Apéritif: The Hunter’s Path

1

Ai Fa’s father Gil Fa lived his life as a hunter, and met his end in the forest.

It happened the month after Ai Fa finally turned 15.

Gil Fa had been a very strong man, and he carried out his work as a hunter more splendidly than anyone else.

He had been Ai Fa’s greatest pride, and now she had lost him.

Obviously, it was only natural that a hunter would die in the forest. Hardly any men of the forest’s edge died of old age rather than meeting such a fate. And so, Ai Fa earnestly believed that Gil Fa had lived a good and proper life, having hunted more giba than anyone before one finally took him down.

But even so, Ai Fa’s heart was full of grief. She had lost the only family she had left.

Ai Fa’s mother Mei had passed away a long while back, and the Fa clan didn’t have any branch families or followers. Over the decades the Fa bloodline had been withering down, and as of today, Ai Fa had finally found herself the only one left.

How should I live my life from now on...?

Ai Fa leaned listlessly against the wall in the moonlit room, the hunter’s cloak her father left behind wrapped around her as she hugged her knees tight.

Her father had often said with a smile that she looked like a little kid when she sat like that. He wasn’t around to smile anymore, though.

Ai Fa brought back just his giba fur cloak; his two well-worn blades, one large and one small; and the necklace of tusks and horns that were his pride as a hunter. Then, she buried his corpse in the forest, so his soul could return there.

From now on, Gil Fa would surely be watching over Ai Fa along with the souls of their ancestors.

He had truly experienced both a proper life and a proper death as a hunter of the forest’s edge, so it wasn’t permitted to grieve and mourn more than was necessary. But Ai Fa was just too young, so she didn’t even know if this pain filling her up inside was proper for a person of the forest’s edge.

I wish my father would have taught me just a little more about being a hunter... But even if I have such thoughts, would I truly be permitted to live as one?

She reached out and touched the necklace and sword in its leather sheath on the floor.

Ai Fa didn’t know if she was qualified to take up these belongings that her father had left behind.

A necklace with three tusks and horns from her father hung around Ai Fa’s neck.

The only hunting tool she had been given before was a single small knife.

When Ai Fa had turned 13, she was allowed to enter deep into the forest, and started helping her father on his hunts. She had already learned the basics of living as a hunter. How to set a trap, find a giba’s nest, mask your presence, and handle the dangerous fruits that attracted giba to you...

However, Gil Fa still hadn’t acknowledged her as a full-fledged hunter. He had said that since she was a woman, Ai Fa still needed training before she could live that life, and she honestly thought the same. But Gil Fa had also said that someday she would gain that strength and bring back a giba she had hunted with her own two hands, and have the neighboring women make a hunter’s cloak out of it.

She was just one step short. Just a little bit more, and she surely would have gotten ahold of the power and techniques she needed to become a hunter her father could be proud of.

Ai Fa hugged her knees even tighter.

She didn’t have any family or followers, so would she really be able to live on her own as a hunter from here on out? And would it even be proper to do so, as a person of the forest’s edge?

She didn’t have an answer.

My mother wanted me to live as a woman. My father was happy when I helped him in his work as a hunter... Which path should I take?

Her elderly friend Jiba Ruu’s kind face came to mind. When Ai Fa had opened up and mentioned she wanted to become a hunter, her friend’s response was that she should follow the path she believed to be correct.

But everything was hazy right now, and she didn’t know what was right, or even what she wanted.

What should I do...?

Ai Fa buried her face in her knees, feeling like she was wandering aimlessly through a labyrinth without an exit.

It was then that she heard a strange sound from the darkness. It was a creak, creak coming from somewhere nearby.

What is that?

Normally, she would have stood up immediately and searched for the source of the sound. But tonight, she couldn’t even muster the willpower for that much.

Her arms and legs were completely devoid of strength. She was a complete wreck inside, too. Having lost her father just a few hours prior, Ai Fa’s heart was still sinking in a deep swamp of sadness.

Did a giba come down into the settlement? Is the forest trying to help itself not just to my father’s soul, but mine as well?

Naturally, even if a giba did come down to the settlement, it wouldn’t just go sticking its tusks into the sturdy walls of a house, but Ai Fa’s thoughts were in such disarray that she couldn’t even realize that much.

And then, something every bit as unbelievable as a giba attack occurred.

A door at the far side of the hall was suddenly violently wrenched open. The room on the other side was used for storage, and it didn’t have any doors to the outside. And on top of that, she had already checked that everything was normal in all the rooms upon returning home, then bolted the entrance door.

But despite all that, the door had opened from the inside.

Soon, a large man holding a candlestick appeared from inside... He had on a hunter’s outfit, marking him as a young man of the forest’s edge.

“Hey there. Sorry for dropping in so suddenly, Ai Fa of the Fa clan...” he said in a strangely sluggish voice that hurt her ears.

She didn’t recognize the man.

In addition to his hunter’s cloak, he had on a necklace of horns and tusks, as well as an impressive blade at his hips. He looked to be just a bit older than Ai Fa, but he was still quite young.

“W-Who are you? What are you doing in this house?”

“I’m the oldest son of the Suun clan, Diga Suun. I’m the eldest of the main family, y’know?”

The Suun clan led the people of the forest’s edge. If he was the eldest son of the main family, that meant he would eventually be in charge of their people.

“I’ve got some business with you, y’see? So even though it’s not quite proper of me, I went ahead and let myself in through your window.”

There was a wooden lattice in each of the windows. That must have meant the sound from before came from him breaking one.

Ai Fa was frankly more dumbfounded than angry.

“That’s ridiculous... You do not just break a part of a person’s house to enter it. Even stepping foot inside without permission breaches one of the strongest taboos of the forest’s edge. Just what were you thinking?”

“The only thing I was thinking about was you.”

The candle lit up the lower part of Diga Suun’s otherwise expressionless face, revealing an incredibly repulsive smile.

With that, Ai Fa finally realized the danger she was in, but it was already too late. She grabbed for the blade laying on the floor, but Diga Suun snapped it up quicker than she could reach it, laughing all the while.

That violent action caused the flame to go out, turning Diga Suun’s large body into nothing but a black silhouette. That shadowy figure threw away the extinguished candle, then held down Ai Fa’s body with both arms.

“I heard your old man, your one and only family left, went and kicked the bucket, Ai Fa. So, how exactly do you plan on living from here on out...?”

“That has nothing to do with you!”

Ai Fa struggled, but Diga Suun had both of her wrists firmly in the grasp of his thick fingers. He was holding her down atop the fur rug, seated atop her waist. No matter how much she fought, his heavy frame didn’t budge in the least.

Ai Fa was tall for a 15 year old girl, and her whole body had been honed by the harsh work of a hunter, but there was still just too great of a difference in their physiques.

As he straddled Ai Fa, Diga Suun whispered, “Oh, it has plenty to do with me. You see, Ai Fa, I was planning on welcoming you into the Suun clan as a retainer.”

“Welcoming me into your clan...?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m the next head of the clan, after all. I mean, I couldn’t quite go and make a woman from a puny clan like the Fa my wife, but if you’re just a retainer, then nobody should be able to complain about it. Clans who have lost the ability to keep on living on their own have no choice but to rely on the bigger families, right?”

Ai Fa didn’t say anything.

“Cast aside the Fa clan and become a Suun. Then, I’ll look after you for life.”

As the pale moonlight illuminated his face, he licked his lips with a repulsive look of joy about him.

Ai Fa glared back at his face, a violent fury pulsing in her chest.

“...There are rumors that the Suun clan has been simply living a life of luxury with the coins given to them by the city of stone, not even bothering to carry out their work as hunters. Is that true?”

Upon hearing her words, Diga Suun broke out in a smirk.

“If you want to know the truth, then just join our clan. If you become a part of the clan that leads our people, you’ll be able to live however you please, too.”

