2
“Hey, wake up, my comrades!” Dan Rutim loudly proclaimed while splashing the contents of a water jug around the ritual hall.
Several of the men came to and shot to their feet, yelling out.
“What do you think you’re doing?! Have you gone mad?!” one particularly furious man shouted as he rose. However, he then staggered and fell back to his knees. “Hmm? What’s going on...? My limbs have no strength in them...”
“Right? That’s why I dashed the water over you all,” Dan Rutim chimed in with a hearty laugh.
All the while, astonishment and angry bellows kept sounding throughout the ritual hall. Donda Ruu and the women were standing in the four entrances to the hall, carrying out the same cruel act as Dan Rutim.
It had been some time since me and Ai Fa were kidnapped, so the smoke from the melemele leaves had surely thinned out a good bit. The men actually came to their senses and crept out of the hall a lot quicker than I had expected.
“If you’re awake, then get out of the ritual hall! There’s smoke from a poisonous foreign herb hanging around in there! And those of you who have the strength, lend a hand to anyone who’s still asleep!”
Ai Fa and I watched as Dan Rutim worked away, looking like he was truly enjoying himself.
Ai Fa seemed to be about 80% back to normal, but she was still shaky on her feet, so I was lending her my shoulder.
“Clan head of the Rutim! What in the world are you up to?!” questioned the Zaza clan head as he came out of the ritual hall and grabbed Dan Rutim.
“Don’t ask me! Ask your beloved Suun clan!” Dan Rutim replied with a dauntless smile, pointing down by our feet. Diga Suun was seated there sulking, his hands tied behind his back with a leather strap. “These bastards used a strange foreign herb to put us to sleep, plotting to do the members of the Fa clan harm! All you who fall under the Suun should share in their shame!”
“What? Is that true, eldest son of the Suun...?!” the Zaza clan head asked, his eyes like those of a wild beast as he glared at Diga Suun.
Diga Suun’s shoulders quaked a bit, and he silently looked away.
“We’re going to go force Zuuro Suun to explain whether or not the whole of the Suun clan was behind their vile deeds! All of you clan heads should accompany us and hear what is said!”
The Zaza clan head’s shoulders were trembling.
It was then that Rau Lea showed up, his golden-brown hair all dripping wet.
“Dan Rutim! What in the world is all this commotion about?! What did the Suun clan do?”
“Ah, clan head of the Lea, the Suun clan has finally gone and shown their true nature! Depending on how things go we may end up swinging our blades, so you better get good and awake!” Dan Rutim said, then offered a long sword by his feet to Rau Lea. It had come from Diga Suun, as all the men’s blades were still entrusted to the Suun clan.
“This is insane! Do you seriously intend to take up arms against our leading clan?!” the Zaza clan head suddenly shouted out, his voice full of rage.
Dan Rutim turned to face him, not looking worried in the least.
“Even if they belong to the leading clan, if they broke our laws they must be punished. Otherwise, the order of the forest’s edge would collapse... You should open your eyes already too, clan head of the Zaza.”
“But... But why should the Suun clan need to do harm to the Fa?! There’s no reason for them to do such a thing!”
“Like I said, we’re going to go ask about that. So save your anger for after we hear what our dear leader has to say, alright?”
While all that was going on, it seemed most everyone sleeping in the ritual hall had been evacuated. Around half of them were in a sleepy haze, but the other half had listened to Dan Rutim’s words and now had the burning glare of hunters in their eyes.
“Looks like this is everyone...” Donda Ruu’s voice called out, drawing closer through the darkness. His eyes were blazing like a wild beast, too.
“Ooh, Donda Ruu. What happened with the second son and the rest of them?”
“I left Ludo and a number of them in charge of that. We’ll meet up in front of the main house.”
“I see. Well then, shall we get going too?”
Dan Rutim’s thick fingers grabbed hold of the nape of Diga Suun’s neck.
“Damn it! Let go of me! You really think you’ll get away with doing something like this to the clan that leads our people?! And hey, Zaza and Jeen, what are you just standing around spacing out for?! Do something about these insolent fools already!”
“Don’t make such a fuss, eldest son of the Suun. Just who here do you think is the angriest of all?” Dan Rutim stated, half chuckling and half sounding simply astounded. “If you can’t even understand that much, then you’ll end up getting strangled to death by your allies before anyone else, you know.”
“Gah...!” Diga Suun cowered, curling up.
Had he finally noticed the looks on the faces of the Zaza and Jeen clan heads? I mean, it was pretty darn clear to me that they were the most worked up of anyone here.
