The 'vast land' turned around with a confident look.
* * *
A 'very big' town, training camp. When the news of uninvited guests came, the trainee warriors training in the training camp began to grumble and complain here and there.
"I guess I'm going to die today."
"I guess the training intensity will be high?"
"Everyone, be careful not to get targeted by the evil spirits."
At that moment, the chieftain of the Iri tribe, 'Red Fruit' and his party, guided by 'Wide Land' and the people of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, appeared at the training ground.
At that moment, a 'roaring thunder' roared in front of the trainee warriors.
"We will now begin training for battle formation. Each white general will bring his trainee warriors and form a formation!"
"Yes, Mr. Cheon In-jang!"
Trained white chieftains moved quickly with their trainee warriors, mostly Susquehannock warriors.
"Heavy infantry units, take up positions!"
"Light infantry units, grab your spears and get into position!"
"Archers, prepare to provide supporting fire from the rear!"
Five hundred trainee warriors were divided into two camps and began formation training.
"Move to the left!"
"Heavy infantry units, focus only on defense!"
"The enemy's formation is collapsing!"
"Light infantry, throw your spears and storm the enemy!"
Every time the white generals gave an order, the trainee warriors would shout with venomous eyes.
Waaa ...
'Roaring Thunder' smiled with satisfaction as he watched the trainee warriors in training. However, contrary to his will, he pushed the trainee warriors even harder.
"It's too late!"
"The unit that loses today will remain in the training ground and train until the sun sets!"
Meanwhile, the 'Red Berry' and Iri tribesmen all looked in awe as they watched the Lenape warriors training. And they asked a lot of questions to the 'vast land' and the people at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who guided them.
"···Do you train like this every day?"
"···Are all the warriors here sleeping here?
"···Is that a shiny weapon?"
"···What is that on your body?"
In particular, 'Red Fruit' was secretly afraid of the Lenape tribe he knew, which he evaluated differently.
'Is it my imagination that they all look like great warriors?'
The 'vast land' and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs people answered their questions with simple explanations, their shoulders tense.
Of course, he was cautious when it came to sensitive questions such as iron technology. At that moment, a warrior approached the 'vast land'.
"The chief says he is ready."
"Okay."
'The Vast Land' spoke to the 'Red Fruit' and the Iri Tribe people as they toured the village and training camp.
"Unfortunately, I think we'll have to stop looking around the training camp. Now! Let's go meet the chief."
"All right."
* * *
'Very large' village, council chairman. The Iri tribe people appeared in the reception room prepared in the convention hall.
I got up from my seat and greeted them.
"Welcome. I am the great chief of the Lenape tribe, Very Big Two Thousand Days."
"Nice to meet you. I am the red berry that leads the Iri tribe."
"nice to meet you."
While I was greeting other people from this tribe, I felt the gaze of the 'Red Berry' evaluating me. I guess he was a little surprised by my superior physique.
And what should I say? Should I say that I feel bad for showing an indifferent attitude towards myself? Anyway, that's what it felt like.
'What should I do? This isn't my style at all.'
That was my first impression of her. They say that the standards of beauty vary by era and region, but by my standards, 'Red Fruit's' beauty was just ordinary.
Should we say that the overall facial features are round? Her body was also plumper than that of the average thin woman.
After a while, the Iri tribe people started eating the food we had prepared and listening to what I had to say.
"···Shall we attack the Iroquois tribe next spring?"
'Red Fruit' nodded with an unknown expression.
"Yes."
"···hmm!"
I pretended to be deep in thought and let out a long sigh, while 'Red Berry' tried to persuade me with sweet words.
"······There is no need to worry so much. I think you can tell by looking at their past actions. First, the Mohawk tribe, and then our tribe. Where do you think it will be next? It is quiet now, but one day, the Iroquois confederation will definitely attack the Lenape tribe."
I just listened silently as she talked about her beauty.
"······."
Phew!
Did you feel like it was a joke? In that moment, the expression on 'Red Fruit''s face hardened. And I said with a big laugh.
"Good. Everything is good. The Iroquois confederacy is going to invade our Lenape tribe? I wonder if I'm thinking too far ahead. And even if the Iroquois confederacy were to invade, our tribe would be able to repel them."
"······."
'Red Fruit' looked slightly embarrassed at my confident attitude.
"And to be honest, I don't see how our people would benefit from conquering the Iroquois Confederacy."
In response to my negative reaction, 'Red Fruit' immediately made a generous offer as if it had prepared in advance.
"I will give you half of the territory of the Iroquois Confederacy."
"Half···"
I refused outright without even thinking about it.
"I think it will be difficult."
"······."
'Red Fruit' let out a long sigh and secretly scratched my insides with a displeased expression.
"I heard he was quite manly... I guess it was just an unbelievable rumor."
"Rumors are just rumors. In any case, I don't think it's necessary for our soldiers to fight and shed blood in a meaningless war."
It was a simple statement, but it contained a lot of meaning. 'Red Fruit' also seemed to have vaguely noticed the meaning and stopped trying to persuade me.
"···All right."
When the negotiations with me broke down, the 'Red Fruit' and Iri tribe people all took on serious expressions and exchanged secret glances.
I laughed inside, pretending not to know anything.
'You won't be able to sleep all night. You'll be thinking about how to get our tribe involved.'
Anyway, now is the time to focus on internal affairs. For us, it was good that the Irie and Iroquois confederations continued to support, tease, and fight each other in a state of antagonism.
After a while, the Iri tribesmen came out of the reception room guided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials. At that moment, the 'Honest Bear' who was guarding me closely next to me stared at 'Red Berry' who was leaving the meeting room with his face pierced.