“...And you call yourself a man of the forest’s edge?!” Ai Fa yelled out, and smashed her right knee into Diga Suun’s back.

He was still on top of her waist, so she couldn’t put any proper power behind it. But even so, the shock of the attack caused him to move his upper body forward a lot. Ai Fa took advantage of that opening and headbutted him as hard as she could.

Diga Suun cried out “Ugh!” as blood spurted forth. She had most likely broken his nose.

The large man collapsed and fell off of Ai Fa, writhing around in pain as he held both hands to his face.

“You don’t carry out your work as a hunter despite being born a man, break taboos, and even assault women...! You haven’t earned the right to call yourself one of our people!”

“Eek!” Diga Suun shrieked as he started fleeing towards the door. He removed the bolt, swung open the door, and then tumbled outside.

Ai Fa, meanwhile, grabbed hold of the sword her father had left behind, yelled “Stop!” and chased after him.

Ai Fa could feel an anger of a sort she had never known before filling her up inside. It was like all the sadness she felt over losing her father had turned into pure rage.

Why...?!

Why did a splendid hunter like her father have to die while this scum shamelessly lived on?

Why did the forest thrust such an unreasonable fate on its people?

Diga Suun ran like a wounded animal under the pale, frozen moon, and as Ai Fa chased after him she angrily yelled out without thinking, “Stop running, you coward! Take your punishment for your sins!”

“Waaaaaa!”

Thanks to the weight of the blade, Ai Fa wasn’t quite able to gain on Diga Suun. However, when he hit the point where the flat ground transitioned to the rocky terrain around the Lanto River, he tripped and fell.

As he gasped for breath down on the ground, he turned and looked up at Ai Fa. His expression was one of pure terror, and his face was soaked with blood and tears.

“H-Hold on! I was wrong! I’m begging you, please forgive me!”

“Are you really a member of the clan that leads our people...? No, are you really even one of our people in the first place?”

Ai Fa lifted up the blade with both hands, ever so slightly out of breath. That incredibly heavy steel blade...

When he saw Ai Fa grab the leather sheath, Diga Suun yelled out in even more of a panic, “Y-You’re pointing a blade at a member of the family that leads our people?! Do you really think something like that will be forgiven?! If you kill me, the Suun clan will crush you into dust, Ai Fa!”

“Don’t be a fool! No matter what family you may be a part of, it’s only obvious that you face punishment for breaking the law.”

“J-Just what are you saying I did?! I still haven’t done anything! Killing an innocent person is a greater taboo than any other, right?!”

“...I see. It’s true that you have yet to truly do anything to me. Perhaps it wouldn’t be proper to demand your life for just shoving me down to the floor,” Ai Fa coldly said as she slowly approached Diga Suun. “But you stepped foot in the house of another without permission. I believe the law states you should offer up a toe for that.”

“Eeep!” Diga Suun shrilly screamed out like a little girl, down on his hands and knees on the rocks. “Please! I’m begging you! I just wanted to invite you into the Suun family! I didn’t want to leave a beautiful woman like you all on your own!”

“You fool...” Ai Fa said, her voice quaking with anger, but she could soon feel her own heart go cold.

This blade was meant for hunting giba. It was a precious heirloom, left for her by her father Gil Fa. It felt incredibly foolish to let the blood of scum like this sully it.

“...You truly are the sort of man who isn’t even worth cutting, Diga Suun of the Suun clan.”

Diga Suun slowly looked up. His face, bloodied from his broken nose, turned up at her and twisted into a cowardly smile, as if he sensed her hesitation.

“Right, cutting me down won’t bring your father back, will it? I won’t say anything, so just come live with me in—”

Ai Fa swung the blade in its leather sheath at the side of Diga Suun’s head as hard as she could. With that, Diga Suun’s massive body splashed into the Lanto River, leaving behind a pathetic shriek.

“W-What do you think you’re doing?! You stubborn, violent woman! Don’t think you’ll get off lightly after defying the Suun clan...!”

Ai Fa turned her back to the sound of Diga Suun yelling out as he was swept downriver, and started making her way back home.

As she felt the rocks of the shoreline on her bare feet, she hugged the blade tight. That heavy blade that her father had left behind had nothing to tell Ai Fa, though.

◇

A few hours earlier, the banquet hall of the main Ruu house was filled with the sound of a young child sobbing.

The family was gathered there, and they were in the middle of dinner. Normally there would be endless laughter as everyone sat together, but that day nothing but that heart wrenching sound could be heard.

The one crying was the youngest daughter, Rimee Ruu. The six year old child had been on the verge of tears ever since the meal started, all the while as she scooped up the white stew with thinly cut chunks of giba leg meat. Since she couldn’t neglect her daily partaking in this precious life force, she kept on forcing herself to eat as she sobbed away.

“Hey, won’t you cut it out already, Rimee?” said her father in a voice that rumbled like an earthquake, causing her to stop for a moment. But soon enough, she started sniffling again and wasn’t able to hold back the tears, the sound of crying again filled the hall alongside her chewing her food.

“Hey! Didn’t you hear me say to cut it out?!” the head of the Ruu clan finally exploded.

Rimee Ruu winced and slowly turned to face her father, but those tears streaming down her smooth cheeks showed no sign of stopping.

“But... But Gil Fa died... He was still so young and strong, but...”

“No matter how young or strong someone may be, as long as they’re living as a hunter, they should expect to die in the forest at any moment. It isn’t wrong to lament that loss, but if you go too far, you could end up sullying that hunter’s pride.” The one who said all that wasn’t the clan head, but the eldest son, Jiza Ruu. As he looked at Rimee Ruu with his thin eyes, he tilted his thick neck just a bit. “Who was that Gil Fa person to start with, anyway? I haven’t heard of any family with such a name.”

“He was the dad of Ai Fa, who Rimee and Granny Jiba formed a bond with... Not that I know more than his name myself, though,” the youngest son Ludo Ruu said while chewing his meat. Then he turned to the second son, who was seated next to him, and said, “Darmu, you said you’d seen him before, didn’t you? Back when you accompanied dad to that meeting of clan heads last year.”

“Yeah. He was a real strange man,” Darmu Ruu replied while drinking fruit wine, sounding rather uninterested in the subject. “Even though he didn’t have any family to bring along with him, he still showed up to the meeting with a necklace of tusks and fangs. He didn’t look too odd in terms of appearances, but something about him felt fishy.”

“He wasn’t fishy! Gil Fa was just that strong of a hunter!” Rimee Ruu yelled out loudly, tears streaming down her face. “But even so, a giba killed him... Now Ai Fa’s all alone...”

“That Fa clan only consisted of the father and daughter? In that case, though, the girl’s only options are to marry into another related family, or else become a retainer,” Jiza Ruu said in a severely calm voice, only for Rimee Ruu to shake her little head back and forth, causing her reddish brown hair to sway.

“The Fa clan doesn’t have any family left... What’ll happen to Ai Fa...?”

“No family? In that case, just how was that Gil Fa man hunting giba? No matter how strong a hunter may be, it simply wouldn’t be possible to hunt down enough on his own, right?”

No one had an answer to that question.

After a bit of silence, the second son Darmu Ruu muttered with a look of displeasure, “That’s why I said he was fishy...”

“And I said he wasn’t! Ai Fa’s been helping him with his hunting ever since she turned 13! For these past two years, it’s been the two of them, not just him on his own!”

“What? Why was a woman helping a hunter with his work?”

“That’s...” Rimee Ruu muttered, hesitating a bit. “...That’s because Ai Fa wanted to become a hunter, so she just ended up helping Gil Fa...”

“A woman hunter?”

The women present had just been politely watching over the proceedings up until now, but even they couldn’t hide their surprise.

The only ones who really knew Ai Fa were Rimee Ruu and the elder, Jiba Ruu. And Jiba Ruu had been sick in bed since last month, plus it was too hard for her to make it to the dining hall, so right now Tito Min Ruu was assisting her in her bedroom.

