Chapter 154: Return to the Village
Before leaving the Red Forest outpost atop Ignis, Kellar stopped at the side of the path to speak in a low voice with Freyja, who remained beside him in spectral form.
"Freyja, are you sure there aren’t any overly powerful beasts in this area?" asked Kellar.
"Not at all, those ugly things you call gunpowder can easily kill everything around here, though those giant birds are getting a bit closer," replied Freyja.
"I almost forgot, how close are the green eagles?" asked Kellar.
"They haven’t descended from the crag yet and are staying in the high area, I think there must be more interesting prey on the other side, but now that there aren’t as many trees to cover your men they might try to hunt them, still they haven’t gotten close enough," replied Freyja.
"That’s fine, if I remove all the predators they will lose their motivation, one or two deaths will motivate them to stay sharp," said Kellar.
"You’re quite cruel to your own soldiers," said Freyja.
"You said it very well, they are soldiers, not my children that I need to protect," said Kellar.
Ignis advanced with steady steps along the cleared road, making the ground rumble with each of his colossal footsteps. From high atop the giant god bear’s back, Kellar looked out over the northern territory’s horizon. The newly opened trade highway between the Mountain Fortress and the Red Forest pass remained clear and secure, with rifle squads covering the flanks at regular intervals.
The strategy of separating urban security from military forces was already beginning to bear fruit. After two hours of continuous, uninterrupted travel, the forested landscape began to yield to cleared hills signaling the approach to the Overlord Tribe’s main settlement.
Upon spotting the large palisade and outer corrals, Kellar noticed the intense activity immediately. Workshop chimneys belched plumes of gray smoke, livestock pens were brimming with pack beasts, and dozens of settlers worked on expanding the central warehouses to receive the shipments of resin and iron ore.
"The Great Shaman has returned!" shouted the lookout.
The gates swung wide open. As soon as Ignis crossed the threshold, villagers and artisans paused their duties to bow with deep respect before their leader.
Kellar rode atop Ignis down the settlement’s main avenue. Astonishment took hold of every corner as he passed; villagers, artisans, and hunters froze in their tracks, staring wide-eyed at the monstrous creature. The bear, once large yet manageable, now measured eight meters in length and four meters in height, casting an imposing shadow over the wooden cabins.
"Is... is that Ignis?" asked a woodcutter, dropping his axe in sheer shock.
"He looks like a walking mountain," replied a young hunter, taking a step back purely out of instinct.
However, noticing the composure with which Kellar guided the beast, the initial tension yielded to profound respect and fascination. A group of children gathered the courage to slowly approach, gazing at the god bear’s colossal paws. Ignis exhaled a warm mist through his snout and lowered his head, allowing the youngest to reach out with trembling hands to touch his thick, reddish fur.
Seeing the titan’s docility under the leader’s will, several artisans and elders approached as well to stroke the animal’s flanks, awed by the shamanic power radiating from him.
"Ignis has evolved alongside the tribe," said Kellar, dismounting with an agile leap onto the packed dirt.
Kellar walked toward his main hut, noting the unusual silence in the air. Upon crossing the doorway, he found his women gathered in the living area. Helen was leaning over a wooden bucket, dizzy and throwing up her stomach, while they gent held her hair back.
"What is happening here?" asked Kellar, stepping forward with firm steps to take Helen by the shoulders and help her sit up.
"It’s just morning sickness," one of them replied, passing her a wet cloth to wipe her face. "She’s been like this since yesterday morning."
Kellar helped her settle onto the fur sofa and looked at the rest of the women in the room.
"Why are you still doing all the domestic work alone?" asked Kellar, frowning. "The tribe has grown and you don’t need to carry the cleaning, cooking, and house chores, even less so in your condition. Why haven’t you hired help?"
"We’ve been busy coordinating the warehouses and finances," replied one of the girls, sitting next to Helen to stroke her back. "We didn’t want to bring just anyone into the Great Shaman’s home."
"That ends today," said Kellar in a decisive tone. "We will bring someone trustworthy to take care of the domestic service and attend to you."
Shortly after sending the order with one of the guards, the hut door opened. A young tribewoman with a voluptuous body, wide hips, and a timid gaze crossed the threshold. She wore a simple linen dress fitted to her curves that left little to the imagination.
"Great Shaman," said the young maid, bowing deeply and revealing her pronounced cleavage. "I was informed that you required someone for house care and to attend to your women."
Kellar kept his gaze fixed on the maid while crossing his arms, leaning against the room’s wooden frame.
"What is your name?" asked Kellar.
"My name is Naya, Great Shaman," replied the maid, keeping her head bowed bashfully, though she shifted her hips slightly as she set down the bucket of clean water she had brought.
"Good, Naya," said Kellar. "Starting today, you will be in charge of cleaning the hut, preparing infusions for Helen’s sickness, and ensuring my women don’t lift a single finger for household chores."
"Understood, Great Shaman, I will comply with everything ordered of me," replied Naya, kneeling immediately on the wooden floor to start wiping the area with a damp cloth.
As she bent over, the tight linen dress stretched to its limit over the prominent curve of her buttocks and fleshy thighs. Every motion she made while scrubbing the floor caused an obvious sway in her hips.
Helen, resting on the fur sofa beside the other girls, watched the scene with a slight smile of satisfaction before looking at Kellar.
"It seems you found the perfect maid," whispered Helen in a soft voice.