"Xu Yi, in fact, even if you didn't compensate us with 500 gold coins, the chief would still have to agree to your conditions." On the carriage back, Master Lanus suddenly sighed and said to Xu Yi.
"Oh?
What do you mean? "Xu Yi asked.
"Don't you see?
The living conditions in the tribe are already quite difficult. "Master Lanus smiled bitterly and shook his head.
"Actually, I have already suggested to the chief a long time ago that we should let the tribe go to the human world to explore. With the forging skills of us dwarves, it is very likely that we would be able to greatly improve the lives of our tribe."
"This suggestion is very good, why didn't chief Siluka agree?" Xu Yi asked curiously.
Master Lanus glanced at Xu Yi and hesitated for a moment before replying, "Because we dwarves have been deceived by you humans too many times in the past. The chief simply doesn't trust you humans."
This time it was Xu Yi's turn to smile bitterly.
"Then why did the chief agree this time?
Isn't he afraid that I am also deceiving him? "
"Because there is no other way." Master Lanus said helplessly.
"Now the Sines are completely ruled by you humans. Almost all the resource-rich places have been occupied by you humans. No matter if it is us dwarves, elves, or even those sturdy beastmen, we can only stay far away from you humans and find a place that has not been occupied by you humans.
However, these places are not rich in resources, and we are not as creative as you humans. As a result, the living conditions of our tribe are getting worse and worse, and our numbers are getting fewer and fewer.
Xu Yi, do you know?
When I was young, our tribe could have more than 1000 dwarves, but now there are only 500 people left. "
"When you were young?"
Xu Yi looked at Lanus and thought that dwarves have a much longer lifespan than humans. The young that Master Lanus spoke of was probably a few hundred years ago.
Master Lanus didn't care what Xu Yi was thinking and continued, "Just last year, three elders passed away in the tribe, but they didn't even give birth to a baby. Because of this, the entire tribe has lost another three people.
The chief knows that if this continues, perhaps our tribe will gradually disappear.
But there's no other way, we dwarves can't fight the humans on the Sines at all. We can't fight the humans for the resources of the continent like we did thousands of years ago.
But it is easier said than done to integrate into the human race. Perhaps you don't know how much suffering I suffered in order to survive in Banta City, even almost losing my life. "
Xu Yi silently looked at Master Lanus before he gave a slight nod.
Although he didn't know what happened, he didn't know what kind of hard work it took for a race like Master Lanus to integrate into the human city.
"This time, Lord Patriarch actually wasn't prepared to agree to you directly taking away so many able-bodied laborers from the clan, but there was no other way. The conditions you proposed were simply too generous.
Disregarding everything else, just taking out 500 gold coins at once can help solve many of the clan's problems that need to be solved.
Not to mention that you've agreed to pay eight gold coins a month to the clansmen. With this salary, the clansmen's families won't need to worry about their future.
Tell me, with this kind of condition, how could the chief reject it? "
Xu Yi was silent for a bit before he couldn't help asking, "Has the lives of the dwarves really reached such a difficult stage?
Why does the chief believe me?
Could it be that he isn't afraid that I'm lying to him? "
"You still don't understand?
Even if you are deceiving him, the 500 gold coins you took out are genuine. "Master Lan Nu rolled his eyes.
Master Lanus rolled his eyes as he said, "Then again, you are someone I brought here.
Although I haven't been in contact with you for a long time, I've lived among humans for a long time. I can see that you're not a fake liar. At the very least, you're serious about carrying out your words.
Just based on this, I feel that you're worth trusting this time. "
Xu Yi embarrassedly scratched his head and chuckled, "So I'm such a trustworthy person."
Master Lanus glanced at Xu Yi unhappily, "Don't be happy too early, kid. As for the specifics, it'll depend on how you treat my clansmen when the time comes.
Let me tell you, if you lie to them when the time comes, I'll give you a good lesson even if I have to risk my life! "
Xu Yi repeatedly waved his hand, "How could that be?
Master Lanus, you and your clansmen are all my treasures. I can't wait to take care of you, so why would I lie to you?