Donda Ruu, Dan Rutim, and their group were all fired up and excited to finally be getting their showdown. But for the clans under the Suun, they had their respect for the leading clan tarnished and must have felt a horrible burning anger in their guts.
“Alright... Rise up, leaders of our numerous clans! As the clan head of the Ruu, I, Donda Ruu, will demand the Suun clan head explain the truth behind this trampling upon the bonds and trust of all of us here at the forest’s edge! Let us determine with our eyes and ears if the Suun clan is truly qualified to lead our people!” Donda Ruu roared, his voice sounding out through the darkness.
Hearing that, even the men who had been lying on the ground staggered to their feet.
Now, the eyes of hunters shone all around.
“Can you walk, Ai Fa...?” I asked, only for her to give a really dissatisfied pout.
“I can manage... But you and Dan Rutim are completely back to normal, so why am I the only one left in such a state?”
Apparently she could walk on her own, but she still clung firmly to my shoulder.
“I’m sure that’s because you were made to drink fruit wine or whatever. It may have been effective at waking you up, but normally sleeping medicine and alcohol are about the worst combination imaginable.”
“Ugh, how unsightly...” Ai Fa muttered angrily while rubbing her head up against me.
It was then that the tall silhouette of Darmu Ruu approached. He must not have fully recovered yet either, as he was leaning on the shoulder of the second son of the Rutim.
“What is it? Did you come to laugh at me again for how pathetic I look? You’re not much different than me today, though...” Ai Fa must have been in quite a poor mood to be the one to suddenly go and pick a fight.
Darmu Ruu, meanwhile, just had a dangerous glare shining in his eyes. And maybe I was just imagining things, but the scar on his right cheek looked redder than usual, as if to show his anger or regret or something.
“It seems that those who drank a great deal of fruit wine are recovering slower. I didn’t have a drop to drink, so perhaps that’s why I shot right up as soon as the water hit me,” the second son of the Rutim chimed in. His face reminded me a lot of Gazraan Rutim’s, but he was just a bit plumper, like his father. “Well then, let’s get going. I don’t know how things will end up, but I’d have to imagine this night will have a huge effect on the fate of the Suun clan.”
And so, we ended up walking to the main Suun house as one big group.
Donda Ruu was in the lead, followed by Dan Rutim dragging along Diga Suun, while Rau Lea and the others who fell under the Ruu firmly clustered around to the left and the right. A step behind them were the clan heads of the Dom and Zaza. The rest of the group surrounding them must have all fallen under the Suun also. And the Sauti and other smaller clans of course accompanied us, too.
Anger and distrust burned brightly in everyone’s eyes.
Had the Suun clan really gone and trampled their bonds into the dirt? Why would they do something so barbaric? Or was this all a farce made up by the Fa and the Ruu?
Surely, everyone had different such thoughts swirling around inside.
But at the very least, every last one of them was furious.
There was no way such hunters could accept the humiliation of having been forced to fall asleep due to some strange foreign herb. And above even that was the fact that they had gone and threatened the very lives of those who had done nothing wrong.
“Hey there. You’re pretty late, Dad.”
Ludo Ruu’s group had been standing there waiting for us in front of the main house.
That included Ludo and Shin Ruu, as well as Doddo and Tei Suun, whose limbs were bound with leather straps. And also, Yamiru Suun. She was clothed in the same outfit she wore earlier in the day, but her hair was now sopping wet. She must have washed off, but even at this distance I could still smell a faint metallic scent hanging about her.
Yamiru Suun wasn’t bound, but she was thoroughly surrounded by Mia Lea Ruu and the other women. There wasn’t even the slightest hint of an emotion on her face.
“Listen up, clan heads!” Donda Ruu yelled out. “For this clan head meeting, the Suun clan head Zuuro Suun requested that the Fa house man the stove! That was suspicious enough that I felt the need to ask my son to keep an eye on the Suun settlement! The Suun clan really did go and do something truly vile, so I doubt any of you will speak ill of me for that! But if you still want to, that’s fine by me!” Donda Ruu’s eyes burned brighter than anyone else’s as he looked over his comrades. “I intend to determine tonight whether or not the Suun clan is fit to lead our people! You all should listen carefully to Zuuro Suun’s words, too! Listen, and help to determine our future!”
We had finally hit this point.
Zuuro Suun’s response could well thrust the Suun and Ruu into all out war. If the Zaza and Jeen and them abandoned the Suun, it at least wouldn’t become a large enough battle to split the forest’s edge in two, but still... Just what was going to happen?
Donda Ruu beckoned over Ludo Ruu, then took two swords from the boy. They must have come from Tei and Doddo Suun. One of them, he handed to Dan Rutim.
