutim had shared blood with the Ruu for a long, long time, so there was no risk of any clan becoming completely isolated. Yet in the case of the Suun, they had blood ties stretching from the north to the south, and there was no other intermingling between the far extremes.
Furthermore, the Suun clan had refrained from having any of their members marry into other clans for over a decade now, to hide their crime of pillaging the forest of Morga. That was another factor cutting down the chances the subordinate clans had to exchange blood ties outside of the Suun settlement.
“Hmm... Then are you planning on taking a bride from the Deen or Liddo?”
“It’s not as if that has been decided. But if I do not find anyone by the time I turn eighteen, that will likely be how things play out.”
“You sure are fixated on that age in particular. Is it the custom up north that you need to get married before you’re eighteen?”
“More than being a custom, doesn’t it show that you’re not taking your duty to leave behind strong blood seriously if you do not take a spouse for three whole years after being recognized as a full-fledged hunter at the age of fifteen?”
Ludo Ruu didn’t know the source of that period of three years in particular being important, but it was true that eighteen or nineteen seemed to be the borderline after which you started getting pestered about marriage even in the Ruu settlement.
Still, Gazraan Rutim didn’t get married until he was twenty-three, and Vina’s already twenty...
At any rate, he had the information he needed, and there was just one point left that concerned him.
“So, you’re already seventeen, right? How long do you have till you turn eighteen, then?”
“I only just turned seventeen last month...”
In that case, there should still be over ten months left.
With that, Ludo Ruu was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.
“So, what is it that you wish to know about me?” Deek Dom questioned, setting down his now empty plate and leaning forward. And as he gulped down the chunk of croquette sandwich he had bitten into, Ludo Ruu shot him a grin.
“Oh, don’t worry about it. I already learned what I wanted to. Seems like you’re a fine hunter, Deek Dom.”
“I don’t exactly understand your meaning...”
“I mean just what I said. You may look just as vicious as Gulaf Zaza, but you’re real open when it comes to talking about stuff, and you seem honest too. Honestly, my older brothers are more stubborn than you are... At the same time, you seem to be an incredibly strong hunter, and I can’t imagine there are many as fine as you here at the forest’s edge.”
“I can’t say I appreciate you calling our leading clan head vicious...”
“Oh, I didn’t mean that in a bad way. My old man’s got just as intense of a face on him, and besides, I respect Gulaf Zaza as a hunter.”
Deek Dom was surely someone worthy of having Morun Rutim fall for him. And sensing that much was plenty for Ludo Ruu.
“That’s all I’ve got to say. Sorry for interrupting your dinner. I’m glad I talked to you today, Deek Dom.”
“I still don’t understand what you’re saying at all, but you couldn’t possibly intend to return to the Ruu settlement now, could you, youngest son of the Ruu?”
“Huh? Of course I do. I’ve got a totos, so it’s not like it’ll take all that long.”
“Don’t be foolish. The paths are dangerous at night.”
“I’ll be fine. When I’m on a totos, not even giba can catch up to me, much less giiz or mundt, so it’s no real danger.”
“So which is more dangerous? The morning or the night?” Deek Dom firmly insisted. “It would bring shame upon the Dom clan if I were to allow you to take such a dangerous path. You aren’t trying to shame us, are you, youngest son of the Ruu?”
“No, but...”
“Lem, prepare bedding in a spare room. And place the guest’s steel in my room.”
“Understood, clan head...”
He might have been honest and a strong hunter, but Ludo Ruu didn’t know whether this stubborn hospitality was a plus or a minus. But at any rate, the young hunter gave a little sigh.
3
And so, Ludo Ruu ended up spending the night at the main Dom house.
He had told his family that he should be back around when everyone was getting to sleep, but they shouldn’t have been all that worried as long as he showed up early in the morning. Still, it was a real miscalculation right at the end.
Well, whatever. All I’ve got to do now is sleep.
Atop the bedding laid out by Lem Dom, Ludo Ruu gave a hearty stretch.
