Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 8 - Chapter Ep

Intermezzo: The Eldest Ruu Daughter’s Melancholy

As she sat and watched her clan members get drunk and party away, Vina Ruu sat on her own, feeling gloomy.

Today was a wedding banquet, for the Ririn clan head taking a Lea woman as his bride. It was being held in the Ruu settlement’s plaza, and all 100 members of the related clans were gathered. There were bonfires set up here and there, and stone stoves grilling up large slabs of meat and heating up stew. And by this point, everyone seemed wildly excited.

Normally, unless it was someone of great importance getting married, the Ruu settlement wouldn’t be used, nor would everybody be invited. But today was a special banquet. It was meant to be a congratulatory event, welcoming the Ririn clan under the Ruu.

I never thought the Ruu would end up taking in a small clan like the Ririn...

As she sat in the darkness clad in her gorgeous banquet outfit, Vina Ruu gave a little sigh.

The young girl had only turned 15 mere days before. For the people of the forest’s edge, that was old enough to marry, and such banquets were seen as places for young folks to meet potential spouses. That was why Vina Ruu was now hiding out of sight on the edge of the plaza, watching everyone else enjoy themselves from a distance.

I only just turned 15, so why does everyone keep talking to me about marriage...? she thought to herself, glancing over at the bride and groom cuddling close together atop the stage.

The Ririn clan head was a man on the verge of turning 40, while his wife from the Lea was just a 16-year-old girl.

Well, it wasn’t like that age gap mattered here and now, though. Apparently the Ririn clan head was a rather strong hunter, and that would probably be passed down through his blood. And since he lost his first wife young, it made sense for him to remarry. After all, that was one of the noble duties of powerful hunters.

What was surprising, though, was the fact that the Ririn clan was so incredibly small, just consisting of four members including the clan head, and two young children. Ordinarily, such a tiny clan would never be able to join up with the Ruu. It would be one thing if they were discarding their clan name to oblivion and becoming members of the Ruu, as that would fit with the traditions of the forest’s edge.

But in spite of all that, the Ririn were permitted to become one of the clans that followed the Ruu. The six clan heads under the Ruu, led by Donda Ruu, accepted this marriage with a woman of the Lea, who were second in strength only to the Ruu and Rutim, giving the Ririn bonds of blood and making them the seventh subordinate clan to the Ruu.

Of course, there was apparently a good bit of objection to the idea at the start. However, the Ririn clan head showed great passion in his appeals to Donda Ruu, and also possessed great strength as a hunter, allowing his wish to come to fruition.

On top of that, the girl was seemingly quite intent on the idea as well, too. The two had just happened to meet one day on the side of the road, but they felt strongly about one another, and were able to see their desires through. Vina Ruu honestly found it hard to imagine having powerful enough emotions about someone to cause such a crazy event to actually be held.

To feel so passionately about another person... In a way I’m jealous, but I also find the thought almost frightening...

Vina Ruu had already had countless marriage offers so far, despite her young age, and the fact that as the eldest daughter of the main Ruu house, she couldn’t go and marry just anybody. But even with only powerful men from the Lea, the Rutim, and the Ruu branch families approaching her, it still ended up being a serious commotion. Frankly, she was utterly exhausted from having to turn them all down.

Why do they all want to spend their whole lives with me, when we’ve hardly ever even talked to one another...?

Vina Ruu didn’t understand it in the least.

And that caused her to have another thought, too: That all of them were just after her appearance, or perhaps her position as the eldest daughter of the main Ruu house.

Nobody seems to care at all what sort of person I actually am... And so, of course I don’t want to marry any of them...

However, Vina Ruu hadn’t opened up to anyone else about those feelings.

People of the forest’s edge seldom had concerns about such matters. Even at the age of 15, that much was perfectly clear to Vina Ruu.

Loving somebody else wasn’t about logic. You would spend your life with that person, share both good times and bad, have children and raise them together. The desire to do that was supposed to come naturally, not be something that required words or explanation... That was what Vina Ruu had been told growing up.

And in actuality, even her parents had only met at big banquets like this one, but that was enough for them to decide they wanted to get married. Even so, they truly loved each other, and ended up having seven children together. Around 20 years had passed now since they were wed, but they still seemed to feel the same as back then. And that was how things should be for people of the forest’s edge.

