The village chief burst into hearty laughter at my reaction before proceeding to explain, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "In addition to the beautiful paintings you've already seen in my hut, all these items here were traded to us by a caravan that arrived a few years after the incident. Naturally, there was some initial suspicion when people emerged from the other side of the forest, a place we hadn't anticipated any visitors from. But once we discovered they posed no harm and only wished to engage in trade, offering our Kalna fruits and various other resources in exchange for their peculiar items, we happily embraced the opportunity. Also their arrival proved to be a welcome distraction for those who couldn't shake the memories of the Vylkr vine onslaught, even years later."
"The previous village chief, Ravok, turned it into a ceremonial event where every villager could trade their possessions or goods for something of similar value from the caravans." He explained, "It first started as a way to distract people from the dark and gruesome past, but now it has become an eagerly anticipated affair for every villager. Surprisingly, the caravans themselves seemed enthusiastic about the trades. They never failed to arrive punctually, passing through our village on the way to an undisclosed destination, a secret they guarded just as we kept the secrets of our farm to ourselves. And as they didn't fully trust us to disclose their identities or destinations, they referred to themselves simply as passing traders."
The village chief gracefully picked up what appeared to be a small plastic comb, running it through his short black hair with a grin spreading across his face. His eyes sparkled with delight as he admired the comb before casually tossing it back among the myriad of unfamiliar items. Intrigued, I couldn't resist asking once again, "What did these traders look like?" Curiosity overwhelmed me, wondering if they were fellow humans or perhaps something entirely different, especially considering the astonishing sights I had just witnessed.
For a brief moment, the village chief seemed taken aback by my question. Then, with a thoughtful expression, he replied, "Well, anyone who hasn't lost their memories has seen them, but since it you're the first to inquire directly, I'll provide a more detailed description. Their appearance is strikingly similar to ours, with the only noticeable difference being the presence of four elongated ears, two on each side." Suddenly, the chief halted his steps and began rummaging through the scattered items on the ground. After a brief search, he retrieved a small portrait and handed it to me, saying, "This is exactly what they look like."
I eagerly took hold of the portrait, my eyes fixating on the depiction of a stern-faced man with four elongated ears and a garment that seemed to be fashioned from interwoven leaves. Their appearance was far from the human likeness I had initially expected, prompting me to simply nod my head in acknowledgement. Returning the portrait to the village chief, I watched as he carelessly tossed it back into the pile of items before turning to me and declaring, "We're finished here." With purposeful steps, he began walking past the statues, beckoning for me to follow.
"The matter of your extraordinary fertility, which allows you to impregnate women even beyond their fertile years, will remain a closely guarded secret," he divulged, his pace quickening with each passing moment, signalling the conclusion of the revelations he had shared. "Only those who already know about it will be confined to this knowledge. We cannot afford to let the entire village become aware of the capabilities of your semen, especially since most of them have no recollection of our previous attempts to safely and significantly increase our numbers, thanks to the efforts of the previous village chief in suppressing such memories. However, I'm not suggesting that you restrain yourself from pursuing having kushi as you always have, as that would be a waste of such a potent semen." He shook his head thoughtfully and continued, "Rest assured, I will assist in covering your tracks. Just in case your fertility eventually wanes like the other men in the village, though given your unique circumstances, I highly doubt it will happen. Nevertheless, we must make the most of it should that day ever come."
I nodded appreciatively, a sense of gratitude and immense relief washing over me. After all that the village chief had revealed and shown me, I had braced myself for the worst possible outcomes. In my mind, I had already begun formulating various escape plans, envisioning a future where my mother, Reena, Grandma Celia, and the others could leave this village behind. At the very least, I had anticipated a scenario where I would be forbidden from indulging in the pleasures of Kushi.
However, to my pleasant surprise, the village chief proved to be a reasonable man who genuinely cared for the well-being of the village and its inhabitants, including myself. Knowing that I still had the freedom to still fuck with whomever I desired, although perhaps not to the same extent as before, filled me with an overwhelming sense of relief.
The most crucial course of action at this moment, however, would be to master the art of my pull-out game, which had disastrously failed me in the case of Grandma Celia.
After what felt like an eternity, we finally arrived at the ladder that would guide us out of this place. With haste, we ascended its rungs, emerging into the world above before the village chief. Sealing the entrance behind us, using the broken locks to secure it once more, he then took the lead, guiding us back to the location where Grandma Celia and the others awaited our return.
Surprisingly, as soon as we arrived, we saw that the village chieftess was present alongside Ayla,their penetrating gazes locking onto me with unwavering intensity. Their visages bore the weight of seriousness, etching lines of concern on their faces. Initially, I was taken aback by her sudden presence, but after considering that she was able to eavesdrop on the village chief's meetings and everything that transpired within the compound, I knew deep down it was only a matter of time before she appeared in person.
