467 Harvest Festival and Birth Feast ② - Hunter's Pride

The square of Luu's settlement was still turned into a crucible of enthusiasm.

I've got a pedestrian hedge, and I'm cheering from it. It is precisely in the midst of a battle power comparison.

"Wow, that's amazing! You're unbeatable in the arena of Genos!

Yumi gave her a bounced voice.

Tara is gripping my torso tightly, looking around with glittering eyes, and Terrier-Mass is grabbing it on Yumi's arm with just a slightly anxious face. Polearths and others who encountered similar situations were likely to enter, so it was not surprising that they were tempered by the enthusiasm of the people by the forest.

"Uh, it's Asta! And Tara! Welcome to Lew's house!

And, out of the shadow of the pedestrian walls, Rimi-Lou jumped out.

Tara took her hand off my clothes and jumped to Rimi-Lou with momentum like a frontal collision.

"I'm here! That's so exciting!

"Yeah! I'm just now comparing my powers to those of I-Fa and Ji-Mayam! Ji-Mayam's working really hard, too."

The voice was cancelled by an explosive cheer.

Apparently, it was settled across the hedge.

"Uh, I missed it! Did I-Fa win?

I was also greatly concerned, but I couldn't throw out my luggage car and tear the hedges apart.

Then the hedge broke like Moses' Ten Commandments, from which the Ey-Fa of the day appeared.

"Finally, Asta."

"Yeah. How was your fight with Ji-Mayam?

"It's my win. But Ji-Mayam had his arms up a lot too."

Even at the first harvest festival, Ai-Fa was competing against Ji-Mayam. Happy or unhappy, this time I was to miss the cold sight of that liver.

"Hey, wait a minute! Wasn't Ji-Mayam a very stupid hunter?

And because Yumi suddenly raised her voice, I was surprised.

"Yeah. Ji-Mayam is a big man in Luu's family, among other things... how does Yumi know that name?

"'Cause we just talked a little bit at the previous feast. You know, you beat the big man in the traveler by comparison to his powers, right? How can I beat someone like that?

"I don't care why you say it, I can't help explaining it. You're as noisy as ever, Yumi."

After stating so, Ai-Fa looked around at the guests.

"But above all if you are well. If we arrived safely, we should say hello to Donda-Lou... no, now we should say hello to Meer Ray-Lou"

"Yeah, you are! Because Donda, your father will be too busy comparing his powers!

The power comparison had just begun, and it was a story that no one had yet finished qualifying.

In the Lou family, a good deal of time is spent finishing this qualifying round. If you win three times, you pass the qualifying round, and if you lose twice, you lose the qualifying round. It was supposed to be a time-up where eight passengers arrived and the tournament format could begin to be selected.

A new power comparison had begun again in the center of the square, but we were set to bypass the hedgerows and go for the main house of Luu.

Along the way, Yumi says, "Wow."

"What is that? When I came forward, you didn't have that, did you?

"That's, yakura. It's a seat for those who win by comparison of power."

The wooden yakura was built in front of the main house as usual.

Yet today a cloth is laid at its feet and a leathery roof is stretched. Sitting there properly were Grandma Ziva and some old men.

"It's rare that Ziba-Lou is showing up so early. Is it because it's my birthday after all?

"Yeah! But the Ziva lady's better than she used to be, so she could come out of the bright inside at a regular harvest festival from now on!

Rimi-Lou, who held hands with Tara, answered that well.

Sending flowers to Grandma Ziva is not until you have finished comparing your powers. We parked our luggage in front of Sin-Luu's house on the way, then headed straight for the main house.

From the eight houses surrounding the square, which white smoke is already rising.

Besides, a simple shaped kamado was arranged in the corner of the square, where a round roasted giva was also roasted.

The women are still as usual, but they are already festive. We were able to reach the front of the main house in a way, being careful not to run into the people who were cheering at the center of the square or the children who were running around a little bit.

"Welcome, Guest. Welcome to Lew's house."

"Meer Ray-Lew, hiccup! Today's the day, I'll take care of you!

So energetic that Limi-Lu couldn't beat it, that's what Yumi was up to. Tara and Terrier-Mass are also smiling and bowing their heads.

"Meer Ray-Lew, this is a gift from Dora's father," he said.

"Oh well," Mother Meer Ray narrowed her eyes as she offered the cloth wrap she was holding.

"Did the vegetable sales just give you important vegetables? I wonder if we should give it back, even Giva's meat."

"What do you think? If I ever get another chance to take care of your father's house, I guess I should think about it then."

"Right. I'll talk to my parents. Tara, can you tell your father I'm grateful?

"Yeah, okay -!

After nodding back to Tara with a smile, Mother Meer Ray also turned her attention to Yumi and Terrier-Mass.

