Primitive Man

The news of Garnt and Ayra's new family spread like wildfire. The birth of their child, a precious daughter, became a topic of excitement and joy among the villagers of both main villagers and sub-villages.

After Garnt's grand plan, most of the people suitable for specific types of jobs moved out of the main village. Currently, there are only three sub-villages led by Baktou and another woman who trained under Rona. Additionally, a new village near the sea was created to streamline the salt-making and fishing processes, making things much easier for the residents.

For some reason, she had become rather wary of men, considering the betrayal she faced because of Amel. It wasn't too far-fetched to say that she didn't believe in any men other than Garnt.

In one of the sub-villages, Baktou, a respected figure among the villagers, pondered about expressing their heartfelt congratulations to the main village and Garnt.

Baktou gathered the villagers around him, their faces beaming with curiosity. "Have you heard the news? Garnt and Ayra have welcomed a baby girl into the world!" he announced, eliciting gasps and smiles from the crowd. "My sister might be next, but this time we have to celebrate the birth of our new future leader,"

A seasoned blacksmith named Durik spoke up, his eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. "We should send them a gift, something that truly reflects the strength and beauty of our village."

Everyone else nodded their head agreeing with what Durik said.

Baktou nodded in agreement, his mind already formulating a plan. "I was thinking of something made of iron. After all, we're known for our blacksmithing skills and mining expertise. Let's craft the most exquisite iron gift for Garnt and his daughter. It should be the most beautiful thing that made by us. They should look at it and think about us forever"

The sub-villagers exchanged eager glances, excited to contribute to the heartfelt gesture. Torn between various ideas, they settled on creating a masterpiece that would resonate with the essence of their community.

As the blacksmiths and miners tirelessly worked, sparks flew and hammers clanged, shaping a magnificent iron sword that would stand as a testament to the unity and craftsmanship of their sub-village. Baktou supervised the process, ensuring each stroke and detail reflected the love and care they wished to convey.

He had also started to get an idea about what blacksmithing is after, being the leader of a blacksmithing village for so long and he was glad that he was given this chance despite his mistakes in the past.

Days later, the finished sword gleamed in the sunlight, its blade sharp and ornate. It had a shining blade showing how polished it was, and the handle looked like it was made out of the most precious wood in the forest.

Baktou inspected the creation with pride, a grin spreading across his face. "This will be a symbol of our unity and strength. Let's send our best wishes to Garnt and Ayra in the main village."

With the iron sword carefully wrapped and adorned, the sub-villagers prepared to send their heartfelt gift to the main village. As the package was sent on its way, Baktou couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. The iron sword, a fusion of their skills and sentiments, would undoubtedly be a cherished token for Garnt's growing family.

"Brother, I hope you find this gift useful and hope to see my sister pregnant next time, while-" He then looked at the girl, who was clinging to his right arm with a smile on her face. "You might also need to meet my girlfriend,"

***

In the meantime, the new village that Garnt made near the hot springs found many things they value and love to create. Their lifestyle was mainly composed of providing services to the people who came to take the hotspring services they provided.

Since Garnt had already introduced a currency made of iron with a special symbol, a seal that only one of its kind existed, things started to look a lot better in the village compared to the primitive bartering system. The unique currency, known as "Garnt's Seal," quickly gained acceptance among the villagers and sub-villagers alike.

With this new economic system in place, the villagers found a more efficient way to exchange goods and services. The hot springs, once just a natural resource, now served as the focal point for the village's economic activities. Visitors from neighbouring areas and even far-off regions were drawn to the unique services offered by the villagers.

Even though they were just primitive visitors who became interested in these concepts, Garnt organized teaching sessions so they could learn how the village worked. Until they proved their qualifications and loyalty, none of them were allowed to reside in the village.

In a way, it was like brainwashing people, as most individuals who completed this training either began to worship Garnt like a higher being or simply believed he was some kind of higher being.