How are they able to do such a thing, though...?

Vina Ruu loved her family. Her parents, grandmother, great-grandmother, and siblings were all precious, irreplaceable people to her. She would gladly offer up her own life to save any of them. The thought of any of her family, with their proper spirits, returning to the forest while someone so out of place like her lived on... it just felt wrong. That was just how much she equally loved the ten members of her family.

And so, she thought that if she didn’t love someone else that strongly, there would be no point to marrying them.

Why is it that everyone else feels like they’re supposed to, while my thoughts are so twisted...? Vina Ruu pondered with yet another sigh.

It was then that there was a rustling from the nearby thicket.

Vina Ruu leapt to her feet in a hurry, thinking it would be a giiz or something.

However, it was no wild animal. In fact, it was a man of the forest’s edge, clad in a hunter’s attire and with blades hanging from his hip.

Seeing that, Vina Ruu went to breathe a sigh of relief, but the man clearly looked troubled. He was glancing left and right in even more of a panic than she had felt, and then placed one knee on the ground as if begging her.

“I’m so very sorry for startling you. I most certainly didn’t come here with any wicked thoughts in mind.”

At first, she had no idea what he was saying. But then, the meaning of those words slowly sunk in, and she instinctively backed away.

“You’re... not under the Ruu clan, are you...?”

“That’s right. I’m from the Dai clan, and my name is Deel Dai. I’m the second son of the main Dai house.”

Vina Ruu had never heard of that clan before. But at any rate, it definitely wasn’t one of the ones under the Ruu.

“What is a member of the Dai doing here in the Ruu settlement...? As you can see, today we’re holding a wedding banquet.”

“Yes, and I offer my sincerest apologies. I had heard tell of the Ruu banquets enough that I couldn’t help but wonder what they were really like, and ultimately my curiosity won out, so I came to have a peek.”

The youth who said that didn’t look especially villainous or intimidating. In fact, he looked a bit weak overall for a man of the forest’s edge.

He was fairly tall but didn’t exactly have a robust physique, and he had a gentle look about his face, and timidity in his eyes. His long, dark brown hair came all the way down to his shoulders. Since Vina Ruu was accustomed to seeing the manly hunters under her clan, he honestly looked a bit unreliable to her overall.

“Curiosity, huh...? But spying on a banquet held by a clan you have no blood ties to goes against our traditions, doesn’t it...?”

“I certainly can’t defend myself on that point. I’ve been bottling up such feelings a lot lately, but it looks like they finally slipped out.”

Even his words lacked strength. He felt so out of place that Vina Ruu couldn’t help but have the ridiculous thought that maybe he was someone from town dressed up as a person of the forest’s edge.

“What do you mean, you’ve been bottling up your feelings...?” she ended up asking on a whim.

The youth certainly seemed to lack both the will and the strength he would need to do her harm, and besides... After sitting there watching her comrades all enjoying themselves, someone with Deel Dai’s gloomy nature appealed to her a bit. He was a much better match for her right now, with the mood she was in today. It was irresponsible, but that was how she truly felt at the moment.

As he kneeled there in front of her, Deel Dai blinked in surprise.

“What...? Ah, it’s not something I should be telling to a stranger...”

“If you don’t want to discuss it I won’t force you, but... Well, would you mind telling me to make amends for scaring me like that?”

“Er, it’s just... Well, I’ve been worrying over the fact that I’ve fallen for someone whose position is far greater than my own...”

“What...?” Vina Ruu questioned, feeling disappointed. “Love troubles, huh? I was expecting something more interesting...”

“I-Isn’t it kind of mean to say that to someone? For me, it’s a huge deal that’ll have a serious impact on the rest of my life.”

“That may be the case for you, but I figure most men worry about stuff like that...”

“Of course we do. Who to marry is the most important decision in anyone’s life, whether they’re a man or a woman, right?”

“Hmm?” Vina Ruu responded indifferently, then sat back down by the same tree as before. “Still, this is my first time meeting a man who would bring up such a topic in front of a woman. You certainly are an odd one...”

“You’re the one who told me to say it, though,” Deel Dai replied with a pout. “Besides, you’re rather unusual yourself, aren’t you? Are all the Ruu women as tough and difficult as you are?”

“The Ruu clan has nothing to do with it. I’m just me,” Vina Ruu retorted, her mood taking a turn for the worse.