"We can't really deal with each other because we have a job, but you can relax as much as you like. If you want to rest in the house, speak to a nearby person."

"It's a waste of time to rest at home on a day like this! I'm doing it right, don't forget it!

"Yeah, well, nice to meet you."

The women are watching the power comparison between them as they move forward in order. Moreover, since force comparison is a place for men to appeal to their power as hunters, the unmarried women were, as far as possible, taken into account to allow time for watching the game.

"Well, I'll get to work, too, and the Yummies take their time.... Limi-Luu, Kamado can rent Sin-Luu's house, right?

"Yeah, good luck with Asta!

Rimi-Lou seems to be free time now, too, so it seemed like we could leave the guests to us.

So I decide to go for Sin-Lu's house with Ai-Fa.

"Um, can I-Fa flutter like that?

"Mm-hmm. It doesn't seem like I'm a bloodline to challenge a battle from myself. If someone comes up with a challenge, they decide to respond to it."

"Oh, and in the first place, are the hunters chosen by eight brave men a lesson not to challenge battles from themselves?

But compared to the last power, I think that's what Rau-Ray or Rudd-Lou said: Eight brave men had to wait even to be challenged by others.

But Ai-Fa was shaking her head "no".

"It was the last harvest festival that made me eight brave men. So I hear the lesson has nothing to do with it."

"Oh, did you?... Speaking of which, who was the last brave man? Zizza-Luu is the winner, Gazran-Rutim is the semi-finalist, and then Sin-Luu and Gilan-Lilin and -"

"It would be Rud-Luu and Rau-Ray, Mida and Zida. Earlier, Rudd-Lou was beating Rutim's second brother."

"Oh well. Try this, you look amazing. I'm going to add Ai-Fa, Donda-Lou, Dan-Loutim, and Dalm-Lou."

However, Darum-Lou should also have been a prowess of fingerfolding in Luu's blood. I remember hearing Rau-Ray say that somewhere.

But that Dalm-Lou, too, worked hard last time in a match with Ai-Fa, and last time he was injured missing. I wonder what the consequences will be this time.

"Oh, speaking of which, Gillan-Lillin was challenging Donda-Lou and Dan-Lutim every time, so you're talking about not having a chance to be chosen by eight brave men before. But since I was last chosen by the brave, can't I challenge the Donda-Lou guys in the qualifying round this time?"

"Mm-hmm. Gillan-Lillin would definitely be chosen as a brave man this time around"

But when the brave men didn't get bumped into each other, the qualifying pass was likely to present a fairly quick win-win look.

Moreover, it seems that the more proven hunters are challenged by a large number of humans, so it is likely that the last time they became brave, such as Gillan-Lillin and Sin-Lu, will be left behind.

(I see. Including that, it's a system that makes it easier for people who are recognized by everyone as strong to be brave. Of course, I guess that's just how it worked out, but you're doing pretty well)

So this time, suppose Gillan-Lillin or Sin-Lu ran out of time and couldn't be brave. Next time, they'll be able to try someone they like again. If we can win the throne of the brave again, it will eventually become an achievement, and there will be many more challenging humans.

(So you're saying that a man who's been a brave man in a row is a true strong man recognized from around him)

Donda-Lou, Dan-Loutim, Ziza-Lou and Gazran-Loutim. I guess these four are true brave men who can no longer be pushed or pushed. Even compared to the last power, these four men should have broken through the qualifying round with the utmost haste.

The three Rudd-Lou, Lau-Rais and Mida have also been brave for the second time in a row, but that may be the result of the absence of the Donda-Lou guys last time. Especially since Mida and others were newcomers, it should have been a natural position to be put behind them.

(But no matter how it went, I made a track record of those three being brave twice in a row. I'm sure this time too, there will be many people trying to challenge the Rudd-Lou's. Then don't let that just make the seven-person frame good)

That, of course, is a calculation based on the assumption that they will promptly return the three challengers.

But also, how many hunters are left who can threaten that castle when powerful men like Sin-Lu and Gillan-Lilyn and Zida are in a position that they cannot challenge? I just couldn't figure it out.

(Perhaps that would make typhoon-eyed around Darum-Lou, where brave men can move freely with the strength they deserve)

If Darum-Lou soils the Rudd-Lou's, other humans may break through the qualifying round ahead of them in that gap. That's how a quick winner system creates that kind of oddity.

(... I'm sure not a single hunter is challenging the power comparison while thinking about it that way)

I was just looking at the outer boundaries of the system that turned out to be possible.

I guess the hunters are just purely coming to a power comparison with a desire to compare strength to a strong opponent - a desire. And whoever was chosen as a brave man was a servant of the woods.

"I've just finished the battle, so I shouldn't even have a voice for a while. You work at Sin-Lew's house?