The village flourished as skilled individuals emerged, offering diverse services such as massage therapies, herbal baths, and meditation sessions. The hot springs became not only a source of relaxation but also a centre for health and well-being. Garnt's Seal facilitated smooth transactions, allowing the villagers to specialize in their respective crafts and trade their services seamlessly.

But not only that, people also started to mine different minerals inside the caves for different purposes.

The most common things that people mined inside the caves were calcite, gypsum, sphalerite, and halite (rock salt). Even though they were in the early stages of utilizing them effectively, things were slowly developing into something significant, which Garnt found interesting because some of these advancements were occurring without his and Eva's support.

[Humans are beings that evolve rapidly. We might be doing something detrimental to these people since much of the knowledge that humans once had to work hard for is now quickly acquired due to our intervention. However, this doesn't quell their curiosity. There are future scientists among these villagers.]

Eva was impressed with the process of evolution.

As the reputation of the village spread, more people began to settle there, contributing to the growth and diversity of the community. Garnt's innovative approach to currency not only eased the trading process but also instilled a sense of unity among the villagers. They began organizing festivals and events to showcase their talents and attract even more visitors without Garnt's involvement.

"We should send a gift to our patriarch and our new leader's birth, but what should we do?" A group of people were discussing about this important matter inside a wooden cabin.

There was competitiveness among these villages to entertain their main village and show Garnt that his decision to support them wasn't a mistake.

"Our speciality is hot springs, but lately, our miners have been finding some colourful and beautiful-looking stones in the caves. I wanted to consult Garnt about it, but before that, we had this incident, so we should send him the most beautiful-looking stone we can find," one of the men suggested, showing that his idea was the most applicable one. After all, sending hot spring water was not something they could do.

"I agree! Yenya, look at this stone." Suddenly the leader of mining families in the hotspring village took a beautiful blue stone and kept it on the table, so their leader could give her approval to send it to their patriach.

Yenya picked up the beautiful blue stone, examining it with a critical eye. The others in the room looked at her expectantly, waiting for her approval.

"It's nice," Yenya said, her tone underwhelmed. "But I think we can make it look even more beautiful. After all, this is a gift for Garnt, our patriarch. It should be something extraordinary. Do you have any more suggestions?"

The room fell into a thoughtful silence. Everyone exchanged glances, each person contemplating how they could enhance the stone's beauty or just present something new.

Suddenly, a man named Kylan stood up, his eyes gleaming with determination. "I have an idea, Yenya! Let me take this stone and polish it. I've always wanted to try my hand at it, and I've got a feeling I can make it shine like never before."

Yenya nodded, intrigued by the suggestion. "Alright, Kylan, give it a try. Let's see what you can do with it. After all, I want everyone to try something, I will only allow the best gift."

Excitement filled the air as Kylan took the stone and disappeared into his workshop. The others waited with bated breath, curious about the outcome of Kylan's experiment. Meanwhile, they also tried to try their own twists, but none of them managed to impress Yenya.

After a few days, Kylan emerged, holding the stone in his hands. The transformation was astounding. The once simple blue stone now radiated with a brilliant shine, its colours dancing in the light.

Yenya's eyes widened in amazement. "Kylan, this is incredible! How did you do it?"

Kylan grinned proudly. "I just gave it a good polish and brought out the natural beauty hidden beneath the surface. I've always believed these stones had more potential than meets the eye."

Yenya was impressed. "Well, you've certainly proven that. This is perfect for Garnt. Now, let's not forget the presentation. I want this stone in a beautiful wooden box. Call woodworkers!" she called out to one of the men nearby. "Prepare a stunning wooden box for this polished gem. We're sending it to Garnt as a token of our appreciation."

As the lumberjack hurried to fulfil the request, Yenya couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in her village. Their creativity and determination had turned a simple stone into a remarkable gift, showcasing the unity and talent of the community Garnt had helped thrive.

"Rona would be so happy to see our gifts. I can't wait to see her own child, after all, she is the wife that I support. Maybe it is time for me to make a family too. But where do I even find a man?"