The clans under the Suun instantly started to grow alarmed, but Donda Ruu shot them a glare.
“I swear to you that as long as none of the Suun draw their blades, I won’t either! As long as they’re not thirsty for blood, none will be shed this night!”
Then, Donda Ruu pounded strongly on the door of the main house. It was almost startling how quickly the door opened from the inside.
“What is it, so late at night...?” an emotionless woman’s voice questioned.
I soon caught a glimpse of her, and she was truly beautiful. Yeah, she was stunning... but she had rotting fish eyes. Her hair was dark brown, and her eyes were blue. Although her face was lovely, it had no expression whatsoever, making her look like a clay doll.
As for her age, she probably fell somewhere in her late 20s. And proving that she was married, she had on a single piece dress and wore her hair short.
Standing at her feet was a very annoyed-looking Tsuvai Suun, who had previously disappeared at some point.
“Who the heck are you two?” Donda Ruu questioned, his eyes narrowing as he looked over the pair.
“I am the clan head Zuuro’s wife, Oura Suun... This is my youngest daughter, Tsuvai Suun... Um, just what exactly is going on...?”
“I’m the Ruu clan head, Donda Ruu. Could you go tell the Suun clan head I’m asking to speak with him?”
“Right... However, at this hour he is still asleep...”
“Oh?” Donda Ruu replied, grinning like a wild beast. “Sorry, but Zuuro Suun won’t be allowed a peaceful rest tonight. The main house’s eldest son, second son, and eldest daughter have broken the laws of the forest’s edge alongside a man from one of the branch families. The clan head has a responsibility to answer for his family’s crimes.”
“Right...”
The woman who called herself Oura Suun looked over us with her listless eyes, still not showing the slightest bit of emotion. When her muddy gaze finally caught sight of Tei Suun down on the ground, her eyes flickered ever so slightly.
Tei Suun’s grey hair was dyed red, and he lay powerlessly down in the dirt, but he stared back at Oura Suun with the same look in his eyes.
“Very well... Tsuvai, bring the clan head here...”
“Is that really alright, Mom?”
Tsuvai Suun stared up at her mother with her big eyes, the whites standing out clearly.
“It’s fine... We’ve done enough...”
“Alright,” Tsuvai Suun answered, then she took off back into the house.
Before long, Zuuro Suun appeared. His youngest son, Mida Suun, thumped out after him.
“What in the world is all this about, clan head of the Ruu? It’s incredibly rude to visit someone’s house so late at night, wouldn’t you say...?”
Zuuro Suun wore a thin smile on his face that called to mind a bloated toad.
Meanwhile, as Mida Suun sluggishly stepped outside, he went, “Huh...?” in his usual high pitched voice. “It’s Diga and Doddo... Hey, why are they all tied up...?”
“Hmm... I see you’ve been even more rude than I first thought...”
“Rude, you say? Didn’t your daughter there already give you the basic story of what has happened, Zuuro Suun?” Dan Rutim replied.
The daughter in question, Tsuvai Suun, gave Mida Suun’s legs a kick as they were blocking the door, then went running back to her mother.
The clan head, Zuuro Suun.
His wife, Oura Suun.
The youngest daughter, Tsuvai Suun.
The youngest son, Mida Suun.
The eldest son, Diga Suun, who sat there sulking.
The second son, Doddo Suun, who still seemed to be unconscious.
And Yamiru Suun, who was silently standing a bit removed.
Aside from the elderly former clan head, we seemed to have the full lineup of the main Suun house gathered.
As I continued to support Ai Fa with my shoulder, I gave a gulp.
“What happened...? Do you perhaps mean how Diga and Yamiru proposed to the Fa clan’s head and chef...?” Zuuro Suun replied, not sounding timid in the least despite all of the eyes fixed on him. “If that’s it, then I heard of that from them in advance... Still, I never imagined they would go and do it on the night of the clan head meeting...”
“Oh? Then you’re admitting that you gave your approval to their vile actions?” Donda Ruu asked, the grin on his face growing even bolder.
However, Zuuro Suun tilted his head and said, “‘Vile actions’...? What do you mean...? I don’t believe I’ve heard anything of the sort...”
“In that case, listen well. These fools went and put everyone in the ritual hall to sleep with a strange foreign herb, and on top of that forcefully kidnapped the Fa clan’s head and chef. Then, they drew a blade on the chef when he refused their marriage proposal, and bound the clan head’s limbs in order to have their way with her... That’s correct, isn’t it, members of the Fa clan?”
Ai Fa silently nodded, while I answered, “Yes.”