Deel Dai retained his smile but looked a bit sad as he replied, “That’s true. If the people of the forest’s edge didn’t place such emphasis on clans, then I probably wouldn’t have to suffer so. I’ve always felt proud to have been born as one of our people, but... Well, in this case alone, I really disagree with the customs of the forest’s edge.”

“That’s quite an exaggerated statement there,” Vina Ruu said with a shrug of her shoulders. “So, who in the world did you fall for, anyway? Could it be someone under the Ruu...?”

“Ah, no, that’s—” Deel Dai started to object, only for a firm voice to shout out from the plaza.

“What are you doing?!”

In no time at all, Vina Ruu’s brothers Jiza and Darmu Ruu approached.

“Who in the world are you? You’re not under the Ruu, right? You’re not from the Suun, are you?” Darmu Ruu demanded, reaching for the blade dangling from his hip. He was still just 14 years old, but he was pretty tall and was already an excellent hunter.

Faced with Darmu Ruu’s intense blue eyes that were just like his father’s, Deel Dai hurriedly bowed his head.

“No, I’m from the Dai clan. I most certainly didn’t have any intention of ruining this banquet, so—”

“The Dai are a small clan with a settlement a bit north from here, aren’t they?” Jiza Ruu called out in a relaxed tone.

Both his voice and face seemed calm, but his physique was far more intimidating than that of his younger brother. He had just turned 18 this year, but he was already powerful enough to make it into the final eight in contests of strength.

“At any rate, people from clans with no blood ties to the Ruu have no right to step foot in this banquet. Leave this place right away.”

“Ah, no, but...”

“If you don’t intend to leave, then I’ll judge you as guilty of the crime of having entered another’s home without permission and take one of your toes.”

With that, Deel Dai stood up and bowed again, his face looking downright heartbroken.

“I’ll leave. And you have my deepest apologies for my rudeness here. Well then, excuse me...”

“Ah, hold on...” Vina Ruu called out, her face pained as she watched the youth disappear into the darkness.

“What a suspicious man. We should inform our clan head about this, too,” Jiza Ruu stated, and then his narrowed eyes looked down upon Vina Ruu. “You should call for us immediately when you see someone like that. What were you thinking, just casually talking with him?”

“Nothing, really... I was just chatting with him a bit to stave off the boredom...”

“You’re probably the only one around who would say they’re bored at an event like this, Vina,” Jiza Ruu said with a tilt of his head. “It should be about time for the women to dance. You should get ready, too.”

“I don’t want to... There’s no way I’m dancing...”

“You’re 15 now, aren’t you? That dance is an opportunity for you to show off and find a good husband,” Jiza Ruu insisted.

However, Darmu Ruu chimed in from beside him and said, “It’s fine, don’t you think? Even if she doesn’t do a thing, plenty of men will come to her, so I don’t think there’s any need for Vina to fan the flames. It doesn’t sound like such a bad thing, letting the other women have this chance to themselves.”

“Thanks, Darmu... You really are a good boy...”

“Don’t go treating me like a kid. I’m a hunter now, you know,” Darmu Ruu snapped back with a hostile look on his face, but Vina Ruu found that expression adorable too. He was taller than her now, and used harsher words with her too, but he was still her cute little brother.

“Shouldn’t you be returning to the plaza though, Jiza...? Events like this are your only real chances to talk to Sati Lea, aren’t they?”

Jiza Ruu stared firmly at his sister’s face, then gave a single shrug of his thick shoulders before returning to the plaza.

As he watched their older brother leave, Darmu Ruu leaned up against the trunk of the tree Vina Ruu was sitting under.

“Are you not heading back, Darmu...?”

“I’m still only 14, after all. I can’t choose a bride, so there’s no point to watching women dance,” he bluntly replied.

However, the real reason he was staying with Vina Ruu was out of concern that Deel Dai may return. That was just the sort of person Darmu Ruu was.

Still, what was with that Deel Dai...? Vina Ruu thought to herself while appreciating having her precious younger brother close by.

It wouldn’t be long before she got an answer to that question.

◇

The following morning, everyone was busy cleaning up after the banquet.

It had been a big party with 100 people in attendance, after all. Even just taking down the stone stoves and stage took plenty of time, and they couldn’t just leave the remains of the bonfires and the like sitting around. Then by the time pots and plates were washed clean and the giba bones discarded out in the woods, bringing the big cleanup to a close, the sun was already high in the sky.

