Kalina, Chitra and Meena stayed in Alex's house. Others went home.
Alex was the first to wake up. He tip-toed his way out so as not to disturb anyone. He wanted to visit the farm of the Stonehead tribe. But Kalina was waiting for him outside the house.
"Hello."
"Yes," Alex replied nonchalantly. He was expecting to see her.
"What do you want to say?" Alex strode towards her and asked. "Let's talk while we walk."
Kalina paused for a moment. But she still followed him.
"Why are you not surprised to see me?"
"Do you always reply to a question with another question?"
"No."
"So, why can't you answer my question before asking me something?"
"It is hard to read you. You are never surprised. Your thoughts and actions are always peculiar. That's why I am prone to ask more questions around you."
"Hm…" Alex nodded. "But don't put me on a pedestal. I might just be acting."
"Even if it is acting. You seem to be able to fool others. I would love to learn that skill."
As they talked, the duo quickly neared the vast expanse of farmland. Previously, this place was uncultivatable. The entire land was rocky. Shrubs and weeds infected this land. But now, the Stonehead tribe had successfully turned the whole area arable.
The fertile valleys between the mountains were used to grow crops. The sloped hills were transformed for use in terrace farming. Small streams of water were diverted through canals for irrigation.
Even after Alex's absence, the entire area was maintained perfectly.
Kalina stood in awe as she saw this. It was the first time she was visiting the farmlands of the Stonehead tribe.
"This is the secret to your wealth!" Kalina exclaimed.
Alex gave a pleasant smile upon hearing her words.
"Now, are you sure we can provide the vegetables and meat the blue gem city would require during the Champion's tournament?"
"Hm…" Kalina nodded her head.
"What did you want to discuss?"
"At first, I came here with the pretence of sharing information. I wanted to meet you and know if you will reveal your hidden identity as the white-robed man. But that plan fell through the moment I met Chitra. Now, I want to discuss what will happen from here on."
"What's there to discuss? You always did what's best for your tribe. I will do the same."
"Wouldn't a cooperative relationship be better?"
"No. There can only be cooperation between two equals. I don't yet think that I am strong enough to be in a cooperative relationship with you or your tribe. We can only use each other for our own benefit."
"Are you willing to be used?"
"It's not like you care if I agree or not," Alex stated in a gloomy tone.
"I do. I did not reveal your identity as the white-robed man to my tribe. Your secrets are still safe."
"Why?" It was Alex's time to ask the question.
Kalina had no real reason to keep his identity secret. So, he didn't understand why she did it.
"I didn't. That's all that matters. Maybe I am waiting to use it for some purpose."
"Do you want to threaten me by saying I should reveal my identity to the public?"
"You always tend to see the most pessimistic outcome. Why would I want to threaten you? We were in a life-and-death battle before. And you saved me. Maybe I just want to repay the favour by keeping that information secret." Kalina chided.
"Is it so hard to trust me?" She directed her question at Alex while tightening her grip.
Alex, however, didn't give an answer. He looked at deeply for a moment.
"Trust? Let's say I trust you." He chose the diplomatic answer over his real feelings.
"You don't have to answer like that…"
"Like what?"
"That–I am not desperate for your trust." Kalina relaxed her grip. She was evidently disappointed.
Alex could see that from her words and facial expression. He felt a little guilty. He was not trying to make Kalina sad.
Kalina was a trustworthy individual. That was a fact. But Alex was unwilling to accept that. In his mind, the word 'trusting' always hints at the possibility that someone would be able to break his trust.
His instinct was to close himself up. Only a few could get past the fort he had created around himself.
And that was why he chose a diplomatic answer.
"Let's move on." Alex avoided Kalina's eyes and moved forward.
They ran together over the hills to a higher vantage point. Now, they could see the entirety of the farmland. It was giant, much larger than what Alex made. The stone head tribe had developed the land even after Alex's disappearance.
Hundreds of hectares of land had seemly turned into farmland.
'How did they achieve it?' Alex thought. Even he, with his magic, could not have made that much land into arable land. Eliminating the weeds was a complicated process which needed a lot of mana.
So, how could the weak stonehead tribe do that?
"This is great." He smiled.
"Isn't it?" Mupan suddenly appeared behind them and said.
"Where did you come from?"
It was early in the morning. Why was the Mupan on the hills near the farmland?
"From the cottage over there." Mupan pointed at the cottage present on the hilltop. Alex didn't notice it before, but it became clear to him now. Behind the trees over to the south, he could see a cottage.
Some people were gathered near it.
"What are you doing here this early?" Alex asked.
"Hehehe…" Mupan laughed, hearing Alex's question. "Do you like to know?" He questioned, waking the curiosity of Alex.
Alex nodded.
"Come follow me."
Mupan invited Alex and Kalina to the cottage. Near, there was a group of people. They were carrying spatulas, knives, ladles and large cauldrons. Some were busy chopping vegetables while others busily mixed the cauldrons' contents with their laddles.
"They are preparing the breakfast for the workers. Come, enter." Mupan explained while he entered the cottage.
Just as Alex entered the cottage, he saw a familiar face. But he couldn't recall where exactly he had seen this person.
"We were about to discuss some things about the farm when I noticed you," Mupan stated.
Alex, however, did not know who this person was. He obviously knew all the important people in the Stonehead tribe, so he was perplexed that he couldn't recognise the person before him.
"Hello." Even then, he politely greeted the elderly man.
"It has been too long since I ate tier 3 mammoth meat. It seems like today is your treat, Mupan." The elderly man said, looking at Mupan.
"Shoot!" The Mupan toned down his curse. But his disappointment was evident.
"What is going on?"
"I bet with him that you are smart, and you will immediately recognise him. But it seems like I lost. Do you not know this guy?" Mupan said while pointing to the person beside him.
"He looks familiar."
"Think harder."
"Can you give me a hint?"
"You saw him before."
"Is that really a hint?"
"Yes, think harder. Or else I would lose the meat of the tier 3 four-tusked mammoth meat. I was meaning to use it sparingly." The Mupan begrudgingly said.
'It's not like I asked you to bet with a stranger. Why are you looking at me like that?'
But seeing the pitiful look of Mupan, Alex thought harder. After transmigrating, he had only met a few people.
'I just have to think about what happened in my life sequentially.'
"That's it!" Alex exclaimed.
"Say his name." Mupan encouraged Alex.
"Isn't he Thadi from the woodland tribe?"
"HAHAHAHA…." The Mupan laughed. His face brightened after hearing Alex's reply.
"Yes, I am." The elderly person replied. He was a little disappointed that he couldn't scam the mammoth meat from the Mupan.
Thadi was one of the elders of the woodland tribe that Alex encountered. They were a tribe that existed near the Stonehead tribe.
"How's Uli and the others doing? Did he marry the princess of the ice phoenix tribe?" Alex asked casually.
Kalina, who was near, widened her eyes, hearing his words.
Thadi didn't know the person besides Alex was Kalina, the princess of the Ice Phoenix tribe. Or else, he would have jumped in to correct Alex.
"Uli and the others are trying their hand at being chefs. They have improved a lot in recent times. They are doing the restaurant business really well. I don't know if Uli would marry the princess, but he is trying his best…" Thadi said.
The Mupan quickly cowered Thadi's mouth and prevented him from speaking.
"Ha ha…" He let out an awkward laugh. Then he whispered something in the ear of Thadi.
Thad's eyes bulged out instantly; they were about to pop.
"Sorry." He quickly stood up and apologised to Kalina.
Kalina graceously accepted the apology.
Alex, who caused the misunderstanding, stood nearby with a smile. He was a menace.
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