“You are the one who want me to do this, remember to explain to your druids.”

“Yes, I am the one forcing you, so please.”

Crusch sighed and started her treatment.

Zaryusu felt the number of hostile gazes had fallen, and looks with good will had started popping up.

“Okay, I’m done.”

Crusch casted more healing spells on Zenberu compared to Zaryusu. This meant that his wounds were deep, although it didn’t show.

“Oh, your skill is better than the druids from my tribe.”

“Thank you, but I seldom do this for other tribes… No, thank you for your compliment.”

“Well, our injuries are mended, let’s go into the main topic for today okay? It is a bit too rush for you?”

“Oh! Let’s hear what you want to say— Although I wanted to tell you that…” Zenberu paused when he reached this point, and then said with a smile: “But let’s have a drink first!”

Zaryusu and Crusch— the both of them looked puzzled, as if they didn’t understand what Zenberu was saying.

“Troublesome formal matters have to be discussed in a banquet, you understand?”

Letting the other party know your strength will give you the advantage in negotiations. Zaryusu understood that he had to risk his life for this as this was how lizardmen did things. But he couldn’t understand the behavior of throwing a banquet since ‘Green Claw’ didn;t had such a custom.

It seemed depraved to party right after a deadly battle.

“I don’t get it…”

A sense of resignation washed over Zaryusu, making him show his surprise honestly as he answered softly. But waves of regret appeared in his heart immediately, for he had shown such a childlike reaction to a tribal chief that had yet to ally with him. Zaryusu could also feel Crusch looking at him with a weird gaze.

For Zaryusu who had no experience with love, it was impossible for him to sense that Crusch was looking at him because the one she likes had displayed a new side. It was a look of curiosity adoring something cute.

“No, what I meant is that drinking too much will dull the mind and that will be troubling for me.”

Zaryusu changed his words in a panic, but Zenberu didn’t seem to mind and replied:

“Hey hey hey, you are a traveler, right? If you want to learn knowledge around here, that would be the Dwarves right?”

“No, I didn’t learn from the dwarves, but from men living in the forest.”

“Is that so? Then remember this, friends who drink together will become buddies, that is the teaching of the dwarves. There might not be much time left, but we should start our talks soon. Am I right, Zaryusu Shasa?”

“I see… I get it now, Zenberu Gugu.”

“Awesome! Everyone, we are having a banquet! Bring that here! Begin the preparations!”

♦ ♦ ♦

A fire pit almost two meters wide was set up on the ground, the flames almost searing the sky. Its red glow fended the darkness of the night away.

Near the fire pit was a giant pot more than a meter high and about 80 cm in diameter, the scent of alcohol lingered in the air.

Dozens of lizardmen took turns to scoop the liquid from within. But the wine from the winepot seemed to be bottomless.

Like Zaryusu’s Frost Pain, this was one of the four treasures, ‘Giant Pot of Wine’.

The taste of the never ending wine was bland and would make anyone who appreciates alcohol frown. But for the lizardmen, this was delicious wine.

That’s why they kept coming back for more.

A short distance away from the wine pot was a very quiet place. As for why, it was because of the drunk lizardmen lying motionless here.

The lizardmen who had blacked out from the alcohol were all dumped here.

Crusch who had removed her grass attire treaded the ground carefully — although she stepped on the tail of a lizardmen unintentionally — as she moved forth. Her steps were steady and did not don’t seemed to be drunk, but she didn’t seemed to be completely fine either.

Her tail seemed to be moving independently, thrashing about lively. It curled at times, straightened the next. Erect this moment, and drooped later, excited like a child.

In fact, Crusch felt as if a refreshing wind was blowing across her heart. Part of the reason was the alcohol, but the feeling of liberation also aided this.

This was the first time she showed her albino body to a large group of people. It surprised some of the people, but since their chief also looked like a mutant, she mixed in with the others in no time.

Crusch carried the food with both hands and walked with brisk steps.

She came to the place where Zaryusu and Zenberu were sitting cross legged and drinking with each other.

The two of them used something like a coconut as a cup. Inside were transparent fluid, but the whiff of alcohol was strong.

Raw fish was placed right before them to complement the wine. Zenberu greeted Crusch who walked over with a smile.

“Ah, plant monster.”

“... Can’t you change the way you address me?”

She already took that attire off, but this male lizardman insisted on calling her that. He was probably planning to tease her like that forever. Crusch who realized this fact decided to stop her futile resistance.

“Have you finished your discussion?”

Zaryusu and Zenberu glanced at each other and nodded.

“For the most part.”

They wanted to talk man to man, so they asked Crusch to give them some time alone. They already made it so clear, so she had no choice but to leave and collect the food, despite wanting to take part in their dialogue. If they wanted to discuss the upcoming battle, she would be involved too.

She wanted to know the essence of things while avoiding the awkward details—

“This is a talk between men.”

But Zenberu shut out the topic coldly with this phrase. Crusch showed her displeasure on her face honestly, and had no other option but to change the topic.

“So what are your plans? Form an alliance and fight together?”

“Huh? Oh, of course we will fight. Even if both of you had not come, we would still fight.”

The sound of wooden planks rubbing against each other came from Zenberu’s mouth.