Rowin led Rujierd and the others past several scattered, peculiar "turtle-shell houses."
They finally arrived before a slightly larger house in the center of the village.
This was his home.
Incidentally, Rowin's home was the second largest in the village, smaller only than the village chief's.
As they entered, the mingled smells of animal hides, smoke, and some unknown dried meat washed over them.
With great care, Rujierd took Cui Ciyou from his back.
He gently laid him flat on the floor, which was covered with thick animal hides.
The interior of this "turtle-shell house" was nothing like the "home" Alice and Sylphy had imagined.
The entire house consisted of a single room without any partitions.
Its layout was primitive and open.
At the very center stood a sunken hearth built from stones.
A fire crackled within it.
It provided the only light and warmth in the somewhat empty room.
A great many animal hides, tanned until they were quite soft, covered the floor around the hearth.
They seemed to serve as both the "chairs" where the inhabitants sat during the day and the "beds" where they rested at night.
Alice and Sylphy had both grown up in humanfolk kingdoms.
The shabby scene before them left them momentarily stunned.
That was only natural for Alice, who had been born a noble young lady.
But even Sylphy, whose father was a hunter and whose family was relatively poor,
had furniture such as chairs, beds, and wardrobes at home.
They had simply been short on clothing.
But both girls soon recovered.
All their attention returned
to the Black-Haired Youth lying motionless on the floor.
They immediately gathered around him.
Alice's little face, usually touched with arrogance and impatience,
was now filled with nearly overflowing anxiety and terror.
"Sylphy, hurry and check on