“What a ridiculous story. Normally under those circumstances, he would have had no choice but to become a retainer to another family along with his daughter. That way even if the Fa name was lost, they would still have their lives.”

“Yeah. And for him to make his daughter help him in his work as a hunter. Come on! I really don’t know what he was thinking.”

“Like I said, Ai Fa was the one who said she wanted to help out! Don’t say mean things about Ai Fa and Gil Fa, stupid Ludo!”

“Oh, shut it. Don’t take your anger out on me, little Rimee.”

“You’re little too, Ludo! Little Ludo! Little idiot Ludo!”

Ludo Ruu’s cheeks puffed up and he looked about ready to say something back, but when he saw his tiny sister’s tear stained face, he started looking a little down, too.

“...Well anyway, now that her dad is dead, that Ai Fa girl really doesn’t have any choice but to rely on another family. If she marries into some nearby house and lives as a normal woman, then she can live enough for herself and her father, right?”

“Right. That’s the proper way for a woman of the forest’s edge to be,” Jiza Ruu said, signaling the end of the conversation.

Rimee Ruu resumed dejectedly eating her dinner afterwards, and Donda Ruu ultimately didn’t have anything else to say after his previous outburst.

Nobody present realized those blue eyes that shone brighter and more intensely than anyone else’s were deep in thought.

2

“Ai Fa, what in the world is going on?!” cried out Saris Ran, the daughter of one of the neighboring houses.

Ai Fa didn’t have much involvement with people from other clans, making this girl one of her few friends.

“As you can see, I’m repairing the broken lattice in this window,” Ai Fa bluntly stated while sawing wood.

It was currently right between daybreak and noon. After finishing her usual gathering of herbs and firewood, Ai Fa had set about fixing the lattice that Diga Suun had broken the previous night.

The hunter’s cloak and sword were safely stowed away inside of the house. Currently, she just had on the same light women’s attire as Saris Ran.

Saris Ran came running up to her, a look of concern on her face.

“How awful... Just what happened to cause it to break like that? It almost looks like a hunter’s blade or something got shoved in there and then it was forced open, doesn’t it?”

“That was just the sort of barbaric act that did it. Really, he went and made more unnecessary work for me...”

A smile broke out on Saris Ran’s slender face, perhaps because she was relieved to see Ai Fa acting like her old self so soon after the loss of her father. It didn’t take long to shift into a frown, though.

“Is there really someone out there who would do something so awful? Just what were they planning, doing something like that?”

“Who knows? I don’t know what he was thinking, but regardless, such actions are unforgivable. And so, rather than slicing off his toe, I knocked him into the Lanto River.”

“Oh, my... Was it someone from town who had sneaked in?” Saris Ran asked, turning a few shades paler as she wrung her hands.

Ai Fa stopped cutting the wood, and looked right at her childhood friend’s worried face.

“As if people from town would set foot in the forest’s edge. No, that lawbreaker called himself Diga Suun.”

“Diga Suun... Huh? Ai Fa, isn’t that the name of the main Suun house’s oldest son?”

“Yeah. That’s definitely how he introduced himself. I’d heard rumors that the clan that leads our people had fallen to the depths of depravity, and it looks like they may actually be true.”

With this, all the rest of the color drained from Saris Ran’s face.

“A-Ai Fa... Do you understand what you’re saying? The Suun clan leads the people of the forest’s edge, right? And as the eldest son of the main family, that means he’ll eventually be in charge, so...”

“Right. That’s why I figured it was entirely possible he was just some shameless man falsely giving that name. After all, someone brazen enough to commit such a lawless act would surely be fine giving someone else’s name.”

“Y-You’re wrong, Ai Fa! Plenty of members of the Suun clan pay no heed to the law! Especially the eldest son of the main house... He’s rumored to go after beautiful women indiscriminately, isn’t he?”

Ai Fa looked a bit annoyed at the way her friend unnecessarily added “beautiful” to her statement.

“Why is such lawlessness permitted? What meaning do the laws of the forest’s edge even have at that point?”

“I mean, the Suun clan is stronger than any other family... The only ones who can oppose them are the equally strong Ruu clan, right?”

Ai Fa scowled even further, then scratched her blonde-haired head.

“So, that shameless man really was their next clan head... What a wretched thought. There’s no way that someone like him is capable of leading our people.”

“T-This is no time to be so nonchalant about things! Ai Fa, did you really strike Diga Suun?”

“Indeed. I sunk him in the Lanto River.”

Saris Ran almost collapsed, only to grab Ai Fa’s shoulders in a panic. As the outfits worn by women only hid their chests, her shoulders were completely exposed. Thanks to that, Ai Fa felt Saris Ran’s hands touching her bare skin, and secretly thought to herself that they felt warm.

“Ai Fa! Go apologize to the Suun clan! The one at fault really was that eldest son of theirs, so maybe what you did will be forgiven... But anyway, you must hurry and go now!”

“What are you saying? I let him off with just a soak in the river so they should be thanking me. There’s no reason I should have to apologize.”

“That sort of logic won’t work with the Suun clan! You should have a man you can trust accompany you... Ah, but the Fa clan doesn’t have any family, right? What should you do...?”

Looking half fed up with the girl, Ai Fa grabbed Saris Ran’s slender shoulders back.

“Saris Ran. I’m grateful for your concern, but I have no intention of bowing my head when I’m not at fault. It’s fine to just ignore that dunce.”

“But that can’t be true, right? We’re talking about the clan that leads our people...”

“If the Suun clan really is as the rumors say, not even carrying out their work as hunters, then there’s no need to fear such lowlifes. I’ll just keep turning the tables on them and throwing them in the river as many times as it takes.”

“That’s...! Even you wouldn’t be able to do anything if he came after you with more men, right?”

“I won’t know until I try.”

And even if she couldn’t do anything about it, she could see no reason to yield. After all, wouldn’t it be better to let her soul return to the forest than to live in a way that went against her ideals?

That was how Ai Fa felt, but Saris Ran had a real look of concern on her face.

Am I the strange one here...?

Ai Fa’s late father had taught her that this was the proper way for the people of the forest’s edge to live. Obey the law, hunt giba, live in the forest, and die there as well. Ai Fa had heard since she was a little girl that that was how the people of the forest’s edge should be.

However, Saris Ran was staring at Ai Fa like she was a real blockhead who wouldn’t listen to common sense, an unusually strong look in her eyes. Saris Ran was a good, kind girl by nature, but it wasn’t at all rare for their opinions to clash like this.

And that wasn’t just limited to Saris Ran. The neighboring Ran and Fou clans kept a close eye on the Fa clan, who they had only loose ties to, but occasionally they looked completely dumbfounded by what Ai Fa or Gil Fa were doing.

The easiest example was of course the way that Ai Fa helped out with her father’s work as a hunter. They all said that women should stick to women’s work, things like gathering firewood and herbs, skinning pelts, manning the stove, and waiting for the men to return home from their hunts.

Ai Fa gathered firewood and herbs, too, and she also manned the stove. She couldn’t skin pelts on her own, but ever since her mother passed away she had done it alongside her father. In fact, for the two of them, there was no distinction between “men’s work” and “women’s work.”

Plus, men helped the women with their work even at the Ran house. She had seen men who weren’t out on the hunt doing things like carrying water jugs or chopping firewood plenty of times.

And yet, women hunting was the one thing that wasn’t permitted. The main reason she was given was that women were too weak for the work. But Ai Fa had been adeptly helping out her father even though she hadn’t been a full adult. Once she got just a bit taller and her muscles only a touch stronger, she surely would have been able to wield a large, heavy blade just like the men did. In terms of speed and agility she had already surpassed her father, and she had even managed to somehow take down a giba she happened to run across with just a knife. With just a bit more training, she would surely become a hunter worthy of the title... Her father Gil Fa had said as much, and he hadn’t been the sort of man to say things lightly.

