If B+ made someone an executive in a powerful combat group, then A+ was commander level.
Of course, rank wasn’t determined by combat power alone, but that was roughly the weight of it.
‘And [Paewangchammado]…’
His special abilities included Fighting Spirit Aura, which Athena lacked, but what truly caught my eye was the special item: [Paewangchammado].
Seeing it, I frantically searched through my pre-knowledge from Record of World Conquest.
“Since two years ago, the Bakara and Tarka tribes have been strengthening their contacts with the outside world.”
After the reunion gestures ended, the three of us sat down properly and began a serious conversation.
The chieftain sat upon the Gruman while Athena and I knelt on the massive Siakan pelt spread before the platform—Athena cross-legged, I on my knees.
At first the chieftain asked about my small daily life in civilized society, but once I described its complicated routines, he soon brought up the changes sweeping through the Mohican tribes as civilization seeped in.
“So naturally, our Gaia tribe has also encountered many complicated situations.”
The Bakara and Tarka tribes were the largest and most prosperous among the Mohican tribes classified under Gaia.
With barter trade flourishing across the Mohican people, their openness was clearly affecting the Gaia tribe as well.
“The Great Mother and Athena are clever enough to read and write, but even that isn’t enough.
Civilized society is so finicky.
Almost nothing can be done by word alone, and there are countless things that must be recorded.”
The Mohican people had both language and writing, but the latter was especially simple.
Until now, they had passed everything down through oral tradition based on trust rather than records.
Therefore, as civilization brought more need for documentation and reading, dealing with outsiders grew increasingly troublesome.
“Athena, you’ve been using a lot more outside-world words lately.
Is that why?
Have you been studying separately?”
“Yeah.
It feels like too much of a burden on Mother.
I should help at least a little.”
Listening to the chieftain, I recalled how Athena had behaved toward me since our reunion.
She had always been talkative around me, but today she had been even more proactive—almost as if trying to act like a civilized person, chattering away.
She had been actively using the results of her diligent language practice over the years.
“Last summer, our livestock died in droves.
An epidemic spread.
Yet the Bakara and Tarka tribes were fine.
Turns out they had already received some vaccine from the civilized world.
After that incident, your mother rolled up her sleeves and got to work.”
“Ah, so the livestock influenza reached even the southern regions.”
“You know about that?”
“Of course.
I heard the noble ladies and young lords at the Imperial Academy who own fiefdoms talking about it.”
“Oh…”
As large-scale barter with the outside began, continental viruses expanded their reach at the same time.
The Gaia tribe, tucked deep inside the Galatea region and slow to receive news, had taken a direct hit.
I could easily imagine what the Great Mother, who went mad with worry over the tribe’s well-being, must have looked like.
“I thought there were more totems than before.
So that was the reason.”
“Yes.
Psychological reassurance is important for the people too.”
When I mentioned the increased number of shamanic totems I had seen upon entering the village, the chieftain nodded slowly.
He looked deep in thought.
“So I’m afraid I must ask something unreasonable of you, who should be resting.”
After a brief silence, he continued in a low voice.
“I want you to take the position of Deputy Chieftain.
I believe that would have the most positive impact, both practically and psychologically for the tribe members.”
In other words, he wanted me to become the tribe’s second-in-command.
He called it a “position” because the Great Mother already existed, so a deputy wasn’t strictly necessary in reality.
Given the context of our conversation, it meant handling external affairs.
With the Imperial Academy title, outsiders would naturally view our tribe differently from the start.
“Simply returning to my homeland has already healed my body and mind.
I will gladly follow the chieftain’s command.”
That was why I had gone to the academy in the first place.
Even though I had entered through special admission with low tuition, it was still the civilized world, and the tribe’s people had paid every last coin of that hefty sum.
So I had to show results.
I accepted the request with determined, sparkling eyes.
“You’re not coming with me?”
After finishing my talk with the chieftain, I headed toward the Great Mother as promised.
Yet Athena said she wouldn’t accompany me, which made me tilt my head.
She had never backed out when I had somewhere to go—unless it was something special.
“I think I overdid the swimming.
I’m feeling a bit chilly.”
“Nonsense.
You’re the healthiest and strongest person here.”
“Just accept it!”
“Fine.
Whatever you say.”
I guessed she was trying to claim she had caught a cold from being pushed too hard earlier.
I didn’t really believe it, but I decided to play along.
‘When I left for the academy, Sonya was five years old, wasn’t she?’
So I went alone to where the Great Mother was.
It was the house where the girl named Sonya lived.
They were a community that had begun settling in our tribe a year before I left for the academy.
‘She’s still here.
The sign is up.’
The Great Mother always hung a sign on whatever tent she was in.
It meant that if anyone needed her, they should come find her.
“Great Mother, I’ve finished speaking with the chieftain and returned.”
After checking the sign, I poked my head into Sonya’s tent.
“Oh my!
You’re here, my son?”
What greeted me was—
“I still need to finish milking, so can you wait a moment?”
Pushushushut!
Viewrit!
Pushushushut!♥
The sight of the Great Mother’s bare upper body as she diligently squeezed her own breasts.