“Well then, let’s get back to our usual work. We’ll hurry up and gather firewood and herbs, while you all should tan the pelts and take care of things around the house.”

With those words, Vina Ruu’s mother and her group headed out into the forest. It was important to gather firewood, pico leaves, lilo, and the like from the forest before the sun hit its peak and the giba awoke. And so, that left Vina Ruu and her younger sisters to handle the rest of the work.

“Hey, wasn’t the Lea bride from yesterday just wonderful?” Reina Ruu asked as they were tanning the pelt in a sunny spot.

The girl was 12 years old, making her the eldest of Vina Ruu’s younger sisters. Her black hair, rare for the Ruu clan, was tied off in two braids, and she wore an innocent smile.

“Will Jiza and Sati Lea be the next ones to get married? If they do, that’ll be held here too, right?”

“Yes, that’s true...”

“I’m looking forward to it. Hey, Vina, when are you going to get married?”

Vina Ruu met her sister’s sparkling eyes full of anticipation with a gloomy gaze.

“I only just turned 15... I don’t want to go and rush to marry someone...”

“Huh? But everyone keeps saying they want you as a bride! You’re going to turn them all down?”

“As the eldest daughter of the main Ruu house, I can’t go choosing my husband lightly...” Vina Ruu answered, and Reina Ruu nodded back.

“I see. But still, I’m really looking forward to seeing your wedding! You’re always so pretty anyway, so you’ll definitely make a prettier bride than anyone!”

“That would certainly be nice...”

Reina Ruu was only 12, so it would be a bit harsh to expect her to understand how Vina Ruu felt. And so, the older girl stifled a sigh and used a rope attached to a nearby tree to hang a giba pelt.

It was then that a commotion erupted from the pantry behind them. And those voices belonged to their younger siblings, Ludo and Lala Ruu.

“What are you making a fuss about...? You need to be taking care of your work, too.”

“But Ludo threw pico leaves at me, and they even got in my nose!”

“Hmph! You started it by calling me little, when you’re just a runt yourself.”

Ludo Ruu was 10, while Lala Ruu was 8. That put them both at a rather mischievous age, but once a child was over five, they were expected to help out with work.

“If you go around wasting pico leaves, then mother will scold you, you know.”

“Yeah, yeah, Vina. Where did Rimee get to...?”

“I believe she left on a walk with Granny Jiba... Lala, are you alright?”

“Yeah,” the young girl replied, rubbing her nose with tears in her eyes. The sight alone was enough to make you feel bad for her, but Ludo Ruu also wasn’t the sort to pick on his little sister over nothing. And so, Lala Ruu must have started things, then Ludo Ruu struck back.

“Man, I want to hurry up and become a hunter, too. I can’t stand having to wait three more years!”

“If you feel that way, then you should work hard and build up strength, right...? You can’t serve as a hunter with a body as small as that, after all.”

“You’re calling me little too, Vina?! You think you’re all that just because you’ve got a big butt?!” Ludo Ruu yelled back at her, slapping her rear with his little hand.

“Hey!” Vina Ruu retorted, her face turning red, only for the boy to swiftly flee. “I really just don’t know how to handle Ludo... I’ll have to have father chew him out again...”

“Right,” Reina Ruu replied, smiling for some reason. “Still, you really will be a wonderful bride someday, Vina.”

“Huh...? What are you talking about...?”

“Maybe it’s because you have so many little brothers and sisters... Anyway, you’re still just 15, but you already know how to act like a mother!”

“But you’re already way better at grilling meat and cooking stew, Reina...”

Apparently Reina Ruu couldn’t get brides and weddings off her brain since the banquet last night. Vina Ruu’s thoughts were driven in a similar yet completely opposite way, which led to her feeling gloomier and gloomier.

“Well then, that should be the pelts handled... I’ll go chop firewood, so could you dry out the pico leaves, Reina? And if it looks like it’s going to rain, then make sure to get them in under a roof, alright?”

“Yup, got it!”

With that, Vina Ruu was able to successfully distance herself from her beloved sisters. And so, she grabbed a hatchet and a bundle of firewood from the storage, then moved around to the side of the house.

