Monster - Chapter 65
Chapter 65: A Proud Soul
The Aztec Eagle Tribe, at night.
Everyone stared at the chests of treasure illuminated by the firelight. Inside were many precious and beautiful feathers, but even more abundant were various forms of gold. Their breathing grew heavy; this was all good stuff that could be exchanged for a great deal of food.
However, under the authority of Five-Person Killer and out of reverence for the Goddess, no one spoke up to claim a share. They simply waited quietly for the "Goddess" to distribute it.
They had won today's war. Without the appearance of the Goddess and the God's Favored, it would have been absolutely impossible. Not to mention, the Goddess had also given them food and healed so many warriors on the brink of death.
"The Goddess says we will only take the share that belongs to us. The rest will be distributed by Five-Person Killer." It was Eagle who appeared before the crowd, relaying Lin Sandie's decision with considerable pride. In his view, the Goddess's use of the word "we" made him feel like a servant of the divine, an immense honor.
At that moment, Branch was helping to treat the wounded, while the God's Favored and the "Goddess" had disappeared somewhere.
"We are willing to offer all the gold to the Goddess!" Five-Person Killer immediately declared. They had already received far too many rewards from the Goddess in this battle, from the armor and weapons to the experience gained.
"That won't be necessary. The Goddess said this is what everyone earned by defeating the invaders together. All who participated in the battle should receive their due. Besides, you will need gold to rebuild your homes. It would be best to give some to our compatriots who were enslaved. The white men may return in the future, so you must also prepare your defenses."
"Understood!"
"We will stay here for a few more days. Please send people to monitor the nearby coast and surrounding areas to prevent the white men from returning."
"Eagle, some of our people just saw the white men's big ships have already sailed away."
"The Goddess is already aware of this. She says we must still guard against their return. Since we seized so much wealth from them this time, they will certainly not accept it. She says that if your tribe is willing, relocating to another place would be a more prudent course of action."
Hearing this, Five-Person Killer fell into deep thought.
"You could consider merging with our Maple Bud Tribe. We are always too scattered, and we worship different gods. But now, I am sure you no longer doubt the Goddess's power. By uniting with the Maple Bud Tribe, we will become strong enough to drive away the white men."
Five-Person Killer nodded. After today's battle, he had come to understand many things in an instant. Once he had dealt with the matters at hand, there were many more things he wanted to try.
"What about you? Are you returning to the Maple Bud Tribe?"
"No, we won't be going back, not ever. We will follow the Goddess and the God's Favored to the country of the white men. The Goddess said before that we would first visit the God's Favored's tribe, and then we will leave this place by ship and travel to a distant land."
Five-Person Killer was moved when he heard this. What Eagle, a fellow Aztec, was describing was something he could never have imagined.
"Is the Goddess going to conquer the country of the white men?"
"That, I do not know. But when Branch and I go to their country, we will surely spread the light of the Goddess."
"Yes, that is what we wish to do as well. We will spread the Goddess's radiance among the other tribes. What you said about uniting with the Maple Bud Tribe might be a better way to spread the Goddess's benevolence. I will personally make a trip to the Maple Bud Tribe soon."
"That would be for the best."
"But how long will it take for you to get to the white men's country? How will you go?" Five-Person Killer asked curiously. If not for the fact that he had his tribe to look after, he truly wanted to follow the Goddess. After this battle, his reverence for her wisdom and power was beyond what words like "prostrating himself" could describe.
"The divine naturally has her ways. The God's Favored said we will be at sea for more than sixty sunrises and sunsets before we reach the country of the white men."
"Little Rabbit, are you unhappy?" The Sentinel's formidable constitution allowed Little Fool to recover quickly after being rescued from drowning. She was now sitting on a large rock by the sea, hugging her Rabbit Doll and watching the bright moon reflected on the dark water.
Little Fool could sense that Little Rabbit was very weak, but not so weak that she couldn't speak. It was just that Little Rabbit had been quiet ever since they left the battlefield, which made her feel uneasy.
I feel so weak, Lin Sandie answered in her mind, but she didn't say it aloud.
Instead, she looked at the moon, which appeared as bright as a polished disk regardless of the era, and said, "Little Fool, is there anyone left in your hometown?"
"No one. I'm the last one. I don't know when it started, but they all got sick. I was the only one who didn't."
"Smallpox? You might have a natural antibody in your system, which is why you didn't get sick."
"Oh," Little Fool pursed her lips, then took the initiative to say, "Little Rabbit, I don't want to go back to my hometown. Let's go to Europe."
Lin Sandie let out a helpless, low laugh. The child before her was so clever, sensitive, and considerate, easily voicing the words she herself had been hesitant to say.
