As the last crate of battle-axes was solemnly lifted onto the empty wagons of the Brown Bear Tribe, this transaction, which could be called the most unprecedented in scale in the history of the North, finally came to a perfect conclusion.
The air remained filled with a strange atmosphere, a mixture of fanaticism and satisfaction.
The wolf-men of Blackwood Fortress looked at the mountains of grain and coarse salt being moved into the warehouse, their faces revealing heartfelt and secure smiles.
As for the warriors of the Brown Bear Tribe, it was an entirely different scene.
They were almost greedily, with a tenderness akin to caressing a lover, wiping over and over again the brand-new ironware they had just received.
They clutched the cold battle-axes, which shimmered with a deadly luster, tightly to their chests. They used their fingers to gently trace the sharp spearheads of the iron spears, which were capable of easily tearing thru the thick hides of any beast.
That heavy, power-filled sensation made every one of them unable to suppress a series of satisfied, beast-like low growls from the depths of their throats.
Elder Shield-Bearer stood in the center of this ocean of fanaticism.
In his hand, he also gripped a battle-axe specially selected for him, with a thicker ax body and a longer blade.
But the shock in his heart far exceeded the joy of obtaining a divine weapon.
He raised his head and once again looked toward that majestic giant city, which did not seem like an object of the mortal world.
He knew that what he had traded for today was merely a single scale on the body of this city, this giant beast that was awakening.
He wanted to see more.
He wanted to know how the flesh and blood of this city were constructed. He wanted to see for himself what kind of miraculous methods that terrifyingly young leader had used to create such a miracle on this barren land, one that even the legends of human kingdoms could not rival.
This desire was so intense that it overwhelmed all the calculations and caution in his heart.
He turned around and bowed deeply, performing a chest-thumping salute toward Colin, who was still standing on the castle gatehouse, watching everything from above.
"Chief Colin." His voice carried unprecedented, sincere respect. "Everything you have created has exceeded my wildest imagination. I wonder... if I have the honor to tour your great castle?"
Colin smiled.
He had been waiting for these words.
He walked slowly down from the gatehouse and personally came before Elder Shield-Bearer.
"Of course." His voice was gentle and confident. "Blackwood Fortress will always open its doors to our most distinguished allies."
He made a "please" gesture and personally took on the role of a guide.
A journey that would completely subvert Elder Shield-Bearer's worldview began right then and there.
As they stepped into that huge gateway and truly entered the interior of the castle, the first wave of shock hit them head-on.
Elder Shield-Bearer's feet stepped onto a street wide enough for four giant bears to walk side by side.
This was not the kind of dirt road he was familiar with, the kind that became muddy as soon as it rained, mixed with livestock feces and household waste.
The surface of this street was paved with a thick layer of gravel that had been rammed incredibly solid. On both sides of the street, there were even two shallow ditches dug for drainage.
Neat. Orderly.
Only these two words remained in Elder Shield-Bearer's mind.
He saw people coming and going on the street, yet it did not seem crowded at all. Wolf-men, Boar-folk, Deer-folk... different races coexisted harmoniously here. Some were pushing wheelbarrows, transporting timber; others were holding tools, moving in a hurry.
Everyone was busy with their own affairs. Everyone had a peaceful and determined expression on their faces.
This was not a tribe at all. This was a... city.
Elder Shield-Bearer felt his breathing become somewhat rapid.
Colin seemed not to notice his loss of composure, just smiling and pointing at the buildings on both sides of the street, introducing: "Here is our residential area. According to the plan, it is divided into the Wolf-man district, the Boar-folk district..."
Elder Shield-Bearer looked in the direction his finger pointed.
Those were rows of neatly planned, brand-new wooden houses.
Each wooden house was built with logs of the same specifications, and the roofs were covered with thick thatch coated in fireproof mud.
They were no longer the kind of low, damp, and crowded shacks. Instead, they were spacious, bright, and even had a small yard of their own enclosed by low fences in front of the house.
He saw that in some yards, clean leather clothing was drying. In one yard, a female wolf-man was sitting at the doorway, and at her feet, a furry wolf-man cub that had just learned to walk was toddling, making babbling, tuneless sounds.
The scene was so warm, so... filled with an atmosphere of peace.
Elder Shield-Bilant crowd before him, over the raging flames, and once again cast toward that deep, eastern nite sky, which hid countless secrets.