Firearms in a Fantasy World

Translator: Cinder Translations

...

Snowflakes as big as goose feathers swirled in the air, filling the space between the sky and the ground with a blanket of white.

Stanford looked up at the sky but could see nothing clearly, only a faint light shining through the gaps in the snowflakes.

He couldn't tell which way was north or south.

This godforsaken place is so cold! I really don't know how those hairy barbarians manage to survive.

He shivered and hurriedly tightened his pants, taking a couple of steps toward a mound of earth that bulged up from the ground.

He lifted a thick animal hide to reveal an entrance glowing with a yellow light, and the warm air rushing out made him eager to crawl inside.

Sigh! Was my decision correct? he thought, letting out a sigh.

Stanford, the commander of the Northern Exploration Fleet, was appointed by Earl Paul Grayman of Alden. Since June of last year, he had been leading three ships that set out from the port of Frand on the northwest coast of the Kingdom of Aldor, heading north along the coastline for exploration.

Their journey north was relatively smooth. Initially, there were three fleets that set out together, but Stanford and the other two fleets separated at the edge of the bay, navigating and surveying as they went.

They discovered that the northern edge of the northwest bay consisted of a massive peninsula extending into the ocean.

Stanford chose a spot to personally lead a team to land and take a look. The peninsula was dotted with hills and mountains, and they spotted signs of orc tribes. Due to their longstanding negative impression of orcs, they were unwilling to take the risk of making contact and returned to their ships. In fact, the people living near the northwest bay were already aware of the orc presence across the sea; during the time of rampant piracy, there were notorious gangs that included tall, hairy individuals known for their brutality and bloodlust.

The fleet continued sailing north along the coastline for a month. Through observation, they noted that the continental edge did not extend straight north but slanted northwest instead.

Along the way, the exploration team documented the geographical information of the coastline, especially areas suitable for port construction. According to Earl Grayman's grand vision, there would be many fleets from the northwest bay in the future, laden with craftsmen, food, and militia, constructing docks, warehouses, and shipyards, serving as supply stations for further voyages.

The three-masted sailing ship had a self-sustaining capacity of just over two months, and after a month of sailing, nearly half of their supplies had been consumed. Freshwater could occasionally be replenished on shore (if they were lucky enough to find rivers and lakes), but food was a significant problem.

According to the original plan, they should have turned back by now. However, during one survey, they joyfully discovered signs of human natives. Prior to this, the team had assumed that only orcs inhabited the land north of the Rocky Mountains.

However, the initial contact between the two unfamiliar groups was not warm. The "great ship" of the exploration team intimidated the natives who were paddling canoes, and both sides stood at a distance, confronting each other.

After a lengthy standoff, the exploration team took the initiative and sent a small boat to approach the natives, making a friendly gesture by tossing a bottle of honey and a packet of salt towards them. They had intended to send some biscuits, but unfortunately, the biscuits on board had gone stale and were infested with maggots, which could provoke the natives instead.

The natives opened the two gifts they received, and the sweetness of the honey and the taste of the salt immediately captivated their senses, causing them to wave enthusiastically at the strangers from afar.

"They should be friendly; I think we should engage in deeper communication with them," suggested the captain of the flagship.

After contemplating for a moment, Stanford agreed.

So the first mate of the flagship led a group ashore.

The first mate presented a silver coin embossed with the portrait of King Rodney to one of the apparent leaders. However, when the leader examined the coin in his hand, his expression was one of curiosity rather than understanding its value as money.

When the first mate offered a finely crafted steel dagger, the tall native jumped for joy, then removed a gemstone he wore and presented it to the first mate in return.

This somewhat shy man, with an embarrassed expression, stammered and gestured, as if to explain that this gemstone was the most valuable thing he owned.

"It seems their society is still at a barter level," the first mate remarked to those around him.

"First mate, we have a lot of broken glass on the ship that sparkles. Could we use it to trade for food—if they have any?" one crew member suggested, thinking himself clever.

"That's too unethical! Broken glass is just trash, and you want to trade trash for supplies? Are you serious?"

"What's the difference? It wouldn't matter to them."

The first mate waved his hand to stop the argument among the crew. "Enough! Let's leave this decision to Commander Stanford."

...

"If we want to gain their support for exploring broader territories, we cannot engage in such fraudulent behavior! As our communication deepens, they will inevitably see through it," Stanford rejected the absurd proposal.

"Before we set out, Lord Grayman emphasized to me that if we encounter any natives we can communicate with—regardless of whether they are human—we must present a friendly demeanor."

After confirming that the natives harbored no hostility, Stanford personally led a team to the settlement of these natives.

The buildings in this settlement, or village, mostly consisted of low wooden houses or mud huts with thatched roofs, and the living conditions were far worse than those in Alden's countryside a few years ago. In the center of the village stood a particularly conspicuous tall wooden house, likely the residence of the chief. The layout of the entire village appeared chaotic, lacking any apparent planning, but there was an open area in front of the chief's longhouse.

By judging the number and density of the buildings, Stanford estimated that there were about four to five hundred people in the village.

Considering the possibility of dealing with foreign natives, the exploration team included scholars proficient in language studies. After some guessing and observing, Stanford was pleasantly surprised to find that a certain scale of agriculture existed here, although fishing and hunting were still the primary means of subsistence, with animal skulls and bone ornaments adorning the walls.

The villagers seemed to use wooden and bone tools, and their clothing was made of animal hides.

Thus, the exploration team produced many metal tools, such as hammers, axes, shovels, nails, and needles, as well as three rolls of cotton fabric and several spools of thread for mending clothes, expressing their intention to exchange for some food.

An elder who appeared to hold great authority—presumably the village chief—immediately opened his previously drooping eyelids upon seeing the items the strangers had brought forth. He examined each item as if they were treasures, stroking them with his hands.

The exploration team successfully exchanged for thirty bags of grain and five bags of dried meat. In fact, there were even more desirable items for the exploration team—furs, which would surely fetch a great price if sold, but food was a priority for now.

After returning to the ship with the goods from the trade, Stanford gathered the leaders of the three ships to discuss the next course of action.

With food now slightly more abundant, should they set their sights a little farther?

Moreover, having encountered a human native tribe with whom they could trade, could they not expect to easily obtain supplies in other areas in the future? Surely there was more than one human tribe on the continent.

(End of the Chapter)

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