Chapter 24: "Leodro!"

The weather was slightly cold.

Two tall figures and one small one returned to Ilusa, the human tribe sheltered by the giants—the name meaning "Place of Refuge"—just before the onset of winter.

As they stepped onto the narrow, winding stone-paved streets, Hermione’s memories stirred to life. This human tribe was the very place she, Ouroboros, and their fellow test subjects had struggled to build. The low, humble houses were constructed from rough-hewn stone, and standing by the fence meant to keep wild beasts at bay was an elderly guard with a weathered face.

Upon seeing Hermione and Ouroboros cloaked in their travel gear, his expression of disbelief quickly shifted into immense, wild joy. He shouted in the Northern tongue:

"They have returned! It’s Hermione! It’s Ouroboros!"

"Ouroboros has brought Hermione back!"

He struck a hollow, gourd-shaped stone instrument beside him with a mallet repeatedly. The dull, resonant sound drifted through the air, and the quiet, somber tribe seemed to wake up, with elders and children beginning to gather toward them.

Before long, a tall young man holding an iron pitchfork strode over quickly. His young yet weary face broke into a look of pleasant surprise upon seeing Hermione and Ouroboros.

"Hermione! It really is you!"

"Ouroboros, you lad actually managed to bring Hermione back!"

The Northern language was typically low and slow, but his speech was so rapid now that it almost sounded staccato.

"Leodero," Hermione replied with a faint smile.

Leodero. Hermione did not know if this young man, who was also a test subject, coincidentally shared his true name with the "Lord of Storms," one of the seven orthodox deities of the future, or if he was, in fact, that very same "Lord of Storms."

What made it even more of a coincidence was that the potion pathway Leodero was researching and experimenting with was the "Sea Knight" pathway.

Leodero had once been the leader of a seaside tribe in the Elven Kingdom, but his hard-won community had been destroyed when it was caught in the crossfire between elves and dragons. He had led the remaining survivors on a long, wandering journey, eventually joining the medium-sized tribe where Hermione and the others resided.

***

"Are you the only ones here?" Hermione asked, looking at the sparse crowd of elders and children. "There are no festivals with the giants going on right now, are there?"

The giants’ festivals often required the humans of the Ilusa tribe to serve as laborers and attendants.

A complex look crossed Leodero’s eyes—a mixture of hatred and inner conflict—before he sighed helplessly. "Badhair, the eldest son of the Giant King, successfully hunted a 'God of War' of a different species and has gained a new title: the 'God of Dawn.' The giants are celebrating lavishly, and the young men and women of our tribe have been dragged away to prepare for the festivities."

At the giants' festivals, humans were as fragile as chicks. Accidents often claimed their lives, especially since humans were strictly forbidden from touching the giants' food and wine. Yet, the impoverished humans, upon seeing such a vast array of delicacies, could not always resist sneaking a taste; once discovered, they were beaten or even executed.

The human tribe had gradually come to realize that some giants intentionally used human lives as entertainment during their celebrations. Even when they warned the young men and women to practice restraint, there were still instances of deliberate entrapment and false accusations. Though the giants possessed far more reason than demon wolves or devils, their essence remained one of madness and cruelty.

Thus, every time a giant festival occurred, there were casualties among the conscripted humans. While the numbers were not large, each death shattered a suffering family and left the remaining humans in terror and despair.

Yet, the most tragic reality was that the human tribe could not survive independently of the giants. In the vast, desolate wilderness, monsters and beasts roamed, and more malicious transcendent races lurked. The humans' own awakened Beyonders could only protect the tribe from wild beasts; against demigod monsters or passing powerhouses of other transcendent races, they had no choice but to seek the giants' protection.

The giants styled themselves as the protectors of humanity, and they did indeed shield the vast majority of the tribe—only occasionally killing a few humans by accident in their revelry.

As they walked, Hermione gathered her thoughts and introduced their companion: "This is Amanises. We encountered her wandering in the wilderness. It was her wisdom and courage that saved me from the demon wolves. She has been invited to join our tribe."

Leodero looked at Amanises with curiosity and smiled gently: "Welcome, Madam."

Amanises observed her surroundings as if no one else were there, and in response to Leodero’s greeting, she merely gave a cold, indifferent nod. Leodero did not find it strange; it was normal for humans wandering the wilderness to be somewhat detached in temperament.

***

The tribe was sparsely dotted with a few temples dedicated to the gods of the giants. Those classical, exquisitely carved statues stood out sharply against the impoverished backdrop of the tribe, appearing almost as wonders of the settlement.

Amanises was gazing at these statues. Seeing this, Hermione said, "These were built and placed according to the rituals demanded by the giants. They cost us much labor and resources, but when the tribe faces disaster, we pray to these idols and receive their protection."

"Are there any for humans?" Amanises asked. Her voice was melodious and moving, causing Leodero to glance at her sideways.

"No. No human has yet attained the status of a god," Hermione said, looking at Amanises. "But I believe that day is not far off."

At this, Leodero spoke up: "By the way, Hermione, your house was reallocated to new arrivals... As it happens, there are a few vacant houses near mine. Shall I take you to pick one?"

Resources of all kinds were scarce in the tribe. The custom of reallocating the belongings of the deceased was already in place when Hermione was there, and she certainly had no objections to such arrangements. However, she declined the offer to pick a house. "I intend to live at the Research Institute. My room there is still kept, isn't it?"

"It is, but... is that suitable? It’s dangerous there," Leodero advised.

Hermione smiled. "It is precisely because it is dangerous that I need to be stationed there. Besides, I don’t plan to live in the institute forever; Amanises and I will build a new house nearby."

"I see. Then I will come to help," Leodero offered.

Hermione frowned slightly, her tone turning a bit stiff. She sighed, "There is no need. I have just returned, and so much has become unfamiliar that I cannot immediately return to my guard rotation. Since you are a guarding Beyonder, if you are busy with these matters, who will be responsible for the tribe’s safety?"

Leodero scratched the back of his head and laughed awkwardly. "That’s true... don't be so serious, Hermione. I was just excited to see you and Ouroboros back."

Ouroboros muttered from the side, "You didn't seem to make an effort to talk to me..."

Leodero could only hide the subject behind a laugh he hoped sounded hearty.