There was no law at the forest’s edge that women couldn’t be hunters. And Ai Fa certainly had a talent for the work, too.

But in spite of all that, the only people at the forest’s edge who accepted her earnest wish to become a hunter were her father Gil Fa, Jiba Ruu, and Rimee Ruu.

“Ai Fa... What do you intend to do from here on out?” Saris Ran finally asked, looking like she had a bit of trouble saying it. “Gil Fa was a gallant hunter, but he still died in the forest. And you didn’t have any other family to rely on other than him to start with, so how are you going to make a living?”

“That’s...” Ai Fa started, only to stop midway through.

“You’ve been able to manage up till now because Gil Fa was by your side, but it’s just not possible for a woman to live on her own. You don’t have a choice but to marry into some house or become a retainer, right?”

“But then the Fa name will die out.”

“That will still happen as things are now, so what difference does it make? No matter how pretty you may be, there aren’t any men out there who would marry into a clan with no family or retainers.”

“...I believe I already said that I’d like you to stop talking about my appearance in that manner,” Ai Fa said with a frown, only for Saris Ran to say “Sorry,” with a smile.

“It’s true though, right? And you finally turned 15, so you’re old enough to marry. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of marriage offers before I even have time to worry about you...”

“I’m not thinking of getting married. If it came down to it, I would at least like to hunt as a retainer for some family.”

“There aren’t any houses out there who would take on a woman as a hunter. Ai Fa, a woman’s work is to watch over the home, birth children, and carry on the bloodline, right?”

Ai Fa gave a deep sigh.

“I haven’t thought of getting married, and besides, I’m sure no men would have me, anyway. I’m sure you’re under some great delusion, Saris Ran.”

“That’s not true. You’re a very charming woman, Ai Fa,” Saris Ran said with a smile as she grabbed hold of both of Ai Fa’s hands. “Your light hair, and your face, and that slender, shapely body of yours are all so very pretty... Why have you been helping out with hunting of all things when you’re so slim?”

“I’m not as skinny as you... And besides, weren’t you the one who got a marriage proposal?”

Ai Fa’s counterattack caused Saris Ran’s cheeks to go red.

“Um, that’s right... Ah, it’s not all locked down just yet, though. But I think I’ll probably end up marrying into the Fou clan.”

“The Fou clan, huh? Then you won’t be moving all that far.”

“Yeah. The Ran and Fou were originally part of the same family, after all... Hey, wouldn’t it be nice if you married into the Ran clan? Then we’d be related, too, right?”

After she said that, Saris Ran’s eyebrows drooped sadly again.

“You would have to do something about the Suun clan before that, though. There’s no way you could marry into a clan when you’ve earned the anger of the leaders of our people...”

“What’s this about the Suun clan?” a little girl’s voice suddenly asked from below.

Reflexively, Ai Fa leapt to the side and glared at the source of the voice.

“Rimee Ruu, how many times do I have to tell you not to approach me while hiding your presence before you finally understand?”

“Hehe, you seem energetic, Ai Fa! That’s a relief!”

The little girl with the fluffy reddish brown hair, Rimee Ruu, shot a gleeful smile back at Ai Fa.

“So, what’s this about the Suun clan?”

◇

The dinner that night at the Ruu house was even more boisterous than it had been the night before.

Naturally, this was because of the shocking news that Rimee Ruu let slip.

“Hmph... So that blockheaded Suun boy went and did something like that, did he?”

Today, Donda Ruu was wearing a smile that made him look like a carnivore that had found its prey.

“It’s such a ridiculous story that it’s almost hard to believe. Just how far must one fall to be willing to do something so wretched?” Jiza Ruu harshly criticized while wearing an exceedingly gentle expression.

Across from them, the clan head’s wife Mia Lea Ruu gave a sigh.

“That Ai Fa girl really is unfortunate. She not only lost her father, but had to deal with something that horrible on the very same night... What happened after that, Rimee?”

“Nothing happened! Ai Fa’s friend or whatever said she should apologize to the Suun Clan, but Ai Fa was the same as always. She said regardless of if he was part of the clan that led our people or whatever, she just gave a shameless man his just punishment... Hey, will Ai Fa really be alright?” Rimee Ruu asked, her eyes already tearing up.

Nobody present was willing to say things would be just fine. After all, the Suun clan that led their people had only fallen deeper and deeper into depravity over the past 20 years.

The Ruu clan was similarly powerful, so as long as they kept a watchful eye, the Suun wouldn’t make a move on the surface. But at the same time, they were absolutely the sort to use cruel and cowardly tactics to strike in secret.

“What do you want to do, clan head? That Ai Fa girl’s got some real guts, but if she keeps acting so tough, even the houses in her neighborhood won’t want to take her as a bride, right?”

“Oh...? You think so too?” Donda Ruu said with a smile that bared his teeth.

His wife put down her half-eaten plate of food, a sullen look on her face.

“I’ve been thinking... I’ve never heard of the Fa, Fou, or Ran clans before. That must mean none of them have much in the way of family or retainers, isn’t that so? There’s no way such small clans would possibly defy the Suun, right?”

“That only makes sense... But there’s no reason for us to save someone who isn’t even one of our retainers, and the Fa house is so far from the Ruu house to start with. We couldn’t send help to her even if we wanted to.”

“That’s true. We can’t exactly post a lookout when the Fa house is so far away...”

Mia Lea Ruu and the other women all looked concerned.

Even if Ai Fa wasn’t related to them, she still had a bond with their precious family, Jiba Ruu and Rimee Ruu. None of them knew how strong that friendship was, but when they saw how Rimee Ruu was wailing, they couldn’t help but feel for her.

“Darmu, you’re already 17, aren’t you?” Donda Ruu said with a grin like a wild beast as he looked at his second son.

With a look in his eyes just as intense as his father’s, Darmu Ruu gave a dubious nod and said, “Yeah.”

“Then you’re at the age where you should be taking a wife soon. It wouldn’t be such a bad idea taking that tomboy as your wife, don’t you think?”

Almost everyone present looked shocked.

“Are you serious, dad?! You really want Darmu to take a girl from a small clan without family or retainers as his wife?!” the youngest son, Ludo Ruu, asked as the representative for the group.

“Yeah. You only just turned 13, and Jiza already has a fine wife for himself. So Darmu’s the only man left around here who can take a wife, right?”

“Yeah, but...”

At the forest’s edge, blood ties mattered above all else. That made marriage a means of furthering a clan’s power, either by forming deeper bonds with retainers, or by forming a new connection with a powerful clan.

“Clan Head Donda, I didn’t think you had become so taken by the Fa clan... But even so, wouldn’t it make sense in that case to have her marry into a Ruu branch family, or perhaps the Rutim or Lea clans? That should allow for plenty of unwed men to choose from,” Jiza Ruu calmly stated.

With that, Donda Ruu’s fierce smile drew back and he replied, “Hmm? Jiza, you want to foist a tomboy who snapped at the Suun clan on a branch family or one of the other clans under us?”

“Yes. We must treat the bloodline of the main Ruu house with care. I am the oldest son and I have already taken a wife, but sadly we have yet to be blessed with a child. If I should happen to die in the forest before I receive such a blessing, the next clan head will be Darmu, and in turn his child will become the heir to the main Ruu house, yes?”

Jiza Ruu’s wife Sati Lea Ruu looked down a bit. As he cast a sideways glance at that, Donda Ruu gave a “Hmph.” Then, he continued on, “You shouldn’t be saying stuff like that after just a year or two of trying... And besides, that crazy father and daughter were going after giba all on their own, so don’t you think she’d give birth to a splendid hunter? Even without family or retainers, as long as there’s strong blood running through her veins, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Clan Head Donda, could it perhaps be...” Jiza Ruu started, his eyes narrowing even further. “Did you have some sort of connection with that Gil Fa man? Something deeper than just seeing him at a meeting of clan heads, I mean...”

