Supplements and Choices

You should know that Solam was never a "good child" in the traditional sense. Although he possessed knowledge from another world, his personal history was a blank slate, so calling him a child was technically accurate. However, that knowledge had matured his inner self; while he could be childish when interacting with other kids, he was far more sophisticated and cunning than his peers. Despite his short stature, he was undeniably the king of the children. Thus, when those kids saw their boss suddenly acting cute, the embarrassment was beyond words.

"Little Ram, why are you still so thin? Solari, it seems you need to keep supplementing Ram's diet. Look at how sturdy Krum was at ten." Oh, I forgot to mention: Krum is Solam's cousin, and Karut is his uncle. However, Solam never really identified with his uncle's status, and as for his cousin...

One look at how he constantly played Krum for a fool tells you everything. It wasn't that he held a grudge or disliked them; it was that persistent sense of alienation—the barrier between a transmigrator and this world—that prevented him from truly identifying with certain things. His detachment from his previous world and his isolation in this one always made him stand out, which was another reason he was often bullied.

Others, knowing a bit about his background, felt a sense of pity and generally ignored his eccentricities. His uncle and aunt knew even more, so they pitied him all the more. This made the dynamic between them somewhat awkward. Granny Karom, however, was open-minded due to her age and experience; she didn't care about such things, which actually made it easier for Solam to feel close to her.

"Who's to say? Last time, I specifically asked Trick for some Giant Strength Deer blood and Deep River Lizard hearts to nourish Ram. It's still no use; his appetite is so small. How will he grow if he doesn't eat meat? It seems I'll have to find more supplements for him," Aunt Solari considered earnestly.

Solam's face turned green immediately. He knew that his ability to remain undefeated among the other children was largely thanks to these two kind-hearted female elders.

Because Solam was a half-breed, he looked much "weaker" than the average orc child. Fearing he wouldn't survive, his grandfather entrusted him to Granny Karom and his daughter-in-law, Solari. Solari had recently lost a child of her own, so she was overly cautious, terrified of losing Solam as well. Thus, the two women went to great lengths to force-feed him supplements.

Consequently, Solam had grown up eating all sorts of strange things, like the blood of the Giant Strength Deer. It was said to be highly nourishing, but best consumed raw. These deer were difficult to catch; they were incredibly shrewd, fleeing at the slightest disturbance. If they couldn't escape, they would fight to the death. With their immense strength, they wouldn't even fear an Owlbear when cornered.

(The appearance of an Owlbear is a mix of thick, dark feathers and fur ranging from brown-black to tawny. Its eagle-like beak is a dull, ivory color. A fully developed male Owlbear can stand up to 8 feet tall and weigh 1,500 pounds. Adventurers who have survived encounters with Owlbears often speak of the bestial, frenzied rage they witnessed in the creature's blood-red eyes.)

The Deep River Lizard wasn't actually a lizard, but more like a giant salamander. These creatures lived in the depths of large rivers and rarely came ashore, making them hard to catch. On top of that, his aunt was always asking the clan's hunters to collect strange animals or eerie-looking herbs to nourish her "cute" Ram. As a result, Solam was constantly suffering from body heat and nosebleeds... he was being over-nourished. In short, it was a miracle Solam grew up healthy at all, given he was forced to eat such bizarre things every day.

In fact, there was a misconception in Avalon: everyone thought Solam was born with a developmental deficiency. In reality, for the outside world, it was quite rare for a half-elf to be as developed as he was at ten. While half-elves didn't grow as slowly as pure-blooded elves—who lived for 1,000 years and had a 200-year growth period—they still lived for 350 to 500 years, with a growth period of at least 50 to 80 years. Avalon had been isolated for too long to know this, assuming that since elves and orcs were historical enemies, elves should be just as sturdy, and they knew nothing about growth cycles.

"Come on... Granny, I'm already fine. I don't need any more supplements. I had a nosebleed two days ago; if I keep taking these, it'll be the death of me," Solam said, tugging on Granny Karom's hand and acting spoiled. He was genuinely afraid of those concoctions now. "I'm thin, but I'm not sick or weak. Can we stop?"

"We must. Your grandfather hopes you will become a warrior like your father. How can you do that without a good physique?" Granny Karom looked at Solam kindly, but her tone remained stern.

...Looking at Granny Karom's earnest face, Solam felt powerless to argue. After all, she truly had his best interests at heart.

