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We headed down the hill toward the chief's house, but I was directed to my own home with one of my guards.
Looks like I'll be sleeping here tonight. I took out my phone from my inventory bag, recalling that I had a solar panel stored somewhere inside. If they took all my belongings from the Jeep, then my equipment and items should be here as well.
If I remember correctly, the items inside should include a solar panel with a battery, camping equipment, some clothes, underwear, a knife or dao, shoes, pens, pencils, a fishing rod, some utensils, and a flask. I hope I can retrieve them soon—I can't always rely on Meliss.
Alni, the younger of the siblings guarding me, sat with me as we watched some videos and browsed photos. Like Meliss, she was amazed by the technology, calling it witchcraft.
The meeting at the chief's house lasted about four hours. I kept myself occupied, watching videos and listening to music.
At some point, I dozed off and had a dream.
In my dream, I was falling—into a huge mass of jelly. Everything was soft yet firm to the touch, but it tasted strange and salty.
When I woke up, both of my guards were gone. Judging by the sounds coming from the chief's house, it seemed like they were there along with many others.
Curious, I peeked out the door.
More than a hundred people stood there, clad in leather armor and wielding massive axes, spears, and swords.
What the hell…
Among them, I spotted my guards and the borer from the north. Meliss stood on the porch with the chief and four other leaders.
My house was far from the chief's, so I couldn't make out much of what they were saying—just words like "battle," "warriors," and "kingdom."
A battle with the kingdom? That's just my assumption, but...
...sigh…
The thought of fighting made my heart grow heavy. I knew I was a coward. But I had never run from a fight before. Didn't they say even a cornered mouse will fight?
I resolved to fight if I had to.
But that worry proved unnecessary. After dispersing the crowd, Meliss and the chief came to see me.
"We spotted soldiers from a smaller kingdom, a vassal state of the Drakunis Kingdom," Meliss explained when I asked about the gathering.
"So… there won't be a fight?" I asked.
"Hopefully not," she replied. "They can't use most of their technology inside the Ancestral Mountain Range. But honestly, I hate how those pesky, short-lived humans keep messing with us. Just because we're engaged in a different war doesn't mean we can't crush them," she added, grinding her teeth with a menacing look.
Scary…
"Then what about those two groups heading toward the village's west entrance?"
"They've been ordered to observe their movements and engage if they venture too far into our territory," the chief answered.
Things took a turn for the worse by noon.
I was napping in my house when I was jolted awake by the ringing of bells and the shouting of people.
Meliss burst into my home, her expression grim.
"A huge army is coming."
…
This time, I attended the meeting at the chief's house. Seven people, including me, were present—most of them elders.
Their discussion revolved around how to hold out until reinforcements from the north and south could arrive. To be honest, I felt out of place.
"We can't rely on the north and south. They have battles of their own," one elder said. "We can only expect help from the Second Tribe. They're the closest to us. We need to send a messenger bird immediately."
"Mmm."
"Mmm."
Many nodded in agreement. But others had a different idea.
"We still need help from the north and south. This is our home—we can't abandon it! I'd rather die than run," another elder declared fiercely.
They argued for nearly an hour about whether they could defend the village without outside help. Then, the chief, Lani, raised her arms, silencing the room.
She spoke.
"I know the north and south are occupied. And from the reports, there are many soldiers this time. But let's not jump to conclusions. This could just be another expedition from the empire beyond the mountain range. Still, we must ensure we're not caught off guard. I will personally send a messenger bird to the Third Tribe. Meanwhile, keep an eye on the army and prepare for war—just in case."
Her words carried a grave weight.
The meeting ended as twilight approached. After sending the messenger bird, Lani sat beside me and ordered one of her guards to bring liquor.
The guard returned with a medium-sized clay pot, sealed with dried leaves and tied with a vine. He placed it beside us.
Lani broke the seal, releasing a strong, fruity yet pungent aroma.
"I suppose you've never had a drink like this before," she chuckled.
"Silly me. Our tribe is the only one that can brew this. We make it from chorus fruit, which grows only in the mountains nearby," she said, lifting her nose proudly.
She poured the liquid into a finely carved wooden mug and handed it to me.
"I don't drink alcohol. I can't handle it," I declined.
"It's not that strong. And after such a long, tiring day, we should unwind, don't you think?" Lani insisted, pushing the mug toward me.
"If you say so," I muttered, taking it from her.
The sweet scent alone made my mouth water.
As I lifted the mug to my lips, the pungent aroma made my head spin—but I took a sip.
I had only tried alcohol once before—whiskey. I couldn't stomach it, so I never drank again. But this… this chorus juice was the most delicious drink I had ever tasted.
A burning sensation ran down my throat, warming my stomach. The sweet, fruity taste lingered on my tongue, followed by a slight sourness. It was addictive. I downed the mug in one go.
"Haha! Told you you'd like it," Lani laughed, filling my mug to the brim again.
I got wasted after three mugs.
And when I woke up…
I was butt-naked. Something sticky clung to my hair and chest which i brought up to my nose to smell it.
Smells like Chorus fruit mix with something fishy.
With a pounding headache and nausea creeping in, I looked around.
And I freaked out.
I was surrounded by three naked women.
The chief… and both of my guards.