CHAPTER 352: CHAPTER 231 THE OFFSPRING OF DANU GODDESS

It can pierce armor?!... Upon hearing these words, the craftsmen stretched their necks, staring intently at the pattern of the crossbow arrowhead on the blueprint, pondering over its feasibility.

"Everyone, the leader has another message for you!" Kadesos said loudly once again: "Although we have temporarily ceased hostilities with the Segestica people, the enmity between us will not fade, and war could break out at any moment, in which this new weapon will be a crucial tool to defeat the Segestica Army!

He hopes that you can develop it in the shortest possible time, and soon be able to mass-produce it! He also wishes for you to standardize the manufacturing of this crossbow—"

Seeing the puzzled expressions of the craftsmen, and before they could inquire, Kadesos continued: "The leader told me that standardized manufacturing means all crossbows are made to the same dimensions, with the same process, and with the same materials. When one crossbow breaks, you can replace its parts with another, allowing it to be used again..."

"The leader’s demands are too high, it’s difficult to achieve!" Sistos expressed his difficulty.

"The leader also told me he understands that meeting his demands is very challenging. Although the Iron Workshop has mimicked the Roman Army’s model to manufacture weapons with some division of labor, it is not yet refined enough, and the connections between processes are not tight enough...

So, while focusing on making crossbows, you need to use everyone’s wisdom to improve the entire manufacturing organizational structure of the weapon workshop, making it more convenient to manufacture other weapons in the future...

If you achieve it, the tribe will grant more promotion slots to the Iron Workshop, and those who recently received promotions will also receive great merit, laying a better foundation for their next promotion!"

After these words were spoken, the craftsmen’s enthusiasm was instantly ignited, and no one voiced any complaint. They gathered around the wooden table with the blueprints, each giving their opinions and suggestions for the standardized manufacturing of crossbows...

............

In the Snowdonia Medical Department, Deputy Officer Emmerich knocked on the door of an office.

The door opened, and Nexia appeared.

"Deputy Officer Nexia, I’m here." Emmerich said softly.

"Please come in quickly." Lie Xiya said softly.

Once Emmerich entered, she peered out, cautiously scanning the surroundings, then gently closed the door, her careful demeanor appearing quite peculiar.

But when she turned to Emmerich, her eyes were full of hope.

Emmerich appeared calm and asked, "May I ask the reason you called me here this time?"

"Emmerich, I’ve been taking that formula you gave me for a month and a half, but—" Nexia’s emotions appeared slightly anxious: "It hasn’t worked yet!"

"Are you sure?" Emmerich showed surprise.

"I’ve been the head nurse for nearly two years, and for the past six months, I’ve followed the doctor in seeing many pregnant women. I can confirm... I still haven’t conceived..." Nexia’s voice became as faint as a mosquito buzz.

Subsequently, she asked nervously and expectantly, "Emmerich, is there any other better medicine that can help... help me—"

"There is none." Emmerich replied with confidence: "This is the most effective formula I know of, passed down by the Druids, for helping women conceive. As far as I know, some women used this medicine and were able to get pregnant within a month, but it’s ineffective for you, and I have no other solutions."

"...I see... there’s no other way..." Nexia’s expression turned vacant.

Emmerich contemplated for a moment and very seriously said, "Deputy Officer Nexia, since I became a Druid and primarily treated people’s ailments, over these decades, many women have come to me with issues like yours. I can say I have quite some experience in this regard...

Uh... you once told me that while you were a slave, you had multiple miscarriages... your womb is a sacred temple for nurturing children, and multiple miscarriages would damage this temple, making it easy for the wind and rain from outside to invade, resulting in a child that is difficult to survive, and to this day, I have not witnessed any woman with a damaged temple manage to repair it..."

Nexia lowered her eyelids, remaining silent for a long time, then she slowly stood, intending to open the door.

"Deputy Officer Nexia..." Emmerich said hesitantly: "...we’ve worked together for more than half a year, and we’re quite familiar. I have some heartfelt words... do you want to hear them?"

Nexia turned her head, noticing the solemn expression on the other’s face, she felt inexplicably uneasy, yet she still said: "Go ahead."

"You all suffered greatly in Italy, and it wasn’t easy to get here. After experiencing several bloody battles, you’ve established today’s Nick... The tribe’s current peace owes its credit to Leader Maximus!

