Miss Witch doesn't want to be a diva

The gray-blue sky, the yellow grassland, the granular sand, the two horses pulling the cart step by step on the land, looking down from the sky, it looks like a small dot moving slowly.

The wheels swayed and undulated from time to time along with the caked grass roots and soil on the ground. On the carriage, Guy leaned on the haystacks piled up behind him, holding a whistle. The slightly sharp and urgent sound of the wooden whistle changed from time to time, bringing a sense of excitement. A slightly desolate song.

Hesia was sitting behind the car, leaning on the haystack with Ores, looking into the distance, thinking about many things.

She didn't know that the situation in the Federation had changed after she and Ores left, and the new races she had seen over the past few days had also given her a lot to think about.

If we put aside the historical background of the fifth season and those overly cruel scenes, apart from being genetically different from humans, the new races have no significant differences in many habits. Some of them are so little different from the original humans that they cannot even be directly Distinguish them.

Without that history, today's civilization may not be intolerant, but unfortunately, the lessons of the past are too harsh, and the Federation has always been shrouded in shadow and heavy pressure.

She is not arrogant enough to save all life, but is just thinking about what would have happened if the Fifth Era had not followed the path of the 'Dark Sun', but had applied this evolution and change to human beings themselves. .

Maybe better, maybe worse? She shook her head to stop these thoughts.

I always feel that I am too sentimental about the time. Now let’s think about the recent events, how to sell the fur coat for a good price, and then find a temporary place to live in the Stone Forest Castle.

Although Olesi didn't care, Tilan still thought about buying her some more comfortable cotton clothes. In addition, she also thought that if she wanted to live for a long time in the future, she would also prepare a comfortable bed and house. At least it couldn't always be a straw bed. And the cave bar.

At this moment, Guy's whistle gradually stopped, and then he and Fran chatted in front of them, expressing the boredom of the journey.

"You're pretty good at playing, have you ever learned it?" Fran no longer held the diary, but held the reins in one hand and leaned against the haystack.

"I learned it from an old hunter before. He also taught me how to train dogs for hunting." Guy replied.

"That's good."

"Well, he is indeed a nice old man, except for being a bit drunk and fond of swearing." Guy thought for a while.

"Where's Frank, does your Slami Association also teach musical instruments?"

"Musical instruments..." Fran didn't answer immediately, as if he was remembering something.

"Unfortunately, we are not very keen on music there. I only saw a female classmate playing the violin at the graduation ceremony."

"You don't know the violin? It's an instrument with a rich and delicate sound. Unfortunately, my words are a bit poor and I can't describe its charm."

"It's a pity to say so." Guy didn't care, and the two of them continued to talk sentence by sentence.

"What do you usually eat in the south? Is it also wheat flour?"

"This one is similar. It does have more wheat flour, but there is also rice and other foods."

"There is a special electric mill in the association, and the flour produced is very fine. We ferment it and bake it into bread to eat. The side dishes are often fish, and occasionally vegetables and fruits."

"The Slami Association is close to the sea. I heard from the teacher that a few years ago, we planned to build an offshore fishery, so that everyone can eat much better. When he was young, the association did not have such abundant meat," said Fran. Thinking about it.

"The rice with fish soup is really delicious. During my years in school, this was my favorite meal. It's also relatively economical."

"You still go to school?" Guy had only seen a small gray-feathered school in Stone Forest Castle. It was probably just a few scholars and about 20 students.

"Yes, members of the association must receive at least three years of education before reaching adulthood, and learn basic writing, common sense skills, etc."

"It's just like the ideal society. It would be great if I could be born in a place like that." Guy sighed, feeling a little envious.

"Ah hahaha, it is indeed much better than many barren places, but these are not provided for free. After we graduate, we have to work for the association and complete various tasks assigned."

"Perhaps after wandering outside for more than ten years, I can return to my hometown and gradually settle down." Frank stretched his arms.

"That also has a home." Guy said, sitting up slightly and adjusting the direction of the carriage so that it would not deviate from the general route.

"I don't even know where I will die in the future."

"Just like those people I was familiar with, many of them were buried by me. Maybe I can have a friend to pick up the bodies for me in the future."

"It's a bit sad to say that, even I am worried." Fran shook his head.

"Why not? Then you met the person you liked, and then you had many children together. Finally, you spent your old age leisurely and fell asleep watching the sun set."

"I don't dare to think about such a beautiful dream, for fear that the gap between it and reality is too big and I will be sad."

“The only thing I have learned over the years is not to have too high expectations or hopes for anything, so as to avoid sadness and sadness.”

"That's it..." Fran leaned on the rickety haystack, his eyes half-open and half-closed.

"...It's also an answer." He began to take a nap with his eyes closed.

The four of them rode a carriage and traveled through the grassland for two days. Gradually they could see rolling hills in the distance and more and more trees.

This land near the Stone Forest Fortress is rich in vegetation and water, so many settlements gather around it. There are many people and many fights. However, because of the authority of the Stone Forest Fortress, the intensity of this fight is kept within a certain limit and not too bloody.