Jiza is 18, while Sati Lea is 16... I’ll probably start getting pestered more and more to hurry up and get married as I get older...

Fortunately, her mother and the leader of the house’s women, Mia Lea Ruu, wasn’t that fixated on her getting married young. In fact, her way of thinking was that you can be patient and wait until you meet the right person.

But eventually, she won’t keep quiet about it either... Will I really end up meeting someone I want to marry eventually...? Vina Ruu thought to herself as she swung down the hatchet.

The firewood split in two and tumbled to the ground.

She kept on silently working away, and around when she was halfway through the pile of firewood, she sensed someone approaching from behind.

And after nonchalantly turning around, she gasped, as she found Deel Dai standing there again.

“I’m sorry for interrupting in the middle of your work, but could we have a short talk?”

“What are you doing in a place like this...?”

“I’m not here again without permission, if that’s what you’re thinking. I said that I was looking for you, and was allowed to step foot into the settlement,” Deel Dai replied with a smile.

Seeing him again under the light of day, he really was rather gentle looking for a man of the forest’s edge, and had a bit of an unreliable feeling about him.

“You were looking for me...? But you shouldn’t even know my name...”

“That’s true. But when I explained that I was searching for a beautiful woman around age 15 with pale hair and eyes, I was told I likely meant Vina Ruu of the main house. That’s your name, isn’t it?”

Deel Dai stopped at an appropriate distance, and didn’t try to come any closer.

It was hard to imagine he would try something inappropriate right in the middle of the Ruu settlement. After all, the brawny men of the clan were right there inside their houses, resting before heading out for their hunt. And Deel Dai would surely be no match at all for even the youngest of the Ruu hunters.

“Do you have some sort of business with me...?”

“I wanted to apologize for my rudeness yesterday. I explained as much to a woman from one of the branch houses, and was allowed into the settlement.”

“I think you’d likely better leave before Jiza or my father wake...”

“Yes. I have no intention of staying for long. I still have to work as a hunter too, after all,” Deel Dai replied, remaining fixed in place as he said so.

Vina Ruu gave a sigh, and loosened her tight grip on the hatchet.

“I believe you’ve already apologized, now. Do you still have some sort of business with me...?”

“No... I wouldn’t call it business exactly, but...” Deel Dai mumbled, his eyes narrowing as he broke out in a pained smile. “You’re absolutely beautiful, Vina Ruu.”

“Huh...?”

“I haven’t been able to get that thought out of my head since last night. I’ve never seen anyone as pretty as you before in my whole life.”

“Didn’t you say you had fallen for some other woman who had nothing to do with the Ruu clan...?”

“I did. But that just goes to show how greatly I’ve been charmed by your beauty. Still, how ironic, that you would turn out to be the eldest daughter of the main Ruu house...” Deel Dai stated, shaking his head as he spoke. “I thought it best that I do away with that love that will never be fulfilled and come to you instead. And yet, I found out that you’re of such a high status... It really, truly feels ironic. Am I fated to keep on falling for women I can never be with?”

“I don’t know anything about all that,” Vina Ruu replied, brushing aside her long bangs and glaring at the man. “To think that you would tell me you were in love with another woman just yesterday, and then say such things after only meeting me once... Your feelings certainly come across as rather cheap and trifling, don’t they?”

“That’s not true at all. It’s just that it felt too hard to keep holding onto passions that would never be fulfilled, and so your presence felt like salvation to me. Perhaps it’s the guidance of the forest that has led me once again to such suffering...”

“It’s rather disrespectful to the forest to blame it for your own shallow nature...” Vina Ruu stated, in something of a strange mood. “Deel Dai... You really are odd. How should I put it...? You’re like someone from town playing at being a man of the forest’s edge.”

“Ah, I get that a lot from my family, too. I really love heading to town, so maybe that’s how I ended up this way.”

“You like the town of Genos...?”

That had certainly been a surprising statement.

However, Deel Dai replied, “That’s right,” with a light smile and a nod. “I’d have trouble explaining why if you asked, though. But I mean, the townsfolk are all so free, right? Especially those travelers from Sym and Jagar. They can visit Genos whenever they want, and head back home when they please, too. Ever since I was a child, I’ve often wondered what it would be like to live such a life.”

Vina Ruu didn’t know what to say to that.

