Chapter 358 - They won't understand you.

In Section 2, Tunnel 1 on the right wing. Bittore has asked Zelimia and Samantha to follow her there, so they can talk about that little scene she ran in to. The strong Iron Door in this private room sure proves useful for such a topic, the word won't likely get out.

Upon entering, she offered them a little snack. Because after all, this isn't a Torture chamber and she would not want to harm one of her own. Knowing that most would prefer Blue Eagle Meat, that is the food she offered.

With her brown, tied in to a bun hair shinning due to a torch close to her, illuminating the place. Bittore started it off, trying to get information out of them. "So... Is there anything specific you would want to tell me here? Because what I walked in to was more than a friendly gesture." It won't neccesarily be a challenging task for Bittore to find something out, practically being a certified Honey mouth.

Becoming rather red due to these questions, Samantha Olem swallowed her spit in nervousness. Trying to speak, not wanting to lie but trying to find an excuse. "Um, she wasn't feeling alright so I figured she could use some support."

That is actually what happened come to think of it, but it isn't the entire truth yet again it can be masked or sugar coated. Zelimia woke up feeling cold due to obvious reasons, she ate Ratbug meat after and she sprained her arm too when she tripped while going up the stairs.

"That's all?" Bittore asked once more, paying detailed attention to every word Samantha says and memorizing it all. "Honestly if you were at a more private spot, I was sure that you two would get at it." Her last few words not very specific, but all three of them know what it means.

"So what?" Zelimia added with a mild shout, slightly angry and not at all embarrassed. "It's not like we have a God to fear, we all know the Source is just a Demon."

At such wordplay, Bittore instantly noticed why Zelimia shifted this towards a religious view. She wants to excuse both of their actions by trying to make Bittore accept what's different. Of course, Bittore has the proper words to say here without forming a Grudge towards these useful Fire Manipulators.

"I realise that there is a lot of Atheism happening recently due to the last information about the Sources, and due to the fake Gods the ill.u.s.tratian Alliance tried to force on us. But you need to realise that towards the same gender there are limits you shouldn't cross, regardless what religion you do or don't follow." Bittore has always been a Lady who makes a lot of sense, commonly gives the best advice and only acts stupid around enemies. But to her debate, these two ladies have reasons to disagree.

"Why? It doesn't really matter if we reproduce!" Zelimia continued to debate while Samantha stood quiet in embarrassment, having a lot in mind but not knowing how to specify. "We don't desperately need new allies, food will often be scarce and..."

"And?" Bittore asked, carefully analysing and remembering her words.

"We all know that men don't treat women right most of the time, do we really need to tolerate a man when we have the chance not too?" Bittore noticed that Zelimia is fishing out one excuse after the other, to perhaps let that scene escape unmentioned.

But furthermore, she realized that Zelimia is quoting Bittore's very bad fate with her husband. After all, her husband has sold them out to the ill.u.s.tratian for gold, so Zelimia does have a point in some aspects.

So there is just one thing to say here, "Look, I understand you but I also need to do whatever you want to do in private. I don't need elderly, kids or anyone for that matter to be exposed on something that would harm their productivity."

Seeing that the two ladies are listening, Zelimia having an angry look on her face and Samantha being red in embarassmant. Bittore continued to request, "If you want to get at it, with all means do it. I won't say anything about it as long as I don't see it or hear it. Do whatever you want, but rest assured that people will likely never understand your points of view."

Afterwards they were dismissed, they of course took Bittore's word in to large consideration and will honour her request. As for stopping this... we can call it love, but at the same time neither of them were in a relationship before to understand how love works.

The point is, they have no goal of stopping it. It is a good thing that Bittore didn't publicly shame them but at the same time the furthest these two ladies went through all these months is kissing. That just gives them personally more reasons to keep this going.

...

Now to continue specifics on how and why this hidden Mountain Ignite Domain has progressed. On Tunnel 7 at section 2 on the left wing, there are a couple of elderly ladies working there, well more like reading.

They also have three teenage apprentices, one being 14 and the two others both being 13. Although these kids could use another year or two to perform heavier duties, being in the Sorcery room can't be considered the most difficult task.

Throughout reading all the content that in some aspects looks gibberish, they gave in the most attention to a liquid promoting instant health. Most precisely, a Health potion.

They still haven't figured out how to do it, although the concept sounds too simple. Their problem is understanding what those ingredients are, they are written in practically ancient Snow Ignite language.

Two of the ingredients they understand, but the third one is a true head scratcher. The first ingredient is a Blue Eagle's claw, it should be boiled in a pot, chopped in to three parts after and boiled once more with doubled heat.

Once those three steps are taken, the liquid left over from it is the base portion of this potion. The second ingredient is simple really, wheat Grain. Three of them exactly.

When put in the liquid obtained from the Blue Eagle Claws, they almost instantly melt in it and with a little jiggle on the bottle, the liquid turns from black to blue.