"Yeah. But I'm planning on letting you use the stone kilns in houses all over the place, so I think you're gonna come and go"

"Then let me take a look at the job for a while"

Ai-Fa, who doesn't like to interact with unspecified people, followed me with that statement.

Gilr, who has freed himself from his luggage, is eating leaves of trees in the first place beside the house of Sin-Lu. He stroked his neck a little, and then we went around to the cabin behind him.

"Speaking of which, where do you keep Brave?

"Brave kept it in the toddler's gathered house. The Lew's hounds were gathered there, too."

"Oh, my family's house is going to be empty, so are they collecting your hounds?"

"Mm-hmm. Nine, including Brave. I don't make a scene, but Brave looked very happy too"

For Brave, this will be his first vacation by visiting the woods. The fact that there were so many of us on the spot was quite a smile.

When we arrived at Kamado's cabin, the heat came from there as expected. Of course, the culinary feast is being prepared here.

"Excuse me. Am I gonna be okay to interrupt, too?

The doorboard was open, so I'll try to speak from the entrance.

Then the little ladies, who were simmering the pan, smiled softly, "Oh," she said.

"It's time for Asta to arrive. Welcome to Lew's house. Please come in."

It was the family of this house, Sin-Lu's mother Tari-Lu.

Sheila-Lou, who was carving vegetables in the back, also smiles and says, "Good luck, Asta".

"Good luck. Sheila-Lou worked here, too."

"Yes, Rayna-Lew is taking the kamado in the main house, so I'm going to take this one"

Needless to say, Sheila-Lou and Raina-Lou are at the core of the Lu family's Kamado number. It seemed very efficient for those two to take on the role of leaders in separate places.

On the spot, you can see which women there are five or six of them. After all, most of them look like older women who have already had their wedding.

In it, a person wearing an unmarried outfit approaches him if he doesn't.

"Welcome, Asta... Mother Meer Ray tells me to help you wow..."

"Oh, was Vina-Lou your help today? Thank you very much."

I was planning on giving out quite a few items, so I was wondering if I could get some help from the Lew family in advance.

"When you two don't have enough hands, give us a call. Don't hesitate to do anything."

Tari-Lou said that to me, so I let him bow his head, "Thank you,"

Vina-Lou, who was approaching in the meantime, tells me in a slightly smaller voice.

"But I guess I'm glad I'm strong enough to help...? I know Raina and Sheila-Lou and the others are busy, but there will be as many more arm standing Kamadoku turns......?

"No, Vina-Lou. Isn't it now a fine Kama turn? There's no inconvenience."

"Yes..." Vina-Lou breathed in a daze.

Something makes me look a little, like I'm not well.

"Then shall we begin our preparations? Uh, I kept the ingredients within yesterday..."

"Oh, I left Asta's share over there. Use that table as you please."

"Thank you"

As Tari-Lou put it, familiar ingredients were placed on the table. Me and I-Fa are not my blood, so I let them join me, and I let them prepare the ingredients I need here. If you say so, it feels like a celebration.

"Let's start with Fuwano and Poitan -"

And when I tried to tell Vina-Lou, Ai-Fa looked back at the entrance in a agile motion.

At the same time, Tari-Lou speaks out "oops".

"What's the matter, Dalm-Lou? Are you hungry?

"No. I've got some errands for I-Fa"

At the entrance, a long figure stands.

As Tali-Luu said, it was Darm-Luu.

Sheila-Lou looks back at you in surprise, and Ai-Fa hisses her eyebrows as she scratches.

"An errand to me is, what would it be? I think it's too early to be challenged."

"Oh. I guess I'll have to wait for the others to finish the battle as one.... Until then, I want you to watch over me."

"Keep an eye on me? What's this all about?

"What I found out. To challenge you before the others."

Ai-Fa looked a lot more coarse.

"Darm-Lu, I'd like to ask you one last time... is there anything I can include?

"Including?" Now Darum-Lou frowns more.

But soon he said, "Oh," and Darum-Lou shook his neck to the side.

"Right. In the pattern between me and you, does that seem natural?... nowhere to include anything. I just want to compare my power to the hunter who beat me."

Ai-Fa stared silently at Darum-Lou's face for a while.

Darum-Lou seems very natural. It's usual for my eyes to be sharp, and for once, I don't seem to be caught in passion. Instead, he seemed more calm than usual.

"... Darum-Lou, I have another question to ask you"

"Hmm?"

"You were just challenging Donda-Lou."

"Oh. I still couldn't beat my dad"

So now you want to challenge me?

"Oh, yeah"

"... compared to the power of the Lew family, it must have been a lesson you can't be a brave man if you lost twice"

Darum-Lou snorted, "Hmm.

"Are you going to beat me already? That's a lot of confidence, Ai-Fa."

