It had been days since Alfred's meeting with the Elders.
He had done a lot of thinking in his free time. Organizing his thoughts, compiling all he learned, and creating goals he must achieve.
First and foremost, his survival. Due to his near-death experience, his survival became his number one priority. He never wanted to go through that terrifying encounter again; thus, he had to do everything he could to stay relevant.
Fortunately, the book had chosen him as the owner, making him irreplaceable in the eyes of the Elders.
Unfortunately, the book was gone.
It disappeared together with the bright light. Replacing it was a tattoo of a leaf on his forehead, symbolizing his ownership of the ancient knowledge.
It was thanks to Shaman Catori for acknowledging the tattoo and stating that it was a symbol of an artifact. They realized the ancient book was far more important than they had usually thought.
Alfred had been dazed and couldn't believe what happened on that day. Even now, he was still contemplating the topic of magic.
That was where his second objective emerged.
If possible, he wanted to know more about the Rune Formation.
Information on how to make various Runes and what materials to use had been embedded in his mind.
Though all of them seemed to be a mere foundation. It was as if more was hiding inside his head that he had no authority to access yet.
Therefore, he must unlock this hidden knowledge and make the tribe accept him within their society.
Third, was to look for a way to go back. Although transmigrating in a world of magic was exciting, he had responsibilities back on Earth. His mother would be worried sick if she found out about his sudden disappearance. No matter what, he would find a way to return.
Finally, his last goal. He had promised himself in his dying moment that if he ever survived that nightmare, he would do anything to ensure that he wouldn't waste his life and live without any regret. Also, if possible, he wanted to understand what happened to him and who was the original owner of his body, if he had a family, a tribe, or any clue.
However, for now, all he could do was examine the new things in his mind due to his severe injury.
It was fine for a few days, as he had people visiting him from time to time. But soon, boredom crept upon him, having nothing to do but lie down.
He wanted to go out and see what was out there, experience new things, and perhaps observe the tribe.
Even though he wasn't very knowledgeable about technology, he was confident that with his advanced knowledge, he could probably provide things that would greatly benefit the people of the tribe.
'When can I leave this tent anyway? I'm tired of staring at the same spot!'
The moment he thought of that, a person entered his tent as if answering all his prayers.
"Ohh, good, you are awake," Aponi said upon seeing Alfred. "How is your injury?"
"H-Hello there, Aponi," Alfred smilingly greeted. "It's better now, thanks to your care."
Alfred had been having conversations with Aponi almost every day.
Due to this, Alfred's fear and social anxiety slowly got better, increasing his confidence to have a proper conversation.
Not only Aponi, but Shaman Catori often visited him, too.
The old woman was eager to learn English, so she had been bothering him to teach her how. It was surprising that an Elder like her could lower her head and accept a teaching from someone much younger.
But that wasn't even the most surprising part. He found out that these primitive people seemed to have their own writing system, which was an unbelievable advancement. Nonetheless, he did not think much of this, as he had no knowledge of the history of this world.
Alfred had no experience in teaching, but regardless of his lack of skill, he still had to try.
Shaman Catori was one of the Elders. If he could gain her support, his stay in the tribe would be more stable.
Currently, the Shaman was memorizing the alphabet, the very foundation of English; thus, it had been a few days since Alfred last met her.
'I wonder, how is she?'
"Do you think you can walk right now?" Aponi asked. "If not, we can go another day."
Alfred's eyes sparked upon hearing Aponi's words.
"Can I go outside?" Alfred hurriedly pushed himself up. "Where are we going?"
"Elder Ahote has asked me to bring you to him." Aponi chuckled. "You are that excited to go out? Well, I can understand. You have been in this tent for a long time; you are probably very bored."
"Am I that obvious?" Alfred awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "I guess I'm a bit frustrated. Being stuck here with nothing to do is suffocating."
"Here, take my hand." Aponi extended her hands to Alfred. "I will help you get to Elder Ahote's tent."
Alfred hesitated.
Although he had surpassed his fear of talking, physical touch was still a far endeavor for him.
"Could you perhaps get me a long stick instead?" Alfred inquired with an awkward smile.
Tilting her head, Aponi questioned. "Why do you need a long stick?"
"Ah, I-I will use it as a crutch," Alfred explained. "I'm not rejecting your offer of help; I just want to get used to my situation as fast as possible. You have already helped me a lot; I don't want to burden you with the things I can do alone."
"I see," Aponi uttered in a low tone. "Wait for me here. I will get you a long stick."
Alfred felt guilty after seeing Aponi's disappointed face.
It was true that he wanted to get used to his condition, but it was also true that his denial was mostly due to his embarrassment.
In any case, he would try his best to repay Aponi for her kindness in another way.
Although he had no idea how, he would seek it no matter what.
A moment later, Aponi returned with a long stick in tow.
"Is this good enough?" Aponi questioned, showcasing the stick in her hands.
The stick was half Alfred's height and thick enough to handle his weight.
"That's good enough." Alfred nodded in confirmation. "Thank you, you are the best."
Aponi approached him with a smile and then handed him the long stick.
Upon receiving the stick, Alfred pushed himself up, standing with his remaining foot with the help of his newly acquired crutch.
He had almost fallen over several times due to the difficulty of balancing his body, but thanks to not wanting to embarrass himself and being worried about Aponi, he had managed to keep his remaining foot standing, though barely.
"Are you sure you are okay on your own?" Aponi said with a frown. "You can hold on to my shoulder if it is difficult."
"Thank you," Alfred reassuringly smiled. "I need to get accustomed to the feeling. I'm sure after a while I will be okay."
"If you say so," Aponi hesitantly agreed. "Anyway, should we go?
Alfred's heart raced as he could finally see what was outside his tent.
"Please lead the way," Alfred excitedly suggested.
Aponi hesitantly turned around and then slowly walked outside.
Without wasting another second, Alfred limped his way and followed Aponi to the exit.
Soon, Alfred reached the moving curtain, which was also made from an animal hide.
He could see a glimpse of the outside when the wind slightly blew the curtain, making his anticipation even stronger.
Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, Alfred shoved the curtain to the side and moved out.
His eyes widened, his mouth dropped, and his heart almost stopped.
The first thing that welcomed him was a gigantic tree standing tall in the middle of the tribe!
The massive tree was several times larger than the normal trees. The trunk was so big that even 10 adults would fail to hug it. The shadow from its leaves provided a canopy down below, dancing as the strong gust swayed it left and right.
Alfred froze where he stood for several seconds before he finally reacted.
"What the hell is that?!"