CHAPTER 198: CHAPTER 185: TRIBAL SECRETS_1

"I can’t give this to you now; we’ll talk about it when we get back."

The doctor was very interested in the Incense in Lance’s hand and was about to reach for it when she saw Lance swiftly put it away.

"It’s too dangerous to study it here. Do you want everyone on this ship to die with you if it leaks?"

Lance realized that although this woman seemed calm and collected, she was actually quite reckless. Was she using her courage in the wrong way?

Disappointment flickered in the doctor’s eyes upon hearing this, but she knew that now was indeed not the time nor the place.

"Take a look at these for now, to get familiar with them."

Lance left her some vetted books, mainly illustrated manuals, books on materials, and texts related to Alchemy.

In fact, Extraordinary creatures were not uncommon in this world; it was just that ordinary people were not aware of them. So when the doctor flipped through the books, she found some of them familiar.

She already possessed a certain amount of knowledge about these matters; she just hadn’t known before that they could be used in such ways.

It must be said that once she chose to accept this knowledge and began her studies, she poured her focus into them, even to the point of ignoring Lance.

Lance had nothing much to say about this and simply left the room, letting her work it out on her own.

Anyway, it seemed that he had already stabilized her situation and had pointed her in the right direction.

However, upon exiting, he realized a serious problem—where would he sleep?

His ’fishing’ had been successful, but the ’bait’ had been swallowed whole.

Lance was too proud to kick the doctor out and make her sleep with Boudica, that brute.

Every space on the ship was crowded unless he was willing to squeeze into the cargo hold with the others. They probably wouldn’t mind and might even welcome him.

But for Lance, that would be worse than setting up a tent on the deck. There were some things he couldn’t reveal in front of those people.

After thinking it over, Lance turned back and went to Boudica’s room, planning to clear a space and sleep on the floor.

Boudica had actually adapted significantly since the last boat ride. She no longer got seasick, only experiencing unsteadiness and dizziness.

This worked out well, as it meant she wouldn’t be boisterous and had no outlet for her excess energy.

When she saw Lance preparing a sleeping spot on the floor, she couldn’t hide her surprise.

"Boss, why are you back?"

"I’m going to bunk with you for a few days."

"Boss wants to sleep with me? But I’m feeling really awful~"

"..." Lance paused mid-action, lines of frustration appearing on his forehead.

What was this kid thinking? Had the waves addled her brain?

Still, he explained, "I gave my room to the doctor, so I need to squeeze in here with you. But you’ll sleep on the bed, and I’ll sleep here—no one’s going to steal your bed~"

"Ah~ You won’t sleep with me?" Boudica inquired weakly, seemingly eager to prove her popularity. "The men in the tribe really want to sleep with me, you know. It’s just that they can’t beat me in a fight~"

"That’s a feudalistic and backward custom we must strongly condemn!" Lance declared righteously. "Wouldn’t that throw everything into chaos?"

However, speaking of this made him curious about her tribe. He sat down at the foot of the bed, bringing their eye levels closer, and looked at her as she turned her face towards him, asking about their situation.

"What’s your tribe like? Where is it located? How big is it? How many people are there?"

Boudica suddenly opened her eyes wide, becoming alert and refusing.

"I can’t tell you~ Those people might find us~"

Lance understood her concern. Although he had no such intentions, her ability to consider this possibility showed she wasn’t entirely witless.

"Tell me what I am allowed to hear. What customs do you have? What do you usually do?"

Lance was, by nature, a curious person. His understanding of this world was still insufficient, and he always sought to gather more information.

As she spoke, Boudica became lost in reminiscence, recounting the customs of her tribe.

Through Boudica’s stories, Lance gained a general understanding of the tribe.

The tribe’s structure was simple. The chieftain, typically the most formidable warrior, was the leader of the entire tribe. Below the chieftain were warrior bands, groups of warriors responsible for hunting and protecting the tribe. Then there were the ordinary tribal members.

Within this structure, there was also an independent figure whose authority could even surpass the chieftain’s: the Shaman.

In typical tribes, the position was held by the eldest Elders, whose wealth of experience helped the tribe survive in the Mountains.

In larger tribes, the Shaman was often someone who could interpret the Spirit of the Wilderness.

They used the power of the Spirit of the Wilderness to heal illnesses and injuries, bless warriors, and repel Curses from other tribes. They could also create artifacts imbued with Supernatural Power, among other miraculous abilities.

Only the Shaman was qualified to preside over the sacrificial rituals for the Spirit of the Wilderness.

These sacrificial activities came in two types: large and small. One type was held before a hunt. The Shaman would divine messages from the Spirit of the Wilderness, learning where better prey could be found and whether the journey would be dangerous.

The Shaman also imbued the warriors with strength and invoked the Sanctuary of the Spirit of the Wilderness for them.

Upon their return, the finest catch had to be offered to the Spirit of the Wilderness; otherwise, they would incur its wrath.

The other was a large-scale annual sacrificial event, usually held before the last hunt of autumn, just as winter approached.

The bounty from this autumn hunt constituted their food reserves for when snow sealed off the Mountains, which was critical for the tribe’s winter survival. Furthermore, during winter, ravenous beasts would attack the tribe, and other tribes might also try to seize their prey, making this event absolutely vital.