Book 4-5.2
Once everybody finished eating breakfast, Violet led Yulian and the completely silent Red Storm to the different buildings of the Shire.
The temple where they can gather to pray and the steps for the religious rituals were the most interesting. Pareia had a strong religious belief for their guardian Neo Latin, but they did not have a temple for praying to him.
They just prayed on their on inside their paoes. That was the extent of Pareia’s religious rituals for their guardian.
However, Violet showed them the temple, as well as the rituals they conducted. She also started eo xplain the different prayer methods for certain occasions.
“This is one of the traditions that have been passed down for generations. We use this to receive a message from the God in the heavens. To be honest with you, the many tribes of the desert have received the Lord’s word in different ways.”
Violet looked at Yulian with a disappointed expression as she continued to speak.
“But as time went by, all of those methods disappeared. Only a few Grand Shamans of the tribes barely managed to remember those basics. At this point, I think us here at the Shire might be the only ones who still remember.”
“So that’s how it is. Would it be okay for our Pareia’s shamans to come learn those methods as well?”
“Tuma Takaka-nim also knows of those methods. However, you need a lot of things to properly offer up your prayers.An altar, offerings. As you saw for yourself, it will be difficult to make something like this with the fortress construction methods.”
After answering Yulian’s question, Violet looked toward Tuma Takaka and started to speak.
“Pareia shouldn’t have any problems because Tuma Takaka-nim is there, right Tuma Takaka-nim?”
Tuma Takaka smiled brightly as he opened his mouth. He then put his hand in the air and started to wave it around.
...It would be difficult anywhere else than the Shire. Also, please do not try to make me speak. You need to play fair, Miss Violet, Grand Elder of the Shire
The rest of them finally figured out what Tuma Takaka was writing and started to look toward Violet.
The Red Storm started to glare at her thinking that if she suddenly asked them a question in the middle of a conversation, they would subconsciously respond. As warriors, they hated people who used such detestable tactics.
“I am not a warrior. Furthermore, this is a test of will. If you are not completely prepared, you cannot become the savior. The savior is someone who can survive the hardest of tests, so as a member of the Shire, I will use any and all methods to test him.”
Violet casually answered, as if she had read their minds, before starting to walk again. The Red Storm warriors were cursing internally as they followed behind her.
The next place Violet took them to was an open area with a large picture on the ground.
All of the Shire was covered with white stone roads, however, just this location had a red ground with purple lines.
The purple lines were drawn on top of the picture, however, they were so transparent that it did not impact the visibility of the image itself. Yulian and the Red Storm warriors were able to get a clear look at the picture.
The picture itself was one that the desert warriors would like. The picture depicted stories of many warriors. There were some stories they knew about, as well as some that they did not know about.
There was a drawing of a well-known story that even children knew about, where the ancient desert warrior defeated the terrible underground Parvinon. There was also a picture of the desert’s hidden hero Madland which was either depicting that he gave his own life to prevent a war or took a shamshir to his own neck in front of a lot of people. The pictures were drawn extremely detailed and realistically.
“I’m sure you already know about this desert hero. The reason ancient warriors were able to leave their tribes and become a hero to the people was because the desert was a unified tribe at that time. But that became divided at some point and turned into the current desert.”
Violet bitterly looked toward the picture before continuing to speak.
“I don’t think a hero like Madland was born during the division of the tribes. If a hero like that was born, the desert probably would not have become divided like this, a lot of traditions would not have disappeared, and our Shire that held the command of the pontiff would not have had to isolate ourselves while waiting for the savior.”
All sorts of stories came out of Violet’s mouth.
It was true that a lot of the desert’s history was lost when the tribe became divided. Everyone knew that they were one tribe far in the past, however, that was about it. Since all of the records disappeared when the tribe was divided, the only history they had now showed the history starting from the moment the desert was already called the Red Desert.
“I feel like it is a story I need to pay attention to. Could you tell me more?”
As Yulian asked Violet for everyone’s sake, Violet pointed to the area and started to respond.
“This area is called the Hero’s Land. It is the location where many of the desert’s warriors are resting. The red ground represents ‘things you need to protect even at the cost of your own blood,’ while the purple lines represent the souls of the warriors who are still working hard to continue fighting.”
“What do you mean they are still working hard to continue fighting?”
“As I said, those heroes are still fighting for the desert and their descendants.”
“Didn’t all of the warriors return to the ground? All warriors return to the Lord’s embrace after death……”
Violet cut into Yulian’s shocked response as she continued.
“The warriors went to the Warrior’s Land, however, the heroes are still fighting the battle in the Hero’s Land. The most important task for our Shire is to protect this Hero’s Land.”
“Ah!”
“There are 1,000 shamans in the Shire. However, that is enough to defend against all of the tribes in the desert.”
Yulian and the Red Storm all frowned at Violet’s confident proclamation, but Violet did not even blink. It was up to them to accept the truth or not accept the truth.
“But the reason we do not leave the Shire is because we have our hands full just protecting the Hero’s Land. The moment that is broken, the desert will become a place where people can no longer survive.”
Everyone’s jaws dropped at Violet’s words.
Half a month passed by without them being unable to do anything.
The morale of the workers were currently at rock bottom, and the construction was not making much progress.
The number of workers who returned to the large oasis was reaching close to half..
“Let’s bring in some more warriors. Even if it hinders our other plans or makes the other tribes mock us, we cannot let it continue like this.”
Pere could not hold it in anymore and started to speak as soon as he entered Runa’s paoe.
Runa raised his extremely red eyes at that moment and greeted Pere.
“Pere-nim, you’re here.”
“Assistant warrior!”
Pere quickly ran over to Runa who was falling to the side while shouting out loud.
“Warrior outside, bring a shaman over!”
“That’s okay. I am just feeling weak because I am tired.”
Runa quickly put his hand on Pere’s arm as Pere shook his head in disbelief before putting Runa on a chair.
“Just how many days have you not slept for?”
Runa lightly smiled as if he did not even have the strength to smile properly and answered.
“Sigh, I only stayed up for three days straight but my body does not seem to want to hold up.”
“You stayed up for three days? Even I would be weak after not sleeping for that long!”
As Pere shook his head, Runa started to smile again.
“When I was in the Wikaly, there was a time I could not sleep for a weak in order to defend against the Glow. I was able to last back then, but lately, maybe my body has become weak as my consciousness seems to be cloudy.”
“You really are amazing. Rest a bit first. You will suffer for the rest of your life if you ruin your body like this.”
“I guess I should get some sleep. But I need to complete some things first. I’m glad you’re here as I was thinking about going to see you right now, Pere-nim.”
“Sleep a bit first before you speak.”
Runa shook his head at Pere’s concern.
“No. I need to tell you now.”
“Just what is it that you are so rushed?”
“How to catch those damn assassins of course. We were overthinking the whole thing. It was so easy!”
Pere’s eyes started to shine at Runa’s words.
“What is the method?”
“It’s pretty simple. So……”
“Mm~”
Pere debated whether it would work as it seemed to be so simple, however, Pere decided to follow along as Runa must have thought about it quite a bit and simulated it in his mind for the last three days.