The room was filled with the smell of fresh wood. It hadn’t bugged him all that much back in the main hall, but this must have been one of the houses Zattsu Suun burned down that had to be repaired. The former-leading-clan-head-turned-criminal had fled after biting and tearing out the throat of a Jeen hunter, then he set fire to the Dom settlement and let Diga and Doddo loose.
Just what were Diga and Doddo feeling now, having had their crimes pardoned at the meeting with the nobles? Ludo Ruu sort of wanted to go see the looks on their faces, but since there was no good reason to, he thought better of it. And if the fates allowed, he could see them tomorrow morning.
Still, I’m wide awake now, and I don’t feel like I’ll be getting sleepy for a while yet, Ludo Ruu thought to himself, right before someone knocked on his door.
Hearing that, he sat right up and called out, “It’s not bolted,” at which point the door opened revealing Lem Dom. There was a bottle of fruit wine dangling from her slender-yet-muscular hand.
“I went out of my way to make sure you had a room with a bolt, but you don’t even care enough to use it?”
“You guys have no reason to attack me. So as long as the front door is bolted shut, why would I need to be more cautious than that?”
“Hmph... You seem rather sure of your own strength,” Lem Dom retorted, once again smiling out of the corner of her mouth as she shut the door behind her. “This is the fruit wine you gave us, but would you care to join me tonight?”
“Ah, thanks for the offer, but I’m not that fond of fruit wine.”
“Oh? So there are hunters out there who don’t drink the stuff?”
“Of course. I think I’ve heard that the second son of the main Rutim house can’t handle fruit wine, for one.”
“Hmm... In that case, I guess I’ll have to drink it myself,” Lem Dom replied, sitting down next to the bedding. And as Ludo Ruu stared at the coquettish figure, he tilted his head.
“Umm, isn’t it against the old customs for an unwed man and woman to be alone together in a bedroom at night?”
“Supposedly. But other clans have been letting the old customs die out, haven’t they?”
“Yeah, but you belong to the northern clans that make a big deal out of them, don’t you?”
“If it’s a custom that’s not a crime to break, then what does it matter?” Lem Dom shot back with a faint smile. Despite her seriously wild nature she also possessed clear feminine charm, which really put Ludo Ruu on edge.
Well, it’s not like she’s going to go asking me to marry into the Dom clan or anything...
As a member of the main house of one of the leading clans, Ludo Ruu was expected to marry properly even more than Deek Dom or Morun Rutim. Still, his old man Donda Ruu had planned on having Ai Fa marry into the clan when she had no relation to them at all, so he didn’t seem that fixated on old customs.
“Do you have some sort of business with me? Not that I’m complaining about you coming here, after I showed up and bothered you and your brother like I did. But at least try not to do anything that’ll earn me the clan head’s wrath, okay?”
“Hmm, I may not quite be able to guarantee that...” Lem Dom said with a smile that seemed to imply something as she took a sip of fruit wine. “Before that, though, there’s something I’d like to confirm... Do you intend to have my clan head take a Ruu woman as his bride, Ludo Ruu?”
“Huh? Why do you think that?”
“It’s hard to think of anything else from what you were saying. Still, my clan head is a late bloomer, so he didn’t seem to pick up on it at all,” Lem Dom stated with a wicked chuckle. Though she possessed a variety of smiles and laughs, they all seemed rather suspicious and somehow arrogant. “Such matters should first be discussed with our parent clan, the Zaza, first, wouldn’t you agree? The Ruu are one of the leading clans, while the Dom fall under yet another leading clan, which means even more so that you cannot go cutting them out of the loop.”
“I wasn’t trying to do that at all. That’s why I said at the start that none of this was coming from my old man, the leading clan head.”
“Then without your father’s permission, you want to be of assistance to some woman of your own volition?”
“Can’t say.”
After drinking another sip of fruit wine, Lem Dom once again broke out in a smile.
“Isn’t that a rather unfair way of putting things?”
“It may be, but I still can’t say. Maybe we should just say it’s better than me lying to you?”
“I see. You have a strong sense of duty, don’t you, Ludo Ruu? Well, not that I especially care as long as you’re not mixing my clan head up in any strange plots.”
