Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 20 - Chapter 5.4

4

The following day arrived. The Silver Vase would depart from the settlement of Munapos at the break of dawn, just as they had planned. Though the light outside was still dim, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It seemed they would have clear weather for the day, but even so, the chilly winds of the north were whistling all around Shumiral and his comrades as they hurriedly prepared to head out.

That meant attaching the totos that had been sleeping in a pen to the wagons and making sure all the luggage was properly squared away. Several northerners watched over the proceedings, stifling yawns all the while. None of them were making any sort of comment about the Silver Vase being traitors or whatever else for having unilaterally cut off their many years of business together. They all just looked disappointed, and maybe a little sad. Since northerners weren’t the best at expressing themselves otherwise, the emotions they were showing on their faces were surely the whole of what they were feeling.

Obviously, if they were to run across one another at some point after Shumiral changed gods to Selva, they would swing their blades without any hesitation. After all, northerners were both decisive and rather ferocious. But for now, Shumiral remained an easterner and the head of a group they had done business with for decades, and so not a single person here in Munapos directed any ill will his way.

“Hey, hold on! Are you planning on leaving without even saying farewell to the chief, dear guests?!” Uraya Fal called out, exiting the house just about when they were ready to depart. Standing behind his huge frame were his family, including the now red-eyed Tion Fal.

Shumiral turned their way and gave a bow.

“Naturally, we had intended, to wait. Uraya Fal, thank you so much, for everything.”

“Right. That’s just what I wanted to tell you. Like I said last night, your group has been distinguished trading partners for Munapos.”

Breathing out a white cloud, Uraya Fal moved forward to stand right in front of Shumiral. He was even taller than Radajid, and had a burly build like that of a bear. There was an extraordinary shine in his purple eyes as he stared down at the easterner.

“Well then, there’s one last thing I wanted to tell you. Do you mind listening, Shumiral, head of the Silver Vase...and leader-to-be Radajid as well?”

“Yes. What is it?”

“I’d like to keep on doing business with you as we have up till now. That’s my position as Uraya Fal, the chief of Munapos.”

Radajid narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, showing his doubt.

Meanwhile, Uraya Fal haughtily crossed his arms.

“What do, you mean? We will, no longer, be able, to keep, doing business, in Mahyudra.”

“The only one who will lose the ability to do that is the head of the group, Shumiral, right? You’re not all planning to change gods over to Selva, are you? If that were the case, I’d have to take back what I just said.”

“Shumiral is, the only one, getting married. But Shumiral, will continue, to be, a member of, the Silver Vase. And westerners, cannot do business, in Mahyudra, correct?”

“Yeah. Once you become a citizen of Selva, you’ll never again be able to set foot in Mahyudra. But just because one of its members is a westerner, that doesn’t mean the Silver Vase itself will be turned away. After all, we’re already doing business with westerners indirectly through you,” Uraya Fal replied, puffing up his wide chest that was wrapped up in a pelt. “Next time you come this way, Shumiral could remain behind in Aboof, since it’s closest, and wait for you to return. We’d be glad to keep welcoming the Silver Vase as we always have.”

“But will, the king of Mahyudra, permit that?”

“As if something this trivial would ever make it all the way to the ears of those arrogant jerks in the capital! And even if it does, it’d be my responsibility as the one in charge here!” Uraya Fal answered with a brazen grin. “Even if one of your lot becomes a westerner, it’s not like you’re going to start sneaking poison into the food you deliver us or anything, right? I mean, it’s not like we sneak any into the stuff you sell to the westerners! So it shouldn’t be any issue at all!”

“I am, terribly grateful, to hear, your proposal. We also, consider you all, to be precious business partners,” Radajid said, slowly bowing his head.

“If both sides feel the same way about it, then this is definitely the right way to go,” Uraya Fal said, and then his gaze turned Shumiral’s way. “That’s that, then. This’ll be the last time I see you, but I’ll be praying for your good health right up until the moment you change gods over to Selva, Shumiral.”

“Thank you. Even after, I change gods, I’ll never forget, the kindness, that you showed me.”

“Aw, you can forget all that! Once you become a citizen of Selva, we’ll be sworn enemies, unable to stand under the same sky,” Uraya Fal said with a hearty chuckle, only for Shumiral to give an even deeper bow than Radajid.

And then, Shumiral turned his gaze toward the man’s daughter.

“Tion Fal. Last night, you asked me, to forget, what you said, but that is not, so simple to do.”

“Huh?”

She had been staring at Shumiral and him alone the whole time.

“Today is, the last day, I will set foot, on Mahyudra’s soil. However, the settlement of Munapos, Uraya Fal, and you, Tion Fal... I will never, forget, your words, or the emotions, you shared,” Shumiral said as he gazed into those teary purple eyes.

He had spent a restless night carefully considering how to express what he felt as accurately as possible.

With the hope that his sentiments were getting across properly, he continued, “I am, who I am now, because of, the people, I have met, and the thoughts, and feelings, they shared, and brought about, in me. I am, who I am, because I met, all of you. Even if, I change gods, and we can, never meet again, that fact, will not change. You are all, precious to me.”

“Sir Shumiral...”

“The people, of the north, will become, my enemies. I do not, mind if, you hate me. The laws of, the four great kingdoms, cannot be changed. But I, will never, forget you all. Please, remember that, if nothing else.”

Tion Fal was unable to hold back her tears at this point. And yet, she also wore a vibrant smile on her face. “I will never forget you my whole life long either, Sir Shumiral... Please, always remember in some corner of your mind that a foolish woman such as myself lives here in this northern land...”

Uraya Fal snorted. However, his affection for his daughter was shining in his eyes. It was possible that he had figured out how Tion Fal felt a long time ago.

“It’s not like I could forget an oddball like you so easily anyway. Never show your face in front of me again, Shumiral... Then I won’t have to sully my blade with your blood.”

“Yes. Farewell, Uraya Fal, Tion Fal, and everyone, from Munapos.”

The people of Munapos had been watching their conversation in silence, but now they all started loudly shouting out their farewells. With their raucous send-off washing over him, Shumiral moved to join his companions in the wagons. But just before he could do so, Tion Fal came running over to him.

“Sir Shumiral, I wish you happiness in your marriage...and I’ll search for a husband of my own here in this land.”

“Yes. I hope, that you, find happiness, as well.”

With that, the Silver Vase departed from Munapos.

For Shumiral, it would be the final time he ever set foot in this frozen land.

Farewell, Mahyudra. This land has given me so very much...

He would lose all ties with the north, leave his homeland, and cast aside his god in order to be with his beloved. That was the path he had chosen. He would return to Genos with the strength he needed to become Vina Ruu’s husband. With his heart full of thoughts and feelings like that, Shumiral departed the northern lands alongside his comrades.

There were just over four months left till that promised day would arrive.