Chapter 563 - 562: The Happy Old Man

Chapter 563: Chapter 562: The Happy Old Man

As they passed, Colin saw a few Gnomes dressed as Druids standing around, watching the Constructs chop down trees.

Admittedly, a group of Druids watching Constructs cut down trees was a peculiar sight.

"That city looked so clean inside. Why is it like this as soon as you step out?" Dorn said as he walked briskly to the side and scraped the mud from his boots on a tree root.

Colin bent down, picked up a branch, and cleaned the mud from his own soles as he walked. "If you were hoping to see some kind of Construct town on this trip, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. The area east of Holy Tear City is pretty much the same as the Weston Clan’s territory."

"Why is that?" Orelia asked.

"That’s a long story."

"That’s fine. We have plenty of time to listen, Colin," Ale said.

’Forget Kase and his group. *You* should at least know what I’m about to say.’ While Colin grumbled internally, he spoke to the group. "Just like how Elves are divided into Golden Elves and Moon Elves, Gnomes are split into Rock Gnomes and Forest Gnomes. But a long time ago, all Gnomes were Forest Gnomes.

"However, back when the Ancient Empire still existed, some Forest Gnomes were captured by the Empire’s armies and enslaved. During their harsh lives as slaves, they forgot their Forest Gnome traditions and their love for Nature.

"After the fall of the Ancient Empire, these Gnomes couldn’t return to their original way of life like other races could, as they were far from the forests and had forgotten how to survive in them.

"Regardless, a community’s cohesion requires traditions and skills to build a shared identity. So these Gnomes naturally began to adopt the technology and traditions of the Ancient Empire. That’s how they became completely distinct from the Forest Gnomes."

Dorn coughed lightly and said, "As for technology, while they learned a great deal, the Shadow Anvil Clan’s craftsmanship is actually a cut above."

Colin ignored the Dwarf’s boasting and continued, "Later, because the population density of the Rock Gnomes was higher than the Forest Gnomes living in the woods, they also reproduced much faster. To this day, the vast majority of Gnomes in the world are Rock Gnomes.

"Since Holy Tear City already had extensive pipe systems from the time of the Ancient Empire, the Rock Gnomes, who had mastered such crafts, naturally established a foothold there.

"After that, they began to pioneer westward, seeking more living space. It was then that these Rock Gnomes came into conflict with the Forest Gnomes and Druids living in the forests."

"I can probably guess what happened next," Kase chimed in.

"You’re probably right."

Colin continued, "Eager to expand, Holy Tear City chose not to negotiate and instead waged war on the forest. This resulted in them being trapped on the coastline by the Witch’s Hammer Mountain Range and the surrounding forests.

"In the end, Holy Tear City was defeated and forced to sign the Forest Contract. That’s why those Constructs we saw have to log under the supervision of Druids. It’s almost no different from the contract Thousand Masts City reached with the Elves on the edge of the Supreme Forest, but Thousand Masts City paid a much smaller price."

"How ironic. That mountain gives them warm hot springs, yet they ended up doing something like that," Orelia said.

"That’s why most of the area west of Holy Tear City was absorbed into Thousand Masts City’s sphere of influence," Colin continued. "Actually, Holy Tear City is probably the most livable city-state in the Northern Lands. If it weren’t for that war, it would likely be more developed than Thousand Masts City is now."

"But most of the Gnomes I’ve seen are fun-loving little guys. I don’t get an evil feeling from them. It’s hard to imagine they would start such a meaningless war," Ale sighed.

Colin added, "Although there are many Gnomes in Holy Tear City, they’re still outnumbered by humans and other races. A lot of those decisions actually had nothing to do with them."

The group chatted as they walked, and soon it was dusk.

The party then unloaded the tents from Big Hoof Treasure, made camp on the roadside, and took turns on watch until they set out again at dawn.

This leisurely pace reminded Colin of his earliest days of adventuring, making him feel a bit nostalgic.

As time passed, the party turned from the main road onto a remote path.

Just as Colin had said, the villages they encountered along the way were much like those in the Northern Lands, mostly consisting of low, thatched-roof houses. Occasionally, they would see a church or a Druid temple built of stone.

While they traveled, Orelia also took the time to forage for herbs nearby.

She had learned how to make Healing Potions under Donkexes’s tutelage, so she had brought her potion-brewing tools with her on this trip—usually kept on Big Hoof Treasure’s back.

Although the scarcity of herbs meant the yield was worryingly low, free potions were still very appealing to everyone in the party.

Colin, who had also brought his tools, used the travel time to install the Night Vision Lenses from his old Dog-faced Helmet onto his current Charell Helmet.

The two lenses weren’t particularly valuable, so when Donkexes took back the helmet, he had let Colin remove them first to save him the trouble of making them again.

「A week later.」

In the afternoon, the forest path snaked forward at the base of towering trees. Dappled light filtered down through the gaps in the canopy overhead.

A chill hung over the northern woods. The air was dry and crisp, without the smell of rotting leaves found in the Supreme Forest. The only scents were a hint of damp earth and pine.

Colin led Big Hoof Treasure along the relatively flat path.

Whenever Big Hoof Treasure tried to sneak a bite of the roadside grass, Colin would pull the reins tight and urge the big horse forward.

By all rights, Big Hoof Treasure was very well-fed, but the animal was constantly thinking about food. It was probably just simple gluttony.

"Alright, hold up a second," said Dorn, who was walking alongside them. "Kase says there’s a charcoal burner’s camp up ahead. Have Colin go to the front. It’ll be easier for him to do the talking."

"Alright." Colin led Big Hoof Treasure to the front of the party and continued onward.

The group followed the path to a small creek.

They didn’t have to follow the creek far upstream before the charcoal burner’s camp Kase had mentioned came into view. The Half-Orc then darted out from somewhere and rejoined the group.

Colin led Big Hoof Treasure to the camp’s entrance.

Several nearby woodcutters saw a figure in half-plate armor approaching and stood up to see what was going on. But after Kase and the others appeared, these woodcutters silently picked their woodcutter’s axes up off the ground and went to get the old charcoal burner who was in charge.

To avoid making the woodcutters nervous, Colin slowed his pace a little.

After a moment, a sturdy old man in a gray felt hat walked over, shouting from a distance, "Gentlemen, you... uh..."