Clockwork Bride

Page 111

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Two flowers bloom, one branch each.

As Adam said, more than half a month had passed since Hayden retrieved Terasque and returned it to the assistant at the Smoke Mirror Company.

For the past two weeks, Hayden has mostly stayed in the demi-human tribe in his wolf form. The demi-humans even built him a "temple" out of stones and mud.

Karen personally led a group to deliver the first batch of supplies needed by Shuainan Town and the demi-human tribe. Hayden wasn't quite sure how she did it, since he spent most of his time in the tribe. But he later heard that Karen had persuaded the entire ruling class of the town in just half a day.

...After all, she is the daughter of the Peacock King, right? Winning over these townspeople who already worship the Peacock King shouldn't be difficult. Moreover, the mayor of Shuinan Town is a very shrewd fellow. The Peacock King's daughter has visited again after seventeen years; he certainly knows this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Wouldn't it be foolish not to seize this opportunity to pledge allegiance?

On the contrary, the demi-humans of the mountain tribes didn't seem to be making a fuss about Karen.

Indeed, Karen did bring a large amount of basic necessities needed by the demi-people to the tribe. The demi-people were overjoyed and worshipped Karen as a deity—but that was all.

Compared to Karen, or even Hayden, the enormous white wolf, these demi-humans now worship Angela, who healed all their diseases and wounds, as the greatest god, and pray to her for a longer life.

Why?

Even more strangely, Angela readily agreed: "Sure. As long as you are loyal and obedient, I will sign a life contract with you and give you many years."

The result of all this commotion was that the demi-humans built a temple, with a large statue of Angela in the center and smaller statues of Karen and Hayden the wolf god on either side.

So why is that?

Karen didn't seem to care. Hayden, being even less of a god, wouldn't care about such things; he simply found it very strange.

On the other hand, there were many other things about these demi-humans that Hayden found strange.

"Speaking of which, there's something I've always been curious about."

Today, Hayden still takes the form of a wolf in the tribe of demi-humans.

"What method do you use to calculate time?"

He no longer transforms into a giant wolf when he stays in the demi-human tribe, because constructing such a large body would consume the energy of the earth's veins. He usually only uses beast-transformation magic to become slightly taller than a human. Nevertheless, the demi-humans of the tribe still respect Hayden very much.

"Of course, time is calculated using the changes of the sun and moon, great wolf."

The demi-human chieftain's reply seemed somewhat doubtful.

"Is there another way to calculate time?"

Of course there is! You primitive people don't even know what a "year" is?!

However, considering that the average lifespan of these demi-humans is less than thirty years, and the chief is not even twenty yet, it's obviously ridiculous, even pathetic, to dwell on why they don't use "years." Therefore, what Hayden really wanted to ask was something else entirely:

"The weather conditions on the wasteland are so bad that it's impossible to see the moon consistently. How do you manage to calculate time so accurately using the moon?"

These demi-humans did not have the concept of "year" in their calendar, but only "months" determined by the phases of the moon. However, there was no stable climate for moon-viewing on the barren land, and most of the time the sun was not visible when looking up, only smog—so these demi-humans' records of dates and calculations of time must have been very vague and inaccurate.

In reality, they could accurately determine the month and even use this information to conduct regular business with the residents of Shuainan Town.

Although Shuainan Town is located in a remote area, its inhabitants are part of modern civilization, possessing internet access, arcane magic, and protective barriers; naturally, they wouldn't be confused about time. So why do these demi-humans also know about the lunar phases?

“Great wolf, that is a very good question.”

When Hayden asked him this, the demi-human chieftain answered with great pleasure.

"Of course, we rely on the sacred artifacts passed down from our ancestors!"

...What is it now?

Hayden had a strange premonition about this.

Then, the chief carried something out of a house.

Even the other demi-humans around it looked at it with the same respect one would show when looking at an ancestral sacred object.

Look! This perfect disc of treasure! Engraved with such exquisite patterns, it still shines brightly even after a thousand months of time, thanks to the careful maintenance of the tribe!

