Chapter 34: Volume 7 - Prologue

Prologue

Translator: Skythewood

Editors: Ratorasepo

TL: This volume is 20% longer than usual, and the chapter lengths are all over the place. Chapter two is actually ⅓ of the entire volume.

I will keep to the usual 5 posts instead of expanding to 6 posts, as a thank you bonus for everyone’s support.

Posts 1, 4, and 5 will be quite long, while posts 2 and 3 will be normal in length.

Do note that the longer posts for this volume are not the norm.

「Asuta, what happened here!?」

Ai Fa’s hysterical scream shook the heavens, surprising me deeply.

We were staying in the familiar empty house inside the Wu clan village right now.

After the turbulent house head conference, we quickly returned to the Wu clan. It was between noon and dusk right now, and it felt about 3pm to me.

As we didn’t sleep much for the entire night, I washed up at the Wu clan’s water source and freshened myself. I just came back refreshed, and Ai Fa was holding her hands on her hips, standing inside the room with her legs wide apart, and quivering from fury.

「What is it? Why are you so mad?」

「You are asking me that!? Why you…」

Ai Fa walked towards me in wide strides. I stood in place helplessly, and she pointed at the center of my body.

「What is this!? Why is there a wound!?」

「Ah, this… is from last night when Doddo Tsun sent me flying with a kick. I was shocked when I took off my clothes just now too.」

After washing my T-shirt at the water source, I only put on the vest-like shirt when I came back. Hence, the patch of blue-black at the center of my torso was clearly visible.

I thought I got off lucky with such a trivial injury after getting kicked by a man from Forest's Edge. If I was hit anywhere else, he probably would have broken my ribs.

But Ai Fa still looked outraged.

「Why didn’t you tell me about this!? You said you were fine! Asuta, did you lie to me?」

「Ehh? Something this trivial is considered fine, right? It doesn’t even hurt if I don’t pay it attention.」

「… So that means, it hurts if you pay attention to it, right?」

Ai Fa squat down onto the floor, leaned in close to my belly and stared at the bruise.

「That damn second son actually did this to you… Damn it! I should have got him back before handing him over to Donda Wu!」

「No, I bit down hard on the back of his hand too. We are even, so you don’t need to seek revenge.」

Ai Fa bit her lips in frustration as she caressed my wound gently.

「… Does it hurt? Do you need medicine?」

「Not at all! The contusion will heal if we leave it alone. Thank you for worrying about me.」

「… I’m so frustrated.」

Ai Fa moved her hands away.

She hugged my body with her arms and put her cheek against the contusion.

I screamed in my heart:「Uwah!」 and didn’t dare to move.

「I-I-I’m really fine! You are worrying too much! This is just a scratch in the eyes of hunters, correct?」

「You are a hearth caretaker, not a hunter.」

「That’s true…」

Ai Fa tightened her arms.

I was getting stifled to death.

「… I don’t want to see you hurt.」

Ai Fa said quietly.

「Seeing a frail person like you get hurt feels more painful than me being torn apart… And I’m also frustrated because of my powerlessness to protect my family…」

「Not at all. After that huge commotion, we should be grateful that we all survived with our limbs intact.」

My mind was falling into panic mood, but I still managed to squeeze out that line.

「Ai Fa, I’m happy as long as you are safe. If Diga Tsun did anything to you, I will definitely lose my mind.」

「Yes. If I wasn’t woken up because someone force-fed me wine, it could be a little dangerous.」

Ai Fa exhaled with her cheeks on my abdomen.

Her warm breath sent a chill down my back.

「The Tsun clan is powerless to harm us now, but we don’t know how much hardships await us in the future. We have to be careful and keep our guard up.」

「Yes, I completely agree with you.」

So it’s about a time for you to let go of me— as I was thinking that, someone knocked the door behind us.

「Asuta, are you still not ready…?」

Vena Wu appeared at the door.

I still had to prepare for tomorrow’s business.

「Okay, in a moment…! Ai Fa, I need to go to work.」

「Hmm…」

Ai Fa relaxed her arms very slowly and stared at me closely.

「Asuta, is there anything I can help you with?」

「Yes, there should be. But don’t you want to sleep?」

「It’s still bright out, I can’t sleep. If there’s nothing for me to help with, I will forage for firewood.」

「Then come help me. Somehow, I really want to…」

I really want to be with you— I decided to swallow these words.

We will be working apart from tomorrow onwards. I want to spend as much time together with Ai Fa as possible.

