9th Grade Civil Servant In Another World Chapter 137 - Sand and Stars (3)

“Brother! Brotherrr!”

Namir burst into Fael’s tent in a panic, just as Fael was preparing for bed.

He looked so frantic that for a moment the staff nearly blocked him, thinking he was an intruder.

“What’s wrong? You look like you’re about to pass out.”

Fael frowned slightly as he patted a pillow stuffed with date palm seeds to shape it.

“Shan-Lea! It’s Shan-Lea!”

Namir, who was completely excited and terrified, spun around inside the tent rambling incoherently.

“Calm down.”

When Fael handed him a water pouch, he drank a little and caught his breath before whispering.

“She proposed to me!”

“……”

Fael’s eyes narrowed slightly then returned to normal.

“So?”

“What do you mean, so?! What do I do now? She told me to form an alliance! That she’ll help with our work, so let’s get married and seize control of the Great Desert! There are five tribes total in the Great Desert, so if the largest Fa tribe and the third-largest Shan tribe join forces, we can easily take control!”

“Originally the two tribes often joined hands with that intent. My engagement to Lea was in the same context.”

“Exactly! She was originally your fiancée!”

“But what meaning does an engagement in name only have? We’re strangers who’ve never even seen each other’s faces. When she turned five, I left the Great Desert, and all the successor’s rights given to me went to you. So Lea proposed to you, didn’t she?”

“I don’t have even a speck of desire to become chieftain! That’s a position you should take. I can’t do anything except read books and fiddle with antiques!”

Namir’s face was bright red. Tears even seemed to be welling up in his eyes.

Fael looked at his half-brother, who was twelve years younger than him—still such a child.

He must have suffered greatly after Fael left.

But when Fael first returned to the Great Desert, aside from being a bit snappy, Namir hadn’t shown much anger.

While he spouted naive insults like saying he hated his brother, couldn’t forgive him, and to get lost back to the human lands, there wasn’t true hatred dwelling in his eyes.

Instead of hatred there was loneliness, instead of anger there was longing.

After experiencing adventures with Fael and Daniel meeting the dragon and visiting Schufaben, he shook off even the last bit of resentment and began following Fael around devotedly.

Always enthusiastically offering opinions whenever Fael wanted to do something.

‘Though he’s still just as snappy.’

He was a child who was that starved for affection.

His mother had also died early, and having become successor in Fael’s place, he must have been hurt by unwanted comparisons and evaluations.

His natural scholarly passion and cheerfulness were just covering up those wounds.

These emotions of his young—no, his child of a brother—were so clearly visible that Fael reached out in the human way and messed up his hair.

“Aaargh, brother! What are you doing in the middle of a serious conversation!”

“Namir. No matter what you think, you are father’s successor. I will never become chieftain of the Fa tribe. So whether you become chieftain or not, whether you accept Lea’s proposal or not, it’s for you to decide.”

“But……”

When Namir hesitated and hung his head, Fael let out a sigh. This child still had a long way to go.

“What do you think?”

“……I think accepting Lea’s proposal and becoming chieftain would help our plan the most.”

Namir answered quietly.

“But it’s strange. Marriage between chieftains—that’s weird. It’s unprecedented. I can’t figure out exactly what she was thinking when she made this proposal. Plus it would look like the younger brother is stealing his older brother’s fiancée, and I don’t know if I can handle being chieftain……”

“Your conclusion?”

“I, I don’t know.”

Silence fell inside the tent. Fael casually finished arranging his bedding.

“Go on now. It’s late.”

“Mmm.”

Namir pressed his lips tightly together and left the tent. His heart felt heavy as if a boulder had been placed on it.

***

“What’s with that dense guy?”

Shan-Lea frowned deeply as she fumed alone.

After she’d finally proposed, Fa-Namir was struck speechless, just gaping his mouth like a fish before jumping like he’d been electrocuted.

“I, I’ll think about it!”

Then he shouted this and ran away. Without even hiding his reddened face.

The guest tent provided to the tribal chieftain was neat, tidy, and had a comfortable atmosphere.

Redan Company, was it? The staff who had been bustling about were mostly elves or elf-bloods, and they seemed to do their work quite well.

Lea lay properly on the blanket and stared at the dark ceiling.

“……Sister.”

Tears spilled out, which she quickly wiped away before curling up her body.

With hands withered like bone grasping Lea’s hand, her sister had said.

“Please, Lea.”

Taking a shallow breath in, then out, then once more.

“Please.”

That was the last.

Right after her elder sister’s funeral ended and she’d just caught her breath, Lea belatedly remembered the invitation that had arrived for her sister some time ago.

Elrahatan.

The gathering of tribal chieftains she knew from history books. For the first time in 150 years, the Fa tribe’s successor was promoting the revival of Elrahatan.

Actually, rumors said it was really the influence of the eldest son who had ‘formerly been’ the successor.

When the invitation came, her sister was already mostly bedridden, but she’d sent a reply saying she would attend. However, her condition soon worsened seriously and the matter was forgotten.

Holding the invitation, Lea recalled him—the Fa tribe’s eldest son Fa-Elhar, who was supposedly her fiancé with their large age gap.

It was an engagement that had become meaningless after Elhar left the Great Desert ten years ago.

Moreover, now that Elhar had returned and Lea had become chieftain, things were even more complicated.

To untangle this strange web of fate, she had to go to Elrahatan.

And tonight.

Meeting Elhar’s eyes and conversing with him, Lea realized something.

He had no lingering attachment to Lea, to their relationship, or to the relationship between the Fa tribe and the Shan tribe.

Rather, he seemed relieved to cast off the burden of being bound by fate.

That’s why Lea had no choice but to change direction and target his half-brother, Namir.

