My Orc Husband Dotes on Me Excessively

Chapter 7:The Rejected Sacred Stone

Anluo shook her head with a smile once more. Rejected time and again, Jutu’s face fell, and he sighed repeatedly. There was an unwritten rule across the Beast God Continent: no beastman could force another into a trade if they refused to exchange something. Savage wandering beastmen were the only exception, of course. Yet it was such a rare sight to behold Sacred Fire outside the Beast King’s Court. Jutu could not bear to give up just like that. After all, Sacred Fire worked wonders for healing wounds! “Anluo, what will it take for you to agree to share the Sacred Fire? The Lion Tribe will give you anything we possess!” Jutu pressed after a moment’s thought. Anluo did not know whether to laugh or cry at his misunderstanding. She hurried to clarify. “Chief, you have it wrong! I don’t want any trade. The Sacred Fire is yours to have for free, a gift from my brother and me to thank the tribe for taking us in.” Jutu was utterly stunned to hear this. He had never dreamed of such a generous offer, and his grin stretched nearly from ear to ear. Once the initial rush of excitement faded, he forced his lips into a neutral line and spoke carefully. “The Beast God permitted you two to join our tribe, yet this Sacred Fire belongs solely to you and your brother. On behalf of the tribe, I insist we give you ten beast hides, plus an entire wild bull carcass.” Anluo was about to turn him down, but a sudden thought halted her words. She and her brother could not hunt yet, and they were still staying in Baize’s cave. They needed to start gathering supplies to survive out here. With that in mind, she did not decline the offer. “Thank you, Chief. My brother and I are new to the tribe and will rely heavily on your help and the tribe’s support, so I shall not refuse your kindness.” Jutu waved his hand cheerfully. Truth be told, the tribe was getting an incredible bargain from this exchange. There would be plenty of chances to repay her later—there was no rush for today. Not knowing how to preserve embers, Anluo prepared to teach Jutu the wood-drilling fire-starting method. Unexpectedly, Jutu waved her off and said he already knew the trick, his eyes fixed curiously on the roasting meat. Surprised, Anluo could not help but ask, “Chief, what does the tribe use Sacred Fire for?” “Healing wounds,” Baize cut in suddenly. Jutu nodded in agreement. Anluo glanced back at him. Sensing her silent confusion, Baize elaborated. “The hunting parties always get injured on expeditions. Searing wounds with Sacred Fire stops bleeding.” Even so… just picturing burning open wounds made Anluo shudder. The beastmen lived in harsh conditions, lacking sufficient food and clothing with no knowledge of herbal medicine. She supposed cauterizing wounds with fire did have a small benefit, at least. Watching the little female’s horrified expression, Baize tugged at the corner of his mouth and diverted her attention on purpose. “Luoluo, do you know what else Sacred Fire can do?” The tender nickname made Anluo stiffen briefly, though she quickly relaxed again. Her family and friends had called her that often in her past life. She tilted her head and thought for a moment. “Fire has countless uses! Cooking food, boiling water, keeping warm… so many things.” “That’s right! Meat roasted over Sacred Fire tastes amazing. Even spiny beasts don’t reek when cooked this way, it’s so delicious!” the cub chimed in proudly. Baize and Jutu needed no confirmation from the cub to believe it. Juicy sizzles rose from the skewered meat over the flames, carrying a strange, enticing aroma neither of them could name. Yet the scent made Baize and Jutu swallow hard repeatedly, desperate to tear into the roast. Anluo caught the scent too, frowned, and quickly flipped the skewers. Black char marks marred the surface of the meat, and she felt a twinge of regret. She had gotten distracted chatting and forgotten to tend the roast. She stopped talking to Baize and Jutu entirely, focusing all her attention on the meat to keep it from burning further. A short while later, a rich, savory meat fragrance filled the air, and the cub, Baize and Jutu swallowed even more audibly, captivated by the smell. Anluo sniffed the air, grinning happily. “It’s nearly done. If only we had salt, chili peppers and cumin!” Baize snapped back to attention. “Salt? What is salt?” “Salt is a white seasoning that tastes salty. It replenishes the body’s energy.” Baize exchanged a glance with Jutu. They had no idea what salt, chili peppers or cumin were, nor what “salty” meant. But they knew of one thing in the tribe that restored energy. “Is it the sacred stone?” Jutu asked. Anluo was unsure if the sacred stone they spoke of was the same as salt. From the original host’s memories, they were roughly equivalent. “Show me some. We don’t call it sacred stone where I come from; I can’t be certain until I see it.” At her words, Baize stood. “I have some in my cave. I’ll fetch it.” As Baize left, Jutu squatted down regretfully, never taking his eyes off the roasting meat, chatting with her casually every now and then. Baize returned shortly after. He held out a piece of beast hide and unfolded it to reveal several chunks of pale white stone inside. These white stones were traded from the Merfolk Tribe during the yearly trading gathering, extremely rare and precious. The tribe doled out only tiny fragments to each beastman every year. Baize disliked the taste of sacred stone, so he mostly relied on beast blood to regain energy—and that was how he’d amassed such a large stash. Anluo picked up one small fragment and gave it a light lick. An overwhelmingly bitter saltiness flooded her mouth instantly, puffing her cheeks out like a steamed bun. Right then, a leaf cupped full of water was held out to her beside her. “Drink some water.” Anluo took it without hesitation. She chugged mouthfuls until the harsh saltiness faded from her tongue. Only then did she realize Baize was the one who’d handed her the water. After thanking him, she eyed the bundle of white stones with obvious distaste. If she had a choice, she would never touch such crude salt. Unfortunately, she had no alternatives right now. She picked the tiniest chunk, smashed it with another stone into powder, then pinched a little and sprinkled it evenly over the roast meat. Watching her actions, Jutu’s heart ached. “Anluo, sprinkling sacred stone on meat will ruin it and make it unedible. What a waste of fine meat!” Others in the tribe had tried this before. Sacred stone was revolting to swallow, yet going without it left one weak and sickly. Fresh beast blood was not always available, so they had to force the stone down no matter how foul it tasted. Some beastmen had crushed sacred stone and spread it over meat just like her to make it easier to swallow—but it turned out even worse than licking the stone plain… Anluo blinked and smiled. “Rest assured, Chief. Used in the right amount, this sacred stone will make the roast taste wonderful!” Jutu shook his head repeatedly. She hadn’t used much sacred stone, so it might just barely be bearable. Besides Jutu’s sorrowful expression, Baize stood by looking torn. He hated the flavor of sacred stone, yet he could not bear to see his little female upset. He wondered if he should force himself to eat this seasoned roast later. Anluo stole a glance at the three of them, and only the cub’s eager face brought her a little comfort. The meat was slightly charred, yet its flavor would surely beat raw flesh by a mile. Thinking of how kindly Baize and Jutu had treated her, she forgave their lack of faith readily, determined to prove them wrong with the “so good you’ll beg for more” effect. The roast finished cooking just then. Anluo sliced off two small portions with her bone knife and handed them to Baize and Jutu. “We have no cumin or chili peppers, but the sacred stone brings out great flavor. Give it a try!”