Chương 26: Chapter 23 - Word Travels Fast

After a few days, the sound of wooden wheels rolling along the ground finally reached the Orc Tribe. At first, it was nothing more than a faint rumble in the distance. Then it grew louder. The wooden wheels, reinforced with metal rims, struck against the uneven road, sending vibrations through the ground beneath the feet of anyone nearby. The noise came in waves, accompanied by the heavy stomping and occasional mooing of the massive cattle pulling the enormous carts. It wasn't just one carriage. It was a caravan.

One by one, the immense carts emerged from the road and continued toward the tribe's entrance. The line seemed almost endless, stretching so far back that the end of the caravan couldn't even be seen. Huge cattle with thick bodies and powerful legs pulled the carts forward at a steady pace, their movements falling into a surprisingly consistent rhythm despite the weight they carried. Several orcs turned toward the road.

"They're here!" Another orc stared at the seemingly endless line of wagons.

"Already?"

"It's been a few days. Why wouldn't they be here?"

"How many carts?"

"More than last time." The news spread through the tribe almost immediately. Warriors began heading toward the entrance. Some orcs hurried to finish whatever work they were doing, while others simply abandoned it entirely and rushed over to see what the caravan had brought this time. A few had already prepared for the arrival, carrying spiritual fruits, herbs, materials, and money that they intended to trade.

At the highest point near the entrance, an orc standing on a raised platform noticed the approaching caravan. He reached for the horn hanging at his side. Then he raised it to his mouth. Booooooom! The powerful sound echoed throughout the tribe. It was not the sound of a battle horn. It wasn't a warning. It was the sound everyone had been waiting to hear. The caravan had arrived. More orcs began gathering around the entrance. The caravan eventually came to a stop.

The lead carriage rocked slightly before settling into place, and the caravan leader climbed down from the front. He stretched his arms and rolled his shoulders before looking over the crowd of orcs waiting for them. A smile slowly appeared on his face.

"Business seems to be doing well." Roc stepped out from the crowd of orcs.

"You have finally arrived." The caravan leader laughed.

"Finally? You make it sound like we kept you waiting for months."

"It has been months since the last time you came."

"Then perhaps we can compensate for that." The two clasped forearms in greeting. The caravan leader glanced around again, taking in the number of orcs gathering around the entrance.

"There seem to be more people waiting than usual." Roc smiled.

"Usually, when people hear that a caravan is coming, they become interested."

"You are right." The leader looked beyond Roc and toward the tribe. However, his expression soon became more thoughtful.

"But I did hear something interesting along the way." Roc raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"Rumors."

"What about?" The caravan leader lowered his voice slightly.

"The door." Roc's expression didn't flicker. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"I see."

"It's hard to believe. We've met several tribes along the way, and it seems everyone already knows that you charge people to enter." Roc nodded.

"That is correct." The caravan leader studied him for a moment.

"And you really don't plan to explore it yourself anymore?"

"Not just yet." Roc turned his gaze toward the distant forest.

"We've already learned everything we need to know. Any further expedition would only mean more casualties." The caravan leader's easy smile faded.

"I see." He had suspected as much. There was no need for Roc to explain everything. If the orcs and the Black Ape Tribe had discovered something important within that strange spiritual realm, yet were now willing to accept payments from other tribes instead of continuing their own expeditions, then they must have already paid a heavy price for what they had learned. The caravan leader wasn't foolish enough to interpret that as weakness. The orcs and Black Apes were both formidable tribes.

If anything, their decision to stop exploring only made the mysterious place seem more dangerous.

"But all the same, I suppose the other tribes will be interested."

"That's what matters." Roc gestured toward the caravan.

"They can explore it themselves. We're not about to pass up a chance to profit from it." The caravan chief laughed.

"That's quite an interesting way of saying it."

"We are merchants now." The caravan chief laughed again.

"And when did that happen?"

"When we understood that dying is bad for business." The nearby orcs burst into laughter. The caravan chief shook his head.

"Well, you're still the same." Roc smiled.

"Our chieftain would like you to join us for drinks. We haven't had much chance to talk lately." The caravan chief nodded.

"Well, then I cannot refuse."

"Good. There will be much to talk about." While Roc and the caravan chief continued their conversation, the rest of the caravan began unloading its wares. The moment the first carriage was opened, the crowd surged forward.

"What's that?"

"Make way. I want to look!"

"Don't shove!"

"How much is this?"

"We haven't even finished unloading!" The merchants barely had time to react before they were surrounded. The caravan was enormous. It wasn't the property of a single merchant. Several merchants were traveling together, each carrying different goods gathered from various places throughout the region. Weapons were among the many items being transported. There were also tools, clothing, cookware, containers, farming equipment, ornaments, and countless other useful goods.

