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After Meliss answered some of my questions, we ate the breakfast provided by the guard. Unlike in the evening, breakfast was usually eaten by each family in their own house or hut. The meal consisted of grilled steak with herbs, fruit, salad, and goat milk. Once we finished eating, Meliss led me toward the chief's house.
As I mentioned before, the chief's house was the largest in the entire village, elevated to provide a clear view of the entrance.
We entered after Meliss announced her presence. Inside, Chief Lani sat with her daughter, Dani, along with five women of the same age group as the chief, each adorned with ten green feathers.
Meliss and I sat opposite the chief, near the elder women. They introduced themselves as the late chief's companions.
Meliss translated for me.
"So, this is the 'Puitu' of this generation. My name is Asha. I am the eldest in the village."
I was startled by her words. She didn't look that old—perhaps in her mid-thirties—but according to what Meliss had told me, it had been two decades since the last man was sold off to the Drakunis Kingdom by a traitor.
Sensing my unease, Asha continued, "I am in my mid-eighties and have mothered around twenty children myself." She spoke with a proud tone.
The other four introduced themselves as Shemi, Asti, Senta, and Ansai. Shemi and Asti had nineteen children each, while Senta had eighteen and Ansai seventeen.
I was amazed by their numbers. After exchanging some words, they stood and left. They must have been highly respected, as even the chief, her daughter, and Meliss stood and bowed their heads before they departed.
Meliss explained that most of the clan was occupied with keeping evil forces at bay while monitoring the movements of both the Empire and the Western Kingdom. Because of this, select women—called "Borer"—were chosen for their exceptional fertility. Each was expected to bear at least ten children to ensure the tribe's survival. These women were honored and treated with great respect.
She further explained that, unlike the Empire and other human kingdoms who summoned the men from another world too, Lula clan members could conceive only with the seed of their god-chosen "Puitu." The Puitu was selected by their deity and often appeared unexpectedly. However, the deity always guided the clan to find him—just as they had found me (?) .
"We will choose the Borer for each tribe in the coming weeks once all six tribes representatives arrive. Then, we will conduct a test to determine whether each Borer is qualified."
"Can I choose some as well?" I asked.
"Yes, you may choose," Meliss replied. "But they must be deemed qualified—or you must ensure they bear children."
"Uh… so where do the other five tribes live?"
Meliss explained, "The eldest tribe resides in the far north, guarding the entrance to the northern Ancestral Mountain Range. Our tribe, the home of the deity, is the youngest. The second eldest tribe is stationed near the Mumbling River, where the main road—built by traitors—cuts through the mountains. Lastly, the third and fourth tribes are in the south, fighting against the evil creatures."
Curious, I asked, "By the way, can your tribe get pregnant by men from the Empire or other outsiders?"
… Crackle… Sizzle…
Meliss glared at me so fiercely that I swore I heard lightning. I immediately realized I had said something offensive.
"Sorry if I said something inappropriate. I didn't mean it that way," I quickly apologized.
She took a deep breath, visibly calming herself.
"I understand. But your question is unthinkable. Bear the children of those weak human men?" She scoffed.
"…I'm human too, you know."
"But you are the chosen one—and not from this world." Her tone grew firm. "The point is, we don't see them that way. We are a proud tribe, the daughters of the Great Rumble. We do not mingle with lesser beings. They are short-lived and ignorant. Their souls are weaker than ours—the Keepers. They only thrive because of the forces of evil threatening the world. Without that, we would have wiped them out long ago."
Yeah, yeah, whatever, I thought to myself. But deep inside I thought that can i really do what I'm suppose to done and exceed their expectations?
But Meliss continued talking, recounting how the Empire had attempted to invade the Ancestral Mountain Range ten years ago—only to fail miserably because their magic and weapons were useless within the mountains.
By midday, I returned to my hut and began sorting my equipment. Thanks to Meliss's enchantment, I could take out items just by imagining them. Strangely, I hadn't seen my guards since waking up.
When I asked Meliss about them, she mentioned something about increasing fertility by visiting the deity's mountain to find the Four-Leaf Fern.
With nothing else to do, I spent the rest of the afternoon reorganizing my inventory.
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