Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint - Chapter 557



Civilization vs. Barbarism

Mughal had completely taken over a tribe, enslaving them, while some were serving as minions without even realizing they were sacrifices. Including those trapped in the underground prison, the number reached an astonishing six hundred.

After sending back those who could fend for themselves, those who still had a home, three hundred remained. Three hundred refugees with nowhere to turn and no ties left.

In a jungle where tribes live together, three hundred is an enormous number. The number of people who can count up to three hundred is few and far between. In this rough and harsh land, there is only one place where that number can stay immediately.

Only in Piou Village.

“oooh! You did it!”

After a journey lasting two full days, the returner and I arrived at Piou Village with the three hundred. Rash, having been informed in advance, came out to greet the refugees with a few immortals.

“Two hundred sacrifices? What kind of horrific ritual were they planning? Teacher, boy! Thank you so much for helping us as if it were your own land, even though you are outsiders!”

Rash expressed his gratitude honestly, simply for saving Piou’s life. However, some of the immortals who had followed him were perplexed upon seeing the refugees we had brought.

“Three hundred? One, two… ten. No, I’m short on fingers! Hey, how much is three hundred?”

“What does it matter! It’s an outrageously large number! How many is that? Piou Village will be bursting at the seams!”

“They all seem to be in bad shape, but can we provide food? Are we really supposed to save them?”

The immortals’ consideration was to help Piou, who had lost his home due to some incident. However, even if the immortals do not die, they cannot endure starvation. Those who do not die still need to eat to move.

Faced with the food crisis that came with the number three hundred, the immortals pondered seriously. In place of all their worries, ‘Left Leg’ spoke up.

“Right Arm. Your guests have truly done something great. The cruel sorcerer would surely have extended his claws to our village someday, so your guests have helped our village as well.”

Rash replied joyfully.

“Look! Even those from beyond the plains understand honor! Then it is only right that we repay their honorable actions without shame!”

“Ah, of course. Right Arm. We will certainly recognize and treat those from beyond the plains as warriors. However….”

‘Left Leg’ shook his head once more while looking at the three hundred refugees.

“I’m sorry, but we cannot accept them.”

“Are you serious, Left Leg?”

From noble mtl dot com

“Piou Village is a sanctuary we have established on our land. The moment they enter this village, they become our Piou, and we must care for and protect them. This is a way of life that has been passed down since the time of the ancients, living alongside those who easily die.”

“Knowing that, why do you want to abandon tradition?”

“That’s exactly why, Right Arm. We also need to eat to survive.”

‘Left Leg’ conveyed his refusal with practical words.

“Even if the number of people in Piou Village increases, we have managed until now. We can hunt a little harder and gather a little more fruit. But if we add three hundred more… we would have to go hunting every single day.”

“What does it matter? We don’t tire easily. We can go hunting all the way to that distant plain and bring back three water buffalo! If not us, then who will do it?”

“Right Arm. Not everyone in the tribe is like you.”

“What do you mean?”

“We can’t just leave for days on end to hunt for Piou. We have to take care of our homes, offer our prayers, and raise our children.”

Surviving in this harsh jungle land is a daunting task. Even if they are called immortals, the realities of life elsewhere remain unchanged.

Among those realities, the most pressing issue is food. Hunting may sound easy, but competing against powerful and dangerous beasts to obtain meat is a grueling task, even for immortals.

“If we feed them all, the beasts will run dry. Piou are those who will leave someday. We cannot disrupt the balance of this land for them.”

“Hmm….”

Caught in the middle, Rash wore a troubled expression. It was I and the Regressor who had brought the three hundred refugees after defeating the dark sorcerer and saving people. It would be shameful to cast them out before us.

However, Rash, who lived in this village, could not ignore the practical issues pointed out by ‘Left Leg.’

Silence stretched on. The Regressor, who had been patiently waiting, finally could not hold back and asked.

“Why. Are you going to drive me away?”

“Just wait a moment. There must be a way.”

“No, do as you wish. It’s your village, so if you don’t accept them, what can I say? I’ve done my part, and you will do only as much as you can.”

‘Is it really over just because that dark sorcerer is dead? The mission is complete, but all that’s left is the bothersome aftermath. Is there no other revelation or anything like that?’

Despite the cold words, the mood of the returner seemed quite uncomfortable. Even the boisterous Rash was cautious.

However, faced with the harsh realities, there was no immediate solution. Reality is a cold law, as ‘Left Leg’ said.

“The conclusion has been reached. I will share some food, and they will return to where they originally came from….”

