"What! Main God as my witness! Xi Feng, are you saying you discovered a great iron mountain?!"
"Huh? Well... Chief Priest Miki, in the mountains to the east, there really is a great mountain full of this kind of ore! As for whether it's iron ore... I'm... not entirely able to tell..."
Before the tribal fire pit in the harbor camp, a basket of pale brass-colored ore was reflecting a golden flow of light. The two Kingdom priests looked at each other; Scholar Miki's expression was unusually grave, while Priest Xi Feng lowered his head somewhat guiltily.
At first, he had been thrilled and excited, presenting these ores as if offering up treasure, his heart filled with visions of a great achievement that would be recorded in the Kingdom! But when Chief Priest Miki questioned him solemnly and asked him to vouch for the ore he had discovered, he shrank back and hesitated, not daring to give a firm guarantee.
"Mm? He still needs much more tempering!... If he can't shoulder responsibility, how can he be the leader of a settlement? If this goes on for too long, the one who truly controls the Kingdom's port may end up being..."
Scholar Miki's gaze shifted. He glanced at Tulan, the Wiyot female chief who stood with her head held high, then at Priest Xi Feng with his head lowered. He pondered for a moment, looked at the golden ore before the fire pit, and suddenly instructed Shijian, the Samurai captain accompanying him.
"Shijian, go invite that Wa Tribe blacksmith called, what was it... mm, 'Otani.' Have him come take a good look..."
"Yes! Chief Priest!..."
Shijian strode away, then hurried back with the Wagoku blacksmith in tow. The blacksmith Otani Kengo kept his head lowered, yellow crumbs of Tortilla still clinging