Those two ingredients and the process that comes with it is what they understand clearly, but the third ingredient feels impossible to understand. Its name is "Keketemat", that doesn't even sound like an Ignite word, not even Snow Ignite come to think of it.

They have no idea how to figure out this massively important potion recipe, but they will definitely not give up. Reading more books in this domain may shed light to this mystery.

...

At Section 2, Tunnel 6 on the left wing, the Iron Storage room has once again put in to use. Reason behind it, is that the Iron Mine has become completely functional and so far they managed to get 3 tons of ore out of it.

Speaking of Storage rooms, the Lumber Storage room has been also put in use. But with trees being scarce, this room is half filled with Coal meaning that the whole coal mine has become completely functional again.

Coal is an important item here, be it for heat or for on the forge it is required on a daily basis. To save up coal, illumination across walls still remains scarce and they keep the main fire going at the sleeping area, they don't need warmth on every room and that fire can easily make the whole tribe feel warm.

With an Iron door made to not let the heat escape, and with the excessive smoke or suffocating substances burned off with the small aid of fire, they have for sure utilized their resources responsibly.

So far they have managed to mine out around 7 tons of coal, the most attention and manpower has been given there. They still have enough to last for 4 months, and are still mining out Coal.

As for Lumber, they are the most savvy with it for obvious reasons. They are just too scarce around here.

Gold has been given the second most attention as well, because with a gold mine on their side they can just buy everything they need for day to day living.

Quantity wise, gold isn't exactly the most common even in a mine like this. If one is lucky, the walls or deposits would contain about 10% gold per certain mass.

So far they have managed to mine out and smelt 300 Kilos of Gold Ingots, this number alone doesn't look big does it? But when you multiply 300 with 150 it neccesarily equals to 45,000 Gold Coins!

That is indeed a large quantity, for a tribe of 57 people this alone can support them for 2 years, 3 if they are a bit more savvy with it. By that I mean if they don't eat 3 times a day!

Come to think of it food isn't as big as a problem than leather is, because there are 57 people who need more than one set of clothing per individual. So 20 Gold Ingots have been spend on clothing, with this quantity and a bit of a discount from the man helping them settle deals in the neighbouring Kingdom, they all got 3 sets of clothing.

As for proper sleeping bags, most have them but it isn't a bad idea to have an entire set of spares for everyone. However to achieve such a task, they are hunting Cave and Ice Bears. Quite hilariously, for the ladies it is a lot easier than hunting Blue Eagles.

The meat of these Bears isn't the tastiest, but it tastes at least 3 times better than Ratbug meat so no one is complaining.

A bit of a last word about Storage rooms so we know what goes where, at Section 2, Tunnel 5 on the right wing, they have used the weaponry room to put in extra Iron ores. The Blacksmiths don't need to use everything at the same time and since most weapons are in the first section it isn't a problem to repurpose this Room's use.

...

We mentioned the private room a little bit earlier, well to be more specific it belongs to Bittore. The tribe insisted for the Grand Leader to have her own room, for personal uses. She is the only other person who can take coal with her to warm up her room but she doesn't commonly do it. After all what are a few coal chunks for the one who helped them at this extend?

...

We have two more rooms to mention, to specify the progress and how it happened. And of course we can not skip the medical room, healing stones are used the most there and there are leather straps or cloths packed there as well to tie any wounds, thankfully though they have not faced any deaths or big injuries. Just cuts and bruises mostly coming from hunting or butchering.

Last but definitely not least, the mini school at Tunnel 8 on the second section's right wing. Everyone uses this place time to time, be it to become more knowledgeable, pass time and sometimes even gather up with friends and mess around.

Elderlies and children use it the most due to the fact that they have free time, but they barely understand what the books say due to ethnical, time zone and accent differences.

...

As Samantha walked alone down to the mine, trying to lend a hand and Zelimia claiming that she will join later once using the rest room. Samantha, faced a situation she would rather not face.

One of the Blacksmiths, kind with gestures and fairly with the purest intend, having a crush on the beautiful Samantha he asked. "Um... So are you seeing anyone?"

At first glance, she thought that he too has seen her and Zelimia kiss before. So she instantly evaded that fact by answering, "Um no... We are a small tribe, I'm sure you would know if I did see anyone Daler!" She spoke calmly, although her cheeks were a bit red already.

With a smile on his face after letting out a big sigh of relief, he gathered his guts and as sweat rolled down his forehead he explained. "Well, I think I like you. We are isolated here so I'm not sure if I can take you out on a date but..." In the meantime, the other few Blacksmiths in the room acted like they didn't hear anything.

Not knowing how to handle this, since she knows that Daler has been kind to everyone as far as she could remember, she heard Zelimia's tone handling this situation in a bit of anger. Apparently she is done with her business up in the rest room already. "She doesn't really trust men Daler, marriage is out of her plans for a long while if not forever."