However, Zuuro Suun’s thin smile still didn’t vanish.
Was he feeling bold, or was he just slow...? Somehow, it felt like the latter to me.
“That’s certainly quite an accusation... Just who are you saying went and did something that foolish...?”
“The second son of the main house, and that man from the branch families lying beside him.”
“Hmm... Doddo’s always had a problem when it comes to alcohol...” Zuuro Suun said, the corners of his mouth rising up higher. “He must have lost his temper when his precious elder sister’s marriage proposal was turned down... You have my deepest apologies...”
“Do you really think apologies are going to be enough, Zuuro Suun? He may be a foreigner, but this chef is a member of the Fa clan. And as you can see, my son suffered these injuries when jumping in to stop them. They didn’t just draw their blades, but went so far as to threaten the lives of our fellow people of the forest’s edge!”
Ludo Ruu had cloth wrapped around his head in place of bandages, and he gave a bit of a dissatisfied sounding “Tch.”
“That second son of yours also drew his blade in the post town and at the Rutim banquet. And with this incident, he finally went and swung it at our people. There’s no way such an action can be forgiven simply by bowing your head.”
“Hmm... Then are you saying we should follow the law and have him offer up his right arm...?”
“You really think just his right arm would cut it?”
A raging fire was now burning away in Donda Ruu’s eyes as he fiercely grinned.
Then, a large figure pushed through the crowd and angrily shouted, “That’s right! They didn’t just draw their blades, but also used their poisonous herb on us as well! They harmed not only the Suun and Ruu, but all the clan heads of the forest’s edge! A single right arm won’t be anywhere near enough to pay for such a crime!”
That had come from the Sauti clan head, Dari Sauti. His earnest-looking face was red from the anger and humiliation.
Zuuro Suun’s eyebrows drooped ever so slightly.
“What’s this poisonous herb you’re talking about...? You said it put everyone in the ritual hall to sleep...?”
“Apparently it’s an herb called melemele that they bought from an eastern sorcerer. Your sons bragged that it cost them five white coins to buy enough,” I replied. I figured since I had heard that directly, I should be the one to answer.
“Hmm... So it’s an herb that puts people to sleep...?”
“Yes. They said if someone keeps smelling its smoke, they wouldn’t wake up even if their stomach was slit.”
“I see... But if it just puts people to sleep, it’s not exactly poisonous, now is it...?” Zuuro Suun said, his eyes firmly fixed on his sons for the first time.
With that, Diga Suun broke out in a triumphant grin.
“Melemele leaves are herbs for helping people who are suffering to sleep easily! I hear if you keep smelling it for half a day it’ll even put a person’s soul to sleep, but that small amount isn’t poison at all! Otherwise, we never would have had our brethren from the forest’s edge smell it!”
“Silence, you! That’s not what we’re discussing right now!” Dari Sauti raged. “The key point is that you all used such a vile method, isn’t it?! You played your trick on all of us, forcefully abducted the members of the Fa clan, tried to force them into marriage, and then decided to kill them when they refused... Do you truly believe such blatant defiance of our laws would ever be allowed here at the forest’s edge?!”
“Yes, such actions are of course unforgivable... Just what exactly were your intentions, Diga...?”
Dari Sauti’s furious expression had caused Diga Suun to turn pale, but he regained that repulsive grin upon hearing his father’s words.
“Naturally, we had no intention of actually taking any lives. Doddo and I were just drunk, so we said and did things we didn’t really mean.”
“Oh? But the second son and this old timer really did draw their blades. And they went and tried to kill all of us. So how do you intend on explaining all that away?”
Diga Suun grinned even deeper upon hearing what Ludo Ruu had to say.
“I don’t know anything about all that. I wasn’t there, after all. Doddo and Tei Suun both probably just let alcohol get the better of them and ended up doing it.”
“Right, and you bound Ai Fa’s limbs and tried to have your way with her, but that ended in failure,” Ludo Ruu said with a shrug of his shoulders, only for Dari Sauti to step forward again.
“That’s every bit as serious of a taboo as drawing your blade! You already broke it two years prior, and swore back then that you would never again make the same mistake, didn’t you?!”
“L-Like I said, this time it was a request to take her as my bride. I didn’t do anything that would justify you yapping at me like that.”
“That’s ridiculous... No method of proposing at the forest’s edge involves using an herb to put someone to sleep, binding their limbs, and trying to have your way with them!”
“Oh...? No matter how much a woman may hate you, if you just lay with her she’ll listen to you.”
Naturally, I took a step forward without even thinking, but Ai Fa held me back with a poke to the head.
