As mentioned before, the village has been completely burned in the fire. The tribesmen picked up a tent that still retained its appearance, roughly patched the holes with animal fur and propped it up. Only then did they have a place for the chief and Hestein to negotiate.
After experiencing the battle just now, the wrinkles on the chief's face have become deeper, his waist has become more bent, and his speaking strength has weakened by three points. Even so, he still had to stay strong and keep nodding and bending to deal with Hestein.
Hestein sat on a stone, looking down at the chief. Compared with his tall and powerful body, the old chief looks like a baby.
Lily stood behind Hestein holding a sword, her eyes covered with black cloth looking towards the void sky as always.
"I need you to set up eye posts on this grassland." Hestein said, "As soon as you find traces of the Aztlan people, report to me immediately."
"Okay," said the chief. His speaking strength seemed to have been exhausted in the battle just now. Every time he spoke a few words, he had to take a few breaths to catch them. "I just don't know...which range is it?"
"Subject to the scope of activities of your tribe. Other tribes will be responsible for other scopes."
The chief lowered his head deeply and responded: "As you wish."
"I still need about twenty to thirty tribesmen to accompany me back." Hestein said, "We are very unfamiliar with this grassland. It is best to give each of my vassals a guide."
"Are you looking for...a young and beautiful girl?"
"It doesn't matter your age or gender. But your brain must be bright and your hands and feet must be flexible."
"Okay." The chief kept his head down and continued to respond, "As you wish."
"That's all I ask. Be ready in these two days."
Hestein stood up, stretched his muscles and prepared to walk out of the tent. The chief stood up hastily and called him from behind.
"Wait a moment, Hestein...sir. Please accept this."
While using the tent to support his body, he tremblingly handed his crutch to Hestein. Only then did Hestein notice that at the top of the crutch, there was a green gem the size of a fingernail, embedded in the wood.
"This gem is a treasure passed down to several clan leaders. If you take it to the city-state of Aztlan in the south, you should be able to get a lot of things back... Please accept it as our help to you today. s return."
"Since it's the chief's token, I'd better keep it in your hand."
Hestein answered perfunctorily and walked out of the tent.
"Wait...wait a moment! Lord Hestein!"
The chief stumbled after him and said to a tribesman standing by the tent: "Bring the things up quickly!"
Three packages were carried to Hestein. The first package contained several animal skins, the second package contained some pieces of dried meat, and the third package contained some picked fruits.
"The tribe has just been burned down. This is all the property we can take out now... Please be sure to accept these to repay your kindness today."
"It will be difficult for you if you accept these things." Hestein said, "Now that you are also a member of the Northern Alliance, there is no need to thank me for this. When we deal with Aztlan next, we will We all have to work together.”
"Northern Alliance? I...we..."
"What?" Hestein's voice suddenly became serious, "Are you still unwilling to join?"
"No...I...we..."
The chief's legs weakened and he sat down on the ground. His head hung for a long time, and then he answered in a low voice:
"Okay...we agree, we join."
Leaving the chief sitting on the ground behind, Hestein strode towards his troops' camp. Lily followed closely behind, relying on Hestein's breath to move forward alone. After leaving the tribe for a while, she suddenly said: "Hestein, he seems to be afraid of you."
Hestein didn't say anything, just said "hmm" with his nose.
"Although it is a weak tribe, I think this chief is one of the smartest leaders on this grassland."
"What do you mean?"
"You didn't accept the gift they sent." Lily smiled bitterly, "Then what do you want?"
"Nothing you want, just protecting them from the Aztlans."
"You mobilized tens of thousands of troops, half of the lords of the pirate kingdom, and built a large number of bases along the shipping routes. This consumed the country's power. In the end, you even went to war with the Aztlan Empire. The purpose was just to save the indigenous people on this grassland. Do you seek justice? Are you such a good old man?"
Hestein hummed and quickened his pace.
"That chief is really smart." Lily continued to look at the void and said to herself, "He knows that how much you pay means that you expect to get double, triple, or even more than that. Multiple times the stuff. He knew he couldn't afford it."
Hestein didn't say anything, but only accelerated his pace further, leaving Lily far behind.
Lily didn't chase him, but said from a distance: "Hestein, I've wanted to ask you for a long time - do you want to occupy the entire Vinland?" "
"This is not Vinland!"
Hestein turned his head unbearably, and his angry roar almost shattered the eardrums of those listening.
"The uninhabited and fertile land - that is the legendary Vinland. And there have been indigenous people here for a long time, and there are indigenous people in every plot of land. This is not Vinland at all, it is just something we didn't understand before. It’s just a new continent!”
After shouting this sentence, Hestein seemed to lose his strength and sat down on the ground. Lily shook her head and walked slowly in front of her.
"Hey... Hestein, why are you so obsessed with Vinland?"
"Have you ever been to the Seven Hills Empire? Have you seen the walls and city of Constantiniya with your own eyes?"
"No." Lily pointed to the black cloth over her eyes, "Even if I go, I can't see it."
"If you go, you will understand the meaning of the word 'civilization' like I do." Hestein raised his head, closed his eyes and sighed, "The Seven Hills Empire is to us, just as we are to These tribes. Being a pirate can only take advantage of the moment, but I want to make my country truly strong - not just in these few decades, but in hundreds or thousands of years, to still be able to stand strong. The top of the world’s nations. That’s why I’m looking for a fertile land… That’s why I’m looking for Vinland!”
"…and then discovered that Vinland was nothing but a fantasy."
"Yes...a fantasy. Every nation is doing its best to live. There are as many indigenous people as there are fertile lands. It is impossible to exist without people but fertile lands."
"So you're going to be a bandit again and take this land."
"From my father to me, the exploration of Vinland has been carried out intermittently for more than ten years... How can I let these more than ten years of efforts go to waste?"
Hestein turned his head and looked at Lily blankly: "Tonight, come to my tent."
Lily smiled sweetly: "Does it have to be at night? In fact, here..."
——"Let me do it instead!"
Before Lily could finish speaking, another girl's voice suddenly came from far away. Hestein turned his head in surprise - standing there was none other than the chief's daughter, Wuwuyi.
(End of chapter)
