Chapter 29: Human Village
"Oh! Norn, look what I found!"
In an inconspicuous corner of Gemir Forest, a group of simply dressed human tribes lived.
Thanks to the barrier left behind here, they could multiply and thrive in this pure land.
One of the golden-haired youths returned from hunting and waved loudly at the black-haired man not far away.
His voice carried across the small clearing, echoing off the ancient trees that formed their natural boundary.
"Eric, don't be so loud…"
The black-haired man, Norn, walked towards him, wiping his hands on a worn cloth. He'd been mending a fishing net when Eric's shout interrupted him.
But before he could finish speaking, he saw the figure behind him.
"What is this?"
Looking at the creature behind him that clearly resembled a human, Norn felt a little surprised.
He had never seen humans other than their tribe before.
The stranger's clothes hung torn and waterlogged, clinging to an unconscious form that seemed almost too still.
'Sure enough, Kraft spoke the truth.'
Humans also exist in other parts of this world.
"Where did you find him?"
"In the river over there. I was going to process the prey, but this guy floated down from upstream." Eric shifted his weight, adjusting his grip on the unconscious man.
"I saw he still lived, so I brought him back."
Norn carefully examined the unconscious man's face. Water still dripped from dark hair plastered against pale skin.
His delicate face bore some scratches, and his clothes appeared simple, but the sewing technique surpassed what they wore.
It clearly came from one of the large tribes.
"Let's take him back inside first. We'll talk after he wakes up."
Norn motioned for Eric to carry him to a low house.
The wooden structure creaked as they entered, its walls thick with the scent of dried herbs and smoke from countless fires.
He placed him on a bed with a fur mat, and after having his sister look after him, he left.
...
Kurtz opened his eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling, sharp pain radiating throughout his body.
'I'm still alive?'
The thought came with equal parts relief and disbelief. Kurtz hadn't expected to miraculously survive, having fallen from such a high cliff without dying instantly.
Memory returned in fragments: the demon's claws, the impact, cold water rushing over him.
He assessed his physical condition; pain came from everywhere, but it didn't seem too severe, so he tentatively sat up.
The movement sent fresh waves of discomfort through his ribs.
"Don't move. You have internal injuries and need to rest for a while."
A pleasant female voice sounded in his ear. A cute, black-haired little girl, maybe ten years old, watched him with curious dark eyes that showed genuine concern.
But what interested Kurtz more was her appearance as a human little girl.
Could it be that he had just arrived at a human tribe in Gemir Forest?
To stay safe, he still needed to confirm: "Hello, where is this?"
"This is Gemir Forest. Eric picked you up from the river. Are you an adventurer from outside?"
The little girl's eyes widened with unmistakable excitement.
Their tribe numbered very small, only about a hundred people, so almost everyone in the village knew each other.
Outsiders appeared rarer than shooting stars.
And Kurtz, in front of her, stood as an unfamiliar outsider.
Kurtz let out a long breath, the pain in his body easing a bit. The pain had previously contorted his expression, but now he could manage something approaching normal.
He showed a gentle smile, trying to make himself look less intimidating: "Yes, my name is Kurtz, and I am indeed from outside."
The little girl blinked, seemingly very interested in his answer. She leaned forward slightly, hands clasped in her lap.
"What's it like outside? Kraft said there are many dangerous monsters outside. How did you survive?"
'Kraft?'
The name sent a jolt of recognition through him. This seemed indeed the human village he had spoken of, which made things much easier.
All he had to do now was wait for them to arrive. After all, they had already agreed to meet here before the demons scattered them.
The reunion point they'd chosen back when everything seemed so much simpler.
He just hadn't expected misfortune to bless him and deliver him here first.
But the price had proven a bit too high.
Kurtz said with a bitter smile: "Yes, it's indeed very dangerous outside…"
He recalled the demon that had chased him and his final attack. The creature's inhuman shriek still echoed in his memory, along with the sensation of his magic tearing through otherworldly flesh.
Unfortunately, he couldn't completely kill the opponent, and the opponent's attack hit him into the river.
But fortune also smiled upon him when he fell into the river; otherwise, he would have become the opponent's meal by now.
Just as he pondered how to explain his experience, someone gently pushed open the door, and the black-haired man Norn from earlier walked in.
"You're awake?" Norn held a steaming bowl of herbal soup in his hand and handed it to Kurtz.
The ceramic bowl warmed his palms. "Drink it. It will help your injuries."
Kurtz took the bowl, thanked him, and slowly sipped the medicinal soup.
This marked the first time he had drunk herbal soup since his transmigration.
The irony wasn't lost on him.
Here he sat, finally receiving proper medical care from people living in what most would consider primitive conditions.
He could only say that his body avoiding illness in the past six months was a miracle. After all, he knew nothing about traditional medicine and couldn't use healing magic.
If he got sick, he could only rely on his immune system to work its magic.
The bitter taste made him frown, but soon, a warm current spread from his stomach throughout his body, and the pain indeed lessened considerably.
"My name is Kurtz, and thank you for your help." Kurtz thanked him sincerely.
Norn waved his hand: "You're welcome. My name is Norn, and this is my sister Nayun." He gestured to the girl, who offered a shy wave.
"But can you tell me how you got here?"
Kurtz stayed silent for a moment, ultimately deciding not to deceive them and to tell the truth: "A demon hunted me, knocked me into the river, and then I ended up here."
"Demon!?" Nayun exclaimed, her small face draining of color.
In their tribe, the adults described demons as the most terrifying and dreadful monsters. Bedtime stories that kept children close to home and adults checking the barrier's strength each night.
People said they had five heads and ten eyes, and if you were disobedient or ran off, they would capture you and eat you as food.
Just hearing the word made Nayun's calves start to tremble.
Norn's expression also grew serious: "Are you sure it was a demon? How could they appear near Gemir Forest?"
Gemir Forest didn't even harbor any monsters; it stood as one of the few peaceful areas in this world.
The barrier that protected them had held for generations, creating a sanctuary that seemed almost too good to be true.
He and Eric occasionally ventured outside the forest to find some monsters to hone their martial arts, but they generally stayed nearby and never dared to go too far from the forest.
As for the legendary demons, he had never even seen one.
He had only heard Kraft say that they possessed a body shape similar to humans, though exceptions existed. The warrior's descriptions had always seemed like distant warnings rather than immediate threats.
Kurtz nodded: "Absolutely true, and that demon possessed great strength."
The memory sent an involuntary shiver through him. He only knew that his attack hadn't completely killed that demon, only severely wounded it, and he had no idea what happened afterward.
Then Kurtz added, "Actually, I also have companions, including Kraft. He once told me about your settlement."
"Kraft is here, too?"
Norn and Noyun spoke at the same time, their voices overlapping in shared excitement.
Kraft stood like a benefactor to their tribe, the man who had taught them to defend themselves, who had shared stories of the wider world during long winter nights.
Kraft had taught him and Eric their current martial arts, and hearing news of him again naturally made them a little emotional.
"Yes, you might see him in a few days. Kraft also told me about your tribe."
The woman from the Skywing Clan initially told Norn's tribe to him, but Kurtz learned more from Kraft.
Details about their customs, their struggles, their quiet determination to survive in a world that seemed determined to crush anything gentle.
So, no major problem existed with him saying this.
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