“Don’t lose your cool. He won’t be able to talk his way out of this with such nonsense, anyway,” she whispered quietly into my ear.
But was that really the case? Then why did Zuuro and Diga Suun still look so calm and collected?
Diga Suun was one thing, since he didn’t seem to fully grasp everything, but it was creepy how Zuuro Suun had kept on smiling even though he seemed to value self-preservation above all else.
“Hey! Who goes there?!” Rau Lea suddenly yelled out in a harsh tone.
The other men around us all started muttering among themselves. But when I looked closer, I saw that there was another group surrounding them too. They looked to be around 30 in number.
With my eyesight, all I could make out in this darkness were black silhouettes. However, the only ones in this settlement other than us were the members of the Suun’s branch houses. And so, that was who they must have been. That seemed to fit with the numbers I had heard, too.
“Oh...? You wish to settle things by the blade, Zuuro Suun?” Donda Ruu asked, grabbing hold of his sword’s handle.
However, Zuuro Suun lost his cool a bit for the first time as he replied, “O-Of course not... It just seems the members of the branch families questioned why there was such a commotion so late at night and came to check... P-Please, restrain your temper, clan head of the Ruu...”
“Hmph, I’m not so sure about that,” Donda Ruu replied, breaking out in a rather nasty looking smile.
Of the 30 or so members of the Suun branch families, roughly half of them were men. In terms of numbers, the Ruu and the clans under them could more or less match that. However, only five of them had blades.
Plus, if it came down to a fight, there was no telling what the clans under the Suun would do, and the Ruu women were gathered here. There was just too much up in the air at the moment, so getting rough would definitely be a bad idea.
“Ludo, you go over with the women. And make sure you don’t make the first move, alright?”
“Got it,” Ludo Ruu replied, running over towards his family, his eyes gleaming with the soul of a hunter.
“Now then, could you tell me just how you intend on settling this, Zuuro Suun? You couldn’t possibly believe just bowing your head would be enough to have such great crimes pardoned, right?”
“Hmm... Then do you mean to say we should adhere strictly to our customs in having them pay for their crimes, clan head of the Ruu...?” Zuuro Suun questioned, his thin smile returning. “Doddo and Tei Suun injured our brethren with their blades. Diga tried to have his way with a woman. Normally, that would mean Doddo and Tei Suun should offer up their right arms, while Diga... What should we do with Diga? After all, he didn’t ultimately sully the Fa clan head’s purity, did he?”
“That is only because the Fa clan happened to prove more determined than that scum. According to the customs, he should lose his offending organ for that,” Donda Ruu stated, clearly annoyed. “And that’s not the full extent of their crimes. What about the fact that they tried to do our brethren harm with that poisonous herb?”
“I’d like to hear your thoughts on that. Considering it didn’t actually cause anyone harm, just how serious of a crime is it...? In fact, is such a thing even against our laws to begin with...?”
“Trying to use such a trick against our people clearly breaks our taboos!”
“But when did they actually try to fool anyone...? My sons simply gave everyone a peaceful sleep so that no one would interfere with the marriage proposals, didn’t they...?”
Dari Sauti silently started to approach Zuuro Suun. However, Donda Ruu raised an arm to hold him back.
“Then your intention is to offer up your second son and branch family member’s right arms, as well as your eldest son’s member to atone for these crimes, Zuuro Suun? I don’t think your sons have the guts for that, though.”
“If we’re following ancient customs, then that would be the proper path,” Zuuro Suun replied, then he broke out in a grin. “But if you value those old laws so highly... Then there’s something else you should do before questioning my sons’ crimes, isn’t there...?”
“What...?”
“I’m saying that the Ruu, Rutim, and Fa must also obey those same laws...” Then, Zuuro Suun’s greasy gaze fell on me. “Chef of the Fa clan... My daughter Yamiru offered to take you as her husband, did she not...?”
I silently glared back at his creepy smiling face.
Could it be... I thought to myself, an eerie doubt creeping in on me. Could that have been this crafty bastard’s trump card? But that’s an absolutely insane trick to pull, isn’t it?
“At that time, was Yamiru perhaps in the middle of performing an ancient ritual...? One for making the power of a giba’s blood your own...”
I was too shocked for words.
“If that was the case, then Yamiru must have been completely in the nude...”
“Zuuro Suun, you bastard...!” Donda Ruu bellowed.
“Also, clan head of the Ruu, you had your son and that other boy watch over the Fa clan’s chef from the shadows... In that case, did they perhaps spy Yamiru through a window...?” Then, Zuuro Suun’s gaze shifted over to Dan Rutim, who was standing by Donda Ruu’s side. “And clan head of the Rutim... You kicked down the door of Diga’s house and stepped inside without being invited, didn’t you...?”