“Wait. It’s not over yet.”

At that moment, Kaliss appeared, leading the self-defense force from across Piwu Village. Ordering the villagers to take care of the refugees, Kaliss suddenly interjected between Rash and ‘Left Leg.’

“Left Leg. If there is a way to solve the food problem, can I take them in?”

Kaliss spoke to ‘Left Leg’ with his chin held high and arms crossed. ‘Left Leg’ felt a sense of rejection and unease as he replied.

“…The counterpart of the Right Arm.”

Oh, that’s a peculiar reaction. The ever-composed and straightforward ‘Left Leg’ was somehow tense in front of Kaliss.

“Is it the method you mentioned last time?”

“That explanation is unclear. It’s slash-and-burn agriculture. Burning the forest to create fields.”

“Are you saying you want to set the devil’s fire on this land ruled by the Offering God?”

“It’s neither the devil’s fire nor the Offering God’s land. I will only burn the forest that can be burned under strict control.”

Oh, it’s been a while since I’ve felt such militaristic thinking. If there’s no capacity to support the population, then increase the fields. The purely goal-oriented militaristic mindset is evident, but it presents an answer that’s hard to accept.

Is this the attitude of civilization in the face of barbarism? Kaliss explained succinctly.

“Separate the sections of the forest and set fire to them. Cultivate the soil mixed with ash and twigs. Sow seeds on top and grow them. It will take some time to do it properly, but if combined with ritual magic, we can accelerate the entire process and see results quickly.”

“The land where the Offering God resides is wet every day. It won’t catch fire that easily.”

“We can transmute firewood through alchemy.”

“Transmute… what?”

“Let’s just call it a witch’s secret. It’s less mysterious and more systematic than that.”

“That’s absurd….”

“No. Left Leg. It’s possible!”

Doesn’t it seem like the story is about to get more exciting? I jumped in to support Kaliss’s argument.

“As long as the trees are cut down, we can perform simple transmutation. Look. Separating moisture from the wood to provide firewood and drinking water is a simple task!”

In a burst of enthusiasm, I broke off a log and separated the moisture through simple transmutation. Watching the droplets fall from the wood, ‘Left Leg’ frowned.

“Hmm. How long will it take to change this vast forest in that way?”

“Ah, don’t worry about that. Miss Calis comes from the military’s mage officer corps, so she has quite a bit of magical power. If necessary, I’ll help too.”

With my assurance, ‘Left Leg’ became twice as troubled. I smiled brightly, deflecting his irritated gaze.

I’m not particularly trying to help Calis. It just seems a waste to reject the military’s rough yet rational spread of civilization simply because one cannot ‘trust’ it. Let’s just give trust, only trust.

“Where you plant beans, beans will grow; where you plant red beans, red beans will grow. Even if you create a field, what will you plant in an empty field?”

“The military provides chimera bean seeds to officer-level personnel on independent operations so they can be self-sufficient. I have some of those too.”

“You carry seeds with you? Hmm….”

“Wow. I’ve heard about it, but you really do carry them! I’m sure of it. This is chimera bean seed!”

Doesn’t it sound fake? The military does it. I stepped forward to vouch for it, fearing they might not believe me. The other immortals, including ‘Left Leg,’ hesitated as they looked at the seeds Calis presented.

“Not that many, though. How long will it take to grow and eat those?”

“Don’t worry. Chimera beans absorb the essence of other plants. Once they grow to a certain size, they can be grafted to increase yield. It will take a bit of time, though.”

“They can be increased? If it’s that easy….”

“Oh, and I possess the power of a druid. If there’s a field, I can help with growth to some extent.”

On a whim, I made leaves sprout from a dry branch. The immortals reacted even more strongly.

People from all nations may not know magic or alchemy, but they understand druidism. When it comes to plants and trees, druids cannot be doubted.

The arguments against it are growing weaker. Now ‘Left Leg’ was just nitpicking like a cantankerous old man.

“What if the fire spreads?”

“Oh, I’ll stop that. If I isolate the air with a celestial barrier and sever the ground with a geosurge, there’s no way the fire will spread, no matter what happens.”

Perhaps the reincarnator thought I might not be believed, so he demonstrated directly. He swung the celestial barrier toward a campfire a little distance away, and the flames flickered unnaturally as if blocked by an invisible wall.

Any concerns from the immortals, any logic against it, now seemed pale. Even as the reincarnator and I sided with this, they could no longer ignore it. For the immortals, only a choice remained.

To send the refugees away or to accept them. What choice would they make?