“All of us people of the forest’s edge spend our whole lives here. Occasionally we’ll head to town to purchase aria and poitan, but we don’t have anything to do with outsiders. I can’t speak for anyone else, but... Well, don’t you think that’s far too limited of a life?”

“That’s true... I’ve thought the same...”

Vina Ruu could feel her heart pounding faster, bit by bit.

That was a secret that she hadn’t even ever told her family.

“At the forest’s edge, everyone just sees me as the eldest daughter of the main Ruu house... In the post town, I’m only seen as a savage woman of the forest’s edge... But would people from somewhere far from Genos be able to see me as just a girl, I wonder...?”

“Yes, I’m sure that they would,” Deel Dai answered, his eyes narrowing a bit as he stared at her with rapt attention.

Vina Ruu felt her chest pounding even more intensely.

“In that case... why not leave the forest’s edge...? If you did, then you wouldn’t have to go against your feelings anymore...”

“Huh?” Deel Dai questioned, his eyes opening wide.

Half-subconsciously, Vina Ruu came up close to him.

“I don’t know who it is that you had feelings for, but if you left the forest’s edge, then the sizes of clans and the like wouldn’t matter at all... Even if it means leaving home, if it meant living how you dreamed, couldn’t that make for a happy enough life...?”

Deel Dai’s face went pale and he stumbled several steps back.

Then, he placed his right fist up against his forehead and hung his head in disappointment.

“Oh forest, please grant your forgiveness to this stray member of your people... Vina Ruu, you should never mention abandoning the forest, even as a joke.”

Vina Ruu just stood there, speechless.

“We were granted our souls by the forest, and that is where they must someday return. No matter what doubts you may have, that is a law you must never, ever turn your back on.”

“Oh, really?” Vina Ruu retorted, her burning hot emotions quickly freezing over. “I simply said that out of concern for you. So, you don’t feel strongly enough to discard the forest for the one you love, then...?”

“That very thought itself is blasphemy. I can’t accept such statements, even from a woman.”

“In that case, you should behave yourself and find a more fitting bride.”

By this point, Vina Ruu had lost any and all interest in the youth.

And so, she turned her back on the still pale Deel Dai and placed a new chunk of firewood atop the stand.

“Well then, I have work to do, so could you leave already? You have to go hunt too, don’t you...?”

“Right... Can I ask one last thing, though?” Deel Dai asked, circling around Vina Ruu’s side and smiling again. “I heard that with yesterday’s wedding, the Ririn were taken in under the Ruu clan. The Dai aren’t all that big of a clan, but we possess more members and strength than the Ririn. So would it also be possible for the Dai clan to—”

“Apparently, the Ririn clan head defeated the Lea clan head in a contest of strength between hunters. Of course, he wasn’t able to overcome my father or the Rutim clan head, but he still did more than enough to prove his skill. Are you saying you’d be capable of doing the same...?” Vina Ruu asked, glaring at Deel Dai out of the corner of her eye. “Well, you’re free to hope for whatever you please. However, please keep in mind that I have absolutely no intention of ever marrying someone as pathetic as you.”

With that, Deel Dai broke out in another sad, pained smile.

It was hard to decide if the fact that he could smile under such circumstances made him seem stronger or weaker as a person. Vina Ruu honestly couldn’t say, but she also no longer cared in the least.

“I’m sorry for interrupting your work... Well then, please excuse me.”

Vina Ruu just swung her hatchet down into the firewood, not even bothering to reply.

Then, Deel Dai left, leaving Vina Ruu all on her own once again.

Well, I suppose that just makes him a normal man of the forest’s edge...

There wasn’t anything strange about that.

Vina Ruu really was the only one who had such thoughts after all...

Was it really the right way to live, spending your whole life at the forest’s edge? No one else living here worried about that, surely.

I really did something stupid, there...

Why had she opened up about something she had never even told her family to a stranger she had only just met last night? Realizing how careless she had been only caused Vina Ruu to feel even gloomier.

Of course, she hadn’t ever seriously considered abandoning her home. The very thought of leaving her beloved family behind pained her greatly.

However, she also couldn’t simply cast aside her dreams, either.

Was there somewhere else out there where she could live how she wanted, without hesitation? Where she wouldn’t have to worry if she alone was a good-for-nothing heretic, and could feel free?

Such a thing would never be permitted, though...