“It’s nothing all that serious. We just knew each other a bit way back,” Donda Ruu said in an annoyed tone, waving it off with his thick hand.

With that, a pleasant smile crossed his face again, and he turned to face Darmu Ruu, who had been sitting there in gloomy silence.

“It’s just that I knew that ridiculous bastard’s skill as a hunter full well. I feel that it’d be plenty worthwhile to see if that girl is worthy of being part of our Ruu clan.”

After dinner, Rimee Ruu visited Jiba Ruu’s bedroom.

The ill Jiba Ruu was lying atop a pile of blankets, gently looking back at Rimee Ruu’s face.

“So... Just what is it that you wish for, Rimee...?”

“I don’t know. I really don’t want those Suun guys to do something awful to Ai Fa, but... I just can’t imagine her becoming Darmu’s wife,” Rimee Ruu replied, looking completely stricken with grief.

Jiba Ruu took hold of the little girl’s hands with fingers like withered branches.

“Only a man and a woman can know of the bond they share... If they share one they can come together, and if they don’t, nothing may come of it... I’m sure that regardless of our concerns, Ai Fa will choose the best path for herself...”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t be worried if Ai Fa was her usual self, either. But now that Gil Fa passed away... She still looks like normal, but I think something’s definitely off about her.”

Jiba Ruu’s lips trembled a little in concern upon hearing those words.

“Is that so...? I haven’t seen Ai Fa in some time, so I don’t know about how she is now... I’m sure she must be devastated, having lost her precious father...”

Rimee Ruu had met Gil Fa many times, but with her weak legs Jiba Ruu had never visited the Fa house. Since their houses were far apart, Ai Fa and Jiba Ruu would met midway, where they always deepened their friendship.

It had been four years since the two first met. The old woman had been out with a two year old Rimee Ruu, who loved walks, and they ran into Ai Fa after having gone rather far out.

Then, two years after they met, the 13 year old Ai Fa started helping her father with her work, and so they had far fewer chances to see each other. And as Jiba Ruu’s legs weakened, they started seeing each other only once a month, then once every two months... And in time, Jiba Ruu grew sick.

Now that she was old enough to go out and play on her own, Rimee Ruu never spent more than half a month between visits to the Fa house, but Jiba Ruu hadn’t seen Ai Fa for over two months. And in the midst of that time, Ai Fa’s father Gil Fa suddenly died.

“Rimee... Can I count on you to take care of Ai Fa...?” Jiba Ruu weakly asked.

When she heard that, Rimee Ruu looked like she was about to break down crying.

“Take care of her...? But I can’t do anything! I’m not a really good speaker like you are, Granny Jiba!”

“You don’t need to be all that skilled with your words... You just need to be by Ai Fa’s side, Rimee. If you’re with her and smiling, I’m sure Ai Fa will be alright...”

“It won’t be alright! You need to help save Ai Fa too, Granny Jiba!”

The tears finally started to flow from Rimee Ruu’s big eyes.

The exhaustion from her illness clearly showing in her gaze, Jiba Ruu listlessly stared back at the crying little girl.

“These old bones may already be done for... Even if I survive this illness, I may lack the strength to walk anymore... And even today, another one of my teeth fell out...”

“No! Gil Fa already died, and I don’t want to lose you too, no matter what! You said you’d keep on living till I get married!”

“I’d like to keep living... But it’s only natural for us old folks to die first... I’ve lived longer than anyone else at the forest’s edge, so I no longer fear death...”

“I don’t get it! Granny Jiba, you big dummy!”

Rimee Ruu clung to Jiba Ruu’s withering body and wept.

As she ran her trembling fingers along the little girl’s back, Jiba Ruu whispered to no one at all, “I’ve already lived plenty... So, mother forest... If you really are our mother, please, bring these young folk happiness... Help yourself to this old woman’s soul, and in exchange, lend these children your strength...”

3

The following day, Ai Fa found herself greeting some rather unexpected visitors: Donda Ruu, head of the Ruu clan, and his three sons.

“So you’re the head of the Ruu clan, are you? I’m Ai Fa of the Fa clan,” Ai Fa said, greeting them with a firm look on her face as the midday sun shone down on the nape of her neck.

They were standing in front of the Fa house, since Ai Fa had run into her visitors while heading outside to dry pico leaves.

“By chance, I happened to form bonds with Jiba Ruu and Rimee Ruu of your house. I heard tell that Jiba Ruu had fallen ill, but how has she been since then?”

“It appears she has gotten past the worst of her illness, but her spirit seems to have weakened. And she still can’t even walk properly on her own two legs... Hmm, you certainly do seem to have some guts.”

Donda Ruu’s massive frame dwarfed Ai Fa’s, and he was glaring down at the girl.

Frankly, Ai Fa was astonished by the fierce strength emanating from the man.

And it wasn’t just Donda Ruu. His eldest son was just as tall as his father, and seemed to be full of the same sort of strength. The second son was still young, but he was plenty tall with a taut body and limbs, as well as beastly eyes that shone just like his father’s. The youngest boy, meanwhile, still appeared childish. He did technically have a hunter’s uniform on, but he had the same sort of necklace with three tusks and horns on it as Ai Fa, and she couldn’t sense any real pressure coming off of him. He must have just turned 13, the age at which he would be allowed out into the forest.

If it had been men like these who attacked me two days ago, I surely wouldn’t have made it, Ai Fa thought, which she found frustrating. Her own strength wasn’t even a fraction of what they possessed. If they got into a fight, she probably wouldn’t even be able to get away from them. She could clearly feel that.

The only one she felt she could beat was the boy who called himself Ludo Ruu, and that was surely just due to his youth. Once he had a year or two of hunting experience under his belt, he would certainly possess the same sort of strength as his father and brothers. She could sense that sort of strength budding within the boy.

“So, just what business do you have with me?”

While fiddling with his wiry tough-guy beard, Donda Ruu glared at Ai Fa. Before long, he muttered, “I see...” in a low voice. “You look just like your mother in your face and hair. But those eyes... Hmph, seems you really do have that crazy bastard’s blood running through your veins.”

“Donda Ruu, were you acquainted with my parents?” Ai Fa asked, looking shocked.

“A bit, a long time ago,” the man bluntly responded. “It’s not as if we had some sort of special bond or anything. I only met your mom once when she was young, and lately I only ever saw your old man at meetings for clan heads. More importantly, Ai Fa of the Fa clan... I hear you got on the Suun clan’s bad side, right?”

“Yes. It’s nothing all that important, though,” Ai Fa earnestly stated.

Compared to the men in front of her now, Diga Suun was like a defanged giiz. Perhaps that was all the strength men who didn’t carry out their work as hunters could manage.

“You say having bad blood with the clan that leads our people is ‘nothing all that important,’ huh? You’re underestimating them a bit there. After all, no matter how much you may have polished your skills, you’re still just a woman, aren’t you?”

“...You don’t need to emphasize such facts.”

“Then you should behave yourself like a woman. If you do, then maybe we could let you marry into the Ruu clan.”

Ai Fa was left dumbfounded once again.

She had told Rimee Ruu about the matter with Diga Suun, and she imagined that must be related... but this was just too much.

“Are you sane, Donda Ruu of the Ruu clan? I don’t have any family or retainers. What advantage could the Ruu clan hope to gain from welcoming someone like that as a bride?”

“It’s my job to evaluate whether or not we have anything to gain from it. Though with that said, we won’t get anywhere without bringing your partner into the conversation... What do you think, Darmu? Are you up for taking this tomboy as your bride?” Donda Ruu asked his tall second son. The boy, Darmu Ruu, had eyes that were a bit gloomier than his father’s, and they narrowed as if he was staring at something bright.