Let me tell you the truth, Master Lanus. The work that you and your clansmen are about to do will become the most important work that will change the entire Sines. In the future, you dwarves will very likely write a thick stroke in the entire history of the Sines.
When the time comes, you'll be experts that the entire continent needs to look up to. Do you still need to worry about the most basic of living problems? "
Master Lanus glared, "Kid, don't say such nice things!
What changing the continent and writing it into history, I don't care about that.
What I care about the most right now is, where are the houses you promised to build for my clansmen? "
Xu Yi laughed, thinking that it really wasn't realistic for Master Lanus to believe this right now.
But he was certain that as long as everything went smoothly, Master Lanus and his clansmen would become the most important driving force in changing the history of the Sines.
###
When they returned to Banta City after three days, it was already night time. After entering the city, Master Lanus said a few things to Xu Yi before jumping out of the horse carriage.
Xu Yi ordered the horse carriage driver to bring him back to the house he was renting. When he jumped out of the horse carriage, he found that there was a person sitting in front of his door. Based on that figure, it seemed a bit familiar.
Coming closer to take a look, Xu Yi couldn't help being stunned.
"Stiel?
It's this late, what are you sitting in front of my house for? "
Stiel had been hugging her legs with her head between them, but when she heard Xu Yi's voice, she slowly looked up.
After seeing her face, Xu Yi was shocked.
Under the light, Stiel's face was very pale and her face was much thinner. Her face had lost its youthful beauty from before and her large eyes didn't have any figure at all. It was like she had collapsed.
"Hey, Stiel, what happened?" Xu Yi squatted down in worry and looked into Stiel's eyes as he asked this in a deep voice.
Stiel opened her mouth, but not a single word came out. After a while, she slowly shook her head.
Xu Yi knit his brows and didn't care about anything else. He helped Stiel up and opened the door, entering the house.
When they came in, Vivian's bedroom lit up and Vivian's timid voice sounded.
"Who ….. is it?"
"It's me!
Go back to sleep, there's no need to get up. "
Xu Yi replied and helped Stiel sit down on the stool. He turned around and poured her a cup of water before sitting down across from her. He paused and asked gently, "Stiel, tell me, what happened?
Were you … bullied by … bullied? "
Stiel suddenly revealed a bitter smile and looked at Xu Yi. She picked up the teacup on the table and took a big gulp.
Because she drank too quickly, she choked and coughed violently.
Xu Yi frowned deeply.
Although he didn't know much about girls, from Stiel's current behavior, she must have suffered a heavy blow. Otherwise, a lively and playful young girl like her wouldn't have become like this so easily.
"Stiel, could it be ….. that the gift wasn't given?" Xu Yi guessed.
The last time he saw Stiel was when Stiel came to him at night and said that she wanted to thank him. But she was later angered by Xu Yi's "You're still a child" and ran away.
But in their previous conversation, Stiel had said that the piano model she asked Xu Yi to help her make was already done. And the birthday of the person she liked was coming soon. She would go to the capital of the Lampari Kingdom, Anvilmar City, and personally give the gift to that person.
Now that a few days had passed and Stiel came back looking like she had lost her soul, it was very likely that the problem was this.
Hearing Xu Yi's question, Stiel put down the teacup and looked at Xu Yi in a daze for a while. Then she suddenly asked, "Xu Yi, tell me, am I a child?"
Xu Yi was surprised. Could it be that Stiel still cared about what he said last time?
But it didn't seem like it.
Xu Yi seriously thought about it, but he didn't know how to answer.
Now that Stiel's mental state was clearly unstable, if he answered wrong, it was very likely that it would cause unpredictable consequences.
"This ….. depends on how you look at it.
From my point of view, you ….. "
"Okay, no need to say anymore. You're right, I'm a child!
You're a surprisingly stupid little child! "Still suddenly raised her voice as she spoke.
"Why do you say that?" Xu Yi frowned and asked.
"If I'm not a naive child who doesn't know anything, how could I like that scum!" Stiel suddenly cursed fiercely.