A cloaked priest stood silently at the door, pulling the key stuck in the lock and pushing it aside, but he didn’t enter and instead stepped back respectfully, placing his back against the wall like a loyal guard.
Sollivan wasn’t surprised by this behavior, and with complete calm, he stood up from his bed, brushed off some straw clinging to his torn and messy clothes, and stood respectfully as well.
He didn’t know who the important person was who had honored him with their presence, but he didn’t want to violate the etiquette of the meeting or show disrespect.
He didn’t have to wait long, and after a few seconds, the light in the long corridor grew brighter. Then a tall young man entered, holding a torch in his hands that emitted a very bright white light, unlike the light of ordinary torches.
"An enhanced torch?" Sollivan’s gaze lingered on the torch for a second before shifting to the young leader, Blear, who stood silently at the door, staring at him with dagger-like sharp eyes, as if they wanted to cut him to pieces.
Sollivan twisted his lips slightly and resisted the urge to laugh, but he didn’t show any change in his expression and maintained a calm face. With complete politeness, he slightly bent his back, placed his left hand on his chest, and greeted Blear.
"Greetings to the young leader."
His words and tone were full of respect, and he even showed a vague look of longing that made Blear, who was standing angrily, furrow his brows in surprise at what he saw.
But Blear’s anger didn’t subside, and in a tone devoid of respect and filled with disgust, he said.
"Your sweet tongue and ridiculous flattery won’t change your status as a filthy hybrid."
Sollivan raised his head and lowered his hand calmly, replying in a very ordinary tone.
"I know, and I’m not seeking to change anything." His way of speaking wasn’t rude, but it carried some indifference within it, and that’s exactly what Sollivan felt.
But Blear considered his tone a form of challenge. He furrowed his brows in anger and threw some clothes he was holding in his other hand forcefully toward Sollivan, then shouted.
"Ungrateful wretch!"
The clothes hit Sollivan’s face, but they didn’t cause him any harm or bother him to the point that he didn’t even blink after the cotton shirt hit him.
He showed a faint smile full of sarcasm, ’My fate is in your hands, you savages, so why would I flatter you? ...Then again, if I really think about it, that’s exactly what I should be doing right now.’
He kept his sarcasm in his mind and didn’t dare to say it out loud for fear of making things worse.
To him, showing some hostility was good to distinguish his position in the tribe, but overdoing it would make the tribe angry with him, and in that case, he might be beaten or even killed. After all, he was still just an outsider hybrid, and his life wasn’t that important.
When Blear saw his mocking smile, he took a step forward with a clenched fist, but suddenly relaxed his body and removed the angry look from his face. With complete sarcasm, he said.
"You have some will despite your weakness, but we’ll see how long you’ll keep looking down on us." Blear threw the enhanced torch to the ground and said indifferently.
"Change your clothes and follow me." After finishing his words, he turned and closed the stone room’s door, leaving Sollivan standing in place with a lost expression.
He lowered his head and looked at the clothes thrown at his feet, then sighed.
’Was I just misunderstood?’ He raised his hand and slapped his forehead.
’Is he an idiot? How can someone so foolish be a candidate for leadership? In our first meeting, he showed some intelligence and handled things calmly. Why is he acting so impulsively now?’ He didn’t understand the reason for the sudden change and the superficial attitude Blear had developed.
He lamented silently and scolded himself. ’I should have flattered him when I had the chance. Why did I have to act a little arrogantly?’
"Huh."
He bent down and picked up the clothes thrown on the ground, then walked forward and lifted the enhanced torch from the ground, looking at the pure white flames that didn’t move randomly.
’When I first saw this tribe, I didn’t think they had enough knowledge to make such torches.’ The enhanced torches were completely different from ordinary ones. First, their light was very bright and could be compared to small glowing stones.
Also, the flames they produced didn’t move or go out due to the wind and lasted for a very long time, making them very practical. But in return, the materials they were made from were expensive, and they required a professional chemist to make them, which made them a luxury item even in the Golden Lion Empire where he had lived before.
After staring at the torch for a while, he placed it in a dedicated holder on the wall, then took off his worn and torn clothes. But he didn’t put on his new clothes immediately and began examining his body for any changes in its structure. However, he found nothing except for some soft scales on the lower part of his chest and above his ribs.
He had expected to find something like this, so he wasn’t surprised. He picked up the clothes Blear had brought him, which consisted of a brown leather pants padded with cotton, making them soft on the inside and sturdy on the outside like solid armor.