Vina Ruu swung down the hatchet with all her might.

Perhaps the firewood had been rotten on the inside or something, as it was blown to pieces before falling to the ground.

◇

Several days had rolled by since then.

By the time those visitors appeared, Vina Ruu had just about finally wiped Deel Dai from her mind entirely.

When the sun had nearly hit its peak, the men headed off into the forest. The women were taking a short break before starting on their next task, and during that time, Vina Ruu went off on her own to take a walk outside of the settlement. It was then that they suddenly appeared, standing arrogantly in her path.

“Oh...? Are you perhaps the eldest daughter of the main Ruu house?”

The one to speak was a woman with a strange, ominous aura hanging about her. She looked to be around the same age as Vina Ruu. Her finely-braided blackish-brown hair hung down over her shoulder, and her black eyes had a chilly shine to them. She was beautiful, but she also possessed the eerie aura of a poisonous snake.

The other member of the pair was an older man with hair that was starting to grey. He had the burly physique of a hunter, but his gaze was muddied and looked like that of a corpse. And so, he too had an ominous air about him in an entirely different way than the woman.

“Who are you two, exactly? I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you around here before...”

“I am the eldest daughter of the main Suun house, Yamiru Suun, and this is Tei Suun of the branch houses.”

Upon hearing that, Vina Ruu froze up from pure astonishment.

The Suun were the leading clan of the forest’s edge. And on top of that, they had long since had a feud with the Ruu clan. In all likelihood, the two clans would someday end up in a battle that would wipe one of them out. People had been saying as much since forever now.

“What are members of the Suun clan doing wandering around a place like this? Your settlement is far to the north, isn’t it...?”

“That’s right. It really was troublesome, having to come all this way,” Yamiru Suun said, the corners of her mouth rising upwards as she did so. “Still, it was certainly lucky to run into you like this. Perhaps that’s thanks to the forest’s guidance.”

“What business could you possibly have with me...?”

Vina Ruu was feigning calm, but inside, she was feeling seriously shaken.

All of the Ruu men were out in the forest. Even if she ran back to the settlement, there were only women there. And even though that man looked completely listless, there was no way women could possibly fight back against him.

Harming someone else without reason absolutely wasn’t allowed at the forest’s edge. However, just around when Vina Ruu had been born, the Suun clan had kidnapped and murdered a Muufa woman who was set to marry into the Ruu. There had been no firm proof left they had done it, but ever since then, the Ruu and Suun reached a point where neither could stand the other even existing. And so, if these two were to harm Vina Ruu here and now, it would surely lead the forest’s edge into bloody war.

“It’s nothing all that complicated. You’re familiar with the name Deel Dai, aren’t you?”

“Deel Dai...?”

“Yes, that’s right. That man has caused quite a bit of trouble for me. He’s from such a small little clan, and yet he said he fell for me of all people.”

So this snake of a woman was the one Deel Dai had fallen in love with? The thought caused Vina Ruu to give another mental sigh.

“That man attended the clan head meeting, accompanying the head of his clan. And from what he said, it was love at first sight when he saw me at the Suun settlement. Really, what was he thinking, falling for me, the eldest daughter of the main house of our people’s leading clan?”

“Is that really so odd...? It would be possible if he were to marry into the Suun clan, wouldn’t it...?”

“What, and then the Suun would welcome that pathetic Dai clan under it? They have so few members and live so far away that such a thing would never be accepted. And besides, their settlement is very close to the Ruu, so it would be no surprise for them to betray the Suun at any moment,” Yamiru Suun said, letting out a venomous chuckle. “No, that would never be allowed at all. And even if someone else let it pass, the previous Suun clan head would absolutely put a stop to it.”

“The previous clan head...?”

“At any rate, it’s nothing but a hassle, so I’ve come to warn Deel Dai to never come anywhere near the Suun settlement ever again. And that’s when I happened to hear your name, Vina Ruu, eldest daughter of the main Ruu house.”

So that man had told her Vina Ruu’s name. That fact made her feel even more fed up with him than before.

“Well, I was perfectly glad to hear that his affections had turned toward another woman, but still... Will you be taking Deel Dai as a husband? I certainly couldn’t imagine the eldest daughter of the main Ruu house would marry into a tiny clan like the Dai.”

“I’m not getting married to him at all. I have no interest in him whatsoever...”