「I understand.」

Ai Fa stood up and said to me with a satisfied face.

I spent some time to change my mood.

Tomorrow, I will continue my stall’s business. The day after tomorrow, I will be providing meals to the inns. But my mind was still filled with thoughts about the aftermath with the matter of the Tsun clan. So I had to switch gears and change my mood.

「We will need to prepare one hundred of each meal, right…? How should we go about it…?」

「Let’s start with the 『Kiba burger』. One hundred portions would require, erm~, 25 arias.」

I asked Ai Fa and Vena Wu to help me carry out the necessary ingredients from the food store. After that, Vena Wu diced the aria. Ai Fa watched her work and sighed in awe.

「Hmm…」

「… What’s the matter, Ai Fa…?」

「No, I just think your knife work is exceptional. I thought you aren’t good with tending to the hearth.」

「Hmm…? I had plenty of chances to help Asuta after all, of course my culinary skills will improve… Besides, I find caretaking the hearth to be quite a joy…」

Vena Wu’s sexy lips broke out into a smile.

「Speaking of which, Ai Fa, you often help out with the hearth too, but your knife work is poor… Is there a reason for that…?」

「Hmm? No particular reason. Asuta is the hearth caretaker of the Fa house, I will only make the food taste worse if I butt in.」

「I see… You’re a hunter after all…」

「Yes, you’re right.」

It was rare to see Ai Fa and Vena Wu chat for so long.

If the one helping today was Lala Wu, I would feel glad to see them talking. But this combination made me feel a little awkward.

As I was thinking about that, Vena Wu’s words went beyond being awkward.

「Ai Fa… are you really planning not to marry…?」

Ai Fa’s expression was calm, but she became annoyed immediately.

「I don’t plan to marry anyone. I already said that to Donda Wu many times.」

「Ignore Papa Donda for now… Besides, from the way they acted last night, they probably aren’t that stubborn about blood relations now and will treat the Fa house as the friends of the Wu clan and Lutim house…」

「… The relationship between the Wu clan and the Fa house turned sour two years ago, I’m happy that we can renew our bonds.」

「That’s right, I’m happy about that too… But never mind all that, you are still not planning to marry…?」

Vena Wu insisted, and Ai Fa furrowed her brows.

「No means no. Eldest daughter of the Wu clan, why do you keep asking?」

「Hmm… In that case, you won’t object even if Asuta takes in a wife, right…?」

「Wait! Vena Wu, what are you saying all of a sudden!?」

I couldn’t help cutting in. Vena Wu laughed.

「It’s just an assumption… If you marry into another house, it will be troubling for Ai Fa. But if you take in a wife as a member of the Fa house, she has no reasons to object, correct…?」

I glanced at Ai Fa timidly.

Ai Fa— she had a childish shocked expression.

With that expression on her face, she turned towards me.

「Asuta, is there any woman you want to marry right now?」

「No one!」

「I see, there’s no one.」

Ai Fa repeated my words robotically, then turned towards Vena Wu.

「That’s what he thinks now… Who knows if that will change in the future…?」

Ai Fa nodded, then turned back to me again.

「Asuta, is there anyone you will want to marry in the future?」

「That’s impossible! I already told you before, that I don’t plan to marry anyone.」

「I see. That’s true.」

「… But feelings can change… Ai Fa, there might be a girl who wants to be Asuta’s wife in the future. If Asuta accepts her, will you give them your blessings as the house head…?」

「Blessing…」

Ai Fa blinked.

「Blessings… Blessings, huh…」

「That’s right… when a member of your house marries, you have to offer your blessings as the house head, correct…?」

Ai Fa’s mind seemed to stall and she didn’t move.

She appeared to be very troubled— I could almost hear the hard disk in her mind churning noisily.

「Ah! It’s Ai Fa!」

At this moment, an angel descended from the heaven to our rescue.

It was the youngest daughter of the Wu clan, Rimee Wu.

「Asuta, Vena-nee, welcome home! Did the house head conference go well?」

I quietly wiped my cold sweat away. I smiled in return to the nostalgic innocent smile before me:

「Well, it will take quite some time to explain it all… I will tell you the details when Donda Wu and the others come back.」

「Ehh? Papa Donda isn’t back yet?」

The three newly-elected tribal chiefs and their kins were still in the Tsun clan village and taking care of the miscellaneous affairs. The women and I returned to the Wu clan village first.