“...I don’t have a lover. If it will help to strengthen the Ruu clan, then I don’t mind marrying anyone.”

“No, I—”

“I’ve got no interest in a woman who’s obsessed with playing at being a hunter, though,” Darmu Ruu added, interrupting Ai Fa. “It’s a woman’s job to take care of the house, right? I can’t see any value in a woman who won’t take care of that task. At least, that’s what I think.”

“That makes sense. Ai Fa of the Fa clan, are you prepared to live your life as a woman?”

Four sets of eyes shot sharp gazes full of varying emotions at Ai Fa.

As if brushing them aside, Ai Fa stated, “How I live my life is up to me to decide! I don’t understand why I need to be asked such things by people I’m meeting for the first time!”

“Like I said, because we want to welcome you into the clan as a bride. You really do make it hard to save you, tomboy,” Donda Ruu said with a smirk. It was a really irritating grin... But Ai Fa couldn’t sense any ill will or hostility behind it.

“Ai Fa of the Fa clan, you’ve earned the ire of the Suun clan. At this rate, you won’t be allowed so much as a peaceful night’s sleep in the future. But if you become a member of the Ruu clan, even the Suun won’t dare lay a hand on you.”

“That may well be so, but—”

“Additionally, you already have bonds with members of our clan. I won’t just hand over someone my family calls a friend to those Suun bastards so easily,” Donda Ruu said, his tough, rock-like face shifting into even more of a smile. It was like the grin of some ferocious beast.

“Let me swear, here and now: Ai Fa of the Fa clan, if you become part of our Ruu clan, we will do whatever it takes to protect you. If those Suun jerks try to lay a hand on you... We’re prepared to crush them.”

“Crush... the Suun clan...?”

“Yeah, that’s right. 20 years back, the Ruu missed their chance to take them out. We’d happily take up arms against them to clear away that regret, too.”

Ai Fa had heard of the grudge between the Ruu and the Suun. Someone from the Suun clan kidnapped a woman set to marry into the Ruu clan, and then ultimately killed her. However, as there was no proof, the Ruu couldn’t take up arms.

The Ruu and Suun clans held the greatest strength at the forest’s edge, and if they were to fight in earnest, the very settlement itself may be destroyed. That was why the two families were able to let 20 years pass in frustration, letting that deep grudge fester.

That anger and regret wrapped around this man’s massive frame like a blaze. Faced with such tremendous pressure, Ai Fa ended up firmly gritting her teeth.

What a truly intense man... That aspect of him was frightening, but at the same time, it was also strangely awe-inspiring.

People... Hunters, can be this strong and fierce...?

This man Donda Ruu may have been strong enough to not only beat Ai Fa, but also her father Gil Fa. It was hard to compare their strengths, as Gil Fa remained calm and composed at all times, while this Donda Ruu was like a burning flame. But regardless, even someone as inexperienced as Ai Fa could tell that it would be quite a fight.

This man may really be capable of crushing the Suun clan, too...

But would that be what’s right for the people of the forest’s edge? Couldn’t the destruction of their leaders perhaps mean their own deaths in turn?

Ai Fa bit down so hard her teeth creaked, holding back the disturbing feelings she felt running about inside. If she didn’t, she may have ended up overwhelmed by this man’s strength and collapsing to the ground.

“...It’s up to you which path you ultimately choose, Ai Fa of the Fa clan,” Donda Ruu said before turning around. “I’ll come again in three days. Make your decision by then. We’ll be hoping that you choose to join us as a member of our family.”

◇

Just what should I do...?

Ai Fa ended up spending the whole day chopping wood behind her house while worrying over the problem.

She had been distressed ever since she lost her father Gil Fa, and rather than being solved and fading away, that issue only seemed to have grown worse day by day.

I can’t even decide if I should live as a hunter or a woman, and now I’m being asked to marry into the Ruu clan...? Damn, just what is that Donda Ruu thinking?!

An offer to marry into the main Ruu house... That couldn’t be called anything but a bolt out of the blue.

If she really did decide to give up her hunter’s blade and become a bride, then her friends of several years, Jiba and Rimee Ruu, would become family and they would live together. It was an even more unbelievable idea than what Saris Ran had said about marrying into the Ran clan.

The second son Darmu Ruu had Jiba Ruu’s blood running in his veins. And if Ai Fa happened to have a child with him, the same would be true of that new life.

As much as that was so sweet of a thought that it might have almost brought her to tears of joy, it was also so frightening that it felt like someone was ripping out her spine.

Is that what it means, to be tied by blood...?

Did everyone, man and woman, have that sort of resolve when taking a partner?

The Fa blood she inherited from her parents, Gil Fa and Mei Fa, would combine with the Ruu blood shared by Jiba and Rimee Ruu, bringing a new life into the world.

That would surely be a joyous occasion. So joyous that it didn’t even feel real.

And yet...

She didn’t have feelings of any sort for Darmu Ruu. That was only natural, since they only just met for the first time today, and she hadn’t even had so much as a conversation with him.

Well, no, apparently there were people out there who said they knew they wanted to marry their partner at first sight. At the very least, Ai Fa didn’t have any such feelings towards the young man.

If she had to say, Darmu Ruu actually seemed more to be the type of man that she was wary of. He certainly seemed to possess skill as a hunter, but he also seemed arrogant, and had an air about him like a drawn blade. And he gave off the impression that the power he possessed was too much for him. The idea that he was Rimee Ruu’s elder brother made her seriously doubt the fidelity of their births.

She just couldn’t imagine herself marrying a man like that.

Even if becoming part of Jiba and Rimee Ruu’s family would bring her extraordinary joy, that alone was no reason to get married. And she couldn’t imagine those two would be happy with her doing so, either.

They were irreplaceable friends to Ai Fa, but to people with countless family members and retainers like Jiba and Rimee Ruu had, she must have seemed terribly small. Of course, it wasn’t as if Ai Fa was doubting how they felt. It was just that Ai Fa’s only relatives had been her two parents to start with, and then she lost her mother two years back and her father two days ago. Their standings were just way too different, she thought.

And currently, her only friends were Jiba and Rimee Ruu, and Saris Ran. But the Ruu family was over 10 strong, there were over 20 more family members in their branch families, and they had 70 retainers.

Considering the value of blood ties, Ai Fa should fall below all of them.

But even so, Ai Fa didn’t mind. Even if she was number 101 in her most important people’s books, that wouldn’t change the fact that their smiles and words had brought her joy.

Even if we aren’t tied by blood, we’re still friends, she thought while striking her hatchet down upon the firewood.

It was then that she noticed someone standing behind her.

Ai Fa swiftly leapt to the side, threw away the heavy hatchet, and placed her hand on the knife at her waist.

“Sorry, did I startle you?”

To her surprise, it wasn’t someone from the Suun or Ruu clans, but rather a man from her neighboring Fou clan. She didn’t know his name, but she believed the unaffected youth of around 20 was the second son of the clan head.

“What do you want? Shouldn’t you men be out in the forest around now?”

“Ah, you see... It’s a bit embarrassing, but I hurt my ankle during yesterday’s hunt. I can’t exactly chase down a giba like this, so I’m taking the day off.”

His height was pretty middle of the road, and he was more than a little thin. Perhaps the impression left by the men of the Ruu clan had been too strong? After all, even the youngest son of the Ruu looked stronger than this youth.

I feel like if I was up against someone like this, I wouldn’t need to worry about running away. I could just take them down... No, that may be a bit conceited on my part.

Plus, she had a bit of a bond with the Fou clan, so she had no reason to fight one of them anyway. Though with that said, they weren’t exactly close enough for this young man to be calling out to her in such a friendly manner.

“So, what business do you have with me? I’m in the middle of working right now.”

“Um, well you see... I saw the head of the Ruu clan and his sons walking down the road before. The Ruu clan lives further to the south, so... I was wondering if they were perhaps on their way back from the Fa house...”

