9th Grade Civil Servant In Another World Chapter 136 - Sand and Stars (2)

June 1903.

Three months after the outbreak of war.

The desert evening was cold, crisp, clear, and refreshing.

Daniel Hartmann killed time meaninglessly, gazing down at the shadows of ruins in the canyon below, then up at the countless stars twinkling in the navy-blue sky.

Red Dragon lying leisurely among the collapsed buildings let out a comfortable, pleasant rumble.

Magic lamps and campfire light flickered, and the faint sounds of people drifted over.

It was a scene that should have calmed his mind, but unfortunately Daniel felt like his head was so cluttered it might explode.

“I love you, Daniel.”

His mother Johanna, who had wept while looking at him.

“That was absolutely a mistake that should never have been made!”

Lucas, who had been tearing at his hair in anguish, saying the war had broken out because of him.

All sorts of other painful memories swirled around, so Daniel just squeezed his burning eyes shut.

He had run away.

To this vast, quiet Great Desert, leaving all of life’s complicated problems behind in Schufaben.

‘How cowardly.’

Self-directed cynicism leaked out.

When the sandy ground grew a bit colder and his backside started getting chilly, small footsteps could be heard.

“There you are. I’ve been looking for you for a while.”

It was Namir, looking tired.

“Ah, sorry.”

As Daniel smiled sheepishly and stood up, Namir frowned and nodded.

“Don’t wander around carelessly—jackals might come out. Let’s head back now.”

Daniel shook off all the thoughts that had filled his head and headed toward the brightly lit ruins.

“How many do you think will come? Brother’s reputation is pretty big, but still, it’d be impossible for everyone to show up, right?”

“They put your name first, didn’t they Namir?”

“Who would come on such an adventure just to see my name?”

They chatted as they walked.

The ruined ancient elf kingdom ‘Ela.’

The capital Asma remained as ruins between the canyons.

Following Namir through the massive cliffs toward the remnants of the royal castle, Daniel thought.

‘I suppose it really would be difficult to find anything valuable here?’

He’d had similar thoughts when he came to Asma’s ruins last winter.

The crunch of sand underfoot came through his leather sandals. Shabby, crumbling stonework was scattered here and there along what had once been a path through the forest a thousand years ago.

Central Asma.

The site of what had once been a magnificent royal castle had so few remaining buildings that it looked utterly desolate at night.

“It’s a miracle this much even remains, don’t you think?”

Namir said as he struggled to climb up onto a large, half-broken and toppled pillar.

“This seems like it stood at the entrance to the royal castle. The reliefs have been carved out and taken by someone, but it must have been incredibly ornate.”

His touch on the rough, broken surface was careful.

“Grave robbers’ work?”

“Probably. Or maybe researchers. Either way, Asma’s relics have all been carted off over the long years, so there’s nothing left now. Though I suppose my collection all came from that same flow. I bought it from merchants.”

Namir’s expression was complicated.

“I want to curse the grave robbers, but it’s too old a matter, and it’s not something I can’t understand. The reason I became interested in history was also because of looted artifacts, so it’s a bit awkward to get angry. Anyway, it’s good to be back, Asma.”

Since arriving here a week ago, Namir had been busy all day long, wandering around the ruins observing something.

Of course, he hadn’t neglected his work. After all, it was Namir who had insisted on coming to Asma in the first place, and naturally there was justification for that.

March 1903.

Right after Fael approved Lucas’s plan, war broke out.

And Daniel and Namir had returned to the Great Desert again, devoting themselves to preliminary work to realize the plan.

Though Fael had accepted Lucas’s grand vision, Fael was not the master of the Great Desert.

The Great Desert belonged to no one and belonged to everyone.

Therefore, before executing the plan, Fael had to seek agreement and cooperation from the residents of the Great Desert.

The Great Desert was largely divided into five tribes.

Including the Fa tribe that Fael belonged to, the chieftain families leading the five tribes had maintained steady exchanges for a thousand years.

They were all descendants of Queen Rasha I, who founded the elf kingdom, connected by complex bloodlines.

There had been several tribal wars in between with life-or-death blood feuds, but somehow the bloodlines of the five chieftain families had never been severed.

Now they weren’t even in a situation to wage such fights.

Perhaps when they had overcome the wounds of the kingdom’s destruction and grown greatly wealthy through trade with humans, but their tribal strength, population, and territory had all been steadily declining.

The elves feared humans while constantly migrating to human countries to make a living.

