Without delving into the origins of the spirit tribe, and without mentioning the names or information of the so-called 【Father】 and 【Mother】, after Ini answered Violet’s curiosity, she returned to the main topic.
“So, what brings you all to the Spirit Puppet Forest? Is it because Big Sister Ewan sent a message?”
“Well, actually, we...”
Violet was just about to explain that they were passing through as travelers when Miss Esther, the wolf beside her, suddenly interjected.
“Ewan did ask me to pass a few words to a spirit puppet named Ini. She said, ‘Remind that girl not to spend all day sleeping at home. Since you became the clan leader, you should take responsibility. I hope that when I comes back, I can see that the agreement has been fulfilled.’ Something like that.”
“Tsk.”
Like a cat whose tail was stepped on, Ini suddenly frowned. Although she didn’t show any change in her expression, probably because of her nature as a puppet, her clearly downcast face and gloomy expression showed that Miss Esther’s words had made her very unhappy.
“That girl... she ran away herself and still wants to meddle in everything. Does she really think she’s everyone’s guardian? Hmph, agreements, agreements, my foot!”
“......?”
Although both her expression and reaction seemed to convey extreme disdain, the fact that Miss Ini didn’t immediately kick them out showed that she wasn’t actually angry. Instead, she seemed more like someone having a petty disagreement with a close acquaintance.
While Miss Ini was digesting this “message,” Esther discreetly signaled to Violet, who could only nod helplessly in response.
Although it might have seemed foolish and risky, Esther’s words had, without a doubt, effectively improved their relationship. At the very least, they proved that they were indeed familiar with Ewan.
This was undoubtedly a very useful icebreaker.
Sure enough, after recovering from her irritation, Ini didn’t press them further about their reason for coming from afar. A hint of contemplation flashed through her eyes, almost indistinguishable from those of a real person. Finally, she took the initiative to open the path to the cabin.
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“You’ve traveled a long way, please come in and have a seat. Let’s have some tea first.”
Violet nodded and then asked with some curiosity, “Would it be appropriate to ask what the agreement mentioned earlier was about? It seemed to provoke such a reaction from you. Perhaps we can help?”
“It’s nothing... just hanging some wind chimes on the trees in this forest. It’s bothersome, isn’t it?”
“Um...?”
Upon hearing this, almost instinctively, everyone looked up at the wind chimes swaying under the eaves, exchanging glances.
However, when they shifted their gaze back to where Ini was, the chieftain had already taken the initiative to walk into the house, leaving only a slightly slender figure.
“Lady Violet, don’t you think Miss Ini is a bit peculiar?”
“Cough... Anyway, let’s go inside first and then discuss.”
Although some of her behavior was indeed somewhat strange, Ini’s attitude and handling of these outsiders were reasonable and relatively friendly. It wouldn’t hurt to inquire about the internal affairs of the Spirit Puppet Tribe when the opportunity arose.
After exchanging greetings and leaving the mountain wolves outside, Violet and the others entered the small house one after another. After all, Ini’s house was only a hundred or so square meters; it couldn’t accommodate the massive wolves, which were three to four meters away.
Although Ini’s cottage was small, the decoration was exquisite. It consisted of a living room and a bedroom but lacked facilities like a bathroom and kitchen.
Although they appeared and behaved just like real humans, puppets ultimately lacked the conventional physiological functions and didn’t need to excrete waste or eat. This made Violet curious about the internal structure of their bodies.
As everyone settled into seats in the living room, Ini seemed to be quite content. The room had excellent lighting, was quiet and tidy, and was furnished with various pieces of furniture.
Hardwood and soft cushions lined the sofas, and occasional crackling could be heard from the fireplace in the autumn. It didn’t look like a room inhabited by a puppet, especially with the attention-grabbing exquisite magical lamps and decorations filling every corner of the room.
Especially the latter, although most of them appear to be just wooden carvings, their content is diverse.
There are cute birds, cats, rabbits, and other adorable creatures, as well as terrifying monsters with fierce and menacing postures that give off an invisible sense of oppression just by looking at them.
The creator carved them lifelike and vivid, clearly pouring a lot of effort into each stroke and cut.
Like others whose attention was also drawn to them, Violet looked around at the wooden carvings placed around and then turned to the puppet lady sitting opposite on the sofa, who seemed to be lost in thought, with curiosity evident on her face.
“Miss Ini, did you make all these wooden carvings here?”
“...Ah? Oh, you mean these? Of course. Actually, not only the wooden carvings, but everything in this room, including the furniture, magical lamps, and even the wooden house itself, I personally made. Of course, some of my sisters in the tribe also helped, it’s a way to pass the time.”
“Amazing... The craftsmanship is really impressive. Are all of you Spirit Puppet Tribe skilled at making similar things?”
Ini nodded, then looked around at the wooden carvings filling the room and picked up a new unfinished piece from the table, holding it up in front of her as if speaking to herself.
“More or less. After all, as puppets, we have an indescribable empathy for these lifeless objects and props. Or if you want to put it bluntly, it’s a kind of innate talent. Plus, puppets have no concept of lifespan and don’t need to eat or drink. Besides the necessary time for sleep to maintain our core, the rest of the long leisure time can only be spent doing these kinds of things to pass the boredom.”
“Of course, it varies from individual to individual. I, for one, prefer quietness, which is why I dedicate myself to activities like this. Someone like Elder Sister Ewan, on the other hand, enjoys liveliness more, so it might be difficult for her to find the time to engage in art.”
Speaking of this, the puppet lady’s expression seemed somewhat puzzled.
“Aren’t you all friends with Elder Sister Ewan? Hasn’t she ever demonstrated the artistic abilities of the puppet tribe when interacting with you?”
“Uh, well...”
Violet naturally couldn’t answer this kind of question, so she quickly turned her beseeching gaze to Esther sitting beside her, who immediately caught on and took over Ini’s question.
“There have been some occasions, but everyone has their own groups, and we don’t always stay with Sister Ewan. So, we’re not particularly familiar with these details. Besides, she loves traveling far and wide, wandering around the mountains and helping the creatures in need, so she’s not often seen.”
“Is that so... That’s right, Elder Sister is just too kind-hearted, especially can’t stand bullying and oppression. If it weren’t for her back then...”
Ini subconsciously agreed with a few words but then suddenly changed the topic as if avoiding something.
“If it’s convenient, could you tell me about Elder Sister Ewan’s affairs outside? Anything will do. Our puppet forest is remote, and it seems to be designated as tribal territory. There are rarely any outsiders coming and going for decades, so we’re quite behind on information.”
Upon hearing this, Esther immediately smiled without much calculation.
“Of course, I can tell you...”
The two sides chatted on and off for quite a while. Although the stories told by the werewolf lady were mostly trivial, it was evident that Ini was genuinely interested, and her fondness for their group was steadily increasing, with a noticeable increase in smiles on her face.
After a while, while Esther was catching her breath, Violet seized the opportunity to raise the doubt in her mind.
She pointed to the unfinished wooden carving that the puppet girl had been holding but had now placed back on the table.
It was a sculpture of a very difficult creature to carve, its winding and twisting body replicated from a single piece of wood, requiring exceptional skill and meticulous patience.
It was a snake sculpture.
“Miss Ini, it looks like this piece is facing some difficulties. Is it your first attempt? May I ask, how did you suddenly decide to sculpt something like this?”