New and Old

After another grueling battle, they lay there still wanting more, discussing the contents of their "vow."

Before long, they finally arrived at a relatively complete version. Its central ideas were roughly as follows:

1. Neither party to the vow would ever betray the other and would remain faithful;

2. The bodies and souls of both parties would be drawn to each other for the rest of their lives;

3. From this day forth, both parties would share honor and disgrace alike, placing their mutual interests above their own.

This was the consensus they had reached through discussion, their shared vision. Neither felt that they were getting the short end of the stick.

Once that discussion was over, several more day-and-night battles followed. Only when even his Troll body felt utterly drained did Blade Tusk call for a truce.

Though he felt ashamed beneath her faintly amused gaze, he truly could not go on. He hurriedly fled his own dwelling as if escaping for his life.

After a brief period of rest, Blade Tusk and Meiya jointly submitted a proposal to the Rune Council titled A Discussion on Fixed Partners and Families.

The proposal caused a tremendous uproar among the witch doctors and the observing House of Commons apprentices.

The opposition, led by the Head Witch Doctor, believed it was unworkable and that it seriously violated tribal traditions.

Moreover, "families" would bring a whole series of problems, even shaking the foundations of the tribe's current "communal system."

The supporters, led by the Middle Witch Doctor, held the exact opposite view.

They believed the tribe's traditions had long since fallen apart beyond repair, and there was no need to cling to things that no longer even existed.

Furthermore, they felt that the "communal system" had already begun to crack alongside the growth of material abundance. A family-based "private ownership system" could just fill the chaos left behind when the former completely collapsed.

After several rounds of deliberation in expanded Rune Council meetings, the opposition and supporters remained unable to reach an agreement on the matter.

For a time, the situation fell into a deadlock.

Watching both sides argue until the roof nearly came off, Blade Tusk's thoughts became somewhat sluggish. He truly had not thought that far ahead; it was purely his possessiveness at work.

Still, the concerns on both sides were clearly well-founded. The only issue was whether the positions they clung to leaned conservative or radical.

Thus, he proposed conducting a preliminary survey of the tribe's wishes—first see how receptive the people were before discussing anything else.

Since the tribe's population was so small to begin with, the survey progressed very quickly, and the council soon received the results.

The general findings were as follows:

When adult males were asked what they thought of "fixed partners," their usual answer was, "Whatever."

But when asked, "Would you be willing to have, and only have, one fixed partner?" the men's answers diverged.

35% answered, "No."

45% answered, "Whatever."

20% answered, "Yes."

According to rough statistics, those who answered "No" were generally the strongest and most valiant group;

Those who answered "Whatever" were ordinary Trolls of the next rank down;

Those who answered "Yes" were mostly somewhat thinner and weaker Trolls.

The answers gathered from female Trolls were also almost identical to those of the males.

Similar proportions, similar demographic makeup—it seemed that "whether one was strong or not" had become an important standard determining a Troll's views on choosing a mate.

Faced with such a survey report, neither side sought to wholly reject the other's viewpoint any longer. Instead, through mutual compromise, they produced a provisional regulation.

The regulation stipulated that, without forcibly changing the tribe's current mating system, a certification channel would be provided for Trolls willing to "become partners," and the tribe would ensure broad respect and protection for their choice.

The certification, respect, and protection were mainly reflected in the following aspects.

First, parties willing to "marry" would swear loyalty to one another through a designated procedure. The tribe was obligated to recognize, record, and archive this oath. (Witch doctors could voluntarily choose whether to undertake a further meditation oath; ordinary Trolls did not possess the conditions required for such an oath.)

Second, mutual fidelity and mutual assistance would become the shared basic obligations of the parties making the declaration. Violators would be scorned and punished;

Third, no Troll could make any form of mating request toward either party to the oath. Violators would be deemed offensive and punished.

Finally, the sworn parties would form a new experimental unit—a family—and would be obligated to cooperate with the tribe in sociological experiments involving "private ownership," "raising children," and other such matters.

The provisional regulation was named the "Marriage Law (Provisional)," while Blade Tusk and Meiya became the first pair of Trolls to eat the crab.

After several days of preparation, the two Trolls' wedding was held in the former witch doctors' courtyard.

Hand in hand, they came before the Old Witch Doctor, who had insisted on officiating the ceremony.

The Old Witch Doctor could no longer speak. He merely sat at the very center, doing his utmost to look at this pair of "newlyweds" with his now-clouded eyes.

One was a fearless explorer who had brought earth-shattering change to the tribe;

The other was the fruit borne when the tribe's reforms blossomed and came to fruition.

Now, their union seemed to proclaim the arrival of a brand-new era.

...It seems I can leave without worry now.

With that thought, the Old Witch Doctor closed his eyes and left this world forever, leaving behind the tribal homeland to which he had devoted his entire life.

He went quietly—so quietly that the other two witch doctors standing at his sides, responsible for speaking and recording on his behalf, failed to notice.

Only after every procedure had been completed, after the two witch doctors had concluded the "statutory oath" and the "deep meditation oath" before all those present, did the moment for the evening banquet arrive, "Old Witch Doctor, the wedding is over. Shall I escort you back to your room?"

Having completed his task, Blade Tusk forced himself to endure the unforeseen "side effects" brought on by the "Meditation Oath." He walked to Old Witch Doctor's side, lowered himself, and asked softly.

Naturally, he received no response.

Blade Tusk's heart skipped a beat, a vague sense of foreboding rising within him.

"Old Witch Doctor? Old Witch Doctor!"

He called out futilely, stretching a trembling hand toward the old man's face.

But he could no longer feel any breath.

Blade Tusk withdrew his hand and slowly straightened. Looking up at the silent night sky, dyed a warm yellow by the bonfires, he gently closed his eyes. A long-lost tear slipped silently down his cheek.

A pair of arms wrapped around him from the front. Hot breath washed over his neck as a woman's voice spoke dully, laden with indescribable emotions.

"I'm sorry."

Gathering himself, Blade Tusk held her close. Breathing in that unfamiliar, delicate fragrance, he comforted her softly.

"This isn't your fault."

After their brief embrace, he said, "Could you bring Sharp Tusk and Rough Tusk, the two witch doctors, over? It's time to discuss Old Witch Doctor's funeral arrangements."

"Mm."

Meiya agreed and turned away, quietly walking toward the two men, each surrounded by a crowd of Trolls.

It seemed the edits had been blocked earlier, so I revised it a little.