"You asked me why I didn't settle down here. Of course, it's because I can't afford it." Guy answered Fran's curious question.

"The settlements near the Stone Forest Fortress have to pay taxes every year. The taxes are different. Some are food, some are wood, and some are labor. Anyway, it's impossible to live here for free."

"So, the settlements that can stay here all year round are relatively wealthy."

"I can see the road. Not far along this road, I can reach the territory of the 'Red Pomegranate' settlement." Guy drove the two ponies and let them walk to the main road.

"The main road is safer, and the team from Stone Forest Fort patrols from time to time."

Then the four of them slowly entered the road shaded by tall trees. There were tall oak trees growing on both sides of the road here, and the treetops crossed in the middle of the road, making the slightly gully forest road mottled with sunlight, especially refreshing and comfortable.

"This feeling is suddenly different." Fran also opened his diary at this time and drew the road and trees he saw today on the pages.

Sitting in the back seat of the carriage, Tilan also raised his head, stretched out his hand, caught a fallen leaf, and sniffed it at the tip of his nose. It had a slightly cool grassy fragrance, which was very different from the dry grass on the grassland.

"We're almost there." Guy shook the reins slightly to let the two horses go faster.

Three hours later, they stopped in front of a tall wooden wall.

Waving to the watchtower behind the fence, someone came out soon.

"It's Guy, long time no see." The man was wearing a leather vest, with his muscular arms exposed. The most eye-catching thing was the long tail behind him, with yellow, black and white patterns, which looked very powerful.

"Long time no see, Tiebang." Guy shook hands with him and patted his shoulder.

"Why isn't it Tedley this time? I haven't seen him for a while, and I want to exchange knife skills with him." The other party had a stubble on his face and a thick iron knife on his back.

"Tedley..." Guy's voice changed a little.

"He's gone." He shook his head.

"A lot of things happened recently. I'll tell you after we go in." Seeing Guy's sad expression, the other party didn't want to continue to pester him, so he asked the people behind him to pull up the thick wooden door, and then led two horses and the car in together.

Sitting in the carriage, the girl looked around the settlement in the shade of the trees with curiosity. There were several high watchtowers and houses under the trees. People walking here were all humans with tails, or it would be more appropriate to call them "cat-tailed species".

Compared with the barren settlements on the grassland, the living conditions of the cat-tailed species here are obviously better. There are abundant water and grass here, the wild grass is green, and the air is much more humid and fresh.

No wonder they all said before that the settlements on the grassland are remote places that no one cares about.

"You sit down, I'll go call the boss of "Red Branch"." Tiebang led the four people into the open large wooden tent, and then walked out. On the other side, two cat-tailed women brought ceramic kettles for the four people to drink.

"This water is really clear." Fran said, gulping down most of the kettle, while Guy on the side cared more about his face, after all, they were all acquaintances.

Soon, a woman wearing a crimson cross-layered dress and a wooden hairpin in her hair came with her. She looked to be about thirty or forty years old, with a beautiful face and upturned eyes. She was followed by several female cat-tail guards, all wearing long swords and small guns on their waists.

"Are you from the moose boss settlement?" She glanced at him with a little suspicion and scrutiny.

"Yes, my name is Guy, I met you two years ago." Guy stood up. He said he was an acquaintance, but in fact he was not that familiar, because it was always Tedley who led the trade in the past, and he only participated a few times.

"Guy?" The other party seemed to be unable to remember the name, and it was Tiebang behind him who stepped forward to explain the situation.

"Tedley is gone..." She felt a little regretful.

"Then tell me what happened. From what Tiebang described, it seems that you have encountered many unfortunate things recently."

...

An hour passed, Guy was telling the story, and Fran occasionally added a few words, and then Guy took out a token made of a small branding iron.

Looking at the iron heated by the question in his hand, the cat-tail leader turned his fingers slightly and then put it down.

"It seems that what you said should be true. I didn't expect so many things to happen in just one month."

"I'm sorry to hear this, but since you can come out, you should have gone through the most difficult period. If you need any help, you can tell me. I guess I can't help you with big things, but I can still do some small assistance." When she was young, she traveled around with her tribe and was saved by the moose boss once, so the relationship has always been good.

"It was my idea that the moose boss arranged the residence in that place. I didn't expect so many years to pass in a blink of an eye."

...

"Are you going to Shilinshanbao to trade? Since you said so, I will buy some here to help share the burden. You can also leave the things you need to exchange here first and take them when you return."

"We have a lot of canned fruits and a small amount of wine stored in our settlement. If you are preparing for winter supplies, we can give you more."

"Thank you." Guy thanked him. Seeing that it was getting late, the cat-tailed guy also stood up and asked them to stay here for the night.

At night, in the tall wooden tent, the firewood in the stone mosaic was burning quietly. The four of them sat on straw mats, waiting for the food in the clay pots to be cooked, and talking about what happened after here.

"Not bad, boiled rice, baked apples, and she also gave us a bottle of fruit wine." Frank recorded today's dinner.

Tilan handed the baked apple to Olesi, picked up half of it herself, and ate it in small bites. The taste was a bit hot and soft and sweet.