She’d heard rumors that the Fa tribe’s public opinion was shaking due to the return of the ‘true successor’ Elhar.

From Lea’s perspective, Elhar had only returned to accomplish this ‘plan.’ A grand plan that easily transcended the question of who would become the next Fa tribe chieftain.

But regardless of Elhar’s intentions, Namir’s position had become unstable.

Lea’s position, having just become chieftain at a young age, was equally unstable.

So she was thinking of joining hands.

She’d planned to persuade him step by step.

But Namir had been utterly flustered and ran away.

‘He doesn’t seem very reliable. Will this be okay……’

Thinking of Namir’s reddened face, Lea dozed off.

***

The remaining three tribal chieftains arrived one by one.

The Khal tribe.

The Teno tribe.

The Ban tribe.

Excluding Fa-Shahin, who had sent Fael and Namir while remaining in the village himself, everyone had gathered.

Fortunately or unfortunately, aside from the Shan tribe’s Lea, no one emerged who exceeded Daniel’s imagination.

The Khal tribe’s chieftain was an elderly woman, and the Teno and Ban tribe chieftains were middle-aged men.

The tribal chieftains initially had an awkward, wary atmosphere, but during the few days before the meeting officially opened, they seemed to gradually converse as they interacted with each other.

Actually, they said they were already somewhat acquainted. Though the closeness varied, they were all practically related like family.

Before becoming chieftains, even in childhood, they were bound to meet somehow.

Even Fael and Namir had met all the other tribal chieftains except Shan-Lea.

One afternoon, Namir came and plopped down next to Daniel, who was up on the canyon observing the landscape again.

This was after he’d made rounds to the tribal chieftains’ tents asking how they’d been doing, whether their people were living well, and if there was anything uncomfortable.

“Uuugh……”

Seeing Namir groan, Daniel smiled wryly.

Daniel was well aware that Namir had been troubled lately. Fael had told him about Lea’s matter.

He’d agreed that it was something Namir had to decide alone, and had just been watching him agonize in a daze.

“What’s wrong?”

Daniel closed his worn notebook while asking. It was a notebook where he’d organized the words to persuade the tribal chieftains.

“I heard something from Teno-Kenan.”

Namir buried his face in his arms wrapped around his knees like someone completely despairing and mumbled.

“There are suspicious circumstances surrounding Lea’s succession, rumors are going around.”

“What kind of circumstances?”

“That Lea poisoned her sister for the chieftain position……”

Namir’s voice was trembling. Daniel tilted his head.

“I haven’t known her long, but she didn’t seem like that kind of person.”

“Right, that’s what I thought too. That’s why I’m even more confused. I’m not good at reading people’s hearts.”

“Should have brought Lucas along.”

He threw out a light joke, but Namir didn’t laugh. Daniel felt sorry for him and patted his shoulder.

“Decide however your heart leads you, Namir. Even if you don’t accept Lea’s proposal, we’ll persuade her.”

“……Yeah, thanks.”

A weak response came after a long while.

***

Finally, the day Elrahatan opened dawned.

The meeting involved various procedures and ceremonies, but they were quite simple.

People gathered around a great blazing fire in the center and sang hymns dedicated to Ela.

Listening to the incomprehensible ancient elvish, Daniel clasped his hands together and quietly followed along.

Namir had taught him a few days ago, but he still didn’t know the meaning well.

‘Praise your god, then what came next?’

Anyway, the song that rang out along with the thump, thump of Namir beating a large drum was majestic and made his heart race.

Even seemingly useless ceremonies had some power to bind people together.

The time of song and prayer passed and the excitement slowly subsided.

After taking a brief break, the tribal chieftains entered the large tent set up as a meeting hall.

Daniel, Fael, and Namir knelt before the five tribal chieftains.

In the encompassing quiet, Daniel opened his mouth with a gentle smile.

“Good day. My name is Daniel Hartmann. I’m the president of Redan Mining Company and also Elhar’s friend. I have a proposal for all of you.”

Daniel took a deep breath and slowly continued in awkward elvish.

“Please sell the land of the Great Desert to Redan Company.”

It took the chieftains some time to interpret his words.

And the next moment, the tent became as noisy as a stirred beehive.

***

“Now, now. Let me explain.”

Fael stepped forward with a dazzling smile.

“You must be very confused by such a blunt proposal. Our goal is to revive the nation of elves. Simply put, that’s all.”

“A nation of elves—you mean the Kingdom of Ela?”

When Ban-Diyab, chieftain of the Ban tribe, asked, Fael shook his head.

“It might continue Ela’s legacy, or it might not. We’re simply gathering the tribes scattered far from each other to create one nation. Even a basic confederated kingdom level would be fine. What’s important is that a nation of elves is born.”

“What on earth are you thinking? A kingdom now, of all times! What could you gain by shaking up people living peacefully?”

Khal-Aisha, chieftain of the Khal tribe, grabbed the staff beside her and shouted.

Remembering that Aisha was a mage who used her staff as a magical medium, Fael stood up.

“Would you come with me for a moment? There’s something I’d like to show you.”

Though puzzled, the tribal chieftains followed Fael.

Fael led them to the clearing where the red dragon Tan was lying peacefully.

Fael drew a silver dagger from his chest. Then, before anyone could stop him, he forcefully stabbed his forearm.

As blood dripped from his arm, Daniel calmly brought over a small glass bottle.

Fael skillfully wrapped bandages and took the half-filled bottle.

“Kuuuuuuu!”

Tan made a pleased rumbling sound. When Fael showed him the glass bottle, he opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue to lick up the blood deliciously.

Fael, who had poured out every drop, looked at the tribal chieftains’ stares of ‘what on earth is this madness’ and smiled.

“You were all probably curious. News must have spread that I acquired a massive dragon. I intend to reveal the story behind this dragon.”