“What of it?” Dan Rutim replied, the anger clearly showing on his face.
By this point, everyone was fully aware of what Zuuro Suun was trying to say.
“Entering another’s home without permission is also a taboo... In that case, those who saw Yamiru’s naked body should each offer up an eye, while those who entered Diga’s house must give up a toe, yes...?”
“That’s ridiculous! Then what about how that scum there broke into the Fa house two years ago?!”
“That incident was forgiven when Diga and I bowed our heads, wasn’t it...? Of course, I don’t wish to give such weight to old customs and shed the blood of my brethren...”
“So that’s how it is...” Donda Ruu muttered. The smile he wore was that of a fierce raging god. “So what you’re trying to say is that if we want their arms, we’ve got to offer up our eyes and toes, eh, Zuuro Suun?”
“Naturally, I truly hope to avoid shedding blood over such trivial matters...”
“How dare you spin such a tale, Zuuro Suun?!” Dari Sauti shouted. “The Suun clan are the ones who went and acted so atrociously! The Ruu, Rutim, and Fa simply fought back against that! So why must they offer up their eyes and toes?!”
“Those are simply the laws of the forest’s edge... However, they are old traditions decided by our ancestors... I don’t believe sticking firmly to them is the one and only correct path for our people...”
“And I’m saying that’s not the issue here! My point is that the shameful actions of these members of the Suun clan are unforgivable!”
“Shameful actions, you say...? But in actuality, Doddo didn’t take a single life, nor did Diga sully anyone’s purity...”
“As Donda Ruu stated, that was solely due to the determination of the Fa and Ruu! If they had not been strong enough, your kin would have carried out their truly vile deeds!”
“If they had been successful, they would have had to give their lives to pay for their crimes...”
There was no end to this argument.
Dari Sauti, meanwhile, seemed to have surpassed mere anger and ended up outright dumbfounded.
“Have you gone mad, Zuuro Suun...? If that is how you truly feel, then we can no longer see you as the leader of our people.”
“Oh? And why is that, clan head of the Sauti? It’s true that Diga and Doddo are still too immature to properly rein in their emotions, but no one was killed, and no woman was sullied. In fact, none can even say if my sons truly intended on committing those crimes, can they...?” Zuuro Suun’s muddy gaze then turned towards Donda Ruu. “Just look. Can you not see the hatred in the Ruu clan head’s eyes as he glares at me...? He may even be thinking of threatening my life... However, until he actually swings the blade he holds my way, he has committed no crime at all... That’s the point I’m trying to stress...”
“That just sounds like you trying to talk your way out of this! The leading clan should act as a model for the people of the forest’s edge, shouldn’t they?!”
“Hmm... Then I suppose there’s no option left but for both sides to shed blood. How truly regrettable...” Zuuro Suun stated, but he didn’t look the least bit regretful.
But... maybe this man was stating his true thoughts. Perhaps he honestly thought that if he couldn’t eloquently talk his way out of this, his only option left was to offer up his family. Did he intend to maintain the peace for the Suun clan through the sacrifice of Diga, Doddo, Tei, and Yamiru Suun? The smile on Zuuro Suun’s face looked so relaxed that no other possibilities seemed to fit.
As I held back the nausea building inside of me, I stole a glance at the man’s family in question.
Diga Suun foolishly laughed to himself like he had no clue what was happening, while Doddo Suun was still unconscious. Tei Suun’s muddy gaze stared blankly into the sky as he lay on his side like a corpse. And Yamiru Suun was just as expressionless as always.
From my point of view, they were all unforgivable criminals. Well, I did have a few thoughts in regards to Tei and Yamiru Suun, but their crimes still stood.
But to Zuuro Suun, they were his precious family, weren’t they? Even if this was a case of them acting recklessly all on their own, shouldn’t he have been more desperately trying to cover for them? Or did he value his own peace and tranquility over even the lives of his family?
Just what exactly did the world look like through this man’s muddy eyes?
“So that’s your response, Zuuro Suun...?” Donda Ruu questioned, firming up his stance.
Mida Suun had been just standing there in a daze up till now, but he muttered, “This is no good... People of the forest’s edge shouldn’t hurt each other, right...?” As he said that, he reached for the club at his hip.
Donda Ruu also grabbed hold of his sword’s handle.
And Zuuro Suun’s smile stiffened a good bit as he attempted to slowly back away.
“No matter what, don’t leave my side, Asuta,” Ai Fa whispered while taking her right arm off my neck and bending her knees just a bit.
All of the men in my field of vision were preparing for battle.