“I hope if nothing else, you’ll believe I have no plans to do anything like that.”
As she stared at Ludo Ruu out of the corner of her eye, Lem Dom murmured, “I see... In that case, I suppose it’s fine. But if I overlook that, then could you tell me about the Sauti in exchange?”
“The Sauti? What about the Sauti?”
“Didn’t you say the Ruu exchanged clan members with the far off Sauti so that they could be trained? I’d like to hear more about that.”
“Hmm? It’s nothing all that complicated. The Sauti clan head Dari Sauti wanted to be able to eat delicious meals at home too, so he had his people learn the necessary techniques from the Rutim clan, who fall under the Ruu,” Ludo Ruu replied as he remembered how things had played out. “All that trouble with the nobles put a stop to things for now, but before that, they had two or three clan members swapped with the Rutim. Then the Sauti clan members could be taught at the Rutim settlement, and the Rutim clan members sent to the Sauti settlement could also offer instructions. You can teach how to properly bloodlet and dissect a giba in just a few days like that.”
“That means spending those several days in another clan’s settlement, correct? Is that just a task for men?”
“No, since manning the stove is women’s work. Even if the meat is handled properly, it’d still be ruined if you went and boiled it together with poitan. So at the bare minimum, you’ve got to at least learn to bake poitan to have delicious meals. The Sauti women stayed for a few days at the Rutim settlement too from what I recall.”
Still, with just a few days all you could really learn was how to bake poitan and just a little bit of cooking. That would never be enough to measure up to clans like the Ruu, Fou, and Deen who were able to study directly under Asuta.
“Hmm... And is the Ruu settlement close to the Fa house?”
“Hrmm, that’s a bit hard to say. On a totos, it’s just a short run. But, well, it’s at least a bit closer than the Suun and Dom settlements are.”
“I see... But the Ruu and Fa share very strong bonds, correct?”
“Yeah. We’re close enough that for this past month or so, Ai Fa and Asuta have been staying at the Ruu settlement for their safety,” Ludo Ruu replied, and then he furrowed his brow. “Hey, why’re you asking about the Fa clan? The Rutim are the ones who’ve been teaching the Sauti. The Fa have nothing to do with it.”
“But if the Dom and Ruu exchanged clan members, could we in turn get close to the members of the Fa?”
“What would you do if you did?”
“Who can say?”
“Hey...” Ludo Ruu shot back, his eyes narrowing. “Let me just say, if you try to do anything to the Fa clan, you won’t get off lightly even if you are a member of the main Dom house. More than anything else, I hope you completely understand that.”
“Oh, my... You really are a Ruu clan hunter, aren’t you? You’re every bit as intense as the Dom and Zaza men,” Lem Dom replied with another suspicious chuckle. “But unfortunately for you, I’ve had to look at my clan head’s face ever since I was born. So a glare like that in your eyes isn’t enough to scare me.”
“I don’t care about scaring you. Just give me your word that you won’t try to do anything to either of those two in the Fa clan.”
“The Ruu and Fa clans really do have a strong bond, don’t they? Even though there are no blood ties between you... It’s no wonder the leading clan heads have found that suspicious.” Rather than being intimidated, Lem Dom moved her face closer to Ludo Ruu. “I have no intention of making you angry, though. So if I tell you about myself, will you lend me your aid in the future, I wonder...?”
“At least for now, I’ve got no reason to make you any promises.”
“That’s why I’m going to tell you about my circumstances. If I were to go to the Ruu settlement, I would like to form a bond with the head of the Fa clan.”
“With Ai Fa? Why’s that?”
At that, Lem Dom came in close to Ludo Ruu’s ear. As she did so, her womanly scent and the aroma of fruit wine both crept over his senses.
“Don’t tell anyone, but...I want to be a hunter too.”
Ludo Ruu was actually a little shocked when he heard that.
“I inherited the blood of the incredibly strong former Dom clan head, and I’ve already finished off a giba with my own two hands.”
“Huh? Even though you’re a woman?”