The number of Great Desert elves now living traditionally was perhaps one-tenth of what it had been a thousand years ago.

And Fael had decided to gather those five chieftains, representatives of those pitiful elves, to hold a meeting.

Before the Great Desert fell into such decline, the five chieftains had held regular meetings every ten years.

‘Elrahatan.’

Though completely abolished 150 years ago after the Third Tribal War, information about it could be found in ancient texts.

……Or so Namir had excitedly babbled. And he had insisted that the meeting absolutely had to be held in Asma.

“Elrahatan was always held at the royal castle site in Asma! All five chieftains had to attend without fail, or at least their successors if there were unavoidable circumstances. Let’s recreate Elrahatan, brother! Where else could you find such a means to inspire ethnic consciousness among the elves!”

Namir’s argument was plausible.

The elves who had gone out to the continent stuck together while being persecuted in human society.

On the other hand, the elves remaining in the Great Desert had actually maintained lukewarm attitudes toward each other for hundreds of years, living as if today were yesterday and tomorrow would be like today.

“The Great Desert has been stagnant for a long time. Like water that’s become stagnant and rotten. To break through the blocked dam, something powerful will be needed. It’s a good idea, Namir.”

Deliberately fostering ethnic consciousness.

Daniel felt some inexplicable discomfort but swallowed it down.

Instead, he conveyed the detailed circumstances to Lucas in a letter.

For several months after that, Fael and Namir had been busy running around trying to persuade his father Fa-Shahin and the other four chieftains.

Since it was a matter of reviving a lost tradition after 150 years, of course it didn’t proceed smoothly.

But it wasn’t as difficult as expected either, since all four chieftains had sent word of their agreement within just two months.

“Word has spread all the way to the Shan tribe’s city at the southern tip that Elhar has returned. That you’re plotting something too. So they wanted to see with their own eyes.”

Those were Fa-Shahin’s weighty words.

News in the Great Desert spread quickly following the merchants.

The elves were watching the movements of Fael, who had been ‘tainted by human ways.’ With anxiety and expectation.

The date for Elrahatan was set according to tradition for the beginning of summer, the first week of June.

Fael, Namir, Daniel, and the Redan Company staff who had arrived in Asma a week earlier had been busy cleaning the unmanaged ruins, setting up tents, and preparing to receive guests.

Daniel helped with odd jobs while continuing to revise the script for persuading the chieftains.

And today.

June 1, 1903.

“Where’s Fael?”

“Probably by Tan? In the tent if not. He says stroking the scales calms his mind. Could that also be an effect of ancient magic?”

“Kuuuuuu!”

Tan, who had been crouched behind the royal castle, suddenly let out an affectionate rumbling sound. Namir also quickly slid down from atop the pillar.

“Oh, what’s that light? It’s not bandits, is it?”

Tension and anxiety could be felt in Namir’s voice. Far in the distance at the canyon entrance, flickering clusters of light were approaching.

“Everyone up!”

Tan let out a heavy sound as he spread his wings wide and rose, and Fael, riding on Tan’s back, shouted.

The Redan Company staff who had been resting in the tents rushed out with torches in hand and formed ranks.

Like those trained in Bletter, they were as disciplined as soldiers.

Daniel also wiped his damp hands on his tunic and stood in front of the staff as they walked down the canyon.

Soon they were able to meet a group carrying lanterns and riding camels.

One small-framed woman in a plain white tunic with a white veil, and about ten people surrounding her as escorts.

“Don’t shoot! We’re the Shan tribe.”

Looking at the Bletter men aiming their guns, an escort beside the girl shouted. He too had his hand on his sword hilt, but didn’t seem ready to charge.

“Shan tribe?”

Namir asked in a trembling voice, trying to hide it. Then the woman slightly lifted her fluffy veil.

Large eyes, round with surprise, set in a tiny brown face. A cute nose and red lips, hair braided long and tied with a ribbon behind her neck.

She was young enough to be called a girl rather than a woman.

“Please lower your guns. We are indeed the Shan tribe.”

The girl’s voice was high and clear like a songbird’s.

“Look, here.”

She pulled out a gold-embossed envelope from a bag attached to her camel. It was an Elrahatan invitation that Fael and Namir had painstakingly sent out.

Watching this, Fael dismounted from Tan’s back and bowed in the elven manner.

“Welcome, Shan-Maya. You arrived first.”

As he offered a courteous greeting, the girl also dismounted her camel and bowed her head.