“Really?” Yamiru Suun questioned, her gaze narrowing. She really did look just like a poisonous snake that had found its prey. “There’s no need to hold back on my account, you know. After all, I came all this way to firmly cut all ties with the man.”

“I’m not holding back in the least.”

Could that be why this woman held such spite toward Vina Ruu? That man was following her around, and just when she went to tell him to leave her alone as he was being a nuisance, she found out he now had feelings for another woman. Vina Ruu found it a bit hard to imagine, but it was easy to see how that could prove quite vexing to a highly prideful woman.

“I see... If you’re telling the truth, then that’s a wise decision. That man was nothing but a smooth talker, so if you were to marry him, you’d surely end up unhappy.”

Vina Ruu didn’t say anything to that.

“That man shouldn’t be bothering you any further, either. After all, he’s now going to be marrying a woman from a Dai branch house.”

“Huh...? That sounds rather sudden...”

“It certainly is. In fact, it was only just decided,” Yamiru Suun replied with a snicker. “I was the one who ordered him to do so. With that frivolous personality of his, it would be easy to see him appearing before you or me again on a whim, wouldn’t you say? And so, I made him exchange vows with that woman so such a thing wouldn’t happen.”

As Vina Ruu stood there frozen in astonishment, Yamiru Suun gradually stepped closer. And then, her slick-shining red lips opened, and she whispered more sickening words accompanied by her warm breath.

“Just think about it. That man dared to ask for marriage with both the Suun and Ruu clans. Regardless of his true feelings on the matter, if we simply allowed such fickle actions, it could easily result in our two clans crossing blades. And so, I cut that trouble off at the source.”

“You forced two people to be wed for a reason like that...?”

“Oh? The Suun and Ruu crossing blades would be quite a serious matter, though. If that were to happen, the people of the forest’s edge would likely fall to ruin, after all.” Now so close that their cheeks were almost touching, Yamiru Suun broke out in a wicked grin like a serpent. “Despite what you may think, I did it with the intent of saving our people. I mean, it would be quite foolish to let the forest’s edge fall apart over the actions of one flighty man.”

“You’re a truly frightening woman...”

With that Yamiru Suun finally pulled back, but the grin remained on her face.

“At any rate, that should have settled the matter. If you still had lingering feelings for the man, though, then you have my condolences. And I’ll pray that you find yourself a lovely husband, too.”

Finally, Yamiru Suun left along with her eerie attendant, Tei Suun.

As she walked back toward the Ruu settlement, Vina Ruu gave a heavy sigh.

Maybe... that Yamiru Suun woman has also wanted to run away from the forest’s edge too...

Did she put her trust in Deel Dai because of that desire, and also end up feeling betrayed for the same reason? Vina Ruu couldn’t help but feel that was the case. After all, how she dealt with Deel Dai would be far too cruel, otherwise.

Still, no matter what sort of woman he ended up with, he’ll probably have a far happier life ahead of him than if he married me or Yamiru Suun... Vina Ruu thought, though she wasn’t exactly feeling self-deprecating about it.

At the very least, she possessed feelings that went against the laws of the forest’s edge. She certainly didn’t think she would work up enough foolhardy will to actually act on them, but the thoughts alone were enough to make her a traitor and a heretic.

It was good for Deel Dai to marry a woman free of such thoughts and live a happy, peaceful life. From what Vina Ruu had seen, he was a weak enough person that he could never serve as a husband to her or Yamiru Suun. That wasn’t down to his status, though, but rather his lacking capabilities in general. And that was why Yamiru Suun had rejected his request right from the very start.

Right... The strange ones are me and Yamiru Suun... Deel Dai certainly had an awful fate, to only fall for women like us...

Deel Dai would surely live a proper, sound life as a man of the forest’s edge from here on out. It was a bit sad that he would have to remain married for life to someone he hadn’t even chosen, but that fact was what freed him from a cruel destiny. And so, he had most definitely gained more than he had lost.

What will be my fate, though...? Can I keep on living properly alongside my precious family, as a woman of the forest’s edge...?

Vina Ruu was still young, and she just couldn’t imagine it.

It would be five more years before she finally met Asuta and Shumiral. And it would be even longer than that before she sorted out her own feelings.

Having no idea of the destiny that awaited her, Vina Ruu hurried on back to her beloved family.