Our Family Has Fallen

Chapter 335: Chapter 242: The Legacy Treasury_2

”After losing the protection of the tribe, staying in the Mountains was no longer safe; escape to the Empire was the only way to evade that mad dog.”

Lance understood and couldn’t help but sigh. Grendel, trained as the next Priest, had truly lived up to expectations, calmly analyzing the situation even then.

What she said was simple: if the Deerhead Tribe held its ground, then, out of past favors or future prospects, other tribes would be willing to assist the Deerhead Tribe against their enemies.

If they didn’t hold out but a faction escaped, they would still have the strength to rise again. The promise of precious medicinal herbs and medical expertise in exchange for sanctuary was an offer many tribes would accept.

Unfortunately, the Fang Wolf Tribe knew this, so they launched a massacre from the outset, intending to leave no survivors.

Grendel’s escape was entirely due to the desperate sacrifice of others, coupled with environmental advantages and a stroke of irreplicable luck.

So, with only her remaining, other tribes had to weigh the benefits of granting her sanctuary against the risk of offending the Fang Wolf Tribe.

Ultimately, relationships between tribes are built on pure self-interest. Or rather, self-interest is the foundation of all relationships. When the risks far outweigh the benefits, why would other tribes help you? Friendship? Don’t joke. Can friendship be eaten? Besides, it’s only called a connection when there’s backing; without it, you’re just a burden.

If she had blindly sought help from other tribes, the best outcome might have been their sending her away from their territory. Had she encountered more malicious tribes, they might have captured her to claim a reward.

During her escape, Grendel realized relying on those Barbarian Tribes in the Mountains was impossible.

Thus, in a way, the clearer her thinking became, the more she recognized the minuscule hope of achieving revenge, and the more despair she felt. The pressure of these interwoven emotions nearly crushed her.

Lance knew what she had been through. But she hadn’t been broken; she was standing right before him, and he couldn’t help but admire her for it.

”So you came to the Empire and sought out the Witch. What exactly is your relationship with her?”

”She was once our tribe’s Witch. When I was selected as the Priest’s substitute, I was essentially taking her place.”

According to Grendel, the Witch had also been a prodigy chosen for training. However, she decided to stay in the Empire during her time as a traveling healer, never returning to the tribe.

The tribe searched for her, but something unknown occurred, and eventually, the search came to nothing. The matter was then dropped.

As the prospective Priest, Grendel knew more and was aware that the Witch resided in Hamlet.

After fleeing to the Empire, she naturally sought out the Witch, with whom she shared blood ties, hoping for an opportunity for revenge or at least respite.

However, though she had been to the Empire before, she had never visited Hamlet and was unaware of its decline over the past decade. Her kinswoman, in whom she had pinned her hopes, had degenerated into a crone, even willing to harm her without regard for their blood ties.

To this, Lance had no particularly strong reaction; he had perused the Witch’s notes and had an inkling of the truth. The Witch and the Primordial God had been together. It seems that old scoundrel was truly skilled at seducing women, able to win over even a Barbarian Witch. But there was a flaw in her story.

”What did the Witch want to get from you?”

Indeed, upon hearing this question, Grendel fell silent.

Lance had fought against the Witch. With her power, killing Grendel wouldn’t have been too difficult. However, the traces left on the ground clearly indicated an intention to exhaust her and then capture her alive. In other words, the Witch must have wanted something from her—something that required Grendel to be kept alive.

After a moment of silence, Grendel, seemingly trusting Lance, slowly revealed a hidden detail.

”Our tribe traded with all the major tribes of the Mountains, and even the Empire, often acting as middlemen for profit. I don’t even know the extent of the wealth accumulated over the years.

These riches weren’t stored in the camp but in a vault—a location known only to the Priest, who alone knew how to enter.”

”And she, as a former Witch, probably knew something and wanted to obtain the tribe’s legacy.”

”’If that’s true, it would indeed be an enviable treasure, enough to make someone as wealthy as a nation. But you’re lying to me,’ Lance stated abruptly, his expression somewhat playful as he added an explanation, highlighting his doubt.”

”’We both know the Witch doesn’t care about money; it means nothing to her.’”

If Lance hadn’t read the Witch’s notes, he might have been deceived by her. After witnessing the power of the Primordial God, the Witch went mad, her mind consumed with thoughts of how to survive the coming apocalypse. To her, money was as meaningless as leaves on the ground.

”’She is indeed coveting the tribe’s legacy,’ Grendel said, her expression exceptionally calm, even deliberately so. She showed no obvious reaction to his words.”

”’The Witch might indeed want to obtain the tribe’s legacy, but it’s definitely not treasure.’ Lance’s gaze swept over Grendel before settling on the Antler Staff. ’If I’m not mistaken, what the Witch wants is this Magic Wand.’”

”’Then why doesn’t she just kill me and take the Magic Wand?’”

”’Hahaha! Have you forgotten I killed an alpha wolf and took equipment belonging to the Fang Wolf Tribe from him?’ Lance couldn’t help but laugh as he pointed out a key detail. ’Everyone knows important equipment like that has restrictions. Having left the tribe, she naturally isn’t qualified to use it. That’s why she’s kept you alive—to force you to submit and hand over the method for using the Magic Wand.’”

As he spoke, Lance pondered for a moment and directly stated the abilities of the Magic Wand.

”’If I’m not mistaken, this Magic Wand can accelerate plant growth, which would aid the Witch in expanding her corruption and cultivating more pathogens. That’s why she’s so fixated on it.’”

When Lance said this, Grendel could no longer maintain her composure; a slight tremor flickered in her eyes as she looked at him.

Grendel had chosen to proactively reveal the vault’s existence, hoping to use the tribe’s legacy to entice Lance into deploying his troops sooner.

Let alone five years, she couldn’t even wait five days.

But now, it was clear Lance hadn’t fallen for her ploy. Instead, his few words had nearly tricked her into revealing everything.

In this situation, all she could do was emphasize once more.

”’The vault truly exists, and it contains everything our tribe has accumulated. Besides me, no one knows how to find it. Even if they found it, only I can open it. As long as you can kill the Warwolf and exterminate the Fang Wolf Tribe, everything in it will be yours.’”

It seems you still don’t trust me... Lance thought, realizing from her change of subject that he had probably guessed correctly. Her reason for saying all this was simple: she likely wanted to tempt him with the treasures in the vault to spur him into action. If it weren’t for the Primordial God, he might have actually fallen for it. But as long as that old scoundrel was still around, he couldn’t afford to waste time on other matters. Because if the Primordial God succeeded in awakening a greater Primordial God, everything in this world would lose its meaning. Not to mention, he wasn’t short of money. In any era, people were always the most precious resource. The forces he had cultivated had to be prioritized for confronting the Primordial God.

”I understand how you feel right now. But I can tell you plainly: whether or not the vault you mentioned exists, I will exterminate the Fang Wolf Tribe. Our agreement came into effect the moment you joined.

However, before that, I must first deal with the troubles in my own territory. Otherwise, all of it will be meaningless.”

Lance didn’t press her to divulge everything, as that would be unrealistic. They had, after all, known each other for only a few days, brought together by mutual interests. Besides, she wasn’t brainless like Boudica. On the contrary, she was very intelligent; her judgment had merely been clouded by vengeance.

”Let’s leave these matters at that for now. Everyone has their secrets, myself included. I know you have many questions about Hamlet, and I will answer them for you.

Let’s start with what the Witch has told you. What did she say?”

With these words, Lance deliberately changed the subject. Grendel’s tension eased slightly, but when she spoke of this new topic, her expression became somewhat unnatural.

”She told me that beneath Hamlet is...”