There had clearly been a breakdown in negotiations.
It seemed that Zuuro Suun absolutely refused to admit fault, no matter what. Even if he had to cast aside his family to do it, he would make sure he alone was saved.
There was no way Donda Ruu could ever accept that nature of his. Even if he had to break his promise not to draw his blade first and get branded a traitor, he would surely cut Zuuro Suun down here and now. That was what the determination burning bright in his eyes told me.
We had finally reached the tipping point.
For a split second I agonized over the decision, but then I yelled out, “Please, hold on! If we’re following ancient laws, then there’s something the Suun clan needs to atone for before all else!”
Donda Ruu had been on the verge of drawing his blade, only for his shoulders to flinch ever so slightly.
“Asuta...?” Ai Fa questioned in a doubtful tone.
I gave her a nod back, then continued on, “If I recall correctly, it’s a serious enough crime to warrant having one’s scalp peeled. Do you really have the right to question the crimes of others before you atone for that?”
“What... What in the world are you saying...?”
The toadlike smile had completely vanished from Zuuro Suun’s bloated face. The terror that took its place gave me confidence that my thinking was correct.
My words may well lead to even further bloodshed, but even as my spine trembled at the thought, I still threw out my accusation.
“If you deny my statement, then show us the main Suun house’s pantry... That’s my only request.”
In that instant, Yamiru Suun erupted in a mad burst of laughter. Though she was surrounded by the Ruu and Rutim women, it was like she couldn’t stop herself from leaning her head back and howling away. “What are you saying? Why should we need to be scalped? This is slander against the leading clan!”
“R-Right, it’s slander! You’re just spouting nonsense and trying to save your own skin...” Zuuro Suun uttered, temporarily regaining his calm expression only for it to be shattered by astonishment and despair a moment later.
“Yes, it’s truly unforgivable slander! We have done nothing to warrant such abuse! And if you think I’m lying, then why not confirm this with your own eyes?”
“What are you saying?! Have you gone mad, Yamiru?!” That last bit of wailing actually came from Diga Suun rather than his father. And both of them had equally pale faces at the moment.
“What’s the matter? Why have you all gone so pale? We’re perfectly innocent, aren’t we?” Then, Yamiru Suun’s glittering eyes turned towards Oura Suun, who was standing there like a statue. “Now then, Oura! And Tsuvai, too! Open up the pantry! Then our innocence will be made clear!”
Tsuvai Suun looked up at her mother, clearly at a loss. As for Oura Suun, her muddy pupils were hidden behind her eyelids.
“Right... That is what we should do, isn’t it, Yamiru...?”
“Yes! Go ahead and do it!”
Oura Suun moved to turn towards the pantry. However, Zuuro Suun grabbed tight onto her slender shoulder.
“Stop! What... What do you think you’re doing?!”
“Let go of me...”
“Never! As clan head... I’ll never permit you to do that!”
Zuuro Suun’s fat fingers dug into his wife’s shoulder.
Oura Suun shrieked out, “Ah...” in pain, causing Tsuvai Suun to wail, “What are you doing?!”
Donda Ruu took a step forward. Before he could make a move, though, Mida Suun’s thick fingers grabbed hold of his father’s arm.
“That’s not good... It’s bad to hurt family, isn’t it...?”
His bones audibly creaked, and Zuuro Suun let out a girlish screech.
Released from his grasp, Oura Suun collapsed powerlessly to the ground, then looked up at Tsuvai Suun’s face. There was just a bit of a shine, as her eyes were full of tears.
“Tsuvai... The bolt to the pantry...”
“...Got it,” Tsuvai Suun replied, then disappeared through a door.
At the same time, Yamiru Suun laughed like a devil as she proclaimed, “Now, see with your own eyes! If it’s proven that your words are nothing but a groundless accusation, you won’t get off with just losing an eye or a toe, Asuta of the Fa clan!”
“What’s with that woman? Has she actually gone mad?” Dan Rutim turned and asked me, his thick eyebrows deeply furrowed. “I don’t get what you’ve been saying, either. Did she trick you with some sort of plot?”
“No, I don’t think that’s it... If that were the case, I couldn’t imagine Zuuro Suun looking that flustered.” I then turned my gaze towards Donda Ruu. “Let’s head to the pantry. And I think it’d be a good idea to keep an eye on the members of the Suun branch families.”
Donda Ruu silently stared back at me for a bit, then turned without saying a word.
Rau Lea and the other men who fell under the Ruu lifted up Diga and Doddo Suun.
Diga Suun’s expression slumped, and he looked utterly dumbfounded. Doddo Suun, meanwhile, was still unconscious.
