Strange Dragon – 162

Chapter 162 – Ije’s Tribe’s Way of Thinking

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Ije spread out the clothes over the cloth on the ground.

Kelly, Fio and I helped her.

While Shiro and Hippolius rested in the shade.

The basket with the sleeping wolf cubs was set next to them.

“Thank you, Ije. Are you sure that you don’t need any help?”

“Yes. Thank you. …You can go inside house.”

Ije pointed to one of the buildings.

“Is that house special?”

“Yes. House where Ije once lived.”

“But we can’t enter the others?”

“Yes. Not Ije’s house. But Ije was give permission to go in…”

It was her way of having good manners. A custom, I suppose.

You needed permission to enter a resident’s house.

Well, it was the same on the old continent as well.

But I suppose for this village, it continued even though the residents were dead.

Ije could give permission for us to enter her house, but not the others.

“I see. If I do go inside, it will be your house then.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“Ije. What about taking the clothes?”

It was little wonder that Kelly was curious about it.

Ije was not allowed to give others permission to enter those houses.

In that case, surely she should not be able to give away the clothes too?

“That is fine.”
“Really?”

“Yes. Clothes are passed on. You don’t do that, Mr. Theo and Kelly?”
“Well, between siblings or relatives, yes.”

“Yes, I often wore clothes that were given to me by relatives.”
“Yes. Same as that.”

However, that was done with permission.

That was what I thought, but it apparently is not the case.

“So clothes and houses are treated differently?”
“Yes. Clothes are made by people who can make. And worn by people who need.”

“So they are owned by everyone?”
“Little different. Belong to person while in use.”
“So it’s not about the right to own, but the right to use?”

“Maybe.”

“And houses?”

“Own by family.”
“Your short sword seems to be very precious to you. What about that?”
“That is Ije’s.”

So houses and swords could be owned.

And according to their customs, that right of ownership did not disappear automatically after death.

“How interesting. I wonder where this difference came from?”

Kelly said thoughtfully.

“Don’t know.”

While Ije knew a lot, she was still a child.

She was not an elder, who could explain in detail about their customs.

“Hmm. Indeed. Ije. Were the clothes made with skills?”

“Yes. Someone good with it.”
“On the old continent, it was believed that skills were granted by the gods. Is it the same here?”
“Yes.”

“And do you think that an ability from god should be used for everyone?”
“Yes.”

As it was made by a skill that was from god, perhaps they felt it should be owned by everyone.

Well, I didn’t know the details. But it was a sad thing.

While Ije didn’t know everything, she still wanted to protect the tradition, as the sole survivor.

While talking about such things, we finished lining up the clothes.

“Alright, Pii.”
“Pii-pii!”

Pii hopped off of my shoulder, and then spread out thinly over the clothes.

Like this, he removed the bugs, mold and just enough moisture.

Once that was finished, I asked.

“Ije. While appraising the clothes, I saw something like wool. Are there sheep around here?”

“There are sheep. We shear them in spring.”
“Oh, so you have sheep?”

“No. Wild sheep. They come in spring. We get wool.”

Kelly’s eyes shined at this.

“Hmm. How very interesting. Very different from the sheep on the old continent.”
“You can tell from just hearing that?”

“Aye. Normal wild sheep will naturally change from winter wool to summer wool. It’s the same with you, isn’t it, Shiro?”

“Wuff.”

Shiro answered from the shade.

“The sheep must know that it will be easier if they let Ije and the others shear their wool.”
“How smart.”
“Or perhaps they cannot change their wool on their own.”

“Does that happen?”

“Sheep that are raised on farms. If left alone, they will become so big that it is difficult to run.”
“Huh… Can they live like that?”
“It is difficult. If they cannot do it themselves, it must mean they only became wild a few generations ago.”

With the cooperation of these sheep, our clothing situation might be greatly improved.

I would like to learn more about them, and go search for them later.

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