“I’m called Shan-Lea. We held Elder Sister Maya’s funeral two weeks ago. I inherited the chieftain’s position and came to attend Elrahatan. I ended up departing a bit early.”

“Ah, I see. The former chieftain has… That’s unfortunate. I offer my condolences. If I had known, I would have attended the funeral.”

Fael politely clasped his hands together. Shan-Lea smiled slightly and shook her head.

“No. Her chronic illness worsened so quickly that we had no time to invite anyone. We held it quietly among our tribe members.”

Tears sparkled in the girl’s large violet eyes. Her white clothes must have been mourning attire.

“I’m sorry.”

Fael apologized in a serious voice. Beside him, Namir was fidgeting restlessly.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. Rather… You must be Fa-Elhar, right? This is my first time meeting you. So you were, the one.”

Shan-Lea’s hesitant way of speaking, her voice, her expression. All of it felt indescribably subtle.

Whether it was lingering attachment, excitement, or some strange emotion seeping through.

However, Fael, who must have clearly felt that subtlety, showed no sign of it.

“Once again, welcome. Ah, this is my younger brother and successor of the Fa tribe, Fa-Namir. And this is my friend and business partner, Daniel Hartmann.”

“Pleased to meet you.”

Daniel bowed his head back with a bewildered feeling.

The girl looked too young. At most around fifteen.

To become chieftain immediately after her sister’s sudden death and attend such a big event right away. Wasn’t this placing too much responsibility on her shoulders?

As if Shan-Lea had read Daniel’s thoughts, she smiled slightly.

“Please call me Lea.”

She said in a clear, bright voice, then looked at Fael again.

“Is there somewhere we can rest? We’ve been riding camels for ten days, so everyone’s tired.”

“Of course, Lady Lea. Please follow me.”

Fael guided Lea’s group.

***

“What’s your impression from seeing her in person? It’s your first time too, isn’t it brother?”

Late evening turning to night.

Namir, who had visited Fael’s tent, asked with a giggle.

“It was a meaningless engagement. I never gave it any thought.”

“Yeah, I figured you’d say that.”

Seeing Namir’s disappointed expression, Fael recalled memories from the now distant fifteen years past.

The day he heard from a merchant that the Shan tribe’s chieftain had given birth to a second daughter. The day his father Fa-Shahin said he would be engaged to her.

Fael, who was going through adolescence, had burst out in cynicism.

“Marry a woman fifteen years younger than me? Father, are you in your right mind? Don’t you know that tribal marriage alliances are completely useless now? Really now?”

It was truly ridiculous.

The first daughter, Shan-Maya, was his age, but she couldn’t be engaged because she was destined to become chieftain.

So the parents had promised to arrange an engagement when a second daughter was born, but that second daughter had been born far too late.

The woman who was chieftain at the time was suffering from a chronic illness, which seemed to have been inherited by Shan-Maya as well, judging by today’s news of her early death.

Anyway, it was all meaningless talk.

The Fael who had thoroughly mocked the alliance between the Fa tribe and Shan tribe and gotten slapped by his father for it, and who had wandered outside even more after that day and left the Great Desert entirely as soon as he turned twenty.

None of it had any relation to what he was trying to do now.

***

“You’re really no fun no matter what I talk about, brother.”

Namir grumbled as he left Fael’s tent.

His tent was located past Fael and Daniel’s tents. Tan, crouched in between, rumbled affectionately.

A small shadow was moving around at Tan’s feet.

“Shan-Lea…?”

Namir’s light footsteps stopped. Lea looked at him and smiled brightly.

“Namir. I was waiting for you.”

“Oh, for me…?”

“Yes, I wanted to have a conversation.”

Lea led him into a secluded shadow.

“Red Dragon, Tan. I’d only heard about it, but it’s really amazing.”

“Ah, yes, my brother keeps it, but.”

Namir tilted his head as he looked at Lea’s back in her white tunic. Lea stopped behind a large pillar that hadn’t yet collapsed.

“I heard about it from Daniel.”

The reason they had opened Elrahatan. Daniel must have tried to persuade Lea, who had arrived early.

“We will accept the proposal.”

“Are, are you serious?”

Namir asked in disbelief. This quickly?

“But as much as you help us, it would be right for you to help me too.”

“That would be right, wouldn’t it? Then, what should we…?”

“Namir.”

Lea looked up at him with sparkling eyes.

“Please marry me.”

Namir instantly froze solid. In the distance, the sound of jackals howling could be heard, and from Lea came the faint scent of desert thyme.