He is favored by the Divine and is the confidence of all tribesmen, but if... he never has children, then the tribe will worry, fearing that the Divine has forsaken him. When the leader ages, the tribe will not endure long..."

Emmerich noticed Nexia’s hands clenching her thighs, her fingers turning white, but he continued: "For the sake of the tribe, you should persuade the leader... to take another wife.

Of course, you can choose a woman close to you, someone you trust, for the leader. This way, you two can take care of each other in the main house, and when she gives birth to a child, you can raise it together as if it were your own..."

After saying this, Emmerich saw Nexia standing dazedly in place. Not daring to linger, he quickly left the room.

After closing the door, he vaguely heard a sobbing sound from within and let out a sigh with a complex expression...

............

That afternoon, Emmerich again sought an audience with Maximus under the pretext of "seeking the leader’s guidance on which Divine to choose and which temple to build."

"Emmerich, I’ll be honest with you." Maximus dismissed those around him and solemnly said: "Considering that the future development and expansion of our tribe depends on the whole Great River Plain, and most of the tribes on the plain worship your Druids, we should also strive to align our worship with theirs. That’s why I let you take the lead in this matter—"

Maximus observed Emmerich, and seeing his calm expression, he intensified his tone and said deeply: "But most of the Official Tribe Members in the tribe do not worship your Divine. If this matter is not implemented well and causes dissatisfaction among them, even leading to conflict, we would have no choice but to halt the establishment of Celtic Divine temples in the tribe! This would be a loss for the tribe, and even more so for you, so you must work doubly hard on this, you can only succeed, not fail!"

"Leader, I understand everything you said. In recent days I’ve consulted many tribesmen and have some initial ideas, which I’d like you to consider." Emmerich said sincerely, having been prepared.

"Tell me about it first."

"I’m not clear about distant places, but we Scodisqi people, Noric, Yabod people, Boyi people, and the Pannonians influenced by us have always revered nature, frequently worshiping the Holy Stone and the Holy Forest.

However, most Nick’s Official Tribe Members respect the Divine that resembles our own image. If we build Holy Stones and Holy Forests in the tribe, they might not have any interest.

During my discussions with them, I also discovered that most prefer to venerate female deities, especially those embodying benevolence and inclusiveness, capable of safeguarding families and promoting fertility, which are most favored. I think this relates to their previous sufferings and their yearning for a stable and prosperous life.

To make it easier for more Official Tribe Members to accept, while ensuring Reserve Tribe Members and people from other tribes don’t have averse reactions... I thought long and hard and decided to first build a temple for the Danu Goddess—"

"The Danu Goddess?"

"Danu is the creator goddess of our entire Celtic Clan. She is the Mother Earth, also the Source of Water. She has nurtured all things and, at the same time, encompassed them within, filled with boundless love for everything, which makes the Celtics profoundly revere her..."

"Mother Earth, Source of Water... sounds good..." Maximus thought for a moment, then asked: "What does the Danu Goddess look like?"

"The Danu Goddess has countless forms, just like water. We mortals cannot describe her true visage." Emmerich paused, looked directly at Maximus, displaying a level of seriousness never seen before, and said: "But leader, you should know!"

"Me?" Maximus thought Emmerich must be joking, but Emmerich continued with utmost seriousness: "The Danu Goddess created our world, has nurtured all things, and also created a pantheon. She has many offspring, apart from a few well-known deities; even we Druids cannot know the others.

It’s because the Danu Goddess is so expansive that she never favors any mortal or matter. But she indulges her children, and you, leader, have always been favored by the Divine—"

Emmerich suddenly fell silent, his gaze intense and meaningful, fixated on Maximus.

Maximus opened his mouth, remained silent for a moment, and finally couldn’t help but ask: "Are you implying I am a descendant of the Danu Goddess?!"

Emmerich responded with solemnity: "From ancient times to the present, such stories have been passed down among all Celtic tribes. Whenever Celts face dire peril, the benevolent Danu Goddess sends one of her offspring to be reborn into a tribe, grow up to become a hero, lead the Celts to overcome difficulties, and restore splendor. After this hero’s human body dies of old age, they return to the Divine Realm..."