「I see. It’s great that everyone is safe. Ai Fa, let’s chat with Grandma Jiba!」

「No, I’m still helping Asuta with his work…」

「Huh〜! Ai Fa, you will be going back to the Fa house with Asuta tomorrow, right? Then I won’t get to see you for some time! We didn’t chat yesterday, so I want to stay with you today.」

Rimee Wu kept clinging on to Ai Fa like a puppy.

Ai Fa’s mind seemed to be still stalling, so I smiled at her:

「Don’t worry about us, go with her. Grandma Jiba must be hoping to chat with you more.」

「I see… Then I will go over for a bit.」

With these words, Ai Fa turned to Vena Wu with a cloudy expression.

「Eldest daughter of the Wu clan, about what you asked just now.」

「Yes, what is it…?」

「… I don’t know. I can’t sort out my thoughts and feelings properly.」

After Ai Fa and Rimee Wu left together, I glared at Vena Wu.

「Vena Wu! Just what are you trying to do!? Why did you ask these kinds of questions so suddenly…!」

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「Because Ai Fa always looks so carefree, so it irked me a little…」

Vena puffed her cheeks.

「Me, you, Leina, and Darum all have our fair share of troubles, but only Ai Fa is being dense. Doesn’t it feel weird…? That’s unfair…」

「I don’t think this has anything to do with fairness.」

It had to be hard for Ai Fa to make the decision to live on as a hunter.

As a woman, she gave up on the route of marrying and raising children, choosing to wither away in the forest instead— it had to be a tough decision to make.

「… I wouldn’t feel this way if you and Ai Fa were related by blood… I still can’t accept this…」

After Vena Wu finished complaining, she showed a sorrowful expression.

「Sorry… This isn’t something I should bring up in the middle of work… I was wrong.」

Her reaction stirred my sense of guilt.

Lives always had to be filled with tribulations, but I still couldn’t find a way to build a proper relationship between me, Vena Wu, and Leina Wu.

Especially being with Vena Wu troubled me the most. When we worked together in the Post Station Town, I could feel strongly that we had built trust and goodwill that didn’t involve boy-girl relationships. That made me feel guilty.

She was a good friend of the opposite sex and a coworker… I wasn’t sure how to describe our relationship, but I cherished her deeply. If she fell for another man and decided to marry him, I would give her my blessings and think of it as my relative marrying out.

… I wonder how Shumimaru is doing…

I thought about that silvered-haired young Semu man and sighed.

Vena Wu sighed too.

「Asuta, are you going back tomorrow…?」

「Yes. Thank you for accommodating me all this while.」

「I will feel lonely… Just thinking about what will happen tomorrow makes me feel like dying…」

「Y-You are exaggerating too much.」

「No, it’s not just about you leaving… I have an ominous feeling…」

「Ominous feeling?」

「… A member of the Tsun clan will move to this village, correct…?」

So that was the thing troubling her.

The members of the Tsun clan main house had to lose their family name and become members of other houses. Diga Tsun… no, Diga, Doddo, and Tay will become a part of the Dom house. Yamiel would probably join the Zaza house or Sauti clan.

The other three Tsun clan members, Aura, Zwei and Mida, didn’t commit any serious crimes.

「… Doesn’t it feel like the youngest son will come over to the Wu clan…?」

「Hmm〜 who knows? Since this is the Wu clan’s idea, you guys will take in at least one member of the Tsun clan.」

「That’s true…」

「Furthermore, only a powerful house could take Mida in.」

「That’s true…」

「… Also, Mia Lei Wu seemed fine with Mida.」

「Ahhh… I really want to die…」

When Vena Wu was sulking, sounds of commotion could be heard from outside the house.

Vena Wu and I looked at each other and sighed deeply at the same time.

We left the stove room and headed to the plaza. The scene before us wasn’t too different from what we were expecting. The group that stayed behind in the Tsun clan village had returned, and the women from the Wu clan branch houses were surrounding them.

Not everyone was back. I saw Donda Wu, Ludo Wu, and Dan Lutim, but Darum Wu and Rau Lei weren’t there. Only half of the house head conference participants have returned.

A few ex-Tsun clan members were before us.

They were Aura, Zwei, and Mida.

The Wu clan women were probably chattering because Mida’s alien-like appearance was too scary. Mida showed up at the Lutim house wedding before, but his appearance was too weird, so even those who had seen him before would still be shocked.