Three sharp blades sliced ​​across the disc with precise rhythm, marked by magic, marking the passage of time!

Moreover, a round white crystal was embedded in the disc, emitting a faint silver light. The elders, who had inherited the most knowledge in the tribe, could see that the waxing and waning of its light mirrored the changing shape and speed of the moon in the night sky... Yes, just like the moon that should naturally be in the sky!

"This is a sacred relic left behind by our ancestors!"

The chief said proudly,

"The sky over the wasteland is becoming increasingly murky, and we can't see the moon for at least half the month. But with this sacred object, we can see the passage of time and the moon's current form!"

All the demi-humans are very proud of this secret treasure passed down from their ancestors.

However, Hayden was utterly speechless when he saw this thing.

Because he knew the name of this "treasure," and even we knew it.

...Isn't this just an alarm clock?

Fortunately, Hayden is now the tribe's White Wolf God, so he was able to get this "sacred object" to examine it carefully—the alarm clock even had a line of small print on the back indicating the manufacturing date and brand model.

This thing appears to be a moon clock made by the Mars Group a hundred years ago—a typical mass-produced industrial product, powered by magic. Its only distinguishing feature is probably the addition of a white crystal that automatically changes according to the moon's phases on top of a regular analog alarm clock. These primitive tribes lack reliable astrology and calendars, but they can directly use this moon clock to count the changes of the sun and moon.

Actually, this alarm clock originally had a year record column, but unfortunately the manufacturer never intended for it to be used for a hundred years, so the year column has long since stopped working.

"...How did you manage to keep this thing from breaking down after more than a thousand months?"

Now, this is what makes Hayden find even more unbelievable.

How on earth did these people maintain an alarm clock that was never designed to have such a long lifespan from the beginning, and even lasted for over a hundred years?!

“Every twelve months, we offer sacrifices to this sacred relic passed down from our ancestors, wishing it to be as eternal as the moon and the life of our ancestors.”

The chief said devoutly,

"It has witnessed the past of our people and helped us avoid storms and dangers of disaster."

噫

Even by Hayden's standards, this is quite alarming.

……Um?

Alarm clocks help them avoid catastrophic storms... and dangers?

The chief hadn't finished speaking.

“Great wolf, this is our tribe’s most precious treasure.”

He said with some reluctance,

“But we want to offer it to the daughters of the gods. Do you think they would be willing to accept this sacrifice?”

Ah this.

121: City on the Mountain

These demi-humans actually asked if they could give the alarm clock from a hundred years ago as a gift to the daughters of the gods.

This is truly... how should I put it, it's just so sad to hear about. Just looking at this ordinary alarm clock made by the Mars Group a hundred years ago, Hayden couldn't help but feel a deep sense of desolation.

It is precisely this once-popular, once-common alarm clock that proves and emphasizes that the sub-people of this tribe were not true primitives, but rather modern people who, like Hayden and his ilk, were once civilized. Even though they have now lost their knowledge and civilization, this alarm clock passed down from generation to generation remains proof of their identity.

Hayden reached out his wolf paw and rubbed the alarm clock again, then couldn't help but be amazed by the magic the demi-humans had cast upon it.

To be honest, these demi-human magicians aren't entirely without merit. After all, this alarm clock is just a regular mass-produced industrial product, not an antique art piece. The manufacturer never expected, nor did they hope, that this alarm clock would be used by consumers for a hundred years.

For companies, if consumers use this kind of alarm clock for ten years without buying a new one, the company will consider it too old.

However, these demi-humans actually used this alarm clock for a hundred years.

This maintenance technology, although it relies on sacrificial magic to maintain, has very low cost-effectiveness and efficiency. Even the original manufacturers would probably be shocked by its bizarre "What the hell is this?" feeling.

However, the thought that their "what the hell" was based on the sacrifice of lives made Hayden feel somewhat sad.

This wasn't the first time such a situation had occurred with these demi-humans. That's why Hayden felt that the magical techniques these demi-humans had concocted in the wilderness were actually quite impressive. They might be miserable, but in certain areas, they were quite "powerful."