And as for Tei Suun... He had firmly shut his eyes, like Oura Suun had done just a bit ago.
“Mida Suun, could I ask you to bring Zuuro Suun and follow along?”
“Yeah...” Mida Suun replied to my question, the fat of his cheeks shaking as he did so. “But what are you saying about the pantry? We can’t eat anything else till morning, right...?”
“That’s true. But we’re just checking what’s inside.”
With that, we moved around to the back of the house.
Our group included the men who participated in the clan head meeting, the women who manned the stove, the members of the Suun main house, and everyone from the branch families... It was a big enough crowd to total over 100 people.
The majority of them still didn’t understand what was going on and were just silently looking around at everyone else.
And then, as all of us watched, the door to the pantry swung open from the inside.
Tsuvai Suun came running back over towards her mother, looking unbelievably upset.
Then, Rau Lea held up a candle to illuminate the inside of the pantry.
“That’s...!” someone gasped in astonishment.
What we saw there was exactly what I had expected: All manners of fruits and vegetables. Some I was familiar with, but others I had never seen before.
Yes, the shelves were positively packed... with the bounty of the Morga forest, which they were forbidden to gather by decree of the western capital.
“So that was it...” Donda Ruu muttered in a low voice.
And then... a sound of “Aaaah...” with an almost singing tone resounded through the night air.
“What? What’s going on?!” Dan Rutim questioned, his gaze darting around.
Everyone making that sound seemed to belong to the Suun branch families. That included men and women, children and the elderly... Every last one of them were down on their knees, their sad voices echoing forth.
“Please forgive us...”
“We broke the taboo...”
“We gathered the blessings of the forest, knowing it was forbidden...”
Then, before our very eyes, Oura Suun fell powerlessly to her knees.
“This is the Suun clan’s crime... But please, take mercy on the members of the branch families... They only followed the wicked decrees of the main house...”
Oura Suun’s beautiful face was stained with tears. The members of the branch families were no different. One fell prostrate to the ground, while another tore at his scalp, and yet another clung to someone nearby... And every last one of them was weeping with heartrending grief.
“H-Hey! Come on, pull yourselves together!” Lala Ruu suddenly yelled out, sounding all flustered.
There was an even more slender girl clinging to her own thin body, wailing away. She just kept saying, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry...” over and over. From what I could tell, it was Toor Suun of the branch families.
“This is insane... The whole of the Suun clan was breaking such an important taboo...?” the Zaza clan head muttered in a powerless voice, his massive frame trembling as if he was terrified of the wailing coming from all around.
Eating the blessings of the forest was one of the greatest taboos for the people of the forest’s edge. Doing so meant that starving giba would attack the fields around town even more fiercely. That’s why it was considered a serious enough crime to warrant being scalped for it.
And so, the people of the forest’s edge would never lay a hand on them no matter how much they may be starving, to the point that they would die lamenting their own weakness. Kamyua Yoshu had once said he couldn’t believe such an earnest, pure tribe could truly exist.
That was down to their pride as hunters.
“We sullied our pride as hunters... Trampled on the honor of the forest’s edge... We’re unforgivable sinners...”
A flood of tears kept on streaming down the faces of Oura Suun and the branch family members. There was an unquestionable sadness dwelling in their tear-soaked eyes. Feelings of regret surely swirled through their heads. And it was readily apparent the shame that they felt.
Those were all clearly negative emotions... But now, not a one of them wore the expressionless face of a clay doll.
Their unforgivable crime was revealed, but at the same time, they had been set free. The intense pressure of needing to protect the Suun clan’s secret no longer crushed them.
On the other hand, Zuuro and Diga Suun’s faces now looked like corpses as they trembled away.
Doddo Suun was still lying unconscious, even now.
Mida Suun looked down on his father and brothers, his eyes full of confusion.
Tsuvai Suun nuzzled up close to her weeping mother and was firmly biting down on her lip.
And as for Yamiru Suun... she walked up to us, sandwiched between Ludo and Mia Lea Ruu. Ai Fa still had her guard up, though, not relaxing in the least.
Then, she stopped in front of us and quietly whispered, “Now it’s finally over...”
Yamiru Suun’s expression was now so calm that it was hard to believe she had been acting so madly just a bit ago, and she had a complex expression about her eyes that couldn’t be described as just sadness, anger, or joy alone.
“Asuta... There’s just one thing I wish to say to you.”
“What is it?”
I still couldn’t tell at all which emotions were driving her, but the corners of Yamiru Suun’s mouth lifted up into a grin, and she said, “Thank you for destroying the Suun clan.”
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