“If it were me, I don’t think I’d be able to act like that with someone who upset the person I cared about most that badly. You really are a big-hearted man, Asuta.”
“Uh, well, I’m sure that’s just because I was raised in a town. You might be a little odd by the standards of the forest’s edge, Jou Ran, but you don’t seem all that strange when I compare you to people from my home country.”
“Oh really? I’ve hardly ever spoken with townsfolk, so I wouldn’t really know.”
“In that case, why not ask if you can participate in the banquet the Ruu clan will be holding? You might find some people you get along well with there.” Jou Ran was a fine hunter, but he also had a gentle disposition and didn’t give off the kind of wild aura that so many others did. It would definitely be easy for townsfolk to get along with him. “For the people of the forest’s edge to live as citizens of the kingdom, it’s important for us to keep strengthening our bonds with the people of Genos. I’m sure that’s something you could help with, right?”
“Really?” Jou Ran replied with a childlike grin. “I don’t really understand, but if you say so, Asuta, I’ll consult with the clan heads. I’d be very happy if I could be of any help.”
“Yeah, please do.”
“I will,” Jou Ran said with a nod. Then his gaze turned Ai Fa’s way. “For now, though, I’m sorry for the interruption. I hope that you enjoy the rest of the banquet as well, Ai Fa.”
Without the slightest hint of friendliness in her voice, my clan head simply replied with, “Of course.”
Tia had been politely holding her tongue, but as soon as Jou Ran was gone, she said, “Something about him felt different from any other hunter of the forest’s edge that I’ve met. Do you hate him, Ai Fa?”
“He runs his mouth unnecessarily, like you, so he annoys me.”
“I see. You get angry so quickly. That must cause a lot of trouble for the people around you.”
“N-Not really,” I quickly chimed in, feeling bad for Ai Fa. “Jou Ran just strays from the customs of the forest’s edge a bit, so plenty of people other than Ai Fa get annoyed with him too.” It seemed my efforts were successful, as my clan head resumed walking without any further complaints. Tia and I followed a step behind her.
The next stove had a very simple meat and vegetable sauté, but there were a whole lot of people gathered around it. Radd Liddo and Geol Zaza were both there too, and their presence was making things even livelier. At first I thought Geol Zaza had finally said goodbye to Toor Deen, but when I looked closer, I spotted the young chef behind those two huge figures, talking to her father. It must have been her turn to take a break from her responsibilities as a chef, and she was now walking around with them. Oh, and Sufira Zaza was there beside her too.
“So you’re on break now too, huh, Toor Deen? I take it that it’s not time for dessert yet, then?” I asked.
“Ah, yes. We want to wait a little longer so the young children don’t end up getting too focused on desserts over normal food,” Toor Deen replied with a joyful smile. She must have been so happy because her father Zei Deen was there by her side. I rarely saw the two of them together, and I hadn’t interacted with the man much in general.
“Zei Deen, congratulations again on your success today,” I said. “And not just in pole tugging. You were amazing in the target shooting and tree climbing competitions too.”
“Thank you,” the hunter replied, with a grateful look in his eyes. He was slender and not all that tall. He also had a mustache that I thought made him look handsome and refined. He had always reminded me of Ryada Ruu, but there did seem to be a fairly wide age gap between them. I assumed that he was at least in his early thirties, given that he had an eleven-year-old daughter, but I didn’t know.
The Suun hunters abandoned their duty and started pillaging the fruits of the forest over ten years ago. Zei Deen can’t have had much giba hunting experience at all until recently. And yet, the man had trained enough to get this strong in less than a year. Perhaps he was simply that talented, or maybe he had trained in secret at the Suun settlement. Either way, his results were undeniably impressive. It’s only natural for Toor Deen to be this happy for him.
The young chef was absolutely overjoyed, and Zei Deen looked like he felt the same as the two of them chatted. I wondered if the rest of the members of the Suun branch houses who had been taken in by other clans were also this happy. And what about the people living at the Suun settlement, or Diga and Doddo, who I didn’t really get a chance to see at all? I prayed that they were all living proper lives now and were happier than they had been before.
“So, you’re still stuck to Asuta’s side, savage girl?” Geol Zaza suddenly called out. He must have drunk a whole lot of fruit wine with Radd Liddo—his face was visibly red under his giba pelt. He was smiling cheerfully, but his gaze was fixed on Tia.