Because more water is added to the rice, it is not as clear-grained as her usual state. It is closer to rice soaked in water or rice porridge, and can be eaten with a spoon.

"There are a lot of fruits in the settlement." Fran looked at it and said.

"Cat-tail species have flexible bodies and can easily climb trees to pick fruits. This is an advantage that many other races do not have. They also learned how to plant fruit trees and opened orchards in the mountains and forests behind them. Relying on these, they make a living Very good." Guy said slowly.

"As a warrior, this kind of flexible body is also very advantageous. I heard from the former people in the settlement that cat-tail species are born with nerve reflexes that are faster than those of old humans. They also have dexterous fingers and can do a lot of fine work."

"Their gene expression is quite special. About three-quarters of their offspring are female, and only one-quarter are male. Women are often in power within the clan."

"You know this in detail?" Fran was a little surprised.

"Because I liked a cat-tailed girl before." After saying that, Guy shook his head and didn't continue.

After dinner, the four of them slept around the fire. Although there was no separate bedroom, the straw mat provided by Mao Tail was very thick, so it was not that uncomfortable.

In the morning, after the four of them woke up, they met the member in charge of trade in the 'Red Pomegranate' settlement. He had a long gray-yellow tail and wore a fur robe. He handed them an account book and a list of exchangeable items.

"That's it. Because of the boss's instructions, I can give you... a 10% discount." In the end, he reluctantly stretched out his finger to sign, and it seemed that he was quite reluctant to lower the price.

"Only 10% off?" Guy took the order and stared, a little dissatisfied.

"Ahem, you have to be content, I'm giving you a conscience price." The other party pinched his beard and stared back slightly.

"Okay, let me see what's there, canned apples, canned grapes, canned peaches, straw mats, fruit wine jars, honey..." Most of the entries are food and fruit products, and a few are handicrafts from the settlement. Woven products, such as straw mats, straw sandals, etc.

Although they look good, these canned fruits are not cheap. In addition, the clay pots are fragile and the fruits will not fill your stomach. It is estimated that it will be inconvenient for them to transport them out and sell them, making them difficult to sell.

"Forget about the straw mats and the like, it's better to get more food..." Guy commented.

"...In other words, at the price you gave me, a fur coat can only be exchanged for five cans?" Guy was very dissatisfied.

"Yes, don't think it's small, our can is quite big." He brought a mud-sealed clay pot from the warehouse, its appearance reminded Tilan of a wine jar.

"Can you fill your stomach by eating this during the winter?" Guy retorted.

"Of course." The other party said firmly.

Guy was a little angry, but after all, he was on his own territory and it was not easy to force a rebuttal.

"Our fur coats are masterpieces that are rare for hundreds of miles around. It would be too bullying if you just want to exchange them with a few jars."

"What kind of master? Where is the master? You just want to charge random prices for a few pieces of leather and fur clothes?" The other party also shouted.

This was so good that many cat-tailed cats in the settlement were attracted by the quarrel and watched curiously.

Seeing this, Guy untied the fur coat, then stood on the wooden stake in the clearing of the settlement, shook it off and spread it out, holding it in his hand.

Compared with the rough coats sewn by primitive tribes, with thick seams and uneven cuffs, this kind of coat has been improved with modern aesthetics, with neat sleeves, a shoulder collar that can fit the body, and a buckle at the waist that can be tightened to maintain a close-fitting temperature and highlight the figure. , the winter coat that coexists with beauty and practicality is indeed a dimensionality-reducing blow.

When Guy shook it out, he immediately attracted the love of many cat-tailed women present. Many people came forward, caressed and looked at it carefully, and some even asked if they could try it on.

"Okay, a handful of rice, try it on for five minutes." He lifted an empty earthen jar and put it next to him. If anyone wants to try it on, just grab a handful of rice and put it in. The price is not too expensive, but it is also By no means cheap.

At first, many cattails were hesitant, but soon someone couldn't help it and went home to grab a small handful of rice and put it in. Guy then handed the other party a fur coat.

Sure enough, it feels extra warm after putting it on. There is also a separate slit in the back of the windbreaker to expose the tail, and it fits very well.

"I'm right. This is hundreds of miles away from our grassland. It was sewn by the best master tailor. Even Stone Forest Castle wouldn't have bought it. If it weren't for his gratitude to us for saving him from the war machine, he would He doesn’t know how to make clothes for us, and after this winter, he will go overseas in the south. Do you know where it is? That is the Slami Association of Prosperity and Peace. He will probably not come back in the future. This is His parting work will be passed down to the family for several generations, you are really lucky to be able to buy it." He shouted around while holding up his clothes, and said that he had a nose and an eye, and attracted many cat-tailed people who didn't know the situation. People are also attracted.

Looking at the cat-tailed woman walking back and forth in the open space wearing clothes, the others finally couldn't help it and went home to get rice one by one. Soon, they filled most of the pottery jar in front of Guy.

Looking at this scene, Heshia opened her mouth and wanted to say something, but finally held back.

It should be said that as expected, she was a child who grew up with the caravan. Guy's method immediately reversed the situation. It seems that this transaction will not be a loss.