"No, that's not what I meant..."

"It's something that comes at will later, such as the title of a brave man. Such a title is no longer appropriate for a person fleeing a strong opponent."

Ai-Fa took a breath and looked back at Dalm-Lou with an eye that restored serenity.

"... you're a fine hunter, Darum-Lou."

Darum-Lou opened his eyes in an obscure manner.

but i immediately crease between my eyebrows and turn to her like, "what is that?"

"I'm keeping an eye on someone from here. Don't take the other guys' battles, even if they call you through the window."

"Hmm? If you're challenged to battle, can't you say no to that?

"It's weird! It's just a matter of..."

That's how Darum-Lou disappeared.

Tari-Lou, who was carving Tino, smiles and looks back at Ai-Fa.

"Darm-Lu, that's how you always try to challenge the losers. Because of that, with all that power, I've never been chosen by eight brave men."

"Really? If it were Darum-Lou, you would never be ashamed of the name of the brave man."

"Yeah, really hey. There's something a little uncomfortable about it, but I think he's a really fine hunter.... the place looks just like Donda-Lou when he was younger"

Tari-Lou was originally a member of the Lou family, and he married Lyada-Lou, Donda-Lou's younger brother. It's a little hard to imagine, but I guess I've had intimacy with Donda-Lou and Lyada-Lou since I was a young girl.

"Sin-Lu told Rud-Lu, Gillan-Lilyn told Donda-Lu and Dan-Rutim that he was trying every time. I guess that's the strength of Lew's blood family."

When I snapped the words like that, Ai-Fa responded quietly, "Right."

There, Vina-Lou's sigh is covered.

"We're all really fine... and it looks like we're having fun and more than anything else. Wow..."

The voice was so small that it seemed like it was only about me standing next to it.

So I'll whisper and ask Vina-Lou, too.

"Um, you don't seem to be feeling well. What happened with Schmiral?

"... but stop tying with that guy...?

"Oh, excuse me. Whatever it is, I'm worried because I'm not well."

Vina-Lou twisted herself colorfully before eventually leaning to my ear.

"... the immature hunter of his family is not one who, before coming to Luu's settlement, is eligible to participate in a power comparison or is tested for power beforehand... that's why he was also to be tested for power in Lilin's house..."

"Oh, is that what you learn too?... So, how was Schmiral?

"You know what, you can't decide... that guy was just a merchant until a few months ago...? He seems to be good at fighting on tototos and using poisonous weapons, but there's no way he can be a hunter by the woods with a bare hand battle..."

Vina-Lou sighed again.

You look like you're breathing in my ears, and my back creaks out.

"So I had a fight with Lilyn's youngest hunter and I couldn't compete with him because I didn't have any hands or feet, so I couldn't participate in comparison to my powers... well, I knew from the beginning that, but come on..."

"I see. That's certainly an unfortunate story"

As Vina-Lou withdrew, he began to draw the letters on the workbench, laying his eyes down with his fleshy lips tucked away.

"I don't know, I mean... originally I wasn't interested in anything compared to the power of a man... this time, it's more boring than usual Wow..."

"Oh, really? But look, if I let you handle the hounds, there's no one out to the right of Schmiral. You can prove you're a good hunter, even if you can't get results by comparison of power."

"I know that, but come on..."

Vina-Lou looked very dissatisfied.

But it was bad for Vina-Lou, but as far as I'm concerned, it was a pleasure.

I was delighted that Vina-Lou was caring about Schmiral that way, that he was shaking it like a child - and that he was showing me that without covering it up.

The figure of Vina-Lou, who said he wanted to live correctly as a forest folk in the rain, is still burning firmly in his eyes. Vina-Lou is serious, I guess, trying to face himself and Schmiral's feelings.

This harvest festival is also such a place for Vina-Lou and Schmiral to deepen their bonds as compatriots. Standing there was also a great pleasure for me.

"... Sheila, what's it like to be ready for you?

And I heard Tali-Luu from behind.

Sheila-Lou responds with a calm voice, "If you clean up this one's eneon, it's a paragraph," she said.

"Right. Then watch the power comparison for a while."

"Huh? But I just got back..."

"That's okay. That must be the Lew family lesson, right?

Of these, Sheila-Lou and Vina-Lou are the only young unmarried daughters.

Tari-Lou smiles and turns his gaze toward Vina-Lou.

"Vina-Lou, too, if you want to see the power comparison, shall we replace Asta's help over here?

"Yeah, I'm fine... I'll make you feel better..."

I snuck up on Sheila-Lou.

Sheila-Lou carefully engraves Nennon with an unchanging look.

When I heard that Dalm-Lu and Ai-Fa were going to work together again, I could hardly guess what kind of emotion I had in mind from the look of it.