“Yes. A starving giba showed up one day in the Dom settlement. It hadn’t grown all that large, and must have been weakened by its hunger, but I slit its throat with a knife.” Lem Dom’s very words seemed filled with heat, causing Ludo Ruu’s ear to feel warm. “It made me think... Wouldn’t it be possible for even a woman like me to gain the strength of a hunter? That’s why I want to meet with Ai Fa of the Fa clan, the only female hunter at the forest’s edge.”
“I see. Well, I guess I can understand that.”
Ludo Ruu pulled back, and Lem Dom did the same in turn.
Her big slightly-upturned eyes were moist, but fiery. She looked both more seductive and more daring than she ever had before.
“So, do you believe me? It feels like the sort of thing that would just earn me scornful laughs if I told anyone.”
“Well, I mean, I’m plenty well acquainted with Ai Fa, y’know? So it makes sense to me that there could be other women out there around the forest’s edge thinking that way.”
“What sort of woman is Ai Fa? From what I’ve heard, she’s supposedly small and thin in a way that makes it hard to believe she’s a hunter,” Lem Dom asked, sidling up to Ludo Ruu again.
The young hunter replied, “Hmm...” as he scratched his head. “I don’t really know how to answer that... Well, it’s true that she’s smaller and thinner than you are. Even still, she’s just a tiny bit taller than I am.”
“And yet she still carries out her work as a hunter? And her only clan member is that foreigner Asuta who mans the stove, right?”
“Yeah. For two years now, Ai Fa has been hunting all on her own. It may sound foolish and dangerous, but I respect her.”
“Hmm... In that case, it sounds like I could be a hunter too.”
“I’m not so sure...” Ludo Ruu replied, looking Lem Dom over again.
She was unusually tall for a woman, and had plenty of muscle too. Her breasts and backside seemed like they’d get in the way, but she would also probably be really good at running and climbing trees.
But that wasn’t all there was to being a strong hunter...
“By the way, how old are you, Lem Dom?”
“I am fifteen.”
“Fifteen, huh? That’s the same age as me.” Well, considering her older brother Deek Dom was seventeen, that was no real shock at this point. “Hmm, let’s see... If you trained like crazy, then maybe you’d be strong enough to be a hunter in two years.”
“Oh, my, it would take two whole years?”
“That’s right. I met Ai Fa two years ago, when she was also fifteen.”
That was back when Ai Fa had lost her father and formed bad blood with Diga. When Donda Ruu had gone to the Fa house to ask if she would marry into the Ruu, Ludo Ruu and his big brothers had come along and met her.
Back then, Ai Fa had been even smaller and thinner than she was now. Ludo Ruu figured she was even smaller than he currently was. She didn’t have as much muscle as Lem Dom did now. In fact, she looked like she probably couldn’t even properly swing a sword. And yet she had declared that she intended to live as a hunter and rejected the marriage proposal.
Ludo Ruu had only just become a hunter at the age of thirteen, and he had thought she was an absolute fool of a woman. And that it was a real waste, considering how pretty of a face she had.
And yet, that small and beautiful woman had the look of a hunter blazing away in her blue eyes, and she stood there before Ludo Ruu’s furious old man without so much as flinching.
Apparently, Ai Fa had helped out with hunting work ever since she was thirteen. And so even though she still hadn’t built up the proper strength needed, her soul was already that of a hunter.
“When she was fifteen, Ai Fa had already trained for two years as a hunter. So I figured you could probably polish up your hunter’s soul in about two years too.”
“My hunter’s soul? I don’t really get it... That isn’t something you can see with your eyes, is it?”
“The fact that you can’t see it is what makes it so hard to nurture.”
“Hmph. But regardless of anything to do with your soul, as long as you’re strong enough, you can hunt down giba, can’t you? Isn’t muscle strength what’s most important?”
There was now finally a blaze burning away in Lem Dom’s eyes.
However, all Ludo Ruu could do in response was shrug his shoulders.
“It could be tricky to become a hunter as long as you’re thinking stuff like that. Still, you’ve got a pretty face and all, so wouldn’t you be happier just sticking to living like other women?”
