The Mohawk chieftain, "Very Big Eyes," answered without hesitation.
"Let me hear about those conditions."
Finally, he took my bait. Of course, you have to dress up well so that the Mohawk people don't misunderstand you. I calmly explained the conditions with a serious look in my eyes.
"······Like the Lenape tribe, young men between the ages of fifteen and twenty must undergo warrior training for two years. Of course, the Mohawk tribe must provide them with food, weapons, and other necessities for daily life each season."
"······."
The Mohawks tilted their heads to try to figure out what I was trying to say, then quickly began asking me questions.
"I wonder why our young people need training."
"······I don't want my soldiers to die in vain on the battlefield. That's why we need intensive training based on systematic command."
"So what do the trained warriors do?"
"It is the warriors' job to prevent enemy invasion, patrol the territory, and protect the tribesmen."
I answered their questions calmly, as if I was reading from a prepared script. After a while, the Mohawk tribesmen, who had heard my conditions, were conversing and deep in thought.
At that moment, 'Very Big Eyes' asked politely.
"Can I see the Lenape warriors training?"
I nodded willingly.
"It's night now, so it might be difficult. I'll take you to the training center tomorrow morning."
"thank you."
As they returned to their quarters in the village, I immediately gave instructions to the thousand men.
"Swift deer! Loud thunder!"
"Yes, Chief!"
"There will be guests at tomorrow's training, so I think it would be better to focus on tactics."
Knowing my intention, the swift deer and the roaring thunder answered powerfully.
"Understood, Chief!"
"I will prepare it nicely."
* * *
The next day. As soon as we finished breakfast, we took the Mohawk tribesmen to the training camp.
"How come the training camp is bigger than our village?"
"Is that the house where the warriors stay?"
"The training ground is also incredibly large."
The 'very big eyes' and the Mohawk tribesmen looked around with wide eyes, as if overwhelmed by the size of the training camp.
I guided them around and gave a brief explanation of each building.
"······There are two meals, morning and evening. This is the food warehouse, and that is the weapons warehouse."
At that moment, warriors with bows were training on one side. The 'fast-footed deer' that saw me cried out loud as if it had been waiting for me.
"firing!"
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
They must have selected warriors who were good at archery, because they hit the target with every arrow without missing a single one.
The Mohawk tribesmen who had been watching for a while let out exclamations with astonishment.
"The target is quite far away, and you hit it."
"Are you all sharpshooters?"
"That's amazing."
As the order to replace the 'Swift Deer' was given, the twenty warriors moved quickly and started shooting arrows again.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
This time, it hit the mark. As soon as the archery training was over, the 'fast deer' gave immediate instructions to the warriors.
"Today, we will conduct tactical training by unit. Gather at the training grounds right now."
"Understood, Master Cheon In-jang!"
After a while, the flags of each unit waved and the warriors moved quickly and nimbly under the command of 'Swift Deer' and 'Roaring Thunder'.
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
"Into battle formation!"
"Defense formation!"
"Fire rapidly and rain down arrows on the enemy!"
"Raise your shield!"
"Charge the university!"
As I expected, the Mohawk tribesmen watched the warriors' training with their mouths wide open. At that moment, unable to contain his curiosity, 'Very Big Eyes' cautiously asked me.
"Are there any Pequot people among the warriors training there?"
"Yes. Regardless of tribal origin, whether Pequot or Quiri-Phi, we all train together. After all, all tribesmen are equal before the Creator God."
For a moment, the pupils of the 'very big eyes' shook violently as if shocked by my words.
"···okay."
* * *
A 'very large' town, a town hall. The Mohawk tribesmen toured the training camp and held a brief meeting before 'Very Big Eyes' stepped forward and spoke.
"I will accept the conditions proposed by the chief."
I smiled brightly and they welcomed my decision.
"You have made a good decision. From now on, the Lenape and Mohawk tribes are allies."
I turned my head and looked at the elder waiting on one side. The elder approached and held out the leather he was holding.
"···Just circle this. And as a token of our alliance, please give me the chief's necklace."
"All right."
After a while, I had a few more conversations with the Mohawks before they left.
"···Soon, three hundred warriors will be stationed in the Mohawk lands. We ask for the Mohawks' full support in building the garrison."
"I will do my best to support you."
"Finally, spread the word among the Iroquois Confederacy that the Lenape and Mohawk have formed an alliance. This will keep the Iroquois Confederacy from going too far."
The plan I came up with was met with 'big eyes' and a look of admiration from the Mohawk tribesmen.
"That's a very good idea."
After a while, the Mohawk tribe allied with our tribe left the village with light steps. As I saw them off, my eyes sparkled with meaning.
'Where will the Iroquois Confederacy go next?'
* * *
Mohawk River, Mohawk tribal village. 'Rising Flame', who played a major role in creating the Iroquois Confederacy, returned to the village after a long time and held a meeting in the Long House.
The conference was also attended by great chiefs of the Iroquois confederacy. Chief of the Oneida tribe, 'Singing with the Wolf'.
The 'Deep Swamp', the chieftain's hometown of Onondaga. 'Sky of Dawn', the chieftain of the Kayuga tribe. 'Rough Breath', the chief of the Seneca tribe.
The atmosphere of the meeting was friendly.
"······When our warriors showed up, the Mohawks turned their backs and ran away. Hahaha!"
"······Anyway, let's completely drive out the Mohawk tribe next year."