In addition, there was a slightly long gray cotton shirt with thin, sturdy leather padding in some important areas like the chest, abdomen, and shoulders. Finally, there was a long linen robe that covered his back, shoulders, chest, and also his neck. His outfit was a bit strange and seemed mismatched, but at the same time, it had a kind of tribal aesthetic that fit the place.
He looked at his new clothes and examined them carefully.
’The stitching is poor, but the quality of the materials is very high.’ The stitching threads were very thick and noticeable, leaving trails and lines on the clothes.
After finishing changing, he arranged his hair a little and changed his facial expressions, hiding all his discomfort and showing a respectful expression. He raised his hand and rubbed his stomach.
’I hope they give me a decent meal, I’m almost digesting myself from hunger.’
After fully collecting his breath, he picked up the torch and headed toward the metal door that closed his room. The door wasn’t locked, so he pulled it open to be greeted by the face of the guarding priest who hadn’t left his spot. Without any regard for him, he turned to look at the long corridor where Blear stood with his hands clasped behind his back and his chest puffed up with pride. His eyes met Blear’s hostile gaze, and in frustration, he lowered his head and walked forward, sighing.
"Hmph." Blear snorted sarcastically.
"Follow me." He led the way silently, and Sollivan followed him, his eyes constantly moving from place to place, sometimes stopping at a specific spot on the wall or floor where the shadow was hiding. After walking for several minutes through the long, dark, winding corridors filled with rooms and priests, they reached the exit gate.
Blear extended his hand and took the enhanced torch from Sollivan’s hand forcefully and disrespectfully, then handed it to one of the guarding priests by the door, ordering in a calm tone.
"Open the gate."
Sollivan watched everything silently, hiding his displeasure. But at the same time, he was wondering suspiciously about what was happening.
’At first, I thought this bastard was angry with me because I hit him, but it’s clear there’s another reason.
Did I do something that upset him? Or are there things happening in the shadows because of me that he opposes? Is he venting his frustration on me?’
The stone tower’s gate opened, and the gentle daylight filled with warmth entered, making Sollivan stop his thoughts and look outside. After seeing Blear walking out, he followed him.
As soon as he stepped outside, he was greeted by a flurry of sounds and smells full of activity. The streets and tents were filled with passersby and strange animals, along with the smells of barbecue and the dust clouds left by footsteps. He marveled for a moment at how prosperous the tribe was.
Clang!
The sound of the large metal gate closing made him involuntarily turn and look back. He quickly scanned the stone tower’s walls with his eyes, then lowered his head to look at his shadow, which looked much darker compared to the other shadows.
’You must need darkness or shadows to hide in then. But is light your weakness?’ Because of the link between them, he felt the shadow’s slight discomfort from the sunlight.
"Move." A strong, rough hand slapped his shoulder forcefully, making him stumble in place and turn his head angrily to glare at Blear. But he quickly removed the look of displeasure and returned to his usual expression, walking forward without showing further resentment.
Their pace was very fast, and within moments, they entered the main street crowded with passersby.
Sollivan looked around and examined everything with curiosity.
Everyone around him had red horns on their foreheads, but the length and color of the horns varied from person to person. Some had short horns with a muddy red color, while others had slightly longer horns with a pure red color. After carefully scanning his surroundings, he stole a quick glance at Blear walking in front of him and examined his horns to find them very long compared to the rest of the people, and their color was a pure red.
’Thinking about it, all the warriors I’ve seen before, even the tribe’s leader himself, had long horns with a pure color.
It seems this is related to their strength or perhaps the purity of their blood. Although they’re the same thing if their training method is like the beasts from my previous world, the purer their blood, the greater their future prospects.’
All his thoughts were just conclusions that couldn’t be confirmed, but based on the common sense he knew and the evidence he had seen, his conclusions were very realistic.
’Despite my intense curiosity about their race, I’m currently not in a position to search for answers.’
Gurgle!
The sound of his stomach growling stopped his racing thoughts, and in resignation, he sighed audibly.
’The smell of grilled meat coming from everywhere reminded me of my hunger. I haven’t eaten anything for three days.’ Frustrated, he turned his head and stopped looking at the passersby around him, directing his gaze to the herds of animals that were everywhere, abnormally so.
Between every four tents, there was a large stable filled with strangely shaped cattle resembling small cows with thick fur.
If someone saw them from a distance, they would think they were sheep or pigs, but as soon as they got closer, they would be amazed by their strange appearance. Cow heads and sheep’s wool, along with a small horn in the middle of their foreheads, made their appearance even more bizarre.