“A woman’s life is boring...” Lem Dom replied, placing her hand on Ludo Ruu’s side. By doing so, she naturally slid in closer. “From morning to night you just gather firewood, dry pico leaves, skin pelts... And beyond that, at most you’ll have relations with a man and strive to make babies. But I...I want to experience a life more fitting for a person of the forest’s edge, all the way down to my core...”
Ludo Ruu could feel her warm breath on his face. Her large breasts were just barely touching his chest. And though he tried to fall back, the wall was right behind him.
“But lives like that are important for us people of the forest’s edge too. Giving birth to children is a form of happiness only women can experience, right?”
“Then will you help me experience that happiness...?”
“Come on, it’s not like we can sprint ahead with getting married without even asking for permission from our clan heads.”
“That’s true... In that case, how about indulging purely in pleasure while taking care not to make any kids...?”
It was hard to imagine those words were coming from a member of the northern clans, which highly valued the old customs.
Her plump, glistening lips hung partially open, and her red tongue that could just barely be seen within was so seductive it gave Ludo Ruu chills. The pure feminine allure she was giving off felt like it was filling the room and making it a little hard to breathe.
“Guess there’s no helping it...” Ludo Ruu murmured, suddenly grabbing hold of both of Lem Dom’s shoulders.
Though she was muscular like a man, her skin was amazingly smooth, like his fingers would gently sink into it.
There was now an even more suspicious yet passionate look in Lem Dom’s eyes. And as he stared straight into her black pupils, Ludo Ruu firmly pushed her down atop the bedding.
“All right, I win.”
“Huh...?”
“This contest of strength between hunters. Your back touched the ground, so you lose.”
For a moment, Lem Dom just stared blankly up at Ludo Ruu. And then, her expression eventually grew angry.
“Ludo Ruu...are you trying to shame me...?”
“You can take pride in winning a contest of strength, but it’s no shame to lose.”
“Don’t mess with me. If you’re sitting to start with, exactly how can it be a contest of strength?”
“Yeah, the proper way to do it is to stand and face each other. But us men do it like this in the bedroom when we’re young. It’s partially just playing around, but it makes for fine training too, right?”
Like some sort of beast, Lem Dom suddenly lunged forward and grabbed at Ludo Ruu.
And yet, both her hands grabbed nothing but air as Ludo Ruu spun while sitting, leaving Lem Dom to once again fall to the bedroom floor.
“See, I win. It’s pretty tricky to dodge an opponent while sitting, isn’t it?”
Thanks to the gap in their ages, Ludo Ruu couldn’t remember ever beating his brothers at this game. However, he also couldn’t recall ever losing to the members of the branch houses who were his age.
“You little...!”
“Ah, lifting your knees is cheating.”
As he said that, Ludo Ruu placed his hand on Lem Dom’s right hand with her nails up like claws, then let her attack flow past him as he twisted his body. Her momentum then pitched her forward and she once again hit the floor.
“Yeah, you really are shockingly strong and quick for a woman. I actually could see you becoming a hunter if you trained.”
Lem Dom didn’t say anything in response.
“Well, some stuff’s hard to get with words alone. It’d probably be quickest for you to meet Ai Fa directly so you can see the difference between the two of you.”
Lem Dom just slowly stood up in silence, her back turned to Ludo Ruu.
“I’ll never forget this humiliation...”
“Huh? Are you crying?”
“I am not!”
At that, Lem Dom snatched up the bottle of fruit wine that had fallen to the floor and swiftly exited the bedroom.
With a single yawn, Ludo Ruu flopped back down atop the bedding.
Hmm, there sure are some strange folks out there.
Still, considering Ludo Ruu was already close to Ai Fa and Asuta, this hadn’t made for all that big of a shock. And since he got in a bit of exercise there at the end, he felt like he would be able to sleep soundly.
With the thick womanly scent that lingered heavily about the room starting to disperse, Ludo Ruu closed his eyes.
4
“So at least for now, it doesn’t seem like Deek Dom has anyone he wants to take as a bride. Looks like his plan is to take it easy and look for a fitting woman until he turns eighteen.”
It was now the following evening. Ludo Ruu was giving his report to Morun Rutim, who was once again visiting the Ruu settlement.