The war to drive out the Mohawk tribe and expand territory was temporarily postponed while the Iroquois confederate tribes prepared for winter.
"······I hope everyone has prepared well for winter."
The Iroquois Confederate tribes shared tobacco and promoted friendship among their tribes. In particular, 'Rising Flames' exchanged opinions with other chiefs on how to lead the Iroquois confederacy in the future.
"How about electing a representative to the Iroquois Confederacy every five years?"
"Let's do it for seven years."
"Wouldn't a strong alliance be better than a union?"
"Not a bad idea."
As the meeting was in full swing, the Oneida tribe's great warrior entered the long house.
"I'm sorry to interrupt the meeting. I have something urgent to report to you, Your Majesty."
'Singing with the Wolf' asked with a slightly annoyed expression.
"What do you have to report?"
"It is said that the Mohawk and Lenape tribes formed an alliance."
"······."
For a moment, the long house was enveloped in silence.
* * *
Winter of 1402. A 'very big' town. The first snow fell, signaling the end of autumn and the arrival of winter. The fall harvest was successfully completed, and neighboring tribes came to trade with the Lenape tribe's specialties and then left.
The three hundred warriors sent to the Mohawk lands built a fort and were stationed there safely. And as promised, he sent two hundred young men from the Mohawk tribe.
They were undergoing intensive training at the training camp, transforming from trainee warriors to junior warriors.
"You are the great warriors of the sun!"
"There is no poison in your eyes!"
"One last lap!"
From my quarters in the training camp, I could hear the rough sounds of the white soldiers training their soldiers. At that moment, a 'swift deer' made a noise and came inside the door.
"Chief! This white man has returned from patrolling the southern village safely."
"Give this white man a rest, and switch with the five white men."
"All right."
The 'fast deer' handed me the leather map the white man had brought and left the room. There are currently three white men on patrol duty roaming the Lenape territory.
The leather map I had copied myself through the map window showed in detail the villages patrolled by this white troop.
"Hmm! There are twenty villages."
I opened the map window and checked the villages displayed on the leather map again.
"This work will probably be finished by next spring."
After a while, I got up from my seat and walked towards the river where the shipyard was located.
* * *
"Everyone is working hard."
Certainly, since the introduction of iron technology, the overall work speed has increased rapidly. These hundred warriors, carrying forges, hammers, nails, and other tools made in the blacksmith's shop, were busy building a ship.
"Use a chisel to cut the wood flatter."
"I wish there was more grooves dug here."
"Bring me a wooden hammer."
Cut and trim.
Dig, pound.
The work of carrying and fitting was repeated over and over again.
"It's slowly taking the shape of a Viking ship."
On one side, they were weaving leather piece by piece to make a sail.
"It can carry more people than a canoe. For traveling the river, there is no better boat than a Viking ship."
The Viking ship currently under construction is small, but can easily accommodate up to thirty people. Just then, several warriors ran to the side of the ship carrying pitch made from pine resin.
With only a few blows of the hammer, the large, tar-soaked nails were driven deep.
"If you don't want the ship to leak, apply more tar."
"Understood, Commander!"
After confirming that the shipyard was running smoothly, I headed straight to the blacksmith shop.
* * *
After completing their morning training, warriors were making iron weapons, farm implements, and household tools in dozens of blacksmith shops.
The sound of iron striking against a hot flame could be heard from all directions.
Thud thud!
I continued past the blacksmith shop and entered the workshop at the end of the charcoal workshop. 'Lazy Beaver' was making paper from birch bark with his assistants just as I had taught him.
On one side, the bark of a birch tree was separated from its core, ground finely on a millstone, and boiled in a pot with water.
And in the center, the 'lazy beaver' was holding an elaborate square scoop, moving it up and down alternately, left, right, and top, and scooping up white water with dissolved fibers.
'I wish there was a paper mulberry tree.'
Hanji is the paper that does not rot even after a thousand years. But unfortunately, no matter how hard I looked around, I couldn't find any mulberry trees.
I continued to watch the 'lazy beaver', who was concentrating on his work without even realizing that I was there, leaving my regrets behind.
After a while, the 'Lazy Beaver' saw me and greeted me happily.
"Chief! When did you come?"
"earlier."
"If you're here, just tell me right away."
"You're working so hard, I don't want to bother you."
"Anyway, welcome back. The paper was already finished and I was planning on reporting it to the chief. Let's go."
We left the paper workshop under the guidance of the 'Lazy Beaver'. The paper hung on a rack was drying in the sunlight.
Then, the 'lazy beaver' took a piece of paper out of the basket and handed it to me.
"I hope it's the paper that the chief wants… What do you think?"
"Not bad. Good job."
As he spoke with a satisfied expression while fiddling with the paper here and there, the tense 'lazy beaver' finally began to brighten up his frozen face.
To be honest, the texture was rough and rustic compared to modern paper, but I wanted to give great meaning to the fact that paper was made.
'Don't expect too much from a lazy beaver. This is a good thing.'
At that moment, a series of welcome notification sounds rang in my head.
[Tiring!]
[Paper has been invented.]
[Tiring!]
[Level up.]
···
···
[As a reward, you will be able to acquire books from the 'Celestial Library'.]
[When the conditions are met, one characteristic will bloom randomly.]
Current level is 45.
'Damn it! Why at this particular moment···'
I frowned without realizing it and waited for the next message with eyes full of anticipation. What will be the characteristic this time?