Seeing that Little Rabbit only chuckled softly and said nothing more, Little Fool held the Rabbit Doll up before her eyes and asked again, "Is that okay, Little Rabbit? I want to go to Europe quickly. I want to learn more and more things."
"Okay," Lin Sandie replied. She looked into Little Fool's sincere, bright eyes as various thoughts churned in her mind. "Little Fool, from now on, don't worry so much about this Rabbit Doll."
Just as Little Fool was about to vehemently reject this suggestion, Lin Sandie had already spent 3,000 points to purchase an upgraded version of the Soulmate Buff and gifted it to her.
Name: Soulmate Buff (Upgraded)
Usage: After purchase, gift an item you own to the target. Thereafter, as long as the target is within 1 meter of a similar type of item, the two of you can communicate telepathically.
Side Effect: 10% chance of leaking one's true thoughts.
Cost: 3,000 Points
"From now on, even if this Rabbit Doll gets ruined, as long as you have a similar rabbit-themed item, I can possess it to communicate with you. You don't have to be afraid of the doll falling into the water or getting damaged. As long as you have something related to a rabbit, I will always be by your side."
"Okay!" Little Fool nodded emphatically, her face alight with joy.
"Don't put yourself in danger again for something that can be easily replaced, alright?"
"Okay!" Little Fool bent her knees, placed the Rabbit Doll on her lap, and nuzzled her cheek against the still-damp toy. At that moment, she wished more than anything that Little Rabbit could hug her, but she knew Little Rabbit was very tired. She couldn't hold her; she had to rest inside the rabbit's body, and she had to be good.
Lin Sandie also wished she had a body that could embrace Little Fool, to more directly convey her worry and terror through warmth and the rise and fall of her breath. Even though the danger had passed, her mood remained heavy, unable to find release.
Lin Sandie didn't know what kind of Sentinel and Guide she and Little Fool were. Their relationship was nothing like what Lou had described—a relationship like a blade and its sheath. Nor did they share that magical, natural connection. In Lin Sandie's initial understanding, she and Little Fool were just two pitiful grasshoppers tied together by the being known as Pie. The only thing connecting them was Pie's verbal warning: You two cannot survive alone.
So, Lin Sandie had done her best, acting like a nanny to care for Little Fool, ensuring she wouldn't die young in such a harsh environment and drag her down with her.
But Lin Sandie was not an unfeeling plant; she was just an ordinary person with mediocre talent. All her extraordinary actions to date were the result of being forced and chased by her circumstances. She had no one to help her, no one to rely on. Her self-respect wouldn't allow her to bow to those unjust aggressors, and her pride wouldn't permit her to fall into depravity. And so, she had gritted her teeth and endured.
Little Fool was lively, cheerful, clever, and considerate. Lin Sandie had gone from initial impatience to genuinely liking this child. As she saw it now, her relationship with Little Fool was that of friends, teacher and student, partners, family… She accepted this relationship from the bottom of her heart, which was why she couldn't forgive her own mistake.
Since she's already someone I cherish, why didn't I try harder to protect her?
She had already lost her parents, and her younger brother had become a monster. The only person in this world she cared about now was this child. And this child would die without her.
At this thought, Lin Sandie felt her very soul tremble with some unknown force. She had nothing left to lose, so she absolutely could not fail to protect even this child.
Seeing Little Rabbit fall silent again, Little Fool didn't know what else to say to comfort her. She had long since discovered that Little Rabbit was always thinking, never allowing herself to relax, as if something terrifying was constantly chasing her. She dared not let her guard down for a moment. So even though she often left her for many days at a time, making her feel wronged and sad, Little Fool understood her Little Rabbit. Her Little Rabbit was surely working hard somewhere else, and she couldn't be angry at her for leaving.
Many times, Little Fool knew she was doing silly things or saying foolish words, but as long as it could make Little Rabbit smile, she was willing to do it.
A soft, gentle hum, tinged with a child's nasal tone, suddenly rose into the night sky.
Little Fool began to hum the only lullaby she knew, sincerely hoping that her Little Rabbit, who had worked so hard all day, could get some proper rest.
The tranquil moonlight bathed the child, as ocean waves washed onto the beach and gently receded. The innocent, peaceful lullaby drifted on the sea breeze, sounding as if it were right beside her, yet also as if it were coming from a great distance…
But a certain stubborn, proud soul had no mind to appreciate the beautiful scenery, untouched by industrial pollution. Nor did she have the heart to listen to the hope woven into the humming. She was fixated on her own failure, reviewing her actions and planning how to be perfectly prepared for the adventures to come.
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