Chapter 26 – I planted an amazing tree!

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When the kobolds were finished eating, I decided to talk to Ashton and Haines.

What had brought them out to this vast sea?

 

“So, you all had your homelands burned down as well…”

 

Rienna muttered with a dark expression as she listened with me and Baris.

 

Ashton replied,

 

“Do you mean to say that the home of the Berdan tribe was also razed to the ground by the Gofel orcs…”

“Yes… Not just our homes, but also the forest. My father the king was killed, along with my mother and siblings…”

“I see… That must have been very painful.”

 

Ashton said darkly.

 

So, Ashton’s Tibris tribe and Rienna’s Berdan tribe had been attacked by the same orcs. These Gofels.

 

And so I asked him,

 

“That’s terrible… So, you came all of the ways out here because the Gofel orcs were chasing you?”

“No. The Gofels have no skill for using ships. They did chase us on land, but once we put out to sea, it was their ally, the Korbas, who chased us.”

“The Korbas… I’ve heard of them.”

 

They were orc pirates who often attacked Sanfaris’s trading ships.

Their crew consisted of skilled veterans and they were often hired as mercenaries.

Sanfaris’s navy had gone out to deal with them a number of times, but they always seemed to be a step behind. Ultimately, they were never able to sink or capture a single ship.

 

“Such dangerous enemies are still close by… It will be necessary to tighten our security.”

 

I nodded at Baris’s suggestion.

 

“Alright, we should make something like a turret and increase the number of watchers. …Still, Ashton. You went out to sea. Where were you hoping to escape?”

“We were…heading to the new continent.”

“Ah, is that right? We Berdans were also attempting to reach the new continent.”

“What… Do you happen to also have the same tradition?”

“The forgotten continent to the south…  We call it the ‘Land of Gold.’”

“I see. For us, the southern continent is the ‘Field Where Reeds Grow.’”

 

Their conversation was odd to me.

 

When Baris and the goblins first arrived, I thought they had just come south temporarily to avoid the coast, where there were many Sanfaris ships.

However, it seemed like they thought that there was a continent to the far south.

 

But, south of Sheorl was…

 

“I… Well, we human children are taught that what lies south of Sheorl Island is a waterfall to the abyss. …Well, I think it really just means that the waves are so high that no ship can pass through. In any case, I had never heard anything about there being a continent.”

“It is but a myth for us. However, we were willing to wager our lives on its existence.”

“It was the same for us of the Tibris tribe… However, Her Majesty was very firm in her belief that a continent could be found in the south.”

 

It seemed that Baris and Ashton were not wholly convinced.

Still, the reason that they traveled out here was that they found out that there was no home for them not just on the Barleon continent, but to the south and west continents as well.

 

Ashton’s voice shook as he continued.

 

“However, we did find land to the south… So Her Majesty was not wrong.”

 

I suppose you could say that. Though, this was a very small patch of land…

I had a feeling that she would have been terribly disappointed if she were still alive…

 

Well, it’s not like we knew for sure that there wasn’t a continent to the far south.

 

That aside, the kobolds were residents now. So in a way, it was as if the island was even smaller than before.

 

“We’ll have to make a grave for the queen. I also want to bury the bones in the cave’s entrance already… Oh, I suppose I’ll have to dig a room for the kobolds to sleep in as well.”

 

Hmm. There was so much to do.

Was there anything that I missed…

 

As I troubled over this, Rienna spoke up.

 

“Lord Heal… There is no need for you to take the entire burden onto yourself. You just need to give out simple orders and we will do it for you.”

“The Princess is right. We have the tools. We can make rooms and graves. It will also be a good opportunity for the kobolds to learn how to dig.”

 

Baris said. Ashton and Haines nodded.

 

“All of us of the Tibris tribe have already sworn loyalty to you, Lord Heal. You need only give the order, and we will do it.”

 

The baby kobold poked its head out of my shirt. And though he surely didn’t understand what was happening, he raised his hand just the same.

 

“You guys…”

 

I had been all alone when I first came to this island.

Things changed when I met Shiel, and now there were so many other people living here too…

I couldn’t help but be happy about that.

 

I held back the tears and nodded.

 

“Thank you… Alright, Baris. Could you start by planning the new rooms with Ashton and Haines?”

“Leave it to me. Now, Ashton and Haines. Let us go to the caves.”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

 

Ashton and Haines bowed to me and then followed Baris to the cave.

 

“So, Rienna. I have a request to ask you… There’s something I want to grow with you.”

 

Rienna turned quite red at this.

 

Huh? Had I said a word that had even a hint of embarrassing sentiment attached to it…?

 

“I-I would be glad to, Lord Heal!! I will do my best!”

“It’s nothing too serious… Uh, it’s this thing…”

 

I put my hand in my pocket and took out the very large seed.

Rienna immediately regained her calm.

 

“…What is that?”

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The Cave King will live a Paradise Life -Becoming the strongest with the mining skill?-