At her raised voice, the 'vast land' and the Mohegan people in the reception room all looked up at the 'splendid sunset'.
"...."
The 'lazy beaver' continued reporting, oblivious to their gaze.
"… It seems that the cause was the collapse of the support beams that held up the ceiling. It is currently understood that about ten people are still trapped in the collapsed iron mine."
The expression on the 'Splendid Sunset' face hardened even more when she heard that ten people were trapped in the mine.
"What's the rescue situation?"
"First of all, we are mobilizing all the people working at the Ministry of Construction to carry out rescue operations. Fortunately, so far, there have been no serious injuries or deaths, except for those who are buried. And just in case, we are asking for help from the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Agriculture in case we are short on rescue personnel."
"Good job. After I finish talking to the Mohegans, I'll rush to the scene. Please take command of the scene for me."
"…All right."
As the 'Lazy Beaver' hurriedly left the guest room, the 'Wide Land' approached the 'Splendid Sunset'.
"As the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I will wrap things up well here. I think it would be best for the chief of staff to hurry and go to the scene."
"…hmm!"
After a moment of worry, the 'splendid sunset' looked at the 'vast land' with trusting eyes and spoke.
"Thank you. Then, I will trust you and go."
"is it so."
'Splendid Sunset' asked for understanding from 'Blue Leaves' and the Mohegan people.
"… I'm sorry. We have a major problem internally and I need to go quickly."
'Blue Leaf' and the Mohegan tribesmen didn't know exactly what was going on, but they readily accepted her understanding, seeing as how serious the mood was.
"Yes, of course. The agreement has been drawn up and the general discussion has been concluded, so go ahead."
"Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Minister of Foreign Affairs! I will take good care of these people."
"Don't worry. I will serve you with all my heart so that you won't have any regrets later."
'The Blue Leaf' and 'The Wide Earth' answered loudly, as if for the Mohegans to hear.
"then."
Before I knew it, 'Splendid Sunset' had rushed out of the guest room.
* * *
A large number of people came out to the collapsed iron mine and participated in the rescue operation.
"Bring me more shovels and pickaxes."
"Put the dirt in a cart and move it."
"When you dig the land, be careful because there may be people buried inside the mine."
The Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Agriculture began carefully digging down the collapsed iron mine, directing the tribesmen.
At that moment, 'Roaring Thunder' appeared at the iron mine, taking all the warriors from the training camp with him.
"…Why are there so many people? I'm completely out of my mind."
Looking at the busy rescue scene, 'Roaring Thunder' shook his head and immediately gave instructions to his warriors.
"The sun will soon set. We must rescue the trapped people today. Now! Everyone, move quickly!"
"Yes, Mr. Cheon In-jang!"
After a while, 'Splendid Sunset' appeared in the iron mine along with 'Lazy Beaver'. As soon as she arrived on the scene, the first thing she did was to unify the command structure of each administrative department.
"From now on, I will take responsibility and command the rescue scene."
In front of the heads of each administrative department, 'Splendid Sunset' gave instructions with a cool analysis that was unusual for her young age.
"Mr. Construction Director! I want to hear from the people who designed this iron mine."
"I don't think we need to deploy everyone to the rescue site. We'll figure out the maximum number of people to participate in the rescue and then divide them into groups. And it would be more efficient for each group to take turns resting and rescuing the buried people."
The heads of each administrative department, including the 'Roaring Thunder' department, did not particularly oppose her opinion.
Rather, I was amazed by the leadership of 'Splendid Sunset'. And before long, the heads of each administrative department quickly dispersed under her direction.
"Mr. Construction Manager! Have you found out who the people buried in the iron mine are?"
"Yes, here it is."
'Splendid Sunset' quickly read the paper handed over by 'Lazy Beaver'. A familiar name appeared in her eyes.
'A wounded arrow?!'
A warrior from a barbarian tribe who caused quite a stir for our warriors when they conquered the barbarian tribe. 'Splendid Sunset', whose gaze had suddenly turned cold, openly asked 'Lazy Beaver'.
"What are the chances that they are alive?"
"that is…."
The 'lazy beaver' hesitated for a moment, then cautiously stated his opinion.
"Honestly, it's half and half. As the head of the construction department, I just hope they stay alive."
"Okay, let's do our best to save them, assuming they're alive."
Although he said so outwardly, 'Splendid Sunset' thought that the people buried in the mine were dead.
'… Anyway, we have to find the body and return it to the family.'
On the one hand, there was a hope that a miracle would happen and they would be alive.
"How? Why is there a bolt from the blue in the clear sky?"
"Please save my husband."
"My son is definitely alive."
The families of those trapped in the iron mine cried and begged rescuers, stamping their feet. The 'splendid sunset' that passed by them made a promise again.
'… We must find the body, even if it is just a body.'
* * *
Inside a collapsed iron mine. 'Wounded Arrow', who had briefly lost consciousness and woke up, went around with a torch in his hand, looking for someone who might be alive like him.
"Is anyone there?"
"...."
Six hours of wandering through narrow passages. Still, the hard work paid off, as five people have been saved so far. And unfortunately, two people died.
Then, again, someone shouted from behind.
"Wait a minute. I heard a noise over there."
"...."
'The Wounded Arrow' slowly turned around, holding the torch. Two of the people he had saved were participating in the rescue operation.
Wounded Arrow, who could not speak Lenape, said nothing and walked ahead in the direction they pointed.
Thud thud!
The moment I shined a torch at the entrance blocked by a pile of dirt and rocks, I heard a person groaning.
"Hey…here you go!"
"...."
The Lenape tribesmen who had followed him ran out first.
"There is a person over there."
"Damn! My body is half buried."