He wasn’t exactly articulate.

Since he was a member of the Fou clan, it made sense that he’d at least know that Rimee Ruu came and went at the Fa house. And so, it wasn’t all that strange for this man to be making such a guess.

Ai Fa went and picked up the hatchet she had previously discarded, raising it to let the heavy end rest up against her shoulder.

“Indeed, they visited here at the Fa house. I was rather surprised by the sudden visit myself.”

“I knew it... So, what business did they have with you?”

“...It’s nothing I particularly feel like discussing,” Ai Fa stated bluntly.

At that, the youth’s slender face looked clearly shaken.

“Ai Fa of the Fa clan... If this is simply a delusion on my part, then please go ahead and laugh at me to your heart’s content, but... Could it be that they came to ask you to marry into the Ruu clan?”

“How did you know?” Ai Fa asked without thinking.

The young man now appeared completely heartbroken for some reason.

“So that really was it... I had figured with your beauty, someone would approach you, but still...”

“Second son of the Fou clan, are you not being forgetful of your manners, making such statements so lightly?” Ai Fa complained while holding herself back from clicking her tongue.

The youth hurried forward, a look of urgency on his face.

“I wasn’t saying it lightly. You are beautiful, Ai Fa of the Fa clan. I’ve thought so for many years now.”

Ai Fa was rather surprised, but she wasn’t about to let the man get any closer. She swiftly stepped back, maintaining a distance where she was just out of reach.

Suddenly, the youth’s sadness gave way to a look of determination.

“Ai Fa, the Fou clan is incredibly small. We’re a poor family, only able to live on by joining together with other small clans. And I’m not anywhere near as fine of a hunter as your father was... I can’t even imagine trying to measure up to the men of the Ruu clan.”

“And what does that matter? Who cares about the size of one’s clan?”

“If you really feel that way, Ai Fa, then I’d like you to become a part of my Fou clan. As the second son of the Fou clan, I, Masa Fou, extend a marriage proposal to you, Ai Fa of the Fa clan.”

Ai Fa was stupefied, left standing in place. Why should such an uncharming girl as her...? No, that wasn’t all. There was no way that such words should be coming from this young man.

“Hold on, second son of the Fou clan. Am I under some misunderstanding, perhaps? I’m fairly certain I heard you were to take Saris Ran as your bride...”

“That matter hasn’t been firmly decided just yet. If I retract my offer and bow my head down to the Ran clan, I should be able to deal with that without causing a quarrel.”

“You would call off your marriage to Saris Ran?! But why?!” Ai Fa asked in an unexpectedly loud voice.

The youth, Masa Fou, stared back at Ai Fa with a desperate look on his plain face.

“I’ve been in love with you for some time. But you said you wanted to live as a hunter, and honestly, you and Gil Fa alone had been hunting more giba than our clan. And so no matter how beautiful I found you, I held back my feelings, as your soul was that of a hunter. But now that Gil Fa has returned to the forest so young, you... You won’t be able to live as a hunter any longer.”

Ai Fa did not have a response to that.

“And so, I just couldn’t hold back my feelings any longer! I mean, some other man could take you as a bride... Someone other than me could end up holding you tight... When I had such thoughts, my feelings came to a roiling boil inside! And so I—”

“Even now, I still hope to live as a hunter, if such a thing is possible,” Ai Fa firmly stated, cutting Masa Fou off.

Masa Fou shook his head and said, “It’s impossible. A hunter’s work can’t be carried out by just one person on their own. Gil Fa had been by your side up until now, but if you tried to do so by yourself, it would simply end with you dying in the forest too. If a woman like you enters the forest on her own—”

“If I die in the forest, then that is simply my fate!”

Ai Fa threw the hatchet in her right hand at the ground, only for its blade to become firmly stuck.

“Even if that weren’t the case, I would never marry someone like you after you went and betrayed Saris Ran! Leave this place, second son of the Fou clan! I cannot stand men like you!”

Masa Fou stood there silently for a short while. Then, he slowly turned around, slumped his shoulders in disappointment like a child, and disappeared from Ai Fa’s sight.

And then, a quiet voice whispered “Why...?” from the direction opposite of the way he departed.

Ai Fa hesitantly faced the voice and found Saris Ran standing in the shadow of the Fa house, her face as pale as a corpse.

“Saris Ran...” Ai Fa said, taking a step forward, only to be suddenly stopped by a harsh cry of, “Don’t come any closer!”

Ai Fa stopped in place and stared intently at her friend... Saris Ran was crying. Despite the anger in her voice, her face was now wet with tears.

“It’s not your fault, Ai Fa...” Saris Ran said in a trembling voice. “Masa Fou was just weak... And I was stupid... You didn’t do anything wrong, Ai Fa...”

And with that, Saris Ran disappeared from Ai Fa’s sight.

Ai Fa tilted her head upwards, and gazed distantly into the sky. Her thoughts were an absolute jumbled mess.

In all likelihood, she had just lost one of her precious few friends.

The sense of loss and despondency robbed her limbs of all their strength.

However, rather than yielding to those feelings, Ai Fa lifted up her right fist and slammed it into the wall of her house as hard as she could.

“You’ve got to be kidding me! Just what did I even do?!”

With that, Ai Fa finally stopped worrying.

4

“So, that’s the conclusion you reached, Ai Fa of the Fa clan?” Donda Ruu asked in a low voice.

It was three days after their initial meeting, just as he had promised. They were in front of the Fa house exactly like before, and he had once again brought his three sons.

Ai Fa had only offered a greeting so far, but apparently Donda Ruu had already figured out everything just from looking at her. That was because she was wearing a hunter’s cloak made from a giba’s pelt and had a large and small blade dangling at her waist. She was also wearing the necklace she had inherited from Gil Fa, which felt even heavier to her than the steel sword. After all, it represented her father’s pride, as the treasure that he obtained by risking his life and heading into the forest.

“I’ve decided to live my life as a hunter. As such, I cannot marry into the Ruu clan. My deepest apologies for turning down your kindness.”

“Hmph... Looks like your stupidity exceeded my expectations, Ai Fa of the Fa clan,” Donda Ruu stated, burning with a quiet rage. Ai Fa gripped both her fists tight so that she wouldn’t be overwhelmed by the flames in his eyes.

“Protecting the house, birthing children, and raising them... You intend to cast aside all that women’s work and devote yourself to playing at being a hunter?”

“Yes, that’s right. I want to strive so that I can one day be acknowledged as a full-fledged hunter.”

“Do you really think that you can hunt enough giba on your own?”

“Up until I turned 13, my father Gil successfully carried out his work as a hunter all by himself. I only need to procure enough for myself, whereas he needed to support both my mother Mei and myself, so I don’t see it as some great hardship.”

“...Do you think your father wanted you to live like that?”

Ai Fa took a short breath, then said, “I don’t know what my father thought. And so, I chose this path of my own will.”

It was possible that Gil Fa’s soul that had been offered to the forest was now grieving and moaning as he watched over Ai Fa. He could have been saying that she still wasn’t strong enough, and it was utterly foolish to take on the forest on her own.

She could only imagine that, though.

And so, Ai Fa had made her own decision.

What was right, what others wanted of her, what she should do... She stopped worrying about all that, and instead chose to value what she wanted.

She wanted to live as a hunter. That desire had been a part of her from the very start.

Should she live as a hunter, or should she live as a woman...? Once she removed that “should” from the equation, there was only one answer left to her.

Even if she didn’t know what was right, she knew what she wanted.

Ai Fa wanted to live as a hunter. Rather than a life of waiting at home for the men to return, she wished for one where she headed out into the forest to seek the life force she needed with her own two hands.

It was better to have your soul return to the forest rather than live a life you didn’t want... Ai Fa decided to live while keeping those words from her father close to her heart.

