Separation

On the ninth day after arriving at the Red Leaf Tribe, Broly was invited by the Red Leaf Tribe's Tribal Chief to the Deep Water Area to take part in gathering Freshwater Clam Pearls.

"We use fermented Spitting Fish meatballs with a strong fishy smell to lure away the dangerous fish in the Deep Water Area.

"Once the dangerous fish have been lured away, the tribe's skilled divers take the chance to dive to the bottom of the Deep Water Area.

"There are some Large Freshwater Clams down there. Fresh chunks of fish can lure them into opening their shells. When they open their shells, you can use branches brought down with you to pick the pearls out of their mouths.

"Pearls the size of peas can be traded for six or seven bags of flour. If you find pearls larger than peas, high-quality ones can even be traded for half a month's worth of rations for the tribe, or for some iron tools.

"But be careful not to hurt those large clams. That way, they can produce new pearls again in a few years..."

On the small boat, Rideriel told Broly about the Red Leaf Tribe's work to supplement their income. They were a pearl-gathering tribe in the mangrove forest, earning money by diving into the dangerous deep waters of the Marsh Region to collect Freshwater Clam Pearls from the bottom.

"Broly, you're very strong. If you're willing to join the Red Leaf Tribe, I can give you the position of Tribal Chief."

After introducing how the Red Leaf Tribe made money, Rideriel directly invited Broly to join them.

Over the past few days, he had quietly observed the boy and learned that Broly had a good nature and valued his companions greatly. More importantly, he possessed terrifying strength.

If Broly became the Tribal Chief of the Red Leaf Tribe, he would surely be able to ignore the terrain of the Marsh Region, where stretches of mangrove forest land were separated from one another, and develop the Red Leaf Tribe.

So, after noticing that the boy seemed to be preparing to leave the tribe with some children who did not wish to remain, Rideriel came up with the idea of inviting him out for a talk.

As a member of a not particularly civilized tribe, Rideriel, despite being the Tribal Chief, did not have so many twists and turns in his thoughts. He directly showed the utmost sincerity in his invitation.

"Stay. The Red Leaf Tribe can become a home for you and the other children."

To be honest, Rideriel was extremely sincere. He was even willing to give the position of Tribal Chief to an outsider child.

But no matter how sincere he was, it was useless. Even if Broly agreed, the Crystal Palace would forcibly send him back to his original world once his Time Limit expired.

"I can't stay." Broly shook his head. "Those who no longer have homes can stay if they want to, but for those who want to go home, I plan to send them back."

Although the children who had followed him out of the Great Forest had all found stable lives in the Red Leaf Tribe, some still did not feel that they belonged here. They envied Rivarina for being able to return home and wanted to return to their real homes as well.

"Do you know where their homes are?"

Rideriel asked.

"Those who want to go home have mentioned the places where they used to live, though I don't know the way."

Broly told the truth.

"If you don't know the way, how will you send them home?"

"I didn't know the way here either, but I still brought them here."

Broly did not think sending people home was difficult. He had done it in the previous world.

"The roads of the Empire aren't easy to travel, but with your strength, it should be fine."

Rideriel sighed. Knowing he could not keep Broly, he gave up.

"Can you help gather some pearls?"

Broly nodded.

In a single day, he brought up a pile of pearls from the Deep Water Area that was larger than everyone else's combined.

"Did you clear out every Freshwater Clam in this area?"

Seeing the pile of pearls on the small boat, Rideriel gave a wry smile. The boy was far too efficient. They probably would not need to come back to this Deep Water Area for one or two years.

That night, after returning to the Red Leaf Tribe, Broly discussed leaving with the other children. Some of them already knew about it.

"Sorry, Broly Big Brother. I'm going to stay here."

That was what most of the children without homes thought. They had finally found a place to belong and did not want to return to wandering lives.

"I want to go back. I don't believe my parents sold me. That must have been a lie told by the Slave Trader. I want to go back and find out the truth."

That was the thought of one child who wanted to go home. The others who wished to return all had homes, but at their age, they did not know exactly where those homes were. They only remembered simple place names from the regions where they had lived.

"We need a map."

Nahash said this. He had no home, but he wanted to leave with Broly.

"Where can we find a map?"

Broly asked. The children willing to leave with him looked at one another. Until now, they had mostly just drifted along with the tide.

"I have a map, though it isn't very accurate."

Rideriel walked in from outside at that moment, holding a Parchment Scroll and a bundle.

"This is a map my father, the previous Tribal Chief of the Red Leaf Tribe, traded from a Traveling Merchant. My father once wanted to take the pearls gathered by our tribe into the Empire and sell them for a good price.

