Chapter 505

Chapter 505 First Negotiation

Inside the carriage, Lolan Hill saw the scene and knew that it was impossible to enter the tribe discreetly. Reluctantly, she took out the zither she had used before from her ring and placed it in her lap. Her slender fingers strummed the strings, sending melodious notes into the wind.

The music was not loud but light and soothing, the same tune she played at the Fire Festival two years ago. Under the special technique of the Songstress lineage, the music spread without any loss throughout the tribe, as if it were being played right beside them.

The camp seemed to quiet down, and gradually settled with the calls of some messengers.

Soon after, a shaman riding a large elk came out of the tribe, accompanied by people. There were long antlers on his forehead, with copper plaques and jade hanging from them, making a clear sound when they collided. This was Ulnur, the great shaman among the orcs.

A carriage from the caravan drove out alone and stopped not far away. A young lady wearing a sun hat descended from the carriage, walking forward under the protection of ten riders.

When they were less than 20 meters apart, the girl in the white dress removed her sun hat, revealing her long black hair and dark eyes like black gems, exactly the appearance of the Flame Songstress.

After meeting each other, the great shaman spoke first, “Long time no see, respected Daughter of Fire, Princess Eralyni.”

“It has been a while, Great Shaman Ulnur.”

Afterwards, Lolan Hill was welcomed by these orc friends and entered the tribe.

In the large tent, several wooden chairs were arranged in a semi-circle. The chieftain, leaders, and shamans of the Horned Tribe gathered together, with two central seats occupied by Great Shaman Ulnur and Lolan Hill.

Compared to the orc’s nearly three-meter-tall bodies, Lolan Hill looked rather slim sitting on the high chair, her legs hanging in the air, swaying slightly beneath her pure white skirt, about five to six centimeters from the ground.

After the leaders and shamans paid their respects to the Flame Songstress, the great shaman finally asked the purpose of the girl’s visit.

“This time I am here as an envoy of Clancia, and I have some ideas I wish to discuss with everyone.”

The girl began to describe the beautiful vision of humans and orcs coexisting under the same sky, living hand in hand. The rabbit-eared people of Clancia and a few other orcs were excellent examples of this today.

After listening, the tribal leaders present were either very interested, indifferent, or shook their heads slightly, but none interrupted the girl’s words. They waited silently until she finished speaking, then turned their gaze towards the great shaman in the center.

Ulnur

Stroking his long brown beard, he nodded slightly and pondered for a moment before responding.

“The meaning of Princess Eranie’s words is clear to me. I fully agree, and I believe that some of my kin here will not strongly oppose this idea.” He turned his head and looked at each person present. Some lowered their heads, saying nothing.

Despite having minor objections, no one dared to contradict under the great shaman’s authority.

“However, this is merely the opinion of our tribe. Other tribes may not approve, and not all orcs are like us. Some tribes still harbor hatred towards humans.”

“Of course, these orcs do not represent the majority; they are just a small faction. We can try to overcome this. The biggest issue lies in the fact that this proposal does not have much appeal to the larger tribes.”

“It does indeed sound good and is a wise choice, which means a bright future for the entire clan. But it is not enough.”

“Princess Eranie is so kind and beautiful that she might find it hard to understand the thoughts of some orcs. They will not risk changing everything they have always known for distant, intangible benefits.”

“In fact, it was due to Your Highness’s grace that many tribes now have confidence and no longer rely entirely on trade with humans. Asking them to suddenly make such a significant shift and join the human kingdom might be psychologically challenging for many.”

It is not that the idea or proposal is bad, but the timing is not right. Everyone lacks the strong desire to change. Not every tribal leader or shaman is as enlightened and wise as this great shaman, who can understand and believe in this beautiful proposal.

Is that so? After hearing Ulnur’s series of explanations, Lolan Hill remained silent for a while, looking at the empty space before her. Her fingers tapped lightly by her side as she thought about a solution.

After a period of silence, the young lady looked up and gazed at the great shaman. His calm expression did not seem to show any concern or contemplation.

“Sir, do you have any good suggestions?”

“Hehehe, Princess Eranie, although I mentioned many difficulties, those are for others. If it were you, none of these would be issues.”

He redirected his gaze to the others present, and Lolan Hill followed curiously. At this point, she noticed that the other orcs also displayed a look of understanding and belief, unlike before when they were more resistant.

“Perhaps you have not yet realized your own charm. If you were to promote this beautiful vision under the name of the Crimson Songstress, Eranie, at the Flame Conference, I believe most orcs would gladly go to that beautiful ideal land.”

“Because you have already brought them a beautiful blessing.”

“Now, this gift has been demonstrated in thousands of tribes. Your reputation spreads from the foot of Mount Kallenriel to the White Salt Lake; everyone knows it, everyone understands it.”

As Ulnur spoke,

Afterward, all the orcs present pressed their hands against their chests and recited a chapter from the Fire Poem.

[Like the light of dawn, the crimson songstress of fire]

[She brings the blessing of flames to this world]—

That night, after continuing to discuss the subsequent itinerary and arrangements with the Great Shaman, Lolan希尔 finally returned to the caravan to rest.

After the young lady left, a young orc chieftain entered the room.

“Proud of the Cold Wilds, Lord Unur, I have something to ask.” He bowed before the revered shaman.

“Speak, what is it?” Unur sat in his seat, taking a sip of mare’s milk to clear his throat.

“Why do you so strongly support Princess Eranie’s proposal, even offering to strategize? Although she has brought us much, she is still human.”

After a moment of silence, the shaman replied, “Indeed, this may seem sudden to you, but have you considered how rare such an opportunity is?”

“If it were in the distant past, when the orc empire was still around, we would not have to humbly remain in these barren northern regions.”

“The world has changed like the shifting sands of time, thousands of years have passed, and now it is humanity’s domain. Resisting as we did before will only make survival harder.”

“Have you not seen that even the once proud elves have left the forests and allied with humans to establish their nations?”

“Is the elf queen who agreed to the proposal of the Prince of the Moonlit Kingdom truly acting out of love, without regard for consequence? Are the elders of her tribe really allowing her to make such decisions?”

“They understand that continued resistance is no longer meaningful. While the lifespan of elves is long, the number of humans far exceeds that of elves. If we continue to confront them, the forest elves might meet the same fate as the silver elves.”

“Now, the Verdant Empire thrives, and the elves enjoy more freedom.”

“That is why I am so optimistic about Princess Eranie’s proposal. It may be hard to accept at first, but in the long run, the outcome will be beneficial.”

Seeing that the young man still had reservations, Unur put down his cup and slowly said,

“Consider me an old man who has lost the ambition of youth, just wanting to live out his remaining days in peace.”

“I have seen too much bloodshed among my kin and do not wish to see that scene again.”

He slowly walked out of the tent, leaning heavily on his wooden staff, leaving the young man alone inside.

Outside the great tent, the moon was bright and the stars sparse, with a gentle breeze sweeping across the wilderness.

Thank you to the readers 专心发呆, GA126, 半夏忆梦, 鬼手零七, 可莉, and 书友20200723224238891 for your support~

Special thanks to the reader 专心发呆 for your support. More chapters will be added tomorrow~

(End of Chapter)