A moment later, 'The Wounded Arrow' and two Lenape men were resting, breathing heavily. Two hours of clearing away dirt and rocks with all my might.
Fortunately, the person rescued this time was alive.
"I managed to save him, but… the wound is big, so it's a big problem."
"There are no shamans or healers, what should we do?"
"I guess I need to go outside first."
"Will they really come to save us?"
As soon as they found him, two Lenape men spoke with melancholy expressions as they watched the man lying on the ground, unconscious.
At that moment, the 'Wounded Arrow', who had been deep in thought without saying anything, suddenly got up from his seat.
"Let's go!"
The Lenape tribesmen began to help 'Wounded Arrow' by carrying the man lying on the ground.
"I'll carry it first."
* * *
A day has passed since the iron mine collapsed. All night long, the 'Sun of the Sky' people quickly removed the dirt and rocks blocking the mine entrance, centering on the 'splendid sunset'.
At that moment, the people who were conducting the rescue operation shouted in urgent voices one after another.
"There is a person here."
"Unfortunately, it appears he is not breathing."
Suddenly, there was a commotion around the mine.
Boom boom!
Families who hoped their husbands and sons buried in the mine would survive burst into tears here and there with expressions full of despair.
"He died?"
"Who is the dead person?"
"Surely not my husband… ."
The warriors had a hard time controlling the families who were trying to identify the dead bodies. Meanwhile, 'Splendid Sunset', who received the news from 'Roaring Thunder', was not in a very good mood.
"… Now that we have confirmed life or death, please hand them over to their families with the utmost courtesy."
"… I will do my best to return him to his family in good health."
'Roaring Thunder', who discovered the body at the scene in a gruesome state, turned around with a complicated expression.
"Head of Construction! Are we still far away from checking the entrance?"
"Lazy Beaver," he answered with an anxious look, knowing that time was of the essence in rescuing people.
"…I will somehow break through the entrance today and check the lives of the people buried in the mine."
"I know you don't have much time, but the safety of the people working on the rescue is also important, so don't push yourself too hard."
"… Yes, we will carry out the rescue operation with safety as the top priority."
As 'Lazy Beaver' also returned to the work site, 'Splendid Sunset', who was left alone in the temporary barracks, let out a long sigh.
"There's not much time… This is a big problem."
* * *
As the air we could breathe became scarce, we had no choice but to turn off the torches that illuminated the mine. Pitch black darkness.
This made the survivors who were lucky enough to survive the collapsed mine even more anxious.
"Damn it! I can't just wait here."
"Shouldn't we try to do something about it?"
"My family will be waiting for me…."
"I really don't want to die here. Sob sob!"
"Why are you crying so loudly and making a fuss!"
"Stop making a mess of the atmosphere and just go over there and cry quietly."
Now, the mood among the survivors has gone from anxious to tense.
"...."
The 'Wounded Arrow', who had been watching the scene without saying anything on one side, was also almost lost in thought.
'I really liked this place….'
I thought I would live a life like a slave, being assigned to various tasks in 'The Sun in the Sky'. But this place was completely different from what he expected.
Comfortable accommodation, food served three times a day, well-maintained roads and buildings, clean water… . There were so many good points that I couldn't count them on my fingers.
There wasn't even any hard labor. Unlike before, the 'Wounded Arrow', who had decided to turn to the 'Sun of the Sky' alliance, smiled with eyes full of despair.
'If you don't give up and come to save us…'
At that moment, a ray of pure white light came into the mine entrance and people's voices could be heard one after another.
"The entrance is open!"
"Isn't there anyone there?"
"Oh my God! There's a survivor here!"
Moments later, as those rescued from the collapsed mine met their families, the area was filled with tears of joy and sobs.
"dad!"
"Do you know how nervous my heart is?"
"Thank you for being alive."
As those rescued from the collapsed mine reunited with their families, the area was filled with tears of joy and sobs. The people who had been working on the rescue also watched the scene with happy expressions.
There were even people who sobbed and cried along with them. 'Splendid Sunset', the person in charge of this rescue operation, also had tears in her eyes.
"I can't believe it even though I saw it with my own two eyes. I can only say that it's a miracle…"
"Hahaha! Didn't I tell you? It's too early to despair. There must be survivors inside the mine."
As 'Roaring Thunder' spoke with a bright smile as if he was proud of himself, 'Lazy Beaver' tilted his head and teased him.
"I don't think I've ever heard anything like that…."
'Roaring Thunder' said with great bewilderment.
"Well, I spoke to the chief of staff when the head of the construction department was not there."
At that moment, a man approached the 'splendid sunset'.
"...."
'Wounded Arrow' lowered his head and spoke to 'Splendid Sunset' in the Lenape language he had learned in a hurry.
"We. Didn't. Give. Thank you. From now on, I. am. the sun of the sky. the great warrior."
* * *
Shawnee tribe, raccoon clan village. I stayed in this town for a few days and inspected the surrounding area. As expected, there wasn't much difference from the Turkey Clan area.
However, fox grapes were growing very well, along with crops such as corn and soybeans. Finally, we met with the raccoon clan chief, 'Remaining Scarred' at the village hall and had an in-depth discussion about the development of the village.
"… There will be an eagle festival in the village in a few days. I would like His Majesty the Emperor to attend and grace the occasion."
"...."
I was a little taken aback by his unexpected request.
"The Eagle Festival?"
"yes."
* * *
Tuscarora tribe – Tuscarora means 'thick-collecting people'. They actually grew hemp to make clothes and rope. The Tuscarora tribe, which settled in the northeastern part of North Carolina, USA, were later driven out by Europeans and became the sixth tribe of the Iroquois Confederacy.