For example, Hayden was quite accomplished in herbalism. He even obtained a Level 7 herbalist license before graduating from university, despite not being a related major. At that time, even within the same university's potions and alchemy programs, there were very few who could rival Hayden—of course, there was also Miss Karen, who was far ahead, like a giant strolling among a pack of puppies. But she was a god, while Hayden was just a mortal at that time, so that obviously doesn't count.

(At that time, Hayden, a student who had not yet experienced the harsh realities of society, was quite sour grapes when he lost to Karen.)

However, even such a remarkable herbalist as Hayden experienced something quite interesting when he first arrived at the demi-human tribe:

Ten days ago, Hayden was transforming into a white werewolf about the size of a human, and was going to scavenge medicinal fungi or mosses in the polluted forest to conduct experiments and examine the extent of the pollution in the area.

Then, he happened to see a tribal subhuman picking mushrooms nearby with a basket, and reaching out to pull a poisonous mushroom from the ground.

It's not surprising that the demi-humans were picking mushrooms. The barren soil was severely polluted and unsuitable for cultivation. The tribe relied almost entirely on hunting and gathering for food. However, Hayden immediately recognized the mushrooms as the dreaded Death Amanita mushrooms. Although they looked unassuming and their pure white color seemed quite cute, they were actually highly poisonous, and ingesting them could lead to liver and kidney failure.

So Hayden quickly flew over to stop the demi-human from taking the poisonous mushroom back to the tribe to make soup—but after hearing Hayden's warning, the demi-human laughed instead: "Lord Wolf God, I know this mushroom is poisonous."

"Huh?" Now it was Hayden's turn to be surprised. "Then why did you pick the death cap mushroom? You can't use its toxins for hunting."

Some natural toxins can be applied to weapons for hunting, but this mushroom isn't one of them. At least, that's what Hayden thinks.

"Lord Wolf God, where can you find non-poisonous mushrooms in this wasteland?"

The demi-human found Hayden's words quite amusing.

"Anything poisonous can be used. Otherwise, what would we have eaten before?"

……ah?

And so, this demi-human gathered a basket full of various poisonous mushrooms and herbs, and brought Hayden back to the tribe. He then asked the elders to demonstrate them to the Wolf God, and Hayden was amazed to discover just how bizarre the magic of these demi-humans truly was.

These demi-humans have a way of eating poisonous mushrooms—that's nothing special, after all, as the demi-humans said, how did they survive before if they couldn't eat poisonous plants?

But demi-humans aren't limited to eating poisonous mushrooms and herbs. One demi-human immediately demonstrated this to Hayden. He could eat a poisonous herb that would instantly kill a normal person, and then use magic to heal his own wounds with this powerful toxin!

They invented a spell that allowed them to heal their wounds by eating poisonous plants, prolong their lives, and prevent them from being poisoned to death immediately!

Not only that, but one demi-human hunter even ate a piece of tree bark that produced paralyzing poison on the spot. With the help of magic, he managed to transfer and transform these toxins, which were then secreted from his saliva and applied to his bone arrowheads, making them useful for hunting animals!

Another elder demonstrated to Hayden that he could eat the highly poisonous Amanita phalloides mushroom, then cast a spell to leave his body and travel hundreds of miles at night!

"If this poisonous mushroom is combined with the meat of a small yellow bird, the toxins can be neutralized and the side effects reduced."

The elder, who was almost thirty years old, said with regret

"It's a pity I haven't seen those little yellow birds for two hundred months. I'm afraid they've all died out because the curse of the wasteland has become heavier."

Actually, entering a trance state by eating poisonous mushrooms isn't a unique spell. Ancient Norse berserkers would eat poisonous mushrooms to cast a berserk spell. But overall, Hayden was still completely dumbfounded.

Hayden wasn't afraid of poison. Angela's aura and the alchemical enhancement Hela had given him earlier had made him immune to most toxins. So what truly surprised him was that these demi-humans possessed such diverse techniques and knowledge in "utilizing" poisonous plants!