「Thank you for your hard work. You are back so early?」

As Vena Wu was standing stiffly beside me, I greeted Donda Wu. He turned his head away as if I was annoying, and Ludo Wu answered on his behalf:

「We have to bring the members of the Tsun clan over, so we came back. Darum-nii and the others are still watching the Tsun clan branch house members.」

About half of the Tsun clan branch house members were adopted by their kins, and about ten-odd people stayed behind in the Tsun clan village.

As the forest around the Tsun clan village had been picked clean, before new vegetables grew, the Tsun clan couldn’t hunt kiba in that area. Additionally, the Tsun clan members had not performed their duties as hunters for over ten years and lost their abilities to hunt kiba. Aside from providing assistance to them, we also needed to confirm if they had the resolve to live properly as a denizens of Forest's Edge.

After the main house members lost their clan name, the branch house members would be the key for the rebuilding of the Tsun clan. If they couldn’t regain their hunting skills, the Tsun clan’s name would die out.

「Yamiel isn’t here, huh. Which house would be adopting her?」

「Hmm〜? That’s not confirmed yet. The Wu clan and Lutim house are too near to the Fa house. The Zaza and Sauti aren’t willing to take her in too. We are locking her up in the Tsun clan for now and had sent men to keep an eye on her.」

「… I see.」

That was all I could say.

Yamiel was the mastermind behind this criminal act, so everyone would naturally be wary of her. I knew this couldn’t be helped, but my heart still felt heavy.

「Asuta, why do you look so down!? There are still problematic matters to resolve, but I will send Kaslan to the Tsun clan village tomorrow. And with that, things will be more or less settled. Just leave the troublesome matters to him!」

Dan Lutim laughed heartily as usual.

He then gestured with his thick fingers to call Aura and Zwei over.

「Lutim house will be taking them in. Our family doesn’t have enough women in the first place, so this works out just fine…! Asuta, you and Ai Fa are good friends with the Lutim house, so I brought my family over to greet you.」

「Ah, so they will be joining the Lutim house.」

This was a piece of good news. Zwei might have a mature personality, but she was just twelve years old like Lala Wu. It seemed a little heartless to make her live apart from her mother.

Once Dan Lutim finished saying that, Aura bowed deeply at us. Her blue eyes were still lifeless, but they weren’t murky like before. They were completely filled with sorrow.

Zwei clung to Aura’s leg and kept glaring at me. After all, my words led to the destruction of the Tsun clan, so of course she would hate me.

Even so, I still hoped this pair of mother and daughter could find happiness.

「Ai Fa, so you’re here too. Well, that’s how things are, we will be in your care.」

I was surprised by Dan Lutim’s words. I turned around and saw that Ai Fa was standing nearby without me realizing it. Rimee Wu was hiding behind Ai Fa, and she gasped with an 「Uwah」 when she saw Mida’s gigantic body.

Mama Mia Lei stood behind the two of them with a satisfied smile. Leina Wu, Lala Wu, and the others were probably still napping and weren’t here.

「We are going then! Donda Wu and Kaslan will head to the Tsun clan village tomorrow. I will tell him to drop by the Wu clan village on his way there.」

「Got it, I will head to Tsun clan again with him.」

「Alright then, let’s go!」

At this moment… Mida stood before Aura and Zwei.

He stared at his former family members, without a shred of emotions in his beady eyes, just like an animal.

「… Aura, Zwei, you are going…?」

「Yes… Mida, take care of yourself.」

Aura reached out with her slender hand and touched Mida’s trunk-like arm.

Zwei looked up at her former brother without a word— at Mida’s big body.

Mida’s cheeks started trembling.

「Mida… Mida will be lonely…」

「Yes. I will be lonely too… But there is no other way. We have to atone for our sins.」

「Aura, Mida can’t see you and Zwei again…?」

「Yes. The Tsun clan main house is gone. You will need to live as a member of the Wu clan now.」

So the Wu clan had taken Mida in.

Vena Wu who was standing behind me suddenly grabbed my waistband.

「Mida can’t see Yamiel, Tay… Diga, and Doddo again…?」

「Yes… even if you have the chance to meet them again, you can’t listen to their orders. You are already a part of the Wu clan and have to obey the Wu clan. You must forget the rule of the Tsun clan, and follow the laws of the Wu clan, okay? If you do so— you will definitely live a happy life.」

「… Mida wants to live together with Aura and Zwei.」

Mida collapsed heavily onto his knees and looked up at Aura from below.

Aura showed a sorrowful smile and placed her hand on Mida’s hill-like shoulder.