"You're soooo pretty!"
I turned my head and looked at the 'Honest Bear'.
'No way? You're not in love with that girl, are you?'
As expected, my uneasy feeling was not wrong. Suddenly, the 'Honest Bear' grabbed my shoulder with eyes full of longing, bringing back old memories.
"Chief! I want to go to that woman."
"······."
For a moment I was speechless and couldn't answer. The 'Honest Bear' didn't miss the opportunity.
"Please keep the promise you made to me last time. I also want to start a family."
I nodded with a very bewildered expression.
"Okay, I understand. I'll do my best."
* * *
The next day. Before the Iri tribe left the village, they came to see me again. I welcomed them from the morning and listened to the 'Red Fruit' proposal with a tired expression.
"···I would like to receive weapons and armor from the Lenape tribe. Of course, I would like to receive them in return for something in return. For example, food or leather."
"···hmm!"
Everything was going as I expected. Except for one thing. Without realizing it, I looked at the 'Honest Bear' who was blankly staring at the 'Red Berries' with pitiful eyes.
'Whew! I'm seriously into her.'
I'm ready to calm down and negotiate. First of all, public and private affairs must be distinguished. Moreover, iron weapons were strategic assets of our tribe, so they could not be carelessly leaked to anyone other than an allied tribe.
Of course, even if they are allied tribes, they will go through strict screening to decide whether or not to provide iron weapons.
But, if it's an arrow made of consumable iron... Even if it wasn't an allied tribe, it could still sell well.
'Just enough so that it doesn't pose a threat to our tribe.'
Having already calculated the situation in my head, I entered into the negotiation cautiously.
"···I'm sorry. You're asking me too much. I'll get straight to the point. Those weapons can't be sold."
'Red Fruit' did not hide his disappointment with his expression as expected.
"···okay."
"However, it's not a large amount, but I can sell arrows."
For a moment, something strange appeared in her eyes.
"If you could sell us even some arrows, we would be truly grateful."
"It'll cost you quite a bit, is that okay?"
'Red Fruit' expressed a strong desire to purchase, seemingly not caring much about the cost.
"it's okay."
"Okay, just wait a moment."
I nodded to the 'stubborn bear' next to me and instructed him to bring the heads of the Foreign and Treasury departments in charge of the negotiations.
"Yes, Chief!"
The 'Honest Bear' seemed to notice her and answered louder than ever. After a while, the Red Fruit and Iri tribesmen had stern expressions on their faces, seemingly fed up with the 'deep and clear' negotiating skills of the head of the Finance Ministry.
"···I hope that we can continue to trade often in the future and maintain good relations between the two tribes."
'Red Fruit' frowned and sarcastically complained to 'Deep and Clear'.
"I don't know if I'll be able to buy arrows again next time."
"······."
I coughed in vain, avoiding her gaze that was staring at me. Adventure! I also think that 'Deep and Clear' was sold too expensively.
Suddenly, the 'Red Fruit' got up from its seat and spoke to the Iri tribe people.
"Please prepare to depart immediately after receiving the arrow."
"Understood, Chief!"
The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 'Wide Earth', took the lead to guide them with an awkward expression. At that moment, I quickly stopped her as she was leaving the interview room.
"Chief!"
'Red Fruit' turned around and looked at me. I looked at the 'Honest Bear' once and then mustered up my courage and asked.
"If you don't mind, is there a man you would like to start a family with?"
"······."
'Red Fruit' twitched one corner of his mouth as if he was dumbfounded, then spoke while exhaling a cold air.
"doesn't exist."
"okay."
"For your information, I'm not interested in other men."
"······."
As I watched her say those words coldly as if there had been some great misunderstanding and disappear, my face turned red without me realizing it.
As the door closed, the 'Humble Bear' laughed loudly and cheered without any clue.
"Hehehehe! Chief! There are no men."
* * *
The Iri tribesmen left with one hundred arrows. And the days passed quickly.
[Autumn 1403.]
The date displayed in the map window. I was busy going back and forth between my office and my workshop, preparing to welcome the general assembly.
Organize the seasons, calendar, and times to be proclaimed in the Assembly. Additionally, with the help of the 'Lazy Beaver' and artisans belonging to the Construction Department, they were making sundials and water clocks to be distributed to each village.
And in return for inventing something new, you even level up. I couldn't help but look at the water clock in the corner with a regretful expression.
If possible, I wanted to make a smooth clock. However, not only manufacturing technology but also iron technology had not reached that level.
"There's nothing I can do."
I put my regrets aside and checked the map window, checking each location where farmland and related facilities would be built.
"I think this place would be good for an orchard."
"It would be a good idea to plant beans here."
"It's too far from the river. Should I build a reservoir?"
After a while, when the farmland and related facilities were roughly organized, I leaned back deeply in my chair.
"The land is vast and there is a lot to develop. But, there is no population."
Since there were so many things to deal with, I couldn't help but sigh. First, from a long-term perspective, we plan to increase food production to meet the growing population.
I nodded and muttered with a worried expression.
"If you expand your territory by waging wars of conquest using stage cannons, it will collapse like a sand castle."
Exactly this year. During that time, we plan to focus on internal affairs, lay the foundation for the country, and make it run systematically.
At that moment, a noise was heard from outside and a warrior came in.
"Chief! The Shawnee people have come to see you. And they asked me to deliver this to you first."
After receiving the pouch the warrior handed me, I quickly checked its contents.
'What is this?'
My eyes grew wide without me knowing.