’How I wish to taste one of these animals grilled over charcoal.’
He licked his lips greedily, ignoring the strange looks the people around him gave him when they saw his hornless forehead.
...
After walking for several minutes, he and Blear reached the leadership palace located in the center of the tribe. As usual, the place was filled with brave warriors who stood proudly in their places. Their strong, sharp eyes, like those of hawks, watched everything with pride and a strange eagerness.
Sollivan furrowed his brows in surprise and wondered to himself.
’These people are really scary.’ He silently lamented his extreme weakness.
He raised his head and looked at the top of the leadership tent where a huge flag hung folded and steady in place due to the lack of any wind to move it. He didn’t see the design on the flag and didn’t try to see it. After looking around for a few seconds, his eyes regained their sparkle, and he took a deep breath that made him puff out his chest and stand straight. He moistened his throat and mentally prepared himself for what was coming next.
After reaching the palace gate, or rather the enormous tent, they entered without asking the guards for permission. Once again, Sollivan found himself in the short corridor he had seen before. He looked at the large door at the end guarded by two massive warriors and took a step forward behind Blear.
While he was organizing his thoughts and considering the discussion he might have with the Supreme Leader, he suddenly saw Blear stop in the middle of the corridor, open the door on the left that he had seen before, and gesture for him to follow.
Without any hesitation or surprise, he obediently followed him and passed through the door to reach a wide, curved corridor shaped like a semi-circle. There were several leather carpets on the floor, giving the corridor an elegant and beautiful appearance.
There were also several colored and simply patterned doors on the sides, and the corridor was well-lit and ventilated. Sollivan involuntarily raised his head and looked up to find several window holes in the ceiling that allowed light and air to pass through.
"Stop gawking and follow me." Because of his pause, Blear scolded him loudly, making him snap out of his daze and hurry forward with slightly rushed steps.
After walking through the corridor for a few seconds, Blear suddenly stopped in front of a specific door with a stern look. He adjusted his posture, and vaguely, Sollivan heard him clearing his dry throat, making him raise his brows in surprise.
’Huh, he seems nervous.’ Sollivan mocked him internally and watched his faltering actions with amusement.
But he suddenly felt a strange sensation coming from behind the door in front of him. He didn’t understand its nature or meaning, but he didn’t have enough time to think about it because he suddenly heard a sweet female voice say.
"Let him in."
Blear opened the door politely, then pushed him inside without warning, making him stumble in his steps. He quickly adjusted his posture and scanned the room with a quick glance before his eyes stopped on a beautiful young woman.
She had reddish-brown hair and a slightly reddish-white face with some freckles under her sky-blue eyes. Her long red horns were exactly the same color as Blear’s, and her lips looked unnaturally shiny, giving her a special charm.
She wore a light blue dress embroidered with some colorful flowers in a simple pattern, and around her neck was a dark blue robe that covered her shoulders and part of her non-prominent chest.
Behind her chair stood two tall female warriors wearing armor that covered most of their muscular bodies, making them look like men.
If it weren’t for their slightly prominent chests and hairless faces, Sollivan wouldn’t have been able to distinguish them from the male warriors.
Thoughts raced through his head as he tried to analyze the situation, but suddenly his eyes met the girl’s in front of him, intensifying the strange feeling he had felt before entering. He didn’t need much time to realize what it was.
’Is this hatred? An intent to kill?’
He froze in place and abandoned the idea of politely greeting the lady after realizing her feelings. Calmly, he adjusted his posture and arranged his clothes without regard for the others. After a few seconds, he raised his head again, and their gazes met silently.
Blear looked at him with a complex expression and sighed internally, while the girl didn’t lessen the intensity of her gaze, instead seeming to shake her head slightly, resigned to the reality before her.
Sollivan didn’t care about their reactions, instead focusing on his mysterious sensation.
’What did I do to this girl to make her hate me so much? But more importantly... how can I sense her feelings?’
He remembered feeling the same thing before, when he sensed Blear’s presence before hearing his footsteps, and also when he was attacked by that beast.
’My senses have become abnormally strong... Is this related to my new blood? Or is there something else affecting my abilities?’
He drifted into his thoughts for a moment, causing a lost expression to appear on his face, but it didn’t last long, as the girl raised her delicate hand and spoke in a complex tone.
"Sit. Young leader, you may leave."
She didn’t wait for his reaction, as one of the warriors behind her stepped forward and pushed him to sit on a wooden chair opposite her, with only a medium-sized table separating them.
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