「Mida, you are strong and will definitely become an excellent hunter, and do what Zuro, Diga, and Doddo couldn’t do. You must live on strongly as a member of the Wu clan…?」

「… Mida…」

I couldn’t help holding back my surprise.

Mida’s disproportionately small eyes started tearing up.

「Man, give me a break.」

Ludo Wu fled to our side.

「Woooahhhh…」

The next instant, a weird sounding roar came from Mida’s mouth. His roar was shocking, with his high and low pitch harmonizing into a whirlpool.

If glass existed in this world, all of them would have shattered. This explosive sound was no different from a sonic boom.

「Shut up! Shut up! You already cried your heart out at the Tsun clan village! Restrain yourself!」

Ludo Wu covered his ears and shouted.

Mida’s deafening cries drowned out Ludo Wu’s shout. His tears flowed like two rivers down his cheeks, forming a puddle on the ground.

「Shut up, stupid!」

Even when Zwei kicked Mida’s legs, he still didn’t stop crying.

His first cry hurt my eardrums deeply. I covered my ears with a sourness in my heart. Mida’s expression was full of deep sorrow.

Mida’s fat body made him look like a monster, and he didn’t seem interested in anything but food. But now, his face was twisted as he kept crying. As Mida’s face was full of fats, it was hard for him to show any expression. But the heartbreaking sadness he was showing made him look no different from a baby.

「Mida… is lonely… Mida doesn’t want to separate from Aura and Zwei…」

He finally stopped his wailing and squeezed out this line between sobs.

「Thank you, Mida… But this is the way.」

Aura didn’t shed any tears, but her face was filled with deep sorrow.

When he heard that, Mida scowled his face again. But before he could cry out, an unexpected voice cut him off.

「Shut up! How long a big guy like you is going to cry!? Men can’t shed tears in front of others so easily!」

I was probably the most surprised person here. The one who said that and walked before Mida was Ai Fa.

「You think of those people who didn’t obey the rules as your family, correct? I can understand how you feel. But no matter how much you cry and shout, your fate won’t change. If you see yourself as a member of Forest's Edge, have some pride!」

Mida turned to Ai Fa in surprise.

His gigantic face was covered in tears, snot, and saliva, and Ai Fa was glaring at him with cat-like eyes.

「You all committed a crime, and losing your family is the punishment. You have to understand how serious that crime is… For you who have sinned, this is the only path you can take.」

「But… Mida…」

「I know how sad it is to lose all your family. It is on par with your body being torn apart, but there must be a way for you to overcome this obstacle.」

Ai Fa scowled her nose, and swiftly leaned her face towards Mida.

「Even though your family’s bonds had been broken, all of you are still alive. If you live on properly as a member of the Wu clan, and they live as members of the Lutim house, you can meet them again one day. Since there is still hope, stop crying!」

「… Mida can see Aura and Zwei again…?」

「We can’t let you meet with the eldest daughter and men from the Tsun clan. But you will have the chance to meet these two women. After all, the Wu clan and Lutim house are kins.」

Dan Lutim answered.

Even this heroic man seemed a little down.

「Mida… can see Yamiel and Tay too…?」

「That will depend on your efforts. You haven’t even put in any effort yet, so you can’t demand anything.」

Seeing Ai Fa glaring at him with a scary face, Mida muttered:「Sorry…」

「Ara ara, you are a step faster than me, Ai Fa… You really are an excellent house head.」

Mama Mia Lei walked to Mida with a smile.

「Even without blood relations, family is still family. If you live on properly as a member of Forest's Edge, the clan head will bestow you with the Wu family name. There’s no use in thinking about the past. You have to work hard and live on properly.」

Mama Mia Lei took out a piece of cloth and wiped Mida’s face.

「… Alright, let’s go.」

Dan Lutim looked at the departing figure of those two and then left the plaza with his kins.

Mida would become a member of the Wu clan, Aura and Zwei will join the Lutim house. Diga, Doddo, and Tay would become a part of the Dom house. As for Yamiel… Kaslan Lutim would figure something out.

The three new tribal chiefs of Forest's Edge would be responsible for liaising with the landlord of Genos. Four days later, the caravan that Kamyua Yost would be escorting would pass through Forest's Edge. Before that, we had to notify him officially about the demise of the Tsun clan.

There were piles of problems awaiting us. For the sake of a better future for Forest's Edge, our denizens would need to work together to mend the wrongs committed in the past by the chief clan.

「Well then, we should start preparing dinner.」

I returned to my work with the cheerfully smiling Mama Mia Le and the sighing Vena Wu.

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