After a long deliberation, ‘Left Leg’ finally squeezed out a response.

“…This is not a decision that can be made easily. The priestesses of the offering god. ‘Eyes,’ ‘Nose,’ ‘Mouth.’ I must speak with ‘Ears.’”

He meant to postpone the answer. It’s the most commonly adopted choice throughout history and has yielded the greatest results. Cliché but effective.

However, time is not on the side of the immortals. To postpone means to maintain the current state. They cannot send away three hundred refugees without a conclusion.

Calis wore a victor’s smile.

“During that time, we should take care of them. Until the priestesses finish their discussions.”

‘Left Leg’ clicked his tongue loudly. It was clear to anyone that the outcome was distinctly defined.

So, it’s interesting.

In the past, the Calis I saw in the military was a cold-blooded individual who would not shy away from any dirty deed for power. In contrast, Rash was a kind and generous immortal.

That may have been the case, but now Calis is trying to protect the refugees. Instead, the generous immortals are showing reluctance.

I smiled slyly, reading his thoughts.

‘The population of Piuchon needs to grow for my standing to rise. I came here following Rash, but I can’t just live without doing anything. The level here is too low and barbaric. I need to elevate the civilization of Piuchon to at least the level of a military border town.’

Kalis had not abandoned his thirst for power. The direction he was heading had simply changed.

‘I’ve introduced formalities. Education is progressing well. The barbarians who settled in Piuchon, lost and directionless, admire my movements and attire, actively learning from me. What Piuchon needs now is strength and the ability to be self-sufficient. That’s all.’

Just because the environment has changed doesn’t mean the past life disappears. Kalis, who drew a clear blueprint and executed it like a military operation, clearly possessed a military mindset.

‘And that way, my future child… won’t have to live the life of a barbarian.’

It wasn’t solely for the sake of power, though.

And the Immortals, including ‘Left Leg,’ though not as clear as I was, vaguely sensed Kalis’s intentions.

Kalis’s ambition was not the sole reason for rejecting the refugees, but it certainly occupied a part of it.

“The counterpart of the right arm.”

‘Left Leg,’ who understood the flow better than anyone, quietly called out to Kalis. Not by name or title. Simply implying that he was merely Rash’s companion.

“Don’t overstep your bounds. Even if you are the counterpart of the right arm, in the end, you are still Piura. A friend who is easily killed… under our protection.”

Regardless of being Rash’s counterpart or the village chief of Piuchon, Kalis was just Piura. ‘Left Leg’ pointed to the red armband tied to Kalis’s arm as a warning.

Rash shouted.

“Left Leg!”

“Right Arm. If you are also of our kin, take good care of your counterpart. What we have given to Piura is a sanctuary where he can safely protect his life, not the right to command us. Just because you came from beyond the plains doesn’t mean you can be above all.”

Oh? So this is how it’s going to be? Well, territoriality is a right, after all. It was a somewhat petty response compared to their boasting of being Immortals.

Looking on as if it were someone else’s affair, ‘Left Leg’ suddenly glanced at the armband on my arm and spoke.

“And you, the one from beyond the plains.”

“Me? Why me?”

“Yes. If you are also Piura, remember my words.”

No, why am I suddenly involved? I’m not even going to live in Piuchon; I’m just a traveler who will leave someday.

“Left Leg. That’s enough.”

“Right Arm. We also—”

“No. Not for my sake, but for yours. It’s free to challenge, but you must not ignore it. The teacher…”

I appreciated Rash’s feelings, but I understood ‘Left Leg’s’ words as well. I interrupted Rash and said,

“It’s alright, Rash. I was the one being a bit presumptuous.”

“Teacher. I’m sorry. I tried to help, but…”

“No, no, no. It’s not that I’m particularly displeased or anything. It’s just as it is. It wasn’t the place for an outsider who will leave someday to meddle. I merely hinted that I could help; the decision is entirely yours.”

That’s right. I’m just someone who presents options so they can’t be ignored.

—

When I close my eyes, I force them open by gripping my eyelids, and when I cover my ears, I pinch my earlobes and hit them. If I refuse to think, it reaches deep into my heart, forcing me to confront it.

So if this is the choice that has emerged, I will respect it all.

“Alright, let’s wrap this up, shall we? We need to rest a bit, and the immortals need to start their ‘story’ too.”

As I clapped my hands to signal the end, the meeting concluded as if it had been waiting for this moment. The ‘left leg’ went with the immortals to the shaman, while Calis took the self-defense group from Piuchon towards the refugees.