16. Cows Definitely Eat Grass
Of course, I wouldn’t be so clueless as to head back immediately and bump into Ke Fei’er in the bathroom, where the sound of rushing water was echoing, only to receive a bright red slap. That would be a total loss in every sense.
What I did was linger for quite a while in the Orc Square of the Austro-Hungarian tribe, and after learning from the script that there seemed to be quite a few excellent spices in the tribe, I picked out some perfumes to bring back, planning to make sure Ke Fei’er not only got clean but also smelled nice.
But strangely enough, when I returned, Ke Fei’er had indeed finished her shower and emerged all clean, yet the moment she saw me, after a moment of shyness, she pinched my ear in indignation.
“You, you really know how to pick your timing, don’t you!? Did you use ‘prophecy’ to spy on me while I was bathing and calculate the time? Pervert!”
“The script” can do that!? I hadn’t even thought of it! It’s unfair, Ke Fei’er, didn’t you insist that I should wander outside and wait for you to finish your shower? How was I supposed to know you… wait, wait, do you girls really take this long in the shower?
Though I found Ke Fei’er’s reaction a bit odd, the moment I took out the gift I had prepared for her, the surprise on her face made me feel relieved: it’s not every day you get to see a beautiful girl wrapped in a towel after a bath, so this was definitely worth it!
After that, under the intimidation of the Austro-Hungarian tribe’s chieftain and with my letter likely delivered to Adéfe by the elves in their leopard tanks, the recent military conflicts between the two kingdoms finally vanished, ushering in a period of peace that everyone had grown accustomed to after the usual conflicts.
But I knew very well: as long as the root of the conflict—the “Orc” that was running rampant between the two nations—wasn’t found, the sparks of conflict could reignite at any moment, and that was now my task.
The next day, in the main city of the Austro-Hungarian tribe, at the Orc Square where the orcs gathered to communicate and trade, Ke Fei’er and I, two humans who clearly didn’t fit the orc aesthetic, attracted quite a few curious gazes from the orcs. After all, it wasn’t easy to see outsiders in the somewhat closed-off Austro-Hungarian tribe.
For this, I could only hope Ke Fei’er would bear with it. After all, today was our date under “exotic circumstances,” and at the same time, it was a response to the chieftain’s request for an “investigation.”
“Regarding the ‘spy’ matter, I’ve asked Ge Luom and Gu Erdan to help us find some people who had witnessed the shadow back then, who might have some clues. However, they’re not gathered in one place, so let’s treat it as our destination and take our time getting there.”
As I spoke, I sniffed the air.
Today, Ke Fei’er still shone like the main character, even though she was dressed to shield herself from the blazing sun, wearing a hat, it didn’t diminish her perfect image in my eyes.
As for the strange scent that was slightly different from before… I realized with a sniff that it was the perfume I had bought for her yesterday…
Ke Fei’er tapped my head, interrupting my thoughts. When I looked up, she had already turned her face away, pulling my arm and dragging me along, completely avoiding my gaze.
“I just thought it was fresh and wanted to try it out. Let’s… let’s go!”
“Shy.”
The nearby orcs pointed and whispered.
“Humans are really easy to embarrass…”
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Another one nodded in agreement.
You two better shut up quickly. Do you really want to be beaten up by this mother tiger beside me?
My purpose with Kephiel is to investigate, but our itinerary is labeled as a “date.” After all, compared to the bustling Great Yng Empire, the situation in the Austro-Hungarian tribe may not be as prosperous, but it has its own unique charm in terms of “local customs and culture.”
The outside world holds a significant bias against the insular and hierarchically rigid Austro-Hungarian tribe. Though closed off, the tribe does not appear “primitive.” The necessary environment, architecture, and even “order” are all well in place. If I had to describe it, it would be like traveling from a thriving metropolis to the western regions; while one cannot experience the prosperity, one can still feel the distinct local customs.
As for those towering beastmen, most of whom are about twice my height, with varied appearances and skin tones, once you get used to their size and their naturally fierce demeanor, they aren’t too frightening.
Soon, Kephiel and I followed the clues given to me by Gu Erdan and found the most important witness, one who had directly seen the “shadow escape”—the earlier bull-headed brother who had been easily taught a lesson by Kephiel with magic—Kyle Bloodhoof.
When we arrived at what is said to be the area representing the strongest clan of the bull-headed people—the Bloodhoof clan—this brother was sitting on a blanket, one hand holding a book, while the other was randomly grabbing a handful of grass from a pile as high as a mountain and stuffing it into his mouth.
Upon noticing our arrival, the brother lifted his eyes.
“Human, are we starting the investigation now?”
Most beastmen are straightforward, which is a nice way of saying they are simple-minded. So as long as there are no deep-seated grudges, previous conflicts can be laughed off. It seems the bull-headed brother has already reconciled with Gu Erdan; having anticipated our arrival, he made no unnecessary moves.
Now it was my turn to feel uneasy.
“Brother… you… just eating grass, with a body this huge, can you really hold it?”
“I only eat meat during war and training. If I had meat for every meal, do you think the animals in the tribe could withstand it?”
The bull-headed brother pointed to the pile of grass beside him. “For me, a chicken is hardly enough to fill my teeth. Eating grass is just to satisfy my appetite. Alright, human, if you have questions, ask quickly. The clan chief ordered you to investigate, and as long as I know, I will tell you everything.”
The bull-headed brother set down his book, and I no longer held back.
“Gu Erdan said that during the time when the shadow was repeatedly escaping capture, you were also present?”
“Of course, as a high-ranking beastman warrior, I must ensure the safety outside the clan chief’s temple! Those nights, there were indeed shadows darting around near the temple, appearing very agile and quick. Since I’m not good at this, I let Gelrom chase after them.”
The result was clear: Gelrom didn’t catch them either, as they dashed straight into the territory of the elves, forcing these beastmen to give up.
“Do you think it could be an ordinary beastman?”
The brother shook his head. “No, if it were an ordinary beastman, we would have caught them long ago. Gelrom is the strongest warrior in the tribe; how could he lose to other beastmen? I didn’t think of it at the time, but now I realize: the other party should not be an ordinary beastman!”
“Well… how should I put it? It’s like those foxes that are hard to catch outside the tribe, and their meat is hardly worth eating! You humans are clever; this time, you must help us beastmen find it! Our Bloodhoof clan will definitely thank you properly!”
No, I would politely decline the beastmen’s gratitude, after all, I didn’t come here to seek sponsorship.
However, the bull-headed brother’s words did remind me of something. Although his comparison of the shadow to a fox was merely a metaphor, …
A fox…
A fox, huh…
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