“And the folks up north are going to give some definite thought as to how they want to handle the matter of tasty cooking, so depending on how that goes, they may end up asking to exchange members with the clans under the Ruu like the Sauti did. If that happens, you may have another chance to form a bond with Deek Dom.”
“H-Hold on, Ludo Ruu...”
“Still, the northern settlement’s built in a pretty dangerous place. You get mundt and stuff popping up on the outskirts of the forest, and apparently it isn’t even that rare for giba to wander into the settlement. I gave some advice that for the women’s safety, they should clear out some of their encroaching trees and build a fence or something. I mean, even if you like the guy, we can’t go sending you off to such a dangerous place.”
“Ludo Ruu! I said hold on!”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“I had my suspicions when I heard about your trip from Ama Min after she returned from the Ruu settlement this morning...but did you really head up north for a reason like that?!”
“What do you mean ‘a reason like that’? This is a huge deal for you.”
“Th-That’s true, but...” Morun Rutim murmured, her cheeks turning red. However, her adorable plump face was still shooting Ludo Ruu a reproachful look. “But up until the Suun clan fell, the Ruu and the northern clans were bitter enemies, right? It’s dangerous spending the night in a place like that!”
“It wasn’t dangerous at all. And if it was, that’d be all the more reason we couldn’t let you go.”
“You didn’t go all the way there on your own just to confirm that, did you...?”
“Of course not. I just wanted to know what sort of person Deek Dom really was. After all, I couldn’t just let you go off and marry some weak-willed guy,” Ludo Ruu replied with a grin. “But, well, as far as I could see, he seemed like a great man. Maybe a bit hardheaded, but not so bad for someone from up north. But you’ll have to confirm the rest with your own two eyes.”
“Ludo Ruu, I can’t believe you...” Morun Rutim sighed. “Maybe it’s because all the men in my family have such imposing builds, but I seem to be drawn to guys like that...”
“Ooh yeah, Dan Rutim and Gazraan Rutim really do stand out.”
“If it weren’t for that, I’d probably have ended up wanting to marry you, Ludo Ruu...”
“What, so even you’re calling me a runt now, Morun Rutim?” Ludo Ruu frowned, only for the girl to shoot him back a gentle smile.
“Still, I’d say I was really lucky to be born close to someone as kind and reliable as you.”
“Cut it out. That’s embarrassing.”
“But it’s the truth,” Morun Rutim replied, smiling even brighter.
It was then that the door to the main house swung open behind them.
“Ah, I finally found you, Ludo! I’m starving, so let’s hurry up and get dinner started.”
It was the youngest daughter of the main house, Rimee Ruu.
Turning her way, Ludo Ruu stuck out his tongue.
“Quiet, you. Don’t go interrupting important discussions. If you’re hungry, then just go gnaw on a wooden spoon or something.”
“What the heck, stupid runty Ludo?! You’re just a stupid runt!”
“Do you not know any insults but ‘stupid’ and ‘runt’?”
“Shut up! If you don’t hurry up, I’ll eat your dinner too!”
With that, the door slammed shut.
“Hee hee hee,” Ludo Ruu chuckled, until Morun Rutim came in closer to him with a somewhat worried look.
“Hey, Ludo Ruu... It probably goes without saying at this point, but it’s worrying me, so there’s something I feel the need to say...”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“No matter how cute she may be and how much you may adore her, you can’t marry your little sister, you know.”
Instantly, the blood rushed to Ludo Ruu’s face.
“Wh-Why are you spouting stupid stuff like that?! How is that cheeky little crybaby Rimee cute?! You’re being weird, Morun Rutim!”
“Well, if I was mistaken then there’s no worry,” she answered with a smile meant to pacify Ludo Ruu as she patted him on the shoulder. “I hope you meet a girl you’ll find even more adorable and precious than Rimee Ruu soon.”
“Shut up!” Ludo Ruu shouted, his voice echoing throughout the darkening Ruu settlement.
It was the fourth of the ashen month at the time. News of the capture of Cyclaeus’s underlings, those outlaws in the Winds of Black Death, would be delivered the following day.