"Ugh."
Dirban groaned, feeling the throbbing at the back of his neck. As his hazy eyes adjusted, Dirban realized he was on his bed.
"Hmm? What…wait."
Dirban suddenly recalled what had happened yesterday before he fainted.
Right! His brother! Those nobles took away his brother, and his father allowed it. Even the tribe members couldn't do anything but look away when he begged for their help.
Dirban clenched his fist.
"You're awake."
Dirban turned to the side. Standing by the window, a tall, muscular, aged man looked outside while drinking the wine the nobles must have gifted him.
"Father."
Dirban spat the word out coldly.
"You're out of your mind."
"You've become quite bold, Dirban."
His father, Carmak, turned to face him. With an indifferent face and emotionless eyes, Dirban could see his own reflection in them.
No.
Even their resemblance.
He looked away, hating the fact that they looked alike.
That this person was his father.
"You are an incompetent chief. Seeing our son is just for your own benefit. Just leave Brother alone! Why not take me instead?"
"Why must it be you?"
Carmak asked.
"Why must it be me? Because I'm foolish! I can't do anything without my brother! He can do better than me, that's why!"
"That's why he has to go."
"…What?"
"See?"
Carmak laughed disdainfully.
"By now, Hamada had a full grasp of what I was trying to convey. Yet you…you're too slow with many things."
Dirban gritted his teeth.
Of course, he knows!
That's why he always sticks close to his brother to learn more and be the first to support him when he becomes a chief.
Hamada never wanted that seat. He doesn't deserve it.
"Well, there is a way."
"What do you mean, Father?"
Carmak smiled.
"The nobles think they can push us around easily, so I let them. Let them take your brother and use him. In exchange, our tribe gains more money."
"But that's wrong! It's—— "
"It's what?"
His father sneered.
"It's unfair? It's not the only way?"
Carmak looked at his son depreciatingly.
"Your way of thinking is shallow. I am tired enough to tell you any further. If you want your brother to get out of this mess, replace him. Be more useful than him."
"That…"
"You can't do it?"
His father taunted, standing up, ready to leave.
"Wait! Yes! I'll do it!"
"Then I'll be expecting something better from you, son."
Even after the door closed, Dirban was still clenching his fists. The vines on his neck protruded as he gritted his teeth.
He didn't know where to start.
"Brother…"
Dirban stood up. Looking around his room, he packed only a handful of clothes.
Even if it meant bowing to those nobles, as long as his brother could return, then he'd do everything.
"Ah, everything is vague!"
Why didn't his brother put up a fight?
Come to think of it, it seemed like he knew. His brother wasn't like that.
"I do not know! I do not!"
Thinking and scheming weren't something he was good at.
"Hah."
There were other choices.
Whatever lay ahead, he'd move forward and look for a way to save his brother. There was no path left but to enter the gates of the Adiand Empire.
No, he'll leave this place.
Yes, there must be some other way. Besides, how could he protect the villagers who stays silent. Family? Blood? Tribe?
In the hands of those who swung their axes with power they would obey, and stay shut. Whatever happens to them while he will be gone, he doesn't care anymore.
If the day comes that he comes back with his brother and this tribe still exist, then it's as it is. He would never lead this tribe.
Not one. Just one. Even a tiny hope of someone that would speak, yet no one. It must be hard. Dirban understands that. This is a man's nature to power. Still, don't blame him. He is a petty man.
A selfish, weak, and petty man that looks up to his brother.
And that brother is now gone. He'll have to help himself in order to search and free his brother.
***
"Your Grace, there is a letter from Veralis."
Ares uttered, handling the letter to Ett.
"Mm."
Ett proceeded to pen it.
The contents stated that Akan had Veralis watch the Love Behind Curtain Veil nobility using his sigil, meant only for those who were part of the Seats.
"I trust you are well. Heh."
Ett silently continued to read the letter.
He also reported that a noble had bought an enslaved person from the northern tribe.
Although the name was unknown, he had described the man's physique. There were other details written in the letter, but Ett focused on only one trait, which they called the Barbarian First Descender of the North.
"Read it, then burn it."
She passed the letter to Ares.
These days, unless she had nothing to do, she would hand Ares all the information she received, whether it was dark and corrupt as the vile forest of the Southern Isle.
Ah, never mind that place.
It would only give her another headache.
"Yes, Your Grace."
Ares complied, seemingly used to it.
"It's progressing quite well."
Ett mumbled.
This person, called the Barbarian of the North, was Hamada, the next tribe chief-to-be.
Despite being called a barbarian, he was quite the brainy one. Far more cunning, and he did his intentions better than his father. Yet, in the original story, before he could even kill his father to end his ways, he was destroyed by Guren.
This was the same tribe where Ett had been taken after she was lost for many months.
Ett didn't understand why Dirban would desperately try to kill Guren when he didn't seem to have much attachment to the tribe members who hadn't protected him or pleaded for Hamada not to be taken.
Besides, there wasn't much closure between Ett and Dirban in the story when she was kept there.
Most of it involved Dirban's father and Ett's interactions.
Should she recruit him?
Ett wondered.
She shook her head.
Not like she wanted to meet that person when she'd rather stay inside the palace. More so, it was too soon.
"So what to do…"
Ett wasn't sure and needs to verify.
It was indeed a barbarian who had quite a knack for dealing with the merchants from the Seven Star Countries, but she was unsure who.
She still lacked the information to complete some of these puzzles.
"Please tell me if you need anything, Your Grace."
Ares suggested, observing the subtle frown on Ett's face.
"Count Shubert, that lapdog of the Seven Star Countries, he still needs them on the usual days he goes out, right?"
She was referring to the nobles siding with Count Shubert.
"Yes, Your Grace. One of the fellow servants I kept in touch with, who has now replaced me, mentioned that they meet every fortnight before dusk. The places change every time."
"And the pattern?"
"The same five-star pattern, Your Ladyship. Counterclockwise."
Ett snorted.
They should change it more often.
Five-star pattern.
That meant they would move in the direction of the star and change locations once the rotation finished.
Since it was counterclockwise, it would be their hidden northern camp, then west, south, east, before returning north.
The next fortnight is likely the east.
Sucks to be small.
You can't do the disguise event when you transmigrate as a noble, and she wouldn't even go out freely because of her health.
Ett sipped the ginger tea in distaste.
Ack.
This doesn't even have sugar.
Man…
Cough.
"What stage of tuberculosis am I?"
TB was incurable in this day and age, no matter how much the empire flourished. Didn't they have early treatments in the 1800s using cod liver oil, vinegar massages, and inhaling hemlock?
Ett looked up at the vaulted ceiling above her head. It was intricately decorated with roses and vines, while a faceless woman carefully held it.
Yeah.
Just like this thornless rose.
As weak as she was, did she still want to grow thorns and fight back for her life, knowing there might still be a possibility somehow?
"I don't know."
Life…
She didn't even think she was living, even if she could feel herself breathing and her beating.
"Your Ladyship, are you still troubled?"
Ares asked, noticing Ett had drifted into a daze again.
Just like always, she stared into the distance without any destination.
Lifeless.
Like a doll.
A beautiful doll.
That doll glanced at him.
"The ball."
She muttered dryly.
Right.
There was that ball.