Some merchants carried items that would have been extremely difficult for the tribes to produce themselves. To the tribes, a caravan wasn't simply a group of traveling merchants. It was a connection to the outside world. It brought goods that the local tribes could not easily produce, replenished their supplies, and provided access to items that would otherwise take days—or even weeks—to acquire. An orc picked up a metal tool and examined it carefully, turning it over in his hands.

"How much?" The merchant named his price. The orc immediately frowned.

"That's too expensive."

"Well, make your own, then."

"I can't."

"Then I suppose it's a good price." The orc glared at him.

"You merchants are shameless."

"Yes, but you still have the tool." The orc looked down at the object in his hands. He was silent for a moment. Indeed, he still had the tool.

"... Fine. I'll take it." Nearby, another merchant had several baskets arranged neatly on top of his carriage. One of the tribe's women pointed toward one of them.

"What does this do?"

"It helps with carrying water." She looked at the object curiously.

"How?" The merchant demonstrated its use. The woman watched for a moment before her eyes widened.

"Oh." She immediately turned toward her companion.

"We're taking this one."

"Why?"

"So I don't have to carry two buckets of water anymore." Her companion looked at the merchant.

"How much?" The merchant chuckled.

"Now that's the right question." All around them, similar scenes unfolded. Some orcs bought goods in large quantities and intended to bring them back to their tribes to resell them for profit. Others bought only small items—simple tools, containers, clothing, or household goods that could make their daily lives a little easier. The caravan was large enough that everyone had room to move around and examine the merchandise. Nobody was in much of a hurry.

Most caravans stayed one or two days in each tribe before continuing toward their next destination. That was simply how caravan travel worked. Arrive. Unpack. Trade. Rest. Pack everything back up. Then move on. For the Orc Tribe, one or two days of a caravan's presence was more than enough to make the settlement feel unusually alive. The entrance remained crowded with orcs examining unfamiliar goods, merchants shouting prices, and cattle resting beside their enormous carts.

Yet this time, there was something else drawing attention. Something far more important than ordinary trade. The door. The spiritual world beyond it. And the entrance fee. The rumors surrounding it had already begun spreading between tribes. Soon, merchants would carry those rumors even farther. What had once been nothing more than a mysterious doorway hidden in the wilderness was slowly becoming something else. A destination. A place where tribes could gamble their lives for resources.

And, perhaps more importantly, a place where tribes from across the region would eventually have a reason to meet. The wild land around the Orc Tribe was no longer as isolated as it had been before. A road had been built. A shop was being constructed. And now, a caravan had arrived. Piece by piece, the wilderness was becoming a meeting point for the outside world.... Outside the door, it was mostly Black Apes now. Torou stood among them, his eyes fixed on the distant tree line. He'd been quiet since the castle.

Quieter than usual. He hadn't told anyone about the voice. About Unknown. About the name that had come out of that shattered doll's mouth. Ani. It meant nothing to him. And yet, the way Nefari had said it—like he recognized something Torou himself couldn't see—had lodged itself in his chest. He pushed the thought away. There was no point dwelling on it. He had a duty to perform.

The orcs had gone back to their own tribe to prepare for the caravan's arrival, but they would return afterward and take back their share of the guard duty, freeing the Black Apes to make their own preparations in turn.... Torou returned home to see his sister, carrying a flower and a bit of roasted meat wrapped in a leaf.

"Tear! I'm home." The door burst open before he'd even finished saying it, and a small shape barreled into his legs.

"Brother! I missed you. It was so boring here, and I don't like playing with the other kids—some of them were mean to me..." She trailed off, spotting what was in his hand.

"Ehh, is that flower for me? How pretty!" Tear's eyes sparkled like stars catching the last of the daylight.

"I also brought your favorite," Torou said, holding up the wrapped leaf.

"Can you guess what it is?"

"Meat!" she shrieked, her whole face lighting up.

"Where's mother?"

"Mother went out. She said she had something to take care of, and that she'd be back later."

"Are you hungry, or should we wait for her?"

"I'm excited to eat, but I'm not really that hungry, so let's wait for mother." She giggled, already tugging at his sleeve to pull him inside.... A Black Ape warrior reported to Saro.

"Elder, we found a newly built shop, with a road leading to it. The Brown Wolf Tribe built it, in that direction. It's not far from here." Saro looked to where the warrior pointed.

"Send someone to scout the area. Find out what they're selling, and who owns it." The warrior bowed.

"Yes, Elder." Saro was still suspicious. The location was too close for comfort—the door, the spiritual tree, and the new shop all sat within a few hours of each other on foot, and less than half an hour at a run. But he wasn't certain, not yet. He needed something more reliable than a guess before he could act on his suspicion.