"Mother, Solam's affairs are all up to you; whatever you say goes. But look, the time is right. The wolf pups are about to open their eyes. Shall we begin the selection?" Uncle Ramk stepped in to relieve Solam, reminding them that the time for the ceremony had arrived. The ceremony had to begin before the pups opened their eyes so that the moment they did, they would see their master. To the orcs of Avalon, this was the most important moment in the bond between a Worg and its master, marking the start of a lifelong commitment.

Before the ceremony, the host family would select several underage children to serve as potential masters for the pups. The Worg pups would be placed in the center of the tent, and the children would call out to them; the pup that approached a child would belong to them. As for who was chosen and how many, it was up to the host, though they usually favored the strongest children so they might become excellent warriors, which brought honor to the family.

"Then let it be little Ram, Krum, and Neruda. We don't need so many people; I think those three are fine." Granny Karom held a high status in the clan and was the final authority in the household, so she decided immediately. Uncle Ramk didn't object and simply turned to fetch the pups, clearly having known the plan beforehand.

The others were a bit surprised. Krum and Neruda were understandable, but Solam? By orc standards, he didn't look like a promising warrior—he was too thin. Although he could dominate the other children, adult orcs didn't pay much attention to children's squabbles. To them, big and sturdy was beautiful—a very simple worldview. But considering Solam had grown up by Granny Karom's side and knowing his background, they kept their thoughts to themselves. It was someone else's business, and even the chieftain couldn't question how a family chose their candidates. Still, they didn't hold high hopes for Solam's future.

Before long, Uncle Ramk brought out three Worg pups that hadn't yet opened their eyes—one white, one black, and one brown. They were about the size of a common dog from his previous life. He placed them in the center of the tent and let the three children surround them. Solam was inwardly thrilled; he knew exactly what the others thought of him and had assumed he wouldn't get a chance. Now that Granny Karom had given him such a gift, how could he not be excited?

"Awoo... aroo... woo." As soon as they stood in place, the three children began mimicking the howls of a Worg to attract the pups. Granny Karom watched Solam howling away, his face flushed with excitement, and felt a wave of relief.

To be honest, she didn't personally feel that Solam had to become a warrior. The boy had been smarter than the others since he was small; becoming a Shaman would be just as good.

It was just that Solam's grandfather, Chieftain Kramsh, desperately wanted his grandson to grow into an excellent warrior like his youngest son, Garush. Granny Karom knew this was natural; in an orc tribe, Shamans held high status and were respected, but an excellent warrior was worshipped.

Shamans were spellcasters, and to outsiders, they always seemed a bit eccentric. Warriors were different, especially among orcs who revered strength. Watching warriors fight always stirred the blood of other orcs and made them feel passionate. Thus, an orc child's first choice was always to be a great warrior, and Shamans were no exception.

Many Shamans in orc tribes were part-time warriors. Many even used totem poles as their magical implements—using them to cast spells in daily life, and when necessary, buffing themselves with a Strength spell to swing the pole and smash heads. A totem pole weighed at least 50-60 pounds, making it just as lethal as a mace. Even Granny Karom herself used a flail; they were all part of the "violence" school.

However, with little Ram's physique, he would likely only be able to become a pure Shaman. But at least it was a path forward. Granny Karom made up her mind to have a serious talk with Kramsh; after all, the boy was growing up.

While Granny Karom was lost in thought, the three children had each picked up their Worg pups. Solam's was a pure white pup. Worgs were usually black or brown, but the orcs didn't think the color had any special meaning. Even if it was white, it was still a Worg.

The white pup in Solam's arms blinked its eyes open, looked at Solam, and licked his hand with its pink tongue. Kramsh quickly handed Solam a leather waterskin filled with wolf milk. In fact, female Worgs in Avalon rarely nursed their pups directly, and their lactation period was very short. Therefore, before the pups were born, the host family would feed the mother well to collect as much milk as possible before weaning.

This was precious stuff; once made into cheese, it was considered the best supplement in Avalon and was easy to store. It was usually only eaten by the injured or women recovering from childbirth. After the selection ceremony, the host family would give some to the chosen children—partly as a blessing for them to grow strong, and partly to help the pups transition from mother's milk to meat.

Solam quickly took the waterskin and poured a little onto his hand for the pup to lick, which helped deepen their bond and let the pup get used to his scent. The others watched the interaction between the two little ones and were happy. The other two pups hadn't opened their eyes yet and were still sniffing around blindly, which meant Solam's pup was stronger and healthier than its siblings. Everyone was glad that Solam had been chosen by such a strong Worg.