Tormund sat across form Naomi stunned, his incredulous look had her fidgeting in her seat.
"Well, are you going to sit there staring at me or tell me?!"
With a sigh Tormund began an explanation.
"I guess if you lost your first summon it would make sense as to why you wouldn't know too much. The first summon of Nobles usually has more memories than other summons, this is so that the first summon can help guide their Lord without both of them being lost. I am my own Lords first summon so I was able to help guide him with certain information. Like you he also didn't know about looting. I am assuming you cut up your kills and use them as food?"
Seeing her confirmation Tormund continued.
"Looting allows you to get collective generated loot from your kills along with the essence crystal, hide, and meat. All you have to do is touch it and think loot, you will receive blueprints, summoning vellums, and other items. Once that's done you can cut up the animal for food."
"That's all, I just think loot?"
"Yep."
"That's so stupid, you mean to say all these weeks I could have been building a force to be reckoned with yet instead I was wasting all those kills?!"
"Seems like it, I am surprised Soto never told you, I mean he IS Coopers first summon, he should know all of this."
Saying that both Tormund and Naomi looked at Soto who looked like a deer in headlights.
Stuttering over his words as he sat straighter in his seat Soto began rambling.
"Well yes I could have, but I didn't know she didn't know! This is the first time I am hearing about what happened with her first summon anyways. It's not like we talked much, we made the initial deal of me smuggling people over here and only met one time after that. The topic of looting never came up, I assumed she knew!"
With a defeated sigh Naomi leaned back into her chair.
"He's right, only the original other nine summons knew I had lost Gloria, my first summon. We had ventured out to hunt in the woods and came across twenty goblins, Gloria had been a shield maiden for what was considered a barbarian tribe. She used a spear and shield and had me and the other nine run while she held off the goblins. We made it back here to our underground sanctuary, but she never returned."
"Could she have been captured and not killed?" Tormund interjected.
After that comment both Naomi and Soto looked at Tormund with scrunched faces.
"As much as I would love to see her alive, the Goblins are terrible to the women they capture. It would be a nightmare if she was captured as the Goblins would have done unspeakable things to her."
"You are right maybe it would be best if she had not been captured. Back to this deal you would like to make, what do you want."
Sitting up straighter while trying to look more professional Naomi laid out her hopes..
"I want to join your Lord, if possible id like to stay here, but become under your protection."
"And what do we get in return?"
"That, uh, I do not know, what would you want."
Tormund maintained eye contact with Naomi as he thought about how he should answer.
"How about this. We are currently finishing off Cooper right now, when he is killed, and we clear out his summoning gate we will level the town and burn everything to ashes. The woods will reconquer it and soon it will only be a distant memory, we will never build there. We could use a small contingent in this area as we will begin to expand into a nation and not just a city state in the future."
"I am assuming you don't want to give up your Noble status?"
Seeing her nod, he continued.
"As you don't want to give up your Noble status you will need to pledge yourself as a vassal before our Lord, the collective will recognize it and you will join his forces. If you decide to go that route I would suggest we create a hidden natural fortress city here. This would be the fallback point for troops retreating and a staging area for our troops if we are ever invaded. Of course this is a naturally beautiful cavern that is enormous, like you have done so far, building in harmony with the environment would be a priority."
"I would also suggest that if Gloria is not in with those we rescued then you take Soto as an advisor. Of course we will leave a couple guards for you, just in case."
The last sentence was said as Tormund turned to look at Soto with narrowed eyes. It was obvious he still did not really trust the man even though Soto hadn't lied about this hidden village.
"I would be honored to help Naomi build this place into a beautiful stronghold. I believe what you said is true if she wants to join while maintaining her status as a Lord she will need to become your Lords vassal. One of the privileges of having Vassals or being one is once both a Lord and their Vassal have upgraded their summoning Gates to the Brown tier you can use the gates as teleporters between your lands. Of course there are restrictions, but this allows trade and quick movement of resources."
Naomi leaned back as she thought about what both men were saying, having Tormund's lord as her own would allow her the protection of people as strong as Tormund. Of course she was strong, but currently she was the only one in Evo 1 of her village as the majority of the essence crystals had gone to improving her as the village thought it would be wiser to have at least one person who was more powerful to fight stronger enemies.
"Are you able to make this offer?"
Nodding Tormund responded.
"I am able to unofficially broker deals, however, to become a Vassal you would need to do so with the Clan Leader in front of you. Might I suggest we leave a contingent behind and bring all those who would like to see justice served back to Coopers village so they can see his reign of terror is over."
Naomi glanced at Soto before standing up.
"I agree, let me go get the villagers and set up a watch, meet me at the bottom of the stairs leading to the exit."
Tormund and Soto both got up and made their way outside. As they worked their way through the village seeing people scurrying about gossiping they observed everything around them making sure they didn't miss a thing.
After ten minutes they reached the bottom of the stairs, Soto laid out on the moss-covered ground and patted the spot next to him.
"Might as well relax, probably will take a couple hours for her to gather everyone."
With that Tormund lay on the moss too and got comfortable as he waited for the village to gather.