If Ai Fa’s decision was wrong, then the forest was sure to help itself to her soul. The fifteen-year-old girl still couldn’t properly wield a sword, but she would live on her own as a hunter. And if that choice had been a mistake, then her only option was to perish in the forest.

“...Do you intend to invalidate the wishes of those who don’t want you to die, Ai Fa of the Fa clan?” Donda Ruu asked in an even calmer voice than before. Despite that tone, though, there was clear rage in his eyes. Perhaps he thought she was invalidating the thoughts and concerns of his precious family.

Ai Fa quietly calmed her breathing and replied, “I’m sure very few others would agree with my choice. But I cannot bend my will to the thinking of others.”

Ai Fa’s choice would probably make Jiba and Rimee Ruu sad. Or perhaps they would get angry. But even so, Ai Fa decided to pay that matter no heed.

Even if she was scolded and called foolish, there was no law that stated women couldn’t be hunters. That may have just been because no one was foolish enough to try up until now, but even so, it wasn’t restricted.

And so, Ai Fa had no intention of being ashamed of her way of life.

She couldn’t bring herself to bow her head to the treacherous Suun clan, nor could she ignore her own will and marry into the Ruu clan.

I’ll surely never be able to meet Granny Jiba or Rimee Ruu ever again...

That was only natural, now that she had angered the head of the Ruu clan so greatly.

The thought that she would never again hold Jiba Ruu’s withered hands, or see Rimee Ruu’s brilliant smile, made her chest feel like it would burst. And since she wouldn’t bow her head to the Suun clan, the Ran and Fou had started avoiding her, too. If her bonds to the Ruu clan were severed on top of that, she really would be all alone.

And yet, Ai Fa simply couldn’t bend. She couldn’t see a point in forming bonds with others if it came with the need to lose sight of herself.

If no one existed in this world who would accept Ai Fa as she was, then her only choice left was to live on her own.

“You are the one to decide your own path... And it appears that path doesn’t overlap with the one our Ruu clan walks, Ai Fa of the Fa clan.”

“Yes, that appears to be the case.”

After hearing Ai Fa’s response, Donda Ruu turned around and left, with his three sons silently following suit.

And just like that, Ai Fa was left by herself, starting off her life all on her own.

If she couldn’t hunt down a giba on her own before the meat and vegetables in her pantry and the horns and tusks around her neck ran out, Ai Fa would starve to death. That would be her first trial.

Since I’m the only member of my household, one giba every 10 days will be sufficient. If I can’t manage that much, then I’m not qualified to live as a hunter.

However, food wasn’t the only thing that she needed.

The clothing she wore and her blades would need to be obtained by trading horns and tusks in town. She had a spare knife in addition to the one she already used, but she only had a single sword. If it happened to break, it would require thirty giba worth of horns and tusks to replace.

Well, rather than worrying about this blade breaking, I should use that energy for actually wielding it.

Ai Fa grabbed the sword and headed back outside.

Even if she could bluff against a human opponent, out in the forest it would be a life or death struggle. She couldn’t just head off into the forest with a weapon she wasn’t in the right mind to use to the fullest.

Well then, let’s get to it.

It was time for her first hunt in five days. She stepped outside, feeling a mix of excitement and terror running down her spine.

It was then that she noticed a small figure standing in her way.

“Wow, so you really did decide to live as a hunter, Ai Fa!”

It was Rimee Ruu.

For a second, Ai Fa was at a loss for words, but then she regained her composure.

“Why did you come here, Rimee Ruu?”

“Hmm? Because I was worried about you, of course. I just waited for Papa Donda and them to leave! I saw the angry looks on Papa Donda and Darmu’s faces, so I figured you must have turned them down!” Rimee Ruu said with a wide smile as she ran around Ai Fa. “You look so cool! That’s Gil Fa’s outfit, right? It really suits you!”

Ai Fa didn’t say a word.

“Now that I think of it, didn’t you wear a giba piglet’s pelt cloak when you were a kid? That was really cute, too!” Rimee Ruu said with a giggle.

The smile the girl wore brought Ai Fa an indescribable amount of joy. It was like her fondness for the child had burst open the firmly shut doors of her heart.

Rimee Ruu would still smile at her even now, would she?

Everyone had turned away from her, but this girl would still call her a friend?

Ai Fa felt like she was on the verge of collapsing to her knees and hugging her little friend tight. She wanted to just throw everything aside and weep like a child.

However, Ai Fa managed to suppress those feelings raging within right before they burst forth, using every last bit of her willpower to hold back the torrent, and then started walking down the path once again.

“Ah, hold on! We only just met up, so where are you going?”

“...I decided to live my life as a hunter. It’s already past midday, so I’m heading off into the forest.”

“Ah, so that’s it? Take care, alright? I’ll be praying as hard as I can that you don’t get hurt!”

Ai Fa stopped in place, her back still facing the young girl, and said, “Rimee Ruu, never come to the Fa house again.”

“Huh?! But why?!”

Ai Fa could sense that Rimee Ruu was about to break out sobbing.

With her back still turned, she continued, “I’ve incurred Donda Ruu’s displeasure. As a member of the Ruu clan, you should act in accordance with your clan head’s will.”

“What’s that about?! I don’t wanna! Why should Papa Donda Ruu be angry because you turned down the marriage offer? It’s fine! And besides, that doesn’t have anything to do with me!”

“That’s not all. I’ve also earned bad blood with the Suun clan, and anyone close to me could be caught up in the disasters that invites. And so... You shouldn’t come near me.”

Rimee Ruu was silent for a little while. And then, in a voice that made it hard to tell what she was feeling, she said, “But... If I worry about stuff like that, then you’ll be left all alone, right, Ai Fa?”

Her gaze fixed on the far-off forest, Ai Fa replied, “That’s fine. I’m sure that nobody shares my will, now that I’ve turned against the leaders of our people, refused the Ruu clan’s kindness, and chose to live as a hunter despite being a woman on top of it all. I want to be alone.”

She could live on her own, and so, she didn’t want to get anyone else mixed up in her problems. She would live and die in the forest, never bending her will. That was all she wanted now.

“I don’t want that! I want to be with you, Ai Fa!” Rimee Ruu stubbornly insisted.

Ai Fa shook her head, and started walking again.

“At any rate, I don’t have any time to play with anyone anymore. Return to the Ruu house, Rimee Ruu, and never come near here again.”

“I told you, I don’t wanna! I’m definitely going to come back to see you again!” Rimee Ruu yelled out, sounding like she was on the verge of tears.

Those words alone were enough for Ai Fa. The young girl didn’t need to come to see her. As she was now, just knowing that Rimee Ruu wanted to see her again was plenty.

It’s fine, Rimee Ruu...

Even if their bonds were severed, the memories of the time she spent with Rimee Ruu wouldn’t disappear. Saris Ran was the one who had taught her that.

Even if Saris Ran had come to hate her, it wasn’t as if all the smiles and words she had given Ai Fa in the past suddenly became lies. And even now, she could still feel the warmth of her friend’s fingers on her shoulders.

And then there was her father, Gil Fa. He had passed away, and she would never be able to see him again. And yet, he would never disappear from Ai Fa’s heart.

Rimee Ruu... Granny Jiba... Saris Ran... It’s thanks to all of you that I’ve been able to live a happy life.

From now on, those memories would live on inside of her. Just like how Gil Fa was still her father and Mei Fa was still her mother even though they had passed away, Rimee Ruu, Jiba Ruu, and Saris Ran would remain Ai Fa’s friends even if their bonds were severed.

As long as she was able to keep secretly thinking so deep inside, she would be able to keep on living.

“Ai Fa, you dummy! You just don’t get it!”

Rimee Ruu’s tearful voice was growing distant behind her. As she continued to listen to it, Ai Fa reached the path to the forest.

She couldn’t stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks, but even so, there wasn’t any hesitation in Ai Fa’s heart.

In roughly two years, Ai Fa would meet a strange man who was born in another world.