"But he failed. The people of the Empire were extremely hostile toward Different Races. Not only did thieves target us, even some Lord Nobles had their eyes on us. We suffered heavy losses, and this map was left unused in the tribe.

"It's no longer of much use to our tribe, but it may be useful to you if you want to return to the Empire."

As Rideriel spoke, he handed over the Parchment Scroll map. It was more than ten years old, but it had been well preserved, and the drawings and text on it were fairly clear.

Although Broly could not read the map, Nahash could. He was a learned person who seemed to have received a good education in the past, even training in etiquette.

"It's very old, but it is indeed a map of the Empire. Green's home is probably here."

Nahash found Green's home on it, though only its approximate location on the map. They would have to get nearby before they could determine the exact location.

"If you aren't in a hurry to leave, wait in the tribe for two months. A Boat Merchant will pass nearby and can take you back to the Empire. I'll help pay for it."

"I don't have that much time."

Broly shook his head. He only had 49 days left in this world.

"Still, if you don't need me to send you home, you can stay here."

Broly spoke to the children who wanted to go home, but none of them was willing to stay.

After all, Big Brother's strength was obvious. Following Big Brother, they could walk through a forest filled with Danger Beasts as if they were taking a stroll.

So it was safer to have Big Brother take them home.

"Since you're all leaving, this is the Farewell Gift I prepared for you."

Rideriel seemed to have expected this outcome. He set down the bundle in his hands.

When the bundle was opened, it revealed the pearls inside.

"Once you reach the Empire, it won't be like here. There are many places where you'll need money. Our tribe has no Imperial currency, but we have pearls that can be exchanged for money. The money you get from trading these pearls will make your journey easier."

Of course, having money could also cause trouble, but Rideriel looked at Broly. With this powerful child around, there should not be a problem.

"Thank you, Tribal Chief Rideriel."

"No need to thank me. You've also helped our tribe a great deal. Not to mention helping Rivarina return home, you even moved over a whole mangrove forest. With that adjacent mangrove forest, our Red Leaf Tribe can expand into a larger tribe in the future."

In the Marsh Region, the size of the mangrove forest determined the size of the tribe living on it. The larger the mangrove forest, the more people it could support.

"Eh? You need those things?"

Broly tilted his head.

"Then should I move some more over for you?"

Rideriel opened his mouth, but he did not say no.

"If you can, then I'll trouble you."

Over the course of half the night, Broly moved over a large stretch of mangrove forest from elsewhere in the Marsh Region. If Tribal Chief Rideriel had not told him to stop midway, he might have moved every mangrove forest in the surrounding area over.

"We need to leave some as transit points."

Their own mangrove forest area had expanded nearly tenfold, leaving Tribal Chief Rideriel somewhat embarrassed. All it had taken was one map and a bag of pearls to receive such a tremendous return.

The next day, Tribal Chief Rideriel gave the Red Leaf Tribe's largest boat to Broly and the children leaving with him.

Of the original seventy-three companions Broly had brought with him, only fourteen remained at his side. The other children stood at the Red Leaf Tribe's new border, their eyes red as they saw them off.

After sharing hardships throughout their journey, these rootless children had long formed a sincere friendship.

Now they were parting, and they might never see one another again. Naturally, they were overwhelmed with sorrow.

"Nahash, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said you were from a noble family."

"It's fine. After all, you weren't wrong."

"Boni, stop picking Poisonous Mushrooms. You really can't eat those."

"But they're really delicious."

"Bang!"

Cornelia knocked her on the head, then said to their companions on shore, "I'll keep an eye on her."

"Tsukushi, we'll always remember your grilled meat."

"If I get the chance, I'll come back and make it for you again."

"Akame, Kurome, stop snatching Big Brother's meat."

"We didn't snatch it. He gave it to us himself."

The Twin-Eyed Sisters felt they had been slandered.

"Broly Big Brother, we'll always remember you!"

At last, everyone shouted.

The words of farewell stirred Broly. He seemed to experience an emotion of reluctance to part.

At the same time, he missed Fujimura Taiga from another world, who had treated him very well.

"I'll also do my best to remember all of you."

Broly responded, and the reason he said "do my best" was because he had not remembered everyone's names and appearances.

After all, there were more than seventy of them. It was not like they were wives recognized by the Crystal Palace.

The boat sailed farther away, leaving the Red Leaf Tribe behind.

As the sadness of parting gradually settled, Green suddenly asked Nahash, "Are you really a noble?"

"Just an illegitimate son. I became a slave, after all. It's a useless identity."

It was a simple exchange between two friends whose spirits had recovered.

But after Broly recovered his spirits, what he thought was: I can go somewhere else to find wives.