And it wasn't just the elders—these demi-humans could identify any member of the tribe at a glance the various creatures in the forest. Even an ordinary demi-human in the tribe, not an elder or chief, could recognize thousands of different plants around their tribe, know the properties of various fungi, and know which plants to use for injuries and which mushrooms to use for illnesses.

Nothing here is non-toxic. The natural environment is extremely harsh for mortals. The air, water, soil, and all living things here contain pollution and highly toxic substances produced by mutations. The fragrant air here can corrode steel, and the rain that falls here is pure acid rain. Mortals exposed to this environment for extended periods will suffer serious illnesses and even be threatened with death.

It would be completely impossible for a subhuman tribe that could survive in such an environment for a hundred years to have no understanding of these native creatures and not know how to deal with or utilize them.

They knew exactly how to prepare these plants before use, how to remove toxins and contaminants as much as possible, and how to apply or ingest them. They even knew exactly what the side effects of certain things were, which side effects would kill you immediately, and which were acceptable (by the standards of subhumans).

In short, compared to Hayden, the certified guy, these primitive people in their own mountains and forests are more like truly skilled herbalists, and every single one of them is!

Now, looking at the amazing techniques these demi-humans have used to maintain an alarm clock for a hundred years, Hayden truly realized that these demi-humans are actually quite capable. Their magic has many flaws, even a lot of superstition, and it's not very cost-effective, with a narrow range of applications... but it certainly has its value.

They are not as good as Hayden, that's true, but that's normal. Overall, they are far less powerful than Hayden, but that doesn't mean they are weak, and certainly not that they are useless. It's like humans shouldn't compete with cats in catching mice.

So, if cats are good at catching mice (in any case, this is just an analogy), then these demi-humans are obviously good at surviving in the wasteland.

As the ancient sages said, "If you ask me how to grow crops, I am no better than an old farmer."

So for the past two weeks, Hayden has spent most of his time researching and experimenting with the magic of these demi-human tribes. After all, academic research can't be done on a whim, and the old formulas passed down through generations of demi-humans also need to be verified through experiments. The demi-humans might not find the possibility of dying within ten years an unacceptable side effect, but normal people would curse at the thought.

After all that experimentation, I'm afraid only about 30% of these old remedies will actually work... but even 30% is still a fascinating new kind of magic!

Besides, Hayden certainly didn't forget to study the biological samples he had collected from Terasque. He still had to finish developing the aging potion for Abigail, and of course, he also needed to try using Terasque's blood to make Angela's new circulating fluid... In fact, Hayden discovered that Terasque's blood was indeed very suitable for carrying Angela's power, though he didn't know exactly why.

So much has been happening lately.

Karen now controls Shuainan Town and plans to establish her own independent base in the area, which has significantly increased Hayden's workload. This is mainly because Hayden is responsible for playing the role of the Wolf God, teaching these demi-humans about the common sense of modern society, and preventing them from continuing blood sacrifices and similar practices. This educational work takes up a considerable amount of his time, thus increasing his workload, in addition to which there are many other things to do.

I should have some free time again soon, but I'll probably be busy for a while for now.

Of course, for Hayden, such busyness wasn't painful. He didn't feel that working hard for his ideals was a chore. On the contrary, unlike working for capitalists, he found more enjoyment in being busy when it came to his own ideals.

Besides, these demi-humans like him so much.

Although their favorite was Angela, who healed all their injuries and illnesses, they also liked Hayden quite a bit overall. Angela, though beautiful, was also somewhat frightening because she gave so much without asking anything in return from the demi-humans. Humans harbor fear towards beings they cannot understand.

On the contrary, Hayden not only teaches these demi-humans new knowledge, but also learns from them, so the demi-humans (especially the elders) enjoy chatting with Hayden. Furthermore, with Karen now sending a large amount of supplies to the tribe, they don't need to worry about food and have more time to help Hayden.

For example, teaching traditional magic to the Hayden tribe.