"Okay, I'll tell you; I'll tell you whatever I know!"
Living safely in someone's shadow for many years had spoiled them, but the fake self-confidence they built collapsed instantly the moment they realized the people standing before them were not joking.
"Why do druids always have to be like this; won't they ever come to their senses without getting slapped?"
Sighing quietly, Nafız moved to the cedar right behind her and took a comfortable position before listening to the woman who started singing like a canary.
"We are the druids who are children of the first generation saved by Master Leonardo; we were born and raised in this village. We couldn't go outside the boundaries told to us throughout our lives; in return for staying here, we were told that we should live without interacting with anyone."
"Only the Master comes to visit us from the outside world; he tells us to endure a little longer, saying that after a while, we too will live freely like everyone else in the city!"
"Hah, and you believed this, didn't you?"
Unlike his friend who comfortably withdrew to the side, Alyon was still standing angrily. He looked as if he was waiting for an opportunity to take out the pain of his kinsmen, whom he couldn't bend to his will, on the two druids being interrogated.
"The Master doesn't lie; if our children can go to school with other children right now, it is only thanks to him!"
"The Master says other people will also slowly get used to the idea of living with us; maybe we won't see it, but I am sure our children will achieve this freedom!"
The eyes of the speaking druid were shining; it was evident from her every manner that she believed wholeheartedly in the words she uttered.
"This much is sufficient; take this dregs and get out!"
The weak woman was dumbfounded; she hadn't thought the orcs would let them go so easily after all that happened.
"Finally, convey these words of mine to your entire colony: If an event like today happens again, you will only be able to see the beautiful days from under the soil covering you!"
Nafız's views on the druids living in the village were never positive; consequently, her tolerance would naturally be low.
"Let me go; let me break their heads!"
When the grey-haired orc directed his furiously swinging fist toward Ainle, the scrawny druid was forced to take a step or two back due to the wind generated; with a single "yes" from Nafız, Alyon could break all the bones of the crowd surrounding the hut.
"The time hasn't come yet; believe me, when that moment comes, you will be able to do whatever you want!"
The female orc had become thoroughly lazy where she sprawled; although her friend's faith in her was infinite, someone else looking at this state of hers wouldn't even take her words seriously.
"They'll show up in the afternoon; the black sheep and white sheep will be revealed then!"
After the morning ruckus, the rest of the day passed uneventfully, until the great noise started again as the sun's rays were slowly bidding farewell.
"Welcome, Master!"
"Welcome, Exalted Ones of the Assembly of Engineers!"
The voices resonated even inside the small hut-like house where the trio was resting; the shouts of the druids, like little children seeing their father bringing holiday gifts, were grating on the ears.
"What a man this Leonardo is; the druids would die if he told them to die!"
"What happened, Master Alyon, are you jealous? You were very pleased with such sycophancy on the night of the day we saved Kasaphaydo's tribe?"
"Wait, I'll remember; hah, this was exactly what they said!"
"Long live Chief Alyon!" "An orc among orcs, Chief Alyon!" "Command us to die, we'll die; command us to strike, we'll strike!"
When the sounds coming from outside brought an event from long ago to Nafız's mind, her friend's face soured slightly; while his already ruined mood drifted further away, he was grumbling.
"Forget something for once; what kind of memory does she have!"
"Did you call out to me, Alyon!"
No matter how quietly he tried to speak, it was impossible for Nafız not to hear what he said.
"No, no, I was talking to myself!"
While the duo bickered, the sounds had approached thoroughly, but after the wooden door was knocked rapidly twice, the village would return to its former silence.
"Come in!"
The female orc's voice, sharp as vinegar, cut through the air like a razor; the seven-person team entering must have gotten their share of this, as an unpleasant expression dominated their faces.
When Leonardo and the six people in double file behind him entered through the door that could be considered narrow, they found the orc calling out to them waiting while leaning back on the wide cedar.
Nafız, sitting with her legs crossed and spreading both arms to the side, gave off an air as if she didn't want anyone but herself to come near her.
"What insolence is this; how can you be disrespectful in a place where we are present!"
One of the engineers, too arrogant to tolerate a stranger in the region they ruled sitting like this—let alone not standing before them—or even breathing loudly, scolded furiously.
"Look here, pipsqueak, I'm already on edge; I might accidentally snap that thin neck of yours!"
Actually, the engineer had no intention of shutting up, but he stopped due to the presence of a hand gripping his throat after his first sentence. It was evident from every aspect that the owner of the action, Alyon, was dying for him to continue; with a single wrong move, he would take the head off the body like a plum from a branch.
"Everyone calm down!"
"Heinrich, these people are our valuable guests; how and where they stand is entirely up to them!"
Seeing that things were about to get out of hand, Leonardo spoke in an authoritative style unexpected of him.
"I know, I've been blocking you ever since we arrived, but indulge me just one more time!"
The moment the most authorized name of the opposing side took a conciliatory tone, there wasn't much Nafız could do either; she was forced to stop her friend again, whose reins she had been pulling like a match-fixing jockey for a while.
"Please, everyone to the table!"
In the middle of the hut, there was a rectangular table where twelve people could sit comfortably; when the female orc pointed in that direction with her hand, everyone's attention would shift to a few containers located there.
"Since we are in the Druid Village, we couldn't prepare much for you; we could only put on the table the food you allocated for the public to eat."
Nafız had prepared a few bowls of the porridge distributed for breakfast and the vegetable boil served at lunch for the arrivals; while the faces of the delegation members soured once more upon understanding the female orc's intention, the Master would ignore this move.
"We are grateful for our orc friend's hospitality; unfortunately, we came here with full stomachs!"
Except for Leonardo, the faces of the other six people were sour; they had the gloomy air of people obliged to be in a place they didn't want to be at all.
"Then, we can start talking by learning the purpose of your visit!"
When the parties moved to the two ends of the table, the tensed atmosphere would begin to show signs of softening, albeit slightly; drinks prepared by the people in the druid village were being served, and the ancientness of the slowly descending night filled the small house.
"Orc warriors Nafız and Alyon, we know all the events you carried out on the Wild Swamp continent. The reason we wanted to meet with you is to prevent actions you might take against the region we govern!"
When Leonardo sat at the negotiation table, he had changed the cuddly host attitude with which he welcomed his guests the previous evening; while this situation seemed strange to Alyon, Nafız met the rapid change with only a faint smile.
"Master Leonardo, leader of the forces occupying the continent on behalf of the Empire of Machines; if your small council knows everything we did, it is also very well aware of why we did them. I think the real question should be: will you leave the Wild Swamp continent belonging to the druids yourselves, or will this matter be resolved with blood as it was on the Orc Steppes?"
Nafız had no appetite for empty words; she cut straight to the chase without dragging it out at all.